Bodybuilding Ezine by ZONAMUSCULAR: 08/01/2008

Friday, August 29, 2008

Questioning Proper Abdominal Training

Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons of cardio to burn stubborn abdominal fat. Okay, I can live with that, but you've also said that it isn't absolutely necessary to perform direct ab work either. What gives?

A: If you want to build a serious set of abdominals, routinely perform the following exercises and their variations: squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, and standing military presses. These multi-joint movements require a strong contribution from the abdominals to stabilize the core, particularly when heavy loads are used. It is not uncommon to hear clients complain of abdominal soreness a day or two after performing multiple sets with a decent weight of the chin-up or standing military press exercise - the ab prestretch will tap into fibers you never thought existed! And remember, your abdominals act as a natural girdle, or weight belt if you will, when performing all exercises, particularly squats and deadlifts. These muscles act as a bridge between your upper and lower body and are heavily recruited as stabilizers.

Sure, isolation exercises like pullovers, curls, and even triceps pressdowns also require a good degree of core stability; however, the loads used are relatively low compared to the big 4 mentioned above. In fact, according to Siff & Verkhoshansky, isolation becomes virtually impossible if large loads are used, and in many cases, the tension developed in the stabilizers will equal or even exceed that of the prime movers!* So, you see, the abdominals can be trained quite effectively as stabilizers - the physiques of top Olympic weightlifters will attest to that.

Q: I have been training for years and I can't seem to feel any soreness in my abdominals anymore. Is there something I can do to wake these guys up?

A: ABSolutely! If you've been doing tons of reps of wimpy little abdominal exercises like most people, then it's no wonder that you're stuck in a rut. Remember, the abdominals are composed of primarily fast-twitch fibers. Here's what I suggest to tap into those "guys":

* pick big (i.e. multi-joint, compound) movements

* train in a full range of motion (get the prestretch when working
abdominals)

* perform explosive concentric & slow eccentric contractions

* do lots of sets of low reps using heavy loads

* make sure you get enough rest between sets

Okay, so here's the routine:

A1) Lean-Away Chin-Ups 6 x 1-3 @ 5-0-X-0, 120 secs.

* add weight to chin/dip belt, clear chin at top, lean back as you come down by pushing the bar away and make sure to go all the way down at bottom

A2) Standing Military Press 6 x 1-3 @ 5-0-X-0, 120 secs.

* clean the weight up to your shoulders, stand with your legs straight (yes, that means knees locked) and arch back slightly to maximize prestretch

B1) Decline Leg Raise/Plank 4-6 x 4-6 @ 5-0-X-0, 90 secs.

* this is similar to the move in Rocky IV, raise your legs until they are perpendicular to your body then shoot your hips up to form a bow from head to toe, slowly lower your body staying as rigid as possible.

B2) Sicilian Crunch 4-6 x 4-6 @ 5-0-X-0, 90 secs.

* laying supine on a Swiss ball, crunch inwards with the dumbbell resting on your chest then extend your arms out (completely outstretched, in-line with your torso) during the slow eccentric.

If you would like to finish off with a couple sets of wheel rollouts for as many reps as possible, be my guest. Make sure to work the legs and back/hip extensors during another workout. Rolling out of bed the next day should offer a pleasant surprise!

John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at http://www.BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.

Check out John Paul's new DVD, Warm-Up to Strength Training, for some powerful techniques to increase strength and improve performance! Discover some unique, cutting-edge methods like how to increase arm strength by up to 10% instantly! It has been recommended by many experts including Drs. Eric Serrano, Mark Lindsay, and Ken Kinakin as well as Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin. Visit http://www.StrengthWarmup.com for more information.

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Questioning Cardio for Weight Loss?

*Siff, MC, Verkhoshansky, YV. "Supertraining (4th Edition)." Denver, CO:
Supertraining International, 1999. (pg. 241)

Q: I am still very much confused regarding cardio intensity. One book says keep it low intensity (i.e. 60% of MHR) and go for distance; another keep it high intensity (80% or more) and go for as long and hard as you can. The goal is to burn fat. Each book has great arguments for their approach. Which is accurate?

A: The second approach is far more effective for burning fat. Without getting into a huge discussion about this, here's how things work in a nutshell.

