Fitness 101

By Tim Funkhouser, Highline PFT Student

Everyday inside just about any gym facility you can hear the question, “How can I achieve those six-pack abdominals?”  I will help to answer this question so that you can begin your daily routine and planning to achieve  that washboard stomach.

Start eating properly now!  I agree it is so much easier to pull into Burger King and grab a combo meal and drive away.  If you have to go there just think about what your ordering.  Try to order something such as a chicken salad instead of that burger to start cutting those unwanted calories out of your life.  Take in more leans foods such as chicken or tuna along with vegetables as well, while avoiding deep fried foods such as corn dogs or breaded fish fillets. 

Water is good for you.  In case you have not already heard, the human adult male body is made up of 60% water.  If you lose as little as 2% of water in the body you are considered to be dehydrated.  With 10% to 15% fluid loss, your muscles may become tight and you may feel cramps too.  Your urination frequency will become reduced and could even become painful.  Fluid losses that are greater than 15% are usually fatal.  As a general rule of thumb, drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day is the best way to avoid dehydration.  Also eliminate that soda from your morning meal and have some water or orange juice instead.

Cardio can be fun!  In order to burn calories, you have to do some type of cardio.  Yes, I agree the word cardio becomes very associated with the word treadmill.  Have you ever thought of a different approach to cardio?  Look into some fun events such as cardio kickboxing, elliptical machines, jump rope, a trampoline and my favorite is a class called zumba.  We want to increase our heart rate in order help burn those unwanted calories we carry around all day.  If you totally are against cardio try a circuit training routine.  Circuit training is simple and will increase your heart rate more than you think.

Do more than just crunches.  The human abdominal wall is comprised of multiple muscles that attach to multiple places.  This is a major support structure for the rest of your body which is commonly referred to as your “core”.   A good exercise that hits this “core” muscle area is a plank.  To do a plank, assume a push-up position, but with your elbows bent and your weight resting on your forearms.  Your body should form a straight line as you hold this position for 30 seconds then rest and repeat up to 3 times.  This is one example of a “core” movement that does not involve direct bending at the waist yet it will make your abs sizzle like hotcakes on a Sunday morning.  If you find these are to easy, try elevating your feet onto a bench or a chair to feel an increased torque on those muscles.

You don’t have to live at the gym.  We’ve all heard the statement “I don’t have time for the gym”.  Spending hours in the gym may not be necessary to lose some weight and cut some fat around the waistline.  In fact, just simply going from a large latte to a small latte will help to lose some pounds.  Give yourself just 5 weeks to challenge yourself.  Go ahead and limit your gym time to 30 minutes and only 3 times a week, but pay attention to what you are eating.  Stay off of the scale as numbers will be misleading due to the body replaces burnt fat with lean muscle tissue.  Take a picture right now of yourself and give it to a friend.  Tell them your goals and what your plan is and that you do not want to see this picture again until 35 days later.  Stop eating that Snickers and grab some tomatoes instead.  You do not have to drive to the gym, just go outside or even in your own living room as the abdominals can be targeted even while sitting in class.  Start today towards your next pair of skinny jeans.

- Tim Funkhouser is a student in Highline’s Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT) program