Strength Training Archives - Grand Rapids Personal Trainer

DIETS Don’t Work

August 3rd, 2021 by Debbie Martilotta

D.I.E.T. Let’s break this word down to the 1st 3 letters DIE, not very motivating!

A diet typically involves avoidance, restriction, and often a time period, which, in the long run, is very difficult to maintain. Most diets are not even made for maintenance or long-term use, so why are so many of you doing them?

Most people who go on diets soon gain back any lost weight, a UCLA study suggests. Why don’t diets work? The first is that it’s just plain hard for people to change their eating behaviors. And the second reason is that even if you do succeed at a diet, the rule of diminishing returns comes into play.

Most who go on diets gain the weight back; lifestyle changes are needed

Lifestyle changes will work if you have realistic expectations, good support, and choose a plan that you can stick with — a plan that will give you moderate change over a long time. Most people who have a healthy weight have to work at it.

Elements of this lifestyle change include moderating food intake, increasing physical activity, managing stress without food, and getting treatment for depression and other illnesses that get in the way.

A healthy lifestyle is easier than you think

Changing your eating and physical activity habits can be difficult at first. But once you’ve started, it’s easy to sustain. Here are a few tips to help ease the transition:

Combine an active lifestyle with healthy eating.
Make small, achievable, lifelong changes to your lifestyle and eating habits.
Fill up on nutritious foods.
Keep portions moderate in size.
Eat until you have had enough – not until you are full.
Do your best to avoid eating when you are not hungry.
Recognize that on some days you might be hungrier than on other days.
Eat slowly and enjoy your food and put your fork down between bites.
Reduce the amount of ‘extra’ or ‘sometimes’ foods that you eat.
Be active with daily activity you enjoy, keep your body moving
Lift heavy! Our bodies want challenges. Hire a personal trainer to challenge you.
Recognize the difference between hunger and boredom.

Once a wide range of nutritious foods and physical activity becomes part of your everyday routine, the idea of “D.I.E.T.ing” will start to seem strange.

Food: What We Are Made From

July 27th, 2021 by Debbie Martilotta

Some advice is just so sound that I feel the need to share it. Your diet and nutrition are hugely important!

Every cell in our body turns over every 7 years. Some turn over daily, some weekly, and some take longer. Ever wonder how we make new cells, organs, tissues, skin, muscles, bone, and even brain cells? The raw materials all come from what we eat. Do you want to be made of Doritos or grass-fed steak? Coca-cola or wild blueberries?

Our structure, which determines our function, is dependent on what we eat. The building blocks—the proteins, fats, minerals, and more, make up who we are.

If you are a healthy, lean male, your body is made up of 62 percent water, 16 percent protein, 16 percent fat, 6 percent minerals, less than 1 percent carbohydrate, and small amounts of vitamins. The problem is that our processed diet is about 50 to 60 percent carbohydrate, mostly low-quality, refined starches and sugars that are the raw materials for processed food.

Funny enough, we are not actually made of carbohydrates and they are not considered an essential nutrient. If those carbs don’t become our structure, where do they go? We burn some, but most get turned into dangerous disease-causing belly fat.

Every part of you has a structure and function. If you are made out of poor-quality parts, you will create a poorly functioning body.

Muscle loss and bone loss are huge factors in aging and age-related diseases. Muscle is where our metabolism is (low muscle mass equals slow metabolism and worse). The effect of poor quality muscles is an increase in diabetes, inflammation, and aging.

Imagine building your house out of rotten wood or disintegrating bricks. Why would you build your body from defective ingredients? For example, we need the best quality fats—our brain is 60 percent fat, our nerve coverings are all made from fat, every one of your 10 trillion cells is wrapped in a little fatty membrane. Do you really want to make them from oxidized damaged refined oils in your French fries or KFC?

We also need the best quality protein. The body makes most of its important molecules from protein including muscle, cells, and immune molecules. Not all protein is the same. The best type of protein to build muscle is other muscle—animal protein. You can get protein from plant foods, but the quality is lower and it has lower levels of key amino acids needed to synthesize new muscle, especially the branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and also lysine and sulfur-based amino acids). And don’t forget all the vitamins and minerals we need to build tissues, muscles, and bones, including vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and more.

Next time you chomp down on something, ask yourself if you are fine with it becoming part of you for the long term. If not, don’t eat it and find the best quality ingredients you can, ingredients that help you thrive!

by Mark Hyman MD

The 5 Best Strength-Training Moves For Your Hearts’ Health

June 22nd, 2021 by Debbie Martilotta

There are certain types of workouts, like running and spinning, that we know are good for our hearts. They are, after all, literally called “cardiovascular exercises.”

