OK,...the latest sign that the apocalypse is near?-BACONASE!!

..Look,i like wacky food as much as the next Joe and Jane,but....well,just see for yourself,and share your "gut" reactions..


..GOZER the Gozerian's got 'nuthin on:

Behold the coming of BACONASE
...think I'll go hit NATHAN'S again this weekend..suddenly that one more hot dog sounds pretty good!!.....

Ropes go wild on "Biggest Loser".....World rejoyces

So,I understand that "The Biggest Loser" used ropes on the show this week..YEAH!..As i have said before,you cannot touch hi-intensity,short-burst rope work for boosting your fat-burning metabolism.
You will feel an electric sensation in your upper torso,biceps and triceps,but mostly,a real huffing and puffing cardio workout-one that's easy on the 'joints!.Try sitting on a swiss ball,lunging,squatting,sitting on the ground,shuffling left and right while hitting the 'ropes...
Clients ask me where to purchase ropes(i DO have private clients with ropes in their basement!!)..Art of Strength,in addition to being a KB mecca,coined the phrase"ropes gone wild" ....but also consider a more "industrial" supplier-click HERE..
We use a 40' hemp rope,1 1/2" in diameter...Natural hemp smells and feels "organic",if that's important to you(it's what i prefer),while nylon will run you more $$$,it will NOT shed the way hemp does(we just tape the ends,and have not had complaints)
See earlier posts for a routine,and start going wild!

So,you think you can be a personal trainer ?

A number of folks have been asking me "what exactly do I have to do to call myself a "personal trainer?"...
While there is no single national, let alone,international licencing body,there are a number of highly regarded certification groups to consider.NASM and ACE are two with which I am personally familiar.
In the next few weeks,I will be sharing some ideas on the process of becoming a Personal fitness trainer,and hope to answer the more common questions you might have regarding that process!
My first suggestion would be to simply click on the 'links and "poke around".

My Primary'creds?:

CPT(Certified Personal Trainer:NASM)
CES(Corrective Exercise Specialist:NASM)
MS-Masters in exercise science,with a rehabilitation specialty..
and numerous other certifications dealing with flexibility,Kettlebell training,program design,etc..

Ever consider a career in fitness?--Ask a question,and I will do my best to answer it!

--warning:food porn HERE!--graphic images....

OK..OK..OK....

After a glorious Sunday workout down at "lebanon"-Long Beach boardwalk,i had to succumb to the "dark side",if only for a moment and a mouthful..My rationalization?-well,let's see-my buddy did the KB workout yesterday while I watched,so today I hit it hardcore,and broke a sweat and a half.
Maybe it was that "happy-happy-joy-joy" music from the previous video still ringing in my head,but the siren sound of Nathan's famous was calling me.....1/3 cup of hot 'kraut,the dark mustard...i actually inhaled the thing!
As my clients will attest,when it comes to eating ,if we stay the course 90% of the time,that occasional 10% won't knock us back too much..
Back to the workweek,how lucky am I?-i really DO love egg whites,turkey,and broccoli!!

Bon appetite!

the greatest kettlebell soundtrack EVER!!

...From the opening freeze-frame(i'm thinking Scorcese"Cape Fear") to the text comments which start and end the day for these 2 guys--i double-dog DARE you to NOT have a good time watching this great,nutty KB workout video.Before you even ask,NO,i DO NOT have my'gym clients tossing/juggling/flipping kettlebells,but I do it all myself...out at the park,or down at the beach--big fun!!!
..and come on,give it up for that awesome Kettlebell MARIACHI music!!!
For you musical KB lifters:the key change @ approx. 3:20 is what put me away..

Here i've been staying up late mixing tababa mp3's of AC/DC and classic hip hop for my KB grind class workouts???
Bring on Herb Alpert,spin on the Baja Marimba band,and LET'S ROCK the 'BELLS!!!
Thanks,gentlemen,for showing how much FUN kettlebells can be!!

Remember,as they say,
"learn to ENJOY your body"...

..as a new season of "biggest loser" kicks off..

