Getting lean while leaving the cardio behind.

 

This might be new information If you aren’t in the habit of keeping up on fitness info/trends & sometimes it just takes someone you know or trust to tell it to you their way.

It is human nature to want to look, perform and feel the best you can and there is a ton of good and bad information out there for you to filter through in your quest for physical progress, I get asked multiple times per day about what is the most effective way to build/maintain lean muscle mass without spending countless hours in the gym and/or on a piece of cardio equipment so I am going to try and break it down in my words in a brief manner with what I feel are the most important factors to consider for this topic. I will elaborate/comment on any of these

The very first and what I feel most important factor to consider is your food intake, with this you have to first set up a lofty but realistic goal of what you want to look like or how you want to perform keeping in mind your body type and dedication level both in the gym and the kitchen.  You are in the gym say 1 hour per day & the other 23 hours are where success happens, you can ruin a great training program with shitty nutrition habits so put a lot of focus on this aspect and do some personal research or hire someone who won’t give you a cookie cutter meal plan.

The second most important aspect is double sided and without question is a very instrumental step in achieving any fitness goal.  A well thought out and designed training plan is part #1 and training with Intensity is #2 – you can have a amazing training plan designed for you, but if you bring a lackluster effort to the table you will just cheat yourself and waste what could have been the plan to finally get you to your goals, so put your mind in the right spot and train as intense as you can at each session. This means doing what you don’t like to do, it means not avoiding the movements and body-parts you dislike or struggle with, it means concentrating on weaknesses, it means leaving your old comfort zone and exploring a new one, you never know how hard you can push yourself if you never exert the effort required to put you into the hurt locker.   This is again where research or seeking assistance will be helpful to prevent you coming out of the gate to hard and getting injured or burnt out before you have a chance to succeed.

This brings me to the Headline of “getting lean while leaving the cardio behind”  Now first off if you enjoy doing cardio in the gym or outside then that is great & when combined with resistance training it will lead you to a very well balanced athletic body and higher level of performance but If you dislike or don’t have the time to perform traditional cardio I will point out a few ways/things to consider incorporating into you gym time to help you get your heart rate up and keep it there.

• Starting or ending your training session with Tabata’s – these are short and very intense intervals such as 20 seconds all out effort with 10 seconds rest repeated for a prescribed amount of time or sets,   you can spend 5-10 minutes doing these and they are way more effective for fat loss than spinning your wheels during a long slow effort on an elliptical or other cardio piece.
• Incorporating movements in between sets, during your normal “rest” time – Jumping rope, Jumping jacks, mountain climbers, step ups, jump squats etc… If you have a workout that calls for 25 sets of resistance training and you spend 30 seconds in between each set doing one of these movements you will at the end of the session have spent twelve and a half minutes keeping your heart rate elevated performing “cardio” without really even knowing you did it.
• Doing full body circuit training while using a timer or stop watch to limit the amount of rest you get, 15 seconds clicks off pretty fast so to keep yourself accountable I suggest a gym boss timer or stopwatch to monitor your rest period.  You can set up a 4-6 station circuit using very little equipment or worrying about someone stealing your machine and roll through that using different rep schemes and rest periods and by the end of 8 rounds you will have had an elevated heart rate for the entire training session with again not doing traditional cardio.

I hope this helps and has cleared the air for you on a few things, feel free to comment on any part of it if you wish for me to go into more detail.  Thanks Stevie T

#trainharder2playharder

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

Three weeks in, Muscle Elements full steam ahead

Hi everyone!

I’m back to give you a quick update on Muscle Elements, the current brand of supplements that I am testing out.

It’s been a solid three weeks of steady training, I’ve been religious about taking the grow with me stack and I will start out by giving you my experience so far with PreCre – I cracked the seal on the watermelon flavor first because it sounded refreshing and it has been a little warm for my liking around here as of late.  My first impression on day one was the pleasant and subtle taste that is not overwhelming or watered down, It mixes in a glass with a spoon just fine but I found it to taste even better with a shaker bottle in cold water and even an ice-cube or two if available.  I don’t like to judge a products efficiency with the first dose or even the 5th, yes you can start to make assumptions early on but there are so many variables to consider, so even though I took notes the first week I really didn’t start to form any opinions until I had gone through all my training sessions more than once so here are my early thoughts.

