Author: Mike Simone

  • FAQ: What kind of strength training should I do if I run a lot?

    FAQ: What kind of strength training should I do if I run a lot?

    Your focus should be on building or maintaining a solid base of core strength. If nothing else, that will take you a long way. 

    There are lots of core exercise options, but here are some top suggestions:

    • Bird dog, dead bug, plank variations (regular and side)
    • Curl-ups or leg lifts (lying or hanging)
    • Supermans, and any type of rotational movement, like cable chops.

    A combination of three or four of these movements for three sets of 8-12 reps every other day is a good standard.

    Next, strengthen your entire body, even your upper body, but place a bit more emphasis on your hips and backside (aka, the posterior chain). 

    Single-leg exercises, like the single-leg deadlift, are a great option. Glute bridges and hip hinges are also helpful supporting exercises for your hamstrings and glutes. And all other variations of deadlifts and squats are a good idea to incorporate for variety and ensuring there are no weak spots or “holes”. 

    For the upper body, basic chest presses and overhead presses are sufficient for “pushing” muscles and exercises like the row, pull-up, and or pulldown cover your “pulling” muscles. The goal here is to achieve balance throughout the body to improve performance while avoiding injury. 

    Finally, maintain and improve your mobility and flexibility by stretching throughout the day whenever possible. Move in different directions: Variations of spinal twists, quad, and hamstring stretches do the trick. 

    If you’re running several days per week, here’s a sample schedule: 

    For all exercises, three sets of 8-12 reps with 30-60 seconds rest between sets is a benchmark. 

    Day 1

    Upper body + core
    Core: bird dog row, regular and side planks
    Push: DB bench press, DB shoulder press, push-ups
    Pull: DB row, pull-ups, pulldowns
    Core: curl-ups or leg lifts, supermans 

    Day 2: off

    Day 3 (do on your lowest volume/intensity run day)

    Lower body + core
    Core: bird dog row
    Lower: single-leg deadlift, front squat, sumo squat, lunge
    Core: cable chops, regular and side planks

    Day 4: off

    Day 5

    Upper body + core
    Core: bird dog row, regular and side planks
    Push: DB bench press, DB shoulder press, push-ups
    Pull: DB row, pull-ups, pulldowns
    Core: curl-ups or leg lifts, supermans 

    Day 6 & 7: light core exercise, active recovery

     

  • FAQ: How do I stop food cravings?

    FAQ: How do I stop food cravings?

    It’s very possible a food craving is your body asking for something it needs. For example, if you’re craving salt, you may be dehydrated and actually need water (and salt). If you’re craving fatty foods, you could be low in omega 3s or 6s, which are essential fatty acids. Just hungry in general? You probably are, especially if you had a very active day. Commit to eating filling (high-fiber, high-protein) meals and snacks consistently and you’ll never reach a point where you’re ravenous and more likely to order the burger and fries.

    However, what’s more likely the case, especially if you’ve been struggling with losing a few extra pounds and have a tendency to snack late at night, could be either stress or an addiction to sugar. (See here—research proves sugar is actually addicting.)

    The best way to break that is by eliminating unnecessary junk foods. Sure, treating yourself or “cheating” every now and then is completely understandable, but if you’re in a habit of tapping into the sweet stuff, even if it’s a little, you could be working against yourself.

    From my experience, once I stopped eating certain foods, the longer I went without eating them, the more I forgot about them. I began “craving” the foods that helped me work out harder and have more energy throughout the day. If you give me a chocolate chip cookie right now, I’ll be hungry again in like 20 minutes and want two chocolate chip cookies tomorrow. But because I don’t eat that stuff, I don’t want that stuff. I love my homemade breakfast sandwiches, my wild salmon with sweet potatoes and asparagus, my low-carb tacos, and my protein popsicles. This is the stuff I crave now. And every once in a while, if I work out really hard and crave pizza, I listen to my body and have a slice. But more often than not, I’m looking forward to my next homemade meal right afterwards.

    It’s not going to happen overnight, getting rid of your cravings. It takes commitment and willpower to overcome them in the short-term so they disappear in the longterm. But I can tell you from personal experience that it’s 100% possible.

    If you’re looking for more eating advice, be sure to read our piece on intuitive eating here.

    RELATED FAQ: How often can I have a cheat meal? 

  • FAQ: Why do you do barefoot workouts?

    FAQ: Why do you do barefoot workouts?

    We post a lot of barefoot workouts and photos, not all, but a lot.

