Ever wonder the difference between Crossfit and Weight-training? Well, I wanted to know which was more effective when it came to making gains so I did a little research.
First, let's look at the differences:
* Free weights means that you either are at a gym or if you have weights at your home. You can create your own workouts and go at your own pace.
* Crossfit is usually done in a gym setting but can be done at home. You are not really able to go at your own pace because Crossfit is all about the higher intensity of it to burn calories. Mostly Crossfit has workouts preset for the day called MOD.
* Free weight work doesn't usually require or include cardio. If you do too much cardio and don't eat a good diet then you can burn up your gains.
* Crossfit is a mix between cardio and weights at a higher intensity. It builds stamina.
* Free weights are good for building muscle mass and looking pumped.
* Crossfit is more about being physically fit all around not just having muscle mass.
How do you overcome a fear that is so intense that you feel it to your core?
I am going to share how I have slowly tried to overcome my fear of heights and hopefully, some of the things that worked for me will maybe work for you.
Some people say to show fear shows that you are weak. I think that is a harmful saying. A fear isn't always something you can control, but you can try to overcome it.
My fear of heights has been overwhelming in the past but there are things in my life I would like to accomplish so I need to work towards conquering it.
1. Identify the fear and where it stems from
Knowing the reason you have said fear will help you to examine why it has such a hold on you.
2. Come to terms with what gave you the fear
If you have identified that a fear stems from a traumatic incident in your past then really getting to the core of that and moving past it will give you the courage to try and let go of said fear.
3. Starting slow
I will use heights as an example. You shouldn't rush out and climb the biggest hill and look over the edge but maybe just find some stairs that seem more than you would usually climb and go as far as you can.
4. Set a GOAL
Goals are wonderful to have when working out a fear. It gives you perspective and accountability.
That goal doesn't have to be the top dog at first. Set little ones working up to what it is you really want. Remember that "Rome wasn't built in a day"
5. Continue to grow
As you set out to conquer your goals. Always take the time to look back at how you let go of the reason you had that fear. Be proud of yourself for how far you have come. Share with people and let them be supportive.
Having a positive attitude always helps to conquer fears. Once you get to that big goal you set for yourself you may have to pep talk your way through it and it is nice to have a support team also.
Once you have accomplished that goal, keep going! That fear may always be a small voice in the back of your mind but if you don't let it stop you then it won't win.
*What fear have you overcome? How did you accomplish it?
Here we go again! I have created a two week AB challenge on my facebook group and I know that without some healthy eating this is not going to be a magic make over but It will help a little and it will at least get you into the habit of working your abdominal area.
Go to facebook.com/lmlittelldsm and ask to be added to the group if you would like to make friends and join the challenge. Also here it is for you to print off without having to join the facebook group.
In the pursuit of a lean muscular body are kettlebells the key? Or should you stick with the traditional weight bench with the barbell?
That is what I would like to know. Not wanting to jump on a trendy workout if it doesn't really give me the results I want I had to look into this kettlebell.
WHAT STUDIES SAY
menshealth.com has a good article about the differences between free weights and a kettlebell. They say that if you want to bulk you need to stick with the free weights because you can get more onto a barbell than you can out of a kettlebell, which makes sense.
But they also say that if it's not just bulk you want and if you want to burn fat than a kettlebell is they way to go.
kettlebellsworkouts.com has a very extensive beginners explanation of what a kettlebell is and how it should be used. They also say that it is NOT a trend and has been around for 100's of years. Good to know! There is a list of 13 reasons to use a kettlebell that is very convincing.
This article is so full of wonderful information that you must read it if you are thinking about using kettlebells.
popsugar.com says that they each have their good qualities but the kettlebell will burn more fat due to the cardio aspect of the workouts.
CONCLUSION
If you wanted to use a kettlebell than make sure you are doing it right to avoid injury and have at it. There are lots of suggested workouts out there to help burn fat.
Also, if you want to add muscle you can use free weights and just add some cardio moves in between sets.
Either way, it all boils down to preference. Some people might shy away from a kettlebell if they have never used it before or others might think they will add to much bulk if they use free weights.
I myself am going to add a kettlebell to my free weight routine and see how it goes.
*Do you use free weights or a kettlebell?
When I first started lifting, I was so excited when I was able to see muscle definition. It meant that I was achieving the look I thought I wanted. It meant I didn't need to kill myself doing cardio anymore...right.
Then I stopped seeing results because I had so much fat that still needed to come off. How was I going to get rid of some of the fat without getting rid of all the muscle I had managed to put on already?
I would need to get back on the cardio machine again in order to get my heart rate up to burn some fat.
What kind of cardio?
If you are doing cardio it should be something you enjoy or you will be miserable doing it. You will want to so it 2-3 times a week. Say you like to run, well go for that run, just don't go for over 45 minutes a couple times a week. You don't want to put too much stress on your body, that is when it will turn to burning up your muscle.
How do you gain muscle?
By having enough calories and protein for growth. The digested protein like mentioned in this post is needed for muscle growth, so over doing cardio will leave you at a deficit.
Don't forget diet
In an attempt to limit muscle loss when getting in cardio you need to remember that what you fuel your body with matters. Also making sure to start the recovery process right after a workout will help stop the breakdown of muscles.
My takeaway from this is that I need some cardio to be healthy but not overdoing it is the key. Everything in moderation. Helping to drop the fat also needs healthy fuel.
*How much cardio do you do?
Do you do high reps or heavy weight?
In wanting to achieve that sculpted body that you can be happy with, how should you go about it?
High Reps
You can opt to spend more time doing high reps, which usually consist of around 20 per set. This is something that was thought to be best by many Mr. Olympia competitors. The bad thing about high reps can be the strain on the muscle with constant repetition. I can see where if you were nervous about using a heavy weight that this would appeal to you. This article suggests you can do both and it has an example workout.
Heavy weight
If you would rather not spend the time it takes to do a high volume workout than to stress the muscle you can opt to lift heavy weights. Now just because you are lifting heavy weights does not mean that you will "look bulky" It takes time to achieve that look and also you have to consider diet. I found this article so informative!
Doing both
In my research for this post, I have come to agree with many people who feel that you should try to incorporate both. I myself, I do 4 sets in which 2 I do heavy weight up to 12 reps and the other 2 I do lower weight up to 20 reps. My husband has just got into weight training and he does a high rep workout and seems to like it. This article discusses the pros and cons of each way to lift weights.
* Which way do you weight train and why?
