Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Training, Weight Loss
This past week was one of the craziest of my entire life. I felt like I worked virtually around the clock to get everything done. Fortunately everything worked out, got done on time and in a quality manner.
Now you could say that sleep was not a huge part of the equation this week (getting up a 3am to get work done will do that to you), however I slept in until almost 8am this morning. Since then I have relaxed, eaten breakfast and read some interesting blogs that I wanted to share with you guys. So check them out.
Transitional Speed Training – by Kevin Neeld. Kevin has just released his Ultimate Hockey Training System which I was fortunate enough to contribute the Nutrition Guide for. As a former junior hockey player I can tell you first hand this video and the product are fantastic and will make a huge impact on your on-ice performance. As a strength coach I can also tell you that I have seen Kevin coach in person way back in the day when he interned at CP, and he is phenomenal. Watch the video and tell me you don’t agree!
Mistakes Skinny Guys Make: Flipflopitis – by Tony Gentilcore. This is a fantastic ongoing series over on Tony’s site that you should check out. In this installment Tony expounds on a great Dan John quote “The goal is to keep the goal, the goal.” He applies it to skinny guys always bouncing from program to program and always trying the next best thing rather than actually following a plan through to completion. In reality this applies to the ENTIRE population, so definitely give this one a read.
Losing Fat With Simple Food – Two Reader Anecdotes – by Stephan Guyenet. Two readers of wholehealthsource provide their stories on a low-reward diet. This is a simple yet fascinating read to see how they responded to the lifestyle change and how it affected their weight and body composition. They also point out numerous times that low-reward does not equal low-palatability, which is a very important disctinction.
Filed under: General Health, Training, Weight Loss
Training the core is one of the most controversial topics in the entire fitness industry. It ranges from some people doing almost all sit-ups, crunches, side-bends and other forms of spinal flexion vs others doing only plank variations where they draw their stomach in towards their spine and then everyone in between.
The question is – Who’s right?
Well Mike Robertson has decided to answer that question with the most comprehensive core product the industry has ever seen – Complete Core Fitness. Mike covers a bunch of research, breaks down the anatomy and the kinetic role of the core musculature and the unit as a whole, and relates this into a proper core training philosophy and protocol.
In his usual manner Mike provides this incredible info in an easy-to-understand slideshow, interjected with a little humor and anecdotes from his vast training experience that makes this product worth every penny. If you are a strength coach, physical therapist or a fitness enthusiast then this is a must have for your training library!
Let’s break down again what makes this product so awesome:
- Complete Core Fitness includess 7 webinar modules, for 3 hours of total content covering everything about the core.
- Topics include Mike’s philosophy on core training, functional anatomy, his assessment process, and then the four phases of core training he uses with clients and athletes.
- Everything is covered here – assessment, program design, coaching, cuing, the works. Literally it’s step-by-step in nature.
- There are four bonus products (including one 2-hour webinar by Evan Osar) and then you also get the Powerpoint slides and an additional 80 minutes of audio Q&A to download.
- 60-day, no questions asked money back guarantee
I have personally watched the entire webinar (I got an early release version) I can tell you that it is absolutely fantastic. I have pages worth of notes as Mike just had so many valuable little tidbits of information even though a lot of what he teaches is what I believe and learned at Cressey Performance. Even with similar ideas and philosophies, I found a ton of info and tips were invaluable. Some were just little ideas that made a few things click, others were ways of saying things or coaching cues that I felt would work well with clients.
Mike really covered it all and taught me a bunch of stuff in the process! Which I know maybe doesn’t sound that hard, but considering again our similar philosophies on the topic as well as the fact that I have seen Mike give seminars on this very topic, I was still able to walk away armed with a more information to make me better at what I do, and that is always the measure of a good product.
So again if you are a strength coach or a personal trainer this is an absolutely must-have, no questions asked. If you are a fitness enthusiast or one of the 80% of Americans who suffers from low back pain, then this product will also be invaluable to you. This week only the Complete Core Fitness is on sale price for $30 off the usual price, so act fast!
