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How often should I switch exercises?

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about exercise selection.

How many times should I repeat my workouts before switching exercises?

Do I need to change things frequently to confuse my muscles?

When I do make changes, how do I know what to do?

I have strong thoughts on this topic based on my years of experience training clients and observing my own growth in the weight room. Let me set the record straight for anyone who’s confused.

Why I don’t like to switch exercises all the time

Think about your first experience with a challenging exercise, like a deadlift. Did you walk into the gym and nail it right away? Of course not. It probably took you many weeks just to figure out how to perform the exercise correctly. As you refined your technique, you felt more confident and gradually added weight. Building a truly impressive deadlift takes years to accomplish.

Learning new exercises requires time, energy, and patience. You won’t be able to push yourself very hard when you’re learning. This is why my clients repeat the same workouts many times before I change their exercises. It’s a myth that your muscles need constant variation to “keep them guessing.” If you’re constantly switching things up, you’ll never actually put in the work necessary to improve.

You need to build proficiency in an exercise before you can truly reap its benefits. Most of the initial progress we make when learning something new at the gym comes from nervous system adaptation. First, our brains must figure out what body parts to move in what order. Only then can we start to recruit more of our muscle tissue to move heavier loads with better speed and control. You need to reach this second stage to see noticeable gains in strength, size, and performance.

Another way to think about this comes from the super smart guys at Strength Faction. They believe exercise proficiency helps you effectively express your training intentions. For example, let’s say you want to get stronger using squats. If you can’t squat well, you’ll never be able to handle heavy enough loads to build strength. The same goes for other goals such as increasing power. Jumping for power development does you little good if you don’t know how to land safely.

Repetition leads to mastery. The more we practice an exercise, the better we get. The better we get, the more energy we can devote to pushing our physical and mental limits. This is where the magic of progress happens.

You need lots of practice to get strong and proficient with complex movements, such as barbell deadlifts.

When should I switch exercises?

For best results, you should follow a long-term, structured workout program. I typically write programs lasting three to four months. Each program focuses on a big-picture goal like fat loss, building muscle, returning from an injury, or training for a race.

Within this larger framework, my clients’ workouts change every four to six weeks. This is the sweet spot to get the most out of each exercise. However, some people can repeat the same workouts for eight weeks and still see progress. This is especially common with newer trainees who aren’t as experienced with strength training.

Before switching exercises, ask yourself these questions:

  • Am I still making progress with this exercise? If so, I recommend leaving the exercise in your program until progress stalls. Remember progress comes in many forms: adding weight, performing more sets or reps, taking less rest, using better form, etc.
  • How is my recovery? If you’re feeling great during and between workouts, you still have room to push yourself and grow with your current plan. If you’re feeling excessively sore and tired or you start dreading your workouts, it’s probably time to switch gears.
  • Is my primary goal fat loss? If you want to lose weight, you don’t want to become too efficient in the gym. I still recommend prioritizing strength work, but you can introduce a bit more variety with your assistance and conditioning exercises in the latter parts of your workouts. If your primary goals are building strength or muscle, you’re better off spending more time with the same set of exercises.

Here are few things to keep in mind when selecting exercises or making changes:

  • Understand why every exercise is included in your workouts. I never change exercises purely for the sake of novelty; every change is intended to to help my clients get another step closer to their goals. This ensures they get the most bang for their buck with limited time in the gym.
  • Don’t change everything at once. I often keep the main strength exercises consistent throughout a client’s program. Try changing the set and rep schemes instead of the exercise itself. For example, we may do sets of five rep squats one month and sets of three rep squats the next month.
  • Look for small changes. Often, you only need a small tweak to see renewed progress. Here are some ideas for changing your current exercises:
    • Use a different variation of the same exercise. Perform a front squat instead of a back squat or a dumbbell floor press instead of a dumbbell bench press.
    • Use a different implement. Use a kettlebell squat instead of a barbell squat or a cable row instead of a dumbbell row.
    • Change the tempo. Use slow eccentrics, fast concentrics, and isometric pauses.
    • Change the range of motion. This works well for barbell exercises like bench press and deadlifts.
  • Use conditioning to scratch your itch for variety. Conditioning is a fancy word for high intensity interval training, or getting your heart rate up. Most of my clients do some conditioning at the end of their workouts. This is a perfect time to have some fun with gym toys like medicine balls, sleds, battle ropes, and cardio equipment. For most people it’s less important what tools they use for conditioning than how their heart rate is affected.

Read more: Improve Your Conditioning With Finishers

two people use battle ropes to get their heart rate up at the end of a workout
Use conditioning finishers to add more variety to your workouts.

Focus on the basics.

I strongly believe you will see better results – no matter what your goal – if you focus on mastering a small handful of compound movements in the gym. All of my clients squat, hinge, press, pull, and carry. Nobody knows how to do these things perfectly right off the bat, so we spend lots of time learning, practicing, and perfecting different variations of these fundamental skills. Over time, my clients build confidence and a strong foundation which allow them to push past their limits and crush their goals.

Read more: What Should I Do When I Come to the Gym?

If you look at the workout programs of the biggest, fastest, strongest, and leanest people, you will see these same basic movements. The biggest difference between them and you is they’ve been training for longer and may have more resources at their disposal.

Don’t be fooled by fit people who post flashy training tools and crazy exercises on social media. Most likely they are spending the bulk of their training time away from the camera focusing on the same compound movements you do. The basics may not be sexy or sell supplements and gadgets, but it’s what works.  

Looking for a workout program to take the guesswork out of all of this? Check out Full45. It’s a three month, twice-weekly training program you can complete using the equipment at a basic gym like Planet Fitness. Full45 is the perfect program to get you started on your strength training journey or to help you bust through a plateau.

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What Runners Must Know About Strength Training

In college, my roommate and I joked that everyone became a runner each spring. People who never seemed to work out were all of a sudden donning running shoes and shorts and hitting the pavement. On beautiful spring days, the formerly abandoned lakefront park next to campus was filled with runners of all ages, shapes, and sizes.

