|
|
|
|
What
Are The 3 Critical Exercise Routine Success
Factors?
|
|
by: Jeremy
Markum
|
Copyright
2005 Jeremy Markum
The 'Rule Of 3' Meets Pareto's '80/20'--And You
Get Fit Faster As A Result!
Everybody likes simple lists.
Everybody likes Rules Of Thumb.
And as far as I can tell, everyone wants tighter
abs and more energy.
So, naturally, we all look for the “best”
diets and the “best” training routines to
bring us closer to that six-pack...ideally, in the
least amount of time possible…
...Oh yeah--and we don’t want to think too hard
either!
The Old Way:
Counting calories? Fuh-ged-a-bow-dit!
Getting a bodyfat measurement each week? No way!
Calculating our new “estimated 1-rep max” for
27 different exercises? Puh-leeze.
So what’s the solution?
Well, if you don’t mind limiting our example to
exercise for the moment, I think I have a few
things that can help you in your endless search
for the most efficient use of your fitness time…
(which is like, what? about 45 minutes a day 3-4
times a week if you’re lucky?) ...It’s
OK--you’re human! I do this stuff for a living,
and I don’t spend much more time than that
myself.
Introducing: “The Rule Of 3-80/20
(Principle)"
Any activity of importance (like exercise) can be
broken down into three, and only three Critical
Success Factors. Furthermore, one of these
critical success factors should account for 80% of
your efforts. And the other two, on average, just
10% of your time, energy, and effort (that is, of
course, if you actually want to get anything
done).
Thus sayeth The Fitness Sage (that’s me).
And you should listen to me when it comes to
getting things done, because I have a Masters
Degree *and* ADD! (attention deficit disorder).
Without principles like the above, I would be
hocking blackmarket Pi-Tae-Boga-Lates tapes to
out-of-work actors in LA...
Yeah, so I’m ripping off the Pareto Principle
and the Rule Of 3--but you’ll forgive me real
quick when you see how this applies to your
exercise routine.
Now that I’ve circumnavigated my point a few
times, here it is real simple, in 3 (surprise,
surprise) easy steps:
The Three Critical Exercise Routine Success
Factors
1. Consistent Progression: Needs 80% of your time
and attention.
2. Sufficient Intensity: Needs 15% of your time
and attention.
3. Intelligent Evolution: Needs 5% of your time
and attention.
Simple huh?
But maybe you need some clarification, so here
goes…
Consistent Progression Explained:
There are really just 3-4 workout parameters that
even matter to the average Jane or Joe who wants a
good body and excellent health: Rest Period, Load,
Reps-Per-Set, and Total # Of Sets.
So your job is to simply pick one of these, hold
all the rest constant, and improve your chosen
workout parameter from week-to-week,
workout-to-workout until you can no longer do so
(just remember to hold everything else constant!
especially total workout duration).
When you can’t improve on your chosen parameter,
pick a different one and repeat.
That’s it. It really is that simple. Tools
needed: 1 pocket-sized notebook and a stopwatch.
Of course, you might want some proven, superior
methods to “improve on your chosen parameter.”
At the bottom of this article, you'll get your
wish! But first...
Sufficient Intensity Explained:
Make sure you’re doing resistance training
folks. Not aerobics. Not LSD (long slow distance
cardio). Or any other fitness fad that makes your
lungs burn more than your muscles. If you’re
consistently getting 20+ reps on all your
exercises, then you need to choose more difficult
exercises. Period.
Cardio and aerobics have health benefits no doubt,
but if you’re really looking for
“bang-for-your-fitness-buck”, and you’re
short on time, then stick with resistance
training. It’s the only kind of exercise that
builds muscle and boosts your metabolism
permanently--not just during your workout.
Shoot for exercises that are so difficult, you can
only perform between 1 and 15 reps. This could be
weightlifting (if you lack the creativity and
sophistication of a "Tao Of Functional
Fitness" devotee who relies solely on
portable exercise equipment--like Fitness
Bands--and their own bodyweight), but it doesn’t
have to be. If you know how to manipulate
leverage, even bodyweight only exercises can be
made difficult enough.
Why just 15% of your time worrying about this?
Because all you have to do is make sure most of
your exercise (excluding a proper warmup of
course) falls within this rep range. Not exactly
rocket-science. Nuff said.
Intelligent Evolution:
This is just another term for “periodization”
or “cyclic training.” Basically it means that
you need a strategy for changing your exercise
routine over the long haul as you get stronger and
closer to realizing your goals. Most of the time
the Consistent Progression rule takes care of
this, hence the paltry 5% of your noggin that’s
required to intelligently evolve.
But over the long haul, you sometimes need to
dramatically change your workout protocol.
There’s not space here to explore all the
ins-and-outs of doing this, but a simplified
recommendation would be to cycle between phases
where you focus on increasing the Average Load you
handle during your workouts, and phases where
you’re more concerned with the Amount Of Work
Per Unit Time you perform (i.e. “Strength” vs.
“Density").
Conclusion
Consistent Progression (80%) + Sufficient
Intensity (15%) + Intelligent Evolution (5%).
Find an exercise routine that gives you that, and
you’re on to something!
About the author:
Jeremy Markum (The Fitness Sage) is an author and
fitness consultant based in San Diego, California.
He can help you incinerate fat, & sculpt lean,
sexy muscle... *without* going to the gym, and
*without* calorie counting or endless cardio! Get
your FREE tips about this profound new approach to
fitness right now at: http://www.JeremyMarkum.com
Circulated by Article
Emporium |
|
|
|
|
|
|