(Hey kids!-Here's a blast from the (recent) past)..

....Let's show our appreciation to those fitness pros who really do help us reach our goals by teaching us proper Kettlebell technique ?--OK?

I am proud to say i use kettlebells with ALL my rehab clients,as well as fat-loss,"look-good-in-the white-pants-and-bare-shoulders-outfit",and post-neuro-trauma(gait training)folks..
always in a safe,deliberate manner.
No injuries,no complaints,just results!!

...keep 'swingin!(safely!)

My Rope-a-dope/KB cardio fat-burning FREAKOUT !!

Using ropes for short-burst cardio are a quick-and-dirty way to jack up your metabolism and get your fat stores burning like nobody's beeswax!

My Kettlebell and fat-loss clients will work hard and all-out for 20 seconds,recover for 10 seconds,then repeat that 30 second"round" 8 times for a four minute finisher that cannot be beat.

Outside the gym-in the park,at the beach, the challenge is enhanced,as grass,dirt,and sand can add to the weight and resistance!
In case you were wondering,I use a 40ft. rope,1 1/2 in. in diameter--hey,i should really see how much that weighs,huh?

Here's what i did:
pass the TigerBalm and Epsom salts,thank you

20"ON/10"OFF,no rest between rounds:
Rope circuit,rest 3 mins.,KB circuit:

1:alternating waves
2:side2side sweeps
3:2 hand waves
4:circles-in/out
5:landing the 747 @ JFK
6:jumping jacks
7:throwdowns
8:seated alternating waves

THEN:with my 3 Kettlebells all lined up,waiting to mock me:

1:2 hand swings
2:figure 8 to hold
3:hot potato(ladies---do this one BEFORE the nail salon..)
4:H2H swings
5:alternating tactical "hi steppers"-walking..(dead man walking)
6:swing-flip-squat
7.back to 2 hand swings..and
8:KB burpees.

My "line up?-35lb./24lb./18lb.KB
As i got more fried,i just dropped down a size..certain moves demanded some humility.

What do you guys think?-20 mins. and DONE!Contact me for more details on the 'moves! Let me hear from you,and please,
click the KB or Perform Better images on the right to grab some really great deals(especially on coated and "naked" KETTLEBELLS).

Get OFF that Stairmaster..Another view on "traditional" CARDIO.....

Was anyone else taken aback by that cover story TIME magazine ran a few weeks ago,talking about exercise,eating and fat reduction?
Craig Ballantyne,CSCS has been espousing the use of simple,intense Bodyweight exercise for years--I use a number of his ideas with many of my fitness clients,with great results.Here's a recent article speaking to why spending a long time on that treadmill may not be as effective as once thought....What do you guys think?

Why Cardio Doesn't Work for Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it should work
so perfectly well for all men and women, but as anyone who has
tried it knows, the practicality of it just doesn't add up.

After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the other hand, it works just fine for others.

British researchers wanted to get more insight into this paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who weren't previously exercising.

(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).

Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That's a lot of
exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average of 8.2 pounds, which is great - I was positively surprised by the results.

So cardio will work for some people, however, in my experience, it works best in young men, who need the help the least!

Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between individuals was huge. Check this out...

The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks, while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.

The scientists think they know where things went sour. They
classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the "Compensators"
and the "Non-compensators".

The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio efforts.

Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge "compensatory" increase in appetite experienced by this group.

Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it does,
research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.

So if your cardio program is not working for you, check your
appetite and calorie intake to see if you are "compensating" for
your efforts. If you are, you might be better off using a program
of high-intensity resistance and interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your weight loss efforts.

As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research,
interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. And
increased catecholamines can reduce appetite, among other fat-
burning benefits.

In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks of
cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of 8 pounds with aerobic exercise.

So again, check your appetite, and consider giving high-intensity
exercise a go for your next workout program.

Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity Turbulence Training.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training


About the Author

Learn about the "Dark Side of Cardio" in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. Craig is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment,Click HERE for Turbulence Training.

Why Beatles Rock Band may destroy my life.......

