Training Myth # 4 – It’s Best to Rest Between Exercises

Resting between exercises at OTransformation.com studio in Raleigh, NC

Should I rest
between exercise sets?

We’ve all seen it at the gym – the big, muscular man that spends 30 seconds grunting, groaning and moaning to bench press a weight that we only dream about lifting. Then we watch him sit around for five minutes before starting another exercise. So in order to obtain large muscles and maintain fitness, we should do the same. Right?

Wrong!

Get the Most Out of Your Workout

One of the biggest excuses among Americans is that they just don’t have time to work out. Do you only have thirty minutes? The best way to achieve maximum results in a small amount of time is to reduce or eliminate rest between exercises. Choose an exercise that works one muscle group and then move to another exercise that doesn’t use that muscle group to allow recovery. For example, if you’re doing an upper body workout after you finish doing a chest press, move on to pull-ups or another exercise that doesn’t specifically target the chest.

For those of you looking to lose weight or excess fat, eliminating rest between exercises also has the added benefit of keeping the heart rate up which means you’re burning more calories and losing weight faster!

If you want a great workout to try, Barry Seneri has come up with one that’ll get you well on your way. Check it out below:

The Organic Transformation Weight Loss & Workout Program in Raleigh

Stepping Outside the Box – “Flab Busting” Workout 1 with Kettlebells –

Immediate Download PDF

Barry Seneri explains how to “rethink” your workout for best results. Completely illustrated and laid out step by step, here are five simple, yet functional body exercises combined for a complete body workout. If you’re tired of the same old boring gym routine – this is a quick and effective way to spice things up. By practicing this routine, you’ll soon see how engaging all of your muscle groups will maximize fat burning for the desired lean body result. The demonstration works best with a set of kettlebells, but it can also be done effectively at home with dumbbells. 10 pages.

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The Organic Transformation Personal Training Workout Download Link

How to Have a Healthy Mindset for Achieving Goals

It is now 2009 and most of us have decided to make some positive changes in our lives to help us grow over the next year. In making these changes it is important to begin with a healthy mindset.

What is a Healthy Mindset?

Here are a few points for understanding what a healthy mindset is and how it plays a role in our success for long term lifestyle changes and personal growth:

  1. Understand that it is unreasonable to expect perfection. We are imperfect people in imperfect bodies living in an imperfect world. When we expect perfection and things don’t go just right, we typically sabotage our progress and give up! Always remember that with our shortcomings comes room to learn and grow. By keeping our focus and being persistent in striving towards our goals, the growth we achieve will mold us into the people that God intends for us to be.
  2. Don’t compare yourself to others! The LORD made us who we are and has us where we are for a reason. Every story has a beginning and an ending, but it’s the in-between that defines that story. It’s important to remember that every one of us is at a different place in our story. Some are further along and some are have a long way to go. If we play the comparison game, it becomes too easy to get discouraged. I recall the quote – “Be patient, God’s not finished with me yet!” This is good advice for each of us to keep in mind as we strive to complete our journey in life. And if we do our best and work diligently, then our lives will be even better than we could ever imagine. This brings to mind a biblical quote from 2 Chronicles, which states: “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, your work will be rewarded.”
  3. And last, but not least, learn to be content in all that you are. Growth doesn’t always move in a straight line, but usually zigzags. There will be peaks and valleys. The important thing is to have contentment no matter the circumstance. Whether in the ups or downs, learning contentment brings peace to our spirit and will keep us moving in the right direction. In John 14:27, Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

By staying true to these simple steps, I believe we can have success in making positive changes to our lives this year and in the years to come!

Training Myth # 3 – Moderate Exercise Is Best for Weight Loss & Fitness Results

TV programs and newspaper articles published today frequently emphasize the benefits of getting off the couch and going for a walk to achieve heart benefits. While walking or exercising at the gym without working up a sweat might make you feel better, it will rarely help in achieving the weight loss, fitness and toning results that most are searching for.

Interval Training

Short bursts of intense intervals will give you the desired results in less time. It is important to choose exercises that get the heart rate up and make you feel slightly uncomfortable for a short period of time to achieve maximum weight loss and muscle tone.

Barry Seneri doing Interval training at OTransformation.com studio in Raleigh, NC

Barry Seneri
practicing interval training on the treadmill

Kick Up the Training Intensity

The idea is NOT to go to the gym and run on a treadmill as fast as you can for as long as you can. Rather, you should choose some cardiovascular-based exercises or mix in some running intervals to get your heart rate into the uncomfortable zone every few exercises. If you are able to carry on a normal conversation throughout your entire workout, you need to add some intensity! Aim for exercises that use large muscle groups and more than one muscle group to burn even more calories in a shorter amount of time. All of the added sweat and heavy breathing from kicking up the intensity will get you the results you’ve been searching for.

Intense Interval Cardio Training

Interval Cardio Training is style of cardiovascular exercise in which the intensity varies for the duration of the session. ‘Intensity’ is defined by the individual’s perceived level of exertion. You can think of your intensity as a number that coincides with your effort on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hardest. The scale can go something like this:

1- Extremely Easy – the amount of energy it takes to get up from a chair
5- Moderate Effort – activity that you can do for 30+ minutes
7- Challenging – you can do the activity, but it is difficult to sustain
8- Difficult – the activity demands some focus, and it’s getting hard to hang in
9- Very Difficult – the activity takes all of your focus, and you pray it’s over soon
10- Nearly Impossible (But Not Quite!)- you’re thinking of a happy place, which is just about anywhere compared to where you currently are…you can’t possibly push any harder

Simple. Right? You can apply this ‘perceived level of exertion’ to any activity. Take a look at the following sample workouts:

Warm up at YOUR Level 5 Intensity for 3 to 5 minutes before all of these workouts.

  1. Go to Level 9 for 1 minute, then back down to Level 5 for 1 minute.
    Repeat 3 to 5 Times.
  2. Start at Level 6 for 1 minute. Go to Level 7 for 1 minute. Go to Level 8 for 1 minute. Then, go to Level 9 for 1 minute.
    Repeat 3 to 5 Times.
  3. Start at Level 7 for 30 seconds. Go to Level 9 for 30 seconds. Go to Level 10 for 30 seconds. Walk for 1 minute. Repeat 3 to 5 Times.