Contradictions and Controversies in Exercise

We can ALL agree that this is just plain AWFUL!

We have the High Intensity Interval Training Group, the Crossfit gang, the Runner/Endurance competitor crew (runners, spinners, cyclists, etc.), the pilates/yoga bunch, and people who just enjoy taking a couple of Group X classes a week.  There are also people who just like to lift weights and get in shape as well as people who like to lift the heaviest things possible and push themselves to their physical limits.

So what is the best form of exercise to get in better shape?  There are so many answers to that question, but there are more opinions on what forms of exercise not to do, than what is the right thing to do.   Some people who perform one form of exercise are quick to bash another group because they feel that certain forms of exercise are stupid, worthless, and just plain awful.

It's common to hear things like - "Crossfit sucks",  "Yoga is stupid", and "lifting heavy weights is just for showing off".  It's almost like one fraternity against another- you hardly ever find a person who lifts heavy, does pilates, and every once in a while does a Crossfit class. 

If you drive up to a commercial gym and walk inside, it's pretty crazy to see the Group X(ers) on one side, the "Spinners" on the other, the Cardio groupies somewhere in the middle, and the people "strength training" on the outskirts.  If you drive a little further down the street you'll probably see a Crossfit studio.  People are lined up and psyched to do the "W.O.D", and ready to get shredded.  At the other end of the shopping center, there is a Pilates studio where a group of people are going to "activate" their core and get long, lean muscles. 

I have to admit I haven't tried some forms of exercise that are pretty much considered "In" or "Mainstream".  I have yet to enter a Pilates Studio, a yoga studio, or perform a Crossfit session.  So maybe I'm not entitled to give my opinion on those forms of exercise, so I won't.  I just have a problem with people assuming that what they are doing is the "Holy Grail" of fitness.

I've had some clients tell me that they would love to watch me struggle through a Pilates class, or see me in agony during a Yoga session.  They're right, I probably would have a tough time on that reformer, keeping my body in perfect alignment and keeping my core tight.  And doing "the king pigeon " pose in yoga would probably an uncomfortable feeling and test my flexibility.  I just don't feel that those things are worthwhile of MY time to accomplish MY personal goals.

Yeah, I would look like a train wreck trying to do this!

I get a little offended when Pilates Instructors tell their classes that they will change the "shape" of their muscles and achieve a "lean" and "toned" appearance after spending several hours on the reformer.  I've also heard of the same instructors tell people that lifting heavy dumbbells and barbells will make you "big and bulky".

This doesn't really interest me......

Some spinning instructors I've encountered  love to preach to their classes that their legs will "balloon up" with heavy lower body resistance movements and that peddling away on the bike will get you slim, sexy legs.  The Crossfit gang is so into their style of workouts that everything else is just for sissies!

There is no doubt that there are some people with excellent strength and conditioning levels that are part of the Crossfit posse, but once again it's not the "end all, be all" form of exercise.  Neither is lifting heavy things, pilates, yoga, spinning, boot camps, or distance running.  People tend to perform what type of exercise the are good at, as well as, what "group" they fit in with socially.  They also tend to drift to where they think they'll have the most fun, ever see a Zumba class or "Strip Aerobics"??

So what is the RIGHT way to exercise? I wish there was one correct answer that everybody would agree on.  There are so many "right" answers, so where do we begin.  First of all, your body should be able to perform basic movements.  I've trained so many people who spin and take pilates that can't even perform a  lunge with correct form, posture, and body alignment.

I've worked with Crossfit folks who can't perform an overhead squat without some movement deviation, such as their heels lifting off the ground or their knees caving in.  A basic movement such as a squat, a lunge, a push-up (with the shoulders even), and a chin up or inverted row are all things that ANY and ALL people should incorporate in their exercise ritual.  As a society, our movement patterns pretty much suck.  Why don't we improve our ability to move correctly before we perform barbell snatches for 50 reps or crank away on a spinning bike for 60 minutes?

Is this really necessary?

Any internet forum designated to one specific form of exercise will have several posts dedicated to bashing people who do something else.

Instead of the negativity, think about the positive things that you will achieve through whatever form of exercise you are currently doing.  Does it relate to your goals?  Will it improve your daily life? Is the instructor/trainer educated and qualified to teach this form of exercise in respect to the way the body should perform a specific movement.

