Starting Christmas day I am going to do a brief 2-part series on social networking.  I will discuss the following issues:

    How to increase the positive pressure through the use of social networking
    How to use Twitter to make connections
    How to update your social networking sites from one location
    Why social networking matters
    How to promote your fitness product using social networking

If you are interested in any of those topics, my series is going to be just what you need.  Social networking is a major component of Web 2.0 strategy.  Everyone can learn something from the series I’ve written, so please come back to read up on the topic.

My video podcast this Sunday will be about weight training principles for success.  You will learn about the various methods of weight training and why I use the method that I use.  This podcast will be the beginning of my efforts to eliminate the confusion caused by the so-called internet gurus and the plans they sell to everyone.  Weight training really shouldn’t be so complicated.  It should not be a mystery to anyone.  The principles you will learn will make it possible for you to create your own incredible workout plan and then give you the tools to stick to it.   Be sure to tune in on Sunday.

Matty’s Workout Log:

If my quads don't gain in size after this week they never will again.  This was just one workout from the week's three workouts.  Tomorrow I get to blast these quads yet again.  The feeling I had when I finished my first Giant Set for quads was incredible.  I had never felt such intensity in my leg training before.  I think I've learned a new trick to add to my regimen.  I am always interested in new intensity tricks and I've even used the Giant Set before, but this way was intense.  3 straight exercises taken to failure, no rest in between, what a killer recipe!

The key thing to take away from my comments today is that you need intensity when you lift.  If you go in the gym and just go through the motions you are wasting your own time.  Get resolved to get into the gym and work with intensity.  Let the light stuff be for the other people at the gym.  Your job is to lift heavy, lift slowly and lift until failure.  These things will add up to an intense workout that will show you incredible results.  I keep saying this over and over in the hope that someone will learn from it and apply it.

To start off, you do a Giant Set of Quad Blaster, Leg Extensions and Squats.  After that first Giant Set I was barely able to walk.  I literally had to bail out on the squat rack during my squats.  It was pretty intense.  Matty had the same experience.  The Quad Blaster primes your Quads, the Leg Extensions start to fry them and the Squats just punishes them into oblivion.  After a 20 second rest you do your second Giant Set that consisted of reverse leg raises, lying leg curls and stiff-legged deadlifts.  Mind you, in Giant Sets there is no rest between each of the exercises.  I was breathing like a freight train for the rest of the workout after concluding my set of stiff-legged deadlifts.

I could feel the quad portion of the workout throughout the rest of the routine.  I had to push extra hard to get good lifts.  Everything required extra focus.  The entire time I could feel my quads twitching and shaking.  I could literally feel the blood pumping through my quads throughout my entire workout.  The DOMs were setting in quickly.  We had literally destroyed our quads during this workout.  We both finished our workout with alot of energy and then slowly walked out of the gym.  It was a very extreme experience and one that I do not recommend for the weak minded.

Yes, this workout took alot of mental fortitude.  If you are not ready for pain and suffering at the gym, this workout is not for you.  Matty made me very proud.  This is a kid who only a few months ago was trying his best to act weak and yet he banged out extra reps on every single set.  He looked like he was ready to quit at 8 reps on his lat pullovers and yet he managed to squeeze out 4 more.  He even worked his triceps extra hard (a muscle group he always has trouble with). 

When it was all said and done, as we were leaving the gym, I commented to him that I was having trouble walking.  His response was classic.

"Dad, walking is overrated…when are we back in the gym doing this workout again?"

Matty's Workout Log (Date incorrect):

Today was a great day spent with family.  We took a subway trip from a nearby city into Downtown Los Angeles.  The purpose of our trek was to go to a restaurant called Philippe's.  It is a 100 year old restaurant where the French Dip sandwich was invented.  We ate beef dip sandwiches and just enjoyed the sites.  The youngest children really enjoyed the excitement of the subway trains.  They could not stop talking about that part of the trip.  We also spent some time on Olvera Street in Los Angeles, a famous hispanic area.  I have posted some pictures of the trip below. 

Today I just marvelled in the innocence of my youngest children.  We walked past several homeless people and their reaction was of great concern.  They wanted to know how come these people do not have a home to live in.  They asked how they stay warm.  They wanted to know what these people do when it rains.  It was very touching to see their concern.  At the same time, their innocence showed.  As a father it was an amazing experience to watch it all unfold.

The Muscle Building Fat Burning Machine Video Podcast – 12/21/2008 – Carb Cycling 

Philippe's Trip

Matty, Mitchell and Alison (my wife) on the Green Line train
	Alyssa on the Green Line train.  At first she wasn't too sure this was going to be fun.
Ashley and Chris (Ashley's boyfriend) on the Green Line train
	Matty, Alyssa and Mitchell exiting the Red Line train in Union Station
Christmas tree in Union Station
	Alyssa is checking out the old ticket counters in Union Station
The Midgets in front of the Christmas tree at Union Station
	The sign for Philippe's
My gang (Ashley, Chris, Alison, Matty, Mitchell and Alyssa) in front of Philippe's
	The address label for Philippe's — 1001 Alameda, Los Angeles, California
Dancers performing on Olvera Street
	Dancers performing on Olvera  Street
A pretty awesome head dress on one of the dancers
	Nativity scene on Olvera Street

I taught Matty how to do my interval cardio and he did quite well.  He was dripping with sweat when he was done.  I did a steady state session for the entire 45 minutes while Matty did intervals for 30 minutes and steady state for 15 minutes.  He now understands how important it is to do cardio.  We have now added cardio to his plan.

I began planning the nutritonal ideas for next week.  I decided to keep Christmas day as a low carb day because my gym is closed and I don't want to add extra carbs when I can't do cardio.  It is supposed to rain on Christmas day, so I am not planning to be able to do outdoor cardio at all.  Most likely I will do some kind of body weight cardio circuit if all else fails.