Warm-up
5 minutes of skipping
Soft-tissue work
Foam roller: Quads/ITB/T-Spine/Hams/Lats
Tennis ball: Piriformis/Glute Medius/Infraspinatus
Activation Exercises, Mobility, and Dynamic Stretching
1. Glute Bridge w/medicine ball adduction 20 sec isometric hold + 20 reps
2. Serratus pushups 15 reps
3. Rectus Femoris/Tensor Fascia Lata stretch (required to open anterior hip)
4. Pec major stretch (required to allow for squats)
5. Wall slides 10 reps (help activate lower traps)
6. Band pull-aparts
Strength Work
KB Clean & Push Press
6x16kg, 4x20kg, 3x24KG, 3x3x28KG
Cambered Bar Squats
Work up to 5x6x(Bar+110 lbs)
Blast Straps Pushups (BTR)
5x18, 16, 15, 15, 13
Glute & Ham Raises
1x10x&, 1x10x12, 2x10x15, 1x14x&
Chest-supported Dumbbell Rows
12x30, 12x35, 3x12x40
Weighted Plank
1x75 sec x 25, 1x75 sec x 35, 1x65 sec x 45
Seated Hip Abduction With Band
3x20 x mini jumpstretch
Time 90 min.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Garbage Cereal - Rant
If my mom is reading this, she'll get a good laugh because she knows just how much I love good old Golden Grahams cereal. As a kid, if I could have chosen to subsist solely from one "food" source it
would have been Golden Grahams cereal hands down!
Why? Well I was a kid for one, and even if you'd told me how bad that stuff is I wouldn't have cared. I mean, as a kid, you're invincible. And the idea of "nutritional value", just didn't exist to me as a kid.
Fortunately I've grown up... at least in that regard! LOL
My beef with the cereal companies is how they market their products. I was at the supermarket last week and I had the "lovely" experience of watching a kid pressure his mom into buying him four utterly garbage-filled cereals.
I am going from memory here, but they were:
1. Lucky Charms
2. Count Chocula
3. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
4. Fruity Cheerios
As a (relatively) educated adult, that list sounds like a dessert list to me. But this mother gave in to her sons pressure and bought them all. I actually had to pretend to be deciding between a couple other products on the opposite wall so I could stay and listen in to the whole fiasco.
The mother said she wasn't sure if the cereals were nutritious enough, and it was actually the boy who pointed out a number of marketing and labeling facts that eventually convinced the mother to buy them.
From my recollection, there was mention of:
1. "Low in fat"
2. "Whole grain"
3. "Fruit has vitamins&minerals"
4. "Heart Healthy"
The cereals chosen were all low in fat, but really, who cares? More than anyone else, kids need fats. Of course they need healthy fats, not the kind you WOULD see in cereals if fats were not so taboo these days.
Whole grain. This is about the biggest joke ever. Just because you start with a WHOLE grain, doesn't mean after pulverizing the hell out of it that there's much left of any nutritional value. That's actually the whole point of cereals. Take Cheerios for example. Made from Whole Oats. Wow.. that's great. But if you take 1/4 cup of actual oats, after all the processing that General Mills does to them you get a whole BOX of Cheerios. So the cereal companies are basically diluting the nutritional content of the WHOLE grains in their products.
Of course they have to fill it with something, so what do you suppose that would be?
JOKE INGREDIENT LIST
Check out the ingredients list of this Berry Burst Cheerios garbage cereal. Can you believe they have the gall to put a little heart right square in the middle of the page that says "May reduce the risk of heart disease".
Read the ingredients list and you tell me if you think this cereal "might" reduce your risk of heart disease, or flat-out CAUSE you to get heart disease!
Here's another one...
As if being filled with corn starch, corn syrup, and corn meal wasn't bad enough, they even use corn as their "WHOLE GRAIN" base from which to make the cereal. It's absolutely abominable!
IMPORTANT VIDEO
Check out these VIDEOS I found on the GENERAL MILLS GARBAGE CEREAL website. These videos are short--basically because there isn't much to say that takes longer than 3 seconds about their cereals when it comes to health--and are designed to make you feel confident that you're serving your family healthy foods. They have a registered dietitian speaking in effort to boost your confidence in the health of these products.
First of all, as a registered dietitian, talk about prostituting oneself out to the highest bidder. Technically, everything she says is correct. But it does nothing to change the fact that those cereals are nothing more than vitamin fortified desserts that "start" with a WHOLE grain base.
Have I not made it clear enough that GRAINS aren't the end all and be all of nutrition? Yes they have lots of fiber when you eat them in the form they grow in or with minimal processing, and they do have some vitamins and minerals, but grains' biggest component is starch. Like we need any more of that!
Check this out... good old Cheerios, which used to be the cereal my mom would buy us all the time because she said it was the healthiest, has now sold out to the sugar demons. How many different sugary Cheerios cereals are there now?
