By Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com

When you pause and reflect on the past decade as you look ahead to a new one, it makes you appreciate how short life is, how valuable time is and how quickly the time can pass you by – with nothing to show for it, if you don’t plan otherwise.

That’s why the passing of another decade can feel like a wakeup call as much as a fresh start: Looking at the technological wonders that surround us in 2010, I can’t help thinking it feels like science fiction.

In fact, modern technology is one of the reasons why some people have succeeded at body transformation while others have failed.

I’m still in awe of the web. The satellite navigation system in my car amazes me every time I drive. I can store a library of books in a device that fits in my pocket. It blows my mind that we can speak to each other face to face through the internet live on video. That’s straight from Star Trek! And those are just the everyday little things.

The cover story of the January 2010 National Geographic magazine is titled, “Merging Man and Machine” – it’s about bionic limbs. Richard Branson’s company, Virgin Galactic just unveiled spaceship two and is preparing to launch civilians into sub orbital space flights.

It’s the greatest time to be alive in all of human history! Unfortunately, today’s modern conveniences have brought a dark side upon us.

Rising obesity has paralleled the march of technology. The chair-bound, desk-job, computer, car, elevator, television based society of today is helping to make millions of people fat and lazy.

Our current way of life is less than a century old, yet our biology hasn’t changed in tens of thousands of years. Our bodies were designed to move and work, not sit and click.

We’ve become spoiled. Complacent. Dependent. And we are paying a price for it. We are fatter than ever before in all of human history. More than two thirds of Americans are now overweight. One third are obese.

People are dying because they‘re too fat.

Ironically, none of our new technology can solve our body fat problems.  There’s no easy way. No pill. No machine. No drug. More knowledge isn’t going to help. We already have most of the answers. We know more about the human body than ever before. But it’s all academic.

The problem lies in the doing. You have to do the work – in the gym and in the kitchen. Hard work.

We are a quick fix society. It’s partly human nature, but technology is making us more impatient. We can have products delivered to us with one click and even do it from our cell phones. We have instant downloads, movies on demand, and drive through coffee shops. We get  our food made and delivered in just minutes while we are sitting in our cars, and it’s still not quick enough. The internet is blazingly fast, but most people will abandon a web page in seconds if it hasn’t loaded. It’s no different with fat loss. We want six pack abs yesterday.

Simultaneously fighting the pull of human nature and the convenience of new technology is no easy task. But there is a solution: Future Orientation.

The most successful people in the world today are those who have a long term perspective. They plan 5-10 years in advance and beyond. They know how to enjoy and live in the present moment, but they take action and make decisions based on their future vision.

The passing of another decade makes you take stock of yourself and your achievements, or lack thereof. “What did I accomplish in the last 10 years? Am I a better person today than I was in 2000?”

If you don’t like the answers, then it’s time to finally get serious about your future because the next 10 years are going to fly by even faster than the last 10 as the pace of life and society gets even faster.

To succeed in the new decade, think beyond new year’s resolutions. Think beyond the 12 week fitness goal. As you write your goals this year, don’t stop with 3 month or even 1 year goals.

Project yourself into the future: 3, 5 and 10 years from now. For each point, dream, fantasize, visualize: if your body, your health your physical performance were perfect in every way, what would that look like? Describe it in vivid detail.

With our ingrained penchant for quick fixes, we often overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and set unrealistic deadlines on our short term goals. But the flipside is that we often underestimate what we can achieve in the long term, so we set our long term goals too low.  Do you realize that people have gone from broke to billionaire in 10 years? In this internet age, some have done it even faster.

My challenge for you this year is to start thinking about your body and your life with the same type of creativity that has led to our greatest technological advances:

Not the same thoughts as yesterday. Not just positive thoughts. just bigger thoughts. NEW THOUGHTS! Creative thoughts! Inventive thoughts! From new thoughts will spring new goals, new actions and new achievements.

