Physical Fitness by Dre – Page 10

January 3, 2011January 5, 2011

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The Fitness Exclusive: 5 Key Pillars of Strength and Fitness

For what reason does strength matter?

Consider these activities:

getting out of bed,
entering and exiting a slippery bathtub,
walking up stairs
protecting loved ones

Strong enough?

Are you strong enough to carry her to safety?

Don’t take these movements for granted.

Certain moments make you realize, there’s no turning back.

Ellison Fitness presents…

The secrets on how to empower yourself in fitness and beyond. These core elements represent both the lifestyle and the philosophy to live by.

Welcome to the Pillars.

Pillar of Strength #1: Focus on Basic Movements

“Basic” movements represent the foundation of human form and ability.

These are basic human movements:

To Push away from body
To Pull toward body
Lifting objects from ground
To Move with added weight (e.g. a baby, a heavy tool, furniture etc.)

At EllisonFitness, to focus on basics is paramount.

An Example of a Basic Movement: The Barbell Squat: one of the best strength exercises known to man.

Squats force the entire body to move in unity. In a single exercise, you can work hard and your body shall reward you.

By doing this exercise, your body will gain valuable training adaptations, which include cool stuff like fat loss, a leaner body, and a stronger constitution.

Talk about bang-for-the-buck!

Pillar of Strength #2: Train both Regularly and Irregularly

To get results, it’s like everything else — time and effort DO payoff. However, too much time in the gym can actually impede on progress. It’s about pushing further and recovering.

Go forward, and repair.

Seek progress, and renew.

Make adjustments in your frequency of training to get superior results.

Try training twice a week for a part of the month
…then four times a week for a couple weeks straight.

It's also good to have friends at the gym.

Life can get in the way at times — I know this. So when time is limited, you will discover the greatest benefit by practicing the Basic exercises. Give me 25 minutes of squatting, and I’ll show you real results.

Pillar of Strength #3: Your Progress is 15% resulting from exercise, and 85% from Ability to Recover.

Recovery is both the sum total and greater than the sum total of all efforts related to physical adaptations, neural improvements, and muscular development.

A vital part in Recovery

In other words, lifestyle is 85%.

Eat healthy to look amazing or eat healthy to live well. It’s directly related to how much you value health, fitness, and achieving goals.

You could discover more than a MILLION reasons why eating healthy is valuable.

Things I do for Recovery:

recovery shakes
post workout meal (within 1 hour of workout)
vegetables, fruits,
sleep, (passive recovery)
quality of water,
stretching (active recovery)
foam rolling soft tissue (active recovery)
massage (active recovery, foam rolling is cost effective alternative)

Attention P90X Users, Is this ultimate Recovery Shake?

Healthy food is nutrient-dense.

Healthy food promotes optimal function of living tissue which affects the brain, cognition, memory, immunity, vitality, sexuality, strength, joints, and more.

Listen to your body, focus 85% of efforts on recovery.

And when you’re in the gym for that other portion, make it 100% effort.

Pillar of Strength #4: If “healthy eating” doesn’t work, Redefine [To Eat Healthy]

If you want an idea of eating healthy, I strongly recommend the book: Omnivores Dilemma. This is the book for curious food lovers.

Eating healthy is different for every person. And if you aren’t focusing that effort on what it means to eat healthy for you, then how can you really know for sure?

People who aren’t even willing to examine their eating habits are in the greatest danger to health.

In this industry, I can tell you that the well-informed health consumer is less than 50% potential for nutritional understanding.

Why?

Consuming food is a basic human need which is pleasurable to do.

Humans only know HOW to eat. We just want to enjoy it — not think about it.

But do you really know what you’re eating?

Which leads me to the next point…

Pillar of Strength #5: Know also What You Don’t Know

Even when I feel like an expert on a subject, I will imagine my mind creating empty space.

This manifests, for me, as a creation of “space” in my mind. This space is pure potential.

In this space, I allow questions to flourish and thoughts to dance. It is to encourage a greater depth of understanding to that which my mortal mind will allow.

Think of it as a glass of water.

Keep pouring the water, all the way to the top, but if you keep pouring… what do you notice?

It overflows, the cup cannot contain any more water.

Now you can get rid of the old water, which creates space for new, fresh thought and potential.

By creating empty space in your mind, you only then begin to truly realize potential in all areas of fitness and wellness.

Are you willing to receive?

We’re talking real outcomes. As a result of greater awareness, you can lose weight faster and keep it off.

