How To Get In Shape Fast: Part 2

Part 2: The Exercise Half of the Equation

Read Part 1: Eating is More Important!

Exercise is the second most important part of weight loss. Once again, we have to understand how our bodies work and aim for efficiency.

First off, there is no such thing as spot reduction. If there was, we’d all have massively chiseled faces from all the food we chew and all the talking we do about how “one day” we’re going to get in shape!

It’s just about impossible to burn enough calories to cause weight loss by only working an individual muscle. You’d never consider finger wiggles or toe curls as effective exercises. The muscles are simply too small to amount to much.

So why do the same people who laugh at finger exercises consider situps a good way to lose weight?  The abs, particularly the way they are isolated by situps, are a relatively small muscle group.  Yes, they’re bigger than your fingers or toes, but they simply can’t burn enough calories by themselves to cause weight loss.

Having that great “six pack” is not impressive when it’s hidden beneath an entire “keg” of fat!

For efficiency, find your biggest muscle groups and WORK them!  Don’t attempt to obliterate little muscles – it just won’t burn as many calories.

The gluteus maximus muscle (you’re probably sitting on it right now) is the largest muscle in the body. Together with the hamstrings (back of the upper leg) and quadriceps (front of the upper leg) they form the largest muscle group in the body. Working the leg muscles is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories.

The latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major are the main muscles of the upper back and chest. These muscles are also quite large and capable of burning lots of calories.

Another major group for burning calories is the “core” and it consists of all of the muscles that wrap your abdomen – those abs plus a whole lot of back muscles, too.

These three major groups, the upper legs, the upper chest and back and the core are where are biggest muscles are. It’s where most of our calories are burned.

Target these in your exercises. Work entire muscle groups. Isolating individual muscles is great for body builders – but they already know how to get in shape! Put those biceps curls on the “one of these days” list – it’s nice to have shapely arms, but they don’t burn many calories.

Pick things up and move with them. Carry your laundry up the stairs. Find a kettle bell class. Keep moving!

What about aerobics vs. anaerobics? Where does stretching fit in?

Here’s a real simple formula for finding the exercises that burn the most calories for your particular genetics and for your current physical shape. Assuming that you have no injuries or conditions that might preclude a certain movement, here’s what I’ve found works for me:

If you don’t like an exercise, it’s probably because it burns more calories. If a particular exercise really tires you out quickly – that’s the one that’s burning those calories. If you find yourself sore the next day (or two days for us older folks!) that’s another indicator that you were making some good progress!

In short, if you don’t like it, it’s probably good for you.

Here’s the next part you won’t like. Our bodies are very good at becoming more efficient. A few weeks working those exercises you targeted because you didn’t like them and you’ll find that they’re suddenly not that bad! Again, assuming that your knees are good, that you don’t have lingering shoulder injuries or the like, your body will quickly become used to the demands you’re putting on it.

In short… it will take less and less work to do these. Your body will adapt, becoming stronger, more flexible and able to do what you’ve demanded of it. This means that you now have to find new challenges for your body!

That’s why so many runners hit plateaus. They run the same route at the same speed for weeks and weeks – and their body adapts. It finds a way to burn as few calories as possible to get the job done.

It happens in every sport, with every exercise. Your body figures out how to make it easier! Your body figures out how to burn less calories, how to save more for that rainy day.

Your job is to mix it up. Change the routine. If you run, find some hills. If you lift weights, lift heavier weights. Stair stepper? Go faster.

Swimming is one of the best exercises for involving the entire body. Try to work in some swimming, some way, some how. Chopping wood is another exercise that burns a lot of calories. Again, it’s because the entire body is involved.

Here’s an advertisement for our Fitness BootCamp. We do kettle bells.  Sand bags.  Resistance bands. Weight training. Running. Jumping. Floor exercise. Medicine Balls. Giant Ropes. Suspension training. Exercise balls. We’ve even been pushing the MMA van around the parking lot!

Our BootCamp mixes it up every class. Plus, you’ve got the option of adding in our Fitness Kickboxing classes, an entirely different set of exercises and movements to really challenge your body!

Master Kurt Schulenburg has a 4th Degree Black Belt in the traditional Martial Art of Tang Soo Do. He has also studied Judo and Tae Kwon Do, and is currently a Black Belt Instructor of the Mixed Martial Arts. Mr. Schulenburg is a Certified MATA Trainer, Pro-Star Mixed Martial Arts Founding Member and a Certified Fitness Instructor for the Fighting Fit BootCamp program. Kurt Schulenburg also has a degree in Music Education from Lawrence University and has been a prolific composer and recording artist since the mid 1980′s.