Fitness goals should not take over your life, they should enhance every other part of it. So take this opportunity to achieve balance by setting long term goals for every area of your life – health, fitness, finances, career, relationships, experiences, travel, possessions and spiritual growth.

Most people didn’t set any goals 10 years ago. They’re among the masses who are in the same place today as they were a decade ago.

Some people only set short term goals, so they accomplished a few little things, but then stopped, as if a goal were a final destination rather than a stepping stone along a path. Other people set goals but didn’t follow through on them. They forgot that goal setting and goal achieving are two different things.

Don’t fall into these traps.

If you need coaching in the goal setting process – from the daily and weekly baby steps to the long term goals and dreams that span a decade – read chapter one of Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle.  If you already have it. Now is the time to revisit it.

Click here to Get your Own copy of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

Most people make resolutions. Some people set well-formed goals. But long term goals are the goals that almost everyone forgets to set.

If you didn’t do this exercise 10 years ago, do it now. If you do, I guarantee that in 2013, 2015, 2020, you’ll not only find yourself living at a whole new level, you’ll find yourself living in another world – one of your own creation.

Happy New Year!

Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

Founder & CEO of
Burn The Fat Inner Circle

PS. Remember, goal setting is just the start. Goal ACHIEVING requires a nutrition and training plan.  Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is the most comprehensive fat loss program of its kind because it teaches you every element necessary to succeed: nutrition, cardio training, weight training and “mental training” (goal setting and mindset).

Click here to learn more about the Burn The Fat program.

Click here to learn more about our Burn The Fat Inner Circle community.

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

Image by slow travel talk

I just came back from a short vacation to India. I had gone to my cousin’s wedding, and as always, I have come back with fresh ideas and a new approach to life. The following are just some lessons I’ve learnt during my short stay:

Lesson #1: Be grateful for the cards you’ve been dealt in your life. There will always be someone out there who is better off than you are, but there will be ten other people in worse situations. This is apparent in India, as you see poverty everywhere from the local food market to the high-end malls.

• It brought tears to my eyes and made me realize how much I’d been complaining about what I had. I’m incredibly lucky to have a roof over my head, food on the table, and two parents that love and support me financially.
• I really have nothing to worry about, and if I don’t buckle down and use my resources to follow my dreams than I’m an absolute fool.

Fitness Application: Use the resources you have to create your training program and improve your fitness. Stop thinking you need to go out and get an expensive gym membership or buy that perfect training implement or book to get the results you want.

Lesson #2: India is a nation with lots of people and very little opportunities. In such a situation, you can’t just sit there and ask for a free hand. Instead, you need to create your own opportunities. This may mean selling fresh juice on the side of the street, or moving to a different state to join a new construction project.

• No one is going to come up to you and say, “Hey I’m going to give you a million bucks for your new brilliant idea.” You need to go and take your brilliant idea and show people what you can do with it. This is one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my promotion with Shah Training – I really wasn’t doing much in the way of promotion.
• You need to be an individual marketer, but instead of marketing a product or service, you need to market yourself as someone who can solve people’s problems.

Fitness Application: Stop looking for free advice or free training. Nothing is free and no one is going to help you unless you show them that you have the potential to succeed. Believe in yourself and understand that only you have what it takes to work hard and succeed with your goals.

Lesson #3: Learn a new skill, even if you don’t want to. You need to understand that you don’t know everything. One of the fundamentals of website promotion is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). There are entire companies employing numerous consultants who do SEO work for a living.

• For a small-time website such as Shah Training, I needed to first master the fundamentals: SEO. I taught myself how to read HTML and PHP , so why couldn’t I conquer SEO? The truth is, that I’m still not an SEO expert, but I’m learning and finally seeing the results from my efforts.
• India has a very low literacy rate, and this showed me the power of the Internet and other resources, of which I have access to. It doesn’t hurt to crack open a book about a topic that may not be familiar to you. You learn by doing, and you succeed by learning.

