Keys to Fitness: Ways to Waste a Workout

Introduction

Hello Everyone!!

Firstly let's get the excuse of being "too old" to get in shape out of the way.
For me my birthday is just a date on a calender as i have competed for over a decade against competitors half my age. How you might ask? By having the knowledge of how the body functions and just as importantly how to get the most out of your workouts, i will pass on my wisdom & tips to you my fellow bloggers and followers.

The "Key"(s) to exercise is having a variety. First not allowing the task to become boring and/or cumbersome as you must keep the brain guessing thus eliminating the plateau effect. Also when changes are not immediate one tends to become frustrated and feels like quitting, so we are going to change this with the blog to keep the routines far from boring and productive.

Secondly i will pass on knowledge regarding nutrition and water which is critical. You can work out all you want but remember what you do during exercise is tearing down the muscle and if you don't repair and hydrate you are just wasting your time, this aspect is probably 60%+ of the equation to a healthy body

Within the continuation of this blog, I will show you how to improve your health, change your shape and improve your game.... from the serious athlete to the weekend warrior. There will be video's of weight bearing exercises per body part and routines that everyone can fit in to their schedule and lifestyle no matter how hectic it is.

And remember, there is no point in having an empire if you are not around to enjoy it. Your body is a temple!

Yours in Fitness,

Terry Keys
www.terrykeys.ca

Testimonials

"Terry's knowledge of nutrition, proper training techniques and insight into how to maximize our player's energy and strength is second to none........ it has proven invaluable in our team's success."

-Trevor Stienburg, Head Coach

SMU Hockey Huskies

2010 CIS National Champions

"Few athletes have the dedication, let alone the physical ability to stay at the top of their sport the way Terry Keys has."

-Jim Reyno

Halifax Daily News Reporter

"Very few athletes have the ability or knowledge to truly help people in reaching their lifestyle goals. With his proven accomplishments in body sculpting, Terry is able to grasp and provide methods that work........ He is a walking testimonial of his success and abilities in living a healthy and happy lifestyle."

-Richard Glover

Director HBS & ProLab Canada

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Ways to Waste a Workout

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For most getting to the gym involves juggling a work schedule, kids, spouses and many other issues.....you know it’s called life! So with that in mind lets try to get the most out of your precious time at your favorite facility with these tips:

A) Change up your routine- All exercises have an expiration date

The brain will adapt to what you are doing and then you will plateau and get no results, become frustrated then quit...not good for anybody. It could be as easy as changing the order of your exercises, use more weight, increase your reps, do some drop sets/ super setting etc. ( more on these in the coming videos).

B) Use a training log.- Focus on lifting more total weight each work out, it’s the key to building muscle

Multiply the amount of weight that you lift for each exercise by the total number of times you lift it
Increase that number every workout by either moving heavier weights or increasing your reps or maybe do more sets. For example....leg day you did 3 sets of 10 reps @ 150lbs= 4500lbs
Next leg day, maybe do 4 sets @11reps or 155lbs to get a greater total.......pretty simple math.

C) Train with a purpose- Know what you’re doing as the week comes

If only able to make it to the gym for 2 days adjust your training....upper body first visit and next training day lower half. If 4 days then maybe chest/biceps, legs/abs, back/calves and shoulders/triceps. Also visualize the muscle working and squeeze it for maximum benefit, finally you control the weight and not the weight controlling you to get most mileage out of the exercise

D) Do compound movements

Chest press, squats, dead lifts, shoulder press etc. to force several muscle groups to work together and if time allows....finish up with some isolation exercises for that body part to rep out.

E) Make sure you have carbs/protein ratio of 3 to 1 after the workout

Examples are smoothies; protein powder and frozen fruit within 20 mins after your training then approximately 2hrs later 1 to 3 ratio carb/protein for the next meal of solid food. If not you just wasted your workout because remember all that you do at the gym is tear down your muscle, now the repair begins.

Terry