Finally…A Non-Bodybuilding Approach to Getting in Great Shape!

Just wanted to say hello…
I also help people but with health , cancer, and eating pure foods…
I like your website…
Cynthia
http://www.purerawcafe.com
http://www.myspace.com/cynthiabeavers

Kudos on keeping it entertaining.

You look a lot like David Beckham to me and I consider him the sexiest man on the planet right now!

The muscle-"monsters" are a HUGE turnoff. They are actually quite frightning!

Thanks for the info! Keep it up!

I'm not as good looking as David Beckham, but I'll take compliments where I can get them…thanks!

My goal is shift the thinking of guys away from thinking that the bigger they get, the more women they will attract. Women like regular sized guys who are in good shape.

My gym is filled with obnoxious, bulky meat heads. They yell, they wear terrible 80's clothes, and they are just plain obnoxious. I'm trying to catch people before they get to that phase. It helps to have women commenting on this.

I should put up a poll for women only…to give more evidence to the fact that "too much muscle" is NOT attractive.

Rusty

Hey Rusty…not only are you physically fit and nice looking…you actually have some common sense AND a sense of humor…how very refreshing! Are you married? LOL

You are absolutely 100% dead on! Women are not attracted to the "meat heads" you describe so accurately throughout your blog…we steer clear of them! We find them intimidating, shallow and "full of themselves". They think that their "superior" physique should automatically entitle them to only the beautiful babes in the world.

They need to get over it. Sure women look at them, but not because they think they are hot. After years of being stereotyped as being men of small minds and small…ahem…"feet" you would think they'd get the message.

We look at them for the same reasons that we look at a "hummer" on the street. It big and fascinating but we don't really want one. Well…maybe I would…the hummer I mean! LOL

Great blog…I visit often! Keep it up!

Well, if you are starting a poll…I agree. The WWE is full of these "bulky meat heads" and there's not one "sexy" man there! The "E" in WWE says it all…they are amazing but unnatural specimens. A show piece…"entertainment"…not someone you want to cuddle up with!

T,

You have it right…these guys are not attractive to women, but if you heard the conversations in my gym…most guys are confused about this. Thanks for the input.

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

Just wanted to thank you for all the nice comments and "plugs" to my website and blog! Made my night last nite! If you have any suggestions for me, I'm all ears….I just have a feeling you are a man with a lot of opnions! LOL!

BTW…your blog is awesome! Love to read it every morning!

~Angie

Angie,

Yeah…I have opinions that I'm not afraid to share. I don't know how smart it is to make fun of roided out bodybuilder mongoloids, but it sure is fun!

You have a great blog as well, so I don't mind plugging it…it will help a lot of the female readers out to get a fit women's perspective on stuff.

Rusty

The problem is your focusing on the things in life that don't really matter. When I was a kid I had hopes and dreams. We all did. But over time, the daily grind gets in the way and you miss the things that really matter, even though they are right in front of you, staring you in the face. I think the next time you should ask yourself "Am I on the right track here?". I don't mean to be rude but people like you I really pity. So maybe you could use the few brain cells you have and take advantage of the knowledge I have given you now. Good luck.

I'm offended by your comments on the perfect body. I can see that you are very proud of your body and I'm sure you work very hard to accomplish your goals in fitness, but just because someone doesn't share those same goals doesn't mean that they are wrong. I work very hard for the body I have developed. We definatly have different ideals on what the perfect body is, and is it so crazy to think that every person is different and has a different idea on what the perfect body is? It isn't about right and wrong, it is about preference and personal goals. Believe it or not, there are women out there who are attracted to a more muscular man, just as there are women out there who aren't. And there are women who are attracted to men all across the spectrum. I just don't think it's fair to generalize the fact that since you have a certain goal and some women appreciate that goal that it applies to everyone. I restate that I respect your work ethic in fitness and only ask that you treat others with different goals with the same respect.

Kyle,

Good comment. I'm really just trying to build a site for people who want to get toned without excessive muscle. There are many, many sites on gaining muscle…just trying to fill a void in the fitness "blogosphere".

In regards to women…the nice thing about women is that they are more forgiving about men as far as looks are concerned and yes…there are some women who like massive guys…It just isn't the focus of this particular blog.

Rusty

I just wanna throw my two cents in here. My goals ain't no where near the same as yours but I fully understand that and I respect yours. I did at times get offended about what your comments on bodybuilders (like my dad was) and football players (like I am), but when you think about it the sites I frequent clown on dudes like you too so it's all good. Personally I lift heavy and hard to get strong, size is a side effect that I just happen to enjoy. I really don't care what girls or other people say because they don't understand what it's like to bust your ass like me and my boys do in the weight room to get to our goals. One thing I notice though is what girls find attractive. I know white girls don't like the size or intimidation factors a dude like me, my dad or some of my team mates have, but I notice black girls LOVE the size and the things that go along with it. I think it has somethin' to do with the more violent culture out here in DA HOOD (haha), but that's just somethin' I wanted to throw out there, just for conversation sake.

p.s. I am a meathead but I took some offense to that whole mongoloid thing some female used to describe heavy lifters. I ain't dumb, I got a 158 IQ and graduated high school with a 4.0, so we're not stupid.. all of us that is lol. Cheers

Down South,

If I was in DA HOOD, I would try to be as big and badass as possible…and if I wanted to play football, I'd also do the same thing…and there are certainly a lot of white girls that dig bigger guys.

Guys with my goals do get ripped to shreads in those forums…and girls with similar goals don't feel comfortable in the typical mass building forum. I just wanted to create a friendlier place for those people.

Just to let you know, I'm a HUGE football fan…I also know that you have to be big to play football. The only position that I would have a chance to play at the size I'm at now is kicker…LOL!

Rusty

rusty,

if someone was extremely dedicated to the fight club tone up workout, HIIT cardio 7 days per week, and doing the warrior diet, had good muscle memory from being in shape in the past, do you think it would be possible to lose 40 lbs in two months?

AK,

Yeah…it certainly is possible. It is much easier to reach a point of fitness if you have been there before.

What I mean is that if Brad Pitt, put on 40 pounds of fat…he could get back to being in Fight Club shape quicker than someone who has never been that fit before.

I know I could lose 40 pounds in two months if I gained excess weight and needed to get back in shape. If you are disciplined, you can acheive extraordinary things.

Go for it, because it certainly is possible!

Rusty

My biggest pet peeve with you is that you make it out to seem that anyone with appreciable muscle mass is a meathead, and that it's oh so easy for people to achieve the "meathead" physique.

You say that it's easier to gain LBM than it is to lose fat. That's true in the sense that you don't have to be as strict with your diet when gaining, and that you have to do little to no cardio. That in and of itself is misleading though, because it actually takes much more time to build any level of quality lean mass than it is to lose fat. Anyone can lose ~20 lbs of fat in 3 months or so, but to gain 20 lbs of muscle takes much longer and requires just as much, if not more dedication.

Who do you think puts in more hard work, and subsequently gets more girls, the 145lb lean guy, or the 195 lb lean guy?

That's the end of my rant for now. Feel free to open this up for debate.

-dizzle

Dizzle,

It certainly takes a lot of time and effort to gain muscle…no question about it. My main point is that certain people simply don't want to gain all that muscle. There are tons of sites dedicated to gaining muscle and just not as many that focus on getting lean while staying slim.

Out of the sites that are dedicated to helping people get toned, most of those have really typical "main stream" advice…kind of watered down. A lot of the great advice that I have found has been in the much more "hardcore" forums…Unfortunately, those forums aren't friendly to people who just want to look slim and toned.

I put this site together to give cutting edge advice, but for people who don't want to gain excessive muscle mass. As far as being 195 vs. 145…I guess I'm thinking that most guys would look their best in the middle of that range.

Good comment Dizzle…your points do make sense,

Rusty

A lot of people may misinterpret your information. Guys who are 6'0" weighing 160 should not be trying to get "toned". I think guys similar to this should be trying to add as much mass as possible before even thinking about "toning".

Grant,

I have to disagree with you on one of your points. I don't ever recommend for someone to gain as much muscle as possible…unless they want to become a bodybuilder or look like a bodybuilder. That isn't the focus of this site. There are a ton of places for people to go who want to attain this look.

As far as someone weighing 160 at 6 feet tall…depending upon their frame they would probably want to gain a little muscle…probably between 10-25 pounds if they wanted a Hollywood look. Most likely this would easily be achieved just with a bit of resistance training.

The bodybuilding approach which includes bulking up and then cutting back would work, but I actually recommed looking toned while putting on this moderate amount of muscle. The approach I recommend is a slower process, but they can look good throughout the entire process instead of gaining too much fat during a bulking phase.

Good point though…there certainly are people who are really skinny and it wouldn't hurt for them to gain a bit of muscle…I just don't endorse excessive muscle.

Rusty

I was not referring to the bulking/cutting strategy of the past. I am talking about gaining size with minimal bodyfat. If a skinny person is trying for the Men's Health or Men's fitness cover model look, then he will need to gain some size. From what I have read, a Men's Fitness cover model is 5'10" to 6'0" and weighs anywhere from 180-200LBS. A person weighing 150 should try to put on as much muscle as possible. A routine of 20min of lifting followed by 40-45 min of cardio will not work.
A routine of basic compound exercises 3-4 times per. week and 15-20 min of HIIT would be better for the majority of skinny people.

Grant,

Yeah…I agree with you there. I still believe that weighing 180-200 pounds is a bit big at the 5'10" to 6'0" range, but certainly not excessive.

Rusty

I notice Brad Pitt's physique for Fight Club as the benchmark. Have you compared his Fight Club physique to Edward Norton's American History X physique? IMO if you compare the two physiques side by side, most men and women would pick the Edward Norton's physique.

Grant,

You know what…I will have to feature that in an upcoming post. I think Edward Norton looked great in that movie. I'll do a side by side comparison and maybe have a vote of some sort. Can't go wrong with either physique.

Thanks for the input…Great Idea!

Rusty

PS: That seen where he makes a guy bite the curb still may be one of the sicker things I've ever seen in a movie.

I like the info on your Blog. Specially the Facts and Tips about feeling healthy and by that looking good.

I am a 29 year old 5'10" male asian with a few extra lbs, tan complexion, and starting to loose hair on top. I wear a (french beard) ghottie all time. I work as IT Manager for a Telecom firm. Its like a sitting job.

I like myself to have a lean body with muscles toned but not massive. Also a funky look that could go with a formal office routine.

Advise please.

Just dropping a short line to say HI.
I have been a reader of your blog for some time now and i would like to say that a totally agree with you that fat loss is not as complicated as the "internet gurus" want you to believe and that you can get good results without being on some strict diets or taking bags of suplements etc.

I am starting a blog that also has the goal to give average people sane advice on exercise and nutrition for fat loss. take a look:

http://burn-body-fat.blogspot.com/

Trif,

That is great. I really enjoy meeting fellow "bloggers". It is a lot of work to put yourself and your opinions out there, especially "if you go against the grain" a bit. Expect to be challenged, but have fun with it.

You are off to a good start…I wish you great luck in helping many people!

Rusty

Rusty,

I want you to know that I appreciate the support.

It's true, it's hard to get your ideas across because of these guys promoting their supplements and crazy bodybuilding routines that have little use for average people.

In my opinion, what happens is that average people get paralysis from analysis of all that complicated information presented and procrastinate.

People need to know that losing fat is very simple, but not easy.

I hope we can get the message across.

Also I am looking forward to reading new posts from you. I always enjoy them.

Best of luck in helping many people!

Mircea
http://burn-body-fat.blogspot.com/

Hey Rusty,

I see that you changed the look of your site. To be honest: You really didn't needed to in my opinion. The previous layout was a lot more professional looking but hey, in the end it's about the content and you've got plenty of it!

btw: where did the search box go?

Remon,

Yeah…it was peer pressure! I am in a mastermind with a group of top bloggers. They told me to switch my theme to a 3 column theme called "Cutline"…but it is harder to read the content.

I switched this back, but there are a few glitches I'm fixing. I'll switch it over to that theme eventually, because there is major SEO benefits…I didn't like the way it looked either!

Rusty

Just wanted to let you know that because I like your content and writing style I linked to your site.

Best of luck in helping many people!

Mircea
http://burn-body-fat.blogspot.com/

Hey Rusty,

Hmm… well i'm sure it's better for the search engines, but if the content is harder to read then that's not quite what you want either, I guess. You could also consider switching to the "Culline" theme, but keep the colors and banner the same? Not saying that you should keep it forever, but it looks good just the way it is now in my opinion Also, I like "Advanced Tips Your Personal Trainer Doesn't Know about" better than "Dedicated To The Slim "Hollywood Look". But, the second tagline does explain the purpose of this site better, it's just not as catchy as the first one

Of course, these are just my opinions. Eventually, it's your site But whatever you do, just make sure you keep writing those brilliant articles! Because as long as you do, I wouldn't care much about the site turning pink or whatever

Remon,

Yep…I'm sticking with this format for longer, because I think it is easier to focus on the content with less distractions.

What is happening is this blog was started back in June and the traffic to my site started to jump through the roof in late September. I have advisors telling me to "widen" my site out to sell AD space in one of the side bars to monetize this site. People think I'm nuts for not having banners, etc. on a high-volume site.

Anyway…it is more important to me that I connect with my readers than it is to make money from my site at this point in time. At some point the traffic will be so high that it will cost me money in bandwidth and to get this site on a high-powered dedicated server, so I'll have to monetize.

Probably "too much information"…LOL!

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

I'm not a big fan of ads, but I don't think this site should cost you anything, other than time. Placing a couple of ads really isn't a bad idea in the near future because it would allow you to compensate or break even with the financial costs involved running this blog

I just stumbled across your site, and all I can say is thank you! This is the kind of fitness advice I have been looking for.

This site is such a great thing to see amongst the sea of bodybuilding sites and advice that claim that major bulking is the key to a great physique.

This is definitely a place I will be coming back to often.

Graham,

Glad to have you on board as a reader! I really encourage comments, so feel free to comment on a post or another reader's comments, etc.

There are a TON of guys and girls that don't want to look bulky. There are a lot of exciting studies and developments which will help all of us achieve our goals that much quicker. My job is to search, discuss and find experts and methods that are rarely discussed in traditional fitness or bodybuilding magazines.

Good Times!

Rusty

Hello Rusty!

First of all I would very much like to thank you for the wonderful site.
I have been reading it for quite some time now.
I am a person from the younger generation, who you often claim to be wanting more muscle. I have to admit I find your site absolutely fabulous and the theories posted here seem much more logical than the ones on regular fitness sites. Therefore I am a bit different from all the younger guys, since I have been following your advice for several months with great results!

I also have a question to ask.:

I have been doing a weight loss program combo using the different methods you describe on this site. Eat less times per day, fewer reps with higher weights, interval training and so forth.
Now starting from January I would like to make 2 months of intense cardio to prepare for summer. I am not that concerned about my overall muscle mass, because I am fairly satisfied with that. However, my upper chest is a bit undeveloped and I was wondering if maybe by doing a more intense chest workout once a week during this program and drinking a protein shake right after the workout I could improve that state? Just an idea, my main goal still is to lose some last fat leftovers. I can always make a different program for minor mass gaining later.

Well this turned out to be long, sorry about that!

Thanks very much again for the great site, keep up the good work.

Faithful reader from Estonia, currently residing in Denmark.

