Posted on 17 August 2010
Tags: abs, Body Fat, Episodes, Jonathan Fass, Kevin Larrabee, Strength, supplements, The FitCast, Training, TRX, Women, workout music
Kevin and Jon discuss how low back pain relates to knee issues, coming back from major wrist injuries, how Kevin has changed since working at Mike Boyle’s, and more!
FitCast News
- Project Update
- Pink Dumbbell Certificates
- Quick word on listener feedback
Mailbag
- Howdy guys and gal from Texas. I just wanted to comment on the trainer who had the client that had frequent urination problems right before a training session, I think episode 187. I actually have the same thing happen to myself. When I train with a trainer, I would feel the urge to go a couple of times before the start of the session, even if I didn’t actually have to. However when I workout on my own, I don’t get the same urges. I also don’t get embarrassed about working out at my gym as I see the same people every day, etc. One thing I did notice was I do get those same urges right before going to a movie at the theater or going into a meeting that may last an hour or more. I always thought it may have been a weird nerve issue that I didn’t want to interrupt the actual activity/waste someone’s time by me having to go during the allotted time frame but have never really asked a doctor about it.
Love the podcast and the banter you three have going, great chemistry. -Glenn
- Hi all, Nigel from Manchester England.
Question for Mr. Fass. After a lower back injury from 2 years ago I have noticed that whilst seated my right knee protrudes further forward than my left which causes pain in my right lat if seated for a long time. I feel I need to push my pelvis right back into the seat to enable correct alignment and think this may have come from avoiding deadlifting and squats and only doing single leg work since the injury. Do you have any tips on how I can realign my pelvis? Many thanks in advance for your priceless advice as ever. Cheers, Nigel
- Fitcast team,
Last football season I suffered a scaphoid fracture. I went to a sports trainer that came to our high school and he could not diagnose my ailment. The trainer told me it could be a scaphoid fracture so we had a x-ray done but it came back negative for fractures, however the trainer also mentioned that the fracture may not show until two or three weeks after the initial break. I never had a second x-ray, thinking it was just a sprain and would get better. It did not though and eventually in January I had an appointment with a Wrist and Hand Orthopedic Specialist and the doctor saw the current x-ray and explain my fracture had developed into a non-union fracture and I had surgery. I had a bone graph to fuse the dead bone together. I was out for about 3 months of any weight bearing activities on my wrist. Now I have gain most strength and range of motion back however full range of motion is not possible. I always loved doing push-ups and plyo push-ups but now I cannot support weight with my left wrist, also I cannot get my wrist in an angle were a palm down is possible. What can I do to regain that last bit of range of motion to be able to do a push-up again? Thanks for the time and the podcasts. It is was a great find on I-tunes. Blake Vajgrt
- Hey Kevin,
I’m curious what your experience has been going from working as a ‘trainer’ at a commercial gym to becoming a ‘coach’ at Boyle’s. Has there been a significant change to your training philosophy and/or approach to your clients and is there an obvious difference in the type of clientele that join a facility like Boyle’s vs BSC? I came into the industry without a sports background and am starting to notice the difference between the 2 approaches to fitness. Like many trainers I mostly look after members of the general population who want to lose a bit of weight and ‘tone up’ (their words not mine) so I program in a way that keeps them entertained and steers them towards their goals with varying degrees of intensity depending on their motivation. I’ve become so accustomed to training this type of person I don’t think I’d know what to do if an athlete enlisted my services so I’m interested if you met a similar challenge when you changed venues and if you have a preference for one style over the other? I’ve noticed a few changes to your lingo in the past few months so it would appear Coach Boyle is rubbing off on you haha. All the best and thanks to you, Leigh and [occasionally] John for giving up your time to provide us all with such an awesome podcast Geoff Owner/Operator Grizzly Personal Training Sydney, Australia www.GrizzlyPT.com
- What up Kev, DOCTOR Johnathan Fass and (the battle at) Lea Pull Hill – Leigh Peele (PS- FLzine.com and LeighPeele.com ROCKS)
Been listening for two months beginning with the most recent and working back. Right now at episode 122. Y’all motivate me to better myself… and to drink more Spike. QUESTION: Has there ever been a situation where your client develops feelings for you? How do you handle it without losing a client or gaining a stalker. Is it common for this to happen? Does the client mistake admiration for a crush? PS- my favorite off topic quote “You Glorify your Lameness and that makes you cool.”
Posted on 15 June 2010
Tags: Alwyn Cosgrove, diet, Episodes, exercise, Kevin Larrabee, Leigh Peele, low carb, Mike Boyle, Mobility, muscle, nutrition, Oprah, podcast, Strength, supplements, Training, TRX, Women
The cast talks about lifting’s effect on bio mechanics, an EPIC discussion about tightening your nutrition, shoulder injuries, and much more!
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FitCast News
- Perform Better Recap
- Going to PB Chicago
- KevinLarrabee.com Blog Updates
- Guest Requests Needed
Mailbag
- Hey Fitcast
Just thought I’d share a good book to help people understand studies and publications in an easy to understand book. The book is called Bad Science by Ben Goldacre. I’m listening to the audiobook version and it’s quite informative and teaches people how to critically examine trials and studies.
