What is success when is comes to working out and being healthy?

A lot of people think everything in their day to day life has to be perfect. It doesn’t always have to be perfect, but it is important to know what you’re comfortable with and what you can get away with. Personally, I know that I need to stay away from pizza, because I can’t just have a slice or two. I feel I need to eat the whole thing in one sitting.

When working out I know I need to have my work out written down before I start. If I have it written down I won’t stray away from it and I will fulfill on my goal for that workout.

Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. At the end of each day think about your workout, and how you did with your nutrition. By doing this you learn from your mistakes and can adjust for the next meal or next workout. I believe to be successful you must ask yourself one question, “Did you give everything you have to be successful that day?” This means, if you are tired and it’s been a long day at work and you go to the gym and you only have 70% in the tank, give all 70% you have instead of slacking. A hard 70% workout is better than just giving in that day. If you have one bad meal don’t be discouraged by it. Learn and adjust for the next day, but don’t let one meal become another meal the next day. By letting one meal or one workout affect you for more than just one day, it makes being successful really tough. Find a balance; you will reach your goals before you know it and you will enjoy living a healthy life.

It’s a simple question, but do you have the courage to answer it?

- Coach Drew

Alright everyone!  This blog post is going to be short and sweet and is simply a response to our local community of personal trainers and strength coaches.

Why?  Because we’re simply fed up with meeting people out in the community who have told us that they’ve been getting injured either flipping a tire or working with heavy sandbags at other gyms or boot camps.  So thank you to those trainers who didn’t do their job and now your clients are running over to us.  But honestly, do it right or don’t try to add these power based movements to your programs!

So here are a few videos to show you how it’s done.

How To Flip A Tire

How To Clean & Press Heavy Sandbag

And just to prove our point, here’s a video that shows our morning “mom boot campers” who weigh no more than 140 pounds flipping the 250 pound tire.

Train Right, Train Hard!

Rommel

PS…If you wanna do it right give us a call if you live in the Kirkland or Eastside, WA area. Or give our buddy Ryan Riess a visit at his gym in Kent,WA ==> http://www.imperialtraining.com/

Either way, you’ll be in good hands!

Here’s our video submissions for the Kirkland Winter Fitness Challenge hosted by the Central Park Tennis Club. Team 1 comprised of three of our employees, and Team 2 comprised of two of our female boot camp clients and Belton Lubas (co-owner). Unfortunately, Belton had a last minute injury and his results are unofficial (and unfortunately were not video recorded).

TEAM 1 Total Points = 6,203

Linden
Pushups = (24) 816, Shuttle = (21) 798, Rower = (680m) 730
Total = 2,344

Kelly
Pushups = (13) 442, Shuttle = (20) 760, Rower = (665m) 715
Total = 1,917

Drew
Pushups = (22) 506, Shuttle = (21) 735, Rower = 701m
Total = 1,942

TEAM 2 Total Points = 4,328

Kristin
Pushups = (18) 612, Shuttle = (21) 798, Rower = (672m) 722
Total = 2,132

Theresa
Pushups = (20) 680, Shuttle = (21) 798, Rower = (668m) 718
Total = 2,196

I recently finished reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler and was pleased to find that he addresses many of the preconceived notions about what heavy lifting will do to a woman’s body.

For example, he debunks the idea that lifting heavy weight will make you bulky and lifting 3 pound dumbbells will give you “longer” or “leaner” muscles.  Sure, there is absolute appeal for a woman to want to create longer and leaner muscles, but the fact of the matter according to Schuler, is “muscles…have a genetically predetermined shape.  If you train and feed a muscle so that it grows, you can’t choose whether the muscle becomes ‘bulky’ or ‘long and lean, like a dancer’s’ any more than you can choose your own height.”

Embracing this idea, in my opinion, is the first step toward picking up heavier weights.  If you have no control over “shaping” your body and how your muscles are going to grow, then what is the point in wasting your time lifting light weights for hundreds of reps?  It may give you better muscle endurance, but how does that serve you in real life?  Pushing, pulling, twisting, and squatting encompass the four major daily physical activities, and unless your goal is to do one of these activities over and over, then high reps and minimal weight may be a waste of time.

