Coming Soon...

Beginning in June 2009 Beyond Fitness training studio in Deerfield, IL will be holding tryouts for our Chicago Northshore 8-Week Fat Loss Transformation.

We will be looking for participants to train in small groups with one of 5 certified personal trainer/coaches that will lead you through exercise bootcamp classes 3 days per week over the course of 8 weeks. Fees will be announced soon - but the cost will be very minimal. We want to make your body lighter, not your wallet!

Each week we will be offering prizes and awards to teams and individuals making progress during this event. There will also be a grand prize for the winning team and individual with the most progress, i.e. weight & fat loss.

Check back soon for more information or call Angel at: 773-617-4837.

Beyond Fitness now offers Krav Maga self-defense classes that also feature a great cardio and conditioning workout.

Angel Santiago, a certified Krav Maga instructor will be leading our classes.

For more information and class schedule contact Angel Santiago by going to his website: Body Impact Health and Fitness.

Beyond Fitness is located at 151 S. Pfingsten, Suites V/W, Deerfield, IL 60015. Beyond Fitness services both Cook County and Lake County suburbs such as Deerfield, Northbrook, Glenview, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Winnetka, Wilmette, and Bannockburn, IL.

How to Stay Fit When Finances Are Low?

With the economy the way it’s been how the heck do you afford to join a gym let alone pay the monthly fees? And, what about hiring a personal trainer – or, continuing with your personal trainer if you have one? Well, here is an option that may work for you to stay fit through the financial mess of this country.

Why not workout at home with Xpress Workouts? Xpress workouts offers numerous workout routines that can take anywhere from 4 minutes to 30 minutes to complete.

Whether you are a beginner or advanced athlete we have an Xpress Workout created for you. For a mere $47 for one full year you’ll gain access to workout routines of various levels of ability (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and with various categories (fat loss, muscle building, athletics, cardiovascular).

We have tons of resources as well with our library of fitness and nutrition articles. Need exercise equipment? We have that too and at incredibly low prices that are cheaper than most sports stores.

What about motivation to help you workout on your own? We’ve got an answer for that too! It’s called, Workout Muse.

Workout Muse offers downloadable music you listen to while working out. Not only is the music great but you get an additional benefit no other music offers exercise enthusiasts – a systematic voice countdown while working out.

No more counting reps or looking at your watch to time your workouts. Each song with Workout Muse automatically offers a voice overlay that tells you when to begin, when you’re halfway done, and when to stop each exercise – all while the music is playing.

You can choose from several times workouts:
1) Continuous Work
2) Tabatas- 20 sec on / 10 sec. recovery
3) 40-20 Supersets
4) 30-60-90 Tri-set Mixer
5) 30-30 and 60-60 Interval COMBO Workouts
6) 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit

For some workout demos and more information go to: www.WorkoutMuse.com or click this link: http://xpress62.workoutmus.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=DALLAS24

The Bodyweight Tabata workout is where you perform a multi-joint exercise for as many reps as you can in 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and then do the next exercise in the circuit.

It'll take you 4-minutes to complete two circuits. You may then try and go on to do more circuits (up to 8 sets max) based on your fitness level and conditioning.

For more workouts like this check out my Xpress Workouts site that has tons of quick and effective workouts you can do in 30 minutes or less!

