About Me

My name is Todd Matthews and I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). I have been a Certified Personal Traine…

Source: About Me

Benefits and Barriers: Why Benefits Outlast Barriers

It’s July, which means statistically speaking only about 8% of our 2015 New Years Resolution crew remain at our gym. This is indeed a small number because adopting a fitness lifestyle is the number one resolution that the American population decide to take on in the 21st century. Unfortunately, that minute number I just mentioned of those that remain in our gyms across America is the sad truth.

Let’s face it, most of the American population fail at fitness. Why? There are many, many reasons. Here are just a few I’d like to point out:

• I work long hours
• I have no social support
• My kids and/or spouse won’t adopt the lifestyle with me (an extension of the above excuse)
• I have no time to workout
• Life got in the way
• I don’t have time to cook the right foods, so exercise only defeats the purpose
• This lifestyle is too expensive
• I lack motivation

I’m going to break these bullets down into a couple of simple categories. The first category: Time. The second category: Lack of Support. The third category: Expenses

1) Time

I know, I know, I know, that unless you tend to work at a gym, live at a gym or live near a gym that this lifestyle is just simply too time consuming. Okay, really? For starters, joining a gym does give anyone a wide variety of equipment to work with. Another inconvenient truth, however, is that the average American who joins a gym uses their membership two to three times per week tops as well as chooses movements and resistance that they fall into a comfort zone with. How does this relate to time? If one DOES have the time to get into a gym and they use the same equipment over and over again, then why join in the first place? Seriously, if you own a couple of dumbbells your entire house just turned into a gym and you would see better results than those who do the same things in the gym day in and day out. What I am saying is that you can’t use the time excuse for joining a gym when you already have what you need in your basement. Of course, if you are looking to really enhance your physique then the gym is a must but if you want to be in good shape it is not a necessity. All you need is time to walk down your stairs.

Now that we debunked the time myth as it relates to physical activity lets now focus on the nutrition myth. Is it really more time consuming to eat healthy? Not really. Cook multiple meals and store them as leftovers. If you don’t like leftovers, then there are many cans and packages of tuna for sale at the grocery store. If you don’t like tuna then I’m sure you like Greek yogurt, assorted nuts, raw vegetables, etc. In other words, there are healthy ready to eat options that taste good! It is prudent to stay away from protein bars since many of these bars are practically candy bars that have been fortified with protein. Quest Bars, however, are much, much healthier and nutrient dense. They also come in a wide variety of flavors.

In conclusion, there really is time to do anything no matter how hectic the lifestyle is. There are 168 hours in a week, and if you work 40, then you are making excuses. If you work 60, you are making excuses because you still have 4 and 1/3 days left in the week with a 60 hour work week. If you have kids and tend to haul them everywhere after school then why not visit a nearby gym and get a workout in while they are doing their activities. Again, no access to the gym doesn’t hurt you. Is there a park nearby? Get after it. Are you living in Minnesota and it’s “too cold” to go outside? Maybe take a drive home and get a workout in there. It’s only for a few months. There is time. You just need to buckle down and make the most of it.

2) Lack of Support

So, you are the dark horse of the family. That’s funny, because many who take up a fitness lifestyle are. You are no different than the rest of us. In fact, if we can do this why can’t you? Let’s see, it’s summertime and you go to a cookout only to find that nothing is being served except junk, so you have to eat it right? Not right. Either bring your own food and politely ask your host to prepare it for you and if that’s out of the question then you can always eat before going out. Better yet, take one of those healthy snacks that were mentioned in the ‘Time’ category. You can eat that when everyone else is eating.

Another excuse that many will say is that their family and friends will ridicule them for adopting a different lifestyle. Here’s yet another inconvenient truth: your family and friends can’t handle the fact that you decided to take the right step in bettering yourself. What’s even more is that they are unwilling to better themselves and they do not want you to get a cut above them. This is the negativity that we see too much in American society today. We see people hating on others because they have that desire to succeed. That’s all it is, and it’s as simple as that. Those who don’t (or won’t) succeed because it may be the “status quo” of their environment will continuously bring down others who are succeeding or are on the way to success so they can feel better about themselves. If this describes your family and friend network then I suggest you find a group of friends who do share the same goals that you do. You can relate to them better. Get to know them. Again, if you have no gym access, use social networking, maybe talk to a co-worker who may know a few people who do live the same lifestyle. People in this industry will support you. We are your social support when there is no one else to turn to. There is always someone to turn to.

3) Expenses

This one is my favorite. The gym is too expensive, the healthier food is too expensive, hiring a trainer is too expensive. It’s all just too far out of my budget. Okay, so there is probably a very small percentage of people who may have a point. But here’s the score: Is this lifestyle too expensive or are you just unwilling to give up what’s going to ultimately keep you from succeeding in this lifestyle. Let’s clear a few things up:

