Bolts of Lightning

Are YOU a High Level Athlete?

Before I get to this week's BOLT, just a few quick follow-ups from last week:

   1. The first part of my new ebook, MISSION: FAT BURN, was mailed out this past week with a BANG!  The workout portion of the book was sent to a select list of willing readers and the response was great!  I hope all of you began the first week of workouts, are training intensely, and are a little bit sore from this new brand of exercise (.. in a good way, of course!)  Believe me, you are on your way to reaching your goals!

You can still get your copy, but this is the last week for the FREE offer!  Simply email me back and let me know you want the freebie, and I will get it out to you.  LAST CHANCE!

    2.  I introduced you all to the football game and documentary that I was invited to participate in last week.  The first episode of the game has been posted on the main website for all to view.  It's less than 10 minutes long, so check it out when you get the chance.. IT'S REALLY COOL and very well done!  (Oh, and I'm #12 on the Easton team in red.. forgive the buzz cut!)

    http://www.missiong.com/show/Replay

And for this week's BOLT!

THE TOP 12 ACTIONS AND TRAITS THAT
HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON

Throughout my 11 years of training athletes, I've had the fortunate opportunity to work with many individuals that have gone on to very successful careers in their sport.   From Division I Football, to the NFL, to one of the top training centers in the country that has allowed me to work with Division I and Professional basketball players, this path has enabled me to see that high level athletes exhibit many of the same qualities and perform many of the same actions.  This is not to say that every top athlete in the world adheres to every one of these, but, without question, there is a common thread that leads to big-time success.  The following is a list of the TOP 12 ACTIONS AND TRAITS THAT HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON.
 
For this week, here are numbers 1 through 3:

    1.They Put Themselves in Competitive Situations
Whether it is an "I can do more pull-ups than you" spur-of-the-moment contest or a planned out 1-on-1 training drill or game, high level athletes absolutely LOVE to compete.  They know internally that that is what is going to ultimately make them better, and that going up against someone else can bring out the best in them.   Great athletes are constantly aware of what the other guy is doing, how well he is doing it, and what he can do to surpass that level.  Competition breeds success, and to become a really high-level athlete, you must embrace this concept.

     2.They're Superstitious, which leads to an Established Gameday Routine
We've all heard of the guys that wear the same underwear until they lose and the girls that pull their hair back with the same rubber band all year.   That's not so much where I'm going here, but close.  It's more along the lines of a set pre-game or pre-competition routine.  This could come in the form of waking up at the same time on gamedays, eating the same meals at the same time, or arriving at the arena or stadium at the exact same time the day of a game.  It is a personal thing, and could really be whatever you make of it.  The message here is that high level athletes fall into a set routine surrounding their competition.  Each one of them will tell you that it contributes to them finding a gameday rhythm that they can count on, and that they draw success from.

     3.They Listen to Motivational Music
Think about the times you've seen high level athletes on a bus or  in the in locker room on SportsCenter or the news... rarely do you see them without IPod headphones on, right?  High level athletes can't be without motivational music!  Whether it is their own individual preparation for games or in the weightroom in the off-season, the highly successful athletes love the outside motivation that a loud, pounding song can provide.  It's one small way they motivate themselves to achieve more, and it works!

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  For programs that can make your athleticism high level, take a minute to check out www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

THE Basketball Legend

Apologies I went dark for a week there.  SOOO much going on, both personally and professionally, it's been a hectic 2 weeks since I last wrote!  Here are 2 of the cool things going on:

    1. To those that signed on to receive an advanced copy of MISSION: FAT BURN, my new ebook that will be your solution to shattering your body fat and getting you that toned looked that you so eagerly want! (By the way, each workout will also get you in and out of the gym in one hour, including your shower!):  You will be getting your workouts by week's end for sure.  The book is growing and growing with each page that gets completed, but you will be able to begin your "fat sizzling" workouts next Monday! 

   

Anyone that has not reserved their copy yet but would still like to, just reply to this email saying that you would like one.. and its YOURS!

     2. This next one is so cool, I just had to share it with you all.  Right before Thanksgiving last year, that week's "Bolt" was titled "The Greatest Game Ever," and described the high school football rivalry between Easton HS in Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg HS in New Jersey.  Well, I wasn't lying to you when I said "greatest", because the game has caught the eye of the biggest sports drink company in the history of the world.. GATORADE!   They have come up with a new reality show concept called "Replay," and the 1993 game between the two schools will be the subject for the very first series of shows.  Check out the trailer (just move the foam finger to "watch trailer"):

    http://www.missiong.com/show/Replay

   1993 just happened to be my Junior year in high school and I have been invited to play in this renewal game!  You have it right.. a bunch of 30-something-year-olds in pads again, replaying a game that ended in a tie 16 years ago.  I never dreamed I'd have a chance to play football again, let alone in this historic rivalry.  Needless to say, my training has taken on a whole new life, and I am so jacked and excited to get out there again!  I'll be making a lot of my own personal workouts for this game available to you guys in future Bolts (and in other cool ways), so stay tuned..

