Resist the temptation

re·sist·ance   [ri-zis-tuhns]
noun
1.
the act or power of resisting, opposing, or withstanding.
2.
the opposition offered by one thing, force, etc., to another.

Resistance. My method of choice when training. It along with a proper nutrition program are directly responsible for building and toning muscle. Fact: From age 30 to age 70 we can lose more than 25% of the type 2 muscle fibers in our bodies (type 2 fibers are our strength fibers). Resistance exercise can actually slow down and in some cases even reverse the aging process by building muscle mass and strength. Not a bad deal. Resistance exercise can raise metabolic rate by increasing the bodies post exercise oxygen consumption. A note on EPOC written by someone not named Austin, but none the less he feels you should know

"EPOC and Weight Management
Because the body continues to expend energy after exercise, EPOC plays a supplemental role to an exercise program in weight management. Currently, researchers are interested in the effect different forms of exercise have on EPOC.
The evidence suggests that a high-intensity, intermittent-type of training (interval training) has a more pronounced effect on EPOC (Haltom et al. 1999). Also, it appears that resistance training produces greater EPOC responses than aerobic exercise (Burleson et al. 1998). The research suggests that high-intensity resistance exercise disturbs the body’s homeostasis to a greater degree than aerobic exercise. The result is a larger energy requirement after exercise to restore the body’s systems to normal (Burleson et al. 1998), and thus an explanation for the higher EPOC. The underlying mechanisms that cause the higher EPOC observed in resistance exercise include elevated blood lactate, and an increase in circulating catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and anabolic hormones.
Inspecting the data from several investigations, it appears that EPOC accounts for postexercise expenditure of 51 (Haltom et al. 1999) to 127 (Burleson et al. 1998) kilocalories. Since a pound of fat is equal to 3,500 kilocalories, the effect of EPOC on weight control must be regarded in terms of a cumulative effect over time."

And we're back, hope I didn't lose anyone there when the guest speaker came on. What they were saying is that it cost calories to do work. Simple as that. Also the more muscle your carrying the more it cost to fuel in work. Thus the more muscle you can cultivate the higher your metabolism is going to have to be.

I can literally go on and on about the benefits of resistance training. I can get in to all of the various different types of that mode of training. How with your own body weight and proper techneque you can literally work your entire physique. And how with a isometric or static contraction, you can strengthen and tone your upper, lower body and core. Or how with a simple dumbbell you can either stack on slabs of rock hard muscle or shape and hone finely tuned edges to each and every muscle.

But what really drew me to resistance is the fight. The struggle against the weight, the world, yourself. It's the release. I started off long ago wanting to change something, so I felt the best way to to that was to work at it. And I did work. And it felt good. To have a picture in my mind of an outcome and with my own two hands forge it. By pushing obstacles out of my way and pulling my dreams closer as if my life depended on it. Please forgive me for going off on another tangent again. But seriously there is a release that can be found in resistance, and as strange as this sounds but that guy over there bangin his head to the Game's new CD is practicing his version of Yoga.

In the end you may try resistance training and it might be the polar opposite of your yoga, but I want to caution you to resist the temptation to swear off weights totally. Don't be that guy or that gal, that burns up all of your fat burning potential by burning up all or our fat burning potential doing cardio all day long thinking that all your burning up is fat. You get all that? Very good. Until next time, be good.

