Articles

Listen Up, Ladies: Minimum Training for Maximum Results

October 6, 2011 By JC Deen 22 Comments

There is a plague that is devastating the world of women’s strength training, and I’m not just talking about the foolish “light weight and high rep” recommendations touted about in fitness magazines and all over the internet. No, what I am referring to are the marathon workouts performed multiple days per week with the only goal being to achieve as much fatigue as possible.

Some men are guilty of this as well, but women especially tend to believe that if they don’t end a workout completely exhausted and drenched in sweat that they didn’t “do enough”. And if they can’t dedicate at least 60 solid minutes to training, they don’t see a point in training at all. So they perform session after session of circuits, conditioning work, and anything else that has them sweating, panting, and working themselves into a puddle of sweat.

Some women thrive on this type of training and can follow such routines long-term. However, the women I have witnessed who perform these marathon workouts quickly burnout, and stop coming to the gym all together within a few weeks or months. They realize it’s not practical to perform such gruesome, long workouts on a consistent basis. And because they are told that such workouts are the best way to get results, they stop training all together assuming it’s hopeless to even try something different, and less fatiguing.

Ladies, it is entirely possible to spend much less time in the gym (about 2.5 hours per week, to be exact) and still reap the benefits you desire from your training program. Furthermore, it’s even possible to enjoy your training and leave the gym feeling energized and not wiped out. [Read more...]

Give Your Workouts More Cowbell

September 20, 2011 By JC Deen 11 Comments

We all know the SNL cowbell skit. If you don’t, then you must have been on Mars, in a cave, with your fingers in your ears for the past 5 years. Watch it before reading this article:

Pretty damn funny. I mean, Christopher Walken and Will Farrell together never gets old, but allow me to break down the sketch for a minute. Notice how sullen Will Farrell’s character is at the beginning. He’s playing the cowbell half-a**, in the background, and getting no respect. In fact, the other members openly disrespect him when Walken comes in. Lo and behold Walken loves the cowbell and, since Farrell stuck to his guns, he’s become a star. All of a sudden he’s banging out every note and is the hero. How often do you think that you’re doing the wrong thing in the gym?

How often do you avoid new exercises for fear of looking stupid? How often do you avoid asking for help because you’re afraid it will make you look weak? Here’s what I see every time I walk into a commercial gym. Semi-fit people sweating away on cardio machines, terrible form on the most basic of exercises with way too much weight (guys) or way to little weight (girls), unqualified personal trainers ‘training’ clients, a couple scattered people with reasonably good form, 1-2 fit people with a notepad and pen being Cowbell Exercisers. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Articles Tagged With: Strength Training, workouts

Train Like An Athlete – Not Like A Fitness Model

September 17, 2011 By JC Deen 25 Comments

In today’s world, we’re on a constant scurry for a life of luxury, material possessions, and aesthetic vanity. Everywhere you look, we have advertisements of half-naked men and women flaunting their goods to push product through means of mad sex appeal.

The images are all around us – we can’t help but be influenced.

Just about every action movie’s main character sports a barrel chest and finely chiseled 6-pack. Nine times out of ten, they’ve a dashing attitude to complete their persona. Look at Will Smith in I, Robot, or Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and you’ll likely agree.

I’d venture to guess a majority of most male trainees these days aspire to a similar aesthetic look. It’s a far cry from the I-can’t-fit-into-most-doorways bodybuilder physique, and it’s much easier to achieve from a genetics standpoint.

Many guys turn to various outlets for their fitness and training information – some good and some really horrifying. Regardless of where they’re learning how to train, a common problem I come across is their mindset and how they plan to get from point A to point B in an efficient manner.

Ideally, they’ll heed the advice of those who’ve come before them, train intelligently with specific strength goals in mind, and cut out all the hype, promising mounds of muscle in just 20 minutes a day.

I won’t hold my breath. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Training Tagged With: aesthetics

Counting Calories: A No-BS Guide

September 1, 2011 By JC Deen 32 Comments

Counting calories, tracking your intake, watching portions and serving sizes… while it’s something we talk about a lot in the health and fitness realm, it’s not easily understood as some may believe.

As someone working in the industry, I sometimes forget that many of the concepts and ideas that seem simple to me are often foreign to others. For instance, I’ve gotten emails with basic questions such as “should I use a kitchen scale or measuring cups?” or “Should I count macros, calories, or both?” I’ve even gotten the “do calories even matter as long as I’m eating clean?” That one always gives me the lol’s.

Before we go any further, I figure I’d better explain why I’m writing this piece.

This is strictly for those who have questions about counting calories, or about how to track their intake. There are some very strong beliefs about whether or not you should track your intake.

I realize that the majority of my work is based around making this fitness lifestyle easier and more laid-back than the average, frustrated bro who thinks he has to eat nothing but chicken and brown rice 10 times per day.

