what you should know about getting fit

What You Should Knowabout Getting Fit

By

www.norestfitness.com

Table of Content

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IntroductionChapter 1- The Myth of Staying Home Unfit

Cross Fitness – The Full Body Workout

Chapter 3- Getting Warm

The Power of DynamicsChapter 4- Resistance vs Repetition

Shedding Fat

Strength and Muscle mass

EnduranceChapter 5- You Can’t Eat What You Want

Before the Workout

After the WorkoutChapter 6- An Hour a Day?

Different Focus – Different Length

There Is No Workout Time Limit

Chapter 2- Developing Your Routine

1. I don’t have the time

2. It’s not worth it

3. It is boring


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Chapter 7- Endurance

Fuel Your Body WellKeep Your Reserves Full

Chapter 9- Upper Body Muscle

Eccentric Portion of the Exercise Matters

Controlling Your Core

Chapter 10– Finding the Balance

1. Thinking Only in the Long Term

2. Failing to Warm Up and Stretch

3. Not Seeing the Line

Chapter 8- Lower Body Muscles

Putting the Routine TogetherGetting the Most Out of It

Introduction

When thinking about how we look and feel in terms of health and fitness,

so much of a time we feel lost. The plethora of guides and tips available

online and in books would confuse even those who’ve been into fitness

for years. Sources of information out there often contradict each other –

some say you should eat chocolate cake for breakfast to kickstart

metabolism, others are convinced that anything more than salad for

breakfast will break your diet.breakfast will break your diet.

Same goes for exercise, for a layman it’s near impossible to find a definite

workout strategy that actually provides results. In this book, you’ll find my

personal suggestions from experience what works best, and how to find

the right balance between exercise and rest, eating your favourite foods

and sticking to a strict diet. The book is by no means a step-by-step guide,

but instead it’s here tell you more about what to keep in mind after having

developed a workout routine with your trainer. developed a workout routine with your trainer.

Good luck!

[Gym owner name and signature]



Chapter 1

The general (and misleading) consensus is that in order to be healthy, you

have to spend most of your conscious time thinking about it. I believe

that everyone can have the body they dream of, and all it takes is

knowledge and proper technique, which I’m here to provide.

Here are the most common myths about fitness:

• The only way to stay fit is to go to a gym regularly.

• Home fitness works only if you have expensive equipment.

• Without lifting equipment, staying fully fit is impossible.

As this book will show, all of the above are false. The hype generated

around gyms is exaggerated, with the intention of cashing in from you as

much as possible. Combining proper workout routine and diet, you can

easily train every muscle in your body, improve strength, agility and

endurance, as well as boost your health and looks with equipment that fits

in your closet. So let’s get started!in your closet. So let’s get started!

The Myth of Staying Home Unfit

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Chapter 1Cross Fitness – The Full Body WorkoutThe key to good health and looks is regular and balanced workout. This

means combining various training techniques, alternating between high

intensity and endurance routines, and training every part of your body at

regular intervals. Cross fitness combines aerobics, weight lifting,

gymnastics and a variety of other traditional techniques, ensuring that

every muscle in your body gets the attention it deserves.

The result – a lean, fit and healthy body, characterized by flexibility, The result – a lean, fit and healthy body, characterized by flexibility,

strength and endurance. You will not only look good, but you’ll also be

ready for the beach season with a brand new body. All of this can be

achieved right there at your home!

In the next chapter we’ll talk about how your exercise routine should

work for your body and needs.

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Chapter 2Developing Your RoutineNow that you know the power of cross fitness, it’s time you developed

your own routine to stay in great shape throughout the year. This is a c

rucial part in the process of acquiring your dream body – and it’s also the

one people most often struggle with.

Developing and sticking to your fitness routine can seem difficult at first.

It can feel like there are too many obstacles, urging you to drop it

altogether. Here are some tips to fight the most common problems in altogether. Here are some tips to fight the most common problems in

home fitness:

1. I don’t have the time

Finding 30 to 60 minutes per day for exercise isn’t difficult. Treat your

workout time as an important meeting, scheduling it in your calendar.

