Dear I say New Years Resolution...

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

(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

1. Chug water earlier in the day! This will make your body feel full
2. When loading your plate, fill it with protein and vegetables first then go for the good stuff!
3. 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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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.

Do the hard things

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

“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

30-10's

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

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”

“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

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

Quick n Cheap Cardio

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?

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

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

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

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!

Salad = Appetite Suppressant

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?

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

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

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

“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

Unilateral Training

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

Unilateral Training

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

Quick n Cheap Cardio

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.

Active Rest

Take advantage of time in between sets by staying active. Rather than talk, pace or stair, consider the following ways to keep your body (muscles) working while you rest;
• Stretch: Stretching after a movement allows your muscle to expand it’s ability to grow
• Body weight motions: Mimic the exact movements you are doing with the weights or any other movement patterns
• Train another body part: This is known as a “antagonistic super set”
• Flex: As corny as it sounds, when you flex a muscle, you are contracting it and therefore making it work (building and burning!)

Whichever option (s) you should to integrate into your routine, don’t spend your time sitting around talking. Allowing your heart rate to return to normal will decrease the amount of calories burned. Staying active while you rest will not only get you a better workout, you will be in and out of the gym quicker!

Chobani Plain Yogurt

Here’s a great snack for any time of day;
• All natural and organic
• Only 100 total calories
• 18 grams of protein
• Only 7 grams of sugar
• 0 calories from fat!
• Gluten Free
• Includes three active probiotics

I will admit at first the taste could take some getting used to but it’s worth a few bland bites. The following are two ways I eat Chobani Yogurt;
• Add frozen fruit to the cup: The sugars from the fruit will enhance the flavor as well as add anti-oxidants
• Add 2 tsp to your protein shake or just shake in general, this allows you another protein source and you won’t notice the texture of the yogurt when blended

Another reason to not-not eat before bed

Reptition Tempo

Often time’s people confuse momentum with resistance training. Momentum is the strength or force gained by a motion where as resistance training refers to consciously controlling a weight using a muscle contraction.

Moving weights up and down with no purpose is close to point less because momentum is doing the work - not the intended muscles. Whether you are training for stabilization, strength or power, you muscle actively contract the intended muscle (s) and resist the weight. The following is an recommended tempo spectrum;

• Stabilization - slow: 4 seconds eccentric (with gravity)/2 seconds isometric (pause)/1 second concentric (against gravity)
• Strength - moderate: 2 seconds eccentric (with gravity)/0 seconds isometric (pause)/ 2 seconds concentric (against gravity)
• Power Training - explosive: Reps are as quick as possible. This type of advanced training still must resist the weight!

Pay close attention to whether you are working your muscle or just going through motions. Then, make sure to match the tempo with your training goals.

Excess Post Oxygen Consumption

EPOC is essentially how long it takes for your RMR (resting metabolism rate) to return to it’s pre-exercise rate.

Light exercise and low intensity training can take several minutes to recover. HIIT (high intensity interval training) can take several HOURS! This means that your RMR will be fired up for up to 24 hours with hard interval training, thus allowing you to burn a ton of calories.

The following are some variables you can change to increase the intensity of your workouts;
• Lower rest periods
• Use unstable objects
• Incorporate balance
• Train in Intervals
• Train in Circuits
• Vary reps/sets and weight

If I offered you a job where you could get paid more money for doing less work, would you take it? I think the answer is an obvious yes. Therefore, why would you workout for longer periods of time when you can get more done from a controlled HIIT program?

The only logical answer as to why you can’t make this happen is lack of knowledge which is perfectly normal yet not an excuse.

If you are looking to make the most of your workouts and achieve the results you desire, email me at joe@carabasetraining.com

Fast Food

I was forced into eating fast food today. The food wasn’t “fast,” by any means, it ended up taking much longer then something of that quality should. Either way, it was the only option.

