CarabaseTraining BLOG

10 Minute Hotel Workout and a ridiculous story!

2011-01-25T10:40:00.001-05:00

South Windsor Personal Trainer on the "Good News"

2010-09-17T16:14:00.001-04:00

Stepping outside the box at Cressey Performance

2010-08-02T21:48:00.002-04:00

Most strong man exercises are not part of my regular routine so my workout this past Saturday was extra tough both mentally and physically. What new or different modality (different beyond exercise variation and technique) can you add to your repertoire?

I promise you'll make huge strides. Check out the aftermath below!

One thing we can actually learn from Mel Gibson and apply to Fat Loss

2010-07-30T07:46:00.003-04:00

South Windsor Fitness Coach's Five Low Calorie Ways To Add Flavor

2010-07-20T21:26:00.000-04:00

South Windsor, CT Fitness Trainer's Push-up Finisher

2010-07-13T22:25:00.000-04:00

South Windsor, Connecticut Trainer's Four Reasons you NEED a Headband

2010-07-11T21:37:00.001-04:00

Buy yours at the following link:
http://carabasetraining.com/shop/viewitem.php?groupid=8&productid=14

South Windsor, CT Fitness Trainer's Two Things you can do to NEVER miss a workout

2010-07-06T20:41:00.004-04:00

It's all about mindset: Are you investing or expensing?

2010-06-22T01:06:00.001-04:00

Hotel TRX workout by Carabase Training

2010-06-22T01:05:00.001-04:00

Hotel Bodyweight Workout by Carabase Training

2010-06-22T01:02:00.001-04:00

Not very good with tripods but the video still gets the routine across!

CORE Partner Training

2010-06-17T01:22:00.000-04:00

Carabase Training's Youth Fitness Training with Performing Art's Preschool

2010-06-17T01:07:00.003-04:00

Fun Fitness: TAG

Kids going crazy!

Building motor skills with Youth

Getting After it with Paintball Team TNN

2010-06-17T01:03:00.001-04:00

Can you take it up another 1%?

2010-06-11T09:37:00.001-04:00

New Metabolically Demanding Exercise

2010-06-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

One way to Maximize your workouts and Prevent injury (full body warm-up)

2010-06-07T21:31:00.002-04:00

1. Chin/pull up or Y to W: 10
2. Exaggerated Spiderman Push-up: 5 each side
3. High knee pull to lunge: 5 each leg
Repeat three times

Combat Cardio!

2010-06-04T09:16:00.001-04:00

Carabase Training on getting into Beach Body shape for 4th of July

2010-06-02T09:58:00.002-04:00

1. Circuit Training: 3-6 days per week
2. HIIT Cardio: 3-6 days per week
3. Limit carbs (sugars, pastas etc..) until only immediately post workout
4. No processed or refined sugars!
5. Drink .55 x your body weight in oz's

Personalized Online Training Blue Print
I just opened up 5 new spots for an exact blue print to your new body, for a fraction of typical personal training. I sent out this offer to my news letter list too so act now if you're serious about making big changes!

http://www.carabasetraining.com/onlinetraining.html

Carabase Training's Short n Sweet Memorial Day Workout

2010-05-27T20:54:00.000-04:00

Six Pack Abs techniques by South Windsor Personal Trainer Joe Carabase

2010-05-23T18:41:00.005-04:00

Routine:
To start, perform eight reps of each exercise, back to back.
1. VS Pike
2. VS MT Climbers
3. VS Cross Body MT Climbers
4. VS Spidermans

Get your own!
https://www.valslide.com/go/1/351

UA Performance Mouthwear Review

2010-05-19T21:19:00.003-04:00

*Please note Cortisol leads to weight gain which promotes fat gain NOT loss....got a little ahead of myself :)

Gregory B Haroian DMD FAGD
Dental Services of South Windsor
479 Buckland Road
South Windsor CT 06074
Tel. (860) 648-4471

Carabase Training's PaintBall Specific Boot Camp

2010-05-16T20:44:00.001-04:00

IRON MAN (or woman) TRX CORE Workout

2010-05-14T10:23:00.006-04:00

20 lb weighted vest (optional)
1. Suspended Glute Raise
2. Suspended Pillar Transformation
3. Suspended Atomic Push-up

You can subsitute the TRX by using a bed however I HIGHLY recommend you get your own!

Throwing Away the FAT!

2010-05-13T23:08:00.001-04:00

A Case Study

2010-05-11T22:17:00.001-04:00

2010-05-08T15:33:00.005-04:00

Get your own TRX!:
http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=H2723Nq5

2010-05-05T20:55:00.002-04:00

Start with the following and progress from here:
1. Side pillar with a reach: 10 each side
2. Mountain climber (core focus): 10 taps each toe
3. Pillar Transformation: 10 total transformations

2010-05-03T20:14:00.000-04:00

Carabase Training on adding size to your arms

2010-04-23T19:36:00.000-04:00

Carabase Training on Sculpting your QUADS

2010-04-23T19:31:00.002-04:00

A Good Way to Intensify the end of you workout

2010-04-23T19:29:00.002-04:00

Can I eat at night without gainng fat?

2010-04-22T22:04:00.002-04:00

Four Exercises to tighten the butt by Carabase Training

2010-04-22T22:03:00.001-04:00

2010-04-18T22:01:00.001-04:00

(excuse the tough guy freeze shot on the page :)

Carabase Training’s 18 Tips to raise a Healthy Child inspired by the IYCA

2010-04-15T21:27:00.009-04:00

1. Make changes gradually: Set a date to cook with your child, plan a time to exercise as a family, do not buy soda next time you grocery stop etc..

2. Be role models: Children with overweight parents have a higher probability to become overweight themselves
More and more children are being diagnosed with Type II diabetes, obesity and heart disease
It’s not I’m going to workout its I’m going to become a better parent

3. Encourage at least 60 minutes of exercise daily

Walk whenever possible, especially if the destination is close
Play outside: tag, sports, biking
Reduce time spent in front of a screen (tv, computer, cell phones etc..)

4. Pay attention to portions: Eat as a family but do not serve foods family style: Those who eat at home as a family have lower rates of overweight/obesity. Serve food in portions rather then buffet style
Teach kids how to portion:
1 Stamp: 1 tsp
CD case: 1 serving of bread (bagel = 5-6 servings!)
4 dice: 1 oz
Use smaller plates, cups and bowls
Cook less food (cook for the meal or freeze left over portions)
Deck cards = 3 oz (1 serving of meat)
Check book = 3 oz of thin fish
Your fist (or a baseball) is 1 cup

5. Learn to add flavor without fat:
Use fresh lemon, vinegar, low fat cheese, drizzle olive oil

6. Avoid fried foods, fast foods and soda: These foods are full of bad fats and sugars, both of which promote weight gain. Pick food choices that are fresh and that provide nutritional value

7. Use fat free/reduced fat dairy products: Kids develop habits at a young age, set them up to make a life full of healthy choices.

8. Whole grain products (first ingredient must say 100% whole wheat or whole grain and have at least 3 grams of fiber, per one slice!)

9. Eat breakfast daily
Choose cereals with less then 10 grams of sugar and at least 3 grams of fiber

10. The Paper plate test
½ plate = vegetables
¼ plate = Whole grain/whole wheat source of carbohydrate (pasta, brown, rice) or startch
¼ protein

11. Don’t Drink Calories
Beverages count for 21% of caloric intake
Drink more water!
Offer low calorie sport drinks, 100% juice variations over regular juice and soda

12. Eat more fruits/veggies: Buy seasonal-fresh foods and leave them around the house, if its there they will eat it!

13. Allow children/youth to be part of the food decision process
• Help grocery shop
• Pick fruits/veggies
• Help cook

14. Teach mindful eating:
• Put the fork down until you finish chewing
• Educate kids to be attentive to the tastes of food, taking time to enjoy the flavors rather than stuff the food down without thinking

15. Allow kids to be full: Over eating habits as a youth can lead to obesity

16. House Rule: No eating out of the bag or container

17. Encourage youth to eat healthy and get active, leave negative words like DIET FAT OBESE and OVERWEIGHT out of the discussion

18. Do not give up!: If there has been attempts at losing weight, think about the method and reflect on it. Seek professional help via Fitness Trainer and or Registered Dietitian

Committed to your results,

Joe Carabase, Owner of Carabase Training
International Youth Conditioning Association Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer

2010-04-08T08:47:00.000-04:00

My Diet and Nutrition students at Branford Hall, Southington CT

2010-04-07T00:14:00.003-04:00

As a part of the final project, I had my Professional Fitness Training Students at BH find a healthy recipe, type it up and cook it for class.

