Tag: fitness

8 Week Tone Up Challenge Results

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

At the end of August, I threw out a Challenge to my audience that I was hosting an 8 Week Tone Up Challenge designed to help people build muscle, trim fat, and gain strength, energy, and confidence in themselves.

Fast forward 8 weeks later and Ben B completed the challenge checking off each of those marks off his list. 

Ben was on his own transformation journey with a primary focus on running, but looking to take on the added challenge of learning the ropes of his local gym and pushing his body to really see what it could do.  Hoping to add strength and muscle tone to his frame that was seeing results from running, but lacking in development.

This online/remote training program included 3 workouts per week split into Upper Body Push; Upper Body Pull; and Lower Body workout splits with a goal of not only continuing to trim fat, but build muscle strength and tone in the back, chest, and arms.  8 weeks, 10 lbs., and “too many PR’s to count” later, Ben not only achieved his goals, but came out with knowledge and confidence in what he was doing, why he was doing it, and how it was beneficial to his life outside of the gym.  When asked to describe the training, challenge, service, and a little about what he liked or disliked, Ben relayed:

The workouts were quite challenging, pushing me harder than I initially prepared for but the results speak for themselves that it was a successful challenge.  It was tough to not have Eric there in person since this is an online training program, so I had to navigate a few new things for myself, but Eric was quick to reply to any questions even providing video breakdowns of ways to make exercises work for me.  This was something that had me on the fence about online training, but the reliability, quality, and knowledge Eric has and was able to pass along swatted away any doubts and helped make the workouts even more effective.  I would highly recommend Eric’s online training service to friends, family, colleagues, anyone looking for similar goals.  He was able to customize the program to my level of experience and the equipment I have available – heck, I even went on vacation and Eric was able to create workouts with the gym at the hotel I was staying at for one of our final weeks to keep me going!

He asked me for feedback on what was lacking, but I had already decided to sign up to keep working with him, so I’m sorry to say there wasn’t much lacking!

The 10lbs. lost was great, but I’m ready to take it even further and am confident Eric will help me reach my goals!

Ben’s achievements were a result of the effort he put in, which I would describe as exemplary.  Working out, performing cardio, and eating well can be difficult, but with a guided plan and coach in your corner who wants you to win, is a recipe for success when you’re ready to make that change!

I’m so confident in the results Ben achieved (-10 lbs. in 8 weeks + tone/strength gain everywhere), that I’m sure it’s replicable and after a few tweaks, can be achieved in even less time!   And that’s why I’m opening the challenge again! 

I’m looking for 4 men or women who are tired of not seeing results and are ready to start the last program they’ll ever need to kickstart their journey.  Stop saying “next time” and start saying, “right now!” with my 12 lbs. in 6 weeks Shred Challenge!

Not only will you lose weight, get strong, build muscle tone, but I’m SOOOO confident in this program that I’m willing to slap a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE onto this challenge.  That’s right – sign up for the 6-week program, put in the work, and if you’re not satisfied with the results, I will put the money right back in your pocket!  The only thing you have to lose is a few inches off your waist!

It won’t be easy, and you will have to work, but if you do, this will be the last “I’ll start tomorrow” you’ll ever have to say to yourself.

If you’re ready to make the change, Sign Up Here and we can get you going within the next 48hrs!

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy, Stay Hungry!

Thank you,

Eric Hinrichsen

Always Hungry Personal Training | Columbus, OH

Harsh Truths About Your Fitness Goals

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

In my stint as a personal trainer, one of my favorite things is consultation calls.  It’s a chance for not only me to learn more about you the potential client, but also a chance for you to get to know me and make sure that what I have to offer feels comfortable to you. During these calls we dive into a little bit of your exercise history, any information about previous/current injuries or limitations, what you’ve tried in the past, and ultimately What is Your Goal?  The best part of any conversation is hearing what it is that you are on the phone with me to solve.  What problem you feel you have and how can I help solve it. 

Though everyone says their goal in their own words, they tend to fall under 3 categories –

Toning up

Losing weight

Quick transformations

I decided to take some of the top goals I’ve heard and breakdown what they mean vs what it takes to actually achieve them.  Let’s take a look at some harsh truths about your fitness goals, shall we?

Toning Up

“I don’t want to get bulky, I just want to get toned.”

“I want to get rid of this!” [points to arm/belly/leg]

What this person is looking for is the visible definition of their muscles being showcased in instances of wearing t-shirts/tank tops, shorts, crop tops, etc.  They want to tighten up their body that might feel “flabby” in certain areas.  There may be some excess fat in those areas that we would address through proper nutrition and they just want to feel strong and confident in their bodies.

The best way to achieve this goal is through progressive weight/resistance training.  These people are often a little shy of the idea of lifting weights based on lack of knowledge.  When someone tells me they want to get toned, my first thought is, “let’s lift weights”.  That tone that you’re looking for is the visible definition of a muscle.  In order to showcase the muscle you have, you need to make it bigger.  By making it bigger, and cutting fat (when necessary), you are able to display the muscle underneath.  A workout plan that is well rounded to hit all of the major muscle groups coupled with individual isolation exercises to focus on specific areas can help you reach this goal.  Workouts should include anywhere from 6-8 exercises performed for 3-4 sets and between 8-15 reps per set.  One big secret to helping you achieve this goal is to SLOOOOOW down your movement.  It should take you about 2-3 seconds to lift the weight and 2-3 seconds to lower it with control and through a full range of motion on each rep/set.  Slowing down the movement causes the muscles to work longer, thus helping them grow quicker.

YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY BY LIFTING WEIGHTS UNLESS YOU WANT TO!

The people you see that you don’t want to look like are special cases.  They train 4-7 days per week for 60-90+mins at a time with a lot of additional coaching, specific training focus, 100% dialed in nutrition, etc.  It is their job to look like that.  Your job is to look like the best version of you.  Lift the dang weights.

…Also, most are probably on some sort of drugs.

 

Losing Weight

“I want to boost my metabolism to lose weight.”

“I want to start eating keto because that’s how I’ll lose weight!”

