Sample Tabata Round #3

If you missed my last sample Tabata workout, check it out here: Sample Tabata Round #2

Here is a sample round you may want to try.  It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds, your heart will be pumping if you push yourself.  Each number represents a 20 second round (with 10 seconds of rest after each round).  The only equipment needed is a Kettlebell (you will probably need different weights for different exercises).

1.  Squat & Press (Squat then Shoulder press Kettlebell with both arms)
2.  Kettlebell Swing
3.  Alternating Jump Lunges
4.  Back Row (Right Side)
5.  Back Row (Left Side)
6.  Squat & Press
7.  Kettlebell Swing
8.  Alternating Jump Lunges

Those Jumping Lunges are killer!  I recommend adding them into any of your circuits.

Sample Tabata Round #2

If you missed my last sample Tabata workout, check it out here: Sample Tabata Round #1

Here is a sample round you may want to try.  It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds, your heart will be pumping if you push yourself.  Each number represents a 20 second round (with 10 seconds of rest after each round).  The only equipment needed was a Kettlebell and a Heavybag laying flat on the floor.

1.  Two Arm Kettlebell Clean & Press
2.  Swings
3.  Side Control Ground & Pound (Right Hand – Hammerfists, Straight Punches, etc)
4.  Side Control Ground & Pound (Left Hand)
5.  Two Arm Kettlebell Clean & Press
6.  Swings
7.  Ground & Pound from The Mount Position (Elbows, Straight Punches, Hooks)
8.  Ground & Pound from The Mount Position

Pure Protein Chewy Chocolate Chip Protein Bar

Today I am going to be reviewing Pure Protein’s Chewy Chocolate Chip High Protein Bar.

Taste:

While it doesn’t taste exactly like a chocolate chip cookie, it is pretty good.  It’s also a unique flavor for a protein bar.  With most every bar being based on peanut butter in some way, it’s nice to have something to mix things up.

Protein & Nutrition:

Loaded with 20 grams of protein, it’s hard to go wrong here.  The vitamins and minerals are just an added bonus.  For a bar of this size, it packs a lot of punch so I highly recommend it as a meal replacement or just a way to work some more protein into your diet.

Servings:

These come in a box or individually wrapped.  Regardless of if one uses these as a meal replacement or a snack (depending on your goals), these are an inexpensive and healthy addition to your day.

Sample Tabata Round #1

If you are not familiar with the Tabata Method, you may read about it here: Tabata Method

Here is a sample round you may want to try (I did this one on Saturday).  Each number represents a 20 second round.  I used a Kettlebell for each exercise.  Click the exercise for a demonstration of what it is if you don’t already know.

1.  Kettlebell Swing
2. Kettlebell Clean & Press
3. One Arm Row (Right Side)
4.  One Arm Row (Left Side)
5.  Kettlebell Swing
6.  Kettlebell Clean & Press
7.  Halo (Right Side)
8.  Halo (Left Side)

High Protein Buffalo Chicken Dip

If you love hot stuff and are looking for a really high protein snack or meal replacement, this Buffalo Chicken Dip is for you.  It is quick and simple to make as well.  Mix all of the following ingredients into a bowl and microwave until the cheese is melted.  Depending on the specific ingredients you use, this entire batch will have over 110 grams of protein in it.  If you are worried about fat (there is no need to be), simply use light versions of the ingredients I list.

1 12 oz can of Chicken (break the chicken up more in the can so it’s small enough to use as dip)
1/2 Cup of Ranch Dressing
1 8oz Block of Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

This goes great with tortilla chips, pretzels or anything you like.  Thanks to Holli Gabbard for the recipe.

Zone Perfect Strawberry Yogurt Nutrition Bar

Today I am going to be reviewing Zone Perfect’s Strawberry Yogurt Nutrition Bar

Taste:
I really like the taste of this Strawberry Yogurt bar.  It’s not just the standard flavors put into every protein/nutrition bar (chocolate, peanut butter, etc).  It’s nice to have some variety and this bar certainly offers that.

Protein & Nutrition:
This nutrition bar contains 14 grams of protein and 18 vitamins and minerals.  It is also all-natural.  It’s hard to go wrong with any of that.  One of the biggest problems with most protein shakes and bars is that they have artificial sweeteners in them, so it’s nice to find a product free of those types of things.

Servings:
These come in a box or individually wrapped.  Regardless of if one uses these as a meal replacement or a snack (depending on your goals), these are an inexpensive and healthy addition to your day.

Caveman Training

I recently started a new workout program and in that program I have mentioned that my cardio largely consists of something called Caveman training. I briefly described how it works but I wanted to post some videos just to give you guys a better understanding of it.

