There are a few things that need to happen in order to produce muscle growth. You need to use significant load when lifting weights Enough time under tension to create structural damage to the muscle tissue Enough stimuli to up-regulate anabolic hormones and increase protein synthesis Proper recovery and workout nutrition Many people often think that if they lift as heavy as possible, or use as much volume (sets and reps) as possible they will […]
There are a few things that need to happen in order to produce muscle growth. You need to use significant load when lifting weights Enough time under tension to create structural damage to the muscle tissue Enough stimuli to up-regulate anabolic hormones and increase protein synthesis Proper recovery and workout nutrition Many people often think that if they lift as heavy as possible, or use as much volume (sets and reps) as possible they will […]
There are a few things that need to happen in order to produce muscle growth. You need to use significant load when lifting weights Enough time under tension to create structural damage to the muscle tissue Enough stimuli to up-regulate anabolic hormones and increase protein synthesis Proper recovery and workout nutrition Workout #1 When I think of athletes with huge quads, I think of Olympic lifters. They perform a ton of fronts, heavy. So […]
During the last several years, the loaded carry (most notable the farmers carry) has exploded on the scene. Everyone from bodybuilders to Cross fitters has started to include various loaded carries into their routines and for a good reason. A loaded carry is where an athlete picks up and carries a heavy object and walks with it for an extended period of time or distance. This can be done with various objects, such as dumbbells, […]
The longer that I am in the lifting game, the more I look to be more efficient with my workouts. In a perfect world, I would write programs for my clients and myself that would include the following: Soft tissue works with various foam rollers and massage balls Corrective exercises to improve any dysfunctions Mobility work Stretching Groundwork (rolling, crawling, Get-ups, etc.) Nervous system development/power work (med ball throws and plyos) Strength training Conditioning/cardiovascular work […]
The best way to build muscle is to perform full-body strength training sessions frequently throughout the week. The combo of lower and upper-body movement that involves multiple muscle groups done in a circuit fashion stimulates anabolic hormones and protein synthesis which are two of the major players at stimulating muscle growth. Performing multiple full-body strength routines must be done correctly in order to produce results. Hitting each muscle group 3 to 4 days per week […]
Power training is a vital piece of the functional training puzzle for both competitive athletes & general population clients. Progressive exposure to high-velocity movements trains the nervous system to recruit high-threshold motor units, reflexively stabilize joints and develop the local tissue resiliency necessary to withstand the demands of high-velocity sports, making it a valuable tool for both performance enhancement and injury reduction. Throwing low/moderate weight medicine balls with intent and at high velocity promotes the […]
In 2017, I wrote a Complete Programming Guide For Small Group and Large Group Personal Training Since then, there has been over 100 of our intern at State of Fitness that have read the manual. Each semester, our interns are required to turn in a detailed summary of what they learned from the manual. One of our amazing interns, Maryam Abbasi, has written a fantastic summary I wanted to share. You can click io the […]
Real Workouts. Real Eating. Real life.
With the holidays right around the corner, many of us will be traveling quite a bit. We will also be presented with some obstacles to stay on our eating and fitness routine. For those of you who travel year-round, you are constantly trying to balance out your eating and find a way to get a workout in.
Over the years, I have found that the holidays and traveling are two of the biggest obstacles when trying to stay on a proper routine. Time management is probably the number one reason why people have a tough time sticking to a routine. Are these excuses not to stay healthy, get your workouts in and not gravitate to eating junk out of convenience? YES! Now, I know what you are saying. It is very hard to stick to a routine due to time, the holidays, and all the time constraints put on us these days. Well, here is what I have to say.
You will always be busy. The holidays come every year, and at some point during the course of the year, you will have to travel. These are just obstacles that you need to plan for. You don’t need to obsess about sticking to your routine, you just need to prioritize.
If you make it a priority to get some good food in your body, travel with the proper gear, and carve just 21-minutes to move each day, all the travel, holiday eating, and time constraints won’t beat up your routine so badly.
Many of us go into these particular situations with the thought of already failing. We find it too hard to prioritize what we need, because let’s face it; the holidays and traveling are stressful. We are a time-crunched society and feel that we will never get ahead. So we immediately feel like we can’t keep up. We ditch our workouts and good eating habits because it is a path of least resistance.
I have talked to thousands of people about this. Most of them simply feel that it is too hard to maintain their health during stressful times. Now, I get it. It is hard to stick to your healthy daily habits, but not impossible if you simply make a plan to prioritize what you need to do. It doesn’t have to be hard, and you don’t need to obsess, just invest.
Travel and the holidays aren’t an escape from your every day life or a departure from reality; they’re an expansion of it. You don’t need to view the holidays and traveling as an excuse to not move and gorge yourself. Just simply do your best to move every day and eat foods that nourish you. If it’s a holiday party, feel free to sample some of the items that look amazing! Don’t choose to eat things that you know you won’t enjoy. Pick what you like and go at it!
If you are traveling, there are so many healthy options these days. Find them and eat a lot of them! If you are in a new town, feel free to sample some of the local goodies. Just choose wisely and stick to the plan I have written below to ensure you get some good stuff in your body as well (my own habits list). For your workouts, just carve out 21-minutes each day. Do whatever you want. If you are in a cool downtown area, go for a fast walk. Most hotels have a gym, so just pop in, put something heavy over your head and move on. No gym and it’s too cold out, do some push-ups, air squats and burpees and call it a day. You can do the same anywhere if you are unable to make it to a gym during the holidays.
The point is not using “too busy” as an excuse!
Prioritize movement, prioritize protein and vegetables, prioritize sleep, and prioritize the indulgences that you deeply desire, but don’t obsess over any of it. If you get in a 15 minute hotel gym quickie instead of a 30-60 minute strength session, that’s just fine. If you sample a little “not so healthy” cuisine that’s totally okay as long as you have some protein and veggies too. If you drink copious amounts of wine, don’t worry about it as long as you drink copious amounts of water as well.
You don’t need to completely stray from your daily routine but don’t expect your behavior or your routine to be perfect either. Just stick as closely to your healthy habits as possible without any attachment to outcomes. This is how you come home after a week away and are able to get right back to your daily schedule. This is how you’re able to indulge and not feel guilty or regretful. This is what I do. Trust me, I love food, I love to drink wine, and I eat a ton during the holidays and when I visit a new town. I just simply stick to some daily habits to keep me on track.
Here’s some examples of things that help me continue my daily rituals while traveling:
Invest in yourself, don’t obsess. Give yourself some wiggle room and a lot of grace. Stay as close to your routine as possible without trying to control everything. This is what I consider true consistency–the ability to veer off the path a little bit and easily get back on.
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