Jin
- Hey Lee, Kevin, and all the fine people at the Fitcast,
I have a question for the show. I started a 3×5 lifting program last fall, and have experienced good results, and I have put on about 13 new lbs. of muscle (in the upper body, chest, lats, but also glutes, hamstrings and even my calves). I’m very happy about that. As you well know, all that squatting puts a lot of stress on the legs, so I have eased off my running quite a bit (used to run about 15-20 miles a week before 3×5). I do run nowadays, between 3-5 miles a week. My question, however, is this: Is it possible the new muscle mass (especially in the glutes and hamstrings) could change my running biomoechanics? I do find I am sore in new spots after running (I have been virtually injury free my whole running life), and I am not sure what I should do about it. The soreness is mostly on the outside of my knees, or sometimes slightly behind the kneee, where the joint would be. I am very focused on preventing injury, so backing off running is no problem. I doubt I have to cut it out altogether, though. As I also increase the intensity of my 3×5, will this mean this kind of cardio is off limits? What would you recommend? -Cesar
- Hey guys!
I have has 3 shoulder dislocations and a stabilisation operation after playing rugby in Ireland. I did this by falling directly onto my elbow rather than in a major contact situation. The operation was 1 1/2 years ago and I have not yet returned to rugby. Would you have any specific exercises or protocols that you would recommend to give the best possible chance of returning to the sport and remaining injury free?? I have the usual internal/external rotation stuff but to me it doesnt seem as if it is enough or that I am doing it enough times per week. Any suggestions are very much appreciated ! I have read that shoulder stability is as much to do with scapular stability as the shoulder joint itself and that by putting weight directly through the shoulder is useful. I currently do the regular gym stuff as the operation was so long ago and have recently started learning Olympic lifting techniques so I dont think shoulder mobility is as much an issue as shoulder stability.
Thanks again
Kris
- Hi FitCast crew.
My question is regarding the weight gain that I’ve experienced lately. I’m 19 years old, 5′9″, and my weight right now is at 150 lbs. I’ve been following Alwyn’s New Rules of Lifting Program for almost 6 weeks, and have made my diet a 3 day low-1 day high calorie intake which I’ve done already for 2-3 weeks to lose some weight. My diet consists of sweet potatoes, oatmeal, fruits like apples and oranges, lean meats like chicken breast or fish, skim or soy milk, and nuts or peanut butter; sometimes, I would eat more nuts or peanut butter on my high calorie days without counting portions just because they are more calorie dense and satisfying than eating more veggies.
What I soon found out was that as the weights that I lifted in my workout increased, so as my body weight did. It only got worse and made me frustrated when I found out that I still don’t see 4 or 6-pack abs popping out (seems to me like flabs than abs, especially when I sit) and that my body fat hasn’t changed or has increased a bit, despite the fact that I do interval training on a treadmill every Saturday.
Am I doing it wrong guys? I mean, why do I still gain weight even though my diet is always in check and my calories slightly reduced at just 1800-2000 calories? Hope you can help me with this. Thanks
Francis
Posted on 26 April 2010
Tags: abs, Episodes, Kevin Larrabee, Leigh Peele, low carb, muscle, recovery, rehab, shoulders, Strength, supplements, Training, TRX, Women
This week’s topics include if you really need carbohydrates, healthy eating on the run, training delts for women, shoulder issues, and more!
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News
- John Berardi, Todd Durkin, John Romanello
- Virgin Mobile Magazine
- Brian St. Pierre
Mailbag
- Hi Folks,I’ll skip all the pleasantries. You already know we all love you guys.
Anyway…
I have a problem with internally rotated shoulders. Likely from sitting at a desk working with a mouse. Chicken wings as the PT calls them. Right shoulder is far worse then left.
Needless to say this has made me prone to shoulder impingement injuries. Last one took a year to heal.
I’ve been working hard with specific focus to fix this for over a year an a half using PT prescribed work. Specifically…
- The drawing the sward motion.
- External rotator motion.
- Rear shoulder isolation work.
- Serratus pushups
- And stretching the internal rotator and chest.
I’ve stopped stretching the mid-back/rear shoulder and external rotator. I’ve changed my ergonomics. And I’m hyperconscious to maintain proper posture at my desk now.
But the reality is, heavy deadlift static pulls, with a hyperconscious focus to hold the scapular in proper position have worked better then any of the PT isolation work.
Yet still, the problem remains. In a resting position the scapular is winging. Anytime I do overhead shoulder work I have to consciously pull the scapular in place. If not I get impingement and popping.
What do I do here? Another year of the same isn’t going to fix it.
I’ve laid off sports, and held back starting others to get this corrected first. I don’t want another injury. Help. Can’t wait much longer.
Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jared
- Hey Fitcast gang!
Love the Fitcast , it is the only podcast I subscribe to as every week has great info! I find it so refreshing to hear you guys so genuinely dedicated to your professions and truly enjoy what you do- so motivating! Thanks!
I have been weight training for about 3 years with significant body composition improvements since having 2 kids but continue to be frustrated as I try to gain bulk in my delts. Looking for the “shoulder cap” . Wondering if you could give me any suggestions as to a program to emphasize this area, some guidance with exercises, load/reps etc. Already doing what I consider the “basics”, including lateral raises, incline lateral raise, posterior delts, overhead press etc. sets of 10-15 and mix it up from time to time cable/dumbbells/machines etc. If I can gain bulk here I think the rest of my transformation comes down to buckling down on the fat loss side.
