Transformation 28

What is Fitness Anyway? Ask 100 people what they believe fitness is and you’ll probably get 100 different answers. Some will say it’s the ability to run a 5k. Others might say it’s the ability to pick up a heavy weight off the floor. Still others might suggest it’s having the ability to energetically dance while wearing tights to bad 80’s music (hopefully a very small minority). Regardless of people’s answers, not a lot of people can clearly define it. Up until the last decade, fitness had never been clearly defined, and it’s impossible to work towards the goal of fitness if we don’t really know what it is. Here’s what I believe is THE BEST definition of fitness: The ability to do work across broad time and movement domains Work is defined by the ability to apply a force on an object for a specific distance. The force might be your own bodyweight, a barbell, a kettlebell, a dumbbell or maybe even a wheelbarrow! Multiply that by the distance traveled and now you have work. Your ability to perform this work in the shortest amount of time possible utilizing different movements (intensity) is what fitness truly is. While the number of movements possible to incorporate into your fitness routine is infinite, it might include: Monostructural Movements: Running, swimming, jumping rope, rowing or biking Weightlifting Movements: Squatting, Olympic lifting, kettlebells, or dumbbells Gymnastic Movements: Pull ups, pushups, sit-ups, handstands Well-rounded fitness should not only give you better cardiovascular endurance, but it should also help to improve stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. And as a result of well-rounded fitness, we should be able to achieve better hormone function, stronger muscles, more muscle mass, less fat, improved sleep and energy, better mobility, and a stronger mental framework (arguably the most important). The BEST (and worst) Way to Exercise to Achieve Fitness The first thing people think when they have the desire to get into better shape is that they have to spend hours and hours in the fat-burning zone on the treadmill (or “dreadmill”, as I call it), elliptical, or stair climber in order to lose weight. We call that steady-state exercise. While doing this form of exercise has its benefits, there are some major drawbacks. Perhaps the biggest drawback when doing steady-state exercise is that it raises a stress hormone called cortisol (remember this hormone). While it’s a great hormone in an acute crisis, chronically elevated cortisol can have devastating effects on the body over time. Chronically elevated cortisol will stimulate your appetite, cause muscle wasting, increase fat storage, diminish the immune system, and decrease testosterone and human-growth hormone (hormones responsible for fat burning and muscle building). Even with all the negatives already mentioned, one additional drawback perks up a lot of people’s ears; chronically elevated cortisol CAUSES the deposition of cellulite! (19) The big question becomes then, how can we get all the amazing benefits of exercise without any of the drawbacks? The answer is high intensity, short duration, functional exercise. The Case for High Intensity, Short Duration, Functional Exercise for Fat Loss While most people consider how many calories they burn as the benchmark for effective exercise and fat loss, it’s simply not the case. What matters most is the muscle-building and fat-burning hormone response after you exercise. Known as human growth hormone, this hormone is influenced by the intensity with which you exercise. With steady-state exercise, you’ll be in the fat-burning zone for minutes. With high-intensity, short-duration, functional exercise, you’ll train your body to be in the fat-burning zone for hours after you’re done with your workout. Research over the last twenty years is finally uncovering what’s been true since the dawn of man: in the realm of fitness, high intensity is best. • High-intensity exercise achieved superior fat loss compared to moderate steady-state exercise. (20) • There is a greater increase in fat expenditure after high-intensity exercise due to the release of human-growth hormone. (21) • There was a significant loss in body fat in a group that exercised at a high intensity of 80-90 percent of maximal heart rate, while no significant change in body fat was found in the lower-intensity group that exercised at 60-70 percent of maximal heart rate, despite performing the same amount of work. (22) • High-intensity exercise is superior for reversing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, also known as prediabetes. (23) The bottom line: When it comes to exercise, what matters most is the amount of work you perform in the shortest amount of time. This equals intensity, and intensity equals results! Functional Exercise: Exercise That Makes You Better at LIFE Exercise should not only be about fat loss. Exercise should help you become better at everyday life. If you took an inventory of the activities of your day, you’d notice that you need to perform a multitude of movements well. You need to be able to get up off of a chair, pick up groceries, play with your kids or grandkids, push a lawnmower, garden, or swing a golf club. The following are some movements that you need to be able to do to stay functional and moving well your entire life, not only to avoid the nursing home, but to excel at life in general: • Squats and all their variations • Lunges • Deadlifts • Overhead presses • Kettlebell swings • Burpees • Push-ups • Pull-ups and rope climbs • Jumping activities like jumping rope or box jumps • Running, swimming, and rowing • Core work: sit-ups, planks, and arch holds While not an exhaustive list, if you practiced and mastered just these movements, then mixed these elements three to six times per week in as many combinations as your creativity will allow, then combined them into a short, intense workout lasting anywhere from three to fifteen minutes, you’d be well on your way to achieving the absolute best fitness of your life.