How often should I train?

Many people have asked, “How often should I train?” Now, this can be a hard question to answer as it is very dependent on your current fitness level, lifestyle and long-term fitness goals. That being said there are a few basic guidelines that can help you get started.

Once a week
Intense exercise at least once a week can help you maintain your current fitness level and set a foundation for increased fitness in the future. If it has been ten years since the last time you really exercised, adding just one session of exercise to your weekly schedule is often more than enough to get things moving.

Two to three times a week
To see consistent progress in your health and fitness you will need to exercise at least two to three times a week. Training less will make it hard to develop proficiency in technical movements, and if you have been paying attention in class you know it is all technical. Even seemingly simple movements such as the Push-Up, Squat, Punch or Tenkan (an evasive technique taught in Aikido) can be constantly tweaked and refined.

Four or more times a week
If you want results and you want them fast then you need to work for them. To see drastic changes in body composition in a short time (three to six months) you will need to participate in intense exercise at least four or more times a week. However exercising at this level can increase the risk of overuse injuries, so it is very important that you are complimenting your exercise regimen with good nutrition, sleep and a well-thought-out recovery program.

Recovery
There are many ways to aid your recovery after exercise. Some of the most important are: nutrition, sleep, stretching, and mindful relaxation.

Have you met Peter yet?

Peter started training Karate with his teenage son at Vancouver Mind-Body Centre in the Spring of 2016. Since then he has started to regularly attend our very popular Saturday morning flexibility class. He even completed the full 31 days of the Workout to Conquer Cancer with us in May 2017 as well as the 22 Pushup Challenge in July.

Both outside and inside the gym Peter is feeling stronger, healthier, calmer and more flexible than ever. Which is important when you work in the fast-paced film industry. The long hours on set were part of the reason Peter chose to start training with his son, making sure they get some quality time together every Monday night.

When I started at VMBC, I would struggle through maybe nine sit-ups as the rest of the group completed their set of twenty five. I can now do a set of 25 sit-ups, 10 push-ups and still do plank. Climbing a rope for the first time was pretty awesome too.

As a side effect of Peter’s improved physical performance he has dropped from a size 36 pant to a size 33. You can’t complain about that!

Peter is excited to continue to work towards his 7th Kyu grading (Orange Belt) improve his flexibility and make kettlebells a part of his regular routine. It won’t be easy as this season of Super Girl is going to be busy, busy, busy, but he is up for the challenge.

What are your health and fitness goals for this season? Let us know for a chance to win a free 1-on-1 personal training session or a goal setting consultation, if you are not yet sure what your goals are.

How Anthony Bourdain lost 35lbs

Have you ever taken a trip and come back 10lbs heavier? Now imagine the weight you would put on if your full time job was traveling and eating all of the worlds best foods. That is exactly what Anthony Bourdain does. So how does he keep from becoming over weight? The answer: Jiu-Jitsu.

Bourdain told the New Yorker that “Since he started doing jujitsu, three years ago, he has lost thirty-five pounds.” Not an easy feat for a celebrity chief in his 60’s. Now it’s not only the exercise, it never is. Training Jiu Jitsu has also changed the way Bourdain thinks about food.

“Now that he trains nearly every day in jujitsu, he tries to eat and drink more selectively. “Off camera, I don’t go around getting drunk at night,” he said during the meals we shared when he wasn’t shooting, Bourdain didn’t so much gorge himself as graze. A big bowl of pasta is hard to enjoy if you know it will render you sluggish the next morning, when a crazy-eyed mixed martial artist is trying to ease you into a choke hold.” (Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker 2017)

If you want to eat like Anthony check out his Acai bowl recipe over at A.V. Club. If you want to train like him try one of our NEW Jiu Jitsu classes at Vancouver Mind-Body Centre.