Pre-Workout Caffeine to Get Stronger, Faster, Bigger and More Powerful

A new study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research indicates that the immediate ingestion of caffeine (6 mg·kg⁻¹ body weight) prior to resistance training:

1. Reduces the level of muscle fatigue and,
2. Preserves leg power throughout the training session,
3. With zero increase in muscle damage

Which is awesome if you are interested in getting stronger, faster, bigger and/or more powerful.

In the study, six male handball athletes ingested placebo (PLA) or caffeine (CAF) (6 mg·kg⁻¹ body mass) capsules on 2 different occasions. Sixty minutes after ingestion of the capsules, serum CAF levels were evaluated.

Thereafter, all participants performed a protocol of vertical jumps (VJs). The protocol consisted of 4 sets of 30 seconds of continuous VJs with 60 seconds of recovery between sets.

Blood lactate (LAC) and creatine kinase (CK) levels were determined before and after the protocol.

We found significant differences in serum CAF levels between PLA (0.09 ± 0.18 µg·ml⁻¹) vs. CAF (6.59 ± 4.44 µg·ml⁻¹) (p < 0.001).

Caffeine elicited a 5.23% (p≤ 0.05) improvement in the leg power compared with PLA. The CAF trial displayed higher LAC (p ≤ 0.05) compared with PLA (6.26 ± 2.01 vs. 4.39 ± 2.42 mmol·L⁻¹, respectively) after protocol of VJs, whereas no difference in CK was observed between trials (p > 0.05).

These results indicate that immediate ingestion of CAF (6 mg·kg⁻¹ body weight) can reduce the level of muscle fatigue and preserve leg power during the test, possibly resulting in increase in LAC. There was no increase in muscle damage, which indicates that immediate administration of (6 mg·kg⁻¹ body weight) CAF is safe. Thus, nutritional interventions with CAF could help athletes withstand a greater physiological overload during high-intensity training sessions.

The results of this study would be applicable to sports and activities that require repetitive leg power.

What does this mean to you?

• To properly follow the protocol used in the study, you need to ingest 6mg of caffeine per 1kg of body weight ( 2.72mg per 1lb of bodyweight)
• There is approximately 100mg of caffeine in 1 cup of coffee
• Which means that a 150lb trainee would need to drink 408mg or 4 cups of coffee before training….probably not the best idea if you don’t want to spend your workout in the bathroom.
• The same caffeine-math applies to tea, Red Bull, 5 Hour Extra Strength Energy Shot (the strongest energy drink with 242mg of caffeine), etc..

As a result, you are going to need to purchase some caffeine pills if you want to take advantage of this caffeinated training boost.

And of course, not everyone’s GI tract is going to do well with all that caffeine.

BUT…if your gut is okay with a big dose of caffeine AND you’re looking to break through a training plateau, supplementing with caffeine immediately pre-workout could be exactly what you’re looking for.

NOTE: If you try this caffeine protocol, I would love to hear how it works for you. Feel free to contact me on Twitter or Facebook.

Reference

• Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research – Caffeine Attenuates Decreases in Leg Power Without Increased Muscle Damage
• Exercise Better with Coffee
• Green Coffee Bean Extract for Weight Loss
• Reduce Blood Pressure & Lose Weight with Green Coffee Bean Extract
• Green Coffee Bean Extract & Weight Loss
• Does Coffee Make You Fat?
• mmmmm Coffee
• Caffeine for Weight Loss

Max Benefit – Min Time Workout #2

Question #1 : Do you want to be healthier, fitter, leaner, sexier, etc?

Question #2 : Are you insanely busy?

If you answered yes to both questions, have I got good news for you.

Today’s post is the second in a series of mini-workouts designed to:

• improve fitness,
• improve health,
• burn fat,
• build functional strength,
• improve energy system function,
• improve muscular endurance,
• improve speed endurance
• AND save you time.

Each post in the series will consist of a single mini-workout.

All of these mini-workout posts will be catalogued together to allow you to mix & match to create your own custom plan. Here’s the first workout if you missed it.

Without any further ado, here is….

Exercises

• Bulgarian Split Squats – modifying the weight (bodyweight, vest, dumbbells, barbell, kettlebells, resistance bands) as your strength & endurance allows.

In the latter part of the workout, after you have ditched all of the external weight (barbell etc), you may find that you are unable to complete full range of motion lifts. If that is the case, you have a few options

1. Shift your weight backwards onto your heels. This will spare your quads & load up your hips…which are more endurance friendly
2. Shorten your range of motion. This will reduce your workload while still frying your quads

• Alternating Shoulder Presses – modify weight used to suit your strength/fitness level

• Band Overhead Pull Aparts – modify resistance band used to suit your strength/fitness level

Set/Rep Scheme

• Alternate exercises (Bulgarian Left Leg/Shoulder Press/Bulgarian Right Leg/Band Pull-Aparts/etc…)
• 1st Set – 20 reps, 2nd Set – 19 reps, 3rd Set – 18 reps….all the way down to 10 reps (Total of 11 sets)

Speed of Execution

Perform reps as fast as possible…with good form

Rest

Minimize reps between exercises – zero rest between sets is the goal

How to keep improving with this workout

The design of this mini-workout allows you to keep improving as you choose harder versions of the exercises and/or perform them faster and/or reduce the amount of rest between exercises

The Workout

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 20 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 20 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 20 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 20 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 19 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 19 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 19 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 19 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 18 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 18 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 18 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 18 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 17 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 17 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 17 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 17 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 16 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 16 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 16 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 16 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 15 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 15 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 15 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 15 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 14 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 14 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 14 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 14 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 13 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 13 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 13 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 13 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 12 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 12 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 12 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 12 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 11 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 11 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 11 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 11 reps

• Bulgarians – Left Leg – 10 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Pressess – 10 reps
• Bulgarians – Right Leg – 10 reps
• Overhead Pull-Aparts – 10 reps

That’s it for today. As I add new Max Benefit – Min Time workouts, I will include a link to a index page which will list all of workouts in one place.

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Max Benefit – Min Time Workout #1

Question #1 : Want to be healthier, fitter, leaner, sexier, etc?

Question #2 : Are you insanely busy?

If you answered yes to both questions, have I got good news for you.

Starting today, I am going to start posting a series of mini-workouts designed to:

• improve fitness,
• improve health,
• burn fat,
• build functional strength,
• improve energy system function,
• improve muscular endurance,
• improve speed endurance
• AND save you time.

Each post will consist of a single mini-workout. All of these mini-workout posts will be catalogued together to allow you to mix & match to create your own custom plan.

Here we go with…

Exercises

• Push-ups – modifying the angle of your body to suit your strength/fitness level (feet elevated, flat on floor, hands on bench, hands on counter, leaning against wall, etc)

• Bodyweight Squats – modifying depth of squat to suit your strength/fitness level (ass to the grass, parallel to floor, 1/2 squat, 1/4 squat, etc)

Set/Rep Scheme

• Alternate exercises (push-ups/squats/push-ups/etc…)
• 1st Set – 20 reps, 2nd Set – 19 reps, 3rd Set – 18 reps….all the way down to 10 reps (Total of 11 sets)

Speed of Execution

Perform reps as fast as possible…with good form

Rest

Minimize reps between exercises – zero rest between sets is the goal

How to keep improving with this workout

The design of this mini-workout allows you to keep improving as you choose harder versions of the exercises and/or perform them faster and/or reduce the amount of rest between exercises

The Workout

• Push-ups – 20 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 20 reps
• Push-ups – 19 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 19 reps
• Push-ups – 18 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 18 reps
• Push-ups – 17 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 17 reps
• Push-ups – 16 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 16 reps
• Push-ups – 15 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 15 reps
• Push-ups – 14 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 14 reps
• Push-ups – 13 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 13 reps
• Push-ups – 12 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 12 reps
• Push-ups – 11 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 11 reps
• Push-ups – 10 reps
• Bodyweight Squats – 10 reps

 

That’s it for today. As I add new Max Benefit – Min Time workouts, I will include a link to a index page which will list all of workouts in one place.

 

Like this article???

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As well, you also get access to the series of Supplement Reports that I am publishing this year.

 

Introducing the 20:20 Workout…The Simplest Get Fit, Get Lean, Get Healthy, Get Strong, Get Awesome Workout of All Time

Here’s the general theory:

• 20 seconds of high intensity exercise
• 20 seconds of rest
• Repeat as many times as possible…while maintaining great form & high intensity.

Here’s why this workout is awesome:

• It’s dead simple. Even the newest of workout newbies can understand “work really hard for 20 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds”.
• It improves your energy system fitness…which improves your endurance, strength, power, etc.
• It makes most trainees stronger very quickly -(experienced trainees who already lift primarily for serious strength won’t see much in the way of strength improvement)
• It improves the muscular endurance of those people who already lift for serious strength…which will improve their strength training programs
• It’s great for weight loss
• It saves time. Most trainees will be gassed after 20 minutes…and it takes a real freak to keep the intensity up over 40 min.
• As you become more efficient at this program, your power & speed-endurance will improve significantly
• It can be performed at home, indoors, outdoors, on the playing field & in the gym.
• It’s fully expandable….from very simple beginner workouts to more complex workouts for advanced trainees or people with physical restrictions
• It’s 100% free

Workout Examples

Legs + Horizontal Push + Horizontal Pull

• Stair Step Ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Chest Press (band, machine, db, bb) or Push-Ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlifts
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Standing Rows or Bodyweight Rows for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds

Repeat for a set time or until your form starts to break down and/or your intensity drops by (self-measured) 20%

Legs + Vertical Push + Vertical Pull

• Bodyweight Squats or Bulgairan Squats for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Pulldowns, Band Overhead Pull-Aparts or Chin-ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Standing Single Leg Straight Hip Flexions – Front, Side & Rear
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Overhead Press – Band, Bodyweight, DB, BB
• Rest for 20 seconds

Repeat for a set time or until your form starts to break down and/or your intensity drops by (self-measured) 20%

Legs + Horizontal Push + Horizontal Pull + Core

• Stair Step Ups or Box Jumps or Burpees for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Chest Press or Push-Ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Single Leg Stiff Leg Deadlifts
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Standing Rows or Bodyweight Rows for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Ab Roll-Outs, Front Plank or Dead Bugs for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds

Repeat for a set time or until your form starts to break down and/or your intensity drops by (self-measured) 20%

Legs + Vertical Push + Vertical Pull + Rotation

• Bodyweight Squats or Bulgairan Squats for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Pulldowns, Band Overhead Pull-Aparts or Chin-ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Standing Single Leg Straight Leg Flexions – Front, Side & Rear
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Overhead Press – Band, Bodyweight, DB, BB
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Woodchops, Stir the Pots or Palloff Press for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds

Repeat for a set time or until your form starts to break down and/or your intensity drops by (self-measured) 20%

Legs + Horizontal Push + Horizontal Pull + Core + Carry

• Waiter Walk or some other “Carry” variation for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Stair Step Ups or Box Jumps or Burpees for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Chest Press or Push-Ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Single Leg Stiff Leg Deadlifts
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Standing Rows or Bodyweight Rows for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Ab Roll-Outs, Front Plank or Dead Bugs for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds

Repeat for a set time or until your form starts to break down and/or your intensity drops by (self-measured) 20%

Legs + Vertical Push + Vertical Pull + Rotation + Sprint

• Bodyweight Squats or Bulgairan Squats for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Pulldowns, Band Overhead Pull-Aparts or Chin-ups for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Standing Single Leg Straight Leg Flexions – Front, Side & Rear
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Overhead Press – Band, Bodyweight, DB, BB
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Woodchops or Palloff Press for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Sprint for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds

Repeat for a set time or until your form starts to break down and/or your intensity drops by (self-measured) 20%

Design Your Own 20:20 Workout

As I said above, the 20:20 Workout is fully expandable and is easily modified to fit your specific needs.

Step #1 : Choose the body movements that you want to work on

• Push Vertical
• Push Horizontal
• Pull Vertical
• Pull Horizontal
• Squat
• Hip Hinge
• Walk
• Run
• Sprint

Step #2 : Choose an exercise or exercises for each of the body movements you have selected

Step #3 : Organize the exercises so that you maximize your rest periods. Instead of putting 2 leg exercises back to back, stick an upper body exercise in between – ex. Squat – Horizontal Push – Hip Hinge – Horizontal Pull

Step #4 : Set a timer for a 20 sec work : 20 sec rest interval program. If you don’t have a timer, check out Gymboss. They’re easy to use, inexpensive and will prevent you dropping & cracking your smartphone screen

Step #5 : Fill a bottle of water & get ready to sweat

Questions? Hit me up on social media – Twitter, Facebook.

