One of my very favorite cartoons is Thundercats. I loved watching it as a kid and I still enjoy it now.
And gotta admit it: I kinda had a crush on Cheetara.
Who wouldn’t? Bright orange leotard, sweet bo staff skills, and the ability to run over 120 miles per hour.
She’s based off the idea of a cheetah; Cheetara’s main attribute is her wicked fast speed. The thing is, it takes a lot of training and nutrition to run like a cheetah.
So here’s some food for thought if you want to be a Thundercat, it’s the meal plan of the cheetah sprinters at the San Diego Zoo…
It goes on a 3 day cycle:
Day 1 – Sprint DemonstrationDay
1-2 x 100m @ full effort – simulates hunting in natural habitat
Fed 1/2 of 3 day caloric intake after running to simulate a successful hunt
Day 2 – Recovery Day
Easy long slow walk in the park
Fed 1/3 of 3 day caloric intake
Day 3 – Rest/Light Activity Day
Fed 1/6 of 3 day caloric intake
Pretty cool! It mimics a hunt, then an easy day with some food left over, then a very easy day, and the next day the cycle starts over with another hunt.
This plan keeps the cheetahs lean and mean.
An interesting thought experiment with this is to think about how you could apply some of the same principles to your personal training and nutrition plan.
Doesn’t the cheetah plan above look a little like how a hunter might have eaten and lived during the paleolithic period?
Hard sprint, hard effort to take down some big meat, then a feast with your friends and family.
The next day, since there’s still food left you hang out and play around camp, not eating as much.
Day three you scout around gathering fruits and veggies and check out where the game animals are browsing.
Day four you go for the hunt and it all starts again…
Life was probably a lot like this for hunter/gatherers. And it’s doubtless why intermittent fasting, carb backloading, and other calorie cycling plans work so well for fitness and fat loss – it’s how our genes want us to eat.
Now, I’m not saying the cheetah plan above will turn you into Cheetara – you’d have to be a noble cleric from the planet Thundera for that.
But what can you take from this? What about the plan would work for you?
Here’s a very simple adaptation for someone wanting to get fit (who also loves the Thundercats):
Day 1: Power And Sprint Day
This is the day you get to hunt and feast. Rigorous effort followed with a delicious prize to follow.
Weightlifting session focusing on big exercises – Snatch, squat, deadlift, bench press, clean and jerk, and other BIG movements.
Follow this with some anaerobic sprints – Sled pulls, hill sprints, bike intervals, and other locomotive movements that will push your system to the max.
And then eating time. You brought down the wild boar with all your hard work. Now you get to enjoy it!
Assuming a 2500 Calorie/day diet, half of your three day average would be 3,750 Calories. You could make this one lots of meat and organs, the best parts of your prey. Smaller eating window, since butchering and cooking the meat would take time.
Day 2: Play And Build Day
There’s still some meat left over after yesterday’s hunt, so you stay close to home. You play with the kids and spend some time making camp more comfortable.
“Bodybuilding” Movements – Curls, triceps extensions, chest flyes, calf raises, and other smaller movements; nothing too strenuous (this is the building and moving stuff around your camp)
Play! – Tag, slacklining, frisbee, wrestling, ping pong, or anything else fun that you would do hanging out with fit healthy people you enjoy being around.
For food, you’d still have some meat, and some easy to pick fruits and veggies that you could gather without venturing too far. So add in some produce and have some of the leaner meat (not as prized).
At that 2,000 Calorie/day average, one third of your three day average would be… 2000 Calories.
Day 3: Light Scouting Day
Time to do some more gathering and plan your next hunt. You don’t want to wear yourself out too much, in case you end up with an angry auroch charging you tomorrow.
Looking around to check out the areas where game feeds and gathering more hard-to-find plants since you’re already out and about.
Walking or hiking, lots and lots.
And something to help relax you and get you ready for the hunt, like some yoga or tai chi.
You’re about out of big game meat, so you have some smaller, leaner animals for protein and fat. But you gathered a big assortment of greens and herbs so you have a small amount of protein and some huge salads. Based on the 2000 Calorie/day number, one sixth of your three day average would be… 1000 Calories. Not a lot, be enough to ensure you’ll be motivated to hunt tomorrow.
Conclusion: Sight Beyond Sight
Again, this isn’t meant to be a comprehensive plan for you to follow. Just a little food for thought.
Too often we get caught up in a certain daily rhythm, and our sight stops extending much beyond that. The thing is, if you want to keep your body changing, you can’t lock into a set routine. You’ll make progress for a while, then your body will plateau with whatever you’re doing, and then finally start making negative changes.
If you want to keep progressing, you have to keep changing your stimulus. Calorie and activity cycling plans like the cheetah-inspired one above are two ways. I’ll write about some more in the future…
The important thing is to keep things new and fresh, so you don’t get bored and your body doesn’t stop adapting.
