CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work Uncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: Conditioning? Review of CP Seminar, and Arnold

As this post goes live I’m most likely confined in an airplane on my way to Florida with Lisa for her cousin’s wedding.

We’re actually head to Captiva Island for three days and it’s going to be glorious. I haven’t had any direct sunlight in like two months, and I can’t even remember the last time I had a tan. 1994 maybe?

Plus, things are going to be getting uber busy at the facility within the next week or two with all of our college guys coming home for Christmas break, contributing more or less, to a “perfect storm” of pro baseball players, college baseball players, and high-school baseball players….

…..so this short getaway will serve as a welcome length of quiet before the storm.

That said, as you’re reading this, I’m sitting in a plane (clenching my butt cheeks like you wouldn’t believe), which isn’t one of my more favorite things to do.

Given a choice between lighting my face on fire or flying, lets just say I’d have to think about it.

So of course what did I do all this morning?  Like an asshat I watched videos of plane crashes, of course!

I just want to make sure I’m prepared.  You know, just in case.

Anyways, here’s this week’s stuff to read:

Conditioning is a Sham – Mark Rippetoe

I respect the hell out of Coach Rip, and it’s hard not to love anything the man’s written given his remarkable career and experience.

This article is no different.

Funnily enough, just yesterday I was joking with a few of the guys after performing a high-rep set of deadlifts (405×12), bent over and panting trying to catch my breath, that anyone who thinks strength training can’t count as “cardio” or that it can’t improve your conditioning is crazy.

You don’t need to bring your body to the brink of shitting a kidney in order to improve your conditioning.  No kidding!

1st Annual Cressey Performance Fall Seminar Review, Part II – Matt Kramer & Chad Rodgers

In the last installment of “stuff to read,” I linked to the Matt and Chad’s awesome review of the CP seminar from a few weeks ago.  Here’s part II where they cover both Eric Schoenberg’s and Chris Howard’s topics.

Thanks for doing this fellas!

Arnold Wisdom – John Romaniello

Those who are familiar with John’s writing will eat this post up.  Those who aren’t familiar – well, you’re welcome. Your world just got a little more awesome

And one more BONUS addition.

How to Get Your Period Back – Cassandra Forsythe

I know half my audience will balk at the title (and yes, it’s about EXACTLY what you think it is) but this was an absolute knowledge bomb of an article that I feel should get more attention.

On that note, I’m out!  See everyone when I get back!

CategoriesProduct Review

How to Get Published: Interview with Lou Schuler

Today I have something really cool to share.

1. I get a lot of emails from other trainers and coaches on how to go about getting published. In a perfect world we’d have no wars, everyone would have a million dollars in their bank account, cars would run on hugs, and every one would get their first article published on the first try.

Of course, neither of those things are going to happen.  Although if you’re one of the few who DID happen to get their first article published on the first try, I officially hate you.

Anyways, when I originally started writing, I kind of flew by the seat of my pants and just hoped that things would work out.  I had my fair share of disappointments – rejection is never easy – but thankfully, I was VERY lucky in that my writing style fit very well with the likes of places like T-Nation and Wannabebig.com.

Even still, I pretty much learned as I went and had no real sense of guidance. Writing never was – and still isn’t – easy for me.  Which is why I’m STOKED to tell everyone about How to Get Published: Writing Domination in the Fitness Industry.

Three big wigs in the industry – Sean Hyson, John Romaniello, and Lou Schuler – have just released what I believe to be to GO TO source for anyone looking to get published.

Any and all questions/concerns/insights as it relates to writing for fitness publications – the writing process, how to pitch to magazines, how to build a successful blog, etc –  is addressed here.

2.  FREAKIN LOU SCHULER was kind enough to do an interview for my blog today.  Even if you’re not someone looking to get published, and are just someone who likes to toss around heavy things, Lou is an encyclopedia of information – not to mention a Jedi when it comes to writing – and I hope you stick around and read it nonetheless.

Other than that, there’s no real sales pitch from me.  I think it’s a solid product, and it will help A LOT of aspiring writers out there.

If I had access to this manual five years ago, I’d probably be running my own country by now

Tony Gentilcore: Lou, first off I have to say THANK YOU for taking the time to make a small cameo appearance on my blog.  As someone whom I’ve looked up to for most of my career, it’s a huge honor.  It’s kind of like having He-Man or Captain Planet stop by.

Lou Schuler: Except in this case, He-Man is half the size and twice the age of the guy whose blog he’s visiting.

TG: Secondly, and this is completely off-topic, THANK YOU (again) for writing the New Rules (of Lifting) series.  I can’t begin to tell you how much time those books have saved me from having those awkward conversations with friends, family, and complete strangers when they inevitably ask “so, uh, you’re a trainer right?  What do I have to do to get into shape?”

Those books are such an invaluable resource, and well, I just want to give you some respect knuckles for writing them.

LS: Thanks!

TG: Okay, with that out of the way, lets get to the nitty gritty. What’s you’re biggest pet peeve as an editor:  run-on sentences or using their instead of they’re? Or, feel free to rant away on anything here.

