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Running, cycling, swimming, rowing, stair climbing, hiking etc are all aerobic exercises and examples of cardiovascular training i.e. cardio. Contrary to popular belief, the benefits of doing cardio lean more towards heart health, circulation, longevity, and less about weight loss. Cardio is any exercise that significantly raises your heart rate (HR) from your resting HR. These kinds of exercises strengthen your heart and lungs.
Cardio improves your cardiovascular conditioning. This translates into lower risk of Coronary heart disease(CHD), better blood pressure control, increase in HDL(healthy cholesterol), better control of blood sugar, weight loss, improved lung function, and a lower resting HR. A low resting HR is indicative of a strong cardiovascular system (heart, arteries, veins) and good overall fitness. The American Heart Association recommends 5-7, 30 minute sessions of aerobic exercise a week at a moderate intensity.
Measures the 5 different zones of HR, each increasing in BPM (beats per minute) from 1 → 5. Zone 1 is slightly above your resting HR and zone 5 is your VO2 max. The different zones are individualized, not standardized; marathon runners will have vastly different zones of cardio then an unfit person. To understand the zones of cardio, there are some key terms to grasp. Your resting HR is the pace your heart is beating at rest, like when you are sitting and watching TV. Your VO2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption, is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense exercise. VO2 max is considered a key indicator of aerobic fitness and cardiovascular health.
Heart rate variability is the difference between your HR at rest vs. active. It is a PNS (parasympathetic nervous system) HR vs. a SNS(sympathetic nervous system) HR. A large gap in variability is normal.
Very mild increase in HR, basically walking. This is also known as the recovery zone.
Brisk jog. In this zone you start to work up a sweat but you can still carry on a conversation. This level of intensity can be sustained for an hour.
Difficult to carry on a conversation; heavier breathing. This level of intensity can be sustained for 30-40 minutes.
Cannot carry a conversation; heavy breathing. This level of intensity cannot be sustained for longer than 5 minutes before a recovery interval.
VO2 max, meaning your maximum effort. This level of intensity cannot be sustained for longer than 1-2 minutes followed by a recovery interval.
Cardio is a good tool to supplement your fat loss, but it should not be your primary means of fat loss. Fat loss occurs when you are in a caloric deficit, meaning if you eat 3000 calories a day you need to burn 3500. Cardio is not an efficient approach to get into a caloric deficit if done on its own. Running for 30 minutes will only burn 200-300 cal, and to lose 1 pound of body fat you have to burn 3500 cal. If you do the math, cardio is not very efficient for fat loss. Fasting, weight training, and even sleep will yield better results for fat loss than cardio. That’s why cardio should be supplemented on top of dieting, fasting, and resistance training to burn those last several hundred calories in order to be in a deficit.
Building muscle, also known as muscle hypertrophy, typically involves a combination of resistance training, proper nutrition, adequate rest, and consistency. Here are some key strategies for building muscle effectively:
It is easiest to build muscle if you have never weight trained before, and the longer you do it the less muscle per year you have the ability to gain. To avoid plateaus here are some muscle building principles you can incorporate, or be cognisant of, to your training regiment at each stage of your lifting. For simplicity’s sake we will divide the level of experience into 5 classes, from beginner to pro.
All you need to do is lift weights a few times a week and increase your average protein intake. Because your body is encountering a new stress it will have an adaptive response; it will grow to accommodate the stress. This is a physiological adaptation, the same way your hands begin to callous from repeated use or labor.
Lift weights while incorporating progressive overload, and increase your protein intake to 1g per lb of LBM(lean body mass). Gradually increase the stress(weight) to stimulate growth. When doing the same weight your body will adapt to the stress and wont need to grow. When executing a big lift be conscious of the mind-muscle connection
Lift with progressive overload, eat 1 gram of protein per lb of LBM, and manipulate the Acute Training Variables. At this stage of progress things get a little more complicated and we have to adjust the structure of our routine by changing one or more of its components i.e. the Acute Training Variables: Effort, volume, intensity, exercise selection, frequency, rest intervals, and tempo.
Lift with progressive overload, eat 1 gram of protein per lb of LBM, manipulate the Acute Training Variables, focus on the 3 major drivers of muscle growth. Let’s take a closer look at what’s driving muscle growth physiologically. In 2010 Dr. Brad Schoenfeld published the paper The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training and introduced the 3-factor model of muscle hypertrophy. This model proposed that there are 3 main things that drive muscle growth: 1.mechanical tension, 2.muscle damage, and 3.metabolic stress.
