Thursday, December 27, 2007

Saturday 29th December 2007 - Wedding Day Workout

Location: South Perth Foreshore car park at the end of Coode St - turn left (see map below)
Time: 7:30am

Equipment: 1xsled + weights + harness
(if straps are broken then bring the bag of chains...), 1xheavy SB, 2xslosh pipe v2.0, 1xpair of paralettes, 2x12kg KB, 2x16kg KB, 2x20kg KB, 2x24kg KB

Warm-up: Light jog as appropriate

Circuit - The Wedding Day
5 Stations - repeat each station as necessary until last person finished; once through each or 45min.

At The Altar
OH slosh pipe hold to failure followed by heavy KB static farmer's hold to failure (2 min rest in between)

Waltz (with a partner)
100m OH or zercher slosh pipe carry with heavy KB in other hand

Carrying Her Over the Threshold
4 x 50m zercher heavy SB carry

The Wedding Night
100 x paralette pushups

Ball & Chain
2 x 100m heavy sled drag
(if straps broken, chain drag with KB looped in)




Wednesday, December 26, 2007

boxing day bootcamp - heavy as hell

equipement: damon - 2x20kg KB, heavy back pack at 25% of BW
Paul - 16kg KB, heavy back pack at 25% of BW
Rod - 20kg KB, heavy back pack at 25% of BW
stef - KB's, haeavy back pack at 25% of BW

workout: 1hr (not including warm up and cool down) - HARD! INTENSE!

1 x ladder fast with back pack +
1x ladder fast free +
OPTION of windmills x 10 each side OR heavy snatches x 10 each side OR single arm KB thrusters x 10 each side OR 20 x parelette push ups OR Double handed split jerks x 10 total. After completion of any TWO of these, the heavy back pack back on and straight down the ladder. this i sto be done for a total of 45 mins!

after this kakoda run for time!

yum yum!

:)

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Stef



Name: Stefano
Alias: Stef
Occupation: Personal Trainer, Student,
Age: 26
Bodyweight: 81kg



GOALS FOR 2008

PHYSICAL:
Within the year, progress to:
-achieve minimum of 10 - 15 x muscle ups in a row on the rings
-increase ring strength and endurance
- 100 straight push ups
-40 straight pull ups
-Minimum of 10 pistol squats per leg in a row, with depth and form
-Projected 1RM: Back squat: 150 – 160kg
-Bench Press: 120kg
-Dead lift: 200kg
-Clean and jerk: 100kg
-at least 15 clean hand stand push ups
- walk around on my hands
-Increase tone and definition, lower body fat percentage, remain around the same weight, maybe increase 1 or 2 kilos of lean muscular mass, decrease body fat
-focus on jujitsu, have at least 1 fight if coach feels I’m ready
-focus on indoor rock climbing and the climbing, trekking side of things
-Fix my upper back / thoracic, get myself balanced within my body
-increase general strength, stamina, power, explosiveness, endurance; push my boundaries mentally and spiritually and also emotionally through means of intense physical focus and activity
-Really move to the next level with my training, really train hard, and focused, and stand out, and help those I train with do the same if that’s what they want to achieve also

-Be more conscious and aware of what I am eating, eat healthier, in regards to eating more organic, more natural, decrease red meat intake, increase vegetable uptake, not be as reliant on food for performance as much, but rather mental stability, balance and strength, clear, undisrupted thought to increase physical performance. Create inner physical health, where my organs are functioning at optimum levels.

PROFESSIONAL, FINANCIAL & WORK RELATED

Achieve stability and balance in my working life, working smarter not harder. Focus on providing quality service to my clients, in turn attracting quality and bulk clientele, to the extent that i am “knocking” clients away. Increase my working income, through means of attaining “efficient” clients in terms of maximising my clientele, where i am receiving income at my full capacity and potential.

Commence and build the foundations for starting and revolutionizing kettle bell classes. Do the foundational and preoperational work throughout the year, marketing, research, etc, to be able to commence these classes towards the end of the year. I feel this can be extremely financially rewarding for me. It’s also maximising my time and providing efficient results for clientele.

Perhaps look into other means of income via diverse investment strategy, again following the philosophy of working smarter not harder, but I must say this isn’t priority. I would rather focus my energies internally, or inter personally, rather than materialistically, and really acknowledging that money and income is simply a means to an end. I will have by the end of 2008 a minimum of $150000 cash in my bank account. How? Through intelligent investment, unattached focus and fearless ness.

PERSONALLY & RELATIONSHIPS

I will be more tolerant, I will be more patient with myself, with what life presents me, with what I create and with other people that I directly have relationships with and with those I do not have direct relationships with. I will be more compassionate, I appreciate my high energy personality and it makes me who I am, but I feel I need to be calmer within myself, I feel I need to project that tranquillity, and express myself with ease and patience. I will eradicate more of my aggressive side and harness that aggression in to a positive, what I mean by this, is that I will not ignore my anger, but rather deal with it, and channel and express it positively, and not let the anger control me, not let my emotions control me.

I will not allow people or their actions, or thought process affect me emotionally in a negative way, I will accept all information that comes my through my consciousness, but I will not allow it to manipulate or weaken my state of being by controlling my emotional state. This comes back to being balanced within myself.

I will focus more on myself, and balancing my inner self, i will read more and expand my consciousness, wisdom and knowledge base. As i feel content in reading, and am constantly thinking about this. I will read at least 1 book every 2 months. I will listen more to people, and be more attentive, less selfish, and find peace in helping others, as this is something i feel strongly within myself but physically don’t take action upon it enough! I will do some form of charity work, perhaps dealing with the elderly or mentally / physically challenged children.