Running is one of the most widely-practiced forms of exercise. It’s often held up as the gold standard of health and fitness – if you can’t run, are you really in shape? Running is a great way to get outside and enjoy sunshine and warm weather. And many people choose to enter races as a way to get their butts in gear and motivate them to exercise more regularly.

man running on open road with strong legs thanks to weight lifting

However, despite what you read in magazines and hear from your runner friends, running is not an easily accessible activity for many people. If you’re overweight, out of shape, or riddled with muscle imbalances, jumping into a running program without any preparation can lead to pain and injuries. One of the best ways to counteract these risks is to ensure you’re following a smart strength training program to complement your running.

Full disclosure: I’m not a big fan of running myself. Running has never felt good to me and I prefer to do my longer cardio on a bike or in a pool. However, I’ve trained dozens of runners over the years. I’ve helped multiple people remain healthy and feel strong while training for marathons, iron mans, and other long races. I’ve also helped people stay safe as they experiment with running for the first time or after a long hiatus. This article shares my thoughts on what four areas all runners should prioritize in the weight room.

Mobility

I know, I know. Mobility work is about as exciting as watching grass grow. However, with any physical pursuit, it’s important to ensure your body is moving as it should before you place it under load or stress. A good warmup gets your joints moving, activates key muscles you’ll need for training, raises your body temperature, primes your nervous system, and helps you connect all the different pieces of your body together.

A common misconception among runners is that static stretching is the best way to prevent injuries. In reality, static stretching isn’t very helpful. It feels good in the moment but does little to actually loosen you up or protect your body.

Instead of static stretching, focus on dynamic stretching. Dynamic drills are essentially moving stretches. This kind of work allows you to actually own and control various ranges of motion.

A good warmup should take 5-15 minutes. Start on the floor and work your way back to standing. I recommend all runners perform drills to warm up their ankles, hips, and glutes. I’ve included some of my favorites below. If you are dealing with super tight muscles or pain, you may also want to include a few minutes of foam rolling before you begin the rest of your warmup.

Posterior Chain

The posterior chain includes the muscles on the back side of your body. For our purposes, we will focus on the glutes, hips, and hamstrings. Building strength in these muscles is absolutely essential to keep you feeling healthy and strong as you increase your running mileage.

Many runners are quad-dominant. This means they use the muscles on the front side of their legs for everything. These muscles get very strong and tight, while the hamstrings, hips, and glutes stay weak. Over time this imbalance puts unnecessary wear and tear on the hip, knee, and ankle joints, leading to pain or injuries.

I recommend three steps to train your posterior chain. First, learn how to hip hinge. After you’ve mastered this fundamental movement, you can progress to more advanced hip hinge exercises like deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and good mornings.

Next, do some direct training for the glutes. The glutes are the biggest muscle in the body and the source of much of your power. There’s a reason why the world’s fastest sprinters all have big butts. I love weighted hip thrusts and glute bridges to directly train the glutes. You can load these exercises up with bands, barbells, and smaller weights.

Finally, include some leg curls in your weekly training program. Strong hamstrings will help prevent hamstring strains, especially if you’re going to be sprinting. Beginners should perform leg curls using a swiss ball. As you get stronger, experiment with leg curls using sliders and the TRX. Eventually, most runners should add in some weighted leg curls using a machine.

If you think you may be quad-dominant, I recommend laying off quad-focused exercises for a little while. Exercises like leg extensions, leg press, and even squats (performed without proper hip involvement) can reinforce bad habits and imbalances. For now, learn to use your hips properly and build strength in the exercises mentioned above.

Single-leg

Running happens on one leg at a time. Training in a single-leg stance ensures you have the strength and stability necessary to support yourself and safely absorb forces as you run.

Keep a few form tips in mind with any single-leg exercise. Always keep your knee in line with your toe. Think about pushing your knee out to the side if you struggle with this. Always drive through your heel and squeeze your butt hard at the top of each rep. This helps you turn on your glutes.

If you’re new to single-leg training, start with split squats and step ups. Next, progress to reverse lunges. Finally, try your hand at more advanced exercises like walking lunges, rear-foot elevated split squats, and single-leg squats.

Perhaps the best single-leg exercise for runners is the single-leg Romanian deadlift. This exercise is a double-whammy as it allows you to train on one leg and train your posterior chain. I frequently use this exercise with clients dealing with knee pain, but just about everyone should include some variation of it in their training.

Core training

The final piece of the puzzle is core training. Runners should include a healthy dose of anti-core exercises in their weekly training. Anti-core exercises train you to keep your torso stable as you move the rest of your body. This is exactly the way your core functions as you run.

There are three categories of anti-core exercises: anti-extension (resisting arching your back), anti-rotation (resisting side-to-side rotation), and anti-lateral flexion (resisting side-to-side bending). 

Read More: Core Training Beyond Crunches

If you’re going to focus on just one type of core movement as a runner, focus on anti-rotation. Good running form requires you to resist twisting from side to side as you swing your arms. If your core is weak, you won’t be able to do this and will waste a ton of energy.

The pallof press is my favorite anti-rotation exercise. Your goal here is to press the weight straight out in front you while keeping your posture perfectly square. You can load pallof presses with bands or cables and they can be performed standing, in half kneeling, or in tall kneeling.

If you’re a runner (or would like to be) and aren’t doing any strength training, you’re setting yourself up for problems down the road. A couple of targeted sessions in the gym each week will help your joints feel better and potentially increase your speed and endurance. Focus on training your posterior chain, use single-leg exercises, resist rotation, and don’t forget to include a smart dynamic warmup before you run or lift weights.

Squats and deadlifts are two of the best exercises for runners. If you want to get better at these great lifts, you need to download your free copy of my ebook Squat and Deadlift school.

I share my favorite form tips, troubleshoot common problems, and provide progressions to help you work toward (or supplement) barbell training.

I’m confident both novice and experienced lifters can use the book and accompanying videos to take their training to the next level.

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Just Getting Back in the Gym? Start Here.

