Spurling Strength-The new Blog

To better suit my customers I have changed the name of my blog to Spurling Strength & Speed. It will be the same great blog, just with a new name. I am in the process of creating a website with the same name, so I wanted the blog to match.

I encourage you all to sign up and follow my blog. I know a lot of you read my blog, but the only way I know who is reading it is if you follow it.

So, for the future please visit Spurling Strength & Speed for the latest on fitness and nutrition.

All the best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

GTL??? No, how about GHR...

No, we're not talking Jersey Shore, but I bet I got your attention. Instead of GTL, I want you to try GHR. This stands for Glute Ham Raise. This is in my opinion one of the best exercises for the posterior chain, which includes the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.






The above is how it is done on a GHR machine. I am going to warn you, this is a challenging exercise and you will experience cramps in the back of the leg the first few times you do it. However, it is simply one of the best exercises at developing the posterior chain.

The first time you try it I recommend you try it this way:





By doing it this way, you have more control over the motion. You lower down real slow, while your partner pushes on your ankles. If you don't have enough strength, you can move your hands out and "fall" into a push-up position. Then, push yourself back up. Ideally, you are able to lower controlled and move back up without use of the arms.

After you are able to do the GHR on the floor, then you can use the GHR machine. So, I strongly encourage you next time your getting your G on as part of your GTL (gym, tanning, and laundry for those who don't follow Jersey Shore), give this exercise a go. You might be walking a little funny that next day, but that's okay.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Random Thoughts...

Some people may be working, others not. I have kind of random blog post. Today, I would just like to give you an update on my plans, let you know what I have been working on, and also offer you some great specials.

1. I recently accepted a position as a personal trainer at a local gym north of Boston. I will be starting there the first of the month, and hope to gain more experience in the field while working with all ages and populations. So, if any of you are in need of a gym in the merrimack valley area please don't hesitate to contact me and I can hook you up with some great deals on membership and personal training!

2. I am in the process of expanding my online personal training business. I hope by the end of March to have full website up. That being said, I am in need of your help. If anyone is good at website design I could really use the help. If your interested, please contact me via e-mail at your earliest convenience.


3. The last thing may come to a surprise to some of you. I have made a hard decision not to attend the tryout/camp for football in Canada. This has been a tough decision, that has been on my mind since before the holidays. I know this comes to a shock to some, but believe me it is not a premature decision. There are many factors in my personal life that have affected the decision.

4. I was recently accepted into my top two graduate schools. So, my plan for the future is to continue to grow as a personal trainer and strength coach, get my masters degree in exercise science/performance enhancement, work on expanding my online business and blog, and reach out to my viewers.


As for the special:

***I am offering a referral special. If you sign up for my online personal training and refer one person who also signs up, I will give you one month FREE! If you refer two people, two months FREE for you. Three people referred, three FREE months. So on, and so forth.***

Hurry up and take advantage because this special only goes until March 31, 2011!

A reminder of online personal training prices:

At personal training averaging $75/hour online personal training can be quite relieving on the wallet.

Rates:

1 month: $25



6months: $125- SAVE $25



1 year: $240- BEST DEAL-SAVE $60

This Includes:

-Monthly personalized exercise programs for your individual needs and goals
-Weekly check-ins to keep you motivated, disciplined to the program, and on track
-Nutrition Guidance



So once again, if anyone is good at website design and interested in helping if you could e-mail me at your earliest convenience. Also, I know to some the football news is shocking, but I hope you respect my decision. It was not easy, trust me.

I look forward to keeping you updated, I am excited for the future, and please e-mail me if you have any questions or just want to chat. I really enjoy feedback and suggestions.

All the Best,


Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

Understanding sets and reps...

Tonight I am sharing a link with you that I promise is worth reading. Eric Cressey breaks down sets and reps and goes over how you assign them. If you are not familiar with Cressey, he is a leader in the field of strength and conditioning. He owns his own facility west of Boston. He has been a great resource for me, and I return the favor by sharing his blog with all of you.

Check out Eric Cressey's Blog Here

Always remember, I am here to help all of you. If you ever have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

Know your goal

I can't stress how important it is to know your goal. So many people come up to me and they want to gain strength, add muscle, lose fat, and get a 6-pack all at the same time. Well, it ain't gonna happen.

If your looking to get stronger you need to lift heavier weight, less reps, and more rest.

If your looking to add muscle you need a hypertrophy style workout with high volume.

If your looking to lose weight you need to get your diet in check and then shorten your rest periods.

It is so important to remember your goal. If your trying to gain strength chances are you are going to gain a little fat since you need so many carbs for the energy required to lift heavy weight. That is why so many people fail at their programs. They try to find an all in one program. Well, those don't exist. You need to periodize your workout so that you are working on one goal at a time. That is how you are going to get the best results.

For example:

February-May: Cutting/Fat Loss. You are going to lower your carbs so you are not going to have as much energy in the gym. Increase your cardio and decrease your intensity with the weights.

June-Sept: Hypertrophy-Building muscle size-Usually 4-5 sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise. Exercises are usually done in a body building style where muscle groups are separated each day.

October-January-Strength/Bulking-This is where the numbers on lifts go up. Heavy heavy weight. However, you will gain weight with eating more and gaining muscle. Just make sure its clean, this doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want.


For athletes its slightly different, goals are usually broken into seasons:


Preseason: Power-Olympic Lifts i.e. powerclean

In Season: Maintenance-With practices and games you are lucky to get 1 or 2 workout a week

Post Season: Hypertrophy-Build muscle size

Off-season: Strength-Lift heavy, get strong


Although a simple breakdown, the above is so important. You need to remember your goal.


If you have questions regarding this or anything other topics please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

Nate Green's Hero Handbook

136 pages on how to live your life. Nate Green is giving this handbook away for free-NO STRINGS ATTACHED. With one click, you can have his handbook in a PDF on your computer. Nate is a great writer with a plethora of knowledge. His book covers everything from fitness, to nutrition, relationships, social life, and finances. A great read. This is no joke! You have to check it out.

Get The Hero Handbook here: The Here Handbook By Nate Green


Thats all for today. Got a topic idea or question? Shoot me an e-mail dspurling@une.edu

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Popping a pill for a quick fix..think again!

Americans are always looking for the quick fix. They hear all these new products that can make you lose 10lbs by eating a cookie or add 35lbs of muscle with this pill. Well, here is a news flash; It is a bunch of bull.

Although, there may be products out there that will increase your metabolism or cut a few pounds off you, it is all short term. The issue is, when people look for the quick fix, they don't make anything a habit. A lot of people KNOW how to eat right, but just don't do it.

I am telling you, the best way to see the results you want is good diet. The only way your going to get that is building a habit of consistently eating healthy things. Anyone can eat healthy for 2 weeks, but only people with discipline can eat healthy for 2 months, 2 years, and eventually make it a life-time habit.

So, I am warning you know it is not easy. However, don't go for the quick fix. It is best to build a life-time habit of healthy eating. Don't count on a pill, powder, or cookie to change your body. The only thing this will cause is the famous yo-yo effect, which over time will decrease your metabolism.

It's not easy, however, in order to get results in whatever your goal is and make them last, you need to be consistent with your diet. There is no other way, no even a cookie from Hollywood!!!

If you have any questions or topic ideas please e-mail me anytime.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Getting ripped for spring break!

I have had many viewers inform me that they are headed out west or down south for spring break. They are looking for the quick fix to get shredded for the beach. Although you should be working on that months before hand, there are some things you can do to lose that extra weight before hitting the white sandy beaches.

The most important part is the diet. I have stressed this before, and will continue to stress it. You can bust your hump in the weight room all you want, but if your diet is not a track, your going to see crap for results. When cutting, I have found through experience and research that a low carbohydrate/high protein diet is best. The latest research shows, no more then 100carbs a day.

So, lets look at this a little more closely. A male weighing 200lbs is looking to lose some weight before his trip to San Diego. We know from my previous posts that protein for an active person should be about 1.5gms of protein per pound of body weight. It is ESPECIALLY important that that much protein be consumed when on a low carb diet. So, for this gentlemen he should consume 300gms of protein each day, while only consuming 100grams of carbs each day.

