Lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, I can’t get enough of it. After two weeks of staying true to my workout regimen of isolating muscle groups only six days out of the week and then dedicating one day to cardio only, I broke that promise to myself this past week, isolating chest last night when it was supposed to be a steady state cardio night. Hey, a few hours later at six this morning, I did get that cardio workout in, so no harm done, right? What am I looking to do tonight? Shoulders.
Honestly, I really just can’t wait until I do legs again. I’m guessing my return to the leg circuit is going to be Wednesday, October 15th, or at least that is in my initial plans. My ever so nagging knee will ultimately be the deciding factor in that. So, what does this ‘Return of the King’ workout going to look like? See my initial plans:
Barbell Squats: 4-5 sets/10-15 reps- Not going too heavy on these too soon.
Tactical Lunges with Kettlebells: 3 sets/12 reps per leg
super-set Single Leg Kettle Bell Squats: 3 sets/12 reps per leg plus 12 jumps per leg
Smith Machine Leg Presses (this destroys the leg press machine): 3 sets/15-20 reps
super-set Barbell Lateral Lunge (you can go really, really deep here, but stay balanced): 3 sets/Over length of gym/back)
Box Jumps: 4 sets/30 seconds
super-set: Explosive Step-Ups: 4 sets/30 seconds
When it comes to legs, I like to use all free weights while throwing in the leg extension and leg curl machines on a bi-weekly basis (when my knee is up to training). I also like to utilize the kettlebells. There are some really advanced movements here, so if you have to, substitute a few of these movements, such as the sled leg press for the smith machine leg press, lunge for tactical lunge, use lower boxes for the jumps and step-ups if needed or simply just do jump squats and standard step-ups.
Currently ten days out of my final show of the season, the NPC Natural Pennsylvania. This is by far the leanest I have looked all year, and in life. My secret is simple: consistency. Sure, I preach the importance of nutrition, but both training and nutrition go hand in hand. In this equation, these two elements equal consistency. Consistency is key. Consistency is everything.
I really cannot wait until this show has passed, so I can display progress pictures from the three previous shows of 2014 to everyone just to see what six and a half months can do for one’s physique. The secret is just to remain consistent. Now I don’t need everyone thinking that they have to mirror my own regimen, which on a typical day requires two workouts per day, a pre and post workout shake at each workout, and three solid meals on top of that. If one just does half of that, then they will be on their way to success in the fitness realm.
This brings me back to what consistency really is. Many of us can claim to not have enough time in the day to keep to a strict fitness regimen. We state that if we are parents, full time employees, college students, have additional commitments in addition to our already hectic lifestyles and so on and so forth, then it is just impossible to get into the gym to workout. We really have to look at ourselves if we do feel this way and really analyze on whether or not what is being said are excuses or not. Sure, at twenty-three years old, being single, childless, working in a gym, one would believe that I have all the time on the planet to reach my goals. Not so much. I don’t like to cram my workout in between client sessions, even if I have up to two hours. I like to make my workouts either during a long downtime stretch, or after my final client, most of the time, after my final client, at night. This is always my favorite time to get a workout in. Also, I am a full time college student in addition to training at least thirty-two hours worth of clients per week. This also limits my time. Hey, the sad thing is on Saturday and Sunday, I wish I would have seven to eight hours worth of clients to train. I wouldn’t mind putting forty-five to fifty hours in a week! That’s at any job.
For those of us that still believe that in no way, shape, or form it is possible for them to get to a gym no matter what I will say, I have good news for you. It’s not that hard to stay in shape, and don’t give me the “my kids won’t eat healthy foods” excuse. You’re the parent! You should control what your six year old puts in their mouth. Oh, and when they feel great and have a bunch of energy, they won’t even care for frozen foods anyway. Not only that, why not benefit the entire family by showing them a fit lifestyle. Oh, and by the way, your kids will be capable of doing this workout too, as it’s all bodyweight cardio:
50 Jumping Jacks
40 Crunches
40 Squats
40 Leg Raises
30 Jumping Jacks
20 Bicycles
20 Squats
30 Leg Raises
10 minute run
This workout seriously only takes about twenty-five minutes per circuit and it’s killer cardio! For those of you who want a bit of a challenge, you will need some light dumbbells or bands for this next home workout that I have in mind:
First, set the amount of reps that you wish to accomplish per movement: 30, 50, 75, or 100. This is in as many sets as it takes, and it doesn’t have to be all at once.
Dips
Decline Push-ups
Biceps Curl
Lateral Raise
Full Sit-up
Bodyweight Squats (Make hands touch ground)
Lunges
Band or Dumbbell Row
Leg Raise
Burpee
Now onto some sports predictions: I love October! This is the only month of the year where the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA play their games simultaneously. That rocks!
NBA Picks
Below, I have where I think each team will finish in their division. Also, the number in the parentheses represents where each team will be seeded come playoff time.
East
Atlantic: Toronto (4), Brooklyn (7), New York (8), Boston, Philadelphia
Central: Cleveland (1), Chicago (2), Indiana, Detroit, Milwaukee
Southeast: Washington (3), Charlotte (5), Miami (6), Atlanta, Orlando
West
Northwest: Oklahoma City (3), Portland (4), Denver, Utah, Minnesota
Pacific: LA Clippers (2), Golden State (5), Phoenix, LA Lakers, Sacramento
Southwest: San Antonio (1), Dallas (6), Memphis (7), Houston (8), New Orleans
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Chicago
Western Conference Finals: San Antonio over Oklahoma City
NBA Finals: San Antonio over Cleveland
Already Played: Green Bay: 33 over Minnesota: 10- Hey, at least I got close to the right score here! This game had blowout written all over it in an Aaron Rodgers v. Christian Ponder duel.
Carolina: 24 over Chicago: 23- This might be a pretty good game featuring two equally talented teams, both sitting at 2-2. The Panther defense has had numerous problems over the last two weeks but Jay Cutler still can’t find any consistency with his receivers.
Dallas: 28 over Houston: 24- The Cowboys are on a hot streak and something tells me this isn’t the same old Cowboys. Why? Tony Romo just realized that there are ten other men on offense. The Houston defense is hot, especially with some of the best in the game, but the offense is either old, slow, or injured. Not a good combo. Cowboys take this one.
Detroit: 30 over Buffalo: 10- I can’t remember when Kyle Orton last won an NFL game. But a quarterback controversy this early in the season is not necessary. The Lions have so many weapons on offense that the Bills just won’t keep up this early in the year.
AFC Game of the Week: Indianapolis: 34 over Baltimore: 31- If you want shootouts this is the game to turn to. Andrew Luck has been red hot for the Colts as Steve Smith has for the Ravens. The difference here is that Luck has about ten other guys to throw the ball to, while Joe Flacco has one guy and a running game. Oh, and the Colts have that too with Ahmad Bradshaw.
Pittsburgh: 22 over Jacksonville: 17- Finally here! Ben Roethlisberger v. the future Ben (Blake Bortles). The only difference between Bortles and Roethlisberger in their rookies seasons is that Ben had a team and Blake has the Jaguars. I feel bad for the guy because I would put him right there with Ben, Andrew Luck, and Cam Newton if he played for someone else.
Upset of the Week: Tampa Bay: 28 over New Orleans: 24- The Saints are just struggling to make anything happen this year. After the Bucs upset last week, playing a demoralized Saints team may be the best momentum builder for the Bucs.
New York Giants: 35 over Atlanta: 21- As good as the Falcons are, and they are a great team, they just can’t get it done on the road. Meanwhile, Eli Manning has been red hot for two consecutive weeks. This is a guy on hot and cold streaks. The good news for Giants fans is that his streaks tend to last a while.
Lock of the Week: Philadelphia: 38 over St. Louis: 13- The Eagles are back in business after that debacle against the 49ers. Chip Kelly won’t likely lose like that two times over. Meanwhile, the Rams defense is usually on the field for an eternity. This won’t bode well.
Cleveland:27 over Tennessee: 24- The Browns are the most exciting team to watch in 2014. Not because they do anything flashy, more so because they like to keep the game close until the end. The Titans on the other hand are struggling to find a quarterback and if Charlie Whitehurst has to go again, Jesus himself will declare Whitehurst a false prophet because he’s not saving any franchise with his numbers.
NFL Inter-Conference Game of the Week: Denver: 31 over Arizona: 28- Wow, the Drew Stanton led Cardinals take their undefeated record into Denver to play Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Guess what? Stanton is going to give Manning and the Broncos defense a run for their money. In the end, the Broncos seal the deal with the home crowd. It took everything I had not to jump on the Cardinals (and Drew Stanton) bandwagon.
San Diego:33 over New York Jets: 16- The Chargers had a revival last season and it carried over into 2014. This team is legit, their only loss being by only a one point margin earlier in the year to Arizona. The Jets might have more problems than this after this game.
San Francisco: 24 over Kansas City: 14- The 49ers stopped one of the hottest offenses in the NFL last Sunday. Being at home against Kansas City shouldn’t provide too much of a task at hand. Be warned though, as Alex Smith finally gets his revenge shot on Sunday. Ultimately, he comes up a couple of scores short.
Cincinnati: 30 over New England: 24- As bad as the Patriots have looked, and as much as many would like to write this team off, they aren’t done by any means. While they don’t get the win here, they keep it close in Foxboro until the final drive, when Tom Brady either throws a crucial pick or turns the ball over on downs. Hey, still short term satisfaction among all non-Patriot fans, right?
Seattle: 28 over Washington: 17- The Seahawks steam past the Redskins in this one. Though I do believe the Redskins have a good core of players, and that last week was just one of those games, we have to remember the firepower shown in the Seahawks defense and running game, which, by the way, is still as powerful as ever.
Todd Matthews 