Experiment with the times to see when you feel most comfortable

exercising. You’ll quickly learn that your Saturday TV mornings can easily

be swapped out for a jog.be swapped out for a jog.

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Chapter 2 2. It’s not worth it

It’s true that looking at other people’s performance can raise a lot of self-

doubt and inferiority complex. The key is to set realistic expectations and

start slow – everyone started somewhere, and there was a time when

even the most buffed weightlifters weren’t able to do more than 10 push-

ups. Explore your limits and expand them one step at a time.

3. It is boring

A personalized workout routine is imperative to ensuring you maintain

motivation for regular exercise. Some people find jogging boring, while

others can’t stand doing jump rope exercises. Find what you like, and

vary your training techniques so that you don’t get bored.

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Chapter 2

Once you’ve set yourself in a steady rhythm of doing at least 3-4 workout

sets of at least 1 hour every week, start spicing it up a little. Combining

high intensity exercises with endurance training can quickly boost your

performance. Adding more and more exercise types with various types of

home gym equipment, you’ll quickly find the muscles in your body that

need most attention. Focus on bringing your whole body to the same

level before increasing pressure on any one part of your body.level before increasing pressure on any one part of your body.

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to talk about specifics. In the next

chapters, we’ll tell you how to ensure maximum safety and productivity

while exercising, how much you should actually train, and what to keep in

mind when doing specific exercises targeted at specific muscle group.

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Chapter 3Getting Warm

Before we speak about specific exercises, it is imperative to talk about

proper workout strategy. Contrary to many people’s belief, it’s not all

about how much and how hard you train. In order to get the maximum out

of your workout, you have to do it smart. One of the things most often

overlooked is warm-up.

When done properly, a warm-up increases your body temperature to get

you ready for higher physical intensities, warms up the joints and gets you ready for higher physical intensities, warms up the joints and gets

neural connections ready for action. As a result, you will see improved

performance and feeling, along with greatly reduced risks of trauma. In

other words – more muscle, less injury.

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Chapter 3The Power of Dynamics

The key to a successful warm-up is to get your blood flowing and your

joints ready. Research shows that dynamic stretches, which cover a wide

range of motion, improve muscle performance. Dynamic warm-ups mean

that you move as you stretch, activating muscles, increasing range of

motion and improving body awareness.

Basic dynamic warm-ups to try at home include lunges and hip stretches

with twist, knee-to-chest running, high kicks and jump squats. From there, with twist, knee-to-chest running, high kicks and jump squats. From there,

based on what you’ll be training, you may try more advanced warm-up

exercises, focused on getting one specific part of your body ready.

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Chapter 3Contrary to popular belief, a warm-up is essential not only when doing

cross fitness exercises, but also when lifting weights. Jumping right on the

bench will reduce your performance and cause complications in posture

and healthy muscle growth, not talking about the greatly increased risk of

trauma. The rule of thumb is – if you plan on breaking a sweat, you should

warm up beforehand.

In the next chapter, we’ll be talking about intensity vs repetition, and how In the next chapter, we’ll be talking about intensity vs repetition, and how

to maintain a healthy balance between pushing your limits and going on

forever. Make sure you don’t miss it!

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Chapter 4Resistance vs Repetition

Shedding Fat

Many people think that staying fit is all about spending as much time as

possible exercising. In reality, without a plan and strategy, the best you

can get is reduced body fat. Your overall endurance, health and physical

preparedness, however, won’t be up to scratch, and apart from the

physical appearance, you won’t be that much different from a couch

potato. Not what you want to achieve, right?

One of the cornerstones of a good home gym exercise routine lies in One of the cornerstones of a good home gym exercise routine lies in

alternating between muscle groups trained, as well as the nature of the

exercise. While warm ups, acrobatics and stretching do wonders for your

flexibility, weight loss, muscle strength and endurance boosts require a

more complicated workout routine. The question of doing a lot of

repetitions versus doing a few repetitions of much higher resistance often

enters the picture, so let us clear it up for you.