This person has read a good number of magazines, blogs, or news articles and is in the camp that there are specific reasons and ways in which you gain/lose weight that require special, specific, and drastic changes to see results.

Boosting your metabolism is literally done through the act of moving!  If you’re not moving, your body isn’t burning calories and will naturally slow down, causing the energy you’re not burning off to be converted to fat stores.  Moving your body and remaining active can keep your metabolism humming even when you’re not active to boost your calorie burn.

Keto is fine, for a while, but I don’t know anyone who’s done keto who didn’t eventually put the weight back on as soon as they stopped.  Specialized diets work for the short term, but if you don’t address nutrition habits and lifestyle changes, chances are when you finish or quit the diet, you may end up putting the weight back on and then some.

Ultimately there is no perfect solution to nutrition and weight loss, but addressing food behaviors, choices, and making adjustments while eating in a caloric deficit.  As little as 500 calories less per day over the course of time can lead to weight loss.  1 lb = 3,500 calories.  Consistently eat 500 less calories per day over 7 days, there’s your 1st pound gone!

It’s not easy. It’s not super fun.

But it IS 100% worth it.

 

Quick Transformations

“I NEED to lose 50lbs. in the next 2 months.”

“I’m going on vacation in 2 months and need to be beach ready!”

This person is looking for the quick fix and drastic change in a short amount of time.  This is possible but drastic change in a short time frame requires hard core dedication.  Strict diet + heavy training routine and little to no days off can help you work toward your goals, but this is the area where we need to discuss realistic expectations.  In regards to fat loss, a healthy drop is ~1-2 lbs. per week.  Beyond that we are getting into extreme calorie restriction which isn’t healthy or sustainable.  Too often this person will either not be able to maintain or as soon as they’re done, go right back to where they were or worse at the beginning.  The stress from a hardcore regimen like this can damage the body physically and mentally.  There are good transformations, but it requires dedication and commitment. 

Real change that lasts can take time if you’re not careful and don’t plan on how to maintain or continue once the transformation is complete.  Take heed and make a plan and you should be good to go.

 

Honorable Mention:

“I want to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club!”

…Me too dude… me too.  😊

 

There are a ton of different variations and types of goals that ignite people to pursue a personal trainer, fitness program, gym membership, etc. but these tend to be the most common themes I hear.  If these sound like you and you have additional questions, do not hesitate to drop a comment or head to the Contact page and drop me a line.  I’d love to speak with you further and help you pursue your fitness and health goal today!

4 Tips to Master Your Bench Press

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

WHEN I first entered a weight room with my friend Manuel, the first exercise we did was dumbbell chest press and he handed me the 25lb. dumbbells and said, “let’s do 3 sets of 8.”  After looking at him dumbly, he explained what he meant and we got started on our 1st of 3 sets in which we would perform 8 repetitions of the exercise known as dumbbell chest press.  

Little did either of us know, 25 lb. dumbbells were going to be a LITTLE too much for me, until we got to around rep 5 or 6… on the first set.  At the time my ego was hurt, but looking back I know it was a stepping stone that led to much greater things.  Over the years, I’ve done countless repetitions of chest press using many different pieces of equipment and each time I go back, I’ve refined and worked on my technique.

I saw some initial progress over those first months/years but it wasn’t until I began focusing on powerlifting style training of moving heavier weight for lower number of reps specifically on squats, deadlifts, and bench press, that I really dialed in my focus on technique to move the weight efficiently as well as safely.

During that time, I was lucky enough to see great leaps in all 3 major lifts, with my most notable being in the Barbell Bench/Chest Press.  Thanks to a few simple cues I had learned through Twitter, Instagram, and trial and error, I found these four tips to be the biggest difference makers in seeing my strength increase, as well as the overall health of my joints and body start to improve.

If you’re having trouble breaking through a plateau or want to make sure you’re keeping your form in check and safe, try implementing 1 or more of these cues and watch your Chest Press begin to skyrocket!

 

1. Maintain 5 points of contact at all times with a slight arch to your back — Head, Shoulders, Butt, Left Foot, Right Foot.  

Maintaining contact with the bench, seat, ground, etc with the 5 points mentioned above ensures you’re able to create the most stable platform in which to perform the movement.  You’ve rooted your body down to provide stability under the weight when you go to move it.

When attempting heavier weights as you progress, don’t forget to press your feet into the ground.  The leverage you can create from your lower body can transfer up into your shoulders, upper back, and chest to help you press through tougher reps as you get stronger!

2. Keep your wrist in line with your forearm — The weight should be sitting in the crook of your thumb, not the top of the palm

When performing resistance training, one of the best ways to maintain stability in a movement is called “joint stacking”.  It’s the process of ensuring that the joints you’re using are in alignment.  The body craves alignment and moving in straight lines.  This cue focuses on the wrists.  Often when doing a chest press movement, I see people resting the bar higher in the palm, forcing their wrist to bend backwards.  With lower weights that may not be a problem, but as you get stronger and move heavier weights, you may be adding unnecessary stress to the wrists.  By resting the bar in the crook of your thumb at the base of your palm keeps the wrist in line with your forearms and eliminates any stress, keeping your wrists healthy and strong.

3. Don’t let elbows flare out at 90 degrees — Keep elbows tucked at a 45-60 degree a ngle from the body

Common misconception, bred by technique used in push ups that have transferred to other chest pressing movements, keeping your arms up high with elbows at a 90 degree angle from the body is not an optimal position for pressing movement.  The elbows high in this position put a lot of undue stress on the shoulder muscles.  Similar to the wrist in the previous cue, we want to make sure we alleviate as much stress on the joints as possible.  This simple trick involves just tucking the elbows down closer to the body somewhere between a 45-60 degree angle.  This lessens the impact on the shoulder and maintains focus of the pressing movement in the chest muscles for a strong press away from the body!

4. Pinch your shoulder blades together — don’t let them loosen up and rotate forward as you press.

Many shoulder injuries from chest pressing movements can be mitigated by this simple technique cue.  As you’ve noticed, one of the best things you can do is maintain stability throughout the entire body.  As you set yourself up under the bar or on the bench, squeeze your shoulder blades together and dig them into the bench.  This is the position they should stay in during the entire lowering and pressing of the weight.  Too often, when we press the weight away, our shoulder blades rotate forward around the rib cage.  When this happens, our stability in our upper back is gone.  This is when shoulder injuries commonly occur.  Keep the shoulders pinned back and press through the chest and you should be golden.

