Gym Etiquette

    We've all been there, there are dumbbells in every order but numerical, some jerk kid is screaming as he curls a 65 pound barbell, the machines are covered in some type of human fluid and you can only hope it is sweat, and the bathroom is the last place you'd ever want to wash your hands, let alone take a leak.

Today let's go over some basic GYM ETIQUETTE!

• If you are training on a machine and someone asks how many sets you have left, offer to let them work in, it doesn't matter if it's a 300 pound body builder and a 100 pound cheer leader, it's a matter of changing a pin, don't make someone wait so you can sit there and waste time. Ultimately the only exceptions for letting people work in would be the big weight lifts where the body types don't match up, ie. bench, or squat. But if that's the case give them a time/set frame of how much you have left, "Got two sets buddy, be done in 3 minutes."
• Put the dumb bells back in order!!! This pissed me off at the degenerate gyms I trained at in Brooklyn, and maybe it's a reason why my left is stronger than my right arm when I couldn't find a matching set of dumbbells. You are not the employee at the gym, it's not your job to put them all back in place, but put the ones you are using back in place, even if they weren't when you got them.
• Re-rack your weights. I see all the pro-bodybuilders and NFL guys do it, but for some reason the high school kids and office guys don't seem to care. Take the weight off and put it back, in most gyms where the crowd is relatively fit it is socially acceptable to leave a plate on the bench press, squat rack, or leg press, don't pull this move at a senior citizen or rehab facility.
• If you are very dirty, wipe it down. You don't have to walk around with a towel and disinfectant, but don't leave a puddle on the machine, we can all live with a little sweat though, you're here to work out, so don't go crying if there's a drop, it's a gym and you will build acquired immunity.
• Do not spit anywhere but the garbage can, period.
• Grunting 101: Ok I'm not going to say never grunt, it happens, but don't do it every single lift, and don't do if you are not lifting heavy, it's annoying, save your grunts for when you have over 300 pounds on the bench or squat rack, and don't be too loud, it's a gym, not your bedroom.
• Your cell phone, should not even be in the gym. Unless you are a husband with a pregnant wife, doctor on call etc. Texting between sets does not get you bigger, and I swear on my life this happened, some kid was doing machine presses on one arm while talking on the phone with his other, then would switch, needless to say he was not lifting a lot.
• Respect your elders. This is a given in life, when Grandma or Grandpa are working out cut them a break on any mistakes they make and talk to them if they ask you a quick question.
• BUT!!! Grandma and Grandpa, it was socially acceptable in your day to talk to someone in the locker room while you are naked, that is no longer cool, put a towel or your underwear on before you engage us youngsters in conversation.
• Spot properly... if someone tells you not to touch the bar, don't touch it, if they ask for a little help and you notice you are going to throw your back out helping them also let them know.
• It's the gym, not social hour, when it's packed beyond belief don't be sitting there chatting with your buddy about last nights ball game, walk and talk if it's important, but don't occupy the machine too long while others are waiting.
• Guys: when you see a hot girl that is in 19 times better shape than you, don't go up to her and criticize her form,  even when I see a girl I am friends with I don't even tell her till after because I am so sick of seeing dudes who don't know what they are doing try to teach someone else the wrong way.
• Girls: remember what we said two bullets up about social hour.

And above all, the most important part of gym etiquette, make sure you are there to work out.

Shoot me an email or comment if I forgot anything.

Consult a doctor or medial professional before beginning any training or diet program.

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Ladies date night sucks, FOR YOU!!!

