Dynamic Fitness FAQs

The optimal weight (or resistance) is important for the development of muscular strength, endurance, and lean body mass. The amount of weight is different for each individual based on age, gender, activity level, pre-existing health conditions, as well as previous strength-training experience.

If the weight is too heavy, then your form declines. This means you’re not getting the benefit of the exercise and you risk injury.

However, if the weight is too light, you don’t stress the muscle enough and you won’t gain strength, endurance or the full fat-burning benefits of exercise.

The best weight is one where the weight is particularly challenging in the last few repetitions while still performing them correctly (i.e. without losing your form.)

Don’t be discouraged if this weight seems light compared to others. You are going to increase your weight as you train your muscles. Your only competition comes from the weight you lifted last week.

Each program has a different number of optimal days for working out. The guidelines below will help you decide the number of training days in your program or determine the program that is right for you. 

Remember, the more often you work out, the faster you will build strength, endurance and lean body mass.

• Intro programs -- a minimum of 2 to 3 days per week, recommended 3 to 4 days per week. 15 to 20 minutes of cardio on days you are not working out.
• Beginner programs – a minimum of 3 to 4 days per week. 20 to 25 minutes of cardio on days you are not working out.
• Intermediate programs – a minimum of 4 to 5 days per week. 25 to 30 minutes of cardio on days you are not working out.
• Advanced Programs – a minimum of 5 to 6 days per week. 30+ minutes of cardio on days you are not working out.
• Expert Programs -- a minimum of 6 to 7 days per week. 30+ minutes of cardio on days you are not working out.

In a drop set you perform the exercise at one weight and reduce the weight after a certain number of repetitions.  You want to start at a weight that is doable for at least a few repetitions and then drop the weight when you can no longer perform the exercise with proper form.  You can continue to drop weight until you have completed the entire set. 

The purpose of a drop set is to build and strengthen muscle fibers that could not be strengthened with a single weight.  Your body recruits one group of muscles at the beginning of the exercise and these are the strongest and most often used, so it makes sense to start with the heaviest weight.  As those muscle fibers fail, your body recruits additional muscle fibers that are not as strong but have not been exhausted. By continuing to drop the weight as you reach the failure point in the sets you strengthen all of the muscle fibers in that area. 

Go to your course, click on View Course, click Introduction, click Nutrition Guide. Under the Nutrition Guide in your program, scroll to the bottom and click the link for “Macro Calculator.” 

Once you input your information your will be given your recommended macros. Think of these as your budget for the day.

A quick test is to wrap your middle finger and thumb around your opposite wrist. If your fingers overlap you may be an ectomorph, if they just touch you may be a mesomorph and if they do not touch you may be an endomorph. 

Ectomorph

The ectomorph body type is described as having long limbs and tends to be leaner. These individuals have a difficult time putting on muscle and often have smaller muscle bellies. Often, these individuals are good at processing carbohydrates and can utilize these nutrients quickly for energy. Fast twitch muscle fibers are underdeveloped in these individuals, therefore these body types are typically built to perform endurance activities such as running or cycling. 

Mesomorph

These individuals have a more muscular and athletic appearance. They do not have much difficulty putting on muscle and they have a healthy metabolism. They tend to sit at a lower body fat percentage naturally than the other body types. These individuals should eat a diet with somewhat equal proportion of carbs, fats and protein. They may benefit from slightly higher carbohydrate intake around their heavy workout days while limiting their carbohydrates on less active days. 

Endomorph

This is the toughest body type to have when it comes to losing weight. These individuals often have a wider rib cage, thicker joints and shorter limbs. These individuals are adapted to store and they tend to hold more body fat, especially in the lower abdominal and thigh area. In an evolutionary sense, these individuals were well suited for conditions when food was scarce because they were well suited to store body fat. However, in today’s world where food is plentiful, this makes losing weight a challenge. To get the most out of a training session these individuals need to ditch the low intensity cardiovascular exercise and do activities to get their heart rate up. Ensure that your training program includes activities such High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), weight training and bodyweight movements. Focus on multi joint movements when lifting and ensure you are working each body part throughout the week. 

You may not fall directly into one category, as each person falls somewhere on the spectrum but tends to be closer to at least one of these categories.

Ectomorph

• long limbs
• smaller muscle bellies
• higher slow twitch muscle fibers
• process carbs quickly
• built for endurance activity
• difficult to build muscle density
  

Mesomorph

• athletic build, broad shoulders
• healthy metabolism
• more equal ratio of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers
• do well with moderate carb and fat intake
• thrive on HIIT activity for cardio
• easily build muscle
  

Endomorph

• wider rib cage, thicker joints
• slow metabolism
• easily strike excess carbs
• may benefit from keto approach
• require HIIT and whole body strength training
• difficult to lose body fat
  

Once you receive your marcos you will organize your food to fit these numbers. Counting macronutrients can get complicated if you are trying to do this by hand because many foods are a combination of each macronutrient. At Dynamic Fitness you are given a macronutrient profile customized to your personal goals. Instead of focusing on the calorie content, we focus on the grams of each macronutrient. Think of this as your budget and you have to stay within your macronutrient budget each day. This allows you to pick the foods you want to eat from the acceptable foods list and make them fit into your budget for the day.

