Man, I’m having a rough year :-) 

So I’m writing this as my currently-potty-training-2-year-old, Mikey, climbs all over me trying to get my attention.

The baby is asleep - for at least the next 20-minutes - finally … he was running a fever last night.

And my wife is upstairs in bed nursing the flu (this is the second time that we’ve gotten the flu shot and have gotten the flu).

I’ve slept a total of 6 hours the past 2 nights and am running on fumes.

Weeks like this don’t happen too often, but when they do, I’m usually prepared (or at least as prepared as I can be for situations like this). In fact, as much as logic tells me not to, it’s weeks like this that I really get focused and dismiss any thoughts of taking the easy way out and order some take out because of the limited time I have.

Instead, I hit the organic food market and load up on fresh fruits and veggies and gorge on as much nutrient dense foods as I can get my hands on. Sure, it would be convenient to call Pizza Hut and order some grease for me and the kids because time is really limited, but I opt for fresh REAL FOOD for my family …

It’s all about short term sacrifice for long-term reward (the "reward" being nobody else getting sick in this house).

In addition to amping up the REAL FOOD consumption, I also have cut down the workout time a little.

Because of my overworked immune system (from the lack of sleep and interacting with someone infected with the flu), I don’t need my body to be stressed more than it should.

So instead of training my usual 45-minutes, I’ve opted to cut my training times down by 2/3rds.

All that means for me is to do some foam rolling, do some joint mobility drills, go through a very thorough warm-up, and then train hard for 15 minutes. I’ll train 3 times this week and mix in some chin-ups just for fun everyday.

When you’re constructing a Kettlebell and Bodyweight Fusion Workout like the one I did today (and will be doing for the rest of the week at least), you need to make sure you cover all the necessary movement patterns (that’s trainer jargon for "exercises").

When I design my kettlebell fat loss circuit workouts, I make sure that I include …

1) an upper body push (push-ups or some type of standing KB overhead press)

2) an upper body pull (chin-ups or renegade rows are my favorites)

3) a bilateral lower body exercise (a squat or if you’re really pressed for time, you can combine this with component "5" below and do KB swings for reps)

4) a uni-lateral lower body exercise (a lunge, pistol or split squat variation  - 1-leg split deadlifts are my favorite right now)

5) a metabolic finishing component (usually in the form of a snatch or KB Swing)

You can get into more complicated stuff like ladders, smoke sessions, pyramids and other stuff, but this week calls for something simple that will amp up my energy and keep me going into the wee hours of the morning (hopefully for not much longer).

So here’s the workout that I’ll be doing this week as I try to make it through the flu, potty training and an infant fever…

The "Please-Just-Get-Me-Through-This-Week" KB/BW Fusion Circuit

1) 1-arm KB Thrusters (this is a squat to overhead press holding a KB in one hand and combines 1 and 3 above) x 8 per side

2) Renegade Rows x 10 reps per side

3) 1-Leg Split Deadlifts x 8 reps per side (see picture RIGHT)

4) Chin-ups x 6 reps

5) Push-ups x 30s

6) 1-arm KB Swings x 20 per side (alternating every 10 reps)

I’ll finish that with some light stretching of tight muscles (usually my pecs, quads & hip flexors) and then I’ll have my post-workout meal of the moment - carrots & hummus.

Then it’s back to the grind.

Having 5 kids is fun, but man, when you’re significant other is sick and you have to go 1 on 5 … it’s pretty challenging.

I hope the rest of the year is easier because we’re only in the first week!

Happy New Year!

-Chris, CTT, CSCS

P.S. If you’re sick of the fluff and filler of regular workouts then you should get started with the TT Kettlebell Revolution … these workouts will save you time and get you better results than any spinning class or bench & bi’s workout ever could …

=>Click HERE to get started with the TT Kettlebell Revolution

Maybe it’s just the natural path that my life seems to be taking now, but I think my theme for the next decade as I go into 2010 will be "living with enough".

