The Lunge

Well back on track here with the final of the 5 common moves. Today I will cover the lunge. The lunge works the muscles of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip complex. There are numerous variations of the lunge by they all have the same basic form.

1) Split the legs roughly 30-36 inches depending on your height.

2) Drop the back knee directly down forming a 90 degree angle with the back leg and coming up onto the toe of the back foot.

3) The front leg also bends to about 90 degrees, but the front foot must stay flat on the ground.

4) Keep your torso upright. If you tend to lean forward it is due to tight hip flexors. If this is a problem for you spend some time on stretching the hip flexors and do some glute activation and strengthening exercises (bridges, adductor walks, RDL's).

5) Drop your back knee until it is one inch off of the ground. Some people believe you should not allow the knee to touch the floor. I do not totally believe this as long as you only touch it to the ground and do not bounce it off of the ground or rest on it. By bouncing it off of the ground you can damage your knee structure, specifically your knee cap, from the force your place on it by bouncing (aka. slamming your knee into the ground). Also, if you rest on it you will allow the tension to come off of the muscles and rested on the ground. This is not affectively and fully getting the most out of the exercise. However, if you only touch it to the ground gently, not resting on it you will be able to get a slightly greater range of motion, which will make the exercise slightly more challenging. It is your choice I am fine with either as long as they are both done properly.

6) Do not have both your feet in the same line. You are not being tested for a DUI by the state police. Keep your feet shoulder width apart.

As I said before there are many different variations of the lunge. But, the form is the same for all.

Well that concludes my lessons on form of the 5 common movements. I hope you are beginning to clean up your form and have found these posts useful.

Have a great day!

Josh

5 Minute Fat Burning Workout

Saturday and Sunday are now my current off days from working out. I need these days to recover and build lean muscle tissue. But, you know what? Sometimes I still feel like doing something to get the blood flowing and help clear my head. Today was one of those days. So I did a 5 minute kettlebell complex workout. It was great, got my heart pounding and blood flowing. Another plus of this quick 5 minute workout was the intensity was high enough to help burn some body fat and will keep my metabolism running high for the rest of the day, which will keep my body in fat burning mode.

Here is what I did:

KB Deadlift - 5 reps

KB 2-Hand Swing - 5 reps

KB 1-Hand Swing - 5 reps each

KB Alternating Release Swing - 10 reps

KB Squat - 5 reps

KB 2-Arm Overhead Press - 5 reps

KB Deadlift - 5 reps

KB 1-Hand Swing - 5 reps

KB Clean - 5 reps

KB 1-Arm Overhead Press - 5 reps

KB Deadlift - 5 reps

KB 1-Hand Swing - 5 reps

KB Clean - 5 reps

KB 1-Arm Overhead Press - 5 reps

KB 1-Arm Snatch - 2 reps

KB 1-Arm Snatch (opposite arm) - 2 reps

Single Leg Burpees - 10 each leg.

This entire complex was done with just one kettlebell (KB) that weighed 20 kg. and each exercise was performed nonstop smoothly flowing from one exercise to the next.

Give it a try the next time you need a short workout.

Josh

Criticized and Misunderstood

I'm known for pushing my clients very hard in the gym and having them do some very unique training methods and exercises. My goal is to get them results and get them results as fast as possible. A lot of times I'll be training a client and someone else working out in the gym will come up to me and say, "I would never be able to train with you, you'd kill me!" Well, I wouldn't go that far. But, I will guarantee you that I will push you. 

You see many people make the false assumption that just because client A is flipping a tire, doing plyometric drills, or lifting heavy weight that I will have them doing the same thing. This is so not the case. Each workout and training session is different, because every client is different. It is still going to be challenging for everyone, but the intensity is relative.

For example, about a month ago I started a group training class. In this class we only use bodyweight, bands, slides, kettlebells, and balls. All exercises are done with just these pieces of equipment. Also, all of the exercises can be adjusted up and down in difficulty for each individuals needs. But, still some people watch and still think that it is too hard! Oh well, they are also spending 90% of there time sitting on a machine and working out.

I have also heard some people say my training is only for athletes and real hard core people. Really? I work primarily with fat loss clients. People seem to think that because I push clients and work them intensely that makes me hard core. Maybe, maybe not. But, you are not going to see fat loss results but taking your time, lifting light weights, sitting on machines, talking, and not sweating. What is done in one of my clients training sessions is what I believe and know to produce the best results. (In most cases I can produce the research to back me up.) 

My training is not just for athletes and hard core power lifters or whatever you want to call hardcore. I train to help people improve themselves. And I am more than willing to train anyone who is dedicated to their training. I do not however, have patience for clients who want entertained, to have a trainer to say that they have a personal trainer, are chronic cancelers, or show up 20 minutes late. These people are not into it. Training has not become important to them yet. At first some of these people I may be able to work with and get them on track, but others just don't really want to do it. It's not that I have anything against these people or don't like them. Most of them are very nice people, training is just not their thing. But, the reason I would rather not train these people is because they are not going to get results. If you are training a bunch of resultless clients that is not good advertising, even though it has nothing to do with you the trainer. I also feel like I am not doing my job when I'm training these type of clients. I feel like I am just being paid to entertain them and collect their money. That is not why I got into this profession.

I take my profession and career very seriously. When someone comes to me looking to train I tell them that I can get you the fat loss results you are looking for. But, are you willing to let me push you and follow the advice I give you. It is my job to push you past what you thought were your limitations and get you results.  Yes, I maybe be better in certain areas and have preferred niches, but all and all I want to help those who are serious.

How serious are you about your training? And why do you workout?

I know this was kind of a rant and scattered brained, but it was just on my mind.

Have a great weekend!

Josh

Pulling

Pulling exercises target the muscles of your back, specifically your rhomboids, lats, and traps. There are three ways to pull: horizontally, vertically up, and vertically down.

Horizontal Pulls (Rows)

1. Start with your shoulder blades slightly retracted.

2. As you pull your arms back continue to retract your shoulder blades.

3. Once your reach the lower portion of your chest slowly release (protract) your shoulder blades and return to the starting position.

4. If you are doing a bent-over version, keep your back arched the entire time.

5. Do not pull with your lower back (the rocking movement many people do).

Vertical Pulls - Down (Pull-Ups)

1. Start with your shoulder blades slightly retracted.

2. As you pull your body up continue to keep pulling your shoulder blades together (retracted) and pull your elbows down and in to your sides.

3. Once your chin reaches above the bar or the bar reaches your collar bone, slowly release your shoulder blades (protract) until you return to the starting position.

4. If you are doing a lat. pulldown lean back slightly, but do not allow your body to rock back and forth.

Vertical Pulls - Up (Shrugs)

1. Start with your shoulder blades in a neutral position.

2. Pull your shoulders up and slightly retract your shoulder blades. Imagine that you are pulling your shoulders to your ears.

3. Continue to pull your shoulders up until you can no longer pull them up any higher.

4. Once you have pulled your shoulders up as high a possible, slowly release them down returning to the starting position.