It’s a common misconception that you should do a ton of repetitions of

easy exercises to lose fat. A study from the University of Alabama,

however, shows that heavy weight lifters lose just as much fat as those

who do only cardio. The intensity of the workout is secondary – the key is

to rest 9


Chapter 4

Strength and Muscle mass

as little as possible between exercising. This creates muscular failure,

which in turn leads to the afterburn, which has powerful hormonal,

metabolic and fat burning effects. In addition, proper nutrition and a

balanced diet has a much larger impact on weight loss than repetition

range during exercise.

Studies show that low repetition, high resistance exercise sets significantly

increase muscle strength. This is exactly how powerlifters train for

competitions, boosting neuromuscular adaptation, which is the how

efficiently your brain controls muscles. Gaining strength consists of two

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Chapter 4

Endurance

parts – how big your muscles are, and how well you control your muscles.

In order to grow muscles, however, it’s not always necessary to do high

resistance repetitions. The rule of thumb is to make the workouts more

challenging through increasing either repetition count or resistance, while

at the same time making sure your calorie intake is more than you burn.

If you’re training for a marathon, a swimming competition or any other

endurance-based sport, muscular endurance is what you’re after. In this

case, high repetitions with low resistance is always the way to go. High

repetitions improve the work capacity of your muscles and help them keep

functioning for longer periods of time. For short bursts 11


Chapter 4of power, however, endurance workouts alone will not be sufficient

training.

To sum it up, the choice between higher repetitions or higher resistance

depends on whether you want to focus on building strength or endurance.

Losing fat and building muscle is much more about keeping the overall

intensity high and rest periods low, as well as paying more attention to

your diet.

In the next chapter, we’ll be talking exactly what to focus on when

thinking about your diet. Stay tuned!thinking about your diet. Stay tuned!

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Chapter 5You Can’t Eat What You Want

Before the Workout

In the previous chapter we talked about how fat loss and muscle building

relies very much on the diet. That’s only half truth, because in fact

everything you do at your home gym depends on what, how and when you

eat. While proper diet and nutrition has been a topic of much debate for

the last few decades, and everyone seems to have their own vision of the

perfect diet. We’re not going to tell you we have the cookie-cutter strategy

figured out, but instead tell you about the general guidelines to keep in figured out, but instead tell you about the general guidelines to keep in

mind.

In order to have enough energy to do your best, it’s important to have

enough glycogen as fuel. Depriving yourself of carbohydrates before

workout will severely reduce glycogen levels and make your endurance

suffer greatly. To optimize your performance, replenish your reserves

with about two-thirds complex carbohydrates and one-third lean

protein several hours before workout. Also, avoid citrus fruits and juices

(especially those high in sugars) before workout, as they can cause acid (especially those high in sugars) before workout, as they can cause acid

reflux. Instead, eat easily digestible complex carbohydrates, such as

pasta, oatmeal, bananas or whole-grain products.

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Chapter 5

After the Workout

For muscle building, protein after workout is king. Lean protein such as

chicken, tuna, turkey or salmon gives your muscles the amino acids needed

to repair them, and help them grow. For replenishment after high intensity

workouts, a mix of carbs, proteins, fat and amino acid are needed. Low-fat

milk, whole-grain products and high-carb sports drinks are all good choices.

The more focused you are on fat loss, the more you should limit carb intake

after exercising.after exercising.

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Chapter 5

In all cases, keep your body hydrated well both before and after the

workout. Shy away from the heavily marketed supplements and protein

shakes before consulting with a dietitian. Keeping away from white bread

products, frozen food and meals high in sugar is already winning half the

battle, whether you’re trying to shed fat, build muscle or improve

endurance.

In the next chapter, we’ll discuss the optimal workout length, and explore In the next chapter, we’ll discuss the optimal workout length, and explore

the myth whether true fitness exists only when you exercise for the larger

part of the day. Don’t miss it!