OK OK,a plastic guitar in the house is one thing,but when a grown man starts getting the shakes while passing the video game section of Best Buy because they 'got the new BEATLES Rock Band demo going full bore...trouble.("i'm a loser")
All i wanted was a little case for my little camcorder--i even had a $$ balance on a BB gift card from my Auntie in Florida.....then i saw it ("i just saw a face")....on the 42 inch 'plasma.......Blue shirt:"hot off the presses..5-song demo,wanna try?"
Do I?
I didn't mean to knock that cute 8 year-old down,but Hell,go find some Dora-the-explorer action,dude,really.....you were not even around for the Monkees....jeez...
After plowing through"Here comes the Sun" and "Yellow Submarine" three times,i noticed a small crowd gathering.Rather than surrender my plastic Strat,i encouraged the "kid" to sit down and jam with me on the Playskool-like drumkit.."I wanna play a ROCK song"--Again,kid--it's NOT called AIR SUPPLY ROCK BAND....just hit"enter". An animated magical mystery tour of the Ed Sullivan theater later and he took a powder,to be replaced my a real adult,hey,like me,who kept nailing 100% scores on "difficult"-clearly a Rock Band ringer.
"How does it look"? he asked while tapping away-you see,one does not stare at anything but the long and winding ,and endless,fretboard of the game.The building could be burning down,a pit bull could be gnawing at your good leg--you want"double fab"score on "Day tripper"?-you DO NOT look at the (breathtakingly beautiful) graphics!!
("Something")finally got me to get up and walk away("i'll cry instead")and out into the daylight("Sun king").("It won't be long")Actually,only 2 weeks,till Beatles Rock Band hits on ("number 9") 9/9/09....That gives me just enough time to sell off my Grandmother's upright piano...

The drumset should just fit in that corner....

Wedda U a brother or wedda U a Mother....walk this way!!

Guys:
Clients ask all the time"how do i know i'm working hard enough when i do my fitness WALKING?
Well check out this audio for the research study results,then download
"STAYING ALIVE" from the Bee Gees' greatest hits(or dust off your vinyl copy of "Sat. Night
Fever":
100 steps/minute seems to be where you want to strutting........
later,
Jason

Beat the Heat and Humidity by cooling off with Kettlebells!!

....OK,all you need know is that here in NY,it's SUMMER for real...95* + a heat index of
1,000000 *--? c'mon...take me back to the bitter cold,when the ice was stuck to my gloves and my KB....
(and who IS that little girl?)

..Travel?-check out this article/links....

Road Warrior Training - Keep in Shape While Traveling!

By Nick Nilsson

Spend a lot of time away from homebase but still want to
burn fat and build muscle? It can be done! Discover some
of the best ways to keep your training in gear.

If you've traveled for any length of time, you know how tough it can be to fit in a workout, eat right and continue to make progress (or even maintain what you've got!) when you're in and out of hotels and motels.

It seems the "fitness center" found in many hotels is a stationary bike without a seat and (if you're lucky) a battered multistation weight stack machine. Quite often, hotels have deals with local gyms to offer discounts or free passes but, if you're busy with other things, you may not have time to take advantage of these offers. You may even be staying in a place that has nothing at all for equipment!

So what DO you do when you're on the road and want to workout and eat right? This article will give you some practical advice on just how you can keep yourself in shape on the road. It covers training programs, nutritional advice and some sample exercises that require no specialized equipment except for what you can easily find in and around typical motel rooms or homes.

TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE ROAD WARRIOR:

Quite honestly, it's tough to follow a set program when you're in unpredictable circumstances, as often happens when you don't know what equipment you'll have access to or even if you'll have a chance to train on any particular day.

The more planned-out-in-advance your travel schedule is, of course, the better you'll be able to follow a more set program. Here are some tips on how to schedule your training while traveling.

1. Every time you get a chance to do a workout, do a total-body workout. That way, if you don't get a chance again for a couple of days, at least you'll still have worked everything. And, even if you do get a chance and do end up working the whole body for several days in a row, you'll get great benefits from this training by giving your body a completely different stimulus than it's used to!

