Quick Tips

One paragraph blurbs that are straight to the point. Add these tips up, and you have yourself a pretty solid foundation for fat loss and getting lean.

The Prone Plank

Quick Tips

The Prone Plank

The prone plank is a classic core stability drill that gets no love.  The mainstream has moved on the to the fancy stuff and skipped the essentials.  Planks have low entertainment value and high reward.  They are easily progressed for an increased challenge, but the picture above is “ground zero”.  The abdominals are stabilizers first and foremost.  Train them for success now that you know that.

Use these tips for execution…

  • Pressurize your torso musculature as if you were going to take a right hook.
  • Breathe against your now pressurized stomach.
  • Straight posture from shoulders to heels.  You’re a pillar.
  • Put your mind somewhere else and dig in.

Pressed for Time: When are Bicep Curls, Triceps Extensions and Deltoid Raise Acceptable?

Pure Fat Loss, Quick Tips

Ahhhhh, the “dessert” movements of the training world.

I will be blunt with this post.

Exercises like bicep curls, triceps extensions and deltoid raises provide very little bang for you buck.  I don’t care how many different angles, rep schemes and loading patterns you choose for a bicep curl, you are NEVER going to lean out by performing bicep curls alone.

I used to have a rule at the sports performance complex in Detroit, my athletes could do all of the curls, triceps, and shoulder work they wanted AFTER we finished taking care of business with our regularly scheduled program which consisted of:

–  Squats (one and two leg variations)

–  Hip dominant lifts (deadlifts, swings, etc)

–  Horizontal pressing (push ups, etc)

–  Vertical Pulling (Chin-Ups, etc)

–  Horizontal Pulling (Inverted Rows, etc)

–  Turkish Get-Ups

–  Energy System Development (aka: Anaerobic, aerobic, shuttle run conditioning)

 

The rule was simple.  You give me what I want, and I will let you go play around by the dumbbell rack and work all of the muscles that you think the girls love.

Most times, the guys were too tired to complete any “dessert” type movements like bicep curls, but occasionally they would find the energy to bang out a few reps/sets.

 

Does this rule apply to the general population seeking fat loss?

Hell yes it does.  I want you to change your view about training.  Bicep curls, triceps extensions and deltoid raises need to be considered “dessert”.  There is very little return on investment when performing these exercises.

 

Unless you are competing in a physique competition anytime soon, ditch them.

Replace them with total body movements, multi-joint movements that challenge your body as a single synergistic operating unit.

Run fast, lift heavy things from the floor, throw a medicine ball, work with a suspension trainer, use battling ropes, squat, push up, chin up, pull up, inverted row, push a heavy sled, pull a heavy sled, jump, run a long staircase, use a heart rate monitor to eliminate guesswork.

 

Image Credit: Core Performance

Do some of those things I just listed above, organized in a systematic way that prevents staleness, stagnation and keeps you progressing with weight, rest periods, exercise progression, mobility and flexibility, recovery until the next bout, etc…

Sooner than later you are going to see some results as a byproduct of your consistent development of strength, power and overall athleticism.

 

 

End timer…

The Evolution of Man: Monkey to Desk Jockey

Injury Prevention, Quick Tips

Don’t fall victim to the negative effects of sitting.

Take a proactive approach to offsetting the hours upon hours of the hunching that is done in your cubical.

Sitting makes creates a situation where your muscles commonly become long and weak in the back (posterior) and short and tight in the front (anterior).

Simple solution:

  • Foam roll and stretch the quad and hip flexors (front) to lengthen.
  • Perform glute bridges, deadlift variations (1-leg & 2-leg), x-band walks, sliding hamstring curls, etc… to strengthen.
  • Gain some lost mobility in the mid-spine region (thoracic spine)
  • Learn how to breathe properly (Westerners are chest/neck breathers)
  • Be consistent and patient for change.

It kind of reminds me of:

The 23 and 1 Rule…

  • In one hour I can offer you the greatest training session in the world. I believe this. I am confident in my abilities.
  • Then I can watch as you destroy everything that we accomplished in the 23 hours that you have away from me.
*** The greatest opponent to a die hard advocate of movement is their own client, the person that pays them good money for their advice.  So weird.

The Shoe Get-Up

Quick Tips

Shoe get-ups are the most effective and safe way to teach traditional turkish get-ups.

Bret Jones has brought the phrase “Kathos Sthenos” to the fitness industry, which essentially translates to “Beautiful Strength”.

You don’t have to get all emotional to enjoy turkish get-ups, but it is a movement that requires grace and tension.  A flawless turkish get-up with a huge amount of weight in hand is something that the average person will find interesting.  Well, here is an example:

I still think that it is the most effective was to move a heavy object from the ground to a position over the head, in full shoulder extension.