As a result of that, I’m a neo-minimalist, I’m more aware of my carbon footprint, I’m over my "accumulate-as-much-sh*t-as-possible-even-if-I-can’t-afford-it" phase of my 20’s and I’m more concerned with spending time with my family and being healthy than having the latest and greatest gadget, pair of Nikes or iPod. 

I’ve also come to realize that when it comes to training, for me, I don’t need to train 7-days-per-week to get the results that I want.

Why?

Because I live an active lifestyle that incorporates various activities into my day that keep me "fit" already.

And that’s where Big Bold Prediction for 2010 comes in…

The Minimalist Workout

This one goes hand in hand with #1. Because people are becoming more health conscious, I think more and more of them will opt to live an "active" lifestyle choosing fun activities like recreational sports, hiking, surfing, snowboarding and bike riding for their "exercise".

Not to say that going to the gym isn’t fun, but a lot of people really dread going to the gym. I think you have to have a certain personality to really enjoy it. 

But, if you have an individual who…

-commutes to work by riding his bike everyday,

-plays pick-up basketball twice per week,

-goes snowboarding or hiking on the weekend,

-meditates for 30 minutes everyday,

-eats a great diet of Real Food and

-sleeps 8-9 hours per night

 Then how often, really, does this person need to go to the gym to get or stay in shape? 

 For someone like this, I’d just prescribe him a 2-day per week program. Maybe something like this…

 

Day 1

1) Squat (3 x 6)

2a) Chin-ups (3 x AMAP )

2b) Push-Ups (3 x AMAP )

2c) DB Lunges (3 x 10/side)

3) KB Swings x 100 

 

Day 2

1) Deadlift (3 x 6)

2a) Standing KB Military Press (3 x 8 )

2b) KB Row/Bodyweight Row/Renegade Row (3 x 10/side)

2c) Pistols (3 x AMAP )

3) Burpee Tabata Protocol (20s ON, 10s OFF x 8 )

 

That would be it. He’d have to commit a total of 90 minutes per week (2 sessions of 45 minutes or less on say, Monday and Thursday) to go to the gym and train.

 And that’s all he’d need because he (or she) is an active individual with a great consciousness of health and life.

 Too many people get caught up in the minutiae of training and they think that they need to be in the gym all day, everyday in order to see results.

 I used to tell my clients that it isn’t about the 2 or 3 hours per week that I see you that will get you results … it’s what you do with the other 165 hours in the week and how you live your life during those hours.

 So that’s my challenge to you for 2010 and beyond …

 How well can you master the other 165 hours in your day when you’re not training?

 Are you wasting time watching TV when you could be reading to or playing with your kids? (By the way, I don’t count watching TV with your kids as "family time").

 Are you working out 7 days per week going half-assed? Could you spend your time more wisely by cutting your training time by 2/3, training with intensity and then doing things of more impact and meaning with your new found time?

 Now’s the time to start.

 The New Year is upon us.

 

-Chris Lopez, CTT, CSCS

Author, TT Kettlebell Revolution 

 

I hope you’re having a very safe and happy holiday season thus far.

It’s the usual "craziness" in the Lopez household with family time, family time and more family time.  

Food, as I’m sure you know already, has been abundant for the past week. I’ve managed to keep things under control by making sure that I fill my plate with vegetables and limiting my starchy carbohydrate intake. I’m not a big drinker either so I haven’t consumed many "empty" calories.

From a workout standpoint, I haven’t picked up a kettlebell in a week! I’m taking these 2 holiday weeks off and am just doing some bodyweight training.

I got a copy of Combat Conditioning from Craig Ballantyne for Christmas, so I’ve been devouring it and really getting into the handstand push-ups and back bridges.

A few weeks ago, Craig asked me to give him my 3 Bold Fitness Predictions for 2010 for a report that he did that you can pick-up HERE.

My predictions are based mainly on my own experiences and how I see the fitness and health industry evolving.

My life lately, has taken a bit of a minimalist "turn". Maybe it’s because I have 5 kids or maybe it’s because as I get older I’m starting to realize that there are other things that are more important than "stuff" - like family, friends, relationships.

Some say that I’m taking this SIMPLICITY thing a little too far because I shaved my head on Christmas Eve. 

In saying that, I do think that Living With Enough and Simplicity will be big themes for a lot of people for 2010, so with that my 1st Big Bold Prediction for the Fitness Industry in 2010 is the rebirth of… 

The Minimalist Gym - Machine-less & Cardio-less gyms.

I knew this was coming  for a while now, it was just a matter of timing. Now, with everyone being "spending conscious" and living simpler lives, it looks like that time is now. 

There are only a handful of gyms/training facilities doing this currently, but I think the concept of gyms without treadmills, ellipticals, butt blasters and ad/abductor machines is going to go mainstream. Partly because of the economic times (big cardio machines are expensive) and partly because the end user is becoming a lot smarter and more informed than before.  

It’s becoming less and less of a secret that machines are unnatural and that cardio flat out sucks. Now I’m starting to notice more gym owners educating themselves or hiring staff who actually know what they’re doing and are advising against recumbent bikes, leg curl machines and ab crunchers. 

So now, you’ll see more people doing metabolic weight training, kettlebell swings, bodyweight circuits, short distance sprints and interval training instead of cardio.  People will be squatting and deadlifting more, using free weights, barbells & kettlebells. And trainers are going to have to work a lot harder - no more standing by a treadmill talking to your client while he or she walks for 10-minutes to warm-up.

If I were to put together my own facility, there wouldn’t be a machine in sight.

I’d have ropes hanging from the ceiling for climbing (like in PE class), a series of different horizontal bars of various heights for chin-ups, 1 or 2 power racks, a glute-ham raise, dumbbells that went up to 100lbs, a bunch of kettlebells and club bells and 1000 square feet of open space.

As a director of the gym, I would make it mandatory that all participants complete and master proper form on the basic bodyweight exercises (or their variations) - squats, push-ups, (assisted) chin-ups, bridges, planks, etc.

My Philosophy … You don’t have much business using external resistance if you can’t handle your own bodyweight.

 It’s not sexy, and a lot of keeners will be put off by that statement, but this isn’t about milking you for your gym membership money.

It’s about delayed gratification and long-term results.

After all, anything really worth achieving requires hard work and patience.

Stay tuned for Big Bold Prediction #2 coming on Wednesday.

Enjoy your holidays!

-Chris

p.s. Don’t forget to pick-up your copy of the TT Kettlebell Revolution and get 2010 started off the right way!

=> Get your copy of the TT Kettlebell Revolution HERE

 

 

Believe it or not, but I’m writing this post at Starbucks (I never go to Starbucks) in Newmarket, Ontario (about 75kms north of my beloved Toronto).

Big deal, you say? Actually, yes.

See, on Saturday we drove up to Bradford, Ontario for my daughter’s volleyball tournament. I left around 7am with AJ (my 11 year old daughter) and my wife left a few hours later with my father-in-law to meet us up there.

On their way up, she started having "blinding" pains in her midsection followed by several sessions of vomiting. Alarmed at the violence of the sickness, my father-in-law found the closest Emergency Room (which is here in Newmarket) and brought her in.

The staff seeing the severity of the situation, admitted her right away - I think that was the fastest wait time in Emergency Room history.

It turns out she has pancreatitis - due to an over abundance of triglycerides in her blood flow that is common after pregnancy (our son, Joaquin, is 7 weeks old).

So, I have spent the past 2 nights sleeping in a cot here in her hospital room with the baby

 (because he’s nursing). My girls - all 4 of them - have been at my parents house for the past few nights about 15 minutes away.

Knowing that I will be taking a few days off to give a hand in recovery, I broke away for a couple of hours to get on the net (apparently they don’t know what the internet is at this hospital) so that I can get some work done, pick-up some coffee and get some fresh air.  

I also managed to hit a couple of stores to pick-up some Christmas presents for some friends.

