Now I know what you are thinking how I can tell someone who is desperate to change to be satisfied with maintaining their present condition? I am not telling them to be satisfied or that they should stop pursuing their ultimate weight loss goal. What I am saying is that if someone has a tendency towards progressively gaining weight over a long period of time, and they begin an exercise regimen, start eating healthy, and maintain a consistent weight over a long period of time, the fact that they do not gain any more weight is progress.

This same rule applies for the guy who goes to the gym and is in good shape but never really gains much muscle. This guy does basically the same exercises and uses the same resistance for years and makes no real progress. I used to make fun of this guy constantly for wasting his time. But maybe this guy isn’t really wasting his time. He is maintaining his strength, not gaining body fat, and staying relatively fit while many friends and associates who do not exercise are deteriorating.  Over time his maintenance bcomes progress.

Everyone theoretically should have clearly defined fitness goals that lead to consistent progress in the gym. But if you go through a period of time, even if it’s a long period of time, without making progress don’t beat yourself up. At least you will not be complaining that you wished you looked like you did five years ago.

Brandon

 With Ski season in full swing I figured I would make some recommendations about preparing your body for a ski trip. Skiing is a full body exercise that requires activation of many different muscle groups. Many people who chose to ski after having been sedentary for weeks or months on end, complain of tired legs, a sore back, and overall fatigue after hitting the slopes for a day or two. This can easily be prevented by performing a program that includes exercises that train the muscles used in skiing. Ideally, one would begin training a few months before a ski trip in order to have proper muscle function and to prevent soreness and injury. But even if you only have a couple of weeks, a well designed program will at the very least, prevent some of the intense soreness many experience. Below I have outlined a beginner, intermediate, and advanced ski preparation program.

Beginner Program

Body Weight Squats 4x12

Body Weight Crunches 3x8

 Dumbbell Chest Press 3x10

Seated Cable Lat Row 3x12

Prone Hamstring Curl 4x8

Seated Calf Raise 3x15

Intermediate Program

Dumbbell Squats 4x12

Swiss Ball Crunches 3x8

Dumbbell Chest Press 3x12

Seated Cable Lat Row 3x12

Prone Hamstring Curl 4x6

Standing Calf Raise 4x12

Seated Calf Raise 3x15

Advanced Program

Barbell Squats 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, and 6

Reverse Crunches 3x8

Cable wood Chop 2x12

Single arm Dumbbell Chest Press 3x12

Single Leg Prone Hamstring Curl 4x6

Stiff Leg Dead lift 2x12

Palms up Pull UP 3x6

Donkey Calf Raise 4x8

Seated Calf Raise 3x15

So those are some basic Ski prep program recommendations based on ability level. If you are suffering from pain, tightness, stiffness, or any other body related problem, it is in your best interest to see a MAT® specialist before you hit the slopes. These are warning signs that there is something wrong in your body and doing a challenging activity such a skiing can lead to further compensation or injury. The MAT® will help to realign your body and stabilize any joints that may be compromised due to weakness.

Brandon



With the obesity epidemic beginning to hit staggering proportions, I believe it is time that we finally do away with the traditional American food pyramid. Let's face it - the damn thing is just plain wrong. It starts off by recommending 6-7 servings of bread, rice, pasta, cereal, ect...No normal person needs that many servings of grain based carbohydrates per day. In fact, I would only recommend one, or maybe two servings of grain based carbohydrates per day. Most grains contain gluten: a mixture of proteins, including gliadins and glutelins, which are not soluble in water and which give wheat dough its elastic texture. Gluten can cause tremendous side effects in people with sensitivity to it, such as gas, bloating, fatigue, stomach cramps, anxiety, and diarrhea. Even people who are not extremely sensitive should be aware of gluten consumption because it can still cause digestive disruption and fatigue. Some good gluten free grain options include steel cut whole oatmeal, millet, quinoa, and buckwheat. Other good grains are any grains that are sprouted, such as Ezekiel bread. Although Ezekiel bread is not gluten free, the amount of gluten used in it is very small. Be very wary of the grains sold in commercial grocery stores. They try to pass off their products as being health food by putting things like "Whole Grain", "High in Fiber", or "Heart Healthy" on the front of the packaging. As one of my favorite authors Bret Easton Ellis likes to say "Slide down the surface of things." In this case, most people do not look past the outer packaging and do not read the ingredients. Most of this crap is simply white bread that is painted brown or has been stripped of all of it's goodness then rebooted with cheap vitamins and minerals.