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Tabata and the End of Night Time Snacking

 

At this time of year, millions of people around the world have resolved to lose weight. Sadly, most of them will fail.

One of the main reasons why so many of us are unable to lose excess bodyfat is night-time snacking.

During the day, we are able to eat healthy, control our portion size, choose vegetables over starchy carbs and stay away from junk food.

 

But at night, most of us relax, drop onto the couch, turn on the tv…and say goodbye to our weight-loss willpower.

And nothing wrecks a diet faster than night time snacking while watching tv

A few years ago, I had a client who was having problems with night time snacking. He did everything “right” during the day, but when he finally relaxed at the end of the day, he found himself dealing with major cravings while watching the nightly news.

Most of the time, he drowned his cravings with mugs of steaming hot tea. But as the cravings didn’t lessen over time, we felt that we needed to do something to resist their temptation.

Here’s what we did.

Right before he sat down in front of the tv, I had him perform a single 4-minute Tabata set of Step-Ups using one of the staircases in his home.

And it worked.

We have no idea why it worked – hormones, brain chemicals, recharged willpower – and we didn’t care. All that mattered was that his cravings went away, making it easier for him to achieve his fitness goals.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you 🙂

How to do Tabata Step-Ups

What is Tabata?

Tabata is an exercise protocol in which you exercise as hard as possible for 20 seconds…then rest for 10 seconds…repeating this 7 more times…for a total of 8 x 20 second work sets + 8 x 10 second rest sets = 4 minutes of high intensity exercise.

How do I do Tabata Step-Ups in my home?

You couldn’t find a simpler exercise.

• Step 1 : Walk over to a staircase
• Step 2: Step Up
• Step 3: Step Down
• Step 4: Do this as fast as you can for 20 seconds
• Step 5: Rest for 10 seconds
• Step 6: Repeat Steps 4 & 5 seven more times

Step Up Videos

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New Research : Bodybuilding and the Mind-Muscle Connection

In the bodybuilding world, one of the most important “principles” of lifting is the need to establish a mind : muscle connection.

It’s not enough to lift the weight. For maximum success, the trainee must put all of his/her intention into the muscle that is being worked.

For many of us who aren’t bodybuilders…who lift for strength, power, endurance, athletic performance, etc…this seems like a giant load of new age nonsense.

Until now:

In this new study, researchers found that when trainees (working with loads between 20 -60% of their 1 Rep Maximum) focused on the muscles being worked, they were able to increase muscle activation…without decreasing the activity of other muscles involved in the lift.

By focusing on the muscles, they actually made the muscles work harder.

Which is exactly what those bodybuilding gurus have been saying for decades.

What does this mean to you?

If you lift weight in 20-60% of 1 Rep Max range, focusing intently on the muscles being worked seems like a really great idea.

If you lift in the 80+% 1 RM range, there is no need to focus on the working muscles…you should be focusing on perfect form & execution…your nervous system will look after how many muscle fibers are contracting to complete your lift.

In the 60-80% range, I don’t know what to tell you. The researchers in this study focused on intensities of 20, 40, 50, 60 and 80 % of the pre-determined 1RM.

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Reference

• PubMed – study abstract

Train Smarter : Movements v.s. Muscles

Over the course of history, humans have evolved from single-cell organisms into the multi-cellular complex beings we are today.

In our current form, we are a collection of cells, neurons, hormones, enzymes, bones, muscles that all work together like a super-efficient mega corporation. 

And just how does this relate to working out?

It relates if you are still training like a bodybuilder from 1977

Because if your workouts are focused on muscles instead of movements, you are making a big, big, big mistake.

Just like all those cells that came together to become a liver that filters waste products that would quickly build up and kill the entire organism, your muscles weren’t designed to work in isolation.

Even in that most muscle-centric of exercises – the bicep curl – your biceps need your triceps and core muscles and leg muscles and deltoids to pitch in and stabilize

The same holds true for all weightlifting exercises…no muscles ever work in isolation.

Trying to force them to work that way goes against how they are supposed to work.

Think about it…when you walk or run or sprint, you never focus on individual muscles or muscle groups. Instead, your brain sends out the signal to all involved muscles that it’s time to work together and get running.

To that end, one of the best things you can do to improve the efficiency of your resistance training workouts is to stop thinking about muscles and start thinking about movements

Here is a list of the “basic” movements that will serve as a framework for your new movement-based workout program.

• Push Vertical
• Push Horizontal
• Pull Vertical
• Pull Horizontal
• Squat
• Hip Hinge
• Walk
• Run
• Sprint

That’s it for today.

Over the next few days & weeks, I will explain these movements fully and provide exercise examples and teach you how to put them together in a complete training program.

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“I Don’t Have Time to Workout” Workout

Around the world, the #1 excuse for not exercising is…”I don’t have enough time”.

As a public service to those uber-busy people, I have put together a template for a 15 minute workout that is simple, effective and works for beginners & elite athletes alike.

• 15 minutes
• Great workout
• Guaranteed results
• No more excuses

Step #1

Buy a set of very affordable workout bands like these. ($30 from Amazon). You can probably find a set for next to nothing at the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Value Village, etc.

Step #2

Find a place to exercise.

Bands can be attached to a door:

or any immovable object:

Note: The spring link used in the video costs about $2-3 at Home Depot.

Step #3

Get an interval timer – Smartphone (iphone, android) app, Gymboss timer, etc.

Step #4

Choose 1 exercise / exercise combo from each group:

Group #1 

• Step-Ups
• Jumping Jacks
• Scissor Shuffles
• Running in Place / Jogging on the Spot
• Shuttle Runs
• Skipping Rope
• Mountain Climbers
• Burpees
• Exercise Bike sprints

Group #2

• Standing Band Chest Press
• Standing Band Row
• Standing Band Overhead Press
• Standing Band Pulldown
• Standing Band Woodchop
• Standing Band Pallof Press
• Standing Band Thrusters

Group #3

• Bodyweight Squats
• Bodyweight Hip Thrusts
• Bodyweight 1-Leg Deadlifts
• Standing Band Hip Thrusts
• Bodyweight Jump Squats
• Standing Band Deadlifts
• Standing Band Lunges

Step #5

1.  Set your timer for a 4-minute Tabata style interval

• 20 seconds of exercise
• 10 seconds of rest
• Repeat 8 times
• Total time: 4 minutes (160 seconds of exercise + 80 seconds of rest)

2.  Perform the chosen Group #1 exercise using the 4-min Tabata style interval. Using good form, perform as many reps as possible.

3.  Rest 90 seconds

4.  Perform the chosen Group #2 exercise using the 4-min Tabata style interval. Using good form, perform as many reps as possible.

5.  Rest 90 seconds

6.  Perform the chosen Group #3 exercise using the 4-min Tabata style interval. Using good form, perform as many reps as possible.

7.  Done 🙂

Step #6 – Optional

If you decide that you have more than 15 minutes and want to increase your volume of exercise, add additional exercises from any of the three groups.

Step #7 – Optional

Before you grab a shower, you could choose to add some mobility/flexibility exercises into the mix. Here are some resources:

• Microstretching
• Resistance Stretching
• 5 Ways to Wreck Your Workout
• Intro to Jill Miller & Kelly Starrett
• Mommy Strength
• Your Posture is Making You Look Short & Fat

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Oscillation Training – Get Stronger, Get Fitter, Get Healthier

A couple of years ago I wrote an article entitled Increase Your Bench Press…thanks to Koji Murofushi.

In that article, I introduced you to oscillation training and how you can use this training method to:

• rehab injuries,
• prevent injuries,
• improve muscle imbalances,
• thereby increasing strength,
• and agility,
• and speed,
• and power

Since then, I have read numerous studies looking at the effectiveness of weightlifting with:

1. Stable loads on unstable surfaces – ie Barbell squats on Bosu, foam mats, Swiss ball, etc
2. Unstable loads on stable surfaces – ie Dumbbells, kettlebells on floor, benches

My unofficial meta-analysis of these studies shows that:

• Stable loads on stable surfaces allows for maximum force production of the prime mover muscles.
• Unstable loads (DBs, KBs) on stable surfaces reduces force production in the prime movers (agonists) by a negligible amount while producing a similarly tiny increase in synergists & core muscles.
• Unstable loads on unstable surfaces (Bosu, Swiss ball, foam mat) further reduces force production in the prime movers while ever so slightly increasing force production of synergists & core muscles.

There have also been numerous studies which postulate that training with unstable loads on stable & unstable surfaces will eventually lead to increases in muscular strength & power as muscle imbalances are corrected, core strength improves and all muscles involved in athletic movements – agonists, antagonists & synergists – are trained to work together more effectively.

And now for the new research:

In this latest study, researchers tested the effectiveness of oscillation training via a series of parallel back squats with an unstable load (weights suspended from the bar by an elastic band)

Couldn’t find a good back squat with hanging bells video to create a gif 😦

The Study:

• Fifteen resistance-trained males completed ten repetitions of the back squat with 60% of their one repetition maximum in both stable and unstable conditions.
• Peak vertical ground reaction force and the integrated muscle activity of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medius, biceps femoris, soleus, rectus abdominis, external oblique, and erector spinae muscles on the right side of the body were determined.

Results

• The unstable load resulted in a small (3.9%), but significant decrease in peak vertical ground reaction force. This makes sense considering the previous research on unstable loads.
• The unstable load also produced noticeably greater muscle activation in the rectus abdominus, external oblique, and soleus.

This may turn out to be highly significant – where previous studies on trained individuals found that DBs or KBs or vibration platforms or Bosus or Swiss balls produced small increases in muscle activation in these “helper” muscles, the use of oscillation training was much more powerful.

Oscillation training may actually turn out to be a really useful tool for athletes and wanna-be athletes.

What does this mean to you?

If you are one of the following trainees, systemic use of oscillation training may be just what you need:

• Someone stuck at a strength/size/power/speed plateau
• Someone with sore shoulders or knees or back or…
• Someone who plays a sport
• Someone who finds their body is feeling “older”
• Someone who has poor posture
• Someone who wants the health benefits of yoga and/or pilates bust hates yoga and/or pilates
• Someone who want to be as fit as they can possibly be
• Someone who just started doing Crossfit and doesn’t want to destroy their shoulders
• Someone with a big gut
• Someone who wants to maximize the health benefits of weightlifting without getting “too big” or spending too much time.

How to incorporate Oscillation Training into your program?

1. Start small. This is supplemental work, meant to make the rest of your program work better.
2. Don’t do oscillate before doing big compound lifts using the same muscle groups/movements. You don’t want to wear out your assistance muscles prior to needing their help on a big compound lift.
3. You can do oscillation work after doing big compound work, or
4. Do oscillation work on off-days – rest days or days where other movements / muscle groups are being worked.
5. You don’t “need” a fancy bamboo bar. It’s nice to have, but you can just hang plates off the ends of normal barbells with a good set of Jump-Stretch style bands.

If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up on social media 🙂

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A Technological Revolution for Health and Fitness Nerds

Quick post for all you fitness nerds out there.

Today is the day that I finally get my greedy little hands on a Push Strength workout/fitness tracker. As an early indiegogo supporter, I am one of the first people to have one of these bad-boys and because I love y’all so much, I am going to share the wealth.

Starting tonight, I am going to use my Push Strength band to start testing:

• The real-world effectiveness of different exercise tools – machines vs free weights vs bands vs body-weight
• The real-world effectiveness of different training routines
• The real-world effectiveness of different exercises – pistol squats vs bodybuilding squats vs power squats

And because I love all my fitness friends, I will be sharing all that glorious data here at Health Habits.

But that’s not all….

Later this month, I will be meeting with the CEO of Tell Spec to discuss when I can expect to get my grubby paws on one of the beta units as well as organizing a series of amazing tests with all the other beta testers.

For those of who who don’t already know, Tell Spec uses a handheld scanner in concert with a learning algorithm and a cloud-based database to create a tool that will tell you exactly what is in the food you eat…or don’t eat.

At present, the “TellSpec BETA identifies calories, macronutrients (fats, protein and carbohydrates) and a limited number of ingredients all at reasonable concentrations in food”. And while that would be cool enough, it’s going to get way, way cooler.

