Follow Up to "The Question I Get Asked The Most from Prospective Clients" (Audio Blog)

Here is the follow up from yesterday's post. In this audio blog, I talk about the take home message for fitness professionals/trainers/coaches from yesterday's post. Enjoy!

       

    
  
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The Question I Receive the Most from Prospective Clients

This post will be of interest to two different demographics: (1) fitness professionals who deal with a general fitness/fat loss clientele & (2) Individuals interested in potentially hiring a personal trainer/coach to help them reach their fat loss goals.

The question I receive the most from prospective general fitness/fat loss clients is the following (or some variation of the following):

"If I don’t change my eating habits and do nothing else in the way of exercise besides train with you 2-3 days per week, what can I expect in terms of results?”

I always give the same answer:

• Increased strength in all major muscle groups

•  Maintenance or increase of lean muscle tissue and resting metabolic rate

• Improved cardiovascular fitness and work capacity

• Improved mobility, flexibility, and soft tissue quality

• Improved, more efficient movement with less pain

• Improved motor skills and overall athleticism

• Less stress, improved confidence, better sleep and improved psychological well being

• A comprehensive, safe, progressive, balanced and systematized training program based on 21st century training methods and principles

• A source of accountability (you are paying me and I am expecting you to be at the facility for your scheduled appointments) which will ensure better compliance to an exercise training program.

• Prevention of numerous chronic and acute injuries and diseases and possible improvement in numerous health biomarkers

Notice I didn't list a specific number of pounds lost, a certain percentage of body fat lost, etc. (refer back to the original question...the prospective client suggested they don't intend to change their eating habits or perform any additional exercise). In fact, what I tell prospective clients who ask this question, or a variation of this question, is that they likely won't gain as much weight as they will if they don't train with me. Read that again: what I'm basically telling these people is "You are going to continue to gain weight but just not as much."

If you are a trainer/fit pro reading this blog, and you answer the above question any other way, you are not being completely honest with the prospective client (or you lack knowledge). If you are an individual who is contemplating hiring a trainer, and they answer the above question in any other way, keep searching for a trainer until you find one who gives you an honest and ethical answer similar to the answer I gave above.


If you go back to the post I made a couple of weeks back on HOW MANY CALORIES YOU CAN BURN IN A WEEK THROUGH EXERCISE, it becomes clear someone, realistically, can only burn a certain number of calories-even if they are working with a trainer-training 2-3 days/week. Let's crunch some numbers:

3 60 Minute Workouts/Week (mix of strength, conditioning and flexibility/mobility work)

• 30 minutes of weight training @ 7 calories per minute (*keep in mind only about 20 of the 30 minutes is actual work): 140 Calories.
• 20 minutes of conditioning/cardio @ 10 calories per minute: 200 Calories
• I'm not going to factor in the calories burned while doing stretching, foam rolling, mobilizations, etc. 
• I'll give you 10% EPEOC/"after burn"

340 total calories+10%=374 calories expended per workout

1122 total calories expended for the entire week

4488 calories expended for the entire month

If someone was eating at weight maintenance calories (an unrealistic assumption), they could lose 1.28 pounds of fat over the course of a month by working with a trainer 12 times per month for an hour. If we go back to the original question (go back and read it again), I don't think it's a stretch (and that's why I answer the original question the way I do) to say the typical individual won't lose any fat at all. It's likely the typical individual is going to overshoot their calorie needs by more than 4488 (that's only an additional 150 calories above weight maintenance calorie needs each day in a 30 day month). Unfortunately, many people who start an exercise program end up eating EVEN MORE than they had been previously because they think they can get away with it now that they are exercising a little bit under the guidance of a fitness professional.

If someone is not keeping tabs on their caloric intake, I can almost guarantee they'll end up in a surplus and wipe out any calories expended through exercise. If they are lucky, the exercise they perform (even if the program is very sound) might allow them to maintain their current weight. More than likely, they just won't gain as much additional weight going forward, assuming they continue training 3 days/week (again, a huge stretch).

