Dave Tate Quote

“Passion trumps everything.” - Dave Tate

Perfect Lifting Program - No Such Thing

Everyone wants the magic pill, the perfect program….. . Well, it does not exist. Despite all the “experts” publications, the fact is nobody has it figured out.

There are no absolutes in “training science." There is tooo many variables: one’s aerobic base, anaerobic base, training history, hormones, mental and emotional state, and vital signs.

You have to find a program that works for you. One that meets your goals, your strengths, and your weaknesses. There are vast amounts of publications, wisdom based on experience, and opinions from bloggers, trainers, and competitive athletes. Nevertheless, you have to take responsibility to determine if your lifting program is effective and working for YOU. There is no such thing as a perfect lifting program. Stop looking for the magic answers and start learning and adapting to meet your ultimate fitness goals.

Stay tuned……………

Physique Mistake - Over Isolating

FOLKS - COMPOUND MOVES !!!! A few times a year, I will receive emails from people wanting advice about training and weight loss or development of specific muscle groups. In reality, they do not want to hear it, they want some miracle answer.

Focusing too much on isolation limits developing the body and fitness level you are striving for. Muscle building (remember KEY to metabolism) requires heavy compound movements (see many earlier blog postings on my site). The heavier compound exercises have a greater impact on natural physique-building hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone (GH). Ladies – I am not talking about bulking up. We ladies also need these same hormones.

Isolation moves has its place AFTER compound moves, mainly to work on any weakness areas and imbalances. But these should NOT be the heart of your lifting session.

Reminder - Compound exercises: Presses, squats, deadlifts, rows, dips and pull-ups.

Stay tuned…………….

Shoulder Press - Challenging Variation

If you have been reading my blog, you know overhead press (shoulder press) is one of the 7 staples in our compound moves. Here is a variation of it that I tried for the first time yesterday. It will absolutely will shock your shoulders and core.

This variation is not easy. You will be sitting on the floor for this press. Sit in a squat rack. Do not start with the barbell on the floor. Set the pins in the squat rack a couple of inches below shoulder level and place your barbell there. Your legs are together and straight (no bend in the knees). No slouching. Sit up straight with no back support. Sit on your hamstrings and not your butt to make sure your lower back stays tight and upright. Grab the barbell and perform the movement like the standards overhead press.

This is no way of cheating and you have no assistance. You may be humbled as I was on the amount of weight you can lift in a strict form press. Go light until you get the feel for it. Very challenging.

Stay tuned…………….

Pull Ups – End Every Session

Pull-ups/chins ups are a superior upper body exercise. It taxes your forearms, biceps, lats and upper back better than any other upper body exercise. Your upper back muscles are difficult to overstrain. Since it is mainly a body weight exercise, you can include this move more frequency.

A couple of points to consider: You can switch hand positions to take stress off the elbows. Try underhand, overhand and neutral grips. I recommend doing them at the end of your workout at least 3 or 4 days a week, regardless of what you trained that day. Do as many continuous pull-ups you can, take a break and do more until you reach at least 30 reps. It does not matter how many sets it takes to achieve those reps, just do them. They are an incredible muscle builder and promote stretching all at the same time.

Stay tuned………..

SUCCESSFUL Tip : Envision Your Workout

Visualization creates positive thinking. I have been doing visualization in lifting for quite some time. It is the act of picturing what you are going to do and then making it happen (a rehearsal so to speak). It will strengthen your mind and create a very strong mind and body connection.

My visualization process includes both dreams at night (I have been told I actually sleep with movements of deadlifting with my arms, body movements) as well as right before a lift. For example, as I line myself up to the barbell for a deadlift, I close my eyes and breathe and envision the lift I am about to perform.

Sports science, professional athletes and stress the importance of visualization in performance. Envision your lift in every detail. Then go DO IT.

Stay tuned………….

Overweight Does NOT Always Mean “Unhealthy”

Doctors, news media, blogs and many so-called “experts” are saying “If you’re overweight, you’re unhealthy.”

This is not necessarily true. As we know (see previous post), body mass index is not an accurate measurement of health. A muscular individual will score higher on BMI because it doesn’t consider the muscle to fat ratio. It seems that the standard medical answer is you are too heavy/overweight and that is the root of all your health issues. Not true in every case. If you are overweight but aerobically fit you are indeed much “healthier” than a skinny couch potato. Consider that there are so many recently published reports that show “fit” vs. “un-fit” is more of an indicator to disease and mortality than “fat” vs. “thin.”

The most important thing you can do to get healthy is to workout. Get in regular physical exercise along with a balanced diet. Focus on a fitness level and not the number on a scale.

Stay tuned…………..

Negatives (Reps that is)

Negative reps – what are they?? These are slow, downward reps that concentrate on negative portion of the rep. During a negative phase of the movement (the downward phase such as lowering the bar in bench-press or lowering into a deep squat), the muscle lengthens while it contracts.