As us beta-testers start scanning different foods, we are building the database, pushing the algorithm to evolve…and improving the scope & accuracy of the technology. This means that by the time TellSpec is ready for sale to the general public, it will be able to tell you exactly is in those chicken mcnuggets you scarfed down for lunch.

And while that is amazing enough for us health nerds, what it also means is that the entire processed food industry is going to be in for a rude awakening. Instead of having to deal with a small group of health nuts trying to spread the gospel of healthy eating, they are going to have to deal with a LOT of normal Moms & Dads who are going to be pissed off with the crap they are being sold.

And if that wasn’t cool enough, the Tell Spec could be a actual lifesaver for all those kids with serious food allergies. Instead of trusting labels, kids armed with a Tell Spec scanner can make sure that that nut-free cookie is actually nut free.

How cool is that?

Stay tuned…the technological revolution for us health nerds has just begun.

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10 Ways to Burn 1 Pound of Body Fat – Vol. 4

Welcome to the fourth edition of 10 Ways to Burn 1 Pound of Body-Fat.

The following list will highlight different physical activities and tell you how long they will take to burn 500 calories….which is a convenient number because a pound of body fat is 3500 calories and there are 7 days in the week.

And if my Grade 3 math skills are still up to date, 500 calories burned  x 7 days in the week = 3500 calories burned per week = 1 pound of body fat burned off per week.

And that’s pretty cool. So, here we go….

THE LIST

Zumba

• It will take the average American Male (191 lbs) 62 minutes of Zumbafying to burn 500 calories
• It will take the average American Female (164 lbs) 72 minutes of shaking her booty to burn 500 calories

To find out how long it will take YOU to burn 500 calories…

• take your weight (ex 200 lbs),
• divide by the average American weight – male or female ( ex 200 lb male / 191 lbs = 1.047),
• and multiply the result by the average time that I calculated (ex 1.047 x 62 mintes = 65 minutes)

Exercise List

• Zumba
• Archery
• Backpacking
• Baseball / Softball
• Birdwatching
• Canoeing (non-competitive)
• Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
• Curling
• Drumming
• Playing Catch

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5 Ways to Wreck Your Workout

Every January, millions of hopeful people flock to health clubs in a desperate attempt to get fit/healthy/sexy/etc….

And as a personal trainer, fitness research geek and multi-decade gym junkie, I feel that it is my duty to shine a light on some of the ways newbies are wrecking their workouts.

#1 –   Doing Cardio Training before Resistance Training

Most people that join a gym have similar goals…losing body-fat, getting healthier, getting fitter, feeling better, etc.

If that sounds like you, you need to stop doing your cardio training before your resistance training. Doing cardio before resistance training will…

• slow down your body-fat reduction,
• slow down or prevent any strength gains,
• prevent improvements in energy system performance,
• do nothing to maximize your cardio-vascular function,
• and wreck your workout.

Here’s how you should organize your workouts:

1. Short (5-10 min) joint mobility warm-up
2. Resistance training
3. HIIT and/or Cardio-vascular training
4. Joint mobility & flexibility training

Joint Mobility Warm-Up 

Starting your workout with short joint mobility warm-up is a good idea for a few reasons.

• It physically warms up your muscles, making them more flexible and less prone to injury
• It causes your joints to be lubricated with synovial fluid, helping them move smoother, preventing injury.
• It transitions your mind-body from your real-world problems into a “it’s time to workout” mode. This may seem inconsequential, but trust me…it isn’t.

Sample Joint Mobility Protocol

Joint Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP. This warms up your core muscles and establishes a quick mind-body connection to some very, very important muscles.

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up. After the swings, just about every muscle in your body should be nice and pliable and ready for the rest of your workout.

• video

Resistance Training

The type of resistance training you perform depends on your goals. Strength, size, endurance, looking good naked, etc.

The main reason you should perform resistance training before cardio is that resistance training requires a higher level of intensity than cardio training and as you fatigue, your ability to perform at a high level of intensity is the first thing to go.

And if you perform your resistance training in a fatigued state, you are going to wreck your workout, miss out on the weight-loss benefits, miss out on strength-building benefits, and lose out on the energy-system boosting benefits, etc.

HIIT and/or Cardio Training

Whether you perform HIIT or longer duration/lower intensity cardio training or some combination of the two depends on your training goals.

Joint Mobility & Flexibility Training

You have lots of options here…

• Foam rollers,
• Resistance stretching
• Micro stretching
• “normal” stretch & hold stretching, PNF stretching, etc, etc, etc.

If you want to learn more about mobility training, I suggest you check out the work of Kelly Starrett and/or Jill Miller. Smart people who make complex stuff simple.

#2 –   Drinking Gatorade while doing Cardio

Unless you are putting in 60 minutes+ of hard, sweaty cardio training, you don’t need the sugar calories found in Gatorade and other sports drinks. You do need water…but you don’t need Gatorade.

In fact, drinking sugary sports drinks minimizes one of the great benefits of of exercise…improved insulin sensitivity.

What is insulin sensitivity…and why should you care about it?

Insulin sensitivity describes how sensitive the body is to the effects of insulin. Someone said to be insulin sensitive will require smaller amounts of insulin to lower blood glucose levels than someone who has low sensitivity.

In short, being sensitive to insulin is good….being insensitive is bad and is a sign that you are on your way to developing type 2 diabetes.

Exercise, Insulin Sensitivity & Gatorade

Lots of research shows us that cardio exercise makes your body more sensitive to insulin. What happens during exercise is that your body pulls stored sugars out of your muscles & liver to fuel your activity. And for most gym-goers, you have more than enough sugar stored in your body to get you through your workout. (that’s why you don’t NEED Gatorade…unless you are a serious cardio athlete)

Post workout, your sugar-depleted muscles are going to be screaming for sugar. And when you chug down a post-workout protein smoothies or make yourself a meal at home, your muscles & liver are going to take priority over most other body processes.

And this is good…because it means that your muscles are going to get all the nutrients they need to recover faster from your workouts.

Takeaway Message – Unless you are a serious cardio athlete, don’t drink a sugary sports drink during your workout. You will perform just as well, recover faster, while getting leaner, stronger, fitter…faster.

#3 –   Training Chest & Biceps 3x per Week

This message is for all the young guys who think that getting a buff chest and jacked biceps is going to make all the girls swoon.

It won’t. You’re just going to wreck our workout, plus…

• All the other guys think you’re a poseur, and
• Your arms & chest would grow faster if you started training smarter.

What does training smarter mean?

• Train your entire body…not just your beach muscles
• Get stronger through your core & legs…and you will be able to handle heavier weights over your entire body.
• Remember that training your back also trains your biceps at the same time

#4 –   Believing that Lifting Weights Will Make a Woman Look Like a Man

You would not believe how many women believe that if they start lifting weights, their body with morph, grow and swell into this…

…when in reality, after years of lifting weights, eating tons of protein & nutritional supplements, favourable genetics and a lot of sweat & hard work, fitness model Jamie Eason looks like this…

…not exactly very manly.

The truth is that you are already lifting weights.

• Every time you stand up from a chair…you are lifting weights.
• Every time you go for a walk…you are lifting weights
• Every time you pick up your kid…you are lifting weights

And you don’t look like a man.

As the old adage says, the poison is in the dosage. If you choose to lift weights like a bodybuilder, eat huge like a bodybuilder and inject steroids, growth hormone & insulin like a bodybuilder, you might end up looking like a bodybuilder.

But…if you lift weights in an intelligent manner, eat in an intelligent manner and take a few crucial supplements, you will probably end up looking fitter, healthier, stronger and sexier than ever before.

#5 –   Expecting Immediate Results

Diet experts around the globe will tell you that to lose body-fat, you need to eat less calories than you consume. Referencing two of the laws of thermodynamics, they say that if you eat 500 fewer calories than your body requires to function, your body will free up 500 calories of stored body-fat to make up the difference.

And if you do that every day for a week, you will lose one pound of body-fat by the end of the week.

Unfortunately, as logical and scienc-y as that sounds, it doesn’t work in the “real world”.

The human body is a beautifully messy piece of work.  Two identical twins with identical bodies can follow the exact same diet & exercise program and get totally different results.

And while that seems totally unfair for the twin who isn’t seeing results, that’s real life. Transforming your body is going to require a process of trial and effort.

• Find a nutrition/training program that has a good track record and seems to fit nicely into your lifestyle.
• Give it your best for a month.
• Evaluate how it worked for you.
• Give it another month or try a new plan
• Evaluate how it worked for you

Repeat over and over and soon enough you will become an expert on what works for your body.

Like this article?

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In addition to the articles, I will be writing a series of Special Reports this year exclusively for @healthhabits subscribers.

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Health Habits Exercise Videos – Fat Burning HIRT Circuit #1

Here is the 4 minute “kick yo’ ass”, super fat-burning workout exercise video I promised you on Tuesday.

Note: I almost didn’t post it today as it is not 100% finished. The workout is good to go, but I need a bit more time for my video guru Lauren to input all of the instructional text.

So, what I am going to do is get this sucker online right now, and when we have added all the text, come back and replace all this text so future viewers never know that I put a beta version online.

About the Workout:

This is a High Intensity Resistance Training Circuit consisting of…

• 4 Minutes total work
• 8 x 30 second sets
• 3 exercises

The 3 Workout Exercises are…

1. Squats
2. Push Ups 
   
3. Jumping Jacks

Note – Choose the version of Squats or Push Ups equal to your fitness level. You want to push yourself as hard as possible, while being realistic about your current fitness level

Exercise Options

SQUATS

• Bodyweight Squats
• Goblet Squats
• Overhead Squats

PUSH UPS

• Push Ups from your Knees
• Standard Push Ups
• Single Leg Push Ups
• Push Ups with feet on Stability Ball

Exercise Tips

• Push yourself as hard as your fitness level will allow
• Keep rest to a minimum
• Maintain correct form – see “how-to” videos
• Work hard, fast & safe

This is a great fat-burning, fitness boosting workout. However, since I can’t watch over you like one of my “real-life” personal training clients, I need to drop a little common sense…

Please note that this video is designed for educational purposes only. Not all exercises and/or training programs are appropriate for everyone. Before starting any new workout routine, please take into account your personal health & fitness condition. Injuries can happen. Please consult your trainer or healthcare professional before jumping into this or any other exercise program.

Now that that’s over, it’s time to get sweaty….

THE WORKOUT

 As this is the first workout / exercise video I have put online, I would really appreciate your feedback. Be merciless….I want these exercise videos to be as good as they possibly can…without spending a ton of money of course 🙂

Planned Changes/Upgrades

• We are going to change the timer/buzzer. What I want is a 30 second timer for each set & either a 4 minute timer or progress bar so that people know how much time is left in the workout.
• Text warning 5 sec before the next exercise starts – “Push Ups are next” – or something like that
• A longer chunk of text at the end of the workout with more details about the circuit
• Text before the workout starts with some of the info I posted above

About my experience with these first few exercise videos

It has been incredibly cool. I have been lucky enough to find an amazing partner in my videographer Lauren Webb…(her Vimeo page – her Tumblr). She took my rambling descriptions of what I wanted to do with these videos and is making them look even better than I had hoped they could be.

And we are just getting warmed up. Lauren’s background is actual film making…not exercise videos. As such, this first round of videos has involved a LOT of getting to know each other, our goals for the project, our expectations and what can actually be done on a shoestring budget.

Not only will we be faster with the next round of videos, they will look better and will have more features. Stay tuned.

I would also like to thank our fantastic fitness model Nicole for her patience and positive attitude…as well as her ability to bang out push up after push up after push up.

Finally, I would like to thank the Miles Nadal JCC in Toronto for providing the location for the video shoot. With that said, if you’re looking for a new gym in Toronto, I can highly recommend the JCC and suggest that you call and ask for my buddy Manny at the JCC –Call and ask for him at (416) 924-6211 x 500  or  shoot him a direct email .

Health Habits “How-To” Exercise Videos – Squats

As I promised yesterday, today’s post is the second installment of “how-to” exercise videos. Yesterday’s push-ups and today’s squats are going to be combined with a third “mystery” exercise to create a thoroughly unpleasant (and very, very effective) High Intensity Resistance Training circuit workout video that I will post on Wednesday. And as the exercise video library grows, I will create full-length (20 minute) High Intensity Resistance Training exercise videos. These videos will be posted on Thursdays…and will include instructions on how to add mobility, flexibility, HIIT and/or cardio training to the resistance training workout video to look after all your exercise needs. Alright, enough yakity yak…let’s get to the exercise videos

HealthHabits “How-To” Exercise Videos #2 – Squats

Bodyweight Squats

Goblet Squats

Overhead Squats

Tomorrow, I combine these exercises + one more “mystery” exercise into an awesome High Intensity Resistance Training circuit workout. Get ready to sweat.

