Getting Ready for Summer

Image courtesy of deconstructingyourself.com

Its 5 months to summer and you’re probably asking yourself…Will I ever be able to wear that swimsuit with confidence? Will I able to walk the stretch of sun and sand without being conscious of whether my gut is jutting out? Well, if you’re being completely honest with yourself and your answer is NO, then I guess its high time you should do something about your training routine, your eating habits or both. To get you back on track as early as now, here are my tips to get you ready for that beach body you’ve been dying to have.

1) Remember the Number 12 – Yes 12 is the magic number. You should be getting at least 12 workouts a month. That’s only 12 hours at the gym. The clock starts as soon as you step inside the gym. 1 hour is enough to change into your gym clothes, warm-up , flirt with your crush, lift weights, sprint on the bike , stretch and check-out.

2) Consult a Professional Fitness Trainer – I used the word professional because there are a lot of shady trainers out there who not only lack experience, but they also bully you into listening to their stupid advice. Seek someone who can provide you a thorough assessment that will not only show you a proper routine but would also help iron-out your muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances are not to be taken lightly because certain movements will cause your body to compensate thus leading to serious injury. Injuries will set you back weeks..or even worse months and put you farther away from your goal.

3) Cut down your workout time – I know I mentioned earlier that you should be spending at least an hour at the gym. But when you’re at the gym,  try optimizing your time by following a plan. Supersets, Tri-sets, Complexes…these are workout formats that are not only efficient , but excellent calorie burners as well. Out with the old, in with the new. That split program you’ve been following for years may not be working for you after all. Not only that, its also eating into your already busy schedule.

4) Plyometrics – Plyometrics is a form training that involves a lot of jumping and quick changes of direction. With proper guidance, plyometric training is fun and excellent for calorie burning. However, one has to have a very solid strength training background before starting a plyometric program. Its still best to consult a professional trainer for proper guidelines to start one.

5) Do Sports – Of course I wouldn’t leave sport out of the picture. Be it soccer, basketball, running, badminton, rowing etc..nothing beats the calorie burn of sports. The camaraderie and social component of sport also makes fat-loss more fun and dynamic!

6) Change Your Eating Habits – I’m pretty sure this is what everyone dreads. Face it folks, food is fuel. Very much like the kind of fuel you put into your car. You use Unleaded Fuel for your car to make it run properly right? Think of the same analogy for your body. If you want to perform , feel better about yourself and look sexy, change your eating habits. Try cutting down on sweets or salty food and your body will respond like crazy. Good crazy that is.

They say it takes 30 days for a  new behavior to become habit. You get to accomplish that within the next few weeks, I swear its going to be a great year ahead for you.

Have a great week everyone.

New Year, New Start, New Life

Photo courtesy of Wondrouspics.com

Happy New Year Everyone! 2011 is was a great year for me and I hope it was awesome for everybody else. I always find myself excited whenever the new year sets in. There’s just something about the new year that makes me feel refreshed and get all pumped of for what’s to come.

Do you have a new year’s health resolution? I don’t call mine a new year’s resolution but a reinforcement of my previous year’s goals. What I find that really helps in helping me stick to my goals is to write them down. So if you would like to see yours fulfilled in front of your eyes, its best that you grab a pen and paper and start writing down your fitness goals.

So here we go people! 2012! It’s time to hit the track, the floor , the gym, or whatever it is that’ll make you move cause its time to get better!

- Edsel

10 reasons you’re not making progress at the gym

Next year is my 10th year as a personal trainer. I started as a personal trainer way back in 2002 at Fitness First where I initially applied as a motivator. You know what a motivator is? Not exactly someone who sits beside you and screams at you to go for one more rep but just a fancy name for a guy who picks up weights and putting them back in place.

Well, let’s just say I got lucky and the Fitness Manager ( Jay Blancaflor to be exact ) hired me. A few other training jobs followed after that and the rest they say is… history.

Over the course of those years, I’ve been experimenting with my own body and been successful at helping others as well. Well, not all are lucky enough or patient enough to reap the results and so today, I’ve decided to list a few things that deter people from reaching their fitness goals.

1) You’re not following a training plan – Isn’t life all about beginning and ending? If you’ve seen the Lion King you know that the circle of life is. Same thing with training. You start out and you end. If you start overweight, you don’t want to end overweight. Nuff said.

2) You procrastinate..a lot – I know I know the gym’s not going anywhere. But how about you? Don’t you want to fit in your wedding dress? Or look good at the beach? Stop delaying. You wear Nike products right? JUST DO IT.

3) You don’t eat after training – You’re trying to lose weight so you figure after doing an hour of cardio and burning 1,000 kcal, you’re not going to eat. After all, you’re trying to lose weight right? Why eat? Makes sense right? Well, you’re wrong. During a bout of exercise your body actually gets damaged so the correct way of addressing this is by eating. Starving your body will never work as it will find ways to survive. How? By storing more fat!

