Rick Mayo's Blog

Monday Mayhem

2010-03-08T17:38:00.006-05:00

Things are CRAZY (fun) in the next few weeks. Here's what's cookin:

- We are remodeling the gym next week. It will give us a lot more functional space and some cool new tools to have our clients "play" with. Be afraid, be very afraid! Stop by and check it out.

- We are hosting another TRX training seminar this Sunday for personal trainers/strength coaches. The TRX is a great tool and it's a pleasure to help other trainers learn how to use it effectively.

- I have been journaling my food intake and training. It has been an interesting project to say the least. I HATE to journal, but it is such an invaluable tool to measure progress or lack thereof. More to come after my 30 days is up.

- Natalie has our new nutrition program up and running. One of the best features is a Web Logging option that allows her to coach clients weekly via their online food journal. An invaluable tool for fat loss. Let me know if you need more info.

- I am reading a fantastic book about relationships, networking and success. It's a book I think everyone should read to better understand how and why we should maintain relationships. The title is Never Eat Alone. Pick it up here.

- Here is my favorite quote from Alwyn Cosgrove regarding falling in love with just one training tool, "20,000 people purchased a drill from Home Depot last year. They didn't want a drill, they wanted a hole." Message to trainers- there is often more than one way to get it done.

- Observations from Brad, one of our coaches:

Just got back from University of Florida Strength and Conditioning Coaches' clinic and it was performed by 6 different SC coaches that are on staff at Florida. I thought it would be all about 1RM and Olympic lifting, I was wrong, they do a lot of things we do.

They always do the dynamic warm up, which included a lot of our warm up exercises. They always finish with a met finisher, usually some form of competition. The head SC coach actually mentioned Dr McGill's back book and said that they always include his big three exercises. He said they still do some sit-ups but not tons.

The clinic was held in there new weight room, which is located under the stadium. They also have big tires that they flip. Anyway, have have rambled enough, have a good weekend and I will tell you more on Monday.

- Special thanks to our very own Mike McFadden and the US Marines kickin ass in Kyrgyzstan. Godspeed and we appreciate what you do for us!

Exercises You Should Be Doing- Rockers

2010-03-02T09:55:00.006-05:00

Not those Rockers, but Rockers.

Benefits- great anti-extension exercise. This is a killer core exercise for such a small range of motion.

Execution- We are demonstrating the rockers with the TRX. You can also perform these on furniture sliders or with a power wheel. This one is all about spinal integrity. Tighten your legs and glutes. Next push the floor as far away from you as possible with while keeping your arms straight. Once in the correct position, simply "saw" with your body back and forth without letting your posture collapse. No floor humping!

Progressions- Range of motion. Newbies should simply hold the top position for a timed interval.

Especially good for- Anyone who needs a little variety in their program. this makes a great alternative to traditional planks.

Include some anti-rotational exercises and you have a complete core workout.

RM

Simplicity (In The Information Age)

2010-03-01T05:57:00.002-05:00

This is a guest post from The Lean Saloon:

I spent the past several years reviewing books, reading blogs and watching videos on the subjects of diet and exercise. Throughout this exploration I’ve learned some things — but it’s not what I had hoped to have learned.

One is that everyone has vastly different information on diet and exercise. Another is that everyone seems to be correct in varying degrees — that is, they’re either correct significantly, or they’re correct just a little. Which also means that they’re just a little incorrect, or they’re significantly incorrect.

I also noticed that I can become easily confused by all of this information… even though I have a formal education and have worked for nearly 2 decades in this area! It’s absolutely confusing out there. I can’t imagine the average person wanting to lose some fat and get a little healthier trying to wade through this informational mess. It isn’t easy for me, so it must be a nightmare for this person.

The most important thing I learned was that, throughout my exploration into the available information, I have done extremely well by keeping to the bone of becoming leaner and healthier. I am now calling this strategy: rational simplicity.

And here it is:

■ Eat more vegetables and fruits, but eat less overall by eating less frequently.
■ Lift some weight
■ Periodically elevate the heart rate really high.
■ Finally, walk around. A lot.

I wish I could impress people with more technical information than this. But it’s really this simple.

Simple, but not easy. Where have you heard that before? :)

RM

Flat Screens = Fat Butts

2010-02-22T19:05:00.004-05:00

We have a big message written on the mirror alongside our few cardio machines that reads: If you are reading or watching TV you are NOT burning fat! (We then give three sample workouts that can be followed)

This is not entirely accurate as any activity buns calories, but we are trying to remind clients of our emphasis on interval training. There is an overwhelming amount of research to support that interval training burns more fat than steady-state cardio. It's still a mystery to me why most folks are still stuck in the steady cardio mindset. I guess old habits are hard to break. While 30-45 minutes of steady-state cardio is better than no activity, I know our clients would like to make the most of their time on the hamster wheel.

I must admit that I am a bit of an enabler. I have two nice, flat screen TVs hanging just in front of the cardio equipment with the ability to listen on headphones. When we completed our 3rd expansion a few years back it was an inexpensive addition to our space that looked awesome. Fast forward and I can't wait to get them out of the gym!

