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Category Archives: Interval Training
Music With Workouts This New Years
When it comes to fitness and working out there are several ways to help increase intensity.
I see several reasons why to use music for workouts
1. Decreases boredom
For the average person workouts can get boring and mundane. When listening to your favorite music this can be helpful from workouts being mundane.
2. Increase intensity
When it comes to workouts results happen with increased intensity. I know several people that want (need) their hardcore or upbeat music to increase the intensity of their workouts.
3. Variety through tempo
Depending on the interval or type of workout music can be used to match the tempo. For example, doing a sprint or conditioning workouts can be different music than say lifting weights.
4. The fun factor
Music is associated with fun and many do not think exercise is fun. However we tend to associate certain music to fun and excitement and mixing that with exercise increases the fun factor. If something is fun this increases the likelihood of continuing. Continual progress is one of the most important keys to fitness success.
5. Infinite Choices
People like different types of music so there are so many ways to get in great music. I know of people that listen to 80’s ballads:) Others listen to hardcore music, others country but the truth is whatever makes you want to workout, workout harder and do better is key!
So now that you know that workout music helps…. here is a workout radio station for you to listen to some upbeat music and the best part…. NO COMMERCIALS!
2013 New Years Fitness Predictions
1. Gyms and health clubs around America will be packed. A very small percentage of people will have improved by 2014. Here is one example “73 percent give up on their goals to lose weight, get fit or train for an event within six weeks, according to a new study from Harris Interactive and Bodybuilding.com.” (http://www.mensfitness.com/training/will-you-keep-your-fitness-resolution)
2. The quick fix weight loss industry will continue to grow. The worst fad diets ever. Yes there is one where you eat cotton balls!
3. Fitness Revolution Franchise will be the place for local communities to continually see guaranteed results and why I joined the Fitness Revolution
4. Metabolic Training will be the words used to help training a faster metabolism.
5. More and more people will do shorter workouts 30 minutes or less because they are more effective and help save time.
7. The same thing will be needed for long term weight loss. More strength, more speed/power, and better lifestyles. Basically proper hormone levels is the key to long term fat loss.
8. At home workouts and online programs will grow along with small group training programs.
9. Many people will think they know what to do but will not be doing the proper steps to become more fit and healthy.
10. Hopefully people will understand that long duration aerobic exercise is not the answer for long term fat loss.
Getting Over A Fitness Plateau
1. Exercise Less or More
When it comes fitness progression is key. Many times exercising less can be the answer because intensity can be increased and recovery can be improved. On the other hand, an increase in volume can help improve as well. If you have been training for a long time without a week or two off take a break. If you have been working out two times a week up it to three. It really depends on the person and a qualified professional can help you improve on this.
2. Train for a goal
I am not sure if I have ever trained for a weight goal. Instead I have trained for a specific strength, power, or speed goal. I have also trained to be able to advance in specific body weight exercises. The point here is focus your energy on getting to a specific result. A word of caution here. I do believe that goals can be conflicting. For example, becoming really strong and becoming better at marathons are opposed. That is not to say that a runner should not get stronger but the programming should be inline with the specific goal.
3. Manage Stress and Sleep More
Our bodies need sleep and many times. Most people say we need 7-9 hours of sleep. When it comes to stress we all have it. It is not the stress but rather the reaction to the stressful situation. Things like prayer, meditation, focused relaxation, quite time, and much more can help break that plateau.
4. Change nutrition
The obvious things are reducing bad carbs, sugar, alcohol, trans fat, and so on. On the other hand, little things like maybe eating more or less could help depending on the person. Eating more good fats or other nutrition tweaks may just improve performance.
5. Get some support
This can come in so many forms from professional support to the support of a friend. It could mean a training partner or a small group personal training class.
6. Get some recovery
Massage, foam rolling, chiropractic care, band stretching, walking, yoga, vacation, hot cold showers, and many more are all examples of ways to recover. Remember results happen after the workout. Working hard is important but so is working smart and consistent. Recovery techniques are crucial and might be what you need to bust through a plateau.
7. Supplementation
Finding supplementation for your goals is important. It is not the first thing to look at however I believe it is the easiest way to see some results. Try some supplements for performance and use those. Figure out what you like and what your goals are then you can add those into your overall plan. However some people focus on supplementation but do not look at nutrition or any other factors.
What have you done to break a plateau? Comment below!