So what's the take message here for both fitness professionals/trainers/coaches and the "end client" who is considering hiring a trainer to help them reach their weight loss and fat loss goals? Stop back later in the week for an audio blog where I'll discuss this.


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My Definitive Position Statement on Fat Loss Training (Audio Blog)

    

    
  
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My Opinion of The Tabata Protocol & HIIT in General

I got a question from a reader regarding what I thought about HIIT (high intensity interval training) and the Tabata protocol in particular. I won't post the entire question, as it was a bit lengthy and contained other questions on different subjects as well, but I will provide my thoughts on HIIT and Tabata style interval workouts. I should also note much of what you'll find below over laps with three posts (which you can find HERE, HERE, & HERE) I made in the last two weeks, so, if you are a regular reader, some of this is redundant. That being said, the other posts from past weeks compliment this one pretty well, so, if you feel so inclined-and are a new visitor to the blog-you might want to check those out as well.

A couple of things before I get into my thoughts. HIIT, in my opinion, is very brief, very hard, very uncomfortable interval training. Typically, HIIT workouts (at least how I define and use them) should not exceed 10:00. They generally consist of 10-30 second near maximal work periods with an incomplete recovery. When I say "incomplete recovery" I'm talking about a work to rest ratio of 1:1 OR LESS. This is why true HIIT, in my opinion, literally cannot exceed 10:00...it's just too fricking hard.

HIIT is NOT to be confused with traditional interval training. I would define traditional interval training as workouts consisting of longer work periods (30-90 seconds) with work to rest ratios closer to 1:2 or 1:3. Also, traditional interval training workouts are longer (again, my interpretation and application): 20-30 minutes.

I'm not implying that traditional interval work is not hard-it certainly is. But from a relative standpoint, traditional interval workouts are a helluva lot less demanding than HIIT style interval workouts...and Tabata style workouts certainly fall within the realm of HIIT.

Before I proceed with my opinion on HIIT and Tabata style workouts, for those of you not familiar with the Tabata protocol, just GO HERE and read the brief "Tabata Method" section. This will give you a primer.

Ok, now that we've got all that out of the way, here are my thoughts. Most people use HIIT and/or Tabata style workouts for fat loss. There is a deeply ingrained belief out there that this style of training is superior for fat loss. The belief is that this style of training elevates metabolic rate for hours upon hours after a workout is over (I've even seen some people claim it elevates metabolism for days), and that it turns your body into a "fat burning machine" or a "human inferno". Furthermore, many believe 2 or 3 of these brief-yet very demanding-workouts per week can produce this effect.

Without going into detail, let me just say that those who buy into the above are misguided. If you really look into the research on post workout calorie expenditure and metabolic rate elevation, I think you'll find it's not all that significant (Lyle McDonald does a great job discussing this topic at length in THIS SERIES of posts). Now, I'm not saying HIIT or Tabata style workouts cannot-or should not-be used when focusing on fat loss. They certainly are tools in the toolbox, but I think they should be used prudently and intelligently in conjunction with other types of training (namely traditional strength training and steady state lower intensity cardio workouts and/or traditional interval training) and certainly in conjunction with a calorie controlled diet.

To me, and for me (and my clients), the real beauty and value of HIIT and Tabata style workouts comes in the way of CONDITIONING benefits...NOT fat loss. These workouts provide very efficient conditioning solutions. If you have no contraindications, have a base level of conditioning, and are willing to work, you can increase or maintain your conditioning and work capacity in 10:00 a couple of times per week. Despite some peoples misguided beliefs, they certainly are not going to result in a huge net calorie expenditure (although the rate of of calorie expenditure during the work periods is through the roof), but if it's time efficient conditioning you are after, these types of workouts give you a great bang for your buck. I think they are ideal to tack on to the end of your strength training workouts, especially if you are someone focusing on strength or mass gains, but who also wants to stay in condition without interfering with recovery between weight training workouts.

So, it should be clear I don't think HIIT or Tabata style workouts are the panacea for rapid fat loss, but I DO think they are worth their weight in gold from a conditioning perspective. However, due to the intense nature of these workouts, I don't think you can do a lot of this stuff. They are as much psychologically demanding as they are physically demanding. 2 or 3 of these per week is plenty, and, again, I think they should be combined with other forms of training if fat loss is what you are after. Trying to do 4-5 HIIT workouts, and trying to do them for 20-30 minutes is a bad idea.

