DB strength & conditioning

Can't we all just get along...

2014-01-16T12:09:00.000-05:00

I'm a social media fitness junkie. I enjoy reading several blogs related to exercise and nutrition. I like to scroll through the book of faces and the twitterverse for posts and tweets which provide decent information or a bit of humor related to our wonderful fitness society.

Recently, I've noticed a sure fire way to get a lot of attention in the online fitness world. All you have to do is bash, ridicule, or condemn an individual or group of people because of nutritional beliefs or workout regimens they may be currently following.

I used to make fun of the Zumba crowd, "they should be outside sprinting - doing HIIT, its' a damn waste of time taking a dance class!"

I used to think Orange Theory was a place for people that were afraid of real strength training, "How can you call it a training session without heavy squats or deadlifts"

I used to joke about people who needed a "24 day challenge" to get in shape, "How pathetic, some people need to spend $150+ on supplements and join a challenge group just to lose a few pounds."

What was my problem? Why was I such an A-Hole?

Then I realized I was wasting negative energy worrying about what others were doing, when I should be focusing on what "I' need to do to make myself better and make my clients better.

There is too much positive information and research to neglect learning and expanding your knowledge relating to health and fitness.

Instead, it's become increasingly popular spend time proving others wrong, and make them feel like a mental midget for following a specific training program or nutrition protocol.

If a person wants to do a 24 hour fitness "body sculpt" dumbbell training session, it beats sitting on the couch watching the Bravo network.

If some sort of cleanse or weight loss challenge gets someone on the right track so that they pursue a healthy lifestyle, by all means go ahead, do what you gotta do to make yourself better. Some people are making fantastic lifestyle changes because they see what they can accomplish in a short period of time.

Crossfit takes a beating with facebook rants, blog posts, and instagram memes. Too many people focus on the negative (rhabdomyolysis, improper form/technique on lifts, and misuse of repetition ranges for certain exercises), but there are a lot of positive things that occur in the Crossfit community and a lot of great coaches who run excellent programs. I originally wrote about it HERE, almost 2 years ago......

If you are active, feeling good about yourself, and seeing positive results, that's really all that matters. So Crossfit commandos, Zumba warriors, and Elliptical Enthusiasts- keep doing your thing.

Recently some fitness folks are in an uproar because Planet Fitness is getting rid of their squat racks......

SO F'IN WHAT? I'm never gonna train there, and my clients aren't gonna train there, it makes no difference to me what happens at Planet Fitness. For some gym owners it might provide an opportunity to by some second hand squat racks at a good price.

So why all the negativity?

As the obesity epidemic continues to escalate, it's important that people just get up off their ass and do some form of exercise. Just because someone partakes in and activity you find ineffective, they should not be castrated in a public forum.

Even though you may not like or agree with every training program out there, life is too short to waste time focusing on the negative. Unless you're "calling out" Tracy Anderson, then it's okay.

Embrace movement, encourage results, and try to appreciate the positive.

It's been a while.......

2013-05-09T14:27:00.003-04:00

I haven't "blogged" in quite some time, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been some interesting stuff going on in my little world. I've learned a lot about what it takes to be successful in the strength and conditioning field, debunked some common myths in nutrition, and have really achieved overall happiness in my profession and personal life.

Here's a quick run down on some things that have taken place over the past year:

-Left my job at Emery Wellness Center (Personal Trainer) to take a job at The Chamber (Sports Performance Coach)

-Took a leave of absence (sabbatical) from the Broward County School Board (PE Coach) to work full-time at The Chamber.

-Bought a House

-Worked 12+ hour days at The Chamber coaching adult fitness, high school athletes, and youth groups.

-Assisted with the NFL combine / pro day preparation program at The Chamber and also worked with some Professional Baseball and NFL athletes.

-Decided to go back to work with the School Board (benefits, pension, and other incentives were too important to pass up)

-I am Currently working at The Chamber from 5-8am then I'm off to teach at Hallandale Adult Community School. (I teach weight training to high school students on track to receive a GED)

Of course a lot more interesting stuff has gone on, and I could and will go into more detail on the above listed events- but all in all, life has been pretty damn interesting......

Over the past year I have learned some new things relating to sports performance training. I have also reevaluated the way I look at setting up training programs for strength gains and for fat loss. It seems the more I read and study nutrition I realize it's not that complex, but so many people are being misinformed by the mainstream media.

Here are some things that have caught my attention over the past year:

*Most people don't work hard enough to "overtrain". The human body and CNS can really take a pounding before any sort of "overtraining" effect actually takes place. That being said, recovery and regeneration are the missing piece of the puzzle in most training programs. You can train hard as hell, as long as you train smart as well!!!

*Strength should be the foundation of most sports performance training programs.........However, to be a great athlete actually PLAYING and EXCELLING at your sport trumps all other factors. Being STRONG is extremely important, but don't neglect that all sports (except powerlifting) require other factors that will determine your athletic ability and skill level.

For example, you could be training a basketball player who can squat 400lbs. but can't jump efficiently off their left leg. A training program that focused on single leg plyometric exercises and skipping drills would have more carryover on the court. Tyrann Mathieu, The Honey Badger, is another example. Mathieu only benched 225 for 4 reps at the NFL combine. According to NFL, College, and even High School standards, he's week as hell! However, he DOMINATES on the playing field.

*The titles "speed coach", "performance coach", and "athletic know-it-all coach" have been used and abused over the past few years. Speed and Agility camps and Clinics are a great way to make some money, but in all honesty a novice athlete can improve their 40 time in about 30 min by getting into a proper stance. Too many of these coaches also don't take into consideration that in sports like lacrosse and basketball, you are running with an object in your hands. According to "sprinting technique 101" your arm movement might not be perfect and you can still excel at your sport. Most sports require the ability to move laterally and decelerate, areas most Track coaches don't have exceptional knowledge.

*I really hate the term DIET. The terms "eating clean" and "paleo" have also been exhausted and become so cliche. People get way too worked up about what foods are considered clean or "from the earth", when it comes down to the nitty gritty just focus on caloric intake/expenditure. There are some strong/shredded people out there that have never even considered a "paleo" style diet and just eat whatever they're craving and look phenomenal - lucky bastards. If you're not that lucky, it might be time to start setting up some goals for daily calorie consumption and also lift some heavy sh$t with intensity. Life is too short to argue about "food", eat whatever you like, just remember that if you can't see your toes- your doing something wrong!

*For the record, most people could care less about seeing your pictures of your food on Instagram, just sayin'......

Well that's about it for today, it's good to be back and I'm sure these posts will get more entertaining as I get back into a blogging groove......

Soreness Doesn't = Effectiveness

2012-07-18T06:17:00.000-04:00

The statement "I'm sooooo sore, I had such an awesome workout", is definitely used wayyyyyy too much when describing what some people feel is an effective training session. As a client, being sore should not be the number one goal of a training session.

As a fitness professional, if you think you deserve consideration for "World's Best Trainer" because you had 100% of your clients tell you that they are barley able to walk after your INSANE LEG workout, you really need to evaluate your contribution to improving peoples overall health and well being.

I've been there. I remember when my clients would tell me how sore they were after a workout and I give em' a high five and say "That's what it's all about!"

I was pretty ignorant when I first started taking people though training sessions. I would have clients perform drop sets, compound sets, and freakin' out of control supersets just so they would remember our training session every time they sat down on a toilet.

My training has evolved over the years and It's come to the point that I really don't want my clients getting sore. I just want results. If I can put someone though an effective training session and get them closer to their goal without making them sore, I've gotten to my destination with the least amount of road blocks and red lights. Our job as trainers is not to "beat our clients down", but to make them better and help them reach their goals.

It's not uncommon for a "Newbie" trainer to use the reason of "lactic acid build up" as to why their client is experiencing unfathomable soreness. Of course, that is after the "You're sore because I put you through the best training sesson ever", High five.....

There are actually a few reasons why muscles get sore and we develop DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) roughly 24 hours or so after intense exercise.

-Contractile stress: The actual physical stress placed upon the muscles. Usually in the eccentric (negative or lowering) phase of an exercise. The stress causes a small tearing (microtrauma) of the contractile proteins and muscle fiber membranes.

-Cortisol release: through the activation of the stress hormone. Cortisol is released when blood glucose is low or through intense exercise.

-Excess Free Radicals: Damage to muscle proteins and can even suppress the effectiveness of the immune system.

Any type of extreme stress on the body through exercise or an irregular movement pattern can lead to muscle soreness. It's actually easy to make someone sore. Hell, yard work can make you sore.

The difficult part is to try to recognize a clients work capacity while maintaing adequate exercise technique, improving movement patterns, increasing muscular strength/endurance, and improving body composition- and knowing when to push forward and when to back off.

If your main goal is to be sore (or make your clients sore) give this workout a try:

-Find a 400 meter track with access to a football field
-Sprint 400 meters
-Perform 50 squats (10 second eccentric / 2 seconds concentric)
-Lunge 50 yards
-Perform 20 jump squats
-Lunge 50 yards
-Sprint 400 meters
-Perform 25 split squats on each leg (5 second eccentric / 1 second concentric)
-Broad Jump 50 yards
-Perform 50 mountain climbers
-Broad Jump 50 yards
-Perform 50 Reverse Lunges
-Sprint 400 meters

Okay, okay. That's kind of ridiculous right? I hope you think so. The scary thing is that this type of workout is going on at parks and tracks everywhere...... Is it effective? Yeah, maybe for a Navy Seal.

It only took a few seconds to come up with that workout and I'm pretty sure that would create some muscle soreness for just about any "regular" gym goer. Would I actually have any of my clients attempt something like that? No. I care about the people I train and they get results because of appropriate programming, not because I try to destroy every last muscle fiber in their body.

Of course we are all going to get sore from time to time, especially if we make changes with rep ranges and exercise selection. The goal of the training session should be to get closer to your goal, not to feel like you got beat up by Chuck Norris swinging a Louisville Slugger in one hand and nun chucks in the other.

Exercise selection, rep ranges, and time under tension should be programed with intelligent progressions. Focus on SMART programming to get to your or your clients goals. Remember, Harder doesn't mean Smarter.......

Perfom Better Summit In Chicago (A Brief Review...)

2012-07-06T06:32:00.000-04:00

The Windy City actually felt more like the "Oven City". Temperatures hit record highs on Thursday and it was pretty freakin' hot throughout the weekend. I'm just glad my flight to Chicago was extremely easy I was able to check-in to my hotel and make it to McCorrmick Convention Center to catch the conference bonus session. Thomas Plummer's presentation on the "Business of Training" was a great start to a very informative weekend.