10 Truths You Can Learn From The Fitness Career
The fitness business is changing rapidly.
Despite fitness being around forever the business of fitness is still in its infancy.
With several years experience and many observations here are some things I have learned.
1. You cannot make other people change they have to want to change.
There are times in my life where I figured out the problem. I wanted people to change more than they did. On the other hand, people can change and these are the ones that give me the best sense of purpose. The ones that change their lives, get fit, and really change their mental attitude towards life. They increase confidence, become healthier, more fit, and take charge of their lives. Act as though you can change people but remember they have to want it.
2. Progression in exercise intensity is WAY more important versus exercise duration.
It never ceases to amaze me. People join a program, gym, or try some sketchy method. They go super hard for one month or even a few months but then quit. I find people still improve after 7 years of progressive training. How can people expect to be fitness rock stars in one month or even six months? Gradual progression in strength, speed, movement patterns and conditioning should always be the focus of an exercise program.
3. All good deeds and wanting to help others will be faced with resistance and rejection.
I do my best to always try to help when I can. It is in my personality to want help others. If you feel convicted in something and are passionate the level of success will be come with resistance and rejection. I think the best people are the ones that want all people to be successful. In my life I have faced resistance and rejection and if you have know you are on the right path.
4. Being lazy can be good for innovation but not for fitness and work.
For example, we have created the car, fast food, air planes, movies on demand, and so on the list goes. I am willing to bet there will never be a quick fix or a way to become fit and healthy without work! Although, we will keep trying. If there is a way to give someone a pill that makes us lean, fit and healthy without side effects the person who creates it will be very, very rich.
5. A person cannot be great at both sprinting and long distance running.
Talk about an endless battle. This is something I am very passionate about explaining. I have never seen anyone be a great sprinter and a great marathon runner at the same time. Yet some people want both. First is to decide exactly what you want then work back from there.
6. Nutrition is highly debated but the truth is people can be healthy and fit with very different diets.
This website http://www.bluezones.com/live-longer/ looks at how to live longer based on diet. The one thing that I noticed is that people eat differently in the cultures that live longest. However, one thing really stuck out to me. They have a sense of purpose, low stress levels, and many work labor jobs. It is fair to say that nutrition is only part of the equation. I personally adhere to a paleo style of eating but believe that people can eat differently and be both healthy and fit. Here is how some of my clients lose 1-2 pant sizes per month.
7. Nobody can exercise themselves out of a poor lifestyle.
Calories are not meant to be burnt off. The are meant to improve performance, great lean muscle tissue, make us feel full and yes for enjoyment in moderation.
8. Too much exercise and too little are both a problem, finding the right amount is key.
This is contingent upon goals, recovery, and movement patterns. From my experience less can be better in most cases for the average adult but again there are so many variables. I know that most people want results too fast which actually slows long term results.
9. There is not magic pill or easy way out to be HEALTHY AND FIT.
It bears repeating. This was explained in number 4.
10. Just because a workout is challenging does not mean it is the best one.
Many people want to feel like they got there butt kicked in from workouts. This is not the most important thing. Yes getting more intense over time is great but slow and steady progress is the answer. If I get someone for two times a week over a year and someone else trains intensely for 5 times a week over a year… most likely my client will win based on similar lifestyles especially nutrition. Again more is not better but better is better.
What Men can Learn from Women in Fitness- by Jeremy Scott
In my life I have learned a lot from women, the typical domestic things from Mom the cooking, cleaning,and laundry. I have also learned a lot from various women over the past few years when it comes to proper strength training, nutrition, and observing the things women do better than men in the gym!
I am going to take you guys through a few things I have noticed and learned over the past few years from the opposite sex in the weight room. Let me preface this by saying I am speaking in general terms for the “average” population, from people I have trained with, observed, or trained as clients over the past few years.
What can Men Learn from Women when it comes to strength training and nutrition……?
Check The Ego At The Door
Check your Ego at the Door – this has to be my #1, I can’t tell you how many times I have seen dudes load up way too many plates, or grabbed dumbbells 3 times too heavy and start going to town with some of the worst form ever.
I don’t know where this comes from, maybe it’s a testosterone thing, a warped sense of reality, but guys listen to me here, nobody cares how much weight you can lift, or how strong you are, I sure don’t and I guarantee you the sexy girl on the treadmill doesn’t either.
