June 16th, 2010
Hey,
As I’m in the gym I get asked a ton of different questions. One of the major themes of these questions is this “What is the best kind of training to do?” After I hear this they will usually go into some long explanation about how their trainer told them that kettlebells are the end all be all, or that crossfit will answer all of their problems, or plyometrics is the only way to increase vertical jump. Then of course there are all the packaged training programs that everyone has heard of, whether it’s the new P90X craze, or any other cardio DVD, or Air Alert, or whatever else there may be. I’ll tell you something that may just shock you, They All Work!There no secret that by working with a kettlebell you will release some awesome ancient magical power. It’s a weight with a handle on it that you can swing around. How about the programs on the Internet that will make you gain 50lbs to your bench, or grow your biceps by 4 inches. Yeah, they probably work too, but really there is nothing secret about any of it. They are programs, made by a Strength and Conditioning Coach or a Personal Trainer and has wrapped it in a nice professional looking package with maybe a commercial or two to promote it. The testimonials are probably accurate too, but keep in mind, they will only post the successes.
I just ran a 5 week program with a couple athletes and they all gained about 10% more weight to their Bench Press. I have another athlete that has put on close to 10 lbs of lean mass in just 6 weeks. I have personally decreased my body fat by over 8 percent. Another couple of athletes have increased their VO2 maxes significantly. I’ve helped people lose weight, gain muscle and be more active and fit. This isn’t magic, and I’m not the only trainer to be able to do it. All these little programs and gimmicks out there have a time, place and purpose. It’s important to understand these, and in my next post I will explain this. But until then just know, if you have a specific goal and a plan to get there, IT WILL WORK!
To answer the question “What is the best kind of training to do?” My simple answer is this “Try anything and everything, if it works for you, then it’s the best. And please hire a professional to make sure you’re doing it right!”
Pierce Hnatiuk, BPE, CSCS, CPT High Performance Strength & Conditioning Coach Alberta Sport Development Centre – NW Grande Prairie Regional College phone: 780-539-2040 phnatiuk@gprc.ab.ca