4) You don’t increase the weight you lift – If you’re reading this, chances are you probably are educated. You start at nursery and then finish University after X number of years. That means you followed a steady progression from basic to complex. Same thing with training. More reps don’t mean more burnt fat. It only means the same addition/subtraction, ABC, nursery rhymes and nap time. Don’t get stuck with lifting the same weight and expecting results. Nursery’s done. You’re an adult and its time to move the weight up.

5) You don’t plan out your meals – Do you know that restaurants recycle their cooking oil when preparing food? Why? They wanna keep costs low, prolong the life cycle of their business and make a profit. They don’t give a damn if what they’re serving is healthy or not. Do you recycle cooking oil? I bet you don’t. So take charge, prepare and plan your meals ahead. That way you’re assured that only the best ingredients to your food.

6) You doing too much cardio – I’m a big fan of cardio..only if done in moderate amounts. As we get older our metabolism slows down and that’s due to loss of muscle. Too much cardio eats up muscle and is counterproductive to what you probably want ( Look sexy right?). So hit the weight room more than you should and start building muscle!

7) You don’t have enough social support – Getting fitter or losing weight is more fun with friends. Be it playing a team sport like basketball or joining a running group will not only foster camaraderie but can promote healthy competition as well. Who knows? You can also meet your soulmate in your badminton group. Bwahahahaha.

8) You socialize too much - The gym is a great place to meet people. But always keep in mind the whole reason you’re there. That is to train right? So train. Stop yapping and get on with it.

9) You don’t read – Nothing beats education in helping people get to their fitness goals. Going overboard by jumping on the latest fad in fitness is still better than just sitting on your couch and scratching your b*lls. The more informed you are, the more armed you are in your battle against fat. You know your body more than anybody else so better be informed. Right Christopher Lao?

10) You’re lazy – Nothing beats the evil that is called LAZINESS. This has no cure. I don’t know what kind of life event can get you out of this malady but the doctor that has the cure for this disease hasn’t been born yet. If you think you have this condition, I don’t know. Try to seek out the Dalai Lama or Deepak Chopra to help you get out of this rut.

My take away message is this. If you want to make progress, take charge. Nobody else can bring you to the promised land but yourself.

Daily Tip #10 – Don’t train through an injury

Image courtesy of bodybuilding.com

I know this sounds like common sense but I see a lot of people at the gym training through an injury. Don’t get mistaken by my words. We could train AROUND  an injury, but not the injured part itself. I see guys complaining about shoulder pain but then  their buddies would still urge them to work in. In all honesty, I think this is really stupid because you can’t hold your friend accountable for it. Especially if it gets worse. Injuries cause by pushing are the worst as guys really like displaying their strength on the bench press and shoulder press. So heed my words. If it hurts, don’t train the injured body part. Have it checked by the doctor, do your own research and fire your buddy.

Breaking Personal Records

Either for our own personal satisfaction or bragging rights, I believe we can always benefit from taking note of our personal best. Not only does it show that we still have what it takes to perform,but it can also shock our body into growth. There’s are a myriad ways to do this but the simplest way is to standardize your own procedure. Be it a one rep max with a bench press or a 4 rep personal best with a squat, the important thing is to set a goal and take small steps towards it.

Daily Tip #9: Vary your rep range

I still find it baffling to this day that people like working within the 12-15 rep range. I assume its because this information has been passed on from lifters of old that more reps would provide muscle definition and less reps will make you big. Well, believe me…this isn’t true. Why not do yourself a favor this weekend and work within the lower end of the spectrum. Try working within the 6 to 8 rep range because not only will it allow you to lift more weight, but it will also provide you that pumped feeling that will carry on for the rest of the weekend.

Having Muscle Imbalances Suck

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We all have a dominant side. I for one am right handed. But since I love playing basketball and wanted to get better, I worked hard at training my left arm to handle the basketball as well. I believe this should be the mind-set when it comes to strength training. If you look around the gym , you’ll notice people having their own favorites. For the guys its the chest press and for the women …its the inner and outer thigh machine.

To tell you honestly, having favorites only create muscle imbalances. This is not good because muscle imbalances cause our body to compensate in its own way and is detrimental to proper muscle growth. What’s even worse is that it could lead to back problems, knee problems and shoulder problems. Remember, training should be individualized because we are all unique. When was the last time you evaluated your program or have someone evaluate your program? Maybe its high time for you to do some more research or consult an expert in this field to come up with a program most appropriate for you.

