Weekly Routine

        I follow this schedule the best I can, but obviously it differs a bit from time to time, depending on the weeks events. One thing I never do is miss a leg day.. If I am going to miss a day then i miss a cardio or chest day. Legs are very important for getting your testosterone up and creating mass... (for women this should be your focus, your go to workout, nothing better than fit legs and a round toned butt) The more muscle you have the easier it is to burn fat. It will just melt off. So the week is laid out some thing like this:

Monday: Chest and Tris  
Always make one of your lifts a free weight dumbbell workout; either bench or incline bench. (decline bench is useless, only used as a ego booster) and so are machines. They dont let you use your stabalizing muscles and you can't heal correctly if you only use machines. Medicine ball push-ups are bomb at the end of a workout. You can super-set them with dips to really finish your chest and tris off. My favorite for tris are skull crushers, over head pull-overs, narrow grip bench and cable kickbacks. 

Tuesday: Abs and Cardio
For abs anything that has you suspended in the air is best. Leg lifts, medicine ball throws, knee to bars, and hanging scissors are a few. Just sit-ups and crunches are a waste of time and are to specific on isolation. If you do the correct workouts and go nonstop it will only take 15 minutes to completely destroy your abs, so dont waste time on them. Just fast and hard! For cardio I do a crossfit circuit (I use a sweet ap on my phone called icross WoD and its free) I get different workouts from there. At least once a week I run to the local high school and back which is two miles. While i'm at the school I go in the stadium and do 20 hill sprints and a couple 100 meter sprints. Go all out and time your sprints for fun. Try to get a personal best! This is a sort of hell, but I know it is good for me and its a great way to mix it up and burn the fat. Not to mention, have you seen those 100 yard sprinters in the olympics?? Not a single one of them is a weakling. Working those fast twitch muscle fibers from sprints are priceless and irreplaceable. 

Wednesday: Back and Bi
The Hellraiser crossfit workout is awesome for this day. Look it up online. It is really good to throw in once in a while. We do this once or twice a month. I like to go heavier and not quite as many reps as the hellraiser from time to time, so switch it up. Hellraiser is awesome for endurance and cardio! It will get you shredded quick! Wednesdays I always hit one of the big three really hard; dead lifts, hang cleans, or power cleans. I do one really heavy then one of the other ones a bit lighter with more reps. Pull-ups and rows are the best way to hit your biceps. Curls are more showy than anything. they dont really do to much.  Cable rows are great too. Throw in lat pulldowns and you are set! Never skip pull-ups, if they are too easy for you do weighted pull-ups.

Thursday: Shoulders and Abs  
Because you have so much blood flow to your core your abs heal quickly. So you can train them pretty well every other day. If they dont heal quick at first they will eventually. Depending on how much you killed your shoulders with incline on monday then you may want to focus more on your core today. I am usually recovered, and ready to hit em again!  You should be good to go as well because incline only works one of the three heads of the shoulder muscle, so you should be able to do a more complete shoulder workout. I prefer military press, clean press, arnold press and the tri shoulder complex. you can look them up online if your not sure what they are. 

Friday: LEG DAY!!!
Your legs should be good to go by now from the hell you put them through on Tuesday. Squats are the focus of leg day. The best workouts I have found to go with a killer squat are elevated lunges. Elevate your back leg up on a bench and then go up and down keeping your core tight and upright. doing these after squats are a beast, but they work! I will usually do hack-squats with really light weight and high reps also. To kill off leg day kettle bell swing squats and extensions are great. Do like 30 reps with the kettle bell squats. Also the stair machine is a good finisher! My wife will usually do leg day with me, and she is killin it- she has shown all kinds of improvements and is hooked on the progress!! There are a ton of killer WODs for legs also that include squats. This is great to throw in once or twice a month!

 Saturday: If i feel like it i'll do core again and go for a run on saturdays. Maybe break it up and go for a hike or bike ride!

