Awesome Cardio workout for at Home

Hey Guys

I am always getting asked questions about cardio, many of you want to know how much to do and what to do. I have always believed that a good body weight circuit or interval training is a much better replacement than just going out for a run. Now if you are looking to run a marathon then this is not going to help, but I do believe that you will develop a more sculpted and burn fat faster than just doing cardio. In addition you will achieve more in a much shorter amount of time.

So here is the workout. See how many circuits you can do in 20 mins. If you are a beginner then shorten this to 15 or even 10 mins.

Crazy Eight Body Weight Circuit

60 Jumping Jacks

20 push ups

30 lunges

20 spiderman climbs

20 Body weight squats (or jumps)

20 mountainclimbers

5 burpees

50 High Knees

The best thing about this circuit is that it can be done anywhere and with no equipment. Ideal for when you travel or need to make up a workout.

Have Fun

Hey Guys

Check out our fantastic Halloween Pumpkin workout. We are looking forward to seeing

everyone next week for our Sat. Am pumpkin workout. Bring your pumpkins for some fun.

We are then donating all pumpkins to the local food bank.

With the holidays approaching, we know that it can get difficult to keep focused on your fitness.

We are going into overdrive to help keep you motivated and excited to continue working out.

We still expect to see you at Bootcamp and continue putting in the hard work.

With all the travel involved in the next few weeks we will be putting a new workout on the blog

each week. Whether you are in a hotel, with family you can do all these workouts, they require minimal

space and little to no equipment.

Have fun stay focused.

Lee

Hey Guys

Check out this awesome cardio workout. This is great for inbetween Bootcamp workouts or can be done as a workout in itself.

All you need to do is repeat for 2 - 3 sets.

Wanna see why our Bootcamp is the No1 Bootcamp in the Arcadia area then check out our Fat Busting, Body Toning workout. Using the Workout Muse 20/10 Tabata program we work hard and have fun.

Bringing Sexy Back

Crazy Matrix Style Acrobatics

There are many forms of exercise and the cardio/ strength training and mental focus required in our interval training can greatly help with both you physical and mental health.

However few of us can compete with Damien Walters, Olympic gymnast, tumbler and Parkour expert.

You have to check this out.

Think you can perform like this doing Bench Press and Bicep Curls.

Enjoy

Top 2 Exercise and Nutrition Tops

TOP 2 EXERCISE TIPS

* Invest in a Whole Body Workout: This means doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work your upper body, lower body, and core) at least three times per week with a day of rest between workouts. Alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for each a double-leg (e.g. squat), push (e.g. push-up), single-leg (e.g. lunge), pull (e.g. row), and core (e.g. plank) exercise. Perform up to 4 rounds without rest for a killer 20-minute total body workout.

*  Harness the Power of Intervals: Interval training is scientifically proven to burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following your workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes. This routine works best on a stationary bike (airdyne) or for body weight cardio exercise that you can do at home like running in place or jumping jacks.

TOP 2 DIET TIPS

* Eat Early and Often: Eat immediately upon waking and then every two to four hours to starve fat and feed muscle. By continuously fueling your furnace, and eating some animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day and prevent overeating.

 * Think Fiber First When Consuming Carbs: Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous, cruciferous green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals. For optimal fat-burning, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body best tolerates starches and sugars.

Live by these 2 training and nutrition rules and you will have a body to be proud of... I guarantee it

Bringing Sexy Back

Lee

 Don't forget you have until 12pm tonight to get our Online training program for 30% off.  Click here

PS- Please forward this blog post to anybody that you know who can benefit from it!

Phoenix Personal Trainer show you How to do more push ups.

Hi Everyone

The beloved Push-up. It is probably the most popular exercise of all time. But being popular doesn’t necessarily mean being well liked! In fact, I think it is safe to say that the majority of people really HATE push-ups. More specifically, the push-up tends to be the undying nemesis for people who carry extra body weight and for most females who feel they do not have the upper strength to ever be able to do anything but “wuss-ups,” or modified push-ups on the knees.

 

 

What I want to do today is address everything that you need to know to perform push ups with the correct form and learn how to do more ASAP.  People typically only hate what they are not good at. So although you may not enjoy doing push ups at the moment I am sure you will be loving them once you have followed this program.  Well you may not love them but you'll at least be able to stomach them.

 

 

Benefits of Push-ups

 

Right next to pull-ups, a push-up is the greatest upper body exercise of all time. In fact, I believe push-ups to be one of the best total body exercises around.

 

Push-ups work primarily your chest, triceps, and front shoulders. However they also place a great demand on your core strength and stability. After all, your spinal stabilizers (transverse abdominis and spinal erectors) need to have the endurance to maintain that critical straight-line position throughout the duration of your push-ups for optimal safety and performance. In addition, push-ups engage your scapular muscles (shoulder blades) in a way that most pushing exercises do not, thus providing some much needed mid and upper back work that most trainees are missing out on. Furthermore, maintaining the proper push-up position requires that you tense and engage every muscle on the front side of your body from your feet to your front shoulders. Heck, if you squeeze your glutes (which you should as this helps protect your lower back), you even get your booty involved!

 

 

Finally, push-ups are the ultimate anywhere, anytime exercise that requires nothing but your body weight and space the size of your frame to perform.

 

How to Perform a Perfect Push-up

 

I am sure at some point everyone of you has tried a push up.  Whether on you own or maybe during gym at school.  Even as a trainer myself I must admit to not giving enough coaching when clients perform push ups.  So the goal today is to give the push up the respect it deserves and provide a step by step approach to getting you performing great pushups.

 

 

- Simultaneously tuck your elbows to your sides and pull your shoulders blades down and back: It’s critical to keep your elbows close to your ribcage while performing push-ups. Letting your elbows “sprawl” away from your torso puts your rotator cuff at a much greater risk for injury. In addition, since most of us are so upper trap dominant, we tend to shrug our shoulders during push-ups. This scapular elevation can lead to clicking and grinding of the shoulder (known as shoulder impingement syndrome). To avoid these pitfalls, visualize trying to hug your elbows to your ribcage while cracking a nut between your shoulder blades during all push-ups.

 

- Simultaneously suck in your gut and brace your abs: The push-up is a great core exercise that requires good muscular endurance for your deep spinal stabilizers. By pulling your navel to your spine and bracing your abs as if you we about to be kicked in the gut, you will best activate those key core muscles while performing push-ups.

 

- Simultaneously tense your thighs and squeeze your glutes: The straighter your legs during the push-up the more stable you will be. This is easily accomplished by tensing your thighs throughout the exercise. Furthermore, tense your butt cheeks- this helps relax overactive hip flexors, thus alleviating unnecessary strain on the lower back.

- Power breathing: In general, seek to focus on inhaling during the lowering portion of the push-up and then forcefully exhaling during the lifting portion of the push-up. By filling your belly with air during the lowering portion of the push-up your make it easier to stabilize your spine, meaning that your core remains locked in thus allowing for a smooth and seamless transition from the down position to the up position.

 

- Spread your fingers: Many people complain of wrist pain while they do push-ups. This usually stems from a combination of a lack of mobility at the wrist joint and a lack of flexibility of the forearm flexors and extensors. Plus, many people simply have weak wrists from a lack of weight-bearing exercises in their daily routine. Think about it- we do not do as much as we used to do with our hands and are rarely in a position where our wrists our supporting our entire body weight (besides when doing push-ups). One way to take pressure off of your wrists during push-ups is to focus on spreading your fingers as far apart as possible. This expands the surface area and thus dissipates some of the excess strain on the wrists. Furthermore, doing fist push-ups or push-ups with your hands on a dumbbell (or push-up handles) tends to significantly alleviate if not eliminate any unwanted wrist issues. This neutral grip allows you get all of the benefits of push-ups so that your wrists do not continue to be the biggest limiting factor for your push-up goals. In addition, the neutral grip also makes it easier to keep your helps tucked to your sides and shoulders down and back for optimal shoulder safety.

 

- Be flat as a diving board: Throughout the entire movement, the key is to maintain a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. You must not let your hips sag as this will put undue strain on your lower back in the form of hyperextension. Furthermore, you must avoid raising or “piking” your hips because this not only takes a way much needed core work, but also results in a rounding of the upper back that potentially results in unwanted shoulder issues (impingement, rotator cuff strains, etc.).

 

The Official Push-up Boot Camp Program

 

 

 Step#1- Find your current Push-up Total

 

Assuming a regular floor push-up position, perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) with perfect form and technique in 60 seconds. Be sure to place a tennis ball or yoga brick on the floor- your chest must make contact with this object to count as a full rep. Record your rep total and then take 60 seconds of rest (no longer). Repeat by performing one more set of AMRAP in 60 seconds and then record your second set total. Add both your set one and set two totals and then divide by two. This is your current push-up total.

 

Step#2- Follow the custom push-up boot camp program based on your current push-up total:

 

The following program will systematically take you from level I to level IV six weeks at a time (not including a week of rest between levels). It is important to note that you must be following the appropriate fat loss training (total body strength circuits and cardio interval training) and nutrition plan to lose unwanted body fat that is weighing you down and literally halting your push-up totals in its tracks. In addition, be sure to change up the selected push-up variation at each and every strength workout to best prevent training plateaus. Here’s an example of how to switch things up for one week of training:

 

Day1- Close-Grip Push-up Variation (to emphasize the triceps and front shoulders to improve push-up lockout)

 

Day2- Loaded/Band-Resisted Push-up Variation (to improve strength and thus make it easier to perform body weight push-ups)

 

Day3- Stability Ball Push-up Variation- Hands Ball (to build trunk and scapular strength stability to prevent injury and maximize force output)

 

Remember, the better you get at every push-up variation the better you will get at regular push-ups. Once you achieve a current push-up total of 30 reps or more, you will notice the focus now will be on getting stronger by mastering the 1-arm push-up. Improving maximum strength automatically improves your muscular endurance, though it doesn’t work the same the other way around.

 

Please note that you should only follow this program if you have healthy shoulders. In addition, since you will be performing extra pushing movements, it is critical to add in some scapular retraction and depression work to prevent unwanted strength imbalances. Please note the addition of a certain amount of reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats following each set of push-ups for your “Extra Push-up Work” to achieve this end. The Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squat was selected because it simultaneously works your upper back and opens up your chest while working your lower body to boost metabolism. Plus, it’s an exercise you can do anywhere. Lastly, the “Extra Push-up Work” is best performed throughout the day to be fresh and allow for full recovery.

 

Level	Current Push-up Total	Push-up Protocol
Level I	0-1	-       Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts   -       Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of negative push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):   Week1- 5 sets of 2 reps of 5-second negatives Week2- 5 sets of 3 reps of 6-second negatives Week3- 5 sets of 4 reps of 7-second negatives Week4- 5 sets of 5 reps of 8-second negatives Week5- 5 sets of 5 reps of 9-second negatives Week6- 5 sets of 5 reps of 10-second negatives   -       Follow each set of push-ups with 10 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats
Level II	2-5	-       Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts   -       Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):   Week1- 5 sets of 1 rep Week2- 5 sets of 2 reps Week3- 5 sets of 3 reps Week4- 5 sets of 4 reps Week5- 5 sets of 5 reps Week6- 5 sets of 6 reps   -       Follow each set of push-ups with 20 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats
Level III	6-12	-       Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts   -       Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):   Week1- 5 sets of 5 reps Week2- 5 sets of 6 reps Week3- 5 sets of 7 reps Week4- 5 sets of 8 reps Week5- 5 sets of 9 reps Week6- 5 sets of 10 reps   -       Follow each set of push-ups with 30 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats
Level IV	13-20	-       Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts   -       Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):   Week1- 5 sets of 10 reps Week2- 5 sets of 12 reps Week3- 5 sets of 14 reps Week4- 5 sets of 16 reps Week5- 5 sets of 18 reps Week6- 5 sets of 20 reps   -       Follow each set of push-ups with 40 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats
Level V	21-30	-       Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts   -       Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):   Week1- 5 sets of 20 reps Week2- 5 sets of 22 reps Week3- 5 sets of 24 reps Week4- 5 sets of 26 reps Week5- 5 sets of 28 reps Week6- 5 sets of 30 reps   -       Follow each set of push-ups with 50 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats
Level VI	31+	-       Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts   -       Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of a 1-arm push-ups variation with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off). Progress from stage 1 to stage 3 in choosing the appropriate 1-arm push-up variation:   Week1- 5 sets of 1 rep Week2- 5 sets of 2 reps Week3- 5 sets of 3 reps Week4- 5 sets of 4 reps Week5- 5 sets of 5 reps Week6- 5 sets of 6 reps   Stage1- Modified 1-Arm Push-ups on Knees/Inclined   Stage2- Regular 1-Arm Push-ups 5-secondNegatives   Stage3- Regular 1-Arm Push-ups   -       Follow each set of push-ups with 60 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

 

Step#3- Re-Test Your Current Push-up Total

 

At the end of each 6-week training block, take 5 full days of rest before re-testing your new push-up total exactly as previously outlined in step one. Record your new push-up total and then take the rest of the week off for recovery before moving on to the next level of push-up boot camp.

 

Well, you now know everything you need to know to safely and effectively perform more push-ups than 99+% of the world. Remember, the leaner you are the better you will be at push-ups and the more push-ups you can do, the better you will look- time to master the push-up!

 

Lets get this done

Bringing Sexy back

Swimsuit season Nightmare

Hi Guys

It's getting to be that time of year. Before you know it summer will be here. Heck, it's already Spring Break  for some folks. Seems like just yesterday it was January 1st and everyone was making their New Year's Resolution. Well, hopefully YOU didn't because you know a flimsy "resolution" doesn't get you anywhere.

You know it takes much more than that. You know you need:

Written  goals

A solid exercise program

Social support

Discipline

Patience

Sacrifice

A burning desire to succeed

Changes in your lifestyle

Education

Proper nutrition

In other words, you know you need to GET REAL about fat loss. You know  it makes no sense to fall for the same old miracle promise or "easy" solution. Whether it's January 1st or Bathing Suit season doesn't matter. The proven approach to looking great on the beach is good old fashioned effort.

Look, in one way my life would be a LOT easier if I just lied to you and sold you a bunch of empty promises. Sure, it would make earning a living super easy. Most people are happy to spend their hard earned money on the latest miracle pill or potion. But I wouldn't be able to look at myself in a mirror. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. And that's why I'll never be the one to lie to you about what it takes to transform your body.

Do the right thing this Bathing Suit Season. Use it as a catalyst to really change your life. I'd be thrilled to help you. I'd love it if you'd place your trust in me and let me show you the right way to do things.

If you arm yourself with the right knowledge and approach this with a great attitude you'll NEVER have another Bathing Suit Season nightmare again.

Yours in health,

Lee

www.corefitnessconcepts.com

www.corefitnessbootcamps.com

PS - If you want to make the nutrition aspect of fat loss simple then you need to get on board with my friends at Prograde Nutrition. They're like me; they don't sell miracles in a bottle. They sell real nutrition that supports your fitness and fat loss goals. You can save a lot of loot with their combo packs. Check out Prograde Nutrition here. http://corefitnessconcepts.getprograde.com/combos)

Great Source of Fresh Veggies/ Fruits

Hi Guys

I received a couple of really cool emails last week from two of our most dedicated Bootcampers.   These two girls always show up to camp and give 100% effort ALL THE TIME,  (Sam and Lindsey,  thanks for the info andkeep up the great work).  Anyhow they both have a great source of for obtaining organic locally grown vegetables and fruits.  

These two co-operatives provide high quality organic produce throughout the Phoenix metro area.  We all know the benefits from eating organically grown produce,  (more flavor, more goodness).  Research has shown that our food these days has about a third less nutrients than from 30 years ago.

So no more excuses on how to find really good produce.  Also both programs are extremely reasonable.

So please take a look at these website links and lets support our local farmers.

http://02b8ce3.netsolstores.com/

http://www.crookedskyfarms.com/About/JoinCSA.aspx#CSA_Locations

No More excuses

were bringing sexy back

Valentines day Guilt free Treats

Hi Everyone

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I'll make this short and sweet.

Here are two Guilt Free Fat Fighters (and a BIG reminder) to enjoy tomorrow:

1) Celebration Sorbet

Put a scoop of raspberry (or whatever your favorite flavor is) sorbet in a martini glass and sprinkle with fresh berries. Drizzle with champagne or sparkling apple cider.

2) Strawberry Dippers

Dip whole strawberries in low-fat French vanilla, lemon chiffon or chocolate yogurt.

Easy, huh? Guilt free AND delicious!

Ok, now for the BIG reminder.

Remember, my friends at Prograde Nutrition are having a "Chocolate is for Lovers" sale for Valentine's Day. Read below to find out how to save 14% on all purchases of their AMAZING organic dark chocolate Prograde Cravers.

Seriously, they are the BEST tasting healthy snack bar on the planet.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lee

Bring Sexy back

PS - Here are all the details on Prograde Nutrition's 14% off Prograde Cravers sale.

Organic Dark Chocolate Prograde Cravers have no preservatives, only 180 calories and they come in three delicious flavors: peanut butter, almond butter and spirulina.

The even better news is they are on sale all this week for Valentine's Day.

Here's everything you need to know:

- Again, because it's Valentine's Day, the sale is 14% off all purcahses of Prograde Cravers

- When you checkout you will enter this coupon code to save the 14%:    vday0909

- Shipping will take 3-5 days, so while I HIGHLY recommend you jump all over this sale, don't purchase these as a gift expecting them to be their for Valentine's Day itself. Buy them as a healthy gift for yourself or others.

- Sorry, Prograde Cravers are not available overseas

- The offer cannot be combined with others from Prograde and it ends this Saturday, February 14th at 11:59pm EST.

- Prograde Cravers are NOT available in stores anywhere. You can only find them online here: Prograde Cravers  http://corefitnessconcepts.getprograde.com/cravers)

Phoenix trainer shares a fun Valentines workout for couples

For most people Valentine’s Day is an excuse to hook-up and eat chocolate. Well that  sounds good to me too, but can't  we can be more creative than that! Why not mix things up this V-Day with a fun workout you can do in the comfort of your home with your significant other?

 

Today I am going to talk about the concept of partner training. Partner training is essentially a workout that involves performing joint exercises with at least one other person or more. There are a ton of benefits to partner training, including:

 

1.)   Social Support and Accountability

 

2.)   Little to no Equipment Needed

 

3.)   Provides a Ton of Variety

 

4.)   Breeds Competition and Drives Better Results

 

5.)   It’s FUN!

 

Partner training definitely spices things up in our boot camps from time to time. The inner freaks seem to come out of the woodwork whenever people workout with someone else- you are simply pushed to the limit and there is no better way to make your body change and break out of a frustrating training rut. My clients and I always joke that we hear the most ridiculous grunts and animal sounds during partner workouts, ha!

 

But, being that it’s the most important holiday of the year (yep, I was laying down some serious sarcastic undertones there), let’s make today’s partner training workout a little more intimate if you will.

 

So grab your luv-ah and try this bad boy out!

 

The Valentine’s Day Workout for Couples- Tabata Style Partner Training

 

This 20-minute total body partner workout will consist of all body weight-based exercises. For each exercise at each outlined station below you will alternate between 20 s of work and 10 s of rest. You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest and transition before moving on to the next station listed:

 

Station#1- Partner Push-up- High Five each other

 

Station #2-  Stationary Lunges- Static or Dynamic

 

Station #3- Partner Plank Circuit, (Front, Side x 2, Back)

 

Station #4- Partner  Squats- Static or Dynamic

 

Now go ask someone to be your valentine and rock it out! They say that sweat-driven pheromones are one of nature’s most powerful aphrodisiacs… you tell me ;)

 

Whats next, how a deep tissue  massage at the spa,  followed by some steaks and vegetables on the grill.