A good approach (for a stand alone conditioning and calorie burning workout), is to open up the workout with a 10:00 HIIT style protocol, and then either go out for a 30 minute walk or do 20-30 minutes of steady state cardio after the HIIT (this could also be done later in the day). If you did this 3 days/week, and strength trained 3 other days/week, you'd have a nice overall program. Alternatively, as I discussed above, you could just tack the HIIT on to the end of your strength workouts and then do longer duration cardio of a more moderate intensity on the days you don't strength train.

Before I conclude, allow me to rant a bit. A lot of people out there claiming to be doing Tabata workouts are either lying or don't understand the original Tabata protocol as it was prescribed in the original research study. If you do a true Tabata protocol (4:00 in duration), that will be all you do in the way of training for the day. You will lie on the floor and will be about as uncomfortable as you ever have been in your life. If you do 8 20 sec. sprints on a Schwynn Airdyne bike, alternated with 10 sec. rest periods, and you hit 800 watts on the sprints, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

When I see fitness enthusiasts on the internet (you know, because everybody is world class and hardcore on the net) claiming to have done 4 sets of "Tabatas", I burst out laughing, because I've done the real Tabata protocol, and I know how grueling it is. Also, doing Kettlebell Tabata workouts, body weight Tabata workouts, etc., while no doubt "hard", is not the real thing. You can, in fact, do multiple rounds of :20/:10 Kettlebell swings and not want to shoot yourself afterward. I can't say the same thing for performing one Tabata protocol, properly, on an Airdyne bike. 


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Great Post on Calorie Counting by Roger Law

If you've read my blog for any period of time, you know how I feel about calorie counting. If you are not a regular reader, let me sum it up for you: I think it's essential if you are serious about losing a great deal of fat (not just 1-2% of your body weight...you can do that by simply "eating clean").

With the above in mind, check out this great post by fit pro Roger Law...I couldn't agree more:

ROGER LAW ON CALORIE COUNTING

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"What is the Maximum Amount of Calories I can Burn in a Week Through Exercise?"

I received the following question from a blog reader, and I thought it-and my response-would make for a good post.

PJ Striet

PJ:


I have a spurt of motivation and I'm really trying to drop weight so I can look great for the holidays. Here is a question I have: realistically, what is the maximum amount of calories I can burn on a weekly basis if I were to exercise every day? Thanks!


Justin from San Diego, CA

Great question...and I think the answer may surprise you. Instead of making a lot of work for myself-and because I can't summarize it any better-go read THIS POST & THIS POST from Lyle McDonald. He lays it all out for you.

For those of you who chose not to read the two posts linked to above, here is the "Mel Brooks Short Short Version":

Cardiovascular Activities, on average, burn about 10 calories per minute. A beginner with a very low level of fitness and poor work capacity will burn less. A trained individual can withstand intensities which will burn more (up to 20 calories/minute). But, let's call it 10 calories per minute on average.

Weight training burns roughly 7-9 calories per minute. I should note, as Lyle did in the posts linked to above, that there is huge variability here. The type of exercise you are performing (multiple joint vs. single joint), the loads you are using (high percentage of repetition maximum vs. low percentage of repetition maximum), the overall volume of the workout, your momentary effort level on each exercise, etc. all will influence how many calories are burned. Also, keep in mind, strength training workouts are basically interval workouts: you do a set, rest a minute or so, do another set, etc. So, while you may be in the gym for an hour when you strength train, probably only 30-40 minutes of that is actual metabolic work.

Ok, so let's say you were to exercise 7 days/week for an hour: 3 strength workouts (maybe mon/wed/fri) and 4 cardio type workouts (tues/thurs/sat/sun). Let's assume the strength workouts, on average, burn 7 calories/minute and you are performing actual work for 40 of those 60 minutes (this is generous). Let's also assume you are doing 60 minutes of continuous calorie burning work at an average of 10 calories/minute on cardio days. Again, this is generous. So...

