Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. - Dr David M Burns
I have taken Harv's courses and now volunteer my time each summer to help facilitate the events. This course and all his others
are transformational! I keep going back to see the magic work in other people's lives. This is an opportunity
not to be missed. Act now and get yourself and a family member into this course for free.
"The Universe is dynamic. Everything is in a state of constant
motion and change. Meaning that at every moment you are either attracting
success or repelling it. At the Millionaire Mind Intensive you will change your money blueprint right on
the spot and recondition yourself for "automatic" success. Success will become
your natural way of being and good fortune (luck) will follow you wherever you
go, whatever you do"
I've been reading more about green smoothies, the debate about VitaMix vs BlendTec blenders as well as strength training. It's been a vegetarian nutrition sort of day for me.
Jason Ferruggia, suspected vegetarian body builder / strength trainer (I'll do more research on it) had this to say in an article about how to build muscle fast
Productive mass building workouts are centered on one concept and one concept only; progressive overload. You have to consistently get stronger and lift more weight and do more reps if you ever want to get bigger. Doing the same thing repeatedly will get you absolutely nowhere and is a complete waste of your time.
Also, you need to be sure that you are using big, compound exercises like squats, deadlifts and chin ups with heavy weights. Don’t waste your time with isolation exercises and pumping techniques that do nothing to help you build muscle fast.
Next, you need to be sure your diet is in order. This means that you are eating copious amounts of food every 2-3 hours. Going longer than this without a meal will impede your progress and you will never get huge. You should be focusing on organic whole foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for the majority of your calories. The rest of your intake should be made up of clean sources of protein like eggs and fish.
I'm liking what I'm reading about him. We both agree on milk not being designed for humans, and he eats in vegetarian restaurants, so I'm suspecting that more research will turn up a whole foods diet filled with vegetarian nutrition.
Asked this question: What is the single most important thing you can do at the gym to ensure that you will continually get bigger and stronger?
He answers: It’s very simple. The most important thing you can do each and every single time you go to the gym is try to set a PR (personal record) on every lift you do. That’s it. What this means is that you should always be trying do either do more reps with the same weight (within reason, any sets above 12 on most upper body exercises and 15-20 reps on lower body exercises will do nothing to stimulate muscle growth) or more weight for the same number of reps. Doing the same thing that you have done in a previous workout will do absolutely nothing to help you get bigger and stronger.
THAT is something I don't do enough of, what about you?
From his bio: Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building.
Strong Ukraine girl, Varya Akulova, 13 years old now, but most of the pictures on this site show her at age 6.
She trains using Kettlebells (of course), and other than that I don't know much about her. Just happened to Stumble upon her tonight.
Strong women fascinate me.
Women who train for strength, endurance, bodybuilding or weight loss, it doesn't matter, any woman who takes the incentive to work hard, and build strength fascinates me.
There are a lot of times that I feel that there are a lot of women who are stronger than me, and that inspires me. It inspires me to train harder myself, to become better and to inspire others, men and women to become better.
Varya does some pretty spectacular feats of strength. Here's one she did
So I'm just wondering if you do pushups. Simple question really, and I'm looking for a straight forward answer. Pushups are the benchmark of fitness - and the exercise most newbies are afraid of doing.
Do you do them at all? Do you have a plan in place for becoming better at them? Do you do pushups every day? do you use any of the devices, such as the perfect pushup or other such devices?
What do you think is the ultimate target goal for pushups anyway?
100 pushups a day?
100 pushups in a single session, without stopping?
I'm curious.
What sort of pushup experience do you have, what's your goal and what program do you have in place to reach it?
How To Find A Fitness Center Around The United States
Ever wanted to find a gym or fitness center in a location that you’re going to be spending some time in? Are you a business man making frequent stops all over the US or are you simply traveling around the country and want to stay in shape?
Either way, you’ll want to know where you can find a fitness center that fills your needs or track down your own gym in another city.
I spent most of 2005 and 2006 on the road and I wished I had access to Gym Ticket’s database of fitness centers as it would have made my training much easier.
Their search feature is amazingly simple. You can find your nearest gym or fitness facility by simply entering a zip code into their search function, or an address. Otherwise, you can choose to search for all gym’s by city, or by brand.
I took it through a trial run with Palm Springs as my destination. I spent a lot of time at the Highland Springs Resort at Beaumont in 2006 and visited Palm Springs once for dinner. Nice enough place, might go back and climb that mountain it backs onto.
So I decided to look for a specific brand. I wanted to find a Golds Gym in Palm Springs. I clicked the "Search by Brand" and picked Golds Gym. Then I chose from the list of locations that were displayed and chose Palm Springs.
The resulting fitness center search page showed me a Google map with the location of the gym and the actual address. I could email the gym from here if I had to ask them something and a list of the gym’s full amenities and hours was one click away. I especially liked the ability to have a free guest pass sent to me if I was really going to be visiting the gym. This was just a test remember.
From the amenities page, one further click led me to all the other fitness centers and gym’s in Palm Springs.
GymTicket.com’s interface is extremely simple to use. A location or a gym brand name is all it takes to find a fitness center in the city you’re traveling to and it even offers free passes. Gym Ticket had a database full with locations and brand name gym’s so it’s not lacking in options. Gym owners can also join and have their fitness center added as well.
I am certainly going to use this for my next trip to Vegas this spring.
I am very happy to have had the chance to do this paid review of Gym Ticket fitness center database. It has my full approval.
Want to get in a quick 10 minute leg workout that burns fat, increases metabolism and makes you sweat? What if you can’t leave the house and you’ve got kids to deal with? Angie the Fit Chic proves that you can get in an effective 10 minute leg workout in this video by her personal trainer husband Scott Tousignant.
Drop sets allow you to get maximum results with minimum time and are a part of Angie’s Fit Chick workout program.
I've been training since I was 23 and I'm turning 40 this year, so building muscle and keeping my muscle are two of my favorite past times. I have long touted the benefits of muscle mass at improving energy levels, burning fat and it's effects on anti-aging.
The human body is the only machine that gets stronger the more you use it
This special report by Mens Health - Fight Age With Muscle shows us that weight training as we age helps us in many areas of our life and health, from osteoperosis to erectile dysfunction, to improving sleep and lowering stress.
From the comments that I overhear from seniors, most complain about fitness and weight training and are cautious about injury not realizing that the opposite is actually true. Begin weight training, increase bone density, increase flexability and reduce sickness to name but a few benefits.
My friend Jon Benson has a fabulous book of inspiration which includes success stories of athletes over the age of 40. This indepth look at who, how and why these aging athletes are getting better with age. Jon wanted me in the book but I wasn't old enough, lol. I highly suggest you check out Fit Over 40 - Role Models Of Excellence At Any Age.
The difference lies within where you put your focus.
Listen for the Key Moment:
Try this exercise...
I believe that it does not matter how much weight you're moving, as long as the form is correct and your objective is to facilitate growth, not just throwing the weight around.
Focus on your form always. In a recent training session I did with Russell Bridgeman, my training partner, he said to me "that was easy".. so I asked him "slow down then". Stop the momentum, focus on form.
Being a vegetarian requires a full understanding of the role nutrition plays in achieving your fitness goals.
There is a direct relationship between nutrition and physical performance in workouts or sports. Hard physical activity requires an increase in nutritionally dense calories and also due to sweating a higher fluid intake. Threfore you need to carefully plan what you eat and drink.
Your calorie intake needs to be balanced with your energy output and goals. If you want to lose you need to cut back on calories, if you want to gain you will need to increase calories. If your going in the wrong direction, adjust your calorie intake and/or activity levels, so you are moving towards your goals.
An important point for vegetarians to realize that they digest their foods more quickly than non vegetarians. This means you need to eat more often to compensate for the higher energy needs.
When engaging in fitness training workouts you do need to increase your protein intake, but remember excess protein that is not burned for energy will be turned into fat.
Best Vegetarian Protein Sources
It's easier than you might imagine to get plenty of protein from vegetarian foods. If you include dairy products and eggs in your regimen, look no further. These are good sources of protein. Stick to low fat dairy products to avoid excess saturated fats.
If you want to be certain that you are getting all eight essential amino acids, you should eat learn to combine foods to form complete proteins, such as:
Beans on toast Cereal/muesli with milk Corn and beans Granola with yogurt Hummus and pita bread Nut butter with milk or whole grain bread Pasta with beans Pasta with cheese (e.g., lasagne, macaroni and cheese) Rice and beans, peas, or lentils Rice with milk (rice pudding) Split pea soup with whole grain or seeded crackers or bread Tortillas with refried beans Veggie burgers on bread
Note that these combinations don't necessarily have to be eaten at the same time; you can eat one several hours after the other and still benefit from the complete protein.
Complete protein can be gotten from eating soy based foods like tofu tempeh or sprouted legumes, and meat substitutes made from soy protein.
Throughout my 18 years in the fitness industry as a trainer, nutrition consultant and motivational coach, I have noticed that some people who start a nutrition and exercise program give up very easily after hitting the first obstacle they encounter. If they feel the slightest bit of discouragement or frustration, they will abandon even their biggest goals and dreams.
On the other hand, I noticed that some people simply NEVER give up. They have ferocious persistence and they never let go of their goals. These people are like the bulldog that refuses to release its teeth-hold on a bone. The harder you try to pull the bone out of his mouth, the harder the dog chomps down with a vice-like grip.
What's the difference between these two types of people? Psychologists say there is an answer.
An extremely important guideline for achieving fitness success is the concept that, "There is no failure; only feedback. You don't "fail", you only get results."
This is a foundational principle from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), and the first time I ever heard it was from peak performance expert Anthony Robbins back in the late 1980's. It's a principle that stuck with me ever since, because it's a very, very powerful shift in mindset.
A lot of people will second-guess themselves and they'll bail out and quit, just because what they try at first doesn't work. They consider it a permanent failure, but all they need is a little attitude change, a mindset change, or what we call a "reframe."
Instead of saying, "This is failure" they can say to themselves, "I produced a result" and "This is only temporary." This change in perspective is going to change the way that they feel and how they mentally process and explain the experience. It turns into a learning opportunity and valuable feedback for a course correction instead of a failure, and that drives continued action and forward movement.
It's all about your results and your interpretation of those results
Dr Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, did some incredible research on this subject and wrote about it in his book, Learned Optimism. Dr. Seligman noticed that the difference between people who give up and people who persist and never quit is what he referred to as "explanatory style." He said that explanatory style is the way we explain or interpret bad events or failures.
People who habitually give up have an explanatory style of permanence. For example, they hit a plateau in their progress and explain it by saying, "diets never work" or "I have bad genetics so I'll always be fat." These explanations imply permanence.
Other people hit the same plateaus and encounter the same challenges, but explain them differently. They say things such as, "I ate too many cheat meals this week," or "I haven't found the right diet for my body type yet." These explanations of the results imply being temporary.
People who see negative results as permanent failure are the ones who give up easily and often generalize their "failure" into other areas of their lives and even into their own sense of self. It's one thing to say, "I ate poorly this past week because I was traveling," (a belief about temporary behavior and environment), and to say, "I am a fat person because of my genetics" (a belief about identity with a sense of permanence). Remember, body fat is a temporary condition, not a person!
People who see challenges and obstacles as temporary and as valuable learning experiences are the ones who never quit. If you learn from your experiences, not repeating what didn't work in the past, and if you choose to never quit, your success is inevitable.
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's Fat Loss program, visit: www.burnthefatbook.com
We all have issues. I am talking physical issues and psychological issues. You have a few, right? I know I do. Okay, scratch the psychological part. I don't think I have any of these yet. But, as far as the physical side is concerned, I have a few. Take my biceps for example. Currently they're only 15 inches. Now, that's not terrible, I guess, but I would like more. If you're not aware, the average man's bicep is 13 inches. I would like to get to 16. This is a personal goal of mine. Then there is my shoulders and back. I just started a new shoulder exercise to try and beef them up. The back is also a work in progress. So, what are your physical issues? Chances are the solution is close by.
Do you currently have an exercise regime? Please tell me your answer is yes! It doesn't have to be a super-duper Hulk Hogan workout, or something Denise Austin does daily. It does however; have to be something that offers your body some benefits. As I was discussing with my routines, I do these training exercises to grow stronger and be healthy. So what about that shoulder exercise I mentioned? Let me give you the scoop. You take two dumbbells, which both must be according to your physique and strength. If you can barely lift 25 pound dumbbells once over your head, then this is clearly too heavy. Remember, a shoulder exercise should strengthen your shoulder muscles; not squash them. Once you've found the weight that's right for you, take a seat on a chair or weight bench. Grip the dumbbells tightly and hold them on either sides of your body. Your arms should form right angles pointing up with the dumbbells just above your head. Now, push that right dumbbell toward the ceiling. When you're lowering it, raise the left dumbbell. Repeat this process several times. You should be able to accomplish eight reps with each arm. Also, be sure to do at least three sets. If you're trying to tone, you should focus more on high reps, and three sets. If you're working to gain mass, then you should increase weight, lower reps and increase sets. Now remember, this is but one great shoulder exercise. There are more to choose from.
Need weight lifting advice? Get online and take your pick. There are plenty of weight training regimes posted on the net. A great one is this Bodybuilding and Exercise site, and there's even a Bodybuilding Supplements Blog too. And don't forget to try that shoulder exercise I told you about. It will do wonders for your triceps and deltoids.
How often do you exercise? This is an important concept that should be addressed seriously. Far too many people, namely Americans, fail to exercise on a regular basis. In turn their health not only degrades over time, but actually fails them at a young age. In this day and age folks should not be having heart trouble in their forties, but sadly they do. Sure, we can all blame the fast food chains until the cows come home. However, when it comes down to it, it's all on us. No one chooses what you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner except for you. Well, this is of course considering that your parents aren't still feeding you. This is why it is up to each and every one of us as an individual to adopt proper eating habits and fitness regimes. How's your diet these days? Well, if you've already conquered that aspect of health, then maybe it's time you took on the fitness factor. Maybe it's time you looked into bowflex exercise.
What do you know about bowflex exercise? I recall the first time I spotted a bowflex. It was on an infomercial. I have to admit I was intrigued to say the least regarding bowflex exercise. How cool is a workout center without any actual weights? This was truly a breakthrough in technology. The bowflex exercise is done with rubber bands that work against your motions. While there is no steel involved with the restriction process, you'll certainly feel the burn regardless. The bowflex exercise simply offers a new and innovative twist on things. The great aspect of these new-age toning machines is the all-in-one factor. You can literally choose from dozens of exercises when it comes to a contemporary bowflex workout center. Are you sweating yet?
If you are pondering a fit figure with ripped abs, massive biceps, and toned legs, then maybe it's time you considered bowflex exercise as a solution to your fitness needs. With these multi-exercise machines you can virtually accomplish all your workout routines. Jump online and browse through a variety of websites that offer bowflex exercise equipment for decent prices. It's time to get back into the swing of life with a fit figure and positive outlook. Get in shape the right way with bowflex exercise.
I've been reading more about green smoothies, the debate about VitaMix vs BlendTec blenders as well as strength training. It's been a vegetarian nutrition sort of day for me.Productive mass building workouts are centered on one concept and one concept only; progressive overload. You have to consistently get stronger and lift more weight and do more reps if you ever want to get bigger. Doing the same thing repeatedly will get you absolutely nowhere and is a complete waste of your time.
Strong Ukraine girl, Varya Akulova, 13 years old now, but most of the pictures on this site show her at age 6. 
By Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Do you currently have an exercise regime? Please tell me your answer is yes! It doesn't have to be a super-duper Hulk Hogan workout, or something Denise Austin does daily. It does however; have to be something that offers your body some benefits. As I was discussing with my routines, I do these training exercises to grow stronger and be healthy. So what about that shoulder exercise I mentioned? Let me give you the scoop. You take two dumbbells, which both must be according to your physique and strength. If you can barely lift 25 pound dumbbells once over your head, then this is clearly too heavy. Remember, a shoulder exercise should strengthen your shoulder muscles; not squash them. Once you've found the weight that's right for you, take a seat on a chair or weight bench. Grip the dumbbells tightly and hold them on either sides of your body. Your arms should form right angles pointing up with the dumbbells just above your head. Now, push that right dumbbell toward the ceiling. When you're lowering it, raise the left dumbbell. Repeat this process several times. You should be able to accomplish eight reps with each arm. Also, be sure to do at least three sets. If you're trying to tone, you should focus more on high reps, and three sets. If you're working to gain mass, then you should increase weight, lower reps and increase sets. Now remember, this is but one great shoulder exercise. There are more to choose from.
How often do you exercise? This is an important concept that should be addressed seriously. Far too many people, namely Americans, fail to exercise on a regular basis. In turn their health not only degrades over time, but actually fails them at a young age. In this day and age folks should not be having heart trouble in their forties, but sadly they do. Sure, we can all blame the fast food chains until the cows come home. However, when it comes down to it, it's all on us. No one chooses what you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner except for you. Well, this is of course considering that your parents aren't still feeding you. This is why it is up to each and every one of us as an individual to adopt proper eating habits and fitness regimes. How's your diet these days? Well, if you've already conquered that aspect of health, then maybe it's time you took on the fitness factor. Maybe it's time you looked into bowflex exercise. 
