Grunt if you need to!

Some of you may have heard that I was training the famous/infamous Gina Barberi from The Radio From Hell Show on X96 for the past couple of weeks and what follows are things that may not have made it across the radio waves of good ol' Utah. IT WAS SO FREAKING FUN!! Being in the studio was a bit challenging, there was an occasional cafe-mocha-late-frapee-vanilla-tchai-thinga-majigga spillage that I still swear was a Complete accident...even though it was probably better spent on the ground...muuhaahahaa (my maniacal laugh). But even though it was challenging with the space it was so amazing to be in there during the show and see what goes on behind the scenes. Being in the studio was not the only fun part GINA is an awesome Woman and anything but average.

This journey began when I heard Kerry and Bill harassing Gina about not having time to workout and that she wouldn't do it even if she had the times so Gina began walking a mile each day during the show and I was proud of her for taking the initiative and volunteered to help. After some quick communication we met and decided we would workout for 20mins 3 times a week during the show to help her feel more confident in a swimming suit for the Mexico Trip the RFH show has coming up.

So it began we got rockin with resistance bands, free weights, the step, mats, and whatever else we could find and something started to happen...well yes there was sweating and grunting but that's not what I was eluding to. Kerry started asking questions about training, Bill actually did some Jumping Jacks with us and in their own sarcastic ways Bill and Kerry were almost supportive of Gina BUT beyond that Gina worked her butt of and dropped 3 lbs!!! I was so proud of her because she had made some dietary changes, worked her butt off during the workouts, and SUCCEEDED! If you break down the time compared to the weight it shows that for every hour of exercise that Gina and I did in the studio she lost 1 lb! How many people can pull that off?? I told Gina that it was because of her efforts and her changes that this happened and that she deserves all the props and it is TRUE. The hammer may beat the crap out of the nail but it's the nail that keeps the house upright.

I'm sad that due to some unforeseen complications I will be unable to train Gina for an undetermined duration of time...Gina and I are both saddened by this but have hopes that it will be short lived so that we can get back to work. I think what happened sucks but at the same time I'm not upset in any way shape or form with anyone from RFH, Kerry, Bill and Gina are the BEST RADIO SHOW IN UTAH and I will continue listening every morning with the iPhone app during my morning commute.

It has been a rockin awesome experience and I hope it will continue soon but until then always remember, "Stick your butt out ... Grunt if you need to!?!"

Blake Robinson

Momentum Fitness - What Keeps You Moving?

If anyone has any questions feel leave a comment below and I will get back to you asap!

Make Today Your Someday

So I was reading a new book this morning and I absolutely loved this section.

"The Timing is Never Right.

I once asked my mom how she decided when to have her first child, little ol' me. The answer was simple: "It was something we wanted, and we decided there was no point in putting it off. The timing is never right to have a baby." And so it is.

For all the most important things, the timing always sucks. Waiting for a good time to quit your job? the stars will never align and the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. The universe doesn't conspire against you, but it doesn't go out of its way to line up all the pins wither. Conditions are never perfect. "Someday" is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro and con lists are just as bad. If it's important to you and you want to do it "eventually," just do it and correct course along the way."

-THE FOUR HOUR WORK WEEK BY Timothy Ferriss

I know this is the old cliche Carpe Diem but in reality I think that too many of us get caught up in the Diem stuff and forget to Carpe anything. Make things happen today, start working out today don't wait for a traumatic event or wait until you think you need it because usually by the time that thought comes around you REALLY DO! We make time in the day for the things that are most important to us and what is more important than your health? Without it you can't take care of loved ones, you can't enjoy life to the fullest, can't enjoy the years you have left, can't spend the money you worked so hard to make, and can't work to make more!!

OK, I'm off the soap box. Make today your Someday, Go Big or Go Home, whatever catchy saying works for you just realize that conditions will never be perfect to do/be/have what you want so do it NOW.

Blake Robinson

Momentum - What Keeps You Moving?

Metabolism & You

What you need to know and DO to have the body you want
Key Points to Understand:

More Calories in than Calories Out = Increase in Weight
Fewer Calories in than Calories Out = Decrease in Weight

There Is NO Magic Bullet (diet, pill, shot, or exercise contraption) That Can Alter This Equation. It’s A Law.

Your success in achieving your health and fitness goals is determined solely by you and no one else. Not your boss, not your significant other, not your parents, not your coworkers, not your sister, no one but you controls your success.

We make time for the things that are vital and most important in our lives, how important is your health to you?

Metabolism:

Metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself. The rate of your metabolism depends on the interaction between the number of calories you consume, the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising, and the calories you burn based on your individual genetic makeup.

What Affects It?

Genes?
While you can’t do anything about your genes and many people believe that their bodies are the way they are because of their parents isn’t quite true. Your genes only affect 5% of your total calorie burn and while your parents may have given you the best or worst of themselves they don’t determine your health and fitness levels.

Age?
It’s true that your metabolism does slow down with age, BUT it’s less than you imagine it to be. Starting at age 25 the average person’s metabolism declines between 5% and 10% per decade. The good news is that such a drop in metabolism only occurs because North Americans tend to become FAR less physically active over the course of their lives. People who maintain their physical activity levels throughout their lifetime only see a .3% metabolic decline per decade which results in a 1% to 2% decline over a person’s lifetime as apposed to a 20% to 40% drop.

Gender?
There are relatively small metabolic differences between men and women. On average, women's total energy expenditure, which is the number of calories burned for metabolic needs, including breathing, blood circulation, digestion and physical activity, is around 5 to 10 percent lower than men's. The reduced energy expenditure can be partly explained by body composition.

Muscle?
Beyond the increase in metabolism during muscle-building exercise, muscle improves quality of life and has benefits far beyond the aesthetic aspect.

Studies have estimated that for each pound of muscle that you add to your body, you burn an additional 35 to 50 calories per day. So, an extra 10 pounds of muscle will burn approximately 350 to 500 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 7 to 10 days, without making any other changes. In another study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. This is because muscle is 'metabolically active ' and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you're not moving.

What Can You Do About It?

Hit The Weights
Adding 5 to 10 lbs of lean muscle mass with increase the number of calories you burn by 175 to 500 calories each and every day even if you lay in bed all day and do nothing!

HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training will increase the number of calories burned during the workout in a shorter period of time and you’ll burn another 100 to 200 calories while sitting on the couch. HIIT Burns 3x the calories moderate cardiovascular training does. Think about a sprinter’s and a marathoner’s body…

Sleep
You burn the highest percentage of fat while sleeping. Without proper sleep your body can’t repair muscle tissue or perform the basic functions of daily life as needed. Lack of sleep will also decrease the number of calories burned the following day, so not only is your body unable to rest and recover but it is playing catch up the next day.

Eat Often
Notice that it doesn’t say eat a lot, eat often, there is a HUGE difference. Eating every 2 to 3 hours feeds muscle and starves fat. Research from Georgia State University shows that people who eat every 2 to 3 hours have less body fat and faster metabolism than those who eat only 2 or 3 meals per day.

…And Intelligently

Frequent eating is not mindless snacking on empty calorie foods. It should be a mini meal including a serving of fruit or vegetable with a healthy source of protein, egg, chicken, or nuts. Increasing high fiber foods, vegetables is one of the most effective ways to increase your metabolism. Your body can not digest fiber but will try it’s hardest to break it down any ways, which increases your metabolism. Vegetables also provide vital nutrients to your body while maintaining a low calorie count. Next time you go to the grocery store shop the peripherals where the veggies, fruits, unprocessed proteins are kept, purchase a combination of 7 fruits and vegetables and eat one each day. The following week purchase a combination of 14 fruits and vegetables, 2 a day and so on until you are eating a fruit or vegetable at every meal.

The Hype
While there is some truth to every supplement and weight loss aid out there your efforts will yield better results if you concentrate on the basics. Too many of these supplements lack conclusive studies, contain potentially harmful substances and… well if you want my lecture on supplements you can contact me at training.momentum@gmail.com.

Go Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids are found only in fish oil and increase heart health, decrease overall cholesterol, and give up to a 400 calorie burn boost to your metabolism.

Move More
Never sit when you can stand, or stand still when you can walk. Thanks to desk jobs, family commitments, and a great lineup of must-see TV shows, most of us move less at ages 30, 40, and beyond than we did during our teens and twenties, Berardi says. Regular periods of movement -- whether it’s a trip to the office water cooler or a stroll around the block after lunch -- nudges a sluggish metabolism into gear, lifting your spirits and obliterating excess fat. Park your car an extra block away, walk to the grocery store or park your car at the back of the lot, when the phone rings stand up when you answer it. We are a hurry up and sit society so fight it, walk when you can, take the stairs, every bit counts at the end of the day and your body will thank you.

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." ~Jim Rohn~

Blake Robinson

Making The World A Better Place One Workout At A Time
Momentum – What keeps you moving?

All Brawn and No Brains?

Are all personal trainers all brawn and no brains?? How do you know a good one from a bonafied narcissist? On line personal trainers? Trainer etiquette? What the heck are they?

One of things is not like the others

(Can you guess which one is my favorite? This PT is straight forward, no BS and kicks some serious butt)

The purpose of this posting is to answer all these questions and more plus give you the best info available so you can be an informed consumer (We love those!).

One night my wife and myself were working out at the local gym when as we walked in I immediately scanned the area to see where the Personal Trainers (PTs from now on) were and what kinds of exercise routines they were taking clients through. The scene was all too familiar and I asked my wife

"What do you notice about every single trainer in this gym?"
She replied smartly "They are all wearing black duh!"
"Besides that, I mean what are they all doing that is similar?"
"They are all talkin to chics on cardio equipment...?"
"And... what do you notice about the ladies on the cardio equipment...?"
"They are all in skimpy shorts, sports bras and at least DDs?"
"BINGO!"

I see it too often that PTs congregate to the "beautiful" people, not that they aren't in need or proper instruction but I just wish they would spend a little more time helping the guy in the corner curling a 30lb barbell arching his back so far you think he's practicing for a limbo competition. NOT ALL PTS ARE LIKE THAT, that's not what I said, but PTs who do teach incorrect form, are more worried about looks that health, and so on are the ones that are giving the rest of the industry a bad name.

What is a PT?
Any joe schmoe who walks in off the street can call themselves a PT...scary huh? So whenever you start looking for a PT or want to be a PT look for the following KEYS.
-Degree in Exercise Science or related field
(a lot of pts will argue with me on this one but the fact is that a pt that has a 4yr degree/formal education in the field will be a more effective PT and have the understanding to solve difficult problems)

-Nationally Recognized Certification
There are sites on line where you pay $40-50 and then you can print out a Certificate that states you are a PT so ASK FOR IT!
The Best Certifications are as follows

NSCA
NASM
ACE
ISSA
ACSM

Someone that chooses to be a PT by profession will have at least one of these Certs. NOT ALL CERTIFICATIONS ARE CREATED EQUAL!!
(ps it doesn't matter the gender of the PT if they have an education and these certs they will be more than able to whip anyone, male or female, into shape, don't think that because she's a girl she won't be able to give you a good workout.)

-Lives the lifestyle
Would you trust an auto mechanic who's car is rusted, old, and doesn't even run? So why would you trust someone with YOUR BODY that doesn't take care of theirs? You can meet every single criterion up to this point and be the most knowledgeable, decorated PT in existence but in my opinion if you have all that understanding/knowledge and can't apply it to your own life I'll never trust you with mine. A PT doesn't have to have 35 inch guns or thighs the size a my waist but they need to be in shape, working out, competing, caring about their physical health before they can properly care about mine/yours!

