Myths and Misconceptions

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Carbs make you fat. They do NOT. The truth is that carbs are our energy source. Fat burns in a carbohydrate fire. Carbs are needed to oxidize fat. Your carbohydrate input should be at least 55%-60% of your daily diet.

Fat Zone Heart Rate. by training in the “fat-burning” zone you are training your body to metabolize fat, but at the same time, your body is storing more energy as fat to provide fuel for later. So you are actually training your body to be a more efficient fat machine.

Fat turns in to muscle. Adipocytes are fat cells. These do not magically turn into muscle. First the fat cell gets dehydrated by exercise, and only with constant exercise can this adipocyte eventually vanish. (Browning published study)

Lifting weights makes you bulky. Many times we have heard, “I don’t want to lift weights, I’ll get bulky.” The truth is the human body is not designed to get bulky, we are designed for speed and agility. Resistance training is the only way to build lean muscle, but this must be done along with cardiovascular work to burn fat. Many times people up their protein intake and focus on heavy weight training and no cardio. What happens is that they build muscle under fat, and add more fat by increasing protein intake.

Testimonials

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"Eleftherios has provided challenge, tempered with the reality of his fitness level. He has demonstrated his commitment to the program. Eleftherios is creative, and constantly open to change to keep the work out interesting! When he introduces a new machine or movement, he watches Phil carefully to fine tine the movements to extract the best effort for positive results."

—Philip and Katherine Plastere,
Palmdale, CA

"I’ve been training with Larry for 3 years, and I feel like I am in better cardiovascular shape now at age 39 than at age 19. I am in a high-stress profession and view my 3x-a-week training sessions as mandatory stress relief therapy. Not only that, as someone who gets bored very easily, I like the fact that Larry consistently mixes up my routines – we do weight-training, circuit-training, kickboxing, stick-fighting, grappling, etc. I highly recommend him!"

—Michael Kao,
Los Angeles, CA

"Working out was never something I enjoyed, until I started training with Larry. After every session I feel a sense of accomplishment, stronger, and rejuvenated. My sessions with Larry are always full of variety and unpredictable, which makes them fun and exciting. I work out with Larry three days a week, and I can never get enough. Larry has really changed my life and I feel privileged to be trained by him!"

—Electra, singer,
Woodland Hills, CA
www.electrabarakos.com

Online Assessments

Checking the Pulse

Assessment #1: Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

For most people physical activity should not pose any problems or hazards. PAR-Q has been designed to identify the small number of adults for whom physical activity might be inappropriate or those who should have medical advice concerning the type of activity most suitable for them.

This test is designed to measure Vo2 max (maximum oxygen uptake) which is a major indicator of cardiovascular health and fitness level.

Test yourself…

Smiling Woman at a Gym

Assessment #2: Muscular Endurance Testing

This next test is designed to assess muscular strength and endurance. The information will be used with results above to produce a workout regiment based on your fitness level.

  • Muscular strength: Muscles ability to exert maximum force
  • Muscular endurance: Muscles ability to sustain a submaximal force over a period of time resisting fatigue

Test yourself…

Man Doing Push-Ups

Assessment #3: Cardiorespiratory Fitness Testing

The capacity of the cardiovascular systems to deliver Oxygen to perform gross motor functions over a period of time resisting fatigue

Determinants:

  • Intensity: You will see a conditioning response at 70-80% of maximum effort
  • Overload principle: A greater than normal stress or load is required for training adaptations to occur.
  • Frequency: Recommended 3-4 times per week for 45-60 min per session

Test yourself…

Disclaimer: You cannot have fitness testing performed if you have Hypertension!