"Why are we doing this? I don't know, just smile and keep pressing!"

One of my good buddies and fellow strength coaches, Kyle Newell of Newell Strength was talking to me a few weeks ago and we spoke about how he and his athletes / clients never perform direct arm work and instead perform lifts which have a systemic effect on the body, like the Barbell Back Squat.  Do you want big arms?  Do squats and Chin Ups!  Wait a sec, no concentration curls or barbell curls with an arm blaster?!?!?  Nope, the squat will have a greater anabolic effect on your entire body than any isolation movement!!!

The squat will grow your arms better than any arm isolation exercise

What is YOUR goal in the gym?  How can you achieve it as simply as possible?  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people in the gym for HOURS when they can spend minutes instead.  Either they are slaves for pain, don’t know any better (most likely) or simply think that’s what they NEED to do.  Don’t just go to the gym, do stuff for an hour and pat yourself on the back because you sweat, set goals and achieve them.

Here is my advice:

1)      Put down the newsstand magazine which is written for the average guy and average girl

2)      Find someone with experience who has what you want or knows what you want to know, ask them how they achieved it

3)      If their advice is simple then, implement it, if it is not simple, then keep asking around until someone with experience has given you a simple and effective answer

One more thing, don’t confuse simple with EASY!!!  Becoming a millionaire may be simple in concept, but it is also difficult in implementation.  Losing body fat is simple in terms of what needs to be done, but it is very difficult to actually do it.  Go for it, set a goal, make a plan to achieve and go crush it!!!

Joining a gym is a big commitment but when balanced against the benefits you will gain, the scales are firmly tipped towards the plus points. Many people do not take full advantage of their gym membership, but by understanding what is offered and how it can improve your life, you will stay motivated and keep going. 

Joining a gym in Brighton offers major advantages over going it alone. At home, it is easy to put off exercise and turn on the TV, but a motivating trainer can really aid your work out. Not only that, but your work-outs will be designed to suit you as an individual and help you progress in a safe and healthy way. Your trainer’s knowledge and experience will outweigh that fitness DVD any day! And remember at the gym there are several others just like you, who will be happy to partner up as exercise buddies. Working together with someone else in a Milton Keynes gym will keep you going back time and time again, especially as you develop new friendships.

Facilities are varied and up-to-date, ensuring you never get bored and you can exercise in a manner that suits you. The Brighton gym has its own pool, as well as the latest equipment and a relax room. You will also find a whole range of classes on offer, from Step to Yoga and Pilates. This is also true of the Milton Keynes gym and others around the country and the beauty is that you can access the pool at any time of the day, not just at set times.

Of course one of the major benefits is the improvement to your health. Going to the gym on a regular basis will help use up unwanted calories, burn fat, strengthen the heart and prevent cardiovascular disease. The other benefits that exercising regularly at a Milton Keynes gym gives are increased energy, stress relief, and a better night’s sleep which leads to a more fruitful day.

You may be looking to lose weight and attending the gym Chester offers two or three times a week will make this goal more achievable. Building muscle helps increase metabolism, which means that the effects of exercise are increased even when you have finished your session. Your body will continue to burn fat at a higher level for the next couple of hours. Taking classes, swimming, and attacking the cardio machines will all help use calories and tone your shape at the same time. Trainers will also be happy to advise you on your diet and will do their utmost to help you achieve your goals.

Being a member of a gym is a lifestyle change for the better so whatever your reason for joining, you will not be sorry you took the plunge. Be consistent, make sure you attend two to three times a week, and in a few months you will be amazed and delighted at the transformation.

3) Cognitive Performance
Several studies have shown that Caffeine improves both cognitive performance and mood in the general population ^(1,2).  A study by McLellan et al. ⁽³⁾ showed that soldiers given Caffeine were able to complete a vigilance task with less errors and an obstacle course faster than their non-Caffeinated counterparts.  These tasks were performed in a sleep deprived state (4 hours of sleep) where Caffeine was supplemented 3 times at 200 mg per dose (600 mg total) with about 2.5 hours between doses.  The last dose was given 30 minutes before the testing.  The Caffeine was administered via a caffeinated gum.  The Vigilance task involved observing a building for 2 hours and recording any observations.  Within each 20 minute block, an activity lasting 5s was presented.   The Caffeine group had fewer errors than the placebo group.  There were 3 Obstacle Courses and the Caffeine group completed them faster and with fewer errors than that placebo group.  The study concluded that Caffeine “maintained both vigilance and physical performance during sustained operations that require periods of overnight wakefulness and restricted opportunities for daytime sleep.” ⁽³⁾

Another study by Lieberman et al. ⁽⁴⁾ looked at cognitive performance of U.S. Navy Seals in a sleep deprived state when supplementing with Caffeine.   Participants were randomly assigned doses of either 100, 200 or 300 mg of Caffeine in capsule form.  One hour after consumption, participants performed a battery of tests related to vigilance, reaction time, working memory, motor learning and memory.  Caffeine had the most significant effects on tasks related to alertness.  Results were also significant for assessments related to vigilance & choice reaction time for those who received the Caffeine treatment.  What was really interesting was that there was no statistical advantage of taking 300 versus 200 mg (i.e. the 300 mg group did not perform better than the 200 mg group) though there was a significant improvement in performance of the 200 mg group versus the 100 mg group.  In fact, 100 mg was no more advantageous than a placebo! ⁽⁴⁾

"Caffeine makes me more alert and helps me function better!" - Brain

These studies ^(3,4) demonstrate the effects of Caffeine on cognitive performance in a highly trained population, some of whom were in a sleep deprived state ⁽³⁾.   These findings suggest that the general population may experience similar benefits in cognitive performance by supplementing Caffeine in dosages of 200-300 mg in a normal state and up to 600 mg in a sleep deprived state.

The fact that Caffeine enhances brain function and alertness is probably not too shocking, but its effects on Endurance & Strength are both significant and positive.

4) Endurance & Strength
There is extensive research on Caffeine’s positive effects on Endurance.  While there is much less on its effects on Strength, the little research which has been done has shown a positive impact on Strength.  Several studies show little to no impact on power when supplementing with Caffeine ^(5,6,7,8,9) but a positive impact on Strength and Endurance.  To be clear, there is a difference b/w Strength and Power.  Strength is a function of the amount weight that you lift (greater weight = greater strength).  Power is a function of Strength and Speed (Power = Strength x Speed) or how fast you can lift a particular weight (faster = more power).  So, lifting 300 LBS in 2 seconds is indicative of greater POWER than lifting 300 LBS in 5 seconds.  Let’s take a look at the ergogenic (performance-enhancing) effects of Caffeine on Endurance and Strength.

a) Endurance
David Costill, Ph.D., performed the ground-breaking study on Caffeine and exercise in 1978⁽¹⁰⁾.  He took nine competitive cyclists (two females and seven males) and had them bike until exhaustion at 80% of V02 max (also known as maximal oxygen uptake, it’s a measure of how well your cardiopulmonary system functions).  Each subject consumed coffee containing 330 mg of Caffeine 60 min before the exercise or a placebo (decaffeinated coffee).  When supplementing with Caffeine, subjects were able to perform an average of 90.2 minutes of cycling as compared to an average of 75.5 minutes in the placebo trial. This reflects a 19.5% increase!  Going back to a point made in Part 1 of our article, when I touched upon Caffeine’s impact on fat loss, they also found that subjects burned 107% more fat during the Caffeine trial (118 g or 1.31 g/min) than in the placebo trial (57 g or 0.75 g/min).  Also, subjects reported that the effort during Caffeine trial felt much easier than during the placebo trial.  This sentiment was validated in a study on Caffeine’s impact on perceived exertion performed by Doherty et al⁽¹¹⁾.  The study concluded that in addition to improving exercise performance, Caffeine decreases RPE (rating of perceived exertion), which means that doing the same activity with Caffeine makes you feel like you are not working as hard as compared to doing the same activity without Caffeine.

