Saturday, October 29, 2011
To better serve our customers
To better serve our customers we have launched Spurling Training Systems. Please be patient as everything is still under construction. We thank each and every one of you for your continued support. Please follow our new page, linked below, for the same great content, and much much more!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
A True Leader
Eric Cressey is a leader in the field of exercise science and strength and conditioning. A good chunk of what I know today is simply from reading his work. It also is a tad ironic that we both attended University of New England. I highly suggest you follow his blog at the link below, and add it to your list of resources for great information on exercise science, strength and conditioning, nutrition, and sports rehab.
Check out Eric's blog here: Cressey's Blog
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!
Best,
Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Appropriate time for cardio
I got a great question from a reader this week about cardio. The question asked what is the optimal time to do cardio, before or after a workout?
This question is very individual and depends on the persons goals. However, there are some guidelines that I hope to outline that will let you decide when the appropriate time to do cardio is.
Similar to the structure and design of your program, when you do cardio depends on your overall goal.
Let's first look at someone who is trying to cut or lose fat. Someone who is looking to cut usually focuses more on cardio and workouts that will increase the heart rate. So, for this person it would be okay to do cardio before a weightlifting session or on off days that you're not lifting. The reason for this is, you want to put most of your energy on the things that are focused on your goal. Your focus here is not to bench 500lbs or make the varsity football team, your focus is cardio. So, you want to do it when you have the most energy, off days or before a weightlifting session.
Now, we look at someone who is trying to gain weight or bulk. This person usually has a focus on gaining size, strength and power. They have increased their caloric intake and is gaining weight. They want to do cardio on a regular basis to maintain their cardiorespiratory fitness, but their goal is muscle gain. The optimal time to do cardio for this person would be on off days you are not lifting. This way, you can put all your energy into the lift on those days, and worry about cardio on off days. Also, if you are doing too much cardio while trying to gain size you are pretty much cancelling the two out. A second option would be after a lifting session, however your energy would be pretty low and your body is going to go to your muscles and glucose to get the energy, thus affecting your results of muscle gaining.
People must have a goal, and they have to stick with it. I can't stress it enough. If your goal is muscle size, stop running 6 days a week and start hitting the weights. If you need to drop 50lbs, then cardio is going to be your best friend.
I'm not going to go into what type of cardio is best, and the other key factor, nutrition. I will save that for a later blog. Both of these will affect your results more then the timing of your cardio.
I hope I was able to distinguish between the two options for cardio. If you have specific questions about how to organize your program, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
Enjoy the weekend and the nice weather!
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Friday, September 30, 2011
Back To Basics
Everyday I get a question on what someone thinks of a certain exercise. "Doug, what do you think of the 1 foot elevated push-up, on a bosu ball, with a dumbbell balanced on my back, during a thunderstorm, and the Beatles playing in the background.?" Too many people try to complicate their programs so much that they are no longer effective. That same person that asked the above question most likely skips half their workouts and has a double cheeseburger and a bud light as their post-workout meal.
Don't get me wrong, there is place in a workout for a 1 foot elevated push-up on a bosu ball, but for the average Joe or Jane they need to focus on the basics. If you have not consistently stuck to a designed program for 4-6 weeks you need to go back to the basics. What are the basics?
In my opinion, the most basic program you can do is a full-body program, 3 times a week, with a day off in between each workout. Before you start throwing in all these complex exercises, super-sets, negatives, and all the other things, you need to build a foundation. YOU WILL NOT SEE RESULTS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION BUILT!
This full-body program is what I consider to be the most basic of programs, and for a beginner, does an excellent job at building a solid foundation that can be built on.
Program completed: Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Rest: 30-45 seconds
Tempo: 2/1/2
Sets/Reps: 3sets of 10reps
Exercises(In this order):
Squat
Chest Press
Back Row
Shoulder Press
Triceps Pressdown
Biceps Curl
Abdominal Plank
The science behind this program is simple. You take each muscle group, largest to smallest, and choose a fundamental exercise for that group. Keeping the rest periods short adds some endurance to the workout, and the tempo is a pretty standard tempo, nothing too slow or too fast.
Now, is this a program for a elite athlete, or a power lifter? Hell no! If you're EDUCATED on what you're doing, and have been lifting properly is this the appropriate program for you? Hell no! However, if you go into the gym with no plan, shoot the shit with your friends, and come out accomplishing absolutely nothing, this may be a good program to build your foundation. If you go to the gym less than the Red Sox beat the Orioles, then this may be a good program to build your foundation.
A house can't be built without a foundation. If you have your foundation built, then you need a more specialized, periodized program. However, I can guarantee you most of the population out there does not have their foundation built, and doing this program CONSTANTLY for 4-6 weeks will build a solid foundation.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
As always, any questions or comments shoot me an e-mail.
Best,
Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spuring Strength & Speed
Dspurling@une.edu
Thursday, September 29, 2011
What came first the chicken or the egg?
I wanted to share this article with you all one more time. I had yet another encounter of someone mentioning they are throwing away the yolks of their eggs and only eating the whites. Little do they know, all the nutrition is in the yolk. Read the article below and you will see why eating the whole egg is the better choice.
Best,
Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
German Body Composition
Did you indulge in a few too many fruity drinks with umbrellas or friend clams on the beach this summer? Got a few extra pounds that need to be shredded for an upcoming wedding? Is your sport starting up and you need to get whipped into shape quick? If your goal is to get into better shape and shed some baggage I have a program for you.
German Body Composition, GBC for short, will rip fat off your body quicker then you can put a whoppie pie down. In a nutshell, the program is based on short rest intervals, super-setting different body parts, pushing you lactate threshold to the max, and increasing your growth hormone.
Here is what a German Body Composition program looks like:
Day One: Chest and Back
A1. 6 Incline Dumbbell Presses at 45-degree angle
Rest 10 seconds
A2. 12 Incline Barbell Presses at 45-degree angle
Rest 10 seconds
A3. 25 Incline Dumbbell Press at 30-degree angle
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times
B1. 6 Weighted Chins
Rest 10 seconds
B2. 12 Bent-over Rows
Rest 10 seconds
B3. 25 Seated Cable Rows
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times
Day Two: Legs
A1. 6 Squats
Rest 10 seconds
A2. 12 Lunges
Rest 10 seconds
A3. 25 Leg Extensions
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times
B1. 6 Leg Curls
Rest 10 seconds
B2. 12 Romanian Dead Lifts
Rest 10 seconds
B3. 25 Reverse Hypers/Back Extensions
**Rest 2 Minutes
**Repeat 3 times
Day Three: OFF
Day Four: Arms and Shoulders
A1. 6 Seated Dumbbell Presses
Rest 10 seconds
A2. 12 Seated Lateral Raises
Rest 10 seconds
A3. 26 Front/Posterior Raises
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times
B1. 6 Dips or Close-Grip Bench Presses
Rest 10 seconds
B2. 12 Skull Crushers
Rest 10 seconds
B3. 25 Cable Pressdowns
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times
C1. 6 incline Dumbbell Curls
Rest 10 seconds
C2. 12 Standing Barbell Curls
Rest 10 seconds
C3. 25 Standing Pulley Curls
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times
Day Five: OFF
REPEAT
Seems pretty simply on paper, but with the short rest intervals you will be panting more than a German Shepherd on a hot August day. If your up to it, give this program a try and let me know how it goes for you.
As always, any questions regarding fitness, sports, or nutrition please don't hesitate to contact me. I am always looking for blog topics.
I hope you're out enjoying the final few days of nice weather, because before you know it we will be digging ourselves out of that fresh white powder!
Best,
Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
Dspurling@une.edu
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday Hodepodge
I finally got a day off from the craziness of the ICU, ER, and rehab center of the hospital. I know I am long overdue for a blog post so I made sure I took the time today to give you guys some good reading. Today is going to be a little hodgepodge of everything.
1. P90x is going great. I have shredded about 30 pounds so far with about 5 weeks left in the program. Yes, I may have lost some muscle size, but I am in the stage in my workout life where I don't need to bench 400lbs and squat mountains. I would rather look good naked. Plain and simple. Once my football days were over, I realized that I didn't have to weigh 295lbs and be bulky, I had no use for it. So now, I am working on getting as lean as possible. I am hoping to get down to about 235 with my current weight being 260. The reason P90x is so challenging for me is because of the massive change. When you train for strength and power, like a football player, you train with real heavy weight. Rarely would you ever see me doing something for more then 6-8 reps. As a result, when Tony wanted me to do 12 reps + on everything, I was a bit thrown off. However, because there was such a drastic change in the program, it caused a drastic change in my body. I encourage anyone who has ever thought about doing P90x to give it a try. I am not selling it by any means, it is really nothing special. However, what got me was the drastic change in pure volume of reps for each workout.
2. I got a question from a viewer about what supplements to take. You hear kids today taking Jack3d and all these other sugar filled products that claim to help in every way possible. The truth is, most of them are crap. The saying that America has the most expensive urine has never been so true. Most of these supplements don't even get absorbed by the body, and end up just getting excreted into or toilet. Thus, that $45 dollar bottle of Jack3d ultimately ends up getting flushed down the toilet with your steak and corn you had last night. For the average Joe and Jane, you only need a few basic supplements. Now, yes a hardcore athlete or bodybuilder may need more, but for the weekend warriors who are just trying to look good this is what I recommend.
A. A good complete multi-vitamin-taken twice daily9(see previous blogs for why)
B. Fish oil
C. 100% whey protein
Those three things with a well balanced diet will produce any results you want as long as the diet and program are followed.