I’m researching natural testosterone boosters for a blog post – finding proven ways to raise your testosterone without steroids.
Thought this study was particularly relevant (because it’s Super Bowl Sunday):
Testosterone changes during vicarious experiences of winning and losing among fans at sporting events.
The researchers took saliva samples before games and after games.
Fans of the losing teams had lowered testosterone levels.
Fans of the winning teams had elevated testosterone levels.
So if you want a testosterone boost, root for winners.
Here’s the reference:
Physiol Behav. 1998 Aug;65(1):59-62.
Testosterone changes during vicarious experiences of winning and losing among fans at sporting events.
Bernhardt PC, Dabbs JM Jr, Fielden JA, Lutter CD. University of Utah, Department of Educational Psychology
It forms antibodies to protect you when viruses and bacteria wanna play dirty
It forms enzymes to help you digest your food
It builds your body, from muscles and bones to organs and connective tissue
It carries oxygen through your blood and delivers it to your organs and muscles
It forms hormones to tell your body when to burn food for energy and when to store it as fat
Protein is like the all-star kid from high school that letters in every sport, gets straight As, plays in the band, leads the debate team, and still has time to organize a blood drive and parade. In short, it’s a versatile superstar.
You should make getting quality protein the number one foundation of your diet because it does so much for you. Plus…
Protein burns more calories. Your body has to break down foods to get at the nutrients and energy in the food. Protein takes about twice as much energy to break down as carbohydrate. So getting at the energy in the food costs more energy and you use a lot more calories to do it. When you eat more protein (in place of carbs and fats) you burn more calories all day.
Protein is delicious. Lobster. Steak. Chicken. Salmon. Shrimp. Oooh yeah. When your diet is built around super-tasty food it’s a lot easier to stick to.
Protein attacks belly fat. Well, not directly… But a high-protein diet helps you body control cortisol, a “stress hormone” that leads to fat storage on your abs and upper back. Less cortisol = less body fat.
Protein satisfies. You feel full faster when you eat a high protein meal. I can eat a plate full of cookies in nothing flat. Eating a can of salmon though? It’s tough! The fullness will help keep you from overeating. Plus, high-protein meals keep you satisfied longer, so you’re not starving again an hour later (like you would be after the cookie binge).
Protein helps you firm up. The lean, toned muscle you build from working out? Yeah, it’s made from protein. When you exercise, you create tiny little tears in your muscles. To repair these tears, your body needs protein. So if you wanna tone up, you need protein. Lots of protein. (And when your body is rebuilding proteins, it’s totally in fat burning mode too. Win win situation.)
That’s five good reasons to make protein the cornerstone of your diet. Combine them and you can see how focusing on protein will get you burning fat and toning up.
A few tips to help you get the most from protein:
ALL plant proteins are incomplete protein sources (yes, even soy). Get complete protein from animal foods.
Choose the wildest meat you can find.
Most protein drinks are loaded with fillers and other junky chemicals. If you supplement with protein powders, read the labels carefully.
Your minimum protein intake should be one gram of protein for every pound you weigh. Ex: If you weigh 150 pounds, get at least 150 grams of protein.
Protein is a mild diuretic, so drink lots of water when on a high-protein diet.
If you have gout or are diabetic, work with a doctor or nutritionist to plan your diet.
Make your protein as delicious as possible. Try new foods, use lots of spices, keep things interesting
Sometimes the numbers on your scale stop going down.
And it’s super lame.
You’ve been following your diet plan faithfully, exercising, taking your supplements, and staying motivated… but then your weight just refuses to budge.
This is your “drop-out-of-the-diet” danger zone.
When your weight loss stagnates, your motivation drops. And when your motivation drops, temptations become much more tempting.
A lot of people hit a plateau and then give up. Or they fall off their plan, gain some weight, start dieting again, hit a plateau, fall off their plan, gain some weight, and on and on ad infinitum.
Every time you gain the weight back it’s going to want to come off a little slower next time.
So breaking through this weight loss plateau is critical to your success.
As soon as your scale needles starts moving again, your motivation will come back and you’ll be ready to keep going.
My favorite gentle diuretic is a salad made from Dandelion Leaves, they’re bitter but they work great (Check your organic produce section, eat them raw)
Walking is the final key to this strategy, don’t skip it!
Now remember, this isn’t the long term final solution… It is a tool to get your weight loss moving again. Follow the 4 day prescription to the letter and then get back on your normal weight loss diet.
EDIT: Someone asked if this would work to use right before a big event where you want to look your best. Well… yes, but that’s not what it’s designed for. If you do use this as a get-ready-for-a-big-event plan, promise me that it’s a one-time deal and you’ll do your best to get in shape so that you’re always ready for a big event, ok?
