In the past, I’ve shared the best exercises for rapid fat loss and strengthening muscles, featuring variations of multi-joint, compound movements for your upper body (e.g. push-ups, pull-ups, rows, dips, etc.), lower body (squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc.), and core (pillar holds and rotational core exercises). These exercises will provide the biggest bang each and every time, for maximum results in less time. Even better are total body combo exercises like a squat to curl or lunge to press or a squat thrust and pillar variation that takes the whole body workouts to new level.

But, that is not what today’s information is about.

Let’s focus on the most popular exercises you should NEVER do. The following list includes movements and machines that deliver little to no results and can even cause injury.

The 7 Popular Exercises You Should NEVER Do

1.) Abs Machine



Walk into ANY gym on the planet - you will find this useless hunk of junk.

Here's the deal: Crunches and sit-ups only promote excessive flexion of the lumbar spine and tend to cause neck and back pain.

What’s worse than crunches or sit-ups?

Doing a similar movement with added weight in a machine that only trains your body in an unnatural front to back motion in a seated position! Yup, good ol' ab machine!

Yes, an abs machine, like a crunch or sit-up, do make you "feel" like you're working the abdominal muscles, but there are far better ways to accomplish this without the high risk of short and long-term injury to your spine.

Remember, the true function of your core is stabilization, both static and dynamic- to be able to maintain a neutral, straight-line position from your hips to your shoulders in all 3 planes of movement (front to back, side to side, and rotational) no matter what the external stimulus may be. In other words: STOP doing this stupid machine, and while you're at it, ELIMINATE crunches and sit ups from your fat loss workout routine. It's pointless for melting fat from your belly.

Better Training Update: For lean, athletic abdominals, you need to focus on pillar stabilization exercises like front, side, and back pillars with ground based rotational core movements with chop variations and upper body twisting motions.

2.) Lower Back Machine



If I DESPISE this useless abs machine, what do think I have to say about the “lower back” machine?

Just like its counterpart, you see it in every gym on the planet...and yet, it still ranks as one of the most stupid exercise machines ever created.

First, people already use too much of their “back” on most movements because of having tight hips, joints and inactive or weak glute muscles. Because of this, I recommend to focus more on hip extension movements that strengthen your rear, rather than continually overloading the spinal erectors. This will help correct muscle imbalances.

Second, just like the abs machine, this bonehead machine trains your body in one plane of movement - in a fixed path and, as a result, does not strengthen your key stabilizer muscles. Big omission, not good.

Lastly, the way that most people perform this movement is out of control – fast, jerking of the weight back and forth…not a good idea when it comes to performing any type of weight training.

Better Training Update: For a functionally strong, stable back, you should focus on correctly performing more deadlifts, good mornings, and hip extension variations while simultaneously focusing on the corrective stretching and self-massage of the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip (LPH) area. A prone cobra, or airplane as it is sometimes called, is also a great exercise to improve spinal erector endurance while simultaneously improving scapular strength and stability.

3.) Leg Extension Machine



OK, I’ll admit it…I remember doing this exercise machine years and years ago. I thought I was so cool in the gym, because I would load up the entire stack and abuse the living hell out of knees trying to accomplish 3 sets of 10. I cringe when I think of the damage I could easily do the 2 most precious joints on my body.

Listen, here is the bottom line…this machine has the potential to cause havoc on your knees.

The excessive compressions on your patella will without a doubt results in the brake down of articular cartilage, which will in turn result in a bunch of arthroscopic knee surgeries to remove loose bodies and eventually full blown crippling arthritis. Doesn’t sound fun to me.

In other words: Avoid this machine like swine flu!

Better Training Update: For functionally strong, stable knees, focus on both knee-dominant (lunge, step-up, and single-leg squat variations) with hip-dominant SINGLE-leg exercises (single-leg hip extension, deadlift, and good morning variations) to prevent strength imbalances between limbs AND to prevent muscle imbalances between your front and backside muscle groups.

4.) Fly Machine



If your goal is tear your chest apart and destroy your shoulder's rotator cuff, then by all means, please include this machine to your exercise routine.

Again, the use of this machine virtually eliminates the valuable stabilizer muscle training…especially in and around your shoulders. Big omission, not good.

Better Training Update: For functionally strong, stable shoulder muscles, you should focus on performing an equal amount of pushing and pulling exercises. In fact, more pulling exercises initially may be a good idea if you find yourself hunchbacked from years of focusing on your mirror muscles (chest, abs, and arms) while neglecting your shoulders (front, upper and mid shoulder areas). For pushing exercise ideas, the best thing you can do is include a plethora of these push up variations. With proper form and technique, they will safely train the entire front side of your body but will also engage your upper back musculature in a way that the bench press never could.

You can also benefit from adding a dumbbell fly movement to your routine as well.

5.) Elliptical Machine



Listen, if you are struggling with severe obesity and have not exercised in over 10 years, then this machine MIGHT have a small purpose. Otherwise, it’s not really the best. Not even close.

Yes, it is a low-impact alternative to running on a treadmill (which just the thought of makes my knees ache), but there is limited range of motion during the movement and does not burn nearly as many calories as the little control panel on the machine claims it does.

Furthermore, the elliptical is not a good machine to do fat-burning intervals on because it promotes excessive hyperextension or strain on the knee. This can easily result in injury at high levels of speed or resistance. Ouch. However, if you are looking for a quick steady-state cardio fix following your peak intensity interval training, this maybe might be a choice, but not usually.

Think about this for a moment…what is very first machine people who are new to bodyweight cardio exercise try when they are in the gym? The elliptical! Why? Because it’s so freakin’ easy!

Trust me, I have been there…plodding away for hours on this dang thing. I used to convince myself that the elliptical was a good option for me because I wanted to protect my knees. But then I finally woke up one day I realized I needed to get better results and provide better recovery from my training. This included corrective stretching and self-massage on my front/inner/outer hips and thighs to improve my tissue recovery and ability to heal AND improve hip and ankle mobility to take pressure off of my knees so that I could be functionally strong and limber.

