My #1 Fat Loss Tip for 2012

One week after all the New Year's Resolutions began, many are still staying strong while pursuing their fitness goals and expectations.

For those that are starting to struggle, perhaps a simple tip to increase the chances of achieving your goals.

But first:

How do you eat an elephant?

The answer is simple:  One bite at a time. 

How to fail?  Try eating all in one sitting and by yourself.  But if you spread out the task, and ask a few friends for help? You will eventually 'eat the elephant', whichever elephant that elephant may be. 

ONE BITE PER DAY?

Actually, out of the variables (Frequency, Intensity, Tempo, Duration) most people could change on a daily basis is simple: Frequency.  Changing to 4-6 workouts per week, even if they are 30 minutes long, is an extremely effective way to stimulate the body to change shape, metabolize fat 24/7, and 'take one bite at a time'.  Further, rather than stressing the body much more than you used to in 60-90 minutes and perhaps doing too much, always leave a little bit in the tank for the next day.  That way the risk of over-training is less, and there is more continuity from one workout to the other. 

BUT 4-6 times per week??  I don't have that much time! 

Take a look at how much TV you watch, how much you are playing video games, etc, and you will surely be surprised.  Pause that DVR and put down the wii remote: this is NOT a large time commitment here.  One of the best parts of the increased frequency is that you might actually surprise yourself with some new varieties of workouts.  From TRX workouts, bodyweight only, kettlebell only, or bands, your options are aplenty.  In fact, many of those workouts can be done in with only a timer and yourself, in the privacy of your own apartment or home.  One of my favorite kettlebell-only workouts is located HERE and is absolutely perfect for those days when you only have 20-30 minutes.

But what about if I have more than 30 minutes? 

This is when things get good: do a little extra, but again, in moderation.  A few examples of some fat loss finishers and mini-workouts are located HERE.  You can add any of these, or do some simple intervals on a Concept 2 Rower, Treadmill, or better yet...outdoors.  Two other treadmill/running workouts are located HERE and HERE.

But what would my week look like if I wanted to workout 4 times per week?
4 times per week
Monday: Lower
Tuesday: Upper

Thursday: Lower
Friday: Upper



5 times per week
Monday: Lower
Tuesday: Upper
Wednesday: Metabolic, 30-60 second intervals with kettlebells, slideboard, bands, weight vest and heavy medicine balls
Thursday: Upper
Friday: Lower

6 times per week
Monday: Lower
Tuesday: Upper
Wednesday: Metabolic, 30-60 second intervals with kettlebells, slideboard, bands, weight vest and heavy medicine balls
Thursday: Upper
Friday: Lower
Saturday: Metabolic, 15-30 second intervals with various equipment from above
Where's my cardio? 

Anywhere, except I would highly recommend doing intervals after Upper body workouts ONLY, so you don't take too much out of your legs on one day.  Light cardio can easily be done after leg day.

Is this more like a bodybuilding approach?  

Not at all.  Upper and lower body movements are still multijoint, the only difference is switching up the upper and lower portions of the body.

But what about core? 
Core is also done in every workout, using either stabilization, rotation, or lengthening/anti-lengthening as a pattern for the day. 

Do your clients do this? 

Actually, I am working on transitioning clients (right now about 25% of my clients are 4+ times per week) that are more advanced to this type of workout plan.  Their metabolism is stimulated and pushed on a daily basis far more than ever before.

STILL NOT SOLD? 
What about if I told you one of my clients, a General Manager at the #1 Restaurant in NYC (cannot reveal his name for privacy purposes), who works 60 hours per week, is in my calendar 5-6 days per week at 30 minutes per workout.  Here's what he has to say:

"After working with the Coach for the past 3 years, we decided to change the program from 2 One-hour long sessions a week to 4-5 thirty minute sessions a week. The results have been tremendous!  More intense, fast pace and far more focused. I cannot believe the change in my energy and most important the results."

While this workout plan is not for everyone, this will definitely help you take one bite at a time.

In extraordinary health,


Coach Kev

Crushing Fat Loss Cardio Workout - TRY THIS!

In my recent posts, I have been trying to share more and more of what I do and why I do it.  In this recent installment, I am going to spill some details on this awesome, although very difficult, cardio interval workout. 

Before I continue with the workout, a few additional thoughts:

• My favorite method of training in the last few months is simple but not easy: running, putting one foot in front of the other, but only because I'm training for a marathon in May.  Traditionally I run 30 minutes, 3 times per week, and ONLY do intervals
• When compared to other workouts, jogging is actually not a great use of your time if your heart rate is kept consistent throughout the workout (also known as steady state).  
• However, using intervals, going back and forth between different energy systems and fuel sources, and basically running/sprinting bouts paired with walking/jogging bouts is the absolute KING when it comes to fat loss (and it takes less time)
• Absolutely loved this workout as it broke up my usual routine and increased recruitment from my hamstrings and glutes, while getting my heart rate above 95% (190 bpm) and my recovery after 2 minutes below 65% (130 bpm).
• I included a mile warmup at an easy pace before the intervals began, but mainly because it was 30 degrees out and I wanted to warmup the muscles and start a light sweat before beginning the higher intensity portion

INTERVAL FAT LOSS WORKOUT
Here we go:

Intervals 1-4

.25 mile as fast as possible

walk for 2 minutes

repeat 3 more times for 4 total intervals

Intervals 5-8

.20 mile as fast as possible

walk/jog for 2 minutes

repeat 3 more times for 4 total intervals

Intervals 9-12

.15 mile as fast as possible

walk/jog for 2 minutes

repeat 3 more times for 4 total intervals

Finish with a cooldown mile at a comfortable pace. 