If you are in the fitness industry and you don't know who Thomas Pummer is, do yourself a favor look him up- read his stuff- and by all means hear him speak.

The enthusiasm that Thomas had in front of the audience made his 2 hour presentation seem like it was under 30 minutes. He laid out some really startiling facts about the economic downfall of the current gym/personal training pricing structure as well as some tips on how to improve business and compensation.

Basically, most gym owners and employees are on a path to unemployment or "burn out" unless they change their system and understand the direction that the fitness industry is heading. If you're a trainer that still uses the smith machine, or other fixed plane devices- you're time is coming.... It was also mentioned that if you're a trainer that discounts your services or packages, you are doing yourself a terrible disservice. Your rate should be your value- don't cut the cost if you provide a valuable service!

Alwyn Cosgrove led a phenomenal "hands on" workshop which was similar to the type of workouts that are performed at his gym, Results Fitness. Alwyn is always entertaining, and his exercise selections and programming are some of the most "functional" and "practical" for general population. Everyone in the room worked up a sweat and had a great time.

Gray Cook is a guy that no matter how many times you hear him speak, he still blows you're mind with new information. His discussion was titled "Mobility, Motor Control, and Movement" which was exactly what this "hands on" presentation incorporated - we focused on moving better. If you move like a crippled hippo there is no way in hell you should be doing a step up to shoulder press.

When I think of terms of your average client, the screening process that Cook discussed should be implemented before any "loaded" exercises take place during a training program.

We actually did a 3 part "mini" Movement Screening to see who was "FIT" enough to do some of the advanced exercises. Now think about it, a room full of "pretty darn fit" trainers and coaches was screened and assessed before we were allowed to progress to the next stage of the workout.

How do some trainers take clients though a workout without analyzing their basic movement patterns first?

Answer: lack of knowledge, or they just don't freakin' care. If your one of those type of trainers, get learning and start caring or look for a new profession.

Todd Durkin has to be the most ENERGETIC person I have ever been around! He had a room full (probably around 150) yelling, clapping, and just plain busting their ass through his hands on session. I think the whole room pushed a little harder when Todd told us that today's workout was dedicated to his friend that just recently passed away. I can see why Todd has such a following, you can't help to give it your all when he is leading the show!

Martin Rooney is a no-nonsense guy. Plain and simple. I wouldn't wanna get on his bad side, he is pretty much a bad ass and I really don't think anyone will argue about that. "Warrior Cardio" was his topic of discussion and one thing that Martin does well is present information in a easy to understand format. Martin has trained overseas in Martial Arts facilities and trained some of the best MMA fighters as well as NFL first round draft picks, let's just say that he leads by example and brings out the best in everyone he encounters.

Well, I wanted to keep this brief, so I left out a lot of great presenters that gave outstanding lectures (Robb Rogers, Stuart McGill, and Eric Cressey) and a lot of other activities that took place throughout the weekend (Wrigleyville, Rush St., and a 3am steak sandwich on the south side). Oh well, to sum it up I had a great time and left with a lot of knowledge that will take a while to fully absorb. I'd like to thank Chris Poirier of Perform Better for being a great host and putting together such an awesome event. Hopefully next year there will be a Summit in Florida...

Crappy Trainer Techniques - Part 2

2012-06-06T09:10:00.000-04:00

"It's all you"! Man, I freakin' hate hearing that in the gym. It's one thing when 2 dudes wearing wife beaters are doing a bench press / curl combo (You know, when one dude is benching and the other is basically curling up the weight and chanting "It's all you"). It's a whole different form of AWFUL when you see a trainer performing the "all you" technique with their client.

I've seen trainers "assist" their clients way too much with just about every exercise you can imagine, lat pulldowns, leg extensions, machine shoulder press, and probably the worst site of all = trainer assisted smith machine squats.

This "crappy" trainer technique is derailing their clients progress on a couple different levels.

First of all, the client will have no idea what weight to use when they workout at the gym by themselves. I've seen trainers that have their clients perform a bench press with a decent amount of weight, but the trainer never let's their hands leave the bar. Unfortunately, the client will have a rude awakening when they try to lift that type of weight without the help of a overzealous spotter. It's a rather embarrassing site when someone can't budge the weight from their chest and emergency bar removal has to go into effect.

This guy might be in trouble if his trainer wasn't doing curls......

Second of all, the client will never learn how to control and stabilize the weight by themselves. There are some trainers that don't let their hands leave the bar or machine no matter what exercise is being performed. Now, I'm not big believer in using machines with my clients, I prefer free weights (bar / dumbbell) and body weight movements. Seeing a trainer take their clients through a machine based workout while contributing an unneeded amount of force makes me want to rub my eyes with sandpaper.

It really makes me wonder what physical benefit the client is actually getting out of the session if their trainer runs them through a series of machines, and provides most of the effort during every repetition.

If you have a trainer that performs the "all you" technique do yourself a favor and request to lift the weight without assistance, your strength and stability will drastically improve.

If you're one of those trainers who likes to think that you got your clients extremely strong because you do curls while they bench press (using the same bar at the same time), please stop insulting our profession. Some of us actually take pride in seeing our clients achieve real strength gains.

If you haven't seen part 1 check it out HERE. Next up in the series, a technique that will make you question how some trainers actually retain clients....

Crappy Trainer Techniques - A series....

2012-05-29T10:11:00.000-04:00

Introduction
Over the past few weeks I've been contemplating writing some non-politically correct blog posts about some stuff I see in the gym that would earn a "Suck Status" for a personal trainer. I really didn't want to "rant" but the more stupid stuff I see going on at the gym, the harder it is for me to keep my filter shut.

Blogging should be about educating, informing, and getting stuff "off your chest" and that's exactly what this series is intended to accomplish.

I have to admit that I have done some dumb stuff with my clients through the years, and I wish that someone would have pointed out exercises to avoid and beneficial movements to include in my programming. I am still learning ways to improve as a trainer and will continue to get better.

I intend on providing my clients and athletes the best training and programming I possibly can, and it annoys me that some trainers are just going through the motions and are not providing any real education and instruction for their clients. What's worse is when an exercise is being done wrong and it's completely ignored because of a trainer that is too lazy to actually "teach" something.

"Now give me 2 minutes on the elliptical so we can burn some fat!"

When I first started personal training the Internet wasn't thriving with information, so a lot of my learning came from trial and error. It amazes me that with all of the "good" information and advice that a trainer can attain from reading various articles and blogs of some of the most successful people in the fitness industry, some trainers think they know it all and chose to ignore the opportunity to increase their knowledge.

The real "loser" here is the paying client. Most clients don't realize they are getting ripped off during their training session. For most people, if they break a sweat or feel a little "burn" in their thighs they've had a good exercise session. There is more to a good training routine than being thoroughly exhausted or being sore the next day.

Time to get on with the series. If your trainer does any of the following, please inquire the purpose and effectiveness of the exercise or protocol. If you work in a gym or workout in a commercial fitness facility chances are this list is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to crappy trainer techniques.

Crappy Trainer Technique #1
Having your client jog for 2 minutes between sets of tricep kickbacks, lateral raises, or another "small muscle exercise". Basically having your client jog or perform the elliptical between any resistance exercise is somewhat pointless. As Jason Ferruggia stated many times, "It Ain't Strength Training Unless You Are Getting Strong". Throwing in an obscure cardiorespiratory exercise between a set of a resistance exercise will deplete your energy system even further and there will be insufficient recovery to achieve any sufficient strength gain.

Why do trainers do it? It appears that some trainers feel that they need to have their clients gasping for air throughout the training session so that the feel like they got an intense workout.

Another theory of mine is that the trainer wants to waste time. Some trainers are not educated enough to teach exercises that actually matter (squats, deadlifts, proper pressing exercises and pulling exercises), so wasting 2 minutes here and there gets the session over without any real teaching or instruction. It's pretty easy to talk for 2 minutes while a client is on a piece of cardio equipment, but it's hard to correct posture and a deviated movement pattern.

Next blog I will discuss another Crappy Trainer Technique that we see way more often than someone performing curls in the squat rack, stay tuned....

Training With Freedom

2012-05-23T10:33:00.000-04:00

I've been in a training "rut" recently and after reading several blogs of other fitness folks, it seems to be going around. For the past 4 months I have been following the Conjugate/Westside system, check out a sample here. Basically 2, max effort days (Upper/Lower) and 2 dynamic days (Upper/Lower).

While I was experiencing solid strength gains and performing new movements with bands and chains, my body started to fall apart the last few weeks. More importantly my mind was bringing me down.

When I went to the gym it felt more like a chore, the passion and drive I had during January and February were gone. When the mind isn't connecting with the body the intensity of a training session is pretty mundane.

I was training to get stronger, not for powerlifting, just for my personal pride.

I was doing movements specifically to increase my bench, squat, and deadlift. From an outsiders view my training sessions appeared to be focused on an up coming powerlifting meet. However, there was no meet.

Max Effort Board presses, Max Effort Good Mornings, and 8 sets of 3 dynamic bench w/bands were getting me stronger and I was winning the competition against my only opponent, myself. Then the gains and progress slowly started evaporating.

The final straw was when I got "planted" on a Max Effort Box Squat that wasn't even that heavy, I said "screw this" and decided that at my age (36) I should focus on a style of lifting that makes me feel younger. Not being able to get my ass off that box made me feel like a old, tired slug.

I read a blog from Bret Contreras regarding "abandoning your strength goals" and that seem to be the turning point.

I needed to make lifting fun again. I needed to do something that made me "fired up" when I thought about the gym.

After reading articles on various websites and looking at some training logs of some off my "peers", I put some exercises and set/rep schemes in a blender and came up with my tentative plan.

Strength is still my main focus, but not at the expense of feeling beat up and run down. I'm not going to be that guy deadlifting 225 for 5 and calling it a day, but I certinley won't be going for a max effort lift each week.

Increasing mobility/flexibility and improving body composition are some things that I hope to achieve with my break from a "structured routine". Olympic lifting movements with the addition of sprinting and plyometric training sessions can achieve better mobility and also improve work capacity.

Conor Nordengren had a great article about why trainers shouldn't write their own training programs, and I wholeheartedly agree, most of the time. However, at this point in time100% "instinctive training" seems the approach that will light a fire under my ass when I walk into the gym.