Times counting down to the big day, and in my house the excitement is mounting. My kids are stoked and my wife and I have been trying franticly to make decisions on what to get the kids from their wishlists … no easy task if you’re a parent.

My wife asked me a few days ago - before the whole medical fiasco - what I wanted for Christmas, so aside from my standard answer of "I already have everything I need" (which I do), what I really want is a copy of Dragon Door’s new book, "Convict Conditioning" by Paul "Coach" Wade - a book about hardcore bodyweight training.

As most of you know, I’m a huge fan of bodyweight training to complement your kettlebell training and this book got the highest recommendation from some of the most respected people in our industry.

If you’re not sure what you want for Christmas or are resolving that 2010 is going to be the year that you cut the fluff out of your busy life and do only the things that have the most impact, then take a look at the TT Kettlebell Revolution Wish Lists that I’ve created to help you get the most out of your workouts.

There’s both a "Beginner" and "Advanced" version.

These lists will give you the absolute essential tools that you’ll need to get lean and athletic with Kettlebell Workouts.

Remember, as I’ve said before, we train with KBs and bodyweight because it’s the simplest and easiest way to lose fat, gain muscle and get lean and athletic - all in the comfort of your own home using minimal equipment and minimal time.

So without further delay, here are the Beginner and Advanced KB Essentials Wishlists…

Beginner

-12kg Kettlebell (for women) or a 16kg Kettlebell (for men)

-A copy of the most efficient kettlebell home fat loss program available - The TT Kettlebell Revolution

-Gym Boss Timer to time your intervals

-A pair of wrist bands (to help you in learning how to snatch a kettlebell properly)

-A "hole free" door way chin-up bar

 Advanced

-16kg Kettlebell (for women) or a 24kg Kettlebell (for men)

-A copy of the most efficient kettlebell home fat loss program available - The TT Kettlebell Revolution

-Convict Conditioning from DragonDoor.com

-An ab-wheel

 

So if you have a special someone who wants to make 2010 their year for change, take a look at the list above and see if there’s anything that they need and save giving the fruitcake to your boss or the teacher that gave your kid the undeserving "C" in gym class.

Enjoy your week and I’ll keep you updated on how my wife is doing.

-Chris

 I filmed this after practice last night since I got about 10 emails asking what this was in my previous post.

This is by far one of my favorite "combo" exercises. At the studio I used to train at, they had one of those Keiser racks where the chin-up bar was 9 1/2 feet high. There were only a few trainers at the gym who could do this combo on that rack because you had to be able to jump (yes, I was one of them).

This chin-up bar isn’t nearly as high (maybe 8 1/2 feet), but is still just as effective.

Enjoy your weekend!

Chris, CTT, CSCS

True conversation that I overheard at the gym yesterday between a trainer and his 20-something female client (sorry, I couldn’t help it):

 

Trainer: "You’ve got to try this new 4-minute workout that I’ve got for you. All you have to do is alternate exercising for 20s and then resting for 10s. You do this 8 times in a row for a total of 4 minutes and that’s it. It’s called a Tabata."

Client: "What does Tabata mean?"

 

Trainer: "It means "fat loss" in Japanese.  

Client: "So that’s it? Four minutes?" 

Trainer: "Yep (proceeds to hand client 8lb dumbells). So let’s make this interesting. We’re going to combine bicep curls and stability ball crunches. So you’ll do 20s of bicep curls with the 8lb weights and then rest for 10s and then do 20s of crunches". 

Client: "Awesome. You know, I’ve got some light dumbells at home. I could probably do this type of thing for my home workout too. Afterall, it’s only 4-minutes. 

Trainer: Absolutely! Just pick any 2 exercises and go for it! 

At this point, smoke is coming out of my ears because of this trainer’s misinformed knowledge on a what a Tabata is. 

