Results matching “bodybuilder”

Monday, 11 Aug 2014 - Issues

By Scott Andrew Bird on August 12, 2014 12:33 AM

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.
NB : If you're keen to do more writing in 2014 and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.


Video : Shoulder Training Tips? Intensity!

Over to the incredible George Leeman.





Gymchat 254 - Improving Recovery & Performance (Sincere Hogan)

Sincere Hogan
Sincere Hogan.
No matter what your training goals are, chances are that at some point you've thought about recovery. What to do - and when - in order to spend as much quality time as possible around the iron.

This week we'll be exploring those various recovery options. The things to do before/during/after training, and between the workouts themselves. Adjusting sleep, oxygen intake, temperature and so on.

Helping us get a handle on everything is New Warrior Training Systems' Sincere Hogan, joined by Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett. Fantastic.


NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Sincere and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Hangout and ask it directly.

And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.


Details -

Who : New Warrior Training Systems' Sincere Hogan, Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett, and You
Topic : Improving Recovery & Performance
When : Wednesday Aug 13, 8:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, join the hangout (just add Top Form Fitness to one of your circles, and Josh'll send out the URL when the Hangout starts), or jump in the Q&A on the Event page itself. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.


Jaime Smith
Personal Trainer Jaime Smith.
Coming Up : We've got several fantastic discussions coming up shortly - with Personal Trainer Jaime Smith, Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey and many, many others. Of course, we're always scheduling more; if you'd like to suggest either a topic or a person that should definitely be on the show, drop us a line. Cheers.


Tip of the Week: When Possible, Buy Meat Locally

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

In the article Fight Fat With CLA from eVitamins, Derek noted the value of getting some quality meat in your diet. One of the key factors is to keep an eye out for things like 'grass-fed beef'; another is to purchase from local sources whenever possible.

Jeff Marraccini explains :

Scott, I also look for local sources. Even grass-fed meat coming from far away likely has more risk of being exposed to excessive heat, cold, or other environmental conditions. Unfortunately, it is not always possible so I have to compromise from time to time.

Great point.


Looking Forward To : Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength (2nd Edition)

Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength (2nd Edition).
Looks good.

Although it's not out for a while yet (Oct 12), I'm keen to check out the 2nd Edition of Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength.

I'll certainly be posting a review shortly after it becomes available; in the meantime, a couple of brief comments from the first edition of the book :


Readers will appreciate the combination of plain facts and expert advice. Anyone looking to build muscle mass will appreciate this thorough, no-nonsense guide to proper strength-training technique.

The book is very well written, and provides a complete, precise set of tables throughout the chapters that allow the novice or advanced bodybuilder or strength athlete to start using proven exercises/techniques to improve their appearance and/or performance. The "Rating" matrices of Time/Length/Difficulty/Results alone were, for me, worth the price of the book.

Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength. Good stuff.



Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned recently - fantastic thing.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Continue reading Monday, 11 Aug 2014.

Straight to the Bar Guide to Fat Loss - Test articles

By Scott Andrew Bird on March 27, 2014 5:53 PM

Looking to get rid of a bit of excess baggage? No problem.

No how much extra material we're talking, to get a handle on the basic process I strongly recommend this video from Josh Hewett and Vic Magary. It's about 40mins, and extremely thorough.

Incidentally, this was part of the superb 'Gymchats' series. If you'd like to see the upcoming topics/people, grab the Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). And for the other Gymchat videos, swing by this page - they're all there, ready for download. Absolutely free.

A few resources

The guys noted several great books, sites and people during the discussion; and we've also noted many over the years. Here are a few we strongly recommend :

Got a question or three?

No problem. As you can see, we love talking about this stuff. If you've got a few questions regarding your own situation (or fat loss in general), swing by the Straight to the Bar Community on Google+ and drop us a note. It's fair to say that there are more than a handful of Personal Trainers, Strength Coaches and Fitness Enthusiasts over there.

The Straight to the Bar (SttB) Guide to Fat Loss - SttB Articles

By Scott Andrew Bird on March 27, 2014 12:27 PM

Looking to get rid of a bit of excess baggage? No problem.