Caffeine can delay fatigue and decrease perceived exertion.

b) Strength
Several studies have shown Caffeine’s positive impact on strength.  A study by Bliss et al. demonstrated that collegiate shot putters who supplemented with 100 mg Caffeine were able to throw 6.4% further versus a placebo⁽¹²⁾.  A study by Forbes et al. demonstrated a 6% increase in the number of Bench Press repetitions performed at 70% of 1RM (one-rep max) versus a placebo⁽⁸⁾ when ingesting a Caffeine dose of 2mg/kg of bodyweight.  A study by Beck et al. demonstrated an increase in 1RM Bench Press Strength of 2.1-5.0% when supplementing with a Caffeine dose of 2.5 mg/kg of bodyweight⁽⁶⁾.  A study by Wong et al. demonstrated increases in reps to fatigue in the bench press, lat row and shoulder press of 5-10% when supplementing with a dose of Caffeine of 6 mg/kg of bodyweight⁽¹³⁾.  A very recent study from January 2011 done by Duncan et al. showed a 6.7% increase in reps and a 10.8% increase in weight when observing Bench Press to failure using a weight of 60% of 1RM with a Caffeine dosage of 5mg/kg of bodyweight ⁽¹⁴⁾. 

Take Caffeine, get JACKED and set personal records!!!

Whether your goal is fat loss, better endurance or greater strength, Caffeine is a supplement which is cheap, readily available and definitely worth trying.  As I mentioned in Part 1, your best bet is to go with Caffeine Anhydrous in a capsule form.  Personally, I use anywhere b/w 4-6 mg/kg of bodyweight.  Since I am about 220 LBS, this equates to 400-600 mg.  I ingest it with water 15-30 minutes before training.  The effects will be noticeable and you will feel positive and energized to hit the weights.  For the average person, I would recommend starting off with 200 mg and then going up from there.  Caffeine sensitivity varies from person to person, but the max dosage to experience all of the benefits is about 5mg/kg of bodyweight.  Please be mindful to pull back on your normal Caffeine intake when supplementing with Caffeine.  On days where I train and supplement with Caffeine, I don’t even drink coffee at all afterwards.  Use your judgment with this.  A strong cup of coffee is about 200 mg of Caffeine so, if you normally have 3 cups of coffee per day and you supplement 200 mg of Caffeine when you train then, only have 2 cups of coffee that day.  Give it a shot and you will find the benefits to be worthwhile.

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

References:

1) Heatherley SV, Hayward RC, Seers HE, Rogers PJ. “Cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood, and pressor effects of caffeine after 4, 6 and 8 h caffeine abstinence”, Psychopharmacology. February 5, 2005; Volume 178, Number 4, pgs. 461-470.

2) Smit HJ, Rogers PJ. “Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers”. Psychopharmacology. October 2000; Volume 152, Number 2, pgs. 167-173.

3) McLellan TM, Kamimori GH, Voss DM, Tate C, Smith SJ. “Caffeine effects on physical and cognitive performance during sustained operations”. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. September 2007; Vol. 78, No. 9. pgs. 871-7.

4) Lieberman HR, Tharion WJ, Shukitt-Hale B, Speckman KL, Tulley R. “Effects of caffeine, sleep loss, and stress on cognitive performance and mood during US Navy seal training”. Psychopharmacology. November 2002, Vol. 164, No. 3. pgs. 250-61.

5) Anselme, F, Collomp, K, Mercier, B, Ahmaidi, S, and Prefaut, C. “Caffeine increases maximal anaerobic power and blood lactate concentration”. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1992; Volume 65, Number 2, pgs. 188-191.

6) Beck, TW; Housh, TJ; Schmidt, RJ; Johnson, GO; Housh, DJ; Coburn, JW and Malek, MH. “The acute effects of a caffeine containing supplement on strength, muscular endurance, and anaerobic capabilities”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. August 2006. Volume 20, Issue 3, pgs. 506–510.

7) Collomp, K, Ahmaidi, S, Audran, M, Chanal, JL, and Prefaut, C. “Effects of caffeine ingestion on performance and anaerobic metabolism during the Wingate test”. International Journal of Sports Medicine. October 1991. Volume 12, Issue 5, pgs. 439–443.

’8) Forbes, SC, Candow, DG, Little, JP, Magnus, C, and Chilibeck, PD. “Effect of Red Bull energy drink on repeated Wingate cycle performance and bench-press muscle endurance”. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. October 2007. Volume 17, pgs. 433–444.

9) Greer, F, McLean, C, and Graham, TE. “Caffeine, performance, and metabolism during repeated Wingate exercise tests”. Journal of Applied Physiology. October 1998. Vol. 85 No. 4, pgs. 1502-1508

10) Costill DL, Dalsky GP, Fink WJ. “Effects of caffeine ingestion on metabolism and exercise performance”. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. Fall 1978. Volume 10, Issue 3, pgs. 155-8.

11) Doherty M, Smith PM. “Effects of caffeine ingestion on rating of perceived exertion during and after exercise: a meta-analysis”. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. April 2005. Volume 15, Issue 2, pgs. 69-78.

12) Bliss, MV, Bellar, D, Kamimori, GH, Glickman, EL, Barkley, JE, Ryan, EJ, and Bellar, A. “The effect of caffeine supplementation on performance in the standing shot put throw”. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. May 2008. Volume 40, Issue 5, pg. S362.

13) Wong, K, Martin, BJ, Volland, L, Rohmann, RL, and Astorino, TA. “Effect of caffeine ingestion on resistance training performance”. Presented at: Southwest ACSM Meeting; San Diego, CA, November 12, 2008

14) Duncan, MJ and Oxford, SW. “The effect of caffeine ingestion on mood state and bench press performance to failure”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. January 2011. Volume 25, Issue 1, pgs. 178–185.

In this 2 Part Series, I am going to look at:
1) The Best Form of Caffeine to consume (i.e. drip coffee vs. powder (caffeine anhydrous))
2) The effectiveness of supplementing Caffeine for Fat Loss (lipolysis)
3) The impact of Caffeine on Cognitive Performance (i.e. Brain Function)
4) The Ergogenic (performance-enhancing) effects of caffeine on Endurance and Strength

Here is a brief overview of caffeine:
- Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive substance⁽¹⁾
- In North America, 90% of adults consume caffeine daily⁽¹⁾
- It is the most commonly utilized substance in “energy” drinks
- It stimulates the Central Nervous System (CNS), making us feel alert

1) BEST Form of Caffeine
When consuming caffeine for performance, the best form is to consume is caffeine anhydrous (caffeine powder in a capsule).  The reason for this is that it is a) cheaper and b) more effective than consuming coffee in liquid form (i.e. drip coffee).

