I'm allowed to rant a little, aren't I?
A couple of weeks ago, I trekked up to Markham (a suburb where I grew up just north of Toronto) to pick my dad up and take him to a doctor's appointment. Before heading over, I needed to get some training in so I headed down to the local YMCA for a quick lifting session. It was a dead lift day and I managed to get in some DB presses and some chins in as well. Overall, a great, quick session.
While I was on my 3rd set of deads, I noticed a relatively big guy (big as in "jacked", not big as in "fat") trying to teach a novice dude how to lift. They were doing what looked like a clean and press from the floor...AFTER they did bunch of heavy dumbbell AND barbell overhead pressing, lateral raises and front raises.
Now, I don't profess to be the most technically sound trainer when it comes to Olympic lifting (I still try to see a friend of mine who is a strength coach with the Maple Leafs organization to brush up on my technique every now and then). Here's my issue with what was going on (READ: wrong) with the situation:
1. The novice guy was about 6'3" and (I'm guessing) 150lbs soaking wet! He could hardly lift the 45lb bar that they were using. I doubt this guy couldn't even do a full push-up.
2. The guy "teaching" him had the worst form I have ever seen in my entire life! His spine was curved forward and his knees were locked when he picked and launched the bar off the floor and then he would arch his back like he was looking up to heaven to press the bar over his head.
3....And this one's the kicker. The YMCA trainers were all standing around in awe admiring the guy for such a great feat of strength. These trainers were watching and I'm sure taking notes so that they could use their new found exercise on their next 40-year-old, overweight, female client.
So what's the big deal, you say? First, a novice lifter should not be Olympic lifting at all unless he's being taught by the proper coach (ie. NOT your "boy" with the massive traps that you sit behind in English class). Learn how to squat, deadlift and bench first...better yet, show me you can do 20 push-ups. Second, just because your "boy" is massive, doesn't mean he knows what he's doing in the gym. Third, if you're a trainer or on the staff of any gym and you see someone doing something questionable, show them a better alternative...IT'S YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY! I almost went over and suggested something myself and played the "off-duty cop" roll....should I have? I didn't think it was place seeing as to them I'm just another "member" trying to get my swell on.
No, I'm not a know-it-all and I will be the first to admit that I have so much more to learn (and I've been doing this for almost 10 years now). What I do know, thanks to many a mentor, is that the basics work. Stick to your presses, squats, deadlifts, chins, rows and dips and you'll build the body you want (and that goes for both male and female athletes/lifters/regular people). Olympic lifting has it's place in the performance enhancement world, but not for 17-year-old toothpicks who don't even know how to pick a weight up off the floor properly.
-CL
The Busiest Dad in the World
By now, most of you should be well into your New Year's routines of eating well, exercising and forming other new and healthy habits that will help you achieve success in '08. So without further delay, here my Top 5 Things You Can Do To Make 2008 YOUR Year...
5. DON'T RE-INVENT THE WHEEL. If there is someone out there who has accomplished what you want to accomplish, done what you've dreamed about doing and is making the money you want to make, then find out how they did it and replicate that process. Or better yet, ask them to be your mentor and have them show you how to do it. There's no point in going through all the struggles by yourself in an effort to be successful. It's like going on Safari in the African Wild without a tour guide. The chances of your getting eaten by a lion is less likely if you've got someone there I learned this at a seminar that I attended this past November in Palm Beach.
4. LESS IS MORE. I've preached this (and so have a bunch of my colleagues) and it applies to everything. Your workouts, your possessions, your business. Use Pareto's Law - the 80-20 rule. 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. 80% of your sales, come from 20% of your clients. Find out where the dead weight is and cut it out. Make things easier by simplifying. Two great books that have helped me try to simplify things in my life are The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss and Simple-ology by Mark Joyner.
3. Build your own HOME GYM. No, don't drop 10G's on a complete renovation, a customized lifting platform and sauna (although if I had the $$$, the time and the space that's what I'd do). But for a fraction of the price you can have a half decent set-up. My "home gym" will never take place of where I train. But for days when I'm stuck, this set-up will do. Go out and get a door gym, a stability ball, a kettlebell of a relatively challenging weight and yoga mat. That's it. I'll drop some good workouts over the next few weeks on how to use just those 4 pieces of equipment.
2. Try 24-HOUR-FASTING. I previously wrote about this HERE. I started 24-hour fasts late in the year with amazing results. Pick-up a copy of Brad Pilon's EAT-STOP-EAT and learn how incorporating 24-hour fasts into your week can help decrease body fat, increase mental awareness, increase growth hormone and help with overall hormone regulation.