I will focus more on meditation, and my spiritual side, i will allocate time for this, as this is something that I truly want to do. My spiritual side is perhaps the most important part of my year this year, as I feel this will balance me greatly and provide a strong foundation for the rest of my goals. Without this balance and dive in to the unknown, i feel i will not achieve in fullness what i have the potential to achieve. Although it is the unknown, i “know” that it is where i must go. I will meditate on a personal level, weekly but i will also attend at least 1 x class per week. This also comes under me allocating more time to myself, to benefit my being, not just for myself, but for those around me, as i believe that if i enhance my being, i will be of greater benefit to those around me.

I have placed Yoga in this section as I feel it is more spiritual than physical and it is something I will focus on throughout the year, to assist me in my physical training and balancing my inner being. At least 1 x class per week.

I will allow my true feelings and emotions to flow through me unaffected and effortlessly. I will love with depth and passion, I will care for those around me with intensity yet not be attached negatively. I will appreciate those close to me at greater, deeper levels and will express that to them. I will not be consumed with fear in whatever path I choose, on any level, whether it be emotional, spiritual or physical. I will eradicate doubt from my being and my mind. All this will be achieved through the greater part of enhancing my spiritual side and striking a peaceful balance, again through meditation and mental stability. I will not be afraid to love and express myself clearly and with truth, by doing this i feel i can understand myself better, and create greater inner peace, without emotional blockage.

ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGH THE YEAR

Mainly in regards to travel. I will go to Thailand again, Brazil / South America, the USA to Gymjones, to New Zealand for hiking and mountain climbing. Travel to more places around WA, Australia, short stints. Again all my goals are inter related, one won’t really happen without the other, so achieving financial freedom is important for these goals, as I rate these goals as very high on my level of importance, and in order to achieve financial freedom successfully, and free of negative attachments, that will hinder my mental state and cause my inner stresses i must have clarity of mind and inner balance, achieved through a focus on my own spirituality.

Be successful and pass with strength my chosen units at University. Be more disciplined in regards to study at Uni.

Rod


















Name: Rod
Alias: Zerch
Occupation: Business Improvement Coordinator
Age: Ageless
Bodyweight: 72 kgs

Goals for 2008:



































Damon



Name: Damon
Alias: ?
Occupation: Senior Commercial Analyst
Age: 33
Bodyweight: 107kg
Comments: Inspired by the physical practices of Yoga, F.I.T (Focus Intensity Training) and Gym Jones.

Goals as at 31st December 2007: (Click on image to see in readable detail)

F.I.T reference - the core of my training philosophy and intent

Saturday 22nd December 2007 - Intensive Day 8

Time: 7:30AM

Place: City Beach

Equipment: Sled, Weights, 20kg & 16kg kettle bells, Sand Bag

Workout:

Warm up and stretch

A: Sand Bag Relay (for Time)

Sandbag Zercher hold Sandbag relay on the grass area
Start at the top of the grass area; hold the bag in front Zercher hold style, down to the bottom, up to the top
10 rounds

B: Back Pull Sled Drag down/ Front Pull Sled Ladder
Begin with 20kg and drag down to bottom grass area. Place strap on top of weights, front push sled to top of grass area. Next team member go with same weight. Sets continue until max is reached by the person with the heaviest load. If max is reached by another member then continue at that load.

C: Relay of Death (on the Beach)
Two Teams
6 rounds each for time (this is a race after all)

      • Harnessed front dragging holding Kettlebells: for 25M
      • Kettlebell Swing (5 Each Arm) drop kettlebells
      • Harnessed front dragging: 25M Back to Start - Release Harness to Team Member
      • Sprint to Kettlebells, Farmer Walk Back to Start
      • Hand kettlebells to next team member

Friday 21st December - Intensive Day 7

Time: 6:45AM

Place: Jacobs Ladder

Equipment:

2xsmall SB, 2x16kg KB, 2x20kg KB

Workout: "Pain is just weakness leaving the body" Relay

2 TEAMS
1 person from team A and 1 person from team B go down and up the ladder with 1xsmall sandbag each;
The other team member does the following:

        • run backwards up the street, 10 push ups
        • run forwards down the street, 10 decline (using the bench or railing) push ups
        • farmers walk (KB) up the street, 10 KB push ups
        • farmers walk down the street, 10 KB snatches (5 each arm)
Pass the baton (sandbag) between team members
10 ROUNDS (5 times on the ladder for each person)
*Note: the idea is to finish your ladder run as fast as possible to get a rest while your partner finishes their series (there may be zero rest)


Thursday 20th December - Intensive Day 6

Location: Jacob's Ladder

Time: 12:15pm

Equipment: 2x16kg KB


Workout

Relentless Relay
2 people descend to bottom of ladder with the kettlebells, 2 stay at the top. In the meantime, one person at the top chooses an exercise for the other to do until the ascender reaches the top

Once the 2 descenders have reached the bottom, 1 person from the bottom ascends and tags one who will then descend etc.
Person at the bottom to hold 2 x 16kg kettlebells that are not to be dropped for the entire session.

Rules

  • Only 1 person on the ladder at any time!
  • The most recent ascendant will choose an exercise to be performed by the other person at the top, until the next person arrives at the top!
    • this could be up to 4 minutes so consider wisely!
    • Consider tabata intervals of sprints, push-ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, plank, wall squat holds, dips on the corner
  • Continuous for 1 hour
You Don't Know Pain!
Alright fools, this one is gonna hurt!

Wall squat competition, when you fail you must run down the ladder and get back up before the next person to fail, if you don't, another Jacob's run for you!!!