Jaan

Jaan,

To build muscle mass, you are going to want to focus on a workout that "pumps up" that muscle a bit. I recommend avoiding the pump to get toned, but it is a good way to build muscle.

So…keep your reps and volume low for the rest of your body and do the traditional higher volume bodybuilding approach for your upper chest…15 total sets of 6-12 reps. Maybe do 3 different exercises. Don't do any lifts for the rest of your chest as it will get worked to an extent when you work upper chest. Drink that protein shake right after working out and one hour later eat a traditional healthy meal.

That will do the trick for sure!

Rusty

PS: I have a lot of readers from Estonia now. Another place that I should visit!

rusty:

i just wanted to tell you that you are incredibly hot, sexy, intelligent, honest, motivating, and witty. also, you say you do not have the Hollywood look? i most definitely disagree. i see your picture and you are incredibly good looking much like beckham and brad pitt. awesome site. i also read ALL your articles on ezine. I take your advice very seriously. thanks for everything.

I also wanted to state that you are absolutely right about women not being attracted to bulky guys. They look unnatural and the site of veins popping out is disgusting. I am a 19 year old girl and do NOT find bulky men attractive. I like lean, moderately muscular men with low body fat, defined abs, and sexy, defined jaw (result of low bodyfat). lol.
also, thanks so much for your bluntness about having good fitness role models. It was very inspiring to hear that anyone can have a nice body with discipline and hard work. It would be nice if you could comment back. thanks again.

Lorna,

Thanks for the wonderful compliments. It is always nice to hear good things about yourself. I had my 38th birthday yesterday, but feel like I look better than I ever have.

I need to write more often for you guys. I've slacked off a bit in December, but feedback like this really lets me know that I need to push a bit harder.

I am doing women a service by telling guys the typical look that women find attractive (there are exceptions of course). There will hopefully be a lot more attractive men for the single girls to date in the future. I also want to help women get fit without putting on mass. I don't care what anyone says…Megan Fox has a better body than any female bodybuilder.

Making the World Sexier one Hot Person At a Time!

Rusty

Dear Rusty:

Thanks for replying, just wanted to say that few 38 year olds have bodies like yours and of course, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

Lorna

Lorna,

Thanks again and happy new year!

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

I also stumbled across your site today when looking for celebrity body inspiration!

You have a great writing style and I love your fitness philosophy too.

I thought I would contribute by backing up the idea that girls aren't necessarily into big muscles but a toned body instead. A Dolce and Gabbana male model is driving girls crazy; OK he's good looking but he's very toned. His name is Dave Grandy. Take a look at a link I found about him (I'm not associated with the blog): http://niwde.blogspot.com/…supermodel-david.html

Hope you find it good reading!

Do you have an email address, by the way?

Best wishes for 2008!
Dan

Dan,

Thanks buddy… great link by the way. A lot of the fitness industry has lost track of what actually makes for an attractive look…The majority of the industry focuses on excessive muscle and bad fashion for the most part!

I'll go over to that blog to do some reading. I'll contact you, since I have your e-mail address. Keep reading and contributing, we appreciate it!

Rusty

Hey Rusty…the 21 day workout blitz is on track and going well! Mentally it's tough to do the cardio but is paying off. Have had a couple comments that i've lost weight so hopefully i'm getting ripped without losing muscle as i'm more athletic than big and never needed to lose weight. Anyway…off track, am hoping i can pick your brain about blogging and setting something up for myself. i need to get out of the corporate environment, have read through the Pavlina site and obviously inspired by yours and feel i can add value. Hoping you could email me sometime to discuss ideas etc.! i know you're busy so anytime would be appreciated! Thanks heaps Rusty…16 days til Melbourne!

Gators,

I am part of an exclusive blogging group. All of us believe in building "Authority Sites" on subjects we are passionate about. We stress adding value to the internet and building websites that we can be proud of.

The blogging software we use happens to get our posts listed high in Google. It is almost an unfair advantage. I'd feel bad except, I really believe in the message I'm trying to deliver and really just want to help people achieve their goals.

I don't want to include too much more info on my site. I'll send you an e-mail, since I have it from your comment.

Rusty

I just found your website and I am impressed! I'm 43 and have always exercised, but never truly got the results I wanted. I'm going to try your suggestions and see what happens. Your information makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks!

Susie,

That is my younger sister's name, so I already think you must be cool. I'm glad the info makes sense. Getting in shape isn't tough with the right approach. I know what I write about on my website works for the vast majority of people.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Rusty-

Can you do a posting for women about how to look like a Victoria's Secret model? I know that is a standard that men find insanely hot, and I would love to know your take on how the average girl can do that. Thanks!

Kelly

Hey Rusty-

Can you give some tips for females about how to build a "victoria's secret model" body? That would be really great and helpful.

Thanks–

Kelly and Amanda,

Certainly the diet and cardio advice I give here will go a LONG ways towards getting that body type. Sprinting does an amazing job on your butt by the way! I'll try and focus more in this in the future. I'm a big fan of the Victoria's Secret Models!

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

Just to let you know, I love your website. It is just what a lot of people out there are looking for. Myself I am nearing the end of my senior year here at UNL and finally have moved out of those wonderful years where I could eat anything I wanted and still be skinny as a rail. Your website is definitely a good motivator to get in shape and enjoy doing it. Now I've gotta ask because I've always wondered. Obviously you have quite the physique and have worked hard to get where you are, but most people complain that their daily routine gets in the way of working out and after work is done, that they have no energy. I've never been able to figure out off of your website, are you a trainer or do you just have a lot more drive to hit the gym than most? Thanks again for your site. It's great.

Andrew,

Thanks for the compliment! I write the posts, but what you are going to find is that sometimes there is just as much value in the comments. I like to give a solid tip and then get a conversation going.

The trick to looking and staying defined as you get older is to not do the "bulking up during the winter…and getting cut for summer". Seriously, do what it takes to keep your body fat low year-round and over time you will notice greater and greater muscle definition as you gain strength. Get stronger without getting bigger…you will love the look it creates!

I decided to not become a certified personal trainer, because I simply don't agree with a lot of what is being taught. Look at it this way, if I was a CPT…I simply would be just repeating what I learned. My personality is to question things…I think it is what makes this site worth reading. Wouldn't it be boring if I just re-worded what I learned during my certification. I don't expect everyone to agree with every single point I make, but it should get you thinking.

I know beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that I can help people get quicker results than the typical personal trainer. I'm not saying that all personal trainers are clueless…there are some absolutely outstanding trainers out there.

I actually probably train a lot less than many gym members. I just know how to eat in a way and do cardio in a way that gives your body no option but to get lean. This should be exciting news for you. I can mentor you to get extremely defined. I'm here to help you tweak your workout until you get to your ideal shape and size.

Great Question!

Rusty

Rusty,

There are so many diets and suggestions and tips out there that all contradict each other. How do you decide which one is the best? Is it just a trial-and-error process for you decide what works for you and just sticking with it? I would assume consistency is the most important thing here, but would like to know what your thoughts are.

Thanks!

Karolina,

There are tons of approaches that work to getting lean. A lot of it has to do with what fits your lifestyle and personality. A big thing I recommend is to eat less often and workout on an empty stomach. Just give your body a chance to burn body fat for fuel instead of food calories for food. As long as there are food calories in your system, your body will burn that instead of body fat.

Study after study is proving that it is not necessary to eat 6 meals per day. Your metabolism won't slow down by simply skipping a few meals. It takes a number of days in an extremely fasted state in order for this to happen.

This is the foundation of what I talk about here. Dig into my blog, type in keywords into the search box at the top…I cover many, many topics that should help.

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

Just wanted to let you know that I've now reached my ideal weight and leaness thanks to you champ! It's amazing how quick these results came. I'm now at 172.5 pounds and b/t 6-7% bf!

So I've lost 25.5 pounds in total since October 07, but more amazingly is the 14.5 pounds I've lost in the last 5-6 weeks (ie. since coming across your site!).

Exactly like you have previously mentioned I do now have a great body but it will take me several months at this weight and bf% to get an 'amazing' body. The skin all needs to tighten up etc.

A quick question. I would like to add a 'subtle' amount of muscle to my frame over the next 12 months (ie. following the principles you outlined in the article in which you referred to the US navy seals etc) but I wanted to know if I am better off staying at this size until I 'tighten up' and then add the bit of muscle in 6 months or so, OR would I be better off adding the muscle immediately and then concentrate and getting 'lean again' once muscle added.

When I say a subtle amount of muscle i'm only talking about b/t 5-10 pounds.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Hulbs

Hulbs,

Stay lean for a while then add those 5-10 pounds of muscle after your skin tightens up. This is a great strategy to insure that your skin is wrapped tightly against your muscles and will help you display even more definition. The 5-10 pounds of muscle growth will be easier after being extremely lean. Just add a bit of volume to your workouts and up the calories for a short period of time. Also, do about 1/2 the amount of cardio. This will only take you 3 months and it will be a breeze!

Congrats on the results!

Rusty

Thanks Rusty,

Appreciate all your input. I'll certainly do as per your reply and wait for skin to tighten before trying to add the muscle.

Our trip to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia is just 3 weeks away now some i'm stoked that I got to my goal weight before than as I had wanted!

Hulbs

Rusty, I need your help! I can't stop binging. Three times this week I've had an entire package of cookie dough!! I can see right now youre imagining me as quite overweight and out of control; the crazy thing is i'm anything but! I have a flat stomach, abs, and an hourglass figure and my friends (who dont know about my binging – obviously) keep hankering at me to get a personal trainer's license. And I'm obsessed with health, nutrition, and fitness: I'm not an idiot, I know this is insanely unhealthy, I know how many calories I'm taking in when I do it, and I know how much cardio it will take to burn it off… believe me. Please give me some advice – honestly I just need someone to talk some sense into me and I've been reading your blog for a while and I know you're going to give it to me straight!! There really isn't anyone for me to talk to about it so I'd love for you to give me some advice. I feel like every time I get close to my "ideal" weight I screw myself over – almost on purpose! Plus I would truthfully love to get my PT license this summer, but I refuse to do it unless I can get over this problem, since I only learn from those who practice what they preach and I'd hate to be a hypocrite.

Oh! And to be clear, these binges happen ON TOP OF my normal, clean diet, so they don't happen out of hunger. And it's not a crazy restrictive diet either; just healthy. And while I am lucky to be young and still have a nice, athletic body, I can't imagine what's going on inside and I know I could have a phenomenal body if I overcame this psychological barrier.

Hi Russ,
I was reading about the rotating diet of a few days on low carbs and then a day on high carbs. I liked the article a lot and was just wondering what a workout on a day of high intensity cardio would look like for you. I realize that you are in better shape than your average person and thus it would vary a great deal between different individuals, but I was just curious how it would go for you so that I can try to get a better idea of what I might want to try. Thanks!!

Katie,

I was going to recommend upping your carbs on your normal diet, but this could be more of a mental barrier. Will you do me a favor and begin reading Steve Pavilna's blog. It will help you a ton! Seriously…read his most popular posts along with his audios, etc. It's all free and could be life changing for you (I know that is saying a lot, but this blog is amazing)… http://stevepavlina.com

Andrew,

I do 20 minutes of sprinting intervals on a level 1.5-2.0 incline. The first 5 minutes I work up to level 10 speed. I alternate level 10 for one minute then 3.8 for one minute, then level 10.2 for one minute 3.8 for one minute, level 10.4 for one minute back to 3.8. I work up to a level that hurts and then repeat that alternating with 3.8. Occasionally I'll get up to a few sets of level 12.

After that tough HIIT workout, I'll hit the stair step machine that has actual stairs like an escalator. I start at level 9 and then just add .2 to .3 in speed every minute until it is tough. I do that for 15-20 minutes. At this point I'm normally done, but sometimes I'll throw in 10 minutes of slow and steady on the exercise bike.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

I am wondering. If I am in pretty good overall shape and still having trouble getting rid of some extra fat on the lower part of my chest (and I am a male)….what is the best way to rid of the most difficult part of the fat for me to lose. I am doing more incline benchpresses, flys, and watching what I eat. Thanks.

Where, oh where, is your gym! A gym full of pumped-up "meat heads" lifting heavy, listening to heavy metal and wearing baggy gym pants is my idea of HEAVEN!

Every gym I've been in for the past five years is a "fitness center" full of boring bodies doing yoga and stairclimbers. There aren't any more serious gyms with serious builders, so far as I can tell.

Keeping people from bulking up with muscle doesn't seem like that much of a challenge. Today, all anyone does is lean body toning at the gym. You seem to be running around with a fire extinguisher during a flood, or rushing to the gunwale of the lifeboat that's already under water.

-BLTim

jsw,

You have to concentrate on diet and cardio to get your body fat down to a lower level. Various chest lifts won't help you lose that fat.

timothy,

Very clever comment buddy. Even though your post disagrees with my blog…how could I not include it? Very good response and I am actually laughing at myself a bit.

As far as finding a seriously hardcore gym to the level you are describing, you typically have to find a Gold's gym or privately owned gym. These are typically located in the outskirts of the major cities, where land is a bit cheaper. These private gyms don't have huge corporate backing like the bigger gyms. My gym still has a certain element to this, but not at the level you are describing.

Although I clown a bit on hardcore gyms, I have had serious workouts in a few. Back when I was into heavy dead lifting and squatting in my mid-20's, I belonged to a Gold's gym in Renton (outside of Seattle). Jesse Marunde, World's Strongest Man competitor, ran the gym with his wife. Unfortunately Jesse passed away this past summer. I only spoke with him a few times, but he was a super cool guy. He gave me tips on how to improve grip strength for dead lifts by doing "suitcase holds" with a barbell in a power rack.

Although I poke fun of bulky guys and gals…it really is all in fun.

Thanks for commenting!

Rusty

Hey man,

I really like your site; I've started using some of the things I've read and it's kicked the crap out of me.

I am training for mountain bike racing this summer, specifically downhill and slalom. Downhill runs are 2-5 minutes long, and slalom races are usually a bunch of rounds of sub 1 minutes runs. I haven't raced in a few years, but I race at a very high level, and I don't want to be held back by not being in proper shape. Obviously, looking good is a secondary objective.

I had a pretty good routine going balancing lifting, cardio and plyos. I need to be explosively fast for a relatively short period of time, and my upper body needs to be able to take the beating of a downhill run.

This is what downhill looks like:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?samhill

That's the best racer in the world right now, so it gives you an idea of what it SHOULD look like haha.

As I said, my training was going pretty well… until I was doing plyos the other morning, rolled my ankle and went down with all of my weight on the outside of my right foot, breaking it. So now I'm in a boot.

The season starts in early May, and would really like to lose as little training time as possible due to this injury. Obviously I can't do plyos, and I can lift for my upper body…but do you have any ideas about what I can do to keep/build leg strength and keep working on cardio without putting too much stress on my foot? My main concern is that it heals fast and properly, but as I said, I really want to be in top physical form for the season. Thanks a lot, I hope you have some ideas.

