8 weeks, 40 workouts, 168 shakes later Catherine ripped off over 16 kilos of fat and a ridiculous amount of inches from all over her body including 17cms from her waist. Welldone Catherine, you’re a star!

In today’s world everyone is living life at a million miles an hour. Work, family, meetings, social functions, paper work, traffic, emails; the list goes on. Our lives are so chokka-block that it becomes very difficult to find time to exercise. So when you do find time to train you must make a wise investment of that time. In other words you must perform the right type of training at the correct intensity that will have you move closer to your goals.

When pressed for time a wise choice in what type of exercise to perform is essential. The type of exercise that will give you the fastest results for your time spent training. This is known as the hierarchy of fat loss.

The hierarchy of fat loss:

1.       Resistance Training (Strength Training)

2.       HITT (High Intensity Interval Training)

3.       Moderate Intensity Moderate Duration Cardio e.g. Jogging for 40 minutes

4.       Low Intensity Long Duration Cardio e.g. 60-120 minute walk.

Perform these forms of exercise in that order for the best results possible. Any other order will be a waste of your time and effort.

 This article will cover HITT (High Intensity Interval Training) which time and again proves itself as being an excellent investment of your time. Not only that but we’ve included a 10 week sample program to follow.

Interval Training is a form of cardiovascular exercise that combines extremes of intensities. For a brief period of time you will push yourself as hard as you can and then for a brief period of time you’ll rest.  The more extreme you can make the intensity of each interval, the more dramatic the result will be on your metabolism and physique. To better explain this, here are 2 examples of an Interval Training Program preformed on a treadmill.

Option A:

Work (60 seconds): Run at 11km/hr

Work (60 seconds): Fast Run at 15km/hr

Rest (60 seconds): Slow Walk at 4km/hr

In Option A the rest/ recovery phase is too close. It never really allows the runner to catch their breath and replenish their energy levels enough to really push hard and run fast during the work phase.

Option B however clearly demonstrates the contrast of extremes in intensity. It allows for a great deal more recovery during the rest periods due to the slow pace, which in turn enables a more kick ass performance during the work phase. The result in fat loss is far more dramatic!

So here are the laws of HITT for maximum fat loss.

1.       When you work, your performance must be lightning fast with a high force output.

2.       Your work periods must not be too brief. Sprinting for your life for 15 seconds then throwing up a lung and collapsing from exhaustion for 5 minutes will make you faster and leaner…but the total workout time will be to excessive for most individuals once you perform the total training volume eg 10 x 15s sprints with 5 minute rest periods= 60+ minutes including warm up time.

3.       You must perform a sufficient volume of intervals i.e. do lots of repeated efforts.

Here is a sample program for you to get fit, fast and lean.

WARNING! This form of training isn’t for wussies. This is for those who are dedicated to kicking butt and developing an amazing body.

Begin each work out with a dynamic warm up to get loose and prevent injuries.

1.       20 seconds: Run on the spot

2.       20 x Butt Flicks

3.       20 x High Knee Runs

4.   20 x Single Leg Lying Leg Raises (10 each side)

(Repeat steps 1 to 4)

5.       10 x 1 second hold on each side: Dynamic Quad Stretch

6.       10 x 1 second hold on each side: Dynamic Glute Max Stretch

7.       10 x 1 second hold on each side: Dynamic Glute Medius Stretch

8.       15 second Straight Leg Calve Stretch

9.       15 second Bent Leg Calve Stretch

10.   3 minute Jog at a moderate intensity and pace

11.   *1 minute slow easy walk

12.   Sprint! Your first “Interval” begins!

13.   After all intervals are preformed walk at a cruisy pace for 5 minutes

*The 1 minute rest and recovery (e.g. walk) prior to starting your first sprint is to catch your breath and psyche yourself up for a big performance!

Week 1: The work period is brief and the recovery phase is long this allows you to really push your limits and see how fast you can go. You’re looking to build up to a safe challenging maximum speed. In order to get awesome results you have to train and develop POWER. Think about it this way; which of these 2 options will ignite your metabolism: a 100m walk or a 100m sprint? Enough said!

So for your first work out the goal is to establish your max speed. Start off conservatively e.g. 10km/hr and then at each interval add another .5km/hr until you reach your maximum e.g. 14km/hr. Workout 2: Try to go a little faster e.g. 14.5-15km/hr. Work out 3 faster still. It is this session that you really want to go for it and see how fast you can go. Think of yourself as a 100m Sprinter at the Olympics.  Each sprint interval you are going for gold.  You only have 1 chance, so make it count!  Put your foot on the gas people!