Fitness Application: You learn by doing, so go do it. Stop waiting around the perfect training program or asking a million different questions on a dozen different forums. Do your own research, learn the essentials, and get cracking in the gym, your bedroom, or in your backyard.

Lesson #4: Fate is a common theme in India. One that took me a long time to grasp. I’ve realized that there are two main ways of looking at fate.

• The first way is to believe that everything that is happening to has already been written, and there is no way out of a particular situation despite your best efforts. And so the best way is to just live life, even if you’re unhappy with your current situation.
• The second way of looking at fate, and one that I prescribe to, is to understand that circumstances are out of your control, such as the fact that you may be born poor, someone close to you may pass away, or that you are involved in a car accident.
• But the most important thing is the decisions and approach you take to improving your current situation. Decisions are within your control. The most important thing is the you make decisions with a willingness to succeed for a better life.

Fitness Application: Don’t worry about a bad day. Make the best of your situation, and just keep going. Keep track of your training and diet so that you can make changes for improvement. Don’t think that some people are predestined to have a great physique and you’re going to be fat or scrawny for the rest of your life.

Use these life lessons in your approach to health and fitness, and you’ll succeed with all of your goals.

Image by AllPosters.com

What I am about to tell you will put every personal trainer, muscle magazine, and supplement company out of business. There is no one on this planet that knows how to perform an exercise right, nor do they know what training program is the best, and they certainly do not know which eating plan will eradicate obesity forever. At this point, I’m sure some of you have an idea of what I’m about to say, but most are completely confused.

What I am saying is that there really is no perfect routine, exercise form or diet. Everything is an improvement, and the only way that you become better is by doing. And so the principle that I want to throw at you guys is:

 

“YOU LEARN BY DOING”

I want you to copy and paste those words onto a word document, blow it up, print out multiple copies and paste it all over your house. No, SERIOUSLY!

The only way you learn and achieve is through action. Each time that we perform a task, we have an opportunity to examine the task with the goal of performing that task better than last time. Better means with greater efficiency and with greater effectiveness.

This concept is very difficult to grasp unless you go out into the field and actually get moving. Just as a scientist needs to perform experiment after experiment after experiment, you need to keep practicing, keep training, and keep learning from your own trials and tribulations in the gym.

And so as we move on as trainees, we will start seeing patterns and insights. But these insights can only be realized if we:

1. write everything down
   
2. be open to others opinions regarding our training
   
3. practically analyze our goals and progress and fix our weaknesses the best way that we can

One way that I identify my own weaknesses is to videotape as many of my workouts as I can. I have seen things that I did not like. But instead of ignoring them, my goal is to improve upon them.

I want the typical gym goer to put these words into use. I will be giving you three exercises to perform in the gym. Your job is to research and learn these movements on your own, program them into your regular training, and then develop your own system of self prescription, where you perform, observe, analyze, and apply with the goal of greater efficiency and effectiveness of the movement(s) you are performing. You may be surprised as to what you come up with.

Here are the three movements:
1. Dumbbell Turkish Get-up
2. Dumbbell Renegade Row
3. One-arm Dumbbell Snatch

Good luck on your journey!

Additional Resources:

Fat Loss Advice – If you want really practical, no-nonsense advice on how to burn fat quickly and easily, then you should check out Rob Bailey’s eBook, “Fat Loss System.” Rob’s running a New Years Sale. His $99 system is selling for just $47, but there’s only 9 copies left. So, act fast! Check it out here.

Success Magazine – “Success” magazine is a monthly periodical that I read to keep me motivated, focused, and hungry. I love reading the interviews on the various successful entrepreneurs from around the world. Each issue comes with a special audio and video CD. The audio part I always have turned on in my car, especially when there’s nothing good playing on the radio. Check it out here.