• Mixes well
• Tastes great
• No tingle and no stomach discomfort
• Sustained energy, I found that for me it was more effective when taken 45-60 minutes pre workout and last for several hours
• I’ve been getting a pump almost immediately – within the first 3-4 sets of a given body part
• Subtle, but noticeable strength increases in both the overall power and muscle endurance areas, basically each week I’ve been able to increase my total poundage through more weight and more reps
• No post exercise crash

So far I’m extremely impressed with PreCre and am really excited to see if these gains continue over the next 6 weeks

AminoFlow is the 2nd part of the Grow With Me Stack, If you remember in my introduction I am and always have been a huge believer in BCAA’s and Amino drinks in general,  AminoFlow is unique in the sense it combines two products in one with the addition of nitric oxide along side of the bcaa’s and other ingredients.  I started out by using AminoFlow two times per day, I was taking one dose as soon as I got out of bed (about 30 minutes) before my first meal and again pre-workout with PreCre, but after about 5 days I noticed that my muscles were exceptionally full and I was more vascular than normal early on in the morning which to me meant that it was doing exactly what the description of the product said it would.  So I thought to myself why not increase the dose, for one there is no harm in giving your body a steady flow of aminos to promote recovery and limit any chance of catabolism, secondly I loved the taste of it and it was helping me get down more fluids everyday so I took the experience from my early morning dose and decided to start upping my daily usage to four scoops per day.

1. One Scoop 30 minutes before breakfast
2. One Scoop 30 minutes before my pre workout meal (about 2 1/2 hours prior to training)
3. One Scoop about 15 minutes before I finished training (to capitalize on the post workout meal #1)
4. One Scoop before post workout meal #2 (which for me comes in the form of real food about 90 minutes after I finish post workout meal #1)

The results I have been seeing are almost hard to believe, I feel like I have a constant pump & my recovery time is phenomenal and I’m getting leaner and harder with out being on any type of cutting diet!  It’s still early but I think I might of found my new favorite overall product!

Watermelon AminoFlow

There you have the early reports from PreCre and AminoFlow.  If you haven’t already, contact Muscle Elements and get your hands on some samples, then let them know about your experience on any of their social media sites.

I’ll be back in a couple weeks when I add in the Lean on Me Stack   – Until then #trainharder2playharder

Stevie T

 

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

Introducing Muscle Elements. The brand I will take with “Me” to the Mr. Olympia Fitness Weekend

He we go again, I am back from an amazing month of out of the gym activities and I am ramped up to get back into the gym routine and see if this new and exciting brand of supplements can pass the test and become a Stevie T Trusted Brand.

I Introduce to you Muscle Elements!

Muscle Elements (Me) was formed to provide the highest quality sports and nutritional supplements to the novice and educated supplement user who is driven for more performance. The founders of Me passionately live the health and fitness lifestyle and have designed the products for their personal use, so the best of the best ingredients and complete formulas are what Me brings to the market. No hype, no under dosed products, no hiding behind large unspecified ingredient blends and nothing but results are the goal of this brand. Whatever your goal for performance or weight loss is, Build a Better You With Me!

 

The Muscle Elements line of Products.

I have all four of the (Me) products in my hands and plan to put them to the test over the next ten weeks leading up to a trip to Las Vegas for the 50th Mr. Olympia fitness weekend, I will give you a link to each product of them and tell you how I will implement them into my training program starting with the “Grow with me Stack” of Pre Cre and Amino Flow that I will be stacking together for the first four weeks before adding in the “Lean on Me Stack” of 212 + LeanWorks during the final 6 weeks leading up to Las Vegas.

PreCre – Is the Foundation of the Grow with Me stack, from the first glance at the label PreCre is not your run of the mill Pre-Workout, it appears to cover all the bases in a loaded one scoop sugar-free serving that boats an impressive dose of all the key ingredients needed to make up an effective mind and muscle primer.  I expect PreCre to give me a huge boost of energy while helping increase my strength, endurance and stamina along with what I expect to be insane pumps thanks to the very well thought out combination they call “GlycoPump Infusion Elements”  I will use PreCre once a day 30-45 minutes prior to each training session,

AmiNo Flow  – Is the first supplement to qualify as an AmiNo-Oxide product, what that means is it takes the proven and popular building blocks of muscle “Amino Acids” and combines it with Nitric Oxide promoting ingredients that increase vasodilation, promote bigger muscle pumps and assist in nutrient shuttling.  I expect this product will be great to aid in repair and recovery of the muscle, it will help with protein synthesis, muscle hydration and promote an increase of  total working capacity so I will be able to put everything I have into every training session.  I am a BIG believer in Amino Acid powders and plan to take this a minimum of three times per day, one serving as soon as I wake up, one serving during my training session and one serving 30 minutes or so before dinner.

