The Hierarchy of Fat Loss by Cosgrove

This isn't the first time Alwyn Cosgrove has printed this article. It's one of my all time favorites, and one that I re-read when I feel I'm getting a little twisted up by all the "this-is-how-you-do-it" information out there on fat loss.

How many times have you searched the internet for that magic exercise/food/pill/program that will blast your fat for good? There is plenty of that information to be found. Gurus everywhere telling you they know exactly which exercises to do, which foods are super foods, how to get a 6-pack or mind blowing muscle. Oh yes, and the reason you haven't accomplished it yet is because you haven't purchased their program, because they are the only ones who happened to stumble across the answer and now they want to share it with you. They hold the magic answer for anywhere from $49.99 to however much money you want to spend. Sound familiar?

Don't get me wrong, there are some good programs to be found. I list several here on my recommended lists. The problem is that the marketing can be obnoxious. It keeps us in the magic solution mindset. In fact so much so that it's becoming more and more difficult to separate who is writing what program and which ones are for real. How do you know what to do?

I don't have all the answers, but I do have some thoughts:

• Read the article, The Hierarchy of Fat Loss by Alwyn Cosgrove.
• Re-read the article and compare your fitness and nutrition plan to what it is outlining.
• Get your nutrition cleaned up. Before you ever count calories or grams of anything, clean your eating up. We don't have to be registered dieticians. We know a swiss cake roll out of a box isn't good for us.
• Don't waste your workout time. It's valuable. Concentrate on the activities that give you the most bang for your buck.

Remember, it can be relatively simple, but it's never easy. We must stop looking for the easy button and just get to work.

By the way, did you know that everyone has a 6-pack, but whether or not you can see it depends on your level of body fat? So don't get hung up on whether or not you can get one. You have one. Concentrate on making it stronger for the sake of function/performance and on doing the activities that will blast fat and actually allow you to see it!

Would love to hear your thoughts on Cosgrove's article!

Warp Speed Fat Loss Week 1 Review

This past week I went through Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0, week 1. I'm trying to think of one word to describe it, but I can't. Words that come to mind are whoa, killer, awesome, ouch, wow, love it, and Alwyn Cosgrove is crazy. If you're looking for a jump start on your fat loss or a finisher that will help you dial it in, I think it's one of the best out there.

The Eating Plan

I really like the eating plan, mainly because it's brainless. The meal plans are based on weight and all you have to do is go to the grocery, prep the food and eat it. You really can't get more simple than that. There are a lot of food combinations but not really what I would call recipes. There are some one-bowl style options that have taught me some new concoctions I wouldn't have come up with on my own. It tells you exactly what to eat and in what portions at each time of the day. You will even know exactly which meal to eat after you workout and can adjust that based on whether or not you workout in the morning or the evening.

You should know that this plan is low calorie and what I would consider to be very low carb. Consequently you will lose water weight the first week. This means you can expect the scales not to move as much on week 2; important to remember if you struggle with the scales mentally. The fat intake is moderate and the protein intake is generous which helps keep you feeling satisfied. This meal plan does include diary such as cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and cheese. The days are broken up into high carb, normal carb and low carb days. The only difference is your intake immediately following your workout. You can expect to only be able to sneak in a starchy carb at two meals a week. For some people that would be complete shock. Although I found that to be a relief after the high carb holiday season because it felt like a detox, it's hard to go from high carb to carbs this low without being mentally prepared.

A couple of negatives: you may feel a decrease in your energy level if you have been really high carb and then start this. That will level out and you can get through your workouts, but just be aware. It's harder to resist temptation when your guard is down. Secondly, drink plenty of water on this eating plan. It's very likely you will experience some constipation. You may have to add some fiber.

Mike Roussell is a fantastic resource and he offers very helpful information with this program. He explains things very well and offers solutions for beyond the 4 weeks, which I think is crucial. Mike tries to make himself accessible. I've learned a lot from his work this past year.

