Without question, High Intensity Interval Training is one of the most effective means available for rapidly losing body fat and improving your cardiovascular conditioning, and is in my opinion, the best fat burning exercise. Not only do you burn many more calories while you're performing the training, you also stimulate your metabolism to a far greater degree than with lower intensity training, which is traditionally hailed for fat loss.

You're going to learn exactly how to perform various types of high intensity interval training to maximize your results. For a full discussion of the advantages of high intensity training over low intensity training, read the following article, which explains it detail:

What Do You Mean Low-Intensity Training Isn't The Best For Fat Burning?

Even though it's more challenging than low intensity training, High Intensity Interval Training offers tremendous benefits to you:

1. It burns more calories than low intensity training, meaning you can burn more fat in shorter workouts.
2. Higher intensities stimulate your metabolism far more AFTER the workouts than lower intensity training. This means you continue to burn calories and fat for long periods after you're done training. Not so with low intensity training.
3. Training at higher speeds, such as with high intensity training can dramatically improve sports performance. Football players can sprint faster and recover more quickly between plays. Tennis players can keep chasing down balls during longer points. Even endurance athletes can benefit by teaching their bodies to work at a faster pace!
   

In general, interval training is best done 2 or 3 times per week. It is a challenging form of cardio and requires recovery time in between sessions. Interval sessions can last anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes or more, depending on the fitness level of the trainer and the style of intervals being done.


How To Do It:

Interval training is based on a very simple concept: go fast then go slow. Repeat. It sounds easy, but within this simple formula lies a tremendous number of possible variations and strategies you can employ to take full advantage of the power available to you.

Interval training can be performed on almost any cardiovascular machine (including the treadmill, stair machine, stationary bike, elliptical trainer, etc.) as well as almost any type of cardiovascular exercise (such as cycling, swimming, running, etc.).

Though the examples I will go through below use time as a measure for intervals, you can also very easily use distance as your guide. For example, you can sprint between two telephone poles then walk to the next one. You can sprint the length of a football field then walk the width. You can even run up a flight of stairs then walk back down. The variations you can do are truly endless!

Ready to get started with this best fat burning exercise? Here are a number of different types of interval training you can use:


1. Aerobic Interval Training

Aerobic Interval Training is very beneficial for rapidly improving your aerobic conditioning as well as burning fat. It will even help you build up your endurance faster than long-duration cardio! It is also a very good introductory format for starting interval training. If you are new to interval training, I highly recommend beginning with Aerobic Intervals.

This type of interval training involves relatively long work periods and shorter rest periods. Work periods are generally 2 to 5 minutes long in this type of training. The idea is not to take it easy for that work time but to work at a speed that challenges you to be able to make it to the end of that work interval. Your 2 minute interval pace is, therefore, going to be significantly faster than your 5 minute interval pace.

The rest interval for this type of training is between 30 seconds to a minute. Naturally, the shorter the rest period, the tougher the training will be. Too much rest will allow your body to recover too much, lessening the overall training effect of the exercise.

Here are some examples of a number of different intervals you can use in your training:

Work - Rest
2 min. 30 sec.
5 min. 1 min.
3 min. 45 sec.
2 min. 1 min.
5 min. 30 sec.

When using these intervals, you can choose to stick to the same time intervals (e.g. do 2 minutes hard and 30 seconds slow for the duration of the workout) or mix it up with different time intervals as you go through your session. This type of training can generally be done for about 20 to 30 minutes.


2. Maximal High-Intensity Intervals

This type of interval training is VERY high intensity and is VERY effective for fat loss and cardio training. You essentially push yourself to the maximum on every single work interval you do! This type of training is extremely effective when training for sports that require all-out repeated efforts, such as football, soccer, hockey, etc. If you want to get faster and recover faster, this is the type of training for you.

This type of training sends very powerful signals to the body and the metabolism. In addition to dramatically ratcheting up the body's metabolism, maximal-effort training also causes large amounts of Growth Hormone, one of your body's primary fat burning hormones (the Fountain of Youth Hormone, as it's sometimes referred to) to be released into the bloodstream. This two-pronged effect is very powerful for fat-burning.

Maximal Intervals are much shorter than Aerobic Intervals. Generally, the longest you'll be able to perform a maximal effort is around 30 seconds so all the work intervals are 30 seconds or less.

Rest periods can be short or long, depending how good of shape a person is in and/or how much they want to recover inbetween intervals. Shorter rest periods make the work intervals more challenging but the speed of the work will also drop quickly after a few intervals. Longer rest periods will allow the body to recover a little more, allowing faster speeds on more intervals. Rest periods should always be at least as long as the work periods. This is to allow enough recovery to be able to perform well on the next work period.

Here are some examples of Maximal work and rest intervals you can use in your training. As I mentioned above, you can stick with one time period through the whole session, or vary your intervals you go through the workout.

Work - Rest
30 sec. 30 sec.
30 sec. 1 min.
20 sec. 1 min.
10 sec. 30 sec.
30 sec. 2 min.

Since Maximal Intervals are so challenging, a person should not expect or try to be able to jump right in at a high level for a large number of intervals. It is very important to build yourself up gradually.

Start by performing five Maximal Intervals the first two sessions you do the training. The next two sessions, do six Maximal Intervals. Continue adding intervals in this step-up fashion until you are doing intervals for a maximum of 15 minutes straight. The exact number of intervals you do in a session will depend on the times you're using in your work and rest intervals.

Because Maximal Intervals are so challenging, you may find yourself getting too fatigued to perform at a fast pace as you get towards the end. When this happens, try doing Reverse Pyramid intervals. Instead of keeping your work interval the same, reduce it by 5 seconds every couple of intervals.

Here's a sample of how to do it:

Interval 1 - 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 2 - 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 3 - 25 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 4 - 25 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 5 - 20 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 6 - 20 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 7 - 15 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.
Interval 8 - 15 seconds hard, 30 seconds rest.


3. Sub-Maximal High Intensity Intervals

Sub-Maximal intervals are excellent for burning fat and for building up your cardiovascular conditioning. This type of training will do each of these fat better than continuous-tempo, lower-intensity training.

This type of interval training is very similar in concept and execution to the Maximal interval style. The difference is, instead of pushing yourself as hard as you can on each work interval, you work at a pace that is somewhat below your max. This allows you to do more total work intervals during the session while still keeping your intensity levels high.

Most Interval programs on cardio machines follow this principle. The resistance/speed is increased to a higher level for a set period of time then reduced for a set period of time. The level is not so high that you must put your maximum effort into each work interval, but it is at a level you could not keep up for long periods.

This type of training is also very effective for fat loss and increasing the metabolism.

Intervals in this style can be longer, since you're not working at maximum speed, but not much longer. Work periods of 30 seconds to a minute and rest periods of 30 seconds to a minute work well for it. Here are some sample intervals you can use in your training:

Work - Rest
30 sec. 30 sec.
30 sec. 1 min.
1 min. 1 min.
1 min. 30 sec.
45 sec. 45 sec.

This type of training can be done for about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the intensity level of the work.