We are planning another update of our space in the next few weeks and the wall that currently displays the TVs will be gone. I plan on removing them all together at that point, which may cause a minor uproar with a select few. Before you go postal, let me say that I understand. I mean, where will I watch Judge Judy and Maury? I can't go home and watch. The Mrs. don't play that!

We make decisions based on what is best for our clients. Most of the people we work with are seeking fat loss and time efficiency. If removing a few TVs will cause people to work a little harder, than we are helping them move just one step closer to their goals. Oprah be damned!

How about you? Do you watch the boob tube while you exercise? If so, I guarantee you that you will work harder if you shut it off and be a little more mindful of your effort level.

RM

Exercises You Should be Doing- Single Arm Cable Rows

2010-02-16T15:09:00.004-05:00

This exercise is about as sexy as Janet Reno, but very important nonetheless.

Benefits: this is a great scapular stabilizer, which means it is awesome for your shoulder health and your posture. Yeah, it's a little vanilla, but it sure does work well.

Execution: resist the urge to let your shoulders rotate. Place one hand behind your back and, if you have the flexibility, place your fingers against the edge of your shoulder blade. As you pull the weight, focus on pressing the shoulder blade against your fingers or across your back towards the opposite hip. This will promote a squeezing effect and ensure that you are engaging the muscles that we are targeting.

Progressions: Obviously, increasing the load is a progression, but be careful not to go too heavy on this exercise. You must be able to control the weight and promote the squeezing effect that I mentioned above. These rows are somewhat corrective in nature, so we are not worried about using big weights.

Especially good for: Anyone with a history of shoulder problems or those of you who have poor posture.

Include these as part of your warm-up or at the end of your normal strength workouts.

RM

Guest Blogger

2010-02-10T05:58:00.004-05:00

Here is a blog post by Andrew Heffernan describing the current direction of fitness industry.

Fitness, Cira 2010

One thing you'll notice spilling forth from the brains of some of the smarter and more outspoken trainers around is a recommendation to do more 'hybrid' training: fast-paced lifting with little rest, combination workouts involving sprinting, sled drags, climbing, and so on. I'm seeing this kind of thing recommended so often, and recommending it myself, that I'd even venture to guess that it's sort of the Next Big Thing. It think gyms are going to start to spring up around this kind of training (CrossFit, anyone?); and that people will be doing more and more of it over the next decade or so.

This trend follows an emphasis in fitness writing on what the body was "intended" to do, or "designed" to do, or, in some cases, what we "evolved" to do, with a nod towards our ancient ancestors and the presumed ruggedness of their hunting, gathering, big-game confronting lifestyles. Workout routines seem to seek, on some level, to duplicate the circumstances in which we evolved for all those millions of years.

"Barefoot" training is part of this same trend: back to nature, back to our roots, back to something organic and connected to our roots.

Someday I'll write a book about fitness trends and how they reflect the values of the moment. I'm seeing this current trend, in Malcolm Gladwell fashion, as tied into our concerns about environmentalism, a resistance to over-technologization (if that's a word) and to corporate culture, and a desire to get back in touch with something elemental about ourselves as homo sapiens.

This kind of fitness is also cheap--all you need, really, is a little space--so it also dovetails well with the current economic climate.

If the '70's were all about long-distance running and its attendant skinniness, the '80's were all about excessive wealth and excessive muscle, we seem to be entering a phase of the body as animal, in touch with its surroundings and capable of taking on any reasonable challenge that might come up.

Well put.

Simple Kettlebell Circuit

2010-02-02T13:27:00.003-05:00

I am working on some projects from home today. Also, it is my "deload" week from training so I have been doing a lot of foam rolling, mobility work and just walking for well being. I love recovery weeks because I typically do a few new exercises or routines that don't always fit into my regular plan. Today I performed just such a workout.

The following is a simple kettlebell circuit that can be performed with one bell. I used the 20 kg since it was the only one I had at the house. Otherwise, I would have used the 88 :)

Perform 3 rounds of this circuit with 60 seconds rest between each round and without setting the kettlebell down:

Single Arm Swings x 10 each
Windmills x 5 each
Cleans x 10 each
Presses x 10 each
Squats x 10 each (racked position)
2 point row x 10 each

Click on the exercises to view the video for each.

Looks pretty easy on paper, but even with the 20 kg you will lift 14,520 lbs in less than 15 minutes. Great little circuit with limited space or resources!

Oh, and if you don't own a kettlebell for home use, what are you waiting for!?

Pick them up here- Kettlebells

RM

The so called "Fat Burning Zone" - Revisited

2010-01-31T06:54:00.008-05:00

Wear these to your big box gym and keep them on at all times!

I really thought that we had put this issue to rest. But based on some questions I received at a presentation on Saturday, there are still some big box gyms selling an expensive vo2 max test/heart rate monitor package based on this very flawed concept.

The suggestion that we burn a greater percentage of our calories from fat during slow activity (50% of maximum heart rate) is true, but we need to look at the big picture. Example: train at a lower intensity for 30 minutes and burn 220 calories- 50% of those from fat. Conversely, train hard (intervals) for 30 minutes and burn 400 calories- 35% of those from fat. I'm no math whiz, but I can look at these simple numbers and tell you that, even though the percentages look advantageous for low intensity training, you are still burning more calories from fat with the interval training.

This simple example is still shortsighted when it comes to fat loss. We are no longer looking at how many calories that we burn during our chosen activity, but how does that activity affect our overall fat loss environment. A more important factor in fat burning is how many calories we burn AFTER our chosen activity. This is know as EPOC and while I won't bore you with to much technical jargon, it is THE determining factor in how value exercises for fat loss. In Robert dos Remedios's new book, Cardio Strength Training, Robert offers this:

Probably the most significant, if not the most startling, study completed comparing steady-state training to interval training for fat loss was done by Tremblay et al in 1994.

They took two groups, having one complete 20 weeks of endurance (steady-state) training and the other complete 15 weeks of interval style training. When all was said and done, the endurance group burned 28,661 calories via exercise while the interval group burned 13,614. That's right: The interval group burned less than half as many total calories. The researchers then adjusted for the difference in the energy cost of training and found that the interval group lost 900 percent more subcutaneous fat than the endurance group- nine times the amount fat.

Why? EPOC or the energy burned as a result of an interval style training session over the next 20-40 hours.

Beyond these examples, let's put on our filters and apply a little common sense. So you want to lose some stubborn fat? Does it make sense that you are training too hard and need to lower your intensity? Exactly.

It takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose 1 lb of body fat. I don't know about you, but most folks would like to do that with the least possible investment of their valuable time. If you are one of these people, do yourself a favor and use interval style training to get the most bang for your buck out of your workouts.

Oh, and if your gym or trainer suggests training at a snails pace for fat loss, run. Slowly of course so that you burn tons of fat :)

What is Your Max-Max?

2010-01-26T16:39:00.006-05:00

I borrowed this from strength coach Dan John. What Dan was referring to when he used the term max-max is the number we use when we are designing someones program. Example: do 4 sets of 8 with 80% of 1 rep max. Dan's argument against this type of programming is that very few of us know our true max or max-max weight on our lifts. Sure, we think we have a pretty good idea of what we can lift on an exercise for a certain number of reps, but do we really know? Most of us lift at what Dan calls a sub-max or a little less than we could probably do for a true 1 repetition maximum.

I like to think of max-max in terms of effort. If I had a gun to my head or pliers to my..., could I do 10 reps with a weight that I normally lift for 6? Probably with the gun, definitely with the pliers. Maybe even less motivation, like I mentioned in my previous post.

We are conducting a little experiment at NPPT this week. It looks like this:

Choose a maximal weight and level for each exercise that you would normally use for 6-8 reps. Now perform 1 set to failure. Pretend as if all of your friends and family are watching or that you will have to pose nude on the Internet, if you do not get more than 6-8 reps.

The 4 exercises:

Pull-ups- assisted, full or resisted
Push-ups- knees, toes, resisted
Single Leg Squats to a Box- low box, high box, weighted
Single Leg Dead Lifts- weighted

We chose these 4 exercises because they are self limiting (safe). If you can't complete the movement, you simply stop. This workout would not be safe for our clientele using an exercise like back squats, "Hello, is this Mr Jones? Yes, Hi, could you please swing by the gym and pick up your wife. We have managed break her in half with a maximal squat test. Oh, by the way, she won't be much help with the kids for at least a week".

Our goal with this workout is to reveal to our clients their own potential. An "ah,ha" moment, if you will. If someone does 15 full push ups with laser focus when they normally stop at 8, it can really go along way towards stretching boundaries and helping that person understand how much strength they posses. This new mindset then changes the landscape of their future workouts.

Give it a try this week and see if you can find your max-max. You may be surprised!

Extras- Check out this study regarding kettlebell training. Pretty compelling evidence to support kettlebell workouts for fat loss.

An Impromptu Butt Kicking

2010-01-23T07:07:00.007-05:00

Kate Beckinsale wasn't there, but we managed to kick butt without her.

This was a long, weird week at NPPT. Needless to say, when I wondered out on to the floor yesterday I had less than lofty aspirations for my workout. It just so happened that Joe, Joel (our PT) and two of our clients were all doing our dynamic warm-up at the same time. You know what happened next.

"Hey what are you guys doing today?" "Heavy dead lifts", "3 x 12" and "Just moving a little" were some of the responses (the latter was me of course). Then the machismo kicks in. "You guys want to do a circuit?" My first thought was to decline, but I needed a little motivation so what the heck.

I suggested a circuit I learned from by buddy Jon Hinds. He calls it the X-Games circuit because he designed it for a motocross rider who was training for the event.

It looks like this:

Perform 14,12,10,8,6,4,2 reps as fast as possible of:

Double KB Clean and Press
Rope Snaps
Renegade Rows
Hindu Push-ups
Box Jumps
Knees to Elbows

It is a little upper body intensive, but we are talking about 5 guys on a Friday afternoon. You guys remember your pre-weekend workouts when you were young and single? No. I'll bet there was a lot of arm pumping going on.