So what is my point?  The only way to get stronger is by lifting heavier weights.  If you lift 10 pounds 5 times and then increase your reps to 10 times, you haven’t increased your strength at all, only your endurance.  And why would anyone want to be stronger?  Think about functional movement.

Lifting your child out of a car seat, pushing the box of Christmas decorations back onto the shelf, chopping wood (okay, maybe not) but you get my point.  Being stronger will only make these movements easier and prevent injury, and who doesn’t want that?

Long story short, pick up heavier weights already!  It’s the New Year and time for an exciting challenge.

Strong = sexy

- Linden

It’s mid-week and your energy and enthusiasm to get a workout in is starting to fade. You’ve done well the past two days, but you might have gone too hard and your mind and body are simply telling you to back off a bit.

So what do you do?

Well, you just need that extra motivation and inspiring workout to get you excited again. And, have we got the perfect workout for you. Just follow the advice of our friend from “Beefy’s Gym”, especially when he explains, “That was the pre-warmup, to get you ready for the warm-up, to get you ready for the pre-workout, followed by the workout, which precedes the post-workout, then we’re going into a 60-minute warm-down…”

Ok, better yet, I’ll just let you watch the video and you can follow from there, enjoy

Element 5 Fitness founders and creators of Strong & Sexy Boot
Camps Rommel Acda, CSCS, and Belton Lubas, NASM-CPT are proud to announce the
grand opening of their first fitness training center in Kirkland, WA.  The Element 5 Fitness Training Center offers
group fitness and fat loss programs, one-on-one personal training, Muscle
Activation Techniques (MAT), sports performance enhancement, and is also the first
licensed Underground Strength Coach Gym in the Pacific Northwest. 

Rommel and
Belton believe that their unique fitness programs are the answer for fitness
enthusiasts feeling the effects of the economic crisis currently facing
Americans. They state: “People are really struggling right now with these hard
financial times.  Though we feel
fitness is a necessity item, most people still do not, and the bottom line is
that it tends to be the first thing that gets cut when people are short on
funds.  Our fitness programs provide
the solution to maintain staying in shape.”  Our Strong & Sexy Boot Camps are thriving in spite of a
struggling economy due to its mission of offering large group workouts lasting
60 minutes in length for as little as $20 per workout. This offers a
significantly more affordable alternative for busy people than traditional
one-on-one personal training rates that start at $65 per one-hour session. 

Strong
& Sexy Boot Camps has some ravings fans, none more vocal than Briony Stow, “I
first heard about the Bootcamp from a friend, naturally we were a little
skeptical, but they promised amazing results and money back guarantees, so why
wouldn’t you try it out? So I did. A few months later, I achieved my weight
loss goal. In fact, EVERYONE that came to train and followed the nutrition
guidelines achieved amazing results. I would recommend these guys to anyone and
everyone! Oh, and even though I reached my goal, it became something that I
enjoy so much that I continue to train with them 2-3 times a week and will do
so indefinitely.” 

Element 5
Fitness training center is also home to the United Source Martial Arts
Academy.  The United Source Academy
specializes in authentic Muay Thai
kickboxing,  Western Boxing, Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune  Do, Filipino
Weaponry, Clinch/Ground Boxing, and Fitness Kickboxing.  The academy offers a multifaceted experience for the beginning to
advanced practitioner. Their focus is not limited to the insufficiency of
solely creating the ‘toughest fighter’ but rather in the equally important
value of introducing individuals and families to the life long benefits of
martial edification and personal development.

The Element 5
Fitness Training Center will be holding a free boot camp from 10-11am this
Saturday to kick off the grand opening.
The United Source Academy will be holding martial arts demonstrations every
30 minutes starting 10am.  Come join us for a great workout at 10am, food, drinks, and prizes to follow at 11:30am.  We are located at 11626 Slater Ave NE, Suites 4 and 5, Kirkland, WA 98034 behind NAPA Auto
Parts.  For more
information call us at 425-823-4400.

[Photo credit: Shootsnikon]

Having trouble sticking to your fitness routine?  Shake it up a little by working out first thing in the morning.  It’s a huge mental shift, but with the sun coming up earlier, early morning workouts will help you jump start your metabolism for the rest of the day.

