Friday, February 24, 2012

The 6-Min. EDT Spontaneous Combustion Chaos Workout

Here's a quick workout that I think you'll like and will find challenging. Challenging but NOT impossible!

It'll definitely ignite your metabolism and keeping it roaring long after the workout is done!

Check it out.

The 6-Min EDT Spontaneous Combustion Chaos

Instructions: Perform each exercise for ascending reps starting at 2 for 6 minutes per station. The goal is to get as many reps (in increments of 2) as possible for each exercise pair. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat again for the next station. Repeat this sequence until all stations have been completed. Time to FIRE IT UP!!

A1) KB/DB High Pulls
A2) Burpees

B1) Squat Thrusters
B2) Spiderman Pushups

C1) KB/DB/BB Deadlifts
C2) Valslide See-Saws

Get to it and BRING IT!

-AR

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

A Word of Advice

Today's bit of advice is brought to you by me - a guy who's all about kicking ass in all that I do.

Need I say more?

-AR

Monday, February 6, 2012

Your Fitness Playground Awaits You

I remember back when I was a kid my parents would always tell me to go outside and play. I guess rough-housing with my brothers, eating junk food and running around the house wasn't cutting it with mom & dad that they'd literally had to kick us out of the house!

Well, we may not have the same child-like activities today as we did back then but that shouldn't be an excuse for not enjoying the outdoors, should it? Not even close! If anything, I firmly believe that we should always be looking for a reason to get outside and "play"! 

The coolest thing about the benefits of exercising outdoors are:
  • You don't need a ton nor any equipment to get a great workout - if anything, get a TRX
  • No crowded gyms
  • You don't need to get in your car & drive long distances to get to the gym
  • No need to get all 'prettied up' with make up & fancy workout clothes to wear for the gym
  • You'll get sufficient vitamin D assuming you have lots of sunshine in your neck of the woods
  • The ability to get a great workout anytime, any place, anywhere - even when you're on vacation!
  • Enjoying the fresh air vs. stagnant, odorous, stale indoor airflow
I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons that you can think of to get an outdoor workout that would fit into your particular lifestyle. I recommend that you start "thinking outside the box" in terms of exercises that you can do.


Things such as:
  • Monkey bar pull-ups/chin-ups
  • Dips - using park benches, balance beams, picnic tables, etc.
  • Running/jogging hills
  • Shuttle run/sprints - can be performed on any open field like football, soccer, baseball; if not, try running/sprinting in place
  • Leap frog/broad jumps - forward, lateral, diagonal, any multi-directional movement
  • Push-ups - on trees, fences, on the grass; incline & decline variations
  • Squats/Squat Jumps, Lunges/Jump Lunges
  • If you have a TRX, there are a TON of exercises you can do by using this awesome apparatus
  • The possibilities are endless!
Your body was designed for movement....so get outside and take advantage of your "fitness playground"!

I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

-AR

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Creating Your "Not To Do" Bucket List

"I want to get leaner!"

"I want to shed 10-20 lbs by the start of summer!"

"I want to travel and see the wonders of the world."

"I want more money in my bank account!"

"I want....."

We all have needs and wants that we feel will make our lives better. Whether it be a leaner, muscular physique or having some extra spending cash. We're constantly seeking the opportunity to create change for the better....or are we?
I just read an awesome blog post by my good friend and colleague Martin Rooney, CSCS - founder of Training for Warriors (TFW) titled "To Do, or Not To Do, That Is the Question, and it's one that I feel everyone MUST read.

Martin Rooney - The man I call "The Warrior of All Warriors".

If you've never met Martin, he's one of the most passionate, charismatic, high-intensity, goal driven, entertaining and wickedly smart guys you'll ever meet. And if you've never heard him speak, he just has a way with words that's captivating, attention grabbing and knows how to break down the most complicated & complex of issues and putting them into layman's terms. The point is, after reading Martin's post, he sets the platform in helping people get closer to the "I wants" listed above and turning them into reality by simply NOT doing a lot things in order to make them happen.