1. COMMIT YOUR GOALS TO PAPER AND REVIEW THEM DAILY. I was using Brian Tracy's method of writing my top 10 goals down every single day and say them to myself before I left the house (even if that meant reading them in the warming car on a cold Toronto winter's morning). Now, I use Dax Moy's Magic 100Click Here to get it now and kick start your year! system - 100 Goals in 100 Days. Sound scary? It is! But you have absolutely no idea how POWERFUL this system is. I just started my second Magic Hundred. I completed 73 of my first Magic 100. (Still need to learn how to surf in Maui and snowboard the French Alps). If there is one thing that you need to do this year, THIS IS IT!
-CL
THE BUSIEST DAD IN THE WORLD
Happy New Year! It's been quite the year for my family and me. Over the past 12 months there have been a tonne of useful things that I have learned and skills that I have acquired to help make my career and life a lot more productive and fulfilling. Hopefully, some of these ideas will help you make 2008 YOUR BEST YEAR EVER.
10. The more you DO for yourself (through self-improvement, self-reflection, and looking after your health), the more you will BE for those that matter most to you (your friends, family and inner-circle) and as a result, the less you'll need to HAVE (as far as material posessions go), because you'll be fulfilled from the DO and BE. Confused? See number 9 below...
9. TAKE CARE OF YOU. Exercise, get stronger, eat clean, meditate, laugh, spend time with those you love and those who love you. No amount of money or power can ever take the place of being happy with where you are in life. (I seem to learn this one over and over again each year).
8. Take FISH OIL. If you haven't started already, you need to start NOW. Here are some of the effects of fish oil that studies have shown:
-supports testosterone levels and contribute to optimal muscle development
-reduces inflammation in your muscles and joints and speeds recovery time
-decrease triglyceride levels and reduce the risk of heart disease
-increase fat burning and also make it more difficult for your body to store fat
7. The transition from 3 TO 4 KIDS is messed up. Since I'm writing this for all those guys out there like me (dads w/"no time"), here's a warning for you...BRACE YOURSELF IF YOU'RE HAVING #4. If you've got help (nanny, mother or mother-in-law) then your transition may be easier than ours. But my wife and I, for whatever insane reason, like to do things ourselves. So life right now, to put lightly, is FREAKIN' NUTS!
6. Use a FOAM ROLLER. From a Prehab/rehab standpoint, there's no better tool out there to make your muscles feel better. Your body will thank you after a few regular sessions with a foam roller. For a tutorial on how to effectively use this amazing tool, pick-up a copy of Mike Robertson & Bill Hartman's DVD, InsideOut.
Look for the Top 5 in a couple of days!
-CL
THE BUSIEST DAD IN THE WORLD
Ever feel like your plate couldn't get any more full than it already is. Like there's no room left on the bench because of a fat guy with a ukulele? Well, that was me for about 3 weeks, but, after a brief hiatus from blogging, training and basically living a normal life, I survived, I'm stronger and now I'm back.
It's been a rough few weeks - I had the flu, the kids got sick, my wife got sick and worst of all, my dad suffered a heart attack (last week) and underwent a quadruple by-pass (on Monday). He's up and recovering now and will hopefully be home for Christmas!
So I'm going to make an attempt at a light workout tomorrow and I'm busy planning for a successful 2008! Here's what's in-store...
-I'm putting the final touches on a bonus that I'm doing for my friend Craig Ballantyne from www.ttmembers.com
-I'm in the process of compiling my list of the TOP 10 THINGS I LEARNED IN 2007 and that will be up next week. It's a combination of training, rehab and general lifestyle enlightenments that I'm sure will help everyone in some way (if not for just pure entertainment)
-In late November I started working with a TEST GROUP of individuals to test a new training program based on my own short, intense 20-minute workouts. Due to the responsibilities that I mentioned above, I had to put this on hold. Well, it'll be back up and running Jan 1, so stay tuned for some amazing B & A's.
-Finally, and the most exciting of all, I will be launching my first e-book based on the workouts mentioned above. It's taken a lot of work and dedication to complete, but it's just about ready and will be set to launch by late February/early March, SO STAY TUNED!
So that's it for now. Keep a lookout for the top 10 list coming next week. Until then, here's wishing you and yours a very Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!
-Chris Lopez
The Busiest Dad in the World
I've been sick all week. The whole house has been sick, in fact. I felt something coming down hard last Sunday (crazy headache and nausea...and that kind of stuff never happens to me), so I decided to take it easy and spent most of the day Monday at home. I caught up on some work, sent some emails out, paid some bills. It was a catch-up on health and (what my friend Dax Moy likes to call) "closing open windows" day. I got to bed early that night and woke up the next morning and felt pretty good. Up at 5am, downed the oatmeal, fish oil caps and 3 glasses of water and out the door as usual. The afternoon rolled around and I felt like I needed a good butt whoopin' in the weight room. I didn't feel great, but I figured a good workout was all I needed.
