#028: Burst Training: The Best Workout for Busy People. January 6, 2014

Transcription

1 1 #028: Burst Training: The Best Workout for Busy People January 6, 2014 Introduction The 5 am Miracle - Episode #28: Burst Training: The Best Workout for Busy People [Intro Song] Good morning and welcome to the 28th episode of The 5 AM Miracle. I am Jeff Sanders and this is THE podcast dedicated to dominating your day before breakfast. My goal is to help you bounce out of bed with enthusiasm, create powerful lifelong habits, and tackle your grandest goals with extraordinary energy. In today's episode I reveal how you can get a stellar

2 2 workout in only a few explosive minutes each day. But first, let s begin with the Tip of the Week! [Musical Interlude] For this week s Tip of the Week segment, we re going to discuss three strategies for boosting your daily energy. A few days ago, right before I began writing the script for this episode of the podcast, I was in the infamous afternoon slump. I was tired, I had no desire to do very much, and I my mind kept wandering around, thinking mostly about what movies I wanted to watch. Now, I have been here before. I know this feeling quite well and I m sure you do too. What s happening is just a natural rhythm. That morning, I woke up at 5 am, worked for two hours, had a great workout, drank my usual water, smoothie, and espresso, and then dove into a highly-energetic day of work. Fast forward 12 hours and I became very tired -- not

3 3 too surprising. But, I wanted to keep working. I knew I had more work I wanted to get done and I knew I could muster the energy if I took a few key steps to rev the engine, so to speak. Now, here is my quick energy boosting system that gets me out of just about any slump I fall into. Also, I wrote a blog post that specifically talks about afternoon slumps, which you can find at JeffSanders.com/afternoonslump This system I am outlining here will work at any time of the day, but it is especially effective in the afternoon. #1 Necessary Hydration As soon as I realize my energy is dying off, I grab my trusty bottle of water. I carry a 1 Liter Nalgene bottle with me wherever I go and it is really helpful in the early mornings and late afternoons, which is when I am the most dehydrated. I proceed to drink a full liter of water and my energy comes roaring back within 30 minutes. I m always amazed at what a little water can do to

4 4 jumpstart my body and especially my mind. #2 Creative Inspiration You know how you can feel down or tired one minute, and then get a jolt of energy as soon as you get a great idea? That s what I attempt to do every day. I live on the highs of my Aha! moments and I try to get as many as possible when my energy is at its peak. However, it s definitely harder to pull off when I m exhausted in the mid-afternoon or evening. So, I like to turn to a little personal development reading or watch a quick YouTube video from inspiring and intelligent people like Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, and Darren Hardy. Whenever I get a good idea in my head I can usually overcome most of my fatigue immediately. When this happens, I also realize how much of my fatigue is all in my head. If I can simply think of a new idea and find energy reserves, that means they were there the whole time and I just needed the key to access them. 5:10

5 5 #3 Good Stress on something you probably can t get done. As an example, when I started writing the script to this episode, I knew I didn t have enough time to write the whole thing at once because of a prior commitment. But, instead of doing nothing, or postponing my task, I set a timer, turned on some great music with Focus@Will, which I discussed back in episode #25, and I got to work. Knowing I was under the gun with time gave me an artificial boost that propelled me to get more done than I likely would have otherwise. The key here is to give yourself a good project with not quite enough time. Somehow that always seems to push me in the right direction, even when I d rather be doing nothing at all. Quick Recap 1. Drink a lot of water 2. Find an inspirational idea to think about or work on 3. Set a timer and start working on something that

6 6 you probably can t get done. I hope you found that helpful. Now let s jump into the Feature Segment! [Musical Interlude] One of the goals of The 5 AM Miracle podcast is to tackle your grandest goals with extraordinary energy. Today s topic is a direct path to doing just that. The exercise routine that I m going to discuss is ideal for a high-energy lifestyle and it works perfectly with a 5 am wake-up call. I titled the episode, The Best Workout For Busy People, because that s the goal. We all lead busy lives and whenever I see an opportunity to save time AND get better results, I jump on it immediately. I discovered Burst Training a few years ago from Dr. Josh Axe, a Chiropractor here in Nashville. Dr. Axe hosts a radio show and has a podcast called The Dr. Axe Show.

