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