So in the spirit of competition, this week I simply wanted to leave you with a few quotes from THE Coaching Legend, John Wooden.  He is arguably the greatest coach ever.. in any sport, at any level, any era.  He was most known for his ability to teach and educate athletes, and his words were known to inspire.  Here are a few of my favorites:

"Undirected diligence isn't very efficient; therefore, an element of planning must go into hard work."

"We should never let ambition cause us to sacrifice our integrity or diminish our efforts in other areas.  However, we need to remember that we never reach a serious goal unless we have the intention of doing so."
 
 "Players with fight never lose a game; they just run out of time."

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

Free Copy of MISSION: FAT BURN

MISSION: FAT BURN

Here's updated information on my new Ebook, MISSION: FAT BURN, and how you can get your hands on an advanced copy for FREE!

You ready for the huge, painstaking process?  Email me and you get the book!  That's right, just reply to this email saying, "I'm in!", or "Give me my free book!," or "Just send me the information, dammit!" (ha ha!)  You can write whatever you like in the body of the email, just let me know you want it with your reply and I will get it out to you.

It is actually still in the process of being finalized, but I would like you to be one of the select few that gets one of the first copies!  I am adding more and more ideas, workouts, and content to it each day, and its getting bigger than I thought!  I anticipate it being complete within the next week or two, if all goes as planned.  Once complete, you will get 12 weeks worth of programming that will guide you in your quest to get that body that you seek in 2009!  The program has all of the components we discussed in this series:

1. You will get away from the "30 minutes of cardio" mentality, and shift your routine from long, boring aerobic activity to ridiculously-effective anaerobic workouts!
2. You will burn HUGE AMOUNTS of calories, both during the workout and after! (Remember, EPOC?  If not, check back to Reason #2)
3. You will begin to add lean muscle to your frame, to get you that awesome "toned" build that you have been looking for!
4. You will absolutely raise the intensity level of your activity, to get you into that "8+" range that we spoke of in Reason #4!

To ensure success, however, you MUST alter your mindset and embrace change.  Remember how we started this series back in the beginning of January?  I asked you to think differently in 2009 about your workouts, and be willing to change some things in order to effectively reach your goals.  To fully incorporate these new, effective workouts, you have to be a willing participant and the following 7 ideas must hold true:

1. You have to be willing to get in and out of the gym in 1 hour, INCLUDING YOUR SHOWER!
2. You have to be willing to trade off time-spent for intensity.  Work out for less time, but work harder during the time that you are working out.
3. You have to be willing to train with heavy weights.  Put down your little pink and baby blue "hand weights" and grab some real dumbbells with real weight.  Regularly and progressively challenge your muscles, and demand that they develop.
4. You have to be willing to forget about separating "cardio" and weights.  You should, instead, combine them into one fully-effective "fat-busting" routine.
5. You have to be willing to incorporate the concept of "active recovery" into your routine.  Stop sitting around and talking for 5 minutes in between sets.  Rather, perform a smaller activity during your down time, that still allows recovery in the muscle groups you are working but also takes advantage of that time by keeping your heart rate elevated and addressing another area of fitness.
6. You have to be willing to move around in the gym, possibly going from station to station or machine to machine quickly, in order to get the sequence and flow of a good fat-burning workout.
7. You have to be willing to now accept a huge amount of praise and compliments, and be fully prepared to answer the question, "You look awesome, what have you been doing with your workouts?"  (this should be the one you enjoy most.. ha!)

If you can embrace these 7 concepts, there is no reason why you cannot reach all of your potential, alter your workouts, and not only reach your health and fitness goals, but blow them away!

REMEMBER.. JUST SIMPLY HIT REPLY TO GET YOUR FREE COPY!

 

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  Again, the book is not yet finalized, but will be within the next week or two.  This offer is going out to my loyal mailing list only, and everyone else will have to purchase it once it is released.  This may be the only time you have a chance to grab it for free, so hit reply and reserve your copy today!

Part VI - "Cardio" is Garbage

" CARDIO" IS GARBAGE
5 Reasons Why Your Current Cardio Training Should
Be Tossed Out in 2009.
Part 6 of 6
 
First, here's a quick review of the first 4 reasons:

   1. It doesn't maximize fat burning.
   2. You're only burning calories while you work out.
   3. It does nothing to add muscle to your frame.
   4. It's not nearly intense enough.

THERE'S ALSO A SPECIAL MESSAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE, JUST FOR YOU!

REASON #5:  YOU'RE WASTING YOUR VERY PRECIOUS TIME!

"Well, first I have to drive to the gym and I know there's going to be traffic.  I have to do my 45 minutes of cardio.  I know I have to get my weights in too, so I'll do abs first and then I'll do some arms today.  That Trainer is always telling me that I need to stretch more, so I'll do that after my weights.  I guess I'll just shower there and go right to my meeting from the gym.  That means that I have to pack a bag and pick out my clothes for work tonight.  Man, when am I going to prepare for my meeting?  Ahhhh, I can't go in the morning now.  I'll just go after work instead.  Dammit, I forgot, I have that dinner with Mom tomorrow night.  You know what?  I'll just skip the workout tomorrow and go on Monday instead."