3. For those idiots who think its cool to drink and drive. Follow me around for a day and see the 19 year old girl in a halo brace, the 21 year old guy who has so much brain trauma he can't remember his own name let alone how to go the bathroom or even walk, the 45 year old who crashed his motorcycle after leaving the bar and now needs to spend the rest of his life in wheel chair because both of his legs were amputated above the knee, or the 18 year old girl who has a fractured pelvis and fractured C1 because she was texting and slammed into a tractor trailer. These are things that I see everyday at my job, and I love it. It has made me realize the true value of life, and to take each day as a gift. Finally, nothing is more rewarding then giving that 21 year old a handshake goodbye as he steps up into his moms SUV after receiving treatment for his injuries. Just please, do me a favor, never drive drunk and never text and drive because I can tell you first hand through hundreds of experiences, the outcomes are not pretty.
A little exercise stuff a little life lesson stuff. A little bit of everything on this Thursday. Send me an e-mail with any questions or topic ideas, I would be happy to write about them.
Now get your butt of the couch and go enjoy this beautiful weather!
Best,
Doug
1. P90x is going great. I have shredded about 30 pounds so far with about 5 weeks left in the program. Yes, I may have lost some muscle size, but I am in the stage in my workout life where I don't need to bench 400lbs and squat mountains. I would rather look good naked. Plain and simple. Once my football days were over, I realized that I didn't have to weigh 295lbs and be bulky, I had no use for it. So now, I am working on getting as lean as possible. I am hoping to get down to about 235 with my current weight being 260. The reason P90x is so challenging for me is because of the massive change. When you train for strength and power, like a football player, you train with real heavy weight. Rarely would you ever see me doing something for more then 6-8 reps. As a result, when Tony wanted me to do 12 reps + on everything, I was a bit thrown off. However, because there was such a drastic change in the program, it caused a drastic change in my body. I encourage anyone who has ever thought about doing P90x to give it a try. I am not selling it by any means, it is really nothing special. However, what got me was the drastic change in pure volume of reps for each workout.
2. I got a question from a viewer about what supplements to take. You hear kids today taking Jack3d and all these other sugar filled products that claim to help in every way possible. The truth is, most of them are crap. The saying that America has the most expensive urine has never been so true. Most of these supplements don't even get absorbed by the body, and end up just getting excreted into or toilet. Thus, that $45 dollar bottle of Jack3d ultimately ends up getting flushed down the toilet with your steak and corn you had last night. For the average Joe and Jane, you only need a few basic supplements. Now, yes a hardcore athlete or bodybuilder may need more, but for the weekend warriors who are just trying to look good this is what I recommend.
A. A good complete multi-vitamin-taken twice daily9(see previous blogs for why)
B. Fish oil
C. 100% whey protein
Those three things with a well balanced diet will produce any results you want as long as the diet and program are followed.
3. For those idiots who think its cool to drink and drive. Follow me around for a day and see the 19 year old girl in a halo brace, the 21 year old guy who has so much brain trauma he can't remember his own name let alone how to go the bathroom or even walk, the 45 year old who crashed his motorcycle after leaving the bar and now needs to spend the rest of his life in wheel chair because both of his legs were amputated above the knee, or the 18 year old girl who has a fractured pelvis and fractured C1 because she was texting and slammed into a tractor trailer. These are things that I see everyday at my job, and I love it. It has made me realize the true value of life, and to take each day as a gift. Finally, nothing is more rewarding then giving that 21 year old a handshake goodbye as he steps up into his moms SUV after receiving treatment for his injuries. Just please, do me a favor, never drive drunk and never text and drive because I can tell you first hand through hundreds of experiences, the outcomes are not pretty.
A little exercise stuff a little life lesson stuff. A little bit of everything on this Thursday. Send me an e-mail with any questions or topic ideas, I would be happy to write about them.
Now get your butt of the couch and go enjoy this beautiful weather!
Best,
Doug
Friday, June 24, 2011
Update on the P90X
Some of my loyal fans have probably wondered where the heck have I been? The others, well I'm going to tell you anyways.
So I am 1 month into P90X and I am loving the results. It was a large adjustment at first for me. The reason being I had always trained real heavy weight, low reps. My training was more for power, size, and strength. So very rarely would you see me do more then 8 reps per set. Well, when I started p90X, I was shocked. They wanted you doing 12-15reps an exercise, and sometimes maximum reps. Well, this was quite humbling. I may of been able to bench a mountain, but have me do max reps on push-ups, FORGET IT! So, I started off pretty slow. However, once my body got use to it, I started seeing some great results.
As far as the results go, I could not be happier. I started the program on Day 1 weighing in at 292lbs. My max push-up was about 34, and my max pull-up was about 2(yeah don't laugh, remember what I said about training style). On the last workout of Month 1, I weighed in at a slimming 274 lbs. I am up to about 48 push-ups and 6 pull-ups, and that number is increasing daily.
Now, you may look at those numbers and say that is pathetic. Well, it is slightly! However, you have to realize, like I mentioned above, I had previously only trained for power and strength, so my body shutdown and needed a break after about 6 reps. So, this high rep thing took some getting use to.
My goals for this program are to be able to do 75 push-ups in a row, as well as 15 pull-ups. I also would like to weigh in below the 250 mark. Some of you out there might think of 250 as being heavy. Well for someone at my height(6'6"), and the build I have, that would have me pretty lean(abdominal definition lean). Also know that I haven't been below 250lbs since 8th grade! With 2 more months to go, I am more then confident that I will not only reach my goals, but surpass them as well!
As far as why I haven't posted in awhile. Well, on top of running my personal training business, I am also working some crazy hours at the local hospital. I am also in preparation of applying to graduate schools. So, life is a tad crazy right now. I will keep you posted as to how this is going, and look forward to some comments below.
All the best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
So I am 1 month into P90X and I am loving the results. It was a large adjustment at first for me. The reason being I had always trained real heavy weight, low reps. My training was more for power, size, and strength. So very rarely would you see me do more then 8 reps per set. Well, when I started p90X, I was shocked. They wanted you doing 12-15reps an exercise, and sometimes maximum reps. Well, this was quite humbling. I may of been able to bench a mountain, but have me do max reps on push-ups, FORGET IT! So, I started off pretty slow. However, once my body got use to it, I started seeing some great results.
As far as the results go, I could not be happier. I started the program on Day 1 weighing in at 292lbs. My max push-up was about 34, and my max pull-up was about 2(yeah don't laugh, remember what I said about training style). On the last workout of Month 1, I weighed in at a slimming 274 lbs. I am up to about 48 push-ups and 6 pull-ups, and that number is increasing daily.
Now, you may look at those numbers and say that is pathetic. Well, it is slightly! However, you have to realize, like I mentioned above, I had previously only trained for power and strength, so my body shutdown and needed a break after about 6 reps. So, this high rep thing took some getting use to.
My goals for this program are to be able to do 75 push-ups in a row, as well as 15 pull-ups. I also would like to weigh in below the 250 mark. Some of you out there might think of 250 as being heavy. Well for someone at my height(6'6"), and the build I have, that would have me pretty lean(abdominal definition lean). Also know that I haven't been below 250lbs since 8th grade! With 2 more months to go, I am more then confident that I will not only reach my goals, but surpass them as well!
As far as why I haven't posted in awhile. Well, on top of running my personal training business, I am also working some crazy hours at the local hospital. I am also in preparation of applying to graduate schools. So, life is a tad crazy right now. I will keep you posted as to how this is going, and look forward to some comments below.
All the best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Thursday, May 12, 2011
What's the deal with P90X?
I am sure most of you have heard of the at home workout system, P90X. Now, I would agree that 99% of the programs/products sold on TV are complete junk. However, P90X seems to be one of the very few that produce true results. I have had several friends and clients transform their bodies greatly with the program. I have had several people ask me what I think about the program. Well, you know what I told them? I really don't know. I have always stuck to the philosophy that I will never have a client of mine do something unless I have tried it myself first. How could I recommend a program, if I have not done it myself?
A quick story. I had a client last summer who came to me for weight loss. We worked all summer long and saw minimal results. I consulted with some other professional in the field and they recommended giving him a colon cleanse. Well, I have never done a colon cleanse. So yes, you guessed it, I did the colon cleanse first. The cleanse consisted of only drinking cranberry juice for five days! Yeah, that's it! So as my girlfriend was shoving delicious food in my face, for five days I survived off cranberry juice. Well, I got a few things out of it. First, I will NEVER drink cranberry juice again. Second, I lose 18lbs! Finally, I felt re-energized and had an understanding of what it did to the body. So, I went ahead and had my client give it a try. He finished the 5 day regiment having dropped 20lbs and feeling great.
The whole point to that story? I will never recommend or prescribe something that I haven't done myself. So, as a birthday present my girlfriend got me the P90X package. I will be starting it on Monday, May 23rd. I will be keeping track of EVERYTHING! So, look forward to updates, before and after pictures, and much more!
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
A quick story. I had a client last summer who came to me for weight loss. We worked all summer long and saw minimal results. I consulted with some other professional in the field and they recommended giving him a colon cleanse. Well, I have never done a colon cleanse. So yes, you guessed it, I did the colon cleanse first. The cleanse consisted of only drinking cranberry juice for five days! Yeah, that's it! So as my girlfriend was shoving delicious food in my face, for five days I survived off cranberry juice. Well, I got a few things out of it. First, I will NEVER drink cranberry juice again. Second, I lose 18lbs! Finally, I felt re-energized and had an understanding of what it did to the body. So, I went ahead and had my client give it a try. He finished the 5 day regiment having dropped 20lbs and feeling great.
The whole point to that story? I will never recommend or prescribe something that I haven't done myself. So, as a birthday present my girlfriend got me the P90X package. I will be starting it on Monday, May 23rd. I will be keeping track of EVERYTHING! So, look forward to updates, before and after pictures, and much more!
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Monday, May 9, 2011
How much Jack3d does it take to get Jacked!?
Every day I always can count on someone asking me two questions. The first one, how tall are you? The second one, which supplements can I take to lose weight or gain muscle? Well, I don't think I can control the first question, but maybe this blog will decrease the number of times the second questions gets asked. No, don't get me wrong, I am glad people are coming to me for advice before the go piss away their money at the drug store. One last pro claimer, I am not a dietitian nor a nutritionist. I simply have experience with supplements and have done a plethora of research on them to know what is good for the body, and what is not.
The first step is taking a look at the word supplement. A supplement is an accessory or something you add to your diet. Supplements CAN'T replace an unhealthy diet! So, before anyone goes off and adds any supplement to their body, they need to have a healthy diet. Once your diet is in check for several months in a row, consistently, then there may be some things that can be beneficial for you.
The first one we look at is a multi-vitamin. A multi-vitamin is just that, a pill that contains multiple vitamins. It is always a good idea to take a multi-vitamin twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Your body can only absorb about 50% of the vitamins at once, so those one-a-day pills are junk unless taken twice a day.
Fish oil would be next on my list. Fish oil has shown several benefits including joint health, cardiovascular health, healthier skin complexion, and some fat loss. Each brand contains different dosages, so typically just follow the directions on the back of the bottle.
Next up is protein. There are several types of protein including egg, soy, casein, and whey. In my opinion whey is the best overall protein. It is fast absorbing and typically doesn't hold a ton of sugars. You should remember back from one of my previous blog posts that depending on your goal you should get between 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. This can be done with the proper foods such as eggs, meats, nuts, and dairy. However, there will be days when a protein shake may be needed as a snack to give you that extra protein. Try to stay away from the premixed protein shakes. I suggest 100% whey protein that comes in a jug and you simply mix it with water.
Those three basic supplements can cover the general person. Now, my advanced lifters and athletes, they might need a little more. You might want to take a look back at my blog on creatine, a great supplement for advanced lifters. However, it doesn't matter who you are, you should not be taking any supplements until your diet is in check.
The important thing to remember is supplements just like everything today, is a business. All of these companies are just trying to make as much money as possible. So, they write things on their bottles like muscle gain, fat loss, and lose 100lbs in one month. The sad thing is, so many people each day fall for these gimmicks. Sadly, 99% of the time they are literally just pissing away their money. America is all about the quick fix, they want a pill to do all the work for them. Well, I got news for you. If you want good results, that will last a life-time, you need to work hard and have a good diet. There are no secrets!
Questions or comments? Shoot me an e-mail or comment below.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
The first step is taking a look at the word supplement. A supplement is an accessory or something you add to your diet. Supplements CAN'T replace an unhealthy diet! So, before anyone goes off and adds any supplement to their body, they need to have a healthy diet. Once your diet is in check for several months in a row, consistently, then there may be some things that can be beneficial for you.
The first one we look at is a multi-vitamin. A multi-vitamin is just that, a pill that contains multiple vitamins. It is always a good idea to take a multi-vitamin twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Your body can only absorb about 50% of the vitamins at once, so those one-a-day pills are junk unless taken twice a day.
Fish oil would be next on my list. Fish oil has shown several benefits including joint health, cardiovascular health, healthier skin complexion, and some fat loss. Each brand contains different dosages, so typically just follow the directions on the back of the bottle.
Next up is protein. There are several types of protein including egg, soy, casein, and whey. In my opinion whey is the best overall protein. It is fast absorbing and typically doesn't hold a ton of sugars. You should remember back from one of my previous blog posts that depending on your goal you should get between 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. This can be done with the proper foods such as eggs, meats, nuts, and dairy. However, there will be days when a protein shake may be needed as a snack to give you that extra protein. Try to stay away from the premixed protein shakes. I suggest 100% whey protein that comes in a jug and you simply mix it with water.
Those three basic supplements can cover the general person. Now, my advanced lifters and athletes, they might need a little more. You might want to take a look back at my blog on creatine, a great supplement for advanced lifters. However, it doesn't matter who you are, you should not be taking any supplements until your diet is in check.
The important thing to remember is supplements just like everything today, is a business. All of these companies are just trying to make as much money as possible. So, they write things on their bottles like muscle gain, fat loss, and lose 100lbs in one month. The sad thing is, so many people each day fall for these gimmicks. Sadly, 99% of the time they are literally just pissing away their money. America is all about the quick fix, they want a pill to do all the work for them. Well, I got news for you. If you want good results, that will last a life-time, you need to work hard and have a good diet. There are no secrets!
Questions or comments? Shoot me an e-mail or comment below.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Update on my adventures
Hello All,
As some of you have noticed, my blog has slowed down just a tad these past few weeks. Well, I do have a good reason for that. As of next week, I will be a Maine resident. Yes, you heard that right! I am packing my bags and moving to Orono, Maine. If you're not familiar with Orono, it is the hometown of Maine's only Division I school, University of Maine. I have several opportunities up here including an internship with UMaine Strength and Conditioning, a position at a veterans affairs health care facility, and a position at one of the largest hospitals in Maine. So, needless to say I will be pretty busy. I actually have been up here for about 3 weeks, and thanks to my girlfriend and her family, I have had a place to stay. I will be moving into my apartment next week, and I am looking forward to it.
Work with me for the next week or so while I get settled into my new place, but I promise the blog will be back in full swing with great material soon. My online business will see no changes with my move, so no need to worry about that.
As always, if you have any questions or would like for me to write about a topic, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
As some of you have noticed, my blog has slowed down just a tad these past few weeks. Well, I do have a good reason for that. As of next week, I will be a Maine resident. Yes, you heard that right! I am packing my bags and moving to Orono, Maine. If you're not familiar with Orono, it is the hometown of Maine's only Division I school, University of Maine. I have several opportunities up here including an internship with UMaine Strength and Conditioning, a position at a veterans affairs health care facility, and a position at one of the largest hospitals in Maine. So, needless to say I will be pretty busy. I actually have been up here for about 3 weeks, and thanks to my girlfriend and her family, I have had a place to stay. I will be moving into my apartment next week, and I am looking forward to it.
Work with me for the next week or so while I get settled into my new place, but I promise the blog will be back in full swing with great material soon. My online business will see no changes with my move, so no need to worry about that.
As always, if you have any questions or would like for me to write about a topic, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The truth about eggs
How many of you throw away the egg yolk and just eat the whites? The truth is, all the nutrition is in the yolk. I remember in college, I would consume upwards of 12 eggs a day. Why? Because I knew that they wouldn't raise my cholesterol, they had some awesome protein, I didn't have time to grill up some chicken or steak, and I could give the cashier a $5 bill and get change back! Here is an awesome article on why you should eat the whole egg! It is an easy read, and written well so that everyone can understand it. I suggest you share it will all your friends so we can work on getting rid of the myth that egg yolks are bad for you!
Click here for the article
Have a good weekend!
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Click here for the article
Have a good weekend!
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Another great resource
As you have noticed, most of my posts have been fitness and strength and conditioning related. I know a lot of my readers are also interested in the rehab/sports medicine field, so I would like to share a great resource with all of you.
Mike Reinold is a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and strength and conditioning coach. He has an incredible website that has a plethora of information on everything from rehabilitation and injury prevention to performance and strength and conditioning.
He truly has information for everybody! I highly suggest you check out his website.
Click here for Mike Reinold's website!
I have some new and exciting news coming to Spurling Strength & Speed so be sure to stay tuned!
As always, any questions or comments let me know.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Mike Reinold is a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and strength and conditioning coach. He has an incredible website that has a plethora of information on everything from rehabilitation and injury prevention to performance and strength and conditioning.
He truly has information for everybody! I highly suggest you check out his website.
Click here for Mike Reinold's website!
I have some new and exciting news coming to Spurling Strength & Speed so be sure to stay tuned!
As always, any questions or comments let me know.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Developing Power (jaw dropping video included)
What is power?
To some people it being able to bench press 400lbs. Some people may see it as how fast they can throw, or how high they can jump. There is one simply equation used when looking at power:
So, broken down, power output is the ability to move something heavy with speed. Someone may be able to bench press 300lbs, but if it takes them 8 seconds to lockout, then that is not power. Power must have a speed component. An example of this is the vertical jump. Everyone knows the vertical jump it is used in all sports, and is pretty common in the commercial gym. When was the last time you saw somebody complete a vertical jump slowly? Vertical jump is testing power, it is your ability to push against the ground, release energy, and explosively jump as high as you can.
So how do you go about developing power? There are several ways, but I want to focus on the two major ones, which are Olympic movements and plyometrics.
Olympic movements:
Here I am talking about lifts like the hang clean, power clean, snatch, push press, clean and jerk, etc. The lifts you see done in the Olympics, hence the name. Look at anyone doing those lifts PROPERLY, they are done with a good amount of weight, and explosive. You need to develop power in order to move that much weight quickly. My professor always told me, if you want to be slow, train slow, you want to be fast, train fast. Completing lifts like the power clean and snatch well force you to move quickly and develop power.
Now that I have mentioned all of that, please note Olympic movements are complex exercises and not for beginners. They can be dangerous, and correct form is critical.
Plyometrics:
Remember those days in elementary school where the PE instructor had you jumping over small hurdles and onto boxes. That my friend is plyometrics. Again, in order to develop power you must have a speed component. So, plyometrics are explosive movements, usually done with body weight. Some examples of these include vertical jump, squat jump and turn, broad jump, hurdle jumps, box jumps, plyo push-ups, etc. You can also incorporate medicine balls by doing a variety of slams for the upper body. Plyo's are good because they are pretty safe, and if taught correctly can be in anyone's program.
Please note, these two topics that I covered could each easily be a semester long course. So, don't go run to the gym tomorrow and start power cleaning and jumping off 5 foot boxes. Like anything, you have to learn it, practice it, and perfect it.
Now, for the video. One of my clients sent this to me, and I had to share it. I do realize that the video may be sped up a tad and the floor may have some spring to it, nonetheless this guy has a ton on power.
Check it out here
Hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know if you have any questions on this topic. Like I said, this is a HUGE topic that can take a whole semester to go over, but at least you got the wheels spinning in your head about power.
Once again, any questions, comments, or ideas please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
To some people it being able to bench press 400lbs. Some people may see it as how fast they can throw, or how high they can jump. There is one simply equation used when looking at power:
Power = Strength X Speed
So, broken down, power output is the ability to move something heavy with speed. Someone may be able to bench press 300lbs, but if it takes them 8 seconds to lockout, then that is not power. Power must have a speed component. An example of this is the vertical jump. Everyone knows the vertical jump it is used in all sports, and is pretty common in the commercial gym. When was the last time you saw somebody complete a vertical jump slowly? Vertical jump is testing power, it is your ability to push against the ground, release energy, and explosively jump as high as you can.
So how do you go about developing power? There are several ways, but I want to focus on the two major ones, which are Olympic movements and plyometrics.
Olympic movements:
Here I am talking about lifts like the hang clean, power clean, snatch, push press, clean and jerk, etc. The lifts you see done in the Olympics, hence the name. Look at anyone doing those lifts PROPERLY, they are done with a good amount of weight, and explosive. You need to develop power in order to move that much weight quickly. My professor always told me, if you want to be slow, train slow, you want to be fast, train fast. Completing lifts like the power clean and snatch well force you to move quickly and develop power.
Now that I have mentioned all of that, please note Olympic movements are complex exercises and not for beginners. They can be dangerous, and correct form is critical.
Plyometrics:
Remember those days in elementary school where the PE instructor had you jumping over small hurdles and onto boxes. That my friend is plyometrics. Again, in order to develop power you must have a speed component. So, plyometrics are explosive movements, usually done with body weight. Some examples of these include vertical jump, squat jump and turn, broad jump, hurdle jumps, box jumps, plyo push-ups, etc. You can also incorporate medicine balls by doing a variety of slams for the upper body. Plyo's are good because they are pretty safe, and if taught correctly can be in anyone's program.
Please note, these two topics that I covered could each easily be a semester long course. So, don't go run to the gym tomorrow and start power cleaning and jumping off 5 foot boxes. Like anything, you have to learn it, practice it, and perfect it.
Now, for the video. One of my clients sent this to me, and I had to share it. I do realize that the video may be sped up a tad and the floor may have some spring to it, nonetheless this guy has a ton on power.
Check it out here
Hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know if you have any questions on this topic. Like I said, this is a HUGE topic that can take a whole semester to go over, but at least you got the wheels spinning in your head about power.
Once again, any questions, comments, or ideas please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Is the Bench Press Overrated?
The bench press. We all know it, and most of us love it. It is in every young mans weightlifting program, sometimes done everyday for ego boosting. However, is it really that beneficial? Well, it all comes down to what your body type is and what your goals are, like all other exercises.
So who should be benching? First of all, I must clarify, for this blog I am solely talking about the flat barbell bench press. As far as who should bench, there is no true answer. Like mentioned, it depends on several factors. If you have any type of shoulder injury, I would suggest not bench pressing. If you are looking for chest definition as a bodybuilder, I would suggest not bench pressing. There are several reasons that someone should not bench press, but it is all individual based.
Lets take a look at why we bench press. It a compound exercise requiring activation of the chest, shoulders, triceps, and more. You can add a lot of weight to the bar, and if done right it can help in strength and power development.
However, the bench press if easily the most over used exercise in the fitness field today. You have kids bench pressing every day to impress the girl on the treadmill, win a bet against their buddy, or simply thinking they will get stronger by doing so. What happens if you bench press to much is you become extremely "caved" forward. Your chest muscles are so tight and your back muscles are so stretched, you end up looking like Hunchback of Notre Dame. There should be an even split between horizontal pushing and horizontal pulling. Horizontal pushing includes any form of bench press whether it be dumbbell or barbell, push ups, etc. Horizontal pulling would be any type of seated row.
Another issue that comes into play with people who bench to much, is they cause deficiencies in vertical pushing and pulling. Vertical pushing would include overhead pressing. Vertical pulling would be a chin-up, pull-up, or lat pull down variation. Again, there should be a even split between vertical and horizontal pushing and pulling.
Think of the motion of the bench press. You are laying on your back pushing something off of you. Let's take a look at sports. Other then football and some field events what sport would you do that motion. So, baseball players, basketball players, tennis, etc might not see benefit to traditional barbell bench pressing. Of course they need to do some form of horizontal pushing so this may be a dumbbell press variation, a push-up variation, etc.
The bottom line is, bench pressing is over rated. Yes, it is an excellent compound exercise for developing strength and power. However, if not done properly it can cause a lot of injuries and deficiencies in the body.
If you have a question about your program design and if the bench press should be a part of it, let me know.
One last note, all programs should be individualized and periodized. So you should not be going to the gym every Monday and bench pressing. That may be fine for a couple weeks, but then it needs to change.
Any comments or suggestions let me know.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Stength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Lets take a look at why we bench press. It a compound exercise requiring activation of the chest, shoulders, triceps, and more. You can add a lot of weight to the bar, and if done right it can help in strength and power development.
However, the bench press if easily the most over used exercise in the fitness field today. You have kids bench pressing every day to impress the girl on the treadmill, win a bet against their buddy, or simply thinking they will get stronger by doing so. What happens if you bench press to much is you become extremely "caved" forward. Your chest muscles are so tight and your back muscles are so stretched, you end up looking like Hunchback of Notre Dame. There should be an even split between horizontal pushing and horizontal pulling. Horizontal pushing includes any form of bench press whether it be dumbbell or barbell, push ups, etc. Horizontal pulling would be any type of seated row.
Another issue that comes into play with people who bench to much, is they cause deficiencies in vertical pushing and pulling. Vertical pushing would include overhead pressing. Vertical pulling would be a chin-up, pull-up, or lat pull down variation. Again, there should be a even split between vertical and horizontal pushing and pulling.
Think of the motion of the bench press. You are laying on your back pushing something off of you. Let's take a look at sports. Other then football and some field events what sport would you do that motion. So, baseball players, basketball players, tennis, etc might not see benefit to traditional barbell bench pressing. Of course they need to do some form of horizontal pushing so this may be a dumbbell press variation, a push-up variation, etc.
The bottom line is, bench pressing is over rated. Yes, it is an excellent compound exercise for developing strength and power. However, if not done properly it can cause a lot of injuries and deficiencies in the body.
If you have a question about your program design and if the bench press should be a part of it, let me know.
One last note, all programs should be individualized and periodized. So you should not be going to the gym every Monday and bench pressing. That may be fine for a couple weeks, but then it needs to change.
Any comments or suggestions let me know.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Stength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
A True Success Story (must read)
You remember those days when you were in elementary school and the teacher asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? All the girls said nurses and models, and all the guys said cops and pro athletes.
Well, here is a story about a kid named Tim Collins. He has an amazing story that I had to share with you.
This is a must read! Check it out the link here
Hope you like the story, and stay tuned for a new blog at the end of the week.
As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic ideas, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Well, here is a story about a kid named Tim Collins. He has an amazing story that I had to share with you.
This is a must read! Check it out the link here
Hope you like the story, and stay tuned for a new blog at the end of the week.
As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic ideas, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The truth behind wraps, bands, belts, shirts, gloves, and all other assisting devices
Being forced to workout at a commercial gym these past few months, I have seen a ton of things. Some good, most bad. One thing I see a lot of is the use of assisted devices such as wraps, belts, shirts, etc. I see guys coming in wrapped up like a Christmas present from head to toe. The issue I have with that is nobody in my gym is a power lifter or strong man competitor.
A power lifter is someone who lifts extremely heavy weight usually for reps between 1-4. They focus on something called "the big three." The big three included the bench press, the squat, and the deadlift. Competitive power lifters are extremely good athletes moving upwards of 3-4 times their body weight at times. Since these men and women, yes women, are lifting this extreme weight they sometimes require assisted devices such as wrist wraps, knee wraps, belts, and more.
The issue comes in when the average Joe who is just looking for a good beach body starts using all these assisted devices for every workout. Things like wraps and belts and gloves, are doing some of the work for you, so you are not getting the full benefit out of it. Take for example the weight lifting belt. Some people use it for every lift. I once saw a guy use a belt for bicep curls. The issue with that is when you put the belt on your core does not need to be activated. So, you are never developing your core. You should have a strong enough core to stand their and curl without requiring a belt. The same applies with gloves and wrist wraps. Everyone complains that they don't have the grip strength to hold the bar. Well, you will never develop that grip strength unless you ditch the wraps.
Now, I want you to know, I am not suggesting that these assisted devices be taken off the market. There are select people who should be using these devices. However, if you want to develop a strong core, a strong grip, and a strong body, you need to lift the weight yourself, not with wraps, straps, and all that other crap.
Disagree? Let me know. Please let me know if you have any questions or blog topic ideas.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
A power lifter is someone who lifts extremely heavy weight usually for reps between 1-4. They focus on something called "the big three." The big three included the bench press, the squat, and the deadlift. Competitive power lifters are extremely good athletes moving upwards of 3-4 times their body weight at times. Since these men and women, yes women, are lifting this extreme weight they sometimes require assisted devices such as wrist wraps, knee wraps, belts, and more.
Now, I want you to know, I am not suggesting that these assisted devices be taken off the market. There are select people who should be using these devices. However, if you want to develop a strong core, a strong grip, and a strong body, you need to lift the weight yourself, not with wraps, straps, and all that other crap.
Disagree? Let me know. Please let me know if you have any questions or blog topic ideas.
Best,
Doug Spurling
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
10 uses for a smith machine
Tonights workout was amazing. However, as usualy I saw kids messing around, thinking there doing their bodies good. Using the smith machine to bench 275lbs with 2.5inches of total range of motion does not make you look cool, it destroys your shoulders. Here is a throwback article that Eric Cressey did for T-nation a few years ago. He discusses 10 uses for the smith machine(none of them include bench pressing). Click here for the article
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Art of the squat..Part 3
Tonight I want to talk about single leg movements. Now I know, single leg movements are not technically squats, but I like to group them together sometimes because you can do these in place of squatting and get the same, if not better results.
Like I mentioned before, not everyone is suited to squat, whether that be traditional, front, or whatever, some bodies just should not be squatting. The good things about single leg movements is that they put less stress on the whole body, the surrounding joint, and don't require a lot of weight to see results.
Some of the single leg movements I love and use often include:
Bulgarian split squat (rear foot elevated lunge)
Reverse Lunge
Lateral Lunge
Single Leg Deadlift
Single leg hamstring tuck
The Bulgarian split squat is my favorite. It allows you to isolate one foot at a time. It requires a lot of core strength and balance. It works your entire lower extremity while improving flexibility in your hip flexors.
The reverse lunge is similar, but doesn't require as much balance as both feet are plated on the ground.
The lateral lunge focuses more on the glutes, and can be a bit more awkward for someone who has not done them before. You have to think of sitting back on your but, not going to the side.
Single leg deadlift is another great exercise focusing a lot on the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back).
Finally, the single leg hamstring ball tuck. I am sure you all know the traditional hamstring ball tuck where your laying down on your back, lifting your hips up, and bringing the ball into your butt. This is the same thing, just know you elevate one foot, so you isolate one leg at a time. Again, similar to all single leg activities, this requires a lot more balance and core strength.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people do the single leg hamstring ball tuck so I don't have any pictures of it. I am however beginning the process of taking pictures of each and every exercise I can think of, so I am not forced to use cheesy, no shirted, google images.
I challenge you to give these single leg movements a try. They are a lot more challenging then they look. You have to remember your goals, and how your body works and reacts to certain exercises. There are some people who can squat great, and see great results from it, others not so much. You also have to look at program goals. If your goal is to develop power for a sport. You may see benefit from doing a single leg movement for some functionality and strength, but your not going to develop power.
If you have any questions on program design, and what exercises are appropriate for your goals feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Also, I am always looking for feedback on my blog, and any advice or criticism you may have, so please let me know.
Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Like I mentioned before, not everyone is suited to squat, whether that be traditional, front, or whatever, some bodies just should not be squatting. The good things about single leg movements is that they put less stress on the whole body, the surrounding joint, and don't require a lot of weight to see results.
Some of the single leg movements I love and use often include:
Bulgarian split squat (rear foot elevated lunge)
Reverse Lunge
Lateral Lunge
Single Leg Deadlift
Single leg hamstring tuck
The Bulgarian split squat is my favorite. It allows you to isolate one foot at a time. It requires a lot of core strength and balance. It works your entire lower extremity while improving flexibility in your hip flexors.
The reverse lunge is similar, but doesn't require as much balance as both feet are plated on the ground.
The lateral lunge focuses more on the glutes, and can be a bit more awkward for someone who has not done them before. You have to think of sitting back on your but, not going to the side.
Single leg deadlift is another great exercise focusing a lot on the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back).
Finally, the single leg hamstring ball tuck. I am sure you all know the traditional hamstring ball tuck where your laying down on your back, lifting your hips up, and bringing the ball into your butt. This is the same thing, just know you elevate one foot, so you isolate one leg at a time. Again, similar to all single leg activities, this requires a lot more balance and core strength.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people do the single leg hamstring ball tuck so I don't have any pictures of it. I am however beginning the process of taking pictures of each and every exercise I can think of, so I am not forced to use cheesy, no shirted, google images.
I challenge you to give these single leg movements a try. They are a lot more challenging then they look. You have to remember your goals, and how your body works and reacts to certain exercises. There are some people who can squat great, and see great results from it, others not so much. You also have to look at program goals. If your goal is to develop power for a sport. You may see benefit from doing a single leg movement for some functionality and strength, but your not going to develop power.
If you have any questions on program design, and what exercises are appropriate for your goals feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Also, I am always looking for feedback on my blog, and any advice or criticism you may have, so please let me know.
Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The art of the squat....Part 2
The first part of this blog discussed basic squatting and the box squat. Today, I want to briefly talk about front squatting. Like I mentioned, not everyone is designed to do a traditional back squat. For some, a box squat, front squat, or single leg lunge variations are going to be easier on their body.
A front squat is a great squat to work on maintaining proper back arch and not having too much forward trunk flexion. The bar is placed on your anterior deltoids, or right on your collarbone. When you do the squat with the bar there, if you bend forward too much, the bar will literally roll of your arms and onto the floor. So, you are forced to maintain good body position. Because the bar is supported by your shoulders, you are not able to do as much weight as a traditional back squat. So, the front squat is great for building leg strength, especially in the quads, but it also a great exercise for learning the proper squatting motion, assuring that the first motion is your hips back, not bending your knees.
There are two different types of grips for the front squat:
The clean grip:
The cross grip:
Whether you choose the clean grip or the cross grip, it doesn't matter. As far as my preference, I use the cross grip. With the gross grip the weight of the bar rests on your anterior deltoids, and you just have to assure your elbows stay at the same level of your shoulders.
The clean grip is also good, but tends to cause a lot of stress on the wrists. If you look at the picture, you can see how extended his wrists are. You have to have great wrist flexibility in order to do that.
So, remember this is a humbling exercise. You will not be able to toss around the same weight with this exercise as a traditional back exercise. But, this is a lot more challenging, requiring a lot of core strength and good body position.
Look forward to part 3, the final part of the art of the squat later this week when I talk about single leg variations.
Any questions, shoot me an e-mail.
All the best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
A front squat is a great squat to work on maintaining proper back arch and not having too much forward trunk flexion. The bar is placed on your anterior deltoids, or right on your collarbone. When you do the squat with the bar there, if you bend forward too much, the bar will literally roll of your arms and onto the floor. So, you are forced to maintain good body position. Because the bar is supported by your shoulders, you are not able to do as much weight as a traditional back squat. So, the front squat is great for building leg strength, especially in the quads, but it also a great exercise for learning the proper squatting motion, assuring that the first motion is your hips back, not bending your knees.
There are two different types of grips for the front squat:
The clean grip:
The cross grip:
Whether you choose the clean grip or the cross grip, it doesn't matter. As far as my preference, I use the cross grip. With the gross grip the weight of the bar rests on your anterior deltoids, and you just have to assure your elbows stay at the same level of your shoulders.
The clean grip is also good, but tends to cause a lot of stress on the wrists. If you look at the picture, you can see how extended his wrists are. You have to have great wrist flexibility in order to do that.
So, remember this is a humbling exercise. You will not be able to toss around the same weight with this exercise as a traditional back exercise. But, this is a lot more challenging, requiring a lot of core strength and good body position.
Look forward to part 3, the final part of the art of the squat later this week when I talk about single leg variations.
Any questions, shoot me an e-mail.
All the best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Monday, March 21, 2011
Everything and anything about squatting part 1
People sit way to much. They sit at work, sit in the car, sit when they get home, and so on. As a result, sitting caused extremely tight hamstrings. On top of that, they think there doing good by going to the gym, and they go do 60 minutes on the elliptical. Well guess what? That also shortens and tightens your hamstrings. Because so many people have tight hamstrings, they tend to compensate when their lifting with there lower back. That is when you see a lot of forward trunk flexion and kyphotic movements, which then causes pain and injury.
The box squat is one of my favorite exercises to do. It really emphasis the hips and glutes while working on your form on every rep.
Here are some great lines from Dave Tate, one of the strongest and most intelligent men in the field.
1) Training on a box will allow you to sit back onto the box to a point where your shins are past perpendicular to the floor. This places all the stress on the squatting muscles (hips, glutes, lower back and hamstrings.) When you can increase the stress on these muscles and lower the stress on the quads, then you'll be ready to see your squat poundages start moving.
2) Restoration is another major advantage of box squatting. You can train more often on a box when compared to free squatting. According to Louie Simmons, the original members of Westside Barbell in Culver City, California, used to perform box squats three times a week. Currently at Westside we train the box squat every Friday for our dynamic workout and occasionally on Monday's maximal effort workouts. If you're new to box squats, I suggest you do them once per week.
3) When performing box squats you never have to guess how low you're squatting. It'll always be the same. Think about it: when most people start adding weight to the bar, their squats get higher and higher. You see this all the time in any gym you go to. They look good with the light weights, then begin doing quarter squats when the weight gets heavy. With box squats, you'll always go low enough.
4) The last reason to box squat is to reinforce good squat technique. Many times for the intermediate or beginning squatter, the hamstrings aren't yet developed and "sitting back" into a squat is impossible without falling over backward. To teach these athletes how to free squat properly would take months. The squat wouldn't look right until the hamstrings and glute strength increases. Why wait two or three months? Put them on the box and you'll have them squatting properly within five minutes. Within one month the hamstrings will begin to kick in because of the added stress of sitting back on the box.
So, today I focused a lot on box squats. My next blog I want to focus on front squats. A squatting technique that puts more focus on the anterior part of the leg, but a very humbling exercise.
If you have any questions please let me know.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
$3 cardio
I just recently wrote about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in a previous blog, so I hope you had a chance to try it. Like I mentioned, interval training can be done on any piece of cardio equipment or by simply using your own body weight. Today, I would like to give you some insight on one of my favorite pieces of cardio equipment. The best part is, you can pick one of these up with a few bucks pretty much anywhere.
Have any idea what it is?
Yeah, you probably didn't guess a jump rope. Jumping rope is one of the best forms of cardio you can go. On top of building foot quickness and light feet, it burns massive amounts of calories. Not to mention, it is huge time saver. 10 minutes of jumping rope burns the same amount of calories as running on a treadmill for 30 minutes at 7.0mph. In addition, it won't put all that pressure on your joints like a treadmill. The best part is, you can use one of these suckers just about anywhere. The problem is, have you ever tried jumping rope for ten minutes? Yeah, it is not easy.
So I challenge you, next time when you head towards the treadmill or elliptical to do you HIIT or steady cardio, make a detour and pick up the rope instead. Your body will thank me.
Questions? Shoot me an e-mail.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Monday, March 14, 2011
Warm-up 101
This blog was prompted by a viewer who asked me about the proper way to prep the body for a workout. So, I decided to answer it so that everyone can view my answer.
Far to many people walk in the gym, throw down their keys, and hop on a treadmill. They then precede to lift a few weights, maybe do some crunches, and then walk out. Well, there is a lot of issues with that, but for now lets just tackle the warm-up.
The warm-up is just that, a warm-up. You are trying to warm up the body, heat the body, and prep it for exercise. So, why in the world would you just jump on a machine right away and start lifting. Think of it this way. Spaghetti, when dry you can crack it in half without trying. Warm the spaghetti up, and you can move it any way you want. That is how you have to think of your
body.
There are two MAJOR parts of a warm-up
1. Foam Rolling
2. Dynamic Movement Prep
Dynamic Movement Prep is where you really warm the body up. You should have a good sweat by the end of it. You want to do a full body warm-up, but really hit the muscles your going to be emphasising hard. For example, if your going to be doing heavy squatting your going to want to make sure your hips, glutes, external rotators, lower back, quads, and hamstrings, are just like that piece of cooked spaghetti.
Here is a sample dynamic warm-up:
Knee to chest pull
Knee to chest pull with drop to lunge
Walking Leg Raise
Spider man Crawl
Backwards Hurdle
Side leg Raises
Ankle Rocks
Scapular Retractions
External Rotations/No Moneys
Again, thanks to the work of Eric, he has videos on most of these.
So, next time you get a workout in, attempt some of this. It is all body weight stuff, so you really can't hurt yourself. Try new things, and keep it mixed up. Remember it is called a warm-up for a reason, you should be sweating before you even start your workout.
If you have questions on any of the exercises I mentioned, would like a full foam rolling and dynamic movement prep program, or have any comments, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.
All the best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Far to many people walk in the gym, throw down their keys, and hop on a treadmill. They then precede to lift a few weights, maybe do some crunches, and then walk out. Well, there is a lot of issues with that, but for now lets just tackle the warm-up.
The warm-up is just that, a warm-up. You are trying to warm up the body, heat the body, and prep it for exercise. So, why in the world would you just jump on a machine right away and start lifting. Think of it this way. Spaghetti, when dry you can crack it in half without trying. Warm the spaghetti up, and you can move it any way you want. That is how you have to think of your
body.
1. Foam Rolling
2. Dynamic Movement Prep
Foam rolling is the start to every single one of my workouts. I find it enjoyable. Similar to a self massage, I loosen up the muscles while going through my workout in my head. I always hit major muscles with the foam roller including, upper traps, hamstrings, calves, quads, abductors, glutes, IT band, and hip flexors. I have mentioned Eric Cressey before, but if you don't know him I suggest you do. He has some great videos on YouTube and his website on all these foam rolling exercises.
Dynamic Movement Prep is where you really warm the body up. You should have a good sweat by the end of it. You want to do a full body warm-up, but really hit the muscles your going to be emphasising hard. For example, if your going to be doing heavy squatting your going to want to make sure your hips, glutes, external rotators, lower back, quads, and hamstrings, are just like that piece of cooked spaghetti.
Here is a sample dynamic warm-up:
Knee to chest pull
Knee to chest pull with drop to lunge
Walking Leg Raise
Spider man Crawl
Backwards Hurdle
Side leg Raises
Ankle Rocks
Scapular Retractions
External Rotations/No Moneys
Again, thanks to the work of Eric, he has videos on most of these.
So, next time you get a workout in, attempt some of this. It is all body weight stuff, so you really can't hurt yourself. Try new things, and keep it mixed up. Remember it is called a warm-up for a reason, you should be sweating before you even start your workout.
If you have questions on any of the exercises I mentioned, would like a full foam rolling and dynamic movement prep program, or have any comments, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.
All the best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Interval Training and EPOC
After a amazing week in Florida completed with a long 26 hour drive home, I am in zombie mode right now as I write this. However, I wanted to check in with my viewers and give you guys some new reading.
High Intensity Interval Training(HIIT)
Today, HIIT is extremely popular, producing great results in fat loss and anaerobic capacity training, with plenty of research to support it. However, I still find several people just running/walking on the treadmill for hours on hours, while getting frustrated with their results.
Everybody has busy schedules and is lucky to get to the gym. So, when you are there why not make the best of your time. The benefit of HIIT is you can get the same results both metabolically and cardiovascularly from running on the treadmill for 60 minutes in 1/3 of the time.
HIIT is typically completed in about 20 minutes with about 5-10 minutes of warm-up and cool down. The intervals can be done on any piece of cardio equipment or even better, going outside and running. After a good warm-up beginners usually complete a 1:3 ratio. For example, you would sprint for 15 seconds, and then walk for 45 seconds. Continue that pattern for 15-20 minutes. As you advance you can work up to a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio.
There are extreme benefits to HIIT training in addition to saving time. HIIT training increases your Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). In layman's terms, by doing HIIT training you increase the amount of oxygen you take in after exercise resulting in burning more calories after the exercise bout.
So, by exercising at a higher intensity in a shorter time, you are able to increase your EPOC. Thus, burning more calories each hour after the exercise bout.
HIIT Training is intense. It should not be done everyday, and is not for beginners. If you have more questions or would like more information on programming HIIT into your program shoot me an e-mail.
Also, be sure to "Like" my Facebook page "Spurling Strength & Speed."
After being up for about 30 hours straight, the mattress is calling me.
Any questions or topic ideas please e-mail me anytime.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
High Intensity Interval Training(HIIT)
Today, HIIT is extremely popular, producing great results in fat loss and anaerobic capacity training, with plenty of research to support it. However, I still find several people just running/walking on the treadmill for hours on hours, while getting frustrated with their results.
Everybody has busy schedules and is lucky to get to the gym. So, when you are there why not make the best of your time. The benefit of HIIT is you can get the same results both metabolically and cardiovascularly from running on the treadmill for 60 minutes in 1/3 of the time.
HIIT is typically completed in about 20 minutes with about 5-10 minutes of warm-up and cool down. The intervals can be done on any piece of cardio equipment or even better, going outside and running. After a good warm-up beginners usually complete a 1:3 ratio. For example, you would sprint for 15 seconds, and then walk for 45 seconds. Continue that pattern for 15-20 minutes. As you advance you can work up to a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio.
There are extreme benefits to HIIT training in addition to saving time. HIIT training increases your Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). In layman's terms, by doing HIIT training you increase the amount of oxygen you take in after exercise resulting in burning more calories after the exercise bout.
So, by exercising at a higher intensity in a shorter time, you are able to increase your EPOC. Thus, burning more calories each hour after the exercise bout.
HIIT Training is intense. It should not be done everyday, and is not for beginners. If you have more questions or would like more information on programming HIIT into your program shoot me an e-mail.
Also, be sure to "Like" my Facebook page "Spurling Strength & Speed."
After being up for about 30 hours straight, the mattress is calling me.
Any questions or topic ideas please e-mail me anytime.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
dspurling@une.edu
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Vacation Time!
Yeah, I know your probably a bet jealous. Tomorrow morning, I am headed to Daytona, FL for a week of bikes, beaches, and bicep curls. Well, maybe no the curls. The point of this blog is to go over what you should do when exercising on vacation.
Now, I talked in a previous blog about knowing your goal and periodization. Which means that, if you listened to me, you should know what your doing for a workout a couple weeks in advance. So, if your real good you would plan your vacation week to be your "deload" or "recovery" week. However, some people still just do the same thing every day, or just wing the workout based on what they feel like doing that day.
So, your in Florida, or Cali, or Cancun, or where ever, and you want to workout. Notice, I said want. I actually recommend, if you haven't given your body a solid week off of exercise is over a few months, your body will greatly appreciate the rest. However, the issue with that is when you do that you usually lower your caloric intake. Unfortunately, on vacations our caloric intake is typically doubled or tripled. So don't be shocked to see some weight gain after a week in Cancun of just beer and burritos with no exercise in between.
If you do choose to workout, you have a few options depending on where you are. If your in a nice hotel, you probably have some sort of gym access. Usually all machines due to liability, but if your lucky some hotels do staff their gyms and will have dumbbells. So, in that case you can pretty much do the same thing you were doing before you went on vacation.
If you don't have a gym or not a good gym, then you may be forced to make some changes. I highly recommend bodylastics. They are rubber band resistance training bands that come in package with all different kinds of handles, attachments, and even instructional DVDs that are not actually that bad. They have the ability to put up to 234lbs of resistance, and you can over 134 exercises with them. The kit runs about $90, but if you spend a lot of time in a hotel room, it is definitely worth the investment.
When all else fails, just use your own body. Your body is Heavy. How many pull-ups can you do? Most of you can't do any, and some may be able to get single digits. Now, that's fine, but it just shows you how heavy your body is and how it can be used for weight training.
Here is a sample body weight workout:
20 Prisoner Squats
15 Push-ups
Pull-ups to failure
15 dips
Chin-ups
Plank
10 burpees
Now, you notice that is full-body. With minimal time and options, you are best to do full-body workouts in a situation like this. You can do this 2-6 times, depending on your level of fitness, but it will definitely get you sweating.
As far as cardio goes, there are a few options. My personal favorite would be swimming. Most hotels nowadays have pools, if not, sorry. People are constantly doing cardio on hard pavement, hard treadmills, etc. and it puts a lot of pressure on their ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. Swimming is a great full-body cardio workout that will burn calories like no tomorrow. The best part is, it is non-weight bearing so it gives your joints a break from the pavement and hard treadmills.
My other personal favorite is beach running. If you ever tried running on the beach you know what I'm talking about, it sucks. It is 10x harder then regular running, but burns a ton of calories. This obviously takes some good endurance and some good coordination, but if you are at the appropriate level, it can be great cardio.
So, next time you go on vacation, although you deserve to sit on the beach and sip martinis, try to get even 30 minutes a day in for a good workout. Note, these exercises typically are not high weight, if any weight at all, so your rest periods should be short. With 20-30 minutes you can get an incredible workout.
With loads of laundry and some major packing to do, ill have to cut this short. I will try my best to get a blog or two in while down in Florida, but can't make any promises. I hope you all have a wonderful week and half, and enjoy the cold :)
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
Now, I talked in a previous blog about knowing your goal and periodization. Which means that, if you listened to me, you should know what your doing for a workout a couple weeks in advance. So, if your real good you would plan your vacation week to be your "deload" or "recovery" week. However, some people still just do the same thing every day, or just wing the workout based on what they feel like doing that day.
So, your in Florida, or Cali, or Cancun, or where ever, and you want to workout. Notice, I said want. I actually recommend, if you haven't given your body a solid week off of exercise is over a few months, your body will greatly appreciate the rest. However, the issue with that is when you do that you usually lower your caloric intake. Unfortunately, on vacations our caloric intake is typically doubled or tripled. So don't be shocked to see some weight gain after a week in Cancun of just beer and burritos with no exercise in between.
If you do choose to workout, you have a few options depending on where you are. If your in a nice hotel, you probably have some sort of gym access. Usually all machines due to liability, but if your lucky some hotels do staff their gyms and will have dumbbells. So, in that case you can pretty much do the same thing you were doing before you went on vacation.
If you don't have a gym or not a good gym, then you may be forced to make some changes. I highly recommend bodylastics. They are rubber band resistance training bands that come in package with all different kinds of handles, attachments, and even instructional DVDs that are not actually that bad. They have the ability to put up to 234lbs of resistance, and you can over 134 exercises with them. The kit runs about $90, but if you spend a lot of time in a hotel room, it is definitely worth the investment.
When all else fails, just use your own body. Your body is Heavy. How many pull-ups can you do? Most of you can't do any, and some may be able to get single digits. Now, that's fine, but it just shows you how heavy your body is and how it can be used for weight training.
Here is a sample body weight workout:
20 Prisoner Squats
15 Push-ups
Pull-ups to failure
15 dips
Chin-ups
Plank
10 burpees
Now, you notice that is full-body. With minimal time and options, you are best to do full-body workouts in a situation like this. You can do this 2-6 times, depending on your level of fitness, but it will definitely get you sweating.
As far as cardio goes, there are a few options. My personal favorite would be swimming. Most hotels nowadays have pools, if not, sorry. People are constantly doing cardio on hard pavement, hard treadmills, etc. and it puts a lot of pressure on their ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. Swimming is a great full-body cardio workout that will burn calories like no tomorrow. The best part is, it is non-weight bearing so it gives your joints a break from the pavement and hard treadmills.
My other personal favorite is beach running. If you ever tried running on the beach you know what I'm talking about, it sucks. It is 10x harder then regular running, but burns a ton of calories. This obviously takes some good endurance and some good coordination, but if you are at the appropriate level, it can be great cardio.
So, next time you go on vacation, although you deserve to sit on the beach and sip martinis, try to get even 30 minutes a day in for a good workout. Note, these exercises typically are not high weight, if any weight at all, so your rest periods should be short. With 20-30 minutes you can get an incredible workout.
With loads of laundry and some major packing to do, ill have to cut this short. I will try my best to get a blog or two in while down in Florida, but can't make any promises. I hope you all have a wonderful week and half, and enjoy the cold :)
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
RANT...Gym Etiquette
Tonight I have to go on a little rant. I worked out for the first time in the evening, after always working out in the early morning. As a result, there were a lot more people in the gym tonight. Some of the things, I saw were unbelievable. People have no gym etiquette!
1. Don't stand two inches away from the mirror. Yeah, I know your biceps are huge, and you can curl 1000lbs, but I can't get to the dumbbells because your so damn close to the rack. Stand a few feet back!
2. Wipe your benches down-I know you like to wear cut-offs and leave a pool of sweat on the bench, but I don't feel like taking a shower every time I lay down on the bench. It takes two seconds to wipe your equipment down.
3. Speaking of cut-offs. I don't care what you wear at the gym, but don't stand in front of the mirror and flex your biceps, and shoe everyone how big your triceps is. Unless your a bodybuilder preparing for competition, you should not be flexing in front of the mirror. I have always wanted to go up to those fools and say, "Hey, flex your right latissimus for me." First of all, I would be lucky if they even knew what muscle I was talking about, and second, I HIGHLY doubt they know how to flex their lat.
4. Don't Curl in the Power/Squat Rack-There called a power and squat rack for a reason. It is designed for exercises that build power, or if your squatting. Sorry, you're not building power curling. Power and squat racks should be used for cleans, deadlifts, bench press, squats, and other olympic lifts.
5. Don't have your DROID out playing the latest hip-hop on speaker- Yeah, Lil' Wayne may be good, but they 45 year old mom next to you doing lunges does not need to hear it. Invest in some headphones please!
6. Put your shit back!-The worst is I go over to the rack to clean or deadlift and their is 400-500lbs on the bar from some clown doing half-ass, incorrect shrugs. Put the plates back on the stand. That goes for every piece of equipment, ropes, medicine balls, foam rollers, everything!
I speak this as both a gym member and a gym employee. I am on both ends, and it is frustrating for both parties. I don't want to clean up after your mess, your not 8, this isn't your house, and I'm not your mom!
Anyways, sorry for the harsh words, but please take my advice. Look forward to tomorrows blog on exercsing when on vacation.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
1. Don't stand two inches away from the mirror. Yeah, I know your biceps are huge, and you can curl 1000lbs, but I can't get to the dumbbells because your so damn close to the rack. Stand a few feet back!
2. Wipe your benches down-I know you like to wear cut-offs and leave a pool of sweat on the bench, but I don't feel like taking a shower every time I lay down on the bench. It takes two seconds to wipe your equipment down.
3. Speaking of cut-offs. I don't care what you wear at the gym, but don't stand in front of the mirror and flex your biceps, and shoe everyone how big your triceps is. Unless your a bodybuilder preparing for competition, you should not be flexing in front of the mirror. I have always wanted to go up to those fools and say, "Hey, flex your right latissimus for me." First of all, I would be lucky if they even knew what muscle I was talking about, and second, I HIGHLY doubt they know how to flex their lat.
4. Don't Curl in the Power/Squat Rack-There called a power and squat rack for a reason. It is designed for exercises that build power, or if your squatting. Sorry, you're not building power curling. Power and squat racks should be used for cleans, deadlifts, bench press, squats, and other olympic lifts.
5. Don't have your DROID out playing the latest hip-hop on speaker- Yeah, Lil' Wayne may be good, but they 45 year old mom next to you doing lunges does not need to hear it. Invest in some headphones please!
6. Put your shit back!-The worst is I go over to the rack to clean or deadlift and their is 400-500lbs on the bar from some clown doing half-ass, incorrect shrugs. Put the plates back on the stand. That goes for every piece of equipment, ropes, medicine balls, foam rollers, everything!
I speak this as both a gym member and a gym employee. I am on both ends, and it is frustrating for both parties. I don't want to clean up after your mess, your not 8, this isn't your house, and I'm not your mom!
Anyways, sorry for the harsh words, but please take my advice. Look forward to tomorrows blog on exercsing when on vacation.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sprinters throwing fastballs and football players running marathons!!!???
The same thing goes with bodybuilders and power lifters. How your body looks depends on how you lift. I often say, a bodybuilder looks like he can bench 500pounds but a power lifter can press that 500 pounds with ease. A bodybuilder cares how they look, a power lifter cares how much they lift. If you want to look like a bodybuilder you must lift like a bodybuilder. You must complete isolation movements and relatively high reps(8-12) to get the definition. If you lift constantly with ONLY compound movements and low reps(3-6) you are going to look and perform like a power lifter. That is not to say that bodybuilder cannot perform compound movements such as dead lifts, squats and bench press. However, to get the symmetry the judges are looking for isolation movements must be completed. On the other hand, why should power lifters spend there time doing biceps curls? There time would be better spent working on the big three, squat, dead lift, and bench press. They also of course should perform other exercises to supplement the big three such as rack pulls and close grip bench press. However, there time should not be spent performing 1,001 reps of biceps curls.