NOTE – As this is my first attempt at doing workout – exercise videos, I would really, really appreciate your feedback on the quality / usability of these videos. My goal is to make them useful for people who workout at home (video on their tv sets or laptop) & at the gym (video on smartphone or tablet). 

Health Habits “How-To” Exercise Videos – Push Ups

I am launching a new project here at Health Habits.

Starting this week, I will be posting…

• a group of “how-to” exercise videos on Mondays,
• another group of “how-to” exercise videos on Tuesdays, and
• a short (4 min) High Intensity Resistance Training circuit workout video on Wednesdays

Wednesday’s 4-min circuit workout video will be made up of the exercises posted on Monday & Tuesday.

As the video library grows, I will create full-length (20 minute) High Intensity Resistance Training workout videos. These videos will be posted on Thursdays…and will include instructions on how to add mobility, flexibility, HIIT and/or cardio training to the resistance training workout video to look after all your exercise needs.

So…here we go….

HealthHabits “How-To” Exercise Videos #1 – Push Ups

Push Ups from your Knees

Push Ups – Standard

Push Ups – Single leg version

Push Ups – Feet on stability ball

NOTE – As this is my first attempt at doing exercise – workout videos, I would really, really appreciate your feedback on the quality / usability of these videos. My goal is to make them useful for people who workout at home (video on their tv sets or laptop) & at the gym (video on smartphone or tablet).

And before anyone compliments me on my awesome videographer skills with multiple camera angles and video editing and original music and all the other stuff that makes these videos look waaaaayyyy better than all the other exercise – workout videos on Youtube…..it wasn’t me. I managed to convince an amazing young videographer – Lauren Webb…(her Vimeo page – her Tumblr)  – to do all the hard work for me.

I would also like to thank our fantastic fitness model Nicole for her endurance. Even though Nicole is a super-fit personal trainer at the JCC, you wouldn’t believe how many reps she had to perform as we changed angles and played with lighting, etc. Two hours of push-ups, squats and jumping jacks…without getting sweaty and un-model-ly.

Finally, I would like to thank Manny Amaral from the Miles Nadal JCC in Toronto for providing the location for the video shoot. Everyone at the JCC is great and Manny is no exception. With that said, if you’re looking for a new gym in Toronto, I can highly recommend that you ask for my buddy Manny at the JCC – Call and ask for him at (416) 924-6211 x 500  or  shoot him a direct email .

10 Fantastic Fitness Gifs

If you like fitness…and you like gifs…you’ve come to the right place. Today’s post is a collection of fantastic fitness gifs that I whipped together last night when I couldn’t sleep 😦 Enjoy… Kettlebell (or dumbbell) Swings are one of my favorite exercises.

• They are a great way to dynamically warm up your entire body prior to your regular resistance training workout
• They are a great way to build core strength
• They are a great way to strengthen your glutes / booty / butt / rear end / badonkadonk
• They are a great way to mobilize your hips and prevent muscle imbalances & their associated aches and pains

Next Page – Stir the Pots

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The 12 Most Amazing Hollywood Physique Transformations

In Hollywood, the competition for blockbuster parts is fierce. Sometimes, the difference between landing the leading role and getting a “we’ll be in touch with your agent” brush-off can come down to whether or not…

1. you have a wicked set of abs and…
2. a set of pecs that would make Kate Upton jealous.

Seriously, if you’re looking for some motivation to help you hitting the gym and sticking to your diet, check out these amazing Hollywood physique transformations achieved by some of today’s biggest male movie stars…

 1.  Christian Bale

Christian dropped more than 60 pounds from his normal weight to play the lead role in The Machinist. In the five months between finishing that role and starting shooting for Batman Begins, Christian had to train and eat his way from 120 pounds to 220. Unfortunately, Batman director Christopher Nolan felt Bale had bulked up too much and had him drop 20 of the 100 pounds he had just gained.

Keep that in mind next time you need to drop (or gain) 5 lbs.

Quick Navigation

1. Christian Bale
2. Michael Chiklis
3. Daniel Craig
4. Russell Crowe
5. Robert DeNiro
6. Robert Downey Jr.
7. Ryan Gosling
8. Hugh Jackman
9. Edward Norton
10. Brad Pitt
11. Ryan Reynolds
12. Will Smith

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As well, you also get access to the series of Supplement Reports that I am publishing this year.

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Increase Your Bench Press…thanks to Koji Murofushi

The Koji Bench Press is known by many names:

• the Crazy Bell Bench Press,
• the Bamboo Bench Press,
• the Banded Kettlebell Bench Press,
• the Hanging Kettlebell Bench Press,
• the Crazy Plate Bench Press
• the Bandbell Bench Press
• and the Chaos Bench Press.

Whatever you call it, the Koji Bench Press has been attributed to Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi and his unique training techniques.

The general idea behind the hanging weights is to create a higher level of instability via it’s pendulum chaotic oscillating effect….taxing and strengthening the assistance / stabilizer musculature….

….preventing & repairing injuries….

…improving athletic performance…

…while exposing any weaknesses in your musculature.

NOTE – The first time you try this technique, GO LIGHT!!!!

I’m not joking. Until your nervous gets used to the Koji bench press, you’re gonna shake and shake and quite possibly dop the bar onto your face. So GO LIGHT!!!

Over time, I have found the Koji bench press to be a great tool for helping get rid of sticking points, increasing totals and helping “sore shoulder” lifters bench with less pain.

You’re going to look strange doing the Koji, but if you give it 2-3 months, you will see improvements.

How to Get Strong – The Science of Strength

In an earlier post, The Components of Physical Fitness, I divided physical fitness into it’s component parts and provided a brief introduction of each part.

In today’s post, I am going to focus on muscular strength…or as Google likes to say…how to get strong, how to get stronger, how to get brutally strong, how to get freaky strong, etc, etc, etc.

And if you plan on getting freaky strong, you’re going to need to understand the whys and hows behind getting strong. And those whys and hows are all based in science.

So….we’re going to look at some of that science to help you figure out how to maximize your own personal levels of “strong”.

Intro to Muscular Strength

How strong you are (and how strong you could be) depends on the performance of your body’s skeletal muscles.

Your body’s muscles are highly adaptable. They will react to the stresses that you place upon them.

• Sit on the couch and they will atrophy.
• Try and run fast and they adapt to produce faster contractions.
• Lift heavy objects and they will increase their ability to produce maximum strength.

Muscular Strength can and has been categorized in a variety of different ways. In this article, I am choosing to divide Muscular Strength into four categories, based primarily on Newton’s Second Law.

(force is equal to the product of mass and acceleration.) Mass relates to how much weight/mass a muscle or muscle group can move. Acceleration relates to how fast that weight/mass is moved.

By using and manipulating force, mass and acceleration, we can force our muscles to adapt and become more efficient at generating…

4 Types of Muscular Strength

• Maximum Muscular Strength
• Maximum Muscular Power
• Maximum Muscular Speed
• Maximum Muscular Endurance

NOTE – Each of these categories has different characteristics with regard to mass and acceleration

Navigation

• Introduction
• Maximum Muscular Strength
• Maximum Muscular Speed
• Maximum Muscular Endurance
• Maximum Muscular Power
• Next Page

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The Bruce Lee Workout

In the world of bodybuilding and physique transformation, one of the most highly respected physiques of all time belonged to a guy who stood 5’7″ and weighed between 130 and 165 lbs.

That’s right…at his heaviest, Bruce Lee weighed only 165 lbs.

And yet, bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger were in awe of the body he built.

So, how did he do it?

And more importantly, how can you do it?

How can you build a body like this?

Well, if you want to learn about the weightlifting routine he used to build his strength and increase his muscle mass….pick up a copy of The Art of Expressing the Human Body.

But…you will be wasting your time.

If Bruce Lee was alive today, he would not be using the training routines found inside that book.

Bruce Lee believed that as a warrior and as a person, one should never “get set into one form. One should adapt and create your own style, and let it grow, be like water”.

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water.

When you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup;

When you put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle;

When you put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot.

Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

At this point, you may be asking…what the heck does being formless like water have to do with fitness, working out and getting a wicked set of abs like Bruce Lee?

Well, I’m going to tell you.

Being formless like water means using those training techniques that work for your particular goals…and to not get all wrapped up in dogma.

• There is no perfect workout
• There is no perfect diet.

What there is, is….

• your body as it currently exists,
• your vision of how you want your body to be
• and a whole bunch of tools & techniques that may or may not help you achieve your goals.

Becoming attached to a certain training method (bodybuilding, yoga, pilates, crossfit, cardio, walking, aerobic classes, Tae-Bo, P 90X, etc…) is a sure path to stagnation and unattained goals.

The same goes for nutrition.

If the tool is ineffective, find a way to make it effective or replace it with another tool.

Be like water

Unique goals require unique solutions.

One size does not fit all.

Be fluid like water…and get a wicked set of abs like Bruce Lee

No Time to Exercise?

• Every January, approximately 3 billion people make a resolution to make exercise a daily part of their lives.
• Every February, approximately 2.99 billion people abandon their resolution because…they have no time to exercise.

Their lives are just too busy…work, kids, home, groceries, more work, youtube, etc, etc, etc… They just don’t have ANY free time…or at least that’s what they tell themselves.

What if I told you thanks to HIIT, HIRT and my gigantic fitness brain, even the world’s busiest person has more than enough time in their day to get enough exercise to be fit, healthy and outrageously super-sexy.

You would probably say prove it…so prove it I will.

THE PROOF

Last week, I was standing in the driveway speaking to one of my neighbours. After trying to squeeze me for free training advice, “Jim” proceeded to tell me how even though he paid almost $200 per month for a gym membership, he just didn’t have enough time in his day to get to the gym.

After giving “Jim” a serious eye roll, I suggested to him that he had more than enough time in his day to exercise and that he was full of BS. And after an thoroughly uncomfortable silence, I dragged him into my backyard to show him the suspension trainer that I had hanging from a tree branch.

Two minutes later, I had Jim cranking out set after set of push-ups, bodyweight rows, chin-ups and a variety of core-torturing exercises. And in less than 5 minutes, Jim was a sweaty, tired mess…and thoroughly in love with my suspension trainer.

Once Jim caught his breath, I suggested that…

1. He borrow my Jungle Gym for the week
2. Hook it up on the fire escape in his backyard/driveway
3. Agree to do a 5 min mini-workout every time he walked past the Jungle Gym.

Fast forward seven days…

• Jim has averaged 3 x 5 minute mini-workouts per day
• He feels physically great – lots of energy, stronger, etc
• He feels mentally great – less grumpy, less stressed out
• He has lost a little body-fat
• He has pumped up his flabby little-girl muscles
• And he’s buying his own Jungle Gym.

Most importantly, he admitted that I am a fitness genius and the best neighbour on the street 🙂

BUT WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A JUNGLE GYM or SOMETHING TO HANG ONE OFF OF???

Have no fear my friends.  You don’t need any fitness equipment to take advantage of these mini-workouts. Here’s the plan.

1. Select a place or activity that you visit/perform on a regular basis every day – (walk past the tv, walk into the kitchen, go to the bathroom, answer the phone, etc)
2. Every time you visit that place or perform that activity, commit to doing a mini-workout. This could be as simple as 10 push-ups off of the kitchen counter or 5 body-weight squats or 30 seconds of step-ups or as involved as a 5 minute HIRT workout on your backyard Jungle Gym.
3. The length/intensity of workout depends on how many mini-workouts you will perform over the course of your day and your personal fitness level. If you choose an activity that you perform 20 times per day, keep the workouts very short. For Jim, he started out with 2 workouts per day – walking to get his car in the morning and again when he returned home from work. As he got to enjoy his mini-workouts, he began to make excuses to head out into the backyard.

If you’re just starting out, make the individual workouts very easy…and perform a lot of them throughout the day. If you’re fitter, make the mini-workouts longer (5 min max), tougher and less frequent.