Negatives are great for building muscle and busting through plateaus because you can purposely damage more muscle fibers during negatives than you can during the positive phase. As we have discussed before in previous blog posts, the more you stimulate muscle fibers, the more you grow.

Negatives are best performed with barbell movements. You can work with so much more weight and you are more stable than with say, dumbbells. To perform these moves properly, you will need a training partner (spotter). They need to be in position to have full control of the bar. You will be able to do the negative portion of the move but you may not be able to do full positive and may need the assistance on the upward movement. This is not failure, it's the intent of the set.

Negatives should be performed only after you've completed your full rep sets. Also, only perform 2-3 negatives. When I perform negatives, I load up more than I can do on full reps. I go slowly on the descent with heavy weights. Then your partner will assist on the upward movement.

Stay tuned……………

Do Something Impossible

I read this article and wanted to share……

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-sweet/setting-goals_b_3645176.html

Stay tuned…………..

Deadlifts - Easy Way to Change Weights on Barbell

If you are like me, you do not have a deadlift bar jack (the fancy deadlift barbell device) to change the weights.     But you are pulling and dealing with some heavy plates.    An easy solution is to use a plate to prop up the bar.   Simply roll or pick up one side of the barbell and place on a smaller plate so it sits in the hole.  This raises it just enough to slide more plates on (or off).  When done do the other side of the barbell.   I also use a wood block and set the barbell on it one side at a time.     Quick, easy and no need for expensive bar jack.  

Stay tuned………………. 

MUSIC - Push Through Exercise

Music helps push you through workouts. You stand in a squat rack or walk up to a deadlift bar. You look at the barbell and all kinds of thoughts run through your head. You start psyching yourself out. One of the best ways to effectively change your state of mind and improve your performance is to gear up with music. Upbeat music stimulates heart rate and respiration. This translates to helping with endurance and success.

Turn up the volume, get into the zone and LIFT !!!

Stay tuned……….

Spartan 300 Workout

The movie, 300, gained much attention beyond the just film story because of the ripped bodies of the actors. Their workout became very popular and is called the Spartan 300 workout. The actors got themselves ripped and sculpted by doing these grueling workouts. They performed 50 reps each of six different exercises with no break between sets, for a total of 300 reps. They constantly used variety in their exercise movements.

Sample workouts:

• Pullups - 25 reps

• Barbell Deadlift with 135 lbs. - 50 reps

• Pushups - 50 reps

• 24-inch Box Jumps - 50 reps

• Floor Wipers - 50 reps

• Single-Arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps

• Pullups - 25 reps

 

 

• Pullups - 25 reps

• Dumbbell Deadlift - 50 reps

• Pushups - 50 reps

• Body-Weight Squat Jumps - 50 reps

• V-Ups - 50 reps

• Dumbbell Push Press - 50 reps

• Pullups - 25 reps

 

Beginner Sample:

• Body-Weight Rows - 15 reps

• Body-Weight Squats - 25 reps

• Pushups - 15 reps

• Jumping Jacks - 50 reps

• Mountain Climbers - 20 reps

• Close-Grip Pushups - 10 reps

• Body-Weight Rows - 15 reps

 

 

Give it a try once every few weeks for keeping your body guessing, challenged and changing!

Stay tuned…………..

 

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Quote

"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Quote

"The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Importance of Training your TRAPS

Training of the neck and trapezius is often ignored by many lifters.   Having a strong neck is necessary to prevent injuries and imbalances.  These muscles are key to good posture.   They are a stabilizing muscle group that pull the upper spine and shoulders into alignment.

  

Image per Wikipedia

 

The top exercises for trap training include:   Shrugs of all variations (barbell, dumbbell, smith machine);   Upright rows of all variations (barbell, dumbbell, cable);   Face Pulls.

The best time to train your traps is when you are working on back or shoulder muscles.  

Stay tuned……………..

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Quote

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Self-Disciplined People Are Happier (and Not as Deprived as You Think)

A great article that hits home for me personally........

Self-Disciplined People Are Happier (and Not as Deprived as You Think)

By Maia Szalavitz     June 24, 20130

 

http://healthland.time.com/2013/06/24/self-disciplined-people-are-happier-and-not-as-deprived-as-you-think/?iid=tl-main-mostpop2

 

Stay tuned.......

Wayne Gretzky - Quote

"Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy." - Wayne Gretzky

Back Exercises - Variations

As I have written in previous post, our back is KEY to sooo much of our lifting and daily life.  Back muscles are best built from heavy deadlifts, chin-ups, and rows.  Everyone can stall out quickly without the right challenging variations.  Below are 2 back exercises that will add variety to your back routine and bust you out of any stalls.