Does this "conversation-with-yourself" sound familiar?  There are certainly different versions of this, but have you found that you sometimes think yourself out of good exercise intentions with thoughts of tomorrow's busy schedule?  You've mentally calculated the time demand of all that you have to get done at the gym, and then just said, "Screw it, if it's gonna take me 2 hours, I just can't fit it in!" 

I'm not here to talk you out of your "busy-ness."  I am not one of those Trainers that will tell you that exercise rules all, and you should make time for 2+ hours of exercise every day, regardless of how it affects the rest of your life!  I'm writing this to say "I hear you."  I agree with you.  You ARE very busy.  I know the enormous amounts of tasks and responsibilities that we all take on these days.  With juggling our families, careers, activities, and social lives, there is very little discretionary time in our day anymore.  This free time is precious; DON'T WASTE IT BY STAYING AT THE GYM FOR HOURS!

By now, you know that I like to back up all of these crazy exercise ideas with real, proven-in-the-lab research.  Among the pages of studies on the benefits of interval training, here are two that speak volumes about the need to eliminate that time-wasting, slow "cardio" that is so popular.  In 1999, a study published by Kraemer et al from Penn State University took a group of 12 obese men and created a study that looked at both diet and aerobic exercise.  Group one had 6 men that dieted AND performed up to 50 minutes of aerobic workouts 3 days per week.  The second group did not exercise, but was asked to stay on the exact same caloric restriction diet that Group 1 was on.  After 12 weeks, the "diet and exercise group" lost only 1 more pound of fat than the "diet only" group, a mostly insignificant number.  If this "3 days of cardio" had such a small effect on fat loss when compared to a diet alone, then why bother?  Seems pretty useless to me...

Now couple this with the study published in the Journal of Physiology in 2007 by Martin Gibala, which looked at 2 different types of training.  One of his groups performed 6 total workouts of aerobic exercise for anywhere from 90 minutes to 120 minutes, depending on the day, over a 2 week period.  The other group was given six 20 minute interval programs to perform involving bike sprints and timed rest periods, completed over the same 2 week period.  The conclusion provided some mind-blowing results.  The improvement in oxygen utilization for both groups was almost exactly the SAME!  This means that the nearly 12 hours of aerobic exercise brought about the same results in this study as the 2 hours of anaerobic exercise... no joke!

Now, to be fair, this study did not look at fat loss.  But if you tell me that I can accomplish the same results in 2 hours that I would normally have to work for 12 to accomplish, I'm all over it!  And the point of this article is that you should be too.   You simply don't need to spend a ton of time in the gym.  Long hours in the gym signals to me inefficiency, huge wastes of time, and poor program design.  If fat loss and toning is your overall goal, you can fully accomplish this in much less time, by combining interval conditioning, full-body strength training, and timed-recovery periods all into one 40-minute-or-less workout.  In my experience, any workout scheduled to be longer than 40 minutes will give you a built-in reason to skip it on your busy days, and that is exactly what we are trying to avoid. 

Plus, physiologically, your body "loses interest" in workouts that approach an hour or longer.  With this length of time, the effective manner in which your activity is fueled begins to struggle, your effort and energy is reduced, and you end up getting nothing out of the last part anyway.   There are numerous reasons to make the switch over to interval training from your current "cardio."  The most important of these, however, is so that your exercise program does not dominate your free time.  If you know you can get in and out of the gym in 1 hour, including your shower... now you have a program that has some staying power.  You are less likely to skip workouts, and more likely to stick with it long term.  That, my friend, is the sure fire way to succeed!

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS. 1 Hour, Including your Shower... you think that's a cool concept?  I do, so I made it the keystone idea behind my brand new fat-loss product that I will be introducing in the coming weeks... 

MISSION: FAT BURN

For being a loyal reader and staying with me throughout this whole series, you are one of the select few that will receive a first look at the book... free of charge, TOTALLY ON ME!  I'm guessing that over the past 6 weeks, at some point you said to yourself:

"OK, I get it.  I need to change my workouts!
GIVE ME SOME PROGRAMS SO I CAN!"

This new ebook will provide them for you, and so much more!  Keep an eye on your Inbox for more details soon!

PPS.  And don't forget to check out www.worldwidesportsperformance.com while you are waiting!

Part V - "Cardio" is Garbage

" CARDIO" IS GARBAGE
5 Reasons Why Your Current Cardio Training Should
Be Tossed Out in 2009.
Part 5 of 6
 
First, here's a quick review of the first 3 reasons:

   1. It doesn't maximize fat burning.
   2. You're only burning calories while you work out.
   3. It does nothing to add muscle to your frame.

REASON #4:  IT'S NOT NEARLY INTENSE ENOUGH!

