An Appropriate Song

My Secret

I have been around weight training almost my whole life. What I have learned the most is how to save time in the weight room to get phenomenal results. I am often amazed at how many people exercise and they never look any different. It takes more than a room full of fancy equipment to get results. It takes proper physiology and kinesiology knowledge to get results. I remember when I was competing for a bodybuilding show in graduate school. I was completely ripped and in great shape. People thought I was taking steroids. This was a great compliment because that proved that my methods were working. Working so well that you couldn't tell the difference between me and the steroid users. The best part was when the guys asked me how long I trained to look so defined and muscular. I told them "I work out for only 20-30 minutes per workout 5 times a week. They were blown away! These guys would spend hours in the gym trying to get ripped (which they couldn't get). They would use all the fancy machines, cardio equipment and whatever bells and whistles the gym had to offer. All I used was the dumbell rack, a lat pulldown machine, cable crossover machine, dip stand, and smith machine. These are all the pieces that I used then and are the pieces I use now. I see changes with my physique all the time. I look better now than I did in graduate school. I have experimented with so many variations of exercises. I discard the exercises that don't work and keep the ones that do.

When I developed my business plan I only thought about the results that I could give people. I purchased only the equipment that I knew was important to getting great results. I don't need to spend 4,000 dollars on a bicep curl machine. I can develop great biceps with just dumbells. I don't need to spend 6,500 on a chest press machine. I have developed my chest by doing dips and dumbell exercises. As a gym owner my intent has always been to teach people how to get results and how to exercise correctly. My goal was not to just be a gym owner who puts a bunch of fancy machines in a room to win people over with sensationalism. People are creatures of hype. The more hype, the brighter the lights, the more fancy the bicep curl is the more they are attracted to it. The goal for these people is not to train hard and honest performing basic exercises. They are attracted to bells and whistles believing that if they use these machines that they will see a dramatic change in their body. Unfortunately, I have never seen anyone get a great looking physique from using machines only. The machines make you lazy and you lose connection with the contraction.

At my gym I am all about results. I don't care about the hype. The equipment I have at my gym is there for a specific purpose. People who are not interested in seeing results are not interested in my type of gym. They are searching for something else. Not body transformation. Here is my secret for staying ripped year round.

* I train for 20-30 minutes

* I use my specialized equipment to isolate the muscles. I have invented pieces of equipment that might not look fancy but they certainly work. I only care about the end result, not if the equipment is shiny and you can watch t.v. off it.

* I change up my routine all the time. I have developed a sequence of exercises that produce tremendous results. This type of knowledge can not be found in books. It takes years of experimenting. I see personal trainers train people and they never work out themselves. This is crazy. How can you teach an exercise when you don't know how it feels. I experiment with exercises and use the ones that work and disgard the ones that don't.

* I use the right amount of intensity. Not knowing how much intensity to use will result in failure.

* I only perform one to two exercises per muscle group.

* I change the sets and reps all the time.

* I eat differently throughout the week. Experimenting with all different types of supplements and foods to determine which combinations are best.

* I use only 2-3 pieces of equipment. The rest of the exercises are performed with free weight bars and dumbells. WHy should I spend thousands and thousands of dollars on machines that I would never use myself. It doesn't make much sense to me.

* I hypnotize myself during training to go into a higher level of consciousness.

* I use co-contractions.

* I enjoy and invite pain to enter the muscle and embrace it. I never give up when the pain comes. Too many people are afraid of the pain.

* I eat 5-6 meals a day.

* I take Supplements. If you don't take supplements you will fail at seeing the results you want to see.

* I see changes with my physique every month.

* I love training!!! It is my career and my passion.

