2008 Woodie Awards
COD Student Greg Gruszecki Offers Tips To Get In Shape For Summer
Britten Gerrard
Issue date: 5/12/08 Section: Sports
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Whatever the case, COD freshman and workout buff Greg Gruszecki offers some tips to help you out. Gruszecki works at the General Nutrition Center in the Palm Desert mall and lifts weights regularly at Gold's Gym. He is currently looking into competing for fitness modeling.
Chaparral: What are some good exercises that will quickly get you in shape?
Greg: Cardio, jumping rope, pushups, crunches and any type of ab workout. If you want that lean body, do a lot of abs, cardio and a ton of pushups - every other day.
Chaparral: What are the best foods to eat and how often should you eat each day? What kinds of foods should you definitely avoid? Also, should you eat right before a workout or right after? When are the best times to eat in accordance to working out?
Greg: The best foods to eat if you're working out are high carbohydrates early in your day and foods that are low in fat. It's been proven that eating high fattening foods four hours before a workout clog blood vessels and keep you from getting the necessary nutrients to your muscles throughout a workout. If you're training to build muscle you need to eat a lot - basically on the hour every hour. The best healthy foods are deli and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on wheat bread. Fruits are good too but they don't have protein. You need to have your body weight in protein every day to build muscle. You can take the most illegal thing in the world and not build muscle if you don't have the proper nutrients. It is essential to eat two hours before a workout and directly after your workout. You need a protein shake after your workout as well as a meal.
Chaparral: Besides water, what are some other drinks that can be beneficial to losing weight? Also, how much water should one drink per day, especially here in the desert in the summer?
Greg: Water is really important. There really isn't a drink that can help you lose weight but there are things that are very beneficial to promoting natural energy which in turn will give you motivation to hit the gym. It's definitely not fun to hit the gym when you're tired. A good drink is "Accelerade." It has some slow digesting carbs and around five grams of protein and very little sugar. Gatorade is good but it contains a lot of sugar that will lead to highs and lows in energy. Otherwise water is perfectly fine. Your muscles are 75 percent water so drink it regularly throughout the day and you will see better growth.
Chaparral: Does lifting weights help lose pounds? If so, how often should one lift and how intense should the workout be?
Greg: Lifting weights does help you lose weight. It targets certain muscles that running and most cardio cannot. It also helps you burn your glycogen stores (aka carbs) that will turn into fat. Most people think running and cardio is the key to losing weight. But in reality, weights, cardio and diet are the key components to losing weight. You should lift weights five days a week and do your cardio after. Intensity depends on how in shape you are. You don't want to kill yourself in the weight room and then when it comes time to do cardio you end up doing like 10 minutes and calling it quits.
Chaparral: What are the best cardio workouts? What's a good way to keep it fun without doing the same stuff over and over again?
Greg: Some of the best workouts are jumping rope, climbing stairs and running. Anything moderate to high intensity is best and you can keep cardio fun by switching it every day - one day jump rope, one day run, etc. Also if you get up early enough you could go hiking in the mountains - there are a ton of trails here that are really nice.
Chaparral: When is the best time of day to work out?
Greg: It's been proven you burn more fat if you work out in the morning.
Chaparral: What are some good motivational techniques to use while working out?
Greg: Working out with partners is cool but they are not always reliable to be with you every workout. I usually work out by myself with music - it's my time to think and blow off some stress.
Chaparral: Where are some good places to work out here in the summer?
Greg: Gold's has a huge gym with a ton of equipment, but you can pretty much find the right stuff at any known gym.
Chaparral: How often should you work out to bulk up?
Greg: Four to five days a week with a rotating schedule.
Chaparral: What's a good realistic schedule and how many days a week should you work on the lower and upper parts of the body?
Greg: Monday - chest and biceps. Tuesday - legs. Wednesday - shoulders and trapezoids. Thursday - back and triceps. Friday - off or 10 minutes of cardio and abs.
Chaparral: How often should you max out?
Greg: Maxing out isn't really important but I usually do it every 10 weeks to check my progress.
Chaparral: Does cardio help at all for bulking up?
Greg: No it does not. Cardio burns muscle and you will have trouble bulking up if you do too much. Try to keep it at 10 or 15 minutes a week if you're trying to get ripped.
Chaparral: How effective are protein shakes? When and how often should you take them?
Greg: Protein is the most important thing if you are working out. You need to have your body weight in protein shakes every day. I know it seems like a lot but three to four a day is good. Basically you want to take one with every meal and directly after your workout - and two hours prior to your workout. You basically want to flood your muscles with nutrients so they can build bigger.
Chaparral: What's the fastest way to get a six-pack for beach season?
Greg: Along with your weight training, do cardio one day and abs the next day. You need to do at least nine sets of abs every other day - and at least 15 to 20 minutes of running or cardio every other day. This will help cut up your core sixpack.
Chaparral: What are some smart things to do when lifting to avoid injuries?
Greg: Stretch before you lift but not too much, otherwise you will lose strength. Also, do light reps for the first couple sets to prevent injury.
Chaparral: In your opinion, what are the benefits of working out and exercising?
Greg: It makes you feel more confident in yourself and is definitely healthy for you in every way. I feel clean and pure after a good workout.
Chaparral: What is the best way to stay committed to a work out and/or exercise program?
Greg: Create a schedule and drag yourself to the gym, people. Some days I definitely don't feel like going but then I get there and find motivation and end up glad I went.
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