WARNING: This is NOT the best way to get your caffeine!

a) Cheaper
I use NSI Caffeine Anhydrous which I purchase from Vitacost.com.  There are 240 capsules and each contains 200 mg of caffeine.  The whole bottle costs $7.  So, let’s do the math…the Mayo Clinic’s website shows that on average a 16 oz. cup of coffee contains approx. 175 mg of caffeine⁽²⁾.  Let’s round this to 200 mg.  That 16 oz. cup of coffee costs you around $2.  The one pill of caffeine anhydrous, which is 200 mg of caffeine, costs $0.03.  Paying 67 times less money for the same amount of caffeine is a no brainer!!!

b) More Effective
Caffeine anhydrous is more effective than a cup of coffee.  Roasting coffee beans changes the composition of the beans producing compounds which inhibit and alter the effects of the caffeine⁽³⁾.  Also, it takes a lot longer to drink a 16 oz. cup of coffee than it does to pop a pill with some water.  Although the cup of coffee may have the same quantity of caffeine as a pill, it is administered over a longer period of time.  The 200 mg from the pill is administered in full right away, yet the 200 mg of caffeine from the cup of coffee is ingested in small increments over 20-30 minutes depending on how fast you drink it.

2) Fat Loss (lipolysis)
If you are interested in fat loss then, supplementing with caffeine is a great idea!  Caffeine causes your body to a) use fat as fuel, b) it does not matter your age and c) it still works even if you drink coffee daily!!! 

a) Caffeine causes fat to be used as fuel
Research suggests that caffeine affects what your body uses as fuel during exercise, switching from glycogen to an increased dependence on the mobilization of free fatty acids⁽⁴⁾.  In layman’s terms, caffeine causes your body to use fat as fuel instead of glycogen.  Specifically, researchers found that a dose of caffeine of 5mg / kg of bodyweight resulted in significant increases in intramuscular fat oxidation during cycling⁽⁴⁾. 

b) Caffeine increases the number of calories you burn, regardless of your age
A study by Arcerio et al. observed the effects that caffeine had on 10 younger men (19-26 yrs old) versus 10 older men (65-80 yrs old).  The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled.  The dosage was 5mg of caffeine per kg of fat free mass (consists of mostly muscle and bone).  The younger men consumed about 350 mg and the older men consumed about 295 mg (so, the younger men had more fat free mass than the older men).  Energy expenditure increased by 11% in the younger group and 9.5% in the older group.  The scientists who performed the study stated, “older and younger men show a similar thermogenic response to caffeine ingestion…”  Basically, both young and old can benefit from the thermogenic effects of caffeine⁽⁵⁾

c) Caffeine increases the number of calories you burn, even if you consume it regularly
Supplementing as little as 100mg of caffeine has been shown to increase energy expenditure (burning of calories) via thermogenesis (body temperature increase), even though the subjects involved in the study consumed 100-200mg of Caffeine daily⁽⁶⁾.  The increase in energy expenditure subsequent to caffeine ingestion continued for 3 hours after consumption⁽⁶⁾.  To clarify, 100-200mg daily is equivalent to 1-2 cups per day.  It only makes sense that the more you consume on a daily basis, the less the impact that supplementing caffeine will have on energy expenditure.

To review, in Part 1 we learned that Caffeine Anhydrous (pill form) is a more effective method to supplement Caffeine than drinking coffee AND Caffeine increases fat burning and calories burned, regardless of age and regular consumption of 1-2 cups per day.  Tune in for Part 2 where we will look at caffeine’s impact on cognitive performance, strength and endurance.

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

References:

1) Lovett, Richard; “Coffee: The demon drink?”, New Scientist Magazine.  September 24, 2005; Issue 2518: pgs. 577-579.

2) Mayo Clinic Staff; “Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more”, Published on 10/3/09, Accessed on 2/3/11. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/AN01211

3) de Paulis, Tomas; Schmidt, Dennis E.; Bruchey, Aleksandra K.; Kirby, Michael T.; McDonald, Michael P.; Commers, Patricia, et al.; “Dicinnamoylquinides in roasted coffee inhibit the human adenosine transporter”, European Journal of Pharmacology 442 (2002) 215– 223

4) Essig D.; Costill DL, Van Handel PJ; “Effects of caffeine ingestion on utilization of muscle glycogen and lipid during leg ergometer exercise”, International Journal of Sports Medicine. 1980, 1:86-90

5) Arciero PJ, Gardner AW, Calles-Escandon J, Benowitz NL, Poehlman ET. “Effects of caffeine ingestion on NE kinetics, fat oxidation, and energy expenditure in younger and older men”. The American journal of physiology. 1995 Jun;268(6 Pt 1):E1192-8

6) Astrup, A.; Toubro, S.; Cannon, S.; Hein, P.; Breum, L.; Madsen, J; “Caffeine: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of its thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular effects in healthy volunteers”. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. May 1990 Vol. 51 No. 5 pgs. 759-767 

Problem: Want to Lose Weight
Instant Gratification Solution:  Get Bariatric Surgery or Liposuction

Problem:  Want to Feel Great
Instant Gratification Solution:  Go to Doctor and ask about the numerous “options” (pills) you see advertised on TV.

Problem:  Want a new car or other material object
Instant Gratification Solution:  Put it on a Credit Card or get “no money down” financing.

"I can only afford a Hyundai, but this Lamborghini will make me feel important!!!"

As you can see, these “Solutions” are very typical, though they are not SUSTAINABLE and they are far from OPTIMAL, they are quick fixes.  Neither Bariatric Surgery nor Liposuction address how or why a person became obese.  It addresses the symptom (obesity) of a greater problem (overeating, addiction to refined carbs, etc.).  Not feeling great usually has more to do with dissatisfaction with one’s situation (job, spouse, home life, etc.) not a chemical imbalance.  Buying something that you can’t afford may feel good in the short-term, but saving up for something, and sacrificing other purchases in order to get it, is more gratifying and it is SUSTAINABLE.  Think of the things that you have saved up for in order to purchase.  Whether it was your first car, a bicycle or a baseball card, you always think fondly about what you did to get it and you treat it with care and pride. 