Cheerios Variety
There are ten varieties of Cheerios, and seven of them have an image of fruit on the front of the box. Of the seven that have an image of fruit:
- Regular Cheerios and MultiGrain Cheerios actually have no fruit in it at all
- Berry Burst Cheerios has freeze-dried fruit (near zero nutrition)
- Banana Nut Cheerios has banana puree in it (can you imagine what that looks like when it is poured out of the massive drum at the factory... it's gonna look and taste like a grey sludge... no yellow colour) another near-zero nutrition
- Apple Cinnamon Cheerios has apple puree concentrate in it, which did come from apples, but no longer bears any semblance at all to the original fruit (another near zero nutrition)
- Fruity Cheerios has pear puree concentrate in it, which is basically no different than apple puree concentrate, it's just a sugary liquid with trace vitamin and mineral content (another near zero nutrition)
- Yogurt Cheerios has dried strawberries in it, which I would like to think may be somehow better than the others, but I just know it's not (another near zero nutrition)
So as you can see the marketing practices of these companies try to present their cereals as healthful with fiber, fruit, vitamins and minerals, when in the end they deliver virtually nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I could enjoy a bowl of cereal, I do have a sweet tooth, but if I were to do so it would be a 10% meal, and truthfully, so long as Hagen Daaz exists, they'll be my 10% meals!
At least Hagen Daaz doesn't try to be "Healthy"!
As always I welcome and encourage your comments, both good or bad.
would have been Golden Grahams cereal hands down!
Why? Well I was a kid for one, and even if you'd told me how bad that stuff is I wouldn't have cared. I mean, as a kid, you're invincible. And the idea of "nutritional value", just didn't exist to me as a kid.
Fortunately I've grown up... at least in that regard! LOL
My beef with the cereal companies is how they market their products. I was at the supermarket last week and I had the "lovely" experience of watching a kid pressure his mom into buying him four utterly garbage-filled cereals.
I am going from memory here, but they were:
1. Lucky Charms
2. Count Chocula
3. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
4. Fruity Cheerios
As a (relatively) educated adult, that list sounds like a dessert list to me. But this mother gave in to her sons pressure and bought them all. I actually had to pretend to be deciding between a couple other products on the opposite wall so I could stay and listen in to the whole fiasco.
The mother said she wasn't sure if the cereals were nutritious enough, and it was actually the boy who pointed out a number of marketing and labeling facts that eventually convinced the mother to buy them.
From my recollection, there was mention of:
1. "Low in fat"
2. "Whole grain"
3. "Fruit has vitamins&minerals"
4. "Heart Healthy"
The cereals chosen were all low in fat, but really, who cares? More than anyone else, kids need fats. Of course they need healthy fats, not the kind you WOULD see in cereals if fats were not so taboo these days.
Whole grain. This is about the biggest joke ever. Just because you start with a WHOLE grain, doesn't mean after pulverizing the hell out of it that there's much left of any nutritional value. That's actually the whole point of cereals. Take Cheerios for example. Made from Whole Oats. Wow.. that's great. But if you take 1/4 cup of actual oats, after all the processing that General Mills does to them you get a whole BOX of Cheerios. So the cereal companies are basically diluting the nutritional content of the WHOLE grains in their products.
Of course they have to fill it with something, so what do you suppose that would be?
JOKE INGREDIENT LISTCheck out the ingredients list of this Berry Burst Cheerios garbage cereal. Can you believe they have the gall to put a little heart right square in the middle of the page that says "May reduce the risk of heart disease".
Read the ingredients list and you tell me if you think this cereal "might" reduce your risk of heart disease, or flat-out CAUSE you to get heart disease!
Here's another one...
As if being filled with corn starch, corn syrup, and corn meal wasn't bad enough, they even use corn as their "WHOLE GRAIN" base from which to make the cereal. It's absolutely abominable!
IMPORTANT VIDEO
Check out these VIDEOS I found on the GENERAL MILLS GARBAGE CEREAL website. These videos are short--basically because there isn't much to say that takes longer than 3 seconds about their cereals when it comes to health--and are designed to make you feel confident that you're serving your family healthy foods. They have a registered dietitian speaking in effort to boost your confidence in the health of these products.
First of all, as a registered dietitian, talk about prostituting oneself out to the highest bidder. Technically, everything she says is correct. But it does nothing to change the fact that those cereals are nothing more than vitamin fortified desserts that "start" with a WHOLE grain base.
Have I not made it clear enough that GRAINS aren't the end all and be all of nutrition? Yes they have lots of fiber when you eat them in the form they grow in or with minimal processing, and they do have some vitamins and minerals, but grains' biggest component is starch. Like we need any more of that!
Check this out... good old Cheerios, which used to be the cereal my mom would buy us all the time because she said it was the healthiest, has now sold out to the sugar demons. How many different sugary Cheerios cereals are there now?
Cheerios VarietyThere are ten varieties of Cheerios, and seven of them have an image of fruit on the front of the box. Of the seven that have an image of fruit:
- Regular Cheerios and MultiGrain Cheerios actually have no fruit in it at all
- Berry Burst Cheerios has freeze-dried fruit (near zero nutrition)
- Banana Nut Cheerios has banana puree in it (can you imagine what that looks like when it is poured out of the massive drum at the factory... it's gonna look and taste like a grey sludge... no yellow colour) another near-zero nutrition
- Apple Cinnamon Cheerios has apple puree concentrate in it, which did come from apples, but no longer bears any semblance at all to the original fruit (another near zero nutrition)
- Fruity Cheerios has pear puree concentrate in it, which is basically no different than apple puree concentrate, it's just a sugary liquid with trace vitamin and mineral content (another near zero nutrition)
- Yogurt Cheerios has dried strawberries in it, which I would like to think may be somehow better than the others, but I just know it's not (another near zero nutrition)
So as you can see the marketing practices of these companies try to present their cereals as healthful with fiber, fruit, vitamins and minerals, when in the end they deliver virtually nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I could enjoy a bowl of cereal, I do have a sweet tooth, but if I were to do so it would be a 10% meal, and truthfully, so long as Hagen Daaz exists, they'll be my 10% meals!
