First time hearing about foam rolling? Have you seen one before but couldn’t figure out what the person was doing on it?

Foam rolling has been gaining popularity among fitness professionals and their clients for many years. It allows you to take care of your soft tissue(the tissue that holds your muscle fibers together) without the cost of a massage therapist. There are many benefits to foam rolling and it’s about time everyone took notice and made it a part of their exercise routine.

Foam rolling requires the use of a FOAM ROLLERthat is generally 6” thick and 36” long.  Foam rollers come in different evels. The less dense, the less pressure that will be applied to the muscle. Self massage can be painful when first starting because the fascia is tight, but over time the fascia will release. We always recommend beginning with a less dense roller and working your way up to a denser roller.

Why practice foam rolling? It will help prevent injury and improve recovery from a workout or injury. It can be done before or after a workout and takes between 5 and 10 minutes to complete. It targets areas of overuse or injury and gets the muscle/fascia to release. Basically, you’re ironing out the muscle and fascia to lie properly, which will improve range of motion and posture. Foam rolling is also going to increase blood flow to the areas you’re rolling out, so it’s great to do before you stretch. Some fitness coaches would even tell you that stretching is almost useless without rolling first.

What is the procedure for foam rolling? You’ll be rolling out all the large muscle groups in your body and will need to roll the entire length of each muscle a couple of times. When you find tight areas (called “trigger points”), spend extra time trying to get those muscles to release. You can spend up to 30 seconds on the trigger points.  The focus should be on muscles and not joints. If you are really tight or sore, you can foam roll (self-massage) up to 12 times a day.

Start foam rolling today. Every home, work place and gym should have a foam roller. It is not only great for recovery, but will also give you a greater sense of well-being and relaxation.

Demonstration

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Let’s get something clear right up front.  Doing any form of exercise incorrectly can cause injury. Doing exercises you aren’t in good enough condition to do can cause injury. And running is one activity that people are prone to injure themselves doing.

Why do people run?

Everybody is doing it.  At least every fit person in the neighborhood or at work. On a whim you can open your door and be on your way. It doesn’t take any coaching to be up and going. Running is instinctive. You have been doing it since you were a kid.

Why do people get hurt running?

People get hurt because they choose to run as their only form of exercise. Or because their technique is bad. Or because running puts high amounts of stress on your joints.

Taking a run as your only form of exercise can put your body in a vulnerable position. Even though it’s instinctive, it isn’t always natural, especially if you’re just starting to get back in shape. Injury generally happens when an incorrect movement pattern is performed repetitively, which is common among beginning runners.

Running with correct form is difficult and requires a certain level of strength and fitness. The stress put on your joints from each stride can be overwhelming and can eventually cause breakdown. The more you weigh, the more pressure there is on your joints when you run.

If you choose to run, how can you prepare?

To start, give yourself some time to prepare physically for the demands of running. One good way is to pick another cardio exercise to build up your cardiovascular fitness without the stress it puts on your joints. If you are overweight or obese, losing some of the extra weight will help as well.

It is very important to work on  increasing your muscle quality, flexibility and strength, which will improve the health of your joints. There are several ways you can do this. To improve the quality of the muscle, use a foam roller twice a day until you work out all of the problem areas in the muscle. It will be just as important to continue rolling out before and after your running workouts to keep the muscle healthy.

Active stretching will help increase flexibility and reinforce proper movement patterns. The active stretching will also make you stronger through all ranges of motion. Some form of a strength training routine will help you get stronger so your body can handle the stress of running, and it improves your aesthetic appeal.

Let your voice be heard. Do you think running is worth the chance of injury? Do you have tips for injury prevention?

A: It’s hard to imagine working out for two hours a day and going back for more. You rock!

For those who don’t know, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a combat sport and self-defense system using grappling and ground fighting (Wikipedia). In other words, it’s a serious workout. Many smaller guys and girls can use jiu-jitsu to pack a serious punch… or chokehold.

Jiu-jitsu puts the body in a catabolic state, which is the opposite of an anabolic – or muscle-building – state.

“As a general consensus in the strength training industry, medium to high intensity cardio with a duration OVER the 1 hour mark is seen as an instigator for the body shifting into a muscle burning state,” trainer Reuben Bajada explains.

