Hi Ryan I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying your kettlebell work outs - they're interesting and challenging, and I appreciate how encouraging and motivating your training style is. The kettlebell work outs are more than I'd hoped for! I love the challenge and results!
In order to Burn Maximum Fat , you have to perform a high number of repetitions of each exercise.
You should be concentrating on pefect form during all your exercises, instead of counting reps.
This is when The Gym Boss becomes an essential Home Gym work Out tool.
set the timer to 30 seconds, press start and then begin your exercise. The Gym Boss will alert you when to stop the exercise.
Make your work outs more challenging by increasing The Gym Boss set time by 10 seconds each week.
The Gym Boss is great for Home Gym Work Outs and for Personal Trainers.
The Gym Boss benefits :
EXACT REST BETWEEN SETS Any rest period you desire (30, 60, 90 seconds, 2, 3, 5 minutes, or any other time you want) can be set. When you complete each set simply push the start button to begin timing, when it alarms (choice of beep, vibrate, or both) begin a new set.
EXACT WORKOUT DURATION You have set amount of time to complete your workout, using a GYMBOSS in auto mode you can begin a new set at a time
interval of your choice, when the timer alarms simply begin another set, this will continue repeating and will also display how many sets you have completed.
The possibilities are endless and you control the workout intensity to reach your specific goals.
GYMBOSS timer clips to your belt and alarms by beep, vibrate, or both. Stop staring at the clock, watch, stopwatch, or GUESSING at your rest between sets?? ...Maximize your strength, endurance, physique, fat loss.........Buy a Gym Boss today :) Gymboss Interval Timer
When developing an effective off-season training program one must look at the functional demands and primary movement patterns of the sport or activity they are training for. As many of you multi-sport veterans can attest, Triathlons are truly demanding. To maintain swim technique, tuck position on the bike, and gait over a prolonged period of time is no easy task.
A common problem faced by many Triathletes nowadays is the training programs don’t match the demands of the sport. One of the reasons involved is the negative effects of two dimensional training paradigm made popular by traditional training techniques. Popularized by bodybuilding, “traditional training” involves single plane movement, in two-dimensional space with specific focus on isolated movements for muscle size and strength. The question is, Will this type of training improve your Run, Bike and Swim? The answer is a big, NO! What this method of training will lead to for many, without proper guidance or reason is muscle imbalance, dysfunction, injury, and poor performance. Ultimately there is little to no functional carryover when working in single planes of motion, supported by machines in a controlled environment, we are three-dimensional beings, (1) it is time to move like nature intended.
So to meet the functional demands of the Run, Bike, & Swim we need to train accordingly, and here are three exercises Fitness Expert Ryan Shanahan has taught me , that will give you the best bang for your buck: The Hip Shrug, The Matrix Twist, and the DaVinci AB Wheel.
The Hip Shrug on One Leg
A great exercise for developing strength in the lateral core muscles, as well as the stabilizers at the knee and ankle. The primary objective is to contract the External and Internal Oblique in a side flexion motion, while maintaining a neutral spine on one foot. This Exercise strengthens the largest muscle in the core (External Obliques) as well developing one of the key stabilizers of the low back (Internal Obliques) . Each of these muscles plays a primary role in trunk rotation which is key in the water as well as on the run.
The Matrix Twist
One of my favorite exercises, this again utilizes the lateral core muscles (Internal & External Obliques) but in the Transverse Plane (rotational movement). This is one of the best exercises for developing rotational strength, which is needed to produce those personal bests in the water and on the road.
The DaVinci Ab Wheel
This exercise develops strength in the lateral core muscles, as well as the stabilizers in the knee and ankle by shifting the weight from one leg to another, much like you do when you are in the middle of a run. Unlike the other two exercises, The DaVinci Ab Wheel focuses on Frontal Plane strength and stability, which tends to be a weakness in most triathletes because of all the Sagittal & Transverse Plane strength from the Run, Bike & Swim. These three exercises will dramatically increase your performance, not to mention sculpt some great and USEFUL abs! Go Fast !
This article was contributed by : Ryan Shanahan Official Fitness Expert for Swyft www.energyflow.tv
Dax Wilcox, Member of The Energy Flow Research & Education Association www.daxwilcox.com
My many years of studying elite runners in freeze frame video clips has revealed the exact strength training needs for optimal form. Multisport athletes and runners alike can benefit from exercises that duplicate the distinct joint and limb movements, involved in running. The resulting strength and flexibility will improve your running form, stride length and explosiveness, which will mean faster race times.
In addition to these following tips, always maintain excellent ‘Power Posture’ while running , this in turn will keep your lungs open and hips square so that you have maximum oxygen intake and a push off that forces you directly forward.
1 Leg Heel Raise :
To run fast, great ankle joint extension and strength is necessary, as this increases the power of your push off. The more you can extend the better. During running, a weak push off results in more of a shuffle instead of the desired spring, and is a waste of much needed energy.
1 Leg Squat :
Forward thigh drive increases stride length and the power of your push off. Quads and Hip flexors, located in the front of the thigh are largely responsible for this, and you can benefit by strengthening them. The key to this exercise is standing on one leg, which corrects any harmful muscle imbalances.
1 Leg Floor Touch:
Strong and Flexible hamstring muscles will generate the least amount of braking force at the point of foot and ground contact during your running stride. This will keep you moving fast.
Meet The Queen Lunge :
Running is a linear motion, and over time continuous forward running leads to ‘ Pattern Overload Syndrome’ .This is the primary cause of common running injuries , such as sore knees and Achilles strain. The solution is to do lateral leg exercises such as ‘Meet The Queens’ during each strength training session to injury proof your legs.
In addition to the lower body workouts discussed here, there are a variety of lower-back, abdominal and upper body exercises that will increase your strength and improve your form. I will cover these exercises in the next Energy Flow Fitness Articles. Perform these sport-specific leg exercises after the 7 Point Warm Up, along with your regular road work and you will have dramatic improvements in running speed, while being injury free!
