March 17, 2016, Jon Boldireff
No time to exercise? Way too tired to go to the gym before your work days starts? So many people go to sleep at 11pm or even later. What are you really accomplishing after 9pm? Is squeezing one more episode of Game of Thrones before you hit the hay really going to enrich your life? I get it. You want to get in better shape, but you don’t want to make the lifestyle changes necessary to get there. Dragons and incest are wayyy more appealing…
“I want to look like Mark Wahlberg!”
Excellent goal! Now, put down the donut. Mark Wahlberg is already in bed and he’s not dreaming of looking like you. He’s gonna get up at 4am and work his ass off. He’s running 6 miles while you’re still sleeping for 3 hours, dreaming about yourself with dancing pecs like Terry Crews.
Here is your recipe for change:
Stop binge watching Brooklyn 99 a few episodes early. Get to bed at 9pm. Wake up at 5 or 6am (still getting 7-8hrs sleep!). Work your ass off and pat yourself on the back. Repeat 3x a week for 30 days and you’ll start to see your results.
“It’s too haaard! My body isn’t meant to get up that early.” Yes, it’ll be challenging at first. If it was easy, everyone would be fit. Look around. They’re not. You’ve been digging this hole for a while now. Time to climb out. If you need help, find a training partner, a group class or maybe a handsome trainer in the Oliver Square region of downtown. Good luck!
October 15, 2015, Jon Boldireff
I’m guilty. I tirelessly use my iPhone to get updates on the score of the Blue Jays game. I check Facebook for updates on things I don’t even care about. I eat a delicious chocolate chip cookie 5 seconds removed from the oven. Why? Because I want it NOW. (The scalding hot milk chocolate chips burnt my mouth).
Technology in today’s society has given us the ability to have everything we want at our finger tips. It can be useful, but it robs us of the satisfaction of delayed gratification. We don’t have to work as hard to get things. This makes the world of fitness extra tricky because that magical weight loss pill hasn’t been invented yet. You have to work hard and remain dedicated for months (or years) to get the results you want. Check out this video from Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World):
https://screen.yahoo.com/chris-pratts-advice-getting-shape-013241113.html
Inspiring, right? What were you doing May 15th, 2015? What if I told you, if you had started a fitness regimen with me training 3 days a week, while making healthier food choices until October 15, 2015 you could have:
If you started today, you’d be a new person by April 15th, 2016. It’s not instant, but feeling accomplishment you’ll get from this journey will make you feel like you can achieve anything.
November 12, 2013, Jon Boldireff
People give lots of reasons why they don’t work out or stay fit. Let’s tackle one of the main ones today: no time. It’s easy for me to preach and say “I can dedicate 4-6 days a week to workout 1-2hrs a day, why can’t you?” I understand that:
a) it’s part of my job to stay fit, and
b) I’m already at a gym so it’s easy to squeeze in a workout whenever I want.
So, I live a lucky life (other than being Mr.Glass). You don’t need to train 12hrs a week to get into shape. It comes down to the classic “Move more, eat less” skit from Mad TV (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKs0oEIVOck). Be more active and eat less calories and you’ll get into better shape. We won’t talk about the calorie side today as it gets repetitive. Just know that exercise along doesn’t make up for the 13 “mini” Halloween candies you ate before noon. Let’s focus on moving more. The sessions I offer as a personal trainer are an hour long. If you add on the time you take to drive to/from the gym and the time it takes to shower, you need to set aside 1.5-2hrs for this workout experience. Everyone’s situation is different, but if you REALLY want to change, then you’ll make fitness a priority. I see doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, accountants… all sorts of clients! Some have kids, some are retired, some have multiple jobs. They make time. This post isn’t about shaming you into working out though. Let’s talk about things you can do to get a workout in at home.