The vast majority of things we want to change in our lives did not get to their current state overnight (e.g. poor physical health, bad relationships, unsatisfying job, etc.) so, we cannot solve problems overnight if they took weeks, months or years to develop.  Quick fixes are not sustainable so, we need to figure out what we can change right now that is sustainable.  So, how do we achieve the body we desire?  The answer lies in 3 areas:  1) Diet, 2) Exercise and 3) Lifestyle.  For those of us who are visual learners, I think of this as a Triangle.  If you think of a Triangle, you need at least 2 sturdy sides for it to remain a Triangle, if 1 side is weak, it can remain a Triangle if the other 2 are strong, but if 2 or all sides are weak, the Triangle will break so, if your Diet is suspect then, you need to utilize Exercise and Lifestyle to make up for it and vice versa.  Most people that I come across are missing all 3 so, it is no wonder why they do not have the Body they Desire.  Let’s dig a little deeper…

1) DIET – cut out the fake food / eat clean

I love the standard diet recommendation…find out your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), make a goal to lose a pound a week.  There are 3500 calories in a pound so, subtract 500 calories from your daily RMR and there you have it, the number of calories you should consume per day to lose weight!  Make the macronutrients even so 1/3^rd carbs, 1/3^rd fat and 1/3^rd protein.  Sometimes, a dietician might “spice it up” and do 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein.  Sorry, but I disagree. 

Let’s start with something very simple.  Most people don’t know what their macronutrient breakdown is on a daily basis, let alone the number of calories they consume and they certainly don’t know how many calories they are burning.  Regardless of whether you are dealing with the Average Joe or an Elite Athlete, removing the bad is as important as introducing the good.  Start out by eating clean foods and stay away from foods which are artificial and processed.  A simple recommendation I have is, “If it was never alive, don’t consume it.”  The further away from being alive something is, the worse it is for you.  If you look at a food label and you can’t pronounce the ingredients, let alone know what they are then, you are probably consuming something artificial.  Do you eat a doughnut every day for breakfast?  Do you drink soda with every meal?  Do you have a bowl of ice cream every night before bed?  Cut out something bad and THEN replace it with something good!  Going back to what is “Sustainable”, is an obese person going to sustain a diet of salads and vegetables when they are used to pizza and ice cream?  NO!!!  Ask them to cut out eating ice cream before bed and you will have more success.  Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is the Body you desire.

2) EXERCISE – Do SOMETHING

If you are overweight and you currently do NOTHING, I have a great recommendation: DO SOMETHING!!!  Go for a 30 minute walk each day, park further away from store entrances, take the stairs rather than the escalator / elevator.  In making these SIMPLE changes, you will expend more energy, burn calories and lose weight.  Once the simple changes are implemented and results are achieved then, we can talk about implementing a more standard exercise regimen consisting of Strength Training.  Going from doing nothing to a 3 or 4 day a week total body strength training routine is drastic and not sustainable.  Sure, that is the long-term goal, but you need to take it one step at a time.

3) LIFESTYLE – Get enough sleep, minimize alcohol consumption, stop smoking and minimize stress 

Sleep – Assuming the body you desire is not a fat one then, get your sleep!  In a recent study in the Pediatrics Journal, researchers at the University of Chicago found that obesity in children increases as needed sleep decreases⁽¹⁾.  But Kenny, I’m not a kid, I’m an adult!!!  Alright, calm down!!!  Research has also shown that if you get less than 5 hours of sleep, you are more likely to gain weight even if you eat less⁽²⁾.  The thought is that sleeping less alters your metabolism (slowing it down) which causes you to burn less calories.  Make sure you get solid restful sleep, keep the room dark and cool, make sure there is no noise and try to get 8 hours.

Brooklyn Decker gets 8 hours of sleep, no surprise there!

Drinking – Sorry folks, 12 ounce curls do not count as exercise!!!  Everyone knows that alcohol is not “good”, but what does it have to do with achieving the body we desire?  That answer lies in the impact that alcohol has on fat loss and it’s not pretty.  Alcohol gets metabolized by the body first, hence, while the liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, fat oxidation has ceased.  The more you drink, the longer it takes the liver to metabolize the alcohol and the longer you are waiting to burn fat.  “Because alcohol diverts fat from oxidation to storage, body weight is directly correlated with the level of alcohol consumption”⁽³⁾.  I understand that having a few drinks when you are with friends or at a party is going to happen, but keep the times that you drink to a minimum.  When you do drink, stick to clear liquors, avoid sugary drinks and try to make sure that the alcohol is out of your system before going to sleep so, you won’t mess up your body’s recovery and you will have a restful & restoring night’s sleep.

Tobacco – I don’t think that I need to beat a dead horse.  Smoking kills, end of story.  Carcinogens, deadly chemicals, addiction to nicotine; just some of the fun things that smoking cigarettes has to offer.  If you check out the CDC website, it mentions that tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death.  If that is not convincing enough for you then, how about the fact that national data collected by the CDC suggests that, on average, adult smokers die about 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.  Smoking is not one I would recommend cutting back on because any amount is bad.  Smoking is binary, it is all or none and none is your best option.

Stress – We all know stress is not good.  If we go back many many years ago to the time of our ancestors, I’m not talking about Grandma and Grandpa, I’m talking tens or hundreds of thousands of years ago, stress was acute NOT chronic.  Stress occurred very infrequently.  Some examples of caveman stress included running away from a predator or avoiding falling objects (trees, boulders, etc.).  Today, stress is nearly constant.  We have stress at home, stress at work, we are trying to make ends meet, etc., it is enough to drive a person off the deep end!!!  Stress has all sorts of deleterious effects on your body, especially when trying to achieve the body you desire.  Let’s look at the stress hormone cortisol.  Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland and it is an anti-inflammatory.  It is secreted when our “fight or flight” response gets activated and it is key in returning the body to homeostasis.  The concentration of cortisol in our body is highest when we wake up in the morning and lowest at night before we go to bed.  This is the “normal” situation, but when you experience prolonged stress throughout the day, your cortisol levels remain elevated into the evening.  Elevated cortisol levels have a strong link to obesity, heart disease and elevated LDL cholesterol levels⁽⁴⁾.  Stress is a bit trickier than sleep, alcohol and tobacco because stress is inherently based on the individual.  We all know people in our lives that stress about everything, the weather, their clothes, what people think about them, etc.  While it is easier said than done, relax and chill out.  Seriously, think about what gets you stressed out and address it.  One thing that I like to do when I have something that is stressing me is to ask myself, “Will this matter 3 days from now?  Will this matter 3 weeks from now?  Will this matter 3 months from now?  Will this matter 3 years from now?”  The vast majority of stressors probably won’t even matter 3 days from now.  Techniques that you can employ to reduce stress include yoga, taking slow deep breaths (10 secs in, 10 secs out) and simply removing yourself from the stress for awhile.  Leave work and take a walk, get some fresh air or go blow off steam at the gym.

Ah, life without stress...let's go kill something!

To review, Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle are the Keys to achieving the body you desire.  Remove bad foods from your Diet and replace them with good foods.  From an Exercise perspective, do more than you currently do.  Don’t get caught up with doing some fancy routine, be realistic and get started by increasing your activity level.  In terms of Lifestyle, get plenty of sleep, minimize alcohol consumption, do not smoke and reduce your stress through breathing techniques or yoga.  Focus on things which are SUSTAINABLE and OPTIMAL, this is not a “quick fix”.

