Make it count

One of the things a lot of people question about both Crossfit and BFL is whether or not the workouts demand sufficient time to obtain the desired results. We live in a culture that advances the thought that more is better. If twenty minutes of exercise is good, thirty is better, but not as good as sixty, which is not as good as ninety, and onward. The truth is that this is one of those quality time type things. If you put in the proper amount of effort and do the right exercises, you will have excellent results. Nobody needs to live at a gym to be fit, muscular, and healthy.

Anybody looking for maximum results should stick with compound exercises using free weights. I see this topic coming up pretty often. A lot of people spend time trying to isolate small muscle groups and/or using machines rather than free weights. There are number of reasons for this, but I think the biggest one is that it's easier. Plain and simple. Performing very taxing, compound movements takes a lot of effort, both mentally and physically. It's a lot easier to hop onto a machine and push out a few reps than it is to perform exercises that tax the entire body. The thing is....taxing the entire body is what nature intended. When we lift a load, our entire body works together to move the weight. When we try to isolate muscles or use machines that provide unnatural support or cause us to move the weight through unnatural planes of motion, we are working against nature. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I can pretty much guarantee that compound movements burn a heck of a lot more calories than isolation movements.

When you're at the gym, you need to ask yourself why you are there. If you spend sixty minutes working out, why not make it count as much as you can? Leave it all there on the gym floor. Of course, a very small percentage of the population may be bodybuilding or fitness competitors that must tailor each muscle just so for aesthetic reasons. I understand that. I'd still argue that the core workout should still be compound movements. For the rest of us, get the most out of your time. Stick with the big movements using free weights. You'll be amazed at the results.

LBWO today. Squats, deads, Step ups, standing calve raises. Fun. Maybe I'll finish with some box jumps. I haven't done them in a while.