by Pippa Teague, Strength Coach | Jul 15, 2019 | Conditioning, Exercise advice, Fasttwitch, fiber, Personal training, strength training, Uncategorized
Pippa Teague NASM CPT, WS
Infinite Potential Strength Coach
If you participate in a sport that requires quick fast movements such as jumping, quick change of directions, sprinting, leaping, throwing etc you will need to spend some of your training time focusing on the development of your fast twitch muscle fibers.
There are generally two types of muscle fiber – type I – slow twitch and type II-fast twitch. Fast twitch can further be broken down into type IIa and type IIb. Genetics play a role in which muscle fibers you have more of but training in a certain way can make these different types more efficient.
Slow twitch muscle fibers use oxygen and can go for a long time without tiring- think long distance runners. Fast twitch muscle fibers use anaerobic energy and are better at creating shorter bursts of strength or speed e.g sprints, high jump etc.
Type IIa are more of a hybrid fiber in that they have characteristics of both slow and fast twitch fibers. Type IIb produces the highest rate and quickest speed of contraction but it fatigues much faster, so doesn’t last as long as the other two.
It is impossible change the quantity of muscle fibers in your body but you can train to become a more fast twitch athlete.
Here are a list of exercises that work those fast twitch muscle fibers. Include these in your training regime if you want to work that explosive power.
- box jumps
- power cleans
- snatches
- bench press
- agility drills-ladder, hurdles
- squats
- kettlebell swings
- air dyne sprints
- battle ropes
As well as training quick movements with lighter weights, don’t forget to work on the strength of those large power muscles- quads, glutes, hamstrings. Larger muscles and strength will also help recruit those fast twitch fibers…….do your squats!
by Pippa Teague, Strength Coach | Jun 28, 2019 | Conditioning, Exercise advice, Personal training, strength training, Uncategorized
By Jenny Gusella
Certified Personal Trainer, @jennykgoose
There are tons of great ways to stay in shape, whether you go it alone creating your own workouts or watching online videos, take a group fitness class, or work one-on-one with a personal trainer. Personal training is among the more foolproof ways to reach your goals because of the individualized attention and accountability it provides, but is it the right choice for you? The following guidelines will help you decide if you’re on the fence.
- Is fitness a priority for you? We are all busy. Even the most dedicated fitness fanatic will have times where staying in shape slips on their priority list. Take a moment to weigh how important your fitness goals are to you, and if you think you’re willing to regularly fit workouts into your schedule (and budget!) then hiring a personal trainer could be something to consider.
- Do you have a semi-regular schedule? The advantage of group classes is that they take place with or without you, so it’s easy to pop in whenever you have a free hour. Personal training will be more structured. If you know your schedule will be somewhat regular, allowing you to meet at least weekly, then personal training may be a good option.
- Are you unsure of your form or have a history of injury? For those with little to no past gym experience it can be intimidating and overwhelming to join a group fitness class. It’s more difficult to get one-on-one attention in a larger group, and you may find that you feel like you can’t take full advantage of the workout because you’re feeling a little lost on how to perform the exercises. Personal training is a surefire way to brush up on your form, learn what weights you are capable of using, and also learn about ways to strengthen up any muscular weaknesses you have. This is perhaps the biggest advantage of personal training.
If you answered yes to one or more of the questions above, maybe personal training is the way to go. No matter what your situation, if you are considering hiring a personal trainer the easiest thing to do would be to set up a meeting to talk about your goals, schedule and history, and see if you align well with that trainer. Just like any relationship, you’ll click better with some trainers than others and it may take a bit of searching to find someone right for you.