Handstand pushups are a phenomenal exercise. Unfortunately, most people don’t make a serious effort to improve their handstand due to the challenge.
Maybe you don’t like being upside down, maybe you’re worried about looking silly, or maybe you’re worried about hurting yourself.
But if you persevere, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best exercises you can do.
Now, what do I mean by the title of this post? What’s a “true” handstand pushup?
Well, most gym-goers (heck, most trainers and coaches) confuse the headstand pushup with the handstand pushup.
The exercises are the same except for the range of motion.
A headstand pushup involves your head touching the floor, when your hands are in line with the top of your head:
A handstand pushup requires your hands to lower all the way to your shoulders, a full range of motion. This means you’ll need to use something to put your hands on: rings, parallettes, parallel bars, chairs, stacked weight plates, aerobic steps, and benches all work as ways to increase your range.
Also, all of your handstand/headstand training work should be done with your hands shoulder width apart, as this will let you transition into freestanding movements later on. That said, most people find headstand pushups are easier with a wider hand position. Only go wide when you’re competing with a friend for the most reps
Now, a note of warning: IF you’re scared of falling, work with a coach and spotter to get you over your fear. Hesitation in an exercise will lead to form breakdown and possible injury. Get totally comfortable with kicking up into a handstand, wall walks, and pike pushups before working on headstand pushups.
And if you’re not yet able to do regular pushups with good form, master those first before moving on to handstands.
First step to a handstand is to get your shoulders warmed up right. I start every handstand workout with at least 20 reps each of the YTWLI Shoulder Fixer series, foam rolling for the back/chest, and a few regular pushups.
How To Use The Exercises Below
I’ve been to gymnastics for adults seminars, I’ve got books/courses/DVD spilling off my shelves, and I read training info all the time. And guess what? No one has agreed on the perfect method of teaching the handstand/headstand to everyone.
So what I’m going to do is share a list of exercises in a rough progression from easiest to hardest, and tips for each.
Find what works best for YOU. Just be consistent and diligent in your training and you’ll be surprised how fast you will make progress.
The exercises are grouped into three sections. First is headstand pushup progressions, then handstand pushup progressions, and finally a mix of moving handstand variations.
Have fun
Headstand Exercises
Headstand Exercise 1: Pike Pushup With Feet On Box
When you do these correctly, you will develop shoulder, core, and arm strength without being crushed by your full bodyweight.
Put your feet on a box (ideal height for the box: feet are horizontal with the hips when your hips are piked 90 degrees and arms are straight). Make sure that your hips are in line with your shoulders. Now just bend your arms and touch the top of your head to the ground between your hands, then return to starting.
Common mistakes are letting your shoulders get out of line with your hands, letting your hips fall out of line (then the exercise becomes more of an “incline press” than a “shoulder press”), and not keeping your head between your arms.
Variations/progressions for this exercise: shortening the range of motion by bringing head to mats between hands (instead of all the way to the floor), having only one leg supported by the box, placing feet on large swiss ball, using one foot on swiss ball.
Headstand Exercise 2: Kicking Into Bent Leg Handstand Against Wall
This exercise will help you get over your fear of being upside down, and will help you build the body awareness you need to progress in your handstand training. After you have done a few sessions with this exercise the upside down position will be nothing to fear and you’ll be able to concentrate on the strength and form of your handstands.
Start in a modified sprinter position with your hands about 2 feet away from the wall and shoulder width apart. Have one leg bent and the other almost straight behind you. Now, just kick up into the bent leg handstand by pushing with your bent leg and swing over your straight leg. Kick hard enough to swing you all of the way over until your feet touch the wall.
Put a lot of force into your kick-over. Most handstand newbies won’t put enough umph into their efforts. Use enough to swing you over (just don’t smash a hole into the wall). As you gain more body awareness, you’ll be able to kick over perfectly and just lightly touch your foot on the wall.
VERY IMPORTANT: Keep your arms locked the whole time you’re kicking over. It’s tempting to bend your elbows and roll into a ball instead of pushing yourself into the strange new world of being upside down. Locked, strong arms will help protect you from injury. Bent arms collapse more easily… which can lead to a bump on the head.
Use a spotter if you can find one. Have them stand just to the side of you while you’re in your “sprinter start” pre-kickover stance. They can put one arm under your hips and gently guide your feet back to the ground if you don’t kick had enough or your arms start to get tired.
Practice this until kicking up is second nature, when you have no fear of going upside down. I like to switch which foot I kick with each practice set.
You can progress by adding more reps (more times kicking over), by holding the position longer, or by straightening out one leg.
Headstand Exercise 3: Kicking Into Straight Handstand (Hands Away From Wall)
Since you can now easily kick over into a handstand against the wall, your next step is to work on your form. This next variation is more difficult because you’ll put more weight on your arms, core, back, and shoulders and less into the wall.
