2663: The Pros and Cons Of Body-Weight Exercises AND The Talk Test: How To Determine How Hard You Are Exercising by Marc Bilodeau of FitTrend

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00]: This is Optimal Health Daily Episode 2663, The Pros and Cons Of Body-Weight Exercises AND The Talk Test, How To Determine How Hard You Are Exercising, Both By Marc Bilodeau of FitTrend.com

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm Dr. Neal Malik Your Host. Welcome back to Optimal Health Daily Remember!

[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_00]: This is the podcast where I reach you from some of the most popular health and fitness blogs online.

[00:00:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Now I'm going to keep this intro nice and short so we can get right to today's two posts as we optimize your life.

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: The Pros and Cons Of Body-Weight Exercises by Marc Bilodeau of FitTrend.com

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_00]: When you think about building muscles, your first thought may be to lift weights.

[00:00:50] [SPEAKER_00]: However, Body-Weight Exercises have a lot to offer to help improve your functional strength, stability and flexibility.

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_00]: They are also a great way to get started with strength training and add variety to your workout routine.

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_00]: What are Body-Weight Exercises?

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Body-Weight Exercises are activities that use your body weight to provide resistance against gravity,

[00:01:12] [SPEAKER_00]: without any additional equipment like weights.

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Furthermore, many Body-Weight Exercises can be modified so they can be done in many ways to challenge your muscles.

[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Some more commonly known exercises are push-ups, pull-ups, dips, planks, crunches, leg raises, mountain climbers, squats, lunges, burpees and jumping jacks.

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Each has its own movements and works different muscle groups in your body.

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, you certainly can get an effective full body workout.

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_00]: You can combine several of these types of exercises into a single workout.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_00]: You can also modify them to match your current fitness level by adjusting how you do them for how long and how many.

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00]: With that said, let's look at some of the pros and cons of Body-Weight Exercises.

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_00]: The pros of Body-Weight Exercises.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_00]: The great thing about Body-Weight Exercises is that all you need is yourself.

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_00]: You don't need any special equipment.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_00]: You can perform them anywhere such as in your living room, in the park, while traveling or in the gym.

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_00]: They are also a great way to improve functional strength since many exercises mimic everyday lifting, bending and reaching, such as cleaning, running errands or bringing in groceries.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Being capable of doing these tasks is essential to maintaining your quality of life.

[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Body-Weight Exercises will become easier after you start doing them regularly.

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_00]: That means you're making progress.

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_00]: You can also modify each exercise to take it to the next level.

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, you can adjust a push-up to a decline push-up.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Do fewer reps and make them harder to complete.

[00:02:53] [SPEAKER_00]: As a result, you can shift the load on your muscles and continue to build strength.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Body-Weight Exercises use multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which can help you get a comprehensive workout in a short amount of time.

[00:03:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Additionally, most exercises engage your core, enhancing those muscles that provide stability.

[00:03:13] [SPEAKER_00]: They also help improve your flexibility and balance by encouraging a full range of motion and building on your body's natural movements.

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_00]: This can reduce your risks of injury compared to the force of lifting heavy weights.

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_00]: The cons of body-Weight Exercises

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Depending on your health and fitness goals, body-Weight Exercises have limitations.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Unlike lifting weights where you can increase your load, you are limited by how much you weigh.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, if you're doing a push-up, your bench pressing approximately 60% of your body weight.

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Therefore, you'll have to do a variation of a push-up such as a wide grip, diamond or decline push-up

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_00]: to increase the resistance or target muscles differently.

[00:03:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Your progress can more easily plateau because your body is adapting to the movements and your weight.

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_00]: It may be more challenging to push through that barrier and continue to progress by doing variations of your body

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_00]: weight exercises. This can be especially challenging to build muscles in your lower body.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_00]: For those who lift weights, they simply add more weight.

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Body-Weight Exercises are great and engaging multiple muscle groups.

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_00]: However, it's harder to target specific muscles.

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, you can do a bicep curl with weights to target your biceps.

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_00]: On the other hand, a chin-up will not only engage your biceps but also your back, shoulders and core.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Therefore, lifting weights may be better when you want to target a specific muscle group.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: The takeaway. Body-Weight Exercises are a great way to build and maintain fitness

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_00]: around functional strength, flexibility, and overall health.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_00]: They are also a good option for beginners or anyone wanting to add variety to their work at routine.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_00]: However, incorporating other forms of resistance training, such as free weights or resistance bands,

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_00]: may be necessary if you're looking to build significant muscle mass or maximal strength.