Wednesday 19th December - Intensive Day 5

Time: 5:30PM

Place: Meet at Small Car Park near Kakoda

Equipment:
-KB’s – 4x20kg KB, 2x16kg KB, 2x24kg KB
-Everyone to have a wrist watch
-Sleds
-Weight Plates – 2x20kg, 2x10kg
2 x Slosh Pipe
(fully loaded)


Workout:

8 x sprint up Kakoda trail – walk down for rest and recovery!

3mins rest

8x1min KB Snatches – 30 sec rest MAX

3mins rest

1 x length of grass area Flying Burpie near Kakoda trail

3mins Active recovery (setting up for next exercise / slowly)

TAG TEAM “cadaverous & ghastly” COMBO

Team 1 drags sled whilst holding slosh pipe down the grassy hill and up again, whilst Team 2 do a complex of KB Breathing ladder combination single handed swings. EG: Damon swings once, whilst I rest, then I swing once whilst Damon rests, then Damon swings twice whilst I rest, then I swing twice whilst Damon rests…so fourth until Team 1 returns, we all have 2mins active recovery, then switch exercises.

X1

Tuesday 18th December - Intensive Day 4

Rest Day or personal workout time

Monday 17th December - Intensive Day 3


Time: 12:00PM

Place: DNA TOWER

Equipment:

2 x Sandbag, 2 x sleds with harness, Kettlebells, weights, parallettes, stop watch, 2 x 10M ropes


Workout:


Workout A:
TEAM A: Harness sled sprint with sand bag zercher hold, sprint 10m, 10 clean and throws (or press) with the sand bag, repeat for 50m.

TEAM B: Tabata interval kettlebell swings alternating with parallette push ups switch for 2 rounds of each interval.

Workout B:
DNA TOWER sprint / sled pull, sled push relay race
2 teams

1st person on each team runs up DNA tower back down and tags the 2nd member for a 3 round 10m sled pull / push. Repeat 3 rounds then switch exercises for another 3 rounds

Notes:



Grover and Joel not aware of the workout to come, the rest of us understand all to well whats ahead.....



Spiraling torture today, even Superman Stef struggling for air


Grover recovering from the 2nd round for sled drag, sandbag thruster combo

Zerch on the parallettes

Til I collapse (its all I could do after the second round of sled drags)




Sunday 16th December - Intensive Day 2

Time: 7:30AM

Place: Kensington Oval

Equipment:

1x10m rope, 1x20m rope, 2x16kg KB, 2x20kg KB, 1x10kg plate, 1x20kg plate, 1xskipping rope, 1x5kg med ball, 1xparalettes, 1xsledge

Workout: "In The Kitchen"

Preparation

2 laps - light pace
Light stretch

Heat the Pan

5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats
10 rounds for time

Sear the Meat

20m rope pull @ 20kg
20 10m whip smash
10 squats @ 10kg (holding plate)
10 KB or paralette pushups
4 Turkish Get up with kettlebells
8 rounds, continuous - rest only while waiting for next station

Cook Through

Skipping
5kg ball slam/toss
KB swings (alternating hands)
Sledge swings
Lap runs
2min per station, 30sec rest

Notes:
I thought playgrounds were for fun, not when its SB time.....

Improvised Overhead Squat....
Ethan providing the resistance, Joel searching for effort....
Zerch (Rod) mastering the Turkish Get Up
Smashed..........

Saturday 15th December - Intensive Day 1


Time: 7:30AM

Place: Kensington Oval

Equipment: S*** loads

Workout: "The Twelve Sets of Hell"

The idea is that each one of us starts on one of the four exercises and completes the 3 sets of that exercise in 10minutes, then move to the next exercise. If you finish earlier than 10minutes you deserve a rest.

A: 10x KB Sumo High Pull + 1 Lap Sprint + 15 Plyo Push-ups, rest 30 sec, 3 Rounds

B: 5x Clean & Jerk + Sled Sprint @ 30kg 25m + 8x Heavy 2 Hand KB Swing + Sled Sprint @ 30kg 25m back to start rest 1 minute, 3 Rounds

C: 2x 20M Rope Pull + 15 pushup on Parallettes + 10 Burpees rest 30seconds, 3 Rounds

D: 100M Slosh Pipe Overhead Walk (or Zercher Hold if you want softness) + 1 minute plank, 3 Rounds

Notes:

Well DOne Zerch


Plyo pushups after a lap sprint is not fun.....

Concentrated effort combined with exhaustion - a sweating blood special.....Snaps it up there, good work Grover on the 60kg C&J

Monday, December 10, 2007

Wednesday 12th December 2007

Location: Jacob's Ladder

Time: 5pm

Equipment: 2xslosh pipe v2.0, 1xKB each (2 if you want) eg. 1x12kg, 2x16kg, 1x20kg, 1x24kg

Warm Up
KB Complex on the grass:
10x One-arm KB Swing (each side)
10x RTW (both directions)
10x Figure 8 (both directions)
10x Goblet Squat
10x Push Squat
10x Standing Halo
10x Deck Squat
5x Half-TGU (each side)
10x Windmill (each side)
10x One-arm OHS (each side)
10x Get-up (each side)

Sweat Like You Mean It
1x run down/up Jacob's Ladder
50x KB movements (this can be anything you want, including combinations of swings, snatches, cleans, get ups or whatever, just do 50)
Repeat for 45 minutes

Slosh pipe overhead hold for time (unless you have a note)

Friday, December 7, 2007

8th December 2007 - SB Boot Camp

Location: Cottesloe Beach (Meet in front of Indiana Tea House)