5. Do not roll your shoulders, doing this will cause damage to the shoulder joint.

Lift with good form,

Josh

Pressing Form

There are two basic types of presses, horizontal and vertical. Of course, there are variations of each of these and in between angles, but the movements are basically the same.

Horizontal Presses: (Bench Press)

1. Grasp the bar/db with an overhand grip.

2. Once the object you are about to press is unracked and overhead pack your shoulder(s). This is achieved by pulling your shoulder blades together. Keep them pulled together during the entire lift. Doing this provides you with a more solid surface and base of support to push off of against the bench.

3. Plant your feet. Place your feet slightly behind or underneath your knees and drive your heels into the ground. This too will make your base of support more solid.

4. Lower the bar to just above your nipples. Let your elbows come in a little as you lower the bar. Keeping your elbows out places excess stress on the shoulder joint and risks shoulder injury.

5. Press the bar back up by pushing up and back, you should finish with the bar over your nose, and driving your feet into the ground and head back against the bench.

6. Never arch the back and butt off the bench when pressing. If you are doing this the weight is too heavy.

Vertical Press: (Shoulder Press)

1. Grasp the object to be lifted with and overhand grip.

2. Hand placement should be just slightly wider than shoulder width.

3. Lower the bar to chin or collar bone level, depending on flexibility. Again let your elbows come in slightly. Keeping the elbows out will place unnecessary stress on the shoulder joints and can injure the shoulder.

4. From chin or collar bone level press the weight back overhead.

5. Never press vertically with the knees locked and never press behind the head. Pressing with the knees locked does not provide you with a good base of support. And pressing behind the head opens up the shoulder joint too much and puts the joint in a compromised position. Also, if you have to lean back to press the weight, the weight is too heavy.

Lift with good form,

Josh

Deadlifting Form

The deadlift is another great exercise for building strength, as well as burning fat. But, you must do it correctly. Many people injury themselves doing this exercise and because of that the deadlift has gotten a bad reputation. This is too bad because it's not deadlifting that has injured people it is poor form deadlifting that has injured people. 

If you learn how to do it correctly you will improve your overall strength and lessen your chance of injury. Many people hurt their backs bending over and lifting something heavy off the ground. This is because they have weak abdominal muscles and lower back muscles. Not to mention that they do not train this movement even though it is performed in everyday activities. One quick example would be bending down to pick up a small child. That movement is very similar to a deadlift and by incorporating the deadlift into your training you will be stronger with that and similar movements. And also, have a lessened chance of injury.

So here is how to do it:

1) Start with your feet shoulder width apart and toes point forward or slightly out and shoulder blades retracted (Keeping your shoulder blades retracted the entire time will keep your back flat. Rounding of the back puts excess stress on the lower back, which is how people injure their lower backs).

2) Set your weight back by pushing your hips/butt back. This will cause you to lean over at a 45 degree angle.

3) Continue to push your hips back and bending over at the hips. Slightly bend the knees, keeping tension on the hamstrings.

4) Once you have lowered yourself enough that your hands can reach the bar/object on the ground, forcefully push your feet into the ground, contract your glutes, and push your hips forward as you return to a standing position. While lifting the object be sure to keep you shoulder blades retracted to prevent any rounding of the back.

5) Do not do this exercise with straight legs (knees locked). This will also cause you to use your back and not your hips. Using your hips takes the stress of the weight off your lower back and thus prevents injury.

Lift Safe,

Josh

Squat Form

Squatting is a movement that is done repeatedly each and every day. When you get up from a chair you squat. When you get out of your car your squat. So since this is a movement we do in many daily activities we need to train it in the gym. But, it must be done right or you will run the risk of in jury.

To properly squat you must:

1) Stand with you feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward or slightly out.

2) Set your weight back by pushing your hips and butt back.

3) Lean slightly forward breaking at the hips.

4) Drop your butt down as you continue to push your hips back.

5) Continue dropping down until you reach your desired depth (different squats have different depths anywhere from a 1/4 squat to a full squat where your butt is about 8 inches from the floor).

6) Keep your feet flat. Do not allow your heels to come off the ground.

7) Keep your back arched the entire time. Do not round your back.

8) As you lift the weight back up drive your feet into the ground and contract your glutes as you return to the starting position. Raise your body in unison. Do not straighten your legs first and then lift your up body.

If you will take the time to learn the proper form, the squat will become a great functional exercise. As well as a fat burning, muscle building exercise.

Focus on Form, Not Weight

Josh

Lifting Form

This is a topic that so many people do wrong when they lift, especially guys. They don't care what their form looks like all that matters is how much weight they are lifting. And then there are the people who lift with bad form, but it's not their fault because nobody has ever shown them or taught them correct form.

A large percentage of people who go to a gym have never been instructed on how to lift. They see what others are doing and do that or take something from a magazine. Some have lifted in high school when they played sports and have had some instruction. But most high school coaches do not know much about strength training and have their athletes doing unsafe exercises with horrible form.

Whatever your background is take some time the learn the lifts and learn the form. Failure to do this will result in back, knee, and shoulder injuries among others.

Over the next 5 days I will go into detail here on how to do the 5 most common lifting movements: Squats, Deadlifts, Presses, Pulls, and Lunges.

Learn these five and you will be good to go for most lifts.

Train safe,

Josh

Slider Leg Curls

The Slider Leg Curl is a combination of a Leg Curl and Hip Bridge. With this exercise you lay on your back with your knees bent and feet each flat on a slider. Then you lift you hips and contract your glutes. From here you will pull your legs in and then slide them back out. Keeping your hips lifted off the ground the entire time.

This exercise is very hard and the first time you try it you may feel like your hamstrings are going to cramp. This is normal the next sets will not feel as bad.

Try to do 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps and you will definitely feel some hamstring soreness the next day.

Just another exercise to add to your list.

Josh

Rubberband Training

Over the past month I have been incorporating the use of rubberband exercises into mine and my clients training. I have to admit I really like it. I never realized how great of a workout you could get with just the use a couple rubberbands of different widths. The use of the rubberband allows you to perform exercises very fast, which can be very dangerous when done with weights, but when done with a rubberband it is completely safe. They also work great as a deloading exercise to provide your joints with a rest from the stress of the weights, but still challenge the muscles.

The bands are also a great tool to use with new clients since they do not provide very much eccentric contraction stress on the muscle, this is the contraction that makes you sore. So by only doing the concentric part of the movement your muscles will get worked, but you will have less soreness the next day than you would if you did weights.

The bands also travel very well. They take up very little space in a suit case and you really only need to take one. Over Memorial Day Weekend I went away and I took one of my rubberbands with me. I got in a great workout each day while I was gone and all I did was rubberband exercises and bodyweight exercises.

With the bands you can do any exercise you can do with free weights plus some more if you get really creative. They can be attached to a door, looped around a door handle, or held in place by any other solid object or person. If you want more resistance you just stretch them more and the exercise is harder.

I will be posting some rubberband exercises really soon. But if you can't wait and would like to get started now go to www.performbetter.com and purchase a Superband and/or the The Superband Workout by JC Santana to see a whole variety of exercises you can perform.

Challenge Yourself In New Ways,

Josh

Slider Mountain Climbers

Slider Mountain Climbers are another great core exercise, especially when done for time (e.g. 2 min.+). They are basically a dynamic plank and target core stability.

