Yes…You have my permission to make fun of me in my skimpy euro-swimsuit…LOL!
Here Goes…
Disclaimer: I normally wear long surfer shorts, but I had to throw on a James Bond swimsuit for a dare. I also was drinking a beer and "attempted" to smoke a cigar in the picture. [Click Here to Continue Reading…]
Pyramid sets are widely recommended in most gyms and do have their place, but this isn't the quickest route to gaining strength. Pyramid sets are great for exhausting the muscle and building mass, but what if your goal is muscle definition? I will recommend a better approach.
[The Great Pyramids near Cairo, Egypt. This is one of those "places to see before you die". Damn we live on an amazing planet!]
I remember working out before "working the core" was a massive focal point. I think many trainers have gone mad. They are almost obsessed about core exercises. I'm here to tell you, that a lot of the stuff you do works your core anyway, so no need to do a lot of the strange "swiss ball" and "balance board" exercises that you see people doing. Your time is limited in the gym, so let's make the most of it.
[A seriously nice set of amazing female abs…Yes please!]
I wrote about muscle and metabolic rate in a post about a year ago, but this myth is so prevalent that I had to address it again. If you don't know what I'm referring to it is the idea that it is smart to gain muscle, because "muscle burns calories around the clock…helping you lose fat". You know you have heard this mantra from a personal trainer before! It is so common that I listen for it now and just smile when I hear it. I am going to have some fun with this post. I love "shaking things up"!
["Don't hate us because we are beautiful. We are just trying to help make the Internet a prettier place."]
Did You Know that Body Fat Increases Your Metabolic Rate?
I am about ready to give my biggest argument against "bulking up". Bulking up is the common practice of gaining muscle as quickly as possible by eating a ton of calories. The idea is that you can gain more muscle if you insure a large calorie surplus in your diet. Along with muscle, quite a bit of fat is gained. The idea is to then burn the fat in the spring, revealing the newly acquired muscle for summer time. This is a common bodybuilding practice, but it is a BAD idea!
[A Kylie Minogue commercial that didn't get shown in many countries. Kylie has stayed in amazing shape for decades. She is flat out amazing!]
How do you define being in great shape? My definition is not only being strong with weights, but able to run a few miles and do well with bodyweight exercises. What if you can run forever but aren't strong at all? How about the guy who can bench 400, but can't do 10 chin ups? You can get to low body fat by strategic dieting and weight lifting but if you get out of breath by doing simple outdoor activities, that is a shame. The goal of exercising isn't just about looking good, but being functionally fit. Let's talk about this in more detail, but first let's look at a the current World Record holder in the Decathlon.
[Roman Šebrle from the Czech Republic has held the title of "World's Greatest Athlete", 5 out of the past 7 years. The competitors in the Decathlon are the greatest example of being "functionally fit".]
Trent Reznor, the main singer of Nine Inch Nails is one of my all-time favorite musicians. This guy reminds me a bit of David Bowie in that he is a true innovator. I believe many people won't truly appreciate the full impact he made on the landscape of music until later in his career. I have followed Trent since 1988, when "Down in It" was a big dance hit in the clubs and soon after that in 1989 his first Album "Pretty Hate Machine" was released. I am used to Reznor surprising me with innovative music, but he shocked me a bit with his physical transformation. After three years out of the spotlight, in 2006 he went on tour with a new "buffed up" Hulk look.
[Here is what Trent Reznor Looks like these days. I am not saying he looks terrible or anything, he just looks like a different person to me. His neck and face have grown big time.]
Lyle McDonald is the go-to guy when it comes to reaching low body fat levels. If you have been reading posts on my site for any length of time, you know I have referred to a book called "The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook". I give this book my highest recommendation. Anyway, Lyle just released his newest book that he has spent the past 10 years working on: The Stubborn Fat Solution. I have just placed my order for this book and I expect it to be outstanding! Although I haven't received the book yet, I trust that Lyle will over-deliver as always.
[Oh no! Jennifer just got sand all over her swimsuit and beautiful bod! Who is going to help her wipe it off? Anyone?]
Have your strength gains ever come to a halt? If you have been lifting weights for any length of time, you most likely have had this frustration. I used to reach sticking points all the time, because of my constant use of a spotter or forcing reps that I couldn't lift myself. I figured that if I forced up a few more reps with the use of a spotter, I would have to get stronger. Wrong! This is a terrible approach and will give you short term results at best. I am going to outline a much better approach to gaining strength for years to come with very few sticking points.
[An amazing view of the Aegean Sea from a balcony in Santorini Greece. The whole city is white and looks amazing in contrast to the deep blue Aegean Sea. These are the sort of pictures that inspire me to stay healthy and fit…not some guy doing a "most muscular" pose!]
I am a HUGE fan of the Summer Olympics. I also like the Winter Olympics, but I'm not much of a skier. I guess I feel almost everyone has sprinted or ran a race and a much smaller percentage of people have tried to ski or bobsled. In my mind, these are the most amazing athletes on the planet. My favorite events are to 100m sprint, basketball, long jump, 200m sprint, 4 x 100m relay, and all the swimming and gymnastic events. I actually like just about every event, but those are the ones that come to mind.