    Another ladies only article for the dedicated female readers, it's that special time to go out with your husband, boyfriend, or girlfriends to your favorite restaurant. Pick one in your head right now, ok, if you order the same exact thing that I order, I'm 6'0 200lbs or about 90kg, who gets more food? We both get the same exact thing right? Yep. So here's where the problem lies, this is not meant to be sexist or derogatory toward my female readers but for the most part men are bigger, this is genetics and evolution, thus even though we are training relatively the same with weights and cardio, our caloric intake need is greater than you females.
    Going out to eat is typically our weakest point, it is where we have the least amount of control, and at times the least amount of discipline. Unless you are trying to bulk up, generally speaking you should not be eating as much as your significant other is eating. This either means ordering the smaller portion, ordering something different, or maybe even requesting a carry away box with your meal and immediately putting your share of the food that you know is too much away for later consumption.
    I've been a bit around the world --> http://6ofthe7continents.blogspot.com  <--- sorry had to plug my other blog ;-)  and anyway, I can definitely say that at a lot of American Restaurants the portions are waaaaaayyyy too big even for me! And I'm 200lbs, so as a female trying to be lean or lose weight you should be consuming even less. Initially and culturally this may seem weird, but once you start making smaller portions a part of your life you will wonder how you ever ate so big before that. My first time in Japan I remember eating at an Italian restaurant and when the food came I thought I'd be starving, but turns out it was more than enough. Practice and discipline will get your portions down to the right size for your body type and weight goal while still enjoying life, just being more fit for it.

Consult a doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet, fitness, or weight training program.

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Armed For The Mayan Calander! The Bicep Circuit For 2012!

     So in the personal training of hundreds of clients in packed gyms there have always been times where we had to work out in compressed space in compressed time. This 15 minute bicep workout has left people unable to steer the car home! So once again this one will be for intermediate or advanced, not to be done on your first arm day!

All you are going to need is the preacher bench, bar, and a set of dumbbells, five pounds less than what you normally curl should suffice.

Triple set: you will do all 3 consecutively with no rest, then you will rest two minutes and repeat it two to three times depending on how pumped you want to be.

Preacher curl with ez bar: 15 reps

Using the same exact bar, get up to the front of the bench for-

Standing curl with ez bar: 15 reps

One to three cheat curls at the end are ok, if you need to do more you have to lower the weight.

Dumbbell curls: 15 reps

Again a little cheating at the end is acceptable, even better would be to rest for three breaths or so without putting the weight down and keep going.

Bicep tips:

Use a 98% range of motion, I start almost all the way at the bottom and come up as far as possible, imagine at the end of the motion you one day will be trying to hold a penny between the peak of your bi and your forearm. I don't go down all the way because I never want to completely stop the contraction.

Use this program once a month or so, not every bicep day. Incorporate variety as that is consistently what leads to the best gains along with diet.

Find out not what works best, but what works best for you, for some people it will be heavy curls, just a few sets, for other it may be high volume and high reps, everyone is different there is no perfect program however!

Once you find your bicep notch, do not marry it, as you will need to cheat on it to maintain gains. If the program above works for you, once in awhile change things up, come in and do 6 to 9 sets of heavy curls for 4 to 8 reps with a high rest period between.

Train hard enough! Remember if you can do your first set at the end, you didn't hit it hard enough. Your bis should be pumped. It's a gym, don't be embarrassed to check in the locker room mirror for a pump, that's why they built them there!

Always above all else listen to your body, if your training partner is yelling for five more forced reps with 100 pounds on the bar and your bicep is telling you around the third reps it's going to tear, put the weight down, and rest, fight another day.

Consult a doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or fitness program

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Ladies Only!!! How To Sculpt A Great Butt

    Hello again to my female readers, hopefully you enjoyed our first ladies only article  I Am Checking You Out at the Gym, so you have stopped putting on make up pre-workout, ditched the cell phone, left your celebrity gossip magazine at home, and are seriously training, so today lets talk about sculpting a great back side.

    Well first as always, training alone is not going to be the only key, you must have your cardio down, and more importantly your diet, this program is designed for a tone, tight, firm butt, it will not make your butt bigger! Excessive watching of reality TV shows, lack of physical activity, and the tub of ice cream you ate when your loser ex boyfriend dumped you is what adds size, this is designed to add tone. We are using the legs in this program to target the glutes hardcore, this program should not be done every leg day, once a month for beginners and twice a month for the more seasoned athlete.