This workout was tough, but just what I needed. The motivation of the group was awesome and everyone worked hard. Jim and Drew (clients) killed it and lifted more and more with each round. That ain't supposed to happen, but they were stretching it a little with the added push of the group.

I can't tell you how much better I felt about the week after that workout. It just shows me again what the power of environment and the group dynamic can do for motivation.

Thanks Fellas

Success Story- Tanya Thomas

2010-01-17T08:21:00.006-05:00

Tina Turner?

I've met with literally thousands of people to discuss their goals. NPPT has been open for 19 years and I think in that time I have become a pretty good judge of who will reach their goals and who will struggle. Now, I have been surprised on more than one occasion, but 9 times out of 10 I know immediately whether or not someone is truly committed to their stated goals. I can't tell you how exactly. Thousands of new client visits I suppose.

When I originally sat down with Tanya I knew she would ultimately be successful in her fat loss journey. She had just enough moxy and drive to make it happen. She had made the decision to change before she ever hit my door. Tanya will be the first to tell you that it was not easy, but that she had no doubt that she would succeed.

Accomplishments:

She began working out at NPPT in March 2009. In her fat loss journey, Tanya has lost over 40 lbs and 9 inches from her waistline by being diligent and consistent with her workouts and nutrition. Tanya also doubled her upper and lower body strength!

TANYA'S WORKOUT SCHEDULE

• Strength train at NPPT 2x per week

• Circuits at NPPT 3 to 4x per week

• Walks 20-25 miles per week

TANYA'S KEY TO MOTIVATION:

"Being fit, having an energized body and achieving a Tina Turner figure!"

HOW NPPT HAS HELPED WITH TANYA'S SUCCESS:

"The trainers' at NPPT make sure my form is correct and always keep me in line. It also helps that they are caring and fun!"

TANYA'S LONG-TERM GOALS:

Weight maintenance and being happy once she reaches her ideal weight.

TANYA'S TIPS & ADVICE:

"Failure is not an option, do it anyway, nothing tastes as good as fit feels and massages are a must for vitality! Be kind, gentle and patient with yourself. You must decide your life is important – enough to transform from FAT to FIT. It’s no joke for the faint-hearted!"

Great job Tanya!

Pull Ups Gone Wild

2010-01-12T07:12:00.003-05:00

As our clients can attest, we love us some pull ups at NPPT. You simply can't beat the benefits of this upper body pulling exercise. While very few of our new clients can do full pull ups, we still include them in our programming at the appropriate levels.

Here is an example of some progressions.

Think pull ups are just for the boys? Check out this amazing video of 44 year old Crystal West doing 39 pull ups nonstop!

RM

Random Rick

2010-01-09T09:30:00.005-05:00

Wow! That title is really lame. Sorta reminds me of Ranger Rick.

I won't do this to you again

As you can imagine, the gym is crankin at this time of year. You know you have a "good problem" when you run out of areas to meet with new clients because there are too many evaluations scheduled at one time. I know, terrible right?

Here are some random thoughts and links for your weekend reading

1. One of our core values is, "Integrity- Lead by Example", which simply means do the damn workouts that you are asking your clients to perform. Renown strength coach Dan John hits the nail on the head on his blog:

There is an insight here. So many things look easy on the web or on paper, but the doing makes it difficult. Clarity in a workout often comes, not by discussion, but by doing

2. Here is an article form the NY Times discussing the merit of flexibility, mainly in distance runners. While I don't agree with all of the information presented, I do agree with the fact that tight hamstrings can be a good thing for distance runners. This concurs with Dr Stuart McGill's findings, as well. I have been presenting this very concept in a Modern Mobility series at Fleet Feet, a local running shoe store.

3. I have had several questions regarding our online training. If you don't live close enough to train at NPPT and want us to design an effective program for you, this is a fantastic option. Click here for more details. Also, we are in the process of developing an online coaching option for nutrition. Natalie, our RD, will be running the progam and the early indicators are awesome!

4. An awesome finisher or workout that Ross and I completed a few weeks back:

I Go/U Go Burpees 1-10-1

Find a training partner and simply perform burpees from 1 through 10 and then back to 1. BTW- that's 100 reps! The rest for each is just long enough for your partner to complete their target reps. Ouch!

This one is from Laurie, our office manager.

Have a great weekend!

Exercises You Should Be Doing- Swings

2010-01-05T08:56:00.012-05:00

Benefits- a terrific explosive movement for the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings). As a society, we spend waaay too much time sitting on our back sides and not enough time working them. The swing is a very dynamic exercise that really challenges your posterior muscles.

Execution- the form on swings is a bit tricky, but here are some coaching cues that work.

There is no level change on swings. Meaning, your hips should travel front to back and not up and down like a squat. The bell should nearly hit you in the butt with each swing. Deep swinging is a sure fire way to an unhappy spine!

