What does it mean to be truly physically fit?

For some it means to be able to bench press 200 lbs, others it is to make it through a spin class, or competing in a 10K run. For me, true physical fitness is the ability to handle all the above things and more, at any given moment. It’s the ability to instantaneously run and jump, push and pull, climb, catch, and react.

You are truly physically fit when you feel confident in your body’s ability to accept the challenge of any physically demanding situation that comes your way.

When I ask most people today what it means to be physically fit the standard answer is represented by today’s male bodybuilders or female movie stars. Too many people today are caught up in the idea of fashion over function.

The men need to understand that the bodybuilders are big, muscular, lean, tan, and just look strong, and they have done tons of hard work to construct their bodies in this way. However, bodybuilders have bodies that don’t allow them to do much of anything efficiently except lift weights and further sculpt their bodies. Bodybuilders have put themselves in an environment where functionality is not as important as plain old looks.

The women need to see beyond the visual fashion of the TV and movie star bodies and recognize the need for physical function in their lives. Just about all of my female clients (including all my staff’s clients) are women that have children. The physical demands of today’s mother are tremendous.

Every single day mothers need to have the strength and energy to get up early and get their kids up, bathed, dressed, fed and ready for school. Most women then either go to work themselves or manage their homes with daily chores and errands. After school it’s helping with the kid’s homework, taking the kids to hockey, soccer, or other sport. Then, its time for dinner and getting the kids off to bed; only to start the ritual all over again the next morning.

True physical fitness will allow you to do anything you want or need to do. The type of exercise to get you prepared to handle any physical challenge needs to be functional-based. You need exercise that involves large or numerous muscles at once instead of individual pumping of a single muscle. You need to run and jump, push and pull, climb, catch, and react. And, you know what? This type of training will shed fat, strengthen muscle and get you looking very physically fit along with a body that can perform when you need it to – at any time!

Today as adults we forgot what made us healthy as kids in the first place. No more playground games, now it’s just a computer and a desk. We no longer run, we jog or fast-walk. We don’t climb anything but the occasional staircase. And the only thing we push and pull are deadlines in the office. It’s sad, really sad. We have forgotten how to use our bodies.

It’s time to get into the gym and begin to train your body for function first and let the fashion follow.

*See the articles below about our 300 Workout Challenge that will guarantee you a fit and functional body in 12-weeks time. Our 300 Programs are even available online!

By Jon Hinds

Please visit his website at:

www.monkeybargym.com

On my sister site, 300 Workouts, I have posted a 300 Dumbbell Workout that I know you’ll enjoy. Most in-home exercisers have dumbbells so it’ll be convenient for almost everyone!

CLICK HERE to go to my 300 Workouts Site.

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

HURRY, FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY…!

Get Your Own 300 Workout Program!

For a limited time, I am accepting a small number of clients for online personal training using my “300” Workout Challenge Program so you have to ACT NOW!

This month-to-month recurring program uses the same methods and workouts I use at my training studio that is also featured in the Chicago Tribune’s June 2007 “Summer Pleasures” pullout section and also on their website. You will receive a new workout every two-weeks.

CLICK HERE to see a video clip of our 300 Workout circuit
as featured in the Chicago Tribune!

The exercises and equipment for your 300 program can be modified to meet what you have available to you and to match your current level of ability. For example, some of my clients use mostly their own bodyweight and/or with some inexpensive and easy to acquire equipment.

*For your convenience you can even order some inexpensive equipment from our website at a special reduced price!

When you sign up for my 300 Workout Program I will send you a complete health history form along with a series of questions I would need to know about your eating habits and your current level of abilities to help me set up your 300 Workout Program.

Your workouts will have demonstrations using “moving” animated characters like the sample shown here so you can see the correct form to be used (Please Click Here and scroll down page to see a sample 300 Bodyweight workout):

You will receive an evaluation workout to do so we can set up your initial benchmark. This will include a series of exercises with specific range of motion and form to use. Your exercises, weight/load used, and repetitions performed will be recorded in your online file. Don’t worry; all your information will be secured and not available for anyone to see but you.

