My love for dead lifting over the years has grown immensely.  Not just because I decided to compete in bodybuilding, but because of the magnitude of benefits this exercise has for your entire body.


In complete honesty I did not attempt dead lifting until I was 32 years old,  coincidentally it was around the time I decided to do my first show.  

Why did I wait so long?  

There were a few reasons and I think a lot of people may have thought or continue to think the same things I once did.  

Reason number one, I was scared of injury, yes that doesn't happen to often with me in the gym, but after you break your back at the age of 21 you really think to yourself can and should I do this.
  
Reason number two, was I doing it correctly.  The most important and I can not stress this enough is your form.  I am sure you all have friends or know of someone that has tweaked their back with dead lifts, it actually happens more often then not if your form is incorrect even with experienced lifters.

Reason number three, do I really need to do this exercise, was it that important? After all I was doing back weekly and felt pretty strong doing the normal moves.

Well, things changed for me.  The more I read and researched the more I realized the importance of this exercise and if I was going to take lifting seriously and compete with the big boys, it was time to be a big boy and leave my fear behind.

The 411 with dead lifts.

I am sure most of you know what a dead lift is or at the very least have heard of it. For those who aren't completely sure here you go.....

The dead lift is usually performed with a barbell and plates.  There are a few variations that can be done, but I will stick to the simple straight forward move.  

1. The first step when properly performing a dead lift is your stance.  You typically grab at a shoulder width stance inside of arms are against the outside of your thighs, the bar pretty much against your shins while griping the bar with an overhand or over under grip (meaning one overhand and one underhand).
2. Step two is adjusting your body after the grip and stance is in place.  You want to make sure your spine is neutral, chest is up, shoulders back contracted and never rounded.  Before you start the movement up you should tighten your glutes (butt muscle) in order to have full power through the move.
3. Step three is the lift. As you start to bring the weight up you want to keep the bar as close to your body as possible, you may bang or rub your shins with the bar, push from the balls of your feet to pick the bar off the ground, you have to initiate your entire lower half of the body to generate power at the beginning of the move.  As you get about half way up (around your knees) you allow your upper body to take over the move until you get to mid to upper thighs in order to lock out at the top of the move. 
4. Step four is the decent back down to the ground.  As you locked out at the top of the move around mid thigh to upper thigh, you will repeat step three by initiating your lower body to control the decent the same way you came up.  Control should be kept throughout the move unlike most who mainly drop the weight back to the floor.  Not known by many but the deceleration aspect of the muscle actually aids immensely in muscle development.

As I mentioned before there are other variations such as Sumo, Straight Leg and Quadricep dead lifts.
 
Preference is a big deal when it comes to any type of lifting.  Some believe in belts, straps, gloves, wraps etc, will others do not.  I was always the guy that didn't want to use anything because in my mind it was unnecessary but that changed with dead lifts, yes its true, I made a change and it turned out for the better when I invested in my first belt.

Why is this move so important?

When looking to build muscle mass quickly Squats is always seen as the go to exercise but I truly believe that the dead lift can build both upper and lower body strength and mass faster then any other exercise out there.  This is my opinion but I can tell you that as my dead lift PRs went up, every other exercise that I do during my programs jumps at significant rates.  Coincidence, I think not!

Muscles used:

When preforming a dead lift correctly, these are the muscles that are reaping all the benefits:  The back (obvious), glutes, hips and pelvic muscles, legs, arms, shoulders and traps.  Sounds to me like a full body workout!

Who should perform a dead lift?

I personally see this as a must for anyone in some variation.  There are so many positive things that come along with this move that it would be not the smartest of decisions to ignore this exercise.  

All I ask is to try it and see.  You don't have to do heavy weight, you don't have to do a thousand reps, you just need to do it correctly.  I would also suggest asking someone for help to look at your form, video tape it to see what you look like or use mirrors.  

I hope this sheds some light into one of my now favorite exercises.

If you have any further questions, still hesitant to try please reach out to me to discuss and I can help you find some sort of variation to perform.

enaturalshredz@gmail.com

Fitness, Diet, Nutrition, Gym, Workouts, Supplements, Exercise, and Accountability; what do all these have in common?

Words of a plan.

A plan that will set you on your journey towards a goal.  

Whether it is a large or small goal the most important aspect is to set a plan, figure out how to accomplish that plan and then attack it.  

My feeling is that if you do not have a plan in place then you are setting yourself up for failure.  Any fitness goal has key attributes that you need to look into. There really are no easy routes to take for making changes in your life.  

Change sucks, I 100% agree with you!!  

A wise and successful man once told me that if you feel comfortable then you aren't challenging yourself to reach your full potential.  It's the feeling of coming outside of that box and pushing yourself to obtain which you once thought was impossible.  That is what makes you!

Its like this with any fitness goal as well.  We get comfortable with eating a certain way, doing the same exercises over and over, not understanding what supplements are necessary because our body can not naturally get from food and we give up because change isn't happening quick enough.

Well, I am here to tell you first hand that its very important to have someone with knowledge in today's world.  I say this not to offend anyone, but what I am trying to say is things over time change, there are new and improved ways to do things, more science behind how the human body works and a better understanding of supplements and the need to consume for a healthier lifestyle.  

I run into a lot of people at the gym that tells me that Joe from X supplement shop knows his stuff, he has been around for years and wouldn't steer them wrong.  Well, in all respect for Joe, he probably has great knowledge, but somewhere he didn't realize that the fitness world evolved.  

I will be the first to tell you, I do not and will not know everything ever.  I too have a coach who helps me immensely with my diet when I get in a rut, it happens to us all.  But there is no way my plan would work without having him to ask questions to.  

The plan you put in place needs to be concrete but can also have flexibility because you are going to need to change things so they work for you.  I am big advocate that it will always be you against you and what my buddy is doing may not work for me.  Besides the obvious, we all have different genetics to work with.

Change will be a necessity to reach your goals, you will need to change your food choices up to grow and refuel as well as timing of your meals.  Your workouts need to be different and re-worked IMO every 4-5 weeks, different could mean a number of things which include doing your workout backwards, super sets, drop sets, rest pause etc.  Supplements have to be taken at the right times throughout the day and you should never continually use pre-workout drinks, natural test boosters, thermogenics (fat loss pills) or any other supplement that is unnecessary because you need to let your body flush. Water consumption is also key for many reasons as well.

The last piece is being accountable. This probably is one of the toughest aspects of the plan, simply because it is easy to throw in the towel.  This is why I suggest having someone by your side that will pick you up mentally on those days you want to just sit there.  

I personally love working out with a partner because he pushes me when I am not feeling 100%, its works vice versa as well.  If you can't have a partner then ask a friend to start a challenge with you, talk to them daily and check in to make sure both of you are following the plan.  Ask a spouse to get involved and push each other, or even have your kids try things with you.  You could even get them involved by simply taking pictures of you doing things and then tell them that you will take pictures of them.  I do see this and it works!

PLAN, I can not stress this enough.  Educate yourself, ask questions and don't be scared to fail because it happens, but make sure that failure drives you to pick yourself back up and tackle it again until you reach your goal.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions!  I am more then happy to get help you on your journey!

enaturalshredz@gmail.com

 

One of the most common questions I receive daily is about my diet, what I eat, how often I eat, when I eat and the list goes on.

First, I want to say this.  Dieting to me isn't about eating a certain way for x amount of weeks. My diet is a lifestyle that I have adapted to.  It is how I live my life based on the goals I have set.

Is there a text book way to diet? No! 

Can someone else follow my nutrition plan directly? No! 

Can someone get an idea from my food choices to set a meal plan for themselves? Absolutely!

I think a lot of people believe there is a simple plan to follow and BOOM, you're where you want to be.  In reality setting up a nutrition plan is a test phase in the beginning; trying to figure out what works for you food wise, the timing that works best for you and understanding as you go what your body responds to best.

The toughest aspect when it comes to changing you're nutrition plan is the mental aspect. Mentally you have to be prepared that things will not be easy what so ever! This is when the motivation or reason you decided to start this journey needs to overcome this obstacle.

Currently I have two very close friends, we will call them Slim and Fred. 

Slim has always been very skinny, but he has a difficult time with energy, why, because he doesn't eat.  He is the guy who thinks if he eats he will put on too much weight and will be out of his comfort zone. In reality he eats maybe 2-3 times a day, meal one consists usually of two donuts, maybe a sandwich for lunch and by 7pm a very small meal that he never finishes because he says he is full.  You are probably wondering where he gets any energy from, well he has on average 3-4 iced coffees a day loaded with cream and sugar.  He also doesn't drink any other fluids throughout the day and if he snacks its on chips.  His exercise is very minimal, because he has no energy. 

Fred, is a little different. He is over 6 feet, about 205 lbs and visits the gym frequently.  His main goal currently is to cut up a little, but he has been having issues doing this because of his poor diet and lack of sleep due to working 2 separate manual labor jobs at 80 hours per week.  He eats very sporadic, usually consumes some sort of breakfast, bagel sandwich, lunch maybe, a sandwich, nilla wafers when he gets home, protein after the gym, a few coffees a day with cream and sugar, and usually a decent dinner while consuming about 100oz a day of water.  

Slim and Fred both had a goal, they both wanted to eat better, which I was more then willing to help.  I put together a meal plan for them, spoke with them at great length about what they needed to do and explained to them how mentally tough it was going to be to start. They told me that they both could do it and wanted to do it.  So we put the plan in place and off they went for their trial run.

I checked in with them day 1, both were doing much better, after all it was day 1 right!  Well, after I was finished with Basketball I decided to check in again, what I found is temptation was too much and one was having a corona and eating oreos, while the other was eating crackers!  

This is what I mean about the mental game, it is so incredibly important to have this under control.  Without having the mindset and the motivation to accomplish a goal, it falters.  

Trust me, I have issues all the time.  I like to eat, my friends know this well. I could sit there and eat food all day, not just normal food but desserts, boy I can be awful. Pizza, who doesn't like pizza, ok well one person I know doesn't like cheese on their pizza, that's an entire different story though, back to my point.  There is a lot of temptation that I deal with daily, but I have control, why, because I have a goal.

Most people think I am just not normal and live in a world that they couldn't and wouldn't want to live in.  In some aspects this is very true, I have goals when it comes to fitness that others do not want or care for, I get that! But many people out there are not happy with the way they look and feel but ignore this with excuses.  

I for one do not want you to be like me, what I want is for you to be you.  If you have a goal large or small, then take baby steps to go get it.  But before you go off and start following a program because Joey from down the street told you how he lost X amount of pounds, remember you aren't Joey, you are you.

Dieting is and will always be based on you and how much you put into it, no one can do anything for you.  You have to listen to your body, be accountable, be determined and realize it will always be you against you.

I think when it comes down to any goal, your support staff is vital, why because you are going to have shitty days. Tombstone days as my friend Andy Frisella speaks about, days where you just don't want to get up, trust me we all have them.

I just want you to know, that dieting or changing your lifestyle will not be easy, but I will tell you if you stick to it, it becomes contagious!  The second you notice a change, it mentally puts your game to the next level wanting more, while expanding your goals. There is nothing wrong with this, its the power of self determination, one of the greatest attributes we can portray.

Remember you can do anything you set your mind to and I am here to be your support in any way that I can be!  

Its time to begin!

Email:

enaturalshredz@gmail.com

How many of you out there are stumbling through your workout wondering why you feel so drained?

I thought this would be a great follow up from yesterday's blog about rest.  Plus I have been a culprit of over training by not listening to the obvious signs from my body in order to take a step back.

In reality over training is different then working hard.  Every since I can remember it was always said hard work pays off.  Although I believe that is the case in your career setting, I find it completely wrong for the workout junkie.  What it really should be is hard work pays off in the correct setting!

Which bring us to the fact of the day.....What is over training?

If I had to come up with a definition I would categorize it as an imbalance between work and recovery.  

The big point on this is the fact that your body has no chance to catch up and repair itself to perform at a high level, or even a normal level for that matter.  You put yourself in harms way of many issues with your health while becoming more pron to injury.

To get a better understanding how your body reacts to its threshold here is a short list of possible signs you may be over training:

1. Fatigued, drained feel like crap after what normally is a great workout.
2. Weird Aches and Pains in joints.
3. having trouble sleeping, restless at night.
4. Having trouble finishing your workout
5. Get sick more often then usual.
6. Your putting on weight even though you are always working out.
7. You train every day of the week at a high intensity
   

If you ever encounter any of these signs I would suggest re-evaluating your schedule and plan to take some time off.

Over training can be a huge thorn in your side, it takes away from any growth with muscle, endurance and/or flexibility. 

The best and in my opinion the only way to combat over training is to REST!  

When this did happen to me I took 1 week off from the gym, re-evaluated my diet and made sure that my sleep was back to normal before I picked up another weight. This was not easy to do what so ever, but when it came down to it was the best decision I made in order to get me back on track. 




If you have any questions, or think you may be over training please do not hesitate to reach out.  I am here to help you reach any and all your fitness goals!

enaturalshredz@gmail.com

TGIF!!!

Rest, a word for me that is extremely tough to take in, why because I am one of those people that thinks I can do everything and anything no matter what.  

Over the years I can admit that I have done more then I should of without realizing it, but it wasn't because I didn't want to take a break, but I like many others that I know, felt that if I did rest, I was taking a step backwards with my goals.

My mind set was stuck! If you challenged me I would accept that challenge. Tell me I can't and I will, it was that simple.

After some time I came to realization that I was not getting any younger, my body was a temple and in order for me to continue progressing it was time to take a step back and incorporate days of rest.

What is the importance of a rest day?

The very first time I realized I was over doing it came with demanding schedule of competing in natural bodybuilding.  

I can not speak for everyone just myself, but it wasn't until I got a taste of the stage after my first show that things got out of control. I became that person that wanted to push myself to the limits, without letting the engine every rest.  I was so set on the goal at hand that I lost control of what I was doing to the inside of my body.

I think for most of us, we do not understand how precious and delicate our organs are.  I thought I get rest when I sleep, but was I getting enough sleep?  I combated that with I am fueling myself correctly, so I will be fine, but forgetting that I was also depleting myself.  

It didn't matter at the time, because I viewed myself as a well oiled machine.

Well, that quickly changed after my show in 2014 and my last show in 2015, after I had a scare in May of 2014 which I had found myself in hospital bed with irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, and liver enzymes that were through the roof.  All that stress and not giving myself a break finally caught up with me.

Obviously, bodybuilding was not something you just do, and to get my body fat down to 2-3% naturally was in my eyes insane, but I loved the thrill of showing how hard I worked!

The general rule when it comes to rest, especially with the lifting aspect is to allow the muscle group that you trained at the very least 48 hours to rest and recover.  This really depends on a few factors though which include intensity of the training, your age and your experience.

When we lift we create microscopic tears which is how muscle is built, but without the proper rest those tears can never be repaired.  This leaves you open and pron for injuries.

I personally still train 5-6 days a week in my off-season, which you would think makes it more difficult to get the required 48 hours.  However, I do space out the workout splits to allow at least 48 hours in between, it just takes time to make a schedule that works.

What role does sleep play?

Sleep is probably in my mind one of the most important aspects when you are heavily into training because this is the time that your body works the hardest to repair.  

What is meant by sleep is a solid REM sleep (7-8 hours), reason being is it increases your GH levels while lowering cortisol levels, extremely important when looking to build and maintain muscle. 

What are some additional benefits of rest?

Simply stated resting prevents injuries from over training, performance won't diminish, you allow your immune system to stay in tip top shape, and mentally you will be able to focus on tasks more thoroughly.

Over training can also prevent you from sleeping!  If you are one of those people constantly working out and trying to figure out why can't sleep, well here is the answer.

In conclusion, it all comes down to listening to your body and understanding that rest will actually help more then hurt.  It took me a long time to realize this, but I guess sometimes you really do have to live and learn.

For any questions that you may have please email me directly:
enaturalshredz@gmail.com

One of the main reasons I decided to start a blog was by request of friends and family who said flat out you need to write this stuff up, its very motivational.

I guess when it comes down to anything in life I have always had drive, but what I did not notice was how I was able to motivate others with that drive.

My motivation came from obstacles that were put in front of me.  I thrived on how hard something was going to be or how uncomfortable it made me feel.  It was to always prove to myself that if I really wanted something I could get there.  It may have not been quick, it sure wasn't easy, it actually may have turned people away from me, but I had that goal and I was going to get it and if I didn't the first time I wasn't going to stop until I did or had to.

Some of us are just mentally built this way and fortunately I am one of these people.

Motivation is defined as the act or the instance of motivating, or providing with a reason to act in a certain way; having a strong reason to act or accomplish something.

When it comes down to fitness one of the toughest things to overcome is commitment to the goal.  We all have a certain goal in mind but how many are strong enough to reach the finish line, this is where that motivation comes in.

There are so many days that I walk into that gym and ask myself why I am there, its human, but in hindsight I already accomplished one of the biggest steps, just being there.  Most people do not realize the importance of this, being there or starting that run, walk, bike or any other activity is a goal in itself.  You committed to getting to that point for a purpose, so why stop there?

You ever walk by an older women or gentlemen who looks fantastic or see them at the gym every time you walk in?  I know I have, and boy does that motivate me.  It motivates me for a couple reason, one it shows me that its possible to stay fit no matter what age you are, two it shows me drive that I want to continue to have.

I had a lifting partner for 8 years that actually motivated me more then he knew, he was always there and ready to go, positive attitude every damn day and never complained about anything. He still goes at it every day, why, because he has a goal, it may not be to get huge, ripped up or even a bodybuilder, instead its about his overall health and feeling good about himself.

I have plenty of friends that work their asses off outside of the gym, who have children and have very little time to themselves, but they find the time, it may not be as much as they want it to be, but they do what they can.  I am so motivated by them.  The ability to juggle so many things but find a way to take care of themselves as well.

Motivation is contagious if you let it be. 

I try and tell people that it isn't about how much weight you can put up, how fast you can run, how athletic you are.  Its about finding you and what goals you want to reach and how you will get there.  

When I train people I have them tell me what they want out of this time and make it clear to them that it is not going to be easy, but if they really want it then you need to put the time in and hold onto that reason.    

I am beyond flattered when people ask me for advice/help/ideas. I love sharing all my personal knowledge, helping people get back on track and then being able to see their smile when the goal is accomplished.

Well, what is your motivation?  We all have that something, so use it.  

For any questions:
email me ==> enaturalshredz@gmail.com 

Personally I have never been a coffee drinker, weird being here in the northeast when everything runs on dunkin.  I have friends that drink 3-4 coffees a day during the winter and make the switch to ice in the summer.  

Coffee just doesn't sit right with me, however I must admit that coffee ice cream works for me, yes I can be very odd, but that is what makes me who I am. 

This blog isn't about coffee but something that I do drink, Green Tea!

Green Tea in all honesty was no where in my plan up until 3 years ago. I actually needed something to give me a boost one day at the office, we had a Keurig machine, Green Tea so it made sense to give it a try. 

My first impression was that it wasn't bad at all, but I can tell you it gave me a good pick me up! That is when I started to look further into the benefits of Green Tea.

I think the main reason why I didn't mind the Green Tea was because there was no need to put cream, milk or sugar into it, it was fine as is.  No extra calories, energy boost and other great nutritional aspects, the love commenced. 

Well, with that said, you may be asking what benefits can Green Tea give me?

For one, it is packed with bioactive compounds (antioxidants) that combat free radicals from forming while protecting cells from damage.  

It doesn't just give you energy, it can also make you smarter.  Although, it does not have as much caffeine as coffee, it has just enough to stimulate a response.  Caffeine has been known to create an effect in the brain that improves its function in a positive way. However, it also has the amino acid L-theanine, which works together with caffeine to enhance brain function even more.  

Some studies show that green tea burns fat by boosting the metabolic rate by up to 17%.

Has the properties to reduce the risk of cancer with the numerous antioxidants it supplies to the body to fight free radicals. 

It has the properties to fight bacteria in the mouth against dental problems along with bad breath. 

Can help in the fight against Type II diabetes by supporting insulin sensitivity and reducing blood sugar levels.


Improves total cholesterol by lowering your LDL cholesterol which in turn will fight cardiovascular disease.

Why wouldn't anyone want these benefits in a simple drink?

I for one have a cup every morning now.  I am a huge believer that it has contributed to my health goals in more then one way

Why not give it a try and see if it can replace one of your cups of coffee?  Its obvious that it won't hurt you!

As always I am hoping to give options to you in order to live a healthier and happy lifestyle.


For any questions please feel free to get in touch with me.  It could be anything from nutrition, work out ideas/plans or just pure motivation.  Don't be shy!

enaturalshredz@gmail.com 

We all have a love hate relationship with carbs, after all you find this macronutrient in almost all foods healthy and unhealthy, but do we actually know why carbs are essential for your body?

I personally never realized the importance of carbs for the human body until I started doing bodybuilding shows, it was one of those eye opening moments that made you say, "now that makes sense".

Yes, carbs get an awful rap in general since most of us can blame our weight gain on carbs, but lets take a step back and realize one thing, there are such things as good and bad carbs. 

How unfair is that??? 

It was miserable learning that warm chocolate cookies wouldn't fit the bill with my health goals, damn it!!

Well, What is a carbohydrate and where are they found?

A majority of carbs are found in naturally occurring plant based foods such as grains, however as time evolved manufacturers started to add more and more into our food in the form of starch and added sugars.

Good carbs can be found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes.

Carbs are broken down into three segments; Sugars, Starch, and Fiber.

Sugars can be naturally occurring in such things as fruits (fructose),  milk (lactose) and table sugar (sucrose).

Starch is a type of sugar that is bonded together and mainly found in foods such as veggies, grains,and beans.

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate found in grains, fruits and beans.

Carbs can also be classified by their glycemic index, simply based on the foods ability to raise your blood sugar level.  Most of us have seen or read about the importance of maintaining a good diet with low glycemic carbs such as fruits and veggies.

There is also talk about NET CARBS, which is done by subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohol values from the overall carb value. Although this has become popular when watching your carb intake it is not approved by the FDA as a standard.

Why do we need carbs?

Even with all the bad talk carbs are essential for many reason but the three most important are ENERGY, CONTROLLING WEIGHT, and FIGHTING DISEASE.

OK, so are we confused, carbs help control weight?

That's right, even after hearing all of the hoopla with these no carb diets, which let it be said, can not prove in any fashion their claims, it clearly is not healthy in any way.  In fact, there is plenty of documentation that states exactly the opposite and why carbs such as fruits, veggies and grains will control your weight. 

As for energy, sustained energy that is, comes from carbs, not the 4 coffees you consumed today or the preworkout you took before the gym.  Ever notice how lethargic you can be when you don't eat, or why you were able to lift more the week before, well without carbs your body can not produce energy.

How do I choose?

When choosing any carbs you want to make sure that you are choosing whole grains, limiting added sugars, and high fiber options.  Try also to eat more beans and stick to low fat dairy products.

In conclusion, carbohydrates are essential for many reasons but again you need to choose wisely.

If you have any questions, I can always be reached at enaturalshredz@gmail.com.

Fuel the machine!

Who out there doesn't like big biceps, ok maybe not huge but something that distinguishes your forearm from your bicep!

Basic anatomy of the bicep

There are two heads that make up the bicep.  The short head, which is found closest to your pecs and the long head which is found on the outer (lateral) part of your arm.

We all aren't bodybuilders so why should we care about these two heads, biceps are biceps to most people.

Simply because the long head controls shoulder stability and promotes supination also associated with shoulder stability.  This is also the most prone for injury, and if injured you will have a hard time with any type of press.  While from an aesthetic point of view this is also what gives you that great peak when flexing.

Long head exercise.

One of my favorite arm exercises is the incline dumbbell curl which can be performed in many different variations but I will just focus on one.

How do you start?

You have a few choices with this, I prefer the bench as it is pure isolation on my long head of my bicep.  Your other choice is to use a plyo ball, but this method isn't as isolated since your delts are being used as well.

Since I incorporate using the bench a vast majority of the time, lets explain this process.

I typically would set my incline at about 4 (using a life fitness bench), have my dumbbells on my thighs, lay back on the bench as if I was going to do incline press. Once set in this position bring the dumbbells straight down to the side of the bench, depending on if you have lanky arms like me, you will be a few inches above the floor. 

My movement will be full range of motion starting with a little bend in my arms closest to the floor. As I curl the dumbbells up towards my chest, I try to lock my elbows as much as possible to my hip area in order to get that full isolation.  I do not break the contraction at the top of the curl, meaning I keep full contraction throughout the movement without the muscle ever relaxing.

To add a little more emphasis I also work the negative aspect of the curl, meaning slowly returning to the starting position after the curl.  If this is done correctly the burn is out of this world.

Your other option is to do the curls together or alternating, either way works just as good, but I will warn you, doing them together you may not be able to put up the same weight as you would alternating.

By making a simple adjustment with your hands an curling them more outward then straight up and down will focus more on your short head. As you can see there is many different possibilities with simple angle movement.

Try this exercise out and see why it is a part of my arsenal!

For any questions or looking for more ideas please email me directly at enaturalshredz@gmail.com.

Now get after it!

I am sure a majority of us who have spoken with any fitness person have heard the term "Fasted Cardio".  If not, your question may be what is this?

Fasted Cardio is simply performing cardio early in the morning upon waking on an empty stomach.

Before I get into this a little further I am putting out a disclaimer that most of this will be based on my personal experience since there is no concrete data that can give a true conclusion.

Lets first look at the science aspect of the body.  

When you wake up in the morning your body has gone through the repair and re-build process during your REM sleep.  Since this is the case we know two things, we haven't eaten in awhile and sleep (resting) has used up a vast majority of your glycogen stores, to repair itself.  

Knowing both those aspects we need to bring in another aspect, blood glucose.  Blood glucose is at the lowest first thing in the morning which means your insulin is low.  Fat oxidation happens faster when insulin is low.  Hence the conversation that fasted cardio will burn more fat.

Pretty cut and dry right?

Actually no, lets look at like this.  Your body rebuilds during sleep and as it is doing this it takes aminos acids and turns them into glucose, which means when you decided to do your cardio first thing, your body will burn fat mostly but will also tap into your muscles since it is searching for aminos to support your muscles from breaking down as they work.  This obviously isn't good if you are trying to build muscle.

What are some other factors?

Another key factor is lean muscle mass.  Since the body adapts to our routines it has been said that people with more lean muscle can oxidate fat quicker with much better results then with someone who is untrained or just beginning their journey.

Conclusion, is Fasted Cardio worth it?

In my opinion and with some minimal research over the years fasted cardio will be beneficial in the long run, why, because it gets your body going and in a state of total depletion.  But this will only work as long as you drink a good fast absorbing protein shake and replenish your BCAAs immediately following the workout.  You can also think about taking in some BCAAs prior to your session to make sure you are supporting that hard muscle that you have earned.

Also, and this is my opinion,  HIIT fasted cardio is much more beneficial since it is usually performed in a shorter time frame ( I typically do 20-30 min) and your body will continually burn throughout the day. Compared to low intensity which usually needs to be done for a minimum of 45 minutes to 1 hour without feeling the same burning effect throughout the day.

In addition, I always found that as I started to get into the single digits of body fat percentage morning fasted HIIT cardio always found a way to attack my trouble areas almost as if they were being targeted.

I hope this sheds some light on the subject!

If you have any questions or comments please reach out to me!