By: Kevin Larrabee, CSCS

Yeah, I get it, you have to drive 30 minutes each way to the facility you train at. Then there is bad weather, holidays when it is closed, and the desire to spend more time with your family (or dog). And yes, I do know, because these last 18 months I have driven 30-60 minutes each way to train at Cressey Performance or recently to when I was working. That is sometimes 10+ hours spent in the car per week not accounting for traffic/weather. These are the reasons that I am writing this blog. To show you my setup at my house that saves me time and money without sacrificing a great training effect.

The location: my garage (aka, my parent’s garage since I live with them…give me a break I am 23 and have car payments…)

The Equipment:

• TRX Suspension Trainer ($149 from Fitness Anywhere)
• 4 First Place Kettelbells from Perform Better’s summer sale (8kg, 16kg, 20kg, 24kg) and a KB buddy (adds 2kg extra weight)
• Valslides (roughly $30 at Perform Better)
• Minibands in 1/2 inch and 1 inch thicknesses.
• Ab roller ($10 on Amazon)
• 12lb TKO Medball ($36 from Amazon)
• iPod nano with some Rise Against on it (and Paramore, got a problem with that?)

Here is a video of the setup.

By: Kevin Larrabee, CSCS

This book has been a long time in the making. Finally it has arrived and in the span of a 4 hour car ride and a 60 minute session on the treadmill Leigh Peele dropped a multitude of knowledge bombs that will change the way I look at diet and nutrition from now on. And yes, I said in the car. Why? Because Leigh went through the trouble of doing an audio book version as well! Perfect for me and obviously you if you listen to the FitCast on your iPod, computer, or other MP3 player.

BBE is really broken up into several parts: An full blown book on nutrition which covers how to really read, dissect, and detect the research out there. Leigh also covers various topics such as artificial sweeteners, xenoestrogens, organics, and really the most interesting, the history of food. Why is this so interesting? Well, there are a few reasons:

1. We need to look at our past to make sure we don’t repeat the same mistakes in the future.

2. To see how the food industry has evolved or devolved depending on how you look at it.

3. Really look at how a paleo diet works in the world we live in today (Including simulations. Seriously!)

OK, now that I let my inner nerd come out for a bit let’s get back to what else is in the books. Leigh also goes into movement/exercise with a few discussions on NEAT, EPOC, and how you can actually burn hundreds of calories just cooking your damn food! Again, the big deal here is that LEIGH TESTED EVERYTHING! She had people using Body Buggs and other devices to ACCURATELY measure calories expenditure for men and women.

Another section covers calculating calories based on your goals, amount of activity, ect. including easy to use formulas. Leigh doesn’t mess around here. There is even a sort of questionnaire to determine home much you REALLY move. It is really quite brilliant and I look forward to using it with my clients immediately!

This is also a fat-loss and muscle building book as well. Leigh covers how to “Quick Start” your fat-loss (see Destination Abs to see what she can do!) and minimum macronutrient and calorie needs to build lean muscle mass.

Last thing I am going to mention about the main book, there is something of a F.A.Q. section that covers everything from what to do if you eat too much protein to how many times per day you should eat to…you get the picture…

Just the first book alone is worth the price of Body By Eats. I have it printed and now consider it my Nutrition Bible. Especially the last section on calculating calories, macronutrients and answers to just about every question you could possibly have.

Now to the recipes. Leigh includes three recipe books separate from the stuff in the main BBE book: Veggie, Desserts, and Bulking. All three of the books have detailed descriptions on preparation, and more importantly professional pictures so you can get a preview of what you will be making. Before going forward, I am no cook. I just mix things that are good for me together and hope for the best. I made the french toast in the main Body By Eats book on Saturday after training…And holy s**t!!! AMAZING and pretty damn good for you with a good amount of fiber (who doesn’t need more of that?!?).

All of the recipes have the macronutrients and calories clearly broken down so you can plan accordingly be it a low day or that glorious refeed day!

So, that is my review. These books are nothing short of outstanding in terms of content, writing, and the layout. If you are reading this, Body By Eats is for you. Period. Do yourself and your taste buds a favor and buy Body By Eats. It is win-win for achieving your body composition goals while sparing the torture of bland food!

The book goes on sale at 12pm on Wednesday October 21st.

