Recomping ???

First, to offer some perspective, let’s briefly talk about bulking and cutting. Bulking is trying to gain weight, and ideally most of that weight would be muscle. When Bulking one intentionally consumes more calories than their body needs, in conjunction with weight training, in order to gain weight with the understanding that fat gain will be inevitable. The idea is to limit fat gain as much as possible while maximizing muscle gain. Cutting on the other hand is the exact opposite. When cutting, one intentionally consumes less calories than their body needs in order to lose weight with the understanding that muscle loss will be inevitable. The idea is to limit muscle loss as much as possible while maximizing fat loss.  

You can see how it's impossible to achieve these two goals simultaneously . You cannot not be in a caloric surplus and a caloric deficit at the same time. 

Now when recomping, the idea isn't to get the number on the scale to move up or down, but to improve body composition. In other words, one isn't interested in weight loss, they just want to have less body fat and improve the appearance of their physique by increasing the size of their biceps, their shoulders, and maybe decrease their waistline. 

Now this is possible with people who are untrained. In fact clients of mine will frequently tell me that their clothes fit differently after several months, but unless their diet is such that it allows them to lose weight, the number on the scale stays put. 

Also, recomping is only worthwhile if you're someone who is unhappy with a particular part of your body, or your physique, rather than how much you weigh . For instance, many dresses are sleeveless. If you're a woman who isn't over weight, you can certainly improve the appearance of your arms without losing or gaining weight, but if you have too much body fat the muscles of your arms won't be visible due to the layer of fat covering them. 

In essence, if you're happy with your weight, but not your physique, than recomping is for you, but if you're not happy with your weight, than you need to focus on increasing or decreasing your weight. 

As for the exercises you should employ,  the rep ranges should be in the 12-15 range for three to five sets. If someone wants to improve the size of their chest, the exercises should include bench press, incline bench press, chest flyes  and cable cross-overs. For triceps and shoulders, in addition to bench press and incline press, because those two movements hit the shoulders along with the chest, military press should also be included, and to further isolate the shoulders, you can include lateral raises, front raises, and rear delts flyes.  For compound exercises ( bench press, military press, and shoulder press ) a lower rep range ( 6-8 reps, 8-10 reps, or 10-12 reps ) is fine. For back, bent over rows, lat pull downs, single arm dumbbell rows, and cable rows are compound exercises that will hit the back and ,to some extent, the biceps. 

Now isolation exercises for the biceps and rear deltoids of the shoulders are crucial due to the size of the muscle groups in the back. Just relying on compound movements for biceps and the rear deltoids is insufficient because ( since the back is such a large muscle group ) they aren't as involved in those compound movements. They're involved, and it's fine just to rely on them if your goal is simply a full body workout, but if increasing the size of your biceps or rear deltoids is your goal, you'll need more stimulation. For isolation exercises ( lateral raises, front raises, etc. ) one should stay within the 12-15 rep range. This is for two reasons. The first reason is safety. Isolation exercises involve one muscle and one joint. The higher the rep range, the lighter the weight, and the less pressure that is put on the joint responsible for flexion or extension during the contraction of muscle. The second reason is that your body is a machine that's designed to work together. When "isolating" a muscle, you're not isolating the muscle in the sense that the muscle is the only muscle that's involved in that movement. What you are doing is limiting the involvement of any other muscles that are involved in that movement. The heavier the weight, the lower the rep range, and the lower the rep range, the more other muscles will become involved. Obviously, that's not what you want.

The benefit of exercise is unquestionable.  We have all heard that exercise is “good” for you.  When we’re young, it is so easy to exercise.   It happens naturally, and it takes very little effort when we are in our twenties, but wait, once we are in our mid-thirties, and heading toward forty and fifty, not only is regular exercise tremendously important; it is tougher to do because regular exercise, at least two to three times a week, requires a commitment and has to be built into one’s lifestyle.

 

Everyone exercises without even trying when they are young, but once we get older and busy with our lives, families, careers, and numerous interests, we tend to put exercise at the bottom of the list or on the back burner.  Only those people who are dedicated to an exercise regime will reap the benefits of healthy aging and a healthy lifestyle free of debilitating diseases that accompany old age.

 

In retrospect, if you doubt the positive impact of exercise on the body, just compare a person who made exercise a regular part of his/her life with one who did not.  The difference in the two individuals is incontestable.  The person who exercised will look healthier, may even be slimmer, more energetic, and most of all he/she will be mentally sharp and have a good image of self.   Believe me, when I say, these individuals are happy.

 

People, who keep exercise at the forefront of their lives, are the healthiest people on the planet.  Take a look around you.  A cancer patient or person suffering a heart attack has a greater chance of survival because of the benefits of exercise.  So fight sickness with the best remedy of all−a regular exercise regime.

 

Not many people, fifty and over, can boast that they don’t take medication.  Many of us rely on pills to keep us healthy, to control our blood pressure, our cholesterol, diabetes, to keep our joints flexible, and, yes, to relieve pain, but I say to you now, the best pill anyone can take is exercise.  Just as you make time to take your medication, you need to take time to exercise, the best pill of all. 

