"Get in Shape" Resources: Articles by Narkissos

[Narkissos]

I know a lot of you guys have been following my articles on other sites and e-magazines... while a lot of you newer members haven't actually been exposed to a number of my articles. This thread serves to link you guys to reading material which will assist you in getting in the best shape of your lives.

This thread exists to complement the advice thread I have running: Free Diet advice by Narkissos & Novastepp: Intro to Performance Nutrition 101

Hopefully, by posting these articles to their own thread, we can avoid 'em getting lost in the discussions.

*Admin* asked that I not post links to my forum, but I've been cleared to link to my facebook (as per my signature).

Happy reading guys!

[Narkissos]

"Debunking New-age Cardio Myths."
by Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of: "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums,Apollo Fitness Barbados, & NarkSide Apparel.

October 12th 2009

Hi all... Narkissos here.

Recently one of my readers sent me an article and asked for my input on it.

I thought I'd share my responses, as well as some related thoughts in article format.

Basically the article stated:

1. No one needs to do more than 30 minutes per day.
2. If you aren't seeing results, then (automatically) you're doing too much cardio.
3. Doing a lot of cardio will cause injury. Weight-training will prevent injury.
4. If you find cardio boring, then you're doing too much cardio.

As you guys know, I have a huge problem with absolutes and blanket statements... so the precepts of this article irritated me to no end.

So...Here are my thoughts:

_________________________________________________
Myth 1. "No one needs to do more than 30 minutes per day."

Let me say firstly that this is an overstatement.

Secondly, it's plain wrong.

Duration is a facet which the successful dieter needs to manipulate in order to remain successful. Much like any stimuli applied to the body, we adapt. Even 30 minutes of hard-hitting cardio (though I doubt most people are doing intense cardio) daily is going to result in a plateau at some point. A successful dieter will add incremental increases each week, or every 2-4 weeks... so as to prevent plateaus, thus keeping fat-loss going.

Similar precepts apply even if the primary goal for cardio was heart-health.

The InterAmerican Heart Foundation suggests 30-50 minutes (warm-up and warm-up inclusive) 3-4 days per week. The Irish Heart Foundation suggested 30 minutes per day at 50-75% of maximum heart rate... however it's website also notes that "Adults who maintain a regular routine of physical activity of longer duration or greater intensity are likely to have greater benefits."

As per these recommendations, 30 minutes would be acceptable but not optimal.

My suggestions: Adjust your cardio duration to your level of experience/fitness firstly. i.e. If you're a beginner, stick to 15-20 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio daily... increasing as your fitness level increases. Secondly, tweak the duration of your sessions to fit your goals.
_________________________________________________


Myth 2. Not seeing results? Then you're definitely doing too much cardio.

If you aren't seeing results, and by 'results' I mean fatloss, the first place an exercising individual should look is at one's diet... not the duration/frequency/volume of workouts. As many trainees hate cardio with a passion, over-doing it is simply seldom a concern. True, some trainess are cardio-holics... but these do NOT represent the average trainee.

Obesity figures support the position that the average person does NOT like to exercise. Logic would dictate that one would suggest that individuals exercise more, not less.

Anyway, I've digressed.

I find myself needing to refer to the most basic of fitness equations: "[calories expended] > [calories ingested] = fat-loss".

In 2004, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization stated that the average American consumes 3,790 calories per day... over 1350 of which came from fat. That's a LOT of fat and calories, given that the RDA has been suggested to be 2000 calories... A near-2000 calorie surplus on average.



While a lot of individuals are aware of the the RDA... the numbers referenced really don't make an impact, as a number of people don't understand them.

Let's put these figures into perspective, starting with the above-mentioned 2000 calorie surplus.

Measuring the surplus in exercise units, it would take approximately 6 hours for the average person to burn 2000 calories on the treadmill.

That's right... 6 hours.

I sincerely doubt that many of my readers are doing more than an hour of cardio per day.

6 hours is simply unimaginable!

Referring again to the "[calories expended] > [calories ingested] = fat-loss" equation: Clearly logic would dictate that the facet which one would attempt to revise first is "calories ingested".

My suggestion: Not seeing any results? Fix your diet. Exercise more (within reason). Eat less.


Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=157265971125

[Narkissos]

Narkissos's killer shape-up tips!!! Part 1
by Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of: "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums,Apollo Fitness Barbados, & NarkSide Apparel.

September 2009

I've been told that I draw people to me when I step into a gym. Gym owners and gym-goers alike tend to gravitate towards whatever I'm doing, most of the times emulating what I do when I'm doing it. At first it was very, very odd. I mean hell, sometimes it seems like a dance scene from High School Musical 2. Having pondered over it quite a few times, I've come up with the reason.

I simply have a motherload of FUN when I'm at the gym.

No matter how gruelling the work-out, I have a blast. So, the purpose of this article is to share some of the tweaks and tricks I use to make it fun for me.

All Aboard!!!

1. Get in the groove.

A lot of the time I work out in silence... Namely because I find the experience to be a cleansing one. You know, because being in the office, commuting, and even being at home can be annoyingly loud.

However, there are times when I'm in the mood of music.

Music can be empowering (where a boost is needed), and it can be distracting (where distractions are warranted). Each of my music moods is different... So my playlist differs accordingly.

During hard cardio for example, I'm a hard rock fan.

During long-duration cardio, I like steady-state grooves.

There really isn't a need to limit your music taste to your workout mood either, as many external factors tend to influence one's work-out. Heck, many of us exercise to mediate the stress caused by these external factors. So, why not use music to support that process?

e.g. If you're having an "unpretty" day, where you feel insignificant, make sure your playlist includes songs like:

• "Beautiful" (Christina Aguilera)
• "Legs" (ZZ Top)
• "Portions for Foxes" (Rilo Kiley)
• "Baby Got Back" (Sir Mix-a-Lot)
• "From a distance" (Bette Midler)
• "Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (The Police)
• "Lovely Day" (Bill Withers)
• "September" (Earth, Wind & Fire)
• "Social Butterfly" (Kim Herold)
• "Bonafied Lovin" (Chromeo)
• "Calabria" (Enur)
• "Disturbia" (Rihanna)
• "Just Dance" (Lady GaGa)
• "Summertime" (New Kids on the Block)
• "Desperado" (Linda Ronstadt)

2. Be random as hell.

"Random?"

Yes.

"What are you talking about Nark?"

Anything.

Everything.

From weights, reps, range of motion on exercises, exercises themselves, the order of exercises, type of cardio, straight sets, to drop sets.

It doesn't matter what... just mix it all up!!!

Make it random... make it hard, make it interesting.

We're incredibly adaptable creatures. Surviving in this constantly-evolving world requires exactly that.

So why would we approach fitness any differently?

Consider stagnation in the gym being akin to going extinct. Let's not go the way of the dinosaurs!!!

Here are a couple examples of my mix & match approach to training.

A mixed and matched workout split:
(Weeks 1-2)

• Monday: Legs
• Tuesday: Abs & Cardio
• Wednesday: Chest; Delts; triceps
• Thursday: Calves & Cardio
• Friday: Back; Biceps
• Saturday: Cardio
• Sunday: Rest

Weeks 3-4:

• Monday: Chest & Triceps
• Tuesday: Lower Back & Hamstrings
• Wednesday: Cardio
• Thursday: Quadriceps & Calves
• Friday: Back & Delts
• Saturday: Cardio
• Sunday: Rest

Weeks 5-6:

• Monday: Lower Body
• Tuesday: Cardio
• Wednesday: Upper Body
• Thursday: Cardio
• Friday: Lower Body
• Saturday: Cardio
• Sunday: Rest

Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=141775976125

[Narkissos]

Narkissos's killer shape-up tips!!! Part 2
by Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of: "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums,Apollo Fitness Barbados, & NarkSide Apparel.

September 2009

Summer's just about over in my part of the world. As a result, the gyms are seeing less and less patronage. But I mean hell, just because summer's over doesn't mean that you don't need to ditch "operation lean and sexy". i.e. Opportunities to show off that hot body don't dry up because the weather changes. Keep that in mind my friends!

"Lean & Tight" is sexy year-round!

With that in mind: Having followed part 1 of this series, I'd fathom that you guys should be primed and ready for 'level 2'. So let's get to it.


4. Get competitive!

Research shows that adding an element of competition to an endeavor can increase an individual's levels of commitment, motivation, and enjoyment, of said activity[1][2].

Personally, I've found that the addition of some competition tends to be the catalyst: turning a good work-out into an absolutely awesome one.

The great thing about competition in the gym, is that it can take on so very many forms.

On squat day, it can take on the form of "largest number of quality reps achieved at [insert weight]".

On cardio day it take on the form of "fastest outdoor sprint" etc.

There's just SO much that can be done.

Don't have a training partner? Borrow one.

That's right... Borrow one: Walk up to the person who you most want to look like, and (politely) ask if you could work in with them for the day... and, try to keep up.

Should that person not be interested, you're left with the option of mimicking the person's work-out from your corner of the gym... attempting to exceed everything that they've done.

Heck, there really isn't even a need for another party... oftentimes I compete against myself.

"How the hell do you do that Nark?! Damn your guru dribble! Dammit. Dammit. Dammit!"

*smiles*

(Sorry... sometimes I honestly crack myself up. I can honestly hear some of you saying exactly that lol.)

*clear throat*

Continuing: Beating yourself.

This really isn't as psychotic as it sounds. Well, maybe it is in a sense.

Basically, this requires that you constantly surpass every total you've logged in previous work outs.

e.g. If you Squatted 200 lbs for 5 sets of 10 reps (i.e. 50 reps total)... Then I expect you to try to achieve 60 reps in the follow-up workout.

If you've done weighted hill sprints up a 50meter incline in 20 seconds... I expect you to push to complete it in 15 seconds. etc.

Compete and WIN!!!

You'll continue to win even after you've left the gym.


5. Be One-sided!

I've found that most people tend to have one side of the body which is bigger and stronger than the other. Additionally, a lot of people (namely sedentary individuals) have issues working/recruiting certain muscle groups.

The solution to each of the above problems?

Uni-lateral work.

i.e. Working one side of the body (via single-arm, or single-leg exercises) at a time.

Single-leg/Single-arm exercises can be GREAT plateau blasters as well.

I find unilateral training works so very well because it places heavy demands on the target musculature... as well as the core musculature used in maintaining torso stability.

"But Nark... Don't 'normal' barbell movements place heavy demands on the target musculature?"

Sure... It does.

But oftentimes standard lifts, particularly where a muscular or postural balance already exists, tend to recruit secondary support musculature.

Basically, the body seeks the easiest route via which the exercise can be completed.

Unfortunately, 'easiest' isn't necessarily optimal for our purposes. Oftentimes imbalances are simply exacerbated.

That's where unilateral work comes in.

"Ok, ok... So what exercises can I incorporate?"

I'm glad you asked really.

