Many people in the 40-60 age category hope to find a path to health & fitness. Lots of choices, lots of misinformation & many roads to nowhere because the goal may be to sell you something other than placing you on the road to success.
As a 50 something fitness advocate, perhaps I can give some of the middle aged start-ups a little bit of insight to get you within striking distance of the path to success.
Myth busting begins.
Myth 1: "Starvation, Losing Weight, Exercising & Getting Abs"
If you want to shrink your midsection, your nutrition strategy should be designed to burn fat on its own, regardless of the workout regimen.
I have personally tried most of the "lose weight fast" diet plans that are advertised. I wanted to experience them so as to better advise people searching for a solution. These plans are calorie restricted diets which essentially make use of a starvation strategy. They are usually not sustainable nutritionally, and in many cases, economically.
Here is the part that you most likely do not want to hear. If you are in your 40's or 50's and beyond and are just starting on the fitness comeback trail, you are not fit enough for any workout routine to have a substantial impact on weight loss. The truth is that the nutrition strategy will be the driving force of your weight management in the early stages, of your fitness reawakening
This is why in developing a Training Plan for a client/athlete, the initial (conditioning) phase, is the period that the subject is being prepared for working out. Intensity is low for all strength movements and power is low (sub threshold) for the endurance program. The nutrition strategy is implemented, at this phase so that the body can begin to adapt to the training routine and supply the body's fuel requirements. Initial overall training stress is low, but builds slowly over the course of the training block.
The workout routine that you utilize for any block of time should be matched to the nutrition strategy so that the subject will have plenty of energy to complete the targeted workouts.
PS.
Throw the energy drinks in the toilet.
Myth 2: "Aerobics, Traditional Cardio, Don't Work????"
What is meant by traditional cardio? Is it sitting on an indoor cycle reading a magazine? Is it jumping around like a maniac, or Is it training at 80-90% of your threshold power in watts? Many people in the gym have no clue as to what they are doing, the reasons they are doing it, and no clear objective, or goal in mind.
They are wasting time.
Lower intensity cardio workouts are perfect for the initial phase of an overall, yearly, training plan. They prepare the body for the higher intensity routines to follow and allow the nutrition strategy to come online. For many, the beginning is the most difficult time. New dietary habits, muscle soreness & stiffness, mental focus, etc., can be stressful enough, but then factor in too high a workout intensity and everything could end in a crash & burn scenario for the fitness newbie.
Consider the following:
No athlete on this planet, trains the same way all year long. In fact many athletes utilize some type of Block Periodized Training Plan. One reason for this, is that as the body adapts to the routine, the routine needs to be changed so that the athlete continues to get results. Another reason is to prepare the athlete for the varying demands of a particular event.
This is a generic Training Plan Overview
1. Training Plan: Sample Overview.
A. Overview: Block Periodization
1. Each Block is approx. 8-10 weeks in length
a. Block 1: General Body Conditioning/Flexibility
i. Introduction to Watt Based Aerobic Conditioning
ii. Introduction to Interval Training
iii. Introduction to Barbel Training
iv. Introduction to Flexibility/Stretching
b. Block 2: Increased Intensity/VO2 Max. Conditioning
i. Incremental Barbel Training
c. Block 3: Specificity, Anaerobic Threshold Conditioning
i. Incremental Barbel Training
d. Block 4: Anaerbic Power Conditioning
i. Advanced Barbel Training*
e. Block 5: Rest & Review
Myth 3: "I Don't Need A Fitness Coach or a Personal Trainer."
I have a coach. My coach has a coach.
When it comes to ourselves, we are our biggest critics. We are too close to the situation to be objective. Seek out the services of a fitness professional. Take advantage of their knowledge and expertise. Get a Training Plan that will at the very least outline the path of your journey, and track your progress.
As you progress along the plan, even if the plan is terrible, it is 1000 times better than no plan at all. It will enable you to enlist the help of others, because thay can see where you have been and where you plan to go and perhaps suggest revisions based on what we now know.
Myth 4: " I am 40-60 years old, I am going to do what I used to do. That will work."
Our body changes over time. It is a fact. What we did when were younger is no longer relevant. What is relevant, is where we are, and what we can do now. It is that simple.
When we were young we could do just about anything and get results, but I have found that is no longer be the case. We can still get some dramatic results, we may have to adapt the techniques that work, and avoid injury at all costs.
In my 50's I have found:
1. It is easy to get injured.
2. It takes longer to heal from injury
3. It takes longer to adapt and recover.
4. Gains are in smaller increments in both power and strength.
So in putting together a Training Plan for the 40 plus people after evaluation, the cornerstone of the plan is to maximize the intensity of the training stimulus, while also maximizing rest and recovery.