You must keep your glutes active by "squeezing" your way to the top position. Pretend there is a wall in front of your hips so that you cannot pass the neutral hip position and into lumbar extension. Slam your hips into the imaginary wall and tighten your glutes to create the momentum of the swing.

One sure way to know if you are not swinging with enough "pop"- a sagging bell. This happens when you lift the bell with your arms instead of the momentum from your hips. The bell becomes lifeless and hangs down at the top position. The bottom of the bell faces the floor and not away from you. Limp is bad- stiff is good, but we know that already!

Progressions- If you cannot dead lift correctly, do not swing!!! The swing is a dynamic exercise and you must master the lower levels of this movement before you start swinging stuff around. Once you have a good grasp on the basic swing, you can add single arm swings (great core exercise), hand 2 hand swings, double swings or simply increase the load. In the video, Santa Nikki is swinging the 32kg (70 lbs for the math challenged) like it is a baby rattle!

Especially good for- Sir Mix A Lot. Do I really need to explain why? Oh, and anyone looking for an explosive dead lift variation.

RM

New Years Day Workout Challenge

2010-01-01T07:56:00.004-05:00

I like to celebrate milestones (birthdays and New Years) with some type of physical test. I know it sounds a little stereotypical for a trainer, but I like to know where I stand physically in relation to last year at this time.

I stole this little gem of a workout a while ago from Steve Maxwell. This test works for me personally because I value overall conditioning and strength. If you are a runner, power lifter or involved in a sport, you will want to create a test that reflects what physical traits you value (IE: a 1 mile run for time, a max lift or total points on Guitar Hero).

The workout goes a little something like this:

1. Jump Rope 100 reps with a weighted rope- use a non weighted rope if necessary or simply perform jumping jacks

2. Burpees x 10- there are 3 levels of burpees to choose from (see videos)

Level 1 Burpees

Level 2 Burpees

Level 3 Burpees

3. Pull Ups x 5- choose one of the levels below. If you don't already own a TRX, then you need to buy one here ASAP.

Assisted pull ups

Full pull ups

Complete 12 rounds (1 for each month of the year) for time. Record your time and try to match it next New Years day!

If you break 30 minutes, you are either a mutant or you are still drunk and don't realize how painful this workout is.

Have fun and Happy New Year!

Interview with a Jedi

2009-12-27T18:24:00.006-05:00

Try not.
Do or Do Not.
There is no try.

Strangely enough, that Yodaism is written on our board as this week's message.

I had the pleasure of speaking with a true Jedi this last week! No really. Imagine for a moment that you have access to one person that is all-knowing. What would you ask them?? Hmm.

Well, the person that I am referring to is more of a specialists in the area of nutrition. Someone who pores over nearly every scrap of nutrition research and compiles it all for the mere mortals to read. The Jedi or lunatic, depending on how you feel about reading thousands of nutritional studies, that I am referring to is Alan Aragon. Alan publishes the Alan Aragon Research Review, which is an unbiased monthly critical analysis and application of the latest research pertaining to nutrition, exercise, and supplementation. I highly recommend you subscribe, if you crave in depth scientific nutritional information delivered in such a way that you can easily understand.

Personally, all of the info regarding nutrition can be very confusing. Even for a somewhat educated reader, there are too many studies to read and too much conflicting info to sort and filter. Magazines, books, newspapers and articles on the Internet can all very by as much as 180 degrees. How do you know which study was properly conducted and did not involve any special interests? Enter Yoda.

I am looking to expand our nutritional services at NPPT in 2010. I am always leery of nutritional claims and supplements so rather than just take matters into our own hands, I booked a consultation with Alan to get the correct, unbiased answers from the guy who reads all of the research.

Since we specialize in fat loss, most of the questions revolved around this topic.

Here is a summary of the question and answer session:

What role, if any, does pre/post workout nutrition play in fat loss?

Mostly none. Other than the slight muscle building advantage, pre/post workout nutrition benefits are overstated. It's best just to eat a normal meal within a few hours after training. Protein shakes are a convenient meal replacement, but there is no evidence to support any fat loss benefits using this strategy.

Is meal frequency relevant for fat loss?

No. There is no difference in body composition change in individuals eating as many as 17 micro meals a day as opposed others using a once meal a day strategy. It really depends on your lifestyle and what works best for you. You don't want to carry a cooler full of food around all day? No sweat. Kinda makes you wonder about the typical trainer recommendation of six small days a day doesn't it? You have to filter the info!

Is there any evidence to support fish oils directly aid in fat loss?

No, but there are just too many studies to support the health advantages of fish oils. If you don't eat fish 4 times a week, take your damn Omega's.

Is the answer to fat loss simply calories in vs calories out?

Yes. All diets work. The trick is finding a strategy that works for you at this point in time. On that note, eating a reduced calorie diet that is comprised of 25% or more of the calories coming from junk food will result in a state of malnutrition. If you are eating less than you need (the key to fat loss), you are already reducing the amount of nutrients that you are ingesting. You don't want to "waste" any calories on junk food.

Protein vs Carbs?