4. Near-Maximal Aerobic Intervals

This is a unique form of interval training that I've been working with that basically combines Aerobic Interval Training with Maximal Interval Training to allow you to work at near-peak levels for long periods of time. This has the benefit of burning a tremendous amount of calories for longer periods of work time than is possible with normal intervals.

The work intervals themselves are short but the rest periods are much shorter! Instead of pushing yourself to the max on every interval, you work at a pace somewhat short of your max. This type of training allows you to perform near your max for longer periods of time. It is a very challenging and unique form of interval training.

Here's how it works:

Start with a work interval of 20 seconds and a rest interval of 5 seconds. Your pace should be one that you would only be able to keep up steady for about 1 to 2 minutes before having to stop. Do that pace for 20 seconds then go very slow for 5 seconds. Jump right back in and do that same pace for another 20 seconds then very slow for 5 seconds. Keep this cycle repeating for a designated period of time, e.g. 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 15 minutes.

Here are some sample intervals you can use with this training style:

Work - Rest
20 sec. 5 sec.
25 sec. 5 sec.
30 sec. 10 sec.
15 sec. 7 sec.
40 sec. 10 sec.

This type of training works very well with cardio machines that allow you to switch resistance instantly or very quickly (stationary bikes, stair machines or elliptical trainers often allow this). Machines that must cycle slowly through their speeds as they change do not work well for this (treadmills fall into this category). It can also be done with running then walking, cycling then pedalling slowly, or even swimming hard then stroking lazily. You'll find it very challenging to be having to constantly restart your momentum from almost scratch on every interval!

Please note: it's very important that you don't stop completely when you take your short rest period. Keep yourself moving during this time even if you're just moving very slowly!


5. Fartlek Training

No discussion of Interval Training would be complete with a reference to Fartlek Training. Translated from Swedish, "Fartlek" literally means "speed play." What is it? It's simple - Fartlek training is every type of interval rolled into one workout!

You can start by jogging for 5 minutes then walk for 30 seconds then sprint for 30 seconds then walk again then run fast for 2 minutes and so on. The idea is to train at a wide variety of speeds, distances and times in order to hit the widest variety of training parameters.

This type of training is an excellent way to keep your cardio interesting. You never have to do the same thing twice! This workout can last anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the intensity at which you are working.

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In conclusion, Interval Training is not a hard concept to wrap your head around: go fast then go slow! The various types of interval training I've explained above will definitely help you achieve your goals, whether they be rapid fat loss, high-powered sports performance or amazing cardiovascular capacity!

So, if you have been searching for the best fat burning exercise, then I strongly suggest you give H.I.I.T a try and see how powerful it is for yourself!




Today's post is a co-authored post by Avy Barnes and Nick Nilsson of MetabolicSurge.com

Are you looking for the best upper chest exercises that will give you more strength and more definition? In today's post, Nick Nilsson from Metabolicsurge.com and myself will go over the top 3 upper chest workouts that will get you results fast!

The upper chest/upper pec area just below the collar bones can be one of the toughest areas of the body to fully develop. The visual, proportional and functional benefits of building up this area are tremendous though!

Typically, when you read about working the upper chest, you will hear a lot about incline exercises such as incline barbell or dumbbell presses and incline flyes. While these exercises can be very effective, they don't work well for everybody.

If that sounds like you, these are the best upper chest exercises that you've been looking for. These exercises are especially powerful when used in conjunction with or even supersetted with incline presses or flyes. They will help hit those hard-to-reach upper-pec muscle fibers that are generally not worked with standard incline movements.


1. Upper Chest Cable Cross-Overs

You will need either a cable-cross over machine or a single high pulley for this exercise.

Get into position standing between the two high cross-over pulleys then take a small step forward. This small step forward puts more tension on the upper pecs at the start of the movement by increasing the stretch.

Bend over at the waist up to about 90 degrees.

The movement itself is very similar to the normal crossover. However, as you bring the cables in, you should push your hands forward of your body in a wide arc rather than bringing them directly down under your torso.

Essentially, you will be trying to bring the cable handles under your face rather than under your chest. This is the key to activating the upper pectoral fibers.

Keep your back arched and your chest puffed out and be sure to come around and forward as though sweeping your fist far out and around.


2. Lying Cable "Y" Flyes

The reason I call these "Y" Flyes is from the position of your body and arms on the bench when you do them.

Set a flat bench in the middle of the cable cross-overs (this exercise can also be done one arm at a time on a single low pulley if you don't have access to a full cross-over machine set-up). The end of the bench where your head will rest should be about 4 to 6 inches forward of an imaginary line between the two pulleys.

Use a moderate weight for this exercise as we'll be focusing on the squeeze of the upper pecs and the feel of the exercise, not the amount of weight we're using.

Grasp the cable handles then sit on the bench. Shift yourself forward on the bench so when you lay back onto the bench, your head is set a few inches forward of the pulleys.

You should notice that, at the bottom of the exercise, your arms are angled up and back, just like the "Y" I mentioned above.

Be sure to keep your elbows slightly bent but stiff during the movement. Also, don't let your upper arms get pulled down past parallel. The real value of this exercise is at the contracted position at the top of the movement.

Do the cable flye movement from there, bringing your hands together directly ABOVE YOUR FOREHEAD. This is critical because the angle of your arms in this track will throw the vast majority of the tension directly onto your upper pec area.

Squeeze the pecs hard at the top, lower down slowly and repeat.


3. Side Lying Incline Dumbbell Flyes

Lie on your side on an incline bench (if you can set the angle, use about 30 degrees). Your shoulder should be set just off the forward edge of the bench so you can move the arm freely up and down. Your feet should be set somewhat apart on the floor to provide greater stability and pushing power.

If you are lying on your right side hold a dumbbell in your right hand and let it hang down. Don't worry about losing tension here - the benefit of this exercise lies at the top of the movement.

Use a fairly light to moderate dumbbell with this exercise. You don't need much weight to get a full contraction and using too much could cause you to lose your balance on the bench.

Keeping your arm slightly bent and stiff, raise the dumbbell in a flye type motion in front of you, around and up until your upper arm is as vertical as you can get it.

Squeeze hard at the top. You should feel a sharp burning sensation in your upper-midle pec area right on the cleavage between the two pecs. To really feel the movement working, place your non-working hand right on the upper, middle area of your chest as you do the exercise. You should be able to feel that area of the muscle contract solidly.

This exercise will really hit the inner pec area, bringing out separation between your two pectoral muscles.

Give these three best upper chest exercises a try in your next chest workout. That sharp squeeze in your upper chest will let you know EXACTLY how effective these exercises are!

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Have you been trying to figure out what type of exercise is best for fat loss? Is it cardio or is it weight training? Read on to learn more...

You see, training your body is all about balance. A complete exercise program should address not only resistance training but cardiovascular training as well. Proper balance between these two basic forms of exercise is essential to your training success.

Training balance basically boils down to the amount of cardio training you do compared to the amount of weight training you do. You are going to learn exactly what factors affect this training balance and how you can use them to ensure you reach your goals as quickly as possible!