    I’ve been training barefoot for a very long time and quite simply, enjoy it. I grew up near the beach, and one of my original home gyms is low key and underground so it’s fun to do my thing with no shoes. What’s more is that I have a very deep connection with exercise, and I enjoy the primitiveness of going barefoot. Then there’s the functionality part. I think it helps my deadlifts, squats, lunges, and single-leg work. Does research back that up? I don’t know. Probably not. But as someone that’s been doing this a very long time, it’s just something I know I enjoy and makes me feel more connected during my workouts. Will I do it at your gym? Probably not. But if I’m on home turf or at a gym that allows it, absolutely. 

    Should you try barefoot workouts? Sure, if you want.

    Try squatting or deadlifting with shoes, then try squatting and deadlifting without shoes. When you do so, think about all of the little muscles in your feet, toes, and calves. Doesn’t it feel like you can stick to the floor a little bit easier barefoot? If not, try concentrating a little harder. 

    You might like it. You might not. 

    Get a workout plan that works, try any of our 30 free ones. For some of our extended programs, check out the Size, Strength, and Shred Cycle (intermediates) or the 12-week Accelerated Starter’s Plan (beginners). Totally new to this stuff? Check out our 4-week Very Beginner workout plan.

     

  • FAQ: Can I do cardio and strength training in the same workout?

    FAQ: Can I do cardio and strength training in the same workout?

    Yes, but you’ll need to balance the two in a way that’s appropriate for your goals. 

    The principle of specificity states that if you want to improve at a particular skill, you need to train in that skill. Even more simply put: If you want to get strong, you’ve got to strength train. If you want to run a marathon, you need to run. That doesn’t mean you can’t (or shouldn’t) work in other training components, but there should be a focus.

    Personally, I want to maintain muscle (both size and strength) so strength training is a primary piece. I also want lungs to go the distance, so cardio is worked in as well. Most times they are separate sessions, other times they are blended. This is where it gets tricky and very individualized.

    What I watch for:

    If my strength or size is dwindling, then I’ll cut back on the mileage or time on feet per week. If my strength is maintained or improving, then I know I can add more miles or time. 

    Ways I do it:

    I wouldn’t typically add a very long cardio sessions (40-60+ minutes) to a strength workout because it would be too taxing on my body and not allow me to be my strongest on lifts. But shorter (15-20 minutes) interval-style workouts compliment strength training because they add some metabolic conditioning. Those supplemental short cardio sessions would be added to the end of the workout, not at the beginning. 

    However, there are times where a good challenge is in order: I’ll run massive distance and strength train, but that usually would require a couple days recovery afterwards and cannot be sustained.

    Overall, there are lots of caveats or variables to this question. 

    Make things easy on yourself: follow one of our 30+ free workout plans, we take the guesswork out of it all. Or, download the Size, Strength, and Shred Cycle or the 12-week Accelerated Starter’s plan. 

    Need more hands-on attention to your programming, check out digitalfitnessadvisor.com

  • FAQ: I haven’t worked out in years! How do I get strong and lean?

    FAQ: I haven’t worked out in years! How do I get strong and lean?

    There are a lot of factors that go into the answer to that: how fit you are at the moment, how fit you were in the past, how well-versed in different exercises you are, and what types of injuries do (or don’t) you have.

    Let’s say you’re very beginner. Like, very, very beginner, and you frequently have body aches in your low back, knees, and/or neck.

    First, go to your doctor to get all the injures checked out to make sure there is nothing structurally wrong and you’re cleared to exercise. If you’ve gotten the go-ahead from the doc, then chances are, a lot of your aches and pains could be because you’ve gotten poor mobility, stability, and core strength. Things like inactivity, sitting at a desk all day, etc. all lead to muscular imbalances and tightness.

    While there are specific exercises you can do to target those achy areas (which you can see here), the larger issue goes back to mobility, stability, and core strength. That said, you’ll want to check out our new 4-week Very Beginner workout plan to getting your body back.

    In this plan, you’ll start from the ground floor and build up.

    If you don’t quite think you’re at the very beginner level and know your way around the gym, then you should jump ahead and start with the Foundation plan or the Introduction plan. If you’re in the intermediate camp, and have worked out regularly in the past, then check out our Reconstruction plan or Redemption plan. (Or, pick something from our full list of 30+ free workout plans)

    RELATED FAQs:
    How long does it take to see results from a workout plan?
    Is cardio the best way to lose weight?

  • FAQ: Why are there different reps, sets, and rest periods in a workout plan?

    FAQ: Why are there different reps, sets, and rest periods in a workout plan?