While I still am in the works of getting my actual "plan" dialed in, I have some guidelines that need to be incorporated:

-I will enter the gym with all out "intensity" every training session.
-I will be lifting 4 days a week, Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday
-I will perform Olympic Lifts 2x a week (Snatch, Clean with variations)
-I will squat 3x a week (Heavy, Light/Rep Work, Dynamic or Front)
-I will deadlift once a week (Following Wendler's 5/3/1)
-Friday is "Pump, Bodybuilding, Meathead" day (Don't judge me....)
-Prowler, Sled Work or Hill sprints must be done 2x a week.
-Steady state cardio will be done for at least 20 min 3x a week.
-Training 2 times a day is okay if programmed correctly.
-Leg Extensions, cable crossovers, and tricep kickbacks are still LAME!

Over the next 4 weeks I'm going to keep track of my "unconventional" plan and see where it takes me. Then it's time to retest my lifts and go back to one of the best programs ever, 5/3/1.

While I'm following my "Freedom Routine", I'll be taking some notes and keeping track or exercise selection, sets, and reps. I'll evaluate progress or if things don't go so well, I'll chalk my little experiment as a learning experience.

If going to the gym seems like a "task" instead of an "event", maybe it's time you train with a little freedom and be a little unconventional, it might be just what your body and mind need.

Make "Rocks" A Priority In Your Training Programs

2012-04-25T11:29:00.000-04:00

When first heard the Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand story I was at a lecture given by Mike Boyle on Functional Training. The term "Functional Training" has pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur, but that story will be passed on for decades. It really made an impact on me when thinking about life in general and focusing on my priorities. Over the years I have adapted the major principles of the story when I design training programs or spew a little nutritional guidance. Many of you have already heard or read the story, but in case you haven't - here it is....

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large, empty jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2" in diameter.

He then asked his students if the jar was full. They all agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. Again, they agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.” The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar - effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your partner, your children, your family, your health - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are really important. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers.”

As far as training goes, I think of my "rocks" as being the focus of each training session. Of course, for each client the individual needs and goals will create some variation but exercises like squats, deadlifts, pushing, pulling, and lunging will be the major "rocks" of the program.

Movements like step ups, stability ball leg curls, face pulls, and planks would be considered the "pebbles" and exercises like bicep curls and triceps extension would fill in as the "sand".

Once you put a few rocks in your training session, you can add in a few pebbles, and if time allows add in some sand. If you include all rocks in your training, there will still be benefits, however it will be extremely mentally and physically exhausting and will allow for very little variety.

If you include all sand in your exercise program, you will see very little physical changes, although your gunz will have a nice pump, but nothing else will really be achieved.

If you combine your rocks, pebbles, and sand you will have a program that will produce significant results and will also provide a little variety in a training session. An example would be:

a1. Deadlift
a2. Push-up

b1. Step up
b2. TRX Row

c1. Tricep Pressdowns
c2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
c3. Straight Bar Bicep Curl

When it comes to relating the principles of this story to nutrition, a few different variations can be used. I prefer to think of the rocks as CALORIES!!! As well as, the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat consumed to achieve the daily caloric goal.

The pebbles would be food source choices like sweet potatoes vs. pasta, white bread vs. oatmeal, and grass fed beef vs. a McDonald's Quarter Pounder. Little details such as types of fruits- apples or blueberries, or the fresh / frozen vegetable debate, diet coke vs. coke zero would serve as the sand.

People actually lose sleep over this stuff......

Too many people worry about the sand and neglect or choose to ignore the factors that are detrimental to a successful nutrition plan. Yes people, calories are that important and the sources of those calories are almost as equally important.

It's not uncommon to have a client who is eating 4,000 calories a day with the majority coming from sugars and processed carbohydrates ask questions like:

"Should I eat blueberries or strawberries"?

"Is Greek yogurt better than cottage cheese"?

"What is a better for dinner, fish or chicken?"

When it's all said and done getting a handle on your calories and balancing your macro nutrients will do far more to achieve positive results than worrying whether you should have spicy or regular mustard.

One of the most important principles of the story is ".....there is always time for a few beers". Remember, no matter how hard you train or how strict you eat, sometimes you just need to relax and have a cold one!

It's more than just showing up.....

2012-04-11T11:32:00.000-04:00

I get it. Showing up to the gym is an accomplishment for 90% of the population. I pat the "below average" person on the back for being motivated enough to show up to the gym and do some form of activity. In all honesty, that's not enough to accomplish anything meaningful, and average sucks- who want's to be
"below average"?

When I have a client tell me, "At least I'm here", I have to do my best as a fitness professional to motivate them to try to bring up their level of intensity to do something great while they are in the gym.

Not every training session is going to produce a PR. Not every training session is "YOUTUBE" worthy. You can however accomplish something great every time you set foot in the gym to train. Improving your mobility during a dynamic warm up, performing a squat with better form, increasing the amount of push ups you can do, and holding a plank 10 seconds longer are all pretty darn good accomplishments during a training session. In order to accomplish those things you need to focus on getting better, not just showing up....

Improving your mindset and pushing yourself physically and mentally to get through a strenuous training session will get you closer to achieving you fitness goals. Sitting on a bench and complaining about everything in your life will get you NO where!

It's okay to vent about things that are stressing you out as long as you you them as motivation. When that venting turns into story time, that's when improving yourself physically stops and your training session turns into a Dr. Phil show.

You'd be better off on this guy's show if all you want to do is complain.....

As a trainer, I'm all for letting my clients get some problems off their chest, but when the conversation turns into a counseling session or locker room talk it's time to shut it down. My clients train with me to improve their physical condition and overall well being. Luckily for me most of my clients realize that a heavy set of squats or pushing the prowler a few times is more beneficial for their mental state than a bitch and complain session.

When you walk into the gym use your problems, complaints, and stressors as ammunition to accomplish greatness during your training session. It's about looking at those problems in the eye and kicking ass and taking names, it's about overcoming them mental aspect of life and dominating the physical part by throwing some weight around in a violent yet controlled manner.

It's more than just showing up, it's working to be better than you have ever been. It's about looking in the mirror when you are done and realize that person staring back at you just dominated a training session and is ready to start living their life with a feeling of confidence and optimism. Don't just show up, go into your training session prepared to dominate!

Experiments In Eating

2012-03-23T17:24:00.001-04:00

I have to admit, if something new pops up in the fitness and nutrition world, and it makes sense - there's a good chance I'm going to do some personal experimentation. After reading several articles on the benefits of Intermittent Fasting (IF) and starting the day by "NOT" eating breakfast, I decided to give it a shot. I actually attempted this strategy last year, but it was a half ass effort, so I really didn't think to much of it.......

After a great Florida winter of eating way too much and consuming some high calorie adult beverages I decided to hop aboard the leanness train again and get ready for spring. I thought about what worked for me in the past and basically ignored it and decided to play around with the new and exciting way of eating.... On to round 2 of the skipping breakfast / intermittent fasting experiment.

Pretty much sums up how I felt after winter break....

I started my day with some greens plus and some coffee (not mixed together!). Mind you, I wake up at 3:45am to take the dog for a walk and get ready for work, my first client is at 5am. At first, I thought that this would be great, I have more time in the morning to putz around the house and get on the interwebz while enjoying my morning caffeine fix.

I planned on eating my first meal around 11am and my last meal around 7pm, basically the 16 hour fast/8 hour eating strategy.

The first couple days were not too bad, I was energetic and my training was pretty intense and I liked the idea of eating 2-3 bigger meals instead of 5-6 smaller meals and shakes. By about Day 4 I was a little more "moody" in the morning, which is definitely not a good thing with my profession.

(I personal train from 5am-7:30am, teach 6th grade PE from 8am to 330pm, then go back to the gym in the afternoon to train some more- eventually I get some lifting/sprinting time for myself).

When I was at the gym training clients I was okay mood wise and I was still amped up off the caffeine. But when I was at school I had a short fuse during my morning classes, and when you deal with middle school kids that's a extremely bad trait. Patience is a virtue when dealing with 40-60 kids a class, especially with that age group.

Instead of letting my body and mind adjust to my new way of eating, I realized I needed to be more enthusiastic and in a better mood to do my job the way I like. So my experiment with the true "Intermittent Fasting" approach lasted only a week.

I needed to make a change based on mood, not on hunger so I decided to eat around 8am, before my first class off the day. I usually ate steak, broccoli, and a serving of almonds or scrambled eggs with a ton of veggies mixed in. Technically, I guess you could call that breakfast. I felt better, my mood improved and my energy levels were clearly better.

At this point I wasn't really following any sort of IF protocol, I was just eating 4 hours after awakening. I was also eating only 3-4 times a day. I was following a low carb approach during the beginning of the day and eating some carbs at night (post training). My weight was pretty steady for a couple weeks, but I was actually aiming for a little body fat reduction because spring and summer are approaching and its always beach season in Fort Lauderdale.

About 8 weeks into this style of eating, I was pretty much ready to go back to what worked for me in the past and what got me in the best shape of my life. I used the 5-6 meals approach, with a couple shakes a day. My meals consisted of protein, veggies, and some fruit hear and there (more fruit on lifting days).

I started making my awesome eggs breakfast again, courtesy of Dr. Jonny Bowden (eggs, spinach, and a chopped up apple cooked in coconut oil). It's a freakin' great meal at 4:15am!

My next meal is usually ground grass fed beef or ground turkey with some veggies mixed in and a serving of nuts, it's usually around 8am.

I eat lunch around 11am which consists of steak or chicken, some veggies, a fruit and some more nuts.

I'll have a protein shake a little later and I'll have another shake post- training on my lifting days.

For dinner usually some type of grilled dead animal and a big salad with a crap load of veggies and maybe some more nuts or fruit if I'm hungry.

Weekends are a little different. Nothing is really structured and I might go 4-6 hours without eating. My main goal is to consume lots of protein, a good amount of vegetables, healthy fats and some fruit. My wife and I typically do a nice dinner on Friday or Saturday and I'll eat whatever I'm in the mood for and have a little red wine, but only for the antioxidants and resveratrol ;-)

It's only been a short period of time but this style of eating is actually very convenient for me. I have sustained energy throughout the day and I look forward to every meal. I feel great and when I used this approach in the past I got really lean while improving my numbers in the gym.

