A very famous strongman from the old days

Heavy Lifting for Fat Loss

Maximal Effort Lifting for Fat Loss Benefits

When are people going to realize the flaws of excessive cardio? I prefer to maximize my efforts.

Lifting heavy objects is good for man, woman, child. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Strength and balance are relevant for everybody.

Heavy Lifting Promotes Anabolic Response

Anabolism is construction — the growth of cells in the body. Consider that Weight Lifting promotes a beneficial response in multiple systems. Upward growth, anabolism, enhances circulation, muscle tone, and central nervous system development.

Worked 100 years ago, and today.

Both men and women receive beneficial hormone responses following weight training. Growth hormone promotes healthy normal function of vital organs and structures in the body.

You may not burn much fat during weight lifting. The majority of fat loss occurs in the hours and DAYS following a weight training session. Heavy weight lifting forces the body to adapt, to build, to construct.

Physical Fitness by Dre

How is Bodybuilding a Gateway Sport?

Bodybuilding… everyone has an opinion.

It make sense though. A bodybuilder’s purpose is to put their physique on display and be judged for it. Requirement: tan and trunks.

I never considered myself a bodybuilder, even though the benefits to appearance are relevant. The bodybuilding movement has generated hundreds of millions $ and brought public support for people looking to get buffed.

The average “bodybuilder” is NOT hard core.

What I consider a bodybuilder:

  • Lifts weights with the intent of improving body appearance.
  • Is influenced by bodybuilding media, magazines, and websites.
  • This is what a lot of bodybuilders WANT to look like:

Does Ryan Reynolds have the ideal male physique?

  • This is a Professional Bodybuilder:

RARE & EXTREME bodybuilder. Most bodybuilders look NOTHING like him. 

  • Trains split body parts, exercises biceps and isolates small muscles.
  • Is anywhere between 100 lbs and 300 lbs
  • Uses weight machines often, bench presses often, and uses high reps (12-15).
I have seen guys who weigh 160lbs wearing a bodybuilding.com branded clothes. That’s fine, because bodybuilding is a pursuit of appearance through muscles — not just the “final result.” Success is gained through size and symmetry, and ultimately as a stimulus from consistent weight training.

What are the Limitations of Bodybuilding?

  1. Bodybuilding promotes a strong culture of vanity and external objectification.
  2. Bodybuilding doesn’t attempt to enhance functional fitness.
  3. Bodybuilding success is impossible to quantify (minus income, do you have what it takes to be sponsored?)

Conversely, perhaps there are many benefits…

The benefits of Bodybuilding on Weightlifting and athletics

Images of physiques are dime a dozen. Every man has compared his stomach to the ripped tan juiciness of unrealistic proportions. Many guys will be compelled to visit a gym. And they will gain value from it

Benefits of Bodybuilding for New Trainees

  • Encourages use of free-weights
  • Utilizes basic and compound exercises in a healthy range of motion
  • Helps trainees gain confidence in the weight room
  • Opens up doors to other styles of training and athleticism

Even if bodybuilding is a motivator, the lessons learned straining under iron stay with you for a lifetime.

Final observation

I have seen a lot of guys start out by bodybuilding, and as a result went on to become stronger athletes as they modified their training styles.

Whether or not you want to ski better, jump higher, hit harder, or move faster, consistent weight training will definitely support that.

The most important thing is to focus on what you’re passionate about, not on external perspectives.

Good luck.

Physical Fitness by Dre Sports & Athletics

How to use a Weighted Vest for Accelerated Fat Loss Results

Does anyone use a Weight Vest?

Many individuals and organizations recognize the benefits of using a Weighted Vest.

  • Football teams
  • Fire Fighters

They have to be ready at any time.

  • Infantry
  • Basketball players
  • Olympic athletes
  • People seeking the best results in least time

The Benefits of Weighted Vests

All of the benefits derive from the fact that you are carrying an additional load, and therefore the body is stressed to adaptation.

1. Burn TONS of calories. FAT LOSS MANIA?

It increases metabolic rate both during and after activity. More importantly, you can burn tons of calories from FAT. If being lean and conditioned is your goal, a Vest will help.

2. Improved Core Strength

The core is more than a place where you find Six Pack abs. Actually, a strong core is necessary for the good kind of force and power in sport. Aside from that, core strength is related to the health of other joints in the body (in particular your lower back). Did I mention abs?

3. Enhanced Bone Density with Regular Use

This is exciting to me! The proof is out there — people who regularly engage in load bearing activities can make improvements in bone density. It’s important for people of all ages to promote a healthy skeletal system.

Using a Weighted Vest

Training with a weighted vest is all about your goals. For people in high level athletics, you should seek out resources beyond the scope of this blog. But for Fat Loss friends, read on.

My Weighted Vest Fat Loss Strategy

Goal: Increase overall physical condition and decrease body fat % in a sustainable way.

Plan:

  1. Take a morning 2.5 mile walk at least three times a week.
  2. Empty stomach aka “fasted cardio” to maximize body fat as a source of metabolic energy.
  3. But I will consume an amino acid supplement (BCAA’s) in order to preserve lean mass.
  4. Stop by Starbucks to get caffeinated.
  5. Finish the 2.5 mile walk and consume morning breakfast before work.
Discussion:

Ready to roll!

  • A 270 lb man burns 350+ calories during this trip.
  • That is how much I weigh with the vest on.
  • With two months of usage, the vest alone could burn 3 lbs of body fat, not even considering nutrition.
  • If the Vest actually boosts metabolic rate beyond standard calculations, the fat loss should be greater.