Supported Meadows Rows -  Put a barbell in a corner secured from moving (lifting rack or corner of a room), and perpendicular to a bench and row.  Grip is pronated vs. the dumbbell row of neutral grip.  Start with one arm, leave the bar right where it is and just turn around on the same side of the bench and do the other arm.  I always use straps and go heavy.  If you do not use straps you will be limited to your grip. 

Wide Grip Inverted Rows - Inverted rows are excellent way to really concentrate on the back.  Add an additional challenge by performing them with hands set wider than normal and your elbows flared out instead of tucking them in (like you would do on normal inverted rows).   

Stay tuned...............

Serena Williams - Quote

"Everyone's dream can come true if you just stick to it and work hard." - Serena Williams

Summer Diet Mistake - Smoothies

Many people pick smoothies to cool off and refresh in the summer.    Sounds healthy – right?    Places add in fresh fruit, yogurt and protein powder.   All sounds healthy and “diet friendly”.     NOT EXACTLY -----    It is full of fruit and fruit juices that are loaded with sugar.       I am not suggesting you ban them.  Smoothies can be “healthy” if you make them yourself and use less sugar-based juices and replace the sugar with sugar substitutes if it needs extra sweetening.  Just be extra cautious with the ingredients you are putting in your smoothie and conscious of the sugar and calories involved.  

Stay tuned…………..  

EAT After a Workout !!

A big mistake that many people make is not eating after a workout. They worry that they will “eat back” what they just burned off.   

That is just FALSE.    

Working out puts stress on the body and you need to have the right nutrients to heal and repair.    The breaking down and healing and repair are the keys to muscle growth and fat loss.  It is NOT just the training.  But more importantly it is the mending process/rebuilding process that builds muscle and boosts your metabolism.   Otherwise stated, it makes you more toned!!   Having said that, do not think a hard workout is a free pass to pig out.    See my previous posts on “Muscle Growth After Gym” and  “Pre and Post - Workout Nutrition”

Stay tuned……….

Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own - Quote

It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." - Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own

Straight Leg Sit Up

I was challenged recently on how many of these straight leg sit-ups I could do.   Trust me, done properly, these will have your abs screaming.  

As the name suggest, your legs are going to be straight for the sit up.    Back sure your back is flat to the ground.   Then sit up keeping your legs straight on the ground.   Your arms are across your body or at your sides as long as you do not use them to assist.    There is no momentum, just pure abs pulling power.   

Try a few and see how awesome they work your full abs.

Stay tuned…………….

Andy Roddick - Quote

"At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or the reasons why you don't" - Andy Roddick

Dumbbell Pullovers - Chest and Back Move

Dumbbell pullovers are a great supplemental exercise for both the back and chest.     I have not performed these in quite some time.    Then last week, I added it to the end of my back workout.  WOW – did I feel it and in a good way.    Great upper body move to finish off your day. 

To perform the pullovers, lie on a flat bench, hold the inside part of a dumbbell with both hands in a diamond shape on the top part (plate) of the dumbbell.    You can keep your elbows slightly bent or straight armed.   "Slightly bent" puts more emphasis on the chest muscles.   "Straight-armed" puts more emphasis on the back muscles.    Lower dumbbell over and beyond head, stretch back before your arms reach parallel and power the dumbbell back up using your chest and back.   You will feel this move in the chest, back and even your abs.   

Add the move in every so often to challenge your muscles.  

Stay tuned………

Chicken Cutlets with Tarragon-Mushroom Sauce

A great twist on chicken dish.

Ingredients:

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/2 onion, halved

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Pinch of sea salt

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons butter

1 -2 cups (based on your preference) quartered mushrooms

1 cup frozen pearl onions

1 tablespoon water

2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Preparation:

1.       Place first 4 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced.   Remove solids with a slotted spoon; discard.

2.       Cut chicken breast halves in half horizontally.   Sprinkle with sea salt.   Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon butter to pan; swirl until butter melts.  Add 4 cutlets to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon butter, and 4 cutlets.

3.       Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add stock mixture; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into stock mixture; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Stir in dash of sea salt and the tarragon. Spoon sauce over chicken.

Adapted from Cooking Light April 2013

Stay tuned………

Food Practices Banned in Europe But Just Fine Here

A friend of mine sent this to me.   All I can say is  WOW ……….     Please read.

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/05/7-dodgy-foodag-practices-banned-europe-just-fine-here

Stay tuned………….

Cal Ripken, Jr. - Quote

"Stubbornness usually is considered a negative; but I think that trait has been a positive for me." - Cal Ripken, Jr.

Strength When Leaning Out

A quandary I often face:  Losing strength as you lean out.    I always want the best of all worlds.   Don’t we all?  