According to the research, of the three 3 drivers of growth/ hypertrophy, mechanical tension is by far the most important for building muscle. The best way to improve tension is by maintaining good technique/form, focus on Acute Training variables, and practice progressive overload. Doing so will push intramuscular tension up overtime.
How do you grow and get better at a craft you do for a living, and transcend from expert to master. As an expert, the systems you put in place to make progress like consistency and discipline have already been streamlined into a well-oiled machine. So, one has to change lenses and switch their focus from the macro to the micro, and understand the minutia of their craft to attain mastery. This is applicable to the elite lifter going pro. To stimulate growth we must look deeper into the body at the cellular level to translate a mechanical stimulus like tension into a biochemical signal that commands the muscle to grow. To chase growth we need to understand multiple intracellular pathways.
Solving the problem of fat loss is very simple, but simple and easy can be very different things. Here is the simple equation:
Calories burned > calories consumed = fat loss
Fat loss is all about being in a caloric deficit so that our body has to look for sources outside of our diet for fuel/energy/sustenance. In a deficit, we burn our reserve energy reservoir: body fat. Unlike muscles which can be targeted to grow locally, body fat cannot be isolated; it is lost systemically. That’s why when we begin to lose weight, we lose it in the face, breasts, and arms but struggle to eliminate that stubborn belly fat.
Contrary to popular belief, the best methods to burn fat are in this order:
Diet/fasting > weight/resistance training > quality sleep > walking > cardio
Fasting and eating within a time window will reduce the availability to eat. Less time to eat means less food to aimlessly snack; this will make you more intentional with the calories you consume.
Construct a diet that is doable, and find someone to keep you accountable. Calculate how many calories you usually eat and decrease that number by 500 to start burning fat at a measured and gradual pace. When following a fasting protocol, pick one day a week to binge on your favorite junk foods, no restrictions, this will be your cheat day. The benefits of a cheat day are two fold; it increases the release of the hormones leptin and ghrelin(which help burn fat) and it also gives you a mental break from your nutrition plan→better compliance to your diet. Eat more protein to burn more calories using the thermic effect of food; the energy expended from breaking down and processing food. It takes energy to digest food, and it requires the most energy to metabolize protein. Also, protein is more satiating; eating a meal that's rich in protein will fill you up and keep you full for longer than a meal full of carbs. Proper hydration is also a key component for general health and especially when fasting. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages and food. About 20% of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks. You've probably heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day. That's easy to remember, and it's a reasonable goal. On a well balanced diet, hunger pangs are usually a signal of dehydration or low salt, and not the need to eat. To mitigate this drink carbonated water with a splash of lemon and a pinch of salt. This combination of water and electrolytes will keep you full and hydrated.
When it comes to burning fat and getting lean, a good night's rest is often overlooked, and it is vital for long term progress. Good quality sleep refreshes you, and restores your will power and resolve. Studies show that lack of sleep dramatically reduces impulse control, and we are more likely to compromise our diet for temporary relief with simple mouth pleasure. In his book Why We Sleep, sleep expert Matthew Walker reports that the optimal sleep time is 7-9 hours every night. Sleeping is a major portion of your fasting window, the more time you are sleeping the less time you are eating. Adequate sleep also keeps your cortisol low; the stress hormone that causes us to hold onto fat when it is chronically elevated.
For fat loss, a well-rounded exercise program that incorporates both cardiovascular exercise and strength training is the most effective game plan. Here's how you can structure your exercise routine:
1.Cardiovascular Exercise: Cardio helps increase calorie expenditure and improves cardiovascular health. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio per week, as recommended by health guidelines. Examples of cardiovascular exercises include: brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, hiking, jump rope, and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts. HIIT involves alternating between short bursts of intense exercise and brief recovery periods. Incorporating HIIT into your routine can help increase calorie burn, improve cardiovascular fitness, and promote fat loss in a shorter amount of time.
2. Strength Training: Strength training helps build and preserve lean muscle mass, which is important for boosting metabolism and improving body composition. Aim to include strength training exercises at least 3 to 4 times a week, targeting all major muscle groups. Examples of strength training include weight lifting and bodyweight exercises. A good weight lifting routine will include big lifts, known as compound movements (squat, deadlift, bench press, pull-up etc), and isolation exercises.
Increasing Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) involves incorporating more movement into your daily activity outside of structured exercise sessions. Here are some strategies to increase NEAT:
Take the Stairs: Opt for stairs instead of elevators or escalators whenever possible. Climbing stairs is an excellent way to incorporate extra movement into your day.
Walk More: Take walking breaks throughout the day, whether it's a short walk around your office building, a stroll during lunchtime, or a post-dinner walk in the evening.
