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7 Bad Habits That STOPPED Me From Losing Weight

7 Bad Habits That STOPPED Me From Losing Weight

by | Sep 17, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises

I’ve made all the mistakes when it comes to trying to lose fat, gain muscle and create a sustainable lifestyle.

But I like to think all of my…interesting experiments…weren’t for nothing.

Because I’ve made so many I can help my clients avoid making those same mistakes and wasting time.

That’s why I wanted to share 7 bad habits that kept me from losing fat for the longest time!

And I’ll be honest…most sabotaged my success because they were simply unsustainable and created a mindset of restriction and deprivation.

Because while achieving our goals does mean making sacrifices at times,
we also have to learn to create a balance, meeting ourselves where we are at.

And that’s why I think this first bad habit is something many of us have had sabotage our results…

Focusing On Eating Too Clean. 

I literally ended up curled up on the bathroom floor of a hotel in San Diego. I was pasty white, in a cold sweat and looked like death. 

All because I’d been eating only chicken and broccoli and extremely clean, one ingredient foods for weeks before the vacation. 

One spicy sangria and a couple of appetizers later and I was sick. 

It’s because I’d created these extreme limitations on myself that not only had left me miserable for weeks, while not seeing better results faster, but they led to me being sick at the first deviation from my clean eating plan.

Too often we try to make ourselves feel guilty for not hitting some arbitrary standard of clean.

But this mindset of good and bad foods not only assigns moral value to foods that don’t have any, leading to GUILT when we eat one thing we aren’t supposed to, but it also can sabotage our results and long-term consistency. 

This extremely restrictive clean mindset can lead to an obsession with food.

It can also lead to us creating nutrient deficiencies.

And it can lead to us ultimately feeling so miserable and deprived we give up. 

And then we feel that reaching our goals is impossible and we just don’t have the willpower. We start to even DREAD the idea of making diet changes.

And all because we’re trying to force something unsustainable.

Instead of focusing on “eating clean,” focus on small swaps to foods and ingredients based on what you’re currently eating. 

Realize that whole natural foods are key BUT that you can and SHOULD include the foods you love.

However, this does bring me to bad habit number 2….

Including Too Much Food Diversity. 

After attempting to cut out all unclean foods, and the massive backfire I suffered…not to mention I literally couldn’t even look at chicken and broccoli for awhile… 

I went to include as much diversity as humanly possible.

I thought it was a great idea to include things to keep my meals interesting and get micronutrients from a diversity of sources. 

And while we do want to include a diversity of foods for optimal health to get vitamins and minerals in different forms…

Trying to include too much diversity can be overwhelming and lead to actually more cravings!

The more we give ourselves, the less of a routine and habit we get into and the more we WANT.

It becomes then a slippery slope of more and more foods creeping in. 

And the less nutrient dense they are and the more processed, the easier it becomes to overeat and feel hungry even when we’ve eaten enough calories.

Not to mention it can make grocery shopping, meal prepping and hitting those macros more overwhelming when there are so many more pieces to the puzzle. 

Simplifying and focusing on a set grocery list and meal plan with a few key ingredients each week can help us stay consistent and not be overwhelmed as we make changes! 

Studies have even shown that we are less likely to overeat when eating the same things repeatedly, making it easier to maintain our macros and calories to lose the fat!

It leads to fewer cravings and a better shut off mechanism when we’ve consumed what we need! 

The 3rd bad habit is a hard one to change when we want results as fast as possible…

It’s Always Going Hard And Never Cycling Intensity.

Sometimes less is more.

And sometimes if we back off when we aren’t motivated or proactively give ourselves a break, we actually stay more consistent overall. 

If you’ve been dieting and in a deficit for a while, you may both physically and mentally start to feel the impact of the lower calories.

Your body does want to fight the weight loss process as weight loss is seen as a threat to your survival.

So you will find that cravings go up even as you get leaner and your mind fights against what you know you “should” be doing. 

You may even feel demotivated to train in the way you need.

This is where potentially a deload week or a dieting break may come in handy.

The key is doing these things strategically and with a plan not just eating everything in sight while you lay on the couch for a couple of weeks doing nothing. 

But give your body a break from the calorie deficit, maybe including even a few foods you’ve wanted but haven’t had.

Just be strategic in giving yourself guidelines to eat at maintenance calories and even hit easier macro ratios.

Don’t let this become a free for all. 

And then you may find you’re more motivated to train with the increase in fuel or that a deload week allows your body a break to repair and rebuild while also giving you a mental break from the strain of constantly pushing that progression. 

But be proactive if you’ve been dieting for awhile and give yourself that strategic break. You may be surprised by how much it even helps you bust through a plateau!

The next bad habit is one I think many of us fall prey to that prevents us sticking with the habits we need to see the body recomp we want…

And it is – Only Using The Scale To Measure Progress. 

I think the scale can be a great tool. And I think it can even be a good thing to weigh daily.

But the scale also doesn’t show us the full picture.

It can make you feel like you’re actually even losing ground when results are truly building. 

And this is because the scale just tells you your weight in that moment on that day.

It doesn’t tell you if you’ve gained weight because you’ve gained muscle while losing fat or if you’ve lost weight by losing muscle and even gaining fat.

And seeking to see faster results on the scale, can actually sabotage your fat loss efforts, especially your long term maintenance.

Because the faster we seek to see results on the scale, the more we often end up losing muscle mass and NOT just fat.

So if you want to focus on truly losing fat to look leaner, you need to track your progress by taking body measurements and progress pictures. 

Especially progress pictures of areas you don’t even care about changing. 

Because often the places we want to lose from the most are the LAST to go.

So by taking multiple angles and areas, we can see fat loss occurring in other places to know to stay the course! 

