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 |