To do them, place a slider under each foot and get into a plank position on your hands. From here pull you right knee to right elbow and then return to the starting position. Then pull your left knee to your left elbow and then return to the starting position. Repeat this over and over as fast as you can for 2 minutes sliding the sliders in and out from your elbows. Focus on keeping your back flat and core tight. Do not allow your hips to rise or sag. Do this continuously for 2 minutes and your core and shoulders will be on fire.

Give it a try!

Josh

Slider Reverse Pikes

The Slider Reverse Pike is a lot like the Regular Pike. However, instead of placing the sliders under your feet you place them under your hands. Again, just like a regular pike you start out in a push-up position with your hands on the sliders and feet on the ground. From here you pull the sliders in and raise your butt, keeping your arms and legs straight. Then slide back out to the beginning position. And repeat for 10-25 reps.

Try out these variations also:

Slider Reverse Pike w/ Push-Up
Slider Reverse Pike w/ Chest Fly Push-Up
Slider Reverse Pike w/ Slider Push-Up

Enjoy!

Josh

Alligator Walks

Alligator Walks are performed using the Sliders. They work your core as well as your shoulders and arms. To do them you will need about a 20-30 foot carpeted hallway or other carpeted open space.

Place a slider under each foot and hold yourself up with your hands, like your are going to do a push-up. From this position you just walk forward on your hands dragging your legs behind you. Make sure to keep your core solid and keep a straight line from your feet through your head. Do not allow any sagging of your midsection.

If your wrists hurt when doing this you can hold a 3-5 lb. dumbbell in each hand and this will allow you to do them with out the pain.

Variations:
1. Alligator Walk Push-Ups - perform a push-up with every step your take with your hands.
2. Alligator Walk Push-Ups w/ Knee Tuck - perform a push-up and knee tuck with every step you take with your hands.

Give them a try!

Josh

The Leg Matrix

While I was in Chicago at the Perform Better Functional Training Summit I was introduced to The Leg Matrix by Alwyn Cosgrove. The first time most attempt this is it absolutely brutal. It will challenge your cardiovascular system as well as leave your legs feeling like rubber. So here it is:

24 squats
24 alternating lunges (12 each leg)
24 lunge jumps (12 each leg)
24 jump squats

Use only your bodyweight and perform 1 rep per second with no rest in between. This will only take you 96 seconds to complete, but it will be a very long 96 seconds. If you are able to complete this and feel that it was not too hard. Well, congratulations you are in pretty well conditioned. Now go do it again immediately after completing it 1 time do it all for a second time. I guarantee that will not be easy.

This is a great way to train your legs without using weight and allowing your body to have a deloading day. I like to use it at the end of the workout to provide the body with a muscular endurance conditioning effect.

Give yourself a challenge and become better.

Josh

Spiderman Push-Ups

Here is an exercise that will target both your chest and core muscles.

This variation of the push-up can be done with either your feet on the ground or elevated on a bench. Start in a push-up position. Do one push-up, then bring your right knee to your right elbow. Do another push-up and then bring your left knee to your left elbow. That' s 2 reps. Repeat for 10-20+ reps.

Once you have mastered this move on the ground move on to elevating your feet on a bench and then onto a stability ball. You can also try doing this with the Slider Push Up or Slider Chest Fly Push Up to really work your core.

Try it out!

Josh

Ice It Down

What is one of the best things you can do to help an injury heal faster? Ice it. It doesn't matter if it is a sprain, pulled muscle, tendinitis, bruise, or even muscle soreness. By applying ice you help whatever is bothering you heal faster. This is because ice will decrease the inflammation that the injured area is causing and less inflammation means less pain and a faster recovery.

Ice may not not feel as good as heat on the injured area, but heat will increase the inflammation and not allow the area to heal as quickly.

Apply the ice directly on the injured area for 20 minutes immediately after you injured it and then on and off for the next couple of days until the injury has healed. You do not want to put the ice directly on the skin, I recommend wetting a wash cloth and placing the ice on top of that to act as a barrier to you skin.

The next you twist an ankle or pull a muscle forget the heating pad and grab some ice.

Have a great day!

Josh

Side Planks

Side Planks are a great exercise to work the stabilization muscles of your core. They also help to build a defined strong abdomen.

To do them you lay on your side and put your ground side elbow on the ground. You then raise up onto that elbow and stack your feet. Once you are up the only points of contact with the ground should be your elbow and bottom foot. Focus on keeping your body in a straight line not allowing your hips to sag. Then just hold this position for time, anywhere between 30 sec. - 1 min.

This is just another great exercise for your core. Try it out.

Josh

High Quality vs. High Quantity Exercise

Does your workout consist of high quality exercises and movements or just a lot of quantity? If you answered high quality congratulations you are probably seeing results and getting the most out of your workouts. If you answered quantity it's time to listen up and make some changes. Most likely you are stuck in a rut and not seeing results.

So what is the difference between high quality and high quantity exercise?

High Quality Exercise - Everything in your workout is done for a reason and is preplanned and periodized. High quality exercise uses the most efficient exercises ensuring you get the most bang for your buck and nothing less. You are doing exercises that improve muscle imbalances, movement deficiencies, prevent injuries, and most of all require a high energy output. High quality training is also time efficient. You get in and in 30-50 minutes later you are in the shower or in your car on your way home for the rest of your day.

High Quantity Exercise - Is not preplanned or periodized and if it is, it is poorly put together. You workout for a specific amount of time because you feel that you need a certain time length to get a good workout. You do pointless exercises without any rhyme or reason. And then after filling your hour weight training session with as many exercises as you can fit you in, you spend another 30-60 on the treadmill doing cardio, to "burn fat". And what is the result of all this time and hard work (Yes, these people work very hard as do the High Quality Exercises)? Minimal results, excess body fat, decreases metabolism (Long extended cardio decreases your metabolism, interesting huh?Esp. since your are doing in to burn fat which requires a higher metabolism.), and a body that feels tired and worn out.

Now if you are a High Quality Exerciser you are losing body fat, building muscle,
increasing metabolism, feeling better, moving better, having increased energy, and loving your workouts.

So which are you going to be? It your choice. Change is hard, but so are the consequences of being overfat and out of shape.

Exercise Smarter and More Efficient,

Josh

Isometric Ab Roll Outs

Most likely you have done ab roll outs before. But, have you ever tried doing them isometrically? I bet not. While the traditional ab roll out works well, the isometric version really challenges and works your core.

So to get start you will need a bar with 2.5 lbs. plates clipped on the ends of it or an ab wheel. Then kneel on the ground and place your hands on the bar or ab wheel about shoulder width apart. Now, slide out until your body is parallel to the ground. You should only have two points of contact at this point (knees and bar/ab wheel). Once you reach this point you are going to hold this position for time. Start with 15 seconds and work up from there. You can do anywhere from 1 - 4 sets.

If you feel any pain or discomfort in your lower back while holding the position just raise your body up a little and it should disappear.

Try this out.

Josh

Pallof Holds

Pallof Holds are another great stabilization exercise for your core and are very simple to do.