But it’s not just him. I’ve seen countless sites on the web showing people how to do a Tabata protocol using useless exercises that will do absolutely nothing … 

-Abductor machine for 20s, rest, then Adductor machine for 20s 

-Dumbbell Rows for 20s on the right, rest, then dumbbell rows for 20s on the left 

-Even Bodyweight squats for 20s, rest, then 20s of push-ups (heck, I made that mistake a few years ago in one of my programs)

 

 

The truth about Tabatas is that they have to be intense. Let me rephrase that … 

 

   They have to be "sweat-inducing, my-lungs-are-about-to-pop-out-of-my-chest-if-it-weren’t-for-this-vomit-creeping-up-my-throat INTENSE".

 

   When Dr. Izumi Tabata did his research on high-intensity exercise back in 1996, he didn’t test the effects of doing lateral raises with pink dumbbells for 20 on, 10 off.

In fact, in order for the Tabata protocol to be effective, you’d have to get up to 170% of your VO2 Max (a measure of Oxygen uptake). Clearly, there is absolutely no way that anyone could work that intensely doing a single joint exercise like an ab/adductor machine or bicep curls.

You’d have to do bodyweight squats and push-ups pretty fast for you to get to that intensity as well.

 

 So what are the best exercises to use when you’re constructing your Tabata protocol? 

Generally, any FULL BODY exercise would be ideal to use when you’re doing Tabatas. 

Specifically, here is a list of my favorite exercises to use when I do Tabatas … 

-Sprints (hills, track, sand/beach … notice I didn’t say treadmill - click HERE to find out why)

-Barbell FRONT Squats (because it’s easier to rack the bar on a front squat)

-Snatch Grip Deadlifts

-Thrusters (Squat presses)

-Double KB Front Squats

-KB Swings

-1-arm KB Snatches

-Burpees

-Push-up, Burpee, Chin-up combos

-Tire Flips

-Sledge hammer slams

-Sled dragging

-Pushing my VW in an empty parking lot

 

   Try doing any of the exercises in the above list for 20s on, 10s off for 8 rounds and tell me how you feel. Then, try doing bicep curls for the same protocol and tell me if you feel a difference.

 

   Another point to mention is that Tabatas by themselves do not a workout make.

 

   Sure they’re intense, and yes, if you’re pressed for time then doing a Tabata is better than not doing anything at all. But for someone to think (or for a trainer to prescribe) doing a Tabata as your only form of exercise for a fat loss workout would be incorrect.

 

   Tabatas, like traditional interval training, bodyweight circuits or KB Swings for time or reps, are best used as "metabolic finishers" after the strength component of your workout. So get your strength work done first and then hit the Tabatas or sprint intervals or swings or whatever.

 

   The take home point is that Tabatas are not the magic exercise bullet that misinformed fitness people have made it out to be. These days I’ve noticed that Tabatas are getting the same kind of magic bullet reputation as hoodia or gogi berries or that crazy weight loss tea.

 

   Tabatas are just another form of interval training, which, combined with strength training and eating real food, is the fastest way to lose fat and get lean.

 

   Chris Lopez, CSCS, BSc HK

 Certified Turbulence Trainer

 

 Author, TT Kettlebell Revolution Workouts

 

 

P.S. Tabata does NOT mean "fat loss" in Japanese. 

  Q: Chris, guys like you and Craig Ballantyne hate cardio so much and I’m not sure why. I’ve been a runner for over 15 years now and I’ve been training with weights for only a few years. I’ve found that running is the only type of exercise to give me the long, lean dancer look that I’m after. In my experience, weight training has only made me feel big & bulky. What gives? Why do you hate cardio so much?

 One-on-one training is dying.

What is this, 1983?

 -Chris Lopez

Author, TT Kettlebell Revolution

P.S. For MORE bootcamp workouts, get your copy of The TT Bootcamps Workout System

 

I received a few emails last week about the type of diet I eat to stay lean that’s a great compliment to Kettlebell Training.

The honest truth of the matter is that there is no real “diet” that I follow or that I think you should follow to get lean using your kettlebell workouts.

I think, sometimes, it’s just a matter of logic.