Thanks again for all you do, you have motivated me to take my training up a notch and reignited my desire to learn.
Thanks, Heather
- Is there an intrinsic function of carbohydrate intake beyond the 50-100 g per day required to prevent ketosis? That is, what other functions can only be performed by carbohydrates that is not “covered” by the 50-100 g? This is outside of post-workout nutrition unless that is indelibly connected.Thanks!
Dathi
- Hi Kevin,Great podcast, i listen to it on the way to work over here in England.
I’m having a bit of trouble getting back to full fitness after a few injurys, i had a split in my right patella tendon which took a long time to get over, unfortunatly i suffered a motorbike accident shortly after which resulted in a broken clavical (i know have a plate in place). My fitness dropped dramaticly and i put on weight.
Currently im following the P90X routine, working mainly upperbody (chest, back, shoulders, arms) I’m 6′1 and about 230lbs, i eat about 2800kcal’s a day (meals every 3 hours), 40,40,20% split with protein, carb and fat. I’m vegie so most of my protein comes from shakes.
I jog occationally and can do 5k in about 30 minutes, i do cycle to and from work which is 10miles in total taking roughly 40-60minutes altogether, i work in parks so im often cycling around but nothing more than 2-4miles max. I used to be able to barbell curl 60kg (132lbs) one rep max but now i can just about manage 50kg (110lbs)
Do you have any tips? is there anything i missing?
Take care,
Lee
- This question requires a Scottish accent.So this one is really to the whole gang, even Tony if he’s hanging around this week. I’m a college student that’s trying to put on some muscle and stay healthy while juggling classes and work. I’m always on the go and don’t always have time to prepare every meal I eat. Being a college student, I’m working on an extremely tight budget, but I wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions for healthy foods that I can take with me to eat in between class or on my way to work. Especially foods that are high in protein and don’t have to be refrigerated. Any suggestions or websites would be awesome. Please no “pay” sites if possible, like I said, tight budget.
Thanks in advance.
Stacy from Texas,
PS. yeah I’m from Texas, just wanted to hear Kevin butcher a Scottish accent.
- Dear Kev, ( I’m going with the traditional “dear” as I live in Wales in the uk, so would never say top of the morning).First of all I’d like to thank you for your awsome podcast and tons of info.
I was hoping that you might be able to point me in the right direction, I’ve been having trouble with both my elbows. It happend a year ago while I was in a phase of lifting the heaviest weights of my life. There was no sudden pain, just a dull constant pain would develop deep in my elbows. I always warm up and stretch for at least 30 minutes before a lift. After still lifting for a short time i stopped all together (for abouut 6 months) to see if the pain would go away, but it did not.
I’ve been doing forarm exercises but the ones I’ve been doing don’t help.
I’ve seen my doctor and been to a physio but they just said it wouldn’t get any worse but wouldn’t improve either. I find this answer unacceptable.
If you know anything about the issue o’r know anybody that specilizes in elbow cures/preventions could you point me in the right direction please??
Thank you very much, I rely on my elbows for work (i’m a tv cameraman) and love working out but it’s ruining my life at the moment.
Thanks a million,
John
- Thanks for getting to my question about my Heart Rate Monitor on http://www.facebook.com/l/54e8c;thefitcast.com! Just a bit of follow up to some of the questions you posed to me:
I do not take any medication
I stay away from caffeinated beverages (no coffee, tea, soda or energy drinks.)
I do use supplements – 1000mgs of Vitamin C, fish oil (2 capsules, I believe that is 1000mgs as well) and a multi vitamin. For what it is worth, I had my first mountain bike race last Sunday and my HRM recorded a peak rate of 214 BPM, 13 BPM higher than my max recorded rate during my training sessions.
I was wondering how I can use the information from my HRM to improve my training?
Thank you and keep up the great work! -Gordon
Posted on 20 April 2010
Tags: Accountability, Blog Posts, Body Fat, Destination Abs, Kevin Larrabee, low carb, muscle, Strength, Training, TRX, Women
[Editor's Note: Kim continues to DOMINATE! She is making some fantastic body composition changes and has not questioned any of the guidelines or fudge the calories she has been counting (no pun intended). She just had her wedding shower this past weekend and she treated herself to some French toast that was, "made especially," for her. I am 100% cool with that. You know why? She has been busting her ass and she deserves it. AND, she was right back on track after that meal! Now on to Kim's Blog]
_____________________________________________________________________
I’m going to call this entry “The Rededication.” Since the last time I wrote I kind have got off track on my eating. I had a slice of pizza, and I indulged in many other things that I really shouldn’t have. I also kind of stopped tracking my food for a few of those days. Thanks to the workouts that I kept up with, I didn’t gain any weight during this time. But I definitely didn’t loose any either. I am holding firm at a daily weight of 145. I really want to see what else I can do. I have come so far, and I’m still getting a lot of compliments, but I know that I can do better.