Eating plans and protocols very for each individual. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa. What people need to realize it that they need to find a way to eat healthier food and follow a eating strategy that works well for their lifestyle and profession. I'm sure there are plenty of people that are getting great results from skipping breakfast and doing IF, but it just wasn't for me at least at this point in time.

Over the next couple weeks my training is going to remain the same, I took some recent pics and I'm going to do a caliper measurement over the weekend. I'm curious to see if I'll see any physique changes and notice any improvements in strength.

I believe in reading research and I respect the nutrition coaches who have success getting people very lean with various eating strategies. I also think that "self experimentation" has a lot of external variables which doesn't necessarily produce a very accurate theory or conclusion. It's important to understand new information regarding health and nutrition comes out on a daily basis, sometimes what's new isn't always better, and there is no "one size fits all" eating protocol.

Most people try some sort of "new and exciting" way of eating or dieting and give up after a couple days and resort back to stuffing their faces with a bunch of garbage and within weeks they try another "diet" because it's better then the ones they've tried before. It's about being consistent and making better choices, whether your eating 2, 4, or 6 meals a day. Commit to whatever nutrition strategy you want, but don't let eating drive you insane, worsen your mood, or reduce your energy.

Food should improve the quality of your life, not make it worse- but by the look of the line of cars at the Micky D's drive-thru this morning, a lot of people are choosing to do the latter....

Why is getting in better shape so confusing???

2012-03-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

Anyone who is trying to achieve a higher level of knowledge in any field of study has probably faced some sort of "information overload". With all of the books, blogs, articles, dvd's, and magazines relating to fitness and nutrition there is a plethora of information that is either recycled or contradictory. It can be a little confusing to the majority of the general population that is trying to get in better shape or shed a few pounds.

Most of the stuff we are learning has been around for a while and had just been rewritten with different words or phrases that make the exercise or nutrition plan more appealing. Terms such as "muscle confusion" and "metabolic conditioning" have a nice ring to them and make people feel that they are doing something groundbreaking. Meanwhile, back in the late 80's and early 90's (when I was in high school) we did tons of metabolic conditioning, we called it football practice.

I think some of the information that is thrown out to the fitness world is developed just to contradict someone else's article, idea, or book. There are a few fitness/nutrition "experts" that make a living out of putting down another trainers/coaches programs and boasting themselves as the "all mighty" king of the throne when it comes to getting people shredded or increasing performance.

A lot of stuff does make sense, but sometimes things that make sense tend to contradict one another. Take Gary Taubes information on insulin and obesity- he kinda throws out the law of thermodynamics and places the blame with obesity on excessive carbohydrate consumption and hormones. It makes sense when you look at the external variables, but experts that preach "calories in, calories out" will be quick to disagree.

Then you have the "Twinkie Diet" in which a college professor lost 27 pounds in 2 months while eating sugar filled snacks and chips instead of meals. This diet was based around reducing daily caloric consumption, not so much about the quality of food, but less calories = more weight loss. Right???

The eating "strategies" listed above are two very different pieces of information that have "proof" that each theory "works", yet they couldn't be anymore contradictory. So which program will produce the most significant fat loss? Which form of eating will be better for long term health? Hmmmmm......

Most recently, the "mainstream" approach is to follow some form of intermittent fasting. Now you have another nutrition strategy that looks very intriguing, and quite possibly could lead you to a muscular and lean physique. People are having great results with the IF approach, and there is a lot of science to back up the claims so obviously this is the correct way to EAT!

Not so fast my friend......

If the IF approach doesn't fit in you schedule, or if you just enjoy a healthy breakfast and the 6 meals a day strategy is something that has produced adequate results for you so far, maybe a this eating plan isn't ideal for your lifestyle. Just some things to think about......

When it comes to exercise finding the right regimen to get the results you want is just as complicated. Are you going to lift total body 3 days a week or do an upper / lower body split? Should you avoid back squats and focus solely on single leg movements? Are plyometrics dangerous for overweight individuals? What is better for fat loss, HIIT or steady state cardio? Is crossfit really the "be all, end all" in the pursuit for an optimal fitness level?

If you want to find information to justify your way of exercising or eating, it's out there. Just google whatever fitness concept that you want reinforced and you'll find a series of websites that will provide you with the information you WANT to hear.....

You can look up "The Benefits of Pilates" or "The Dangers of Pilates" and there are pages of information on both topics that are very believable and provide viewpoints that couldn't be more different.

So what is the trainer, coach, or exercise newbie to do in this world of recycled, regurgitated, contradictory information?

First off, I don't suggest the "Twinkie Diet". There are so many ways to reduce calories with nutritious food, personally I think that foods like Twinkies should be avoided even when having a "binge meal". Try to eat lean protein, fruits and veggies, and drink plenty of water. Avoid fat-free foods and stick to natural sources of fat like olive oil, avocados, real butter and fish oil.

If you want to eat 6 smaller meals a day that will work, so will 3 medium sized meals. Structure the way you eat around your lifestyle. Breakfast or no breakfast- that's your call- just remember to eat protein with every meal (I think we ALL can agree about that).

As far as exercise, lift weights (push, pull, squat), do some interval work, and add in some steady state cardio if you feel like it or when you have time. Perform some body weight movements and some single leg stuff and have some variety with sets and reps. Sometimes you should perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions of an exercise and other times change it up to 2 sets of 12 repetitions or perform an exercise for a specified time.

Try to get some variety with your training sessions, add in some sprints and jumps at a park or go run up a hill a bunch of times. If you want to do Pilates or Yoga, it's your time and money- just don't think that type of training is the only thing you need to improve your health and physique.

One really important piece of advice, do yourself a favor and avoid Jillian Michales articles, dvd's, and supplements like the plague! She is all that is wrong with health and fitness!

I vomit a little in my mouth every time Jillian gives advice......

Follow the above guidelines and don't confuse yourself with everything you hear and read. Stick to the basic principles of human movement and fundamental nutrition guidelines and you'll be more advanced than the majority of "fitness bandwagon" people out there.

“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
― Bruce Lee

What Is "Right" About Crossfit......

2012-02-07T11:45:00.001-05:00

I am not a "Crossfitter". I have never participated in a Crossfit training session, nor have I attempted a "W.O.D" (workout of the day). You'll never hear me talking about my time completing "FRAN", or how many "kipping" pull-ups I can perform. I would not recommend Crossfit for an unconditioned individual, and I would even be hesitant on recommending Crossfit for an average trainee. If Crossfit is a form of exercise you would like to attempt, proceed with caution, because injuries can occur with improper technique in any strenuous exercise program.

There are many coaches and trainers who claim that Crossfit is evil and should be banished from society. There are also devoted followers of Crossfit who claim that it's the holy grail of fitness and everyone should bow down to Greg Glassman before beginning the beloved W.O.D.

Mr. Greg Glassman - creator of Crossfit and one of the "most controversial individuals in fitness".

Throughout the Internet you can find numerous articles, blogs, and videos that ridicule Crossfit workouts and all of the negative things associated with what Crossfit entails.

Is Crossfit really that bad?

I mean, we live in a society where more than 1/3 of Americans are considered obese. The majority of adults I know consider a 30 minute jog an awesome workout. Everyday people go into commercial fitness facilities and peddle away on a recumbent bike for a 10 minutes, then do some bicep curls and call it a strenuous training session.

There are those people who sit on the couch eating Ben & Jerry's making fun of anyone who eats a healthy diet or enjoys spending time exercising on the weekend. Now that's the enemy! As a trainer / coach, those people get under my skin more than the "Crossfit Cult".

This is more of a problem to our society than Crossfit!

If a form of exercise motivates people to get up off their asses, lift some weight, do some mobility work, and elevate their heart rate, should it really be ostracized from the fitness community?

The good things regarding Crossfit:
-There is a strength/resistance training component that involves compound movements.
-There is a mobility component which focuses on a dynamic warm-up before exercise.
-There is a "team work" setting where people are motivated to do their best.
-There are goals and standard to measure your level of fitness and strive for improvement (W.O.D. times)
-The accountability factor of being at a class or to a training session on time (you miss, you're charged!)
-It can be more "cost efficient" than individual training sessions.
-There is a nutrition component that influences people to eat "healthier" food. (Paleo is better than that Jenny Craig/Quick weight loss crap!)
-Some of the girls in the crossfit games have awesome bodies, just sayin'......

I know there are several strength coaches and trainers that can make a list 3 times as long listing all of the negatives surrounding Crossfit. I would probably agree with some of the the things written on those lists, but there are a lot of positives with what's going on it the Crossfit community. It's obvious the Crossfit craze is catching on like wild fire, and people are drinking the Kool-Aid. If people can become that passionate over a form of exercise I have to show a little respect toward the Crossfit Klan.

As a person who endorses exercise and physical fitness I think we should embrace a variety of exercise and conditioning protocols, except Zumba, that's just lame!

My Training.....

2012-01-27T11:51:00.000-05:00

For about 2 months now I've been training a whole lot differently. I've been lifting at my buddy Jeremy Herring's gym (Power Sports Academy aka The Factory) and also at my regular gym (Nova University). I've always based my training around strength first but after I entered the Got Total competition (Squat, Deadlift, and Shouder Press) I really became obsessed with becoming the strongest I've ever been. This obsession is not for any reason or purpose except I feel that being strong(er) is awesome and being weak is awful.

The Factory, where the strong get stronger....

I don't plan on doing any "lifting" competitions in the near future, but I do want to increase my numbers on the squat, bench, and deadlift because it is a measurable goal - and it just fells bad ass to move some heavy weight.

After messing around with Total Body training 3 days a week and using the 5/3/1 program with a lot of success physically, I decided I need a "mental" break. A change from your regular routine can do a lot for the intensity you bring to each training session.

I have been really happy with my current set up, it's a little "Westside/Conjugate" and since I've been lifting at THE FACTORY on Monday and Wednesday , Jeremy designs the program and writes in on the board- I go in and do everything verbatim. It takes the guess work out of my programming and it's pretty freaking intense!

Here's the set up for the week:
Monday - Heavy Bench (Max Effort)
Wednesday - Heavy Squat / Deadlift (Max Lower)
Friday - Dynamic Bench (Speed/Repetition Work)
Saturday - Dynamic Lower (Jumps/Speed Work)

Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday are usually spent sprinting hills, running tempos, and ocasionally taking a day of rest if I'm feeling a little beat up.

Hill running in sunny South Florida, gotta love it!