At least they got it right by recommending fruits and veggies next. However, in reality, vegetables should have been put on the bottom. Fruit should come after grass fed meats. Nothing is better for the human body than vegetables. Specifically organic vegetables. Any vegetable that is not grown organically will be coated with pesticide residue, will probably have been irradiated (a process in which the veggie is shot with a gamma ray to kill bacteria, fungi, ect..) and gassed to help keep it's natural color longer. These are things that you do not want done to what is supposed to be your best source of daily nutrients. (The same is done to all non organic fruits) The American food pyramid recommends 3-5 servings of veggies per day and that is actually right on. I would recommend five servings with at least three of them being green like broccoli, asparagus, and spinach. With the other two I would recommend that you get some color with something like red bell peppers, carrots, and yams. Yams are actually my favorite daily source of carbohydrates because they are loaded with nutrients and fiber. As far as fruit goes, the food pyramid recommends 2-4 servings per day. I would stay on the lower end with fruit and go with 2-3 servings per day. All fruit contain nutrients but some have more than others. My recommendation is to stick with fruits that are more fibrous and contain less sugar such as all types of berries, apples, pears, plums, and pomegranate. I personally eat all other fruits sparingly as they contain more fructose. Always eat fruit alone or before meals. It can cause digestive upset to consume fruit with protein and fat rich foods.

Next on the pyramid is all dairy, eggs, and meats. As far as dairy is concerned, I would advise to limit it's consumption unless good organic raw sources are available. Pasteurization of dairy makes it very hard for most people to digest. This is because when milk is pasteurized, many vital enzymes needed for digestion are cooked out of the milk. Like Arnold said in Pumping Iron "Milk is for babies when you grow up you get to drink beer." What other mammal on this planet drinks milk past the age of two or three? Much less the milk of other animals. That being said, un-pasteurized dairy does have some major health benefits particularly if the dairy has been fermented. Fermented dairy has been used for centuries by many cultures and for good reason. It is great for the digestive tract and provides tons of nutrients and is a good source of protein. Good examples of fermented raw dairy include kefir and yogurt. Raw cheese is another good option as it provides healthy fat and is also a good source of nutrients. The pyramid recommends 2-3 servings per day, and I say go for it is you have access to raw organic dairy. If not, I would say maybe one serving per day if you buy non-organic. Dairy that is not organic is loaded with pesticide residue, antibiotics, and growth hormones. I would advise against any non organic dairy. Of course there is an acception to every rule. I do not consider butter used for cooking to be considered daily dairy servings. So if you are cooking something that requires butter, feel free to use it. Just make sure it's organic or at least hormone free. Also, if you are going to consume dairy, make sure to eat it by it's self between meals, as dairy doesn't mix well with most types of food. (That's right captain crunch: you are doing more than just cutting the roofs of mouths to shreds, you are mixing with milk and causing a digestion no, no.)