Trevor

how it going,
1)I am a pole vaulter and need very strong abs without the bulk. I was wondering if you think that the plank would be sufficient for this or if you think that i could build stronger lean abs with a turbulence type training with weighted ab exercises?
2) i am 6 ft 1 in and 150 lbs. I am pretty athletic, however i am skinny but kind of flabby(strange combination but true). Any suggestions on how to get toned without losing weight? (diet or exercise)
3) Soy Vs. Whey Protein?
4) any knowledge on how to get rid of shin splints?
Sorry for so many questions. I think that this website is great.
Jason

Jason,

1) A pole vaulter needs a bit more than just a six pack. I would recommend hanging leg raises…a bunch of different variations. This is going to mimic the ab strength needed in your sport. Then maybe end with planks.
2) 6 foot 1 in and 150 pounds…and you say you are "skinny fat". You probably have the easiest body type to make quick improvements. Gain functional strength by doing 5 sets of 5 reps:

Day 1) Three exercises for a total of 15 sets each for Back and Chest…(a grand total of 30 quality sets of 5 reps)

Day 2) Two exercises a piece for Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps…10 sets each (a grand total of 30 quality sets of 5 reps)

Do your ab work 3 times per week. Hit interval cardio hard for 20 minutes after each workout.

3) Avoid soy protein. It can increase your estrogen levels and contribute to stubborn body fat.

4) Shin Splints eventually go away over time, but I found that an exercise bike can accelerate the process.

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

I've been reading your blog for some time now and would just like to say good work. I really like your humorous approach to writing. It's definitely something I need to start including more on my own blog. Particularly, enjoyed the post you did on Patrick Swayze and Road House. I'd never heard of it till a few years ago when it came on light night TV and I decided to give it a watch. It's soooo cheesy but soooo good.

Anyway, good luck with your future blogging. I look forward to more of your great posts.

Tom Parker

Hi, Rusty –

I was wondering if you could do a post about specific exercises to improve posture, specifically addressing shoulders.

I've been trying to find info online, but am just not finding anything helpful — anything that does seem applicable doesn't give recommendations for specific exercises!

Thanks!

Lea

Lea,

I am not an expert on this, but most of the poor posture in the shoulders is due to having overdeveloped front delts compared to the rear delts and back. A great way to remedy this situation is to do seated cable rows with both narrow and wide grips. Pull back slowly and pull those shoulders back. In fact the reason I work back and chest on the same day is to insure that I pull my shoulders back at the end of the workout by doing seated cable rows. I know this isn't a detailed answer, but hopefully it helps a bit.

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

I just wanted to drop a line and say that I agree with your fitness theories completely. One poster said he was offended by your remarks about fitness goals and then said he did not care what the ladies think. Well, that shows you that he isn't reading what you are saying. I don't think your blog comes across as attacking bodybuilders either. I see it as advice for people who have different goals from those of bodybuilders.

I'm glad we live in a world that is diverse. Some women do like the bodybuilding look, that's for sure. Yet, in the gym, it does seem like these guys often (not always of course) are trying to impress one another. Also, just as often, I find leaner guys such as myself being smirked at. I have a crawling, snell-like, metabolism. I gain muscle easily, however. Yet, when I do my shoulders get too big too quick and clothes look completely ridiculous on me. That is my personal opinion. So, I prefer to stay lean despite having to do cardio on most days and always watching my diet. I just look better that way.

One last thing, your ideas about what so many women like (not all of course, I won't generalize), also extend to gay men. There is a myth that gay men like the bodybuilder look, but it's not based in reality. Some do, I'm sure of it, but as a gay man, I can tell you that huge muscles are not physically attractive to me nor anyone I know actually. That, of course, is not a scientific analysis of what women or gay men like. Yet, still, I'm sure that if such a study was completed there would be quite a few more proponents of the lean look rather than the huge look.

Anyway, sorry this is so long. Good job.

D

After reviewing this site, you have some great ideas and some great posts. Naturally I disagree with a few things here and there, but I'm sure you would disagree with some of my ideas too.

Great job on the site!

I’m a 26 year old guy and while I used to be quite fit during college, I became relatively inactive over the last 5 years (job, marriage, etc.). Around December last year (almost 5 years later), I made a conscious decision to get back into shape. Around the same time, I stumbled across your blog and while it was quite different to most other fitness sites out there, both in terms of its advice, but also its tone – which was very positive.

Nevertheless, I kept coming back and have since been building your advice into my approach. Man, I haven’t seen results like this ever in my life before! At college, it probably took me a year to get to where I am now (5 months later and with less effort)! I’ve lost about 12cm off my waist (and counting) and the only real challenge has been to keep getting back to the tailor to make my pants smaller!

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the effort you put into this (I seems like quite a lot), and also pose a few random questions/comments that have come to mind as I’ve read your blog over the last few months…
• You mention intermittent fasting and related approaches to eating – I’m a Muslim and we fast every day for a month once a year (sunrise to sunset). In the past though, I’ve always pigged out during the hours you’re allowed to eat and so have always gained weight after by the end of the month. Last year, I took a different approach which was to have a light breakfast at sunrise and a normal supper at sunset (while building in some healthy food choices), and had great results. This year, we’ll be fasting around September or so. My question is around the fact that while we fast, we don’t consume any liquids either i.e. no water. How does this affect the whole fasting for fat-loss equation, and how you recommend combating the downsides given the overall constraints of not eating/drinking anything between sunrise and sunset?
• You’ve also mentioned not doing targeted muscle-building for legs, that overly muscular legs are ugly and that sprinting more than suffices. I totally agree with you except on one point – calves. They’re just so darn hard to build, and when they are reasonably big, I think its the one muscle that may actually make your body look more in proportion. The same applies to forearms. Both these muscles, when reasonably built on a slim person make a huge difference.
• What are your views on vascularity? This is where you have prominent, visible veins. I’m not referring to the ugly bodybuilder type extreme, but the aesthetic and definition provided by, for example, those that run across your biceps, forearms, calves, etc.
• Lastly, in your “James Bond” picture on the front, you seem to have a lot more muscle than one might imagine had they read your posts without seeing your picture!

Best Regards

Hi Rusty,

Thanks for your site it's the piece I was looking for in my fitness quest. My question is I'm 5'7" medium build, right now I'm around 173lbs with about 5 lbs of fat to get off. What is a good weight I should shoot for at my height to look lean but not too skinny?

Thanks for your input,

Fred

Reading your posts I do have to say if your lean then I never see anyone didn't look good with big calves. I think thats the one bodypart you can never get too big.

Slayne,

Awesome job on the progress! I love hearing this type of feedback!
*I'm surprised that you don't get to drink water during the fast. I'm sure there is a good reason for it, but that has to be tough. I would probably recommend a small meal in the morning and a healthy, but large meal at night like you did last time. That will work best in this case.
*You are right about calves. Work them if time allows. The only argument I would have is that tough cardio will slim the calves down quite a bit, so you are kind of fighting against that a bit.
*I don't aim for vascularity…it will happen once you get to low body fat levels. It depends a lot upon genetics. I am neutral on this…I'm pretty vascular, but wouldn't stress out if I wasn't.
*I'm 6'3" and about 185 pounds in that picture. That is pretty slim, but having low body fat creates the illusion of more muscle. As a reference, Will Smith was about 5 pounds heavier than me in "I am Legend" and is an inch shorter. What is funny is that I look like I have less muscle with 2-3% more body fat.
Good comments!

Fred,

Hard to say unless I know your bone structure. I have a friend at 5'7" and weighs 160'ish and looks great. Here is something crazy…Brad Pitt was 155 for Fight Club and is 5'11" tall. So my estimate for you at 5'7" would be between 150-165. As far as calves go, I agree…big calves do look good as do big shoulders.

Rusty

Thanks I think between 160-165 will be good for, I like to emulate the look of Mario Lopez who is 175 at 5'11". One question according to Pavel and you if you do heavy weights and few reps should'nt I be able to squats and deadlifts to get super strong while losing or maintaining weight. I ask because I strive to be fit and functional. I think of it as the "spiderman ideal" which is the strongest relative strength you can get while still improving speed (sprints) and flexibility. Just curious as I've squats and deads will improve overall strength and functionality.

Fred

Hey Rusty, I just got a membership at Anytime Fitness and am interested in getting into the swing of things. The problem is that I played sports in high school but since then have not worked out regularly. I was just wondering if you had any books you could recommend as far as workouts, advice, etc. to get me started. I went in the other day but without a good plan, it seemed like I was just walking around aimlessly. I cannot really afford to pay a trainer for his/her help so I was just going to see if there were any good books out there to help. Thanks!

Fred,

Pavel emphasizes deadlifts more than squats. I agree. I still think that you have to be careful. If you do deadlifts, keep to low reps and pause at the bottom in between reps and "reset" between each rep. Don't do what a lot of bodybuilders do where they do them non stop without pausing. Put the weight down, pause for a second and then pull back up. Also, go slow and steady on the way up, but don't do slow on the way down…set the weight down quickly. You don't want to emphasize the negative part of the lift.

I don't talk about this much, but I did deadlifts a short period of time after I leaned down. I worked up to 3 sets of 3 with 465 pounds at a weight of 190 pounds. I didn't look bulky but it kept my hips, butt, and upper thighs a bit too big. I did this right around the year 2000, when I first read Power to the People.

Andrew,

If I was to just pick one book, that has everything someone would need to get started…I would pick Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. This has been a massively popular book, because it really is outstanding. Seriously…this is a very comprehensive book that is worth every penny.

Rusty

Thanks for all your help so far, I'm working toward 160 just made 170 fo 10 more pounds to go and I now fit in 30X30 pants which is what I fit in during High School I'll try for 29X30 after I make to 160. Thanks I feel great and am actually stronger than ever (just lifted 315 on my deadlift and 200 on bench. I'll keep dieting and working hard.

Fred

Fred,

There is nothing like being super-lean, slim, and strong. You will feel healthy, look better, and you will be much more athletic than when you are heavier. Keep up the great work!

Rusty

i somehow stumbled on your site and thought it was really interesting. but i noticed its very male oriented and since your a guy your tips generally are more weight based etc geared towards men. do you have any suggestions about women ? im in my mid 20s, 5'3, 130-135lbs and wanna lose my last 15-20 and have it stay that way for the rest of my life. please help. are there any particular posts youve written about or websites you know or any general hinky dinks? thanks !!

J,

You do have a good point about this site being a bit more male oriented at times. The diet and cardio advice is unisex for sure, which is good because that will get people 80% of the way to an amazing body.

I do realize that the lifting advice is a bit more male oriented at times, but many of these same principles can be used by women as well. Here are some places to start on my site (believe it or not…there are WAY more articles along these lines). A good thing to do is use the Search Box on the upper right hand corner of my site. I have enough posts, so now you will find many of my older articles through that method.

Balancing Steady State Aerobics With Interval Training

An Aerobic Workout Program That Forces Your Body to Burn Fat

Is Diet OR Exercise More Important for Fat Loss and Getting Lean?

High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain

Why You May Look a Bit Fatter When First Losing Body Fat

Avoid Fat Loss Plateaus by Taking Strategic Breaks from Dieting

Water Retention, the Enemy of Muscle Tone

Rusty,

I was watching this commercial on Steven Nash and he seems to epitomize a lot of what you say about functional fitness and athleticism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjP82KOtreE#

I think it'd be really cool if you did an entry on him or someone like him. What do you think?

Frank

Frank,

Steve Nash is one of my favorite athletes. I had no idea that he was such an incredible soccer player. There have been a few former soccer players that have gone on to become NBA All-Stars.

I will do a post on Steve Nash at some point. Great recommendation.

Rusty

Hey Rusty…Just re-reading many of your posts to keep focused and keep my motivation up (LOVE IT!) but a question I have is, what brand/type of green tea would you suggest? I know they aren't all the same, and some are better for fat loss/appetite supressing than others. I would appreciate any info you have on that so I can go stock up!
Thanks a million!
Angel

Angel,

I just like basic Lipton Green Tea. I drink it when it is hot for better appetite suppressing effects.

Thanks for the compliment,

Rusty

Hi Rusty,
Firstly I want to say that I recently discovered your website and I love it! Thank you so much for creating it.
I have a question about your Warrior diet style.. what do you do on rest days? Do you still eat at the end of the day or do you just eat throughout the day?
Also, what do you do if you overeat (although I am guessing you don't often)? Yesterday I did but immediately afterwards I did interval training and a long run, while the food was still in my stomach, so hopefully it got digested and used as post-workout nutrition afterwards… what are your thoughts on this?
Thanks Rusty!

Hi Rusty,

I have a question for you.
I play soccer and basketball and lift weights from time to time. I am also a vegetarian. My physique looks good, trim and fit but I am looking to add some size (stressing just some) and strength AND athleticism (speed, cardio, agility etc). Do you have any suggestions around these sports and my vegetarian life style?

Thanks and I really enjoy your writing.

Bryson

Hi rusty,

Gym memberships are really expensive in my area, and I can't afford them. I was wondering if it's possible to build a good physique using basic bw exercises like chin-ups , pull-ups and muscle-ups?
Thanks a lot

Rusty,

Do you recommend a person does their cardio or weight workout first if they are going to do both??

Maybe this was written somewhere but I may have missed it…..

On the post above by Mark………..I would think you could build a great physique with chins, pull-ups and muscle ups. All you have to do is look at gymnasts……….those guys are ripped to the max and I would think all of the work they do is body weight…….

Rusty,

Just wanted to say hi and thanks.All of the information you have shared has helped me tremendously!

Sorry ! pressed enter by mistake. I will be 41 and I have lost 60 pounds and feel great. Thanks again for sharing!!

Rick

rusty,

your website is like the myth buster for fitness.. AWESOME

A friend directed me to your site where I read the comments about Me training Robert Downey for Iron Man. Re: "Brad's Philosophy is to help people get strong and lean without "getting beefy". Sound familiar?"
I assume it is also your philosophy. You see I'm not only well educated … I have been an athlete all my life from playing football to wrestling on the US team. I also do martial arts and believe that building muscle size should be a side effect of building strong muscles not a goal in itself. Believe it or not there is some intelligent design to training but I started as a strength and conditioning coach on a professional level so I kinda know how to get those kind of results.
I also keep up with the industry by reading research, understanding it and applying it.
I hope this gives your readers a more accurate insight into "my philosophy". B

Bryson,

Are you vegan? If you can eat eggs, milk, yogurt, etc…You can build all the mass you need. If you can't then it does make things a bit more difficult.

Mark,

You can get an awesome physique without a gym membership. Heck…I think that diet and cardio are over 80% of the battle. Look at gymnasts…not much weight training and outstanding physiques from mainly body-weight exercises.

Al,

My thoughts exactly about your advice to Mark. As far as doing cardio or lifting first…I prefer to do the lifting first to help insure that my body is carb depleted before hitting cardio.

Rick,

I am glad that you are making such great progress! Keep reading and commenting…I really appreciate it!

Mitch,

Yeah…I am opinionated, but I am passionate about teaching people approaches that work, without pushing a bunch of supplements or complicating things too much. I appreciate the compliment.

Brad,

You are going to have to do a guest post. The readers of this site would love to hear from the guy who got Robert Downey Jr. in amazing shape. I loved that movie (actually enjoyed it more than Batman). I have done a bit of research online about your training philosophies and like what I have read.

Keep the comments coming everyone!

Rusty

I have been enjoying your website very much, and am insanely glad I found it at the time I did. I finally gave up trying to trick myself into believing that I am happy the way I am and that being fit is not my reason for living. (Okay, so it still isn't really my reason for living, but it's a good place to start.)

My only problem is, even with all the good information here and at a few other sites I've found, I'm STILL overwhelmed and am unsure where to begin actual training. I've been going to the gym now for two weeks and have already picked up the habit of going to the second treadmill to the left and doing 10-20 minutes of warm up before taking the only bike that has stirrups on it and doing 30-40 minutes of hard cardio before finishing off with 10-15 minutes on the weight machines. It's not all that bad, I'm moving more than I was, but it's not terribly effective either. (I've done some HIIT the last couple of times I've gone and am having a difficult time telling myself it's actually going to work as it doesn't really feel as such.)