I do not recommend eating fast food to any of my clients but here are some tips to help you cut your losses next time you find yourself at a fast food place;
• Order grilled or broiled lean meats
• Cut the condiments and sauces
• Choose water over soft drinks
• Pick a salad if possible
• Whole wheat if possible
• Stay away from fried foods
• Opt for alternative sides such as a side salad or fruit

Fast food menus can be tempting but make sure to do your best

Muscle Grouping

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

EFA’s and Fish Oil

Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) & fish oil supplements are becoming more main stream as of late. Outside of a protein supplement, I rarely ever recommend anything else to any of my clients (including myself) but these two supplements are worth mentioning.

An essential fatty acid is one that cannot be created within your body so you must obtain it from an outside source (diet or supplement), thus making it “essential.” You can find them in most cold water fish, extra virgin, certain organic peanut butters, olive oil - to name a few. The following are some scientifically proven benefits of Omega 3’s;
• Increase metabolism
• Increase fat burning
• Prevent cancer
• Reduce inflammation and joint pain
• Enhance skin and hair quality

Needless to say there is a lot of upside. However I maintain that if you eat a well-balanced habitual diet you should be able to get all the “essentials,” you need. Before buying either of these supplements, I would first and foremost consult with your physician to get their “okay,” then reflect on your eating habits. If you are unsure about what you should be eating or have specific questions, contact me about an online eating program and weekly grocery lists. joe@carabasetraining.com or

4th of July and T-Shirts!

If you haven’t already, sign up for my monthly news letter to receive exclusive free nutrition and fitness info! This month’s news letter includes my 6 Tips to Stay Fit and Have Fun on the 4th. Sign up now and I will send them as soon as I receive your email.

Order your Carabase Training T-Shirt at http://www.carabasetraining.com/index.php/products.html?page=shop.product_details&product_id=25&category_id=6&flypage=flypage.tpl - under “products” section on my home page.

The shirts are Glidan 100% preshrunk cotton. My colored logo is on the front left breast and the URL is along the back in Blue. Available in Woman’s Small, Medium and Men’s Medium, Large and Extra Large!

Beer muscles with sweet potato and white wine

I stole this recipe from Cassandra Forsythe, M.S - it’s both healthy and tasty so I’d thought I share it

Shopping List

1. 1 lb raw mussels in shells
2. 1 12 oz can of beer (preferably something of quality and aim for a lager)
3. Garlic Powder or Garlic cloves - I prefer cloves
4. 1 medium size sweet potato

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Place mussels on a large baking sheet. Pour beer over mussels and smother with garlic (powder or cloves). Cook for 20 minutes then remove from the oven and let it cool down
• Wash the sweet potato and cook it in either the microwave or the oven (pre-heat oven to 375)
• Serve half the cooked potato with the mussels, goes well with a 4 oz glass of white wine - I prefer a nice Pinot Grigio

This recipe serves two people.

No pain, no gain?

In terms of challenging your body, you cannot get new and better results without pushing yourself through some discomfort. The level of difficulty you put yourself through should depend on what your goals are and your current fitness level.

If you are not a competitive or an professional athlete, then you do not need to push yourself to the edge. Training at 70-80 percent intensity should give you all the benefits of exercise, helping you lose weight and build muscle.

Regardless of your training level, fatigue will kick in at the end of a set, run or a workout in general. As you are pushing yourself through this and embracing the challenge, you must be able to tell the difference between good and bad pain or otherwise risk injuring yourself. Here are some tips;

• Good Pain: A feeling that you worked the intended muscles hard. I always tell my clients that they should be “uncomfortable,” and therefore challenged while lifting or during cardio but not in pain. Thus uncomfortable in this sense is a sign of a good pain.
• Bad Pain: Any shooting or sharp pain and any spasms. If any of these signs occur, stop immediately and evaluate what the situation.

Although I stress the importance of listening to your body and being safe, remember that in order for change to take place e.g weight loss, muscular strength, you must continue to challenge yourself. If you are unsure how to progress your workouts or your fitness levels, consult with a professional trainer.

Quick Cardio - C4’s

Perform steps 1 - 4 without stopping. Rest 30 seonds then repeat three more times (a total of four)

• 50 Jumping Jacks
• 15 Squat Thrusts
• 15 Prisoner Squats
• 30 seconds Mountain Climbers

If you are unsure of how to perform any of the exercise, comment your questions below. Also feel free to comment your thoughts upon completing an entire set.