Each one of them did an amazing job, cooking all sorts of delicious yet healthy meals.

A benefit for the students, as a result of this project, is a new cook book (of all the recipes) for them to take home and eventually share with future clients. Since my clients are always asking me for new recipes I decided send each of them an efile of the recipe books and wanted to extend the offer to my readers!

If you are interested in a free ebook full of healthy recipes, send me an email at joe@carabasetraining.com with subject free ebook.

Full Body Warm-up, Unilateral Training and a TRX Circuit

2010-04-02T15:57:00.002-04:00

Upright Row Variation

2010-03-29T22:22:00.000-04:00

Five Exercise Circuit for Mary Jone's Listeners

2010-03-27T15:40:00.001-04:00

1. Wall Push-up
2. Alternate Lunge
3. Chair Dip
4. Chair Squat
5. Cross Crawl

Five Super Simple Fat Loss Tips

2010-03-25T23:53:00.002-04:00

Fat loss isn't rocket science. I know we love to make our problems seem much bigger than they really are, but when you really look at them they're typically easy to solve. And that's often the case with fat loss.

To prove it to you here are five super simple fat loss tips you can easily follow:

1) Stop guzzling liquid sugar. Yes, I mean soft drinks and juices and bottles of iced tea loaded with high fructose corn syrup. For the most part, a 12 oz can of cola is 150 calories of pure sugar. Have a couple of those a day...

2) I've written it a gazillion times and I will continue to - eat breakfast! If you want to make fat loss easy then make sure you start your metabolism off on the right foot.

3) Eat more fruit. Aim for at least 5 servings a day.

4) Eat more veggies. Again, aim for at least 5 servings a day.

5) Stop eating so many processed foods. If it comes in a box from your grocery store it's most likely processed. The fresher the foods the better.

* Bonus tip*

You can make tips 3 and 4 a breeze by using a whole foods based multi. Personally, I love Prograde Nutrition's VGF 25+ http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/vgfmen and http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/vgfwomen because it is made from 25 WHOLE veggies, greens and fruits.

Committed to your results,
Joe

PS - You know I take my nutrition seriously. And it's why I ONLY recommend Prograde Nutrition's Whole Foods based multi. They have both a men's http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/vgfmen and women's formula. http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/vgfwomen

Enter coupon code: Bday15 for 15% off!
PPS – I am a Prograde Nutrition Partner

What can I eat for a late dinner? By South Windsor's Fat Burning Boot Camp

2010-03-23T22:31:00.003-04:00

Excuse the camera shot! I try to be as authentic as possible and never re-record videos (even if the mini tripod slips :)

Note that I reference not to eat "carbohydrates," after 6:00 pm by that I am referring to traditional carbohydrates such as breads, pastas etc..technically not all carbohydrates. In the video I recommend to eat vegetables (classified as carbohydrates) and kidney beans with a lean protein source.

BIG DEAL AT PROGRADE! 15% off until friday!
http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/specials

Outdoor Workouts and Sport's Specific Training by South Windsor's Fitness Coach

2010-03-21T14:52:00.003-04:00

Buy Bands
http//www.resistancebandtraining.com/html/store.html

Buy TRX
http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=H2723Nq5

South Windsor Boot Camp's workout music recommendations

2010-03-17T14:29:00.000-04:00

South Windsor Boot Camp's Post workout shake

2010-03-10T19:03:00.002-05:00

1 Scoop of Prograde's Lean
1 scoop of glutamine (MET RX's)
1 table spoon of all natural almond butter
1 cup of dry oats

Get prograde at http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/

Carabase Training's Outdoor TRX Core workout in Windsor, CT

2010-03-07T23:21:00.002-05:00

1. TRX Hip Press
2. TRX runners
3. TRX Suspended Plank
4. TRX Suspended Pike
5. TRX Oblique crunch (each side)

Get your own TRX at
https://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=H2723Nq5

South Windsor's Personal Trainer agrees with National Media (for once:)

2010-02-28T23:01:00.004-05:00

Check out the link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories…..iesPrimary

Don't forget to post your comments and reactions below!

South Windsor, CT's Trainer on resting

2010-02-25T23:46:00.000-05:00

Connecticut's Top Personal Trainer's video clip on why food companies want you fat

2010-02-19T00:44:00.001-05:00

Hartford County's Top Personal Trainer on how NOT to get sick

2010-02-11T09:37:00.002-05:00

South Windsor, CT's Trainer on Creating Habits

2010-02-04T20:36:00.003-05:00

A Nutrition Strategy from Shawn Phillips

2010-01-25T22:54:00.007-05:00

For those of you who are not familiar with Shawn, he's been on top of the fitness industry for decades; heading up the marketing for EAS, MET-RX, author of AbSolution and his most recent Strength for Life (among many others). Shawn is also the older brother of Bill Phillips, author of Body for Life.

Needless to say he's full of knowledge! I was fortunate enough to meet Shawn at Transformation Domination a few weekends ago in Tampa.

That weekend, Shawn had shared alot of great content but here's one basic yet valuable nutrition tip that can help any one to start eating better: Strive to have just one meal that you know is going to be as close to perfect as you can get. Essentially, a meal that looks as good on paper as it does in your body. From there, progressively more towards 2 meals, 3 meals etc.

I love that. Too often people try to completely change their diet and start a brand new training program all at the same time. When these people fail miserably they start blaming the system ("I tried to eat right and workout but it just doesn't work for me") and give up.

Rather then trying to become the next John or Jane Basedow over night, set some smaller goals and work at getting better at those goals each day.

As mentioned above, Shawn has a ton of great content out there. Check him out:
www.FullStrength.com
www.mystrengthforlife.com
www.startstrongmonday.com

YOU

2010-01-22T15:33:00.002-05:00

I've found that the most helpful and useful things in life are often the most cliche and slap to the face obvious. For example, if you workout and eat right, 99% of the time you will not get fat, look gross and become sick - something over 35% of our population does not understand.

Today, what I'm really talking about now is owning your time. Last weekend, Holly Rigsby, owner of www.fityummymummy.com, dedicated a good portion of her speech about to this. Her point, was that we as Americans, we often spend too much time doing the things we think we need to do as opposed to spending time doing the things we want to do.

This really hit home for me because as an entrepreneur and teacher, I started to find my own workouts suffering. I'm on the road from early am to just getting home anywhere from 8 -10 pm - without any large chunk of time in the middle to spend on myself. I'd get in maybe 25 minute workouts but mostly 10 minute, high intensity circuits. These types of workouts do have a great effect on burning fat and maintenance but sometimes the meat head in me just wants to lift weights and not rush.

Therefore, for now on I decided to give myself one full hr to workout, three days a week. Sorry clients. Further, I started blocking out an additional hour for business development (stuff I need to do but have no energy to do at 10 pm after 13 hrs). Selfish? Maybe but its better long term for not only my personal growth but for those around me.

What are you not making time for?
Workouts? Family? Significant others? Reading? Baywatch re-runs?

Map out an hour each day to focus on whatever it is you love to do or be around. Literally mark it off in your calender or phone and start owning your time.

The more you skip out on what you love, the more you will resent yourself. Take care of the things you need to (your job, health etc..) and live a life that serves your purpose.

Cardio Core Routine

2010-01-15T18:15:00.002-05:00

I wanted to take advantage of the weather down here in Tampa (people are crazy who are saying its cold) so I filmed this Cardio Core workout for you all to perform anywhere!

It's pretty simple:

There are four movements - perform one after another without rest
Start with two quality reps of each exercise and work your way up. Perform two reps of each exercise and move to the next. You should feel each rep
No rest! Move from one exercise to the next
Sequence: Cross Crawl, Pillar Transformation, Spidermans Single Leg Glute Bridge
Start with three rounds. Increase reps before increasing total rounds

My Breakfast Shake

2010-01-14T22:37:00.001-05:00

Semi-Private Training and a Rock Star Dual

2010-01-13T23:56:00.004-05:00

Semi-private training is defined as two or more people, working on a specific goal (or goals) at the same time.