 Enjoy

Lee

 

Phoenix Personal Trainer Shows you How to get a Flat Tummy without the use of Crunches or Sit-ups

How many of you would love to have a nice flat tummy or even a six pack.  However you have been doing crunches and situps forever and not seen any results?

 

“I do hundreds of crunches and sit-ups a day and I still have a flabby midsection. What gives?”

 

Before I show you how to achieve the coveted Six pack Abs,  lets talk about some of the many myths that are out there.

 

 

Myth#1- Weight loss is the key to seeing your abs

 

WRONG!

 

The real key to achieving amazing abs is losing Body Fat not weight loss.  Our goal is to build a body that has low fat mass and high lean body mass (water, muscle, bone etc.)  This will maximize your metabolism which will burn Body Fat super fast, thus improving your body’s composition.   By improving body composition you will put yourself in the best position to rock that coveted six-pack.

 

So if you lose 17 lbs on the scale at the expense of losing some lean muscle mass in the process you will end up slowing your metabolism, decreasing performance, and losing that good looking muscle tone. But if you lose 17 lbs on the scale and you manage to keep or gain lean muscle mass you will increase performance, see more visible definition throughout your body, and lose primarily body fat.

 

The scale has far too many variables to account for,  that lead to frequent fluctuations such as hydration levels, sodium intake, and for women the menstrual cycle. I firmly believe one should NOT keep a scale at their home- it is such an anchor, particularly for women. Get off the scale and get over the numbers. The true goal is fat loss, not weight loss. Focus on clothing size reduction, digital before and after pictures, and of course the mirror for the most accurate progress tracking.

 

Myth#2- Do lots of abs work to preferentially burn off stomach fat

 

WRONG!

 

I have said it before “We cannot spot reduce”  We can do crunches all day everyday and still have all those extra inches on our midsection. Think about it, if that were the case we would expect to see nothing but people with flat tummies and Body Fat elsewehere on their bodies.

 

See, your body loses fat in a genetically pre-determined way when there is the appropriate caloric deficit AND hormonal environment created by proper eating and training. So your best bet is to focus on burning as many calories during your workouts as possible by engaging your whole body each and every training session (not just your abs). Compound, multi-joint movements like squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. (or better yet, total body exercises like squat to presses) burn a lot more calories than isolation movements like crunches and sit-ups. So be sure to focus on these movements first and then if you have time, you can do some extra core work to please the abs training Gods.

 

Myth#3- Crunches and Sit-ups are the best exercises for your abs

 

WRONG!

 

Lets look at the function of your tummy muscles.  The actual term for your six pack muscles are your rectus abdominis.  The actual function of these muscles is to prevent hyper extension of the spine, not to flex forward over and over again.

 

Anytime you brace your abs (think slight crunch before you get punched in the gut) and pull your navel into your spine you effectively stabilize your spine into a safe, neutral position. And the moment you relax your abs and lose that braced abs position, your back will begin to hyperextend putting you at greater risk for injury.

 

So, we focus on stabilization exercises in all three planes of movement (saggital- front to back, frontal- side to side, and transverse- rotational) by using pillar exercise variations (also know as planks). Besides training the true “anti-extension” function of your superficial ab muscles, these bridging/stabilization exercises also activate the key transverse abdominus muscles, or your deep abdominal stabilizers, that wrap around your spine and support your internal organs. Strengthening these inner ab muscles is the key to optimal posture and performance in addition to injury prevention, yet another benefit to performing pillars over primitive crunches and sit-ups that often cause unwanted neck and back pain.

 

Myth#4- Do lots of long-duration cardio to burn the fat covering your abs

 

WRONG!

 

Both scientific research and real world case studies show that low intensity aerobic training for fat loss alone doesn’t work. Total body resistance training is the true foundation of any solid fat loss plan. In addition, interval training, where you alternate between bouts of maximum effort and active recovery, is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. Please note that you can perform both resistance interval training and cardio interval training to combine the best of both worlds. More on this to come!