Here's what a typical Wednesday would look like:
-Foam Roll, Dynamic warm-up
A1. Max effort box squat
B1. Deadlift from Pin 2 (Blue Bands) 4-5 sets of 3-5 reps
C1. Posterior Chain Movement (RDL, Hyper extension, Reverse Hyper) 2-3 sets of 15-20
C2. Heavy Sled Drags
D1. Heavy Rows 3-5 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

I don't think this is the best approach for everybody, there are a very few people that I know that are truly concerned about getting strong (er). This style of lifting has made me feel more powerful and each session brings back memories of the college football days.

As I get older, I question why I'm still competing with myself every training session and why I push myself to the limit each time I touch a barbell. To be honest, I don't know any other way.......

There's Something Wrong Here....

2012-01-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

Now that we are about a month into the New Year, I guarantee there are there are massive amounts of people who have already failed at their "New Year's Resolution". Of course, not all resolutions are related to fitness, health, and fat loss- but I'm willing to bet a good majority of people started the month with hopes of getting in shape and losing a few pounds or inches.

Since this blog is primarily about getting leaner, stronger, and all around more awesome, I want to discuss some things that are very puzzling to me in the areas of health and fitness.

How the hell does our obesity rate keep increasing?

To think that 1/3 of the adult population in the US is considered to be obese is downright disturbing. I know that some people relate more to "visuals" rather than "statistics", so go to a mall, grocery store, or anywhere else that you'll find a large gathering of people and I'm sure you'll find a good percentage of those people to fall into the category of "obese" adults.

Yes, cardio can be boring- but at least it's exercise......

I guarantee everyone that falls into the category of "obese" knows that EXERCISE provides numerous benefits for your health and contributes to weight loss. So, can anyone explain how the percentage of people in the US that exercise on a regular basis is DECLINING??? WTF!!!!

It seems that every strip mall or shopping center has a gym or fitness facility somewhere nearby. Pilates/Yoga studios, Crossfit boxes, and "Franchise" health clubs are everywhere you look, and the parking lots are filled to capacity. Yet, we're getting fatter and exercising less???

If you watch TV for a brief period of time you'll see commercials for Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Weight Watchers appearing more frequently than ever before. The amount of infomercials that are related to fitness products is borderline ridiculous. The Weight Loss industry is stacking up the dough. We're talking billions of dollars spent on exercise equipment and "diet" products that apparently provide nothing beneficial to most consumers.

No supplement can replace quality food!

People spend a small fortune on "fat burner" pills, powders, and creams. Vitamins and Supplement sales are
at an all time high, and the "diet book" section at retail book stores continues to grow as well as the mass production of exercise DVD's. It's crazy to think with all of the money invested in this stuff that somehow we are gaining body fat and becoming more unconditioned than ever before.

If you go into a Starbucks, it's common to hear "I want a skinny____________" and Subway is constantly promoting their "Jared Approved" foods. Even McDonald's is jumping on the bandwagon by advertising their "healthy" breakfasts, such as fruit and nut oatmeal. But we still are experiencing a girth increase that is honestly frightening.

So what's the solution? People are spending time and money at gyms, book stores, and supplement shops. Just about every daytime talk show has some segment on "weight loss" and "toning up". I think people have more knowledge than ever before regarding nutrition and exercise, some information had to be absorbed from all the fitness magazine and book sales....... Something has to be accomplished with all of those people spending hours in the gyms and fitness classes......But look around, obviously what people are doing to improve their level of leanness is not working.

So, what are we doing wrong?

I wish I had a simple answer. I wish I could say something that people would want to hear... Unfortunately, I have a theory - one that won't be too popular of looked at in a "positive way".

WE ARE DOING THE WRONG THINGS!!!

The majority of people that go to a gym or health club on a regular basis are doing "fluff" workout. Numerous gym goers spend too much time doing meaningless cardio, such as slowly peddling away on the the elliptical at a snails pace for hours.

How often do you see the squat rack being used (with people squatting correctly)? Count the number of people you see performing chin-ups or deadlifts. I guarantee its a number you can count on one hand. People just "workout" with no real intensity, and I hate to break it to ya your strenuous spinning class is not the answer to your "LEAN IN 2012" goal. Put some weight on the bar and start grabbing some heavy dumbbells and push, pull, and squat!

I wish more people lifted like this.....

Eating right is something that has really confused a lot of people. Most people have been brainwashed to thinking that cereal or other "whole grain" products are a great breakfast choice and low-fat everything is the way to a leaner physique. Eating quality food is a huge factor when it comes to losing those cottage cheese thighs, but most people don't know what quality food really is.

Now I don't want to sound all "PALEO" but if you stick to food from the earth, preferably organic, (nuts, veggies, and fruit) and real meat products (chicken, fish, beef, eggs) and avoid everything else, you'll be on the right track to achieving the body you want.

Most people don't wanna hear this, but if your eating right from Monday to "happy hour" time on Friday and then shovel a bunch of crap down your pie hole during the weekend you're WAY off track! It might be tough, but limiting yourself to ONE bad meal, is acceptable - frequent stops at the golden arches for a couple days is NOT ACCEPTABLE! Binge eating weekends can be death traps for the quest to look good naked.

We live in a country where if something is new and flashy it's gotta be good, or a product needs to produce results in record time. Getting leaner and better shape happens with hard work and dedication, nothing "trendy" needed. Stop wasting money on gimmicks and weight loss programs. Just pick up a heavy barbell 3-4 days a week, invest $10 on a jump rope and actually use it, and don't eat like an idiot and you will be one step closer to lean and mean in 2012.

3 Reasons Why You SHOULDN'T Purchase Personal Training Packages

2012-01-10T11:53:00.003-05:00

A little disclaimer - I'm not against people hiring a Personal Trainer for a long duration, most of my clients have been with me for 4-5 years. I feel when someone is seeking the help of a personal trainer they should not buy packages of 20+ sessions before they have actually worked with that trainer for at least 3-4 weeks.

I know this might ruffle a few feathers, but I've worked in a commercial gym setting where I've seen first hand how these multiple session packages can be a mistake. While working in the "Fitness Club" setting, I DID try to push HUGE packages of personal training because of the COMMISSION that went along with the SALE. I told people that 20 or more sessions would save them money per session as well as create a feeling of dedication and accountability for long term success.

Not the best motivational approach, but I bet this guy was a good salesman!

Since I've been out of the "SALES" based arena for a couple years now, I've formed a strong opinion on the professional aspect of being a "Personal Trainer" rather than a SALESMAN. At my new facility people are billed on a session by session basis, which is a little easier on the pocketbook than forking over 1,000 plus dollars every couple months to purchase a multiple session training package.

I've never been a SALES based trainer, I like to think of myself as a RESULTS based trainer. Looking back at my beginning days of working in a gym, management didn't care about results- only the SALE. I wrote THIS blog when I began to really look at the disservice some Personal Trainers provide, check it out.

I've been in the trenches for a while now, and I feel I have the responsibility to provide some much needed advice to help future clients consider some things before hiring just any Personal Trainer. Here are 3 reasons to avoid those 20+ session packages:

1. You really don't know your Trainer. Yeah, you might have met for brief period and they said all the right things and made you feel like you are going to achieve all of your fitness goals in record time- but do you really KNOW them? Are they going to be on time? Are they professional on a daily basis? Are they focused on your results or just making you SORE? Do they have a plan with your goal in mind? Do they take every client thought the same routine? (I've seen this on more than one occasion).

Those are all thing to consider before dropping a huge chunk of coin on someones services. Remember most gyms pay trainers commission on the packages they sell. A general rule is 10% on each package. So if you are paying $70 a session, and purchase a 20 session package- your trainer makes $140 without providing you with any service whatsoever. Now, what if they are late for your sessions? Or they take you though the same routine day in and day out? Or is they socialize with other gym members when they should focus you YOU?

Sorry to say, but you probably won't get a refund and they are going to keep their commission. Bottom Line - Get to REALLY know your trainer before making a long term commitment.

Recording programs is important, but so is paying attention to "hand placement" during an exercise.

2. Your sessions can EXPIRE. If you have the intention of training 2 times a week for 10 weeks, that leads to about 20 sessions. You might be an extremely dedicated individual and have a phenomenal trainer. What happens if you get sick or injured and you can't make it to the gym for 6 months? Hopefully your gym can "freeze" the sessions, but some gyms will have an expiration date on your training contract with a lot of important stuff in fine print - READ IT! Make sure your sessions can be extended for any legitimate reason.

A Gym is a place of business, a company striving to make a profit. So It's not likely upper management will care if you purchase a package of 20 sessions and only use 4 before they expire. The GYM keeps the money, and doesn't have to pay the trainer for the 16 other sessions- that's a HUGE profit margin for any business. In the long run, your fitness center can give a damn about your results as long as they keep raking in the revenue.

3. Your Trainer might leave. Okay, so you have met the BEST trainer in the world. They have the credentials and the personality that meet your needs and they are ready to get you the results you want. You've seen them train and you've talked to other gym members and hear nothing but positive feedback about "World's Best Trainer". Now you're ready to pursue optimal fitness! You decide to dish out 2,000 plus dollars and get the VIP package. You've made all of your appointments for the next few months so you are 100% accountable to make it to the gym during your scheduled time slot.

A week later your trainer calls and tells you they are taking a job at another gym. What do you do? How many gym actually have multiple quality trainers (that aren't completely booked)? Not many. To be honest, you probably won't get a refund and you could stuck with someone who doesn't know their ass from their elbow. At that point you'll probably wish you would have bought the 5 or 10 session package instead, the best you can hope for is a partial refund- but that's not likely.

There are some valid reasons to buying multiple session packages, but having worked in a commercial gym setting for over 7 years- I've seen several aggravated gym members because of the above circumstances. Making a choice to hire a Personal Trainer should be a very positive experience. I've worked with some fitness professionals that I'd recommend, and some I'd tell you to avoid like the plague. Having seen the good and bad, I want to stress before hiring a trainer make sure their focus on helping you achieve RESULTS and not meeting their monthly sales goal.

Resolution Madness......

2012-01-04T11:05:00.000-05:00

Every year around this time gyms and health clubs are filled with people with the goal of achieving better fitness and health in 2012. Vitamin and supplement sales also increase, especially weight loss products and various "fat burners". In some sporting goods stores there are empty shelves where the exercise equipment belongs- weights, bands, and other fitness products have been sold out for about a week now and they are ready to used as tools to create a lean and chiseled physique.