First, kick up with your legs bent and then straighten them both out against the wall. Now try to straighten your body out as much as possible.
Next, kick up and straighten both legs as you go around, keeping them straight as your feet land against the wall. Keep working at it until you can keep your body straight from hands to heels (this is difficult because your hands are away from the wall).
Progress by doing more reps, and spending more time in the handstand.
Headstand Exercise 4: Kicking Into Straight Handstand (Hands Close To Wall)
This is a lot like exercise #3, except that you’ll start with your hands closer to the wall.
The reason this is more difficult is that you’ll be supporting a higher percentage of your bodyweight and have to develop more balance and body awareness.
As you get comfortable, progressively move your hands closer to the wall until your fingertips are touching it. Make sure that your back is as flat as possible and you aren’t bent at the waist.
Again, add more reps and more time in the handstand position to progress.
Headstand Exercise 5: Wall Walks
Wall walks are different for two reasons: you won’t be kicking over and instead of your back to the wall, you’ll have your chest to the wall.
Start in pushup position with your feet against the wall. Now walk up the wall with your feet and walk your hands back towards the wall. Keep your body tight and walk up as far as possible.
If you need to bail out, just bend your arms and somersault forward.
This is a great training tool because you’ll be developing more strength in your arms, shoulders, and core as you move.
Practice until you can touch your chest and your nose to the wall, then you can progress by adding more reps and spending more time in the handstand on each rep.
Headstand Exercise 6: Negative Headstand Pushup
This is THE exercise for building strength in the headstand. Simple and effective.
From a wall handstand (with your back to the wall), simply slowly lower the top of your head to the ground. The slower you go, the more strength you’ll build.
When your head touches the ground come down off the wall, straighten your arms, kick up, and do it again.
You can progress by adding more reps and going more slowly.
Headstand Exercise 7: Sideways Wall Walk
Adding some movement to the the handstand will make it harder to keep your balance. On this exercise, the closer your hands are to the wall, the more difficult it will be.
Kick up into a handstand against the wall. Now walk yourself sideways along the wall using only your hands and arms. Spread your legs for balance if you need to. And remember to travel the same distance in both directions to avoid imbalances.
Progress in this exercise by adding more distance to each walk. A fun way to do these (especially if you have a short wall), is to go back and forth for time. In this case, add time to the set as you improve.
This is a good exercise to mix in with exercise 6. (The reason these are here instead of in section 3, is because they really help body awareness and are a great way to accumulate time in the handstand)
Headstand Exercise 8: Quarter Pushup
Kick up into a handstand against the wall. Now do the top 1/4 of a handstand, just a few inches in the range of motion.
A good starting point is 4 sets of 5 reps. Add both sets and reps until you can get a total of 30 reps each training session.
Once you can do 3 sets of ten reps you can move on to the next exercise.
(While training these partial variations, it is helpful to keep practicing the negative pushup from headstand exercise #6)
Headstand Exercise 9: Half Pushup
Like exercise #8, except you’ll bend your arms halfway.
Progress by aiming for 40 total reps of the half pushup. (ex: 4 sets of 10 reps)
Headstand Exercise 10: Headstand Pushup
You’re finally there! A headstand pushup!
This is the full headstand pushup, where you kick up into a handstand, lower the top of your head to the floor, and press yourself back up.
Make sure that you keep your torso tight, as it’s easy to lose your balance on the way back up.
Handstand Pushup Exercises
Now that you’ve gone as far down as possible with the headstand pushup, it’s time to extend the movement. In order to increase the range, you need to start elevating your hands.
Aerobics steps with risers are the perfect tool for this, as you can incrementally increase the depth of your handstand pushups.
Stools, benches, or high parallettes work as well, though it’s more difficult to grade yourself on depth.
If you’re using parallettes or steps, use panel mats or a stack of books between them to act as a substitute “floor.” As you get stronger, remove a book and go deeper.
In order to increase your strength over the full range of motion, you’ll want to take small jumps instead of big ones, since only a few inches deeper will make the exercise substantially more difficult.
A good basic guideline is to try and increase by one inch each month – this will allow you to completely master the movement.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 1: Small Elevation Pushup
Place you hands on a low steps shoulder width apart, kick up into a handstand, and perform slightly larger range of motion handstand pushups.
You can progress these by adding reps or adding depth.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 2: Full Range Negative Pushup
Use higher blocks or two benches shoulder width apart. Place your hands on them, kick up into a handstand, and slowly lower the top of your head to the ground. Come down, straighten your arms, then kick up into another handstand for your next rep.
These are good to mix in with handstand exercise number 1. While you work on increasing the range for your full movement, build full-range strength with the negatives.