Instead of Barbell Squats, work quadriceps with:

• Dumbbell/Barbell Lunges (either static or walking lunges)
• Bulgarian Split Squats
• Dumbbell Step-ups

Instead of Dead-lifts/leg-curls/hyper-extensions, work hamstrings with:

• Single-leg Dumbbell Dead-lifts
• Single-leg Hyper-extensions
• Single-leg Standing/Laying Leg-curls

Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=141775966125

[Narkissos]

Narkissos's killer shape-up tips!!!Part 3
by Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of: "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums,Apollo Fitness Barbados, & NarkSide Apparel.

October 12th 2009

Dear Readers,

October's here... and the temperature is slowly dropping in my part of the world. Everywhere around me I see people dragging their butts behind 'em. Gym-enthusiasts seem to have lost their enthusiasm.

Well I'm here to tell you guys to SNAP OUT OF IT!

I assume you've read the previous two installments of this series, and have been hungrily awaiting the third (and final) article in this series. Your wait is OVER! Let's get this party started!
_________________________________________________

7. Need motivation to move daily? Then start a running club!!

Let's face it... running kicks major ass, literally AND figuratively! The motion burns a hell of a lot of calories, as it heavily recruits a lot of musculature... particularly those of the core, hips, buns, and thighs... i.e. our problem areas. Need an endorphin boost? Then just about nothing beats a good all-out sprint. On a budget? Then hit the park. Running doesn't cost much in and of itself... it requires very little equipment, and can be done just about anywhere!** Running just rules.

( **NB: For the sake of joint preservation, please avoid running on uneven and overly hard surfaces. Also...Please select footwear appropriate to your activity.)

So where's the catch? Well, it's the same for any form of exercise: Motivation. People often complain that they "can't" motivate themselves to start or adhere to the activity. As regular readers of the NarkSide, you know that I don't believe in coddling... however, I've had my moments of impaired motivation myself. I've found that even the most hardcore athlete has 'em... and even said athlete can benefit from the structure and support that a group can lend. At the very least, it's great for a change of pace... and we all know that a change, however small, can help us bust through plateaus. So, let's get some plateau-busting action going!

6 simple start-up tips:

1. Think about what you're trying to achieve, and set goals.
2. Connect with like-minded individuals, and bring only those individuals on board.
3. Discuss and implement a running schedule that each of you can stick to.
4. Plan your distances in advance.
5. Sub-divide your group into smaller groups based on individual fitness levels (re: pace-setting)
6. Set up a notification system to alert your group to cancellations.

_________________________________________________
8. Circuit-train!

And no, I'm NOT talking about those generic, bordering on geriatric, circuits that some health clubs have set up for self-processed couch potatoes. Those things are obsolete. Health clubs generally set up those useless little circuits so they can pack as many people as possible into each square foot of the gym. Logic would dictate however that a 5 dissimilar people, with dissimilar builds, workout experience, and goals would not benefit equally from the same workout... particularly where, as is typical for health club circuits, the resistance and machine settings aren't adjusted to the individual.

No... for the purpose of this article, we're talking personalized circuit training: exercise with purpose. Cookie-cutter work-outs SUCK!

That being said, why circuit training?

Why? Because it works... particularly for our purpose: getting in shape quickly.

Let's face it... most of you have full-time jobs or classes. Ergo, most of you require work-outs that are efficient, and not overly time-consuming. Workouts don't get much more efficient than circuit training! With circuit training, one gets the benefit of moderate resistance work as well as that of aerobic work... via keeping one's heart-rate up. What's not to love?

Sample circuit-training week:

Monday: Back; abs; Biceps

• Hyper-extensions -- 10 repetitions
• Horizontal Pullups -- 10 repetitions
• Crunches -- 10-15 repetitions
• One Arm Dumbell Rows -- 12-15 repetitions
• Lat Pulldowns -- 15 repetitions
• Laying leg-raises -- 10-15 repetitions
• Barbell Curls -- 15 repetitions

NB: Rest 60 seconds, then repeat 3 times.

Wednesday: Chest; Shoulders; triceps

• Dumbbell Pullover -- 12-15 repetitions
• Dumbbell (floor) Fly -- 12-15 repetitions
• Dumbbell Floor press -- 12-15 repetitions
• Kneeling Lateral Raises -- 12-15 repetitions
• Kneeling Overhead Press -- 12-15 repetitions
• Kneeling Bent-Lateral Raises -- 12-15 repetitions
• Triceps Kickback -- 12-15 repetitions

NB: Rest 60 seconds, then repeat 3 times.




Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=158117961125

[dangerous dan]

nice thread nark

[POPS]

Great reading Nark!!!

Not too sure on your music choices but I get the picture, lol!!!

Its funny on how music can make a difference on my entire day....pops...

[Narkissos]

"Beat the flu to a bloody pulp."
by Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of: "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums,Apollo Fitness Barbados, & NarkSide Apparel.

October 12th 2009

Hi all. As you guys may have heard, I'd recently been rendered infantile by some killer bug. I really thought this was it for me this time around.

"Drama queen"?

Far from.

I've had dengue fever four times thus far, two episodes being within weeks of each other last year. This episode of God-knows-what was far worse than any bout of Dengue fever that I'd ever had. So, I was mentally preparing myself to kick the bucket.

I don't normally rush to the doctor when I'm feeling infirmed, but this time around... I did.

I was loaded up on antibiotics, and a bunch of other crap... that left me feeling worse and worse as the ailment progressed.

Over a week passed, and I was still feeling like absolute crap. Each day, my friends and peers would be asking me "How do you feel?" "Are you any better?" My answer each day? No.

I mean hell, aren't medications supposed to make you feel better?

A friend told me "well maybe the medication isn't working... Maybe you need to go to the doc again for more medication, or a different prescription". My dad echoed the same sentiment.

It was on one of these really bad days, while waiting to meet St. Peter at the pearly gates, that I experienced a should've-would've-could've moment of absolute clarity.

"Maybe the medication ISN'T working".

Maybe, it never really works.

Maybe we over-medicate, and under-estimate the negative effects of doing so.

Maybe we over-apply drugs, while under-applying supplements, sound dieting knowledge, and basic common sense.

Don't get me wrong... The point of this article isn't to bash the medical field, or to suggest that you stop taking your medications.

The point of this article is to provide an alternate view... as well as a supplementary approach towards the maintenance of optimal health. Yes... even during flu season.
_________________________________________________

Disclaimer: I'm a chronic asthmatic... and I have been for 26 years. Yes, I've used diet, exercise, supplements, and common sense to beat my asthma. However, please note once more: I am NOT suggesting that you stop taking medications.
_________________________________________________

Intro to the flu

Influenza (typically called "the flu"), is a viral infection. Viruses are small infectious organisms which need to enter a living cell to replicate. Viruses hijack the host cell, altering the cell's normal functions.

Sometimes this hijacking results in cell death. Sometimes, viruses simply leave some of their DNA behind. When the cell is agitated/activated, by whatever standard metabolic process, the virus may begin replicating again... causing disease.

Our body has a number of defenses against, and responses to, viral attacks.

For one, when viruses enter the body, they trigger an immune response. Should we survive a viral infection, some our white blood cells (the cells which attack and destroy the virus, and infected cells) 'remember' the virus... thus they're able to to quickly identify and rectify subsequent infections by the same virus. This process is called immunity.

In this article we'll discuss how one can fortify and support these defensive and response-mediated mechanisms.

I won't be separating this suggestions into sections... as some of these measures are both preventative and reactive.
_________________________________________________

Strike 1: Load up on Phytochemicals/Phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are biologically active protective chemicals found naturally in plants. The nutrients are contained in the chemicals responsible for the colour of the fruits and vegetables we

eat. As colours are easily recognizable, dieticians often suggest that dieters eat a range of colours. This allows for a a range of phytochemicals... and, subsequently, a range of benefits.

Some phytochemicals are immune-boosting.
Some are metabolism-boosting. Some are antibacterial, while others are antiviral. Still others prevent against oxidative damage... while supporting cellular repair.

All of these benefits are of particular interest during the flu season.

Examples of foods high in flu-busting phytonutrients:

Foods containing the chemicals sulforaphane, isothiocyanate and idoles:

• broccoli
• brussels sprouts
• cabbage, kale
• cauliflower
• bok choy
• watercress

Foods containing the chemical Allium:

• onions (all kinds)
• garlic
• leeks
• shallots
• chives

Foods containing chemicals called anthocyanins:

• berries
• plums (and prunes)
• red grapes (including derivatives: raisins, grape juice, and red wine) cranberries
• pomegranates

Foods containing the chemical lycopene:

• Tomatoes (and tomato products)
• watermelon
• pink grapefruit
• Apricots
• pink guavas

Food containing chemicals called carotenes:

• Carrots
• pumpkins
• mangos
• apricots
• cantaloupe
• sweet potatoes

Foods rich in Vitamin C and related flavanoids:

• citrus fruits
• peaches
• nectarines
• pineapple
• papaya

Foods rich in lutein and related phytochemicals:

• green beans
• avocados
• kiwi fruit
• green peppers
• honeydew melon

Foods which are rich in various (other) types of phytonutrients:

• Seeds (e.g. flax seeds)
• Tea
• Cocao/Cocoa/Chocolate

NB: We'll discuss more of these foods in the "anti-inflammatory section of this article".
_________________________________________________

Strike 2: Avoid pro-inflammatory foods!!!

As stated in my earlier article "You are what you assimilate", gastric and intestinal irritation can negatively affect health. Thus it would make sense if one cut out all sources of gastric irritation if disease is to be treated and/or prevented.

Examples of Pro-inflammatory foods:

• Food high in sugars
• Heavily processed carbohydrates
• Grains (in people who are allergic to grains)
• Dairy (in people who are allergic to Dairy)
• Fatty Red meats (and foods high in arachidonic acid and *****-6 fatty acids)

_________________________________________________

Strike 3: Add anti-inflammatory foods!!!

If inflammatory foods are correlated to an increased risk of illness, then it can be said that anti-inflammatory foods may reduce your risk of illness. Furthermore, should illness manifest, they may speed recovery... or, at the very least, reduce the subsequent discomfort felt during the period of convalescence.

Examples of Anti-inflammatory foods:

• Bananas (Bananas can correct 'leaky gut', thus preventing nutrient malabsorption).
• Berries (Berries add quertin, an immune-supporting anti-oxidant, as well as other phytochemicals and fiber)
• Foods high in *****-3 fatty acids (Flaxseed oil, fish oil, fatty fish, walnuts, pumpkin seeds etc.)
• Soy protein/Tofu/Soy Milk (Research shows that foods high in soy isoflavones may reduce systemic inflammation).

_________________________________________________

Strike 4: Stock up on supplements!!!

B-complex vitamins: Stress mediation.

The b-complex vitamins:

• Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
• Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide)
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine/pyridoxal/pyridoxamine/pyridoxine hydrochloride)
• Vitamin B7 (biotin)
• Vitamin B8 (inositol)**
• Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
• Vitamin B12 (cobalamins/cyanocobalamin)

Viruses enter the body via a number pathways. Some viruses are stopped in their tracks almost immediately upon entry. Generally the factor which influences the severity of the manifestation of a viral invasion is immune health. Stress is a factor which can negatively impact immune health.