All of this is brought about with one famous saying:

MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION IS TO....... lose weight, get in shape, eat better, not be fat anymore, run a marathon, look good in a bikini, lose my spare tire, look awesome in a man thong (god, I hope not), get a 6 pack, lose the fat on my legs/butt, etc.

Gym membership sales skyrocket! Personal Training revenue is through the roof! Some health clubs have a waiting list for the cardio equipment. Group X classes are filled to capacity. At some fitness centers parking is so crazy, people have to walk half-a-mile to get to the entrance (sadly, it's probably a better workout than they'll get inside the gym).

Not much success will be achieved here, if my calculations are correct...

This time of year is really irritating to me, which is surprising considering I am a Personal Trainer and I can easily increase my client list (if I had space).

I'm not against anyone having a GOAL or a RESOLUTION. I'm actually a big believer in goal setting, and I encourage people to exercise more and eat better on a daily basis.

I don't mind that commercial gyms and fitness centers are so crowded people feel like sardines. I work at a private training facility and lift at a University weight room and a small warehouse gym.

Most of my clients have been at my facility for a while and are trying to get better every session - not start training harder because it's their "resolution". As far as the University weight room, it's a little more crowded than normal, but most college kids usually train hard year round. The warehouse I train at is strength training compound, everyone is focused on hitting PR's and getting ready for the next power lifting meet or athletic season.

My problem with this time of the year is that the desire most people have to "Getting FIT in 2012" only lasts a month or so, then begins to fade. Some time during the month of February it's acceptable to be lazy, eat Twinkies and ignore all the "fitness" goals that people have set for themselves, yet haven't come close to reaching.

2012, the year of ABS!!!

This time of year it's normal to go to a restaurant and order grilled chicken and some steamed veggies, but a couple months from now I get looked at like I'm vain or shallow and am only concerned with my appearance for ordering a "clean" meal. If I choose not to have a beer and drink water instead, it's socially acceptable January 1-14th, but after that, "Come on man, have a beer- playoffs are on".

Going to the gym on a Saturday is something to be proud of for the next few weeks, but after that I hear things like, "Don't you do anything fun" and "Let's hit up a bar to watch the games, forget the gym".

Almost every year right about Super Bowl time, the whole "Get Fit CRAZE" turns into "GET FAT (er)". It only takes about one month for the willpower to evaporate and most of society to get back to the beer guzzling, chicken wing eating, laying on the couch slobs we are used to seeing.

Before we know it the gym parking lots will be half-full, then almost empty. The Saturday morning "boot camps" will soon become a ghost town because people will be headed to the beach. The Group X classes will go from having people lined up at the door to trying to recruit people to come inside.

Are we that weak of a society that our health and well being is only important for around a month?

Instead of a "Resolution" people should make a "Commitment". A life long commitment to improve their fitness level, better food choices, and reduce mental stress. Of course, there are more important things in life than being in great shape- staying out late drinking, eating comfort foods, and staying home so you don't miss your favorite TV show are all acceptable reasons to skip a training session and damage your health.

If you're passionate about getting in GREAT shape this year, set your goals HIGH, and ACHIEVE them. Don't let others drag you down, make this your best year yet!

But, for the next 4-6 weeks be patient with the herd of people fighting for a treadmill so they can perform an intense walk at 2mph, and talk on their cell phone while cranking away on the elliptical.

Welcome to "Resolution Madness".

Training to be WEAK(ER)???

2011-12-09T08:07:00.001-05:00

Just about everyone I've encountered begins an exercise program to improve their health and lose a little, or a lot, of body fat. That's also the reason the majority of people begin a "healthy" eating regimen and try to cut down on shoveling a bunch of crap in their mouth. I know both those sentences provided "SHOCKING" information.....

So, where am I going with this? Well, if you exercise to improve your level of fitness and you eat better to improve your health - then why do you strength train? DUH? To get STRONGER, right?

But after spending many years working in a gym, I've come to the conclusion that is not the case for a large part of our gym going population. Some people are actually training to become weak(er).......

Our bodies are made up of different hormones, energy systems, cells, and molecules that provide us with the energy we need to get through the day and our extremely important training sessions. Nutrients also play an essential factor in providing us with the fuel we need to perform to our best. Without getting into a bunch of physiological and biological information, I'll just state my point...

DOING LONG DURATION STEADY STATE CARDIO BEFORE STRENGTH TRAINING IS STUPID!

I witness it time and time again, people doing 45-60 minutes of spinning, the elliptical, the stepmill, or even jogging before they begin to lift weights. I've offered advice numerous times and even printed out research based literature proving that long term steady state cardio if done at all, is more beneficial post-resistance training.

I'm not sure what can be done to stop this problem of WEAK training and get people to perform STRENGTH training. I think this problem has gotten out of control, gyms really should not be equipped with massive amounts of pink dumbbells, and performing endless sets step-ups to a bicep curl after a 60 minute spinning class is really is not helping the cause.

What's the solution? Besides slapping these "Cardio Queens" upside the head with a kettelbell......

Proper Programming. Your time in the gym should be well organized and planned out. For example, if you have 45 minutes to get a training session in you could arrange it like this:

10min - Movement Prep (Foam Roll, Dynamic Warm-up, Corrective Stuff) Try Defranco's Agile 8 or THIS warm-up from Jim Smith.

25min - Strength Training (perform as a "mini circuit")
a1-Squat/Deadlift variation 4-6 reps
a2-Pull-up / Row variation 8-12 reps
a3-Push (Vertical/Horizontal) 8-12 reps
Perform 3 sets with 30 seconds rest between each exercise and 1 min rest after each circuit

b1-Single leg exercise (lunge, split squat, single leg deadlift etc.) 6-10reps on each leg
b2-Core work (plank, side plank, ab wheel rollouts) 45-90 sec.
b3-Vanity upper body (bicep curls, triceps extensions, dumbbell lateral raises) 10-15 reps
Perform 2 sets with the same rest time as above.

10min - Intervals (sprint 20 seconds / walk 40 seconds or jump rope 30 seconds / rest 60 seconds). You could also perform some kettelbell / TRX (body weight) work.

I know that plan is very generalized, but it will produce far more strength/physique benefits than endless hours on the elliptical or even worse - jogging....

If you have more time to spend in the gym than focus on strengthening you weak areas, such as posterior chain exercises (your butt and hamstrings) and mobility exercises ( work on performing a proper squat, or push up). The days that you don't perform strength training you can ~~waste your time~~ take a spinning class or crank out the miles on the treadmill (although it might effect recovery).

People can and will ignore my advice, and that's okay. If you're fine with coming to the gym and seeing people that train like my clients get leaner and stronger while you try to make excuses for needing to buy bigger pants, that's your business.

Nothing beats watching the 45 year old mother of 3 that I train, lift more weight on every exercise than some of the guys in the gym (and she is leaner than all of them). I also get a kick out of seeing all of the 'skinny fat" girls line up for spinning class, while my lean and strong wife is loading up some heavy ass weight for a set of deadlifts.

So if being weak and awful is your goal, keep truckin' away on those cardio machines before you grab your little pink dumbbells. But, if you want to get strong(er), leaner, and develop a feeling of all around awesomeness- step into the squat rack and move some weight!

The Need To Compete............

2011-11-28T13:37:00.000-05:00

I've always liked competition. For the majority of my life I have played team and individual sports such as football and track & field, and competed in skateboarding competitions during my middle school years. Some people are satisfied with being on a team or entering an event, I was not one of those people.

Well, at least I never WAS one of those people. I used to have "win at all costs" attitude. I took pride in WINNING, just competing wasn't good enough. I loved playing football, especially through high school and college, and when my team won the passion for the sport grew insurmountable. When we lost, I was they guy you wanted to avoid at all costs.

I ran track to improve my conditioning for football. I threw shot put to work on becoming "more explosive". I really didn't excel at these activities, but I still competed, mainly against myself. I put forth tremendous effort to break my times and distances each time I stepped on the track or entered the shot put circle.

I like to think that I've gotten older and wiser and I think I've come to the point where I can be happy with the thrill of competition. Winning is great, but just competing is something that I miss and look forward to doing in the near future.

I have decided to enter a couple up coming competitions that are strength / fitness related. The first one is a race called the Warrior Dash. It's a crazy 3 mile race with a bunch of insane obstacles. I'm not a big "distance runner" but I figure 3 miles is okay as long as there is mud and some flaming rocks to jump over. This race takes place this Saturday, December 3rd, and I'm looking forward to getting muddy!

The other competition I plan on entering is the Got Total? competition put on by Crossfit Ft. Lauderdale. Most people know I'm not a Crossfit guy, but this event is a one rep max on standing shoulder press, deadlift, and squat. These are lifts I'm a big proponent of, and having a chance to see how I do against other lifters seems pretty entertaining.

At 36, I'm not sure how I fair against some of the more "youthful" lifters, but at least I'll go in swinging. I think my deadlift will be pretty competitive, I'm hoping for 500, but my squat and shoulder press are just mediocre. Just getting under the bar will get those goosebumps kickin' and revamp the intensity that can only be brought about by laying it on the line. This event takes place Saturday, December 17th.

These events couldn't be more different as far as the energy systems that are utilized. One is primarily endurance and the other is maximal strength. They both require two things desire and intensity, if you bring all you got, you'll be successful no matter the outcome.

One of my clients asked me if I'm training any differently for these events. My response was, "Not Really, I just lift heavy, do sprints, run hills, and jump on things- that type of stuff prepares you for just about anything and makes you more awesome".

Whether it's a "formal" competition or just competing with myself, I really like pushing my mental and physical abilities to the limit. Winning a competition against others is awesome, but winning the competition against yourself is priceless.

Push yourself, compete with yourself, and dominate the person staring back at you in the mirror. It's about time to start bettering your best...................

The Best Workout & Diet Plan EVER!!!!

2011-11-08T10:04:00.000-05:00

There is new "ground breaking" workout and eating plan that will help you shed fat, get ripped, increase your strength and improve endurance. Of course, anything NEW and "ground breaking" definitely is worth a try, because programs and eating plans of the past really aren't good enough.

The workout is so productive because of a process called "Muscle Thermodynamic Activation". This principle was brought about by Eastern Bloc countries when athletes were cutting weight for World Wide competitions and had very little time to reduce body fat.

Muscle Thermodynamic Activation (MTA) is a process in which your muscles release an abundance of ATP and Creatine Phosphate and raise you body temperature to increase fat burning. This process will continue to burn fat for 24-48 hours post workout. MTA has been shown to increase EPOC by 413% which is basically a full on fat burning blitz!