Book of Methods – This eBook is exactly what it sounds like. It’s more of a manual covering a variety of training methods designed to help you boost your strength levels. It’s written by Westside Strength Coach Louie Simmons. He covers all his best methods of proper strength and fitness development including the conjugate method, contest preparation, and plyometric training. Check it out here.

Trainees have a lot of questions, and it’s tough to answer all those questions at once. But, what if I could create a document that had the bulk of all that information in a simple, easy to read format. The information would be concise, but not detailed. It would be general fitness tips. Things that you absolutely need to perform before you even think about adding any sort of advanced techniques to your training program. Well, here they are:

Tip #1: To prevent boredom, incorporate a lot of variety in your fitness program. This variety can be in the exercise performed, rep/set schemes, or activities performed.

• For example, a common method of program design is alternating between cardiovascular training and weight training. What you can do instead, is to mix it up by perhaps performing two straight weight training workouts, followed by a cardiovascular workout or vice versa.
• Another option is to perform a metabolic conditioning workout (combination of weight training and cardiovascular training) in between your typical workouts.
• Sometimes you need to mix up the implements used as well. For example, bodyweight-only guys should try kettlebells or dumbbells for a while, and heavy strength guys should try out some bodyweight exercises.
• Not only do you keep your body guessing, but you may realize some weaknesses in your body that you may want to fix. I know when I tried a bodyweight workout I found on a forum, I realized just how much I have been focusing more on kettlebell work and not enough on bodyweight training.

Image by getfrank

Tip #2: The goals you set needs to be realistic. We’d all like to lose 30 lbs in 30 days, but if you haven’t been able to lose 10 lbs in the past 10 years, than what makes you think you can do three times the amount of work in a fraction of the time?

• Our bodies are random and weight loss is not linear. The same goes for mass gain. Take it slow and steady, and you will achieve your goals.
• At the same time, you need to set big goals, or else you have nothing to look forward to. Go ahead and set a goal of dropping 100 lbs or putting on 50lbs of muscle mass. This is a long-term goal that may take many months, years, or decades. But it is a place that you want to end up.
• Most people set very lofty goals and so create very aggressive training programs. For example, if your goal is to run a 5K marathon, and you are a complete beginner, then you should not be trying to run the 5K on your first day of training.
• Start small. Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals until you achieve your final destination. Hard work is necessary to achieve your goals, but hard work needs to be coupled with careful planning.

Tip #3: Make sure that you keep a training diary. When I ask people about their diet and training, they give me a general overview which sounds very good.

• Then, when I ask them for their training diaries, they say they don’t write their workouts down. That’s like telling me that when an architect builds a building, he does not take careful notes on the progress of the building.
• Often times we say to ourselves we are doing one thing, but in fact we are doing another. You don’t need a complex system of keeping a training diary. Just start a word document on your computer or get yourself one of those small pads. All you need is to jot down what you did that day, how much weight you used, the exercises you performed, and how you felt.
• Then, when you ask yourself why you have not been able to achieve your goals, you can look back and see exactly where the problem was. Maybe you weren’t lifting heavy enough. Maybe you are trying to lift too heavy. Maybe you’re just not eating enough. Or maybe your eating too much.
• When you keep a training diary, there is no way you can lie to yourself. One of the reasons why people hire coaches and personal trainers is so that they can keep careful logs of how their clients are doing, and give suggestions for improvement.

Tip#4: Figure out how frequently you want to train. The typical workout program revolves around a 3-day per week schedule. However, this format may not be suitable for everyone.

• I always hear people say that if they exercise one day, then rest the next day, it’s hard for them to get back into the gym on the third day. I feel the same way.
• I try to do something each and every day, unless I absolutely can not do it. Some people may have time for only one 30 minute session per week, and so they need to take the best advantage of those 30 minutes.
• Others have completely random schedules. And yet others will find themselves completely devoted to fitness and will be able to take on a six day per week, twice a day schedule.
• Each of us is different. Training frequency has to do with current fitness levels, work and family schedules, and personal preferences.

