There are golden fitness rules and there are ‘crazy fitness rules’.  The crazy ones can be eliminated right now.  The golden ones will give you success. Check out 21 below that are just about useless…

Just say NO to Gadgets...

There are many fitness ideas out there today and a lot of junk on the internet. I occasionally even hear crazy things come out of some personal trainers mouths. Here are 21 mistakes that you should avoid at ALL COSTS if you want to get in shape…

1. Doing too much cardio
2. Not lifting enough weight
3. Not lifting weights at all
4. Eating too much crap
5. Participating in “restriction” diets…aka low carb, low fat, etc
6. Not eating enough to support muscle recovery and energy levels
7. Dehydration
8. Not staying committed to the training process
9. Sticking with the same workout for months or even years
10. Long, slow cardio sessions instead of intense conditioning intervals
11. Using machines and single joint movements instead of complex, multi-joint free weight and body weight exercises
12. Not getting enough sleep
13. Reading while performing “conditioning” workouts on the bike…if you are reading, you are not working hard enough
14. Training every single day without recovery days
15. Not working on mobility…if you can’t move, you can’t train properly
16. Not properly stretching or foam rolling after a training session
17. Trying to do everything on your own (hire a trainer or work out with a friend)
18. Training sessions are too long, rest time is too long. Unless you are training for absolute power, you do not need 3+ minutes between sets…Get into the gym and kick butt for 45-60 minutes and leave.
19. Bringing your cell phone to the gym. Get over yourself. Unless it’s an emergency you are not that important
20. Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
21. Too much focus on the scale. Focus on your clothes, body fat percentage, and how you feel

In order to really get fit, in shape, and feeling great you MUST perform strength training workouts, eat a balanced nutrition plan with plenty of fruits, veggies, lean meats, natural protein sources, whole grains, and tons of water, and skip the cardio and replace it with high intensity interval workouts such as sprints, jump rope, hill sprints, or interval runs.

Train hard and smart,

Callie Durbrow, Boston personal trainer

Ladies Only Fat Loss Advice – Learn about weight loss for busy ladies and everything you need for a new sexy body!

We all know that cutting calories ALONGSIDE serious and proven effective workouts and exercises is the way to reveal serious six pack abs and a cut and toned midsection – whether you’re male or female – it does not matter…that’s the long and short of it.  You burn more calories than you take in and this leads you to the holy grail of six pack abs.

Now… what you’re going to have here is a workout that does not use a single sit up (as if any of you are using those anyhow!) and only uses DUMBELLS!

Using ONLY Dumbells to get a ripped midsection and stunning abs!

This is compound central - exercises that will have you on the road to six pack abs in record time IF your diet is correct and you give it 200% with your workouts.

Do these 5 for 20-25 seconds each with 10 seconds rest in between.  Added 2-3 times per week to your workouts… (try to work up to 3 circuits!) Now start sweating please…

1) The Classic Tripod/Rengade Row

Dumbells in front of you,  shoulder width apart, get in press up position grabbing each dumbell, arms extended, then row up alternating db’s tensing your core!

2) Alternating Sinlge Arm Overhead Lunges

Grab a db in each hand, at your side, lung forward as soon as you’ve raised one dumbell up voer your head.  Repeat other side!

train with compound dumbell exercises for stunning abs

3) DB Woodchop

Grab your db with two hands, slight bend in your knees and db at one side, raise it up to opposite side above your head in chopping motion..repeat on other side next circuit.

4) Single Arm Deadlift (DB or Kettlebell)

Using your db or a kettlebell placed between your feet, squat doen, grab db and squat upward, roll shoulders back a little then return to start, repeat on other side.

5) Alternate Dumbell Rows With No Support!

Bend at your waist, a bd in wach hand, knees bent to release tension on your back, now row on one side pulling db to waist as other arm holds db in ‘space’ not supporting against your body.  Repeat other side for next circuit.

Women will get the body they want with only dumbells and sensible dieting...

Men and Women…does not matter, give this a go for 6 weeks and see how YOU look in the mirror afterwards!

Cheers all,

Tris

*Ladies Only Fat Loss Advice to get that flat and sexy beach body – use this advice and these exercises!

abs are made with correct exercise - and in the kitchen!

Ok, to clarify what is common knowledge to some and interesting eye-opening truth for others:  We all have abs, we just need to uncover them to see our true potential.

And this is done with the old favorite – fat loss.

The reality is that our pure abdominal training should certainly be a major factor in our schedule and program planning but the essential of any six pack abs or fitness system is incorporating both exercises that burn the most calories (to melt fat around our waist, hips, and core) and also follow sensible eating habits to allow functional fat burning and ultimately the visual results we crave.

Long gone are the days of hammering out as many ‘crunches’ or sit-ups as possible in the hope our abs will rise from the depths like Atlantis.  Sensible fitness training for six pack abs requires compound / full body resistance and bodyweight exercise, HIIT & Metabolic Resistance Training and diet that allows us to perform intense workouts at the same time as restricting unnecessary calories.

By performing the above type of exercise and workout structures we are able to burn maximum fat at the same time we actually create lean muscle in our abdominal section – because its important to understand and train our midsection as any other muscle group.  To consider the outdated concept that abs are a small muscle group so don’t ‘over-train’ them is really not accurate and is missing the point.  The body should be trained as a whole unit as well as training specific bodyparts and compound moves actually call on the abs and core to assist, stabilize and ultimately work alongside other muscles in certain exercises.

Train correctly to save time and get stunning resul

Our use of compound exercise (that requires stimulation and recruitment of many muscles and muscle groups at the same time) will create stability and synergistic muscle stimulation.  i.e. doing a ‘single leg balanced press up’ will illicit your full core to stabilize as one leg is lifted, AT THE SAME TIME as you perform a push up / press up – you see how this type of exercise will burn more calories by placing demand on numerous muscles all working in different ranges and with different goals? (i.e. some supporting, some doing major work etc) – compare it to say a standard barbell curl for biceps (isolation exercise)

Essentially all exercise is good to incorporate.  but variety is the key.  And for real fat loss to show off our abs we should participate in using compound exercise as much as possible.

So we know diet is important.  But…

Compared to a person solely doing isolation exercises and typical 40 minute cardio sessions, the person who uses compound resistance & bodyweight exercises as well as metabolic resistance training and HIIT will be on absolutely the right path to not only see results much quicker and with shorter workouts times, but also be the proud owner of truly impressive six pack abs and a lean core because fat loss gets ramped up to the levels needed to melt the stubborn body fat most effectively and quickly.

I’ll show you a cool workout in the next posts that you can use right away to blast fat as well as create the best midsection of your life.

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* Go here for the real truth about abs – this covers everything and gives free workouts too! – seriously.

*try this INTENSE Six pack abs workout circuit routine for ripped abs and tight core structure…

*The right way to train for six pack abs – old school style!

*Ladies Only Fat Loss Advice & Tight Flat Tummy Exercises

3 piece jigsaw to six pack abs

A lot of clients I train assume that when we begin structuring our fitness programs that they’ll simply be doing some crunches or sit-ups as their abdominal workout.

That is not the case and in our workouts that could not be further from reality.

What I have all my clients do is a workout for abs & their core that incorporate a three sided approach – or what would be deemed a three piece jigsaw.  They will work lower abs, upper abs and their obliques(sides).  There is no other way to create the complete package and get structured results.  And the order of these three training targets is typically set at doing lower abs, then uppers with obliques added in between or at the end.  (this is another topic I’ll discuss in another post)

You see, sit ups and crunches only work the upper abs (I don’t really think you need to be doing sit-ups ever by the way) but for the complete package you need to work your lower abdominals to create that tight and strong waist as well as train your oblique muscles to enhance torsional flexibility and strength and see the rippled muscles in this area of the midsection.  The uppers are only a third of the  equation.

When you see the models and fitness pros with great midsections that is not from doing solely crunches.  It is because of a complete abdominal 3 sided training approach.

I’ll stress here that I also include a lot of core conditioning and lower back structuring in my programs designed for getting six pack abs and burning belly fat, but in terms of the main exercises concerning the abdominal muscles the three sided approach is always what I  use.

Here is a short list of some of the typical exercises that I use and rotate during ab specific workouts are:

Side open leg oblique crunches

Split frogs

Straight leg alt toe touches

Sky pointers

Leg alternate splits

Swiss ball crunches

Swiss ball roll ins

In & outs

Again, this is just a small selection of what I use with clients in our sessions.

If you train your abdominals correctly and don’t waste time with tired old sit-ups and keep the balance correct between the three sided approach to abs training then results are almost guaranteed if you are on top of your diet and incorporating the movements that will burn the most body fat.

I’ll also mention that this 3 piece jigsaw to abdominal training can also be incorporated during the ‘full body workouts’ that are essential and well advised for real success in getting six pack abs.  I’ll cover that in a new post  so you understand not only why full body workouts with full body exercises / compound body weight exercise is essential but also a description of exercises I like and a few workouts you can try.

*Free Six Pack abs workouts and circuit fat loss workout here..

*Want to know how to do a push up right to eliminate joint pain and skyrocket your results? Clik Here…

*A push up challenge workout video…

*Ladies Only Fat Loss Advice Here! Tone Up That Body For Summer & Beyond…flat tummies here we come!