CategoriesUncategorized

Seven Favorite Meals

Food.

For some, food is just a means to an end, just a bunch of calories that serves no other purpose than to provide “fuel” and allow us to “do stuff.”

These are generally the individuals who eat the same things everyday – egg whites, coffee and maybe a piece of toast (NO BUTTER!!11!!) for breakfast, plain chicken breast and some spinach for lunch, a handful of almonds with an apple and protein powder that tastes like powdered fart as a mid-afternoon snack, and for dinner, maybe they’ll spice it up with some beef and veggies.

If that’s your schtick and it works for you, more power to you.  Speaking truthfully, I used to be one of those people.

Sure, I’d enjoy the occasional slice of pizza here and there, and if I was really feeling dangerous I’d have a cookie (or two), but for the most part food was fuel.  That’s it.

I’d bust out my grill on the weekends and stock up on grilled chicken breast for the week, and I’d also prepare a bunch of beef too.  As a bachelor, my spice rack was pretty much relegated to salt, pepper, and the occasional vat of Adobo.

You could say that my palette wasn’t used to a lot of variety.

If you were to take a gander into my fridge back in the day, you’d pretty much find nothing but an endless supply of eggs, thawed bags of frozen vegetables (which would get kinda messy), and maybe a container or two of salsa.

It was pretty pathetic to say the least.

On the other end of the spectrum, for most people, food is (as it should be) much much more.  Food is culture.  It’s the centerpiece behind birthdays, 4th of July, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Yom Kippur (after the fact, anyways), anniversaries, weddings, graduation parties, movie marathons, you name it – food is usually the cornerstone or main attraction of any event or get together.

I’ve come a long ways since my bachelor days.  Granted the kitchen is still no-man’s land for me and really the only thing I’m good at is turning the toaster on.

But give me a recipe to follow and a watchful eye, I’m fairly confident I won’t blow up the apartment building.

To that end, I recently read an article by the great Dan John where he noted:

Recently, I added a list of “Ten favorite meals” from the insights of Sean Greeley. These lists give me an idea of how I am doing socially, spiritually, emotionally, physically and fiscally.

A light bulb immediately turned on in my head, and I thought this had potential for a pretty neat and fun blog post.

Everyone’s relationship with food is different. As I noted above, before, food was just a means to an end – simply fuel to get me from one deadlift session to another.  But in the years that I’ve matured (poop!) and the more I have experienced life and all its trials and tribulations, food – and all that it means and represents – has blossomed, and has grown to mean much much more to me.

While I still tend to eat the same things on a day-to-day basis, below are some of my favorite meals.  Some are the healthy, “I’m still a meathead” variety, while others are there solely because they’re deliciously badass.

Lets get to it!

1. Date Night

Where I’m from “eating out” doesn’t have quite the same connotation as it does here in a big city – mostly because there isn’t nearly as many options.

Where I’m from a romantic evening out is generally reduced to Applebees or Olive Garden.  

Nothing says “I love you” more than a bottomless bowl of garlic breadsticks.  BOM CHICKA BOM BOM!

When I first moved to Boston, “fine dining” was not in my vocabulary.  Place three forks in front me, and I was more likely to start pretending they were spaceships than anything else.

Luckily, with practice, my culinary and dining aptitude have improved, and one of my most favorite things to do now is explore new and interesting restaurants.

Just about every weekend Lisa and I head out on the town and head to the Back Bay to hit up a steakhouse and dominate a succulent filet mignon, or maybe we head to the North End and drown ourselves in vintage marinara sauce and pasta.

Whether we’re in the mood for seafood (rarely on my end, I hate seafood) or eating “dirty” (NACHOS!!!!!!!), Boston has it all, and I love being able to explore new foods and flavors.

2. My Morning Omelet

In a word: EPIC.

Every morning I look forward to two things:

1. Peeing

2. Eating my omelet.

Here’s the stats:

5 Whole Eggs (with the yolks). I try my best to purchase “free range” eggs from farms that I know allow their chickens to roam.

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2-1 cup chopped broccoli
A few sun-dried tomatoes
Garlic, turmeric, oregano, pepper, parsley
Goat cheese, and salsa

I’m good to go.

As an aside, one game I like to play when we go out to brunch is to see the reactions of the waiter or waitress when I ask for a double order omelet.  I’ve gotten everything from, “are you sure about that?  That’s like, six eggs!”  (mind you, the stack of pancakes and syrup that the person at the table next to me ordered has like twice the calories) to looks of disbelief that I can’t possibly eat that much to the chef coming out in person to congratulate me and offer me a free shirt.

It’s weird, but always makes for interesting conversation.

3. Pizza and JP Licks

I know it’s blasphemous to say that anywhere other than New York City or Chicago has good pizza, but Boston has it’s fair share of stellar pizza joints.  No, really, I’m not kidding!

One of my go to places is Upper Crust Pizza – which is literally right down the street from my apartment.  On occasion I’ll head down after a grueling training session and order a few “slices of the day” (buffalo chicken with blue cheese is a staple) and then top that off by walking diagonally across the street and hitting up the JP Licks for some peanut butter Oreo ice-cream.

4. My “Earth” Protein Shake

I know it’s kind of lame to list a shake as one of my favorite meals, but there’s rarely a day that goes by where I don’t have at least one (sometimes two) of these due to my busy schedule and the fact that I spend upwards of 6-8 hours of my day coaching.

Assuming you have a Magic Bullet or something to its equivalent, give this bad boy a shot:

I start with placing half a bag of (preferably organic) baby leaf spinach into a container, along with a scoop of creatine, SuperFood, and 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds (all of which are optional).

Pour 1/2-1 cup of almond or coconut milk into container and mix.

From there I’ll add a scoop of protein powder (Grow), maybe 1/4 cup of rolled oats, some unsweetened shaved coconut, a scoop or two of cacao nibs, and some frozen blueberries or mixed berries.

Mix again, and you’ll end up with a greenish/brownish “earthy” looking concoction that will taste GREAT and almost certainly get some weird looks if you drink in public.

5. Healthy Fajitas

I love fajitas, but not the gluten-fest that they’re often affiliated with.  Don’t get me wrong: sometimes I’ll go for broke and crush the flour tortillas like the next guy, but more often than not we’ll make our version of fajitas that are little more guilt-free and far healthier.

We’ll ground up some grass fed beef and cook that in a fajita mix along with some cutlets of chicken.

From there we’ll lay ou the prerequisite sides of guacamole, cheese, salsa, and while sour cream is great, to be honest, greek yogurt works just as well.

Instead of the flour tortillas, we’ll use huge leafs of bibb salad and use those as our wraps.

And for the record: We got rid of that white couch looooooooooog ago.  One guess as to who wasn’t allowed to eat on it during fajita night?????

6. Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because there’s no commercialized Hallmark way about it.  It’s all about family and friends and FOOD!!!!!

I mean come on: what else is better than eating some of Mom’s homemade apple pie???????

7. Meatza

I “stole” this meal from my pal and fellow lover of all things lifting heavy, Nia Shanks.

Essentially it’s a flattened meatloaf cooked in a way that mimics a pizza.  Genius!

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll just defer to Nia’s post about it HERE.

And there you have it!  Those are just a handful (well seven, so a little more than a handful) of my favorite meals.  Got any you’d like to share?  Sound off below!

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Lift Like a Girl?

I know I seemingly talk about my girlfriend a lot on this blog (what can I say:  she’s the shit), but today I have a story that I think a lot of the ladies reading will appreciate.

Lisa (said girlfriend) is a fitness enthusiast who likes to train, eat dead animals, and who also teaches a few spin classes throughout the week for the heck of it (and for the free gym membership).  It’s serious business for her.  The night prior to every class she’ll make a new playlist, figuring out which songs should be used for sprints, seated climbs, as well as which ones she’ll use for their general awesome factor.

Not surprisingly, as someone who talks the talk and walks it, Lisa’s classes are routinely jam packed and she has her own “cult following” of spinners who follow her religiously. Rain or shine.

She also has a fair share of newcomers who sporadically attend her class, and she’s always welcoming and more than willing to offer feedback and advice.

As it happened – and this actually happens quite a bit – last week Lisa was approached by a woman who attended her class for the first time and asked whether or not she (Lisa) also teaches an “arms class.”

For a visual reference, see picture below.  Lisa is the one who’s not wearing blue.  And has hair.

Looking somewhat perplexed, Lisa was like “excuse me?”  The woman then said, “you know, an arms class…..kickbacks, bicep curls, etc.  What did you do to get your arms!?”

Always playing the modest card, Lisa said “thank you,” and matter-of-factly stated that she lifts weights 3x per week and got her arms by doing a lot of chin-ups and push-ups.

Probably not the answer the woman wanted to hear, but such is life.  If you want to actually look like you lift weights, or even if you don’t and all you want is to give your body some semblance of shape, contour, or definition (I can’t bring myself to say “toned”), you NEED TO LIFT APPRECIATE WEIGHT!!!!!!

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Which is why I’m STOKED about Nia Shanks’ new product:

Lift Like a Girl Guide

 

Nia and I have been friends for a few years now, I respect the hell out of her, love everything that she represents, and I consider her the ambassador for female training.

Like myself Nia has long been telling women that they should focus more on training for PERFORMANCE, even if their goal is fat loss.

Even if you want to lose fat, setting achievable, measureable goals like being able to perform ten push-ups, deadlifting 1.5x your bodyweight, or working up to your first-ever unassisted chin-up, is the key.

If you want that toned (there I said it), athletic look, you need to drop the pink dumbbells and Zumba class, and lift real weights.

***And not view food as your enemy (which Nia also addresses)

The Lift Like a Girl Guide is Nia’s opus, and something I feel is going to open the floodgates for a lot of women with regards to learning HOW to train and eat the right way.  Not to mention set them up for a world of confidence moving forward.

Funnily enough, Nia sent me an advance copy and as I was listening/watching her first presentation last Sunday afternoon out on the patio, Lisa was within earshot doing some food prep in the kitchen.

Repeatedly I kept hearing her belt out “AMEN!!!!!” in response to everything Nia was saying. After about 20 minutes Lisa walked out to where I was sitting and said, “this is such a wonderful message to give women.”

I think of Nia were in the room at the time, the two of them would have shared a Thelma and Louise moment for sure.

So if it’s any consolation to anyone reading, Lisa gives it a HUGE thumbs up.

The objective here is simple: to get stronger, leaner, and healthier in the shortest amount of time possible.  That way there’s more time to do stuff that girls like to do.  You know, stuff like watching clips of Ryan Gosling being Ryan Gosling, and talking about “feelings” and what not.

Okay, just kidding (but not really).

What’s more, not only are you going to learn how to lift like a girl, but Nia also discusses how to EAT and THINK like a girl, too.

And, to throw a cherry on top: Nia says that if anyone who follows this program gets “big and bulky,” you can go to her house and personally Sparta kick her in the kidney.

It’s really a win-win. What have you got to lose?

—> Lift Like a Girl Guide <—

 

CategoriesUncategorized

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 6/21/12

So the last two days I’ve put up some rather lengthy blogs – one over 2000 words, and the other just a shade over 1000, which by blogging standards is a lot.  Especially when you consider that many of the “experts” will tell you that the ideal word count for a post should be anywhere from 600-800 words.

I woke up this morning and knew I had to hunker down and write several programs and wasn’t quite sure whether or not I’d be motivated to do any writing.  As it turns out, my assumption was correct.  Instead I tried to occupy myself with more productive things such as piling all the coasters, organizing my DVD collection, and trying to eat a potato chip without chewing on it, which is actually more difficult than it sounds.

Above all else, it’s freaking gorgeous outside and I’d much rather be outside enjoying the nice weather than sitting here tapping away on a keyboard.

To that end, I’m bidding everyone a fair farewell today and leaving you with some cool stuff to read.

Beautiful Badass Pillars – The Simple, No Nonsense Guide to Being a Beautiful Badass – Nia Shanks

Whenever it comes to women and training, I often defer to Nia, and this post is the reason why.  She just “gets it.”

I particularly love her thoughts on isolation exercises. You know, things like isolation bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, and the like.  Whenever I work with a woman and she starts asking me if or when we’ll start including some direct arm work into the mix I point out two things:

1.  Chin-up variations and row variations will usually be all the “direct” arm work one will ever need.

2.  If she can’t perform at least two (un-assisted) chin-ups and/or ten clean push-ups, then we’re not going to waste our time with trivial exercises.

Sure there’s a time and place for them, but as Nia points out……you have to EARN the isolation exercises.

Fillers: Pairing Strength and Mobility – Todd Bumgardner

This was the feature article over on t-nation.com yesterday, and I thought it was fantastic.

A large portion of my talk last weekend in Toronto dealt with this whole notion of fillers and how integral they can be in terms of covering or “corrective exercise” bases.

Here, Todd does an awesome job showing the reader how to implement them into one’s programming and offers a lot of cool variations to boot.

9 Deadlift Corrections to a Safer and Stronger Life – Dave Thomas

This article has been all over Facebook and Dave actually sent me a note saying how I was a huge inspiration for him writing this article.

It goes without saying that I love anything and everything deadlifts, so it should come as no surprise when I say I read this and immediately peed myself a little.

This one definitely receives the Tony G seal of approval.

Check em out, and let me know that you liked them!. Show the authors some props as well!

CategoriesRehab/Prehab Strength Training

Is There Such a Thing As “Knee Friendly” Squats?

Not long ago I filmed a vlog about the difference between box squats and squats TO a box.  While to the casual fitness enthusiast there may be no differentiation between the two variations (a squat’s a squat, right?), these are probably the same people who feel PCs are the same thing as Macs.

That’s just crazy talk.

Crazy I tell you!!!!!

I’m not going to beat a dead horse and go into the details here (you can just click on the link above to found out the difference between the two), but I will say that my fellow partner in all things awesome, Nia Shanks, wrote a similar blog (with video) HERE which expounds on the benefits of squats TO a box.

Anyhoo, a day or two after her post went live, she received a question from one of her readers:

“Any suggestions for squat variations for people with hip flexor issues? (Tendonitis)?”

Her response (what she actually wrote):

“Good question. I’m going to pass this on to one of my friends that could provide a better answer. I’ll post his response here.”

Her response (with what I would have added if I were her):

“Good question. I’m going to pass this on to one of my friends that could provide a better answer. I’ll post his response here.

Not that this matters, but he’s incredibly intelligent, good looking, and possibly more manly than a lumberjack.”

All kidding aside (although I’m not really kidding), Nia reached out to me and asked if I had any feedback. Below is what I wrote back to her last nightl, which I decided to make into a blog post because, well, I can.

NOTE:  I was watching the RedSox game as I was typing it, so please forgive the ADD nature of the post.

Goddamit Youkils, you have to swing at that pitch!!!!!

1. Know the difference between tendonitis and tendonosis.

The former is generally accompanied with slight joint inflammation and typically goes away after a few days of rest, ice, and NSAIDS.

The latter, though, refers to more of a chronic condition where the joint itself has seen some (or maybe significant) degeneration.  Basically, it’s something that doesn’t go away after a few days.

That being said, when someone complains of tendonitis, and it’s been an on-going issue, it’s probably really tendonosis.

…..and some of the following may help take some of the burden off the joint itself.

 

2. Take a grenade approach with soft tissue work.

Foam roll EVERY…….SINGLE…….DAY.  Not once a week, not only on the days that you train, but every day!

It stands to reason that if one’s knees are bothering them all the time, they have less than optimal tissue quality and it’s something that needs to be addressed.  Foam rolling is one of the best ways to do so.

Healthy tissue shouldn’t hurt when you palpate it, and if it does, that’s a tall tale sign that something’s up.

Hammering areas such as the hip flexors themselves (Rectus femoris, and TFL), as well as the adductors, ITB, and glutes will undoubtedly help and often alleviate much of the symptoms.

I also like to be a bit more “specific” and target both the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis with a tennis or lacrosse ball.  Both are major trigger points for knee pain, and are an often overlooked area most people ignore – along with the glute medius for that matter.

People will ignore the areas that often cause the most discomfort, but those are the areas that SHOULD be targeted.

Better yet, seek out a reputable manual therapist who will get hers or his hands on you.  Nothing bothers me more than PTs who do nothing but band exercises, electrical stim and then ultra sound.

Sure they all have a time and place, but finding a therapist who provides Graston, ART, or whatever will be a definite advantage.

 3.  Preach to yourself vertical shin angle.

“Stacked’ joints are happy joints (as Mike Robertson would say).  More often than not, it’s not squatting that bothers people’s knees, but rather, what they’re doing that bothers their knees.

I can’t take credit for the vertical shin angle cue – that goes to Charlie Weingroff – but it’s something that works wonders for people with knee pain.

Many trainees make the mistake of breaking with their knees when squatting and end up with significant forward translation of the tibia.  This induces a lot more shear loading on the joint, which as you can imagine, is going to piss it off.

Instead, I like to cue the following: Make sure to SIT BACK and PUSH THE KNEES OUT.

This does two things:  maintains a more upright torso and ensures there’s proper task distribution.

The initial decent should be with the hips sitting back.  Doing so will not only place more emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings (hips!), but also ensure more of a vertical shin angle, which is going to be MUCH more knee friendly.

I guess, in a way, this is just a long-winded way of saying that the reason most people’s knees hurt when they squat is because of technique that makes my eyes bleed.

4.  Hammer hip stability.

The knees are at the mercy of the hips (and ankles).  Most trainees have piss poor hip stability and are unable to control the femur properly, which is something that Mike Robertson touches on his is Bulletproof Knees Manual.

Taking a step back and implementing some simple drills like side lying clams, x-band walks, etc would bode well.

Yes, they’re girly and seemingly worthless, but you’d be surprised at how hard side lying clams are when done correctly. We use them quite a bit in our programming at Cressey Performance, and it’s always interesting when a dude who can squat 400+ lbs has a hard time performing clams.

Taking it a step further, I’d also make a concerted effort to include more single leg work into the mix as that will automatically force one to work on their hip stability.  When in single leg stance, we’re forced to utilize what’s known as the lateral sub-system to keep the pelvis steady.

For those unaware what the lateral sub-system entails:  it’s the glute medius and adductor complex on standing leg, along with the quadratus lumborom on the opposite leg.

One point to consider, however, is the type of single leg work you’re doing.  For those with knee issues, variations like forward lunges or walking lunges are going to be problematic due to the deceleration factor.

Ie: You have to decelerate your bodyweight in order to perform the movement.

Reverse lunges will  inherently be more “knee friendly” due to the more “accelerative” nature of the movement.

Along those same lines, don’t be a hero and be too aggressive with loading when it comes to single leg work. Most trainees use waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much weight, and as a result, end up using less than exemplary technique (which defeats the purpose in the first place).

5. Booty, Booty, Booty, Booty Rockin Everywhere

As a corollary to the above, placing a premium on more glute work isn’t a bad idea either. The glutes have a VERY strong influence with regards to control of the femur.

Think of what happens when the glutes aren’t doing their job.

– You see more of an anterior pelvic tilt.

– APT results in more internal rotation of the femur.

– IR of the femur also results in in internal rotation of the tibia (and pronation of the feet).

– Your knee hates you.

Once we got those puppies firing and doing their job, we see the opposite happen:

– We see more posterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis.

– In addition, because they control the femur, we see more external rotation of the femur

– Which, of course, leads to more external rotation of the tibia (and more supination of the feet).

– Now girls will want to hang out with you.

To that end, whether you keep it simple and perform more supine or 1-legged glute bridges, or start upping the ante and perform things like deadlifts, pull-throughs, glute ham raises, KB swings, sled pushes, or grizzly wrestling………

…..the name of the game is GLUTES!!!!!!

6. We can’t neglect the core either.

More specifically, we can’t neglect the anterior core.

Even more specifically, we can’t neglect the external obliques.

Much like the above, lack of core strength and stability (especially as it relates to the obliques) will cause someone to go into more of an anterior pelvic tilt.

Utilizing movements like various chops and lifts would be of great benefit.

As would some dedicated rectus abdominus work – GASP!!!!!!!!!

7.  And what the hell, when all else fails, just deadlift

Deadlifts = less hip and knee flexion, which are going to be far more knee friendly than squats. What’s more, if you really wanted to get some more quad work into the mix, you could always revert to trap bar deadlifts which are more of a quad dominant hip dominant variation anyways.

But at the end of the day, I feel that squats TO a box will definitely be a step in the right direction as far as helping those with knee pain.  For starters, the box will allow one to squat in a pain free ROM – whatever the height may be. But even more importantly, it will help re-groove the proper squat pattern which most people suck at anyways.

Then, at some point, one can work on getting to full depth (which can be argued are more knee friendly as well).  But lets not get too off track here, because that can be another blog post in of itself.