    For increasing strength, rep ranges are typically around 6-10. For increasing muscular size, 8-12. For endurance, 12+. For power development, reps are usually under 6 and explosive in execution.

    As for rest periods, endurance or high rep exercise is usually on the lower end (30 seconds or less) to keep you working to build up that endurance (and if you’re training at high reps, that usually means you’re training with lower resistance and you can naturally recover a bit quicker than if you were going very heavy).

    Strength and power rep ranges usually are longer in the 60 second to 2 minute, or even 3+ minute range to allow the muscle to recover between very heavy bouts of exercise. Muscular size rest periods usually vary, they can be as low as 30 seconds to as high as 60 or 90 seconds. There are some caveats and nuances to this (lots of science-y stuff), but for the most part it’s to allow enough recovery while still keeping the muscle working.

    The one thing that remains relatively consistent no matter the goal is sets: the total amount of work. It’s usually in 3-5 set range, and can vary based on how often you’re training, what level of fitness you’re at, and if you’re scaling up or scaling down your workouts.

    Related FAQ: How long does it take to see results from a workout plan?

    Also, the type of exercise and style of training plays a role. Take box jumps, for example. In CrossFit, you’ll see high reps for speed or time. They are used as a power move and a conditioning move. But traditional athletic trainers would argue it’s a power exercise and the reps should be very low. And bodybuilders, which would be another category, don’t typically even use them at all.

    Here’s a good way to approach your reps, sets, and rest periods during a workout:

    Want to build a leaner, stronger physique and less interested in being a professional athlete or OCR champion? Focus on strength and size reps (6-10 / 8-12) and rest periods (30 – 60 seconds on higher reps; 60, 90, 120 seconds on the lower reps) as the priority. Old school bodybuilding approach to exercise works best for this physique-driven goal. If you want a little more well-roundedness, work in the higher rep endurance stuff and even a few power moves but keep the focus on the other stuff.

    Basic example: two-four weeks of low reps, high rest followed by two-fours weeks of high reps, lower rest. Or, alternate between low reps and high rep weeks.

    Related FAQ: Is cardio the best way to lose weight?

    Want to optimize your athleticism? A good base of strength and endurance will take you far, but smart programming for power (and agility: not mentioned here) would be wise. For exercises and following training plans that replicate your sport also makes sense. Example: OCR athletes, surfers, soccer players, etc.

    Here are plans for your physique: our 30+ free workout plans
    And here’s how programming for an athlete might look: The contender’s plan

    For personalized consultations, go to digitalfitnessadvisor.com

  • FAQ: Do I need to work out to failure?

    FAQ: Do I need to work out to failure?

    When you work out to failure you’re working a muscle (or muscles) to complete exhaustion. Doing so forces your body to come back stronger or more efficient. There are a lot of different ways to approach it, and without getting too technical or diving into specific training intensity percentages such as 60%, 70% 80% max, etc., it all centers around the concept of progressive overload. Quite simply: when you progressively overload your muscles, they adapt to what you challenged it with, and as a result, they should be able to do/handle more after recovering. If you’re bailing out of an exercise too early, it’s going to be a lot harder to see progress.

    However, here are the caveats of failure training:

    Training to failure all the time can be risky. Any time you’re challenging your body and muscles to their limit, there are breaking points. Everyone is different and might perceive failure at different times. Some people can naturally push until they are completely fatigued, others might want to stop at the first minor instance of discomfort. A good rule of thumb to follow when training to failure is to always maintain good form; once your form breaks down and you start recruiting other muscles or “cheating”, you’ve probably pushed too far past failure. This is when you can get hurt. 

    As far as how much to train to failure, this also varies from person to person. When it comes to strength training, if your joints start to ache or you’re completely exhausted everyday, chances are you’ve trained to failure for too long and it’s best to back off. You can train sub-maximally, but still try to do a little bit more with each week so you’re still progressing or continuing to progressively overload your muscles and body.

    You could do sub-maximal or lower intensity workouts every other day, or go hard and heavy for a couple weeks, then go lighter and easier for a couple weeks, etc. But, for the most part, training to failure is without a doubt the fastest way to get results.

    You’ve probably heard “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” That’s pretty much spot on.

    By the way, the #1 reason fail to hit their fitness goals is eating wrong. Check out our piece on intuitive eating for lean muscle.

    Don’t want to overthink getting fit? Follow one of our 30+ free workout plans. Need more personalized guidance? check out digitalfitnessadvisor.com.