Huh?! Are you confused by that last sentence?

Well, let me elaborate if I must.

My life as a fitness trainer & strength coach has it's challenges yet it's the things that don't matter that has gotten me to where I am today. Yet everyday I work hard and put my time in to making myself better each day than the one before. What I mean is that I have spent many hours, days, months and years becoming who I am today by deflecting the toxic stuff out of my life. Toxic stuff that can hold you back and knock you down to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. Trust me, it's not easy but everyday as I instill these "lifestyle habits" of deviating the bad stuff, things get clearer and better!

I ask you this - "Are you where you want to be at this point and time in your life?" If the answer is "No", then maybe it's time to look at the things that may be interfering & hindering your progress.

I call these things "Toxic Lifestyle Contributors".


What are they?
  • Watching too much T.V.
  • Spending many hours playing video games / computer time
  • Staying out late / partying 
  • Eating CRAP - Carbonated drinks, Refined sugars, Artificial sweeteners & colors, Processed junk
  • Not eating real FOOD - Fruits and lots of veggies, Organic lean protein, Omega-3 fats, Drinking water
  • Missing workouts
  • Bad/negative people
  • Not preparing ahead of time / no plan formulation
  • Anything else not listed above that can have a direct negative impact on any aspect of your life
Now if you were to take all the things above, mash them together and throw them into a bucket, you'd then have your "Not To Do Bucket List".

As Martin explains in his blog, "Many people think a “Bucket List” is all the things you would like to do in your life. I have a slightly different approach. In order to achieve your “To Do” Bucket List, I first think you should make a “Not To Do” Bucket List of the things you shouldn’t be doing. Start checking off that list and I promise the “To Do” Bucket List will get much closer to reality because the easiest way to get what you want is to first remove what is holding you back."

Nothing couldn't be further from the truth! Work on identifying the things that hold you back and you'll start inching your way to the things you truly want in life.

In terms of health, fitness & nutrition goals, I know many people who come to me with lots of questions about how to improve their diet in order to shed body fat and lose weight. I always turn the tables on them and ask what are the things they know they shouldn't be doing that's causing them grief, frustration and goal setbacks. Working on the "Not To Do Bucket List" first should always take precedence before worrying about the things we need "To Do".

Here's the thing - let's say you plan to start taking nutritional supplements to improve your physique, yet you're still eating CRAP (as mentioned above). Chances are you'll never reach your physique goals and/or it will take you a long time to get there if you don't eliminate the CRAP from your diet. Simply put, it's no use wasting time, energy and money on supplements if you plan on heading over to the local grill for beer & wings after your workouts.

It's like oil and water -  no matter how hard you try to make them mesh together, the two will never mix!

Time to get after it!

And stay away from the bad stuff.

Yeah....you know what they are!

-AR

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Prostitutes, The Dollar I Found and Quick 10-Minute Kick Ass EDT Workout

Well, well, well....it's been a while since I last posted. Some of you may be asking yourselves "What the heck happened to AR?! This dude was a posting BEAST and now not a word! Wow, we sure miss his wisdom, expertise and awesome posts!"  

HA! So much for wishful thinking, right?

Anyway, I'm back and with a vengeance. The reason for not posting wasn't a lack of info, nor was it a case 'writer's block'. It was a case of life happening all around me and keeping very busy. However, despite my crazy schedule I vowed to get back on the blog and start bring you lots of cool, informative, cutting-edge, top notch info that you can start applying to your life as you see fit.

I only ask one favor from you - use the Bruce Lee Philosophy when reading the stuff I post which is "absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is uniquely your own". However, you won't have to worry about the 'useless' part cause the stuff I post will be 'useful'....as it always is! (wink)

As for adding stuff that is uniquely your own, I highly encourage that. The reason is exploratory as you try new things and understand what it means to overcome what I consider 'perceived limitations of the mind'. In other words, it's simply about getting out of your comfort zone and embracing the stuff that scares the s#*t out of you. Most people stop just before jumping in with both feet, so to say. I say, it's when both feet stay planted that things never change. If jumping is what it takes to create change, then go for it. Jump in and expect the unexpected. You'll never know if things will turn out like they should or at least expect them to be somewhere within the vicinity of what you're reaching for if you never try. So why limit your capabilities when there's ALWAYS the potential to grow, learn and face your fears! And if you fail, awesome! At least you now have some experience of what not to do while formulating a plan B to succeed. Fail again, brush it off and formulate plan C and so forth until you arrive to your goal.