Progress the negative full range pushup by going more slowly and by adding reps.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 3: Full Range Cloth Biting Pushup
Place a cloth on the ground between your handstand boxes. Now, when you do a handstand pushup, pause long enough to bite the cloth and push yourself back up all the way.
This is a brutal exercise because you lose any muscular rebound while you pause in the bottom position.
Progress on these by adding more total reps (not by using a heavier cloth!).
Handstand Pushup Exercise 4: Straight Bar Handstand Pushup
Instead of using parallel bars (or steps, or boxes) for this exercise, use a straight bar. You can use a parallette turned sideways in front of the wall, a parallel dip bar with a spotter, or – if you’re really hardcore – on a high pull-up bar like this guy:
Progress by adding reps.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 5: Underhand Straight Bar Handstand Pushup
Perform just like handstand exercise #5 above, but use an underhand (supinated) grip.
This will help you build the strength you need for doing handstands on the rings later.
Progress by adding reps.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 6: Bulgarian Pushup On Parallel Bars
Using gymnastics parallel bars or parallettes, kick up into a handstand with your hands about 45 degrees offset from each other.
Descend into the handstand pushup and let your elbows flare out to your sides. Return to handstand to finish the rep.
Progress by adding reps.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 7: Ring Pushup Using Straps
Set your gymnastic rings close to the ground, this will make it easier to bail out than if you are six feet up in the air.
Place your hands on the rings, set your arms, and kick up into your handstand with your legs straddled slightly in order to catch the straps. Lightly wrap your feet around the straps and perform your full range handstand pushup.
A spotter is recommended at first
Initially, the added difficulty of being on the rings will make it unlikely for you to perform a full range pushup from the position. Go as deep as you can and use negatives (like exercises 1 and 2 in this section) until you can do a full range handstand pushup with your feet on the straps.
Progress by adding reps (and working on perfect form!).
Handstand Pushup Exercise 8: Bulgarian Ring Handstand Pushup
Kick up into a regular ring handstand. Now as you lower yourself down, let your arms go out wide. On the way back up pull the rings back into starting position.
Progress by adding reps.
Handstand Pushup Exercise 9: Freestanding Ring Pushup
This is like exercise 7 above, except your feet aren’t sliding up and down the straps, you’re freestanding on the rings.
The intensity of this exercise is incredible, as the rings are unstable as hell.
Kick up into a handstand on the rings. Now remove your legs from the straps and turn your hands outward (this is why you mastered the underhand grip handstand pushup in exercise 5). Keep the straps clear of your forearms. Lower yourself into the bottom position under control, allowing the rings to turn inward as necessary. Pause, then press back up into the handstand. At no time should your legs or feet touch the straps.
Progress by adding reps and perfecting form.
Moving Handstands
A fun way to train handstands is to add movement. Handstand walking is just the beginning. Stairs, hopping, and obstacle courses can all be done.
These aren’t really progressions, just a variety of exercises you can add into your training. Movement adds a lot of balance and coordination to your handstands.
Moving Handstand Exercise 1: Walking With Partner Holding Feet
This one is simple. Kick up into a handstand and have a partner catch your feet. Now just walk forwards and backwards with your spotter just helping you balance, not taking your weight.
Progress by adding more time walking forwards and backwards.
Moving Handstand Exercise 2: Unsupported Handstand Walk
Just like exercise #1 above, except this time you’re on your own. Kick up into a handstand and walk around.
Progress by adding time/distance.
Moving Handstand Exercise 3: Partner Handstand Hop Walks
Just like exercise #1 above, except you move by doing a partial pushup and “hopping” yourself forwards and backwards.
Variation: Keep elbows locked and hop with just the shoulders. You won’t go as far, but it develops great shoulder strength.
Progress by adding time/distance.
Moving Handstand Exercise 4: Unsupported Handstand Hop Walks.
Same as exercise #3, except you don’t have a partner helping you balance.
Progress by adding time/distance.
Moving Handstand Exercise 5: Step Ups Onto A Platform
As you get more advanced, you can do these unsupported, but for now do them against a wall or with a spotter.
Kick up into a handstand in front of a low platform. Now, raise your right hand and place it on the platform. Now push hard through your right hand and bring your left hand up to the platform. Finish pressing up if you haven’t already. Now reverse the motion to come down.
You might find that one side is significantly easier than the other. Train the harder side more often! Maybe an extra rep or two each set – this won’t make you unbalanced, rather, it will bring you back into balance and improve all of your other handstand exercises.
Progress by adding reps or by stepping up to a higher platform.
Moving Handstand Exercise 6: Head Taps
This one is fun! It’s the handstand version of the chest tap pushup.
These can be done against the wall, with a partner spotting your feet, or freestanding/unsupported.
Kick up into your handstand. Now shift your weight over your left hand and touch the top of your head with your right hand. Repeat other side.