So as of just a couple of days ago I rededicated myself. I am reining the eating back in, sticking to the approved amounts and items. I need to get back to the routine. So for the past couple of days I have been good. I am really wanting to get this back in control so that I can loose some more. I saw Kevin tonight and he had me doing some reverse lunges with a bunch of weight. I will hurt tomorrow. Also, earlier this week we were doing kettle bell swats with extending the weight out in front of me at the bottom of each. I don’t know what the technical name for it is – but I will tell you this – there is nothing that has made my core this sore in a long time.
I want to thank Kevin for cheering me on to get back on track and for pushing me this week. I needed that encouragement to get back on the horse. Also, thank you for the ass-kicking workouts this week. I cannot wait to meet back up next week for some more sessions!
Posted on 19 April 2010
Tags: abs, Body Fat, exercise, Kettlebells, Kevin Larrabee, Leigh Peele, Mike Boyle, Mobility, muscle, recovery, Steve Cotter, Strength, supplements, Training, TRX, Women
Get this Week’s Episode:
Hosts:
NEWS
- Interview with Steve Cotter coming up
- John Berardi
- Todd Durkin
- Blog Contest
- Green’s Plus Bar
- Cool stuff in the works
Mailbag
- (For Kevin) Hey everyone, I’m sorta new to the fitcast, still havent caught up on all the past episodes so this question may have been answered. I know it was asked before but not really answered maybe a year ago. A listener wrote in asking whether it was better to lift post or pre run, he was 135 lbs and 5′5″ or something close to that. You all told him to quit running and pick up some weights as he was underweight. Thats all fine and good, but even though I have a similar body size, my goals are slightly different so I thought I would ask again. I am female, 5′5″ 135 lbs and a regular runner. I do a long run on Saturdays, cross training twice a week, and do high intensity interval runs or speedwork runs twice a week. The only time I have to lift is on those weekday running days. Is it better to do so before or after my runs? During racing season I want to increase my speed/distance/efficiency, while during the winter my goal is to lose fat and increase muscle. Is there a benefit in lifting pre or post run or am I completely overthinking this? This seems to be one of those topics where the answer changes every other day, so any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Again, love the fitcast, thanks for all the great info!
- Hi Guys and Leah. Just wondering if there are any foods you could recommend for keeping energy levels up throughout the day. I work in a very dimly lit office space with little air movement and zero daylight. I find myself growing extremely lethargic in the afternoons and it’s making it very difficult for me to get any work done. Any suggestions as to what kind of foods I should be eating or as a last resort what kind of supplements I should be taking to keep energy levels spiked throughout the day? Thanks in advance, I could add the obligatory “Keep up the great work, I really enjoy the show” but that goes without saying. (Thanks always for the entertainment and the countless epic fails) -Robert
- Hey Guys,First of all thanks for being awesome! You guys have helped me lose 16 pounds already
. My questions is about plant proteins vs meat proteins. I have been slowly changing my diet towards a vegetarian style rather than conventional meat eating style. I was curious though if plant proteins are a valid source compared to meat. I have heard that plant proteins do not contain all the Essential Amino Acids that meat proteins do. I was curious about your thoughts on this and If a vegetarian diet is a feasible diet for muscle building.
Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Sean
- @Urraca Hemp protein: what’s the real deal?
- One thing that I have to ask deals with diets. Everyone generally know what they SHOULD be eating but no one actually DOES what they’re suposed to…What strategies would you suggest to get clients to be compliant to their meal plans? I murder my personal training clients in the gym only to have them go home and eat the garbage that has them at 30+% body fat.What do you tell your clients to get them to “buy in” to the new lifestyle of eating clean? Thanks. -Kris
Steve Cotter Interview
- How did you get into kettlebell training originally?
- What runs through your head when you see kettlebells being used on The Biggest Loser?
- TGU Progression
- Please describe the differences and similarities between the different kettlebell certifications. -Ruben
- The question I have for Steve Cotter is, what is the difference in muscular development using Kettlebell programs compared to lifting weights. -Roger
-
How do you balance your professional life and personal life? I am a successful trainer in Michigan running 6 bootcamps a week and training 55 – 60 additional hours.
Thanks, love the show!
Jimi
- what is really the difference between kettlebells and dumbbells, and would you be able to get the same benefits from using DBs instead of KBs for exercises, and why? Is the difference significant? -Clement
- If you could only do three exercises with a client, what would they be? -Ben
- I’m a 26yr old female who has about 5 kilos (11 pounds) to lose, but also want to tone up my arms and mid-section. I am highly active (cardio and weights at the gym 2x week, Dragonboat training 3x week, 30min jog 4 x week) and have also recently purchased some kettlebells – a 4kg (8.8 pound) and 8kg (17.6 pound). I know that tightening up my diet will help me shed the last 10 pounds, as I have already lost 66 pounds over the last few years (and most importantly kept it off).
