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I’m mixing it up a little today. Instead of the usual tomfoolery that you’re accustomed to (insert Tracy Anderson quote here followed by a sudden urge to put a hole in my head), I’m taking you off the “beaten path” so-to-speak, and sharing an interview I did with strength coach and personal trainer Nia Shanks.

Nia recently released Fat Loss Detour. As you might have guessed from the title, the program is geared towards fat loss. However, unlike most fat loss programs, this one takes a more unconventional approach (albeit the right one) and tells women that they should, you know, lift some freakin weight- among other things.

As someone who trains his fair share of women, not to mention writes roughly 80% of the programming for all the women who train at CP, I think this manual is fantastic. Moreover, I’d go so far as to say that many of the dudes reading this blog could get tremendous results as well. It’s an ass-kicker to say the least.

In any case, enjoy!

TG: Nia, first things first, when are we going to have that deadlift-off?

NS: Well, I’m not entirely sure on the date at this moment, but hopefully in the near future. I’ll be traveling quite a bit next year, so maybe I can take a detour to come visit you at Cressey Performance. One thing is for sure – it will be entertaining!

SIDE NOTE: I included Nia as part of a Miscellaneous post a few months ago when she deadlifted a cool 300 lbs at a bodyweight of 122. Of course, I challenged her to a deadlift off. Stay tuned…….

TG: Okay, lets get down to business- for those who may not be familiar with you or your background, can you tell everyone reading a little more about yourself?

NS: Sure. I first became interested in training when my Mom introduced me to the weight room when I was 16. She has been involved in the fitness industry for almost 30 years now, so I guess you can say I fell into this field naturally.

After that first experience, I became addicted and read anything and everything I could pertaining to weight training, improving performance, and especially training for fat loss. Most people I encountered (and still do) on a daily basis want fat loss results, and so I made it a goal to help them get those results as fast as possible, and in the most stress-free way possible.

You showed a deadlift video of me on your blog previously (linked above), and that was my first powerlifting meet. I set the Southern Powerlifting Federation world record for my division in the push/pull competition. I pulled 300 pounds and bench 145 at a bodyweight of 122.

I also graduated from the University of Louisville with a degree in Exercise Physiology. Go Cards!

TG: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Go Cards!?! I’m a Syracuse fan and normally those would be fightin words. But since my high school JV cheerleading team could beat SU in football, I really have no room to talk smack. What got you into the field of strength and conditioning? Do you ever make guys cry because, you know, you’re stronger than them? Be honest.

NS: Well, as I mentioned I truly became addicted with achieving my personal goals and helping my clients achieve theirs. When my clients get the results they want, their reaction is what motivates me to get better and better at what I do.

Having someone tell me that they didn’t think it was possible, they didn’t know it was actually simple, they are no longer stressed and frustrated with losing weight . . . those remarks are what inspire me to keep learning and educating myself so I can continue to serve them the best I can.

As far as making guys cry . . . that’s another story! There have been a few times when a guy will grab the 40 pound dumbbells for a set of bench presses, and then they have a confused look on their face when I grab the 50’s for my set. Fun times.

The most recent incidence occurred a couple of months ago. I was warming up for deadlifts and this guy came over and asked if he could jump in. I agreed as he did a few reps with 135. After that I did about three warm up reps with the 185. He jumped in and did a few as well.

Then I put 225 on the bar for another warm up set, and I think he did one rep as well. After that I put about 275 on the bar. He never came back to do another set.

TG: I uh, had an important meeting I forgot about, Nia. So yeah, you deadlift like 300 lbs (a world record for your weight class I might add), AND you still look like a girl. I thought it was pretty much scientific fact that any girl who lifts a weight more than 10 lbs (or isn’t pink) will inevitably turn into a she-man. What gives?

NS: Ha ha ha. Sarcasm, Tony; I love it.

Well, I “looked like a girl” before that 300 pound deadlift. The next day, however, my traps doubled in size and my legs grew a few inches in diameter. I officially looked like a linebacker.

No, in all seriousness, that is still one of the biggest fitness myths when it comes to women lifting weights and it drives me crazy. When women lift heavy weight with the big compound movements (deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, overhead presses, rows, etc) it only improves their physique, and even their confidence.

To keep this short, I’ll give you this example. A client of mine competes in Mrs. America pageants. These women have to be completely “feminine” since they are not only judged on swim suits, but also evening gowns and other events as well. I trained Tammi (my client) just like I train myself and all of my other female clients – she lifted hard and heavy and did the main exercises I mentioned above.

She blew away the competition. She won the Mrs. Purchase area 06, Mrs. Kentucky USA International 06, placed Top 10 at Mrs. USA International, Mrs. Kentucky America 4^th runner up 07, and first runner up 08. She is the prime example that women can (and should!) lift heavy with the basic movements and stay away from machines and the BS “light weights for high reps” non-sense that is so prevalent in magazines.

TG: Great stuff! Lets talk fat loss. Why do most people suck at it?

NS: From my experience, not many people are truly dedicated to their goal. This applies to fat loss, building muscle, getting stronger, making money, and practically everything else in life. It’s easy to say you “want to” do something, but it’s completely different to actually put forth consistent effort

Other than that, most people are following bad advice such as lifting light weights for high reps and using machines instead of free weight and bodyweight exercises.

Another thing that trips a lot of people up is they follow very strict diets/eating patterns that cause them to be stressed and frustrated. For instance, it is still recommended that people should eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day if they want to lose fat.

Well, I used to suggest that as well until I realized how inconvenient it is for a lot of people. Yes, they could force themselves to eat that way, but they were miserable!

People need to stop revolving their lives around working out and eating when it comes to fat loss. Believe it or not, fat loss is actually quite simple, but you still have to commit yourself and take consistent action. Too many internet gurus make fat loss sound so complicated. It really is not at all.

TG: I couldn’t have put that better myself. You recently released Fat Loss Detour. How is this program any different from any other fat loss program you can find on the interwebz?

NS: First of all, I believe it is the first and only complete fat loss program. Every other program gives you the workouts and nutrition information, but they neglect other important areas.

For instance, Fat Loss Detour contains a Warm-Up Manual (created by Mike Robertson). I knew this component was a necessity, so that’s why I asked Mike to create one since here is the ultimate guru in this area. This warm-up provides people with some great mobility and corrective exercises that will allow them to get the most from their works. As you well know, Tony, most people desperately need to include mobility and corrective exercise work, and that’s exactly why it’s included in Fat Loss Detour.

Furthermore, Fat Loss Detour also has a Motivation Guide. I’ve asked my blog readers and clients what they need when it comes to achieving fat loss. The answer was overwhelming motivational information. So to fill this need I contacted one of my previous college professors and she contributed to this portion. I really think this component is going to be a huge benefit.

You might be wondering about the “Detour” part of Fat Loss Detour. It is just that – a detour for achieving fat loss. By following the information and workouts with Fat Loss Detour, you are not directly training for fat loss. Instead you focus on improving your performance. Fat loss just becomes a wonderful side effect.

Finally, Fat Loss Detour is completely flexible – from the workouts to nutrition. It is centered around my motto: revolve your workouts and eating habits around your life, not vice versa.

TG: I love you. I mean, moving on. We all know there are a million and one (only a slight exaggeration) myths concerning women and weight training. Which one (or all of them) make you want to take your keyboard and slam it across someone’s face the most?

NS: I’ll pick the most annoying two myths:

First, as you agree I’m sure, is the notion that women should not lift heavy or else they’ll get “big and bulky”. Most of my female clients had this concern in the back of their mind when we first started training.

After a few weeks and months of training, they are all very happy with their results. They get stronger, they get leaner, their confidence increased, and they looked amazing. And something I find interesting – the vast majority of women love lifting heavy once they get a taste of it.

All I have to say is this: Ladies, put down the pink dumbbells . . . it degrades us all. Get in the weight room and see the potential you truly have.

Second, I still don’t like how most women think they should only do isolation exercises such as curls, kick-backs, leg extensions, leg curls, inner/out thigh machine, etc.

Women need to realize that doing a (proper!) set of squats will do more for their legs and butt than every leg machine combined, and that doing a set of push-ups will benefit their triceps to a greater extent than dozens of sets of triceps kick-backs, and that building up to negative chin-ups and bodyweight chin-ups are better for their biceps than curls. I’ll stop now because I think you get the point. ; )

TG: No need to apologize, I wish we had more professionals like you out there to filter out the stupid. So, I don’t know if you realize this, but you’re officially my first interview, ever. Hope it wasn’t too painful! Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to talk some shop. Where can my readers find out more information about you?

NS: Thanks, Tony. I truly enjoyed it and I’m honored to be your first interview!

If they want to check out Fat Loss Detour they can go HERE. For more no non-sense fat loss training and nutrition information, go to my blog at www.TheFatSolutions.com

As I mentioned last week, Saturday night my girlfriend and I had some major plans. No, we didn’t have reservations at some swanky Italian restaurant in the North End. Nope, it was all about STAR WARS IN CONCERT BABY!!!! While most girlfriends would bemoan the idea of hanging out with Star Wars geeks for an entire night, she rose to the occasion, and this is what I walked into when I arrived at her apartment to pick her up:

How awesome is that!?!