I’ll never forget how I felt when I first started working out. I was an overweight college student, frustrated about my perpetually low energy levels and extremely self-conscious about the way I looked. Although I was an athlete throughout much of my childhood, it had been years since I did any kind of regular exercise. I didn’t know how to properly take care of myself or what I should do in the gym. I felt lost, clueless, and overwhelmed when I first set foot in my campus rec center.

My first foray into regular exercise was to spend 30 minutes on the elliptical. Right away, I noticed an increase in my energy levels. However, I hated the elliptical and wasn’t consistent. I began enjoying training more when I ventured into the weight room. When I started lifting weights, I wrote down all the major muscles on a notecard and picked one exercise to target each one. Not exactly the most scientific approach, but it kept me coming back. Ultimately, I discovered better resources which sparked a deep curiosity for all things training and nutrition and led to a career as a fitness professional.

These days I work with many clients who are coming to the gym for the first time. I empathize with the fear and uncertainty that goes along with the decision to join a gym for the first time (or the first time in years). It shows a lot of courage to put yourself out there!

This week, I want to share the steps I would take if I was going to the gym for the first time (or after a long hiatus), knowing everything I know now. If you or someone you know is on the fence about starting to exercise because you feel lost or overwhelmed, this is the post for you. Read on to learn from my mistakes and get it right the first time.

Start Slow

The secret to long-term fitness success is consistency. If you commit to too much at once, you put yourself at risk for excessive fatigue, injury, and burnout. None of these are conducive to you returning to the gym week after week.

In my experience, the people who ultimately get the best results start slow. They honestly evaluate where they’re at and are realistic about how much they can handle. Over time, they build a routine filled with physical activities they enjoy that fit well with the rest of their life. This can only happen if you are patient and lay a solid foundation.

For example, while many people claim they want to come to the gym 4-6 times per week, most can realistically come only 2-3 times. The good news is, especially if you are really out of shape, you can get awesome results training just 2-3 times per week.

I recommend starting with 2-3 strength training days and 1-3 cardio days. You can perform cardio and strength within the same workout (that’s how the math works out – more on this below). Once you’re consistently crushing 2-3 weekly workouts, then you can consider adding in more training days.

Another initial obstacle to building a regular training routine is time. Many people don’t have an uninterrupted hour to train, plus the extra time needed to shower, change, and eat. However, it’s a mistake to think you need a ton of time to have a good workout. Many people just starting out would actually get better results if they cut their workouts down to 30 or 45 minutes. If you are especially crunched for time, you can train in as little as 10-20 minutes. Don’t let the lack of large chunks of uninterrupted time deter you from coming to the gym at all.

Finally, don’t throw too much stress at your body all at once. If you are returning to the gym after a long hiatus, your strength and conditioning levels will almost certainly be less than they were previously. Choose exercises and regressions that work with your current level of fitness. Use less weight, perform less cardio, and don’t go as hard as you used to, at least for a little while.

Strength Training

Although strength training should be your number one priority, it’s often the most intimidating part of coming to the gym. It’s helpful to work with a coach or trainer to learn the basics of lifting, if possible. A good trainer will follow the principles laid out below and help you develop the confidence to eventually transition out on your own. A workout buddy with a bit more experience than you can also do the trick.

Always complete a dynamic warm-up before you lift. Your dynamic warmup should include drills to mobilize and activate the hips, upper back, core, ankles, and shoulders. This should take 5-10 minutes.

New trainees should perform full-body workouts moving as much of the body as possible. The majority of your training should consist of compound movements such as squats, hinges (eg. deadlifts, pull-throughs, RDLs, swings), presses (eg. pushups, bench press, landmine press), pulls (eg inverted rows, bent over rows, chest supported rows, cable rows), and single-leg work (eg lunges, step ups, split squats, single leg deadlifts). Focus first on performing these movements correctly before adding weight.

A good place to start is to perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps of each exercise. If you can easily perform the exercise for 12 reps, add weight or increase the resistance on the next set. When in doubt, slow down and use less weight. Slowing down an exercise promotes good body awareness.

If you are new to the gym, start with bodyweight exercises. Add weight with bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, and cables as needed. Stay away from barbells until you’ve been consistently training for a few months. Barbells are a phenomenal training tool, but it’s easy to load up too much weight and hurt yourself if you haven’t first build a solid foundation of good movement and strength.  

Be sure to track your workouts in a notebook or on your phone. The first 3-6 months of training are an exciting time when most people make rapid progress. It’s difficult to keep track of everything you’re doing in your head, so write it down. Keeping a log also gives you something to look back over to evaluate your workouts and celebrate your progress.

Cardio

The second piece of the training puzzle is cardio. Although cardio is often the first thing people think of when getting back into the gym, it’s of secondary importance to strength training.

Start with just 10-20 minutes of cardio per session. Resist the temptation to force yourself to spend 30-60 minutes on a single piece of cardio equipment, as this is a recipe for boredom and burnout. You can always add in more cardio later once you’ve become more consistent or if your progress stalls.

Deconditioned trainees should pick lower-intensity modalities including treadmill walking, elliptical, and stationary bike. Fitter trainees can experiment with running (assuming you have no history of knee, lower back, or ankle pain), the stair master, and the rowing and skier machines. The most important thing is to pick a modality that you enjoy at least somewhat. Nobody can force themselves to perform cardio they hate for very long.

If you are combining cardio and weights, perform cardio at the end of your workout. You may want to warm up on a piece of cardio equipment before performing your dynamic warmup in the weight room, but keep it brief (2-5 minutes). You can also perform cardio as a stand-alone training session.

Now What?

Now it’s time to put everything together. Start by having a realistic conversation with yourself about how often and for how long you can train. Put these sessions directly in your work calendar so you take them seriously. Next, divide up your training between strength training and cardio, making sure to prioritize time in the weight room. Always perform a brief dynamic warmup before lifting weights. Your strength training sessions should be full-body and focus on compound exercises from each of the major movement groups. Keep cardio sessions brief at first and choose a modality you enjoy. When in doubt, do less and slow down so you can remain consistent. Be sure to track your progress so you can look back on how far you’ve come in the weeks and months to come.

It’s tough to get the ball rolling with exercise, but I have tips that can help. Join my email list here and I’ll send you my FREE 5 day course on how to become a more consistent exerciser. 

