It's not complicated - It's consistency

When I train a new client I am extremely optimistic that they will reach their fitness goals.  I honestly don't think a trainer should demonstrate anything but a positive attitude and try to instill a success driven mindset for a client when beginning a personal training program.

Some clients standout and demonstrate amazing potential during the first few sessions. If these clients are consistent in their approach to achieving their fitness goals great things will happen.

People who will be successful with getting stronger-leaner-and in better shape will continue to put fourth maximum effort for any improvement in regards to fitness, no matter how challenging the training session or how strict of an eating plan they are following. 

Sometimes you can visibly see the motivation and the "hard working" mentality of a client slowly start slipping away.   As far as I'm concerned, my job as a trainer or coach is to educate, inspire, and motivate my clients.  If my clients aren't motivated have I done my job?  If they aren't inspired, have I failed?

That's a tough question to answer.  I feel that some people are driven for success and others let distractions and excuses derail them from the body they want to achieve.  The one's who are driven don't need someone there to be a "cheerleader" to get them through that extra rep or last set of an exercise, they push hard when no one is around.

People that I see have the most success in the areas of fitness and body transformation are consistently doing the right things,  no matter the circumstances.  They make time for exercise.  They don't make excuses like "There was nothing healthy to eat". They know it's about what THEY do, and the stuff that is going on around them is no excuse to throw in the towel. 

Here's a newsflash- Everyone can improve in the areas of health and fitness.

You can gain strength.

You can get lean.

You can gain muscle.

You can improve endurance.

You can improve flexibility and balance.

You can improve mobility and stability.

Whatever your fitness and health related goals are, they can be achieved if you are willing to put fourth the time and effort. You can go in this journey alone, with a friend, or hire someone to help pave the way.  It doesn't matter. Of course there are many advantages when working with a trainer or coach  (accountability, proper form/technique, exercise selection, programming).  But the key is consistency.

Being consistent with diet and exercise is nothing new and exciting.  It's sure as hell is not "ground breaking" research.  To some it's boring, to others it's a necessity to achieve the body they desire.

There is really nothing complicated about it, no fancy machines, no sophisticated eating approach- just plain consistency.   Of course you have to exercise and eat nutritious foods, but that seems pretty simple.

Workout at least 4 times a week.  Cardio or Strength Training?  How about both.  What type of resistance training?  Push, Pull, Squat.  What type of cardio? Move.

Is it really that simple?  Yes, but for some reason some people like to complicate or over analyze things.  Is there a more detailed and specific plan?  Of course, but until you are consistent with the basics - don't worry about  carb cycling, HIT, Supersets, Plyometrics, etc.  Just exercise 4 times a week and eat better. 

Don't have time to go to the gym?  Well I'm sure you have 15 minutes to spare, try this workout at home:
Perform 10 squats, 10 jumping jacks, 10 push-ups, 10 lunges (each leg), and one minute of the plank with no rest.  Set a timer, when 15 minutes is up - you're done.

If its seems too easy, perform jump squats or "clap" push-ups.  If it seems too hard, take some rest or decrease the number of reps. 

As far as eating, step 1 is to keep a food journal.  Review what you eat everyday, it's pretty easy to determine if your diet is filled with garbage or quality nutrients.  Step 2- reduce garbage, increase nutritious foods.  Step 3- keep doing step 1 and 2 everyday.  After the first week make better food choices and reduce the garbage calories from the previous week.

Keep consistent.  If you want to learn or memorize something you use the repetition method.  If you repeatedly read a series of facts you should have it memorized.  If you consistently eat healthy, lifts weights, and just freakin' move more - you will start achieving your fitness goals. 

Now that I just informed you of the obvious, take the steps necessary to look better, feel better, and move better. It's really not that complicated. 

Just be consistent.

Something to check out..........

Nate Green lives by his own rules.  He is a really good writer, he know his stuff when it comes to exercise and nutrition, and he lives a pretty interesting life.  I just read his "Hero Handbook" and I found it really entertaining with a lot of good practical advice.  It is a short easy read, well worth checking out.  You can download it for free, no hassle / BS involved. 

Get it HERE.

The Squat- are your shoulders holding you back?