Enter the b-complex vitamins! During times of stress, b-complex vitamins are heavily utilized by the cells of the body. This can make the body more susceptible to sickness. Logically their supplementation should reduce the risk of illness. Even where illness manifests, b-complex vitamins can help mitigate feelings of lethargy and fatigue... they may also positively affect headaches which manifest.

Suggested dose: 800 mg per day

**NB: Inositol, has been de-classified as a 'vitamin'. However, for the purpose of this article, it's been included.
_________________________________________________

Dietary Fiber: Does more than "keep you regular"

As shown in my earlier earlier "You are what you assimilate", intestine health heavily affects immune health and function.

Keeping everything regular and free-flowing is necessary where both preventing illness, and dealing with illness is concerned.

With reference to illness which have already manifested, maintaining digestive health may prevent the overgrowth of bacterial agents... which, if allowed to proliferate unimpeded, may make an already crappy bout of the flu even more so.

Suggesed dose: 30 grams per day
_________________________________________________
Echinacea: Wonder herb?

Wonder herb indeed!

This herb has been shown to reduce the virus-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory chemicals. Its effects don't appear to be limited to specific viruses either! To the contrary actually, as a study showed that inflammation-inhibitory effects were prevalent even in the presence of viruses such as rhinoviruses 1A and 14, the influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus types 3 and 11, as well as the herpes simplex virus type 1. Echinacea has also showed potent virucidal activity against viruses with membranes, thus indicating its potential as a multi-functional flu-fighter.

Suggesed dose: 1000 mg, thrice daily (during periods of illness).

NB: I only suggest using echinachae during times of stress and illness. It's very effective on the short-term... but less so on the long term.




Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=156880461125

[Narkissos]

"Fear Time Ends now". Part 1

"A newbie's introduction to fitness"
by Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of: "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums, Apollo Fitness Barbados, & NarkSide Apparel.

September 2009

Virginity... We've all been there.

Unsure of self.

Unsure of what's right or wrong... what's acceptable, and what'll have us ostracized quicker than Oprah takes to fail at a fad diet.

Unsure of what the next step is.

Heck... most of are unsure of what the *first* step is.

And, this is what today's article is about: Starting up a fitness journey from scratch.

I'm sure you've noticed, the chubby chick standing in the corner of the gym staring, wide-eyed (and, some may argue, wild-eyed) at the numerous exercise stations. She, afraid to touch anything, touches nothing.

Are you her?

Well, this article is for you.

Fear time ends now!

I repeat: Fear. Time. Ends. Now.


Getting started: Your first course of action? Choose a gym.

Logical first step?

Well, many people don't think so.

Many people are discouraged before they even venture to start... and, as such, fail prior to even starting.

"But can't I just buy the newest exercise video?"

Sure you can.

And then you can buy the next... and the next... and the next.


What will you have learned, 'cept maybe how to replicate exactly what the instructor on said video shows you?

What will you have learned about adaptation and change?

I'd fathom nothing.

"But Nark... can a gym really teach me more than a video?"

Sure.

We're creatures of habit... Creatures who are products of socialization.

Gyms provide platforms via which numerous concepts can be exposed, shared, assimilated and/or discarded.

I've been involved in fitness for well over a decade, and I *still* learn new things when I go to the gym.

• Modifications to exercises to make them more effective.
• Periodized work-out ideas.
• Mobilization concepts.
• Stretching concepts
• Cardio concepts

Each of these represent dynamic, and ever-changing facets of fitness. Each of these are things which you can take away with you, and apply to your own personal fitness journey.

Join a gym.

You'll find people who know what they're doing... as well as people who, like you, are just learning.

Knowledge is power... and support is empowering.

To find both knowledge and the support in one place is well worth stepping out of your comfort zone.



Getting started: Step two? Get a personal trainer.

"Gatdamn Nark... Do you know how much one of those costs?"

Yea... I do.

Do you know how much knee, shoulder, back, or hip surgery costs?

Incidentally, injuries to the first three of those areas are the ones most common in newbies.

Think about it.

How many of you have pals who joined the gym only to drop out shortly after, after having hurt their back?

How many of you know people who seem to 'tweak their shoulder' every couple of months?

I'd guess that percentage to be around 50%.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway...back on topic: I'd suggest that new trainees work with a personal trainer for at least the first month of working out.

And... I do mean 'work'.

Work your ass off, assimilating all the information your trainer can provide.

This info will mean the difference between you progressing or regressing.

Two VERY common mistakes made by beginners are:

• Performing exercises with horrible form.
• Performing exercises with too much weight.

Not having a foundation of knowledge where proper exercise technique is concerned contributes to the former.

Having a personal trainer gives you that foundation... thus preventing injury and subsequent stagnation.

Not sure what to look for in a personal trainer?

Then check out "Certification Does Not Equate To Knowledge: How To Find A Qualified Personal Trainer" by "greeniz", research and development team member at my forum, "The NarkSide".

(For my Steroid .com bros, the above hyperlink links to greeniz's article on Facebook)


Getting started: Step three? Get stronger!

This section is dedicated to female readers in particular... as a common mistake most of them make, is in working out with little to no resistance.

We've debated the whole "weights will make me look like a man" rubbish in previous articles.

An especially good read, which I'd encourage you all to check out was: "I Lift Weights Like A Girl. Try to keep up" by "StrawberrySun81", research and development consultant on the NarkSide.


The above article's footnotes?

• Lifting heavy things = good.

• Lifting heavy things turns you into a man = ridiculous myth

Think on this: Women wear high heels... Why?

'Cus it makes their butt and calves look STUPENDOUS!

Let me pause for a bit, as stupendous-looking butts really do bring a tear to my eye.

*pauses*

/end moment of respectful silence.

Right.

So... What are the butt and calves?

What makes 'em so damned full and curvy?

What makes 'em desirable?

I'll answer that: Muscle.

They're both shapely muscles.

Muscle gives 'em their shape... Fat does not. A little fat gives 'em that succulent coating... The issue is, a lot of people have a lot of fat, and very little muscle. Fat droops... Muscle does not.

Fat dimples.

Muscle does not.

Are you following the general thought here?

More on the bubble-butt equation:

High heels force both the muscles of the butt and those of the calves into a contracted position... a perpetual contraction that whole world happens to find sexy at that.

Nobody thinks "well that is a manly pair of buttocks" when you're strutting in those heels.

And, well, if they do... then it's time for you to hit the squat rack!

Back on topic: Get stronger.

And I mean this in both the literal and figurative sense.




Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=141775996125

[Narkissos]

4 reasons why you're fat and I'm not.

By Corey Springer
AKA "Narkissos"
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums.

Written: Saturday 8th August 2009

Summer's winding down. Looking around I see that the majority of the people who promised themselves that they'd be in shape for summer (or that they'd get in shape during summer), are still fat.

"I wasn't eating that much man", I often hear. Those of you who've read my article "Cut Liquid Calories... Cut bodyfat." could probably easily poke holes in that defense.

Most people simply don't realize how quickly (liquid) calories add up.

Anyway... that topic's already been covered.

Today, we take a crack at the other areas where people generally slip-up.


Slip-up 1: Inhaling your food.

Due to our hectic lifestyles, we've been socialized into the unhealthy habit of lightning-speed eating.

I mean, heck... some of you only get 60 minute lunch breaks. Who has time to chew right?

/sarcasm

Unfortunately studies[1] do show that our attempts at "being more productive", via eating rapidly, tends to result in a higher consumption of calories as compared to people who eat at a leisurely pace.

Eating too quickly circumvents the satiety signal, so one is prone to pile in loads of fattening calories before your brain registers that your stomach is full.


My solution: Find a quiet corner, outside the office/classroom if possible, pop your head phones in... relax, and chew. Dedicate at least 15 minutes of your lunch hour to actually eating and enjoying food.

This brings me to another tip: eat foods that you enjoy. Even in the most restrictive types of diets, there's sure to be foods that you enjoy. If there are none, then it's time to change your diet.


Slip-up 2: Eating too slowly.

"Hell Nark, you're confusing me now. Didn't you say eating slow was good?!"

Yes, I did.

But, it's situational.

Speed-eating when you're alone and pressed for time, can and does result in weight-gain.

The same is also true for eating to slowly... while in groups.

Numerous studies outline the powerful effect that socialization has on calorie intake.

It has been shown that the higher the number of individuals present at a meal, the higher the amount of food consumed, per individual, for that meal[2][3][4][5][6][7][8].

It doesn't stop there however. In addition to a higher overall amount of calories consumed, a higher fat intake has also been correlated with group meals[9].

More food plus more fat?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where this is heading.

That's right.

Right around the navel!


My solution: Make judicious appetizer selections. A study done in 2007 showed that a fatty soup ingested prior to the main course induces the feeling of being full... and also slows gastric emptying [10][11].

The study found that the feeling of satiety could reduce calorie intake, for that meal, by up to 20 percent [10][11].

Another study showed that some fats, namely unsaturated fats, exert a much stronger "anti-face-stuffing" effect.

These fats are converted to a compound called Oleoyl-ethanolamide (OEA) by cells in the upper region of the small intestine. OEA then activates the brain circuit which controls satiety.

"Enough with the science-speak already Nark!!!"

Alrighty.

The footnote?

Eating a small low-carb, 'fatty' appetizer prior to your main course can prevent over-eating in the social setting.

Ditch the garlic bread, and reach for the asparagus wrapped with prosciutto instead.



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=119905711125

[Narkissos]

5 things you can do to make workouts work for you!

By Corey Springer
AKA "Narkissos"
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums.

Written: Wednesday July 15th 2009
Re-written for: Kurama Magazine

Hey all. Today’s article comes to you courtesy of lazy clients the world over.

I'm currently typing this up mid-stride on the treadmill. Why?

Well, I incurred a slipped disc just over a week ago... the second in 3 months mind you... and, as part of my rehabilitation my chiropractor prescribed one hour of cardio per day.

That's right...no bed-rest... No laying on my back bemoaning my misfortune. One hour of cardio per day. Clearly she's trying to kill me right?

On top of that, she prescribed mobilization exercises and stretches thrice per day. Is that all? Hell no. My doc added self-myofascial release (i.e. self-induced deep tissue torture) on top of all of that.

A long story made short?

She made me accountable.

She cleared me to return to weight-training two days ago... so now we're tossing an elite workout on top of the rehab.

Counter-intuitive much???

While plodding away here, sweat blinding me, my mood's turned quite bitter.

Why you ask?

Well while I plod away here in pain, a bunch of excuses I've heard from 100% healthy clients all came flooding back.


"[Insert exercise] doesn't work for me."

"I don't 'feel' [insert exercise]".

"I can't"... blah, blah, blah!


Enough already!

What. *Can*. You. Do?! That is my question to you.

In a sea of "can't"s... What *can* you do?

*pregnant pause*
*Client refuses to make eye contact*
*silence ensues*


Ok... Let’s not turn this into a guilt trip. That isn’t what this article is about.