At a lower intensity, your body prefers fat for fuel. Yes, this is true, but two things generally happen:

1. After awhile of doing this type of activity, your body adapts by actually laying down fat (you heard me right) to become more efficient at the given task and this usually occurs in the lower body, and

2. A higher relative amount of fat is burned during low intensity cardio but a greater absolute amount is burned with higher intensity cardio and in less time.

Other things to consider are: a) the EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) is greater for a longer duration following higher intensity work; in other words, you're metabolism is much higher for a longer period of time post-workout with high intensity cardio, and b) higher lactate levels exist with high intensity cardio. So what you may ask? Well there is a direct correlation with lactate and GH (Growth Hormone) and GH is a potent fat-burner.

Bottom line: with regards to burning fat, do higher intensity work in the form of interval training and you'll get great results.

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Joint Pain Relief

If your joints are constantly killing you, here are three suggestions:

1. Traumeel is a product that has been used for years in Germany to relieve pain. I have not been overly impressed with the ointment; however, my colleagues claim that injecting it is the way to go. Dave Tate at Elite Fitness sells both forms. Let me just add the mandatory precaution here: make sure to have a qualified medical practitioner administer the injection if you go that route.

2. There's a product called Nu Joint Matrix that you spray on topically ... and guess what, this stuff seems to work! To test it for yourself, perform multiple sets of heavy eccentrics to induce muscular soreness and then apply the spray to only one side. You will notice the difference in no time. In fact, the company claims that it kicks in within 10 minutes of application. It smells like Pledge on your body but works more like Windex does in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

3. Dr. D's Joint Support is by far the best joint supplement on the market. It attacks through several mechanisms - believe me, Dr. Di Pasquale makes sure that no stone is unturned! I recommend that you start with 5 tablets three times a day with meals. You can eventually wean down to twice daily (with breakast and dinner), and finally once a day (with breakfast) - the duration of each phase depends upon the severity of your pain as well as your financial status!

Now, imagine taking all three (injectable, topical and oral) applications at once! It should go without saying that regular consumption of Omega-3 fats (i.e. fish oil and flax seed oil) will help keep those joints well-lubed. Also, forget Tylenol (Acetiminaphen) and NSAIDs such as Advil (Ibuprofen) or Aspirin (ASA.) Research shows that on top of the havoc they pose on the gut's inner lining, they hinder protein synthesis.

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They Don't Know Squat!

There seems to be much confusion amongst trainers and trainees as to whether squats should be performed all the way down or just half way. In most gyms today, a common instruction during squats, deadlifts, and lunges (as taught by many personal training organizations) is not to allow the knees to travel beyond the toes. Doing so will ultimately cause the destruction of your knees! I do not agree. There are certain instances where partial range of motion (ROM) is indicated, but for the most part, I teach people the full squat for the following reasons:

* It is the most primitive movement pattern known to man; our ancestors used to perform many daily functions (i.e. harvesting, gathering, hunting, cooking, eating, etc.) in a full squat position.

* Also, in case anyone hasn't noticed, we spend 40 weeks in the fetal position (which is basically a full squat) prior to entering this world - do we come out with bad knees?

* We should strive to train in full ROM for each and every exercise. The squat is no exception.

* Every exercise produces stress around a joint - the body then adapts to this stress.

* Cocontraction of the quadriceps, hamstrings and gastrocnemius maintains integrity around the knee joint.

* Sheering and compressive forces do occur around the knee joint (as opposed to only sheering forces that occur in some open kinetic chain lower body exercises, such as the leg extension); however, the large contact area of the patella with the femoral groove (as knee flexion increases during the full squat) helps to dissipate compressive forces.

* Therefore, not only is the squat - as a closed chain exercise - considered a natural movement pattern with high functional carryover, but it is also a safe exercise if performed correctly (and that includes full ROM!)

* Drawer tests are performed at a knee angle of 90 degrees because there is a greater amount of laxity in the knee joint at that specific angle. So, does it make sense to only go down half way where you are most vulnerable especially when greater loads can be used (because you are much stronger in this partial ROM?)

* According to Ironman contributor, George Turner, the fulcrum moves to the knee joint in a parallel squat as opposed to the muscle belly of the quadriceps in a full squat.

* Think about it, if you constantly trained in a limited ROM, the likelihood of injury increases if one day you happen to squat beyond your trained ROM.