 

As you continue to get better, you’ll refine and dial in your technique more and more.  But these are the pillars that got me going and heading toward my own PRs and have helped my clients reach new heights and avoid recurring injuries.

Chest press is a staple exercise in the programming of pretty much any goal you’re working toward and these tips can help you get the most out of each training session.

 

If you’re frustrated the lack of progress you’re seeing and ready to break through plateaus and build a bigger, stronger self, head over to my client application let’s connect to create your best self today!  I am taking clients to join my Online Training Program designed to help men and women build roughly 2″ of lean, toned, strong muscle in just 60 days!   https://www.alwayshungrypt.com/client-application

Supplements 101

Posted on by alwayshungrypt
Supplements are products designed to aid performance, primarily seen in the fitness world and rampant with false information and promises. They are products that promote enhancing different abilities by boosting different internal systems of the body to give you an edge and nearly all of it is done without any scientific research.
 
In the US it is an unregulated industry and of all the types of products in these stores, there’s really only 3 supplements that have been scientifically researched and proven to be beneficial and provide a boost to training performance.
 
Creatine 

 

is a muscle preserving and building supplement that helps maintain lean muscle mass.
 
Caffeine works as a stimulant to boost energy and focus.
 
Protein aids in muscular recovery and provides the fuel to grow strong and healthy.
 
No one needs to take supplements (unless advised by a physician), but if you decided to try and find an edge in your training, start and end here.
 
*I personally do take these 2 supplements pictured, but do not endorse that anyone should take them unless they want to of their own volition*

Breath Retention

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

One of my favorite things about health and fitness is that it’s so much more than physical.  Through resistance training and proper nutrition, you’re able to fine-tune your body how you want physically, but the mental, emotional, and sometimes spiritual areas of your life often get elevated at the same time.  You’re physically pushing yourself, which makes you mentally stronger and seek out ways to continue improving in other areas of your life.  Understanding that getting better in one area affects many others is a trickle effect that has me obsessed.  Obsessed with pushing myself in the gym and out, and it’s what led me to my most recent challenge/obse

ssion – Breath Retention Exercise.

If you follow along, you may have seen me post random screenshots of numbers/bar graphs illustrating random times between 1:35-3:00.  These are the durations of each round of breath retention exercise I have been doing.  Several people I follow on Twitter had been boasting about the benefits of this practice and enough was finally enough.  Entering June, I decided to take on the challenge to perform 5 rounds of breath retention every day and I must say, not only has it been one of the best challenges I’ve taken on, but it has also been one of the toughest to tackle!

Following the practices of the Ice Man – Wim Hof – I decided to challenge my body and my mind to see what all the fuss was about with this whole “breath retention” practice.

For those unfamiliar, Breath Retention is the practice of performing a number of continuous deep breaths in/out without break, with the last exhale leading into a timed session of retention without air in

 your body for as long as you can hold.  Once you reach your max and must breath again, you stop the timer and take a large inhale and hold for 15 seconds before releasing and beginning the next round again.  This continues for however many rounds you want and the initial deep breathing can be anywhere between 5-60 breaths.

I had heard about a few benefits of this practice including:

-Stress relief

-Increased alertness

-Better circulation

-Becoming more relaxed

-etc

So I was excited to see if this really was the bees knees or just another fad in the long list and spoiler, it was great!

In doing a little research, I learned that the best way to approach this was to set time aside preferably in the mornings, on an empty stomach.  This allowed the breathing and retention to help wake up your body and vascular system to its fullest potential before being introduced to the energy of the day.  On days when I could not get to it in the morning, there was a significant difference in my ability to hold in retention.  In the evenings, my mind was quicker to wander; I was less focused on the here and now; and just overall felt less mentally strong in the moment so I tried to stick with mornings as much as possible.

After some trial and error, I found that 25 breaths was the sweet spot for me and led to increased retention each day of practice with some interesting physical side effects.

Most days when I would practice, if I was able to cross the 2-2.5 minute threshold, I began to feel tingling sensations throughout my body and even began to experience what I would call, minor tinnitus (ringing in the ear).  I never passed out, but a few small muscle spasms of the diaphragm on longer held rounds were not uncommon as I tried mentally to overpower my physical request to inhale.

Aside from these in-the-moment effects, I must say I was pleasantly surprised that the other benefits of the practice as mentioned before were also experienced.

The practice itself through the three phases (deep breaths, retention, recovery hold) increased the flow of the vascular system and the bodies’ ability to transport oxygen through the body while flushing out toxins that may have been held up in various areas.  Most notable effects were mental.

The increased flow of blood and oxygen to the head allowed for mental fogs to clear and help me wake up, feeling more alert.  A couple of times I had begun my session with a slight headache and found that by the end, the ache was gone.  Not only that, but the retention tested me mentally to truly feel my body.  Focus on relaxing new areas of the body that I hadn’t paid much attention to.  Focus on controlling my heartbeat and keeping my mind on the present moment rather than flittering around on to other things.

Being candid, the increased blood flow and cleansed vascular system has also seen a rise not only in my physical prowess in the gym but has also helped, in conjunction with heavy weight training, facilitate a higher sex drive and stronger and more frequent erections in the bedroom.  Something I can’t imagine anyone would complain about. 

The vascular systems health and ability to funnel oxygen and blood around the body where it needs to be under any stressor is a fascinating thing and having only scraped the surface of this training, I must say that I am very happy with the results mentally, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually as I’ve tapped into a part of myself I didn’t give much thought to.

If you’ve ever heard or thought about experimenting or trying this, I would highly recommend and would be happy to answer any questions about it that you might have.

As I mentioned, I believe a lot of the benefits I felt with this breath retention were also in alignment with my weight training program which is focused on building maximum strength.  Strength training has it’s own benefits for clearing the mind, making the body better, funneling oxygen and blood through the vascular system, balancing and boosting hormones and in combination with breath retention, is helping me reach a new level internally and externally.