No how much extra material we're talking, to get a handle on the basic process I strongly recommend this video from Josh Hewett and Vic Magary. It's about 40mins, and extremely thorough.

Incidentally, this was part of the superb 'Gymchats' series. If you'd like to see the upcoming topics/people, grab the Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). And for the other Gymchat videos, swing by this page - they're all there, ready for download. Absolutely free.

A few resources

The guys noted several great books, sites and people during the discussion; and we've also noted many over the years. Here are a few we strongly recommend :

Got a question or three?

No problem. As you can see, we love talking about this stuff. If you've got a few questions regarding your own situation (or fat loss in general), swing by the Straight to the Bar Community on Google+ and drop us a note. It's fair to say that there are more than a handful of Personal Trainers, Strength Coaches and Fitness Enthusiasts over there.

Monday, 10 Mar 2014 - Issues

By Scott Andrew Bird on March 10, 2014 6:02 PM

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.
NB : If you're keen to do more writing in 2014 and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.


Video : Squat Battle - a Powerlifter, a Weightlifter, a Strongman and a Bodybuilder

Squatting your bodyweight - max reps in 5 minutes. Simple idea, great contest.




Gymchat 238 - Fitness Business Strategies (Matt Palfrey)

Sandbag Floor Press
Matt Palfrey.
If you've been involved with the fitness industry for any length of time, chances are you've thought about setting up your own gym. Perhaps you've already got one.

Either way - how do you promote it? Attract new customers? Learn about what works, and what doesn't?


This week we'll be discussing this area in detail, answering all of the above and a whole lot more. Joining us is Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey, together with Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.

NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Matt and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself) and jump in the Q&A.

And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.

UPDATE (5 Mar 2014) :

Unfortunately a connectivity issue got in the way of this one, so we've rescheduled it for Monday (full details below). Apologies for that.

Scott


Details -

Who : Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey, joined by Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : Fitness Business Strategies
When : Monday Mar 10, 9:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.


Gymchat 239 - How to Get HUGE! (Craig Bongelli)

Craig Bongelli
Craig Bongelli.
Whether it's for strength, competition or aesthetics, how do you go about packing on a serious amount of muscle mass? Is it just a matter of 'eating everything in sight' and training hard?
This week we'll be discussing this area in detail, explaining exactly how to tackle your hypertrophy goals. What's possible, how long it takes and a whole lot more. Taking us through the entire process is Strongman and Strength Coach Craig Bongelli, together with Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.

NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Craig and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself) and jump in the Q&A.

And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.


Details -

Who : Strongman and Strength Coach Craig Bongelli, joined by Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : How to Get HUGE!
When : Wednesday Mar 12, 9:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.


Logan Christopher
Logan Christopher.
Previously : In Gymchat 237 we discussed Old-Time Strongman Training (with 'Physical Culture Renaissance Man' Logan Christopher and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett). Great conversation.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.


Tip of the Week: Use a Weight You Can Control

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

This tip comes to us from the enigmatic Gerard F, and is a snippet from a series of very interesting conversations surrounding the insights of the 'Iron Guru', Vince Gironda. In particular, this thread on Google+.

The full quote is :

Use a weight you can control, and control the weight you use.

This applies to a lot of things, but in this case we were talking about the bench press. Gerard noted :

At best the Bench Press is an "OK" exercise even when done correctly, but nearly everyone performs it based on the wrong concept. Using 8-12 reps its OK, but what happens is, when the reps get tough, your form goes bad, the back arches and/or your torso torques; stress goes from the chest to the triceps to the shoulder/cuff, and your strong side lifts the load that your weak side can't handle.

Over bench pressing gives you a circle looking chest, that's when the shoulders and tris are developed because the chest can't handle the weight, and what happens is the shoulder and tris are targeted more than the pecs.

Very interesting. Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.


Re-Watching : Westside Dead Lift Secrets

Louie Simmons
Louie Simmons.
I'd almost forgotten just how good this is. Superb information.