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Chapter 6An Hour a Day?

Different Focus – Different Length

This is a classic question. People are often obsessed with doing everything

just right, and don’t believe when I tell them that there’s no cookie-cutter

strategy that works every time, for everyone.

The first thing that we need to consider is what exactly we’re timing. What

do you mean when you say “I exercise for an hour every day”? Do you

count it starting from the second you enter the gym, lasting up to the

moment you’re back out, do you include the warm-up, or that hour is the moment you’re back out, do you include the warm-up, or that hour is the

pure time spent weight-lifting and exercising? You can see that the answer

to how long you should work out isn’t easy to pinpoint.

The real problem in saying “you should work out for EXACTLY xx minutes”

is that people are not the identical. Exercise routines are not identical. A

beginner could do a basic full body workout in just 30 minutes, just

because the muscles don’t really need that much exercise to be pushed to

the limit. Focusing on different parts of your body creates a difference too

– there’s more to be done in an upper body workout than lower body

workout. Cardio is yet another thing, and you can’t really compare 10 workout. Cardio is yet another thing, and you can’t really compare 10

minutes of cycling uphill to 10 minutes of jogging at a slow pace.

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Chapter 6

There Is No Workout Time Limit

The notion that there is an optimal time limit for exercise is foolish. There

are just too many variables in play, and different types of exercise work

differently with different people. You may have heard about three specific

workout time lengths – 30, 45 or 60 minutes, all of which are bogus.

Nobody except you can know how much exercise you should be doing.

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Chapter 6

What’s more, the amount of sets you should do can’t be put down in a

book. Instead of following a time or any other rule, you should simply

make sure you train as much as your body allows it, without going into

extremes. More than anything, you have to listen to your body, and make

small improvements step by step. More repetitions, more resistance, more

types of exercise results in more time spent in the gym, and it doesn’t

matter if it’s 30 or 95 minutes, as long as you’re making progress.matter if it’s 30 or 95 minutes, as long as you’re making progress.

In the next chapter, we’ll be telling you how to train to be able to endure j

ust about anything.

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Chapter 7Endurance

Fuel Your Body Well

Whether you’re training for a local marathon, a basketball competition or

a weekend off cycling with your friends, endurance and cardio are what

keeps you going. Proper nutrition, hydration and warm-ups are the

cornerstone of success, and going in the field without doing your

homework will just damage your body. Here are our tips to prepare you

for tough endurance challenges and training.

A well balanced diet is the cornerstone of success during any type of

exercise, but it’s absolutely crucial when training for endurance. In order

to keep going for a long time you will have to increase your carbohydrate

intake to make up for all the glycogen that’s being burnt 19


Chapter 7up in the process. Choose healthy carbohydrate sources, such as whole-

grain bread, fruit and oatmeal.

Marathon runners will also tell you how around mile 15 they feel a sharp

pain in their legs, and that’s the muscle tissue breaking down, as your

body desperately looks for more sources of energy. That’s why proper

protein intake is just as important to endurance athletes, as it is to

bodybuilders. Good sources of protein include turkey, chicken, yogurt and bodybuilders. Good sources of protein include turkey, chicken, yogurt and

eggs.

The increased amount of stress on your muscles also causes oxidative

stress, sending free radicals rampaging through your system. This in

turn reduces your body’s ability to recover, and can lead to exhaustion

and even trauma. Berries and colorful vegetables such as carrots, beets

and broccoli are rich in anti-oxidants that help the body flush away the

free radicals and improve your performance.free radicals and improve your performance.

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Chapter 7Keep Your Reserves Full

Everyone has heard that proper hydration is a crucial component in

successful training and leads to better results in both the gym and in the

field. For endurance sports, this is even more so. Without replacing the

depleted mineral stores in your body, you face the risk of experiencing

some very unpleasant muscle cramps and muscle blockage. Make sure you

drink at least half an ounce of water for every pound of your body mass

per day while exercising.per day while exercising.