Once you decide what fits you best, start kicking ass and taking names.  You should be focused on getting results and reaching the goals you set out to achieve.  If you are not getting closer to your goals, switch it up, what you're doing might not be the most appropriate form of exercise for what you are trying to accomplish. You have the freedom to stop spinning and start lifting heavy things, and your legs will probably start looking a lot better once you do!

Some things are always changing......

My introduction to nutrition was in high school health class where we were told to eat 3 balanced meals a day and follow the Food Pyramid that was developed in 1992.  Since then, there have been so many changes, opinions, and controversies surrounding the food we eat.

Should we eat 6 small meals a day, or 3 meals and 2 snacks, or survive off protein shakes? There are a ton of diets that actually have specific names.   Should you follow the Adkins Diet?  How about the South Beach Diet? What about the Warrior Diet?  Ever hear of a Ketogenic Cyclicing Diet? Is the Paleo Diet the right one for you?   I am constantly asked,  "Which "diet" is best?"

To be honest, I really don't think the majority of our popluation cares.  If people really were concerned about the food they eat, we would have a lot less fat people walking around.  If you really think about it, it's not that hard to improve your nutritonal intake, but most people become overwhelmed by specific diets and "nutrition gossip", they fall off track within a week or so of "dieting".

No matter what diet or eating plan you are following or are going to follow, someone is going to recommend something else and something "better".  We are so mentally consumed on what is the best way to eat, or what some celebraty did to lose 20lbs. that just the simple necessity of simply eating right seems more complicated than a calculus problem.

The fact is, whatever "diet" works the best for you, another diet may work better.  We can almost guarantee that in a year or two, there will be a new, ground breaking diet plan guaranteed to get you ripped in 60 days.

There are a few things that hopefully a lot of people can agree on:

Eat good natural food, limit your calories if you are trying to lose weight and get lean, or increase your calories if you are trying to gain mass, and drink plenty of water. (some miserable person might find something wrong with this)

Seems easy enough, right?  Well that depends on the person, their goal, and their lifestyle.

Can you get leaner eating 3 meals a day? Of course.  Can you get stronger eating 6 meals a day? No doubt.  Is a diet that is high in protein going to make my kidneys erupt like a volcano?  Ain't gonna happen.  We have become so mind warped by "diet" information and nutrition advice from books, magazines, and supplement companies when it comes to food sources, combining nutrients, and meal frequency.  It's soooo much easier just to pull through the drive-thru and order a #7 super size and say the hell with it! But that's really not an option.

The topic of nutrition will always be debated, and there are some individuals that spend a large majority of their time on internet forums bashing others for the way they choose to eat. I think an individual should eat the way that is best for their health and well being first, then worry about your improving your physique and fitness goals.

Some simple tips:

-Don't eat fast food.
-Eat at home most of the time, preparing your meals from quality ingredients  (No TV dinners)
-Don't drink Soda or Beverages loaded with sugar.
-Eat Fruit
-Eat Veggies
-Eat Lean Protein
-Eat "Healthy" Fat (Olive oil, Coconut Oil, Almonds, Walnuts. etc)
-Have an idea of how many calories you are eating, track your progress.
-Limit the amount of beverages without nutrtional value (alcohol)
(Another miserable person might call this PALEO BS.............they need to get a life) 
 

I don't agree 100%, but it's better than most people eat

It's pretty easy to begin a eating plan to shed some weight and ingest some quality nutrients.  The leaner you get or the more specific your goals are regrading your physique, the more difficult it is to develop a successful eating strategy.

What we have to remember that what is taught in our "health" or "nutrition" books may be outdated and research may have proved otherwise.  If getting leaner and healthier are important, we need to keep up with the literature and determine what eating plan will best suit your lifestyle and you are most likely follow with 100% compliance.

Everybody's metabolism is different, food allergies are common in an increasing amount of the population, and not everybody enjoys the taste of the same foods.  The "eating" plan that works great for me might be horrible for you and make you feel like crap. Obviously, you would not follow that plan for very long....

It is important that we keep up with the changes regarding nutrition information and research, there is no one size fits all approach, and more importantly if they're was- that would change in a few years......

