Archive for weight loss
Let Me See Your Booty Work…
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Ok, we have some work to do here...
Incorporate the following best backside exercises in your regular strength routine and you’ll burn fat, shape and firm your booty, sculpt surrounding muscle groups, and rev up your metabolism.
1. Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings combine strength and cardio training to redefine your backside. In addition to toning your glutes and hip flexors, you’ll work your core, and cardiovascular system (an all-in-one exercise). Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Place the kettlebell about one foot in front of you. Push your hips backward, with a slight bend in the knee (shins almost vertical) and reach forward, placing both hands on the kettlebell. From your “hike position” (hips pushed backward, back flat, and chest out) hike the kettlebell behind you, with a purpose (don’t let go).Drive your hips forward, while contracting your glutes and tucking your tailbone under, to swing the kettlebell (always above the knees) until you are standing at “attention” with your hands about chest height.
Important Tips: Always make sure to keep your abs tight (this will keep your lower back protected.) Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. Always drive the swing with your hips and NOT your arms. If the bell ever gets too far out in front of you, never reach for it- just let it drop!
2. Lunges
Lunges are a workout staple that will firm your butt and tone your legs. Start with your feet hip width apart then step forward with one leg. Keeping your abs tight, chest high, and spine straight, sink down into the move until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is almost touching the ground. Concentrate on squeezing your glutes as you push through your front heel back to the starting position. Important tip: don’t let your moving knee extend past your toes.
3. Step Ups
This is a great exercise for your butt as well as your quads and calves. Step ups also increase your heart rate so you’ll get the extra benefit of fat-blasting cardio. Stand with your right foot firmly planted on a step or a bench, your left foot on the floor. Push down through your right heel to straighten and stand on your right leg, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement. At the same time, pull your left leg forward and up, knee bent 90 degrees and raised waist-high. Lower your left leg back to the ground, then step your right foot down. Alternate legs to make one rep.
4. Hip Extensions
Like lunges, hip extensions can be performed anywhere and without equipment. The key to this movement is positioning your weight so that your butt does the brunt of the work, not your legs. On your hands and knees, you’ll focus the main effort in your glutes and lower back without involving your hamstrings. Tighten your core and squeeze your butt to lift one leg toward the ceiling, keeping the 90 degree bend and flexing your foot so you’re reaching with your heel as you raise your thigh in line with your spine. Keep the movement slow and controlled to the top and then back down again.
5. One-Legged Deadlifts
One-legged deadlifts do triple duty, activating your muscles for a highly effective toning session that works your butt, hamstrings, and lower back. Holding a kettlebell/dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet hip width apart, knees soft. Keeping your weight firmly on your left leg, lean forward from your hips, reaching the dumbbells toward your left foot and raising your right leg out behind you. Remember to keep your core tight and not round your back. Now stand straight, squeezing your glutes as you come back to start. Do a full series of reps before switching to your right leg for the second half of the set.
These 5 exercises are the absolute MUST DO’s of Project: Better Booty. We use all of these exercises in the most effective way in my Metabolic Mayhem Accelerated Fitness Training program. Text HTFPASS to 70000 for 2 weeks free!
Full Frontal Assault…Health Club Chains have to stop!
Posted by: | CommentsFull Frontal Assault…Health Club Chains have to stop!
By Rocco Castellano, CPT
www.Lose30inThirty.com
It’s amazing to me the stupidity that many health club chains still exhibit. A friend of mine asked me to help her out with her workout because she felt she needed to amp it up for the marathon she’s running. She has been a member of a popular “Gym” chain for a couple of years which has now changed its name in order to serve a more diverse population.
I discussed my friend’s goals, time availability and where she was going to train. I produced a workout card that I give all of my clients when they finish a consultation with me and she headed over to her “Gym” for her workout. Although I did my best to orientate her at my facility with exercises, reps and weights, the set up wasn’t the same at “her Gym” so she asked one of their trainers for some help.
Amazing but true: all she got was a few weird looks and a comment about not knowing what a “triangle row” was.
The trainer also went on to say that he was not familiar with most of the exercises on the workout card… so much for some help. As you would expect, I received a call from my friend and she relayed the story to me, asking if I would accompany her to her next workout. She didn’t feel comfortable and thought she would perform the exercises incorrectly. I scheduled some time and off we went.
This is where the bullshit began.
We walked into “her Gym” with my guest pass in hand. I was informed that I needed to fill out a form . . . name, address, age, fitness goals, you get the picture. BANG! Then it happened: “Mr. Castellano you need to meet with someone”. What? Why? I came here to workout with my friend. Are you friggin’ kidding me? Here comes “Smiling Bob”, in his blue dress shirt, looking like he wants to sell me a used car. I have to give it to him, his shirt was pressed to impress. I felt every nerve in my body surge.
Before he even started in on his sales pitch rant, I told him to stop and that I was only there because his inadequate staff couldn’t help my friend and that I would just be working out with her this once. He didn’t know what to do but to let me workout.