We met Steph HB and her family for some grub beforehand at Boston Beer Works, and I promptly got dominated by her son, Drew, in Star Wars trivia. However, I totally redeemed myself when he challenged me to see who could finish their dinner faster. I never lose to a ten year old, twice.

After dinner, we walked five minutes to the venue (TD Bank North Garden, where the Celtics and Bruins play), and were able to walk around a bit to see the exhibits on display. As you can imagine, I was in nerd heaven. Here’s a picture I took of Darth Vader:

And here’s Lisa and I next to Chloe Kardashian Chewbecca:

Needless to say, it was an awesome night all-around. The show itself was spectacular. It goes without saying that I cried like a 13 year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert when the opening credits started. What’s more, Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in all the movies, was there in person narrating the entire show. If I weren’t in the nosebleed section, I would have ripped the man’s clothes off (no homo).

Unfortunately the show ended, and as we walked back to the subway to head home, Lisa received at least five comments about her hair. The Force is strong with this one it is.

2. We had an amazing turn out for Eric Cressey and Mike Reinold’s Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Assessment to Performance seminar yesterday in Hudson, MA. I won’t go into too much detail about what they covered since they’re going to be releasing a dvd of the entire seminar in a few weeks, but needless to say it was an awesome day of learning:

• Assessing one’s breathing patterns could very well be the next frontier with regards to treating shoulder dysfunction. While there’s certainly a plethora of possible scenarios that could be the culprit for one’s shoulder pain; namely thoracic spine mobility, lack of scapular stability, rotator cuff weakness, acromion type, poor exercise selection, poor exercise technique, and hip mobility (to name a few), breathing patterns are just now starting to get a lot more attention.

• Oftentimes it’s the simple stuff that works the best. While many PT’s and athletic trainers like to use fancy equipment and machinery to treat their patients, Mike mentioned that the side lying external rotation is about as money as it gets when dealing with rotator cuff weakness- done properly of course.

• No one can understand what the hell anyone from Ireland is saying. Just kidding Robbie……;o)

• Rhythmic stabilizations, whether by manual resistance or using a small weighed ball (or even a body blade) are the shitznit when it comes to improving instability issues.

• Most people don’t know how to do a push-up correctly. Furthermore, Eric alluded to the fact that he’d much rather load a push-up with external loading than rush someone back to benching. Anyone who doesn’t think you can get a training effect from loaded push-ups, is kidding themselves.

• According to Roger, Rosemary (our resident chef) makes the best chicken he’s ever eaten outside of KFC. I guess that’s a compliment, right?

3. Speaking of assessments, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks Assess and Correct is now available.

I’m a firm believer that everything is an assessment. Someone comes to me with back pain, something as simple as observing how they sit up could be an assessment. Along similar lines, whenever I work with mothers who complain of low back/hip pain, I always ask which side they tend to carry their children on. More often than not, the side that bothers them the most is the same side they predominately hoist/carry their kids. Everything is an assessment.

It often amazes me that fitness professionals are so “inconsistent” when it comes to assessments. On one hand of the spectrum you have those trainers who spend three days assessing someone because their left big toe pronates three degrees. Conversely, you have those who don’t do anything other than show a client how to use the Cybex circuit. Sadly, the latter is usually what ends up happening.

Suffice it to say, the assessment is kind of a big deal. It’s what we use to ascertain what each individual needs with regards to any dysfunctions, imbalances, or postural issues that need to be dealt with. Furthermore, it essentially lays the foundation for all future programming FOR THAT PARTICULAR PERSON. Just like a snowflake, there is no one individual who is the same. And holy shit, that was the lamest analogy I have ever used, but I’m rolling with it.

If you’re a fitness professional, or just someone who’s beat up all the time, Assess and Correct will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to your library. Check it out HERE. Lets be honest, Eric, Mike, and Bill are smarter than God, NASA, and Sarah Palin……combined. You can’t go wrong.

4. EPIC fail of the week: thanks to Tom for the photo.

UPDATE: Wow, that’s the last time I post a blog without proofreading it first. I just came home and re-read what I wrote and found like seven errors. Where’s the grammar Nazi when you need her? Dammit mom,

Straight Talk About High Fructose Corn Syrup: What It is and What It Ain’t (Research Review)- Lyle McDonald

This may come as a surprise considering my past ramblings on the topic, but Lyle does make some great points in this research review. Namely, HFCS isn’t as evil as it’s made out to be in the lay media. Poodles on the other hand? Evil bastards.