I'm at 158 lb. and have a BMI of 27.3 or so and I'm 5' 4" I really would like to be less squishy than I am (there I said it) and more toned. Do you have any suggestions on where I should begin? (Aside from getting my behind out the door )

i just want to say thank you so much for you site. Ive been trying to lose weight for 3 years, following all the "experts", eating 5 and 6 meals a day, etc……i found your site about 3 weeks ago and followed your workout advice. I also bought the EAT STOP EAT ebook…….and it has opened up a whole new world to me. Ive totally done a 180, and now i only eat one big meal a day, usually after 7pm……and im losing weight like crazy but feel great. Ive lost 13lbs in 2 1/2 weeks, and its all coming off my middle….awesome!! thanks again

Rusty

I must say your blog, whilst not having the volume output of some rival blogs, makes up for it and then some in terms of quality. I find myself agreeing with almost everything you say, and some of your common sense points on hunger, exercise, and muscle size are just awesome. Keep up the good work sir!

PS- I've combined some of the points you make here and one or two other people I like and have lost 28 pounds in the last 8 weeks. Pretty sure at least 80% of that is fat. I was not obese, but now look slim, and have not been this light since I was in my early 20s (ten years ago!)

Im starting my fast tommorrow! Need to "gift" myself some weight loss for birthday 25 in 3 weeks!!!

Hey Rusty!

I am so pleased that I stumbled across your blog! I have read all your ezine articles with great interest as well as your blog! I have been doing large amounts of research online about fitness, fat loss & nutrition. There is a ton out there, and all of it is conflicting!!! I have bought a few e-books and mostly have been dissapointed with the content! And I just land up more confused!!

Your blog and content has really caught my attention, reason being is because finally someone who offers advice on getting fit, lean and healthy without building ugly large amounts of muscle!!
I am a woman and am afraid of weight training, I am naturally muscular so when I used to train years ago I got bulky! I don't want that! I want to get smaller!! I keep on getting 'experts' in the industry saying 'oh you won't bulk up, you don't have the hormones neccessary to bulk up like a guy' It drives me crazy!! because like me there ARE woman out there who bulk up when training!!

I keep on getting told how important muscle is for fat burning – I read your article on the small difference muscle can make on your metabolism! I have never seen in it in that way at all!!

Well before I blabber too much here I just wanted to say thanks and keep the good content coming!

I am new to this fitness thing, and I am trying to drop some weight! I over did it and have shin splints now ouch! and to top that off I have dodgy knees! I have had dodgy knees for about 5 years now, and I have never injured them?! They feel painful at times when walking up and down stairs etc! I really am enjoying being more active and have found a new love for jogging, but my knees can kill me sometimes! And I'm only 25!!! Help what kind of exercises can I do that will be okay for my knees, but are still effective for fat loss??

Thanks Rusty!
Keep it up!
Cheers

Hi Rusty (and the rest of the community),

Would just like to echo all positive comments on your site. I only found you last week, and I'm really enjoying reading through your articles…I have a lot of catching up to do!!

Great work, keep it up

Would it be possible to contact your directly?
Cheers

Bonnie,

Click the link at the footer of my site, called "Low Body Fat Percentage".

This works like a charm! Also…I would reccommend doing your lifting before cardio.

Scott

Eat Stop Eat is an incredible book. I recommend it to anyone who has had trouble losing weight in the past. Great results by the way!

Chris,

That is outstanding! I love hearing results like this. As far as volume of posting goes…I like to put out one thoughtful blog post per week. People are so busy that I want to just get straight to the the point and give info that will make a difference. I also like to give people a week to make comments and discuss the topic in detail.

Diana,

Once you get used to Intermittent Fasting, you will be hooked. When done properly, you will lose fat on demand and get as lean as you desire. Happy Birthday (a bit early)!

Lucy,

You may want to do intervals on an exercise bike, since your knees are dodgy. You do have to be kind of careful to avoid pumping up your legs, since you are a woman who wants slim thighs. The best way to insure this doesn't happen is go into your workout a bit "carb depleted". Basically, don't touch any type of calorie 4-6 hours before exercising. Maybe limit jogging on a treadmill to once per week.

You are right about women being able to gain too much muscle. I see it happen all the time…especially since many trainers have women do excessive amounts of leg lifts. I'm also glad you enjoyed the article I wrote on how muscle doesn't really increase your metabolism a significant amount. Gaining muscle is a slow and indirect approach to losing body fat. Thanks for the comment.

Rich,

I will send you an e-mail. If you enjoy "going against the grain", you will enjoy the site. Make sure and read the comments as well, since many of the readers are fitness professionals with their own fitness sites. The comments are just as helpful as the posts.

Cheers!

Rusty

Rusty,

Where in Playa Carmen? We frequent sunset fishermans village there and love it!

random question – love all of your comments about diet, HIIT and motivation – what do i do if i want to get more toned but am already slim. in other words – i am a 'flabby' thin. i'm 5'4" and 103. i exercise 5+ days a week – combo of pilates/yoga, tennis (w/intervals), circuit training with a trainer (w/intervals). but – still don't feel like i look toned. i'm sure my diet has a lot to do with it – i eat horribly (pizza, peanut butter, pasta, cheese, etc) because if i don't get enough calories i lose weight. likewise, if i don't exercise i lose weight. 6 months ago we moved and i didn't exercise and wasn't eating as much and i dropped to 99 lbs. any thoughts/tips on how to tone up while keeping weight on? would making my diet 'cleaner' make a difference?

Thanks Rusty,
Very helpful information in general from your nicely designed blog. It is an increasing challenge for most of us living in socalled developed countries to keep fit and slim with our daily work more in front of the computer than under the sun. I will write some posts from my own blog to help my visitors benefit from your advice and experience. So Please – "Work On — Work Out"
Soren
(Denmark)

Rusty I love the photo of you with a cigar and a can of beer. One extreme to another, fit and healthy vs alcohol and smoking. Combine the two and you have a mans man. Great site by the way….

Thanks Rusty (great site),

I have been doing BFFM program for about three months and have lost 30 pounds. I have started doing HIIT for about 40 minutes 5 times a week and that seems to really be doing the trick also.

What I really like about your site is that it is not so "muscle" bound as BFFM. I am definitely looking forward to reading more information at fitnessblackbook.com.

GO SEATTLE!

Thank you,

Lance Bergstrom

Son of Grok

We rented a waterfront beach villa in a gated off community bordering the downtown area. Do you know where the Diesel store is on one side of town…just 1-2 blocks from there down the beach.

thin and flabby,

It sounds like you aren't eating the right type of calories. Eating cleaner will do the trick for sure. Think lean protein and fruits and vegetables for the most part. Limit grains (at least for a while) and keep doing what you are doing "exercise-wise". You will get there!

Soren,

I bookmarked your site. Both me and my girlfriend are looking for new places to travel…we both prefer beach vacations over any other type of vacation. It never gets old. I love the ocean!

Thomas,

I visited your site and left a comment. I wish soccer was more popular in the US. I live a few miles away from a bar in Seattle that is an English Style soccer pub. Everyone who lives here from Europe goes there to watch the various soccer games. The crazy thing is that most of the games are shown live, so that is about 10AM here…and the place is packed with people drinking large amounts of beer. Gotta love it! I really started getting into the sport once I sat down at a table with a few guys from the UK. A lot of yelling and swearing…completely exciting and a bit crazy.

Lance,

Yeah…I actually like Tom Venuto's product a lot. I used to promote it a bit before I started this site. I still think it is one of the best values out there and the guy knows his stuff. I have leaned away from it a bit, because it is a little bit too "gym focused" and "bodybuilding focused" for the direction of this site. That being said…I still think anyone who follows his advice will get great results. It is also a MONSTER for the price. Some of his bonuses are worth the small price tag for the course…no other course offers this much info.

Thanks for the comments!

Rusty

Yep, the deisel store in the little outside shopping mall right outside the gates? That little gated community is known as "Playacar" and it is where we stay too!

The SoG

Actually after I typed that last comment, I realized that my about page on my site has a picture of me down there for my honeymoon all fat. Good eats in playa del carmen. I love Playasia.

The SoG

Hey Rusty,
Great site. Love it! I too am against excessive muscle. I'm really into the "sharp, angular, dense, extremely powerful functional muslce." However I need some advice. I started my fitness journey at 16 and really skinny – 6'0" 140 lbs. I followed a body building program from a friend for a little less than two years and finally manged to make it to 170 lbs (however 5-10 lbs was fat). I'm now 18; 170lbs; 12% BF; and 6'2"ish. So I still want to make it to 185 -200 range with 8% BF. No more than that. But I also want to train for that lean, dense, sharp functional muscle at the same time. At my current routine i strength train 3 times a week and have three cardio sessions a week (mix of HIIT and bodyweight circuits). My question is what is the best way to structure my weight training to gain the mass and the dense functional muscle at the same time. I don't want to sacrifice my conditioning. Maybe – train with low reps this week and higher next week and cycle it that way. What are your thoughts. Thanks, Sorry for the length

Also, the intermittent fasts that Brad talks about, can you drink things other than water? Juice, milk, protein shake?

Thanks

Blake,
Black coffee no sugar or cream will not ruin a fast. Anything else (other than water of course) will metabolize as food and therefore technically "break" your fast.

The SoG

Blake,

Focus on strength with lower reps and your muscles will naturally take on that lean dense look (not the fluffy rounded bodybuilder look). Keep the reps low (unless you are doing a circuit and using weights as a form of HIIT). As you gain strength while maintaining a lean functional body, your weight will creep up to 180-185. This may take a while, but you will look great the entire time. Avoid the quick fix of bulking up and then slimming down. This will just take you further away from your goal of having a lean muscular body.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

Thanks Rusty. That's exactly what I needed to know. I didn't really want to bulk then cut. (I have a bodybuilder friend trying to convince me to do just that) I think your way is a much better path though. (I just wasn't sure if i would eventually make my goal weight with this method because he was trying to convince me I wouldn't get any bigger) So thanks for the help and advice.

Blake

Rusty! Love the site, but hope you don't mind some constructive criticism from a new reader.
- Page loads are very slow, especially front page. I think it's due to all the YouTube videos loading. Might want to put them behind the cut (or "more") for faster loading. Also might want to think about lowering the number of posts that appear on your front page. That's another reason for slow load times.
- No archives! I would love to see an archives widget on the right hand side so I could go back through everything you've written, chronologically. You can kind of do this, through the "categories" widget, but not as thorough. More like hit or miss.

You've got a MASSIVE amount of great information, but it's just frustrating that I can't get to it faster and with greater ease.
Thanks for a great site and giving back.

Rusty why be fit? I am writing this for the sake of a philosophical discussion. The other day I met up with an old friend after many years. It seemed that time and a life of bad habits had really gotten to him. At 27 he wheezed like Darth Vader, and almost filed up two seats. As we chatted away he commented on how lean I was looking, and I laid down in two sentences what my secret was. "HGH-inducing workouts 4-5 times a week, and a low-carbish diet consisting of veggies meats, and yummy fats" He went on to say that such a lifestyle seemed too stressful to follow. He concluded, " You and I aren't models, why deprive yourself?" I had no answer. I could tell him about health, wakefulness, longevity, feeling good looking good, but it really seemed like something egotistical at that moment. As we parted I walked around town looking at the people around me, and out of all the scrawny, flabby, or decrepit bodies there were only a handful of fit people, most of them younger than me. It made me wonder, I do not want to ever stop, but why am I doing it? Why take the time to lift weights or sprint? Why get down below 10% bodyfat? Why skip out on french fries and cake? Why look good? I know these seem like obvious questions, but I am trying to answer them from my friend's perspective. Because in the end, is it not all for the sake of vanity?
One of the primary reasons I do it is for health, but never forget about Patrick Swayze. 56, ripped, pancreatic cancer. We all know many seemingly healthy people who dropped dead from heart attacks and tumors. My uncle ate nothing but boiled fish and veggies for 20 years, but got a heart attack ( though he was skinny fat). Likewise if you look at most centenarians, not many look like Jack LaLanne, some of them don't even eat that healthy. I would like tpo say that I feel more productive, but when I look at the great achievers, doctors, scientists, businessmen, artists, they are just as out of shape as anyone else. Frankly, I do not think that Andrew Carnegie, Trump, Einstein or Richard Dawkins missed anything because of a lack of a six-pack. I myself am an artist and animator, and when I look at my idols I see that they are out of shape. While one does become attractive to the opposite sex, I remember that the Master Pick Up Artists come in all shapes and sizes, and that personality is much more important than looks. Where I live, I see scrawny and skinny-fat blobs form a reltionship and even abuse beautiful women.Ron Jeremy is a short, fat, bald man with a jewfro but is the top pornstar. In a documentary, his lady co-stars preferred him over most generic bodybuilderish porn actors. As for women, I have seen enormous women get married to good-looking men. I guess there will always be chubby-chasers.
Point being, I love the fact that I stay out of the doctor's office, and will robably never need prescription medicine. I love looking in the mirror and seeing a nice lean body. But in the end is there really anything more to it? Is looking great really anything special. Moreover is it wrong? In light of the fat-acceptance movement, I would be considered vain, anorexic, and genetically blessed. I get weird looks for leaving out french fries, skipping desert or for ordering salad. By looking better than 90% of people, am I just some sort of elitist? Again, I want to be fit for the rest of my life, I am not knocking health and fitness in any way. I am simply questioning the overall philosophy.

Bill,

I am working on getting Archives up in my sidebar. My Blog theme is really old and is slightly broken. I have been too busy to update it. Great suggestion…I plan on changing that soon.

Also…I changed my front page to just show the last 12 posts instead of the past 20, so that should help quite a bit.

JE Gonzales,

Amazing comment…what a great idea for a post! I'll dig into that topic deeper in the future.

Rusty

BTW Rusty, I wanted to let you know I posted the previous comment on other blogs. I did not want to spam, but wanted a fresh perspective from fitness idlos. This same comment was copied from an email I sent to Mark Sisson.

Hey Rusty,

Have you heard of the Adonis Index by Brad Pilon and John Barban. Looks like its your kind of thing.

Also, I've had a couple very similar experiences as JE Gonzalez and I think that would be a great post as well. It seems like people have become so complacent and accepting of being overweight and out of shape, that we are the vain freaks and they're normal and happy ones.

Hi Rusty,

I love your site! I'd have to agree with the majority of the women here that big muscle-heads aren't that attractive.

I have a question…I'm a female and over the summer I started doing muscle exercises for the back. I'm afraid now that my back is too broad, and even my trap muscles are over-worked, and I would like to go back to the frame I had before. Is there anyway to lose this muscle and go back to the way I was? Would it require me to stop eating in order to lose the muscle? Would cardio alone get rid of it? Thanks so much…keep up the great work on the site. It's awesome!

hey im 19 and ive been workout out more for mass the past few years, but am now going for tone, the "hollywood" look you talk about, which i really like. ive spent tons of money on supplements, and was wondering if any were necessary when going for the toned look. thanks love the site

Hi Rusty

You've mentioned David Beckham in a number of your posts. I agree, he is in fantastic shape.