When you are dieting down, it is a fact that you will lose strength.    It varies but an average is for every 10 lbs.  you lose in bodyweight, you will lose  about 5% in total strength.     This is specifically true if you do hardcore dieting.   You will indeed lose energy and endurance. 

However, if you just cut back a little (slower and not as drastic) and  stop doing cardio more than 2-3 days a week,  there shouldn’t be near the loss in strength.   You will get lean but it will take more time.

Bottom line:  Pick your goals, but for overall fitness that last a lifetime, lean out slowly and keep up your strength. 

Stay tuned……………

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Quote

"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent." - - Arnold Schwarzenegger

MISTAKE/Popular Bad Advice – Looking Up

Many trainers, fitness magazines and other usually reliable sources recommend “looking up” when performing lifting moves.  Most people interpret this as tilting their head upward.   MISTAKE.    This is not the natural arch in your spine.  Lifting, especially big moves, means hundreds of pounds of weight across your back.  Thus, it puts a huge amount of pressure on the disks.  You need to keep your head neutrally aligned. 

When executing the big heavy moves such as barbell rows, squats, deadlifts and bench, your eyes and head should be forward.  For bent-over rows, since your body is bent-over about 45 degrees, your head should remain neutral, which also means it is 45 degrees to the floor.  For squats and deadlifts, forward means straight ahead, not down or up -- straight spine and natural arch.  

Safety and form are always first.   If you concentrate on those items, you will be able to lift more pounds.  

Stay tuned………………… 

Raspberry-Chipotle Chicken Breasts

My lunch today……….. VERY yummy. !!!

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons sugar free raspberry jam 
1 fresh squeezed lime (for the juice)

1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce

2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves  

Dash of sea salt

Preparation:

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until slightly syrupy.

2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle chicken with sea salt.  Grill chicken until done.

3.  Spoon raspberry mixture over chicken and serve.  

Adapted from Cooking Light – May 2013

Stay tuned………

"Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts." -    - Dan Gable

Lifting Heavy Can Regulate Blood Sugar

This is a very interesting article that I wanted to share.  Blood sugar is key for all of us (not just diabetics). 

Weightlifting Can Help Diabetics

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/tips/weightlifting-can-help-diabetics

Stay tuned………….

Robert Anson Heinlein - Quote

"Self-awareness is not just a bunch of amino acids bumping together." - Robert Anson Heinlein

Spring Time – Get Moving Outside !

It is Spring time -- time to get moving OUTDOORS. 

Walking outdoors has so many advantages over walking on a treadmill.     It challenges your core, your balance and stability.   There are many things that you must navigate (obstacles, starts and stops).    There are curbs, sloped sidewalks and roadsides, uphills and downhills.    Going downhill challenges muscles in a completely different way.  

Do not just walk – Power Walk.    You will burn more calories and speed up your metabolism.   Power walking, unlike regular walking, requires good posture, your head up, shoulders back and keeping your core tight.  Walk fast with “power,” not leisurely.  

Get outside and on your way to Spring FITNESS …….. 

Stay tuned………. 

Spicy Pork Lettuce Cups

My dinner on Saturday was this OUTSTANDING dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger (or ginger powder)

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 12 ounces lean ground pork  (I found 96% lean Ground Pork)

• 1 1/2 cups diced seeded cucumber (optional)

• 1 cup diced red bell pepper

• 1/3 cup diced carrot  (optional)

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1/4 cup salted, dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

• 1/2 serrano chile, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon Stevia

• 16 Boston lettuce leaves (or I used Romaine)

Preparation:

1. Combine first 3 ingredients

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.   Add pork mixture to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until pork is browned, stirring to crumble.  Place pork mixture in a large bowl.   Add cucumber (if desired) and next 5 ingredients (through serrano), and stir to combine.

3. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, and Stevia in a small bowl, stir.  Add juice mixture to pork mixture; toss.  Place pork mixture in each lettuce leaf.

Adapted from: Cooking Light  March 2013

Stay tuned…………

John Schiefer - Quote

"Mental toughness can take you to the top, and mental weakness straight to the bottom." - John Schiefer

Soy-Marinated Pork

Soy-Marinated Pork

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3/4 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

3/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

12 ounces pork tenderloin, trimmed and thinly sliced (or I used thin boneless pork chops)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon granulated Stevia

1 cup shaved carrot

1/4 cup (1-inch) diagonally cut green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

 1. Combine first six ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.   Add pork to bowl; toss well to coat.   Let pork mixture stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

2. While pork marinates, combine vinegar and Stevia in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Add carrot, onions, and cilantro; toss to coat.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray.  Add pork to pan; cook until done.

4.  Eat on plate or use a hamburger bun.  Divide carrot mixture evenly on top of pork.  

YUMMMMM

Adapted from Cooking Light April 2013

Stay tuned……