The Chamber

The Diet Solution Program

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Back to School means Back to Health!
It happens to the best of us. The kids get out of school and our exercise routines and healthy eating habits get thrown to the waste side. Evening trips to the ice cream shop, hours of sitting in a beach chair, long car rides where only fast food is available: all of these factors may have added a few extra pounds to you and your kids over the course of the summer. Now with the start of the school season how can you get yourself and your kids back on a good eating and exercise routine? The following 4 steps will help you lose those unwanted summer pounds and develop a good routine for the whole school year.

Pack your lunch. Not just your child’s lunch, but your lunch as well. Make meal preparation an activity that you do along with your kids. Include them in the process from start to finish. First start by making a grocery list of all the foods you will need for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the week. Remember that kids are more likely to eat healthy foods if they have chosen them themselves. Next, food shop together. And last, make lunches at the same time that you make dinner in the evening. Not only will your children enjoy the foods that they have prepared themselves but they will also learn the value of taking time to prepare healthy foods. Yes, we are all limited by time these days. But children who learn that healthy food takes time to prepare become teenagers and adults that will take the time to choose and prepare healthy foods. Children who eat on the run usually turn into teenagers who eat fast foods on the run who then turn into adults who eat fast food. This starts them on a downward spiral that will only lead to obesity and heart disease.

Schedule your exercise. Schedule your exercise routine around your child’s school schedule and/or activity schedule. For example, wear your gym clothes to drop your kids off at school and go directly to the gym. Not only will you be setting a great example for your children, you will be less likely to skip your workout if you are dressed and ready to go. You can also schedule your exercise time around your child’s sports or activity schedule. If you know your child has dance on certain days, at certain times, schedule your exercise during that time as well. If you prioritize your own exercise time this way, you will be showing your child how valuable exercise is and how it is an integral part of your day. Children who see you value and prioritize exercise time become adults who value and prioritize exercise time.

Make sure your back pack is packed the night before. Again, this does not only go for your child but it goes for you as well. What do you need to have set up at night to make the next morning run smoothly and free of chaos? When I was a little girl my mom would help us each night set up our clothes and backpacks the night before. Every night I would have to think about the next day’s activities and plan accordingly. Did I have dancing school after school? Was it gym day? Was I going to a friend’s for a play date? Now, as an adult, the questions are a bit different but still require planning and packing the night before. Am I going to the gym first thing in the morning? Do I need to pack my clothes for an after work workout? Am I meeting a friend for a run? Do I have some healthy snacks with me? This simple step each night still helps me, to this day, make each morning run smoothly.

Get a tutor or outside help. If your child was doing poorly in math, you would not just let him throw in the towel and drop math class. Same goes for your workouts and eating regimen. If you find that you’re struggling with your current plan, find yourself some outside support just as you would find your child a tutor or supplementary tutoring class. Join an exercise class at the gym, hire a trainer for a few sessions, consult with a nutritionist, find an exercise/nutrition support group. When one avenue doesn’t work, try a new strategy. You would never let your child just drop out of school if one method of learning wasn’t working. Same goes for your exercise and nutrition plan. No one plan works for everyone, so explore all your options and choose the best plan for you.

Remember that health should always be your highest priority. Teaching your child that health is just as important to their future as school will get them started on a life long path to healthy living.

Learn “The Top 5 Essential Truths You Must Know Before You Go on Any Diet Ever Again” from Isabel De Los Rios at www.thedietsolutionprogram.com. Isabel is a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle coach who has helped hundreds of people lose their unwanted weight and take complete control of their health. She is the author of The Diet Solution Program, a complete and comprehensive nutrition program that is helping people all over the world finally reach their ideal weight. For more information on The Diet Solution Program and how it can help to change your life, visit www.thedietsolutionprogram.com.

Playground Fitness Course

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:51:00 +0000

The Playground Fat Loss and Strength Course

The Questions:
1) Exercise takes too long
2) The diet is very restricted
3) Personal Trainers are very expensive
4) The Lifestyle is hard to maintain
5) The results do not last

The Solutions:

1) Density training gets results in as little as 25 minutes
2) Learn how to eat more and still enjoy foods that you like
3) The course is 5 months long at a total cost of $1000, which is $50 per week/ Money Back guarantee if you follow program and do not get results.
4) The system is about creating a lifestyle that can be maintained forever and is not a diet
5) Once you have learned the system, built strength, and muscle you will look great for the rest of your life

Where and When

The course is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 a.m.- 6 a.m. at Jamestown Park. The camp starts on August 12th and with it limited to 10 people you will want to respond quickly to ensure your spot.

What is included?

1) Strength Training Routine
2) Meal Plan
3) Small Group Accountability atmosphere
4) My Experience with hundreds of clients
5) Fat Loss Results
6) Flexibility Training
7) Monitoring from strength coach/ Tracking of results
8) Before and After pictures
9) Discount on Supplements
10) Access to me by email

Who is at the playground camp?

This camp will be limited to 10 participants that will be screened to make sure that they are serious.