212 – The name says it all…Two Hundred Twelve degrees, the temperature needed to bring water to it’s boiling point and tells you right off the bat that this is Muscle Elements fat incinerator!  Coming from a potent one pill serving 212 aims to increase fat burning and increased energy, it contains the key ingredients to maintain a positive mood while at the same time controlling your appetite and assisting your body in the removal of unwanted/excess water weight.  I won’t add this product into my routine until August 4th but I have handed out samples to my clients and will give you any feedback I get from them prior to my personal experience with it.

LeanWorks –  Is a Non-Stimulant based thermogenic that can be used as a standalone product or be combined with 212 to make up the “Lean on Me Stack”  It contains huge doses of key ingredients that have been backed up time and time again with scientific studies and includes the popular Green Coffee bean, Raspberry Ketones, L-Carnitine and much more.  Like 212 it will help to suppress appetite, Increase mood, act as an herbal diuretic and assist in fat burning.   I will add in LeanWorks at the same time as 212 so until then I will again rely on feedback from my clients and pass their experience with it along to you.

So there you have the line up from Muscle Elements that I will be using,  (Me) hasn’t come into the game with a product in every supplement segment just for the sake of participation, what they have brought to the table are four very exciting and well thought out products that I look forward to testing out.  If you have any detailed questions regarding any of their product line you can contact them through their website or social media channels.

Muscle Elements Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram at Muscleelements

I will be back in a week to give you my first impressions of the brand, Until then #trainharder2playharder

Stevie T

#trainharder2playharder

 

 

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final review of the Ronnie Coleman Signature Series Supplement Line

Hello and Good Day.

It was back in this blog from the end of February that I first Introduced you to the Ronnie Coleman Signature Series line of supplements.  http://stevietfitness.com/2014/02/24/charging-into-spring-with-the-ronnie-coleman-signature-series/

I just completed twelve solid weeks of multiple training plans, consistent real life eating and using only RCSS & today I capped it off with a short photo shoot to use for reference and to demonstrated that the life that I live will give you the opportunity to live life-like 99% of the population does (with a spouse, children, a job or career and social life) and still maintain above average an above average and very functional physique, But that will be in another blog coming soon.

Today Is about my experience using RCSS and a quick review of the products that I took and how I used them.

 

Ronnie Coleman Signature Series

Pro Antium – A very well thought out blend of proteins packing a major one scoop punch with 30 grams of protein, 10 grams of carbohydrates, added creatine and betaine all in a long-lasting  fifty serving container.  I used both the vanilla wafer crisp and the double chocolate cookie, both flavors tasted great and Pro Antium was a perfect addition to my routine both for in between meals and for a 2nd post workout meal.

IsoTropic Max – A Easy to mix, very palatable, zero carb whey protein isolate, I went with the toasted almond flavor for both containers that I ordered. What separates this isolate from many of the others on the market is the addition of AstraGin which is an ingredient that increases the absorption rate of key ingredients and nutrients, in this case it takes the bio-availability (the rate and effectiveness of absorption of a given substance) of the amino acids and protein content and raises it high above most other powders which means your body can utilize more and waste less.  I took the IsoTropic Max post workout and also used it in my coffee a few times in which the toasted almond added a nice texture and flavor to.

Resurrect-PM – What to say about Resurrect-PM, well I start out by saying this is one of the better supplements that I have ever used and over the fifteen years of being a trainer and decade of owning and working in a supplement store I have used my fair share of products.  Resurrect-PM is a product that you take prior to retiring for the day, It helps you maintain a normal sleep cycle and doesn’t leave you feeling “sleeping pill” hung over when you wake up. For me it was a godsend, my schedule involves getting out of bed by 430 every morning and often by the time I get home from work, eat and attend to my online clients It’s 1030 p.m.  Resurrect helped get me to sleep and gave me four to six hours of quality sleep which enabled me to stay fresh and motivated every day, I put it at the top as one the key supplements to add to any routine….without recovery you have nothing!  I used it Sunday evening through Thursday evening over the course of the entire review and absolutely love and recommend this product.