Just wanted to point out to you that in Nov/Dec Mens Health did a feature on him and included his workout (courtesy of LA Galaxy fitness coach Chris Neville), which you'll be pleasantly suprprised (or not) to note that it's a classic HIIT workout – different runs with duration varying from 30 secs to 5 mins per set, and intensity varying from 85% of MHR to flat out as hard as you can. I have a scan of the full workout if you'd like.

In the interview, Beckham also mentions that a few years ago, he did some weight training to build muscle but he found that it slowed him down too much on the field so he stopped – and is happier (and much faster) now.

PS. I miss the days when you'd post every 2-3 days!

I'm glad I discovered your blog. There are way too many specifics that I would like to address, but I don't want to leave a long message.

In a nutshell, your information is top-notch! You're great! And your website is stellar!

I bookmarked your blog and will be checking for updates.

Slayne,

David Beckham doesn't do leg lifts as they slow him down. This is something I've been preaching for a few years. I've avoided all leg lifts as well…I think it has been well over 7-8 years now. Great to hear that he is doing classic HIIT. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but hardcore HIIT creates a better looking and better functioning lower body than the typical leg lifts. I will be back to posting 2-3 times per week in the future…just a bit busy this past year.

Ling,

Thanks for dropping by. Glad you like the site. You should subscribe to the site. Just enter your name and e-mail address in the right hand sidebar. You will get an e-mail when I post…about once per week these days.

Cheers,

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

I'm so happy that I found your blog. I am in my quest to a very lean Hollywood type body with some muscle definition. My greatest inspiration is Marisa Miller, very slim with a tone. I am just starting my journey to my best shape ever and finding your blog is just what I needed for that extra inspiration.

Question for you, when it comes to slim women with muscle definition (say Marisa Miller), how much BF are we talking here?

Hey Rusty…

I love the blog. I found it about a year ago and have kept up with it. As many others here have said already, it is great to have a site that focuses on the lean physique that many people aspire to have as opposed to the bulky body-builder look.

I have a question for you. A program that has been getting a lot of speak and play is P90X. I just wanted to get your thoughts on it if you have seen it. It looks appealing as a temporary alternative to switch things up a bit since the gym can get repetitive at times.

Do you have a thought on that regimen?

Hello Rusty, I have been reading your blog for couple of days. I just finished your HIIT program and it was intense.
I was long distance runner once upon time.
Right now, I would like to just get lean and fit. I am 5'7" and 165ibs. Until 4 years ago, my weight was always below 140ibs- so I have gained some mostly do to drinking and no sport activate.
I travel for work and I don't have regular access to gym.
But some hotels have a small gym.
I would like a recommendation for workout plan.
I am not sure just doing HIIT everyday on treadmill will be sufficient enough. Do you know of any weekly exercise plans that just utilize HIIT, pushups, ropes, etc.. I think if I have a weekly workout plan- I could remain consistent and stay with the program and go from there.
thanks.

Rusty,

I think you do an excellent job putting out an enormous amount of useful info for guys like me. A year ago I weighed 215 and had a muscular but puffy look, and a bit soft in the midsection. Now I'm at 192 and falling (6feet, 24yrs old), and am near having very defined abs. I am still pretty strong, DL 445#, and I'm almost at my one armed pullup goal, hehe, but have made great strides also in HIT and etc. I notice the dividends this pays in grappling and BJJ, my past time, by having a high strength to weight ratio and good anaerobic/aerobic capacities.

this is all thanks to guys like you who put this info out their for us. Keep it up man.

-bryce

Rusty,
I want to first let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog. The Fitness Black Book serves a need to the fitness community, and as someone who is personally always looking for a better way to stay fit, I have found your blog posts to be extremely on-target, and personally helpful in my quest to obtain a more healthy lifestyle.

The purpose of my post is to introduce Better Whey of Life™ fitness yogurt, the first Whey Protein-enhanced yogurt that contains 15 – 17g of protein in each 6oz cup, depending on the selected flavor. Knowing how important protein is in a person’s daily diet, especially someone who is looking to gain more from their workout, Better Whey of Life™ has been developed to introduce Whey Protein in a 3, everyday form. We would like to have you personally sample Better Whey of Life™, and obtain your personal feedback as to your opinion of the product.

I'd love to share more information with you about the product.

Thanks,
Joel

Rusty,

What a fantastic site. I just came across it via Jack Humphreys
'Blog Success' which I am in midst of joining.

It could not have come at a better time since at 52 years old and way overweight I need to start a program to get back to my old youthful weight and shape. More then anything else the biggest trigger is my youngest son who just turned 15 this week is now 6 foot tall but chunking up like his old man. Not a good role model am I?

His self-confidence has been quite low lately so for his Birthday I signed us both up to a Gym for 3 months and I was going to get him a trainer for some private lessons. Could you suggest a starting point please.

I will be delving in not only to your posts but definitely the comments left by others are fantastic.

Thank you so much,
Abi Carmen

P.S. I also Stumbled your site.

I just came across your log today! I LOVE it! It is now in my favorites. There is so much great information on here. I am going to recommend it to some of my friends that also have a passion for fitness. Looking forward to reading it daily!

http://bodybuildingandyou.blogspot.com/

Sorry I meant to type BLOG not Log..hee hee..sorry. I guess I was just a little bit to excited about finding this great Blog today.

Hey Rusty, Great Job with your Blog. I do really like your approach to fitness and it's very similar to the approach I have taken for the last 20 years or so. I am the author of the international best selling fitness book series entitled, "Body Sculpting Bibles". I am blessed to have been able to help over a million people reach their fitness goals and I love seeing other experts doing the same. I got into the fitness realm by accident really. I grew up fat and went through all of the pitfalls that we've all heard/read about time and time again; bullied, ridiculed, exiled, etc.

I wasn’t any smarter than the guy next to me and didn’t perform well in school. It wasn’t until I discovered fitness, that I found passion for life and cultivated my calling to truly help people. I saw that you had a couple of threads discussing how your site differentiated from typical bodybuilding sites and so, I thought I could bring some added value to your site, by discussing my personal distinction between Bodybuilding & Body Sculpting. Hope that’s ok with you and your following.

Speaking for myself, I never had a desire to become a bodybuilder and although I'm pretty jacked (6ft, 230 and about 10% body fat), I still DO NOT consider myself a bodybuilder. I personally think bodybuilding is great and I totally admire the incredibly hard work of those who choose to take it to advanced levels; competition and what not.

I however look at myself as a Body Sculptor. The distinction that I make between Bodybuilder & Body Sculptor is: Bodybuilding to me, is about putting on as much muscle as possible, while getting body fat levels as low as possible and creating symmetry amongst all of your major muscle groups. The bodybuilder’s ultimate goal is to compete for recognition. It could be either personal or professional recognition.

The biggest thing I take from bodybuilding is the training model they often have in place. It’s a foundation principle that is severely lacking in the fitness world and provides a powerful tool to help you reach a planned goal/outcome. Most bodybuilders follow a direct plan of action, a map if you will. This map lays out all of the specifics of each workout, down to the precise exercise they will be performing, the numbers of sets, reps, rest between sets, times under muscular tension, the total training duration and much, much more!

Educated bodybuilders know at any given point, how far away they are from reaching their goals. Bodybuilders are naturally engrained with these powerful goal setting tools, as they must constantly monitor their results to make sure they're on track along the way. This same methodology can and should be used by Body Sculptors!

Body Sculpting in my humble opinion is more about primarily shedding excess body fat and adding about 10-25 pounds of muscle. Like you said earlier Rusty, it’s that "Hollywood" look.
The difficult thing for the average person trying to get in shape is that they often do not have a direct plan of action at hand or specific goals to follow. That’s like me telling you to get in your car and drive from New York to California, without using a map or having any inkling of geography. If I asked you to jump in your car right now and just start driving, wouldn't you ask me where you'll be driving to? Hey, you may just enjoy driving, and that's fine, but to be most productive, you'd probably ask me where your destination will be. If you don't know where you want to go, why the heck would you waste time driving and take the highly probable risk of getting lost? The same principle applies to walking in the gym and winging your workout.

Most people in the gym have almost no idea why they're doing what they're doing and are basically driving to destination “no where”. Like a road trip, it will be in your best interest to first decide what your destination is and than map out the directions to get there as quickly as possible. When you're driving on your road trip, you know at any given point throughout that trip, where you are and you know what, it sets your mind at ease. Luckily, technology like GPS has made things like road trips very easy for us. You can easily acquire this same type of guidance when you have before you, a training map or as I refer to it, a direct plan of (workout) action.

Most fitness enthusiasts don't effectively monitor their results throughout their fitness journey. You see people in the gym everyday, training blindly, as they make up their workout as they go. This is almost a complete waste of time. I say “almost”, because something is better than nothing, right?

When I first began writing fitness books about a decade ago, I wasn’t sure how readers would respond to workouts that included such detail. Over the years, I have found that it’s the most effective way for people to reach their goals. Just like you should think twice about conducting business without a business plan, the same holds true for fitness.

I wish all of you the greatest success and look incredibly forward to chiming in on some of Rusty’s other awesome posts!

Keep Going!

James Villepigue CSCS

James,

I have seen you on a few TV shows if I'm not mistaken! Very pumped that you stopped by and commented on my blog. I do love the concept of goal setting and knowing what you are aiming for. It is great that you lay out such a detailed blueprint for people to follow. My advice is a bit more general, but if people want step-by-step plans then you fill that gap.

Thanks for such a well written comment. I really appreciate what professionals like you add to the site.

Cheers,

Rusty

It's my pleasure Rusty – Amazing Job, my friend!

Sincerely,

James

Rusty,

I appreciated your comment on my guest post at Zen Habits. Please send me an e-mail so I can contact you directly. Thanks.

Jerry

Rusty,

I am 5'1 and about 110lbs. I have tried everything and still have a really big bottom half. My butt is flabby no matter what I do. Would the interval training help me? What is a realistic timeframe for me to start seeing real results and inches lost?

Rusty,

I was wondering if you could do a post about chest workouts. I have a low body fat %, around 6%. I play basketball everyday so I have a lot of cardio. I recently started lifting and I feel like I can lift the appropriate amount of weight for each of my muscle groups except my chest. I'm 20 years old and I can't even bench plates. Thanks!

Hi Rusty..
I just wanted to say that I have found your web site to be very interesting. I believe alot of what you say. Obviously there are also things that I don't agree with, but that is only normal.
My take on fitness is that our bodies are like finger prints, everyone is different and so the way one should train is by exprerimenting on meal and workout structures until they find what works for them, and the best way of achieving that is by educating yourself. Thats what I did.
I have managed to get myself to 6% body fat by working out at home. All I have is a bench weights with dumb bells and a barbell and my cardio machine is a jump rope. Thats all.
During the winter I mantain around 10-12 % body fat and around the end of February I start my low calorie deficit diet until i reach my 6% body fat. all this with about 30 minutes a day of excercise. Twice a week resistance and 5x a week of cardio.Once I hit my goal I go back to maintanance which is about 2000 calories a day.
This really works for me…

Please write detail on how your girl friend work out or more general work out for middle age women. I like your approach to fitness. Thanks. Be careful with Vietnamese foods, sometimes it has a lot of carbs and sugars.

How old are you in the first pic?? You look like you are in your 20's- not even close to being 40!?

ver,

Your butt will be the last to lose fat as is common in most women. It could take some time to really see a difference, but it would be hard to say unless I knew a few more details.

et,

Are you a tall long-arm guy, because if you are I feel your pain. It took me a few months of lifting to get up 135 and then many more years to get up 225 pounds (2 plates per side). What helps is to reduce your reps on every set…especially if you have long arms. I have a pressing range that is much longer than of some of the guys who are 5'6"-5'9"…it feels like double. Your muscles will be under tension for a lot longer than a shorter guy, so it will take you the same amount of time to get up 3 reps as it does for them to hit up 5 reps.

Don't make the mistake of doing 15 reps when it is light, 10 reps when it is a bit heavier, 6 reps, etc. Put on a light weight and do 3 slow reps, go a bit heavier and do 3 slow reps, then add a bit more weight and do 3 slow reps. Rest a bit longer than you are accustomed to in between sets. Never reach failure and never do forced reps. Increase the weight gradually and aim for getting your 3 rep max by set 4 or 5. Then do 2-3 sets close to your 3 rep max. You will quickly get stronger by following a routine along these lines…especially if you are the typical long armed basketball player.

Joe,

It sounds like you have figured out what works for you. The goal of my site is to talk about "principles" and techniques without posting too many detailed routines. This is so people can implement things that will fit their lifestyle and circumstances. Thanks for stopping on by.

Phuong,

My girlfriend stay slim by following a clean diet with organic whole foods and by doing a bodyweight circuit routine a few times per week. She looks amazing year round, but to be honest we don't train together so I don't know her exact routine.

Angela,

Appreciate the compliment. I'm 36 in both pictures and 39 now. I look exactly the same now, but just have a few gray hairs here and there…and I had more color in those pics do to seeing some sun. I need a vacation!

Rusty

Rusty,
I found your site a couple weeks ago and love it. I've read a lot of your articles, and love your take on fitness. I wanted to ask a quick question. I'm getting married in early May, and I want to look my best when we head off to a honeymoon in the Carribean. I know I'm a little late with trying to get really lean, but I'd like to lean out as much as possible before then. I'm 6' 200lbs with about 15% bf right now. What would recommend diet and exercise wise to really drop the bf here in the next 6 weeks? I'm in good shape, so I figure if I really bust my butt hard I won't have to worry about overtraining or burning out in 6 weeks. Would love to hear your suggestions. Thanks so much, I love the site!

JJ

I listened to your interview w/ Jack. I love the concept of b-to-c ratio. I'm going to put that to use somehow…

Great site Rusty!

Your interview with Jack brought me here, I will be incorporating into my own interview blog some of what your doing here.

Would like to discuss integrating some marketing with you.

Thanks for what your up to, and doing the interview with Jack!

Tim Owen
"Implementation Mastermind Coach"
http://companies.to/TimothyBertOwen
Be All You Can Be Online!

Rusty,
I found your site a couple weeks ago and love it. i started on monday with your training and i feel really good.
thank you for your site and keep in touch
laura

Hi Rusty

Thanks for all of the great information offered on your site. I work out 4 to 5 times per week and typically focus on body weight style exercises (push ups, pull ups, dips, air squats, etc), supplemented with bench press and bicep routines. I'm 33 years old, 5' 9" and 180 lbs. I think I need to drop about 15 to 20 lbs of fat, so I'm going to focus more on your suggestions regarding the HIIT elements after my normal resistance training. I'm also starting a modified Eat.Stop.Eat routine, with two 24 hour fasts and shortened eating periods on the other days (eat 12p to 5p), fast other 19 hours per day and hope to see something happen over the next 30 days. Have you ever read about Sytropin HGH spray? Is this another waste of money, or something that might be worthwhile, as a temp way to help generate HGH?

Thanks for setting such a great example for all of us, I really appreciate you.

Kevin

JJ,

Concentrate more on diet over the next 5-6 weeks. Seriously…you can go pretty low calorie for 4-6 weeks and drop fat rapidly without losing muscle. A simple plan would be to but most of your carbs for the next few weeks…for dinner eat salad with a sliced up boneless chicken breast and rice vinegar salad dressing. A fuji apple for dessert and a couple glasses of water. I have seen people eat 1,200-1,500 calories for 4-5 weeks and drop a serious amount of fat. This is drastic, but it is a good method in a pinch. Think chicken and green veggies in either soup or salad format for 4-5 weeks and you will improve at a rapid pace. Going forward it is better to stay lean and not have to diet so hard.