Here is a sample total body workout arrangement - take short rest periods to keep the training intense (e.g. 30 seconds to a minute between sets). The number of reps you get will depend on the exercise you use (some exercises and body positions will be tougher than others) but shoot for around 10 to 15 reps per set.

5 Sets Chest
5 Sets Back
5 Sets Thighs
3 Sets Shoulders
2 Sets Biceps
2 Sets Triceps
2 Sets Calves
3 Sets Abdominals

2. If you feel up to it, on days when you've been traveling for long periods, do some stretching to help loosen up. Your body is basically motionless for long periods when traveling and resistance training may not be all that productive after a long day on the road. Stretching is easily done, requires no equipment and will help relax you.

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Info/Stretching1.htm

3. If you know you have a longer trip coming up, ramp your current training up to that date. What this means is that you want to start building up and working your body with increased sets and start using intensity techniques to move towards overtraining.

By doing this, by the time your trip comes along, your body will NEED the break and moving to infrequent bodyweight training will actually help your body recover and improve.

This strategy can also be applied if you travel very frequently for business. Before you leave on your trip, do a couple of extremely tough workouts in a row. While you're on the trip, do a couple of bodyweight workouts or focus on stretching, especially on shorter trips.

The concept of controlled overtraining is more fully explained in this article (includes a sample training program):

Training on the Edge - Learn How Overtraining on Purpose Can Get You Maximum Results FAST!
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue22.htm

4. If your goal is to lose fat, try Fat-Loss Circuit Training while on the road. This training technique is basically doing cardio training in between resistance training sets instead of taking a typical non-active rest period. It's extremely powerful and gives your body a strong metabolic response - perfect for packing as much punch into your workouts as possible.

Here's a sample of what looks like in action:

1 set chest
30 seconds cardio
1 set chest
30 seconds cardio
1 set back
30 seconds cardio
1 set back
30 seconds cardio
etc.

For more detailed information on how to do it, have a look at the following article:

Fat Loss Circuit Training
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue32.htm

In your motel room, you can choose from a number of cardio options: pack a skipping rope, use stairs or a low bench or even just step-ups onto a stable chair in the room (no rolling chairs!).

5. If your goal is to build muscle, I would still recommend using the total-body workout format but try to use more challenging exercise variations that only allow for 8 to 12 reps per set. Doing 50 push-ups isn't going to build muscle!

When it comes right down to it, it doesn't matter where you're training. As long as you're giving your body a strong training stimulus, you're going to be able to build muscle.

NUTRITIONAL ADVICE FOR THE ROAD WARRIOR:

Eating while traveling can often be unpredictable. Depending on activities or schedules, you may not know when or where or what kind of foods you're going to be eating on any given day. Here are some tips to help keep your eating on track.

Most of these tips are just common sense, but it can be difficult to watch what you eat on the road and especially when you're out in a group. The key is to just do the best you can and don't stress yourself out worrying if you eat something that you didn't plan on. The stress of constantly worrying about it is worse than the effect of actually doing it!

1. Naturally, the more control you have over food choices, the better off you'll be. When you can choose, opt for healthier fare without fancy sauces and fatty toppings. Stick to less processed selections and do your best to stay away from fast food as much as possible.

2. If your room has a fridge, you can buy food from grocery stores and stock your fridge. If your room doesn't have a fridge, do the best you can with nonperishable items. Try to stick to foods that are non-processed like fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc.

3. Bring a protein supplement. This could be in the form of protein powders, Ready-To-Drink formulas or protein bars. While traveling, you'll probably find that it's tough to get protein without getting a lot of fat along with it (meat is often fatty cuts or swimming in sauce). Protein supplements help immensely - you have complete control over how much protein you get and what is in it this way.

4. Take your vitamins. At the very least, you should be taking a multivitamin and plenty of extra Vitamin C (to help keep your immune system strong, which is especially important when you're packed on a plane with others who may be ill).

5. If you know you'll have a meal where you won't have much choice as to what you must eat (it happens), try to schedule a workout immediately before it. This will minimize the impact of any not-so-healthy foods you eat and you won't feel like you have to say "no" to everything.

