Tuesday's Random Tips

• MOVE more in your workout. Too often do I see people sitting around on gym equipment or walking from machine to machine with little effort. Get in the gym and make the most of your time! Sitting is something people get way too much of and nobody needs to sit more. Stay active the whole workout or at the very least don't sit down.

• Avocado is a great thing to add into your diet. Jammed packed with nutrients and antioxidants and is full of healthy fats. 

• Varying the speed in which you lift can help you build muscle and lose body fat. Changing the speed, or tempo, is a great way to change the stimulus to the muscles to break plateaus and shed some body fat.

• Shuffle exercises in and out of your program. If you do deadlifts at least 1x a week for 3-4 weeks in a row then take a couple weeks and move away from deadlifts and change it up. Simply moving from a traditional deadlift to a single leg deadlift for a couple of weeks can work too. 

• COMMIT TO YOU! Take the journey for you and only you. When it becomes important to you you will do whatever it takes to accomplish your goals. 

• 3 simple concepts if you are trying to drop body fat

A)GREAT NUTRITION
B) GREAT NUTRITION
C) FAST PACED FULL BODY WORKOUTS

10 things most people need to be doing

1. More back work- A ratio of 2-1 of back to chest work is a good place to start. It's amazing how some shoulder issues can be solved by just getting better balance between the chest and back muscles. Remember to do both vertical pulling moves like pullups and chinups as well as horizontal pulls like row variations. If you have access to TRX straps those work great as well to develop the lats, traps, rhomboids and help the rotator cuff.

2. Less chest/shoulder- As guys we love our bench press days but too often we over do it. It would do you good to cut down on the volume of work for the chest and shoulders and start doing more back work like stated above. If you notice you always have shoulder issues then this could be a clue you should do less press and more pull.


3. More posterior work for the legs- Give some more love to the hamstrings and glutes. We all love the mirror muscles but the backside of the body needs more development. If you are an athlete stronger hamstrings and glutes will equal more speed and explosiveness. For those of us general population lifters more posterior chain work means less back pain and knee injuries. Start doing more glute thrusters, deadlift variations and leg curls with valslides.

4. Eating less food, Eating less carbs and processed foods, Eating more veggies and protein-  seems simple but if most people did this they would look and feel better.


5. Heavy carries- Pickup dumbbells or better yet a pair of kettlebells. Stand tall, puff your chest up tall, squeeze your shoulder blades together and start to walk nice and slow planting the heel then the the rest of the foot squeezing the glutes with each step. Carries are great for the shoulders, core and hips. Add them at the end of your workouts.


6. Having more intense workouts, having more rest days- You will get better results by working out with more intensity. If you take up the intensity this will mean you will need more recovery. Better recovery, better workouts.


7.  Sprint ( if you can )- If you cant because of the joints or injuries you can use the Airdyne bike or any stationary bike to do intervals.


8. Make less excuses- We all have them.....it is just rather if we chose to use them. Let nothing stand in your way!!


9. Full body workouts- unless you have specific hypertrophy goals, using body part splits is not the best way to go. Stick to full body routines 3x a week and get more out of each workout and save time. Bang for your buck!


10.  Being more consistent- stick with it to get what you want

Monday random tips

• Do full body lifts 3x a week to maximize your fat loss potential. Full body workouts burn more calories than split routines since they work more total muscle mass than say just working the chest one day.

• Do you notice you do the same routine all the time? Odds are you don't take notice, so in order to really change you should start keeping track of what you do for 2 weeks.After 2 weeks you can look and see what pattern you fall into and then you can make changes!

• Butter is ok! If you follow a low carb diet then you will need to eat fats. Butter is high in fat soluble vitamins especially Vitamin K.  Make sure it is organic and from grass fed cows. Moderation is always key however!

•  If you have shoulder issues and still want to press start adding in floor presses especially with a neutral grip or landmine presses.

•  Bored with your routine? Do 3-4 weeks with high reps ( 15-20) , do 3-4 weeks with medium reps ( 10-12) and do 3-4 weeks of low reps ( 5-8) and heavier weights.

• Score small victories when it comes to eating and eventually those will lead to major gains!

• Training to failure on multiple sets or for consecutive days will lead to decreased performance and less gains in the long run.  If you train for explosive power than you should avoid training to failure all together.

Friday format to try

I have used this format with clients recently and I really like the response I have got from it. This format blends both heavy lifting with high intensity conditioning. The key is to make sure you have picked the proper weight for the reps so that you really challenge yourself while still keeping form This works best to cycle in to someones routine for 1-2 weeks.


A1) UPPER BODY PULL EXERCISE 6-8 reps  * you can even add a 2 sec pause on each rep
A2) UPPER BODY PUSH EXERCISE 6-8 reps * you can even add a 2 sec slow count
A3) LOWER BODY EXERCISE 6-8 reps * you can add a 2 sec pause
2 sets. Take 60-90 seconds between sets

** As soon as you finish set  number 2 from group A go right into B

B1) CONDITIONING EXERCISE 
B2) CONDITIONING EXERCISE
B3) CONDITIONING EXERCISE
2 sets. Take 60-90 seconds between sets

Take a full rest and then repeat this whole sequence again starting back with group A. Once you get through another sequence, so 4 total sets of each group move on.

C1) UPPER BODY PULL EXERCISE 6-8 reps  * you can even add a 2 sec pause on each rep
C2) LOWER BODY EXERCISE 6-8 reps * you can add a 2 sec pause
2 sets. Take 60-90 seconds between sets

** As soon as you finish set  number 2 from group C go right into D

C1) CONDITIONING EXERCISE 
C2) CONDITIONING EXERCISE
2 sets. Take 60-90 seconds between sets

Take a full rest and then repeat this whole sequence again starting back with group C.


PULL-any back exercise
PUSH- any chest, shoulder exercise
CONDITIONING-ball slams, burpees, kettlebell swings, jump rope, agility ladder drills, plyo exercises, surfer get ups, etc.

10 Thursday lose your belly fat tips

1.  Reduce stress- I know its hard but do yoga, meditate, go for a walk, read or get into boxing....something to lower your stress will help the battle against fat!

2. Eliminate sugars and sweeteners

3. Eliminate pop, juices and sports drinks. Stick to water, tea and coffee

4. Workout with short rest periods and high volume ( Meaning 30-45 sets  per workout )

5.  Do a high protein and low-glycemic breakfast

6.  Don't be scared of fat, just make sure you eat the right kind- focus on wild meats, avocado, nuts, fish, olive oil and coconut oil.

7. Try not to train on an empty stomach-This will not only hinder the body using fat as fuel but also lower your calorie burning potential post exercise.

8. Eat your fiber! Most people lack in this department. Low fiber equals poor insulin health which equals belly fat.

9. Use hypertrophy rep ranges between 8-12 reps

10. Rest and recover- get your sleep!!!

4 Keys to Success

1. Be Consistent- Get yourself in the gym and do some work. Consistency is one of the biggest keys to success and it is ironically what must people lack. Consistency allows you to build momentum and once the ball gets rolling you are on your way to achieving what you want. If you fall off the wagon don't worry about it, pick it back up and start it up again. CONSISTENCY IS KING!

2. Surround yourself with the right people-If you are going to be successful you need only people who are going to be there for you during the journey. Boot the crabs and vampires who suck the life out of you and get around those who will only make you better. Finding a training partner like a spouse or friend works great or even hire a trainer. What matters is you get someone who has your best interest in mind.

3. Do everything with a purpose- When you eat, make sure you eat how you need to be and get rid of the garbage. When you workout, be intense and don't waste your time. Everyday should serve its purpose in leading you to your goals.


4. Keep chopping- Unfortunate injury.. keep chopping!, people trying to drag you down...keep chopping!, you have a bad week at work....keep chopping! Don't let anything slow you down!

Random Friday Thoughts...

• Start doing your pressing movements on a decline even if it is only a slight decline make the change. Not only will you decrease shoulder involvement but it is also more of a natural pressing angle. Start mixing in the decline and see what happens.

• Keep two words in mind when it comes to your workouts

           EFFICIENT and EFFECTIVE

          

• I don't have the energy is one of the worst excuses someone could have to not workout. When you start exercising more you will have more energy, period......so do it! This is why some of the most successful people in the world workout because they know it will give them more energy in their day to do better business and work longer hours.

• If you walk into the gym and feel totally brain dead and have no idea what to do that day simply follow this:

            AFTER A WARMUP

         

            Alternate between upper and lower body exercises, choosing 3-4 of each. Do between 10-12 reps and do 3-4 sets taking rest between rounds as long as you need but no longer than 5 minutes. End with some core.  Follow the KISS principle and keep it simple stupid as they say.

• Watch this video to see some different ways to use the barbell in your routine

Contrast Training

Use this workout format for fat loss and to better your overall body composition. This routine is about challenging the body to work with really heavy weight and low reps and then switch gears and use light weight and high reps. Generally within a routine you keep the rep range consistent so this creates a new stimulus to the body. The key is that you when choosing the heavy weight you pick the correct load. I like to cycle this into routines for 1-2 weeks at a time.


A1) Alternating reverse lunge with dumbbell- 6 reps each, 2 second hold at the bottom
A2) Alternating chest press with dumbbells ( hold both in the bottom position and press one up and then waiting for that arm to come down before pressing the other )- 20, 18, 16 reps each with speed
45 sec- 1 min rest between sets. 3 sets

B1) One arm dumbbell row-6 reps, 2 second hold
B2) kettlebell swings- 20, 18, 16 reps ( you can also use glute thrusters instead )
45 sec- 1 min rest between sets. 3 sets

C1) Straight arm pulldowns with band- 25 reps
C2) Lateral sumo squats with goblet hold- 6 reps ( 3 each direction ) 2 sec hold at the bottom of each
45 sec- 1 min rest between sets. 3 sets

End with
E1) Farmer walk variation of your choice
E1) Core exercise of your choice
E1) Metabolic exercise your choice- ropes, med ball, burpees, sled work, jump rope, sprint, etc
3 rounds. 1 min rest between rounds

6 Things women should stop doing if they want results!

1. Bouncing around from diet to diet hoping you will get results-Diets mess with the body and are not sustainable for life. Don't let yourself be influenced by what worked for a celebrity or what stands out in your magazine but instead do what really works for you and only you. The goal is to eat in such a way that you can maintain it for life.

2.  Setting unrealistic goals- You simply are not going to drop 3 dress sizes and 20 pounds in a week so dont expect to! You must realize that normal healthy weight loss is about 1-2 pounds a week. Make sure before you start any training program you sit down and make realistic goals for yourself to keep positive and from getting discouraged.

3. Reading while you do cardio- I get it you love to read and get the latest gossip on the Kardashians but lets not blend leisurly reading time and intense workout time into one. There is no way you are working out at the intensity you need to in order to get results if you can focus and read a book/magazine. Save the book for later and get to work! Just being on the machine doesnt mean you will get results.

4. Doing every workout published in Cosmo, Shape, Womens Health etc- I am not saying all workouts and exercises in these magazines are garbage, that is not true, but I am saying that not everything you read is for you and want you need. Most of the time they show some rail thin girl doing some funky one arm tricep extension with a toothpick and women think WOOOWW THATS ALL I NEED TO DO TO LOOK LIKE HER.....   So not TRUE! Remember these models are fit girls and could do any workout and look like that honestly. If you really want to drop fat you need to be lifting and sometimes lifting heavy doing squats, deadlifts, pullups and rows. How often do you see those in womens magazines? The answer is almost never because they are not sexy enough to sell.

5. Drinking beverages with excess sugars- Start adding up how many sugary drinks you consume throughout the week and I bet you will be amazed. Are you just doing coffee or are you doing carmel chocolate frappe latte with added sugar? When you go out on the weekends are you doing Red Bull? Cran and vodka? Focus on making better choices in these areas and watch the pounds melt.

6. Caring about everyone esle but themselves- Women are great because they are loving and do care so much about their friends, family and signifigant others however this is also a curse. Don't forget about yourselves ladies and start putting the time into making a better you!

Pull-ups

I love doing pull-ups as they are one of the best lat builders out there. Another great thing is you don't need much equipment just a body and a bar. Pull-ups are also great for fat loss workouts since they are metabolic and as you get leaner the more pull-ups you will be able to do.


SOME KEY TIPS

• Start in a dead hang and control the movement on the way up and down
• Keep your chest up and try to pull through your elbows thinking of your hands as just simply hooks. Aim to pull the bar toward your body.
• A proper pull-up finishes with the chest touching the bar
• Keep the glutes and abs tight

FOR BEGINNERS

If you struggle to do 2 or fewer pull-ups you would fall into this category. If this describes you then start off doing band-assisted pull-ups or negatives. Doing negatives in which you jump up to the top of the movement and then try to lower yourself slowly works great. Sometimes it is as simple as dropping some body fat and improving technique to improve performance.  