MyoBlitz-XS – Pre-Workout formulas are everywhere you look, unfortunately along with that there are a good amount of brands who just throw a ton of stimulants and other ingredients into a container that makes you get all tingley and amped up so you think that it is working.  Myo-Blitz XS provided me with a good energy increase but never left me feeling jittery or like my hair was standing on the top of my head, it is full of proven ingredients, tastes good, never made me run to the toilet like many in the past have and proved to be a good addition to my program, I took it between 45-60 minutes before most training sessions.

Stacked-NO – Stacked NO is was a sleeper product for me, I’ve used tons of Nitric Oxide products previously and many left me doubting their effectiveness so for that reason I didn’t start with Stacked NO until the final 6 weeks. I experienced massive pumps from the first dose, and after researching the ingredient list due to the immediate effectiveness of it I realized that it had to be the addition of Agmatine and again AstraGin. I took 3 caps first thing in the morning to start the day off with increased blood flow and to help with nutrient delivery from the get go, I then took 3 more caps an hour before training and also included 3 caps in a intra-workout cocktail that I sipped on during every session the final six weeks.

Testogen-XR – Testogen XR is available in both a powder and tablet form, the primary goal of taking this product is to increase natural testosterone levels which leads to an increase in strength and naturally due to higher test levels an improved libido.  I started with the powder and used it for a month, then cycled off for a month before hitting the tablets for the last 4 weeks.  With both forms I could feel it kicking in at about the 8th or 9th day, what I noticed first was definitely the libido increase and slight strength gains followed soon after.  I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for that extra kick in the bedroom and in the gym and wants to stay away from pro hormones or other non-natural ways of increasing testosterone.

Amino-Tone – There are endless choices when it comes to amino acid and branched chain amino acid powders on the market, Amino-Tone stepped the bar up with the addition of a stimulant free fat loss support system and once again showing their dedication to perfection they added AstraGin to aid in the effectiveness of the impressive ingredient list. If you are doing everything else correctly in your pursuit for physique and performance goals you probably will not feel anything from this category of supplement, but don’t think because of that, that they aren’t necessary.  It never hurts to have these types of powders around for intra workout use and or just to add to a large water bottle to sip on throughout the day to prevent any chance of muscle breakdown,  I personally used it with Stacked NO during my training sessions and enjoyed the pleasant flavor it has.

Beta-Stim – This is RCSS’s thermogenic product, I held off on using this until the final 4 weeks when I figured that it would help me the most.  Beta-Stim delivers a big increase in energy with a one pill serving, in addition I noticed it shedding water from me and also a slight loss of appetite.  I used one pill first thing in the morning on a empty stomach and then took a second dose around noon or early afternoon.  Overall I am impressed with this thermogenic, it addresses and covers all the bases that I look for when shopping for a fat burner.  In addition the price per serving is very reasonable especially when you factor in everything it does for you and eliminates the need to buy a water loss product when you are looking to get that skin tight look.

Progress picture 6/6/14 after the 12 weeks on RCSS *photo credit Robert Mitchell/Sleepless Art*

So there you have the run down on their line and how I utilized them in my routine, I will conclude this review with saying that the entire organization at RCSS lives the fitness life and you can tell that their standards for quality is at the very top of the priority list with each product, they were there for me the entire time to answer any questions I had and offer insight on how to make the products most effective. I will without a doubt add Ronnie Coleman Signature Series products to my list of trusted supplement brands and recommend that you put their products to the test for yourself, they can be found at many retail outlets nation and worldwide along with all the major online sites such as:

Bodybuilding.com

MuscleandStrength.com

TigerFitness.com

LockoutSupplements.com

FitRx.com

SupplementWarehouse.com

RCSS has a very cool apparel line as well, here I am wearing the “Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder T”  check out the entire line from the link below

http://ronniecolemanstore.net/apparel.html

I am going to take a few weeks off from all supplements, let my body rest a bit, do a little more mountain biking, hiking and enjoying the great outdoor activities that my home state of Colorado has to offer and then I will be back in July to Introduce the next brand I will review.

Stevie T.

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

 

 

 

The Holiday’s – eat as you feel, and as you wish!

Pre & During workout Nutrient loading

Hello There.

It is a global holiday and I will treat it as such, there is always going to be topics for people to debate, the meanings of Holidays will always carry a different definition based on the fact that there are individuals on both ends of a very broad spectrum so I hope you spent it however you wished!