The Training Plan

Those who know me know I'm an Alwyn Cosgrove fan. He doesn't disappoint with his classic, no-nonsense style. It's hard to beat a Cosgrove workout and I find I turn to his work when I need to get grounded. This is no exception.

The workouts are just flat brutal. On paper they are always deceiving. Leg work, pushes, pulls, a little jumping around, yeah, yeah, I can do this! After a thorough warm-up you jump right into heavy lower body work and get busy. The general flow is strength (low reps, heavy weight), then a transition zone, (less weight, higher reps), then a burn zone (higher reps, less weight but cursing by now) and finally a metabolic workout that will leave you asking for a piggyback ride to your car. Those are the strength training days!

The days in between are metabolic days. Interval training, but there is no slacking on a cardio machine. This is jumping-around-I-look-like-a-fool-no-one-else-in-here-is-doing-this kind of stuff.

Side bar: Do you ever stop to wonder why some of the people in your gym are there faithfully but their bodies are not changing? Maybe it's because they're not doing this type of stuff.

A couple of negatives: the workouts seem long, and I'm not new to this style, so for someone who is new to it or less conditioned it might be easy to get discouraged. Secondly, while you don't have to go to the gym to do this (there is a home version available, and even in the regular version you can do the metabolic work at home) it does require working out 6 days a week, which might be difficult for some people.

That said, it's a 4 week commitment and it will allow you to lift heavy, it's a balanced full body workout, and you will see an increase in your conditioning as well as feeling energetic and revved up.

My experience this week

I loved the detox with the eating plan but found that I also struggled with the sudden drop in carbs after the holidays. This is not unusual for me however. When I go through a phase where my starch intake is higher or I eat junk carbs it's like weaning myself. Just shows the powerful effect of sugar, fat and salt. I also found at first I didn't feel like eating all the food. That also shows my eating choices were less than healthy for a phase. My body has to adjust. Once I tighten up on my eating and give my body clean fuel to use, it uses it more effectively. After a few days, I'm ready to eat every 3 hours or so to keep the fire stoked. The workouts were also hard because the last two weeks of December were such a challenge for me with my schedule. It's amazing how easy it is to lose some conditioning or strength in a short time, but my body still is able to bounce back, thank goodness! One of my favorite parts about this program is that I still get to lift heavy but I get the energy boost and fat blast with the metabolic work!

Overall impression, Week 1

This program is a keeper. Highly recommend it as a jump start or a fat loss finisher. I think this will be good to use periodically as a solid program during a focused fat loss phase. The program comes with more resources this time to assist in making a transition when it's over because it truly can only be done for 4 weeks, then you will need to do something else. If you are new to resistance training, it's not for you. I would suggest getting with a trainer and developing a foundation of experience with personalized programming first. Then if you want a pre-designed program I would then suggest Afterburn I. If you already have a firm foundation, go for Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0. Also, anyone can benefit from this eating plan, but it might be a little too intense for people just beginning to clean up their eating. In that case I would suggest a program like Precision Nutrition first.

If you're doing this program, I'd love to hear about your experience!

This post contains affiliate links.

Release of Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

If you went to the Preliminary web page for Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0 to get Workout 1 as a free sample you saw the counter ticking down. It's scheduled to be released on 1pm EST, November 4. I'm looking forward to it because it's good timing for me personally. Due to my schedule right now I could really use a structured training and meal plan. I am going to purchase this program and blog as I go through it.

Mike Roussell and Alwyn Cosgrove have posted a video reviewing the components of the program as well as any freebies/bonuses they will offer for a limited time for early purchasers. They have really thought this one through. When you purchase the program you get not only the core program but an extreme version and a home version. For the meal plans, a vegetarian version is included. Workout sheets for logging your progress, a couple of manuals on training and nutrition and fat loss mastermind audios that were produced after the original program. On top of that there are other bonuses for being one of the first 150 customers, or for just ordering between 1pm EST tomorrow and Friday at midnight. I'd suggest you go check the video out here.

After the video you can read an interview with Alwyn Cosgrove on the death of intervals and you can still download Workout 1 free if you want to try it out! The original was great so I'm anticipating this one will be even better. More to come!

This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure statement.

Related posts:

Review of Workout 1, Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

Free Workout from Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

Review of Workout 1, Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

Today Workout 1 of Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0 was released as a free workout for anyone who wanted to try it. That decision took me all of two seconds! I loved the original program (link to a recent post on that below).

I did the workout tonight at my gym. Let me just say, this is not for wienies. It's deceiving on paper, don't let it fool you. The workout is designed in 4 zones: Strength, Transition, Burn and Metabolic. You do them in that order. The Transition zone is nice in that it makes you think you're going to get a break, but the upper body work doesn't let up. By the Burn zone you will be coming up with foul words to describe it. Expect the Metabolic Zone to finish you off. All I can say is thank goodness for the 90 seconds of recovery.

I loved the Zone concept and my face is actually still a little red. The only way I know to describe it is that it's one of those workouts that makes you think if you're not burning fat now, nothing will.

I'm anxious to see if we get any more teasers before the whole program is released. I'll be waiting in line to get it. Alwyn Cosgrove and Mike Roussell have become quite a pair and deliver a mean program. As good as the first one is, I'm thinking this one is definitely going to be a new and improved version.

I'll continue to post and will be sure to let you know of any other releases.

If you've not gone to the site to get your copy of the free Workout 1, you can do it here.

This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure statement.

Related Posts:

Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

I'm hearing bits and pieces that there will be a Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0 coming out. I don't know the timing but believe that Mike Roussell and Alwyn Cosgrove are already testing it. This is so exciting! I did the current Warp Speed Fat Loss and it definitely gets the getfitwithkelley stamp of approval. Quite frankly it's the leanest I've ever been. As I look back on that experience I realize there are several concepts from it that I continue to use on a daily and weekly basis. I expect the 2.0 version will be a great compliment to the original and it will be a definite addition to my fat loss tool box! You'll be able to find more information here as soon as I know the details!

If you are on a fat loss path and haven't worked through Warp Speed Fat Loss (1.0) I would recommend that you do it! It is a downloadable ebook, but not one of those I've-already-heard-all-this-information-before skimpy ones. You will receive instructions in great detail including Q&A sections and access to the creators in various formats. Resistance training, interval training and meals are already mapped out for you, which is very convenient. I found this part helpful because I never had to figure out my own workouts and I could plan ahead at the grocery. I did this during a very busy time in my life, so being able to just mark my calendar and batch my meal prep was a real necessity for me at the time. Sometimes I would not want quite this much structure, but this 28 day program is perfect for launching your fat loss efforts, blasting through a fat loss plateau or putting finishing touches on your quest for leanness. I will personally be repeating this program periodically for these very reasons.

You never have to wonder what you're going to be doing on a given day. For best results you should follow the workouts exactly. The best part about the training plan is that they include fresh new combinations of classic, effective exercises with some cool new stuff added. The required equipment is typical and accessible for most everyone who has access to a gym (such as dumbbells, bench, stabilty ball). The brain behind this is Alwyn Cosgrove, and you can't go wrong there. He doesn't mess around. You will be doing some work every day, but only about 3 days a week would you have to go to the gym; the other work can be done at home. You won't be spending hours working out either. Each workout is designed to be completed in an optimal amount of time. He also explains the process of fat loss very well in the materials, so you have some understanding of why you're doing what you're doing. I believe in knowing why. The explanation of why so you can learn coupled with the brainless schedule of knowing exactly what to do is a perfect combination.

The meal plans are creative and helpful in the very same way. You're given exact meals to follow, but the strategy is explained. No worries though, there is an entire list of what and how to substitute for items you don't like. The meals and workouts fit like hand in glove because they are designed to work with each other. This also removes the guesswork, so you can push right through and concentrate on eating and your workout time. Another great feature is that you are instructed on how to alter your meal plan as you drop weight/fat and it's all provided for you. The creative genius behind the nutriton plan is Mike Roussell.