The C4 is great for anytime you’re looking to burn fat quickly, whether it’s after your workout or at home when you wake up. To make the routine more difficult, add volume to each exercise e.g 17 reps or decrease the volume to make it easier.

Machine Circuit = Marketing Machine

Machines help sell health clubs. Their shiny, colorful and smooth appearance is more attractive then the hardcore iron barbells and dumbbells. Gym owner’s love these machines because of their appearance and because they get people moving through the gym more efficiently. Every gym regardless of its size has a designated machine circuit for people to follow and move on with their day.

Machines are beneficial as a rehabilitative tool or for body builders trying to focus on smaller muscles but not for the general population. Machines position your body so that all you have to do is perform the motion of the exercise. Where’s the function or purpose in that? If you are not training for a medical or sports specific purpose, you should be performing exercises that work a greater number of muscles at once aimed towards improving your life style.

Think about how often you have to perform movements where your entire body is perfectly stabilized, outside of stationary machines – there are very few if any of these occasions.

Incorporate exercises into your routine that require you to stabilize your body. Don’t settle for machines because they look pretty or because they’re “easy to use.” Demand more of yourself.

If you are intimidated to use free weights or unsure how to, send me an email at joe@carabasetraining.com.

What can you do?

I found out today that I have to get another dental procedure, only a week after unexpected root canal procedure. No matter how much I brush my teeth, floss and stay away from candy; I had to get this work done. There was nothing differently I could of done that would prevented it. But what can you do?

Nothing. I can’t control whether or not my filling comes out or if my wisdom teeth come in much like many other things that happen every day to many other people. When something happens that you can’t control, you are only wasting time by dwelling on it so don’t, it sounds annoying to other people and is useless.

Focus on what you can control. Keep yourself in top shape, foster new relationships, have fun with friends and family, show gratitude towards what you have etc.. The point is to focus your energy on things you want and can make happen.

An average physical active adult in a consistent weight training routine is not guaranteed to live forever or never get sick, but his/her risk of most diseases and/or an early death is guaranteed to be lower than an average sedentary adult of that same gender.

Whole v.s Refined

Typically whole grains have more fiber and protein then refined grains, which means they’re slower to digest.

The following are some benefits of whole grains;
• Better weight control
• Less heart disease
• Less cancer
• lower risk of diabetes

Refined grains are processed to improve flavor, mostly in the form of white breads, white pastas and breakfast cereals - all containing no nutritional value. Refined grains are often hidden by manufactures’ that use the label “enriched.” When in reality, refined grains are the opposite of enriched. Most the nutrients are lost during the flavoring process.

Not to say you can completely stay away from processed foods. Most of what we eat is either processed, fertilized, cross-bred, hormonally enhanced and/or genetically manipulated to some extent. Whole grains at least are foods that are minimally processed.

Refined foods do nothing to slow down our blood stream. Therefore those who eat mostly process foods have higher levels of insulin and blood sugar - which are building blocks to diabetes and heart disease.

Before you buy bread, check the ingredient list. If the first product lists “whole grain” or “whole wheat,” you should be good. Make sure to keep looking down the list, especially for high-fructose corn syrup. If present, put the product back. When comparing two products, pick the product with more fiber and protein. A good benchmark for fiber is 4 grams per serving.

There is only one time you should ever consume a refined bread over whole wheat or grain bread - post workout. Only after your workout, you need a quick boost in your insulin levels so white bread is acceptable here. Other than that, stay away.

Recovery

You must always give your muscles forty-eight hours to recover before you work them again.

You build muscle with rest. Strength training creates micro-trauma - tiny tears and strains in your muscles and connective tissues. As a result of these tears, your body responds to these minor damages by making your muscles bigger and stronger, thus protecting them from future damage.

Bigger and stronger muscles do not automatically equate to bulk and size - to any lady readers. I can’t say it enough how women simply do not have the genetics and testosterone muscles to build muscle like men. Bigger and stronger muscles for women = tighter bodies and increased metabolic rates.

I always stressed variety in training routine with both clients and friends alike. That is because if you repeat the same exercises at the same weights, your muscles will adapt to the stresses you are imposing on it and you will see little change. It should be your goal to keep imposing new stresses to your body so you are continually forcing your body to make new adaptations.