The next bad habit is one that I’ve found personally the hardest to break…especially because I always enjoyed training…

It was – Trying To Out Exercise My Diet.

Many of us fall into this habit because it actually does work…to start! 

But relying on this is also what ultimately keeps us stuck in this yo-yo dieting cycle, struggling to lose more and more as we get older.

It works because most of us are more comfortable being uncomfortable in our training than we are with making nutritional changes. 

We also can create that calorie deficit to start by doing MORE in our workouts.

And it makes us feel really in control to push hard. 

We feel good about our hard work. 

But working hard doesn’t mean we’re working hard in a direction that moves us forward.

And over time, our body adapts to the training stimulus, which means we aren’t then creating the calorie deficit we once were. 

So at that point either our diet needs to change or we need to train harder and longer.

At some point, trying to only do more with our workouts will burn us out, lead to injury or even ultimately result in metabolic adaptations that make it harder and harder to lose as we get older.

The simple fact is, our nutrition has to match our goals. 

And by adjusting our diet we can see our performance in the gym even improve as we achieve fabulous body recomp.

We will truly see the hard work and sweat we are putting in during our workouts PAY OFF! 

And I think it’s really key we recognize that at times…it WON’T feel like our hard work is paying off.

We won’t see linear progress toward our fat loss goals. 

But this is why I think this next habit is so key to break…

Treating Your Workouts Only As A Means To Lose Weight.

While we do want to design our workouts and our nutrition to work together toward a singular goal, I also think it is key we set complementary goals that further motivate us to do the habits we need to see results. 

And that’s why I found that a secret to consistency and success in losing fat and keeping it off is actually Setting Performance Goals while also NOT seeing my workouts as just a chance to burn more calories and lose faster.

By focusing on a specific performance goal, like improving my push ups, conquering a skill, lifting more weight in a specific lift, addressing an imbalance…even training for a competition…

I help keep myself more motivated to train hard. I have more purpose for each workout. 

And then I have something to track in the gym to see my hard work building toward. 

This ultimately also helped me lose fat because it kept me doing the habits I needed.

I wanted to eat to fuel and feel my best, which resulted in better body comp. 

I wanted to do the recovery I needed to be able to train hard. 

By setting complementary goals, like performance goals for our workouts, we better help ourselves to stay motivated to do the habits we need even when fat loss results are slow or we hit a plateau. 

It allows us to celebrate other wins to keep moving forward!

And the final bad habit I think sabotaged for years and kept me stuck losing the fat to only regain it and feel like I was starting over every January with a new cut was…

Not Doing SOMETHING When It Was Better Than Nothing. 

Every holiday season I would make an excuse not to track. “Oh I know the portions I need to eat.”

“Oh I can find balance I’m not being that off plan.”

“Oh I can take today off.”

And every holidays I would pack on the pounds.

I realized that, while there are times of year I don’t track and stay consistent, the holidays was not one of those times. 

But I also knew the habits I enjoyed when motivated in January wouldn’t fit the holiday season. 

That’s when I realized the power of 1% improvements.

Just being a little more consistent, focusing on doing a minimum, could help me move forward even during a time I didn’t care as much or have the motivation and focus. 

Too often we try and rely on a perfect 21 days or 6 weeks. 

But doing the ideal only during those times doesn’t allow for true habit changes or results to snowball. 

So it’s key we stop the all or nothing habit changes and realize that sometimes something is better than nothing, embracing doing the minimum at times! 

If you’ve been struggling to make consistent and sustainable changes, and have fallen into these bad habits, focus on making one change today!

We need to keep constantly learning and remember that small swaps and changes add up!

Ready to create sustainable habits that help you achieve your leanest, strongest body EVER and maintain those results till your final day on this planet?!

Join my Dynamic Strength program!

Fixing These 5 Abs Mistakes Was A Game Changer For Me!

Fixing These 5 Abs Mistakes Was A Game Changer For Me!

by | Sep 3, 2023 | Blog, Core, Exercises

Want toned abs? That lean-looking six pack?

Then you’ll want to avoid these ab training mistakes.

And yes…I want to discuss the mistakes we make when it comes to our ab training routines.

Because while abs are revealed by what we do in the kitchen, our training can play a huge role in not only the speed but the quality of our results.

And too often our core work is an afterthought in our programming.

A few ab moves strung together, done randomly over the week.

Or some googled “best” core moves we do till they burn and our abs feel destroyed.

That’s why in this video I wanted to share 5 common mistakes I see people making and how to avoid them to really build a killer ab training routine!

Mistake #1: Doing Only Big Heavy Lifts To Work Your Core.

Yes, those big compound lifts DO strengthen your core.

But those moves alone aren’t enough.

Because your core is truly only being worked in one way during these moves – to brace. 

When really our abs, and the other muscles of our core, have so many different functions we can and should be addressing.

By including focused core work and isolation exercises for the different muscles of your core, not only can you create better muscle hypertrophy for more defined abs but you can truly strengthen any weak links. 

The stronger your weakest link, the more you can lift. And the more you can lift, the more muscle you can build which will only further improve your body comp results. 

WIN WIN!

Many of us even do this already with other areas. We include leg extensions to further strengthen our quads after lunges or squats. 

We do bicep curls after back exercises to further target our arms. 

The same thing needs to be done for our abs.

So stop just only focusing on compound moves. 

Include isolation work for your abs and core and address ALL of the functions these muscles perform from spinal flexion and lateral flexion to twisting and even anti-extension and flexion. 

Yes this means doing things like crunches, leg raises, and russian twists…the things so often demonized as not being functional. 

But strengthening movements those muscles are MEANT to perform is actually ESSENTIAL if we want to be functionally strong and see the definition we want!

Which actually brings me to Mistake #2…Fearing Moves Because You’ve Heard They’re “Bad.” 

I know I ruffled some feathers when I mentioned crunches and russian twists already.

