Training Tips for the Fight for Air Climb

Training Tips for the Fight for Air Climb on March 19^th

These training tips are brought to you by Joshua Berthold. Joshua runs his own personal training business in the Wexford Area called Hard Corp Training. Josh had spent eight years as a US Marine and served in combat areas in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also trained Marines and Foreign Militaries for the rigors of combat in infantry tactics and physical fitness and now enjoys working with people on weight loss, general fitness goals, and athletic strength and conditioning. Check him out at www.HardCorpTraining.com.

So we have less than two months till the Fight for Air Climb, but have no fear as that is plenty of time! I think it goes without saying that the best way to train for a stair climb is to……….climb steps! So first and foremost you have to find a good location to train. You can do it before, after, or during your lunch break in the building you work in. This would be a great way to get others asking about what you are doing and interested in the Stair Climb!

Any man, woman, or child can benefit from stair climbing as a conditioning method! Remember, the key to getting in shape, or better shape, is to constantly progress! You don’t have to kill yourself each and every week…just continue to increase the number of flights you climb, reduce the amount of time you rest between each set, or add weight! Here is an example of a stair climb workout:

1. Warm up- walk slowly up the steps for about 5 minutes

2. Jog up the steps at about ½ speed for 10 flights, skipping every other step (about 1 min), rest for 2 mins

3. Sprint up the steps at full speed for 10 flights (about 30 secs), skipping every other step, rest for 2-3 mins

4. Repeat 2

5. Repeat 3

6. Climb 20 flights as fast as possible until finished. If you don’t have 20 flights, then just throw in some Jumping Jacks or jogging in place before you start to climb so that you are working for more than 5 minutes continuous and this will help increase your endurance.

Keep in mind that this is designed for a beginner and you can increase or decrease based on your fitness level.

Use this example as a workout and just keep increasing the amount of times you perform it, or decrease your rest period. Adding dumbbells to the equation will certainly make it a lot harder as you are climbing with more weight. The easiest way to make yourself faster on race day is to move less weight, or simply to weigh less, but you will see yourself losing weight as you continue to train if you follow good eating habits.

Even though climbing steps is the best way to train there are other ways if you do not have access to steps during your off time. One thing I do with my clients is to have them perform “up and overs” on an aerobic step, bench, or chair. Basically all you want to do is put one foot up on the step; jump up and over by pushing off the leg that is up on the step, finishing with the other leg up on the step. The best way to progress with this is to increase the height of the step or bench, increase the number of reps or time that you perform, or decrease the amount of rest time between each set.

Up and Over Training Workout – Keep in mind that this is designed for a beginner and you can change it as needed based on your fitness level

Progression example of increasing number of sets for 1 week with 3 training days

1. 6 sets of 1 min with 2 min rest between

2. 8 sets of 1 min with 2 min rest between

3. 10 sets of 1 min with 2 min rest between / 5 min continuous

Progression example of increasing time and decreasing rest period for a week with 3 training days

1. 8 sets of 1min with 2 min rest between

2. 8 sets of 1:30 with 2 min rest between

3. 8 sets of 1:30 with 1:30 rest between / 5 min continuous

Keep in mind that as the weeks go on make sure you document what you did and just keep progressing! Try at the end of each week to do one longer set, 5 minutes or more to try and boost your endurance, making sure you increase the time of that “run” each week.

Feel free to experiment with these workouts and different ways of climbing, like hopping up every step or every other step or “walking” up the steps by lunging every other step, as one of the keys to training is to keep the body guessing. If you have any other questions about training, strengthening, or good eating habits feel free to contact me at info@hardcorptraining.com

Check out this Youtube video I have posted on my website on how to do step ups at home to increase your strength and endurance in the muscles involved with stair climbing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jTR_Jhqmhs

Hope to see you all at the Stair Climb!

GET LEAN! GET STRONG! GET HARD CORP!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2011 to all of you!

So.....lets talk about New Year's Resolutions:) Mine is to write here in my blog more and spend more time on encouraging my clients and providing them with motivation and education to ensure their success!!