Video #1:

Caveman training can basically consist of anything you want, but it is generally sport specific and includes explosive moments. Generally you will do 5 minute rounds. I started with 3 rounds but will eventually work my way up to 5. You can mix up the exercises you do in each round or complete the same ones over again, it's all up to you and what you want to do. This built in variety helps keep things from becoming boring.


Video #2:

Strawberry Muscle Milk Product Review

Today I will be reviewing the Srawberry flavor of Muscle Milk by CytoSport.

Taste:
This product tastes pretty good.  It’s maybe a little sweet but I would put it somewhere in between the Vanilla and Chocolate flavors from Muscle Milk.  This is 1 of the top 2 protein shakes I have ever had as far as taste goes.  Taste is pretty important to me because if something tastes so bad I can’t drink it, I’m not going to stick with it no matter how healthy it is.  It does have a very slight artificial sweetener taste, it’s almost unnoticeable most of the time.  This product gets a 9.5 out of 10 on taste.

Protein (and vitamins & minerals):
This is why most people are drinking these shakes in the first place so it’s an important category.  Muscle Milk has 16 grams of protein per serving and is also loaded with about 15-20% of 20 vitamins & minerals.  This isn’t the most protein I have ever seen in a shake (most have about 24 grams) but it does have the vitamins and minerals many other shakes do not have.  I drink mine mixed with 1 cup of milk so I take in 24 grams of protein.  You could also mix this with other ingredients if you wish, like a banana or peanut butter, whatever you like.  It isn’t necessary though, because as I said before, it tastes great.  The serving size is 35 grams, only 16 grams of that is protein, meaning the rest is made up of other ingredients (carbs and fat -2 grams of fiber which is a carb, etc).  This product gets a 8 out of 10 on protein.

Servings:
1 container has 25 servings.   This breaks down to less than $1 per serving.  I eat 5 times a day so having 1 of my meals cost less than $1 (plus the cost of 1 cup of milk) is pretty nice.  Usually with protein shakes, buying in bulk lowers the cost per serving but I bought a smaller container (1.93lbs) just to try it out and see if I liked it.  It’s also nice when a container has about a months supply, so even if you buy the smaller container you only have to buy it once a month.  8.5 out of 10

Artificial ingredients:
In our culture, unless you grow all of your own food, it’s impossible to avoid artificial sweeteners and the like 100%.  That said, I try to avoid them as much as possible.  This product does have a few of them in it, namely acesulfame potassium and sucralose (splenda) but they are among the last ingredients listed, meaning they are the least out of everything in it.  Unfortunately, 95% of protein shakes have at least some of these ingredients in them.  7 out of 10

So overall I like this product and I can actually drink it because it tastes wonderful.  Mixing it with milk I get 24 grams of protein (you don’t want to take in to much at a time anyway since you can only digest so much at once).  For the price it’s good.  I would buy this product again but because I want to avoid artificial sweeteners I will rotate this in with other drinks from time to time instead of just always drinking it.

Overall Score: 8.4 out of 10

Muscle Milk Light Chocolate Peanut Caramel Bar

Today I am going to be reviewing Muscle Milk's chocolate peanut caramel protein bar (light version)

Taste:

This protein bar tastes okay, but it's certainly not the best on out there.  It uses the standard flavors for a protein bar, chocolate, peanuts, caramel.  This isn't a bad thing, it just isn't unique.  Taste = 7.8 out of 10.

Protein & Nutrition:

This protein bar is 45 grams, only 15 of which is protein.  It does have 4 grams of fiber but next to 0% of your daily vitamins and minerals.  Protein & Nutrition =  7.5 out of 10

Servings:

These come in a box or individually wrapped.  The price can vary but you are probably looking at a little over $1 per bar.  This is a pretty good price but I like to keep my meal replacements below $1 per meal since I eat a lot.  Servings = 8.2

Artificial ingredients:

It doesn't look to terrible, but it does have sucralose in it (which is in a lot of protein supplements).  Artificial ingredients = 9 out of 10

 At only 170 calories, it is a good bar for those trying to lose weight, using this as a meal replacement.  It's not terrible but there are other bars out there that are just as good or better.  Personally I will be sticking with those other protein bars for the most part but I might cycle these in from time to time just to break up eating the same things all the time.  Overall score=  8.1 out of 10.

Slow Weight Lifting for Fast Results

Have you stopped growing and making improvements during your workouts?  I have been doing something different over the last month and I have already seen results.  In fact, my chest is sore today from my workout yesterday! 

What is this big secret that helps overcome plateaus?  Lift weights slowly!  Instead of burning through all of your sessions as quickly as possible, perhaps even using bad form, slow the movement down.  You will not be able to lift as heavy of a weight, but so what if it is helping you grow.

This is a simple change to make.  Using Bench Press as an example you will want to take 2 seconds to press the barbell up, then lower it over 4 seconds (this can be done with any exercise).  Not only does this allow you to use perfect form (and prevent injuries), but this puts your muscles under tension for a longer period of time, forcing you to fight gravity the whole way.   

Do not cheat!  We are not talking about counting to 4 as quickly as you can, but a real 4 seconds period.  Another advantage of this type of training is it doesn't allow you to cheat using momentum.  A lot of people will use a heavy weight and just swing it with the help of their entire body (this happens a lot with bicep curls).  It is called a bicep curl for a reason, you are supposed to be using your biceps (only) for the movement. 

Try this method for the next 3 months and see the dramatic results!

Pure Protein's Strawberry Shortcake bars

I tried a new protein bar recently that is pretty unique.  Pure Protein's Strawberry Shortcake bar.

Taste:

This protein bar has a unique flavor to it, which is a plus since most protein bars are some variation of chocolate and peanut butter.  Just having some different options to mix things up goes a long way.  If you like the taste of strawberries and yogurt, this protein bar is for you. Taste = 9.5 out of 10.

Protein & Nutrition:

For how small it is, this protein bar is packed with protein.  19 grams of protein to be exact.  There are some other bars out there with a lot of protein in them but they tend to be huge, this one is not.  It has a very small amount of sugar (3 grams) and 18 carbs total.  It also has 15%  of your daily recommended amount for several vitamins and minerals.  Protein & Nutrition = 9.2 out of 10

Servings:

These come in a box or individually wrapped.  The price can vary but you are probably looking at a little over $1 per bar.  This is a pretty good price but I like to keep my meal replacements below $1 per meal since I eat a lot.  Servings = 8

Artificial ingredients:

Made with natural ingredients, including real fruit, it's hard to go wrong here.    Artificial ingredients = 10 out of 10

Overall, this is a good tasting protein bar that can be used as a meal replacement or a snack.  It breaks up the same old flavors typically used for protein bars and has a large amount of protein in it for its size.  Pure Protein's Strawberry Shortcake bars receive a score of 9.2 out of 10. 

Change

While planning to work out is all nice and well, if you don't actually work out it means nothing.  So many people decide every new year that they are going to get into shape this year....and never do.  I want to see you succeed, and in order to do that you have to start.  Hire a personal trainer or go to someone you know who knows what they are doing, make a workout plan and stick to it.  You can change and that change can start today!

Kettlebell Squat & Press

Hey guys, here is one exercise you can perform during a Tabata workout (or during any workout).  A Kettlebell Squat & Press.  Simply hold the kettlebell and squat down, then in one fluid motion, press it up over your head. 

Naturally Boost "Youth Hormone"

After 30 years of age our bodies produce less and less growth hormone.  Growth hormone is basically   what makes us young, giving us toned muscles and lower body fat.  But if you are over 30, all is not lost, there are natural ways to boost your bodies growth hormone production.

Long slow cardio is what most people do but it doesn't help with growth hormone production.  Try peak 8 instead and see the results yourself.  This type of exercise can naturally boost your growth hormone levels by over 700% for up to 2 hours!  It's the intensity that makes the difference.  In nature you don't see animals jogging for miles and miles, it's not our we are designed to function.  They go all out and then stop and walk or rest completely.  Just like with animals, this type of training will give you better cardio as well. 

Peak 8 can be done on a treadmill, exercise bike, elliptical machine, etc.  After a short warm up (3-4 minutes) you want to sprint for 30 seconds (this should be hard, making you tired, if you can talk while you are doing this you aren't going hard enough).  Follow that sprint with 1 minutes and 30 seconds of recoup time, during which you will be walking or riding slowly.  Repeat that 7 more times and you are finished!

That is all there is to it.  It takes around 20 minutes and it's better for you than running for miles. 

Another similar program is The Tabata Method, which you can read about here: http://www.shaolindo.blogspot.com/2012/06/arc-bobs-against-god.html

 

Review: Bob Harper Kettlebells

I'll just start out by saying that I am a big fan of these kettlebells.  When looking for a kettlebell there are a few things you want to find out about before purchasing, such as the weight, the grip and the comfort.

The weight you will have to decide on for yourself but with the grip you want to make sure you can fit both of your hands into it with a comfortable about of space.  Many kettlebell exercises can be done with one hand but many others needs both.  A major problem I have found with many kettlebells is that the handle is narrow or oddly shaped and both hands will not fit inside of it, making it useless or dangerous to perform any two handed moves.  These kettlebells are wide enough and perfectly shaped to be comfortable.

As an added bonus, these kettlebells have a nice coated on them to protect your floors and make it comfortable to hold.  They also, unlike every other kettlebell I have seen, are not in the shape of a ball but rather has a curved midsection on both sides.  This curved midsection allows the kettlebell to conform to your forearm when it lands which is a nice added feature.  Each kettlebell also comes with a DVD showing some of the techniques you can perform with a kettlebell.

Though these kettlebells are a little more pricey than some of the other ones out there I feel they are better designed and nicer looking (and feeling).  I highly recommend this kettlebell for anyone interested in adding new life to their workouts.

Bob Harper Kettlebell:  3.5 out of 4 stars 

Which Body Do You Want?

When doing your cardio routine, think about what that type of training ultimately leads to.  You can spend hours and hours running or you can do high intensity workouts in just a matter of minutes.  You decide, do you want to be a marathon runner or a sprinter?

The Tabata Method is the type of workout you want to achieve a sprinters body type, strong, fast, powerful.  Check out my past blogs on the Tabata Method:

1.  Intro:  http://www.shaolindo.blogspot.com/2012/06/arc-bobs-against-god.html

2.  Tabata Training for Kickboxing/Boxing:  http://www.shaolindo.blogspot.com/2012/06/tabata-training-for-mma.html

3.  Tabata Training for MMA: http://www.shaolindo.blogspot.com/2012/06/tabata-training-for-mma_26.html

Break Out of Your Shell

Do you want to be healthy?  What kind of body do you want have?  We can determine what we feel like, what we look like, all by what we put into our bodies and by the work we put into our bodies through exercise.  Decide what you want out of life and work for it starting today.  It's never to late to change.  Success is just taking one step forward everyday towards your goals.

Exercise benefits

Guys, losing weight and getting into shape is a great benefit of exercise but that is merely the tip of the iceberg.  The health benefits of exercise are numerous! 

Vanilla Muscle Milk Product Review

Today I will be reviewing the Vanilla flavor of Muscle Milk by CytoSport.   

Taste:
This product tastes a lot of cake batter.  This is 1 of the top 2 protein shakes I have ever had as far as taste goes.  This is pretty important to me because if something tastes so bad you can't drink it, your not going to stick with it no matter how healthy it is.  It does have a very slight artificial sweetener taste, it's almost unnoticeable most of the time.  This product gets a 9.5 out of 10 on taste.

Protein (and vitamins & minerals):
This is why most people are drinking these shakes in the first place so it's an important category.  Muscle Milk has 16 grams of protein per serving and is also loaded with about 15-20% of around 20 vitamins & minerals.  This isn't the most protein I have ever seen in a shake (most have about 24 grams) but it does have the vitamins and minerals many other shakes do not have.  I drink mine mixed with 1 cup of milk so I take in 24 grams of protein.  You could also mix this with other ingredients if you wish, like a banana or peanut butter, whatever you like.  It isn't necessary though, because as I said before, it tastes great.  The serving size is 35 grams, only 16 grams of that is protein, meaning the rest is made up of other ingredients (carbs and fat but this has the good kind mostly-2 grams of fiber which is a carb, etc).  This product gets a 8 out of 10 on protein.

Servings:
1 container has 25 servings.   This breaks down less than $1 per serving.  I eat 5 times a day so having 1 of my meals cost less than $1 (plus the cost of 1 cup of milk) is pretty nice.  Usually with protein shakes, buying in bulk lowers the cost per serving but I bought a smaller container (1.93lbs) just to try it out and see if I liked it.  It's also nice when a container has about a months supply, so even if you buy the smaller container you only have to buy it once a month.  8.5 out of 10

Artificial ingredients:
In our culture, unless you grow all of your own food, it's impossible to avoid artificial sweeteners and the like 100%.  That said, I try to avoid them as much as possible.  This product does have a few of them in it, namely acesulfame potassium and sucralose (splenda) but they are among the last ingredients listed, meaning they are the least out of everything in it.  Unfortunately, 95% of protein shakes have at least some of these ingredients in them.  7 out of 10 

So overall I like this product and I can actually drink it because it tastes wonderful.  Mixing it with milk I get 24 grams of protein (you don't want to take in to much at a time anyway since you can only digest so much at once).  For the price it's good.  I would buy this product again but because I want to avoid artificial sweeteners I will rotate this in with other drinks from time to time instead of just always drinking it. 

Overall Score: 8.4 out of 10

Motivation

It's never to late to get started.  Even if you are so out of shape so can't do any hard exercise, just start by taking a walk everyday.  You can make that harder as you progress by mixing in some walks up hill and/or holding hand weights.  Even the greatest had to start at the beginning.  The important thing is that you start.