At least Hagen Daaz doesn't try to be "Healthy"!
As always I welcome and encourage your comments, both good or bad.
Better Fat Loss, Fight Cancer, and Prevent Heart Disease with Trans Fats
Who Else Wants To Know How To Get Better Fat Loss, Fight Cancer, and Prevent Heart Disease with Trans Fats
Trans fats have been condemned to hell by the media, and while man made trans fats are definitely not good for you, not ALL trans fats are created equal. In this article I will show you how specific trans fats will give you better fat loss, help you fight cancer, and prevent heart disease.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a type of trans fat that has been studied extensively due to its huge potential for helping with obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
Trans fats are produced naturally in the stomachs of ruminant animals such as deer, moose, kangaroo (not a true ruminant, but an exceptional source of CLA), bison, beef, sheep, and goats.
One particular trans fat called t-10, c-12 CLA has been shown to reduce fat mass and increase lean muscle weight in a number of different studies, while a number of other studies have shown the trans fat called c-9, t-11 CLA has effects that reduce inflammation and risks of cardiovascular disease.
Interestingly there are other studies that show the direct opposite to be true. Does this even surprise you? The one thing we should all know by now is that whatever science studies and proves is true, will often be found to be false in a subsequent study. This has happened numerous
times with studies on vitamins.
However, when both types of trans fat CLA are studied together, most studies showed reduced body fat mass, increase lean muscle tissue, and reduced incidencs of both cancers and heart disease markers.
The key element is that when science tries to isolate the effects of different substances, often the study methods influence the outcomes. But left to it's own devices, the human body will reap the benefits without experiencing the negative effects noticed in the studies.
Interestingly, when studies of the effects of CLA consumption involve its natural form INSTEAD of taking it as a nutritional supplement, once again, the health benefits are shown, with little to no adverse affects. (see I'm not writing this to sell any magic pills or potions to you!)
Another very important fact is that grass-fed animal meats contain between 300%-500% more CLA than their supermarket grain-fed counterparts.
So don't touch the stuff you find at your regular supermarket, unless it is clearly marked to be "GRASS-FED". If your local supermarket doesn't carry grass-fed meats, try your local butcher or health food stores.
One final study that I'd like to bring to your attention found that mothers who ate and drank organic grass-fed cows' meat and milk had 50 % higher rumenic acid (a type of trans fat) levels in their breast milk. In humans, rumenic acid is converted into CLA, which is responsible for the above noted effects.
The jury on this one, as always, is clear. Eat what nature provides for you in the form it exists in in nature, and you will reap the benefits. Try to put it into a magic pill, and you can't be sure that you will get the effects you seek, and you may even get some you don't want.
Over time science will study various nutritional substances and show that one thing works and another doesn't, and then later their studies will show the opposite. The incredible human body always knows exactly how to use all the nutrients in exactly the right way to get the best possible health benefits.
When selecting foods always choose organic if possible, choose fresh whenever possible, choose pasture raised forage and grass-fed meats, and in general, be wary of foods that require a big label that tries to convince you of their health benefits.
References:
Banni S, Angioni E, Murru E, Carta G, Melis M, Bauman D, Dong Y, Ip C (2001). "Vaccenic acid feeding increases tissue levels of conjugated linoleic acid and suppresses development of premalignant lesions in rat mammary gland.", Nutr Cancer 41 (1-2): 91–7
Donnelly C, Olsen AM, Lewis LD, Eisenberg BL, Eastman A, Kinlaw WB. (2009), "Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) inhibits expression of the Spot 14 (THRSP) and fatty acid synthase genes and impairs the growth of human breast cancer and liposarcoma cells.", Nutr Cancer. 61 (1): 114–22
Amarù DL, Field CJ. (2009), "Conjugated Linoleic Acid Decreases MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor Levels.", Lipids 26
Lee Y, Thompson JT, de Lera AR, Vanden Heuvel JP. (2008), "Isomer-specific effects of conjugated linoleic acid on gene expression in RAW 264.7.", J Nutr Biochem 26
Ha YL, Grimm NK, Pariza MW (1987). "Anticarcinogens from fried ground beef: heat-altered derivatives of linoleic acid.", Carcinogenesis 8 (12): 1881–7
Fite A, Goua M, Wahle KW, Schofield AC, Hutcheon AW, Heys SD. (2007), "Potentiation of the anti-tumour effect of docetaxel by conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) in breast cancer cells in vitro.", Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. (Scotland, UK) 77: 87
