One of the things I take seriously at the studio is our program design. I follow the credo that there should be a reason why you do everything that is involved in your workout. If there is not a Why, or reason, you shouldn’t do it. I’ve never been a fan of the approach to like an exercise because it makes you tired or sweaty. Jumping up and down for 45 minutes will accomplish that, but I’m not sure what else it will accomplish. Another common mistake trainers tend to make, is to recommend an exercise because it creates “the burn”. The burn is a buildup of lactic acid. The burn is a reaction from your cells when they metabolize carbohydrates anaerobically without the presence of oxygen. This explains why those who are more unfit and less efficient at transporting oxygen throughout the body, experience higher levels of lactic acid during exercise. The goal during exercise should not be to just produce lactic acid. To take a line from Pavel Tsatsouline, the Russian strength coach credited with introducing kettlebells to the US, “If you want a burn, light a match”. So just how much should you do in your workout?
We are learning that we need to move frequently and often. This theory was one of the catalysts for the development of exercise tracking devices such as the Fitbit and the application on the Apple watch (devices that monitor your steps, exercise, etc.). Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, author of Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes, defines movement as:
“the action of a physiologic systems that produce motion of the whole body or of its component parts. These components are the musculoskeletal, neurologic, cardiopulmonary, and metabolic systems.”
It is the balancing act between activity and stress on the body and rest that keeps everything moving optimally.
Prior to the industrial revolution and the creation of the automobile, the demands of everyday life were sufficient to maintain these levels. Now we need to schedule daily activity to get our minimum effective dose of exercise. When many of us hear the word dosage, you may quickly think of medicine. When discussing exercise, the minimum effective dose of exercise is the minimum amount needed to produce a given result. That may mean an increase in strength and cardiopulmonary or a decrease in adipose tissue, or bodyfat.
If you have ever experienced a workout at the studio, you will see that we perform exercises based upon movement patterns. Each exercise is categorized, which simplifies our programming. It’s going to be a squat, hip-hinge, lunge, push, pull, or bracing (think planks) pattern. In our popular Torch workout, we typically start with a mobility or movement preparation drill and tend to finish with a form of metabolic conditioning to enhance fat-burning. Following this protocol, the coaches can navigate and administer the workout without the fear of redundancy or risk of overtraining. An example of overtraining would be performing a chest press on the TRX suspension system, then push-ups, and followed up with floor presses with the kettlebell. These are all variations of horizontal pressing, which work similar muscles. Some people have used workouts like that sporadically to shock the body or break out of a rut. I understand that, but if done consistently for a few weeks, you would become overtrained, and leaving you susceptible to injuries. I know this ah too well.
Back when Nevada was put on shelter in place orders by the Governor, our studio was forced to temporarily close. Our workouts went virtual. At that time, we provided 3 daily workouts, six days a week. For four weeks, I coached and worked out 3 times a day with my members virtually. Albeit they were 30-minute workouts, nonetheless I completed 72 workouts in 4 weeks! That’s a bit much and my knees and hamstrings have not been the same since.
Our bodies are made to move daily. This is how I can observe members training at the studio 4-5 days a week without the risk of overtraining. Remember the key is to first move well, and then move often. I’ll see you at the studio.