The great thing about working out at home is that you can do it when it’s convenient. You may need a few items or you could just do bodyweight training. Things you may need:
– Workout equipment (a few dumbbells, resistance bands, a kettlebell, exercise ball, TRX etc)
– a stopwatch
– open space
– reserve a time to train***
Out of all of these bullets, reserving a time to train is the most important. It’s wayyyy to easy to skip a workout and do other things around the house if you don’t plan to train in advance. Remember procrastinating for exams in college? “Ohhhh I can’t study in this mess. I should really vacuum.” Pick a time and stick to it. If you’re running short on time, just do a really intense 30 minute session. It’s better than a zero minute session and sometimes better than a slack 60 minute session. Here are some exercises that you can build a workout around:
-Squats
-Pushups (different hand placements, surfaces)
-Lunges (multi directions)
-Burpees (variations)
-Core work
-Rows (varations)
There are so many variations of those exercises that you’ll never run out (Google/Youtube). Sets, reps, and REST will make or break your work out. You should feel like you worked hard. Here’s a sample workout you can do if you live in an apartment. Perform as a circuit:
Squat X 15reps
Pushups X 10-20 reps (modify to knees or elevated if need be)
Reverse lunges X 10/side
Alternating leg lifts X10-15/side
Alternating 1 legged burpee X10-20reps
Band neutral grip row 10-20reps (attach band to couch or door knob)
Run 2 sets of 1 flight of stairs
REST 2 minutes and repeat 2 times!
This workout isn’t meant to build loads of muscle, but it’ll get/keep you in better shape. You always have to think intensity. If it feels like it’s getting easier, then it’s time to: increase reps, decrease rest, increase load or difficulty, add more exercises.
There you have it. No more excuses. Work out at home for 30min 2-6 times a week and you’ll feel a lot better about yourself. Next time, I’ll talk about the TRX and how it can be used for beginners or for an advanced person. Also, how you can use it at home or on the road.
I’ve been lucky enough to be contacted by Martin Koban to do a review of his book “Beating Patellar Tendonitis.” Once I finish his book, I’ll be posting a review of it on here as well. Lots to look forward to! Now, go train and have fun doing it! You’re one day closer to feeling and looking better.
September 1, 2013, Jon Boldireff
The blog returns! I’m sorry about the inconsistency in my blogging this summer. My time has been bogarted by my charity endeavour. A quick update about the Tops-Off Trainers charity event that was held on August 24th:
– 70 registrants.
– 10 guest (shirtless) trainers.
– Sponsors included: NAIT, Moxie’s, Sabor Divino, Stella and Dot, Jasper Park Lodge, Muscle Matters, Braithwaite Boyle, Deloitte.
– Lunch by S’WICH food truck.
– Raised $2800 for Kidsport Alberta.
Overall a great success for year one. I look forward to raising even more money next year. I’m thinking hitting the $10,000 mark.
So, my injury streak continues. My thumb is fine, elbow is 95%, but the dreaded jumper’s knee has returned since I’ve started playing basketball again. The irony is that I’m really not that athletic compared to other basketball players. I definitely don’t jump very high. What is jumper’s knee? Let me outline what it is and what you can do if you think you have it. (this will be a mini jumper’s knee report. I’ll add some links for more in depth info)
What is it?
Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendonitis) is pain in the tendon which attaches to the kneecap (patella) to the shin bone (tibia).
What causes it?
It’s usually an overuse injury from repeated eccentric contractions of the quad muscles. Jumping sports such as basketball or volleyball, running or any kind of activity where your quads aren’t strong enough to deccelerate your body weight could result in pain just below your knee.
How do I fix it?
Jumping repeatedly won’t necessarily result in jumper’s knee. It happens if your muscles are imbalanced and then you apply a force which the knee can’t handle. First of all, you should see an athletic therapist if you think you have jumper’s knee. They can tell you have bad it is. If it’s pretty far gone, you might need to take some serious time off from any running/jumping/lower body workouts. We’re talking a few weeks to several months off. I know, it sucks. Once you have an idea of how bad it is then you can start rehabbing. Foam rolling will be your best friend. You need to loosen up your quads (especially vastus lateralis), glutes (piriformis), IT band, calves, peroneals and maybe your hamstrings.
Muslces that will need work and strengthening are your glute medius, tibialis anterior and possibly your vastus medialus oblique. Eventually, you’ll want to work on the eccentric strength of your quadriceps (ie the down phase of a squat). Increasing hip, spine, knee and ankle mobility will also be important for full recovery.
Icing after activity will help with the pain, but won’t do much in terms of helping recovery. Heating for 20 minutes a day may help speed up the healing process.