Click Here to Buy Body By Eats!!!

By: Kevin Larrabee, CSCS

I got my TRX’s in the mail the other day, but this afternoon I really put them to the test. That test being: can I save myself 60 minutes of driving to the gym and still get in a kick ass training session.

Well, I got my answer.

HELL YES.

I warmed up as I normally do with my PVC pipe and some select movements from Nick Tumminello’s Warm-Up DVDs. (The progressions in these DVDs are very useful.)

I hooked up the TRX to a garage door support in the ceiling, lined up my kettlebells, and grabbed an old towel to use as my makeshift airex pad. Here is what my workout consisted of:

A1) Kettlebell Swings 3×8/side

A2) TRX Push Up with hip flexion (Atomic Push Up) 3×8 (Wow these are tough)

B1) 1-arm KB overhead reverse lunge 3×8/side

B2)TRX Plank 3×30 seconds (OK, I can hold a regular plank for 2 minutes, I could barely do these for 35 seconds

C1) TRX Curl 3×12 (for the ladies)

C2) BTN Band Pull Apart 2×10

At the end, I was smoked, and sweating my ass off while my garage was 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to exercises on the TRX! Rows, rollouts, push ups, leg curls, rear foot elevated split squats, glute bridges…

On a side not, Tony Gentilcore and I used the TRX in a circuit to finish out workout yesterday.

If you have a home gym, or travel a lot there is no better piece of equipment to spend $149 on. Do yourself a favor and order yours today.

Get this Week’s Episode:

MP3 Download/iTunes/RSS/Odeo

Hosts:

Kevin Larrabee (Twitter), Cassandra Forsythe,

and Leigh Peele

Guests:

Alwyn Cosgrove and Chris Frankel of FitnessAnywhere.com

Sponsored by: BlackStarLabs.com (Home of the BEST tasting protein powder, period. Make sure to mention The FitCast!)

NEWS

• Episode 150 Feedback
• TRX Interview with Chris Frankel after Alwyn
• Send me an e-mail about the t-shirts
• Dan John Kettlebell DVD
• Shout out to my client Kara who is getting married and lost 60 lbs!
• What up Leigh?

Q&A with Alwyn Cosgrove

• What kind of progressions do you take with your clients who come to you in an obese state?
• Can you give some examples of weight training circuits you use as finishers or in place of intervals on a bike or elliptical. And if you have a client twice a week, and they had no injuries, mobility problems or health risks, would you use weighted circuits or complexes instead of sprints or machine based cardio?
• A little over a year I go I got to try out the quad blaster that Tom Venuto sent over to you. Over the last 15 or so months, what is your conclusion as it’s merits in a training facility?
• It has been a while since we last talked, how do you feel the fitness industry has changed or evolved (or devolved) this last year? Will the commercial gym become extinct?
• My question has to do with pre-workout nutrition.  I’m transitioning back from maintenance into a deficit, and I’m concerned about energy levels for my workouts.  Have you found any particular macro-nutrient ratios to be effective for pre-workout, and would I change those up for a strength session versus a HIIT session?  Thanks again for your help! -Anna
• Hi Alwyn, love your work and I always learn a lot when I read your blog or articles!My question is related more to the business side of training. Often, you have emphasized how the future of personal training lies in small group classes rather than one-on-one. From an economic standpoint, this makes perfect sense.But any trainer is likely to encounter a very wide range of fitness levels when presented with a group of new clients. It’s kind of like being a schoolteacher faced with a classroom where some of the children haven’t yet learned to read and others are already at the college level.Aside from varying fitness starting points, any good trainer will also perform a thorough assessment of each new client and and create a program to address that client’s specific issues. How do you go about structuring a group program that addresses each individual’s weaknesses/imbalances/etc.?Thanks,Bob
• Hey guys great show.  Word up Leigh.
  Alwyn what is your price structure for your semi-privates and classes.  How does it change if someone wants to do both, and why do you use this particular structure?  When you pay your trainers, do you go off of a percentage or a salary? Also, when is the new “Program Design Manual”  coming out?