Why it works?

Accountability to another person: Committing to someone else has greater power then just yourself
Competition: Who is taking their training to the next level? Pushing themselves to the limit? Performing their off day homework? No one wants to fall behind or get beat out
Funner:More people, more energy and a better vibe
Better Results: Studies show that small groups/boot camps show greater adherence to programs then individuals training on their own
Affordability: Nearly half the price of traditional one on one training

What most people do?

Move at the speed of death talking to each other while on matching cardio machines
Socialize in a gym setting rather then train: There's a tendency to get caught up in conversation, which prolongs your rest periods and eliminates your focus

I encourage all potential clients to join my boot camp or enroll in semi-private training for the reasons mentioned above. If you are interested, check out more at http://www.carabasetraining.com/semipriv.html

Ryan and Jeff are two of my rock star clients who were looking for a greater challenge so they decided to switch their individual training to semi-private. Check out Ryan and Jeff Dual it out....

Snowed In Cardio

2010-01-06T01:06:00.006-05:00

Next time:

You are tired from working all day
Depressed over the darkness and bare trees
Frozen from the cold and white snow
Do yourself a favor and don't go to the gym.......

Instead, take advantage of these cardio routines below that require zero equipment and each take less then 10 minutes. OH and that are scientifically proven to boost your metabolism for up to 48 hours. Ah yeaa

There are three levels. I'd recommend people who have worked out for less then six months consecutively start with the first one and everybody else start with the middle before moving on to the last.

The first two workouts are about four minutes long. You can increase the intensity by adding additional sets. The second workout is only about two minutes long. If you do not have a medicine ball, use a basketball or book (3lb - 8 lb). Same rules apply with increasing the intensity. All three are powered by Workout Muse's Hip Hop Tabatas sound track.

You may not get a great shot of the lower extremity in the first video so know that you are kicking one leg in as you simultaneously kick one leg out.

Dear I say New Years Resolution...

2009-12-30T12:29:00.004-05:00

Every year around this time you hear so much about "new years resolutions." I'm not sure where this idea of a news years resolution originates from but I think people carry on with it because it allows them an excuse to live a sedentary and unhealthy life style all of fall....."once the first of the year hits........blablabla"

New year new you? No holiday parties or shopping to worry about? - Not sure why people think its easier to get into a routine and transform your body once January 1 hits.

There's my rant on New Years.....Moving forward a friend had expressed a concern to me the other day that he knew all these exercises to do but found his workouts suffering because he was overwhelmed once he hit the gym. Walking in with motivation, walking out frustrated.

He did not have an organized plan of attack. He'd walk to any open machine or workout area, do a set and walk around some more then back again - feeling lost.

We as people do what we think about. If you are trying to think of what to do, you're not moving. Where as if you have a set plan of what you are going to do, you are following the plan.

I had him use a time management - note card organization method that I have found success with.

Here's it is:
1. Every sunday, take out a piece of paper and make a list for the following:

how many days you will be able to workout during the upcoming week
what you want to train each day (muscle groupings or cardio)
how you will train each day (different exercises, techniques etc..) Actually write out the exercises, reps, sets, rests - everything! The more detailed the better

2. Take out seven note cards. For each note card, assign a day and label a muscle grouping or cardio workout, this will be what you train on that day
3. List out exactly how you will train for that day, on the card (exercises, techniques...)

Keep these cards in your car and make sure to change the frequeuncy, mode, intensity and sequence of the workouts each week. As annoying as it sounds, this process should only take 15 minutes and the pay off will be huge. The more focused you are when you train, the better results you will receive

And remember, the longer you wait to start something, the further away it will be from ever happening. Take action. Do work

My Gift To You

2009-12-24T16:04:00.002-05:00

(this photo is stolen!)

Below are three FAT BURNING cardio workouts - may they bring you a ton of burnt calories and a cranked up metabolism!

But first, here are three tips to help keep you in control for Christmas Dinner

Chug water earlier in the day! This will make your body feel full
When loading your plate, fill it with protein and vegetables first then go for the good stuff!
Don't feel guilty - you earned it

3 Fat Melting Cardio Workouts

1. Outdoor Running
Warm up- 20 yards there and back, repeat two times each: Heel To Butt, Lateral Lunge, Forward High Knee Skip
Workout 10x100 yards
1) Sprint 100 yards at a level 9 intensity
2) Jog Back to the starting line at a level 4 intensity
3) As soon as you get back to the starting line, sprint 100 meters, etc. Repeat this until you complete all 10 sprints
Cool down- 10 minutes of a slow walk

2. Bike
Warm up- 2 minutes at level 4 followed by 2 minutes at level 6
Number of intervals: 12
Work Time (per Interval): 30 seconds
Active Rest Time (per Interval): 60 seconds
Work Intensity: 9
Active Rest Intensity: 5
Cool down – 3-5 minutes at level 4

3. Elliptical
Warm up- 2 minutes at level 4 followed by 2 minutes at level 6
Number of intervals: 8
Work Time (per Interval): 60 seconds
Active Rest Time (per Interval): 120 seconds
Work Intensity: 9
Active Rest Intensity: 5
Cool down – 3-5 minutes at level 4

Merry Christmas!

Get Better at Your Winter Sport

2009-12-20T15:57:00.005-05:00

You've heard of sports-specific fitness training for football, basketball, baseball etc..., but what about outdoor winter sports? Snowboarding, Skiing , Ice Skating?

Although these activities are nothing more then fun recreational hobbies for most of us, why not get better them? Or more importantly, why not prevent injury?

Sports-specific training is centered around getting better at movements that you perform in that sport: moving quicker, stronger and more efficient. Depending on my client's sport, I incorporate resistance, CORE, balance, flexibility, agility and posture training to our training in ways that mimic movements they will see in their sport.

For a basic example, I outlined some fundamental ideas for training specifically for snow boarding:

Focus on closed chain exercises for lower body: squat, leg press and lunges. When you are on a board, your lower extremity is considered closed, therefore you want to strengthen those muscles. The amount of resistance and reps/sets will depend on the fitness level of the individual as well as the where that person is in their sport e.g off season strengthening, in season maintaining. Since the snow season is just beginning, I'd recommend any where from 12-20 reps per exercise, for 1-3 sets (depending on fitness level). As far as weight is concerned, you don't want to be sore for your sport so stick on the lighter side or just body weight
Once you get a solid base, incorporate multi-directional motion and unstable surfaces to simulate downhill conditions: trampolines, foam rollers, wobble boards, balancing discs and stability balls, muscle endurance in a crouching and up-down squat position, body weight and tubing resistance
Proprioceptive training: adjust to changes in terrain and maintaining balance on either one or both legs is essential to keeping the body upright: unilateral movements, shuttle runs, line drills, obstacle courses and multi-directional hopping and bounding and around cones or hurdles
Core and upper extremity: posture, good biomechanics specific to your sport e.g flexing & curling your abdominal while standing. Train core in every session with variety and high reps, pushing and pulling motions

You know what they say, if you are not getting better, you're getting worse -make this winter your best

Do you currently train for your winter out door sports? If so, share your workouts below by commenting on this entry

Carabase Training's Fit Body Boot Camp Chosen to Host World’s Largest Simultaneous Fitness Boot Camp Workout for Charity

2009-12-15T23:20:00.005-05:00

I am excited to announce that Carabase Training is hosting a fitness charity event that will set a Guinness Book World Record for the “largest international simultaneous fitness boot camp workout” with all net proceeds going to the American Heart Association (international participants will donate to their local heart association).

The workout will feature a time and space-efficient total body weight loss workout to provide a jump-start to one’s New Year fitness resolutions- a fitness program catering to busy professionals that can easily be continued in days, weeks, and months to come. The event is sponsored by Workout Muse, a fitness music and media production company. Workout Muse will be providing custom interval workout music that will instruct when to start and stop each exercise so the on-site trainers can safely and effectively motivate and supervise the large number of attendees. The music is also clinically proven to improve exercise motivation and performance.

Various prizes will be raffled out following the 20-minute high-intensity interval workout, including free local fitness bootcamp memberships and access to a “Drop a Dress Size in 21 Days” home fitness program powered by Workout Muse that includes interval workout music mp3 soundtracks and smartphone and video iPod compatible follow-along rapid weight loss workouts you can do anywhere.