NOTES:

• Make sure to precede this workout with a dynamic warmup, videos of that can be found here: warmup videos
• If you don't have access to a treadmill or a GPS, try using time instead: Intervals 1-4 should be 90 seconds long, intervals 5-8 should be 60 seconds long, and 9-12 should be 45s long

Keep on keepin' on,

Coach Kev

My 2012 New Year's Expectations

For 2012, I have made a list of things I that will make happen.  In fact, I have a separate list of HOW those things will happen.  Some things are big and difficult expectations (running a marathon, opening a new gym in NYC), some are small (monthly Starbucks session, read 2 books per month). 

Regardless, the impact and correlation by both big and small expectations cannot be ignored; opening a gym will be a result of maintaining the expectations that I have, including the small ones (reading and writing helps me clarify my thoughts and how I WILL them to become actions). 

Before I dive into my list, I would like to clarify a minute difference between a New Year’s Resolution and a New Year’s Expectation.  But first, let’s look at the difference:

ex·pec·ta·tion     /ˌekspekˈtāSHən/

Noun:

A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. A belief that someone will or should achieve something

res·o·lu·tion      /ˌrezəˈlo͞oSHən/

Noun:

A firm decision to do or not to do something

While small, I think the key here is accountability.  With an expectation, I have made it so that any pessimistic thought of not following through on an expectation is immediately met with disgust, and I return back to my optimistic state, and follow through on exceeding expectations.  However, if I have a resolution to do or not do something, then that blanket statement limits my ‘wiggle’ room, and something could happen that could ruin the potential in maintaining my resolution.  Which leads me to quantify the difference (at least in my head):

I would much rather exceed anything than maintain something, ANY DAY. 

Now, on to my 2012 Expectations

Business

• Blog 5x per week, including workouts
• Finalize Program Project and release to Trainers and General Public (5 left to go)
• Finalize new website to public
• Reach 20 clients (18 now, converting 2 from Amazon Local Deal)
• Add two trainers to payroll to help them reach their financial and personal goals
• Add three new programs to the fitness mix (30 minute workouts with me, yoga with yoga instructor + running program for fat loss with running coach)
• 5 public speaking engagements
• Business of the month for local business (starting January 2)
• Read 2 books per month (read 1 per month in 2011)
• Sign lease for new studio
• Attend 3 seminars, 2 new ones (outside of Perform Better Circuit)

Fitness/Nutrition

• 84 pound handstand pushup x1
• 84 pound chinup x1
• Single Leg RDL x3 at 200 pounds (currently at 145)
• GH extension x5 at 300 pounds
• Run NJ Marathon sub 3:30 (just under 8m/m pace)
• Run 2 half marathons, and 9 NYRR races, (automatically qualifying for next year’s NYC Marathon)
• Half marathon time: 1:35
• Allow alcohol 1x/week, scheduled in advance
• General carbs under 100g/day except post-run and on cheat days
• 24 hour fast at least 1x/month

Personal

• 1 Golf vacation, 1 family vacation, 2 mini vacations down South
• Take golf lesson(s)
• Break 80!
• Starbucks moment 1x/month (go into Starbucks with nothing but a pad of paper and a pen, and write for 90 minutes)
• Help my mother and father with their fitness routines by skyping while they work on the TRX they received for Christmas
• Visit Rochester (hometown) 6x (including Thanksgiving and Christmas)

If any of these expectations sound good to you, let me know.  I'd be glad to share with you my plans on how to exceed them!  

In extraordinary health,


Coach Kev

Workout 1/1/12

So it's Sunday, I have a TON of work to do (which is worsened by the fact I have Week 17 NFL obligations), and not a lot of time to workout.  In fact, I don't even feel like leaving my apartment. 

But I have fasted since 11p last night, am pumped for what 2012 has to offer, and wanted to get a quick workout in at my apartment.  Here's today's Upper Body Workout:

Pre workout nutrition:
green tea (Loving my Mighty Leaf Christmas gift - thanks Abby!)
16 ounces cold water

Warmup:
Spidermans x 5e
Forward arm circles x5e
Backward arm circles x5e
Quadruped external rotation, hand behind lower back x 5e
Quadruped external rotation, hand behind head x5e

During workout nutrition:
Xtend branched chain amino acids (2 scoops = 10g) with 20 ounces cold water

Equipment needed:
Chinup bar  ($20 bucks on Amazon)
Bodyweight!

Workout:

1. Pushups AMAP (as many as possible) until you get to 300
2. Pullups 10x5
3. Hand Stand pushups 10x5

rest as needed between (my average was 30 seconds or so)

Post workout stretches for chest, shoulders, triceps and lats

Total time taken, including warmup and cool down, was 28 minutes.  If you don't have 28 minutes to invest in your body, well, I am truly sorry. 

Tough as Nails Barbell Fat Loss Complex

This week I've been a bit inspired to boost metabolisms everywhere as a result of the gluttonous holiday parties looming large in the rear view mirror.  And with the feedback coming in, these complexes (Bear Cub Complex and Grizzly Bear Challenge ) have been said to be enjoyable upon completion, but definitely not during. 

Finally, if you have survived the introductory Bear Cub, withered the punches that the Grizzly Bear had to offer, then you might be ready for the ultimate challenge:

POLAR BEAR CHALLENGE

First, it's called the Polar Bear challenge because after it, most people are usually a lighter shade of white than they were before.