Quad Dominant

When I first start working with clients, I have found that most people tend to be stronger in the front of their thighs than the back. This means their hamstrings tend to be weaker than they should be, relative to their quadriceps. Research has shown that when the quadriceps’s are more than a 1/3 stronger than the hamstrings, there is a greater risk of damaging the ligaments that hold the knee together.

Tight muscles in the front can stretch out the connective tissue on the back, thus making them longer and comparability weaker. From head to toe, your body is connected in ways you would never think about. Therefore it’s important to be conscious of this imbalance and create a routine that evens everything out. Assess your front strength v.s your back strength e.g quads - hamstrings, abs - lower back..find the weaker link and improve it.

My overall goal is to train my clients to do what they couldn’t do before and one important part of this is to improve the relative strength of your upper body, lower back, glute’s and hamstrings, as you do this, everything will get stronger and the ratio will shift.

Shake of the Month

I get a lot of my clients asking me how and what to mix in with their protein shakes so I figured I’d dedicate one entry a month to share some tasty recipes.

Strawberry-Pineapple
1. 1-2 scoops of strawberry whey protein powder (the amount of grams will depend on your body weight and desired weight)
2. 1/2 cup of canned Dole Pineapples
3. Two handfuls of ice
4. Fill to the top with water (more water - more liquid, less water - thicker)
5. Blend until all the ingredients are processed until smooth.

This can serve as a great post-workout shake because it will give you a good amount of protein to help rebuild muscle tissue and also allow your body to use the sugar from the pineapple to spike insulin levels.

The Deadlift

In terms of functional lifting, the Deadlift may be the most useful gym exercise that mirrors everyday activities. Every day we bend down and pick up something.
It works several muscle groups; hamstrings, glutes, hands, forearms and upper & middle back. Thus making your body work harder, allowing you to burn more calories and build more muscle.

Performing the Barbell Deadlift:
• Load up an Olympic barbell, stand with the bar against your shins with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes pointed forward.
• Squat down and grab the barbell with an overhand grip, your hands should be just outside your legs
• Straighten your arms and tighten your core
• Look straight ahead
• Pull the bar straight up your shins as you stand; pushing your hips forward and pulling your shoulder blades together
• Pause at the top position for a slow two seconds – make sure your chest is upright and back is straight at this position
• Slowly descend the weight back down your legs to the floor. Make sure to control the speed in order to avoid a sudden jolt to your lower back muscles

You can perform the lift with dumbbells as well, just gripping a dumbbell in each hand and holding them right outside your legs.

If you group your workout routine by muscle groups, I recommend to add the Deadlift to your back or legs day - I perform the Deadlift every back day. If you train your full body each session, make sure the Deadlift is the top of your routine right along with the squat.

The exercises that are the most difficult or uncomfortable are typically the best types; the Deadlift right along with the Front Squat is defiantly one of them. Start with lower weight to master form and to get comfortable.

Eat Beans

Beans are possibly the best source of fiber out there .Most of my clients lack fiber in their diet. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, the average daily intake of fiber is eleven grams - compared to the recommended daily value of 35 grams daily.
Why Fiber? Diets that are higher in fiber have been linked to lowering risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

An average cup of beans will give you anywhere from 11 g (kidney) up to 17 g (aduki) of fiber! According to a study by Patti Bazel Weil, R.D from the University of Kentucky, a daily cup of cooked beans can lower you cholesterol up to 10% in six weeks.

A lot of my meal plans focus on a serving of beans, in some capacity each day, especially for those clients who are looking to lose weight. Beans have a low glycemic index or raise blood sugar levels very slowly. This helps the regulation of blood sugar and insulin, keeping your appetite from spiking.

The following are a few ways I add beans to my daily diet;
1. One cup to my egg whites
2. 1/2 cup, 1 cup of vegetables with olive oil and vinegar
3. 1/2 cup, a can of tuna with olive oil

No matter how you like it, add beans to your diet. Let beans be your only carb source for dinner and you’ll be guarantee to drop some weight.