All attendees will receive a digital home fitness training system that only requires 30 minutes of your time three days per week with no need for fancy, expensive equipment. It’s truly a small investment of time for the dramatic benefits that a regular intensive exercise regimen can have on your overall health, performance, and body composition. Of course best results will occur in a tried and proven fitness boot camp where there’s lot of social support and accountability in an exciting group exercise format that’s much more cost-effective than personal training. The fact is that most people don’t have the discipline to be able to work out on their own day in and day out- they need the supervision and the push!

Local businesses who make a $500 donation will earn their employees free access to the event in their area and will also receive a complimentary fitness lunch and learn and be put into a raffle to win free corporate fitness boot camp training sessions on-site at their facility.

To pre-register and learn more about this event, please visit www.WorkoutWorldwide.org

My location is currently listed on www.workoutworldwide.org under Meriden, Connecticut but it will take place in South Windsor (waiting for the web designer to make the edit to the site) at Nomad's Adventure Quest, South Windsor CT on 100 Bidwell Road, 06074.

Start the New Year Off right by attending this workout and giving to charity!

If you are local, sign up now! Space is limited!!

Warming Up?

2009-12-12T14:38:00.004-05:00

Up in New England the weather certainly isn't. But are you, before workouts?

Warming up prepares the body for exercise and helps prevent injury. I always have my clients warm-up with movements that target the area (s) we're training on that day. The increase blood flow and activation of the muscles allows for better muscle building potential. Your body temperature increases as your muscles heat up and loosen (especially important for us in the cold weather). This decreases the chance of pulling or tearing muscle tissue.

Here's an example of what I'll have my clients do if we're training the full body:

Jumping jacks: 30 seconds x 3
Body weight squats: 30 seconds x 3
Push-ups (regular or modified): 8-15 reps x 3

These movements are performed back to back, without rest.

A rule of thumb I've always used is thinking of a good warm-up as a light workout. Use the following structure before you begin your workout:

Full body aerobic movement: 30-60 seconds
Body weight or light weight resistance movements targeting muscles that you are going to train

People will often go on a piece of cardio equipment before their workout. I see some people do this up to 20 minutes! Then use weights. Although no cardio is bad cardio, I like to have my clients focus their energy on whats going to give them the biggest return. Therefore, keep your warm-ups short and sweet, five - eight minutes and crank up the intensity of your actual workouts.

Holiday Shopping

2009-12-09T00:15:00.007-05:00

My first experience holiday shopping of the year was miserable. Macy's was understaffed and unorganized - about six people waiting for one guy's attention. Everyone was getting pissy and complaining, people were yelling, the mall was stuffy....weh weh, you've all been there.

I finally got annoyed and left, vowing to do all my shopping online and save the BS. The great thing about shopping online is that you can make informative choices. You can research and compare everything on your shopping list without some jabronie trying to sell you something you do not want.

Oddly enough, I had a client later that day who had told how she had put my training package renewal on her Christmas list but her parents were not sure how they actual buy the packages.
Here I am complaining about Macy's, yet I made the process no easier for my own customers?

As soon as I got home, I communicated the issue with Uncle Rick (the IT genus behind the programming of this site) and we solved the issue.

Gift Certificates in increments of $50 are available on the right column of my home page. For each order I receive, I print the formal Gift Certificate, place it in a nice envelop and send it to the desired address (either of the gift giver or receiver).

What's more, I decided to offer 20% off of all in-home training sessions and 10% off of online training until 12/24/09.

Widgets are fun. Clothes are flashy but Professional Fitness Training can transform your body and confidence.

Give the gift that guarantees results.
http://www.carabasetraining.com/inhome.html - In home training
http://www.carabasetraining.com/onlinetraining.html- Online Training
http://www.carabasetraining.com/index.html- Gift Certificates (right hand column)

Active Rest as your Cardio Interval

2009-12-06T12:09:00.002-05:00

I'm big on getting the most in the least amount of time, which is why I am always recommending high intensity intervals over traditional, endurance based cardio. As intense intervals crank up your metabolism post exercise.

Active rest refers to working another muscle or stretching while resting for your set. This allows for your body to keep working (burn calories, build muscle) while you rest a particular body part. For example, assume you are performing a flat dumbbell chest press. After a set, an active rest would be stretching your triceps in between your next set.

In a typical interval, there is the intense interval (high resistance, level or speed) followed by a lower intensity interval (walking, jogging or moving at a slower pace). To get more out of your workouts, start utilizing your "lower" intensity interval as an active rest.

Here are some of my favorites:

Treadmill: After an intense interval, reduce the speed and carefully place your feet on either side of the track (on the outer surfaces where there is no movement), grip the handles and perform 15 push-ups. After the 15 push-ups, carefully step back onto the track and crank the speed for your intense interval. This active rest allows your leg muscles to rest. Another great exercise to use as an active rest on the treadmill is the dip. Perform the dip with your back towards the treadmill, using the side bars as your gripping points.
Stairs: Using actual stair cases, bring moderately light weight in with you. After four high intensity every other step - stair climbs, pick up the weight and perform a curl to overhead press. This active rests your legs while you work your biceps, shoulders and triceps.
Jump Rope: After 30 two foot, 30 right foot and 30 left foot, perform 20 side bends (each side). This active rests your legs as you work your obliques.

These are just some examples but be creative with it. Just remember that the main idea is to rest whatever it is that is performing the bulk of the work and train something different during that rest. Also maintain the purpose of the interval, there is no additional rest after your active rest

Whats your cardio of choice? I'd be willing to bet you don't deviate from the machine, track and interval too often. What can you add as an active rest?

Black Friday

2009-11-27T13:42:00.001-05:00

Traditionally people wake up the day after Thanksgiving with guilt from eating the big dinner and the absurd urge to go spend money on all the “discounts” out there.

The shopping issue is one that I’m not going to touch but as far as guilt, there shouldn’t be any.

The mind and the body needs to “cheat” or binge every so often. I allow most of my clients this sort of thing once every week, with proper portion control of course. Thanksgiving happens to be a special time to get together with family you normally don’t see, which makes it even more important to indulge and have great time.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, things become hectic. Holiday parties, holiday shopping, people getting sick etc..With so much going on, people put themselves behind everything else, skipping workouts and making unrealistic promises to themselves about what they’re going to do once the new year hits.

Be the exception.

Make time for yourself in light of everything else. Start making yourself feel great.

Easier said than done….right?

As I mentioned above, things are going to get crazy but it’s never going to be easy.

Take a few minutes and start developing a plan that will get you started and keep you in check:

What will December look like? What deadlines do you have? Any day offs, holiday parties or other events? Make sure to plan accordingly. From a metabolic stand point, it’s always best to work out before consuming a ton of calories. If this is not possible, use the party or event as your “day off,” – be careful not to abuse it
• Now that things will be busier, how much time will you MAKE for yourself? Remember, this could be five minutes, five times throughout the day.
• What type of workout can you do in your office or at home? This will become an important tool during the holiday season as your time becomes even more precious.
• How can you adapt and change for the holidays? Think in terms of healthy holiday dishes you can bring, parking even further away at the mall or office (this may happen naturally)…be creative

Today is preparation for tomorrow. What are you preparing for, excess weight and unhappiness…or the COMPLETE opposite?

Carabase Training’s Fit Body Boot Camp on the cruise ship

2009-11-23T18:21:00.004-05:00

In addition to some amazing sites, I have been fortunate to meet a ton of great people, from all over the world.

(A picture from the warm-up)

Although all these people have different specific goals, previous injuries and of all different fitness levels – they all share the same barriers in reaching their fitness goals:

Lack of time to workout
Lack of direction working out

These are the same problems that most of us face. In fact, all my clients have these same issues.

I kept bragging about how far many of my clients have gone and how they’re continuing to challenge themselves, before long there was a lot of interest amongst the passengers on the ship. So I decided to host my camp in the ship’s fitness center, free of charge.

People of all ages showed up and everyone had a great workout.

My point is with all this is that as different as we all think our goals are, we all face the same challenges in reaching those goals.

Start talking with people; friends, family, people at the gym etc., put together your own group and hold each other accountable. Studies show that training in a group setting is a more effective way of working out.

