Strength Training for Fat Loss

Here's a brief article about setting up your strength workout for optimal fat loss:

Strength Training for Fat Loss

NY Times Article

Here's an interesting article a client passed along to me after seeing it in the New York Times. This is not about creating a sculpted six pack. This is about maintaining a healthy spine.

Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back?

Any one have any thoughts or opinions? I'd be interested to hear.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Bodyweight Dips

Dr. John Berardi's Weekly Nutrition Tip

Tip #9
Mood Eating
by Dr. John Berardi

Most people eat based on their mood and/or some subjective feelings of hunger. They don't eat based on what their bodies need. Think of it this way: you're about to take a long drive on a stretch of highway with no gas station. Do you fail to stop for gas before you hit the road because you're 'not in the mood?' Of course not. Think of eating in the same way. Eating fuels your metabolic engine. So it's time to start feeling like eating so that you can stop feeling like you're scrawny.

SEE ALSO:
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RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Barbell Cuban Press

No, this not some type of healthy sandwich. I have no idea why it is called a Cuban Press. Others call it a Muscle Snatch. This is an exercise that could be classified as a "shoulder saver". And it's an exercise that is not going to require a lot of weight to really get those shoulders working.

The first part of the movement is a pull up to about sternum level and then you're going to externally rotate and extend your arms to bring the barbell overhead. The key is to keep the elbows high as your externally rotating. Take a look:

Random Thoughts....

• David Ortiz had one home run before Memorial Day. Is it possible that he'll hit his second one by July 4th? It's so sad to watch his demise right before our eyes. I'll never forget what he did for us over the last 5 years or so, but I can not put up with him going 0-5 with three strikeouts. I wish I could say he's going to turn it around, but he's given no indication that he's about to do so. Bye, bye David.
• There's no secret to the programming of my clients who are successful with fat or weight loss. They meet with me consistently. They work hard every time they meet with me. They're always going to do mainly compound movements when they're with me. And they get control of their nutrition. No magic exercises. No magic programs.
• I spent one hour today doing some foam roller work, static stretching and a bunch of upper and lower body mobility work. It wasn't easy. I found myself tired afterwards because I made every rep count. Just because it was a regeneration session, it didn't mean I should just space out. This type of work is no less important than any other work you do at the gym.
• Every time I hear about lifting heavy weights getting you bulky, I want to poke my eyeballs out. And I'm not just hearing this from the ladies. I'm hearing this from guys my age, in their thirties. Instead they'd rather have toothpick arms and bellies that hang over their belts. Once again, you're not going to get big and bulky from lifting heavy weights. You're going to get big and bulky if you continue to go thru the drive thru window on a daily basis, then go lift heavy weights. Bulk is more about your nutrition than it is about your training. In order to attain any sort of leaness, at some time within your program you're going to have to lift heavy.
  
• Can someone explain to me the fascination with John & Kate plus Eight or whatever that brood is called? Are they that exciting? I was staying at the house next door to them down in the Carolina's this past weekend and not once did I see them leave that house. Wow, how exciting. If the camera crews wanted to get some good footage, they should have come over to our house where they would have seen grown men trying to figure out how to skim board after drinking some Miller Lites for half the day.
• There's still hope. If you haven't hit your desired weight or body fat percentage by the spring, there's still summer to shoot for. So go get to work.
  

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Single Arm Barbell Overhead Press

This exercise here is pretty straight forward. I've switched out a dumbbell for a barbell, which is going to require more core and shoulder stability. Try to keep the barbell parallel to the floor as your press it overhead. Down the road if you want to make it harder, you can do two things. The first one is obvious. Move the weight up. The second thing you can do is go to a longer barbell.