They can be done with either a cable crossover machine set at waist height or with a rubberband attached to something about waist height. I prefer using a rubberband.

After you have decided which piece of equipment you are going to use pull the weight or resistance out in front of your body standing with the equipment to your side and hold the resistance for a set period of time. You will feel this in your abdominals and core as they are trying to resist the weight from pull you over.

As you get better at this exercise you can add more time, increase weight/resistance, change heights, or stand on something unstable.

Try them out.

Josh

Planks

The Plank is one of the best and most basic stabilization/bracing exercises. All it involves is holding the top position of a push-up for time. While doing the Plank keep your shoulders over your hands, your weight evenly distributed, and your back flat (a weak midsection will result in sagging of your lower back, or arching of your lower back).

To make this exercise more challenging you can do it with your hands or feet on a stability ball or medicine ball. You can also do one arm or one leg planks. And for a real challenge you can try Plank Walk Ups. These involve starting in the basic plank position, but then lowering down on to one elbow then the other elbow and back up onto your hands, continuing to do this for 1-2 minutes nonstop.

Give them all a try and decide what works best. And don't be afraid to to challenge yourself.

Josh

Summer Abs

With summer just around the corner there is a lot of talk in the exercise world about abs. Everyone wants to have a nice six-pack in the summer or at least some abdominal definition. Well, the best way to get that is to do stabilization/bracing exercises. These types of exercises will get you that abdominal strength and definition that you are looking for.

Here are some examples:
Planks
Side Planks
Pallof Holds
Isometric Roll-Outs
Plank Walk Ups
Planks on Stability Ball
Ab Roll Outs

In the upcoming days I will explain how to do each of these. So check back each day to see how to do each one and add it to your routine.

Have a great day!

Josh

Chest Fly Push-Up

I am not a big fan of single-joint exercises like the chest fly, but what about adding it to another movement? Well, you get a great exercise. And that is exactly what the Chest Fly Push-Up is.

To do this exercise you will need to use the Valslides. Get into a regular push-up position and place a slide under each hand. Now, as you lower yourself down let the slides slide out to the side. When you are about a 1/2 inch away from the ground push yourself back up while pulling the slides back in. That is one rep. Repeat for 10-25 reps.

Try it out!

Josh

Motivational Video

I got this video that other day from dieselcrew.com and found it very motivating. Enjoy!

Slider Jackknifes

Here is another abdominal exercise you can do using the Valslides, the Slider Jackknife. It is very similar to the Slider Pike with only one main difference.

Start in the top part of a push-up position with each foot on a slide. From here pull your knees to your chest, while keeping your feet together. Once you have brought your knees up as far as you can, push your legs back out. Repeat for 10-25 reps.

You can also make this exercise more challenging by place your hands on a stability ball, medicine ball, balance disc, or wobble board. Try them out and see which challenges you the most.

Have a great day!

Josh

Tabatta Method of Training

The Tabatta Method is an exercise format I like to incorporate in many of my bodyweight and group training workouts. It is short only four minutes, but very effective. In fact recent research has shown that 4 minutes of an anaerobic workout like Tabatta produces 40% better improvements in aerobic capacity than 60 minutes of aerobic work at 70% VO@2max. And produces 9x greater loss in subcutaneous fat in 15 weeks than 20 weeks of steady-state endurance training (when corrected for energy cost).

Ok, you maybe thinking that this sounds too short and too easy. But try it, you will very quickly notice that it is not too short and definitely not too easy.

Here is how to do it. If you are a beginner start with 10 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest. For intermediate individuals do 15 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest. And for advanced training do 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest. For the work period pick any exercise or exercises you would like to do and perform them for the appropriate amount of time. Some exercises will be more taxing than others and you will figure out which work the best.

You can also repeat the 4 minute workout a few times for a longer and even more challenging workout.

Here is a example of a 4 minute round I did at the end of my workout yesterday:
20 sec. = push ups
10 sec. = rest
20 sec. = jump squats
10 sec. = rest
Repeated for a total of 4 times or 4 total minutes.

Train more effectively,

Josh

The Group Training Effect

Every Saturday for the past couple of weeks I have gotten together with 3-4 other people and done a group workout. I love it! It is very refreshing to do this once or twice week to break up the monotony of regular workouts. And how about this we don't even use weights and only workout for a 1/2 hour. How is this possible? We use bodyweight, bands, stability balls, medicine balls, and Valslides. That's it and all I need to put together a brutal workout. Now, I'm not saying you should abandon free weights and only do this, but rather do one or two of these types of workouts each week in place of a regular weight training workout.

I also have been training a couple small groups throughout the week and have noticed some positive things:

1. It is much more enjoyable and fun.
2. Unbelievably effective.
3. Increases motivation.
4. Provides a much different stimulus to the body.
5. Easy to set up.
6. Time efficient.

There are many more. The biggest positive effect I've found is that you will push yourself so much harder than if you were doing it by yourself. This is for many reasons, but that extra push or drive is what is needed to get results.

I will be talking more about this in future posts and will discuss some of the exercises I use and how I use them so check back for that info.

Have a great day!

Josh

Slider Pikes

Yesterday I told you about how you can use the Valslide for lunges. Well, today I have another exercise you can do with the slides.

Slider Pikes work your abdominal muscles. If you have ever tried doing pikes on the stability ball you know how hard they are. Using the sliders is no different, in fact they be even harder.

So to do the Slider Pikes: First, place each foot on a slider and get into a push-up position keeping your feet together. From here raise your butt straight up towards the ceiling bringing your hands and feet together. Make sure to keep your arms and legs straight in order to get the full benefit of the exercise. Once you are up slide back down to the starting position and repeat for 10-25 reps.

Try it out.

Josh

Slider Lunges

Recently I have began to incorporate the Valslide into my workouts. All this simple piece of equipment is is a flat piece of plastic that will slide on the carpet with a foam top surface. (Basically a furniture mover.) There are numerous exercises you can use this with, but for today I going to tell you about the Slider Lateral Lunge.

To do the Slider Lateral Lunge you place one slider under your foot and keep your other foot in contact with the ground. Take the foot with the slider under it and slowly slide that leg out to the side while bending the knee of the leg that does not have a slider under it. Keep your weight over the leg without the slider and come down to a parallel squat position. Then push back up with the leg without the slider and slide the leg with the slider back in. Repeat for 10-20 reps on each leg.

This exercise is great for working on balance, muscle cooridination, and also helps you to develop the necessary strength to do a 1 legged squat.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Have a Great Day!

Josh

How Heavy Are Your Weights?

When you do your workouts how much weight are you lifting? Is it as much as you can possibly lift and still maintain form? Or could you have easily done 2 or more reps?

Hopefully you are already lifting as much weight as you can. But, if you aren't you need to start. This does not mean to go to failure. But, it does mean that the weight you are lifting is taxing on your body. While going to failure will over work your muscles and burn out your CNS (central nervous system), leaving one in the tank will insure that you are getting the most out of your workouts. This simply means that after you complete your last rep of each set you should only be able to do one more rep before your form breaks.

