Wimpy
Workouts: Living Large to Lose the Love Handles
By Aaron Potts
<>Are you one of those people
who can’t seem to get the results that you seek from your exercise
program? Do
you go to the gym consistently, but are still unable to see the effects
that
you are looking for? It is very possible that your problem lies in the
very
workout that you have been so dedicated to!
<>The focus of this article is
the concept of using your large muscle groups during exercise sessions
in order
to get the most out of every minute that you spend exercising. Although
supportive nutrition and proper rest will always play a part in the
success of
your program, let’s focus right now on simply making sure that you
aren’t a
victim of Wimpy Workouts!
<>What are Large Muscle
Groups?
<>Large muscle
groups are any
group of muscles that are worked as a unit in order to accomplish any
given movement.
Good examples of exercises that utilize large muscle groups include
Squats,
Deadlifts, Overhead Shoulder Presses, Chin Ups, Lunges, Chest Presses,
etc.
<>Compare that list of
exercises to things like Calf Raises, Lateral Raises, Inner/Outer Thigh
Machines, Bicep Curl Machines, Forearm Curls, etc.
<>Do you see
the difference?
The first list of exercises involved many different muscles working
together to
move the weight from point A to point B, while the second list
contained
isolation exercises that require very few muscles to work together.
<>That does not
mean that the
isolation exercises are bad for you – quite the contrary. However,
smaller
movements like that need to play a smaller role in your overall workout
program, while “compound movements”, such as the first list, should
comprise a large
portion of your exercise regimen. Consider the following benefits to
using your
large muscle groups:
BURN MORE
BODYFAT
<>Your body burns through
bodyfat in a 2-step process. Step 1 is to release the fatty acids from
storage.
Storage sites are all over your body, but most of you will recognize
popular
storage warehouses located on the thighs, the stomach, the chest, and
the
ever-growing backside!
<>Step 2 is to transport that
fatty acid from storage to your working muscles, where it is burned as
energy.
Remember that: Fat is burned inside your muscles.
<>Now that you understand that
fat is burned inside your muscles, can you guess why you want to use
your large
muscle groups when you exercise? That’s right: the more muscles you use
at
once, the more bodyfat you will burn. Simple physics with a
body-slimming
effect!
<>BOOST YOUR METABOLISM
<>Another piece of the fitness
puzzle that a lot of people miss is that one of your primary goals is
to make
your body burn through energy at a faster pace. The higher your
metabolism is,
the faster your body burns through energy. Cranking up your body’s
energy-burning furnace should be one of the main goals of your fitness
program.
When you have done so, you will literally burn more calories around the
clock,
even when you are sleeping!
<>By exercising with large
muscle groups, your body really has to “pull out all the stops” in
order to
provide enough energy to support that type of activity. By forcing your
body to
supply energy for many different muscles at the same time, your
metabolism has
to crank itself up to a raging inferno, completely obliterating stored
bodyfat
in the process. Also, this effect lasts long after your exercise
session has
ended, effectively turning you into a walking, talking, fat burning
machine!
<>FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND
NEUROMUSCULAR COORDINATION
<>One of the many benefits of
resistance
training is that it prepares your body to better withstand the daily
functions
of life, as well as unexpected things, such as slipping or tripping,
needing to
suddenly jump out of the way, catching yourself if you lose your
balance, etc.
<>Can you picture a 90-year
old man leaping out of the way of a car that has run a stop sign, or
deftly
keeping his balance after slipping on a muddy or icy sidewalk or
parking lot?
If you can’t picture that, then you need to step away from the exercise
machines, and pick up some dumbbells or barbells and engage those large
muscle
groups.
<>By balancing and moving your
body through many different planes of motion when you exercise, you
develop a
significantly enhanced level of neuromuscular coordination (the way
your brain
talks to your body), and you also teach your conscious and
sub-conscious mind
how to control your muscles in many different positions and scenarios.
<>Don’t make the mistake of
thinking that the Ab Rocker is going to help you maintain your balance
and
coordination out in the world, let alone in any type of sporting event!
<>INTENSITY
<>If your
workout sessions
don’t leave you sweaty, sore, and/or in a triumphant daze of joy
because you
made it through your workout, then you may need to seriously consider
whether
or not you are just wasting your time at the gym. Every workout does
not have
to be so insanely intense that you need an oxygen infusion to make it
through.
However, if you aren’t even working up a sweat, you are definitely
doing
something wrong.
By
engaging your large
muscle groups, you will crank up the intensity of your workouts by
using more energy.
More muscles being worked means more energy being expended. The more
energy you
expend, the more results you will see from that workout.
Remember
that the goal when
working out is not to “go through the motions”. The goal is to push
your body
beyond its previous limits, so that you will get to the next level of
fitness.
As you
plan your next
exercise session, consider the benefits that have been listed here
about using
your large muscle groups instead of your smaller ones. Always remember
that you
will only get out what you put in when it comes to exercise. If you
want
award-winning results, you must put forth an award-winning effort!
<>
Aaron Potts is a Personal
Trainer and Fitness Success Coach whose customers include consumers as
well as
other fitness professionals. Sign up for a free edition of his Workout
of the
Month Club or his value-packed Fitness Journal at http://www.fitnessdestinations.com,
or visit his coaching site at http://www.ptsuccesscoach.com
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