Steve,

I'm probably the only person on this site that knows what you are talking about. I had a fun time doing that interview. Jack has been a great mentor to me.

Tim,

Well…someone else who knows what the "b to c" ratio is!

laura,

I hope you enjoy the stuff you find on this site. Just implement what seems to fit with your goals and circumstances.

Kevin,

I wouldn't buy the HGH spray. With your workouts and diet you will experience great results. HIIT, bodyweight intervals, and the Eat Stop Eat diet are a great way to get ultra-lean. No need for any gimmick supplements.

Rusty

hey rusty
great site i was wondering what is your take on eating bannanas. Many people consider them as a simple carb and it is a little higher on the GI index, but its still a fruit so is it healthy? Would it be ok to eat them daily if im trying to lose weight. Thansk.

Hi Rusty,

Saw some of your articles on ezinearticles and have had a look through your site. Good stuff!

Can I please introduce you to my own article site holistichealtharticles.com. It's a new site and is for authors in the holistic/natural medicine and wellness field only.

It would be great if you could post some of your excellent work there and obviously link back to your site. I'm more than happy to add new categories if the current ones are insufficient.

One thing that may interest you as an experienced article writer: I have added the capability to include videos for all articles as well as for the author details. I strongly believe that this facility will greatly increase the rate of readers clicking through to your site. As far as I am aware, no other article directory includes this facility.

As I said, the site is new, so it can only get bigger and better! I hope that you will want to be part of it.

Thanks – Richard Rutherford

Rusty,
I am constantly working out, and have the shits like you wouldn't beleive! But I am still overweight, Can you help me?

Just joking, I am friend of Beki's (she used to be my neighbor in Eugene) and I used to run for the U of O, and know a lot about "working out". I think your site is nice, and I agree with a lot of your info!
Take care of my friend, or my in shape ass will have to kick yours!
Ciao,
Rhiannon

keith,

I personally think all fruit is great. The only time I'd eliminate bananas is if you are trying to reach ultra-low body fat levels for an event of some type. I'm a big believer in eating fruit, but don't recommend fruit juice. Keep eating bananas.

Richard,

Thanks a bunch. I will take a look. I'm so busy these days, that I have really just submitted articles to my site…but I should go out at submit to other sites as well.

Rhiannon,

I had a feeling your were a Eugene girl! I take wonderful care of Beki and spoil her…mainly because she scares me a bit. Who new such a sexy girl was so dangerous. Thanks for visiting the site…Me and Beki might bump into you at Country Fair this year.

Cheers!

Rusty

Rusty,

i love your site, it's great.

Keep up the good work!

Hi Rusty
I just want to say thanks you for your work on your site. It helped me alot I couln't find the article related to question that I'm looking for.
I've been doing a mix of cardio mixed with weight lifting in 1 hour work out. Is this OK to do cardio and weight alternated?
My cardio involed stationary rowing and elipptical.
Thanks you for your help
Lynnd

Lynnd,

I like to do lifting first followed by cardio, but this doesn't mean it wouldn't work to alternate it. Probably the biggest reason for separating the two would be if you were trying to gain strength. If you just want to burn calories and boost your metabolism, your approach will work well.

Rusty

Hi rusty!
Im a 20 year old 6 f0ot tal guy from the phlipnes, and curently finishng my career as a profesional nurse and studyng japanese language, but my primary goal is in the m0deling World, and im stil workng on my body n0w, and after i saw ur articles, it was wow! Like awesome, so c0ol, haha thank you so much, your article ab0ut the chest work out is amazing, thanks man, im a fan!

Hi Rusty, after not visiting your site for a while I came back and am glad to see the same undiluted message. Your supplement report was great and very interesting, so far im one month off the protein and slowly turining to organic food with the money i saved!Its all about trying things to see if methods etc fit your body and not blindly following the advice of others like i did when i first started training. Anyway im looking to get my bodyfat down and have read a few new articles of yours and am about to introduce high intensity cardio. Using this guy (http://jdvision.blogspot.com/2008/03/rick-arango.html) as a model for where i want to be, what do you think-serious dieting required right??!Will 5*5 reps him that look? Thanks!

Rusty,

You have provided some very interesting information. As a person that has been following the body building methodology for a number of years, I am looking forward to giving some of your techniques a try. One question I had was regarding your thoughts on eating more than three times a day. It seems that eating six times is advocated by a number of fitness/bodybuilding professionals. Why exactly is this technique not effective for losing fat. Thanks.

Damon

Finally I found your article. I am a professional female bodybuilder, strongwoman and powerlifter and I want to burn my muscle off and everyone I have consulted with has had no idea. I am frustrated as I am used to having such a rigorous plan and to not have one is killing me. I am down to 140 from 165 in my offseason and want to get back into the 120's and how to do it? who knows until I googled and came upon you . I need a goal and hopefully this will help me achieve it. Want to make me a pet project??? LOL

Thank god i got it..n thank u for this great blog rusty.I really like slim and fit body n wanna tone my body without getting big.

I am 5' 10" 145-146 pound. I m bit confused about my workout. I've got two 8 pound dumbbells, I've been working out for the last 2 months so basically just started and before reading ur blog my routine was like this -

Mon/Thu- ( CHEST n Back ):
1- flat dumbbell press , flat dumbbell flys
2- incline dumbbell press , incline dumbbell flys
3- double arm seated dumbbell rows

(each exercise with 2 sets of 15-16 reps with 8 pound dumbbells)

Tue/Sat- ( SHOULDERS ):
1- front raise
2- shoulder press
3- lateral raise
4- Bent Over Rear Deltoid Raises
(( 2 sets of 15-16 reps with 8 pound dumbbells))

Then I read ur article 'Lift Light Weights for Low Reps to Gain Strength and Muscle Definition' and 'Muscle Tone Approach vs Muscle Mass Approach'. I wanna ask u shud i do 3-4 sets of 5 reps with 8 pound dumbbell too or it is too light. though i think its too early to bulk up but the part of my upper chest connecting with front deltoid does'nt look good when i raise my arm 90 degree up infront of me ( while rubbing hair cream) may be because of front raises. Somewhere i read to stop front raises n concentrate on lateral raises to get wide shoulders.

Plz help me..
Thanx once again.

Hello, my name is Irving Escobar. I am writing this email on behalf of the recently launched website, http://www.exershare.com/. ExerShare is a user-content driven portal for health and fitness professionals and the general public to both post and access exercise, nutrition and other health-related Content (Videos, Articles, Workout Plans, Nutrition Plans and a Discussion forum).

If you like the ExerShare concept, we would appreciate your consideration for inclusion on your blog to help us spread the word as to how we can benefit those seeking healthier lifestyles. We appreciate your time and look forward to your response.

From all of us at ExerShare,

Irving Escobar

Hey Rusty, nice site and an interest take on working out.

I'm 6' 3" and 224lbs, with about a years weight lifting (high volume) experience under my belt. So far I'm interested in the low rep/sets approach and will be giving it a try once my wrist heals (fractured it). Would it be possible however, to incorporate not only a low rep/set day, but also a high volume day? I say this because although I've put on quite a bit of muscle mass, I don't think I've achieved enough mass to look good when at a low bodyfat %. So basically, split the week up into a couple low rep days for bodyparts, and a couple high rep sets (but still 2 – 3 exercises for each bodypart).

Secondly, would you recommend an eating plan such as the Eat Stop Eat to compliment this? I'm a little dubious about weight lifting on an empty stomach, would having a meal one hour prior to weight lifting be ok, or not really?

Lastly, would it be ok to incoporate your cardio routine (intervals followed by steady state) after weight lifting workouts, or on a empty stomach in the morning on non-workout days?

Thanks.

Hi Rusty,

I've been reading for a while, and I like what you're saying. Your credo of lean, functional fitness pretty much matches the goals I've instinctively pursued. I've never had a problem with the lean part – at 16 I was 6'0 and 140 pounds. Not quite Skeletor, but definitely not a finalist at the gun show.

When I was in grade nine I started a little over four years of karate. It was incredible cardio (especially prolonged sparring!), and it brought my baseline strength from weak to average. Mentally, it taught me to move my body in ways that amplify force, to maximize my range of movement, and to always be creative in motion. I was capable of things that a standard gym test wouldn't measure, but I was still a pretty average skinny guy (still 6'0, but up to 150 pounds by 19).

I had to give karate up when I left for university, so I started hitting the gym a few times a week. I usually run for my cardio: either on the track, outside, or on the treadmill. I do both HIIT workouts and long distance runs. I sometimes use the stationary bike or do weight circuits, but mostly I run. I'm pretty sure my ancestors got slim because survival in Ireland demanded bodies efficient enough to track down prey over terrain that was mostly grass. I also hit the weights, use the pull-up bar in my bedroom doorway, do random pushups, and have added occasional planks on your suggestion. At home, I tend to do one or two sets of pullups or pushups whenever a moment of energy hits me. I know it's not the usual structured workout, but it feels more natural to me. I was up to 170 pounds, but I've gone down to 165 since adopting a policy of one all vegetable meal per day. Shirts off, I get 5 times more comments about my abs than other guys get with their biceps.

I'm going to get back into the martial arts in September, and I'm excited at the prospect of discovering new capabilities. Aside from six months of Muay Thai in Glasgow, I haven't had any martial arts experience for the last 6 years. It would be great to hear your perspective on martial arts and fitness – have you had any experience in that realm?

Every school has a different training regiment, but I think the ultimate goal of any martial art is to maximize functional fitness. When I was young I read about Bruce Lee's innovative combination of Western fitness techniques with Eastern combat training. To me, it seems like one of the best routes to a lean, functionally powerful, and noticeably *capable* body. Especially for men with a naturally slim build, I think the martial arts are a great fitness choice.

Thanks for providing a great forum for discussion, and again, great work with your posts!

Regarding skipping rope! I have been doing it for years, so found
all the letters really informative.

The one question I was most interested in was NOT answered by
Admin. it was posted Jan.20th 2008 by Kymn.

Does Skipping cause facial sagging?

I would really appreciate an answer to this question.

Thank you
AG

I'm excited and enthused about starting a blog and affiliate marketing. I've been following Jack Humphrey and his resources. I would really like to hear from you as to the first steps you took. I'm a novice and know nothing about web site design. I'm an entrepreneur by nature and dedicated to success in this, but overwhelmed in where to start. You advice would be deeply appreciated.

Rusty,

Dude — Thank you! This is the site and the information I have been waiting for for a long time. Getting the lean "Hollywood" look you talk about has always been something that interested me, but its been difficult knowing that hollywood types have many advantages that us normal folk don't like personal chef's, personal trainers, and unlimited bank accounts. I have always been a naturally lean person but, at almost 39 years old, I thought my time for a really lean ripped physique had passed. You have given me a renewed motivation! I'm following your advice and using the Eat Stop Eat plan (haven't bought the book yet, but I will! Sorry Brad!), and have already seen some positive results. I may be able to get rid of that last infuriating layer of abdominal fat yet! You are truly THE MAN! Don't ever shut this blog down! Thanks again!

Hi Rusty,

I came across your site while searching the net for the best fat burning and muscle building/toning workouts, and I think this site is great – I'll be visiting often!

I've lost about 120 lbs over the past 8 months, mainly by becoming (slightly) more active and really paying close attention to my diet. I still have about 65 more pounds to go, and I recently decided to start seriously working out to get past my weight loss plateau and start to develop a better body. I think I'm starting with Turbulence Training, as it's approach seems to target what I'm trying to achieve (and your endorsement makes me feel like it's legit – I wasn't quite sure). Obviously, I'm open to any other suggestions you might have as well, but hopefully with that program and the other tips I glean from this site, I'll be able to achieve my goal and maintain it for life. Thanks so much for taking the time to share the knowledge you've acquired over the years with the uninformed (or misinformed) masses like myself – it is greatly appreciated!

Hey Rusty,

I have to say that you really do motivate me!!! I have been trying on and off to unsuccessfully lose weight for the last 3 months. However I have been sabotaging my exercise efforts with random bad eating and then I would get down on myself becuase I felt like I was failing all becuase I wanted to get down to 110 pounds. I am 162 cm (Ihave no idea what that is in inches) My exercise regime wasn't letting me down only my eating habits. After reading your articles you have given me new found motivation and inspiration that I can do this. I am currently 120 pounds and have started eating a clean 1200 cal diet and 3x strength training and HIIT every week. I plan to be down to 114 pounds within the next 8- 10 weeks. Do you think this is a realistic goal?? I am not that phased about the scale so much but just the ability to fit back into my skinny jeans!!!

Thanks for the motivation and support this site gives me!

Rusty, me and my pals refer to your website as the "bible". Thank you for sharing all your information and experience with us. Amongst the 15 or so of us that follow your site, we have all lost an average of about 25-30 lbs each, within 4 months – 1 yearish. Me and my pals, have been working out for over 10 years doing the same "generic" workouts. We have all improved thanks to you. I wish this website was around when I first started picking up the weights. I have seen more results in the past 5 months than I have in 10 years of lifting weights. Rusty, keep up the good work, man! You Rule!!!

Hi Rusty,

I run a fitness website called front-line-fitness-tips.com. I just came across your site today, and I'm blown away by your knowledge and expertise on the subject.

I think my readers would love to learn more about you. Would you be open to an interview with me?

If so, I can send you 5-10 questions by email, and you can send them back at your convenience. Your answers can be brief and it shouldn't take up much of your time.

I plan on adding an "Interviews" section to my site. In return for this interview, an entire page in this section will be about you, and it will link back to your site.

Please let me know what you think. I look forward to working with you and hope you'd like to participate.

Thank you for your time, and have a great week.

Hi, Rusty:

I am a former program executive with Showtime who has over a decade of experience in supervising movies, series, documentaries, and Academy Award winning short films. Currently I am working as a producer for Skyhill Productions in Los Angeles providing original content for broadcast and new media.

I write to bring to your attention a short form video that I produced that now lives on VIMEO and YOUTUBE. My goal is to share it with various blogging communities and to hopefully have you highlight it in your blog so your readers can benefit from it.

The video is entitled "TERRY ROBINSON: A Renaissance Man" and it's a compelling human interest story that connects two generations with a health/fitness angle and a tug at the heart that you can't resist. The target demo is across the board: seniors, boomers, and the younger generation in their twenties and thirties. The universal themes of "redefining your life, staying healthy, and the value of giving back" should be strong elements in attracting viewer interest.

I would ask you to please view the video of this inspiring story and please share it with your readers by embedding it in your blog or publishing the link.

The active video links are below and here is the content description from those websites:

In today's uncertain world Terry Robinson's story appeals to everyone — from seniors and baby boomers to the young people in their twenties & thirties. We all want more "control" of our lives…and help on how best to "live" our life. Terry has had a lifelong career as a legendary sports trainer and life coach — and at the age of 92, his career continues…and his amazing story is finally being told.

In this video you will discover how Terry's life experience has had a positive influence on a younger athlete and trainer. The central theme is passing the torch to the next generation…and it will empower you to reflect on your own life, how you can change it, and how you can give back to others.

TERRY ROBINSON: A Renaissance Man on Vimeo

YouTube – TERRY ROBINSON: A Renaissance Man

If you find the links above are not "active hyperlinks" for you by clicking on them, then cut and paste these into your browser.

Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/5705813

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkg_mxMZlXU

Vimeo and YouTube both allow you to embed their video in your website. And Vimeo has the edge in picture quality over YouTube.