I developed jumper’s knee last summer when I got a little over zealous doing weighted squat jumps. Not a smart move for a trainer. I always say I was a dumb athlete before I became a smart trainer. Sometimes the dumb athlete comes out. I stopped running and jumping for several weeks, got treatement, foam rolled and it got much better. For some reason it’s returned this summer and I REALLY don’t want to take time off at the beginning for the upcoming basketball season. We’ll see if dumb athlete prevails again. MY advice to YOU if you have this pain. Take the time to fix it 100% so that it doesn’t become a nagging injury like mine. Here are a few links for more specific info:
http://www.fix-knee-pain.com/injuries/patellar-tendonitis-knee-tendonitis/
And here’s a photo from the Tops-Off Charity event:
Hope to see you all there next year if you missed it!
July 29, 2013, Jon Boldireff
Keep in mind this blog will be my PERSONAL opinion on this matter. It’s out of my scope of practice to tell you what to put in your mouth. So, do what you want. I take zero responsibility for any negative side effects from my blog. I WILL take credit for any positive side effects of my blog such as swooning over my good looks and boyish charm.
Here we go. The fitness supplement industry is a billion dollar juggernaut. It’s a sea of flashy labels and monumental claims. Increase your testosterone by 350%. Decrease your body fat by 16lbs in 3 weeks. Pleasure a woman for the first time! Wait….different blog. All these claims made by companies who push products that aren’t even approved by the FDA. Logically, this is what I think: If all these claims are true, then wouldn’t everyone be just ridiculously jacked and tanned?? I’ve been working out for more than a decade. I’ve tried a whole whack of different supplements. Everything from whey protein and creatine, to pre-workout boosters and fat burners (never steroids). I’ll tell you what I think of each:
Whey protein: I felt like I couldn’t get enough protein in my diet at the time, so I tried it. This is because people told me I needed 300 grams of protein a day. The Center for Disease Control says that a moderate to vigourously active person should take in 1.1-1.8 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight. So if I weigh 80kg and I’m moderately active, then the MAX amount of protein I’d need is 144 grams in a day. Guess what happens to the excess protein. Stored as fat. Protein shakes are a convenient way to get some calories in if you’re running short on time though. Beats McDonald’s any day.
Creatine: When I tried creatine at the age of 21, I felt like it worked. Now, I’m not so sure. My bench press increased by 55lbs in 4 weeks. No lie! This could have just been because I was new to the whole weight lifting scene though. I’m not 100% sold on creatine. It definitely makes you bloated though.
Pre-workout supplements: This is the N.O. Explode, Juggernaut, Decimate category. Something you take before your workout to increase your performance and intensity. These get tricky. I know that physiologically there isn’t much change going on in my body when I take a pre-workout supplement. They’re mostly caffeine and a mixture of other stimulants. If I FEEL like I’m getting a better work out though… maybe they are working on some level.
Fat burners: I tried them once because I got a free sample. They made me sweaty and I had to pee a lot… I went from 192 to 178, but I also happened to be training for my first half marathon and running as much as a Kenyan.
Here is my final verdict. If the claims are too good to be true, they probably are. If it was as easy as taking a pill, then everyone would be in great shape. I do feel there’s something to be said about the placebo effect with some of these supplements. If you really think a certain supplement is going to make you workout harder, then maybe you’ll work out harder. If you think this expensive fat burner will make you lose weight, then maybe you’ll eat better. Do people get results while they’re on supplements? Yes. Is it a direct result of said supplement? Not necessarily. The human brain is a crazy thing.
Go out there. Try some supplments if you want. Just do your research and don’t make yourself sick. Then, enjoy you’re oddly colored (and very expensive) pee.
July 14, 2013, Jon Boldireff
When I was in Victoria recently, I saw the strangest thing at the gym. I was stretching at the end of my workout and there was a guy walking on a treadmill. I know, that’s what they’re for. This guy added a little “twist.”. He was walking very slowly backwards, forwards, sideways… you name it. All while doing all sorts of crazy motions with his legs and arms. It looked like treadmill walking meets Tai Chi meets Prancercise (Google it) while adding in some air guitar for good measure. You’ll have to check out the video on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/boldfitnesstraining) to really appreciate what I’m talking about. At first, I couldn’t help but laugh and think it was ridiculous. The guy was in REALLY good shape though! He was lean and muscular. The stuff he was doing looked like it required a great deal of balance, proprioceptive awareness and a whole whack of “I don’t care what any of you think-edness.” The biggest thing I came to realize though, was that he was having a fantastic time. He was really enjoying his workout and he obviously got results out of it. So this week, let’s give you some ideas about how you can bring some fun and enjoyment back into your fitness routine.