My Thoughts on the Lumbar Spine and Low Back (Parts I, II, and III)– Mike Robertson

NOTE: the above link takes you to the sign up page for Mike’s newsletter.

Mike does a fantastic job with his newsletter (which goes without saying), and the article(s) above are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the quality of information he continually provides. What’s more, just for signing up, you’ll be able to download a free four-part low back care presentation Mike gave not too long ago. And, he’ll take out your garbage. Maybe wash your car if you play your cards right.

Phys Ed: Why Doesn’t Exercise Lead to Weight Loss?– Gretchen Reynolds

Maybe it’s because guys like Idiot McIdington continue to say stuff like this:

“If you work out at an easy intensity, you will burn a higher percentage of fat calories” than if you work out a higher intensity, Carey says, so you should draw down some of the padding you’ve accumulated on the hips or elsewhere — if you don’t replace all of the calories afterward. To help those hoping to reduce their body fat, he published formulas in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research last month that detailed the heart rates at which a person could maximize fat burning. “Heart rates of between 105 and 134” beats per minute, Carey said, represent the fat-burning zone. “It’s probably best to work out near the top of that zone,” he says, “so that you burn more calories over all” than at the extremely leisurely lower end.

Sorry dude, but 90% of nothing is still nothing. I mean technically, I’m in the “fat burning zone” just sitting here typing this blog post. So, if I have my math right, I should have a 16 pack by lunch time.

Seriously, I thought this myth was debunked in like 1986? I can’t believe this guy is a doctor. Did anyone check to see if his diploma is written in crayon or something?

Teen Obesity: Lack of Exercise May Not Be to Blame– Alice Park

This article was sent to me by one of my readers, Chuck, who had nothing else to say other than:

Here’s another piece of gorgeous crap.

The article itself wasn’t that bad. To the authors’ credit, she did make a point to inform the reader not to draw any rash conclusions- which is perplexing, given the title. Nevertheless, it still amazes me that researchers still choose to use self-reporting data. It’s pretty much assumed that people will always OVER estimate how much they really exercise. Which reminds me, I need to go kick a poodle in the face. Feel the burn

1. I hate ESPN Fantasy Football with a passion. I’d go so far as to say that I hate it more than when you ask someone “is today (insert day of the week here) ?,” and they respond with “all day!” Ahhhhhh, I HATE it!!!!!

In years past, I’ve used Yahoo sports for all my fantasy needs (I know that came out wrong, but get your mind out of the gutter). However, this year we decided to go with ESPN for our annual Cressey Performance fantasy football league. Not once, but twice, I’ve “set” my team for the week—–only to realize (after the fact) that I didn’t click the “save roster” button.

With Yahoo, you set your line-up, and it’s saved automatically. As it should be. I mean you would think that with today’s technology, ESPN would get their shit together. They seemingly have cameras set up everywhere on the field except up Peyton Manning’s ass, not to mention machines that can predict the wind direction for the 2016 Super Bowl. Yet, despite all of this, they can’t somehow figure out a way to automatically save my fantasy football roster? W to the TF.

2. I know the picture below is a bit blurry, but a client of mine sent it to me this morning from her cell phone.

Hey, if you want to pay someone to stand next to you while you run on a treadmill, go for it. Far be it from me to be judgemental. I just think this is a slippery slope to go down. What’s next? Paying someone to kick you in the nuts?

3. Only 39 more days:

4. I had a few free hours this weekend to catch up on some much needed continuing education- and was able to watch Nick Tumminello’s Warm-Up Progressions Vol. 2: Dynamic Mobility dvd.

True to form, Nick didn’t disappoint. Anyone who’s familiar with his stuff, knows that Nick is one of those guys that definitely thinks “outside the box.” What’s more, his creativity makes him second to none with regards to new and innovative exercises that can be implemented immediately. I put myself through this very dynamic circuit, and felt like a million bucks afterwards.

5. I’m definitely looking forward to Eric Cressey and Mike Reinold’s seminar this weekend, Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Assessment to High Performance. We’re hosting it at CP on Sunday, and it should be a great time. While registration is closed, the seminar is being taped and will be available on dvd- so keep your eyes peeled for more information on that front. In the meantime, you can check out Mike’s blog HERE.

6. I wanted to post the recipe for this black bean dip my girlfriend made yesterday, but I just tried to call her and she isn’t picking up her phone. I’ll update this later and post it. In the meantime, check out this picture of Audrina Partridge.

