A Beginner's Guide to the Gym Floor

The gym can be a very intimidating place.You have a bunch of in shape people walking around in form fitting workout gear and cut off sleeves, lifting heavy weights, grunting, slamming, sweating, butt slapping, head bobbing to music, and staring at all the newbies... seemingly judging their every move....

Well that last part isn't true, but if you're new to the gym there is absolutely NO way in hell of convincing you otherwise. So, how can you avoid this judgement? How do you bust into the fitness scene without looking like a noob? It's actually pretty damn simple. I'm writing this post not because I think it is necessary to avoid looking like a noob (because it isn't) and not because new people annoy us regulars (because they don't!). I'm writing this post because feeling comfortable and confident in the gym is key to starting and adhering to a workout regimen long enough to achieve results. When you feel good, you lift good and when you lift good you gain dem gainz... good.

I'm also writing this post to stop newbies from gravitating towards the cardio room. People tend to avoid the weight room because they simply don't know how to lift. They need someone to show them the ropes before they just jump in there. Running and biking on the other hand is super easy. In the short term this is great, but in the long run, people who do this wind up quitting after a couple weeks because it's boring, grueling, and fruitless. For the QUICKEST and BEST results, you're going to need to lift weights (and follow a proper diet). But I know you won't lift if you don't feel comfortable in the weight room. Hell I wouldn't either! Psst.. by the way... I'm a Certified Personal Trainer and I sell personalized 4 phase workout plans designed to last up to 16 weeks. They are VERY reasonably priced and include exercises, sets, repetitions, rest intervals, and links to videos demonstrating proper form...CLICK HERE to send me a message requesting a workout!

But without further ado...

Working Out

• Use weight that you can control. No one is impressed by people who lift heavy weights if they use bad form. I know from first hand experience that having weights slide off of a bar that you lose control of is embarrassing! Start light, use proper form and gradually increase weight. The results will come with a little hard work and patience!
• One of the times new gym goers feel the most self-concious is during their rest intervals. The best thing to do when you're not in the act of lifting weights is to just  kind of hover around the equipment you're using. If you're at a bench, just sit on it and relax. Although it may feel like everyone is watching you...they aren't! Unless you're wearing neon colored clothing that is... i'll cover that in the next section though...
• Have a plan. For new lifters, it's best to go into the gym knowing your routine ahead of time. Once again, I sell personalized 4 phase workout programs that are designed to take you up to 16 weeks to complete. I also include links to YouTube videos that show the PROPER form for each exercise. CLICK HERE to send me a message requesting a workout! You don't have to go through me though... you can do all the research yourself and put together your own routine from scratch as well. The important thing is that you go into the weight room with a plan.
• Don't be afraid to grunt and slam weights should the need arise. It's a gym, not a library. Aside from Planet Fitness, no one judges those who workout hard. 

Apparel

This attire is great for women in the gym.
Form fitting but not too revealing.

• Wear something relatively form fitting and comfortable. For women, this means yoga capris and tank-tops with a built in sports-bra. That's just one suggestion, but there are a TON of different gym fashions for women out there so have fun with it! For men, this means athletic fit t-shirts or tank tops and shorts that go down to just above or below your knee. Spandex shorts for men are never okay! So if you're an avid biker, don't walk into the weight room wearing your road shorts... you can get some affordable and suitable workout shorts from Target r Walmart
• For guys: Avoid bright colors! Sporting goods stores are filled with neon colored shirts, shorts, and shoes that match to boot. Don't buy them though... as tempting as it may be (and I fight it every time I go through the men's apparel section at sporting goods stores) just say no.
• Also for guys... abide by this rule: Sleeveless on upper body days is fine, but on leg days wear a t-shirt. Only go sleeveless when you know you're about to get your arms pumped up like Popeye after downing a can of Spinach. 
• Shoes: I personally wear zero drop shoes when lifting weights. This means that the difference between the height of the heal and the height of the ball of the foot is...you guessed it... zero. It helps the muscles of the foot develop naturally and makes it easier for you to keep your weight on your heels which is a critical component of most exercises. Good ol' fashioned tennis shoes work just fine too though! The only real no no is toe shoes. Zero drop shoes give you all the benefit of toe shoes...without looking ridiculous, So in the weight room, skip the toe shoes and just go with zero drops. 
• For Guys: Wrist straps are okay to wear, especially if your wrists hurt during activities such as bench pressing, push-ups, and shoulder pressing. Weight lifting gloves on the other hand are never okay for men... unless you're a hand model and need baby softy pretty hands to make your living.
• Headphones: One of the best ways to slip into your zone and block out your perceived haters is to slip on some headphones or some ear buds and jam out. 
• And the last Rule... if you're straight up jacked, none of the above rules apply. You can combine toe shoes with a matching neon shirt and no one will judge you. In fact, they may even try to copy you. So follow these rules for a few months, but once you achieve the body you want... throw them out the window and wear whatever you want like you don't give a what what.