Tags: exercise, nutrition, health, bodybuilding, muscle, fat loss, supplements, amino acids,

Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. It is a potent stimulant and may be consumed in a multitude of forms. These include: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolates, cold remedies, pain relievers and dozens of other over-the-counter drugs.
Caffeine also is a powerful stimulant to nerve tissues. It affects the higher centers of the brain, producing a wakening effect and a more rapid flow of mental processes. It assists the body in overcoming the sense of fatigue, however, it does not relieve it.

Caffeine Facts:

Two cups of coffee will cause an increase in hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach for at least an hour. This is a problem for anyone suffering from an ulcer or over-acidity problem.

Caffeine slows the rate of healing of stomach ulcers.

One cup of coffee will cause a rise in blood pressure.

Caffeine decreases the body's ability the handle stress.

In pregnant women, caffeine will enter the fetal circulation in the same concentrations as the mothers. May be related to birth defects. Withdrawal symptoms tend to discourage people from giving up caffeine.

Continued use of caffeine may lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness and even tremors.

Caffeine masks fatigue when the body needs to rest.

Caffeine increases respiration rate, urine output and an increase of fatty acids into the bloodstream.

Caffeine also inhibits fat metabolism. Fat is released from fat cells but does not get metabolized through muscle tissue. The only benefit from caffeine could be for long distance athletes as an ergogenic aid. This is only for a boost in energy during long distance events.


Daryl Conant

Tags: caffeine, coffee, fat, muscle, strength, endurance, aerobic, fitness, health,

The Greatest Moments in Life

Faith is Born 12/3/09 6:01 p.m. 7 lbs 19 inches.
There are many defining moments in life. Experiencing the birth of a child is the greatest moment of my life. There is nothing that compares to the wonder of seeing my two boys and my new girl being born. This is what life is all about. There is no word to describe the feeling that over comes me. What I feel is beyond Love. I have done many great feats in my life and nothing compares to what I just experienced. The birth of Faith was so beautiful. My wife Joy is an amazing woman. Her strength and control during birth was unbelievable. She is truly a blessing to do what she has done. I love her very much and am very grateful for her devotion and fearlessness during pregnancy and giving birth. I am her biggest fan.

When my two sons saw their baby sister for the first time, that was another unbelievable experience. There is no amount of money that could buy that. I love being a Dad and I love my family. I thank God every day for allowing me to be a part of all of these wonderful moments.

One of the Best

My Dedication

loy⋅al⋅ty  [loi-uhl-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
2. faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.
3. an example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like: a man with fierce loyalties.


Synonyms:
2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to his or her country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc.

Antonyms:
1, 2. faithlessness.

Staying disciplined to your fitness regime for years and years is hard if you don't have a goal or an inner conviction. Being faithful to your own belief system is important for the success of staying fit. Someone asked me once how do I stay committed to exercise for over twenty five years. What drives me is different than what might drive you, however, once you develop a strong inner conviction believing in what you are doing it is hard to break from it. For me it has never been about looking like a displaced, mutated, mammoth muscle bound freak. Though the physical realm is fun and important to some degree, the main reason why I train and stay disciplined to training is to resolve the inner struggles within my own self conscience. What I mean by this is that there are moments in my life that inspire me and force me to be the best I can be. As humans we are always faced with negative and positive forces that direct us into making the right or wrong decisions. This dualistic opposition is the driving force of our motivation. We are the ones that make the ultimate decision of what we choose in this world. I have chosen to live the true natural bodybuilding life at an early age. Once I commit to something that I believe in I will never let it go. My dedication and discipline to exercise and nutrition is just a symbolic reminder for all those people who have forged through all the negativity life has to offer and continues to remain a positive light for generations to see. I feel that we all have a certain responsibility to this earth and to future generations. Keeping fit and going through the pain of training is only a small donation of what I can give to pay homage to those that have given their life for the pursuit of positivity. It is very easy to give up on life and to sit around getting fat, diseased, cynical,and being negative. I consider these types of people a waste of human space. Unfortunately, negativity is becoming the norm in this world. It is harder and harder to find people who actually embrace the ideas of positivity, love, peace, good values, good morals and everlasting acceptance. Staying positive is much harder than being negative. The social consciousness of this world has shifted so far into the negative that I don't think it will ever change. In fact, it is going to get worse.