To keep from burning up all your muscle through a mega-cardio workout like jiu-jitsu, you need to do three things in your strength training program:

1. Eat more
2. Lift more
3. Rest more

Pile Up Your Plate

To up your caloric intake, ready your fork… you’re going to be eating at least 5-6 meals a day. You should already be doing this anyway, in order to supply your body with ample energy for your jiu-jitsu sessions. To build, you can even ramp it up to 7 or 8 a day, like followers of John Berardi’s Massive Eating Plan do.

Of course you need to consume plenty of protein to build up those muscles. But in order to send that protein straight to your muscles instead of letting your body tap it for energy, try to get the bulk of your calories from carbs.

Further increase your carb and protein intake before and after your workouts. If you’re exercising for over 1.5 hours, drink carbs during your session, too. Certified Professional Trainer Skyler Meine also suggests having a power-packed protein shake before you strength train.

Lift Heavy

To get progressively stronger, lift big and make those numbers climb, says Jason Ferruggia in an interview with Craig Ballantyne. “The numbers have to go up on the squats, the deads, the cleans, the chin ups,” he says. “Keep pushing those up and keep pushing the calories up.”

Ferruggia recommends full body workouts for beginners, and split routines (upper and lower) for advanced. If you’re looking for direction on what to do, read his “Best Exercises for Body Parts.”

You might want to squeeze your lifting in before jiu-jitsu, in order to get the most power out of your muscles.

Rest Abundantly

The primary muscle repair time is when you’re resting, so pencil it in. Overtraining will get you nowhere fast. Allow at least a day between strength training sessions (or refrain from working the same muscle group two days in a row).

Many builders swear by active stretching and foam rolling, which preserve muscle quality and make for a better workout. In addition to conditioning your muscles, stretching and “rolling out” your muscles can help you achieve focus and get in synch with your body before you start lifting. That will save you from overtraining, or pushing your muscles too hard and getting injured.

Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night, and squeeze in a little extra rest with the fine art of napping. I also recommend Nate Green’s instructions for perfect sleep (see, guys can wear eye masks too!).

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A: Sandy, I’ve been thinking about that lately, too! The weather just warmed up here in Utah and I pulled out my summer shorts—only to find they don’t look so great on me right now… Despite all the naysayers, I have found a few things that work for cellulite, including exercise, and I’ll be doing them along with you!

What Causes Cellulite?

Unfortunately, you can’t get rid of cellulite by simply shedding fat. It’s not the existence of subcutaneous fat but the way it’s distributed that causes this dimpling of the skin. According to Wikipedia, 80-90% of females have cellulite. (Guys get it, too, just not as often, and they don’t seem to care all that much).

Many dermatologists insist there’s nothing you can do about cellulite: it’s in the genes, they say. Still others claim that metabolism, hormones and stress play a part.

In the end, little has been concluded scientifically about cellulite’s causes or cures. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of advice out there for banishing it—from creams (I’ve had minimal luck), to body wraps, to massaging the skin with a boar-bristled brush (not pleasant, I’ve found, even if it does work).

If you’re lucky enough to see results from these “quick fixes,” it’s surely fleeting. Which is why I’m glad you asked about exercise.

Exercise: A Cure for Cellulite?

While experts aren’t explicitly saying that exercise gets rid of cellulite, Mayo Clinic asserts that an inactive lifestyle can cause it. They also say excess fat will make cellulite more noticeable. What I draw from that?

1. Even if you can’t control how your body distributes fat under the skin, shedding excess fat helps.
2. Firmer legs and buns can make cellulite look less apparent.

So Let’s Get Moving!

High-intensity cardio like power-walking is a great start for keeping legs trim, but to add firmness, you’ll want to start doing resistance exercises, too.

Squats, lunges, pliés and stair-climbing will firm up your inner thighs, outer thighs and glutes. These movements build muscle, which means double fat burn! For extra inner thigh toning, you can also do side leg lifts (inwards and outwards) with a resistance band or body bar.

If you’d like to start with a guided workout, one of my favorites is The Firm® Hips, Thighs and Abs DVD. It’s a quick 30 minute routine with a “Firm Box” (I just use an aerobic step) that delivers great leg and glute tone. It also has the best ab workout I’ve ever done. For those who get the tummy and “love handle” cellulite, a thorough core workout can be a godsend!