Better Training Update: For optimal results during your cardio training, you have to focus on intervals. It’s a fact that these protocols will burn 9 times more body fat than aerobics and also result in greater improvements in overall conditioning than long, boring, steady-state cardio. If you are overweight/de-conditioned and/or have joint issues, a more logical place to start an interval training program is on a spin bike, or better yet, an Airdyne Bike which has both upper and lower body attachments to make it more of a complete body conditioning workout.

If you want to crank it equipment free, use body weight based exercises like jumping jacks, stationary running, split jumps and the like.

6.) Abductor/Adductor Combo Machine AKA "Sex Machine"



Ah, the seated sex machine… this one reminds me a time years and years ago where me and my buddies would stand around at the gym watching some hot chick crank out 100 reps, or if we were lucky, a 1,000 reps on this dumb machine. Yes, those were the good times. ;)

But here is the reality: no amount of opening and closing of your legs on this machine will help you fit into your “skinny jeans”. I know you’re smiling – I laughed out loud when I just wrote that description.

Women all over the world seem convinced to this day that this “naughty” machine can some how help them burn off the cellulite or rid themselves of the “jiggle thigh syndrome”.

How many times have I heard: “What exercises can I do to get rid of this flabby leg fat” or to “trim and tone” their legs? Way too many to count.

Shall I remind you that spot reduction training is a MYTH? Seriously, no amount of direct inner or other hip-thigh rotations will burn that unhealthy fat covering those sexy legs buried deep inside.

What do you say? You with me? First, clean out all of the junk carbs from your daily diet and starting consuming lean proteins, healthy fats, and fruits and nutrient dense veggies every 2-4 hours while pouring water down your throat like a crazy person. The reality is that most of us do not drink enough water, though you think you might. Drink more. Got it?

Then of course, get off that seated sex machine and get your hiney into a total body interval based workout!

Better Training Update: The most effective movement and exercises for your inner and outer-hip thigh will come from band-resisted hip walk variations, side pillar variations, and any and all single-leg exercises, especially multi-directional lunges (lateral, semi-lateral, etc.)

For some awesome resistance band exercise ideas, you've got to head over and check this out:
Band Training

7.) Leg Press Machine



If you are leg pressing, then you don’t know squat. Yes, pun intended ;).

It never ceases to amaze me how we all look for the easy way out when it comes to working out. It’s clear why people prefer to leg press - they get to virtually lay way back or just sit on their rear (depending the machine variation at the time)

If you want both nice legs and a flat midsection then you need to squat! This is the king of all exercises and is a must.

And no, you can’t squat lying on the ground, sorry. :(

The reality is that squats are a tough exercise. They require more muscle fiber than you can imagine. Plus, they require a significant amount of intense effort most people are not willing to give…which is why most never see the results they truly desire.

If that weren’t enough, this brainless leg press machine could very well be a major contributing cause for the rapidly increasing number of injured, bulging and herniated discs among avid gym members. People almost always use too much weight and use bad form resulting in brutally compressive forces on the knees and spine.

Better Training Update: The simplest, most effective (and safest) exercises for your lower body are a healthy combination of double-leg and single-leg exercises using free weights and body weight based movements. Be sure to perform an equal amount of knee-dominant lower body exercises (e.g. squats and lunges) and hip-dominant lower body exercises (e.g. deadlifts and single-leg hip extensions) to make your knees, hips, upper and lower back strong and injury free.

Have you noticed that each one of the useless, injury prone exercises involves a MACHINE?

Get off those damn machines and focus on performing useful, functional movements using your body weight…then throw some toys in the mix: free weights, bands, stability balls, etc.

Not only will you see better results with your fat-burning and muscle-building efforts, but more importantly, you’re not gonna end up hunched over, walking with a limp and broken down knees by age 45;)

Bring the intensity!

Curtis

PS - What other exercises do you see people doing in the gym that make you cringe? What other exercises do you absolutely hate? What exercises have gotten you (or your clients) hurt in the past?

Go ahead and share your personal experiences by posting a comment to this blog post, thanks!

During our recent off-week from boot camp, my wife Amy and I took our little boys, Steele (age 2) and Lincoln (age 1), to Disneyland for the first time…what a blast!



To see their eyes light up at the sights and sounds of the “happiest place on earth” is something we’ll never forget.



And we even made it to the beach!



The good news: the concession stands were offering better choices like fresh fruit cups, bowls of grapes, apples, bananas and other healthier snacks like a no-preservative added bag of trail mix (my favorite of the day).

The bad news: most adults and their children were struggling
with body fat and being overweight…and funny how it works, these were the same folks
LINED down the street at the ice cream parlor. Now don’t get me wrong – I like an ice cream treat every now and then, but the REALITY is that most follow this as a lifestyle choice, not a special occasion “treat”.

Back to the good news: we walked A LOT that day and burned a ton of calories, so it was all good in the end ;).

So back at the hotel, you know me…I had to check out the Hyatt’s fitness center – which was pretty nice – complete with towels, water, some dumbbells, a few machines and a row of treadmills.

Now if you have paid attention to the workout protocols from our boot camp, you know we don’t use treadmills and we don’t use machines. If you are wondering why not, you’ll have to ask me later…the reasons are plentiful and beyond the scope of this blog post. ;)

Now, I was able to sneak in a couple early morning 20 minute bodyweight/dumbbell circuits: one of which was a super charged peak-intensity 50-10 circuit of:

Decline Push Ups,
DB Swings,
Squats,
Mountain Climbers
Curl + Press

However, what I saw other people doing in the gym is pretty commonplace everywhere you go…folks walking in and going for a light jog on the treadmill, watching (insert your favorite show) on the gym TV.

Maybe they crank out a few reps on a couple machines…then do some crunches as their “ab” work.

Unfortunately, for fat loss…this is NOT using a proven, efficient way to accomplish this goal.

Folks might think they are doing the right things, but the reality is that they are not…they are simply wasting valuable time with mediocre to zero results for all their hard work.

So the next time you’re traveling this summer and you want a quick, effective bodyweight based fat burning workout…think about what I’m saying and you’ll be miles ahead of the herd running endlessly on the treadmills. ;)

Crank the intensity!