Kritchevsky D. (May 2000), "Antimutagenic and some other effects of conjugated linoleic acid.", Br J Nutr. 83 (5): 459–65
Belury, M.A. (October 2002). "Inhibition of carcinogenesis by conjugated linoleic acid: Potential mechanisms of action.", Journal of Nutrition 132 (10): 2995–2998
Ip C, Scimeca JA, Thompson HJ. (1994), "Conjugated linoleic acid. A powerful anticarcinogen from animal fat sources.", Cancer 233 (3): 1050–4
A C Watras, A C Buchholz, R N Close, Z Zhang and D A Schoeller, "The role of conjugated linoleic acid in reducing body fat and preventing holiday weight gain.", International Journal of Obesity (2007) 31, 481–487
Pariza MW, Park Y, Cook ME. (Jul 2001), "The biologically active isomers of conjugated linoleic acid.", Prog Lipid Res. 40 (4): 283–98
Tricon S, Burdge GC, Kew S, et al. (September 2004). "Opposing effects of cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid on blood lipids in healthy humans.", Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 80 (3): 614–20
Lukas Rist, Andre Mueller, Christiane Barthel, Bianca Snijders, Margje Jansen, A. Paula Simoes-Wust, Machteld Huber, Ischa Kummeling, Ursula von Mandach, Hans Steinhart, and Carel Thijs. (2007). "Influence of organic diet on the amount of conjugated linoleic acids in breast milk.", British Journal of Nutrition 97: 735–743
Trans fats have been condemned to hell by the media, and while man made trans fats are definitely not good for you, not ALL trans fats are created equal. In this article I will show you how specific trans fats will give you better fat loss, help you fight cancer, and prevent heart disease.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a type of trans fat that has been studied extensively due to its huge potential for helping with obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
Trans fats are produced naturally in the stomachs of ruminant animals such as deer, moose, kangaroo (not a true ruminant, but an exceptional source of CLA), bison, beef, sheep, and goats.
One particular trans fat called t-10, c-12 CLA has been shown to reduce fat mass and increase lean muscle weight in a number of different studies, while a number of other studies have shown the trans fat called c-9, t-11 CLA has effects that reduce inflammation and risks of cardiovascular disease.
Interestingly there are other studies that show the direct opposite to be true. Does this even surprise you? The one thing we should all know by now is that whatever science studies and proves is true, will often be found to be false in a subsequent study. This has happened numerous
times with studies on vitamins.
However, when both types of trans fat CLA are studied together, most studies showed reduced body fat mass, increase lean muscle tissue, and reduced incidencs of both cancers and heart disease markers.
The key element is that when science tries to isolate the effects of different substances, often the study methods influence the outcomes. But left to it's own devices, the human body will reap the benefits without experiencing the negative effects noticed in the studies.
Interestingly, when studies of the effects of CLA consumption involve its natural form INSTEAD of taking it as a nutritional supplement, once again, the health benefits are shown, with little to no adverse affects. (see I'm not writing this to sell any magic pills or potions to you!)
Another very important fact is that grass-fed animal meats contain between 300%-500% more CLA than their supermarket grain-fed counterparts.
So don't touch the stuff you find at your regular supermarket, unless it is clearly marked to be "GRASS-FED". If your local supermarket doesn't carry grass-fed meats, try your local butcher or health food stores.
One final study that I'd like to bring to your attention found that mothers who ate and drank organic grass-fed cows' meat and milk had 50 % higher rumenic acid (a type of trans fat) levels in their breast milk. In humans, rumenic acid is converted into CLA, which is responsible for the above noted effects.
The jury on this one, as always, is clear. Eat what nature provides for you in the form it exists in in nature, and you will reap the benefits. Try to put it into a magic pill, and you can't be sure that you will get the effects you seek, and you may even get some you don't want.
Over time science will study various nutritional substances and show that one thing works and another doesn't, and then later their studies will show the opposite. The incredible human body always knows exactly how to use all the nutrients in exactly the right way to get the best possible health benefits.
When selecting foods always choose organic if possible, choose fresh whenever possible, choose pasture raised forage and grass-fed meats, and in general, be wary of foods that require a big label that tries to convince you of their health benefits.