1. Do you routinely go out during select weekdays and on weekends? If yes, then you want to cut that down. Most people make the wrong choices when going out and it costs a lot of money. Alcohol costs a lot more money when going out. Restaurant food costs more than store bought food. Worse yet, restaurant food is almost always not as healthy. This isn’t because there aren’t any healthy options out there. This is because people see a food on a menu and they want it now. They want instant gratification that almost always leaves them feeling guilty the next day and they say “no more”, only to go out and do the same thing again. And the cycle continues.
2. Do you go to the store and impulse buy? Let’s make one thing very clear: stores will purposely set up so that one does impulse buy. Heck, local Wal-Marts these days are actually putting freshly baked pizza right near the cash registers now. What’s worse is that it’s only five dollars! Wal-Mart is going to see a lot of pizza. Ever wonder why candy is right there at the cash register? So people can grab their favorite candy bars without thinking. Why are stores set up this way? For the same reason, so people can buy without thinking. Do an experiment, the next time you go to the grocery store, do what you always do, just one final time. When you go home, take note of what you bought. You will be shocked to find out that you bought way more food than you thought. Worse yet, the food you bought probably wasn’t even necessary to buy. The next time you shop, eat a nice, healthy meal right before making the trip. You will be surprised to see how much less you impulse buy. Not only that, but you have a lot more room in those cabinets now.
3. A gym membership and a trainer are too expensive: Really? We trainers admit that we do charge others in order for them to learn about fitness. It’s what we do. It’s not greed. If you hire a music teacher to teach music and art to your kids are you going to pay them? If you hire a baseball coach to work with your kid, are you going to pay them? I would hope so, people need to make a living. However, it’s funny because a gym membership plus a trainer to fall back on when things get tough is really, well, not very expensive in the slightest. Relate what is being said to the Q&A above this third excuse. You are spending money on something that is going to hinder yourself into becoming the best you can be not only in fitness, but in life. If you can make a change for the better, you are going to maximize yourself. If you do have a spouse, kids, or other family members that are close to you, even if that social support is dwindling, your chances of maximizing the potential in others is going to skyrocket. Hey, some of those former doubters and haters may suddenly turn around and say “If they can do it then so can I.” And they will be asking you how you achieved your goals. Yes, it takes discipline, and yes, it’s going to require sacrifices, but it’s going to for the better, and that’s why you are going to succeed. Taking on a New Year’s Resolution is a challenges that few see through to the end, but with a little bit of knowledge, you can be in the 8%. In fact, that number has potential, a lot of potential, to grow. It takes knowledge, it takes discipline, and it takes sacrifice. Always keep those goals in mind. When you do that, you will succeed.

Even if you don’t have access to the gym, you can still hire a trainer. There are trainers out there, everywhere, looking to change lifestyles. It’s very, very cost-effective to hire somebody to design a scientifically backed program for you. It’s very affordable to hire somebody to tell you to eat this and not that, and for good reason. In other words, it’s very cost-effective to hire somebody to help you change your lifestyle, maximize your results, and help thrust you forward. Trainers help clients break down would-be barriers every single day. Trainers serve as social support for their clients when no one else will. Trainers will help keep this investment affordable when we hold clients accountable for saying no to going out and wasting money each week, or paying for other things that hinder the healthy lifestyle. And best yet, hiring a trainer will help clients save potentially thousands in medical bills down the road, and that money saved can go to better investments, such as paying off a house or a vehicle early, or even putting a kid through school. It all starts with investing in your lifestyle today.

By: Todd Matthews

ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer

Matthewsfit.com.

Determination, Motivation, Inspiration, Action.

Excuses?

So when it comes down to it, after say, around Valentines day, more or less, those ninety percent of gym goers appear to disappear off of the face of the earth. Being that it’s the first week of January, each fitness center across America is going to see their sales skyrocket. Not bad, right? No, not at all, but the question that remains is, why do they disappear? There are many excuses, er, I mean, answers to that question. Maybe the excuse, I mean answer, is lack of time, or maybe another answer, I mean, excuse, oh, whatever, is life getting the best of them. Seriously? Life? That’s a new one. Here’s the funny thing, a workout may be performed anywhere. Eating right is pretty easy, as long as the right choices are made. Whoa! I just cracked the magic word! Choices!

“I have to get fast food or pizza every night because I don’t have time to cook.”

Okay, well, there are actually healthier options out there to pick up instead of pizza and fast food. Many restaurants these days have pick-up options.

“Yeah, but by going through a drive-thru, I don’t have to leave my car.”

That’s cool, Applebees has that I believe, along with chicken caesar salads plus sirloin and vegetables.

“My kids don’t each vegetables.”

You’re the parent!

“It’s 2015!”

You’re the parent!

“It’s child abuse if I force kids to eat what they don’t want to.”

You’re the parent.

“I vote liberal.”

What?

“I’m a politically correct individual.”

Huh?

Substitute excuses for lack of physical activity as well. I don’t have enough time to write about injuries (work around it), or kids who would rather play video games (don’t buy it for them) or that today is different than yesterday (that’s a desperation card, buddy).

So, the point I’m making is that make this year the year to really buckle down, hit the fitness goals, and forget about time. Here are a few tips:

• Wake up earlier than usual. No more of this “I’m too tired” excuse. That’s all it is. You don’t feel like waking up, that’s all it is.
• Don’t like waking up early? Don’t feel like it? Okay, admit it then, and save the workout for after work. If you don’t want to take time away from others, then you better go with tip number one.
• Make healthy choices that are easy to make. In other words, foods that aren’t complicated to cook or won’t take as much time to prepare. It’s easy. Packaged low sodium tuna is a good place to start. Don’t like tuna? There’s chicken. Don’t like meat? Try a variety of nuts. Don’t like nuts? Try fat free dairy. Lactose intolerant? Eat eggs. Can’t afford to eat good food (because you buy your kids junk) then go to your local town drunk and buy him beverages and charge him double for it.
• Can’t afford to go to the gym? Have you ever heard of Herschel Walker? Look him up, he does something like a bunch of push-ups, sit-ups, sprints, and bodyweight squats. Want more variety? Diamond Push-ups, chair dips, bodyweight lunges, split squats, scissor kicks, etc.There are a ton of bodyweight movements to do.
• Is working out just plain boring? Take the exercises I mentioned in the previous tip and do them in front of a TV.
• Still sucks? Do them while you watch your favorite TV show.
• Still not cutting it? Try doing the workout with a friend, all the while watching your favorite TV show.
• Still suck? Get another workout partner. Three times the charm, right?

So, there you have it, a few tips to get you going for the new year. But, now that you have some exercises, how do you do them? Can’t do a push-up, do them elevated. Still can’t do them? Find a wall, now try them. Same goes with any of these exercises. Do crunches hurt your back? Do planks. Planks too easy? Try doing them while raising the opposite arm and leg off the ground. Still too easy? Put your two year old on your back……now that’s a challenge! Is the bodyweight squat too easy? Try a five second descent and ascent then come and talk to me.

