Start your week off RIGHT, train the LEGS on Monday!

I love squats, but they're also the most taxing movement I typically do. Leg training is usually the roughest for the majority of my clients, but it is so important to have a strong lower body.

The best way to get the tough stuff over with is to start your week with it. I learned this from an awesome strength coach named Zach Even-Esh. He has always started his week off with heavy squats and lower body training since he started lifting as a teen. So many people want to do the easy stuff because it's Monday. Sorry, but Monday is just another day. Start the week off strong, get it over with, and train your legs off!

You can see in my lift today it was almost all lower body. I started off with squats, working up to 275, and I paired that with some glute medius work (the side of your butt). I then went on to heavy and high step ups. I used an 18-inch box with a 45lb kettlebell. The key on step-ups is to not hop off the bottom foot. The last movement was barbell walking lunges. I still had time at the end so I threw in some core work, which was difficult because it was fried from all the lifting!

Overall this was an awesome workout, and I'm pumped to have my heavy squats out of the way. There's no better wake-up call than a barbell full of metal on your back!

Get after it, and have an awesome week!

-Nick

Why you need to keep it SIMPLE!

Life is already complicated enough; let's not make workouts just as crazy. A few sets of big, compound movement can give you a great workouts without taking all day. A compound movement is an exercise that uses multiple joints and muscles. Think, squats, deadlifts, bench, push press.

There are so many people writing overly complicated workouts for people that do not need them. If you are an athlete with specific goals and competition dates, then yes you're workout needs to be more laid out and planned in advanced with specific percantages. If you're just looking to get stronger, leaner, and more confident in the gym, then just having a few circuits with multiple exercises that cover all the parts you are trying to train will do the trick!

You can see in my workout today, I focused on upper body. I did two circuits, one pushing (circuit 1) and one pulling (circuit 2). 5-6 rounds each circuit, and I threw in some core and explosive work to break up the rests between sets. I do tend to make my own workouts a bit more complicated, but today I just felt like training and not thinking, and sometimes those turn out to be the best workouts!

Thanks for reading, and remember

 Keep it Simple

-Nick

Bodybuilding Style Workout and Changing up Your Training to Avoid Burnout

I'm not going to lie, today I definitely did not feel like working out. I woke up tired, and thought, "maybe I could just skip today's session." The whole time through my first class I was debating on whether or not I should lift, finally I realized I had to.

My motivation was low, so my discipline stepped in. 

When you start experiencing signs of burnout, it's important to act quickly to avoid getting stuck in it. Burnout can lead to many physiological and psychological issues such as, depression, extreme-soreness, sleeplessness, and many other. Changing up your training, taking a day off, and re-evaluating your goals can be good ways to avoid and counter the early signs of overtraining and burnout.

I think I'm starting to experience a bit of burnout, so today I decided to do a, "throw-back" lift. I trained how I used to train when I competed in bodybuilding, and it was great! It kept me interested, and made me start to enjoy my workout again.

It's been a while since I did a bodybuilding, high volume type workout and I forgot how much fun they are. This style of training means pushing the body part you're training to failure on nearly every set, trying to pump as much blood into the muscle as possible. Less circuits, and more sets of one exercise at a time. Lately, I have been training for my upcoming Spartan Race in December, so it has been more strength and full body training. This was a good way to mix up my training and keep me interested.

Overtraining and burnout can be a serious issue in all aspects of your life. Keep an eye out for it in your work, personal life, and workouts. Many people use lifting as a release and the last thing you would want to do is ruin your way of expelling stress or frustration. If you're getting bored with your training, it might be time to mix it up. Change the style, try lifting with a friend, or find whatever way will keep you interested, so you can keep getting stronger!

Thanks for reading!

-Nick

So you want to start, but don't know where to begin.

We have all been there. You get this fantastic idea you're going to change your eating habits and exercise more, you get super excited and motivated, and then you realize you don't know where to begin.

THIS IS OKAY AND NORMAL. 

Most people don't know where to begin when it comes to exercise. There are so many different diets and exercise programs, not even the best professional could name them all. High intensity, low intensity, lifting, cardio, metabolic conditioning, low carb, high carb, low fat, no fat, the list of ways people have tried to lose weight and get stronger could go on forever! Thankfully, there is a method that will always get you past this confusion: do something.

Doing something is always better than doing nothing. Start with the simplest form of diet and exercise, walking and cut out fast food and processed food. If you are coming from a completely sedentary lifestyle, trying to jump into a big diet and exercise program all at once can lead to confusion and frustration. Start with the basics and work your way up. Investing the time in your health is the best and most sound investment you can make.

Once you have begun with the basics, you can move on up to bodyweight exercises such as: squats, push ups, plank variations, and reverse rows. Demonstrations of these exercises can easily be found online. These can all be done at home, with no equipment. At this point, you may be thinking about joining a gym, make sure you have it set in your mind, YOU WILL USE THE GYM. There is no point in wasting your time and money on a membership that you won't use. Try getting an outside person to hold you accountable. A knowledgable strength coach or personal training that truly cares about you reaching your goals is a great way to advance safely and faster than you would on your own. They can hold you accountable to get in the gym, and make sure you are consistently progressing towards your goals.

You will always come up with reasons why now is a bad time to start a new health program. Time and money will be the two biggest that pop in your head, but remember your body is the only thing you truly own forever. It is the safest investment you can make, the more work and commitment you put in the more positive results you will see. Life should not be a struggle of up and down with your health and weight. It should be about finding a balance of healthy eating, movement, and exercise. If you are just beginning, remember, start with the absolute basics, find a knowledgeable coach, and just begin.

You owe it to yourself to be the strongest person you can be.

Thanks for reading,

Nick Guzek

Brick by Brick Fitness
facebook.com/bbybfitness

Lower Body 9/28 and why it's okay if not every workout is amazing

Today was my first lift back since our Spartan Race. I loved the it and am already signing up for my next one!

I started the workout with power cleans. It's been a long time since I did cleans, and they were a little rusty. From there I moved into squats and 3 rounds of accessory work. I ended the workout with sled drags, overhead carries, and tire flips.

Squats felt really heavy today, and I only went up to 225. Not every lift has to be a super heavy. Some days you have it and others you don't. The important part is that you stay consistent and are continually progressing.

Letting the weight beat you is a simple way to fail. Realize that outside stresses in your life effect how well your workout can go. The best thing to do is get in there, turn the music up, and get after the best you can.

Do not get discouraged, progress is progress.

Thanks for reading!

-Nick

Why you need glute activation exercises and how to do GREAT monster walks!

I was not planning on lifting this morning, but both my morning clients canceled on me so I had an opportunity and I jumped on it. I don't typically like lifting in the morning, but when I have a big opening in my schedule and know that I would have normally been working during that time anyway, I like to take advantage of it. Getting your workout out of the way and knowing the hardest part of your day is over just makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and an, "I can do it" kind of attitude. 

I did lower body today, starting out with some moderately heavy back squats and step-ups. I have recently started doing more and more step-ups and I'm starting to love them! Starting your week out with squats is a great way to get the hardest lift out of the way for awhile. If you can do heavy squats on a Monday, you can do anything! After that, I did a few circuits of accessory work, one of which included a favorite of mine: Monster Walks. 

Monster walks are an awesome glute activation and strengthening exercise. Many, if not most, people go throughout their daily life without their glutes being fully activated. Sitting all day, not exercising, and not even moving causes your glutes to, "turn off." This can lead to problems such as back pain, hip tightness, and over-compensation by your hamstrings. This is why I have my clients start off with mini band work to get their glutes firing before we get into and heavy lifting. 

Here's how I do Monster Walks

• Put a mini band on around your ankles
• Squat down to a half squat (just above parallel)
• Keeping your core engaged take big, outward, diagonal steps
• Keep your knees out, focus on engaging the side of your butt
• Make sure you keep your toes pointing forward, they are going to want to point out
• All the movement should come from your legs and hip, do not let your upper body turn to compensate
• Walk, staying in the squatted position, for about 10-15 yards forward, then backwards back
• Maintain good posture with your upper body, do not let your back round

Congrats, you did Monster Walks! 

You can buy mini bands for less then $10-15 for a pack of 4-5 of various resistances; I would strongly urge everyone to get some for home!

Thanks for reading and get those gluts activated!

-Nick 

Workout log 8/29/16 and why learning how to accept failure fosters mental toughness and growth.

Today's workout was full body. It felt awesome to squat heavy and then finish up with some unconventional GPP training using a sledgehammer, tire, and sandbag.

I've put together a co-Brick by Brick Fitness/ Peak S&C Spartan race team, and we are about 4 weeks out! I'm very excited to be doing my first Spartan race. The whole purpose of a race like this, no matter what brand it is, is to test your mental toughness and ability to get through whatever is thrown at you. I love the idea of being pushed to my limits, physically and mentally, and this is such a great way to test it out.

I think it is important in life to do stuff that challenges you. If you walk through life with everything given to you, or always taking the easy path, you will never realize your fullest potential. I've been lucky that all of my clients love being pushed (even if they didn't think so at first!) Being uncomfortable and purposely putting yourself in situations that make you not feel, "warm and cozy" are how you grow and develop an iron mindset. Once you start to get a stronger mental game, everything else seems easier. You no longer fear what you don't know, and you believe that you can do whatever your mind wants!

I think the biggest challenge when trying to gain mental toughness is getting over the fear of failure. Failure is a part of life and it's one of the best ways of growing. If you just accomplish everything you set out to do, you're not setting big enough goals. Overcoming failures, picking yourself up, and still moving forward is how you get stronger.

Think of a time when you failed at something, if you're still bitter about it, try taking some lessons from it. How could you have been better? Did you train enough for it? Did you set yourself up to be successful? Use failures to better yourself, not to destroy you. Once you learn that it's okay to fail as long as you're continuing to grow, learn, and better yourself, you will have a mind that nothing can stop.

Get after it.

-Nick

8/24/16 Birthday Lift and why basic outdoor chores can be GREAT exercises!

Yesterday was my birthday and my friend came worked out with me. I always love planning a big workout on my birthday, it's a great way to work off my birthday dinner. We started off with some benching and rowing, then a circuit of lower body and core. The last circuit was a combination of full body GPP work. We used sledgehammers, wheelbarrows, tires, sleds, and sandbags.

With all the "new" techniques and fitness tricks out there, sometimes the best workouts are made up of just simple outdoor chores. Doing yard work involving digging, chopping, carrying can work the lower body, upper body, core and overall work capacity. I like to implement these kinds of movements into my client's workouts and my own. Filling a wheelbarrow and running with it, slamming a sledgehammer on a tire, or dragging a sled are great ways to push the limit of your mental toughness and endurance. These are also exercises you can do at home if you have some basic yard equipment.

There is no need for fancy tricks and tools to get a good workout. Pick some stuff up, move it, push it, drag it, hit it, and carry it...just work hard.

Get after it!

-Nick

How to Life Plan, Goal Set, and Keep Yourself Moving Forward: Consistent Progression

When you are traveling to a new place, you get directions, use a GPS, or have someone guide you. Why is that so many people try and travel through their life without the same techniques? How can you possibly expect to end up where you want to be without a road map?

I'm a big proponent for life planning, goal setting, and writing stuff down. I think the majority of people have an idea of where they want to "end up," but why would you try and get there without a plan? Now, if your plan/goal/dream is to live an unstructured life then by all means, do it! But, if you have set goals or moments you want to hit in your life, I think it is absolutely necessary to have some kind of program to follow.

If this is your first time writing out a life plan, it can be pretty daunting. It's a lot of self reflection, and I think a good place to start is by writing down your, "Essential List." Write, "What is important to me?" and then narrow it down to less than 10 items. These are the most important things in your life, and everything you do, from work to play, should fit within them.

Obviously, things change and come up. Being flexible is important to a successful life. By having these items written down and acknowledging them, you are able to make quick and decisive decisions when something big happens. As long as you make sure whatever you choose fits within your, "Essential List" you know you'll still be on the right path towards your dreams and goals.

There are different ways to create a life plan, a helpful tip is to split your life into at least these 4 categories: physical, mental, financial, and spiritual. You can put in whatever categories you would like, and some will be more important to you than others.

Make sure you're actually recording this either electronically or on paper. Personally, I like to write mine on paper, something about taking the time to actually write things out makes me think a little slower, and really decide on what I want to say.

When writing out goals, I like the follow the S.M.A.R.T goal setting technique.  I also like to make weekly, months, yearly, and of course life goals. Your goals should scare you a bit. There's no sense in making easily attainable goals. Challenge is good.

I always start with my physical goals, I think that has become a habit for me since my first goals I ever recorded were from my bodybuilding days. This isn't just weight loss or gain goals, it could also be about drinking more water, or less processed food or sugar, or getting ready for an event or race; whatever you want! Once I settle on my physical goals, I move to financial ones. Plan out how much you want to have saved, what debts paid off, and any big purchases you have in mind for the coming years. Next is the mental goals and plans. This could include goals for how many or what kind of books you want to read, daily or weekly meditation, or dedicating time in the day to self betterment practices such as life planning. Lastly, there are spiritual goals to plan out. These could be whatever personal beliefs you would like to practice, but record how you will go about that and how often.

Continue to reflect on your goals daily, or at least weekly. Make goals for goals if that helps you stay on track, and make sure all of your goals fit within your, "Essential List." By doing this, you keep yourself in check to make sure you're moving forward. Being at a standstill in life is just as bad as moving backwards. It doesn't matter how quickly you are moving, just as long as you continue to grow. By having a life plan, but staying flexible, you are set up to achieve more, worry less, and have a great life!

-Nick 

Lower Body 8/17/16, how to aggressively roll out your calves, and how to have a GREAT squat!

I was so excited for squats today! I haven't had a good lower body lift in over a week due to vacation, but I finally got one in today! My calves were incredibly tight so I started by rolling them out on a LAX ball and also rolling them out using a barbell.

To do this:

• I put a bar in a low placement on a rack
• Laid down below the bar
• Put a leg up on the bar
• Moved my leg all around trying to break up the knots 

It was one of the roughest way I've worked on my calves, but it definitely helped!

I only went to 275 on squats, and unfortunately, that felt pretty heavy. I added some core in between the sets of squats. I then went into a circuit of heavy RDLs, single leg squats with a med ball, KB swings, and goblet squats. I loved this circuit, it kept my heart rate up, and the blood pumping in my legs!

To go along with yesterday's Technique Tuesday post about how to bodyweight squat, here are my most common cues for getting my clients into a proper squat position.

• Feet just outside shoulder width
• Toes pointed as straight as possible (0-15 degrees)
• Lock your core in (sternum to belly button)
• Screw your feet into the ground (externally rotating your hips)
• Push your butt back, drive your knees out towards pinky toes
• Try to get to at least parallel
• Drive up from the middle/heel of your foot

Congrats you just had a great squat!

 Check out the Technique Tuesday video below and make sure you Like us on Facebook to stay up to date on all the videos and tips by Brick by Brick Fitness!


Thanks for reading and happy squatting!

-Nick

Upper Body 8/15 and why occasional breaks from lifting are helpful to avoid burnout

Last week I was on vacation with my family. I decided to take the whole week of from training and just focus on hanging out with my family and relaxing. I rode a few miles a day on a bike and hiked, but besides that I didn't do any lifting or exercising. In the past, when I would have take a week of I would stress about how I need to get back into a gym. When I would finally get back, the stress from worrying about how I was going to perform would ruin my workout. This time I got back into the gym with eagerness, but was stress-free and had a fantastic workout.

Your body needs to time recharge and relax. By taking a few days off, you come back fresh and ready to absolutely kill it in the gym. I had begun to lose some motivation for my own training before my trip, when I got back I was ready to start lifting again and pushing towards my personal goals. Burnout is a very real thing in sports, lifting, and life. Sometimes you need to take a step back, appreciate what you've done, reassess what you're doing, and then get after it. Signs of burnout can include: lack of motivation, loss of strength, tiredness, anxiety, etc. If you are starting to feel that way about your training, then relax, take a deep breath, a few days off, and get after it again. You've got to keep your mind happy as well as your body, and the deeper you push yourself through a burnout phase, the deeper you have to climb out.

So keep your body happy, your mind happy, and your training happy: take a break, it's okay!

-Nick

Quick Full Body Workout 8/4/16 and why you should train no matter how much time you have.

Yesterday's workout was only about 30 minutes. I had not planned on working out, but a fellow trainer was there and she convinced me to get to it, and I'm glad she did! The workout was very straight forward. I did not go heavy on the barbell squats, but I did on the step ups. I very rarely do step ups, but I think I will start doing them more often from now on. I loved the quad and glute activation I got from them.

No matter how much time you have, try and get some physical workout in. Even if it's just a few sprints for 5 minutes, or a set of Tabatas. You will feel 100X better than you did before and you for sure accomplished something that day. Time should never be an excuse, you can get plenty done in a 20-30 minute workout. Try and get a long workout in, but if you seem to always have the excuse that you don't have time, then find a small chance in the day to do SOMETHING physical...you'll thank me later.

-Nick

Full Body 8/1 and Why You Need to do the Movements You Hate

Today was a fun full body workout. I lifted this morning with a fellow trainer at Peak named Arkeif; he's an awesome guy and a great trainer! I took advantage of having no clients this morning and got my lift out of the way. I started with rack position kettlebell squats, which I love. They really force you to brace your core to stay upright in the bottom position. All the circuits except the last one had some sort of power or core movement in it. The core is something that can NOT be neglected. Check out my Facebook page to see my Core 101 series and learn more about the parts of your core and how to train it.

In circuit 3, we did my least favorite exercise: walking lunges. I don't know why I hate lunges, but I dread doing them. Even coaches have movements they do not love. The thing is, lunges are such a great exercise! Obviously it develops strength in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, but it also works the core. Anytime you are in a split stance your core is firing to keep you upright; add a weight and now it's being lit up! The other great thing about lunges is there are so many variations: static lunges (split squats), dynamic lunges, walking lunges, rear foot elevated, jump lunges, and then there are lunges in other directions. You can also load yourself a bunch of different ways. Today I used a barbell, which really brought me back to my bodybuilding roots. So remember, the movements you hate the most, are probably the ones that are the most important. So put your head down and do them anyways.

Thanks for reading!

-Nick

Lower Body Workout 7/28/16 and how to do GREAT kettlebell swings!

Today was a quick, 45 minute, lower body workout. Everything was really straight forward, but sometimes the simplest lifts, are your best ones.

I ended with kettlebell swings, and that's what we are going to talk about today. I see so many messed up KB swings when I'm coaching! The most common problem is that people bend their knees too much and try to squat the kettlebell. It is NOT a squatting motion, in fact, the knees are just barely bent enough to not be locked; it is a hip hinge motion. I like to use the example of an explosive RDL.

Here are the cues I like to give when teaching the KB Swing:

• Start with the kettlebell on the ground in front of you by about a foot
• Reach down and grab the KB, pinch your shoulder blades back and down
• "Hike" the kettlebell back like a football, pushing your hips back
• Squeeze your glutes, explode forward with your hips, driving the KB into the air
• Depending on what kind of swings you're doing, only bring the KB to chest height
• Keep your arms locked out, glutes come all the way forward
• Keep your core tight, making sure you don't go into hyperextension with your back
• Allow the KB to "pull" you back down, while you push your hips back, letting your body fold over
• Do not round your back at the bottom of the swing
• Maintain a tight core and neutral spine by continually pinching your shoulder blades back and down
• Repeat and enjoy :)

Thanks for reading, get swinging!

-Nick

Partner Workout 7/26/16 and what to look for in a training partner!

Today's workout was harder than expected. My two good friends ended up joining me and when we are all together, we really push each other past what we thought we were going to do. We made this workout up as we went along, which is why it is all over the place. It ended up being a great full body lift!

Not everyone enjoys having a training partner, but I definitely benefit from it. When you find the right person, they can greatly improve your sessions. They can motivate you to get your butt to the gym, spot you when you need it, push you during the lift, and help to keep you on track if you ever feel like quitting.

It is important to find the right person. Make sure you all have similar goals in mind, check to see if your schedules and preferred lifting times match, and talk about how you personally like to be motivated; some people like being yelled at, other can't stand it. Overall, make sure you are both willing to put in the hard work and willing to be serious if the other ever wants to deviate from their set goals, aka, QUIT!

So find a friend, go lift, and see if it helps you have a better workout!

-Nick

Full body 7/19/16 and why you need to sometimes stop listening to your brain!

Here was today's workout; I really enjoyed this lift! It was full body, and no barbells were used. I just felt like doing some accessory type work, and getting my heart rate up. It was also about 85 degrees inside when I did this, which was great!

I'm not going to lie, I was tired when it was time to lift, and I was dragging a bit. I started trying to make excuses in my head, but deep down I knew I really needed to get a workout in. I sucked it up and after I got the music blasting and the first set in, my mind connected. It turned out to be a fantastic workout! Sometimes the workouts you really don't want to do, turn out to be your best ones. I've never been upset, afterwards, about doing a workout. So the moral of the story is, turn off your brain when it tells you not to lift, and go get after it!

-Nick

Lower body 7/15/16 and why you need to be doing glute exercises!

Yesterday's workout was legs and it started with 7 sets of squats and 5 sets of planks with shoulder taps. These are a great core exercise to mix in when you get bored with regular planks; they really make you focus on stabilizing your hips and shoulders as you move from each side.

The next circuit was dumbbell RDLs and single leg squats to a box (basically a half pistol squat). Finally I finished up with goblet squats and single leg glute bridges with a band. 

This variation of glute bridges are one of my favorite glute activation and strengthening exercises. Many people have the problem of their glutes not activating enough, so their hamstrings overcompensate and take way more stress than they should. Glute bridges can be done at the beginning of a workout to get them firing, or like I did here, with resistance at the end to really get the blood pumping into the muscle to make it stronger. 

I always have my clients start with some sort of glute activation, whether it's with a mini band, bridges, or supermans. So make sure you're always waking up your glutes, and focusing some time in your session on getting them stronger! 

Thanks for reading!

-Nick

Workout for Monday 7/11/16 and why YOU should be doing some yoga!

Today's lift was short, only about 30 minutes. I started off with some hip, ankle, and shoulder mobility movements and then got right into it. My main circuit was goblet squats (63lb), kettlebell cleans 63lb) , and dumbbell RDLs (65lbs). I did 5 rounds of that, then ended the lift with 50 kettlebell swings with the 63 pounder.

After the lifting was over, I got my yoga mat out and did about 10-15 minutes of yoga and stretching. I ran through some sequences I know that help open me up, and worked on postures I'm not good at quite yet. I have gotten into yoga more and more over the last few months, thanks to a fellow coach, and I love it. It is great for physical AND mental health. I've noticed that my core is stronger, as well as, my shoulder stabilizers. I also practice meditation, but yoga is a perfect combination of meditation with movement (ideal for someone ADD like me). You do not need to be flexible to get started, as the quote says above, "yoga is not for the flexible, it's for the willing." There are variations for every posture and if you have a good teacher, they will help you get the most out of every pose. I urge everyone to at least try a few yoga classes! I believe by combining mindfulness meditation, strength training, and yoga I have become a much more athletic and well rounded lifter.

Give it a try and Namaste!

-Nick

Sunday Funday 7/10 Workout and how to have a great deadlift!

Here was today's workout! I went with a Pull/Push theme and decided to use deadlift as the main movement, because I haven't in about 2 weeks.

Here are the cues I think about when deadlifting:

• keep your shoulder blades back and down
• core tight (sternum to belly button)
• chest up
• drive through your heels
• squeeze your glutes pushing your hips forward 
• keep the weight close to your body

To balance out all the heavy pulling from the deads, I went into 4 sets of bench press at a moderate weight for 8 reps in order to really get some blood pumping into the chest. I made that a circuit by adding in ab rollouts and pull ups. From there, I did 3 sets of accessory work with dumbbell rows and incline dumbbell flys. Finally, I finished up with a GPP (general physical preparation) circuit of sandbag cleans and sprints with the sandbag on my shoulders. We just got sandbags, and I absolutely love using them for a finisher at the end of workouts; there is something about using a piece of equipment so basic that makes you feel like you're back in the days of true hard physical work!

Thanks for reading and give this one a try; it was a great way to end the weekend!

-Nick

Workout Log 7/5

Hey everyone! Here is yesterday's workout. It was very simple, but I didn't have a lot of time and I needed to burn as many calories as possible (the holiday weekend was not the best for the diet).

Circuit 1: 6 Rounds

1a: Bench Press x 12-15 @ 155#
2a: BB Back Squat x 12 @ 185#

Circuit 2: 3 Rounds

1b: BB RDL's x 8 @ 185#
2b: BB Rows x 6-8 @ 185#

That was it! Like I said super simple, but sometimes those are the best workouts. It was 85 in the gym and about 80-90% humidity so it made it a very sweaty workout. There was minimal rest between sets and this whole thing took me around 40 minutes.

Thanks for reading!

-Nick

Workout Log 6/14/16

Deadlifts: 

Warm up: 135#x8, 225# x 6

Working: 4x5 @ 315#

2a. Squats: 4x8 @ 225

2b. Ab Roll Outs 3x10

3a. Reverse Hypers 3x10

3b. BB RDLS 3x6 @135#

3c. BB Rows 3x6 @ 225#

I probably could've gone heavier today, but the weights felt good and damn was it hot in the gym! Hopefully going to do a little yoga later. 

Thanks for reading!

Nick

Workout Log 6/4/16 and 6/8/26

Here is this past Saturday's workout and today's workout! They were very similar so I wanted to post them together. Saturday I trained with one of my good friends who is getting ready for a powerlifting meet, so I stuck with his sets/reps which were pretty low compared to what I'm used to, but I liked it! I think I will start training more strength based, with a mix of accessory and GPP to keep me athletic.

Saturday 6/4/16
I jumped around a bit in weight on my deadlifts, just because I was having fun more than being a stickler about the format of his lift.

Deadlifts: 3x2 @ 405#, 1x1@ 425, 2x6 @ 315#

Back Squats: 5x8 @ 225#
Front Squats: 2x3 @ 225#

Partner Circuit:
Partner 1: Forward Sled drag for 80m
Partner 2: Kettlebell Swings with 63# till partner 1 returns.

GPP: 4 rounds
Partner 1: 4 tire flips
Partner 2: Sledgehammer 2 each side when tire hits the ground, then partner 1 flips it again

Wednesday 6/8/16

Back Squats: 2 warm up sets then 5x3 @ 315#

Deadlifts: 4x8 @ 225#

GPP/Accessory Circuit: 3 rounds
Backward/forward sled drag 20m each
Kettlebell swings  x15 @63#
Kettlebell Rack Carry x20m each side @ 63#

That's it! Thanks for reading!

-Nick

Workout Log 5/25/16

I took about a week off from writing these, I was out of town, but now I'm back and ready to train more! Here is yesterday's workout. It only took me about 35 minutes, but we just got a new heavier kettlebell at Peak and I wanted to break it in with the time I had between my classes!

Warm-Up: Foam Rolling, mobility on hip flexor, scaps, and shoulder

Circuit 1: 3 rounds

Kettlebell Clean x 5 each side
Turkish Get-up x2 each side (These were rough, I haven't done them in a very long time)

Circuit 2: 62# kettlebell

Kettlebell Swing x12
Overhead Waiter Carry x30m each side

Kettlebell Swing x12
Single-arm Farmers Walk x 30m each side

Kettlebell Swing x 12
Rack carry x 30m each side

Circuit 3: 2 Rounds

Kettlebell Swings x 12
1/2 kneeling Kettlebell Press x6

There ya go, pretty simple lift in a short amount of time!

 Go get after it!

-Nick

4 Tips to Have an Effective Weight Loss Journey

 

Everyone wants to achieve their weight loss goals, but many people do not set themselves up for success! You have to go into losing weight with a game plan and with the full belief that you will get there. There is no magical way to lose weight, but there are a few things that can make it easier and more enjoyable. Here are 4 tips to making your weight loss journey as effective as it can be!

 
1) Be held accountable

Get a personal trainer, a workout partner, attend fitness classes with knowledgeable trainers, or create an accountability challenge with your friends. When you are held accountable for your training and eating, you have this feeling that you can not let the others down. This will help you keep pushing even when you want to stop. It is also a fun way to do something with your friends to better yourselves. Having a trainer, either in a group setting or one-on-one, to push you past what you thought was possible, will help build your confidence in the gym and realize you're stronger than you think.