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Got New Year’s Resolutions? I’ve Got Resources

As 2017 comes to a close, I want to take some time to reflect on everything I’ve covered this year. Since launching this website in mid-April, I’ve written 37 articles covering a wide range of topics related to training, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle. It’s been such a joy for me to use my passion for writing as part of my fitness work, and I’m grateful to everyone who has read and shared my posts.

My two most popular posts this year told the stories of two different phases of my ongoing fitness journey. The first post, How I Lost 30lbs Without Counting Calories, revealed the habits that allowed me to lose weight with minimal stress while living in San Francisco in 2014 and 2015. The second post, 6 Things I Learned From a Year of Online Training With Bryan Krahn, explained some lessons I learned in 2016 and 2017 when I hired a coach to help me get in my best shape ever. I hope some of my experiences can provide insight and clarity on issues you may be dealing with as you chase your own goals.

My objective is to provide clear, simple, actionable tips and inspiration to help you navigate the confusing and contradictory world of health and fitness advice. With that in mind, this week I’ve put together a year-end guide for you. I reviewed my 2017 posts and organized them by topic. Many of you probably have New Year’s resolutions related to health and fitness. However, it’s likely that you aren’t 100% sure what steps you need to take to realize those goals. Skim through this post, look for the articles relevant to you, bookmark them for later, and share with others. I hope this guide can help answer some of your questions and give you the resources needed to take the first steps toward a fitter and healthier 2018.

Note – hyperlink text does not appear in another color. Hover over the text to find links to each post

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Healthy eating

Year after year, weight loss is the most common New Year’s resolution. If you want to lose weight, take control of your eating. Calories must be managed to create a deficit. This requires you to cook more, manage portions, choose more nutrient-dense foods, and combat destructive eating habits like emotional eating. These are all great skills to master even if you are happy with your physique.

  • Cooking more of your own meals is an important step in making healthier food choices. Check out these articles for tips on how to become a better home cook:
  • It’s not always possible to prepare your own food. This post provided strategies for eating out at restaurants when you are on a diet.
  • One of the easiest ways you can improve the quality of your diet, regardless of whether you want to lose weight, is to eat more vegetables. In this post, I explain how I overcame my dislike of vegetables and transformed them into a centerpiece of my diet.
  • Finally, for many people healthier eating means taking control of destructive eating habits such as emotional and stress eating. Check out these posts for tips on combating these challenging obstacles:

Training

It’s no secret that I think everyone should perform some kind of regular resistance training. Strength training builds strong muscles and bones and makes our bodies more efficient. However, it can be confusing, overwhelming, and intimidating to get started with lifting weights. Check out some of these resources if you want help establishing a new routine or improving your current routine.

  • If you want more information on how to train around pain and injuries:

Consistency and Routine

Many New Year’s resolutions fail because people are too ambitious right out of the gate. If you aren’t in the habit of coming to the gym every day or prepping all of your meals, you should set more realistic initial goals. First work to build better systems and develop consistent routines. Real change is made by developing sustainable healthy habits. Start where you are and take one small step forward every day.

  • If you struggle to have healthy food available when you need it:
  • This post on seasons of lifting provides ideas and inspirations for organizing a year’s worth of training. This is a great strategy to ensure your fitness goals mesh well with your life outside of the gym.

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Mindset and More

Mindset is the secret sauce to achievement. You can have all the practical knowledge in the world, but if you don’t surround yourself with good people, practice patience, believe in yourself, and choose goals that resonate with your values, you will never truly succeed.

That’s a wrap on 2017. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or ideas for a future blog post. If you are interested in working with me, please fill out an application for my online training program here. Thank you all for your continued support!

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All About Cardio

Cardio is one of the most confusing subjects in the world of fitness. On the one hand, cardio kings and queens claim the only way to build the body of your dreams is to perform hours and hours of cardio every week. On the other hand, hardcore meatheads warn that performing any cardio at all will kill your hard-earned strength gains. If you are a normal person who just wants to look and feel better, how do you figure out what to do?

As usual, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Every person should include some cardio as part of a well-rounded exercise routine. However, it is possible to do too much cardio or choose activities that aren’t a good fit for your body or your fitness levels. This post should help you better understand how to best incorporate cardio into your workouts. Keep reading to figure out the what, how much, and when of setting up a smart cardio routine.

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What do do?

There are two different kinds of cardio: low intensity cardio and high intensity cardio, often called HIIT (high intensity interval training). When performing low intensity cardio, the goal is to keep your heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute. HIIT pushes your heart rate above this threshold for short periods followed by periods to rest and recover.

To be successful with low intensity cardio, it’s essential to choose a modality you enjoy. There are many different ways to get in your cardio. If you hate running, try cycling or walking instead. If you don’t like cardio machines, go for a swim or do something outside. If you get bored easily, listen to a podcast or audiobook or watch your favorite tv show. Be creative and experiment with different tools and approaches until you find the options that work best.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Machines: Treadmill jogging or walking, stationary bike, elliptical, stair climber, rowing machine, arm bike
  • Other options: Running, walking, hiking, cycling, skateboarding, swimming, kayaking, pick-up sports, martial arts, etc.

If you have any joint problems, such as knee or lower back pain, it’s best to choose low impact cardio options. Stay away from things like running and jumping and instead choose activities like swimming, walking, or cycling.

I have previously written in-depth about high intensity interval training. You can read more about equipment and timing options for HIIT here.

How much?

After you’ve decided how you will perform your cardio, the next step is to determine how much you need to do to get the desired training effect.

At this stage, I want to clarify why we are doing cardio in the first place. Lots of people view cardio as a way to burn extra calories to help them lose weight or make up for an unhealthy diet. In reality, calorie burn is not the main objective of cardio (if weight loss is your goal, aim to set up a caloric deficit by altering your diet first, then add in extra cardio only when progress stalls.) I suggest you view cardio primarily as a way to promote recovery from strength training, increase focus, and build a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. You should perform just enough cardio to feel great without placing unnecessary stress on your body.

