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Newsletters>
Your New Favorite Thing
June 1, 2009
Swimsuit Season? It’s Work Time!
It’s time to workout. You’re ready to pump some iron; you wanna pump up those muscles for swimsuit season, right? So you pack your gym bag, mix your supps up and down ‘em, fill a water bottle, print your exercise plan, and head to the gym. Whew, what a process just gettin’ here. At the gym, you meet and greet, swipe your member card, duck into the mythical phone booth, and emerge in your superman suit. Clad in spandex, tube socks, lifting gloves, and a weight belt, you stand in line for your favorite plate loaded pec dec machine. By now, the pre-workout supplements you took earlier are pulsating in your veins. “Dude, can I work in?” you ask impatiently. “Cool” is the reply from your rival super hero. Finally! You load more weight than the person you’re sharing the machine with, sit in the inclined position, stand, re-adjust the chair, and sit again. Adjust your gloves, arch, puff, plant your feet and press. One, two, three, four, (faster, people are watching) five,six-seven-eightnineten. Clank. Done. Are you kidding me?!! You went through 30 minutes of preparing to get ready, only to stress your muscles for five seconds? Oh, ok you’re gonna do 3 sets of 10 reps. That’ll be 15 seconds. You’re still kiddin’ yourself. All of the preamble to a workout is undertaken to get your muscle(s) into a contraction. So once there, use that contraction; take your time with it. Take advantage of it. Don’t take it for granted. Work it!
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The two factors that stimulate muscular growth are the intensity and duration of each contraction. When you ensure the duration of each contraction is commensurate with the amout of time and preparation it took you to perform it, you get more bang for your workout buck. Here are a couple-three good techniques to extend the intensity and duration of your contractions (without extending the duration of your workout):
1. Four-count Reps. On the count of one, push, pull, or drag the weight into full muscular contraction. Hold for two potatoes, then release slowly on four. Do seven to ten reps.
2. One Minute Tens. Un-rack the weight and note the second hand position on the gym clock. Perform 10 full and/or partial reps at a pace that consumes an entire minute. Never rest on the bone, and don’t rack the weight until the full minute has expired. Better have a spotter for this one.
3. Three Degrees of Failure. Select a weight with which you could normally perform eight reps. At the end of eight reps you are likely near full range concentric failure. Don’t stop yet, there is still strength in the mid range of the muscle. Perform partial reps until gravity begins to force the weight back to resting position. Mid range has failed. Uh, uh, uh, don’t stop yet! There is still strength in the eccentric phase of the muscular contraction. Aggressively resist gravity and lower the weight slowly to resting position. (Of course, this type of high intensity work should be done with a qualified spotter or personal trainer!)
These and other techniques that clock your contractions crank up the intensity of your weight training and make the most of your time in the gym. Soccer moms (after proper pre-conditioning) as well as hardcore bodybuilders should explore these methods because nobody wants to waist time working out. We all want to set a goal and get there as soon as possible. Especially with swimsuit season right around the corner! The clock is ticking. Remember its work time! Cuz when you buy that swimsuit, you wanna get your bang (boom, boom, POW) for you buck there too!
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Your New Favorite Thing
We all have a list of our favorite things. It may not be written down anywhere, but you know the things that make you happy.
The list holds your favorite foods, music, TV shows, movies and even people in your life that you can't get enough of. This is the stuff that you really enjoy. It's the stuff that makes your life worth living.
Somewhere on the list is your health and appearance. You know that looking and feeling great make a good life even better.
The interesting thing about your list is that without fail you'll always make time for it.
When your TV show airs, you watch it or record it to watch later.
When your favorite actor stars in a new movie, you do your part by going to the theatre.
When you're hungry, you turn to your favorite foods.
When the weekend rolls around, you do everything you can to spend time with the special people in your life.
Yet when it comes to exercise you automatically say, "I don't have time."
Time for TV, but no time for exercise... We live in an age where life is full. You don't have extra time anymore.
You no longer have time. You make time.
You make time for your TV show.
You make time for your hobby.
You make time for your friends.
It's time to drop the charade of "I don't have time to exercise" and call it what it really is.
An excuse.
You know how to make time for your favorite things. You know you want good health. You know you want to look great. You know you want more energy.
Exercise delivers all those benefits - and more.
I believe that exercise belongs on your list of favorite things.
Make It A Favorite: How do you turn something that you've dreaded into something that you enjoy?
Block the Negative: Your thoughts play a big part in determining your favorite things. Block out any negative thoughts you may have about exercise. Focus your energy on creating a positive attitude that will get you excited about hitting the gym, rather than dreading it.
Focus on the Benefits: With exercise you have so much to gain and nothing to lose. Exercise makes you stronger, sexier, happier, and gives you more energy. Pick the benefit that moves you the most and fixate on it.
Get Guidance: The easiest way to put exercise on your list of favorite things is to experience it at its best. Get onboard with one of my personal training programs and I'll show you the most effective and enjoyable techniques that will get you into the best shape of your life.
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Smaller is Better
Here's a quick and easy way to lose weight. For dinner tonight use a small plate instead of a full sized dinner plate. It sounds simple, but you will actually eat less off a small plate than you would a full sized plate. This is a great way to encourage smaller portion sizes without feeling like you are being deprived.
Energy Muffins
Finally, a great-tasting muffin recipe with no added sugar! Naturally sweetened with banana and blueberries, these muffins are as sweet as they are delicious. Enjoy one with a side of scrambled egg whites for a quick and nutritious breakfast. Servings: 18
Here's what you need...
1 cup mashed banana
2 egg whites
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup refined coconut oil
2 cups wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup frozen blueberries, left to thaw in a strainer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 18 standard-sized muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine banana, egg whites, water and oil. Add the flour and mix. Gently fold in blueberries. Immediately spoon batter into muffin cups.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove muffins from tins and cool on a wire rack.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 98 calories, 4g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 3g protein.
Motivate your friends, family and co-workers!___________________________________________________________
Everhart and Soul
."The best six doctors anywhere, and no one can deny it, are sunshine, water, rest, and air, exercise and diet. These six will gladly, you attend, if only you are willing. Your mind they'll ease, your will they'll mend, and charge you not a shilling." - Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows
It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference. - Jenny Craig
For More Soul Inspiration from Carl visit Everhart and Soul at www.soulpersonaltraining.com
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