Category: Advanced Training Advice

Having been in a gym environment for over forty four years, I have witnessed an evolution of weight training.

Many years ago, gyms were owned and operated by people who not only worked out, but more often than not, competed in Bodybuilding competitions. This reflected in the members; discipline, focus, intense training, and good nutrition. It was before the current technology of cell phones and headphones. There weren’t any TV’s and there certainly wasn’t any texting while sitting on the equipment. No one carried around a gallon of water and a gym bag over there shoulder. It was pure, unadulterated hardcore training. You put your wrist straps on, a lifting belt, and it was you against the weights. You lifted until you couldn’t lift anymore. You were focused. you had a goal, maybe a competition, or just to put more size on your Arms. Today it’s a different story.

The gyms of today are owned and operated by business people or corporations. The majority do not work out, they are rarely present in the gym, and their main goal is to make money. It’s strictly a business. This lack of interest reflects in the members, and consequently, their poor workout ethics, and lack of understanding proper form. Without guidance from the gym, they will continue to drop weights, execute bad form, try to lift more than they can do correctly, and make little or no gains. With hardcore training, you finish a set, then stretch, then plan out your next set. Today’s generation finish a set, then check their phones for text messages. A total lack of focus which will of course lead to injuries or lack of progress.

Nothing has changed over the last forty five years in regards to how the body responds to weight training. And with so much more information on nutrition, making gains should be easy. Take your time and focus. Get rid of the headphones and cell phones. Train like you want to make positive changes in your physique.

 

The rush is on once again to look as lean as possible for the coming Summer season. There are hundreds of diet plans to follow, but which one do you choose?  The answer is; whichever one you can stick to.  Dieting is easy, staying with it everyday until you reach your goal weight is the difficult part.  But what is dieting?  Here it is plain and simple. Barring no medical issues, burning body fat is almost just as easy as putting it on.

Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be dropping one to two pounds of fat a week until you get to your realistic goal weight.

1. Eat a minimum of six small meals a day.
2. Drink plenty of water
3. If you are between 100 and 150 pounds, consume approximately 1,000-1,300 calories
4. If you are above 150 pounds, consume approximately 1,400-1,700 calories.
5. Eat anything you like except for these five items: Fried foods, Alcohol, Candy/Sweets, Cheese/Milk products, Processed meats (Sausage, Bacon, Cold cuts)

Eat a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.  That’s all there is to it.  You just need to follow it EVERY SINGLE DAY WITHOUT CHEATING.  There is no half way dieting.  It’s all or nothing.  Just like a light switch; it’s either on or off, nothing in between.

Have fun and look great this Summer!!!

Here are some quick easy steps to get off the body fat you have accumulated since Thanksgiving. These steps will work for any healthy but overweight individual.

1. Eat six to eight small meals a day
2. Drink plenty of water; minimal amounts of coffee and alcohol
3. High carbs/low protein in the AM, High protein/low carbs in the PM
4. No sugar desserts or candy
5. If you weigh 200+, consume 1,700 calories daily
6. If you weigh 150 – 200, consume 1,200 – 1,700 calories daily
7. If you weigh 120 – 150, consume 1,000 – 1,200 calories daily

It’s as simple as that. These are caloric guidelines that may need to be changed if there is no noticeable weigh loss after two weeks.  If you’re hungry, increase by 100 calories. If it’s too much to consume, lower by 100 calories.

If you have any questions, contact me anytime.

Most people will look at January 1 as the beginning of a new year.  Most people also look at the sunrise every morning and think it’s the beginning of a new day.  But as we all (should) know, there isn’t any “new” year or “new” day.  It’s just part of the illusion we refer to as time.  Time is really a two edged sword; you can use it to help yourself attain goals, or you can let it become a restraint.  Let’s see how that works in the world of health and fitness.

Seconds, minutes, hours, days… those are just increments we use to function on this planet.  The earth’s rotation gives the appearance of a new day, but of course it’s just a continuum of what we call time. It has no beginning and it has no end.  If you were floating out in space, there wouldn’t be any sunrise or sunset.  But for the moment, let us look at January 1 as a new beginning.  Some people will use this as a time to get back on track with training and good nutrition. I don’t need to explain how the holidays can wreak havoc with those!  This is an instance where using time can help you get started again.  You can set monthly goals for what you would like to achieve, and you can measure your progress as time goes on.  However, sometimes progress is not as steady as we would like.  So like most, we set a new date to get started again.  Unfortunately, the new date is a month away.  The reason for that is because of events, holidays, or a change of seasons, none of which are real.  A calendar is just as much an illusion as time is.  Weeks and months will go by with the excuse; I’ll start again in the summer… or after the holidays… or after the vacation… NOOOOOOO!  This is where time becomes a restraint!  Don’t wait for a certain date before you get back on track.  NOW is the time because there isn’t any tomorrow, that’s an illusion as well.