Grab a stopwatch, and for beginners, just the 45 pound barbell will do.  More advanced lifters can start at 65 perhaps with bumper plates, but anything else is probably too aggressive.  Here's the complex:

1. Deadlift
2. Romanian Deadlift
3. Bentover Row
4. Clean
5. Front Squat
6. Push Press
7. Back Squat
8. Good Morning

Instructions: each exercise is performed WITHOUT setting the bar down, and continually moving to the next movement
Rep scheme: 8 for the first set, 7 for the second, 6 for the third, etc all the way to 1.
Rest: start with 1 minute rest between sets until you feel you can go before the 1 minute mark.
Example:

• 8 reps of each, rest 60 seconds
• 7 reps of each, rest 60s
• 6 reps of each, rest 55s
• 5 reps of each, rest 50s
• 4 reps of each, rest 45s
• 3 reps of each, rest 40s 
• 2 reps of each, rest 30s
• 1 rep 

Few thoughts:

• This complex is NOT an excuse to use sloppy form and injure your back
• If you are not familiar with the clean, do NOT attempt it, but rather, seek out a qualified Olympic Lifting Coach and learn the lift before adding it in
• If you're losing your grip, be smart and set the bar down for a few seconds
• the limiting factor for most people will be how much they can overhead press
• Doing this in a squat rack helps the transitions, without a rack just makes things more interesting
• My highest weight used is 89 pounds (45 pound plates with 10k/22 pound bumpers on each side) and the time it took was 18m57 seconds
• My Fastest time with 65 pounds is 14 minutes 19 seconds

Good luck!

-Coach Kev

Interval Fat Loss Workout

As we near the end of 2011 and start of 2012, for many the focus on fitness begins anew.  Picture this scene: in most gyms and exercise facilities, the busiest areas will be where the treadmills, stepmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes are located, also known as the 'cardio area'.  I have actually seen lines at some health clubs, with individuals waiting for their turn to use the equipment. 

For those who do cardio the traditional way, where the user watches Sportscenter or the View, while maintaining a steady heart rate, their efforts are almost useless.  In addition, the traditional gym goer who expends an increasing amount of energy and time focusing on 'output' (or exercise) instead of simply changing and improving 'input' (nutrition) will be soon frustrated at a lack of physical changes. 

Still, because it is important for lung and heart health, cardio can not be overlooked, but rather, looked at differently.  Research is quite emphatic and clear in which form of cardio is actually the most beneficial, for athletes, cardiovascular rehab patients, and general fitness lovers: interval training. 

Interval training, consisting of varying amounts of 'work' and 'rest', has shown to be the most effective form of cardiovascular activities that smashes fat.  The key here: the calories burnt AFTER this form of exercise easily outnumbers the calories burnt DURING the workout.  This phenomenon, also known as EPOC (excess post exercise oxygen consumption), is why serious athletes, whose workouts consist of this 'stop, go' approach, are easily the fittest on the planet. 

Football: stop, go.  Get lean muscle tissue.  

Marathon runners, whose workouts consist of mostly steady state, are hardly considered the fittest, not to mention aesthetically pleasing athletes. 

Marathon runners: skin, some muscle, and bone. 

Alright, enough about the comparisons.  If you want more information about the differences, check out a guest blog post from Mike Boyle HERE. 

Here's one of the toughest interval workouts I have done in a long time, written especially for the treadmill or outdoor running:

Pyramid Interval Workout
Run: 1 minute
Rest: 1 minute
Run: 2 minutes
Rest: 2 minutes (rest 1 minute, active rest (side shuffle, jog) 1 minute)
Run: 3 minutes
Rest: 3 minutes (rest 1 minute, active rest 2 minutes)
Run: 2 minutes
Rest 2 minutes (rest 1 minute, active rest 1 minute)
Run: 1 minute
Rest: 1 minute

For beginners, once through this, done with 100% effort during run portion, should be plenty.  More advanced runners and athletes can repeat 1-2 more times.  I started doing 2 times through and was quite tired.  Total mileage for 2 times through should be just over 4, depending on pacing. 

For your sake: include a warm up that includes dynamic movements, along with cool down stretches after the workout. 

Good luck!

-Coach Kev

(One of) My Favorite Glute Exercises

The Single Leg Romanian Deadlift (SL RDL)

From balance to coordination, strength to stability, this exercise touches on almost any quality you wish to enhance.  In this video I demonstrate some of the cues and ways to challenge yourself along the way.

Here are the details:

• Primary muscles recruited: glutes, hamstrings, gastroc, soleus, erector spinae, core and upper back if holding weights

• Can be performed with simply bodyweight, kettlebell, dumbbell, barbell, weight vest, bands or cables
• Weight can be in one hand (contralateral or opposite of standing leg), one hand (ipsilateral or same as standing leg), or both hands
• My personal preference is to hold contralaterally; I believe this significantly increases core activation and the spiral line from the shoulder carrying the weight to the hip moving the entire body is challenged to stabilize and activate at higher levels.  Would love to see research on this!
• Focus on pushing back with the moving leg, keeping it parallel with upper body; tight hamstrings will limit end range of motion or how high you can raise the moving leg behind you
• Cables or bands can be resistance to enhance different weak/sticking points throughout the range of motion
• Attaching a low cable can increase glute recruitment by making it much harder to squeeze forward at the top of the movement
• Avoid wearing running shoes; your foot's interaction and ability to 'grab' the ground will translate to more recruitment up the leg all the way to the hip
• Breathing: breathe in on the descent and out on the way up.  This eliminates 'stress breathing', or holding your breath, during the movement, and should help with balance issues
• Avoid rotation from the lumbar or hip area; pointing the moving toe down towards the ground, and that heel towards the ceiling will help minimize this rotation
• 25-30 degrees of knee bend is all that's needed to recruit the hamstring/glute 'tie-in'
• Good balance is required if you're looking to add resistance, but give it a try just bodyweight if you're just beginning
• Takes the low back out of the equation significantly
• Fantastic exercise for runners, triathletes
• If foot or calf cramps occur during the movement, stop and roll out (with tennis ball, stick, foam roller, etc) your peroneals (side of lower leg) and posterior calf muscles (gastroc and soleus)
• Also focus more on squeezing forward from your glutes and hamstrings on the ascent
• Can also be performed as a test: 
• stand on one foot, touch toe then reach hand above your head, touch toe again, etc
• Perform as many repetitions in 30 seconds 
• Test other side, compare
• Repeat in another month after performing loaded; should notice increased number of reps which coincides with better balance

Good luck!