I love to take on new clients.  I actually like to take on "untrained" new clients rather than people who have had an inefficient trainer.  Reprogramming dysfunctional movements and reteaching just about everything when it comes to form and technique is a pretty grueling task. More times than not, that is the situation when it comes to previously trained clients.

A very important part of our job is to help correct movement patterns, assess deviations, and determine what needs to be done to make a person "feel" better.

MY BETTER CONTINUUM: Once a client moves better, they will feel better, and when they start increasing the intensity of the training they will perform better, and once they start eating right they will look better. Everything goes hand in hand, but it starts with movement. 

One of my new clients, who was working with another trainer for around 2 years, was in the middle of his movement prep / dynamic warm-up when I noticed that his shoulders looked extremely tight and incredibly uneven.  Basically, he had protracted shoulders, with very limited flexibility.

After discussing the type of training sessions he was going through for the past 2 years, I came to the conclusion that his previous trainer "loved to push".  Every exercise was pretty much geared toward pressing, and as far as any type of movement prep, it was completely ignored. 

Bring on THE SQUAT, actually the box squat.  I find box squats a pretty basic introductory exercise for new clients with adequate hip mobility and lower body flexibility.  The box squat teaches the trainee to get their hips back, keep their knees somewhat neutral, and serves as a good measuring point for squat depth.

My client looked good on the first few reps, but then he racked the weight and started complaining about the pain he was experiencing- shoulder pain.  He told me that he really never did squats because he always had this type of pain.  His other trainer just threw him on the leg press and ignored the problem.

I put a stop to the workout and began implementing some shoulder mobility work. Some of the exercises that I incorporated during our "shoulder activation" series were:
Wall Slides

Find a wall, place your back against it, slide your arms up and down for 10-12 reps 

 Band Pull-aparts 

Grab a band, Pull apart for 12-15 reps 

Y T W L Shoulder Series 

 *there were some other exercises used and some foam rolling for t-spine and lats but the above exercises were the main areas of focus

After a few more sessions of incorporating these exercises combined with some single leg work and front squats, we attempted the back squat again with MUCH success.  The pain was gone, my client was amazed how much better the movement felt, this was the first time he ever completed a set of squats without pain.

Along with the lower body workouts progressing at a rapid pace, my client was more impressed with his strength increases on his upper body lifts.  His bench press increased 20 lbs. in two weeks (work sets from 115x5 to 135x5).  Of course, like most high school kids, the bench press is what really counts....

It's not rocket science.  If a client has a faulty movement pattern, don't ignore it- that will only lead to more problems down the road.  It's kind of like ignoring your check engine light and trying to drive for a few more  thousand miles.  It's only a matter of time before something breaks down and usually will lead to a big repair bill.  All because the problem was ignored.  Like many great coaches and trainers have said "If your not assessing, your guessing".

*for more info on anything shoulder check out Eric Cressey's stuff - definitely the "go to" guy when it comes to shoulder health and performance.

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

Happy Friday!  This has been a really productive week.  I (my fiance) uploaded some more videos to my YouTube channel, my books arrived from amazon, and my lifting/conditioning/diet, has been on point!  I've seen, read, and heard some things this week that made me think a little more than usual- which leads me to my end of the week thoughts.

-Diet Soda is the Devil. A lot of people have asked me if I heard "the news" about the dangers of diet soda that was released this past week.  I saw it first on an evening news program, then read an article on-line. For years there have been questions about the safety of artificial sweeteners and now diet soda is linked to stroke and other vascular conditions.

I'll be honest, I enjoy a Diet Coke every now and then, but do I think that will be detrimental to my health?  Of course not.  Too much of anything artificial is not good.   Actually too much of almost anything can cause some sort of problem. 

People shouldn't read to much into this study if you occasionally have a diet soda.  However, if you are constantly chugging the stuff, that might create some health issues.

If people are concerned about their hydration levels and achieving good health water should be the #1 beverage of choice.  Unsweetened Organic Green Tea should be second (not the Lipton or Snapple flavored crap).  If it came down to a regular or diet soda, I would choose diet because the caloric factor (shallow, I know).

-Saturated Fat.  On the same news program that informed me that Diet Soda was gonna lead me to an early death, I was also told to have only have ONE egg a day because of the saturated fat content.  I thought this myth was put to bed, but unfortunately the media likes to stick to its guns and keeps informing us of information that doesn't hold up to current research.