An example would be to perform rapid, quick movements for 5-10 seconds after each set of resistance exercise. So after a set of squats jump up and down and shake your arms vigorously for around 7 seconds. If you are seeking the ultimate body fat reduction technique, Muscle Thermodynamic Activation is kicked in to high gear by "shaking" your muscles and other body tissue. Perform a "shake" similar to a wet dog trying to dry off.

If you really want a thermogenic effect, after each set of resistance exercise - shake your body violently for around 10 seconds. Trust me, you'll feel the fat burning from your stomach, glutes, and thighs like never before.

Now for the ground breaking nutrition information that was keep under lock and key until a world renowned exercise physiologist and professor of human biology leaked this earth shattering secret.

The combination of 2 specific foods can give you a huge burst of energy and basically stop your body from storing body fat because of the synergistic enzymes that are released. When combined with Muscle Thermodynamic Activation the body fat / weight loss results have been unprecedented.

These two foods are radish and beef jerky. When eaten together they create an inferno of fat burning nutrients that can get you shredded in no time! The texture of the radish and the amino acid content of the beef jerky create an unseen increase in metabolic rate.

It's a simple plan, just eat radish and beef jerky for breakfast and lunch and have a normal, sensible dinner and in 10-14 days you will need to buy a whole new wardrobe!

Okay, okay- If you're still reading this I give you credit. Obviously I was just giving you a ride on the BS train that well educated adults actually would consider believing. As crazy as it seems there are some people out there that will follow this advice, or something very similar because the vast majority of our population is always searching for the "new and best" way to lose weight.

It shouldn't be that complicated. Eat quality food, control your portions, and commit to an exercise program. Eat lean protein, lots of veggies, some fruit, and healthy (natural) fats. Lift weight, do sprints, move more throughout the day and BE CONSISTENT!

Getting in shape shouldn't be a 2,4, or 8 week commitment. Make it a lifestyle. Start setting your goals a couple years from now, not 6 weeks from now. If you are 15 lbs. lighter in 6 weeks but 40lbs. heavier in 2 years what did you really accomplish?

Don't fall for gimmicks. Don't buy into "rapid results" programs. Make it a long term commitment to be leaner, stronger and healthier. Improve the quality of your life from here on out, not just for 12 weeks. Take the appropriate steps to make some positive changes, stick with your plan, and live healthy and be happy- that's what "being in shape" should be about.......

How do you measure progress?

2011-10-21T09:59:00.001-04:00

Most people begin an exercise/diet plan to improve their physical condition, improve health, and decrease stress. Some people just hit the gym to look good naked and really don't care about their long term health or the way they move, but they still want to make progress in the gym and more importantly noticeable progress in the mirror.

Whether your goal is to improve your lipid profile or compete in "Flex-Off 2011", there are ways to monitor your progress that will help determine if what your are currently doing is working for YOU.

If you want to improve overall health, blood work, and body weight/composition - going to a physician and getting a full panel of tests done as well as a body composition measurement (skin caliper, physiograph, underwater weighing, bodpod) would be a very efficient start. Getting an accurate reading of your blood pressure and resting heart rate would also be an important part in gathering some starting statistics.

You should be logging your food, calories, and nutrients as well as keep an exercise journal. If you don't see any positive changes after 8-12 weeks it might be time to alter you food choices and exercise selection. If you are 100% committed to achieving results, and don't cheat on your diet or skip or slack in your workouts you will see results. But where will you see results, the scale, caliper, mirror, loose fitting jeans? All of those will be sufficient forms of measurement. However for your cholesterol, vitamin mineral deficiences, and hormone levels, more blood work is needed.

If you just want to look good in a pair of board shorts or a bikini, a mirror isn't the only way to evaluate progress. I take it that you are already fairly lean, so skin caliper testing done every 7-10 days will help determine if you are on the right track to a banging beach body. Keeping track of what you are doing in the gym and what you are putting in your pie hole are extremely important. If your results aren't headed in the right direction you might need to add protein, cut the carbs, increase the fat or decrease your calories. It is also necessary to keep track of your lifting/cardio sessions. You might be doing too much cardio, and not lifting a sufficient amount of weight - which is usually the case.

One of my all time favorite "core" exercises!

My opinion is that if you train to get stronger, everything else will fall into place. Strength is one of the easiest, most reliable things to measure. You can evaluate your progress each time you enter the gym. Strength can be evaluated by dumbbells, a barbell, or even your own body weight. Chances are that if you improve the amount of pull-ups you can do and increase the amount of weight you front squat, you are going to look better naked. I you can do more push-ups, that very well could be the result of reducing some unwanted body weight.

Chances are that if you can do weighted pull ups, your pretty darn lean!

As far as overall health, increasing the amount of weight on each exercise will have a positive effect on structural stability which could lead to better movement efficiency. Increasing the volume of your lifting sessions will also have positive impact on bone density. When better food choices are thrown into the mix, it's a win-win for improvements in blood work.

A good way to start measuring your progress when it comes to gaining strength is to get an idea of how much weight/reps you can perform in the following movements. (if not limited by injury)

-Amount of total push ups, pull ups/inverted rows you can perform. (timed for a minute if needed)

-Amount of weight you can perform on a front squat for a 3 rep max.

-Amount of weight you can deadlift for a 1 rep max.

-Amount of weight on a bench press/overhead press for a 3 rep max.
-I'm not a big fan if distance running, but timing yourself in a mile run can be a decent measurement for cardiorespiratory endurance.
-If you prefer shorter distances you can do some intervals on the track, run 100 meters in a specific time frame (12-20 seconds) and rest 45 seconds, run as many as you can without exceeding your rest time. Once you fatigue, the number of 100's you can complete will be your measurement, try to improve on that each week.
-After 6-8 weeks of intense training, it's time to retest.

If your eating is on track, once these lifts/movement/exercises are increased you will be one step closer to achieving measurable, efficient progress in the gym or on the track and of course- the mirror. Don't just settle for going to the gym for a workout, actually start TRAINING to get STRONG- everything else will fall in place.

The Smith Machine - A waste of valuable gym space?

2011-10-06T09:56:00.000-04:00

Over the years I've omitted certain exercises, machines, or movements for various reasons. The main reason I've taken a stance in avoiding certain "gym things" is safety and movement efficiency. A VERY close second reason would be the BENEFIT of an exercise. Some exercises are extremely beneficial, but not everybody has the stability and mobility to perform them effectively, which could lead to injury.

If a client can't move efficiently, such as not being able to perform a squat or lunge properly. Or if they can't perform a push up or row variation with proper body alignment and shoulder function, we'll mainly work on activating certain muscles and working up to the full range of motion with the above movements.

I didn't always train that way, I used to just run clients though various exercises and machines at the gym and try to make them sweaty and sore. Yes, I was a moron.

Of all the exercises I see people performing at the gym with major movement dysfunction, the Smith Machine would rank #1.

Some of the problems I see with the Smith Machine:

-A fixed plane of motion. The bar slides up and down a guided path and for most exercises such as squats and bench press, and our most of the time this can lead to shoulder, knee, and lower back issues. Our bodies should operate on a more "functional path". This guided path takes the lower back out of the equation during squats and places more sheer force on the patella. During the bench press, the fixed path can take all of the shoulder stabilization out of the exercise, which would be avoiding one of the benefits of the exercise- on purpose.

This causes pain in MY shoulders......

-False sense of resistance. Whether you are providing more force with your right or left arm (or leg), the bar will still travel in an even path. Using free weights such as an Olympic Bar or Dumbbells, it is extremely noticeable which limb is providing more force.

-Its a trainer-no brainer. A lot of trainers who are uneducated or just don't feel like taking time to teach an actually "free weight" movement will just stick they clients on the Smith Machine because "it's easy".

-Misrepresentation of the actual load lifted. If you push the bar in a forward / backward motion while moving the bar upward, you are using the guide track to help with the resistance. There are some gym goers who bench two 45lb. plates on each side and claim to bench 225lbs. Once they step outside of fairly tail land and get on a real bench, they'll get a 225lb. bar to the chest that doesn't budge.

When I see all of the money gyms waste on these machines, it amazes me. You could get 2 or 3 power/squat racks for the price of one Smith Machine- but you need employees that are capable of teaching certain exercises out of those racks, which is hard to find now a days.

This dude is also using a "sissy pad" - awfulness!

The Smith Machine does have some uses in my book. It's a great place to strap the TRX or a great place to anchor resistance bands. For certain cases, such as bodybuilding, it is adequate for movements solely designed for hypertrophy.

Most people just want to get leaner, get in better physical condition, and move more efficiently and pain free, the Smith Machine is far from the best tool for accomplishing those things.

The last thing regarding the Smith, that I find pretty humorous is listening to a personal trainer brag about how they are an expert at functional training and then seeing their clients perform 1/4 rep squats using that damn machine.

Next time you're in the gym head to the squat rack or dumbbell area, let your body do the work instead of some lame ass machine.....

Group X = A breeding ground for inefficient movement patterns???

2011-09-28T09:51:00.002-04:00

Every now and then when I walk by one of the Group X classes going on in the gym and I'll check it out for a couple minutes. No, not to see if there are any hotties in spandex, but I get a kick out of some of the movement patterns and flawed technique that I see from some of of the attendees.

Actually, there are times when I feel sick to my stomach and my knees and back hurt from the awfulness that I see being demonstrated.

Most of the time these classes are packed with 30-50 people and most of the classes I've observed the majority of attendees move worse than a baby cow walking on ice. Once and a while I'll be tempted to bust through the door and say "You call that a F'in squat -get lower!". Of course, I am kidding. I do really feel bad for the people attending some of these Boot Camps and Cardio Pump classes - they don't know what their doing is wrong, and 99% of the time the instructor won't take the time to correct them.

I understand that getting people to move is good, and if someone has fun while exercising- that's great. But, when 90% of the class can't do a proper squat and they are doing 50-100 repetitions of an exercise, that's just asinine. All that is going to be accomplished is a little sweat, a minuscule caloric burn, and a faulty movement pattern engraved in a persons mind.


This is actually good compared to some of the crap that I have seen!

I think it would be a little more intelligent, and of course, more time consuming to teach a person HOW to do an exercise before you have them perform endless repetitions with horrible form. It's not only squats, but push ups and lunges as well- the basic exercises are getting butchered in these so-called fitness classes.