Not as big a deal as people make it out to be. On a reduced calorie diet, there is evidence to support that a slightly higher than normal amount of protein (1 gram per lb of target body weight) has some muscle sparing properties.

Most common nutrition mistake you see made in regards to fat loss?

People read too much of the wrong crap! There is so much bad information and misunderstood research available that people can become their own worst enemy. Hire a professional and listen to them and them only.

The strategy with which you have had the most success with fat loss?

Anything that increases compliance! Just sticking to the plan and having realistic expectations are the keys to success.

So there you have it. There are no nutritional secrets for fat loss. It all boils down to sticking with it and finding a strategy to reduce your calories.

Admittedly, I was hoping for some hidden secrets. But, I suppose that is what Jedi Masters do- tell you what you already know. Brilliant!

Rick Mayo

Only One Body

2009-12-24T06:08:00.004-05:00

Ho Ho Ho fellas

Oops. Let's not forget the ladies :)

This is a post from Mike Boyle's blog

( the following is reprinted. I’m not sure where I printed it or, if I ever did)

Imagine you are sixteen years old and your parents give you your first car. They also give you simple instructions. There is one small hitch, you only get one car, you can never get another. Never. No trade-ins, no trade-ups. Nothing

Ask your self how would you maintain that car? My guess is you would be meticulous. Frequent oil changes, proper fuel, etc. Now imagine if your parents also told you that none of the replacement parts for this car would ever work as well as the original parts. Not only that, the replacement parts would be expensive to install and cause you to have decreased use of your car for the rest of the cars useful life? In other words, the car would continue to run but, not at the same speed and with the efficiency you were used to.

Wow, now would we ever put a lot of time and effort into maintenance if that were the case.

After reading the above example ask yourself another question. Why is the human body different? Why do we act as if we don’t care about the one body we were given. Same deal. You only get one body. No returns or trade-ins. Sure, we can replace parts but boy it’s a lot of work and it hurts. Besides, the stuff they put in never works as well as the original “factory” parts. The replacement knee or hip doesn’t give you the same feel and performance as the original part.

Think about it. One body. You determine the mileage? You set the maintenance plan?

No refunds, no warranties, no do-overs?

How about this perspective? One of my clients is a very successful businessman. He often is asked to speak to various groups. One thing he tells every group is that you are going to spend time and money on your health. The truth is the process can be a proactive one or a reactive one. Money spent on your health can take the form of a personal trainer, massage therapist and a gym membership or, it can be money spent on cardiologists, anesthesiologists, and plastic surgeons. Either way, you will spend money.

Same goes for time. You can go to the gym or, to the doctors office. It’s up to you. Either way, you will spend time. Some people say things like “I hate to work out”. Try sitting in the emergency room for a few hours and then get back to me. Working out may not seem so bad. Much like a car, a little preventative maintenance can go a long way. However, in so many ways the body is better than a car. With some good hard work you can turn back the odometer on the body. I wrote an article a while back ( Strength Training- The Fountain of Youth) that discussed a study done by McMaster University which showed that muscle tissue of older subjects actually changed at the cellular level and looked more like the younger control subjects after strength training.

Do me a favor, spend some time on preventative maintenance, it beats the heck out of the alternative. Just remember, you will spend both time and money.

RM

Exercises you should be doing- Swing to Squat

2009-12-20T07:37:00.003-05:00

Benefits- an ass you could crack a walnut on! This is a great combo exercise that we like to include in our fat loss circuits. You get both hip dominant (swings) and knee dominant (squats) movement in one exercise.

Execution- pretty simple. Swing the kettlebell with traditional form then "catch " the kettlebell by the handles at the top position and perform a goblet squat. Be sure and keep your glutes tight throughout the swing to protect your spine and recruit your most powerful muscles.

Progressions- Load and ROM. A heavier bell or a deeper squat will increase the intensity of this movement.

Especially good for- those with time constraints (everyone) and fat loss goals.

Perform the Swing to Squat for high reps as a finisher or as part of a fat loss circuit.

I'm out- headed to see Avatar today. Sweet!

RM

One Leg or Two?

2009-12-14T16:43:00.007-05:00

Unilateral vs bilateral training is a hot topic amongst those that find such things compelling. Mike Boyle certainly added fuel to the fire recently with his post regarding the value of traditional squats. You can count me in as one of the fitness geeks that finds this topic interesting as it pertains to our clients at NPPT.

Opinions are just that and as they say, "Every body's got one". My opinion on unilateral vs bilateral training is based strictly on the risk to benefit ratio. Most of our clients have a primary goal of fat loss. While I think it is wrong to universally eliminate heavy bilateral (both legs for those of you who...) squats and dead lifts for all populations, I feel confident removing them from the programs of my fat loss clients. The risk of spinal injury is just too great with heavy bilateral moves vs similar unilateral movements. I know there are coaches who would argue that if we coach perfect form that we will not have any problem with injury. I agree, but once again, 20 years of working with a 30-60 year old population on fat loss has taught me a few things.

1. It doesn't matter what my exercise preferences happen to be for myself (I love to dead lift), I am paid to produce results quickly and safely. Spending the better part of a month having a new client perfect squats and dead lifts doesn't make sense when I can substitute lunges and single leg box squats and get faster results with waaay less risk involved.