Be realistic with what you can do with proper form and technique, your results will be much better and you won’t look like such an idiot when you are training.
When is the last time you saw a women load up the squat rack with way too much weight or grab dumbbells 3 times too heavy to do bicep curls? – Point goes to the Women on this one!
Work On Conditioning
Aerobic training – this one is tricky since I am not a fan of traditional “cardio” I am however a fan of sprinting, interval training, and high intensity aerobic sessions. On average women I work with as clients, train with, and observe have a much higher aerobic capacity than the average guy. Most women make it a priority to train aerobically, while most men make it a priority to lift heavy weights. Which is fine I love lifting weights more than most people, but it’s also important to do some type of interval training to raise your heart rate.
On average most “aerobic” style classes, spin classes, and most boot camps are dominated by women, why is that? Honestly, I think most men believe they don’t need that type of training, or their current program is good enough and working just fine for them. If their current programs with no aerobic training were good enough we would see a lot more guys out there looking ripped up like Rambo and we don’t. I will say it again I am not a “cardio” fan, but doing some sprints, interval training and raising your heart rate a few times a week would benefit the average guy out there. Score another one for the ladies out there!
Watch The Food Intake
Portion Control – now I know there are exceptions to everything and I have seen some women put down family sized meals, but on average women have better portion control than us guys. Think about it every social setting you go into, work lunches, dinners, birthday parties, holiday parties, the guys tend to do it a little bigger come meal time than the ladies.
When is the last time you witnessed a women eat a whole pizza? I know I never have, and I personally have pounded 2 pizzas before in one sitting. I am an over-eater by nature, and sometimes as a men we feel since we are naturally bigger it’s ok to eat a lot more.
Women tend to order healthier choices when dinning out, and eat less in public or at least in my experiences. I am guilty of this as well, I have only ordered a healthy salad twice my entire life I usually try go with burgers and pizza –like the average guy. If your goal is to get lean and be in the best shape possible, working on portion control is a huge piece of the puzzle and something many women have master compared to the average Joe.
Now again these are just generalizations about both sexes and from personal experience. There are many things guys do much better then women when it comes to strength training and nutrition. However, the things I listed above are typically done on a higher level by women then guys plain and simple. Next time you hit the weight room or venture out to eat at a restaurant check these things out and see for yourself!
Jeremy Scott is a Prolab Sponsored Athlete and the C.E.O and Creator of www.jeremyscottfitness.com
7 Ways To Improve Health And Fitness Today
1. Minimize or eliminate sugar and breads
2. Drink more water
3. Floss twice a day
4. Increase good fats
5. Progress in exercise slowly but consistently
6. Do metabolic training at least two times a week
7. Relax, pray, meditate, take a nap and get more sleep.
7 Awesome Fitness Blogs
For some of the best information on bands and how to use them Dave Schmitz from Resistance Band Training is your guy.
Mike Robertson Training Systems
Mike is one of the best when it comes to corrective exercise but he has a ton of useful information for the fitness professional and the fitness enthusiast.
Jason has a ton of information geared towards men and how to train smart with a focus on recovery. Ladies you can go here
For all the busy dads out there you can be fit
Nutrition is super important and eating Paleo is one great way for results
Rachel and her husband, Alwyn, run one of the most successful Small Group Training Facilities in United States.
This one is for the fitness professional mainly. The focus is on helping quality fitness coaches become better at owning and running a business.
2012 Fitness Predictions
1. Many people will pay less for gyms but many will still not go to the gym. However they will still pay for it!
2. Many gyms will compete on price versus value essentially ruining their ability to compete.
3. People will still look for the easy way out. It is human nature to do so and in most areas of life being lazy can help us. The airplane, the car, the internet, email, social media, and any other device that makes our life easier is a good thing. But when it comes to fitness, basically the rule of thumb is this…. the better you get the better your body looks!
4. Metabolic training is going to be the words describing short intense workouts that will increase the metabolism over the long haul.
5. Fitness Professionals are going to train regular people more like beginner athletes or advanced athletes. There will be a focus on recovery and lifestyle techniques for better fitness results.
6. Infomercials will sell like always:(
7. Diets will pop up and people will say they work but will put weight back on. Hopefully this will lead to an understanding of the difference between weight loss and fat loss.
9. Express Fitness Powered by Fitness Revolution will be Waukesha Counties secret society for long term lifestyle fitness changes not just a quick fix (shameless plug)!