If you would rather join a community of people with common problems and a forward thinking attitude, email me with your situation and location. I am currently running two boot camps that guarantee people results or their money back. These camps offer far more than just workouts. For the new year, I will be opening new camps and offering some great deals!

My boot camps last about 30 minutes, thats it and your metabolism will get kicked for up to 48 hours after your done working out!

Email me to find out more: joe@carabasetraining.com

What other problems do you face? Comment on them below

Build a solid CORE

2009-11-19T13:04:00.005-05:00

Today we hiked up MT. Vesuvius in Naples, Italy - an active volcanic crater (only active volcano not on an island). In 79 AD, this crater erupted, without notice and destroyed a city named Pompeii. The town's population was wiped out. The city was covered in lava and buried - hidden from society for another thousands of years - until 1748. During this year, Pompeii was rediscovered through excavation.

Thousands of years since it's original construction, stand the foundations and structures of the entire city! So detailed, you can make out which buildings were homes, bakeries, wine bars and even brothels...

Despite an volcanic eruption, erosion and being buried for centuries, these buildings are still standing. Maybe not the roofs or external details but the original structures.

Consider your core as your foundation, as it's the center of gravity. Nearly every movement is possible through our core, yet so many people neglect to train it properly. Everyone's obsessed with crunches, leg lifts and more crunches yet they neglect the opposing side (lower back) and stabilizing exercises.

The following are three exercises you should master before thinking about crunches or leg lifts:

Pillar: Support your body on just your toes and forearms, drawing in at the abdominals (sucking your belly button to spinal cord), keeping your back straight - butt down with your neck and spine aligned: Your goal should be 90 seconds. To get there, start basic. For instance, start with your knees on the floor or holding for only 20 seconds. It doesnt matter where you start, the important thing is to start and progress from there.
Side Pillar: Support your body on your right heel and right forearm - do not sink your hips or press your left hand down on your hips. Again, you can start with your hips down and/or for shorter periods of time. Make sure to train both sides!
Basic Back Extension: Lie flat on your stomach, raise your chest and shoulders off the floor as you extend up - make sure to keep your neck and spine aligned. For this exercise, start with a smaller range of motion and as you become comfortable, move through a longer range and for more a longer period of time.

Build yourself to last and not get injured. Don't end up like this guy...

Vacation

2009-11-15T17:21:00.003-05:00

I'm on my way to the airport, on flight to ROME for a Mediterranean cruise. In preparation for my trip, I came up with a short list of travel tips to stay fit.

Consider the following for your next vacation:

Pack food for the airport: Depending on the airport, there are very few "healthy" options for quick food. Also, airport stores don't have much to offer for snack foods. Most nuts and bars are loaded with salt and sugars. Bring a few sandwiches, raw-dry roasted almonds and or a protein bar to satisfy your hunger while in transit.

Do some homework: Does your hotel have a gym? If so, what type of equipment? If not, plan to a hotel workout. Think about what movements you can mimic without equipment and create a circuit. Even 2-3, quick workouts will go a long way

Keep some dicipline! Most people think vacation and go wild, throwing away months of hard work. Try to eat habitually clean for most of the day, then indulge in one meal per day.

Take advantage of outdoor surrondings: Whether your traveling to a hot or cold climate, check out what sites you can see outdoors. This is a great way to expand your horizons, see some amazing stuff and burn calories.

Most of all its important to enjoy your vacation and have a good time

Vacation is vacation and as you should enjoy it, make sure not to become over complacent - it's much tougher to get back into to it then it is to maintain.

C4 Powered by Workout Muse's 50:10 audio circuit

2009-11-10T23:13:00.005-05:00

I created the C4 in response to my displeasure of cardio machines and conflicting desire to burn fat.

The C4 is a High Intensity Interval Training method (HIIT) that works your entire body and boosts total fat burning, not during the workout but up to 48 hours after.

It's pretty simple, essentially all you do is perform the following full body movements back to back:
1. Jumping Jacks
2. Squat Thrusts
3. Squat Jumps*
4. Mountain Climbers*
*if you have knee problems, perform the squat jumps with out your heals leaving the floor - just squat down and use your arms to explode up. For the mountain climber, stand against a stable object and kick the feet down & up at a slower pace.

In this video, I used Workout Muse's 50:10 cardio audio but you can use any length of time or amount of reps. I recommend:

Beginners: 7 jumping jacks, 7 squat thrusts, 7 squat jumps and 30 seconds of mountain climbers with 10 seconds rest in between
Intermediate: 10-10-10-40 with 10 seconds rest in between
Advanced 50 seconds-50 seconds-50 seconds-50 seconds with 10 seconds rest in between

Regardless of the level, aim for four sets, resting 60 seconds in between each set.

Put your fork down!

2009-11-09T00:42:00.003-05:00

You ever eat a big serving quickly and realize you're sill hungry?

This is a daily occurrence for me. The interesting thing is that the reason why we are still hungry is more of a mental rather then physical issue.

When you eat fast, your brain is not aware of the food you are consuming. This allows you to continue eating more and more.

The problem is that whether or not your brain knows it, a calorie is a calorie and the more you eat, the more you have to hold your body accountable for.

To get the brain involved and for you to eat the right amount, put your fork down while you chew.

Try this for your next meal and post below to share your experience.

Cooking with olive oil

2009-11-04T22:46:00.002-05:00

For the past few years I have been cooking my chicken and vegetables with olive oil, thinking I was receiving not only great taste but also good fat from the oil.

One thing I never considered was olive oils sensitivity to heat. Olive oil is extremely sensitive to high heats and essentially turns from good fat into trans fat during the cooking process.

Consider the following options next time before you use olive oil as a cooking oil:

Substitute with canola or vegtable oil
Lightly drizzle or spray olive oil over your dish once it is cooked

Pumpkin Circuit

2009-10-28T01:03:00.010-04:00

The common tendency around this time of year is for people to hold off on their fitness goals until January 1st, for obvious reasons:

It’s getting colder
Holiday parties on the weekends
Holiday preparation….

And I’m sure this list could extend even further with excuses but the important thing to realize is that NOW is the time! – Not jan 1st.

If you keep doing the same thing you been doing, you will be pushing yourself further from your goals and there will be new things you perceive as reasons to hold you back when the New Year is upon us.

Start taking small steps now and your news years resolution will be reality on the new year.

My training philosophy is based on functional movement patterns that mimic everyday life and that use a large amount of muscles at once. Most my workouts require little or no equipment.

Therefore, to embrace the beautiful fall season and get started working towards your best body, I developed a special pumpkin themed workout.

The workout consists of four different full body movements, using a pumpkin as resistance.

Workout Frequency: Perform each movement for 20 seconds and rest 10 seconds before performing the next movement.

Workout Sequence: Lunge with pumpkin curl, deadlift with pumpkin press, bent over pumpkin row and glute bridge with pumpkin chest press

The video below shows each movement being performed twice. For beginners, I recommend this volume to start. If you are more advanced, perform each movement for a total of four times.

2009-10-24T21:50:00.001-04:00

Do the hard things

2009-10-24T14:53:00.005-04:00

I was talking to a guy at a gym the other day and he had asked me about endurance cardio training in regards to fat loss. I had told that although you burn more fat during an endurance -low intensity session, it was more beneficial to perform high intensity intervals and burn more calories post workout.

He acknowledged the difference but started to come up with reasons as to why he didn't want to do HIT (high intensity intervals):

Didn't want to sweat
Liked moving at a slower pace
Takes less effort and concentration

I went on to explain to him that if he were to rise above those excuses, he could burn fat for up to 48 hrs after his workout and finish his workout and 1/3 of the time.

This particular guy, like many other people, desire to lose weight but do not have the desire to do the hard things it takes to make that goal a reality.

It's the hard things that will lead to the real deal changes.

Off the top of my head, here are some hard things you should be doing:

Pull-ups/chin ups (yes girls too)
Push-ups (again ladies)
Squats
Deadlifts
HIT cardio
Sweat every day even if you only have four minutes
Consult with a fitness professional

Back Tabata Workout with Resistance Bands

2009-10-20T22:13:00.002-04:00

Resistance bands are one of my favorite tools for both my personal and clientele workouts. They're affordable, extremely convenient and highly effective for building lean muscle.