One thing to remember is that this is a focused 28 day plan. That means you should not get this plan and decide you're going to do it for the next 6 months, your body and your mind will need a break. The good news is that you can stick with it for 28 days. It feels like an end in site to the intensity. But the trick is to learn from it so that you can appropriately transition your new habits into a maintenance phase. That's the hardest part. I'm happy to help in any way possible.

Well, obviously I'm a big fan, but I wouldn't suggest something to you that I hadn't done myself (or tried on my husband) and believed in. I would recommend doing Warp Speed Fat Loss while we're waiting for version 2.0!

I've also heard that there is an Afterburn/TRX hybrid in the mix. Maybe it's one and the same, or maybe that's different altogether. I'll be keeping an eye out for that too!

This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure statement.

Related posts

Training and Nutrition Plans for Fall

Meal Plans or Guidelines?

Afterburn II Review

TRX Fit Deck

Barbell Complexes Revisited

Barbell complexes are a component of my training plan for fall/winter this year. I have not done them in a while and I miss them! They were very effective for me. During my first use of them last spring, while working through Afterburn II by Alwyn Cosgrove, I experienced an increase in grip endurance and strength, upper body strength and muscle endurance gains, fat loss and improvement in my balance.

Basically, a barbell complex is a series of barbell exercises completed back to back without putting the barbell down. That phrase alone should tell you a lot. A typical complex might include approximately 6 exercises, ordered in such a way that they flow well, and transitions are smooth. For instance, a hang clean might be performed, then a push press, which is a natural flow, whereas a hang clean followed by a reverse barbell lunge might be a little awkward. The transitions being as smooth as possible allows for quick movement from one exercise to the next without any disruption in the flow. This is important because complexes are to be done fast without compromising form. Although loaded Olympic barbells are obvious to use, I found fixed-weight barbells very convenient. Generally they are sufficient in size but are shorter, which takes up less space in a crowded or small gym. In the barbell complex, every repetition of an exercise is completed before moving on to the next exercise without rest, pause or putting the bar down. You will feel relief in particular body parts when you move to the next exercise, but it will feel brutal way before you finish the last rep of the last exercise. I found myself questioning my sanity and trying to talk myself out of the last couple of exercises every time! You have completed the entire set when you're worked through the last exercise. That's one set! Now you can put the bar down!

Here are a few tips:

• Choose a weight you can handle on your weakest exercise
• Know how to do each exercise with proper form before you attempt a complex
• Find an open spot that gives you plenty of space for all your consecutive movements
• Make sure you're hydrated
• Know exactly which exercises you will do and in what order before you start
• Pre-determine the number of reps for each set, the number of sets, and the amount of time you will rest in between
• Wear a watch or have a wall clock within view for the rest periods
• Wear some gloves to protect your hands

Let's say you decide you're going to do these exercises in this order: bent over rows, hang-cleans, front squats, push presses, good mornings, back squats. Figure out which is your weakest move (mine would be good mornings) and choose your weight based on that move. It may feel light for your squats, but you're going to be fried by the end of your complex anyway. As you improve in stamina and strength you will be able to increase your weight. Check your ego at the door and remember that this is not about brute strength or how much you can lift, so go modest until you know how well you will do. If anyone says a word about a light weight on your barbell challenge them to join you! You can always work on your weakest move during other workouts. A complex will definitely highlight your imbalances. This is a good thing; for instance, a balanced back and chest will help protect your shoulder girdle, so use these to improve your training plan.