References:
Banni S, Angioni E, Murru E, Carta G, Melis M, Bauman D, Dong Y, Ip C (2001). "Vaccenic acid feeding increases tissue levels of conjugated linoleic acid and suppresses development of premalignant lesions in rat mammary gland.", Nutr Cancer 41 (1-2): 91–7
Donnelly C, Olsen AM, Lewis LD, Eisenberg BL, Eastman A, Kinlaw WB. (2009), "Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) inhibits expression of the Spot 14 (THRSP) and fatty acid synthase genes and impairs the growth of human breast cancer and liposarcoma cells.", Nutr Cancer. 61 (1): 114–22
Amarù DL, Field CJ. (2009), "Conjugated Linoleic Acid Decreases MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor Levels.", Lipids 26
Lee Y, Thompson JT, de Lera AR, Vanden Heuvel JP. (2008), "Isomer-specific effects of conjugated linoleic acid on gene expression in RAW 264.7.", J Nutr Biochem 26
Ha YL, Grimm NK, Pariza MW (1987). "Anticarcinogens from fried ground beef: heat-altered derivatives of linoleic acid.", Carcinogenesis 8 (12): 1881–7
Fite A, Goua M, Wahle KW, Schofield AC, Hutcheon AW, Heys SD. (2007), "Potentiation of the anti-tumour effect of docetaxel by conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) in breast cancer cells in vitro.", Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. (Scotland, UK) 77: 87
Kritchevsky D. (May 2000), "Antimutagenic and some other effects of conjugated linoleic acid.", Br J Nutr. 83 (5): 459–65
Belury, M.A. (October 2002). "Inhibition of carcinogenesis by conjugated linoleic acid: Potential mechanisms of action.", Journal of Nutrition 132 (10): 2995–2998
Ip C, Scimeca JA, Thompson HJ. (1994), "Conjugated linoleic acid. A powerful anticarcinogen from animal fat sources.", Cancer 233 (3): 1050–4
A C Watras, A C Buchholz, R N Close, Z Zhang and D A Schoeller, "The role of conjugated linoleic acid in reducing body fat and preventing holiday weight gain.", International Journal of Obesity (2007) 31, 481–487
Pariza MW, Park Y, Cook ME. (Jul 2001), "The biologically active isomers of conjugated linoleic acid.", Prog Lipid Res. 40 (4): 283–98
Tricon S, Burdge GC, Kew S, et al. (September 2004). "Opposing effects of cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid on blood lipids in healthy humans.", Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 80 (3): 614–20
Lukas Rist, Andre Mueller, Christiane Barthel, Bianca Snijders, Margje Jansen, A. Paula Simoes-Wust, Machteld Huber, Ischa Kummeling, Ursula von Mandach, Hans Steinhart, and Carel Thijs. (2007). "Influence of organic diet on the amount of conjugated linoleic acids in breast milk.", British Journal of Nutrition 97: 735–743
Friday, October 2, 2009
Get My Help
Hey Folks,
Gotta make this quick, but scroll down to the comments section and tell me in as much detail as you can exactly what kind of content you'd like to receive from me.
Tell me exactly what will help you most...
Nutrition?
Training?
Mindset?
Social support?
You tell me?
I deliver!
Deal?
Until next time!
:)
Shane
Gotta make this quick, but scroll down to the comments section and tell me in as much detail as you can exactly what kind of content you'd like to receive from me.
Tell me exactly what will help you most...
Nutrition?
Training?
Mindset?
Social support?
You tell me?
I deliver!
Deal?
Until next time!
:)
Shane
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of
In today's post I'm going to talk about some of the best arm exercises you've never heard of. I know that sounds kinda strange, but the truth is, most people have a pretty limited repertoire when it comes to arm training.
I'll admit, I haven't written much about arm training, because for the most part unless you're a bodybuilder or you need bigger arms for whatever reason, most people will get all the arm
development from just pushing their limits with all of their pressing and pulling movements.
That said, it doesn't mean that you won't benefit from some dedicated arm training, and there are some pretty good combinations of common exercises that can thoroughly thrash your arms. But what happens if that extra inch on those pipes really DOES matter?
**** If you couldn't care less about arm training, then just ****
**** stop reading here. I don't want to waste your time, ****
**** and this post is all about arm training. ****
Ok, good, you're still with me...
So, what then? Grabbing those dumbbells for another set of curls can get a little monotonous at times. So what are you supposed to do?
The first thing you need to do if you want to spark some new arm growth is to identify why your current arm routine is not working.
There are 5 common mistakes that I see regularly at the gym when people are training their arms.
Mistake #1 - Using Too Much Weight
With the possible exception of standing barbell curls and close grip bench press, which offer a neural benefit when trained heavy, the goal of direct arm training exercises should be to fatigue the
muscles thereby inducing the hormonal cascade that precipitates a local growth response.
I can't tell you how many times I see folks doing what looks like a "Reverse Grip Dumbbell Clean". It's pretty ridiculous. Pick a weight that allows you to complete the reps with decent form, but also don't worry too much if there's a little extra body movement.
Mistake #2 - Not Using Enough Weight
Generally guys won't make this mistake, so this mistake applies mostly to you girls out there who with good intentions are trying to not commit mistake number one. Most guys have massive egos that are way too big to ever risk making this mistake. God forbid some particularly beefy chick is committing mistake number 2 with more weight than you are while committing mistake number 1.
Whoa... did I get that right? Follow me?
The point is, girls, that you might feel it un-ladylike to grunt in the gym, but other than testosterone, there is a reason you usually find guys are more built than you, it's because they're not afraid
to put some meat and potatoes into their lifting!
So if you can get 15 reps (or god forbid even 20) with the same weight of bicep curls for a full three sets and you aren't scrunching up your face in the process, it's time to up the weight and drop
your reps.
Mistake #3 - Mirror Focus vs. Muscle Focus
Sigh... yes, this one applies again, mostly to us guys (I know I've committed this one in the past... it's so hard not too! ;).
There's something about a mirror and what it does to how we perceive ourselves while training. When guys tend to train their arms, it's as if the mirror doubles the size of our arms while we're watching.
I mean really, have you seen the look on guys' faces while they're training their guns? They may have pistols, but they see anti-aircraft artillery canons in the mirror! LOL
What we see in the mirror is ego-fueled, it doesn't necessarily give us the best information about the effects on our muscles of what we're doing.
Muscle Focus gives us far more information. Without the mirror, you're forced to think about what you are feeling in the muscle rather than just what you see.