So, leave with this. If you want to be a good sprinter, train like a sprinter. If you want to be a good football player, train like a football player. If you want to be a bodybuilder, train like a bodybuilder. If you want to be a power lifter, train like a power lifter. Don't forget that. A lot of people want to be a football player but want to look like a bodybuilder. You cant train for explosive power and have the symmetry of a bodybuilder. At the same time you can train isolation movements all the time and have the speed, strength, and power of a football player. Train for what you want to be!
Stay tuned for Wednesday! I am preparing to head down to Daytona, FL with the girlfriend and some friends to enjoy a spring break. I will be blogging about how to workout while your on vacation, and what kinds of things you can do!
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Spurling Strength & Speed
Spurling Strength & Speed
To better suit my customers I have changed the name of my blog to Spurling Strength. I am in the process of creating a website with that same name, so I wanted the blog to match. It will be the same blog, with the same great information, just a different name.
I hope your weekend is going well, and look forward to a great blog on here tomorrow.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
I hope your weekend is going well, and look forward to a great blog on here tomorrow.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Random Thoughts...
Some people may be working, others not. I have kind of random blog post. Today, I would just like to give you an update on my plans, let you know what I have been working on, and also offer you some great specials.
1. I recently accepted a position as a personal trainer at a local gym north of Boston. I will be starting there the first of the month, and hope to gain more experience in the field while working with all ages and populations. So, if any of you are in need of a gym in the merrimack valley area please don't hesitate to contact me and I can hook you up with some great deals on membership and personal training!
2. I am in the process of expanding my online personal training business. I hope by the end of March to have full website up. That being said, I am in need of your help. If anyone is good at website design I could really use the help. If your interested, please contact me via e-mail at your earliest convenience.
3. The last thing may come to a surprise to some of you. I have made a hard decision not to attend the tryout/camp for football in Canada. This has been a tough decision, that has been on my mind since before the holidays. I know this comes to a shock to some, but believe me it is not a premature decision. There are many factors in my personal life that have affected the decision.
4. I was recently accepted into my top two graduate schools. So, my plan for the future is to continue to grow as a personal trainer and strength coach, get my masters degree in exercise science/performance enhancement, work on expanding my online business and blog, and reach out to my viewers.
As for the special:
***I am offering a referral special. If you sign up for my online personal training and refer one person who also signs up, I will give you one month FREE! If you refer two people, two months FREE for you. Three people referred, three FREE months. So on, and so forth.***
Hurry up and take advantage because this special only goes until March 31, 2011!
A reminder of online personal training prices:
At personal training averaging $75/hour online personal training can be quite relieving on the wallet.
Rates:
1 month: $25
6months: $125- SAVE $25
1 year: $240- BEST DEAL-SAVE $60
1 month: $25
6months: $125- SAVE $25
1 year: $240- BEST DEAL-SAVE $60
This Includes:
-Monthly personalized exercise programs for your individual needs and goals
-Weekly check-ins to keep you motivated, disciplined to the program, and on track
-Nutrition Guidance
So once again, if anyone is good at website design and interested in helping if you could e-mail me at your earliest convenience. Also, I know to some the football news is shocking, but I hope you respect my decision. It was not easy, trust me.
I look forward to keeping you updated, I am excited for the future, and please e-mail me if you have any questions or just want to chat. I really enjoy feedback and suggestions.
All the Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
Be sure to get that protein!
Sedentary life style: 1gm of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: 150lbs=150grams of protein EVERY DAY!
Active lift style: 1.5gms of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: 150lbs=225grams of protein EVERY DAY!
Active life style: looking to gain large amounts of muscle: 1.8-2.0gms of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: 150lbs=300grams of protein EVERY DAY!
So, maybe you knew this, maybe you didn't. However, the important thing is, whether you are looking for a good recovery, trying to gain large amounts of muscle, or any both for that matter, you need to get that amount every day. For some, this can be a difficult task. You have to think about everything you eat, and remember to have high protein foods. These foods include meats, fish, cheeses, and nuts, to name a few.
We all know protein is important, but just like anything, following through with the action is easier said then done. I challenge you to write down everything you eat for a week and check and see if you are getting enough protein based on your life style, each and every day.
If you have any questions or topic ideas, please don't hesitate to contact me anytime.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Getting ripped for spring break!
The most important part is the diet. I have stressed this before, and will continue to stress it. You can bust your hump in the weight room all you want, but if your diet is not a track, your going to see crap for results. When cutting, I have found through experience and research that a low carbohydrate/high protein diet is best. The latest research shows, no more then 100carbs a day.
So, lets look at this a little more closely. A male weighing 200lbs is looking to lose some weight before his trip to San Diego. We know from my previous posts that protein for an active person should be about 1.5gms of protein per pound of body weight. It is ESPECIALLY important that that much protein be consumed when on a low carb diet. So, for this gentlemen he should consume 300gms of protein each day, while only consuming 100grams of carbs each day.
Here is a sample daily food log for this gentlemen
6am- 2 scoops of whey protein with 16oz of water
9am-4 eggs scrambled with 1 piece of whole wheat toast
12pm-large salad with 80z of cut up grilled chicken. light Italian dressing on the side
3pm-15-30 almonds
6pm-9oz of fresh salmon with asparagus
9pm-1/2 cup of cottage cheese
The other half is the weight training. When on a low carb diet such as this one, it is important to remember that your energy will not be as high, since carbs are burned as energy. It is best to do a little lighter weight then usual and increase the reps. When on a diet like this, I prefer to do a full-body program 3 times a week with 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. You can do cardio either after the weight training session, or on off days.
Finally, please don't fall for the misconception that doing 100 reps of ab exercises is going to get you a 6-pack. I can promise you, a defined abdominal area is two things, genetics and diet. Not to say, that abdominal exercises won't strengthen and define your abs more, they won't do it alone. Abs should be trained just like any other muscle group, 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps.
If you have any questions or are interested in a personal weight training program to get yourself ready for the beach, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
Popping a pill for a quick fix..think again!
Although, there may be products out there that will increase your metabolism or cut a few pounds off you, it is all short term. The issue is, when people look for the quick fix, they don't make anything a habit. A lot of people KNOW how to eat right, but just don't do it.
I am telling you, the best way to see the results you want is good diet. The only way your going to get that is building a habit of consistently eating healthy things. Anyone can eat healthy for 2 weeks, but only people with discipline can eat healthy for 2 months, 2 years, and eventually make it a life-time habit.
So, I am warning you know it is not easy. However, don't go for the quick fix. It is best to build a life-time habit of healthy eating. Don't count on a pill, powder, or cookie to change your body. The only thing this will cause is the famous yo-yo effect, which over time will decrease your metabolism.
It's not easy, however, in order to get results in whatever your goal is and make them last, you need to be consistent with your diet. There is no other way, no even a cookie from Hollywood!!!
If you have any questions or topic ideas please e-mail me anytime.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Nate Green's Hero Handbook
Get The Hero Handbook here: The Here Handbook By Nate Green
Thats all for today. Got a topic idea or question? Shoot me an e-mail dspurling@une.edu
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Know your goal
If your looking to get stronger you need to lift heavier weight, less reps, and more rest.
If your looking to add muscle you need a hypertrophy style workout with high volume.
If your looking to lose weight you need to get your diet in check and then shorten your rest periods.
It is so important to remember your goal. If your trying to gain strength chances are you are going to gain a little fat since you need so many carbs for the energy required to lift heavy weight. That is why so many people fail at their programs. They try to find an all in one program. Well, those don't exist. You need to periodize your workout so that you are working on one goal at a time. That is how you are going to get the best results.
For example:
February-May: Cutting/Fat Loss. You are going to lower your carbs so you are not going to have as much energy in the gym. Increase your cardio and decrease your intensity with the weights.
June-Sept: Hypertrophy-Building muscle size-Usually 4-5 sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise. Exercises are usually done in a body building style where muscle groups are separated each day.
October-January-Strength/Bulking-This is where the numbers on lifts go up. Heavy heavy weight. However, you will gain weight with eating more and gaining muscle. Just make sure its clean, this doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want.
For athletes its slightly different, goals are usually broken into seasons:
Preseason: Power-Olympic Lifts i.e. powerclean
In Season: Maintenance-With practices and games you are lucky to get 1 or 2 workout a week
Post Season: Hypertrophy-Build muscle size
Off-season: Strength-Lift heavy, get strong
Although a simple breakdown, the above is so important. You need to remember your goal.
If you have questions regarding this or anything other topics please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
Understanding sets and reps...
Check out Eric Cressey's Blog Here
Always remember, I am here to help all of you. If you ever have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
dspurling@une.edu
GTL??? No, how about GHR...
The above is how it is done on a GHR machine. I am going to warn you, this is a challenging exercise and you will experience cramps in the back of the leg the first few times you do it. However, it is simply one of the best exercises at developing the posterior chain.
The first time you try it I recommend you try it this way:
By doing it this way, you have more control over the motion. You lower down real slow, while your partner pushes on your ankles. If you don't have enough strength, you can move your hands out and "fall" into a push-up position. Then, push yourself back up. Ideally, you are able to lower controlled and move back up without use of the arms.
After you are able to do the GHR on the floor, then you can use the GHR machine. So, I strongly encourage you next time your getting your G on as part of your GTL (gym, tanning, and laundry for those who don't follow Jersey Shore), give this exercise a go. You might be walking a little funny that next day, but that's okay.
If you have any questions please let me know.
Best,
Doug Spurling, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
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