As you get better at these you will minimize side to side movement waste and be closer to performing a one-handed handstand.
Progress by adding reps and removing balance support.
Moving Handstand Exercise 7: Handstand Walk On Stairs
These are handstand step ups taken to the next level. Start with a spotter and progress to doing them unsupported.
It’s easier to go down the stairs, so start with that to build comfort. After that, see how many stairs you can climb in your handstand.
You can either lead with one hand for the whole set and switch next set, or you can alternate hands at each step.
Progress by finding higher stairs
Moving Handstand Exercise 8: Build An Obstacle Course
Use your imagination…
Handstand Conclusion
Headstand pushups, handstand pushups, and moving handstand will transform your upper body.
You’ll gain strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and confidence.
If I told you there was a way to shave 48 seconds off your 5k time… by running 54% less, is that something you might be interested in?
Well, a study published in the Journal Of Applied Physiology shows you how to do exactly that.
The researchers wanted to see what effect switching from traditional endurance-type training to an interval training scheme would have on runners’ health, muscle, oxygen uptake, and race performance.
Training for the interval group looked like this:
30 seconds jogging (less than 30% intensity)
20 seconds running (about 60% intensity)
10 seconds sprinting (higher than 90% maximum intensity)
This was repeated 4 more times, then followed by 2 minutes of recovery. And the whole thing was done 3-4 times total. (I actually detailed this training plan back in 2009, here it is: A Simple Plan To Run Faster)
For seven weeks the study group did this training protocol during all running sessions, while the control group continued their standard steady-state endurance training. The crew doing the 30-20-10 plan did 54% LESS running than the control group.
Results?
The interval training group:
Improved VO2max (oxygen uptake) by 4%
Dropped 21 seconds off their 1500m run times
Dropped 48 seconds off their 5k times
Lowered their systolic blood pressure
Reduced both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
The endurance group:
No changes!
Keep in mind that the interval group was running less than half as much… and making much better progress.
Interval training takes less time and since you’re not running as much there is less overuse wear-and-tear on your body.
And it wasn’t shown in this study (because it wasn’t tested) but interval training is better for burning fat.
AND since you don’t have to log tons of miles, your appetite will be easier to control.
You can use the exact 30-20-10 training protocol for any endurance sport: biking, swimming, running, cross country skiing…
Plus the idea behind the study – interval training – can be used in any type of workout for better health and fitness results. Instead of locking yourself into a comfortable steady pace, push yourself into all out “sprints” followed by recovery.
Here’s the reference for the study:
The 10-20-30 training concept improves performance and health profile in moderately trained runners.
Authors: Thomas Petursson Gunnarsson and Jens Bangsbo
Journal of Applied Physiology May 3, 2012
Small changes made and sustained over time are a much easier way to lose weight than crash diets.
Sure, you might not lose weight as quickly as your friend who is eating only 2 apricots a day, but you’ll lose the excess weight painlessly, and the results will last (no more rebounding after a crash diet!)
With the overarching goals of being stressless and sustainable, here are some simple changes that will help you transform your body and your health:
Cook more, eat out less.
Think about good things to eat. (Instead of worrying about bad things to eat)
Eat what’s in-season for maximum flavor and value. Availability doesn’t equal quality. (Eating in-season is better for the environment as well)
Explore farmer’s markets, co-ops, and ethnic markets.
Take the stairs. Park farther out. Add as much non-exercise movement as you can.
Don’t watch much TV. (Or spend forever on Facebook)
Experiment with herbs, spices, and other taste-makers to discover new flavors and make meals seem new. (I never used coriander or cardamom before making Paleo Butter Chicken, now they’re two of my favorite spices)
Eat smaller portions of more things, instead of larger portions of fewer things.
Eat more vegetables.
Eat more fruit.
Drink more water.
Walk everywhere you can.
Present your food appealingly, even if you’re just serving yourself.
Don’t eat “fat free” or “sugar free.” Stay away from artificial flavors. Instead, enjoy the real thing in moderation.
Weight changes as fat and muscle ratios change. Pictures and the mirror change subjectively.
But a blood test… you can compare this year’s blood test to last year’s blood test and see exactly how you compare.
The tests below are a good starting point for you. Your first test will show you how much room for improvement you have. Subsequent tests will show you exactly what improvements you’ve made.
All of these are important indicators of your health and longevity, and you can use them for an accurate self-assessment.
So here are 5 blood tests you should have done regularly:
Blood Test #1: Fasting Insulin
This test involves an overnight fast. It might be the most important test you can have done.
Your fasting insulin is a direct indicator of your metabolic health. In fact, insulin levels are so key to your health that they can predict the outcome of many other tests.
High fasting insulin levels are associated with other negative health signals, like high triglycerides, hypertension, high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol, high inflammation, and leptin resistance.