My question is – how can I best incorporate Kettlebell training into my routine to help me with toning up my arms and mid-section, and maybe with shifting a bit of the weight? I know that kettlebells also incorporate legs a lot and this is a bonus, but my legs are already quite muscular and I this isn’t really my focus. Can you recommend any good dvds that I can use to train with? I don’t feel that I get as much from reading books and looking at pictures as I do when I am watching someone ‘live’. I also just want to mention that I don’t think kettlebell training has really taken off in Australia like it has in the US, as a) they are not readily available to buy in most sports stores, and b) most of my friends have never even heard of them. Any information you could give me would be appreciated, it’s not often a gal like me would get the opportunity to ask a question of someone as highly regarded as you! -Emma
-
My question is for Steve. A year and a half ago I had arthroscopic surgery to relieve arthritis in my right AC joint. I am showing the same symptoms in my left AC joint and 2 months of rehab is not working. I just received a cortisone shot from my orthopedist and we both agreed that I could work out on my own. I own (1) 25lb, (2) 35lb, and (1) 53lb kettlebell, but I am not opposed to buying lighter ones for rehab purposes. How can I use kettlebells to safely strengthen my shoulders and also maintain my physique? (Since starting treatment on my AC joint my weight has started to increase). My current routine includes Pullups, dumbell Rows, resistance band exercises for my shoulders, and interval sprinting. Bench pressing and dips seem to aggravate both shoulders. The only KB movement I still use is the 2 arm swing, but I am sure there others that would not aggravate my condition. My therapist has cautioned me not to do overhead pressing and did not like my description of the Turkish Get-up, as he said it would put too much pressure on top of the joint.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Scott
- If one has a piriformis problem (causes sciatic pain), is doing kettlebells going to help or hurt? I really want to learn and I am trying to get to an RKC training to learn proper form but there are none in my area and I will have to travel some distance to attend one, but wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be wasting my time since I have this issue with my piriformis. Thanks so much!! And youve probably heard this a million times, but that video of you doing the pistol squats on and off the table with the KB’s is one of the most amazing videos I’ve ever seen!! -Missy
- How to stop the back of my wrist getting sore, feels like the KB keeps banging into it
-Nadine
- Is using the Lebert Equalizer bars or the TRX good ways to build strength for Pistol Squats? (self-spotting using the EQ bars and holding on to the TRX handles while performing the movement) If not, what do you recommend to build our strength up for it? -Billy
Posted on 13 April 2010
Tags: abs, exercises, Food, Kevin Larrabee, Mike Boyle, muscle, Valerie Waters, Valslides, Women
Get this Week’s Episode:
Hosts:
- Does she take any supplements? And what is peaking Valerie’s interest in the fitness world these days? -Deana
- Valerie, I know you specialize in helping women to achieve a lean look without too much ‘bulk’. I saw in some of your Red Carpet Ready TV episodes that the women you were tracking were jogging for their cardio. What type of cardio do you recommend for women who get big thighs easily? My sister gave up running because she doesn’t like the way her legs change. It’s great calorie burn for the time invested but are there better alternatives?Thanks!
gabi
- Val, what type of ‘look’ or physique are most of your female celebrity clients after? I notice that very few of the women out there have clearly defined muscle and instead opt for a ’softer’ look. For instance, Jessica Biel appears to have lost a significant amount of muscle recently. Is it that they just don’t want to look strong? Is it too much cardio and not enough food or is it more related to the style of lifting you incorporate (say muscular endurance vs hypertrophy or strength)?
I hope this isn’t too pointed, I just have never seen this question asked/answered and thought this might be a good chance for you to address it!
Thanks,
Alison
- If you could only do three exercises with a client, what would they be? -Ben
- how out-of-shape are your celebrities when you first get them as clients and do you sometimes get exhorbitant results asked of you? Also, could you outline some workout principles to get a male celebrity ripped and in shape for a hero’s role, for example like Will Smith in I Am Legend? -Clement
Posted on 06 April 2010
Tags: abs, Accountability, Blog Posts, Body Fat, Destination Abs, Strength, Training, TRX, Women
[editor's note: What can I say? Kim is getting some amazing results thanks to her hard work and some good programming and nutrition from her trainer (not to blow smoke up my butt). I am so proud of Kim's dedication. It really does show what one can accomplish with a great plan followed by pitch perfect execution. For those that asked, much fo the nutrition principles come from Leigh Peele's Body by Eats.]
Hi Everyone,
Sorry I missed a week there. It’s been getting busy here with the coming of spring. But I’ve been loving getting outside to walk the dog. She actually got invited into the gym while I lifted earlier this week, and became somewhat of a mascot J She’s a great excuse/motivation to get out and walk and jog.
So my weight loss has slowed some. From here on it will take some more patience, time and hard work. Kevin put together a new routine for me, which we started this week. I thought that I was in good enough shape to not get hit hard with soreness anymore. But I think that I was thinking too much of myself because I can still feel the back of my legs when I move certain ways and it’s been a few days. He is pushing me up to the next level again, and some of the swats were really getting me. It’s hard work, but I really enjoy our workouts. I leave feeling like I’ve really done something good for the day. And I feel great knowing that maybe in a week or two this-or-that might be fitting again.
This past weekend for Easter I wore a dress that I haven’t worn in years. I got many, many compliments from friends and family members who haven’t seen me since the beginning of my program with Kevin. They kept saying how good I looked. It feels great to accept those compliments.
Well, till next week, lift some heavy stuff and stay away from the left over chocolate bunnies.
Posted on 18 October 2009
Tags: Episodes, Leigh Peele, Strength, supplements, Training, TRX, Women
Get this Week’s Episode:
Hosts:
Sponsored by: BlackStarLabs.com (Home of the BEST tasting protein powder, period. Make sure to mention The FitCast!)
FitCast News
- New Job
- TRX Article
- More to come on the garage gym
- What up Leigh?