—> Complete Core Fitness <—
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Training, Weight Loss
How many small business owners get any business training? Unless you went to school for business, most likely not much. How many dentists, electricians, doctors, painters, chefs, nutritionists and trainers/strength coaches get any direction or quality information on how to run their business? Not many.
While being good at what you do is imperative, and without that it doesn’t matter how good your business skills are, it still will not maximize your success. I’m not just talking about making money, I’m talking about the amount of people you can work with and provide a quality service too. If you do not have a good business plan you will fail or at least fail to thrive, regardless of your skill set.
Fortunately for all of us in the fitness industry there is hope. Eric Cressey, Mike Robertson and Pat Rigsby have worked together to create an incredible product, the Fitness Business Blueprint.
It covers things on the actual training side – intake/assessment, program design, coaching, etc as well as thoroughly providing you with a blueprint for business success. Pat is one of the most successful business coaches in the fitness industry, and has helped thousands of strength coaches and trainers create thriving personal facilities.
EC and MR both own their own incredibly successful facilities and have learned tons of valuable lessons along the way. I was personally on the ground floor of Cressey Performance as it grew from a small facility with 37 clients to a 7,600 sq ft comprehensive training center with several hundred clients. I was able to witness the implementation of new and improved business models as the EC and the CP team grew and got better. This isn’t advice from some internet expert, this is advice and strategies from guys who have successfully done what so many of us want to do. This product will allow you to stand on the shoulders of giants.
The Fitness Business Blueprint is a comprehensive product to help any trainer or strength coach finally break out of the big box gym and start running their own place, work their desired schedule, and make their desired income, and it is for sale right now!
Good luck!
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Training, Weight Loss
Mike Boyle recently wrote an absolutely phenomenal article called Training is like Farming, which I am re-posting here because I think it is that good. This analogy is absolutely perfect, and it is something that I can never emphasize enough to my clients. You get out what you put in, period.
Without further ado:
I think I remember Stephen Covey in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Note from BSP – this is a fantastic book!) making reference to what I believe he called “the law of the farm.” The reference was meant to show that most of the truly good things in life take time and can’t be forced or rushed. Covey described the process of farming and alluded to how it requires patience and diligence to grow crops properly. In addition, farming requires belief in the system. The farmer must believe that all the hard work and preparation will eventually yield a long-term result.
As a strength and conditioning coach, business owner and personal trainer, the concept has always stuck with me. The process of exercising is much like farming or like planting a lawn. There are no immediate results from exercise and there are no immediate results from farming.
First, the seeds must be planted. Then fertilizer (nutrition) and water must be applied consistently. Much like fertilizer in farming, too much food can be a detriment to the exerciser. Only the correct amounts cause proper growth. Overfeeding can cause problems, as can underfeeding. As I sit and wait for my lawn to sprout or crops to grow, I feel many of the same frustrations of the new exerciser. When will I see results? How come nothing is happening? All this work and — nothing.
The key is to not quit. Have faith in the process. Continue to add water and wait. Farming and exercising are eerily similar. Continue to exercise and eat well and suddenly a friend or co-worker will say, “Have you lost weight”? Your reaction might be, “It’s about time someone noticed.” Much like the first blades of grass poking through the ground, you begin to see success. You begin to experience positive feedback. Clothes begin to fit differently.
When my friends or clients talk to me about their frustration with their initial lack of progress in an exercise program, I always bring up the farm analogy. We live in a world obsessed with quick fixes and instant results. This is why the farm analogy can be both informative and comforting.
An exercise program must be approached over a period of weeks and months, not days. The reality is that there is no quick fix, no easy way, no magic weight loss plan, no secret cellulite formula. There is only the law of the farm. You will reap what you sow. In reality, you will reap what you sow and care for. If you are consistent and diligent with both diet and exercise, you will eventually see results. However, remember, much like fertilizer and water, diet and exercise go together.
Try to grow crops or a lawn without water. No amount of effort will overcome the lack of vital nutrients.
The law of the farm.
Plant the seeds.
Feed and water properly.
Wait for results; they will happen, not in days, but in weeks and months.
To your success,
Mike Boyle
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Weight Loss
I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July. It was a lovely day up here in Maine so I hope that weather shared with everyone else.
In the spirit of summer truly starting, I wanted to share some feedback with a client who contacted me in late winter to try and get lean for the summer. This was a guy who had been training for a while, and was big and strong, but had a few more lbs than he wanted.
He had dieted before and gotten results, but it was crazy strict and he could never maintain that leanness or enjoy life at the same time! So he contacted me to see if he could find a nutrition plan to achieve a more sustainable level of leanness and still be able to party with his friends down on the Jersey Shore. His goal was to lose 15-20lbs and keep it off.
We had a phone consult where we discussed my analysis of his current intake and prior dieting experience, the sad fact that he was from Jersey (kidding), as well as various other questions he had. I also sent him my nutrition packet, grocery list and finally, his personalized nutrition plan.
He contacted me a few weeks ago to share his results, and here is what he had to say:
“Brian,
I wanted to take a minute to follow up with you. Since I began the nutrition plan at the beginning of March, I have lost 18.5 lbs as of this morning(June 24)! Feeling and looking good. I’m not shredded, but I’m much, much leaner. If i had to guess, I’m between 9-10% body fat. That’s down from 14.5% according to one of those gadgets you grip.
I think I’m doing very well considering the weekends I’ve had at the Jersey Shore and the recent grad parties I’ve attended. I’m on point 80-85% of the time, and that has allowed me to live like a real person and not feel terrible about not being able to eat super clean with limited options at the Shore.”
Clearly he has made tremendous progress, and has been able to lose just over 1lb per week while not being perfect, partying on the weekends (1 night) and as he put it, living like a real person. These are real-world results, and his eating has now developed into lifestyle that he can sustain for the long haul. He has been able to make this progress through rough weekends, graduation parties and more while not depriving himself.
If your goal is to be 4% bodyfat and step on stage in a Speedo, then this plan isn’t for you. If your goal is to be healthy and fit, with an eye on your long-term health and success, then you have come to the right place.
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Weight Loss
What’s More Important?
This is a central question that everyone needs to ask themselves. While this can apply to all facets of life, I am going to focus on diet and nutrition, obviously.
To me many people make their food choices seemingly on a whim, or what sounds good at the time. I am sorry to say, that approach does not lead down the path of success. Instead people need to become more mindful of their choices.
My proposition is to get people to ask themselves “what’s more important to you?” Is it more important that you lose 20lbs or have a soda everyday? Is it more important that you walk around at sub 10% bodyfat, or that you hang out with your friends and enjoy yourself on the weekends (and instead you are 12% bodyfat)?
I am not saying which choice is the “right” one, I am asking you to decide which choice is more important to YOU. To some having a soda everyday makes them happy (or at least they think it does, which might be the same thing), and if you choose to make that decision everyday so be it, but do not bemoan the fact that you can’t lose those 20lbs. You made a conscious choice. If losing the 20lbs was truly more important, you would drop the soda.
This is similar to the idea that people are willing to give up what they want the most (to be lean) for what they want right now (CAKE!).
Situations like this happen all of the time. People want to get stronger, or they want to get leaner, or they want to gain some muscle, yet they are not willing to give up habits that prevent these things from happening. This would be fine if they were ok with the fact that their consistent choices are what have gotten them where they are.
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However, if you really want to be different, look different, feel different, perform different than you currently are, then you have to decide what is more important to you – The change you say you want, or the choices you currently make that have you where you are? TV or the gym? Getting up a few minutes earlier and making breakfast, or sleeping in and getting Dunkin Donuts? Spending 10 minutes each morning preparing 2-3 meals/snacks for the day, or not and just eating at restaurants or work and hoping for the best? The list goes on and on.
The choices are yours, you just need to decide what is more important to you.
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Training, Weight Loss
The fact of the matter in this industry is that there are a ton of people who market themselves as experts, and very few actually have a damn clue about what they are doing. It is an unfortunate state of affairs, but it is what it is.
People saw an opportunity to make money without having to actually be really good at what they do, and they took advantage of it. However, there does seem to be a subset of people who generally care about being good, honest and getting their clients results.
While we may not all agree on everything, we all understand many of the same concepts, and actually have a grasp on the literature on fitness. We don’t just perpetuate dogma or write things that are controversial and sexy just for a few more sales. Its about good content, and good results.
With all of this in mind, I think Mark Young has created an absolutely fantastic new product – How to Read Fitness Research. Mark makes it simple and straightforward. Explaining in layman’s terms what I spent several semesters learning about!
Whether you are a fitness professional or even a fitness junkie who loves to be informed, this would be a tremendous tool in your arsenal. To many, reading research articles is like reading German. This is where Mark comes in with his research Rosetta Stone.
He will teach you how to use Pubmed, give an overview of how research is generally conducted, how to read research, what are the best journals to subscribe to (and even how to get some for free!), how to know the quality of that data, and most of all how to interpret and apply the results. Now, he may not be able to teach you the nitty gritty of neurophysiology, but he can certainly give you the foundational knowledge to comprehend the basic tenets of ALL research.
Learning these new skills will make you far better at sifting through the junk, and knowing fact from fiction. Whether you are a fitness professional who needs to increase their knowledge and provide a better service for their clients, or a fitness enthusiast who simply wants to be able to read some research and know what is going on, this would be the greatest tool for you.
I took a class last semester called Research Methods and Biostatistical Techniques. That class cost me over $1200 to learn exactly what Mark is teaching and more (plus his is much more exciting, that’s for sure) for only $77! And in fact, How to Read Fitness Research is on sale this week through Friday for only $37!
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Training, Weight Loss
I know I have been talking about Tim Collins a lot this week, but it is a truly amazing story. EC and Pete flew out to Kansas City to see him on Opening Day yesterday, and lo and behold Timmy got to pitch the 9th inning. While KC lost 4-2, Timmy threw 19 pitches, 10 for strikes leading to 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout and 0 runs. Not too shabby for a 21 year old kid huh?
I also hope that those of you not living in the Northeast are loving life right now, as up here in Augusta, Maine we are projected to get 8-14 inches of heavy, wet snow today! Awesome! I love shoveling.
Anyway, onto actual nutrition content.
Jonny Bowden had a recent article called Foods to Fight High Blood Pressure that I thought was excellent overall. However I feel that there were a few important points that were left unsaid that I wanted to touch on and expand on the topic a bit. To truly get the most out of this post, I recommend you read that one first, though I will provide a small recap:
- Approximately 1 in 3 US adults has high blood pressure, and 25% of them don’t even know it
- High blood pressure is directly responsible for over 56,000 US deaths each year
- The research generally shows that excess sodium in our diets contributes to high blood pressure for many
- While cutting back sodium can help, consuming more potassium can be just as effective for managing blood pressure
- In fact increasing potassium intake without decreasing sodium will still improve blood pressure
- Here is the list JB provides on potassium containing foods:
- Swiss Chard – 961 mg per cup
- Bananas – 422 mg in one medium banana
- Spinach – 839 mg per cup
- OJ – 496 mg per cup
- Dried apricots – 550 mg per 1/4th cup (1 serving)
- Sweet potatoes – 542 mg per medium sweet potato
- Avocados – CA variety – 690 mg per, FL variety – 1067 mg per
- Cantaloupe – 368 mg in 1/4 of a medium cantaloupe
- Figs – 381 mg per half cup
- Peaches – 322 mg in one large peach
- Beans – 477-1224 mg per cup
- Kale – 299 mg per cup
- Some other foods lower blood pressure by other mechanisms such as celery, garlic, beet juice, whey protein powder and vitamin D.
Now my two cents.
Read the rest of this entry »
Filed under: General Health, Movie Review, Nutrition, Recipes, Training, Weight Loss, Youth Training
I am very pleased to announce the newly available BSP Training & Nutrition Newsletter!