Sundays are rest days! Devine instruction:) Genesis 2:1-3, Mosiah 18:3

*****The only way this layout works is if you attack each workout, if you can talk during your workout your wasting your time. You shouldn't be able to carry on a normal conversation without it being super awkward. Its all high intensity! This is one of the reasons I love the crossfit workouts. If you can still BS then kick it up a notch. A good set of headphones can nip this problem in the butt. Plug in and get to work!!

~Bomb Back Workout~

There are tons of reasons for training your back. Too many people aren't happy with there bench max and one of the main things they're lacking is the back strength to support their chest. Whether you want to boost you bench, get that "barn door back" or just prevent yourself from having a hunchback when you get old, there are lots of reasons to get a good back workout! Here is a killer combination of back workouts that will reach your lats, traps, lower back, and mid. The whole monster!! With this workout you can't go wrong. When you lift large muscle groups like your back your body will create much needed testosterone for muscle growth! So get it done son!  Goes something like this:

First: Pull-ups. This is a great way to get those back muscles warmed up and ready for heavier, more intense workouts. This will fill the back muscles with blood and get your heart rate up there too.
4 sets to failure. Shorts rest between each set.

Second: Bent Over Row. With this workout dumbell or barbell will work. For today I say barbell just to keep you in line and in form. Keep a tight arch in your back and bring your elbows back as far as you can.
4 sets, pyramid of 12-10-8-6

Third: Lat Pull-Down: This is done on a cable machine. Get a nice long bar that you can use a wide grip with. Bring the bar down and your elbows to your sides. Really try to pinch the elbows at the bottom, flexing your lats hard.
4 sets of 10 (go heavy)

Forth: Cable Row: Sitting down with the bar in front of you go with the narrow grip. If you can find a bar that will allow your palms to face in they are best. Keep your body in a fixed position moving only your arms. Go heavy with this and really pinch your shoulder blades together as you pull the bar to the bottom of your diafram. A great visual is to imagine an apple in the middle of your back, you have to sqeeze so tight that you get the apple juice runnin down your crack:)
3 sets of 12-10-8 (heavier each set)

Fifth: DEAD LIFT! This lift is the bomb. Make sure you are keeping the correct form or you'll mess yourself up. Be safe but go heavy! A good mentality is to rip the weights from the ground as if they were planted there. Go hard and strong. Shorts reps but heavy weight!!!
3 sets of 5

*** Unless you have a huge pile of fire wood that needs split this is the best thing to build your back, If you've got wood to split get it done knowing your getting a killer back workout.! Go get em,
Yeah Buddy!

~Breakfast Shake~

This morning I woke up and went for a run to the park where I did a small park workout and then ran home. I spent this whole last weekend with the flu and was ready to get this week going! To start the day I wasn't feeling the normal oatmeal-honey oats breakfast. So I made this tasty protein shake. The shake consisted of:

• 1/2 cup of raw organic oats
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of water

(mix these three ingredients before adding the others to bled the oats in better)

• Then add 1 banana 
• Add in Chocolate protein (Myotein is best)
• 5 ice cubes

Simple mix, awesome breakfast. Add in a nature valley bar and you are set! I grab some fruit on the way out the door also. Go get em, yeah buddy!

~CrossFit~

My first CrossFit experience was awesome. I finally made it to a CrossFit class and it was a beast. Everybody told me I would be hooked and it is true, I am stoked to get back there and check things out. The gym I went to in located in Spanish Fork just east of the freeway called Hermes CrossFit. The owners are awesome and welcome newcomers to go try it out. So do it! The workout we did was called the "FILTHY FIFTY" which goes as follows:

50 Box jumps (24 in)

50 Jump-ups

50 Kettle-bell swings (35 lbs.)

50 walking lunges

50 Knee to elbows

50 Push press (45 lbs.)

50 Back extensions

50 Wallballs (20 lbs.)

50 Burbees

50 Double unders or

150 singles

The workout was brutal but the feeling when you are done, as you see your name and time up on the board is so rewarding. If every workout could be that comprehensive and intense I would get so much more out of my "gym time". I recommend CrossFit to everybody! You race/compete against yourself, so you're always improving. 

