To help metabolize fat from the body it is important to eat the right amount of essential fat. Here are some of the best fat burning foods.
* Eggs
* Olive Oil
* Flaxseed Oil
* Avocados
* Raw Milk / Cream
* Raw Cheese
* Fish
* Lean Meats
* Broccoli
* Green Leafy Vegetables
* Red / Green / Yellow Peppers
tags: fat metabolism, nutrition, daryl conant, vince gironda, ron kosloff, boston bruins, redsox
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
You Have To Love It
To be successful at staying committed to exercise, you have to love it. People who dabble with fitness programs and feel that exercising is more drudgery than fun often times never see results. It takes passion and discipline to succeed in fitness.
Exercise needs to be an extension to your existence. Meaning that it becomes as important to you as eating. If you are only exercising to resolve some emotional shift in consciousness, then you are destined to fail. Exercising for the sole purpose of trying to "lose weight" is the wrong approach. Exercising to improve the overall functioning of the internal organs should be the main factor. Improving the internal organs will ultimately influence the improvement of entire body. A residual effect of healthy organs is fat loss. People gain fat because there is an imbalance within their systems. Once the problem is addressed and remedied then the body can begin to function properly and return to its original set point. However, how close to the set point you get also depends on how much inflammatory damage you have done within the systems of the body. The greater the inflammatory damage present can reduce the functions of the systems. A reduction in the output of the systems will limit how much hormone is released, how much muscle can be activated, and how much fat can burn metabolized. That is why it is essential to stay on a regular exercise program. Sticking to a regular habit will promote greater cellular output while reducing inflammatory damage. Eating the right foods at the right time throughout the day is also necessary to keep the systems operating effectively. When you have established a good habit with exercise and you are eating healthy, then the benefits are bountiful. Once you start seeing and feeling the results of your hard earned discipline, you will be hooked-- and you will love it.
You must find the motivational spark that will ignite your enthusiasm.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, tornados, red sox, bruins,
Exercise needs to be an extension to your existence. Meaning that it becomes as important to you as eating. If you are only exercising to resolve some emotional shift in consciousness, then you are destined to fail. Exercising for the sole purpose of trying to "lose weight" is the wrong approach. Exercising to improve the overall functioning of the internal organs should be the main factor. Improving the internal organs will ultimately influence the improvement of entire body. A residual effect of healthy organs is fat loss. People gain fat because there is an imbalance within their systems. Once the problem is addressed and remedied then the body can begin to function properly and return to its original set point. However, how close to the set point you get also depends on how much inflammatory damage you have done within the systems of the body. The greater the inflammatory damage present can reduce the functions of the systems. A reduction in the output of the systems will limit how much hormone is released, how much muscle can be activated, and how much fat can burn metabolized. That is why it is essential to stay on a regular exercise program. Sticking to a regular habit will promote greater cellular output while reducing inflammatory damage. Eating the right foods at the right time throughout the day is also necessary to keep the systems operating effectively. When you have established a good habit with exercise and you are eating healthy, then the benefits are bountiful. Once you start seeing and feeling the results of your hard earned discipline, you will be hooked-- and you will love it.
You must find the motivational spark that will ignite your enthusiasm.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, tornados, red sox, bruins,
Monday, May 23, 2011
Best Not To Overtrain
Overtraining is very common when it comes to exercise. We are taught that more is better. This is not true. If you perform too many reps and sets of an exercise the muscle cell will turn off. You could be feeling good and working through the sets, then all of a sudden the muscle group that you are working gets cold and loses the "pumped" feeling. Once this feeling occurs it is time to stop the exercise. What is happening is the blood is being cleared out by stress chemicals, forcing the muscle cells to shutdown. This is a way to protect the tissue from further damage. The motor units are overstimulated-- overtonis.
There is a fine line between proper training and overtraining. One big mistake is when an over zealot lifter keeps adding exercises, reps and sets to their routine. They might be feeling super energized on monday and add a lot more intensity to the routine. They end up working out for 2-3 hours. They continue this pattern throughout the week. By the end of the week they are rundown, exhausted and have trouble maintaining a pump. This will eventually result in a chronic fatigued state. The muscles will appear stringy and flat. Appetite will lessen and dysentery may develop.
It is important to know when to stop exercising when you achieve the pump. Do not continue lifting even if you feel like you could do a few more reps and sets. It is better to leave the gym pumped up and full of an endorphin rush.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, overtraining, diet EARTH, InVINCEable, Buff DADDY
There is a fine line between proper training and overtraining. One big mistake is when an over zealot lifter keeps adding exercises, reps and sets to their routine. They might be feeling super energized on monday and add a lot more intensity to the routine. They end up working out for 2-3 hours. They continue this pattern throughout the week. By the end of the week they are rundown, exhausted and have trouble maintaining a pump. This will eventually result in a chronic fatigued state. The muscles will appear stringy and flat. Appetite will lessen and dysentery may develop.
It is important to know when to stop exercising when you achieve the pump. Do not continue lifting even if you feel like you could do a few more reps and sets. It is better to leave the gym pumped up and full of an endorphin rush.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, overtraining, diet EARTH, InVINCEable, Buff DADDY
Thursday, May 19, 2011
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE.
FOLKS ARE WE REALLY A FREE NATION???? I mean you have got to be kidding me. Here is the most absurd governmental bullshit I have ever read about natural food.
Rather than keeping the illegal aliens from crossing the borders, or stopping terrorists from blowing stuff up, or keeping the drunk drivers off the roads, or cutting down the drugs in this country, the feds are more concerned with stopping a hard working natural AMISH farm from delivering raw milk across the pennsylvania line. This is what America is turning into folks. It is an absolute shame. I predict that by the year 2020 our natural food sources will be gone forever and we will all be dependent on processed, mutated, preservative ridden, poisoned, chemically enhanced food. I am very upset about this.
The FDA allows poison factories (dunkin donuts, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Arby's, Taco Bell, etc.) to sell their products to millions of Americans a year and this IS NOT A CRIME??? For the record more people (millions) have gotten sick, developed cancer, and have died from coronary heart disease from eating from fast food places. Only a hand full of people over the past 100 years have developed a bacterial related disease from drinking raw milk. Yet, the FDA approves the poisoning of food from food companies and fast food establishments, and that is o.k..
I wrote "diet EARTH" for this reason. The amount of poison that is in our food supply is amazing to me. I went to the grocery store the other day and I found only 30 foods that were consumable. Consumable meaning, without additives, preservatives, synthetic chemicals, bleach, enhanced color agents. I only came up with 30 foods. I imagine that these 30 foods will also be extinct in the near future as well.
Here is how it works folks.
The government controls food companies. The food companies have to put poisons in the food to make it last longer. The food needs to last longer because the government has to figure a way to feed the masses of an over populated country. An over populated country without enough food would be disastrous and would result in a third world situation. A third world condition would mean no money for the government. No money would mean America would be vulnerable to other countries.
To stop this from happening the government has to control the masses. Processed food is the best way to keep food lasting longer, regardless if it is valueless and makes people sick. But wait, the government is also in bed with the drug companies. Phew! I was worried that there wasn't anything that could be done with all the people getting sick and dying from the poisons that are in the food supply. Now the government can allow the administration of drugs to help save its people. That is just dandy! I feel better knowing that I can get sick from eating all the processed synthetic crap that the food companies are producing, and can take drugs to regulate my failing heart, lungs, brain, liver, kidneys, and digestive tract. That is awesome! I wish I could give the government a big hug and thank them for being so considerate for my health. I am so happy that we don't have to eat healthy, organic natural food ladened with active enzymes and useable nutrients anymore. I love eating fake, plastic food that has about as much nutrient value as the dog crap that is on the bottom of my shoe. Thank you Uncle Sam you rock!!!
I know many people don't really care about their health or the natural food supply, but I have a tremendous passion for fighting for our rights as human beings to be able to eat organic, raw natural food the way God intended. It is an absolute shame that our freaking government is killing its own people. Obesity in this country is the worst it has ever been. The FDA is more concerned about arresting an Amish man for delivering milk than trying to arrest all the bastards that are pumping Americans up with drugs and poisons. THAT IS AWESOME!!! Way to go FDA-- I raise up my dunkin donut synthetic fat filled coolatta to ya'. Yeehaw you son of bitch.
I want to thank Brian McBride for telling me about this article. Here is the article.
FOLKS ARE WE REALLY A FREE NATION???? I mean you have got to be kidding me. Here is the most absurd governmental bullshit I have ever read about natural food.