I recommend beginners start with just 10-20 minutes of cardio performed 2-3 days per week. Certain modalities, such as the stairmaster and rower, are more challenging than others and will require shorter initial training times. If you are new to the gym, training for shorter periods of time can also make it easier to stick to a workout routine.

As your level of cardio fitness improves, gradually increase your training time. More advanced trainees can alternate between shorter sessions of 10-30 minutes and longer sessions of 30-60 minutes. You can perform cardio up to 6 days per week depending on your goals, stress levels, and the volume and intensity of your strength training routine.

However, more cardio is not always better. In fact, it is absolutely possible to perform too much cardio. Performing hours and hours of cardio every week can lead to excessive buildup of stress hormones and place unnecessary wear and tear on your body. Too much cardio can:

  • Lead to increased stress levels, making it difficult to recover, sleep, or lose weight
  • Greatly increase your appetite, making it difficult to stick with a healthy eating plan
  • Lead to overuse injuries from too much repetitive motion

When in doubt, start with a couple of low intensity cardio sessions per week. Pay attention to how you feel as you slowly add more or longer sessions. Success depends on finding the right balance for you.

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When to do it?

Finally, you need to  figure out the best times to fit cardio into your routine. Short sessions can be added to the end of strength training sessions. Longer sessions work better as stand-alone sessions. In general, you should not perform cardio before you lift weights. You want to save your focus and energy to push yourself in the weight room.

Perform your most intense cardio (HIIT, density training), earlier in the week. As the week moves on, choose lower intensity cardio options to promote recovery. Keep in mind that HIIT can be just as taxing on the body as a heavy strength training session. Perform HIIT sessions after a lower body lifting day whenever possible.

Morning is generally the best time to perform cardio because it’s when your body naturally produces the highest levels of stress hormones. Many people feel refreshed and focused after a session of low intensity morning cardio. However, performing your cardio in the morning isn’t essential. As with any form of exercise, the best time is always the time that allows you to be the most consistent.

Regularly performing cardio can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Use the tips in this post to help you determine the best methods, timing, and scheduling for your goals and ability level. If you want some help figuring out how cardio fits into your training routine, please reach out to me here.

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Improve Your Conditioning with Finishers

Almost everyone should include some kind of regular conditioning work in their exercise program. Metabolic conditioning allows you to operate at higher intensities for longer periods of time. This is great for anyone involved in recreational sports or physical hobbies. It also means you will have an easier time pushing yourself during your gym workouts, as your heart rate won’t rise as fast and will recover to normal levels more quickly. If you are trying to lose fat, adding in 1-2 conditioning sessions per week can accelerate your results. Most importantly, regular conditioning work will make you much more dangerous and harder to kill in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Who doesn’t want that?

This week’s post shares some of my favorite metabolic conditioning workouts. These are often referred to as “finishers” because they are included at the end of the workout. Always start slow and pick finishers that use gym tools you are already familiar with. If you are unsure how to use a particular implement, consult a qualified coach or trainer.

Cardio finishers

Sprints

Perhaps the easiest way to add a finisher to the end of a workout is to hop on a piece of cardio equipment for a round of sprints. Sprints are short bursts of all-out effort followed by longer periods of rest or easy work. At the gym, sprints work best on cyclical machines like bikes, rowers, and treadmills. In the warmer months, experienced runners can take their sprints outside to the track or the park. Competent swimmers can perform sprints in the pool year-round.

Sprints are usually measured in time, distance, or percentage of max heart rate. For example, you can sprint for 20 seconds and rest for 40-60 seconds. Equipment that measures your distance traveled allows you to sprint for a certain number of meters. If you own a heart rate monitor, you can work to a given percentage of max heart rate and then rest until your heart rate falls to another predetermined percentage.

Here are a few of my favorite sprint finishers:

  • Stationary bike: Every minute on the minute 20 second sprint, followed by 40 second easy recovery ride
  • Treadmill: 20-30 second sprint, 40-90 seconds rest standing on the side rails
  • Rower: Row 250 meters as fast as possible, rest 1 minute

Always complete a brief warm-up on your chosen piece of equipment before jumping into a sprint. To avoid hamstring strains, it’s best to perform running sprints on a slight incline whenever possible.

If you are new to sprinting or interval training in general, I recommend starting off with just 3-5 rounds. You can gradually add rounds until you are doing 10-20 sprints in a row. The number will vary depending on your chosen equipment. If you feel you are no longer able to exert maximum effort, it’s a good idea to cool down and end the workout for the day.

Completion

A very easy cardio finisher is the completion finisher. This works best on stationary bikes, rowers, and equipment that measures distance or calories burned. Select a given distance or calorie level and try to hit that number as fast as possible. Although they are simple, completion finishers can be punishing and are not for the faint of heart.

Examples:

  • 2000 meter row for time
  • 1 mile bike ride for time

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Finishers Using Weights and Calisthenics

You can use a variety of implements around the gym for metabolic conditioning finishers including dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, medicine balls, bands, and sandbags. You can also keep it super simple and use bodyweight exercises only. Bodyweight circuits are a great option for people who want to train on the road without access to a gym.

For most trainees, it’s best to choose simple exercises you can perform well under a high level of fatigue. Finishers are not the time to introduce a new exercise or try something highly technical. I recommend using moderate or light weights and focusing on moving quickly with good form.

Circuits

A circuit consists of 3-5 exercises that complement each other. You will move from exercise to exercise until you finish the round. Depending on time, you may choose to complete anywhere from 2-5 rounds. Rep ranges will vary based on the exercises selected. Try to move through the circuit as quickly as possible with minimal rest while maintaining good form.

Ladders, Countdowns, and Countups

In this version of a circuit, the number of reps you perform changes each round. I usually choose a descending ladder where you begin with the highest number of reps and end with the lowest number of reps. For a greater challenge, start with the lowest number of reps and work your way up to the highest number of reps in the final round.

