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Why I Got My CPT

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After my back surgery 10 years ago I struggled to get rid of the weight I gained. All my life I had never had trouble, but the back surgery came in my late 30s and my body wouldn't let go of the weight I gained. I struggled tremendously. Then I met Chris Albert and he changed that for me. He taught me how to take off the fat and how important a consistent plan was to doing that.

Working with Chris motivated me to get my personal trainer certification.

Helping Others Like Me

My main motivation was to be able to help other people in the same boat I was in. I wanted to take what I learned in my own journey and help others apply a fix to their lives. I could have done that without a certification, but I wanted to show that I put some effort into it.

Adding to the Reputable Few

I have a group I keep on Twitter called the Reputable Few. It is all about the few people in the fitness industry who I find to be reputable based on long-term behaviors. I wanted to be a part of that list. I could have done training without certification, but to be reputable the certification was required. The work wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either. I had a passion for learning and then applied it to getting my certification.

Love of Bodybuilding

I eventually want to be heavily involved in the bodybuilding preparation field. As a result, getting a certification was my first step in that process. I love bodybuilding as a sport. I want to help bodybuilders do their best. I am currently using myself as a test subject for the ideas that I have. Some work and some do not work. What matters is that I am giving it a try before hitting someone else up with my ideas.

The Feeling of Accomplishment

It feels great to help other people reach their goals. I started this website with that in mind. I have many ideas that will be forthcoming, but I will always feel a sense of accomplishment for all the help I have given to others. Hopefully you are on that list!

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How to Set Goals That Keep You Motivated

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Motivation is a problem for many people. I know it has been in the past for me. The key here is that my motivation problems are now a thing of the past. We often hear that we should set goals using the S.M.A.R.T. method to stay motivated. While I mostly agree with the S.M.A.R.T. approach, I believe that things should be handled one bite at a time.

Keep It Small

Most people go wrong right at the start. They set a goal to lose 50 pounds. While that's an admirable goal to have, it is impossible to stick to because you won't be tracking real progress. Instead, have the main goal be to lose 50 pounds and then break that goal into smaller pieces. By doing that you will have multiple smaller goals that you can measure progress against. By achieving those smaller goals you are going to be more motivated.

A Little Bit Each Day

I also strongly believe in small daily goals. By setting a goal to drink 2 gallons of water today you can be focused on achieving that goal. Each little daily goal you accomplish creates momentum.  That momentum is going to continue to build daily.

The age old question is how to go about eating a frog. The answer to that question is simple…one bite at a time. You don't take the entire frog and try to swallow it. Goals should be the same. You take bite sized pieces each day until you reach the ultimate goal.

Follow the Approach Strictly

Don't be tempted to set huge goals. Follow the approach I've listed above. Take small steps towards the bigger goal and you can't really lose.

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Monday Madness: Mix Up Your Training

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Do you mix up your training? How often do you mix it up? What does it mean to you to mix up your training? I am going to touch on all these issues in today's article and hopefully you will walk away knowing exactly how to maximize your results.

Bored Body

Like anything else, when you continue to do the same thing over and over your body eventually adapts and gets bored with the training you are giving it. At that point it stops responding the way you want. This is why I suggest mixing up your training. Take the time to think it through and give your body something to keep it excited.

The Schedule for “Mixing It Up”

Honestly, most people really destroy this aspect of mixing up their training even if they understand the need for it. They change exercises far too frequently, before they have had a chance to get optimal results. I suggest following a different approach by using periodization. An example of this would be as follows, using a deadlift progression.

Week 1 – Deadlifts are done using enough weight to handle 3 sets of 5 repetitions.

Week 2 – Deadlifts are done using enough weight to handle 3 sets of 2 to 3 repetitions

Week 3 – Deadlifts are done using enough weight to handle 3 sets of 1 to 2 repetitions

Week 4 – Deadlifts are done using enough weight to handle 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

At this point you could change to a different exercise or change the progression. The point is that you did the exercise for 4 weeks. You didn't switch it out every single week. Instead, you changed the repetitions which in turn changed how heavy you were lifting.

What Happens?

When you do this your body is always guessing at what comes next and so it becomes stronger. Muscles grow larger the stronger you become. This is the desired result most of us have, so this approach will get you where you want to be.

Conclusion

Mix up your training to get maximum results. It just makes sense. It will keep your body continually guessing.

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Is Rest Overrated?

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Resting during a training cycle is something that is debated by many people. Do we need days off or not? If so, how often? I believe that the answer is yes and no. What the hell do I mean you might ask? Read on to find out!

It is my belief that you should always be listening to your body. I do not believe you need artificially imposed rest periods while working through a training cycle. Yes, there are times your body is going to need a day off, but it will tell you that. When your body lets you know that it needs rest go ahead and take a day off.

When I prepared for my first bodybuilding show I trained every single day for 8 straight months. I made some major gains and was in the best shape of my life. It just depends on your intensity and the needs of your body. I was able to keep pushing forward. I paid attention to what my body needed, but I was able to complete the 8 months of training without any rest.

Does that mean rest is overrated? Perhaps! At the same time, I am currently doing the MAX Muscle Plan by Brad Schoenfeld and it has me lifting only 3 days a week right now. It is a periodized program that changes up how often you lift on a regular basis. I feel I must note that rest is just one of many training variables that can be manipulated in order to give yourself the best results possible. If you are someone who needs rest, insert it into your plan. If you are like me and your body can take the punishment, rest as needed.

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Saturday Sharing: The Importance of Liver Detox

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If you are serious about changing your physique chances are you utilize various supplements. Anything ingestged orally has the potential to be a problem for your liver. This is why it is important to do a regular liver detox to keep it as healthy as possible.

There is a major reason why people who use anabolic steorids tend to use injectables. The injectable form of anything is less stressful on the liver. Continued stress on the liver can have very serious consequences.

The liver is the gateway to the body.  Thousands of chemicals are added to food and over 700 have been identified in drinking water. Plants are sprayed with toxic chemicals, animals are injected with potent hormones and antibiotics and a significant amount of our food is genetically engineered, processed, refined, frozen and cooked. All this can lead to destruction of delicate vitamins and minerals, which are needed for the detoxification pathways in the liver. The liver must try to cope with every toxic chemical in our environment, as well as damaged fats that are present in processed and fried foods.

The liver is the cleanser and filter of the bloodstream and is of vital importance. It is the largest organ in the body and has an enormous amount of blood flowing through it every minute of our lives. It is between 8 – 9 inches in its greatest diameter, 5 – 6 inches in its greatest height and 3 – 4 inches in its depth, weighing around 42 to 56 ounces.

I do a regular liver detox (30 days on, 30 days off) using Liv-52 by Himalya. I should first note that this is an independent article and I have received nothing for writing it.

Liv-52 is a very small tablet that has natural ingredients that help clean up the liver. I like Liv-52 because it is extremely effective and is easy to take. Simply follow the directions and you will help restore your liver to normal functioning.

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