10. More people will want 10-30 minute workouts that improve them versus the long boring cardio people do with no success.
Do you agree or disagree? Comment below your thoughts!
77.7 Fitness Tips
77.7 Tips, Tricks, Ideas and Principles to Get Fit, Lose Fat, Become Healthier, and Never Worry About Gaining Fat Again!!
1. Have the proper mindset. Click the banner below if you do not have the correct mindset. Look for his products on weight loss or fitness.
2. Focus on long term gradual improvements.
3. Get Stronger and Faster.
4. Remember being fit does not just mean being able to run slow for a long time. In fact many would argue this could make you unfit and unhealthy. http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Cardio-Sucks
5. Most people need to eat more fruits and veggies http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00595.
6. Learn how to exercise with body weight (hint not walking on a treadmill).
7. Learn how to exercise with bands.
8. Get plenty of sleep about 7-8 hours a night.
9. Do not do marathon workouts. Personally I like 10-40 minutes at most but usually stay within 30 minutes.
10. Be focused on improving in every workout.
11. Take time off and train based on your goals.
12. Understand that the harder you workout the more recovery you will often need.
13. Keep it simple.
14. Have fun.
15. Set goals that are challenging, realistic, motivating, and time orientated.
16. Visualize your goals and once you reach them….. then visualize new goals.
17. Limit junk food and alcohol.
18. Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water.
19. Understand your caloric needs for your goals. http://www.freedieting.com
20. Do Eischens Yoga
21. Hire the right people to help you.
22. Find those that support you. Hint if people do not support your goals it will be very difficult and you must get support from professionals.
23. Never Give Up.
24. Have Faith that success is guaranteed.
25. Let others know what is working for you.
26. Think like an athlete.
27. Think like a Fitness Professional.
28. Get rid of all excuses.
29. Learn how to use foam roller: http://www.youcanbefit.com/ROLLER.pdf. The Grid
30. Stop steady state cardio and focus on interval training
31. Use this music to increase results instantly.
32. Take pictures to track results
33. Train for a specific purpose especially for strength, power and so on. Many of my campers want to be able to do pull ups again or for the first time. This is a great goal!
34. Get adequate protein
35. Focus on whole foods
36. Eat based on your goals
37. Train hard recover properly.
38. Take vacations
39. Pray, meditate, and relax.
40. Change up your programs but not all the time
41. Stick to a plan if it is working
42. Never give up
43, Read and learn from those you want to be like
44. Make fitness a priority
45. Your health is up to you not anyone else
46. Be held accountable
47. Focus on long term results not short term fake results. An example would be someone loses 20 lbs in a month only to gain more back in a year.
48. NEVER EVER GO ON A DIET INSTEAD LEARN HOW TO EAT
49. Take a pre-workout drink
Workout Free Trial url:
50. Take a Multi-Vitamin
Men’s and Women’s VGF Free Trial url:
51. Your children should take one as well:)
Children’s Vitamin Free Trial url:
52. Sign up for a free newsletter here54. Have fun in your workouts
53. Free google groups with insider information
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55. Challenge yourself
56. Ask yourself what is the goal for this workout?
57. Remember food is for energy, to feel full, to become stronger, and to improve performance
58. Have some reward meals or days depending on your goals
59. Do not always stay at a caloric deficit
60. Learn about zig zag nutrition
61. Educate yourself but DO NOT jump around from program to program… keep it simple
62. Chose one of these to help your efforts
“Image” “Image”
63. Be patient but work like you are not
64. Learn proper form for all exercises
65. Do band stretching with the bands above
66. Never let someone tell you can’t do something
67. Working out two or three times a week with gradual improvements is better than working out every day with no improvements.
68. Get these free gifts below
“Image”
69. Eat good fats
70. Smile and laugh
71. Do not worry or at least minimize it
72. Forgive others always
73. Use different tools for fitness
74. Enter challenges
75. Follow me on social media www.facebook.com/jeremybelter and twitter.com/#!/jeremybelter
76. Track progress not just on the scale.
77. Develop a positive sense of who you are and how you look in the mirror. Do not talk negative about yourself!
Hope these help you on your journey,
Jeremy
PS I almost forgot number 77.7 is be active on this blog and post comments:)
The Fitness Triangle
Many people want to get healthy and fit and they start out with a vengeance. Then some start to slide and unfortunately give up. First off make sure you talk with a fitness professional or whoever you are working with so they can help you stay on track.