7 7 6:44 It was about 2-3 years ago when I first saw a YouTube video from Dr. Axe where he performed one set of a burst training session and he discussed why it is so powerful. At the end of the 5-minute video I was convinced I had to give it a try and, as it turns out, it was just as amazing as I thought it would be! Dr. Axe has also recently released a Burst Training program of his own called BurstFIT, which I just ordered for myself. I will be trying out his program over the next few months, so I will have to update you later on as to how the program works for me. I will include a link in the show notes if you want to check that program out for yourself. What is Burst Training? Burst Training is a highly intensive exercise routine. It is explosive, exhausting, and yet, easy enough for just about anyone to do it. Essentially, the goal is to train like a sprinter. If you have ever seen the Olympic Games or been to a track meet, one thing you will quickly notice is that every athlete has a different body type.

8 The guys and gals who throw the shot put have larger frames and big muscles. The long-distance runners are smaller with very lean muscle. The sprinters, on the other hand, are both strong and lean and the same time. Sprinters, like soccer players, are agile, fast, and have incredible strength. In many ways, the body of the sprinter is what most people intuitively want for themselves. Now, that may be an overgeneralization, but I would guess that most people wouldn t complain too much if their bodies were as strong and toned as Michael Johnson, Usain Bolt, or Jackie Joyner-Kersee, especially during their peak fitness seasons. Burst Training is a way to spend a small amount of time working out very intensely in order to burn fat, build muscle, and get fit quickly. A session of burst training consists of speed drills and quick bursts, also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). These bursts push you to your max for 1 to 3 minutes with quick recovery periods. Burst Training involves exercising at 90%-100% of your maximum effort for seconds in order to burn your body s stored sugar, followed by

9 9 seconds of low impact for recovery. This causes your body to burn fat for the next 36 hours to replace your body s energy stores. Cardio Workouts vs. Interval Training For the last 5 years of my life I have run long distances as my primary method to stay fit and strong. Prior to my marathon days I ran track in high school and played soccer for many years, so I come from a background of high-intensity exercise. When I compare my experiences between playing soccer vs. running marathons, I think I was actually more athletic and in better shape when I played soccer - not when I was running 26 miles. Don t get me wrong, running marathons are awesome, but if your goal is to look strong and athletic and feel your best, burst training might actually be a better fit. From my perspective, explosive exercise, like burst training, sprinting, or playing soccer, is likely the best kind for optimal athleticism and strength, while distance running is best for endurance and achieving a really awesome runner s high.

10 10 What are the Direct Benefits of Burst Training? First, burst training doesn t take very long. As I will discuss here in just a few minutes, you can complete an entire session in under 20 minutes -- although my average burst training session only takes about 10 minutes. This really makes Burst Training an attractive choice for anyone who only has a few minutes each day to spare, especially early in the morning. Although, you really only have to do about 3 sessions a week to see results. My preference is to workout more often, but 2-3 times a week will still yield positive benefits. Secondly, studies show that High Intensity Interval Training, like Burst Training, ignites your metabolism, helping your body burn fat now and for up to 48 hours after your workout. One of the best benefits of burst training is it s ability to jumpstart your entire body. All of your muscles are engaged and you will definitely be sore for a day or two. In that time period, your body will be burning fat faster than normal and it encourage you to workout

11 11 again soon because you will feel stronger and more agile. Third, you can get better results than a normal weight training session or jog around the block. Some studies have shown that Burst Training can burn up to 6x more fat than traditional cardio exercise. I can personally attest to this in that when I train for a marathon, I never lose any weight -- none. I usually lose weight faster and easier when I m lifting weights and doing interval training. Long distance running help to maintain your current weight and improve the strength and efficiency of your muscles, but it won t do much for weight loss. If you really want to lose weight, combine burst training with daily smoothies and you will be off to a great start. Fourth, there is no required equipment, DVDs, or personal trainers! All you need is your body and a few spare minutes. The exercises utilize your body s own weight, so if you don t have access to a gym or own any weights, it doesn t matter.

