Jun 09
19
Fitness Tips for Father’s Day
Unfortunately, the average American Dad is overweight, overworked, stressed individual who drinks too much beer and does everything wrong in the gym.
This stereotype sounds harsh, but is true. We overlook many of these problems because the fat, beer drinking man on the couch watching Sportscenter is a great guy and we think he deserves to enjoy his drinks and lay around every once in a while after all the hard work he does.
Our dad’s don’t help themselves very much either by spending their workouts consumed with hundreds of bicep curls, bench presses and crunches. Instead of transforming themselves into a 6 packed, bulging bicep Fabio look-a-like, they keep their keg belly and give themselves bad backs.
Help your Dad or husband this Father’s Day by sending them over these tips to help them become what you all imagine them to be: a strong, healthy, hard working guy who deserves to enjoy the benefits of looking and feeling good.
TIP #1
Expand The Variety of Your Workouts
Look, most of us would love to build big biceps, chests and have a washboard stomach; so change the way you workout. Bicep curls, bench presses and crunches seem like the logical choice, right? WRONG!
The quickest way to flat abs is doing a full body workout that includes a healthy dose of leg work. Yes, you have legs…and you should lift weights with them as well. Legs get lost in the workout regimen because the beach body focus is on arms and shoulders and chest; however, legs are a secret weapon in the war against fat loss. Since legs are made of large muscles, they are very effective in burning large amounts of fat throughout your body when they are used.
Same goes for big biceps. Working larger muscle groups by doing ‘big’ exercises like rows are better and more effective for building those guns and also your back than yanking that dumbbell up over and over again. Not only will rows give you that V shape that most dad’s look for, but it will also build your arms and give you great posture. No one wants to walk around looking like a hunchback from doing too many curls and bench presses.
TIP #2
Eat Real Food When ‘Dieting’
Stop trying to lose weight on fad diets that have pizza in a box. Stick to real food like grilled chiken, steaks and vegetables. If you want a pizza every now and then, eat it. Don’t be fooled-those star athletes who lost tons of weight by eating cake and pizza are full of crap. They worked their ass off just like you’ll have to and ate good, normal food that didn’t have tons of preservatives in it…just like you’ll have to do.
TIP #3
Drink Less Beer
Beer and other alcohols are the best and worst thing that have ever been introduced to men. Not only do they help us temporarily relieve stress and taste really good, but the downside is that they also give us one hell of a fat gut.
Studies have shown that we as humans can effectively process about 1 ounce of alcohol per hour. A normal beer has about .6 ounces of alcohol in it and most mized drinks about twice that amount which means that drinking about 5 beers or 3 mixed drinks would stop your body from burning fat for about a 6 hour period.
The best way to combat this is to limit your drinks to 1-2 at a time at a max of twice per week.
TIP #4
Don’t Be Afraid to Listen to a Professional
We as men are incredibly proud, which sometimes equates to stubborn and stupid. Most of would rather do something wrong rather than admit that you don’t know how to do it properly…especially when it comes to things that men should know. This often turns into guys doing incredibly dumb things at the gym.
Just because women take a certain class, does not mean that you can’t or shouldn’t. You wouldn’t be afraid to ask your doctor advice, so why should you be afraid to ask a qualified fitness professional advice. They both involve your health and although not getting proper medical advice can kill you, so can not getting proper fitness advice that could lower your cholesterol or save you from a heart attack.
TIP #5
Find Fun in Fitness
There are so many programs out there now that offer ‘guy’ exercises, you would be a fool to continue doing the same ole crap in the gym. Programs are filled with kettelbells, sledgehammers, giant tires, sand bags and all kinds of other cool stuff now. Do something you enjoy and benefits you and you will be much more likely to stick with it.Greg Carbone, CSCS, CPT, YFS