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

Exercise
Standard Pushup 1. Lie face down on the floor with hands palm down, fingers pointing straight ahead, and aligned at the nipple line. 2. Place hands slightly wider than shoulder width, and feet should be at hip width with toes on floor. 3. Start position: Extend the elbows and raise the body off the floor. 4. Lower your entire body (legs, hips, trunk, and head) 4-8 inches from the floor. 5. Return to the start position by extending at the elbows and pushing the body up. 6. Remember to keep the head and trunk stabilized in a neutral position by isometrically contracting the abdominal and back muscles. Never fully lock out the elbows at the start position and avoid hyperextension of the low back. Trainer's comments: Do as many pushups as you can in 20 seconds time, rest 10 seconds and then do the next exercise in the circuit.	Reps Weight/ Resistance Time Many as you can Bodyweight 20 seconds
Bodyweight Squats 1. Start by placing feet shoulder width apart and holding your arms out in front of you. 2. Proceed to squat down like you are going to sit in a chair. Your upper body will lean forward slightly and your hips will shift backwards while going down. 3. Remember to keep your knees from going out in front of your toes while squatting. 4. Repeat according to your required repetitions. If you want to make the exercise more challenging hold your arms at your sides or behind your head. Trainer's comments: Do as many squats as you can in 20 seconds time, rest 10 seconds and then do the next exercise in the circuit.	Reps Weight/ Resistance Time Many as you can Bodyweight 20 seconds
Modified Pullup 1) Adjust bar at waist height on power rack. Lie on back and position body under bar so that bar is directly over chest region. 2) Start position: Grasp bar with overhand grip (palms facing forward) and shoulder width apart. Elbows should be facing forward with the backside of body off the floor Only the heels are together in contact with ground. 3) Pull body up towards bar until bar touches chest. 4) Return to start position. Trainer's comments: Do as many pull-ups as you can in 20 seconds time, rest 10 seconds and then do the next exercise in the circuit.	Reps Weight/ Resistance Time Many as you can Bodyweight 20 seconds
Jumping Jacks Start with your legs side by side and your arms by your side. In one motion jump and spread your legs out to the side while your arms raise out and up over your head. Land in this position and then return to the starting position and repeat. Trainer's comments: Do as many jumping jacks as you can in 20 seconds time. Rest 20 seconds and then repeat this circuit for 4 minutes total time.	Reps Weight/ Resistance Time Many as you can Bodyweight 20 seconds

"Perspirometer" shirts are now available in the Store section of our main website at mybeyondfitness.

Chart your perspiration progress while wearing your Perspirometer shirt.

You have 3 levels of perspiration progress:

1 - Light Workout

2 - Good Workout

3 - Hard Workout

And, of course, at the very bottom is "Shower Time."

Click Here to order your Perspirometer shirt now!

*Of course, you know that your workout progress is not determined by how much you sweat but we seemed to like these fun shirts to wear while working out. At the least it'll be a conversation starter.

THE GREAT ABS MISTAKE

"He Was Doing One Thousand Crunches And Sit Ups A Day
... But Still NO Abs!!!

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.BurnTheFat.com

After 18 years in the fitness business, “How do I get great abs” is still BY FAR the most frequently asked question I receive out of the 30,000+ emails that come into my office every month. No doubt, it's because abs are the one body part that most people are the most frustrated with. Although their questions are often phrased differently and each person’s situation seems unique, my answer to “how do I get great abs” is almost always the same… and you’re about to hear it...

"1,000 Sit-Ups And Crunches A Day and Still No Abs!"

One question I received recently REALLY got my attention because a young guy told me he was doing 1,000 crunches and sit ups a day and said he still couldn’t see his abdominals. He wrote:

“Tom: I have been working out for around a year now and I cannot get my lower abs into any type of shape. I'm starting to see my upper abs a little bit, which is great, but despite doing 900 various crunches, ab roller, and 100 sit-ups four days a week, along with my regular workout on the weights, I still have a tire around my waist. What else can I do?”

What did I tell him? Well, I gave him the same answer I’ve given thousands of people over the years, which is the only true “Secret” to great abs...

It takes training to increase strength, build endurance and DEVELOP the abdominals, but to SEE the definition in your abdominals - or any other muscle group for that matter - is almost entirely the result of low body fat levels.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but if you can't see your abs, it's not an issue of “muscle development” at all. You simply have too much body fat covering up the ab muscles. The lower abdominal area also happens to be the one place that most people - especially men - store the body fat first.

There's a Scientific Reason Why Your
Lower Ab Flab Is The Last Place To Go: Belly Fat - A Big Problem

Most people don't have their fat distributed evenly throughout their bodies. Each of us inherits a genetically determined and hormonally-influenced pattern of fat storage just as we inherit our eye or hair color. In other words, the fat seems to "stick" to certain areas more than others.

There's a scientific reason for this. Your fat cells are not just inert "storage tanks" for excess fuel. They are actually endocrine glands which send and receive signals from the rest of the body. You could say that your fat cells "talk to your body" and your body "talks to your fat cells." This occurs through a hormone and receptor system.