Unleash your Primal Edge Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:00:00 +0000

Unleash Your Primal Edge by

Elliot Hulse

This book takes an in depth look into increasing your health and strength through a holistic approach. The information that fascinated me about this book was the numerous studies that were performed on primitive society. The book explains how the North American Indians and Africans would survive on a diet that was very dependant on meat intake. The interesting part was both of these primitive civilizations would choose the meats that had the most fat, and typically the organs. The organs were consumed because of the amount of vitamins that were located in them. It might be hard to believe that these people were healthy in the anti-fat society that we live in, but they were very healthy. The book features several combinations of exercises from beginner to advanced. There are several descriptions and pictures that demonstrate an endless variety of exercise and stretches.

The book is written in an easy to read format and can be used by any trainee with goals ranging from fat loss to some serious muscle gain. The goal of this book in my opinion was to show us that we could live a very healthy lifestyle without complete food restrictions if we exercise daily, strength train, and make an effort to control the quality of food that we consume. I would recommend this book to anyone that is serious about improving their health, eating without restriction, and achieving their fitness goals. Here is an excerpt from the book that found very interesting:

The Primal Edge in The North American Indians
After some time in Europe Dr. Price came back to America to study the various
native peoples of his homeland.The Native American’s lived for thousands of years completely isolated from “TheWhite Man”. These folks have adapted to their given environments and havelearned how to live WITH the land, not just on it.

The Indians of Canada and the Northern Regions
About them:

These folks lived in some cold weather! It was seventy below at some points.
This meant that they were definitely not farmers and if you told them that you had
to eat 7-12 servings of grains a day (food pyramid) they would put a hex on you!
They ate meat, meat and meat with some meat on the side. Every part of the
animal was eaten. Of greatest importance were the organs of the animals that
they ate. These wise people knew that it was in the organs that all of the potent
nutrition resided… not in the lean meat. In fact if the meat wasn’t fatty enough it
was fed to the dogs! (1)

Think about that the next time some puppet tells you to eat only lean meats and
chicken breast.There was no Colon Cancer… so out the window goes the Meat = Colon Cancer Theory.

These were rugged and intelligent people.
“They lived in a country in which grizzly bears were common. Their pelts were
highly prized and they captured many of them with baited pitfalls. Their
knowledge of the use of the different organs and tissues of the animals for
providing a defense against certain of the affections of the body which we speak
of a degenerative diseases was surprising.” (1)

Their “Fad Diet” consisted of:

• Wild Animals Of The Chase – Bear, Moose, Deer, Caribou etc. These
people were strong because the animals that they ate were strong. The
wild game that served as a staple in the Native American’s diet were
respected for their life-giving properties and lived off of the organic land
before being sacrificed for human consumption. I wonder where that
chicken nugget you had for lunch came from?

• Animal Organs – From the Rooter to the Tooter! The Natives knew that
the most nutritionally potent parts of the animal meal were the organs. In
fact when a kill was made, our savvy ancestors would immediately cut it
open and eat the adrenal glands, liver, pancreas and heart first. All the
other meat was either stored for later of given to the dogs… especially the
despised lean-meat.

• Veggies – If they were in the stomach of the animal. Why waste valuable
time and energy looking for veggies and cooking them when our friendly
animals will do all the work for us. The animals are so kind that they are
even willing to predigest the plant food for us. Primal man knew that meat
is much more nutrient dense than grains and greens so he ate the animals
who condensed all of the plant nutrition into tasty little bites.

• Sea Food – Fish, Fish Eggs and Sea Weed. Today our oceans are so
polluted that it is nearly impossible to get your hands on some clean,
untainted fish. So I don’t suggest dining out for sushi every evening. Fish
oil is essential and should be a part of every man’s diet. In the resources
section I will tell you how to get some really clean fish and what fish oils
are the best to use.Like the Swiss folks these people were not only healthy of body, they were ofsound emotional, psychological and spiritual health. Their nourishment andlifestyle is the obvious cause of this.

Listen to Dr. Price:

“The sense of honor among these tribes seems so strong that practically all
cabins, temporarily unoccupied due to the absence of the Indians on their
hunting trip, were entirely unprotected by locks… The people were remarkably
hospitable, and where they had not been taken advantage of were very kind.” (1)
These, like all of the people that Dr. Price studied were very healthy until they
came into contact with “modernized” peoples. It has been noted that medical
care and surgeries were almost unheard of amongst the folks living traditional
lives but, were rampant among those who adopted the “White Man’s Ways”.
For you to regain your Primal Edge, and avoid sickness and surgeries, take a
lesson from these people… Eat Real Food. I don’t care if your favorite athlete
tells you that it will make you run faster or hydrate you better than water, if it
wasn’t here 10,000 years ago- don’t eat it.

Unleash Your Primal Edge

The Carb Rotation Diet Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:44:00 +0000

The Carb Rotation Diet

By Jason Hunter

I am not a big fan of diets, because I think in order to make a life style difference you must have a lifetime nutritional plan. Although, the carb rotation diet describes a 30 day diet, it also explains how to maintain your weigh goals after you have completed the diet. The best part about this E-Book is that it is very straight forward and easy to read. Each page is filled with helpful tips that most people take for granted. For example, put your fork on your plate after every bite to ensure that you chew your food completely and do not over eat.

I am skeptical about diets, because I feel that the only way to lose weight that has been proven is to reduce your calories to the point of a calorie deficit. I feel that the carb rotation diet gives you another strategy to decrease your calories and create a deficit. The difference between the carb rotation diet and many other diets is that you will not count calories and you are allowed to enjoy your favorite carbs more often.

The book has a great chapter about reading labels, which can be very helpful in dealing the slick marketing of the food industry. I would have liked to see some more sample meal plans and workouts. But, maybe Jason did not want to rob the reader of the opportunity to be creative and learn how to plan effectively. This plan is effective and most of us know that losing weight is not rocket science. It all comes down to making a decision to being consistent in following an effective plan of action.

Go to www.carbrotationdiet.com for more information.

Speed Camp is here

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:26:00 +0000

It is for those that have never received formal training on proper running mechanics.

Instruction on proper arm action during sprint phase

Basic Acceleration drills to work on proper shin angle

Proper warm-up before sprinting

Basic bodyweight exercises to increase strength

Improve your conditioning level, flexibility, and core strength

Mondays and Fridays from June 2nd- June 27th at 5:45 p.m.- 6:15 p.m. We will meet at the Ragsdale YMCA at the track on the second floor.
The cost is $35 per week for 1 month for 2 classes a week on MF.

We are only allowing 20 spots. Please respond ASAPTo reserve your spot. All others that do not reserve their spot or pay by May 30th will have to go to the waiting list. Thanks.

Lift Big Weights and Fat Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:14:00 +0000

Most people are afraid of lifting heavy weights. Don’t believe me… then take a look
at the squat rack at your gym. How many people do you see squatting? The crickets are chirping right now.Especially, during a fat loss phase when some people adhere to a light weight and more rep routine. It just does not make sense to try and attempt more volumewhen your caloric intake is so low. The risk of burning muscle as fuel is too great. Studies have shownthat testosterone decreases after 1 hour of strength training or physical activity. Why in the world would you want to be in the gym pounding your body for 2 hours when you do not have the nutrients necessary to build muscle?

I do not know about you but I am not a fan of the smoothed out look. I know most are wondering what that is, so Iwill tell you. It is when you see people that have lost weight, are skinny, but do not have any muscle tone. That is not a healthy look to me and muscle is one of the most metabolically challenging tissues in the body. No muscle means prepare forthe metabolism to slow down. How much abuse will the body endure with these marathon sessions before it starts to fallapart? Trust me not too much. Most people say, “Well Jim I am not hurt now and I have been doing this for so long.” Thismight be true but when is the last time you have had an assessment to examine muscle weaknesses and imbalances. I wouldsay a great number of people of people suffer from internal rotation of the shoulder complex and tight hip flexors just by having a deskjob or prolonged sitting at the computer. Man…that got me worked up and I am off topic. The point is if you lift heavy weightswith compound movements you will work more muscle in less time which is advantageous when in a caloric deficit during fat loss.Go ahead…be one of those that have muscle, look athletic, and use the Squat rack. You will not be the majority, but if you look at thefat loss statics I doubt you want to side with the majority.

Muscle Building in the Office

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:16:00 +0000

Here is a free gift about how to build muscle in the office.

5 Keys to Office Muscle

The holidays can be a train wreck to building muscle. Especially, if you work in an office setting throught out the holidays. Why you might ask? Let's just say everyone brings out the betty crocker in them and starts baking cookies and pies. It's like a junk food fest. If you are not careful it could start you on a month long binge of junk food. The fact is most people know when the Holidays are coming, but never prepare a strategy to turn the office into a muscle building factory. Below I listed several strategies that will build you a rock hard body and keep your hands out the office cookie jar. At least, keep your binges at bay.

1) Park far away from the office - This allows you to enjoy a walk that wil help burn the extra calories that are taken in during the holidays. It also helps the recovery process after some tough workouts in the weight room.

2) Drink plenty of water- Water, not only saturates the cells and moves food properly through your digestive system. It also keeps you full, which decreases the chance of shoving that extra chocolate cake in your mouth.

3) Bring healthy snacks to the office - There is nothing that helps you stay full like snacking periodically throughout the day on snacks that will help you build muscle and keep fat gain at a minimum. It will also regulate your insulin which is beneficial to stopping fat gain. Some examples are beef jerky, nuts, dried fruits, and high protein bars. Keep those snacks nearby and your physique will be the talk off the office.

4) More Activity- It simply makes sense to do more when you eat more. It is a formula of more in and more out for you if you plan to be ripped and muscular during the holidays. This could be just walking around the parking lot during lunch to burn some belly fat and flush out any bad blood from a greuling workout. It is low impact enough that it will not cause any soreness and will be easy to recover from. It is also a great time to ramp up the intensity of your workouts because your feedings will be at an all time high during the holidays. That is a prime time to pack on some serious slabs of muscle. Keep the wokouts short because if you are married like me this is when the wife will have you shopping all over the place.

5) Build a support group- It is great to have people that are after the same goals that you are. It will build accountability and create an atmosphere of success. That is of course if you have motivated people in your group. I like training with people that push themselves to the limit and are not there to talk. It creates an atmposhere for challenges and moving serious weights. If you have ever lifted with some motivated athletes you know all about the atmosphere I am talking about.

Coach Lamour is a performance enhancement specialists in the Jamestown, NC area. He has played football professionally and coached the pop warner level all the way up to college. He has written articles for EliteFts.com and currenlty enjoys training fat loss clients and athletes of all ages. He can be contacted at grorie@triad.rr.com. Pick up your free gift at http://wwwthechamber-jimmy.blogspot.com/

Get Fit Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:45:00 +0000

7 Fat Loss Strategies For Busy Moms
By Holly Rigsby, CPT
www.FitYummyMummy.com

Would you like to "jump start" your metabolism and lose your ‘mommy belly' once and for all? If so, the following seven tips are exactly what you need to improve your workouts and ignite your metabolism. Try some or all of these tips, but beware, the result may be a number of admiring second glances and the need to pull your ‘skinny jeans' out of the closet.

1. The majority of your workouts should be composed of free-weight, bodyweight or cable exercises.Compared to machines, free-weight, bodyweight and cable movements often require more skill, create muscular balance, and have a greater metabolic cost. For example, it is more difficult to balance the weights, and to coordinate muscles when performing free-weight exercises. Although this may sound like a disadvantage, it is actually a benefit. By balancing and stabilizing free-weights or cables you are working more muscles through a greater range of motion resulting in more muscles developed and more calories burned.

2. Use exercises that work more than one muscle at a time.When focusing on fat loss, you can't worry about "shaping" exercises, instead you should use exercises that'll get you the biggest bang for your buck and work as many muscles as possible. Isolation exercises can be used at the end of a workout to work on a specific target area, but they just serve to supplement your core movements.Virtually every savvy fitness professional is privy to the fact that compound exercises recruit the most muscle groups for any given body part.If you seek lean, toned muscles and the increase in metabolism that comes with them, you must choose exercises that work as many different muscles as possible. One of the main reasons why squats are superior to leg extensions for improving your body is that they also work your butt, hamstrings and inner thighs in addition to toning your quadriceps while leg extensions focus on just the front of your thigh and don't really offer any other benefit. That same rationale hold true for arm exercises too. That's why dumbell presses and dips will are more valuable for your arms than triceps kickbacks and pushdowns.A good rule of thumb is to use movements that will allow you to use the most weight. These will have a systemic effect on your body that'll help maintain or increase your lean muscle, and in turn ignite your metabolism.

3. Pair exercises.Pair your exercises together so that you alternate between upper-body exercises and lower-body exercises or between exercises that target opposing muscle groups (e.g. chest and back).This type of approach will keep your workouts short and efficient by eliminating much of the downtime that comes between sets of a single exercise since you are working on one movement while resting from another. This approach can also yield huge benefits in your mission to burn fat. Since you'll constantly be moving and keeping your heart rate elevated, you'll be burning far more calories than you would during a typical workout.

4. Keep your reps between 8 and 12.Through research, it has been determined that the best range for building lean muscle is roughly between 8-12 reps. Since the main focus of your resistance training efforts is to gain lean body mass and stimulate your metabolism, this rep range fills the bill perfectly. "High reps for tone and fat loss" is one of the biggest (and most unproductive) training myths! Somehow the aerobics, yoga and Pilates' community have convinced us that when we perform bodyweight exercises or light resistance training for high reps, our muscles magically take on a beautiful shape without growing or bulging. On the other hand, if you challenge yourself with moderately heavy weights, your body will take on a bulky, unflattering appearance. If you believe this, you probably still believe in the Tooth Fairy!

5. Rest only 30 to 60 seconds between sets.When you keep the rest periods under one minute, it's easier to stay focused on the task at hand and keeps your heart rate elevated. In addition, it forces your muscles to recover more quickly between sets, along with keeping your nervous system revved up.If your first movement in an upper/lower body pair is squats, you might want to rest 60 seconds before attempting your second movement. However, if your first exercise is a fairly "easy" exercise, like lat pull downs, you might only wish to wait 30 seconds before doing the second part of the pair.

6. Perform total body workouts.You must drop the notion that muscle groups work independently of one another. Muscles work together and should be trained that way. Besides, not only does this approach mean less time in the gym, but by working the whole body three times per week, you'll be maximizing the fat burning effect of your program.

7. Cardio is not the cure-all for fat loss.Cardiovascular exercise aids in the creation of a caloric deficit, but the caloric expenditure during cardio is temporary. Strength training addresses the core of the problem by permanently increasing the rate at which the body burns calories by adding muscle. The best programs will include both strength training and cardiovascular training, but the core or the programs effectiveness is resistance training.Take these strategies and incorporate them into your workout routine. Not only will you save a lot of time, but you'll also soon see a leaner and more toned body. Not to mention a few more turned heads and the re-emergence of your skinny jeans.

About the Author
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. www.FitYummyMummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

Why young athletes are slow?

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:07:00 +0000

It is not uncommon to ovehear parents talking about how their kids need to run faster. There is not a single skill that will make more of an immediate impact than speed. It is no wonder that sports training centers are being built all over the country. Every parent wants their child to have an advantage over their competition. There are some great centers out there that allow these young athletes to reach their maximum potential. But there are some that are not even worth a second look. Many are filled with fancy equipment and drills to fool parents into bringing their child to these programs. In reality, kids in the age range of 10-16 are not going to grow optimally by learning a bunch of drills.

Drills may create an athlete that is more coordinated within that drill. But I think at that age the athlete must concentrate on strength, which is what is most lacking in these younger years. The reason being is that speed is mostly about how much force you can apply to the ground and how much force you can absorb. Don't get me wrong...I am not saying that technique, conditioning, agility, and mobility are not important. I am saying that most athletes at that age are just not strong enough and that must be exhausted first before you address all the other abilities that aid in developing complete speed.

The Keys to Six-Pack Abs

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:24:00 +0000

Almost anyone that is looking to be healthy wants to have six-pack abs. Most people thing it is something that only happens when you are in your twenties. This is absolutely not true and a six-pack is very possible if you are following the right program. The first thing that you must realize is that six-pack abs are mostly a result of sound nutrition and low body fat levels. I will tell you one thing it does not take are hundreds of ab crunches a day. Mike Geary has developed a full proof way to get those abs that you have always wanted in his program the truth about six-pack abs. Click Here!

The former athlete

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:08:00 +0000

What makes former high school athletes or college athletes let themselves go after their careers are over? They used to be chilsed, mobile, and in great health. You look at them now and you cannot even tell they played sports. I understand that life has a way of changing things... kids, work, and a flat out busy schedule. I think that mostly these former athletes have lost their focus on health. There is no longer a reason to stay in shape. In their younger days they had to stay in shape to perform well in their sport.

The older these former athletes get the more the excuse about time arises. It is a bunch of crock because many people waste time watching hours of TV, hanging out with friends, and various activities. I am not saying that you should not have a life outside of staying in shape. How hard is it to get a 30 minute workout three times a week? Some of you all might say I spend more time than that and still look terrible. Maybe you need to pick your exercises more wisely or you still have your hands in the cookie jar. Until these former athletes get sick of their pot belly roast they will forever complain about how great they used to look. Make up your mind, get a good workout plan, and work hard. You can look better than you used to look in your former days if you want it bad enough. Get back to Vernon Davis shape!

It's Football Time

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:55:00 +0000

It's football time for anyone that enjoys football. I coach my ten year old's tackle football team, so it is coaching time for me. I cannot help but look at the training of some of the other coaches that share the field with us, since I am a peformance coach. One of the biggest mistakes I see is the use of lactic acid training. This is training that is done for more than 20 seconds continuously, which release a lot of lactic acid. Lactic acid has been shown to be a contirbutor of muscle soreness. The young body at the ages of 7-12 cannot process lactic acid well, which is why training this way causes more of a diminishing training effect. Why do coaches continue to run these little guys into the ground?

I think it is matter of old school thinking. Their coaches from the past have convinced these coaches that running this way is the only and best way to prepare for sports. The problem is most of these coaches are basing these beliefs on what type of conditioning was acceptable for them in college or high school. The problem is these kids are not in high school or college. What should be done to condition these young kids? I keep all conditioning drills 20 seconds or less and allow complete recovery. The point is that these kids are very untrained and conditioing should be basic and not produce lactic acid to produce the best effects.

Muscle Gaining Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:11:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered why you can't put on any muscle? You have probably tried every supplement known to man, read every muslce magazine there is, and spent countless hours in the gym. All the answers that you need can be found in Muscle Gaining Secrets by Jason Ferrugia. Jason Ferruggia is a world renowned fitness and performance coach. He has helped thousands of athletes, hardgainers and weekend warriors achieve their goals in record time. He is a regular contributor to several magazines such as Men's Fitness, Men's Health and Maximum Fitness. He is available for consulting, coaching, and speaking on a limited basis.

Click Here!

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:13:00 +0000

This was a line in a song I used to listen to, but I have found that it can apply to training also. Last week friday I decided to go against everything that was going on at the time and make it a heavy squat day. I should have known what was going to happen next. I lifted heavy although I only slept 4 hours the night before, performed a short warm-up, all the weights feeling heavy, and lifting heavy for 4 weeks straight. I guess I do not have to tell everyone that on my third heavy set I strained my lower back. Needless to say, I took this week off.

Summary of my points

* Listen to your body to decide when to take a break
* Make sure you properly warm-up
* Pay close attention to your exercise form
* Don't lift heavy all the time
* Be sure to get adequate sleep
* Eat a snack with a decent amount of protein & carbs to sustain your energy level

Fat Loss Circuit by Craig Ballantyne

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 19:06:00 +0000

7-Minute Weight Loss Circuit
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
http://www.turbulencetraining.com/

One thing we have to lose from our workout mindsets is the idea of this "60-minute workout". Forget about spending that much time in the gym. Instead, choose better exercises that are more efficient. This will allow you to get your workout done faster, eliminating the "no time" workout excuse.

To do so, you need to eliminate irrelevant exercises. I know you want to do an exercise for shoulders, and one for arms, and one for abs, and one for this and that. But before you do, ask yourself, will these really get me to my goal, or have I just been convinced by bodybuilding magazines that I need 40 sets per workout to get results?
Now, taking those lessons, we can then create some pretty incredible bodyweight workouts as well. And these bodyweight workouts can get finished fast!
In fact, here is a 7-minute bodyweight circuit that can help you lose weight, burn calories, and blast your metabolism. You don't need machines or weights. You can do this anywhere!
Bodyweight squat (10-20 reps)Pushup (10-20 reps) - do it on your knees if you mustReverse Lunge (10 reps per leg)Plank (30 second hold)Close-grip Pushup (10-20 reps)Side Plank (20 second hold per side)Mountain Climber (10 reps per side)
Do this with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the 7-minute circuit and repeat up to 3 times.
If you are a beginner, do fewer reps and take longer rests.
It's a tough, tough bodyweight circuit, especially the combination of two exercises late in the circuit. This combo literally exhausted me to my knees...twice...before I was able to finish the circuit.You can do the circuit up to 3 times.
Another weapon in your fat loss arsenal. Now you'll know how to train efficiently and eat effectively for fat loss.
Don't wait any longer to get started! Get all of these bodyweight exercises, and more, in the Turbulence Training workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home. No more annoying drives to the gym, waiting in line for machines in an uncomfortable environment, or being intimidated by the super-buff gym bunnies. Lose fat, get fit, and workout your way - at home with only a bench, a ball, and dumbbells.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MSAuthor, Turbulence Training
About the AuthorCraig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit

Such a time as this

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:08:00 +0000

Everyone is in a such a time as this experience. What is this experience you might ask? These are questions you ask in life that you can't answer. For instance, the family you were born into, the place you live, the height you are, and the daily trials you go through. Only God can answer these questions. The point is there are certain things that are going to be in your life for the meantime and there is nothing you can do about it. What you do in that meantime could determine how you live life on a daily basis.

Training for a goal is no different. You might not like the way that you look in the meantime, being second string on a sports team, or your overall health. You can choose to complain on a daily basis, believe you do not have time, and accept your situation. Option 2 would be to find a reputable fitness coach, gain some confidence, learn as much as you can while going to the process, and knock your goals down one at a time. It's not what you do in the meantime, but what you learn that will determine your continued success.

Consistency is Key

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:57:00 +0000

Do you want to know the key to being stronger, more athletic, or losing weight? The key is being consistent with your plan of action. If you have scheduled 3 workouts a week for 2 months, then you have to find a way to get those three workouts in. If you are on a nutrition plan you must at least be 90% compliant. I laugh when people say I don't understand why the plan is not working for me and they are missing a ton of workouts. They also are not following their meal plan. Instead they make excuses why they can't do things. One of the big things that I push in my speed camp is that the kids should never make excuses.

My challenge to most of my clients is that I guarantee success with the programs I design if my clients are consistent with adhering to the program. I was able to build a good amount of stength and muscle off of poorly written strength programs in college because I was consistent. The best thing I can think off to keep consistent is to keep a folder and record your workouts. How can you tell if you are on course if you have no record of what you are doing? I promise you that if you would committ to two months of focused effort you would be amazed at the results.

Making Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:19:00 +0000

The end of the 4 week speed camp is approaching fast. I have been very impressed with the progress of the young kids. They have all improved their bodyweight squat form, running technique, and strength. We have been working on a variety of mobility movements, speed strength, conditioning, and coordination. Also, one of the big things that is beyond their control that the kids need to be aware of is their diet.

Two of the camp attendees Keith Copper and my son Camdon have hit some tremendous PR's. Keith has improved his lunge technique and ten yard dash big time. Camdon has set a new camp record with a 3:00 plank hold. The big thing about these two guys that make them succeed is their willingness to work hard and compete. Be on the lookout for these two in the future at whatever they may attempt.

Get Lean & Mean

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:35:00 +0000

This simple statement takes me back to a time when one of my buddies was being watched by many NFL scouts to play wide receiver. We were in Virginia going through a warm-up before our football game and a scout said that Junior Lord guy is definitely lean and mean. I believe he was referring to the low body fat that Junior carried at that time and the amount of muscle that was on his frame. In training some of clients, I have noticed that many of them want that same look of being lean and mean. My response is if we want to look like athletes then we have to train more like athletes. Say goodbye to the endless hours in aerobics classes, light dumbells, and lond cardio sessions. Can they work? I think they can for a period of time, but what happens when the body adapts to that style of running and becomes more efficient at this type of running and does not see a need to grow or burn fat to keep up.

