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8 Tools for Total Gym Domination

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Everyone who likes to train and go hard has their favorite tools. My gym tool belt includes 8 tools for total gym domination.

  Arm Blaster. This thing helps you keep your elbows back and stops you from using momentum when doing any curling exercises for your biceps. While it is a newer tool in my tool belt, it has been quite effective.
  Quad Blaster. This one was invented by my mentor, Carlos DeJesus, and it gives an incredible quad workout. It removes the pressure put on your spine by squats, but gives you all the benefits of squatting. I like to insert this into my training on a regular basis.
  Vibram Five Fingers. I love training in these shoes because of the barefoot feeling they give me. I love deadlifting and squatting while wearing my Vibrams. I feel more connected to the floor when using these shoes.
  Ab Wheel. My core has always been one of the weakest aspects of my body. I have found that by starting out slowly with the ab wheel and working towards more and more difficulty my core has slowly improved. The consistent use of this thing will definitely add core strength to anyone.
  The Rotater. This thing is the best device ever created for shoulder flexibility. I find that as I get older my shoulder joints were getting very tight. Using the Rotater has improved my flexibility as well as my rotater cuff strength.
  Jungle Gym XT. Most of you have heard of the TRX Suspension Trainer. This is, in my opinion, the better alternative to the TRX Suspension Trainer. The Jungle Gym XT has been an awesome addition to my bodybuilding workouts.
  Pullup Revolution Pro. If you are like me and had difficulty completing one pull up, this device is for you. I use this twice a week and I can now do one unassisted pull up (after just 4 weeks of consistent use). It is a great tool for improving pull ups.
  APT Lifting Straps. When I get to the point that I am hitting weight that causes my grip to fail before the muscle group I am working, I put on my APT Lifting Straps and crank out the reps. They are very high quality straps put out by a reputable powerlifting supplier.

As you can see, the tools I use are varied, but I find that they improve the effectiveness of my training. Getting an edge is what the tools are all about. The tools I list above are my main weapons of choice, but they are by no means the only weapons I use to gain an edge. Tell us about your weapons of choice by leaving a comment below.

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More Mindset Issues

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In a previous article I discussed the mind muscle connection. Today I want to bring you a video discussion of more mindset issues. The mindset is one of the keys to success in training. The way you attack your workouts and how you handle the mental part of the training is going to determine the level of success  you will experience. I have discovered this over time and now I want to share that with you.

I have learned that momentum is something that can be stalled when the mind isn't willing to keep it going. However, I have learned that momentum is very important to a training session. If I have just come off an awesome workout and it is time to train again, I want to be sure to build upon that previous session's momentum. I need to convince myself that my training is going to be awesome.

This attitude is going to push you harder. It is going to insure that the momentum will continue forward. There is nothing that can get in the way of a great workout if you put your mind to having a great workout. Your mindset is the key.

 

[pro-player]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGkfYqPYM3Q[/pro-player]

Finally, I want to announce the addition of a new guest author. Kyra Williams, The Get In Shape Girl, is now going to be posting on a regular basis. Her first article will be released tomorrow. I suggest you check out her cookbook and her website as well. Show her some support as she is now part of the Fitness Expose team via her blog posts. Thanks, Kyra, for agreeing to publish articles here on Fitness Expose. It is much appreciated!

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Momentum Changing Mental Attitude

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The idea of maintaining your momentum in the fitness arena is something most people don't think about. This is a key element to reaching your goals. There are far too many things that can get in the way of your momentum that the topic is one you must address if you hope to be a success at body transformation.

I woke up this morning with a severe pain in my right ankle. It was slightly swollen and extremely stiff and sore. I was not able to put too much weight on it. Because of this I had to cancel my morning training session. I took some ibuprofen, elevated the leg and put ice on it. In an hour or so the swelling came down and the pain was lessened. I then took advantage of the situation and rotated the joint to loosen it up. Things began feeling much better.

As I drove to my client I began to think about the momentum I was about to lose. I have not missed a training session since July 2011. My mind began to think of rational reasons why skipping the training was ok. Afterall, my ankle was messed up and I wasn't able to get to my normal training session. It was then that the concept hit me hard.

Yes, I had missed my “regular” training session, but there are still hours left in the day. I began to take my mental attitude in a different direction. I began to think about how I could maintain the momentum I built up already. I concluded that I will hit the gym later in the day and workout my chest and shoulders as scheduled. I won't allow this small bump in the road to stop my momentum.

The lesson to learn here is that your mental attitude is going to determine whether or not you lose momentum. By taking control of that mental attitude your will go a long way towards maintaining your momentum. I believe that nobody will argue when I say that momentum is important to progress. Don't let your mental attitude stop your momentum. When pushed off your normal path, find other ways to maintain your momentum. The more you do this the better  you will get at it. Leave me a comment about how you maintain your momentum.

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The Mind Muscle Connection

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Mind Muscle ConnectionOne of the most important lessons I've learned from my adviser is the need for a very strong mind muscle connection when training. He has stressed this to me on every single body part. When I first trained with him I had a hard time feeling my hamstrings. Since he wanted me to improve my squat and that involved feeling my hamstrings, I was given homework. I was told to walk a mile and pay attention to my hamstrings during that walk. I was told to do my best to feel the hamstrings as I walked. To my surprise, this worked quite well.

I took advantage of my latest training session to put together a short video about feeling the mind muscle connection.

 

Mind Muscle Connection – Video

[pro-player]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqeNNSLmkIo[/pro-player]

As you can see from the video, the squeeze of the shoulder blades is very important for back training. My adviser tells me that most people don't do that very well. They pump out the repetitions, but don't pay attention to getting a good squeeze in the back. As you can see in the video, taking the time to arch the back properly, pulling with the elbows and squeezing and holding at the bottom of the movement is essential for getting everything from the exercise. Form is very important for the first two sets, but on the third set a little cheating is allowed because the weight gets very heavy.

The next time you get into the gym see if you can make that mind muscle connection with whatever body part you are training that day. Pay attention to how the muscle feels throughout the full range of motion during the exercise. You will find that you are much more sore the next day when you train with these things in mind.

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The Training Mindset

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The Training MindsetThe training mindset is so important when you enter the gym. Why do I believe this? The biggest block to your success is your mind. Everything else could be in alignment, but if your mind is not willing you will fail. This is why you need to be sure that  your mindset is right when you enter the gym.

A training mindset is one where you are ready to give everything you have to the workout. You should not leave the gym with a shred of energy to do more. You should feel as though you couldn't have done one more repetition on any exercise.

Your training mindset should have you in the place where you know you are going to experience discomfort, but you are ready and willing to overcome it. As my mentor, Carlos DeJesus, has said, you need to be prepared to “go beyond” in order to grow bigger. When you are doing a set of shoulder raises, don't stop just because things get uncomfortable. Push through the discomfort and finish the set.

If your training mindset is something that is holding you back it is time to make some adjustments. My son, Matthew, and I have a term — Beast. When we hit the gym our job is to be a Beast (capital B). Being a Beast means adjusting your training mindset to endure the discomfort and fatigue you undoubtedly will experience during a worhtwhile training session. It means killing it on every repetition. It means never giving up. These things will cause an adjustment to your training mindset that will simply elevate your training to the next level.

Once you've experienced a modification of your training mindset you will be able to make the mental adjustments as needed. You will learn to recognize when things are just not quite right in your training mindset. At that point you will be in complete control of your training.

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