Daily Tip #8: Consider Supplementation

Supplements have been around for ages. With their sheer size it gives the consumer the impression that it can make you big. On the other hand, supplements are really nothing but providers of what we lack. You think you need calcium? Take calcium supplements. Need to burn more fat? Take fat burners. But really, the only thing I would really recommend is the intake of protein supplements as I believe we always lack this compound on a daily basis. Our muscles are made of protein that breakdown whenever we exercise. So naturally, our body will want some protein to repair itself. This is where we either eat a full meal with a lot of  protein after a workout or ingest a protein supplement drink immediately after training. Pros of having a protein supplement after training is its liquid form which is easily absorbed by the body and its convenience. Cons of a protein supplement would be the taste as it doesn’t appeal to everyone. Pros of having a full meal after a workout is its satiety and variety. Cons is the amount of fat and carbs that may come with it. Bottom line is to fill your protein requirement for the day as this determines the amount of fat burning ability you have.

Daily Tip #7:Train your rotator cuff muscles

Photo courtesy of uptodate

Your rotator cuff muscles are the foundation of your shoulders. These small muscles are classified as your synergists or stabilizers that come into play whenever your work any major upper body muscle group. So it goes without saying that these are just as important when constructing a training program. Simply put, if you want to get stronger in the bench press, do rotator cuff work. If you want to be able to perform a chin-up, do rotator cuff work as well. They may not be able to give you the kind of satisfaction or muscle pump you need, but long term they will definitely guarantee you healthy shoulders.

It’s never too late to increase your jumping ability

Yeah I said it. It’s never too late to increase your jumping ability. All you gotta do is to train yourself to jump higher. How ? Let me count the ways.

1) Train with Weights – Incorporating strength training as part of your lower body routine will not just help build muscle and burn fat, it will also develop strength and power . If you find yourself being able to back squat your own body weight, chances are you can jump higher than what you remember.

2) Incorporate Plyometrics in your Routine – Plyometrics refer to exercises that enable muscles to reach maximal force in the shortest possible time. If you don’t think you have the potential to jump higher because you’re old, you’re wrong. You can train your body to react faster. Just gotta use the proper exercises for it.

3) Include Dynamic Stretching – Dynamic stretching is a more functional way of preparing your body for activity. Recent research have shown that static stretching can lead to decreased force production…which translates into a lower jumping ability. Dynamic stretching is the wave of the future.

These are just guidelines on how you can increase your jumping ability. Like anything else, a solid training plan and discipline will definitely get you the results you want. But first , you gotta get it our of your head that you’re too old to jump higher.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

Daily Tip #6:Stop wearing that weightlifting belt

Photo courtesy of eastside strength and cond.

Wearing a weightlifting belt doesn’t really do you any good unless you plan on participating in a powerlifting meet. Powerlifters use this contraption to stabilize their bodies because  they lift a s**tload of weight. Normal people like us however can do away with this because without it we recruit our stabilizing muscles. This will translate into better coordination and a stronger core long term. So ditch the belt and focus more on your form and properly bracing your core. You’ll thank me later on.

 

 

Daily Tip #5: Don’t go full range on the bench press

Photo courtesy of bodybuilding.com

Another shocking revelation for you huh? Well, there is a scientific basis for this tip of mine so let me explain.

Our muscles fibers are comprised by motor units. These motor units are governed by the “all-or-none” principle. What this means is once the group of muscle fibers get the signal to contract, they all respond together. So its either they respond or they don’t. In the case of benching a weight above your chest, the same thing happens.Our chest or “pectoralis” muscle spans a wide attachment line along the sternum where it originates and inserts into your humerus bone ( Your upper arm). When you use lift a barbell, all the muscle fibers that is involved in the movement fire up.

But your next question would probably be…” why not all the way down to your chest since you feel the contraction more right“? Actually, the contraction you feel is a tug on your tendons. Once your elbows go past your body when doing a bench press, you’re already hyperextending your shoulder. Now unless you love your shoulders more than you love your personal record on the bench press, I suggest you stop when your arms are parallel to your body.

So, do you still want to go full range?

Daily Tip #4: Forget about doing bodypart splits

If you’ve been working out for awhile this may come as a shock to you. But hasn’t it shocked you enough that you’ve been splitting your workouts for years now and you still haven’t gotten the results you’ve desired? Well, that’s because your body’s been used to the same motor program for years now that’s why. Another thing is you’re not causing a stimulus strong enough to elicit a sharp hormonal response. And when I say hormonal I mean testosterone, the major hormone for building muscle.

Ladies, don’t be scared as doing full body movements can help you burn more calories. Try it and see the difference!

Here’s my buddy Jamie doing different exercises utilizing full body movements.