After we complete your evaluation I will design your workout program that will progress you in reaching your both your fitness goals and to improve your performance for your 300 Workout Challenge Test that you may take about 10-12 weeks later.

The exercises in your workout program do not have to be the same exact exercises as in your 300 test. I will strategically design your routine to improve your performance for your test and simultaneously have you reach your individual fitness goals:

Shed unwanted fat!

Increase muscle strength!

Strengthen your core muscles!

Perform better in sport and life activities!

Option 2: I also have available my “300” Pre-Packaged workout programs that can be just as effective if you apply a little extra effort on your part.

With this program you get to choose between several workout programs that I will have listed for you. You then choose the appropriate workout based on your goal and level of ability. There will be beginner, intermediate and advanced programs that you’ll get to choose from included with some exercise modifications.

The workouts are innovative and challenging. However, you have to do some homework in finding which exercises, weight, and repetition schemes will work best for you as I won’t be available to make specific modifications to meet your individual needs.

For more information or to sign-up for your very own “300” Workout Challenge or to enroll in our “300” Month-to-Month program please click on the links or the banner below.

Yes, I want my own personalized “300” month-to-month workout!

Yes, I want to choose a Pre-Packaged “300” workout program!

The “300” Workout Challenge

By Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

Ever since posting my article describing the “300” workout back in March I have been getting more and more requests on how to do this type of training to get a body like a Greek God or Goddess.

The 300 movie, based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, was a retelling of the ancient battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonitis and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. After the movie came out and folks all over the world saw the incredible shape the actors developed for their roles a 300 workout began to surface on the Net.

I explained that the “300” workout was really just a test. Not just a test of strength and endurance, but a test of one’s will and determination.

This test was not the actual workout that got the actors in such great shape but, rather, an invitation-only event that consisted of a small percent of actors that trained for six months preparing themselves for the movie, “300.”

So, the 300 test that you see and read about wasn't the actual conditioning routine but a post-workout progam challenge.

My aim here is to give you insight on how to condition yourself to be able to handle such a test.

So, what were the workouts that actually got these men in excellent condition?

More importantly, how can the average man and woman duplicate this training system for themselves? Well, I have some answers for you.

But, before I give answers I need to know the questions? The reason I ask is because not all the actors did the same workouts, or had the same nutritional regimens. You see, not all the actors had the same body type, body condition (some started in relative good condition while others were very out of shape), or training experience – which meant some needed to be coached and pre-conditioned for this type of workout.

How do I know this? Two answers: research and experience. One, I did my research and found numerous sources of information on how the actors actually trained and two, as a professional personal trainer, I know what it actually takes to get a body like they did – including on how you too can progress up to being able to do the actual 300 test.

Let’s get back to how you can train for the 300 workout/test. The main question for you is, “What is your goal?”

Once you know this, you can respond back, “How do I… gain muscle, lose fat, do both (gain muscle while losing fat), build overall strength, strengthen my core, improve muscular endurance, have better balance, or simply be able to complete a 300 repetition test?”

Once I know the question we can then create a 300 workout to get you to that specific goal. Here’s how the process works. If you want to lean up and be able to perform better in most physical activities you’ll need to do a variety of specific athletic conditioning type exercises and related drills to have you faster, stronger and more agile. Also included would be a series of interval training exercises as well as proper nutritional guidance to help speed up your metabolism.

If you want to gain more muscle mass then you will need to incorporate some heavy bouts of resistance training (like with free weights) into your program.

And, if you just want to be really conditioned to score well on a 300 test you need to stick to doing the majority of the key exercises that comprise the 300 test.

My answers may not seem very detailed but that’s because I need to know more information about you individually before I can design a specific program for you. However, you can still do a generalized program to condition yourself to improve your fitness. Refer back to my previous article from March 2007 to view the sample workouts.