Proceeding under the assumption that your excuses will be horribly poor... let's try to make your workouts work!



Pet Peeve #1: "the treadmill does nothing for me!"

Yea.. of course it won't "do anything" if you set it to warp speed and then proceed to grab on to the bars while your feet chip along uselessly.

*pauses so the imagery can sink in*


I see this approach utilized in ALL gyms... all gyms, without deviation.
Just like lifting heavy things, people like to brag about their maximum(s). In this case, they talk smack about how fast they can go.

They turn the most natural form of exercise into a farce.

So... How can you make it productive?
This may be a novel concept, but bear with me.

It’s called: WALKING!


Let me extrapolate a bit further.

I’d like you to:

• Increase the treadmill’s incline
• Lower the treadmill’s speed (to one where holding on isn't required)
• Let go of the hand rail
• ACTUALLY WALK!

Complicated?
No.
Many times more effective?
Hell yes.

What makes it ‘better’?
I’ll tell you.

Holding on for dear life:

• Negates torso twisting
• Reduces the need for conscious torso stabilization
• Reduces arm pumping and scapulae retraction (etc.)

... thus reducing muscle recruitment.

Reduced muscle recruitment equates to reduced calorie expenditure, and reduced substrate utilization.

Need I say: /Fail?


Pet Peeve #2: "The gym is boring!"

And being fat is exciting?

I KNEW I was missing something all these years!

/end sarcasm.

Seriously speaking though: Who needs a gym?

You can work out at home.

For less than $100 you can set up a callisthenic Utopia: 1 swiss fitness ball, 3 resistance bands; 1 floor mat; and a couple pairs of dumbbells.

That's all you need.


Not a home-body? Then take it outdoors!

Make the world your gym.

Parks, beaches, car-parks... Possible gym alternatives are endless!



Pet Peeve #3: "Cardio is boring man!"

...but apparently so is work and school. Yet still you go there 8 hours per day, 5-6 days per week.

What's 30 minutes of cardio by comparison?

Why does cardio need to be boring anyway?

When I think about cardio, I think about it in the same manner as I think about sex... and any other thing that I consider essential to my way of life.

Would you do sex the same way, day in and day out?

If you answer 'yes' to this question... then this is the wrong article for you.

Kindly scroll up to the upper right of this window...and click the 'X' that you find there.
*pauses*

Back to the topic at hand: I'm sure you don't do sex the same way every time... You like to keep it interesting and fulfilling.

I'd suggest that you approach cardio in the same way.

...but, keep your clothes on please. LOL

• Take up a new sport.
• Walk outdoors.
• Utilize trail runs and hill sprints.
• Push your car for a couple lengths of the car park of the gym.
• Flip tires.
• Take a sledgehammer to a large tire...and smash the ****ing hell out of it.
• Jump rope.
• Wrestle with your kids or significant other.

Again, the options are endless!!!





Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=111995801125

[Narkissos]

nice thread nark

Thanks mate.

I've got a shitload of other articles to post.

Once done, I probably will only update once every 3 weeks or so however, as I tend to submit articles to my editor only once each month.

Hope you guys enjoy reading however.

btw: If you guys have any topics you'd like to see covered, feel free to hit me with an email or PM... or heck, post the suggestion here on thread.

Great reading Nark!!!

Not too sure on your music choices but I get the picture, lol!!!

Its funny on how music can make a difference on my entire day....pops...

lol@"pops".

Yea, Yea... I know I'm an old soul.

[Narkissos]

"You are what you assimilate!"

By Corey Springer
AKA "Narkissos"
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums.

Written: Wednesday July 15 2009 for Kurama Magazine.


"You are what you eat", the old adage goes.

As a regular subscriber to the NarkSide, you know just how little stock we put into cliches.

So, in true NarkSide flair, let's scrap that cliche... That's right. Wipe that line from your minds.

Swap it instead for a little piece of reality I like to call: "You are what you assimilate".

You are what you absorb... Not just what you cram down your throat.

This isn't to say that my previous rants (i.e. if you eat shit, you'll look like shit) are negated however.

I see you fatties... piling the pizza and cheesecake in, literally eating yourselves to death.

What's that?

A collective chuckle from the world's health nuts? Don't think for a moment that you've been left out of this rant.

Me: Aims.

Me: Fires.

Me: Scores!


So many of us in the health and fitness lifestyle take intestinal health for granted... indiscriminately piling gobs of protein and carbs into our stomachs in the hopes of adding lean muscle.

We exist on the flip side of this discussion... ironically mirroring the very behaviors we demonize... via ingesting similarly large amounts of supposedly healthy foods with absolutely no regard for form or function.

"But it's healthy Nark."

Really?

Gorging is healthy?

Thanks for the tip bub.


To clarify and correct however: The results, surprisingly, are pretty similar.

Indiscriminate food ingestion, regardless of whether the food choice is 'healthy' or 'unhealthy', leads to bloated/distended abdomens, flatulence, lethargy, and poor elimination.

"But how could that be Nark? Surely we're more healthy than they", the health nuts among you must be saying.

"Who gives a rat's ass Nark? I can pop some antacids and be fine in the morning", the couch potatoes are saying.

Memo to both groups: "Shut yer trap"... You're both equally wrong!

Undigested food sitting there rotting there in your gut is the same, whether it is of healthy origins or not.

Ergo the generation of toxins et. al. will be similar... Again, regardless of its origin.

Your digestive tract...that 30-foot tube which people tend to take for granted, is the foundation of your health.

What?

Let me be more clear: neglect (and/or abuse) your digestive tract, and expect your health to degenerate.

Simple.

Well... it should be simple... but, as is human nature, we tend to over-complicate things.

We allow ourselves to be governed by our taste buds, as opposed to our actual needs and responses.

e.g. Individual A is lactose intolerant, as well as allergic to grains.

Milk products give her flatulence, gut distension, lethargy, and sometimes diarrhea.

Grain products give her water retention (which denotes a systemic allergic reaction), and lethargy.

Systemic allergic reactions lead to impaired glucose tolerance.

Impaired glucose tolerance leads to increased visceral fat.

Blah, blah blah.


Will she, knowing any of this, cut the offending foods from her diet?

Generally no.

The media and society teaches us that 'everything's ok in moderation'.

The actuality is, however, that this is BULLSHIT!

Let me reiterate: This. Is. BULLSHIT!


Would you down arsenic because it "tasted good"?

I'd fathom not... However, that's basically what most people do.

And this is with regard to both 'healthy foods' and unhealthy ones alike.


Guys you've got to remember that this 30-foot tube you take for granted exists to deliver the substrates necessary to sustain life.

This tube needs to be in good condition to deliver needed nutrients to their critical absorption points.

Irritants irritate.

Irritation impairs assimilation.


Let's again refer to our opening statement: "You are what you assimilate".

What happens when assimilation is impaired?


Let me give you an abbreviated rundown:

• Bloating, belching, burning, flatulence after meals
• Otherwise unexplainable headaches
• Indigestion, diarrhea, constipation
• Systemic reactions after meals (e.g. itching, water retention)
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea after taking supplements
• Rectal itching
• Weak or cracked finger nails
• Dilated capillaries in the cheeks and nose (in non-alcoholics)
• Skin eruptions, post-adolescent acne, or other skin irritations such as rosacea
• Iron deficiency
• Chronic intestinal infections, parasites, yeast, unfriendly bacteria
• Undigested food in the stool
• Greasy stools
• Skin that’s easily bruised
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Lethargy
• Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation)
• Chronic vaginitis (vaginal irritation)

Additionally, there is a school of thought which attributed other symptoms, such as impotence, loss of libido, infertility, muscle atrophy, cramps, joint pain, arthritis, autoimmune disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome to malabsorption.


Major Causes of impaired digestive health:

• Stress
• Poor and imbalanced diets. (NB: 'Imbalanced' in this instance refers to a too-heavy inclusion of sugars, starches, and 'unhealthy' fats.)
• Food allergies or sensitivities
• Frequent antibiotic or drug use
• A poorly function immune system (NB: stress, including emotional stress can contribute to this. Poor eating habits can as well.)
• Intestinal infections
• Parasite infestation
• Systemic/Gastric Inflammation

(NB: a number of these are either related to or exacerbated by a poor diet.)


Steps to maintaining/improving digestive health:


1. Choose high quality, fresh and (freshly) frozen foods

Cutting down on canned/boxed foods, I've found, can lead to dramatic improvements in gastric health. Preservatives et. al. are highly irritating.


2. Chew thoroughly

Digestion of carbohydrates (starches, sugars) begins in the mouth via chewing, and the release of saliva and enzymes. Most people rush through meals, subsequently not chewing thoroughly. As a result, when food reaches your stomach, digestion is harder than it should be. The same goes for proteins. While the digestion of proteins doesn't start in the mouth, the process of proper mastication can make digestion faster, easier, and more thorough.

Chewing is the first and, some would argue, most important stage of proper digestion.



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=108906666125

[Narkissos]

Getting a Grasp on the concept of Dieting
By Corey Springer
AKA "Narkissos"
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums.
re-written: Monday June 15 2009 for Kurama Magazine

Summer's Here!

Time to worship the sun!

Time to strip down to the bare essentials: flaunting that tight midsection, those sharply detailed arms, thighs and buns.
...Physical perfection!!!

Well... technically that's what's supposed to happen.

However if you're the average person working a nine-to-five, summer just seems to sneak up on you doesn't it?

I understand.

Honestly I do.

You try to keep in the gym year round. You do your crunches, and you eat 'healthily': ‘Healthy’, a concept which changes by the day.

We’ve all heard:
"Fats are Bad"

"Carbs are Bad"

"Carbs are Good"

"Fats are good"

"Sugar is a no-no"

"Fructose is big ole YES!"

"Too much protein causes kidney failure!"
There’s so much information out there, and so much of it (re: carbs being labelled *both* bad *and* good) is contradictory. So who do you listen to?!

We've all felt that confusion: If everything's 'bad', then what do we eat?

I'm here to tell you that you are not alone in your confusion.

I am here to tell you that confusion is a mass-marketing ploy to sell more products.

Thus, infomercial’s sole purpose isn’t 'information' (as the prefix 'inform' would suggest), but confusion via information overload... and subsequently, the sale of whatever new product their marketing geniuses come up with.

/ends rant reluctantly.

This article is a compilation of facts. Its purpose is to educate: to highlight some of the 'basics' so to speak. At the end of it, you should have a sounder grasp of on the concept of dieting.

Part 2: “What do I take?!?!?”

This is usually the first question I receive.

Not: "How should I eat?", or "How should I train?"

But: "What do I take?"

I attribute this question to years and years of brainwashing by supplement sales men.
I believe that the consumer is at this point less than confident with their ability to achieve the results they want without some form of psychological crutch.

This is not a direct lash at you the consumer...

This is just a statement of acknowledgement.

For over a decade supplement producers have attempted to lull us into the belief that supplement 'A' would serve as a magic pill: fat-loss in a bottle.

A decade, and a couple thousand dollars, later we're still dissatisfied... but none the wiser.