Rather than keeping the illegal aliens from crossing the borders, or stopping terrorists from blowing stuff up, or keeping the drunk drivers off the roads, or cutting down the drugs in this country, the feds are more concerned with stopping a hard working natural AMISH farm from delivering raw milk across the pennsylvania line. This is what America is turning into folks. It is an absolute shame. I predict that by the year 2020 our natural food sources will be gone forever and we will all be dependent on processed, mutated, preservative ridden, poisoned, chemically enhanced food. I am very upset about this.
The FDA allows poison factories (dunkin donuts, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Arby's, Taco Bell, etc.) to sell their products to millions of Americans a year and this IS NOT A CRIME??? For the record more people (millions) have gotten sick, developed cancer, and have died from coronary heart disease from eating from fast food places. Only a hand full of people over the past 100 years have developed a bacterial related disease from drinking raw milk. Yet, the FDA approves the poisoning of food from food companies and fast food establishments, and that is o.k..
I wrote "diet EARTH" for this reason. The amount of poison that is in our food supply is amazing to me. I went to the grocery store the other day and I found only 30 foods that were consumable. Consumable meaning, without additives, preservatives, synthetic chemicals, bleach, enhanced color agents. I only came up with 30 foods. I imagine that these 30 foods will also be extinct in the near future as well.
Here is how it works folks.
The government controls food companies. The food companies have to put poisons in the food to make it last longer. The food needs to last longer because the government has to figure a way to feed the masses of an over populated country. An over populated country without enough food would be disastrous and would result in a third world situation. A third world condition would mean no money for the government. No money would mean America would be vulnerable to other countries.
To stop this from happening the government has to control the masses. Processed food is the best way to keep food lasting longer, regardless if it is valueless and makes people sick. But wait, the government is also in bed with the drug companies. Phew! I was worried that there wasn't anything that could be done with all the people getting sick and dying from the poisons that are in the food supply. Now the government can allow the administration of drugs to help save its people. That is just dandy! I feel better knowing that I can get sick from eating all the processed synthetic crap that the food companies are producing, and can take drugs to regulate my failing heart, lungs, brain, liver, kidneys, and digestive tract. That is awesome! I wish I could give the government a big hug and thank them for being so considerate for my health. I am so happy that we don't have to eat healthy, organic natural food ladened with active enzymes and useable nutrients anymore. I love eating fake, plastic food that has about as much nutrient value as the dog crap that is on the bottom of my shoe. Thank you Uncle Sam you rock!!!
I know many people don't really care about their health or the natural food supply, but I have a tremendous passion for fighting for our rights as human beings to be able to eat organic, raw natural food the way God intended. It is an absolute shame that our freaking government is killing its own people. Obesity in this country is the worst it has ever been. The FDA is more concerned about arresting an Amish man for delivering milk than trying to arrest all the bastards that are pumping Americans up with drugs and poisons. THAT IS AWESOME!!! Way to go FDA-- I raise up my dunkin donut synthetic fat filled coolatta to ya'. Yeehaw you son of bitch.
I want to thank Brian McBride for telling me about this article. Here is the article.
Understanding Neuromuscular Efficiency
When we weight train we are influencing the efficiency of the neuromuscular junction. The brain and muscles coordinate the synaptic transmission increasing the strength of the muscle fibers. Exercise type and intensity will determine the improvement of the neuromuscular junction, this is known as Neuromuscular Efficiency.
Neuromuscular efficiency improves by two cellular factors; muscle fiber recruitment and rate coding.
During continuous tension on the muscle signals are being transmitted via the efferent and afferent nerves. When the intensity is greater than the threshold the nerves recruit more fibers to help with the stimulus. Greater strength is achieved when more fibers are recruited.
The other factor improving neuromuscular efficiency is rate coding. Rate coding is the synchronization impulse speed from the brain to the muscle fibers. The faster the impulse the faster the muscle fibers can be activated or recruited to help with the stimulus. The more efficient that rate coding becomes the greater the muscle contraction.
Overall, the greater the neuromuscular efficiency the greater the strength. Whenever you start a new exercise program, neuromuscular efficiency is the first aspect that is developed and is responsible for the initial increase in strength.
Regular training will influence greater neuromuscular efficiency.
tags: neuromuscular efficiency, strength, daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, boston bruins, tampa bay lightening, arnold schwarzenegger,
by: Daryl Conant, M.Ed CSCS
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Milk
Milk is a great source of protein, as long as it is organic, or even better raw. Raw milk is not pasteurized or homogenized. Raw milk contains all the essential amino acids that are necessary for proper cellular growth. The problem with raw milk is that it doesn't keep long, it spoils within a few days. This was the problem years ago. The population of America was growing vastly and the demand of milk was high. There wasn't enough milk being produced naturally to supply the people. Pasteurization and homogenization helped solve the spoiling issue of milk. A gallon of pasteurized / homogenized milk can last 4 to 6 weeks, almost three weeks longer than raw milk. Unfortunately, pasterurization and homogenization destroys the amino acid structure and can also alter the cholesterol structure. This is due to the heating process that kills all the bacteria through the pasteurization process. What is left is a substance that can be hard to digest. This is why some people have allergies to milk. They do not have the enzymes to break down the pasteurized milk. I used to have milk allergies. Once I changed over to raw milk my allergies went away.
The Milk Myth
Milk should not be consumed by humans after the age of 3, because milk is for baby cows. GIVE ME A BREAK FOLKS!!! This idea drives me nuts. This is some silly idea that a vegetarian group promoted years ago. Commercial milking of cows is not the most humane process, in fact it is down right upsetting. To protest against the cruelty of animals (cows) some groups came out and stated that we don't need to drink milk, and that it is only for baby cows. Though this concept is nice in the fact that it increases the awareness of how milk factories operate and are sometimes operating inhumanly, to say that milk is not a viable food for human consumption is FLAT OUT INCORRECT.
I am all about the humane practices and healthy organic way of living. I could tell you stories about the food industry that would make you never eat certain foods ever again. I will save that for another day. I want to discuss with you how the body works and why milk is healthy to consume.
The body is designed to breakdown fat, protein, carbohydrates (macro nutrients). These macro nutrients are then broken down into micro nutrients. During the process of eating, enzymes are activated in the saliva and begin to mix with the food. The food travels down the esophagus and blends with the body's enzymes to continue the breakdown of food. The stomach is designed to breakdown food into smaller units to be delivered to the intestines. The intestines breakdown the food further and the nutrients are filtered through the liver and enters the blood.
When you eat a particular food, as long at it is healthy and organic, the body will digest it with no problems. The body doesn't know where the food came from whether it came from a cow, a goat, a human, the ground, the sky. It makes no judgement of where the food came from. It only sees the molecular configuration of amino acids, fatty acids, cholesterol, carbohydrates and breaks them down accordingly. Protein is protein, fat is fat, sugar is sugar, the body is designed to break them compounds down. Baby cows don't need to consume milk after a certain age because they are herbivores, not carnivores. They eat grass and grains. Herbivores have a different digestive enzyme system than carnivores. Their digestive systems are designed to assimilate alkaline foods into proteins to build and repair cells. Carnivores digestive system works by balancing acidic and alkaline foods. Meat, dairy, fish, poultry, eggs, are acidic foods that are digested with the help of acidic enzymes. As long as we have this system within our make up we will be able to eat animal products with no problem. The human body is designed to eat animals. As crazy at it seems, the human digestive system is designed to consume an entire animal, except for the fur, bone, cartilage etc. But we have enough digestive enzymes to help digest just about any animal product.
The stomach houses hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is so acidic that can can eat away tissue. People who are stressed out all the time can develop acid reflux. Acid reflux is the leaking of the hydrochloric acid from the stomach and gets into the esophagus and begins to deteriorate the lining. Also, HCL is so powerful that if you were to put your hand down your throat and into your stomach the acid would begin to digest your own hand tissue. This is why we can eat animal meat. Animal meat consists of muscle and some times skin and cartilage (eating chicken off the bone). The stomach is able to breakdown muscle, skin and cartilage from animals with no problem. So if you were to stick your hand in your stomach, the body wouldn't know that it was your own hand, it would just break it down.
This is much like milk. The body doesn't care where the food came from, or whether it had eyes and was a living breathing animal, it just digests it and uses the nutrients from it to feed the body.