Lifting heavy weights is the only way to achieve maximum muscle growth, fat loss, and muscle definition (women this is the muscle "tone" you are looking for). The weight you will use is relative to everyone. What is heavy for one personn is not necessarily heavy for another person and vice versa.

Also, all those nice little articles you read in magazines about how you can "tone" up your arms lifting soup cans are total B.S. The weight of that 12 oz. can will not do anything to help "tone" up your arms. (F.Y.I - I hate the term "tone") The weight is simply not heavy enough to stimulate the required muscle response necessary for any noticeable differences in your muscles. Those articles just make for nice headlines and articles in order to sell magazines. Plus it is what everyone wants to hear. That exercise is easy and not physically demanding. Sorry, the only way to get results is to perform physically demanding exercise.

Now, go add another plate to the bar and start lifting heavy!

Have a Great Day!

Josh

Why Do You Workout?

Why do you workout? What is your reason for coming to the gym 3-4 days per weeks? Are you there to work? Or are you there to hang out?

When you enter the gym you need to be there to work. Not talk to your buddies about the new hot girl at work, to get the latest community gossip, to be entertained by your trainer, or to pick up girls/guys.

When you come into the gym you are there to work toward achieving a better and stronger body. If you want to talk to your gym buddies or trainer in between sets that is fine, but when your timed rest period is over it is time to promptly get back to work. Do not be one of the those people who hogs a bench/machine/set of DB's for 15 minutes. Do your sets and move on. Keeping your focus.

By keeping your focus you will have better workouts and see greater results. You will also spend less time in the gym and be able to spend more time outside of the gym do the things you enjoy.

Train With a Purpose!

Josh

Fat Lose Post Workout Shake

Last week I wrote about having a post-workout shake to gain muscle mass. But, what if you are trying to lose body fat? Should you have the same shake?

No, you will want to have a shake that contains minimal to zero carbohydrates and is high in protein. Also according to Cassandra Forsythe's interview on "Fat Loss Pros", it is also beneficial to wait until 30 minutes after you have finished your workout to have your shake. This is because you will allow your body to burn some extra fat post-exercise. You see as soon as you ingest your shake, or any food for that matter, your body will begin the rebuilding process and stop burning fat.

To make a simple fat loss shake just mix 1 scoop of whey protein with 1 cup of fat-free milk or water.

Have a great day and train effectively,

Josh

Q & A: Post-Workout Shake

Q: After I finish my workout I know I have a 45 minute window to get in a Post-Workout Shake, but what is the best if I'm trying to gain muscle?

A: Yes, after you finish your workout you have a 45 minute (roughly) anabolic window in which your body is able to build muscle better than normal. In order to do this you need to immediately drink a post-workout shake with a carb to protein ratio of 4:1. This will provide your body with nutrients to refill glycogen stores (from the carbs) and to rebuild muscle tissue (from the protein).

A simple shake is to mix in a blender is: 1 cup fat-free milk, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 2 tbsp honey or chocolate syrup and a banana. This will provide you with a 4:1 carb to protein ratio.

Have a great day!

Josh

Q & A: How Many Days Per Week To Train

Q: Do you like 3 total body workouts a week or a 4 day split?

A: Personally I like 4 workouts per week anymore than that and a I notice that clients start to get overtrained. All 4 workouts will be total body. I like to do two workouts with 6 exercises(movement patterns) and use undulating periodization. A third workout will be an all BW day with HIIT cardio and grip work. The fourth day will be a high rep (15-50 reps depending) day with HIIT cardio and grip work. With the HIIT cardio I will usually throw in some strongman exercises in the circuit.

However, the number of days I have a client exercise all depends. With some better in shape individuals I will follow a split like I just mentioned, but the the less fit more deconditioned I will just use the 3x/wk with undulating peroidization. All clients that workout 3x/wk will end with a short HIIT workout.

Whether you train 3 days or 4 days per week it really doesn't matter as long as you are dedicated and consistent. Peoples goals will determine the type of program they are on along with other factors. But, like I said consistency and dedication are what bring about results.

Until Next Time,

Josh

Q & A: Rep Scheme

Q: In your opinion what is the best set/rep progression?

A: I like to start all my clients out with 12 reps for the first few weeks and keep their workouts simple so they can learn to get the form and become comfortable with exercising, since most of them are new to it. After that I like to use undulating periodization:

Week 1 = 12 reps
Week 2 = 8 reps
Week 3 = 10 reps (back off week)
Week 4 = 6 reps (heavy week)

After 4 weeks I will usually have a new client repeat this rep rotation 1 more time with 3-4 new workouts. Then continue on with:

Week 1 = 9 reps
Week 2 = 5 reps
Week 3 = 7 reps (back off week)
Week 4 = 3 reps (heavy week)

After these 4 weeks I'll go back to 12,8,10,6 then 9,5,7,3 and just keep repeating. Every 4 weeks I change workouts. This has worked well with the majority of clients. They have gained some pretty impressive muscle and lost fat with this. I will play around with it somewhat though because everyone is different and some clients have a hard time handling the lower reps/heavier weight and their joints begin to ache. So with them I will just use the 12,8,10,6. and so far it works just as well. The one draw back I have found to this is that not everyone loses body weight (and unfortunately many people only think results are shown on the scale, even if they look better and their clothes fit better).

Push Yourself Every Time,

Josh

Get Results Through Thinking Positive

If you don't believe that you can achieve the perfect weight or the perfect body how do you think you ever will? In order to attain that perfect weight and body you must first believe that you can do it and pretend or act like you already have achieved it.

Over the past week I have been listening to the "Secret" audio book in my car. In this book the author keeps going over the fact that you must believe you can have whatever you want and then think like you already have it. The point she is making is that if you do not believe that whatever you want is possible and attainable you will never see or get it. But, if you first believe that it is possible your mind will want to have it. This is what gives you that extra drive, push, passion, or whatever you want to call it to make you successful. Without this you will become complacent and settle for what you already have. After all settling requires no work and is easy to do. But, it is also the reason you will not achieve your goals.

This book is very useful for fitness, not only life in general. In fact, she has a whole chapter discussing body weight, health, and physical fitness. If you will simply believe that you can and already have achieved the results you want. You will soon see those results coming to life.

Have a great day and believe in yourself and your goals.

Josh

Cardio Alternative

As many of you know I really hate doing cardio. I just find it very boring and monotonous. And I will do anything to not have to do it or find a way to replace it with something more enjoyable and just as beneficial. So today I did a high rep workout (1 set, 25 reps). And let me tell you I was breathing just as hard as when I used to run, if not harder.

Here is the workout I did:

BB Squat 1 x 25
BB Bench 1 x 25
BB Row 1 x 25
BB RDL 1 x 25

I performed all of these exercises with a 1 minute break in between. It didn't take me long to finish, but let me tell you it was a workout.

If you are not a big fan of cardio then try this out, even if you are I still recommend you give it a try. It will be a nice change of pace for your body.

Let me know what you think!

Josh

Flat Shoes

Do your knees hurt when you squat?

The problem may be more than your knees. The problem could actually have been caused by the shoes you are wearing when you workout.