Here're my thoughts: Use your supplements if you will... but use them wisely.

Supplements have legitimate application:
·Convenience: Supplements are convenient. Meal replacements for example are good on the go. The essential minerals and vitamins can be supplied in a standardized manner, making the reaching of pre-set daily requirements easier.

·Concentration Boost: Supplements, thermogenics specifically, can give that much needed boost both inside and outside the gym. This is especially pertinent to those of you who are employed a sector which requires high levels of concentration. These individuals tend be mentally drained by the time they reach the gym. This boost in concentration can benefit low-carb dieters specifically, as a reduction in carbs consumed tends to leave some a bit disoriented.
·Energy Boost: No one can discount the noticeable kick in the rear-end that some supplements can supply!

This being said though, supplements can only provide building blocks.

Benefits are derived from your hard work.


Part 3: My thoughts on cutting calories...

My thoughts are: A distinction needs to be made between 'cutting' calories (i.e. caloric restriction), and starvation.

Making this distinction seems to be especially hard.

This is compounded by an inability to comprehend that weight-loss is fuelled by activity... which is in turn fuelled by food.

The latter is note-worthy, as it denotes that starvation is actually counterproductive.



Part 4: Fat-loss equation: Calories in

The above equation is at the root of the fitness industry.

Whenever you ask a supposed fitness professional, this is the generic answer which you'll receive.

It is true to some effect... but it is easily abused.

...Especially by those new to dieting.

'More is better': this is the general thought process that pervades the modern world.

However, such thinking is counterproductive here...

This holds special significance with regard to the abovementioned caloric deficit.

Simply put, too large of a caloric deficit puts you in starvation mode.

I suppose similar can be said by too high of a caloric output... as too much cardio can be almost as 'damaging'... comparatively speaking.

This isn't to say that one should scrimp on cardio... but rather that one shouldn't overdo it.

Neither should one think that doing cardio will fix a junk-food filled diet.

...Because it won't.

Ok...so where does this leave you?

A number of different schemes come to mind.

Each centers around calculating your approximate Basal Metabolic rate.

A guide to calculating such can be found here.

After calculating your required calorie intake and formulating your diet (which should supply adequate protein; carbohydrates; and fats)... the next step would be to add activity.

A caloric deficit can be achieved by:

a. cutting calories

or

b. adding activity... without changing your calorie intake.

I prefer the latter.

Cardio should be performed 3-6 times per week, with each session lasting between 30 and 45 minutes.

Cardio timing will depend on your however.

Some claim that cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is optimal.

I've tried various times, and my opinion is this: cardio performed at ANY time is better than not doing cardio at all.

Personally I do 30-45 minutes of cardio directly after completing my weight-training workout.

This brings me to another topic...Low energy levels generally reduce potential energy output... as we are able to complete perceivably less and less activity.

Cutting food intake too low, and maintaining an inadequate food intake for too long, slows the metabolism.
A slowed metabolism, coupled with post-starvation binge-eating (which so often occurs) results in rebound fat gain... Additional fat is gained as the metabolic rate is now slower than it was before.

Thus, starvation is basically equivalent to shooting oneself in the foot... and the knee... and the elbow.. and the hip... and the head lol.

The correct way is to 'feed the fire': i.e. split your allotted, and appropriate, calorie intake over the course of the day... consuming relatively moderate-calorie meals every 2-3 hours.

Jumpstart that metabolism... Get to eating!

This brings me to another thought...



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=102740171125

[Narkissos]

5 things you can do to make workouts work for you!

By Corey Springer
AKA "Narkissos"
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums.

Written: Wednesday July 15th 2009
Re-written for: Kurama Magazine

Hey all. Today’s article comes to you courtesy of lazy clients the world over.

I'm currently typing this up mid-stride on the treadmill. Why?

Well, I incurred a slipped disc just over a week ago... the second in 3 months mind you... and, as part of my rehabilitation my chiropractor prescribed one hour of cardio per day.

That's right...no bed-rest... No laying on my back bemoaning my misfortune. One hour of cardio per day. Clearly she's trying to kill me right?

On top of that, she prescribed mobilization exercises and stretches thrice per day. Is that all? Hell no. My doc added self-myofascial release (i.e. self-induced deep tissue torture) on top of all of that.

A long story made short?

She made me accountable.

She cleared me to return to weight-training two days ago... so now we're tossing an elite workout on top of the rehab.

Counter-intuitive much???

While plodding away here, sweat blinding me, my mood's turned quite bitter.

Why you ask?

Well while I plod away here in pain, a bunch of excuses I've heard from 100% healthy clients all came flooding back.


"[Insert exercise] doesn't work for me."

"I don't 'feel' [insert exercise]".

"I can't"... blah, blah, blah!



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=111995801125

^^This above is the 'politically correct' version of this article. I had to re-write it because some people got sand in their vaginas over the first release:


Stop fucking around: 6 things you can do to make workouts fucking work for you!

By Corey Springer
AKA "Narkissos"
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & "The NarkSide" Fitness Forums.

Written: Wednesday July 15 2009 for Kurama Magazine

Yep another rant. I'm coming to your mid-stride on the treadmill. You see, I recently incurred a slipped disc just over a week ago... the second in 3 months.

As part of my rehab my chiropractor prescribed one hour of cardio per day.

That's right...no fucking bedrest... No laying on my back bitching. One hour of gatdamned cardio per day.

On top of that I'm supposed to do prescribed mobilization exercises and stretches thrice per day. My doc added self-myofascial release (SMR) on top of all of that.

No bullshit excuses. No laying down on my ass ringing a bell so my maidservant could come wipe my ass.

Nope... None of that.

My Chiro made me accountable.

She cleared me to return to weight-training two days ago... so now we're tossing an elite workout on top of the rehab.

Counter-intuitive much?

While plodding away here, sweat blinding me, my mood's turned quite bitter.

Why you ask?

Well while I plod away here in pain, a bunch of excuses I've heard from 100% healthy clients all came flooding back.


"[Insert exercise] doesn't work for me."

"I don't 'feel' [insert exercise]".

"I can't"... blah, blah, blah!


Enough already!

What.

*Can*.

You.

Do?!

That is my question to you.

In a sea of "can't"s... What *can* you do?


I've been called antagonistic before.

No skin off MY back.


So... humor me.

What. *Can*. You. Do?

*pregnant pause*
*Client refuses to make eye contact*
*silence ensues*


Ok.. Let not turn this into a guilt trip. Let's proceed under the assumption that ALL your excuses are BULLSHIT.

Proceeding under this assumption... let's try to make your workouts work!



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=108906661125

[Narkissos]

"I can't drink water"
By Corey Springer AKA "Narkissos"

Saturday, June 13th 2009: The NarkSide

Hi all.

I guess by now you guys expect a rant from me each and every time I pick up the trusty old pen.

Today's article will be a bit different however. No sarcasm from me... No berating.

Just information.

So let's get to it!


Fluid needs

Water... How much do we need?

This is a heavily debated area in the field of fitness. Some professionals spout the "eight (8) glasses per day mantra"... others claim that we get enough fluid from whole foods to be fully hydrated[1].

Some claim that the heavy consumption of caffeinated beverages, as is the societal norm, leads to dehydration. However, Grandjean et. al. (2003) argued that there was no difference in levels of hydration (measured via hematologic or urinary indices) when the non-consumption of caffeine was compared to caffeine consumed at moderate levels[1]. Appreciably, it can be argued that 1.4 mg (per kg of bodyweight) to 3.13 mg (per kg of bodyweight), as was the range investigated in this study, bears no relation to 'normal' caffeine consumption... as individuals characteristically consume much higher amounts per sitting.


Putting it into perspective:

Coffee drinkers in the USA consume an average of 2.6 cups of coffee per day [2][3]. This translates into an average of 363.5 mg of coffee per day [2][3]. Personally, my coffee intake is MUCH higher.

Grandjean et. al. (2003) also surmised that hydration levels, again measured via hematologic or urinary indices, remained unchanged by comparsion... regardless of whether plain water composed 100%, 50%, or even just 25% of total fluid intake per day.

Let's not join this debate however. I'm pretty sure that long after we're all gone, they'll be *still* debating.


Let's approach this topic from another perspective: staying lean.

As discussed in my previous article ("Cut liquid calories...cut the fat.) dieters tend not to factor in the significant

impact that liquid calories have on weight-gain. Studies have shown a 300% increase [4] in the consumption of sugar-laden beverages. 300%!! This increase has been tied to equally concerning shifts...namely: an increase in insulin resistance (and related afflictions), and an increase in obesity. Children and adults alike walk past the water cooler, and opt to pop a soft drink instead.

Why?


"I can't drink water...it has no taste."

Ok... you're right. Water has no taste.

I won't sit here and preach to you about the health benefits. Heck, I won't argue hydration.

I'm going to go out on a limb here with this one and state: If you don't like it, don't drink it!

"WHAT?!"

"Has Nark gone MAD?!"

Breathe people... Breathe.

Let me expand on my previous statement.

If you don't like it... don't drink it (plain).


Enter Lemonade and its brethren!

A friend came to me just yesterday with a horror story. She'd had a terrible sugar crash that very day, which had left her nauseous, shaking, and scared as hell.

As a sugar-junky, she really couldn't seem to find the willpower to switch to a non-sweetened beverage. So, she needed an option.

I suggested lemonade.


She listened to the solution with raised eyebrows.


At the end she asked: "So... you'd like me to swap one sweetened drink for another?"

I smiled and relayed the recipe: Lime juice, water, and stevia.



The explanation?

1-2 tbsp lemon juice + 2-4 packets stevia + ice + water = a diet beverage with a twist.


The pros?

• No artificial sweeteners (this is a concern with diet drinks)
• Less than 1 gram of sugar per serving (ergo no influence on blood sugar levels)
• Lemonade is thirst-quenching.
• It's tasty as hell! ("Water tastes bad"? Now you have no excuse!)

The cons?

• You no longer have anything to bitch about.

Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=97854721125

[Narkissos]

Can't lose the fat? 3 things 75% of you are doing wrong!

By Corey Springer AKA "Narkissos"

Monday, June 8th 2009: The NarkSide

Hey all... It's just after midnight and, instead of sleeping, I've just spent the last couple of hours

listening to a friend lament about how he was finding it impossible to lose weight. He pointed fingers in every direction, 'cept at himself.

"Man, I'm kinda eating close to plan. I'm almost working out daily. I try not to snack... Man. I DON'T KNOW WHY I CAN'T LOSE THE WEIGHT!"

"Kinda"?
"Almost"?
"Try not to"?

His three sentences told me more about his eating and work-outs habits, than an hour of dialogue did.

It told me that he half-assed it.

Most people do.

Most people approach fat-loss as a system of balances: Take a little from here, add it there and voila!

...a six-pack.

If it worked like that however, each and every one of you reading this would have a six-pack...whether you wanted one or not.

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

I'll call this rant "Half-assing 101": The GetNarked edition.


Half-assed act #1: Being a boozer.