  Thanks,
  JJ Miller

• You read a lot, often outside of the lifting realm. What are you reading now that’s good? -Robert
• In terms of equipment it seems you are a fan of the TRX, have any other new pieces of equipment become staples in your client’s training? And on a side note, what are your favorite exercises to use the TRX for?
• Now when it comes to kettlebells, again what are the exercises you use most frequently? And do you use use the KBs in a circuit of movements for metabolic training?
• Can you give us an update on LiftStrong? It seems that the EliteFTS line has been selling well. What is the future of Lift Strong?

Interview with Chris Frankel

• What TRX Suspension Training is
• How Chris is involved with Fitness Anywhere
• how we see ourselves fitting into the industry in general and across programming for fitness, performance and rehab.

WARNING: THIS WEEK EPISODE HAS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE (THANKS TO LOU SCHULER…)

Get this Week’s Episode:

MP3 Download/iTunes/RSS/Odeo

Hosts:

Kevin Larrabee (Twitter), Dr. Jonathan Fass,

and Lou Schuler

• Several things Jen Heath said in older episodes have helped me :Episode 83 around the 9 minute mark on cottage cheese got me eating CC everyday.

• Hey Kevin!I just found you guys this past summer, and so I’m still making my way backwards through all the podcasts from Day 1, but I have to say my absolute favourite moment is during Episode 140, at 22:02 minutes into the podcast.  Jonathan started to read the letter, but then you took over and read the question in an English accent…oh my gawd, I still get the belly chuckles and giggles when I hear this. I keep this podcast on my ipod so that I can listen to it at random when I need a good pick-me-up after a bad day.

  Especially at the end when you start the random stuff by throwing out the Posh references, Man U and the best…”we’ll go to a football game and listen to the Clash!”

  Hahaha…awesome.

• Hey kevin and gang,
  I have two personal favorite episodes. The most memorable funny episode i was unable to find which episode number it was but i remember i had to pull over while driving to work because i was laughing so hard. In the episode jon fass was telling a story about how one of his clients  was trying to impress a girl in the gym and he accidentally farted while doing an ab exercise on the floor. The way jon told the story had me rolling. The other one that sticks out in my mind was coach boyles knowledge bomb on how to handle setting up a class for obese kids. It was episode 75 about 20:52 min in to the show. Its becoming a widely discussed topic in America and i think he really hit the nail on the head with his answer.
  Keep up the great work.
  Katie
  Buffalo ny
• Hey guys–You may remember me as the guy who risked humiliation by asking about grip aids for deadlifting, only to be rewarded with Kevin commenting on the lady-like suppleness of my hand flesh. Thanks for the advice, and the vote of confidence in my manliness. When I was done crying, I bought straps and they work great.

  Anyway, here are two clips I liked, one funny, one informative.

  Funny: Ep. 125 (Caution while Crunching). Fass discusses an unfortunate and badly timed crunching mishap at the 8:40 mark.

  Informative: Ep. 92 (Welcome Back Waterbury). Waterbury discusses lift tempo and motor unit recruitment at the 5:03 mark (runs to 8:20). -MT

• Episode 14, 39:08-39:36 -Erica (AC about squats)
• Hey Kevin
  THIS episode blew me away! It really is what has changed in my life and i never knew what NEAT was, I always thought that if I worked hard in the gym i was GOOD for the day.
  SO that being said Episode 101
  start time was around the 3 minute 33 secons mark!
  THANKS -Shari
• The best motivation to do anything: “I have to because Leigh has compromising pics of me….”
  Episode #124, 18:03–
  jessica.lynn.petty
• Episode 138 BTTF II discussion at 1:59:46Episode 137 Alan Aragon’s top 5 supplements at 31:31Episode 130  Jon’s answer re lumbar stability at 45:00 -Anna Pelzer
• Episode 72 41:22-43:58Because it just makes sense dam it. People call it intuitive training or auto-regulation. How about common sense? Yes you need a plan, but you also have to be flexible within that plan and “know” your athletes/clients. Dos gets this idea across with perfect clarity! Great reminder! -Dustin
• Episode 119, 28:50 – 29:12 -Robert
• Kevin,My favorite moment was episode 145 with Mike Robertson and his response to the question (yes, it was mine) regarding his toughest challenge with clients being diet, and it continued with good rants and info from you regarding your ‘even a caveman can do it’ diet document that you give your clients.

