Athlon is closed for Memorial day but that doesn't mean you get out of your workout, right?!  In honor of our fallen heroes push yourself a little harder today before enjoying some good barbeque with family and friends.

Train hard!  Pain is Your Friend!

Option 1:
Load your backpack with 40 to 50 pounds of weight and hump it up and down Bishop's peak as fast as possible wearing it.  A weighted vest works good too.  40 minutes to the top under a load will be a respectful time…

Option 2:
The Army Ranger Workout (try your best)

Run 2 miles in 12 to 14 minutes, then try to complete
100 Push-ups in under 2 minutes, and
100 Sit-ups in under 2 minutes

If you can do this you'd be well prepared for the Special Forces physical fitness test!

Have a great Holiday and see you on Tuesday!

A friend of mine just sent me this article published on MSNBC's website:

Organic Foods May Not Really Be Healthier

And he asked me what I thought about it.  Well…

I think organic farming/eating is great, but often misunderstood by the public as being "healthy."  Just because something is labeled organic doesn't necessarily mean that it's better for you than it's "non-organic" version.

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                  Which one is Organic?

Organic farming practices are a good thing.  But they're not necessarily going to give you an immediate health boost.  The fact is you can buy some vegetables at our downtown Farmer's Market from a vendor who is not certified as "organic" that are more healthy for you than the same vegetables in the store that are certified "organic."  And let me tell you why…

To sell something under an organic label means you have to follow a bunch of rules set forth by the government and jump through the many government hoops (which I imagine all of you can relate to in some way or another).

The USDA says:

"Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Many farmers choose not to jump through these hoops even though they follow most "best practices" for farming. Their veggies are still good.

Another thing to consider is shipping time.  In general, fruits and veggies keep their nutrients for about 5 to 7 days before they start losing them, and apparently, much longer than that if frozen.  If a veggie has to come from way down in Chile, South America and then sit in your fridge for five days before you cook it, you may be losing out on some of the vitamins and minerals.  In this case you would have been better off to buy from a local farmer at Farmer's Market downtown, even though they weren't labeled "organic."

Again, organic farming is a good thing (especially for our environment) but you don't have to buy "organic" to be healthy.  Read the article here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37317798/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/?gt1=43001/from/ET

Until next time,

Ryan

P.S., Do you have more nutrition questions?  Do you not have a system of eating that ensures you're getting the right amount of nutrients to have that "optimum" body?  Well then what are you waiting for?  Sign-up for a FREE health, fitness and nutrition consultation at Athlon Elite and see what our 10 Habits system can do for you.

www.SLOPersonalTraining.com/consult

If you read my blog post from last week you know that I don't subscribe to any "one way" to achieve something physically, e.g., the "one way" to get a beach-ready body, etc.  If you haven't read it, read it now:

http://www.athlonelite.com/2010/05/the-answer-to-a-beach-ready-body/

However, there are a few definitive principles out there to physical development that must be adhered to… a sort of one "answer" if you will.

Today I'd like to share the "secret" or "one answer" to developing your butt…

I know that sounds silly but whether you're an athlete needing to explosively move to avoid the defender, or you want to have that rock-hard tush on the beach, you must adhere to the concept I'm going to talk about today.  Then I'm going to give you 5 exercises that target your rear end, because nice "glutes" not only look great (whether you're male or female), they also come into play in almost every movement you do, especially in sports. They are a key "core" muscle.

You might even be doing one or two of these but here's why…

Tush-Training At Athlon Elite (athletes or models)

If you're not as fast and explosive as you should be in athletics, or if you're just not happy with the way your tush looks, then you're probably missing the key ingredient to a good "tush-training" program:

One word:   Transverse Plane

What's that you might say?  Well, all modern physics aside, (like quantum physics or super-string theory), our world is made up of only three dimensions: :"forward-backwards" which is the sagital plane, "side-to-side" which is the frontal plane and "rotation" which is the transverse plane.

A large percentage of the gluteal muscles (your butt muscles) are aligned in this transverse plane.

So, why would you do straight up and down or forward and backwards exercises (like the Leg Press machine) when you want to train these muscles.  It just kills me to see an athlete doing leg presses, or squats on a Smith Machine, that doesn't allow for any forces in the transverse plane.  You can't possibly train the glutes correctly when most of the fibers (the ones that go sideways) aren't being stimulated.

This apparatus stabalizes (stops) all side to side (frontal plane) and rotational (transverse plane) motion.

End result… your Ass takes a nap and never really develops!

If you're an athlete you're probably going to lose…

If you're a model (or want to look like one) you're probably not going to attract many looks…

You must add a rotational component into your training program to effectively "condition" the butt muscles.

5 ways you can get those buns of steel…

1. Lateral Lunges – Excellent for your glutes, quads, calves and low back. If you don't have lateral motion incorporated into your current workout, find a way to add it.

yours truly demonstrating in my first gym in 1997

2. Twisting Lunges – Do the normal forward lunge but as you're dropping into the forward position twist to the side of the forward leg.  Add a medicine ball or dumbell in your hands to increase the intensity of the movement.

3. Split Squats – A variation on the "ol' reliable" exercise, the squat. Extremely good for a "round ass" and athletic power. Start with body weight and maybe even a pole for support, then take away the support and add weight.

Pete Freitas in Athlon (he can do more weight)

4. Step ups – All you need is a step or bench for this one (and eventually dumbells when you get strong). Start with one foot up on the step (12 to 24 inches tall), using that leg drive your body up to a standing position (and pull the opposite knee up)

5. Resisted Sled Drags - There's not a lot of active rotation here but a ton of "rotation stability" as you run.  Plus, the forward lean really activates the glutes.  Have fun!

Amanda crushin' the sled drags at Athlon

There you go.  Five exercises that will really get your "rear-end" in gear and going.  Now go train hard and if you need some assistance on form and technique, or for even more effective and fun ways to get a rock-solid, fast and powerful "b-hind," contact us for a free consultation.

(805) 440-0215

www.SLOPersonalTraining.com/consult

Until next time,

Ryan

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I had a great lunch yesterday with a good friend catching up, talking about what's happening in "our world's" right now.  And because he's as interested in fitness and health and performance as I am these conversations inevitably turn to fitness and nutrition discussions.

And… as always I have a great revelation!

First, almost everyone I come across (both, professionally and personally) want the "answer" to how to get a firm, lean, fit and healthy body…

a beach-ready body!

And if you listened to the market research in this area you would know that pretty much all of them want that "answer" to be one of the following:

• A new nutritional supplement that will transform one's body without any other exercise, nutritional or lifestyle change,

 

• A pharmaceutical to do the same,

 

• A forgotten exercise which when performed randomly, with really bad form and technique at low intensities will simultaneously burn fat and increase muscle while they sleep,

 

• A miracle food not found in the civilized world, the absence of which in one's diet is responsible for all manner of misfortune, from lack of muscle tone to skin wrinkles and everything in between!

That market research is depended on very heavily in the fitness world (just read the magazine covers the next time you're at the check-out stand of the grocery store)!

There are some 80,000 nutritional supplements marketed in North America for their supposed medicinal properties, solving lack of muscle mass, lack of the "correct" hormones, too much body fat, too much stress hormones, too much joint problems, etc.  And there are almost as many "diet systems" that do the same.  But the FACT is, most people depending on these products have NEVER changed their bodies (at least not for the better).  They've just spent a lot of money.  Sad but true.

Ok, back to my lunch-time conversation…

My friend, who has really transformed his body in the last couple years, I mean REALLY transformed it, like went from walking around the block for exercise to now doing ultra-marathons and deadlifting 380 pounds, who just had to buy all new $500 suits because the tailor couldn't take any more inches off his old suits, I'm talking a real fitness success story, says to me,

"it's just my opinion Ryan but you should consider getting all your clients onto the paleolithic nutrition program…"

And he went on to talk about the successes that he's seen from switching to "paleolithic eating:"

    "he's lost well over 30 pounds of fat and has had major improvements in his blood chemistry,"

    "girlfriend lost 15 pounds with no change in exercise,"

    "receptionist lost 12 pounds in first two weeks,"

    "girlfriend's mom has less arthritis symptoms now after just a month of paleo eating,"

    "etc., etc."

Here's the thing, HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH!

I know most of these people and their transformations ARE real.

So, was it paleo that did it?  Is the paleolithic lifestyle the "answer" to fat loss, muscle gain, performance enhancement, etc.?  The answer to the perfect "beach-ready body?"

Well… yes and no!

There's no doubt that eating paleo (lots of lean meats, vegetables and natural fats, and cutting out all the crap you're eating right now) will make you leaner, healthier and more fit.  But so will Athlon Elite's 10 Habits nutrition system, so will the South Beach diet system, so will many other forms of natural healthy eating.

So why are these people on the paleo diet having so much success???

Simple.  It's 3 things:

1. A definitive system of what to do  (we need something to tell us what to do)
2. A little good coaching (from my friend) to help encourage them through the tough times, and
3. The personal motivation and commitment to make the change in their lives.

That's it.  That's what it takes.

So, my revelation?…

The system itself (the rules) is only 1/3 responsible for the actual success of someone's transformation.  The other 2/3 comes from within, and comes from having a good coach to help you really find that "within" and use it to better yourself.

It's not just the system.  It's not ONLY about whether you only eat "good" fats, or whether you DON'T eat any grains at all, it's about having some good help to get through a sound health and fitness program because most people do not have natural discipline, intensity and tenacity of my good friend.  He's a special breed and is able to find his "within" easier than most.

The fact is:  "most successful people in EVERY endeavor tend to actively seek mentorship and support."

READ THAT AGAIN!

When you have good coaching you're surrounded by motivated and knowledgeable peers.  And when you take advantage of that you realize your goals.  Every successful person inevitably pays homage to a coach that helped them get there (faster and more effectively than they would have otherwise)!

Get qualified coaching and you can do ANYTHING you want to do.  It's all about someone helping you find what's within yourself, organize it into measurable, definable goals, and then help you realize those goals following a good set of "rules" and helping you with guidance through the tough times.

GET A COACH.

Just listen to Sheri Bruner who recently completed our Athlon Fitness Challenge, losing 24 pounds and 9% body fat in just 3 months:

"Thanks to Athlon Elite, and especially Amy for all of her support and encouragement.  I really do feel "transformed" and know I couldn't have achieved this level of success without her…"

Call today for a FREE consultation (805) 440-0215, or click here.

We'll help you get there.  All you need is a good coach!

Until next time,

Ryan