I also realize tracking your calorie intake can seem cumbersome and that it has potential to become an obsession (for those who have extreme personalities). I used to be that extreme person, but I woke up and wrote my No-BS Approach.

Also, I’m writing this to serve as a resource for my clients and for those who email with questions about tracking their intake.

Let’s dive in. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Diet Tagged With: calories

Improve Your Fitness by Limiting Your Choices

August 26, 2011 By JC Deen 34 Comments

As I write this, I’m sitting in the living room of my friend’s home about 2 blocks from the famous Hollywood Boulevard. I’ve been here since the 9^th and won’t be home until the 30^th. The plan was to come here for 2 weeks and then return to the south, but I’ve been having too much fun, and actually swapped out my tickets for an even cheaper flight, so I figured I’d stay another week.

My birthday is August 4^th, but I always celebrate the entire month (in my house, we call it birthday month). It’s been the best birthday month yet and a great vacation gift to myself.

Being my first time in Los Angeles, I’m a bit overwhelmed as I’ve never been to such a big place in my life (other than flight layovers). I’ve had the chance to meet some interesting people, and experience a slightly different culture than the southern living I’m accustomed to.

Regardless of the differences, I’ve fallen in love with the place thus far. I’ve made some new friends, had some interesting experiences and conversations along the way.

In fact, this article is inspired from a conversation I’ve had most recently with a lady I met through my friend who’s hosting me. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Build Muscle, Clients, Random Thoughts Tagged With: Diet, Muscle Building, Strength Training

Complexes for the Zeus-Like Physique

August 11, 2011 By JC Deen 11 Comments

Today we have a guest article from Lee Boyce of LeeBoyceTraining.com. Enjoy.

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It’s safe to say that most of the vain, egocentric men who train regularly want a measure of visibly defined, lean tissue on their body. Many of them also keep tabs on the most up-to-date, ground-breaking research as to what will get them there as fast as humanly possible.

When it’s time to cut down and shed body fat for beach weather, to reveal “The Situation,” one thing lifters hate is shrivelling down to a 98-pound weakling in the process. That’s one thing cardio and dieting can definitely do if it’s not implemented correctly.

So having said that, what are some of the latest top-of-the-line tips for fat loss? What’s new in the world of training? What’s the latest, most effective training tool for cutting fat, improving conditioning, and ramping up your metabolism?

Nothing. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Articles

Attention Ladies: Here’s PROOF that Lifting Heavy Weights will NOT make you Big and Bulky

August 1, 2011 By JC Deen 40 Comments

Well over a month ago, I revealed the deception and some of the misleading information within the fitness magazines and media, specifically the publications directed toward women in my article I Don’t Want to Get Big and Bulky – Fitness Marketing and its Effect on Women.

In fact, as a result of publishing the article, I’ve discovered many women didn’t know anything more than what they’ve been told by the media. It’s no surprise, either. When the majority of our expert information is coming from trainers to the stars, it’s hard to imagine the information could be lacking or misleading.

However, as I mentioned in the previous article, these publications exist for one reason – to make a profit. I suppose their research suggests Americans (and the entire human race) are inherently lazy and that a quick-fix headline is sure to keep the revenue up.

Just looking at any other product being sold, especially those within the health/fitness/exercise niches, it all rings true – no one wants to work for the results if a shortcut is available.

If you can attain the body of a Greek goddess in 3 weeks without having to lift weights and while eating anything you want, why would you do anything different? The problem is the promises don’t deliver.

Month after month, women (and men) continue reading with hopes of the next best piece of information that will lead them to similar results of the cover model of their favorite publication.

Shortly after publishing the article, it was spread all over Facebook, as well as Reddit and questions continued to pour in.

The most common questions were

“What if we’re just beginners? Are the 5 pound dumbbells okay to get started with?”
“How would you suggest a lady get started in the weight room using free weights and machines?”

The answer to the first question, of course, is yes. It’s okay if you’re beginning weight training to start with the lightest weight available. You just don’t want to continue with these weights forever. If you do, you’ll never make the adaptations responsible for producing a lean, sculpted physique.

So while the light dumbbells are fine for a short period, the goal is progressive overload (lifting more weight) over time. If you aren’t getting stronger over the long-term, you are spinning your wheels, my lady friends.

Before I get to the second question, I want to make a quick point and then elaborate with some guest contributions from some ladies who’ve been strength training for some time with respectable physiques to show for it.

The number one concern I’ve come across online, and in casual conversation with women who are interested in fitness, is this fear of getting big and bulky. In case you’re unfamiliar with how the male and female bodies differ hormonally, the primary difference is the levels of testosterone between the sexes.

I know I stated this in the last article, but it bears repeating. Men are naturally leaner, stronger and can carry more muscle mass than their counterparts. The reason why is due to the levels of testosterone within their system.