But if you want to keep that blood pumping at peak capacity, those daily three-mile jogs can’t do the job on all on their own. So grab a set of heavyweights because cardiologists say that regular strength and resistance training is more important to heart health than you might have realized.

According to Satjit Bhusri, MD, board-certified cardiologist, heavyweight training is similar to sprinting in that you can only do both for a short amount of time because it requires such high amounts of energy exertion.

“Your heart doesn’t know what exercise you are doing—it’s a pump and it’s built to meet supply and demand—so the higher the demand, or intensity of the exercise, the more blood that is needed to meet those demands,” he says. The result? Increased heart rate and blood pressure, which help to strengthen the organ over time. If you need more proof, a 2019 study found that combination training (aka integrating aerobic and anaerobic workouts throughout the week) increased lean body mass, strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness better than an aerobic-only routine.

In addition to boosting your heart health, Dr. Bhuari adds that strength training also has the ability to build muscle, improve bone strength, and ultimately help you perform daily activities more easily. “The end result allows a person to be more active in their everyday life while improving their overall quality of life, too,” he says. “Also, the increased cardiac output correlated with strength training helps control and lower a person’s blood pressure.”

In order to reap the maximum benefits from your strength-training workouts, Dr. Bhuari recommends exercises that work multiple joints at the same time. “Multi-joint exercises help improve coordination, flexibility, burns more calories, and elevates cardiac output compared to simple movement strength exercises,” says Dr. Bhusari. Here are a few of his favorites.

1. Squat
2. Lunge
3. Bench press
4. Shoulder press
5. Plank

Click here to read the original Well + Good article

Are You In “Shape”?

May 10th, 2021 by Debbie Martilotta

Whether you are in shape or not is often based almost solely on how you look, or how your clothes fit. Yet, how your body performs with regards to strength and stamina as well as a range of motion is even more important. This is where I like to suggest you ditch your scale.

If you are seeing yourself as too lean or too pudgy, we can work on your diet. But weight alone is not the true story when discussing your level of fitness or health.

It seems counterintuitive but strength comes first. You may be thin but your engines may also be small thus weak. In the long run, you are not well protected from disease and aging. On the other hand, you may be “chunky” but have plenty of muscle to protect your organs and skeletal structure. I like to encourage strength and flexibility testing to establish basic fitness and better assess susceptibility to disease and age-related decay.

Strength training is my go-to for all clients. If you can lift heavy, complete 2 30-minute sessions per week aerobically and you are enjoying an active life, able to physically pursue your interests, then I’m confident you are fit. If your “shape” is not what you were hoping for, we can work together on your diet and nutrition.

It is true, we have a mental image of what “fit” looks like, but from my experience, not every client falls into that look.

How To Build Muscle Fast

October 26th, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

Strength training is a great way to build muscle and see results more quickly than with other types of workouts. If you’re looking to jump-start muscle growth, beginning a new routine that challenges your muscles is key. You’ll probably feel shaky during those first few sets, but as the brain and body begin to adapt to your new exercise routine, you’ll gain strength as long as your training is consistent.

The most conventional exercise to induce muscle growth is resistance (strength) training.

Building muscle won’t happen overnight, but with the right fitness and nutrition regimen, you can start to see results in just a few months.

Muscles are made up of two different types of individual muscle fibers: type one and type two.

Type one muscle fibers, also known as slow-twitch muscle fibers, are aerobic. They’re resistant to fatigue and focused on smaller movements that can be sustained for long periods.
Type two muscle fibers, also known as fast-twitch muscle fibers, get tired more easily but allow for more powerful movements. Type two muscle fibers contain more blood supply than type one fibers.

Endurance and aerobic exercise build more type one muscle fibers, while strength training builds more type two muscle fibers. That means you’ll likely see results with muscle growth faster with strength training than other types of exercise.

Exercises for building muscle
Focus on functional strength and mobility with a whole-body approach to strength training. Here are some of those exercises and the muscle groups they work:

Glute bridges: abs, hamstrings, and lower back
Squats: glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and abs
Push-ups: chest, shoulders, abs, and triceps
Lateral lunges: glutes, hamstrings, and quads
Planks: whole body
Reverse lunge with rotation: whole body
Bent over row: back, shoulders, and arms
Single leg Romanian deadlift: whole body

When these exercises become easy, you can increase your reps or increase the weights. If you want to build your muscles faster, go with the increase in weights.

