By. Charles Trinh, MS, PES, CSCS, ACSM-cPT
Are you making the most out of your time during your workouts? Most individuals may not be getting the best bang for their time while in the gym. Whether it is for fat lost, building muscle, or training for an athletic event exercise programming is not as easy as it seems. This article will address some of the major areas one should look for when starting an exercise program.
One of the major goals for the majority of exercisers is to lose weight. First we must rename weight lost to fat lost. Weight lost is actually detrimental to individuals trying to “lose weight” because actual weight lost also takes muscle lost into account. Muscle lost is not favorable at all in 99 percent of all situations. When individuals go on diets they restrict calorie consumption and lose weight but calorie restriction also breaks down muscle tissue as well to be used for energy. Ideally the individual should concentrate on breaking fat down and not muscle. The more muscles you have the more calories you burn and in turn the more fat you can burn at rest. It is like having a very fuel efficient 4 cylinder car vs. a fuel inefficient V10 car that gets 7 miles per gallon. In a nutshell the more muscles you have (bigger engine) the more calories you can burn. That is how you can shed the fat off without losing precious muscle mass.
You don’t have to look like a professional body builder to lose fat. Muscle mass is much more compact than fat mass and muscle is metabolically active meaning it requires energy (calories) to function. Fat on the other hand, doesn’t use energy (it stores it) and it takes up a whole lot more space than muscle does. Many individuals especially women are genetically limited in their potential for muscle growth so it isn’t very likely that you will be winning a bodybuilding competition anytime soon.
Resistance training is essential to developing lean body mass and helping the individual jump start their fat burning potential. When you look at aerobic group exercise instructors their average percent body fat is >20 percent. On the other hand when you look at individuals that do resistance training or any other form of high intensity exercise they have a very low percentage of body fat and eat a whole lot too! Isn’t that what we want? Look good in a swimsuit and be able to eat at an all you can eat buffet and not gain a pound?!
The best way to build muscle is by doing resistance training also known as weight training. Exercises such as the squats, lunges, push ups, lat pull downs and rows are great examples of multiple joint exercises that can make you strong and build enough lean body mass (muscle) to help you fight those unwanted fat stores. Exercises that you may want to leave out are isolation exercises such as bicep curls, triceps extension, and shoulder raises for example. The rationale behind this is that compound movements utilize more muscles and burn more calories and stimulates the endocrine system to release more growth hormones to increase muscle growth. Isolation exercises on the other hand do not burn as many calories and is much harder to build muscle with single joint exercises such as with a biceps curl.
By adhering to a resistance training program not only will you lose fat and build muscle, you will be stronger, decrease risk for chronic diseases, increase the enjoyment of activities during the day, prevent injury, increase bone mass, and live a longer more productive life. So start lifting weights and get ready to reap the benefits.
Disclaimer: This article written by Charles Trinh MS, PES, CSCS, ACSM-cPT is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician that you may have regarding participating in an exercise program.
About the Founder
Charles Trinh, MS, PES, CSCS, ACSM-cPT is the founder of FunctionWorks Fitness and former State Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He has over 10 years of formal education and practical experience in the health and fitness field. Charles has earned his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine and his Masters of Science degree in Exercise Science and Performance Enhancement. He also holds the highest level certifications by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Trainer, Consultant and Educator
Charles is a consultant and educator in health and fitness. His in depth knowledge about the function of the musculoskeletal system and how it relates to exercise performance makes him a sought after speaker locally and nationally. He currently is a lecturer for the American College of Sports Medicine. Some of the private and public organizations that he has worked with are:
University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
University of Hawaii Department of Health and Exercise Science
Kapiolani Community College Exercise Sport Science Program
Westfield State College
National Strength and Conditioning Association
American College of Sports Medicine
McDonalds Restaurants of Hawaii
Chaminade University
Fitness Resource Associates
Fitness Education Network
YMCA of Honolulu
University Health Alliance
For more information contact:
Charles Trinh, MS, PES, CSCS, ACSM-cPT
808-779-1604
functionworksfitness@gmail.com