2. Alwyn Cosgrove said to me, "20,000 people purchased a drill at Home Depot last year. They didn't want a drill, they wanted a hole." Exactly. My clients don't care which exercises get them to their goals. As long as they get there effectively and without injury it's all good in the hood.

3. You can get damn strong doing single leg movements. Just watch Mike's video of his hockey payers doing Bulgarian Split Squats with 225 lbs. We have ladies that weigh 115 lbs performing split squats with a 100 lb load for sets of 8-10. That same bilateral load (200 lbs) would not work for these ladies as the spine now becomes the limiting factor.

Once again, I understand all populations are different. For the busy fat loss folks with a normal lifestyle (excessive sitting, etc), unilateral movements prevail in 9 out of 10 cases.

RM

Form or Function?

2009-12-06T12:57:00.010-05:00

This post is more observation than revelation. Perhaps Random Thoughts would have been a good title. Anyway- here ya go:

Word has it that there were a few sports events on this weekend. Really? I wouldn't know because I went to see New Moon for the 3rd third time. OK seriously, I would have to officially turn in my man card, if I had missed Saturday's smorgasbord of sports mania. Between football and the finale of The Ultimate Fighter, my remote finger and my butt are both very sore today.

I don't even know what to say

One thing I noticed is that some of the best athletes in their respective sports are not necessarily the visual epitome of what we may think of as an athlete.

Roy "Big Country" Nelson won the heavy weight division of The Ultimate Fighter by knocking out a very fit and athletic Brandon Schaub. Schaub looked the part of an athlete, but when the fight started it was apparent that Big Country and his flab weren't to be denied. He moved like a big cat and had great cardio endurance. Ultimately, he knocked out Schaub with an overhand right behind the ear and then celebrated with his signature belly rub.

Get in my belly!

I watched part of the Big 12 championship game (crazy game!) between Nebraska and Texas. Nebraska has a boy named Suh (couldn't resist)- I mean man named Suh who is widely considered the top defensive player in the country. Suh is amazingly fast and agile. He spent most of the night in the Texas backfield wreaking havoc. Once again, just eye balling him wouldn't give you the impression that he is much of an athlete, but watch him move and .. Wow!

.

He'll get mad money, just not from Calvin Klein

So, can you be a great athlete and still carry some extra body fat? Sure. Just look at these guys as examples. It is not very healthy to carry too much extra weight long-term, but in some sports it is actually beneficial.

You guys already know that we specialize in fat loss at NPPT. Not only is that the goal of most of our clients, but some 70% of all people that hire a fitness coach or join a gym are seeking fat loss. I guess that's why I am so intrigued by folks that could care less about their body fat percentage or how they look in a bathing suit. Definitely not the norm.

NPPT has been open 18 years and I've yet to have anyone sit down with me and say, "Look, I know I'm like 50 lbs overweight, but I could care less. I'd really just like to be able to jump a little higher and run really fast."

It hasn't happened yet, but never say never!

RM

Exercises you should be doing- Thrusters

2009-12-01T11:52:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know the exercise I should be doing more often is called POST A DANG BLOG why don't you! We are ramping up for a big 2010 at NPPT so I have actually been doing tons of office work (ugh). Not nearly as much fun as working with clients, but a necessary evil.

Also, I am changing the "exercise of the week" to "exercises you should be doing". That way my lame blogging butt can just post an interesting exercise randomly. Kinda like a surprise!

Exercises you should be doing: Thrusters

Benefits- this is an awesome combo movement and one of our favorites at NPPT. It combines a squat with an overhead press. While you will need to use sub maximal loads for both movements, combining the two creates an excellent full body strengthening and conditioning tool.

Execution- Nikki is demonstrating the thrusters with a heavy med ball, but you can use a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells and get the same benefit. Just like with regular squats, remain upright throughout the movement and be sure to sit back at the bottom of the squat (we sometimes use a bench or ball as a target). Also, be sure and get fully extended at the top. We normally have to coach this last point as fatigue sets in.

Progressions- Load and speed.Increasing the weight is obviously going to make it harder. You can also increase the speed of the movement by implementing timed sets. The Gym Boss is perfect for this purpose. Simply try to complete more reps in a set period of time.

Especially good for- anyone with time constraints. Combining movements can save you precious minutes, if you are in a pinch. This is a great metabolic movement, which makes it a perfect choice in a fat loss circuit.

Try it as a Tabata workout like Andrea does below. Let me know if you can match her with the 35 lb DB's!

Enjoy!

RM

Turkey B-Gone Workout

2009-11-25T16:50:00.004-05:00

Circuit based strength training is THE best way to burn fat. Here are 3 effective workouts that you can perform anywhere and with no equipment. Perfect, if you're stuck at the in laws or can't make to the gym this Thanksgiving!