I happen to love saturated fat!  Not the saturated fat from Hooters Wings or Outback's Bloomin' Onion.  I'm talking about the saturated fat that was here hundreds of years ago-  organic eggs, grass fed beef, and coconut oil (actually everything was pretty much organic back then).  Those 3 foods have many other nutrients the body needs and provides a good source of protein from the eggs and beef, and MCT's from the coconut oil.  Like I said above, too much of anything isn't good- but the right amounts of quality nutrients can do wonders for your health and physique.

-Giving Advice (and being ignored).  So, I was finishing up a squat workout on Monday and the kid next to me, probably around 21, was getting starting with his calf raises- cough cough I mean squats.  Let's just say that he was not reaching proper squat depth.  I tried to inform him that to effectively activate his glutes and hamstrings he need to drop a little lower, and sink his hips toward the ground. I got the common response, "I can't because I'm a little pansy I have bad knees".

I don't know why but I went into a little detail explaining and quoting stuff from anybody and everybody who has tremendous knowledge about the squat and functional anatomy. The kid didn't look interested, so I left it alone.

Not the best source for training advice....

The crazy thing is, I heard the same kid asking one of the JUICE HEADS "What supplements do you take?"  I guess I need to pack on about 30lbs, wear a wife beater, and have an arms day before I am qualified to give advice.

Well that's all folks. Have a great weekend and STAY STRONG!

Positive Influences

I 'm a pretty lucky person.  I have met and interacted with several fitness professionals and strength coaches who have made me better at what I love to do - train people.

I also have a fiance who had developed a passion for getting strong, eating right, and living a healthy life.  I have improved as a person, trainer/coach, and lifter because of people who are the closet to me as well as people I have never met face to face.

Would I be as driven as I am today if I didn't read blogs and articles written by great trainers and coaches? NO.

Would I enjoy putting as many hours as I do into work, education, and my own training if I didn't have a fiance who was fully supportive. NO, of course not.

I have a great time working, learning, and lifting and all of those things make me a much happier person.  As crazy as it sounds, I look forward to working- not just because I get a chance to make other people better.  I make myself better.

I am, by no means, where I want to be when it comes to training and coaching, but I'm on my way.  I am not where I want to be physically and I still have a lot of strength goals I would like to achieve, but I am pretty happy where I am, I've worked hard to get here.

Some of the coaches I have met in person were really instrumental in my professional development . I admire the results they get with their clients and the way they conduct themselves professionally.  I take their advice to heart and read books they recommend and decipher the information they hand down and tailor it to fit my needs.

The first big name strength coach I met in person was Mike Boyle.  I met Mike at the 2005 ECA conference in Miami Beach, FL.  I was at the point of my training career where I was stuck in a rut with effective programming for my clients. I wasn't progressing and I needed a spark.  Mike made me think about training in a whole different perspective.  I have been at 2 other conferences where Mike Boyle was a presenter, he was very entertaining and dropped a ton of knowledge bombs on the audience.

There have been several other coaches who I have met along the way, and a lot more fitness professionals who I plan on interacting with in the upcoming years.  I really do learn something new everyday in regards to training and nutrition and it's because the professionals that I admire are constantly learning and informing others about valuable information. 

I don't want this to turn in to a name dropping post about who I've met in person and who I communicate with on-line.  My main intention is to influence my readers to find positive influences who share their passion.  It might not be exercise, it might be in a field such as finance, medicine, or law.

Get in touch with someone who is at the top of  your field of work or study. Discover how they got to the top and what it would take for you to get there. Find out what books, journals, or seminars they recommend and utilize that information to continue your education. With all of the social network sites and the ability to pretty much contact anyone through the internet, you really don't have an excuse.

Find someone close to you,  a friend, co-worker, family member, or significant other who will encourage you to reach your goals.  It would be ideal for that person to help you surpass your goals and achieve a level of greatness you did not know existed.

Like I said, I got lucky. My future wife enjoys lifting weights and is diligent about staying in shape. She enjoys various forms of exercise and she is always up for a physical challenge.  I am even entertaining the idea of bringing my fiance to a few "hands on" conferences so she can continue to improve her lifting technique and be taught by some of the best in the profession. 

