The Most Important Piece of Equipment for a Healthy, Lean, and Toned Body

I'm going to let you in on a "secret tool" I use to help people reach their fitness and weight loss goals in record time. It is well known in the strength and conditioning world, but few fitness enthusiasts or personal trainers use it. Failure to utilize this vital gym equipment is the primary reason most people you see at the gym never make progress.


Many people start exercising and achieve immediate, noticeable results. But after a few months these results come to a halt. They may faithfully take spin class, lift weights, and do hour upon hour of cardio year in and year out. But there body never changes.


They blame this on diet. Or maybe they think its just part of getting older. And while these are important factors, using this simple tool every time they worked out would vastly increase their results.


Are you ready? Here it is...the single most important gym equipment you can use to get the body you want in record time:


Pen and paper.


Yes, that's it. That's the secret tool of the most successful trainers and body transformation coaches in the world. Without a record of what you've done you're just going through the motions. Pen and paper do more to help you reach your goals than any dumbbell, group fitness class, or cardio machine ever will.


Did you burn 300 calories on the treadmill last week? Or was it 330? Was it eight reps with fifteen pound dumbbells or ten reps with twelve pound dumbbells? If you don't know the answer to these questions, how are you going to increase the demand on your body? And if you don't increase the demand on your body your body will not change.


Here is a sample workout log I used to help a forty something mother of two lose twelve pounds of fat and gain six pounds of muscle in just 42 days! (The only changes to her diet involved switching to a zero carbohydrate breakfast)  

Workout 1

EXERCISE	8/1/2011	8/10/2011	8/22/2011	8/31/2011
A) DB Bench Press (1-0-1) 3 x AMRAP, 30 sec RI	20 x 20-12-5	25 x 14-8-5	25 x 16-8-6	30 x 9-4-3
B) Parallel Grip Pull-down (5-1-1) 3 x AMRAP, 30 sec RI	62.5 x 9-5-4	62.5 x 13-6-6	65 x 12-5-4	67.5 x 11-5-5
C) Speed Row Left (x-x-x) 1 x AMRAP	25 x 40	30 x 40	35 x 33	35 x 35
D) Speed Row Right (x-x-x) 1 x AMRAP	25 x 40	30 x 40	35 x 33	35 x 35
E) DB Lateral Raise 1 x 10 full range 1 x 30 partials Static hold x 30	3 x 10-30-18 sec	3 x 10-30-24 sec	3 x 10-30-30 sec	5 x 10-30-8 sec
F) Rower 2000m for time	11:51	11:04	10:49	10:48

Workout 2

EXERCISE	8/3/2011	8/12/2011	8/24/2011	9/6/2011
A) DB Curl (10-0-X) 3 x AMRAP, 30 sec RI	15 x 8-4-3	15 x 10-4-4	15 x 11-4-4	20 x 8-3-3
B) Machine Calf Raise (1-0-1) As many sets of 10 as possible, 10 sec stretch between sets	90 x 10 x 5	90 x 10 x 7	90 x 10 x 8	90 x 10 x 8
C) Leg Curl (10-0-X) 3 x AMRAP, 30 sec RI	70 x 7-4-2	70 x 9-4-3	70 x 10-4-3	80 x 8-4-3
D) Neg. Acc. Hanging Leg Raise (5-0-X) 3 x AMRAP, 30 sec RI	BW x 7-5-4	BW x 8-5-5	BW x 9-6-5	BW x 10-6-4
E) Farmer’s Walk 3 x max time, 30 sec RI	24 kg x 54-32-24	24 kg x 65-30-22	32 kg x 49-24-18	32 kg x 55-30-23
F) Treadmill 20 min x max distance	1.3 miles	1.5 miles	1.6 miles	1.7 miles

Workout 3

EXERCISE	8/5/2011	8/15/2011	8/26/2011	9/9/2011
A1) BB Bench (1-0-1) 6 x 8, 0 sec RI	55 x 8 x 6	60 x 8 x 5 60 x 5	60 x 8 x 6	65 x 8 65 x 6 x 5
A2) KB Front Squat (1-0-1) 6 x 8, 1 min RI	24 kg x 8 x 6	24 kg x 10 x 6	32 kg x 6 x 6	32 kg x 8 x 6
B1) T-Bar Row (1-0-1) 4 x 15-20, 0 sec RI	20 x 20 x 2 20 x 17 20 x 15	20 x 20 x 4	25 x 20 x 4	30 x 20 x 4
B2) 5 Riser Jump Squat (1-0-X) 4 x 20, 2 min RI	BW x 20 x 4	BW x 20 x 4	BW + 10 x 20 x 4	BW + 15 x 20 x 4
C1) KB Overhead Press (1-0-1) 3 x 15-20, 0 sec RI	10 x 20 x 3	15 x 19 15 x 15 x 2	15 x 20 x 2 15 x 16	15 x 20 15 x 16 15 x 12
C2) Plank 3 x 30-60 sec, 0 sec RI	30 sec x 3	40 sec x 3	50 sec x 3	60 sec x 3
C3) Walking Lunge 3 x 1 trip, 2 min RI	BW x 3	BW + 10 x 3	BW + 16 x 3	BW + 20 x 3