Some popular brands and makes of shoes designed for working out my actually be putting your knees at risk. These shoes have elevated heels that raise your heel up higher than your toes. This causes your knee to be anteriorly tilted forward placing unnature strain on the knee joint. When you squat, lunge, and deadlift you place even more strain on your knee. Over time this strain can result in knee pain.

So to remedy this problem you need to buy a flat pair shoes that will keep your toes and heels level. I have tried this both personally and with some clients and it has seemed to help.

Now before you ask: Well what about doing these exercises in your bare feet and socks wouldn't that be better? Maybe, maybe not. The concern I have with squatting, lunging, and deadlifting in your bare feet is that over time with the heavy loads placed on the tissues and structures on the foot it may become worn down and cause you to have foot problems. Doing this once will not hurt you, but doing it all the time may cause some harm to your foot overtime.

So stay away from Nike Shox and Adidas Bounce and go with a flat shoe that does not have a raised heel. Both of the brands mentioned make shoes like this, they are just not as popular. But hey what's popular is not always right and what's right is not always popular.

Train Smart,

Josh

Pushing The Limits vs. Overtraining

There is a very fine line between the two.

You must push your limits to get results. But you must also not push so far and hard that your body cannot keep up. This will result in overtraining.

So how do you tell if you are pushing your limits or if you are pushing too far?

If you are pushing your limits you will be looking forward to your workouts, feeling good the day after (possibly a little sore, but thats fine), and not be dragging all day long.

If you are pushing to far and beginning to overtrain. You will not feel rested and strong prior to and during your workouts. You will feel lathargic on your off days, and your joints will begin to ache.

Again the the bottom line is the same a yesterdays post. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

What is your body telling you?

Josh

Let Your Body Recover From Your Workout

One of the best things you can do for your body is to allow it time to recover. So many times people think they can speed up the result process or see better results if they workout longer and more frequently.

Doing this however, is very counterproductive. If do not allow your body adequate time to recover you will begin to overtrain.

Overtraining results in excessive tiredness, achiness, injuries, fat gain, muscle catabolism, and decreased metabolism among other things. None of these you want. Trust me I've been through this personally. It's not fun. And none of this is going to help you get results faster.

To avoid overtraining. You should:
1. Only workout 3-4 times per week
2. Keep the duration of your workouts around 45 minutes.
3. Eat frequently and adequately each day.
4. Eat foods with high nutritional value.
5. Get 7-8 hours of sleep each day.
6. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. This is the biggest. Your body will tell you when something wrong. It is your job to take the necessary actions to fix the problem.

Until Next Time,

Work Hard But, Be Smart!

Josh

Strengthen Your Weakest Links

I don't know how many times I've watched people in the gym and seen them day after day, week after week, train the same body parts and use the same exercises. Usually chest, arms, abs, and shoulders. All the muscles they can see in the mirror. It is rare to see these individuals train their legs, even though the legs are the largest muscles in the body. And by training them they will increase total body strength and size. But, legs are not fun to train and not many people care about how well developed the quads and hams are. So it's just easier not to do them and cover up how weak they look with a pair of sweats.

These individuals are doing themselves a huge disservice. Their goal is to get bigger and stronger, but they are actually preventing themselves from ever reaching that goal. Eventually they will end up with muscle imbalances, resulting in injuries.

However, this can all be prevented and you can reach your goal of having the body you want.
You first however, must determine your weak links. So how do you do this? Well, look at your body. Are you shoulders rounded forward? If yes, then you need to do more back work (rows) and less chest work (bench presses) which is what caused you to develop this problem. Are you quad dominant or hip dominant? If you are quad dominant your knees will come forward when you squat and your ankles will lift of the ground. If you have either of these you need to do more posterior chain exercises like: deadlifts, RDLs, leg curls, and hyperextensions. On top of this you also need to work on your hip and ankle mobility, which can be achieved through proper stretching and using proper form with little or no weight. If you are able to fully squat to parallel or below (and have no limiting injuries) and can keep your knees from coming forward and your ankles on the ground then you are pretty well balanced. If you are hip dominant and this is very very rarely the case with most people you need to strength the quads with exercises like: front squats, and step ups.

Those are just the two most common weak links that I see. There are many more like grip strength which will limit the amount of weight you can handle, lower back strength which limits the amount of weight you can squat and deadlift, and many more. The point is that you need to train your entire body each day you workout and determine your weakest links. By doing this you will have much greater success, see better results, and have less injuries. Even if this requires you to do exercises you don't care for.

Stop overlooking certain body parts and get start getting stronger!

Have a Great Day!

Josh

Q&A: Movement Pattern Exercises

Q: I have heard you mention that you base all of your workouts off of movement patterns. Could you explain this more and give me a few examples?

A: Movement patterns are the basic patterns or movements that your body moves in . There are six primary movement patterns:

1. Horizontal Push (bench press, push-up)
2. Horizontal Pull (rows)
3. Vertical Push (shoulder press)
4. Vertical Pull (lat. pulldown, pull-ups)
5. Squating (squats)
6. Deadlifting (deadlifts, RDLs)
7. Lunging (lunges)
8. Rotating/Twisting (wood chops)
9. Chest to Pelvis (sit-ups)
10. Pelvis to Chest (leg lifts)
11. Bending (hyperextensions)

By training this way you will prevent overtraining and muscle imbalances. Which will result in better gains, increases in strength and size , and less injuries.

Until Next Time, Have a Great Day!

Josh

Q&A: Should You Increase Weight or Reps?

Q: I have been working out using 12 reps for the past couple of weeks and the weight is getting easy. Is it better to increase the reps and use the same weight or increase the weight?

A: Increase the weight. No matter what your goals are it is almost always better to increase the weight. The only time I would not increase the weight is when the increase in weight is causing an injury/pain. Which very rarely it is the weight that is causing the injury/pain, usually the injury/pain is caused by poor form or poor joint mobility.

By increasing the weight you challenge your muscles to work harder and use more muscle fibers. By getting more muscle fibers involved you will gain more strength, build more muscle tissue (Women you will not get bulky by doing this.), gain more definition, and burn more calories (Both from the extra work you're doing and from the increase in muscle tissue that you are building. This causes your metabolism to increase and helps you burn more fat.) You also should consider decreasing your reps and adding even more weight to avoid a strength plateau.

If you were to only increase the reps you will not get the same effect. This is because of the type of muscle fibers involved. By increasing the reps you will be activating the Type I fibers, which are endurance fibers and have a low power output. Resulting in you not looking any leaner or more defined. By using heavier weight you will activate the Type II fibers which have a high energy output and are designed for strength. By activating the Type II fibers you will increase their cross sectional diameter, which does not happen when you train Type I fibers, and this causes your muscles to look more defined and you to look leaner.

Have a Great Day!

Josh

3 Exercise Myths

Myth #1: Single-Joint Exercises are better for muscular development. No, for most people single-joint exercises (e.g. bicep curls, leg extensions, chest flys, etc.) are a complete waste of time. They do not burn a lot of calories and do not activate many muscle fibers, and you cannot use as heavy of loads. Instead, you should be using multi-joint exercises (e.g. squats, deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups, rows, etc.) that will burn tons of calories, activate many muscle fibers, and allow you to use heavy loads. Single-joint exercises are only best used for extremely deconditioned individuals, individuals working are injuries, or to rehab injuries.