The major issue you will need to take into consideration when balancing your cardio with your weight training is your primary training goal; if you're training to lose fat, your balance is going to be very different than if you're trying to gain muscle or if you're training for a specific sport.

Your primary goal will give you a general starting point for figuring out exactly how to balance your training, as well as what type of cardio and weight training you should be doing.

In addition to your primary goal, you will also need to take into account two other major factors:

1. Your body type - Are you naturally slim? Do you gain muscle easily? Do you tend to hold onto fat readily?

2. The type of cardio training you're doing - Is it high-intensity or low-intensity? Does it fatigue you for weights? Does your weight training fatigue you for your cardio?

As you read through this article, I want you to write down the points that apply to you. After explaining these factors, I will tell you how to integrate everything you've learned in your personal training program.

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In order to successfully balance your training, you need to first identify what your primary goal is. Are you trying to lose fat? Are you focused on gaining muscle? Are trying to improve sports performance?

It's very important to note, you will be far more successful in achieving your goal if you focus on one specific goal only. The training processes involved in losing fat or gaining muscle are very different and do not mix well with each other. If you try to do both at the same time, your results won't be as good as if you focused on one at a time.

If you're training to lose fat, you're going to need to do more cardio than someone who is training to gain muscle. A good starting point is three times per week, 20 to 30 minutes per session. Depending on the other factors we're going to discuss, you may need more or less than this. Weight training three times per week should be sufficient to maintain and even build muscle mass.

With fat loss, your primary goal should be burning calories while sparing as much muscle as possible. Since you're most likely eating fewer calories, your body is not going to be eager to add muscle, therefore it's best to focus on keeping what you've got. Any muscle you may add is just ice cream on the cake (bad analogy for this topic!).

If you're training to gain muscle, you will need to do less cardio training. Too much cardio can actually hamper your muscle gain by slowing recovery and burning up calories that your body needs for the process of building muscle.

As a general guideline, one or two cardio sessions per week should be enough to maintain your cardiovascular conditioning and keep your bodyfat gains in check while not slowing muscle growth. You should train with weights at least three times per week, up to even six times if you can recover from it and still make progress.

If you are training for a specific sport, how many cardio sessions you need will depend greatly on the cardiovascular and muscle mass and strength requirements of your sport. Naturally, a long-distnace runner is going to have far different requirements than a hockey or football player. The type of cardio training you do will also come into play here (which we will look at below).

As a guideline, the more cardio-oriented your sport is, the more cardio sessions you will need and the greater your focus should be on cardio training. If your sport is more strength-oriented, your focus should be primarily on developing that strength, with fewer cardio sessions. Of course, there are many sports that require both strength and cardiovascular capacity. Training in this case should be more equally balanced.

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Now that you've identified your training focus and the general guidelines for it, we need to take a look at your general body type. There are three main bodytypes: ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph. The catogories operate on a sliding scale - a person may be an ectomorph but have mesomorphic tendencies, for example (we will go more into each type below).

The ectomorph is the naturally-slim person. They have a smaller bone-structure and can seem to "eat whatever they want and not gain an ounce."

The ectomorph has a fairly easy time losing fat so they will will generally not need to do as much cardio for fat loss. Two or three times per week should be plenty. An ectomorph trying to gain muscle may need to lay off cardio training completely in order to have enough recovery energy available for their body to even build muscle. Once or twice a week should be the maximum cardio frequency. Even weight training may need to be less frequent (two or three times per week) in order to see results.

The endomorph type is the heavyset end of the scale. The endomorph typically gains and holds onto fat easily and has a harder time losing it. The endomorph does tend to carry more muscle mass than the ectomorph, however.

Endomorphs will need to do more cardio to see significant fat loss. The minimum would be three times per week but some may require up to five or six sessions per week for best results.

An endomorphic person trying to gain muscle mass should continue to do cardio two or three times per week. Their tendency to accumulate bodyfat when eating excess calories (which is a requirement for muscle gain) can be reduced by keeping a reasonable amount of cardio in their training program. The endomorphic body has plenty of energy in reserve for muscle gain.

The mesomorph has all the luck. This is the naturally-muscular person. They are characterized by having broader shoulders and a narrower waist (known as a "V" taper). They gain muscle easily and lose fat easily.

A mesomorphic person training to lose fat can get away with doing only one or two cardio sessions a week while still seeing fairly good results. They will have an easier time holding onto muscle while losing fat, which gives them a calorie-burning advantage (the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn in a day even while doing nothing). Mesomorphs who do more cardio sessions will see greater fat loss results than either of the other two bodytypes - their greater muscle mass helps them burn more calories.

The mesomorph has a relatively easy time gaining muscle. Their bodies seem to naturally want to add muscle and keep it. The mesomorph training for muscle gain should keep doing enough cardio training to maintain cardiovascular capacity (about once or twice a week). They can, however, still get away with doing more without compromising results.

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The type of cardio training you do will have a tremendous impact on the frequency at which you can do it and still get the results you want.

Low-intensity cardio training, such as walking or slow cycling, can be done practically every single day (even several times a day) for longer periods of time. This type of training is very easy for your body to recover from, regardless of your body type and your goals. It will have very little negative impact on muscle gain and can help you burn calories for fat loss.

Moderate-intensity cardio training, such as jogging or swimming, will need to be done a little less frequently. This type of training requires more energy both to perfom and for your body to recover from. A person trying to lose fat can generally perform four to six moderate-intensity sessions per week at around 20 to 30 minutes each. A person trying to gain muscle should reduce this amount to two to three sessions per week.

High-intensity training is the toughest of the bunch but can actually net you the greatest and fastest results. High-intensity training is exemplified in activities such as sprinting and interval training. If you've ever had a coach make you run up and down hills, you've done high-intensity cardio. Basically, anything that you do as hard as you can for a short period of time could be considered high-intensity training. In fact, intense weight training with short rest periods is very good for cardio capacity.

High-intensity training is extremely effective for fat loss as it not only causes you to burn a lot of calories during the activity, it also raises your metabolism for a long time after the activity is done. This type of hard training should be done less frequently than the more moderate forms of cardio as it is much harder for your body to recover from. If you are training for fat loss, you should do at least two but no more than three high-intensity cardio sessions per week. If you are training for muscle gain, once or, at the most, twice per week should be the limit.

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The three major factors that determine how much cardio you should do in your program (your primary training goal, your bodytype and the type of cardio training you do) must now all be taken into account when determining how much cardio you should be doing compared to weight training.

Every body is different and every person reacts to training in different ways. To determine how much cardio you should do, you will need to look at each factor on it's own then look at all three factors at once. When you write them all down, you will probably see a pattern develop. Here's an example.

Fat Loss - 3 to 6 times per week
Endomorph - 3 to 6 times per week
High-intensity Training - 2 to 3 times per week
Weight Training - 3 times per week

This would mean an endomorphic person training for fat loss with high-intensity training could do cardio three times per week and weights 3 times per week.