Tip#5: As mentioned in tip 5, the goal of a personal trainer or coach is to track your progress and to provide suggestions for improvement. But beyond that, if you’re looking for a personal trainer, you want to find one that will yell at you.

• I’m talking about motivation. If your personal trainer just stands in the corner talking to his buddy while you’re working out, then fire him. Find someone else.
• How do you know if he’s right for you? Ask for a free, or one-time session and see what he or she does. If they push you beyond your limits and are not afraid to yell at you, then he or she is a good trainer.

Tip#6: Stay in it for the long-term. If you have not decided to make fitness a life-long journey, then you are in it for the wrong reasons. Fitness is not about impressing the opposite sex or dropping your blood sugar levels just low enough to be “safe” until the next meeting with your doctor.

• Fitness is a long-term commitment. Until you make this decision, you will never see results. Or perhaps you will see results, but they’ll be temporary.
• The moment you return to your old, bad habits, you’ll waste away back to the your old, unhealthy self.

Tip#7: Realize that there is no perfect training program. You need to experiment and choose the one that suits your goals and your personality. There are, of course, certain rules to adhere to.

• First, you should have some form of resistance training program, whether that be bodyweight, kettlebell, or weight training.
• Second, you should have some form of cardiovascular training program, whether that be running, jump roping, or high intensity circuits.
• And finally, you need to have fun. Just as there is no perfect training program, realize that your training program will not give you results forever.
• You can not keep getting new results by performing the same old things. You need to gradually change your program to incorporate new and challenging things.
• Sometimes you may need to completely switch around your training program. For example, instead of perform 3 sets of 10 reps for each exercise, try performing 10 sets of 3 reps for each exercise.
• Instead of performing your cardio each morning, try performing a weight training workout in the morning.

Tip#8: Diet is 80% of the equation, but that does not mean that it needs to be difficult. I personally do not “diet” anymore. I do not count calories, or measure my carbohydrate or protein intake. I do not think that the average person needs to do this.

• All you need to do is identify the bad foods that you are eating and replace them with better foods. I like to make a list of all the foods that I eat, and categorize them into three lists: good foods, bad foods, and OK foods.
• The idea is to double the quantity of good foods, eliminate the bad foods, and replace the OK foods with better choices.
• Also, be sure to try a new recipe or restaurant once in a while. Eating the same thing can get a bit boring.
• However, I personally do not deviate much from my diet. I have found the foods that work best for me, and unless I really need to, I will not be changing my diet anytime soon.
• The key is to choose foods that you love and know are healthy for you. For example, I love peanut butter. A peanut butter sandwich with a protein shake is a great meal to eat right after an intense workout.

Image by tonto–kidd

Tip#9: Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Intensity is the key to effective workouts, not how long you exercise. For beginners, 10 push ups may be an intense workout.

• The idea is to time the workout, and see how many you can perform within a given time. For example, if you can perform 10 push ups in 15 seconds, then try to perform 10 push ups in 10 seconds.
• Once you’ve hit that goal, try to perform 5 pull ups in 10 seconds. Keep pushing yourself, trying to achieve more work in less time to increase the intensity of the workout.
• Intensity is also more practical than simply increasing the work you perform. I few of my bodybuilder friends stay in the gym for two hours. They’ve built themselves up over the past few years, and they have the time to spend two hours per day in the gym.
• Most people do not have that sort of time. By keeping your workouts intense, you can keep them short, and effective. Make fitness a part of your life, not the opposite way.
• Another benefit of keeping your workouts short and intense is that it leaves you with more time for rest and recuperation.

Tip#10: Have methods set in place for consistent progression. This may mean gradually increasing the weight that you use, increasing total reps performed, or decreasing the time it takes you to perform a particular workout.

• There are numerous methods of pushing your body, but you must push yourself if you want to keep seeing results.

Image by www.Wellsphere.com

Tip#11: Make sure you have near-perfect form for all of your exercises. If you can lift heavy, but with poor form, you are setting yourself up for injury.