Coach Kev

Grizzly Bear Challenge

Yesterday's post, the Teddy Bear Challenge, was a great introduction to the world of complexes.

Today I'd like to highly recommend the Grizzly Bear Challenge, a similar barbell circuit, but in a different format.

Here's the circuit of exercises:

1. Deadlift
2. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
3. Bentover Row
4. Clean
5. Front Squat
6. Push Press
7. Back squat
8. Good Morning

Notes:

• Each exercise is performed for 5 reps, and 5 total sets are performed
• Limiting lift is still push press, so pick your weight based on how much you can safely overhead press, with perfect form, for 10 reps
• Circuit looks like this: 5 reps of Deadlift, 5 of RDL, bentover row, all the way to the Good morning
• Depending on your level of conditioning, rest for 60s after completing the circuit 
• Track the following:
• weight used (also, a good idea is to use bumper plates)
• time taken to complete whole circuit
• time rested between sets

Personally, the highest weight I've ever used (and lived to tell about it) 115 pounds.  But I do remember the most difficult part is how completely shot the forearms are after the 3rd, 4th and 5th exercise.  Let me know how this circuit treats you and the weight you used.

Polar Bear Challenge coming up next...

Coach Kev

Are you an Athlete? (Part II) Challenge!

In my last article, I took some time to look at some of the ways in which we compete in life.

Whether or not you agree or disagree about whether or not competition makes us an 'athlete', there are definitely some competitions you can 'enter' and successfully conquer.  Let's look at a few of my favorites!


 The Bear Cub/Teddy Bear Challenge

Recently, a client of mine sent me a message with a workout that was named the 'Bear Complex'.
This complex included the following exercises done with a barbell:

1. Clean
2. Front squat
3. Push press
4. Back squat
5. Push jerk

Notes:

• Exercises completed in order, one rep each, 5 times through the cycles of each exercise before resting for one to two minutes between sets of 5 reps
• Complete 5 rounds of the 5 cycles of the 5 exercises, and time your rest, record the weight used, and try to beat it after another week of training
• Start with a weight that should not exceed the amount you can overhead press with good form ten times
• Set weight down after push jerk, and perform the clean from the floor
• Only if you have excessive hamstring tightness should you think about doing a hang clean versus full

My sample workout looked like this:

Rounds 1-6 (couldn't help myself from trying 139 after beasting 129)
89
99
109
119
129
139

Also rested 2 minutes between rounds 4, 5 and 6
Total time taken was 21 minutes.  Actually admit to feeling a bit nauseous after completing the 5th and 6th set.  Love that feeling! 

Side note: I have nicknamed this workout the Bear Cub/Teddy Bear Complex because this is a great way to start getting to know the difficult yet rewarding world of complexes.  Jumping into impossible complexes is a surefire way to get hurt and also ensure the exercises are not done with quality form.  That said, for fat loss for the intermediate/advanced client, these complexes are highly effective at both delivering a lot of reps within a short period of time and also having a huge effect upon the trainee's metabolism.


The Grizzly and Polar Bear complexes will be released tomorrow and Wednesday.  


Until next time,


Coach Kev

Are you an Athlete? (Part I)

In your head, answer these questions for yourself:

• Do you compete in an area of your life (work, relationships, siblings, finances, belongings, schools, etc)?
• Do you strive to improve your performance in any of the above areas? 
• Are you concerned with the function of your body on an everyday basis?  From your heart, lungs, muscles, bones, joints and hormones? 
• If so, do you know your current statistics, from blood pressure to resting heart rate, strength to endurance, adrenal/hormonal profile and triglyceride level?
• Do you care/are you aware of your genetic limitations?
• If so, are you attempting/willing to beat them?
• Do you look at a picture of an athlete, celebrity or friend and say, “Wow they have great (insert whatever bodypart or area you are admiring here)”?
• Do you take pride in your fitness or aesthetic/genetic accomplishments?
• Do you know that a fitter employee is promoted quicker than the employee who is fatter and out of shape? 

If you answered ‘yes’ to more than one question from above, then you have the potential to be considered an ‘athlete’.  Notice I wrote, ‘potential’. If you answered no to everything, well, Godspeed. 

By definition, what is an athlete?  According to Merriam-Webster, an athlete is a ‘person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility or stamina.  In addition, participation in competitive activities requires the commitment of all those involved (coach and athlete).  Thus, it becomes less of a ‘recreational activity’ and more of a win/lose situation. 

What does this have to do with me?  Traditionally, if you’re not a participant in sport, then you’re not considered an athlete.  However, as previously asked in the questions above, I am starting to wonder how to apply active participation in furthering fitness levels through various lifts, measurements, etc.  This participation is necessary in order to actively push genetics to the side, fight disease, and be considered an athlete in the sport called life, and to avoid losing in areas of your life. 

