SUCCEED IN PLANNING
THEN PLAN ON SUCCEEDING!
by Tony Burrows C.P.T

Before an athlete commits himself to any kind of competition, he will first determine the desired outcome and then go about planning the best strategy for achieving it. To anyone serious about achieving their goals. the consequences of failure are far too costly to be taken lightly. This does not just mean athletes, but anyone with health problems that need addressed, anyone where physical fitness is a part of their work, or anyone that wants to enjoy life for all it's worth.

Before you start any fitness program, consider your goals, consider the time required to achieve them and how dedicated you are to changing certain lifestyle habits in order to reach those goals. The foundation of your fitness plan should be based on these three cornerstones...

1. Proper cardiovascular duration, type and intensity. It does you no good to do cardiovascular so slowly that you don't tax your system adequately and thus get the fat burning benefits as well as heart benefits. It also is not an efficient use of your time to do cardiovascular so fast that you burn muscle rather than body fat. I advise getting together with a Certified Personal Trainer! that is knowledgeable in determining the proper heart rate that you need to be at to get the most out of your cardiovascular sessions. The next step is to calculate the length of time each session needs to be to achieve your desired goals. Now choose the best type of cardiovascular you need to use according to your current fitness level, age, goals and any physical limitations. The choices are abundant; aerobics, running, biking, treadmills etc...

2. Correct weight training technique, schedule, form and weight. There are three (3 ) results that can be achieved in every human with regard to body composition. Definition, which goes hand Hi hand with body fat loss, Strength, which increases the density and efficiency of each muscle fiber, and Mass, which hypertrophies or increases the size of each muscle fiber. Each program has it's particular amount of repetitions, repetition speed, sets and rest periods between sets that make that program more efficient. Your trainer can assist you with the proper program. Your body will adjust or plateau after a certain amount of time to each program, so it will be beneficial to alternate periodically between programs.

3. A healthy nutritional plan to compliment your workouts. Eating the proper nutrients, in the right amounts, at the right times, will assist you in either, losing weight, gaining weight, getting stronger, increasing mass or improving endurance. The correct balance of proteins. carbohydrates and fats will compliment the fitness program that you are on. I feel that limiting your daily intake of processed flour and processed sugar ( which promote fat storage in the adipose cells, due to increasing your insulin level ) is the most important step you can take to total health.

Of the three ingredients required in a fitness program, I feel strongly that 60% is nutrition, 20% is weight training, and 20% is cardiovascular. The rest of your life is right around the comer, are you ready for it? My prayers are with every one of you.

Tony Burrows C.P.T.