Curtis

I love to help busy moms reclaim and reshape their bodies!



TIME TO EXERCISE? Are you kidding me?

Most moms I know are without a doubt the most selfless women in the universe. Taking care of their hubby, kids and everything else. Honestly, sometimes I wish they would just be a little more selfish sometimes and make their personal physical and mental well-being a bit more of a priority.

Many good mothers miss the boat when it comes to their staying in tip top shape. In general, they tend to think that it’s okay to put all of their personal ambitions aside for the good of their friends and family. For most, they miss simple cues to integrate healthier elements into their lives.

To begin, a mom who doesn’t workout and doesn’t eat the right foods at the right times will not be running on all cylinders…and that is going to mean big problems keeping up their hectic duties and reshaping their body at the same time.



Multi-Tasking These Days?

I think I have narrowed down the 5 critical anchor points that tend to hold a lot of moms back from getting the stronger, more toned body they so desperately are seeking.

So here they are (in random order):

Anchor #1- Skipping Meals, Especially Breakfast

Many moms are simply on a non-stop ride from daylight to sundown…and then some. Coping with the being the best parent possible and maybe even holding down a career outside the home. The first part of the day is especially hard, since so many duties call…getting the kids off and seeing the husband out the door, just to name a few. Trying to actually enjoy a nutritious breakfast for themselves is rarely in the cards.



Set that alarm 6 minutes earlier and make it a point NEVER to miss breakfast!

It starts with missing breakfast…then the inevitable: a host of other missed meals and unhealthy snacks throughout the day. This is the vicious circle that repeats and deprives your physique of lean, toned body mass while simultaneously priming your body to overeat junk food later in the day and store ugly, unwanted fat. Furthermore, this starvation protocol creates havoc with blood sugar levels, zapping energy and leaves you feeling sluggish, irritable and lethargic the entire day.

The good news? There is always time for breakfast…if you look for the most convenient, healthier on-the-go choices. Better yet, you could take a few extra minutes to plan ahead the night before to enjoy a breakfast high in lean protein and fiber.

One solution that’s worked really well for our boot camp clients is called Prograde Lean. It’s a tasty meal replacement shake that contains a whopping 35 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. What’s the best part about it? It leaves NO room for excuses! All you need to do is put a scoop or 2 into water, mix, and enjoy.

Or what about those so-called “healthy breakfast bars” you see all over the grocery store now days?

That could be fine, but just realize that most of these "health" bars are filled with high levels of processed sugar and junk you don’t need. Look at the ingredient list and see for your self.

However, ONE bar I tend to like is the "Larabar".
You can find these at most local stores...and when you do, look at the ingredient list: it literally consists of just 1 to 3 things. Easy, simple, clean. I approve ;).

And if you want, you can learn more about Prograde Lean HERE.

Anchor #2- Not Keeping Your Workouts Regular


This one is simple, yet oh so powerful. Think about it…moms never miss an appointment for their kids. Why? Well yes, it’s because they love them, but more importantly, it’s because they love their kids enough to religiously schedule their appointments for the best post possible care.



Set your workout schedule and treat them like they are your kid’s dentist appointment!

If you are a busy mom who is serious about staying fit and lean, then you absolutely need to take the same approach with your workouts.

In addition, you need to be sure that you schedule in your daily workouts when you are most likely to do them rather than when you prefer to do them. For example, sometimes I prefer to workout in the afternoon, but with my very busy work schedule, it’s best for me to get my workout done first thing in the morning. This way the stresses of work never get in the way of my fitness.

In my experience, most Moms work best when doing their workouts either first thing in the morning while the kids are still sleeping, or right after they drop their kids off from school. It seems that too many unexpected things pop up during the day that prevents a regular workout. But, regardless of when the best time for you may be, just schedule it in and stick to it like it’s a family commitment!

Anchor #3- Too Much Mindless Snacking All Day

So many time, I talk with busy parents, especially moms, who consider their diet to be “not that bad”. Of course, they typically experience limited nutrition success…and the culprit is usually too many extra treats, snacks and empty calories during the course of the day. It wasn’t that they were being dishonest about it - rather most people don’t really keep track of or even comprehend how much they actually put in their bellies every day.

Think about it for a moment…most of us are guilty to some degree…just mindlessly eat something during the day. All of us do it and trust me, it can add up and fast!



Too many of us spend too much time in the kitchen surrounded by “tasty” food all day, snacking a lot more than they realize!

Yes, we’re all human...sometimes you have to sample something you just KNOW is not the best food choice. That’s OK, but you need to understand that regular “taste testing” can sabotage your fat loss goals.

Plus, a lot busy moms get into trouble with the frequent snacking practices of their children, which unfortunately usually ill-advised choices at best. Processed crackers, cookies, chips…it’s tough to pass on food when it’s always in your face. One chip turns to just one more, then just one more – then you look down and realize you’ve snarfed down the entire bag!

My advice is to guard your mouth and the fat-burning furnace it leads to with lock and key. Ask yourself every time you bring something close to your lips the following question:

“Will this help me burn fat and build muscle?”

If “NO” - put it down and go read a book ;)

Anchor #4 - Too Much Cardio or “Stroller Jogging”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to see moms being active. It’s great to get outside and move with your kids. In fact, it’s absolutely mandatory! However, we need to be honest about the fact that it’s not really feasible to exercise with any measurable amount of real intensity while pushing a stroller.

Instead, it turns into a lot of slow to moderate, even “steady-state” or single speed movement.

If you are using this as the primary source for your fat-loss workout, you are missing out big time!

Interval training, NOT steady-state one speed movement, burns 9 times more body fat than that slow jog you are on. Aerobic training can burn a few calories but it simply doesn’t crank up your metabolism like interval training does. And the true power of interval training comes from the intensity of each work period.



Seriously, just how much real intensity can your stroller cardio workouts have when you are pushing your baby?

You and I both realize you wouldn’t do anything to put your baby in harm’s way…so it’s probably not in your best interest to crank out some high intensity sprints while pushing a stroller.



I know that I certainly wouldn’t trust my clumsy feet doing interval sprinting bursts with a baby’s safety literally in my hands.