PULL it to the limit

Yeah you got it right. That’s what I said. Pull it to the limit. I think there’s too much pushing going on in the weight room. The reason being is because a lot of people still like training their vanity muscles like the chest and shoulders. Its not unusual to see guys hitting their chest with 4 different pressing exercises and then on to doing almost the same number of exercises for their shoulders and only 1 pulling exercise to train their back. I attribute this to the pressure of looking better in front…which is really not a problem. But c’mon, just one exercise for the back?

Our back muscles are just as important as our chest muscles. Actually , it may even be more important to train our back muscles because they dictate our posture and serve as the base from where all our pushing movements stem from. Have you seen guys with really nice looking chest muscles but rounded shoulders? Ugly right? That’s because they do too many chest exercises it keep their chest muscles in a shortened state it eventually pulls their shoulders forward.  But beginners usually start this way as they want to look good first and worry about the science after. But, in the end , science will always win so lets not play catch-up by starting to learn some really basic back exercises.

The Lat Pulldown

The Dumbbell Row

Daily Tip #3: Stop doing crunches

Photo courtesy of Jupiter Images

Wasn’t spot reduction disproved by experts eons ago? Then why the hell are people still doing crunches? To my understanding crunches are being performed to tone the midsection. But what if the midsection is covered with another midsection? Like a layer of fat right? Well, if that’s the case you’ve gotta prioritize. Get rid of that layer of fat first via exercise and healthy food choices then train your midsection. Use that extra 15 mins you devote to crunches towards something else like planks or rollouts… but please, not crunches.

Daily Tip #2: Eat eggs on a regular basis

Forget the debate on whether they’re high in cholesterol or not. Eggs are a great source of  protein and very budget friendly!  But if you’re that worried , just skip the yolk and pack on the whites! Remember, if you’re trying to build muscle you should be getting at least 1 gram of protein per body weight in kilograms. Do you think you’re getting enough protein? Well, have some egg protein then! Make sure you include eggs in your grocery list this weekend! Have a good one folks!

Ever heard of a Dynamic Warm-up?

I discovered Dynamic Warm-ups in 2004 when I picked up the book Core Performance by Mark Verstegen. Through this book I was able to learn that dynamic warm-ups are much more appropriate than stretching before training. As opposed to static stretching that most people do, a dynamic warm-up not only elevates your core body temperature but it also prepares your body for certain movements. For example, instead of lying on the floor and doing 2 sets of hurdler stretches to lengthen your hamstrings for leg curls why don’t you try the inch worm?  The inch worm is an exercise where from a standing position you bend over at the hip, walk yourself out with your hands into a plank and try to inch your way back in without bending at the knee. Can’t picture it? Well, I have attached a dynamic warm-up summary to guide you.

Edwin and Jason. Have you included this in your workouts?

Daily Tip #1: Don’t be afraid to lift more

Photo courtesy of Jupiter Images

For the last 10 or so years that I’ve been training I’ve encountered a couple of people who just want to coast along with their training program. I have no problems with that but when they question my training methods and wonder why they haven’t made any progress for some time, I ask them if they’ve made any significant improvements in the weights they’re lifting. They usually say no. They like sticking within their comfort zone and before you know it, a year has passed and they’re still lifting the same amount of weight. If you were someone who wanted to lose weight and stuck to the same diet plan, do you think you’ll lose weight? Of course not right! Same thing with lifting weights and building on muscle. It has to follow the principle of progression. Try to challenge yourself by trying to break your own personal record ( PR ) or PR zone every month. It could be another 5 lbs on the bench or another 1 lbs. with your curls but its all gonna add up. Are you hitting the gym today? Give it a shot with your first exercise and let me know how it goes!

Straight Arm Pulldown

If you’ve been working out in a gym for awhile, you’ve probably used the Lat Pulldown as part of your routine. As most of you guys know, the lat pulldown is usually the default machine that people use to target the muscles of the back such as the rhomboids and latissimus dorsi. But what if you come down to the gym and all the lat pulldown machines are used? What do you do? Well, here’s a good alternative. It’s a called a straight arm pulldown.  This is one of my favorite exercises because not only does it work your back muscles and arms, but it will also challenge your core. Performing this exercise will require you to establish a firm stance as you will have to drive the bar you’re holding towards your body. I have attached a video for you to see how its done. So next time all the lat pulldowns are being used, just walk away and make your own pulldown.

Core training defined by Mr. Charles Poliquin himself

TIP 162: The best abdominal exercises: Multi-Joint Total Body Lifts

Here’s a bit of information about core training from my guru Mr. Charles Poliquin.

I’ve said it before I’ll say it again. Utilize fully body movements to train your core and don’t resort to crunches and sit-ups! You are only wasting your time. You get the false impression that you’re having a really good burn in your midsection by doing crunches but it doesn’t really do anything for you. Making the right food choices, strength training , cardiovascular training and rest are still the building blocks for achieving a healthy physique!