A new atmosphere.....

I've mentioned in the past couple blogs about a possible gym change, on Tuesday the wife and I finally went through with it and joined the "fitness center" at Nova Southeastern University. After the past few weeks of severe aggravation every time we lifted at our "former" gym,  it was time for us to move on and move out! There were times that I thought I might throw a 45lb. plate across the gym to break up the idiots that were having "flex-off 2011" in front of the dumbbell rack.  The other day my wife almost "involuntarily" turned into a bulimic after watching this group to tools attempt to squat.

After considering a few other gyms in the area, Nova seemed like the perfect fit for both of us. They actually have 4 squat racks, an Olympic lifting platform, quality dumbbells over 100lbs, plenty of floor space, and stackable plyo-boxes. I've trained there twice this week, around 4-5pm, and it wasn't overly crowded. I was able to get in, do work, and get out! 

The thing I like best is that the clientele is mostly college kids, and I really didn't see anyone who might be trying out for the next cast of the Jersey Shore. For the most part people were minding their business and just trying to get in better physical condition.

The Elite Compound in London, Ohio (freakin' awesome!)

I've come to the reality that the "perfect" gym would be difficult to find within reasonable driving distance. Trust me, I would rather be lifting at a place like Defranco's in New Jersey, The ELITE FTS Compound, Cressey Performance, or Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning.- just to name a few places. Of course these gyms are not your typical "membership" facilities and located around 1,000 miles away, but the atmosphere of these "weight rooms" is all about INTENSITY!  A different breed people train at these places, people who are serious about pushing their physical limits.

I also realize that when joining a gym I am not the only one that needs to approve, the wife also has to be happy- and she definitely is with our new facility. She was actually the one who encouraged the much needed change.

We can always sneak in a workout where I work, Emery Wellness Center, but it's a private training facility and I have to respect the members space and training times.  I also like to perform some lifts such as cleans,snatches, and deadlifts and we just don't have the right flooring or equipment for those type of lifts with a good amount of weight on the bar.  It is a great place to train clients, but I like to have a buffer when it comes to work and my own lifting.

One day I might actually open my own facility (anybody wanna invest???) and set it up my way, with the equipment I feel necessary to achieve the highest levels of strength and performance, and create an atmosphere like some of the top gyms in the country. Until then, I have to make the best of where I'm at and keep lifting heavy things and try to improve physically every time I touch the IRON.

If you're unhappy with your facility, go out and explore your options. I realize that with a negative atmosphere you can get stuck in a rut, become unfocused, and you can become unmotivated toward accomplishing your goals. Sometimes all you need is a positive atmosphere to break through you plateaus and achieve great things, and that's what I intend to do.......

Things I'll Never Do......

If you haven't gotten a chance to read Part 1-Things I Stopped Doing and Part 2- Things I started Doing, give them a quick read before you move on to Part 3 of my world famous series.  Just Kidding about that.....

There are a few things that are nutrition/fitness related that I am 99.9% sure I'll never do or try.  I can't say I'm 100% committed to my statement because if someone offered me a large enough sum of money, I'm sure I might conform to 1 or 2 of these "things".  Not that I'd "sell out" and give up my integrity of a fitness professional but as a friendly wager or bet I would probably give in and collect the cash....

Anyway, here is a lit of Things that I'll Never Do........

(1) Go Vegan.  I watched Food Inc. last week and that might persuade some people to turn to a life of fruit, veggies, and legumes but I just couldn't do it.  I love steak way to much to give it up for a "soy" form of wannabe meat.  I also love chicken, buffalo, fish, eggs, and pretty much anything that would be off limits if I turned into a Vegan.

I have made some changes to my food choices, such as buying mostly organic, eating grassfed beef, and eating more vegetables during the day.  But if I had to say NO to a nice grilled Fillet Mignon I think I'd have to kick my own ass.

(2) Run a Marathon.  For the people who have read this blog before or know me personally, it's pretty much well known that I'm not a big fan of distance running.  I know there are people out there who love "going for a run" and competing in 5k's, 10k's, and Marathons, that's a personal choice and if they like it- good for them.  I just don't see the fun in jogging for 3, 4, or 5 hours to finish a race.

