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Some Unsolicited Advice

February 15, 2015 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT Leave a Comment

unsolicited-advice.

Unsolicited advice. We've all gotten some and we've all wanted to give some. The question becomes “Should advice be offered when not requested?” The secondary question is how I personally feel about it. This is where things become murky for me.

Offering Unsolicited Advice

This is an area I often struggle with. I see someone at the gym and they are doing an exercise entirely wrong. I don’t mean slightly wrong, I mean it borders on dangerous. Because I am a CPT I struggle with keeping my mouth shut. My general rule of thumb is what my relationship is to the person making the mistake.

I have people at the gym that I interact with regularly. We encourage each other and look for each other to be there. In a sense, we hold each other accountable for getting to the gym. With these people I would inquire as to what they were attempting to do and then make suggestions based upon their response.

As for people I don’t know at all, I tend to avoid any kind of advice for them unless I see immediate danger of injury. In that case I might say “Be careful, you’re putting your back in a dangerous position…wouldn't want you to get hurt.” I did say “might” because even in this situation it is touchy, so I usually just look the other way and hope they don’t get hurt.

Receiving Unsolicited Advice

I listen to everything someone says to me and then process it through several filters before deciding on its veracity. The filters I use are:

  • Who is giving the advice?
  • What have I seen from the advice-giver at the gym?
  • How does the advice compare to the technical things I already know?
  • How does the advice square with my current program?

Once the advice has passed through these filters I make a decision what to do.

I believe we should have an open mind and listen to the advice of others. We should never just dismiss something, especially if we've never tried it. At the same time, just because the advice-giver is “big” doesn't mean his advice is better than our own. Keep an open mind and you may see some major improvements as a result.

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Filed Under: Experiment of One, Featured

Saturday Sharing: My Thoughts on the IIFYM Debate

February 14, 2015 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT 1 Comment

iifym-debate

There is a debate currently going on between the “clean eating” people and the “IIFYM” people. What does IIFYM stand for? It stands for If It Fits Your Macros. The clean eating people have made the claim that the IIFYM people believe you can eat junk all the time and still lose fat. My thoughts on this are really simple.

Intellectual Honesty

To me being intellectually honest is extremely important when having a debate of this sort. Neither side should be allowed to make claims they know are untrue. If either side is allowed to get away with intellectual dishonesty then the entire debate is rendered useless.

Eating Anything You Want

It is simply not true that the IIFYM people preach eating anything you want at all times. There are guidelines. It is referred to as flexible eating for a reason–it provides flexibility. The guidelines say you should be eating healthy food 80% of the time. As discussed in a past episode of my Expose Podcast, a calorie really is a calorie, but in order to be healthy you must eat healthy a certain percentage of the time. If all you did was eat doughnuts all the time you would soon be feeling fairly ill.

Flexible Eating

The flexible eating approach is quite important to someone trying to lose fat. By allowing them to participate in normal activities like parties it helps them stay on the nutrition plan. It enables them to eat with their family as long as they watch their macros. It works. I've been using it for just 4 weeks and I have already lost 3% body fat. That's about the same as when I did strict clean eating, yet without the discomfort.

My Conclusions

I think everyone should be honest. Both ways get results. One way may just simply work better for some than the other way. That is all good. People should use the approach that is best for their situation. It is just like the answer to the age old question “At what time of day should I train?” The answer is “You train at the time you will get it done consistently.” Whether you use clean eating or IIFYM, the key is to use the system that you will stick to consistently.

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Filed Under: Diet & Fat Loss, Featured

Bodybuilding Follows on Social Media

February 13, 2015 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT Leave a Comment

social-media-article-bodybuilding

Social media has taken over the world. You cannot escape it. It appear on television advertisements, in magazines and even on delivery vehicles. Where it was once rare to have a published website URL on any of these items, now you have the URL plus the social media icons for the company/person in question. It is my belief that social media is a great place to get to know and learn about people in the bodybuilding and fitness niche. What follows is a list of people in the industry I think you should follow on Twitter.

  • Phil Heath (@philheath) – 3 time Mr. Olympia and current reigning Mr. Olympia. He is fairly active on Twitter and gives some great tips as well.
  • Dexter Jackson (@MrOlympia08) – former Mr. Olympia and one helluva bodybuilder. Always a factor in the competitions he partakes in.
  • Louis Uridel (@TheBigSexy200X) – bodybuilder from San Diego and active interviewer for Muscular Development. He is funny, honest and gives great advice.
  • Jay Cutler (@Mrojaycutler) – former 4 time Mr. Olympia. He is a great guy and has some great insights to share.
  • Hany Rambod (@hanyrambod) – top preparation coach. He has coached both Jay Cutler and Phil Heath. Amazing guy with great information.
  • Chris Cormier (@RDCormier) – The Real Deal. He says it like it is.
  • Chad Nicholls (@ChadTheDietDoc) – He is an amazing contest preparation coach and a regular on Pro Bodybuilding Weekly.
  • MuscleContest (@MuscleContest) – The California branch of the NPC. Many contests are promoted by this group.
  • Pete Ciccone (@PeteCiccone) – IFBB Pro and owner of 619Muscle. Great advice. Personal insights.
  • Erin Stern (@ErinFAST) – Figure Olympia Champion. She gives some great tips.
  • Tom Venuto (@tomvenuto) – Author of several books including Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. He is The Guru on fat loss. Nicest guy you will meet on Twitter.

This list is just a starter. I will publish more next month. Enjoy!

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  • Social Media: The New Fitness Buzz Word

Filed Under: Featured, Resources

My Love/Hate Relationship with Cardio

February 12, 2015 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT Leave a Comment

cardio-love-hate

Cardio exercise is something I have always had a love/hate relationship with. On the one hand, I love how it changes my body composition in a short number of weeks. On the other hand, I hate the time and effort I need to put into it in order to have those body composition changes take place. At this point, cardio has become nothing more than a necessary evil.

When it comes to weight training I don't have to convince myself to do it. I love the feeling of pushing my muscles as hard as they can go. I enjoy the feeling of being sore after a particularly intense training session. It is something I would do twice a day if I could find the time for it.

Cardio is the exact opposite of weight training for me. I cannot stand the time it takes. I have tried many different things to make it go by faster and nothing really works for me. I may actually have to go back to streaming Netflix to my iPad in order to get the longer cardio sessions in.

I will be honest and say that cardio has been my weakness in the past. I have skipped more cardio sessions than I care to admit. Lately I have not had as tough a time with it because I am chanting the “regaining focus” mantra over and over again. I can't get my focus back without being consistent with cardio. It is just a fact.

Tips for Cardio Success

If you hate cardio like I do here are some suggestions for getting it to be a consistent part of your routine.

  1. Create a playlist of your favourite songs. Music makes most anything go by faster. It really does. I would never get through cardio sessions without some good music. Make sure you have several playlists–some that are upbeat, some that are loud and raucous and some that are just fun.
  2. Bring your iPad and stream your favourite shows. When I was getting ready to compete for the first time there came a time when I had to do cardio 2 times a day for more than 45 minutes each session. My iPad became a great tool for me. I would stream shows on Netflix and would get so into the storyline that I would forget I was doing cardio at all.
  3. Track your numbers. This will give you the ability to compete against yourself. It will help push you harder and harder.

It is now time for me to follow my own advice and take my cardio to a new level. Lean happens when you combine some great weight training sessions with some awesome cardio sessions. Onward towards the ultimate goal I go!

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Filed Under: Diet & Fat Loss, Featured, Training

Musclecast Episode #3: Work Ethic

February 11, 2015 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT Leave a Comment

MuscleCast-Episode-3

Have you looked around your gym at the “regulars” lately? If you do I think you will find some very interesting things jump out at you. People who have been coming in for months are still using the same weight, the same terrible form and have the same awful work ethic they had when they first started.

One reason I love bodybuilding is that you compete against yourself. Every single trip to the gym is about doing better than the last time. It is about having the right work ethic to get the job done. Today I discuss this in MuscleCast Episode 3.

What drives you when you are at the gym? Are you pushing yourself harder each and every time? If not it is time to work on your work ethic.

I clearly lost focus during and after my divorce. I was on a roll and just lost it all. Now I am back and have regained a renewed focus and passion for getting to my goals. I know some of you reading this probably laugh at me because I have tried and failed several other times. You have no reason to believe me when I say this is the time for me. Just watch and you will see that my work ethic is going to carry me forward to the finish line this time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5oc_xgqlbY&list=UUE41TmBkF0sXlJMBIHcPGPw

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Filed Under: Featured, Regaining Focus, The MuscleCast, The MuscleCast VLog

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