• In order to learn proper form, start off with watching YouTube videos. I watch hundreds of hours of video throughout the year, and each time I learn something new about exercise form.
• A second tip is to tape yourself, especially if you do not have a trainer or spotter. Many times, I will see myself doing something wrong on tape, fix it, and see dramatic improvements in my workout time and overall work capacity.

Tip#12: Drink lots of water. I feel thirsty all the time, and sometimes it gets a bit annoying. Make it a habit to drink water through out the day.

• Here is a good way of getting your eight glasses of water: One glass when you wake up, one glass before and after each meal, one glass each time you leave the house and each time you walk into the house, and one glass before you get to bed. Before you know it, it’ll be a habit.

Tip#13: Make the best of your exercise area. During the summer, I trained in my backyard. As the weather got colder, I switched to training my garage.

• And now I train in my room. Each time, I’ve used my surrounding to my advantage. For example, when I was training in the backyard, I was able to set up more elaborate obstacle course-type circuits.
• When I was training in the garage, I relied mostly on heavy strength training to get the job done. And now that I’m in my room, I will be focusing mostly on bodyweight training. The idea is to make the best of your situation.

Tip#14: Follow the general hierarchy when it comes to starting a fitness program. Get good at bodyweight training first, then start performing free-weight movements.

• Once you’re proficient with dumbbells and barbells, you may venture into kettlebell territory. There are a myriad of implements out there, but the best implement is your own body weight.
• There are so many guys out there that feel there is no way you can build lean muscle mass with bodyweight training, but are still unable to perform 10 good pull ups.
• Muscle is built by pushing your body and by eating a lot of food. You do not need any fancy equipment in order to gain muscle mass or lose fat. All you need is consistency, determination, and your bodyweight.

Tip#15: Get a training partner. A training partner serves as your own personal strength coach. Make sure your training partner is at the same level or slightly more experienced than you are.

• If you train together, you learn together, and you progress together. It would also help if you two had similar goals. If you’re shooting for heavy back squats, and your friend is trying to increase his running speed, it does not make much sense for you guys to be going through the “300″ workout.
• Have similar goals, and design workouts specifically for those goals.

Tip#16: The last and most important tip: stretch! Stretching is not for women or Yoga practitioners. I’ve often been able to improve my workout times by simply performing a few stretches before a workout.

• The best thing to do is to have one or two sessions per week, 10-15 minutes, where you simply relax and stretch your entire body.
• Yoga is probably the best option for stretching, although running through the usual back bends and hamstring stretches helps as well.

Is there something I’ve left out?

Additional Resources:

If you’re looking for some high intensity workouts using just your bodyweight, then check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution.

Image by noxsoma

The most important thing you need to take into account when designing a bodyweight training program is how much time you have to actually workout. For starters, ask yourself which three days in your schedule is the lightest. If, for example, you say to yourself that the weekends are your only days off then you need to ask yourself if you will actually be motivated to exercise on the weekends.

Some Tips on Scheduling

• My suggestion is to use either a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule or a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday split. You can even perform a 2-day program and train only on the weekends. Choose something that you know you can stick to for the long-term.
• I have found that I am able to stick to a program better if I am training at a higher frequency (5-6 days per week), since this way I feel I have something to do each day. But this choice is prescribed only to intermediate and advanced trainees.

Once you have determined which days to train, you need to determine how many hours per day you have to exercise. Use the following as a guide:

Table One:

Lifestyle Description	Approximate Time to Train
I’m A Full Time College Student	5+ hours per week
I’m A Full Time College Student with a Part-Time Job	4-5 hours per week
I’m a Stay-at-Home Parent or a College Grad looking for Work	3-4 hours per week
I Have a Full Time 9-5 Job	2 hours per week
I Have 2 or More Full-Time Jobs or Work 60+ Hours per Week	1 hour per week

Now take the time you have to train and divide that by the number of days you have chosen to train.