Perfect the Rep

One of the things that I see repeatedly in the room is people lifting weights. This is a regular occurrence. It's a problem. Not in itself, but when lifting a weight from point A to B be becomes the main focus of the activity. Hey, I'm all for people doing tedious activities to pass the time. Some call them hobbies. Now if you main focus is to exercise and build, shape and or strengthen muscle, then that's when lifting weights becomes a problem. The weight is just a means to focus a muscular contraction. The weight is simply a tool that when used properly can stress the muscle in a manner that the forces it shorten and lengthen, and depending on the goal of each particular set, and the skill of the practitioner can cause the muscle to grow, to contour and to strengthen. I think back to my early years of training until now, and I realise that alot of time and effort were used in learning the proper way to attack a set. I say used but I could easily swap that word out for wasted. Because the I was just lifting weights from point A to point B instead of focusing on mastering the rep. But I did use the word use because its my belief that you learn something from every experience, every time you enter the room is no different. But when you actually put your mental power towards getting better at something with each repetition you'd be surprised how much progress you can make and how quickly it can happen. It's ridiculously simple how easy it is to get on the path to perfecting the rep. Step one learn the movement. Learn how the pros teach it, and what your supposed to feel. Look it up on line or have someone teach you or whatever. Next you find a weight that you can successfully complete the movement for at least fifth teen reps, the rep number may vary from time to time. This is the important part, you open up your mind, and then you attempt the rep. That sensation your supposed to feel, attempt to find that body feel each and every time. Try and strike that same point with your contraction. You do this enough, you will manage to teach yourself to target complete muscle contractions. The thing is, you do this every single time you work out, you actually learn to workout better, and your time spent in the weight room will definitely me maximized.

I eat....well

How we do'n good people. Long time glad to be here. Recently some of my clients have been struggling with diet issues. We've moved from average to good, or below average to average or above. Now the next logical step in my mind is moving up to the elite territory, or the east side. Now, its really not rocket science. The formula is rather simple, the execution of it is where the rubber really meets the road, and the going gets tough.
The formula, is this....eat more protein than carbs......That's pretty much it. I'm sure you want an explanation, because I would. My theory behind that is based my theory on fuel and material. Any and everything you consume is either going to be categorized as either fuel or material. This is the basis for my formula. Now there are a couple of variables. Those variables are your metabolic rate, some of us are gifted with an extremely high metabolism, it can be a pain when trying to gain weight, but keeping it off is as simple as existing. The other factor is level of activity. This is the important on. Also the one which is easier for us to effect. Before I get to far off of the topic, like I tend to do, I'll bring in back, the reason we want more material in on the construction ground is because we always want a steady supply of raw material to conduct our repairs, and out renovations, and if we should run low on fuel, in a pinch we can break up some of the lumber and burn toss it in the furnace get the turbines going and power this machine another way. Hope that didn't leave too many people scratching their heads. Fuel on the other hand, is either burned or it's tucked away and stored. Unless you plan on getting lost on a deserted island or planning on a long rough winter, most of us may feel that that's not an attractive option. That's pretty much all I have to say on that subject, so I'll leave you with this piece of advice, be creative with your plan, so that every time you eat you don't feel like your making this great sacrifice, and put in a little more work in the room, and you'll have a little bit more breathing room at the table. Literally and figuratively.

P.S that's what I ate tonight, and it was Austin...Sorry awesome, I enter change those words from time to time.

Attention to detail

greetings good people...and the rest of you who showed up. Today I just wanted to say a couple of things about reps. I had an epiphany the other day. Its pretty simple when you break it down. You skeleton is encased within your muscles. Muscle contractions cause your skeletal system to move. If you want to cause a change or an effect in a certain area, figure out how the arrange your body in a manner that the muscles in that area contract. Repeat that process repeatedly and you'll get to be more efficient in that movement. You'll became more efficient in the movement because it will me easier for you. Why? Because you've programmed the muscles to recognize the movement, also because the muscles that have been repeatedly performing the movement have gotten stronger. If those muscles have gotten stronger then, a number of thing may have occurred. A the muscle group has gotten bigger, B the muscles are more dense, more muscle tissue packed in, or C they have gotten leaner, so they're operating more efficiently without the excess fat that they've been carrying around, or D a little of all three. This mainly depends on your diet and the resistance your applying.
It all really boils down to the reps though. The little brush strokes that make a master piece special. A workout is just a series of sets and reps rearranged to achieve an effect on the body. These little soldiers are all very important, to the greater cause. You aim should be to try and completely contract the muscle, be efficient at firing as many of the muscle fibers as possible, and making them work through the negative portion of the rep. To a certain degree. Based on the different loads, the negative maybe a slightly slower decent then if you would just drop it. If your conscious of it, and you start to get to know your body when you lift, you'll recognize the difference. You never know which rep is going to be the growth rep. You probably never knew such a thing existed...but it does, so now keep your eye out for it, an now I can't predict where it resides either, I know it lives between 10 and 40 and it feels like a little explosion went off..actually like a bang snap, and you instantly know you'll be better because of it. It starts with attention to detail from the first rep to the last though. I have a couple of videos on my face book page, check them out, might give you a little more insight in to where I'm coming from. Thanks for your time, an give it a try one day... and close your eyes. Feel whats going on.