• 3 strength training workouts: 120 minutes of work @ 7 calories/minute=840 total calories burned
• 4 cardio workouts: 240 minutes of work @ 10 calories/minute=2400 total calories burned

Grand Total for the Week: 3240 calories

Pretty shocking huh? Most people who exercise assume they are burning thousands upon thousands of calories. The reality is it's not all that much. 3240 calories is less than 1 pound of fat (3500 calories roughly).

This is why people who don't change their eating habits (which doesn't require any actual time I might add...beyond planning) and try to "exercise off" body fat fail miserably, become discouraged, and say "screw it". Here is some more food for thought...

1. What percentage of the population actually exercises 7 days/week for an hour??? Have you seen the statistics on physical activity in the U. S.???? Most people get 1/4 to 1/2 of this amount...and I'd say these people are probably in the top 25%.
2. It can take up to 6 hours-based on the calculations above-to burn 3240 calories. How long does it take to eat an extra 3240 calories each week? How long does it take NOT to eat 3240 calories each week?

Before I get a lot of people emailing me ranting and raving about EPOC, the "after burn" from workouts, etc. let me just say that all of that stuff is drastically over stated and misinterpreted. If you look at the research on post workout calorie burn and metabolic rate elevation, it's not significant enough to even be considered. I'll be generous and give you an extra 10% (based on what most research has shown). So, someone doing a mix of strength and cardio 7 days per week for an hour each workout might burn an extra 300-400 calories for the week. Wow.

Here is a table (which is even more depressing) which Lyle McDonald presented in the posts I linked to above:

Calorie Burn	Duration	Burn/Workout	3X/Week	Estimated Fat Loss	6X/Week	Estimated Fat Loss
5 cal/min	30 minutes	150 calories	450 calories	0.128 pounds	900 calories	0.25 pounds
5 cal/min	60 minutes	300 calories	900 calories	0.25 pounds	1800 calories	0.51 pounds
10 cal/min	30 minutes	300 calories	900 calories	0.25 pounds	1800 calories	0.51 pounds
10 cal/min	60 minutes	600 calories	1800 calories	0.51 pounds	3600 calories	1.1 pounds

I'm going to leave you to reflect on this information, and then I'll come back next week and talk about this stuff some more. Have a good remainder of  the week and weekend.

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Exercises to Add to Your Arsenal (Video Blog): Standing Single Leg Band Hip Extension

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Proper Application of "Metabolic" Training for Those Trying to Optimize Fat Loss

In part one of this series, "Metabolic" Training Gone Bad, I discussed the application of metabolic resistance training, metabolic circuits etc. for those individuals interested in optimizing strength and/or lean body mass gains. In summary, the general message was this type of training should be limited to "finisher" types of circuits at the end of normal strength training workouts and should NOT be done on off days as a form of "cardio" or conditioning as it interferes with recovery.

In this post, I want to talk about the application of metabolic type training for a different population: those interested in optimizing fat loss. As you might assume, the application, parameters and recommendations are different for this population. Remember, as with any training technique, method or principle, it all comes down to a person's primary goal(s).

Because those interested in optimizing fat loss are not nearly as concerned with improving strength and/or lean mass-the focus should just be on maintaining these qualities-the volume and frequency of metabolic training techniques can be greater (although it doesn't necessarily have to be) as recovery between workouts is not as much of an issue. Before I talk about how one might go about setting up a metabolic workout for fat loss, allow me to discuss why those interested in optimizing fat loss typically implement metabolic type work:

1. Greater Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC)

There is substantial research (although it has it's flaws mind you) demonstrating that high intensity interval type work-and metabolic resistance training would fall into this category-and resisted activity causes a metabolic disturbance and increases metabolic rate after the conclusion of workout to a greater extent than traditional steady state cardiovascular exercise of a more moderate intensity.

With the above being said, I think it's prudent of me to point out that, while EPOC is higher with interval and/or resisted work, it's really not all that significant and has been drastically blown out of proportion and exaggerated by many strength coaches and fitness trainers. Instead of me giving you the long winded explanation and providing evidence to back up this statement, head on over to Lyle McDonald's site and read THIS SERIES OF POSTS. Lyle is a helluva lot smarter than I am and does a beautiful job covering this topic.  