  

  Those who can get away with banana hammocks on stage can wear anything
   in the gym... as long as its not their stage apparel.

The ZeroCardio Diet - Part III

!!!!!!Send me an email if you want a personalized lifting routine!!!!!!!
strengthbymatt@gmail.com

Also, Like the Strength By Matt Facebook Page for daily fitness tips! And add me to your Google+ Circles! (view in full web format on your smart phone or tablet to see the link to to do this)

Speed ladder drills have many benefits for mind and body!

In the first two parts of this series, I went over the numerous reasons why, if your goal is athleticism and/or aesthetics, you should stop doing cardio and start lifting weights. In this part, I am going to go into some exercises that you can and should do as part of your ZeroCardio Diet. Just to be clear, this program is meant to harness your athletic prowess as you develop copious amounts of lean, drop dead, mouth-wateringly sexy muscle. So if you want to run marathons or 5Ks or if you just enjoy running to clear your head... DO CARDIO. Just know that cardio WILL destroy your lean muscle gains so for MAXIMUM results, I do not recommend combining weight lifting with cardio.  Once again, cardio is NOT bad for you... it's just not the best for bulking up, trimming down, athleticism, and overall hotness.

When it comes to weight lifting, FORM is paramount...not the amount of weight you push around. Insecure jabronies sacrafice form for weight... don't be a jabroni. Also CrossFit warriors do the same thing. CLICK HERE to read about my OPINION of that "sport." But I digress...

I could go on and on about strength training routines and exercises you could do to BLAST FAT and improve your athleticism and appearance, but I'm not going to do that here. Instead, I invite you to send me an email ( strengthbymatt@gmail.com ) and ask me for a FREE, ZeroCardio strength training regimen. Whatever your goal is, be it body building, athleticism, bulking up, trimming down, or just plain getting a nicer ass! I can create a workout that will help you achieve it. Strength training is nothing without a proper diet though, so you won't be able to just lift right, you'll have to eat right too. I will cover that topic soon too.

Sled pulls are great for your heart and your
muscular development! 

The main concern people have with the ZeroCardio program is that they think that cardio is the only way to improve your CARDIOvascular system. But that thought is simply wrong. Among other things, sprints, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). and super setting your lifts will improve your cardiovascular health. You won't be able to run a mile very fast, nor will you be able to mindlessly watch TV or read a book while doing them, but that dosen't mean your cardiovascular system is unhealthy. The aforementioned exercises create lean, sexy fast twitch muscle fibers while still giving your heart a workout and improving your overall cardiovascular health. I recommend including at least 1 day a week of interval training or sprints in addition to weight lifting. These exercises will not diminish the gains you see from weight lifting, they will actually improve them. Sprints especially are very efficient in burning through your bodies glycogen (carb) stores. When sprinting you use glycogen almost exclusively as an energy source. The faster you blast through that, faster you begin burning through your glycerol (fat) stores. You DO NEED CARBS in your diet though in order to fuel your muscles so that you can have a good strong workout.