Before you ask - why now? A DVD that's more than a decade old?

It's one of the first videos I watched when I began training in earnest. There's a full review here.

I'm watching it again because I now have a decade of training under my belt, and some of the details described may be things I can only fully appreciate now. The thinking underlying the equipment used and the techniques discussed.

Westside Dead Lift Secrets. Love it.



Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned recently - fantastic thing.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Continue reading Monday, 10 Mar 2014.

Greg Kovacs - SttB Articles

By Scott Andrew Bird on November 26, 2013 9:36 PM
Greg Kovacs
Greg Kovacs.

Canadian professional bodybuilder, the incredible Greg Kovacs (1968 - 2013).

Transformation Techniques IV - Myths 2 - SttB Articles

By Jason Paris on September 25, 2013 12:53 PM
We received some fantastic feedback following Jason's Gymchat (#207), cheers. Much appreciated.

Jason's kindly agreed to contribute a series of articles looking at this fascinating area in even more detail. This week's is below.

cheers,

Scott




Transformation
Transformation.
Getting your dream physique is a lot of hard work. But it gets a whole lot easier when you have the right plan in place.

Today we're going to begin where we left off last time and go over 5 more common myths that put road blocks in front of our goals and derail our success.

Before we dive into today's myths, let's take a quick look back at what was covered last time.

If you missed any, take a second to review them now.

Let's jump right into things.

6. Nothing Works Like...

Some nights it's difficult to sleep. When this happens, television can act as a lullaby soothing us to sleep.

During those sleepless nights, late night television is overrun with reruns and infomercials. Attractive fit people describe the wonders of the latest and greatest piece of equipment or workout out program. They claim it's revolutionary and guarantees incredible results in just minutes a day.

Nothing works like it. It can melt stubborn fat or build muscle better than anything else out there. Or so they say.

No one piece of equipment can do everything.

Variety is critical to success. Different exercises, different reps, and different rest periods all make your workout more effective.

7. Fuel The Fire

There are two common myths around boosting metabolism...

  1. Eat breakfast
  2. Eat Frequently

I'm sure you've heard people say that you have to jump start your metabolism by eating a good breakfast. Then to keep it fired up all day, it needs to be stoked with lots of tiny meals every couple of hours.

Doesn't matter if the person is a bodybuilder or looking to lose weight. Both groups are told the same myth. But it's not true for either.

Our metabolism is made of many different components. Digestion is a small part of the equation. The energy needed for digestion doesn't come close to the added calories of increased meals.

Calories matter most!

Want to gain muscle. Eat more.

Want to lose weight. Eat less.

Eating more meals may be adding unnecessary calories. Over time those extra calories add up and begin to show as pants getting too tight and belts needing a new notch or two.

Eating breakfast or frequently doesn't matter as long as daily caloric needs are met.

Calories matter most!

8. Cinderella Syndrome

This follows closely on the heels of the previous myth.

Eating after 8pm, 10pm, or midnight will cause you to gain weight.

We aren't doomed to the same fate as Cinderella. We won't turn into a pumpkin or a fat blob at midnight.

What lies behind this myth is that activity level generally decreases later at night. And when we sleep it completely stops or is greatly reduced. So calories or fuel isn't needed.

Just like before, total calories is what matters. Doesn't matter when you eat them. Metabolism operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our body never stops burning fat.

There's no need to fear late night meals.

For the bodybuilders out there. There's no need to wake up every few hours to get a protein fix.

You have freedom as to when you eat. Just make sure you stick to your daily caloric needs.

9. Take 2 And Call Me In The Morning

Supplements are big business. Those behind the scenes would have you believe that you can't get results without their magic potion. They make claims that their latest potion, powder, or pill is needed to lose weight or build muscle.

There aren't any supplements that are needed to lose weight or build muscle. There's even a good chance that what fitness companies are selling is completely useless.

Many supplements are designed not to work.

Altering the body's chemistry is dangerous. Not a liability supplement companies are willing to take. Because of that, they make sure their products don't work. It's too risky to put hormone altering products in people's hands without doctor supervision.