Plus, insulin tells you a lot about your fat storage. High fasting insulin levels means you’re more likely to store fat and have dangerous visceral fat deposits.
Doctors won’t usually test your fasting insulin levels unless they’re looking for a specific problem, so you will probably need to ask or go to a testing lab and order it done for yourself.
Blood Test #2: Testosterone
Testosterone levels are declining rapidly in both men and women. (In fact, adults now have about a quarter of the testosterone of their grandparents)
Low testosterone is associated with low muscle, increased body fat, moodiness, depression, hypertension, low strength, low energy, and a slower metabolism.
Age-related decline in testosterone is largely preventable with the proper diet, workout, and lifestyle factors in place.
Chronic cardio and stress both will lower your testosterone.
Blood Test #3: Cholesterol
Usually you get a report of your total cholesterol. That number is basically useless for assessing your health. What you need to know are your “good” and “bad” cholesterol levels.
HDL (High density lipoprotein) is the good cholesterol. Higher HDL levels are associated with increased longevity and improved health. HDL carries fats to your liver where you can break them down and use them for energy.
LDL (Low density lipoprotein) is the bad cholesterol. LDL oxidizes (turns rancid) very easily, blocks your blood vessels, and contributes to lesions inside your body.
If you have a high total cholesterol but most of that is HDL, you’re sitting pretty. If you have elevated LDL, you’re about to run into a lot of health problems.
Blood Test #4: C-Reactive Protein
C-reactive proteins are a sign of inflammation in your body. Unfortunately, most doctors won’t test your C-reactive protein levels unless they think you’re at risk for a heart attack.
C-reactive protein (CRP) testing is more accurate at predicting a heart attack than either triglyceride or cholesterol levels. Elevated CRP levels means you’re at risk for developing diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Having a high percentage of CRP is directly linked to higher levels of body fat. The increased inflammation from the fat stores taxes your body’s immune system and damages healthy tissues (like your brain, liver, and kidneys).
Blood Test #5: Triglycerides
High triglycerides are almost always signals of a metabolic disorder. This test tells you the levels of fats that are circulating around in your bloodstream.
When you’re insulin resistant, the fats just keep circulating and building up, causing all sorts of problems – from becoming rancid to blocking bloodflow.
You should measure both your triglyceride level and your ratio of triglycerides to HDL.
Getting Blood Tests
Until recently most of these tests had to be ordered by a physician, but now you can start taking a more proactive role in protecting your health.
First, ask your doctor and see if you can get these tests done there and covered by your insurance. If that’s not available, there are many local testing facilities that will take blood samples and send them into a lab where the tests you order are carried out. (I use Direct Laboratory Services Inc.)
Even if the tests are covered by your insurance you should still invest in them, they provide an invaluable view into your current health and show you your risks for future disease.
Getting tested twice a year is a good baseline, but you can get tested over even shorter periods if you’re experimenting with changing certain levels.
For instance, a client of mine had a blood test done and discovered she had low vitamin D. She went on a vitamin D raising plan and was tested again at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. At 12 weeks her levels were in a healthier range and she could take on a more moderate program for maintenance.
But here’s the kicker: at 4 weeks there was no change, so it would have been easy to quit. Instead we made a few tweaks and at 8 weeks her levels were rising. After 12 weeks she was where she needed to be. If we had waited 6 months or a year to get a follow-up test done, who knows what kind of results we’d have seen – good or bad?
So use testing as an assessment tool. If you have no specific issues, every six months is a perfect place to start.
Interval training beats the pants off traditional steady-state cardio when it comes to weight loss, improved fitness, and health.
The problem is that lots of articles and books I’ve read want to start you off with brutally high intensity sprints and short, short rests.
Yes, that’s taking things to the next level. But if you’re brand new to exercising there are two main problems with these super hard, short sprints:
Too much, too soon. I know people who have passed out on their second high intensity 20 second interval because they were pushing too hard. Intensity is awesome, but give your body a chance to get used to the idea before you go all out. (Interval training benefits can be had from walking if you’re a beginner, so don’t blow a gasket trying to be Usain Bolt)
Can’t push hard enough for the benefits. The infamous Tabata protocol used an intensity of 170% of the subject’s maximum oxygen uptake. Visualize your lungs and heart going at 100%. Now add 70% on top of that! If you’re not pushing that hard, you won’t see the same results. Most of us simply can’t go at 170% yet.
So, what to do?
Start off with proven, effective interval training plans for weight loss and fitness. As you get fitter, you’ll be able to push harder and see even more benefits.
