Time to become crystal clear about our fitness and health goals in 2011.  Be SMART:

SPECIFIC

MEASUREABLE

ATTAINABLE

REALISTIC

TIMELY

Keep pushing up!

Share on Facebook

Cheers!  Craig @ The Exercise Garage

Share on Facebook

I’m graduating from P90x in 4 weeks, and then I’ll be starting You Are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren, so I really appreciate your blog; The Exercise Garage.

Here’s some general information about myself:

I’m 17 years old, 5’8″, 149lb, and my BFP is roughly 12-13%. My goal is to get it down to 8-10% by April. Currently my calorie intake (on high cal days) is 2,600, and (low cal days) is 2,200 (a ratio of about 40% carbs, 50% protein, and 10% fat ) divided between 5-6 meals a day (1 meal every 3 hours). I’m a Very clean eater 95-99% of the time and I live by the P90x portion approach. On top of P90x, I’m drumming for a hardcore band 4 nights a week  (burning roughly an extra 900 cals a week). My goal is to maintain the muscle I have, while lowering my BFP.

So, with your experience completing P90x and currently doing YAYOG, my question is this: what should my calorie intake be (while doing YAYOG) to Healthily get my BFP down to 8-10% by or just before April?

Before I proceed any further, it must be stated that I am not a medical doctor, registered dietitian, or even a certified strength and conditioning coach (although I am working towards one of these designations…more at another time).

OK, I plan on discussing this letter over a few postings.  Today, I just want to cover some basic information.  Specifically, the dominating factors that determine a persons body composition*.  This includes both fat and muscle.

1. Genetics:  You are who you are.  If you are an endomorph, your pursuit of the body of an ectomorph is probably a fools errand (and visa versa).   The best you can hope for is to optimize your situation.
2. Age:  After the age of 30, the body has a tendency towards less lean mass and more fat mass.  Further, your energy requirements drop 2%  a decade after 30, so without any adjustments to your eating habits, you are almost assured weight gain (fat).  The good news is diet and exercise can combat this tendency.
3. Gender:  Woman have a higher tendency towards body fat.  But again, intervening with exercise and diet can alter/optimize mother nature’s plan.
4. Activity/Exercise:  Clearly, a lack of activity with constant “fueling” (eating) will lead to fat storage.  But in the world of exercise, both aerobic and anaerobic activities can reduce fat.  In the case of aerobics, fat is generally burned and weight is decreased.  With anaerobic (high intensity training), fat can be burned while muscle is created, resulting is neutral weight or even weight gain.
5. Volume of Activity: If the volume of activity is increased but the energy intake is not carefully balanced to meet the body’s needs, the body may look to secondary sources of energy.  If this source is protein, the body may begin to sacrifice lean muscular tissue.
6. Nutrition:  Again, proper diet and proper fueling is key.  Many macro and micro nutrients are required for healthy metabolism.  Without them, the fat burner extinguishes.

*  Advanced Sports Nutrition, Dan Benardot (2006)

I will personally add one more to the list:

7.  Seasonality:  Call me crazy, but my body responds to the seasonal temperatures.  I gain weight in the winter and shred it easily in the summer.  This is probably related to genetics.

So these are the basics from which to work from in formulating a solution.  In my next post, I will propose what I call a “Functional Model”, someone to emulate, or copy to achieve the stated goal.

As a hint, I will tell you that author of the letter, at 12-13% body fat, is on par with Baseball Players (12-16%), Football Quarterbacks (13-14%), Hockey Players (13-15%), and Football Linebackers (9-12%).  If he wants to achieve 8-9%, who should he model?

Leave your guesses below.

Keep Pushing UP!

Share on Facebook

Guess where the garage is going next?

Share on Facebook

Muscle Confusion?

The undulation portion of the program really keeps your body guessing.  Every workout day, not only are you moving from muscle group to muscle group, but you are also changing the routine you choose to challenge your muscles.  For example, last weeks schedule had me doing the following:

• Push Ladders
• Leg Super Sets
• Pull Interval Sets
• Core Tabatas
• Stappers

This week, I am challenged with,

• Push Tabatas
• Leg Ladders
• Pull Super Sets
• Core Interval Sets
• Stappers

At this point, you may be questioning what Tabatas and a Stappers work outs.  Per YAYOG, they are defined as follows:

Tabatas

8 sets of an exercise, performed as fast as you can, for 20 seconds.  Each round is followed by 10 seconds of rest/recovery.  This is a high intensity routine that should be completed in 4 minutes.  Repeat this 3-5 exercises targeting your days muscle group.

Stappers

Make a list of 3-4 exercises, assign a rep count to each exercise, and execute the cycle as many times as you can for 20 minutes.  For example,  the cycle of Squats (12 reps), Dive Bombers (8 reps), and Side V-ups (10 per side) would equal 1 Stapper rep.  Again, do as many Stapper reps as you can in 20 minutes.

It is all good stuff, people.  For those of who have completed P90X and are bored, grab a few of Tony’s exercises and try them in Ladder, Tabatas, or Stapper form.  Education will set you free.

Keep pushing UP!

Share on Facebook

“I Missed a Workout.  What do I do?”

I see this question posted everywhere, especially on the P90X forums.  The question is easily answered with a shoulder shrug and a “So What?” response.  Seriously, one day…one week will not make a difference.  Remember, you are attempting to change your lifestyle FOREVER, not just for 90 or 6o Days.

So, if you miss a workout, just get back into the rotation and move forward. And relax.

I mention this because I injured myself last week and took some time off.  No big deal.  I healed and I am starting where I left off.

YAYOG – Supersets

This is the week of Mark Lauren’s program that you work on Power (the ability to generate force, quickly).  The backbone of the program is SUPERSETS.  A superset is a two exercise set, with the first exercise being the most difficult.  You do this first exercise with slow negatives and explosive upstrokes.  The second exercise (generally complimentary and power based) follows the first immediately.  For example,I completed the following for my Push/Pull day:

• Military Press with Elevated Feet (Swiss Ball) – Down slow (1,2,3) and explosive upstroke.  (6 reps)
• Dive Bombers (I actually dove forward slowly, and reloaded quickly) (10 Reps)

I did the above cycle twice with each cycle lasting 4 minutes.  Any remaining time became my rest period.  The other Supersets were,

• 1-Arm Push Ups / Plyo Push Ups
• Surface Tricep Extensions / Shove Offs

My last comment to share with you is my need to modify the program continues.  And basically it is because I am a coward.  I placed myself into the 1st Class Program because I had a fear of the 1-Arm Push Up.  I have elevated myself to the Master Class Program and my need to modify has vanished…as has my fear of the 1-Arm Push Up.  Basically, it is all technique.  Once I mastered the technique, they are challenging  but very doable.

Keep Pushing UP!

Share on Facebook

The planned workout called for bodyweight interval training that included Bulgarian Split Squats, Side Lunges, Toyotas (4 sec hold), and 1-Legged Romanian Dead Lifts (RDL’s).  I had to replace the Bulgarians and the RDL’s with 1-Legged Squats and Sissy Squats, respectively.

The key to success with these exercises is definitely form.  For example, Side Lunges are pretty easy…unless you keep your butt back, your knee directly above your ankle, and your chest/back/head upright.  Maintain good form, and side lunges cause a great burn (and a great sweat).

The Sissy Squat is a Bodyweight Strength Gem

I have never seen this exercise before let alone performed sets of it.  Credit for this one goes to Mr. Mark Lauren.   It is difficult to describe, so I’ll let the picture below do most of the work.  Basically, imagine doing the limbo….collapse backwards onto your heels while keeping your body straight, from your knees to your head.  Then raise your self back up.

The Quads, Glutes, and Core on FIRE!

As you can see, I do use a stool to support myself.  This does lead to some differences in my muscle engagement from right to left (I can feel it), so I do switch the position of the stool every few reps.  I also try to just rest my ring and “pinky” finger on the stool to limit its contribution to balance (vs. arm strength contribution).

A great exercise.

Keep Pushing UP!

Share on Facebook

Performing Dive Bombers for YAYOG Strength – Push & Pull

I started my first interval set by using a Swiss Ball to elevate my feet and perform push ups.  I can knock these out all day long.  I had hoped the added instability of the ball would challenge my core and intensify the exercise.  It certainly did, but not enough.

I then tried One Arm Push Ups.   Unfortunately, I neither have the strength, nor the technique for these.  So I settled on an old favorite from P90X, the Dive Bombers.  I completed 28 over my 3 sets.

The next two exercises performed were the Close Grip Push Up and the Military Press.

While I did manage to reach failure on these exercises, it was a close call.  I completed 35 reps for both, with the Close Grip Push Up modified with elevated Swiss Ball feet.  I suspect I will have to modify these two exercises further on my next YAYOG Strength Push/Pull day.

Modification is a sign of growth!

Increased Range of Motion

The final exercise was the classic, Dips.  I have a power tower, so I am able to get really deep on my dips and really stress (in a good way) my muscles.  My set load was 10, 8, and 7.  I don’t I will need to make any changes to this exercise.

So that completed day 1 of the YAYOG Workout: Strength Block – Push & Pull.

I am leaving town today for a little mountain time….luckily, since “I Am My Own Gym” (IAMOG), my workouts can easily come with me.

Keep Pushing UP!

Share on Facebook

What does that look like?

Well, during the first block, I would do standard push ups.  During this block, I will do push ups with elevated feet (more difficult).  During the first block, I would do anywhere from 90-110 push ups during a work out.  In the second block, if things go properly, I should fail before I complete 36 reps. (If I do not fail within 36 reps, I will need to modify the move to make it more difficult.)

The actual structure for this block hinges on Interval Sets.  I will do 3 sets of each exercise, with each set containing 8-12 reps.  Each set will be 3 minutes long.  The clock will start with my first rep and I will either rep to failure, rep to a 12 count, or stop at the 1.5 minute mark.  After reaching one of these milestones, I can rest for the balance of the 3 minutes.

Repeat for 3 sets then move on to the next muscle group/exercise.

I am looking forward to this block.  I will post the schedule soon.  Come back and check it out.

Keep pushing up!

Share on Facebook

And I am not kidding.  It was an absolute “ball buster”.  And like I stated at the half way mark, it was a mistake!

If you aren’t familiar with what I did, go back and read (Click Here), but in short, I stacked P90X on top of the Insanity Plan.  It was just too much and, I believe, put my body in a bad place.  In the end, I was sore, gained 2 lbs, and lost ZERO %body fat.  My core really tightened up, however.

I honestly believe that I entered an exhaustive state and my body was just hanging on; not growing, not shredding, just surviving.

My recommendation, if you are going to merge the two, is to swap routines from Insanity and P90X to create variety.  Do not stack or combine the way I did.

You have been warned!

Share on Facebook