To sign up simply fill in the info on your right, and you will have immediate access to some cool stuff. I plan on this newsletter functioning as my RSS feed, as at the end of each week I will provide a small recap and link to each blog post so you can catch up on anything that you may have missed. This will also allow me to see which content and blog posts people read the most, and the least, allowing me to greatly improve what I write and cater the content better to you guys!
It will also provide exclusive content and cool new updates that may not appear on the blog itself. In addition by signing up I will send you my 20-page report “The Truth About Saturated Fat & Cholesterol.” In this report I really dig into the data and showcase how off-base the mainstream recommendations truly are.
All of that combined will clearly make you so much more awesome, how could you not sign up! This is a completely FREE service, and you can unsubscribe at any time if you wish (though who would want to?), so feel free.
If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email. Enjoy!
Filed under: General Health, Nutrition, Training, Weight Loss
Now that 2010 is almost completely in our rearview, I figured this was a great time to recap what I thought were some of the best resources of 2010. People often get frustrated at their lack of results, yet are unwilling to change their approach and try something new.
They often don’t know where to look for change, or which products and resources can actually help them reach their goals. Well I make it a priority to only recommend products and resources that I think can help you reach your goals, whether they be to improve your coaching ability, athletic performance, body composition or overall health.
I also try to make it clear to whom these resources are intended for, so you only purchase ones that are a good fit for you and your needs. This whole process allows me to continue to learn and improve, pass some of that knowledge on to you, and also filter the marketing so you can make informed decisions on which products and resources you actually want to spend your hard-earned money on!
Here are my Top 5 Products/Resources of 2010 that I reviewed. I will note that their are many more great ones out there that I have not yet had the time to review, though I will hopefully get a chance in the near future.
1. Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel and Move Better. This is my favorite of the year for many reasons. It is an amazing training program that also provides info on proper soft-tissue work, warm-ups and gives you access to over 175 videos demonstrating every exercise in the entire program. Not only that, you also have the ability to purchase my Show and Go Nutrition Guide, which I must say is pretty awesome in and of itself! Eric provided a complete resource to help you maximize your potential. Here is my Review of Show and Go.
2. Body By Boyle Online. This is an unbelievable resource for just about anybody out there. This resource provides over a year of ready-made programs, with new programs being added every month, covering athletic performance, rehab, fat loss ad more! It also contains over 280 videos of every single exercise done at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning and more educational information than you could possibly imagine. Incredible stuff. Here is my Review for Body By Boyle Online.
3. Accelerated Muscular Development 2.0. Smitty outdid himself with this kick-ass program. He has totally revamped and improved his original Accelerated Muscular Development, adding in a ton more stuff on dynamic warm-ups, exercise progressions as well now providing over 199 exercise videos. Here is my Review of Accelerated Muscular Development 2.0.
4. The Single Leg Solution. Mike Robertson created an awesome product here. Let’s be honest, how many people actually train their legs, let alone one at a time? Well here Mike shows you proper single leg exercises, their execution, and their placement within a training program. It is well-researched and well-written, which is the norm for Mike. Here is my Review of The Single Leg Solution.
5. Optimal Shoulder Performance: From Rehabilitation to High Performance. Mike Reinold of the Boston Red Sox, and Eric Cressey of Cressey Performance joined forces to create one of the most educational resources of the year. This DVD set covers a seminar given at CP where Mike and Eric go over the anatomy of the shoulder, how and why things can go wrong, how to correct it and even more importantly, how to prevent it. There is also a bunch of exercise demonstrations at the end of the seminar to provide proper exercise technique, and yours truly was the demonstrator. If you have a shoulder issue, or work with a population prone to shoulder issues, check this one out. Here is my Review of Optimal Shoulder Performance.
Well there you have it, my Top 5 Resources of 2010. Maybe give yourself a nice little post-Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate) reward for being so awesome in 2010.
Posted on October 22nd, 2011 by Brian St. Pierre
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