Sunday, October 17, 2010

High Intensity Interval Training - McMaster Study


This morning I was re-reading 90-Second Fitness. I took a break to check email and stumbled upon a health/weight loss article and came across this familiar sounding tip:

30 Second Exercise Trick

"Now you can work out less - and get more fit. A recent study from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, showed that about a half-hour of sprint cycling (alternating speeds by pedaling quickly for 30 seconds and then at a slow pace for four minutes) is as effective as an hour and a half of moderate pedaling. The key is the series of 30-second power bursts."

I tracked down the study -- which was conducted 6 years ago (I guess that is recent in the big scheme of things)... The key that they aren't quoting in the "30-second power bursts" health tip is that resistance level and heart rate are really crucial. It's not just pedaling fast for 30 seconds, it is fast with lots of resistance. Think intense, almost to the point of vomiting. What they found was that the "Resting muscle glycogen concentration increased (P <>

The two week study was conducted in 6 session 30 minute sessions with four minutes of slow to no movement and several 30 second super intense bursts, for a total of 15 minutes of super intense "bursts" over the course of 2 weeks, with 24 hours of rest between sessions.

Here is a link to the McMaster Study: http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/98/6/1985?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=mcmaster&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

I rarely read the actual study that gets extrapolated and condensed to a little "weight loss fact".

The next one I'd like to track down involves incline treadmills. I read that walking at a 15% incline burns 150% more calories than walking on a flat surface. That was in the November/December 2008 issue of Fitness Magazine. I looked and no source was listed.


Saturday, October 16, 2010

Week 5 - Day 6 of Treadmill - 60 minutes of Cardio Go Giants!

Watched the first four innings of Giants vs Phillies tonight.
First 30 minutes, Stairmill 2.5 miles level 8 fat burning mode 300 calories burned.
Followed by 30 minutes of Elliptical 35% resistance 350 calories burned.

Planning to get to the gym again tomorrow.
It was nice having something to watch and letting this one be a bit of autopilot.

Jen

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Week 5 - Day 5 of Treadmill - 45 minutes of Cardio + Weights

I warmed up 10% incline treadmill for 5 minutes, then upstairs to the free weights.

I started out with 10lb weights running through the chest/arms section of the Cindy Crawford "Next Challenge" DVD. I've done it so many times I could see it in my mind. At the cross over arm barrel presses 10lbs was too heavy, so I switched to 8lbs and ran through the whole thing from the top.

Then I did a few sets of 10 lb Tricep extensions.

I pressed 90lbs on the leg press machine x 3 sets of 10. Almost didn't make it through the last one, so I think I was just right on the intensity. (During the rest period I did bicep hammer curls).

Then, remembered a combo a personal trainer showed me of dead lift 25lb barbell then squat and stand lifting the 25lb weight over my head and then returning to deadlift x 10, then did another 10 with 30 lb weights then down stairs to the elliptical. I went 30 minutes, then finished up on the bike. It felt good. Ready to take tomorrow off. Friday is a rest day. Finish up Week 6 on Saturday.

Jennifer

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Week 5 - Day 4 of 6 Treadmill - 60 minutes of Cardio

Stairmill x 30 minutes
Over the course of 1,800 seconds - you have the opportunity to innovate.
I started doing this yesterday. Instead of walking head on up the stairs, I crossed my feet over stepping to the far left with my right foot, and to the far right with my left foot. It did require paying more attention, so as not to fall off the stairmill... but it was definitely using muscles that don't usually get called into action -- and that is a big part of what I am trying to do. Waking up and using muscles that haven't been developed.

In addition, I was going through 30 second bouts of taking every other step and changing the speed (level) to keep my heart rate up and me on my toes.

Then, 16 minutes on the treadmill. Never did get into a groove there, but did enjoy my last 14 minutes on the bike before calling it a day.

Tomorrow may be a day of rest, or if I wake up and feel like I have the energy, it will be Day 5.
Jen

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Week 5 - Day 3 of 6 Treadmill - 90 minutes of Cardio

Today I woke up at 4:47, before my alarm and made it to the gym before 6

Stairmill - 30 minutes at level 8, listening to Stan Ridgeway

Treadmill - 30 minutes -- the first 10 at 1.4 mph standing sideways and side stepping, then 20 minutes at 3 mph, practically dancing to the music. Divynals, Belly, and a Robyn Hitchcock.