Mailbag
- Hey Guys, I just recently found your blog, and it is really great!!! About seven years ago I woke up one day weighing 330 lbs. I hired a trainer/nutritionist, and honestly lost 100 lbs in a little over three months. I lost another 65 lbs over the next few months. I have managed to keep the weight off over the years, because I changed my lifestyle. I didn’t go on a diet, and my trainer used a combination of cardio and resistance tubing for workouts, of course he also taught me how to eat healthy and responsibly. My question is “When walking, running, etc, cardio exercise, isn’t time more important than distance? In other words, Isn’t it more important to focus on how long I walk, run, etc, than how far I do so??? -Tai
- Hey guys, love the show. I have a question for Jonathan. I am a serious marathon runner. I ran a 2:50 this past summer, which is averaging 6:30 per mile. Generally, I race in the summer. I spend most of the fall and winter running less mileage but spending more time in the gym. Then I boost up the mileage in the spring and summer. In the fall/winter, I focus on core strength, as well as glute/hamstring strength. It keeps me from becoming quad dominant and prevents injuries when I ramp up the mileage. I mainly do squats and deadlifts to strengthen the posterior chain. I know these numbers arent impressive, but then again I weigh 150 lbs. I currently do 5 sets of 5 squats at 185 lbs, and 2 sets of 5 deadlift at 170 lbs. I have 3 quick questions. 1) is it normal for my squats to be so much heavier than my deadlifts? 2) What other exercises should I be doing? I sometimes do bulgarian split squats, lunges, and leg press, but focus on the squat/deadlift. Are those the best for glute/hamstring strength? 3) Should I do less reps/ more weight, or less weight/more reps, or is what I am doing good? Thanks alot, look forward to your answer -Sal
- I am a new listener to the fitcast, but the episodes I’ve heard so far are great, so kudos to everybody for that. My question goes back a couple of episodes to when Leigh was talking about protien content of pre and post workout meals. Using the numbers y’all talked about my post workout meal could range anywhere from about 30 grams to 130 grams. My roommate seems adamant that your body can only process about 30-35 grams per hour, so it it pointless to consume more than that in a post workout. Is this true?
I am 21 yes old 6′ and 177 lbs if that makes any difference in protien digestion. Also I’m eating 6-8 meals a day and weight training 4-6 times a week.
Thanks a lot, great podcast.
Stacy from Texas
- I was checking my current supplement regimen with my cardiologist to make sure I wasn’t potentially causing any harm. The doctor okayed my current supplements, but he warned me against NO-XPLOD. It was on my supplement list because I had taken it a couple years ago. He said they have recently seen a rise in heart problems in patients taking NO-XPLOD. He said his hospital was currently working a on a report to the FDA about their findings and he wouldn’t be surprised to see it banned soon. What are your guys’ thoughts on this? Have you seen any adverse effects of NO-XPLOD? -Jason
- Hey guys, big fan of the podcast (especially when kevin does his voices, they are horrid!). So you guys talk about research a lot and going on pubmed, I am a trainer at a commercial gym, should I be going to pub med every week to see what the latest research says? Thanks! – Grant
- This one is for when Cassandra is on. Can you ask her about how she has changed her training and nutrition during pregnancy? Eventually when I have kids, I want to know what is best in terms of activity and diet. Thank so much guys I look forward to Monday morning every week thanks to your show! -Becca
-
Hey guys,
I thought of a question that I haven’t heard you guys discuss yet on The Fitcast. It’s a question about building muscle mass. I’ve ran into varying opinions on the optimal way to do this. Some believe, typically old school lifters that I talk to, believe that the best way to build muscle is to “build your foundation first” by go through a bulking phase and not really focusing too much attention on your body fat, and then eventually go through a cutting phase to cut down the fat. The other is to get down to a lower body fat percentage (the personal trainer I had at one time said I should aim to get below 15%) before bulking and that you can build lean muscle while keeping your body fat low. I wanted to get your collective take on it. Thanks guys! -Pete
- Hi guys,
I went for a sports massage recently and the guy doing it is also a personal trainer and MAJOR follower of the teachings of Charles Poliquin. From what I’ve read, he is pretty well regarded…but I tend to like to take the best of everybody’s opinions rather than follow one true way Maybe I’m fickle. While I was there he also started trying to tell me about Biosignature modulation and how I really should have an assessment. It is apparently the only way to eat and would sort out my fat thighs, as would the supplements he could give and the special lean legs yohimbe cream. When I remarked that the diet would probably involve eating less crap, more protein and fewer carbs he said I knew nothing…but then said he doesn’t eat carbs except on his cheat day every 5th day. So, what do you think? Biosignature-real spot reduction? Or just clean eating and good training? -Gráinne (pronounced Grawn-ya…kind of!)
Posted on 03 May 2009
Tags: Body Fat, diet, Episodes, fat-loss, fitcast, Mobility, Strength, supplements, Women
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Mailbag
- I’ve got a question for Jonathan. . Let me give you some background. I’m 5′6″, 160lbs and unlike Kevin, I hate benching (mainly because I suck at it, my max being 200lbs on a Close grip 1-board press – which is as close as I get to full range of motion benching).
