Power Jumps

These videos are examples of weight ranges that I typically train with, as well as the elite individuals that I train.

The beauty of the Cormax machines is that there is no holding back. We can give each rep 100% effort. The result is we get to throw the weights vs slow down at the end. Train slow get slow. Train fast and explosive and... well become fast and explosive!

The question with the more elite folks is "Now that we can jump or throw the weights safely, WHAT'S GOOD?"

There are actually two answers. One I won't go into on this discussion because it involves using accelerometers and measuring the speed or velocity of the weights being moved. And has become lengthy phone conversations with NFL strength coaches who are learning to apply the numbers to the players explosive strength training routine.

The second answer is a basic one in terms of everything being relative to your own body weight. I mean really who cares if you can max squat 300 pounds when you weigh 400 pounds. That just means you can't move athletically with power. And will probably always get beat in every sport you participate in that requires those metrics.

However, when you figure the actual forces applied to the body for sports and the simple physics that says you must produce power or force greater than your body weight to jump or run to elicit any appreciable results; Training with resistances above and beyond your body weight is required for success.

What's good is being able to do at least twice your body weight.

Here I am doing 1x my body weight (180 pounds) on my shoulders. I can jump fairly well with this resistance.


Then I do 2x my body weight (360 pounds). I can still jump but obviously not as high.


Finally, I push my limits and do 3x my body weight (540 pounds). That was not easy, and I prefer to set the safety valve pretty much all the way open so I can feel the weight. 540 pounds doesn't fly very high and comes back down very fast. But nonetheless, I can push myself with heavy weights (or multiples of my body weight) attempt to apply enough force to jump and never risk injury.

The Old Man, the Boy and the Donkey

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked beside him. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.
Later they passed some people who remarked, "What a shame! He makes that little boy walk." They then decided they both would walk.
Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So they both rode the donkey.
Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carried the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal, and he fell into the river and drowned.
The moral of the story? If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass good bye.

The Fix to Problems with Personal Training

Typical scenario:
You sign up with a personal trainer.
Pay approximately $1/ minute (average rate for the F-M area) and train for 30-60 minutes.
Do 10 minutes of elliptical, 10 minutes of bike and 10 minutes of treadmill.
Then do 20 minutes of strength training.
A typical 50 minute workout for $50.
The whole time the trainer is standing over you either barking orders, watching tv with you while doing cardio, or babying you. Most cases providing as a gym buddy.
Now if this is what $50 a workout is worth to you, by all means do it.
I find intelligent, motivated clients who can perform a great workout on their own, but need a few things to make it successful in achieving the results they're looking for.

1) The need for a game plan.

• All my clients have a training log to follow and document progress.
• We typically change it up every three weeks.
• They go to the gym knowing exactly what the workout is that day.
• There is no GMA (general milling around), each workout has a purpose.

2) The need for spurts of motivation and periodic check-ins by me.

• My clients don't need nor want me to stand over them while working out.
• New workouts require more one on one attention to insure proper form, technique, equipment set-up and understanding of the movement.
• We talk fitness, nutrition and healthy lifestyle topics.

3) Consistency.

• It's hard for most to have a trainer 3-4 days a week and have money left over in their budget. Add up the typical $50 session every workout for a month (figure 13-17 workouts) that equals $650-$850 for a month of training.
• Now for $125-$175 a month (depending on length of your contract) you get all the guidance you need to achieve results and can afford to keep the services for 6 months to a year as it typically requires for lasting results. I have many who have been with me for years.
  

21 Universal Rewards of Success

21 Universal Rewards of Exercise
The number one reason that most people are out-of-shape is that they don't exercise enough.

I've often wished that I could give each and every one of you a personalized pep talk to get you up off the couch and into the gym, day after day. So here's my pep talk in bullet form - 21 rewards that you will gain from regular exercise.

Do yourself a favor and print this list and post it where you'll see it every day. When you need motivation or encouragement simply read over this list and feel your motivation soar.

1. You'll reset your body: Exercise has been described as a giant reset button. A good workout will block appetite swings, improve your mood and even help you sleep.
2. Your clothes will fit better: Consistent exercise will tone and tighten your body, causing your clothes to not only fit better but to also look nicer. Also exercise ensures that soon you'll be trading your clothes in for smaller sizes.
   
3. You'll be less stressed: You have enough stress in your life - it's time for a break. A good workout invigorates your muscles, leaving you relaxed and less stressed.
   
4. You'll have more energy: WebMD tallied research studies and concluded that 90% of them prove exercise increases energy levels in sedentary patients. Next time you feel fatigued, fight it will the most powerful tool available: exercise.
   
5. You'll be stronger: Exercise improves muscle strength and endurance, two things that you use throughout each day. When you exercise consistently you'll be pleasantly surprised when difficult tasks begin to seem easy.
   
6. You'll be less likely to binge: Exercise has a powerful anti-binge effect on the body. This is due in part by an increase in sensitivity to leptin, a protein hormone, which has an appetite-taming effect.
   
7. You'll burn calories: You know that excess body fat is made up of stored and unused calories. Fight back by burning loads of calories with fat-blasting workouts.
   
8. You'll be more confident: Who doesn't wish they walked and talked with more confidence? A consistent exercise program will do just that. As your body becomes more fit, watch as your confidence sky-rockets.
   
9. You'll have fun: Believe it or not, exercise can be extremely enjoyable. Remember how fun it was to run around as a child? Tap into your inner child as you find a mode of exercise that gets you excited.
   