I hope you will agree that Terry's story is a remarkable one — and worth sharing with your readers, colleagues, friends, and familyl!

Many thanks for your kind consideration.

Sincerely,

John Vasey

Skyhill Productions
Jvasey@aol.com

Hi Rusty,
I have started to exercise and lose weight in the past few weeks. So I also looked up the net to see what kinds of methods there are in losing weight. Then I came across your site and found the information very useful!!

I'm 21 years old and a female (though my name is a guy's name -.-). I just bought a body composition scale and weigh myself. I'm aiming to lose weight until 48-50KG.

Height: only 160cm
Weight: 57.3 KG
Fat: 17.8%
Bone: 3 KG
Muscle Mass: 22.xx KG (38.5% of body weight)
Water: 58.xx%

According to the user manual, I seem to have low fat and is muscular. But I'm not too sure about this as I look like I have a lot of fat and my waist is like 28inch. I have a big butt, thigh and my lower leg is especially big/fat/muscular. So I don't understand why it's like this.
The most important thing is I'm really worried that doing strength exercise will help me build up even more muscle. Should I focus more on cardio exercise and ignore doing weights? And is there any exercise that will make my lower leg skinnier (except swimming)? Will rope skipping make my leg become even more muscular??

It would be great if you have time and help me with these problems. Many thanks!!

Vince

Hey Rusty,

I came across your blog a few weeks back and have been stopping by here and there ever since. Good mix of useful information and things that make you think a bit. Anyway, I thought you might be interested in a unique machine from my client Smooth Fitness – a top online retailer of home fitness equipment.

The DMT-X1 from Smooth is one of the most versatile and ergonomically advanced fitness machines available. Standard ellipticals offer only one limited motion or exercise path, but the DMT-X1 transforms from a traditional elliptical pattern to Agile mode (think lima bean shaped motion instead of egg shaped). This creates a greater range of motion, increased heart rate and muscle recruitment, and provides upper and lower body movement (contra lateral motion). The DMT X-1 conditions cardiovascular and major muscle groups simultaneously without stress on joints. The dual motion path also recruits glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles to a greater degree than traditional elliptical movements.

If you’re interested in the Agile DMT-X1 – or another piece of equipment from Smooth Fitness – I’d be happy to provide you with a machine for you to review for a write-up. Feel free to contact me with any questions or to discuss further.

Thanks and enjoy the rest of your day,

Mike Cianfrone
856.782.5609
mcianfrone@stargroup1.com

Hey Rusty,

I ran across your blog a few weeks ago and I have used some of the tips you've given. I started getting back into shape in June but didn't see any real results bye July. Basically I was gaining muscle but not losing fat at the same time. After reading your posts, I'm glad to say I've lost 4 pounds in the last 2 weeks after changing my cardio routine from the "standard" to HIIT and it's working wonders.

I was just wondering if you had an archive section or something in your blog so I can read all your earlier works. Thanks so much!

Matt

How do you purchase the book?

Hi Rusty,

Going along with the theme of your excellent website, I came across this site that has some very good info on essential body hormones, testosterone etc,. I am sure you and all your readers will benefit and find it very interesting – enjoy!

http://itsnotyourfaultyouregettingfat.com/

Hey Rusty, your site is awesome!!! I have a few questions regarding achieving my fitness goals. I know your busy so I hope you can answer me. I was a decently gifted high school and college athlete that followed the bodybuilding way of things for a while. I have always had genes that allowed me to put on muscle faster than anyone I knew….this comes with its downsides. I can wear regular clothes and look like a guy that takes care of himself. My arms are bigger than I would like and my chest could use some development….any suggestions? I would like to tone the arms down, develop my chest and just get lean. Thanks!!

Rusty, when I first came to your blog I was surprised. I am glad that you take the time to help people with their goals. I have found your blog to be extremely useful and I find myself pimping information found on it to anyone looking for some help. Keep up the good job and you need to email me, because next time I come through Seattle (think that is where your at) I want to buy you some coffee.

Rusty: Enjoyed your vacation blueprint ebook — good stuff. To the point and no BS.

This is a great website! It is so different from other "fitness" sites that are just there for the purpose of promoting a "guru's" particular product. This site has given me the proper mindset to really buckle down and lose weight, and get in decent shape.

Your website is a real boost to my fitness program. I was getting burned out trying to do situps and all kinds of crunches to try and shape up my midsection. Your intelligent advice that proper. diet is the key to great abs is saving my back further abuse from all those crunches and situps I was doing, and the plank exercises that you recommend are far superior to other ab exercises. Do you also recommend stomach vacuums or contractions? Thanks again for the great site.

Hey,

I was checking out your site, http://www.fitnessblackbook.com, and noticed that you have some great content about fitness. I would like to offer you 100% unique content for your

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Thanks

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ExtremeHomeWorkout.com

P.S I am a real person, not an automated bot. You can even email me at ben [@] extremehomeworkout.com. I’ll respond.

Hi Rusty,

I like your balanced approach. It is uncommon and you're a renegade for sure… not in the mainstream. I didn't read all the comments but your responses are on point. . You are the first person I've heard say that six meals a day is ridiculous. I was taught differently, more like eating two meals was best for most and 3rd only for those who weren't getting enough calories. Of course, this plan requires fresh fruits, vegetables and no refined products. It's pretty much a plant-based diet. I signed up to download both of your ebooks and look forward to reading them.

It matters not on what we agree or disagree on just that we follow what works for us. I like the direction of this blog so far and look forward to the updates as well.

Peace!

Hey Rusty,

I've read your book and i really enjoy it and cant wait to start useing your methods. I have a question though, i weight 125 right now and want to put on more muscle weight before i start to get lean any tips? Thanks alot.

Brandon

Hi Rusty,

I love your new book. Read it in one setting. I had a question and i was hoping you could email me. I was looking for your email. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank for the advice.

–Joe

I just wanted to let you know that your website is by far the most genuine and helpful one i have ever com accross. I am only 19 and i wanted to improve my form, but all my friends were using these high weight training regimes. I stuck to the websites advice, and in one month, i was looking more like cam gigandet rather than John Cena. My friends een aggree that this way works better. So thankyou for your genuine website!

hay rusty im a big harcore follower of your blog so far the 3 to 5 rep range has done wonders to my body but its just giving me more defined look but i want some more muscle in my shoulder area should i go for 6 to 12 range when working for shoulders ?

I like your site. Keep up the good work. You might enjoy this too (its inspiring kinda):

http://funzu.com/index.php/crazy-pics/

Cheers,
JR

Hey Rusty, I stumbled onto your site and I feel its exactly what I'm looking for. I recently turned 20 and I realized that pretty soon my metabolism is going to slow down and I need to start working out. I've always had a lean body I kind of want to get that last little "Push" as you called it in The Vacation Body Blueprint. I'm 5'6", 135lbs with about of four pack. But I want to strive for that last few pounds to get ripped. So If you can help me out and email me some links to articles you've already written that you think will help me, that'd be great. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me. Thanks.

I am sending you a small article.Since my english is poor I would like you,if possible, to elaborate on this

http://totalfitness…fitness-and-pygmalion-effect.html

KIND REGARDS

Hey Rusty I just wanted to thank you for all your advice and posts that are on your website. I will never go back to the bodybuilding.com website again. I have finally found a goal in the adonis effect, and am implimenting the IF and fasting before training and hiit/ cardio afterward. I have been getting in shape for 9 months now and lost 25 lbs of fat and got stuck for months now and since I found this site I am starting to progress in the fat loss. I saw that you like Chicane, and I thought I was the only one, so I had to drop a comment on how awesome they are. You should try Salt Tank as well, they are great and sound similar to Chicane.

Sir, all I have to say to you is thank you. I have looked around for countless ways to get in shape the 'hollywood' style and not look like a disgusting body builder. I read books ontop of books, all sounded like a broken recrod, 'cookie cutters' if you will. I'll keep it simple, this is a life changing site and is helping me do what i wanted to do. Shed off that little bit of excess weight. YOU SHOULD BE THE BEST IN THE BUISNESS.

My sincerest thanks to you,

~Sameer

Hey Rusty! I've been following your website for a while now, and I really enjoy it.

I am going to Peru in 3 week (woot woot) and I decided to give the Vacation body blueprint a try. I got a question for you though, the whey protein powder I just bought has creatine monohydrate in it, it is the Body Fortress brand, now since you know a lot about supplements, does this make any difference, should I return it and buy 100% whey protein? or should I just not worry about it?

Thanks for your help man, keep up the awesome work!

Hey Dusty,

We may have spoken once before when I used to own Just A Guy Thing! How's it going?

Just found your Vacation Blueprint and wanted to let you know it's awesome. I'll definitely be getting Eat Stop Eat as I've been winging it with intermittent fasting for a while now.

You mention your 2-day split in there too which is kind of funny because I was just thinking about dropping squats altogether too. I've done Stronglifts and Smolov and when I think about it, my legs are actually the lowest priority as I want to look good and to do that means leanness.

What kind of exercises do you use for that split? Is it all compounds or is it like West Side 4 Skinny Bastards and mixes it up?

I need something new and I think this is what I'm looking for after an overeating start to Winter!!

Glad to see the site is going so well for you too. When are you gonna publish an ebook man? You'd make a fortune!

Take it easy,

Ian

Haha, damn bloody stupid keyboard! I blatantly meant RUSTY!

Just wanted to say that I absolutely love this site. Your advice makes so much sense and your perspective has a clear ring of common sense to it. I'm well on my way to my fitness goals now. Thanks!

Hi Rusty,

I have a problem, one which has annoyed me for a long time, i have really large thighs in comparison to my upper body and looks very disproportionate. I want the look of say cam gigandet or mel gibson in lethal weapon that ripped special forces do anything look. I dont do ANY leg work at all, apart from high intensity style cardio which I have begun the last few weeks (due to lots of uni work and being a student).

I do eat a lot of protein? Would it help to become more vegetarian and reduce the protein for a while and increase the cardio to say 5 x per week and keep the upper body workouts?

I really just want to lose muscle in my legs but maintain it in my upper body, for the record im 5"10 and weigh 160lbs with my upper 4 abs showing so not sure on bodyfat maybe 12% probably a bit lower as i think i store a bit of fat on my upper legs and lower back moreso than upper abs.

CAN YOU HELP?

Would my plan of this :

Lower my protein intake, up veg, fruit, good fats, good carbs.

HIIT style x trainer cardio using arms more than legs 5x per week for 30 mins increasing work /rest periods.

Upper body 5×5 lifting for each upper body part.

I know youre a busy man with this but thought you were the guy to come to regarding this!

All the best man keep up the good work.

Jamie!

Hey there,

We have Bravo's celebrity trainer Jackie Warner (Workout) personally answering questions on our site right now (www.gotcast.com) and we're hosting casting sessions for a few top fitness/heath TV shows, including Jackie's new show thin-tervention.

I thought your readers should know!

Alec M. Shankman
CEO of GotCast.com
alec@gotcast.com

Hi Rusty! Loooove the blog! Your fitness black book looks great!

Going along your belief that people would rather look like hollywood stud than body builder (which I agree!)….I wanted to share with you a brand new workout hitting the fitness industry in 2010 – VCore® Workout!

Created by a Doctor and Exercise Specialist, VCore® is designed to challenge the core in new movements that help build postural strength and proper body alignment. VCore® Workout combines the benefits of pilates, yoga and balance training into a new and highly effective workout!

We'd love to have you try the workout and share with your readers! You can find more information on VCore® Workout at http://www.vcoreworkout.com

Thanks!

Hello, I was wondering on your pushups or pullups or really any bodyweight exercise some people really don't go down or up all the way. I have seen many people do this for pullups and pushups and even abs, and they always have the best bodies. Is it better to do it this way? For example here is a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOyy-zmnLHc

Thanks

Hi,
I'm looking to be certified as a personal trainer and am amazed at how many agencies claim to be the best. Do you have any insights or recommendations?

Thanks for the advice and the blog is loaded with great information. What is your e-mail address for specific questions about exercising?

Hello Rusty, and everyone here at fitnessblackbook,

I recently discovered your site thanks to a post on zenhabits (great site) that listed a handful of their favorite fitness blogs. After spending a good amount of time browsing your articles, I had to comment on how refreshing it is to read a fitness site that is interested in helping and inspiring rather than selling and misleading! Honestly, I couldn't take one more recycled article about eating 5 – 6 small meals a day and squating 10 – 12 reps to failure. No offense to all of my friends who follow this bodybuilding religion, but it just never meshed with the way I wanted to workout or how I wanted my body to look.

Enough gushing, let's get to it. I am 28 yrs old, 6'2", and since meeting my girlfriend and being diagnosed with NLS-GS (No Longer Single Growth Syndrome) have gone from a lean and athletic 185 – 190lbs to a skinny-fat 205lbs in just over a year. The combination of a body type that carries a little extra weight discretely and good old fashioned denial allowed the transformation to really sneak up on me. That was until my annual winter rec basketball league start a couple of weeks ago and I felt like I had aged 10 years in the 10 months since we last played. Slow, unathletic, tired, sore…time to re-assess and re-dedicate (did I mention that we're going to the Caribbean at the end of March for a cousin's wedding)! So drawing on my 10+ years of experience working out and a lot of the info here I've devised a plan. Mon – Wed and Friday I will work out at the gym, and Thursday will play in my rec league. Gym workouts will be 9 – 12 total sets of about 5 reps for a single body part (shooting for lean strength here), followed by the SFP cardio outlined in your blog. I started cleaning up my diet after the holidays and will be aiming for somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 – 1800 calories divided between 3 meals with a focus on getting ample amounts of protein. I will eat breakfast, lunch, workout after work and then eat dinner an hour or so after finishing my workout. I will do Eat Stop Eat on Mondays. I have used this many times before and always seen good results from this style of intermittent fasting. Now, if anyone is still reading this novel, I do have a question. I was considering doing ESE on a second day in order to boost fat loss in the weeks before vacation. Thursday would be my preferred 2nd day, but I'm wondering if it's smart to play two hours of basketball in a fasted state?

Well there you have it, my plan to lose as much bf as possible before leaving for Punta Cana March 26th. I know I didn't leave myself a lot of time, but better late than never! Though this post was mostly a way for me to praise fitnessblackbook and to garner some accountability for sticking to this new program by making my intentions known, I would welcome and feedback – thoughts, criticisms, tips that any of you might have.

Hi Rusty,

i've been checking out your site for some time and am currently working on the planks and pushups. One quick question, i would like to have broader shoulders and somehow i don't see it on the site yet. Any advice?

Wow. I guess there is hope for the world. I have been so sick of the bad advice going around — both the ones I believed in and got burned and the ones I have seen through right away. I'll be reading more on your great site while I try to figure out how to drop these %$#@! ten pounds!

I am a 50-something, petite, marathoner. I will not give up my 55 miles per week because that is a matter of joy, personal fulfillment, and sanity. But I am now seriously questioning all the dietary recommendations that come with being a runner.

It would be great if you could talk about older folks like me sometime. I'm pretty sure the line about how I can never be slender again because of my age is b.s. too. I know my bmr is slower, but that just means a different number of calories at the end of the day, right?

So I've got the runners telling me "you need more food" and the age-related advice telling me "you cannot burn like you used to so accept the flab." Hey! They cannot both be right!! Gr.

Thanks again for your terrific, intelligent site!