Now, this doesn’t mean that all the other stuff discussed above is any less important. Far from it.

But I do feel that when it comes to technique, most fail miserably.  Watch both the videos that both myself and Nia provide above, and you should be golden.

Hope that sheds some light on a pretty extensive topic.

CategoriesUncategorized

How to Become a Beautiful Badass

I’m baaaaaaaaaack.  Sorry for the delay in getting anything up this week, but as you all know, Operation Co-Habitation was in full swing this past weekend.  And, while everything is moved in and essentially put away (for the most part) – we’re also dealing with all the new quirks that come with living in a new apartment.

For instance, we already blew an electrical circuit running the microwave and toaster oven simultaneously (note to self:  might have to nix plans for that 70” flat screen in the bathroom).  And, on top of that, we have a bit of a mouse issue.

It could be worse, but while un-packing on Sunday, Lisa was in the hallway when she saw a mouse scamper across the kitchen floor.  MOUSE!!!

I sprang into action, jumped off the couch, and went into Commando mode.  Unfortunately, I have yet to catch the little bastard.  He’s like a mouse-ninja.  One second he’s there, I turn away to grab my slingshot, and then I turn back around and he’s gone.

He will be mine.  Oh yes, he will be mine.

Nonetheless, all in all, the place is awesome and we’re happy to be settled down in our new place.

So, with that out of the way, I want to turn your attention to an awesome new product that was just released by my good friend Nia Shanks, titled:

Beautiful Badass

Awesome title, right?

Nia, as many who read this blog on a daily basis know, not only talks the talk, but she definitely walks it as well.

Yes she’s a girl, and yes, she likes to lift heavy things.  Deal with it.

As a competitive powerlifter – at a bodyweight of 120 lbs no less – she’s deadlifted more than most guys (320 lbs), and I’d be willing to bet, speaking from an athletic perspective, she could give most gents a run for their money in a lot of others things, too.

Most importantly, however, is how much I respect her for consistently taking on the upward battle of trying to convince women that it’s okay to TRAIN.  Not workout, but train.

Unlike the walking ham sandwich that is Tracy Anderson (or any other “celebrity” trainer spewing out nonsensical information) – with her ridiculous claims that women should NEVER lift a weight more than three lbs, because, according to her, “we shouldn’t be lifting heavy weights that focus on big muscle groups, because it will bulk us up, it is all about focusing on the small muscles and tightening them, this is what metamorphosis is all about” –  Nia is the antithesis.

Rather than placating into the nonsense, Nia asks women to step away from the stupid, grab a barbell, and lift some freakin weights!  While the mainstream media will go out of its way to promote things like Zumba, yoga, pilates, step aerobics, or [insert any other foo-foo flavor of the day here], Nia suggests that if you’re really serious about taking your body to the next level, you need to be lifting things.  Preferably off the ground.  And sometimes over your head.  Repeatedly.

And for the record: those neon colored dumbbells that are in the women’s only section of your local commercial gym don’t count.  Nice try.

This isn’t to say that any of the above classes are worthless or a complete waste of time – they can definitely play a role in the grand scheme of things.  But you’re clenching at straws if you think those classes alone are all you need to get into badass shape.  Chances are you’re STILL going to look frail, small, and weak.

To that end, Nia took matters into her own hands and Beautiful Badass can to fruition.

I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to read the original draft back in March, and I have to say, I was impressed from the get go.  I couldn’t help but nod in agreement throughout, and I was really excited to see what Nia would come up with after going through all of her edits

She didn’t disappoint, that’s for sure.

So by now, you might be thinking to yourself: “how is this program any different than any other program I can purchase off the interwebz that’s catered towards women?”

Well, I could say how it includes ample warm-ups, foam rolling, emphasizes compound movements (squats, deadlifts, chin-ups), doesn’t include ANY machines, utilizes single leg work, focuses on the posterior chain and core stability, blah blah blah –  you know the drill.  But n reality, that can be said about programs geared towards dudes, too.

Nope – if I had to pick what separates this program from any other that’s geared towards women it would be this:  it has balls.

Yeah, I know:  I just used a “guy” term to describe a woman’s program, but I really couldn’t think of a better way to describe it.   Sorry!

