Kurt's Fitness Tips

I watch people everyday traveling down the “road to nowhere”.  I don’t blam them for a lack of effort, it’s just more of a lack of knowledge and understanding.  I appreciate all the hard work they put in, but the results would be much better if they would apply the same amount of effort to their diet and weight training.

The most common reason I see people do endless hours of cardio to no avail is that they have this assumption that they can do more cardio to compensate for a terrible diet.  They will “punish” themselves for having a cheeseburger for lunch.  The problem is that it doesn’t work like that.  Even though we have always been taught that weight loss is a matter of calories in vs. calories out, it is much more complicated than that.  Your body is much smarter than you are, believe me.

Another common misinterpretation is that cardio is for burning fat, and that weights are secondary to cardio in a weight loss plan for this reason.  That is 100% false.  Weight training is EQUALLY important regardless of gender when it comes to weight loss.  The more muscle you have and can retain while dieting, the faster your metabolism will be at rest.  Also while dieting and doing cardio it is hard to keep from burning muscle, let alone build or retain it, so if you don’t lift weights you will burn muscle and lose weight, yet still look fat.  Hormone secretion as a result of weight training is another reason.  Intense weight training releases muscle building and fat burning hormones that cardiovascular exercise will not.

Things to remember.  Diet is the most important part of a weight loss plan.  Head and tails above everything else.  If you need help with that ask a Blue Springs Fitness staff member for help.  Weight training actually comes before cardio, and needs to be performed intensly enough to cause hormone secretion and muscle growth.  The very LAST aspect of losing weight is cardio.  When it comes to cardio just do enough to continue burning fat at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week.  More is not better here.  Most people have everything in a weight loss plan completely backwards.  Heed this advice and you will get twice the results you have seen in any of your weight loss plans.

We have all seen the late night infomercials that claim they have the best and greatest abdominal training device ever invented. They all claim that you will lose 4 inches off your midsection in 2 weeks by using this device. With just 15 minutes of working out on said machine you will have razor sharp abs within 6 weeks!!!
Most of us know these claims are rediculous, but these companies prey on people who are misinformed about fat loss. Even though most people can see through these infomercials, I can tell you by working in this business that most people still are under the impression that you can burn fat in a certain area by working the muscle group that lies underneath. Such has burning fat on your abdominal region by doing crunches, or losing the jiggly fat on your arms by working your biceps or triceps.
The truth of the matter is that you can’t spot reduce fat by working the underlying muscle group in that area. When it comes to fat loss your body is only going to burn fat when there is a daily caloric deficiet created through either diet or cardiovascular exercise, or a combination of both. When you create a caloric deficiet and your body begins to burn fat for energy you cannot designate from which area your body takes it.
So although you may strengthen and build a certain muscle group, which could in fact make it look better, don’t be under the impression that you will burn fat in that target area. The only thing you can do to lose fat on that area of interest to you is to be patient, continue dieting, and stay the course. Your body generally takes fat from all areas of the body for energy, not from just one spot. Genetic differences also play a very large role in how and where our bodies store fat, as well as where our bodies take the fat from when we are dieting.
As always the staff at Blue Springs Fitness is always here to help.

At any one time walking into Blue Springs Fitness you will see people running on the treadmill, jogging around the track, or slowly doing cardio on an elliptical trainer. So which is the best way to perform cardio while in the gym, and on what machine?

As with anything there is no clear cut answer. When it comes to which type of cardiovascular exercise you should do I tell people to pick what they like to do the most. There are certain machines that are comfortable for some, but not others. I also recommend that people switch things up just like they would their weight training. This helps prevent over-use injuries, breaks the monotony, and works different muscle groups. If there are certain machines that you don’t like, and tend to be uncomfortable to you, then don’t do them.