Meats, Fish, Poultry, Nuts and Eggs have a recommendation of 2-3 servings per day and are placed one from the top of the USDA pyramid. This is completely insane. These are all of your proteins and good fat sources, and these belong right above veggies on the new pyramid. But with one caveat: the beef needs to be grass fed, the fish needs to be wild caught, the poultry and the eggs need to be free range, and the nuts need to be organic, raw, and soaked. I would also go ahead and add coconut oil, olive oil, cod liver oil and other fish oils to this part of the pyramid. Trust me, you do not want to eat feed lot meat and eggs. Besides the fact that the animals are treated in ways that would make Hitler blush, feed lot meat and eggs are just plain bad for you. The poor animals are kept in horrible conditions and pumped with growth hormones and antibiotics, which will will then make there way into your body by eating them. Non feed lot animals are treated humanely, and also fed a diet that they were meant to eat. Cows, Sheep, Goats. ect were meant to eat grass. Instead they are fed diets consisting of everything from corn, to grains, to in some cases saw dust. You heard me SAW DUST!!! Now just imagine if a human being was forced to eat a diet that their body was never meant to eat: processed grains, soy, sugar, excessive sodium, high fructose corn syrup, feed lot meat, ect... what do you think would happen to that person? (I know, I know that is an average trip to McDonald's but stay with me). Healthy animals contain protein, healthy fats, amino acids, and other vital nutrients. These are the building blocks to a healthy body. Nuts have gotten a bad rap by some because they are high in fat. Yes they are high in fat, but the fat in nuts is extremely healthy for the body. You just need to make sure that your nuts are raw and have been soaked overnight and then dehydrated at a low temperature for 12-24 hours. Nuts have a chemical in them called phytic acid. Phytic Acid makes nuts very hard for some people to digest. By soaking them overnight you can remove all of the phytic acid. By heating the nuts at a low temperature for 12-24 hours you can bring out all of the wonderful nutrients the nuts have to offer. Eggs have also gotten a bad rap by some who say that the yolks are high in cholesterol. But do you know what else the yolk is high in??? That's right-NUTRIENTS. Egg yolks contain so of the best nutrients on the planet. They can be a vital part of a healthy life style. Make sure the eggs you buy are from cage free chickens. Besides the fact that the chickens are treated so much more humanely, the eggs taste so much better. Avoid Egg beaters and other pasteurized egg products. These products have eliminated all of the nutrients from the egg and the protein is not as high quality.

The top of the USDA pyramid is Oils, Fat, and Sugar. Sugar belongs there for sure and really should be avoided at all costs. Folks, sugar is a drug plain and simple. It is addictive, causes mood swings, and makes you gain weight. If sugar is the devil, then high fructose corn syrup is the anti-Christ. Sugar's bastard son that is taking over and ruining the world. Made from corn and produced more cheaply than sugar, HFCS is one of the main culprits in the obesity epidemic. The USDA pyramid has oils and fat at the top as well. As mentioned earlier, healthy oils such as coconut, olive, palm, and flax have no place at the top. In my pyramid, they are with our good protein sources on the second floor. Banished from my pyramid would be partially hydrogenated fats or better known as trans fats, canola oil, lard and such. These types of fats should never be consumed. These fats will clog your arteries and make you very unhealthy over time. I would also like to nominate artificial sweeteners and soy for banishment from the pyramid. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose should never be consumed by anyone. Period. They are extremely toxic and have no place in a healthy human diet. They cause food cravings, weight gain, and mood swings. These are very dangerous substances. Soy foods also have no place in the human diet. Soy is like the wolf in sheep's clothing. It passes itself off as a health food that is heart healthy and cancer preventing. I call bullshit. Soy is a phyto estrogen: it is a plant based form of estrogen. Taken consistently and in high enough doses, in can begin to cause your hormones to run amuck. It can lead to weight gain, mood swings, water retention, and estrogen imbalance in women. Guys: don't touch this crap with a ten foot pole. It can decrease sex drive, make you feel excessively emotional and weepy, and in some cases cause gynocomastia. That's right guys it can cause you to grow breasts. Look for more on soy and artificial sweetners in further posts.

We need to move forward as individuals, and as a nation, and make better food choices. There would be no health care crisis if we could significantly begin to slow down the obesity epidemic. Just remember every time you go shopping and buy food - you are either making a choice to be part of the problem or part of the solution.