• For example, if you have chosen to exercise 3 days per week and have time for 3 total hours of exercise per week, then your training session will last 1 hour. If you have chosen to exercise 5 days pwer week, and have time for 1 total hour of exercise per week, then your training session will last 12 minutes.

Before we continue, I know what question you have in your head: “How can you get a good workout in just 12 minutes?” You can. I have had intense workouts that only last 4 minutes. I will devote a separate post on this topic.

How much Rest?

The next step is to determine how much rest you wish to take between each set. This will be based on your experience and goals. Use the following two tables to help you:

Table Two:

Fitness Level	Prescribed Rest Time
Beginner	2-3 minutes
Intermediate	1-2 minutes
Advanced	Less than 1 minute

Table Three:

Goal	Prescribed Rest Time
Mass Gain	1-2 minutes
General Health	1-2 minutes
Strength	3 + minutes
Fat Loss	0-2 minutes
Athletic Goals	Less than 1 minute

Choosing Exercises

Now that you have your rep range and total time per session, it is time to choose your exercises. I have prepared a video to help determine which exercises you should focus on and have published it before. Here it is again:

Use the video to make a list of the exercise you will use. The second part of this post will run on Monday. I’m letting you guys use the weekends to really brainstorm this stuff. It’s important.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to Shah Training for free. Click here for more info.

Image by pierodemarchis This is the second installment of the “Shah Training is Not Bodybuilding” series. Yesterday, I talked about how one should use a long-term approach to fitness. When designing a fitness program, one should always start from the “end” first. The end is simply your final goal. Make sure that this goal is absolutely satisfying and something that will motivate you to follow your program on a daily basis.

Finding this goal is the difficult part. Unfortunately, for most of use simply putting on 3 inches on our arms and getting a six-pack is not very satisfying. I found this out the hard way.

What’s My End Goal?

If you were to ask me what my ultimate goal was in terms of fitness, I would tell you, “Oh I want to get a six pack.” Ask me why? And I’d say the following: “Oh, I just want to see how it feels like to have one. It’s like winning a trophy.” But in reality, this is what I was thinking: “I need to get ripped so that I can launch my online personal training services. I need to show people that I’m an expert. ”

Now that is an example of setting a goal because of other people. I am trying to impress my audience, not myself. What impresses me? Here’s a short list:

• Being able to complete my workouts faster then before
• Being able to push myself to the limit
• Training on a consistent, daily basis
• Staying away from all junk food
• Sticking to a clean diet at least five of seven days out of the week
• Beating my training partners in a particular workout
• Learning a new exercise

These are the things that excite, motivate, and keep me going. Not getting a six pack.

What Excites You?

So, the second thing that really differentiates Shah Training from Bodybuilding is that we do not find satisfaction from aesthetic goals alone. There is more to fitness than getting ripped.

Forget about how you look just for one second. What are some things that really excite you about your fitness program?

Well, obvious, isn’t it?

I’ve written a lot of article about my training philosophy and why exactly I am not a bodybuilder.

I’m not these guys! (No Offense) – Image by daioni1976 But I think more clarification is in order. Because I really do not like being called a bodybuilder. Hence, I will be starting a sort of min-series which seeks to pinpoint exactly what this website is all about, and what my philosophy is based upon. I will call it “Shah Training is Not Bodybuilding.”However, I have written about this topic before. So, to get started, I want to point you guys to a few article. I suggest you read them in the order listed.

• What Are the Core Principles Shah Training is Based on?
• How to Choose the Best Exercise For Your Goals
• A Simple Primer on the Shah Training Methodology
• What’s Wrong with the Shah Training Philosophy?

Please post your questions to comments, and I will respond as this series takes off.