6. Make sure to eat breakfast - your best choice is something healthy that you bought at a grocery store--before you even leave your room. Quite a few of the restaurant breakfast choices consist of fried, greasy, sugary and enriched flour foods. Starting with a good breakfast will keep you alert and energized throughout the day.

7. If you're on a road trip and stopping for something to eat, try stopping at the grocery store instead of the McDonalds. It's a lot easier to grab something healthy there. If you must eat fast foods, try to stick to grilled items. Many places offer low-carb selections or salads. Low-carb wraps are healthier than white-flour buns.

8. Order food without sauce or dressing or ask for it on the side so that you can control what goes on your food.

9. If you're at a gathering and they serve snack foods, try to stick with nuts, fruits and veggies as much as possible (avoid the dips). As tasty as the cocktail weenies are, they have no nutritional value and are fatty.

EXERCISES FOR THE ROAD WARRIOR:

In this section, I'm going to over exercises you can do for every major bodypart. At the end of this section, I'll give you a link where you can find pictures of many of these exercises in action.

CHEST

1. Push-up Variations:

- Regular Push-Ups (the normal push-up)
- Close Grip Push-Ups (hands shoulder-width apart)
- Kneeling Push-Ups
- Wall Push-Ups (standing up with your hands on wall, body at an angle)
- One Arm Push-Ups (set feet quite wide for balance)
- Feet On Chair/Bed Push-Ups (incline push-ups - increases difficulty)
- Between Two Beds/Chairs Push-Ups (hands on two objects so your range of motion is greater)
- Clapping Push-Ups - explode up and clap your hands between reps
- Luggage on Back Push-Ups (set your suitcase/bag on your back for resistance)

2. Dips

- Between Two Chairs (use the tops of the chair backs as dip handles)
- In a Countertop Corner (stand in the corner facing out and set your hands on either side of you - do a dip from there)

BACK

1. Pull-Up Rows

Lie underneath a solid object like a rail or table (not a table with only a center pedestal!). Pull yourself up underneath it like you're doing a rowing movement.

Secret Training Tip #374 - The Pull-Up Row
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue28.htm

2. One Arm Suitcase Rows

These work best if you got a heavy suitcase. Use your luggage for resistance - go for strict form and squeeze your back hard as you do them.

3. Pull-Ups

If you can find something that is solid that you can hang from, you've got yourself a pull-up station.

4. Suitcase Knee Rows

For this exercise, you'll need a fairly large suitcase. Rest the suitcase end on your thigh - this end will act as the pivot point for the exercise, using the suitcase as resistance. Row the handle towards your body - the one end will stay on your thigh while the top end pivots up towards you.

5. Luggage Farmers Walk

Grab your two heaviest pieces of luggage and walk around with them for as long as you can! For a variation that works your abs, hold only one piece of luggage - this hits the obliques.

THIGHS

1. Squats or Lunges

These can be done for high reps without extra resistance or you can use your luggage or other objects around the room for resistance. High reps won't be as useful for muscle building but will definitely stimulate your metabolism.

2. Wall Sits

Maintain a sitting position with your back against a wall for as long as possible (with no support - you'll only stay up by pushing hard with your thighs). You can also hold a piece of luggage on your lap for extra resistance.

3. One-Legged Squats

These can be done on the floor or standing on a chair for greater range of motion. Basically, you stand on one leg and squat down as far as you can then come back up (you can hold onto objects for balance when you first try these).

4. Isometric Leg Curls

Most motel/hotel rooms have tables. Stand in front of the table facing away from it (make sure there's nothing on top of it). Now raise your foot underneath so that the heel of your foot is pushing against the underside of the table. Now try to push the table up. You should feel a strong cramping in your hamstring. Hold it there for 5 to 10 seconds, squeezing hard. Relax and repeat.