1. Work out with a buddy. You can talk between sets, help motivate each other, and having a spotter is always nice. Plus, the gym is a gold mine for people watching. Anyone who works out at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton knows what I’m talking about: neon spandex man.
2. Try lots of different activities/sports. You never know what you’ll enjoy. You can join a running group, a badminton club, any type of men or women’s league sports.
3. Go hiking or climbing. What a great way to get some fresh air while improving your currently embarrassing ability to climb 3 levels of stairs at your condo building.
4. Try some group fitness classes. Zumba, spin class, water aerobics, TRX classes… the list is endless. There’s a combination trick to this one. You need to find the class you like with an instructor you love! So you liked the act of yoga, but the really earthy teacher that kept touching you wasn’t quite your style? Try going at a different time or to a different studio until you find the right class/teacher for you.
One last one that I won’t even use a bullet point for. I’ve heard lots of chronically active people say:”I love going to the gym because it’s MY time. I don’t have to think about the outside world or what everyone needs from me. I can just put my headphones in, listen to my favorite music and work some stress out of my life.” This is the point you want to get to. So instead of dreading going to the gym, try to think of it as that 30-90 minutes of “you time.” Yes it’s good for your physical health, but it can be even better for your mental health. Take a page from the dancing treadmill man’s playbook: have fun.
Yes, I went to a petting zoo in Victoria. Yes, a tiny goat tried to eat my sandal.
June 23, 2013, Jon Boldireff
With my charity bootcamp less than 10 weeks away, nutrition has been on my mind daily. Knowing that I’ll need to take off my shirt along side 11 other jacked trainers has me feeling a little nervous. I mean, I’m in great shape and I eat much healthier than the average person, but some of the guest trainers I’ve recruited are in FANTASTIC shape. They live in the gym like me, but some of them have been gifted with a double dose of awesome genetics. You know what I mean. All of you out there have a friend, male or female, that eats twice as much and trains half as hard as you yet somehow is ready for a calendar shoot all year long. Well that’s genetics and there’s nothing you can do about it. So suck it up. Time to focus on what you can control.
It seems like lately I’ve been trying to make up for my broken thumb (still) by eating 100% healthy. If I can’t lift heavy and be both huge and lean for the event, then I may as well be SUPER lean. The issue I’m running into is that I end up indulging in “bad” food more than I usually would. What the heck?! I’ve decided that I’m putting too much pressure on myself. As an admitted emotional eater, I end up eating junk because of said pressure! I do a good job of coaching my clients through these issues. It’s all about small, manageable changes. Time to heed my own words.
So let’s talk nutrition a bit. Like Superman, I have my kryptonite (Man of Steel was AWESOME by the way). Ok, maybe I have multiple kryptonites. I’ve discovered it’s impossible to cut out the delicious, bad food you like altogether. You do have to limit its intake though. This is how you’re gonna do it. Replace your demon snack food with something healthy. When you eat an entire bag of Doritos while watching The Walking Dead 30 minutes after dinner, it’s not because you were hungry. It’s habit. A fattening one at that. These are some of the “replacements” I’ve made:
– I’ve replaced Doritos/any kind of chip with raw red pepper. They’re crunchy, sweet, and will keep your mouth busy while you relax in front of the tube. You’re looking at 50-75 calories depending on the size of the pepper. An excellent source of fibre and vitamins A and C.
– I’ve replaced ice cream with a bowl of berries. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries… any berries really. Berries offer you a tonne of antioxidants! They’re also frickin’ delicious.
– Granola bars. I know. You’re thinking: “I thought those were good for you!”. Better than a Snickers bar? Yes. Good for you? Not really. Replace those suckers with baby carrots and some grape tomatoes. Fewer calories, more vitamins, less refined sugar.
I know I’ve missed some other delicious cheat foods like cookies, muffins, nachos etc. You get the idea. Most of the cheat food you eat isn’t a meal. It’s a snack when you’re not even necessarily hungry. If you make some of these replacements you’ll be getting closer to your recommended daily fruit and veggie intake. Way better than the lone banana and occasional broccoli you eat. Make these changes 90% of the time and then once in awhile you can indulge. THEN, you won’t feel bad when you do. Make sure you cheat once a week to keep your sanity, just do it within reason.