So, get out and push a stroller, maybe even jog a little…enjoy the outdoors with your family. However, don’t make the mistake and think that you are getting anywhere close to the same kind of benefit that you could be getting with open space, hands free(and baby-free)high-intensity intervals.

Anchor #5- Too Many Glasses Of Wine In The Evening

Nobody wants to hear that a glass or two of wine every night is going to stop your fitness goals in its tracks. But the reality of the matter is that alcohol has a 2-prong effect – paralyzing the fat-burning process while simultaneously creating excess fat within the body. And a bonus for you…alcohol tends to lower inhibitions leading to the consumption of other snack food…which usually equates to junk food. Not so good.



A couple glasses of wine per day can buy you a one-way ticket to muffin-top city… sorry!

So I say “zip it” to all of those yo-yos who claim: “consuming several glasses of wine a day is healthy because it has anti-oxidants and that keeps you from getting sick.” This is just a bunch of babble from drunk doctors who are trying to convince themselves that it’s okay to drink regularly and be healthy - but it’s not!

Fruit and veggies have more anti-oxidants and tons of other health benefits, so we just need to cut the crap that wine is an important part of a healthy diet.

Now, I do want to be sensitive to those busy, hard-working moms who have a glass of wine at the end of the day to unwind and take some of the load off of their shoulders because I get that. I am busy dad of 2 babies, so trust me – I feel your pain ;).

But I also know there are other healthier ways to de-stress that don’t have such a negative effect on your body composition. Activities like stretching, foam rolling, taking a bath, reading a book or even trying to snooze a little more are going to prove much more beneficial in creating your new and improved lean body.

So please remember- if you booze it, you will NOT lose it!

Oh, and one more thing…dads like myself know that all you moms are the ones that truly make this world go round…so THANKS for all you do!

Have a great day transforming your body,

Curtis
curtis@arizonfitnessbootcamp.com
480-981-6877

PS: Have you seen the changes we've made to
http://www.arizonafitnessbootcamp.com?

The Almighty Push-up. I know, I know…Arguably, the most popular (and feared) exercise of all time.

For some, they may even loathe the thought of crankin' out just a few of these little body sculpting gems. Be that as it may, the push-up also tends to be the undying nemesis for people who carry around a lot of extra body weight and for most females who feel they do not have the "upper body" strength to ever be able to do anything but modified push-ups on the knees.



The goal of this special blueprint is to address everything you need to know about performing the push-up with proper form in addition to learning how to do more push-ups in a short amount of time.

Remember, people only hate what they are not good at it. So in other words, if you're a push-up "hater", this push-up blueprint plan will help you finally unveil your true push-up potential. And though you may never be madly in love with push-up, you'll have the strength and lean muscle to impress everyone around you with your new-found ability!

Push-Ups: One of the "Big Three"

Right next to squats and pull-ups, a push-up is one of the greatest total body exercises of all time.

We all know that push-ups work your chest, triceps, and front shoulders. However, they also place a great demand on your core strength, motor skills and stability. After all, your spinal stabilizers (AKA: transverse abdominis and spinal erectors) need to be able and maintain that critical straight-line position throughout the duration of your push-ups for optimal safety and performance. In addition, push ups engage your scapular muscles (shoulder blades) in a way that most pushing exercises do not, thus providing some much needed mid and upper back work that most workouts usually lack. In fact, once you are maintaining proper positioning, you'll pretty much engage every muscle along the front side of your body. You would even be wise to squeeze your booty muscles to support your lower back, thus giving the ol' gluteus maximus some extra work.





Here's the real benefit: you can perform a quickie push-up workout anytime, anywhere. No equipment needed!



Anatomy of an Award Winning Push-up

Though nearly everyone on the planet has tried a push-up at some time in his or her life, the vast majority of folks have never performed a "full range of motion" floor body weight push-up with perfect form and technique…whew, that was a mouthful!

If you are one of those people, don't worry. You might even have flashbacks to gym class nightmares of being yelled at to do more push ups (even if you were never TAUGHT how to do it right).



That was the old. This is the new and I can help.

Below is a complete list of coaching cues I use in performing a perfect push-up:

- Be Sure To: bring your elbows to your sides and pull your shoulders blades down and back: It’s critical to keep your elbows close to your ribcage while performing push-ups. Letting your elbows “sprawl” away from your torso puts your rotator cuff at a much greater risk for injury. In addition, since most of us are so upper trap dominant, we tend to shrug our shoulders during push-ups. Don't shrug. This scapular elevation can lead to clicking and grinding of the shoulder (known as shoulder impingement syndrome). To avoid these pitfalls, visualize trying to hug your elbows to your ribcage while cracking a nut between your shoulder blades during all push-ups.

- Be Sure To: suck in your gut and clench up your core: As mentioned earlier, the push-up is a great abs and core exercise that requires muscular endurance for your deep spinal stabilizers. By "pulling your navel to your spine" and bracing your abs as if you we about to be kicked in the gut, you will best activate those key core muscles while performing push-ups.

- Be Sure To: tense your thighs and squeeze your glutes: The straighter your legs during the push-up the more stable you will be. Don' t stick your rear in the air, keep it down in a straight plank position. So again, tense your thighs and butt muscles - this helps relax overactive hip flexors, thus alleviating (and preventing) unneeded strain on the lower back.

- Be Sure To: check your breathing: In general, seek to focus on inhaling during the lowering portion of the push-up and then forcefully exhaling during the lifting portion of the push-up. By filling your belly with air during the lowering portion of the push-up your make it easier to stabilize your spine, meaning that your core remains locked in thus allowing for a smooth and seamless transition from the down position to the up position.

- Be Sure To: spread your fingers: Many people complain of wrist pain while they do push-ups. Have no worries. This usually stems from a combination of a lack of mobility at the wrist joint and a lack of flexibility of the forearm flexors and extensors. Plus, many people simply have weak wrists from a lack of weight-bearing exercises in their daily routine. Think about it- we do not do as much as we used to do with our hands and are rarely in a position where our wrists our supporting our entire body weight (besides when doing push-ups).