The whole purpose of the TT Kettlebell Revolution is to help you simplify your workouts, your nutrition and your lifestyle.  It isn’t about carrying around a scale to measure your protein portions or walking around with a glycemic index chart so you can refer to it before you make the decision to have an apple from Ontario or an apple from upper NY State.

So, in saying that, I like to follow an “UN-DIET”.  I eat whatever I want, whenever I want.

Now hold the boat!  That doesn’t mean that I’m over-indulging in pizza, fries, cake & beer all the live-long day.  (Although I will enjoy a good slice of cheesecake every now and then).

Eating “whatever you want” and still staying lean and in great shape means that 1) you need to have a good relationship with food and 2) you have to have a healthy consciousness towards food.

Let’s try to break down both of them…

Having a good relationship with food. If you grew up in the bodybuilding and supplement era of mid-90s like I did, then you know all about the guys that would show up at the gym with their portable electronic scales measuring how much boiled chicken breast they should be eating.

Over the summers when I was young, I used to work at a gym where one guy (he was the 35+ year old manager with 2 kids) would consistently buy a case of tuna each week and store it in his locker. He wouldn’t touch rice (brown or white), pasta, apples (most fruits in fact) or any type of oil or fat.  Any time he would break down and have an apple or a piece of fruit, he would be enraged and upset with himself, feeling guilty that his will power had failed him.

The guy was in what he called a “cutting” phase. And he was miserable.

That same winter, I quit the gym training job and decided to venture out on my own as an independent trainer. The day I left, that same guy walked into the gym, about 20lbs heavier, with 3 bags of McDonalds and would devour Big Mac after Big Mac in the hopes of getting bigger (READ: fatter).  He, apparently, was in a “bulking” phase.

Needless to say, this guy’s relationship with food was messed up. And his systems were getting all messed up from “cutting” and “bulking” every 3 months.

Any time you eat clean and then decide to reward yourself with a piece of cake, AND THEN feel guilty that you had the cake and went on to have the pie, cookies and ice cream … I’d say it was time to examine your relationship with food.

Having a healthy consciousness towards food is a little different, but just as essential.

Let’s say we had 2 individuals - Rob and Mike - plan out their perfect day.

Rob’s perfect day is sleeping in until noon, skipping breakfast, lounging on the couch watching TV and then inviting his buddies over to watch the game while they eat pizza & wings and drink some beers until they pass out on the couch ’til the next morning. Sound familiar?  I think that was me in college.

Mike’s perfect day involves getting up at 6 and meditating for an hour.  Then enjoying a breakfast of eggs, fresh fruit and yogurt.  After that he takes his kids to school and then heads down to the ocean with his wife for their surfing lesson.  He and his wife then enjoy a lunch of fresh grilled fish and a salad by the beach. They head over to the gym to workout together and then they pick-up the kids and spend the rest of the night together as a family enjoying dinner and then an evening walk.

Who’s got the healthier consciousness towards food and LIFE?

Each of them mapped out their perfect day. The only difference is that Mike’s consciousness of health (and food) is a lot healthier than Rob’s.

So when I say that I eat “whatever I want”, it needs to be stressed that, more often than not, I don’t want the greasy, fried and battered stuff. It wasn’t always like that. But now, being a little older, (arguably) a little wiser and knowing that there is always someone watching every decision I make (ie. my 4 girls), my consciousness of health has developed over the years.

Now, I “Jones” after good, fresh food.

Mind you, this past Sunday, my wife and I enjoyed some Buffalo chicken wings while we were watching the game (no beer or pizza though). And I enjoyed it - the company, the experience - and I didn’t feel guilty afterward.

So back to the original question, “what diet should you eat when you’re on the TT KB Revolution“?

My answer, after you’ve examined your relationship with food and your consciousness towards health/food is…

Eat REAL FOOD.
Eat when you’re hungry.
Stop eating when you’re satisfied - not full, not “stuffed” - when you’re satisfied.
Train with intensity 3 times per week.
And Be Conscious and Enjoy the process.

-Chris Lopez, CTT

P.S. We just got back from the doctor. The baby will be here either today or tomorrow … or so I’m told