In addition to exercise, here’s what many people do to help improve tone and firmness:

• Foam rolling: If massage helps to smooth out cellulite dimples, then foam rolling surely will too. Plus, it feels much better than a bristle brush massage! Read more about foam rolling and watch a demonstration here.
• Protein: It facilitates muscle tone and development, so have a shake, bar or other protein source after every strength training workout. Get tips for maximizing protein’s benefits here.
• Supplements: Natural substances like green tea and resveratrol help the body metabolize fat more efficiently, and can be taken in supplement form. I’ve used both with very noticeable results.
• Water: Staying hydrated will preserve the skin’s elasticity, making it less likely to dimple and dent around fatty spots. So drink up!

(Many of the products I’ve mentioned, like the foam roller, exercise bands and metabolism-boosting supplements, can be found at IdealShape.)

While exercise can help reduce the appearance of cellulite (not to mention improve your health, strength and figure), remember this: The women who are considered to have the most beautiful bodies in the world have cellulite. This was revealed in an article about the dozens of layers of makeup applied to Victoria’s Secret models’ buns for a runway show. If 90% of us ladies—including the world’s top models—have cellulite and stretch marks, they can’t be that bad, right?

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Problem is, as days go by, the workout seems to be getting harder and harder for me. The same routine that I could do without stopping on the first day, now becomes impossible and I find myself stopping for a few seconds before restarting. Plus, after every workout, I feel like throwing up. I eat 3 hrs before, and don’t overdo the water. I checked my heart rate, and throughout the workout, it is between 179 bpm and 185 bpm (approx) and I am a 25-year-old female. I am panting throughout the workout.

Why on earth is this becoming harder vs. me seeing an improvement in my endurance and cardiovascular fitness? Am I pushing myself too hard or not enough? Or am I doing something wrong on the nutrition side? (I don’t take in any breads, pasta, sugar, and any other junk. Mainly healthy fats, protein, dairy and loads of vegetables.)

Any help would be appreciated since this is frustrating. Now I dread going to the gym instead of enjoying it. – Maria

A: If your fitness routine isn’t getting easier, ask whether any of these could be the cause:

1. You aren’t getting adequate rest between workouts.
2. You’re pushing too hard during your workout.
3. You aren’t eating right before you exercise.

Metabolic training is a powerful workout, but repeating a circuit routine should get easier, not harder. It’s important when starting a metabolic circuit routine not to jump in too hard, too fast. That’s a surefire way to overload your muscles, not to mention get burned out quickly. If you’re losing steam or growing weaker each time you work out, you could be overdoing it.

Give It a Rest

So what is “adequate” rest? It depends on your conditioning and the intensity of the workout. Most people need at least one day of rest between rigorous metabolic training workouts. Some need two or three days to recover. If you start your workout feeling sore and fatigued, that’s a cue that you need more rest time.

Not only does compounding stress on your body cause you to lose steam; it will also prevent your muscles from repairing and developing. So as a general rule, try not to work the same muscle group two days in a row. On in-between days, do steady state cardio or skip the gym altogether.

To preserve muscle quality and relieve tension, you should also spend plenty of time stretching before and after your workout.

Another great way to loosen up your muscles: foam rolling. If you’re doing strength training, you should definitely roll out your muscles after the workout. Your muscles will thank you!

Why “Sustainable” Exertion is Best

If you’re struggling through your workout, you’re probably pushing yourself too hard. This is a common mistake people make when starting a new program: we use our pent-up energy and excitement to crank out a crazy-intense workout the first few times, but it catches up to us fast.

To build endurance and sustainable energy, you need to start slow and be patient, especially with an intense regimen like HIIT or circuit training. You shouldn’t start full-force and wear out; make it the other way around. Not only will that help you increase stamina but it will also prevent injury.

And what about your diet? You might not be getting enough fuel, or the right kind of fuel, to keep going strong. What you’re eating (or not eating) could also play a factor in why you feel nauseous mid-workout. Find out what to eat before exercise here.

Avoid Exercise Burnout

Ever buy a new CD you’re stoked on and listen to it 10 times a day? It gets old fast, doesn’t it? In a few weeks, you lose interest. After a few more weeks, you’re over it. When your once-favorite song comes on the radio, you change the channel.