Time: 7:15 AM (for a 7:30 Start), aim to start "Stef loses it" at 8:00AM so that he is fully recuperated :-)

Equipment: KB (16, 20, 24, 28, 32), 2x V2.0 Slosh Pipes, 2 sets Parallettes, Medicine Ball

Warm-Up
Medicine Ball Throw sequence (Over Head, Side throw, etc)
1 x SloshPipe Static Overhead Hold – For max time
1 x Kettlebell complex
10x One-arm KB Swing (each side) 10x RTW (both directions) 10x Figure 8 (front-to-back) 10x Figure 8 (back-to-front) 10x Goblet Squat 10x Push Squat 10x Standing Halo 10x Deck Squat 10x Half-TGU (each side) 10x Windmill (each side), alternate arms and do One-arm Snatch to switch sides 10x One-arm OHS (each side) 10x Get-up (each side)

Stef Loses It
Sloshpipe Zercher Hold (or Jesus Hold) Squat: 30-20-10-20-30 (if your not using the pipe then double the reps and go deep)
50M beach sprint to next station
KB Swing: 30-20-10-20-30 50M beach sprint to next station
Parallette Push-Up: 30-20-10-20-30100M beach sprint back to start
5 rounds

1st round looks like: 30 x Slosh Pipe Squat + 50M Sprint + 30x KBS + 50M Sprint + 30 x Parallette Push-up + 100M sprint2nd round looks like: 20 x Slosh Pipe Squat + 50M Sprint + 20x KBS + 50M Sprint + 20 x Parallette Push-up + 100M sprint

Swim cool down



Saturday, December 1, 2007

Escalating Density Training system

Stef, I know what im doing in January re weight training. Have a read and let me know what you think.

By Alwyn Cosgrove, CSCS and Charles Staley, MSS. Since the inception of the Escalating Density Training system (see http://www.EDTSecrets.com), one of the most common inquiries we receive at the office is ìWhen are you going to write about EDT for fat loss?î

As it turns out, EDT is perhaps the simplest and most effective training technique available for body composition training. I was recently talking to my colleague Alwyn Cosgrove, owner of Results Fitness Training in Newhall, California has been using EDT-inspired training programs to facilitate rapid losses in bodyfat with his clients for several months now. In fact, Alwyn claims an average loss of 2% bodyfat per month with no dietary changes at all. However, there is a price to be paid for quick results, and this program does exact a heavy tolló Cosgrove joking refers to it as ìRambo trainingó it’s not for wussies.î I agree, but at the same time, this is about as fun as hard work can be. Have a lookÖ

The Program

This EDT cycle is simple, brief and yet quite brutal. You’ll perform (3) 15-Minute ìPR Zonesî where you’ll attempt to accumulate as many total reps as possible and then improve upon that number every workout (see ìEDT Loading Parametersî for more details). Each and every workout you know how long it’ll last and you also know exactly what you need to accomplish. It’s that simple. Here’s your program, make exercise substitutions if equipment or injury restrictions warrant.

Monday

First PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Chins
A-2: Front Squat

Rest: 5 Minutes

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Rows
A-2: DB Lunge

Rest: 5 Minutes

Third PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Overhead KB Press
A-2: Atomic Sit-Ups

Wednesday

First PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Dips
A-2: Barbell Rows

Rest: 5 Minutes

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Back Squat
A-2: One Leg Deadlift

Rest: 5 Minutes

Third PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
A-2: Reverse Trunk Twist on Ball

Friday

First PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Deadlift
A-2: KB Push Press

Rest: 5 Minutes

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Pull Ups
A-2: Ring Dips

Rest: 5 Minutes

Third PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A-1: Standing Lateral Raise
A-2: Paralette Pushups

COSGROVE: Note that you can also reduce the rest periods between PR zones thereby further increasing the density. I also prefer to have a bigger rep ìbuffer.î In regular EDT I allow 20% more reps before I increase the loads. In Fat loss EDT I don’t increase the loads until you perform 30% more reps. I think the higher volume helps with fat loss (this assumes a good load selection initially). Another rule I use is that the eccentric phase should be controlled, the concentric should be accelerative.

EDT Loading Parameters

For those not yet familiar with EDT’s unique loading parameters, here’s the nuts and bolts:

  • Escalating Density Training is based on the concept of doing more and more work from workout to workout. Therefore, it’s critical that your exercise biomechanics (i.e., technique) is consistent on every workout. If you perform strict curls on one workout and loose form the next, you aren’t really doing more work (for the arms at least!)
  • I recommend 10-15 minutes of light to moderate cardio, followed by 10-15 minutes of light stretching on ìoffî days for the purpose of promoting active recovery and reducing soreness.
  • Each workout in this cycle consists of (3) PR Zones of 15-minutes duration separated by a short (5-minute) rest periods. In each PR Zone, you’ll generally perform two exercises, for a total of 3-4 exercises per workout.
  • In each PR Zone, you’ll typically perform two antagonistic exercises in alternating fashion, back and forth, using the same weight for all sets, until the PR Zone has elapsed.
  • After warming up the first exercise(s), select a load that approximates a 10RM for each exercise. Ideally, the weight used for each exercise should be equally difficult.
  • Sets/Reps/Rest Intervals: This is where EDT is truly unique. Most people will find it most productive to do higher repetition (but not maximal effort) sets and shorter rests at the beginning, and then gradually progress to fewer reps per set and longer rest intervals as fatigue accumulates. As an example, you might begin by performing sets of 5 with very short (10-15 second) rests. As you begin to fatigue, you’ll increase your rest intervals as you drop down to sets of 4, then 2, and as the time limit approaches, you might crank out a few singles in an effort of accomplish as many repetitions as possible in the time allotted.
  • NOTE: Do not perform early sets to failure, or even near failure. My recommended starting point is to do 1/2 of what is possible (e.g., 5 reps with a 10RM weight) at the beginning of the time frame. As the time limit approaches however, you’ll find yourself working at or near failure as you attempt to break your rep record.
  • Progression: Each time you repeat the workout; your objective is to simply perform more total repetitions in the same time frame. As soon as you can increase the total number of reps by 20 percent or more, start the next workout with 5 percent more weight and start over. Similarly, if you manage to improve upon your last performance (for the same workout) by 40 percent, then you’ll increase your weights by 10 percent on the next workout.