There are 3 interval training plans for beginners below. You can do them any way you want. Fast walk, slow walk. Elliptical, treadmill, spin bike. Jogging, running. (If you use cardio machines, don’t choose the “Interval” setting. Choose “Manual” and control the intensity by adjusting it yourself)
Beginner Interval Workout 1: Standard Intervals
This is probably the most popular interval training workout for fat loss out there, and it’s very simple:
5 min warmup at low intensity (increase slightly as you get warm and loose)
1 min moderate to high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 5-8 times)
5 min cooldown
The first time you do this, start with moderate intensity for the work intervals and only do 5 repeats. As you progress you can either add more repeats of the mod/low cycle or else increase the intensity of the faster interval.
Beginner Interval Workout 2: Pyramid Intervals
Pyramid intervals have you starting off with shorter efforts, increasing each time. Then you work your way back down. Here’s an example:
5 min warmup at low intensity
30 seconds high intensity
1 min low intensity
45 seconds high intensity
1 min low intensity
1 min high intensity
1 minute low intensity
90 seconds high intensity
1 minute low intensity
1 minute high intensity
1 minute low intensity
45 seconds high intensity
1 minute low intensity
30 seconds high intensity
5 min cooldown
You can progress on these by pushing harder on the high intensity periods, by adding a steps to the pyramid, or by cutting down the recovery periods (example: 50 seconds instead of 60)
Beginner Interval Workout 3: Sporty Intervals
This workout mimics the unpredictable nature of sports. You use different times and different intensities. Think of it like the sprinting and jogging in a basketball or soccer game.
5 min warm up
2 minutes high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once)
30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times total)
10 seconds very high intensity followed by 50 seconds very low intensity (repeat 5-10 times)
5 min cooldown
You can “mix and match” this workout. For example, do 2 min high intensity, 2 min low, 30 high, 30 low, 10 very high, 50 low, repeat.
Also, you can progress by adding repeats or pushing harder on the higher intensity work periods.
When To Do These Workouts
Do these workouts either after your regular resistance training sessions, later in the day (ex: weights in the morning, intervals in the evening), or on the days where you don’t lift weights.
Since resistance training is of higher value for fitness and losing weight than intervals, you don’t want to do the intervals first and tire yourself out.
More Information On Intervals
Check out these posts to learn more about interval training:
Since Carson City, where I live, is located at 4,800 feet elevation friends and family who come to visit notice they get tired much faster.
And up in even higher cities, you might notice that just a minimal workout will lead to extreme shortness of breath – almost like you’re breathing through a straw and can’t get enough air.
But in just a few days your breathing gets easier and you carry on as normal. It’s just a short acclimation process.
Athletes train at high altitudes because they want to improve their oxygen uptake and then take their improved cardiovascular system back to sea level and destrominate the competition.
Most people would totally agree with this – that their breathing at high altitudes gets easier because their lungs are picking up more oxygen.
Science Time
In fact, you breath more easily after acclimation because your oxygen uptake has gotten worse.
What?!?
Yep.
See, oxygen is passed from your lungs to your blood, where it is picked up by hemoglobin molecules.
Hemoglobin binds to the oxygen and carries it along your bloodstream to where it is needed in your body.
The problem with this system is that when the hemoglobin/oxygen combo reaches your tissues, the hemoglobin bond is so strong that it doesn’t give up the oxygen easily.
That’s right: your blood doesn’t want to give up its oxygen to the rest of your body. Selfish.
You can adapt though, and decrease hemoglobin’s attachment to oxygen in a way that lowers oxygen uptake in your lungs in order for you to get better delivery to your body’s tissues.
This is known as the Bohr Effect.
Here’s the definition:
Hemoglobin’s oxygen binding affinity is inversely related both to acidity and to the concentration of carbon dioxide. That is to say, a decrease in blood pH or an increase in blood CO2 concentration will result in hemoglobin proteins releasing their loads of oxygen and a decrease in carbon dioxide or increase in pH will result in hemoglobin picking up more oxygen.
So training at altitude DOES have the potential to increase your performance, just not in the way you’d think.
And now it’s time to get even more cool with science…
When you exercise really hard you produce lactic acid. The hydrogen ions from lactic acid spread through your blood vessels (that’s the burn you feel during hard exercise) and change the shape of your hemoglobin so that the hemoglobin is less sticky to the oxygen.
In short, hard training leads to improved oxygen delivery inside of your body.
Repeated training at a high enough intensity leads your body to make a chemical called… wait for it… 2,3 diphosphoglycerate. This chemical works like the Bohr effect – but the results last longer
2,3 diphosphiglycerate is made in high amounts in people who live at high altitudes and in people who regularly work out at a high intensity.
What’s high intensity? Where you go so hard that your body’s demand for oxygen momentarily exceeds your ability to deliver it. (Panting breathing and muscle burn)
So, the moral of the story is: Training super-hard or at elevation (or both!) will increase your ability to deliver oxygen to your body… while absorbing less oxygen from the air. How cool is that!
, which is billed as “The Real Reason The French Stay Slim.”
