Dre Fitness

January 9, 2015

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Maximizing your Treadmill Intervals for Fat Loss, Performance and Unlimited Benefit

Will this blog help you get unlimited benefits? Maybe that’s a big statement

I’ve spent years now testing various treadmill interval blocks. Being native to the Pacific Northwest, I can run outdoors whenever I want but there are many times when I prefer to run indoors on a treadmill.

Treadmill intervals, if you go to OTFSeattle you’ll recognize a face or two from this special Ft. Lauderdale workout

The benefit of running on a treadmill:

Since it is a machine, you can find it easier to quantitatively track, record and achieve parameters of progression.
Increase resistance by simply increasing the incline
There is never a need to go downhill, so there may be less stress on the knees and the quads will be subjected to less stress and therefore less soreness.
Typically, less soreness means you can up your training frequency, thus getting faster results (so long as you stay healthy).

Designing effective treadmill interval blocks

Treadmill intervals are more a mental game than anything else. Almost every healthy person who uses a treadmill regularly can run faster than the maximum speed they’ve ever used on a treadmill. People just need a little encouragement! That’s why HIIT classes like Orangetheory Fitness in Seattle (my home studio Capitol Hill!!) are so popular and effective.

Example of a progressive HIIT block on the treadmill

Since teaching exercise classes to over a thousand people in Seattle, I’ve started focusing on how to coach these treadmill blocks even more effectively than before. Example of a recent All-Out block I coached my classes on.

30 second all out at 1% (exerciser chooses their most intense speed possible for 30 sceonds)
45 second walking recovery
30 second all out using the same speed as last time, but at 3% incline
45 second walking recovery
30 second all out at 1% incline, starts off as an aggressive push, and halfway through exercisers are coached to peak at their maximum speed (even if only for seconds at a time)

After the block was over and people were walking for recovery on the treadmills, I asked people to raise their hand if that was the fastest they have ever gone on the treadmill. More than a quarter of people raised their hands, knowing they have achieved something they never achieved before and thus breaking another mental barrier which could have held them back from their fitness goals.

Kyle Anderson in the teal from Seattle, Washington. He's our fitness and business inspiration

Kyle Anderson in the teal from Seattle, Washington. He is one our fitness and business inspirations and a leader for the local team here

HIIT is here to stay

Exercise science tells us this. Workouts only need to be between 20-60 minutes long and the intensity can vary from minute to minute throughout the training. There is no better way to release that cocktail of beneficial fat-burning hormones in the hours after your workout. Good recovery from high intensity training guarantees the accelerated decrease in fat-cell size.

Stay tuned my people

January 7, 2015

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Progressive Resistance and the importance for Fat Loss and Results

The science of exercise suggests that Progressive Resistance is key to strength and progress

I’ll add that progressive resistance is also how you’ll end up burning more fat.

Progressive resistance on the WaterRower would be to achieve faster times than your previous best

Why is progressive resistance important for me?

By progressively…

Using heavier weights than before
Doing more work in less time (decreasing rest intervals)
Increasing volume (doing more sets)
Adding reps (example, if you did 8 reps of chest press and failed at 9 reps, then on a future workout, you achieve 9 reps then it counts as progress)
Running faster on the treadmill (which means higher intensity)
Greater incline at various speeds on the treadmill (akin to “going heavier” and will help develop the glutes and legs)

… then you will get more results.

Achieve more

All that fitness success comes down to the similar principles as other domains for advancement and progress. If you keep doing the same thing, then you will keep looking and feeling the same way.

May you achieve together

So make fat loss progress by using the exercise science techniques of progressive resistance. There’s something for everyone here. You don’t always have to go heavier, you can also go faster. Get it!!

Orangetheory Fitness Seattle Orangetheory Seattle Physical Fitness by Dre

January 2, 2015

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In Response to Criticism of the Orangetheory Orange Bike Campaign

You may have driven, walked, or bused around Seattle and seen the orange bikes before

This campaign was not unique to Seattle as it has happened all over the country and even in Canada as well. Many communities would describe the orange bikes as nothing more than curious which is why the campaign continue to spur interest all over. Yet we heard from many people who were not too fond of the orange bikes.

Curious

Orange bikes vs. launching your career

At the time, the orange bikes were just another bright orange marketing tool to get people asking about Orangetheory. The goal is that everybody knows about Orangetheory. More and more people in Seattle have learned about the benefits of Orangetheory and our awesome local team.

Fleet Feet Seattle Capitol Hill running store, so we did a run together and it was enjoyable

We had other tools as well. It’s not that I claim pride in the fact, but wearing orange spandex was quite a comfortable running suit in the fall and winter of the previous year. So anyway, we had many more tools than the Orange bikes, but it was the orange bikes that caused the most intense response.