PROGRESS ACCELERATION TIPS:

I like amino acids as the post workout meal – an hour later I have a shake with fiber when training for fat loss.

Aerobics: avoid like the plague – they cause you to lose muscle, and they help you to become more efficient at burning fat. So how would you like your fat burning machinery to get smaller and more efficient when you are trying to lose fat ? Thought so.

For the EXTREME RAMBO HARDCORE ADDICT: Do EDT using hybrid lifts – see below. Another very cool yet brutal tip is to do TWO 15 min periods in the workout but perform TWO EDT workouts per day. Brutal but it’ll carve you up.

First PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A1 Alternating max lunge
A2 Seated Cable Rows

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
B1 Step Up
B2 Push up-prone tuck combo

Third PR Zone (15 Minutes)
C1 DB Squat and Press
C2 Close Grip Pulldown

Day Two :

First PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A1 Bulgarian Split Squat
A2 Push Press

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
B1 SHELC
B2 Seated Row to neck

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
C1 Good morning squat hybrid
C2 Incline Db Press

Day Three :

First PR Zone (15 Minutes)
A1 Deadlift
A2 Pullover

Second PR Zone (15 Minutes)
B1 Lateral Lunge and touch
B2 Arnold Press

Third PR Zone (15 Minutes)
C1 DB Swiss Ball Crunch
C2 Bent Over DB Row

Fuel For EDT

To maximize the effectiveness of this EDT fat-loss program, employ the following nutritional strategies:

1) Reduce consumption of refined carbohydrate (breads, pastas, white rice, potatoes, grains, cakes, cookies, etc.) to a bare minimum, especially later in the day.

2) Virtually all meals should contain a fiber source, expect for post-workout meals, which should ideally be a fast-absorbing protein/carb shake. Check out a cool product called Fiber Smart. This is a unique, dietary fiber made from flax seeds and other top quality ingredients to support proper function and health. It also contains Acidophilus and Bifidus to promote a health bacterial balance and amino acids to support a healthy digestive lining.

2) Eat every 3 hours for a total of 5 to 6 meals per day. No exceptions. Schedule meals as if they were appointments with yourselfó because that’s what they really are when you think about it.

3) Calculate or estimate your lean body mass (total weight ñ fat weight) and eat one gram of animal-source protein per pound of lean bodyweight per day, divided into 5 or 6 meals. For an individual who weighs 200 pounds and is 15% body fat, this would mean 170 grams per day, which would equate to 5 meals containing 34 grams of protein per meal.

4) Hydrate! My recommended water intake is 60 percent of your bodyweight in pounds, converted to ounces, per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 90 ounces of water per day.

5) Watch out for ìhiddenî sources of fat and sodium such as various salad dressings and condiments.

6) Educate yourself on the caloric value of what you eat. If you’re not losing weight (fat) you’ll need to eat slightly less calories, and/or increase caloric expenditure (via exercise). There may be some trial and error at first as you learn more about how many calories you’ll need to create an energy deficit. COSGROVE: this is key. Violate this rule and you are toast.

7) Develop strategies to cope with difficult situations, such as family get-togethers and going out to eat. COSGROVE: Fast food? Yesó it’s called grilled chicken sandwich. Fries, no.

8) Virtually all breakfast cereals are to be avoidedó they almost always contain high levels of calories, sugar and non-existent protein and fiber contentó the worst possible type of food. COSGROVE: the only cereal you can have is oatmeal. Nothing else.

9) Some saturated fat is OK, but it’s easy to take in more than you realizeÖbe careful with salad dressings, condiments, grilled meats, fried foods, Chinese food, gravies, etc.

10) Stop analyzing everything to death and get down to basicsó it’s not that difficult to figure out how to eat right. Which brings us toÖ

11) Staley on ìsimplexity:î OK, let’s get down to brass tacks hereó EAT LESS! I’m often asked about the fat loss value of various foods like grapefruit, cider vinegar, etc. My patented response is ìAny food will make you lose weightó if you eat too little of it.î A little trick is in order hereó the next time you feel hungry, instead of giving in to it and feeling deprived, tell yourself ìOKó this is goodó it’s a sign that I’m doing the right thing.î Trick yourself into believing that being hungry is desirable.

12) Here’s what Cosgrove has to say about cheating:

  • If you cheat: DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT change your next meal. I see many clients who overeat at one meal and then under eat at the next meal as a kind of ìpayback.î All you did now was screw up TWO meals.


  • If you cheat: get right back on track. A lot of people think after cheatingó I’ve blown itó so I might as well REALLY blow it! Let me ask youó if you get a flat tire do you get out of your car and slash the other three? Hey, you have a flat tireó might as well have four, right?


13) Cosgrove on hunger: Hunger is a sign that your body is lacking in energy. At this point your body will use stored fat as a fuel source. It’s a good thing. While I agree with Dr. Eric Serrano that calories are not created equaló it’s tough to argue that eating less calories will cause anything other than weight loss. It’s the law of thermodynamics.