Workout 4

EXERCISE	8/8/2011	8/18/2011	8/29/2011	9/12/2011
A1)  Seated DB Curl (2-0-1) 3 x 6-8, 0 sec RI	20 x 8 x 3	25 x 6 25 x 5 x 2	25 x 6 x 3	25 x 7 25 x 6 25 x 5
A2)  Hammer Strength Pull-down (1-1-1) 3 x 20-30, 0 sec RI	30 x 20 x 3	30 x 30 30 x 20 x 2	30 x 30 30 x 22 30 x 20	30 x 30 30 x 29 30 x 18
A3)  Assisted Dips (5-0-1) 3 x 6-8, 0 sec RI	10 x 8 x 3	9 x 8 x 3	8 x 6 8 x 5 x 2	8 x 6 x 3
A4)  DB French Press (1-1-1) 3 x 20-30, 4 min RI	10 x 30 x 3	12 x 30 x 3	15 x 20 15 x 15 x 2	15 x 20 x 3
B1)  Assisted Roll-up (3-0-3) 3 x 8-10, 0 sec RI	BW x 8 x 3	BW x 8 x 3	BW x 10 x 3	BW x 10 x 3
B2)  Trap Bar Deadlift (1-0-1) 3 x 8-12, 0 sec RI	65 x 8 x 3	65 x 12 x 3	70 x 12 x 3	75 x 12 x 3
B3)  High Handle Prowler 3 x 2 trips, 4 min RI	50 x 3	70 x 3	90 x 2 70 x 1	90 x 1 (skipped last 2 sets)
D)  Elliptical Machine 20 minutes for max calories	183	199	178	210

Are Protein Supplements Worth the Money?

Researchers at SUNY Buffalo studied the effects of weight training plus protein supplementation in a group of overweight males. All three groups participated in supervised weight training program for 12 weeks. The Control group did not take any protein supplements while the experimental groups took either a soy or a whey protein supplement.

While all the groups gained strength and muscle mass, lowered their percent body-fat and lowered their total cholesterol, there was no significant difference between the three groups.

My recommendation: save the money you would have spent on your protein powder and buy some grass fed ground beef instead. It's high in protein and healthy fat without artificial sweeteners and fillers. And it cost $4-$5 per pound instead of $12-$15!!!


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19284589

How to Lose 13 Pounds of Fat and Gain 13 Pounds of Muscle in Eight Weeks, Part 3

Monday Weeks 7 & 8: Upper Body

A) Bench Press - 1 x AMRAP

Week Seven: 280 x 7

Week Eight: 300 x 5

B) Barbell Push Press - 8 x 1, 1 min RI

C) Hammer Strength Pull-down - 3 x AMRAP, 30 sec RI

D) Bench Press - 5 x 10, 1 min RI

Week Seven: 185 x 10 x 5

Week Eight: 205 x 10 x 4, 205 x 5

Wednesday Weeks 7 & 8: Lower Body

A) Squat - 1 x AMRAP

Week Seven: 320 x 14

Week Eight: 360 x 11

B1) Leg Curl - 5 x 8, 30 sec RI

B2) Prowler - 5 x 10 yards, 30 sec RI

Week Seven: 535

Week Eight: 575

C) Squat - 5 x 10, 1 min RI

Week Seven: 225 x 10 x 5

Week Eight: 245 x 10 x 5

Saturday, Weeks 7 & 8: Speed and Agility Training

Dynamic warm-up followed by 4-6 10 yard sprints and 2-4 40 yard sprints

How to Lose 13 Pounds of Fat and Gain 13 Pounds of Muscle in Eight Weeks, Part 2

Monday, Weeks 4-6: Upper Body Speed Strength

A) Paused Bench Press - 10 x 1, 1 min RI

Week Four: 275

Week Five: 285

Week Six: 295

B) Pendlay Row - 5 x 5, 1 min RI

Week Four: 225

Week Five: 245

Week Six: 265

C1) DB Front Raise - 3 x 15, 0 sec RI

C2) DB Lateral Raise - 3 x 15, 0 sec RI

C3) DB Muscle Snatch - 3 x 15, 2 min RI

D) DB Bench Press - 1 x AMRAP

Week Four: 70 x 30

Week Five: 80 x 26

Week Six: 100 x 14

Tuesday Weeks 4-6: Lower Body Limit Strength

A) Trap Bar Deadlift - Work up to a max set of 5, 3, or 1, 3-5 min RI

Week One: 330 x 5

Week Two: 390 x 3

Week Three: 435 x 1

B1) Walking Lunge - 4 x 12 steps each leg, o sec RI

B2) Hamstring Leans - 4 x 3-5 with 10 sec eccentrics, 0 sec RI

B3) Negative Accentuated Leg Raises - 4 x 3-5 with 20 second eccentrics, 3 min RI

C) Prowler - 10 x 20 yards, 1 min RI

Thursday Weeks 4-6: Upper Body Limit Strength

A) Bench Press - Work up to a max set of 5, 3, or 1, 3-5 min RI

Week Four: 275 x 5

Week Five: 295 x 3

Week Six: 345 x 1

B) Chest Supported Row - 6 x 6, 1 min RI

C1) Parallel Grip Pull-down - 4 x 12, 0 sec RI

C2) E-Z Bar Nosebreaker - 4 x 12, 0 sec RI

C3) Hammer Curls - 4 x 12, 3 min RI

Friday Weeks 4-6: Strongman Conditioning

A1) Keg Loads into the bed of a pick-up truck - 8 x 3-5, 0 sec RI

A2) 20 Yard Sprint - 8 x 1, rest as long as it takes to walk back to the starting line

B1) Heavy Tire Flips - 5 x 5 flips. 0 sec RI

B2) Farmer's Walk - 5 x 100 yards, 0 sec RI

B3) Light Tire Flip - 5 x 15, 3 min RI

Sunday, Weeks 4-6: Speed and Agility Training

Dynamic warm-up followed by 10's, pro agility drill, and three cone drill practice