Even though I have addressed this topic before (a-hem, at least twice before), I’m circling back because A) I keep getting asked, “I did strength training today, what should I do tomorrow?” and B) I keep getting asked, “Is it okay to do both strength training and cardio on the same day?”

If you want to cut to the chase, check out: “Cardiovascular or Weight Training: Which should come first?”

Otherwise, stay right here, ’cause I’m about to WOW you with…pretty much the same thing I said before. ;0)

Here’s the thing – you need to know what it is you want to get out of your workouts. Are you trying to increase overall strength? Are you training for a marathon or similar endurance event? Or are you working towards improved general fitness and a combination of both strength and cardiovascular improvements? You need to know.

If it is your goal to gain strength, then I advise doing cardio on a separate day rather than doing both ST and cardio on the same day. This will allow you to go into your ST routine with fresh legs, and you’ll have the energy and time you need to focus entirely on strength training. Likewise with cardiovascular training – if your main goal is to improve this area, then I suggest doing ST on a separate day.

But, if general fitness is your goal, by all means, attempt the ST/Cardio combo in any order you wish, BUT, don’t overdo it. Use common sense and listen to your body (i.e, an hour and a half on the treadmill PLUS an hour of ST might be overkill. It would be for me, and I do this for a living. Just saying, don’t go overboard ;0)

Fulling realizing not everyone has the time to separate their workouts by a day or two, I recommend the following:

If your goal is ST, then do ST first, stretch, and do light cardio last.
If your goal is cardio training, do that first, stretch, and follow-up with light strength training.

Keep safety in mind. After both cardio and ST, muscles will be fatigued. By combining workouts, especially if you are new to fitness, you may increase your risk of injury by overworking fatigued muscles that, quite frankly, are probably more used to going from sitting to standing than from treadmill to squat press. Listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel. If something hurts, stop exercising. And if you are too fatigued to give your best during your workout, then it is best to focus on the part of your workout that will help you reach your goal (strength or cardio training), and bag the rest for another day when you are rested.

You have probably heard about Pilates, or possibly know someone who talks of “reformers, chairs, straps, pulleys” (and other contraptions), and silently wonder, “what the heck is Pilates anyway?”

The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates) was developed in Germany in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. The core-strengthening and posture-improving benefits of regular practice have helped the Pilates Method develop a loyal following of faithful participants in recent years. The aesthetic benefits of regular practice can be seen on the physiques of famous devotees, such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. As of 2005, there were 11 million people who practiced Pilates regularly and more than 14,000 instructors in the United States.

Like many fitness disciplines, certification is not required to teach (although, any reputable gym or studio will only hire certified teachers). If you can fog a mirror, you can label yourself a “Pilates instructor.” For your safety, and also to maximize your learning experience, it is important to know the differences between a reputable instructor and a kook before you make a long-term commitment to this popular mind-body discipline.

Before you sign up for just any ole Pilates class, follow these tips:

• Check the instructor’s credentials. Most websites post each instructor’s bio, so you can easily look up their teaching credentials and experience.
• Look for PMA-certified instructors. The Pilates Method Alliance is a not-for-profit organization devoted to upholding the highest standards in the Pilates method. PMA initiated the very first, industry-wide certification exam in the United States. Their performance parameters guide the practice of all PMA-certified instructors.
• A good instructor will have experience using all pieces of exercise apparatus used to teach Pilates.
• Top instructors typically have a minimum of 300 hours in a PMA-approved program, sound knowledge of anatomy, injury prevention, and sound teaching techniques.

Few exercises target multiple muscle groups at once. Push-ups are one (and I’ll save that for another post). Lunges are another.

The standard, forward lunge engages the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, abdominals, and to a smaller degree, the calf muscles. This alone is exciting. Not riot-causing exciting, but for fitness peeps, it might entice a, “Wow! I didn’t know that exercise gave me so much bang for the buck!”

But, it gets even better – lunges can be modified a number of ways in order to target specific muscles in the legs and hip, to challenge balance, strengthen the core, and in some cases (i.e, when we add a weighted ball, for example), the upper body. Can you beat that with a stick? You’d be hard-pressed to try.

Let’s revisit the “standard lunge.” This is the lunge we all remember learning from early fitness videos like Jane Fonda and The Firm. By itself, it is a super good exercise for the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. The fun escalates from there as you change directions, or as I like to say in training terms, “working the hip in all planes of motion.” By varying the direction you lunge in, how deeply you lunge, the amount of resistance you add via dumbbells, a weighted ball, bar, or band, you engage other muscles (inner thighs, calves, hip abductors/adductors, the core, and upper body).

Let’s break this down. First, a quick review of how to do the forward lunge correctly:

Description: Use bodyweight, or dumbbells, a body bar or weighted medicine ball if you want added challenge. Start with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up and abdomen pulled in — take a long step forward. The heel of your trailing leg will come off the floor as you settle into your lunge. The thigh of your lead leg should be parallel to the floor, your shin perpendicular to the floor (assuring that the knee is aligned over the front heel rather than forward over the toes).

Tips: Try to keep your chest high and eyes forward to prevent tipping forward. As you return to the starting position, keep your core tight (this will help with alignment on the return movement and assist with balance). Push through the front heel (you’ll feel your glutes engage here) and return to the starting position. Notice also how the glute of the trailing leg has to “pull” you back (you’ll feel this in the hamstring and glute of the trailing leg). Repeat with opposite leg.

Side Lunge: Though this move may leave you a bit ouchier the following day, it is extremely effective for strengthening the glutes and inner thighs. You don’t need any equipment for this exercise, but you certainly could use a weighted ball…more on that in a minute. First, the how to…

Description: Begin with feet facing forward, hips squared to the wall or mirror in front of you, and abdominals engaged (i.e, “zipped up.”)  Beginning with the weaker (or less dominant) leg, take a large step to the side and gently lower the hip so that your quadricep on the leg you are leading with is parallel, or nearly parallel, to the floor. This is called “loading” the glute, and when you do it, you’ll feel it. Keep your body weight distributed over the lowered hip for a count of 3, making sure to keep your knee above foot (not over the toes.)

Keep the non-leading leg straight or slightly bent, foot remains facing forward. To return to the starting position, engage the abdominals and push off of the lead foot, using the opposite hip and abductors to do as much of the work pulling you back to the starting position as possible.

Progression: I like to use weighted balls for this particular lunge. I simply hold and 8 or 10lb medicine ball with both hands, and as I lunge to the side and load the glute, I lower the ball slowly to the toe of that same foot, as if placing it on the ground.

I saved the best for last…the Curtsy Lunge!

Description: You can perform this exercise without any additional resistance, or add dumbbells, a weighted bar, or a medicine ball to increase the load on the hip joint. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, then take a sizable step back behind the other leg in a crossing motion (just like a curtsy). As you cross behind, bend your knees and lower your body over the targeted hip until your quadricep is almost parallel to the floor. Be sure to keep your abdominals engaged throughout the exercise. Hips should stay squared. Return to the starting position by pushing off the back foot and also fully extending the targeted hip before bringing the back foot to the starting position.