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The Muscle Building Fat Burning Video Blog #100
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 If you’ve been reading this blog for long then you know about my son, Matty. He has been my workout partner for the past 10 months. I really enjoy my time with him. The bonding we do in the gym is irreplaceable. We have learned alot from each other through the hard work we do together in the gym. As I look at Matty I am in awe. His body has been changing before my very eyes. His lats are starting to pop out and he is thinning down quite a bit. The baby fat that has plagued him is slowly leaving his body due to his extremely hard work. For those of you with a short memory or who haven’t been reading the blog long, let me update you on my son and why I am so proud of him. The original idea for him to join me at the gym came from him. He asked and I naturally agreed to have him join me. At first it was a nightmare. He would pretend to not be able to lift a weight even one time that he had lifted several times the workout before. He would never really give it his all. He wanted to take the easy way out rather than work hard. At some point he and I started to have small conversations on the way to the gym and on the way home from the gym. I planned these talks out in advance—just the topics—so that I could help guide him in the right direction. Realizing that as a dad it was my job to mentor him (and mentoring involves creating independence), I set out to help him understand why we go to the gym daily. We would have conversations about how silly it is to go to the gym at 4 a.m. but not give your whole effort to the workout. We discussed results and he was surprised at my take on them (everything you do brings about results, but not always the kind you want). He got to listen to my philosophy of lifting (you can never work hard enough because you can always go harder than you just did). I helped him understand how that philosophy is linked to progression. Over time I noticed his attitude was changing. He started to lift harder because it felt good. He went heavy because it made him feel strong. At one point, after a particularly grueling, mind blowing workout I saw him smiling, so I asked him an important question. “Do you workout with me because I make you or because you love it?” His answer was perfect. “The answer is both.” So I decided to clarify. “Let me understand—you workout with me because you love lifting weights, you do it at 4 a.m. because I make you—is that correct?” He confirmed that I had nailed it perfectly. That was a proud day for me for several reasons. Here was my 14 year old son telling me that he shares my passion for weight training. At the same time, he was telling me that he respects me enough to get up at 4 a.m. and not complain about it. How many of you have 14 year old boys who will do this without a complaint? Mine has never once complained about getting up in the morning to lift. From now on, Monday is going to be dedicated to my son Matty. I will write about topics that interest him or directly relate to him. I will crow about his progress and generally tell you how proud I am of him. He is the best workout partner a man could ask for. |
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  Quite a workout today. We did the CTF Pyramids. Between 3 exercises I completed a total of 383 repetitions at the weight I’d use to get to positive failure on 15 repetitions. I ended the session with 15 minutes of cardio spread over 3 exercises. I don’t remember jumping jacks being so taxing! |
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Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING! |
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Archives for 2009
Climbing Pyramids
I’ve been tweeting on Twitter about my new workout program. I’m also chronicling my progress on my accountability blog. Today i want to comment on the workout plan. Unfortunately, I cannot give details without violating the copyright, but I will talk about the techniques and how I feel about them. I will be posting every Monday on this site about Combat the Fat, so please come back here every Monday to get the latest update.
Today Jeff Anderson, the creator of Combat the Fat, had me climbing pyramids. He has a special pyramid technique that is totally unlike any other I’ve ever tried. When I was done I had completed 393 repetitions on exercises that were set to get me to failure at 15 repetitions. I then was asked to end the session with 3 different 5 minute cardio sessions. I felt this workout right away. My legs were shaking in the shower. I felt the urge to eat some fruit right after my shower. There were some intense changes to my metabolism as a result of this first pyramid training workout.
The nutrition program that goes along with this training is quite simple to follow. Jeff does not have you counting calories, fat grams, etc. He simply lays out for you the types of foods you can eat and how often you can eat them. The rest is up to the individual. I have found the past 2 days of eating to be so incredibly easy as a result of this program. If you don’t enjoy counting calories, this approach will probably be something you like.
Obviously it is way too early to call this program a success, but I am getting a very good feeling about it. I generally shy away from these “strange” workout programs. My mind is more in tune with bodybuilding programs and this time is no different. At the same time, I approached this with a complete open mind.
Jeff uses military principles to help torch fat off your body. He combines body weight exercises with weight training. His concept is simple—burn off the fat while maintaining or increasing lean body mass. This is refreshing in today’s world because most “experts” will tell you that you can’t burn fat and increase lean body muscle (false) but not Jeff. He gets right in there and shows you how to use your body’s muscle to burn fat.
I looked over the exercises beforehand and wasn’t sure it would be challenging enough. Judging by today’s workout, the challenge level is definitely high. It was a mental game to stay ahead of the workout. My heart rate monitor registered upwards of 160 beats per minute most of the workout. When I was done, I had spent just 47 minutes in the gym, but I had burned over 600 calories, with 40% of that being attributed to fat. That is better than most cardio-only workouts I’ve ever tried!
Please continue to check back here each week for the Combat the Fat update. You can also follow my progress daily on The Muscle Building Fat Burning Machine Blog.
Related links:
Combat the Fat System Described
If you want to follow on Twitter do a search on #m8 and be sure to follow me, @mikemahony.
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M8:D1 (D618) Confession
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The Muscle Building Fat Burning Video Blog #99 July 5, 2009
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| Today I have a major confession to make as well as an apology. When I started this accountability blog 618 days ago it was purely for me. I had no idea how many people would eventually read it. I was diligent and posted daily. In fact, I was probably the most consistent poster out of the group I belonged to at the time. Over the past 6 months I have been testing a new application that is very important to the future of the company I work for. I have put my heart and soul into the testing and that has caused my accountability blogging to slip. My 7th mission is a perfect example of that. I have not posted since it started. As I contemplated all of this, I started to think about shutting this blog down completely. For selfish reasons, I was very close to just posting a “I’ve shut this blog down” message. Then I started looking at my site traffic. I realized that shutting the blog down would effect many people and I wasn’t really ready to do that to people. I am all about helping others and if reading this blog has helped even one person then I must continue. With that said, I apologize for not being more regular. I have now launched the software for my company so the demand on my time is much less. Starting today there will be a video and picture posted every single day. If I don’t have time for an extended commentary I will say so. However, the format of the blog is changing to save me time. I will be posting my daily video, my daily commentary, my daily workouts and my daily pictures and that is it. I am not going to post my accountability log daily because (a) it takes alot of time to produce for the web; and (b) it doesn’t change much. I will, however, post my accountability log weekly (on Sunday for the previous week) starting next Sunday. I will also try to do a recap of the week’s events every single Sunday. I am planning a special day each week to highlight another site (blogger or otherwise). That’s the extent of my commitment at the current time. I have been putting the finishing touches on my eBook and think I am finally close to publishing it. That along with the new software for my company has consumed most of my time. I have started a new site, https://fitnessexpose.com, and encourage you to go there and sign up for the eNewsletter. I have a guest author who writes posts on fitness every Tuesday. I, myself, write posts several times each week. The information on that site is similar to my accountability blog, but it really has one purpose—educate people about the fitness industry and how to navigate it safely. I hope that all of you will continue to read not only this blog, but the Fitness Expose materials as well. Thank you for your continued loyalty. During M8 I will be utilizing the Combat the Fat program from Jeff Anderson. Matty and my friend, Don, will be joining me in this adventure. We weighed in and took body fat measurements and circumference measurements today. My M8 goals: Goal #1: I have a body fat percentage of 10% by September 15, 2009Goal #2: I weigh 205 lbs. by September 15, 2009 Goal #3: I measure 36 inches around my abdominal area by September 15, 2009 Goal #4: I have biceps of 18 inches and quads of 28 inches by September 15, 2009 Goal #5: I run a mile in 7:30 by September 15, 2009 I will remain focused on those 5 goals the remainder of this mission. The goals themselves are written in ink while the dates are written in pencil (thanks Tom Venuto). TIP: I have been recopying my goals daily in my journal so they stick in my head and I’ve noticed a much tighter focus on those goals as a result. Note to those of you on Twitter |
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| Today was a rest day. I spent alot of my time today just having fun with the family. I reviewed the workout plan for tomorrow with Matty as he is joining me on this Combat the Fat journey. |
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Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING! |
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Stress and You
In today's world, stress seems to have become a way of life. It is a common topic of conversation and no person appears to be immune to neither its presence nor its effects on their lives. Some of us thrive on stress and perform well when "the pressure is on". Deadlines at work, confrontations and competitions can all increase our level of anxiety. Positive stress can add excitement and anticipation to our lives, but negative stress or prolonged stress can impact an otherwise healthy body. Stress is the body's fight or flight mechanism that responds to events by tensing muscles, raising the heart rate and increasing breathing. While it is hard to control all outside forces that cause stress there are strategies that can help to minimize the effects of stress.
1) Become aware of your stressors and your physical/emotional reactions to them. Recognize what you can change and if needed seek help in making changes in your life that will help to reduce the stress or the effects.
2) Take time for "you". Learn relaxation techniques; set time aside for a relaxing massage; soak in a hot bath, walk the dog. Establish a balance in your life. We all work hard today, but we also need to play. Plan some play time just as you would plan an appointment with your doctor, dentist or your child's teacher. Take out that day timer or palm pilot and set some "down time" a couple of times a week. It doesn't need to be huge blocks of
time. A short 10 minute break just for you can do wonders to restoring your sense of well-being.
3) Take time to exercise. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage stress. Exercise releases endorphins that promote a sense of well-being and relaxation. Be consistent with your physical activity. While the stress itself may not completely disappear, the tension and negative effects it has on the body will, leaving you feeling free to enjoy life instead of being burdened by the stress that accompanies it.
4) Maintain a healthy eating plan. Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine and alcohol. Create a network of support among your family and friends. While none of us can control when and where stress will hit, we can control our reaction to it by developing some healthy strategies.
Till next time,
Narina
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Just Try It!
I get asked alot of questions, but there is one in particular that comes up alot. I am often asked what I think of a particular workout method. Usually this question is accompanied by a list of exercises. The expectation is that I am going to critique the entire plan and at times I do if there is something obvious. However, the most common answer I give by far is “Just try it and see if it works for you!”
Everybody is different. Our bodies respond to stimulus in different ways. That’s what the Experiment of One is all about. You learn through experience what works for you and what does not work for you. Please understand that it is not about trial and error. This is all about informed experiments that you implement.
Keeping good records is essential to properly executing the Experiment of One. Having a good attitude is also important. Consistently attacking each workout and going beyond (a place where pain is no longer relevant) is also essential. Only by doing this can you truly compare results and make decisions about what works for you. Think about it—if you phone in a workout this week and then next week attack it with ferocious intensity, are you really giving the first workout a fair shake? Of course you aren’t!
Approach the gym the way you would an assignment from your boss. Do all of the things you should do and do them with maximum effort. You will find that your mental attitude will slowly change. You will get tougher and stronger, not only physically, but mentally. The Experiment of One is at work changing you on the inside and the outside.
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