One way to take pressure off of your wrists during push-ups is to focus on spreading your fingers as far apart as possible.

This expands the surface area and thus dissipates some of the excess strain on the wrists.

Furthermore, doing fist push-ups or push-ups with your hands on a dumbbell (or push-up handles) tends to significantly alleviate if not eliminate any unwanted wrist issues. This neutral grip allows you get all of the benefits of push-ups so that your wrists do not continue to be the biggest limiting factor for your push-up goals. In addition, the neutral grip also makes it easier to keep your helps tucked to your sides and shoulders down and back for optimal shoulder safety.

- Be Sure To: be flat as a diving board: Throughout the entire movement, the key is to maintain a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. You must not let your hips sag as this will put undue strain on your lower back in the form of hyperextension. Also, you should avoid raising or “piking” your hips and gluteus maximus, because this not only takes a way much needed core work, but also results in a rounding of the upper back that potentially results in unwanted shoulder issues (impingement, rotator cuff strains, etc.). Ouch!

The Official Push-Up Boot Camp Blueprint



Step #1 - Find your current "Push-up Total"

Assuming a regular floor push-up position, perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) with perfect form and technique in 60 seconds. Be sure to place a small object like a tennis ball on the floor under your chest. Your goal is to simply make contact (not slam) with this object to count as a full "rep". Record your rep total and then take no longer than a 1 minute rest for recovery.

After exactly 1 minute of rest, repeat by performing one more set of AMRAP in 60 seconds and then record your second set total.

Add both your set one and set two totals and then divide by two.

This is your current push-up total.

Step #2 - Follow the custom push-up blueprint based on your current push-up total:

The following program will systematically take you from level I to level IV six weeks at a time (not including a week of rest between levels). It is important to note that you must be following the appropriate fat loss training (total body strength circuits and cardio interval training) and nutrition plan to lose unwanted body fat that is weighing you down and literally halting your push-up totals.

Also, be sure to change up the selected push-up variation at each and every strength workout to best prevent training plateaus. Here’s an example of how to switch things up for one week of training:

Day 1 - Close-Grip Push-up Variation (to emphasize the triceps and front shoulders to improve push-up lockout)

Day 2 - Loaded or Band-Resisted Push-up Variation (to improve strength and thus make it easier to perform body weight only push-ups)

Day 3 - Stability Ball Push-up Variation- Hands Ball (to build trunk and scapular strength stability to prevent injury and maximize force output)

Remember, the better you get at every push-up variation the better you will get at "regular" push-ups. Once you achieve a current push-up total of 30 reps or more, you will notice the focus now will be on getting stronger by mastering the next level of strength: elusive 1-arm push-up. Keep in mind, improving maximum strength automatically improves your muscular endurance, though it doesn’t work the same the other way around.

IMPORTANT: Please note that you should only follow this program if you have healthy shoulders.

In addition, since you will be performing extra pushing movements, it is critical to add in some scapular retraction and depression work to prevent unwanted strength imbalances. Please note the addition of a certain amount of reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats following each set of push-ups for your “Extra Push-up Work” to achieve this end. The Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squat was selected because it simultaneously works your upper back and opens up your chest while working your lower body to boost metabolism. Plus, it’s an exercise you can do anywhere. Lastly, the “Extra Push-up Work” is best performed throughout the day to be fresh and allow for full recovery.

Current Push-up You Can Perform Now: 0-1

Push-up Workout Protocol - Level 1:

Main Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

Extra Push-up Support Work: Follow each set of push-ups with 10 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Week 1 - 5 sets of 2 reps of 5-second negatives
Week 2 - 5 sets of 3 reps of 6-second negatives
Week 3 - 5 sets of 4 reps of 7-second negatives
Week 4 - 5 sets of 5 reps of 8-second negatives
Week 5 - 5 sets of 5 reps of 9-second negatives
Week 6 - 5 sets of 5 reps of 10-second negatives

Current Push-up You Can Perform Now: 2-5

Push-up Workout Protocol - Level II:

Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

Extra Push-up Work: Follow each set of push-ups with 20 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Week 1 - 5 sets of 1 rep
Week 2 - 5 sets of 2 reps
Week 3 - 5 sets of 3 reps
Week 4 - 5 sets of 4 reps
Week 5 - 5 sets of 5 reps
Week 6 - 5 sets of 6 reps

Current Push-up You Can Perform Now: 6-12

Push-up Workout Protocol - Level III:

Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

Extra Push-up Work: Follow each set of push-ups with 40 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Week 1 - 5 sets of 5 reps
Week 2 - 5 sets of 6 reps
Week 3 - 5 sets of 7 reps
Week 4 - 5 sets of 8 reps
Week 5 - 5 sets of 9 reps
Week 6 - 5 sets of 10 reps

Current Push-up You Can Perform Now: 13-20

Push-up Workout Protocol - Level IV

Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

Extra Push-up Work: Follow each set of push-ups with 50 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Week 1 - 5 sets of 10 reps
Week 2 - 5 sets of 12 reps
Week 3 - 5 sets of 14 reps
Week 4 - 5 sets of 16 reps
Week 5 - 5 sets of 18 reps
Week 6 - 5 sets of 20 reps


Current Push-up You Can Perform Now: 21-30

Push-up Workout Protocol - Level V:

Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

Extra Push-up Work: Follow each set of push-ups with 60 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Week 1 - 5 sets of 20 reps
Week 2 - 5 sets of 22 reps
Week 3 - 5 sets of 24 reps
Week 4 - 5 sets of 26 reps
Week 5 - 5 sets of 28 reps
Week 6 - 5 sets of 30 reps

Current Push-up You Can Perform Now: 31+

Push-up Workout Protocol - Level V:

Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of a 1-arm push-ups variation with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off). Progress from stage 1 to stage 3 in choosing the appropriate 1-arm push-up variation:

Week 1 - 5 sets of 1 rep
Week 2 - 5 sets of 2 reps
Week 3 - 5 sets of 3 reps
Week 4 - 5 sets of 4 reps
Week 5 - 5 sets of 5 reps
Week 6 - 5 sets of 6 reps

Advanced Stage 1 - Modified 1-Arm Push-ups on Knees/Inclined

Advanced Stage 2 - Regular 1-Arm Push-ups 5-secondNegatives

Advanced Stage 3 - Regular 1-Arm Push-ups

Extra Push-up Work II: Follow each set of push-ups with 60 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Step#3- Re-Test Your Current Push-up Total

At the end of each 6-week training block, take 5 full days of rest before re-testing your new push-up total exactly as previously outlined in step one. Record your new push-up total and then take the rest of the week off for recovery before moving on to the next level of push-up boot camp.