I will leave you with a profound quote which is relevant to achieving the body you desire:

“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.”
- Henry Ford

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

References:

1) Spruyt, Karen; Molfese, Dennis L. and Gozal, David.”Sleep Duration, Sleep Regularity, Body Weight, and Metabolic Homeostasis in School-aged Children.” Pediatrics, Vol. 127, Number 2, February 2011.  Published online 24 January 2011

2) Presentation by Dr. Sanjay Patel, American Thoracic Society, International Conference, San Diego, California, May 19-24, 2006

3) Speroff, Leon and Fritz, Marc A., “Clinical gynecologic endocrinology and infertility”, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005, pg. 782

4) Rosmond, Roland; Dallman, Mary F. and Bjorntorp, Per, “Stress-related Cortisol Secretion in Men: Relationships with Abdominal Obesity and Endocrine, Metabolic and Hemodynamic Abnormalities”, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1998; Vol. 83, No. 6, pgs. 1853-1859

At one point in the children’s story Alice in Wonderland, Alice comes to a fork in the road.  She is confronted by the Cheshire cat and she asks which path she should follow.  The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter what path you take.”  It is very simple, before you can figure out what path to go down, you have to figure out where you are going!

“If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter what path you take.”

Strength Training:  Do you want to build muscle?  Do you want to Burn Fat?  Add 50 LBS to your Deadlift?  Become a Powerlifter?  Become a Bodybuilder?  Without defining your goal, you cannot determine what program and protocol is optimal.  Figure out your goal and work backwards from there.  Once you implement a plan, you can determine your progress.  You can track whether or not you are getting better, stagnating or falling behind.  If you are getting better, keep going!  If you are stagnating or failing, assess the situation and determine why.  One thing is for sure; you can’t progress if you don’t have a goal to strive towards.

Life:  The most frustrating feeling in life is to feel that you have stagnated or that you do not have a purpose.  Every time the lottery gets big, people go out and buy the tickets and decide what they will do if they win.  Once they lose, that excitement goes away, but why?  Most of us feel that we have no control in our lives and if you do not have a goal or a list of goals that you want to accomplish then, you are wandering aimlessly through life.  As the story goes, many years ago in the early 1900’s, a consultant named Ivy Lee approached Charles Schwab and asked him what it would be worth to him to discover the greatest productivity enhancer known to man.  Schwab was skeptical and asked what it was.  Lee said to him that every day he should write a list of the most important things he needed to accomplish for that particular day and cross them off as he accomplished them.  After a few weeks, Schwab was so amazed at the effectiveness and results of this seemingly simple piece of advice that he sent Ivy Lee a check for $25,000 as a sign of gratitude!!!  Set long-term and short-term goals that you want to accomplish.  Start simple: make a To Do list and do it. 

2) Keep a Positive Attitude

Strength Training:  I can tell you from personal experience the power of a Positive Attitude when Lifting.  I have had times where I was in the middle of a rep, pushing as hard as I could, and as soon as the words “I can’t” crept into my head, the weight fell.  Amazingly, I can psyche myself up by telling myself that I am a BEAST, FREAK or ANIMAL, I give myself some confidence and I proceed to jack the weight up.  In those seconds between failure and success, did I get stronger?  Did my muscles grow?  No way!  I brought about a positive attitude and was able to achieve my goal.  ALWAYS be positive, nothing good has ever been achieved from negativity.

Life:  I can’t stand negative people.  On public transit, walking through the mall or anywhere else, there are negative people EVERYWHERE.  I am not saying that you always have to be happy.  Heck, if you are out of work or you just had a fight with your spouse or you are just having a bad day, I am not going to come hand you a lollipop and tell you to cheer up.  I can tell you one thing though, you won’t feel better until you have a positive attitude.  Think about when you get great service at a restaurant or there is someone very helpful at the store, do they tend to be negative and miserable?  No, typically they are in a good mood and they probably smile too!  Remember what your Mother said, “It could always be worse”.  There are children with Cancer, people who are starving and plenty of other horrible situations out there so, be happy and thankful for all of the blessings you have. 

3) Be CONSISTENT

Strength Training: You can’t train 3 days one week and 1 time the next and expect to get the results you desire.  You need to stay focused and train consistently to achieve your goals.  If you are an athlete, when you are sleeping or playing video games, there is someone else out there who is training and preparing.  The only way to combat that is to be consistent in your own training so, you can ensure maximum development and progress.  In terms of muscle development, “protein synthesis is elevated after acute resistance exercise and remains elevated for up to 48 hours.” ⁽¹⁾  It is for this reason that it is recommended that you train within 48 hours of your previous training session in order to ensure continued progress, hence you need to train consistently in order get maximum results.

Life:  The same rule applies.  If you have a great idea and you only spend a day working on it and you don’t develop it further, nothing will ever come of it.  Stay the course and see your idea through.  Even if it doesn’t work out, you will have learning experience which will guide you in the future.

4) Do what is best for YOU

It is YOUR life, not anyone else’s so, live it that way!!!  A famous quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet comes to mind: “To thine own self be true”.  Be yourself, discover your passion and pursue it relentlessly.

Strength Training: If your training partner wants to bench 500 pounds, but you want to get huge all around then, don’t do his Chest-Specific benching regimen, go your own way.  Be your own person.

Life:  Maybe one of your parents is a doctor and they want you to be a doctor, the passion won’t be there if you don’t want to do it and you will be a disservice to your patients and yourself.  Be your own person and do what YOU love to do. 

5) Massive ACTION

You may have heard the term “paralysis by analysis”.  Too often I see people concerned with having the PERFECT plan, in both strength training and business.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, JUST DO IT!!!  Don’t talk about it, DO IT!!!  You can always tweak and change things as you go along, but the most important thing is to get moving!!!

Strength Training:  It is more important to put forth the effort than to have the perfect plan.  Besides, you won’t know what is best for you if you don’t go forth and train with different exercises and movements.  As you train, you will be able to optimize and develop the appropriate plan.

Life:  You want to find a spouse?  You want to get a raise?  You want to get more business?  Don’t get stuck on thinking of the perfect approach, go forth and act and change your approach as you go.  Go talk to a bunch of chicks and hone your game.  Go the extra mile and do things to impress your boss.  Service your clients so well that they would feel guilty about not coming back for more!!!

6) Pareto Optimality – the 80/20 Rule

Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist from the early 20^th century.  Pareto discovered that 80% of the wealth in Italy was in the hands of 20% of the population.  The extension of this is that 20% of the input is responsible for 80% of the results. There are many examples in business, economics and nature that validate this relationship.

Strength Training: In a very literal sense, if you do 10 reps, the last 2 reps are responsible for 80% of your results.  It just so happens that the last 2 reps are the hardest 2 reps of the set ALWAYS!!!  If you do 10 exercises, 2 of the exercises are responsible for 80% of your results.

Life: If you work 10 hours, 80% of your output is accomplished in 2 hours.  Think about that for a moment…how much time do you spend reading e-mails, drinking coffee, chatting with co-workers and surfing the Internet?  I would bet that it is the majority of your work day; hence a small part of your work day is responsible for the majority of your work output.  When I speak of Pareto, I try to tell people not to focus on being perfect since 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort and it is a great rule of thumb to follow.

7) Surround yourself with the BEST, ideally those who are BETTER

You can tell a lot about a person by the Company they keep.  Are you successful?  If not, take a look around…are your friends and associates successful?  Do people like Michael Jordan, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett hang out with losers, drug addicts and people going nowhere in life?  NO!!!  In fact, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett play cards together, is that a coincidence? No, it is not!!!  The people around you are either making you better or tearing you down, strive to be with people who have achieved what you want or who have the same aspirations as you.