FOR MORE ADVANCED

You can add weight, switch up your grip or play with the speed of the movement. Keep the reps low and do them more often.


IDEAS FOR CHANGING IT UP

• Wide grip
• Narrow grip
• Slow count on the way up.....on the way down...or both
• Take a pause and hold at the top
• Do half reps-from the top let yourself come half way down and then go all the way back up, then finally going all the way back down to equal one rep.
• Super-set with another back exercise like one arm rows
• For fat loss- do burpees plus pull-ups
• Wrap towels around the bar to work grip 
• Use Rings or handles to make it more joint friendly

Below is one of my favorite back routines

Monday Random Thoughts..

Some of my new recent favorite things

PROBAR-
     Pros-

• Whole food/raw food energy bar with natural ingredients
• Vegan if it matters to you, no preservatives
• High fiber, good fats
• Great taste
• Best to satisfy energy needs due to high carbs

    Cons-

• High in carbs, lower in protein
• Higher in calories at about 380

GREENS SMOOTHIE-

       I love making this quick greens shake in the morning using my Vitamix. Take some spinach, kale, pineapple and green grapes. Add Coconut water, a couple of ice cubes and blend until fully mixed. The fruit gives the shake a nice natural sweetness and the greens of course are loaded with nutrients. I like using Vita Coco brand coconut water which helps with hydration.

BISON SLOPPY JOES-

        I take an old time favorite and update it using bison which is low in fat, high in protein and high in Omega-3s. I like to make mine with finely chopped onions, green peppers and garlic. Mix in mustard and organic ketchup and you are good to go. The organic ketchup is key because it doesn't have the high fructose corn syrup that regular ketchup has. If you are keeping your carbs low then eat it with half a bun or no bun at all.





PULLUPS FOR  TUT- 

     Keep the muscles working with a higher time under tension will lead to better results! Try doing a 10 second count both on the way up and down. I like to do this for 3-4 reps and 3-4 sets. This is really difficult so most people will need to use a band or machine for assistance.


GLUTE THRUSTERS WITH 1/2 REPS

     Do 8-12 traditional reps followed by 8-10 1/2 reps in which you just drop half way down from the top of the movement and then go right back up and then right back down just to burn out the glutes.


FAT LOSS FINISHER

       Burpees-10 reps
       Speed squats-10 reps
** Each set drop the burpees down  by 2....and keep the squats at 10. You are done when you finish 2 reps of burpees. Take as little time as possible between sets.

2 workout formats to use!

I tend to think of myself as the mad scientist of workout formats as I like to be creative and think of different ways to challenge the individual in the workout and avoid boredom. Below are some formats I have been experimenting with as of late. Most of these formats are best used for fat loss and body composition goals.

Use the following to better understand each format

examples

UPPER VERT PULL- chinup, pullup, lat pulldown, x-row etc
UPPER HORIZ PULL-row variations etc
UPPER PUSH-pushups, presses etc
LOWER HIP- glute bridge, thrusters, deadlifts, hamstring curls etc
LOWER QUAD- goblet squats, lunges, box squats, step ups, etc
CONDITIONING/METABOLIC-ball slams, jump rope, ropes, etc



A) Ascending/Descending Giant Set

* Pick 8 exercises that fit into the following movements

1. UPPER VERT PULL
2. LOWER BODY SQUAT
3. UPPER PUSH
4. LOWER BODY HIP
5. UPPER HORIZ PULL
6. LOWER BODY MISC
7. CORE
8. CONDITIONING/METABOLIC
3-5 rounds. 3-5 min rest between rounds

* You have options for this workout

a) Increase the reps for all upper body exercises each set, and decrease the lower body reps each set. Of course you can reverse this have the lower body exercises go up and upper body go down in reps each set. I would go up/down by 1-2 reps
b) Increase the reps of the first 4 exercises each set and decrease the other 4 exercises each set. Of course again this could be reversed.

Other notes

*Make sure the weight matches the reps. Meaning if you start with 6 reps and you end up with 10 reps on the last set that weight should go down in order to be able to perform 10 reps on that exercise.


* I wouldn't go lower than 6 reps on anything and higher than 15 on most of the exercises



B) CONTRASTING TEMPO SUPERSETS

* Pick 4 different supersets, each having one upper body exercise and one lower body, so 8 total exercises. You can end the whole workout with some core work if need be.

Example-

A1) Row-8 reps, hold each for 4 seconds
A2) Step up with dumbbells-12 reps each leg for speed
3-4 sets. 0-60 sec between sets

Notes on  this

* One exercise will be done with a slow tempo, pause or hold. Don't use a tempo higher than 10 seconds. One exercise should then be done for speed with a fast tempo.
* Alternate lower and upper body exercises in terms of which is the slow one and which is done fast. So based of A1 & A2 above, grouping B1 & B2 would then have the lower body exercise done slow and the upper body done fast.
* Fast doesn't mean bad form, it means controlled speed!

Are you doing this in your training?

Below is a simple checklist to use to make sure you keep the right balance in your workouts.


1. 2-1 ratio of pull to push-Most of us tend to be stronger in the chest and shoulders as well as overly tight. Couple this with being at a desk all day and the situation becomes worse as we get internally rotated and a slumped forward posture. Therefore, we lack development in the back which leads to injuries and decreased performance in the pushing movements. Start making sure you do more back work either on a weekly basis or in each individual workout.


2. Work the the glutes more! Help keep your back healthy, improve daily function, sports performance and decrease your chance for injury Add thrusters, bridges, donkey kicks, deadlifts, deficit lunges and band walks into your routine on a regular basis.


3. Start with your weakest link first- No matter what it is start off the workout while you have the most physical and mental energy to put towards getting better. If you tend to do core work at the end and rush through it knowing you need to leave the gym start doing to avoid this.


4. Staying active- Whatever you do don't sit during your workout. I never do it myself or let my clients. Keep the heart rate going and stay focused on what is next without sitting and getting too relaxed. If you train purely for strength and that's it then yes go ahead and sit between sets but for most of you stay up!


6. Limiting distractions-Sure be nice and social, after and before your workout but while you are actually training focus on the task at hand and that's it. Ignore the tv, phone and the weird guy always asking you questions and keep your intensity and mind geared towards your goals.

4 Factors for success in training

1. Having a great work ethic- Everyone wants to find the easiest route and path of least resistance. As a society we always look for the next secret diet or magic pill because nobody actually wants to work for anything today. No matter your goal you are going to have to work at it and its not going to be easy to accept the challenge and work each and everyday with your goal in mind. Lets face it if it was easy then everyone would do it and everyone would be in great shape and be successful. Tom Hanks said it perfect in the movie A League of Their Own


"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great."


2. Having the right mindset-You must have the mindset to get stronger, lose weight and get better for these things to actually happen. If you start off with the wrong negative mindset you will give yourself no chance to reach your goals.



“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”


― Henry Ford


3. Having a great support system- Family, friends, co-workers or significant others all are people in your lives who can help build a positive support system for you in reaching your goals. Those people in your life who bring you down and keep you from reaching such goals should be eliminated in order for you to have success.Each of us are surrounded by ‘crabs’ and "haters" who take up precious time and try to ruin our ambitions, motivation, passion and enthusiasm.The best thing to do is surround yourself with like minded individuals and those who will bring out the best in you.



4.Having true dedication-Dedication is bringing work ethic on a day in and day out basis. When things get hard, when results have slowed only those truly dedicated with stick around and fight some more. Dedicate yourself to reaching your goals and doing whatever it takes to get there. Dedication is getting up on a Monday at 6am in the middle of the winter to get your workout in. Dedication is not being " in the mood" to workout but still getting in it anyways. So ask yourself " are you really dedicated?"

“The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication. ”


-Cecil B. DeMille

Monday random tips!

• Drink more water and eat more fiber for fat loss especially before you eat your main meals.

• You must put your goals on paper for them to happen, make sure you put down specific goals and everyday do something to get you closer to achieving those goals.

•  Most of us don't move laterally nearly enough. Make sure in your workouts you are strengthening the hips, especially those abductors. If you are a serious runner you definitely fall into this category. Put some lateral band walks, lateral lunges and squats into your program. If your cardio tends to be just pure running start doing lateral shuffles or play sports such as tennis. 

• The body gets used to the reps and tempo faster than it does to the exercises. This means before you go to change your exercises all the time stop and focus more on how fast or slow you lift the weight and the reps used.

• Do less anterior more posterior. Think glutes, hamstrings, lats, rhomboids, over shoulders, chest and quads. 

Finshers for fat loss

A better way to get leaner is to add finishers to the end of your strength workouts. A finisher should incorporate as many muscle groups as possible and usually is done for time. Below are some of my favorites that you can try in your workouts. The finisher you use should be exhausting in nature.


1- Med ball/Hill climbers

Do as many med ball slams in 30 seconds, followed by hill climbers for 20 seconds as many as possible. Rest for 50 seconds. Do 3 total rounds.

** To make it harder gradually decrease your resting time by 5 seconds each workout.


2. Renegade row/Squat press

Start off doing 1 rep on each arm of renegade rows, then jump the feet forward between the dumbbells and stand tall ( much like a finishing aburpee ) as soon as you get into a standing position flip the dumbbells on your shoulders and drop down into a squat. Once in the bottom position, explode up as you press the dumbbells overhead. Finish by putting the dumbbells back on the ground and jumping your legs back into the starting position. Do 12 reps. Take 1 minute rest and then repeat.


** To make it harder decrease the rest or add another set and do 3 total sets


3. Kettlebell swings/Explosive pushups

You can give credit to this one from a great trainer named Chad Waterbury. Basically do 20 swings followed by 10 explosive pushups. Next do 18 swings and 9 pushups, followed by 16 swings and 8 pushups. Keep doing this until you finish at 2 swings and 1 pushup. Rest 60 seconds then start at 10 swings and 5 pushups. Do this until you get to 2 swings and 1 pushup.

** Make this harder by decreasing your rest time by 5 seconds.


4. Classic 300 yard shuttle

Place two cones or whatever you have 25 yards apart. Go as fast as you can back and forth 12 times for 6 total round trips. Try and finish this in under 1 minute. Do 1-2 sets giving yourself 3-5 minutes of rest between sets.

** To make it harder look to do it faster!


5. Tabata finish

Do each exercise for 20 seconds taking 10 seconds rest between exercises. Perform this for 2 straight rounds. This will take 4 minutes.

A) Alternating lunge jumps
B) Burpees
C) Speed skaters
D) Hill climbers

Thursday Q & A!

Q- My pushups are awful what is wrong?

A-  1) You might lack pure strength in the shoulders, triceps and chest as well as core stability.

      2) You might lack proper form. If your elbows are flared, hips sag and your head is forward then you have bad form and it needs to be corrected. Proper form is having your elbows tucked into the body at a 45 degree angle, with the neck, hips, torso and head all in a straight line.

Q- Besides doing curls and direct arm work how else can I build my biceps?

A- Direct arm work certainly will help, but there are many other ways to build the biceps. Start doing some heavy rows, both with a neutral grip but also with your palms facing forward as well. Chinups are another great builder of the biceps and as you get stronger you can add more load.

Q- I workout 7 days a week and yet haven't seen much of a difference for working out this much, why is this so?

A- Honestly more isn't always better and in some cases less is more. If you are working out that much you need to be fueling yourself with more calories and odds are that isn't happening. Second, you are just beating your body down and results come from events that take place outside the gym not inside the gym. Start giving yourself 1-2 days of recovery and focus on rolling, stretching and massage to get your body better. With the added recovery your workouts will become more intense and you will find yourself getting better results.

Q- Do you have any good ideas for cardio ?

A- If you get bored with the treadmill and your gym has an airdyne give this one a try-

30sec work , 90sec off x 3 rds

*For the next 3 weeks add 1 more rd to each week, so week 2 would be 30sec work, 90sec off for 4 rds

Losing weight is a battle you must fight to win!

Weight loss is the most common goal a trainer will hear from a client, family member, friend or just about from anyone. All the time people will tell me that they have been working so hard for so long and yet they have nothing to show for it. Getting rid of fat and dropping the weight you want is tough and it is not easy! If you have the goal of losing weight you need to start and end with the mindset that it will be a battle and you fight to win! It will take consistent energy, focus and dedication to get the results you want. Before you get down on not reaching your weight loss goals ask yourself if you are indeed doing everything you should be doing with the list below.

NUTRITION

• Eat more protein-Most likely you do not eat enough protein. Add a whey protein mixed with water or almond milk as a snack or quick breakfast. Focus on getting a protein source with each meal. Remember protein will fill you up and build lean muscle.

•  Eat more veggies-Odds are very high veggies are lacking in your eating plan. Simple ways to get more are to have a greens smoothie, add them to your eggs or have them as daytime snacks.

•  Prioritize nutrition as numero uno!-Put the same effort into your nutrition as you do your workouts and everything else that is important to you. Nutrition is the most important factor in your rate of success with weight loss.

• Limit your carbs- Keep it simple and limit your carbs to post workout and if anything in the morning. Make sure if you stay low carb that you increase your good fat intake. 

•  Drink more water!
•  Eat breakfast- Set the tone for the day and get off on the right foot. Aim for quality protein and veggies. Protein shake, eggs, almond butter and sprouted bread or greek yogurt and berries. No excuses!
• Limit alcohol-Have that drink or two during the week but if you don't limit your alcohol you are going to have no chance.

EXERCISE

• Intensity is key! Too often I see a lack of intensity in peoples workouts. 

•  Lift weights 2-3x a week-Strength training is soooo important. Muscle equals metabolism! The more lean muscle you have the more you will burn at rest!  Progress your routine and don'y get stuck lifting the same 10lb dumbbells for your whole life.

• Get 5-6 days of exercise in- When you just start you might need to build up to it, but eventually you need to be doing 5-6 days to get true results!

• Interval based cardio rules!  

There you go now go dominate! Start today with no more excuses and only massive action!!! Also, don't forget to take care of your body with plenty of Recovery in the forms of sleep, massage, foam rolling and 1-2 days off.

4 compound sets for new muscle!

1. For the legs-

A1)Goblet squat with dumbbell or kettlebell-12 reps
A2)Alternating reverse lunges with dumbbells or kettlebells-12 reps each leg
Rest 90sec. Repeat 3 total rounds.


2.  For the back-

A1) Pullups-10 reps
A2) One arm dumbbell row-hold each for 2 second count at the top, 10 reps
90sec rest. Repeat for 3 total rounds


3. For the chest-

A1) Incline barbell chest press-10 reps
A2) Decline dumbbell chest press-10 reps
90sec rest. Repeat for 3 total rounds


4. For the triceps-

A1) Barbell close grip press- 6 reps ( heavy )
A2) Decline EZ curl bar tricep extensions-12 reps
90sec rest. Repeat for 3 total rounds

5 Quick fire ways to change your workouts

1. Change the angles- Instead of doing flat presses do incline, if you do rows with your palms facing neutral, start doing them with your palms down. If you always lunge straight forward, start lunging slightly to the right.

2. Use different tools- If you do nothing but machines stop and start using dumbbells and kettlebells. If you use only bands start using free weights. Whatever you often see but never use start adding it in and see what happens.

3. Switch the order- If you always save core work for the end of the workout try and do it first for once. Maybe instead of squatting then doing lunges, do the opposite. Look at your workouts and I bet you notice you tend to do the same things in the same order.

4. Slow down-Try and lift with slow tempos. Generally between 2-10 seconds.

5. Lift fast- Be explosive! Of course don't sacrifice form!

10 Fat Loss Strategies!

Start doing these things to help you drop body fat and improve overall body composition!

1. Take the stairs! No escalators. Get extra work in all day

2. Perform deadlift and squat variations

3. Carry something heavy

4. End your strength workouts with 2-3 minutes of metabolic work. Examples could be rope work, med ball slams, burpees, jump rope, sled pulls etc.

5. Avoid frutose syrup like the plague- it makes you fat and makes you age

6. Have INTENSE workouts

7. Go to Starbucks for green tea not mocha carmel grande's

8. Eat even more vegetables!

9. Rest 1-2 days a week, trust me you won't get fat by taking days off

10. If you really want to drop body fat, then drop steady state cardio

Thursday Random Thoughts...

* Muscle and fat are two completely different things. Muscle cant turn to fat and fat cant turn to muscle. You can get more of one thing while the other decreases but they actually don't morph from one to the other. This might seem obvious but I have heard way to many trainees think this can happen. Remember too that muscle is more dense and takes up less space.

* If you don't limit your alcohol consumption you simply will not get the results you want. I see too many clients not reaching their goals because they simply have too hard of a time cutting down the drinks.

* When you squat try and think about spreading the legs wide as you go down. Not only will this improve squat quality but also help you activate the glutes better.


* Stop doing push-ups on your knees. If you cant do the full version then switch to doing them with your hands on an incline bench or elevated surface. Push-ups are not only great for your chest, triceps and shoulders but are also a big test of core stability. If your goal is to do full push-ups from the ground then do something that will carry over into reaching that goal and get away from doing them from your knees.

* Start using tempo and use it more often. People change their exercises, reps, sets and rest periods but rarely do people change tempo. Add slower counts, explosive reps, or pauses at the end of movements to change up your routines.