In an age where women are treated like delicate snowflakes and are incessantly told that they can’t (or shouldn’t) lift any appreciate weight, Nia’s Beautiful Badass states otherwise.

Training like a girl doesn’t mean you’re relegated to “toning classes” or using those pointless abductor/adductor machines.  Please, no – step away, STEP AWAY!  Rather, all you need to get the body you truly desire is a barbell, minimal equipment, and a little attitude – and Nia shows you how.

For more information, visit the Beautiful Badass site HERE.

 

CategoriesUncategorized

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: 1/31/2011

My girlfriend has been away for the past ten days doing some consulting work down in Colombia, and while it was nice to have some free time to hang out with the boys, leave the toilet seat up, burp out loud, and chew food with my mouth open, I can’t wait to see her in a few short hours.  So, since I’m going to have to leave to pick her up at the airport shortly, I’m just going to leave you with a few random thoughts today.

1.  I got a message on Facebook the other day from an old friend, asking this:

What do you think about that new 17 day diet? Is it hogwash?

B to the U……….llshit.  This is hands down, the epitome of what a fad-diet looks like.  Just look at the cover and your answers are right there smacking you in the face.

– A doctor’s plan for rapid results.

– 17 days, is all you need.  Giving people the illusion that that is all it takes – 17 days.

– All that’s missing are dancing elephants, fireworks, and midgets.  Can’t forget the midgets.

Does it get results? Sure.  Are they going to last? Not a chance.

The basic premise of the diet is to change your caloric load every 17 days (why not 16?  Hell, why not 22?) to keep your metabolism “guessing.”  In short, you’re expected to cycle your calories every few days or weeks, changing the combination of healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein that you eat.

And therein, lies the problem.  People don’t want to have to think when they eat.  Sure, someone will be able to follow this plan in the short-term, and probably see some results.  But lets be honest – who’s going to want to have to count calories, adjust macronutrients, and let food ALWAYS be on their mind for the indefinate future?

You need to change HABITS in order for results to stick. Following some “cleansing” diet that has you pissing out your ass by day eight, isn’t going to change anything.  Except maybe your wardrobe.**

This isn’t a complete waste, however.  From what I can tell, there are good things about the diet.  I mean, he streses the notion of eating “clean” foods, and that it’s okay to indulge.  But in the long-haul, this diet falls short of helping people make behavioral changes towards their eating habits, and more specifically, it’s un-realistic.

Do yourself a favor, and go to Amazon.com and purchase Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual.

It’s like $8 and will take you 25 minutes to read, and will do a great job at introducing the concept of behavorial changes that MUST take place in order to see long-term results.

2.  If I had to guess, I write anywhere from 25-30 (sometimes upwards of 40 depending on the time of year) programs per week.  It stands to reason, then, that writing MY programs is the last thing I want to do.  I don’t want to have to think.

Starting next week, both myself and Eric Cressey are going to be following Lean Hybrid Muscle by Mike Westerdal and Elliot Hulse.  I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy last week, and after looking through it, I can’t wait to get started!  Eric already has a head start on me – hitting one of the workouts outs over the weekend –  and based off of the feedback he’s given me, it’s going to be badass!

3.  I don’t watch the show, but I watched this clip which was posted on Bret Contreras’ wall on Facebook, and I have to say, I haven’t teared up that much since Travis shot Old Yeller:

But, what’s up with Steven Tyler?  Dude is taking the creepiness to a whole new level:

4.  My new obession are sun-dried tomatoes.  I can’t get enough of them lately.  I’ve been rocking them in my omeletes lately and they’re delicious!

5.  I’ve decided that I really, really, really want to hit a 600 lb deadlift this year.  As it stands now, I’m going through a bit of a bulking phase (210 lbs and counting, thank you very much) and then I’m going to get my sexification on and diet down in the Spring.  After that, it’s game on.  The last time I tested, I hit 570 lbs and it went up fairly easily.  I figure I can follow another deadlift specialization routine similar to what EC and I did about a year and half ago, take an ample deload, and I can hit 600 like a G6.

Or, I can just wait until Nia Shanks actually comes to Boston for our deadlift-off.  Which ever comes first……

6.  Okay, time to go train.  Training at a commercial gym today.  God help me.

 

** Naaaaaaaaaiiiiiled it.