the program - the road rugby fitness

i'll be the first to admit - i dislike exercising, dieting, watching what i eat and all that sensible crap. i'm my own worst enemy when it comes to health and physical fitness. way back in high school i was in great shape. that was mainly due to a very active lifestlye. as the years progressed, my active lifestyle became less active. rugby was still there but that was about it. as with most professional consultants, eating well while at client site out of town is not easy, and many times i'd find myself out of town for months at a time. this was not good. after the numerous inuries and my increased weight i have decided to commit to change. it has not been easy but it is coming.

back in late september 2001 i joined a local gym along with my girlfriend nikki. they have a very knowledgeable team of experts there and they have been very good at helping me become more aware of what i eat and how to exercise properly. it's always better to join with someone so you can help to motivate each other.

the following is my current schedule:

• Monday: Weight training - chest, biceps, triceps, abs
• Tuesday: Cardio workout - treadmill, boxing, cross trainer
• Wednesday: Weight training - back, legs, abs
• Thursday: Cardio workout - treadmill, boxing, cross trainer
• Friday: Weight training - shoulders, biceps, abs
• Saturday: day off for recovery
• Sunday: Cardio workout - treadmill, cross trainer

the key to this schedule is the combination of muscle building, cardio exercise and a sensible diet. without the cardio, the weight loss will not happen. awareness of what type of foods to have when is very important, as well as spreading out your meals. typically you should be eating 6 times a day to avoid long delays between meals. boxing is one of the best cardio exercises you can do. it burns calories much faster than a tread mill or cross trainer can and it gives you a great all-round workout for your body.

the main things i have learned along the way is that protein, vitamins, water and timing your meals play very important roles in getting fit and losing weight. in the mornings about an hour before a workout i usually have a bowl of plain oatmeal with protein powder mixed in and some fruit. immediatly following every workout session, i have a protein shake (40g of protein). protein is required to help your body rebuild the muscle it breaks down while working out. if you don't have enough protein intake you will actually lose muscle mass when you workout. it is also very important to maintain the proper vitamin levels in your system - this can be achieved by taking multivitamins to give your body the components it needs to build muscle and break down fat. normally you would get these vitamins through a proper diet but it isn't easy getting everything you need in your system. vitmain c also plays a large role.

so far it has been great. it was hard to get into the habit in the beginning but now it's part of my regular schedule. the xmas break didn't help and some recovery was needed from that but i'm still on track for this summer's rugby season. when rugby practice starts up in the spring i'll be ready and the increase in cadio exercise at that time will certainly increase my weight loss potential.

if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

stuff to note

there are so many factors that affect the rate at which you build muscle and lose weight but the basics are simple. burn more calories that you take in, exercise regulary, eat well, drink lots of water, get the proper levels of vitamins and proteins, good sleeping habits, spread out your meals and cut out the junk. ideally you want to take the weight off slowly so that your system adjusts properly. rapid weight loss is not always a good thing.

rugby and cardio

rugby is a very intense sport and your cardiovascular system must be in top shape. one of the best ways to get your cardiovascular capacity up is to run, and keep on running. a treadmill cannot reproduce the benefits of running because you are moving your own body weight. a good running program 8-12 weeks before the start of the rugby season will help to get your cardiovascular system back in shape. as usual, a good pair of running shoes is necessary to ensure the proper athletic support. for more info on cardio training for rugby check out dig fitness with arty from the amnrl.