The Fire Island Workout Part 2

“I want to see my abs again by Memorial Day.”
    Gonzalo Garcia -- Manhattan Plaza Health Club trainer extraordinaire, owner of Full Throttle Fitness NYC, fitness commentator on Sirius OutQ Radio -- isn’t exactly thrilled by my wish. Not that I’m equal parts deluded and obese, thank you. But Garcia believes in health for all the right reasons. The way he looks at the world, looking good is merely a byproduct of feeling even better.
    I pout. He concedes. The typical gay New Yorker usually prepares for his swimsuit reveal by pursuing leanness or building muscle. Given my wistful ab feelings, I would fall into the former category. Garcia introduces me to both paths.

Get Ripped
Melting away those last, er, seven pounds requires full-body, high-intensity circuit training, the expert says. That’s not unlike the Saturday-morning Evolve class that served as my introduction to Garcia’s method.
    You can achieve similar results on the gym floor. An hour well spent comprises four or five circuits, each of which includes three exercises focusing on lower body, upper body, and core. You should cycle through these exercises three times, with 12 to 15 reps per set.
    Consider doing these circuits three days per week. But remember that your body will adapt to that routine within the week, so switch up your movements from week to week.
    For a high-intensity workout, rest only 20 or 30 seconds between sets. Alternating days are meant for cardio exercise solely, although Garcia advises that heavier trainees should consider doing 30 minutes of cardio after they’ve completed their circuits, too.
    Garia’s blog includes a super-helpful cardio schedule. Generally speaking, light-intensity cardiovascular exercise expedites weight loss by burning fat without causing muscle atrophy. Higher-intensity cardio burns sugar and builds a healthier heart, plus the endurance to go with it.

Get Big
The rule of thumb for building muscle is more weight, fewer reps. Breaks between sets are longer, too -- as long as two minutes.
    Speaking of resting, when you're going for mass, Garcia recommends separating cardio from circuit training. On days in which you feel compelled to do both, that means taking a 15-minute break between the two. And cardio-only days should involve low-intensity cardio only.