The process of tracking macros can get complicated when you add in certain combination foods. This is where using a calorie tracker, such as myfitnesspal, can make this process much easier. 

Simply put all the food you eat each day into your tracker and it will automatically calculate your macronutrient profile for the day.  This way you can adjust portions and meals to meet your personal macronutrient needs. My suggestion is to list out how many meals you plan to eat and how many snacks. We help you organize your meals under the Nutrition Guide and Meal plan PDF provided in the nutritional section of the program. 

Enter all of the food you plan to eat in each meal into MyFitnessPal. Begin by inputting your protein content into each meal, then distribute your fat between meals and finally distribute your carbohydrates between meals. We always suggest planning your carbohydrate meals around the times you work out. Once inputted, see how closely your food matches your macro budget. Change the portions of the foods to incorporate the appropriate amount of protein, carbs and fats so that your grams align with your specific macronutrient requirements to meet your fitness goals. This takes practice to understand portion sizes and this is why measuring out your food is very important when beginning this process.

Macros are created based on an algorithm created by David Kampfe which incorporates body type, height, weight, age and physique goals. These are custom to the individual.

The Exercise Library is a great resource for your workouts.  All members of Dynamic Fitness programs have access to the complete library. You can access the exercise library a number of ways.  

• the menu bar
• links within your workouts
• from your profile page

Each program is progressive, therefore we recommend that most people begin with the beginner program if this is your first time with Dynamic Fitness. You will learn the core foundation to training, meal prepping and organizing your food around your schedule.

The beginner plan is for someone who is new to the gym or someone who is not accustomed to working out 5-6 days a week. This is also for those who are new to following a structured workout routine. The beginner plan is also for someone who is new to following and adhering to a nutritional plan.

The intermediate plan is for individuals who have worked out in a gym before and have followed a structured workout plan in the past. These individuals should be comfortable working out on a 5-6 day split and are comfortable with all machines and equipment.

The advanced plan is for individuals who have followed a structured workout plan and have been working out regularly for some time. These individuals are comfortable with all movements and have a solid core foundation in their training plan. These individuals should be comfortable meal prepping and organizing their meals around their workouts.

Choosing organic food can be costly, however, the benefits significantly outweigh the cost. Foods grown using heavy pesticide use can lead to numerous healthy conditions. More and more research is coming out showing the negative impacts of pesticides in our food. Pesticides can lead to autoimmune conditions, fertility issues, cancer, disruption of our gut microbiome and many other conditions. 

This list has been published by the Environmental Working Group and is referred to as the “Dirty Dozen.” If cost is an issue, than these are the produce that you should suck it up and pay the extra dollars.

Dirty Dozen

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Nectarines
4. Apples
5. Peaches
6. Pears
7. Cherries
8. Grapes
9. Celery
10. Tomatoes
11. Sweet Bell Peppers
12. Potatoes

These are the foods that you can get away with buying from a non-organic source. These commonly show low levels of pesticide contamination and are safe to purchase non-organic.

Clean Fifteen

1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn*
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbage
5. Onions
6. Frozen Sweet Peas
7. Papayas*
8. Asparagus
9. Mangos
10. Eggplant
11. Honeydew
12. Kiwi
13. Cantaloupe
14. Cauliflower
15. Broccoli

YES. 

There is no other way to reach your goals than to plan your day and ensuring you have your food ready. Unless you plan to pay a meal prep company to do this for you, we recommend you become comfortable in the kitchen.

When someone is trying to lose weight or put on muscle, it is ideal to time carbs around your workouts. If your goal is to lose weight, eat carbs after your workout, not before. Focus on adding a carb source that is easy to digest post workout. There is such a thing as the “anabolic window” meaning up to 45 minutes after your training, your body will more readily utilize carbohydrates to aid in muscle recovery. Regardless of your goals, timing carbs around your workout times will ensure you are utilizing those nutrients as opposed to storing them.

Dynamic Fitness offers custom coaching at $100 a week. However, our trainers will determine your readiness level. Custom coaching is an all inclusive program which includes training, nutrition, hydration, supplementation, peak week and posing. 

Weekly check-ins are Monday and Thursday morning on an empty stomach. Program changes are made, if needed, based on your weekly progress. 

We are all human, and sometimes life gets in the way. If you miss a meal, don’t try to make up for that meal by doubling up on your next meal. Research has shown that your body has a limit to how much food it can utilize and break down in one sitting. For most people they cannot absorb more than 20 to 30 g of protein in one sitting. Meaning excess calories will simply get stored even if those calories are from protein.

If you miss a meal, simply get right back on track and eat your next planned meal! Keep to the schedule and keep your meal timing consistent. This one sure you do not store excess calories and it will allow you to maintain your metabolic efficiency.

Please send an email to [email protected] to seek assistance with this issue.