The same is bound to happen with a workout routine when you start full-throttle. Before you go any further in your metabolic training workouts, take a minute to learn how to establish an unshakeable fitness routine and create sustainable weight loss goals.

Fitness results take time, so why rush? If you’ve only been working out for two weeks, it’s too soon to see drastic improvements in your endurance, fat loss and muscle definition. You know the old saying, “a watched pot never boils.” It seems to be true of weight loss, too. While we’re not suggesting that you stop tracking results, if you can put more focus on enjoying the workout, results will quickly follow. That’s because exercise will become an effortless part of your daily routine, rather than a means to an end.

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“Use interval training to burn the fat and resistance training to sculpt your body,” instructs fitness pro Craig Ballantyne. We’re getting the best of both worlds with metabolic circuits. Yet, while the varied exercises and intervals are what make them so effective, they aren’t plateau-proof.

To keep getting optimal results, you need to continually make your metabolic circuits more challenging.

Is It Time for a Change?

People often ask how often to adjust their circuit routine. Well, there’s no general rule: it’s going to be different for everyone. Your level of conditioning depends on how often you work out, how hard, and lots of other factors. While many advise that you should vary your exercise routine every month, you can usually just feel when you’re ready to progress. The routine becomes less challenging… You’re hungry for more… You’re just plain bored.

There are several ways to mix up your metabolic workout. Incorporate one progression at a time:

1. Reduce rest time
2. Increase intensity
3. Change/add exercises
4. Increase reps or time spent on each exercise

Switch It Up By Splitting It Up

Split circuit routines let you alternate working opposite muscle groups. One circuit focuses on lower body, one focuses on upper. Do the lower body workout, wait two days and do the upper, and in another two days, do lower again or do a full body workout. Instead of alternating upper and lower body workouts, some people switch off between pushing movements (squats, lunges) and strengthening movements (pushups, chest presses, deadlifts, leg curls).

There are lots of benefits of doing split routines. By focusing on a few muscle groups, you can max them out for a powerful workout. And with split routines, DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) will be less likely to interfere with your workout. If you often find that your legs wobble or your arms feel like putty just when it’s time to train again, you probably need more recharge time. By doing split circuits, the most you’ll work a muscle group is twice in a week, allowing four days to recover instead of one or two.

Alternate Muscle Groups During a Single Workout

If you need to make the most of your gym time, you can do non-competing circuits to work your whole body without straining your muscles. “Non-competing exercises simply refer to putting a series of exercises together that allow one muscle group to rest while another muscle group is trained,” explains Ballantyne. An example would be alternating upper and lower body movements (called a superset). Not only does this give you a full body workout, but it lets you power through your lifting without shifting to cardio to rest.

Pointers for Your Circuit Lineup:

• By doing upper, lower, core and cardio—in that order—you can demand the most of each muscle group. You need the most strength for your upper body movements, so get your kettlebell presses and bent-over flys in early. Abs can come later, and when your muscles are maxed out, finish with cardio.
• You shouldn’t be able to do more than 6-8 reps with free weights—buck up and lift heavy.
• You can mix cardio into your routine as long as you don’t wipe yourself out too early in the game. Stationary bikes, treadmills and ellipticals can all be incorporated in your circuit. Just remember to go hard!
• Protect and improve your muscle quality by starting with active stretching and foam rolling. End with a cool-down stretch and roll your muscles out again. You’ll notice a huge difference in the way your muscles feel the next day (and you’ll be able to walk up and down stairs).

Finally, it’s important not to up the ante too quickly: increase intensity or duration too fast and you’ll probably hurt yourself. Listen to your body for cues about when and how much to progress.

Is your metabolic circuit routine becoming harder instead of easier? Find out why.

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Q: What does it mean if I am getting charley horses all the time in my legs and feet… especially at night when I am in bed? What can I do to help not get them as much? Or as bad? – Samantha

A: There’s a lot of debate about what causes “charley horses,” or muscle cramps. According to an ABC News report, the medical world can’t pinpoint exactly why they strike out of the blue, why some people get them more than others, and why these sudden spasms usually occur in the legs and feet.

Though muscle cramping isn’t believed to be a serious condition, it is painful and inconvenient, especially when it wakes you up mid-slumber!

