EFFICIENT FITNESS

The preservation of lean muscle mass is crucial to maintaining weight loss and to living a functionally independent life. Keep your strength training simple, focus on efficient cardiovascular exercise and get consistent.

THE THREE E’s OF FITNESS

ENJOYABLE + EFFICIENT = EFFECTIVE

MOVEMENT

All of the fitness components below are crucial to developing body composition.

  • Mobility/Flexibility/Balance
  • Pulmonary Fitness
  • Muscular Endurance
  • Muscular Strength
  • Cardiorespiratory

ESSENTIAL MOVEMENT

Movements that are compound, scalable, and relate to daily living activities.

 

MOVE SQUAT DEADLIFT PUSHUP PULLUP HOLLOW BODY
TYPEPushPullPushPullIsometric
DAILY LIVING ACTIVITYGetting in and out of the chairPicking up objects from the groundGetting up from the groundPulling an object towards youPosition related to ideal posture
CUESHeels
Chest
Knees
Low Back
Back
Hip
Heels
Knees
Head
Elbows
Flat Back
Midline
Head
Grip
Flat Back
Midline
Back down
Shoulders
Hips
Midline

EXAMPLE WORKOUT DESIGN

SECTION DURATION INCLUDE
Warm up10:00 – 15:00Select 3-4 dynamic mobility exercises
Breathe 30-40 breaths and cardio 3:00 – 5:00
Perform 2x of 10 repetitions in strength
Muscular Strength10:00 – 15:00Main Move (Squat, Press or Deadlift)
3-5 sets of 5-10 reps at med/heavy load
Muscular Endurance 10:00 – 15:00Complete 3-5 rounds of:
Select Low Body, EI Squat 15 reps
Select Upper Body, EI Pushups 15 reps
Select Core, EI Situps 15 reps, Rest as needed
Cool Down 5:00 – 10:00Recovery Breath 5M:M - 5N:M - 5N:N
Select 2-3 mobility exercises (soft tissue)
GEAR RPE HEART RATE EFFECTS
4HIIT
High
8/10 +180 - Age +
15 BPM or >
Improves body composition quickly, insulin, sensitivity,
mitochondrial density, anaerobic and aerobic capacity
3Mushy
Middle
6-7/10Middle HR between MAF /
HIIT
Highly stressful, secretes stress hormones, unfavorable
BCD adaptations
2Max
Aerobic
Function
5/10180 - Age
within 10 BPM
Promotes mobility, aerobic development and fat
adaptation, builds capillary density

Favorable “gear 4” cardio-respiratory workouts…

  • Intermittent fasted low intensity morning walks (prior to breakfast)
  • Short Intervals 6-8 x :60 @ 95% Effort, 2:00 Recovery – get back to MAF
  • Long Intervals 3-5 x 4:00 @ 90% Effort, 4:00 Recovery – develop VO2 Max
  • Tabata Sets 8 x :20 Work / :10 Rest @ 100% Effort – Great for travel

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Strength training 2-3 days (maintain muscle)
  • Favor “gear 2” cardio respiratory training up to 5 days per week for 30 minutes
  • Vigorous cardio respiratory training 1-2 days per week for 30 minutes
  • Monitor lifestyle and remain intuitive will all fitness intensity selections

RECOMMENDED READING

  • The Science and Practice of Strength Training by Vladimir M Zatsiorski
  • Beyond Training, Ben Greenfield and/or Primal Endurance Training by Mark Scisson
  • The First 20 Minutes by Gretchen Reynolds