The intensity that you perform cardio is a hotly debated topic in many fitness related forums. This is where a persons overall goals play the biggest role in what intensity they perform their cardiovascular exercise. Another big factor is a persons diet, and what the macronutrient breakdown of that diet is. A bodybuilder preparing for a competition is not concerned with cardiovascular exercise as it relates to conditiong of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system (aerobic capacity). The main goal for a bodybuilder is using cardio as a tool to strip fat off while maintaining as much muscle as possible in the process. Therefore I have competitive physique athletes perform cardio at a slow pace for a long duration.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a person that is looking to lose the most amount of weight in the shortest amount of time possible should perform a high intensity cardio program that increases the heart rate into an aerobic capacity. It is possible that muscle tissue will be lost in the process, but that would not be a huge concern in this situation. However endurance will be greatly increased, and the many health benefits that go along with it.

As with anything in the fitness industry there is not a cut and dry answer to this common question. This is a topic that you should cover with your trainer and ask his/her advice as it relates to your overall fitness goals. Staff at Blue Springs Fitness are always available for any questions that you may have.

There is often a misconception when it comes to working out that more is better. You have gotten spectacular results by working out for one hour 5 days a week, so just imagine how much more you could accomplish by working out for two hours a day for 7 days.

Believe it or not you will most likely end up going backwards by working out more and more. You are not a robot, and you have to give your body time to rest. What some people don’t realize is that you don’t grow muscle while your working out in the gym. Your muscle grow when your outside of the gym, and your muscle cells are regenerating themselves. If you keep pounding your body harder and harder without giving it ample time to recover what will end up happening is that your body will actually start breaking down muscle tissue in order to keep up with the demands you are placing on it. This is what is refered to as “overtraining”. You can look at your body like a sports car. You can run a sports car at redline for a short period of time without doing much damage, but if you run that same car at redline for an extended period of time then engine will blow.

Another factor in your training volume is the demand placed on your central nervous system. This is one of the main reasons that it’s important to keep your training sessions brief, but intense. It’s also the reason that you need to make sure that you get plenty of sleep each night as well as taking entire days off from the gym to recover.

So don’t fall into the trap that more is better. It’s not how much time you put in at the gym, it’s what you put into your workouts when your here. Come into the gym and push yourself hard, but don’t do it for hours on end. Try to limit weight training sessions to 45 minutes to one hour, and the same goes for cardio. When your outside of the gym make sure you are eating a good diet with high quality foods, and try to get 8-10 hours of sleep each night if you can. Unless you are training for a competition don’t come to the gym 7 days a week. Take a day or two off and rest.

All we hear about on the news is how our economy is shrinking, the value of our investments are spiraling downward, foreclosures are at record highs, etc.  Let’s face it, we are living in a stressful time.  Many people are out of jobs, and those who do have jobs are worried if they will still have one tomorrow.  One glance at your portfolio compared to two years ago is enough to make anybody stressed out!

I have a different view on what we are all going through right now though.  Although it is hard to get motivated to get to the gym when times are hard, it’s actually one of the most important times for people to workout.  We all need an outlet when we are stressed out, and unfortunately many people turn to negative outlets in order to relieve stress.  When you turn to a negative outlet to relieve your stress it seems like your problems only get progressively worse.  The stress in our lives is not going away, so it’s time to get to the gym and WORKOUT the stress.  Don’t make the mistake of using a negative outlet when you can come by Blue Springs Fitness and take it out on the weights, the treadmill, or even just come in and relax in the sauna or hot tub.

I’m encouraging people to not turn their back on the gym now, because this is quite honestly the best time I could think of for people to workout and start making themselves feel and look better.  Who knows, when it’s all said and done you might have the body you have always dreamed of, and all along made it through a stressful time in American History without resorting to a negative outlet.

I don’t need to go into the details of the numerous health problems that stress can have on the human body, we have heard them time and time again.  There is no sense in making a bad situation even worse by not taking care of your health.

Human beings can be creatures of habit.  We learn one way to do something and then continue to do the same thing for years on end.  With certain things that may be a good thing, but not when it comes to working out.  Your body will adapt to anything.  That includes working out, dieting, cardio, etc.  There is a saying that I love that sums up working out and dieting perfectly, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got”.

If you want to keep making progress you have to keep your body guessing.  It gets tired of doing the same thing day in and day out.  It adapts to it, and then you just end up spinning your wheels.  You need to change things up so your body doesn’t know what’s going on, and then your training gains will begin to take off again.  You have to throw your body a curve ball!