So go get em' Yeah Buddy! 

~Today's Back 'n' Bi Workout~

Todays back and Bi workout was a killer CrossFit mix-up. I have been trying to incorporate a lot of different CrossFit workouts since I can't afford to go to a CrossFit gym. But anyhow, my wifey did this workout with me and she did awesome! So ladies give it a try! Here is the breakdown of todays grind:

1. Hang snatch! 3 sets of 8-12
2. Narrow grip barbell curl (with preacher pad) 3 sets of 10-12
3. Back Flys (lean way forward and pinch your shoulder blades together) 3 sets of 20-25
4. Single arm cable rows 4 sets of 10-12
5. Reverse cable curl with preacher bar 4 sets of 10 (HEAVY)
6. Hammer Curls 3 sets of 10 ea. arm
7. Pull-ups (the best pull-ups are weighted pull-ups, use the dip belt and add some weight) 3 sets of 8-10 full extension. 

This routine works best if you superset number 2&3, 4&5, and 6&7 together.  Then number 1 separate all by itself, but still first. Go get em, Yeah Buddy! 

~Snack Pack~

      Summer is here (in most places) and the time for fresh fruits and veggies is here! The latest things that have seen discussed in men's fitness mag have been different snack ideas. Personally, I love to snack, there is very rarely a time during the day that I'm not munching on something. So I am going to give you some ideas for snacks that won't make you fat and pudgy.. after all we need to keep up our Bikini bodies right? :)

Yogurt Parfait
This is one of my favorite. I usually prefer to use the Greek Gods yogurt brand, the plain or vanilla is the most healthy! The others have up to 25% of your saturated fats in them, yeah, not cool! So Just mix the following ingredients in a bowl or a red solo cup for the go:)

• 1/2 cup of yogurt (vanilla)
• 1/2 cup granola 
• 3 sliced strawberries (super cheap at Costco right now, 1 flat for $6) 
• Then I like to throw in a pinch of cinnamon too, but its up to you. Get creative! 

Peanut Butter and Apples
This is as simple as it gets. Two things you should always have on hand is peanut butter and apples. they make the best treat loaded with protein and fiber. The apple will fill you up also. This is the way to go if you want a quick healthy snack.

• I prefer gala apples
• Chunky peanut butter (better to have chunky PB than to be chunky)

Protein Shake and Granola Bar This is a bit more complicated because you have to have the two products and they aren't usually found everywhere you go. We stock pile our granola bars and i like the natures valley brand. As for the protein shake, there is always protein in my house but in at times when we are away visiting fam and friends it may be harder to come by. This is probably my favorite snack at work. Simple, easy, and filling!

• Myotein Protein powder
• Nature valley granola bars

Fresh Fruit and Veggies
 Anytime I have fresh fruit or veggies on hand I love to take them along to work for a snack. Also while sitting around the house, watching the tube, get in the habit of checking the veggie drawer and fruit bowl instead of going for the potato chips, ice cream or candy. The change will take time and planning but the results are so worth while. My favorites are:

• Sliced Apples
• Oranges
• Baby Carrots
• Raisins
• Dried Fruit and nut mixes
• Raw almonds are bomb

**As a side note, if you haven't been to the Winco bulk food sections you're missin out. They have killer prices on good trail mixes and raw nuts! Stay away from the chocolate ones though or you are fat:) ha
So go get em, Yeah Buddy!!

~How to make a 'Green Smoothie' smooth~

       
       Today's smoothie was, in my opinion, super tasty!  It was definitely a healthy boost. I made this smoothie in attempt to make my wife drink it down with the same excited enthusiasm that I have when I drink the smoothies. When preparing the smoothies if you have a 'texture' problem here are a few hints to make your smoothies much more smooth-ie:)
       The first thing you want to do is set aside the ingredients that are hardest to blend or puree. The usual ingredients that are a bit harder are; spinach, kale, carrots, etc. The best way to get these nice and smooth is to put them in first with just the water. Let these blend on a very high setting for about a full minute. You may need to stop it for a bit and scrape the sides. Don't be afraid to add more water if the ingredients aren't becoming pureed. Other ingredients such as berries, bananas, the ice cubes, peanut butter, yogurt, and other veggies won't be as big of a problem. As soon you get the tough ingredients all blended together and smooth throw in the rest of your ingredients, blend them for a good 30 second, and you'll be set. There are a lot of recipes on the blog so check them out and lemme know what you think.