Here is a sample daily food log for this gentlemen

6am- 2 scoops of whey protein with 16oz of water

9am-4 eggs scrambled with 1 piece of whole wheat toast

12pm-large salad with 80z of cut up grilled chicken. light Italian dressing on the side

3pm-15-30 almonds

6pm-9oz of fresh salmon with asparagus

9pm-1/2 cup of cottage cheese


The other half is the weight training. When on a low carb diet such as this one, it is important to remember that your energy will not be as high, since carbs are burned as energy. It is best to do a little lighter weight then usual and increase the reps. When on a diet like this, I prefer to do a full-body program 3 times a week with 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. You can do cardio either after the weight training session, or on off days.

Finally, please don't fall for the misconception that doing 100 reps of ab exercises is going to get you a 6-pack. I can promise you, a defined abdominal area is two things, genetics and diet. Not to say, that abdominal exercises won't strengthen and define your abs more, they won't do it alone. Abs should be trained just like any other muscle group, 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps.

If you have any questions or are interested in a personal weight training program to get yourself ready for the beach, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

Distance Coaching is the new thing

Going to the gym and hiring a personal trainer for one on one training seems to be fading out quickly. People are becoming busier and busier with work, school, family, and life in general. Working out at home seems to be a good solution for the time challenged. The issue with that is most people are not motivated nor disciplined enough to see any results from working out at home. Alike, some people go to the gym, but don't have the money to get coaching and proper instruction. Whether your working out at home, or heading to the gym, distance coaching can help you. Distance coaching includes:


-Monthly personalized exercise programs for your individual needs and goals
-Weekly check-ins to keep you motivated, disciplined to the program, and on track
-Nutrition Guidance

At personal training averaging $75/hour distance coaching can be quite relieving on the wallet.

Rates for distance coaching are:

-One Month: $25

-6 Months: $125

-1 Year: $240

At a portion of the cost of personal training or even a gym membership distance coaching can be the best thing for you and your family.

If interested in distance coaching please contact me via e-mail.

***SPECIAL***

For every client you refer to me for distance coaching that signs up for at least one month, you will receive one month free!!!

If you have any questions or are interested in any of my programs please don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

Be sure to get that protein!

We all now by know that we need protein in our daily diet. Protein is essential for growth, repair, and maintenance. We all know this, but very few people get the required grams of protein each day. As a result, their body may be breaking down valuable muscle tissue. So, I wonder, if people know that enough daily protein is essential, why are they not getting enough. My best guess, is that they simply don't know how much they need each day. Here are the daily protein recommendations:

Sedentary life style: 1gm of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: 150lbs=150grams of protein EVERY DAY!

Active lift style: 1.5gms of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: 150lbs=225grams of protein EVERY DAY!

Active life style: looking to gain large amounts of muscle: 1.8-2.0gms of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: 150lbs=300grams of protein EVERY DAY!

So, maybe you knew this, maybe you didn't. However, the important thing is, whether you are looking for a good recovery, trying to gain large amounts of muscle, or any both for that matter, you need to get that amount every day. For some, this can be a difficult task. You have to think about everything you eat, and remember to have high protein foods. These foods include meats, fish, cheeses, and nuts, to name a few.

We all know protein is important, but just like anything, following through with the action is easier said then done. I challenge you to write down everything you eat for a week and check and see if you are getting enough protein based on your life style, each and every day.

If you have any questions or topic ideas, please don't hesitate to contact me anytime.

Best,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Update of my adventures

As I prepare to finish up my bachelors degree I got a lot ahead of me. As all of you will be celebrating the new year, I will be making the trek down to Greenville, NC. I recently accepted a position as a strength and conditioning coach intern at East Carolina University. While there, I plan to expand my knowledge in the field of strength and conditioning. Unfortunately, as a result of taking the internship, I will be forced to leave my current employer. I have learned a tremendous amount of information while there for three years.

While down in NC, I plan to establish myself as professional strength and conditioning coach. I should have time to do at least weekly blog posts for all my viewers. I also plan to build my clientele of distance coaching.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Stay healthy,

Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

My apologies

To my followers,

I just want to send out a big apology for my lack of posts these past few months. With my football training fully underway, preparing to graduate in a few months, and work, free time for me minimal. As the summer nears, I hope to have a little more time to communicate and share my information with you guys.

Here is a quick little something on one of the most underrated exercises:

I will be honest with you, when I first heard about the kettlebell becoming more and more popular I thought it was bullshit. Although, the kettlebell has been around for hundreds of years, it is now becoming more and more popular. There are thousands of exercises you can do with a kettlebell.

The kettlebell swing is easily one of the most underrated exercises ever. As an athlete it is my goal to develop as much power as possible. Power is equal to strength times speed. The kettlebell swing combines all of those into one explosive movement that cannot be mimicked by doing anything else. The power that is created in the hips and lower body is unlike no other exercise. After adding the kettlebell swing to my program a year or so ago I noticed a huge increase in hip strength, lower body strength, and overall explosiveness.

The problem that people run into with this exercise is that 99% of the people out there perform it wrong. Your arms should not be picking the bell up. Your arms should be relaxed. All of the power from this exercise is created from the hips being driven back slowly and then explosively thrusted forward. You should drive the weight through your heels and fully extend the body, standing tall at the top of the movement.

In my opinion, athlete or not, the kettlebell swing should be an integral part of your exercise program.


If you guys ever have any question on anything please feel free to e-mail me at any time. I am also always open to blog topic ideas.

Best,

Doug Spurling, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

Seven tips to help you curve your appetite and improve performance

I found this posted by Jimmy Smith, a strength coach and a writer out of Connecticut. He usually posts a new article on a daily basis. This one I felt you all had to read. Ignore all the six pack abs bullshit and check out these seven tips that will help you out every day.

Click here for the tips


I am headed off to Myrtle Beach for spring break!

Best,

Doug Spurling, NSCA-CPT

Chocolate Milk...what?

First off, I want to apologize for not having a post in well over a month. As most of you know, this past month has been the craziest of my life. After, a lot of hard work and determination, I finally reached my life long goal of playing professional football.

Now onto today's topic: Chocolate milk as a post workout recovery drink.

There have been several studies published in the past few years looking at using chocolate milk as a post workout recovery drink. We all should know that after a vigorous workout, we need to replenish our muscle glycogen sources by in taking carbohydrates. We also need to refuel with some protein to help in in the repair and growth of muscle tissue. This should all be done within 30 minutes of finishing your workout for best results.

Now, many people are ingesting sports drinks to get these sources, loaded with excess sugars that are stored as fat. So, there has been a new look at using chocolate milk. The study posted below reveals that the group who ingested chocolate milk had better recovery and performance compared to the carb-protein mix drink.

So, why chocolate milk. Well, there is certain ratio of the macronutritents(Carbs, Fats, Proteins) that is recommended for post workout refueling. Chocolate milk just happens to have that exact ratio. It has also been studied that the excess sugars in chocolate milk are much easier digested in the gut compared to other drinks.

This is fairly new to me, so for the next month I will be using chocolate milk as a post workout drink. I will check back with you with updates and let you know how things are going. Until then, take a look at this study below and put your own thought on it.

Chocolate Milk Study-Click Here


Best,


Doug Spurling, NSCA-CPT

Skip some rope

I'm always hearing excuses about people not having time to workout, blah, blah, blah. Well, I'm not going to get into the strength training part of it. Since 90% of Americans think cardio is walking on a treadmill, I thought I would save them some time. You can run on a treadmill for 30minutes and burn a decent amount of calories. However, the lifetime of joint aches and knee pains is not worth it. In a third of the time you can do one exercise in burn just as many calories. 10 minutes of jump rope is equal to 30 minutes of jogging 7.0 mph on the treadmill. There is a reason you see athletes jumping rope frequently. Jumping rope helps build agility and foot quickness. One common examples is boxers. They want to be light and quick on their feet, hence the tremendous reps of jump rope they do.

So next time your bored and want something different aside from running on the treadmill, pick up a rope. You'll be surprised just how tough lasting on it is.

Until next time, have a great week!

Best,

Doug Spurling, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.du

3 sets of 10 or 3 sets of 12?

Ask someone what they do for a workout. They may do full body, they may to body part splits. However, I can guarantee you that 99% use the same rep scheme. How often do you hear of people always doing 3sets of 10 reps, over and over again.

Now, don't get me wrong, for first time fitness goers and "general" conditioning there is nothing wrong with 3 sets of 10 or any similar rep scheme. However, your body will get use to that volume and you will quickly hit a plateau if you don't change it. The process of changing your volume, load, and rep scheme is known as periodization. A good program is periodized so the rep scheme is always changing, keeping the body guessing.
So, how many reps is good? Well, it depends on your body, your goals, and the exercise completed. Here is a general guideline that is used:

Power: 1-3 reps
Strength: 3-8 reps
Hypertrophy: 8-12reps
Endurance: 13+ reps

So, base that with your goals. If you are a football player looking for power and strength why are you wasting your time squatting 3 sets of 10 reps. Maybe a better load is 5sets of 5 reps. Same goes as someone looking for hypertrophy and definition. Completing reps of 6 will get you strong as hell, but muscle symmetry, unlikely.

This is just a guideline. Everybody is different. Some people may gain tremendous strength with 5 sets of 5 while others it may take something like 4 sets of 8. Those above numbers are just guidelines and overlap + or - a few depending on the person.

The idea here is to take a look at your program. Have you been doing the same rep scheme over and over again? Do you have the same volume for your squat compared to your biceps curl? Each exercise is meant for something different and should have a matching rep scheme. Keep your body growing and periodize your program.

If you would like more information on periodization or would like a program designed for you please contact me.

Best,

Doug Spurling, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu

For real or just a big crock?

I follow this diet when trying to cut down. It has a lot of criticism but I have found that it works wonders. I am not recommending this diet to anybody. It is not for everyone and should only be followed by advanced lifters. If interested I suggest you do some more research on it and decide for yourself if it is right for you.

Click here for an article about the diet


If you have more questions about it feel free to shoot me an e-mail.

Best,

Doug Spurling

Exercise and Stress

Well my week from Hell is about half over. I am in the midst of finals week here at school. Hours and hours of studying have consumed my life for the past 5 days. Forget a social life, forget family, everything has gone into studying for my finals. Except for one thing, exercise. There are 24 hours in a day. I always make sure that I can find 45 minutes of it to exercise. During those 45 minutes I am in a completely different state of mind. Nothing passes my mind but what lift I am doing, not school, not girlfriends, not family, nothing but the lift. I leave the gym refreshed and energized ready for another long stretch of studying.

I don't care what your schedule is like, EVERYONE has 30-45 minutes in their day to exercise. It will not only help you physically, but more importantly mentally and your ability to deal with stress.

So next time you are stressed about something whether it be school, friends, family, work, or life in general, head to the gym. Throw around some weight and think about nothing else but your lifts. I guarantee you will walk out of their feeling 100% better.

On a side note, after this crazy week is over I will have a month off from school. Aside from my trip to Cancun for 10 days I will have many opportunities to be writing. I would love to get some ideas of what you would like to hear.

Please e-mail me at dspurling@une.edu

Best,

Doug Spurling

Get rid of those man boobs!

Most guys always are looking for a bigger, more defined chest. Everyone does the typical flat bench press, incline chest press, barbell, dumbbell, etc. The problem is those only target the middle and upper fibers of the pectoralis major.

To effectively work the lower fibers and "raise" the pecs a great exercise is decline dumbbell fly. However, it is not just a regular fly. I learned this exercise from my boss who was a student of the great Vince Gironda.

To properly do this exercise it does not take much weight. For the average person I would say anywhere from 10-20lb dumbbells would be good to use. Set a bench in the decline position. Hold the dumbbells with a false grip meaning the thumbs are on the same side, not wrapped around. Slowly open up the dumbbells into the fly position, as you bring them together, crunch up slightly to get your scapula's off the bench. Squeeze the dumbbells together and hold for a few seconds. Repeat for a given number of sets and reps. It may seem simple, but believe me, its quite the challenge. This exercise will end with a huge pump in your chest, and you will finally get the gains your looking for.

If you have questions on the exercise or anything else, feel free to e-mail me.

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Surviving the fatest holiday in America

The amount of calories consumed in a typical thanksgiving dinner is astronomical. If you sit down and think about what you put into your body between the turkey, potatoes, stuffing, appetizers, and desserts, it is very easy to consume well over 10,000 calories. That is all in a matter of 8 hours!!! The worst part is, on that day you do nothing but sit around, shoot the shit, and watch football. It back tracks even more to the whole week. I commonly hear people say, "Oh, its the week of Thanksgiving, I'll just get back on track next week." That next week turns into next month and that next month turns into a new years resolution to lose those 20 pounds that you put on since the week in late November when this all began.

Thanksgiving meals are not all that bad if you do it right. Here are a few tips that will be helpful in keeping those pounds off on turkey day.

Most gyms are open a few hours on Thursday so try and sneak in a workout.The best time would be about an hour before you consume all that glorious food. That way, when you return home, shower and begin to stuff your face your metabolism is screaming and at its peak for digestion.

I know as you are reclined back watching the Detroit Lions lose, you will probably have a ice cold beer in your hand. I'm not going to say don't have it, because although that would be the best decision, for most it is not realistic. However, try to avoid excess alcohol and avoid sugary drink such as soda. Stick with water.

Avoid, high carbohydrate foods. You all should know by now that unused carbohydrates are stored as cutaneous fat. That means, limit your carbohydrates. Try to fill up on foods like turkey, nuts, and vegetables. These foods are relatively low in carbohydrates and will keep the pounds off.


Enjoy your dinner and eat it slowly. It takes a good twenty minutes or more for your body to realize that you are eating. So take it slow, enjoy the company, and eat the food slowly. You won't eat as much and will become full quicker.

I'm not even going to mention dessert. Everyone knows it is not good for you. Whether or not you eat it is up to you. Just think before you eat it. Summer is only 6 months away. Is that brownie sundae really worth it? Really? I think not

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving and stay safe. I will be down in South Carolina soaking up the sun.

Any questions? Shoot me an e-mail at dspurling@une.edu

Best,

Doug Spurling

Truth about Gatorade and sports drinks

Gatorade has its place in an exercise program. However, it is not meant for everyone. Drinks like Gatorade and other sports drinks are full of electrolytes. These electrolytes, specifically sodium and potassium, are what we loose when we sweat. So, it makes sense that during long, high intensity, and hot workouts we loose a lot of these important electrolytes. Gatorade is amazing at replenishing those sources.

The problem comes in when you don't work hard enough and still consume a sports drink such as Gatorade. If you are in the middle of Texas running a triathlon, Gatorade is going to be beneficial. If you are completing the Boston Marathon and its 90 degrees out, a sports drink is going to be beneficial. However, how many people do that on a daily basis? Yet, companies such as Gatorade and Powerade are making thousands and even millions of dollars a day on the sales of these sports drinks.

The bottom line is, unless you are working at a HIGH intensity for a LONG period of time, sports drinks are not necessary. You simply do not loose that many electrolytes. For what you do loose, they can simply be replaced with good post workout nutrition. For the average person and most gym goers, water is the best option for rehydration. Drinking Gatorade when not loosing all those electrolytes is just like putting a candy bar in your mouth. It is pure sugar and will be stored as fat.

So, don't listen to the commercials and spend your whole paycheck on these fancy sports drinks. If you are running a marathon or about to go bike cross-country, yeah you can have a sports drink during that time. Every other time stick with good ol' H20.

Do you have questions or ideas for future topics? Please send me an e-mail.

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Always trying to learn more

I mentioned a week or so ago that as a professional in the exercise science field it is important to constantly keep yourself updated with the latest in research and news in the field. So, for the next few days I am making the trip down to Providence, RI to attend the New England American College of Sports Medicine(NEACSM) annual fall conference. I will keep you posted as to what interesting things I came back with.

