Ask the Experts - Strength and Conditioning

Answers from Danny M O'Dell:

Q. I am a personal trainer with about 38 clients. I have one client that I am having problems with. We have been working together for the past 4 months and my client has lost about 45 lbs. and 12% body fat. His only problem is the lower back fat. We can't seem to get rid of it. As he says it is the only thing hanging over his jeans. What other exercise could we do? His eating is great?

Thanks,

Dean Milam

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Answer:

Hi Dean,

Your trainee has made excellent progress so you are obviously doing the right things with him in the gym. To date he has lost approximately 2.8 pounds per week which means if he started out around 280 pounds is an ideal weekly weight loss average. Having lost this weight means his overall health will be much better in the long run if he can keep it off.

Weight gain and weight loss is expressed by the formula: ±Ci + E = WG/L which is read as ±Calories ingested + Exercise = Weight Gain/Loss. Delving further into the equation we find that positive or negative adjustments made to the daily caloric intake (indicated by the ± symbol) coupled with exercise determines whether weight is lost or gained by the trainee.

You and I both know that fat loss in the body is not 'spot specific' nor is it exercise specific. This weight is not lost or gained in specific 'spots' nor can it be exercised off or on in only one particular area of the body. At thirty eight his metabolism is beginning to slow down a bit. Perhaps he is not aware of this.

Start by examining his workout log book and his food/drink diary. You will be looking for any adverse training practices and eating habits he may have fallen into without your knowledge. Point these out and make the necessary corrections then move onto the next phase of the process.

After four months he probably needs a change of pace in this routine. If you are doing extensive long slow cardio work then cut back by replacing it with higher intensity resistance training and higher speed cardio work outs. This small program modification will work wonders on his body. Begin by excluding any of the so called isolation movements such as concentration curls, and triceps kickbacks, leg extensions, pec dec work or the half squats in a leg press machine and other basically useless exercises. Next get him off the machines and into the free weights (if he's not there already).

The list of exercises for him at this point can be narrowed down to the critical few, all of which are made up of major muscle groups.

The essential exercises performed for four to five sets of eight repetitions are the military presses, chin ups or pull downs (chins being the better of the two), bench presses, barbell rows, abs, squats, and dead lifts.

I realize this is a short list, however a closer examination of the exercises reveals a massive amount of muscle will be worked hard during each exercise session. An increase in his muscle mass will in turn raise his metabolism which will burn more calories per hour.

In looking over his food/drink diary you will discover how much water or pop he's drinking if he's been honest with himself in the entries. Furthermore you will get a sense of the nutrient make up in each of his daily five or six meals. Together you can make suggestions on how he can improve this area of his training each day. I personally like the 55% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 15% fat ratios per meal per day. Even a small cut back of 500 calories per day will drop one pound in seven days. This is easily accomplished by a dedicated trainee.

You will then need to counsel him on the fact that this site specific location of fat deposit may take longer to dissipate and will ultimately depend on his overall fat level. Point out to him that at 12% body fat he is about 6% lower than the average male. This fat may need surgical intervention to get rid of, especially if it continues to just droop over his pants. The skin has been severely tested and stretched and may never come back to its original tightness in all areas of his body.

To make a long story short you may need to make a few changes to his program but this area of his body will come around and this fat will eventually disappear.

Danny M. O’Dell, MA. CSCS*D
http://www.explosivelyfit.com