After I ordered Afterburn II, it occurred to me that I didn't know how to do some of the power moves, so I had to find some resources to learn them. Which reminds me of the time I decided I was going to make cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving and then I remembered I didn't know how to make cornbread...anyway, I had to learn these on-line because no one in my gym was doing cleans, snatches, high pulls, etc. One site that helped me was Hyperstrike Exercise Lab. You can see animated demonstrations of movement with narration of the instructions. Also, there are some videos on You Tube from reputable sources. Please do not just watch any random dude on You Tube doing a power move. It's a good way to learn something wrong and get hurt. In fact, be very careful about learning exercises from buddies in the gym too. One power lifter I really like at my gym brought someone in to work out with him and stood there letting him do deadlifts from the floor with a rounded back. Not cool. Do your homework on the moves, very important. Go obnoxiously light at first to completely understand the move. Practice it separately so you can continue adding weight. Sometimes a move like a clean is tough to learn until you get enough weight on the bar to actually have to get some power behind it. Once you do and you master it, you'll be ready to add it to your complex. But remember, you'll have to go a lot lighter with your complex weight than you would doing a single exercise. It will feel counterintuitive at first, but after you make it through all the sets of your first full complex it will make complete sense.

Using our six example exercises from above, in that order, I would start with 4 sets of 8 reps and about 90 seconds rest in between sets. You might come up with a couple of different complexes to rotate through over a period of time. You can also increase your number of sets and drop your reps. Do that when you're ready to go heavier in weight. At that time you may also need to bump up your rest to about 2 minutes between sets. Like any other training component your body will adapt in a period of time. That's good, but then you want to alter it to continue challenging your body to respond to a new stimulus.

Reminder: if you're this happy while you're still holding the bar, you're DOING THEM WRONG.

You will also need to determine where in your workout scheme you will place your barbell complexes. I like doing this type of metabolic work on Mondays to get my week revved up. They have worked well at the beginning of my workout, followed by specific push/pull and lower body exercises topped off with a little core stability work. However, you could use them as a finisher at the end of a hard workout. If you do that I'd be mindful of exercise selection, and definitely go lighter, because for some of the moves you need power and you don't want to risk injury.

Turbulence Training has a workout that incorporates a barbell complex called Hard Core Fat Loss. This would also be a good workout to familiarize yourself with complexes. It will not be as intense as Afterburn II.

I will continue to explore good resources for videos, instructions and pre-designed barbell complexes in order to highlight more information via this blog. Please add your own ideas and questions via comment and always feel free to email me.

This post includes affiliate links for Turbulence Training. Please see my disclosure statement.

Related posts:

Barbell Complexes

Complexes for Fat Loss - Part II Sample Complexes

Training and Nutrition Plans for Fall

Now that summer is drawing to a close, what are your training plans? It seems we have certain times of the year that we tend to think about our fitness. For sure this occurs in January each year, when we feel positive about a fresh start and a little mortified by the damage of poor eating habits. Then another surge occurs when we hit spring, realizing we'll soon be putting on shorts and bathing suits. Sometimes that sharp focus fades as we hit mid to late summer. So what about fall? If you've already been to the beach or other vacation or had your fill of hot weather, you may already be day-dreaming of cool weather and sweaters. I know I am!

Summer has been challenging in terms of my personal fitness and nutrition goals, but the few cool, beautiful days we've had lately have me feeling re-energized. I can either keep plugging along, cover up with my sweaters and head straight into the fourth quarter season without achieving my goals or I can put this surge of energy to good use!

Alwyn Cosgrove (Afterburn and WarpSpeedFatLoss) has said "it doesn't matter what you eat or how you exercise between Christmas and New Year's...but it matters how you eat and exercise between New Year's and Christmas!" Too many times we go into fall and winter with less than optimal habits. We'd like to blame it on the holiday activities and abundance of tasty treats, particularly from about mid December through the New Year's eve bash. The problem is, we probably loosened up on our habits once we wore that bathing suit in front of everyone for the first time this year. We never recovered from our cook-outs, only to head straight into school and work schedules, topped off by shelves of Halloween candy every time we go to the grocery. Can you visualize the snowball from there?

Next thing we know, we're only focused on our fitness and nutrition from January to about mid June! For some reason, this feels like a beginning and an end to our fitness and nutrition each year, when it should look like a continuum of improvement and maintenance. I think dieting and finite exercise programs have greatly contributed to this.

Unlike the beginning and end to a diet, optimal eating should be from meal to meal, day to day, week to week. Every single positive change you make in your eating habits can be sustained, resulting in a cumulative effect that builds over time, regardless of what time of year it is. This is a complete shift in mindset from beginning a diet and then trying to figure out what you're going to do when you get to eat real food again. That's what Cosgrove is talking about when he says that a relaxed week between Christmas and New Year's isn't the problem, it's how we spend all those other weeks.

The same is true of training. Every day offers an opportunity to get up and move. I have a friend who says the cooler weather makes her running easier. In my area we have lots of festivals and fairs, Race for the Cure, and numerous other opportunities to get outside still and be active. Many of us like to use pre-designed fitness programs. That's fine! I have several and complete them as written and use them for reference in putting together my own programs. If you choose a fitness program (I have several good ones recommended on this blog) be sure you're choosing one that matches your current goals. It should progress you on your journey, so that when you accomplish it you're ready for the next level. There is no real end! Think improvement and maintenance.

I'm challenging myself, and I'm challenging you, to decide now on a fitness and nutrition approach for the fall and the last few months of this year. Take positive action! Let's not think yet about what a great year 2010 will be, let's start now!

This post contains an affiliate link for Warp Speed Fat Loss. Please see my disclosure statement.

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Ten Reasons Why I Workout

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Afterburn II Review

I am a crazy fan of Alwyn Cosgrove. So much so, if I saw him in person I would probably not be able to say one thing that sounded intelligent. He puts together some mean, fat-blasting programs. The most recent one I have tackled is Afterburn II. I'm going to give you a review and suggestions so you can determine if it's right for you (it probably is).

Afterburn II is a sequel of sorts to the original Afterburn program. No-nonsense and no hype, just hard work and focus. It's a 12 week program and really not for beginners, due to the exercises chosen and the intensity of the program design. The nutrition is very straight-forward and not fancy. The first section of the program involves a very strict plan with a clear list of food choices and advances to specific guidelines that make sense. The training is planned in 3 stages, each lasting a month. For each stage you either get 2 or 3 full days off a week. You will need them! Resistance training and interval training protocols are mapped out in full detail, so there is no question about what to do and when. Periodization is incorporated, so if you're concerned about strength, hypertrophy and endurance you are covered. The program includes barbell complexes and strength training circuits and of course a true-to-style Alwyn surprise, which I won't tell you. Overall the program is pretty amazing and I had comments in the gym from men and women alike regarding the workouts. In my opinion it's not really conducive for home as you will need access to barbells, dumbbells, some cable equipment and a way to do inverted rows.

Beware, you must go into this with determination and commitment. It will highlight any issues you have with nutrition compliance or short attention span. It doesn't let up and if you've been stuck in a rut with the same number of reps/sets you will immediately realize it.

I learned to love barbell complexes and hate bulgarian split squats. I mastered T-push-ups and figured out how hard plank can really be. I discovered the inverted row is one of my new favorites. It confirmed my love of workout intensity. I advanced my skills, increased my endurance, gained strength, blasted some fat and figured out some of my personal challenges. Overall, this is an absolutely solid training program that incorporates everything I believe to be true right now about training for fat loss. I will be doing this program again in the future.

So what do you suggest for those contemplating the purchase of, or just beginning this program?

Do it! Get your mind around it, ratchet down, take a day at a time and just do it! Post the workouts and food list on your fridge, and put a big red X through each day. Make sure you are ready to commit and work hard. It will pay off!

What do you suggest for those that are new to Alwyn Cosgrove programs?

Plan of attack:

• Go to Alwyn's website and read every article available, read through his blog archives and sign up for his newsletter. You will learn and appreciate his style and knowledge.
• Buy the book(s) by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove, New Rules of Lifting and/or New Rules of Lifting for Women (hint: if you're a woman, get both).
• Do Afterburn I. You'll be ready for it.
• Do Afterburn II. It will be a challenging, natural progression.
• Do WarpSpeedFatLoss by Alwyn Cosgrove and Mike Roussell as a top off to seal the deal on that last bit of fat.

Of course if you are in a hurry for swimsuit season you could always start off with WarpSpeedFatLoss and then continue progressing with Afterburn. Hmmm...that would be quite an adventure, if you try either I'd love to hear about it.