5. Bench Step One-Legged Squats

This exercise requires a chair, bench or even just a stair (as long as you have something solid to grab onto). Move the chair in front of a solid object, like a doorframe, that you can get a good grip on. Stand on the chair on one foot. Now, holding onto the solid object, lower yourself down into a one-legged squat. The benefit here is that you can go further down and use your arms to pull back up if you need to. This is a tough one but a good one!

http://www.fitness-ebooks.com/bench-step-exercise.htm

SHOULDERS:

1. Luggage Shoulder Presses and Raises

Press your bags overhead or do raises (front, rear or lateral) with them. When doing presses, grip the luggage on both ends and press the whole thing directly overhead (it's a shorter range of motion). If your luggage is light, you'll need to do high reps or isometric holds at the top of the movements.

2. Horizontal Push-Ups

These are done by first bracing two chairs against a wall about 2 feet apart. Kneel down in front of them then put your hands on the chair legs. Use your legs to push your body forwards then use shoulders to press your body backwards - use your thighs to apply resistance.

BICEPS:

1. Luggage Curls

Suitcases and bags all have handles. Use these to curl! These actually work extremely well because of how the resistance of the bag hangs down underneath the handle - much different than a dumbell or barbell! As you curl up, your hand will bend backwards, which keeps the resistance on the biceps very effectively.

2. Vertical Pull-Ups

If you've got a place you can do pull-ups, try keeping your torso completely vertical while coming up. This throws more tension onto the biceps.

TRICEPS:

1. Close-Grip Push-Ups

These are done like a regular push-up only you will set your hands about shoulder width apart. Keep your elbows tucked in beside your body as you do these.

2. Body Tricep Extensions

This is a great exercise that can be done using a dresser, chair, table edge or railing. Stand in front of the object (make sure it won't roll back - brace it against a wall). Step back a few feet. Set your hands on the edge. Now, keeping your body stiff and straight, lower yourself down so that your head ducks under the edge of what you're grasping.

http://www.fitstep.com/Bestexercises/free-course/5body-tricep-extensions.htm

3. Bench Dips

These can be done on a chair or bed. Sit on the chair and set your hands on the edge under your butt. Set your feet a little forward. Now move your butt off the chair and lower yourself down. Use your triceps to push yourself back up. This exercise can also be one arm for those who are stronger - set your feet wide apart for balance, keeping your legs straight. Your working arm should be in the center of the chair for best balance.

Wave Goodbye to Flabby Arms - Bench Dips For The Triceps and How to Make Them Work Better For You
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue12.htm

CALVES:

1. Standing Calf Raises

These can be done with one leg or two legs. They can be done on stairs or any other solid object. If you're in a hotel room, often a thick phonebook will work just fine.

Basically, stand with your heels off the edge. Let your heels come down then use the calves to push back up.

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Standing_calf_raises.htm

2. Full Range Calf Raises

In short, you combine both Donkey Calf Raises and Standing Calf Raises into one exercise. For more detail, use this link:

Secret Training Tip #444 - Full-Range Calf Raises
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue40.htm

ABDOMINALS:

1. Crunches

The standard crunch exercise will work just fine.

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Crunches.htm

2. Abdominal Sit-Ups

All you need for this one is a rolled-up towel. Place the rolled-up towel in the small of your back just above the waistband and do a regular sit-up from there. The towel changes the leverage and forces the abs to do the bulk of the work.

Strong To The Core of Your Being - Dramatically improve sports and weightlifting performance and say goodbye to lower back pain!
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue9.htm

3. Luggage Squats

This is a variation of an exercise I call the Curl Squat. Grip your luggage with two hands (one on either end) and hold it at face level just in front of you, a few inches from your body. Be sure you're NOT holding it against your body but that it's supported just by your arms. Now squat down as far as you can and back up. Holding the luggage in that position will activate the abs VERY strongly.

---

For pictures of many of these exercises in action (the ones without links above), please use the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue41-travel.htm

---

In conclusion, while it can be a challenge to keep in shape on the road, it's definitely possible! By training as regularly as you can, using exercises that are suited to the environment that you're in and keeping your nutrition as simple and natural as possible, you should be able to continue to make excellent progress in your training no matter what your goals!