Here's another example:

Muscle Gain - 1 to 2 times per week
Ectomorph - 1 to 2 times per week
Low-intensity Training - 2 to 3 times per week minimum but can be done almost every day
Weight Training - 3 to 4 times per week

This would mean an ectomorphic person looking for muscle gain and doing low-intensity cardio training could do cardio two days a week at a minimum to maintain cardio capacity while trying to gain muscle.


Conclusion:

Every person's situation is wide open to interpretation and, when it all comes right down to it, much of your training schedule is determined by the time you have available to you. These guidelines should help give you an idea of what frequency of training is most appropriate for your specific goals and situation. Take these recommendations simply as advice, not as rules written in stone and feel free to experiment. You may find out that what actually works for you is exactly the opposite of what is written here!

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Today's post is co-authored by Nick Nilson of Metabolicsurge.com

Do you want to finally get rid of saddlebags and dramatically improve the shape and size of your body once and for all? Better yet, do you want to get an incredible body both externally AND internally? Read on to learn more...

Okay, the first thing you should take note of if you want to get rid of saddlebags is that you can not lose them "alone". When you begin a diet and exercise regimen, the body fat that you'll lose is TOTAL body fat, not just from one particular area. And that's a good thing!

Alright, now let's talk about the top 2 ways to lose inches off not just your hips, thighs, and butt... but your total body!

1.) Start with understanding proper nutrition. If you truly want to melt away inches of stubborn fat, always make sure that you are getting 100% proper nutrition.

Correct nutrition comprises of "what" you eat, "how" you eat, and "when" you eat.

A. What - Consume plenty of protein, complex carbs (fiber), healthy fats (monounsaturated, Omega), and foods rich in vitamins and minerals.

B. How - When you eat foods, eat slower. Slowly eating your meals will firstly allow more nutrients from the foods you are eating to be digested, and secondly, you will get much more fuller as opposed to scarfing down your food too quickly.

C. When - To skyrocket your metabolism, I suggest eating 4-5 small healthy meals daily instead of the usual 2-3 meals. This will not only boost your metabolic rate, you will also be a whole let less hungry through out the day.

2.) Exercise to get rid of saddlebags - You knew this would be inevitable, you are going to have to exercise to shape up those thighs, hips, and buns! However, choosing the proper exercises is very important!

The first type of exercise I recommend is high intensity cardiovascular. Remember, you can't "shape" up fat... you have to "lose" fat FIRST. Therefore, your primary emphasis should firstly be placed on getting rid of the fat around this stubborn part of your body... and your TOTAL body for that matter.

Some high intensity cardiovascular exercises I recommend would be:

A. Sprinting
B. Incline Treadmill
C. H.I.I.T (High intensity interval training)
D. Sport activity (Tennis, basketball, racquetball, etc.) (Basketball is my favorite!)

Alright, now the following exercise routine is high intensity, extremely fast, and very effective. This routine is one of the best to get rid of saddlebags.

Basically what you are going to be doing is:

1. Leg extensions.
2. Dumbbell squat.
3. Jump squats.
4. Walking lunges.
5. Alternating leg step ups.

Those 5 workouts will tone your butt, hips, and thighs quickly and easily. It's also very fun to do! To learn how to do those exercises, watch this video below....



Pretty cool huh?

So, if you want to get rid of saddlebags, melt away total body fat, and get into the best shape of your life, you have to firstly focus on getting proper nutrition, and secondly, follow those exercise tips above!

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If you want to tone thighs fast and permanently, nothing comes close to good old-fashioned weight training.

The shape of your body is determined by three things: muscle, bone and fat. While there's really nothing you can do about changing your bone structure, there is a whole lot you can do about muscle and fat. This ratio of muscle to fat is commonly known as your body composition.

And what is the fastest way to change your body composition? Weight training. Why is it so effective? Because it builds muscle.

Muscle is the key to changing your body. While fat certainly gives your body shape, muscle is what gives you the shape you actually WANT!

One of the greatest things about muscle is that it burns calories all day long (especially thigh muscles since they are one of the largest muscle groups), even when you're lying on the couch. What this means is that the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn during the day and the more you'll be able to eat without gaining weight. Sound interesting? There's more.

Weight training stimulates your metabolism more than aerobic training such as cycling or walking. This means that you'll continue to burn calories long AFTER you've completed your weight training session. The calorie-burning effect of aerobic training generally declines rapidly once you stop the exercise.

Beginning trainers, who are just starting with exercise, are often under the impression that they should stay away from weight training because they might gain weight before they start losing it.

I like to use a car as an analogy. Imagine your body is a car, your muscles are the cylinders in the engine, and your body fat is the gas.

With a four-cylinder car, you only burn a minimum amount of gas/fat. Weight training and building more muscle is the equivalent of putting more cylinders into your engine. As you can imagine, you'll burn a whole lot more gas even while idling! And, just like a car with more cylinders, you'll be a lot more powerful too!

The bottom line to you is this...with more muscle, you'll get greater fat loss with less effort and therefore you'll be able to effectively tone thighs fast.

While it certainly is a possibility that you could gain weight before losing it, if you gauge your success solely by numbers on a scale then you're not getting an accurate picture of yourself. Measure your progress by how you feel, how you look and how well your clothes are fitting, not by which direction the needle on a measuring device is moving.

At the end of the day, I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should eliminate cardiovascular training from your exercise routine, but, if you are struggling to tone thighs fast, lose weight, and keep it all off, weight training may be just the thing you need to lose that fat and keep it off for good!

Below you'll find an awesome video I found that will help you with some effective leg exercises:

• If you want to SKYROCKET your metabolism for accelerated fat loss to get toned thighs fast, to lose weight quicker, and to keep it all of permanently, CLICK HERE!

*Post co-authored by Avy Barnes and Nick Nilsson of MetabolicSurge.com

What works better for quick and consistent fat loss, low intensity or high intensity exercises?

Well, low-intensity exercise is defined as working at a heart rate of about 60% to 65% of your maximum heart rate (which is equal to 220 - your age = maximum heart rate, thus if you are 20 years old, 220 - 20 = 200 max HR). High-intensity exercise is defined as working at about 75 to 85% or more of your maximum heart rate.

Using the previous example for maximum heart rate (max HR=200), working at 60% of your max HR would be 120 beats per minute and 80% of that would be 160 beats per minutes.
There are several reasons "low intensity exercise" is normally recommended for fat loss.

1. It's easy - In many cases people who are trying to lose fat don't always feel energetic enough to do hard training due to the caloric deficit (a.k.a. diet) that they are on. In these cases, just sticking to an exercise program can be hard enough, never mind making the exercise itself challenging.

2. It's low risk - A personal trainer generally can't go wrong by recommending low-intensity exercise to clients. Even the most out of shape person can usually do low-intensity cardio training safely. While this is certainly appropriate advice for novice trainers, it does not necessarily apply to the more experienced trainer when it comes to effective training.

3. It burns a higher percentage of calories from fat - This is very true: exercising at a lower intensity does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat than high-intensity exercise. But, as I will explain, this does not necessarily mean you're going to burn more fat.