Here's a 20 minute back workout using only bands and following the tabata method.

The tabata method is 20 minutes of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. It's a great way to build muscle and burn fat in a short amount of time.

The following is the sequence of the workout:

1. Bent Over Row
2. Wide Grip Pulldown
3. Reverse Fly
4. Resisted Push-up

Pesticides in Food

2009-10-19T23:36:00.002-04:00

Ever eat fruit in the grocery store, as you shop?

I'm good for a few handful of grapes nearly every time I go but I'm starting to fight the temptation and certainly not because petty theft issues.

Thousands of insects, weeds or plant disease damage nearly 1/3 of our nation's farm crop each year. In response to this destruction, agriculturists have developed synthetic herbicides and pesticides to augment plant's natural defenses.

These synthetic chemicals can cause serious health problems; cancer, nerve disorders, genetic mutations, birth defects, miscarriages and even deaths.

So, should you stop eating vegetables and fruits?

Not at all but here are some tips to make it much safer:

Avoid direct skin contact or breathing exposure to pesticides
Wash produce thoroughly
Peel if possible
Remove outer leaves
Cook
Eat less animal fat and seafood from contaminated waters
Buy local fruits/vegs in season
Eat a variety so that if you eat food that contains pesticides it will only contribute to a small amount of your overall diet
Buy frozen
Buy certified organic

Ever get sick from pesticides? Comment below

Facts are taken from Healthful Nutrition for Fitness and Sport: The consumer athlete

Carabase Training 2.0

2009-10-15T23:06:00.010-04:00

After months of planning and endless conversations with various web developers, my uncle rick and I are proud to introduce Carabase Training 2.0.

One of the things I will be adding more of is video to the site, both in the blog and video section under Free Content.

Also under free content, we have a forum for readers to post thoughts/questions/comments on. The forum is an open platform for people to create a community where they can find answers about various fitness related topics and contribute to informative discussions.

Here's a direct link to the forum:
http://carabasetraining.freeforums.org/ucp.php?mode=register

You need to register to participate and view the forum but there is no other obligation. Excuse the ads you see during the registration process. Once in the forum, you are free to post and comment appropriately.

Each week I will be sending out a newsletter chalk full of fitness and nutrition tips - to receive these weekly informative exclusive pieces and my 14 tip fat loss guide for free, type your email the newsletter box top right corner of the homepage.

By next week, all services will be supported by a paypal link. Until then, if you are interested in any services contact me through Contact US section in the top right corner of my homepage.

I hope you find this site to be more informative!

What do you think? Post your comments below

Some thoughts on Protein

2009-10-15T18:08:00.001-04:00

I was discussing personal daily eating habits with some trainers in my class today and I realized there is a lack of understanding of adequate protein consumption.

Most muscle magazines tell us to have a protein shake, in some capacity, nearly every hour. The reality is that protein supplements for breakfast, snacks, pre workout, post workout and more snacks causes more harm than good

FAT: If you consume more protein then you need for muscle repair/growth and for energy, it will store as fat.

Fluid imbalance: High protein diets increase the need for fluids which can lead to decreased glycogen stores, affecting performance and hydration levels

Calcium depletion: As protein is consumed above tissue maintenance, more calcium is excreted.

Be more conscious of how much protein you supplement.

Cravings

2009-10-13T18:12:00.007-04:00

It’s tough to fight cravings and give in to foods you know you shouldn’t be eating. I’m on the road and away from my kitchen typically from early morning to late afternoon and get these sort of cravings all the time.

I can only fit so much into my lunch box (which is already too big to be carrying around) and I run out of food with little time to stop anywhere and pick up something remotely healthy. I use to either bite the bullet, not eat anything at all (consequently bringing my metabolism to halt) or pick up a quick-overpriced protein bar filled with unnecessary calories.

This all changed about a month ago when I discovered Cravers by Prograde. Now, I carry two in my car each day, in case I get stuck and need some high quality energy. Cravers are made with 100% organic dark chocolate with three different flavors to choose from; chocolate peanut butter, almond butter and spirulina (mint-ish).

The following information is what sold me on them:

less then 200 calories
protein and fiber
zero trans fat and low overall fat
no preservatives
delicious tasting

As a fitness professional, I am exposed to a variety of supplements and “healthy” foods, but I found cravers to be the real deal.

For more information or to purchase some go to

http://carabasetraining.getprograde.com/

Response to an email inquiry

2009-10-04T21:12:00.001-04:00

“I need help, like many girls. Can you maybe post something or give me advice on how to work out my legs WITHOUT gaining more muscle and make them somehow smaller but toned.”

To “tone” legs or any other body part, there is a process that must occur:

1. Build lean muscle through lifting challenging weight - you can’t build a house without its base structure
2. Lose body fat in the given area. This is accomplished through high intensity interval training with both weights and cardio
3. This step is only relevant after one & two, use a higher rep count with your exercises - while making sure the weight is challenging for the entire set

Now that there’s a basic understanding into the process of toning, it’s important to understand that genetics play a role here too. Everyone is born with a unique genetic code e.g some people have a bigger skeletal structure, some do not. When setting your goals, your goal should be to achieve your best body, not someone else’s.
Here are a few tips to “tone your legs”

1. Train with challenging weight
2. Incorporate stretching movements into your routine; bent knee deadlift, plie squat, deep squat, lunge variations etc
3. Incline cardio: Turn the incline up as you perform your HIIT cardio training, this uses a larger part of your leg muscles (especially in the back part of your body)

Keep working towards your goals and make the appropriate changes to your routine, you’ll be amazed the great things that will happen.

I appreciate this reader’s email. If there is a topic that interests you and would like to see it on my blog, email it to me at joe@carabasetraining.com

Standing In Line

2009-10-02T20:25:00.000-04:00

We are all busy in some way therefore I always stress the importance to take advantage of every opportunity to be more fit, to suck the most out of each opportunity, every day.

Next time you are standing in line at a bank, subway or wherever…do something active. Consider the following options:
• Heel Raises
• Side Step
• Figit
• Twirl
• Stretch

You can burn more calories by fidgeting. It is said that people who drum their fingers or bounce their knees burn at least 500 calories a day, give or take

How much weight? Part III

2009-09-27T16:12:00.001-04:00

Knowing where to start is one thing, but knowing where to continue is another. There’s often confusion on whether or not to use the same weight for every set of an exercise in a workout.

The other day, a friend had asked me to spot him during his flat bench sets. After his third set, I realized that he hadn’t adjusted the weight from his first set (he put up 10 reps with ease the first two sets). Upon asking him some further questions, I had learned that his goal was to gain size but he hadn’t thought to increase the weight because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to get the 10 reps his program called for.

I had him add 2.5 lbs per side to his third set, he did 10 reps. For his final set, I had him add 5 lbs per side, he did 8 reps, with barely any of my help. Clearly he could of been doing more than the 225 lb he did in his first two sets, he just didn’t give his muscles the chance to change.

Whether it’s your goal to bench 315 lb or just tighten up your arms, you must make sure each set of every exercise is challenging. If you are moving weight with ease, it’s time to add small increments.

I tell my clients that if you are lifting a weight that is not challenging, to finish the set and add weight next set. It’s important to first finish your set as you may fatigue more through out the set than you might think during the first few reps.

Whether lifting weights or moving to a new place - no matter the situation, change = growth.

My Breakfast

2009-09-27T16:03:00.003-04:00

Breakfast has grown to be my favorite meal of the day but I didn’t always like it. I used to eat high fructose - empty calorie crap like pop tarts, Reese's Corn Puffs (which are still delicious) and other foods that gave my body nothing but calories. Soon after eating, I’d be hungry again and be running on low energy levels. Weird…

Those days of flavored cereal and tarts are done for me and should be for you too. Now my breakfast gives me sufficient amounts of nutrients and energy that allow me to get a great start to each day.

I change my breakfast recipes every few weeks but here’s my new favorite:

One cup dry oats
1 scoop lean dessert Chocolate Coconut protein powder
1/2 cup frozen blue berries

Simply pour the oats into a bigger size bowl (to prevent a future mess), add a scoop of the lean dessert and top the oats with water. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir. Add the frozen blue berries and stir again – deliciousness in less than four minutes.
IF you are in an even bigger rush, take the same ingredients and pour them into a blender to make a breakfast shake.