For more information on fat loss, muscle-building, and unique exercises for the abdominals and your entire body, check out the following links:

FAT LOSS INFORMATION
http://www.fitstep.com/fat-loss/fat-loss.htm

MUSCLE AND STRENGTH INFORMATION
http://www.fitstep.com/muscle-and-strength-building/muscle-and-strength-building.htm

"The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
http://www.thebestexercises.com

Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss
http://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-surge/metabolic-surge-rapid-fat-loss.htm

------------------

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at (http://www.fitness-ebooks.com). He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

I've heard that the 'link listed for Turbulence Training was not taking folks to Craig's site..here it is again:

www.TurbulenceTraining.com

..A great article on planning your EATING !!

CB is one of my personal 'faves-his bodywheight workouts are legendary--here's an article i've shared with my training clients for years-check it out:

How Bad is Your Nutrition?

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Click HERE for Turbulence Training

Chances are your nutrition is terrible. Or at the very least, your nutrition plan is good but you allow yourself far too many treats. Take today for example. How many Halloween candies have you treated yourself to at work? And you still have to go home and resist the leftover candy bowl or your child’s Halloween loot. The bottom line: You can’t succeed in your fat loss program if your diet is average.

I need to bring up this point because of the many emails people send me about their nutrition. From what I read, most people’s nutrition plans are far too poor to allow them to lose fat. And yet they are working harder than ever in the gym and wondering why they aren’t losing fat. No workout will help you build muscle and lose fat if you keep eating at fast-food restaurants, drinking sugary sodas, and raiding bags of leftover mini-candy bars.

And it’s frustrating because the secrets to fat loss nutrition are so simple. The best approach is eating several small meals per day, with each meal containing lean protein, vegetables, and other whole foods. You must eliminate unnecessary calories such as soda and high-fat, high-sugar snacks (like that mini-Snickers bar that’s on your desk right now). If you’re trying to lose fat, you can’t have treats every day. If fat loss is the goal, then cookies, apple pie, ice cream, nachos, fried foods, etc. just don't make the cut, as unfortunate as it is.

Research shows that an increased intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with fat loss (nutritionists never put a limit on the number of vegetables that people should eat - provided they are not fried or covered in fat or sauces). Other research suggests that replacing carbohydrates with almonds (a source of fiber, protein, and monounsaturated fats) leads to greater weight loss. Almonds are a very healthy snack and help curb hunger. A typical serving is 1 ounce of almonds (about 22 pieces) and can replace chips, chocolate bars, and cookies in your diet.

Make sure you are logging your food intake and making notes about your energy levels when you eat certain foods. Soon you will identify the nutritional reasons for your fatigue or for your consistent energy levels. You will quickly associate sugar and fried foods with poor mental performance, while noticing that small, whole, natural food-based meals and snacks help keep you alert and full of energy.

If you are overweight and just starting to improve your nutrition, I have some good news for you. You should begin losing at least 1 pound per week (probably 2 or more) simply from the nutritional changes.

Nutrition is that powerful. Don’t expect to start eating perfectly tomorrow, but you should slowly build up to eating much better and healthier than you were yesterday. Try to improve your nutrition plan everyday. Stay consistent and focused with your nutritional approach. You can do it. Here are three nutrition changes that would pay huge dividends for a fat-loss beginner:

1) Eat several small, whole food meals per day.

2) Don't consume any unnecessary liquid calories (i.e. no soda, alcohol, or sweetened beverages). Drink more water – nutrition experts recommend 3 liters per day.

3) Eliminate processed carbohydrates and sugar from your nutrition plan (no soda, cake, chips, white bread, or chocolate bars).

If you’re fed up with the body fat and spare tire around your middle, then it’s time to take a structured approach to fat loss.

If your current nutritional plan is preventing you from losing fat, then it’s time for you to start working on building better eating habits. This can be as simple as committing to one small nutritional improvement per day (such as replacing your lunchtime soda with water) and one large nutritional change per week (such as setting aside time on a Sunday to prepare a weekly menu and all of your meals).