Elliptical - 30 minutes, 10mph on low incline, and 4.5 on high incline - random hills at 6 - 8 resistance

And I loved every minute of it.
Jen

Monday, October 11, 2010

Week 5 - Day 2 of 6 Treadmill - 45 minutes of Cardio + High Rep Weights

Today I hit a wall (in my mind)

5 minutes of treadmill at 3 mph, then Day 2 Of Harley Pasternak's 5-Factor Fitness
I did:
50 Dumbbell Single Arm Rows - with 5 pound weights -- too light
50 Stiff Legged Dumbell Deadlifts with 10 pound weights -- also too light
50 Dumbbell Single Arm Row - with 10 pound weights -- a little too light, but better
50 Stiff Legged Dumbell Deadlifts with 20 pound weights -- because of all the reps, this was ok
50 Dumbbell Lateral Flexion/Extensions with 20 pound weights -- I feel this one tonight in my abs

Then I fell apart over the cardio...
10 minutes on the Arc Trainer
10 minutes on the Elliptical
10 minutes on the Treadmill, at the calibration mechanism broke
10 minutes on the Bike and I was through - out of steam, nothing left to give

Some days are like that. So, I reserve the right to take tomorrow as a rest day, or if I wake up early and feel like going for it, I'll give it a shot.

I did eat Rolled Oats this morning, with about 12 cranberries and 8 walnuts with hot water steeped in a hot cup. It was very filling. I had a few small (10 almond) snacks at 11 and 4, and a great lunch - a garnish size serving of pork with lots of acorn squash and white beans for lunch and a acorn squash, spinach, sweet potato and pork dinner with a large green salad. My compliments to the chef! -- some how despite all that I did manage to find a cookie at lunch. Darn you temptation! But, I did enjoy every bite so there's that.

Hoping for a better tomorrow,
Jennifer

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Week 5 - Day 1 of 6 Treadmill - 60 minutes of Cardio + High Rep Weights

Kicked off Week 5 with a 5 minute Cardio warm-up (Walking 15% incline 3 mph)
Then, used Harley Pasternak's 5 Factor Fitness Monday as inspiration and did
Chest Dumbell Fly - on a bench -- much better than at home on the floor! I hurt myself the last time I was following his plan (he doesn't give specifics on which weights to use, and I over did it)... so I was super cautious and used 5lb weights since I was following the 2x30 reps warm up.
Then did 60 Dumbell Tap Squats with 10lb weights. I got to 50 and then started counting backwards from 10 to 1, because I couldn't bring myself to think 51,52,53...
Then I did Upper-Body Crunches x 60 and 40 Reverse Crunches

Then I started my 60 minutes of Cardio.
I did Stairmill for 30 minutes, I got 15 minutes in on level 12 listening to Polly Jean Harvey's Uh Huh Her. Then, I was covered in sweat and breathless, so I switched to level 8. I ended up at my 144 floors, but I was doing lots of little variations. I would take every other step, standing tall. Then I would hop one foot and then step the other foot on the same step so I was really putting all my weight and strength into the first jump. Then just walking one step at a time.

I headed to the climbing treadmill next, it was a very clunky machine I made it 5 minutes and then I just couldn't do it.

I jumped on the treadmill 5 more minutes. Again, just couldn't go another step. So I headed over to the bikes. I rode 6 miles listening to PodRunner "windup" at 130 bpm. I did all of this in shorts. Shorter shorts than I have worn in public in more than a decade, maybe two. And it felt great. All this cardio and strength training is working to transform the shape of my body, and I feel taller, leaner, stronger, and more confident.

So much of the time at the gym could just be on autopilot. And if that is what I was doing, at the end of it, I wouldn't look that different than I did four weeks ago. It is by tuning into the workout, pushing yourself to do your best -- but not so hard that you burn yourself out or get hurt. Hanging in there for the "golden rep" as Lee Labrada has referred to it.

Ready to face Day 2 tomorrow
Jennifer

Friday, October 8, 2010

Week 4 - Day 6 of 6 - 60 minutes of Cardio and Weights

Stair Mill 30 Minutes, 144 floors
Elliptical 30 Minutes 3 miles
Total calories burned somewhere around 700.
Upstairs - Weights
Lat Pull Downs - 70lbs x 8 , 55lbs x 10, 4olbs x 20
Cable Rows - 70lbs x 10, 20 lbs x 20
Rope Handle Tricep-Press Downs 20lbs x 3 sets of 20

Recap - Week 4 was a great change of pace.
I enjoyed breaking up the cardio into 30 minute blocks back to back with different activities.
I am ready for tomorrow's day of rest, and then will kick off Week 5 on Sunday -- what form that will take is to be determined, but I think it may be a repeat of this week's theme.