What's wrong with a little alcohol? Not much... 'a little' being the operative term. Research shows that those who consume a single alcoholic beverage once per week are less likely to become absolute lard-asses. On the opposite end of the spectrum, those who drink socially (i.e. 4-6 + drinks) increase the risk of becoming obese by 50%.

Compounding this would be the practice of adding high-sugar beverages (commonly called chasers/mixers) to alcoholic beverages. These beverages can contain caffeine (which impairs glucose

uptake when consumed alongside carbohydrates), as well as high fructose corn syrup (which, in itself, is more fattening/damaging than sugar alone).

The combined effect?

Fat-ass... in a cup!

Referencing 'a little' once more:

Raise your hands if you think you're "doing enough". i.e.

Raise your hands if you think that you should be seeing more results (with regard to weight-loss) that you are currently seeing.

*pauses*

Now...raise your hands if you can honestly say that you consume only one drink per week.

I'd fathom that there are no raised hands at this point.



Half-assed act #2: Thinking that doing "extra exercise" can offset the deliterious effects of your binges.

...as it really doesn't.

I've lost track of the number of times I've walked into a gym, trained a client, trained myself, done my cardio, and walked out...leaving the same chick plowing away on the elliptical.

Her rationale?

Well... either she binged for 3 days and now is trying to 'work it off'... or she anticipates binging, and is trying to create a deficit prior to doing so.

How silly is that?

No... Seriously.

HOW. Silly. IS. that?

Let's put this in perspective: A 'normal' person consumes anywhere between 1500 and 3000 calories per day.

A binge-eater may consume 10,000-20,000 calories per sitting... Note that I said: PER SITTING!

So... 3 binges per day, for 3 days (as per the typical weekend binge)... comes up to.

...well, you can do the math.

Granted... the body can't assimilate all of those calories in one sitting. However, you can be sure as hell that it WILL try!

That being said, I can't fathom how any logical-thinking individual could possibly believe that hopping on the treadmill for 90 minutes the following day could 'counteract' the damage they did during the binge.

As we tend to burn an average of ten calories per minute during intense exercise, it would take 16 hours of cardio to 'counteract' a single binge-meal.

Let me reiterate: one (1) stuff-my-face-til-it-hurts session = 16 hours of cardio.

*pause*

Raise your hand if you've tried to 'burn off' a previous day's indiscretion.




Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=95451241125

[Narkissos]

Busting Weight-loss Myths the NarkSide way.
By Corey Springer AKA "Narkissos"

Monday, June 8th 2009: The NarkSide

Hi all. Another beautiful Monday is about to come to an end.

Do you know what it is?

Of course you do: RANT TIME!

I've been receiving more and more spam of late, from well-meaning individuals.

Well, at least it starts out as 'well-meaning' until I point out the blatant lack of intelligent content to

these articles which happen to grace my email inbox.

Personally, I'm tired of these copy and paste queens... so today's article serves to take a crack at

the crap they've been passing off under the guise of offering 'fitness advice'.

Let's investigate the my top 5 weight-loss myths.


Myth #1: Lifting weights is counterintuitive when you're trying to lose weight... because lifting weights 'bulks you up'.

The facts?

The truth of the matter is that utlizing strength-training (in the form of lifting weights or any other high-intensity resistance-training activity) on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight.

Simply put: These activities build muscle. Muscle burns SIGNIFICANTLY more calories than body fat. This is particularly true even at rest.

Logically, if you increase your lean mass, then you'll increase the number of calories you burn... ergo:

muscle-building activities = fat-loss activities

It would be counterintuitive to exclude weigh-training from your fat-loss program.

All of my clients, even my female clients, weight-train no less than twice per week. On average they train thrice per week.

Those who lose weight the fastest are those who weight-train four times per week.


Myth #2: "Low-fat"/"nonfat" means calorie-free or 'healthy'.

The facts?

Foods labelled "low-fat" or "nonfat" are often lower in calories than an equal-sized portion of their full-fat alternative. On the surface, this is good... right? It can be... but it often isn't.

Many of these foods labelled as 'healthy alternatives' can contain just as many calories as their full-fat alternatives... some may even contain MORE.

Some may contain added sugar, flour (and other thickeners)... or even High-fructose corn syrup.

These additives serve to 'improve' flavor, texture, and mouth-feel, that the removal of fat alters.

High fructose corn syrup in particular, has been noted to be MORE fattening than sugar.

Logically speaking, how can an alternative that has been made MORE fattening be the 'healthier' choice?

My advice?

Judiciously read the Nutrition Facts on foods to find out what the ingredients are, as well as how many calories are in a serving.


Myth #3: Eating red meat is out if you're trying to lose weight.

I received a really annoying (and I must say, unsolicited) message on facebook just last week, which basically said this.

I replied to the young lady...and she proceeded to send me EVEN MORE ANTI-MEAT SPAM!

"Red meat sits in your gut for months!"

Really? Tell that to my 28" waist!

The facts?

Eating lean meats supports fat-loss! Yes, red meat contains fat... but fat is necessary for fat-loss, as well as for the support of optimal hormonal output (which, in turn plays a supporting role in fat-loss).

Red meat also contains nutrients like iron, zinc and, importantly, protein.

Why is protein important?

Diet-induced thermogenesis comes to mind.

Diet induced thermogenesis can be defined as an increase in energy expenditure above that of the basal fasting level (divided by the energy content of the food ingested). Diet-induced thermogenesis

is one of the three components of daily energy expenditure... the other two being: one's basal metabolic rate, and activity-induced thermogenesis.

Diet induced thermogenesis could play a role in the maintenance of weight.

Post-ingestion of protein-rich foods, such as red meat, diet-induced thermogenesis was much higher than that which manifests after carb-dominant, or fat-dominant food were ingested.

High protein foods, such as red meat, also convey higher levels of sateity.

Simply put, you feel more satisfied at the end of you meal.

As gastric emptying is slower for red meat than it is for fish and poultry, there's also the added benefit of feeling fuller longer.

My advice?

Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat and trim all visible fat. This practice makes it easy to fit red meat into any (non-vegetarian) eating style... whether it be a low-fat diet, or a ketogenic one.



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=95354541125

[Narkissos]

Nark resurrects the dead(-lift)
By Corey Springer AKA "Narkissos"

Monday, June 8th 2009: The NarkSide

I've got to warn you guys in advance: This article started out of a pseudo-rant!!

There will be no beating around the bush... or hand-holding of any kind!

Anyway... let's get to it.

Here are my primary assumptions:

1. Your deadlift sucks.

2. Your sucky deadlift both embarasses you and pisses you off at the same time. (as it should)

3. You'd like to fix your sucky, embarassing, and aggravating deadlift.


Here are my secondary assumptions:

1. You train hamstrings and glutes in the conventional manner (i.e. with laying leg curls and squats), yet you find it 'impossible' to make contact with your hamstring and glute muscles.

2. You have the posterior flexibility of an 80-year old. (No offense to any fit 80-year olds out there)


Muscles of the posterior chain (the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and lower back), being out of sight, seem to be those hardest to recruit.

It is also these muscles (yes, even calves) which are of primary importance during the deadlift.

My first attempt at correcting one's inability to recruit them would be to prioritize them.

In other words, to build up your deadlift we're going to step away from it for a bit.


1. Warm-up well.

This may seem like a no-brainer... but most trainees simply don't get it right.

The point of warming up is to:
• Raise core temperature
• Prepare one's target systems for repetitive and extensive use.


This should be done in a manner that utilizes the target musculature and related joints.

Most trainees neglect this however.


I'll go one step further in saying this: Most trainees' warm-ups make no sense... at all!!!

e.g. Joe average has pecs and delts today. He hops on a treadmill and sprints until the sweat is pouring off him. This isn't bad in and of itself. However, it's what he does next that I'd peg an epic failure.

Joe hops off the treadmill and goes straight to the Flat Bench press. He does two warm-up sets... and then 3-5 heavy sets. Pec day has started with a bang. The problem with 'bangs' is, they're usually followed by shooting pain. Horrible pun... I know.

Anyway... the next day, Joe's rotator cuffs are sore. And Joe attributes this to a job well done. No pain, no gain... right? Wrong!!!

The simple of the matter is that Joe's shoulder complex was not ready for the heavy work-load at hand.

Joe failed in his attempted warm-up.

Let's learn from Joe's mistake(s)!!!


Here is my step-by-step posterior chain warm-up:

• 5-10 minutes aerobic work.

I use one of three stations for this exercise: the treadmill (inclined); the stationary bike; the eliptical. I prefer the stationary bike for this. Let me extrapolate as to the 'why' of my choice.

The ankle has the largest range of motion on the treadmill. This is because the foot disengages from the surface of the treadmill during both the plantar flexion and dorsiflexion. However, hip movement is minimal with this piece of apparatus... unless a significant incline is utilized.

The eliptical, on the other side of the spectrum, has a high degree of hip movement... but, the foot pedal being fixed, a low degree of plantar flexion.

The stationary bike represents the best of both worlds for our purpose.

The foot pedal on this piece of apparatus allows free movement through the mediolateral axis.


• Self Myofascial Release (SMR): aka "foam-rolling"

SMR is a somewhat simple technique that can be used to manipulate trigger points. Trigger points are areas of muscle that have become thick, tough and knotted. These areas are painful, or extremely tight, when stretching is attempted. Trigger points can restrict or alter the motion.

These restrictions and alterations can eventually lead to postural and range-of-movement degredation, chronic pain and injury... as well as less efficient motor skill performance. Studies have shown myofascial release to be an effective treatment for myofascial pain syndrome [1][2][3]... thus making SMR a potentially effective preventative measure.


• Lunges... with a twist.

**Most individuals are taught that lunges should be done with one's torso complete upright.

This is all well and good if:

1. One's hip and its flexors (et. al.) have full range of motion (i.e. there are no adhesions [due to previous trauma etc.], or muscular imbalances. Imbalances, for example, can

result in suboptimal opposing forces. These can lead to strain, or the reinjury of previously strained areas.)

2. The individual is fully warm. For the purpose of warming up, particularly where the individual already exhibits imbalances (or the inability to recruit primary musculature), a more appropriate manner of loading would be a torso angled lunge.

A forward lean, with no lumbar rounding, causes the pelvis to rotate forward... thus increasing the stretch (and subsequently, the range-of-motion), as well as glute recruitment and loading.




2. Isolate those puppies!

The conventional deadlift is characterised by a moderate to high level of muscle activity in the hip, knee, and ankle plantar extensors. As a lot of individuals are unable to properly recruit the required musculature, isolation work becomes necessary.

Isolation work helps to reinforce the mind/muscle connection, by teaching an individual what he/she should be feeling when the musculature is contracted.

You would benefit from feet-elevated glute bridges, swiss-ball reverse hyper-extensions, or close-stance kneeling squats. With regard to feet-elevated glute bridges: The elevation of the feet allows you to incorporate hamstring recruitment in addition to your primary objective, which is glute activation.




3. Get your jump on!

To improve my deadlift, I started to do an explosive plometric movement prior to each set to ensure that the target musculature was firing correctly.

