Exercise of the Week: Prowler Chest Press

Just another use for the Prowler in addition to pushes and drags. This is an exercise that can be used on an active recovery day, as a high rep finisher at the end of a workout or part of a medley of exercises.

Nutrition Tip of the Week: Post-Workout Nutrition

The most important time of the day to get your nutrition right may be during the post-workout period. Let’s think about it. You’ve just put yourself through a fairly intense workout. Energy stores are down. Cortisol levels are up. Protein breakdown is occurring. To counter these side effects from your workout you want to provide yourself with some nutrition that will: bring cortisol levels down, bring insulin levels up, increase protein synthesis, replace depleted energy stores, enhance recovery and preserve lean muscles mass. All of this can be accomplished through a post-workout shake consisting of protein and carbohydrates. Yes, I said carbohydrates. This is the time of the day where you may be the most insulin sensitive meaning that the carbs ingested are going to be directed to skeletal muscle tissue.

The preferred type of post-workout nutrition is in liquid form since liquids are more easily absorbed than whole foods. The quicker the nutrients are absorbed post-workout, the better. In regards to quicker absorption rates, you may also want to go with whey protein since this a faster digesting protein than other proteins. Again, the sooner the better in regards to post-workout nutrition.

Another benefit to a potsworkout shake is that it can bring up your daily overall protein intake for those who are having a difficult time doing so. Remember, a healthy, active individual should be aiming for around 0.8-1.0g of protein per pound of bodyweight.

Exercise of the Week: 20/10 Battling Rope Intervals

Here is some upper body conditioning you could do with the Battling Ropes:

20sec work, 10 sec rest. Repeat for 8 rounds. Rest for 2min. Repeat for another 8 rounds

You could use any patterns you want. In the following video I use four different patterns: in/outs, circles, alternating waves and slams.

Nutrition Tip of the Week: Some Worthwhile Supplements

Before considering any supplement, take a look at your overall nutrition. If you are guilty of such things as skipping breakfast, not ingesting protein at each feeding or routinely passing on fruits and vegetables, supplementation may not be the answer to your nutrition issues. Aim to improve your nutrition before you search out for supplements. With that being said, people who are pretty good with their nutrition and are active on a regular basis may be lacking essential macro- and micro-nutrients. Or maybe they want to accelerate their fat loss, enhance recovery or bolster their overall health. In these cases you may want to consider one or more of the following supplements:

• Fish Oil: can help with cardiovascular health, joint health, cognitive function and fat loss.
• Protein Supplement: can help bring up your overall protein intake, which should be around 1g/lb of body weight for an active individual. Will also help speed up recovery.
• Multivitamin: can help bring up micro-nutrient deficiencies for optimal overall health.
• Greens Supplement: provides antioxidant support especially when regular fruit and vegetable intake is not optimal.
• Green Tea Extract: provides anti-oxidants along with the benefit of stimulating your metabolism.

To pick up one or more of these supplements check out Prograde.com.

Exercise of the Week: Side Plank w/Low Pulley Row

My Top Five....

....coaching cues that I repeat on a daily basis.

1. "Butt back". Too many people break at the knees first when attempting to squat. When squatting you have to get your butt back in order to get those glutes working to generate any amount of decent strength. That and pushing your butt back is going to take some stress off your knees. If you're having a hard time with this concept go to box squats where you're actually trying to sit back on the box.
2. "Shoulders back". The effectiveness of any pulling exercise is going to rely on your ability to bring your shoulders back as you bring your arms closer to your torso. From a posture standpoint your shoulders should sit back. When doing any rowing exercises think about driving your blades together. When doing any vertical pulling exercises think about bringing your shoulders down towards your back pockets...if you have back pockets in your shorts or sweats.
3. "Get tall". This phrase is probably the most repeated one throughout the day. This one doesn't even apply to any specific exercises but is more of just self awareness. Getting tall puts your spine in the alginment it wants to be in. Plus it looks a hell of a lot better and exudes confidence. I hear people say, "Strong is sexy". I might start using "Tall is sexy".
4. "Glutes tight". Everyone has glutes, but you would never know it by the way people do not use them. Again, this is another cue that is just going to make an exercise more effective. If you're in a half kneeling position tightening up your glutes is going to increase your stabilization. If you're doing a deadlift or kettlebell swing, tightening up the glutes is going to help you finish off the lift. Being a tight ass in some parts of your life isn't such a bad thing.
5. "That ain't it". This usually occurs after I've told someone what exercise they are going to do, show them that same exercise and then I have them go do it. The problem is that when they go do it, it looks nothing like anything the exercise they are supposed to be doing. A split squat turns into a standing single leg hamstring curl with an overhead press. That's when I know someone is not really tuned in and instead thinking of who is about to get voted off of Idol that night. So sorry to see you go, Pia.

Nutrition Tip of the Week: Cut Back on Calorie Containing Beverages

With fat loss in mind, all of your fluid intake should come from non-calorie containing beverages such as water and green tea. Eliminate the fruit juices, alcoholic drinks and sodas. In the average American diet beverage consumption accounts for about 22% of daily calorie intake with most of that 22% coming from added sugars. Some popular beverages and their calorie and sugar content are:

• Minute Maid Apple Juice (8oz.): 118 calories, 26g of sugar
• Fresh orange juice (8oz.): 107 calories, 20g of sugar
• 20oz. bottle of Coke: 239 calories, 66g of sugar• 1 Budweiser: 145 calories
• 1 glass of red wine: 127 calories• 1 12oz. margarita: 556 calories, 16g of sugar


Aim for about eight cups of water a day as well as 1-2 cups of green tea a day. In addition to green tea’s anti-oxidant benefits it has been shown to have a positive effect your body’s metabolism.