But you need to have a plan to make this work, just like how you have a plan for your workouts. Your nutrition plan should include the contents of every meal, as well as your grocery list for the week. This will enable you to have meal alternatives for nights when you might need to be running from one event to the other with no time or healthy snack alternatives when you are on the road between meetings.

It’s important that you make your plan something you can follow. If you are currently eating 7 meals per week at the golden arches, it wouldn’t be realistic to plan to replace those meals with carrot sticks and tofu this week. A better plan would be to substitute a couple of those meals with healthier sandwich options and then work on improving things even more in the following weeks.

So here’s a three-step guideline on building a better nutrition plan:

1) Prepare a weekly menu. Outline each meal and snack for every day of the upcoming week. Take into account the possibilities that you might work late or get invited out to lunch. The more options you have and preparations you make, the better you will be able to stick to your fat loss plan.

2) From your menu plan, you’ll now know what foods and ingredients you need to make it through the week. Make your grocery list and stick to it (see mine below). Grocery shopping is your first opportunity to break some bad nutritional habits. You can’t eat chips, cookies, or cakes if you don’t have them in the house – so don’t buy them and you’ll avoid any future temptation.

3) Prepare the meals or prepare the ingredients so that making the actual meal doesn’t take a lot of time. Like shopping, it’s best to do all of these preparations at one time (such as on a Sunday or another day off).

My shopping list includes:

Fruits · Apples · Oranges · Blueberries · Melon · Peaches · Grapefruit · Raspberries

Vegetables · Peppers (red, yellow, green, & orange), · Spinach · Asparagus · Broccoli · Snow Peas · Mushrooms · Frozen mixed vegetables · Tomato sauce

Protein Sources · Chicken breasts · Turkey breasts · Salmon fillets · Lean beef · Skim milk & low-fat, low-sugar yogurt

Carbohydrates · Oat bread · Oatmeal (no sugar added) · Whole-wheat pasta

Other · Green tea · Unsalted, not roasted, Almonds

You’ll notice that most of these foods come without a food label. Most of the foods that you should avoid come in a bag or a box. Building a shopping list that contains very few bagged or boxed items is something to aim for. But when you do purchase something with a label, make sure to avoid two of the unhealthiest ingredients created by man:

1) High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) 2) Hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil (the sources of trans-fatty acids)

You might have heard of these two ingredients. They are strongly associated with obesity and other lifestyle-diseases (such as diabetes).

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Who watches the FITMEN?

OK:it's a cheezy way to get you to look,what with the Watchmen movie opening Friday all over the universe(and IMAX),but as a fitness trainer(one of the FITMEN and FITWOMEN) in and out of the corporate world for a decade ,one hot-button topic seems more crucial now than ever before.
As of today,there exist a myriad number of very valid fitness and wellness certifications available to validate one's competency as a personal trainer.

There also exist a lot that seem to have come off the back of a matchbook..

Until such time as there is a unified,national set of regulations for all organizations to answer to,the burgeoning wellness industry will continue to be diluted in it's mission.
Hey,i'm way proud of all my credentials(see my profile for the alphabet soup),but the one i am most empowered by is my Master's in rehabilitaion science,awarded to me by California U. of Penn.
That degree program is an adjunct of my NASM status.
Since the vast majority of my clients benefit from functional training ideas,the skillset I earned(corrective exercise specialist,movement evaluation techniques,etc.) has really helped me pull together all my earlier specialties..
Please understand-i know,work,respect and trust my associates who have been through great training,including ACE,ISSA,AAFA..on and on...
It just sometimes seems to me that...like living in a dystopian world with a handful of masked vigilantes running around,and only ONE super blue-guy (in a speedo,no less)we in fitness need to consider that all these great educational certifications might bring their own "thing" to the table in a stronger,longer,and bigger. way..with a national credential behind them.

Improve the lives of our clients-that's still,and always should be,job #1..

I would love to hear your opinions...i promise to lower my soapbox immediately!!

....and hey,i left out the squid.......(ask your kids...)

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...How fitness adults spend a snowday...


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Hey folks:
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