The turkish get-up, although valuable, is a one of the most complicated movements in the training world today.  Many trainers shy away from it because of the number of steps there are within a successful turkish get-up.

To teach it, you have to break it up into pieces, and you most certainly have to start without any load.

 

The Shoe Get-Up is just the ticket…

What you’ll need:  One flat soled shoe or sandal and at least a 8×8 clear space.

 

YouTube Instructional Video Coming!!!

Move More, Sit Less

Pure Fat Loss, Quick Tips

The original title of this blog was going to be “Move More, Sit Less”.

For some odd reason, I had a lot of trouble trying to come up with a “clever” name for my little space on the internet, even though I have an OK understanding of how SEO (search engine optimization) works, and the title isn’t going to automatically get my information out to the masses.

So what is the purpose of this blog?  

I had to ask myself that before I started up another blog.  It is so easy to for me to sit in front of my computer and bang out post after post about movement, food, and everything else that has to do with maintaining or regaining control of your mind and body.

I don’t know why, but I am just fascinated by how simple fat loss really can be, yet how complicated we make it.

One interesting thought came up in conversation one weekend while I was up in “God’s Country” (aka:  Hayward, WI).  I was sitting on the deck at my girlfriend’s parents house when the conversation swung to health (for some weird reason everyone wants to talk about health when I am around).  Tom, my girlfriends Dad, mentioned that he felt that people who write about self-help are just in it to make a buck ($$$).

Isn’t she adorable? I think so.

I felt a little weird once her Dad mentioned this (even though I know he didn’t mean anything harm by saying it) as I am currently working on a book that incorporates time tested solutions for fat loss, along with a manual for hockey players (strength and conditioning).  I am not writing the books because I feel that my target audience needs to hear more about health and nutrition, I am writing it because, well, god dammit I want to write it.

For me, it is an accomplishment sort of deal.  I feel like I have a lot to say and I need some sort of avenue to get all of my thoughts out.  What better vehicle than writing a book?  If a business develops because of it… great!  I am an entrepreneur at heart.

 

What qualifies me to write a book?  

I will be blunt here.

I am well read and I have a shit ton of experience working with athletes of all levels, Mom’s, Dad’s, high-profile business owners, low profile average Joes and everyone in between.  I worked with young kids in Detroit during my tenure at a training facility.  That was a true experience in patience and learning to communicate on a whole other level.  I have even trained the trainer on a number of occasions.

If you are someone who really cares about credentials, I have those too (CSCS- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist).  This certification is through the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) which is corrupted and supposedly the best in the industry right now, but honestly, I think credentials are bogus.  You either have experience and continue to grow your knowledge and passion for your field or you don’t.  Don’t let someone fool you with their long list of credentials.  It might not mean shit.

More than anything, I am a walking/talking example of everything that I write about.  That is why I feel comfortable teeing off on methods that I may disagree with or supporting methods that I agree with.  I always used to tell my athletes that I would never ask them to do something in the gym or on the ice that I wouldn’t do or haven’t done as a player myself.

The same goes for fat loss.

 

Why would I recommend someone do something that I haven’t done or would be willing to do myself?

Yea, I have done the 10 minute ice-cold shower to test its effect on fat loss.  Held on for dear life during a legitimate Tabata Protocol.   I have worked through grueling escalating density training sessions… and on and on.

I have tested out intermittent fasting and its effect on my own bodily appearance.

There is more and more buzz about the impact of intermittent fasting on fat loss and improving body composition, potentially even extending life (not entirely sure about this claim just yet).

While I don’t doubt that intermittent fasting is probably effective as hell, I found that it simply isn’t for me.  I cannot function without food.  Mentally, I go to hell.  I gave it an honest chance, and am willing to do so again, but my mental performance suffered greatly.  I’m not implying that I am a food addict, I am saying that I treat food as fuel for energy, which helps me stay focused mentality and prepared physically.

Put simply, intermittent fasting is just not for me.  I eat awesomely nutritious meals and I love it…

Image

Eat. Real. Food.

But that is not to say that it cannot be for you.

This is just an example of many of the interesting topics that you are going to find on this SIMPLE blog.

I am all about simple and effective.

You’ll find that to be true if you continue to stop in and read what I have to say.

If you like what I have to say, by all means continue to come back and visit me.

Add me to your RSS feed so that you can get updates on new blog posts.  Sometimes they will be relevant to your personal situation and sometimes they won’t be.  Regardless, I will always do my best to pump out good information supported by plenty of pictures, videos and links to other resources that I have found helpful over the years.

 

Cheers to squeezing more out of life…

Kyle Garner