Our BLOG and Ask the Trainer: what would you like to see here?

Dan Houston — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:26:23 GMT

A BLOG is a place to post articles, provide information and solicit discussions about specific topics. Our Houston Fitness Consultants BLOG will be (obviously) focused around fitness: diet, exercise, and health. We want to know:

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT?

For example: topics would you like to discuss, health and fitness questions you want answered, etc. Please contact us directly via our contact page and we will begin creating a set of lively topics in this BLOG. Here is our contact page:

http://www.houstonfc.com/newsite/pages/contact_us/

NOTE: Your email address, name, and phone are NOT required. If you provide them, we will only contact you if you ask us to; it will not be used for any other purposes or shared with any other companies.

We're looking forward to hearing from you!

Dan Houston

If I have to choose just one form of exercise, what is considered the one best type?

Dan Houston — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:09:00 GMT

What is the best workout? Cardio? Weights? Sports? Yoga? Pilates? Exercise Ball? If I have to choose just one form of exercise, what is considered the one best type?

This is another popular question, and hardly anyone likes the simple answer. The simple answer is: There is no single best workout. Period. But why limit yourself to just one exercise? Please feel free to add your comments and let us know which workout works best for you!

All of the workout methods listed above offer conditioning benefits. They all also have limitations. Be cautious of a teacher/instructor/trainer who tries to tell you that certain established forms of exercise are a waste of time. Anything that motivates a person to participate in an activity safely has value.

There has been an ongoing senseless battle in the fitness industry regarding the “best” exercise. We have seen it for years, it ebbs and flows on a regular basis…aerobics people do not like weights, runners do not like bikes, bodybuilders do not like weight machines, spinners do not like yoga, etc. This machine is better than that one, this machine is a waste of time but this one is the ultimate answer to the fitness quest, etc.

We often wonder why there is so much competition between factions when the common goal is the same: Help people to get in better shape and enjoy the benefits of exercise by finding a program that becomes a part of their lifestyle.

A good trainer will encourage people to try many different training styles, classes, and activities. A really good trainer will feel confident that the client can enjoy ALL forms of exercise without limitation. The best trainers regularly challenge their clients to experience new things.

Breaking this down a little further, the ACSM has determined, based on thousands of published studies from the health and sports/fitness fields, that the best program encompasses REGULAR cardiovascular exercise (what is commonly, but often mistakenly called “aerobics”), resistance training, functional flexibility, and proper warm-up/cooldown when performing any of these activities. What does this mean to the potential participant?

It means finding a program you can stick to that gives you all of the benefits science and experience has proven are available to exercise participants. Better strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, awareness, improved recovery, bone density, cardiovascular health, more restful sleep, improved immune system function, and more. Is there any single form of exercise that can supply this level of benefit?

Cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, bike, aerobic classes, elliptical/crosstrainer, etc) helps in the endurance and heart health categories. Cardio exercise does not always help balance, flexibility or provide weight bearing benefit (outside of the thigh/hip region), and strength increases are difficult to measure with any accuracy. Higher intensity efforts (spinning, trail-running, etc) offer interval training benefits, but still do not include upper body strengthening or flexibility.

Yoga is very popular now, and can help flexibility, balance, muscular endurance (isometric strength), can improve recovery ability and help with stress management (positively affecting sleep and immune system). Yoga does not necessarily burn a lot of calories (around 180-250 per hour for 150 lb person), and works thru limited ranges of motion, but with little measurable benefit on full range muscular strength and anaerobic/aerobic capacity. Pilates addresses many of these issues, but has its own limitations with equipment requirements, technique considerations, and can be risky for people with back problems. Still, excellent modes of exercise, but not all-encompassing.

Weights (resistance training) can provide most, but not necessarily all, of the listed benefits when performed correctly. Weight bearing activity has proven benefits in maintaining lean mass, bone density, and has shown cardiovascular benefit similar to steady state cardio exercise. Endurance and strength can improve, and functional flexibility can be achieved when proper range of motion is explored. Progressive improvement can be addressed, providing a continuous adaptive response. You can get strength training benefits using just your bodyweight, simple household items, cheap weights, expensive weights, machines…whatever you have available. We have shown hundreds of people that they can get the full body exercise benefits they want using something as simple as a towel and a medicine ball. We have even trained people using a hill and a tree (don’t laugh…it can be very effective because of the angle of descent/ascent). But we do not recommend it as a stand-alone program.

