How Does the Militarization of Fitness Affect Your Workout?

Extracts from an interesting article:  “The Massive Fitness Trend That’s Not Actually Healthy at All”

“There is a massive trend in the fitness industry to glorify exercise as an all-out war on the body. I call it the militarization of fitness — all the boot camps, Marine-inspired workouts, ridiculously intense body building routines, and general glorification of pain. Even our recovery and regeneration techniques are prioritized by how painful they are.

How Does the Militarization of Fitness Affect Your Workout?

In every way possible. It affects your health, happiness, the sustainability of your program, and your ability to reach your goals.

Do you believe any of the following are true?

No pain, no gain. You have to suffer to get in shape.
More is always more. Duh.
Working out is not fun, but it’s an obligation.
If I don’t almost throw up, I’m holding back too much.
You’re only as good as your last workout.
I feel like a loser when I miss a workout.

If you answered yes, then you’re at the “exercise is war” understanding of fitness. And that’s fine—if you want to wage war on your body, go ahead. Many of us go through that phase. I spent a decade there, with plenty of joint casualties and war stories to prove it. So I’m not belittling you—I’m just saying that this isn’t the only way to train, and it sure as heck isn’t sustainable. ”

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A better approach, periodization training with the 24Fit Workout, give u more stamina, strength, & an overall greater performance! What recreational athletes and fitness enthusiasts don’t realize is that elite and professional athletes spend half of their workout time in the gym on injury prevention what Robert Forster calls ” Kevlar Trainng”.

Scientific Principles Of Periodization Training To Get Results

Over the last three and a half decades, I have come in contact with tens of thousands of athletes and fitness enthusiast in my work as physical therapist and sports performance specialist. In my experience, with the exception of the genetically gifted elite athletes, almost all of them work out for body image. They want to look better! At the same time, almost all of those I meet are not happy with the results they have achieved from ever longer and more taxing workouts; they still don’t like what they see in the mirror. Typically, after initially losing a few pounds from their workouts, their weight loss stalls and many even gain weight as they continue to train harder and harder.

Fighting the Fit But Fat Syndrome

The problem is human nature and the American work ethic. Human nature dictates that when we find a good thing, we want to do more of it. Workouts make us feel good, so we do more and more until we are overtrained or broken down with injury. Reinforcing this human tendency is the American work ethic. Nothing is worth having if you don’t have to work hard to get it — this seems to be the philosophy of most athletes and gym rats. This creates an overtrained population of sportsmen and fitness buffs who remain pudgy, bloated, and perform below their potential. The public is also lead astray by the media representation that professional athletes perform grueling workouts for hours each day, month in and month, out, to get their svelte and muscular physiques. Not true. We train elite world champion athletes on a maximum of 11 hours per week early in the training cycle with low intensity, longer duration workouts, and as little seven hours per week when we peak their fitness over the six weeks before competition.

You cannot fight human physiology. Training too much, too hard, and without built-in recovery or an aggressive recovery program leads to the all-too-common overtrained and frustrated, “fit but fat” athletes. When we are overly stressed, whether it be from work stress, emotional turmoil, or over exercising, our body produces too much of a hormone call cortisol. Cortisol directs our body to store fat and water and leaves us with poor performances and a bloated image in the mirror. This leads most people to work out even harder and longer, which only exacerbates the problem.

The solution to the “Fit But Fat” syndrome is found in scientific principles of periodization training, with a progressive work load, built-in recovery periods, and a rationally-driven variation to workouts in regular eight week periods.

Training is only half the battle when it comes to achieving the body you want. Food and science based nutrition is the other.

Robert Forster

In his book, Healthy Running Step by Step out in Sepetember Robert Forster covers nutritional strategies. Whether you are a runner, hiker, cyclist, swimmer, or a person who works out in the gym, this information will make your journey to the fit and lean body you have always wanted a lot easier.

healthy-running-step-by-stepHealthy Running Step by Step: Self-Guided Methods for Injury-Free Running: Training – Technique – Nutrition – Rehab

Authors Robert Forster, P.T., and Roy M. Wallack

Review – “Authentic, loaded with insight and information, “Healthy Running Step by Step” illustrates the scientific approach Bob used to help me and many others stay injury-free and achieve our ultimate Olympic goals.” – “Jackie Joyner Kersee, six-time Olympic medalist and multiple world record holder

ROBERT FORSTER, PT, has practiced Sports Physical Therapy in Santa Monica, CA, for 31 years. Robert has lectured throughout the US and Europe on Sports Rehabilitation and safety in exercise. Robert served as a private physical therapist at four Olympic Games for Olympians Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence “Flo-Jo” Joyner, Alyson Felix and their teammates who have won a combined 32 Olympic Medals under his direct care. He also worked pro athletes Pete Sampras, Kobe Bryant, Elton Brand, Maria Sharapova, as well as M.M.A. champions including B.J. Penn. Robert has published several articles in the scientific press and co-authored The Complete Water Power Workout Book published in 1993 by Random House. He has also written a regular column in Triathlete magazine, appeared in several episodes of the popular Fit to Hit series on the Tennis Channel and recently created the Herbalife 24 Fit Workout DVDs based on the principles of periodization training.

How Can I Lose Body Fat?

By using the right nutrition and exercise working together to get results.

” To look your best focus on reducing your body fat.” “The key to losing body fat is to encourage your body to gain more lean muscle.” Samantha Clayton, PT, Former Competitive Sprinter and Track Coach.

Many people don’t get adequate protein in their diet, or of they do it comes with extra calories. Protein is essential in gaining lean muscle together with exercise. Increase your lean muscle you will burn more calories.

Exercise at an intensity level of 6 or 7 out of 10 will prompt your body to burn fat as a fuel source, which is why the metabolic workouts of Phase 1 of the 24 Fit program start with low intensive exercises. Then there is a progression in intensity, through Phase 2 and 3. This way you teach your body to burn fat.

On alternate days complete the strength training workouts to help build and tone the muscles.

More info on the 24 Fit DVDs

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