Eating healthy organic raw foods is the best for the body. Eating processed and mutated foods is what causes problems with health. Milk is not bad for you unless you consume pasteurized and homogenized milk. Then you take the chance of developing an allergy or disease. Many anti-milk drinkers protest that you will develop cancer from drinking milk. I can agree with this. It isn't the milk that causes the cancer it is the chemicals, preservatives and additives that does. So when someone who drinks milk develops prostate cancer, the anti-milk group goes up in arms stating that the milk caused the cancer and that it proves that humans shouldn't consume milk. But they are misinformed and need to know that it isn't the milk it is the processing of the milk that is the problem.
Skim Milk is better for you.
This is also a myth. Skim milk is the watery substance that is separated from milk. When milk is pumped out of the cow and settles in the bucket. The milk separates into different layers. Fat weighs less molecularly than sugar therefore it raises to the top. Whole milk contains more proteins, lactose (sugar) than cream and is heavier so it sits under cream. The less the protein and fat the more watery and heavier the molecular weight becomes. Skim milk is primarily made up of lactose. Lactose is the sugar in milk. Sugar molecules weigh more than fat and therefore sink to the bottom. So in essence skim milk is sugar water. There is not much protein and fat in skim milk. Fat must be present to stabilize protein. Take away fat and protein and you are left with skim milk. So in order to sell skim milk to the public, the milk companies add in protein and some additives to increase the protein content. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the protein is a viable protein. Because protein and fat must co-exist in order to stabilize protein. Protein and sugars don't mix well. Also, milk companies will add in powdered milk products to make the skim milk look white. People won't drink a clear milk product, it has to be white to satisfy the visual perception. So additives are added to give color and to thicken up the skim milk to make it more sellable. Unfortunately, the additives and agents used are carcinogens and mutagenic. Which can result in ill effects such as; allergies, digestive disorders, cancers, coronary artery disease, if consumed in large amounts over time.
Like I always say, as long as man manipulates and breaks down the natural configurations of organic natural food, the human being will be subjected to illness and disease.
Milk is a great source of protein. Try to drink organic if you can. Better yet, drink raw if you can.
tags: milk, skim milk, daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, boston bruins, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the maid, red sox, strength, muscle, bodybuilding,
The Milk Myth
Milk should not be consumed by humans after the age of 3, because milk is for baby cows. GIVE ME A BREAK FOLKS!!! This idea drives me nuts. This is some silly idea that a vegetarian group promoted years ago. Commercial milking of cows is not the most humane process, in fact it is down right upsetting. To protest against the cruelty of animals (cows) some groups came out and stated that we don't need to drink milk, and that it is only for baby cows. Though this concept is nice in the fact that it increases the awareness of how milk factories operate and are sometimes operating inhumanly, to say that milk is not a viable food for human consumption is FLAT OUT INCORRECT.
I am all about the humane practices and healthy organic way of living. I could tell you stories about the food industry that would make you never eat certain foods ever again. I will save that for another day. I want to discuss with you how the body works and why milk is healthy to consume.
The body is designed to breakdown fat, protein, carbohydrates (macro nutrients). These macro nutrients are then broken down into micro nutrients. During the process of eating, enzymes are activated in the saliva and begin to mix with the food. The food travels down the esophagus and blends with the body's enzymes to continue the breakdown of food. The stomach is designed to breakdown food into smaller units to be delivered to the intestines. The intestines breakdown the food further and the nutrients are filtered through the liver and enters the blood.
When you eat a particular food, as long at it is healthy and organic, the body will digest it with no problems. The body doesn't know where the food came from whether it came from a cow, a goat, a human, the ground, the sky. It makes no judgement of where the food came from. It only sees the molecular configuration of amino acids, fatty acids, cholesterol, carbohydrates and breaks them down accordingly. Protein is protein, fat is fat, sugar is sugar, the body is designed to break them compounds down. Baby cows don't need to consume milk after a certain age because they are herbivores, not carnivores. They eat grass and grains. Herbivores have a different digestive enzyme system than carnivores. Their digestive systems are designed to assimilate alkaline foods into proteins to build and repair cells. Carnivores digestive system works by balancing acidic and alkaline foods. Meat, dairy, fish, poultry, eggs, are acidic foods that are digested with the help of acidic enzymes. As long as we have this system within our make up we will be able to eat animal products with no problem. The human body is designed to eat animals. As crazy at it seems, the human digestive system is designed to consume an entire animal, except for the fur, bone, cartilage etc. But we have enough digestive enzymes to help digest just about any animal product.
The stomach houses hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is so acidic that can can eat away tissue. People who are stressed out all the time can develop acid reflux. Acid reflux is the leaking of the hydrochloric acid from the stomach and gets into the esophagus and begins to deteriorate the lining. Also, HCL is so powerful that if you were to put your hand down your throat and into your stomach the acid would begin to digest your own hand tissue. This is why we can eat animal meat. Animal meat consists of muscle and some times skin and cartilage (eating chicken off the bone). The stomach is able to breakdown muscle, skin and cartilage from animals with no problem. So if you were to stick your hand in your stomach, the body wouldn't know that it was your own hand, it would just break it down.
This is much like milk. The body doesn't care where the food came from, or whether it had eyes and was a living breathing animal, it just digests it and uses the nutrients from it to feed the body.
Eating healthy organic raw foods is the best for the body. Eating processed and mutated foods is what causes problems with health. Milk is not bad for you unless you consume pasteurized and homogenized milk. Then you take the chance of developing an allergy or disease. Many anti-milk drinkers protest that you will develop cancer from drinking milk. I can agree with this. It isn't the milk that causes the cancer it is the chemicals, preservatives and additives that does. So when someone who drinks milk develops prostate cancer, the anti-milk group goes up in arms stating that the milk caused the cancer and that it proves that humans shouldn't consume milk. But they are misinformed and need to know that it isn't the milk it is the processing of the milk that is the problem.
Skim Milk is better for you.
This is also a myth. Skim milk is the watery substance that is separated from milk. When milk is pumped out of the cow and settles in the bucket. The milk separates into different layers. Fat weighs less molecularly than sugar therefore it raises to the top. Whole milk contains more proteins, lactose (sugar) than cream and is heavier so it sits under cream. The less the protein and fat the more watery and heavier the molecular weight becomes. Skim milk is primarily made up of lactose. Lactose is the sugar in milk. Sugar molecules weigh more than fat and therefore sink to the bottom. So in essence skim milk is sugar water. There is not much protein and fat in skim milk. Fat must be present to stabilize protein. Take away fat and protein and you are left with skim milk. So in order to sell skim milk to the public, the milk companies add in protein and some additives to increase the protein content. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the protein is a viable protein. Because protein and fat must co-exist in order to stabilize protein. Protein and sugars don't mix well. Also, milk companies will add in powdered milk products to make the skim milk look white. People won't drink a clear milk product, it has to be white to satisfy the visual perception. So additives are added to give color and to thicken up the skim milk to make it more sellable. Unfortunately, the additives and agents used are carcinogens and mutagenic. Which can result in ill effects such as; allergies, digestive disorders, cancers, coronary artery disease, if consumed in large amounts over time.
Like I always say, as long as man manipulates and breaks down the natural configurations of organic natural food, the human being will be subjected to illness and disease.
Milk is a great source of protein. Try to drink organic if you can. Better yet, drink raw if you can.
tags: milk, skim milk, daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, boston bruins, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the maid, red sox, strength, muscle, bodybuilding,
Monday, May 16, 2011
diet EARTH
If you want to learn more about nutrition, I recommend that you purchase my book diet EARTH. It helps answer some of the questions about cholesterol, calories, metabolism that other books don't mention. You can order diet EARTH on my website at www.darylconant.com
Friday, May 13, 2011
L-Carnitine. A Great Fat Burner
L-Carnitine is an essential amino acid for fat burning. Researchers have found that L-Carnitine actually acclerates the fat burning process in the liver and muscles. Without it, fat is unable to penetrate the walls of the miochndria of the muscle cells. L-Carnitine increases the rate of fat utilization for fuel. The best sources of L-Carnitine are found in red meat. Unfortunately, to get the required amount of L-Carnitine, meat must be consumed in high quantities.
Supplementing your diet with L-Carnitine is a great way to keep it high in your system and to help burn off fat.
Here is an analogy to demonstrate how L-Carnitine works. Imagine your blood stream is a river. Your body-fat cells are little people in boats floating down the river to reach their final destination. The Muscle Hotel, (muscle tissue-where fat will be burned as fuel for energy). But, when they arrive, they find the door too heavy to open. L-Carnitine is the doorman to the Muscle Hotel. It allows your body-fat to more easily enter (permeate) your muscle tissue to be burned as fuel energy.