Because over the last few years these have gathered more and more hate. 

And 100% NO MOVE IS RIGHT FOR EVERY PERSON.

But just because YOU have an injury that may make a move not right for YOU because you can’t control it, doesn’t make it wrong for someone else or even dangerous.

I can also tell you, too often it wasn’t the move that caused the problem even if you got hurt during it. 

It was improper recruitment patterns or us doing a move that wasn’t yet really earned which we couldn’t fully control that led to the issue.

Often the move we get injured on is even simply the straw that broke the camel’s back as overload had already built up without us fully realizing.

And moves like crunches and russian twists can actually be amazing exercises to target our abs and obliques and build that definition because of how isolated their focus is. 

Because they isolate those muscle groups so well, it can allow us to really learn to engage and activate those specific muscles to prevent overload to our spine.

Learning to control that proper spinal flexion and rotation is a key to avoiding aches and pains. 

So instead of demonizing these isolated movements, we need to use them more. And that focused activation of those core muscles will help you improve your definition.

The more stubborn an area, the more we want to include moves that really hone in on it and isolate it by working it during a movement pattern it controls.

Add more crunch variations where you can really feel your abs working in isolation. 

Include moves that work on lateral flexion to target your obliques like plank hip dips or the often also hated teapots.

Learn to CONTROL these movement patterns as you focus on isolating those muscles to work so you can have not only a sexy looking core but a strong one! 

And then as you include these moves, realize that you will need to progress them as you go if you want to build that definition.

(Ready for some killer core routines to get that defined 6-pack? Check out my Dynamic Strength App!)

Mistake #3 Is That We DON’T Create Progression In Our Core Work. 

If you’re repeating the same few ab exercises and never making them more challenging, even though you may feel a burn when you do them, you’re not going to keep getting better and better results.

You NEED to find ways to progress those basic exercises.

Whether you add resistance, change tempos, change up the range of motion, adjust training volume or even simply tweak the exact posture or positioning for a move, you need to progress things as you go. 

It’s not good enough that it just “feels” hard.

You need to advance the exercise over time or you’re not forcing the muscle to build back stronger. 

So if you’ve been doing the basic crunch, try holding a dumbbell to add resistance or increase the range of motion by doing it over a bosu. 

Or if you’ve been doing hanging knees to elbows, try toes to bar or just the pelvic tilt to change the range of motion and exact body positioning. 

If you’re shooting for 10-15 reps of a move and only able to do 10 with a weight one week, shoot to do 11 or 12 then next.

Even try just a slightly different variation of the same basic movement can be progression through the same but different! 

But focus on trying to make the move just a little bit harder over the weeks to build that definition. Don’t just go through the motions doing the same moves day after day after day!

Which is part of the 4th Mistake I often see people making – Not Including Diversity In Their Routine. 

We can not only create progression through the same but different, but even small tweaks in how you perform a move can impact exactly how they benefit you.

When we include a diversity of exercises we can address all of the different functions the muscles of our core have. 

It’s why it is key we don’t only work our core by using it to brace for big compound lifts like deadlifts or squats or rows.

We also need to include moves that work on spinal flexion, rotation and lateral flexion not to mention even strengthen muscles to AVOID unwanted extension, flexion or rotation. 

Yup both exercises that power movement, but that also help us prevent it!

And then not only do we want to use a diversity of movements to address all of the actions the muscles perform, we want to use different moves to target muscles to different extents. 

Through using a variety of exercises, you can target different aspects of your abs more or less.

While we don’t have a lower ab muscle, you can target the lower portion of your rectus abdominis to a greater extent through long lever plank variations and lower body crunches instead of doing the traditional crunch. 

Studies have shown that slight changes to our postures and positions can elicit better activation in different areas of the same muscle!

This can help us make sure we are truly getting the fully defined six pack we want!

But just make sure that whatever moves you include, you feel the correct muscles working.

This is where Mistake #5 comes into play…Letting Other Muscles Compensate. 

When you do an ab exercise, ask yourself, “What do I feel working?”

Because whatever you feel working is actually getting the benefit of that exercise.

If you feel your hip flexors or your lower back taking over, instead of your abs doing the work, those other muscles are therefore getting the “benefit” of the move.

This is often not only what leads to injury and us demonizing certain moves, but us also not seeing the ab definition we want resulting from all of our hard work.

If you don’t feel your abs or obliques working during a movement like they should be, regress to progress.

Maybe you need to modify a movement, reducing the resistance or strain on the muscle group as you earn that harder variation.

This could mean bending your knees and tapping your feet down during a full body crunch over extending your legs out straight if you can’t control that posterior pelvic tilt to avoid your lower back becoming overworked. 

Or it may mean implementing a different variation of an exercise, like using a resistance band around your heels during a sit up to remind yourself to push down into the ground and engage your hamstrings as you roll up so you feel your abs and not just your hip flexors working. 

Sometimes you have to change the exact way you use a move to make sure you can feel the correct muscles working.

But don’t just push through using a move someone else said was amazing if you don’t feel the correct muscles working.

Bonus Tip:

The final bonus tip I wanted to include to help you adjust your ab training to see amazing results was to be conscious of how frequently you’re doing core work and when you’re including it in your workouts. 

I find often ab training is used in one of two ways…

Either it is done every day for a bazillion reps.

Or it is done every once in a while as a complete afterthought.

Just like you want to design a clear weekly schedule to build results for other muscle groups, you want to do the same for your ab training. 

Consider including ab exercises 3-4 times a week at the end of your sessions, especially if this is a stubborn area for you. 

Working your abs with isolation exercises at the end of your workouts is helpful if you are including heavier lifts earlier on.

You don’t want your abs fatigued for those moves because that puts you at greater risk for injury.