What I wanted to write about tonight was eating on the holidays, I wanted to wait for the holiday to pass before I wrote this so that it would make you take a look at yourself and what you want out of YOU.   I waited so it would not be a presumed judgement issue or to put an idea in your head. But just as the above mentioned conflicts there will always be another when it comes to how you should fuel your body to perform and look as you want it to be, everyone has different ideals on how they want to look and feel and with that poses the question about how much thought and effort you want to put in to achieve this desired look.  The holidays come and go and for most it is a day to eat traditional foods that you might not get on a weekly or monthly basis, but there are some people who refuse to vary from their “meal plan” based on the fear that one day will ruin everything.

I personally am on the side of, if you treat this as holiday then you should eat what ever feels good to you because you might not see it again for a long time unless you go out of your way to make it on a non holiday day. Which brings us back the question above regarding how you want to look and feel and also touches on one of my biggest preaching’s about Personal Accountability. so if you’ve been on a hot streak and have had a series of days or weeks where you can look back and say YES I have been on point and getting closer to your goals and you feel that some indulgences will do your body AND mind some good, then go for it. On the other hand if you’ve been less than spectacular as of late or had a big Friday and Saturday night and you aren’t really feeling it, then don’t just use it as an excuse to eat more,  save it for a guys/girls night out or other occasion in the future,  just because someone else is eating a certain way, ie. “family” doesn’t mean that you have to follow along.  So eat what’s going to get you one day closer to your short or long-term goal and put aside the fact that it is a holiday where you are expected to stuff yourself.

For me I ate mostly healthy foods, in fairly large quantities and also had a small square of German chocolate cake bar.  I started the day with a great arm workout where I started a re-feed process with two big shakers filled with fast absorbing carbohydrates and powdered protein and just continued eating high quality foods in large volumes all the way through my dinner and then finished it off with some oatmeal and protein pudding for dessert.  I have been on a good streak as of late and wasn’t really craving chocolates or any of the Easter candy business,  my dinner was a treat to me and different from what I normally prepare, so in a sense I did indulge a bit just in my own way.  By the end of the day and especially a couple of hours after dinner I could feel my skin tightening up and my muscle bellies getting fuller as a result from the additional amounts of calories taken in over a typical day and woke up this morning looking better than I did Sunday, so for me it was a success!

Here is the evening food in Pictures

 

Dinner: Marinated flank steak, shrimp ceviche, spring roll stuffed with ceviche and some greens

 

Made enough dinner for Two to GO, cook more – less often to maximize your time efficiency

 

 

Dessert pudding. Oats and Ronnie Coleman Signature Series Chocolate Pro Antium

My main purpose of this post was to get you to evaluate your goals and give you something to think about when the topic of Holiday eating comes up.

I need a topic to write about next week so send me some ideas.

Thanks and have a Get Shit Done kind of week

Stevie T !

www.ronniecoleman.net

www.skratchlabs.com

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

My routine + Bigger Muscle Pumps & Better Nutrient Uptake = Stacked N O !!

Hello!! first off I want to thank my faithful readers for the continued support and constant feedback.

I’m going to start off today by answering the question that I get asked the most. & then tell you about the newest product that I have added into my arsenal that has been blowing my mind – Stacked NO

1.What exactly is your training schedule?

So here we go, I will start off with the training schedule and the explanation of why I never write exactly what my routine is, I haven’t done this for the fact that it is MY routine & I don’t mean that in an arrogant or offensive way, however my routine is based completely around what goals I have for myself and the sports I participate in.  You see as a trainer/coach I have to be able to walk the walk in the gym and have a certain physical look to me, on the flip side I also have to be able to ride a mountain bike at a relatively high performance level, so unless you have the exact same goals as I do, my exact routine will not be the best for YOU.  I will outline what I do and if you choose to take bits and pieces or add in your own outside activities that is great.