Most experts have chalked muscle cramping up to these factors:

• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances
• Muscle overexertion
• Cramp-inducing blood pressure and diabetes medications
• Sitting in one position too long

There’s no instant cure for charley horses, but stretching and massaging the muscle usually helps to relieve the pain. When massaging, it’s best to rub in the direction of the muscle fibers. So, if you get a charley horse in your calf, rub from your knee down to your heel, not sideways across the calf. Moving around and soaking in a warm bath are other ways to increase circulation and help relax the contracted muscle. You may want to warm the muscle up this way before attempting to stretch it out.

Can Muscle Cramps Be Prevented?

Based on the suspected charley horse culprits, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of muscle cramping.

STAY HYDRATED—You should be drinking at least 8 cups of water a day, and staying hydrated through your workouts. Having a glass of water before bed may help, too. Here are some good hydration rules.

TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN—Incorporating supplements into your diet will help with certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which are a suspected factor in muscle cramping. Some experts have pointed to a lack of potassium specifically, and bananas can take care of that.

EXERCISE SMARTLY—It’s important to be patient and sensible with your body: if you over-exercise, skip your warm-ups or overload your muscles, you could be at greater risk for muscle cramping. More on muscle care below!

Show Your Muscles Some Love

Working out at a level of fitness that is too advanced, or progressing in your regimen too quickly, could be one cause of your muscle contractions. In addition to overexertion in exercise, not properly warming up and cooling down could be contributors. If you’re getting muscle cramping, it may be a sign that you’re not overloading your muscles.

People often neglect to think about their muscle health, but it’s really important. We tend to get bored/impatient/short on time, and skimp on our warm up and cool down times. This leads to decreased muscle quality, pain, and a high risk of injury. So make sure you’re warming up your muscles before a workout, especially if you’ll be doing strength training, sports or rigorous exercise. Light cardio or active stretching should do the trick.

Post-workout stretching will help release your muscles so they don’t stay tight. Try holding each stretch for at least a minute: breathe deeply, relax and, after 30 seconds, go deeper into the stretch for another 30 seconds. Think of proper muscle care as an integral part of your workout and allow plenty of time for it. The more time you spend, the more you’ll increase flexibility and range of motion, improving your overall fitness results.

Foam Rolling is a wonderful way to release muscles before and after a workout (it’s kind of like a mini massage). The foam roller is especially good for your glutes, quads and calves—common charley horse spots. Watch a demonstration of how to use a foam roller for each muscle area here.

Most gyms have foam rollers that you can use, and you can also purchase an inexpensive, high-quality Myofascial Release Roller from IdealShape. Spend 5-10 minutes massaging your muscles with a foam roller and you will be able to recover more quickly from your workouts, as well as prevent soreness and injuries.

Has anyone else found a way to deal with charley horses, or identified what causes them for you?

Tone Your Muscles without Bulking Up

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Afterburn teaches the fundamentals of nutrition, strength training and cardio to optimize weight loss.The nutrition program will familiarize you with the ratio of carbs/fats/proteins that you should be eating, as well as what your calorie level should be.  The strength training portion emphasizes metabolic circuits that include high reps and progressively more exercises in those circuits. The power of metabolic circuits is twofold: they allow you to burn the maximum amount of calories during a workout, as well as to continue burning calories afterward. Because you are using significant weight loads, you should be able to build muscle or at least maintain your lean muscle – which is essential to a good weight loss program.

The final component of the program is an interval cardio segment that pushes you to your limit.  The research is pretty conclusive: to really burn calories, you need to be doing a workout program that pushes you to high levels of effort, even if you’re only working out for a few minutes.

Recommendation

Afterburn is a great workout program for people who are somewhat in shape and can perform challenging movements.  The concepts are right in line when it comes to maximizing calorie burn and achieving weight loss. There is a challenge for the entry level group of people trying to lose weight (those who are 20+ lbs. overweight and haven’t worked out in awhile). Afterburn doesn’t emphasize muscle health/foam rolling, flexibility, pre-hab, core strength, or exercise progression/regression. Our recommendation if you are in the 20+ lbs. overweight group is to start with the book Core Performance.  It will get your body working correctly to be able to handle the rigors of a program like Afterburn.