Also by doing more frequent sessions over the week, you don’t have to go crazy destroying your core each and every time. The volume of work will still add up though over the week. 

This can help you not fatigue your abs so much that your following workouts suffer.

You want to get in the greatest volume of quality work you can to see the best results as fast as possible!

Like any stubborn muscle group you want to build and see amazing muscle definition in, you need to create a plan of action and not just randomly add in moves that feel hard. 

A clear plan so you can create progression and constantly challenge that muscle group is key.

And use that diversity of movement over your workout progressions to your advantage to not only keep things fun but create that killer defined six pack! 

For more tips to help you see that ab definition, especially for the first time, check out this video!

Build Muscle and Increase Strength With This Training Technique

Build Muscle and Increase Strength With This Training Technique

by | Aug 29, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Workouts

We all want something that helps us get better results faster.

It’s why, no matter how much we know, fad diets and extreme workout routines have an allure.

But often, it is really small 1% improvements and tweaks to what we are currently doing that make the difference.

That’s why I want to share this simple training technique that can accelerate your results.

And you can implement it today without really making any changes to your schedule or workout designs.

It’s adding in an Eccentric Focus to exercises!

In this video I’ll discuss what focusing on the eccentric means, how it can lead to better results faster and how you can include it in your current training routine to accelerate your strength and muscle gains!

And this technique can help you build muscle and strength whether you’re training in a full gym or using only bodyweight exercises!

So First…What Does Focusing On The Eccentric Mean?

Let’s get a little nerdy here…

The eccentric is one of 3 muscle contractions – concentric, isometric and eccentric.

Concentric is the shortening of the muscle-tendon complex. 

Isometric is where length remains constant with tension (or a hold). S

And eccentric is the lengthening of the muscle-tendon complex. 

To focus on the eccentric portion of the movement means to slow down the part of an exercise where the prime mover or main muscle group being worked is being lengthened.

This may mean slowing down the lower down on a bench press or balance lunge. Although it applies to when the muscle is being lengthened in ANY movement. 

Now How Does The Eccentric Lead To Strength And Muscle Gains? 

There are 3 big reasons that it’s believed focusing on and slowing down the eccentric can lead to better muscle hypertrophy and strength…

Reason #1: You spend more time under tension which can result in better gains. 

When you slow down the tempo of that lower down, your muscles spend more time in a working state. 

The longer work time, the more time under tension for the muscle.

And this can lead to more mechanical tension and muscle tissue damage, driving better muscle gains.

This time under tension results in more muscle protein synthesis and faster onset of this increased synthesis.

And while you can slow down any component of the lift, there is a specific benefit to emphasizing the eccentric. 

And part of this benefit comes from the fact that we are actually stronger in that eccentric phase!

Which is Reason #2: You’re spending time under tension during a portion of a movement where you’re the strongest. 

This can allow you to do a more challenging variation of a move, especially if you do an eccentric only variation. 

By doing a more challenging variation, you are creating more progressive overload. 

Sometimes we aren’t able to lift more weight for a full movement or progress an exercise yet to a harder variation.

This is where slowing down and focusing on that eccentric can help.

It can help us push to a new level to challenge our muscles and promote better growth and strength gains. 

It can help us do a harder movement for at least a portion of the exercise.

If you can’t yet do a full pull up, but want to progress this move to build strength and muscle, and even be able to rock a full one, you may do an assisted variation up to the top of the pull up, then do a slow lower back down taking on your full bodyweight. 

You’ll find you’re able to control that lower down slowly to challenge your muscles, even if you can’t yet pull up!

And Reason #3: While muscle tissue damage isn’t the only driver of muscle growth, a slow eccentric does lead to more muscle tissue damage, which does force the muscle to repair and rebuild stronger.

Loading muscle fibers when stretched creates a type of stress and muscle tissue damage that requires your body to build new muscle cells.

This leads to both strength and muscle gains.

Eccentric training is a great way to create greater stress and strain on the muscle compared to other muscle actions! 

And bonus, because we are stronger during this phase of the movement, not only can we lift more or do a harder variation of a move, we can often more easily do a higher volume of work which can also lead to faster gains!

Now a WARNING to using this technique before I go over more on how to include this in your workouts… 

Focusing on the eccentric portion of a lift can make you VERY VERY SORE.

Because of the muscle tissue damage and loading under stretch, slowing down the eccentric can cause delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.

Be conscious of this fact to make sure you give the muscle group enough time between training sessions to rest and recover.

Also, don’t do a workout loaded down with eccentrics for every single move!

Use different tempos and rep ranges to your advantage. 

And be conscious of the types of moves you use for eccentric focused work.

Especially moves like deadlifts, it is harder to control the eccentric, so you may not want to focus on a slow lower down when you’re doing a 5 rep max, but instead use it during more accessory hip hinge work for 8-12 reps.

It’s also key you create a consistent schedule so you can slowly progress and repeat workouts so constantly doing something “new” doesn’t add to your soreness!

And then don’t ignore the importance of your fueling and recovery work!

So now that you’ve been warned…

How Can You Include Eccentrics In Your Training For Better Results?

Focus on using a slow eccentric for only a main exercise or two in your workouts. 

Even just a 3-5 count lengthening is an amazing slow tempo to use. 

Especially for stubborn areas you’re struggling to build.

You can both use slow eccentric reps at the start of your workout on a single compound lift with heavy weights, like the barbell squat, or even a bodyweight skill you want to progress, like the push up. 

You can also choose to use slow eccentrics for higher rep isolation exercises, like on the bicep curl, at the end of your workout to really target a muscle group and work it to failure.

This time under tension for volume can yield amazing results for those especially stubborn areas. 

And when you do a slow eccentric, you can either:

A. Do A Full Move With A Slow Eccentric Tempo

Or B 2: Do An Eccentric ONLY Variation. 