* Partial squats performed on a regular basis will decrease flexibility.

* There is a low incidence of lower back pain and knee injury in Aboriginal and Oriental societies which perform full squats on a regular basis.

* Even Olympic weight lifters who practice full squats have quite healthy knees compared to other athletes.

* Although you may find some research that indicates full squats as potentially harmful to the knees, only one study has ever proved this to be true. However, it was performed on a skeleton - the same results do not hold true with surrounding connective tissue. On the other hand, numerous studies show the benefits of full squats.

Unfortunately, many personal training certification courses are teaching half squats as a safe version suitable for all individuals and this has now become written in stone. God forbid that you deviate from this golden rule to do something that our bodies are meant to do! Read this carefully: squatting should be performed in a full ROM where the hamstrings make contact with the calves (so that no light can be seen passing through your legs at the bottom position.) It is okay for your knees to travel beyond the toes (just do not relax the knees in the bottom position.) In other words, keep the legs tight and try to stay as upright as possible throughout the exercise. So, next time some fitness instructor approaches you in the gym and advises not to go deep while squatting tell him/her that they don't know squat!

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Speed of Movement & the Mighty Metronome

Tempo refers to the speed of movement and is usually represented by a 4-digit number: eccentric (negative) contraction - isometric (pause between negative and positive) contraction - concentric (positive) contraction - isometric (pause between positive and negative) contraction. For example, a tempo of 3-1-2-0 means to lower the weight for a count of 3, pause for a count of 1, raise the weight for a count of 2, and do not pause before starting the next repetition. An "X" designation denotes eXplosive, meaning to lift the weight as fast as possible.

It's not uncommon for people to race through their sets in order to get done sooner. Although this could benefit power development, hypertrophy might be sacrificed. For instance, if two individuals were to perform the same number of repetitions, but one completes the set in 6 seconds and the other takes 60 seconds, is the training effect the same? Obviously not! Tempo is a training parameter that is quite often neglected. You can calculate total time under tension (TUT) of a set simply by multiplying tempo (add all 4 digits) and the number of repetitions performed.

The problem with tempo prescription is that cadence tends to vary among individuals and also between reps and sets. (Generally, the count speeds up as you fatigue!) For this reason, I recommend that you purchase a metronome - the Robic SC-700 Sports Chronometer available at Creative Health Products is a good choice. Set the watch to 60 beats per minute so that it beeps every second and try to keep the cadence uniform throughout the entire range of motion.

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The Best Protein Powder

What is the best protein powder to buy? I get this question all the time, and really, there is no best protein - many are very good for different reasons! In my opinion, it is futile and possibly detrimental to stick to only one brand for the following reasons:

a) I always recommend that you cycle your supplements so that your body does not get used to them thereby decreasing their effect,

b) for variety sakes alone, it breaks the monotony and allows you to try different brands,

c) to take advantage of the unique qualities offered by various brands, and

d) it is a good idea to switch the powders you use on a frequent basis to not develop any food intolerances or even worse allergies (I have an article coming out on this subject in the near future.) A blend that combines various protein sources (i.e. casein, egg, whey, and even beef if you can find it) is your best bet. I highly recommend the following: MD+ Myosin Protein Complex, Beverly International Muscle Provider, Biotest Low-Carb GROW!, and Dorian Yates Approved ProPeptide.

High-quality whey protein powders are excellent choices for post-workout nutrition since they get into your system fast to feed those depleted muscles. Casein, on the other hand, is a slow releasing protein as it recurdles into a solid in your gut prolonging digestion - this would be an ideal choice prior to your workouts or before going to bed.

Anyhow, as far as whey powders are concerned, amino acid complex profile determines quality. I have in my possession a list of protein powders that were analyzed for quality by an independent laboratory, but since I don't want any of these companies breathing down my neck, I will only divulge that information to my clients. Remember one thing, you get what you pay for! Keep that in mind. Also, some people are quite sensitive to aspartame and lactose so you will have to find free versions of those. Taste will ultimately determine whether you purchase that powder again. Write in with some of your feedback on these products - I'd love to hear your comments.

One more thing, you could even mix protein powder into other foods to up the protein content and improve the flavor. Mixing protein powder in (slow-cooked) oatmeal is one option, but here's another. I call it my "bedtime concoction." Add a scoop of Xtreme Formulations Ultra Peptide
(vanilla) to a mixture of ricotta (whey) and cottage (casein) cheese. Not only does this provide both an anabolic and anticatabolic effect during sleep, it also tastes amazing - it's like eating the cream filling of a cannoli without the pastry shell! Try it.

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Best Time to Train

What is the best time to train? First and foremost, when you can! However, research on circadian rhythms (your body's internal clock) indicate that the summation of several important (anabolic) hormones peak at 3 and 11 hours upon awakening. What does that mean in plain english? Well, according to science, if you wake up at 6:00 am, you are at your strongest at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. And, according to Olympic Strength Coach Charles Poliquin*, your joints (specifically, the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints) require about 3 hours to reach an optimal level of warmth which will help improve performance while decreasing the likelihood of injury. Also, some people require a meal before training (remember to allow at least 1 hour for digestion) to maintain adequate energy levels throughout their workout particularly in the morning; others don't. However, there is a difference between ideal conditions and reality!

Reality dictates that we train when we can regardless of what time it is. The important part is to get your workout in. Today's lifestyle is quite busy and hectic. Many people have a tendency to jeopardize their workouts later in the day because other priorities get in the way. For these individuals, I suggest working out first thing in the morning and getting it out of the way. Actually, some authorities believe that training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach will facilitate weight loss. Greg Landry is an Exercise Physiologist who highly recommends exercise in the morning for the following reasons (for more information send a blank email to Morning@Landry.com or visit http://www.Landry.com):

* 90% of people exercise consistently in the morning

* elevates metabolism and makes you feel energized all day long

* helps to regulate appetite

* makes it easier to wake up; hormones and metabolism elevate while
you sleep to prepare your body for exercise

* mental acuity is increased for 4-10 hours after exercise

While others believe that you should train at night because your strength will be higher since you have eaten during the day and energy levels should be elevated. Although, I would caution late night workouts as they may adversely affect sleep.

According to the opinion of Dr. Ann de Wees Allen, a Board Certified Doctor of Naturopathy, the above question should be rephrased: Are you a morning or night person? It's really that simple. She believes that we respond better during certain periods of the day and those are the times that we should train.

As stated above, this reflects our circadian rhythm - something that we are born with and cannot change. Subsequently, there will be times during the day that we are the strongest. This does not happen by chance. You must recognize those times and use them to your advantage. So, the answer, in her opinion, will have a big impact on your performance. Does it mean that you can't
workout at other times? No! But, it is a good idea to train at the same time each workout if possible - your body will naturally adjust to that time and prepare itself. If you are forced to change your workout time ,though, to accommodate your schedule, then allow 3 weeks for your body to get used to the new time (especially if you are unaccustomed to training first thing in the morning.) It usually takes about 3 weeks to form a habit.

Whatever you decide ... just make sure to train!

*Poliquin, C. "Question Of Strength." Golden, CO: Muscle Media 2000,
Inc. December, 1996. (pg. 58)

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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Electromagnetic Charges in Food!

"Taking in foods that take away more energy than they provide will lower Your bodies ability to deal with the natural processes of Digestion, assimilation and elimination."

Our bodies operate on a subtle electromagnetic current. Nerve signals are in fact electrical charges-your brain, heart, and all organs emit and create a Field of electrical current.

Your body's cells communicate with each other with pulses of Electricity. When we eat food our body breaks down the food particles into there Smallest size (COLLOIDS). A colloid is the smallest possible form of nutrient particle (generally - The size ranges from .01 to .00001 of a micron in diameter).

Then these nutrient particles are then carried to our cells through an Electrical charge. When you are choosing something to eat for high Energy, remember foods like fast foods, processed foods have low energy Frequencies, we are not providing the body with the electrical energy it Needs. By doing this we are requiring our body to exhaust electrical nerve Energy To run the digestive system to break down the food in your body.

This Basically means that the food that we are eating actually is taking more Energy than it is giving.

(The energy and foods we consume is measured In Megahertz, MHz)

Megahertz is a technical name for the electrical frequency charge Around Food. The foods we eat must be living and energetically - alive foods that Carry the proper nutrients to our cells and our body. If not we will become tired and sick.

Your probably asking yourself what percentage of energy (MHz) do I need in my food to become and stay healthy.

The megahertz charge range from 0 to 250 plus of MHz. Here are some Examples of the foods that we eat and the energy they provide.

Canned foods are the worst with 0 MHz, chocolate cake 1-3 MHz, Kentucky Fried chicken-3, Big Mac-5, vitamin/mineral supp 10 to 30, raw almonds 40 To 50, fruits-60 to 70,green vegetables 70 to 90. So if you want your body to be full of vibrancy and high electromagnetic Energy, (which will result in your body being able to properly Function, not to mention helping our bodies aging process as well) which foods will you try to eat?

Eat live and water enriched foods instead of processed foods. If anyone is interested in learning more about your bodies own Electromagnetic energy there is a good book called "Sick And Tired", The Author's Name is Dr. Robert Young. I met him in Hawaii When I was at a Tony Robbins seminar.

Ignite Your Fire Within!

My friends - Congratulations!

You have distinguished yourself from the masses, it's not good enough for you to just dream about it, your commitment is to achieve your health and fitness dreams.

Before your dreams can be a reality we MUST come from the frame of mind that anything is possible!!, and that your creator did not put us on this earth to suffer, but to grow, share and contribute. So that being the case, we ALL must have a special gift to share with the world. Most of the very successful people in the world would call that your purpose (mission). The only problem is that most people never realize there true gift. "Faith."

This is the power "Faith" that our creator has given us to accomplish are Fitness and life goals. As we attain are goals we simultaneously create a future and destiny for are lives!!

Now, who is committed to raise there standards and take massive action?

Remember, Your knowledge is only power if you act on what you have learned!!

Expect more of yourself, so you can give more of yourself!!

Love, Respect & Passion!

JAMES SPICER

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Clothes and Shoes and Stretching

Now that we have a trainer, our next concern is to be equipped with the proper shoes and clothes, so our training experience can be maximized.

If your trying to create a great body you need to start with clothes and shoes that will make you feel good as well as look good! {The reason behind that is if you look and feel good you will tend to be in a motivated state of mind, and in this state we build consistency, this is where results come from.}

What kind of clothes and shoes do I need you may ask? You could spend a few hundred dollars for designer workout gear and that would make you feel and look better, but all you need is some clean and comfortable clothes and shoes. Most discount stores sell designer replicas at a fraction of the cost.

I recommend layering your clothes and as you warm up take a piece of clothing off. Keeping warm helps protect your joints, until you fully warm up, so you don't get hurt. Now we have the proper equipment to get started.

Next I highly recommend incorporating a consistent stretching program, which will reduce injuries and produce greater results. I do 15 to 25 minutes per day as well as stretching in between exercises. The benefit of stretching is huge; it can make or break your training progress. As I describe training techniques each month I will go over the stretching to do for each body part. So you can achieve optimum results!!!

Here are some basic stretches you can start with to enhance your training and or walking program. Trunk Twists- Standing big and tall with good posture, feet shoulder distance apart, place your hands on your hips rotate your upper torso from right to left in a nice controlled manner. Repetitions of 15 to 30 per side will be enough.

Side Stretches- also standing tall with good posture, feet shoulder distance apart, your arms hanging to your side, slowly with your head up bend from one side, then the other. This focus is on stretching the outer muscles of your abs which is the oblique {commonly referred to as love handles}

Toe Touches- Standing tall with feet shoulder distance apart, arms hanging to your side, slowly, bend your torso touching your fingertips as close to your toes as you can get, without bouncing. This is a great stretch for your hamstrings and your lower back.

I normally recommend finishing your stretching warm up with a series of push- ups and sit-ups. All movements are to be slow and controlled at all times. While doing these stretches stand with your knees slightly bent to alleviate the pressure off your lower back.

Remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

I believe that the key of everybody’s personal journey is to develop faith in yourself, your creator and the people around you. Also condition yourself to believe that there is always a way if you’re committed.

If you fail just keep changing your approach until you succeed!
Remember to always be good to yourself and others.

Live Passionately
Warmest regards,
James Spicer

Contact James at http://www.walkablock.com/james

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Your body's "pH"

So what's all the shake up about anyway?.
To put it to you straight your body's ''pH'' is everything "Life Itself". If you ask most people about ''pH'' what do you think they associate it to?

With women chances are there subconscious has been programed with hair care and the importance of ''pH'' for a fuller & stronger head of hair. Men's associations are different, most men understand less about hair care, but more about ''pH'' levels of water. A prime example would be a 'swimming' pool man. His job is to check the ''pH'' levels of the water, so it's safe for others to swim.

An accurate association we all should adopt is the fish story! You may ask what's the fish story all about? Well, Lets say you have a fish tank full of fish. One day you come home to find all your once healthy fish have died. What do you do? Get rid of the fish tank and buy a cat? Buy more fish and hope they live longer than the last ones.

Whats the answer?

Change the water and clean up the fishes environment. You maybe asking how does this story relate to me? Well, think of the fish as your body and their water is your blood that your cells and organs bathe in. Now imagine you subject your body's internal fluids every day to toxins and acids from smoking, drugs, excessive intake of foods & the wrong kinds of foods. (Acid producing foods like Dairy, soda's, coffee, sugar and animal proteins). The over consumption of acid forming foods, and any number of transgressions which will compromise the delicate balance of our internal alkaline fluids.

A chronically over acidic ''pH'' corrodes body tissue, slowly eating into 60,000 miles of veins and arteries like acid eating through marble. If left unchecked, it will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of your heart to the neural firing of your brain. Overacidifcation interferes with life itself, leading to all sickness and disease.

How do we prevent this from happening?

We must first understand the two most important numbers of the body. The first one is the delicate temperature of the body, 98.6 percent, Lets say that are body temperature heats up only 4-6 degrees, what happens? We get very sick and if not lowered there is a good chance we could die (burn up from the inside out.)

The other number we must focus on is are ''pH'' level. To be healthy it must be maintained at 7.356 on a 'pH' scale of 0-14."0" being total acid (Death) and 14 being total alkaline also fatal.

pH definition

pH is the measurement of hydrogen ions. Increased hydrogen ions (less bonding) result in a drop of the pH (more acidic water), while a decrease results in a pH rise.

pH = power of hydrogen.

pH is measured on a scale from 0-14. The neutral value is 7, while values below are more acidic (towards a car battery) and values above 7 more basic (towards dish soap).

pH has a logarithmic function (mathematical - meaning ten-fold). In other words, a change in pH from 7 to 6 means 10 times more acidic water. A further drop to a pH of 5 equals 100 times more acidic water

So for our bodies and organs to work at their optimum efficiency we must be at 7.365 ''pH'' level. At this point you may be thinking this is to technical! To be honest it's very easy. First you need to ask yourself a few questions. Am I unhappy with how I look? How I feel or am I aging to fast? If the answer to anyone or all of these questions is yes, you now have the motivation to change.

The key to making this kind of program work for you is to decide that how you are feeling or how you are looking is no longer exceptable and you will do what ever it takes to create your new outcome.

You may be saying this type of program makes sense (Internal health.) I am also motivated to make it happen, but how do I know when my ''pH'' is at a healthy level? The first way to know is to go out and buy ''pH'' strips at your local drug store or health food store. Make sure you use them on an empty stomach in the morning to get an accurate reading. The other way is to follow an alkaline diet. What kinds of foods can I eat?
Now remember, don't think you have to change everything over night. The plan I used was the gradual pHase, where I added green foods & green supplements slowly. Asparagus, spinach, celery, cauliflower, soy sprouts, carrots, High protein lentils, tofu & almonds to list a few. Before I new it I was craving them all the time.

After three months on green & alkaline foods and an outstanding green drink product called Supergreens by Innerlight I felt like a new man in his 20's, not bad for a man 40 plus.
My other great surprise was that I developed better tone & muscle than I had on a typical bodybuilding diet that I had been on previously.
In life we are so busy making a living that we lose what the real purpose of life is. Part of your purpose is to create the body & energy that can take you to the mountain top of success. As long as you focus on being better than you are at this moment, no matter how good it is, all of life's rewards will be yours for the taking.

Warmest Regards,
James Spicer
James Spicer, Fitness trainer
e-mail: NLPT4U@aol.com
http://www.walkablock.com/james
Neuro- Fit - All Rights Reserved 2002

Please visit James at http://www.walkablock.com/james to learn what makes James tick!!

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Our Future

I’m back from Hawaii; it was ten days of physical and emotional mastery. We went from learning from twenty of the planets best speakers in their field, to being pushed physically with a fifty foot pole climb, and then, flying fifteen feet like a free bald eagle to a hanging trapeze. These were some of the most invigorating experiences of my life.

If that wasn't enough, a record, forty plus foot firewalk in the most tropical paradise in the world was the next challenge.

As I looked in the beautiful starstudded Hawaiian sky. I noticed off to my right was a full moon. I reminded myself, as I took the first step of my new destiny, of my total love and gratitude for myself and the world. The amazing thing that came over me was that I wanted to make the planet a better place to live for myself and others as well as leaving all my fear behind that has stopped me in the past.

It was one of the most incredible spiritual experiences of my life and all those extraordinary rewards came from raising my standards. I’m so proud of you, that have raised your standards, since we have introduced walkablock.

Let me tell you this. The key to being in the best shape of your life spiritually, physically and mentally is to

1. continually raise your standards,

2. doing what others refuse to do
and when you focus on this not only will your body, mind and spirit transform, you will be altering your destiny as well.

One of my outcomes is to impact our future children. I have a major concern and I hope you can help. (Our CHILDREN)

It makes me so sad to see where our future is going. All you have to do is open your eyes to see how unhealthy, lonely and depressed many of our children are, this should not be the case. We live in a world where the potential to live fulfilled lives is at an all time high, so what's the problem?

Why are our children
killing each other,
having learning disabilities,
being grossly overweight,
virtually selfdestucting?

My opinion is the lack of love, dicipline and structure. I believe a change could be accomplished by incorporating physical and mental exercise as well as proper nutrition that will balance their insulin level and blood sugar levels and you will find you have happier children. I beg you to consider making this a major focus in your life. If we save the children, we will save our world and our future. It makes no sense to be in the shape of your life when the children are slowly dying.

Let's get together and commit to do whatever it takes.

It has been an incredible honor sharing these thoughts with you and I will leave you with this

Who you are, is a gift FROM GOD,
Who you become, is a gift TO GOD.

Warmest regards,
James Spicer,
e-mail: NLPT4U@aol.com

See James at http://www.walkablock.com/james

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How to Pick a Trainer?

Quick Overview- I think the most important thing for people starting a workout program is to keep moving, so I highly recommend starting with a basic walking regiment ie. {like walk around the block}

I'm not the typical trainer, I don't think people want the stereotypical trainer you get at most clubs. My focus is more on "WHY" we do what we do, or don't do. So I like to think of myself as a life coach!

Here is a little of what I teach:

1. Relationship between pain versus fear
2. Mental State, management
3. Power moves
4. Body physiology
5. Breathing for peak performance
6. Goal setting as it relates to taking action on your health and fitness program.

Our topic this month is,
"How do you pick the Right Trainer for YOU".
It can be a complicated process. You want the best trainer for your buck. So what do you do?

My belief is, you need to investigate and interview different prospective trainers.

Here are a few tips of what to ask:

1. How long have they been training?

2. How many clients do they have?

3. What are their specialties? ie. {nutrition, weight loss, muscle building etc.}

4. Ask for any references of past or present clients?

5. Are they certified or have they ever been certified?

In my professional opinion a trainer must possess these skills:

1. Making the client feel comfortable
2. Have strong communication skills
3. Be a teacher instead of a boss.

Without these skill, in my observation, a trainer may have all the credentials in the world but will not be able to complete the task at hand.

"Motivate and develop results in the client".

These are some of the strategies I recommend when looking for a trainer.

* Create your enjoyment, Remember everything comes to people that have the ability to create constant pleasure for themselves and others,
* A need to push themselves to continually grow.
* Success, money, love and virtually anything you want will manifest itself when you have the ability to control your emotional states.

LIVE IN THE STATE OF PASSION

Warmest regards,
James Spicer
Founder, "Neuro-Fit Fitness"
You can visit James at:
walkablock.com/james

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Friday, August 29, 2008

Questioning Proper Abdominal Training

Questioning Cardio for Weight Loss?

Joint Pain Relief

They Don't Know Squat!

Speed of Movement & the Mighty Metronome

The Best Protein Powder

Best Time to Train

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Electromagnetic Charges in Food!

Clothes and Shoes and Stretching

Your body's "pH"

Our Future

How to Pick a Trainer?

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