You can also use a countdown or countup on just one exercise in a circuit. Here is one of my favorite countdown finishers from Dan John:

  • Kettlebell swings x 20
  • Pushups x 10
  • Keep the swings x 20
  • Pushups x 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Completion

As with completion finishers using cardio equipment, these finishers require you to complete a given amount of work as fast as possible on a single exercise. It’s best to base these around total reps when using strength exercises. You don’t have to (and likely won’t be able to) complete all the reps at once. Do as many as you can in one set, then rest, then repeat until you complete all the reps.

Examples:

  • 100 kettlebell swings, 100 push-ups, 50 dips, etc.

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Other finishers

Battle ropes

You can perform many different battle ropes variations. Some of my favorites are 2-arm slams, alternating waves, shoulder circles, and rotating side slams. Battle ropes work when performed for intervals of time. I often structure a battle ropes finisher the same way I would a sprint finisher.

Here is an example I use with clients:

  • Every minute on the minute for 5-10 minutes: 20 seconds battle ropes followed by 40 seconds rest. Switch between different rope variations or pick just one

Sled and Prowler

My clients know the sled is my favorite gym toy. Few things makes you feel quite as badass as completing a tough workout and then loading up a heavy sled to push, pull, or run with around the gym. If you are lucky enough to train at a gym with a prowler, mix that in as well.

Here a few possible sled or prowler finishers:

  • Pull or push for 25-50 yds 3-5 times, resting in between each round
  • Every minute (or 90 seconds) complete one round, rest the remainder of the time. This works best for shorter distances
  • Perform as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes with minimal rest

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My awesome client Bridget crushing the sled at the end of her workout

Faster, Stronger, More Resilient

Conditioning work should be a staple of everyone’s program. If you have only been doing low-moderate intensity cardio and/or strength training, adding in some high intensity intervals a few times a week will accelerate your progress and give a big boost to your overall fitness.

If you want to follow a program that improves all areas of your fitness (including conditioning) but aren’t sure where to start, please reach out to me here.

 

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How I Lost 30 lbs Without Counting Calories

My fitness and weight loss journey began in the summer of 2011. There have been many ups and downs and numerous phases along the way. I’ve lost weight, regained it, and lost it again more times than I can count. Every time, I learn more about myself and the process of coaching others through challenging behavior changes.

I’ve written previously about my recent experiences working with Bryan Krahn to reach my leanest level ever and about my battles with disordered eating.

However, not many people know about one of the most successful periods of my journey when I lost 30 pounds without counting calories, weighing myself regularly, or stressing out about food. This occurred in 2014 and 2015 when I spent a year living in San Francisco.

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Me at the start of the year, at my heaviest since my initial weight loss

How was I able to effortlessly undergo a pretty dramatic transformation while still exploring one of the world’s best food cities and having tons of fun?

I unconsciously established a healthy routine and followed it religiously while still allowing myself room to enjoy life.

This article examines the four key areas that helped me achieve this success. Think about the ways these four areas play into your own ongoing health and fitness journey and use my experience to consider tweaks you could make yourself.

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Me at the end of the year, thirty pounds lighter.

Food

The most important component to my success was falling into a regular eating routine that put me in a caloric deficit.

I say this was relatively effortless because I honestly didn’t put a lot of thought into designing my meals or weekly eating structure. I combined my past successful experience dieting with my basic nutritional knowledge to find meals that were easy to prepare and I genuinely enjoyed. I ate these same meals at the same time most days of the week for many months in a row. This made shopping, cooking, and planning an absolute breeze after just a couple of weeks.

This was the exact eating schedule I followed 5-6 days of the week:

  • Breakfast: 3 – 4 whole eggs with sauteed spinach, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and garlic, all cooked in ½ – 1 TBSP kerrygold butter
  • Lunch: ½ lb extra lean grass fed ground beef (or sometimes chicken breast), cooked as a bunless burger. Steamed broccoli or brussels sprouts. Baby carrots. One piece of fruit like an apple or an orange
  • Dinner: 2 or 3 grilled chicken thighs. ½ -¾ dry cup jasmine rice served with ½ – 1 TBSP olive oil. Side salad with red onion, tomato, avocado, bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, and avocado oil. One piece of fruit, usually a pear.
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I loved this dinner and ate it almost every evening.

One thing you may notice is all of these meals follow Precision Nutrition’s hand portion control system. Each meal has about 2 palms of protein, 2 fists of veggies, 1-2 cupped hands of carbs, and 1-2 thumbs of fat.

Each meal was balanced and covered all of the important food groups. Overall this eating plan fits into a higher protein, moderate carb, and moderate fat blueprint. I found if I didn’t eat a healthy amount of carbs at dinner (usually in the form of white rice), my performance in the gym and energy levels throughout the day suffered. But I also didn’t shy away from healthy fats and consumed a moderate amount with each meal.

On the weekends, I ate out 1 – 3 times. I never paid much attention to what these meals were and used them as an opportunity to enjoy the amazing food in the city.

Frequent meals included burritos, ramen or other asian food, and enormous deli sandwiches. Most weekend mornings I met some friends for a full-fat latte and expensive piece of toast at Trouble Coffee. If I wasn’t eating out, I usually ate fewer and lighter meals than during the week.

In short, I left myself enough wiggle room on the weekends to enjoy great food and treat myself without going overboard.

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I ate a lot of burritos. 

Takeaway: Although I have used calorie counting a great deal in my weight loss journey, you don’t really need it to see dramatic transformations. The important things are to use a system to monitor your portion sizes and to balance out higher calorie meals on the weekends so overall you set up a caloric deficit throughout the week.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to eat the same meals most days of the week. This removes guess work, reduces hunger and cravings, and helps make your food prep significantly easier.

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This article wouldn’t be complete without a photo of my Trouble order.

Training

Just as I did with my nutrition, I found a training routine and stuck with it diligently throughout this process.

I used several free or low-cost programs written by fitness pros I respected. Once I decided on a plan, I followed it all the way through, which was usually around 3 months.

Conveniently, the end of each program usually coincided with a vacation or trip which allowed me to take a week off of training. Afterwards I jumped right into the next program.

This is the exact program I found for free on T-Nation and followed for the first ten weeks of my transformation. As you can see, the program includes 5 days of challenging workouts. There is an alternating emphasis on heavy compound lifts and lighter, high rep pump work. The program also includes a lot of interval training using bodyweight movements, throws and jumps, and sprints on the bike and rowing machine.