Trust me... what you feel is MORE important. I have stopped using the mirror for virtually all training over the past year, and I have learned to identify my body position more than ever before. I have
also learned to identify when to force out a few more reps and when to call it a set. The result has been far more effective training.
Mistake #4 - Using The Insanity Training Principle
Presumably you're training your arms because you want them to get bigger and stronger. Ok. We're good. So if you've been using the same old exercises... let me guess.. Standing barbell curls, preacher EZ Bar curls, then concentration curls...
Am I close?
Point is, if you haven't been making any progress with your arm training (hint: use a tape measure, and look at the weight you're lifting), and you've been following the same old arm training routine... regardless of who wrote it and whether or not they had huge arms, if you aren't making progress from it, why are you doing it?
It's called the Insanity Training Principle. Following the same old routine that hasn't given you any results for a long time, and expecting that it will all of a sudden manage to give you great results.
Mistake #5 - Fear of Shrinkage
If you're really afraid of shrinkage... just stay away from steroids!
Seriously though, mistake #5 can be thought of as a adjunct of mistake #4. Many people reach a point in their training where they aren't making any more progress with their training, yet they keep following the same routine for fear that if they stop, they'll shrink away to nothing.
If you're seriously pounding away at the weights and nothing is happening, you could very well be over-training. Not too many people over-train, but it is possible, and if you are over-training,
backing off for a lighter week, or cutting out arm training all together for a week, or even taking a look at the possibility of using some different bicep and tricep exercises can really make a
big difference.
And speaking of DIFFERENT arm exercises, my colleague Nick Nilsson has put together a great book called: "The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
I was actually speaking to Nick a few weeks back when he asked me to review his new book. I was intrigued by the title because really, since the elbow is a hinge joint, how many ways can you really
train the arms anyway?
After reading it... 68 apparently! That I hadn't thought of before!
Here's the review I sent back to Nick:
> Hi Nick,
>
> Thanks for the opportunity to review your new book called The Best
> Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of. To be honest I was mildly
> jaded going in as the last few articles I'd read on arm training
> were pretty lame.
>
> Your book completely blew me out of the water! I know that sounded
> kinda "hypey", and if you've ever read my stuff, you'll know it's
> totally not my style to "hype" stuff up, but to be honest, I'm
> totally stoked to try some of the exercises in your book.
>
> If your readers are seeking a way to stimulate new strength and
> muscle growth, this is it! With your crazy stable of
> mad-scientist arm exercises, I think it would be impossible not to
> make some crazy new gains!
>
> There I said it... yes Nick, I think you are a mad scientist! But
> I guess that's ok, I presume you kinda like to be thought of that
> way. ;)
>
> Well you're a genius anyway!
>
> Shane Miller, CPT, CSN
> Your Strength and Fat Loss Coach
> http://www.your-strength-and-fat-loss-coach.com
> http://www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com
>
>
> I hope that is a decent review that you can use with your readers.
>
> I can't wait to show my readers your book, I know they're going to
> love it.
>
> If you need me to change anything, please let me know.
>
> All the best,
>
> :)
> Shane
So there you have it folks, that's the review I sent to Nick, and while this book isn't for everyone, it's definitely going to be a huge asset to anyone who's bound and determined to grow their arms.
You folks know who you are. If you want to pick up a copy of Nick's book, visit the link below:
The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of
Chances are if you've read this far anyway, then you're definitely interested in arm training, and you really won't believe how many exercises there are for really effectively training your arms.
That link once again is:
The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of
I know tomorrow when I train I'm definitely going to do a set of "Bodyweight Preacher Curls"... yeah... try to imagine that one!
Until next time,
:)
Shane Miller, CPT, CSN
Your Strength and Fat Loss Coach
www.your-strength-and-fat-loss-coach.com
www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com
I'll admit, I haven't written much about arm training, because for the most part unless you're a bodybuilder or you need bigger arms for whatever reason, most people will get all the arm
development from just pushing their limits with all of their pressing and pulling movements.
That said, it doesn't mean that you won't benefit from some dedicated arm training, and there are some pretty good combinations of common exercises that can thoroughly thrash your arms. But what happens if that extra inch on those pipes really DOES matter?
**** If you couldn't care less about arm training, then just ****
**** stop reading here. I don't want to waste your time, ****
**** and this post is all about arm training. ****
Ok, good, you're still with me...
So, what then? Grabbing those dumbbells for another set of curls can get a little monotonous at times. So what are you supposed to do?
The first thing you need to do if you want to spark some new arm growth is to identify why your current arm routine is not working.
There are 5 common mistakes that I see regularly at the gym when people are training their arms.
Mistake #1 - Using Too Much Weight
With the possible exception of standing barbell curls and close grip bench press, which offer a neural benefit when trained heavy, the goal of direct arm training exercises should be to fatigue the
muscles thereby inducing the hormonal cascade that precipitates a local growth response.
I can't tell you how many times I see folks doing what looks like a "Reverse Grip Dumbbell Clean". It's pretty ridiculous. Pick a weight that allows you to complete the reps with decent form, but also don't worry too much if there's a little extra body movement.
Mistake #2 - Not Using Enough Weight
Generally guys won't make this mistake, so this mistake applies mostly to you girls out there who with good intentions are trying to not commit mistake number one. Most guys have massive egos that are way too big to ever risk making this mistake. God forbid some particularly beefy chick is committing mistake number 2 with more weight than you are while committing mistake number 1.