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Q: I am 58-year-old male and have stiffness in my joints and back due to lack of an exercise routine. I carry my fat mainly around my chest and stomach. I am a shallow breather. I am 5’10″ and weigh 260 lbs. How do I address these issues and get my health back? -John

A: Aging takes a toll on our bodies. Aging with bad nutrition habits, minimal exercise and extra weight can be almost debilitating. Slowing down, or for some of you, reversing the aging process, is going to require a focus on proper nutrition, exercise and supplementation. Aging healthy will do more for your body than trying to get healthy at an older age, but it’s never to late to start.

Nutrition

Nutrition is essential to ensuring the highest quality of life. The right foods can even have a healing effect. Start by getting back to the basics:

• eat smaller meals 5-6 times a day
• eat 5-6 fruits and vegetables a day
• eat lean meats
• eat plenty of fiber
• decrease your soda and sugar intake

To keep your metabolism as high as possible, you want to eat in a way that promotes the maintenance of or increase of lean muscle mass. Eating 5-6 small meals a day is going to give you the fuel to get through your day. It will limit the use of protein as energy, so protein can do its job which is to build and rebuild all the tissues in your body, keeping you lead an healthy.

Tracking your diet at dailyburn.com will help you recognize problem areas in your diet by showing you the amount of carbs, proteins and fats you are eating. The balance of carbs/proteins/fats we have our clients use is 40%/30%/30% of their daily intake. Stay focused on what you’re eating, and you’ll be aging healthy. You will see improvement in your metabolism and the way your body reacts to food.

Exercise

Exercise can be a game-changer for people wanting to turn back the clock. As we age, we can lose up to one pound of muscle every year. Losing that pound of muscle each year slows down your metabolism and can keep you from doing the things you love. Strength training is going to be essential to decreasing the loss of muscle, or getting some of the muscle back, to fuel your metabolism.

Strength training can help also help you prevent diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis – to name just a few. Cardio will help keep your heart healthy and strong. Stretching and self massage (foam rolling) will keep your muscles as healthy as possible. A foam roller is a must to prevent injury when you are working out, and it will help with post-workout recovery, as well.

Supplementation is always beneficial to health. Protein shakes, complete multi-vitamins and anti-oxidants are a few easy ways to maintain muscle and boost your immune system.

In review, aging healthy takes effort and planning. Make sure that you are giving your body the right fuel and doing the right excersices to help maintain strength and wellness.

Which supplements are right for you?

Find out why some trainers insist on foam rolling

Q:  How do I prevent soreness after a workout? Tricia P.

A:  Soreness is always a concern after a hard workout or when you just start exercising out again.   In reality many people avoid it all together because of the soreness they experience after working out.  Soreness is created by the tearing down of the muscle tissue during a workout. DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) generally catches up to you within 24 to 48 hours.  Some soreness after a hard routine is inevitable because you tore down the muscle, but there are things that you can do before and after your workout to decrease soreness.

Before a workout you need to make sure you eat some carbs and protein(4:1 ratio).  Foam rolling or self massage before exercising will get your blood flowing and work the knots out of the muscle.  Active stretching will also help warm up the muscle and get you stretched out.  Make sure you stay hydrated during the workout.

After the workout you want do some static stretching the kind of stretching you learned in elementary.   There is no evidence that we have found that indicates that this helps with soreness, but from practical experience we believe that recovery from a hard workout is improved by doing static stretching. Then jump on the foam roller and really emphasize the areas that you worked out.  Make sure you rehydrate with water to get your fluid levels back to where they were before you started exercising.  Re-hydrating will help get out any of the toxins moving in your system. Get the right nutrients back into your system to help with recovery.  If you are breaking down the muscle you need protein to replace the protein you just broke down.  Make sure to eat or supplement with protein within thirty minutes of finishing.

The final two tips and maybe the hardest tips to follow are to take a hot and cold shower and get plenty of sleep.  The theory behind hot and cold showers is that by dilating and constricting blood vessels it helps remove waste products from tissue. You should alternate from hot to cold in your shower at 2 minutes hot to :30 seconds cold this can be repeated up to four times.  We have been told for years that our bodies’ need 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep and it has even been recommended for every hour you workout you body may need an extra hour of sleep to recover. Try to get as much sleep as you can with your busy schedule.