12 12 Fifth, you can do a burst training session just about anywhere. Because you only need your body to do burst training, you technically could do this anywhere you are: at work, in your living room, or at the airport. The flexibility of these exercises make them very accessible for doing them when you re traveling or when you find yourself with a few spare minutes in the middle of your day. The 6th Benefit is that burst training is a great alternative to your normal exercise routine. I have been spending a lot more time with burst training in the last few months as I am recovering from a running injury. Since the doctors told me to stay off the trail and off my feet, I have been doing more weight training and interval work than ever before. The 7th and Final Benefit of Burst Training is that you can start today, regardless of your current level of fitness. I find it very convenient that I can do a session of burst training even when I m tired, or feeling lazy, or when my foot hurts, or when I m feeling a little fat.

13 13 It doesn t matter how I look in the mirror or how my body feels at the moment, I can still do at least one session of these quick exercises. How do you do it? As I have mentioned, burst training can be done just about anywhere, which means it s just not that hard to do. It s also very versatile, which means you can mix and match different exercises or even make up new ones yourself. The session I outline here is not required by any means -- it is simply an example that you can start with and then modify if you wish. 1 Set: 4-6 minutes 30 seconds: Running in place 30 seconds: push ups Rest for seconds 30 seconds: pulsing squats 30 seconds: bicycles Rest for seconds 30 seconds: mountain climbers 30 seconds: burpees Rest for seconds Another Set if you can handle it

14 14 This combination of exercises is a great one to get started and will work your entire body. If you don t know what some of these exercises are, check out a blog post I wrote called Total Body Reinvention. I included Dr. Axe s video, where he completes a session of burst training and shows you how to do pulsing squats, mountain climbers, burpees. And of course, feel free to adjust the exercises, add some of your own, or combine these with weight training, yoga, or swimming to get a thorough full body workout. In this blog post I combine trail running with burst training as a means to get fit really fast. Since I am a huge fan of trail running, I find that I am most happy and athletic when I am able to combine running in the woods for endurance with explosive interval training for strength. The concepts in this blog post compliment today s episode nicely and give you an example of a burst training session in writing. You can read that post at JeffSanders.com/burst As always, if you have any questions about this

15 15 topic or any other, feel free to shoot me an at [Fade In Music] Announcements Just 2 quick announcements here at the end of this episode. First, i f you have not yet joined The 5 am Club, you can easily do so today for free. When you join the club you will get a free copy of The 5 AM Miracle ebook, which shows you exactly how to wake up each morning with vigor and make enormous progress on your biggest goals. To join The 5 AM Club AND jump start your morning - visit 5amMiracle.com. My 2nd announcement is that my next podcast episode will be an interview with Michael Mataluni, host of The Kick Ass Dad Podcast. If you have a question you d love me to answer here on my podcast, please leave me a voic message at JeffSanders.com/podcastquestion.

16 16 Final Thoughts Also, I would be grateful if you would rate my podcast in itunes with a full 5 stars. That helps tremendously with keeping my podcast visible so that people who have never heard of it can discover it. Just head on over to JeffSanders.com/itunes Also, if you would like to see all of the resources I mentioned in this show, please visit the show notes page at JeffSanders.com/028, as in Episode 28. Well, that's it for this episode of The 5 AM Miracle. Until next time remember, you have the power to change your life, and the fun begins bright and early. [Fade Out Music]