The franchise felt like, and still does feel like a local team

We were all over Seattle on foot, bike, rower and orange wrapped Volkswagen. We were on the ground everyday before the studios even existed. There we were, forming our identity, finding out who had the character to add value under the toughest of circumstances. We were on the streets everyday. To us, the marketing campaign was about helping to launch our careers in our desired field in the most growing city in America.

Before we had a studio, we had OT Fit Club. We hit the pavement, and we persisted

I had just come from working at an athletic club in Tacoma, and instead of being in a cozy gym talking to all kinds of current guests and customers… now I was on the streets of Seattle wearing four layers on the bottom and adopting ear warmers in an effort to invite you to become a Founding Member of our first-to-market franchise.

We should honor everybody involved

I appreciate the criticism of the orange bike campaign as it helped me understand the raw passion and spirit of Seattle. We must fight for our cause. That’s something I always felt about being a man is having a cause and standing behind it no matter what. Apply passion to your vision and execute daily.

Because excitement about fitness is what I have for the world. This is how I connect with people and this is what draws me to go beyond barriers and explore the uncomfortable zones of life. My fitness takes me forward and I’m bringing as many of you along with me as I can.

Let’s go

Orangetheory Fitness Seattle Orangetheory Seattle

December 30, 2014

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Set goals on achievements, not outcomes, for lasting results in fitness and Fat Loss

What is it more important to look a certain way or to feel a certain way?

The reality is that we can only do so much about our looks, but we can do so much more with our minds. I fully support the desire to reduce body fat to healthier levels. Meanwhile we should focus on daily accomplishments that take us to a better place in mind and in body.

This guy inspired me, he said, “Successful people do what they have to do whether they feel like it or not.” as he works towards his goals

Achievement: “a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage, or skill.” vs. Outcome: “the way a thing turns out; a consequence.”

The risky course is to focus on the outcome. Because some outcomes are ultimately out of your control and that’s just the way the world works. Sometimes you over-think the outcome, and then you don’t even start because of the anxiety or fear of failing. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to approach the goal of fat loss.

Achieve, you must

Achievement. Our greatest achievements are those that take us further or more powerfully than the day before. We can live day to day by seeking achievements, thereby altering the course of our lives and helping us burn the fat in more sustainable terms.

Fat loss tip for runners: By making progression in your speed and power, you’ll be able to obliterate more calories from muscles doing their natural function. If you run 8.0 mph at 1% incline for 90 seconds, then the next session go for 8.0 at 3% incline for 90 seconds, then after recovering do another session where you go 8.0 at 5% incline for 90 seconds. To continue the progression, perform 9.0 mph at 1% incline, then continue up the incline ladder each additional session (3%, then 5% for 90 seconds…).

Model pretending to set up for a run

Progressive resistance in speed or work against gravity is a proven successful formula.

Focus on performance goals for long term success in fitness.

Performance goals before aesthetic goals. Health goals before weight loss goals. Achievements take you further because you achieve more.

Everybody has potential for strength in some manner. Upper body strength maybe, perhaps lower body strength. Maybe it’s mental strength. Strength comes from overcoming barriers and achieving more than what you were capable of yesterday.

Good luck stay tuned for more local content as well

Orangetheory Fitness Seattle Orangetheory Seattle Power of the Mind Weightloss Now

December 11, 2014

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What should you eat before and after a HIIT workout?

Pre and Post-Workout nutrition enhances the effectiveness of your workouts

Let’s talk about some benefits of consuming some nutrition before the workout.

Do you want to reduce body fat and get lean? Use nutrient timing to enhance fat loss and get lean.

Carbs can be your friend, if you stay active

Pre-Workout Nutrition benefits

If you consume nutrition pre-workout, you may:

Fuel your workout, so you push harder and make progressions
Feel energized and improve recovery for afterwards
Preserve more lean tissue while eliminating fat

We can talk about the post-workout foods next.

Post-Workout Nutrition benefits

Consuming nutrition post-workout is very valuable for these reasons

Faster muscle recovery and potentially reduces soreness
Increases protein synthesis to protect muscle and burn fat
Helps with recovery of many systems in the body
Best time to consume nutrition is within 0 to 60 minutes of exercise

What should you eat pre/before and post/after a workout?

Most of the nutrition research and our experiences lead us to the same elements.

Water
Protein or amino acids
Carbohydrates

Supplements can make it easy, especially if you aren’t hungry after the workout

The protein is necessary for muscle recovery, even if your number 1 goal is to burn fat. The carbohydrates also improve muscle recovery by drawing more protein and refilling the stored muscular energy. If the calories are low enough, you will burn a lot of fat and be able to feel great after your workout.

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion