Brad Pitt’s workout routine is nothing that most of you will relate to, or anything that I would necessarily promote as an efficient fat loss program. Obviously it works and I’ll tell you why (more on this later).

Here is the workout scheme that Brad used for both Troy and Fight Club:

Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Shoulders/Abs
Friday: Biceps/Triceps
Saturday: Cardio
Sunday: Rest

Brad used a traditional body building split of attacking one muscle group each day. For each day he would have 5 or 6 exercises and perform 3-4 sets of anywhere from 6-20 repetitions.
Here’s why this workout works: you are overloading each muscle group and with the higher number of repetitions you are putting the muscle under tension for a longer period of time, thus breaking down the muscle and allowing it to grow back bigger, also known as hypertrophy.
Here’s why this wouldn’t work for most of you, who are looking to lose fat, tone your entire body and drop inches.
This is not an efficient way to train. Don’t get me wrong, it works, but look at how long it takes! Most people do not have time to devote an entire workout to one muscle group. In order to create an efficient and effective program for fat loss and strength, you should be performing full body movements that will elevate your heart rate and boost your metabolism so you are torching calories when you are not working out.

This is done through movements such as squats, lunges, mountain climbers, push ups, chin ups, kettlebell movements and medicine ball work. I know that all of my clients are very familiar with this concept, so if you are NOT doing this kind of training…start now!

Brad’s nutrition plan looks something like this: high protein meals, small meals spread out through the day, eliminated alcohol, junk food and cigarettes.

That’s pretty basic but the results speak for themselves. If you are overloading on sugars and processed foods, you will not have any chance at a sculpted looking mid section. You must give your body the proper fuel to energize your workouts, help with recovery and promote a lean and toned figure.

Stick to your small meals, protein to keep you full, fruits and veggies, lots of water, get rid of the junk food and snack foods and cut out the booze. It’s harder than it sounds but trust me, the results will be well worth it.

Now, for the ultimate question…Brad Pitt in Troy…

Or, Brad Pitt in Fight Club…

I personally think the Troy physique is better, he’s a little more built and plus the ciggs don’t do much for me…

Keep working hard!!

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Doubt: To waiver in opinion or judgment; to be in uncertainty as to belief respecting anything; to hesitate in belief; to be undecided as to the truth of the negative or the affirmative proposition; to be undetermined.
To suspect; to fear; to be apprehensive.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, these are the official definitions of fear and doubt. My official definition of these two words is that they SUCK. Fear and doubt are two of the most powerful emotions that human beings feel, and they are also the most debilitating. What other emotions can you think of that cripple progress and overall quality of life more than fear and doubt?

Being in the fitness field every day, I see different stages of fear and doubt in people.

* Fear and doubt when beginning a fitness and training program. These individuals are BRAND NEW to fitness and they are freaking out of their mind. What do I wear? What do I do when I show up? How will I feel after? There is no way I can keep up with the others in the group if I’m brand new. These are all fears and even though they may be small to some people, to this person they are huge.

* Fear and doubt about when to start a fitness plan: ‘I’ll start after the New Year.’ ‘I’ll start once work settles down.’ And my favorite….’I'll get in shape first and then sign up with a trainer.’

*Fear and doubt about continuing a training program: These people end up with a laundry list of excuses…time, money, husband wants them to stop training (yes, I have heard this one several times), they want to try working out on their own.

*Fear and doubt during a training session: This happens quite a bit because as I mentioned, fear and doubt are automatic in the human brain and are often a protection mechanism because stepping out of your comfort zone hurts…physically and mentally. ‘I can’t do that exercise’, ‘I can’t do that many repetitions’, ‘How can I keep up with everyone else in the group?’

What do all of these stages of fear and doubt have in common? The answer is that most of the people that feel these things do not believe that they DESERVE SUCCESS. The good thing is that this can be solved! Regardless of what stage of training or fitness you are in, you must overcome fear and doubt in order to be successful.

Here’s the basic cycle of negative behavior leading to fear and doubt:
1. It begins with the thoughts in your own brain
2. Negative “self talk” begins…‘I can’t….’
3. These negative voices then lead to “trying”, which is usually a very soft attempt that gets you nowhere
4. Then you start to feel better because you say “I tried” and “It wasn’t my fault” because I just couldn’t do it
5. The cycle repeats

Living in this constant cycle of fear, doubt, and negative self talk only leads to more of the same. You must instead attack the fear and doubt head on. Now this sounds like of weird and abstract, right? How do I “attack” emotions?

There are two things that need to be done:

1. When these thoughts come into your head, you must practice replacing them with positive thoughts. When you think that you can’t do something, you need to rationalize with your own brain that you in fact, CAN do it. Why would you be limited to doing something? External forces that hold you back? Other people? Screw all of that stuff…you CAN do anything…most people are just afraid to FAIL. As soon as a negative, self defeating thought pops into your head, replace it with a thought about why you can achieve that particular thing.

2. Take immediate action when fear and doubt creep up. At that moment, do something that puts you out of your comfort zone and allows you to succeed. People want to “feel good” about themselves but life is not that easy. You must get your feathers ruffled a little bit in order to have a consistent feeling of success. If you are fearful about the gym, take that first step to signing up for a free week. If you are fearful about how to continue training and doubting your own physical abilities, step up to the challenge and commit to your health. If there is that one exercise that freaks you out and kicks your butt every single time, challenge it head on and focus on one repetition at a time until you complete it.

How often do you feel these emotions? I personally feel them every single day. Since the early spring I have been on a mission to improve my business and develop a lifestyle that I am in control of. With this freedom comes a TON of fear and doubt. Am I going about this the right way? Are people going to be open and accepting of my ideas? Can I really go into this company and sell them my program? I’ll be honest, it’s been a huge learning experience for me and every single day I step out of my comfort zone.

My point with this little story is that fear and doubt are natural human reactions to new situations, but the difference between success and constant failure or settling for less than you deserve is how you deal with these emotions when they sneak up on you. Do not walk around life in a constant state of “settling” just because it is comfortable. If you want to get in shape and feel and look great, you can. It’s all about overcoming these nasty little emotions and dealing with them head on through positive thinking and serious action. You need both aspects though, so find your fears and go after them.

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The basis of the conference was the process of developing, launching, marketing, and making recurring income from information products such as e-books, videos, and audio.

This is something that I had played around with but never really knew how to implement. What I learned was EXACTLY how to do that, and so many things way beyond that niche.

One of the best things about a conference like this is the networking aspect. On my flight and shuttle to the hotel I met a guy from my area of Boston and a guy from Denver who is originally from London. We bonded right from the start and that entire weekend was spent trading stories, bouncing ideas off each other, and sharing many a meal at the infamous hotel restaurant. I also got to meet my business coach, Chris McCombs. He is based out of California and we do email and phone coaching so it was amazing to meet him in person. He and the 4 other guys that spoke at the conference are amazing marketers and implementing just a FEW of the ideas that they spoke about can easily double or triple my business!

For the majority of my career I focused on becoming a better trainer; acquiring top-notch certifications, studying, attending seminars and conferences and learning all of the best ways to get my clients in amazing shape. While this was extremely valuable; I have found over the last 6 months that marketing and referral generation are HUGE. I took the big leap to invest in a business coach and learn from someone who has been in the trenches and can teach me what to do and how to avoid a lot of wasted time.

I have learned so much more about Google Ad words, referral generation without wasting money on marketing, developing networks, and how to get traffic to my website that I ever thought even existed. Right now I am only at the tip of the iceberg, but let me tell you, it’s kind of fun!

Developing myself into a high level fitness professional has been an amazing life experience for me. I have learned more in the last 6 months than I ever did in 6 years in the business. We all focus on our training but it’s all the other stuff that gets you the clients. Sure, you need to be an amazing trainer but if you can’t market yourself you will be broke forever.

After listening to talks about marketing, developing products, and finding a niche, I also listened to Steve Hochman speak about “Setting Your Mind to Automatic Success Mode.” This was an incredible talk about mindset, taking MASSIVE ACTION, creating positive dominate thoughts, and just kicking serious butt at whatever you do. After listening to Steve’s speech I thought about my life and here are some major take-aways from that hour and the entire weekend:

1. Network and interact with people smarter than you. It’s crucial to success
2. Surround yourself with positive individuals, not energy suckers
3. Focus on what you love and don’t think for a second about what others think
4. Don’t dwell on your “bad day.” It could always be worse and for many people, it is
5. Do not wait for the right moment. There is never a perfect time for anything
6. Take massive action for whatever goal you want to achieve. If you don’t, someone else will
7. Regret over not trying is so much worse than trying and failing
8. Reflect every day on why you do what you do. Don’t just get wrapped up in the day to day grind
9. Make sure you tell the people around you how important they are to you
10. Step out of your comfort zone and into the “hurt box” every once and a while. It’s the only way to grow as a person. If not you are just going through the motions

After being around all of these amazing people for 3 days I learned a lot of business tactics, but more importantly I learned how to implement EVERY SINGLE ONE of these things into my life more effectively. Leave some comments below about how you implement any of these ideas or if any of them resonated with you.

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Here’s a quick post for you today…just a few things to avoid if you actually want to get fit and have a healthy lifestyle. Check out my top 21 fitness training mistakes…

1. Doing too much cardio
2. Not lifting enough weight
3. Not lifting weights at all
4. Eating too much crap
5. Participating in “restriction” diets…aka low carb, low fat, etc
6. Not eating enough to support muscle recovery and energy levels
7. Dehydration
8. Not staying committed to the training process
9. Sticking with the same workout for months or even years
10. Long, slow cardio sessions instead of intense conditioning intervals
11. Using machines and single joint movements instead of complex, multi-joint free weight and body weight exercises
12. Not getting enough sleep
13. Reading while performing “conditioning” workouts on the bike…if you are reading, you are not working hard enough
14. Training  every single day
15. Not working on mobility…if you can’t move, you can’t train properly
16. Not properly stretching or foam rolling after a training session
17. Trying to do everything on your own (hire a trainer or work out with a friend)
18. Training sessions are too long, rest time is too long. Unless you are training for absolute power, you do not need 3+ minutes between sets…Get into the gym and kick butt for 45-60 minutes and leave.
19. Bringing your cell phone to the gym. Get over yourself..unless it’s an emergency you are not that important
20. Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
21. Too much focus on the scale. Focus on your clothes, body fat percentage, and how you feel

In order to really get fit, in shape, and feeling great you MUST perform strength training workouts, eat a balanced nutrition plan with plenty of fruits, veggies, lean meats, natural protein sources, whole grains, and tons of water, and skip the cardio and replace it with high intensity interval workouts such as sprints, jump rope, hill sprints, or interval runs.

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We all make lists, plan, and develop strategies to become more efficient. If that is how you live your day to day life, why would you pick up a random magazine and think that fitness article on page 7 will get you the results that you want?

What does that set of random exercises mean to you? It might have some effect…you will burn a few calories and work up a sweat, maybe your legs will be sore tomorrow. But then what? What was your desired outcome or goal?

This type of free- for -all training mentality drives me nuts. Obviously this is because of my profession as a personal trainer, and that I realize you need to develop training goals and break those goals down into smaller cycles to see progress, achieve results, and stay motivated.

Everyone wants to get in shape, wants to lose that last 5 pounds, wants to tighten up their abs or drop a dress size. We all have these goals, but how are we implementing them? What’s the plan of attack?

For most people it’s hopping on the treadmill for 45 minutes on Monday and then doing a few “arm” exercises on Tuesday, then repeating the cycle for the rest of the week. They read it somewhere in Shape Magazine and that program is supposed to work for them, and for the lady that is next to them on the treadmill?

Yes it’s true, there are certain aspects of fitness that apply to everyone but that’s the problem with so many fitness programs that people begin. There is no rhyme or reason. They are not developing proper intensity levels, technique, or progressions in terms of repetitions, sets, and what exercises they are actually performing.

Would you go to the internet to research how to clean your own teeth? How to service the transmission of your car? Probably not…

So why would you go to a random google site and read up on how to get in shape? You will see some benefit to that and it’s better than sitting on your butt, but will it develop into a strong and successful fitness plan? The answer is a big fat no. What WILL happen is you will get bored, burned out, or injured. You will stop seeing results because you will continue with the same routine week in and week out. You will not increase your intensity, your weight, or your speed on the conditioning exercises.

In order to see RESULTS…fitness training needs to be progressive, intensity needs to be elevated, and the amount of time that you train should probably be less than you think. How do you get all of this information in the flood of crap that you read online and in magazines?

This is not your fault however. This is the trap that our society has fallen into. Quick fixes and google are the answer to all of our burning questions. Take a step back and look at your goals first. Developing a plan of attack is best. Do not short change yourself because you will only end up frustrated.

Consult a qualified personal trainer, someone that has experience and can break down your goals, your desires, and what actually drives you to get fit. Saying you “want to get in shape” is not enough. You need to dig into your fears, desires, and wants. This will allow you to fuel the fire and to give you the motivation you need to get on a strong fitness program, and continue until that is a complete lifestyle change.

Do not approach fitness in a haphazard way. Take your health seriously. It’s not good enough to just “go to the gym” because honestly, you are wasting your time. Consult a professional as you would for any other aspect of your life.