There are many ways to keep your body guessing.  You can totally revamp your workout program if that’s what you want to do.  Change exercises, change what muscle groups you do on certain days, or even change the order in which you do them.  You can even change the number of reps you use.  Whatever it is you have been doing, start doing something completely different.  Keep your body guessing!!  You can do high-reps, low-reps, drop sets, super-sets, rest-pause, negative, change the rep tempo, etc.  You may not be familiar with some of these terms, but you can have either a trainer or one of our staff help you.

The main thing you need to keep in mind is to not do the same exact thing day in and day out for weeks or months on end.  If you want your body to change, and adapt to a new stimulus, then you are going to have to try new things to keep it guessing.  Otherwise your body will just remain the same because it is “bored” with your current routine.

Blue Springs Fitness is promoting a twelve week program to help anyone reach their fitness goals. We are calling it Super Charge because when people work together and encourage one another,  fun and success follows.  Running for twelve consecutive Tuesday evenings the program begins March 25 at 9:00 PM.   Participants can attend a full evening of classes including 5:30 Cycle, 6:30 Body Sculpt, 7:30 Core Yoga Express and 8:00 Zumba. Participants will come together at 9:00 for a  half hour support group meeting with fitness professional AnnMarie Cotto.  Nutritional information and free on-line fitness tracking will be available.

    In addition to teaching Zumba, AnnMarie Cotto may be a familiar face because she was selected to be in a Zumba informercial.  She lost weight through fitness classes especially her favorite, Zumba. She is very suited from her professional training and experience to help you reach your fitness goals. She is knowledgeable , sympathetic , and motivating.

      Participants are encouraged to work with Scott Hamblen and his crew of professional trainers to reach their specific goals.  Blue Springs Fitness owner, Kurt Mueller, is offering a one year free membership to the participant who makes the most progress toward their fitness goals as judged by a four member panel.  Unlike other contests, dramatic weight loss is not the only way to win. Goals can also include putting on muscle, running faster, or even improving your golf game.  Some members will compete as teams including mothers and daughters. Teenage participants may also attend the Wednesday 3:15 pm Teens on Weights class
    This is not the first contest Blue Springs Fitness has offered. The Holiday Fitness Challenge ran from Thanksgiving to Valentines Day and had forty-eight member participants plus their invited guests.  Cheryl Sellick won a six month free membership, She had perfect attendence in five classes, brought friends and tried new classes. In addition, all participants were entered in a raffle for a $100 Mary Kay package.

    Owner Kurt Mueller enjoys offering these contests and special events to help members get the most out of their memberships and to encourage non-members to try all that we have to offer. Fees for the program are $45 for members and $60 for non-members. You may register by e-mailing fitness coordinator Pam Davenport at  Pam@bluespringsfitness.net or calling her at (816)785-4525 or by dropping by the gym. Questions can also be directed to AnnMarie at (816) 554-9383.

    If this particular program does not work for you , remember group classes are available six days a week, and the personal training staff is always available to help you.

The biggest misconception that I see in the gym business is that women think free weights are just for men.  For any female that wants to lose weight or sculpt her physique, free weights should most definately be included in their program.

Without getting too in depth, women don’t have high enough levels of the male hormone testosterone to become “muscle bound”.  Most women are afraid that they will become too muscular and become masculine looking if they train with free weights.  This is just not true, as it is physiologically impossible for a woman to build massive amounts of muscle naturally.

Added muscle is a good thing for men, women, young, and old.  As stated above, there are limited amounts of muscle a person can gain naturally given age, gender, genetics, and other factors.  But if we can get a person to increase their lean muscle tissue they will in turn increase their metabolic rate.  What this means is that even at rest a person who carries more muscle will burn more calories than those with less.  Muscle is an “active” tissue, which means that muscle requires energy (calories) in order to sustain intself.  Whereas “inactive” tissue, such as fat, does not require energy to sustain itself.

So my advice to all women is to at least include some basic free weight exercises into your routine.  Increasing lean muscle will allow you to burn more calories while your sitting at your desk, watching TV, and even sleeping.