[Amanda Beard, Olympic Gold Medalist of the United States Swim Team. She is so hot they had to cool her down in this picture!]
People don't think enough about the amount of rest needed in between sets. Different amounts of rest are needed for a strength workout vs. a mass building workout. The same goes for the amount of pause in between each rep. Doing non-stop reps affects your muscles in a much different way than pausing a second in between each rep. Let's address how rest affects the outcome of your workouts.
[She makes resting look sexy!]
I have found a way to lift heavier weights while burning more body fat than normal in the same workout. This method will extend the fat burning window in your workout, without necessarily working out longer. I kind of stumbled upon this method on accident quite a few years ago, and now I use it to get extra lean while increasing my muscle density simultaneously. I have never read about this method, nor have I seen anyone else in the gym doing this. I don't think I'm the only person who does this, but this certainly isn't a mainstream personal training tip at all.
[Bruce Lee is the definition of strength-to-weight ratio. This man could do some amazing physical feats. A true bad-ass for sure!]
Did you know that drinking beer in moderation is actually good for you? What about playing beer pong? I am going to point to a few studies that prove to you that both beer drinking and playing beer pong will make you a healthier person. Having fun while getting healthier, what a great combination!
[Doesn't beer pong look fun? I'll answer for you…Yes! You know you enjoy the tacky photos I post on this site!]
There is a total mind game that happens when you first begin to lose body fat. At some point when dropping body fat, it is very possible that you look slightly flabbier than when you first began your diet and exercise program. I have never read about this fat loss principle, but I have observed it so many times that I know it is very common. Lets talk about why this happens, so you know what to expect when you start a strict fat loss plan.
[Meaghan isn't good with the measuring tape. She always gets a much higher number than her actual measurements for some reason.]
Patrick Swayze is one of those guys who doesn't seem to age. He has been in outstanding shape for his entire movie career, which spans close to 30 years. He is a Hollywood icon and has been in some great movies. I was saddened to hear this week, that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I felt absolutely compelled to do a post on Patrick Swayze, because he has certainly touched a lot of our lives. Here are some outstanding clips of him over the years.
[Road House could be one of the best "cult classics" of all time. It is so bad it is good. This is my favorite scene by far. This is a "must see" movie in my opinion.]
A reader of my site pointed out how Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussy Cat Dolls has a fit, yet feminine look. I did a Google search and I must say that I'm a big fan. She is obviously stunning, but I also think she has the perfect degree of tone for a woman. Men like women who are fit, but still have soft and feminine look. I respect female fitness competitors, but I'm attracted to softer women. I think most guys feel the same way.
[I chose a candid photo that wasn't airbrushed to show you that her body type is attainable for many women. She still has curves and hips, yet a "hint" of abs.]
I have to get this posted quickly, since this download page will only be up for a few days. Although I poke fun at bodybuilders on my site, I do have a few friends who are into bodybuilding and getting big, etc. One of these guys is my good friend Gregg Gillies. Gregg has an awesome site called TNA Fitness. He is also author of "The Skinny Guy's Guide to Building Mass Fast".
[A picture of old muscle beach, before steroids]
Have you ever seen the movie, There's Something About Mary? My favorite scene is where Ben Stiller picks up a psychotic hitchhiker who pitches him on his business idea, 7 Minute Abs. The guy tells him "You walk into video store, you see 8 minute abs sitting there and then you see 7 minute abs on the shelf right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick man?". Then Ben tells him he would go for the 7. He then says it is a great idea until someone comes up with 6 minute abs. The guys freaks out a bit and his face twitches. It is a great scene! This article is about a very effective ab routine I have been doing the past month. It takes a little less than 10 minutes. I'll be safe until someone comes up with a "9 minute abs" routine!
["We guarantee it…If you're not happy with the first 7 minutes. We are going to send you the extra minute free!"]
Have you ever wondered whether caffeine was bad for you? I have used caffeine 30 to 60 minutes before my workouts for years and I have never felt any adverse effects. It actually has helped me burn off that last little bit of body fat on several occasions. Although it has worked well for me, I still had no idea whether ingesting caffeine was a good or bad thing. I decided to do a bit of research on the newest studies and my findings are actually very interesting. If caffeine is taken in moderation, I believe the positives outweigh the negatives.
[Melanie is doing side crunches on the bed while drinking coffee. It is a bummer that she has white sheets!]
I was reading a post on a bodybuilding forum today where a bunch of guys were ripping on The Rock (Duane Johnson) for slimming down. They said he looks like a wimp now and that his legs are too small compared to his upper body, etc. This shows you how clueless and out of touch the bodybuilding forums are getting. The funny thing is that The Rock is still much more physically impressive at a lighter weight than most of these pudgy guys.
[The Rock is an example of a "naturally big guy" who has slimmed down. He is slim and toned in respect to his larger frame. He is the ideal role model for the bigger guys out there.]