Learn more about EDT training at http://www.EDTSecrets.com

Friday, November 30, 2007

Sunday 2nd December 2007

Location: Jacobs Ladder
Time: 3:00PM
Workout: KB Complex Initiation with a twist

The twist being after the following sequence once down and up the ladder then repeat for 3 times

10x One-arm KB Swing (each side)
10x RTW (both directions)
10x Figure 8 (front-to-back)
10x Figure 8 (back-to-front)
10x Goblet Squat
10x Push Squat
10x Standing Halo
10x Deck Squat
10x Half-TGU (each side)
10x Windmill (each side), alternate arms and do One-arm Snatch to switch sides
10x One-arm OHS (each side)
10x Get-up (each side)

Notes:
RTW: ‘round the world, or waist if you prefer
Figure 8: assume partial squat, pass KB between the legs
Push Squat: start per Goblet Squat, push KB forward to full arm extension as you descend Standing Halo: grab KB by horns, pass it around the head
Deck Squat: description here: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni13a5.htm
Half-TGU: search within the site for pictures (Half turkish get up)

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Health and Strength Links - 14th November 2007

~ Non-Sexy Training and Nutrition – “Testosterone runs a lot of “sexy” new training articles. Trouble with that is the essential stuff, stuff like progression, energy system work, the 90% rule, and supplements, often gets forgotten. Not so with this article.”
~ Keith Wassung’s Strength Training Program: Timed Total Tonnage – ”Keith Wassung has a 710lbs Squat, 480lbs Bench Press, 700lbs Deadlift & 355lbs Overhead Press at 220lbs body-weight. He walks the talk.”
~ Eating Your Greens Could Prove Life-Saving If A Heart Attack Strikes – “A diet rich in leafy vegetables may minimize the tissue damage caused by heart attacks, according to researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their findings, published in the November 12 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that the chemical nitrite, found in many vegetables, could be the secret ingredient in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.”
~ Try Adding These Superfoods To Your Thanksgiving Dinner This Year – “Tired of spinach, bored with broccoli? Experts say there's a new generation of superfoods that promise to do double or triple-duty when it comes to preventing illness. At the top of the list kiwi. “In a recent study, kiwi was found to be one of the most nutritionally dense fruits out of 27 fruits,” says Stephanie Dean, R.D., dietitian with Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.”
~ The Important Role Of Natural Foods! – “There is a particular body of research by two nutritional pioneers which provides some amazing insight into just how import raw, unprocessed foods are to our overall health. Learn more about them right here!”
~ Spotlighting teen's weight fuels unhealthy eating – “Overweight adolescents may be more likely to continue practicing extreme eating or weight-control measures when their parents focus too much weight issues, study findings suggest.”
~ Personal Health: Chronic Pain: A Burden Often Shared – “When people experience unrelenting pain, everyone they live with and love is likely to suffer.”
~ Playing With Steroids – “Whenever a steroid story breaks, the first person they call is Dr. Charles Yesalis. Oddly enough, based on the interviews over the years, we've been led to believe that Dr. Yesalis is rabidly anti-steroid. We may have been wrong.”
~ Cancer Risks For Overweight Women – “Half of all cases of womb cancer and a type of oesophageal cancer in women are caused by being overweight or obese, according to a new report published online in the British Medical Journal . This study provides the first reliable evidence on the relevance of being overweight or obese for a wide range of cancers in women in the UK today.”
~ Fish And Omega 3 Linked To Mental Skills – “A Norwegian study has found a link between eating fish and improved mental skills in older people, a Dutch study found a link between higher omega 3 in the blood and lower mental decline, while a New Zealand study found a link between omega 3 levels in the blood and better physical health, although the link to better mental health was less convincing. All three studies are published in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
~ Advice To Eat Complex Carbs And Avoid Sugar Supported By New Research – “Eating too much fructose and glucose can turn off the gene that regulates the levels of active testosterone and estrogen in the body, shows a new study in mice and human cell cultures that's published this month in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. This discovery reinforces public health advice to eat complex carbohydrates and avoid sugar. Table sugar is made of glucose and fructose, while fructose is also commonly used in sweetened beverages, syrups, and low-fat food products.”
~ Exercise found to ease chronic pain of fibromyalgia – “Regular walks and stretching exercises can help ease the chronic, depressing pain of fibromyalgia, a mysterious ailment with no obvious cure, researchers said on Monday.”
~ Beta carotene protects memory in study – “Beta carotene taken as a dietary supplement for many years may protect against declines in memory, thinking and learning skills that often precede Alzheimer's disease, researchers said on Monday.”
~ Easy Weight Loss by Dr John Berardi – “All day long, all across the web, folks are posting questions about why they're not losing weight, why they're not gaining weight, why their body comp isn't changing. They're frustrated, confused, and feeling helpless. However, I believe that for the majority of them, if they just made things simple, progress would follow.”
~ Beauty of BOSU – “Half a stability ball has the whole fitness world convinced. A wobbly sphere that was sliced in half, the BOSU® ball yields results—whether you jump, sit, step, get into plank pose or do pushups on it. Try these tips from Equinox trainer Kristen Gagne.”
~ Chronic pain: where does it come from and why? – “Often, injuries carry an aggravating side effect: pain. More and more frequently, pain is not just a temporary result that will go away, but becomes a permanent factor that affects people’s lives. Jane E. Brody of the New York Times reports that chronic pain often changes a person for the worst and can lead to anxiety, fear, anger, and depression.”
~ Dieters Who Eat In Response To Emotions Versus Social Situations, Lose Less And Regain More – “Just in time for the start of the holiday eating season – a new study finds that dieters who have the tendency to eat in response to external factors, such as at festive celebrations, have fewer problems with their weight loss than those who eat in response to emotions (internal factors).”
~ Boosting Vitamin D May Have Long-Term Benefits For Inflammation, Aging, New Study Suggests – “There is a new reason for the 76 million baby boomers to grab a glass of milk. Vitamin D, a key nutrient in milk, could have aging benefits linked to reduced inflammation, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
~ Taking Care Of Your Skin Starts From Within – “The old adage “you are what you eat” not only applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs. In fact, new research suggests that eating foods rich in protein and certain vitamins and minerals might provide valuable anti-aging effects.”
~ Strategies to curb your hunger while you lose – “Everything from stress to hormones to people, places, and situations can kick your appetite into overdrive. The good news: Whatever the cause, you can beat your hunger pangs. Health.com offers up the latest stay-full strategies from the experts.”
~ Do you know how many calories your workout burns? – “Find out if you're working as hard as you think you are with the Calories Burned Calculator.”
~ Sunshine 'helps to keep you young' – “A healthy dose of sunshine may be the secret to staying young, British scientists have revealed. Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in response to sunlight and may help to slow the ageing process and protect against disease, according to the study.”
~ The nature and nurture of muscles – “Some of the truly fascinating insights into talent and greatness emerge from the realm of human musculature – how our skeletal muscles are initially formed, the attributes of different muscle fibers, and the different ways muscles can be transformed by activity and training.”
~ A Beautiful Snatch – “Whether you're a bodybuilder, strength athlete, or football player, learning the snatch can take you to a whole new plane of development. This article is chock-full of helpful videos that will have you snatching in no time.”
~ Personal Best: Pregnant Exercisers Test Limits – “Advice on when, how long and how much to train is all over the map.” I've trained two women through eight months, and each was back to their pre-pregnancy weight within a couple of weeks of giving birth.
~ High Fat Diet Changes The Body Clock – “US researchers have discovered that a high fat diet can change a mammal's body clock and thereby disrupt a range of behavioural and physiological processes, including those controlled by genes that switch on and off at certain times to keep the body's metabolism, storage and use of energy in balance.”
~ Ostrich, and the 7 other foods you should be eating – “We've heard it all before — eat your spinach, your broccoli, your whole-grain pastas. But there are a whole host of other good-for-you foods that most of us aren't eating.”
~ Caveman diet found to be the best choice to control diabetes – “Now, in the first controlled study of a Paleolithic (stone age) diet in humans, Lund University, Sweden, heralds the simple diet of the caveman as the “best choice to control diabetes 2”.”
~ Exercise Away Heart Failure – “Exercise can spur the growth of new cells to mend weakened muscles and spur the growth of blood vessels in people with heart failure, according to two new studies.”
~ Experts play the heavy on news of chubby perks – “Being overweight may not kill you, but it could lead to obesity, U.S. health experts cautioned on Wednesday in response to research suggesting that being a bit heavy does not raise the risk of death.”
~ Stretches that can help sciatica pain – “According to an article from spine-health.com, most types of sciatica will benefit from a regular routine of hamstring exercise, especially hamstring stretching.”
~ Hell on Wheels – “'You're a worm — a gutless worm, with puny legs to boot.' And that's just Rob Fortney talkin' to his kids about their leg development! Imagine what he's going to say to you, you weak little douchebag.” Aside from the bad lede, this is a good leg training article.
~ Hesfit 30 minute muscle routine – “By altering load, rest periods, and movement selection, you can achieve the results you want in as little as 30 minutes per day. Fat loss, sure! Strength gains, you betcha! In this article, I’ll give you some ideas on packing on some lean muscle mass in 30 minutes or less.”
~ Antioxidants Abound In Ripe Fruit – “Fall, the season of colors: Leaves turn red, yellow, and brown. The disappearance of the color green and the simultaneous appearance of these other colors are also signs of ripening fruit. A team led by Bernhard Krautler at the University of Innsbruck (Austria) has now determined that the breakdown of chlorophyll in ripening apples and pears produces the same decomposition products as those in brightly colored leaves.”
~ Key To Good Health May Be Concentrating On Food Not Nutrients – “In a recent academic review, a University of Minnesota professor in the School of Public Health has concluded that food, as opposed to specific nutrients, may be key to having a healthy diet. This notion is contrary to popular practice in food industry and government, where marketers and regulators tend to focus on total fat, carbohydrate and protein and on specific vitamins and added supplements in food products, not the food items as a whole.”
~ Research Links Diet To Cognitive Decline And Dementia – “Research has shown convincing evidence that dietary patterns practiced during adulthood are important contributors to age-related cognitive decline and dementia risk. An article published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences highlights information on the benefits of diets high in fruit, vegetables, cereals and fish and low in saturated fats in reducing dementia risk.”
~ Cause Of Insulin Resistance Discovered By UCSD Researchers – “Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discovered that inflammation provoked by immune cells called macrophages leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Their discovery may pave the way to novel drug development to fight the epidemic of Type 2 diabetes associated with obesity, the most prevalent metabolic disease worldwide.”

