boomerhealthandfitness.com

We start off today with an interesting post about fat oxidation from Sam at the KC Kettlebell Club .  He reports on several studies that indicate that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is more effective for improving VO2max, fat oxidation and body composition than lower intensity endurance training.  This held true even when the endurance training group burned more calories overall.

“A keystone study in the debate of endurance training (ET) versus high intensity interval training (HIIT) where two groups, one endurance training [ET] group (men and women alike) trained for 20 weeks at 78% heart rate max, the other, a HIIT group (men and women) trained for 15 weeks. It was noted that the ET group burned around twice as many calories as the HIIT group overall. However, the HIIT group had a 9 TIMES greater reduction in adipose tissue (fat) than the ET group.”

I wish he had provided a link to the studies so I could read them directly.  There’s always something interesting and geeky about reading the results straight from the researchers’ report. He has a picture of those cool colored kettlebells on his home page so I’ll forgive him for not including the links.

Speaking of kettlebells, I found a nice site run by personal trainer Lauren Brooks. The self described Kettlebell Queen has demonstration videos you can view at YouTube. Like this one:

I’m starting to get the itch to try kettlebells because I’ve never used them before and I like shiny new things.  Routine in most things in life is comforting to me, but in my workouts I’m the complete opposite.  I have to have variety or I go nuts.

From kettlebells to slosh tubes. I’d never heard of a slosh tube before.  Mark at Mark’s Daily Apple enlightened me with this post.

A slosh tube is a large PVC pipe filled with water and capped on the ends.  Although it’s a decidedly low tech piece of exercise equipment, it looks very effective.

“the beauty of the slosh tube - the slightest imbalance sends the water sloshing to the opposite end of the tube. Weight isn’t just mass/poundage; it’s also based on momentum. Correcting that imbalance, fighting that momentum, is incredibly taxing on your core.”

Mark provides instructions on making your own slosh tube.  Believe me, it’s so simple even I could make one without hurting myself.

Another thing I learned this week:  this is a Tabata Dumbbell Thruster.

The Tabata protocol is 20 seconds of activity followed by 10 seconds of rest for eight rounds.  She makes it look easy (it’s not) AND she’s using 35 pound dumbbells!

I’ve done seated overhead shoulder presses with 20-23 pound dumbbells so I figured I’d have NO problem doing Tabata Dumbbell Thrusters with 8 pound dumbbells and I didn’t.  At least not for the first three rounds.  After that I had to alternate doing the Tabata Dumbbell Thrusters with rounds of air squats which look something like this.  Although, in my case, not as low or as fast.

I love that video just for the music alone!

If Tabata Thrusters seem a little too advanced for you, check out Rene Burton’s senior exercise videos.  Her program, It’s Never Too Late ^TM,  is “dedicated to developing senior health and fitness through strength exercises”.  Designed for people over the age of 55, it is ideal for those who are less active or have not exercised consistently.

I’m thinking of getting a set of the DVDs for my sister who has balance and mobility issues.  I think they would be beneficial for her.  Thanks to the blog Healthy Aging for the head’s up on Rene Burton.

That’s the roundup for this week.  Have a good one!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS