Are Your Workouts Really Making a Difference?
By Andrea Sims, The Exercise Coach Studio Owner and Certified Exercise and Stretch Coach
The Exercise Coach - Southlake Texas
Do you ever wonder if you are getting the most out of your workouts? Or maybe you sometimes feel like you are just going through the motions of a workout without any benefits? Not every workout delivers the intended results, even if it feels hard.
To get the results you want, your workout should include three components:
Muscle Fatigue: Often, cardio exercises, like running or cycling, can feel exhausting but don’t achieve full muscle fatigue. The cardio exercise might last too long and stay too aerobic to tap into the fast-twitch muscle fibers that drive strength and muscle growth. Real muscle fatigue comes from strength training that forces your body to recruit every muscle fiber. As we age, it is important to stimulate change in the fast-twitch muscle fibers and stay strong.
Eccentric Activation: Each movement is made up of two phases. The first phase is the concentric movement, or the lifting of the weight, and the second phase is the eccentric movement, or the lowering of the weight. We are about 40% stronger in the eccentric phase which is when the deeper muscle recruitment happens. Working harder on the eccentric phase will help you to get more out of every rep and increase fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment.
Glycogen Depletion: Glycogen is used for energy by muscle cells, specifically, fast-twitch muscles. When you are working at a high enough effort to stimulate fast-twitch muscle fibers, you will deplete the glycogen store. Depleting glycogen improves metabolism and helps to avoid health-complications associated with high blood sugar levels.
Learn more about the three components of an effective workout, by listening to Strength Changes Everything podcast season 2, episode 57. Podcast co-hosts Amy Hudson, an Exercise Coach studio owner, and Dr. James Fisher, leading researcher in evidence-based strength training, explain how strength training provides all of the essential elements of an effective workout.
The Exercise Coach - Northeast Tarrant County
1500 N. Kimball Ave, Suite 140, Southlake, Texas 76092 | 817-764-3431
55 Main St, Suite 110, Colleyville, Texas 76034 | 817-778-9412
940 Keller Parkway, Suite 160, Keller, Texas 76248 | 817-886-0047
Website: Visit Website