Workout 1- As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:
10 Push-ups
20 Squats
25 Jumping Jacks

Workout 2- 6 rounds as fast as possible of:
10 Burpees
20 Mountain Climbers
10 Jumping Lunges

Workout 3- 100 reps as fast as possible of each of the following:
Walking Lunge steps
Push-ups- knees or toes
Jump Rope or Jumping Jacks (200) reps

For examples of the exercises, check out our site.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Guest Blogger

2009-11-20T06:08:00.003-05:00

Whew. I have finally finished my educational pilgrimage and I have a ton of great new ideas to get busy implementing. Meanwhile, as you can tell, the blogging has suffered a bit. I'll be back in the saddle next week with some some valuable info and some stories of the Playboy mansion visit!

This is a post from Alwyn Cogrove's blog:

A recent study from the University of Colorado (published in the Journal of Applied Physiology) had participants perform an hour long easy ride and monitored the "afterburn" - to see how much fat they burned post workout.

They didn't burn any more than they did if they hadn't exercised.

From the New York Times:

To their surprise, the researchers found that none of the groups, including the athletes, experienced “afterburn.” They did not use additional body fat on the day when they exercised. In fact, most of the subjects burned slightly less fat over the 24-hour study period when they exercised than when they did not.

WAIT -- An hour long EASY ride didn't have an afterburn effect?

Really? I'm shocked..... you'd think that an hour of pedaling easily would melt the pounds off these people (note sarcasm)

And the title of the study: " When energy balance is maintained, exercise does not induce negative fat balance..." ?????

Really? If you burn 300 calories (and there is no afterburn effect or additional post-workout caloric burn) and then you replace those calories you don't lose fat?

Again -- REALLY? Who'd have thought that? (note sarcasm again)

I understand that wasn't the point of the study - but did they really think that an easy ride would increase post workout fat burning significantly? Did they also really think that - for example burning 300 calories and then eating 300 calories would have resulted in fat loss?

I think I've said A LOT that low intensity aerobics doesn't create any post workout increase in metabolism. I'm just surprised that people still thought it did.

The researchers concluded:

These data suggest that when exercise is performed with energy replacement (i.e. energy balance is maintained), 24 h fat oxidation does not increase and in fact, may be slightly decreased. It appears that the state of energy balance is an under appreciated factor determining the impact of exercise on fat oxidation.

First off I don't think anyone thinks that energy balance is an under appreciated factor. I think we all know you have to burn calories (although I do think our understanding of calories in vs calories out is probably incomplete).

But performing low intensity aerobic work in that state could LOWER fat oxidation (burning) post workout -- In other words it could be a negative?

I wonder if anyone ever said that before.

(For the record - Dr. Eric Serrano showed me research that he had done on aerobic work actually hurting fat loss back in the mid 90s)

--
AC

The Girls Next Door

2009-11-17T19:00:00.012-05:00

In the "Red Room" just off of the game room. According to our guide, this is where you go when you are playing pinball and decide you want to "do it". Yes, I bathed in ammonia after this picture.

More like The Girls Behind Closed Doors. We didn't see many babes (the Mrs was cool with that) or Mr Hefner, but the mansion was a pretty interesting place to visit. A lot smaller and a little less interesting than I had anticipated, but still a cool experience.

The game room

After my business conference in Valencia, I headed over to Santa Monica where we hung out for a few days. One thing I noticed is that the physical culture in LA is completely different from that of Atl. This is probably due to the proximity to the beach and the weather, but still very impressive. Just behind our hotel was an awesome outdoor gym complete with climbing ropes, rings and all manner of jungle gym equipment to play on. There were some freakish athletes working out. Gymnasts, acrobats and martial artists performing amazing feats of strength.

This guy was quite possibly the leanest, most muscular human being I have ever seen. The pic doesn't do him justice. All he does is body weight exercise on the beach, everyday. Who says you can't get in shape just lifting your body weight?

Finally, what kind of fitness guru would I be, if I didn't make a stop at Muscle Beach in Venice?

I'll leave you with some kind words from one of our awesome clients

I wanted to reach out to you & your team and say "thank you".

As special accommodation to Rebecca for making a change in my life. I came into loose weight but gain much more

. Following my car accident, I was down for 6 months and in poor shape for 18 months. With your teams assistance and Rebecca leadership. I have gained not lost.

Words can't express the gratitude I appreciate. The coaching, guidance, training, and professional personal training she exhibits. She is " Best in Class". She needs to be commended and recognized.

Again, congratulation to you and the NPF team for the excellent service you provide.

Jim Painter

Exercise of the Week- R & R

2009-11-10T19:47:00.004-05:00

I am practicing what I preach this week this week and recharging my batteries at a conference geared towards fitness business. I have mentioned several times before the importance of taking some time off and reinvesting in your education. This could be learning a new hobby or brushing up on your business skills. I can guarantee you that your investment will pay for itself threefold either in tangible, financial gains or simply in personal development

Speaking of leisure time, I am taking a tour of the Playboy mansion on Friday. One of our awesome clients is the chairman of the board and has set us up on a private tour. I decided to bring the Mrs along to help deflect the advances of the playmates. Always a problem! Any message for Hugh and the girls?

RM