Workouts Archives Page 2 of 15 | Redefining Strength

The Diet And Fitness Industry LIED To You (4 TRUTHS)

by Cori Lefkowith | Aug 20, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Workouts

The diet and fitness industry has lied to you.

I’m not talking about the false magic pills and quick fixes when I’m saying you’ve been lied to when it comes to your diet and workouts.

Actually I see the problem as something else…

The disconnect between many trainers, coaches, dietitians and professionals and the people they want to help.

What keeps us stuck in this yo-yo dieting cycle is oddly the gap between what we “should” ideally be doing and what is realistic for our lifestyle.

Because food is not just truly fuel any longer.

It’s social. It’s celebration. It’s emotional. It’s enjoyment.

Yet instead of recognizing this and striking a balance, weighing the cost and rewards of everything for ourselves, we seek to be perfect and hit some arbitrary standards of clean eating only to create unsustainable habits which ultimately backfire.

These unsustainable habits keep us stuck losing the weight only to regain it and more as we fall back into old lifestyle patterns and try to do things we enjoy.

We never learn to create the healthiest version of our personal lifestyle.

That’s why I want to go over 4 common diet and exercise MYTHS I see pushed far too often in the health and wellness realm.

One size doesn’t fit all and we need to accept the opportunity in options to find our balance.

How we build our 80/20 balance will be unique!

Myth #1: X food is evil.

Pick a food and you can probably find a video, blog, article…even study…about how it is bad for you.

According to a commenter on one of my videos even water is bad for you.

And honestly, almost every food DOES have a downside to even the upsides it may provide.

That doesn’t make a food evil. It doesn’t even mean the food may not be part of our lifestyle balance.

But we just have to go in knowing how it will impact our health and overall wellbeing.

And sometimes the risk is worth the reward.

Sometimes something “unhealthy” we may choose to include because we ENJOY it.

It helps us relax. Enjoy social gatherings.

Or even just serves as that treat on a stressful day while keeping us overall on track working toward our goals.

Because stress overall can have detrimental effects, it’s sometimes more important we include something that doesn’t add to our stress or even takes away from it over restricting a food because it isn’t as nutrient dense or beneficial as something else may be.

We have to remember that all stress goes in one bucket.

While we may see stressors in our lives as in separate categories…

Stress at work, stress to change habits, stress at home or stress on our body from lack of sleep….all impact our mind and body compounding together.

So sometimes finding little ways to not add to our stress to overwhelm ourselves is key so we can actually make healthy changes to our lifestyle overall.

Sometimes it is that we need to pick the lesser of two evils to meet ourselves where we are at to make changes.

So stop demonizing things and trying to force someone else’s standards of “healthy” and balance on yourself.

Because one size doesn’t fit all.

Even healthy foods can be unhealthy or not right for certain people.

For example, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage..) have been linked with many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.

BUT…

These same nutritious vegetables we all believe to be AMAZING contain compounds called thiocyanates which can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb iodine.

This may contribute to hypothyroidism and is why many with thyroid issues may be told not to eat too many of these supposedly super “healthy” food.

Same thing can be said for those with dairy intolerance, gluten intolerances, and issues with FODMAPs.

Foods that may be healthy or right for one person may not work for someone else to address their health concerns.

But we don’t need to demonize something just because it isn’t right for someone else!

That may hold us back even from getting the nutrients or fuel WE need!

Stop seeing foods as just good or bad. Weigh the costs involved to find your balance!

Myth #2: Weight loss is just about calories in vs. calories out.

Yes. You need a calorie deficit to lose weight. I’m not saying calories don’t matter.

But this oversimplification is truly what so often keeps people stuck on this dieting roller coaster.

They cut calories. Lose the weight. Can’t stay in a deficit forever…

So they go back to eating more and their old lifestyle habits only to regain the weight and even more.

Before they again cut calories to try to lose.

However, it gets harder and harder each and every time due to this sole focus on calories in vs. calories out.

Why does it get harder?

Because often when we only focus on cutting calories, we slash them as low as possible to lose weight as fast as possible.

And in the process we throw our hormones out of whack, create cravings that lead to us overeating, leading to even extra weight gain and we’ve often also created metabolic adaptations in the process which means our body even runs more efficiently off of fewer calories than it did before.

This is often due to us slashing our calories super low, or trying to train longer and harder to create the deficit because we’re only focused on calories in vs calories out. This extreme deficit to lose faster on the scale results in more muscle being lost over us controlling as much as possible to lose fat while maintaining our muscle.

So as much as yes, the simple answer is create a calorie deficit and you’ll lose, this oversimplification keeps us stuck and is why we often struggle more and more to lose weight as we get older, and especially once the hormonal changes of perimenopause hit.

If we want to set ourselves up for success, we need to embrace the learning process and focus on the macronutrients in our foods – the portions of proteins, carbs and fats that we are consuming.

Because through adjusting these portions, we can help ourselves feel more fueled, retain lean muscle to keep our metabolic rate higher and we can help ourselves be prepared to transition to MAINTAINING our new results.

You can’t do one thing to lose the weight then go back to what you were doing. And you can’t stay in a deficit forever.

Through a focus on tracking macros, you can help yourself retrain your body to return to a new maintenance level calorie intake so that all of your hard work to lose doesn’t go to waste!