Any move you’re currently doing, you can make one little tweak to it today by just taking a 3-5 count to lengthen.

This would be a slow eccentric tempo.

But you can also do an eccentric only variation of a move you can’t yet fully perform.

While you can do this with weights by setting up at the top of a move, this technique is especially good to progress bodyweight skills like the push up or pull up. 

For the push up, you would set up at the top of the push up for a variation you can’t yet fully do and do a slow 3-5 count lower down. Then instead of losing form to push back up, you’d simply modify or release and reset at the top! 

Both can work and help you create that progression you need to see better results!

And which you may use may also depend on other limitations you have for progressing your workouts.

Eccentrics are a great way to create progression in your training regardless of their unique benefits. 

So while focusing on the eccentric portion has benefit even when you have other ways to advance exercises, like weights or equipment or harder variations, it can be a great way to progress moves if we DON’T have other tools available. 

It can be a great way to create progression to help you see better results if…

  • You Can’t add heavier weights yet to a move.
  • Can’t yet do another rep with the current weight.
  • Can’t progress to that next harder variation of the movement.
  • Or don’t have other tools to change range of motion or create progression. 

A slow eccentric tempo can be the way we make what we have on hand work for us to meet us where we are at. 

It can be a great way with even bodyweight training to see great muscle growth and strength gains! 

Bonus Tip:

And one last thing I wanted to touch on if you’re wondering if eccentric training is right for you as you rebuild muscle after injury…

YES…IT IS!

Focusing on a slow eccentric can really help you strengthen a muscle through a full range of motion and improve your mobility, flexibility and stability.

Using lighter loads and a focus on that slow controlled eccentric can even be a great way to start back to training to make sure you keep all of the mobility you built up during rehab. 

Just make sure you progress slowly and don’t do too much volume to make yourself so sore you can’t stay consistent with your training!

So if you’re looking to accelerate your strength and muscle gains, try using slow eccentrics with one of the exercises you’re already doing, especially one that targets a stubborn area you want to build! 

For amazing workouts to help you build strength and muscle, check out my Dynamic Strength program!

The Best Push Up Exercise (You Aren’t Doing)

The Best Push Up Exercise (You Aren’t Doing)

by | Aug 13, 2023 | Blog, Bodyweight, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Push Ups

No matter how much equipment I have available, I still love including a push up variation in my upper body workouts.

They are an amazing move to target your chest, shoulders, triceps and core.

And not only are they an amazing way to build strength and muscle, but there are so many push up variations you can include to target different muscles more or less based on your needs and goals.

Want to work on shoulder stability or anti-rotational core strength?

Try the push up with shoulder tap.

Want to target your triceps more?

Include a close grip variation.

Want to work your upper pecs extra?

Try a decline variation.

But in thinking through all the different options out there, there was one variation that came to mind as often being underutilized…

The push up plus!

In this video, I want to go over how to do this essential push up variation and ways to modify the move if you can’t do a push up from your toes on the ground. 

But first I want to explain why I think this variation is so important to include….

This push up isn’t the fanciest variation out there, but it is one of the most essential to include if you want to be a push up rockstar, improve your overhead press or bench press weights or even avoid neck, shoulder or upper back aches and pains.

It is so important to include because of that simple rounding and scapular protraction at the top of the push up.

This seemingly simple extra movement added on to the basic push up works an often overlooked muscle – the serratus anterior.

The serratus anterior is an essential muscle when it comes to keeping your shoulder blades, shoulders, neck and upper back healthy and happy and functioning correctly! 

And the push up plus is an amazing move to work this muscle as it is easier often to target this muscle without letting your upper traps compensate.

Too often our upper traps take over in movements meant to work our serratus anterior, which only perpetuates the aches and pains we have.

This scapular control, and serratus anterior strength, will also translate to better movement of your shoulder blades during overhead pressing and even a better ability to support your shoulders during bench press. 

This push up variation is a great way to keep everything healthy and strong as you include more pressing!

So how do you do the push up plus? 

While you will be performing almost just a basic push up, you want to give extra attention to the movement of your shoulder blades and even your hands pressure down into the ground.

Our hands are our foundation and better tension through them into the ground can increase muscle activation of our upper body. And by also being conscious of fully gripping the ground with our entire hand we can help avoid wrist, elbow and even shoulder aches and pains.

To do this push up, set up with your feet together and hands just outside your chest. Spread your fingers and flex your quads as you drive back through your heels.

You may even find it helpful to ever so slightly turn your hands out. This can even further help you engage your serratus anterior.

Then pull your shoulders down feeling them unshrug as you engage your back.

With your body in a nice straight line, lower down keeping tension.

Feel your shoulder blades draw toward your spine.

Then at the bottom, push the ground away and feel your shoulder blades move away from your spine.

As you reach the top of the push up, push the ground away a bit extra as if pulling your shoulders forward.

Feel your thoracic spine round up as you try to pull your shoulder blades around your ribs.

You may tuck your chin as you round up to go with the natural spinal flexion.

But do not let your butt go up in the air. You may slightly tilt your pelvis under instead to engage your abs more with the posterior pelvic tilt.

But you really want to focus on pulling your shoulder blades around your rib cage as you push that ground away.

This action really works that serratus anterior.

You’ll then move back into that full plank position and perform the push up again.

Working your press with the freedom to move your shoulder blades and be able to control that full range of motion is what makes this move so amazing for your upper body.

Not to mention you get that little extra core work with the pelvic tilt on top of the fact that the push up is a moving plank!

Now what if you can’t do a full push up from your toes? How can you modify this move?

An incline variation is always a great way to modify while allowing you to train that full push up plank position. 

Too often we do turn to knee push ups but this doesn’t teach us to properly engage our legs and drive back through our heels. It can keep us stuck getting stronger at only a modified variation.