Strong, it is a life in motion…

I had a recent customer experienced that moved me. A young lady weaned herself off of medication for Crohn’s disease by going all natural.

She eats almost entirely whole foods, a lifestyle which has been a difficult and empowering change for her.

So I asked her, “if the drugs worked for you, what compelled you to change?”

She looked around as if picturing many other examples of people she knew with Crohn’s.

Many of them are too weak to even leave the house.

Take a stand for You.

One day at a time.

Life moves forward always, don’t get left behind.

Your body is you, yet you are greater than your body.

Make it a life worth living — healthy movement should be standard procedure until you’re 100 years old… and even then!

Pillars of Strength represents that which Ellison Fitness stands for.

Results are experienced through positive mental attitudes, constructive thinking, effort to improve, and daily habits that promote the vitality of all systems in the body.

I welcome you to…

Think. Drink. Eat. and Sleep.

In your mind, I believe everything is possible.

At Ellison Fitness, this is my mind… where everything is possible.

Best to you, my friend.

Physical Fitness by Dre

December 27, 2010December 27, 2010

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Women and Weights: 3 Magic Bullet Exercises for Fat Loss and a Toned Body

What image comes to mind when you think of Weight Lifting?

It’s clear that muscles have a significance among the male community, but women prefer to retain a sense of feminineness.

That’s cool with me, because some of the most feminine looking women use weights for physical activity.

Hips don’t lie.

The 0.7 :: 1.0 Waist / Hip ratio is one of the most prized ideals of womanhood.

As swaggering as it sounds, this type of waist/hip ratio can grab the attention of any… simple man.

Ah, of course it’s not for men, but for you, lady.

The Magic Bullet Exercises:

1. Lunges and lunge variations (Glutes, hips, quads, hamstrings, fat loss)

Lunges and its variations will stabilize, balance, and develop the hip and leg musculature.

A few weeks of dedicated lunges can make a significant improvement in the fitness, ability, and feminine appearance of a woman.

Lunge variations are such as… backwards, to the side, to a platform, etc.

2. The Plank (abs, core, waist)

This is not actually a weighted exercise because all it involves is your body weight. It will develop the core in a functional way, which can tighten your belly and keep you injury-free simultaneously.

The Plank, how long can YOU hold it?

3. Single Leg Deadlift (Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, fat loss)

You don’t see this too often in the gym, but when you do see it… you’ll know it. And you’ll know that it works. This is a highly functional exercise that develops the hamstrings and glutes in a balanced way.

do this if you want awesome hamstrings and glutes

Since the exercise is single-legged, you use less weight for greater benefit and helps to keep your lower back strong and healthy. Less weight for more benefit also means there will be less overall “growth stimulus” so you can have ZERO worry about looking like a professional male bodybuilder.

The Fact is that Weights have many benefits for women.

The question is, do you have the dedication?

Best to all, and good luck.

Physical Fitness by Dre

August 21, 2010February 9, 2017

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The Inverted Row: Best Upper-Back Exercise known to man?

The Inverted Row is gaining popularity, but it still remains an underrated movement.

To get a visual, first pause and imagine the Bench Press exercise for a moment. The bench press is a pushing exercise that brings the bar to your chest and then pushes it away. Whereas the inverted row is a pulling exercise that brings your chest to the bar and then you lower yourself back down.

Back built by rows

Think about the complete opposite of the Bench Press — this is the Inverted Row.

Inverted Row

The Inverted Row is the ultimate upper back exercise.

In the next few paragraphs, I will make the case for why every gym goer in search of a strong, healthy, balanced physique should be doing the Inverted Row exercise.

Aside from the strength benefits, the Inverted Row wins points in a variety of categories related to the ideal physique.

I. Comparison of Barbell Row vs. Inverted Row

The Barbell Row is also a highly effective compound exercise for the back. If you’re looking to build a great physique, then the Barbell Row (or a variation) should probably be somewhere in your routine.

However, the Barbell Row has some contraindications and limitations that may make the exercise inappropriate for some people.

Barbell Row

Benefits of the Barbell Row:

One of the best exercises for back and arms
You can adjust the weight according to your own strength levels
It’s possible to use lots of weight (powerlifters can often row up to 300+ lbs)
Can build muscle and tone your physique
Crossover strength into other exercises

Disadvantagesof the Barbell Row:

Possibility of injury with improper form
Strain the lower back if not careful

Avoid lower back pain

You can “cheat” very easily on the form, which decreases its benefits
Doesn’t activate lower trapezius as much (a small, yet essential muscle for shoulder health)
Is not a direct counter-balancing movement to the Bench Press

As you can see, the Barbell Row is a fantastic exercise for a lot of people. If you train the Row, then more power to you!