Same goes for vitamins, the lack of which you may not notice until it’s too

late. Training hard causes quite a strain on your body, and without the

proper intake of vitamins A, C, B and E you may be compromising your

immune system and your body’s ability to recuperate after heavy workouts.

Pan out your training schedule and talk to a

Running an ultra-marathon or cycling halfway across the world isn’t something you can do without preparation. In endurance sports, more so than in any other kind of sport, luck plays a very minor role, compared to preparation and training. Paying attention to your training and giving your body everything it needs helps you reach new heights time and time again. Don’t just work hard – work smart, and listen to your body, it will tell you a lot!

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Chapter 7professional dietician about how to keep all minerals and vitamins in your

body optimal.

Running an ultra-marathon or cycling halfway across the world isn’t

something you can do without preparation. In endurance sports, more so

than in any other kind of sport, luck plays a very minor role, compared to

preparation and training. Paying attention to your training and giving your

body everything it needs helps you reach new heights time and time again. body everything it needs helps you reach new heights time and time again.

Don’t just work hard – work smart, and listen to your body, it will tell you

a lot!

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Chapter 8Lower Body Muscles

It’s time to talk about specific lower body exercises. You’ve probably

heard about how people “skip the leg day”, or perhaps even heard some

jokes about it. The truth is that training your legs isn’t the most fun thing

to do. The lower body has fewer muscle groups than your core and upper

body, and there’s much less variety in exercise routines.

Still, lower body musculature is what keeps you standing, literally. Imagine

deadlifting weights that your upper body and core can handle, but yourdeadlifting weights that your upper body and core can handle, but your

legs cannot. While not as tempting as working hard on getting that

6-pack, exercising your legs is just as important as any part of a workout

routine, if you want your body to perform, look and feel amazing.

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Chapter 8Putting the Routine Together

Getting the Most Out of It

The line between overtraining your legs and not training them hard

enough is thin. Power-squatting every day isn’t good, nor is considering a

30-minute bike ride every week sufficient. Moderation is key – just like

with any specific body part training, 2-3 times a week is the optimal

number. It’s a good idea to play around with the time and intensity of the

leg training to see how it interacts with your overall workout routine.

Squatting, doing step-ups and lunging should always be a part of your Squatting, doing step-ups and lunging should always be a part of your

routine. Dumbbells should be used to calibrate the intensity of the

workout, and, as always – listen to your body to know when you’re ready

to take it to the next level.

For best results, your leg routine should be centered around multi-joint

moves, which includes lunges, step-ups and squats. These exercises work

on your quads, hamstrings and glutes, giving you that beach-ready

silhouette you want. Working with multi-joint exercises in different angles,

you will be engaging the large leg muscles completely, maximizing the gain

for both growth and weight loss.

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Chapter 8

It’s important to understand that twist movements and angle variations

not only promote leg exercise productivity, but also engage your core.

The reason is quite simple – you can’t really build strong legs without a

prepared core. That’s why, if during your leg routine you don’t feel your

core working as well, your movements are probably too monotonous and

focused, leading to slower progression.

Just like legs are a part of your body, leg days should be a part of your Just like legs are a part of your body, leg days should be a part of your

exercise routine. The gains of strengthening your lower body will reveal

as you advance to more advanced fitness levels. No part of your body

should ever lag behind, and focusing on your legs once in a while will also

do a great deal in improving your core strength, which is the cornerstone

of overall fitness. As many have said before – never skip leg day!

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Chapter 9Upper Body Muscle

But that’s not all there is to building upper body musculature. In fact,

getting all of your upper body muscles in optimal condition is hard work

and involves a lot of different exercise routines. Nevertheless, with smart

and well planned training anyone can achieve results

Upper body training is what most people think of upon hearing the word

“gym”. You can easily picture a Schwarzeneggerish bodybuilder doing

bench press with half an elephant on the bar. Those new to fitness,

especially men, often pay most of their time in the gym working on their

chest and biceps. The reason is simple – that’s one of the first things that

tells you’ve been going to the gym.