*Pulls up chair, grabs a vat of popcorn* This is going to be good.

LS: Those things are easy. An editor can fix them in seconds. The real problems are structural and logical.

The hardest thing for a less experienced writer to understand is how difficult it is to make a good argument. It’s easy to go on your blog and write something like, “What do nutritionists know? Have you ever seen a room full of nutritionists? Half of ’em are fat!”

That works in a conversation with a bunch of people who already agree with whatever you’re going to say. But it’s not going to convince a broader audience.

First off, what’s the proof that nutritionists, on average, are overweight? Second, is someone automatically wrong if she’s not a certain shape? Only people with a BMI below 25 or a body-fat percentage below 15 are capable of understanding complex information about human biology?

A few years back you’d hear low-carb advocates say things like, “The government promoted low-fat diets, and what happened? Everyone got fat!” But for that argument to work, you have to show that people actually followed the government’s advice and cut fat below 30 percent of total calories, or whatever level would prove the point.

Then you’d have to show that the people who cut their fat intake below that threshold were the same ones who gained excess weight during the time the government advocated that kind of diet.

As I said, most arguments only work with people who already agree with you. If you want to write for a bigger audience, you have to work harder to make your points. You have to be a step ahead of the “yes, but …” response.

TG:  You hit the nail on the head right there! This is something I had to learn first-hand once I started writing for places like Livestrong.com, and Men’s Health.  T-Nation is one thing where I can use a certain language (shit, poop, just lift something heavy for the love of god), but when writing to a broader audience – as you noted – it gets a bit trickier.

What was the impetus behind writing the How to Get Published e-book?  Was it out of frustration in dealing with today’s writers (especially with the advent of social media making it easier to get one’s name out there)? Was it because more and more fitness professionals are looking at the possibility of writing to help build their career? I’m sure there’s no one specific answer, but I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.

LS: I’ve been thinking about it for years. As you know, I’ve always offered advice to anyone who asked. But I worried that if I pulled all my best advice together and charged for it, there was a risk of selling false hope to people who would do everything right but still wouldn’t get what they wanted.

I can explain how to put together a good article or book proposal, but I can’t guarantee anyone that they’ll get published at T-nation or see their name in Men’s Health or end up with a published book. It’s still a tough, competitive, and unpredictable business.

Nate Green came up with the idea of working with Sean Hyson, who’s in charge of the fitness coverage at Men’s Fitness and Muscle & Fitness. He thought Sean and I could create a truly useful and valuable product for all the fitness and nutrition pros who want to write for magazines. If the goal is to get their names and their work through the gatekeepers of the fitness media, why not have the gatekeepers show them how to do it?

Nate also put us together with Pat Rigsby to help us on the business side.

A few months later we teamed up with John Romaniello. Sean and I know our own business, but for the most part we depend on the existing distribution system to make sure people see it. Roman knows how to create his own distribution system. He’s had far more success online than either of us.

That’s when we knew we had a product that would address everything our audience wants to learn how to do. I can explain the basics of writing. Sean can describe the mechanics of putting together an article — from pitch to publication — in more molecular detail than I’d ever attempt. And Roman can show how to get attention from your work, and eventually make money off it.

There’s still the warranty problem. I know my advice works because I’ve seen enough people use it successfully. But that doesn’t mean the next trainer to come along can take the same advice, use it in exactly the same way, and get the same result. It’s like a line I once heard in a country song: “Life ain’t nothin’ but a poker game. No two hands ever play the same.”

TG: One memorable quote I remember I heard you say once  – when offering advice to upcoming fitness professionals looking to get published – was that “when the fitness industry is ready for you, it will let you know.”

That quote really resonated with me, and it’s something I’ve gone onto use with other’s in the industry when they ask me advice on how to go about getting published in places like T-Nation, Men’s Health, and other reputable health and fitness resources.

Can you expound on that a bit?

LS: When you’re on the outside you can’t hear the conversations people have on the inside. You just want to get through the gatekeepers. But over time, as you build a body of work and a solid reputation, you realize those gatekeepers you thought were ignoring you are actually paying attention. When they need you, they find you.

The key is to have what they need when they need it. That takes time, effort, practice, coaching — all the steps to success in any field.

There’s also an element of luck. But that’s true of everything in life. Nobody achieves any level of success and prominence in any field without a mix of talent, hard work, patience, and the pure luck of being in the right place at the right time. All of us have stories of being in the right place at the wrong time, or being unprepared for an opportunity that came along.

Failure is just pre-success. And success, when it happens, is never as orgasmic as you thought it would be. A fitness pro may be thrilled the first time he gets that call from Men’s Health, but it doesn’t last. The process is always more rigorous than you thought it would be.

TG:  OMGYOUHAVENOIDEA!!!  Well, you do, but I couldn’t agree more. When I first started writing I was always under the impression that you submit something, it gets published, you kiss a few babies here and there, and everyone increases their level of awesome.