Whoa... did I get that right? Follow me?
The point is, girls, that you might feel it un-ladylike to grunt in the gym, but other than testosterone, there is a reason you usually find guys are more built than you, it's because they're not afraid
to put some meat and potatoes into their lifting!
So if you can get 15 reps (or god forbid even 20) with the same weight of bicep curls for a full three sets and you aren't scrunching up your face in the process, it's time to up the weight and drop
your reps.
Mistake #3 - Mirror Focus vs. Muscle Focus
Sigh... yes, this one applies again, mostly to us guys (I know I've committed this one in the past... it's so hard not too! ;).
There's something about a mirror and what it does to how we perceive ourselves while training. When guys tend to train their arms, it's as if the mirror doubles the size of our arms while we're watching.
I mean really, have you seen the look on guys' faces while they're training their guns? They may have pistols, but they see anti-aircraft artillery canons in the mirror! LOL
What we see in the mirror is ego-fueled, it doesn't necessarily give us the best information about the effects on our muscles of what we're doing.
Muscle Focus gives us far more information. Without the mirror, you're forced to think about what you are feeling in the muscle rather than just what you see.
Trust me... what you feel is MORE important. I have stopped using the mirror for virtually all training over the past year, and I have learned to identify my body position more than ever before. I have
also learned to identify when to force out a few more reps and when to call it a set. The result has been far more effective training.
Mistake #4 - Using The Insanity Training Principle
Presumably you're training your arms because you want them to get bigger and stronger. Ok. We're good. So if you've been using the same old exercises... let me guess.. Standing barbell curls, preacher EZ Bar curls, then concentration curls...
Am I close?
Point is, if you haven't been making any progress with your arm training (hint: use a tape measure, and look at the weight you're lifting), and you've been following the same old arm training routine... regardless of who wrote it and whether or not they had huge arms, if you aren't making progress from it, why are you doing it?
It's called the Insanity Training Principle. Following the same old routine that hasn't given you any results for a long time, and expecting that it will all of a sudden manage to give you great results.
Mistake #5 - Fear of Shrinkage
If you're really afraid of shrinkage... just stay away from steroids!
Seriously though, mistake #5 can be thought of as a adjunct of mistake #4. Many people reach a point in their training where they aren't making any more progress with their training, yet they keep following the same routine for fear that if they stop, they'll shrink away to nothing.
If you're seriously pounding away at the weights and nothing is happening, you could very well be over-training. Not too many people over-train, but it is possible, and if you are over-training,
backing off for a lighter week, or cutting out arm training all together for a week, or even taking a look at the possibility of using some different bicep and tricep exercises can really make a
big difference.
And speaking of DIFFERENT arm exercises, my colleague Nick Nilsson has put together a great book called: "The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
I was actually speaking to Nick a few weeks back when he asked me to review his new book. I was intrigued by the title because really, since the elbow is a hinge joint, how many ways can you really
train the arms anyway?
After reading it... 68 apparently! That I hadn't thought of before!
Here's the review I sent back to Nick:
> Hi Nick,
>
> Thanks for the opportunity to review your new book called The Best
> Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of. To be honest I was mildly
> jaded going in as the last few articles I'd read on arm training
> were pretty lame.
>
> Your book completely blew me out of the water! I know that sounded
> kinda "hypey", and if you've ever read my stuff, you'll know it's
> totally not my style to "hype" stuff up, but to be honest, I'm
> totally stoked to try some of the exercises in your book.
>
> If your readers are seeking a way to stimulate new strength and
> muscle growth, this is it! With your crazy stable of
> mad-scientist arm exercises, I think it would be impossible not to
> make some crazy new gains!
>
> There I said it... yes Nick, I think you are a mad scientist! But
> I guess that's ok, I presume you kinda like to be thought of that
> way. ;)
>
> Well you're a genius anyway!
>
> Shane Miller, CPT, CSN
> Your Strength and Fat Loss Coach
> http://www.your-strength-and-fat-loss-coach.com
> http://www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com
>
>
> I hope that is a decent review that you can use with your readers.
>
> I can't wait to show my readers your book, I know they're going to
> love it.
>
> If you need me to change anything, please let me know.
>
> All the best,
>
> :)
> Shane
So there you have it folks, that's the review I sent to Nick, and while this book isn't for everyone, it's definitely going to be a huge asset to anyone who's bound and determined to grow their arms.
You folks know who you are. If you want to pick up a copy of Nick's book, visit the link below:
The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of
Chances are if you've read this far anyway, then you're definitely interested in arm training, and you really won't believe how many exercises there are for really effectively training your arms.
That link once again is:
The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of
I know tomorrow when I train I'm definitely going to do a set of "Bodyweight Preacher Curls"... yeah... try to imagine that one!
Until next time,
:)
Shane Miller, CPT, CSN
Your Strength and Fat Loss Coach
www.your-strength-and-fat-loss-coach.com
www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Strength Training Workout of The Week
Due to popular demand, I'll be putting up the strength training workout of the week. Each week when I work with my one-on-one private studio clients, there will often be a workout that is so good, in fact, I'll even get jealous that they get to do it and not me. So I may post it as the strength training workout of the week.