Next time you read this blog I expect a bowl of veggies to be at your side. Don’t forget to spread the word about my charity bootcamp! It’s for a great cause (Kidsport Edmonton). You can find all the info you need about the event at www.topsofftrainers.eventbrite.com.
June 10, 2013, Jon Boldireff
Thumb Update: Friday, June 7th was 4 weeks since I broke my thumb. I went to the doctor hoping his initial diagnosis of 4 weeks plus physio was going to be accurate. I was getting pretty tired of savagely destroying every banana I tried to peel. Here’s my newest x-ray:
You can see that it’s partially healed, but not quite there yet. The fracture has also shifted a bit. What does all this mean? Two more weeks in the splint AND THEN I start physio. I’m hoping that playing XBox is going to be a big part of recovering my thumb dexterity.
I’ve got BIG news. I’ve been teasing about it on my Bold Fitness Training Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BoldFitnessTraining?ref=hl), as well as on my Twitter account (@jonboldfitness). Here it is….. I’m putting together a charity bootcamp! I love my job so much that it doesn’t even feel like work, so I decided that I wanted to give back. I wanted to do something different though. How could I use personal training to somehow raise money? Sure a bootcamp makes sense, but how can I be creative and give people something that’s never been done? I remembered how crazy women went when Magic Mike came out a while ago (I haven’t actually seen it). Then it came to me: Extremely fit and attractive male trainers leading a bootcamp shirtless will definitely draw a crowd. That was the birth of Tops-Off Trainers!
This isn’t just a one hour bootcamp. This is an event! We have some special guest speakers, door prizes, giveaways, and a lunch after you’ve worked up an appetite. The bootcamp itself will be a one hour long, group exercise session. You don’t have to be a fitness pro to partake. Beginners to experts are welcome. Of course, I’ve recruited a dozen of Edmonton’s hunkiest male trainers to lead you through the exercises. They also happen to be some of Edmonton’s top personal trainers. Here are the details:
When: August 24th 11am-2pm
Where: NAIT soccer field
Charity: All profits will go to Kidsport Edmonton. Kidsport raises money so that children from low income families can play organized sports.
How to register: Go to www.topsofftrainers.eventbrite.com and sign up. It’s only a minimum $20 donation!
Again, this is for a good cause. If you can’t attend, then please share the registration link, tell a friend about the bootcamp, or just think really positive thoughts for me. THIS is why having a broken thumb really sucks. Instead of being able to train hard and get more jacked then I’ve ever been, I’m withering away! You should see some of these trainers I’m going to have to stand beside. One of them is a former Olympic sprinter! I’m in pretty darn good shape, but I already feel like the kid that doesn’t want to take his shirt off at the pool (I actually used to be that kid!) Oh well. I’ll do what I tell my clients and all of you to do: Eat smart, train hard, rest hard.
Have a good week!
May 28, 2013, Jon Boldireff
I’m terribly sorry that my blog is late this week! I attended a fitness conference in Calgary the entire weekend called “Fit Rendezvous.” I was increasing my knowledge in order to keep up with the trends and become a better trainer for all of my clients. I sat in on sessions about injury prevention and training for the hips, shoulder and spine, tendon injury rehab, and the fun filled world of fascia. Needless to say, my brain is on fitness nerd overload. My two favorite speakers were Michol Dalcourt and Alexandre Pare. Mr.Dalcourt is the co-founder of The Institute of Motion (www.instituteofmotion.com) and Mr.Pare holds a Masters in Exercise Science. These are some brainy dudes!
In today’s blog, I’m going to briefly discuss how much weight you should use/how many reps you should perform in a set of a given exercise. So you stroll down to 7-11 and start reading a fitness magazine while drinking your half Coke/half grape Slurpee (for shame). The article with the super tanned dude/chick says “45 minute workout to killer arms!” It gives you a list of exercises that you need to perform anywhere from 8-15 reps per set. Seems easy enough and you begin dreaming about all the tank tops you can wear this summer. You perform the workout to the letter, but don’t quite see the results you were looking for. Do you know why? I do. It’s because you stopped at 8 reps when you could of done 13. You stopped at 15 and you could of cranked out 5 more. It’s not the program that’s flawed, it’s your understanding of workout intensity. If the program says 10 reps, you need to use a load with which you can’t perform an 11th rep. Different ranges of reps will elicit different muscular response. I hate to pick on a gender, but women are especially notorious for this. “High reps will make me toned.” No it won’t. Building lean muscle and not eating that 700 calorie chocolate chip muffin will make you look “toned.” Don’t worry about bulking up ladies. 99.9% of you don’t produce enough testosterone for that to happen.