 

The purpose of this blog is just to impress upon my readers how important exercise is to living healthy.  Stay tuned for more good advice about very simple ways to enhance the only life you have.  No one can do it for you; you are all on your own.  Take one day at a time, and make exercise count.  You won’t regret it, and your body will thank you.

 

Dustan Howell

LCF Personal Trainer

My Blog

Posted on Wednesday, August 07, 2013 8:01 PM

Following cardio or a weight lifting session, your body continues to use oxygen at a higher rate than it did prior to exercise. This sustained oxygen consumption is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The phrase EPOC has been used to describe numerous events that occur while the body returns to homeostasis.  During EPOC, the body is in the process of returning to a pre-exercise state, so it consumes oxygen at a higher rate. This means that calories are being burned at a higher rate.

 

1) Replenishment of Energy Resources: Replenishment ensues for the immediate source of energy, known as the phosphagen system, which is includes  creatine phosphate and ATP (adenosine triphosphate). In addition, lactate, a molecule produced while performing intense exercise, is being converted to pyruvate for fuel utilization. The body is also replenishing the glycogen stores that were depleted during the workout

 

During exercise metabolism, sizeable quantities of oxygen are used to break down food substrates for energy. Consequently, the body continues to utilize energy following exercise to re-oxygenate the blood. In addition, in the post-exercise period, the body restores the levels of circulatory hormones, which increased during exercise, to normal.

 

As energy is released from the muscle tissues of the body, during exercise, heat is produced, so during EPOC, the body must burn calories in order to return to it’s normal temperature.

 

4) Return to Normal Ventilation and Heart Rate: Energy expenditure is greatly elevated as the body rapidly returns to a normal breathing rate. Heart rate is also returning to a pre-exercise rate.

 

Evidence indicates that interval training (HIIT) has a distinct effect on EPOC. Also, it appears that weight training produces greater EPOC responses than aerobic exercise such as jogging.  HIIT disturbs homeostasis more so than cardio at moderate intensity resulting in more calorie expenditure to restore the body to homeostasis. Mechanisms that cause the higher EPOC observed in resistance exercise include elevated blood lactate, and an increase in circulating catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and anabolic hormones.

It’s been five years since I committed myself to become a certified personal trainer.  I began by looking for one of the premier recognized certification programs.  I wanted the best certification and training, so I committed to prepare myself to complete the American College of Sports Medicine Certification program for Personal Trainers.  I spent two years studying, attending personal training classes, participating in special preparatory workshops, getting First Aid and AED Certification, and doing extensive research into becoming a specialist in the field of personal training.  I was successful and have spent the past three years honing my skills as an ACSM Certified free-lance personal trainer.  My clients are varied, ranging from young athletes to retired seniors.

 

Resistance training is not the end all be all of fitness. It’s only one aspect, but it serves as a foundation. In other words, if a person is unaccustomed to physical activity, but wants to start and exercise program, they shouldn’t start jogging, nor should they start doing any type of interval training at high or even moderate intensities. They should start with weights. Lifting weights, or resistance training, strengthens you muscles, ligaments, and tendons, which will prepare your body for the various forms of stress it will undergo during other forms of exercise.  

 

Resistance training (RT) works for everyone.  Age is irrelevant.  What matters is commitment, consistency, and a personal trainer who views each client as unique and has the ability to customize training programs to meet each client’s unique needs.  I begin with my clients where they are and map out a program that guarantees success.  RT is not a quick fix approach, but rather a lifetime approach.   It is, in my estimation, essential to maintain personal fitness and good health as you age.

 

The one piece of advise I give to my clients and am now passing on to my readers is that whatever method of fitness a client decides upon, it has to be something that he or she can do for the rest of his/her life.  Most people cannot do high impact exercise or high intensity interval training (HIIT) as a way of maintaining health for a lifetime.  Some people cannot maintain an “insanity” approach as a lifestyle, but EVERYONE can do RT for the rest of his or her life.   An investment in RT is an investment in yourself and your health. 

 

There are a few people who can work alone and be methodical and successful, but I find in my experience that most people need a personal trainer for commitment, consistency, and sustainability.  My goal for all my clients is to help them attain, maintain, and sustain. 

 

How I work:

·       My fees are reasonable, and I reserve the right to be compensated up front.

·       Clients are responsible to be available for scheduled sessions.  A client may cancel a session with 24 hours notice and MUST reschedule within a week or he or she forfeits the fee.  Special accommodations are always made in circumstances over which the client lacks control.

·       The client must have space available for IHT (In-Home Training).

·       I make every session count so that your money works continually for you.

·       I employ the principles of RT using the progressive overload model so that the client is always developing muscle strength, raising metabolism and increasing fat burning capacity.

·       I recommend at least two sessions weekly.  Three sessions are ideal.  However, a client may combine his or her own personal workout sessions with personal training sessions.

 

 

RT works as evidenced by the results of a client (age 60+) with whom I have worked for one year. Prior to RT, my senior client had been diagnosed with osteoporosis and osteopenia of the spine. 

The client decided to continue calcium supplements, declined medication, and started RT in August of 2012.   The client’s 2013 DEXA SCAN showed a 3% increase in BMD (bone mineral density).  I worked with this client twice a week for one year.  RT WORKS!  It takes commitment, consistency, and a skilled personal trainer.  Results are guaranteed.