Now, do your friends like the lifestyle change? No. Hate to say it, but find new friends. See ya later, bud! This part is especially easier if you join a gym. Now, don’t do what I do and pull a Joe Namath and make a guarantee a few years back that you’d be the most prominent graduate from the Class of 2009 at Edison High School…..that may have been a mistake but hey, I don’t think anyone of them are still competing in any type of organized sporting activity and have their pictures online. When I get that muscle car and condo it’s gonna be lights out, game over, I told you so at the ten year reunion when I drive the thing right into the building. In other words, joining the gym would be easier in that regard since you will be surrounded by a motivating bunch of people who won’t try to bring you down to their beer-fest weekend, uh, I mean, their own level.

Fear The Cold?

It’s that time of year again: Winter has come. Now that many of us in the Northeast or in my case, the Far Eastern Middle West or Just Barely Southeast, it means cold, snow, and that ever slow countdown to March 21st, the first day of Spring. But until that “most wonderful time of the year,” let’s get back on track to society’s Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Those of us who love to see our six pack remain fully intact during the winter months of December, January, February, and March (first three weeks), we usually have to retreat indoors if we wan to keep up our training regimens no, wait, what if the roads are icy? Gasp! No gym then! Well, that’s why we need an alternative gameplan.

We can go with the number one alternative during this time of the year: “My shirt won’t be off for at least another couple of months, so what’s one skipped workout going to do?” That’s like saying “The roads are too horrible to go to the grocery store to get some food so I’m  just going to say heck with it and give myself a cheat meal……..or cheat day…..although I have plenty of frozen chicken and steak downstairs, I really just don’t feel like taking the couple of hours out of my day with nothing to do to cook all this food.”

Why don’t we just go with alternative route number two? This route is a little easier and much more sensible to go with, and not only that, a sense of accomplishment will be felt afterward. This means using resources at hand to create yourself one killer workout. Make it intense, make it count. The best type of training for this type of environment is bodyweight training. Consider the example for a cardio  routine:

4 circuits, 45 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest.

Push-ups, reverse lunge, plank, bodyweight squats, burpee, mountain climber, squat hold, sit-out, jumping jacks. Repeat this with one minute rest in between circuits. This workout will take no longer than 40 minutes, it’s all bodyweight, and you’ll feel like you just did a sprint workout.

Got some light dumbbells or resistance bands? Try this:

4 circuits, 25 reps per movement, fewer than thirty seconds rest between movements. First three movements involve weight, and the rest are pure bodyweight.

Biceps curl, lateral raise, shoulder press, jump lunge, decline push-up, lateral mountain climber, jump squats, sit-out, full crunches, burpees. The object is to get 1,000 reps as fast as possible, using good form on each movement.

Want a conditioning workout? Give this a go:

5 rounds, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off.

Lateral shuffle from one side of a room to another, burpee, walking lunge from one side of the room to another, jump rope (emulate the movement if you don’t have a jump rope), mountain climbers, commandos, bodyweight squats, high knees (in place).

It doesn’t take long to get a solid workout in, and even if you don’t traditionally do these types of movements or styles, the object is to get that workout in with the resources you possess. When the weather fails to cooperate, anything is better than just simply blowing off the workout. For those of us who plan on competing during the earlier parts of the year (April or May) this is a must that we keep to our schedules regardless of what it’s doing outside.

Want another good example? Try taking just one or two exercises that can be done with bodyweight, such as push-ups and mountain climbers, and combine the two by performing twenty-five reps of each in a super-set. Do this for ten minutes. Then, pick two more exercises, like jump ropes and bodyweight squats. Do the same thing. Take thirty seconds off between each set and you have a killer cardio workout right then and there.

The Fit Life 24/7 and Week 8 Picks

What is the best way to achieve fitness goals? How is it that I achieve my own goals and then find the time and energy to pursue other interests such as working towards a Bachelor’s Degree? What is it that drives me and motivates me to become the best that I can be? I actually have several answers to all of these questions, but there is one common variable within these realms. That is that I live a fitness lifestyle twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Now, don’t think for a second that others cannot live this fitness lifestyle the way that I do, because it is possible. It is very possible and it relates to any given situation.

Let’s take a look at some facts:

Fact number one is that working out everyday in a gym is not necessary in order to attain an everyday fitness lifestyle. Sure, the gym gives us more options, accountability, and drive as we can see firsthand others who are working relentlessly towards their own fitness goals, be it in the general realm of fitness, better functional movement, or preparing for an upcoming event (this does not need to be a show or a shoot).

Fact number two builds right off of fact number one: Fact number two is merely that we only need thirty minutes a day, five days a week in order to reach general fitness goals. Now, what are these minimal goals? These minimal goals are some type of physical activity for thirty minutes per day, five days a week, or twenty minutes of vigorous physical activity for three days a week. This isn’t too much to ask. Sure, if your goal is to completely transform your physique to at least resemble something of Greg Plitt, then you do have to put in more than just the minimum, but you don’t need to just to be generally healthy.

Now, you may be asking the question on why you need twenty-four hours per day in order to achieve your goals. This is due to the fact that exercise in itself is just one small entity in living a fitness lifestyle. Eating right is and should be required in any given scenario as it relates to fitness. When I say eating right, it doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge in that Halloween candy next Friday, or that you have to skip your dessert on Thanksgiving. Eating right virtually means that you give yourself nutritional discipline ninety percent of the time. This means that ninety percent of your calorie intake should come from lean meats, green vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, and lean dairy product. Again, if your goals resemble my goals, a completely different article has to be written here, but again, for general guidelines, this is enough information.

Now that we have the basics down, what needs to happen now? Let me ask if anyone reading this has any kids? Now let me ask, do you control your child’s lifestyle or does their lifestyle control you? I see this everyday, the best excuse out there, is that mom and dad can’t get to the gym or can’t eat the right foods or can’t even take a walk around the block because their six year old only sits down, plays video games, only eats junk food, won’t sign up for any kind of community or little league sport……here’s the inconvenient truth: that, is on you. If, before kids you could live that fit life that you loved and then after kids you suddenly couldn’t, then that’s an excuse. That’s all it is, an excuse. So, how does this relate to a twenty-four hour fit life? Well, you’re the parent, they are the kid, so basically it’s an excuse that you are allowing them to practically control your lives. Now, the way I was raised, it’s the parents who control the child’s life and if not, God help us.

Fitness everyday isn’t as demanding as it looks. It’s merely living the lifestyle every day and not letting excuses get to you. If you suspect that you are making an excuse, don’t deny it any longer that there is logic to that excuse. Work around it. But remember to work around each excuse one at a time. It can be overwhelming to attempt to change every little bit of your lifestyle, so work around the excuses, but do this slowly and progressively. One at a time, which may seem like a slow pace, but in actuality, it only takes a few weeks to reform a habit. A few weeks to me isn’t a very long time. I’m back in school and I’m already in my tenth week of the fall semester. Time flies, and don’t allow it to pass you by!

Workouts and news next week!

Thursday Nighter of the Year: Denver:28 over San Diego: 21- Peyton Manning now holds the all time record for touchdown passes. Now he gets to pad that record and the first victims are the AFC West rivals.

Wake up to…..NFL Sunday? Detroit: 21 over Atlanta: 17- NFL history is about to be made in London, England. While I’m not in favor of placing a franchise there, I am in favor of this: An NFL game beginning at 9:30am Eastern Time is dream come true. Put a game in London every week at this time!

Snoozer of the Week: Tampa Bay: 16 over Minnesota: 14- I feel bad for the reporters who have to cover this game.

90’s Snapback: Buffalo: 23 over New York Jets: 21- Back in 1996, the Bills had a franchise quarterback named Jim Kelly while the Jets were on their way to a 1-15 season under a debacle led by Rich Kotite, considered by many to be the worst coach in the modern era……not to mention Neil O’Donnell, just ask Steeler fans. The 4-3 Bills face the 1-6 Jets. Now, let’s bring back the kelly green helmets for New York and this game will really be screaming 1990s.

Water v.s Wind: New England: 33 over Chicago: 27- Tom Brady is a man on a mission. Jay Cutler is getting chewed out by everyone, including best friend Brandon Marshall. Why did this work well with New England a few weeks back but won’t in Chicago? Uh, the Pats have Bill Belichick holding the fort down in New England. The Bears have a CFL castoff.

East-West Shrine: Seattle: 31 over Carolina: 21- Well, until the Panthers defense decides to show up, I can’t see them winning from here on out. But the defending Super Bowl champions should consider showing up themselves. It looks like the Super Bowl hangover is starting to take effect in Seattle.

Battle of Florida: Miami: 24 over Jacksonville: 20- Ryan Tannehill’s starting gig was in jeopardy earlier in the year. Since that story came out, he’s played like the first round pick Miami envisioned him to be. He’s not Dan Marino, but he’s the best quarterback the Dolphins have had since Marino. Same goes to the Jaguars Blake Bortles and he may have more upside. But Tannehill has the team and the experience.

Past v.s Present: Tennessee: 17 over Houston: 13- Once upon a time, there was a team called the Houston Oilers who packed up and moved to Tennessee. Today, we have a team in Houston called the Texans. The past takes it here, as the Texans are just too mistake prone in close games.

Battle of Mizzou: Kansas City: 30 over St. Louis: 27- The Chiefs pulled off a huge upset in San Diego last week. Now they face the Rams, who have a hot offense. Most teams with young quarterbacks don’t fare well at Arrowhead.

The Birds: Arizona: 35 over Philadelphia: 31- The Arizona Cardinals are 5-1…….let that sink in for a bit. There is no way the Cardinals let this long time coming party come to an end anytime soon……the Arizona Cardinals……the Arizona Cardinals, might just become 6-1. It’s been a while.

The Switch: Indianapolis: 28 over Pittsburgh: 27- In 1970, there were 16 NFL teams, and 10 AFL teams. The NFL teams became the NFC and the AFL teams became the AFC. Three franchises moved to the new AFC. The Colts and Steelers were two of those teams. Two teams that have gone at it since 1950. Andrew Luck and co. love to make their share of mistakes, but the Colts are just too stacked for the Steelers.

Classic Battle: Cleveland: 20 over Oakland: 19- Anyone know of more colorful and passionate fan bases than these two? Gotta give both a lot of credit. But at the end of the day, the Browns are just too good at home.

World War III: Green Bay: 35 over New Orleans: 28- The Old World v.s the New World is epitomized here. In this battle, the old conquers the new. Green Bay’s offense is just too good for the Saints defense.

The Wild West…..Sort of: Dallas: 24 over Washington: 21- The Cowboys and Redskins. The rivalry that began when one owner tried to prevent another owner from starting the franchise. Story goes that former Redskin owner George Preston Marshall had a monopoly on the south, and wanted to keep it that way. Too bad that franchise he tried to prevent from creating trumps what used to be his. And 2014 is no different. The Cowboys will improve to 7-1…How ’bout them Cowboys?!

Winning Ways and NFL Picks

My first full week back in the gym was a good one, as they always are. The joints feel good, but the muscles feel sore. Most importantly, I’m qualified for the 2015 Team U. Whether or not I do the show depends on several factors: work, school, life, whether or not the U.S is going to get ravaged by Ebola, if I do well in a couple of other shows to start off the year, and most importantly, whether or not I realistically can finish in the top 15. Baby steps, people. I don’t think I’m close to pro card potential (top two in each class) but I just want to see if I can hang. I also plan on competing in a national qualifier as well (non tested event) to qualify for the North Americans, which literally takes place up the road from my house, which is nice.

The contest pictures are in, here are a few, courtesy of J.M. Manion:

Although I managed to snag fifth place and qualify for the Team U, I believe I should have placed in the top three, and maybe second. I’m not one to lie to myself and say that I should have placed higher if I don’t believe that I should have, and no, this post is not a gripe. This was simply a case of the judges looking for a different look than what I had. I believe that the judges were looking for a softer, slightly more realistic look than what I presented, which is fair, each panel is different.

However, I’m an honest person, and if I want to improve on my winning ways, then I need to work on a good deal of things myself. Though I do have very adequate size for my height class (A or B) depending on the show, my presentation is way, way, way off. Even onstage at prejudging, I knew the presentation was what probably had cost me. So, what am I going to do about it?

I’m not going to sit there and make excuses to everyone saying that yeah, I could have done better had I just known how to present. Of course I’m going to seek out how to present better! I have to. I’m going to sit here and make excuses for myself. I know what I have to do in order to get better and I’m going to do just that. So, I’m investing some hard earned money, seeking the best posing instructors in the Ohio Valley and yes, the Valley does offer some of the best in the business. Hey, I don’t care about the investment, I don’t care if it’s triple digits per visit, if it’s worth it in the end then it’s worth the investment. In order to improve in anything, you have to invest in the best.

As for training and nutrition, if it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it. The only thing training wise that I need to work on is my consistency. If I can bring that to the table, then all is good. Keep training hard, eating right, cycling my carbs, which I am a huge advocate of, and continue off of that. Anymore, my entire fitness identity is built on competing, training, carb cycling, and throwing in both traditional and non-traditional movements in order to build my brand, my identity, and my fitness persona.

Also, I’ll be shooting on November 15th on Wheeling Island, before the prejudging of the final show of the year in the tri-state. Will I be competing in November? I’m not sure, but I definitely have something to look forward to at the venue. A shoot in the casino? That may look good. How about at Wheeling Island Stadium? I’ll do more than just play football on the field, which I did when my Edison Wildcats (same high school Muscle Pharm president Cory Gregory went to) played the Wheeling Park Patriots, and steal the show. Actually, fun fact here, my Wildcats played Park at the short lived Tri-State kickoff at Heinz Field back in 2005. If that’s not cool, then what is? I have to get a shoot in at Heinz Field someday.

Again, not sure if I will put the spray tan back on and compete. It really depends whether or not I get “talked into it” by a few other sources. I want to compete and if I get “talked into it” then I’m definitely putting the board shorts back on one more time this contest season. If I do, that’ll make five contests in 2014, more than doubling the total shows I did the last three years combined. Hey, if you love it and it’s worth it, then put everything into it.

As for my future plans, I want to compete as long as I can, but the fitness industry is more than just competition. I would love to start my own team one of these days that competes in the NPC and hey, maybe one day it’ll be the IFBB that we can wreak havoc in! I’d also love to rep a supplement company, and maybe an equipment manufacturer. Throw in some modeling gigs for a few clothing companies plus a training clientele base, then maybe that future will get bright. Right now, I’m just taking it one day at a time.

NFL Picks:

Already Played; New England: 38 over New York Jets: 13- This game was way closer than I had anticipated. I disagree with the majority about quarterback Geno Smith; I think the guy is a good talent. But the Patriots are just too talented and quite honestly, a little angry.

Indianapolis: 28 over Cincinnati: 24- The Colts love to give their fans heart attacks these days but in reality, Andy Dalton and co. just can never win a big game. Facing Andrew Luck and co. in a game that will mean a lot down the stretch means another struggle for the suddenly dysfunctional Bengals.

Seattle: 41 over St. Louis: 24- The Seahawks, like the Patriots, are a little angry. Losing to the Cowboys of all teams……wait, that’s so 1996 to 2013……losing to the suddenly dynamic Cowboys means that the team is bound to take their anger out on someone.

Washington: 20  over Tennessee: 17- The Redskins quarterback situation is one of the worst in the NFL somehow. But the Titans situation is even worse. All things equal, and I mean equal, with these two, the better situation at quarterback wins here.

Green Bay: 34 over Carolina: 17- Remember when the Panthers boasted one of the best defenses in the league? Also, remember 1997? 2004? 2006? 2009? The Panthers love to do this to their fans. Win one year then fall flat on their faces for three to four years. This. defines. the. franchise. As for the Pack, they have Aaron Rodgers. Nuff said.

Cleveland: 28 over Jacksonville: 17- Okay, so the Browns are on the verge of a three game winning streak. Let that sink in for a while………the Jags are on the verge of starting 0-7 for a second consecutive year. The Browns have all the momentum after beating Pittsburgh by their largest margin since the 1980’s. Browns win this one.

Baltimore: 38 over Atlanta: 28- Joe Flacco is currently on a hot streak this year. So we have the Cowboys winning, the Browns winning, the Patriots dynasty still sort of in jeopardy, and now Joe Flacco is on a hot streak…..oh, and the Arizona Cardinals may be off to their best start since like the 1960’s if they win this week. 2014 is getting weird.

Buffalo: 20 over Minnesota: 10- Did I just say 2014 is getting weird? The Bills may have a winning record by the halfway point of the season for the first time since I think the Doug Flutie era. Okay, 2014 is really weird.

Chicago: 31 over Miami: 20- I picked the Bears to win a lot of times this year and they usually lose when I pick them, so Bears fans, don’t kill me. But hey, they’re playing Miami. Okay, so something is normal this year.

Detroit: 24 over New Orleans: 23- The Lions may very well be 5-2 and at the top of their division…….that’s it, 2014 is the weirdest season I have ever witnessed. The Saints just ain’t got it this year. Sean Payton ain’t got it. Drew Brees ain’t got it. Rob Ryan has never gotten it. Any team that has hired Rob Ryan in the past got it because of the fact that they gave up on their mistake.

San Diego: 28 over Kansas City: 24- The Chargers are charging to the top of the AFC. Honestly, they are younger than the Broncos. That may be a deciding factor later on in the year, especially if they play them in the playoffs. Peyton Manning does his best impression of Peyton Manning in January. They roll over the Chiefs here.

Dallas: 30 over New York Giants: 27- The Giants always play the ‘boys tough, but DeMarco Murray is currently on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. Dickerson always roots against these guys threatening to break the record. He is the only athlete ever to openly admit that. Thank God there’s still some honest people in sports today.

Arizona: 31 over Oakland: 14- Because I so want 2014 to get even weirder. Those newer to football must learn a history lesson. Once upon a time, the Cardinals were a laughing stock. Once upon a time the Raiders were one of the proudest franchises in the NFL.

Denver: 41 over San Francisco: 27- Do you seriously think Peyton Manning loses games at home in October? Sorry, 49ers fans, but things just got a lot harder in the NFC West.

Houston: 23 over Pittsburgh: 14- Do you seriously think that the Steelers are going to lose at Heinz Field after getting thrashed by their oldest (no longer biggest) rivals? If I said it before, I’ll say it again, 2014 is just one of those years. Pittsburgh won’t beat Houston. If Houston can’t score on offense, then J.J. Watt is going to score a few on defense.

Another One In the Books

It was an ultra busy week for me last week to the point to where I couldn’t get to my wordpress. There’s always a lot going on in the final week of show prep. For starters, I had to sacrifice a day or two so I had to cram more people in at different times than usual. Another thing is that I had to go through the process of hair removal, spray tanning, and water depletion, the last of which is always the toughest aspect of show prep. And then of course, finding the show venue was a big challenge, as I had rarely been that far east of Pittsburgh to the point where we were seeing the beginnings of the mountain range. Greensburg is a good forty-five minutes away from Pittsburgh.

The good news is that I managed to take fifth place at the NPC Natural Pennsylvania Championships and secured a qualification to the NPC Team Universe, a pro-qualifier. Now, I do want to secure one more top five finish at a Team Universe qualifier to ensure that I can hang with some of the best natural men’s physique competitors in the country, preferably facing a larger class of at least fifteen competitors or more. My class at the Natural Pennsylvania consisted of nine other competitors, which is a fairly decent size.

My plans for the near future are simple: for one, I need to find someone to give me some honest critique on my presentation. A few (including one prep coach backstage) let me know that I had the best look of the entire class. This leads me to believe that my presentation was off…….way off. So, this is definitely what needs to be corrected. Luckily, I have a friend who has a good connection to a well respected member of the NPC, who lives about thirty minutes down the Ohio River. I can’t wait to talk to this guy, as he knows the ins and outs of presentation in every single NPC division, being around the sport for so long.

As for my fitness shoot update, it seems like it will be taking place on Wheeling Island in November before the prejudging of the NPC West Virginia State and Mid Atlantic Grand Prix. I can’t wait to do the shoot, but I’m still on edge about possibly hopping into the fray in November as well, something I had no intention to do as recently as last week, but we’ll see how things play out. I really wouldn’t mind hopping in though, but again, we’ll see. This is due to the fact that I may get talked into doing the show during my trip down the river this weekend since my friend’s prep coach is very good friends with the contest promoter. Being that I like to remain close to my contest look year round, with some critique on my presentation, I may be set to do very well if I did in fact decide to compete.

As for my workouts, I really only have one for you all this week because last week was more of my lighter weeks, since I wanted my body to be completely rested before taking the stage last Sunday. I really lightened up the load last week, in an attempt to prevent any and all injury as I strode to simply burn a bit more energy with lighter weights and higher reps. This is something I only do the week of a show, but it is still good for anyone to try every three to four months after lifting heavy for that time, just to give the joints a break for a week without really stopping what you are doing, which one should never do, and it gives the muscles a little bit of confusion since they are so used to one particular style of training.

As for this week, I am a big fan of the afterburn team training workout that was distributed this week. If I thought last week was up my alley, then this week is two times that. Six sets of every exercise, consisting of twenty seconds on, ten seconds off Tabata style training is always intense. Even more intense than last week’s do as many circuits of ten reps of each movement as many times as possible for ten minutes straight, and trust me, that is my style of cardio right there. I have to thank one of my best workout partners ever for introducing me to that and being consistent with it before running off to college (see ya in December, kid)!

Anyway, I started my normal, routine two a day sessions again yesterday, which is another reason why I took such a long break in between posts. My first workout of the day was simply a three mile run, a ten minute ab workout, with agility movements being performed after every quarter mile that I ran. Last evening was my shoulder workout, which looked like this:

5 sets/10-20 reps

Face Rows/Seated Machine Rear Delt Fly

4 sets/7-20 reps

Inverse Barbell Shoulder Press/Lateral Raise

4 sets/10-15 reps

Cable Upright Rows/Underhand Grip Dumbbell Front Raises

6 Single Sets/50 reps

Battling Ropes of all varieties, 20-30 second break in between

4 sets/12-15 reps

Bodyweight TRX Fly/Cable Pirate Ships

In total, this workout only took about forty-three minutes to complete, and my set total reached forty. Not a bad start to the next macrocycle.

Like I said, now’s the time to really take control in mastering every little aspect of the sport. Qualifying for the national level is big, but if I am unable to present myself then it just defeats the purpose of competing. In physique, it’s more than just having the best look, one needs to present themselves with that look, showing people why they should be the winner here. I can’t wait to improve on that, and as always, improve my current level of conditioning, which anyone and everyone can do. It’s time to take that next step, be it at the November show or at my next show that I am certain I’ll be at, the 2015 NPC Natural Ohio, at which I took eighth place last year in a class of fifteen. Let’s improve on that score. Shot from the pre-judging.

Leg, Workouts, Home Workouts, NBA and Week Five NFL Picks

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.

NFL Picks for Week 4 and Fitness News

Week four of the NFL season is upon us! Let’s see what I have in store this week:

Already Played: Washington: 38; New York: 31- As you can see, I failed with this pick right here. Kirk Cousins had a rough outing, which at this point in his career, is a rarity. For Eli, it’s a rarity to see him rush for a touchdown.

Baltimore over Carolina: 24-17- Carolina struggled at home last week. It appears that their lack of talent on offense maybe catching up with them. This one may be even lower scoring here, with two very talented defenses taking the field.

NFL Rivalry of the Week: Chicago over Green Bay: 27-19- The Packers may very well be on their last chance at the division already, barring a complete meltdown by both Chicago and Detroit. If they lose here, then they sit at 0-2 in NFC North play. Not a good hole to be in.

Houston over Buffalo: 20-17- Houston has to take advantage of this situation. Buffalo is not as good as their record but Houston has the edge in talent, and the home crowd.

Indianapolis over Tennessee: 23-14- Just in, Charlie Whitehurst will get the gig in Tennessee. Like Houston, the Colts have to take advantage of this situation against the Titans. If they do that, they stand at 2-0 in the division. The problem? They’re already 0-2 against playoff teams.

Detroit over New York Jets: 21-16- The Lions Matt Stafford should have a field day here. Detroit’s offense hasn’t looked like what it should be, so look for a closer game. The Jets can score at any time but the offense is very inconsistent at times.

NFL Snoozer of the Week: Oakland over Miami: 13-9- Wow. Fans in London may see a touchdown scored in this one. Two teams with very laughable talent on the offensive side.

Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay: 31-10- The Steelers look to take their momentum in an upset win over Carolina over a struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. Shouldn’t be too hard.

Lock of the Week: San Diego over Jacksonville: 42-13- Blake Bortles era begins. Can he get a win this week? Not until he has more talent around him. He’s playing in real time now.

Atlanta over Minnesota: 20-19- Teddy Time begins in Minnesota. Can he hold it close? Recent history tells us that the Falcons might just be that very talented team to get upset this week, as their play on the road is meager.

Philadelphia over San Francisco: 34-21- The 49ers are struggling while the Eagles remain hot. Nick Foles and co. may not have much of a problem here.

NFC Game of the Week: Dallas over New Orleans: 34-28- The Cowboys and Saints have a little bit of animosity these days fueled by none other than Rob Ryan. In the end, the Cowboys put up just enough to upset the Saints.

AFC Game of the Week: New England over Kansas City: 21-13- The Patriots offense isn’t that hot this year but the defense is. That’s going to be big in this game.

Byes of the Week:

Seahawks- Still the number one team in the NFL according to most. I disagree (see below)

Bengals- The Bengals may be the only team in the NFL to have zero struggles on either side of the ball. Number one team.

Browns- Brian Hoyer has made it through three weeks as the starter. Don’t blame him for their 1-2 start.

Cardinals- My prediction in the pre-season was taking the NFC West. Through four weeks, they lead it.

Broncos- Still couldn’t beat the Seahawks. Maybe they just played a Super Bowl XLIX preview? Maybe one more shot.

Rams- The defense has to play up to their potential. If they do, they’re back in it.

Fitness news: Workouts

Cardio Sprint Workout:

Sprint workout coming up at six. I’ll call this upcoming workout The Go-To, since it’s becoming my recurring workout:

One Mile Run
10 Hill Sprints (jog back down the hill for rest)
10 20 yard Lunges
10 Ladder Sprints (going at least ten yards further with each set, jog back)
One Mile Run

Shoulder Centuries:

X amount of handstand push-ups (I’m on a wall, okay)
100 shoulder presses per arm
100 front plate raises
100 upright rows
100 shrugs per side (I rarely do these, but I’m in the mood)

Zero Cardio, 800 Reps, Fast As Possible:

100 Push-ups
100 Decline Push-ups
100 Two Point Rows per arm
100 Total Weighted Lunges (Weight on one side, this hits the obliques too)
100 Bicep Curls per arm
100 Suspended Dips
100 Upright Rows
100 Full Sit-ups plus about 20 straight minutes of ab work

By the way, use as little rest as possible, and get this done as fast as possible.

I sit two weeks out from the NPC Natural Pennsylvania. Time to take the carbs down just a little for these last two weeks, just a little. Still have a lot to do to get ready these days. Time to crush these final weeks.

My Next Event: Halloween Havoc! Nope, it’s not a show, it’s just Todd wanting to look good at Halloween. I’m dressing up as a Virant Knight, so I’ll def be posting some pics of that. Ordered yesterday, can’t wait to wear it.

Shoot Time: Hoping to get that last shoot of the year confirmed. If so, it’ll be around contest time too. Another event I can’t wait to get going with.

Hunt For October: In addition to the NFL and fitness, I love MLB. Prediction time, although my Rays (yes, the Rays) are missing out for the first time in a while:

Wildcard NL: Pittsburgh over San Francisco- Is anyone peaking at the right time more than the Pirates?

Wildcard AL: Kansas City over Oakland- The Royals? Yep, with the A’s faltering down the stretch, giving way to the Angels, it’s the Royals who get in.

ALCS: Los Angeles Angels over Baltimore Orioles- Hate to say it, but the O’s get eliminated here. LA is a big market but I’m a small market type. The Angels are just too good here. Hottest team in the AL.

NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers over St. Louis Cardinals- The City of Angels reps the entire MLB in 2014. 2014 belongs to Los Angeles.

World Series: Angels over Dodgers. The Angels are just way too hot to be stopped. If one team can keep it up for one more month, one team that wants it, it’s the Los Angeles Angels. For the first time since 2002, Los Angeles gets a World Series, and it’s the “other” Los Angeles team that takes it.

Week 3 NFL Picks and Nifty Workouts

Brought to you by the King of Shredz:

First things first, guys, I have to take care of business. Week Three in the NFL is upon us, being played by great players who have yet to be tried or convicted for child abuse, murder, bounties, domestic violence, substance abuse, or just merely violating personal conduct. Remember the movie ‘Playmakers?’ It was a television show televised by ESPN about a decade ago that basically went over all of the problems that went on in the NFL, in a fictional league of course. There’s a reason why the show was pulled after about one season, and I’ll leave it at that.

The good news is that there are some very classy and talented NFL players who actually appreciate their opportunities. So, without further ado, here are my picks for the week:

Already Played: Atlanta over Tampa Bay: 35-7. This game was a snoozer. It was actually 56-0, Atlanta’s favor before T.J. Yates entered the game. That pretty much tells you that Tampa’s defense is overrated and Josh McCown is a backup.

AFC Game of the Week: San Diego over Buffalo: 27-24- Two weeks ago I would never have guessed that the Buffalo Bills would be in the conversation for anything except due to the fact that they gave Cleveland their first round pick. Now, they are being given a shot at 3-0. I’m still not sold on them yet.

Cincinnati over Tennessee: 28-10- If Jake Locker can be the Jake Locker of Week One and not the one we saw last week, then the Titans may just have a chance here. Why will this not happen? Because the Bengals have one of the best defensive units in the NFL. They’re just too good.

Cleveland over Baltimore: 16-9- I honestly thought Brian Hoyer would be on the bench by now, but he’s done a good enough job to keep Cleveland In contention for the AFC North. As for the Ravens, they’re on the road. The Ravens don’t play well on the road.

Green Bay over Detroit: 31-28- Here’s a shootout…..potentially. The Lions have to score more than a touchdown to beat Green Bay. They just aren’t good enough……..they’re playing the same old Packers and they’re the same old Lions.

Indianapolis over Jacksonville: 20-15- The 0-2 Colts vs. the 0-2 Jaguars. It sounds like a snoozer, but the Colts played against two of the top three teams in the NFL, and lost by a combined total of ten points. Just a tough schedule. Now, it’s smooth sailing. Why isn’t this higher than 20 points? The Colts like to play to the level of their competition.

Lock of the Week: New England over Oakland: 38-6- The Patriots are one of the best in the league at virtually everything. The Raiders are one of the worst at virtually everything. Not a good combo.

New Orleans over Minnesota: 34-17- Maybe the Saints can finally win a game without blowing it. If they can’t beat Minnesota in the Super Dome, then they aren’t beating anyone. That being said, Rob Ryan has to go if this happens. He’s the worst defensive coordinator of all time.

Houston over New York Giants: 28-17- Houston is the luckiest team in the NFL. No offensive talent, or old talent, and they still put up a lot of points, and allow very few. Why? Look at what they’ve played so far. Now they play the Giants and a washed up Eli Manning.

NFC Game of the Week: Philadelphia over Washington: 44-38- Like offense? Here’s one for all of us. Two 2012 draft picks going head to head. Kirk Cousins……yes, Kirk Cousins, vs. Nick Foles. Two high powered offenses, one shootout. If the Redskins put thirty plus points up again, they may as well trade RG3 to the Rams……that’s ironic.

Snoozer of the Week: Dallas over St. Louis: 21-16- I’m not one to bash America’s Team but I also am a fair person and the Cowboys still aren’t on my watch yet as a contender. But, Tony Romo is still way better than Austin Davis. Heck, half of Dallas’s fanbase probably has never even heard of Austin Davis. Who is Austin Davis?

Upset of the Week: Arizona over San Francisco: 23-21- No matter who plays quarterback, the Cardinals are not only the second best team in the conference, they have the second best coach in the NFL in Bruce Arians. He can make something out of nothing.

Miami over Kansas City: 17-16- Close game, but the Chiefs are 2-8 since their 9-0 start last season. Different coach, different quarterback, same sorry-ass Chiefs. But, you have to mention the Dolphins in the same breath. End of the day, the Chiefs always, always, always wear down.

Revenge of the Week: Denver over Seattle: 30-13- Call me crazy? Have you ever seen a vengeful Peyton Manning play in an NFL game? The results speak for themselves.

Carolina over Pittsburgh: 20-13- The Steelers are in danger of falling to 1-2. Remember when the Steelers were one of the NFL’s elite? Remember when the Panthers were a laughingstock? I only hope no Pittsburgh fan will wake up from a four year coma, because they’re in for a rude awakening……..literally.

Chicago over New York Jets: 31-24- Jay Cutler looked like an all-pro last week. Geno Smith is still in his second season and is still mistake prone. Not a good combo.

Nifty Workouts: So, I had a few good ones this week. Let me begin with my One Hundred Rep Nightmare:

100 reps of everything, as many sets as it takes. Rest time is how many reps you have remaining in seconds.

Decline Push-ups

Dumbbell Rows

Lunges

Crunches

Upright Rows

Suspended Dips

Plate Curls

Try it.

Also, before isolating any muscle group, try these before you workout:

Chest: 100 dumbbell fly

Back: 100 pull-ups

Triceps: 100 suspended dips

Biceps: 100 dumbbell curl

Legs: 100 lunges

Shoulders: 100 lateral raise

Abs: 100 full crunches

Before you workout the target muscle group, shock those muscles early.

Give me a weekly shoulder, ab, and cardio attack:

1,000 jump ropes for warm-up
10 minute non-stop ab work

4 sets of each and every movement, 8-12 reps unless specified.
Dumbbell Clean to Press
super-set: Inverted Barbell Presses

Dumbbell Lateral Raise
tri-set: Dumbbell Front Raise
tri-set: Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Battling Ropes for 50 reps
tri-set: Rope Face Pull
tri-set: Machine Rear Delt Fly

I’m out! Todd ‘King of Shredz’ Matthews.