My current goal it to reach a triple bodyweight deadlift (480lbs), and I do tons of rows and pullups for this goal. I’d like to know if tight lats can affect my front squat technique, as I seem to have problems driving my elbows up high to keep the bar in the groove of my shoulders. This causes the bar to start slipping forward during the set. This sucks balls especially with heavier weights, as it starts to mess up my wrists. (I use the clean grip technique, the cross armed technique just feels very unstable). (P.S. sorry for the long question. Also I really love your show, as it fires me up before my training session)
Cheers,
Jin (pronounced like “Gin”) from the UK
- “I’m going Back to the Future!”
I finally arrived at the present! I have listened to every episode of The Fitcast during the past 5 months. From Diet Soda Shakes, to “Bigger Faster Stronger”, to “Kevin’s California Vacation”, to the addition of the ladies, to Final Destination Abs … I have listened to it all and loved it. I started using NROL (THANKS FITCAST) right at the end 2008 and I am loving the new approach. I haven’t given up on my curls completely, but I focus more on functional lifting. Cutting back on my 3 day a week benching routine has been a big shocker (I know that was a routine you would love), but I think I am getting great results. All the freaking deadlifts and Bulgarian Split Squats have my back feeling better than ever. I have been eating according to Precision Nutrition (THANKS FITCAST) and I have been using some diet modifications based off of a lot of your guest’s methods.
HERE IS MY QUESTION:
STATS: I am 33, 6’2”, 196 lbs, 9.4% bodyfat (18 months ago I weighed 250 with 30% bodyfat)
DIET: I eat a very strict diet for most of the month and I eat no refined sugar sweets (cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc.). The thing that keeps me going is that 1 day per month I blow it out. I eat over twice my daily intake of calories (~6000). Most of these calories are in the form of junk (half dozen donuts, batch of sugar cookies, cupcakes, etc.). This has worked for me for the past 18 months. Does this style of cheat day pose any obvious risks? I do feel like crap by the end of the “sugar day,” but it reenergizes me for another month of healthy dieting.
- Hi guys,
My name is Mark, I’m from Salt Lake City, Utah, I am 6′2″ 230lbs. I am probably about 18% body fat, though I can’t be 100% sure. I can’t tell you guys how much I love the show! It really has been a huge part of my motivation to get into better shape, specifically stronger, this year. My question is about my training. I am currently doing Cressey’s Maximum Strength, I am 3 weeks in and already am seeing significant gains in strength. I have decided that I want to participate in a sprint triathlon this September. I am going to have to start training in June at the very latest, which would cut my Maximum Strength program short by a month. So what do I do? Should I complete Max Strength and only leave myself 2 months of time to prepare for the triathlon, or should I cut the Max Strength program short? Another element to consider is that there is an Ironman Triathlon taking place in St. George, Utah in May 2010. I would really like to do it since there has never been an Ironman in Utah before. I have never done a triathlon or any kind of endurance race like that before, and I imagine about a year of consistent training would be enough to prepare for an Ironman. What do you all think about that as well? One more question, will triathlon training make me lose strength gains I have made? Any advice for training for a triathlon is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long questions, but I really respect your opinions and needed to ask them.
Thanks again, you guys are the best!
-Mark
- Hey guys, love the show. I have a couple of quick questions for Leigh:
What is your take on the “Beef Protein Isolate” that is now available (trueprotein.com)?
Everybody is always saying that during a mass gaining phase you should eat more beef….. so would this be a good option during a mass phase or is it the other components of beef that are of importance?
Is this something worth looking into, or should we just stick with the staples (whey, casein)?
Thanks,
Ryan
-
I love the podcast and it is going to be tough waiting for your shows to get released now that I am all caught up! -Ben
- I am fired up!
I am 203 lbs. down from 245 just 6 months ago.
I have been lifting weights in my basement every day and doing light cardio to lose fat.
Now I am ready to improve my gains. I started out with just 3 sets of 10 reps on bench, shoulder press and pushups & curls. Since I found your podcast, I have added squats, lunges, shoulder flys and purchased a pullup bar (but can’t do much with it yet). I have also changed my weight liftinng routine to 3-days a week. I have established a base but would like to add more muscle. I am changing my routine to more sets & fewer reps. I also need to lose 13 more pounds but I started with nothing after 25 years of no excercise & eating anything & everything. I have added creatine & fish oil.
Do I need to drop the cardio to maximize gains? My weight and my gains have plateaued. I am considering a re-feed or re-fuel to get rid of the rest of the fat. Any other suggestions?
I love your podcast. Particularly when you & Leigh share learning from scientific studies. Keep up the good work. -Larry
- am a college student and I have a hard time getting the right foods (healthy foods) because I am the only one in my family of five that cares about nutrition on a serious level. I have a job, but my parents don’t want me spending my money on food, so I eat what my mom buys. It is not entirely bad, but she still buys Jiff instead of natural peanut butter and white instead of wheat bread. My biggest problem is getting enough of the good food because it is limited, so I have to dip into some not so healthy food. In your guys opinion, should I just wait it out until I live on my own or find some other way to get healthy food even if I have to spend my own money? How much will dipping into the not so healthy food effect my overall health. I lift 3-4 days a week and do cardio 4-5.
Thanks in advance for the help.