2) Don't think diet, think lifestyle

Unfortunately, it's a fact that 75-85% of weight loss comes from proper eating. There are so many "fad-diets" out there today, it can be overwhelming. I urge you to not think about starting a "diet" but to learn about what are good foods and bad foods, and just eat proper portions. When people think about the word "diet" bad things come to mind, like restriction, hunger, and suffering. I don't want my clients to have to suffer through their days. If you make eating good, clean, and real food a part of your lifestyle, you'll forget you're actually losing weight. Diets tend to have a timeline on them and that's how the cycle of, lose weight then gain it back starts. Once you start to eat proper food, it will become a way of life; not just something you  suffer through till that goal weight.

3)  Set goals

Goal setting is a skill that is used in much more than just weight loss. It helps you take steps towards your big goals in life, whatever they may be. By consistently achieving smaller goals you will be continuously boosting your confidence and belief that you CAN do it! Creating S.M.A.R.T goals is the best way to ensure you're making goals that are not too outlandish, but at the same time, are not too small. One goal at a time will get you where you need to go.

4) Find a place to workout 

A simple home gym setup

The gym is not for everyone. Many people are not comfortable working out at a big box gym full of people who have different goals. Look around your local area, many new private strength and conditioning facilities are popping up that offer group classes with certified trainers. These classes usually have awesome energy and people are extremely welcoming. If being in medium sized groups is not for you, then try and find a personal trainer that will cater programs just for your goals and needs. Many trainers will also offer reduced rates for semi-private training, so you could get together with a friend or two, and have your own fitness class, customized just for you! Lastly, if none of this seems like you would enjoy it, save the money on the gym membership you won't use, and buy some basic equipment and train at home. Or you can start super basic, and just walk and do simple body-weight exercises. Doing something, is always better than doing nothing.

I hope these tips will help you get closer to your weight loss goal. Find someone to train with, at a place you feel comfortable, using S.M.A.R.T goals, follow a proper nutrition plan, and you will have no problems reaching success!

In True Strength,

Nick

Workout Log for 5/10/16 and 5/11/16

Hello everyone, I hope you all got after it today and kicked some ass in life and in the gym. This post is a combination of yesterday and today's workouts. Yesterday, I just did some quick arms before a client. I have moved away from a bodybuilding type split where arms get their own day, but I'm going to the beach next week, so I thought, might as well get a nice Arnold style pump on. Today, I trained upper body and finished with 2 Tabata circuits. Again, I didn't have a lot of time, but I knew I needed to do something.

5/10/16

This workout was super fast and straight forward, nothing special here.

1) Barbell Bicep Curls 4x12
2) Banded Tricep extension 4x15
3) Hammer Curls 3x12
4) Over-head tricep extension 3x12

Like I said, this was a very bodybuilder-esque lift. It brought me back to my roots some. I remember pumping out arms in my basement when I was 15, thinking I was huge!

5/11/16

1a) Barbell Bench Press 5x10 started with 135 and went up by 10lbs each set.
1b) Attempted muscle-ups/pull ups 5x5

I moved fast on the first 2 movements. As soon as I changed the weights and attempted muscle-ups (still trying to get one down) I went right back into bench.

Tabata Circuit 1 (20 seconds on/10 seconds rest, 8 rounds)
Each Round I changed exercise, here they are in order:
1) Push-Ups
2) Ball Slams
3)Push-Ups
4) Ball Slams
5) Push-Ups
6) Tiger Crawls
7) Fast Battle Ropes
8) Push-Ups

Tabata Circuit 2
1) Push-Ups
2) Granny Toss
3) Battle Rope Slams
4) Pull-Ups
5)Push-Ups
6) Tiger Crawls
7) Granny Toss
8) Granny Toss

I made these Tabata sets up as I went along, so that's why it was all over the place. I did whatever I felt like doing, and it made it more fun. Like I mentioned, today was more upper body, as you can tell by all the benching and push-ups.

Thanks for reading!

-Nick

 

Workout log 5/9/16

Hey everyone, this is the start of my workout logs! Today I wasn't planning on lifting till the afternoon, but I had a client cancel so I thought I might as well get it done...why waste time? Here's today's workout:

1a) Back Squats 5 sets reps ranged from 10 down to 6 on the heavy sets 

135,225,315,325,225-135 drop set 

1b) Band Leg curls 5x12

2a) Dumbell floor press 3x10 with 65s

2b) Barbell Rows 3x10 165lbs

3a) Slider army crawls 3x down and back (check these out on my Instagram @brick_by_brick_fitness) 

3b) plate push 3xdown and back 

4) Barbell RDLS 3x10 w/ 165

I went pretty light today, I hurt my hand last week so my grip is suffering from that. Overall a great full body lift to start off the week! Give it a try and stay after it! 

