Tricep "Toning" 101

A majority of the female clients I encounter often put their triceps on their respective "Need to Improve" list. That said, one exercise that trumps the notorious "Cable Triceps Pressdown" exercise is the "Medicine Ball Push-up." Check out the video above for a perfect demonstration.

Cholesterol-lowering Foods

Far too often, people with high cholesterol have been told what NOT to eat (i.e. butter, red meat, and ice cream due to their high saturated fat content). The Boston Globe ran an article this week (http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/gallery/best_foods_for_cholesterol/?p1=Upbox_links) that divulged which nutritional choices researches concluded can help LOWER cholesterol. Last week's Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed the following list:

• oats
• barley
• soy milk
• tofu
• nuts
• legumes

Remember, while nutritional choices do play a role in cholesterol, do not overlook genetics and aging.

Dr. Andrew Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid

I refer to the above Food Pyramid all the time. The USDA has had several, overly vague and unhealthy, pyramids come out over the years. THIS is the one you need to be following!

Female Ring Chin-ups

This is AWESOME!!!!!!

Tips for Success

I was reading an article by Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Brown recently and he listed some tips he read for success. I wanted to share with you a few of my favorites:

• Practice what you preach. This is number one. Be the example.
• Keep it simple. What can we do that will provide the greatest effect to the body in the least amount of time.
• Lift or press something heavy. Perform 1–5 sets of 1–5 reps on the main lifts followed by 6–15 reps on the assistance lifts, pushing to a density style training. Finish in an hour to an hour fifteen minutes.
• Do not buy into what others say is the next best thing. Folks, TRX is not a godsend and neither is a Bosu ball or kettlebells, although kettlebells are pretty useful. Look up Dan John.
• Warming up is great and so is stretching.
• Stop BSing yourself. If you don’t like the way you look, change it.
• Stay with a program. If you just purchased an e-book or whatever, stay with it for awhile—for at least 4–6 months. Don’ hop around doing randomly implemented programs. The best way to find out what works best in attaining your goals is to stay with it. A hybrid of programs would work such as 5/3/1 with three assistance exercises followed by a fat loss/Tabata/Strongman circuit. Just commit to it. Stop trying everything or better yet, stop doing nothing.
• Do hill sprints. These are the best exercise second to clean eating for fat loss.

Living to 150?!?!

In her new book, 100 Plus: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything, Sonia Arrison explains how living 150, 500 and even 1,000 years may be possible thanks to better health and science.

Check out the interview she recently gave here: http://online.wsj.com/video/living-to-be-150-years-old/03FD4A09-5DD2-4FFE-921E-169A47ECFA48.html

Ladies getting JACKED!

I LOVE seeing females kick butt in the weight room. There remains way too much fear with women and weight training. Too many of them lift weight that is FAR too light, and thus WILL NOT produce the "toning" effect most of them seek. Check out the above videos to watch some young women work their tails off in the weight room. You'll note that they ALL possess a LOT of lean, sexy muscle, yet maintain their femininity.

Ok, I'll also admit I have a huge "Internet Crush" on three of them (Alli McKee, Marianne Kane, and Jen Comas Keck).

Help Make Me Boston's Most Valuable Blogger!

I received some wonderful news this week from CBS Boston. I've been named as a finalist for Boston's Most Valuable Blogger award! Please do me a favor and click the following link to cast your vote for me. I appreciate your support!

http://boston.blogger.cbslocal.com/most-valuable-blogger/vote/health/

Nutrition is EVERYTHING for fat loss

I continue to preach to clients that NUTRITION is the MOST IMPORTANT variable when it comes to fat loss- NOT exercise. You can't out-train a poor diet. That being said, a colleague of mine, Mark Young, wrote the following this week on his blog:

"So when it comes down to it, if you’re trying to lose weight (or fat) diet is going to be the key to your success. Adding in ANY type of exercise is not going to have a huge impact on weight loss."

Swimmer Diana Nyad- a true Warrior

Strong currents, shoulder pain, and asthma proved too strong for swimmer Diana Nyad, a 61-year old warrior who attempted to swim from Cuba to Key West, FLA this week. She was pulled from the water after swimming for TWENTY-NINE hours. The total swim was supposed to take 60 hours and cover 103 miles. That's unbelievable! I read her story this morning over breakfast and was amazed at the courage she had to face the media in tears. Nyad first tried to cross the Florida strait in 1978 in a shark cage but quite after 41 hours due to strong currents. Nyad said she will not attempt the swim again.

