Just wrote this for the monthly newsletter at work, and decided to post it…

Like the saying goes, “time is money” and that’s exactly right!  Everything these days seems to be built to be more efficient: the cars we drive are more gas efficient, electronics and appliances are more energy efficient, etc.  So why should your workout be any different?

 Here are a few tips on getting the most out of your time in the gym:

1. Have a plan.  Nothing will consume more time or energy than walking around the gym trying to figure out what you’re going to do next.
2. Resistance training? Try supersets.  Supersetting is pairing 2 exercises together and performing them in succession with a break only after you’ve completed one set of each.  For example, you perform one set of a chest press followed by a set of wide grip rows, which is then followed by a 60 second rest.
3. Sprint the fat off! Studies have shown that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) burns off more fat that normal steady state cardio.  HIIT works by sprinting or increasing resistance for a set time (30 seconds) followed by an active rest (fast paced walk) for 60 seconds.  Start HIIT by incorporating 2-3 sprints to your cardio workout, and cutting down the time of your running.  So if you were jogging for 30 minutes cut it down to 15-20 after your intervals.

It seems like everytime I go on fitness forums now there’s always a few threads with people trying to look like some celebrity or athlete they’ve seen with their shirt off.  Lately what I’ve seen not just in forums but also in magazines is the increasing number of people who want to look like MMA fighters.  Whether it’s Urijah Faber, Georges St. Pierre, or even back in the day Roy Jones Jr. (boxer) more and more people want to look like professional athletes.  So they go on these internet forums where [sarcasm] everyone is an expert [/sarcasm], and ask questions like “How do I get abz like…” or “Man, I just saw [insert athlete's name here], how can I look like him?”

The first thing that needs to be understood is that these athletes have got some tremendous genetics.  We all have different genetic makeups and that’s what makes us all different, and what makes them worth the millions of dollars they are paid.

Secondly, they have worked for years to be good at what they do not look good. So this is where the real advice is…ready?

To look like an athlete you should train like an athlete.  So instead of doing shrugs, curls, calf raises, and skullcrushers everytime you go in the gym, try something an athelete would do…squats, pull ups, deadlifts, etc.  It really amazes me how rare it is to see people deadlifting or doing squats in the gym…

PS. Find happiness in being yourself and you won’t want to look like anyone else.

Well do you?

In case you haven’t heard about this project which is probably over a year old now, it’s an eBook (on a CD) compiled by Alwyn Cosgrove, who is a strength coach and cancer survivor himself, of articles from some of the leading fitness professionals today…

It’s only $25, and all proceeds go to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

Just a few things I’ve wanted to post about recently, but have been so busy with finals that I haven’t realyl had a chance to do much of anything these days.  Anyway, here’s a couple links that I’ve wanted to share:

Stretching – This is from an older NY Times article about stretching, and warm-ups.

Tired of “sports drinks”? Try milk and cereal.  A recent study at the University of Texas at Austin shows that “glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after whole grain cereal consumption and that some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better.”

Lastly, my brother Craig sent me a site to check out called DailyBurn.  It looks similar to traineo, and I’ll probably review and compare the two in the coming weeks, but I just wanted to pass it on.  And if you have any experience with the site feel free to leave your own review in the comments section.

Last weekend, I was at the the New York Mets’ final practice before they kicked off their season. It was fun to sit back and watch the warm up drills Rick Slate did with the team, and know that a lot of the things I do before working out or playing football is the same things they were doing.

The Mets Prepare for Warm Ups

After the practice, I did a little research about Slate and found an article from Stack where he talks about testing the guys before the season.  Interestingly enough, Coach Slate uses NFL-style combine testing to determine where the players are at and gives them a little motivation to perform.

Jim Labadie posted a blog entry last week, which focused on a law that has been presented in NJ that would make personal trainers and group fitness instructors get licensed by a State Board.

The proposed bill states that to become licensed by the State, an applicant must first complete 300 hours of coursework and at least 50 hours of an unpaid internship or a degree in a related field.  The law would also change continuing education for fitness professionals by only counting credits that are board approved topics.

After reading through the proposed bill, found here, I came to the conclusion that while I like the idea of it, however there are details I do not agree with.

read more »

A friend of mine, Carlos, has joined The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training Program, and will be competing in The Nautica New York City Triathlon on July 26, 2009.  Carlos is going to be doing the Olympic distance triathlon (1500m swim, a 40k bike, and a 10k run).  As a member of Team in Training, Carlos is helping to raise funds to stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.  I am asking that anyone who can spare even just a dollar help out this cause:

Carlos’ Team In Training Donation Page

I was thinking a lot about fish oil last night, mainly because my shipment of Carlson’s Fish Oil was waiting for me when I got home.  Personally, I try to consume about 2 grams of EPA/DHA combined daily, but out of curiosity  I decided to Google to see how much other people are taking.  To my amazement, there are people on fitness forums out there takes up to 25+ capsules a day (of whatever brand they are taking).

In looking for a recommended dosage, I turned to Alan Aragon and found that he had written an in depth article about fish oil, which states

Capsules can contain anywhere from 250-500mg. Most healthy folks don’t need more than 3-6 capsules per day to meet or exceed the amounts that show benefits…To sum everything up, fish oil has health benefits, as well as potential risks. It’s certainly not a matter of more-is-better.

The point to take away? While fish oil is good for you, and HIGHLY recommended don’t go overboard and take 30 capsules a day.  In fact, Alan also points out that “AHA cautions against supplementing more than 3g outside of a physician’s care.”

Wondering why fish oil is recommended?

For those of you wondering why people take fish oil or what it’s benefit’s are, there is a 2 part article (Part 1 | Part 2) written by Eric Cressey that explains just about any and every benefit of fish oil including:

• In many cases reduces stiffness, aches, and inflammation of joints.
• Lowers symptoms of asthma
• Lowers triglycerides and LDL cholesterol

In the end, both men differ slightly on how much fish oil you should consume.  While Eric focuses on the studies that he lists, you also have to remember that those were experiments with controlled groups.  As stated in Alan’s article, I would try to get the majority of my fats and other nutritional needs from whole foods, but also consult with a physician before taking any exorbitant amount of supplement.

So it’s been a few days since I’ve updated and it’s mostly due to just me being extremely busy. I am currently in the middle of midterms as well as another test I had to take for school.

I did have the day off today and got to lift at home at about 10 am. Because I was only awake for a short period my first few sets, I felt a little sluggish, but once I got to squatting I felt great! I really have to say that my workout today jump started my body and was probably the best thing before these 2 tests today. Who knows, maybe I’ll become a morning person.

Upcoming Projects

In addition to my school work, I have some big projects that I’m getting started on.  Stay tuned, because I promise they’ll be good.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get them done and up by the end of the month.

Roll It Out

In closing I have a bit of advice for anyone who doesn’t own one, go buy a foam roller.  I used to rely on the one from the gym, but I decided to pick up my own (after Jonathan Fass suggested I do) and it’s done me wonders, including correcting some pronation of my foot!

Since the weather in the New Jersey is finally somewhat nice, I’ve decided I’m going to use my TRX Training System to workout with today. I’ve used them a handful of times this winter, but I’m really looking forward to being able to play with them a little more today. I’ll post the results of my workout later.

Military Personnel Using TRX Abroad