Secondly, make sure you are taking a look at the Fitness Triangle. The Fitness Triangle involves weight training, cardiovascular training, and nutrition. That is it a simple formula to understand but more challenging to follow.
All three components are needed for a great exercise program. Inevitably, when I have someone look back they are lacking in one or more areas of the Fitness Triangle.
To your health and fitness,
Jeremy
Transformations
Being a fitness professional there are three main reasons I see why people fail to change their bodies
1. Not changing their nutritional lifestyle. Remember lifestyle changes can take time and for some it comes much faster than others, but always focus on your goal.
2. Not pushing and challenging themselves in their workouts. If you have been walking for years and not seeing the results you want then you must increase intensity levels!
3. Not believing you can change and not making a commitment to change.
So Jeremy what can I do?
Learn about nutrition, seek out those that can help including fitness professionals, nutrition professionals, and anybody else that can help. Make a commitment that you will stick with this new lifestyle but if you slip up then start again tomorrow. Learn how to set goals and do not let anyone stop you from these goals. Find those that support you and learn from them.
Yours in fitness
Jeremy
Problems or Opportunities
When it comes to life everyone has problems and how we deal with these problems determines the quality of our lives. So many people wish for less problems versus looking at them as opportunities.
What does this have to do with fitness? Well as soon as something goes wrong we stop with our fitness goals, or we wait for the perfect time to get in shape. For example, I hear this one all the time “I am going to get in better shape before I start training.” Wrong answer!!! The right answer would be “because I have gotten out of shape (the problem), I need to start with a fitness professional (opportunity to get in the best shape of your life).”
Overcome your obstacles and wish for more answers. Learn from problems and turn them into opportunities. I believe the more challenging a person’s problems the greater their success in life.
To creating opportunities,
Jeremy
Superior Fitness Training
There are so many beliefs on the “right” way to train. In general the “right” way depends mainly on your goals. Trust me an elite marathon runner trains different then a professional linebacker in football. But both are great athletes in their own way. With that being said I believe for most people, if not all, some variation of the Conjugate Method is best. The Conjugate Method is training different types of strength all the time. This method is best because
1. It keeps thing fresh and new all the time
2. Unlike the standard methods used you can keep improving in all areas of strength
3. You focus on all different reps, sets, weights, and tempo every day versus doing a month or more of the same reps and sets.
4. Some of the best athletes have been using this model with superior results
The only person that may benefit is absolute beginners. They just need a base of conditioning and learning first. For more information please type in Conjugate Periodization in Google.
yours in fitness,
Jeremy
The Science of Fitness
Last night my wife and I watched Sports Science. A show I highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn about the human body. This particular episode was “the worlds strongest men” They did amazing things but ironically their bodies showed little stress. Here are some examples:
1. A man was pulling a semi and his breathing was constant. His heart rate did not sky rocket. You and I know that when we carry something heavy are heart rate sky rockets but his did not because of his conditioning.
2. One guy broke cement with his head and there was very little to no impact to his brain. Both men and women lose bone density as we age if we do not do weight bearing activities. On the other hand, if we do we can increase bone density at any age so start now.
3. In almost all cases it looked so easy for them and in one case a nail accidentally went through one man’s hand and he did not appear hurt. This shows his pain tolerance but for us it reminds us to use proper form and to gradually increase intensity. Many people do not know when to increase intensity without getting hurt.
4. Most people would sustain serious or life threatening injuries. Again lifting weights improves are abilities to withstand everyday demands.
How is the possible?
1. With consistent training these participants have increased their bone density even in the skull. Their bones become less likely to break. As we age the best way to increase and maintain bone density is through consistent and incremental improvements in weight bearing activities.
2. With consistent training their muscles become powerful, strong and improve functionality. Most people cannot get to these levels nor would they want to. On the other hand, everyone can function day to day and improve their bodies.
3. Your body and mind adapt to what is done with it. So exercise both the mind and body and push yourselves so that quality of life remains great.
How does this relate to me?
1. Training improves conditioning and strength.
2. Training improves functionality.
3. Training improves bone density.
Obviously these men have been training for years at the highest levels, but everyone can learn from them. No matter who you are, you can improve your functional strength. You can improve for the future so you can have a higher quality of life even into old age. Finally, remember now is the best time to start.
To your fitness,
Jeremy