  Time- 15:01 – 22:00 ( but continues till 27:00 with good transition to the Time magazine article)

  You da man!

  Jimi Varner

• Hi Kevin,I’m so psyched for the big 150! Here are a couple clips to consider…

  1. Episode 24 – Rachel Cosgrove & 5 best lifts/movements for women @ 35:49

  2. Episode 100 – Tom Venuto & you discussing fruit and fructose @ 1:05:32

  Thanks for all your hard work. The Fitcast is top notch!

  -Amy

• Hey Kevin,I was re-listening to some older episodes, and I remembered the episode in which Tony made the point of “eating your damn cottage cheese,” (Episode 61). Ever since then I have been eating it like a child eats candy. This would be a good one to put on ep. 150 because I think it would be good to kind of reiterate this point. The time stamp is 8:40.

  Thanks. -Shane

• Two of the funniest moments on FitCast (happened conveniently on the same episode):
  Episode 104:
  - kevinlarrabeecantsaymyfunckingurl.com on timestamp 2:23-3:10
  - Jessica Biel talk on timestamp 24:50-25:17. The way Leigh responds with “I’d hit that” without missing a beat is PRICELESS

  There are too many good knowledge bombs to mention but besides that I have to say that I really liked how eloquently Tom Venuto responded to question about steroid use on episode 146, timestamp 44:25 – 45:09. -Pasi

• episode 92 // time 5:32 Waterbury saying tempo lifting has set back weight lifting 10 years -Kevin
• Hey Kevin,
  Love the show, I hope your having snippets of off-topic for episode 150 aswell. Either way you need to put the Tom Screws story by Alan Aragon, that is absolute gold.

  Timestamp Episode 137 1:39:30

  haha makes me laugh when I just think of it.

  Cheers
  Adam Pirri

• Geez Kevin, so unfair limiting us to just one favourite moment!!! But I can’t go past Episode 143: Baseballs and Southerners, and John Fass’s response to the one and only Tracy Anderson! It starts at the 13 minute mark of the episode, with my all-time favourite J.Fass comment being at 13:28!!! I nearly pee’d my pants listening to that one!Thanks for 150 farkin’ awesome episodes of The Fitcast Kevin. -Kimberly

• I know it’s not a pre-100 episode, but I think you should play the clip where you hang up on Jon for giving away secrets you didn’t know for a new video game. It’s episode 135, in the off topic, around 1:45:30-ish. You have to include the part where Leigh says “Great Scott, Kevin”! Oh yeah, Back to the Future movies are awesome!
• Hey Kev and the gang,
  I’ve been a listener since day one and remember when Kevin first brought up the idea for the show on the JP fitness board. With 150 shoes approaching, one thing I can say is hat the content and show quality just keeps getting better so kudos to you!

  Anyway, One of my favorite shows was 114 for a couple reasons. On a searious note, as a trainer I thought that the question and detailed responses on training someone with elevated BP (time stamp ~28:30) was great as this is one type of disorder ANY trainer will encounter at work. Knowing how to work with this population safely is key and your show did a great job at covering it (especially Jon’s response).

  Secondly, on a lighter note, I laughed my ass off when I was driving to school and you decided you could always use some more “toot” in your day (~56:50)… classic fail.

  Keep up the good work, can’t wait for the show.

  Bill Lyon, CSCS, NSCA-CPT & current DPT student

• Hey Kevin I heard on the last episode that you wanted timestamps for our favorite fitcast moments.  I am still trying to find all the ones I originally sent but I figured I would send the ones I found so far in case I don’t find them all.

  Episode 104 – The moment I fell for Leigh.  24:51 – 25:17

  Episode 101 – PB2 Chocolate Souflee’ 48:00 – 51:48

  Episode 136 – Dan John, Do your behaviors match your goals? 1:39:49 – 1:40:42

  Wes

  Kentucky

• Hey Kev -How about these -

  Episode 90 – “Kevins Antics” – Time 51:00-51:40
  - This is the time where Jimmy actually hung up the phone and you told everyone to email him. I thought that was funny!

  Episode 91 – Future of MMA Training – Waterbury  -
  Time – 16:31-20:49
  - – - I found this one very informative and helpful! You have to get him back on!

  Hope this helps!

  Best Regards,

  Joey