Here is the recipe for a solid back side, read below for descriptions:

GLUTE DAY

Bulgarian Squats on Smith Machine: 20/15/10    Rest 1-3 minutes
Step Ups: 15-20/15-20/15-20    Rest 1 minute
Hip Abductors: 20/20/20     Little to no rest
One Leg Glute Raises: 20/20/20    Little to no rest
Glute Blaster (if available): 15/15/15    1-2 minutes rest
Your choice-one exercise, 3 sets for calves


Bulgarian Squat Smith Machine

By far my favorite and many clients favorite, use another bench or a chair behind the smith machine, position your lead leg first once you are under the bar, then prop your other leg behind as in the illustration, the deeper you can go the more it will hit the glute! These are very difficult, start without the smith machine if need be, you may want to do them near a wall at first to hold for balance.



Step Ups

Choose a bench or elevated surface in the gym, using one leg step up for 15-20 repetitions on the same leg, then switch off to the other leg, remember in any stepping/squat motion that at the bottom of the motion your knee should be over your heel, not over your toe.

Hip Abductors

You've done these a hundred times but may have a different name for them, lying on your side elevate your leg closet to the ceiling as close to the ceiling as you can while keeping it straight, roll over 360 and do the other leg.



One Leg Glute Raises

Sitting in a crunch position, raise one leg to the air, use your leg on the floor to prop your body upward while keeping the other leg elevated, do one leg's reps first then the next. The higher you can elevate the more it will work the butt muscles.



Glute Blaster

It may have another name, but if your gym has a butt machine go ahead and do three sets on it, if it doesn't you may substitute with lunges, you can elevate your rear leg as you step up for an extra butt kick.

And choose an exercise for calves.

You may need to buy a new pair of jeans to show off the hard work, and definitely enjoy bikini season!

Feel free to email or facebook me with any questions!


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Online Store

Below are some great things that I have personally used and had clients use, there are not many things listed because I personally believe you should learn diet before you begin supplementing and always put diet first! Please remember before buying any supplement to first contact your doctor or a medical professional. But once you have your diet down, check out some of these great products:

Let start with my favorite protein, it contains only pure whey, this is the "advanced protein, if you are looking for great taste and flavor this is not your best bet, it is extremely plain, but for me has done the best! I do two scoops which comes out to 50 grams of protein and  flavor it with cinnamon and fruits.

Now when I am at the fire house I don't have access to the same flavorings as always, so on duty, I choose these guys, sometimes vanilla, sometimes chocolate.



                                                      BOTH ARE GREAT!

Creatine is a great supplement when used right, I like to use this one with vanilla whey, I only use it about once a year during bulking season.



And how can we forget energy drinks! The damn fire department got me hooked on these, here's a great deal from amazon for the sugar (mass building, or not as concerned about cuts) and diet version.

Travel can be a rough time on the gym, but not with these bad boys, check out my working out while traveling article for a great band program that will fit in your carry on!

You know you love them! While there are a lot of nutrition bars out there that claim to be good, many are overloaded with sugar and processed foods, for this reason I usually prefer to go with cliff bars:

When it comes time to monitor weight loss, three things that will help greatly, a scale, a mirror, and a fat % calculator. The one below is the same one I use on my clients, now the best way to calculate body fat is in hydrotank, but that costs a little more than $20 something dollars and good luck finding a spot in your place for it! Also check out the scale below, with over 5,000 positive reviews you can't go wrong.

Last but not least, life would not be the same without this book, Captain Power, and many others refer to it, the Bible of Body Building:

And remember just clicking on the links and buying anything from amazon supports this site. Thanks again to all the readers who make this blog possible!

Training Back 101: How to do 20 pull ups

    It's probably one of the most under rated exercises in the gym, on back day guys will sit at the isolated lat pull down, or rack up weight at the dead lift, but one of the greatest mass builders, as well as greatest exercises for over all athletic development is the pull up.So lets talk about how to make massive lats and do more pull ups in the gym, a few tips before we get to the program:

You body weight: Go to do a pull up, but put a 20 pound dumbbell between your legs and do it, didn't get as many as usual right? As always you want to keep body fat as low as possible, even with an extra 10 pounds you may be sacrificing a rep or two.

Momentum: is not your friend, but it's not your enemy either, if you need to use momentum for 2-3 reps at the end, go for it, but if you are swinging like a 14 year old female gymnast from the first rep you are going to have to use the assisted pull up machine until you can do real pull ups.