Super Stack

Recently in an article posted on Muscular Development online magazine, there was a discussion on the fat reduction benefits of caffeine. They also mentioned the best ways to maximize the benefits, and listed green tea as one of the best stacks for it's use in fat loss. Now to me this was not breaking news material. It was a friendly reminder though, because although I probably worked out at least eight times last week, and rode at the very least 80 miles last week, I've probably only taken my caffeine green tea supplement about four times. Yes the supplement I have is called caffeine plus. The plus is the green tea extract. So reading the article just made put that habit in the post workout whey protein shake category, meaning the religious category. It's like putting on my gloves and wrist wraps before I train. Meaning if I got um, there as integral to the process as working out. I like to start the day with the caffeine plus, we'll call it. Sometimes I have two separate products. Nothing fancy either. One day my wrestling coach had a long morning before practice, and I asked him if he wanted some caffeine. He asked me what kind meaning in what. I responded just caffeine as I grinned and pulled out a bottle with big bold letters that said caffeine on the side. Besides the lipolysis benefits, which means utilizing fat for energy, it also grants you instant focus in most all situations you can feel the benefits moments after consumption. I work nights as well so I gave the disclaimer, most cases. There were a few instances went I was training for a fight, that after three training sessions and an hour into a four hour shift, a little caffeine goes a little way. So anyway, that what I have to say about Caffeine plus and to hear what the experts have to say copy this link and check it out. Remember its the little details that make a lasting piece of fine art.

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/content/view/1860/51/

the Over training Trap

Hey people, how we doing today? Excellent, I'm sure. Today I'm going to talk to you about over training. I used to call it the myth of over training, but as you all know, most myths are a bastardised version of someones truth. Like the werewolf, and aliens, and Excalibur, oh, don't get me started on Excalibur, I could be at it all day. The truth is most people would have no idea how to even begin to over train. They barely know how to train, train! The people who might wander into the neighbor hood of over training, are the true workout enthusiast. The ones who truly love the feeling of hard work. Its easy for them to fall in to the trap of over training. Its because it seems like play to them. In reality its more like under resting then it is over training. It sounds alot like the same thing but its as much psychological as it is phsiological. Your nervous system needs to calm down from firing full blast everyday, and your body needs enough time to move a little bit further in the repairs that never seem to be complete.

Now I'm quite certain I've been in this neighborhood before. I recognise some of the landmarks, and the ugly architecture. I figure out I was in over trainingville when I got sick on Saturday. All week, I've been feeling run down, and my joints have been crying bloody murder. Now, to let you know how I got here, I train hard everyday, over the years my body has adapted to the punishment I put it through. If I were actually trying to grow bigger, it would be impossible based on the amount or lack of rest I give my body.fortunate for me, I'm only concerned with growing better, as opposed to bigger. The factor that changed was my cardio. I'm currently preparing to fight in late November December, so I'm doing more cardio, throw in a night job. Oh and my main form of transportation is a road bike...with pedals. Next thing you know your check engine light is on, the alignment on your robot is drifting to the left.