*Getting in the best shape possible is a choice and ultimately you and only you are the one that should be held responsible for reaching that goal. Don't share blame for failure, rather look in the mirror and realize you control what happens. Go Dominate!

Guest Blog Post-Logicial Training

Today's post comes from a colleague and friend Amanda Jean Fledderjoh​ann. 

Logical Training

“I just need a month or two to get in shape, then I’ll hire a trainer.”

Since becoming a personal trainer 2 years ago, I have heard this from potential clients, family members, and friends, and I don’t think it makes a lot of sense. You go to a trainer to get into shape. If you are equipped to lose the weight or rehabilitate after injury or disease without the assistance of a qualified personal trainer, you probably don’t need one. Why would you consider paying someone to tell you what you already know?

Before I go to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned I’m tempted to brush vigorously. The thought that these professional hygienists will be seeing bits of breakfast food stuck in my molars and smell my coffee breath is embarrassing. But from what I’ve been told, dentists will get my teeth cleaned no matter when I last brushed and they don’t seem to mind just how gross mouths can be. If flossing and brushing alone sufficed then we wouldn’t need to get our teethed cleaned by the dentist anyway. We know professions will get better results.

Similarly, people don’t go to the doctor when their illness has passed. They make an appointment when they are weak. The concept of getting better before seeking help isn’t logical.

Is it pride that keeps us from getting help? Are we unwilling to admit we don’t know what we’re doing? Or do we honestly believe we know how to exercise effectively and safely? We just haven’t done it yet. Maybe we’re afraid of something. Afraid of not being able to do a proper squat or not being strong enough to dead lift 100 lbs or of looking silly doing a lateral lunge.  

When I was in high school I took piano lessons from a gracious and talented teacher. I wanted to please this woman so badly that when a song wasn’t up to performance standards I would hesitate to play it for her in our lessons. She would urge me to play with the simple phrase “Show me how bad it is.” With this statement she freed me to make mistakes, so I could learn from them and move forward.

That’s what training should be. You come to a trainer with your weakness, and together you work towards improvement.

3 Workout Formats To Try!

Sometimes working out can become boring because you find yourself doing the same thing over and over and your routine gets old. Below is three different ways to format your workouts to get better results. I personally like using the same format for 2-3 weeks before changing things up. These formats are ideal for anyone looking to drop body fat and keep lean muscle. If your goal is pure hypertrophy then these formats are not for you.

** Keep it mind core can be added to the end of each of these if the format does not call for it.

FORMAT 1- ULC

Guidlines

* 0-90sec rest between sets depending on your fitness level

* 3-4 sets of each tri-set

* Pick 3-4 different tri-sets which means 9 to 12 exercises

* Keep reps between 8-12, the conditioning exercises can be done for reps or time

The format would look like this-

A1) UPPER BODY

A2) LOWER BODY
A3) CONDITIONING EXERCISE

A1) UPPER BODY

A2) LOWER BODY

A3) CONDITIONING

A1) UPPER BODY

A2) LOWER BODY

A3) CONDITIONING

Some examples of conditioning exercises are jumping rope, med ball slams, rope work, burpees, lateral shuffle, Heisman hops, high knees just to name a few.

FORMAT 2-CONTRAST TRAINING

Guidelines

* 0-90sec rest between sets depending on your fitness level

* 3-4 sets of each super-set

* Pick 8 exercises

* One exercise will be done with higher reps and lighter weight, the other exercise will be lower reps and heavier weights. Low reps should be 6-8, high reps 15-20

The format would look like this-

A1) UPPER BODY- heavy, low reps

A2) LOWER BODY-light, high reps

B1) LOWER BODY-heavy, low reps

B2) UPPER BODY-light, high reps

C1) UPPER BODY- heavy, low reps

C2) LOWER BODY-light, high reps

D1) LOWER BODY-heavy, low reps

D2) UPPER BODY-light, high reps

FORMAT 3- 50/50 TRAINING

Guidelines

* 0-90sec rest between sets depending on your fitness level

* 3-4 sets of each quad set

* Pick 8 exercises

* Keep reps between 8-12, the conditioning exercises can be done for reps or time

The format would look like this

A1) UPPER BODY

A2) LOWER BODY

A3) UPPER BODY

A4) LOWER BODY

B1) CONDITIONING

B2) CORE

B3) CONDITIONING

B4) CORE