This post contains affiliate links for Warp Speed Fat Loss. The New Rules of Lifting and The New Rules of Lifting for Women can be found in my Amazon Store. Please see my disclosure statement.

Fitness Gear Review in Men's Health Mag

The April 2008 issue of Men's Health has some cool articles in it, one being a short list of "The Best New Fitness Gear." You might be wondering how I know this. A couple of years ago when I grew weary of girlie workouts with pastel weights I started digging around. That's how I found Craig Ballantyne and Alwyn Cosgrove among others. I found that Men's Health online had some great stuff and as I incorporated a few manly moves into my workout I started seeing some real changes. My husband actually gets this magazine but I usually grab it before he can even read it.

Here is the list of items and my thoughts on them (three of these are on my recommended list already)

Best Home Gym: Freemotion Ext Dual Cable Cross

Really cool and much better than fixed machines, I like using cables at the gym. However, the price at $4000 is pretty steep for home gyms of most folks I know.

Best Lo-Fi Fitness Tool: Iron Woody Woody Bag

I have not yet done sandbag workouts but would love to! Looks like a really durable item, and seems reasonably priced at $60 - $120 based on weight and also comes in packages.

Best Total Body Tool: TRX Suspension Trainer Force Kit by Fitness Anywhere

I love this, saw it demonstrated at the Arnold and my husband has been using this at his trainer's studio. Awesome for maximizing your bodyweight and gravity. Not sure I'd feel good about the door mount but the X-mount is what we will purchase when we get ours for home.

Best Stability Trainer: Valslides

These are wicked little gadgets. They point out in the article that it puts a whole new twist on lunges and squats, but I've had my butt kicked pawing my way across a gym floor in a crawling plank with my toes on these bad babies and then running back in a bear crawl position with them under my hands. Closest to puking I've ever been during a workout.

Best New Cardio Tool: Art of Strength Ropes Gone Wild

I love Art of Strength kettlebell workouts and first remember hearing about the ropes from Alwyn Cosgrove. Can't imagine how tough these are. Anthony Diluglio is a great resource. You can go to the website and see some short video clips of them in action. While you're there check out Minute of Strength.

Best Upper-Body Upgrade: JC Predator Band

I like working out with bands due to the different type of resistance (than dumbbells) and versatility. It's much tougher than it looks, and this looks like a well-made band. Wouldn't mind adding this to the arsenal.

Would love to know what others think about these products.

This post contains affiliate links for Fitness Anywhere (TRX), Art of Strength and ValSlides. Please see my disclosure statement.

Complexes for Fat Loss Part II - Sample Complexes

Quick post for those that are into barbell complexes. This is from Mike Roussell's Naked Nutrition Blog. It's a couple of sample barbell complexes based on his conversations with Alwyn Cosgrove. You'll also see a post explaining some of the rationale behind using complexes in Mikes' post directly below this one.

Complexes for Fat Loss Part II - Sample Complexes Posted using ShareThis

Related post(s):

Barbell Complexes

Barbell Complexes

I've probably lost my mind but right now I am very into barbell complexes in a masochistic kind of way. They are a part of the Afterburn II program I am doing this quarter and they completely wear me out.

This type of workout component includes a barbell, your body and a small section of space. Choose about 5 exercises requiring a barbell and arrange them in an order that flows smoothly. For instance, you might follow a front squat with a push press because it transitions well. You probably wouldn't choose a bent over row followed by a reverse lunge since the transition would be awkward. That is an important part of the structure because the tempo is fast without losing form so transitions should be neat and quick. You will complete each exercise for the desired number of reps (say 6) before moving on to the next exercise. You work through all 5 exercises without resting and without putting the bar down. That's one set. Then put the bar down, rest for about 90 seconds and repeat for a total of 4 or 5 sets with 90 seconds rest in between each set.