The workouts in week 1 may look like this:

As you can see over the course of the week you’ll push your boundaries more and more which is essential.

Week 2: Learn to endure.

In this week there are 2 goals.

1.       Extend the period of your “sprint/ work” phase from 30 seconds to 40 seconds.

2.       Build up to the top speed you reached in each workout of the previous week minus 1km/hr. For example on workout 1 the max speed was 13.5km/hr so the work speed for workout 4 will be 12.5km/hr. Hit that speed within the first 4 intervals and maintain it for the remaining 6 intervals.

Here’s how the week would look.

You may find that you can’t quite manage to maintain these speeds but do your absolute best to do so.

Week 3 will look the same as week 2 as far as speed goes but now you’re looking to extend the work period to 50 seconds. This will be dam tough but will start getting you to burn some serious fat!

Week 4 you’ll start the cycle again beginning with a power phase. YOU MUST GET FASTER! After running for 50 seconds, 30 seconds will seem like nothing so pump up the intensity!

You’ll now be performing 12 intervals per workout. Progress through this 3 week cycle again in the same manner as you did the first cycle.

1.       Week 5 build up to the top speed you reached in each workout of the previous week minus 1km/hr. For example on workout 10 the max speed was 15.5km/hr so the work speed for workout 4 will be 14.5km/hr. Hit that speed within the first 4 intervals and maintain it for the remaining 8 intervals. You’ll now increase you work period

2.       Week 6 will look the same as week 5 as far as speed goes, but now you’re looking to extend the work period to 50 seconds. This will be damned tough but will start getting you to burn some serious fat!

3.       Week 7 will be a de-load week. This is a period of time where you’ll let your body rest and recover from the beating it took over the last 6 weeks.   It will also allow your muscular and cardiovascular systems time to recover and rejuvenate, which will improve your performance and fat loss efforts in the final cycle.

The pattern is then repeated again for the final 8 to 10 weeks. At this point if you wish to continue we recommend having a de-load week after every 3 week mini cycle for the same reasons mentioned above: Injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Notes on HITT training:

1.       You can perform HITT on any piece of cardio equipment. Cycles, rowers, X-Trainers or Treadmills. The same rules apply.

2.       To burn fat fast you must develop your POWER ENDURANCE capacity. You cannot perform power endurance if you have no power to endure. First build power then build power endurance.

3.       Running outdoors is perfectly acceptable but there is no way of effectively regulating your speed.  All you need is your i-pod and stop watch. I recommend a handheld stop watch like we use, as opposed to a digital wrist watch. The display on a watch is too small for this type of training.

4.       Every exercise has a risk to benefit ratio. Running produces excellent results (benefits) but it bangs your body up damn fast (high risk). Knees, hips, feet, back and shoulders all take a beating. X-Trainers are low impact (low risk) but the results aren’t quite as good (Moderate to high benefits). Rowers and Bikes in my experience are pretty average as far as benefits and risks go.

5.       Listen to your body. HITT itself has a high risk to benefit ratio: High Risk/ High Benefit.  If you’re getting niggles perform a different form of HITT i.e. row don’t run.  If you get injured you get fat.  Getting a hot bod and keeping it for ever is all about consistency and longevity. Look after yourselves, work hard, and look amazing!

6.       I recommend at least 2 sessions per week, ideally 3.

Note:  Remember the speeds we use in the sample programs are only guidelines.  If you can run faster go for it, if those speeds are too advanced for you at the moment, build up to them.

So there we go guys, a sure fire method to get you looking amazing. Train with passion, train with intensity. A great body is not built in a state of calm and distraction. Laser like focus and a lot of heart is what will get you there.

Stay strong,

Dave and Kirk

Check out this audio interview featuring Murray Deaker, Kirk and some of our clients as they share their experiences working with Elite Trainers. Highly amusing stuff!

The difference between gold and no medal at all can often boil down to split second finishes and first place can literally be anyone’s. They all deserve to be there and are the best in the world. In fact a lot of them all have the ability to place first. So what is it that separates the medallists from the rest?

Is it the physical preparation, nutrition, supplementation, acclimatisation, recovery ability, physical peaking? Any of these can play a roll but more often than not it’s the athletes psychological status that determines their performance.

Which athlete posses the winning mindset?

Who can with stand the pressure of competition? After all, they have been preparing for this competition for at least the last 4 years but in reality it’s been all their lives- Twice a day gruelling training sessions, no alcohol, no partying, perfect nutrition. The expectations of an entire country resting on their shoulders. The potential to be an instant multi million dollar celebrity who is worshipped by a nation and even the world. The opportunity to leave behind a legacy from a performance that stunned the world.