If you want to set new goals for yourself, start now.

Body building, as the words imply, is the act of building muscle size and strength.  Unfortunately, many who weight train simply choose an exercise without knowing what muscle(s) they want to develop.  This will eventually lead to a plateau of muscle growth and strength, a loss of motivation, tendinitis, and possibly a muscle injury.

The correct way to weight train is to first have a goal in mind.  It can be a totally different goal each time you train, but have an idea what you are trying to accomplish.  Muscles take a long time to grow even when performed properly, so the last thing you want is an unproductive workout.  Let me offer some suggestions.

This is just an example. When you last saw a photo of your Back development, you noticed that your Lat muscles did not have much of the sort after ‘V-taper’.  Your Back is comprised of many muscles groups, so you want to be sure to choose an exercise or exercises that work those Latissimus Dorsi muscles specifically.  As an example, you wouldn’t focus on Shrugs or Deadlifts, because they are not a direct movement for your Lats.  Instead, you would perform Lat Rows, close grip Long Bar Rows, or reverse grip Pulldowns.  The same is true for every body part.  Know what muscle you want to work, and then choose the appropriate exercise or exercises.

Just as important as the proper exercise, is choosing the correct resistance and having the correct form.  If you are uncertain of either of these two, consult a professional trainer at your gym.  Without the proper resistance, you may either injure yourself or you will not see any muscle development over the next few weeks.  Too much weight may hamper good form and lead to a muscle pull or tear.  Not enough resistance and the muscle will not get stronger or larger.

So once again, have a plan.  Work on the areas that need more work twice a week. Eat healthy, get adequate sleep, drink water, and watch how fast the muscles respond.  Have fun!

 

 

It’s been quite a while since I have posted anything on my Iron Guru web page. I’m usually prompted by some event in the gym, or something of a spiritual nature.  The fact is, I have seen so many things being done incorrectly, by so many people, I don’t know where to start. The same holds true with spiritual insight. During the month of August, and with the coming solar eclipse, information is just flowing through me so fast, I’m having a difficult time passing on all the information.

I will quickly run through my thoughts on training and spirituality. If you ever need more information on any topic, please call, text, or write me.

Training: It is of paramount importance that you know exactly what muscle or group of muscles you are attempting to work before you lift the weight.  You are not training just to lift weights.  When you choose an exercise, know exactly what you want to accomplish.  Full focus on that muscle, going through a full range of motion, with moderate resistance, will bring you the most results.  You do not need to lift very heavy weights to make a muscle stronger.  Too many injuries are occurring because of excessive weights.

Spirituality: Ever since the presidential election, there has been an abundance of hatred.  When there is hatred, you can’t have love.  And without love… well, just watch the news.  Every negative thing you have heard or seen, stems from the absence of love.  There is no such thing as a little love, it’s all or nothing.  Protests, anti-protests, they are both the same. Neither is right or wrong, but both are the result of an absence of love.  As a prophet once said, “Be in this world but not of it”.  It is so clear to me how much destruction people are doing to themselves, when they hate others.  It is literally killing them.

I will close this discussion with this thought;  Maintain good eating habits plus daily exercise, and you will have a healthy life.  Display or harbor thoughts of anger, hatred, or resentment to others, and it will eat you alive. It will NEVER hurt the other person.

Rule Number One

I was training at a gym recently, and I couldn’t help but notice how many people weren’t.   Gyms have become a place to relax.  And why not, they have all the conveniences of home; TV’s, music, a phone, friends, a comfortable environment… so why workout?  That is the current trend in gyms, find a piece of equipment, sit down, and relax!  It just goes against everything that is conducive to improving one’s strength, endurance, and overall conditioning.  I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually seen someone stretch after doing a few sets.   But then again, why stretch if you haven’t done anything!   It really is pathetic.  Here’s another trend that has really brought the intensity of working out to an all-time low. Selfies. What are they taking a picture of? How they look after doing three sets in the last fifteen minutes? It’s certainly not a pump… not even a bead of sweat! So what are you supposed to do when you work out at a gym?

Rule number one; have a purpose and execute.  A purpose that promotes progress for whatever fitness goal you have set for yourself.  There are many way to train, and many goals to choose from, but you must pick at least one.  Once that is determined, have a plan on how it is going to get done. The most important step in working out is to bring the muscle or muscle groups to failure. That will ensure a physiological change.  Execute that intensity on a consistent basis, and in a few months, you will see and feel the changes.