Here is the link if you want more info: NEACSM

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Creatine, what is it?

You hear from people that they supplement with creatine. However, do you know what it is? Actually the real question is, do THEY really know what creatine is and what it does for our body. Creatine is a popular supplement in todays market. It used by a lot of people across the country and world. The bad thing is, half those people take it and have no clue why.

Creatine is naturally stored in our bodies. It mostly found in our skeletal muscle(95%), some is scattered throughout our body. We get it in our diet with meat and fishes but it is usually destroyed by heat.

So why is creatine so popular? When we workout we require ATP. ATP is our first energy source. However, we only have enough ATP in our body for 1-3 seconds of intense exercise. So, what happens after 3 seconds? That is where creatine comes into play. After those 3 seconds are body is looking to replenish our source of ATP. In order to do that creatine phosphate must be present. So, the idea of creatine supplementation is that the more creatine you have in your body the quicker you will be able to replenish your ATP source. This ATP creatine phosphate system only applies for 8-12 seconds of high intensity exercising. If you continue on for more then 12 seconds you are know using glucose as your primary energy source. I want to focus on those first 8-12 seconds.

So, it is proven that the supplementation of creatine aides in the replenishment of ATP. So, how is this beneficial? Well for athletes who are anaerobic, such as weightlifters, sprinters, and football players, creatine is a great supplement. With the supplementation of creatine, these athletes may be slightly quicker off the line or push out 1 or 2 more reps compared to if they were not on creatine. Those extra reps add up and at the end of the week resulting in strength and muscle gains.

Like I mentioned creatine is at its prime only for those high intensity activities lasting 8-12 seconds. So athletes like endurance runners and swimmers would not benefit from the use of creatine. Creatine is meant for anaerobic activities.

Creatine has only been around since 1993 as a supplement so there is not much research on long term side effects. The big side effect is water retention. Water is needed for creatine to enter the muscle cells, so when you are on creatine, it is not rare for you to gain 8-12 pounds of water weight. This will all be lost when you stop taking creatine.Other small side effects are the usual nausea, diarrhea, and muscle cramps.

So, you think creatine is right for you? As a recommendation, creatine should be taken at a dose of 3-5 grams a day. More is not better in the case of creatine. Your body can only hold 0.3gm per pound of body weight in kilograms, so any more then that will simply be excreted out. Creatine is best taken post workout with carbohydrates for the best absorption rate.

Creatine is not for everyone. However, is is proven to be one of safest and most effective supplements on the market today if used correctly. If you are interested in more information or recommendations about creatine, shoot me an e-mail.

If you ever have any topic suggestions or questions on fitness or nutrition please don't hesitate to ask me.

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Do you really want your health in the hands of a weekend personal trainer?

Personal trainers have a horrible reputation. When someones mentions personal trainers they think of big meat heads, who were jocks in high school, and couldn't do anything in school so they just became a personal trainer.

In my opinion, true personal trainers are professionals who have a MINIMUM of a four year degree in exercise science and have an accredited certification. In addition, they keep there certification current by attending seminars and conferences in order to expand there knowledge.

Unfortunately, there are personal trainers out there training clients with no certifications or schooling. There are several organizations that offer weekend certifications to become a personal trainer. However, do you really want your health in the hands of someone who learned everything in two days. NO!

I am 6 months away from receiving my bachelors degree in exercise science, and I don't even know half of what there is to know in the world of fitness. That is why every day I try to learn as much as I can about the human body and how it works. I am constantly attending conferences and seminars in order to improve my knowledge about fitness and currently in the process of applying to graduate school.

So, next time you meet with your trainer or choose to work with one, ask them about their credentials. Then think to yourself, do you really want your health in the hands of a weekend personal trainer or would you rather work with an educated professional exercise specialist!?

Give it a little shake and bake!

Mix it up! So many people go into the gym on a regular basis which is great. The problem is, they do the same damn thing every single workout. Don't be afraid to mix it up. Change the exercises you do, change the order you do them in, change your reps, your sets, anything to shock your body. That's all it is. In order to see results in the gym your body needs have stress placed on it. That stress being the weights in your hands. However, if you do the same thing day in and day out your body will soon no longer realize that as a stress and thus no adaptations will occur. So, to keep your body guessing and in a state of "shock" change your routine up. Whether that be doing super sets, or simply changing the order you complete your workout in. Any type of change will cause a different stress to your body and thus your body will react in a positive way!

Questions? Shoot me an e-mail.

Have great long weekend!

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Battling those night time cravings

So it's 9:00pm. You sitting on the couch watching the Red Sox game. You suddenly get hungry. What do you eat? Well, you know what you shouldnt eat, but what foods are good for you at night. The biggest thing you want to avoid at night is any carbohyrates. Carbs are broken down as energy and any excess that isnt burned as energy is stored as body fat. So, as you are settling down for the night getting ready for bed you dont use much of any energy. That explains why you dont need carbs at night.

So, now you know to avoid carbs at night. Well, as you know protein is an essential nutritnet for muslce growth and recovery. So you definetely want to inlcude that in your meal. However, it shouldnt just be any type of protein. It is best to have cassein protein at night. Cassein protein is a very slow digesting protein that takes anywhere from 6-8 hours to digest. So you take in some cassein protein before bed and you have an instant metabolism boost. This way, your body is still working while you are sleeping to breakdown that protein and provide it to your muslces, vital organs, and keeping your metabolism skyrocketing.

So what kind of food cotains cassein protein. Basicaly any milk or cheeses. No, that does not include icecream! Foods that best for you at night are thing like milk, string cheese, sliced cheese, and cassein protein powder. However, there is one food that beats all of those is the king of night time muscle building. That food is.................


COTTAGE CHEESE!

Yes, I know most people look at it and gag but I promise you it is the best thing you can have at night. 7 years ago when I first started lifting I hated cottage cheese. I couldnt even stand to look at it. I soon learned that I was going to have to force myself to like it. Today, after a hard day of school and work I cannot wait to get home and chow down on my cup of cottage cheese.

So, next time you have a night time craving try to avoid those cupcakes, chips, and poptarts and stick to that cassein protein and eat some cottage cheese!


Questions? Shoot me an e-mail!

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Do we really need all the bells and whistles!!!??

I am sick and tired of hearing people complain about how "old" our equipment is at my local gym. Our equipment is not "old", it works perfectly fine. Just because it doesn't have a 40" plasma attached to it doesn't mean it isn't any good. People are forgetting the main reason we go to the gym. The main reason we go to the gym is to reach our fitness goals and transform our body to fit our likings. Does that require a plasma TV and a fancy machine that talks to you? No, all it requires is the proper equipment. A lat pull down machine is a lat pull down machine. If it was made in 2009 or 1909 it is still going to give you the same results. Just because you have the latest and greatest equipment doesn't mean you are going to get the results you want. In fact, in my opinion is iit is going to inhibit your results. For example, you go to the gym tomorrow to get a good cardio workout. Your object is to bust your ass for a period of time and burn some calories. If you have a TV sitting right in front of you with the New England Patriots on, are you really going to get the best possible workout? No, you are going to be more focused on how Tom Brady is doing. You go to the gym to get results not to watch TV, that is why you have a living room in your house. So, next time you go to the gym , ask youself something? I am going to be here for this amount of time, am I going to get everything out of this with the time that I have? Is a machine that was built in 2010 with all the bells and whistles, plasma TV and all going to get you the resutls? No, hard work, dedication, and persitance will get you the results you want!


Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Supplements Galore!

You go online or walk into a GNC or similar supplement store and you are bombarded by thousands of products. Most of these products are not only way over priced but a complete waste of money. Most of the products found in these stores will just go through your body and be urinated out and have no nutritional or "supplemental" benefit. Essentially, you are pissing away your money. Now, that is not to say that all supplements are bad and that no one should take supplements. However, MOST of the supplements sold in these stores are simply modified sugars and caffeine. The problem is, people still buy these products. Supplements are just like anything else, a business. The companies are going to do whatever it takes to sell there products and make them money. So they write things like muscle building, fat losing, energy boosting, faster reovery, vasodilation, and loose 100lbs in a week all over there bottles. The sad thing is, people read that and automatically believe it. So, the supplement company just won, becasue they made money of that person. That is all they care about.