Friday, November 9, 2007

2 week Mass and Strength Building Program

No boot camp for three weeks as I work through this program with Stef. Ill start posting daily reflections in the comments as I work through this

Day 1 AM
A1) Back Squat, 5 x 4-6, 40X0* tempo, rest 100 seconds
* That's four seconds down, no pause, explode up, no pause, then repeat for the next rep.
A2) Leg Extension (I will probably find a replacement such as straight leg deadlift or sissy squat), 5 x 4-6, 5 x 4-6, 40X0 tempo, rest 100 seconds
Note: Those A1/A2 designations mean to perform one set of squats, rest, perform one set of leg curls, rest, and repeat until you get five sets. Then move to the "B" exercises.
B1) Barbell Rows 5 x 8, 4010 tempo, rest 100 seconds
B2) Dips 5 x 8, 4010 tempo, rest 100 seconds

Day 1 PM
A) Snatch Deadlift on platform, 10 x 6, 5010 tempo, resting 3 minutes between sets
B1) Seated Dumbbell Press, palms facing each other (semi-supinated), 5 x 6-8, 4010 tempo, rest 100 seconds
B2) One-Arm Dumbbell Rows, 5 x 6-8, 2011 tempo, rest 100 seconds

Day 2
A1) Front Squats, 5 x 4-6, 40X0 tempo, rest 100 seconds
A2) Dumbell Lunge 5 x 4-6, 40X0 tempo, rest 100 seconds
B1) Close-Grip Pronated Pull-ups, 5 x 6-8, 3011 tempo, rest 100 seconds
B2) Incline Dumbbell Press 5 x 6-8, 3110 tempo, rest 100 seconds
Rest 2-3 Days before repeating Day 1


Crucial Points
• Each set goes balls to the walls!
• Not counting warm-ups, take each set to concentric failure. In other words, don't do a set of 8 with a weight you can rep to 15. Do sets of 8 with a weight you can only lift 8 times.
• If you have to decrease the weight every set to get the required number of reps, decrease the weight by no more than 5%.
• If you choose your own exercises, remember that all the movements you use have to be "most bang for your buck" exercises. Every exercise should involve at least two joints or more. No dumbbell flyes, kickbacks, or other Men's Healthexercises done with pursed lips.
• Don't worry about direct arm work. You'll gain plenty of arm size without direct biceps and triceps work during this program if you choose to use dips, chins, and presses.
• Now, if you want to use different exercises — heals-elevated squats, front squats the next day, zercher squat, etc. — that doesn't matter.

Wednesday 7th November 2007

Place: DNA tower

Workout:
Team A: Harness Sled Sprint with Sandbag Zercher Hold, Sprint 10m, 10 clean and throws (or press) with the sandbag repeat for 50m
Team B: Tabata Interval Kettlebell Swings alternating with Parallette push ups
Switch for 2 Rounds of each interval

DNA tower Sprint / Sled Pull, Sled Push Relay Race
Two Teams
1st person on each team runs up DNA tower Back Down and Tags the 2nd member for a 3-round 10m sled pull/push
Repeat 3 rounds then switch exercises for another 3 rounds

Notes:

Fn hard

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Hotel on Park Lane

I feel like I'm walking around a giant Monopoly game when in London and it is therefore a little strange to be staying in a hotel on Park Lane; the Sheraton in case you were wondering.

First order of duty after checking in was checking out the 'fitness facility' or whatever they happen to call it. Admittedly my hopes were not high after seeing the meagre description & photo on the website (click on the third picture under features and activities). But it was a little better than expectations, at least they had some weights:Other than the dumbbells which range from 2kg to 20kg in 2kg increments and the bench, there are some cardio machines - 1 stepper, 2 treadmills, 1 incumbent resistance cycle, 1 regular resistance cycle and 1 cross trainer. I think these machines are the deluxe ones where you can watch tv if you press the wrong thing on the lcd... evidence to follow.

Then there are a selection of lifefitness machines such as chest press, leg curl, leg extension and something akin to lat pulldown.

This is what I have to work with, no obvious way to perform pullups and no oly bar.

So, here are my tools, I am taking suggestions for some workouts that I can do with or without this gear. I'm thinking lots of pushups, dumbbell thrusters, presses, etc.

I'm planning to check out the local parks for a bar or bodyweight equipment.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Paul



Name: Paul
Alias: Grover
Occupation: Business Analyst
Age: 26
Bodyweight: 66kg
Comments: Training hard since about March 07 and not hard enough before that, harder today than yesterday and harder again tomorrow.



Benchmarks








1RM Deadlift130kg (197%)17/05/2008
1RM Bench Press75kg (114%)28/10/2007
1RM Squat100kg (152%)03/11/2007
1RM Military Press50kg (76%)03/11/2007
1RM Chinup30kg (45%)12/12/2007
Slosh pipe overhead hold4:0425/04/2008
'Heat the Pan' 1, 2, 3, 46:3703/03/2008




Short Term (29/12/2007) Goals








MovementGoalStatus
Deadlift100kgDone.
Bench PressBodyweightDone.
Squat (Deep)BodyweightDone.
Clean & Jerk60kg
Done.
Chinups15 unbrokenDone.
Pullups15 unbroken
Done.




Long Term (19/10/2011) Goals









MovementGoalStatus
Deadlift3xBW











Bench Press2xBW











Squat (Deep)2xBW











Clean & Jerk1.5xBW











Chinupssingle hand











Pullupssingle hand











Handstand pushupsunassisted













I'm working on the short and long term training plans to meet the goals, hopefully the long term goals will need to be adjusted soon...

Sunday 4th November

Place: NextGen Gym Spearwood

Training: Strength Circuit

12x Deadlift @ bodyweight +
12x Pull-up +
12x Ring Dips +
12m KB Bear Crawls
Max Rounds (aim for 12)

Notes:
Unforgiving this circuit an adaptation from Sparrows Dozen from GymJones- after three rounds we knew we were in trouble to get to 12.

Stef - 9 Rounds
Damon - 8 Rounds
Rod - 7 1/2 Rounds