I am a pretty competitive person when it comes to sports and other events, and I have done the 5k/10k thing a few times.  In my opinion, I am in much better physical condition at this point in my life than I was back then even though I'm 10 years older.  My knees and lower back feel great now, compared to the days when I had kinks, tightness, and throbbing pain after I used "crank out the miles".  If I ended up doing a marathon I would be scared to see how much strength I'd lose or how "jacked up" my body would be when I crossed the finish line, if I crossed the finish line........

(3) Sell a Product or a Service I Don't Believe In.   When I was working at a commercial gym, we had to sell supplements, training, and something called a "bodybugg".  As far a selling supplements, I touched on that in Part 1 of this EPIC series.

Selling training wasn't difficult if I was going to be the person who trained the client.  However, because I am a teacher full-time I was put in the position to sell personal training packages to people that I would "hand off" to another trainer.  I wasn't okay with that.

There are a few trainers I would feel comfortable working with people that purchased training from me, but most likely the trainers that were "new" or those with lots of availability would take on the client that I spent a good amount of time "building up" the personal training program.  The commission would have been great, it just wasn't why I got into the profession.  So, I made the decision not to sell training to clients that I couldn't train myself.

On to the bodybugg...... Where do I begin?  Our personal training department had contest with other gyms to see who could sell the most units.  We had cash prizes for personal trainers that were leading the company in product sales.

So what is the bodybugg?  It's basically an arm band that measures caloric expenditure throughout the day.  Does it work? Hmmmm. Maybe?  However, if you know you burn 500 calories through exercise and your body burns 1600 a day you are doing great right?  Not if you eat 4,000 calories a day of chips, soda, and hot dogs.

I felt it was more important to try to get my clients eating right and moving more then relying on an arm-band to let them know what calories were burned or not burned through daily activity.  My approach was to save the 300 bucks, and spend it on personal training.  From there, we can work on making better food choices and personally be accountable for our daily activity and caloric consumption.

Of course if I was asked to endorse the Shake Weight, I would do it in a heartbeat!

(4) Watch the Bravo Network (by choice).  This is the most godawful television channel ever created.  My wife would have it on 24/7 if she could.  Every time I hear these housewives arguing I want to stick a dull knife in my ears to stop the pain that these women inflict.  Actually, the E! channel isn't far behind, and Sex and the City might even be worse!   Uggg, I better stop thinking about this communist television programming  before I vomit all over my laptop....

So if end up doing any of the things listed above, I've officially given up my MAN CARD, or I've collected a large amount of money and I'll be sailing around the world in my new yacht- neither is very likely.. .......

End of the week thoughts.........

It's that time again, another glorious Friday and my mind has been full throttle all week.  I have 2 new posts up this week, if you haven't checked em' out yet, here they are: PART 1 and PART 2.

This morning I read a great post from Mike Robertson  and it really should be a MUST READ for pretty much everyone trying to advance in the Strength and Conditioning Field.  The more I think about the whole strength/conditioning/fitness profession, the more I realize that in some instances it's better to have tunnel vision to block out the absurdity of some "trainers".

Look anywhere on the internet and your bound to come across a couple of these on-line fitness gurus. You know, the ones just trying to get rich and don't have any passion for making peoples lives better and improving their knowledge regarding fitness and nutrition. The kind of trainer that has been working in the field for 6 months and hasn't really trained anybody, but is in the process of writing an e-book.  Yeah, that type of trainer- gotta block em' out!

So enough with the intro, here are my end of the week thoughts:

-FOOD INC.  I finally watched the movie this week and all I can say is "DISTURBING".  It's really scary to see where a lot of our meat and other food products come from and getting an inside look at the food industry makes me want to have my own ranch, garden, and farm.

I've read the Omnivore's Dilemma so I had a pretty good idea about what goes on in some areas of the food industry, but the visuals that Food Inc. provides makes it much more realistic.  Just another reason to try to get grassfed, free-range, and organic foods. They might be more expensive but the taste and health benefits outweigh the price.

-NEW GYM.  The wife and I started searching for new gym last week.  We actually tried a gym out last Friday and it was a little bit on the lame side and just lifting there once made my testosterone levels drop.  Cleans, Squats (proper depth), and Deadlifts obviously were not that common at this facility so the wife and I definitely stood out from the "pink dumbbell" gang. 