Wait, losing?  How am I losing?  Do you have a physical therapist or a strength coach?  Are you adding to your current fitness levels or getting ‘back to 100%’?   Do you have a cardiologist under the age of 50 or a fitness coach?  Do you do juice cleanses a few times per year at 300 bucks a pop or pay for a nutritionist?  Do you pay for premium liquor, beer and wine but not for premium nutritional supplements?  Do you have a massage therapist that you regularly see or do you see a pain specialist?  Do you have a life coach or a psychiatrist? 

The difference might be word play, but all successful people are considered winners, and most are successful in many areas of their life.  (Steve Jobs and many successful CEO's have/had a life coach)  I would consider ‘successful’ as a synonym with a ‘winning’, and ‘unsuccessful’ synonymous with ‘losing’.  But can you measure it in life? 

Look at it this way.  If you are an out-of-shape 45 year old, who drinks 6 nights per week, carries a beer belly, knows their cardiologist, physical therapist, juice cleanse distributor and psychiatrist’ home phone numbers, then you are a reactor.  You are playing ‘defense’ in your life, and you lose 4-6 hours per week on lost productivity, both because of doctor/therapist visits and because you’re consistently looking up symptoms for heart attack and stroke.  I wouldn’t necessarily consider you a loser, but you’re definitely not on the ‘offense’ at trying to ‘win’ in certain areas of your life.  

However, if you’re an in-shape 45 year old with something resembling a 6 pack, see a fitness coach twice a week, drink red wine for health benefits 1-2 nights per week, see a nutritionist once per quarter, a massage therapist twice a month, have your premium nutritional supplements on auto-resupply from Amazon, and have a life coach, I would definitely consider you ‘winning’.  You have not accepted the hand you have dealt, and are clearly playing ‘offense’ in more than one area.  

 Okay fine, I get winning versus losing, but what does this have to do with me?  I would be hard-pressed to believe that this winning mindset would only be found in someone’s health and fitness profile.  In fact, using the above definition of winning versus losing, a loser is definitely not an athlete because their participation in their own life is as a spectator, as they watch others play their roles in their lives and hope they can help.  Compare that to the winner, who is participating in every area of their life.  From heart to joints, lungs to muscles, stomach to intestines and brain to bone, they have made the commitment towards their ‘sport’.  Life, as we know it, is challenging in many ways: 

• We fight our genetics
• Manage our emotions
• Budget for time and money
• Strive to obtain that massive office or home
• Place our kids in the best school. 

Can you qualify yourself as an athlete?  Answer these questions, revised from above: 

• Do you accept the health ‘cards’ you have been dealt?  Or is it your turn to deal yourself a new hand?  
• Do you want the benefits from increased health and fitness levels because they coincide with increased pay raises and productivity while having less sick days? 
• Do you want to see your trainer, nutritionist and massage therapist more than your cardiologist, physical therapist and pain specialist? 
• Do you want to pay more for nutritional supplements and nothing for cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering medications? 
• Do you want to work with a life coach at improving certain areas of your life or talk with your psychiatrist about your argument with so-and-so?

If you answered yes to 4 out of these 5 questions, then you have the potential to train for the sport called life. 

If you’re ready to train for the sport called life, then you are ready for the details of training for life in my next article.  Stay tuned.  

-Coach Kev

5 Simple Lessons from Fitness Experts

Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Today, I was really inspired to post a more summarizing look at the Future of Fitness and highlight some take-home points from the presenters with my own interpretation.  From core training to cardio training,  unilateral loading and intermittent fasting, let's take a look! 

1) Anti and Uni are the future of movement training.  This topic was of huge debate in Phoenix: the value of single leg training versus bilateral, and for good reason.  Recently, strength Coaches Mike Boyle and Mike Robertson have extolled the virtues and benefits of training on one leg versus two.  In the fitness industry especially, trainers and coaches typically pick one side or the other, and debate the sides ad nausea.  But is any method RIGHT?  Both have their place, and being 'right' truly depends on the person's 'sport'.  Hockey player?  Definitely needs a ton of single leg work.  Shot put?  Maybe as an accessory exercise, but not as a focus or main lift.  Key word here is specificity: training for the requirements that your sport, life, body type and energy demands.  My personal workout program consists of varying unilateral (one leg and one arm) lifts, paired with bilateral movements (power, olympic and kettlebell).  One of my favorites as an accessory exercise (can also be done on hardwood or tiled floor with towel underfoot):

2) The Power of Less.  Not only as a great book, but as a way to implement change.  Quality trumps quantity!

Specifically:

• Nutrition: having less choices to make eliminates the potential for cheating (aka Intermittent Fasting)
• Cardio: interval training, of 1/8 mile (200m), 1/4 mile (400m) or 1/2 mile (800m) runs are completely exhausting when repeated with shorter rest intervals, and don't take as long as a 45-60 minute long slow cardio workout on a treadmill, stepmill or elliptical.  Caloric burn is also extremely high post-workout
• Strength training: working out 2 times a week for 60 minutes is a thing of the past; even celebrity trainers are using shorter workouts (30 minutes) at varying intensities and different focuses each workout
• Supplements: fish oil + multivitamin + probiotic.  Eat real food from mother nature, organic if necessary.  
• Movements: lunge, deadlift, squat, push, pull, resist movement
• Power training: doesn't necessarily mean kettlebells or fancy plyometric movements, rather, focus on moving quickly (in some cases, as quick as possible) to develop and stimulate harder to reach motor units within muscle.  Can be done with own bodyweight!