I’m really not sure where these “Full Frontal Assault” sales people get their training but it has to stop. I could understand a mild greeting from an assistant manager, manager or sales person to establish a rapport and a “If you have any questions I’d be glad to help” comment and let me be on my merry way. You don’t need to be a sales and marketing genius to know that if you present yourself with a friendly smile, say your name clearly, that’s a good first step in establishing a relationship with your potential customer. Whenever I get that full frontal assault I always feel like I’m under attack and will never buy what they are selling. Something I always try to do is get as much information from the potential customer, present myself in a way that would be positively memorable, let the person experience my workouts, products or websites and then follow up with them in a friendly manner and schedule a time to talk to them about how my products can help them.
If you’re talking at me…I’m not listening. Go sell it somewhere else. If you are sick of the full frontal assault, and want a fitness program you can take wherever you train, check out the Lose 30 in Thirty Fitness program.
Rocco Castellano is an globally recognized extreme weight loss specialist, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular fitness program Lose 30 in Thirty. Go to http://www.lose30inthirty.com/?hop=htfit to get your FREE copy of the Lose 30 in Thirty Starter Kit”
Hagerstown Personal Trainer Loves Surprises…
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Scan this QR code with your smart phone to get a special surprise. Go ahead, you know you want to...
5 Ways To Screw Up Your Kid’s Health
Posted by: | CommentsOn our FTNS Radio show, “Jumpstart with Chad and Kat”, we had the pleasure of interviewing 10 year old fitness sensation CJ Senter, AKA “Workout Kid”. This young man has developed a passion for fitness at such a young age, and is inspiring kids nationwide to get off the couch, and start exercising. In talking to his father, Carlos Sr., we were very happy that this wasn’t a parent who was pushing his child into anything he didn’t want to do, but was encouraging him to do what he really loves. Young CJ is an entertaining, confident little dude who is clearly loving the attention he is recieving. CJ’s parents are doing everything right, but there are many parents who are really doing some bonehead things that put the health of their children in danger. Here are 5 of the worse…
- Smoking around your kids : Nasty, nasty, nasty. And downright stupid. With the DECADES of news revealling the dangers of second hand smoke, I can’t believe I still see people doing this. Especially in a car, with the windows up. Rediculous! This is the fast track to lung caner at an early age. If you are over 18, and want to smoke cigarettes, that’s your business. But don’t force your children to inhale the nasty poisen you fill your lungs with.
- Feed them nothing but “convenience foods”. Lunchables, sugary Kids cereals, McDonalds, pre-packaged meals, etc. All this stuff is fake, manufactured food, and should be eaten SPARINGLY, if ever. Add sugary snacks on top of these, and you have a recipe for future weight issues as young adults.
- Not encouraging active play. Children should be engaged in active play AT LEAST an hour a day. When i was little, I think i was engaged in active play all day. Find or organize a playgroup in your neighborhood to get kids outside and get them to plsy like we used to. Dodgeball, kickball, just GO PLAY! That brings me to…
- Not exercising. Children tend to want to do what they see or hear their parents doing. Enjoy these years, because you only get about 12 of them! Exercise regularly, and make it a priority to let your little crumbsnatcher what you do. This will plant the seeds of lifelong fitness, and make you look like a rock star when they see you cranking out the pushups!
- Keep telling them what they CAN’T do. Don’t allow your unrealized dreams, and disappointments hold your kids back from what they have a fire for. The more they hear “You can’t”, the more the believe it. They believe it enough, they’ll never be confident enough to take on challenges, and be resigned to blissfull mediocrity.
I’m sure there are a TON more ways to screw up your kids health, what do you say some of them are? Leave your comments below!
Hagerstown Personal Trainer Says No Pesticides
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It kills the small stuff, but it's fine for us! Right?
Agricultural pesticide use has been on the rise, and in light of what the function is, I can’t help to think that if pesticides kill little organisms quickly, what do pesticides do do big organisms long term? It may be negligible in small amounts, but with the steady increases in use since the 90′s due to Genetically Engineered crops, we have to question what effect these chemicals are having on our physiologies.
Some reports suggest that regular exposure to pesticides may cause a long list of health concerns from endocrine system disorders all the way up to certain cancers. Some people in the pesticide business say these claims aren’t proven, I say I’d rather err on the side of caution and reduce, if not eliminate all exposure if possible.
Buying certified organic drastically reduces your exposure to potentially harmful chemical pesticides. Buying all of your produce organic however, is cost prohibitive to many American families. Some particular items of produce have more pesticide exposure than others, so to help you choose wisely, we put together 2 lists to take with you the next time you go shopping to reduce your exposure to pesticides, and shop healthier for your family.
The “Dirty Dozen (highest pesticide exposure, buy organic everytime):
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Grapes
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
- Lettuce
- Kale/Collard Greens
- Onions
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Sweet Peas
- Mangoes
- Eggplant
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Sweet Potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Mushrooms