But there are some areas in which the BB Row can’t keep up compared to the Inverted Row.

II. Benefits of the Inverted Row

The Inverted Row is an exceptional upper back exercise.

Similar to a pull up, push up, and other bodyweight exercises, the Inverted Row is a closed kinetic chain movement. In terms of fitness, is important to be able to move your body through space at a variety of angles.

In order to perform a feet-elevated inverted row, you must already be strong or you can do inverted row progressions to gain the required strength.

The Inverted Row with feet elevated is so demanding that 90% of an average gym population won’t be able to complete a single rep with perfect form. It is indeed a humbling exercise, especially for guys who can bench 300+ pounds.

So here are the top benefits of the Inverted Row…

1. Builds a great Phsyique

What guy doesn’t want at least a little more muscle? What gal doesn’t want that hourglass shape torso?

The Inverted Row is definitely a physique builder alone or in a well designed program. The actual exercise itself can be a great stimulus for muscle growth, but even better is that it is a great activation exercise so it can benefit your other movements.

Jamie likes to row

Rear delts
Middle trapezius
Lower trapezius
Lats
Rombhoids
Biceps
Forearms
Core

2. NO Lower-back strain

Our lower backs are simply not designed to move a lot of weight. The lower back is designed to remain rigid while the primary movers of the body do their work. Thats everyone knows they should “lift with your legs.”

During an alternative exercise like the Barbell Row, the lower back may succumb to the weight before the upper back. If the lower back is too weak, you won’t get the true benefits for the upper back during that exercise.

The Inverted Row takes the lower back out of the equation.

Low Back pain does not exist in this exercise.

3. Strengthens the Shoulder Girdle (Shoulder Health)

The Inverted Row movement requires a lot of effort from the muscles in the middle back. These muscles are particularly important for shoulder health.

In particular, the lower trapezius, middle trapezius, and rhomboids need to be balanced compared to other muscles. For example, the lower trapezius should have similar activation to the upper trapezius. When people have upper traps that are too dominant, it contributes to the “slunched over” posture and can wreak havoc on the shoulder joint. The inverted row strengthens the lower trapezius at just the right angle.

The inverted row is not only a great movement for the lower trapezius, but it is also a fantastic rear-deltoid exercise as well. Aside from making your physique look fantastic from all angles, the rear-deltoids should be balanced to the front-deltoids for…you guessed it…shoulder health.

4. Benefits the Bench Press

Dear Benchers, I’d like to win you over here, because the Bench Press is the one exercise that every single person on the planet knows about. We all know how awesome the bench press is. It gives you great chest, shoulder, and tricep development. In other words, it makes you manly and powerful. (Or lean and alluring, if you are female).

Bio-mechanically, the Inverted Row is the perfect compliment to the Bench Press. Instead of pushing a bar away from you, you are pulling yourself towards a bar.

Think of the upper back as the foundation, while the chest is the active machinery during bench press. If your foundation is a pile of feathers, how effective is your machinery?

Dumbbell Bench Pressing supported by upper back.

What most people don’t realize is that the muscles in the back are constantly stabilizing the muscles in the front during the Bench Press. Essentially what this means is that stronger upper back equals a stronger bench press.

Strong upper back –> strong foundation –> Big Bench Press.

5. Promotes optimal Recovery

After you get into weight lifting for a while, you realize one fundamental element…

Success in the game is a balance between training and recovery. The stimulus is the weight lifting, while the recovery includes everything from the food you eat, the timing of the food you eat, the amount of sleep you get, and essentially everything else you do.

Therefore, recovery is different for everybody. You want to optimize recovery because it allows you make more progress and stay healthy. (if you seriously overtrain, you will lose progress, get hurt, or get sick — guaranteed)

Bodyweight exercises are inherently easier to recover from compared to barbell exercises. This means that you can do bodyweight exercises more frequently and potentially make progress significantly faster than barbell exercises alone.

The Inverted Row, while a demanding exercise, is easier to recover from than the barbell row.

Training hard in the gym accounts for maybe 15% of your gains, while optimal recovery accounts for the rest.

Thats why you need to eat well, sleep well, and do bodyweight exercises!