I will be posting numerous 300-style workouts on my other blog, 300 Workouts, which will cover training routines for many different body-types, levels of ability, and goals. It should be filling up with routines by June 2007.

The FPC/Beyond Fitness 300 Workout Challenge

This coming June at my training studio, FPC/Beyond Fitness, I will be offering a 300 Workout Challenge to all my clients as well as anyone else who would like to accept our challenge.

In early June look for our 300 Workout Challenge and training classes that will have a spot in the Chicago Tribune’s pullout section, “Summer Pleasures” as well as a 300 workout video clip included on their website.

If you live in the Chicago suburban area of Deerfield, IL and would like more information on how to enroll in this event please contact me at: rgarza@mybeyondfitness.com or call Robert Garza at the FPC/Beyond Fitness studio: 847-562-4386, ext. 25.

Fat Loss for a Fee?
The Cost of Working Out

Some people wonder why they should pay a fee to hire a personal trainer when they could just workout themselves at a health club or in their home. Or, perhaps just follow the instructions from one of those fitness magazines.

Hearing this reminded me of a story/anecdote a plumber once told me.

He said, 'I can charge you $75 to come into your house for 10 minutes and bang on a few pipes. The reason you'll pay the money every time is because, unlike you, I know *WHERE* to bang the pipes.'

What a great point.

Whether you have access to a health club or countless fitness magazines, if you don’t know where or how to “bang the pipes” [on your body] it won’t get you the results you desire. However, a certified personal trainer can show you exactly where to bang your own pipes to get you in your best shape.

"It's not what you don't know that makes you ignorant;
it's what you do know that isn't so."

Here are a few things a personal trainer can do for you that you won’t know how to do – unless, you too, went through countless hours of exercise science education:

Fitness Assessment – this includes, but is not limited to, evaluating the following: fat percentage, muscular strength, cardiovascular heart rate recovery, joint/muscle range of motion, resisted range of motion, balance & coordination, and agility.

Program Design – after your fitness assessment a personal trainer can effectively design a routine for you that would take into consideration all the evaluation results. In addition, the program design also takes into account:
a. Your goals and whether they are realistic
b. Exercises with movement patterns that match your goals, i.e., training for a sport, daily life activity, or aesthetics.
c. The proper exercises to have you effectively reach those goals
d. The proper exercise sequence/order to do them
e. How often you’ll be working out (days per week)
f. Your recommended/suggested pre-post workout meal options
g. Lifestyle modifications necessary to achieve your goals

Workout session – now the trainer takes you through the actual workout to assure the following:
a. Proper warm-up specific to your goal (general or dynamic specific)
b. Correct form and body positioning for each exercise
c. Suggested speed of each repetition performed
d. Appropriate intensity for each exercise (weight for resistance exercises or speed/level if for cardio-conditioning)
e. Modification to an exercise if necessary
f. Keeping a steady workout pace (rest periods) specific to your goal
g. How many sets and repetitions specific to your goal
h. Motivation to continue with proper control and form when fatigued (mentally and/or physically)
i. Proper cool down methods

*You can also use this list to evaluate whether a trainer you are thinking of hiring cover these requirements - if not, look elsewhere.

So, you see there’s much to consider when working out effectively for muscle toning and fat loss. And, I didn’t even go into the psychological aspects of working out or what you should be doing outside of your workout sessions.

You can haphazardly go through the motions and hope that you’re “banging” the right pipes. Or, you can hire a certified personal trainer to assure you are doing things proper. The choice is yours.

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

You Think Your Workouts are Tough?

When I was a boy whenever I was challenged with performing an athletic endeavor my older (and more athletic) brother would try and motivate me by relating it to somebody else who’s had a similar challenge and was able to overcome it.

Over the years you know what I found? No matter what the problem or issue in my life there’s always someone out there that’s had it as well; and often had it worse than me. Yet, they have dug down deep within themselves to overcome it. This, in turn, motivates me to overcome my challenges as well.