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Chapter 9

Eccentric Portion of the Exercise Matters

– all it takes is work and dedication. Let’s look at problems that often

hinder the effectiveness of upper body workout.

The feeling of achievement when finally being able to lift a new personal

record can be overwhelming. Focusing on “just barely” getting your reps

done doesn’t help training the muscles, though. The eccentric portion of

a lift refers to the movement of getting back into starting position, and

studies show it’s an incredibly important part of upper body exercises.

This means that instead of “just” doing the push-ups and pull-ups, you

should also focus on bringing your body back into normal position in calm should also focus on bringing your body back into normal position in calm

and controlled way.

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Chapter 9Controlling Your Core

A common rookie mistake in upper body workout routines is looking for

more control and balance by compromising core. The symptoms are easily

recognizable – hips out of balance with the rest of the body, legs spread

far apart in standing exercises. As a result, the core is depressurized and

less involved in the workout. This can lead to imbalance which results in

one part of your body being dangerously less advanced than other parts.

Pay attention to how your hips and spine perform during upper body Pay attention to how your hips and spine perform during upper body

workout, and pay attention to keeping your body in line.

Strength imbalance is a serious issue in upper body training. It’s your task

to pay attention not only to your biceps and chest, but pectorals, deltoids,

lats, traps, triceps, and other associated muscle structures as well. Don’t

fall for the temptation of building impressive looks without the substance

– every part of your body matters, and it’s especially important to keep in

mind when working on the upper body.mind when working on the upper body.

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Chapter 10Finding the Balance

1. Thinking Only in the Long Term

Being able to stay in great shape and health just by working out at your

home gym, working through crossfit routines using as little as a jump rope

and a few accessories is something pretty impressive. The initial hype,

though, can often lead to overlooking key points that are a cornerstone to

success. Below are the top 3 mistakes people often make when starting a

healthier life with fitness.

Seeing professional athletes in action can serve as a source of inspiration,

but you always have to keep in mind that results like those are a long way

ahead. The whole beauty of fitness is that through regular training, you

can quickly achieve things you otherwise thought were impossible.

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Chapter 10

2. Failing to Warm Up and Stretch

Instead of focusing solely on long-term goals, you have to set modest and

achievable objectives for a few weeks ahead. Think about every workout

and every meal, focusing on optimizing everything just to reach that extra

rep and extra minute. Building your success with little blocks like these

will keep you motivated and happy, providing continuous sense of

achievement every time you get down to the gym.

Let’s face it – you didn’t come to the gym to stretch and jump around like

a frog. It’s not exactly the stuff people become legendary for.

Nevertheless, it’s a crucial component to any workout, and the sooner you

can swallow your pride and get rid of the urge to do something more

exciting instead of warming up and stretching, the sooner you can get

yourself that new body you’ve been wanting.

The obvious risk is injury – without stretching your joints and activating The obvious risk is injury – without stretching your joints and activating

your muscles, sudden strain may very well cause damage. In addition,

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Chapter 10

3. Not Seeing the Line

Those who’ve just jumped into fitness often feel a huge adrenalin rush,

driving them forward like a steam engine. It’s natural that for success in

any type of sport or training, you need to push your body to the limits and

work on doing more and being faster. There is, however, a line between

pushing it to the limit and overtraining your body without letting it rest.

Commitment and being in touch with your body play a huge role in fitness.

It’s not only about doing one particular thing better than others – it’s It’s not only about doing one particular thing better than others – it’s

about making your body prepared for everything. This means that

everything you do must be tweaked to improve your performance, and

paying attention to your body needs is more important than ever. Don’t

just blindly mimic the pros, work your own way towards becoming one!

dynamic stretching gets blood pumping and prepares your body for what’s

to come, drastically improving your performance during the actual

workout.

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what you should know about getting fit

Documents

body workoutchapter

body wellkeep

proper workout routine

balanced workout

home tness

workout time limitchapter

body workoutthe key

lower body musclesputting