Busting Muscle Building Myths

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

A lot of people enter the gym because they want to get toned or build muscle but have a few misconceptions on what it’s going to take to achieve those goals.  With the internet at our finger tips and literally limitless information, it’s hard sometimes to decipher through the muck to find the real gems of truth.

As someone who thought many of these lies in my earlier days of training, rest assured, I have gone through my own scientific method of trial and observation to confirm the truths that mirror these myths.

Quickly, you may be thinking, “I just want to get toned, this doesn’t apply to me.” To which I’d like to say hold your horses!  Not included on this list, but as it probably ranks above the others, I’d like to address the myth that “building muscles will make me bulky” once and for all.

Put simply, the “tone” you’re looking for is the visible presence of a muscle. 

If you want to see the muscle, you must have muscle.

Yes everyone has muscle, but if you want to see it better, you have to combine lower body fat and increase size of the muscle.  The bigger the muscle + the less fat = the more tone you will see.

The muscle tone that 99% of the world is after can be found simply by following a progressively more difficult training program coupled with proper nutrition to fuel their body without additional calories.

Lifting weights won’t make you bulky unless you’re taking additional supplements that are most likely illegal (steroids), so stop being afraid of getting strong and start lifting those weights.  You get tone by getting strong, you get strong by lifting weights (resistance training).   

Now that that’s out of the way and you’re ready to dive into building muscle to showcase a strong, toned, lean, sexy physique, let’s dive in and start busting muscle building myths!

 

Myth: Variety is the spice of life. Each workout should be completely different.

Truth: Boring breeds results.  It’s often though that, like everything else in our life, we need variety and change every time we enter the gym.  The workout has to be different.  Different exercises; different reps/sets; different rest; different is good! But then how to do you know you’re ACTUALLY getting bigger or better?  If you create a workout program that has you bouncing all over the place each week, how can you tangibly track that you’re continually progressing? 

As I said at the outset, boring is good.

If you want to build muscles, get toned, or see progress in any manner, the best answer is to find a routine that is simple and repeatable.  Repeating the same workout at least for a period of 4-6 weeks will allow you to progress and get bigger and stronger.

 

Myth: Don’t miss the anabolic window – you MUST eat within 30 mins of training!

Truth: When weight training, you are creating microtears in your muscles during the strenuous activity.  We know food helps fuel the body and protein is the best source of food to help rebuild your muscles.  The misconception lies in the thought that you have to refeed your muscles within 30 minutes of training to ensure that your body doesn’t go into catabolism, which is a state of breaking down the muscle.  The truth is that it would only start to breakdown if you went an overly prolonged period without refuel or decided to start training the same muscle area before giving it a full chance to recover.  It is recommended that you eat (a protein rich meal) within 1-3 hours of your training session, and you’ll be perfectly fine.  So don’t feel the need to pound an extra protein shake immediately unless you don’t think you’ll be able to eat a regular meal within a reasonable time frame.

Myth: Train 7 days a week for 2 hrs at a time – NO CARDIO; ALL WEIGHTS! #NoDaysOff

Truth: Your body needs rest.  Rest is when recovery happens.  If you recall from earlier in the post, during a resistance training session, you create microtears in the muscle as you exercise.  During the days you’re resting, that is when your body works at recovering and re-building – bigger and stronger – muscles to get ready for the next training session.

You can still train 5-6 days per week, but if you’re doing so, each training session should be more highly specialized to a specific muscle group with at least 1-2 days of rest before targeting that same body part again.  Training other areas will be fine as the muscles you are resting won’t be used under strenuous loads.

Also, you don’t need to spend your entire life at the gym.  Being efficient, intense, and consistent with workouts anywhere from 30-60 minutes can be enough and even more beneficial than marathon training sessions.  Keep the intensity up; keep the workout plan simple; and just get it done!

 

Myth: You must buy the latest stack of supplements to ensure proper growth!

Truth: Just straight up false.  Supplements are designed to aid whatever it is you’re doing.  Most of them are pointless and the supplement industry in the USA is unregulated, so the amounts and contents of whatever they put in those bottles is very questionable – some of it can be extremely harmful.  If you’re focused on proper hydration; whole foods and high protein nutrition; getting adequate sleep and stress management; then you should be all set to reap the rewards of your training sessions.  If for some reason you feel you NEED supplements to help you reach your goals, I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, the only supplements with proven results are: Caffeine, Creatine, Protein, and Multi-Vitamins.  They are not necessary but:
Caffeine can help provide energy and focus

Creatine aids in building muscle and is safe for men and women.  We naturally produce it, but additional supplementation does not have negative side effects and is recommended regardless of training programming.

Protein as mentioned before aids in the recovery and rebuilding of muscle as well as playing an important role in many other areas of the body.

Multi-vitamins can help provide the vitamins we may lack in foods to keep us healthy.

 

All in all, following a consistent and progressive training program; eating regularly scheduled meals after training; resting properly; and understanding supplements are fine, but largely unnecessary can help you not only get toned and build muscle, but are great building blocks for nearly any fitness goal or journey you may be embarking on.

__

If you’ve been knocking these out but still having trouble reaching your muscle building or toning goals, then we need to talk!  Head over and fill out my quick questionnaire and let’s discuss how my online training program is going to get you built and toned like never before!

https://www.alwayshungrypt.com/client-application/

6 Things All Beginners Should Know

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

We’ve all been beginners.  We know how scary or exhilarating it can be.  We understand that there is an end goal we’re aiming for but there are so many intangibles we don’t yet know.  But we also know that in order to get where we want to go, we have to be willing to take that risk and leap of faith into the unknown. 

Entering the gym to start your fitness and health journey is no different.

I can vividly recall making the decision that, “I’m going to get myself healthy!” and walking into the gym with confidence that “today is the day” only to be stopped dead in my tracks by the sounds of machines and weights and people doing these crazy exercises that I had no idea how to do. 

I realized very quickly that I had no idea what I was doing or where to even start!  I had gotten excited to take the leap, but hadn’t planned anything out in order to try and execute!  Now nearly 10 years later, I have heard and seen this same story play out in many others that get the gusto to level up, but end up like Deer in headlights with no idea where to even kickstart their journey.  With that, I’d like to address a few of the things all beginners should know when starting their fitness journey!

  1. How often do I need to work out?

A very common question that people often get wrong.  The gym and traditional working out is very important to building a stronger or better body but time off can be as, if not more, crucial as the time spent training.  It is recommended that some sort of activity is done at least 5 days per week, but in the sense of resistance based training, you shouldn’t need to be in a gym setting more than 3 days per week.  Resistance training is a method that breaks down the muscle tissue as it’s being worked and though it may seem like going every single day is the answer to reach your goals faster, that time off between training where the muscles get rest is where the repair, growth, and change comes from.  Training muscles too often can lead to overuse and stress injuries that could extend how long it takes for you to reach your goals.  My general recommendation to beginners is to aim for 3 days a week in the gym + 2-3 days of non-resistance based workouts (like cardio) on the off days.

 

  1. What kind of workouts should I do?

If you’re working out like the recommended 3 days per week as noted above, there are a couple of ways you can approach it.  If you’re taking a day off between training sessions, I suggest each one should be a full body workout that targets muscles across the whole body – top to bottom; front to back.  The day off between allows adequate time for recovery before hitting similar muscles again.

 

The other popular method is to break up the body into parts with a dedicated day of training to push muscles; pull muscles; and lower body muscles.  This begins looking like a traditional bodybuilding training split as you’re dialing in your focus more on a specific set of muscles for that one session.

 

If you insist on extending to additional days of training – 4, 5, 6 days per week – my suggestion is that you continue to dial in your focus of each workout on specific muscle groups to avoid injuring areas that are in recovery or over training.

 

Regardless of how you approach your split, general goals of fat loss or muscle building alike should follow more compound exercises that incorporate more than 1 muscle group or joint action to perform (squat, bench, deadlift, etc).  And if you’d like a little more specificity on which exercises can help get you off the ground, check out my FREE eBook of the 17 Exercises All Beginners Should Know, here.

 

Finally, it’s a misconception that the longer you’re in the gym, the better the workout session.  A proper workout should not last more than 40-60 minutes (not including warm up/cool down).  Less than that, the intensity should be dialed up; longer than that you may not get as much out of the workout due to too much rest, or overworking the body if doing too much.

 

Aside from that, find what works for you, your schedule, and is fun to do.  Ultimately the best kind of workout is the one you like and will stick with.

 

  1. What are the best supplements?

Supplements are designed literally as additional boosts to help you reach your goals in a variety of ways.  That being said, there are countless articles dedicated to this exact question, but ultimately, there are only 3 supplements I would suggest (if you were going to take any) that have proven results.

Caffeine – the stimulant provides focus and energy proven in testing.

Creatine – a friend to muscles which helps them build strong

Protein – the energy source that helps muscles recovery, repair, rebuild after training

Other than those, the supplement industry is a largely unregulated industry (in the US) and most products are filled with trash ingredients that don’t have proven ability to boost your performance and in some cases, can be dangerous.  The amounts are rarely accurate, and anything with a “proprietary blend” (especially without information about what that blend is made of) should be avoided.

 

  1. How do I know it’s working?

At the outset of your fitness journey, I’m hoping you planned your goals of what it is you’re working toward.  If you did this correctly, one of the aspects of your goal would be to identify how you’re going to measure success along the way.  Luckily there are a plethora of methods which include:

-Body Fat measurements

-Circumference measurements

-Scale weight

-Progress pictures

-Clothing fit

-Energy/Stamina/Endurance levels

And the best one to go with is the one that works best for you and your goals and that you’ll be able to stick with accurately.  For most people I highly recommend the progress pictures as it can often tell the best story with tangible evidence of where you were and where you are.  But again, pick the best one that fits your goals and you can do consistently without issue.

 

  1. Consistency or Intensity?

As the last sentence of the last section alludes to, consistency is key.  In learning anything new, consistently showing up, putting in time and energy to learn and build and grow will lead to the best results.  The intensity will vary depending on what your training plan calls for and how your energy levels are feeling.  But consistently showing up gives you the best chance for success.  You may have a ton of energy today and crush an intense workout that hits you harder than expected, but if you show up to the next session in a couple of days, and you’re still sore/tired but put in some lower intensity work, that’s still forward progress that you wouldn’t have if you sat on the couch instead.

 

Consistency always over intensity.

 

  1. Why am I not as good as that other person?

One of the most common feelings beginners get is imposter syndrome and comparison syndrome.  It is SOOO easy to see someone doing an exercise that you have planned and they’re doing it A) easier than you or B) with heavier weight than you, which throws you into thinking, “Why can’t I do it that easy?”

Nothing kills progress, motivation, consistency more than comparing yourself to the person doing the same thing next to you and them doing it better than you.  Negative self talk of all kinds need to be left at the door, but if you can’t manage to get past this one, you’re gonna have a heck of a time.  The best thing to remember is that this is NOT their Day 01.  You are not them.  They are on a completely different journey, reading the same book.  The ONLY difference is, they are probably on page 50, while you’re just now cracking the spine.  Everyone is built differently; Everyone has different starting points; Everyone has different adaptations;

Every. Person. Is. Different.

If you can kill the comparison, you’ll level up faster than you ever thought.

Beginners at the gym are great because they’ve decided to take control of their lives and start building a better future.  Stepping foot on the gym floor can be intimidating and anxiety-inducing if you don’t have the right plan and mindset.  If you follow along the advice laid here and put together a plan of exercises that that follow your goal, you can take over the world.

Ultimately the only thing you can do is take off your water wings and jump into the deep end and know that you’re going to float as long as you try.

If you’re still really nervous, remember to start slow with VERY light resistance to learn how your body moves and build from there.  Showing up is half the battle, and hopefully this has helped win the other half.  Now get to the gym and start kicking butts!

And if you’re still not sure on where to start, let’s connect and start clearing the fog right now!  Apply for Online Coaching with me and let’s get to work today!