The answer is the body stops burning fat and starts burning muscle. What happens from there is the smoothed out skinny-fat look. Not a pretty site! I just believe that there are far more efficient ways to burn fat and preserve muscle. Most fat is burned in a caloric deficit state which means your body does not have enough glycogen stored because of the decrease of carbohydrates to endure a long cardio session. My solution is to lift big weights to give your body a reason to hold on to that muscle, keep your diet on point, and do short intense interval workouts. Weight training is an experiment and everyone's body is different, so the only way to measure your success is to keep track of your results.

Speed Camp is here

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:10:00 +0000

The Speed & Agility camp has finally arrived and has kept me very busy this summer. It has been a great experience working with the kids and helping them improve as athletes. In the short time that I have been working with the kids I can tell that the biggest obstacle for kids is strength. Strength limits their ability to get in certain athletic positions, hold certain positions, and reach maximal speed with running. It is funny to me when I see different coaches making 9 year old kids lift weights without preparing their young bodies with relative strength exercises such as pull ups, push-ups, lunges.....

The simplest cues can dramtically change the time that they run in certain speed drills. The reason being that most kids have no idea of how to run. Arm swing drills, knee step over drills, floor drills, and wall drills are most effective because I think they force the kids to learn optimal technique for speed. I would have loved to have had an opportunity to learn how to run at such an early age. I will be updating the results of the camp and am excited about what is to come.

Controlled Variety is Key

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:13:00 +0000

If you want to lose weight or gain muscle you have to force your body to adapt to a new stimilus every now and then. If you don't believe just look at the people at your gym that has been doing the same thing for years and you will see they look the same that they did when you first saw them. I attached an article from MSN that explained why you should vary your exercise routine periodically.

Efficiency is a good thing when you're talking about running your business. But it sucks the benefits out of your diet and workout. The more efficient your body is at exercise, the fewer calories it burns. Think of the guy in your health club who does the exact same workout every time you see him, with the exact same weights. He never looks better from one year to the next because his body has become so efficient at doing those moves that it doesn't need to grow bigger muscles or burn more fat in order to finish the workout.
Science has shown us some good strategies for making exercise less efficient:

Strength training
You can make your lifts less efficient in two ways by increasing the amount of weight you're lifting, or by choosing exercises that are more challenging to your balance and coordination.
Let's say your maximum bench press is 200 pounds. Lifting 200 pounds once is very inefficient; your body throws every muscle fiber into it. But lifting 50 pounds four times is very easy, and thus efficient. The metabolic cost of lifting 200 pounds once is thus greater than the cost of lifting 50 pounds four times. Doing maximum-effort sets of three to six repetitions with, say, 165 to 185 pounds would be a better way to overload your metabolism than doing sets of 10 to 12 reps with lighter weights.
The least efficient lifts are those in which the weight is over your head. This would include standing shoulder presses, as well as exercises such as squats or lunges in which you hold a weight overhead. So instead of doing shoulder presses in a machine or sitting on a bench, stand and crank them out.
Endurance exercise
No surprises here: If you perform intervals, in which you go hard, then easy, then hard again, you take the efficiency out of your run, swim, or ride. You can call this the "Old Science of Weight Loss," since studies have shown the fat-burning benefits of intervals since the early '90s.
Your diet, too, can be made less efficient, and thus more calorically costly. I showed in the previous section how a higher-protein diet kicks up your metabolism, a sign that your body is burning calories inefficiently. But if that protein comes in the form of high-calcium dairy milk, yogurt, cheese you take the inefficiency one giant step further.

The Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Thu, 24 May 2007 13:13:00 +0000

I went to the gym and as always it was an entertaining experience. I have a membership at the local YMCA and there are some things that always seem to happen when I am there. There was a trainer that had a middle aged lady doing med. ball squats on the Bosu Ball. Are you kidding me? I almost puked right there. You have no business on an unstable surface if you are not strong enough to manipulate your body weight. It's no wonder that this lady's body has not been transformed and will never be transformed until she raises her metabolic debt with intervals and resistance training. It is awful to see people flush money away with trainers that create entertaining circus acts that make you tired and get no results. Remember that anyone can get you tired but it takes a professional to help you lose weight, be an athlete, or become brutally strong.

The second story made me laugh so hard I could not contain myself. I am not one to laugh at other's misfortunes, but I can't believe how much misinformation there is out there. There is one guy in the gym that benches and curls with a weight belt on. I understand the belt going on when you are deadlifting or squatting heavy weight. Although, the belt should be used as a reference point to push out your stomach against the belt, so that you spine is braced for absorbing the weight. The downside of the belt when used improperly is that it shuts off the natural stabilizing ability of the stomach muscles. The moral of the story is take of the weight belt and get stronger stomach muscles.