    Other FAQs you might like:
    Is cardio the best way to lose weight?
    How long does it take to see results from a workout plan?

  • FAQ: Why does my low back ache?

    FAQ: Why does my low back ache?

    You’re not alone, low back pain or ache is one of the biggest complaints people ask about. 

    Did you sleep weird? Maybe. Did you work out too much or too hard? Maybe. Did you squat or deadlift or run with questionable form? Maybe. Is there something structurally wrong? Well, that’s a maybe too. 

    The real culprit is most likely a weak core and poor mobility. Here’s why: your core is exactly what it sounds like, it’s your core, and as you could imagine, you want a strong core to support your daily life and sport. 

    Related: 25 ways to give your core a great workout

    Before diving deeper into the core and mobility discussion, first things  first: Definitely get checked out by your doctor to make sure there is nothing structurally wrong. If you’re all good there, then chances are it’s the tightness and weakness. 

    If you have a desk job, or you sit a lot, your core muscles get weak, your hips and hamstrings get tight. You might even notice that your low back has a big arch to it. That’s called lordosis, and it’s usually caused by the issues listed above. 

    So what can you do about low back pain?

    Mobilize your hips and spine, give your hip flexors and hamstrings a good stretch regularly, and strengthen your core muscles with a variety of different exercises—that’s the high-level plan. 

    How do you get that done?

    Try doing core-specific exercise at least three days per week. This might mean something like a plank (which is a static stabilizing exercise), a chopping exercise (which is rotational), a basic crunch (which is a flexion exercise), a Superman (which is an extension exercise), and a bird dog or bird dog row (which is sort of a combination). Some experts would say you want to move in all “three planes of motion.”

    Related FAQ: What’s the best way to work out my abs?

    Basic hip flexor and hamstring stretches like the child’s pose or sit and reach could be done daily. Giving the hip joint some love with 90/90 openers and ankle lifts could be a good daily move too. 

    Need an example? Try this low-intensity mobility-enhancing workout. You could also try this one. 

    You should also use a foam roller or lacrosse ball around your hip joints and glutes daily, if you can. Even as little as 5 minutes can make a difference. 

    This won’t be a cure, but if you haven’t been focusing on any core or mobility work, it would be a surprise if you didn’t start to see some relief. 

    And remember, consistency is key. A couple days of stretching and crunches isn’t going to cut it. You’ve got to get with a regular routine. 

    If you want a great customized plan to strengthen and alleviate more aches and pains, check out our new exclusive service at ‪DigitalFitnessAdvisor.com‬

  • FAQ: How much do I need to warm up before a workout?

    FAQ: How much do I need to warm up before a workout?

    The best analogy to the warm up is to think of your muscles and tendons as a rubber band. A cold rubber band wouldn’t be as pliable as a warm rubber band—it would probably break more easily if it was stretched too far. So warming up pre-workout is necessary to prevent injury and help you tap into your full range of motion in each exercise (which will actually help you be way more effective in said exercises). 

    But! It’s quite possible to warm up too much. A lot of what happens in the fitness industry is that a topic gets brought up and it gets beaten to death. How many times have you seen videos with dozens of warm-up exercises? When are you actually going to work out, right? 

    Here’s our take: You know what it feels like to work out when you didn’t warm up enough, right? (If not, we’ll fill you in: You’ll feel stiff and probably a little slow-moving. You won’t be able to get your full depth in a squat or gracefully execute an overhead press.) The key is to warm up until you feel good. Once you feel good, make it happen.

    If you need more of a concrete answer, here you go:

    If you’re training for aesthetic purposes, a few reps at incredibly sub-maximal effort of the exercise you’re going to be doing should be sufficient. For example: Say you’re going to do an upper-body or chest and shoulders workout. A set or two of slow push-ups, some shoulder circles, and some band pull-aparts should do the trick.

    If you’re really going to be tossing some heavy weight, you could do a set of 2 or 3 reps with moderate weight. For lower-body stuff like a squat, deadlift, or leg days, you could do hip flexor stretch, hip swings, bodyweight squats, lateral lunges, and planks to wake your core muscles up. Follow that up with a set or two of sub maximal squats or deads, of say 5 reps at 50% max.

    If you plan on doing a lot of explosive sports performance stuff, you’ll want to do what’s listed above, but with a bit more of the dynamic movements like a few lateral hops or jump squats. Do these all at a slow controlled pace to prep your nervous system along with warming everything up. For more, check out this post on warming up.