4 Secrets to Fitness Success

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

Joining a gym or signing up with a trainer is a great start, but if you really want to take full advantage of your fitness journey, there are a few intangibles you need to address to ensure you’re getting the most out of this journey.  Too often I hear stories of people “doing everything I can” to get in shape – regardless of their goal – only to hear one of these topics being left unattended, that I know could be the one thing holding them back from launching into success.  It would be great to know that all you had to do was workout a few times a week for 30-60 minutes and reach your full potential, but like any project you’ve done before (school, work, home), you know there are always additional pieces that need to be addressed in order for it all to come together! 

Only this time, the project is yourself!

So you’ve got your training program and you’re ready to go or already kicking butt, let’s talk about the 4 secrets to fitness success outside of the gym!  I’m talking about Nutrition, Rest/Recovery, Hydration, and Consistency!  These 4 pillars of fitness, wellness, and health are the driving factors that power any fitness journey from fat loss to muscle gain; athletic performance to just staying healthy for yourself and your family.  Let’s dive a little deeper, shall we?

Nutrition – You Can’t Outwork a Bad Diet

As much as it pains me to admit, all those cheesy affirmations about “abs are made in the kitchen” and “the best fat loss workout is 3 sets of 10 reps of not eating so much junk.” are true.  All the working out in the world is fine, but if you’re not fueling your body with the right things, you’re going to have a hard time reaching your fullest potential.  That being said, the aim is NOT perfection.  If we aim for perfection and have a minor slip up, chances are that we’ll backslide further down.  None of us are perfect as it stands, so to completely change and aim for 100% is just unrealistic.  Instead, we need to adapt a “Progress > Perfection” mindset.  Taking a minute to look at what you’re eating in a day, a few days, a week can really help open your eyes to the choices you make and better understand not only WHAT you eat, but also WHY you’re eating it.  From there, we can start to make better choices.  Regardless of your goals, a few rules of thumb include:

-Focusing on lean protein sources; complex carbs; and healthy fats

-Limiting consumption of highly processed foods, sugar, and alcohol

-Increasing the amount of fruits and veggies we take in

-Remembering that a bad meal isn’t the end of the world, but don’t miss more than 2.

Taking time to address your nutrition and make grocery lists that focus on options even slightly healthier than they currently are can be a major step in the right direction.  Clean up your nutrition and not only should you see the changes, but you’ll feel them as well!

Rest/Recovery – “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

Though that’s true, it will be the “long sleep”, but that’s a horrible position to take in regards to your health.  Everyone is different and functions on different levels of sleep, but the generally agreed level of sleep is 7-9 hours every night.  If you’re a person who regularly gets the same amount of sleep each night, you can tell a major difference on the days when you get more or less than that median and it’s not typically for the better.  Not only will less sleep make you feel prolongingly tired, but the additional time that you are awake and sleep deprived, the higher your chances of faulting on your nutrition, not having energy for your training sessions, and overall just not being your best self.  Finding a good sleep routine including turning off electronics; lowering the room temperature; blocking out all light; etc. can help better your sleep behavior and increase your recovery time.

Beyond sleep, rest days from training are crucial for your body to be its best.  If you’re training your body every day, you’re not giving yourself adequate time to repair and build into a stronger, healthier version.  When we workout – in any capacity – you are creating tiny tears in the micro fibers of your muscle tissue (not a bad thing), but if you’re not allowing the body enough time to fully recover those tears and continually pushing yourself, not only could you be more susceptible to injury, but using fatigued muscles won’t provide for best efforts in the gym.  Take your rest/recovery days seriously and you’ll see exponential leaps in your gym performance.

Taking it a step further, todays world is rife with stress.  When our stress levels are up, we are in a heightened state mentally and physically.  This can wreak havoc on our bodies in a variety of ways, but if we’re able to find outlets or work on how we handle stress to lessen the effect it has on us, the quicker our body can recover – from physical and mental stress.

Moral of this story – rest, recover, de-stress and see how much further you go after slowing yourself down.

 

Hydration – Now that’s some high quality H2O.

It can’t be stressed enough how important water is to your overall health.  If our bodies are made mostly of water, what makes you think that you should cut back on how much you take in?  The average person drastically undercuts themselves on how much water they drink daily.  And contrary to belief, you don’t need to slug a gallon per day.  Even hitting 100oz of water each day can drastically change your body physically and mentally.

Water keeps your muscles hydrated and healthy.

Water keeps your circulatory system clear and healthy.

Water keeps your waste system flowing and healthy.

Water keeps your skin clear and hair strong and healthy.

Water keeps you mentally fresh and healthy.

Water keeps your appetite at bay and healthy.

Water is the best.

It cools you down; it keeps food cravings away; it’s wonderful.

Drink more of it!

This does not include sodas, juices, energy drinks, alcohol, etc. just because “it has water in it!” The amount of every other bit of crap in all of those completely destroys any possible health aspect that water tries to help.  Limit or eliminate those from your routine and focus on water (or sparkling water) and you’ll feel healthier in so many different ways.  It’s the best supplement that everyone overlooks, don’t be one of that crowd.

Consistency – Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally…

It comes from what you do consistently.  It doesn’t matter what your fitness goal is, if you can’t make it a priority to consistently work on it or show up every day, then you’re leaving a LOT of success on the table.  Overnight successes or quick turn around stories often lead to rebounding back to the origin or worse because once the goal is reached, the habit disappears.  If you want to reach your fitness or health goals, you have to be willing to do the work.  You didn’t get to where you are right now – wherever that may be – overnight.  It took weeks/months/years of consistent habits and behaviors (whether positive or negative behaviors) to lead to where you are.  If you’re trying to lose 30 lbs, but you’re 50 years old; haven’t lifted a weight or eaten a healthy meal in 25+ years, you have to understand that it will take longer than 15 days to reach that goal.  That is years of habits and behaviors that need to be unlearned or re-focused toward the new goal you’re working toward.  You have to show up consistently and put in work on yourself every day in some capacity.  This doesn’t mean working out every day – as noted earlier, rest is an incredibly important aspect to any fitness journey – but you can focus on mindset goals, habit changes, those pesky stress inducing problems, etc.  Our health journey is more than physical and by consistently working on a little something every day, it may take months, years, decades even to reach where you want to go, but if you show up every damn day, I guarantee you’ll get there faster than if you yo-yo back and forth between bouts of crazy high and low activity.  “The journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step”.  Take that step, then another, and another, and when you don’t feel like stepping, take another!