Cover image by Malament

The problem that I see with many people who start a fitness program is a lack of desire. I’ve been training since I was 13 years old, and programs were only effective when there was fire in my eyes and determination in my stomach. I wanted something and went out and got it. I paid no attention to see if I was really doing something right or wrong. Heck, I used to wake up at four in the morning and go for a run.

You don’t need to wake up at four or do anything crazy like that to achieve your fitness goals. Just use the following four principles to find that fire deep inside of you:

Decide What you Want

Photo by gserafini

It’s been knocked over you a million times. You need a goal. But so many people still do not have a clear and concise goal. Let me help you. Here is my goal: “To gradually improve my body composition as I improve and maintain my daily mobility, sound nutrition, and athletic capabilities.”

That is what you call a goal. My real goal isn’t to get a six pack, although I’ve said it many times before, what I have come to realize is that a shallow goal such as increasing your arms size, and getting a six pack isn’t really fulfilling. What makes me happy is knowing that I’ll be able to walk when I’m seventy years old, being able to make healthy decisions under peer pressure, and being able to play a sport that I’ve never played before and still be well-conditioned for it.

In short, a goal should be fulfilling. What makes you happy in the long-term?

Decide What You’re Willing to Do For It

Sacrifices need to be made, but which ones? For myself, it means choosing exercises that stress mobility as opposed to body parts. I sacrificed a strong posterior chain over big arms. It means choosing a veggie burger over a pizza when I’m with my friends. It means performing high intensity kettlebell movements as opposed to long-distance cardio. The GPP aspect of kettlebell training prepares you for any sports. Distance cardio is both boring and doesn’t do much for your athletic conditioning. However, distance cardio on an empty stomach may help you get leaner, faster, then GPP work. But we really do not know this, nor do I care much.

Are you willing to sacrifice the 4rth meal? Photo by ross0025

Those are my sacrifices NOW. But, here’s a whole list of things I’ve given up in the past few years:

1. Soda
2. Taco Bell
3. Starbucks
4. Used to eat indian restaurant food every week, up to 3 paratas (bread). Now i eat once a month, and can only eat 1 parata (bread)
5. Used to eat 10 rotis (another type of indian bread) each night for dinner. Now I’m good with three or four, and do not eat each night.
6. Subway – was a big part of my diet, but then realized how many carbs are in one sandwich. No more!
7. Salted Peanuts – Used to be addicted to these. Switched to plain almonds
8. Ready Made Protein Shakes – Lots of sugar, and not very nice on your wallet. Use regular whey protein and mix it at home with milk or water.
   

The majority of your sacrifices will come in the form of nutrition. But, you also need to ask yourself one more question: Will you be able to stick to your training program despite social and family pressures?

The social aspect is huge. You want to go to the gym, but your friends want to go to the movies. Which one do you choose. Which is more important?

Another aspect is entertainment. Some people are addicted to television and will not give up their only free time during the day to workout because of a show they’re watching. Are you even willing to give up your favorite shows to achieve your goal?

Establish Your Program

“What can I do to lose weight?”

Are you serious? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that in order to lose weight you need to eat less and exercise more. There are thousands of programs out there. Start with your goal in mind, and choose your program. All you need is a program that makes a little sense. For example, if your goal is lose fat, then you shouldn’t be on a power lifting program.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how you learn.

And Get to Work

Once you’ve realized your goal, understand the sacrifices you’ll need to make, and have a decent program at your fingertips, the next step is to go out and do it. The more you delay, the less likely you’ll be to start. Stop saying to yourself, “Oh it’s Wednesday, let me start my program on Monday.” Who made it a rule that you can only start programs on Monday’s? The same people who told you that your Chest can only be trained on Monday’s.

If these four points don’t motivate you then… maybe this will:

“I can’t afford a gym membership and the only equipment I have is a jump rope, floor mat, and a 15 pound weight. My goals are to define my muscles, focusing on the abs and chest.”

In my opinion, a jump rope, a floor mat, and a 15lb dumbbell is more than enough equipment to start you off on your goals. Read more.