I tried some programming that I got from training genius Chad Waterbury. I borrowed from his 10-10 book, a rep/set scheme that was geared towards fat loss. It called for an 8 sets of 3 protocol using multi-joint , compound movements with weights that equaled your 4-6 rep max.
Here's exactly how it went...
2:25pm - started foam rolling, stretching my hip flexors and a CB "hot spot" bodyweight circuit (10 each of prisoner squats, spiderman push-ups, prisoner reverse lunges and stick-ups x 2)
2:31 - Hauled Ass
1) Hang Clean - Front Squat - OH Press @ 135lbs x 3 reps
Rest 30s
2) Weighted Pull-Ups (w/a 45lb plate chained to my waist) x 3 reps
Rest 30s
REPEAT 8 TIMES
2:45pm - Downed a 1L carton of lactose-free chocolate milk (my usual post workout drink) and a teaspoon of BCAAs
I felt great right after. The endorphin rush was unreal. But 3 hours later, I was done. My immune system must have been completely depleted and with the type of workout that I did earlier, that must have just pushed my body over the edge. The next morning, I could hardly get out of bed. I felt like a truck hit me. My joints were sore, I had a fever, I couldn't eat anything.
I've been sick ever since. I'm back at maybe 75% today, but the damage is done and the lesson has been learned....
-CL
THE BUSIEST DAD IN THE WORLD
P.S. If you don't "get" the picture above, GOOGLE "1997 NBA Finals, Game 5" or
"The Flu Game"
There's been a lot of talk lately about the plastics in water bottles. Some studies have shown that drinking out water bottles will actually increase the amount of estrogen you comsume (which is not a good thing if you're looking to gain muscle and/or lose fat). Same for eating out of plastic containers, and that gets even worse if you microwave your food in them. For a few years now, scientists have warned against having polycarbonate plastics come in contact with your food or water.
Recently, plastic water bottles made by a very popular "camping and outdoors" manufacturer went under the microscope. What the study found, was that the Lexan plastic (a type of polycarbonate plastic) used in these bottles when coupled with a cleaning agent (like a detergent that you would use at home to wash the bottle) caused birth defects and developmental abnormalities leading to miscarriages in mice. Without going through the entire science of it, the effects of the detergent caused the plastic in the bottle to attach to a chemical that mimics the female hormone ESTROGEN (called bisphenol or BPA). Research has now shown that even low levels of BPA have had an adverse effect on prostate development, tumors, breast tissue development, sperm count and ENLARGEMENT OF FAT CELLS IN THE BODY.
THE BOTTOM LINE...
Pick-up either a glass or aluminum water bottle for you and your family and try as much as possible to use either ceramic or glass containers to store and re-heat your food. I use a SiGG bottle similar to the one above and have recently bought one for my wife and my 2 older daughters. They are a little more expensive than the plastic ones, but I don't really need the extra estrogen (hint of sarcasm) seeing as I live with 5 women already.
-CL
The Busiest Dad in the World
I was recently speaking to a client who was considering getting Human Growth Hormone (HGH or GH) Therapy. GH is naturally produced in the body by the pituitary gland. When released into the body, HGH stimulates tissue growth and is essential to maintain a healthy body composition and metabolism. Various drug companies make a synthetic version of GH that is the same substance that is banned by various sporting organizations for it's apparent effects on performance. This was allegedly the same stuff that Mark McGwire (left) used leading up to and during his record breaking home run season a few years back.
Let me give you the background on my client...He's a fit, lean, middle-aged male with amazing genes. This guy has 8% body fat, 6-pack abs and can do 25 chin-ups from a dead hang. When I asked why he wanted go on GH, he simply said, "I'd like to reverse the aging process". As much as I appreciate his quest to "stay young", I told him that he wouldn't have to go as far as paying thousands upon thousands of dollars (and trust me, he can afford it) because he was taking all the right steps to increase GH NATURALLY.
Intense exercise and a sound nutrition program will always trump invasive synthetic injections. Click Here to learn how Nutrition Expert and Author of EatStopEat, Brad Pilon abuses GH the natural way.
I'm going to hit the weights now and try to get done within 20-minutes to try to jack my GH levels up. Here's what's in-store for today.
1) Foam Rolling & Activation work
2a) Back Squat (3 working sets of reps of 225...after a good warm-up of course)
2b) Neutral Grip Chins (3 sets of MAX -1...my max last week with this grip was 19. I know, I'm slowing down)
3a) Bulgarian Split Squats (3 x 8)
3b) Incline DB Press (3 x 8)
4) 2 - minute Plank
That's it. Very basic. Incredibly effective.
Then it's off to pick-up the kids.
CL
-The Busiest Dad in the World