When I came across this video clip of a father and son triathlon team it touched me deeply. Talk about overcoming adversaries!

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they're not in a marathon they are in a triathlon - that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America.

It's a remarkable record of exertion - all the more so when you consider that Dick’s son, Rick, can't walk or talk.

For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick.

So, the next time you find yourself complaining about having to complete one more mile in your run, or doing that 20 minutes left in your workout – remember this Dick and Rick Hoyt story and muster up your own inner strength to keep going the distance!

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

Breaking the Barriers to Reach Your Goals
By Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

It’s a mathematical fact that, “The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.” This statement also holds true when moving toward your goals.

Anything that stands between You and Your Goal will create a bend in that line lengthening the distance to your goal.

Much of the time what separates you further from your goal are what I call self-induced barriers. These self-induced barriers can be in the form of any negative thoughts or doubts that enter you mind which hold you back. They turn into your story, excuses, or conversations of why you aren’t attaining your goals.

You → [your self-induced barriers] → Your Goal

Once you break through your self-induced barriers you can then move quicker to your goal. But first, you must recognize what those barriers are and then how to break past them. It’s all in your thought process that will slow you down from reaching your goal.

Here is a common self-induced barrier I hear: “But, I have no self- control.”

Are you kidding me! You have plenty of self-control. For example, if you eat junk food and not exercise you are demonstrating great self-control at eating junk and not exercising.

Therefore, you have successfully developed the habit of having self-control of not doing the things you’re supposed to do in order to get into great shape. Now, all you need to do is channel your self-control into working for you and not against you. Here’s a tip: consistency creates a habit.

Your body craves consistency! If you consistently lounge around, sit in front of the television, and stuff your face with unhealthy snacks or foods you will develop the habit of doing those things over time. Begin to workout and eat healthier foods and over time you will develop a fit & healthy habit.

Believe it or not, once you get past the first few weeks of exercising regularly you will actually miss working out if for some reason you were to skip it on a scheduled day! Your body will begin to crave the consistency of exercise which means you are now developing the habit of working out. Start working out three days per week at the same time of day and your body will develop consistency. Before you know it you’ll have self-control to continue exercising and also the self-control to not blow it off.

Here’s an action task to help identify some of your barriers.

Write down your name on the left side of a blank sheet of paper. On the other side of the paper write down the goal you wish to attain. Then, in between them is where you fill in any barriers that are preventing or delaying you from getting to that goal. This can be any negative thing that you feel slows you down or prevents you from reaching that goal quickly. It can be your fear, doubt, or simply questioning your ability.

[Name here] → [self-induced barriers here] → [Goal here]

Using this simple tool, you will be able to begin to understand your own personal barriers that are standing in your way. Now, you can take action towards subtracting out each of those barriers so you can reach your goals faster.

Remember that you are the CEO of the most incredible organization on this planet – your own human body.

For the complete and longer version of this article go to my website, www.mybeyondfitness.com and sign into the member’s section – it’s free!

The “Secret” is about Taking Action!

There is so much information out there about “how to” accomplish and get anything you want or desire in your life.

The increasingly popular system of The Secret (although, the secret is now out) that was featured on Oprah and Larry King, is about getting all that you seek; wealth, health, relationships, or whatever else you desire by first thinking and believing in it in a positive and consistently way. However, many people overlook the next important step. That step is in order to have it manifest in your life you have to follow it up with action.

Whether it is to take action, or act in a certain way that successful people do, you must follow your thoughts with ACTION.

Like with your health and fitness it doesn’t matter how many books you read, blogs you read, videos you watch, CD’s you listen to, or people you talk to – if you don’t take any physical action to follow it up you’ll remain out of shape!

I can give my clients all the information about how to lose fat, gain muscle, perform better, look better, be healthier, etc., but unless I am there with them (like in an actual training session) I cannot be sure they’ll do what needs to get done to reach those goals. I don’t know if they’ll take action.

However, what I can do is to think (thought) and then create (take action) a system that can help my clients to take action by way of accountability.

This is how I run my personal training business FPC/Beyond Fitness. For example, when you set an appointment to be trained by me or one of my trainers you’re held accountable to show up for that session. Then, in your workout session you take action as we guide you through the exercises that need to be done to reach your health and fitness goals.

So, how do I help you to continue doing what needs to get done on your hours and days you are not with a trainer? Again, the secret is in our Plan of Action process that holds you accountable in which to follow through with consistent action.

When you hire one of our professional trainers at FPC/Beyond Fitness your trainer/coach will design a “plan of action” program for you to follow for which you will be held accountable to follow.

This program doesn’t just cover what you’ll be doing in your workout session, but also includes your best action approach when you are outside of your workout sessions. This may include nutritional information, supplementation, in-home workouts, recommendations on where to eat outside of the home, and/or strategies on attaining the correct mindset. You are then held accountable to follow this program for maximum results.

What if you fail to do your part, or God-forbid, embellish on what you say you actually did outside the sessions? Well, then you are subject to the laws of Cause and Effect (the effect you receive is a direct result of the cause you did - or did not do). This is also known as the law of Action & Reaction where there is an equal and opposite reaction to your action (Remember, Newton’s 3^rd Law of Motion?).

This falls into the category of Laws of Attraction where what comes to you is a direct result of what you think or do. Or, in this case, don’t do because of your negative thoughts or inactions.

Besides, I don’t believe many of you would lie about what you are or are not doing. I believe you would all “Honor Your Self Promises” as it would only give you negative effects when you really desire for the positive effect.

Here is how the Plan of Action program works.

1. You hire a FPC/Beyond Fitness professional personal trainer and commit to at least 10 training sessions.
2. You meet with your trainer/coach to assess and evaluate your current workouts and lifestyle outside of the training sessions (one-hour).
3. Your coach designs your workout program and you sign a self-honoring contract to hold yourself accountable for following our recommendations.
4. We take you through 10 sessions of workouts that progress your intensity each time. These workouts will burn calories, strengthen muscles and joints, improve you balance, and develop a strong core that will have you peforming better in life and/or sport.
5. Feedback or program modifications are provided via email, phone and/or meetings during pre-set days and times as necessary. For example, a once-weekly contact via email, or a face-to-face meeting.

*Your initial consultation covers an evaluation of your current workout program, lifestyle assessment, and program design that may include recommendations on nutritional information or supplementation, workouts you do at home, recommendations on where to eat outside of the home, strategies on attaining the correct mindset, or based on our completed evaluation, affiliate resources such as a MAT session to correct muscular imbalances or weakness.

People pay for cures much more readily than they will pay for prevention.

Have you noticed that people don’t like to pay for prevention? However, those same people will pay just about anything for a cure.

As a personal trainer I hear this when it comes to people’s fitness and wellness. I don’t get a prospective client come to me stating, “I’m here because I want to keep from getting fat.” They come to me after the fact and are now willing to pay anything for the cure to being overfat – and for the host of other ailments that come along with being overfat.

My advice to you is to develop a fitness prevention plan. Meeting with a professional personal trainer is a good start. A qualified personal trainer will help you develop that game plan for prevention (or for fitness as a cure if you’re already overfat or have physical weakness or imbalances).

The trainer will start out with a consultation which may include a health history questionnaire and a physical evaluation to see what your current fitness level is. Your trainer then can help you with a plan of action to either prevent physical ailments or overcome the ones you may have accrued now.

Remember, a failure to plan is a plan for failure.

For more great fitness advice visit my website at www.mybeyondfitness.com.

300 - Spartan Workout

See how a Spartan Warrior trains!

Want your own personalized 300 workout routine?