Now, like I mentioned not all supplements are junk. Things like multivitamins, proteins, fish oil, fax seed, and even creatine are proven to be beneficial. That is not to say that everyone should go out and buy these supplements. In my opinion, if you are under the age of 18, you diet should only consist of whole foods, no supplements, unless there is a medical deficiency. Now, after the age of 18 you begin to add some supplements to your diet IF you have a good diet. Think about the word supplement. When you supplement something you complement it. So, if you don't have a good, well balanced diet, then don't even bother adding supplements. After you have perfected your diet you can then start adding things like whey protein, fish oil, flax seed, and creatine monohydrate.

Just remember, although supplements may say it on the bottle they are not instant body transformers. If you want to change your body you must have a well designed exercise program and more importantly a well rounded diet. If and when you have both of those you can then use certain supplements to your benefit.

If you have any questions about supplements, nutrition, or an exercise program feel free to shoot me an e-mail.

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

What a game!!!

Monday night I had the opportunity to see the Patriots open up there season at Gillette Stadium. It was one of the greatest games I have even been too. I have been to games from all the major Boston sports team, nothing topped this. The 4+ hour drive down and the 3 hour drive back was well worth the 3 hours of excitement. As Buffalo was up before the comeback, numerous fans began to leave. I can't imagine what they were thinking as they were sitting on Route 1 listening to the game as Brady completes the touchdown pass to Watson. By far, the best game I have ever been too.

I want to take this time to apologize for my lack of time spent on this blog recently. As the fall semester is underway and my hours at work have been increased, I simply have not had the extra time to get an entry in. This semester will be by far my most challenging semester yet, however, after December it should be relatively smooth sailing on the way to getting my degree. So, I will try to get an entry in about once a week but can't promise much. If you want a daily entry you can contact my physics professor and tell him to not give me so much homework.

If anyone is interested in a particular topic and would like me to elaborate on it and give my insight just shoot me an e-mail. The way college is run today, I am checking my e-mail every hour for assignments and updates so I will get it immediately.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Program Design

Do you know what you are doing in the gym tomorrow? Next week? Next month? I do. I have eight weeks planned out ahead of what exercises, sets, and reps each and every workout. So many people simply decide what they are going to do at the gym on the drive over or as they are improperly warming up on the treadmill. They just do a list of random exercises with the all too common 3 sets of 8-12.They have no plan, no goals, no nothing.

In order to see good results you must have a solid program designed and written down on paper. Each workout, each week, and each month you should have goals you want to achieve. That is the only way you are going to see results. Picking some random exercises with no progression is not going to cut it.

If you have questions on program design don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.


Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

The importance of a weight training recorder or journal

Do you remember exactly how much weight you lifted and for how many reps last week? How about last month? If you do know, then chances are you are keeping track of your workouts. If not, well start doing it! The only way to know you are improving in the weight room is if you are doing more repetitions with the same weight or you are pushing more weight. Yeah sure, you can guess and estimate if you are improving. However, the only true way to know that for sure is to keep a workout recorder. This can be a blank notebook or a typed our excel document. It is a matter of choice. The important thing is that you write each exercise you completed on that date and for how many sets and reps. That way the next time you complete that exercise you can look back and try to improve on your last performance. Doing this will help you achieve your goals quicker in the weight room!

Questions? Shoot me an e-mail!

Best,

Doug Spurling
dspurling@une.edu

Questions?

Just wanted to give everyone an update. For a few reasons I had to change my e-mail address.

If you ever need to contact me for questions, comments, suggestions, concerns or anything else please send it to:

dspurling@une.edu

Thanks,

Doug Spurling

I have returned!

After a week long trip of excitement, humor, and relaxing I have returned to reality. First off, my vacation was a blast. Fun filled and never a dull moment, I truly enjoyed the week. It was an excellent way to reboot my body for another 6 months of school, internships, work, and the craziness of daily life.

As august leaves us and September approaches I am getting very excited. This week I move into my new apartment with 3 other UNE students on goose rocks beach. Although I enjoyed being a 2 minute walk to class on campus, I think leaving off-campus will be a great experience.

Also, in September I start my new workout program. I am doing total body program designed by Chad Waterbury. If you don't know who that is, google his name, he is a brilliant young man with a plethora of knowledge to share.

So, this week I return to school, back to work, a new workout, new goals, a new month, a refueled body, needless to say, I am pretty excited!

I will be back after I have everything moved in and organized in my new apartment to share some great news with you all!

By the way, if you have a chance, go see the movie titled Inglorious Bastards. It is probably in my top five of best movies ever!

Any questions or comments please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

Best,

Doug Spurling
djs1232@comcast.net

It's Vacation Time!

I am finishing up my summer internship and classes tomorrow. I am busy packing up all my belongings and moving them out of my dorm. As my busy summer comes to an end, I am taking a little break before fall classes and craziness pick up. Next week, I will spend a week down in Cape Cod, MA with my family. It should be a good relaxing week and give me some time to refuel before I hit the books hard again soon after I get back.

So as almost everyone goes on vacation at least once a year, I want to make some suggestions on how to workout when you are at a hotel or not able to make it to a gym.

Here is some workout ideas that can easily be completed in a hotel room and your living room.

Body weight Squats
Lunges
Step-ups to a chair
Push-ups
Sit-ups
Jumping Jacks
Mountain Climbers
Burpees


This is the workout I will complete while down in the Cape

Monday:

50Body Weight Squat
50 Mountain Climbers
50 Push-ups
25 Burpees
50 Sit-ups

*Repeat 3 times

Tuesday: Run on the beach

Wednesday:

30 Lunges
50 Jumping Jacks
50 Push-ups
25 Burpees
50 Sit-ups

*Repeat 3 times

Thursday: Run on the beach

Friday: Same as Monday

Saturday: Run on the beach

Sunday: Same as Wednesday


Be creative with your own workout. However, when you go on vacation or cant get to the gym don't start trying to think of excuses not to workout. Gym or no gym, everyone is able to workout anywhere.

Have a great week and I will see you in a week!

Best,

Doug Spurling
djs1232@comcast.net

READ THIS! What a bunch of Bull SH*T!!!!

I recently read this article in Time magazine and was absolutely appalled that this was even published.

Have a read for yourself: Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin

Show me some intensity!

To be good at what you do, you must have intensity. I don't care what you do, whether it be at work or in the weight room. If you want to succeed you have to show some intensity. If you go into the gym and just go through the motions swinging around dumbbells carelessly, you are not going to get the results you are looking for. You must do it with intensity. Focus on each and every rep and concentrate on what muscle you are working.

Some of you already now this. If I am in the middle of a good workout with my headphone on, you best not interrupt me. My intensity level is high and I am focusing on what I am doing, I don't want to be interrupted. It may be my football mindset that causes me to think like that, but regardless, it works.

So, next time you step in the gym, show some intensity. Focus on what you are doing, and do it with passion. Don't just go through the motions. That goes with life too. Don't go through life, sitting back waiting for things to come to you. It is not going to happen. Show some intensity, passion, and drive and strive for what you want.

Questions? E-mail me at djs123@comcast.net

Best,

Doug

1....2....3....STREETCHH!!!!!

When you walk into a gym, what is the first thing you do? After you put your stuff in a locker, your probably jump on a piece of cardio for 5 minutes or so and then hit the weights. Then a week later you come crying to me that you pulled a hamstring. Well, the reason, improper warm-up.

I see very few people properly warm-up before they began to exercise. Hell, some people walk right in and throw themselves underneath and bench and start pressing plates. That is when injury happens.

There are many different types of stretching including, PNF, passive, active, isometric, static, and dynamic. What 99% of the population does is static stretch. Static stretch is when you stretch a muscles and hold it for 20-30 seconds then release, for example, the common touch your toes and hold. The problem is, people do that at the wrong time. Static stretching should be done AFTER exercise, not before. My famous example goes something like this. You have a rubber band, that represents you muscle. You tie it in a knot. So, now you have a tight and cold muscle. What happens when you pull it tighter and hold that. Yes, it gets tighter and tighter. That is what you are doing to your muscles if you are stretching a cold muscle. Instead static stretching must be done when the muscle has just finished being worked and is warm and loose.

Dynamic stretching is what should be done before exercising. This will loosen up your muscles and undo those knots. Also, if possible, before the dynamic stretching, complete a short session of foam rolling(another topic for another day). The dynamic stretching should be just that, dynamic. You should be on your feet moving your body in a way to get in properly warmed up for exercise to prevent injury.

An example of a good dynamic stretching routine is as follows. Each exercise being completed for a total of 10 reps.

Prisoner Squats
Jumper Jacks
Forward Skips
Side Shuffle
Crossovers
Backwards run
Forward Lunge
Hip Bridges
Straight leg raises
Side Leg Raises
Glute Raises
Scapula Retraction
Rotators Cuff Swing outs
T-Spine Mobility
Spider man Crawl

That is a full dynamic warm-up that should take about 10-15 minutes and will break a sweat. It will get you properly warmed up for exercise in the weight room.

Walking into the weight room and throwing around dumbbells before properly warming up is simply asking for trouble. So make sure you take the time to properly warm-up before you begin your weight training session.

If you have any questions about the different types of stretching, when to do what type, or have questions about the above exercises feel free to e-mail me.

Best,

Doug Spurling
DJS1232@comcast.net

A little fun!

Thursday, I took a day off of my crazy schedule and truly realized what it is like to be a kid again.  Between work, school, internship, and family matters I have not had much free time this summer. Working over 40 hours a week at internship plus full-time work at my local gym has put a strain on me. That is not to mention the stress of summer classes and dealing with the recent news that my mom now has cancer. 

So, some gracious members at my gym took time out of there busy work schedules and took me up to Little Ossipie Lake. While there, we attempted to try and get me up on water ski's. Lets just say getting a solid 270+ pounds out of the water is not easy. I tried a few dozen times and was unsuccessful.  I blame part of that on my over dominant quads and weak adductors. I blame the other half on having to squeeze my Godzilla size feet into the water skis not made for people with size 16 feet. Those two things combined with not the most powerful boat on the lake made for a lot of good laughs. I must of face planted about 20 times.  Regardless, it was a great time!

However, they didn't let me go home without getting a little water sport adventure. After the unsuccessful attempts at water skiing they convinced me to lay my 6'6" frame across a 3 foot round tube and pull me going 40+ MPH. Holding on for dear life, screaming words I would never say in public, I managed to hang on for a few good pulls. 

We ended this awesome day with a delicious dinner. As I chowed down on some excellent salmon, haddock, chicken, and tossed salad we enjoyed some good laughs thanks to my expert water skiing skills. Following dinner, we continued on with the laughs bringing it out onto the boat for a nice moon light cruise around the lake.

So, you might ask yourself, what does this have to do with fitness or exercise. Well, really, nothing. Oh, wait, did I mention the next morning I nearly crawled out of bed and could barely stand in the shower I was so sore. Although I am a exercise fanatic and experienced weight lifting I have never put my muscles through that type of stress. That caused me to scream like a little girl until I could plant my glutes on a foam roller and try to relieve some of the soreness. Still as I sit on a stability ball in front of my computer I struggle to lift my legs high enough to take step. 

The best part about the day was it was stress free. For one time this summer I wasn't worried about an up coming test, what exercise to use for a client, how to plan my next sports conditioning class, or if my mom will be okay. If it wasn't for this day, I would have gone all summer working 7 days a week worrying about nothing but school, work, and my internship. However, for one day, I could enjoy myself and finally feel like a kid again. Although is was only for one day, that made my summer. I am a hard worker and always will be. I cannot sit around and watch TV. However, sometimes I know I over work myself.  I don't get too many times to enjoy what its like being a 20 year old college kid. This was one of those experiences I will never forget. The best part is,  I was the youngest person there and the second youngest was old enough to be my mother. It shows you, age is just a number. I felt like I was partying with a bunch of college kids, but really they are all full-time working moms, dads, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, and overall AWESOME people. 

So, I want to end with a HUGE thank you.  Thank you to Wayne, Kelly, "T.", Tori, Russ, and Tom for putting up with me and taking the time out of your busy schedules simply for my enjoyment. Thank you! 

I hope everyone enjoys this nice weather, and has a wonderful weekend.

Best,

Big D.

djs1232@comcast.net

Would you like to Super Size that?

So last week I left a link for you all to read about how important nutrition is when you are exercising. I hope you all enjoyed that link. I want to put my own insight on that today.

I don't think people realize just how important nutrition is. I firmly believe, nutrition is 85% of success in the gym . If you go into a gym and had just eaten a Big Mac you are not going to have your best workout. At the same time, if you have a good pre-workout meal, go to the gym, then have that Big Mac after the gym, you pretty much just wasted an hour of lifting due to poor post-workout nutrition.

I hear and see it everyday, people want to lose weight. If I had a dollar for everyone who came up to me at my gym telling me that they want to drop a few pounds, I could open my own gym and not work. I am glad they have the initiative to get started on a program, but I really don't think most people understand what it takes.

You CAN'T come into a gym a few times a week and glide on the elliptical for 20 minutes while reading a magazine and expect results. It is simply not going to happen. I have already gone into several ways to exercise whether it be strength training, HIIT, or tabata. Today, I want to focus on the nutrition aspect.

What are the two most important meals of the day? If you said breakfast and post-workout meal you are correct. That is not to say that the rest of them are not important, it just means that those are two most important ones. Think about it. You go daily eating every 2-3 hours. Then you go to sleep for 6, 7, maybe 8 hours or more. You aren't giving your body any nutrition. The first think you do after you wake up is eat, your body needs food first thing in the morning.

Next, is workout time. So, you go into the gym feeling good. You perform a full body workout and even surpass you previous record on the deadlift. Excellent! Now you go home, and don't eat for 2-3 hours. After 2-3 hours you go out with your buddy and go to the local convenience store. You grab a week old sub with bologna and mayonnaise and a Redbull. Well, my friend, everything you just did in the gym a few hours ago is wasted just because of poor nutrition.

So, focus on those two important meals. Make sure you get an ample amount of protein and carbohydrate both for breakfast and post-workout. That will help you to maximize your gains and recover quicker for your next workout.

Another big misconception for people who want to lose weight is they need to eat next to nothing even if they are weight lifting. That is crap! When you are doing resistive exercise you must consume more calories. If not, you are going to be sore for a longer period of time, not get stronger, and not get any gains in size.

Yes, it is true to lose weight you must cut some calories. However, there is a common mistake made with most people. They drastically cut there daily caloric intake by 500+ calories a day. At first, yes, they will see results. However, after about two weeks your body is going to react to it. It is going to go into a starvation mode and hold onto everything. That means your body won't burn as much calories or fat and your metabolism will come to a screeching holt. So, to lose weight eat smaller portions but more frequently, eating every 2-3 hours. This will keep your metabolism going good. When you cut calories do it slowly. Maybe the first week start with 200 less calories a day and slowly build up each week. Eventually you should get to a point where you are losing 1-2 pounds a week. Anything more then that is not the best way to go about it because it will come back a lot quicker and easier.

In conclusion, if you want to succeed in the gym you have to eat. You simply will not grow or get stronger if you don't eat. Think of food as fuel. If you don't put gas in your car it is eventually going to hit empty. It is the same thing with your body. Don't let your body go on a shortage of food or it will stop running smoothly. The last pointer I have for you is don't be afraid of food. Like I said, food is fuel, we all need it. It is just a matter of how much to eat depending on your goals, what to eat, and at what times.

Its a very busy week for me with finishing summer classes and internship so I might not be able to post much more this week.