Let's crunch some numbers to show you exactly what I mean when I say high-intensity exercise burns more fat.

Low-intensity exercises burns about 50% fat for energy while high-intensity exercises burns about 40% fat for energy. This is not a huge difference.

Say, for example, walking for 20 minutes burns 100 calories. Then 50% of 100 calories is 50 fat-calories burned.

Now say 10 minutes of interval training at a high intensity burns 160 calories. Well, 40% of 160 calories is 64 fat-calories burned.

By doing the high-intensity work, you've just burned 14 more fat calories in half the time. Starting to sound good? There's more...

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Low-intensity exercise only burns calories while you are actually exercising. That means the moment you stop exercising, your caloric expenditure goes back down to nearly baseline levels. Within minutes, you're not burning many more calories than if you hadn't done anything at all.

High-intensity exercise, on the other hand, continues to boost your metabolism long after you're done (often up to 24 hours after, depending on the length and intensity of the training session). This means you're continuing to burn many more calories all day long!

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Low-intensity exercise does nothing to build or support muscle mass. Maintaining muscle mass is critical to an effective fat-loss strategy as muscle burns fat just sitting there. Want to keep your metabolism working to burn fat? Do whatever you can to build or keep your muscle tissue.

High-intensity exercise has the potential to increase muscle mass. Compare the body of a top sprinter to a top marathon runner. The sprinter carries far more muscle mass. You won't get big bulky muscles from high intensity training but you will get shapely and more defined muscles!

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How To Do It

Now that you've seen how effective high intensity training can be for fat loss, how is it done?

The absolute easiest way to start this type of training is to get on a cardio machine at the gym and select the interval training program. As you'll see, you'll start off with a fairly light warm-up cycle, then quickly jump up to a high intensity level for a short burst. You will then drop back down to a low level for a period of time, then back up to a high level again, repeated several times and finishing with an appropriate cool-down period.

The repetition of these intervals is the nuts and bolts of high intensity interval training. You can also do it manually by adjusting your intensity level up and down over short periods of time.

For example, do 30 seconds at high power then 30 seconds at low power. Repeat. It's very simple and very effective.

Another excellent method for doing high-intensity training is called aerobic interval training. It is essentially the same concept as the previously explained interval training but the work intervals are longer with the intensity level somewhat lower. A good example would be running at a pace that you can only keep up for about 5 minutes then walking for 2 minutes then running 5 more minutes, walking 2 minutes, etc.

High-intensity training can be applied to any form of cardiovascular exercise. Anything from walking/sprinting to swimming to bike riding will work perfectly. I would recommend doing his type of training 2 to 3 times per week for best results. As always, be sure to consult with your physician before starting any exercise program.

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Remember, what you get out of exercise is directly proportional to what you put in. Work at high-intensity training for awhile and see just how much better your fat-loss efforts go.

Good morning! Today's blog post is a guest post from Nick Nilsson from Metabolic-Surge.com. In this post, you are going to find a fat loss circuit training plan you can start today that will SKYROCKET your metabolism to the highest peak for incredibly fast fat loss......and in less time! Read on to learn more and get started today....

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By Nick Nilsson

If you're looking to burn fat as fast as humanly possible, Fat Loss Circuit Training is the BEST place to start.

Fat Loss Circuit Training is a training technique designed around the concept of circuit training...moving from one exercise to another with very little rest between exercises. But Fat Loss Circuit Training has a couple of very unique twists that will help really peel the fat off your body FAST.

It's also one of the core components of my extremely powerful "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" program available at http://www.Metabolic-Surge.com

Fat Loss Circuit Training is very simple once you get the hang of it, but it can be one of the most demanding styles of training you can do.

This is a training technique that you can not only feel working WHILE you're training but very strongly AFTER your training session is done...many people report actually FEELING their metabolism increasing for hours afterwards (like their internal thermostat has been kicked up several degrees).

Now, if you're familiar with normal circuit training (with timed, light-weight intervals), please put aside any notions you might have of how this program works.

You will not only be harnessing the muscle-building and metabolism-stimulating power of intense, full-set weight training (NOT the typical light-weight, timed intervals of normal circuit training), you will also be incorporating the great calorie-burning effects of cardiovascular training at the same time.

This unique combination of weights and cardio into one workout is, quite simply, phenomenal for fat burning.

In order to use Fat Loss Circuit Training, you will need access to both weight equipment and cardio equipment (and/or benches or stairs), preferably located fairly close to each other.

This type of training is a little more tricky to perform in a crowded gym as it will involve you moving back and forth quickly between different pieces of equipment. If someone is waiting to use your cardio machine the moment you step off, it will defeat the purpose of the workout. This technique is best used in a fairly uncrowded gym where you have more freedom to use equipment or, better yet, in a home gym with weights and cardio equipment and no one waiting for anything!

But just fyi, if you DO train in a crowded gym, I will tell you exactly how to get around it so you can put this style of training to work as well.

How Fat Loss Circuit Training Works:

This style of training is simple... your rest period for weights will be cardio and your rest period for cardio will be your weights. You will be going back and forth between your weight training exercises and cardio exercise for the duration of the workout!

Yes, that means pretty much NO rest the entire time you're in the gym...I told you it was going to be demanding! But the good thing about this style of training is that it can very easily be adjust for ANY level of trainer - I've had complete beginners use it without any problems.

Now, this particular combination of weights and cardio is very effective for a number of reasons:

- It forces your body to burn calories continuously during the workout.
- It utilizes resistance training and cardio training so you get all the benefits of both in one workout.
- By forcing your body to work like this, you dramatically increase your metabolism leading to increased fat burning long after the workout (more so than either weights or cardio alone).
- It saves time -- you get both your weights and cardio in the same amount of time as your regular workout.
- You will still be able to use relatively heavy weights in your weight training, helping to preserve muscle mass.

How To Do It:

Step 1 - The Set Up

For the most efficient workout possible, try to have most or all of your exercises pre-set and ready to go. The less time you spend on preparation during your workout itself, the more effective that workout will be, especially since you want to be continually active throughout the training session. You can use any type of cardio that is convenient and enjoyable to you, be it a machine, stair stepping, or even a skipping rope.

If you are working out in a crowded gym, try to claim an area for yourself and focus on dumbbell and barbell exercises while using a Step platform for your cardio training. You won't have to wait in line to use any weight or cardio machines that way.

If you don't have access to convenient cardio machines, you're going to have to go low-tech!

You'll need to do stair-stepping (stepping up two stairs then back down works well), bench-stepping (step up onto a flat bench or Step platform then back down) or rope-jumping (be sure you're not close to anyone if you choose this). These approaches work just as well as (if not better than!) cardio machines and allow you to perform this training style in a busier gym setting.

Step 2 - Warm-up

Do a few minutes of low-intensity cardio as a warm-up. You may wish to do a few light sets of a few of the exercises you'll be working with before you start into the main training session. Don't tire yourself out...just get a light sweat going.

Step 3 - Start with 40 seconds of moderate intensity cardio.