A 30-minute workout is enough to build muscle and maintain functional strength. However, the duration of the workout doesn’t matter as much as the number of sets per week and the mechanical stress that occurs in a given session. To induce muscle growth, aim for 10 to 20 sets per week, per body part. Cardio can help build muscle, too, but it will be slower than strength training.

Don’t forget about progressive overload. Gradually add sets, weight, or reps to increase stress on the body and to keep building muscle. For example, if you’re lifting 10-pound dumbbells, you might find it difficult at first. After a time, lifting those dumbbells will start to get easier because you’re building muscle and getting stronger. If you continue to lift those 10-pound dumbbells you’re not going to build muscle. You’ll stay the same. You have to make your regimen more strenuous again.

Make sure you’re getting enough protein to fuel the muscle growth, getting enough sleep every night, and resting your muscle groups in between workouts. This is everything we do at DBM Strength Training and I love this article, read it directly from the Insider here.

Gyms Are Back In Business – But We Are Not All The Same

September 21st, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

Like me, you might be soooo happy that your gym has reopened with COVID precautions in place – or maybe not. Not all gyms are the same and if you had been a member of a large gym, maybe you are not ready to return.

We are all unique individuals and have our own comfort levels with handling this pandemic. If you are looking for a great, guided workout without the masses, maybe DBM Strength Training is right for you.

My training model has always been based on very personal training. My semi-private sessions consist of 2-3 clients at a time, for 30 minutes of intensely focused training. I direct the exercise plan, the weight used, form, and progress of each of my clients, typically twice per week. It is rare that there is ever more than 6 people in my studio at any given time, and typically fewer.

I do offer group classes twice per week for those clients that like to mix a class with a session weekly, but again and by design, those classes consist of less than 10 students in the studio (I do offer a Zoom link for clients who prefer to be at home).

If you are ready for a different training program and really miss working out, maybe not yet ready to re-enter your larger gym, let’s connect. I’d be happy to show you my studio and discuss your personal training plan!

The Surprising Benefits of Weight Training

February 5th, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

The most common misconception about weight training is that it adds bulky muscle mass, a fear of some women. While elite male lifters can — and want to — get very developed, for most people the result is simply well-toned muscles.

Other benefits are increased mobility, more support for your joints and the ability to stay self-sufficient in your later years.

As an added bonus, having more muscle can also help you with your weight goal. That’s because the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate and the more calories you burn. Add a calorie cut into the mix and you’ll lose weight.

Muscle is denser than fat and it also takes up less room. That’s why you can look leaner yet actually weigh more than someone without muscle definition.

To make the most of strength training, lift heavier weights than you think you’re able to. Yes, challenge yourself, staying within safe limits. You don’t want to try to lift a weight you can barely pick up off the weight rack, but most people underestimate the amount they can handle or fail to progress to heavier weights, according to the American Council on Exercise, and that limits the effectiveness of strength training.

Keep in mind, too, that you don’t have to spend hours in the gym. All you need are 20 to 30 minutes every other day to accomplish training goals. Do one to three short sets — eight reps per set — with high weights and a mix of exercises that target all the major muscle groups.

If you’re new to strength training, get your doctor’s OK first and work with a trainer on proper form.

Our recommendation is 2 30 -minute sessions or group class + session each week, along with a clean diet, and you’ll be amazed at how good you feel, and look!

By Len Canter
HealthDay Reporter, U.S. News

Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier

October 15th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Want to reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently? Strength training to the rescue! Strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness for everyone.

Use it or lose it

Lean muscle mass naturally diminishes with age.

You’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body if you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose over time. Strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass at any age.

Strength training may also help you:

Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Manage your weight. Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.
Enhance your quality of life Strength training may enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This can help you maintain independence as you age.
Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression, and diabetes.
Sharpen your thinking skills. Some research suggests that regular strength training and aerobic exercise may help improve thinking and learning skills for older adults.

Consider the options

Strength training can be done at home or in the gym. Common choices include:

Bodyweight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try pushups, pullups, planks and leg squats.
Resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is an inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store.
Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools. If you don’t have weights at home, you can use soup cans.
Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can invest in weight machines for use at home, too.

Getting started

If you have a chronic condition, or if you’re older than age 40 and you haven’t been active recently, check with your doctor before beginning a strength training or aerobic fitness program.

Before beginning strength training, consider warming up with brisk walking or another aerobic activity for five or 10 minutes. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles.

Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions. When you can easily do more repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance.