If you ever have any questions or comments for me, please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Have a good week.

Best,

Big D.

djs1232@comcast.net

Hey, I got a link for ya'

I running short on time, trying to get everything done before I head down to MA for a weekend so it is going to be a quick blog. I want you to check out the link below. It is by a intern the same age as me. He interns at Mike Boyle's Strength and Conditioning down in Boston, MA. He puts his insight on how important nutrition is, and how most people in the gym are not getting proper nutrition. He even throws in a nice little video at the end about cooking for the first time, preparing food for a week ahead, and a nice little breakfast smoothie. I will be back on Monday to add my own insight on just how important nutrition is in exercising.

Check out the link by clicking here

Have a good weekend!

Best,

Big D.

Sprinter throwing fastballs and football players running marathons!!!???

If you want to be a better football player you train like a football player. You train for strength and power and the ability to develop max power for 8-10 seconds with 30-45 seconds rest. If you are a marathon runner you build up enough endurance to run 26+ miles. So, why doesn't everyone train that way? I recently saw a football player at a gym running on a treadmill for a good 30-45 minutes straight at the same pace. Sure, it is better then doing nothing, but is it going to make him a better football player? NO! He would get more benefit from running 10-15 30 yard sprints with a 30 second to a minute break in between. Same thing with a sprinter. Why would you run for multiple miles when in your race you are only running 100meters. You should train to best simulate a game like situation. What happens if you train like a marathon runner instead of a sprinter. Along with building endurance and a much more leaner build you are going to recruit slow twitch muscle fibers instead of fast twitch muscle fibers. As a sprinter it is crucial to have more fast twitch muscle fibers throughout your body then slow twitch muscle fibers. So, train the way you play. If you need to build endurance and run a marathon, run long distances. If you are a football player, lift heavy for power, and complete sprints, not triathlons.

The same thing goes with bodybuilders and power lifters. How your body looks depends on how you lift. I often say, a bodybuilder looks like he can bench 500pounds but a power lifter can press that 500 pounds with ease. A bodybuilder cares how they look, a power lifter cares how much they lift. If you want to look like a bodybuilder you must lift like a bodybuilder. You must complete isolation movements and relatively high reps(8-12) to get the definition. If you lift constantly with ONLY compound movements and low reps(3-6) you are going to look and perform like a power lifter. That is not to say that bodybuilder cannot perform compound movements such as dead lifts, squats and bench press. However, to get the symmetry the judges are looking for isolation movements must be completed. On the other hand, why should power lifters spend there time doing biceps curls? There time would be better spent working on the big three, squat, dead lift, and bench press. They also of course should perform other exercises to supplement the big three such as rack pulls and close grip bench press. However, there time should not be spent performing 1,001 reps of biceps curls.

So, leave with this. If you want to be a good sprinter, train like a sprinter. If you want to be a good football player, train like a football player. If you want to be a bodybuilder, train like a bodybuilder. If you want to be a power lifter, train like a power lifter. Don't forget that. A lot of people want to be a football player but want to look like a bodybuilder. You cant train for explosive power and have the symmetry of a bodybuilder. At the same time you can train isolation movements all the time and have the speed, strength, and power of a football player. Train for what you want to be!

Best,

Big D.

djs1232@comcast.net

Random Thoughts to end the week

Before I make the trip down to MA to see my family this weekend I wanted to squeeze in some random thoughts to end the week.

1. Redsox-What the heck is going on with them? After getting man handled by Texas I hope the off night tonight will give them the boost they need to tackle Baltimore this weekend. If they get swept by Baltimore this weekend, we might as well turn our complete focus onto the Patriots training camp. Okay, maybe a little extreme, but for god sake, they are in desperate need of a win. Nonetheless, I still plan to make the drive down to Fenway at least once this season.

2. Weather-What they hell is up with this summer? I can count the number of good days we have had on one hand. The weather has put a burden on all of us. I am sure the tourist towns such as Kennebunkport are not to happy with this weather. I know it has caused me to save some money and not buy a motorcycle until next season. In June, we all said that July will be good. Now its July and we are all saying August will be the month. Well soon, were not going to be saying anything becuase we will be to busy shoveling our driveways!!!

3. Magic Bullet-If you dont have one, get one. This is by far the biggest investment I have made. At first it seemed like just another one of those TV gimmics. However, this thing is the real deal. It will mix anything and everything. Whether you want to make smoothies, chicken salads, martinis, or chop ice. This thing does everything you could ever imagine. The best part is it is small and portable. The blender cup also easily spins off and serves as a regular drinking cup, saving dishes. You know how much college kids hate doing dishes. I highly suggest making the $50 investment and getting yourself a Magic Bullet.

Well folks, short and sweet this week. Have a great weekend, and hopefully the weather will cooperate. I will be back on Monday. If you ever have any questions or suggestions please feel free to e-mail me.

Best,

Big D.
djs1232@comcast.net

"How much ya' bench?"

Going to college and working at a gym I hear that phrase all too often. How much do you bench? Who gives a shit!! Is the the real determinant of overall body strength? No, I don't think so. There are several ways to determine if someone is "strong" or not. I consider someone strong if they can run a marathon. I consider someone strong if they can bench 400 pounds. I consider someone strong if they can take a hit in football and pop right back up. I consider someone strong if they can fight the battle of cancer, and win.

As you can see there are many ways to determine if someone is strong or not. However, one of the biggest factors is your relative body strength. Your relative body strength is how strong you are for your body weight. So, ya I can bench 300lbs. However, I weigh 280pounds. So I can only bench 20pounds more then my body weight. There may be a kid who weighs 150pounds and benches 200. Is he stronger then me. Well no, but for his body weight he is stronger.

A big thing I see all to often is people busting out bench press, bicep curls, and triceps press downs all the time. Why are you benching if you can even do a push-up? Why are you doing a bicep curl if you cant do a chin-up? Why are you doing a triceps press down of you cant do a dip? Obviously there are certain circumstances where you are not able too. However, for the most part, you would rather see yourself curling 100 pounds instead of struggling to bust out 8 solid chin-ups. Very few people do body weight exercises. Yes, dont get me wrong, bodybuilding has its time, but if you cant do a dip, why are you doing a tricep pressdown. I would highly reccommend evaluating your lifts and take look at what you are doing. Why are you trying to push around extra weight if you cant even handle your own weight? Do a workout of all bodyweight exercises.

Example:

Pull-ups
Sit-ups
Prisoner Squats
Chin-ups
Sit-ups
Dips
Sit-ups
Chin-ups

I bet it will give you better fat loss and more muscle. Stick with those body weight movements before you go throwing around plates on the bench press.



Big D.

The worst news of my life....

Two weekends ago I decided to go for a visit down to my family in Massachusetts. I enjoy it up here in Maine, I have work up here, school, internship, friends, and there is always something to do. However, I still do miss my hometown. So, I decided to take a weekend off and venture down the good ol' Maine Turnkpike and go see the family.

I walked in to the house, and suddenly realized something was not right. It was a Friday night and my whole family was watching a Law and Order episode and about to pass out. Usually I come home and everyone is doing something. Dad is fixing something in the garage, brother is sitting alongside him trying to help, and mom is either cooking dinner or cleaning up the house. Something was not right. I sat down in the only empty cushion left on the couch and asked what was wrong. I was not expecting the news I got.

Holding back tears my mom mumbled out that she has been diagnosed with advanced small cell lung cancer. It has also spread to her liver and possibly her back. I immediately, went into shock. She is 51 years old, how could she have lung cancer? Well, folks, as sad as it is, that is what smoking does to you. Up until 3 weeks ago my mom smoked 8-10 cigarettes every day. That was the sole cause of this horrid disease. So, after I talked to her for a while about how she feels, what the next step is, and what the prognosis is I immediately began my research. For that whole entire weekend I read and read and read on this type of lung cancer, what exactly is it, what are the best treatments, what are the side effects, etc. That was my way of coping with it. Along with spending time with her, I wanted to become as knowledgeable about the subject as possible.