My Fav Trainers Links
Jillian Michaels
Crossfit

What to expect?
If you find a PT that has taken all of the above steps then you've got yourself a keeper. Now what? PTs are experts on how the body moves, what each individual muscle is responsible for, what muscles need to function, what the natural position of the spine, shoulders, hips, etc is and how to get your body to where you want to be. PTs are not nutritionists or dietitians, unless they have a degree or (and i hesitate to say this but they have gotten better) an accredited national certification in nutrition. PTs can/should advise you on what you are eating, basics of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and alcohols but aren't qualified to go any further than public knowledge or get anywhere near treating any type of disease.

A good PT will take you through a battery of tests, talk to you about goals, lifestyle and your eating habits before writing up a program for you. A PT that doesn't do such tests/evaluations will be playing battleship with you body (hit & miss) until you sink or just quit.

On-line PTs?
Some sites offer one size fits all pt for everyone while others have pictures of those beautiful people that make us believe that they got that way overnight by following the prescribed workout. In order for on line PTs to be effective they need to have all the info a normal PT would request and so you should feel like you are being questioned by the CIA when you fill out a preworkout form. I don't recommend online PTs for newbies because form and technique are HUGE and learning the moves correctly is the difference between a toned core and a wrenched back.


A good online PT with run you through a battery of questionnaires, ask very specific questions about your health and eating habits, provide you will a contact number where you can reach them 24/7, meet all the previous criteria, have years of experience, tons of testimonials, videos, tools, and will usually work in conjunction with a registered dietitian.


Trainer Etiquette?
Every PT works a little differently and has a certain set of tools to help you reach your goals as fast as possible and as safely as possible. What I mean is that some PTs can give you verbal ques that your brain interprets and translates into the correct movements while other PTs will make the adjustments by physically touching you to get your body in the correct position. Some people are OK with this others think it is borderline harassment how to tell the difference? When a PT is correcting you form they should always attempt to do so by first giving you verbal ques, second show you with their own body, third place you in front of a mirror so you can see what they are talking about and as a last result use physical manipulation of joints and parts of the body to get you in the proper position. No PT should ever be touching you in any area that can be deemed inappropriate, the chest for females, or the front or rear of the pelvis area for men and women. If a client of mine just doesn't quite get it and I have to adjust them manually I will always ask "Is it OK if I place my hands ________?" and once they get the movement down I immediately remove my hands. The reasons I do it in such a manner is bc I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable, I don't want to embarrass my client, I don't want to get sued, I want my client's body to do it by itself and I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression. Your PT should do the same, physically placing a client in the proper position should be a last resort and if at any point you feel uncomfortable SPEAK UP!

Don't mistake a PT circling you eyeing your form up and down meticulously searching for any needed adjustments for him/her admiring you "assets". A well educated trainer will watch you from the front, side and back as you perform various movements to identify any skeletal/muscular abnormalities that have developed due to lifestyle, injuries or other causes.

Every PT has their own way of training and if you don't like the trainer or feel uncomfortable in any way it's not your fault nor is it necessarily the trainer's fault but you need to talk to the manager explain why and ask for a different trainer and that's OK, that's your right as a consumer/client. Starting to exercise is hard enough, you don't want any unnecessary anxiety or stress to be associated with it.

A PT that does all of this is worth his/her weight in gold and like any professional you will be expected to pay for their services. However, unlike some professionals, PTs develop relationships with clients on such a level that they will become one of your favorite people, invite them to parties, baby blessings...well maybe not baby blessings but weddings for sure. Find a PT that meets these criterion, that you get along with and that cares and you will reach your fitness goals faster, safer, and easier than you ever imagined.


What other questions do you have?
What good/bad experiences have you had?
What's the dumbest thing a PT has said/did to you?
What's the best thing a PT said/did to you?

Thanks for your comments and for reading everyone.

Blake Robinson
Making the world a better place one workout at a time.