Florida Agenda

By Tom Bonanti

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re spinning your wheels and getting nowhere “doing your cardio?” It’s bad enough that life can seem like the proverbial treadmill, you don’t need to be frustrated and bored when you go to the gym too! This week, let the Florida Agenda give you some tips that will put the mojo back into your cardio and help you to go from feeling sluggish and bored to super charged and rearing to go!

First, let’s answer the above question with a decisive YES! Cardio work-outs are indispensable to any effective training program. They can be any activity that raises and maintains your heart rate over a predetermined amount of time, such as power-walking, biking, swimming, wrestling, martial arts and elliptical machines. By doing this, you strengthen your cardiovascular system and lower your resting heart rate. Doing regular and monitored cardio will help you live longer PERIOD!

Cardio workouts burn fat. Weight training builds muscle. Any fitness regime must include both to be effective and successful! A bout of cardio will use up more calories than lifting weights over a prolonged period of time.

Yet the more quality lean muscle you build, the more calories your body will burn all the time, even in a resting state. Bigger muscles make you stronger, but cardio fitness gives you endurance.

Although cardio training programs can vary from individual to individual, here are some pointers that can benefit everyone.

• Drink water before, during and after any cardio workout. Stay away from sports drinks that are loaded with sugar and caffeine.

• You can perform cardio on an empty stomach, preferably early in the morning if you need to jump start fat loss. But remember that early in the a.m. your body is already in a catabolic state, so you may need to eat an hour and a half or so before you hit the treadmill so that you won’t pass out from hunger or lapse into a hypoglycemic episode.

• Always include a 5-10 minute warmup and cool-down, consisting of a brisk walk, slow jog and some stretching with each lifting session.

• Many cardio machines have heartrate monitors that are built into the equipment. Use these to monitor your heart rate. Or, consider investing in a heart-rate monitor. Purchase a model with a timing device, especially helpful for interval training sessions.

• Learn to calculate your target heart rate range in order to maximize the benefits of your workout. Ask a certified trainer about the Karvonen Method which is the most effective, but more complicated way of determining target heart rate range. In general, anyone can approximate maximum heart rate or “MaxHR” by subtracting your age from 220. For example, 220 – 40 = 180. This is the starting point for all your calculations. Depending upon your age and fitness level, determine a safe, but challenging range to work with. For example, a beginner may try a range between 55-65 percent of his maximum heart rate range for best cardio and fat burning results.

• Remember to consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any new exercise, nutrition or supplementation program, especially if you are on medication or being treated for a medical condition.

Need a few more tips on cardio effectiveness? You can always contact TrainerTomB@aol.com!

Tom Bonanti is a certified persinal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale,
FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com

By Tom Bonanti

I have been working out all my life. In that time, I have read a lot, heard a lot and I’ve seen everything. Everyone has an opinion about how to bulk up, cut up and trim down.

Some of this information has proved invaluable; some of it is pure bull. Let’s look at some common myths that just may be holding you back and/or even totally derailing your workouts.

Myth #1: If you want to build mass, cut out the cardio.

Aerobic fitness is achieved through regular cardio-vascular training and it is among the most preventative medicines available. What good is having gorgeous muscles if you drop dead of a stroke or heart attack! While building solid lean muscle is important, cardio vascular fitness is essential. And the best way to “pump up” the lungs and heart is by exercising aerobically. According to the International Sports Sciences Association, three to four 30 –45 minute sessions of cardio per week will definitely help to build cardiovascular fitness. Whether it’s running, swimming, biking, doing the precor or treadmill in the gym, you’ve simply got to
do cardio in order to stay healthy and live longer.

Myth #2: I’m hurting, but if I just keep training, I can work through the pain.

Only a real horse’s ass or the former governor of California still believes the adage, “No pain, no gain.” This long-running myth can potentially have dangerous effects on your body. There is a difference between pain, and the soreness and discomfort you feel after a really “kick-ass” workout. The latter is called ‘delayed onset of muscle soreness’ and it is a natural reaction to a really tough workout. Stretching, rest, massage and contrasting hot and cold showers can help ease this discomfort. Any indications of real pain (joint sprains and swelling, chest pains and difficulty breathing, etc.) should signal you to see a doctor. Working out with such serious symptoms could cause major damage to your body. See a physician as soon as possible.

Myth #3: I can only get “big” if I take the latest, most expensive supplements and steroids.

Just because a prominent bodybuilder is pitching a particular supplement or pro-hormone in one of the muscle rags does not mean that you need to buy it  or use it. You can achieve greatness in “muscle-dom” by working hard in the gym, eating healthy and clean, and getting enough quality rest between workouts. Always consult a doctor before taking any supplement and, by all means (especially for guys over 40), have your testosterone levels checked.

Myths #4: Drinking enough water during exercise is not important; in fact it can cause cramps.

Drinking enough water during workouts is vital. Most of us never get enough water. You need water throughout the day, especially before, during and after  a workout or other physical activity. Lack of water can lead to headaches, fatigue, body aches – and even death!  The International Sports Sciences Association recommends 8-12 glasses of water per day. On strenuous workout days, drink 16 ounces of water for every pound lost during exercise.

If you’ve got questions about your fitness routine, please send an email to  TrainerTomB@aol.com today!

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com