It drives me crazy to see people jogging on a stationary bike while carrying on a pleasant conversation with their trainer, and then calling it a workout.  For years, it has made me nuts that some women put on make up to go to the gym!  And don't even get me started on the guys that hit on the women next to them while they are "getting their cardio in" on the Stairmaster.  I'll give you another one:  When I was a Personal Training in Long Island, I actually had a few prospects that would tell me, "I don't want to sweat when I work out, so we'll have to go easy."  At that point, I politely asked them to "FIND ANOTHER TRAINER!"  Let's pose a few questions here:

Do you sweat heavily during every workout?

When doing your "cardio", are there times that you have to say "I can't talk to you right now, I'm out of breath!"?

During strength training sets, do you fail regularly?

If you can't say yes to any of these, you're not really working out.  Sorry.  If you're not sweating or breathing heavy, people, you are not working out.  A better statement for you would be: You are "slightly active in a workout environment."  Yes, your heart rate is elevated.  Yes, it is better than sitting around.  But please realize that you can be a lot more productive in the time that you reserve for exercise.  Stop fooling yourself, and jack up the intensity level... PLEASE!

I know many people have concerns with the word "intensity."  It just sounds too difficult to some.  Intensity can be tricky, as everyone has different conditioning levels, strength levels, and abilities.  Not everyone needs to sprint on a treadmill at 13 mph on a 10% hill to get an intense, fatiguing workout.  For someone of a lesser conditioning level, they may accomplish that same heart rate and respiration increase with an uphill fast walk at 3 mph and a 5% hill.  Due to chronic injuries or orthopedic problems, some people may not be able to run, jog, or walk at all.  They may need to bike or swim for their conditioning activity. In these cases, they may not have a computer screen to track their speed or level.  When you think about weight training and some of the full body conditioning exercises that you should be doing, the weight that you choose will significantly alter the difficulty and intensity of the movement.

All of these examples call for the need for a simple way to track intensity.  Many cite that taking your pulse or heart rate is the best way to properly gauge how hard you are working at a given task.  This is a truly effective way, but is difficult and impractical without special equipment (heart rate monitors, watches, etc).  The built in heart rate monitors on commercial cardio machines (treadmills, bikes, elliptical, etc) are very inaccurate, and what happens when you are outside and don't have a machine?

With these issues in mind, there is a real effective way to track how hard you are working, and that is a simple 1-12 Intensity Scale.  1 would represent the difficulty of climbing up off the couch.  12 would represent the difficulty of climbing up Mt Everest!  1 is the intensity of sitting at a computer typing.  12 is the intensity assigned to the fatigue of completing your fastest 400 meter race ever!  You get the idea.  Not everyone will run that 400 at the same speed... but everyone can feel the same level of fatigue after if they push themselves!  

With your own current workouts, begin to assign an intensity number to it.  If true, lasting fat loss is a goal of yours, most of your workouts should be in the 8+ range.  If it is anything below that, you simply will not achieve lasting success.  This does not mean that you run right out and score yourself a 12 during your next treadmill run.  To implement this system safely, you should build up to these high numbers.  Try to increase by 1 level or so every other workout.  Within 3-4 weeks, even if you are at a low intensity number, you should be in the effective range.  From there, it's all about finding new and creative ways of manipulating speeds, levels, hills, weights, and recovery times to not only maintain these high intensity numbers, but improve on them as well.  We'll look at some of these types of manipulations in a week or two!

No fancy ending here.  Just one important note for you to take with you to the gym tonight... START SWEATING!!

WE'RE COMING TO THE END THE REPORT!!  Next week, we'll look at the final reason your current "cardio" workouts are trash...
Reason #5:  You are wasting your very precious time!

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  The latest in fat burning programs is already available online!!  Take a minute to check out  www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

Part IV - "Cardio" is Garbage

" CARDIO" IS GARBAGE
5 Reasons Why Your Current Cardio Training Should
Be Tossed Out in 2009.
Part 4 of 6
 
REASON #3:  YOUR "CARDIO" DOES NOTHING TO ADD MUSCLE TO YOUR FRAME
 
I can hear the voices echoing from the weightroom right now...

"I don't want to look like a guy!"
"Coach, the weightroom is gonna make me look like a football player!"  "If I bump my weights up, I'm gonna get too muscular!"
 
In my time training athletes, mostly from the FEMALE athletes (guys, you're pretty much exempt on this one), these are the statements I would hear regularly.  The women would constantly fight me about increasing their weights in their strength training programs, with great concerns about adding too much muscle and altering their feminine appearance.  Yes, this came from the athletes, believe it or not!  This is supposed to be the percentage of the workout population that you think would go all out in the weightroom, to do everything they can to enhance their on-field performance.  Guess again!

This small example brings about a critical issue to discuss when we are talking about exercise; specifically, fat-loss workouts.  Overall Resistance to Weight Training. (pardon the pun!)  Many people, both guys and girls, avoid the weightroom when they go to the gym.  They walk in the door, swipe their membership cards, bee line straight over to the row of 25 ellipticals, change the TV in front of them to their favorite show, and go about their 30 minutes of "Cardio."  This sequence is the sole source of frustration in people that are trying to lose fat and get that toned, muscular look that so many are looking for.  Please hear me when I say:  You MUST include heavy, progressive, strength training in your exercise program if your goal is to lose fat and look better.
 