Abs: Hell, we love abs anyway right? Well a strong core is going to be key in keeping all that weight below your hips stable, don't neglect ab and core training, ever.

Ok every other tip will factor into the program, here's the program that put me from around 10-15 pull ups to 20-26 pull ups at my body weight (205lbs/92kg) and chin ups for reps with an 80lb dumbell between my legs.


Phase 1: 50 chin ups... no matter what.

Start your back day with 50 chin ups, you are going to do this for 6 weeks. It may take 3 sets, it may take 15 sets, when I first did this in the early 2000's I remember finishing it up with sets of 1! Oh and you are not done after that, follow with a medium grip cable row, close grip cable row, and some lower back extensions.


Week 1-6:


50 chin ups, in as many sets as it takes
*extreme beginners (4 or less pull ups on first set) can use the assisted chin up machine or do L-chin ups on the smith machine
Medium grip cable pull down: 15, 15, 15
Close grip seated cable pull: 15, 15, 15
Lower back extensions: 3 sets of 15-20

You will have a good foundation now to begin some serious back training!
 
Follow this for the next 4-8 weeks:

Our first exercise will be of course, the pull up. X will be your number that is slightly below your max for the 1st two sets. The first two sets are not done to failure, if your max is 12 reps, do 8, the following can be done till failure. The following 3 sets will involve you putting a dumbbell between your legs and lifting with it, if you are fortunate enough to have a chain belt at your gym that will be a better option.

Pull Ups  X/ X/ max+20lb dbell/ X+40dbell/ X+heavy (what can you manage) for reps, drop the weight and keep going!
L-Pull Ups 3 sets to absolute failure: done on the smith machine.
*Set the bar around your bottom abdominal quadrant, use an overhand medium grip and climb your feet out as much as you are comfortable with, straight out will be more difficult than legs bent.
Dbell Rows, or Seated Cable Row: follow a normal routine, pyramid
Assisted Pull Ups medium grip: 2 sets to fail 
Lower Back extensions: 3 sets of 15

Intensity techniques: Cant do that many? Or have energy at the end, Jump Pull Ups, jump up to the top of the bar with your hands on it and do the negatives, try for 10 reps. Have a workout buddy? Assisted pull ups by the legs are much better than with the machine. Use whatever mental techniques you must to summon the energy, one I use: STOP COUNTING. Get under the bar and have your spotter count as you go to failure, I use this on clients too and notice people always stop at benchmark numbers, 10, 15, 20, etc., when they stopped counting the majority hit higher reps. Stop counting and go till failure! If you have to, recite your phone number as you begin to lose count. Lift with your back and not your arms, those of you who feel it more in your arms, don't worry, it only means you are weak. Just kidding, actually it means you have weak bi's that will compensate in time.

   Make the pull up your best friend and keep track of every time you hit a new high, which after awhile will be rare. Buy a few new shirts as you may not fit into the old ones after this. If you are wearing a relatively tight shirt at the start of this workout, you should have difficulty taking it off right after. Happy back day!

Consult a doctor or medical professional before beginning any fitness or weight training program.

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"I can't do one pull up" article coming soon... or sooner if enough people request it.

How much rest time between sets?

Keeping track of time with the big clock!

How much rest time will depend on your goal and training plan, let start with simplicity:

0 to 30 seconds: you are looking to build endurance, cut up, or lose weight.

30 seconds to 2 mintues: your goal is muscle tone, muscle mass, and weight loss.

2 to 5 minutes: your goal is power and muscle mass.

5 minutes or more: you are a championship body builder, a world class power lifter, you brought your cell phone into the gym, you started a conversation with someone and are taking too long, you don't know what you are doing, you are watching the gym tv, or you are wasting someone else's time that is waiting for that machine, or you have no clue about working out.

Now... To go a but more in-depth. You don't have to always commit to one of those formulas. I typically go slow in the beginning to get some power sets in and in the end I'm 90% of the time not resting at all. If your goal is overall development stick with an overall program. You can of course phase things as well, month one power, month two mass, month three endurance. Experiment with what is best for you and what you get results from. Remember it's not what works best, it's what works best for you!

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Consult a doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or fitness program.