Now, assuming you've read the series of posts linked to above, we could argue that the conditioning benefits of an interval/metabolic workout would be greater-and I'd agree-but, again, we are talking about people who are using metabolic type training techniques to enhance and optimize fat loss. So, when we look at it from this standpoint, and from the standpoint of total calorie expenditure, I don't see the metabolic type stuff being all that superior (if at all). It really comes down to personal preference, and, again, I'd note that the conditioning benefits may be greater with the interval/metabolic type work, so if that's a consideration in addition to the primary goal of fat loss, then this might be a better way to go.

2. An Alternative Form of "Cardio" for People who Hate Traditional "Cardio"

For those trying to optimize fat loss, obviously, burning additional calories is a must. The problem is, many people find traditional steady state cardiovascular work-or even traditional interval work-very boring. If someone finds traditional cardio boring, chances are, their adherence and consistency-and the number of calories they'll burn on a weekly basis-will decrease.

If someone hates the thought of doing steady state cardio or intervals on a bike, elliptical, rower, treadmill, stepper, etc., metabolic resistance training and/or metabolic circuits can be a nice alternative. Frankly, some people just enjoy this type of training and I get that. If you don't enjoy a certain type of training, you won't be consistent with it. If someone has "exercise ADD", going through a circuit which offers a number of different types of activities/exercises and modalities may be just what they need to stay consistent...and keep burning more calories. Furthermore, if they can get this type of metabolic circuit workout in a small group setting, this can increase "morale" even more: the group dynamic and training with a like minded group of people with similar goals can be a great thing for some.

3. Prevent Repetitive Over Use Injuries and Pattern Overload

Of the all the reasons fat loss focused folks choose to implement "metabolic" work, cardio strength training, whatever you want to call it, this is the one that makes the most sense to me. There are about 2000 steps in a mile (this varies due to stride length, etc). If you were to run 1 mile-which burns roughly 100 calories-you are basically looking at 2000 "reps" to burn 100 calories. This is all fine and good, but, the problem is, these 2000 reps are all taking place at the same joints and require the same movement pattern over and over again. This can lead to overuse injury and "pattern overload".

Let's say someone runs 1 mile at 6.0 mph. This would take 10:00, and, again, would burn 100 calories. What if this person, instead, was to do, say, 10 different exercises-all of which take place at different joints and required different movement patterns- for one minute apiece at a calorie burn rate of 10 calories per minute (with a short rest period between exercises)? They could burn the same 100 calories, in a similar amount of time, BUT they could distribute the reps (probably around 150-200 total reps) across multiple joints and muscular structures and go through a lot of different movement patterns.

I think the above makes sense, and is a real "pro" when it comes to the efficacy of metabolic work. Now, I should note, one could probably accomplish the same thing by splitting up their total exercise duration across multiple traditional cardio activities. For example, if one normally did 30:00 on the treadmill, they could do 10:00 on the treadmill, 10:00 on the stationary bike, 5:00 on the upper body ergometer, and 5:00 on the rowing machine instead. Just throwing that out there.

4. Does More to Maintain Lean Body Mass

One of the arguments "pro metabolic" folks make is that metabolic resistance circuits do a better job of maintaining lean body mass as compared to doing traditional cardio or traditional intervals. I would agree with this paradigm, especially if an individual WAS NOT engaging in some other form of more traditional strength training throughout the week. However, if someone is already performing strength work during the week, unless their program is awful and does not have an element of progressive overload, chances are, they are probably already doing enough to maintain lean mass.

For those who are just kind of looking for a type of "hybrid kill 2 birds with one stone" workout, then metabolic resistance circuits certainly fit the bill. If you are not necessarily trying to optimize any specific quality, and are just trying to slightly improve or maintain multiple components of fitness, then this might not be a bad way to go. However, as I noted in the first post in this series, some folks, who are already strength training, feel THEY HAVE TO engage in additional metabolic workouts as their form of cardio, and I just don't think there is any rationale for doing so outside of personal preference.