10. You'll reduce your blood pressure: Exercise has been proven more effective than medication in reducing blood pressure to normal levels. A single workout has been shown to reduce blood pressure for the day and regular exercise reduces overall blood pressure in the long run.
    
11. You'll lose the jiggles: Regular exercise tightens flabby arms, legs and waistlines. So wave goodbye to the jiggles with a solid exercise program.
12. You'll increase insulin sensitivity: Researchers at Laval University in Quebec discovered that exercise improved insulin sensitivity dramatically. Peak after-meal insulin levels dropped by more than 20 percent after as little as 3 weeks of consistent exercise.
    
13. You'll sleep better: Do you toss and turn for hours before falling asleep? Exercise is a powerful sleep aid. Your tired muscles encourage your body to quickly fall asleep so they can get their overnight repair work done.
    
14. You'll lower your risk of heart disease: Regular exercise strengthens your heart and makes it more resilient against disease. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for heart disease, so rest assured that consistent exercise is your ally against disease.
    
15. You'll feel great: Vigorous exercise releases natural endorphins (happy hormones) into your blood stream that dissolve pain and anxiety. You've probably heard of ‘runner's high', this can be achieved by any great workout.
    
16. You'll lower your risk of diabetes: Studies show that exercising as little as half an hour each day can dramatically reduce your risk of diabetes. If you are at risk of diabetes, or already have diabetes, regular exercise is the most effective treatment for reversing the disease.
    
17. You'll meet cool people: You could benefit from a group of new, energetic friends, right? Gyms, bootcamps, workout centers and even the jogging trail are all great places to connect with fun new friends.
    
18. You'll improve your BMI: You know that maintaining a healthy BMI is key in disease prevention. Exercise is the best way to keep your BMI under control.
    
19. You'll increase your endurance: Do you ever get out of breath when walking up stairs or through the mall? Regular exercise builds your endurance for everyday activities.
    
20. Your doctor will be impressed: How many times has your doctor given you the lecture about losing weight and exercising more? Exercise regularly and get your MD off your back!
    
21. You'll look amazing: Are you happy with the shape and size of your body? Regular exercise works wonders on your physique. Within a few weeks you'll see shape and tone in all the right places.
    

What are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and get moving!



Guarantee Your Success
The quickest, easiest way to guarantee that you'll meet your fitness and weight loss goals is to work one-on-one with a qualified fitness professional. You'll be held accountable with your workouts and you'll be instructed properly and shown techniques and strategies that will expedite your results. Call or email today to get started on a program that will take the guesswork out of fitness and to set your results on fire.

Crabs, Haters and Vampires

This is the true story of my budding entrepreneur ah-ha moment that took place in Charleston, South Carolina.

After my freshman year in college, I decided to do something big and kinda gutsy (according to my family and friends). I went and sold encyclopedias door to door in South Carolina.

One of the meeting places for our ambitious group was in Charleston. These meetings made for a long day when we drove from our “territory” in Anderson to Charleston and back. During a break, we were allowed to the coastline and take in the scenery and watch people fish for crabs off the rocks.

One fisherman had one of those white five gallon paint buckets sitting next to him. I was curious so I looked to see what was inside it.

What I saw was a bunch of live crabs at the bottom crawling on top of each other. One crab seemed very ambitious. He climbed on top of all the other crabs and then reached his leg for the lip of the bucket. Once he hooked his leg on that bucket lip he began to pull himself up - clearly he was trying to make a break for it.

I let the fisherman know that he was about to be one crab less if he didn't put a lid on that bucket and he just chuckled and said; "watch what happens next."

Now what happened next was literally an epiphany for me. Right there I had my big ah-ha moment.

As this ambitious crab was hoisting himself up to make a run for freedom, several other crabs from the bottom methodically reached up, grabbed its remaining legs and pull him back down to the bottom.

Then the fisherman turned to me and said that crabs by nature self police each other and so a lid is never required on the bucket.

To me it wasn't "self policing" - it was "forced suppression."

Doesn't this epitomize human behavior?

Think about that. We're all surrounded by 'crabs' 'haters' and "vampires" who suck up your precious time and try to squash your ambitions, motivation, passion and enthusiasm.

Sometimes these crabs are those closest to you…or they could be people that you occasionally hang out with or people you work with, or even your significant other.

Fear is their greatest motivator. Fear of losing you. Fear of change. Fear of being left behind.

They conceal their fears as genuine concern for you. They always have a reason to burst your bubble, to instill doubt inside you and get you to second guess yourself. You know who these people are in your life. You can feel the bad vibes coming off them after just a few minutes of being in the same room as them.

They're creativity killers. They're time and energy vampires. They're your mojo killer.

Sound familiar? After that summer in South Carolina, I came home and literally took a survey of everyone in my life. Then I cut out everyone who was poisonous to me. I cut out some friends I knew from high school. I knew why others cut out some business partners. And I even know people who seriously limited exposure to certain family members who (unfortunately) can't be cut out permanently because - well, they're family.

Maybe it's even you… who is your own crab, hater or vampire?

Think how you talk to yourself and others around you. We all live in our own realities; it’s up to us to create the world we want to experience.

If there was ever a single thing you needed to know. It would be to have the ability to identify the crabs in your life - the people, the thoughts and the ideas that hold you back from achieving your personal goals.

Next, GET OUT and stay away from them- for your own sake. Instead, surround yourself with positive, supportive and energetic people who will help you grow.