It will take your breath away and get your heart rate up. Your rest period is your recovery time, so it's like doing intervals. Another important part of barbell complexes is to choose a weight that is manageable for your weakest move. You likely can squat much heavier than you can manage on a row or a good morning. The point is not how much you can lift, the point is shaking your body up metabolically. Choose a weight that allows you to get all the reps in at a fast tempo without putting the bar down. You should need every second of that 90 second rest period to recuperate and you should be working hard enough that you're trying to talk yourself out of the last couple of sets. If you go too light the first time choosing your weight, keep the tempo up and go heavier the next time. Switching weight between exercises defeats the purpose.

If you've never done barbell complexes, give it a try! I'd love to hear about the experience.

If you'd like more information, here's a great article by Alwyn Cosgrove, Complexes for Fat Loss.

Related post(s):

Complexes for Fat Loss Part II - Sample Complexes

Barbell Complexes Revisited

Burn, Baby, Burn

Here is my training plan for the next 4 months:

Once a month I will meet and work out with my personal trainer.

January 4 through March 28 I am working through Afterburn II.

March 29 through April 4 will be one week of rest.

April 5 through May 2 I will work through WarpSpeedFatLoss to finish leaning out.

May 3 through May 9 will be one week of rest.

Another program I will be referencing during this time period is Turbulence Training.

Approximately mid-April I will choose another program to begin May 10.

Some of you already think I have lost my mind. Probably so, but I will be losing fat and keeping it off! Afterburn II and WarpSpeedFatLoss are offered by Alwyn Cosgrove, and if you are not familiar with him I would suggest you read his articles and his blog. He's brilliant and he will never fail to challenge what you are thinking and doing. Both of his programs provide exactly what training to do as well as specific nutrition plans. Now if you read my previous post about my nutrition plan, it is not the plan presented in Afterburn II but rather Precision Nutrition, which is a separate nutrition program also with tremendous information and support. Craig Ballantyne is the creator of Turbulence Training and it is a program that provides versatility and multiple options for working out. I'll reference this program to gather fresh ideas for the interval training dictated by Afterburn II so I can keep it motivating. Seeing my personal trainer once a month is not as often as I would like right now, but it will be very helpful to check my form, review goals, discuss progress and generally get my butt kicked by someone other than myself. If you have not developed your training plan, it's not too late!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement.

Related post(s):

Focus on Nutrition

Cleaning Up Our Diets

One of my favorite quotes by Alwyn Cosgrove is that you can't "out-train a crappy diet". I am living proof of that. I worked hard at the gym for a long time, getting stronger and building muscle but could not budge my body fat. It wasn't until I finally decided to clean up my eating that I finally started seeing that muscle I'd been working so hard.

I must confess I detest the word diet. It has such a negative connotation to most of us. Truth is, if you eat anything at all you're on a diet, but not everyone makes the best food choices. I'm also convinced dieting as we know it is the wrong approach. For the most part it's unsustainable, deprivation is depressing, and the body wasn't designed to operate without complete food groups. So how do you clean up your eating?

For us it was a matter of daily choices. I literally changed my eating overnight. Jimmy made his changes more gradually. Consequently he's had greater success. Starting with simple changes is doable. Choose one or two new changes a week and stick to them. Pretty soon you will have changed a lot of things in a relatively painless way. Here are some changes we incorporated along the way:

Bake, grill or broil your meat instead of frying

Choose mustard instead of ketchup or mayo

Switch from breakfast cereal to oatmeal

Try olive oil and balsamic vinegar for salad dressing

Drink 2-3 more glasses of water a day than you have been drinking

Choose a sweet potato instead of a white one

Switch from regular soft drinks to diet (add fresh lime for taste)

Mix almonds and raisins for a quick snack

Eater smaller meals more frequently

Plan for eating the foods you crave (for us it's mexican)

Here a picture of one of Jimmy's typical meals now

(that's a 97% fat-free turkey burger)

If you'd like an easy read on cleaning up your eating that makes sense, pick up a copy of The Eat Clean Diet.

The Eat Clean Diet can be found in my Amazon Store. Please see my disclosure statement.