-Shane
- I’ve been listening to your podcast for a while now and find it very informative – good job! When I turned 40 I was 230 pounds with a 42″ waist, six feet tall. Turning 40 was hard and I made it my quest to get fit. I am 44 now, 185 pounds with about 14% body fat, 32 inch waist. Since I turned 40 I have cut out all refined foods – no sugar, white bread, etc. and eat pretty good – about 1,800-2,200 calories/day. I also don’t eat after 7 PM. I am trying to get rid of the roll and handles around my midsection without losing muscle. I know this is a balance act, but finding it difficult to attain. I do 20 minutes of cardio every morning to get me going. Six days/week I do 20 minutes of cardio at Noon as a stress releaser mainly. Three days/week I do about 45 minutes of strength training. I am into supplements: fish oil, 5-8 g creatine, whey protein (plus lean meats), multi-vit to name a few. What do you advise as I run out of energy to get a good strength training session in, but when I eat more I am not losing the roll. Should I concentrate on one or the other – roll reduction or muscle building or continue balance both?
Burt in Napa Valley, CA. -Burt
- Hello Kevin and Crew. I love the Fit Cast, though Jonathan Fass will be missed. Here’s a question for the panel:
How do you progress on chin-ups and pullups? I’m stuck at about 4-5 pullups and around 6 to 7 chin-ups with bodyweight.
I tried a ladder approach, starting by doing half the total number of reps I can do. E.g.: 3 reps, rest 15 seconds, 2 reps, rest 15 secs, 1 rep, rest for one minute and repeat. This approach builds up the total volume, but I’m still stuck at the same level. How do I increase my strength-endurance on these? -Bob
- My name is Lindsay and I’m a big fan of TheFitcast, you all do great work so keep it up! My wife and I exercise regularly and enjoy trying different programs, right now I have her doing The Perfect Body Diet by Cassandra Forsythe (whom is absolutely AMAZING!), she is interested in losing a few inches for graduation in June. However my question is specifically about her leg and gait. Her left leg is 1/2 inch shorter than her right (this is not due to past injury, she was born that way and is something that seems to run in her family). She wears a lift in her left shoe daily to help even everything out and also wears it while she works out, but still experiences aches and pains every once in while in her hips and lately her right knee.I’m worried about how this 1/2 inch difference is affecting her when she is squatting, doing lunges, and any other exercises that involve similarmovement patterns. I know we should get in to see a physical therapist eventually, but I first wanted to see if you had any advice regarding exercises that she should absolutely not be doing given her “condition” and/or anything else you would recommend to prevent injury, and aches and pains.
Thanks!
Lindsay
- Hello Kevin, I’ve been a loyal listener of The Fitcast for some time now, I usually listen past episodes in the morning as a I walk to the subway station and ride it to work. I know you mentioned in the past how you thought you would never be really cover model jacked and ripped. While you have made very definite progress over the past 6 weeks, I was wondering how you feel about it now? Do you still feel that despite the massive amount of effort you have put in, the results are still not in purportion to what you’ve put in? Please don’t misinterpret this as any sort of discouragement at all because I just wanted to get your perspective. I (and others) really appreciate the effort you’ve put into The FitCast and like it very much!
Gerald
- where can I go to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist is this a mail in degree or are there schools out there? I tried googling it and came up with no schools.. I am in California. Thanks -Cain
- I’m a female amateur boxier getting ready for my 1st fight. I’m currently dieting and have lost 10 of the 20 pounds I need to lose to get into a good weight class for my height. My question is about strength and conditioning. While my trainer is great at teaching the sport and science of boxing, his strength and conditioning advice is vague at best. I was hoping you could shed some light on a good program to increase my strength, power, and endurance. I train with my coach 3 times a week for an hour to an hour and a half doing all the traditional stuff you see on the “Rocky” movies. Programs I already own: Afterburn, New Rules of Lifting for Women, KettlebelleBody, Josh Hillis’s Fighter Workouts for Fatloss, and Turbulence Training. . . just to name a few. Thanks in advance for any advice you can share. -E
Posted on 19 March 2009
Tags: Blog Posts, Body Fat, diet, exercise, fat-loss, Tracy Anderson, Women
By: Kevin Larrabee, CSCS
Uh-oh. Looks like Tracy Anderson’s new gym is in some trouble. As we mentioned before, Anderson and actress/clients Gwyneth Paltrow decided to go into the gym business and bring Anderson’s two hours/6-day a week workouts to the public. Well, it looks like things aren’t going so well for the new venture. The Huffington Post reported that the gym is have trouble obtaining members. It seems like the main reason is the price. The “spy” that contacted the Huffington Post said,
“Membership is like $4,500 to join and then hundreds of dollars a month. Who can afford that right now?”
I could not agree more with this spy (and spies are cool anyways). Here are some more details on the membership’s cost:
“In addition to the monthly dues at the new studio, members must pay an initiation fee of $787.50 for six months or $1,500 for a year.”
Really? Thousands of dollars a year to use some f**king rubber bands and to see three story posters of Tracy’s plastic looking body? No thanks.
I beg all of the women that read this blog and listen to The FitCast. Educate your female friends about the BS that Anderson is spewing, because I can promise you that they have seen her or Paltrow talking about how you need to exercise two hours a day six days a week.
If you haven’t seen how Anderson trains her client’s check out this blog post from a few weeks ago. And to be safe, make sure there is no one around you within shouting distance.