Jumping squats fit perfectly here, since the musculature recruited in the deadlift is so similar to that recruited in the squat.

I prefer to jump through an angled plane... i.e. a vertical leap with horizontal movement (preferably to the rear, to prioritize the 'up and back' pushing movement), so I usually utilize a 6" platform set up behind me.

You would benefit from a similar approach... I would suggest instead however to use said exercise to further 'warm-up' the target musculature. (i.e. instead of doing 1-3 reps prior to each set of your main exercises, do 2-5 straight sets to warm up)




4. Go solo with unilateral work

The typical trainee sticks to the standard lifts... because that is what he is taught.

The typical trainee thinks uni-lateral work is 'shaping' work.

But this is far from the truth. (btw: i don't believe in 'shaping exercises'.. but that's another discussion for another day)

When i get the typical trainee in the gym for one day... He normally brags about what he can bench, squat, and over head press.

So... I deconstruct his training... and in the process of doing so, expose the weaknesses.

Most do not have the stability or strength to execute a single-leg deadlift.

Most have huge discrepancies between the weight that they can overhead press on a flat bench (with no back rest) v.s. what they can on the 'standard' bench... and again what they can press over head with dumbbells.

"Duh Nark... that's the way it SHOULD BE!"

I think not.

The above shows that his secondary-support musculature is weak, and/or simply under-utilized.

Most cannot make contact with said musculature.

So my solution?

Prioritize unilateral work...and, in so doing, eliminate secondary weaknesses!

(NB: Unilateral work: Where your target musculature is concerned... that would be walking lunges, single-leg deadlifts, single-leg hyper-extensions.. etc.)



5. Bury the deadlift... resurrect its relative.

Yea... that's right.

Drop the deadlift! Bring in a substitute.

"What should I sub it with" you may ask?

A more glute/hamstring-dominant variant of course: Stiff Leg Deadlifts FTW!

• With the standard deadlift, characterized by extensive knee-bending, glute and hamstring recruitment is reduced [4]. Conversely, the slight (15-20 degree) knee flexion involved in the stiff-leg deadlift heavily recruits the muscles of the hamstrings and glutes [5][6][7].

Individuals with poor deadlifts tend to make two primary mistakes:

• Initiating the lift with their hips too high... thus pulling with the erectors as opposed to the hamstrings and glutes.

• Initiating the lift with their hips too low... thus turning the lift into a squat, as opposed to a deadlift.

Both of these patterns are habitual where posterior weaknesses exist. Thus, swapping an exercise with reduced hamstring & glute recruitment for one where these muscles are heavily recruited is only logical.



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=95354551125

[dangerous dan]

nark this is the king of threads (of what iv managed to read)....but slow down son theres no chance of me keeping up here lol.....

[Narkissos]

"Hyper-Extension... a misnomer."

By Corey Springer
aka “Narkissos”
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & NarkSide Nutrition

Hyper-extensions...

So many trainees, newbs and veterans alike, rely on this exercise for posterior strengthening.

Truth be told, it's a simple and almost sexy exercise. Certainly more sexy than deadlifts, and squats.

Certainly safer... right?

Not necessarily.

This however is another discussion altogether.

This particular, albeit brief, article refers to exercise execution.

I see so many people doing this exercise... and rather incorrectly to boot.

I think the greatest misconception stems from the name of the exercise: "Hyper-extensions".

"Hyper-extensions" denote "the excessive extension of a limb or joint".

It is important to note 'excessive' in this definition.. as this exactly the manner in which lumbar-'hyperextensions' are usually executed.

...At least this is normative execution as viewable in gyms across the country.

Upon asking any trainee his reasoning behind 'hyper-extending' his spine on the exercise, the common response follows this line: "Well duh dude..It's necessary for the full contraction of the spinal erectors, glutes, and hamstrings..."

My question to the average trainee would be: is it really?

Hyper-extending the spine for the above reason makes as much sense as locking out the knees during a squat.

Think about it... Do you walk around with you back hyper-extended?

What are the primary roles of the core musculature... and the posterior chain in relation to the muscles of the core?

What is?



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=44493896125

[Narkissos]

nark this is the king of threads (of what iv managed to read)....but slow down son theres no chance of me keeping up here lol.....

I'll slow down in a couple posts.

[OH REALLY]

good read

[Narkissos]

How often should i train my abs??

By Corey Springer
aka “Narkissos”
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & NarkSide Nutrition

I get this question where-ever i turn: Abs being the showcase muscle most representative of: a highly conditioned state; and general sexiness…
This being said, the general public, as influenced by media and brainwashed by the ‘no pain no gain’ dogma, believes that you must annihilate them to get results.


Furthermore, a lot of ‘exercise gurus’ quoting a number of dubious sources claim that, because the size and composition of the muscle fibers which make up the abdominal wall, the best route to getting the results you want is to annhilate themn daily.


This couldn’t be further from the truth.


Furthermore… It is simply illogical.


For the record…I don’t train abs directly.


Unless there’s a definate core weakness (as is a common manifestation in middle-aged sedentary individuals).. or you’re training for a sport-specific purpose.. i don’t think there’s a reason to train ‘em directly.


Why?


¤ABs are constantly firing statically to maintain postural integrity. So logically, if you strive to maintain good posture and exercise form… your abs will be working against resistance while lifting. This means that they will get overloaded… and they’ll grow.


What?


You say indirect stimulation isn’t enough?


I say… then you obviously haven’t been training very long.


Look at athletes who train the ‘Big three’ lifts exclusively: Bench; squats; Deadlifts.


They’re thick from head-to-toe.


Anyway.


With relation to the core question: “how regularly should you train abs?”
My answer would be in the form of another question: “how regularly should you, or do you, train other bodyparts?”


Remember the body is a sum of parts working in synergy.


Energy reserves are taxed systemically.


Thus while abs may recover relatively quickly as compared to other bodyparts, this is no reason to train them more regularly than other bodyparts.
Why flirt with the risk of dipping into the recuperative reserves to the point where it curtails recovery for other bodyparts?


With regard to the core question again: “”how regularly should you train abs?”
I say optimally twice per week… no more than that.

This is however but a generic template.



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=44453421125

[Narkissos]

Lower-body training for the Moderately Obese.

By Corey Springer
aka “Narkissos”
Owner of: Apollo Fitness Barbados & NarkSide Nutrition

In reviewing that type of articles I’ve written to date I’ve realized that I’ve left out a certain group of individuals.

This would be, the moderately Obese.

I’ll attempt to rectify this monumental error now with this article.


Lower-body training for the Moderately Obese

I’ve had to train a couple of my dear friends of late.

Some were male. Some were female.

Some were middle-income. Some were in the higher-income bracket.

Their common factor?

Obesity.

Or rather, the obesity-related inability to fit into a number of exercise stations.

This, coupled with general inflexibility and muscular imbalances, required that i re-think my plan of attack.

In this article, I’ll outline my modified approach to leg-training.

The exercises:

I’ve found that my heavier clients feel awkward in the leg press, leg-extension, and leg-curl stations.

Thus this leg routine is based entirely around bodyweight and free weight exercises.

The exercises utilized are:

For Hamstrings:

* Deadlifts [Regular deadlifts; Romanian deadlifts; Laying Hip Thrusts**]

For Quadriceps:

* Bodyweight squats; Dumbbell Squats

For Calves:

* Bodyweight calf-raises

**NB: Stiff-leg deadlifts weren’t included because heavier clients tend to have impaired flexibility.

Very Simple… Very straight-forward. Very effective.


The routine

Ok.. now we put it together.

The workout:

Weeks 1-6

General warm-up: 5-10 minutes of moderate-intensity walking, followed by 5 minutes of hamstring and quadricep stretching.

Bodyweight Squats: 5 sets: 15 reps each set

Comments: Use a stance which is about 3″ outside of shoulder-width. I’ve found that wider stances are better tolerated by ‘heavier’ people. Should 15 reps be too easy, incorporate a dumbbell on sets 3-5


Romanian Deadlifts: 5 sets: 15 reps each set

Comments: Use a narrow stance here: shoulder-width, or inside shoulder-width. I’ve found that narrower stances are more comfortable for heavier trainees. I’ve also found that laying down between sets, with legs elevated, helps to alleviate any lower back ‘burning’ sensations which occur.


Standing Bodyweight Calf-raises: 5 sets: 15 reps each set.

Comments: These are pretty straight-forward. Remember to stretch between sets



Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=44453431125

[Narkissos]

Narkissos… I have lagging Hams!!!
by Corey Springer
aka "Narkissos"

Part 1
The hamstrings are a commonly neglected muscle complex. ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is the usually underlying precept of hamstring training… and the main reason for their underdevelopment. True, hamstrings aren’t a ’sexy’ showpiece muscle like the biceps of the upper arm… but under-development is never sexy. Furthermore, underdeveloped hamstrings can place you at risk for knee, hip, and lowerback injury.
With that in mind…Here’s my 12 week shock approach for lagging hamstrings.

The first 6 weeks will center around the modification of one exercise: laying leg-curls.

The second 6 weeks will centre around this modification, but we’ll also add a second modified exercise: laying leg-curls; Stiff-Leg Deadlifts
This goes contrary with the ‘more is better’ mindset… but, when did i ever claim to be non-controversial?

Weeks 1-6: Leg curl 21’s
Most of you who’ve been around the weight-training scene have been exposed to 21’s before. You know, that exercise where the biceps are worked through 3 different range-of-motions in one set:
7 full range reps
7 partial reps, from mid-point to the top of the movement
7 partial reps, from the bottom of the exercise to the mid-point
‘21′ is an arbitrary number though… But the concept of partials coupled with full range reps, i’ve used in a number of training phases… bringing my hamstrings up to the point where they are my best bodypart.


Part 2
So… My Hamstring 21’s:
I should note that ‘21′ is a misnomer, as you’ll end up doing more than 21 reps per set.

First off, we’ll warm up with 2 sets of full range laying leg-curls.

Fully warmed up we’ll move on to the work-sets.
**NB: we won’t be doing more than 3 worksets per session

Worksets:
Select a weight that is 20-25% heavier than your 6-8 rep max would be during full range reps.

We’ll use this weight to overload your hams through the upper range-of-motion (ROM) of the exercise. The ‘upper range’ is from the point of full contraction (where the lower leg is at a 90º angle as compared to the upper leg).. to the mid point (where the lower leg is at a 45º angle as compared to the upper leg). These consitute ‘Half reps’ …and are slow and controlled.

When no more ‘half-reps’ can be acheived through the upper ROM.. Lower the weight to full extension.
From this position, we’ll do ‘half-reps’ from the point of full extension to the mid-point.

When failure is reached..Then we’ll have a training partner assist us through FULL ROM reps.. Obviously, you will be unable to complete these on your own.

These’ll be forced reps …where you control the negative completely.
When you can no longer control the negative…drop the weight by half..and complete unassisted full ROM reps til failure.
This constitutes one set.

