Strength Personal Training, Inc.

Establish a Strong Plan of Attack!

2011-08-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

When people go to the gym to workout most of them (not all) run into some problems.

Here are a few examples.
A girl (let's call her Jane), walks into her gym and gets on a piece of cardio. She decides she is going to run for 30 minutes and then work with weights for 30 minutes. Jane is on the treadmill for 15 minutes and starts thinking about all of the stuff that she needs to do that day, and realizes she also is starting to get either tired or bored. So Jane wraps up her running at 20 minutes and then goes over to the dumbbells. She starts looking around at what other people are doing and decides to mimic others who are exercising around her. Instead of lifting for 30 minutes she cuts out at 15 minutes, does a few crunches then stretches and leaves.

Here's another example, (let's call him Jack) Jack walks into the gym and goes straight to the bench. He starts out with 3-5 sets of bench and between sets Jack sits idol shaking his protein for about 4 straight minutes before his next set. It takes Jack 30 minutes to get through his sets of bench press and then he decides to go to the leg sled/press. Jack stacks on as much weight as possible and spends another 30 minutes there. He finishes with a few sit ups, grabs another protein shake and leaves.

Now I was being sarcastic with my examples but they aren't too far off from how most people approach their workouts.

The Solution to the First Example is to come out with a plan. I see it all the time, people walk into the gym completely clueless of what they will do for their workout. So they pick exercises at random and wonder why they don't experience results!!! If you want to truly experience results; pick a goal. I tell clients all the time to go on www.active.com and sign up for something. This will give you a date to be prepared for a physical test. Then educate yourself or hire a professional trainer to get you started on a plan of attack. This plan should be mapped out all the way to the date of your competition.

The Solution to the Second Example is to constantly change your routines. Don't fall into a routine where you find yourself doing the same exercises on the same days every week. You need to change your workouts every few weeks and really challenge yourself. Don't take long breaks between sets. If you need to rest; make it an "active rest" by doing jumping jacks, jump rope, burpees, squat thrusts, push ups, crunches, etc. Our bodies are build so much stronger and more durable than many believe, and the more we push ourselves; the stronger and more durable we become!
A few of my favorite websites are www.rosstraining.com www.crossfit.com www.ihpfit.com and www.smarterteamtraining.com

Have a great rest of the summer and remember to ESTABLISH A STRONG PLAN OF ATTACK!!!

Expect Excellence,

John Edwin
Principal
Strength Personal Training, Inc
267.231.7702
www.strengthpersonaltraining.com

Jump Start Your New Years Resolutions!

2010-12-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

In September, the PHL Hot List named me one of the Top 5 "Best of" Personal Trainers in Philly 2010! I am both humbled and honored at the amount of votes that came in. So Thank You!!

With the Holidays among us; it's easy to justify eating more and working out less. After researching articles and studies the average American gains 1-7 lbs from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Even people who don't gain scale weight usually notice a change in their body composition (muscle/fat ratio).

Over my 10 year career as a fitness professional; I've noticed that gyms are dead in December and get very busy around mid-January. Why not get an early jump start?
Take a minute right now and ask yourself; "Am I completely satisfied with my state of health and fitness?" If your answer is "No" (and I'm guessing most people will answer no) then let's do something about it. Do not let another month go by!
My friend asked me the other day, "What are good foods for me to eat to lose weight." My response, "Everyone knows what is good and bad to eat. Weight loss isn’t rocket science. Donuts, fast food, candy, etc. will make you gain weight. Fish, lean meats, vegetables, and good complex carbohydrates will help you lose weight." Here are simple equations;

Caloric intake > Caloric expenditure = Weight gain
Caloric expenditure > Caloric intake = Weight loss
Caloric intake = Caloric expenditure = Homeostasis (metabolic equilibrium)

I always say "View food as fuel for your body." People don't put anything other than high grade unleaded fuel in their cars. Just like we should only put healthy, high quality food in our bodies.
Remember; when it comes to getting fit there is no quick fix. If you lose it fast; you can gain it right back. You have to commit to good old fashion consistent hard work to be healthy. Eating right will shed the scale weight and exercise is your catalyst! If you desire to be in shape, and that word is and should be subjective, then do what in shape people do. Exercise 3-5x a week, eat healthy and have fun. Don't commit to 6 or 8 weeks; commit to a lifetime of health and fitness!
"Fitness adds years to your life, and life to your years."

P.S. if you like this blog; click "follow" in the top left corner, and feel free to post on your Facebook. Let's motivate our family and friends to stay healthy this Holiday Season!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Healthy New Year!

John Edwin

Stay Hydrated!

2010-07-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Hydration - the process of providing an adequate amount of water to body tissues.

Over the past few weeks we have been having record heat temperatures here on the East Coast. When you combine the heat with high humidity it forces our bodies to regulate proper temperatures; and how do we react??? We Sweat!

Personally, I love the heat and I love to sweat. Especially, when I exercise! But proper hydration is key for not only good health but good sports performance.

The Problem
I was personally moved to write this because of a story that a client shared with me today. He went golfing last Sunday (it was in the high 90's that day) he said when he came home he was very thirsty. After drinking some juice he laid down and felt sick. His wife noticed how pail he was and got a doctor to come visit. It turned out that his blood pressure hit rock bottom and he was suffering from heat exhaustion!
During exercise it is common, in high temperatures, for the average person to lose between 2-4 lbs of sweat. Here is the interesting part. Studies show that even a 1% loss in body weight due to sweat impairs performance. That means in less than 30 minutes your athletic performance goes down!

The Solution
There are several ways to ensure proper hydration, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
First, start with a large drink, about 16oz., 2 hours before going out to exercise. This gives your body plenty of time to regulate its fluid levels prior to exercising and helps delay or avoid the effects of dehydration during exercise.
Second, during exercise it is very important to drink before becoming thirsty and to drink at frequent intervals to replace fluid lost through sweating. It takes approximately eight fluid ounces of fluid to replace each pound of body weight lost. Third, studies show that people drink more if the drink tastes good. In other words, using a sweetened or flavored drink, such as an energy drink, decreases the likelihood of dehydrating.

My Preferences
I personally have hydration preferences. I recommend to put a slice of lemon or lime in your water bottle. These fruits are high in vitamins and minerals that will hydrate you faster. And they flavor your water :-) I also use Propel, G2, and even Coconut water. Actually, Coconut water is becoming very popular in the field of fitness. Specifically, the Vita Coco brand http://www.vitacoco.com/ This brand is 100% coconut water and has twice the amount of potassium as a banana. It also has natural sugar which can give you a little boast. Try one, I have really enjoyed it!
Now you have the knowledge and motivation to stay hydrated; I hope you enjoyed reading my blog!

Stay Healthy and Strong,

John Edwin
Principal
Strength Personal Training, Inc

John Edwin's Top 10 Tips for Health & Fitness!

2010-05-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

1. Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is the key to good health. Our bodies are made up of mostly water. Most people walk around dehydrated. Coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks cause dehydration. Drinking plenty of water will increase your metabolic rate and help you feel less hungry.

2. Eat your Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain plenty of hydrating fluids. They are also packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Berries (blueberries, raspberries, cranberries) are full of powerful antioxidants. Dark green vegetables (cucumbers, peppers, spinach, broccoli) are also full of vitamins, minerals, protein and packed with energy.

3. Don’t Fight for a Parking Spot
Fighting for a close parking spot will cause undo stress to your body. Next time you’re at the mall, park a few rows away from your destination. This allows you to remain stress-free and burn some extra calories by walking a little. Also, skip the elevator/escalator and take the steps.

4. Get some form of exercise in every day
Whether it’s going to the gym for an hour or walking 15 minutes in your neighborhood. This will be tough at first, but soon become a habit. Log your daily exercise on your calendar to keep yourself accountable.

5. Avoid Simple Sugars and Fried Foods
Nothing will turn into unwanted body fat faster than sugars and fried foods. These foods will make you feel sluggish. They may taste great, but are toxic to your body. Put down that donut and pick up an orange.

6. Eat Smaller Meal Portions, More Frequently
Many Americans skip breakfast and eat a large dinner. Your body can’t break down all the calories from a big meal. The excess calories turn into body fat. The key is to eat small, well-balanced meals, every 3-4 hours. This prevents over eating, increases energy and burns fat.

7. Pack Your Lunch
Make yourself a healthy lunch and take it to work with you. This will help you avoid impulsive eating like fast food, pizza, Chinese food, etc. It also saves time and you will feel better.

8. Set a Fitness Goal
A powerful way to stay focused is to sign up for a race. Whether you run, bike, walk or swim; you can always find it on www.active.com You don’t have to be the best; just give it your best! Even if you start out by signing up for a local 5k and walk it. Upon completion, sign up for another one and beat your last time.

9. Turn it Off!
For 10 minutes a day, turn off the computer, TV, cell phone etc. Use these 10 minutes to close your eyes and center yourself. I use my 10 minutes to pray and thank God for all the wonderful things in my life and pray for specific things in my life and in the lives of others.

10. Treat Yourself
You can only be extremely disciplined for so long before you go crazy. Life is about balance. Treat yourself to ice cream or pizza, etc. This will also keep you focused because you don’t have to constantly deny yourself. Remember to do this sparingly.

Should Women Be Strength Training Like Men?

2010-04-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

I am compelled to share some thoughts with you.
Something that I hear my female clients say, "I don't want to do that exercise because I don't want my muscles to bulk." It makes me crazy that the "exercise world has somehow defined how men and women should train".
Here is the truth. Maybe emotionally Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, but our Physiology is very similar apart from testosterone!
Men build muscle faster because we create 20 times more testosterone than women!
I disagree with the muscle head in the gym that grabs 75 lb dumbbells and arches his back like crazy to rep it out, then drops them on the floor and grunts for attention.
I also disagree with the women that grab the cute little 3 or 5 lb pink dumbbells and do 30 reps with out breaking a sweat. Some of these women have been using light dumbbells for years without any results. Duh!
I have had some of my female clients squatting 150+ lbs and they weigh only 120 lbs. They aren't bulking up; they are putting on lean muscle, getting stronger and losing body fat.
For sport specific explosive training I've had female clients performing cleans and dead lifts without bulking.
Whether you are a man or a woman; the concept is the same. You must use the "overload principle". In layman's terms this means when you can comfortably get to your desired rep goal; you must increase your weight. It's the only way to get stronger and continue to see results.
So women please don't be afraid of bench, squat, or changing it up for tire flips, kettle bells and rope climbing.
Let's stop training for our specific gender and lets train like human beings!

Stay Healthy and Fit!

John Edwin
Principal
Strength Personal Training, Inc

A Great New Way to Compete, Workout and Have Fun!

2010-03-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Fitness Nuts and Weekend Workout Warriors,

If you are looking to break a monotonous training regime. Look no further. Urban racing is becoming one of the most fun and popular ways to be competitive, and stay fit!
Most races are 4-6 hours of running/walking around your city with mystery challenges like tire flips, burpees and slam ball. My wife and I just signed up for "The Metro Dash" in Philly on April 10. You can sign up at www.frawgstomp.com or check out www.active.com for more races.
Lastly, if you want to sign up for urban racing adventures; check out these other two websites www.citysolveurbanrace.com and www.greaturbanrace.com

Stay Healthy and Fit!

John Edwin
Principal
Strength Personal Training, Inc.

Welcome to the Strength Personal Training Blog!

2010-03-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

If you are not completely satisfied with your body or current state of health and fitness, consider contacting John today!!

John Edwin is the founder and owner of Strength Personal Training, Inc. and one of the premier personal trainers on the East Coast.

John takes pride in partnering with his clients to help them attain and exceed their health and fitness goals.

Using a wide variety of strength and conditioning exercises and routines, as well as kettlebell training, core-conditioning, functional training and boxing, John makes each session unique to the client and his or her goals.

Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle or train for a specific sport or event, John has the knowledge and expertise to get you there!!

Check back here for articles, health, wellness and exercise tips, and more!