For body fat loss to occur, you must first get the fat cell (adipocyte) to release the fat into the bloodstream. THEN, the free fatty acids must be delivered to the working muscles where they are burned for energy.

For fat to be released, the hormone adrenaline (epinephrine) must be secreted and send a signal to your fat cells. Your fat cells receive this hormonal signal via adrenaline receptors called adrenoreceptors.

Fat cells have Beta 1 (B1) and Alpha 2 (A2) receptors. B1 receptors are the good guys. They activate hormone sensitive lipase, the enzyme that breaks down the fat and allows it to be released into the bloodstream to be burned. A2 receptors are the bad guys. They block the fat-releasing enzymes in the fat cell and encourage body fat formation.

How Body Fat Storage Patterns Affect You
And Keep Your Abs From Showing

What's the point of all the physiology? Well, it turns out that in men, the lower abdominal region has a higher concentration of A2 receptors, so this gives us one possible explanation of why the lower abdominal region is often the first place the fat goes when you gain it, and the last place it comes off when you're losing it. (Incidentally, the fat in women's hips and thighs is also higher in A2 receptors). This situation is dictated by genetics and by the hormonal and enzymatic pathways we discussed.

Think of ab fat like the deep end of the swimming pool. No matter how much you protest, there is no way you can drain the deep end before the shallow end. However, don't let this discourage you. Lower ab fat WILL come off, it will simply be the last place to come off. First place on - Last place off.

This helps to explain why abdominal exercises have little impact on body fat loss. It's a huge mistake to think that hundreds or thousands of reps of ab exercises will remove lower abdominal fat, except to the degree that it burns calories and contributes to the calorie deficit. What removes the fat - all over your body - is a calorie deficit and that comes from decreasing food intake, increasing activity, or a combination of both.

What I suggested to this young man was cutting back the ab training, spending the time he was wasting on excess ab exercises for more intense, calorie-burning cardio and weight training for the rest of the body. I also suggested he do an accounting of his food intake, get his nutrition in order and decrease his calories slightly if necessary.

As it turned out, his diet was a mess, and as nutrition experts like to say, "You can’t out-train a lousy diet."

It's a monumental error to think that 1,000 reps of ab work a day will make your abs finally "pop" when your diet is a disaster and that's leading to fat storage. It’s not that ab exercises aren’t important. But all the ab exercises in the world won't help as long as you still have body fat covering the muscles. You can't "spot reduce" with abdominal exercise and YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR ABS THROUGH A LAYER OF BODY FAT!

My Championship-Winning Ab Workout Routine

Personally, I only do about 15 minutes of ab work two times per week, with anywhere from two to four exercises for about 10-25 reps per exercise. Forget about thousands of reps of sit ups – it’s a waste of time. The reason my abs look the way they do is not from endless repetitions, but because I get my body fat down into the single digits with a highly specialized fat-burning diet program.

Here’s a recent ab routine that I've used (for bodybuilding/ ab-development purposes). I do this routine only twice a week and I change the exercises approximately every month so my body doesn't adapt. I prefer slightly higher rep range than other muscle groups, but as you can see, it is far from doing a thousand reps a day.

A1 Hanging leg raises
3 sets, 15-20 reps

Superset to:

A2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises)
3 sets, 15-20 reps
(no rest between supersetted exercises A1 & A2, 60 sec between supersets)

B1 Weighted swiss ball crunches (or weighted cable crunches)
3 sets, 15-20 reps

Superset to:

B2 Incline Bench Reverse crunches
3 sets, 15-20 reps
(no rest between supersetted exercises B1 & B2, 60 sec between supersets)

How To Use Cardio For MAXIMUM Fat-Burning

Times have changed since the Aerobics revolution of the 1970's and 1980's. For years, aerobics was the darling of the fitness world. Then scientists began to acknowledge the benefits of weight training - for everyone, not just for bodybuilders.

Recently, the pendulum has swung the other direction and we've actually started hearing fitness "experts" suggesting that cardio should be kept to a minimum or even avoided completely. That's the way things tend to go in the fitness world - they swing back and forth in trends, from one extreme to another. Lots of cardio or no cardio.

I suggest you avoid trend-hopping and pay close attention to what actually works, by people who know what they are talking about (such as bodybuilders, who are the leanest muscular athletes in the world). Doing nothing but cardio is a mistake. But cutting our cardio completely is also a mistake. The truth lies in the middle. Maximum fat burning occurs when you combine cardio training and weight training together.

Those who are genetically gifted with above average metabolisms will find that a slight drop in food intake and just a few days a week of cardio will usually do the trick. However, most people who are struggling with fat loss (sometimes referred to as "endomorph" body type) are simply NOT burning enough calories to get the results they want. The answer for them is more activity to burn more calories.

For health and weight maintenance, I would suggest 3 short cardio workouts per week, about 20-30 minutes per session. But for maximum fat loss, I recommend 4-7 days per week of cardio or other physical activity for 30-45 minutes (based on results), at a moderate pace. You can mix up the type of cardio you do, or choose the type you enjoy the most - stationary cycling, stairclimbing, elliptical machines, aerobic classes and other continuous activities are all excellent fat burners (it doesn't have to be indoors or on a cardio machine).

If time efficiency is a concern for you, you could do 2-3 of those cardio workouts as high intensity interval training and you'll achieve very good results even with briefer workouts. Even as little as 20-25 minutes per session can get great results IF your intensity level is high enough. Remember, seeing your abs is about low body fat. Low body fat is about burning calories and creating a calorie deficit. The calorie deficit is created by increasing the number of calories you burn and or decreasing the amount of calories you take in from food. Increasing intensity is one way to burn more calories in less time.

NOTE: To reach the "ripped" 3.7% body fat level you see in my photos, I do cardio 7 days a week for 30-45 minutes per session, in addition to my 4 weight training workouts per week.

7 Nutrition Secrets For Great Abs

That leads us to nutrition. Many people say that "abdominals are made in the kitchen, not in the gym," and there's a lot of truth to that. You can do thousands of reps of ab work every week, but if your nutrition is not in order, you can forget about getting a great set of 6-pack abs.

1. Eat about 15-20% below your calorie maintenance level. If you use a more aggressive calorie deficit of 25-30%, then do not keep calories too low for too long; increase calories to maintenance or maintenance +10-15% 1-2 days per week.
2. Spread your calories into 5-6 smaller meals instead of 2-3 big ones. Be very conscious of portion size. If you eat too much of anything (even "healthy" food), you can say goodbye to your abs. Period.
3. Eat a source of complete, high quality lean protein with each meal (egg whites, lean meat, fish, protein powder, etc)
4. Choose natural, complex carbs such as vegetables, oatmeal, yams, potatoes, beans, brown rice and whole grains. Start with aprox. 50% of your calories from natural carbs and reduce carbs slightly (esp. late in the day) if you are not losing fat.
5. Avoid refined, simple carbs that contain white flour or white sugar
6. Keep total fats low and saturated fats low. Aim for 20% of your total calories from fat (and no more than 30%). A little bit of "good fat" like flax oil, fish fat, nuts & seeds, etc is better than a no fat diet. Essential fatty acids actually assist the fat burning process.
7. Drink plenty of water - a gallon is a good ballpark to shoot for if you are physically active.

1000+ reps of daily ab work is an amazing feat of endurance, but that’s not how you get visible, 6-pack abs! If you were to do 1,000 reps of ab exercises every day, you would have outstanding development in your abdominal muscles and you would definitely have great muscular endurance. Unfortunately, if your abs are covered up with a layer of fat, you will never see them even if you do 10,000 reps a day!

You Condition and Strengthen Your Abs With Specific Ab Exercises...
But The Secret To Seeing Your Abs Is Reducing Your Body Fat!

I once saw a photo of a man who broke one of the Guiness World Records for sit ups. It was the most paradoxical thing, but this man did not have any abdominal muscle definition. He was not obese or overweight at all, mind you, but he had a small enough layer of body fat that the muscular defintion did not show through. I've never seen a better real life example which demonstrates the basic principle discussed in this article:

You get great abs from reducing your body fat, and you reduce your body fat by creating a caloric deficit through nutrition and metabolism-stimulating and calorie-burning exercise.

I've spent my entire career - through more than 18 years and 28 bodybuilding competitions - studying the science and practicing the art of body fat reduction. I speak from experience and I walk my talk as you can see from my pictures.

If you'd like to learn for yourself, what I've learned about fat burning nutrition and getting your body fat level low enough so that you can finally see a "6 pack rack" of abs, then be sure to take a look at the Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program. Thousands of men and women call this their "fat loss bible." For all the details, click here:
www.BurnTheFat.com

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

What is FitcomXpo?

Thanks to breakthrough technology and the ability of the Internet to bring us all together, you can now attend the world's largest fitness industry event -- all from the comfort of your own home.

That's right.

No traveling.

No expensive plane rides or airport headaches.

No taxis or car rentals.

No overpriced hotel food.

How does FitcomXpo work?

Using the latest technology, you'll be able to follow along LIVE with each presentation. You can either listen over the phone or watch it streaming over the Internet.

There's no special downloads. Just login to your account here and you'll be taken to the special page to listen live.

Plus, you'll be able to ask questions directly to the presenters too!

You'll have all the handouts ahead of time and if a presenter wants to show you a demonstration, you can see it via video on the site.

It will be just like attending an event in person, except you can follow along in your pajamas!

How much to attend FitcomXpo?

If you wanted to attend an event like this in person -- you'd shell out around $300 for registration, $280 for 2 nights at the hotel, another $350 for airfare plus $200 more for meals.

When all is said and done, you're looking at well over $1,000.00.

FitcomXpo is all delivered online you are going to save. Big Time!

Why?

Because we don't have to pay for hotel space and we are saving thousands of dollars by not flying speakers in from all over the globe. Plus just by not printing out 10,000 handouts, we're saving $30,000 right there.

So you are going to have the biggest and best fitness industry event delivered to you on a silver platter for just $199.

50% OFF Early Bird Registration

When you register right now, you will save 50% off your registration fee. So you'll be able to attend EVERY session for just $99.

Special Bonus: 3 More Months of VIP Access!

And to make it impossible for you to say no, I'm going to sweeten the deal. When you register today, you'll have unlimited access to all the sessions and networking forums for 3 extra months.

So you can take your time and listen to the sessions over and over again to get all those nuggets of wisdom.

You get everything: unlimited VIP access to EVERY session, all the networking forums, online video demonstrations, downloadable handouts, live chat rooms, interaction with speakers and so much more for just $99.

Reserve your spot at 1/2 off right now below:

FitcomXpo

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

Beyond Fitness Personal Training Studio
Has Just Expanded!

We now offer both a personal training center and a sports conditioning room complete with field turf for agility and sports specificity training!

For more information please visit our website at:
www.mybeyondfitness.com

Trainer/Coach Opportunity!

Our Deerfield, IL studio has expanded to over 8,000 square feet featuring both a personal training center and sports conditioning room complete with field turf!

Our dual-earning system allows you to bring in your own clientele (for a rental fee) and/or receive training commissions when you get clients from us.

For more information please contact:

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS
Ph: 847-562-4386
Email: rgarza@mybeyondfitness.com

The Xpress Workouts 300 workout program is featured in our local Daily Herald. I was excited to take a couple of my best clients through the 300 Workout while journalist Robert McCoppin wrote a piece on it for his paper. Here is an excerpt:

"...The exercises are designed to work the body from one end to the other. They use primitive tools like medicine balls and body weight, and compound movements to involve more than one set of muscles, rather than using a machine to isolate one muscle at a time.

This type of training is a variation of what exercise geeks call peripheral heart action, a high-intensity form of circuit training. Instead of doing three sets at a time on each body part, participants go from one exercise to the next, promoting overall circulation.

The beauty of such a workout, personal trainer Robert Garza said, is that it combines cardiovascular exercise with resistance training, so you're gaining muscle at the same time you're burning calories and improving endurance.

Instead of just looking muscular, you should end up with "usable" strength and fitness that also looks ripped.

Best of all, you can get a more intense workout in a shorter amount of time."

Click Here to read the full article in the Daily Herald with additional photos.

Click Here to see the slideshow with audio

Robert Garza, CPT, RTS

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.