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By Jon Benson
Author
of 7 Minute Muscle
So here's the million-dollar
question:
"What's the number one
reason people do not work out?"
Is it lack of money? Lack of
motivation? Perhaps they lack the ideal workout plan?
Nope. It's TIME. Or rather
the lack thereof.
"We know that 50 per cent
of the population doesn't [exercise] and the most commonly
cited barrier to exercise is lack of time." This quote
comes from exercise researcher Martin Gibala, a kinesiology
professor at McMaster University in Hamilton.
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Gibala put his theory to the test
in a study that was published in the Journal of Physiology. In it
Gibala compared a group who exercised "traditionally"
-- 90 to 120 minutes per day -- with another group exercising far
less: Only 20 minutes per day and only three days per week.
That's a whopping one hour per week
folks.
In just two weeks both groups showed
improvement in both exercise performance and oxygen uptake. (Remember,
fat burns in the presence of oxygen.)
The kicker is that both groups were
almost identical in their improvement. Why? Because the brief exercise
group trained with greater focus and more intensity -- exactly how
I suggest you train.
This is just one of dozens of studies
that confirm the benefits of shorter but more intense workouts.
However, there is a catch: Train too
hard and you will shut down your fat-burning furnace.
Your body
perceives over-exertion done over an extended period of time as
a sign of pursuit. It can trigger an ancient hormonal
sequence that says, "I'm being chased by a tiger! Horde the
fat!"
The body literally shuts down what
it considers to be unnecessary activity in favor of self-preservation.
And guess what? Burning off those hips and love handles is not a
biological necessity.
You have to learn when to hit it
hard AND when to rest and recover.
Finally, you have to put yourself
into the proper mental state in order to see greater results in
the shortest period of time.
I devote an entire chapter to putting
your mind into your muscle to make gains faster than ever befor
in "7 Minute Muscle."
Just remember these three key points:
1. Time is the greatest barrier to
fitness.
2. Workouts can be short and very effective.
3. The body goes where the mind directs.
CLICK
HERE to learn more about Jon's
new book "7 Minute Muscle"
About
The Author
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Jon Benson is the author of
four best-selling fitness and nutrition books: Fit Over 40,
Simply Eat, The Every Other Day Diet and 7 Minute Muscle,
as well as the year-long M-Power Audio Series. You can read
our full review of 7
Minute Muscle by clicking here.
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