Today we are going to give Nova Southeastern University's gym a try.  I've lifted there before, and it's a pretty good facility, I just hope they haven't changed the floor plan.  One side of the gym had a row of squat racks, Olympic lift platforms, and plenty of floor space.  The other side had your typical "gym" equipment.  I wonder where I'll spend most of my time........

-Some New Buys.  This week I went on a little "buying" streak.  I bought 2 new books and a TRX.  I figure these items are tax deductible and since I got some money back from the IRS, I might as well invest it.

The books I bought are Switch and The Talent Code.  Both books had some great reviews so I'm looking forward to some quality reading time.

I am in the process of reading Practical Programming, I wish I would have got a hold of this book when I first started lifting- I might have actually had a clue about getting stronger.

The TRX is a great training tool and it's nice to have a little variety when I'm getting in a park workout, it's easy to travel with, and when my ADHD kick in- I can get a little exercise in at home.

Well that's it for today, Have a great weekend.....

Things I Started Doing.....

This is the second installment of the series I'll call "THINGS".  The first post was about some Things I Stopped Doing, where I basically "called myself out" for not knowing a whole heck of a lot when it came to effective exercise selection and proper programming for resistance training.

After learning from my mistakes I began to implement a variety of things that will hopefully help me move, feel, and look better.  If appropriate, some of my clients are doing these things as well, but it depends on each individual circumstance. 

(1) Foam Rolling / LAX ball rolling.  I have been doing this for a little while now, but up in til recently I've been doing it half-ass.  I started "rolling" almost everyday of the week about 2 months ago and it has made a huge difference, especially in squat depth and single leg movements.

Trust me- You won't have a smile on your face!

Find the knots and roll em' out!

I realize my hips were pretty jacked up and my piriformis and IT band were extremely tight, so I dedicate about 5-10 minutes on getting those tight areas a little "looser" and I'm moving much better.

(2) Dynamic Mobility Exercises.  Since we started with Foam rolling, that leads nicely to the next phase of my warm-up which is to increase my heart rate and improve mobility.  I have done the static stretching thing through high school and college athletics, it amazes me that none of my coaches incorporated dynamic mobility drills and part of the pre-practice or pre-game warm up.

Movements like leg swings, hip circles, and a reverse lunge with a reach can do wonders for the hip flexors.  Thoracic spine activation drills and exercises like wall slides can help improve shoulder mobility and serve as a precautionary measure for a few common upper body injuries.

One of the mobility drills I "hate" the most is the overhead squat! My form definietely needs some improvement and I really notice the areas where I lack flexibility.  I guess that means that I should be doing it more often.

(3) Taking a Probiotic.  There is a lot of literature on the importance of "gut health" and when you think about the functions of the digestive system and the immune system, you definitely want them working at full-force.  You can find Probiotics in yogurt, I just find taking one capsule a day much easier and I'm not a huge dairy fan anyway.  Like I said, I really don't encourage people to take too many supplements, but this is one that is cheap and beneficial.

(4)  Questioning the Laws.  You must eat breakfast everyday.  You must eat 6 meals a day.  You must eat every 2-3 hours to "stoke" the metabolic fire.  Really? Check out THIS website for a different approach in terms of eating for leanness, backed by client transformations and research links.  I have come across some interesting reading material recently and I decided to try some mini-experiments on myself.

I am in the beginning of doing some self implemented "research" in regards to my daily nutrition plan.  I have been trying to find the right formula on how I want to set things up in regards to macronutrient breakdown and meal timing, when I get it figured out - I'll make sure to let everyone in on my results.

(5) Morning Movements.  I stole this from John Romaniello.  He calls it a "neural wake up" and honestly it does get the blood flowing and the mind working more efficiently.  In the morning before my first client, I perform 10 push ups, 10 lunges, 10 band pull a parts, 10 squats, 10 TRX rows, and 10 reverse lunges.  I usually go through this series of exercises twice and I perform each movement in a controlled manner with a full range of motion. 

Ideally, I'd like to get this "morning movement" drill in 3-4 times a week.  I find that I am more energetic the days I do this and when I demonstrate an exercise for an early morning client I am not as rusty. 