Myth #3: HIIT is the best form of training for fat loss.

HIIT or high intensity interval training is an efficient and intense form of training. It is definitely a great option when we are short on time.

And as the term is used these days, it can refer to a variety of different interval breakdowns and include a diversity of exercises.

BUT as much as I even love HIIT personally and do use it with clients, I think it is key we recognize that there are downsides to every technique or tool.

The more we recognize both the good and the bad instead of just seeing things as either or, the more we can adjust our training and fueling to match our needs and goals as they even evolve over time.

Too often we also “fall in love” with a technique then start to see our results slow or issues pop up, yet we eliminate some other change we’ve made assuming causation when there was none.

We can throw out something we should keep doing instead of adjusting something we’ve always done prior just because we like it or it FEELS like it is working.

And HIIT is often one of those things.

While definitely an option to consider when you’re short on time, too often we do MORE HIIT style training while also trying to increase our calorie deficit to lose fat.

As a result, we not only can see our energy levels tank so we aren’t able to push as hard and get as much out of our training, but we can also start to see more muscle mass being lost and cravings increase.

By trying to do more intense training sessions while in a calorie deficit already, we can make it harder on ourselves to maintain the nutritional changes we are trying to make.

So we always need to consider the systems and how they are working together.

We may need to change up a HIIT cardio session for a slower strength workout with longer rest periods.

We may need to adjust the intervals of work to rest in the interval workout we are doing.

Or even knowing how depleting HIIT can be and the fact that for some it can make them FEEL even hungrier while increasing cravings for carbs, you can plan for those downsides in your fueling.

HIIT isn’t something you have to do to lose fat. It isn’t also something you shouldn’t do. The point is learning more about the techniques and workout designs we include so we can plan all of our systems to work together.

While it can feel satisfying to have sweated and worked hard in our workouts, we also want that hard work to be moving us forward instead of being wasted effort!

Myth #4: Workouts are about burning more calories.

There isn’t anything wrong with tracking your calorie burn from your activity to watch your trends and hold yourself accountable.

But too often we just seek to get that number higher over truly training with purpose and intention.

This often leads to us turning even our strength workouts into more cardio sessions.

Less rest, feeling more out of breath often leads to a higher heart rate on our trackers, which then results in more calories being burned.

And always focusing on doing more and making our training more intense can cause some to suffer increased cravings and a harder time sticking with the dietary changes they need.

Not to mention, it can work against any muscle gaining efforts we may have.

It can also lead to us unknowingly eating in a surplus over a deficit.

It’s key we realize that these trackers are NOT ACCURATE! The calorie burn is going to be off especially as we adapt to our training.

And while it may not seem like a big deal to only be 50-100 calories off in some cases, that can really lead to us eating over our deficit especially if we are trying to create a smaller one to help achieve better fat loss results!

Not to mention we make it harder to truly track what is and isn’t working if our intake is fluctuating all over based on what our trackers says day to day.

STOP seeing the purpose of your workouts as just a way to burn more calories.

Remember, you can’t out exercise your diet.

Trying to create more of a calorie deficit through your training will lead you to either overtraining or ultimately overeating.

You will either keep having to do more as you adapt to burn the same amount calories you once did.

Or if you let your watch dictate how many calories you get, you’ll start overeating because often our watches won’t fully recognize we’ve become more efficient at the training routines.

And our workouts should be about building lean muscle while training our body to move well.

We want our workouts to help us stay strong for LIFE so we can remain independent and capable.

Not to mention, a focus on strength work helps us build that muscle mass which helps us burn more calories at rest since our metabolic rate and energy demands will be higher.

So while you want to do forms of training you enjoy to stay consistent and active, you also want your workouts to have long-term benefits so you can tackle any challenge you want in every day life!

Too often we view things as solely good or bad instead of looking at the cost and benefit of each thing we include.

When we don’t view the opportunity in each option, we don’t allow ourselves to truly create something sustainable.

And this, while good for the diet and fitness industry, is not helpful for us to see the results we want.

Seek to learn about what you need and be open to new perspectives so you can adjust your fueling and training to match your needs and goals even as they evolve over time!

Ready to dial in your workouts and your diet to acheive the best results as fast as possible?

Schedule a coaching consultation to learn more about how we can help you create the systems you need to succeed!

–> Schedule A Call

How To Build Muscle (Using The 6-12-25 Protocol)

by Cori Lefkowith | Aug 6, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Workouts

You want to see some serious strength gains, build lean muscle and improve your body composition?

Then this workout design is something you’ll want to consider for your next training progression…

It’s the 6-12-25 training technique.

In this video, I’ll break down what this method is, how to use this workout design, why it works so well and even share a workout you can try implementing the technique!

First…What Is The 6-12-25 Method?

The 6-12-25 is shorthand for the reps you will perform for three different movements.

You will design a set with 3 exercises for the same area of the body.

For example, you may do all 3 moves for your lower body with a glute and hamstring focus.
The first move should be a super heavy compound lift that you can only do 6 reps for.

The second move should be another compound, but more accessory lift for the same area of the body that you can only perform 12 reps of with the weights you select.

Then the third move will be done for 25 reps and should be an isolation exercise that really creates that pump and burn, fully fatiguing a muscle group worked with the first two compound moves.

After completing all three moves basically back to back, you will rest 2-3 minutes before repeating the series.

You do not want to rest between moves so that you’re fully fatiguing the area you’re targeting but you do want enough rest between rounds so you can lift heavy to start the series over again!

You will want to include no more than two 6-12-25 series in a workout. And you will want to perform about 3-4 rounds through each.

You can design either more full body workouts using this, focusing on one area in each series or you can do an hemisphere split, targeting just your lower body or upper body in a workout.

But make sure each series, and all 3 moves, are working only one area of the body, instead of alternating areas worked!

So Why Does The 6-12-25 Design Work So Well?

This training method was popularized by Charles Poliquin but isn’t just for bodybuilders.

It’s actually a great training technique for any experienced exerciser looking to build strength and muscle while losing fat.

This method is so effective because of the combination of 3 different traditional rep ranges, compound and isolation movements and the fact that we hone in and target specific muscle groups to create full fatigue in an area.

The combination of so many training techniques into one design, and the training density this method creates, leads to massive lactate spikes, increasing growth hormone production, which is why it is thought to work so well!

It’s why this method can not only lead to amazing muscle gains but even better fat loss results!

Each rep number is included for a specific purpose and done back to back without rest.

With the heavy compound exercise done for 6 reps, you are really working in that maximal strength range. Consider as you progress with this design even selecting a move you have to PAUSE at 5 reps for a few seconds to complete the final one over being able to do more reps with that weight.

You never just want to stop at a rep number because it’s what the workout said. You want to feel that is all you can do.

Then with the exercise done for 12 reps, you are selecting a compound move that is a great accessory exercise to target the same muscle groups. This will allow you to really utilize that hypertrophy rep range and continue to fatigue the muscles you worked in the first move.

The higher reps and slightly lower, albeit challenging loads, allow you to recruit more muscle fibers as you fatigue.

Then with the final move you are going to fully isolate a muscle group to work it fully to fatigue. This helps build that strength endurance which will ultimately help you recover faster and do more quality of work in future workouts and progressions.

This isolation move is a great way to help you build muscle in those stubborn muscle groups, increasing your volume of work. Make sure this move really isolates the muscle you want to target. You even want to feel that pump or burn add up at 15-20 reps so you have to pause for a second to complete all 25!

This combination of different movements and drivers of muscle growth while working an area to fatigue is what makes this series so challenging and leads to such amazing muscle and strength gains.

It makes it a super efficient training design as well when we are short on time.

And can be especially key if you are struggling with toning up stubborn areas!

Next I wanted to share some – Tips To Use This Effectively:

It’s key we remember that we need to challenge ourselves no matter the reps listed. No weight should feel light, no move should feel easy.

You want each exercise to challenge you while you push through to the next.

And make sure when you design the series that all 3 moves target the same area.

If you’re doing lower body with a quad focus, you want to hone in more and more on those quads.

If it is a chest, triceps and shoulders workout, you may hone in more and more on any of those three muscles, especially if one is more stubborn than the others.

But make sure you are choosing one area to target and fatigue over the moves.

Then do NOT cut out rest between rounds. You want to be able to push through all three moves while kind of feeling like you don’t fully want to do the next so that you’ve earned that rest.

But if you aren’t resting those 2-3 minutes, consider going heavier and advancing the movements. That rest should help you keep lifting heavier or maintaining the loads over the rounds to push at a true 100% intensity.

That ability to push hard and create a quality volume of work is what makes this design work so well!

Do not be afraid to also use rest-pause technique to make sure you’re feeling like you’ve really pushed those loads while performing quality reps.

If you, you need to pause to complete the rep range, even resting for 10-15 seconds, do it! That little pause can help you ultimately move more weight over the course of your training and push past that initial fatigue to see amazing results!

I do want to give you one WARNING before implement this:

This is an advanced training technique and you’ll be surprised by even how out of breath during the 3 moves you can get. And mentally it can be taxing to do another move for an area when it is already tired.

Be ready to really push yourself and not just lower loads to make it easier to make it through all three moves.

Make yourself CRAVE that rest.

And make sure all 3 moves are done back to back targeting only ONE muscle group! Although remember you have flexibility to choose the exact stubborn area to target with that isolation move.

Like you may choose to target your biceps with an isolation exercise on a bicep and back series in one workout while doing more for your lats on another day!

So How Could You Design A Workout Using This Method?

Let’s look at an anterior split workout, you would create one 6-12-25 set for the lower body, more of a quad focus, and one set for the upper body, more of a chest focused series.

You will do 3-4 rounds per series with 2-3 minutes of rest between rounds and even series.

ANTERIOR CHAIN 6-12-25 WORKOUT

SERIES #1:
6 reps Front Squats
12 reps per side Front Lunges
25 reps per side Seated Quad Flexes

SERIES #2:
6 reps Barbell Bench
12 reps Dumbbell Overhead Press
25 reps Cable Tricep Pushdown

One final note…

I do show this using more gym tools as that is honestly ideal for this set up. However, if you are training at home, as long as you use tempo changes or exercise variations that challenge you for each rep number, you can utilize this technique.

I often even slightly adjust the reps for more bodyweight based workouts, knowing a bit more volume can be helpful using more of a 10-15-25 layout.

But if you’re looking to build strength, gain muscle and lose fat, try this amazing workout design in your next progression!

For more amazing workouts to help you rock those results, check out my Dynamic Strength Program!

How To Increase Metabolism At Any Age (6 Tips)

by Cori Lefkowith | Jul 23, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Workouts

Our metabolism does slow down as we get older.

But so much of the metabolic slowdown that we blame on age is actually due to lifestyle factors we can CHANGE adding up.

We have to remember that nothing works forever.

And often what we “got away with” even when we are younger is now coming back to haunt us.

As our body and lifestyle evolves, we’ve got to adjust how we fuel and train.

That’s why I’m going to share 6 tips to help boost your metabolism to lose fat at any and every age.

First, Focus On Hydration.

Many of us know we should drink more water.

But the struggle is real to actually change this habit.

Not only is it confusing to know how much water to drink but it’s hard to stop yourself during the day to get water when it isn’t already a part of your routine or you’re not really thirsty for it.

However, proper hydration becomes more important as we get older and even start the hormonal changes of perimenopause.

Especially if you’re training hard, you want to consider consuming MORE than the general recommendation of 50% of your bodyweight in ounces.

You want to even shoot for 70% of your bodyweight in ounces of water consumed every day.

While you may find setting out a filled water bottle by the coffee maker helpful to remind you to drink water even as you make your coffee, you can also improve your hydration levels by consuming more high water content foods over the course of the day.

To help you hit this amount and stay hydrated, don’t just only focus on drinking more water, as key as that is.

Make a salad of cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and lettuce – all high water content foods.

Add berries to your oatmeal for breakfast to improve your hydration to start your day.

Or try melons in your cottage cheese as a protein rich snack to stay hydrated.

But focus not only on ways to drink more water but even improve your hydration through fruits and vegetables that also pack in the micronutrients to your diet as well!

Second, Eat 30-40 Grams Of Protein Per Meal.

Increasing your protein is key.

And while most of us have heard we can only consume 20-30 grams of protein at one sitting, this just isn’t the case.

While 20-30 grams may be the max we need to specifically utilize to build muscle from one sitting, this is also based on studies of protein supplements.

The other macros consumed at a meal will impact the rate of digestion, slowing the process even to better let us utilize more at a time.

Not to mention as we get older, we are less able to utilize protein as efficiently, meaning we need more to see the same results.

That’s why increasing our intake to 30-40 grams per meal, especially in our post workout meal can be super beneficial.

The harder you train, the more you want to focus on a higher protein intake to make sure you’re able to repair and recover more efficiently from your training.

If we aren’t able to recover and rebuild properly, we may see our hard work in the gym not pay off the way we’d like in terms of strength gains and muscle growth, which can impact our metabolic health.

And protein is not only key because of its muscle building benefits but also because it keeps us feeling fuller if we are in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

This can make sticking to our nutritional plan easier long-term which allows consistency and time to work their results magic.

Plus, protein has a higher thermic effect than the other macros, meaning your body burns more calories to digest and utilize it for other bodily functions and to keep the tissues of your body strong and healthy.

It’s also important to find your food quality balance.

I’m a big believer in working in the foods you love.

I love having a rice krispie treat or Reese peanut butter cup or ice cream as dessert.

And I will plan these things in first when I want them.

I also think we too often sabotage ourselves with this clean eating pressure where we feel we can’t have things we enjoy and eliminate foods arbitrarily that aren’t even necessarily an intolerance we personally struggle with.

BUT we do need to find a balance.

Quality fuel helps our body function best. And we always want to seek to balance enjoying life and functioning optimally!

We need those essential micronutrients to not only feel our best and stay healthy, but even to keep our metabolic rate higher and help us lose fat.

A few micronutrients you may want to focus on more if you are working to lose fat and rev that metabolism are choline, magnesium, vitamin D, selenium and zinc.

Choline is involved in the process of lipolysis, or fat loss, helping to break down fat into smaller pieces to be burned as energy.

Eggs, beef, red potatoes and kidney beans are all great sources to include.

Magnesium is involved in nearly everything, but when it comes to fat loss and metabolism, it helps control insulin and glucose, which both impact fat storage.

It also can help with water retention and bloating, especially as you are increasing protein and making other dietary changes.

Pumpkins, chia seeds, almonds and spinach are all great sources of magnesium.

Vitamin D is also key to include although harder to boost through our food consumption.

Even if we try to get out in the sun daily, as we get older we want to make sure we are boosting our intake even with a supplement.

Studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D are linked to higher rates of overweight and obesity.

And both selenium and zinc are key for proper thyroid functioning. Impaired thyroid function will lead to a slower metabolic rate.

To increase your intake of selenium include foods like brazil nuts, yellowfin tuna and halibut and to increase zinc consider oysters, pumpkin seeds, pork loin or even oats.

While I’ve talked about 3 key nutritional tips, the best results happen when our diet and our workouts work together.

That’s why you can’t ignore the importance of your training for your metabolic health.

When designing your workouts, stop just doing body part splits.

(Looking for workouts designed strategically to help you reach your goals? Check out my Dynamic Strength App!)

Design progressions that Work Your Upper And Lower Body In The Same Workout.