Another thing that puzzles me is that everyone thinks they are an expert at weight training. How else can you explain why so many train themselves? Many people see the need for an expert accountant, expert surgeon, and expert engineer. But when it comes to learning proper exercise technique, progression tactics, and program design most trainees feel they are the expert. I guess that is why most people in the gyms look the same year end and year out. I better go over my workout before I blow a gasket.

Rack Lock outs
3x3-5- Worked up to 405 lbs.

Lo Row
4x10+10- 120 Lbs.

Shoulder Press - 135 lbs.
2x6
Chins-n-Dips- Bodyweight
3x8

Don't leave home without it

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Wed, 16 May 2007 12:30:00 +0000

Today I made a crucial mistake. I left home this morning without my pre-workout snack. I paid for it during the workout and felt real sluggish. The pre-workout snack should consist of some quality protein, carbs, and something that helps make you mentally alert. Some people might try to make their own mixture of these ingredients, but I just want something that is very easy to grab so early in the morning. I have found the defranco bar to be my energy bar of choice. I know what you might be saying, " Not another protein bar." I have probably tasted a ton of protein bars in my life and I will agree that most of them taste like a pile of chalk with very little benefit. However, I have found the defranco bar to actually give me a steady boost of energy through out my workout and the necessary macronutrients to complete my workout with some gusto to spare.

Bar Stats:
When on the go, use the DeFranco Energy Bar as a convenient meal replacement. The appetite-suppressing effects of high protein, L-Tyrosine & caffeine combination should keep you energized & satisfied until your next meal.Nutrition Facts* Calories – 300* Protein – 28g* Total Carb – 26g* Sugars – 8g* Total Fat – 8g* Saturated Fat – 5g* L-Tyrosine – 1800mg* Caffeine – 115mg . You can purchase it at www.defrancotraining.com

5/16 Workout
Front Squat- Worked up to 4x5 135,185,205,225
Pull-Ups- BW 4x5
Bench- Worked up to 3x6-8 135,185,225,275, 225-8,6,6
DB Split Squat- 8,7,6 each leg
Dips- 3x8 w/ Isp Holds
Plank- 3x 30 sec holds

Active Recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Mon, 14 May 2007 12:44:00 +0000

I have been working out for 17 years and the older I get the more I realize the importance of Active Recovery. What in the world is Active Recovery you might ask? It is a method of recovering from the muscle damage and lactic acid build up that is caused by intense workouts. It has many benefits and is something that I feel everyone should do. It is not very time consuming and can be done at home. Although, most advanced lifters might need to perform a small workout in order to effectively flood the muscles with nutrient rich blood to heal their damaged muscles.

The beginner and some intemediate trainees can get away with a short workout. This workout will probably contain some prehab exercises with a light dumbells and some body weight warm-up exercises. I know that the last thing that most people want to do after a tough workout is a small workout, but trust me it will do wonders for you workouts. Mentally you will be more alert for your next workout, the quicker recovery will allow you to lift at a higher level, and you will improve mobility and work capacity with the extra workouts. These workouts should not last more than 20 minutes.

The Magazine Lifter

noreply@blogger.com (Jimmy) — Thu, 10 May 2007 17:23:00 +0000

I can't believe what I saw in the gym last week. Yes, I spotted the magazine lifter. You know, the guy that is working out based on what he is reading in the muscle magizines. He carries his magazine from bench to bench confident in the fact that he will look like the super action hero physique he sees in the magazine. Weeks pass by and months... The sad truth is he never seems to shake the pot belly that stares at him every day.

One of the main reasons for this is because what works for the bodybuilder who might be on steriods and is genetically gifted will not work for the average trainee. The bodybuilder can get away with training arms and shoulders on one day, back and tri's on another, legs on one day, and bi's on another day. The average trainee will need to be more economical with their training. They will need to choose exercises that will allow them to work more than one muscle, so that they can be more time efficient. Besides, who has time to spend two hours in the weight room doing 6 exercises for chest on one day.

I know that most average trainees like the beach muscles like the pecs, arms, etc... But if you do not train movement patterns you will most likely suffer from imbalances, lack of muscle gain, and CNS fatigue. I know some trainers say that you have to totally abandon isolation exercises, but you can incorporate some here and there if your main movements are compound movements. I know that these exercises are not mainstream like DB curls and endless variations of bench, but believe me there is no quicker way to add slabs of muscle, loss fat, and enhance recovery within a properly designed program.

Mistakes made by the Magazine Lifter

1. Train with too many isolation movements

2. Does not allow time to recover from the exercise because of training everyday

3. Only trains each muscle group once per week

4. Does not lift maximal weights and therefore does not tap into the high threshold motor units which have the greatest potential for strength and muscle growth

5. Performs way too much volume ( Sets & Reps) which negatively affects the bodies ability to recover

6. Blindly follows someone else's programs without considering his unique weaknesses and strengths

7. Waste time hunching over to read magazine which puts him in spinal flexion and puts his neck in a poor postion.

8. Does not train functionally. For example trains the hamstrings only as knee flexorss on leg curl machine. The hamstrings are hip extensors as well as knee flexors.