1. High Reps and Less weight is for toning and high weight and low reps will make you bulky There was absolutely no doubt this one was going first. This is by far the most annoying myth in the history of the fitness industry. Let me set the record straight once and for all. The amount of reps that are performed have no real impact on the "tone" of the muscle. When someone becomes more toned it is from a decrease in body fat in the given area. This is always going to be the result of proper nutrition along with proper resistance training. It has always been interesting to me that heavy weight and low repetitions are associated with bulkiness. I guess this started because power lifters and strong men train this way and they have massive physiques. In reality training with low reps and high weight is a very inefficient way to bulk up. It takes much longer to build muscle training with low reps and high weight because the amount of total volume performed is going to be much lower than with more traditional rep schemes. So in reality here is how it breaks down: Low weight and higher reps increase muscular endurance (think 3-5 sets 15-20 reps per exercise). Moderate weight and moderate reps are best for muscle growth (think 3-4 sets 8-12 reps per per exercise). Heavy weight and low reps are best suited for those looking to increase strength (4-6 sets 1-6 reps per exercise) Ideally in any program you would rotate between these three different types of weight and rep schemes for maximum results.
2. (Note number 2 should really be 1a.) If I do crunches, sit ups, (insert any other abdominal exercise here) every day I will have a flat stomach and rock hard abs like the dude or chick in the infomercial. So many people believe this and that is why all of the douche bag shysters (Yes I’m talking to you Body by Jake, ab dolly, and 8 min abs guy) on all of those infomercials are becoming overnight millionaires. The ONLY way to have a flat stomach is through proper NUTRITION!!!! You can do 5 million crunches per day and it will do nothing to change your midsection if your idea of a meal comes in a bucket with colonel sanders on the side of it. That’s why in print that is this big it says results not typical without a balanced diet and exercise program
3. Insert Exercise Here builds more mass while insert other exercise here is more of a shaping exercise. For example the squat vs. the knee extension machine. If performed properly the squat is the superior of the two exercises. It works more muscle groups and has more of a (I can’t believe I’m going to say this) functional impact. That being said, the knee extension is hardly what I would call a shaping exercise. That’s because there is really no such thing as a “shaping exercise”. All exercises are growth and strength inducing to varying degrees. Although exercises like the knee extension and hamstring curl only work through one joint (the knee) that does not mean that they cannot be great tools in a toolbox for muscle growth. It all depends on the technique, load, and intensity used. There are two excellent ways to integrate single joint exercises into any program. You can use them as a warm up or pre exhaustion before performing compound movements (multi-joint multi-muscle movements) or you can use them after the compound movements as more secondary exercises. Either way exercises like the knee extension will help you build muscle.
4. Preacher Curls fill in the gap between the elbow and the bicep. You cannot change the structure of your body with any exercise. Let me repeat myself, you cannot change the structure of your body with any exercise. If you have a gap between where your elbow ends and your bicep begins get used to it because it will always be there. I personally have a gap between my bicep and elbow on my right arm and I spent many workouts in my teen years trying to fill in that gap by doing tons of preacher curls because I read in a book (cough, The Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding, cough. I’m sorry I love you Arnold and I know you probably didn’t write that book anyway) that it could be done. Trust me don’t waste your time.
5. Walking Lunges, Standing Lunges ect…. Will lift your butt. If only this was true. It would be a make a great sales technique and help to get my female clients to do an exercise that many of them loathe. If only there was a magic genie that lived right below the glute fold and every time a set of lunges was performed he would come out with a car jack and jack up our buttes like he was a mechanic changing a tire. The reason why many people think that a lunge will lift the ass is because lunges do engage a lot of glute tissue. Therefore if you include lunges in your lower body training program for a long period of time, and the exercise is performed correctly, you will see an increase in the amount of muscle in the behind. That will sometimes give the trainee the impression that their butt has magically been lifted.

This concludes part one. I hope you are now either deeply disturbed or enlightened. Look for part two soon.

Brandon