My mom begins chemotherapy tomorrow. She went from working 40+ hours a week as a senior accountant, a superb chef for the family at night, and the hardest worker you could imagine to a women struggling to stay awake and even have the energy to get up and go the bathroom.

I love her with all my heart and I am staying positive with this whole situation. She is on my mind now 24/7, that is all I cant think about. I have had to make some drastic changes in my life. As many of you know I love football, and play at the semi-professional level. As of right now, I have postponed my time on the gridiron to spend more time with my mom. Football will always be there, my mom wont be. I have to take care of her before I can lace up the cleats again. I now drive down to MA three times a week to stay with my mom and the rest of my family. I pray every single night that she will beat this cancer and be able to get back to doing what she use to do, being the best mom in the world. I don't know what my future will bring with all of this, but as you can imagine it has caused a lot of stress in my life right now. I just pray she will get past this and be a cancer survivor.

Love you Mom! Stay Strong!

Big D.

This just might be the best workout you have ever done.

When was the last time you seriously had your ass handed to you in the gym. I mean, not just going in, doing your routine, and running home for the sox game! I mean, you had to practically crawl home the workout was so good. Yes, for some, its been a while, for most, they have never had a workout that hard.  

What I am talking about is the Tabata workout. This workout is one the most high intensity workouts you will ever do. It is good because it is short, 4 minutes. However, you will feel like you just ran the Boston Marathon after. Also, you can do it with cardio, weights, or both!

The Tabata Protocol was created by Izumi Tabata.  I recently took part in a tabata workout, and man, I have never had a workout so good, in such a short amount of time. I was dead, on the floor, crying for mommy, in less than 8 minutes. 

The tabata consits of a series of intervals with 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off. You do that for as long as you can. I guarantee you wont even hit the ten minute mark before you drop.

You can do that with cardio. Simply, jump on your favorite piece of cardio equipment. Do a two minute warm-up then bust ass as hard as you can, full out sprint, for twenty seconds.  Go back to a light job for 10 seconds, then immediately back to the sprint for 20 seconds. So, one round should take 30 seconds. Try to last 4 minutes. You will be begging to stop!

You can also do it with weights, which is what I did.  Pick 8 exercises, 4 upper body, and 4 lower body.  Start at the first exercise and do it for 20 seconds, then the 10 second break immediately starts ticking. Get ready to do the next exercise, when the 10 seconds are up, go right into the next exercise.  Bust that out for 20 seconds to your absolute max, take the 10 second rest and continue on with the rest of the exercises in that same pattern.  Don't come crying to me if you are a little sore the next day.  Like I mentioned, you can also mix up cardio and weights to hit every corner.  

I do have a little medical disclaimer to add. Although on paper this sounds pretty easy, trust me, it is not for the beginner. You should be at an advanced fitness level before you begin this. 

So, everyone spends 5 minutes drinking their coffee in the morning, or laying on the couch. I never want to hear that excuse someone doesn't have the time to workout. Everyone has five minutes to workout, and if you only have 5 minutes, this is the workout to do. 

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend, especially since the weather is starting to look pretty good. I will be back on Monday. 

Finally, I would like to wish my dad a happy 63rd birthday tomorrow.  

Happy Birthday Dad!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Big D 

Raman Noodles, Pizza, and Pop-Tarts!

Yes, you guessed it. That is the typical college kid diet. They wake up two minutes before class, grab a package of Pop-Tarts and mosey on in to class. Then they go back to there dorm take a nap, wake up and make themselves a cup of Ramen Noodles. If they are feeling energetic they will head to the cafe and grab something half way decent, however, ordering from the local pizza joint is a more common choice.

However, that is not the only options you have. I have been in a college dorm for three years. With nothing more then a microwave, refrigerator, George Foremen grill, and a magic bullet in my 5ftX8ft room I have managed to maintain a very well balanced diet. Here is how I do it and some tips for you whether you are a college kid yourself or just on the road traveling or working.

For breakfast you have a few options. In my opinion the best option is eggs. The best and most convenient way is raw. Yeah, that's right, I said it, RAW. Simply pour 4-6 eggs into a shaker bottle, mix it with milk and a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder and you have a delicious shake you can take anywhere. Now if your not feeling the whole raw thing, scrambled is another option. Yes, you can scramble eggs in a microwave. Mix up the eggs in a microwave safe bowl, add some milk, and stick in the microwave for 2-5 minutes depending on how many eggs you are cooking. The third option is oatmeal. Oatmeal takes two minutes to make and is one of the best things you can have for breakfast. Add some water or milk to your oatmeal and stick it in the microwave for two minutes.

For a mid morning snack you have a few options. I usually choose a piece of fruit like a banana, and 2 scoops of your favorite protein shake. You can also add or replace, depending on your calories needs a handful of almonds.

Lunch and dinner, I find to be the toughest. Being on the go whether I am at internship, work, or getting ready to drive to football practice, I have to make sure I get in my calories at these meals. Depending on your goals, you can adjust how much carbs, protein, and fat are in each of these meals. If you are trying to cut weight I suggest you cut down your carbohydrate intake to little or none at dinner time unless you have your workout around that time. Keeping carbohydrates low will keep the weight off. As far as what to do, well here is what I do. Usually on Sunday night I plug my George Foremen in. I cook enough chicken or other lean meat that will last me the entire week. I individually wrap them in tinfoil and refrigerate. Also, I will make small wraps that are very portable. I take a leaf of romaine lettuce, some lean turkey meal and some cheese, and wrap it up all together. I put them in small sand which bags and refrigerate them until I need them. Also, to get your good fatty oils, you can do the same thing with tuna fish.

For a night time snack, you cant beat cottage cheese. Every night, like pregnant women look forward to their ice cream, I look forward to my cottage cheese. I sit at my desk, recap what I did that day, plan what I have in store for the next day, and enjoy my cottage cheese.

Obviously, that isn't a full meal plan, but that should get you started in the right direction. Other essential like fruits and vegetables are easily bought, stored, and carried around so I can count on you to figure out a way to get your other fruits and veggies in.

A big problem with college kids or people who are on the road traveling or working is the use of protein bars. Yes, there are some good protein bars out there, but most of them are crap. Also, even the best of them are loaded with sugars and carbohydrates. So, if you don't have them at the right time, they can do more harm then good to your diet and physique. So, they are better then having nothing, but try to stay away from the protein bars.

I hope this helps and is a little kick start to get your diet and check and don't make excuses whether you are a college student or traveling worker. The freshmen fifteen is no more!!

Bulging Biceps

As I sit here with my glutes firmly resting on a stability ball my mind is going crazy. The male ego is something else.  I never understood it.  I see day in and day out guys coming into the gym and do nothing but 1,000 variations of the curl.  That is all they care about, how much they bench and how big their guns are. Just like I will never understand women and their crazy ways of thinking, I will never understand why men are obsessed with bulging biceps.  Sure, to the average joe, that is what they use as a tool to see if someone is "jacked" or not. No, its not how many dips they can do, how much relative body strength they have, it is the size of the arms. If you have big biceps you are jacked, if you don't, you are just an average joe. What a bunch of crap! I never understood the big obsession with bulging biceps. No I am not calling myself perfect, and I don't expect you all to bow down to me every time you see me, however, I never got into that phase. I never sought after huge massive biceps. As a football player, when do I ever use my biceps? I would much rather focus on the strength of my triceps and my ability to push 350lb offensive lineman around like nothing.  I see guys come into the gym with their spandex shirt on, two sizes to small, busting our curls 2 feet away from the mirror. So close, that I can't even get in front of them to grab my pair of dumbbells. So gentlemen do three things for me and I will be happy;

1. Buy a bigger shirt

2. Stand back at least five feet from the mirror

3. LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR!

I don't need to lecture to you the importance of compound lifts and other exercises in general aside from curls. I know it won't go throw your thick skull that bulging biceps isn't everything so I am not even going to try. Continue with your curls, and hopefully you will soon realize that tight t-shirts and big guns isnt everything. Some day you will learn to leave your ego at the door!