Hawai Sport November-December

Ask the Trainer
KC CARLBERG, MPH, CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER AND TRIATHLON COACH
I’ve been a certified Personal Trainer and Triathlon Coach
for over 17 years and have helped hundreds of women
achieve their health and fitness goals. Many of us wish
there was a magic pill to help us on our quest. The true
answer is a customized program specifically designed for
your needs, along with some motivational support. Here
are some of the most frequently asked questions I receive
from people:
Q: When I’m cycling, everyone always passes me on
the hills. How do I become a better climber?
A: That is a great question and the quest of many cyclists.
It is all about 3 things – Body Weight, the weight of your
bike and equipment and your power:
Body Weight - As far as body weight goes, the less weight
you have to
carry up the hill
the faster you
will go. Lighter
people can ride
up hills faster
because they
have less
weight to shift
against gravity.
Power will also
fit into this
equation, but if
you want to get
faster consider
calories in vs.
calories out. In
order to lose
weight you
have to take in
fewer calories
than you
expend.
The weight of
your bike and equipment - The weight of your equipment
does play a role in speed up a hill. This goes back to #1,
lighter is faster. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and
spend thousands of dollars on the latest and greatest bike.
My suggestion is to bring up the intensity of your training
on the bike, burn more calories and you kill 2 birds with
one stone – get lighter and get faster.
Your power - Your power… yes, well, if you attached a jet
engine to your car you would go a lot faster. Sounds good
right? Well, think of your body in the same way – you are
an engine. How you fuel, train, and rest your body will
affect your potential output – power. Boosting your power
means working on both your short term anaerobic and
your higher sustainable aerobic energy systems. You can
do this with interval training. Increase your anaerobic snap
with intervals from 15 seconds to 2 minutes in length followed
by recovery sets. For aerobic power used in longer
climbs, work on intervals from 5 to 10 minutes. Practice
these intervals going up and down hills. Be sure to do a
good warm-up, hydrate before and during your workout,
and stretch. With consistency, you should see some results
in no time.
Q: What is the best way to get rid of belly bulge?
A: Getting rid of the belly bulge takes a combination of
diet and cardio exercise. It is difficult to target the abdominal
area with strength training exercises because the belly
bulge is all about excess belly fat not lack of muscles. If
you reduce your body fat, you reduce the bulge and that
takes diet and exercise. As I always say,
“PERSISTENT CONSISTENCY” is the
key, so stick with a healthy diet and exercise.
And be patient with yourself. You
want to think about creating a lifestyle
change instead of a temporary fix.
Q: I want my butt to look good in my
skinny jeans, what can I do?
A: If you want to squeeze yourself into
those jeans you are going to have to work
for it and the Step-Up is a perfect exercise.
It targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quads
and will help you get that lower body into
shape.
For this exercise you will need a bench or
some type of sturdy platform that is about
knee level. You will need to focus on having
good posture while you are stepping
up on the bench – keep your abs strong
and do not arch or round your back. You
want to control the movement up and
down, avoiding momentum when you
step down. If you find the bench is too
high to begin with, start with something
lower and work your way up.
STEP-UPS
Stand facing a bench or platform with
your feet hip-width apart. Place your left
foot up on the bench, making sure your
whole foot (including the heel) is firmly
on the bench.
Use your breathing to help you with the
exercise. Exhale as you press down into
your left foot and step your right foot up
onto the bench. Both feet should be firmly
planted on the bench at the midpoint of
this exercise. Then slowly lower your left
leg back down to the ground, leaving your
right foot firmly on the bench, and repeat.
Complete 12 to 15 reps on your left side
before switching to the right side for
another 12 to 15 reps.
Whether you want to lose weight, run
faster or climb Mount Everest, a personalized
program is your best bet in achieving
those goals. The hard work is always
worth the effort in being successful. Let
me know how I can help you with your
journey, ask the Trainer.
KC Carlberg,www.tryfitnesshawaii.com