For you guys who are my one-0n-one private studio clients, you may recognize one of these workouts as your own! ;)
Warm-up
Skipping 5 minutes
Soft Tissue Work
Foam Roller: Quads/IT Bands/Lats
Tennis Ball: Piriformis/Glute Medius
Activation Work
Glute Bridge w/Medball between the knees
20 sec isometric squeeze then 10-20 reps
Serratus Pushups 10-15 reps
Wall Slides 10 reps
Tube External Rotations 10-20 reps ea. side
Strength Training Workout
Always work up to your heaviest weight for each exercise with a couple lighter warm-up sets first. For example, if your working weight for 5 reps on Box Squats is 150 lbs, then you might do your warm-ups as follows: 1x6x45, 1x5x95, 1x3x135... then move onto your work sets.
For exercises where technique is more of an issue and you aren't using that heavy of a weight for your working sets, you may find you don't need any warm-up sets. This may also be true of subsequent exercises for each body part, as they will be warmed up well from the previous exercises.
1a/ Box Squats 5x5
1b/ 1-Dumbbell Push Press 4x6
2a/ Supported Pistol Squats 3x10
2b/ Weighted Pushups 4x10
3a/ Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts 4x8
3b/ 1-Blast Straps/TRX/Barbell Inverted Rows 3x10
4a/ T-Twist Abs 3x20
4b/ Band X-Walk 3x10
Move from one exercise to the next immediately within each superset group.
Rest a minute between each superset group.
Do this workout, then let me know how it went in the comments section!
Kill it!
:)
Shane
For you guys who are my one-0n-one private studio clients, you may recognize one of these workouts as your own! ;)
Warm-up
Skipping 5 minutes
Soft Tissue Work
Foam Roller: Quads/IT Bands/Lats
Tennis Ball: Piriformis/Glute Medius
Activation Work
Glute Bridge w/Medball between the knees
20 sec isometric squeeze then 10-20 reps
Serratus Pushups 10-15 reps
Wall Slides 10 reps
Tube External Rotations 10-20 reps ea. side
Strength Training Workout
Always work up to your heaviest weight for each exercise with a couple lighter warm-up sets first. For example, if your working weight for 5 reps on Box Squats is 150 lbs, then you might do your warm-ups as follows: 1x6x45, 1x5x95, 1x3x135... then move onto your work sets.
For exercises where technique is more of an issue and you aren't using that heavy of a weight for your working sets, you may find you don't need any warm-up sets. This may also be true of subsequent exercises for each body part, as they will be warmed up well from the previous exercises.
1a/ Box Squats 5x5
1b/ 1-Dumbbell Push Press 4x6
2a/ Supported Pistol Squats 3x10
2b/ Weighted Pushups 4x10
3a/ Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts 4x8
3b/ 1-Blast Straps/TRX/Barbell Inverted Rows 3x10
4a/ T-Twist Abs 3x20
4b/ Band X-Walk 3x10
Move from one exercise to the next immediately within each superset group.
Rest a minute between each superset group.
Do this workout, then let me know how it went in the comments section!
Kill it!
:)
Shane
Monday, September 14, 2009
Fat Loss Watch It In Action
Ever wonder what fat loss looks like? Well you don't have to wonder anymore. Fat loss watch it in action, before your very own eyes!
Fat Loss In Action
I've recently had a few people on the fence about whether they're going to join Your Beach Body Boot Camp, citing that they don't want to be wasting their time with ineffective, boring routines like at some other boot camps that they'd already done.
To answer that, all I can say is that each day, my girls get out there and the just kill it! It's wild! They love it so much, I just had to take this video to show you guys, and to hopefully lay any worries to rest about whether or not this is THE FAT LOSS-ACTION JACKSON!
If you don't think Your Beach Body Boot Camp will melt the fat off you, come and try it on me! I'll make it totally worth your while. For whatever reason, if you feel like Your Beach Body Boot Camp isn't your best chance of getting as lean as you can, as fast as humanly possible, then I'll refund you every single cent.
You've got nothing to lose!
So head on over to www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com/join.php and let's get it on!
Until the next time!
:)
Shane
Your Strength and Fat Loss Coach
www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com
www.your-strength-and-fat-loss-coach.com
Fat Loss In Action
I've recently had a few people on the fence about whether they're going to join Your Beach Body Boot Camp, citing that they don't want to be wasting their time with ineffective, boring routines like at some other boot camps that they'd already done.
To answer that, all I can say is that each day, my girls get out there and the just kill it! It's wild! They love it so much, I just had to take this video to show you guys, and to hopefully lay any worries to rest about whether or not this is THE FAT LOSS-ACTION JACKSON!
If you don't think Your Beach Body Boot Camp will melt the fat off you, come and try it on me! I'll make it totally worth your while. For whatever reason, if you feel like Your Beach Body Boot Camp isn't your best chance of getting as lean as you can, as fast as humanly possible, then I'll refund you every single cent.
You've got nothing to lose!
So head on over to www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com/join.php and let's get it on!
Until the next time!
:)
Shane
Your Strength and Fat Loss Coach
www.your-beach-body-boot-camp.com
www.your-strength-and-fat-loss-coach.com
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