The Basics of Nutrition, A Must Read

Nutrition is delicate, you have to treat it with respect. Nutrition can beat you in several ways. Eat too little, your weight loss will be unhealthy. Eat too much, your weight loss will be a figment of your imagination. Eat the wrong foods, your road to your goal can end up never ending.

Find Strength In Numbers!

Want to know how to make even the nicest clients angry and irritated with you as a trainer?  You introduce them to the concept of a total rep workout, where numbers matter the most!

"What Do You Drink?"

I was relaxing with my family for the night when my text message alert went off.  I checked my phone and saw that my cousin had asked me "what do you drink?" 

The 'Initiation to Resistance' Test You Can Take Right Now!

The more and more I talk to people, the more and more I realize how little people know about resistance training.  This is not good!

A Complex Situation

While the traditional method of strength and muscle building requires enough rest between sets to adequately recover, it is also important to realize the benefits of building up your athletic conditioning.

Healthy Eating on a Budget. Save Some Green While Getting Lean!

I was recently asked "what should I eat and when should I eat it" by a self proclaimed "broke college student."

How Many Calories Did You Eat Yesterday?

How many calories did you eat yesterday?  This is a simple question, yet many people can't answer it! 

How many dollars are in your bank account?  I'm guessing you have an answer to that one.

2020 DVD Announcment

As some of you may know already, we are planning on a DVD  release in 2010!  This is going to be the first of a number of DVDs which focus on Program Design, Exercise Form, and Advanced Training Concepts.  Each DVD will focus on a different physique goal. 

Cardio with a Stimulant Stack and Empty Stomach?

I am actually against any use of caffeine, ephedrine, or aspirin for recreational purposes. This will obviously jade my response a bit, but I can elaborate a bit on the empty stomach portion of the question.

In order to have an empty stomach, you're going to have to be performing your cardio upon waking. I'm assuming your diet is in check and you eat regular meals throughout the day. The morning, after a 6-10 hour fast, is the only time your stomach will actually be empty.

The common thought process with fasted cardio is that you will use fat or carb sources from present stores in your body rather than from the food being digested in your stomach. There are multiple problems with this way of thinking.
1. You're going into your cardio fasted, which will cause your cardio session to be weakened, reducing your overall amount of fat burned if performing LISS and reducing your ability to perform a true HIIT session. The inability to perform at max potential during HIIT will reduce the fat burning effects of that session. You will not be able to perform at your peak on an empty stomach. Period.

HIIT Cardio vs LISS Cardio

I was recently asked by a client about HIIT and LISS cardio methods. Here is my explanation:

To be blunt, they each have their place for different reasons. I recommend using both. I'm going to explain my reasoning for using each method.

Just like a properly performed HIIT session, I want to get this explanation finished quickly and effectively.
While performing HIIT, you're essentially spiking your heart rate to a near max rate and following that spike with a recovery period, which serves the purpose of preparing you for your next spike. You're literally working your heart, as it is a muscle, and it should be exercised beyond its normal daily drone the resting heart beat.