Fight to the Bell

2009-09-27T16:02:00.000-04:00

This past weekend Matt Remillard’s opponent decided he’d be the ref and call himself to the corner mid round. He had thought there was a warranted penalty and that he deserved a break with time left in the fourth round.

What he didn’t think about was that there is no rule in boxing that requires your opponent to stop if you decide to take a break in the corner. Remillard like any other champion kept fighting and went on to knock the kid out with a perfectly legal punch to the jaw.

During your next workout, make your body sustain a challenge.

When you give up and stop because you feel a burn and things get difficult, you’re setting yourself up to lose.

Embrace challenges and make yourself work beyond the bell, song, interval or whatever it is that you train to.

Please understand that if you feel dizzy, light headed, feel a pop or sharp pain you should stop immediately.

Response to an email inquiry

2009-09-27T15:39:00.001-04:00

“I need help, like many girls. Can you maybe post something or give me advice on how to work out my legs WITHOUT gaining more muscle and make them somehow smaller but toned.”

To “tone” legs or any other body part, there is a process that must occur:

Keep working towards your goals and make the appropriate changes to your routine, you’ll be amazed the great things that will happen.

I appreciate this reader’s email. If there is a topic that interests you and would like to see it on my blog, email it to me at joe@carabasetraining.com

30-10's

2009-09-21T16:16:00.002-04:00

30-10’s are a timed based interval scheme in which you perform 30 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest.

Here are some reasons why timed based intervals are great:

Involves zero rep counting
Allows you to make each rep count, that is lift with proper form and muscle contraction - rather than just moving the weight to hit a certain number
Crank your heart rate: Increase heart rate = Greater Calories loss and Fat Burn.
Maximizes your time spent: Let’s say it’s your goal is to get to California. What would be of a higher value to you, driving (>40 hrs) or flying (4-6 hrs)? I think the obvious answer is flying. So if that is your mind set with travel, wouldn’t you want get more in less time spent at the gym?

This 10 second rest requires more blood flow to your muscles, carrying more nutrients, oxygen and energy to muscles while removing wastes thus allowing the potential for greater muscle hypertrophy (muscle building)

For timed based interval soundtracks check out http://www.workoutmuse.com/

Making it Happen

2009-09-14T16:19:00.001-04:00

This past weekend I flew out to Kentucky to attend a Boot Camp Seminar. The weekend was full of intense workouts, marketing, sales, and retention strategies as well as interactive presentations on delivering better results using resistance bands, TRX and workout muse. Needless to say there was an information overload. With so many things to do and apply, where do you start?

After a weekend full of great conversations with industry leaders, I have learned that you can’t do everything at once. I think the exact quote was, “Pick a few things and dominate them.”

This new mindset will allow me to take my business to whole another level. Think about your situation, what part of your fitness do you want to improve?

Write down all your fitness goals or anything you want to improve on and rank them in order of importance. Rather than worry about reaching each goal right away, start with the first thing on your list and don’t even think about the others until it’s accomplished.

Once you make it happen, move on to the next one.

My response to a reader’s question on “spot reduction”

2009-09-09T13:10:00.002-04:00

“I want to lose weight around my stomach and hips because that’s where I start to gain, what’s a good way to go about doing that?”

To the best of my knowledge there is no scientific research that proves that spot reduction (losing weight in one particular area) is possible. This means you can do as many twists and crunches as you’d like but it will not tighten up your stomach and hip area alone.
The best way to go about reducing body fat in that area is a combination of the following factors;

• Proper diet: What you eat and drink is 90% of weight management! How are your eating habits? Email me to set-up a free nutrition consultation.

• Full body weight training routine: In this type of weight routine where you are working multiple muscle groups in one session, you are building a larger amount of muscle tissue and burning more calories

• Weight training intensity: If fat loss is your goal, you should be getting cardio from your workouts. You can accomplish this by keeping your rest periods short and using various training principals

• HIIT cardio: High intensity interval training can increase your metabolism up to 24 hours!
By combing the factors mentioned above along with my own training philosophy, I have been able to help almost every client I have ever had trim inches off their waist.

The reason why this has worked for almost all my clients and not ALL my clients is because decreasing your waist line takes a lot of hard work and commitment. Are you willing to keep pushing forward if you do not see results immediately? Are you willing to make time and sacrifices? Are you willing to consult with a professional if things are not going right or if you are unsure of what you should be doing?
If you can honestly answer “yes” to the questions above, it’s only a matter of time before changes start to happen for you.
If you cannot honestly agree to the statements - stop complaining!

Free Evaluations

2009-09-07T14:33:00.001-04:00

Muscular Endurance

To obtain your best body it’s important that you assess your strengths and weaknesses. Too often we tend to neglect things we are not good or strong at and focus more on the areas that seem to be superior.

The following are a series of tests you can use to assess yourself. Regardless of how advanced or novice you perceive yourself at, I am willing to bet that you will learn a great deal about where your body actually is by performing these tests.

How do your results match up?

Email me your results from each test along with your specific goals and I’ll send you a personalized evaluation on your current situation as well as how to improve any weak areas moving forward. joe@carabasetraining.com

Muscular Strength

1. Push-up test

·Set a timer for 60 seconds

·Women: Assume a push-up position (Palms flat against the floor, arms shoulder width apart) with your knees slightly below your hips, pressed against a mat on the floor

·Men: Assume a push-up position, on your toes. Make sure not to sink hips or kick your butt up in the air.

·Flex (bend) your elbows until your chest is about 3 inches away from the floor and press yourself back up

·Record how many reps you performed and the amount of time you lasted

2. Squat Test

·Set a timer for 60 seconds

·Stand upright with your arms extended straight out in front of you

·Keeping your heels flat on the floor, sink your hips back as if you were sitting in a chair then extend your knees back up

·Record how many reps you performed and the amount of time you lasted

Core Strength

1. Plank

·Set a timer for 60 seconds

·Lie Prone (stomach down) resting on just your forearms and toes. Keep your body straight; be careful not to sink at the hips and/or hold your butt in the air.

·Stabilize your body up for as long as you can. Record how long you lasted for

2. Side Plank:

·Set a timer for 60 seconds

·Lie on your right forearm with your legs and hips straight – off the ground.

·Hold your body up on your right forearm for as long as you can. Record how long you lasted for then switch sides.

3. Hip Extensions:

·Set a timer for 60 seconds

·Lie Prone on a mat (stomach down)

·Cross your arms over your chest

·Slowly lift your chest and shoulders off the ground - extending at the spine. Perform each rep slow and under control.

·Record whether you were able to perform the extension for the entire 60 seconds or how long you could perform the extension for

Balance

1. Single Leg Balance:

·Set a timer for 60 seconds

·Standing tall with an upright posture next to a stable object, lift your right foot off the ground and balance on your left foot.

·Record how long you could balance on your left foot for then switch feet

Flexibility

1. Sit and Reach:

·Warm up properly. Warm-up activities include fast walking, jogging in place, or cycling on a stationery bicycle. Adding extra arm movements to these activities, like pumping your arms, will warm up your upper body.

·Sit on the floor with the yardstick between your legs, your feet 10 to 12 inches apart, and your heels even with the tape at the 15-inch mark.

·Place one hand over the other. The tips of your two middle fingers should be on top of one another.

·Slowly stretch forward without bouncing or jerking and slide your fingertips along the yardstick as far as possible. The greater your reach, the higher your score will be.

·Perform the test three times.

Cardio-Respiratory

1. 3 Minute Step test:

·Find your resting Heart Rate by counting your beats per minute for 60 seconds. Write that number down.

·Using a 12 inch step or stair, time yourself stepping up and down off the step, alternating feet each time. Step at a moderate pace - “step step down down.”

·After the three minutes, find your post activity heart rate and record that number.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Quick n Cheap Cardio

2009-08-31T20:32:00.000-04:00

Time is everyone’s excuse and typically leads to the demise of people’s goals. As you are pressed for time, you start questioning what you should do; weights or cardio?, what exercises to include/skip?, or just skip weights and do cardio? etc……, before you know it you end up skipping your workout completely.
I always remind my clients that a workout is a workout - no matter how short it is. Quick workouts can be extremely effective if performed at a high intensity.