Strength Training:  When the average person hears the name Arnold Schwarzenegger, they probably think of him being a movie star or even his current role as the Governor of California.  Those of us who are into lifting think of his reign as Mr. Olympia and that he set the standard for what it means to be huge and powerful.  Every kid who read “The Education of a Bodybuilder” wanted to be Arnold, eating meat in the woods, lifting boulders and doing chin ups on tree branches, but if you asked me the first name that came to mind when Arnold is mentioned, I think of Franco Columbu.  Franco was Arnold’s training partner through his run of Mr. Olympia titles and they came to America together.  Many times Franco was a runner-up to Arnold, but it is no coincidence that the #1 bodybuilder (Arnold) had a top 5 bodybuilder (Franco) as his training partner.  Train with the best and it will make you better.

Arnold's success is no surprise when you see his training partner Franco Columbu.

Life:  So, you want to be a successful, right?  Thursday, Friday and Saturday night you are drinking you face off chasing some tail at the bar, way to go!  Hey, have you run into Bill Gates, Warren Buffett or Richard Branson yet?  No?  Hmmm…that’s odd.  Got any great business ideas from those adventures?  Made a lot of money during those times?  I think you get the picture.  It is NOT a matter of saying, “don’t go out, just work, no play!”  The point I am making is to look around yourself at the bar and other similar social situations, where are these people going in life?  Nowhere fast?  You are better off surrounding yourself with entrepreneurs and people you aspire to be rather than people who you don’t respect and are not making you better.

’8) Small Goals lead to big goals

Small goals are the stepping stones to larger goals.  Before you graduate college and get a job, you have to do your homework, take tests and pass classes.  One reading assignment is a small goal which leads to the bigger goals of passing a test and eventually the class.

Strength Training:  If your goal is to bench press 300 LBS, you are not going to accomplish that goal by trying to bench 300 LBS until you are able to do it.  You have to start with what you can do and then, little by little, add weight until you are able to lift 300 LBS.  This concept is better known as progressive resistance.  A famous story which illustrates this is that of Milo and the Bull.  Milo grew up around in the 6^th century BC in a Greek colony in what is present day Southern Italy.  Milo was an Olympic wrestling champion known for his incredible feats of strength.  As the story goes, Milo’s father bought him a calf and asked him how big it was every day.  Milo proceeded to pick up the calf and show it to his father every time he asked how big it was.  He did this until the calf was a full-sized bull.  Every day as the calf grew, Milo’s strength grew and the concept of progressive resistance was born.  Milo was not able to lift the bull overnight, but by lifting it every day as it grew, he grew as well and was able to eventually lift a mature bull.

Life: Think of anyone who you are impressed by in life.  Those people may be on top of the World today, but what about 5, 10 or 20 years ago?  Those who are considered the best in Sports and Entertainment developed their skills over time until they mastered their craft.  Before someone became a movie star, they had to get a part in their high school play or a small commercial.  These small goals led to larger goals later on.  It is said that you need to put in 10,000 hours to Master a topic area.  The larger goal of 10,000 hours is a compilation of many smaller goals.  Set small goals which will lead to bigger goals in the future.

9) Create a Mastermind Group

This is a concept that I got from Napoleon Hill, the writer of the famous book ”Think and Grow Rich” which I HIGHLY recommend reading.  The purpose of a Mastermind Group is to help you stay on track and maintain focus.  Your Mastermind Group is a small group of people who you can bounce ideas off of, get feedback from and keep you on track towards achieving your goals.

Strength Training:  Get a good training partner or find someone who knows their stuff and have them critique you and make sure that you are staying on track towards achieving your goals.  If you are a Bodybuilder, have someone tell you what areas you need to improve upon.  If you are a Powerlifter, have someone observe your technique to ensure that you are doing the lifts properly.  If you are an athlete, figure out the skills which are important for your sport (strength, speed, quickness, etc.) and have someone determine your baseline and figure out areas of improvement and monitor your progress.

Life: Have a close knit group of friends and business associates who you are able to bounce business ideas off of.  Determine what things are worth pursuing and craft a plan that makes sense.  As you follow through with the plan, meet periodically with your Mastermind Group to find out what you are doing correctly, possible areas of improvement and whether or not any changes need to be made.  This will ensure constant & consistent improvement and progress.

10) NEVER GIVE UP

Talk to anyone who is successful and they will tell you that persistence is the key to success.  Thomas Edison famously said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”.  There are plenty of times where you will want to give up, quitting is easy, but achieving success is never easy, yet it is the most satisfying.  When we think of failure, Michael Jordan is NOT a name that comes to mind, but read this quote by Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”  Failure is a part of success; just realize that failure is only permanent if you allow it to be.

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Strength Training: I can’t tell you how many Powerlifters get stuck at a particular bench, deadlift or squat, sometimes for months.  There are also countless Body Builders who measure a particular body part incessantly and feel like it will never grow.  The only way to guarantee that they will stay stuck is if they quit.  Perhaps you need to change something up or bring up a weak area in order to progress, but take the attitude of never settling and be confident that you will succeed and that is what will occur.

Life: Don’t let anyone EVER take your dreams away from you.  If you have a goal or dream, pursue it.  People love to knock you down, but that is because they are jealous and wish that they had your drive and discipline.  I have had people say to me, “How big do you want to get?  You don’t want to be TOO big…right?”  My response is always, “Oh no, I don’t want to be too big, I want to be BIGGER THAN THAT!!!”  This also goes back to the earlier point we made about having a positive attitude.  Don’t let negative people tear you down.  Find like-minded people who will make you better. Let the haters and naysayers say and do whatever they want.  When you are on top of the mountain, you won’t hear their voices anymore.

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References:

(1) Baechle, Thomas R. and Earle , Roger W. “Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning”. 3rd Edition. Human Kinetics, 2008. pg. 100.

Player Profile from Senior Year at Boston College in 2006.

1) At what age did you begin weight training and what type of regimen did you do?

AV: I guess I started using weights at 17 during my junior year in High Sschool.  I went to a Private Boarding School in Massachusetts called Governor Dummer Academy.  We had a decent gym and we also had Athletic Trainers, but no strength coaches.

2) What sports did you play in High School and what was the training like for them?  Did you have a Strength Coach?

AV: Basketball was my primary sport so I had the misconception that it was not good to lift weights as a basketball player.  I used to only do lunges and work my shoulders because somehow I understood the importance of having strong shoulders for impact and lunges to develop first step quickness.  I also ran track and field 100m, 200m and 400m.  I only started playing football my senior year of HS, and only then did I start to do traditional barbell exercises like the bench press and back squat.  I did start doing plyometric training at a young age.  I was infatuated with jumping high.  I remember using Air Alert Plyometric program and I actually used a pair of Strength Shoes too.

3) You red-shirted at Rutgers and trained with their strength coach, what did that routine consist of?