Most important, this plan needs to work with YOUR schedule if it’s going to work. We’re trying to make these workouts fit seamlessly into the rest of your day so that they become part of your “new normal”. After a few months of this, you can begin to consider a gym membership or extending your “at home” workouts into longer duration (30 min) and/or higher intensity sessions.

Here is a List of Bodyweight Exercises to get you started

• 2 leg squats
• 1 leg squats
• Assisted 1 leg squats (hold onto something stable)
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Lateral squats (side to side)
• Jumping Jacks
• Shuffle Lunges (like JJs, but moving front to back instead of side to side)
• Burpees
• Single Leg Bodyweight Deadlifts
• Step Ups – use the stairs in your house or a chair
• Hip Thrusts – 2 leg or 1 leg
• Standing Leg Kickbacks – for glutes
• Standing Leg Side Kicks
• Standing Straight Leg Front Kicks

• Bridge / Plank – Face down, face up or sideways
• Toes to the Ceiling ab exercise
• Windshield Wipers – lying on back

• Push Ups
• Back Rows – use kitchen table to hold on to
• Shoulder Press

I have included a lot of exercises for variety, but if you are just starting out, I would suggest you stick to a rotation of…

1. 2 Leg Squats
2. Push Ups
3. Back Rows
4. Lateral Squats
5. Bridge / Planks
6. 2 Leg Hip Thrusts

Click links for exercise videos

For more info, feel free to comment and/or check out the following posts.

• Feel Great with Micro Workouts
• 4 Steps to a Great HIIT Workout
• High Intensity Resistance Training – advanced stuff here

Like this article???

If you like this article, don’t forget to subscribe to @healthhabits. When you subscribe, my friends at MailChimp will make sure to send you an email every time I post something new here at the blog.

As well, you also get access to the series of Supplement Reports that I am publishing this year.

Fitness for Beginners – How to Squat

My buddy Andi is back with another exercise video.

Last week it was Push-Ups…this week, we are focusing on developing leg strength with the bodywight squat. More specifically, today’s video showcases a progression of bodyweight squat variations..from the ultra-beginner high-chair two-leg bodyweight squat..all the way to single-leg pistol squats…ouch.

Note – readers of Health Habits come in all different shapes, sizes and experience levels. Some of you will need to start with the most easiest squat variations performed in the video. Others will be ready to tackle the pistol squats. Most will be somewhere in the middle. Either way, I hope this video helps encourage you to push yourself toward greater levels of fitness.

Teaching my clients how to properly/safely squat is very, very important. Squatting is a very natural movement – babies squat before they walk. However, over time, most adults develop muscle imbalances and bad habits which made proper squatting technique next to impossible.

So…in addition to today’s video, I am going to give you two VERY important squatting tips.

1. Squatting is not about bending your knees and hips…it’s about dropping the weight of your torso straight down toward the ground. Focus on dropping your belly down between your legs.

2. Squatting involves movement in your hips, knees and ankles. Unfortunately, due to those bad habits and muscle imbalances mentioned above, most people put too much stain on their knees during the movement.

To fix that, I make sure that they shift their center of gravity backwards towards their hips…saving their knees undue load/stress. I do this by employing two “tricks”

The first is to have them squat facing a wall with their toes no more than 6 inches from the wall…forcing them to stick their butts backward.

The second trick involves some quasi-gross visualization….Imagine you got up in the middle of the night and needed to go to the bathroom…unfortunately the power was out and it was pitch black. You stagger into the bathroom, lift the seat, turn around and reach with your derrière…aiming in the dark to sit down safely without ending up on the floor.

The point of this exercise is to make them really stick their butt backwards when they squat..once again saving the knees.[/box]

Next post – Complete Core Conditioning

Reference

• Health Habits Youtube page
• Andi’s Blog
• Andi’s Youtube page
• Andi’s Twitter
• Andi’s Google+

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 11 – Day 3

It’s the last workout for week #11  and today’s workout is once again…all about HIIT and core stability.

Next Monday is all new stuff.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same workout I use with most of my clients. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We are going to alternate between 60 seconds sets of HIIT sprints and 60 seconds of static core-stability exercises.
• Keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle while you’re catching your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Set #1

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

This one is dead simple….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for two full minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Set #2

1. Prone Plank for 60 seconds total

If you can do 60 seconds straight, do that. If you need to do 6 sets of 10 seconds, do that.

Just remember to keep your core tight and don’t let your back droop. Remember, you’re a plank…flat…like a plank.

Set #3

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for two full minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Bike Sprint video
• Hill Sprint video

Set #4

1. Side Plank for 60 seconds total – 30 seconds each side

If you can do 60 seconds straight, do that. If you need to do 6 sets of 10 seconds, do that.

Just like the prone plank…remember to keep your core tight and don’t let your hips/core droop. Remember, you’re a plank…flat…like a plank.

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. If you’ve pushed yourself HARD, you might be running out of gas. If this is the case, it’s time to do the “cool down” portion of the workout and get on with the rest of your day.

For those of you who have built up more fitness skillzzz, I want you to start repeating these supersets. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional)

Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio.

Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps. First, subtract your age from 180. Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:
1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:
a. If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
b. If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
c. If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
d. If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5.

For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following:
180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

NEXT WEEK’S WORKOUTS

Monday, we start a brand new form of workouts.

[box type=”important”]And part of that workout is going to involve strength bands.

So, for the last time…I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years.

If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of  moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 11 – Day 2

Get ready for a butt-kicking (yours) combination of HIIT and timed HIRT supersets.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-upI use with my real-world clients. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We are going to alternate between 60 seconds sets of HIIT sprints and 5 minute HIRT resistance supersets.
• Keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle while you’re catching your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

This one is dead simple….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Superset #2 

1. Bulgarian Split Squats
2. Toes to the Ceiling 

• 5 Minutes – Set your timer or watch a clock
• 30 seconds per exercise per set
• For Bulgarians, alternate legs between sets
• Perform as many reps as possible with proper form
• Minimize rest between sets
• No partial reps – full range of motion
• If you need to add resistance to the squats, hold onto 1 or 2 dumbbells/kettlebells

Superset #3

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Bike Sprint video
• Hill Sprint video

Superset #4

1. Bodyweight Shoulder Press
2. Single Leg Hip Thrust – feet elevated

• 5 Minutes – Set your timer or watch a clock
• 30 seconds per exercise per set
• For Hip Thrusts, alternate legs between sets
• Perform as many reps as possible with proper form
• Minimize rest between sets
• No partial reps – full range of motion

• Bodyweight Shoulder Press video
• SL Hip Thrust video

Superset #5

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Superset #6 

1. Wide Grip Push-Ups
2. Lateral (side to side) Squats

• 5 Minutes – Set your timer or watch a clock
• 30 seconds per exercise per set
• Perform as many reps as possible…
• …with proper form – I would rather see you perform fewer reps
• Minimize rest between sets
• No partial reps – full range of motion
• If you need to add resistance to the Squats, hold onto a DB/KB
• Notice that the toes are facing forward on the squats – this is the form I want to see, but if your knees don’t like this, you’re going to need to pivot your foot as you lunge to the side – gotta look after those knees

• Wide Grip Push-Ups video
• Lateral Squats video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. If you’ve pushed yourself HARD, you might be running out of gas. If this is the case, it’s time to do the “cool down” portion of the workout and get on with the rest of your day.

For those of you who have built up more fitness skillzzz, I want you to start repeating these supersets. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional)

Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio.

Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps. First, subtract your age from 180. Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:
1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:
a. If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
b. If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
c. If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
d. If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5.

For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following:
180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]Remember…We’re going to start using bands soon…so make sure you have some…and not the crappy (and dangerous) tube-style of resistance bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years.

If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.[/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 11 – Day 1

It’s week #11 of our Best Body Transformation 2013 series, and you have just finished a very demanding portion of the program. This week, we are going to shift back to a primarily HIIT style of training program, designed to increase fitness and minimize fitness…while giving your muscles a bit of a respite from the pounding they took for the past 6 weeks.

Have fun.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same workout I use with most of my clients. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We are going to alternate between 60 seconds sets of HIIT sprints and 60 seconds of static core-stability exercises.
• Keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle while you’re catching your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Set #1

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

This one is dead simple….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for a full minute

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Set #2

1. Prone Plank for 60 seconds total

If you can do 60 seconds straight, do that. If you need to do 6 sets of 10 seconds, do that.

Just remember to keep your core tight and don’t let your back droop. Remember, you’re a plank…flat…like a plank.

Set #3

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for a full minute

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Bike Sprint video
• Hill Sprint video

Set #4

1. Side Plank for 60 seconds total – 30 seconds each side

If you can do 60 seconds straight, do that. If you need to do 6 sets of 10 seconds, do that.

Just like the prone plank…remember to keep your core tight and don’t let your hips/core droop. Remember, you’re a plank…flat…like a plank.

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. If you’ve pushed yourself HARD, you might be running out of gas. If this is the case, it’s time to do the “cool down” portion of the workout and get on with the rest of your day.

For those of you who have built up more fitness skillzzz, I want you to start repeating these supersets. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional)

Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio.

Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps. First, subtract your age from 180. Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:
1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:
a. If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
b. If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
c. If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
d. If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5.

For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following:
180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]In 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training.

I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years.

If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.

Note – I will put together a quick article tomorrow outlining which bands you might want to buy.[/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 10 – Day 3

Last workout of the week!!!! Congrats for making it through the end.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work. Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Shrug Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Inch Worms

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Rows and Inch Worms
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between Rows & Worms
• Perform 2-4 supersets
• You’re aiming for 4 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

What the Heck is a Shrug Row?

It’s the same movement as the regular row, except…you don’t bend your elbows. The entire movement happens in your upper back. It will feel really odd at first, but it is a GREAT back builder.

• Cable Shrug Row video – I couldn’t find a BW Shrug Row
• Inch Worm video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

Imagine her doing this single leg

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust – with a straight leg (don’t bend the knee)
2. Toes to the Ceiling

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Hip Thrust Left/Hip Thrust Right/Toes to the  Ceiling
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• Straight Leg Hip Thrust video – in the video, the guy is doing double legs…you do single
• Toes to the Ceiling video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Reverse Lunge
2. Body Weight SkullCrushers

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercises
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Reverse Lunge left leg/Reverse Lunge right leg/BW SkullCrushers
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• Reverse Lunge video
• BW Skullcrusher video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning. Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

  [box type=”important”]Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me. Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 10 – Day 2

It’s the last time you are EVER going to do this workout…so give it your best effort.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Prone Plank or Stir the Pots

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the rows
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For the Planks/Stir the Pots – do 30 seconds per set
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between rows & core
• Perform 2-4 supersets
• You’re aiming for 4 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• BW Row video
• Plank video
• Stir the Pot video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

1. Bulgarian Split Squat
2. Ab Vacuum

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Bulgarians
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout.

Ab Vacuums are performed as follows…

1. Exhale all the air out of your lungs.
2. Suck in your gut like Mr. Zane in the pic below
3. Hold it for time.
4. For this workout, I want you to give me 150% of the hold time you did last week – If you did 10 seconds, I need you to give me 15 sec today.

• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Bulgarian Left/Bulgarian Right/Ab Vacuum
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• Bulgarian Split Squat video
• Ab Vacuum video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift
2. Body Weight Rows – Underhand/Palms toward you

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate SLDL left leg/SLDL right leg/BW Rows
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• SLDL video
• BW Row – palms facing video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Friday, we get back to a resistance training.

Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Reference

• Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption

Fitness for Beginners – How To Do Push-Ups

Every January, gyms/health clubs/fitness centers around the world fill up with fitness virgins…eager to get in shape, drop a few pounds and transform their fat into fit.

Unfortunately, most of those newbies have no idea how to properly and safely perform resistance exercises…and are left to flail and flounder until they eventually quit out of frustration, embarrasment and/or injury.

So…as a public service, we are starting this series of how-to videos for beginners. In this first video, my buddy Andi shows us a number of different Push-Up versions…starting with Wall Push-Ups (designed for the absolute beginner) and progressing all the way to some truly nasty Superman Clap Push-Ups.