My whole goal of creating the Strength By Matt brand is not to rid the world of treadmills and elliptical machines. My goal is to make this world a better place by helping individuals become stronger versions of themselves in the most EFFICIENT manner possible. As you become physically and mentally stronger, not only will your life improve, but so will the lives of those around you and in turn, the world will be a little bit better of place. If you feel the strongest version of yourself is a marathon runner, then the Strength By Matt resistance training program is not for you. Just tune out articles like these and read my posts on nutrition, supplements, mental health, and the like. I really do welcome your feedback and your points of view so keep it coming!

And as always... all of this is just advice.. you can do whatever the HELL you wanna do!

The Zero Cardio Diet - Part II

!!!!!!Send me an email if you want a personalized lifting routine!!!!!!!
strengthbymatt@gmail.com

Also, Like the Strength By Matt Facebook Page for daily fitness tips! And add me to your Google+ Circles! (view in full web format on your smart phone or tablet to see the link to to do this)

As people progress in age past their 20's, and in some cases in their late 20's, they begin to lose a percentage of muscle mass every year. This percentage increases with age. Now here's the kicker: Strength training combats this genetic decline... cardio accelerates it. You see, in order to continue to increase muscle mass as you age, you must create lean, fast twitch muscle fibers. Cardio tends to atrophy (eliminate) fast twitch muscle fibers in favor of less toned, weaker slow twitch fibers. What's that you say? You don't care about your muscle composition because all you want in life is to be skinny? Well, cardio dosen't help that either!

Women who lift trim down instead of bulking up!

Lean, fast twitch muscle fibers require more calories to function then their slow twitch counterparts. So when you run or bike for miles and burn all those calories in the short term, you are actually making it harder for your body to burn calories in the long run. If, instead of running for an hour you chose to lift weights, you would create lean muscle in your body, and as a result every activity you do would require more calories. In other words, lean muscle will increase your basal metabolic rate! This lean muscle also appears to be more firm and more aesthetically pleasing. And you will be able to maintain this appearance into your old age. You simply cannot get this benefit from cardio. 

Most of us find ourselves in this
position for extended periods of time
every day, which is horrible for our
posture! 

Now let's talk about posture, which also tends to degenerate with age. Most of our lives today are anterior centric, or "forward leaning." From driving your car, to sitting at your computer, you spend a large part of your day hunched over with your shoulders rolled forward and your head sticking out forward like a chicken pecking for food. When you bike or run, you force your body to do the same thing only under a greater amount of stress! Just look at the next runner you see in your neighborhood if you want proof. This is horrible for your structural integrity, and for your overall appearance. Strength training, however, can correct this. I'll do a post soon about all the life benefits of good posture, but for now, just take my word for it... good posture is critical for long-term quality of life.

Next topic... let's address the concern that most women bring up to me... 

A lot of females believe that if they strength train they will bulk up like Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is simply impossible. Men have a much higher ability to gain mass and muscle due to their testosterone levels being far higher than those of women. Those "freak" female body builders are almost all on steroids. Women will actually appear thinner, and more trimmed down when they follow a lifting program. If you think you're different, you're not! Lifting weight burns both the fat surrounding your muscles and the fat within your muscles (and yes, there is fat within your muscles in the same way that there is fat in the middle of a nice juicy steak). This results in a trimmed down, toned appearance. Without the use of supplements like steroids and testosterone boosters, women cannot physically bulk up to "disgusting proportions". As long as females follow a healthy, calorie-conscious diet in conjunction with a proper lifting program, they will trim down, tone up and look sexier than they could ever look by doing mass amounts of cardio.

Biking, a form of cardio, is ineffective.

So cut the crap cardio and start getting more bang for your buck... lift weights! 

The Zero Cardio Diet - Part I

Like the Strength By Matt Facebook Page for daily fitness tips! And follow this blog! (view in full web format on your smart phone or tablet to see the link to it)

You will only bulk up by lifting if that's your goal.
When it comes to bulking vs.  toning, it's all about what you
eat, not what you lift!

The key to losing weight and getting the lean shapely figure you're looking for is to burn more calories than you take in. To do this, most people think they have to run, bike, swim, hop on the eliptical machine or stair stepper, or row a 10k. WRONG! Cardio is not the answer! The answer is found in resistance training aka weight lifting aka pumping iron aka getting your swoll on. 'Merica.

The amount of calories you burn during a workout is determined by your heartbeat. Essentially, the harder your heart works, the more calories you burn. So here's the conundrum with devoting time to cardio in an effort to burn calories as you stive to achieve your aesthetic goals. As you get better at cardio, your entire cardiovascular system improves (hence the name cardio!) which means it requires less effort for your heart to pump oxygen throughout your body. Consequently, you burn less calories. To overcome that you must increase the duration or intensity of your cardio sessions. Ain't nobody got time for that! Additionally, your body begins to convert your lean, sexy fast twitch muscles into slow twitch muscles in order to adapt to the increased amount of cardio you've been doing. Lean muscle is made primarily of fast twitch fibers and is imperative to achieving the shape and pleasing aesthetic appearance that most people desire (if you show me someone who dosen't desire this, I'll show you a liar). More muscle on the body equals more calories burned in both the resting and active state. Why? Simply put, more muscle fibers are recruited and required during each and every activity that you perform. This means that people with more muscle burn more calories while walking, working, eating, watching tv, working out, and even sleeping than people with less muscle burn. 

To achieve the shape you desire for your body, you must change your body's composition. In other words, you must get rid of fat while simultaneously adding muscle. Cardio will drive you to lose some fat, but it does not allow you to gain muscle. The average overweight woman is pear shaped with more fat in the lower half of their body while the average overweight man tends to be apple shaped with more fat in their mid-section. Doing cardio then would drive these people to become smaller pears and smaller apples because they would lose some fat without adding muscle. Your goal however, should not be to look like pear or apple of any size. It should be to change your body's composition in your upper and lower half and in your core (abs and lower back). This goal can only be accomplished through strength training! 

I'll leave you with this final piece... I dare you to take the Strength By Matt challenge:
       

A not-so-uncommon sight in the cardio room.

Next time you're at the gym look in the cardio section and I'll bet you'll see a dozen or so people who look unhappy, are not losing weight, and are using cardio as an excuse to watch television. This form of exercise will closely resemble the time they spend on their couch! Next, look into the weight room and I'll bet you'll see a group of lean, toned, sexy individuals with great posture and a confident aura. Now answer this question... which group would you rather be a part of?

As always, I'm only giving you advice and inviting you to try something new as you strive to become a stronger version of yourself. You can do whatever the hell you want to do! 

The Zero Cardio Diet - Intro.

I have received a lot of questions from people on how to lose weight, gain weight, build muscles mass, tone legs and booty, etc. In every case I give very sound advice and in some cases, I write entire workouts for my clients. None of my advice or workouts ever include a ton of cardio. To many of you reading this, it is obvious why a cardio-free regimen would work for someone whose goal is to gain weight, but you can't wrap your head around how someone can possibly lose weight without running their asses off... literally.

Think about this... back in 1977 a book was published entitled The Complete Book of Running by Jim Fixx. This book quickly became the best selling non-fiction book in history at the time and single handedly began the cardio craze. Personal Trainers, dietitians, and physicians from that point forward began preaching, and prescribing cardio heavy workouts to lose weight and get healthy. Treadmill sales soared and continue to increase and American's are lighter and healthier now than ever before. Wait a minute... American's are actually fatter and more disease ridden than ever before. What??? But that dosen't make sense!!

In this new, multi-part series, I am going to explain exactly why you should AVOID cardio to lose weight and shape your body into the figure you desire. 

Follow this blog (click the link in the right hand column in web view) LIKE my Strength by Matt Facebook page to read the posts as they come out!

F*ck Crossfit

Make sure to LIKE my Facebook page for daily tips/fitness motivation: Strength By Matt Facebook Page

Q: How do you know someone does Crossfit?
A: They'll tell you.

I'll start this off by saying that I think the Crossfit concept is a good one and that it definitely has it's place in the fitness realm. I also have a lot of respect for those that do it and do it well. It requires you to push yourself beyond your limits, challenges you mentally and physically, and turns athletes into better, more ripped versions of themselves. My beef doesn't lie with those who excel at "the sport of working out." My beef lies with the sport itself... and what it's become.

I started thinking more into this whole Crossfit bullshit when I was watching the Crossfit games on ESPN2 at like 3am one day. During one of the 100yd. hand stand walk event, the announcer actually said "This event is one of my favorites because it takes so much strength and balance... it is complete destruction on the shoulder joint!" SERIOUSLY?? Why are people engaging in workouts- you know... those things we do to make ourselves healthier and stronger- that straight up destroy their joints??

Some Crossfitters require tape jobs like this to get
 through a workout. Bad Ass, Bro!

Now you see huge groups of people in these Crossfit gyms (or taking up the entire workout area of a regular gym!) all working out at the same time doing a WOD... which is Crossfit talk for Work Out of the Day. In a lot of cases these groups consist of 20 or more people all of different ages, experience levels, and athletic ability... and their doing the same damn workout! Meanwhile the trainer is either talking it up with the hot chicks in the group or working out themselves. Where's the supervision?? Where's the 1 on 1 instruction to make sure people are using proper form to prevent injury and promote good technique?? What this has become is a money making machine... think about it. As a personal trainer getting paid by the hour on a per client basis, you only get 1 person at a time. As a Crossfit guru though you get 20 people paying you in that same amount of time. It's genius for the trainer but horrible for the trainee.

And another thing... as you workout out and push yourself to the limit during a Crossfit session, you begin to fatigue both mentally and physically. Consequently, your form goes away. Now your slinging up weight (dosen't have to be heavy to hurt you!) without engaging your stabilizers and without the proper technique. That's an injury waiting to happen. There are 2 types of people who do Crossfit... those who are injured and those who are soon to be injured. That's why every habitual Crossfitter has their knees and shoulders bandaged up.

Crossfit is meant for elite athletes, not for the everyday person, or even the average high school athlete for that matter. It will not get an out of shape person into shape because they will get injured before that happens. And if it does happen, they will get injured afterwards and lose most of their gains. For the same reason, it is not meant for overweight people to lose weight either. And finally, it will not turn a non-athlete into an good athlete... it just won't.

Rant over.

Leave comments below... especially you Crossfit people reading this. Defend your "sport"!

Enjoy the video... it's funny cuz it's true!

VIDEO: My 48" Box Jump Progression

Box jumps are excellent for increasing the strength, power, and explosiveness in your legs. Land with your feet flat and even on the platform. Use plates, as I do in this video, to increase the height of your platform. Hit me up in the comments section with any questions!

Women's Health: Keys to a Sexy Booty, Thighs, and Hips - Part II

To achieve that perfect booty you're going to have to work your ass off. Get it? I always like to start with a joke...

Here is a list of exercises that you should do to get yourself into a Sir Mix A Lot music video:

Squats
Box Squats
Single Leg Squats
Box Jumps
Dumbbell Lunges
Hamstring Curls on a Swiss Ball
Hamstring Curls on a Machine
Box Step-ups
Lateral Box Step-ups
SPRINTS
Single Leg Lunges with Back Foot on Bench
Sitting in the Sauna
Yoga (especially hot Yoga)
Pilates
BAR Fitness

For a detailed workout regimen including proper order, sets, and repetitions of each of exercise and instructions on how to do them, send me an email at strengthbymatt@gmail.com. $5 charge for a 1 week, kick ass workout with guaranteed results or your money back. Subsequent weeks will be an additional $5... well worth the investment and much cheaper than hiring a personal trainer!

Here are some basic principles

1. The lower you go when doing leg exercises, the more you target your butt.
2. Cardio, such as jogging, will burn some fat, but not as effectively as lifting weights. It will also only speed your metabolism up for the day that you jog. Which means if you take a day off your metabolism slows right back down. Weight lifting speeds your metabolism up for days at a time as your body works to repair the tiny abrasions in your muscles that result from a lifting session.
3. Weight lifting burns through your glycogen (carbohydrate) stores and begins burning through your glycerol (fat) stores much faster than moderate cardio such as jogging.
4. Sprints are the way to go to ensure you get your cardio workout in while simultaneously burning fat in an efficient manner.
5. Everyone's body naturally stores fat in certain areas. For women, the most common trouble areas are the butt, hips, thighs, and lower stomach. If you burn through the fat in these areas while neglecting all the other parts of your body, your body will pull the fat from the neglected areas and push them right into your trouble areas. This is why it is imperative to lift every muscle group and to do some form of cardio. 

Make sure to FOLLOW this blog, like my Strength By Matt Facebook Page, and subscribe to the Strength By Matt YouTube Channel. Leave comments and questions below!!!

Women's Health: Keys to a Sexy Booty, Thighs, and Hips - Part I

Two big things influence a woman's fat content outside of their diet and exercise routine... hormones and genetics.

Women naturally deposit fat in their thighs and buttocks due to a high presence of the hormone estrogen. In fact, a lot of female body builders and physique models actually take estrogen reduction pills in order to prevent fat deposits  in these parts of their bodies.

Sir Mix-a-Lot was right. Males are programmed to like big
butts, and they cannot not lie. This is a sub-conscious
predisposition.

Genetics predispose people to a certain body type. The natural inclination towards a certain body type can be fought against and significantly changed with diet and exercise, but it cannot be totally negated. If you have bigger hips or thighs than the average woman, you need to accept that and embrace your curves! Men like curves more than stick figures anyways. Thicker thighs, buttocks, and hips signify increased estrogen and a child bearing potential. These two things draw on the sub-conscious, primal instincts of the male species and attract them to their female counterparts... so women should work to perfect their curves, not eliminate them!

Alright I'm off my soapbox... moving on now. In order to understand how to lose undesired fat, you must first understand the sources from which your body draws energy:

1. The first source is carbs which are stored in the body as glycogen. If you want to have the best workouts possible, YOU NEED TO EAT CARBS! Carbs will allow you to work harder in the gym and consequently burn more fat. Like a car, your muscles need fuel to run.
2. Your body's secondary energy source is fat, which is stored in the body as glycerol. 
3. The third source of energy your body uses is protein. This is only used in extreme circumstances such as marathons or triathlons. When your body is using this form of energy, it is basically eating away your muscles to survive.
4. So in summary, first you burn carbs, then when that is used up you burn fat, then finally you burn protein as a last resort.

To lose weight and fat you're going to have to create a "calorie deficit" at the end of each day. This means you have to burn more calories than you take in. It's that simple. It is physically impossible to lose weight if you don't do this. I recommend tracking your calories each day by using a calorie counting app on your smart phone. The one I use is called My Fitness Pal, and it's free!

To help you create a calorie deficit, you're going to have to exercise. Light exercise, such as walking, uses fat almost exclusively as an energy source. Shocking right? Now this doesn't mean that walking is the best way to reduce fat (it doesn't contribute enough to that calorie deficit that I told you you need to create), but it certainly helps. Moderate exercise such as jogging burns 40-60% fat and the rest is carbs. And high intensity exercise, weight lifting and sprints, burns through your glycogen stores (carbs) almost exclusively.

The most effective way to burn fat is to walk 15-30 minutes in the morning to get your metabolism going for the day. Next you want to lift weights and do sprints. I'LL LAY OUT A DETAILED WORKOUT PLAN IN PART II of this series. JOGGING IS NOT THE WAY TO GO if you're trying to burn fat. Weight lifting is paramount... as an example, just 3 sets of 8 reps of bicep curls burns through 70% of your glycogen stores (carbs). Once you burn through 100% of the glycogen stores in any muscle group, you begin burning through your fat stores. Weight lifting and high intensity sprints, not jogging on a treadmill, is the fastest way to do this. Additionally, jogging only increases your metabolism for the one day that you do it. So if you skip a day, you're metabolism is not sped up for that day. Weight lifting on the other hand speeds your metabolism up for multiple days afterwards as your body works to repair the small muscle abrasions created during your lifting session.

In short, to burn off that stubborn hip, thigh, and booty fat, you need to create a calorie deficit, lift weights, and run high intensity sprints. Stay tuned for Part II of this series!

Don't forget to follow my blog and my YouTube channel!==> Strength By Matt

Leave me some comments and topic requests below!