If you’re using the same weights week after week then you’re doing it wrong. Stop waiving those 3lb dumbbells around like you’re signalling a plane to land safely on the runway and do some actual work in the gym. That goes for both women and men. You’re only cheating yourselves. As for the prescription of reps, rest, load and periodization of your program in general… that’s where it gets complicated; you need to talk to a trainer. Either that or do some serious research from credible sources to get a solid program that’s built SPECIFIC to your needs. If it was easy and simple then everyone would be in shape. Get informed and get results!
***Now that you’re lifting REAL weights, always make sure you’re being safe and using a spotter when needed.
THUMB UPDATE: I’ve been wearing this nifty new splint for a little over a week now. It looks like I’m in an S&M bowling or archery league. I was told 4 weeks which would mean June 7th, but my thumb is still swollen so who knows. Lots of leg training in the meantime!
May 13, 2013, Jon Boldireff
You’ve set your goals. You’ve been hitting the gym, training hard, and eating right. Not even one Double Stuffed Oreo has crossed into the defensive zone which is your mouth. Needless to say your hard work and sacrifice is starting to pay off in the form of toned arms and the need to buy smaller pants. Then all of a sudden you’re sidelined. It could be an injury, could be illness, or maybe just some personal or work issues. You need to be able to re-focus and not throw all that hard work down the drain.
I’d like to think I’m an expert on this topic. My friends call me Mr.Glass. I always have a new injury and they usually result from basketball. Torn this, sprained that. Sometimes I feel like I’m 31 going on 71. Now THERE’S a movie idea (eat your heart out Jennifer Garner). My newest setback: non-displaced fracture of my left thumb. Along with making bananas, showering, and zip lock bags challenging, this also means no upper body work outs for at least 4 weeks. I really need to be in the best shape of my life in August for a secret event (which I’ll share with you in a few weeks). So I need a contingency plan. If you get off track because of something like a sprained ankle, broken arm, or 70hr work weeks then listen up.
1. Day of the incident: eat your feelings. I know you want to. Do it today and get it over with. There’s no time to eat like crap later because your activity will be limited. Don’t say to yourself: “Oh I hurt my ankle I can’t do ANYTHING. I’m just gonna eat pizza and play XBox all day.” Keep eating healthy. If your level of activity has decreased significantly and you’re burning fewer calories you may need to eat less to maintain your body weight. Makes sense right?
2. Stop thinking about what you CAN’T do. I can’t do any upper body work, no deadlifts, and no basketball. Suck it up and focus on challenging yourself with what you CAN do. I’m going to work out my legs three times a week and run three times a week. Yes my splint is gonna stink. If you hurt your lower body, then focus on improving your upper body lifts.
3. If time is your issue then you need a new plan of attack. Instead of working out for 1hr 3x a week, maybe you increase the intensity of your workouts and only do 30 min. Ride out this new work load that your boss dropped on you and then back to the one hour sessions once the dust has settled.
4. Keep your eye on the prize. Yes this is a setback. Yes it sucks. Maybe you’re not able to see improvement towards your goal for the next 4-6 weeks. Instead, maybe you need to focus on maintenance. Challenge yourself to not gain any fat while you recover. That Blizzard from DQ is now twice as bad as it was when you were hitting the gym hard 5x per week.
Stay positive through your setbacks folks! Whatever they may be. If you turn this negative into a positive you’ll be much better for it and it’ll help you deal with any roadblocks you have in the future. Oh, and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the moms out there and to mine in particular. It’s just a thumb, you don’t have to fly from Victoria to take care of me. Although peeling that orange was frustrating…. Thumb(s) up!