Jump ropes are one my favorite pieces of equipment as they’re both cheap, convenient and can be an extremely effective fat loss tool if utilized the right way.

Here’s a jump rope routine that will accelerate your both your heart rate and metabolism;

Warm - up: Rope jump at a low intensity for one minute then increase to a moderate intensity for another minute:

Workout

• Number of Intervals: 6

• Work time per interval: 120 seconds

• Active Rest time per interval: 30 seconds

• Work Intensity: Moderate - high

• Rest Intensity: Low (pace back and forth)

To give yourself a further challenge, add two more intervals of 60 seconds each on each leg.
Time’s not the issue. You have the time, you just need to manipulate your workouts the right way.

How much weight?

2009-08-27T16:13:00.000-04:00

I get asked this question and several variations of this question from clients, friends and my students alike and there are no straight forward answers.

I’m going to break down this question into three sub-questions starting with; how do I select a weight to use for an exercise I’ve never done before?

Men have the tendency to try and lift weight they have no business using. Lifting weights in this manner will eventually lead to injury - whether in the near future or 30 years later. Guys you will build muscle by consistently following the right routine and progressively increasing the weight you use (in small intervals) but it will take time.

Women on the other hand tend to pick the lightest or prettiest (which happen to be the lightest) weights they can find. This as I had mentioned in previous posts will do nothing to “shape” and “tone” you. Lifting weights should always feel like lifting weights.

So, where do you start?

I always have my clients start light and take it from there. Pick a weight you know you can easily lift then make the appropriate increases from there. With exercises like the squat and stability ball crunches where nothing but your body weight is an option, start there.

If you pick a weight that is too easy, increase the weight by the next smallest increment for your next set and continue to keep increasing it from there.

Start with the easiest and work your way towards the hardest.

Check out tomorrow’s blog for whether or not you should use the same weight for every set of an exercise or use slightly more each set.

How much weight? Part III

2009-08-27T16:11:00.002-04:00

The question now becomes whether or not to choose a weight that allows you to go to failure?

Failure being a point where your muscles shut down and you can’t move the weight.
The only clients I allow to train to failure are my body builders, figure competitors and competitive athletes, outside of those rare scenarios; you should never lift to failure. With that said I watch these freaks very carefully and make sure I am in position to provide the right amount of support.

For the rest of us out there who are just trying to get in great shape, you should never go the total muscular failure on any set of any exercise. The scenarios mentioned above require that extra stress to recruit even more muscle fibers and proprioreceptors. The average person should simply go to the last rep they can do with good form and stop there.

If you do not think you can finish the next repetition, don’t start it.

A Good Recipe

2009-08-27T16:11:00.001-04:00

The following is recipe for a Peanut Butter Snack (protein) Bar I found. The ingredients below make five bars.

ATTENTION!!!!! This recipe DOES contain nuts. Therefore if you have a nut allergy or are unsure if you have a nut allergy, stay away from this recipe

Ingredients
1. four scoops of any chocolate whey protein powder
2. 2/3 cup ground flax seed
3. 1/3 cup water
4. four tbsp of organic all natural peanut butter
5. one package of stevia (optional)

Directions
• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Continue to stir through the thickness until the mixture loosens up into a dough-like texture. If it doesn’t loosen up, add a tablespoon of water
• Divide the mixture into five balls and shape each into a bar. Seal them in a plastic wrap and store in a refrigerator or freezer.

258 calories, 21 grams of protein, 12 grams carbs (2 grams fiber), 14 grams of fat (1 gram saturated)

Eat one at a time for a high protein snack with omega -3 fat!

A Good Recipe

2009-08-27T16:11:00.000-04:00

The following is recipe for a Peanut Butter Snack (protein) Bar I found. The ingredients below make five bars.

ATTENTION!!!!! This recipe DOES contain nuts. Therefore if you have a nut allergy or are unsure if you have a nut allergy, stay away from this recipe

Ingredients
1. four scoops of any chocolate whey protein powder
2. 2/3 cup ground flax seed
3. 1/3 cup water
4. four tbsp of organic all natural peanut butter
5. one package of stevia (optional)

258 calories, 21 grams of protein, 12 grams carbs (2 grams fiber), 14 grams of fat (1 gram saturated)

Eat one at a time for a high protein snack with omega -3 fat!

Salad = Appetite Suppressant

2009-08-27T16:10:00.000-04:00

Eating a small salad before a main meal will suppress your appetite. A research study had shown that from study with 44 women who did nothing different other then adding a salad before their main meal, consumed 12% less calories during the course of the meal. In addition to consuming fewer calories, a small salad can provide the following;
• Valuable anti-oxidants
• Increase intake of fiber
• Burn calories through digesting and chewing

The salad can be as simple or as elaborate as you make it but consider the following;
• Go as green as possible; broccoli, spinach, peppers etc.
• Add as many different colors and textures as possible
• Be careful with dressings, they will kill you! I recommend my clients use a low sodium balsamic dressing, a dab of olive oil or lemon juice

Start with tonight’s dinner.

Cardio or weights first?

2009-08-27T16:09:00.001-04:00

Let’s imagine you were looking for jobs and you had a really big interview, would you put yourself in a situation to only be able to perform at 80% of your maximum ability?

Outside of the movie Office Space, probably not, so why put your body in that position when working out?
When you run cardio before your resistance training, you tire out your muscles thus minimizing the potential for muscle hypertrophy (muscle gain). Not to mention that you can potentially lose large amounts of muscle with extensive cardio as your body will take what it needs for proper energy.

Full body warm-up (at a low to moderate intensity) - resistance training - cardio - cool down.

Put yourself in the best position to look great.

Muscle Grouping

2009-08-27T16:09:00.000-04:00

Single body part split? Upper - lower body? Pushing - pulling muscle? Full body? ……You could ask 10 different people and you’ll probably receive 10 different explanations on how muscles should be grouped.
I am not one of those trainers who swear by one method of doing things. The only thing I am concerned about is what works. I’ve had success getting my clients results with each theory mentioned above so I do not feel the need to discriminate against any.

Each muscle grouping serves a specific purpose. For instance, a single body part split e.g chest Monday, back Tuesday etc., is an advanced routine geared mostly towards a body-builder/figure type competitor who is looking to create absolute symmetry.

There’s no right or wrong way to organize your workout routine as long as you are giving your muscles and body sufficient rest periods between training sessions. To determine what type of grouping is best for you, ask yourself the following questions;
• What are my goals? e.g getting healthy, getting on a three day per week routine
• How many days can I realistically NOT ideally, workout? three days v.s un-realistic seven
• What days can I workout? e.g monday, tuesday, friday - if your workout availability falls on certain days, you must make sure you have the right plan so that you can afford your muscles proper rest
• How long do you have each workout session to train? - if you only have 30 minutes per session, it may be tough squeezing in a full body workout

Take out a pen, a piece of paper and answer these questions. Keep in mind that just because a workout is published in Men’s Fitness or Shape, does not mean its the right program for you. Programs that work best are programs that are designed for the individual.

If you are looking to get great results and unsure what direction to go in, email me at joe@carabasetraining.com

Unilateral Training

2009-08-27T16:05:00.001-04:00

For those of you who have a solid base and are looking to take their training to the next level, step out of the box and start incorporating unilateral training or “one sided training,” into your routine. The following are some benefits;

1. Increase functional mobility
2. Improve balance, posture and coordination
3. Strengthen muscle and joints
4. Burn more calories
5. Improve weak side: In training unilateral, it will become obvious that one side of your body is weaker than the other. Train that side with more volume

Here are my favorite unilateral lifts - perform each with weight in only one hand;

1. Shoulder Press
2. Chest Pull Threw
3. Deadlift
4. Squat
5. Lunge

I would recommend mastering your form and building a solid muscular base before attempting unilateral training. Remember to start light, this type of training is much more difficult than it sounds

Response to an email inquiry

2009-08-27T16:05:00.000-04:00

“I need help, like many girls. Can you maybe post something or give me advice on how to work out my legs WITHOUT gaining more muscle and make them somehow smaller but toned.”

To “tone” legs or any other body part, there is a process that must occur:

Keep working towards your goals and make the appropriate changes to your routine, you’ll be amazed the great things that will happen.

I appreciate this reader’s email. If there is a topic that interests you and would like to see it on my blog, email it to me at joe@carabasetraining.com