Have a great weekend!
Jennifer

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Week 4 - Day 5 of 6 - 90 minutes of Cardio

30 Minutes Stair Master Stair Mill level 10, fat burner mode, with some bouts of level 8,12, and 14 - 143 floors

30 Minutes of Elliptical random mode, read Allure magazine September 2010 issue
Interesting article on weight loss, the program costs $25,000 so the details were very vague.

30 Minutes of Cycling - just for the joy of it. between 85 - 100 rpm

Ready for tomorrow to finish out Week 4 injury free.

Week 4 - Day 4 of 6 - 60 minutes of cardio and Weights


Wednesday 30 minutes of Stair Mill Fat Burning Mode Level 10.
Followed by 30 minutes of 15% incline on treadmill with four or five 60 second bursts of running at 5.0 mph

Weights
Lateral Pull downs 3x10 descending 65,60,55 lbs
Cable Rows 3x10 descending 70,55,40 lbs
Leg Press 3x10 at 140lbs for all three sets

Debbie Reynold's leg lifts x 100 each side. Hearing the Doing it Debbie's Way big band soundtrack in my head the whole time. That is the biggest reason I am tempted to replace my broken VCR. I doubt it's out on DVD.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Week 4 - Day 3 of 6 - 90 minutes of cardio

Tuesday - woke up early and made it to the gym before 6am.

30 Minutes on Arc elliptical trainer at 20% incline and 50% resistance
30 Minutes of 3 miles an hour walking on treadmill at 15% incline
30 Minutes of elliptical trainer - alternating 4 minutes backward, 4 minutes forward

Over 1000 Calories burned
Ran out of charge on my iPod
Amazed at how time passes even when it doesn't feel like it, and 60 minutes 6 days a week is making a difference.

Join Me!
Jennifer

Week 4 - Day 2 of 6 Stair Master Treadmill and Weights

Monday I logged 60 minutes of Cardio -- but I couldn't face the treadmill for the 20th workout, at least not first.

So I continued on my theme of mixing things up:
30 minutes Stair Mill Stair Master - level 10, fat burner mode, 144 floors - 3 miles. 330 calories burned

30 minutes Treadmill 1.5 miles, side steps, grapevine 300 calories burned

Downstairs - Debbie Reynold's leg lifts x 100 per leg

Upstairs - Weights

Leg Press x 3 sets of 10 - 90lbs

Lateral Pull Downs x 3 sets of 10, 60,55,50 lbs descending

Cable Rows x 3 sets of 10, 60,55,50 lbs descending

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Week 4 - Day 1 of 6 Mixing things up

Saturday morning I headed to the gym. I wasn't hurting from Friday's 6 mile walk so I climbed the stairs to the treadmills and surveyed the main room. I headed to the cross trainer, it is a cross between a stair climber and an elliptical trainer. I looked for a picture of one, and quickly learned there are hundreds of similarly named machines -- so I will pay more attention next time I go to the Antioch gym.
I spent 30 minutes "climbing" at 50% resistance and between 50% and 100% incline.
Then, because I was doing something new and didn't want to push it too hard, I switched over to treadmill for another 30 minutes, then I did my strength training routine in the weight room.

700 calories burned and 10,000 + steps in 60 minutes of cardio

Sunday was a day of rest, looking forward to picking up where I left off tomorrow.
Jennifer

Friday, October 1, 2010

Week 3 - Recap 27.55 miles walked, 5,800 calories burned

I woke up before 5 this morning and headed to Emeryville. I got to the gym by 6:15 and got on the treadmill. I listened to the Prevention Advanced Interval for a warm up and then switched to Podrunner's Ziggurat. I walked for 99 minutes. I don't know at what point I fully committed to walking as long as the time on the machine would allow. When it gets to 99 minutes, it starts counting down and then shuts off and goes into workout recap mode. Of course, nothing was stopping me from re-starting -- but I was happy to get to that milestone.

Today wasn't my fastest, or steepest incline. I went for 30 minutes at 15% incline, then went down to 5% and then made a pattern on the display that was one step higher for every line. It's the kind of thing that my mind can really get distracted by -- which is what I was counting on to be able to keep going. Because I wasn't going super fast, I went over 6 miles.

This has been a big week -- to recap:
Saturday - 4 miles 800 calories burned
Sunday - 4.5 miles 1000 calories burned
Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - 5 miles 1000 calories burned
Wednesday - 4 miles 1000 calories burned
Thursday - 4 miles 1000 calories burned
Friday - 6 miles 1000 calories burned

Total for Week 3:
27.55 miles walked
5,800 calories burned

Seriously considering going to the gym tomorrow morning, if my legs will allow me to. If they are too tight and sore, I may just do something else. Sleep in, rest, or find a new activity... I am ready for Week 4 of the Treadmill Experiment whatever it may hold.

Jennifer