Why not combine something from all of your exercise interests? The simple truth is that you should enjoy your exercise, and let other people enjoy their exercise. Anyone taking an active role in exercising, regardless of what form they pursue, is doing SOMETHING for themselves. Try to explore other possibilities rather than look for a single magic cure. Combine different modalities and techniques; find one that suits YOUR specific goals and interests. There is no rule that says that you HAVE to follow just one form of exercise. Combining techniques can actually give you more benefit in less time!

Bruce Lee probably did the best job of demonstrating this when he developed his Jeet Kune Do system of Martial Arts. He analyzed and tried every form and venture he could find. He found elements he liked in many of the forms, and also elements he felt were unnecessary. He gradually took the best pieces of all of the techniques and philosophies he encountered and created a system that broke with tradition, but addressed all the limitations he felt limited the progress of the participants. He had no allegiance to any system except the pursuit of the best system for his goals. He recognized the intelligence and experience of teachers and students, and “Absorbed What Is Useful” (a book title written by one of his star pupils after his untimely death). He also did not waste a lot of time criticizing other teachers. He challenged their methods, but respected their teaching.

It is probably safe to say that no one has ever achieved physical perfection following just one style of exercise. Top level athletes incorporate multiple training forms and techniques (Lance Armstrong, Terrell Owens, Roger Federer, etc). The Pilates method, if it were introduced today, would probably be much different from the method Joseph Pilates he developed. Science, technology, creativity…exercise is constantly evolving. People can be in great shape from anything active, whether it is construction, mountain biking, weight lifting, chopping down trees, swimming, etc. But when you find things you like to do that provide ALL of the exercise benefits you deserve, and fit within the time you have to commit to them, you have the makings of a personalized program that can provide you with all of the benefits exercise offers.

2007 goals: fitness and beyond -- share your thoughts and learn from others

Dan Houston — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:42:00 GMT

New year's goals: share your thoughts and learn from others
Welcome to 2007! Ah, it's time for the most traditional new year's resolution: better health, losing weight, and getting fit. I have posted below my initial thoughts about creating goals for 2007 -- and any year for that matter. Now we want to hear your goals, how you plan to achieve them, and what concerns you have about reaching them. Please use this BLOG to share your ideas and thoughts and learn from others; we hope to make the Houston Fitness BLOG an educational experience for everyone, including your trainers at Houston Fitness. To help move you forward quickly, we've posted some of our 2007 exercise promotions on www.HoustonFC.com.

Ringing In the New Year!
We hope everyone had the opportunity to enjoy their holidays and think about what is important for them in this new year. Have you given any thought to how you are going to approach your goals this year? How did you do with your goals last year? Are you still looking for answers? We know just about everyone wants to lose weight, eat better, be healtheir, be happier, etc; but what are YOU going to do to make it happen? It can be pretty confusing and also rather frustrating when you do everything you think you should be doing and you do not see the results you are looking for...what did you find to be the hardest part of reaching those goals? Time? Diet? Stress? Injury?

Every year, we meet people anxious to get off to a great start, but almost 80% of them are done with their plan by Valentine's Day, only six weeks away. Why do you think that happens? Lack of support? Lack of time? Limited access to equipment?

Would you like to make it all happen this year? I will bet you would, especially if you find out that there are no gimmicks or gadgets required, no fad diets, no magic pills, and no marathon exercise sessions. Just a little planning, some hard work, some accountability, and a fresh way of looking at things.

Did you know that the weight crisis facing our country is preventable and reversible. The answers are not as hard as we fear, but they do require some effort. We will be anxious to help you reach your goals this year, and share our experience with you to get you on track towards a healthier and happier future.

How will you do it?
Please use the "write entry" buttons to post your feedback and ideas, and let's all learn together.

Houston Fitness Consultants - Fitness Talk

Our BLOG and Ask the Trainer: what would you like to see here?

If I have to choose just one form of exercise, what is considered the one best type?

2007 goals: fitness and beyond -- share your thoughts and learn from others