A Night Cap

Cottage cheese is a great night time snack because it’s rich in casein protein or long lasting protein that will continue to pump protein into your muscles as you sleep. As always, make sure to buy the no fat variety.

Easier said than done right?

I can’t stand the texture of cottage cheese so I blend it into a shake;
• 2 spoons of no fat cottage cheese
• a cup of blue berries
• handful of ice cubes
• half of a cup water

The texture is gone and I am still able to have a healthy bed time snack. Do not - not eat before bed. Remember, during sleep, your body “fasts,” and slows down your metabolism. Keep your body working

When to breath?

When in doubt - breathe. Holding in your breath while exerting yourself can stop the blood to and from your brain; this is known as the Valsalva Maneuver.

You should always exhale on exertion or when you are going against gravity e.g curling up a weight. If you are new to training or just confused in the gym, breathing can be a difficult skill to learn. I recommend all my new clients to count repetitions as they are performing the exercise; this ensures that air is coming in and out.

Do not make this mistake……

Do not make the mistake of NOT properly fueling your body before a workout. If you eat nothing before you exert yourself in a workout, you will not have enough energy for an optimal workout and worse, you will get light headed and could potentially faint (especially worse when weights are involved). Understand that this will not help you burn fat - it will do the complete opposite. When your body needs calories, it holds onto fat before protein and carbohydrates.

On the other hand, eating too much and/or eating the wrong types of food pre-workout can have similar disastrous effects. Stay away from high protein and fibrosis foods pre-work. High protein and fibrosis foods require of time and blood to digest properly or move through your body, therefore, the gas and acid from these types of food will be sitting in your stomach as you try to work out. Not only will your stomach feel upset, your body will still be needing calories for both energy and digestion, which can also make you light headed.

So what are you suppose to eat before a workout?
You want a low glycemic carb source along with a smaller portion of a lean protein. The low glycemic carb source will help yoTu sustain enough energy for your workout and the protein will help start the muscle building process.

The following are my two favorite pre-work meals;
• 1/2 whole grain pasta and a 8 oz glass of water with 1 tsp of protein powder
• Whole grain bread with low sodium turkey and a light spread of hummus

Last but not least…..give yourself about an hour to digest whatever you eat before training.

The Flaxseed and it’s oil

I’ve mentioned the importance of omega-3’s in previous postings and both flaxseeds & flaxseed oils are the best sources for an important omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid because the body cannot make it up and there for must be consumed from the diet.
In addition to the omega-3’s, the flaxseed contains omega-6’s and certain omega-9’s that are great for the heart.

Flaxseeds are a great source of ligans. Ligans have the following health benefits for both men and women;
• protective effect against various cancer
• increase the sex hormone Binding Globulin (binds to estrogen and helps get it out of the body)
• boosts colon health
• promotes healthy skin
• helps stabilizes blood sugar

Flaxseeds not the oil - contains soluble fiber. Like any other seed, flax seeds are tiny and can essentially be added to almost anything with you even knowing it. The following are a few ways I add them to my diet;
• Sprinkle over a salad
• Mix in the blender with my protein shakes

Mind-Muscle Connection

Going through motions relies on mostly momentum and gravity using very little muscle.

For your muscles to grow you have to actively contract them by mentally thinking about that muscle during the intended lift.

Test:
1. Standing upright with no weight, curl up each hand as you were to perform a basic biceps curl
2. This time as you curl, focus on contracting (flexing) your bicep the entire motion up and resist gravity back down

Feel the difference? The latter should be much more challenging because you are actually using that muscle to perform the exercise - not the momentum or flow of gravity.

Be aware of the muscles you are trying to hit with each exercise you perform. As you move through the motion, focus on contracting that muscle. This new level of concentration actually makes you work harder, thus you burn more calories and build more lean muscle.

To practice your mind muscle connection, perform the following motions throughout the day. Pick one motion an hour and go through 30 reps in a row – focusing on the intended muscle
• Frontal Press: Pectorals
• Overhead Press: Deltoids
• Triceps Extension: Triceps
• Bicep Curls: Biceps
• Leg Extension: Quads
• Leg Curl: Hamstrings
• Calf Raise: Calves