Check out my girl Hope Solo kicking ass with her off-season training regimen!

Today's Home Training Session

(pictured: Kettlebell "Bottoms Up" Hold)

I was in a time crunch this afternoon and HAD to get in a workout simply for my sanity (I'm sure some of you can relate). With limited space and equipment, I devised a quick and relatively intense session in my home studio. Here's the rundown:

• T-Spine Mobility w/Tennis Balls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDWNVp2Ht0Y)
• Hip Rotator Mobility w/Tennis Ball (wish I had LAX ball @ home)
• Foam Roller (T-Spine, Glutes, Hips, Hamstrings, Quads, and Calves)
• Mini Band Walks (L/R/F/B) [2 x 10ea]

---------------------------------------------------------------------

• 4-way bridge [2 x 0:30ea]
• Superband Anti-Rotational Press (no need to buy a $5 thousand cable column machine when I have a $10 Band I can use as effectively!) [2 x 0:30ea]
• 1-leg Hip Thrust w/25 lb. plate on torso [2 x 8 ea @0:03 hold ea)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Supersets below performed 5 rounds with 2-3 min. rest between sets)

• Kettlebell (KB) 1-arm/1-leg SLDL x6ea
• KB 1-arm swings x8ea
• KB "Bottoms Up Carries" (see above pic) x 10 yards ea direction [3 round-trip laps ea arm]
• Push-ups x10
• DB Lateral Raises x10
• Air Dyne (.5 mile max effort)

It was tough (Air Dyne sprints were BRUTAL), but I like getting in training sessions now and then @ home when I cramped for time.

How Sugar Affects the Body in Motion

There was a FANTASTIC article recently in the New York Times that discussed sugar and how it affects the body. It was easy to follow and I think will prove VERY informative to all my clients. It echoed by point about how sports drinks should be reserved for the intense, serious "athletes" who go several hours at a time per training session. Check out the full article and let me know what you think by clicking here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/how-sugar-affects-the-body-in-motion/

3 Solid Partner Medicine Ball Exercises

These are fantastic movements for semi-private (2-person) Personal Training to improve force absorption and enhance power production.

Martin Rooney’s Top 5 Ways To Start Doing More Than Expected

1. Say “Thank You” as many times a day as possible…and mean it!

2. Find people doing positive things and compliment them for it.

3. Write a hand written letter to someone that has helped you with something.

4. Don’t seek immediate credit or results for your efforts. Instead do your best and rewards will come.

5. Stay organized and take on projects that you are both interested in and can do well.

6. Strive to become known as someone that “always does the little extra.” (Giving 6 when you said 5 is a good start!)

Healthy Post-workout Nutrition Selections

• Mixed Greens Salad topped with Wild Sockeye Salmon
• Greek Yogurt with mixed berries
• Spinach Omelet
• Grilled chicken with Asparagus and Quinoa

What's YOUR Resting Heart Rate?

The New York Times ran an article today discussing a topic that intrigues me, Resting Heart Rate (RHR). I use this number in an equation to calculate target heart rate ranges for clients I train.

RHR can also be used as a general guideline to assess one's level for cardiovascular disease. Check out the full article by clicking here:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/01/really-the-claim-a-normal-heart-rate-is-60-to-100-beats-a-minute/?smid=tw-taraparkerpope&seid=auto

"Almost No One Has a Recovery Routine"

While it's important to track particulars in the weight room and on the overall strength & conditioning side of things, it's sadly true how almost NO ONE has a "Recovery Routine."

Dumbbell Quote from Martin Rooney

I love training with kettlebells, but sometimes feel they get all the hype. That same thought I recently had was echoed by one of my favorite strength coaches- Martin Rooney- in an article I read today. Check out his quote here:

"Kettlebells are a great tool, but since the explosion of the kettlebell cults, dumbbells have taken a backseat in training. Funny, but no one ever takes a picture with a dumbbell, yet I see more shots every day of people carrying a kettlebell like it was his or her first-born.

I have nothing against kettlebells and use them in my training. I just wonder if the KB explosion would've ever happened without the Internet? Kettlebell shirts, kettlebell necklaces...

Poor dumbbells, I'll miss them."

One of my favorite MOTIVATING quotes! Proof that most people "Work Out"

"There's working out and there's training. Training is when you have a progressive plan with measurable goals and continual challenges. Working out is anything that makes you sweaty and tired but not necessarily bigger or stronger because it lacks consistency, direction and specificity.

I used to work out.

Now? I train."