Myth #2: Using a Body Part Split to get stronger. This is how body builders used to and some still do train. These workouts have you targeting a different muscle group each day. Usually these workouts will leave you overtrained with muscle imbalances, injuries, and limited gains. Your body functions as one unit and therefore should be trained as one unit. By training your entire body each day using movement patterns you will be able to develop greater strength, burn more calories, increase metabolism, and spend less time working out. I mean do you really think you need to spend an entire day devoted to arms? No, you don't even need to do any specific arm work. Your arms get worked with every upper body and most lower body exercises that you do. Usually the people using body part split routines over work their bodies and hinder there gains by doing to much. When you train your entire body with one exercise for each movement pattern (Squating, Horizontal Pushing, Horizontal Pulling, Deadlifting, Vertical Pushing, and Vertical Pulling) you will keep everything in balance and avoid overuse. However, this type of training is not to be done everyday like the body part split routines. Instead, it is only to be done 3-4 days per week with 3-4 days of rest.

Myth #3: You must do cardio training to lose weight. Again, not entirely true. While some people have great success using the treadmill, elliptical, bike, or running/walking outside it is not necessary for weight loss. If you enjoy it great and by all means continue with it. But, if you don't enjoy it why suffer through. A cardio replacement I like to use is Anaerobic Cardio. With Anaerobic Cardio you perform high intensity exercises (sometimes running) one after the other for short periods of time followed by a period of rest. And then repeat. You can also incorporate weight training exercises into this as well. You can perform these 2x per week as a complete workout or at the end of your regular workout. I use both. These workouts are usually extremely fatiguing and leave you pretty winded. But, I find them much more enjoyable than regular cardio.

There you go 3 Myths Busted! Try out those tips and let me know what you think.

Josh

Need A Pick Me Up?

Workout!!

We are at the time of year where we all seem to be a little down, unmotivated, and just not feeling our best. After all its cloudy, grey, cold, and snowy/rainy most of the time. The days are still short, but slowly getting longer. And there just isn't much going on this time of year to look forward too.

One way to break out of this rut is to continue working out. Set some goals and work your butt off to achieve them. So that when the weather is nice again you will already be in great shape. Unlike most people who hibernate on the couch or in bed all winter.

By continuing to workout you will stay lean, and not feel as down. I can always tell this time of year if I miss a few days of working out. I start to feel down, lethargic, and not like myself. But, once I get back into my workout routine I quickly start feeling better, almost immediately.

When you workout hormones get released that naturally make you feel better. The more often you exercise the more these get released. (To a point, I still don't recommend working out more the 4 days per week for 45 minutes each session. More than this could result in overtraining a whole other mess problems you do not want to experience.) Did you ever notice how after your workout you always feel better. You may be tired, but you feel better and have a better outlook on things.

Spring is just around the corner. So stay positive, be consistent with your workouts, and focus on the things you enjoy!

Have a Great Day!

Josh

2 Group Training Session Spots Open

I have two spots open in my Monday evening group training session if anyone is interested or knows of someone who may be interested. The time is 6-630 pm every Monday and the cost is $5 per person. If you are interested contact me at joshproch@msn.com

Thanks!

Josh

Take Action Now!

Stop planning, stop analyzing, stop waiting for the perfect time, and start doing whatever you have been thinking about, planning, or waiting for.

I just finished listening to Ryan Lee's January edition of The Millionaire Workout Insider. This month he had Tim Kerber on with him. Tim made a very good point that too many people wait around planning and analyzing everything before they start and never actually get started. He called this "paralysis by analysis". Some people analyze stuff so much that they actually paralyze their efforts to ever get started. Are you like this? Or do you know people like this? I'm sure you do and have before. I have. I've learned though that things are much easier to just jump in and get started (Take Action) and figure out the rest as you go. You'll be surprised at how much more successful your efforts will become.

If you have been waiting to start a project, exercise program, book, new career, anything. Start now! If you wait any longer you will just be wasting time.

Have a Great Day!

Josh

What Are The Best Exercises For 6-Pack Abs?

Not Crunches. Not even any traditional ab exercises.

So what are they? They are any exercise that requires:
1. A high output of energy to perform.
2. Require you to stand.
3. Require your abdominals to brace and support your body.

These exercises are your squats, deadlifts, cleans, snatches, bent-over rows, pull-ups, push-ups, and standing shoulder presses. There are others, but these are the biggies. These exercises require your abdominals to function the way they are designed to. Which, is to brace, support, and assist other muscles in a particular movement. These exercises along with some High Intensity Interval Training or Anaerobic Cardio are all you need to develop a chiseled 6-Pack!

So stop with the endless crunches and head over to the rack for some real ab work.

Josh

Q & A: How Much Should I Exercise?

Q: How often should I exercise and for how long to receive the most benefits and get into the best shape possible?

A: Well, it all depends on what you are training for and trying to accomplish. If you are looking to get into better shape, lose excess fat, and increase your muscle mass. You should focus on multi-joint exercises that work muscles in the following 6 movement patterns: Horizontal Push, Horizontal Pull, Vertical Push, Vertical Pull, Squat and Deadlift variations, and Rotational movements. These exercises will give you the most bang for your buck and allow you to get in and out of the gym faster. Which, is my next point. You should only be spending around 45 minutes in the gym. That's it. Anymore and will begin to over work your body. Which, is counterproductive for what you are trying to achieve. Along with that, you should only be working out 3-4 days per week. Again, more than this and your body will not have enough time to recover.

As far as type of exercise goes. I always prefer weight training over cardio training. In fact, it is very possible to achieve high fat loss and a fit body without doing any cardio training. To get around cardio training I incorporate Anaerobic Cardio Circuits at the end of workouts or longer circuits that are a complete workout consisting of only Anaerobic Cardio Circuits. But, if you still feel that you need to do some type of traditional cardio training do it as the 4th workout. And allow for 3 days of weight training.


Have a Great Workout!

Josh

Are You A Horse Or a Bear?

How do you eat throughout the day that is?

Do you eat like a horse and graze with small meals every couple hours? Or do you eat like a bear and try to stuff yourself full once or twice a day?

Well lets take a look at the two:

The Horse - he grazes all day long providing his body with a steady flow of nutrients. This pattern of eating allows him to eat many calories of healthy food and build a lean muscular figure.

The Bear - he eats all summer long stuffing himself once or twice a day with as much food as he can get. Resulting in him getting fat to survive the long winter in hibernation when he will not being eating for a couple of months. His metabolism slows and he burns less calories which helps him to stay a live.

How does this relate to you? If you were to eat every 2-3 hours all day long you would probably consume around 2500-3500 calories. I know what you are thinking that's too many, "I'll never lose weight eating that much". However, that assumption is not true. Most people do not eat enough each day. This is one of the biggest reasons people struggle with weight loss. If you consume less than 2000 calories your body responds to that by slowing your metabolism and storing everything you eat as fat (The Bear). The reason for this is a basic survival strategy. Years ago during times of famine when food was scarce you body needed to store everything in order to keep you alive. Today however, with food being plentiful we do not need this survival strategy, but our bodies don't know that. Which, is why we need to make it realize that we have enough to eat. And this is achieved by eating more and eating frequently.