3) Tissue quality is highly important.  From Don Chu to Thomas Meyers to Mike Boyle and Gray Cook, fascial fitness is a topic that, for good reason, has been the focus on many workouts, treatments, and seminars.  Phoenix was no different, as Don Chu highlighted some of the ways muscle works separate from fascia, and Thomas Meyers elaborated how the evolution of the human has led us quite far away from where we were hundreds of years ago.  Buying a foam roller, getting a massage or ART and stretching muscles that are 'short' and strengthening muscles that are 'long' will be topics in mainstream health and fitness magazines for many years to come.

4) Box Gyms will filled with immovable equipment while Fitness studios will be filled with people moving in space.  This much we know: people want results along with service.  Big box gyms are starting to decline, with everyone from 24 Hour Fitness to Lifetime Fitness (the manufacturer of equipment!) seeing their numbers decline.  Fitness studios, on the other hand, are service and results-oriented.  In fact, for most, that's all they care about, and they're damn good at delivering.  Wonder why?  Look at a picture of lifetime fitness versus a training studio:

Selling results or membership?

5) Metabolic training is the new cardio:  Combining bodyweight movements, bands, TRX, medicine balls, ropes, kettlebells in a workout, with minimal rest, will replace 'cardio' sessions.  Cardio programs have a 70% dropout rate after 8 weeks, while retention rates for workout programs like the video above are extraordinarily high.  Personally, I love metabolic workouts, both for how they feel during (not high in impact upon joints) and after (energized, not lacking energy).  Form can be maintained while intensity is lowered, allowing participant to dial in on quality. 

I was truly inspired from Phoenix's conference, and am looking forward to delivering more perspiration and motivation.

In health,

Coach Kev

The Future of Fitness (Summary)

Ah, finally.  The moment you (and I) have been waiting for.

The summary of all the presentations (except Thomas Meyers and Josh Henkin: they presented on the last day and I had to catch an early flight), with some questions they brought up, and answers to their thoughts with my own interpretation. 

The reason this is beneficial to me (in addition to my reader) is two reasons:
1) Reviewing my pages and pages of notes finalizes what I will be integrating into programs, warm ups etc.
2) These highlights of what I have upgraded to in terms of nutrition, warmups, movement patterns, etc will be more easily implemented and remembered

These two steps are crucial, and a large part of what separates myself from other trainers.  Just this week I tallied how much I have spent on furthering my education and improving my quality of service (books, seminars, DVD's, travel for seminars, and new equipment for the studio), and it exceeds $6,000.

As Alwyn Cosgrove (one of the presenters from the conference) would say, I say this not to impress you, but to impress upon you the value and seriousness of which I take who I am (Coach) and what I do (change lives). I can't yet say I've extended lives or prevented disease, but I can say that my mission is still the same: to change the lives of people I come in contact with.  Health and fitness will be the future commodity that will be treasured and eventually treated as important by those outside the current 'healthy' lines, as those within the field currently treat it.  Not only does improving one's health and fitness help one feel better, but it actually saves money.  By 2015, the average American will be burdened to the account of $1,400 from paying for the costs of obesity.  This is outrageous, and the 69% of the country that are currently obese and overweight need help.

Finally, I started to think about what really differentiates me from other trainers at health clubs, gyms and studios, and it goes something like this:

No one cares as much about your health and fitness as I do. 

That's my guarantee to you, my reader, my friend, my client, my family members.  As my 91st article that I've written in the past 3 years on health and fitness, I'm taking the time to extend this article to new lengths, fully highlighting all the 'trends' that you will see within the future of fitness.  Here.  We.  Go: 

To continue reading, please sign up for my newsletter at the right.  You will be emailed a PDF of Part I of the Seminar highlights. 

The Future of Fitness (Books to Read)

This past weekend I had the awesome opportunity to attend Perform Better's Meeting of the Minds, a seminar in which the speakers gazed into their personal crystal ball to predict the future of many different fitness subtopics.  From nutrition to stretching, programming on one leg to two, no stone was left unturned.  Some of the newer technology used by professional athletes and clients can be found in an article HERE.  In addition, many presenters mentioned psychology, organization and life-optimization as topics that will play a large role in the future. 

For this article, I decided to highlight the books that were highly recommended at the conference, both by presenters and attendees.  Let's get going!

• A Whole New Mind, by Daniel H. Pink
  
• Drive, also by Daniel H. Pink
• Mindset, by Carol S. Dweck (I'm already halfway through this one - loving it!)
• Switch, by Chip and Dan Heath
• The Power of Less, by Leo Babauta 
• Crucial Conversations, by Kerry Patterson and others
• The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
• Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
• Self Improvement 101 by John C Maxwell
• Ultimate Warrior Workouts by Martin Rooney
• Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell
• Onward by Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO)

If you notice, there's a huge theme here (of which I agree with):  Personal Trainers, Nutritionists, Strength Coaches and Therapists all are starting to look more towards the mental power that each individual has.  Harnessing that mental and psychological power yields far greater results than treating each person as just a physical being, and ignoring the mental side of things may hurry your exit from the health and fitness business.
 Myself, I believe that motivation is similar to showering: it needs to be done daily (not an original quote, but I believe it).  I love reading and studying how to better my craft, but I also believe that if I am a better, more complete person, inside and out, then I have more to offer my business, my family, friends and network.

Next, we'll look at some of the other themes from this weekend, including actual highlights from lectures and presentations.

Until then,

Coach Kev

The Future of Fitness

At the Perform Better's Meeting of the Minds Seminar in Phoenix, Arizona this past weekend, the main topics presented revolved around one thing: The Future of Fitness.  Not only did every presenter do a great job in highlighting the fitness of years' past, but each one took a long look into their crystal ball and forecasted their predictions for what we might see in the next 10+ years. 