Ok, now that I've discussed why some people choose to use metabolic resistance training/cardio strength training/hybrid circuits for fat loss, and the rationale behind it, allow me to suggest some guidelines when putting together these types of workouts. Also, I would suggest you go back and read the original post I made on this topic way back when, as it serves as a nice primer and complements what you'll find below.

At my training facility, I typically set up metabolic circuits in either a small (5 stations) or giant (10 station) format. I'm typically looking at a workout-including rest periods and warm-up-of no more than 45 minutes. If I use the small format, I will set up 5 stations, and I usually use a :30 on/:30 off format (this can be progressed to a :30/:20 format or regressed to a :20/:30 format, a :20/:40 format etc). Here is what a sample circuit might look like:

Kettlebell Swings for :30
:30 rest
T-Push-ups :30
:30 rest
TRX Recline Rows :30
:30 rest
Shuttle Run :30
:30 rest
Battlling Ropes :30

At this point, I give a 60-90 sec. rest period and then we'd do that again. 2 circuits take about 11:00 to complete. At this point, we change the stations and do an entirely different 5 station circuit in the same format:

Freedom Trainer Explosive Push/Pull :30 (R push L pull)
:30 rest
Airdyne Bike Sprint :30
:30 rest
Freedom Trainer Explosive Push/Pull :30 (L push R pull)
:30 rest
Sled Drag 40-50 yds.
:30 rest
Alternating JC band torso rotation

Again, after the last station is complete, I'd give a 60-90 rest period and then go through it again. At this point, I'd put together one more completely different 5 station circuit and we'd go through that twice as well.

All in all, we are looking at 3 different circuits and 6 rounds (30 total intervals). With warm-up and cool down, we have 40 minutes invested.

*the exercises listed above just serve as examples...there are literally hundreds of exercises and activities I use when putting together metabolic type workouts
**If you are interested in the specific exercises listed, most of them can be found at MY YOUTUBE PAGE.

If I choose a "giant" format, it's 10 stations. This is grueling, and I give a slightly longer rest period between circuits and we only do 2 or 3 rounds. Typically, I'll just keep the same circuit and not change exercises.

A few things to keep in mind when you are putting together these circuits:

• Work periods beyond 40 seconds don't work really well in my opinion. 30 seconds, honestly, seems to be about right...it allows anywhere from 15-25 reps per exercise. If you go longer than 40 seconds per station, it becomes less of a cardio conditioning stimulus and more of a strength or strength endurance stimulus and most will not be able to withstand this for very long, regardless of how light the exercise or activity is loaded.
• Rest periods less than 20 seconds don't work very well either. You need at least 20 seconds to transition between stations and get set-up. Now, if you are throwing a "pseudo tabata" station into the mix, then, fine, less the 20 seconds works, although I'd consider this a stand alone workout or a circuit all by itself but I digress.
• Back to my point about work period length, if you are using this type of stuff as a hybrid "jack of all trades" workout, the loads need to be heavy enough to stimulate your muscles but not so heavy to where you are struggling to complete the interval work period...this is the point where you are doing high rep HIT style weight training and this kind of defeats the purpose of this type of workout IMO. If you want to do high rep to failure weight training, then do it by itself. 
• Don't just throw a bunch of stuff together. Have a little structure to these workouts. Balance pushing and pulling, bilateral and unilateral work, core work, locomotion, etc. Also try to include movements in all 3 planes: frontal, sagittal, and transverse. 

How often can you do this stuff? Again, if you are using this type of workout for fat loss, and/or are not trying to optimize any specific component of fitness, and/or are using it as a workout that addresses multiple components in an efficient manner (but which doesn't drastically improve any one particular component of fitness), then I suppose you could probably do it up to 5 times per week as recovery and optimizing strength gains isn't a consideration for the most part.

Well, there you have it: a long winded-hopefully thought provoking-post on metabolic training for folks focused on fat loss (and, really, general fitness for that matter). In the final post of this series (next week), I'll wrap things up with a number of random thoughts pertaining to the topic of metabolic workouts. Thanks for reading.


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