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Although body weight workouts or lifting weights have their pros and cons, choosing what's best

[00:05:17] [SPEAKER_00]: for you will depend on your fitness goals. The talk test. How to determine how hard you are

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: exercising by markbillado. A fit trend dot com. Have you ever wondered if you're putting

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: enough or too much effort into your workout? There are several ways to determine how hard

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_00]: your body is working. You can use a data-driven method such as a fitness tracker or heart rate

[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00]: monitor, or an effort-based approach using the RPE scale or the talk test. All methods have their

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_00]: place but the talk test is a quick and easy way to determine your current level of effort.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: What is the talk test? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_00]: 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly. It's okay if you can't

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_00]: exercise that much at your current fitness level. However, it would be best to exercise at a moderate

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_00]: or vigorous intensity since they help improve your cardiovascular fitness. The talk test is a simple

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_00]: way to gauge how hard you're exercising especially for aerobic activities. You won't need to

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: it comes down to how well you can converse while exercising. You can use the talk test even if

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_00]: you prefer to exercise alone. How do you do the talk test? The talk test uses your breathing

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_00]: to determine how hard you're working. You do this by gauging how easily you can carry on a conversation

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_00]: or for those musically inclined, sing a song while exercising. If you can speak in complete sentences

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_00]: like with normal conversation, you're exercising at a low intensity. That doesn't mean you're

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_00]: being too easy on yourself. In fact, low intensity is perfect for rest days or recovery workouts.

[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Moderate intensity is the sweet spot for most of your workouts. You may be able to speak in

[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_00]: complete sentences but you may need a pause to breathe every few words. You should be able to hold

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_00]: as you push yourself harder, talking and singing becomes much more challenging. At this point,

[00:07:34] [SPEAKER_00]: you're working at a high intensity. You won't be conversing with your friends or singing along

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_00]: to your favorite song since you'll only be able to say a few words before taking a breath.

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_00]: At an almost all-out effort, you'll manage one or two words at a time due to all the heavy breathing.

[00:07:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Also, you won't be able to sustain this effort for long since you're pushing your limits.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_00]: However, this level of effort has its place if you're doing anaerobic training.

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Fortunately, you can do the talk test at any time while exercising to check in with yourself

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_00]: and adjust your effort accordingly. It's a great way to keep yourself on track and can be

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_00]: done without a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor. Pay attention to your breathing.

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Your breathing is acclute to your effort for the talk test. At low intensity, your breathing is slightly

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_00]: elevated, but steady. As your intensity increases to moderate levels, your breathing becomes

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER_00]: deeper and more frequent. As you venture into high intensity, your breathing becomes more

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_00]: labored as your body tries to keep up. If you hit an all-out effort, your breathing rate may be

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_00]: even as high as a breath about every second. Pay attention to your breathing and how easily you can

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_00]: reverse or sing, can help you estimate the intensity of your workout. As a result,

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER_00]: you can increase or decrease your effort to align with your goals.

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The takeaway. To improve your overall fitness, you should exercise at a moderate intensity

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_00]: from most of your workouts. Without a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor,

[00:09:07] [SPEAKER_00]: the talk test is an easy way to determine how hard you're exercising. By talking,

[00:09:12] [SPEAKER_00]: or singing, and observing your breathing, you can gauge how much you exert yourself

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_00]: and align your effort with your fitness goals. You can also perform the talk test as many

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_00]: times as you want while exercising and then adjust your effort accordingly. You just listen to

[00:09:31] [SPEAKER_00]: the posts titled The Pros and Cons of Bodyweight Exercises and The Talk Test. How to determine

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_00]: how hard you are exercising, both by Mark Billado, a fittrend.com, and I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Neil here for my commentary. In the first post, Mark talked about the pros and cons

[00:09:52] [SPEAKER_00]: of Bodyweight Exercises. I'm a big fan of these types of exercises, especially for those that

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_00]: are just starting to get into resistance training. That's because by learning a few simple moves

[00:10:03] [SPEAKER_00]: at first, anyone can get in a great workout. And as Mark said, many of these bodyweight workouts

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: can be performed in the comfort of your own home with very little space needed. Since convenience

[00:10:15] [SPEAKER_00]: and costs are often barriers to working out regularly, bodyweight workouts that can be performed at home

[00:10:21] [SPEAKER_00]: can be a great option. Plus in my experience, after performing bodyweight workouts for a while,

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_00]: it may encourage us to try going to the gym to add some weight to the movements that we've already

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_00]: been doing. Now if you're wondering where to get started when it comes to bodyweight exercises,

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark suggested some great ones. We can start with some common movements, but those that can be

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_00]: here are the three I recommend starting with. Push-ups, sit-ups and squats. So here's something

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_00]: you could try using those three movements. Perform 10 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, and 30 squats,

[00:11:00] [SPEAKER_00]: and you do them all in a row. Now standard push-ups are too difficult. You can perform them while

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_00]: standing against a wall, or you could do them on the ground but support your bodyweight with your knees.

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_00]: If sit-ups hurt your back, you can perform crunches instead. If performing 10 push-ups,

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_00]: 20 sit-ups and 30 squats is too easy. No problem. You can make it more challenging like

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_00]: repeat the 10 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, and 30 squats for multiple rounds. If 10, 20, and 30 of each

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_00]: is too difficult, make it one, two, three, or even five of each. You could also set a goal

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_00]: and try and perform as many rounds as you can in five minutes. And as Mark said in his second post,

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_00]: when you start to feel like it's getting difficult to talk, it's probably time to slow down,

[00:11:51] [SPEAKER_00]: or maybe stop the workout altogether. But that will depend on your goals.

[00:11:57] [SPEAKER_00]: All right, that'll do it for another edition of Optimal Health Daily. I hope you're having a great

[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_00]: week end. Thank you so much for listening, and I'll be back here tomorrow as usual. So I'll see you there

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_00]: where your Optimal Life awaits.