Research shows that a single set of 12 to 15 repetitions with the proper weight can build muscle efficiently in most people and can be as effective as three sets of the same exercise.

To give your muscles time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group.

Also, be careful to listen to your body. If a strength training exercise causes pain, stop the exercise. Consider trying a lower weight or trying it again in a few days.

It’s important to use proper technique in strength training to avoid injuries. If you’re new to weight training, work with a trainer or other fitness specialist to learn the correct form and technique. Remember to breathe as you strength train.

When to expect results

You don’t need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. You can see significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20- or 30-minute weight training sessions a week.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends incorporating strength training exercises for all major muscle groups into a fitness routine at least two times a week.

As you incorporate strength training exercises into your fitness routine, you may notice an improvement in your strength over time. As your muscle mass increases, you’ll likely be able to lift weight more easily and for longer periods of time. If you keep it up, you can continue to increase your strength, even if you’re not in shape when you begin.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Don’t Let Pain Sideline Your Workout

September 24th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Life comes with pain, but that does not mean you have to miss out on the moments that make up your life story. Thanks to Green Roads Muscle and Joint Relief Cream, you don’t have to worry about the minor aches and pains of life holding you back.

If you know me, you know that I am very picky about what I eat and put on my body. I choose organic all the time. I want to use the best and “cleanest” ingredients and stress this to my clients also. When a couple of clients asked me about CBD for pain and muscle soreness, I did my research. A trainer is only as good as their advice and guidance, and their clients’ well-being must come 1st! I chose to carry the Green Roads Wellness product and am happy to offer their CBD Pain Cream in my gym.

Green Roads CBD pain cream is infused with menthol, lavender oil, vitamin E, pure CBD & more. It is the best CBD topical cream for pain relief & inflammation and offers a great solution for aches and pains. Simply rub into stiff, painful joints and muscles for fast, effective relief.

As always, every Green Roads product is infused with hemp-derived CBD, extracted from the hemp plant via supercritical CO2 extraction, then winterized to purify the concentrated CBD and purge all unwanted plant products/cannabinoids from the final product. In addition, their Relief Cream is infused with menthol, chamomile extract, and lavender oil to bring you the relief you need and the pleasant aroma you desire, without leaving a greasy residue behind.

Wow, we have been waiting for this CBD Pain Cream. In the past, there have been pain creams for muscle and joint pain, but they were far too weak to be effective. We couldn’t understand why manufacturers were making these creams too low of a CBD concentration. This cream does the job with the right concentration of CBD with the familiar menthol smell you are already know – highly recommended!

Green Roads’ mission is to offer users a safe, effective alternative to prescription painkillers, other toxic prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs that contain harsh chemical compounds alien to nature’s perfect remedies. Their vision is to bring our customers natural products and understand that, “There’s Always An Alternative!”

Debbie Martilotta, Owner and CPT
DBM Strength Training

Strength Training Builds More Than Muscles

April 17th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Most of us know that strength training (with free weights, weight machines, or resistance bands) can help build and maintain muscle mass and strength. What many of us don’t know is that strong muscles lead to strong bones. And strong bones can help minimize the risk of fracture due to osteoporosis.

A combination of age-related changes, inactivity, and inadequate nutrition conspire to gradually steal bone mass, at the rate of 1% per year after age 40. As bones grow more fragile and susceptible to fracture, they are more likely to break after even a minor fall or a far less obvious stress, such as bending over to tie a shoelace.

Strength Training builds bones and confidence

Osteoporosis should be a concern for all of us. An estimated eight million women and two million men in the United States have osteoporosis. It is now responsible for more than two million fractures each year, and experts expect that number will rise. Hip fractures are usually the most serious. Six out of 10 people who break a hip never fully regain their former level of independence. Even walking across a room without help may become impossible.

Numerous studies have shown that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and several show it can even build bone. This is tremendously useful to help offset age-related declines in bone mass. Activities that put stress on bones can nudge bone-forming cells into action. That stress comes from the tugging and pushing on bone that occur during strength training (as well as weight-bearing aerobic exercises like walking or running). The result is stronger, denser bones.

And strength training, in particular, has bone benefits beyond those offered by aerobic weight-bearing exercise. It targets bones of the hips, spine, and wrists, which are the sites most likely to fracture. What’s more, resistance workouts — particularly those that include moves emphasizing power and balance — enhance strength and stability. That can boost confidence, encourage you to stay active, and reduce fractures another way — by cutting down on falls.

by Harvard Medical School