By Kyndall N. Kleier, NTC Exercise Technician

1.Why is weight training/weight bearing exercises important to your overall health?
Some of the many benefits of weight training include improved flexibility, balance, mobility and stability. It also helps improve and restore bone density which can decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Incorporating resistance exercises into your workout increases lean body mass and increases your resting metabolic rate, which causes your body to burn more calories. In addition, cholesterol and blood pressure are lowered, which decreases the risk of coronary artery disease. Other benefits include injury prevention and looking and feeling great!

2.What is the importance of your heart rate while exercising?
Target heart rate is described as a rate attained during aerobic exercise that represents your level of exertion. Keeping your heart rate within this zone ensures you are strengthening your heart and lungs, as well as burning body fat. When your target heart rate is determined, there are two given numbers a lower limit and a higher limit. Heart rate should be within this range at all times. If you work within the higher range or at a higher intensity, your body will perform a crossover effect where fat metabolism is decreased and more calories will be burned in the form of carbohydrates. When exercising beyond 30 minutes, but still maintaining a low intensity workout level, there is a slow, yet continuous change from a reliance on carbohydrates to an increasing dependency on fat as a fuel source.

3.What is the most efficient workout for someone who is pressed for time?
It is suggested that 30 minutes a day is an adequate amount of cardiovascular exercise to incorporate into your day, but if time constraints keep you from getting the full amount, two 15-minute workouts a day is still sufficient. Some fitness centers have developed organized circuit training sessions or “express classes”, as the National Training Center provides, so that fitness members can get in a quick workout and return to their daily activities.

4.Should you do cardio exercises before weight exercises or visa versa?
When deciding to perform weights first or cardiovascular fitness first, it all depends on the goal of the workout that day. It would be difficult to have a beneficial strength workout if you just ran for 45 minutes. Likewise, if you did a strength workout, you wouldn’t be able to do one hour on an elliptical machine at your desired intensity. It is always beneficial to warm up a bit before beginning a resistance workout, even if it is only for 10-15 minutes. Warm up does not necessarily have to be cardio, you can do a dynamic warm up, which is a type of stretching that involves controlled movements such as step-ups or lunges.

5.How do you lift weights to tone muscles versus building mass?
When the goal of your resistance training workout is to tone your muscles, you want to lift low weights paired with high repetitions; for example 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions. When you want to build mass, you would lift heavy weights with low repetitions. One might also include more sets with longer rest periods.

By: Sara Raschiatore, B.S., M.S. ACMS H/FI, NTC

6.What type of food should you eat before and after exercising to maximize your metabolism?
Eating the right foods before and after exercise can be a tricky subject for most. The body uses two sources of fuel during exercise; carbohydrates and fats. The length of the planned exercise session may determine what exactly your body needs to perform and recover at its best. During a high moderate intensity exercise, more carbohydrates are used for fuel, because carbohydrates are stored in the muscle and liver therefore it is readily available at any time. On the other hand, for exercise sessions that last longer than 60 minutes at a lower intensity, fat may be the main source of fuel.

The best advice is to eat a meal about three to four hours prior to exercise and also eating a small snack about one hour prior to exercise. Both meals and snacks should have a higher amount of complex carbohydrates to prepare the body for prolonged activity and also for restoring the muscle storage in the muscle and liver that may have been depleted from the prior exercise session.

Examples of meal ideas before exercise included baked potato, baked beans, cottage cheese, pasta and sauce, whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana and rice and vegetables.

Examples of snack ideas before exercise include yogurt, a piece of fruit, cereal bar and a small bowl of cereal.

7.What is the importance of proper breathing?
It is very important to practice proper breathing during exercise. Proper breathing will allow for more efficient exchange of gases between the lungs, muscles and blood. Oxygen is the more important of the two gases that the body utilizes; with carbon dioxide begin the other gas, which is considered to be the waste that the body needs to get rid of.

During exercise it may be harder to breathe efficiently because most people tend to take shorter, more forceful breaths. In actuality, it is more beneficial to take slow, deep breaths during exercise.

To get the most out of your breathing, try inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the lips (keeping the lips pursed like you would when trying to whistle). By doing this, it will allow you to exhale slower instead of a quick, short exhale.

8.Why are exercise balls good investments?
Exercise balls, also known as stability or Swiss balls, are great investments because they can be used for a variety of different exercises. They are fairly inexpensive and can be used for a total body workout at anytime and anywhere. They are of particularly good use when you may not have time to make it to the gym and need to get in a whole body workout in your own home. Exercise balls are very durable and can last for many years if taken care of properly.

9.How can you protect the longevity of muscles and bones while exercising?
Protecting the longevity of your muscle and bones can be achieved by following a few simple rules. First of all, make sure that you are consistently and continually stretching the muscle properly when it is warm. This can help prevent any injures to both the muscle and/or bone that may result in overuse, such as a stress fracture, tear or inflammation.

Secondly, it is helpful to make sure that you are getting the proper amount of calcium from your diet or supplement to prevent early decrease in bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis.

Lastly, make sure that there is added variety in your exercise program. This should include an activity that is non-weight bearing (i.e., swimming, biking, elliptical training). This will allow for proper recovery of the bones and muscles, however it is still very important to continue with activities that are weight bearing the majority of the time (strength training, running, walking) to help strengthen and increase bone density.

10.What are the pros and cons of using an elliptical-type machine versus running outside or on a track?
Elliptical-type machines can add variety to any exercise program without having to sacrifice the cardiovascular benefit that you get from running outside. The elliptical is also a good method to use for cross-training to allow the muscles and bones to recover from the stress that a hard surface may contribute. It is also a great way to escape any inclement weather, while at the same time getting a great workout.

However, although the elliptical is a great way to get a good cardiovascular workout, it is not recommended to use as your primary method to achieving your cardiovascular fitness. It is extremely important to do the majority of your exercise sessions as part of some sort of weight bearing activity (running outside/track/hard surface). This will strengthen your bones and give you a better workout when having to deal with the different elements such as the weather or adapting to change in terrain or inclination. Running outside will also keep you from getting bored of being stuck indoors, which can lead to staleness or burn-out in your exercise program.

Sara Raschiatore, B.S., M.S. ACMS H/FI, NTC Exercise Specialist Raschiatore was a six-time All-American in collegiate track and cross country and has completed two half-marathons, two half Ironman triathlons and several sprint/Olympic distance triathlons.