In addition, you can avoid the stress of battling decisions between your workout and possible last minute evening activities that would have competed with your time, you won’t have to think about getting your workout in, and you’ll find yourself getting more work done during the day.

So challenge yourself to get up earlier and in less than two weeks I guarantee you’ll see and feel a difference.

PS, Still need some pick me up help in the morning? Here are two quick dynamic flexibility exercises to get the blood flowing.

Perform 2 sets of 10 reps for each exercise.

1. Cat/Camel

2. Opposites (aka Bird Dog)

With spring in full effect most people are hitting the gym hard to achieve that flat belly.  However, a lot of people are also seeking to achieve amazing looking arms to show off during the summer as well.  Most of our female clients are concerned with getting rid of the “back-of-the-arm” jiggly wiggly’s, and are tired of it jiggling long after they’ve stopped waving.

Good nutrition will of course help, and interval training will improve the fat burning process, however specific weight training will boost the “toning” effect.  (I can’t stand the word “toning”, but hey I gotta use it).

Follow this three exercise “superset” to attack the stubborn “jiggly” in your triceps so that you can break out the tank tops and show off your newly shaped arms!

The Workout

Perform each exercise for the prescribed amount of reps.  Make sure to select a weight that will fatigue your triceps for the prescribed reps.  Transition between each exercise with little (no more than 10 seconds) to no rest.  After you perform the third exercise rest for one minute, then repeat for two more times to complete three sets.

Exercise 1: Narrow hand position pushups – 5 reps

- Use a full range of motion!  Don’t wuss out and only go half way down.  Your chest should almost touch the floor.  If you can’t complete 5 full reps, then do whatever you can and move on to the next exercise.

Exercise 2: Plank to pushup position – 10 reps total

- Start from a plank position on your forearms then transition into a pushup position.  You will not perform a pushup though.  Do five reps starting with your left hand and the other five transitioning with your right hand.

Exercise 3: Rope Pressdowns/Extensions – 15 reps

- Using a rope attachment from a high cable pulley, hold the ends of the rope with your palms facing each other.  Keep your knees soft and slightly lean your upper body forward, while keeping your back flat.  Start with your elbows bent at 90-degrees, then straighten your arms as you slightly pull the rope apart.  Do not separate the rope too much as this will create too much pressure in your shoulders.

[Photo credit: figureathlete.tmuscle.com]

Here’s a video that demonstrates exercises 1 and 2.

Work Hard!

- Rommel Acda, MATS, CSCS

Have you ever looked at high intensity athletes such as martial artists (MMA Fighters), track stars, gymnasts, etc, and wonder how and why they have a physique like that of a bodybuilder posing at the night of their showing?  You see 6-pack abs, ripped muscles, and basically just a lean mean fighting machine? 

These high intensity athletes are not freaks of nature (well, some of ‘em are), but more or less people who have truly maximized their genetic potential through High Intensity Training.  Whether it is their profession or a passion, you can see across the board the effects of their training.  One class of high intensity athletes are martial artists such as MMA (Mixed Martial Artists) Fighters. 

GSP http://www.sportsbettingandcasino.com/files/2008/01/georges-st-pierre.jpg

As of late, you have seen the explosion of MMA into the mainstream affecting everything from clothing lines, media, pay-per-view, haircuts (kidding), etc.  But when you look at how these high intensity athletes train, it is amazing.  There is something to be said about the energy demands and requirements for this type of training.  This form of training is anaerobic (without oxygen) in nature and has what we call an “afterburn” effect aka EPOC (Excess Post Oxygen Consumption).  Unlike traditional cardio aerobic programs where you stop burning once you stop your exercise, anaerobic exercise keeps on going for hours afterwards thus maximizing fat loss!  It is the Energizer Bunny of fat loss! Keeps going and going and going… 

BJ Penn http://www.newzealandmma.com/home/images/photos/bjpenn.jpg    

Manny Pacquiao http://hibachibaby.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/manny-pacquiao.jpg

Although many cannot handle the actual intensity of how hard Martial Artists truly train, you can still get involved in high intensity training starter programs and maximize the benefits from it.  As you progress, you can increase the workload and change up the routine to accommodate your progressions.