This could be setting the machine to a level that is not easy but is not so challenging that you're going to exhaust yourself right away. Watch the timer on your machine and go for approximately 40 seconds (I say approximately because there will generally be a slight lag time when you step on and off).

If you are using a machine such as a treadmill or stair machine that you will leave on with the timer running, just watch the time counter on the machine and keep track of when you get on it to get the designated period. It may require a little mental math! You can also use your own stopwatch or timer on your watch to keep track (this is easier). Start the timer when you start the cardio.

If you're doing stair or bench stepping, you'll need a timer or view of a clock with the "second" hand visible to keep track of your work periods.

Step 4 - Do a set of weights.

Right after you finish your first "set" of cardio, go as quickly as you can to your first fat loss circuit training exercise. Do a set of the first exercise on your program for the day. Do this with NO rest, going from the cardio immediately to the weights. Perform reps until you start to approach muscular failure.

It is very important to note that while this is definitely still intense weight training, DO NOT push yourself to muscular failure. The idea here is load the muscles but not overtax your nervous system - believe me, even taking it fairly close to failure is going to be demanding enough when you go right back to cardio instead of taking a rest!

Also, be very sure to use proper form and tempo when lifting the weights. Don't rush your weight sets - perform them with the same form and speed as you would if you were doing a regular set in your training. Fast, light or sloppy weight sets are NOT what we're looking for here.

Step 5 - Go right back to the cardio.

Immediately go back to the cardio and do another 40 seconds of moderate-intensity cardio.

Step 6 - Repeat this cycle for the duration of the workout.

You will be going back and forth continuously between cardio and weight training exercises, using the cardio as the rest period between your weight sets. What this means is that over the course of your workout, you'll be burning calories via cardio and weights AND you'll be working your muscles with intense, heavy weight training as well. It's tough training but very effective!

To give you an idea of what this looks like, here is a sample run-through of your fat loss circuit training plan:

40 seconds cardio
1 set of chest
40 seconds cardio
1 set of chest
40 seconds cardio
1 set of chest
40 seconds cardio
1 set of back
40 seconds cardio
1 set of back

etc, etc.

As you can see you, you'll do all your sets for your first bodypart (with cardio in between, of course), then move to your NEXT bodypart and do all the sets for that bodypart.


Notes:

- As you improve your cardio capacity, you can increase the intensity of your cardio training between sets. You may wish to start at a lower level and gradually increase the resistance over the course of the workout or start at a higher level and keep it there. It is perfectly acceptable to keep it at a steady, moderate level, however.

- This Fat Loss Circuit technique can be used with nearly any form of cardio exercise as long as it is convenient to go back and forth with the weights. The real key here is to maintain activity for the entire workout. I've done it with stair machines, treadmills, stair-stepping, stationary bike, elliptical machines, and skipping rope.

- Keep your workouts to no more than 45 minutes at the very most when doing this type of training. It's a very demanding form of training as you'll be working every major energy system in your body. You will also find it will crank your metabolism up quite high!


For a sample workout to follow and more info, taken directly from my "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" program, check it out here:

http://www.Metabolic-Surge.com


You will be able to print out these workouts and take it to the gym with you to try out.

Your new body is waiting for you!

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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 18 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding programs 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.Metabolic-Surge.com

Okay, today I would like to talk about the best exercise to lose belly fat quickly and easily. BUT, let's firstly talk about what "other" things are needed in order to flatten that midsection quickly and effectively!

Alright, the first thing you should have on your list is to make sure you get 100% PROPER nutrition. That means that everything you heard about low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie, etc., forget all about it because that type of dieting just don't work! Those "fad dieting" techniques are only going to cause a serious reduction in your metabolism....which causes your body to retain body fat and not release it!

The second thing that should be on your list is to make sure you drink A TON of water every day....no excuses! I know it may be difficult if you are not used to drinking a lot of water, but you MUST understand how vitally important it is to get plenty of water each day no just to lose belly fat and weight, but for your overall health. I recommend for you to get 1/2 your body weight in ounces.

The third thing is to make sure you get your metabolism elevated as high as possible using natural methods. You can boost your metabolism naturally by eating more frequently through out the day (4-5 small meals), adding spices to your meals, and you can do one of the most powerful online diet systems that will SKYROCKET your metabolism to the maximum peak called "calorie shifting" from Fat Loss 4 Idiots. See more about this diet system and my personal review here.

Okay, now let's talk about the best exercise to lose belly fat fast!

Firstly, be sure to remember that ab crunches and other specific abdominal exercises are NOT the best exercise to remove fat from the belly. Those types of exercises will only "tone" the underlying muscles...you have to get rid of the fat in order to see those muscles.

With that said, the best exercise to lose inches off your stomach quickly is none other than high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T). This type of exercising attacks stubborn stored fat very effectively due to the increase of your R.M.R. (resting metabolic rate). The faster your metabolism, the more fat you'll burn. The fact that H.I.I.T increases your "resting" metabolic rate along with boosting your metabolism "during" the workout, you should be able to paint a clear picture of how much belly fat you'll burn!

To understand more about how this workout is done, here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

"A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about half-maximum intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to do at least six cycles, and to have the entire HIIT session last at least fifteen minutes and not more than twenty.

HIIT is an excellent way to maximize your workout if you are limited on time. Many fitness experts such as Jeff Halevy, a major proponent of HIIT, have made this methodology a cornerstone of their routines for these reasons."

Now, I want to make sure you understand that if you are not physically fit at the moment, I highly recommend that you take it easy in the beginning with this type of exercise. It's best that you gradually work your way in until your physical fitness level improves.

There are many different ways you can do this type of exercise. One of my favorite high intensity exercises to lose belly fat fast is sprinting, but there are many other ones you can tryout.

To get an idea of how this workout is done and some of the different variations, check out the video below....



So, if you have been looking for the best exercise to lose belly fat fast, I highly recommend you get started with H.I.I.T! Just remember to consult your physician before you begin this or any other type of diet/fitness program.

Good luck!

• CLICK HERE To Lose 42 Pounds And 10 Inches From Your Waist With The Best At-Home Diet And Exercise Program Available Today....The Fat Burning Furnace Program!
  

In order to obtain accelerated fat loss as quickly and as easily as possible, one of the most important things you must do with your body is to boost your metabolism. There are many ways you can boost your metabolism, including exercise. Read on to learn more about the 2 best ways to exercise to increase your metabolism.

Build Muscle - It is important, no matter if you are a woman, man, young, or old to build lean muscle for many, many reasons....not just to look good. And don't worry...I'm not talking about getting big and buff here! Building lean muscle can significantly boost your metabolism since a pound of lean muscle will burn way more calories than a pound of body fat. Therefore, the more lean muscle you have on your body than fat, the more your body will naturally and AUTOMATICALLY burn off fat!

Another great thing about building lean muscle is that your muscle tissue will be burning off calories even while you sleep! Speaking of which, definitely make sure you get plenty of rest as this will help assure your muscle tissue will properly develop and of course for several other health reasons.