AV: I redshirted my freshman year at Rutgers, so I got a chance to be more involved with development under Strength & Conditioning Coach Jay Butler.  I arrived on campus really early in the summer and worked out with the upper classmen.  Everything was very new to me so, I had a chance to learn Olympic lifts (Cleans and Snatches) which I loved.  We did a lot of strong man, strength work in the gym, benching, back squats, tire lifts etc. On the field, we did speed and agility work.  Our conditioning test consisted of 110 yards sprints for 16 reps.  I transferred to Boston College and worked with a good Strength & Conditioning coach Todd Rice who was very good with Olympic lifting and sprinting Technique and form.  He really stressed the importance of flexibility and injury prevention. I don’t think too many players were injured during his tenure there unless it was one of those freak accidents which no one could have prevented.

4) What was the difference when you trained under Coach Boyle?  What did you find most effective?

AV: Probably the biggest difference when I trained with Coach Boyle was the focus on developing single leg strength.  The key takeaway was being able to perform our lifts and movements without jeopardizing our bodies and causing injuries.  We would always incorporate auxiliary lifts and movements.  There was also a lot of emphasis on strengthening the shoulder girdle and joint stabilization.  I also ran my fastest times since High School in the 40 yard dash and the other standard testing for a football combine.  Coach Boyle, Jonas Beauchemin (now an assistant with the Atlanta Falcons) and his entire staff definitely helped me develop a lot and improve my overall athleticism.  Most importantly, training under Coach Boyle and his staff allowed me to gain a great deal of knowledge through application by doing the things he was teaching and getting a real feel and knowledge for how things should work, which I apply to my current career in fitness.  

5) How did you find his single leg training versus traditional bilateral leg training?  Was it helpful / more effective?

AV: I found the single leg training protocol to be very beneficial and effective in the development of my speed.  IF you think about it, we do not run on both legs simultaneously.  We run on one foot / leg at a time.  If we strengthen individually strength both legs to be as equal as possible, we can go ahead and assume that we will improve bilateral strength.  With single leg work, we strengthen our legs while developing ankle mobility, knee stability and hip mobility.  I know that my first step coming out of a three-point stance is very important because the knee and hip have to absorb the shock of the step and be able to produce the cycle of the second leg.  If my push-off leg is not strong then, I would just collapse or it would take me more time to cycle through the movement because it would take more energy to withhold the eccentric movement.  Basically, I am trying to say that the 1^st step is critical and you need to have enough strength in one leg to absorb such a powerful impact and generate maximum force.

6) Do you focus on single leg training when you train clients or do you do bilateral work as well?

AV: I focus on training my clients in both realms.  I train them unilaterally to address any imbalance issues.  Most clients are not professional athletes so, most of their movements are going to be bilateral.  Sitting on, and getting up from, an office chair is a box squat.  They need to be able to squat properly in order to get out of their chair effectively thousands of times throughout the work year.  But, if they are favoring one side over the other then, they are placing more stress on one side and will compensate over time.  Addressing an imbalance unilaterally will improve their bilateral movements.

7) As a trainer at Peak Performance in NYC, you have a variety of clients but most are from the corporate world.  How do you incorporate what you learned though training as an athlete into your clients’ routines?

AV: Clients love to be pushed, they want to be challenged and I want to push and challenge them.  They face challenges everyday in sales, in the financial markets and in delivering results for their companies.  So, they are athletes not on a field, but in an office.  Most importantly, I do not want them to get hurt.  If they get hurt, they cannot work.  Just like athletes, if we get hurt in the gym we cannot play on the field.  Clients want to feel what it is like to be an athlete at a high level.  I believe everyone is an athlete in their own sense, and can be trained like an athlete at their own individual pace and capacity.  I believe that a lot of my training success comes from the fact that I love all my clients and I want to see them succeed, almost to the point where they actually do not need me anymore.  It may sound funny in our field, but to me that is a great thing.  I have been able to teach someone and get them to a point where they feel comfortable enough to go out and try the things that I have taught them successfully without injuring themselves. 

’8) Antonio, thank you so much for this interview.  There is a tremendous amount of value in the information you provided and the knowledge you gained from your unique experiences as a Division 1 College Football player.  Any final thoughts?

AV:  I want to thank Joe Dowdell, owner of Peak Performance.  In the summer of 2006, he introduced me to dynamic warm up, activation, pre and post workout foam rolling and was very helpful in program design.  These are major keys for a proper Strength and Conditioning program and I incorporate these techniques with all of my clients.  Continue training and learning; this is a field of never-ending education.  Thanks for having me.  

If you are in New York City and want to train with Antonio: click here

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If you answered “A lot more money than me!”, you are correct, but the answer I am looking for is, “They are all trained by Todd Durkin.”  Not a bad group of guys to have on your resume

Who Dat? 2009 NFL MVP Drew Brees performs a TRX plank with Todd Durkin

What is Todd Durkin’s “secret”?
A:  It goes beyond knowledge and has everything to do with I.M.P.A.C.T.  IMPACT is the combination of a philosophy on life and training.

IMPACT is an acronym that Todd created; the following is an explanation:
I = Live INSPIRED –
Talk from your heart and soul
Stay inspired by writing down goals and planning ways to achieve them
Inspire others by giving more and acknowledging those around you

M = MASTER YOUR CRAFT –
Become great at what you do and the money will come
Hone in on your niche
Continue to invest in yourself

P = PLAY at World Class Levels –
Be persistent and mentally tough
Always have faith and believe in yourself
Surround yourself by the best and it will make you better

A = ACTION -
Every day have a “To Do List” and DO IT!
Have a daily, weekly and long-term list of 5 things you are going to do

C = CONDITIONING –
The way you train is the way you live
Your 2 most precious resources are 1) Your physical energy and 2) Your mental focus

T = Be TENACIOUS

I can tell you firsthand that Todd practices what he preaches.  When you talk to him, you feel like you are the only person in the room and Todd is the kind of guy that could motivate you to be excited about raking a pile of leaves!  The ability to listen and motivate are KEY elements of success in coaching and Todd has both.

I experienced the “C” in IMPACT when I went through Todd’s “Impact Challenge” Metabolic Circuit and it is BEASTLY!!!

IMPACT CHALLENGE – as many reps as possible for 60 seconds then rest 60 seconds
1) Jam Ball Slams
2) Bosu Release Pushups
3) Rows with the TRX Suspension Trainer
4) Jump Rope with a Heavy Rope (pretty sure it was a 10 LB rope)
5) Heavy Rope Slams

The Impact Challenge Metabolic Circuit utilizes the same philosophy as High Intensity Interval Training to increase metabolic stress through incomplete recovery.  Bouts of high intensity exercise (i.e. above lactate threshold) results in an increase in growth hormone secretion⁽¹⁾.  Growth hormone is lipolytic (i.e. burns fat) hence, high intensity exercise helps burn fat⁽²⁾.

To learn more about Todd Durkin: click here
Check out Todd’s book, “The IMPACT! Body Plan”:
The IMPACT! Body Plan: Build New Muscle, Flatten Your Belly & Get Your Mind Right!