I have read your latest book and found it to be very insightfull. I do have a question about phase I and II though. You mentioned in phase III to wait an hr to eat due to the hgh levels. Is this method to be used for phase I-II as well? Thanks……

Hi Rusty,

I've been reading your e-mails and posts for the past few months and they're full of great tips and advice.

I wanted to contact you, but there does not appear to be a link from this site. Do you have an e-mail address?

Hi Rusty,

Im seriously taking advantage of the fact that you screen all the coments before they appear on the page, as this is not a direct comment to this "about". I don't know if I will succede in my doing, but "where nothing goes".

I bought your "Visual Impact" book last night/morning (Im from Denmark, so another time-zone) and was thrilled. I love your website and particular the focus on great looks instead of big muscles. I have ditched all other feeds and is currently relying on you.

But back to my question. Im currently doing some Crossfit with an affiliate here in Denmark, but struggling to come to the training and being there only 2 times a week. I'm think about ditching Crossfit and joining a regular gym to do the Visual Impact thing. And then my question might be stupid, because you wrote the book for guys like me to do this – But I just want to have a reinformation that I'm doing the right thing!

Also – I think my biggest weakness by far is the diet. Im not eating bad at all. Im trying to get some lean meat and veggies in the evening and some oatmeal in the morning with milk or fruit. But other then that its just what I have in my fridge (I live with my girl friend). What would you rekon would be a simple and easy way to get a hold on the diet? Im really not a big fan of weighing my food, but is that the way to go?

As I said in the begining I'm just taking advantage of your comments system as I haven't been able to find another way to contact you (Which is properly because you have a gazillion readers who might possible would write gazillions of question if you had shown an email adress). If you dont have the time to answer thats perfectly okay. Just delete this comment alltogether as it doesnt really add to discussion

Thanks for a FANTASTIC blog, have a nice day and best regards,

Jonas

Hi Rusty.

Your website is fantastic with lots of great info! Quick question: Do you think that the Bar Method created by Burr Leonard really works? Is it possible for me to just do her workouts and be able to lose fat and get toned? Or do I need to do additional interval and resistance training?

Thanks!

Hi im a bjj blue belt, im looking for some workout to prepare for thw panamericans,… i want to cut off some fat, im 23 years old 1.89 height 120kg weight 22percent of fat….. i was thinking to do the crazy eight routine… please help thanks a lot…

Hey rusty just wanted to ask Your opinion about the fat storing "starvation" mode that some doctors say happens when you skip a meal. Is this made up to discourage people from going into extremes with meal skipping? If it's not too much to ask for could you write an article about it?
Thanks,Brian

Rusty what's your opinion about starvation mode after not eating a while? Was it made up too scare people away from anorexia?

Brian,

Rusty did a post on this, it is in the archives or you can click on the links below:

http://fitnessblackbook.com/dieting_for_fat_loss/skipping-meals-will-not-slow-your-metabolism-and-cause-weight-gain/

http://www.warriordiet.com/component/option,com_mojo/Itemid,/p,38/

Skipping one meal doesn't make the body go into starvation mode. That only happens after prolonged fasting. Hope this helps!

Hey Clint,

I agree, Rusty you are awesome. I am also starting the ESE too, twice a week starting today. I like this approach because even though I eat extremely clean, self control is my issue, its easier to just go 1 day without and then continue my regular meal intake. So far, I'm 15 hours in (minus a latte) and holding up pretty well!

As for your question about playing basketball in a fasted state, check out this post by rusty: (info below is copied from the post)

http://fitnessblackbook.com/dieting_for_fat_loss/strategic-eating-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-upcoming-workout/

What to Eat During the Day Leading up to the Workout:
"I am a big believer in hitting the gym on a completely empty stomach. I don't touch a calorie of any sort 4 hours before hitting the gym…and even that meal is normally a bit of fruit or quick digesting protein shake. I have heard arguments against this technique, but it works for everyone I know who gives it a shot. Your body has to burn fat for energy if there isn't "carb energy" in your system. I've never experienced muscle loss from this way of eating and it quickly gets me as lean as I desire."

If it were me, I would probably start my fast on Wednesday and eat b-fast and lunch, then skip dinner..fast all day thursday and after a workout/sports eat a protein rich meal to help the muscles recover. If you need energy before I'd go with a peice of fruit or something really light.

Rusty – I hope you don't mind me responding to some of these posts, I am no expert, I just learn from you I could spend all day reading through your articles (actually, i literally have spent most of my day doing just that lol) it gives me something to do while I'm at work and makes the day go by so much faster! Thanks again for all the great info!

Rusty, can you please make an article about bulking and cutting vs losing fat and gaining muscles at the same time.

Bodybuilders think it's impossible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, for them it's like being in opposite environment (anabolic and catabolic) and almost like swimming and flying at the same time.

But it they were right the only lean people in this world would be bodybuilders who use this approach and everyone else would be either muscular and fat or thin and very skinny.

So I guess the body is smarter than that and it can lose fat and gain muscles at the same time without all the complex bulking and cutting phases.

I'd love to hear your opinion and read an article of yours on that!

Rusty, I have a situation for ya.
so I have been busting my ass trying to drop 20 lbs. I was 184 lbs 5'7. 18% body far I've lost about 12 lbs. My waiste stopped budging but the scale moved a little bit and my body fat went up. I have fluctuated my calories alot from 2700 to 2000 off and on. I changed my cardio up alot and lift pretty heavy and eat pretty clean and nothing has budged.(once in a while ill eat some pizza and a few cookies during the week but my carbs are mainly oatmeal, whole grain bread, cream of wheat, sweet potatos and a little fruit)

All while i work 50-60 hours a week serving tables. I have even fasted for 24 hours while while i worked out all in the last 3 months and Ive been stuck at 32inch waist. Im lean at 30inch waist.
Well i recently got a pedometer just to see how much I walk at work and how many calories i burn. I burned 1300+ calories just walking and walked 10.5 miles. Am I stuck and losing muscle because of how big my deficit must be from the walking? If so do I need to up my calories alot more? it I feel like I eat so much as it is and dont know how I can cram more food into my body. Should I back off cardio or lifting? I lift 3 days a week and do maybe 4 hours of cardio. Any advice would be great appreciated!

Hey Rusty –
Not sure how you feel about Facebook, but whoever set up this group has his heart in the right place but isn't doing your blog much justice.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=195442465859
How about setting up a Fan Page of your own? You've got your first fan right here!

Rusty,

You mentioned you were interested in helping people start blogs. I think I have some good ideas and would like a chance to disscuss them with you.

Thanks,

Fredrick Feltz

Hi Rusty,

How to get a 6 pack without getting muscular? I want broader shoulders. I'm thin, used to be fat, my chest is still saggy. How can I work on these?
Thanks,
Jack

Rusty,

Not sure where to leave this link, but was sure you would appreciate it. Here's a push-up variation that will work your back. After I seen this, I tried it out & was able to knock only one regular one out. The other variation where you lean to either side, I wasn't able to do any at all. But the main point is that I was totally surprised at feeling the work in my back.

Forgot the leave the link in the above post. Here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k78bagbeNh4

Hey bud,

I am in the second week of phase II of visual impact and so far I have seen a dramatic decline in my body fat levels. However, during this phase of the workout I feel like that I am not working my arms as hard as I was in the first phase. Is this normal or should I throw in a light weight high rep set at the end of arms? Thanks….

Cory

You know…a post topic I would really love to see you write about is something to do with dieting discipline… Does it just take time of slow changes or do you have any techniques that help you eat less?

Rusty,

I am curious in some feedback from you in regards to the Adonis Index. Also, how does the AI differ from Visual Impact?

Thanks,
Cory

Rusty,

I have been an avid reader of your site for a couple of years now and I've been "loosely" following the Vacation Body Blueprint for the past month or so (opting for the bodyweight circuit route in light of my busy schedule as a lawyer who recently left a big firm and opened up my own shop, and coaching my son's baseball games, etc). I plan to kick it into high gear on Monday, in anticipation of a vacation we (myself, my wife and 3 young kids) are taking to Seattle in mid-July to visit my wife's aunt and uncle. So as of right now I'm about 11 weeks out from the vacation, and I'm in decent shape but really need to cut down the fat, so I'm hoping 11 weeks is enough time. I know it is a long shot, but it would be very cool to catch up with you while I'm out there to observe one of your workouts or possibly even work out with you one day. Keep up the good work!

Rusty,
Help! I've been working out with a trainer and seeing a sports nutritionist for the past few months and I'm down to 8.5% body fat, but my legs are HUGE!! I'm kinda scared I might be stuck like this, but am positive that I want to be cut and toned and TINY, not bulky. I've decided to stop working out my legs except for walking and running. (Like you, I put on mass in my lower body VERY easily.) I'm now reading your study and just wonder… What kind of weight should I be lifting to make my upper body muscles more dense? I know you say 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps, but of what type of weight? I don't know if you need any more information, but I'm hoping you can help me get on track to being a skinny (but toned) b*tch!

Thanks so much,

Melanie

he rusty, i need some help im trying to get the 'vacationbody' but im a tall small guy i think i need to gain weight to get some what bigger, can you give me some advise how to get the vacationbody for slim people like me ? PS: sorry for my bad english im from belgium.

thanks you so much !

Nick

[...] Fitness Black Book Fitness Black Book is run by Rusty Moore whose desire to help people look good, you know like [...]

Rusty,
thank you for your site!
I was active as a dancer growing up and battled with serious body image issues and dissordered eating. Im short (5"3 and 118 pounds) and dancing has left me with a bit of a stocky build.
I want to get in REAL physical shape and am learning a lot from your site. I am eagerly awaiting your guide on womens workouts without getting bulky.
I will be 22 in a few months and think its high time I feel at home in my body and take care of it. I will be taking a lot of this informmation into account so thank you for showing a HEALTHY way to get lean. Just wondering if you could give me any insights in terms of exercising to get a stockier body type leaned out?
Keep up the excellent work!

Hi Rusty,
I've been reading your blog for over a year now and it's really helped me a lot both in terms of actual advice as well as purely from a motivational standpoint.
I have a question though and I was wondering what your take on my problem might be. (Also others if you have any thoughts).
I was overweight all my life (around 160 lbs at 5'6") but managed to get down to 123 lbs by last summer. It was a fairly extreme approach, eating about 500 calories per day on weekdays (mainly in the evening) and eating "normally" at weekends. I lost that weight in less than 4 months and managed to keep it off until a few months ago when I managed to put on 18 lbs in something like two months (stress, emotional stuff). I've been trying my last year's approach for the past month and have only been able to lose 4 lbs, which is really disappointing considering the effort.
Regarding my food choices, I pretty much only drink coffee and green tea with milk during the day and eat vegetable soup or vegetables in the evening (weekdays) and healthy, unprocessed food during the weekends (about 2000 calories per day). I haven't been working out for the past few months while I did do some calisthenics last year throughout my diet and up until a few months ago.
So the thing is that I have this big even coming up in one month and I really need to drop as much of the remaining 14 lbs as possible. I've read your Vacation Body Blueprint and it sounds like something I could do but I don't know what to do about the calories. I've been eating so few it would be hard for me to go even lower (ok, on the weekends I could) but I'm not sure it would even be productive at this point. I do plan on adding a bit of cardio every day but all in all, I'm just a bit lost and don't know what to do. I always thought that losing weight was all about math (3500 calories = 1 lb) but right now it doesn't look that way to me…
So any tips? Should I eat more? Less? Different? What is your suggestion? And do you think it's even possible to lose 14 lbs in one month?
Thanks!
SSC

Hi Rusty, you have a good following here, i have enjoyed reading your lifestyle and resistance training comments back to your loyal readers. Nice approach.
cheers

Hey Rusty.

I'm a 22 year old guy from Denmark , and i find your work very interessesting! I have also been a guy with a metabolism from hell, and having a sixpack year round. In the last months i almost have been living in the gym, to get some more muscle on me. My question is, that i never have find a definitive conclusion on what is the ideal weight for a guy witch is 1.85 Meters and still packed with some muscle and still looks lean without looking to skinny .

Kind Regards

Stefan from Denmark .

Ever read Body by Science by Doug McGuff. Its definetly an interesting take on training, especially compared to the mainstream. Any chance you could review it and give us your feedback?

I just finished reading Visual Impact Muscle Building (I learned a great deal form it), but I still have two rather nagging questions in the back of my mind.

One: I'm trying to decide if squats are really worth it for me. I have large calves, average thighs, but I am lacking a bum. Would squats be worth my time, or would lower body proportions remain about the same as they are right now?

Two: I have multiple sclerosis, so really stressing my body can be rough for me. When I do have an exacerbation it usually lays me up for two weeks or so. I always seem to take one step forward and two steps back whenever I try to get in shape. What can I do during an attack to keep from taking those two steps back?

I love this site, it's been very informative and fun!

Best Regards,
Cole

I just have one question that isn't covered very thoroughly in the website, which is how often should I actually go to the gym as far as how many days per week? I can sort out the cardio and strength training for myself, but I wanted your input on how many days a week I should go to the gym.

Hello Rusty. My name is Anna. I'm a runner and I've been practicing this sport for 2 years now. At a certain point I needed to find some information and tips to improve my fitness and I discovered you which made my life so much easier. I want to ask if you are interested in adding new guest posts. If yes, I would feel honored to write an article for your blog .

As a runner I often use treadmills in my workouts. I did some research before I post this comment and this idea came to my mind: to write an article about Treadmill workouts for weight loss used by celebrities.

You can contact me by email any time if you would like to discuss more.
Best,
Anna

Hej Stefan,

I would say a good weight would be anywere from 76 to 85 kg depending on what you prefer.
But also need to know how much BF ect.
10guys will look different at the same weight, so it is hard to say.
I am 183 and weigh 78, but not satisfyied.

Where in DK are you from?

[...] A year ago, i have discovered Rusty's blog, Fitness Black Book. It is packed with great no bs informations and i highly recommend it. You can find more about Rusty here. [...]

Hi Rusty, I just discovered your site when looking at some cardio workouts, and I was looking and I am so pleased that you are encouraging guys to have a not too overdone look! All girls like guys to have some muscle, but when the muscles are bulging and they are too ripped, its really a turn off! But some other workout blogs seem to think that this is ideal! Almost all girls would pick being on the skinny side to being on the wayyy too muscular side.

On this note, I don't know if you have already, but you should write a blog about "bigorexia" because I kind of think its a problem nowadays, by just looking at the kind of people in gyms and stuff.

Anyway, great site

emily x

True,gaining muscle is more difficult than just losing fat, if youre only looking at it from a dieting standpoint only. But, if the person losing fat is doing so only secondary to exceling in cardio activities, I can attest that increasing one's cardio ability can be just as daunting as gaining muscle

Hey there, thank God I stumbled across your site. I was kinda getting sick and tired of all the supplement pumped guys walking around all puffed up. I'm from Sri Lanka, and the gym scene is picking up here as well but everyone is focussed on lifting heavier and getting bigger. Im 6 feet tall and am pushing 190 lbs and embarassingly with a 27BMI. was just wondering if your program, can be adapted by me to get superlean. Im in decent shape but bit on the bulky side. I did refer your vacation blueprint and u've said it suits people who are around 9% bodyfat. Will that approach work for me? please advice cos' im kinda holding back not sure of how to proceed.
Thx and keep up the great work.
Naveen.

[...] A year ago, i have discovered Rusty’s blog, Fitness Black Book. It is packed with great no bs informations and i highly recommend it. You can find more about Rusty here. [...]