Interval Training - If you hate long boring cardio, then you're going to love interval training! Interval training in a nut shell is switching between two intensities (high and low) during a cardiovascular workout. The way this workout will increase your metabolism is during the process of your body reaching for more energy when you sporadically increase the intensity of a workout.

For example, let's say you are using power walking and sprinting for your interval workout. You'll first start off by power walking for let's say 2 minutes, then you'll instantly start sprinting for 1 minute and then you'll go back to power walking, and then repeat this process for up to 30 minutes (I recommend 30 minutes since this type of workout...especially for beginners is pretty intense). Your metabolism is increased when your body suddenly has to reach for more energy once you start the higher intensity portion of your training (sprinting) and also due to an increase in your heart rate. Interval training is a very powerful and quick way to get fast fat loss.

So, if you are looking for some exercise options to help boost your metabolism, then I highly recommend you incorporate a muscle training regimen and interval training regimen into your plan. You'll certainly be on your way to accelerated fat loss in no time!

One more thing, if you want to get the best results with this type of exercising, I highly recommend you tryout The Truth About Abs home workout plan. This exercise and diet program will help you achieve fat loss (including getting a flat tummy and six pack abs) easily and quickly. Check it out at http://www.SixPackAbsFast.info

NOTE: Always consult your physician before you begin any type of exercise or diet plan.

GOOD LUCK!!!! :)

You have so many people on each side of the fence when it comes to dieting and exercising to burn off fat and lose weight. The problem is (and I was guilty of this myself years back) that everyone should actually be on just ONE side of the fence.....diet AND exercise.

There was a study done by a research group that monitored two ladies on their quest to lose weight and burn off fat. The one lady simply adjusted her diet and reduced calories and fat intake. The other lady slightly reduced her calorie intake but also did exercises. The end result is both ladies ended up losing weight, but the first one ended up with MORE fat and less weight, and the second lady ended up losing weight AND fat! Why? Because the second lady incorporated an exercise regimen into her plan along with dieting. Exercise is very important if you want to lose weight and burn fat.

However, the type of exercises you do also can play a significant role in whether you'll lose fat or muscle.....

I've mentioned plenty of times through out my blog that you have to build lean muscle (no matter if you are a man, woman, young, or older) if you want to effectively lose weight and burn fat. Why? Because if you don't, everything you'll be doing with your weight loss and fat loss efforts will actually be causing you to lose muscle mass. When this happens you'll be left with what's called "skinny fat". You may have lost weight, but you'll still have body fat due to a loss of muscle tissue.

How can you actually lose weight, burn fat, and actually still have some muscle mass? To save you from a blog post turning into a book, I'll do my best to break it down as simple as possible into 2 quick pointers:

1. Do high intensity cardiovascular exercises instead of LOOOONNNNGGGG cardio. High intensity cardio will burn off calories from stored fat. Low intensity cardio will firstly burn off calories from fat, then will take a detour and start burning off calories from muscle tissue! To see an example, just look at the body differences of sprinters and marathon runners. Sprinters are more muscular with very low fat (high intensity exercise) and marathon runners are thin with almost no muscle definition. A very effective program that I highly recommend for learning how to do high intensity exercises right at the comfort of home is the online fitness program, Turbulence Training. In fact, the author Craig Ballantyne has the program designed so that you won't be doing any type of cardio at all! Instead you'll do high intensity muscle building routines that incorporate both resistance training and cardio into one. Check it out here.
   
2. Make sure you are getting a proper balance of protein, healthy fats (mono and poly), VERY small amount of saturated fats, complex carbs (fiber), and vitamins/minerals (fruits and veggies.....watch the calories in fruits and veggies as they can surprisingly add up very quickly). All of those nutrients are equally important....not one or the other. If you need help in creating a diet plan that incorporates all of the important nutrients you need plus will construct a diet that will show you how to shift the calories from the foods you eat to significantly boost your metabolism which will cause your body to naturally burn off fat, then I highly recommend for you to check out my review of the Calorie Shifting diet created by the popular program, Fat Loss 4 Idiots here.
   

So, if you want to effectively burn fat AND lose weight, make sure you are doing both diet AND exercise. As far as exercise is concerned, do both cardio and weight training exercise. Once you reach your goal, it then just becomes a matter of "maintenance" and sticking with living healthy for life!



P.S.
My muscle building transformation plan is coming along very well. I've lost more pounds of fat and gained a lot more muscle! It's looking very good so far! Only a month and a half away from the contest end...........I AM FREAKING NERVOUS!!!!

At this point of my journey to build muscle, exercising for me is about one step away from being an addiction. It doesn't take much for me to get up and go exercise. However, when I first began, the thought of sweating and huffing and puffing definitely was not appealing. To actually develop motivation to exercise, there are few pointers that can help you:

Tip 1 - Variation:

Trust me on this, if you approach your exercise routine by doing the same exact types of exercises all the time, you'll end up getting bored and will end up losing motivation. Mix it up. On you chest day, instead of barbell bench press, do dumbbell bench press. When you do cardio, instead of the treadmill, one day do the elliptical, another day play a sport, etc. By switching up your routine, you will certainly avoid burnout.

Tip 2 - Habit:

To make exercise effective, you have to make it a habit. This is another golden rule of motivation to exercise. Not only will you be more motivated and committed to your exercise plan, you will also notice results a lot more quicker. Pick a certain time of the day when you know you commit at least 30 minutes and do your workout each day at that time. Stay 100% consistent and not only will you begin to enjoy working out instead of seeming like a chore, you will get yourself in shape lightning fast!

Tip 3 - Friends:

Having a workout buddy is a tremendous motivating tool, in fact, it may be the most effective motivating tool. Hitting the gym or the pavement for a jog/walk with a friend, etc. can help keep your energy levels high and make you look forward to your next exercise session. I myself don't have friend with me at the gym....probably because I turn into "psycho mode" when I hit the gym...lol, but I highly recommend it especially if you are just starting out.

So, if you are looking for ways to actually enjoy exercising, try those 3 tips above to increase motivation and go get yourself in shape!

Hey guys!

I just received an e-mail from Craig Ballantyne (creator of the popular at-home fitness program, Turbulence Training), and it reminded me of something I wanted to share with you guys....carefully choosing a personal trainer! This is of course if you need one.

A little while back I mentioned in a post that I was going to be getting personal training to help me strengthen my lower body so that I can heal my patella tendinitis in my knees. The training and the advice I received was very questionable. My knees felt unbelievably bad....even worse than what they felt beforehand!

Because my knees were hurting worse, I decided to go back to my doctor to see if there is something that can be done. My doctor prescribed me a stronger pain medicine and gave me a referral to a physical therapist (which I had seen before about a year ago).

When I told the physical therapist what the personal trainer said and had me do.....he had some very censored words of choice I'm pretty sure that personal trainer wouldn't want to hear. Apparently, the personal trainers comment of "your knees are going to hurt before they feel better" was a bunch of bologna! Boy did I feel like a gullible fool after the physical therapist explained to me what it is I SHOULD be doing to get me knees better and how wrong that trainer was!