So how many calories can you burn?  Well, let me just say that your body composition determines that.  Obviously if you are heavier, your energy demands are greater.  For example, did you know that you can burn up anywhere from a low end of 300-600 calories OR 800-1200 calories per hour of boxing training?  Those numbers are dependent upon the body mass of the individual.   But before you get excited about your fat loss journey, keep in mind most people CANT go for an hour of boxing let alone 15 minutes.  Now remember, boxing is one format of a high intensity exercise.  You are missing the point here if you start buying gloves and a heavy bag.  I’m talking about high intensity training and using martial artists as an example.  Look at the example below demonstrating high intensity vs traditional cardio training below:

-       154 pound person who runs at a pace of 8 mph will burn 320 calories in 20 minutes. That same person, walking at 3 mph for an hour, will burn 235 calories.

Now take that into your training protocol and you will see that you do NOT have to train for an hour.  Train Smarter not just harder. 

The Strong and Sexy bootcamp program with Element 5 Fitness has incorporated this form of training into their programming.  All over the Eastside clients are experiencing fat loss with this type of training.  From 25-50+ pounds of fat loss, you may wonder why participants at the Strong and Sexy Bootcamp classes are experiencing this phenomenon.  Well, if you were paying attention to the paragraphs above then you would know why!

I have included some of the sample workouts below that were incorporated in our Strong and Sexy Bootcamps classes.  This is a 30 second format PER exercise.  You cycle through the three exercises one after another WITHOUT rest.  The only real rest you will probably get is a 5 second transition between stations. 

30 second format EACH exercise EQUALS ONE SET:

-       Bench Press OR Band Punches 30 seconds

-       Reverse Lunge with Band Row

-       Jump Rope OR explosive cardio format

Repeat these exercises 4 or 5 times through!  That itself covers a quick six to seven and a half minutes!  Once you combine 3 – 4 formats of this type of training, you will have covered at least 20-30 minutes of a high intensity type of training. 

If you dare, try this format and adjust the intensity and tempo to get a killer workout!  Welcome to the FITNESS WARRIOR LIFESTYLE!!!

Yours in health,

Belton

Valerie Bertinelli was on the Today Show this morning and talked about how she lost 40 pounds and looks and feels sexier than ever at age 48.  She’s the face of the new Jenny Craig campaigns, which took her goals to a whole new level of responsibility and accountability.  It allowed her to stay true and hold strong for her fitness goal in front of a national audience by not only losing the weight, but to prove to herself and to us that she can keep it off.

I can’t stress this enough when it comes to weight loss.  Social support and accountability is a huge component to get you to your goals.  It’s often overlooked or downplayed, because too many people are afraid of putting themselves out there.  Who cares what people are going to think.  They can’t make you feel inferior without your consent anyways so forget about the naysayer’s.  

Valerie didn’t care about what people would have thought, and by putting herself out there she was able to help many women believe in themselves to go for it too.  Especially in their late forties where most women think it’s nearly impossible.  It’s never, ever too late.

So how did Valerie do it?

Believe it or not, she lost majority of her weight without hiring a personal trainer and by doing five days of moderate walking, and sticking to the Jenny Craig nutrition plan.  The Jenny Craig system focuses on a fixed diet plan, and a reduced calorie diet using a 60/20/20 ratio (60% – carbs; 20% – fat; 20% – protein).  Most people would have a hard time losing weight with this plan, but it worked very well for Valerie.

As for her exercise, I would have incorporated at least two days of strength training, because it further stimulates your metabolism by building fat burning muscle.  However, I believe her routine worked well for her simply because she BELIEVED it would.

You see, most people overlook what’s going on in their heads and are usually somewhat skeptical of trying out a new fitness program.  Losing weight is not rocket science, but the problem is that most people have poor follow through, get frustrated, try a different routine (but still have doubts), get frustrated again, and then it becomes this vicious cycle over and over.

The result is being obsessive about exercise, but see absolutely no results.  If this is you, I encourage you to take a step back.  Choose a workout routine and nutrition plan that will complement your schedule.  Then implement it with a passion and believe that it will give you the results you desire.  

If you can do this I guarantee you’ll enjoy your journey.

Ok – Comment time.

Did you enjoy this post?  Have you tried Jenny Craig, and if so how was your experience?

Please share in the comments section below.

- Rommel

PS, Take a look at my simple home/office workout routine ==> Click Here.