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Getting fit and lean is all about taking the next step when you REALLY don’t feel like it. Now I’m not advocating pushing yourself past the point of staying healthy, which can lead to injury, but you need to sometimes ignore the “excuses.” If you fall into the excuse trap, it will never end.

I wanted to share a video with you as a little motivation for the weekend. I recently came across this video and was simply AMAZED by this young athlete. Watch for yourself and then reflect a little bit on your motivation, your attitude toward life, and see if there are some changes you should make…

Have a great weekend everyone. Check this out and leave your comments below!

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The KISS Principle. I had a summer basketball coach in high school that used to say that all the time. He would be irate when one of us made a “stupid” pass instead of making a fundamental bounce pass. Let’s face it, a bounce pass is not cool and when you are in high school, even on the basketball court, it’s all about being cool. We tried to make a great looking fancy pass when all it had to be was a nice, solid, straight forward pass but it was much more efficient in reaching our target and saved us a lot of time and angry looks and screams from our coaches.

Where am I going with this whole trip down memory lane? Well…when it comes to fitness and getting fit and healthy, you MUST keep it simple. Too many people try all of the latest and greatest crazes, trying to be too fancy and sexy when it comes to getting fit. If you tried to keep up with all of the fitness fads you would drive yourself crazy. From infomercials to gym equipment to the media, there is so much out there and most of it is crap.

If you get right down to it, fitness and conditioning is very simple. You want to gain lean muscle and lose body fat. You want to be lean and tight. You want to look good in your clothes. You want an efficient workout, not hours at the gym. All of these things are valid “wants” for people in today’s society. The question is how do you get there?

Here are the 9 things that you must do in order to get lean and fit:

1. Strength train with big movements (squats, lunges, pull ups, push ups, etc)
2. Interval conditioning instead of slow steady cardio (bike sprints, jump rope, hill sprints, prowler)
3. Eat breakfast
4. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night
5. Eat more of the good stuff (fruits, veggies, lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts)
6. Kick the excuses
7. Avoid plateau. Hire a qualified trainer to help you. People quit when they stop seeing results so make sure you keep making progress
8. Make your training fun. Join a small group or work out with a friend
9. Rest 1 or 2 days per week. Keep your body and mind fresh for your next workout. Trust me, it makes all the difference in the world

Implement these 9 tips into your lifestyle today. Getting fit is not easy and it needs to become a way of life. No one has discovered the quick fix yet so just avoid jumping on the bandwagon of the “next big thing.” Stick to the basics and find out what motivates you.

Enjoy!

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Here is how my week shaped up in terms of training:
Monday- lift
Tuesday- basketball (aka my cardio)
Wednesday- basketball
Thursday- OFF
Friday- lift
Saturday- conditioning

With this post I wanted to talk about making time for your training sessions. So many people tell me “I didn’t have time for my workouts.” Well, okay you didn’t MAKE time for your workouts. So many things can come up…work, school, external commitments, other people, etc.

I’m not saying that you need to abandon your life in order to get in shape, but it does take a certain level of commitment. Schedule your workouts into your daily planner just like any other appointment. Set aside the time to make yourself strong and healthy, and you will see a dramatic change in all aspects of your life.

The point of this rant however, is to let you know that you do not need a lot of time to get a training session done. Ideally setting aside an hour for your workouts would be great, but that does not always happen.

On Monday I trained clients and groups for 5 hours in the morning. I went home, had lunch and regrouped for a few hours. Then I headed back to train groups at 3:00 and 4:00 that afternoon. I had another client at 6:00, leaving me with an hour from 5-6PM. I usually like to train at a time when I do not have to rush to a session right after. My lifts usually take about 50-60 minutes but I like to have time for a good warm up and cool down. On this particular night however, I did not have the IDEAL situation.

By the time I got warmed up and ready it was 5:15 and I wanted to be done a few minutes before 6:00 so I could shower and be ready to train. This meant I had to be really efficient and smart with my training. I decided to focus on a solid dynamic effort day with short rest time to improve my overall work rate. Here’s what my workout looked like:

A.Foam Rolling and Dynamic Stretching
B.Seated Box Jump 5×3
Body Weight Dips 4×8
C. Double KB Clean to Push Press 4×8
D. Dynamic Box Squats

Here’s an AWESOME version of the seated box jump from Defrancos Training Center…

As you can see, I incorporated several large lifts into the workout. I was done in plenty of time and was completely smoked!