There ya go, some things that make my life a little more awesome day in and day out.  As I evolve as a fitness professional I constantly seek ways to improve myself and the people I train. I think it's irresponsible of me to request my clients to do something if I haven't tried it or I can't do it.

I guess I am a guinea pig when it comes to exercise, nutrition, and supplements- but at least I can inform people what they can expect from a certain protocol. 

Next week I'll have up Part 3- Things I'll Never Do.  Check back tomorrow for "End of the Week Thoughts".

Things I stopped doing.....

I have decided to do a 3 part series:

Part 1 = Things I stopped doing......

Part 2 = Things I started doing....

Part 3 = Things I'll never do.....

I have transformed as a trainer and a lifter over the past 10 or so years. I think some of the things that I have done are just plain stupid, and others have made me much better for including them in my programs or my clients programs.

I look at some of the stuff I used to do as a trainer and some of the stuff I included during my training sessions, I must have been clueless.  What's even worse is when I see other trainers doing those absurd things with their clients or people performing the same worthless routines my dumbass used to do in the younger days.

When I finally "woke up" and started to better educate myself I realized some changes needed to be made to be more successful as a trainer and coach.  My training also needed to evolve, I wasn't seeing any positive results from what I was doing in the weight room.

Here is a little look into some of the nonsense I used to think was effective training.  These are things I STOPPED doing:

(1) ANYTHING standing on a BOSU ball.  I thought, just like a large majority of the population, that I would "engage" my core if I stood on an unstable surface.  I used to do squats, shoulder press, and curls standing on that darn thing and  I accomplished absolutely nothing!

This looks like an accident waiting to happen!

I actually got weaker.  As Jason Ferruggia said, "It ain't strength training unless you're getting strong!"  So what the heck was I thinking?

If I use 95 lbs. on a front squat for 8 reps on a stable surface and can only use 45lbs. when I stand on a BOSU ball before I'm about to fall over, what's the point?

Check out THIS post for some research and more explanation regarding training on an unstable surface.

For the record, I was also that guy doing should press while kneeing on a stability ball.

(2) "Burn-out sets" with clients.  I was the trainer that wanted people to feel "a burn" (god I hate that term).  I thought my clients would be more satisfied with their session if they felt that "trouble spot" reach the point of physical exhaustion. Drop sets, super sets, and compound sets, what ever would fatigue a muscle group I included in a training session.

If a client was concerned about legs, I would have them perform drop sets of leg press or leg extensions.  If a client was concerned about their arms a drop set of the the rope tricep press down would do the trick.  Of course for guys any drop set of a chest exercise would leave them PUMPED and feeling like they were going to actually gain some size.

Of course drop sets, "super sets", and compound sets can have a place in a training program, but not with novice lifters who don't even perform basic movement patterns correctly.

(3) Pushing supplements.  After working at a commercial gym for around 8 years I realized I was more like a traditional salesman than a trainer.  I had a supplement goal I had to reach and it didn't matter if I sold Muscle Milk to an overweight Grandmother or a powerful fat burner to an anorexic, if I made my goal management was happy. (I never did those things, by the way).

Now I like to do my best to encourage people to eat REAL food.  Clean up their diets and if there is a need for a supplement, we'll discuss that when the time is right.

As far as what I recommend to most people, fish oil, protein powder, and a greens supplement.

(4) Single Body Part Training.  I used to train Chest Day on Monday's, Back on Tuesday, Legs on Wednesday, Shoulders on Thursday, and Arms on Friday.

Ground Breaking stuff!  Flip open the pages of any Muscle and Fitness or Flex Magazine and I'm guaranteed you'll find that routine or one very similar.

The fact is I really didn't need to do 27 sets of triceps or 15 sets of "upper chest" - If I remember correctly I really didn't accomplish too much from those workouts, except fitting in at the gym and leaving with a pump.  I guess that's all a young newbie gym goer wants from a training session.

(5) Using the Smith Machine or other Isolation Type Machines.  In my opinion some machines are the biggest waste of space and money in any fitness center or gym.

There are circumstances where some forms of isolation movements are acceptable (injuries /hypertrophy training) but the tricep extension machine- REALLY?