Every time I train I dedicate each session to those great men and women who have lived their life in accordance to the laws of positivity and love. Many of these great folks gave their life for what they believed in. Imagine giving up your life for the belief of love. That is pretty amazing. I want to say thank you to all of the great people past and present who have inspired me to be the best I can be and to continue to live for the betterment of mankind. It is our duty as humans to take inventory of our own selves and to respect this world and to respect the human experience for generations and generations.

Digestion

What You Should Know About Your Body

Your body is approximately fifty-five percent (55%) water, twenty percent (20%) protein, fifteen percent (15%) fat, nine percent (9%) minerals, and one percent (1%) carbohydrates and vitamins.

These basic components must constantly be replenished through the foods we eat. But, not necessarily in the same proportions for each of us. Some foods enter our bodies as fuel and are burned on consumption to meet energy needs. Others become the basic building blocks of tissues and fluids. Still, others are vital to the delicate interactions required by the body's many functions.

Your Are a "One-of-a-Kind"

Throughout your personalized program you will continually hear how each of us is unique. We are all different. This holds true for our metabolic process as well. The metabolic process begins with digestion.

The digestion tract involves the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and the large intestine. The mechanical and chemical phase of digestion occurs in these organs.

Your Body is a Sophisticated Food Processor

The mechanical phase of digestion is responsible for sub dividing, mixing and propelling of food along the digestive tract. It includes chewing, swallowing, and the muscular activity of the walls of the digestive tract itself.

The chemical phase of digestion is responsible for the final breakdown of food particles. It is brought about by digestive enzymes. Enzymes act as catalysts in the body. They increase the rate of a reaction without becoming part of the final reaction product. Digestive enzymes aid in the breakdown of large nutrient molecules into smaller molecules. For example, carbohydrates are changed into simple sugars, fats into glycerol, and fatty acids and proteins into amino acids.

The Digestive Process

The process of digestion starts when food enters the body through the mouth where it is Chewed, broken into small pieces, and mixed with saliva. The fluid secreted by salivary glands contains digestive enzymes that can act upon carbohydrates. From the mouth, food passes to the stomach by way of the esophagus.

The digestion of certain foods continues in the stomach under the influence of the secretions and churning action of the stomach wall.

Ordinarily, a mixed meal leaves the stomach in three to four hours.

Carbohydrates leave the stomach most rapidly, followed by proteins. Fats remain in the stomach for a longer period. Thus, the sensation of hunger will occur sooner after a meal that is high in carbohydrates than after a meal containing adequate amounts of proteins or fat.

Beyond the Stomach

After leaving the stomach, the liquefied mass, called chyme, passes into the small intestine for further absorption into the body. The small intestine is affected by secretion from its walls and from the liver and pancreas. The undigested food residues pass from the small intestine to the large intestine or colon. This material also contains some of the end products of digestion such as water, as well as waste materials. These waste products travel through th e large intestine where they await periodic excretion from the body.

How Your Body Absorbs Nutrients

Absorption follows digestion. The function of digestion is to prepare the nutrients for absorption through the walls of the digestive tract. Most of this absorption takes place in the small intestine. However, water and small amounts of simple sugars and alcohol pass through the mucosa of the stomach into the bloodstream. And, various minerals and water are absorbed in the large intestine.

Located on the wall of the intestines and into the food canal, are finger-like projections called villi. They increase the absorption surface area about 600-fold. Each villus contains a network of tiny vessels that drink up the nutrients as they pass along the food canal.

Nutrients then circulate throughout the body in a manner analogous to diners at a cafeteria. As the blood flows by, cells take what they need. Excess nutrients may be stored, converted to more complex compounds, or excreted.

Daryl Conant