A well balanced diet and good workout program will produce results 100% of the time.

10. Run, Forrest, Run

For many, the thought of burning fat invokes images of Forrest Gump running and running. For a long time, hours and hours of long, slow cardio has been touted as the only way to burn fat.

Nothing wrong with the elliptical machine, or running. Long slow cardio can be an effective way to get rid of stubborn belly fat. But it's not the only way. Nor is it necessary.

In my experience, you can't beat heavy strength training and high intensity interval training. Sure there are other methods, but this method has proven to be the most effective. It produces the best results in the least amount of time.

Cardio is good for you and comes in all shapes and sizes. It's definitely something to include in a fitness program, but long runs aren't necessary. Mix it up. Have fun. There are millions of different options that make suitable cardio choices.

You don't have to run.

Keep in mind...

Diet is the major player. If that's not right, all your hard work won't produce a body you're proud of.

That's exactly where we'll pick up next week.

Nutrition for change.

Continue reading Transformation Techniques IV - Myths 2.

Gymchat 214 - How to Create an Effective Supplement Stack (with Paul Teixeira) - SttB Articles

By Scott Andrew Bird on September 24, 2013 1:21 AM
Paul Teixeira
Paul Teixeira.
It's fair to say that my diet's changed an enormous amount over the years. As has my thinking on supplementation.

If you're wondering what you should be taking, when and - perhaps most importantly - how to put them together in a way that will actually help you reach your goals - then make sure you join us for this one. Bodybuilder Paul Teixeira talks to Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. Details below.



Details -

Who : Bodybuilder Paul Teixeira and Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : How to Create an Effective Supplement Stack
When : Wednesday Sep 25, 9pm EST
How : Watch the live stream below (we'll post the Youtube player as soon as the hangout starts). The full video will also be available here shortly after the Gymchat.


Continue reading Gymchat 214 - How to Create an Effective Supplement Stack (with Paul Teixeira).

Monday, 23 Sep 2013 - Issues

By Scott Andrew Bird on September 24, 2013 1:03 AM

This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.
NB : If you'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.


Video : 1,325 reps 16kg Kettlebell Snatch (1 set)


Nice one Rob.


Gymchat 214 - How to Create an Effective Supplement Stack (with Paul Teixeira)

Paul Teixeira
Paul Teixeira.
It's fair to say that my diet's changed an enormous amount over the years. As has my thinking on supplementation.

If you're wondering what you should be taking, when and - perhaps most importantly - how to put them together in a way that will actually help you reach your goals - then make sure you join us for this one. Bodybuilder Paul Teixeira talks to Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. Details below.



Details -

Who : Bodybuilder Paul Teixeira and Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : How to Create an Effective Supplement Stack
When : Wednesday Sep 25, 9pm EST
How : Watch the live stream over on the main site. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.




Gymchat Roundtable
Roundtable.
Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 213, a roundtable discussion looking at How to get BIGGER and STRONGER. Great discussion.

On the panel were Josh Hewett, Suneet Sebastian, Louis Farone, Paul Marsland and Jason Paris. If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.



Josh Hewett
Josh Hewett.
Coming Up : In upcoming Gymchats we'll be talking to Zach Even-Esh, Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Al Kavadlo and many, many others. Full details in the in the Strength & Fitness Newsletter.

And if you'd like to suggest a topic for a future discussion - or volunteer to be interviewed on the show - just drop us a line. Cheers.


Tip of the Week: The Stages of Workout Nutrition

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

This tip is a brief look at the major stages of workout nutrition, and their goals. A bit of fine-tuning here can go a long way indeed.

From Gymchat 133 - Workout Nutrition :


Kurtis Frank
Kurtis Frank.
Any meal can contribute to a workout (glycogen replenishment mostly), but generally workout nutrition is broken into three segments. The pre-workout, the intra-workout (optional dependent on goals), and the post-workout.

Pre-workout is literally just a meal you eat before you hit the gym. It holds more importance than other meals (say, breakfast if you train in the PM) since the nutrients you ingest at this meal will still be floating around in your blood when it comes time for a workout.

Intra-workout is typically something you bring to the gym to sip on, and where stuff typically gets all fancy with supplementation and is the area most people like to talk about. (This includes post-workout shakes consumed immediately after training)

Post-workout is when you get home and make a nice meal. There are typically higher rates of muscular metabolism and generally more metabolic direction to muscle and away from fat mass (compared to other meals). So nutrients post workout tend to be put to better fates than other meals.


Good stuff.


Looking Forward To : Lift the Blob

The Original Blob
The Original Blob.
This sounds superb.

We'll post full details during the week, but suffice to say that if grip's your thing, this is one you'll want. A guide on lifting this challenging beast, written by none other than 'Napalm' Jedd Johnson.

Fantastic.



Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently - superb idea.

As we noted, we'll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here's a brief video to explain the basic idea :

For more information, head on over to the official site - renaissancefitnessinc.com.

Continue reading Monday, 23 Sep 2013.

Transformation Techniques III - Myths - SttB Articles

By Jason Paris on September 6, 2013 12:12 AM
We received some fantastic feedback following Jason's Gymchat (#207), cheers. Much appreciated.

Jason's kindly agreed to contribute a series of articles looking at this fascinating area in even more detail. This week's is below.

cheers,

Scott




Transformation
Transformation.
Getting your dream physique is a lot of hard work. But it gets a whole lot easier when you have the right plan in place.


Last time we talked about the mental aspect of transformations. How to overcome the internal struggles so we can change our bodies.

This week, we're going in a slightly different direction. We're going to continue to talk about roadblocks and struggles, but instead of the internal challenges, we're going to talk about a few of the hidden challenges. Things that are directly sabotaging our results and making it more difficult for us to reach our ideal physique.

Separating fact from fiction

Exercise and fitness aren't immune to myths and fallacies. I'm not sure what makes fitness so susceptible to myths, but it's prevalent and could be one of the reasons you're not reaching your goals as quickly as you'd like. Today I want to talk about 5 common fitness myths that once brought to light, will make your transformation that much easier.

1. Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

You don't have to look too far to see an ad or article heading touting drastic fat loss and muscle building transformations being achieved at a record setting pace.

I've seen claims like...

  • add 41 pounds of rock solid muscle in just 24 weeks!
  • lose 7 pounds of fat in 7 days!

Fast is good. So naturally we jump all over these offers.

Everyone likes instant gratification. I'm not any different. Unfortunately things take time, especially when it comes to the body.

Burning fat is a faster process than building muscle.

Muscle growth is an incredibly slow process. A pro bodybuilder is happy with 5 lbs of new muscle in a year.

Luckily, you don't have to wait that long. When you're first starting out, gains come quicker than they do after you have been training for a long time. So that 5 lbs can come in the course of a couple of months for you.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it takes a lot less muscle than you think to see a change. An extra 10 lbs of muscle will make a huge difference in your physique.

While weight loss can happen a lot quicker than building muscle, it still takes time.

Shooting to lose 1 − 2% of your bodyweight a week is a good goal.

Drastic numbers can be achieved quickly. But they're just numbers. There are a lot of factors that make up your weight and cause fluctuations. Water being a big one.

These bold claims take advantage of the changes in the body's natural fluctuations. They're not reporting real results, real muscle growth or real fat loss.

Not seeing fast results can be frustrating. But don't let advertisers dictate your expectations.

A transformation takes time. Be consistent and patient. Follow the right program and diet. You'll get there.


2. Miracle Foods

Spend any time around the gym and you'll hear guys sharing ancient gym secrets on every aspect of training.

Nutrition always seems to be at the forefront of these discussions. They talk of miracle foods that can instantly build muscle or burn fat. They claim they're so effective that training almost becomes secondary. Kind of like chocolate milk in muscle building circles.

Chocolate milk is supposedly one of those miracle foods that will pile on slabs of muscle like nothing else.

You'll notice that the same conversation is going on around the cardio equipment.

In an effort to beat the bulge, tales of exotic foods are often told. Take Garcinia Cambogia from southeast Asia. It's supposed to be so effective that diet and exercise are obsolete. Not true.

There's no magic to it. There aren't any miracle foods. The real secret is to eat well-balanced meals. Have lots of variety and stick to your required calories. That's it.

Nothing magical or mystical - just effective.


3. Foods That Go Straight To The Hips

After the conversation of the miracle foods, comes the gym's elders telling stories of food that will destroy your body. They claim there are foods that are the worst and have mystical powers of evil. Like the mysterious chocolate cake that can add pounds to the hips of people who just look at it.

Low-fat diets were popular for a while on the assumption that eating fat would make you fat.

Luckily these myths are false. No one food can make you fat or prevent you from getting killer abs.

In fact, you can eat your favorite food and still reach your goals.

With that said, foods high in calories have to be consumed in moderation. Too many calories will keep the abs hidden. But feel free to enjoy everything. Nothing needs to be excluded from your diet.

Just like before...
Eat a well-balanced meal. Have as much variety as possible and stick to your required calories.

4. The Fat Burning Zone

When it comes to cardio and burning fat fast, there's a lot of talk about the fat burning zone. Every cardio machine I've seen has a fat burning setting or program. It can even get kind of technical with fancy graphs, age predictions, and math.

But the fat burning zone doesn't exist.

We're constantly burning fat. It happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

So the notion of a fat burning zone is crazy and holding you back from faster fat loss.

To burn the most fat in the quickest time, get as far from the fat burning zone as you can.

Get the heart pumping and the metabolism revved up to the max.

I know a few people may still be skeptical about this, so I'll explain why the "fat burning zone" is a myth.

As I said before, we are always burning fat. At lower intensities, fat is a major source of energy.

As intensity of activity increases, more energy is needed. Fat is slow to release its energy. It has trouble keeping up with the calorie demand of intense physical activity. So the body has to shift to other sources of fuel.

All fuel sources are pitching in to keep the body going at this intense rate. Fat is no longer the main star like it once was. It's still helping out, but as a percentage of calories burned, it decreases.

This may be a little confusing, so I'll give you a quick example.

Let's say you go for a 10 minute walk. That burns 50 calories. Roughly 60% of those calories came from burning fat because you were in the fat burning zone. That means 30 calories of fat were burned.

Let's say that you said the heck with the fat burning zone. You want to tear up the track. So you run as fast as you can for 10 minutes. You covered a lot of ground and burned 150 calories.

Of that 150 calories burned, 40% were fat calories. That means you burned 60 calories of fat. Even though you weren't in the "fat burning zone," you still burned more fat. And even more importantly, you burned more calories.

To burn more fat and more calories, increase the intensity. Staying in the fat burning zone will only slow your progress.


5. Losing The Love Handles

Go to any gym and you'll see people on the floor and in machines working hard on their abs. All in an effort to flatten their stomach.

Big mistake.

This is time wasted.

I'll even go as far as to say it's making you fatter.

Thats because there's no such thing as spot reduction. Working the trouble spots doesn't do anything to help make them disappear. What it does do, is take time away from exercises and activities that could make a difference. Thus, making you fatter.

If you set aside 45 minutes to workout and 10 minutes are spent doing side bends to get rid of the love handles, that's time that could be better spent doing an exercise with a higher intensity.

The higher the intensity, the more calories burned.

As we don't get to pick and choose where the fat goes, we don't get to pick and choose where the fat gets burned off. So concentrate on exercises that will deliver the biggest bang for your buck.

Next week, we'll continue looking at myth. Some of the things we'll cover are:

  • Optimal meal frequency
  • Meal timing
  • Boosting your metabolism with meals

See you next week.

Previously in this series :

Transformation Techniques : Definitions
Transformation Techniques : Mental Strength

And for an even closer look at any of the topics discussed, swing by the guides area. Some great reading in there.