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

References:

(1) Nancy E. Felsing, Jo Anne Brasel, and Dan M. Cooper, Effect of Low and High Intensity Exercise on Circulating Growth Hormone in Men, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 1992; Vol. 75, No. 1: pg. 160.
(2) Malin Ottosson, Peter Lonnroth, Per Bjorntorp, and Staffan Eden, Effects of Cortisol and Growth Hormone on Lipolysis in Human Adipose Tissue, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2000; Vol. 85, No. 2: pgs. 801-802.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Boyle at the Perform Better Seminar at the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn, NJ on 12/4.  Fortunately, I had the opportunity to learn more about his hallmark single leg training protocol.

Coach Boyle started out by telling us that he has all of his athletes and clients start out by doing bilateral squats.  Interestingly, he said, “Once you can squat right with 2 legs, I will never have you do it again.  That is when we get into single leg work.”

Coach Boyle started us out with the Goblet squat, which he said that he learned about from another great strength coach, Dan John.  He told us to hold a kettlebell with the horns down, like a goblet, as if you were going to drink from it.

The progressions were:
1) Bilateral Goblet Squat
2) Single Leg Reverse Lunge (KB in Goblet position)
3) Split Squat, (KB in Goblet position)
4) Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (KB in Goblet position)

Coach Boyle also showed us the Reverse Slide Lunge and the Reach out hip extension.

When he finished, I asked him if the goal were maximum hypertrophy, would he still advocate single leg work and he said, “Of course, for overall leg development, single leg work is superior.”

Let’s dig a bit deeper…

What is the weakest link in doing a standard barbell bilateral back squat?
A: Your Back.

How do you remove the weakest link?
A: Do single leg work where you don’t load the back (hold a single dumbbell in the goblet position or 2 dumbbells at the sides with arms extended down)

Coach Mike Boyle demonstrates the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat for his staff.

The king of all single-leg exercises is the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (RFESS)

In regards to the rear-foot-elevated split squat, Coach Boyle says, “The RFESS has numerous benefits. Beginners, for example, will develop balance and hip flexibility, along with strength, size, and the all-important ability to endure a high level of discomfort while training. But the really dramatic results come when more advanced lifters load up the exercise. You can apply huge weights to your leg muscles with limited spinal compression”⁽¹⁾

A few years ago, Coach Boyle decided to look at RFESS versus the traditional back squat.  His athletes’ 1RM (One-Rep Max) for the Back Squat ranged from 290 to 460 pounds.  The test weights for the single leg work were half that or 145 and 230 pounds, respectively.  After 6 weeks, the weakest and strongest guys both were able to do 14 reps on each leg with the 145 and 230 pounds!!!  The implied new 1RM, by Coach Boyle’s estimation, would be about 675LBS in the stronger lifter.  To improve a back squat in 6 weeks from 460 to 675 LBS is unheard of.  His 2 conclusions were: 1) If he focused on the back squat for 6 weeks, there is no way he would be able to achieve the level of improvement which he did with single leg work AND 2) An athletes’ legs can handle far more weight than the back is capable of transmitting.⁽¹⁾

So, should you never do front and back squats again?  I wouldn’t go that far, but it is hard to argue with these results.  Personally, the light bulb went on for me when I was asked, “When you run, are you ever pushing off on both legs at the same?”  Nope, you are not.

Try it out for yourself and see what you think.  If you don’t have the luxury of spotters or a squat rack, single leg work can be done successfully alone so, it is even more relevant / applicable for those of us without a training partner or if you prefer to train alone.

Learn more about Coach Mike Boyle here: click here

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References:

(1) “Build Bigger Legs, One at a Time” by Michael Boyle, published on www.T-Nation.com on 8/3/09.

Compared to our ancestors, we are out of shape, tired and weaker.  This is the result of having a bad diet, not getting enough sleep and not getting enough of, nor the right type of, exercise. 

Diet
In terms of human evolution, compared to our ancestors we are fatter and weaker NOT bigger and stronger.  This is due, in part, to the fact that the hunt has become too easy.  We don’t need to socialize and develop our brains to get food, we just go to the store.  When we get to the store, we choose to consume toxic foods that are fried or have artificial ingredients.  Right now, the 2-5 age demographic is the most dangerous from an overall health perspective.

We need to stick to natural wholesome foods.  We should not consume anything that is fried, artificial or labeled as “diet”.  For those who are unaware, Splenda was designed to kill ants and Aspartame kills rats.  Neither sound like something we should be putting in our bodies.

Sleep
Get 8 hours of sleep minimum and do not use an alarm clock.  Make sure the room is dark and about 65 degrees in temperature.  Every 15 minutes more of sleep we get, our IQ raises 5 points.  How do you know you are getting enough sleep?  If you need a coffee to get up then you are not getting enough sleep.  Without enough sleep, you increase your risk of obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, to name a few. 

Exercise
Exercise is fundamental to longevity.  When it comes to exercise, people think that CRAZY = GOOD.  Our larger brain, as compared to our ancestors, has led to the interesting yet illogical development of conceived exercises.

Illogical 4 of exercise selection:
1) It should be new
2) It should be cool
3) It makes you sore
4) It makes you tired

A great exercise solution would be to run again.  Sprint 30-40 yards to get the nervous system going.  Run on the balls of your feet not your heels, which are to be used for braking.  It is better to use your muscles to run rather than bones & ligaments.

Importance of Sprinting (TENT)

T = Technical – it doesn’t need to be taught, it is a natural movement.

E = Energy System Development – it burns fat and fires up big muscles.  It gets your brain working; there is a cascade of chemicals secreted by your brain when you sprint.

N = Neural Stimulation – the less muscle mass you have, the sooner you die.  Your nervous system needs to fire and sprinting accomplishes that.

T = Tempering the Body – you have to temper steel to work with it and the body is no different.  Sprinting works your bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Sprinting also involves leverage.  Changing the levers makes things faster.  When your legs are bent, they are a short lever (fast).  When your legs are stretched, they are a long lever (strong).  We have to push backwards to move forwards.  We are pulling our foot back into the ground, which activates our hamstrings and our glutes.

Coach Martin Rooney demonstrating proper sprint technique

The most important technical aspect to teach is arm action.  The faster your arms move, the faster your legs move because our legs move as fast as our arms.  If you learn to run faster, your nervous system will become activated quicker and you will perform better.

Two ways to get faster:
1) Stride Frequency – take more steps
2) Stride Length – have a longer stride

Paleontologists can’t agree how the dinosaurs went extinct, but all agree that they went extinct due to an inability to change.  Eating clean foods, getting at least 8 hours of sleep and engaging in exercise that develops strength will increase your longevity, improve your overall health and help you feel more energetic.  The solutions are simple, but it is up to us to make these changes in our lives.  As a species, if we do not change then, we will suffer the same fate as the dinosaurs.

Martin had several great recommendations throughout the day.  He focused on being very attentive to details.  You need to do the basics right in order to perform at the highest levels.  As a Coach, he said that you should be really good at something before asking someone else to do it,   Mastery is making complex things simple and you can’t do what you always did to get what you want.  Martin Rooney is very energetic and engaging and he was more than willing to answer any and all questions.  If you have not done so, please try to get out and hear him speak.  You can find out more about Martin here: click here

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