Combine the intense training with good nutrition, and you will experience a  pump, a release of endorphins, and the empowerment of a true bodybuilder!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of my readers know that I view “time” simply as an illusion.  What I mean by illusion is that time is not a fixed form of measurement.  It can be made shorter or longer.  A clock IS a fixed form of time, but a clock is NOT time, just a measuring device.  Now let’s address the question I was asked numerous times over the past weeks, “What are your New Year resolutions”?

If there is one thing I’d like to get across to you, it is that there is NO new year. There isn’t any Monday.  There isn’t any February.  There isn’t any winter. There aren’t any holidays. There is nothing at all… unless you want it to be.  Thinking that there is a separation between ANYTHING, is a major cause stress.  I can’t tell you how many people were stressed over the holidays!  I mean to the point that they either needed a vacation, medication, therapy, or all of the above! How can a “joyous” season become so stressful?  It originates with thinking that there really is a “day” that we will call a holiday; thinking that we only have a certain number of “hours” to prepare for it; and thinking that any of it really matters!  I’m all for having a good time and enjoying whatever it is that I want to create and enjoy, but when it becomes a time of high anxiety and stress, then something is not right.

So in the future (which doesn’t exist either), let’s approach this a little differently.  There is no getting around using a time piece to plan our daily events. But at the same time, try to remember that you must always work in the moment. Don’t look to far ahead because you will not see all the events that are leading up to that future moment.  As an example, setting a plan to attend college for the next four years will require the use of time (hours, days, months, etc.).  Once everything is set, then work towards that end, one moment at a time.  What this does, is it makes “your time” as long or as short as necessary to get you to that last day of college.  This understanding of time allows you to do ANYTHING you want in your life. Don’t be tied to time, it is as flexible as you need it to be. Time IS on your side, you control it.

So this is my answer to all those who asked about my New Year resolutions. “What New Year”?

“It’s all in your mind”.  I’m sure you’ve heard that expression before, but what does that really imply? Is there anything outside of your mind?

I don’t believe there is.  There was nothing here before you were conscious of yourself, and there will be nothing here when your current illusion of consciousness is gone.  You are everything.  Everything that you have ever known and anything that you will ever do, is all your own doing.  Is there a power higher than your own consciousness? Yes, but in a form words cannot describe. So how should you use this power?

The choice is yours since you are the creator of your own destiny, but be careful, it’s a very powerful tool.  Most of you have had some sort of religious education, whether at home or a religious institution. Whatever you were taught about God, apply some of those powers to yourself; you are a creator, you are all powerful, you are one with everyone.  Those are just a few.

You should never have a bad day. God could never have a bad day, so why should you? Since you are in human form, you are constantly fighting your emotions, and they are strong. Very strong. So much so, they sometimes get in the way of your all-knowing spiritual knowledge, and that is what can give you a bad day.  It’s all a matter of perception.  Let’s look at illness for an example, it’s never welcomed.  Yet some forms of illness are the body’s way of telling you to change something you are doing.  Whether it be your lifestyle, or something as simple as what you are eating, it’s telling you to stop and rethink what you’re doing.  If you listen to your body’s first warning, you will eliminate the need for a stronger second warning.

I will follow up on this subject of mind power in a week or two. In the meantime, remember that everything you see is your creation. If you want to change what you see, you simply change yourself, everything and everyone else will follow. Enjoy Life!

It’s been a while since I have posted anything on my site, I apologize.  Summer just took all my free time away, but it didn’t stop my thinking.  What I have come to understand is that most of us make the mistake of expecting life to go as we planned it.  When you think about it, how many things really went in the direction we expected them to?  I would say not many.  Yet for some reason, we continued to be upset or angry when things still don’t go as planned. Why is that?

Many decisions we make during the course of a lifetime, are made from fear entering our minds.  The fear of being sick, poor, lonely, weak, unappreciated, unsuccessful, hated… the fear of death.  Fear works its way into our minds early on in life, and usually increases as we age. Could that be why some die early, or why we even die at all?  If life is looked at as simply a human existence on a planet, then yes, fear will be a big part of your life.  But you should know by what you have read on my previous Iron Guru posts, we are all spiritual entities; a piece of all the energy in the Universe.  Once you understand who you really are, life will go on for you flawlessly.

Fear has no part in an entity which is just pure energy; we call it love.  Being all powerful as we are, we are in need of nothing, although our egos may say otherwise.  Because we are pure energy in the form of love, that’s all we should be doing; sharing our love with all those around you that YOU have created.  Everyone you see in your life is actually YOU, just in a different form.  Any anger, criticism, judgement, or prejudice shown to these entities, will only hurt YOU. That is why when you are kind to someone, you feel great, but when you are mad at someone, it hurts you just as much.

So why not start now, allowing life to flow as you planned it, before you attained the illusion of human consciousness.  Make decisions based on love, not fear, knowing full well that whatever happens next in your life is the result of the decision you are making this very moment.  Enjoy Life!