I followed this plan religiously and didn’t miss a single workout during the 10 weeks. I saw noticeable improvements in my strength, endurance, and muscle definition. At the end of the program I was able to squat 225 pounds; this was only the second time in my life I ever successfully hit that number.

Later in the year I ran through Bret Contreras’ Strong Curves (my second time going through the program) and a muscle-building program from Nia Shanks. (*Note – I purchased this program from Nia’s website and intended to link to it but it appears she is no longer selling it. I’ve loved Nia’s work for many years and am sure any other program on her site that seems right for you would be a great choice).

With each of these programs I was training hard 4-5 times per week, focusing on slowly improving my performance on everything I did. Each program placed a premium on strength training and used supplemental accessory lifts to build muscle in strategic areas.

Takeaway: Find a program that makes sense for your ability level and goals and follow it all the way through. You can also hire a coach to tailor-make a program for you. The most important thing is to train consistently and to constantly push yourself to improve your performance and test your limits.

On a personal note, I have always made the biggest changes to my physique when I was training 5-6 days per week. The workouts don’t all need to be hard lifting workouts. However, if you really want to see dramatic physique transformations and you have some previous training experience, are healthy, and recover well, you may want to consider increasing your training frequency.

Non-exercise activity

In addition to hard training, I led an extremely active life in San Francisco.

I walked everywhere. I was constantly exploring new neighborhoods and parks in the city. Some days I would walk several hours getting to and from my obligations and checking out my surroundings. On the weekends I walked to the beach or spent lots of time on my feet. I went out dancing at night and took weekend hiking trips throughout the Bay area.

Although it may seem like such activities burn relatively few calories, altogether they really add up over the course of weeks and months.

Takeaway: Don’t be sedentary. Find ways to walk as much as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away, walk or bike somewhere instead of driving, and spend your free time participating in active hobbies. It may not seem like much, but all of this low-intensity activity really helps when trying to lose fat and improve your overall health.

Sleep

During the year I lived in San Francisco, I made sleep a very high priority. I got around 9 hours during the week and only a bit less on the weekends.

I accomplished this by setting fairly rigid bedtimes and wake times. If I was feeling a bit behind, I found a park and took a 20-minute power nap. I also took longer naps on Friday and Saturday evenings if I knew I would be out late at night.

I cannot overstate how awesome I felt getting this much sleep. I felt sharp and focused on all of my tasks and had plenty of energy to train hard, be active, and enjoy my life. It was also easier for me to resist food temptations as I experienced very few daily cravings.

Takeaway: Don’t underestimate the power of sleep when trying to change your body or get healthy. Sleep makes it easier for your body to recharge and repair itself. Getting enough sleep helps you feel energized, focused, and well-prepared for everything life throws at you. Adequate sleep can also help you resist cravings and better manage hunger during a diet.

I totally understand sleeping for this long may be impractical for most people. These days, I am lucky to get 7 hours of sleep with my work schedule. However, you can get some of the same benefits by following a regular sleep routine. Set a bedtime and/or wake time and stick with them as much as possible. If you fall behind, set aside some time for a short nap to refresh and recharge.

Routine = Freedom

I learned some very powerful lessons about weight loss and healthy living during my year in San Francisco:

  1. You don’t need to count calories to lose weight. Instead, find a way to monitor portions and account for excess calorie intake on the weekends. Cook most of your own meals, don’t snack or drink too often, and get into a consistent routine.
  2. Find a training program or a coach and follow instructions precisely for several months. Train hard, but listen to your body and never compromise good form for higher numbers. Focus on strength training but don’t neglect cardio. If you can train more often (while still being smart), you may see more dramatic results.
  3. Be as active as possible outside the gym. This is great for both physical and mental health.
  4. Prioritize sleep, stress reduction, and other recovery methods.
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Me at the start of the year, at my heaviest since my initial weight loss.

Most importantly, my year in San Francisco taught me that routine allows you more freedom when dieting or trying to live a healthier life. Following a rigid eating and training schedule most days allowed me to stress less about what and when I would eat, while still allowing me sufficient freedom to explore and indulge in an amazing food city. Sleeping well and moving often helped me recover well and made the entire process run smoothly.

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Thirty pounds lighter while still enjoying life.

I am still looking for ways I can learn from this experience to make the current leg of my fitness journey easier and more sustainable. I hope you can apply some lessons to your own situation. If you want help building sustainable healthy habits and gradually moving toward your fitness goals, please contact me here.

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Training Around Lower Back Pain, Part 1

Over the years, I have helped clients deal with many different kinds of back pain. Some clients are struck by episodes so severe they can barely get out of bed for several days. Many clients feel achy after a long day sitting in an office chair. Still others sometimes suffer from pain related to old sports injuries or accidents.

The good news for anyone suffering from back pain is there are plenty of ways to train around discomfort and increase resiliency to reduce the risk of future injuries.

This two-part article shares my top tips and strategies for training around low back pain. The first part explains what to do (and not do) at the gym when your back is currently bothering you. In part 2, I explain how to structure your workouts to avoid back pain in the future.

Please note that a trainer cannot diagnose or treat medical conditions. If you are in severe pain or have discomfort lasting several weeks, seek help from a medical professional.

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Lower back pain doesn’t need to be a death sentence for your workouts.

Minimize spinal movement during training.

According to Dr. Stuart McGill, the foremost expert in spine biomechanics, the biggest danger to the spine occurs when we move from flexion (rounded spine) to extension (arched spine) while under load.

For example, if your barbell deadlift begins with a rounded back and ends with an arched back, you are putting your spine under a lot of unnecessary stress.

If your back is bothering you, choose exercises that require minimal spinal movement. Exercises like pushups, inverted rows, and single leg variations are good options.

You can also perform upper body exercises like rows and presses from a half-kneeling position, which makes it much more difficult to move your back.