Day 1. 10 minutes of Tabata’s followed by 48 non stop minutes of sports specific conditioning that includes tons of Leg and Core work, and then 10 minutes of cardio HIIT’s to finish off the session

Day 2. Hill sprinting and Mountain bike training total training time is generally over 2 hours total

Day 3. 10 minutes of Tabata’s followed by 20 sets each of Chest and Back (super-sets, tri-sets, quad-sets) with minimal rest and then 10 minutes of cardio HIIT’s to finish off the session

Day 4. Interval training on the Mountain bike or a trail run – 90 minutes

Day 5. 10 minutes of Tabata’s followed by Shoulders, Traps and Core (tri-sets done with zero rest – 45 sets total) and then 10 minutes of cardio HIIT’s to finish off the session

Day 6. Long Mountain bike ride with steady state and cardio intervals – 3 hours

Day 7. REST DAY –

Day 8. 10 minutes of Tabata’s followed by Tricep and Bicep’s (super-sets done with zero rest – 28 sets total) and then 10 minutes of cardio HIIT’s to finish off the session

Day 9. 1000-1500 rep full body circuit training – 90 minutes or less with minimal rest

Day 10.  Active recovery day – 1 hour of easy movement which depends on how sore I am and where.

Day 11. Repeat the cycle

— For all body parts trained at the gym I employ both heavy weights and low reps (5) plus lighter weights and high reps (20-25)

On to the addition of Stacked NO!  Early last week I decided to throw this product into my pre-workout stack, the first day I took the six capsules 1 hour before my training session was on shoulder and trap day, I noticed quite a bit more vascularity and a great pump, but nothing over the top.  I continued to take it as recommended and then day 9 rolled around and it was time to hit the arms from every angle with both high and low rep antagonist super-sets, within the first ten minutes I could tell that the pump I was going to get would be one to remember and by the finishing sets there was so much blood in my upper arms you couldn’t see any defenition of muscle and had I not been looking in the mirror I wouldn’t of been able to tell I was actually moving the weight around because I couldn’t feel my arms!  It. Was. Amazing.

There is a lot more to this product than just a mind blowing pump though, with the increase in NO production you also get the benefits of increased nutrient delivery, better recovery, increased endurance & all day long muscle fullness.  I have taken my fair share of NO products over the years and this one ranks in the top three of all time, looking at the ingredient list what sets it apart must be the addition of the Agmatine and the trademarked ingredient Astragin which has been shown to improve the absorption of numerous critical nutrients.  Regardless of the scientific stats surrounding it,  this product works in real life, plain and simple!

Pre Workout Stack

That’s All I have for you today – Hope that answers some questions and please keep them coming!

Stevie T

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

Building up, for the summer shred down!

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve had any extra time to do some writing but I’ve been thinking about what to pass along everyday along the way.

I’ll start off with how impressed I am with the Ronnie Coleman Signature Series line of products, I’m now five weeks in, up 2 lbs of the scale and down 3% body fat and getting ready to add in a couple of products for the final six weeks.  I just re-ordered all of the products I started out with and after taking a break from stimulants for a while I’m adding in BetaStim in the morning, Myo-Blitz XS  pre workout and after trying a couple of sample packets… my new favorite product I’ve taken in a long time Resurrect PM at night prior to bed!  If you have a schedule like mine or just have a tough time getting a good nights rest, I recommend getting your hands on the Resurrect PM, it is flat-out amazing and you don’t wake up with the OTC sleeping pill hangover!

Training has been good, and I just started a new routine that I’m calling the 50 days of Fury – what it basically boils down to is me putting in ultimate intensity during every session.  It varies day-to-day but I am including HIIT cardio, Tabata’s, hill and track sprinting along with a rotation of heavy lifting and non stop tri-sets days where the reps never stop and the pump gets so big it hurts!  I’ve been brainstorming about a routine like this for quite a while and it finally all came together this week, that being said, prior to this week I really thought that I knew what intensity was, however I apparently have been lying to myself the whole time and am super excited to see what the next 47 days brings to my conditioning.

On the coaching front I have been getting tons of validation/gratitude from my clients and athletes, to see first hand the results of my programs put to use in the athletic arena and to hear the changes both mentally and physically others are getting from my direction is what makes me strive to keep learning, innovating and progressing my ability to get the most out of every single person I come in contact with.

That’s all I have for you today.. I will leave you with a little tidbit, If you are taking any supplement in powder form that contains multiple ingredients – do yourself a favor and every couple of days grab the scoop out of it and give it a good shake to mix up the contents and give you consistent dosing with each scoop.

Cheers

Stevie T.

 

 

 

 

Celebrating a Birthday, Fitness Anniversary & A Sweet Video.

I realized earlier this month that along with celebrating another birthday I would also be having a personal anniversary of sorts.

Twenty years ago, for my 18th birthday I asked for a gym membership, at that time I never had the intention of fitness turning into my life and making a career out of it.

