4 Rounds – each for time of:
4oom Run or 500m Row
*Rest 2 min between rounds*
**You may mix and match**
~~~~~~~OR~~~~~~~
Unbroken double Unders
5-10-15-20-25-30-35-30-25-20-15-10-5
*each set must be completed unbroken before moving to the next
Always remember that – YOU WERE BORN TO SQUAT PROPERLY!
Myths about lifting weights
Strength training will not give you man thighs!
Or calves. Or arms. There is a common misconception out there that lifting weights will make you bulk up in all the wrong places when really all you want to do is slim down so you’ll feel confident in your favorite dress. Actually, there are a lot of myths surrounding weight lifting in general, concerning men and women. Let’s address some of them here.
Myth #1: You should lift light weights to tone your body and heavy weights to bulk up.
Many people think that lifting heavy weights will bulk you up and lifting light weights will tone your body. That might be why we often see women lifting very light dumbbells at your neighborhood globo gym while the men are grunting under the weight of their very heavy dumbbells. Women tend to want to tone their body while men tend to want to bulk up and so they choose weights they think will achieve that goal.
In reality, lifting heavy is more effective when your goal is to tone your body. Heavier weights build the strength of your muscles, which in turn increases your metabolism and your body’s ability to burn fat making you leaner and… more toned. The key is to lift heavier weight to become stronger and more able. You will gain more muscle to a small degree, but you will not bulk up.
Myth #2: Building muscle will make you bulk up.
Bodybuilders bulk up because they intend to. They spend hours in the gym lifting incredibly heavy weights and they eat a diet specifically designed to promote muscle growth. Unless you’re trying to bulk up, you’re not going to.
Building muscle actually makes you look leaner, not bigger. Each time you lift heavy weights your muscles become stronger and a little bit bigger. Like I mentioned above, your metabolism increases and you burn more fat. As you burn fat you become leaner, and since muscle tissue is more dense than fat you start to see the muscle. Sometimes you may look bigger because you are more defined (toned) but in actuality you will likely be smaller.
Myth #3: You can build long, lean muscles by training a certain way – like Yoga.
Muscles are attached to bones and will not lengthen no matter what you do. There are many exercises that will help you to strengthen your muscles without making them too much larger, but they will not become more lean or longer. One thing that will help is to make sure you stretch to keep your muscles at their appropriate lengths. A lot of lifting without stretching might lead to tightened muscles and in turn postural deviations that will negatively affect your overall quality of life.
Myth #4: You will not gain strength lifting light weights.
Lifting light weights will help you get stronger; it will just take a lot longer. The trick to gaining strength is to work your muscles to fatigue. And by fatigue I mean lifting until you cannot possibly complete one more rep. People who lift light weights gain as much muscle as those who lift heavy weights, it just takes them much longer to get there.
Overall, lifting weights will increase your metabolism, allowing your body to burn more fat and help you to loose those few extra pounds you’ve been trying to shake off. You will gain some muscle, but not enough to make your pants too tight unless you really try to.