Hopefully you are already like the horse. Eating every 2-3 hours, keeping your metabolism running high, and burning more calories all day. Eating this way will help you build a lean muscular body and provide you with the needed energy to workout at your best.

Eat Like A Horse!

Josh

Schedule Time To Exercise

I hear all the time how people don't have time to exercise. None of us have the time. But, those of us who do exercise make time. We schedule it into our day and schedule other things around it.

I personally schedule exercise into my day. This way I am sure to always get it in. If I wouldn't do this it would be easy to do something else or schedule another client. But if I did that what kind of role model would I be? So I get my workouts in.

I will admit that if you are new to exercise it can be hard to fit in exercise at first. This is only more reason why you must schedule it. Then after sometime it just becomes a habit.

You don't have to schedule hours on end everyday to exercise. Just 45 minutes 3-4x per week is all you need.

Have a Great Day!

Josh

Push Yourself A Little Harder

I am on a break between clients and let me tell you between last night and this morning they all pushed themselves pretty hard.

It is these little things that make the difference in your training. If you are not willing to work as hard as possible and give it everything you have. You are not going to get to were you want to be.

You have to be willing to sweat, in some cases dripping.

You have to be willing to sometimes push to the point of almost vomiting. Although this is not the goal of any workout. It happens.

You have to be willing to get that extra rep when your body is telling you it can't and you have no energy left.

This is what separates those who see amazing results and get into great shape and those who only see average results and are only in average shape.

Don't be average. Be your best!

Josh

Why You Need More Calories

Let me tell you how important it is to eat enough calories everyday. Yesterday during my workout I hit a wall. Why? Because I had not eaten near enough calories that day and the day before. I need around 3300 calories per day and I was nowhere near that.

How do you know how many calories you need to eat everyday? There are many ways to determine this. A simple equation I got from Rachel Cosgrove, a personal trainer in LA, suggests to multiply your body weight by 13 0r 15. Then take both of those numbers and add or subtract 15% from each depending on whether your goal is weight gain or weight loss.

Did you figure that out? I bet your are nowhere near that amount? Especially if you are trying to lose weight.

So why do you need to consume more calories? Well, if you do not have enough energy in your body your body will burn muscle tissue for energy. Resulting in less total muscle mass and a slower metabolism. Not good. However, if there is enough energy in your body you will not burn muscle tissue and keep your metabolism running high. The higher your metabolism is the more calories you will burn with everything you do all day. The other important reason to eat adequate calories is to provide your body with the nutrients and energy to repair itself after a workout. If you are not getting in enough calories you will soon feel drained and not be able to complete your high intensity workouts. Again not good.

This is why almost all diets that restrict calories come up short in providing you with the results you want. You cannot workout intensely and hard, if your calories are super restricted. For most anything less than 2000 calories per day on a training day is too little. Yes, if you excessively restrict your calories you will lose weight, but at the expense of decreasing muscle tissue and slowing down your metabolism.

So eat more, workout harder, and get your metabolism burning higher.

Until Next Time,

Josh

Q & A: Lower Back and Abdominal Weakness

Q: My lower back muscles are very weak. What exercises can I do to strengthen them?

A: I see this a lot in people. In general most of the population has weak lower back muscles along with weak abdominal muscles. The reason for these muscle weaknesses is a result of sitting too much and poor posture. Along with lack of physical activity. Most people sit all day at a desk, computer, or something similar. While they are sitting there their posture is usually horrendous. Their shoulders are rounded and hunched over. This posture can lead to numerous other issues, besides weak back muscles and abdominals. In order, to correct this you first must start by making a conscious effort to sit up straight and practice perfect posture with everything you do. After that you need to spend a little time each day at the gym targeting these muscles. I like to perform 4 exercises for 105 reps total, that specifically target the abdominals and lower back. I perform these exercises at the end of my workout. I include exercises that require flexing, twisting, and bending of the torso. A sample of this is:

Sit Ups 1 x 25
Wood Chops 1 x 15 each side
Leg Lifts 1 x 25
Hyperextensions 1 x 25

These four exercises target the abdominals in the three movements I mentioned. They will help to improve your abdominal strength.

Try them out and tell me how they work out for you.

Train Smart, Train Effectively

Josh

Q & A: You Can't Spot Reduce

Q: I want to get rid of this excess fat around my midsection. Should I be doing more abdominal work with exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and twists?

A: No. It is impossible to spot reduce. You burn fat off from your entire body. Unfortunately for most people the fat in your abdomen is the last place you will lose it and usually the first place to gain it. In order to reduce your abdominal fat you need to first make sure that you are working out intensely 3-5 days per week. If you are already doing this the next step is to exclusively use multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and lunges. These exercises will burn many more calories than isolation exercises. Resulting in more fat calories burned. The next area to look at is your nutrition. If you are not eating properly you are not going to lose abdominal fat. You must be eating a healthy well balanced diet and create a calorie deficit. However, most people who create a calorie deficit create too big of a deficit. You only need to decrease your daily calories by 200-500 calories. If you decrease more than this your body is going to fight your efforts to lose fat. This is because when you decrease your calories to much you slow your metabolism, your body does not have the energy requirements needed so it will turn to muscle tissue for energy, which again decreases metabolism, and your body begins to store everything you eat rather than burn it.

One last point: You ask about doing more abdominal exercises. The problem with this is that by doing the abdominal only exercises you are going to build up those muscles, but not being doing anything to burn off the fat covering them. This will ultimately result in increasing your midsection. Yes, you do need to do some abdominal work, but not as much as most people do.


Until Next Time Keep Training Hard,

Josh

Q & A: The Difference Between Single-Joint and Multi-Joint Exercises

Q: I have been doing some reading about lifting and keep hearing that multi-joint exercises are better to use than single-joint exercises. What is the difference and why?

A: A Multi-Joint Exercise is any exercise the involves action over two or more joints. (e.g. squats, rows, deadlifts, pull-ups, standing presses, push-ups, and lunges). These exercises require more energy to perform than single-joint exercises due to more muscle recuitment and involvement. Which is why they are preferred over single-joint exercises for building strength, decreasing fat, and building lean muscle tissue.

A Single-Joint Exercise is any exercise that only requires movement at one joint. These are typically isolation exercises (e.g. bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, side raises, leg extension, and leg curls). These exercises do not require as much energy to perform and have less muscles involved in the movement than compared to a multi-joint exercise. Which is why they are not preferred for building strength, decreasing fat loss, and building lean muscle tissue. However, there are a few instances when single-joint exercises are useful. This would be when you are rehabing an injured muscle or area of the body, when the body is too broken down to handle the stress of multi-joint exercises, or when bodybuilders are trying to get that extra cut needed in a muscle.

Overall multi-joint exercises are preferred over single-joint exercises and should make up the majority of your workout.

If you have any other fitness related questions email me at prochperformancetraining@gmail.com or leave a comment on the blog.

Until Next Time,

Josh Proch