All of these different push-up variations have one thing in common…good form Tight core muscles…not letting your back/belly droop. Tight leg muscles..helping you transmit energy effectively Shoulder blades retracted and held tight…protecting the shoulder joint from potential energy Proper breathing pattern – exhaling a thin stream of air as you push-up and inhaling a thin stream of air as you lower down to the floor[/box]

Next post….Bodyweight Squat variations

Reference

• Health Habits Youtube page
• Andi’s Blog
• Andi’s Youtube page
• Andi’s Twitter
• Andi’s Google+

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 10 – Day 1

This is the last week for this program. Next week is all-new stuff.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Push-Ups
2. McGill Crunches

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with push-ups in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• If you can’t do floor push-ups, please modify with an easier version – push-ups off of a bench/chair for example.
• Same protocol for the McGill Crunches
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between push-ups and crunches
• Perform 2-4 supersets
• You’re aiming for 4 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• Push-Up video
• McGill Crunch video

Calisthenics #1

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #2

1. 1 Leg Hip Thrust – with bent knee
2. Side Plank

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Hip Thrusts
• Perform 75 % of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For Side Planks, I want 30 seconds per set per side
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Hip Thrust one leg / Plank one side / Hip Thrust other leg / Plank other side
• Perform this sequence 2 times
• This means you will do 2 sets per leg and 2 sets of planks to each side

Calisthenics #2

1. Jumping Jacks – 40 reps

Superset #3

1. Lateral Squat
2. Body-Weight Shoulder Press

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 75 % of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Lateral Squat to the left/ Lateral Squat to the right / Shoulder Press
• Perform this sequence 2 times
• This means you will do 2 sets of presses and 2 sets to each side for lateral squats

• Lateral Squat video
• BW Shoulder Press video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]In a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 9 – Day 3

Last workout of the week!!!!

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work. Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Shrug Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Inch Worms

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Rows and Inch Worms
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between Rows & Worms
• Perform 3-6 supersets
• You’re aiming for 6 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

What the Heck is a Shrug Row?

It’s the same movement as the regular row, except…you don’t bend your elbows. The entire movement happens in your upper back. It will feel really odd at first, but it is a GREAT back builder.

• Cable Shrug Row video – I couldn’t find a BW Shrug Row
• Inch Worm video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

Imagine her doing this single leg

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust – with a straight leg (don’t bend the knee)
2. Toes to the Ceiling

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Hip Thrust Left/Hip Thrust Right/Toes to the  Ceiling
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• Straight Leg Hip Thrust video – in the video, the guy is doing double legs…you do single
• Toes to the Ceiling video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Reverse Lunge
2. Body Weight SkullCrushers

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercises
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Reverse Lunge left leg/Reverse Lunge right leg/BW SkullCrushers
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• Reverse Lunge video
• BW Skullcrusher video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning. Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

  [box type=”important”]Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me. Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

ANGRY Workout Music Playlist

Most of the time, my brain is able to tune out the incredibly lame music they play at most gyms/health clubs.

However…when it comes time to dive into a heavy lifting, kick your own butt kind of workout, having to hear the latest Ke$ha song in the background is a HUGE distraction.

That’s when I slap on the headphones and start cranking the official Health Habits ANGRY Workout Music Playlist.

[box type=”note”]This is not the music you want to listen to while doing cardio or pilates or zumba or driving the car or making dinner or just about anything other than unleashing all your aggression on a pile of heavy weights at the gym. This stuff is going to unleash your inner barbarian[/box]

BAND	SONG
Motörhead	Ace Of Spades
Nirvana	Aneurysm
Silverchair	Anthem For The Year 2000
Skinny Puppy	Assimilate
AC DC	Back In Black
Kid Rock	Bawitdaba
Nine Inch Nails	Bite The Hand That Feeds
Public Enemy	Black Steel In The Hour O…
LINKIN PARK	Bleed It Out
Rage Against The Machine	Bombtrack
Linkin Park	Breaking The Habit
Nirvana	Breed
Public Enemy	Bring The Noise
DMX	Bring Your Whole Crew
Rage Against The Machine	Bullet In The Head
Rage Against The Machine	Bulls On Parade
Five Finger Death Punch	Burn It Down
Ministry	Burning Inside
Rage Against The Machine	Calm Like A Bomb
Skrillex	Cat Rats
Skinny Puppy	Chainsaw
Saliva	Click Click Boom
Audioslave	Cochise
Ozzy Osbourne	Crazy Train
Rage Against The Machine	Darkness (lp Version)
Foo Fighters	Darling Nikki
Skinny Puppy	Dig It (short Edit)
Disturbed	Down With The Sickness
Rob Zombie	Dragula
Nirvana	Drain You
White Zombie	Electric Head, Pt. 1
White Zombie	Electric Head, Pt. 2
Foo Fighters	Everlong
Ministry	Everyday Is Halloween
Public Enemy	Fight The Power
The Prodigy	Firestarter
SKRILLEX	First Of The Year
Rage Against The Machine	Fistful Of Steel
Rage Against The Machine	Freedom
NWA	Fuck The Police
Skrillex	Fucking Die 01
Rollins Band	Going Out Strange
Rage Against The Machine	Guerilla Radio
Nine Inch Nails	Head Like A Hole
Matthew Good Band	Hello Time Bomb
Filter	Hey Man Nice Shot
Nirvana	In Bloom
Linkin Park	In The End
House Of Pain	Jump Around
Skrillex	Kill Everybody
Rage Against The Machine	Killing In The Name Of
Eminem	Lose Yourself
Bush	Machinehead
Rage Against The Machine	Maggie’s Farm
Skrillex & Damian Marley	Make It Bun Dem
LL Cool J	Mama Said Knock You Out
Rage Against The Machine	Maria
Rage Against The Machine	Mic Check
Marilyn Manson	Mobscene
White Zombie	More Human Than Human
KMFDM	Mortal Kombat Theme
Foo Fighters	My Hero
Rage Against The Machine	New Millennium Homes
Rage Against The Machine	No Shelter
Limp Bizkit	Nookie
Soundgarden	Outshined
Linkin Park	Papercut
Rage Against The Machine	People Of The Sun
Ministry	Psalm 69
Skrillex	Reptile
Various Artists	Resident Evil Main Title …
DMX	Ruff Ryders’ Anthem
Beastie Boys	Sabotage
Skrillex	Scary Monsters And Nice S…
The Offspring	Self-Esteem
Rage Against The Machine	Settle For Nothing
Rage Against The Machine	Sleep Now In The Fire
Nirvana	Smells Like Teen Spirit
Beastie Boys	So Whatcha Want
Foo Fighters	Stacked Actors
Nine Inch Nails	Starfuckers, Inc.
Ministry	Stigmata
Nirvana	Territorial Pissings
Common	Testify
Rage Against The Machine	Testify
Marilyn Manson	The Beautiful People
Five Finger Death Punch	The Bleeding
Motörhead / Lemmy	The Game
Nine Inch Nails	The Perfect Drug
Foo Fighters	The Pretender
Rob Zombie	Thunderkiss
ACDC	Thunderstruck
Eminem	’till I Collapse
ACDC	Tnt
Rage Against The Machine	Township Rebellion
Rage Against The Machine	Vietnow
Rage Against The Machine	Voice Of The Voiceless
Rage Against The Machine	Wake Up
Guns N’ Roses	Welcome To the Jungle
Rage Against The Machine	Year Of Tha Boomerang
Death From Above 1979	You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine

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Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 9 – Day 2

Same exercises as last week…with the new rep/set scheme that we started on Monday.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Prone Plank or Stir the Pots

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the rows
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For the Planks/Stir the Pots – do 30 seconds per set
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between rows & core
• Perform 3-6 supersets
• You’re aiming for 6 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• BW Row video
• Plank video
• Stir the Pot video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

1. Bulgarian Split Squat
2. Ab Vacuum

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Bulgarians
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout.

Ab Vacuums are performed as follows…

1. Exhale all the air out of your lungs.
2. Suck in your gut like Mr. Zane in the pic below
3. Hold it for time.
4. For this workout, I want you to give me 150% of the hold time you did last week – If you did 10 seconds, I need you to give me 15 sec today.

• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Bulgarian Left/Bulgarian Right/Ab Vacuum
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• Bulgarian Split Squat video
• Ab Vacuum video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift
2. Body Weight Rows – Underhand/Palms toward you

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate SLDL left leg/SLDL right leg/BW Rows
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• SLDL video
• BW Row – palms facing video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Friday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Reference

• Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 9 – Day 1

This week’s workouts are identical to last week, except for one major difference….we’re decreasing the number of sets while increasing the number of reps per set. This is the second time through on this workout and I expect you to do better than last time.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Push-Ups
2. McGill Crunches

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with push-ups in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• If you can’t do floor push-ups, please modify with an easier version – push-ups off of a bench/chair for example.
• Same protocol for the McGill Crunches
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between push-ups and crunches
• Perform 3-6 supersets
• You’re aiming for 6 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• Push-Up video
• McGill Crunch video

Calisthenics #1

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #2

1. 1 Leg Hip Thrust – with bent knee
2. Side Plank

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Hip Thrusts
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For Side Planks, I want 30 seconds per set per side
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Hip Thrust one leg / Plank one side / Hip Thrust other leg / Plank other side
• Perform this sequence 3 times
• This means you will do 3 sets per leg and 3 sets of planks to each side

Calisthenics #2

1. Jumping Jacks – 40 reps

Superset #3

1. Lateral Squat
2. Body-Weight Shoulder Press

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Lateral Squat to the left/ Lateral Squat to the right / Shoulder Press
• Perform this sequence 3 times
• This means you will do 3 sets of presses and 3 sets to each side for lateral squats

• Lateral Squat video
• BW Shoulder Press video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]In a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 8 – Day 3

Last workout of the week!!!!

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work. Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Shrug Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Inch Worms

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Rows and Inch Worms
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between Rows & Worms
• Perform 4-8 supersets
• You’re aiming for 8 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

What the Heck is a Shrug Row?

It’s the same movement as the regular row, except…you don’t bend your elbows. The entire movement happens in your upper back. It will feel really odd at first, but it is a GREAT back builder.

• Cable Shrug Row video – I couldn’t find a BW Shrug Row
• Inch Worm video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

Imagine her doing this single leg

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust – with a straight leg (don’t bend the knee)
2. Toes to the Ceiling

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Hip Thrust Left/Hip Thrust Right/Toes to the  Ceiling
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• Straight Leg Hip Thrust video – in the video, the guy is doing double legs…you do single
• Toes to the Ceiling video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Reverse Lunge
2. Body Weight SkullCrushers

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercises
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Reverse Lunge left leg/Reverse Lunge right leg/BW SkullCrushers
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• Reverse Lunge video
• BW Skullcrusher video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning. Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

Remember…in 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me. Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 8 – Day 2

Get ready to sweat people…this workout is going to send your EPOC* through the roof.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• We’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Prone Plank or Stir the Pots

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the rows
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For the Planks/Stir the Pots – do 30 seconds per set
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between rows & core
• Perform 4-8 supersets
• You’re aiming for 8 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• BW Row video
• Plank video
• Stir the Pot video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

1. Bulgarian Split Squat
2. Ab Vacuum

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Bulgarians
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout.

Ab Vacuums are performed as follows…

1. Exhale all the air out of your lungs.
2. Suck in your gut like Mr. Zane in the pic below
3. Hold it for time.
4. For this workout, I want a maximum of 30 seconds

• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Bulgarian Left/Bulgarian Right/Ab Vacuum
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• Bulgarian Split Squat video
• Ab Vacuum video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift
2. Body Weight Rows – Underhand/Palms toward you

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate SLDL left leg/SLDL right leg/BW Rows
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• SLDL video
• BW Row – palms facing video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Friday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]Remember…in 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 8 – Day 1

It’s week #8 and we’re getting a second shot at the workout we did in Week #5.

If the program is working like I designed it, you should improve  your performance in all of the supersets.

Alright….let’s get to work.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• We’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Push-Ups
2. McGill Crunches

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with push-ups in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• If you can’t do floor push-ups, please modify with an easier version – push-ups off of a bench/chair for example.
• Same protocol for the McGill Crunches
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between push-ups and crunches
• Perform 4-8 supersets
• You’re aiming for 8 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• Push-Up video
• McGill Crunch video

Calisthenics #1

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #2

1. 1 Leg Hip Thrust – with bent knee
2. Side Plank

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Hip Thrusts
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For Side Planks, I want 30 seconds per set per side
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Hip Thrust one leg / Plank one side / Hip Thrust other leg / Plank other side
• Perform this sequence 4 times
• This means you will do 4 sets per leg and 4 sets of planks to each side

Calisthenics #2

1. Jumping Jacks – 40 reps

Superset #3

1. Lateral Squat
2. Body-Weight Shoulder Press

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Lateral Squat to the left/ Lateral Squat to the right / Shoulder Press
• Perform this sequence 4 times
• This means you will do 4 sets of presses and 4 sets to each side for lateral squats

• Lateral Squat video
• BW Shoulder Press video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

In 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 7 – Day 3

Last workout of the week!!!!

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work. Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Shrug Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Inch Worms

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Rows and Inch Worms
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between Rows & Worms
• Perform 2-4 supersets
• You’re aiming for 4 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

What the Heck is a Shrug Row?

It’s the same movement as the regular row, except…you don’t bend your elbows. The entire movement happens in your upper back. It will feel really odd at first, but it is a GREAT back builder.

• Cable Shrug Row video – I couldn’t find a BW Shrug Row
• Inch Worm video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

Imagine her doing this single leg

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust – with a straight leg (don’t bend the knee)
2. Toes to the Ceiling

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Hip Thrust Left/Hip Thrust Right/Toes to the  Ceiling
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• Straight Leg Hip Thrust video – in the video, the guy is doing double legs…you do single
• Toes to the Ceiling video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Reverse Lunge
2. Body Weight SkullCrushers

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercises
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Reverse Lunge left leg/Reverse Lunge right leg/BW SkullCrushers
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• Reverse Lunge video
• BW Skullcrusher video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning. Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

  [box type=”important”]Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me. Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 7 – Day 2

Same exercises as last week…with the new rep/set scheme that we started on Monday.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Prone Plank or Stir the Pots

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the rows
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For the Planks/Stir the Pots – do 30 seconds per set
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between rows & core
• Perform 2-4 supersets
• You’re aiming for 4 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• BW Row video
• Plank video
• Stir the Pot video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

1. Bulgarian Split Squat
2. Ab Vacuum

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Bulgarians
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout.

Ab Vacuums are performed as follows…

1. Exhale all the air out of your lungs.
2. Suck in your gut like Mr. Zane in the pic below
3. Hold it for time.
4. For this workout, I want you to give me 150% of the hold time you did last week – If you did 10 seconds, I need you to give me 15 sec today.

• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Bulgarian Left/Bulgarian Right/Ab Vacuum
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• Bulgarian Split Squat video
• Ab Vacuum video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift
2. Body Weight Rows – Underhand/Palms toward you

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate SLDL left leg/SLDL right leg/BW Rows
• Perform this sequence 2 times

• SLDL video
• BW Row – palms facing video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Friday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Reference

• Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 7 – Day 1

This week’s workouts are identical to last week, except for one major difference

• We’re decreasing the number of sets while increasing the reps per set….again.

And remember…. If you find that the program is too complicated for you, please please please leave a comment and I will modify it. Seriously…leave a comment. You will be doing me and the rest of the readers a big favor.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Push-Ups
2. McGill Crunches

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 75% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with push-ups in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• If you can’t do floor push-ups, please modify with an easier version – push-ups off of a bench/chair for example.
• Same protocol for the McGill Crunches
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between push-ups and crunches
• Perform 2-4 supersets
• You’re aiming for 4 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• Push-Up video
• McGill Crunch video

Calisthenics #1

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #2

1. 1 Leg Hip Thrust – with bent knee
2. Side Plank

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Hip Thrusts
• Perform 75 % of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For Side Planks, I want 30 seconds per set per side
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Hip Thrust one leg / Plank one side / Hip Thrust other leg / Plank other side
• Perform this sequence 2 times
• This means you will do 2 sets per leg and 2 sets of planks to each side

Calisthenics #2

1. Jumping Jacks – 40 reps

Superset #3

1. Lateral Squat
2. Body-Weight Shoulder Press

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 75 % of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 9 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Lateral Squat to the left/ Lateral Squat to the right / Shoulder Press
• Perform this sequence 2 times
• This means you will do 2 sets of presses and 2 sets to each side for lateral squats

• Lateral Squat video
• BW Shoulder Press video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

In a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 6 – Day 3

Last workout of the week!!!!

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work. Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Shrug Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Inch Worms

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Rows and Inch Worms
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between Rows & Worms
• Perform 3-6 supersets
• You’re aiming for 6 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

What the Heck is a Shrug Row?

It’s the same movement as the regular row, except…you don’t bend your elbows. The entire movement happens in your upper back. It will feel really odd at first, but it is a GREAT back builder.

• Cable Shrug Row video – I couldn’t find a BW Shrug Row
• Inch Worm video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

Imagine her doing this single leg

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust – with a straight leg (don’t bend the knee)
2. Toes to the Ceiling

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Hip Thrust Left/Hip Thrust Right/Toes to the  Ceiling
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• Straight Leg Hip Thrust video – in the video, the guy is doing double legs…you do single
• Toes to the Ceiling video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Reverse Lunge
2. Body Weight SkullCrushers

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercises
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Reverse Lunge left leg/Reverse Lunge right leg/BW SkullCrushers
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• Reverse Lunge video
• BW Skullcrusher video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning. Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me. Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

The Human Body is an Amazing Machine

One of the most important things I can do as a personal trainer is convince my new clients that their body is capable of making amazing improvements if they are willing to put in the work.

To prove that point to one of my most incredibly stubborn male clients, I decided to challenge him to a little contest.

The deal was that between Novemeber and March, we would both follow the same training, nutrition and supplement programs.

• If he stuck to the program (90% adherence) and didn’t see a big change, I would refund everything he paid me for personal training.
• If he stuck to the program and did see a big change, he had to give me 5 pairs of his Toronto Blue Jays season tickets.
• If he didn’t stick to the program, I got the tickets and a weekend with his lady…a 1963 Corvette Stingray.

• And if I didn’t stick to the program…I had to refund his money regardless of how he did.

Fast forward to March 2013

• We both stuck with the program
• My client gained 18 pounds (12 muscle/6 fat)
• My client increased every test lift (10 lifts) by a minimum of 34%
• My client increased his 3 target lifts as follows:

1. Squat went from 185 lbs x 5 reps to 365 x 5 reps
2. Bench Press went from 205 lbs x 1 to 295 lbs x 1 rep
3. Hanging Deadlift (from knees) from 225 lbs x 1 rep to 505 lbs x 1 rep

Not bad for a 48 year old guy with bad knees and a creaky lower back.

What about Me???

• I gained 49 pounds (23 muscle/26 fat) 
• My test lifts increased by a minimum of 35%
• My 3 target lifts went back to levels I haven’t achieved in a decade:

1. Squat went from 475 lbs x 5 reps to 675 lbs x 5 reps
2. Bench Press went from 405 lbs x 1 rep to 545 lbs x 1 rep
3. Hanging Deadlift went from 525 lbs x 5 reps to 765 lbs x 5 reps

What Now?

• My client is going to start following a strict Paleo diet with the goal of dropping 15 lbs of body-fat before summer. We are also switching his training from strength to fitness/agility/speed and overall health.
• I have started back on a hybrid Paleo diet designed to melt off all that body-fat I gained eating potatoes and rice. Like my client, I am going to switch my focus from strength to fitness/agility/speed and overall health. Along with the fat gain, my 43 year-old joints aren’t too happy about the strength/size phase. My knees and shoulders hurt…even with all of the rehab & mobility work I did over the winter.

Conclusion

The Human Body is an Amazing Machine.

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 6 – Day 2

Same exercises as last week…with the new rep/set scheme that we started on Monday.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Prone Plank or Stir the Pots

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the rows
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For the Planks/Stir the Pots – do 30 seconds per set
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between rows & core
• Perform 3-6 supersets
• You’re aiming for 6 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• BW Row video
• Plank video
• Stir the Pot video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

1. Bulgarian Split Squat
2. Ab Vacuum

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Bulgarians
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout.

Ab Vacuums are performed as follows…

1. Exhale all the air out of your lungs.
2. Suck in your gut like Mr. Zane in the pic below
3. Hold it for time.
4. For this workout, I want you to give me 150% of the hold time you did last week – If you did 10 seconds, I need you to give me 15 sec today.

• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Bulgarian Left/Bulgarian Right/Ab Vacuum
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• Bulgarian Split Squat video
• Ab Vacuum video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift
2. Body Weight Rows – Underhand/Palms toward you

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 50% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 6 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate SLDL left leg/SLDL right leg/BW Rows
• Perform this sequence 3 times

• SLDL video
• BW Row – palms facing video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Friday, we get back to a resistance training.

Remember…in a few weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.

Reference

• Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 5 – Day 3

Last workout of the week!!!!

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work. Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Shrug Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Inch Worms

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Rows and Inch Worms
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between Rows & Worms
• Perform 4-8 supersets
• You’re aiming for 8 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

What the Heck is a Shrug Row?

It’s the same movement as the regular row, except…you don’t bend your elbows. The entire movement happens in your upper back. It will feel really odd at first, but it is a GREAT back builder.

• Cable Shrug Row video – I couldn’t find a BW Shrug Row
• Inch Worm video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

Imagine her doing this single leg

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust – with a straight leg (don’t bend the knee)
2. Toes to the Ceiling

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Hip Thrust Left/Hip Thrust Right/Toes to the  Ceiling
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• Straight Leg Hip Thrust video – in the video, the guy is doing double legs…you do single
• Toes to the Ceiling video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Reverse Lunge
2. Body Weight SkullCrushers

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercises
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Reverse Lunge left leg/Reverse Lunge right leg/BW SkullCrushers
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• Reverse Lunge video
• BW Skullcrusher video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning. Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

Remember…in 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me. Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 5 – Day 2

Get ready to sweat people…this workout is going to send your EPOC* through the roof.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Body Weight Rows – Overhand/Palms away from you
2. Prone Plank or Stir the Pots

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the rows
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with BW rows in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For the Planks/Stir the Pots – do 30 seconds per set
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between rows & core
• Perform 4-8 supersets
• You’re aiming for 8 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• BW Row video
• Plank video
• Stir the Pot video

Calisthenics #1

1. Jumping Jacks – 20-40 reps

• I want these performed quickly…if that means 20 reps instead of 40 reps….so be it.

Superset #2

1. Bulgarian Split Squat
2. Ab Vacuum

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Bulgarians
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout.

Ab Vacuums are performed as follows…

1. Exhale all the air out of your lungs.
2. Suck in your gut like Mr. Zane in the pic below
3. Hold it for time.
4. For this workout, I want a maximum of 30 seconds

• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between exercises – Bulgarian Left/Bulgarian Right/Ab Vacuum
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• Bulgarian Split Squat video
• Ab Vacuum video

Calisthenics #2

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #3

1. Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift
2. Body Weight Rows – Underhand/Palms toward you

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate SLDL left leg/SLDL right leg/BW Rows
• Perform this sequence 4 times

• SLDL video
• BW Row – palms facing video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Friday, we get back to a resistance training.

Remember…in 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.

Reference

• Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption

You Have to Respect…Mommy Strength

As a 10 year old boy, I was rudely introduced to Mommy Strength when my mother, fed up with her two squabbling sons, picked us both up…tucked one underneath each arm…walked us inside the house and proceeded to explain why the fraternal-fisticuffs were going to stop and brotherly love would become the new normal in her house.

Needless to say, both my brother and I were more than a little freaked out by how easily my Mom totally wo-manhandled the two of us.

Mommy strength isn’t about developing perfectly perky biceps…it’s about being able to perform the world’s most difficult job to the best of your abilities.

And here are 4 strength tips designed to maximize your Mommy Strength ...without turning you into a She-Hulk.

1.  Compound Movements

Don’t waste your time with bicep curls and tricep kickbacks. Focus on multi-joint movements that use a group of different muscles to perform the movement. Here are some of my favorite compound movements:

• Squats
• Chest Presses or Push Ups
• Hip Thrusts
• Overhead Presses
• Wood Chops
• Single Leg Straight-Leg Deadlift
• Waiter’s Walk
• Pull-Ups / Pull-Downs
• Bodyweight Rows
• Ab-Wheel Roll-Outs
• Bulgarian Split-Squat
• Thrusters

2.  Core Strength

One of the unfortunate truths about our bodies is that the lower back is treated like the runt of the litter by the rest of the muscles and joints. For example, if your legs are tired or too weak to perform a movement, it will shift some of the effort to the muscles of the lower back. And your lower back will happily (or unhappily) take the load.

Unfortunately, when your lower back is tired or sore, none of the other muscle groups are as willing to take the load. The lower back is stuck with the work…and this leads to pain, inflammation, swelling, spastic muscles and more pain.

To prevent this from happening, Moms who want to be Mommy Strong should spend time developing their core strength. Here are some of my favorite core exercises:

• Ab-Wheel Roll-Outs
• Toes to the Sky
• Wood Chops
• McGill Crunch
• Reverse Back Hyperestension
• Waiter’s Walk
• Inch Worms
• Stir the Pots

3.  Joint Mobility

Strong Mommies don’t have time for the stiff necks, sore lower backs and achy shoulders that come from lugging two squabbling kids in from the back yard.

That’s why they need to…

1. Tenderize stiff muscles,
2. Eliminate muscle imbalances, and
3. Prevent structural damage caused by #’s 1 & 2

Here are some of my favorite techniques for keeping Strong Mommies pain free.

• Muscle tenderizing with a Foam Roller
• Compression
• Muscle tenderizing with a ball
• Traction
• Resistance Stretching
• Micro Stretching
• TENS
• Dynamic mobility/stretching

4.  Posterior Chain Strength

As a personal trainer, I am always meeting new clients who have decent strength in their arms, abs, and quads…but are much weaker in their upper back, lower backs, hamstrings and booty.

This imbalance between the muscles on the front of your body (anterior chain) and the muscles on the back of your body (posterior chain) will lead to all sorts of problems down the road.

Here are some of my favorite posterior chain exercises:

• Hip Thrusts
• Glute-Ham Raise
• Single Leg Straight-Leg Deadlift
• Waiter’s Walk
• Reverse Back Hyperestension
• Partial Deadlifts – from knee height
• Face Pulls
• Shrug Pulldowns
• Rear Delt Flyes
• Shrug Rows

For more Mommy Strength advice, feel free to sign up for email updates or follow me on Twitter

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 5 – Day 1

It’s week #5 and we’re about to launch a 6 week program that…

1. Is loaded with advanced training methodologies,
2. BUT is designed to be simple enough for a beginner to understand and execute.

That’s the plan…. If you find that the program is too complicated for you, please please please leave a comment and I will modify it. Seriously…leave a comment. You will be doing me and the rest of the readers a big favor.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-up as always. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We’re  not going to be timing your supersets this time. However, I do want you to time the “WORKOUT” part of the workout – 30 minutes – not including warm-up and cool down. Start your timer when you are starting the work sets. When the timer goes off, move on to the COOL DOWN.
• We are going to alternate between resistance training supersets and calisthenic style exercises (ex jumping jacks).
• Like the first 4 weeks, we’re going to keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle if you need to catch your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. Push-Ups
2. McGill Crunches

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for each exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do with push-ups in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• If you can’t do floor push-ups, please modify with an easier version – push-ups off of a bench/chair for example.
• Same protocol for the McGill Crunches
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate between push-ups and crunches
• Perform 4-8 supersets
• You’re aiming for 8 supersets, but I wan’t you to stop if you form starts to get sloppy

• Push-Up video
• McGill Crunch video

Calisthenics #1

1. Dynamic Scissor Lunges – 40 reps

• Feel free to sacrifice a little depth to keep up the speed and get your 40 reps.
• Think of this more like jumping jacks than strength-training lunges

• Scissor Lunge video

Superset #2

1. 1 Leg Hip Thrust – with bent knee
2. Side Plank

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for the Hip Thrusts
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• For Side Planks, I want 30 seconds per set per side
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Hip Thrust one leg / Plank one side / Hip Thrust other leg / Plank other side
• Perform this sequence 4 times
• This means you will do 4 sets per leg and 4 sets of planks to each side

Calisthenics #2

1. Jumping Jacks – 40 reps

Superset #3

1. Lateral Squat
2. Body-Weight Shoulder Press

• Guess-timate the maximum number of reps you could do for both exercise
• Perform 25% of those reps per set
• For example, If the best you can do in a single set is 12 reps, I want you to do 3 reps per set for this workout. It won’t seem like much, but it’s part of my master plan for you.
• Minimize rest between sets
• Alternate Lateral Squat to the left/ Lateral Squat to the right / Shoulder Press
• Perform this sequence 4 times
• This means you will do 4 sets of presses and 4 sets to each side for lateral squats

• Lateral Squat video
• BW Shoulder Press video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. For some of you, the 30 min timer may have gone off before you finished the entire workout. For others, you may finish so quickly that you have to start over again at the beginning.

Either way, when the 30 minutes buzzer goes off, it’s time to stop and move on to the Cool-Down portion of the workout.

Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles.

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional) Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio. Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps.

• First, subtract your age from 180.
• Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:

1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5. For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following: 180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

[box type=”important”]In 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training. I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years. If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness.

Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way. [/box]

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 4 – Day 3

It’s the last workout for week #4 of our Best Body Transformation 2013 series and today’s workout is once again…all about HIIT and core stability.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same workout I use with most of my clients. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We are going to alternate between 60 seconds sets of HIIT sprints and 60 seconds of static core-stability exercises.
• Keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle while you’re catching your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Set #1

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

This one is dead simple….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for two full minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Set #2

1. Prone Plank for 60 seconds total

If you can do 60 seconds straight, do that. If you need to do 6 sets of 10 seconds, do that.

Just remember to keep your core tight and don’t let your back droop. Remember, you’re a plank…flat…like a plank.

Set #3

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for two full minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Bike Sprint video
• Hill Sprint video

Set #4

1. Side Plank for 60 seconds total – 30 seconds each side

If you can do 60 seconds straight, do that. If you need to do 6 sets of 10 seconds, do that.

Just like the prone plank…remember to keep your core tight and don’t let your hips/core droop. Remember, you’re a plank…flat…like a plank.

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. If you’ve pushed yourself HARD, you might be running out of gas. If this is the case, it’s time to do the “cool down” portion of the workout and get on with the rest of your day.

For those of you who have built up more fitness skillzzz, I want you to start repeating these supersets. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional)

Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio.

Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps. First, subtract your age from 180. Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:
1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:
a. If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
b. If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
c. If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
d. If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5.

For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following:
180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

NEXT WEEK’S WORKOUTS

Monday, we start a brand new form of workouts.

Remember….in 1 or 2 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training.

I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years.

If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.

Note – I will put together a quick article tomorrow outlining which bands you might want to buy.

Best Body Workout – 2013 – Week 4 – Day 2

It’s week #4 / Day #2 of our Best Body Transformation 2013 series and today’s workout is a combination of HIIT and timed HIRT supersets…like we did the first 3 weeks.

THE WARM-UP

This is the same warm-upI use with my real-world clients. The goal is to lubricate your joints, mentally get you in workout mode  and physically warm up your muscles – making them more elastic and ready to work.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

• video 1
• video 2

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

• video

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

• video

THE WORKOUT

• We are going to alternate between 60 seconds sets of HIIT sprints and 5 minute HIRT resistance supersets.
• Keep rest periods as short as YOUR fitness level will allow.
• No sitting while you’re resting – stretch a muscle while you’re catching your breath
• Don’t sacrifice good for for a few extra reps – watch the videos
• Push yourself as hard as YOU can. Pretend I am there…screaming at you!!!!

Superset #1

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

This one is dead simple….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Superset #2 

1. Bulgarian Split Squats
2. Toes to the Ceiling 

• 5 Minutes – Set your timer or watch a clock
• 30 seconds per exercise per set
• For Bulgarians, alternate legs between sets
• Perform as many reps as possible with proper form
• Minimize rest between sets
• No partial reps – full range of motion
• If you need to add resistance to the squats, hold onto 1 or 2 dumbbells/kettlebells

Superset #3

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Bike Sprint video
• Hill Sprint video

Superset #4

1. Bodyweight Shoulder Press
2. Single Leg Hip Thrust – feet elevated

• 5 Minutes – Set your timer or watch a clock
• 30 seconds per exercise per set
• For Hip Thrusts, alternate legs between sets
• Perform as many reps as possible with proper form
• Minimize rest between sets
• No partial reps – full range of motion

• Bodyweight Shoulder Press video
• SL Hip Thrust video

Superset #5

1. HIIT Sprints – stair step-ups or bike or hill sprints or elliptical or…

Same as Set #1….

• Walk over to a flight of stairs.
• Step up and down on a single step as fast as you can for 10 seconds
• Rest 10 seconds
• Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes

• If you have cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, treadmill), feel free to substitute

• Stair Step-Up video
• Elliptical Sprint video

Superset #6 

1. Wide Grip Push-Ups
2. Lateral (side to side) Squats

• 5 Minutes – Set your timer or watch a clock
• 30 seconds per exercise per set
• Perform as many reps as possible…
• …with proper form – I would rather see you perform fewer reps
• Minimize rest between sets
• No partial reps – full range of motion
• If you need to add resistance to the Squats, hold onto a DB/KB
• Notice that the toes are facing forward on the squats – this is the form I want to see, but if your knees don’t like this, you’re going to need to pivot your foot as you lunge to the side – gotta look after those knees

• Wide Grip Push-Ups video
• Lateral Squats video

For some of you, this is the end of the “workout” portion of the workout. If you’ve pushed yourself HARD, you might be running out of gas. If this is the case, it’s time to do the “cool down” portion of the workout and get on with the rest of your day.

For those of you who have built up more fitness skillzzz, I want you to start repeating these supersets. Let YOUR fitness level and recovery ability dictate how many more supersets you are going to perform. Ditch the ego…use some common sense.

THE COOL DOWN

For the cool down, I want you to take 15 minutes and do some physical therapy on your muscles

• Grab a rope, band tennis ball, lacrosse ball, yoga ball, golf ball wrapped up in a sock or one of these and start mashing your muscles. Here are some “how-to” videos.

• Quad video
• Hamstring video 
• Glute/Hip video
• Pec/Shoulder muscle fix video
• Back video
• Hip Flexors / Pelvis / Core video

TOMORROW’S WORKOUT (optional)

Tomorrow, feel free to do 20-40 minutes of cardio.

Go for a walk, jog, run on the treadmill, swim laps, ride your bike, etc…

• If you have a heart rate monitor and are between the ages of 17-64, I want you aiming for a Phil Maffetone HR calculator.

Calculate Your Own Maximum Aerobic Training Heart Rate

To find your maximum aerobic training heart rate, there are two important steps. First, subtract your age from 180. Next, find the best category for your present state of fitness and health, and make the appropriate adjustments:
1. Subtract your age from 180.
2. Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:
a. If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
b. If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
c. If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
d. If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5.

For example, if you are thirty years old and fit into category (b), you get the following:
180–30=150. Then 150–5=145 beats per minute (bpm).

• If you can’t monitor your heart rate, I want you to use the “talk test”. With the TT, you should be ABLE to talk to your training partner…but you won’t WANT to.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Wednesday, we get back to a resistance training.

Remember…In 2 or 3 weeks, I want to start adding in some band training.

I highly recommend you do not the cheap tube-style exercise bands. Buy the flat/square style bands. They don’t break and will last you forever. I have had my first set for over 10 years.

If you don’t have any, you can pick some up for a good price at Rogue Fitness. Plus, if you end up buying some by following THIS LINK, Rogue Fitness will kick back 5% of the purchase price to me.

Thanks in advance for everyone who helps throw a little bit of moolah my way.

When it comes to HIIT – Quality trumps Quantity

Anyone familiar with Health Habits knows that I am a big fan of HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training

I love HIIT is because…

• HIIT makes you faster
• HIIT saves time with short workouts
• HIIT make you more powerful
• HIIT burns calories for hours after you’ve finished your workout
• HIIT is challenging
• HIIT makes a workout more fun
• HIIT improves your aerobic endurance
• HIIT improves heart function
• HIIT improves your aerobic endurance
• HIIT helps heart disease patients regain their health
• HIIT is appropriate for almost all trainees
• HIIT makes you look like a total BADASS in the gym

Unfortunately, just as soon as HIIT left the fringes of exercise science and moved into the mainstream and your local YMCA, the central concept behind the success of HIIT came under attack.

HIIT works as well as it does because of intensity of effort. Not length of sprint…or length of training session…or number of sprints performed…or restricting rest periods…HIIT works because of a complete 100%, pit-bull chasing you down the street type of intensity.

Each HIIT sprint should feel FAST. When your sprints start to slow down, you need to…

1. Increase rest period length, or
2. Shorten sprint duration, or
3. Reduce resistance, or
4. All of the above

Remember – When it comes to HIIT – Quality trumps Quantity

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