People would get a much greater value out of exercise if basic movement patterns were taught, corrected, and improved rather than just sitting them on a machine and reppin' out an exercise to "feel the burn".

(6) Distance Running.  I used to think this was the best method to "lose fat" and "lean up" but I was totally wrong. First of all, nutrition is the key component to getting leaner. Second, I ended up developing some knee and lower back pain and my resistance training began to suffer.  You can read more about my views on distance running HERE. 

I'm sure I made plenty more mistakes during my younger days, and I might even be making some now- but that's the educational process.  If I get better from my mistakes, they were almost worth making.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

End of the week thoughts.........

Another week has gone by, rather quickly, which is definitely a good thing.  I think by Friday my body and brain sense the weekend is right around the corner.  As always I had some entertaining, enlightening, and pretty random thoughts throughout the week.  Here ya go........

-Idiots Everywhere!  The wife and I have decided to look for a new gym.  The place where I currently workout is infested with Jersey Shore wannabees and other random people who don't know what the hell they're doing.  I know curls in the squat rack are accepted by some, but having 3 squat racks taken up by ass clowns is unacceptable.

It also is aggravating when my wife squats and deadlifts more than a lot of these morons.  What is even more frustrating is when she is the only female in the free weight area these idiots look at her like she shouldn't be there (or they're checking her out because she is super hot).

"Yo baby, can I sneak in set of curls?"

I don't ask for much in a gym, a good squat rack, dumbbells up to 100lbs., an area to do some jumps/complexes, a place where I'm allowed to deadlift, and  somewhere that 99% of the members don't wear wife beaters and thick silver chains.

-Nutrition.  I have been on and off since the wedding.  I have really been enjoying the weekends and eating pretty much "freely" and the week has been super clean.  I need to buckle down and limit myself to ONE crappy meal a week. I really haven't packed on too many pounds, I just feel so much better when I am eating really strict.

I am still doing the "no breakfast" thing, and I really happen to feel more energy and seem to be more alert in the morning.  My first meal is at 8am which would be breakfast for most, but I wake up at 4 so it seems like brunch or even lunch to me.

I'm playing around with a few different strategies to get back to my summer leanness, when I have it dialed in, I'll put it out there for everyone to see.

-Research/Reading.  I read some interesting material regarding the 6 meal a day theory, from both people who agree with it and those with different opinions. Very interesting stuff.....  Take a look at the literature  here and here.

-Wedding Pics.  My wedding pictures are almost completed.  Some of them are up on my photographers blog- check em out here. 

Make today be great and tomorrow even better!  Have an awesome weekend.

Money vs. Principles....

Through my years of personal training I have developed certain principles when it comes to progression, program design, and certain exercises I will or will not have a client perform.  I have a method and reasoning behind everything I do when it comes to exercise selection, and feel that certain movements should be accomplished before moving on to more difficult exercises.

I have also developed a "list" of exercises and movements that I won't use with a client unless there are extenuating circumstances.  When I first am introduced to a client I perform a basic assessment of movements through different "dynamic/warm-up" activities.  If a client can't perform certain movements or has less than adequate strength levels, I will only focus on "foundation exercises" until progress has been made.

I use the term "foundation exercises" because I feel that those are the exercises that can we can build on and provide the most benefit in the long run.  Exercises like squats, lunges, inverted rows/pull ups, push-ups, planks, are easy to modify and increase or decrease difficulty.  

Some of the principles that I've developed over the years, but are not limited to:

- If a client can't do 5 good push-ups (for females, a bench push-up is acceptable) they are not allowed to bench press. (I never use a machine chest press or smith machine)

-If a client's shoulder range of motion is limited, or if a shoulder/ the trapezius  is severely elevated when performing assessments like a wall-slide, pushing movements will be limited to push-ups.  We will focus mainly on pull exercises (TRX rows, band pull-aparts, face-pulls, etc).

-If you are a teenage male, you need to be able to perform 3 quality chin-ups before you even think about doing a bicep curl.  You also need to be able to perform 5 parallel bar dips before we do any form of tricep isolation work.

-If a client can't perform a proper squat or lunge, there is NO need for external loading during lower body exercises.

