Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The IMPACT! Body Plan - Destroying Fitness Myths

One week ago today my good friend and colleague, Todd Durkin, CSCS - owner of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA., launched his new book - 'The IMPACT! Body Plan' - to all book stores nationwide. Todd's work with the NFL's elite as well as other athletes at the top of their game in professional sports has yielded incredible results on the playing field. Now he's has tailored his elite training program for anyone looking to train like a pro and transform his or her body — men and women, at virtually any level of fitness.

In his book, Todd dispels top fitness myths that commonly separate his clients from their ultimate fitness goals. Here are a few he mentions with my take on busting those myths while supporting Todd's view.

Myth #1 - The longer my workout, the more benefits I get.

Even the longest workout should take you between 45-60 minutes. If your workout contains: tissue quality work (i.e. foam roller), mobility, explosiveness/SAQ (speed, agility & quickness), strength, metabolic conditioning & recovery/regeneration, this is all the time you'll need. Nothing more. Bottom line - work harder & smarter....NOT LONGER!!

Myth #2 - Pro athletes are the fittest people on the planet.

Don't believe this, not even for a second. You can do the same exercises as the pros do, train with the same intensity as the pros, and can excel like the pros. Even if you don't have the same body makeup or athletic ability, you can train like a pro athlete and attain great results. The way I see it, there's an athlete in all of us. It's time to 'train like an athlete'!

Myth #3 - Weight training bulks you up.

I know I've said this before and I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing me say it again. Women seem especially afraid of this, as if regular and consistent weight training will make them look like bodybuilders. Nothing could be futher from the truth. As a matter of fact, weight training can help all of you ladies change the way your body looks and performs. If you also want to prevent degenerative conditions, such as osteoporosis, you definitely need weight training. As for "bulk", that's B.S.!! Only 2 things make you "bulky" - your diet and your training method (or lack of). Unless you workout & eat like a bodybuilder (eating massive amounts of food/calories), you have nothing to worry about.

Myth #4 - If I'm not sore or in pain, I'm not working out hard enough.

Many people think if their muscles don’t hurt, they’re not having a quality workout. This is way off base. While resistance training can be intense, and some level of discomfort may occur, pain is not required for a successful workout. It’s also important to note that pain can be a warning sign of an exhausted muscle or torn ligament. Instead of soreness, judge the quality of your workouts by using heart rate monitors (to calculate your target heart rates during exercise), and how your body responds after your workout. Ask yourself questions like - How do I feel? Relaxed? Less stressed? Are my energy levels high? Low? Use these factors and more rather than just how sore you are.

To read more about myths like these, be sure to check out Todd's book, 'The IMPACT! Body Plan'. Purchase yours today by clicking here.

Train hard, train smart, eat right, and have fun!

-AR

No comments: