Newsletter - Burn More Fat

4 Tactics for Faster Results

Have you ever been frustrated over a lack of results from your workout routine?

If so, you are in good company. Even the most seasoned athletes experience times when their results plateau.

When you continue to put in the same effort day after day with little or no results it is safe to say that you've hit your own fitness plateau.

Your body adapts quickly to any repetitive routine. The definition of 'insanity' is to do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. This holds true for your workouts. When your results stop then it's time to do something new.

I have good news - the following 4 tactics are guaranteed to crank your workouts up to the next level and to deliver the fast results you want.

Tactic #1: Focus on Negatives

Each time that you do a weight lifting repetition you are utilizing three types of strength. These are:

1. Positive strength: the motion of lifting the weight.
2. Static strength: holding weight in a contracted position.
3. Negative strength: the motion of lowering the weight.

Most people completely miss the benefit of the negative in each repetition by allowing the weight to drop quickly with little control. It is understood that the negative portion of a repetition is just as important as the positive portion, and possibly more important.

Focus on the negative portion of each repetition by lowering the weight very slowly. Concentrate on the negative contraction, and make each repetition count.

If you are advanced, then use a training partner to assist you in moving heavier-than-normal weight into a contracted position, then lower it very slowly.

Another way to utilize negative repetitions on a machine is to lift the weight using two limbs but then lower it with just one. For example, use both legs to lift the weight on a leg extension machine, but then lower it back down slowly using only one leg.

Tactic #2: Do a Drop Set

Drop sets have long been used to fight off exercise plateaus. This technique is great for adding muscle strength, endurance and for increasing the cardiovascular benefit of your workout – resulting in more fat burn.

Here, in a nutshell, is how to do a drop set: When you perform an exercise to exhaustion, don't stop there. Drop the weight by 80% and do another set.

You could take it a step further by dropping the weight twice, making it a double drop. Or drop the weight three times for a descending drop set.

Use this technique only once or twice per workout, on the final set of the exercise.

Tactic #3: Modify the Exercise

There are certain exercises that are considered 'staples' in the gym.

The squat. The lunge. The chest press. The shoulder press. The bicep curl. You get the idea…

While you shouldn't throw these exercises out the window, find creative ways to modify the familiar motion in order to challenge your muscles. Try these exercise modifications:

• Squat on a Bosu ball or balance board.
• Place a weighted bar across your shoulders and do walking lunges.
• Use an exercise ball for chest presses instead of the bench.
• Do a full squat between each repetition of shoulder presses.
• Do a shoulder press between each repetition of bicep curls.

Tactic #4: Use Active Rest to turn each workout into High Intensity Interval Training

Every minute of your workout is an opportunity to increase intensity and to burn more fat. Don't waste precious minutes with long rest periods between exercises.

While it is important to catch your breath if you feel winded, most of the time you would benefit more from an active rest than a passive one. Perform one of the following activities for 30 seconds between exercises and turn your regular workout into High Intensity Interval Training.

• High Knees with Alternating Punches: Alternately bring each knee high to your chest in a quick jumping movement while alternating forward punches at shoulder level.
• Burpees: Start in a sanding position and bend at the waist. Once your hands hit the floor, push your entire body back, extending your legs until they're straight and you're in the push-up position. Go down for a push-up, and when you push yourself up, jump slightly to bring your feet back near your hands. Finally, jump in the air with your arms fully extended over your head.
• Side-to-Side Jumps on Bench: Stand on one side of an exercise bench. Place the foot closest up onto the bench, jump up and switch feet, then land on the opposite side of the bench.
• Mountain Climbers: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the ground in a push-up position. Bring one knee to your chest and then back to the starting position, alternate each leg quickly.
• Side-to-Side Ab Twists: With feet close together, jump and twist your legs left to right – holding your abs tight. Keep a bend in your knees and swing your upper arms with each twist.
• Jump Lunges with Pop Squat: Start in a lunge position, lunge down then quickly jump up, switching your leg position in midair, land in an opposite leg lunge. Once you've done both legs, jump straight into a squat.
• Medicine Ball Squat Jumps: With feet wider than shoulder-width apart hold a medicine ball at chest level. Squat down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Explosively jump up, raising the medicine ball straight over your head.

If you'd like a sure-fire way to break through your fitness plateau and to melt away unwanted fat, then contact me for a fitness consultation.

Call or email today – I look forward to hearing from you.

Easy Slim Down Tip

Do you want a smaller waist? Try this easy slim down tip: Don’t eat carbohydrates after 4pm. Instead stick with lean protein and green veggies. This will prevent late afternoon and evening snacking and will quickly result in a slimmer waist.

Mean & Clean Burrito

Here's a healthy burrito recipe to sink your teeth into. Whole grains, lean protein and crunchy veggies make this a recipe that you'll come back to time and again. Serve with a side of your favorite salsa.
Servings: 1

Here's what you need...

• 1 sprouted grain, flourless tortilla
• 1 Tablespoon hummus
• 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped (or baked tofu)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh corn kernels
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup shredded arugula
• 3 cherry tomatoes, chopped

1. Warm the tortilla in a dry skillet. Spread the hummus evenly over the tortilla.
2. Top the tortilla with rice, beans, chicken and veggies.
3. Fold the two sides of the tortilla in over the filling, then flip up the bottom edge and roll tightly.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 380 calories, 7.8g fat, 45g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 31g protein.

Get Back On Track

Ok, so if you’re like so many Americans you may of let your health and fitness goals slip to the side as Summer quickly approaches. I wrote this journal back in January about starting a fitness program but I feel these things should be re-addressed especially if your looking in the mirror and saying, “I can’t step out on the beach looking like this!!!”

You can start (and re-start) your health and fitness journey at ANY time, especially NOW!

So here it is, the 4 Crucial Steps To a New (or a Re-start) Fitness Program! Revised

4 Crucial Steps To A New Fitness Program

Its that time again.  Summer is here and it has seemed to of sneaked up on us without warning; even though the calendar stays the same year after year and we knew it was coming.


It never fails that year after year I see men and women who begin the year with a vigorous attitude and excitement towards a New Years Resolution of finally achieving their weight loss and fitness goals...

And it never fails that by March, all those high expectations and desires slip aside once again and more than 90% of those people slide back into their old lifestyle habits and give up on their once ambitious New Years Resolution.


How does this happen? Why do people who have such great aspirations and ambition to make positive changes tend to “fail” over and over again year after year?

Is starting an exercise program and getting in shape really that hard that it causes people to give in and quit?


The answer surprisingly is NO!  We just make it harder than it needs to be.

The truth of the matter is most people do not have a solid game plan to reaching their aggressive goals and they quickly find out the challenge of establishing a weight loss plan is overwhelming and stressful.

Who needs the added stress to an already very hectic and busy lifestyle right?

I challenge you here and now to take the time to plan out a realistic and attainable workout regimen instead of cluelessly jumping into it.

Follow these FOUR CRUCIAL STEPS so that you can be sure 2010 WILL be the year you make the positive changes in your life and establish a TRUE fitness resolution and FINALLY get the RESULTS you have been wanting.

Step 1 – Interview Yourself 

This will be the most crucial step you NEED to take in order to getting started on your journey.

You need to be real with yourself and ask the embarrassing and emotional questions that will drive you towards starting TODAY!

Questions like, “What do I not like about myself?” “What actions or circumstances caused me to gain this weight?”

When you ask yourself questions like this you’ll most likely find out a lot more about yourself than you want to, but thats a GOOD thing.

Write down these questions and answers and even the feelings you experience. You’ll want this list to look back on throughout your program to remind you of just why you’re on this new fitness program.

I challenge you to come up with a minimum of 10 questions to ask yourself that will force you to search deep within yourself to seek the truth of why you NEED to get started on your health and fitness regimen today.

When your emotional about getting results, you will have the fuel, the FIRE to do what it takes to get the job DONE!

Step 2 – Write down your Goals

You now have the answers of WHY you need to get started but now you need the MOTIVATION, that’s where writing your goals down comes into play.

I’m most certain you have heard this before with just about any important goal in life you want to accomplish but there is a reason for that, this method WORKS!

When you have your goals written down you can tackle one thing at a time before moving on, plus it will help you stay accountable to your actions each and every day.

Review your goals multiple time per day, especially when you find yourself giving yourself excuses not to workout or reaching for that sugar and fat laden desert.

When you have your goals written down your much more apt to sticking to your regimen and getting the results you want.

Step 3 – Establish your game plan

Now you have your why’s, you also have your goals, but now what? Is it time to jump on the treadmill and start pounding out 5 miles per day?

Not quite. Its time to put it all together and establish a realistic game plan that fits YOU!

If you are someone who has never worked out before you cannot expect to train like an athlete. Going into a fitness regimen with an all or nothing attitude is a sure fire recipe for disaster!

Start easy and build yourself up. Start by walking a mile 3 days per week and cleaning up your nutrition.

Once you have that down and it becomes easy add in weight training and a more strenuous cardiovascular workout like jogging one mile, 3 days per week.

Once that becomes easy, jump up to 4 workouts per week, maybe adding in a day of Yoga and so forth and so on.

The idea here is to build up your stamina and strength over time and increase the intensity without burning yourself out. You should also keep a daily journal of your progress so that you can keep track of progress.

It’s a great idea to hire a personal trainer in the beginning and have an all inclusive Health & Fitness Assessment conducted. This will show you your exact starting point and give you direction of what you need to do to reach your goals.

Step 4 – Start Today!

Even if your not sure what the right step is, start with something today, RIGHT NOW!

Clean out the kitchen of the junk foods, make your grocery list of healthy food choices. Get out your calendar and mark the days you are COMMITTED to working out and what time you are going to do so.

DO NOT CANCEL ANY APPOINTMENTS YOU MAKE WITH YOURSELF!!!

Pick up the phone and call your local health club and set up an appointment with a professional trainer. Do what it takes right now to make sure you are COMMITTED to YOURSELF!

Did you do any of these things yet? What are you waiting for? THE TIME IS NOW!

So there you have it, the four CRUCIAL steps you need to make sure you stay on track with your New Years Resolution, Health & Fitness Goals.

No more failure or excuses because now you are armed to face the challenges and meet set backs head on with the proper tools to be successful.

Still, if you find yourself needing extra guidance, motivation or direction, I cannot stress enough the benefits to hiring a professional Certified trainer.

I hope you all have a very safe and fun Summer and remember, Fitness can truly come easy with the warm weather. Pick some fun outdoor activities to stay in shape and have fun.

Sean "Mayhem" Murphy