-Nick 

How Weight Loss Means Mental Gain

The hardest part of anything is starting. Whether you're trying to be an entrepreneur, climb a mountain, or start exercising; getting over the fear of failing, or what could go wrong is the worst part. Without feeling the fear of failing, you'll never be pushing your potential and really growing. Everyone knows why they should exercise. According to the CDC, 1 in 3 Americans are obese, the number one cause of death in the U.S is heart disease, and Type 2 Diabetes rates are growing in children and adults. So why don't people start? It is a question every trainer and coach ask, but I think it has to do with being afraid, afraid of that first step. Afraid to challenge themselves, to have to work hard at something, and to reach their true potential. Without a strong body, how can you have a strong mind? Without a strong mind, how can you have a strong body?

Weight loss all starts with baby steps. Set small achievable goals and accomplish them, then move on to the next one. These could be as simple as, go to the gym today. It doesn't matter if you walk, run, or lift once you get there, just go. Once you achieve that goal, make your next one to go 3X a week, then 5X a week. Then start setting diet goals. Starting cutting out sugary and processed foods. Next make sure you eat a lean protein and veggie at each meal. Finally try spacing your foods out into 4-6 separate meals throughout the day. These are just examples, but each of these things are a goal; building on top of each other to accomplish the big goal of being in the best shape ever. When you take the next step by achieving the previous goal, you give yourself this little boost of energy and motivation that you're going to get there. Soon, you'll be a mental toughness, fat burning machine, and no soda or doughnut is going to get in your way.

All of these steps that you create for yourself are helping to sharpen your mind into the strongest tool you've ever had. While this journey is going on, you'll also be teaching yourself balance. Learning how to prepare your food ahead of time and make getting to the gym a priority for yourself. It will stop being an after thought and starting being what you look forward to all day. All of a sudden, you'll have time to fit in workouts, yoga, or meditation. Did you somehow unlock extra hours in the day? No, you just started using them for more worthwhile things. Your new strong mind is helping to create a more balanced life, unlocking the secret hours in the day for yourself. There is no safer and better investment than in oneself.

With your new body, comes your new mind. This mental toughness that you've now created will seep into every aspect of your life. You'll be a better employee or boss, a better father, mother, husband, or wife; you'll just be a better person. You will have a new sense of confidence in everything you do. You will look better, feel better, and move better. Knowing that you set a physical goal, saw it all the way through and tried your absolute best, proves to yourself that you can do whatever you set your mind to. That translates directly to how you go about other challenges in your life. It does not matter if it's a fitness goal. Everything else in your life will just seem easier once you finally get yourself in the best shape of your life, because if you can do that, you can do anything.

I cannot say enough about the importance of having a strong will and mind. When you have have an unbeatable mind, nothing can stop you. It is such a great feeling going into any situation believing that you can accomplish your object; knowing that no matter what, you are going to give it you all and never quit. Even if you fail, you'll know that you gave it everything you possible have, that you put all of your energy into your objective and held nothing back. Personally, I'm still working on having a truly unbeatable mind, but it's a constant practice. I don't believe that in order to start a fitness program you need to have this mindset, but through finishing a program and accomplishing your goal, you will come out a changed person; a truly stronger person, who knows that they can do whatever their mind wants. I believe that besides the health reasons, creating a stronger mind is the single best thing that comes from following through on an exercise program.

If you're a parent, you know how much your kids take after you and look up to you. They will start to pick up on this new, stronger and more confident version of you. They'll see you choose healthy options at the store instead of McDonald's. They will wonder how and when did their mom or dad become a super hero? Your children will feed off of this, and grow up with a strong mind. They will see that exercise is just a part of life. Exercising and eating healthy does not have to be something you do 3 months before the beach. It should just be part of life, the same way going to work has unfortunately become, "life."

You'll have more energy to play with your kids. Some of the best exercising in the world happens on the elementary school playground. Kids are running, jumping, playing, climbing, rolling, throwing, and catching; all while having FUN! You'll be able to do these things with your kids and grow even closer to them through sports and fitness. They won't even think of it as exercise, they'll just be having a good time. I cannot stress enough, the importance of teaching children at a young age how important and special their health is. Childhood obesity rates are rising, take an active step towards helping them have a better life; feed them good food and just play with them.

I hope I've inspired someone to take that first step. Fear is necessary; it is expected, but life after and even during the process is so great. Become the strongest you; feel better, move better, live better. The physical benefits are just the outer shell of what is gained through weight loss. Afterwards, the strength of the mind and will is truly unbelievable. So take that first step, I dare you. Don't wait till next week or even tomorrow. Do it right now. Commit to becoming stronger, more confident, and living a better balanced life. Overcome that fear, it all starts with this first step.

In true strength,

Nick
Brick by Brick Fitness