I see people performing lunges with rounded backs and excessive forward lean, not to mention horrible foot placement. Push-ups aren't any better, I've witness camel back syndrome and have seen hands placed in a variety of strange locations.

I love push-ups, but make sure they are done right!

It goes on at boot camps and group training facilities as well, exercises are just are not being TAUGHT. They are being TOLD. When you tell someone to do something and don't correct them if it's being performed wrong - that's just plain irresponsible as a fitness professional.

If a person performs and exercise with horrible technique day in and day out, it is an extremely long process to correct their deviations and deficiencies. Exercise should develop healthy habits and movements not the opposite. It's pretty clear why several people that I've evaluated before training sessions complain of knee, back, and shoulder pain. Most of them demonstrate horrible form when performing a lunge, squat, or push up.

A solution to this problem would be having anyone interested in attending a Group X class or a Boot camp go through a screening process in a small group setting to evaluate and teach proper exercise technique.


Getting to proper depth is a challenge for most people!

I would honestly rather have someone perform 3 sets of 5 repetitions of proper squat rather than 100 squats with terrible technique. One of my goal when training someone is to help them move more efficiently. When a person demonstrates a movement that could lead to an "overuse" injury. When a client is beginning my program I look at the movement pattern to evaluate tightness/weaknesses. I also structure their lifting sessions with the priority of correcting those issues.

Pop Quiz- Which athlete has better form???

One of the rebuttals I've heard from some of the attendees of a Group X class was, "That class really made my legs burn, it had to be good". In all honestly, just because an exercise "burns" or makes you sore doesn't necessarily mean that's a good thing.

Moving correctly is a good thing. I know not everyone can afford to hire a personal trainer, and it's really hard to find a trainer who knows what their doing (most of them are salesman). However, seeking someones help with knowledge of biomechanics will help identity some weaknesses and deviations in movement patterns that should be corrected would be really beneficial. Once you can move better, your exercise sessions will be more efficient.

I'm not saying every Group X class or Boot Camp class is a waste time (a lot of them are), just remember why you are exercising- to improve your health, right? It's pretty hard to feel healthy with a jacked up back, a sore shoulder, and knee pain 24/7. Learn to move better, your body will thank you.

It's One Thing....

2011-09-21T09:57:00.001-04:00

For most people, achieving the desired results they want from a diet / exercise program comes down to one thing. That ONE thing is something that you need to start doing or stop doing to get your body and overall health in better physical condition.

Of course that ONE thing leads to a bunch of other things that snowball and create a bigger roadblock on your path to success. With myself, clients, and friends it's really not too difficult to identity what ONE thing or ONE change needs to be made.

A couple of my clients are perfect examples. One of my clients really enjoys wine. Sometimes that enjoyment can be more than a glass or two and when that happens, clean eating goes out the window. She'll tell me, "After one glass I'll eat really good, but after 3 - I start to crave chips, pasta, or chocolate". On the nights she has NO wine her nutrition is right on track and her training sessions are more intense.

Another client of mine is in great cardiovascular shape. He has phenomenal muscular endurance, however he is lacking the all important strength component. Things like chin-ups and compound lower body exercises with a decent amount of weight are really a challenge. It's not a real surprise that he has a history of lower back and shoulder issues. The ONE thing that he needs to improve is STRENGTH. Now that we are focusing on getting stronger rather than "circuit/metabolic" based workouts, his structural deficiencies are starting to subside and his training sessions are much more beneficial.

Some friends I know crave bread or snack foods. If they go to a restaurant and there is bread on the table or chips and salsa, the word indulge comes to mind. Once they load up on the carbs, grease, and salt, the attitude is "Oh well, might as well get something bad since I've already gotten off track".

We can all sit back and pinpoint ONE thing that we could start doing or stop doing for a few weeks and we would see significant physical changes.

Could you:

-Focus on getting stronger, and actually STRENGTH TRAIN?
-Maybe add in a little cardio/interval work to your program?
-Perform single leg work and identity some inefficient movement patterns?
-Start doing lower body resistance training instead of Bench Pressing 3 days a week?
-Begin your upper body sessions with pulling instead of pushing exercises?
-Start getting to sleep an hour or two earlier?

Could you avoid:
-Pouring that glass of wine (or 3) with dinner every night?
-Chowing down on that bread and butter that's gonna add 800 calories to your dinner?
-Going to the gym and heading straight to the elliptical?
-Going to happy hour and actually make it to the gym on a Friday?

You hear it all the time.

If I just didn't eat _______ I'd be a lot leaner.........DUH?
If I just did some flexibility/mobility work my back would feel a lot better......REALLY?
If I just didn't drink beer, I'd be able to lose 10lbs? SHOCKER

You owe it to yourself to walk around healthier and in better physical condition, don't let something hold you back. Especially if it's just ONE thing.

Aren't results what really matter???

2011-09-13T10:20:00.001-04:00

There is so much criticism and opposing views in the strength/conditioning/fitness world that the internet has turned into a keyboard battle ground. I know that some internet commandos don't know anything about getting stronger, and when it comes to anatomy, they don't know their ass from their elbow. However, there are some real knowledgeable professionals that tend to disagree as well, and do so rather bluntly.

I'm all for a good session of constructive criticism. I think I've learned more from doing stuff wrong than doing things the right way. It is a little wake up call to your ego when you have a coach or trainer you admire basically call some exercises you prescribe as "a waste of time" or "too dangerous to teach, risk vs. reward".

It's important to accept others professional views. It is also important to spend time researching and gaining knowledge to determine why some "experts" feel the way they do about an exercise, program design, or training structure. The more knowledge you gain the more you will stand behind your training philosophy, or make changes where they are needed to get more efficient results. You don't have to agree with everything you read, but at least have knowledge on why you are doing an exercise / avoiding an exercise and understand which situations would be appropriate for various training programs.

This can also be applied to cardiovascular/fat loss protocols as well as discussing various diets.

Some industry leaders bash steady state cardio, and some get amazing results for their clients performing 5 / 45 min. sessions of incline walking a week. Some people feel that interval training is the way to go for fat loss, others feel that "metabolic conditioning" is the most effective fat burning strategy. Let's not even get started with the fasted cardio debate.

Discussing nutrition is even more lopsided. Now there is such a big following of Intermittent Fasting, and the IF crowd is ridiculing the 6 meals a day crowd. Then there are people that love to criticize anyone who mentions the term "Paleo", it's like the way you choose to eat is like the high school crowd you hung-out with. Instead of the Jocks, Burn-outs, and Nerds- you have the IF'ers, Paleo's, and 6SM's (six small meals).

In the end, aren't results the only thing that matters. Whether my athlete squats on both legs or performs single leg movements, as long as they get stronger and are more productive in their sport- I've been an effective coach. If my athletes do Olympic lifts, or if I choose to focus on plyometric exercises for power production, as long as they remain healthy and perform more explosively, I have helped them achieve their desired result.

When it comes to Fat Loss / Cardio / Nutrition, as long as a client is getting leaner while retaining or even gaining lean body mass, does it matter if they are eating 3, 4, or 5 times a day? Or if they are walking on a treadmill instead of performing intervals for their cardio based activity? Or if they are carb cycling or following a ketogenic diet?

What matters is results. I think some people just get all warm and fuzzy inside when they ridicule an article or blog post. If another trainer or coach is getting measurable, desired results with their athletes or clients - don't they deserve enough respect to hear them out? Like I said, we don't all have to agree, just understand why you disagree. As far as getting someone stronger, leaner, and more muscular - there's more than one way to skin a cat, and we should spend more time understanding and applying various strategies than criticizing them.

Layoffs, Set Backs, and Moving Forward....

2011-09-08T10:05:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last post. It seems life has taken over and my time management needed to be "revamped". I've been reading a ton of blogs and articles, but I've been a little lazy behind the keyboard. I've had plenty of good topics, but so have many other blogger's, and if someone discusses a topic before me- I try to avoid writing about that subject.

I don't want to come across as someone who "steals" from other people's ideas and pawns them off as my own.   When it comes to writing about fitness/strength stuff it is inevitable that certain subjects will be written about and blogged about by several authors, but in all fairness I'd rather refer people to great blogs/articles through social media (facebook) rather than rewriting what someone else has already discussed (and done a better job than I would have).

That's my excuse for the layoff.....

I've recently had a few setbacks when it comes to lifting and conditioning. The first one is school. I have a little less time in my day to be a trainer/coach, teacher, husband, and puppy owner.   So I needed to come up with a "personal" schedule that actually fits reality. That was tough to do and it's still in the working stages.....

That's really not a set back but reality starin' me in the eyes. This is a setback:

When I was 12 I knocked 2 teeth out while skateboarding. Luckily, I had braces and my dentist was able to put them back in without any serious damage. Until now. I made a dentist appointment for some "mild discomfort" in one of my front teeth.   It turns out that the root and tooth were so "dead" that I had to get tooth #9 extracted asap.

I'm in the process of getting an implant, but it's still a little crazy that this happened in such a short time frame. For a few days I was in some pain, but all in all it wasn't horrible. Obviously, I had a little "off time" from the gym which brings up my next setback.

I've been loving my new program, check it out here. The only problem is I really need to warm-up very efficiently before every lifting session, given that I'm squatting 3 times a week- and I have a tight hip/glute area (iliopsoas/piriformis) on my left side.

On labor day, I was amped up for my Medium Squat / Heavy deadlift session so I skimped on the warm-up and a few "get in the grove sets". I actually started off having a great lifting session, then I realized my left hip region/lower back was starting to tighten up. I decided to push through the training session. Later on that day my hip, glute, and lower back were screaming at me! I didn't warm-up right, I jumped right into heavier weight, and I felt like a total idiot.

It's been a few days and I'm moving more efficiently, but I'm nowhere near 100%. I've been using a lacrosse ball and foam roller so much I'm starting to bruise, but the pain actually fells somewhat good- especially once I'm done rolling and stretching.

The take home lesson = kids, warm-up properly!

So now that I got my bitching and moaning out, I'll get to the point. Everything doesn't always happen the way you want or expect it to, you have to accept that. Nothing should keep you down, learn from experience and use unfortunate circumstances as motivation to work harder and get mentally/physically stronger.

I'm a stubborn individual, and I like things to workout perfectly all the time. That's not reality. It's time to move forward and realize no matter what life throws at me I'm gonna keep bustin' ass and getting better. Life is a competition, between you and the obstacles you encounter.