Deadlifts and squats can be problematic for people with back pain. To perform these exercises safely, it’s crucial to keep your spine stable. Always take a big belly breath and brace your core before performing each rep. Choose a variation of these exercises you can perform with great form. You may need to shorten the range of motion, use less weight, and use lower-risk training implements like dumbbells and kettlebells. Depending on your level of discomfort, you may want to skip these exercises altogether until you feel better.

If you deal with back pain, traditional core exercises like sit ups and crunches are not a good option. Many people find these exercises can actually exacerbate pain. Check out part 2 to learn my preferred core exercises to help prevent lower back pain.

Read more: Core training beyond crunches

Think twice before using barbell exercises.

Barbells can put a lot of stress on the spine, especially when held directly on your back. I try to put my clients in the best position to be successful; I want them to train hard without pain and with minimal risk of injury. For this reason, I rarely have my back pain clients perform barbell back squats or deadlifts from the floor.

Instead, we focus on squat and deadlift variations that are more-back friendly. Squat options include goblet squats, double kettlebell squats, zercher squats, and safety bar squats. Deadlift options include kettlebell deadlifts, RDLs, trap bar deadlifts, and block pulls and rack pulls.

Read more: Can’t back squat? Try these front-loaded squat variations

Unless you are a competitive powerlifter lifter, you don’t have to train with a barbell. There are many other tools at the gym you can use. Dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, machines, and even bodyweight exercises offer many of the same benefits as barbell training with fewer risks.

Read more: Which deadlift is right for me?

Choose low-impact cardio.

Landing places a lot of stress on your joints. This is especially problematic when you’re running and rack up thousands of landings during a single workout. When your back is bothering you, it’s best to leave running and plyometric exercises out of your workouts.

Instead, choose joint-friendly cardio and conditioning methods. Walking, sled pushes and pulls, loaded carries, and swimming are all good alternatives. Some trainees will be able to tolerate bike riding, others may experience discomfort from sitting for too long. Pay attention to your body and do what feels best for you.

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Low impact cardio is best for those dealing with back pain.

Just because your back is bothering you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise. Movement is one of the best medicines for low-intensity chronic back pain. Choose low-impact exercises that involve minimal spinal movement. Choose handheld implements or bodyweight movements and avoid heavy barbell exercises. Always use good judgment and never train through pain.

Check out part 2 for ideas on how to use an intelligent training program to reduce future flare-ups and avoid back injuries.

Want to work on squats and deadlifts without exacerbating lower back pain? Download your free copy of my ebook Squat and Deadlift School below. I share the exact progressions and exercises I use to help clients feel strong and confident with these exercises, including ways to modify your training if your back is bugging you.

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Training Around Knee Pain, Part 1

Several years ago, I began to experience regular knee pain. This was extremely frustrating for me as I love training legs and am on my feet all day long for my job.

Fortunately, with a few tweaks to my training, more attention paid to technique, and a renewed commitment to warmups and foam rolling, I was able to greatly reduce the intensity and frequency of my pain and return to a normal training routine.

Knee pain can be extremely frustrating but it doesn’t need to derail your training. This first article provides some of my favorite warmup and cardio strategies to reduce knee pain and better prepare yourself to train safely. The second part addresses ways to modify your lower body training.

I have used these techniques myself and with my clients with great success. Please be advised that if you experience intense, debilitating pain or your pain persists for several weeks, you should see or medical professional.

Warmup

Before you do any training, I recommend completing a dynamic warmup to engage the glutes and hips and mobilize your hips and ankles. You must understand how to use your glutes when training your lower body, and activation drills help you get more in touch with these muscles.

I always begin all of my training sessions with a set of glute bridges. Some other activation drills include clams, fire hydrants, lateral band walks, and bird dogs. Try adding a resistance band to these exercises to make them more challenging.

People with knee pain often lack mobility through their hips and ankles. In addition to the activation drills above, complete a few mobilization drills to promote proper joint movement.

Some of my favorite hip mobility drills include hip rockers, split-stance rockers, half-kneeling hip flexor stretches, 90-90, 3-point lunge (sometimes called spiderman lunge or groiners), and fire hydrant circles.

To mobilize your ankles, complete a few sets of this wall ankle drill or inchworms to round out your warmup.

Foam rolling

Foam rolling may help relax overactive muscles and reduce knee pain. However, many people approach foam rolling incorrectly and therefore waste their time.

Instead of quickly rolling back and forth over an entire muscle, take your time and go slow. Look for spots that feel particularly tender and hang out on top of those. Take a few deep, slow breaths and try to feel the muscle release.

Pick one or two problem areas each time you roll so that you can devote 2-5 minutes on each muscle. The areas most commonly responsible for knee pain include the adductors (inside your thigh), IT band (outside your thigh), quads, and calves. You can foam roll at the start or end of your workouts.

Knee-friendly Cardio and Finishers

Bicycling – both on a stationary bike or on a real bike – is a great way to get in cardio without aggravating knee pain. Many physical therapists prescribe cycling as part of a knee rehabilitation program. Be sure the seat on the bike is not too low; your leg should be almost straight at the bottom of your pedal and not crunched up at a 90 degree angle. Riding a bike with clip-on or strap-in pedals allows you to take more advantage of your hamstrings on the upstroke.

Swimming is another great training option for people with knee issues. There is almost no impact when you swim, making it a very joint-friendly option.

Be cautious and ease into running. Always complete a dynamic warm-up before you run and foam roll a few times each week. Always wear appropriate footwear for your body. Start with a walk-run approach that has you alternating between periods of lower and higher intensity. If you continue to experience knee pain, meet with a running specialist to analyze your mechanics or consider switching to a cardio modality that you can tolerate better.

I also love heavy sled pushing and pulling as a finisher in the weight room. This exercise gives you a great full-body training effect without putting much strain on your knees. If your gym doesn’t have a sled, you can use an overturned box stacked with weight plates.

In part 2, I discuss how to train your legs if you have knee pain. 

Want to work on squats and deadlifts without exacerbating knee pain? Download your free copy of my ebook Squat and Deadlift School below. I share the exact progressions and exercises I use to help clients feel strong and confident with these exercises, including ways to modify your training if your knees are bugging you.