So for all the females reading today, have no fear – I can assure you with all certainty that you’ll never, ever look like a male as a result of training for strength with heavy weights.

Don’t just take my word for it, though. Today I’ve pulled from some ladies I highly respect in this fitness game to contribute their thoughts, ideas and to PROVE that proper strength training can be a great way to build a lean, attractive physique and never become bulky. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Female Fitness, Motivation, Training Tagged With: Female Fitness

From Fluffy to Ripped, Sans the Obsession: Chris Brown’s Transformation

July 14, 2011 By JC Deen 18 Comments

Back in February, I recall getting an email from a guy by the name of Chris Brown who was interested in some fitness consulting. He found my work through my friend Google, and claimed to have devoured many of my articles since his discovery.

“Ever since I read your No-BS Approach to Looking Great Naked, I’ve been hooked”

is what he said in the opening email.

He went on to explain his experience in athletics growing up, which ultimately led to playing some professional baseball for a short time, before going back to graduate school to further his studies at Salve Regina University.

I knew from the beginning that I’d be able to work with Chris due to his experience in athletics, but his passionate desire to learn and grow he expressed in our email exchange. I’ll never forget the last line of his first email that read “my work ethic is ridiculous and I love the gym, so I’m ready for the challenge.”

At first, I thought “okay, we’ll see how determined he is” and we continued our conversation which resulted in him starting the official JCDFItness training and diet protocol on Monday, March 7.

I was extremely pleased with his familiarity of the major compound lifts and willingness to let go of the reigns.

While I won’t go into his exact training protocol, I want to highlight a bit of what we did to get the results presented below. To start off, Chris had been doing the popular Stronglifts 5×5 program. I was already a fan of this guy – no bro-training to speak of.

Chris’ starting weight was 205lbs and ending weight was 186lbs. He is right at 6 foot tall. The time frame in between photos is about 16 weeks. So on average, he dropped just over 1lb per week. I think you’ll agree the difference in appearance is fairly drastic. He transformed from a soft look into a very lean, athletic appearance. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Clients, Goals, Popular

A Good Example of Bad Advice

June 25, 2011 By JC Deen 49 Comments

Image Credit: angel.a.acevedo

Terribly awful, no-good, very bad advice seems to be rampant in the fitness industry. In all honesty, it makes my job of an educator, trainer and consultant much harder than it needs to be due to the amount of unsound advice being given in magazines, online articles and even from trainer to client.

The problem is the amount of information we have at our disposal, and the differing viewpoints of various authorities. And even then, the sheer amount of information is not the worst part. We often have zealots of certain methods who proclaim their methods as gospel.

Ever met a devout Paleo advocate or a hardcore crossfitter? Ever met someone who deemed gluten to be the cause of all physical ailments known to man? Or how about the trainer stuck on old research that’s since been debunked and replaced with newer, more relevant research?

This article is not to bash any such beliefs or zealots. I frankly don’t care if you’re into the Paleo thing or if you’re a HIT advocate. Most roads often lead to the same destination and that’s great.

My approach is simple. Find what is most congruent with your life and goals. Then build upon what works for you to hit your mark and enjoy the road to success.

In other words, make it as easy and fun as possible.

Today, I want to bring light to an article I came across early this morning about 3 a.m. as I rolled in from an awesome night out with my friends. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Random Thoughts, Rants

I Don’t Want to Get Big and Bulky: Fitness Marketing and its Effect on Women

June 10, 2011 By JC Deen 126 Comments

I imagine people are laughing when they see me in the coffee shop, propped back reading Women’s Health or Fitness magazine.

I’m perfectly okay with this as I have my reasons for maintaining a subscription to said magazines. It’s not for the training or nutritional advice, nor is it to improve my sex life. I mainly read these magazines because I don’t quite understand women.

No male does. However, I long to get a glimpse of what’s going on between their ears, at least from a fitness standpoint.

On the other hand, one thing I do understand quite well is marketing and sales psychology.

I also know how to write a training program and give someone dietary advice that’s inline with their goals.

What I’m finding in the magazines, on TV, and on the products we continually see in the retail outlets, are not necessarily in line with what it takes to get great results – especially when it comes to the female physique.

There are a few problems that I hope to shed some light on today with this article.

Resistance/Strength training should be a must in any female’s fitness routine who wishes to alter her body composition for the better. If the goal is to maintain a lean(er), “toned’ physique, some type of resistance training is a MUST. We’ll discuss what is best and what is awful later on.
Most traditional forms of media are either rehashing old, outdated information OR are pushing your emotional triggers to BUY, instead of making a rational decision. In these cases, making the sale is of far greater importance than what the product can actually do for you. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Female Fitness, Fitness Myths, Popular Tagged With: Female Fitness, fitness marketing