So there in lies the problem, the solution, I'm going to asses the things, I can alter, Boxing, no, jui jitsu, no, weights, maybe. Lets examine the maybe. I lift pretty heavy for a rep count of over ten for most sets. Slash the weight, slow down the reps go for form, and not to failure. Perhaps, just use resistance bands and body weight for a week. Instead of 40 mins to an hour, 25 mins light cardio and full stretch. Take a forced day off. Maybe go for a ride, zero resistance training. That's what my over training recovery week is gonna look like apparently, thanks for taking the time for helping me out with that. Oh, feel free to use it yourself when ever you feel that your check engine like might be about to come on, should be enough to keep you sane, and get your robot back in alignment at the same time.

If you have any topics that you want me to form an opinion on or if your interested in individual or group training please contact me on Facebook, or email at auku51@gmail.com. Right now I'm working as the strength an conditioning coordinator for the Brazilian Top Team, at Bodies in Motion is West LA, also I train privately at Soneca Martial Arts located in Brentwood.

http://www.sonecamartialarts.com/
http://www.bodiesinmotion.com/ClubTemplate.aspx?map=2&LocId=58

Thanks for your time, here's a cool article about protein intake. I skimmed over it and it seemed pretty solid. Until we meet again work hard and be easy.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_nutrition/six_things_you_need_to_know_about_protein?utm_source=weekly_dose&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tmuscle

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.—Theodore Roosevelt

Cleansing: Fact or fiction part I

I'd like to apologise for the false advertisement. There's not going to be any myth busting here. I'm just going to give you my opinion on something that until this morning I knew very little about, and now I know a little bit more. Cleansing. We've all heard about it, know someone who's gone through the process, someone who loves it. Someone who hates it. Heard about someone who lost forty two pounds on lemonade and Ms. Butter worth alone. was proposed a question by one of my clients. Kiea come up to me and says "your next blog should blog about cleansing". And I think to my self, "that's an awesome idea" then I think,"perhaps I should form an opinion about cleansing first". So that brings us here. A good friend of mine is a trainer, and before she starts training a new client, she requires the to do a cleanse. I think she's a great trainer, so I figured it would have some merit, but I feel the need to gather information for myself before I can confidently pass it off to others with the stamp of confidence that is my opinion. Now before I go any further, I plan to try a supplemental cleanse myself next month. That's going to be part two of this topic. But the research that I gathered, pretty much stated that virtually anyone can stand to benefit from a cleanse. It you smoke, want to loose weight, have a skin condition,bad breath, add, history of cancer. It pretty much covered the whole gambit of issues why anyone would want to make a healthy change in there life.
Another thing is, when you think of cleanses, the first thing that comes to mind is the master cleanse, or the lemon cleanse. Now I also know someone who made it about four days on that cleanse, and talking to her, it pretty much sucked. To me it didn't make sense. Then again in my lifestyle, the fact the I feel the need to lift weights everyday, it's just logical to have a ready supply of protein to build and repair. It explained that the lemon juice provides the vitamins while the maple syrup provides the energy. I can see how someone can loose weight off of that, and I may attempt it my self just to see if it's an option should I have to burn muscle. I generally don't recommend burning muscle, but being a competitive athlete, and one who carries very little body fat, sometimes, in situations that require weight restrictions you have to take extreme measures. The body remembers the form where it was currently at its equilibrium, so it's not hard to gain it back once you establish a base line. Which is another reason why I believe that this particular cleanse as a weight loss strategy is faulty. What do you really think is going to happen after you get off of a lemonade diet for a week and a half....Exactly. Your going to go food zombie. What do zombies think about? Brains. What will you think about? Food...Only food. Until your are completely and totally satisfied. Who knows when that'll happen.

Now that was just my thoughts on the master cleanse, but I haven't written off cleanses as a whole. I think that a couple times a year cleansing is definitely a great idea, it is said to cleanse your mind and your body of toxins. Based on the results I get from my trial, it may be something I incorporate from here on out. If you wanted to read up on cleanse, I got the information from http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_is_cleansing
I normally use more than one source, but I felt that the article was informative and thourough. If your interested, check it out, read it thouroughly, and read the correspondence, it's important to hear what other people just like you think about the subject, not just the author. Alright, that's pretty much it. Be good, and make the right choices.