Getting the most out of your workouts

Volume One, Issue 31, April 20 - 26, 2007

Health & fitness

By Greg Rothman, M.S. P.T.

In my last two columns, I wrote about common misperceptions that keep people from reaching their fitness goals. Unfortunately, there is so much information out there—in books, magazines and television info-mercials hawking exercise equipment—that many people have reached a point of information overload. They have been exposed to so much (usually faulty) that they just don’t know how to get the results that they seek from a fitness program.

In this column, I’ll address questions a few of you mailed in about exercise technique and strategy. Because these questions are similar to those I hear every day at my gym, I believe that I’ll be able to clear up some of the most common issues people have in trying to get and stay fit.

I’ve always been pretty skinny. I joined a gym nine months ago and have been using the weight machines three or four times a week, because I heard machines isolate muscles better than free weights. I was hoping to add some weight and muscle. I got some good gains for a while, but I don’t seem to be making much progress anymore. What would you suggest I do?

The answer is very simple: Try something different. Anyone who uses the same exercises for a length of time (usually four to eight weeks) will reach a plateau. If we could get stronger in linear fashion indefinitely, there would be guys out there lifting garbage trucks over their heads. It just isn’t possible. So, you should strive to get the most out of a given exercise routine for, on average, six weeks, and then move on to another routine, with a different focus.

As for the weight machines, they are great if you haven’t lifted weights before, but they do have their limitations. While it is true that they often isolate muscles well, that is not something you should be focusing on, given your goal. Doing bigger exercises with free weights—the kind that operate at several joints and multiple muscle groups (think of a squat, dead lift, chest press)—will give you much greater benefit if your goal is adding muscle (and weight) to your body.

Additionally, given your goal of adding muscle tissue to the body, you’ll also want to make sure you are getting enough calories. To estimate how many calories you’ll need to take in daily for growth, multiply your body weight by 17. You might also find some benefit from supplementing with 5 grams of Creatine Monohydrate on the days that you strength-train.

I see a lot of guys in the gym lifting a lot of weight and doing only a few repetitions. Some have told me that this is the best way to develop size. Others have said you have to do more reps. I’ve read some magazine articles that say different things, so I wondered what you thought?

To understand how many repetitions of an exercise should be performed, we need a bit of terminology: Repetition Maximum (RM). This is defined as the greatest number of repetitions that can be done before the muscle is fatigued and another repetition cannot be completed with good form. So, 1 RM would be the weight you can lift once but not twice. Similarly, 10 RM is the weight you can lift 10 times but not 11.

The key is to do a prescribed number of repetitions depending on your goal. If the primary goal is getting stronger, the best range is between one and six RM. For building muscle size (muscle hypertrophy), between eight and 12 RM is recommended. And for developing muscular endurance, the recommended RM is between 15 and 20. For the most part, these simple guidelines will give you the results you’re seeking.

Do you recommend stretching? If so, before or after lifting?

Yes. When muscles contract, which they do when lifting weights, they shorten. Stretching helps to elongate them and keep them from getting tight, preventing potential injury. The best time to stretch is either between sets (you have to rest anyway, usually for a minute, so this is very time-effective) or after your workout. Spend about 30 seconds stretching each muscle you’ve worked. For more on this subject and which stretches are best for a given activity, read “Stretching” by Bob Anderson.

Next week, I’ll answer questions about abdominals, the subject of last week’s column. I’ve already received a number of questions on this topic, but feel free to email me yours, and I’ll try to address them as well.

Greg Rothman, M.S. P.T., is the owner of emPower Fitness Studios (emPowerFitnessNYC.com). He received his masters degree in physical therapy from Columbia University and has 15 years’ experience in the rehabilitation and fitness fields, most recently as the personal training manager and top-level trainer for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City. SEND YOUR QUESTIONS about nutrition, fitness and sports injuries/rehabilitation to Greg at emPowerFitness@aol.com.