It’s not quite that easy, to say the least.

I can’t even begin to imagine how many query letters, proposals, and articles you’ve received in your lifetime from people looking to crack publication.  What are some of the more common mistakes people consistently make?

LS: Most trainers who approach magazines fail the “square peg, round hole” test. You specialize in kettlebells, or sandbags, or bands, and you don’t stop to think of your specialty through the eyes of the editors. Do the editors assume their readers have access to that equipment? If they do, do they think their readers want an entire program based on it?

Forget what you need. What does the magazine or website need? If you can provide it consistently, over time, the publication will eventually worry about your needs. At that point, their needs include your contributions, and it’s in their best interest to make you happy.

It won’t happen fast, smoothly, or predictably. And it won’t happen at all for most people. But it does happen.

TG: The writing process for me is not easy. I fret over every word and sentence, and it takes a lot of mental energy for me to make my work have some semblance of pacing and “flowiness” to it.  And even then I’m still never 100% happy with what I end up with.

It wasn’t until I started reading more books on “writing” that I learned I wasn’t alone, and that there are many writers who are similar to me.

I know what’s made me a better writer is, well, writing. And I also read a lot (fiction, non-fiction, the Kama Sutra, etc).  What are some other tips or insights you can offer that may help people hone their craft?  I always LOVE hearing other writers talk about their “process.”  

LS: If it’s easy, you’re not doing it right. You’re just typing. Expressing ideas, sharing information, providing detailed instruction — those things are hard, and they’re supposed to be hard.

My process would probably scare people away. Just to answer your questions, I’ve cut so much that I started a file called “interview leftovers.” It’s already over 500 words, which may be more than the actual interview so far.

If you see an article with my name on it in Men’s Health, I can guarantee it’s the third or fourth draft. Nobody but me sees the first draft. I write what I want to say, I sit on it for a couple of days, and then I focus on what the magazine needs. I tune out the writer in my head and listen to the editor.

That’s the easy part. Then I go back and look at the emails I exchanged with the editor, and see that the “finished” article is 50 percent too long. At that point it may actually be pretty good, and cutting it is like giving myself surgery without anesthesia. Sometimes I show it to the editor, knowing it’s too long, just to see if it’s on the right track. If it is, I pull out the bone saw and go Gettysburg on my own work. If it isn’t, I start over. Either way, that bone saw comes out eventually.

An entry-level writer doesn’t have to worry about these things the way I do. No editor expects a clean draft from someone who doesn’t know what it’s supposed to look like. But from the editor’s point of view, there’s no reason to work with someone like me, at a premium price, if I can’t get pretty close on the first try. I’m only worth what I’m worth if I’m worth it.
The applicable lesson is this: You only play with your A game. Whatever your best effort is, that’s what your editors expect. Anything less and you’re cheating them, which means you’re cheating yourself, because editors talk.

TG: Do you feel it’s necessary for someone to have “x” number of years experience before seeking out publication?

LS: No. It’s when you have X amount of knowledge and skill that you’re valuable. Look at your business partner. If there were rules, Eric would just be breaking in now, instead of being one of the most sought-after guys.

Note from TG:  Excellent point! Eric (Cressey) got his first article published at the age of 23.  But he’s a robot, and a freak of nature.

TG: Rapid Fire:– Most OVERrated fitness topic to write about?

LS: How to lose the last 10 pounds? I mean, we all know what it takes. You have to make yourself so miserable you’re ready to shoot heroin into your eyeballs to make the pain go away, knowing the fat is going to come back anyway because no one can sustain a starvation diet and a death-march training program.

 

But you can’t put that into an article. So everyone tries to find variations on the theme of cutting carbs and doing more intervals, which is how you lose the 10 pounds before you get to the last 10 pounds.

TG: – Who are some of your favorite writers (they don’t have to be fitness related).

LS: Don’t worry, they aren’t!

Michael Lewis is a guy with expertise in one field — finance — who went on to become one of the best journalists of our era. Not only does he write about finance in a way that makes sense to math-challenged people like me, he’s written groundbreaking books about baseball and football. He knows how to tell stories that make us care about people we’d never meet and issues we’d never confront.

Bill Bryson is another amazing storyteller. Chad Waterbury sent me a copy of At Home: A Short History of Private Life, one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. While Lewis tells us the stories of our times — why the economy nearly collapsed, why the games we watch aren’t decided by what we think we see — Bryson tells us how we got here, how “our times” came to be.

Then there’s Steven Pressfield, who’s at yet another level of storytelling. I’ve had Gates of Fire sitting on my shelf for years. It’s a novel about the battle of Thermopylae — the real battle, not the quasi-fascist cartoon from the movie 300. But it didn’t occur to me to read it until Mike Nelson sent me a copy of another Pressfield book, called Do the Work. Do the Work is nonfiction, a guide to just getting shit done. I was so impressed that I wanted to check out Pressfield’s fiction, and remembered Gates of Fire.

Like all good writing, it starts out by challenging you. It takes a while to settle into the world of Greece in 480 B.C. All those damned Spartan names sound alike at first. But it rewards you for sticking with it. The story has a depth and resonance you don’t get very often from fiction or nonfiction.

TG:  Awesome, thanks so much Lou.

WHEW – now THAT was an interview.

–> How to Get Published:  Writing Domination in the Fitness Industry <–

CategoriesProduct Review Strength Training

Tony and Roman Talk Superheros and Fat Loss

A few days ago I promised everyone an interview with my good friend John Romaniello, who just released his new product, Superhero Fat Loss.

As is the case every time he and I get together, shenanigans and tomfoolery are had, but you’re also going to learn a thing or two as well.

What IS SuperHero Fat Loss?

Read more below…….

TONY: First things first: I know it’s no coincidence that you’re releasing SuperHero Fat Loss the same week as what’s arguably going to be one of the most colossal (and nerd-tastic) superhero movies ever – The Dark Knight Rises. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being you’d rather eat a bowl of tofu while watching The Notebook, and 10 being you’re going to pee yourself), how excited are you to go see it?

ROMAN: You are as wise as you are strong, Tony. There’s certainly no coinydink—the timing is intentional.

Regarding Dark Knight Rises…before I can answer your question, I have to address your scale. I really liked The Notebook. A lot. So, let’s not put that at 1 on the scale. Let’s use something like Twilight. Which I’d still watch. Just not while eating Tofu.

That said, I am more pumped about this movie than I’ve been for anything in a long time. The storyline they are basing this one on—Knightfall—is on of my favorites of all time. Nolan will do a great job with it.

And, just to show you what a true geek I am: I have tickets for the midnight showing on Friday, and then an afternoon showing on Sunday. Saturday, I will sit around and process the awesomeness of the first showing.

TONY:  And here I thought I was a true fanboy for buying my advance ticket for the Sunday matinee!

Last year you released The Superhero Workout, which earned you a lot of praise for its uniqueness and overall appeal to the masses.

Just to throw it out there, the entire Cressey Performance staff did all four phases and LOVED it.

Sequels are generally notorious for not living up to their predecessors (Ahem: Matrix Reloaded). Some, however, actually trump the original (X2 comes to mind here).

Having already perused the workouts beforehand, I can attest that Superhero Fat Loss  is going to rock people’s world and will be considered a bona fide blockbuster. Outside of the obvious – fat loss – can you delve into some of the differences between this program and it’s predecessor?

ROMAN: Great question! I’ve been getting this one a lot. Firstly, I’m not sure I consider it a sequel. It’s more a prequel, in the sense that, since most people tend to want to lose fat before they gain muscle, SHFL is probably the program I’d recommend doing first.

TONY:  Ahh, I get it. So this is more like X-Men Firstclass (which didn’t suck)!  Touche, sir.  Touche.

ROMAN: Exactly! SHFL and SHW are completely different programs. As they serve very different goals, they require a fundamentally different approach.

If I had to break it down, SHFL is 90% fat loss and 10% muscle gain, whereas SHW is only about 25% fat loss and 75% muscle gain (with a full dedicated mass program).

Now, they DO approach programming in a similar way: periodization via a phasic set up starting with strength, moving to strength and ending with a hybrid program. However, because of the different intention of the program, everything from the exercise selection to the structure of the workouts is different.

TONY:  Awesome. I had a few people ask me how SHFL was different from SHW, and this answers it.

Nutrition. The X-factor to fat loss or not?  Can you provide maybe 3-5 “Roman Approved” tips that people can implement today that will serve as a nice adjunct to this program?

ROMAN: Nutrition isn’t the “X” factor – it’s the ABC Factor! If you don’t have nutrition covered, you’re pretty much screwed, at least when comes to fat loss.

As for tips…it’s hard to break down nutritional theories into sound bytes, but, I’ll do my best.

1. The first would be to try everything. Try paleo, try fasting, try carb cycling. See what works for you. Try everything—then decide if it’s necessary. Decide if the benefit is worth the sacrifice, and vice versa.

2. The second would be to just man up and measure your food. Just do it for 2-3 weeks. Do it until you develop an understanding of how much you need to eat. I know some coaches get all huggy and tell you they have a way where you don’t need to count calories. Bullshit. If you really want to get lean, you have to do some math.

Note from TONY:  for those who still don’t think measuring food is worth the effort, watch this video made by Leigh Peele a few years ago.  This should shut some people up.

3. Thirdly, pretend I said something wise. Seriously. Pretend I said something inspiring and mind-blowing and profound. Instead, chances are I would just tell you to take more fish oil. Or drink more water. Or something you’ve heard a thousand times before…but that’s dumb. Because you know all that.

But I want you to think I’m awesome. So, come up with something ground-breaking, something that will change your life and get you the results you want. Then pretend I said it. If you know that you said it, it’s worthless, since we rarely take our own advice. Instead, pretend I dropped this pearl of wisdom, and it’ll work out for both of us—you’ll get results, and I’ll get some credit.

TONY: One concept I’ve always tried to instill with my clients – especially those whose focus is fat loss – is that the main objective of exercising should not be to solely “burn calories” and train until you can’t feel the left side of your face.

But rather, the objective is to MAINTAIN as much muscle mass as possible.

To that end, I’ve always been a fan of low(er) rep training to provide the stimulus the body needs to preserve as much lean body mass as possible.

I know you agree – since you incorporate low-rep, strength based training into the SHFL Program – but can you explain to my readers why this is such a crucial component that many tend to neglect?

ROMAN: Interesting question. I think most people just don’t get how important it is. They don’t realize that if you don’t spend time trying to stay strong, than you’re going to spend even more time later on trying to get re-strong. Er…get strong again.

Put another way, they don’t realize that you’ll have to play catch-up, and spend time re-gaining what you’d lost.

I’m talking about this in terms of strength, but obviously this applies to maintaining muscle, as was the original question.

Use it or lose, it, right?

I have no idea why people avoid this – no matter what your goal is, there’s no downside to being strong.

TONY:  Right on! Thanks a ton Roman. Always a pleasure.

For those still reading, here’s the BEST part. When you pick up Super Hero Fat Loss this week, as part of the launch celebration, you’ll grab it for 50% off!

Today (Friday, June 20th) is the last day to take advantage of this offer. After that, if you’re going to fight crime – and look gooooooooood doing it – you’re going to pay full price.

—–> Superhero Fat Loss <—–

 

CategoriesUncategorized

Superhero Fat Loss

If there’s anyone who knows fat loss, it’s my boy John Romaniello (or Roman, for those who don’t like last names with a lot syllables). The man is a specimen, not to mention one of the smartest guys I know, and he’s one of only a handful of fitness professionals whom I would classify as a true fat loss expert.

He not only talks the talk, but he walks it as well, and unlike a lot of other so-called “fat loss experts” out there, there’s one, teeny tiny thing that separates him from the masses:

He actually trains people.  You know, in real life.

Moreover, if there’s anyone who knows comic books, it’s Roman. He didn’t spend his entire childhood in Captain America Underoos for nothing!

So it should come as no surprise that he’s been able to combine two of his favorite things – comic books and nakedness – into one extensive geekified project.

He’s worked with countless athletes, models, celebrities, and regular folk to help get them in the best shape of their lives, and Superhero Fat Loss – the sequel to last year’s uber popular Super Hero Workout – is a culmination of many of the principles and strategies that Roman uses on a day-to-day basis with his own real life clients.

Last year the entire Cressey Performance staff did the original program, and loved it.  It was challenging, unique, and more importantly…….we had a blast doing it!  And we’re already chomping at the bit to give this version a go around, too.

What’s more, unlike the vast majority of fat loss programs out there which have a tendency of being haphazardly pieced together with no rhyme or reason, Roman places a premium on LOGICAL programming that not only increases one’s sexiness quota, but will also help those who do it (in it’s entirety) get stronger and more athletic.

More to the point, it’s not going to HURT PEOPLE.

John’s gone out of his way to include balanced programming that incorporates a fair share of single leg work, a balance between pushing and pulling movements, and loads of mobility based exercises that will help people move better.

I mean, think about it: you can’t really call yourself a Super Hero if you have the movement quality of a rock.

But don’t worry: he’s also included a lot of things that will make you hate life as well.

To that end, I feel it’s a solid product and one that will help a lot of people get into awesome (shall I say, Superhero’esq) shape.

Later this week I’ll be sharing an interview I did with John which goes into a little more detail about the product, but in the meantime, give it a look yourself and see if it would be a good fit for YOUR goals.

 —–> Superhero Fat Loss <—–

CategoriesUncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 2/10/12

Earlier this week my good friend, John Romaniello, released his opus to intermittent fasting (IF), Fat Loss Forever.  For those who missed it, John was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions regarding IF – what is it?, who is it for?, is there any science behind it?, will it make me grow a third nipple? – as well talk about the specifics behind the product itself.

In passing, too, I had mentioned how I experimented with IF a few years ago, but didn’t really realize it at the time.  Yeah, I was smart like that.

Nevertheless, when John sent me an advance copy, I read it – in one sitting – and was thoroughly impressed.  So impressed, in fact, that I am now on day #3 of my own intermittent fasting extravaganza.

Okay, extravaganza is a little bit of an indulgence. Really, all I’ve done is push my breakfast back a bit in the morning (essentially taking myself through a 12-16 hour fast), and then pwning my first meal after I’m done picking heavy things up and putting them down – which, is generally around 12PM

I’ve always had the tendency to crush a HUGE breakfast every morning, and often wondered whether or not that affected how I felt heading into my workout.  I have to say, after a few days, I feel spectaculous!!!!

I can’t say for sure whether or not I’ll do it long-term, but at the very least, I wanted to try it out.

Fat Loss Forever  – John Romaniello and Dan Go

Anyways, today (2/10) is your last chance to purchase Roman’s opus to intermittent fasting at the discounted rate of $50 OFF the regular price. He’s has gone out of his way to include a TON of sweet bonuses – including a training manual and supplement guidelines, to name few – but I’m going to sweeten the pot.

1. This kind of got lost in the shuffle earlier in the week, but for anyone who purchases FLF from this site, and emails their receipt to me ([email protected]), I’ll send you a TG written and Roman approved strength-based, 2-day-per-week workout that acts as an adjunct to the program.

2.  In addition, I’ll also throw anyone who emails me their receipt into a raffle for a free DIGITAL copy of Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper Body. And, if you play your cards right, maybe a bologna sandwich.  Winning!

Performance Training:  Adaptations for Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI) – Kevin Neeld

This was an excellent post by Kevin detailing the intricate and complicated mechanisms behind FAI – how to recognize it, and more importantly, how to go about implementing training modifications.

While it’s generally accepted that FAI is more prevalent in the athletic population, it’s something that we’ve witnessed creep into other less common populations as well – including your typical gym rat population.

If you’re a fitness professional, I HIGHLY suggest you give it a read, and don’t ignore the other links in the article as well, as Kevin as a TON of information to share on this topic.

5 Questions with a Girl Gone Strong:  Julia Ladewski – Trey Potter

Continuing his series interviewing the amazing Girls Gone Strong crew, here Trey speaks with Julia Ladewski, wife, coach, mother of two, and formerly the world’s #1 ranked female powerlifter in the 132 lb weight class.  Yes, she’s probably stronger than you.

CategoriesUncategorized

Fat Loss Forever

Back in the winter of 2009, having nothing better to do than pick the worst time of year to get lean (not many people see your six pack when it’s 15 degrees outside), I took it upon myself to do a little experiment which I appropriately called Tony Gets Sexified.

I’m not going to go into the details here, but little did I know at the time I had inadvertently used a form of intermittent fasting (IF) to help expedite the fat loss process.

You see, at several points throughout the week I’d have “windows” where I’d eat very little which, from a hormonal standpoint, allowed my body to become a fat burning ass kicking machine.

I’d train. Hate life. Fuel my body.  And then repeat the process, giving myself a “cheat” meal on the weekends.

My cheat meal, contrary to most who dream of endless mountains of ice-cream and all-you-can-eat pizza buffets, consisted of 2 lbs of BBQ steak tips, with homemade sweet potato fries and a shit ton of broccoli.  Exciting, I know.

Anyways, it worked. I took my body fat from a fairly consistent 10% year round, to 7-8% in a matter of six weeks, which ain’t too shabby given my starting point.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m NOT an expert on intermittent fasting. The fact that I wasn’t even aware that I had done a pseudo IF experiment on myself back in day should make that abundantly clear.

Still, in the few years since, IF has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of its popularity, and with that in mind, you’d be hard pressed to peruse any fitness blog or website and not see it mentioned in some fashion.

Which is why, today, I’m pleased to introduce John Romaniello’s latest product Fat Loss Forever.

Roman – as he’s more appropriately referred to – has gone out of his way to provide an outstanding product that not only educates, but entertains as well. It edutains!

When was the last time you were told breakfast was NOT the most important meal of the day?

Yeah, that one hurt me too. I heart breakfast. But when you think about it:  our ancestors had to chase down, wrestle, kill, butcher, and cook various small (and large) animals.  They didn’t eat breakfast everyday, and they turned out alright.

Moreover, what’s the deal with ALWAYS being told that you HAVE to eat 5-6 meals per day in order to keep your metabolism up?

Guess what: doing so may be making you fatter.

Fat Loss Forever goes against conventional wisdom, and helps introduce the concept of intermittent fasting in way that’s easy to understand and easy to implement.  But be forewarned: IT IS NOT easy.

You’ll have to do some work along the way.

With that said, Roman was kind enough to answer a few questions I sent his way, so feel free to read the interview below which sheds some light on this very popular topic.

Enjoy!

*** Oh, and since I know a fair share of you won’t make it all the way to the end, on top of the already stellar bonuses that Roman is offering, anyone who purchases Fat Loss Forever from this site and sends a copy of their receipt to my email address – [email protected] – I’ll send you a TG written, Roman approved, FLF strength-based program that will increase your overall level of badassery by at least 156%.

On to the interview!

TG: Roman you’re an NYC native, and I currently live in Boston (and yes, am completely immersed in the sports scene here). The Giants just beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl (again…FML).  This is your chance to gloat. 100 words or less. Go.

John Romaniello:  Ha! No gloating here—was actually rooting for the Pats. As a Jets fan, that’s heretical…but honestly, the last thing I wanted to deal with was Giants fans with an inflated Big Brother complex.

On to next year!

TG:  My apologies. I just assumed everyone in NYC was a Giants fan.  Lets get down to business: If there was ever an app listing what’s “trending” in the fitness industry, intermittent fasting (IF) would be right up there along with LOLz Bosu Ball Fails

Note to Reader:  LOLz BOSU Ball Fails doesn’t exist, but it should.

 1.  Can you provide a Cliff Notes version explaining the premise behind IF?

and

2. Why do you feel it’s gained so much popularity in such a short amount of time? 

Roman: It certainly does seem to be trending.

The premise is simple: IF is essentially alternating structured, pre-determined periods of “not-eating” with periods where you’re allowed to eat.

There are a lot of different styles of IF, the differences between each essentially being the length of the feeding and fasting periods.

IF has a number of benefits, ranging from practical (caloric restriction becomes easy when you are only allowed to eat for a few hours each day) to more physiological (hormonal benefits, including increased secretion of GH).

Each “type” of fasting will allow for each of these, some more than others—but all of them work.

As to why it’s popular recently, that’s simple: once I started talking about it, it became cool 😉

Okay, that’s not true…I can’t back that up.

The real reason it’s reached a tipping point as a result of a few factors: the first is that the research just kept backing it up; that’s a big thing.

More than anything else, it’s really that the “fasting guys” caught the attention of the rest of the industry, and finally forced us to see the truth.

A good example is Brad Pilon, who has been preaching the benefits of fasting for many years.

More recently, Martin Berkhan has been the head of the movement—his clients get incredible results, and Martin isn’t exactly what you’d call a quiet guy; he’s very vocal about his opinions and that he believes his way is the best.

Guys like these catch the attention of magazines with big numbers of followers, and then it just cascades.  We owe those dudes a lot.

TG: Indeed – while they’re not necessarily the pioneers, those two have definitely brought the concept of IF to the forefront.

That said, I know some people reading right now may be under the impression that IF is too radical and that it couldn’t possibly fit into their current lifestyle. What would you say to them?  What are the benefits?  Negatives?  Will it increase their general level of awesomeness?

Roman: I would just say to try it.  Read the research.  Give it a shot.  You really don’t have anything to lose, other than whatever emotional attachment to your particular set of beliefs you have.

The benefits are clear: hormonal optimization, increased satiety.  More than that, you will start to see the difference between “head hunger” and “body hunger” – that is, you’ll realize when you’re actually hungry and stop snacking out of boredom.

The drawbacks are that you might try something new.  This scares the shit out of some people.

Another drawback is that you might be uncomfortable for a little while. Yup. Fasting has the potential to be mildly uncomfortable. This is different from sprinting, deadlifting, squatting, and dieting in general, all of which are incredibly pleasant, right?

TG:  Very true. It’s very similar to a phrase I like to throw out there when people question doing something different to they’re unfamiliar with: 

If you continue doing what you’ve always done, you’ll continue getting what you’ve always gotten.

Pigging back on the question above, can you explain what IF isn’t?  Meaning, people are going to see the word “fast” and automatically assume that it’s a starvation method.  Could you elucidate on this fallacy, as well as any other common misconceptions that you’ve come across?

Roman: Ah, that’s a good one.  Mainly, fasting isn’t starving, because, at the end of the day, you’re still going to get roughly the same number of calories you would on any fat loss plan – just all at once.

Let’s say you maintain at 2400 calories, and you’re dieting; maybe you want to take in 1900 calories per day.

In a traditional dieting model, you might have six meals, each with about 320 calories.  You might be hungry after each one.

With IF, you’ll have three meals, each with ~630 calories. You’ll be fuller, longer, and possibly eat less.

You’re eating the same amount of food, just in less time—the extended fasting period giving you more time to be active and productive, as well as the hormonal benefits.

TG:  Well that makes a whole lotta sense.  Sweet!

So, now that you’ve thrown yourself onto the IF train, what makes Fat Loss Forever different from the various predecessors?

Note:  I only ask this because you know you’re going to get some a-hole who’s a Berkhan or Pilon fanboy (and rightfully so) getting his panties all up in a bunch

Roman: Haha, well, far be it from me to deny the right of a fanboy to hate me for impugning the honor of his guru =)

Here’s the deal: again, all credit to Pilon and Berkhan. I’m fans of their stuff. Which is the lead-in to this answer:

My stuff isn’t radically “different” from their stuff because it’s inspired by their stuff—HOWEVER…

It’s different BECAUSE of that as well.

My program takes a look at all of the best and most effective forms of fasting around, and, after much experimentation, creates a synthesis of all of these things.  It takes the best and makes them better.

FLF is the Frankenstein’s monster of fasting—it’s made up of the parts of other programs, and, in the end, is something that is both exceptionally effective and unique to me.

It’s a lot of fun, and Pilon is promoting, so I’d say we’re pretty solid in that regard.

TG: I’d say so!  Lastly, how “adaptable” is it?  For example, there are people on this site who spend a large portion of their day staring at a computer screen and are lucky to get three hours per week to train.  On the flip side, you have those, like me, who are on their feet for a large portion of the day, coaching. How easily can IF, and specifically, FLF, be implemented?

Roman: That’s that best part—all forms of IF are highly adjustable.  FLF is even MORE so.  All you need to do is NOT EAT…then eat.

The program works well for guys like us, who make our own schedules—but also for people whose time is less their own.  We’ve had firefighters and nurses who work 36-hour shifts have success, as well as entrepreneurs and other trainers.

It’s the most moldable nutritional protocol around; certainly moreseo than those that make you eat every few hours.

Plus, you get a cheat day…so right there, you know it’s awesome.

TG: Okay I lied, one last question: How is training “adjusted” when following the FLF protocol?  I know many reading may balk at the idea of training on an empty stomach, or with very little calories in the tank.

Roman: This is pretty individual.  Personally, I like to train in a fasted state.  But—and you’ve known this about me for years—that’s because training with a full tummy makes me get all…pukey.

I have trained truly empty, though; as in, haven’t eaten for 50 hours.

Anyway, this isn’t about me, it’s about other people—and my clients are mixed.  Some love the fasted training. Some find that some BCAAs are enough to give them the energy and have a great training session.

Others seem unwilling to break away from old ideas and just have a snack before training.  And that’s fine.

As long as you follow the bigger rules, eating 30 minutes before your workout won’t derail you =)

TG:  Thanks Roman!  Jets suck!

And there you have it folks. For more information, and to save $50 off the regular price (not to mention having access to a bunch of sweet bonuses), I highly encourage you to check out Fat Loss Forever HERE.

And remember, if you send your receipt to my email address (see above), I’ll send your my special 2-day per week strength-based program that I wrote specifically for this program!!

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/26/12

If there was ever a feature on which topics were currently “trending” on all of the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of health and fitness blogs out on the interwebz, I’m sure Intermittent Fasting would be right up there on that list.

The topic, it seems, is like catnip lately.

I’m not even going to attempt to explain what it is (what?  No breakfast!!? No.  Noooooo), who it’s for (I’ll tell you who it’s NOT for.  Guys who weigh 150 lbs soaking wet, trying to look like Brad Pitt from Fight Club), or whether or not I feel it’s beneficial (sure, it has its moments).  What I am going to do, however, is point you in the direction of someone who can break it down, as it’s a rather complicated (and just a tad bit controversial) topic that many people need to be more well informed about.

The 5 Diet Rules You Must Break – John Romaniello

I had mentioned this FREE report earlier in the week, but felt it got lost in the shuffle, so I wanted to give it a little love here where more people would have access to it. Many of you who read this blog are very familiar with John and his work, so it’s not like I’m coming out of left field here when I say I’m a fan.

And since intermittent fasting is such a hot topic as of late, I figured if you’re going to read about it, you might as well get your information from someone who’s hella smart, knows the science behind it, has actually done it himself (and coached numerous people through it), and is a Lord of the Rings nerd, which obviously has nothing to do with anything.

Did I mention it’s free? (it’s free).

What I’m Thankful For in 2011 – Matt Kramer

For those who like a “feel good” story, this one is right up your alley.  Matt, pictured above with his guitar and mullhawk (half mullet, half mohawk), is in his fourth off-season with us at Cressey Performance, starting as a catching prospect for the Atlanta Braves, getting released, then interning with us, then working his way back with the Boston Red Sox as pitching prospect.

A Harvard graduate, Matt’s wicked smaht and a hell of a writer, and better still, just an awesome human being.

What a Rejected Article Looks Like, and Why Your Thoracic Extensions and Hip Flexor Stretches Are Wrong – Anthony Mychal

I just started reading some of Anthony’s stuff over on t-nation.com recently, and as it happened, I also started perusing his blog because I’m a stalker like that. I came across this post, and felt it was applicable to many people reading given you’re all stiffer than a 2×4 anyways. Needless to say, I think Anthony has a lot of great things to say, and I think many of you will appreciate his style given it’s very similar to mine.

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/26/2011

How I Create a Perfect Fat Loss Day – John Romaniello

When a guy like Roman talks about fat loss, people listen – and with good reason (he’s purty).  More importantly, though, what I got most from this particular post is how he breaks up his day from a productivity standpoint.  I mean, I work with a guy (Eric Cressey) who will write a book in the time it takes me to take a dump, and I’m constantly amazed at the amount of work he can get done on any given day.  This post, specifically, lite a fire underneath my ass.  Thanks John!  This was awesome.

BSP Nutrition Tip #6 – Eat Lots of Healthy Fat – Brian St. Pierre (via Diesel Crew)

Jim “Smitty” Smith and the rest of the Diesel Crew just revamped their website and it looks sweet!  Here’s a fantastic article (which is part of series) written by my boy, Brian St. Pierre, on healthy fats and why you’re an idiot if you continue to avoid them like the plague.

How to Set Goals and Achieve Them 100% of the Time – Dean Somerset

Fantastic post by Dean on what REALLY motivates us to reach our goals.  One word:  Emotionalification.  Yes, I just made that word up, but if you’re able to find the emotional background of your goals, as Dean notes, you’ll never have to worry about setting a goal that never gets achieved.