 

So here we go

 

 

The Anti-Crunch Six-Pack Abs Blueprint:

 

Step#1- Lose the fat that is covering your abs so that you can see them

 

A.) Eat to lose fat and elevate metabolism

 

- Drink at least 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then drink at least 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours you are awake. Drink 1-2 cups of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous activity.

 

- Eat immediately upon waking and then every 2-4 hours after that for a total of 6-8 feedings per day (3 meals, 3 snacks- half the size of your meals, workout nutrition)

 

- Focus on a wide range of organic lean proteins, natural fats, and fruit and veggies

 

Sample One-Day Menu:

 

Breakfast- Scrambled Eggs, Greens, and Turkey Sausage or Bacon

 

Mid-Morning Snack- Mixed Nuts and Fruit/Veggie of Choice

 

Lunch- Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp Caesar Salad

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack- Cheese and Fruit/Veggie of Choice

 

Dinner- Turkey or Beef Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

 

Pre-Bed Snack- Protein and Flax Shake

 

- Take a daily multi-vitamin for your gender and an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement

 

- Use The Carb Reduction Blueprint: Use the following step by step process in the exact order listed to breakthrough any plateaus in your six-pack abs quest

 

Step#1- Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars

 

Step#2- Limit all whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast

 

Step#3- Replace all starches and sugars with fruits and veggies

 

Step#4- Replace all fruits with green veggies

 

Step#5- Use strategic carb and calorie cycling to take your body to next level (my clients and I have had great success with this but it is beyond the scope of this article)

 

B.) Train to lose fat and elevate metabolism

 

- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday- Perform Total Body Circuit Strength Training

 

Sample Total Body Circuit Strength Workout- 20 Minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)

 

50-10 Interval Five Exercise Total Body Circuit- You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 s of rest for each exercise in the following five-exercise circuit. Perform this 5-minute circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body workout:

 

Exercise#	Exercise Category	Exercise Variation
1	Double-Leg: Bilateral Hip-Dominant	Hip Extensions
2	Push: Horizontal Push	Push-up Variation
3	Single-Leg: Unilateral Knee-Dominant	Single-Leg Wall Sit
4	Pull: Horizontal Pull	Body Weight Rows
5	Core: Linear Stabilization or Trunk-Dominant	Upper Body Twist Variation

 

- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday- Perform Cardio Interval Training

 

Sample Cardio Interval Training Workout- 20 Minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)

 

30-30’s- You will alternate between 30 seconds of maximum effort and 30 s of active recovery. You will perform this 1-minute round up to 20x for 20 total minutes. You can perform this workout on your cardio machine of choice (airdyne or spin bike, running, etc.) or by alternating between the following body weight cardio exercises for the ultimate in-home workout:

 

Exercise#	Body Weight Cardio Variation	Body Weight Cardio Exercise
1	Linear Locomotion Emphasis	Stationary Running
2	Lateral/Rotational Locomotion Emphasis	Jumping Jacks Variation

 

Step#2- Train your abs based on their true function: STABILIZATION

 

Below is one of my boot camp client’s favorite (and most hated) core workout. It involves no crunches or sit-ups by using all pillar stabilization exercises. Once you master these killer moves and follow everything else I previously listed above, you will have a sweet pair of rock hard abs to show for it… I guarantee it!

 

The Power to the Pillar Workout- Tabata Style

 

This 20-minute total body core workout focuses entirely on pillar stabilization. The pillar collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is your body’s powerhouse, foundational to all movement.

 

For each exercise below you will alternate between 20 s of work and 10 s of rest. You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four total minutes followed by a one minute rest and transition before moving on to the next exercise listed.

 

Your goal to achieve maximum results should be to maintain a straight line with your body.  Consiously pull your belly button in towards your spine.  Engage your Glutes.

 

 

Exercise#1- Front Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)

 

Exercise#2- Left Side Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)

 

Exercise#3- Right Side Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)

 

Exercise#4- Back Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)

 

Today is the dawn of a new age in core training and it is my sincere hope that you take this killer information and run with it.