    And since there’s not “right” way to do it, you may want to try:

    This post-run cool down could work as a warm-up

    This athletic warm-up is another good approach too

    Other FAQs you may like:

    How long does it take to see results from a workout plan?

    How do I get back into working out after taking time off?

    Need a complete workout plan? Try one of our 30 free programs here. Or, you could download one of our premium PDFs here.

    Want something completely customized? Check out DigitalFitnessAdvisor.com.

  • The care-free summer workout plan

    The care-free summer workout plan

    The care-free summer workout plan is not: Work, eat, sleep, chill, repeat until Labor Day.

    Care-free can mean very different things to different people, but in this case it means to just do what you’ve got to do to get it in. Have fun with it, don’t stress missing workouts or not knowing what to do.

    You know what it takes to get fit or stay fit. Keep moving and eat clean. Side note: Read this piece on intuitive eating or this incredible 12-week body transformation, if you’re stuck on the diet stuff.

    The care-free summer workout plan is great for anyone—beginner or advanced—because it’s flexible and basic.

    Best use for the care-free summer workout plan

    Get fit or stay fit without having to think (or stress) so hard about what to do.

    Rules of the care-free summer workout plan

    There’s one and only one. Commit to doing your best. Do whatever it is you can, where ever you can, any way you can.

    The preferred and suggested care-free summer workout plan

    Try to get in the gym two to three days per week to lift weights. There are two to pick from below.

    Get two cardio sessions in a week: one interval day and one longer day. For intervals, try one of these HIIT workouts. For the longer days, you could run, swim, bike, hike, etc. for 30, 40, or more minutes. (Coming soon: fresh cardio workouts)

    Casually stretch throughout the day, and most definitely at night. Check out these moves you can do in bed or at the office. These low-intensity workouts do the trick too.

    This will help maintain a good level of cardiovascular endurance, increase muscular strength, and maintain or improve flexibility and mobility. We recommend 4-6 weeks on this plan. You could continue it longer if you’re still seeing results.

    The Full Body Workouts

    Option 1: “Summer kickoff full strength circuit”

    You could do this workout up to three days per week with a day of rest (or other activities) in between. Complete all of the exercises as a circuit for 5 or more rounds. Depending on your fitness level or how you’re feeling, you could do more or fewer rounds. Keep your rest periods to a minimum so there is an endurance and cardio element to the workout.

    Reverse lunge x 5 reps per side with immediate transition to front squat x 10 reps
    Bent-over row x 10 reps
    Alternating dumbbell press x 10 reps
    Bench curl up x 10 reps

    You’ll want to supplement this with some daily stretching and a longer duration cardio workout, such as a distance run. Some additional core training could be worked in but watch for any exercise redundancies as there is a core-taxing exercise within the circuit above.

    Option 2: “5 rounds of 5 moves for just about everything”

    This workout is very similar to the “Summer kickoff full strength circuit’. Same suggestions apply: up to three days per week, move through the exercises quickly for a strength+cardio combo. Do more or fewer rounds depending on your abilities or how you feel.

    Complete 5 rounds, quickly but with good form, and keep rest periods to a minimum.

    Overhead press x 10 reps
    Single-leg deadlift x 10 reps per side
    Front squat x 10 reps
    Plank row x 5 reps per side
    Dumbbell push-up x 10

    The Add-on Workouts

    You could add these workouts onto the ones above, or use them if you’re traveling or tight on time.

    “4 for the core”

    A workout like this could be done up to 5 days per week or more if you’re not doing much else. If you’re coupling it up with strength training (like the workouts above) and endurance training, then 2 or 3 days per week with a day of rest in between would work.

    Complete 5 rounds of the follow exercises in a circuit:

    Hanging knee raise x 10 reps
    Bird dog row x 10 reps per side
    Static squat hold + plate rotation x 10 reps (5 or 10 per side)
    Low lunge/mountain climber x 10 reps per side

    Keep rest periods to a minimum.

    Can’t do this workout? Then try any of our other 25 ways to give your core a great workout. You’ll find one you like.

    “No BS bodyweight conditioning”

    You could probably, very easily, do this workout 7 days per week, but it would be most useful as a supplemental workout done a couple times per week. Maybe when traveling or tight on time.

    Complete 7-10 rounds as quickly as possible. Keep rest to a minimum for a good cardio challenge.

    High knees x 30s
    Push-up x10
    Squat x 30s
    Controlled mountain climber x 10 per side

    Need a little more structure to your workouts? Check out any of our 30+ free plans. How about something highly-personalized? Check out digitalfitnessadvisor.com