Listen, not all personal trainers are questionable, and is the reason why I said choose wisely. I highly recommend that you ask a ton of questions and see if you can get referrals first. Learn from my mistake! This is your most precious possession we're talking about here.

Check out the e-mail from Craig talking about when he ran into a personal training session at a gym:

"So this morning I hit a great workout in the gym. 2nd best hotel gym I've ever used. Heavy dumbbells, bench press, pull-ups, awesome.

But...even though there were 25 people in the gym at 6:00am, I was the only one lifting. They were all on the elliptical...you know what I think about that...

However, that wasn't the worst thing I saw in the gym...Instead, it was another classic case of the well-meaning, but incompetent trainer. He was working with a beginner, overweight woman and they went through a round of machines first. That's fine. I won't grumble too much about that. But then he had her do lunges.

Why, why, why do trainers insist on making unqualified folks do lunges?

My favorite line was when he told his overweight, beginner, un-coordinated client that, "it's okay to fall over doing lunges, it means your muscles are doing more work"

Right, just like its okay to get in a car crash, because now you get to use your bumper!

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh."


Have you had any positive or negative experiences with personal trainers? Share with everyone by commenting below....






Diet and exercise at the comfort of home (no gym memberships, no commute) with Craig's popular at home training program...Turbulence Training. Click here to learn more.




Image Courtesy: www.backtoformfitness.com

Chin-ups and pull-ups. The staple exercise of militaries across the world...and for very good reasons. Firstly, chin-ups/pull-ups are a great test for where your upper body strength is. Secondly, it's the perfect exercise to develop enormous upper body strength and build lean muscle.

Well guys, I just couldn't stay away from the gym. lol

This is the theme song to the HBO Boxing 24/7 show. When I first heard this song it was when the show first began with showcasing the lives leading up to the big fight of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya.

Well guys, my knees have finally won the battle with me being stubborn! I am taking a temporary vacation from the gym until my knees get better. My stubbornness came to an end when I took a 3 point shot playing basketball and when I came down I felt an unbelievable pain in my left knee. Of course me being Mr. Macho Man, I tried to play it off as I quickly left the gym in excruciating pain.....lol! :)

Just in case some of you may not know from previous posts, I have patella tendinitis (jumper's knee) in both of my knees. This came from doing a lot of jumping and running on hard surfaces (playing basketball), plus from doing leg exercises (leg extensions), without properly warming up and stretching (which is key #2 on my list of the 5 Keys To A Perfect Workout post). Obviously I have learnt my lesson....BUT....unfortunately I'm still paying for my hardheadedness from awhile back! :(

Well, since my knees have my undivided attention, does this mean I'm not going to be working out......hahaha....that's a good one! NEVER! The reason my knees are so bad is because I'm addicted to working out.....so trust me, I'm not using my gym vacation as an excuse to sit back and relax! HOWEVER, I'm going to make sure I strengthen my legs (in particular around my knees), and allow my knees to completely heal without doing any type of exercise that can cause more damage.

I'm actually pretty excited with making the switch from the gym to home. There are a gazillion exercise ideas I have, some of which I've already shared with you guys in previous posts. Also, some of my exercise routines will come from the popular Turbulence Training program (which I highly recommend if you want to stay home and get fit....without spending a fortune on equipment or gym memberships).

But all in all, I'm going to make sure I have everything planned out and set up for me to comfortably workout at home with no hiccups.

So, with that said, my advice to you is:

#1. Make sure you follow your doctor's recommendations before beginning an exercise regimen.

#2. Always have a back up plan just in case you have to break your current exercise routine (rather it be at home or gym), so that way you won't end up possibly losing motivation to continue on your quest for better health.


Wish me luck! This is going to be weird....lol!

My workout I just had this morning is an excellent example of what happens when you follow the 5 keys to a perfect workout, and is also the inspiration for today's post.

When trying to lose weight and burn fat, I'm pretty sure you understand that the two primary factors are nutrition and exercise. Nutrition is the most important. Without practicing proper nutrition, everything else is useless. If you need help with proper nutrition, I recommend for you to get a customized nutritional plan here.

Now, when it comes to exercising, there are 5 keys that must all be in place to unlock the perfect workout. I'll explain later on how you'll know that you've unlocked the perfect workout.

Okay, let's talk about the 5 keys:


Key #1 - Pre And Post Workout Nutrition: Providing your body with proper nutritional fuel before and after your workouts is a very important step to getting the most out of your exercise sessions. Pre-workout nutrition is important since it'll provide you with energy and should consist of foods containing healthy carbs such as bananas or apples. It's important to make sure you do not take in too many calories before your workout since what you've just eaten will be the calories you'll be burning instead of stored calories. Post workout nutrition should consist of protein sources such as a protein shake (I recommend whey protein) lean poultry, etc., and also healthy carbohydrates to help your body with muscle recovery.

Key #2 - Stretching And Warming Up: Yes, I'll admit it, stretching is boring! However, getting injured, getting sore muscles, damaging joints, going through physical therapy, not allowing muscles to grow properly, and feeling like crap after a workout are pretty much good enough reasons to make sure you stretch and warm up before your workouts.

Key #3 - Cardiovascular Exercise: There are many forms of cardio exercising. I always recommend short high intensity cardio (sprinting, incline treadmill) or by getting cardiovascular benefits with weight training by doing supersets (alternating between two different workouts without rest). The reason for doing short high intensity cardio over long boring cardio is because you will preserve muscle tissue (just look at the physiques of sprinters like what I discussed more about in my other post here) and will get a much more better overall workout.

Key #4 - Weight Training: Building lean muscle, no matter if you are a woman, a man, young, old, weak, or strong, is extremely important if you have goals of weight loss and burning off fat. Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle tissue you have on your body, the more your body will burn calories....even while you rest.....which leads to key #5.

Key #5 - Rest: Before my workout today, I ended up having 2 days of rest from my previous workout. I usually only have 1 day of rest between my workouts Monday-Friday. However, I was extremely busy yesterday and ended up skipping my workout (shhhh....don't tell anyone!). Well, because of that rest, today's workout was absolutely the best I've had for quite some time. Allowing your body to recover will pay off in huge dividends. Not only will your next workout feel great because of the extra energy, you will also allow your muscles to grow properly and your joints to heal properly (I usually have problems with my knees and they felt great today).

Understand that all 5 keys are linked together to unlock the perfect workout. If just one key is skipped, trust me, your body will let you know!

Now, how do you know that you have unlocked the perfect workout?

1. Energy - You should feel an abundance of energy after a workout.....not cranky and miserable.

2. Reduced Stress - You'll feel a lot more positive and relaxed. This is due in part to the release of positive endorphins from a good energetic workout. Also, you'll feel positive because after completing a good workout, you'll feel as though you've just taken a huge step forward to getting the body of your dreams!

3. Clearer Mind - You'll be able to think more sharper.


Follow the 5 keys to a having the perfect workout and you'll develop the body you've always wanted. Not only that, you will feel a better sense of well-being, and also prevent injury and other possible complications.


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