There is no end all; be all plan that will get you to your goals instantly – if there was, you’d bet your ass I would have tried it.  But know that when you start your journey and you address more than just your workout routine – dialing in your nutrition; planning rest days and recovery protocols; keeping hydrated; and creating habits that consistently get you showing up every day – you’ll be on the right path to success on your fitness journey, no matter the goal.

Now stop reading and go kick some ass!

Effects of Genetics on Building Muscle

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

Recently one of my clients forwarded me a post by Dr. John Jaquish discussing the disadvantage people have in achieving their ideal muscular physique because of a genetic predisposition to shorter vs longer muscle bellies and tendons – leading my client to ask, “If I’m genetically destined to NOT reach my ideal physique, why even bother trying to build muscle?”

Post/Article: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=328419851980595&set=a.272880977534483

I will immediately throw out the information that I am NOT a doctor or an expert in any way, shape, or form unlike Dr. John Jaquish who has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and a lot more other credentials and experience I do not have.

That said, the effects of genetics on building muscle is the same as genetics in anything – everyone is different because our genetic codes are different.  No two people are exactly the same, therefore no two people are going to get the same results.

But that doesn’t mean that if you have “less than ideal” genetics that you won’t still be able to build muscle.

In his overall argument, Dr. Jaquish essentially compares the everyday person trying to build muscle to that of professional athletes.  In his defense, yes, your genetics will play a part in your ability to build the muscle, strength, size, and other abilities/skills needed to play the sport at a professional level that these people do.  Take Michael Phelps for instance – the guy is 6’5” with wide shoulder tapered to a small waist down his long torso with shorter legs but has giant arms, hands, and feet making him the ideal swimmer, and is what led him to winning every gold medal at every Olympics in history (slight hyperbole).

In his article/post, he goes on to discuss that people who have shorter muscle heads and shorter tendons that insert the muscle to the bone are more likely to build muscle better than those with longer muscle heads and longer tendons because they have to work harder to produce the same effort.

This is true to an extent, as smaller muscles have to work harder to do the same things that larger muscles do.  Think of a runner.  A shorter, stockier person is not going to be able to run as far, or as quickly as someone taller and slender without having to exert much more effort.

In an effort to convince you that his book about using HIS bands instead of weight lifting and calling out the comparison to athletes – who by nature are genetically gifted + work their asses off – he basically says its impossible to create your ideal body unless you won the genetic lottery. 

THAT is where I have a problem.

One thing I love about fitness and about our world all together is that everyone is different.  No two people have the same identical body and make up.  Sure you may be identical twins, but that doesn’t mean you both physically have to look identical.  One of you could enjoy running and build yourself into a more slender build person while the other picks up weight lifting and does it continually for 15-20 years building into a monster.  Sure you’re DNA is the same and your faces are identical, but the path you take and the work you put in for your desired outcome will result in completely different bodies.

What I’m getting at is that the genetic disadvantage that Dr. Jaquish is discussing, from my opinion, microscopically impacts how you build muscle.

Will it be harder?  Possibly.

But can you reach your ideal body? Yes.

What matters most is the effort you put in, the frequency at which you dedicate to doing it, how you rest and fuel your body, and remembering that the body you are building is not going to look like anyone else.

Effort – You can’t half ass your way to your best body.  You have to dedicate to showing up every day.  Bodybuilders and strength athletes (or athletes of any kind) will tell you that the results you get are a direct correlation to the effort you put in.  You can’t phone in your workouts, regardless of how you feel.  You have to show up consistently and buy in for the long haul.  Building muscle properly is not a “get rich quick” scheme, but a long-term investment.

Frequency – though 2 days per week of resistance training is good for the body, ideally you want to shoot for 3-4 days in the gym.  Focusing on 3-5 compound movements plus 2-4 isolated movements that hit all the muscles of the body in a week. 

Programming – As mentioned you’ll be in the gym regularly and targeting every muscle group each week.  Your program should progressively get more difficult as you get stronger/bigger.  The main focus of your program will be hitting 3-4 sets of each exercise with a rep range of 8-15.  You should be getting close to failure on each set (but not necessarily HITTING failure).  The two most overlooked, but important aspects of a muscle building program, would have to be the tempo of your movements and the rest period between sets.  Slow down your movement to a MINIMUM of 2 seconds both contracting and extending and keep your rest periods at no more than 60-75 seconds between sets.  The time under tension you’re keeping the muscles under will continue to create the micro-tears in the fibers we’re looking for that – when recovered – will grow in size.  The rest period helps replenish the energy to the muscles so they can get ready for the next bout of resistance and is extremely important!

Rest/recovery – Different than the rest between sets, your rest and recovery is of utmost importance.  Do not take lightly your mobility and stretching routines before, after, sessions and in between training days.  Keeping your body mobile and loose will allow it to move through it’s full range of motion which recruits as much muscle as possible, producing the best and most optimal results.  Unless otherwise noted, every movement should go through a full range of motion.  Any short cut or “cheating” can diminish your gains and keep you from your goals.  Also do not forget to take rest days between training sessions.  This time off is when your muscles are recovering from the damage you did during your training and is where the size of the muscles will continue to grow.  It is not suggested to train the same muscle groups less than 24 hours apart.  A good beginner muscle building split would be 3 days/week of training M/W/F with designated rest/recovery dates on T/Th/Sat/Sun.

Fuel – As noted in a previous post, carbs heading into your workout will provide the energy the muscles need to work, while a protein centric meal after will help replenish and re-fuel the muscles aiding their recovery and helping them build nice and strong for next time!  Stay away from sugars, alcohols, and processed foods as much as possible – sticking to lean sources of protein; complex carbs/veggies; and healthy fats/oils in proper amounts.