I simply wanted to change up my lifestyle and build a strong physique, at this time I had no friends who were into the gym thing so I went at it alone and taught myself  by reading everything that I could get my hands on regarding different training methods and proper nutrition,  I caught the bug real fast when I started to see changes in my body and performance and wanted more and more from it.

So now twenty years later, thousands of days in the gym, hundreds of thousands of reps in the body bank, I sit here and still have the desire to perform at the highest level  I possibly can, I still have the desire to look my absolute best and will without question be in the best shape of my life this summer.

Fitness has provided me with a very good life, like all things there have been ups and downs, there have been times I questioned the path I chose, but at the end of every day I know that I have had a positive impact on hundreds of people, It has not yet made me a millionaire but the reward of changing people’s lives and health for the better is something you can’t put a value on.  I am humbled by the comments and positive feedback I get daily from everyone, I will continue to inspire, motivate and push you all to be your personal best as we continue this journey together.

– Thanks to Kyle Koziol for the sweet video, The whole thing was his idea and It couldn’t have come at a better time, If you like it please help us spread it.

My six rules to life long fitness success.

1. Accountability – you must place personal accountability at the top of your list if you want to succeed, It’s no one else’s job to put food in your mouth or get you to the gym. If you can be accountable for your own actions you will succeed, period!

2.Structure – Structure within your daily life goes a long way towards fitness success,  develop a routine, stick to the plan and reap the rewards

3. Moderation – Probably the most difficult rule to follow, to often WE and I mean every last one of us takes things to an extreme, in the context of your personal fitness it is very easy to think more is better with resistance training and or cardiovascular work but the truth is that recovery is vital to achieving your goals. The same goes for fueling your body, over eating will get you fat and starving your body to speed up the weight loss process will get you nothing but a jacked up metabolism that could take a year to fix.  Find the Balance!

4. Be Flexible – Eat healthy foods and Eat unhealthy foods!  Finding the balance is key on this one, but when you figure out the ratio that works for you, it will change the way you see food and eliminate the stresses that come with my least favorite word “dieting”

5. Stay Positive –  If you take an unplanned detour from your routine don’t beat yourself up about it, refocus, try to determine the root of the detour and learn from it.  Again do not stress out about it, get back on track and stay positive about your direction and the goals you are trying to achieve.

6. Involvement & Intensity – I add this one in because everyone has to be honest with themselves, some people have aspirations of being an elite athlete, others are on this fitness journey as preventative medicine, Others are working towards fitting into a dress or pair of pants you wore in your 20′s.   Whatever YOUR goals are, will and should determine the level of personal involvement & intensity you put into your fitness keeping in mind that you want to set goals that almost seem unattainable!  Be realistic about the amount of time you are willing to dedicate and bring a level of intensity to every workout that forces you to break out of your comfort zone.

Thanks

Stevie T.

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

Ronnie Coleman Signature Series progress.

Three weeks into the Ronnie Coleman Signature Series stack.

Ronnie Coleman Signature Series Crepes

This was today’s brunch.  Pro Antium & IsoTropic Max Crepes.

I used 1/2 cup old fashioned oats that I put in the magic bullet to make into a powder, I added 2 tbsp of coconut flour, 1 cup all whites, 3 whole eggs, 1 scoop each Pro Antium Vanilla wafer crisp & 1 scoop Isotropic max Toasted Almond.  Put them on the griddle like normal and then simmered down a coconut oil, real butter and cinnamon topping to avoid any added sugars.

Yielded me twelve (4) inch Crepes – 814 calories in the whole batch/ 68 calories per crepe coming from 22.5 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbohydrates and 104 grams of protein, if you add my topping it increases the fat by 21 more grams, another great topping would be any nut  butter and cinnamon.

So far I am a very impressed with this stack, the protein taste great and I can tell it is digesting well, the Testogen XR tablet/powder combination is starting to kick in and give me more strength and a good pump, and the amino tone has been a great product that makes you want to drink water and stay hydrated during training sessions.

I had a great week of eating and training, Got in four short, less than 30 minute all out efforts plus this insane circuit I did on Saturday.

