Monday, June 25, 2012

Workout of the Day - The Beast Mode Smackdown

Today was an awesome day because I woke up with the mindset to make it as such! You know, it's funny how some folks just dread the fact that Monday is here and it's time to "get back to the grind". The feeling of starting the week from scratch only to wait till Friday comes around can make it seem as if the light at the end of the tunnel is far from being bright.

The way I see it - carry a flashlight and brighten things up now! To hell with the tunnel! It's time to get BEAST MODE and start climbing the mountain of GREATNESS today while making Monday a day of success!

With that being said, I demolished my workout of the day and felt so awesome that I felt like almost doing my "Handing My Own Ass On A Platter" workout! Note....I did say 'ALMOST'. HA!

Today's workout was pretty 'Beastly' to say the least, hence the name - "The Beast Mode Smackdown".

Check it out:
Instructions: Perform the following exercises for reps following a 5-minute EDT format. Perform as many rounds as possible within 5 minutes, rest for 1 minute, then perform the next set of exercises following the 5 minute EDT/Rest sequence until all sets have been completed!

Set #1
25-35lb. Plate-Loaded Get Ups with Trunk Rotation - R&L x10
Barbell DL x10
Lateral Burpees x10

Set #2
Slosh Pipe Zercher Lunges (Offset Load) x20 - 10/side
1-Legged Decline P/U's x10
TRX Rows - Y/T-Low Row Combo x10

Set 3#
Alternating DB Push Press x10/side
Sandbag Cleans + Alt. Reverse Lunges x10/side
30 Yard Shuttle Sprints x5 (Over/Back =1)

Finisher: 3 Rounds
Lateral Burpees x10
Jamball Slams x10
Val Slide See Saw Planks x10

Give this one a shot and break out the BEAST within!

-AR

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Father's Day

Wishing my grandfather (rest in peace grandpa - I love & miss you), dad, brother, uncles and all the other cool & awesome dad's out there a blessed, awesome, wonder and a Happy Father's Day!



-AR

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Workout of the Day - Handing My Own Ass On A Platter

Despite the fact that I was woken up twice in the middle of the night by my dog who had to "take care of her business" outdoors, I woke up feeling great and ready to take on the day. The way I see it, the way you take on your day will be dictated by the mindset you create from the get go.

My friend, personal trainer and strength coach Travis "TJ" Jones said it best by saying, "If you take it on starting slow, starting sluggish, not feeling good, then that's how your day is going to become!" 

With that being said, what better way to supplement a great start to my morning than by adding in a workout that's guaranteed to make you feel AWESOME X 10! This workout was one of those that most people would look at and dread and possibly ask, "Is there something else I can do instead?" My answer to that - "NO! Suck it up and get it done!"

This workout is one that I call "Handing My Own Ass On A Platter", cause quite simply.....that's exactly how I felt afterwards!


So stop whining, make no excuses, swallow that "Man Up" pill, tie up those shoe laces, and get ready to as my friend, strength coach and fellow colleague Robert dos Remedios says....

So here it is....


Handing My Own As On A Platter

Instructions: Perform the following exercise sequence as noted below. Keep the rest time at a minimum - 10-20 sec. or less between exercises 

Dynamic Warm-Up - Walking Lunges, Lateral Lunges, Cariocas, Inch Worms/Walkouts, Bear Crawls, High Knees, Squat to Stand


1A) Concept II Row - 300 meters (as fast as possible); sub by doing TRX Rows x12
2A) DB Push Press x 12/side
3A) Burpees x 12
4A) P/U Position Rows x 12/side
*Perform 3 rounds with a 1 min. rest between sets


1B) Goblet Squat Jumps x 12
2B) Spiderman P/U's x12
3B) Sandbag Lunges x12/side
4B) 30 Yd. Shuttle Sprints x5 (Over/Back = 1)
*Perform 3 rounds with a 1 min. rest between sets


Finisher : 3:00 EDT 
10 1 1/2 P/U's 
10 D-Ball Slams
10 TRX Squat Jumps
*Perform as many rounds as possible 

Time to crank it!

-AR

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Aligning Your Goals and Fitness Lifestyle

I just got back from vacation a couple of weeks ago and in all honesty, I couldn’t wait to get back home so that I could get back on track with my exercise & nutrition plan. There’s something about being thrown out of your element whether it’s being sick, traveling for a few days, or as in my case being on a weeks vacation, that causes a sense of disruption to our every day routine.

The obstacle that I faced was having no access to a gym/fitness center (since it was being remodeled) and limited choices with my nutrition. What’s a guy like me to do when he faces with such a dilemma? I had to ‘think outside the box’ and take drastic measures to make sure that I held my own in keeping myself aligned with my health, fitness & fat loss goals. I cranked out my body weight workout in my room, drank lots of water, packed plenty of snacks - protein bars, beef jerky, nuts & seeds - and made sure I had optimal recovery….laying out by the pool that is. Hey, this is physical & mental recovery at its finest if I must say!

The deal is that people tend to make poor choices & exhibit careless behavior when it comes to their health, fitness & fat loss goals which are directly tied into their LIFESTYLE. Examples may include massive intake of sugar, starches, processed & junk foods, poor sleep habits – not getting enough sleep, increased stress, skipping workouts, doing too much aerobic exercise (yes, you heard me right – long, steady state cardio isn’t all that it’s made out to be for optimal fat loss - here's a study that proves it), or hanging out with the wrong crowd – people who either distract you from your goals or are always putting you down in a negative way.
So how do we fix this so-called ‘problem’? The solution will vary from person to person but one thing that we must always ask ourselves is - “Is my the choice I’m making & behavior that I’m displaying getting me closer or further away from my health & fitness goals?”

We have to be completely honest with ourselves and analyze the things that must change in order to see positive change. Next time you’re in front of the mirror, take a long hard look at yourself for 2 minutes and see if what’s being reflected satisfies you.

Do you like the person you see in the mirror?

Are you happy with where you are right now?

Do you like the way to look & feel?

Chances are some of you might only be able to do this for a few seconds. Trust me, 2 minutes is a long time as I’m speaking from personal experience. I found myself looking in front of that mirror and I knew I had to make some major changes in my life. I knew that in order to improve and get better each and every day, I had to create change. It just wasn’t going to a happen on its own or at someone else’s will.

If the change you seek relates to poor nutrition, eliminate the sugar & starch and start eating more veggies & fruit.

Increased stress? Learn to take a mental & physical ‘time-out’ to clear the mental clutter and alleviate tension – try mediation, deep breathing, listening to music, reading a book….the possibilities are endless. 

Are you feeling tired all of the time and have no energy? Eliminate the caffeine in the evening, eat whole foods, drink lots of water (at least half your body weight in ounces each day), exercise and get to bed at a decent hour.

If you’re an aerobics junkie who is stuck in a plateau, you ought to highly consider interval training - HIIT.



If it’s negative people, the honest reality may be that you may have to find a new influence of friends who can relate and support your lifestyle goals and commitments.

In a nutshell, everything about your LIFESTYLE must align with your goals if you plan to reach them. As I coach people in their quest to improving their ‘Life, Health & Wellness’, I remind them that their LIFESTYLE can exponentially increase their RESULTS as long as they take the proper measures and make the right decisions that will identify with what they’re trying to achieve.

-AR