Now, onto the good stuff.

As for prostitutes, I really don't have much to say about them - I just figured I'd grab your attention by adding them to the title of this post.


However, a word of advice - stay away from them and whatever you do.....never, never, never have unprotected sex with any of them!

Useful info, right? See, I told you it would be!

Last week, I stopped at the local supermarket to pick up some chicken and veggies for dinner. As I stood at the check out counter, I reached into my pocket for my wallet only to find a dollar right at my feet. I bent over to pick it up as the cashier rung up the last of my items. It was then that she asked, "Would you like to donate to the local Humane Society for the protection of abused and homeless pets?" Without hesitation I handed her the dollar bill along with the the $20 bill I had in my wallet. My total was something like $14 and some change. I told here to keep it all as my change would be the donation including the dollar I found. It was a done deal and I was outta there.


You see, this is what I figure - the dollar I found was not mine to keep. I didn't earn that dollar. From the look of things and all the people walking in & out of the supermarket, finding the person who dropped their hard earned money would be like playing the lottery - chances were slim at finding the right person. Since I couldn't give it back to the guilty party, I did the next best thing and paid if forward it terms of helping those in need. In this case, the dogs & cats who are all caged up looking for a warm, loving home to take them in. I'm a dog owner and an animal lover. I figured why not donate this dollar and then some while giving to a great cause?

My cool 6 year old Boxer/Lab mix, Chelsea! Yes, she kicks ass!

I'm not looking for a pat on the back or someone to say "how cool of you to do that". I was just doing the right thing and paying it forward, which I firmly believe in. Doing so reminds me of one of my favorite quotes that I always apply to my life - 

"Excellence is the result of habitual integrity."

Also keep in mind - our paper currency says "In God We Trust". Do that and good things will come to you!


On a final note speaking of good things, I wanted to share with you a quick, effective and kick ass 10-minute Escalating Density Training (EDT) workout that's guaranteed to disrupt your metabolism to burn more calories, boost lean muscle growth, shed fat, look awesome and feel great in record time. Check it out:

10-Minute Kick Ass EDT

I. Soft Tissue Quality Work - Foam Roll

II. Warm-Up - this will include: dynamic/static flexibility, stability/mobility, joint integrity, fluid ROM, and movement prep; for more detailed info on warm-up activities, click HERE

III. Workout 

Instructions: Perform the following exercises for reps and complete as many sets as possible within 10 minutes keeping good form. Rest as needed but keep it at a minimum to reflect the cardio benefits while strength & power training.

1) Goblet Squats/Goblet Squat Jumps x10
2) Push-Ups/Spiderman Push-Ups x10
3) Offset Load Farmers Walks x2 for 20-30 yards (over & back is 1)
4) Inverted TRX Rows (3-0-1 tempo) x10
5) Lateral Over the Line 2-Foot Hops x10/side

Rest for 1-2  minutes after 10-minutes of work has been completed then crank out the "Finisher" below:

Metabolic Finisher: Perform 30 seconds of work for each exercise non-stop for 1 round; go as fast as possible keeping good form

1) Burpees
2) High Knee Sprints in Place
3) Mt. Climbers
4) Planks to Pushups

After completing the "Finisher", pick your ass up off the floor, catch your breath and get some water.

So there you have it, a quick, effective, fat-burning workout that will take no time to complete. For those of you who say you have "no time to exercise", perform the "Finisher" and think again!

I'm outta here! Until next time, get your workouts in, train hard, eat like champion and stay on top of your game.

-AR