Go get em! Yeah Buddy!

~The Situation Ab Workout~

     So recently I had the opportunity to meet Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino. I was at the Golds Gym and had heard he was in Utah. One morning I was feeling ambitious on a rest day and decided to have my wifey take me to the gym then run home. Because it was an off day I was doing everything focused on my abdominal (don't usually ever focus on just abs). Just so happened that the "Sitch" (thats his nickname) had the same thing in mind. I started on the other side of the gym by doing leg lifts on the decline bench, head up of course then bringing my feet straight up in the air. Then I went over to the other side where I saw Mike "The Situation" doing his workouts. I couldn't help but want to talk to him and maybe even join in. So that is the precursor to how I got this workout.

• When I got there he had already done Roman Chair leg lifts: 4 sets of 15-20
• Then went on to doing side plank crunches bringing the knee to elbow (these aren't easy:) 3 sets of 15
• Next was the leg raise with twist. Lay on your back and grab onto something stable above your head. (like a bench or machine) Then lift you feet all the way up until the bottoms face the ceiling. Then raise your butt off the ground and twist right or left (alternate) then come back down and repeat but twist the opposite direction. Your legs should never bend at the knees. Do 2 sets of 20 with these.
• Last thing we did were tornadoes/ or twisters I've also heard them be called. Sitting on the ground lift your feet up and bend at the knees to make a V with your body. Then clasp your hands together and as if you were praying. Keep your core tight as you touch the ground to your right then back to the left with your clasped hands. Repeat this motion 40 times,counting each time you touch the right side. This way you'll trick your brain into thinking you're doing 40 but you'll really do 80! :)
• Last hang from a pull-up bar and peddle in the air as if you were riding a bike, but bring your knees as high as you can! Try to get at least 25 rotations before letting go.

There you have the Sitch ab workout, it kicked my butt!  It will get you sore for a few days:)
give it a try and lemme know what you think! Yeah Buddy!

~Using Nitric Oxide~

         Today I decided to write a bit about a supplement that everybody is asking me about at work. So i did some research and have become pretty familiar with the supplement Nitric Oxide. This supplement can be very helpful to those looking to get fit and improve their health. As many of you know Nitric Oxide is  gas and has many useful roles. The main reason athletes or fitness enthusiast use the substance is because of the vascular benefits as it helps carry nutrients to the muscle. This will also help with you old farts out there:)  Nitric Oxide plays a big role in recovery time because of the fact that it can get the nutrients to the muscle quicker the muscles can recover quicker. Faster recovery helps with soreness because during the process of protein synthesis the acids are broken down and absorbed, instead of making you sore while this acid is waiting to be broken down.  Another advantage to Nitric Oxide is heart health. It will lower blood pressure and relieve the heart of over exertion during an exercise routine.There are a lot of different supplements that offer Nitric Oxide, most being pre-workout supplements. I highly suggest this supplement, my favorite at the time being is Myonox. It is a vitamin loaded preworkout that stimulates Nitric Oxide in your system. I usually get mine from supplementing.com. So there you have it, give it a try and lemme know about your results!

The link to where you can learn more is at http://www.supplementing.com/xpi-myonox
You can also order through the site or let me know and I can bring you some!

MOVE!!

Todays food for thought.

Decide today which ways you are going to

adjust your daily activities in a way that makes you move more! 

We as people are getting closer and closer to the slobs we

see in the movie Wall-E. 

We need to move more throughout the day. 

It will make all the difference!

YEAH BUDDY!!!