View from above the resort (on a mountainside)

For this article, I am going to highlight some of the technology that will be making our life easier to track, monitor and control different factors that we were previously unaware of.  Here we go:

#1 Zeo Sleep Manager:  Previously, it took thousands of dollars to monitor your sleep overnight at some crazy sleep lab.  Now, for under $200, the Zeo Sleep Manager connects wirelessly to your laptop or mobile device and analyzes your sleep patterns (monitors lifestyle patterns, sleep stages, and more).  www.myzeo.com/sleep

#2 Know your Genetic Limitations: Previously, genetic tests and metabolic testing was a complicated and often limited practice.  Now?  The website 23andme takes the craziness out of the equation and simplifies, and the website says 'Gain insight into your traits, from baldness to muscle performance. Discover risk factors for 97 diseases. Know your predicted response to drugs, from blood thinners to coffee. And uncover your ancestral origins.'  I'm in!

#3 Simplify Goal Setting and Establish Habits:  Kicking old habits to the curb and starting new ones used to be like pulling teeth.  Now, with this amazing app available on Itunes, (Available here), you can track, monitor and establish new habits with a daily tracking and monitoring system that even shows up in your calendar.  You can even schedule things every 3 days, weekly, or even monthly.  Bottom line?  Great app that has huge ramifications for establishing new eating habits, exercise patterns, etc. 

#4 Sportably:  One of my favorite discoveries this weekend, Sportably is a 21st century way to track everything from weight lifted to resting heart rate, stresses outside the training routine, quality of sleep, mindset and nutrition quality.  Website: Sportably

#5 Meal Snap: Wonder how many calories are on your plate?  Using its intense caloric database and estimating system, Meal Snap is an iPhone app that allows you to take pictures of your meal and then analyze the caloric details of the meal. 

#6 No Brown Days:  Wayne Cotton, a respected financial advisor and marketing expert, has established a very cool system to track productivity and keep momentum from accomplishments moving you forward.  Use his roadmap and 90 day wonder to re-establish control over your time, and avoid the brown days!  No Brown Days is something you can implement immediately and start to feel the effects of more free time after organizing your life.

#7 Fitocracy:  Want to keep 'score' of how intense your workouts are?  And compare them to others and check the intensity level based on others' comparable workouts?  Then Fitocracy is a perfect way to keep score, turn fitness into a game, and compete against friends and co-workers.  Check it out!

More to come on the highlights of this amazing Perform Better-run event.  Loved it!

-Coach Kev

Intermittent Fasting 101

As much as I can, I try to pass on the newest and best information to my friends, family and clients as possible.  From books to videos, lectures to seminars, and observations and networking events, I pride myself on keeping up to date with the best fitness info out there. 

 

As I am writing this, I'm out in Phoenix, Arizona for a Perform Better Seminar, the Meeting of the Minds.  This seminar includes the nation's (and quite possibly the world's) leading fitness minds. 

 

One of these leaders, Dr. John Berardi, is the BEST nutritional mind, period.  He works with current Olympians, NFL stars, NBA, NHL and MMA superstars.  But that's not all...

 

Dr. Berardi has taken the time to research a sub-topic within fat loss that has gained MUCH momentum over the past few years in the research and application community, and that topic is simply known as Intermittent  Fasting.  

 

Yup.  As in fasting.  I'm not talking about the once a year, holiday time, or pre-competition for bodybuilding, making weight, athletics, etc.  

 

I'm referring to the once a week, regimented schedule of how to decrease STUBBORN bodyfat.  Sound good to you?  It did for me, and I've seen IMMEDIATE results.  Dr. Berardi was nice enough to release a FREE PDF that goes over the details. 

 

Intermittent Fasting 101 

 

This is a MUST read for anyone looking to drop stubborn bodyfat.  Takes 10 minutes of your time.  10 minutes!!  Just read the brief description and outline, I have the products he recommends and we'll go from there.  

 

Trainers, clients, friends, family: this is a great opportunity to do something that you will actually a) save money doing, b) look better because of it, c) feel better because of it, and d) look forward to the challenge that lies beyond Intermittent Fasting.  

 

Intermittent Fasting 101

 

Once you're done reading this free PDF, expect more information from me, as the Meeting of the Minds Seminars begin tonight at 6pm, and run until Sunday at 12:30pm.  

 

12 world-class presenters, including Dr. John Berardi, will definitely overload my brain with more information than I can handle.  However, I will be quick to summarize and pass on this world-class information.  

 

In extraordinary health and fitness,

 

Coach Kev

 

A New Look at Treating Injuries

During Hurricane Irene, over 6 inches of water fell in Central Park in just over 24 hours.

For the most part, NYC was spared the worst of the storm, but certain low-lying areas in NJ, CT, and other Northeastern states certainly received more rain and wind damage.

I certainly remember the storm, because it played quite well into a simple analogy that I've used to explain movement to clients and friends alike.  

You see, my ceiling leaked.  Quite a bit, actually. Had to place a bucket underneath it in order to catch the water.  Such a mess!

Afterwards, with the sun shining and Irene on her way North, I was tempted to patch the hole with some spackling, mop up the water and drywall chips, and call it a day.  

Looking at it from the outside, that would certainly make it look better.  

Looking at it from the inside, however, is a different story.  Because two weeks later, during another thunderstorm, the ceiling leaked again. 

My awareness of this, and why I chose not to patch the ceiling (and instead placed a call to my Landlord to fix the actual problem) is actually due to a strength coach and physical therapist's recommendation (Mike Boyle and Gray Cook), who famously said not to fix the 'ceiling' before you fix the 'roof'. 

If you were keeping track, the analogy is simple: when pain strikes, most people, including some physical therapists and doctors, will aim to fix the 'ceiling'. 