I was having this argument with some of our pro-baseball guys the other day on who was the hottest girl on The Hills, and my feeling is that Audrina is…….hands-down. Then again, I’m a brunette guy so……..

WINNER!

UPDATE: As promised, here’s the recipe for the black bean dip:

1 can of organic black beans

1 quarter of a white onion

a few (5 or 6 if you love it) roasted garlic cloves (or one small raw clove)

2-3 tbsp of sundried tomatoes (in olive oil is better)

a little salt and pepper

some veggie broth to make sure it is moist enough to blend

It’s November 6th, which not only means my birthday is like three weeks away, but also means the holiday season is right around the corner. Which is to say, I’m totally looking forward to dominating Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the one day out of the year (outside of every god damn day) that I don’t care what I shove down my pie hole.

Along similar lines, I think it’s a safe assumption that some people reading this blog are going to be one of the many who put on the inevitable holiday weight gain. Thankfully, that’s where Alwyn Cosgrove and Mike Roussell come in. They’ve just released Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0 this week. Honestly, as much as I loved the first edition, this version undoubtedly ups the ante, and has definitely gotten a few of our clients fired up. Word on the street is that our very own Brian St. Pierre is giving it a go. We all know what happened last time…..

And, as an added incentive, there are a bunch sweet bonuses being offered for a limited time only. You can check it out HERE.

That said, it’s Friday, the weekend is here, and since I’ve written like three legit blogs in row, I figured it was high time that I made a Mephistopheles/Tracy Anderson reference (it’s been at least 48 hours). I can’t help it. It’s like I’m a moth drawn to a flame when it comes to this stuff. To that end, below is a video one of my readers (Pau) sent me. True to form, I wasn’t able to last more than two minutes before I felt a sudden urge to stick my finger in an electrical socket and/or jump into a live volcano.

It still amazes me that people actually think she knows what the hell she’s talking about. Who can honestly take her seriously after saying BS like this:

With my new method, I’ve implemented new sequencing and choreography that keeps the accessory muscles really awake and alert, and pulls the larger muscle groups in, so that your muscular structure is teeny-tiny; but strong, with lots of sexy definition.

Wow, it’s almost like I need a Moron-to-English dictionary to figure out what the hell she’s saying. If anyone would care to shed some light, I’d be happy to listen. I mean, I could have my niece talk into a camera and she would sound more credible. And she’s four years old

This is a quote that I “stole” from Mike Boyle whom I am sure “stole” it from someone else (I think it was Diane Lee actually).

The fact of the matter is, most (read: not all) people shouldn’t be running (especially women). What’s the first thing that women do to get into shape? They hightail it to the local store and buy a new pair of pearly white running shoes and go for a jog outside. What’s the first piece of equipment that women will gravitate towards if they have never set foot in a gym before? The treadmill. And more often than not, both scenarios DO NOT look pretty.

I watch some of these women running (you too men, you’re not off the hook) and it just looks painful. How can they possibly think that this is good for them? I can walk on a floor of broken glass barefoot and that would be less painful than watching some of these women run.

In all actuality, running is a fairly advanced form of exercise. Within any given mile, there are about 1500 foot strikes. Ask any personal trainer or strength coach if they would EVER allow an elite athlete (let alone your average soccer mom) to perform a plyometric protocol that calls for 1500 foot strikes on a daily basis consistently, and I am willing to bet you will get some perplexed looks. Yet, day in and day out, I will see women who are 20-30 lbs overweight trudging over to the treadmill to get their 3 miles in.

Why is running not so great for women? Well, there are a few, but the main one boils down to the Q-angle. Women, by nature have a greater Q-angle compared to men (wide hips, narrow knees) which predisposes them to a number of problems that aren’t normally an issue for men.

Please understand, that I am NOT saying that running is “bad” for all women, nor am I saying that it is “bad” in general. But what I am saying is that there are better ways to get into shape. And that’s the point…you need to be in shape to run. In doing so, you’re body will be able to handle the stress MUCH more efficiently and you will be less prone to all of those nagging injuries that come with being a runner.

I HIGHLY suggest you read this article written by Mike Boyle: “Why (Most) Women Shouldn’t Run” and read it with an objective eye and really make an effort to understand what he is trying to say. After reading the article, read Mike’s follow up article here. Needless to say, people tend to read what they want to read and often times miss the point of certain articles. If you’re already an “elite” runner or have been running for years with no problems, then obviously “we” are not referring to you and these articles and blog post aren’t meant for you. But for MANY MANY people out there, this information is so very important.