If you look at the success of the top professionals of any industry, many of them had someone who helped pave the way for them reach their level of greatness.  To reach high level of success at any field it takes a huge individual effort, however motivation from others around you will make the journey more feasible. If you truly want to excel at something the more positive connections you have the greater your chances are at reaching the top tier of your profession or field of study.  

A while back I wrote a blog about negative influences.  When you look at the people you are close to, are the majority a positive or negative influence on your life?  Are they looking out for your success or encouraging you to achieve great things?  Or, do they try to bring you down to their level so they feel better about themselves?

If you are satisfied with being average there is no need to examine what type of influences you surround yourself with.  If you want to be better then you ever imagined it's time to develop a close circle of people who will encourage you to discover your ultimate level of success.

YOUTUBE

Finally got youtube up and running.  Only a few videos up, I plan on getting some more clips up during the week and get them uploaded next weekend.  Hope you enjoy...........

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

Super bowl weekend!  Ughhhhhh, football is coming to an end, looks like my TV time will be cut down significantly......

I can't believe Spring is right around the corner- although, lately it hasn't been feeling like winter in South Florida (It's been 80 degrees and sunny pretty much the whole week). 

I've read some good articles and blogs this week and also had a few interesting conversations with my clients, which lead to some pretty good content for my end of the week shenanigans.

-Strong women. Gotta love em'.

Women who take weight training seriously are becoming more prevalent in today's society.  The fact that a woman can be strong, lift heavy weights, and still be feminine is a wonderful thing.  My fiance lifts heavy weights, really doesn't do too much cardio and her bodyfat continues to drop.  Most of my female clients are pretty strong and their physiques have improved tremondously since I convinced them to add some weight to the bar.  Not only does being strong look better, it promotes an aura of confidence and toughness that is both a little intimidating and a lot sexy.  Check out this interview to see more of what I'm talking about.

-Book purchases.  I felt it was time to buy some new stuff to read, so I picked up 3 books from amazon.com. I can't wait to open these up and absorb some knowledge.  

These books were recommended by some really smart people so I'm sure there will be a lot of information gained for a really small price (about 65 bucks). 

-Great article.  Tony Gentilecore has a really good blog.  He posted a great article about cutting through the BS and and why we should focus on getting STRONG(ER).  It's great that Men's Journal has content like this, maybe people will actually start lifting weights rather than playing on that stupid bosu ball!!!

-Conversation. The ING marathon was in Miami, FL last weekend.  One of my clients asked me why I don't run in races like that.  She said "You're competitive, and in good shape, it just seems like something you would do".  My response was polite and to the point, I said "I'm just not into stuff like that".  I could have really let my big mouth run wild but I wanted to keep it positive, and sometimes the less that is said, the better.

Once I thought about it a little more, and watched some of the news clips of people who were finishing the race, I though to myself, no way in hell...... Now I'm not going to go on a rant about long distance runners and their movement patterns, but I'm going to tell you why I'm not and will never be a distance runner=

It doesn't pertain to my goals! 

Here is what I want to achieve from exercise and physical activity- in order.
1-To be healthy and feel young.
2-To move efficiently (move pain free, have above average speed and jumping ability) 
3-To be/get strong(er)
4-Keep my body fat levels low
5-Be ready to suit up on Sunday's if the NFL has a lockout (kidding, well kinda)

Awesome Time- but not my idea of a great physique

I've tried the distance running thing, I entered a few 5 and 10k's and I got weaker and my body fat stayed the same even though I was cranking out the miles.  I can't even imagine what would happen to my strength if I trained for marathons. My knees and lower back hurt, and my movement patters looked horrible.  So basically, distance running did nothing to helping my achieve my goals.

If a person has different goals related to running a long distance, by all means run until  your shoes wear out- then run some more.  If your one of your goals is to be healthy and live injury free and you have constant knee pain from running, wouldn't you be contradicting your goal because of running? Just something to think about.....

-Super Bowl pick.  I'm going to root for the Packers this weekend.  I have no affiliation with either team, but I would like to see Sam Shields from the U get a Super Bowl ring.  The guy never really lived up to his potential in college and is now STARTING in the Super Bowl, persistence definitely pays off......

-Have a great weekend!!!