They'll prescribe an anti-inflammatory (spackling), recommend physical therapy, with electrical stimulation, ice and ultrasound (mopping up the water), and treat the 'ceiling'.  If it gets worse, cortisone will soon follow. 

However, a movement specialist knows better; because eliminating pain, which is a clue to a bigger problem, is the same thing as patching the hole in the ceiling, mopping up the water, and painting over the spackling.

But the movement specialist attacks the root of the problem, fixes the roof (dysfunction in movement or alignment), and takes the client or patient to new levels of of pain-free function.  They can now enjoy movement without pain (or a ceiling that doesn't leak).  

As a Personal Trainer with an extensive background in Sports Medicine (1200 clinical hours in 3 years working with Division I athletes), I usually start training new clients around an injury of some sort (most common are back, knee and shoulder pain).  As a result, I can't emphasize enough the difference in these two approaches, and how they have helped make a significant impact upon my clientele.  

If you have pain, make sure to fix the roof.  Not just the ceiling.  That way, the next time you have a big workout, are stressed, lift something wrong, or overdo your weekend warrior activities, the ceiling won't leak.  

Your neighborhood roof specialist,

Coach Kev

P.S. For specific movements designed to mobilize the ankle, hip and thoracic spine, be sure to check out My Youtube Page.

When Running Hurts

A few weeks back, I was rather motivated to respond to a New York Times Article by Gina Kolata on the benefits of cross-training for runners (my article HERE).  According to her 'research', there wasn't any.  And the only way to stay injury-free while running was to avoid running. 

My goodness!  What a revelation. 

Moreover, according to the 'experts', running is a repetitive stress injury (RSI) waiting to happen.  In fact, it takes roughly 1500 steps (750 per foot) to complete just one mile.  That's 750 hops, in a nutshell, on one foot, in order to complete one mile.

While I agree with some of the injury potential, I have a few things to add: 

1) Steady state running (without intervals) is not the most efficient way to lose weight or burn fat and stay injury free.  Why not?  Most people who use running as a method to lose fat do not take the time to train for running and instead, run as a their only form of training.  This, combined with the fact that they are typically overweight, only adds to the stress placed on joints because the runner is inefficient and not strong enough to absorb 1500 reps per mile correctly.

2) Any sport, such as running, that has repetitive stress injury potential should be prepared for.  Ignoring the fact that running is a demanding sport and the pounding your joints can take can have dire consequences: stress fractures, tendonitis, runner's knee, shin splints, Achilles ruptures and low back pain can all wreck havoc on a runner's training program and future in the sport.  Adopting the phrase Train to Run, as opposed to Run to train, can have a huge impact on your running, your physique, and your decreased injury risk.

3) Understanding what injuries happen to runners can help you prevent them: Oddly enough, I believe you can actually prevent chronic injuries such as the ones that befall many a runner.  Think about it: a football player who separates a shoulder when another player falls on has little he can do to prevent that injury (other than avoid the sport).  But in truth, a runner who adequately prepares for the sport can definitely learn about the trouble areas and the requirements that can help a runner stay healthy.  Let's look at one of the main causes of those injuries. 

Range of Motion/Stiffness/Stability

In his book Movement: Functional Movement Systems—Screening, Assessment and Corrective Strategies
physical therapist and author Gray Cook discusses some patterns we find in the human body.  For runners, these patterns are key to understanding the true prevention of injury.

Here is an excerpt stating how different joints have specific requirements:


1. The foot has a tendency toward sloppiness and therefore could benefit from greater amounts of stability and motor control. We can blame poor footwear, weak feet and exercises that neglect the foot, but the point is that the majority of our feet could be more stable.

2. The ankle has a tendency toward stiffness and therefore could benefit from greater amounts of mobility and flexibility. This is particularly evident in the common tendency toward dorsiflexion limitation.

3. The knee has a tendency toward sloppiness and therefore could benefit from greater amounts of stability and motor control. This tendency usually predates knee injuries and degeneration that actually make it become stiff.

4. The hip has a tendency toward stiffness and therefore could benefit from greater amounts of mobility and flexibility. This is particularly evident on range-­of-­motion testing for extension, medial and lateral rotation.
 
5. The lumbar and sacral region has a tendency toward sloppiness and therefore could benefit from greater amounts of stability and motor control. This region sits at the crossroads of mechanical stress, and lack of motor control is often replaced with generalized stiffness as a survival strategy.

So what does this mean for runners?  

A) A joint requires one of two things: stiffness (stability), or mobility and flexibility.
B) If said joint does not have the required quality mentioned above, it places undue stress upon the neighboring joint and muscles around it.
C) If the issue is not resolved with exercises and training for the proper requirements of the joint, it is only a matter of time before the overstressed joint cries out for help (usually in the form of some sort of pain).

A few basic examples:

Someone who does not have adequate ankle range-of-motion (mobility) will force the knee and Achilles to overcompensate for this lack of range of motion. Commonly affects women who wear heels to work and  men who wear poor fitting running shoes (Nike Shox).  

Someone who does not have adequate hip range-of-motion will force the knee, the pelvis and the lower back to compensate, placing a large amount of stress on an area that is usually stressed too much as it is.  Commonly found in those who sit all day and those who only participate in aerobic cardio (knee-dominant movements become even more knee-dominant because hip cannot contribute due to lack of recruitment and range-of-motion). 

"Corrective" Exercises to enhance Mobility


Ankle

Hip #1

Hip #2

Adding these to your warmup, whether before running or lower-body movements, will definitely enable the right joints and muscles to absorb and apply force.  No equipment needed, just some space to move.


Until next time,

Coach Kev