The primary function of L-Carnitine is to facilitate the transport of fatty acids from the cell’s cytoplasm across the mitochondria membrane to the interior of the mitochondria where oxidation occurs (fat-burning process). Without L-Carnitine as a carrier, the fatty acids are unable to penetrate the membrane of the mitochondria. This will result in a decreased rate of fat utilization and energy. L-Carnitine also helps to remove by-products of fatty acid metabolism and other toxic compounds from within the cells.
If your goal is to burn fat, L-Carnitine is one supplement that is worth taking. I sell an L-Carnitine supplement that is in liquid form. You can put it in your water bottle with your water and drink during the workout. When muscle tissue is being worked it becomes depleted of amino acids. Keeping a good influx of L-Carnitine during the thermogenic process will help facilitate greater fat burning.
You can also pick up L-Carnitine at any vitamin store or health food store.
tags: L-Carnitine, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, Daryl Conant, AMino Acids
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
One of the best Compounds Found in?
There are so many great factors when it comes to nutrients. I classify nutrients into macro and micro categories. Macro nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, fats. Micro nutrients are the derivatives of the macro nutrients. Amino acids, glucose, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Most people know about the macro nutrients but not the micro nutrients. I would like to discuss one key micro nutrient that is found in -- you guessed EGGS, poultry, dairy products, wheat germ oil, oats and avacados. The micro nutrient is L-glutamine.
L-Glutamine is an amino acid that is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body. The body can hold up to 100,000 mg of Glutamine. Every tissue in the body utilizes glutamine. It has been well established that amino acids produce energy in the body. Glutamine is a major source of energy for the body. There are high levels of glutamine in all the vital organs; the brain, skeletal muscle, intestinal walls, lungs, heart, kidneys and liver.
Where Glutamine comes from is food. Glutamine is a converted form of Glutamic acid. When glutamic acid breaks down by the enzymatic reaction of glutamine synthetase it forms a salt, which ends up becoming glutamine. In order to have the correct amount of Glutamine in the body it is important to have the proper enzymatic support. Glutamine Synthetase requires the presence of pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6), manganese and derivatives from vitamins and minerals. A glutamine deficiency can arise if these compounds are not present in adequate amounts. Even if a person is taking in high levels of protein, they could still be deficient in Glutamine. Many people are deficient in Glutamine concentrations. This is because of poor dietary choices and lack of the vital external fat and protein. Eating the right foods that are rich in compounds necessary for Glutamine conversion is important. Eggs are one of the best sources.
Glutamine has an important role in the production of neurotransmitters of the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that control the function of the brain. Without neurotransmitters the brain is useless. There are three neurotransmitters that are essential for healthy brain function, Glutamine, Glutamate and GAGA. Glutamine is highly abundant in the cerebro-spinal fluid in the brain, more so than in the blood. The brain depends alot on Glutamine as an energy source. The reason for this is help the brain survive during times low glucose levels. If brain glucose levels drop too low, oxygen levels would drop as well, the brain would begin to die. Glutamine is used during times of low glucose levels to help keep the synthesis of oxygen active. Glucose and Glutamine are both energy sources of the brain. When there is an ample amount of these energy sources in the brain, concentration, mental alertness and clarity, mood, memory and intelligence are improved. It is believed that low levels of Glutamine in the brain is directly related to brain disorders and disease; i.e. Alzyheimers.
Glutamate is a stimulant type of neurotransmitter. GABA is the stimulant reducer, calming down the brain. These work in conjunction with Glutamine to support healthy brain function.
Helps Maintain Blood Sugar Levels
Glutamine helps support energy in the reduction of blood sugar in the bloodstream. It does this by suppressing the release of insulin. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that opens up cells allowing sugar to be absorbed. Too much insulin will ultimately deplete all blood sugar. This is a serious condition. In order to avoid this event, Glutamine is released to help turn off insulin production. It then activates glycogen receptors of the liver and muscle tissue. Glycogen is stored glucose. Glycogen is used to help stabilize the blood system with energy.
Another great benefit of Glutamine is its ability to be converted into glucose. There are amino acids in the body known as, glycogenic amino acids. Glycogenic amino acids can be converted into glucose when the body needs more energy. The process of glycogenic amino acid conversion is called, gluconeogenesis.
With high levels of Glutamine in the blood, the pancreas has to work less. Because of the inhibitory insulin factors that Glutamine presents. Glutamine helps support the health and function of the pancreas, pancreatic enzymes, and protein content.
The intestines also benefit from high levels of Glutamine. The bacteria located on the walls of the intestines consume a lot of Glutamine throughout the day. Low levels of Glutamine can result in digestive disorders. Glutamine is essential for the health and production of the mucosa of the intestinal lining. Glutamine helps maintain a good balance of bacteria in the intestines. If Glutamine is not available in the correct amount, the bad bacteria increases and can cause many problems in the intestines.
Glutamine can help remedy many of the effects of bad bacteria.
Muscle Tissue
When muscle tissue is broken down from either exercise or aging damage to the cellular machinery occurs. Glutamine helps in the support of repair and energy storage of the muscle cell. Glutamine's role in the muscle is to help regulate protein synthesis. It also helps with the storage capacity of muscle sugar (glycogen). When Glutamine levels are low muscle tissue cannot be repaired effectively, resulting in atrophy. Keeping a high level of Glutamine is also essential to help combat the effects of aging. Glutamine helps with the synthesis of Glutathione (an essential anti-oxidant) in the liver. Glutathione is a co-factor in the aging process.
Tags: Glutamine, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, Daryl Conant, Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, muscle, bodybuilding, strength and conditioning.
L-Glutamine is an amino acid that is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body. The body can hold up to 100,000 mg of Glutamine. Every tissue in the body utilizes glutamine. It has been well established that amino acids produce energy in the body. Glutamine is a major source of energy for the body. There are high levels of glutamine in all the vital organs; the brain, skeletal muscle, intestinal walls, lungs, heart, kidneys and liver.
Where Glutamine comes from is food. Glutamine is a converted form of Glutamic acid. When glutamic acid breaks down by the enzymatic reaction of glutamine synthetase it forms a salt, which ends up becoming glutamine. In order to have the correct amount of Glutamine in the body it is important to have the proper enzymatic support. Glutamine Synthetase requires the presence of pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6), manganese and derivatives from vitamins and minerals. A glutamine deficiency can arise if these compounds are not present in adequate amounts. Even if a person is taking in high levels of protein, they could still be deficient in Glutamine. Many people are deficient in Glutamine concentrations. This is because of poor dietary choices and lack of the vital external fat and protein. Eating the right foods that are rich in compounds necessary for Glutamine conversion is important. Eggs are one of the best sources.
Glutamine has an important role in the production of neurotransmitters of the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that control the function of the brain. Without neurotransmitters the brain is useless. There are three neurotransmitters that are essential for healthy brain function, Glutamine, Glutamate and GAGA. Glutamine is highly abundant in the cerebro-spinal fluid in the brain, more so than in the blood. The brain depends alot on Glutamine as an energy source. The reason for this is help the brain survive during times low glucose levels. If brain glucose levels drop too low, oxygen levels would drop as well, the brain would begin to die. Glutamine is used during times of low glucose levels to help keep the synthesis of oxygen active. Glucose and Glutamine are both energy sources of the brain. When there is an ample amount of these energy sources in the brain, concentration, mental alertness and clarity, mood, memory and intelligence are improved. It is believed that low levels of Glutamine in the brain is directly related to brain disorders and disease; i.e. Alzyheimers.
Glutamate is a stimulant type of neurotransmitter. GABA is the stimulant reducer, calming down the brain. These work in conjunction with Glutamine to support healthy brain function.
Helps Maintain Blood Sugar Levels
Glutamine helps support energy in the reduction of blood sugar in the bloodstream. It does this by suppressing the release of insulin. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that opens up cells allowing sugar to be absorbed. Too much insulin will ultimately deplete all blood sugar. This is a serious condition. In order to avoid this event, Glutamine is released to help turn off insulin production. It then activates glycogen receptors of the liver and muscle tissue. Glycogen is stored glucose. Glycogen is used to help stabilize the blood system with energy.
Another great benefit of Glutamine is its ability to be converted into glucose. There are amino acids in the body known as, glycogenic amino acids. Glycogenic amino acids can be converted into glucose when the body needs more energy. The process of glycogenic amino acid conversion is called, gluconeogenesis.
With high levels of Glutamine in the blood, the pancreas has to work less. Because of the inhibitory insulin factors that Glutamine presents. Glutamine helps support the health and function of the pancreas, pancreatic enzymes, and protein content.
The intestines also benefit from high levels of Glutamine. The bacteria located on the walls of the intestines consume a lot of Glutamine throughout the day. Low levels of Glutamine can result in digestive disorders. Glutamine is essential for the health and production of the mucosa of the intestinal lining. Glutamine helps maintain a good balance of bacteria in the intestines. If Glutamine is not available in the correct amount, the bad bacteria increases and can cause many problems in the intestines.
Glutamine can help remedy many of the effects of bad bacteria.
Muscle Tissue
When muscle tissue is broken down from either exercise or aging damage to the cellular machinery occurs. Glutamine helps in the support of repair and energy storage of the muscle cell. Glutamine's role in the muscle is to help regulate protein synthesis. It also helps with the storage capacity of muscle sugar (glycogen). When Glutamine levels are low muscle tissue cannot be repaired effectively, resulting in atrophy. Keeping a high level of Glutamine is also essential to help combat the effects of aging. Glutamine helps with the synthesis of Glutathione (an essential anti-oxidant) in the liver. Glutathione is a co-factor in the aging process.
Tags: Glutamine, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, Daryl Conant, Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, muscle, bodybuilding, strength and conditioning.
Monday, May 9, 2011
How Many Reps and Sets
When performing an exercise it is important to understand how many reps and sets you need to do to achieve benefit. The idea of a set is to stimulate the neuromuscular pathways. In order to establish greater thresholds it is important to repeat the exercise (reps). The more you condition the neuromuscular pathway, the greater the response of the tissue will occur, while under a stressful (resistance) stimulus. What this means is that by performing the same movement over and over will create greater strength and endurance.
When someone who has never exercised before starts an exercise program it is important for them to establish a good sympathetic nervous system foundation. This is known as creating good tone. You might hear people in the gym say that they want to tone their muscles. The idea of toning is based on a sympathetic nervous system principle. It has nothing to do with how the muscle looks. Yet, people are confused by the term toning. They associate it with appearance. Saying " you look toned." This is a misinterpretation of what toning is.
What is meant by toning is the following. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is the primary excitatory factor in the stimulation of the body systems. When the person is aroused emotionally or physically the SNS responds. Hormones, sugar uptake, blood pressure all increase during a SNS response. The SNS is known as the "fight of flight" system. When stress is present we either flee the situation or stay and fight. Exercise is a form of physical stress. When the body begins to exercise the SNS gets turned on. Controlling the SNS is the idea for becoming fit.
Being de-conditioned, simply means that the systems of the body are not able to adapt to the stress that is being placed on the body fast enough. Therefore, the systems are compromised and cannot work synergistically. The result is abrupt fatigue, homoeostasis imbalance, poor recovery, damaged tissue, retarded synaptic transmission. The cells are unable to clear the toxins and debris quick enough, the vital mineral pumps are affected resulting in electrolyte imbalances. Metabolites in the blood system are affected in unfit people as opposed to fit people, as well. The micro systems of the cells are out of balance, which forces the macrosystems to work harder.
The de-conditioned person has a low stress tolerance. This is known as "poor tone", or "low tone." The SNS has a low stress threshold. Meaning that the person's neuromuscular system is significantly weak in response to a stimulus. The SNS reacts too quickly and forces the cascading effect of physiological disruption with the systems of the body. The end result is that the person has very limited adaptive control to handle the stress being presented. An example of this would be when a someone who has never exercised before steps on a treadmill for the first time. Since they have never increased their heart rate before, the SNS immediately takes notice. The person's SNS threshold is very low. Within 2 to 3 minutes the person's alarm state has increased. The systems are beginning to get challenged beyond what they are used to. The muscle cells, which haven't been activated in a long time, begin to develop too much hydrogen forming lactic acid at a fast rate. The lack of oxygen within the muscle cell prompts the cardiovascular system to work harder to try to pump oxygen into the bloodstream faster to get to the struggling muscle tissue. This inadvertently forces the heart to have to pump harder and faster.
Once the intensity becomes too much for the systems to contend with, stress hormones are released to help turn off the cells and to begin the steps to cycle the SNS down and to regain homeostasis. The person then begins to slow down their speed on the treadmill until they get back to a proper resting heart. For some people their heart rate and blood pressure will continue to remain high even after the treadmill has stopped. This is a clear indication that they are very de-conditioned and they have poor SNS tone.
In order to improve the tone of the SNS the person must slowly work up their threshold. The idea of exercise is to stimulate the body enough to stay one step ahead of a full blown SNS overload. Being fit is the ability of having great physiological balance and control when a stress is present. The more stress that is influenced the greater the physiological systems are at being able to adapt to the stimulus, that is the key for being fit.
The person must make small steps toward greater health. You wouldn't run a marathon if you never ran before, that would be disastrous and could kill you. The physical stress would be too much for the body to handle. However, by starting out working with the SNS threshold and building it up over a period of time, will allow a person to run a marathon without causing too much damage to the physiological system.
The same principle is true with resistance training. Which brings me to the original intent of this blog post. How many sets and reps should a person perform?
The answer lies within the physiological make up of the person. Non-activated muscle tissue has most likely atrophied over time. The "don't use you lose" idea is true when dealing with muscle tissue. The body responds to the level of activity that is being presented upon it. If the muscles are not being worked enough to get above threshold, then they will become lazy and will shrink. The cells of the body work in a conservation mode. They communicate with each other and will shut down certain cells when they are not necessarily being worked. Muscle tissue is an active and non-active tissue, meaning it can be used for times of intense exercise or it can be turned off during times of rest. When skeletal muscle tissue has been rested for a long time (sedentary living) then it atrophy occurs.
When a person begins to lift the weight the muscles begin to wake up. The SNS begins to take notice and synaptic transmission is set in motion. In a well conditioned person the first reps and sets are not great enough to elicit a strong response from the SNS. However, in a deconditioned person the threshold is low (poor tone) and SNS overload begins. If the person continues to do more sets they will most likely increase too much stress catecholamines into their bloodstream, which could result in a sick nauseating feeling. Some folks that have such low SNS control often times vomit. This is not a good thing.
It is important to slowly build up the amount of reps and sets in order to avoid SNS overload.
How many reps is necessary? The rep number depends on the SNS tone and what you are trying to achieve. Low reps will develop greater power and hypertrophy of the muscle fibers. Higher reps will increase the capalliary network in the muscle, therefore producing greater oxygen saturation. This is good for defnining muscle and increasing muscular endurance. How many reps depends on your goals.
How many sets are necessary? Again it depends on the SNS tone and the physical condition of the systems. For beginners 1-2 sets is optimal. For the more advanced 3-8 sets is optimal.
The idea of sets and reps is to challenge the neuromuscular system. The more advanced a person becomes the more output they can generate, therefore they must vary the set and rep scheme to get more stimulation out of the muscles and to increase the SNS threshold.
tags: reps and sets, daryl conant, vince gironda, ron kosloff, bodybuilding, nutrition, weight training, muscle, strength and conditioning
When someone who has never exercised before starts an exercise program it is important for them to establish a good sympathetic nervous system foundation. This is known as creating good tone. You might hear people in the gym say that they want to tone their muscles. The idea of toning is based on a sympathetic nervous system principle. It has nothing to do with how the muscle looks. Yet, people are confused by the term toning. They associate it with appearance. Saying " you look toned." This is a misinterpretation of what toning is.
What is meant by toning is the following. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is the primary excitatory factor in the stimulation of the body systems. When the person is aroused emotionally or physically the SNS responds. Hormones, sugar uptake, blood pressure all increase during a SNS response. The SNS is known as the "fight of flight" system. When stress is present we either flee the situation or stay and fight. Exercise is a form of physical stress. When the body begins to exercise the SNS gets turned on. Controlling the SNS is the idea for becoming fit.
Being de-conditioned, simply means that the systems of the body are not able to adapt to the stress that is being placed on the body fast enough. Therefore, the systems are compromised and cannot work synergistically. The result is abrupt fatigue, homoeostasis imbalance, poor recovery, damaged tissue, retarded synaptic transmission. The cells are unable to clear the toxins and debris quick enough, the vital mineral pumps are affected resulting in electrolyte imbalances. Metabolites in the blood system are affected in unfit people as opposed to fit people, as well. The micro systems of the cells are out of balance, which forces the macrosystems to work harder.
The de-conditioned person has a low stress tolerance. This is known as "poor tone", or "low tone." The SNS has a low stress threshold. Meaning that the person's neuromuscular system is significantly weak in response to a stimulus. The SNS reacts too quickly and forces the cascading effect of physiological disruption with the systems of the body. The end result is that the person has very limited adaptive control to handle the stress being presented. An example of this would be when a someone who has never exercised before steps on a treadmill for the first time. Since they have never increased their heart rate before, the SNS immediately takes notice. The person's SNS threshold is very low. Within 2 to 3 minutes the person's alarm state has increased. The systems are beginning to get challenged beyond what they are used to. The muscle cells, which haven't been activated in a long time, begin to develop too much hydrogen forming lactic acid at a fast rate. The lack of oxygen within the muscle cell prompts the cardiovascular system to work harder to try to pump oxygen into the bloodstream faster to get to the struggling muscle tissue. This inadvertently forces the heart to have to pump harder and faster.
Once the intensity becomes too much for the systems to contend with, stress hormones are released to help turn off the cells and to begin the steps to cycle the SNS down and to regain homeostasis. The person then begins to slow down their speed on the treadmill until they get back to a proper resting heart. For some people their heart rate and blood pressure will continue to remain high even after the treadmill has stopped. This is a clear indication that they are very de-conditioned and they have poor SNS tone.
In order to improve the tone of the SNS the person must slowly work up their threshold. The idea of exercise is to stimulate the body enough to stay one step ahead of a full blown SNS overload. Being fit is the ability of having great physiological balance and control when a stress is present. The more stress that is influenced the greater the physiological systems are at being able to adapt to the stimulus, that is the key for being fit.
The person must make small steps toward greater health. You wouldn't run a marathon if you never ran before, that would be disastrous and could kill you. The physical stress would be too much for the body to handle. However, by starting out working with the SNS threshold and building it up over a period of time, will allow a person to run a marathon without causing too much damage to the physiological system.
The same principle is true with resistance training. Which brings me to the original intent of this blog post. How many sets and reps should a person perform?
The answer lies within the physiological make up of the person. Non-activated muscle tissue has most likely atrophied over time. The "don't use you lose" idea is true when dealing with muscle tissue. The body responds to the level of activity that is being presented upon it. If the muscles are not being worked enough to get above threshold, then they will become lazy and will shrink. The cells of the body work in a conservation mode. They communicate with each other and will shut down certain cells when they are not necessarily being worked. Muscle tissue is an active and non-active tissue, meaning it can be used for times of intense exercise or it can be turned off during times of rest. When skeletal muscle tissue has been rested for a long time (sedentary living) then it atrophy occurs.
When a person begins to lift the weight the muscles begin to wake up. The SNS begins to take notice and synaptic transmission is set in motion. In a well conditioned person the first reps and sets are not great enough to elicit a strong response from the SNS. However, in a deconditioned person the threshold is low (poor tone) and SNS overload begins. If the person continues to do more sets they will most likely increase too much stress catecholamines into their bloodstream, which could result in a sick nauseating feeling. Some folks that have such low SNS control often times vomit. This is not a good thing.
It is important to slowly build up the amount of reps and sets in order to avoid SNS overload.
How many reps is necessary? The rep number depends on the SNS tone and what you are trying to achieve. Low reps will develop greater power and hypertrophy of the muscle fibers. Higher reps will increase the capalliary network in the muscle, therefore producing greater oxygen saturation. This is good for defnining muscle and increasing muscular endurance. How many reps depends on your goals.
How many sets are necessary? Again it depends on the SNS tone and the physical condition of the systems. For beginners 1-2 sets is optimal. For the more advanced 3-8 sets is optimal.
The idea of sets and reps is to challenge the neuromuscular system. The more advanced a person becomes the more output they can generate, therefore they must vary the set and rep scheme to get more stimulation out of the muscles and to increase the SNS threshold.
tags: reps and sets, daryl conant, vince gironda, ron kosloff, bodybuilding, nutrition, weight training, muscle, strength and conditioning
Friday, May 6, 2011
What ever happened to symmetry and looking good
What ever happened to developing a body for good symmetry and overall appearance. Having a good looking physique where the abs are small, shoulders are broad, chest is well developed, arms are balanced and defined, legs full and balanced, diamond calfs, ripped abs, and the great looking V-taper of the back. I guess bodybuilding has lost its appeal to the masses. Today the young zealots are all into powerlifting and functional training. It is all about how much you can lift, how many chains you can put on your back for push-ups, how much can you squat, deadlift and bench. There is no consideration on how the body looks. You can have poor symmetry be thick around the waist, disproportionate legs and arms and be considered a God in the strength and conditioning world. It is the "I lift things up and put them down" mentality. I look at the sites of the so called "experts" of today and they are all the same. They all have tons of information on powerlifting and functional training but nothing much on bodybuilding. How many articles are going to be written on How To Do A deadlift, squat, or bench press correctly? Many of these experts are elitists that claim that they have discovered some new way to train and that if you don't subscribe to their methods than you are a worthless, naive, uneducated has-been.
But looking at some of these guys I don't see a body that I would like to have. The problem is that bodybuilding is not being taught in colleges, olympic lifting techniques, rehabilitation exercises and functional training techniques are. So when the young overzealous student graduates they become advocates of this type of training. They don't teach bodybuilding because they don't know how to body build. If it doesn't fall within their scope of education then they don't teach it.
It is too bad that pure bodybuilding is out of style. Anyone can power lift, but not everyone can bodybuild. Perhaps that is why so many young guys gravitate toward powerlifting because they don't have the genetics or the discipline to bodybuild.
Another reason for why young guys don't bodybuild anymore is because of instant gratification. Kids today are all about instant gratification. Computers, cell phones, ipods, etc. all provide instant stimulation. This is how the kids are designed nowadays. They don't have the patience or the discipline to make small gains. Powerlifting is all about instant gratification. Lifting a heavy weight 1-5 reps ignites the nervous system and releases hormones and endorphins. This is a stimulating feeling and easily obtained. The rush from the hormones is addicting. And this is what the young testosterone junkies want. They want to get an immediate response. How they look doesn't matter as much as the feeling they get from lifting heavy, heavy weight. Performing pure isolated bodybuilding movements would be too boring and sedate for these high energy ego maniacs.
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn about bodybuilding at the beginning of my career, when it was still fashionable. Not only do I teach the mainstream weight training techniques that is being taught in schools, I can also teach pure bodybuilding. I have always enjoyed pure bodybuilding. The idea of deadlifting 600 pounds or squatting 700 pounds has no appeal to me. My joints hurt just thinking about it. To me it is all about an honest workout and symmetry. Perhaps if I was a professional football player making millions of dollars I would only power lift. But since I am not a paid professional athlete I realize that it is pointless for me to use such heavy weight to train. I like the idea of isolating each muscle group and defining them. At my age its about how I look and feel, not about how much I can bench. When I see a good looking physique I don't question how much the guy can lift, instead I ask the guy "how did you get your arms so defined." Once my athletic career was over, I realized that I didn't want to train for baseball anymore. I wanted to train to have a great looking body. That is why I will continue to teach true pure bodybuilding techniques, regardless if it is out of style and the young guys aren't interested in it anymore.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, nutrition, diet EARTH, bodybuilding,
But looking at some of these guys I don't see a body that I would like to have. The problem is that bodybuilding is not being taught in colleges, olympic lifting techniques, rehabilitation exercises and functional training techniques are. So when the young overzealous student graduates they become advocates of this type of training. They don't teach bodybuilding because they don't know how to body build. If it doesn't fall within their scope of education then they don't teach it.
It is too bad that pure bodybuilding is out of style. Anyone can power lift, but not everyone can bodybuild. Perhaps that is why so many young guys gravitate toward powerlifting because they don't have the genetics or the discipline to bodybuild.
Another reason for why young guys don't bodybuild anymore is because of instant gratification. Kids today are all about instant gratification. Computers, cell phones, ipods, etc. all provide instant stimulation. This is how the kids are designed nowadays. They don't have the patience or the discipline to make small gains. Powerlifting is all about instant gratification. Lifting a heavy weight 1-5 reps ignites the nervous system and releases hormones and endorphins. This is a stimulating feeling and easily obtained. The rush from the hormones is addicting. And this is what the young testosterone junkies want. They want to get an immediate response. How they look doesn't matter as much as the feeling they get from lifting heavy, heavy weight. Performing pure isolated bodybuilding movements would be too boring and sedate for these high energy ego maniacs.
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn about bodybuilding at the beginning of my career, when it was still fashionable. Not only do I teach the mainstream weight training techniques that is being taught in schools, I can also teach pure bodybuilding. I have always enjoyed pure bodybuilding. The idea of deadlifting 600 pounds or squatting 700 pounds has no appeal to me. My joints hurt just thinking about it. To me it is all about an honest workout and symmetry. Perhaps if I was a professional football player making millions of dollars I would only power lift. But since I am not a paid professional athlete I realize that it is pointless for me to use such heavy weight to train. I like the idea of isolating each muscle group and defining them. At my age its about how I look and feel, not about how much I can bench. When I see a good looking physique I don't question how much the guy can lift, instead I ask the guy "how did you get your arms so defined." Once my athletic career was over, I realized that I didn't want to train for baseball anymore. I wanted to train to have a great looking body. That is why I will continue to teach true pure bodybuilding techniques, regardless if it is out of style and the young guys aren't interested in it anymore.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, nutrition, diet EARTH, bodybuilding,
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Special Announcement
The special announcement is that I am excited to say that the inVINCEable video disc set finally finished. With the exception of a few changes to the graphics, it will be ready for sale within the next few weeks. It has been a very long process and I am pleased with the finished product. It has been a learning experience for both me and the production company (video creations). The project was bigger than both of us expected. I demonstrate over 70 exercises that Vince Gironda taught me. More exercises than any other video produced about Vince's exercises. It will be a great companion to my book InVINCEable.
I will keep you posted in the next few weeks to its actual release.
Daryl
I will keep you posted in the next few weeks to its actual release.
Daryl
Worthless Concepts
I feel that the following are worthless concepts. Not only are they bogus, they are confusing for most people to understand. Yet, everyday we have to hear about them.
1. Calorie thinking.
2. Weight loss.
3. The no fat diet.
4. Performing only aerobic exercise (running, cycling, etc) to lose body fat.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, osama bin laden, obama at ground zero, celtics, miami heat
1. Calorie thinking.
2. Weight loss.
3. The no fat diet.
4. Performing only aerobic exercise (running, cycling, etc) to lose body fat.
tags: daryl conant, ron kosloff, vince gironda, osama bin laden, obama at ground zero, celtics, miami heat
Sunday, May 1, 2011
How It All Started
The other day someone asked me why I chose to name my business "The Fitness Nut House." I have only told a few people the reason and decided to share the story with you all. So here it is.
October 1996
After finishing graduate school I moved back home to New Hampshire. A year early I was working for the United States Olympic Committee as one of the strength coaches. But it was for a 2 year work period. They do that so that other students can get a chance to work for the USOC and get experience. A year later I got a call from my supervisor at the USOC. He offered me a full time position at the USOC as the head strength and conditioning coach for one of the training sites. As much as I was honored that he wanted to hire me, something inside of me just didn't feel right. I struggled with this feeling for a couple of weeks. Most guys in my situation would have been ecstatic and would have immediately said yes. But I was being pulled in another direction. Everything I worked for was to become an elite strength coach for professional athletes. Now that I had my chance I had to turn it down. After I turned down the position, I met a person who told me that they have a connection to a physical therapy clinic in Vail, Colorado that is looking for an Exercise Physiologist. I immediately thought about the possibility of skiing in Vail while working a decent job and decided to take the person up on their offer. The decision felt right and for the first time I felt excited to be moving away and starting a whole new challenge. That is when my whole life changed.
I packed up my truck with more weight equipment than clothes and headed for Colorado. As I mapping out my route on paper, I thought that it would be easier to travel straight across the country (I70 I believe). But for some reason I felt an urge to want to go south. So I made plans to travel down through Tenn, Ark, Ok,Texas, New Mexico into Colorado. It was much longer this way, but I felt compelled to go this way. I remember driving for hours accompanied by endless tracks of U2 (which was pretty awesome I must say. If you ever travel across country, listening to U2 will make the trip more enjoyable). I didn't think much about anything while I was driving. Then my life would change.
I was driving through New Mexico and there wasn't a car on the road for miles, there were very few places to stop, and distant towns. I was on one particular part of the highway that seemed endless. I was glad I had enough gas because there wasn't a gas station for miles. I remember reading signs that stated "no trespassing military orders" along the sides of the road. After about 3 hours driving on this deserted highway, I was in a dreamlike state, you know what I am talking about. It is the kind of state where you feel like you are hypnotized. In some cases you feel like you don't remember how you got to point A to point B after driving for so long. While in this sort of hypnotic state ALL OF A SUDDEN I heard two big explosions. The noise startled me and I swerved my car off the road and back on. I instantly went into a sympathetic nervous system response. I looked over the windshield to see two American fighter jets, I believe F-16's I am not sure. They were right over me and I could see the pilots faces, that is how close they were to my vehicle. It seemed like they were about 20 feet above me. It was a good thing I didn't have to go to bathroom, because I probably would have crapped my self. I thought they were bombing me. Turned out that they must have been playing around with me for training purposes, because the boom I heard was the sound of jets when they break the sound barrier. Most states ban jets from breaking the sound barrier, but in New Mexico they are allowed to.
Once the blast and excitement ended, it wasn't more than about 1 minute that I had a vision of "THE FITNESS NUT HOUSE." I immediately began writing down my thoughts and it was like I was a secretary transcribing notes from a boss. I just kept writing as if I was listening to someone. It was a very odd experience. But I ended up writing in a notebook, a story about "Ollie The Fitness Nut" and having a facility named The Fitness Nut House. For the next 4 hours I developed a business plan. It was if the sonic boom jolted my consciousness.
Then I arrived in Vail. Once I got to Vail. My thoughts of the Fitness Nut concept were placed on hold. I worked in the hospital in one of the best knee rehab clinics in the world. I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in the clinical setting. All the time that I was working, my life was unsettled. I felt this insatiable desire to pursue the Fitness Nut concept. I never did fit in with the job at Vail. At first I thought I was living the dream, free skiing at one of the greatest mountains in the world and working at both the hospital and the Vail Athletic Club-- two stable jobs. But I still felt something was missing in my life. My desire to pursue the Fitness Nut concept became more intense. After a year I left Colorado and moved back home to New Hampshire.
Once I got back home I got a good job as the Fitness Director of a local gym. I began working on the Fitness Nut idea. My original intent was to develop a wellness character named Ollie the Fitness Nut that would help people understand the complex concept of nutrition and fitness in a non-intimidating way. I wanted to develop programs and literature for kids. Obesity is an epidemic in our country and it is brought on by poor education starting with young kids. Rather than watching silly cartoons and shows about violent and negative characters, I wanted to develop a character that was positive and educational at the same time. With the help of my uncle we began to draw up the character and a kids story. When I was in Vail I met a woman who owned a leading marketing agency in Minnesota. One time, while I was helping her through her knee rehab, I told her about my idea. Not realizing that I didn't have any legal protection of my idea, I confided in her. She loved the concept and invited my uncle and I to her agency in Minnesota. They paid for our expenses and invited us to present the Fitness Nut idea to the company. My uncle and I worked hard in providing everything they wanted. Needless-to-say once they got all the information they dropped us and never spoke to us again. We had given them all of the information and idea without signing any contracts. We couldn't afford legal representation. I trusted the lady and she ended up blowing us off and taking our idea. Feeling a bit discouraged and betrayed, my uncle and I stopped pursuing the Fitness Nut idea for kids.
A few months passed and I ended up meeting my wife Joy. While on a date, Joy and I went to a place for lunch. At the restaurant there was a convention going on. Being curious Joy and I went in. It was some type of psychic convention. I am very skeptical about psychic's and felt that it was a waste of time. But I am open minded and figured what the heck. Not telling too much to the dude, because they have a way of manipulating information from you to make them appear psychic, I stayed pretty much reserved. He began telling me that I would be working in fitness in some place named Connecbunk or in a place with the initials ME, and that I would be driving around in a blue truck that had a cartoon character on it. He also said that I would be successful at helping people in health. Now the crazy thing was, was that I never gave any information to the guy regarding what I did for a living, where I was currently working--nothing. I just gave him my name and where I was born, and that was it. I left the meeting confused and wondering what a joke. This guy was thinking I was going to be living in some place called ME and driving a blue clown truck, whatever. I never thought about it again.
I eventually got a job in Lenox, Mass at a place called Canyon Ranch which is a premiere fitness resort in the Berkshires. I thought that this was where I was going to be settled and successful. But after a short 7 months I decided it wasn't the right fit for me. The money was great, the job was great, but I kept having this burning desire to pursue the Fitness Nut concept. Joy and I got married and moved to Kennebunk, Maine. We both liked the area and were both close to where we grew up. So we thought it was a good place to settle. I got a job in Lewiston Maine at a rehab / wellness clinic. Again I thought that this was where I was supposed to be. But it never felt right and I decided to look for other options. Then after praying about it for so many weeks, a "door" opened up. Ironically, while going to get some Dunkin Donuts coffee for some guests (not for me) who were staying with Joy and I noticed that the store next to Dunkin Donuts was going out of business. It was a small space about 1900 square feet. I instantly got the butterfly feeling in my stomach and began to light up. Then I took a chance and rented the space and called it the Fitness Nut House. This name seemed the most logical for me. One, because I was known as the Fitness Nut, and two, Ollie the Fitness Nut. I had all the trademarked logos and materials already. I could have called Dary's Gym, Daryl Conant's Sports and Conditioning Center etc. But the purpose of the business was to have a non-intimidating character that was fun and happy. That anyone ages 7-107 could come to. I didn't want to limit the population. So in a Nutshell that is how the Fitness Nut House came about.
tags: daryl conant, the fitness nut house
October 1996
After finishing graduate school I moved back home to New Hampshire. A year early I was working for the United States Olympic Committee as one of the strength coaches. But it was for a 2 year work period. They do that so that other students can get a chance to work for the USOC and get experience. A year later I got a call from my supervisor at the USOC. He offered me a full time position at the USOC as the head strength and conditioning coach for one of the training sites. As much as I was honored that he wanted to hire me, something inside of me just didn't feel right. I struggled with this feeling for a couple of weeks. Most guys in my situation would have been ecstatic and would have immediately said yes. But I was being pulled in another direction. Everything I worked for was to become an elite strength coach for professional athletes. Now that I had my chance I had to turn it down. After I turned down the position, I met a person who told me that they have a connection to a physical therapy clinic in Vail, Colorado that is looking for an Exercise Physiologist. I immediately thought about the possibility of skiing in Vail while working a decent job and decided to take the person up on their offer. The decision felt right and for the first time I felt excited to be moving away and starting a whole new challenge. That is when my whole life changed.
I packed up my truck with more weight equipment than clothes and headed for Colorado. As I mapping out my route on paper, I thought that it would be easier to travel straight across the country (I70 I believe). But for some reason I felt an urge to want to go south. So I made plans to travel down through Tenn, Ark, Ok,Texas, New Mexico into Colorado. It was much longer this way, but I felt compelled to go this way. I remember driving for hours accompanied by endless tracks of U2 (which was pretty awesome I must say. If you ever travel across country, listening to U2 will make the trip more enjoyable). I didn't think much about anything while I was driving. Then my life would change.
I was driving through New Mexico and there wasn't a car on the road for miles, there were very few places to stop, and distant towns. I was on one particular part of the highway that seemed endless. I was glad I had enough gas because there wasn't a gas station for miles. I remember reading signs that stated "no trespassing military orders" along the sides of the road. After about 3 hours driving on this deserted highway, I was in a dreamlike state, you know what I am talking about. It is the kind of state where you feel like you are hypnotized. In some cases you feel like you don't remember how you got to point A to point B after driving for so long. While in this sort of hypnotic state ALL OF A SUDDEN I heard two big explosions. The noise startled me and I swerved my car off the road and back on. I instantly went into a sympathetic nervous system response. I looked over the windshield to see two American fighter jets, I believe F-16's I am not sure. They were right over me and I could see the pilots faces, that is how close they were to my vehicle. It seemed like they were about 20 feet above me. It was a good thing I didn't have to go to bathroom, because I probably would have crapped my self. I thought they were bombing me. Turned out that they must have been playing around with me for training purposes, because the boom I heard was the sound of jets when they break the sound barrier. Most states ban jets from breaking the sound barrier, but in New Mexico they are allowed to.
Once the blast and excitement ended, it wasn't more than about 1 minute that I had a vision of "THE FITNESS NUT HOUSE." I immediately began writing down my thoughts and it was like I was a secretary transcribing notes from a boss. I just kept writing as if I was listening to someone. It was a very odd experience. But I ended up writing in a notebook, a story about "Ollie The Fitness Nut" and having a facility named The Fitness Nut House. For the next 4 hours I developed a business plan. It was if the sonic boom jolted my consciousness.
Then I arrived in Vail. Once I got to Vail. My thoughts of the Fitness Nut concept were placed on hold. I worked in the hospital in one of the best knee rehab clinics in the world. I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in the clinical setting. All the time that I was working, my life was unsettled. I felt this insatiable desire to pursue the Fitness Nut concept. I never did fit in with the job at Vail. At first I thought I was living the dream, free skiing at one of the greatest mountains in the world and working at both the hospital and the Vail Athletic Club-- two stable jobs. But I still felt something was missing in my life. My desire to pursue the Fitness Nut concept became more intense. After a year I left Colorado and moved back home to New Hampshire.
Once I got back home I got a good job as the Fitness Director of a local gym. I began working on the Fitness Nut idea. My original intent was to develop a wellness character named Ollie the Fitness Nut that would help people understand the complex concept of nutrition and fitness in a non-intimidating way. I wanted to develop programs and literature for kids. Obesity is an epidemic in our country and it is brought on by poor education starting with young kids. Rather than watching silly cartoons and shows about violent and negative characters, I wanted to develop a character that was positive and educational at the same time. With the help of my uncle we began to draw up the character and a kids story. When I was in Vail I met a woman who owned a leading marketing agency in Minnesota. One time, while I was helping her through her knee rehab, I told her about my idea. Not realizing that I didn't have any legal protection of my idea, I confided in her. She loved the concept and invited my uncle and I to her agency in Minnesota. They paid for our expenses and invited us to present the Fitness Nut idea to the company. My uncle and I worked hard in providing everything they wanted. Needless-to-say once they got all the information they dropped us and never spoke to us again. We had given them all of the information and idea without signing any contracts. We couldn't afford legal representation. I trusted the lady and she ended up blowing us off and taking our idea. Feeling a bit discouraged and betrayed, my uncle and I stopped pursuing the Fitness Nut idea for kids.
A few months passed and I ended up meeting my wife Joy. While on a date, Joy and I went to a place for lunch. At the restaurant there was a convention going on. Being curious Joy and I went in. It was some type of psychic convention. I am very skeptical about psychic's and felt that it was a waste of time. But I am open minded and figured what the heck. Not telling too much to the dude, because they have a way of manipulating information from you to make them appear psychic, I stayed pretty much reserved. He began telling me that I would be working in fitness in some place named Connecbunk or in a place with the initials ME, and that I would be driving around in a blue truck that had a cartoon character on it. He also said that I would be successful at helping people in health. Now the crazy thing was, was that I never gave any information to the guy regarding what I did for a living, where I was currently working--nothing. I just gave him my name and where I was born, and that was it. I left the meeting confused and wondering what a joke. This guy was thinking I was going to be living in some place called ME and driving a blue clown truck, whatever. I never thought about it again.
I eventually got a job in Lenox, Mass at a place called Canyon Ranch which is a premiere fitness resort in the Berkshires. I thought that this was where I was going to be settled and successful. But after a short 7 months I decided it wasn't the right fit for me. The money was great, the job was great, but I kept having this burning desire to pursue the Fitness Nut concept. Joy and I got married and moved to Kennebunk, Maine. We both liked the area and were both close to where we grew up. So we thought it was a good place to settle. I got a job in Lewiston Maine at a rehab / wellness clinic. Again I thought that this was where I was supposed to be. But it never felt right and I decided to look for other options. Then after praying about it for so many weeks, a "door" opened up. Ironically, while going to get some Dunkin Donuts coffee for some guests (not for me) who were staying with Joy and I noticed that the store next to Dunkin Donuts was going out of business. It was a small space about 1900 square feet. I instantly got the butterfly feeling in my stomach and began to light up. Then I took a chance and rented the space and called it the Fitness Nut House. This name seemed the most logical for me. One, because I was known as the Fitness Nut, and two, Ollie the Fitness Nut. I had all the trademarked logos and materials already. I could have called Dary's Gym, Daryl Conant's Sports and Conditioning Center etc. But the purpose of the business was to have a non-intimidating character that was fun and happy. That anyone ages 7-107 could come to. I didn't want to limit the population. So in a Nutshell that is how the Fitness Nut House came about.
tags: daryl conant, the fitness nut house
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