Monday, 1 Jul 2013 - Issues

By Scott Andrew Bird on July 1, 2013 11:26 PM

This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.
NB : If you'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.


Video : How To Squat With Perfect Form


Good stuff Jonnie.


Gymchat 203 - Explaining Crossfit Principles (with Dai 'The Moose' Manuel)

Dai Manuel
Dai 'The Moose' Manuel.
If you've spent any time exploring the world of fitness, chances are you've heard of CrossFit.

This week we're going to be discussing the thinking behind it - what it is, and the logic behind doing things the CrossFit way. The daily workouts, Olympic Lifting, diet and a whole lot more. Helping us tackle it is CrossFit Level 1 Coach, Dai Manuel. Fantastic.

NB : I'm very keen to hear both Dai's thinking on CrossFit, and yours. If you've got questions or opinions on the CrossFit approach, join us on the Hangout. Here's how.



Details -

Who : CrossFit Level 1 Coach, Dai Manuel, Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and you.
Topic : Explaining Crossfit Principles
When : Wednesday Jul 3, 9pm EST
How : Google+ Hangout. If you've never been to one, here's how to take part.
URL : We'll be announcing this shortly - both on the blog and on Google+ itself.

NB : If this is the first time you're joining us for one of the Video Gymchats, welcome. There are three basic ways to watch this (depending on whether you want to join us on the Hangout and ask a question or two, or just sit back and take it all in) - full details here. However you like to do it, we've got you covered.




Group Discussion
Group Discussion.
Coming Up : In upcoming Gymchats we'll be discussing Rope Training, Sandbag Work for Beginners and the Fitness Future of technologies such as Google Glass. Get your questions ready.


And if you'd like to suggest a topic for a future discussion - or volunteer to be interviewed on the show - just drop us a line. Cheers.


Tip of the Week: Overhand Card Tearing

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

Tearing cards
Completed tear.
When it comes to the various feats of performing strongmen & women, one that frequently comes to mind is the tearing of a deck of cards. In the article Overhand Card Tearing, Bikes Cut the Correct Way, Adam explains the basic technique for doing exactly that :
  • Hold it firmly
    Hold it firmly.
    Hold the deck firmly with your weak hand (right side shown for me) with the deck firmly and horizontal to the floor.
  • Pinch the deck
    Pinch the deck.
    Pinch the deck with the strong hand with the thumb and index finger. It's the same grip you use to use a remote control.
  • Pull towards your chest
    Pull towards your chest.
    Pull your strong hand (pinch side) towards your chest. The index finger splits the deck. You must pinch hard!
  • Turn your weak hand towards the floor
    Turn your weak hand towards the floor.
    Continue to pull hand towards your chest, turn your weak hand towards the floor. The deck will rip - not twist - if you have a tight grip. The tear line will be clean.
  • Separate the deck
    Separate the deck.
    Continue to pinch the deck hard and pull back towards your chest until you separate the deck. The line will be a clean cut right through the deck. With this method you can put the cut anywhere you want on the deck.
Tearing cards
Tearing cards.
It takes pain tolerance and hand strength with this method. Keep practicing. THERE IS NO TRICK. Rub some lip balm on your hands after you tear if the skin is raw.
I can now rip decks of bicycles in less than 3 seconds, and quarter them in a second with this grip. It makes you strong.

NB : it's certainly possible, but by no means easy. If you enjoyed doing that and would like to take it a step further, check out Jedd's superb Card Tearing eBook. Invaluable resource.


Checking Out : Bodybuilders Never Die

Bodybuilders Never Die
Bodybuilders Never Die.
I love finding out how people got from there to here.

Next on the reading list is Jim Moore's Bodybuilders Never Die - They Simply Lose Their Pump, a look at his transformation from skinny teenager to national champion. And as he freely admits, there were one or two challenges along the way.

Bodybuilders Never Die. Comes out today.



Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently - superb idea.

As we noted, we'll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here's a brief video to explain the basic idea :

For more information, head on over to the official site - renaissancefitnessinc.com.

Continue reading Monday, 1 Jul 2013.
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