Well, you now know everything you need to know to safely and effectively perform more push-ups than most ever will. Remember, the leaner you are the better you will be at push-ups and the more push-ups you can do, the better you will look and feel.

Seek and destroy body fat,

-Curtis

We’re rolling through springtime, and the heat of May is on the horizon.
Spring is here and the warm summer weather is crankin’ up…aren’t you lovin’ it? ;)

Since May is on the horizon, you know that high school seniors are getting amped up
for graduation…but also means that most are in the old familiar “senioritis” slump…ah yes – I remember it well: blowing off homework, skipping a few classes, staying out late, etc…



But, what they (and their parents) should be most concerned about is fighting the scary trend of gaining 12+ lbs their freshman year in college.

Let’s stop this dangerous weight gain before it starts!

Seriously, they might soon start calling it the FRESHMAN 50 if someone doesn’t step in right NOW and educate our youngsters about proper training and sound nutrition.

I remember packing on the pounds from all the extra partying (shhh…don’t tell my parents), so I know firsthand how important this info is and I really wish someone shared it with me before I graduated high school.

Even if you don’t have any immediate graduates around, chances are you know someone who does…this is vital and I encourage you to pass this email/blog post along to friends or family who so have seniors about to graduate.

Before I share my top 9 tips to fight this trend, let’s first identify why this is important, beyond the obvious health benefits:

1.) This Is Not Guesswork, This Is Reality: Studies have repeatedly shown that healthier, more attractive people are more employable and earn higher wages. Albeit wrong to discriminate based on physical appearance, if you want a fighting chance of getting and keeping a job, you simply cannot overlook your personal appearance and presentation.



2.) Sculpt a Recession-Proof Body: Whenever the economy is struggling and companies are forced to tighten up their budgets, they’ll “trim the fat” from their employee base (both literally and figuratively). If it comes down to two people with equal skills, the leaner, healthier employee will always win…yes, again, I know this isn’t the way it should be, but let’s be real about the way society typically works.

Alright, enough chit chat…let’s get down to it!

The Top 9 Tips to Fight the Freshman 12

TIP #1- Always Use Total Body Workouts



Start by performing five body weight exercises designed to work your upper body, lower body, and core within the same workout at least three times per week.

For example, you can toggle between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of transition and rest for each a double-leg (e.g. squat), push (e.g. push-up), single-leg (e.g. lunge), pull (e.g. row), and core (e.g. plank/bridge) exercise.

Perform up to 4 rounds without rest for an awesome 20-minute total body shaping workout that you can do almost anywhere.

TIP #2- Understand (and Use) the Power of Interval Training

FACT: Interval training (cardio and strength) is scientifically proven to burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 24-48 hours following your workout.

You would be well off to perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes.

-You can use a variety of things to accomplish a body weight cardio session…a stationary bike, sprinting, jumping jacks or even jumping rope.

TIP #3- Eat AND Hydrate All Day

- Have breakfast immediately upon waking and then every two to four hours to starve the fat and build muscle. Include 2-4 cups of water and keep 1-2 cups coming every couple of hours…even more if you are training or just an active person.



- By continuously fueling your fat burning metabolic furnace, and eating some sort of complete animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism stoked throughout the day and prevent all too common binge eating.

- Consume 3 servings of green tea per day. The power of this little gem is undeniable. Drink it hot or pour it over ice. Either way…just do it.

TIP #4- It's All About The Timing: Think Fiber When it Comes to Carbs

- Use an unlimited amount of fibrous, cruciferous green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals and to provide the majority of your "carb" intake. (Avoid or limit corn, peas, carrots, beets, and potatoes).



- for optimal total body fat-burning, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body best tolerates starches and sugars.

You can also implement the "Carb Timing" Blueprint:

Step #1- Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars

Step #2- Position your intake of all whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast.

Step #3- Replace all processed starches and refined sugars with fruits and veggies

Step #4- Replace all fruits with green veggies. (This is an advanced step and not meant for long term usage).

TIP #5- Use Pillar Exercises for a Flat Belly and 6 Pack Abs



-By implementing total body workouts with sound nutrition is the key to burning the fat covering your abdominal muscles. Endless crunches on the ab machine at the gym is useless for fat loss. Spot reduction is a MYTH.

- Pillar stabilization movements are key to developing rock hard abs, preventing injuries, and improving posture. Forget sit ups, ab belt gizmos, tons of crunches…make better use of your time and energy.

- The pillar collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is your body’s powerhouse, foundational to all movement.

-For maximum benefits, you must seek to maintain a tight pillar position during all movements by actively sucking your belly button to your spine, squeezing your glutes, and maintaining a diving board line from the heels through the shoulders.

TIP #6- Be a Flexible Eater

-Allot yourself 1 or 2 “reward meals” per week where you can enjoy the indulgences of college life. This tip is meant to be used in MODERATION as needed!

-Be sure to plan your reward meals in advance based on your weekly schedule and be sure to earn them with nutritional compliance at all other times!



TIP #7- Take These 2 daily Supplements for the rest of your life:

- Daily Whole Food Multi-Vitamin for Your Gender

- Daily EFA/Fish Oil Supplement (Krill Oil is best)

For trusted info on product examples, visit: http://www.curtis.getprograde.com



TIP #8- If you booze, you WILL NOT Lose!

-So what's the harm? I'll tell you...a 12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounces of alcohol. If you consumed 5 of these, your body would be inhibited from fat burning for up to 6 hours. This is aside from the fact that your body will actually be storing fat during these 6 hours! The more you drink, the longer your body is held up in its quest for greater fat burning and lean muscle growth. As you might imagine, just a single drinking binge can set you back days if not a full week when it comes to fat loss!