Yes your genetics play a part in your bodies ability to build muscle when comparing the average joe to professional athletes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reach your ideal physique through regular resistance training and progressively pushing your muscles with proper programming.

Every one’s body is different and we all can reach our peak physiques with the right effort, frequency, programming, recovery, and fuel – it’s just a matter of buying in to the long term investment of your health and being the best version of you possible to reach the best version of you.

But don’t ask me to make you look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club… THAT was peak genetic lottery…

3 Hacks to Fix Your Aching Lower Back

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

If you’re like I was when I sat a desk for 8+ years after college, your body might resemble that of a croissant when you sit down.  Slouching with rolled forward shoulders and a lower back that lights on fire if you sit for more than 10 minutes, regardless of the position you try to move around in.  Modern society and the work that we perform is designed to destroy our posture, leaving our bodies broken in the process.  Everything we need is directly in front of us, keeping us in a position that focuses on reaching, lurching, leaning forward at almost all times.

A “normal” posture used to mean a straight spine (with natural curve), wide shoulders drawn back, arms at our sides with palms of hands facing each other.

These days, it more resembles a rounded forward spine, exaggerating the curvature, rolled slouching shoulders with a craning neck, and arms that are brought forward toward the front of the body with palms now facing the body rather than each other (thanks typing!)

It’s no surprise with these things in mind that people complain of lower back pains so much and how often we see our co-workers and friends stand up and stretch their lower back trying to alleviate any pain with little to no (long term) avail.

Aside from getting a job that forces you to get one of those posture correcting chairs – let’s take a look at 3 hacks to fix your aching lower back for good!

  1. Stand up at least once every hour.

As we said and you’re probably aware, we sit down… a lot.  At work, in the car, at home, etc.  Comfort is great and sitting is really nice because standing is awful.  Only thing better than sitting is lying down.  But in a world of sitting, it has left lumbar support and lower backs everywhere screaming in agony!  One of the simplest things you can do is set an alarm for 55 minutes and every time it goes off, stand up.  Just stand up and work or walk or do nothing, for at least 5-10 minutes.  Once that standing time is up, you may repeat sitting back down, but you have to re-set the 55 minute timer.  Standing every hour can help offset a number of the lower back problems we feel by allowing the area a time to actually work.  Contrary to popular belief, stretching the lower back is not only not helpful, but could exacerbate any issues you might be having.  Your hip flexors (on the front of the body) have been engaged the entire time, as you sit with your legs at 90 degrees in front of you.  The muscles on the back side then have had to stretch to accommodate their flexion and which muscles do you think have been stretched?  That’s right – the lower back/lumbar/glute muscles.  By standing up, you are able to relax the hip flexors and engage the lower back/glute muscles to contract, thus alleviating some of that anxiety.

 

  1. Stretch

Now, I know what you’re thinking… you LITERALLY just said not to stretch the lower back, and I stand by that.  But you still need to stretch other parts of your body.  As we discussed in the opening of this article, the way we work and live has us in a near perpetual state of our body pulled FORWARD.  As we noted in the last section, those hip flexors, which pull our legs forward (when we sit) have been active the entire time we’re seated, and our lumbar has been stretched just as long.  If your lower back is aching, chances are it’s not the only area that’s not sitting properly.  Chances are your shoulders are rounded forward too with a little bit of a neck craning to compensate.  If you don’t feel pain in these areas now, continued postural problems may cause pain down the line, so while we’re addressing the lumbar region, let’s hit the upper back area as well!  Incorporating stretches that focus on our chest muscles (pecs), our neck, and our hip flexors can help relieve the tension those muscles are constantly under – and like we addressed, when one muscle is stretching, that means the other is contracting, ie our lower, upper, and middle back muscles that may be fatigued and overly stretched, can now get to work strengthening up and bringing us into a taller, more natural (and comfortable) position.  A quick Google search for a Hip Flexor, Pectoral, or Neck stretch can find you an infinite number of easy to implement stretches that you can use throughout the day to relieve that pain.

 

  1. Strength Train

Surprise, surprise that a personal trainer would tell you that the best way to alleviate pain would be to strengthen something! 😊  Well, if you’ve been paying attention, this part won’t surprise you, but if you’re still a little lost, pay attention.  As we noted with STANDING UP and STRETCHING, one of the biggest reasons that our lower back can flair up on a moments notice because of poor posture has A LOT to do with the lack of strength in the muscles that make up that area.  The pain from sitting/poor posture is because those muscles have been stretched too far, for too long.  It may sound counter-intuitive but if you begin strengthening the area of your lower back, hips, and glutes (and why not hit the upper back/rear delts/neck while you’re at it) can dramatically decrease your risk of pain in that region.  Strengthening those muscles in the gym can also help stretch the overactive hip flexors, pecs, and shoulders as mentioned earlier as well.  Again – when one muscle group is working, the opposite muscles are stretching – it’s a win, win! 

Try incorporating exercises such as Deadlifts, Rows, Pulldowns, Dead Bugs, Bird Dogs, and Superman Extensions to build up the strength and endurance of the posterior chain primarily in the lower back and glute region.  I promise that even 3 sets of 8-12 reps of 2-3 of those exercises a MINIMUM of 1 time per week will help you see exponential relief to chronic lower back pain.

These 3 tips can save a lot of money at doctors, chiropractors, or on devices to alleviate pain and they can help rid you of it for the long haul!* 

I am not a doctor and any prolonged issues or deeper stresses than just “lower back ache” should be addressed by a physician or specialist, but for everyday soreness and discomfort, you will be amazed at how simply standing a little more during the workday; stretching the front of your body; and doing some simple Bird Dogs can rid you of chronic back pains you never thought you’d get rid of.

What have you tried to alleviate back pain (minus pills) that you thought might work, but kept you on the side line?

 

*One of my clients came to me noting chronic back pain that had her seeing a chiropractor multiple times per WEEK but after only 3-4 weeks of strength training with me, in which we focused on implementing Bird Dogs, Rows, and Deadlift variations to strengthen the area, she has YET to go back to the chiropractor. This was over 14 months ago (Blog posted 5.24.21)