Let's take a look at a study from the Journal of American College of Nutrition done in 1999, (Vol 18, No. 2), titled the "Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate."  Long title, I know... but it was an amazing piece to demonstrate a very important point here.  All subjects were given an 800 calorie diet for the length of the study.  The first group performed aerobic exercise (either walking, biking, or stair climbing) for a total of 4 hours per week, while the other group performed 2-4 sets of 10 strength exercises for the entire body three times per week.  In the end, both groups lost enough weight to say that each program worked.  The strength training group, however, lost significantly more fat, and they preserved their lean body mass (lean body mass is what gets you those muscular, toned arms that you are looking for!)  This group also increased their Resting Metabolic Rate, while the aerobic group's RMR actually decreased!  Remember, we discussed metabolism last week, and how important it is to burn calories in the time you are NOT working out.  An increased RMR is the way to do that, and to ensure that your body is burning additional calories 24 hours per day.   There has been other research showing that a sound strength program can increase this resting metabolism by as much as 15%.  In considering normal calorie-burning numbers in the average human being, this RMR increase could mean a 15-20 lb loss over the course of a year!

The goal here is not to bore you with science and research, but to drive home an incredibly important point.  If we think about true "results-oriented" programming practically, the answer almost appears right before us.   In Part I of this report a few weeks ago, we already cited that most people exercise to look better, right?  In looking better, most people normally point to well-known celebrity bodies with 6-pack abs, toned shoulders and arms, and muscular legs.  Common sense suggests that to achieve that type of appearance, we have to build muscle (to get the muscular look), and we have to burn off body fat (so those muscles we are building underneath can show).  The next logical step, then, brings us directly to programs that involve STRENGTH TRAINING!  Knowing that this type of exercise ignites fat burning and builds muscle means it is the true solution on how to get those "Halle Berry" arms and shoulders, or those "David Beckham" abs.  Believe me, those two (and any other fit, celebrity bodies that you would like to name) train with heavy weights.  I GUARANTEE IT!

Which brings me quickly to that term "heavy."  I know, when you read that word, most are thinking of some huge Olympic Lifting champion with a 500 pound bar on his back ready to squat himself to a world record.  But it doesn't, and shouldn't, have to be like that for the majority.  The word "heavy" simply means "fatiguing" for that particular movement or muscle group.  It is relative term and is very much tied to the exercise performed and the person performing it.  To simplify this, your body's understanding of "heavy" is much different than, say, Governor Arnold's body's understanding of "heavy."  He will obviously train with bigger weights than you.  The key is, with all of your sets and reps, is to train heavy enough for YOU, and to induce what we call "Momentary Muscular Fatigue."  This phrase simply means that your muscles should be tired, to the point of rep failure, at the end of most of your sets.  If not, you are fooling yourself into thinking you are building muscle and you are really just wasting your time.  Training with 10 pound dumbbells for your shoulder press for 10 straight weeks just ain't gonna get it done!  As long as you maintain your technique and form, it is ok to pick up heavier weights and fail at the end of your set... IN FACT IT IS ENCOURAGED!

You get the overall message here, right?  We discussed a couple important topics related to strength and weight training here today, and ones that hopefully open your eyes a little more to the overall message:  Your "cardio" is not going to get you to the look that you want.  Next time you go to the gym, walk right by the treadmill and head over to the weightroom.  Your first instinct may be to shy away from that section.  Just like those female athletes in my example above, your hesitation may be rooted in "not wanting to add too much muscle."  Truth be told, adding muscle is THE KEY INGREDIENT in the overall recipe of getting that body you desire.

So now, we are getting to the last few!  Next week, we'll hit on the fourth reason your current "Cardio" should be tossed into the garbage truck...

Reason #4:  "It's not nearly intense enough!"

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  The latest in fat burning programs is already available online!!  Take a minute to check out  www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

Part III - "Cardio" is Garbage

" CARDIO" IS GARBAGE
5 Reasons Why Your Current Cardio Training Should
Be Tossed Out in 2009.
Part 3 of 6

REASON #2:  YOU ARE ONLY BURNING CALORIES WHILE YOU WORK OUT

How awesome would it be if you could burn calories while you sat in your office at work?  Or on the couch at home?  Or in the shower?  No, this is not a written commercial for one of those fat-stimulating, pulsing electrode belts that you put on to make our abs contract... I would not push that nonsense on you, believe me.  But these "calorie-burning wishes" are absolutely possible... when you exercise the right way!