-I WON"T put a "healthy" client on a leg press*!  I want clients to get the most "bang for their buck"- so why would I have them  perform a lower body exercise that excludes the lumbar spine and doesn't adequately activate the glutes and hamstring?  *Possible exceptions are "bodybuilder/mass gain oriented" type clients, or those with physical limitations or injuries.

most of the time, trainers use the leg press as an easy way out, and gym goers use the leg press because they can load up the weight to appear strong....

if you want to BE strong talk to me when you can front squat 315......

-The Leg Extension is another piece of equipment I avoid with clients because of it has VERY little benefit on strength and adequate muscle recruitment.

Okay, so there my list and a little rant....

So here is the question, I have a 21 year old male who wants to train with me, but he only wants to focus on bench press, curls, and tricep movements.  The guy can't do "1" push up, is no where near close to performing a chin up, and can't do 10 body weight squats without looking like he is going to fall over.  If I do what "he" wants, he will be training with me 2 X a week.

Will the money I'll make be a reason to give up "my ground rules"? Or should I say, "maybe I'm not the trainer for you".

Luckily I have a full-time job which pays salary.  I am also lucky to have a decent client pool to chose from to fill my available hours.  To me doing the right thing is more important than earning a fast buck.  There are plenty of other trainers that would take the cash and run.  Actually there are tons of trainers that won't even bother with an assessment because they have no idea what the hell they are doing!

It's easy to have someone do leg presses, bicep curls, lat pull-downs, and a "light" chest press.  If you want to work a little, teach someone to squat, lunge, and do a proper push-up.

My clients know I have their best interest in mind when it comes to designing a training program.  They know I strive to get them their desired results  My clients have seen their strength, mobility, body composition improve and I think they are much "happier" people because of their physical achievements. 

That is what this job is all about, making your clients move, look, and feel better.  If a person doesn't have a desire to move better than a pregnant, one-legged, elephant- I am obviously not the trainer for them......

End of the week thoughts.........

It's Friday!  Another week down and I'm looking forward to a great weekend in South Florida.  The weather should be great Saturday and Sunday and I plan on getting some much needed beach time.  I don't have to work tomorrow morning so I will get in some early morning conditioning. I'm thinking med ball stuff, some body weight movements, and of course- sprinting.

I did pretty good job blogging this week, I actually put up two pretty good posts, or at least I think they are good.......  Check em out HERE and HERE .

Here is a short list of some random thoughts as you head into the weekend:

-Social Media.  For a long time I was totally against FACEBOOK.  I had no desire to join and be a part of the biggest social networking site EVER.  I eventually gave in because of some advice from a couple smart people in the strength and conditioning field- and I'm really happy I did.

Logging on and having immediate links to blogs, articles, and research studies really cuts down on time in front of the computer.  I also enjoy watching youtube or vimeo videos of some really tough lifting and conditioning sessions. It's great to watch good people lift heavy things, perform different movements, and analyze technique- you can learn a lot from watching someone else perform a movement correctly.  As well as, get motivated from watching people break PR's.

I'm not sold on the whole TWITTER thing, I have an account and post some stuff every now and then, but I really haven't caught on yet.... Who knows, maybe over the summer I will be a tweetin' fool.

-Summer.  Speaking of summer, I have 9 weeks left left of teaching.  We're down to the 4th quarter of school, and before I know it - summer vacation.  I guess you could call it that, but considering I will be picking up more clients and spending more time working at the gym, there won't be a whole lot of down time. Except for my 7 night cruise!  I don't think I've ever spent 7 nights on vacation and I can't wait til I actually get a chance in June to experience the good life, actually my life right now is pretty damn good!


-Investing.  One of my clients told me that I was the best investment he could make.  He said that showing up to the gym every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 5:30am for his training session is a better investment than any stocks or mutual funds that he could ever come across.

That comment made my day.  I enjoy helping people get stronger, leaner, and in better physical condition.  I understand investing in a personal training program is expensive, but the benefits are well worth the investment.

As far as investing, I began thinking about my grocery bill at Whole Foods. It's pretty darn expensive!  But when I think about it, I am investing in my health and my wife's health by purchasing quality nutritious food.  I also thought about the books I have spent a lot of money on over the years, another good investment from a mental / intellectual stand point.

So how are you investing your time and money?

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!