Today is the first of many blog posts coming your way so that I keep my New Year's Resolution! Now I need your help....post your fitness related resolutions here on the comments section of this blog and own them out loud!

First I want to fill you in on what is going on with Hard Corp Training!

1) New Bootcamp style class being held at Pure Athletex in Wexford (formerly Windwood) the class is being held every Saturday @ 11am. Updates or cancellations will be posted on my website. Cost is $10 per class or $5 when you bring a friend!

2) New flavor of Protein Bar! Inspired by the autumn season and Thanksgiving, I created the Pumpkin Raisin bar. Cost is still $3.50 per bar or 6 for $21.

3) I have began a new page on my website called Exercises! in which I have broken down as many exercises as I could and listed them by body part! All you have to do is click on the exercise and it will take you to a linked video in which I show you how to properly perform it as well as some modifications! Check it out...but keep in mind that it's a slow and steady process to film, upload, and link all of those videos, so please be patient with me:)




So here is the good stuff!!! Three things you can do to help you lose weight in 2011!

1) Replace anything you drink with water!!

Anything you drink that contains more than 0 Calories is just wasted and empty calories because of the amount of sugar, and thus carbs, that drinks contain! Put down the glass of OJ and pick up an orange! There is sugar added to the OJ for taste, plus your body burns more calories internally processing the vitamins and nutrients found in the orange. Also, the orange gives you more of that "full" feeling, instead of just drinking the OJ but not really having anything in your belly. Water is our life blood! Diet pops contain so many artificial sweeteners and chemicals that we still don't know all of the effects they cause! Plus, if you are increasing your training regiment or starting a new one, then you will need the water to replace the sweat and remain hydrated! You can never go wrong with good old fashioned water.

2)Get off the Treadmill and into the Weights!

Most people who begin a weight loss program think that the fastest most effective way to lose weight is to walk, jog, and run! While jogging and running are one of the most effective ways to burn calories while you are doing it....it's not always the wisest choice! First off I have to say that anyone, especially this time of year, who begins a weight loss program, does a couple of things! They typically also start a diet, and they begin exercising, or exercising more. They have just done the two most important things that cause weight loss- Take in fewer calories (eat less) - Burn more calories (exercise more) This is why ANY type of exercise or diet you perform out there will work! for a while........but when it comes to keeping them up...we want to pick the smartest and most effective diet and exercise plan.

Running- You need to be in shape to run, not run to be in shape! I liken someone who is overweight and de-conditioned who goes out to run to a contractor who tries to build a house on a beach with no foundation! It may be ok to begin with but the longer you do it or the more stress you put on it........It will break! Pretty soon you have to run farther to burn the same amount of calories you used to burn! Without a good, strong "foundation" your body will get injured!

Resistance Training- This allows you to target specific muscles and muscle groups! So...the weakest points of your body can be fixed and strengthened so as not to allow your body to break! With running there are no corrections being made to weak areas...you are actually providing stress to those areas! With weight and resistance training you can progress simply by adding a few more pounds each week or every other week....that causes you to increase your workload, therefore burning more calories.

I am not saying to never run!!! I am simply saying to make sure you talk to a fitness professional to target weak muscles and strengthen all of them through resistance training before you go out and injure yourself running on a weak frame...and kill your weight loss goals!

3) Change your lifestyle!!!

While you can lose weight by dieting and starting an exercise program, you won't keep the weight off unless you make lifestyle changes! This very simply means to adopt eating habits that will provide success and health for the rest of your life! Sure eating a diet of chicken and broccoli 5x a day will help you lose weight,but are you honestly going to do that forever? Hell no! So educating yourself on what foods are high in protein and low in carbs will give you a much better arsenal of weapons to choose from to ensure your success.

Become a more active person. Involve your kids, your spouse, your significant other, or join a group for help, support, and to share in your fitness goals. Make small changes by parking farther away from buildings, taking the steps instead of the elevator, performing exercises during commercial breaks of your favorite shows.

Above all make sure you hold yourself accountable by seeking help from a Fitness Professional! They will help motivate you, keep you accountable, be able to see and target weak areas, and make it fun for you!