Having been featured in Men's Health and on ESPN everyone's been looking for the 300 workout on the Internet. Many fitness specialists are even getting in on the hype by using modified versions with their clients workouts. The reason trainers are using modified versions is that most of us mere mortals wouldn’t be able to handle this type of workout without a few weeks (or months) of physical preparation first.

I made a modified or mini-version of the workout for the average Joe and Jane - see further below.

But first, here's how the original 300 Workout goes...but don't try this at home...you’ll need to work up to this type of intensity.

a) Pull-ups - 25 reps
b) Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50 reps
c) Push-ups - 50 reps
d) 24-inch Box jumps - 50 reps
e) Floor wipers - 50 reps
f) 1-arm Clean & Press with a 36lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps
g) Pull-ups - 25 reps

And remember, there is NO scheduled rest between exercises.

The Truth about the 300 Workout

Now, the premise of the workout is to complete 300 repetitions split up over 7 or so different exercises. But, after actually watching the 300 Spartan workout clip and related interview with Mark Twight, the trainer responsible for the 300 workout, the training program it not what most people think. The first misconception is that the actors had to train like bodybuilders to attain their muscle.

According to Mark, their goal was to mold these actors into looking and performing like a Spartan warrior. That is, "A functional physique that can perform and fight, is devoid of fat, and a metabolism that strips fat from your body." To do this you develop a workout routine that is more functional and athletic, as opposed to a bodybuilding type workout that just builds looks.

From Mark Twight:
"The second misconception surrounds the idea of the Spartan workout, aka “300” [or the 300 workout], how frequently it was done or who actually finished it. “300” is a one-time test, an invitation-only challenge undertaken by those deemed ready for it. By the end of our four-month project 17 people had done the workout (Logan and I were two of them). This constitutes about 50% of the cast and stunt crew. We supervised every test, evaluated each rep for quality and only counted those that achieved our standards for form and range of motion. Like many workouts “300” is not hard once you’ve done it but the apprehension built up ahead of it – something we encouraged – was enough to make some guys fear it to the degree that performance was compromised. This workout was a crucible that some passed through and others still have hanging over them."


So, the 300 repetition workout was really a post-program test and wasn’t the actual training regimen that the actors went through to get into such incredible shape. Nor did they do specifically 300 reps in any given workout. The actual workouts progressed the actors over four -months time to be able to do the 300 post-program test.

So, what about a 300 workout for you?

Fortunately, a 300 repetition workout can easily be modified to adjust for various levels of ability. Appropriate exercises can be subbed in, and we can drop the number of reps down to 100, 150, or 200 - still making for a total body challenge.

For example, you might do this 200-repetition workout - this is great for a man with moderate fitness (note that a qualified personal trainer can design one specific to your abilities):

5 Chin-ups
20 Bodyweight squats
20 Push-ups
100 Jumping Jacks
30 Stability ball crunches
10 Triceps push-ups
15 Bodyweight rows

Optionally, you could do 100 reps of rope jumping or shadow boxing punches to finish off 300 total reps.

An intermediate woman could do a 150 rep workout:

5 Bodyweight Rows
10 Bodyweight wide stance squats
15 Bodyweight squats
15 Pushups (doing as many regular pushups, followed by kneeling)
50 Jumping jacks
10 Triceps bench dips

20 Reverse lunges
25 Bicycle crunches

Add in 50 rope skips for 200 total repetitions - or 150 skips for a full 300.

You can create your own version of the 300 workout and build your own Greek God or Greek Goddess body. However, I highly recommend you work with a trainer to come up with a safe and effective routine specific to your abilities. You also need a program that will help progress you to handling such a workout.

For your various fat burning and functional workouts call us at FPC/Beyond Fitness studio (847-562-4386, ext. 25) and we’ll give you a free consultation and workout session. Our workouts are strategically designed to boost your metabolism, burn fat, and maximize your fitness so that you'll be ready for your very own "300" test day.

Robert Garza, ACE, CPT, RTS