No Pain No...Brain!

New research and pilot fitness programs in schools are showing positive results that exercise helps the human brain learn. An amazing documentary that proves P.E. does NOT take away from students learning time...it enhances it!

This should be "Must see T.V." for every parent and every American!

A big thank you to my friend Ted Schatz for telling me about Dr. John Ratey and his research!

Watch Documentary Here.

Burpee Gone Bad...or Good?

For a workout try 5 sets of 6-10 reps. Rest 1-3 minutes between sets.

Enjoy!

Denial can be huge...

Americans in Denial About Obesity, Health - by Mintel

Perceptions in the US about obesity, illness and wellness appear to contradict national statistics and reveal that Americans think they are healthier than they actually are, according to a survey by Mintel.

On the weighty issue of obesity, people seem to be in denial, Mintel said. Only 25% of survey respondents said they suffer from or have been diagnosed as obese or overweight. But according to the US Center for Disease Control (CDC), two-thirds (67%) fall into one of these categories.

Read full report.

Old Skool!

Strength day...felt so manly! Perform a 5-10 minute dynamic warm-up followed by two warm-up sets per lift. Finish 4 sets/lift before moving on to the next exercise. Load should be around 75-85% of your 1 rep max. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets...it's strength day...rest is a good thing. Adjust weight and/or exercises to your current fitness level.

Enjoy!

1. Alpha Male Lift (i.e. Dumbbell Chest Press): 100# x 11-5, 90# x 8-8
2. BB Hang Cleans: 135# x 5-5, 165# x 2-2 (reps kept low to focus on form and execution...in other words, I'm getting my body use to heavy cleans again...slowly...wisely)
3. BB Romanian Deadlift: 225# x 10, 235# x 10-8-8
4. Weighted Pullups: 40# x 10-8, 20# x 10-6

STRETCH!

America Has Competition!

Laziness in a nutshell.

Pic courtesy of http://failblog.org

Shift your fear!

I have to say I'm amazed by how many prospective clients won't consider personal training because of fear. Fear that it's going to be too difficult, or they won't be able to keep up with the rest of the group, or they're not in good enough shape to work with a trainer, etc. Unfortunately this "fear" leads to inaction and fosters an unhealthy lifestyle. What you have to remember is that a solid trainer may bend you, but will never break you. Wow, I feel the eyes of hundreds of past/present clients rolling their eyes right now! BUT, anyone who has worked with me, knows it's true!

All that being said...I believe fear can be a great motivator as well. The fear simply needs to shift in the right direction. Our fears should be based on the consequences of our inactive lifestyle. This country spends $187 billion dollars annually on obesity related illness! Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, have all been linked to our lack of health and wellness! What you should fear is not getting to see your kids graduate from college, having to buy bigger clothes....AGAIN, being dependent on a motorized cart to grocery shop, dying of a heart attack or massive stroke! These are all possibilities for almost 70% of Americans. What more motivation would you need?

Look...I know that it won't be easy. But I promise it will be worth it!

Remember pain is temporary...dead is forever!

Get out and live! It's never too late! Embrace the challenge! Don't view an uphill battle as anything but the golden brick road to the person you deserve to be!

Back to Basics!

The fitness industry is dominated by huge gyms that boast of the vast amounts of exercise equipment inside their doors.

While there are many benefits to utilizing a health club, we need to remember that the human body was created for movement long before gyms existed.

Pushing, pulling, squatting, bending, twisting, and moving have always been the pillars for strength and overall fitness.

Becoming too dependent on machines takes away from the body's natural ability to move and can make us less functional. Read entire article.

Strength Day!

Perform a 5 minute dynamic warm up followed by two warm up sets of the outlined workout.

Sets: 3
Reps: 8-12
Intensity: 75-85% of 1 rep max
Rest: 1-2 minutes between sets
Vertically Loaded (i.e. Circuit Style)

1. Supine DB Chest Press - 100# x 10, 90# x 10, 90# x 8
2. BB Clean to Press - 135# x 12, 10, 8
3. Weighted Pullups - 40# x 10, 20# x 8, Body weight x 8
4. Single leg DB Squats - 30# x 12-10-8

Adjust weights/reps to your strength level. Use weight assisted pullup machine or angle pullups if needed.