April 30, 2013, Jon Boldireff
You work hard, you pay your bills, and, if you live somewhere like Edmonton, you suffer through a ridiculously long winter season. You’ve earned yourself a vacation and have decided to go somewhere hot. Somewhere sunny. Somewhere with beac…Ahhhh crap you’re going to have to wear a bathing suit at some point. Impossibly pale skin and hair removal aside, you’ve got some work to do. Here are a few pre-vacation tips:
1. Start training and adjust your nutrition RIGHT AWAY. Don’t wait until 30 days before you leave. It’s not magic. Unless you’re already pretty fit, four weeks is not enough time to produce a significant amount of change in your body. I tell all my clients three months is a safe timeline where you’ll start to see some solid results. If you’ve got six months, even better. The more often you train, the better the results. Aim for 3-5 times per week with a blend of intense cardio and resistance training.
2. Calories in VS calories out. Whether you’re looking to lose body fat or gain lean mass, nutrition is key. No matter how hard you work out or how much cardio you do, you won’t get the amazing Brad Pitt/Jessica Alba body you’re looking for without dumping the Doritos habit. Think about it: there are 3500 calories in ONE pound of fat. In a 1 hour training session you’ll lose between 500-1000 calories (depending on intensity). That 200g bag of Doritos you ate last night while secretly watching The Voice = 1000+calories. Do you see where this is going? All the crap you eat on weekly basis really adds up. Try cutting out all the non-essential, calorie rich comfort foods and you’ll be surprised at how quickly that banana hammock stops cutting off the circulation to your important bits. Lean meats, whole grains, and fruits/veggies are your best friends.
3. Set a goal and stick to it: “I’m going to work out three times a week and eat veggies instead of cookies until I leave for my trip.” Don’t just say “Ohhhh I wanna lose a little weight for my vacation.” A month later:”Ohhhh man that vacation is getting closer….I should really start training.” That’s a month wasted. You could have lost 6-8lbs already! If you’re really serious hire a trainer and set up an eating plan.
Man Bonus: Now, you were dedicated and you worked hard. You feel good about your body and you’re ready to show it off. You want to “get your pump on” before stripping down. Here’s a super quick pre-beach workout you can do in your hotel room:
– Perform as many pushups as you can in 30 seconds. Then drop to your knees and do as many modified pushups as you can. Back to standard pushup position, drop half way down, and hold for 10 seconds. Rest 60 seconds and repeat for three total sets and your chest should feel like it’s about to explode.
– Do the same workout as above, but with bodyweight squats. If you can MacGyver a way to do three sets of 10-15 leg raises in your hotel room then you’re all set to take your victory lap.
Just remember that pumped up feeling is only going to last about 30 minutes. Take a few laps of the beach and then head for the umbrellas.
I know you all have what it takes to reach your fitness goals. You just need a little push. “Like” the Bold Fitness Training Facebook page for daily motivational boosts and feel free to email me with any questions at jboldireff1@boldfitnesstraining.com. Be sure to check back in two weeks for my next blog. Now go lift something!
April 20, 2013, Jon Boldireff
Greetings people of the Internet! I am very excited to have you on the maiden journey of my blog. At this point, I’ve shared this link via Facebook, Twitter, email, and carrier pigeon. I want as many people as possible to take a peek. If, by the end of this post, you feel you’ve been sufficiently entertained, then I hope you’ll come back for more. On the other hand, if you think I should stick to dumbbells rather than the written word, you are welcome to give me the gears in the comments section. The point of today’s blog is to give you an idea of what kinds of topics I’ll cover in the future and to lay down some ground rules. First, the rules:
“Why should I read your blog, Jon”?
Well, I’m glad you asked, savvy Internet traveler. Boldfitnesstraining.com is my professional personal fitness training website. As my clients know, “professional” is a loose term for me. Don’t get me wrong —business is business and I want results—but I like to keep the atmosphere light and fun as well. This bi-weekly blog will have a health and fitness theme to it. I won’t pigeon hole my topics to fitness only though. We can talk about push-ups, why my dog sleeps with half his body in his bed, why Mark Wahlber’s arms are bigger than his waist… Everything is on the table. Nothing is sacred. I mean heck, I’ve already made two pigeon references in this post. This is obviously going to be a wild ride. Today is just an intro. That is why I’ll write another post next week with an actual topic: Fitness and travelling: Before, during, and after.
Be sure to tune in!