Saturday’s Shred sesh

This was workout #5 for the week, It nearly crushed me and in most instances I dropped down to a very low weight to complete the 100 rep drop/strip sets I was performing.  With the added rowing and 13 minutes of jump rope it took me an hour and 27 minutes to complete.  I was on day 13 of the high fat and moderate to high protein with no added carbohydrate trial but had full intention of drilling myself into the ground with this session and then heading straight to my healthy cheat place Tokyo Joes’s – That has become the Saturday ritual for myself and one of my great friends that works along side me at my training facility, “Big Robert the red beard Mitchell”

Tokyo Joe’s

Pictured is the Yo roll and a Boulder veggie bowl with added chicken breast with Joe’s dragon sauce.   I do the math on all my training and nutrition and have a very good idea of what to order when I get there each week.  Today I anticipated needing a little  bit of a carb up after two weeks of very limited carbohydrate intake, this meal provided me with 760 recovery calories coming from 16 grams of fat 100 grams of carbohydrates and 51 grams of protein.   Joe’s with out question the go to place for anyone who wants to know what they are eating, all nutrient stats are posted on the website and there is no sacrifice in the flavor/calorie department.

That’s all I have for you today, I’ve been getting quite a few inquiries about what exactly I do on a daily basis, I will get into that in the next post.

Until Then, Kill everything you do on the daily & sleep like babies.  #everydamnday

SteviE T

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **

Eat Fat, Lots of natures fat, and get Lean!

First off, let me foreword this by stating that I’m not telling you what to do or to follow my lead but I am however just asking for you to think away from the mainstream or the latest fad diet and simply sharing my thoughts while passing along my experience with the life long journey in pursuit of physical near perfection.  I say this up front because it seems whenever I post anything, I get some sort of backlash from someone who has different beliefs and theories on eating and training, look I don’t give two squirts of piss what you do with your body, It’s not mine, I don’t have to live within its skin, you do.  I like to see people challenge themselves, think outside the box a bit and give different methods a fair shot, but by no means am I asking you to drink “the Kool Aid”  I’m extremely in tune with my body and I like to see how it reacts on all levels to different programs, both training wise and nutritionally.

Ok Rant over, let’s get to business

BEFORE

Tonight’s dinner:  3 whole cage free pasture eggs + whites, real butter, avocado, broccoli and asparagus ( 41 grams of fat – 40 grams of protein and a negligible amount of carbohydrates from the green vegetables)

I’ve been eating like this for the past 10 days now, 50% of my calories are coming from fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) I’ve been eating real butter, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, cashews, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, peanut butter and lots of animal fat from 90% grass fed/finished beef, whole eggs, chicken, salmon, and bacon!

I have not been eating very many carbohydrates, none have been added to my plan but the nuts, avocado and variety of vegetables do contain a very small amount with a good amount of fiber taking up the carbo space.

My protein intake is moderately high at 260 or so grams per day. I have been starting every day with a fresh brewed Yerba Mate drink, followed by taking in 4 tablespoons of peanut butter and making a shake that contains  70 grams of protein powder coming from 7 different protein sources that the Pro Antium and IsoTropic Max powders from Ronnie Coleman Signature Series provide. I eat this over the course of the first hour I am awake, so by 545am

I continue this trend all day with high fat and moderate to high protein intake and at the end of my 4 daily meals I have consumed roughly 155 grams of fat, 260 grams of protein and about 65 grams of the carbs I spoke of earlier.  Along with this I’ve been doing 4 very short and very intense resistance & cardio training sessions (14 minutes up to 26)  per week and 1 long and extremely intense session that lasts about 70 minutes.

What is my goal with all of this?  I’m just trying to determine if eating bigger high calorie, high satiety meals coming mainly from real food products when combined with very little time spent at the gym or performing activities will yield better gains and provide you with much more free time, thus theoretically improving your quality of life along with personal and family free time.

I haven’t been on it long enough to give you a big breakdown, but I have already seen very noticeable changes in a few area’s of my body, both inside and out.  These include, better quality of sleep, zero sugar cravings, decreased stiffness in my joints, an elevated level of testosterone/libido and in the gym less muscle fatigue, great stamina and lower body-fat %

So stay tuned as I am going to start writing about this process a few times a week and give you a look at exactly how my day goes down both on the plate and in the gym or on the mountain bike.

AFTER

Stay Focused and Find Your Strong.

STEVIE T

**always consult with your physician before starting or changing a current workout routine , nutrition program or supplement.  The advice and programs that are talked about on this site are not recommended for use by any individuals with any medical condition(s) that might be compromised by intense exercise or resistance training.  If you feel any abnormal pain, nausea or dizziness please discontinue training and consult your health care professional immediately **