If you are pressed for time, do not let that be an excuse for not training. Pick a few big exercises and shorten your rest time. It’s a great way to mix it up for your body and also to ensure that you get a good training day in without the “I don’t have time” syndrome kicking in.

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The moral of the story is two-fold.

1. I like to set a standard for myself that transfers over to my clients. How can I push them to work hard, be the best they can be, improve their fitness, and train when they are tired if I don’t do the same? I always tell my clients that I won’t make them do anything that I would not do. All training sessions are based around principles that I use for myself and that I know will get results. Basically I have to walk the walk instead of just talk the talk.

2. When you are tired, sore, hungry, stressed, whatever…you CAN get through it. There will always be an excuse, a “valid” reason or just plain lack of mo-jo that day. Suck it up, do it, and you will feel so much better in the end.

And just an added tip, notice the training only included 6 exercises. This is efficient and effective. The athletic based movements burned a ton of calories, got my metabolism through the roof, and improved my overall strength and fitness. My attention span isn’t good enough to render me a long workout anyway. Your body doesn’t need it. If you want to get lean and tight this is the way to go.  Crank it out!

Here’s the training session we cranked out today:

BB Dead lifts 6 sets of 6- 135, 155, 155, 165, 165, 165 lbs
BB Overhead Press 5 sets of 6- 55 lbs

Bulgarian Split Squats 3 sets of 8- 50 lbs
Banded Chin Ups 2 sets of 8 (my back was SMOKED today)
Standing Ab Pulls 3 sets of 10

Car Pushes 2 sets of 1 circle around the parking lot

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With all the technology, medical break-throughs, and modern lifestyles; people are able to live longer. This is great except that many people are showing complete disregard for their bodies and the fact that we are given only ONE life. We have a lot of medical assistance in this country but the one thing that people don’t do enough of is actually prevent the issues from happening. Don’t get me wrong, I know that many diseases are hereditary but they had to start somewhere. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes…these things are all too often first treated with medicine. It’s our culture to just continually drug people up. What about good old fashioned exercise? It does not always eliminate these issues but it can help to curb them in many cases. Also let’s not forget about the fact that exercise is just GOOD FOR YOU!

I get frustrated as hell when I deal with people that give me excuses as to why they cannot lose weight, cannot drop below a certain body fat percentage, and just cannot see results with exercise. Here’s the answer folks: you can do it. Yeah it takes effort, sweat, dedication, training when you are a little sore and tired, but isn’t you life worth living with some purpose, energy, and vigor?

Why go through life sick, overweight, injured, fatigued, and sluggish? You only get one life so do yourself and your loved ones a favor and GET HEALTHY.

I get paid as a personal trainer and fitness consultant. My job is to motivate, guide, and inspire people to get fit and healthy. It’s all about changing your habits, accepting your faults, and working toward a better life through small goals and milestones. Of course everyone wants to look great, but don’t we all want to live longer in a healthy way?
The physique changes are great but it’s the metal change that really makes my job worthwhile. When people feel more energized, when they are sick less often, when they feel happier about their body and their lifestyle…that’s progress.

Being at a healthy weight is critical for living a long life. That’s the bottom line. If you are overweight you are creating a higher risk for cardiovascular issues, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer. So if the words overweight and obese do not mean too much to you at this point; I hope the other ones do.

Body mass index refers to a measure of body fat based on your height and weight. A healthy body mass index is anywhere between 19 and 24.9. Overweight refers to a BMI of 25-29.9. A BMI of 30 or greater classifies you as clinically obese. Well check this out…

A recent study conducted by Martin Neovius of the Karolinska Institute of Stockholm and published in the British Medical Journal suggest that being obese ( having a BMI >30) carries a greater risk of premature death than being a heavy smoker.

Because I’m so passionate about health, fitness, and training it’s hard for me to sit back and accept the state of our country. It makes me so distraught to see people that have zero regard for their health and fitness. It’s not all about looking good at that point either, it’s a serious health risk.

Give up the excuses. You do have the time, you just have to make it for yourself. If you are not motivated then hire a personal trainer. If you just cannot change your nutrition plan, then start small and eliminate one bad habit per week. With all the advantages that our country has over other places, it’s a shame to see so many intelligent people just being blatently stupid when it comes to their health. I’m sorry if this makes people uncomfortable but that’s the way it is. In order for a human being to make a change, their comfort levels must be tested. Sure it’s comfortable to eat what you want, to train at a moderate pace, to go through the motions on a cardio machine. But it won’t get you the results that you want.

Step out of  your comfort zone and get some serious training work done. Your body will thank you in the long run!

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