It’s why that incline and working down in reps as you lower the incline is so key. 

You can use a rack, adjusting the barbell height or even boxes, lowering them down as you progress. 

If you are limited on incline options, you can select one that is a bit too high and slow down the tempo.

If you only have one that is too low, consider just the eccentric portion of the movement and start with the “plus” BEFORE you lower down for the rep. 

A final tip to modify if you need to work around wrist pain, is to put a mat folded up under the heel of your palm. This reduces the wrist extension demands to make it easier on your wrist. 

Bonus Tip:

And one bonus tip if you’re ready for a bit more of a challenge with this move and to test your core strength and stability, try including a dead stop or even hand release at the bottom.

This forces you to really engage prior to pressing back up and even makes sure you work through the fullest range of motion possible without using any momentum! 

That press back up from a dead stop is harder than we give it credit for, especially if we are super conscious that everything moves together as if our body were a solid board.

But even as you add in this dead stop or hand lift, don’t rush through the protraction at the top of the push up. Really focus on feeling around your rib cage even working!

So whether you’re looking to mix up your push up work, improve your upper body strength and stability to lift more while avoiding injury or just want to build up to that first full push up from your toes, this is an amazing push up variation to include in your workout routine!

And for more tips to improve your push ups, here are two videos to help!

10 Tips to Increase Your Push Ups (in 7 Minutes) 

Things No One Tells You About Push Ups 

How To Build Muscle (Using The 6-12-25 Protocol)

How To Build Muscle (Using The 6-12-25 Protocol)

by | Aug 6, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Workouts

You want to see some serious strength gains, build lean muscle and improve your body composition? 

Then this workout design is something you’ll want to consider for your next training progression…

It’s the 6-12-25 training technique. 

In this video, I’ll break down what this method is, how to use this workout design, why it works so well and even share a workout you can try implementing the technique!

First…What Is The 6-12-25 Method? 

The 6-12-25 is shorthand for the reps you will perform for three different movements.

You will design a set with 3 exercises for the same area of the body.

For example, you may do all 3 moves for your lower body with a glute and hamstring focus.
The first move should be a super heavy compound lift that you can only do 6 reps for. 

The second move should be another compound, but more accessory lift for the same area of the body that you can only perform 12 reps of with the weights you select. 

Then the third move will be done for 25 reps and should be an isolation exercise that really creates that pump and burn, fully fatiguing a muscle group worked with the first two compound moves. 

After completing all three moves basically back to back, you will rest 2-3 minutes before repeating the series.

You do not want to rest between moves so that you’re fully fatiguing the area you’re targeting but you do want enough rest between rounds so you can lift heavy to start the series over again! 

You will want to include no more than two 6-12-25 series in a workout. And you will want to perform about 3-4 rounds through each.

You can design either more full body workouts using this, focusing on one area in each series or you can do an hemisphere split, targeting just your lower body or upper body in a workout. 

But make sure each series, and all 3 moves, are working only one area of the body, instead of alternating areas worked!

So Why Does The 6-12-25 Design Work So Well?

This training method was popularized by Charles Poliquin but isn’t just for bodybuilders. 

It’s actually a great training technique for any experienced exerciser looking to build strength and muscle while losing fat. 

This method is so effective because of the combination of 3 different traditional rep ranges, compound and isolation movements and the fact that we hone in and target specific muscle groups to create full fatigue in an area. 

The combination of so many training techniques into one design, and the training density this method creates, leads to massive lactate spikes, increasing growth hormone production, which is why it is thought to work so well!

It’s why this method can not only lead to amazing muscle gains but even better fat loss results! 

Each rep number is included for a specific purpose and done back to back without rest.

With the heavy compound exercise done for 6 reps, you are really working in that maximal strength range. Consider as you progress with this design even selecting a move you have to PAUSE at 5 reps for a few seconds to complete the final one over being able to do more reps with that weight. 

You never just want to stop at a rep number because it’s what the workout said. You want to feel that is all you can do.

Then with the exercise done for 12 reps, you are selecting a compound move that is a great accessory exercise to target the same muscle groups. This will allow you to really utilize that hypertrophy rep range and continue to fatigue the muscles you worked in the first move.

The higher reps and slightly lower, albeit challenging loads, allow you to recruit more muscle fibers as you fatigue. 

Then with the final move you are going to fully isolate a muscle group to work it fully to fatigue. This helps build that strength endurance which will ultimately help you recover faster and do more quality of work in future workouts and progressions.

This isolation move is a great way to help you build muscle in those stubborn muscle groups, increasing your volume of work. Make sure this move really isolates the muscle you want to target. You even want to feel that pump or burn add up at 15-20 reps so you have to pause for a second to complete all 25! 

This combination of different movements and drivers of muscle growth while working an area to fatigue is what makes this series so challenging and leads to such amazing muscle and strength gains.

It makes it a super efficient training design as well when we are short on time. 

And can be especially key if you are struggling with toning up stubborn areas!

Next I wanted to share some – Tips To Use This Effectively:

It’s key we remember that we need to challenge ourselves no matter the reps listed. No weight should feel light, no move should feel easy.

You want each exercise to challenge you while you push through to the next. 

And make sure when you design the series that all 3 moves target the same area.

If you’re doing lower body with a quad focus, you want to hone in more and more on those quads. 

If it is a chest, triceps and shoulders workout, you may hone in more and more on any of those three muscles, especially if one is more stubborn than the others. 

But make sure you are choosing one area to target and fatigue over the moves.

Then do NOT cut out rest between rounds. You want to be able to push through all three moves while kind of feeling like you don’t fully want to do the next so that you’ve earned that rest. 

But if you aren’t resting those 2-3 minutes, consider going heavier and advancing the movements. That rest should help you keep lifting heavier or maintaining the loads over the rounds to push at a true 100% intensity.

That ability to push hard and create a quality volume of work is what makes this design work so well! 

Do not be afraid to also use rest-pause technique to make sure you’re feeling like you’ve really pushed those loads while performing quality reps. 

If you, you need to pause to complete the rep range, even resting for 10-15 seconds, do it! That little pause can help you ultimately move more weight over the course of your training and push past that initial fatigue to see amazing results!

I do want to give you one WARNING before implement this:

This is an advanced training technique and you’ll be surprised by even how out of breath during the 3 moves you can get. And mentally it can be taxing to do another move for an area when it is already tired. 

Be ready to really push yourself and not just lower loads to make it easier to make it through all three moves.

Make yourself CRAVE that rest. 

And make sure all 3 moves are done back to back targeting only ONE muscle group! Although remember you have flexibility to choose the exact stubborn area to target with that isolation move.

Like you may choose to target your biceps with an isolation exercise on a bicep and back series in one workout while doing more for your lats on another day!

So How Could You Design A Workout Using This Method?

Let’s look at an anterior split workout, you would create one 6-12-25 set for the lower body, more of a quad focus, and one set for the upper body, more of a chest focused series.

You will do 3-4 rounds per series with 2-3 minutes of rest between rounds and even series.

ANTERIOR CHAIN 6-12-25 WORKOUT

SERIES #1:
6 reps Front Squats
12 reps per side Front Lunges
25 reps per side Seated Quad Flexes

SERIES #2:
6 reps Barbell Bench
12 reps Dumbbell Overhead Press
25 reps Cable Tricep Pushdown

One final note…

I do show this using more gym tools as that is honestly ideal for this set up. However, if you are training at home, as long as you use tempo changes or exercise variations that challenge you for each rep number, you can utilize this technique. 

I often even slightly adjust the reps for more bodyweight based workouts, knowing a bit more volume can be helpful using more of a 10-15-25 layout.

But if you’re looking to build strength, gain muscle and lose fat, try this amazing workout design in your next progression! 

For more amazing workouts to help you rock those results, check out my Dynamic Strength Program!

Is It Menopause? Perimenopause? The Symptoms and 4 Nutrition Tips

Is It Menopause? Perimenopause? The Symptoms and 4 Nutrition Tips

by | Jul 31, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises

“I feel like my hormones have been super out of whack.”

“It’s freaking frustrating I’m gaining weight around my middle! I’ve never gained fat there before!”

“I just don’t have energy to do anything and my sleep has been HORRIBLE!”

“I don’t know what’s going on with me!”

“But…I’m too young for menopause!”

The struggles and symptoms we often blame on menopause can start over a decade before as our hormone levels begin to change with PERIMENOPAUSE.

That’s why I want to share some common symptoms of perimenopause and how you can best manage them with 4 nutritional tips.

Because…

The changes are REAL.

And it can be hard to navigate them and focus on controlling what we can control if we don’t understand why we’re gaining weight, and in different places, feeling demotivated and fatigued, and even struggling with anxiety and self confidence!

What Is Perimenopause And What’s Happening To My Body?

Peri-menopause has earned the nickname “midlife puberty.” 

This is because of the hormone fluctuations and emotional and physical rollercoaster it can feel like we’re on. 

While we think of menopause as something that most often starts in our 50s, perimenopause can start as early as our late 30s although most often it will start in our 40s.

It can last anywhere from 2-10 years. 

Perimenopause is truly a transition not just an “event.”

And while it can feel like our bodies are starting to go berserk, this is the PERFECT opportunity to learn how to manage the changes we see with menopause so we can learn how to adjust our nutrition to match what our body will need moving forward.

Perimenopause hits everyone differently and there are a wide range of symptoms we can experience. Basically all the good stuff about having your period and going menopause:

PMS
Sleep disturbances
Hot flashes
GI disturbances
Food cravings
Joint pain
Menstrual irregularities
Longer cycles
Missed cycles
Heavy cycles
Mood disturbances
Depression
Fatigue
Mental Fogginess
Decreased libido
Weight gain (even shifts in where fat is stored)
Water retention

Exciting, right?

NO…it’s really not…

BUT while we can’t prevent this hormonal change from occurring, we can make some dietary changes to help us manage these symptoms as best as possible. 

The more informed we are about what is going on and what actions we can take, the more we can make sure we’re adjusting our fueling and training to see results and be lean and strong at any and every age.

And while you may be feeling down right now, and that may be due to the hormonal changes, yes this can impact our anxiety levels, confidence and even body image, we have to remember that 1% improvements add up. 

The more we focus on making the changes that can benefit us the healthier we will be no matter what.

Studies have actually been conducted as well to show the impact our MINDSET has on aging.

It was found that women who were more comfortable with aging and didn’t find it shameful actually suffered less from perimenopausal symptoms. 

So MINDSET MATTERS!

Of course it is easier said than done to change our mindset about things that make us feel down but the more we can stay focused on the habit changes we can make the better.

So what are 4 nutritional changes you can make to help manage those symptoms of perimenopause?

#1: Drink More Water

Increasing your water intake during perimenopause is key.

Estrogen and progesterone influence your body’s hydration levels, and when the two are fluctuating dramatically during perimenopause, increasing your water intake can be helpful as you may find even your skin is drier.

Making sure you are hydrated can help you manage hot flashes, reduce GI disturbances to keep you regular and reduce gas and bloating and even reduce fatigue.

It can even help you avoid the dreaded menopausal weight gain and lose weight while retaining lean muscle.

We often ignore the importance of hydration for fat loss but the body needs water to burn fat.

So not only is staying hydrated key to better lipolysis or fat loss, but it also improves your workouts and helps us maintain our lean muscle, which promotes more optimal body composition. 

When cells aren’t properly hydrated, they break down protein more quickly and build muscle more slowly.

This can hinder us from seeing the full benefits of our training. 

Not to mention dehydration can lead to us fatiguing more quickly with our training so we aren’t able to work at our full capacity to see results!

While it is often recommended to get 50% of your body weight in ounces, I’d recommend at least 70% of your body weight in ounces during perimenopause.

This higher intake can address these hormonal changes and also help especially if you’re training hard, increasing your protein and trying to lose weight!

#2: Love Your Fats. Focus On Omega-3s

During perimenopause, our estrogen levels drop which can not only impact where we start to store fat, leading to more belly fat being gained even if we never used to gain around our middle, but it can also mean we become more insulin resistant. 

This doesn’t mean we should just demonize carbs and cut them all out.

But it does mean that a higher fat and protein macro breakdown may help us lose weight more efficiently.

Just be conscious not to overly restrict carbs if you are an endurance athlete or training super intensely. 

Those carbs help fuel our training and preserve our lean muscle mass, which is key as it does become harder to build and retain lean muscle as we get older! 

But focusing on getting more healthy fats in our diet is key, specifically focusing on increasing our Omega-3 intake. 

Increasing our omega-3 intake can help reduce hot flashes, especially night sweats, to improve our sleep, improve our mood, reduce anxiety, and even help with GI system disturbances like constipation by reducing inflammation.

The anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3s can also help reduce joint inflammation and pain and improve our recovery while also helping us see better fat loss results. 

Because estrogen levels drop, inflammation increases in the body which is why many women going through perimenopause can start to deal with chronic inflammation to some degree.

This inflammation can impact not only our body but also our mind.

Reducing inflammation can help eliminate brain fog and improve our mood and cognition.

Inflammation can also make it harder for us to lose weight as our hormones fluctuate so make sure to get in enough omega-3s by including foods like salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, trout, walnuts, macadamia nuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds is key! 

And even consider a supplement during this time if you need the boost!

#3: Don’t Fear Fruits

Often when we lower our carb intake, we cut out fruits. 

We may have even heard that we should avoid fruits for weight loss because of the sugars.

But there are some key fruits we want to include during perimenopause that can help us manage the symptoms and even stay full and fueled. 

Fruits are a great way to get a diversity of micros, enzymes, and fiber while serving as a carb source that can be very filling and satisfying even curbing our cravings for sweets.

Consider including fruits like berries, kiwis and even pineapple. 

Berries are a great source of antioxidants and lower in carbs. They also are a high water content food, which can help us stay hydrated and increase our water intake without us even having to drink more water! 

Kiwis are great if you are suffering from GI issues such as constipation. 

Their water balance and the enzyme they contain actinidin help get things moving. Plus, they are a good source of fiber. 

They are also rich in Vitamin K which can help keep our bones healthy, which is extra important as we go through the hormonal changes of perimenopause.

Pineapple is another key fruit to help you reduce hot flashes and help with bloating. 

Pineapple contains bromelain – a protein-digesting enzyme that can relieve an upset stomach and digestive issues, which is extra helpful if you are increasing your protein during perimenopause to help with body recomp and to lose that stubborn belly fat! 

The final fruit I want to mention is a juice.

While I’m not usually a fan of juice because it is easy to over consume a ton of sugar and calories when we drink it, tart cherry juice can be super key if you are struggling to get quality sleep. 

It naturally contains tryptophan which is required for the body to produce melatonin, and it also does have naturally-occurring melatonin as well magnesium and potassium to improve the quality of your sleep naturally. 

Its antioxidant properties can also help reduce inflammation and improve your muscle recovery.

#4: Focus On Those Amino Acids. Especially Tryptophan And Leucine

Increasing your protein intake during perimenopause is key.

We are less able to utilize protein as efficiently as we get older, which means we need to increase our intake to support our training and help us build and retain lean muscle.

We want to do everything we can during perimenopause to focus on muscle as it not only keeps our metabolism healthy and prevents the slowdown we often associate with age and menopause, resulting in weight gain, but it also keeps our bones healthy and strong and helps us stay functionally stronger till our final day on this planet! 

But not only do you want to focus on getting about 1 gram per pound of bodyweight (you can use your goal bodyweight if you are working to lose weight or if you are overweight), you also specifically want to make sure you’re getting more tryptophan and leucine.

Tryptophan can help improve the quality of our sleep as well as our mood because it is involved in the production of melatonin and serotonin. 

A few great sources of tryptophan are turkey, chicken, tofu, milk, and pumpkin seeds. 

Leucine is also key for us to focus on during perimenopause to improve our protein synthesis and muscle gains.

Leucine taken in something like a BCAA or branched chain amino acid supplement can be a very calorie efficient way to get more of this essential amino acid. 

In combination with isoleucine and valine, BCAAs can help counter some of the central nervous system fatigue and brain fog that are common symptoms of perimenopause.

It also keeps amino acids we get from complete protein sources circulating and a higher level in our blood to work with the other foods we’re eating to stimulate better muscle protein synthesis.

But whether you do supplement or focus on increasing your protein overall, do not fear protein! It can really help you stay leaner and stronger through this phase!

The key thing to remember as you go through these hormonal fluctuations is that things will balance out.

This is a phase and one that will have ups and downs.

The more we track what we are doing to see how things are impacting us, the better off we will be.

Tracking our food especially during this time allows us to make changes to meet our body where it is at right now.

It can help us identify foods that may not work for us as well any more and even know how to best create the calorie intake and portions we need to stay lean and fueled while feeling our best. 

So as you implement these tips, track how you feel to see what works best for you!

Ready to learn how to address what your body needs NOW to see the results you deserve?

Schedule a coaching consultation today to feel your most fabulous!

STUDIES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12150226/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/