Tui should have a billboard for these athletes which could sum it all up nicely.

So what has all this got to do with you guys? What can you benefit from this long winded intro? Just because only SOME athletes posses the winning mindset come competition time, they ALL posses it when they train.
When an athlete enters the gym, the pool, the track, they beam with confidence, purpose and attitude. They’re there to become the best- To improve there strength, stamina, fitness, speed, power and body composition. They are there to be the best they can be, hopefully the best in the world.

They recognise that training is an investment of time and effort. And that investment can either take them closer to gold or further away. And what it boils down too is their attitude when they come to train. Whether you’re trying to win gold, lose some weight or put on some muscle you have to come in firey and ready to perform.

To get the results YOU desire you need to bleed enthusiasm when you train. You need to arrive ready to put in the work necessary to force your body to change. Working hard is unfortunately not enough to produce the results you want.  You have to be more than the false preconceptions of what you believe your’ potential to be.

Those of you who we work with who perform at the highest level and who make the most progress learn a very important skill. They learn to find exactly what it is that gets them “fired up” to train hard. They become goal focused. They find exactly what it is that excites them and makes them passionate to train. What they want becomes their driving force.

“What the?” I hear you mutter. What’s that supposed to mean?

Let me explain and to keep things relative I’ll keep my examples in the realm of exercise and nutrition. Everywhere I go I meet people who are unsatisfied with either body shape, fitness, state of health or all of the above. Often times these people are completely sedentary. A typical day consists of waking up getting in the car and driving to work then hacking away at a computer all day. Then it’s back in the car heading for home where the sit down in front of the t.v for a few hours before going to bed. In other words all the do is sit on their butts or sleep. They do this day in and day out year after year. You may know someone who lives like this and if you do there’s a pretty good chance that either their body shape, fitness or state of health is not where they want it.

What should this person do about it?

They need to do something UNREASONABLE!

For them doing something unreasonable could be going for a brisk walk for 40 minutes, 3 times per week which would be excellent for their health and very unreasonable.

Now what if I told you they wanted to lose 10 kilos?

Will walking 3 times per week for 40 minutes have them achieve their goal? And in light of their goal are they being unreasonable?

HELL NO! Not even close.

You all know that walking 3 times a week will improve their heart health and their fitness a little bit. But the impact on their fat loss efforts is laughable. You know that it takes frequent exercise, good nutrition and hard, hard work.

So guys, here’s what I want you to do. Take a look at yourself and ask yourself these 3 questions.

1. Are you happy with the way you look and feel?
   If you are that’s great, keep doing what you’re doing because that works for you! If not, then read question 2:
2. Are you moving closer to your goals every week?
   If you are that’s great, keep doing what you’re doing because that works for you! If not, then read question 3:
3. If you’re not satisfied with the way you look and you’re not moving closer to your goals, are you being unreasonable relative to your goals?

If you had to ask yourself the third question then the answer is without a doubt NO! You’re TOO DAMN REASONABLE!

You may work hard and train heaps. And you’re nutrition may be really good compared to the other guy, but who cares?

• You’re not satisfied with where you are and
• You’re not getting any closer to YOUR goals and
• You’re not being unreasonable ENOUGH!

Now don’t freak out, anyone can make really great progress if they are open and willing to become mentally tough. Here are some examples to illustrate my point.

When you’re weight lifting are you the sort of person who lifts the same weight you always do and go through the motions? Or do you nervously and tentatively eye ball the really heavy weights relative to you, the type of weights that have you shaking your head and questioning your sanity, but you lift them anyway and have an epic performance?

Are you the type of person whose alarm goes off at 6am, you open your eyes and it’s cold and wet outside so you shut it off and tell yourself that “I’ll go for a run later” and later never comes? Or do you get up anyway, brave the weather and push it hard?

Are you the type of person who feels embarrassed about ordering a fat loss friendly meal in a restaurant because it’s not on the menu or do you tell the waiter exactly what you want because you’re committed to achieving your goals?

If you can relate to the first examples in any of the above scenarios then there’s a pretty good chance that you do not have the body you want and you live life reasonably.

For a crash course in becoming unreasonable come and train with Kirk or I and tell us how much weight you want to lose and set a deadline. We get the job done all the time and we do it with your typical everyday kiwi’s – mums, dads, business people, young and old. And they all share one thing in common- a willingness to develop mental toughness and a commitment to being unreasonable.