Full-body workouts or anterior/posterior splits can be beneficial if you are looking to keep your metabolism healthy as you get older without having to spend hours in the gym 6 days a week.

Not only are these workouts more efficient, but you will target multiple big muscle groups each and every workout to more effectively build muscle while also burning more calories per session.

While I never like to focus on training as just a time to burn more calories, this extra calorie burn because you’re working more big muscles per session to build more muscle isn’t a bad added bonus!

And by doing these splits, you can also increase your training frequency for each area over the week.

Training a body part 2-3 times per week over simply doing more for an area in a single session may help you see better muscle gains.

That training frequency for especially hard to grow areas of 2-3 times per week has shown to yield the best results.

It can also help you train the area at a higher intensity each session, performing a higher overall quality of work, as too often we simply include more training volume in a workout that becomes wasted as we fatigue over the session.

So consider designing workouts that allow you to target different areas every workout while hitting both big muscle groups in your upper and lower body each session!

The next training tip is to Focus On Low Reps And Heavy Weights.

Too often we turn to more cardio or metabolic workouts when we want to lose fat. They make us feel out of breath and like we worked hard.

But muscle is what stokes that metabolic fire.

To build that muscle we need heavy loads and progression in movements that challenges our muscles to tear them down so they have to rebuild stronger.

This is why you want to work down in reps and up in weights during your training.

And while using a diversity of rep ranges is ideal, do not ignore that maximal strength rep range of 1-5 reps even if muscle hypertrophy and fat loss is your goal.

Increasing our strength allows us to then move more weight overall during our training, resulting in better muscle gains.

So while you may have heard that 6-12 reps is best for muscle hypertrophy and you do want to include this rep range, working lower in reps with even heavier loads will ultimately make you stronger to lift more for those exercises done in the 6-12 rep range.

Consider including a single heavy compound lift at the start of your workout for 4-5 rounds of 3-5 reps, resting 3-5 minutes between rounds.

Follow that up with other compound accessory exercises in the 6-12 rep range to target specific muscle groups you’ve already started fatiguing with that first lift!

The final tip is to Sprint More.

That high intensity interval work is so key to our conditioning and metabolic health. It is a great way to burn calories in an efficient way as well.

And if you perform short intervals of work of even just 10-20 seconds with 3-5 times the rest, you can really train speed.

Just don’t get caught up on doing a bazillion rounds.

You don’t want to feel beat down from these short sessions. Less is more. Think even just 8-10 rounds of sprints.

Go all out and fully recover. You want to train speed which means not doing a work interval again until you’ve recovered.

When you include sprints in this way, not only can you help keep your metabolic rate higher, even increasing your calorie burn after the sessions, but you’ll help improve your mind-body connection to even get more out of your lifting.

This explosive power work helps you more efficiently recruit muscles which can lead to better strength gains.

These short intense bursts also help us see better results from our other workouts because they improve our conditioning and therefore our ability to recover more quickly between rounds of work.

Better recovery means better quality of work during our training!

Using these 6 tips you can improve your metabolic health to lose fat at any and every age.

Just remember the best results happen when our diet and our workouts work together!

3 Workout Tips To Lose Fat Faster

by Cori Lefkowith | Jul 17, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Workouts

You want to lose fat and actually keep it off?

Stop thinking of your training as a chance to burn more calories.

The benefits of working out for fat loss aren’t in the calories burned during our training sessions.

Training helps us see better results faster through building muscle, improving our movements and increasing our resting metabolic rate.

Because the calories burned from our training sessions are minimal compared to the calories we burn over the course of the day.

That’s why I wanted to share 3 tips to help you get better results from your workouts and see those fat loss results build faster!

To start off – Don’t Repeat Movements Over The Week.

Your workouts don’t need to be boring to get results.

While there are some fundamental movement patterns you want to include in your training, you shouldn’t be so married to only one form of a movement that you only use the same exercise over and over again.

You should include a diversity of movements over the course of your weekly progression but repeat those same workouts for 2-4 weeks at least.

That repetition of the same workouts allows you to see growth in the movements.

But it’s key you include a diversity of movements during the week to create progression through the same but different and avoid your ego getting in the way.

Like including not only the barbell hip thruster but also the single leg foot raised variation as well.

This diversity in the exact form of a movement pattern you include allows you to target and work all aspects of a muscle and in different ways.

It also allows you to use the same movement pattern both as a primary heavy lift and even an accessory move.

You can even change up the types of resistances you use or the exact range of motion and tempos on a movement to drive muscle growth more efficiently over the week.

And this will allow you to see progression each week in these different ways and address any weak links you may have.

If you instead repeated the same barbell back row twice in a week, you may find your ego pushes you to try to lift more each workout, when you can’t.

That second time using the row, your back may be fatigued from previous workouts. So you need to use less weight. But it can be hard to go lighter on the same move you did earlier with more.

By simply even using a single arm dumbbell row as that second row variation in the week, you now won’t force out more weight than you can control AND you’ll get the benefits of a unilateral move.

You’ll allow yourself to use more ways of creating progression to drive muscle growth while keeping your workouts fun and challenging.

You’ll see quicker gains in strength and even feel functionally more fit from your workouts!

The second tip is – Start Global. Go Local.

In other words go big to small.

When you’re looking to include a variety of movement variations over the course of the week, you don’t want to just think about different tools or tempos or postures.

You also want to think about how many muscles and joints are involved in the movement.

Include heavy compound lifts, like the deadlift, but also more isolated movements, especially to target those more stubborn areas, like the bicep curl.

This combination of both types of movements leads to the best muscle gains.

While compound movements are more time-efficient and should be our focus when we have less time to train, isolation exercises help us work a muscle closer to failure to promote optimal growth.

You want to be strategic in how you combine these movements over the course of your workout to get the best results from each type.

Generally, you want to start with big, heavy compound lifts, more global movements before you progress on to smaller, more isolation exercises to work local muscles.

This way you are fresher to maximize those big lifts and lift heavier weights before you push a muscle to full fatigue and create a bigger volume of work with the isolation focus.

Movements like the bench press are a great option to start your training.

Because you are fresh for this lift by including it at the start of your workout, you’ll be able to work more at your true 100% intensity and lift heavier for quality reps.

Exercises that allow you to lift heavier weights build strength which allows you to move more weight not only over the single session but also the weeks and months.

By working from heavier compound lifts toward more accessory moves and isolation exercises, you can fully fatigue the muscles worked during that primary exercise and use all 3 drivers of muscle growth.

With isolation moves, you aren’t focused on low reps and maxing out on loads, but instead of creating more of a pump or burn in the muscles through higher reps with loads that make you want to stop 5 short of where you do.

These weights shouldn’t feel light for the reps you perform even though the loads will be lighter than you may use for a compound exercise.

Moves like the leg extension done later in your workout should fully fatigue your quads after you’ve done other exercises like squats and front lunges earlier on.

Even if you’re short on time or only training 3 times a week, consider adding in a finisher to your workout with an isolation exercise or two to target your stubborn muscle groups!

The third tip is – Don’t Turn Your Strength Workouts Into Cardio

Stop trying just to feel tired and out of breath from your workouts. Don’t just seek to feel the burn every training session.

Too often to burn more calories and feel more worked, we end up turning our strength workouts into cardio sessions.

We cut out all rest. We rush through movements. We add more volume or more reps and sets.

And I know this makes us feel like we’re working harder, which makes us believe we’re going to see better results faster, but ultimately this is what holds us back.

By turning our strength sessions into cardio workouts, we aren’t going to see the muscle growth we want to improve our metabolic health and lose fat faster.

We can even end up losing muscle by doing this and find it harder to keep our nutrition dialed in and our calories in check.

Muscle growth is dependent on a stimulus that challenges the muscle and forces it to grow and adapt.

These sessions may feel hard but they aren’t tearing down your muscle so that it has to regrow stronger.

As you rest less, rush through moves and add more and more volume, your intensity drops.

What “feels” like you giving 100% isn’t a true 100% for very long.

This means you aren’t able to lift as heavy or do the quality repetitions you need to create that progression in your training to create those muscle gains.

And often in making our sessions more cardio, we deplete our glycogen stores more and simply make ourselves hungrier. This can then make it more of a mental battle to keep our nutrition in check!

Don’t cut out rest. Don’t just add in more reps. Slow down your movements even.

But stop seeking to just feel out of breath from your training and like you’re exhausted each and every session.

Realize that resting between rounds so you feel ready to go to work at a true 100% intensity for longer, and even like you’ve EARNED the rest from lifting heavy the round before, is what you need to build that lean muscle!

Be strategic in how you design your workouts to build muscle and help you burn more calories even at rest. This will help you see better fat loss results and maintain them long term.

We have to remember that systems work together to produce results which is why we can’t just randomly string “good moves” that “feel hard” together without a purpose!

For workouts to help you reach your goals, check out my Dynamic Strength program!

Do 15 Min Workouts Work? (6 Tips To Get Results!)

by Cori Lefkowith | Jul 10, 2023 | Blog, Workouts

“I don’t have enough time.”

This is one of the most common excuses I hear as to why people believe they can’t achieve results.

They believe a lack of time is why they can’t stay consistent with their training.

But there is always a way to design for the time we have to do SOMETHING and help ourselves move forward.

That’s why I wanted to share 6 tips to create more efficient workouts to lose fat and build lean muscle so that you don’t have to spend an hour in the gym!

And bonus, at the end I’ll show you how to put these tips together in a 15 minute full-body session!

Tip #1: Use Intervals And Timed Circuits

When we’re short on time, part of the struggle is even getting started.

We think “I only have 15 minutes” and because we either can’t complete the session we had planned or just feel stressed trying to make sure we are done, we skip our workout.

We don’t do anything.

That’s why designing backup workouts for the time you have is so key.

And more importantly designing workouts that are timed to FIT what you need helps you not rush through the session.

For efficient, fast workouts, use interval workout designs or timed circuits even if you’re focusing on building strength.

Instead of 8-12 reps for 3 sets, think 1 minute intervals of work for 3 rounds.

Or a 5 minute circuit where you do as many rounds of squats, push ups and sit ups as you can.

By using timed rounds of work, you can focus on what you feel working to be more intentional with your exercises and create that training density to see better results while spending less time working out.

Training density is the amount of work or reps you complete in a set amount of time.

When you have that interval or timed circuit, you can focus on doing more reps each week in the same timeframe over feeling like you have to work out longer to do more reps!

And because you know your workout is exactly the length you need, you won’t be tempted to rush through the reps and sets listed to just get it done.

This can help you make sure you’re getting the best quality training session possible.

So instead of just listing out reps and sets to complete, make sure everything you include has a specific time frame to guarantee it will fit your busy schedule and allow you to focus on quality movements over being stressed and just rushing through the moves!

Tip #2: Pick One.

Something is better than nothing.

I know this can be hard to accept when we want to do the ideal, but one little change, one single action can add up when done repeatedly over the weeks and months.

While I of course would love to make sure everyone is doing extra prehab work every day, even just adding in 1 foam rolling, 1 stretching and 1 activation movement is better than nothing.

Especially since so often we want to skip our warm up when we are short on time.

Instead of focusing on the ideal, think about the minimum you can do to still be consistent with things.

Then set a timer for even just 30 seconds per move or per side for a quick under 3 minute warm up to maximize your time training!

Those 3 minutes may not seem like much, but over the week that adds up to 21 minutes and even 90 minutes per month!

And that mobility work can keep us training hard during our quick sessions while making sure we are getting the most out of every movement!

Tip #3: Force Yourself To Fail.

While we always want to challenge ourselves with our training to achieve the best results as fast as possible, when you’re short on time, you want to see how you can create that challenge in less time.

This means choosing moves that max you out faster.

Use variations of moves where you can only do 5 reps in a row. Pick weights or tempos or ranges of motion that make even just a couple of reps challenging.

You can then build up volume through those time circuits, cycling through the areas you are working.

By moving from exercise to exercise, even when you can only do a few reps, you will let that volume accumulate over the rounds.

What may only be 2 reps in a row of an airborne lunge can end up being 16 reps in total when the circuit is done.

You’ll create that stimulus to build lean muscle by selecting a move that was challenging and pushed you to failure in the time you had!

Tip #4: Don’t Work The Same Muscle Back To Back

We need rest to keep working at a true 100% intensity.

But when we are short on time, we don’t want to spend any of that time NOT doing work even when we know it is beneficial.

That’s why circuits are great to use, especially if you design them to cycle through exercises that work different areas.

This way one muscle is resting while another is working.

So instead of working the same muscle group back to back, like including two quad intensive moves like squats and front lunges, cycle through moves that alternate areas worked like doing a single leg deadlift followed by a back row.

You’ll get to keep moving while resting and end up creating a great volume of work while targeting more areas during your short time to train.

And if you do find you need a “recovery” move, including more focused core work can help you bring your heart rate down while still getting in some work for another area!

By keeping your workouts more full body, you’ll also be able to increase your training frequency for areas over the week to help see better muscle growth even with short training sessions!

Tip #5: Use Moves That Target MULTIPLE Muscle Groups At Once

You want moves that target those big muscle groups and work more muscles at once so you can burn more calories and really challenge your entire body with short sessions.

While isolation moves can make muscles feel fatigued, they aren’t going to be as efficient when we are short on time.

So instead of a tricep extension, focus on close grip push ups which will be tricep intensive but also work your chest and shoulders.

Even use some hybrid movements like the climber push up that may be more core and arm intensive while still working your chest, shoulders and triceps with the push up.

But don’t waste time using moves that isolate one muscle group at a time unless you’re using them as active rest.

Get as many muscles worked in these short sessions as possible pairing compound moves for different areas back to back whether you use intervals or timed circuits.

Tip #6: Focus On Full-Body Workouts

Because your workouts are short and you’re not getting in a ton of volume for muscle groups each workout, you want to increase your training frequency for areas over the week by making each workout more full body.

This allows you to create better muscle growth by still getting in the work you need over the week even if it is more spread over multiple days.

When you design your workouts, focus on cycling through compound moves that target each area – consider a leg and glute exercise like backward lunges, a chest, shoulders and triceps move like bench press and a back exercise like rows to hit major muscle groups efficiently.

Then cycle the variations of moves you use for those areas over the week instead of repeating the same exercises over and over again.

Use a squat or deadlift instead of lunges on other days. Try an overhead press or even a standing cable chest press instead of the basic bench. Do pull ups or a barbell row over dumbbells.

But vary the way you target muscles over the week as the same but different can help you create overload and progression!

Putting it all together…

Here’s a quick full body bodyweight series using intervals. It’s just 15-minutes and because you know exactly how long it is, you don’t need to feel rushed!

Even if you’d usually go to the gym for an hour, it is never bad to have back up short workouts on hand for those busy days to help yourself stay consistent and in the habit.

We have to remember that the more we do, the more we do so doing SOMETHING keeps the momentum going in the right direction!

15 Minute Full-Body Bodyweight Blast

Warm Up:
30 seconds per side TFL Foam Rolling
30 seconds per side World’s Greatest Stretch
30 seconds Thoracic Bridge with Sit Thru

Workout:

Complete 2 rounds through the circuit below without resting.

CIRCUIT:

1 minute per side Side To Curtsy Lunge
1 minute Doorway Row
1 minute Toe Touch Push Up
1 minute Bridge to Sit Up

Cool Down:
30 seconds per side Star Stretch with Quad Stretch
30 seconds per side Upper Back Foam Rolling

Want more amazing workouts at your fingertips whenever you need?

Check out my Dynamic Strength Program!

How To Build Muscle At Any Age (5 PROVEN Tips!)

by Cori Lefkowith | May 3, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Workouts

If it challenges you it will change you. This is ultimately what building muscle at any and every age comes down to.

Whether you have heavy weights and tons of equipment or simply your own bodyweight you can create that challenge.

But there are 5 key training techniques and tips I want to share that can help you challenge your muscles in a way that forces them to grow as efficiently and effectively as possible.

And ladies, if you want to stay lean and strong as you get older, don’t fear those heavy loads!

While diet is key to build muscle you need to make sure your workouts are designed to aid in muscle growth.

Here are 5 training techniques to improve your workout designs and help you strategically use moves to see results more efficiently.

Tip #1: Start your workouts with heavy compound lifts.

Start your workouts more global before you slowly hone in and isolate those more stubborn areas.

Include big compound movements like the deadlift or bent over barbell row to start your workout.

The heavier and more complex the lift, the more it benefits from us being fresher.

The more fatigued we are, the more we can tend to compensate.

It’s not only our muscles but also our mind-body connection that can fatigue over the workout.

After the heavier lifts you can focus more on stubborn areas with lighter loads for slightly higher reps.

Tip #2: Use Rest-Pause Technique

This technique helps you build muscle by basically allowing you to work to failure multiple times in a set.

This leads to great muscle activation and can help you break through a plateau.

You can actually even use lighter loads with this increase in volume and hit near failure because of how you’re adjusting your rest periods.

While there are many ways to do this technique, the key is starting with a set to almost failure, then short rest periods of no more than 20-30 seconds max before completing another few sets.

One of my favorite designs to include with a big compound movement is the 10-7-3-1 set.

Pick a weight that you can do for about 12 reps.

Do 10 reps with that weight. Rest for a 10 count.

Then do 7 reps with the same load.

Rest 7 seconds then do 3 reps.

Rest 3 seconds and then do a single rep of the movement.

This lets you do 21 reps with a weight you could technically do no more than 12 reps with.

Tip #3: Include fast-paced power movements.

Part of why we can lift more is that neuromuscular-efficiency or the ability to recruit muscles to the correct extents efficiently to lift a weight or perform an exercise.

That is why you may want to include a little explosive power work in your routines even if your focus is on building muscle.

This is especially key as we get older as our reaction times tend to slow, putting us at an increased risk for falls and fractures.

You can add explosive work to start your workout or as interval work during a cardio day between lifting sessions.

You aren’t just trying to get out of breath.

Think lighter loads, lower rep ranges and training for speed.

med ball slams, sprints and battle ropes are all great options.

Think all out explosive then stopping before your pace slows and resting till you are fully recovered.

Intervals should be no more than 20 seconds with 3-5 times the rest!

Tip #4: Focus on total loads lifted.

Lifting heavier isn’t just about the weight you use for a single rep or even set.

So while yes, you want to use heavier weights for that set of lunges, it isn’t just that single set where you lifted heavy that pays off.

It’s about moving more weight in total during each training session and over the course of weeks and months.

More quality weight lifted overall is what really creates that muscle growth.

Your Training density, or the amount of work performed in a certain amount of time is key.

With Density Training, you’ll want to set a timeframe for your set – 10-15 minutes is usually good.

Pick 2-3 heavy compound lifts to include per set and do 2-3 sets per workout. It’s best to do these for different areas so one area gets rest as the other works.

For example you might pair Squats and Overhead Press together. Pick a weight you can do no more than 10 reps with at max.

Start with 5-8 reps of each movement so you feel like you have no more than 2 left in the tank when you put the weight down and change exercises. As you fatigue, instead of going down in loads reduce your reps. By the end you might only be doing 1-2 reps alternating back and forth.

You’ll do MORE reps with heavier loads over the 10-15 minute training time.

That volume of weight moved over weeks and months adds up.

Tip #5: Focus on what you feel working.

What you feel working during an exercise is what is benefiting from the movement.

If you only feel your quads instead of your glutes during lunges you may find your quads are growing but not your butt isn’t despite all of the “glute work” you’re doing.

This is why you need to focus on consciously trying to contract the muscle and load it during a movement.

By shifting your focus to trying to recruit and contract the muscle harder, you can actually even aid in better muscle growth for even the most stubborn of areas.

Focus on contracting a lagging muscle even before increasing loads as if you were trying to make it almost cramp.

You may even find that, if you struggle during compound moves, like lunges, to activate your glutes, that a little activation work prior to help establish that mind-body connection through a slight pump pays off.

And don’t be afraid to vary postures or positioning during movements, for example using a slight bit more of a hip hinge when you lunge backward to help yourself better engage the muscles you want to target. Little movement variations and tweaks can pay off!

Using these 5 training techniques you can take your programming to the next level and see more efficient muscle gains no matter your training experience!

Remember it isn’t just about lifting more or doing a right move, it is about making sure everything in our training is included with a purpose and helping us be intentional to make each and every session of the highest quality.

For more tips to help you build muscle check out these 5 habit changes you will also want to make…

–> How To Build Muscle ( 5 HABIT CHANGES)