Allow me to introduce you to EPOC.  No, it isn't a group of those little fuzzy guys from "Return of the Jedi", and it's not some futuristic robot either!  It stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption, and it is one of the key training and fitness concepts that ABSOLUTELY needs to be acknowledged in workout-design for a real, results-oriented fat-loss program.  You see, your body goes into physiological chaos during exercise.  It maintains a certain calm, "systems-flowing-smoothly" state while at rest, but this rest is significantly upset once activity begins.  Take a look at some of the things that occur, once you begin working out (this is not an exhaustive list, by any stretch, but gives you a rough idea of some of the changes):

1.Heart function is significantly altered, to increase necessary cardiac output of blood to the body
2.Circulatory system is in complete flux of constriction and dilation, depending on the site in your body
3.Digestion slows down, to allow other, more important, systems to perform their jobs
4.Internal cooling systems of sweat and respiration kick in to dissipate heat out of the body
5.Release of different hormones are either stimulated or retarded, based on need

There is a high energy cost to all of this, to fully fuel all of this increased activity.  This is where the overall calorie-burning of your activity comes in.  For those of you that do a lot of work on treadmills, ellipticals, or bikes, this represents the "Calories Burned" number that your screen reads to you following your workout (you should know, however, that these machine calculations are HIGHLY inaccurate.. more on that some other time!)

But once you leave the gym, that's where the EPOC comes in.  It represents the calorie burning AFTER you get done exercising.  Yeah, you can burn calories after you stop!  In fact, everyone does.  That chaos that I mentioned above certainly uses a bunch of calories while you are active... but if that activity time involves the right type of programming, your energy expenditure can stay elevated for many hours after you get done!  In one example, cited by Alwyn Cosgrove in his book Afterburn, he looks at some average numbers for energy expenditure.  The average oxygen consumption (or Calorie burning) following a normal bout of exercise is about 15 Calories per hour.  For a lower intensity bout of exercise, where this EPOC would stay elevated for about 3-5 hours, this would amount to an additional Calorie-burn of around 75 Calories.  Not bad, and if you total that up over 5 days of exercising, you now have 375 total Calories burned during down time!

Take that example and multiply it by the fact that we know that higher-intensity exercise, involving a lot of musculature and performed in an interval format, will bring about a higher hourly Caloric consumption for EPOC, greater than the 15 Cal/hour cited above (the actual amount is very dependent on the intensity of exercise).  Now, factor in the research, that shows that EPOC stays elevated for up to 24 hours with these high intensity interval workouts, and now we're talking!  With the right program, you can literally transform your body into an energy burning, fat-shattering furnace during all hours of the day!

The disturbing thing about most peoples' current "cardio" workouts, is that they are missing out on all of this.  You don't get all of the additional Calorie burning with the standard "jog-on-a-treadmill-at-one-pace-for-30-minutes" program.  With that type of workout, the EPOC is only minimal, with a low hourly expenditure and an elevated period for only an hour or two post-exercise.  The message here is that old-school "cardio" falls short of the total Calorie burning that you can actually get, if you just alter the workout a bit.  It would be like your wife or girlfriend winning a full day's worth of complimentary treatments, facials, waxing, massage, and nails at a high end day-spa... only to go in and just get her hair cut!

So, again, how great would it be if you could burn calories during a post-lunch staff meeting at work?  Or maybe while you are on the phone at home at night?   Possibly while you are sitting at your desk grading papers?  These scenarios are totally possible, if you structure your workouts the right way!

With this 3rd part to this series, we are now beginning to see that, if you truly want to reach your goals, it is critical that you begin to change your workouts.  Next week's installment will further back this up, as we go over the third reason you should throw out those old, stuffy ideas regarding "cardio"...

Reason #2:  "Your 'cardio' does nothing to add muscle to your frame."

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  The latest in fat burning programs is already available online!!  Take a minute to check out  www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

Part II - "Cardio" is Garbage

" CARDIO" IS GARBAGE
5 Reasons Why Your Current Cardio Training Should
Be Tossed Out in 2009.
Part 2 of 6
 
REASON #1:  IT DOESN'T MAXIMIZE FAT BURNING
 
"OK, so today we are going to do 30 minutes of cardio, then we'll do our weights.  For cardio, this week we're really going to push you and you're going to work within your 'fat-burning zone' at 70% of your max heart rate.  Then we're going to hit 3 sets of 10 of three exercises for your bi's today, to really get your arms looking good.  OK, what channel do you want to watch?"

This conversation can be heard in commercial gyms across the country, and it signifies one of the things that is hugely wrong with many trainers and the fitness industry these days.  While there certainly are many forward thinkers in the industry, the bulk of the Personal Trainers out there get complacent and end up doing what they've done for years. These tired programs may or may not be providing results for their clients, may or may not be in line with the latest research or the actual science behind real training, and is probably just a re-tread of something they were told to do years ago that they are still implementing.  That, my friends, is how clients get frustrated and ultimately fail.

So let's look at this typical idea of "cardio."   When most people are doing their "cardio," it probably means that they are locked onto a machine (treadmill, elliptical trainer, stationary bike, etc) for a minimum of 20 minutes, performing a session at or around a low-to-moderate intensity (don't be offended here folks, to do something for 20 or more minutes straight, it HAS to be low-to-moderate intensity, by definition!).  As is known by most, this is termed an aerobic workout.  That is, one that is performed with ample available oxygen, to be circulated in our bodies by the blood vessels to supply nutrients to our muscles, begin to repair the muscles that are working, and to flush away metabolic by-products that our bodies do not use.   Traditional research states that it takes about 20-30 minutes or so of an elevated heart rate (usually prescribed around 55-75% of an age-predicted maximum heart rate), to get into the phase of aerobic exercise where we use fat as fuel.  This is accurate.  It should also be noted that with aerobic exercise, we burn calories ONLY during the actual activity time.  Remember this one, we will come back to it next week!