As a 50 something fitness advocate, perhaps I can give some of the middle aged start-ups a little bit of insight to get you within striking distance of the path to success.
Myth busting begins.
Myth 1: "Starvation, Losing Weight, Exercising & Getting Abs"
If you want to shrink your midsection, your nutrition strategy should be designed to burn fat on its own, regardless of the workout regimen.
I have personally tried most of the "lose weight fast" diet plans that are advertised. I wanted to experience them so as to better advise people searching for a solution. These plans are calorie restricted diets which essentially make use of a starvation strategy. They are usually not sustainable nutritionally, and in many cases, economically.
Here is the part that you most likely do not want to hear. If you are in your 40's or 50's and beyond and are just starting on the fitness comeback trail, you are not fit enough for any workout routine to have a substantial impact on weight loss. The truth is that the nutrition strategy will be the driving force of your weight management in the early stages, of your fitness reawakening
This is why in developing a Training Plan for a client/athlete, the initial (conditioning) phase, is the period that the subject is being prepared for working out. Intensity is low for all strength movements and power is low (sub threshold) for the endurance program. The nutrition strategy is implemented, at this phase so that the body can begin to adapt to the training routine and supply the body's fuel requirements. Initial overall training stress is low, but builds slowly over the course of the training block.
The workout routine that you utilize for any block of time should be matched to the nutrition strategy so that the subject will have plenty of energy to complete the targeted workouts.
PS.
Throw the energy drinks in the toilet.
Myth 2: "Aerobics, Traditional Cardio, Don't Work????"
What is meant by traditional cardio? Is it sitting on an indoor cycle reading a magazine? Is it jumping around like a maniac, or Is it training at 80-90% of your threshold power in watts? Many people in the gym have no clue as to what they are doing, the reasons they are doing it, and no clear objective, or goal in mind.
They are wasting time.
Lower intensity cardio workouts are perfect for the initial phase of an overall, yearly, training plan. They prepare the body for the higher intensity routines to follow and allow the nutrition strategy to come online. For many, the beginning is the most difficult time. New dietary habits, muscle soreness & stiffness, mental focus, etc., can be stressful enough, but then factor in too high a workout intensity and everything could end in a crash & burn scenario for the fitness newbie.
Consider the following:
No athlete on this planet, trains the same way all year long. In fact many athletes utilize some type of Block Periodized Training Plan. One reason for this, is that as the body adapts to the routine, the routine needs to be changed so that the athlete continues to get results. Another reason is to prepare the athlete for the varying demands of a particular event.
This is a generic Training Plan Overview
1. Training Plan: Sample Overview.
A. Overview: Block Periodization
1. Each Block is approx. 8-10 weeks in length
a. Block 1: General Body Conditioning/Flexibility
i. Introduction to Watt Based Aerobic Conditioning
ii. Introduction to Interval Training
iii. Introduction to Barbel Training
iv. Introduction to Flexibility/Stretching
b. Block 2: Increased Intensity/VO2 Max. Conditioning
i. Incremental Barbel Training
c. Block 3: Specificity, Anaerobic Threshold Conditioning
i. Incremental Barbel Training
d. Block 4: Anaerbic Power Conditioning
i. Advanced Barbel Training*
e. Block 5: Rest & Review
Myth 3: "I Don't Need A Fitness Coach or a Personal Trainer."
I have a coach. My coach has a coach.
When it comes to ourselves, we are our biggest critics. We are too close to the situation to be objective. Seek out the services of a fitness professional. Take advantage of their knowledge and expertise. Get a Training Plan that will at the very least outline the path of your journey, and track your progress.
As you progress along the plan, even if the plan is terrible, it is 1000 times better than no plan at all. It will enable you to enlist the help of others, because thay can see where you have been and where you plan to go and perhaps suggest revisions based on what we now know.
Myth 4: " I am 40-60 years old, I am going to do what I used to do. That will work."
Our body changes over time. It is a fact. What we did when were younger is no longer relevant. What is relevant, is where we are, and what we can do now. It is that simple.
When we were young we could do just about anything and get results, but I have found that is no longer be the case. We can still get some dramatic results, we may have to adapt the techniques that work, and avoid injury at all costs.
In my 50's I have found:
1. It is easy to get injured.
2. It takes longer to heal from injury
3. It takes longer to adapt and recover.
4. Gains are in smaller increments in both power and strength.
So in putting together a Training Plan for the 40 plus people after evaluation, the cornerstone of the plan is to maximize the intensity of the training stimulus, while also maximizing rest and recovery.
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