A breakdown:
e.g. you normally legcurl 90 lbs on work-set.
You load on 115 lbs instead and do slow and controlled half-reps til failure.
A rep’s range of motion starts at the glute..and ends at about 45º knee flexion.. or half-way tru the range of motion.

From there..the descent is stopped and you return to the top. When you can’t stop the descent at that point anymore.. you lower the weight to full extension and do half-reps til failure.

When you can no longer initiate a rep on your own, get your partner to take you tru a compliment of forced reps..your part of which is to control the negative completely.

When you can no longer control the descent period… have your partner reduce the weight to 50 lbs. From there, you rep out.
**NB:

Keep your glutes down through-out the exercise as opposed to sticking out, as is easy to do.

Keep hips neutral as well… No swivelling to make the movement easier.
Between sets, stretch your hams.




Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=44430796125

[Narkissos]

An Argument for the Viability of Soy as a primary protein source

by Corey Springer
aka "Narkissos"

Ok... I'm about to rant. I may or may not reference my claims at the end.

Bear with me... I just saw this pic on bodybuilding.com and it sent me into a frenzy!



Review the image above...especially the statement to which the arrow is pointing.

To those who cannot view the image, it reads: "The only downfall, is the exclusion of egg protein, and the fact that soy can give males the female looking pec syndrome".

How many times have you heard this yourself?

"Soy protein should be avoided by males...simply because it is oestrogenic... i.e. it'll make you grow tits".

Amazing then, that there're vegetarian bodybuilders out there, shredded to the bone...who use soy as their sole protein source.

Amazing, in that soy, being so oestrogenic, must surely encourage female-pattern fat deposition and a myriad of other conditions.

Mustn't it?

It's scaremongering.

My advice?

Don't buy the scaremongering.


Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=13310141125

[Narkissos]

Ok... here's where I take a break from posting articles.

Gonna take a peek at the advice thread.

Hear you guys in a bit!

[FireGuy]

So glad you addressed the cardio nonsense at the beginning. I want to slam my head into a wall when I hear shvt like that.

[Narkissos]

^^ Glad you liked mate.

I've got quite a few more rants due.

[Narkissos]

Abs in 8 weeks? AB-solutely!!
by Corey Springer

NarkSide: October 12th 2009

I promise that this isn't another one of "those" articles. You know the type I'm referring to: Articles which promise unreasonable (and some would argue, IMPOSSIBLE) results in an unreasonably short space of time. I know, I know... they're attractive. Articles like that seem to speak to our innermost desires. The supplements they inevitably push have the "it factor". But do they honestly work? No... So let's move on to some things which do!

Here are the things I'm going to assume:

• I'll assume that you want a lean and sexy mid-section.

• I'll assume that you've been pushing hard at the gym, following the last four installments of our "Lean and Sexy 101" series.

• I'll assume that you're stoked and ready to take your work-outs to the next level.

So why sit around waiting for the next 'sure thing'? There are only two more months left in the year 2009 after all.

Let.

Us.

OWN.

Them!

_________________________________________________
NB: If you're just joining us for the first time, I encourage you to check out the "Lean and Sexy 101" series:

• Part 1: Killer shape-up tips - "Groove your way forward".
• Part 2: Killer shape-up tips - "Get your Game Face on".
• Part 3: Killer shape-up tips - "Run, baby Run!".

...They're chock-full of tips and tricks to bring you up to speed.
_________________________________________________

So how DOES one go about changing one's body in 8 weeks? I'll show you! Let me introduce you to Abdominal Anarchy (c1) - the core-blasting circuit work-out which WILL kick your ass!

c1: The general 'warm-up'... 5 exercise which you may know, executed in a way you may not recognize.


Exercise 1: The basic crunch.

Start:

Caption: Basic = Easy... right?

Finish:


Caption: Trust me when I say that he's only smiling because he doesn't know what's coming next.

Here, you're going to do as many repetitions as you can (with good form) for 30 seconds. Then we'll move on to the next exercise.


Exercise 2: Oblique static hold

Peak contraction:


Caption: See what I'm mean? That smile is quickly fading.

Again, we'll be executing this movement for time... However this time around we won't be doing multiple repetitions. What I want you to do is to hold the contraction for 30 seconds on either side.

That's right... ONE rep on either side.

Trust me when I say this won't be as easy as it looks!



Read full Article here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=176243811125

[Narkissos]

Abs in 8 weeks? AB-solutely!! - Part 2
by Corey Springer

NarkSide: November 8th 2009

And we're back for another core-melting installment!

Part 1 was a piece of cake wasn't it?

*Loud silence ensues*

Breathe!



C'mon... Breathe! I was just kidding. I know just how brutal it was.

Hm... Well... I... really don't mean to scare you guys but, that...that was just the warm-up.

From this point on, we step into a world where mere mortals never venture.

Are you guys game?!

(BTW: The correct answer is AB-SOLUTELY!)

Now we get down to the REAL meat of the matter. Let me introduce to you Abdominal Anarchy (c2) - "The Finisher".

c2: all advanced moves... all ridiculously hard.

Let me suggest this to you now: if you're not physically up to this challenge, do another two circuits of the c1 work-out... and skip this (harder) circuit altogether!

/end disclaimer.
_________________________________________________
c2 - Exercise 1: The side plank

Start:



Finish:


Yep... we're bringing out the big guns from the very beginning! We'll be doing one repetition of this exercise on each side... holding the peak contraction for 30 seconds (on each side).
_________________________________________________


NB: Our advanced readers out there can do the elite version of this static hold instead of the above version:





Read Full Article here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=176243801125

[Narkissos]

NB: The athletes whose pictures I've included in my articles are totally natty.

[Narkissos]

Bootyful Buns and tight, lean thighs in 8 weeks!
-or your money back!
by Corey Springer

NarkSide: November 7th 2009

Hello all.

Over the months I've received a lot of your questions regarding building the perfect pair of buns. You know the type I'm referring to: The stop-and-stare-and-forget-to-breathe-as-she-passes-by type of butt. Well... your wait is over! Your journey towards a perfect butt starts today!

Just about anybody can benefit from stronger, sexier buns. From the functional perspective, strong buns can prevent back pain... an affliction which 75% of society suffers from.

In this article, I'm going to lay out one of my MOST effective booty-shaping work-outs from start to finish. All you've got to do is follow it to the letter... 3 times per week, for 8 weeks. That's it.

A tip: Take a day of rest in between each work-out. You'll need it.



Exercise 1: The glute bridge

Beginning:



End:



You guys may remember this exercise, as I introduced it a previous article: "Narkissos resurrects the dead(-lift)". In this article however, we'll be using this exercise as our primary warm-up. By directly targeting the glutes, via this exercise, we ensure that they'll be firing correctly during our work-out.

Target: 2 sets of 15-20 repetitions.

Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Tips and tricks: Pause for two seconds at the point of peak contraction... and then release slowly, lowering yourself back to the start position. Upon reaching the starting position, don't pause... immediately return to the end position for a peak hold.

I've got to warn you... This. Will. BURN!

Your hamstrings should be slightly taxed as well if you've done this correctly.



Exercise 2: The plie squat

Beginning:


End:


Ah... the plie squat. We'll be using this exercise as our secondary warm-up.

This exercise? This exercise is an inner-thigh KILLER!

Say good-bye to THAT problem area!


Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions.

Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Tips and tricks: Pause for two seconds at the point of max stretch... and then slowly return to start position. Upon reaching the starting position, don't pause... immediately return to the deep squat position for a peak hold.

Searing pain.

Loads of it!


Read Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=176914806125

[Narkissos]

bump!

[energizer bunny]

great stuff!!......im going to add to favourites because theres so much to take in....cheers

[Narkissos]

^^Sweet

I have another 3 articles in the works. Should be released during the 1st week of December.

If you guys have anything you want to see written, hit me with a PM.

[dangerous dan]

^^Sweet

I have another 3 articles in the works. Should be released during the 1st week of December.
If you guys have anything you want to see written, hit me with a PM.

Just had a re-read as i didnt get round to reading all last time, some useful info here nark.

Are you still releasing those other articles this week?

[Narkissos]

Just had a re-read as i didnt get round to reading all last time, some useful info here nark.

Thanks mate.

Are you still releasing those other articles this week?

Yep.

I'm going to post 'em now.

Hope you guys enjoy reading.

[Narkissos]

6 Painless Holiday-Fitness Tips
by Corey Springer

NarkSide: December 2009

December's here, and you know what that means: Parties, dinners, alcohol, cakes, and candies. Personally, I'll be dieting hard straight up until January... but I'm pretty sure that 'diet' is the last word you want to hear at this time of year. I can't say that I blame you either. Holidays are supposed to be fun-filled times spent with friends and family... not stressing over counting calories and the like. That being said, there's no reason why you can't enjoy yourself AND stay fit. All it takes is a little attention to detail. With this article I'm going to share 5 tricks that I personally use to stay in awesome shape even during the holidays.

Let's get cracking!

1. Stay Active



A no-brainer right?

The empty gyms at this time of year argue otherwise. People simply don't seem to want to work out when the holidays approach. However, everybody wants to look good in that outfit on new years eve... right? With exercise you can have your cake and eat it too. (I'm sorry... I REALLY wanted to throw that cliche in there lol)

Try to avoid skipping work-outs. Heck, make your time more efficient by planning all of your work-outs in advance. We all know how much time shopping takes up. So try to get your work-out in first each day. Put it last in the day and you run the risk of never making it to the gym.

It also helps to set a goal. Yes... even during the holiday season. Heck, it's ESPECIALLY important at that time. Right now, I've set a goal of clean eating until Christmas at the very least. Think about what you want to achieve, and set a small goal to suit. It'll go a LONG way in keeping you on track!


2. Watch your Alcohol intake.



I can hear you now: "C'mon Nark... Holidays are made for getting plastered". I've got to admit, I like to get a couple beverages in during the holidays... but my aim is to avoid going overboard. Holiday drinks (like eggnog for example) tend to be loaded with sugar, and alcohol. Some (again, like eggnog) compound the already high amounts of sugar and alcohol, with high amounts of fat.

Remember my article "Cut Liquid Calories... Cut bodyfat"? Well liquid calories REALLY add up. Alcohol also tends to inhibit our impulse control, so while drinking we tend to snack even more than usual.

Try limiting the number of alcoholic beverages you consume at outings. Also, try alternating between an alcohol beverage and a non-caloric one (like a diet coke). This'll save you a BUNDLE of calories over the course of a night.

3. Say no to gravy.



Gravy... tasty but evil. We tend not to think about it when we're piling it on... but the calories here REALLY add up. Think about what goes into making it: fats, or fat drippings from meat... these are the primary components. A typical serving of gravy can add almost 400 calories to a meal. Bear in mind that 400 calories is the average calorie total of a full meal.

To compound this, we usually add another 400-700 calories from our actual meal... plus another 300-400 calories from holiday beverages. So we're looking at 1000+ calories per sitting. That's half of the average person's daily requirements in ONE sitting. And you know that you'll be repeating this feat a number of times per day during the holiday.

So... Do your waistline a favour.

Ditch the gravy!


Read Full Article: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=197950136125