Stand More: Look for opportunities to stand rather than sit. You can stand while talking on the phone, working at a standing desk (if available), or during meetings or gatherings.
Move While Watching TV: Instead of sitting still while watching TV, make it an active process rather than a passive one. Use commercial breaks or intervals between episodes to do chores, stretch, or walk around.
Engage in Household Chores: Household chores such as vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, gardening, or washing dishes can contribute to NEAT. Make these activities more active by doing them briskly and with purpose.
Use a Standing Desk or Stability Ball: If possible, use a standing desk or a stability ball instead of a traditional chair to engage your muscles and promote better posture.
Increase Daily Steps: Set a goal to increase your daily step count gradually. Use a pedometer, fitness tracker, or smartphone app to track your steps and motivate yourself to move more.
By incorporating these strategies into your daily routine, you can increase NEAT and boost overall calorie expenditure, which can contribute to weight management and improved health.
A workout routine split, or training split, is a training program that divides the week into separate workouts, each targeting different muscle groups. This allows you to focus on specific areas of the body on different days, ensuring that each muscle group gets enough attention and recovery time.
No matter if you are a bodybuilder or novice, there are a number of proven exercises, set-and-rep schemes, and training techniques, but ultimately find one that works for your goals and current fitness level. When developing your training program, your workout splits will allow you to train most optimally for muscle growth, strength, and function. Keep in mind the following when starting a new routine:
Upper-lower training splits (2 days upper, 2 days lower) work out 4 days a week. Great to transition from a 2 or 3 per week full body workout. The Upper-Lower Training Splits training frequency volume is considered moderate for strength and lean muscle gains.
Push/pull/legs is a favorite training split which includes pushing muscles (chest, shoulder, triceps) one day, then pulling muscles the next (back, biceps, forearms, abs), and lastly lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs). Add in rest days where needed, all while you don’t miss any days. Unlike single body part splits, if you miss a PPL workout, you’ll be able to make it up in 3 days, or simply add a rest day and stay on the repeating PPL pattern. 6 days a week is a lot, but you will add maximum strength.
The PHUL workout routine is focused on size + strength in a 4-day program; this routine will allow you to achieve mass, yet is an adaptable routine based on four main principles. PHUL is a great workout program for athletes that want to develop strength via heavy compound movements (squats, bench press, shoulder press, and deadlift) on power days but looking to add some size on hypertrophy days. Of the 4-day workout days, 2 days focus on pure strength training, and 2-days of muscle building (hypertrophy).
The PHAT workout routine is designed to blend powerlifting and bodybuilding routines into a single training program. Although powerlifters and bodybuilders use different reps and weight schemes to reach their respective goals, the PHAT program is a training system that balances the demands of both, so you can both sculpt and build strength.
The 5-day split offers many advantages for any level of experience. 5-day splits provide the chance to have focused strength gains and building mass with less body part fatigue. There are tons of options for moving this routine around to fit your schedule.
Hormones are chemical messengers produced by structures called glands. They regulate numerous physiological processes like metabolism, stress, emotions, growth, libido etc. If our hormones aren’t regulated and balanced, we cannot make progress in and out of the gym.
Optimizing our hormones for muscle building and fat loss is what most fitness programs forget or neglect, putting a roadblock on progress we could otherwise be making. Hormones have a cause-effect relationship in our body, like a lock and key, for physiologic processes. Being that they perform so many different functions, they can be grouped by shape and chemical structure.
Steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol and are lipid-soluble. They include hormones such as cortisol (produced by the adrenal glands), aldosterone (produced by the adrenal glands), estrogen (produced by the ovaries), progesterone (produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands), and testosterone (produced by the testes).
Gaseous hormones are signaling molecules such as nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) that act as neurotransmitters and paracrine/autocrine messengers. They play roles in vasodilation, neurotransmission, and immune regulation.
Fatty acid-derived hormones are derived from fatty acids and include eicosanoids such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. These hormones are produced by various cells throughout the body and play roles in inflammation, immune response, and numerous physiological processes.
Amino acid-derived hormones are synthesized from amino acids, primarily tyrosine and tryptophan. Examples include thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine, produced by the thyroid gland) and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine, produced by the adrenal medulla).
The human body is composed of various tissues, each with specialized structures and functions. Despite its complexity, the entire body is only composed of 4 kinds of tissue. Tissues are groups of cells that work together to perform specific functions. Here are the main types of tissues in the body:
Epithelial tissue covers the surfaces of the body, both inside and outside.
Muscle tissue is responsible for movement and generating force.
Connective tissue provides support, structure, and cohesion to the body.
Nervous tissue consists of neurons (nerve cells) and glial cells (supporting cells).