This is an investment in pure conditioning.

Everything I do with the Vest will make me more efficient and powerful without it. This is taking it to the next level. Stay tuned for more…

Physical Fitness by Dre Sports & Athletics Weightloss Now

Northwest Regional Qualifiers – Crossfit Games 2011

What are the Crossfit Games?

According to the source, “The CrossFit Games are the world’s premier test to find the fittest on Earth.”

Individuals and teams compete in six grueling workouts which will tax the athlete’s work capacity across broad time and domains.

Today, athletes from the Northwest states traveled to Puyallup, WA, for the regional qualifiers.

Each heat involves multiple exercises.

In order to maximize fitness, athletes must prepare for intense workouts.

The first Men’s heat, Workout #1. The run leader is fast, but will he have enough energy leftover?

This athlete was one of the slowest runners, but he makes up for it with impressive core and upper body strength.

Now he must Row for 1000 Meters.

Using a leg/hip thrust, this athlete utilizes momentum in order to perform more handstand push ups. It is acceptable form because he is still using significant energy and work capacity in his hips. As a result, he may have less energy remaining for the 1000 Meter row.

Some athletes stand out from the rest.

Here he is shown finishing first in his heat.

This guy finished strong in the Men’s Heat 1. Now how fast will he be able to recover from this? There’s still five workouts remaining up to Sunday.

After pumping out all his handstand pushups in a single set, this athlete took first place in the Men’s Individual Workout #1.

Best of the Best?

The top performers will go on to have an opportunity to compete against some of the fittest people on the planet. These people are some of the strongest, most physically fit people I have ever seen — and it is almost entirely a result of Crossfit training and human nutrition.

It’s easy to find inspiration from these athletes.

Men’s Individual Winner for Workout #1

They don’t make excuses.

It’s all about strength, endurance, and overall work capacity.

Sports & Athletics

When Diet Food Just Isn’t Enough

How many Diets have you been on?

Go ahead. You can take a second to count now.

I’ll always remember my 8th grade crash diet that lasted for a week and ended with nearly a gallon of ice cream.

Help is on the way!

Because…

Diets can be sooo unsatisfying…

New research suggests that your expectations play a physiological role in the release of hunger-satiating hormones.

In other words, if you believe and expect that a meal will satisfy you, that meal will have a significantly greater chance of actually satisfying you — regardless of its content.

Food restriction is unnatural and psychologically taxing

Imagine yourself in the times before civilization — even before agriculture. Lets say you have been wandering the land for days without food and suddenly you stumble across an abundance of bright, firm, and deliciously sweet fruit.

You will indulge… as you should.

“If you try to serve that for dinner, I’m going to Andre’s instead!”

Food was never meant to be limited. In reality, our bodies are extremely powerful digestion machines. The fact that we can process “edible substances” such as candy, highly processed foods, and overly refined foods is remarkable in itself.

Maintaining healthy weight is all about your mindset of food.

I am highly active, but I never restrict myself.

Some people might think that because I opt-out of eating ice cream, that I am restricting food. This is not the case.

The reason I don’t eat ice cream is because I purposely save room for foods that are nutrient dense. If I ate ice-cream, I no longer would have an appetite for greens and veggies.

It’s an opportunity cost. By consuming high-sugar-substances, you literally LOSE the opportunity to consume healthful foods.

What kind of Loser do YOU want to be?

Live life with an Abundance Mindset

Some people talk about the Law of Attraction. Creating a reality for yourself which attracts an abundance of wealth, health, friends, and love. Whether or not this can apply to your life, the simple “Abundance Mindset” can seriously help you get weight loss results FAST.

Open your arms and accept the gift of abundance

It’s always about the Possibilities — never the restrictions.

If you laid out all the food that I consume in a day, it’s like a bountiful feast for medieval royalty! Shall you be a guest in my kingdom?

“I’ll drink to that!”

There are so many colors, textures, and pleasures attached to the food that I welcome into life.

For example, please visualize:

  • Organic Red bell peppers complimenting fresh Alaskan medium-rare broiled salmon over a bed of rainbow chard.
  • Avocado displaying it’s creamy green beauty with broccoli florets resembling mini trees of life.
  • The sweet pungency of a Walla Walla onion lightly fried over high-smoke-point tropical cooking oil adding a moist crunch for the sensation of a dinner guest.
  • Aromatic Chamomile/Ginger/Tulsi Tea steaming wonderfully on the side, acting as a digestive aid and healing beverage.

Forget the middle man.

You take responsibility for yourself. There’s no tricks, gimmicks, weight loss powders, pills, or laxatives that can save you from the inevitable adipose tissue.

Only realizing the limitless possibilities of food will allow you to obliterate that last bit of body fat on your lower stomach and thighs.

You’re nothing without a Taste for Improvement.

Similar to practicing your hobbies and advancing in your career, developing a palate for healthy foods can be achieved by discipline and persistence.

My “ah-hah” moment came when I realized that not only could I reduce body fat with natural foods, but that I would cure my ailments in ways the doctor’s never imagined.

Endless possibilities to Fuel your amazing body (you deserve it)

Now every single day is an experiment with fresh food combinations, fresh culinary herbs, and different preparation methods.

If all else fails, try eating half of a wild salmon every day and you may start seeing results immediately.

Stay tuned for more…

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion Weightloss Now