- Worst-case scenario? Mixing alcohol with sugary beverages promotes even further fat gain due to the resulting insulin surge that triggers your body to hold onto the fat for as long as it can (e.g. regular beer or cocktails mixed with regular soda and/or energy drinks like Red Bull).



- What's the bottom line? To maximize fat loss and lean muscle gain… you must minimize alcohol consumption!


TIP #9- Sleep, Stretch, and Self-Massage

- Sleep: Get at least 6-7 hours (preferably 7 or 8) of restful sleep per night and take 1-2 hour naps to fill in the gaps. Establish a pre-bed routine and limit caffeine intake to early in the day.

- Stretch: Ideally perform Dynamic Stretching to mobilize and strengthen joints BEFORE your exercise and perform Static Stretching to lengthen muscles AFTER exercise.

- Self-Massage: Spend at least 30-60 seconds massaging sore and tight areas of the body before and after your workouts to regenerate your muscle and connective tissue thus preventing those nagging aches and pains in the joints and lower back muscles. A Foam Roller is the perfect tool for this.



I truly hope you either use and/or share these 9 simple strategies to secure a future filled with health, happiness, and longevity.

Body Fat Enemy #1,

Curtis

PS: Please forward this info to anyone you know who can benefit from it as well! :)

Top Glendale Personal Trainer Fitness Bootcamp Weight Loss Workout

5 Exercise Core Ripper Interval Circuit Revisited

-Horizontal Core Knee Out Variation

-Total Body Cardio Variation

-Loaded Squat Variation

-DB Loaded Row Variation

-SL ULBE Front Loaded Variation



Body Fat Enemy #1,

Curtis

PS: For your FREE 2-Week Trial to the most brutally effective boot camp workouts on the planet, please call 480-981-6877.

Phoenix, Arizona Fitness Boot Camp Rapid Fat Loss Workout of the Day

50-10 Peak Intensity Exercise Circuit

-Vertical Swing Variation

-Resistance Band Pull Variation

-Climber Cardio Variation

-Squat Variation

-Vertical Cardio Variation



Body Fat Enemy #1,

Curtis

Phoenix - Arizona Fitness Boot Camp Weight Loss Workout of the Week

5-Exercise Max Results Circuit Training

1-Lunging Variation
2-Front Pillar Variation
3-SLH Variation
4-Loaded Squat Variation
5-Unstable Press Variation



Get after it, people!

Curtis

PS: For a FREE 2-Week Trial to experience the best personal training in Arizona at the most effective rapid fat loss bootcamp in Phoenix, please call us today @ 480-981-6877.

We got down to some serious huffin' and puffin' on this one - not
to mention creating some rock hard abs in the process! ;)

50-10 5 Exercise AB-Domination Workout of the Day 4-6-09

1-Mountain Climber Variation
2-Squat/Press Variation
3-Dynamic Pillar Variation
4-Upper Body Torso Twist Variation
5-Horizontal Leg Raise Variation



PS: Listen for a few groans comin' in at the :36 mark... ;)

Get after it, people!

Curtis

PS: For a FREE 2-Week Trial to experience the best personal training in Arizona at the best bootcamp in Phoenix, please call us today @ 480-981-6877.

With a zillion diets and even more workout plans than you can shake a dumbbell at, it is no wonder that so many well meaning folks get confused when it comes to getting in shape and burning off the belly flab…fast.

Today, I want to share 4 comprehensive keys with you that pretty much sums up what all of us need to do to get lean and stay lean for life.

It doesn't get any simpler than this…simple is good, simple works!

TOP 2 WORKOUT TIPS



* Be Efficient, Be Effective with total body workouts: Forget "leg day". Forget "chest and triceps day". This approach is outdated and not nearly as productive as using full body training for fat loss and fitness. This could mean doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work your entire frame) at least three times per week. Within each session, you will alternate between 50 seconds of peak intensity effort and 10 seconds of rest for each a double-leg (ie: squat), push (ie: push-up), single-leg (ie: lunge), pull (ie: row), and core (ie: plank) exercise. Perform up to 4 continuous rounds without rest for a 20-minute total body fat slammer workout.

* Use the Power of Intervals: It is a scientifically proven fact: interval training is will burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following your workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes. This routine works best with a body weight cardio exercise like running in place, jumping jacks or jumping rope.

TOP 2 DIET TIPS



* Get up, eat early and frequently: Don’t wait around and skip the chance to jumpstart your metabolism with the proper fuel for your lean, mean sexy machine. Eat immediately upon waking and then every few hours to starve body fat (burn) and feed muscle (build). By continuously stoking your metabolic furnace, and eating some high quality animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism cranked up all day and prevent binge eating later in the day. (Yea, I know…that “late-night” snacking sounds familiar, I was once guilty!)

* All Carbs are NOT created equal: Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous, nutrient dense green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals. To ramp up fat burning performance, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body is looking to soak up those particular starches and sugars.

Implement these easy to follow guidelines today and you’ll start building a newer, leaner beach-ready body you can be proud of…I'll bet my organic omega-3 eggs on it!

Join us for FREE boot camp workout that will have you burning fat, gaining lean muscle and benefiting local food banks all at the same time!

What: Arizona Fitness Boot Camp’s “Can The Fat” Charity Workout

Where: Paseo Highlands Park, 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85027 (just west of the I-17 on Pinnacle Peak/35th Avenue) (We will gather near basketball court)

When: Saturday, Jan. 24 from 9:00am-9:30am. Please arrive by 8:45 for proper warm-up and instruction.

Expect: Interval-based fat loss and strength training circuits using bodyweight exercises only.

Cost: FREE with donation of at least one canned food item to benefit local food banks.

What to Bring: Exercise Mat, Water and Lots of Energy. For best results, please be sure to have a small breakfast 1 hour prior to workout. Don't forget your canned food donations!

Bonus #1: Each person who donates 10 or more canned food items will be entered into a drawing for a FREE 1 MONTH MEMBERSHIP to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp!

Bonus #2: ALL participants will receive a FREE 2 WEEK MEMBERSHIP to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp!