So this is a good thing, right?  You're reading this saying, "That's it!  I want to use my fat as fuel.  Get me into that fat-burning zone, I want to get rid of my fat!!!  Not so fast...

Science supports a number of findings with aerobic exercise that have not been properly published and promoted, and have led to HUGE amounts of frustration and physical "plateauing" with people that regularly exercise:

    1. Let's start with the "Fat Burning Zone."  Not sure where the popularity of this came from, but this is a huge misnomer when you really look at the science practically.  It is true that the body burns a higher percentage of fat during these low-intensity (55-75% of max HR) aerobic routines.  Actually, the body burns about 50-55% of calories from fat during lower intensity activities, versus 30-35% from fat with higher intensity activities.  However, this statement does not take into account the total amount of calories burned in the workout.  With a higher intensity workout, MANY more total calories will be burned, hence a greater amount of total fat calories.   A study published in 1994 by Tremblay, Simoneau, and Bouchard looked at the "Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism."  The study looked at a group of people doing 15 weeks of high intensity interval training versus another group of people doing 20 weeks of lower intensity aerobic training.  The results showed that the interval, high intensity group showed 3 times greater fat loss than the lower intensity group.
    2. Now, let's talk efficiency.  With regular and repetitive "cardio" workouts, the body absolutely becomes more energy efficient.  This means that it adapts very quickly, and the energy it takes to run the same amount of distance or time (assuming the same speed) is less. This is a great thing, right?!?  NO!... at least not when it comes to fat loss.  The training effect means that you will now burn less fat in the same aerobic session to complete the same workout (if you purchase one of those brand new "energy efficient" central air conditioning systems for your home, you'll be SAVING energy, right?).  When that training effect sets in, most people's answer is to go longer.   This brings about free time as an issue.  Who has MORE time to spend on exercise in a day?  Most people are squeezing workouts into their schedules as it is!  Plus, our bodies are phenomenal at adapting, so you're just going to run into the same issue again down the road.   You could increase the speed or intensity for the same amount of time, which is the better option.   What you will find, then, is going to begin to approach the ultimate conclusion of this report... increasing the intensity of your workouts, to anaerobic levels, is the way to go.  We'll get to the good details of these workouts soon. 
   3. Now for the good physiology stuff... here's where the real breakthrough science comes in!   Many experts are now starting to believe, based on both research and sound training experience, that regular long distance aerobic training contributes to fat storage... yes, I said STORAGE!  Didn't see that one coming, huh?  It has to do, again, with our body's ability to adapt to exercise, and in how it does this.  In looking at an example at the exercise response logically,  we can look to weight training.  The body does not actually get bigger or stronger during strength training.  The act of strength training causes what's called microtears in your muscle fibers.  The body then responds by repairing these tears, and the progressive result is a bigger, stronger muscle.  When applying this same logic to aerobic training, when employing these workouts, we are actually encouraging the use of fat without building metabolically active muscle.  The belief, then, is that the body's response is to slow down your metabolism and allow the body to store fat.  Remember, the body always adapts.

Compound this issue, with the research that shows aerobic exercise has been shown to stimulate the release of a hormone called cortisol from the adrenal glands.  The body's response to this release is to conserve glucose, encourage the use of fat, and inhibit muscular uptake of amino acids.  This, again, initially sounds like a good thing.  But, in accomplishing this, you also become more efficient at using fat.  And we already discussed just how detrimental efficiency is to overall fat loss!

So, you see where I am going with all of this.  THESE items are the latest in training knowledge and research, and are the foundation for a new movement of successful, long-term fat loss programming.  If someone, whether face-to-face or online, suggests that you need to do "30 minutes of cardio 3 times per week" to lose weight... RUN AWAY FAST!

Remember, I began last week's article with asking you to rethink your ways in 2009.  The take-home from this week's report is this:

In your exercise sessions, begin to reconsider 2 items:

   1. The type of activities you perform (i.e. traditional "cardio" versus variations of interval workouts).  While we have not yet discussed the actual workouts you should be doing, you should now have the idea that it does not involve doing anything at one pace for a minimum of 20 minutes straight!
   2. The intensity at which you perform these activities.  If you can maintain your activities for 20 minutes straight, it's not intense enough!  If you can concentrate on watching a sitcom on TV while exercising, it's not intense enough!  If you can talk to your trainer in front of you, it's not intense enough!

In Part III next week, we'll take a look at the second reason your current "cardio" program is garbage, and should be thrown out...

Reason #2:  "You're only burning calories while you work out."