6. Functional Strength development

Would you still be as impressed by a guy who could bench press 500 pounds, but couldn’t move his own body through a simple plane of motion?

Powerlifters struggle to lift as much weight as possible in the bench press, and even their coaches tell them they need to do bodyweight exercises — especially the Inverted Row.

The Inverted Row is a functional strength exercise with significant carryover to other exercises and quality of life.

Now you know…

This is why the Inverted Row is one of the best Upper Back exercises known to man, and why we need to spread the word to our fellow man.

III. How to perform the Inverted Row.

You may look at the picture and think you know how to do an inverted row, and you may very well be able to. Just keep in mind a few cues to help you out.

Inverted Row Feet Elevated

1. Foot placement determines difficulty.

Place feet on ground for beginners, and feet elevated for advanced trainees.

2. Keep your butt up

If your butt sags down, you are not doing the exercise right. Keep that butt tight and elevated.

3. Maintain Core Stiffness

This may be a core exercise for those with less developed abs. It is important to maintain core tightness, and keep your butt up, because this will put the lower back in the right position. It also enables you to focus on the primary mover, which is your back.

4. Chest up

Open up your chest, keep it up and out.

5. Lean your head back

When the head goes back, it puts your body in a position to activate the muscles that you really want. This helps to activate the lower-traps and muscles surrounding the shoulder blades.

6. Do not use momentum

Momentum is cheating. If you can’t complete a full rep with feet elevated, then start with the progressions first. Feet to the ground.

In terms of execution…

Pull from the elbows and middle back.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
Try to activate as much of your back as possible.
I like to squeeze at the top for a count of 2 seconds
Go up fast, then lower yourself slower

Here is a video to give you the visual of it.

IV. Go forth and Row!

I would say that 95% of people in weightlifting programs should be doing at least one variation of row. Rowing is essential for strengthening the muscles of the back.

TRX system check it out on Amazon.com. Definitely one of the best bodyweight tools, used by all my clients.

As a follower of drefitness.com, you now have the knowledge of this incredible upper-back exercise.

You know how I feel about the all-powerful and beneficial Inverted Row.

I’ll let you decide whether or not you think the Inverted Row truly is the best upper-back exercise known to man.

Either way, give it a go next time you work your upper back! Prepare to be humbled.

Physical Fitness by Dre

August 3, 2010

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Get Ripped: Top 5 Benefits of the Squat!

The Squat is a powerful tool to achieve the Physique of your Dreams

Of all exercises known to man, the Barbell Squat is royalty in the kingdom of lean physiques.

Utilizing the Squat in your exercise routine will help you develop pure fitness.

Top 5 Benefits of Squatting

1. The Squat will obliterate Fat from your body.

This exercise uses most of the muscles on your body in a full body movement. In order for your body to recover from a squatting routine, nutrients will be spent nurturing the muscle tissue while stripping body fat.

Physique by: Squats

2. Hormone boosts following the Squat

People who squat can enjoy the benefits of a surge of testosterone following a squat session. When it comes to burning fat, testosterone is your friend.

Boosted testosterone levels (even temporary) increases fat metabolism and protein synthesis simultaneously. This is the ultimate combination for becoming LEAN.

3. Core strength and six-pack abs development

In order to support the weight of the bar on your shoulders, all of the core muscles are taxed. You are likely to gain both strength and size from your six-pack abs muscles — this helps protect your back and makes a more visible six-pack abs look.

She Squats for no one but herself!!

4. Proper Quadricep, Glute, and Hamstring development.

The musculature of your legs become more defined and fill in. The curves and lines start to become all in the right places. You get a nice ass. You can pick up heavy stuff. Your lower back doesn’t ache. Everyone is jealous of your physically appealing legs.

5. Improved stability around the joints of the lower body

Believe it or not, squatting can actually improve the health of your knee and hip joints. While squatting may be contraindicated for certain populations, the benefits are vast for healthy people.

With proper form, the muscles surrounding the knee joint will strengthen and protect.

Cues for Squat Form:

Before descending, take in a deep breathe and maintain a TIGHT core.
Keep arch or straight lower back at all times.
Knees “track” in the direction of your feet. Do NOT bow knees inward (if this happens, lower the weight)
When descending, “break” from both the knees and hips simultaneously
Go as deep as you can while maintaining good form. Deeper squat = greater benefit.
Push through the heels when coming up.
Glutes should be the main muscle used — quads are secondary.