Visit www.ArizonaFitnessBootCamp.com to learn more about our unique fitness program.

More Ways You Can Help This Special Event:

1. If you can’t attend the workout, you can still help by stopping by and dropping your canned goods starting at 8:30am.

2. Spread the word! Let everyone know about this event. Encourage them to participate, donate or just come out and watch everyone get some great exercise.

Did you know that a mere 12% of people achieve their
New Year's resolutions of losing weight, getting fit and eating right?

That means about 9 out of 10 people won't be losing any weight, getting fit or eating better. They'll just be back making the same resolutions for next year.

What if you could change all that and guarantee yourself success?

What would transforming your body (and lifestyle) mean to you?

When you transform yourself, you do much more than lose weight and trim off a bunch of inches….
- You become more confident.
- Your self-image improves.
- You gain control over your body and your eating behaviors.
- You realize that you are much stronger than you previously thought.
- You find out that you have the power to inspire and motivate others!

That's why this could be the most important thing you do
for yourself all year…

Announcing the “6 Week Total Body Transformation Contest” with Our Rapid Fire Results Workout System!

-Starts Monday, January 26 through Thursday, March 12, 2009 (just in time to get into shape before Spring Break)
-3 challenging, and time-efficient 30 minute workouts per week (not long, boring ineffective workouts)
-Weekly nutrition plans (which includes no dangerous weight loss pills or useless fad diets)
-Exclusive 24/7 personal trainer e-mail support to answer all your fitness and nutrition questions
-Offer good at Phoenix and Scottsdale boot camp locations
-Our website/blog viewers will vote on who they think has made the biggest transformation
-Prizes will include FREE MEMBERSHIPS to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp, Old Navy Gift Cards (because you won’t fit in your old clothes), private training sessions, and Fridge Makeovers…but most of all, your biggest prize will be a healthier, stronger YOU!
-Entry is just $225 per person for the 6 week contest

So are you going to wait another year to make real changes in your health and fitness?

Get started and invest in yourself today!

Get over to our Registration Page to secure your spot in this life changing challenge!

It’s January, and although we don’t see much snow in the Phoenix area, northern Arizona is a winter wonderland this time of year. This has everyone heading to the ski slopes, and while the winters can a fun time, it can be a dangerous time for your body, especially if you have to shovel out from under a blanket of the cool white stuff.

So if you are heading up to the high country or have family and friends in other snowy parts of the country, you might want to check out some my “safe-shoveling” secrets. Even for those who live in a climate that doesn’t usually see snow, you need to listen up. Why? Did you see Las Vegas snow storm in December? Snow in Vegas? Yup, it shut down the airport and took everyone by surprise. Just be prepared no matter where you live and you’ll be all the better for it!

So let’s get into it:

1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling

Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercises, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real workout to start moving around. So goes with physical exercise, if your body is not properly warmed up and prepared for action, you could be setting yourself up for immediate or long time injury. Plain and simple.

I have created a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down snow shovelers:

Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:

Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run
Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)
Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist
Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch
Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)

2.) Shift and Split Your Stance When Shoveling

Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.

3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling

This is actually part 2 of the last tip. Even when you shift your feet your stance, you can be setting yourself up for injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize too much torso rotation that can often wrench your back, cause immediate pain and/or pinched nerves.

4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides

Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further unbalanced strength and flexibility issues that can put your body at greater risk for injury. I hear people in our boot camp say “this side seems stronger than the other”. That’s muscle imbalance. So, while splitting your stance, pointing your toes in the shoveling direction, you should make regular shifts to each side. I’m talking equal snow tosses, here. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward.

5.) Move to Phoenix

This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. I grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Trust me, I know snow. In fact, I delivered newspapers for 2 full winters as a young boy, so again, I know snow. It’s not all that fun dragging 20 pounds of periodicals through waist deep snow drifts in zero degree weather. In 1986, our family decided enough was enough and that we had our fill of the bone-chilling snow and moved to Phoenix, and I haven’t seen a snow drift since…except for on TV.

But seriously folks, take a little time and do a proper warm up, use the proper techniques and keep yourself (and your back) safe when movin’ and grovin’ in the snow!

Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to achieve and when do you want to achieve it by?

So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better, be desirable and feel healthy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this personal dream.

Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three popular ways to track your “look better” progress, in order of importance from least to most important:

1.) Scale Weight: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number that’s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale. The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every 2 weeks. I have found most people to do better with tracking their weight every month. There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), means the less frequently you do this the better. If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether. The 3 little numbers on the scale are not that critical…the following two markers are far more important.

2.) Dress/Pant Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think it’s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right? Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis as clients follow our training program. Be sure to stick with this piece of clothing, so you are not confused by different manufacturers and their size variations. There’s nothing more empowering than to feel yourself fit better and better into your favorite clothing.

3.) Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want the truth, what better way than pictures? This is of overriding importance. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes. The key is take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Maybe the jeans you’re trying to fit into, maybe it’s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer. And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your midsection to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. These “before” pictures will become your trophy shots of your past life and are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).

Step Three- Plan and prepare for roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What has contributed most to past failures?

Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.

In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and don’t have enough time to get their workouts in or make healthy, nutrition friendly meals.

Well, I don’t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize. Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine what’s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments, non-negotiable deadlines. Either you make the appointment or you don’t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment. One more thing for you on being busy. You don’t need any special whiz-bang fitness gimmicks. You’ve got everything you need built right in…your bodyweight. There are amazingly effective bodyweight workouts that could take only a few minutes a day to complete. Problem solved.

Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, what’s more important to you, looking sexy or getting hammered? The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But understand something, low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact. Don’t give me that garbage about having just one-drink-a-day. Quit sabotaging yourself and grab your water bottle.

Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom takes over and you can easily beat this trend. Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.


At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very unique to you or fall within the realms of what I see everyday with my training clients, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And that’s where social support and accountability come into play. The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their loved ones. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success you desire and deserve.

So what is your what/when/plan/prepare thoughts?

Post them here and let's help get you on track for 2009!

Keep healthy,

Curtis
Arizona Fitness Boot Camp