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  The latest in fat burning programs is already available online!!  Take a minute to check out  www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

"Cardio" is Garbage

" CARDIO" IS GARBAGE
5 Reasons Why Your Current Cardio Training Should
Be Tossed Out in 2009.
Part 1 of 6
 
Today, pens are being put to paper all over the country, locking in "2009 Resolutions."  I'm not going there...  well, not really.  No "10 Tips on Sticking to Your Resolutions" here, and this bolt is not about "Using the New Year to Start Exercising," or some other overdone topic on January 1st.  With this new year, I have simply chosen to ask you to rethink your ways, to open your mind, and to admit that there's a very good chance that the "cardio" you are doing right now is absolutely, and unequivocally, WRONG!  It's not your fault; you are simply doing what has been promoted in magazines and exercise corners all over the country for years. Please don't be insulted.  This is just a necessary first step in getting you on the right track and taking your exercise results to levels you didn't imagine.  This is the first of a 6 part series, so stick with me on this one, and we'll get you to where you want to be in 2009... NO DOUBT!!

To start, I have to acknowledge the fact that improving the function and efficiency of your cardiovascular system has a HUGE effect on your health, life expectancy, and overall well-being.  This is a known fact with much research behind it, and I support this notion 100%.  It is, however,  a discussion for another day.  In recognizing this, I know there is certainly a portion of the population that works out solely for these "healthy" reasons, and you may very well be one of those people.   But my good amount of time in the fitness industry suggests that, from the normal working Mom right up to the ultra high level athletes that need to train for big time strength, speed, and athleticism for their sport, most people exercise for one sole reason: to look better, both for themselves and for the opposite sex.  Yes... it is a brand new year, so let's be very honest with each other:  People work out so they can look good!

I have trained hundreds of people over the years, and most of the goal-setting conversations begin and end with "I want to lose weight and tone up."  Translation: "I want to look better!"  That's it.  It's not vain, it's not superficial, and it's certainly not wrong.  When people look good (more importantly, believe within themselves that they look good), it extends positively into every other part of their lives.  They look in the mirror and embrace every day with confidence, self esteem, energy, and great feelings about themselves... these are all great things and will undoubtedly lead to an overall better quality of life.  Don't get me wrong, I am not saying everyone wants to, or has to, look like Jennifer Garner and Brad Pitt.   Everyone has their individual views on how they see themselves, how they would like to see themselves,  and how they would like to be seen by others.  But, I am sure of one thing: overall appearance is truly most people's main motivation when committing to exercise.  And in order to really get to the bottom of what I feel is sound programming, we have to understand this premise.

OK, is anyone upset with me right now?  Maybe you're saying, "I completely disagree, he doesn't know what the hell he is talking about!"  No problem, just stick with me and check in next week for Part 2 of this report.  I am confident that the informative content will win you over, even if you may not completely agree with the reasoning I layed out here in this introduction.  But the information we'll discuss truly is the biggest revolution going on with high level fitness these days, as the top Trainers all over the country are changing their ways.  I want you to understand just how big of an impact that implementing these new workouts in the coming year can have on you reaching your fitness goals, and in getting you the body and look that you desire.

In Part 2 next week, we'll look at most people's definition of "Cardio," and the #1 reason that I think this traditional definition is Garbage.

Reason #1:  It doesn't maximize fat burning.

 

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  The latest in fat burning programs is already available online!!  Take a minute to check out  www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

PPS.  I didn't forget... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Be A Difference Maker

I had a topic all planned out for this week, to go over some of the physiology and research behind real weight loss.  We were going to dispel some of the myths out there about how people should truly go about their quest to reduce their body fat, tone up, and get that body that they dream of.  But earlier this week, I read a disturbing statistic.   I felt I had to address it, to put it out there with the hope of communicating it to make a difference.  The "look better" topic can wait a week.  This is much more important.

The statistic stated that right now, in 2008, 30% of America's youth are either overweight or clinically obese.  The percentage is growing at a rate that in the year 2010, that number will increase to over 50%.
 
The statistics speak for themselves.  There is no need to further explain them, or go into any amount of detail.. this is HUGE problem.  Our children are now more inactive, and more overfed, than ever before.  The reasons for this are many, and range from the types of food kids choose to eat to the enormous popularity of "sit around and push buttons" video games.  We do not need to analyze why so much.  We, absolutely, need to react.

My plea to you here, as we head into 2009, is to do your small part to combat this.  No fancy workouts in this Bolt, no crazy exercises for you to try.  Just one simple request: find a kid, and do something active with him or her.  And then do it again.  And then continue to support it, so the child realizes that this should be a normal part of his / her day.

We all know many children.. they could be your own, maybe friends, maybe family, maybe just the kid down the street.  Grab him by the arm, take him outside, and do something with him that will get him moving.  No video games, no cards, no TV, painting, no listening to music.  Those are all good things and they certainly have a place in a kid's life.  But the strongest message to our kids today should be to get out and move, every day. 

It is our collective chance to make a difference.

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  A great way to get a kid going is to exercise with them.  For a ton of workouts you can do with kids, take a minute to check out  www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

PPS.  Still not too late to purchase some WWSP as a Holiday gift.  Get yours today!