Get Rid of the Barbie Weights Once and For All

Let me explain to you what I mean by "Barbie Weights" with a little story:

I record the Oprah show with DVR (much like TIVO) to watch her show because more often than not she has information about certain things on her show that causes MASSIVE confusion in our industry.

On this particular show she has Gwyneth Paltrow gushing about her trainer. Of course, my ears perk up. Gwyneth's trainer has put her on a new regime that she has designed to give Gwyneth the "lean look". Gwyneth has had her second child and has been having some issues with getting off the dreaded "last 20 pounds". I'm excited, perhaps I get to learn something new!

So off they go into a 2 minute segment showing what they do in these "physique-slimming" sessions. The trainer has some sort of elastic scarves she has tied to the ceiling in Gwyneth's home gym and they go through a series of odd and different movements while holding on to these elastic scarves. The scarves could not provide any more than maybe 1 - 2 lb. resistance. On and on they go waving back and forth while holding on to the elastic scarves, forward and back like palm trees in the wind. This looks like it may go on for quite a while.

After that segment they show them doing all sorts of waving motions and flapping around with their arms like chickens that lost their wings. As this is filming the trainer looks into the camera with 3 lb weights and says, "Women shouldn't lift any more than 3 lbs." (Be careful with your children and groceries!) I was flabbergasted! FLABBERGASTED, then annoyed. Keep reading, I'll explain why in a minute.

The "weight training" session is then rounded out with dance moves and some sorts of gyrations - this is their cardio segment. The trainer also says that the room needs to be 80 degrees in order for her workouts to have its maximum effect. Huh?

What you may not know is this: Before Madonna or Gwyneth (if I may be so bold as to use their first names) ever started training with this trainer they did what's called Ashtanga Yoga. Ashtanga Yoga is a very challenging type of yoga where you essentially hurl your bodyweight through the air reapeatedly for approximately 90 minutes (my guess is that they both weigh upwards of 3lbs). Yoga is about stretching, but there is more strength to it than people may realize. I know because I teach it. I am a certified yoga teacher trained primarily in Ashtanga Yoga.

My point is this. They both have spent quite a number of years doing this vigorous type of yoga practice. YEARS! In order to affect the muscles at a deep level you must lift heavy, or perhaps do body weight exercises, you cannot change the shape of your body otherwise. So please do not get lost in the hype and don't use Hollywood stars and actresses to gauge your fitness. Contact a certified/trained fitness professional, or just contact me or read the information on my website, my information is listed below and I'll help you sift through the misinformation.

And most importantly, please do not be afraid of heavy resistance, it's the only thing that works to change the shape of your body. If you don't alternate heavy weight workouts with lighter/higher repetitions, then it's like building a house on sand, you will have no foundation on which to "tone" or define your muscles. You need more than the "Barbie Weights" to get to the depth of the muscle fiber tissue. Please put away the little pink and powder blue "Barbie Weights" and start developing some serious lean muscle tissue.

When you start at the foundational level by lifting heavier weights you work deep into the fibers of the musculature structure. The deeper you go (the heavier you can lift), the better the foundation.

Gwyneth and Madonna have already built this foundation and they have a wonderful thing called muscle memory that supports them when they go back to "lifting weights". This is what makes it easier for them to achieve that sculpted look.

Did I mention that these workouts last for 2 hours? Do you have that kind of time every day to work out? If you did, would you want to spend it working out?

Velma Garnes M.S, NASM-PES, CPT is a fitness professional and writer who resides in Gahanna, Ohio. She teaches a variety of classes including SPINNING, Ashtanga Yoga, and BootCamp classes and trains clients. Find out more by visiting her website at focused-fitness.org focused-fitness.org to access more of her writing and free information and access to a FREE report if you sign up for her informative FREE monthly e-zine.

In addition to the aforementioned certifications, Velma has earned altogether three degrees that have contributed greatly to her success as an excellent fitness trainer: a Bachelor's Degree in Health Administration from Ohio Dominican University and an Associate's Degree in Sport and Exercise Studies from Columbus State Community College. This combined with clinical human performance laboratory work and work experiences she gained while in school, have all given Velma the opportunity to pursue one of her interests - sharing her love and value of fitness with others.

Velma has been inducted into the Sports and Exercise Studies Hall of Fame from Columbus State Community College for her contributions to the program. She has served there as an adjunct faculty member for over 6 years where she taught a myriad of classes including: Total Body Fitness, Components of Aerobic Fitness Training and Intro to Yoga, of which she wrote the coursework for.