Entry 1: What It's Like Being a Personal Trainer

People often ask me what it's like being a personal trainer here in Austin, TX. It's kind of a big question to answer simply, but I can say with the utmost assurance, that it's a fantastic job not only because of the interesting people that pass thorugh my day, but because of the richness of the rewards that accompany people's success' as well. From time to time, I'll have a new person sign up that isn't mentally prepared for the workload and sacrifice needed to make the changes necessary for their health or physical goals. Although it's rare, some people can be overly negative and cynical. These clients never last more than a few sessions because they've created an insurmountable obstacle in the path of success. To be successful in your fitness endeavors, one must have a positive, yet humble attitude. Milestones are slowly but surely reached through hard work and dedication. Without a positive mindset, a person can't possibly reach down deep enough mentally or physically in order to achieve their goals. When people are ready to make changes for the better and they're properly prepared, it begins a slow, but wonderfully fulfilling journey for not just them, but for me as well. People have usually let themselves go for one reason or another and lost some amount of confidence in themselves along the way. With my training methods, that lost confidence is restored through hard work and results that weren't thought of as being possible before they began their training program with me. It's a great transformation that plays out in front of me. That is by far the most rewarding aspect of my job. It was fun when I trained the bodybuilder lady pictured on the front page and she not only won her weight class, but best in show as well. That's a different thing altogether than watching a healthier, stronger, more vibrant and confident person emerge from the person who walked into the gym unsure of themselves a few months previously. Besides the clients who are looking to make changes either for their health or for a personal goal, competitive athletes are great fun to work with because they present a completely different set of challenges. At the same time, so do the the rehabilitative clients. I currently train people with heart disease, Crohns disease, thyroid issues, digestive issues, knee problems, type 1 diabetes, and the list goes on. It's not just the "fit, beautiful people" that I see. It's those that are on their way to a healthier self and ready to put in the time and effort to do it. I can't think of a better or more satisfying job than that. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 3-08-2006

Entry 2: The Importance of Proper Form

When I walk into a gym I'm often left scratching my head when I see people using not just incorrect form, but downright mind blowing, horrible, hope you have health insurance form. There are plenty of novices that are trying to imitate what what they see others doing and haven't been properly instructed yet. There's always the macho men heaving, swinging and jerking far more weight than they can safely or even need to handle. And worst of all, is the people that are with an expensive personal trainer that are getting wrong information. Proper form is very important for many reasons. The first and formost being injury prevention. When we use a muscle to lift an object, we're not just using the primary target muscle such as the bicep while doing an arm curl exercise. You're using your shoulder, back, triceps and core as well. What happens if there's not a sufficient amount of flexibility in the joints, tendons, and muscles is what we refer to as synergistic dominance. It simply means that the stabilizing or assisting muscles have taken over and are now working in conjunction with the targeted muscles as primary movers. If the length/tension relationship between the muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc, isn't correct, things are out of whack and can't function properly. You see this all the time in the person who has their shoulders rounded forward, tight hips and hamstrings, or has a slouched posture. Postural problems don't allow the muscles to be used in the proper way and best case scenario in the gym is the exercise only exaserbates the problem. What's more than likely to happen is an injury that won't heal properly. Through corrective flexibilty training and proper lifting techniques, the problems can not only be fixed, but avoided all together. The other main reason for using proper form in the gym is to receive the maximum benefits for your efforts. When I train my clients, I train them to isolate the targeted muscle group. For example. When we're working the pectorals on the bench press, I'll have the client lift their ribs, squeeze the shoulder blades together and tighten the back muscles before they even allow the weighted bar to descend towards their chest. If these prerequisites aren't in place first, the client will be pressing too much with their arms and shoulders. The amount of pectoral muscle fiber recruitment will be diminished to the point of it being a waste of time and likely to bind up the muscles or cause injury as I discussed in the previous paragraph. Lastly, when using the proper techniques, less weight needs to be used so your joints have an easier time dealing with the loads placed upon them. The muscles actually get far more direct benefit and growth when used correctly with one another than they would from sloppy, reckless lifting. Next time you're in the gym. Think about what you're going to do before you do it. How does this work? How can I isolate the targeted muscle group? Reduce the amount of weight you're using and get the proper form down first. Then you can build back up. Although this time, you'll have done it properly and be way stronger as a result. Still unsure about what to do? Simply ask. That's my job. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 3-13-2006

Entry 3: Stepping Out of Your Box

Most people like to go to the gym at the same time and do the same workouts week after week. Regularity keeps them motivated. The downside of this approach is the plateau that's guaranteed to follow. Muscles react to a change in stimuli. For example, if you're bench pressing 135 pounds for 3 sets of 8 every chest day, you're not going to recruit new muscle fibers and your growth and strength will stagnate. It's better to vary things a bit and use heavier weights for a few sets as well as lighter weights for a few sets. You can adjust your hand positioning as well to target different areas of the primary muscle. This is kind of common sense, but it's something that a lot of people don't incorporate into their routines. I hear it a lot that I lift this much weight so how come I'm not growing anymore? The bottom line is that if you can't keep expecting your body to be able to continually increase it's strength. It's unlikely that you'll be benching 750 pounds to stimulate growth. It's just as unlikely that you'll be running on a treadmill for 7 hours in order to continue burning fat. Keeping it fresh and new will not only make your time spent working out a lot more interesting, but changing certain parameters of your workout also ensures that you keep making progress and thereby avoid the pitfalls and plateaus that we're all susceptable to. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 3-19-2006

Entry 4: Honesty

Honesty, like most anything, begins with yourself. People often times live in denial when the facts and their actions are right there in front of them. I'm specifically talking about the level of intensity one commits to the workout as well as the diet one consumes. I've heard some ridiculous things over the years like "Andy, you obviously don't know what you're talking about because I haven't been able to lose any weight. What's worse is I can't sleep at night either". After a few moments this client let slip that most every night before turning out the lights, she would eat 3 scoops of ice cream with 4 cookies and a glass of whole milk. Another client complained I was too demanding and as a result her stomach hurt. She eventually divulged that she'd drank 7 Dr. Pepper sodas since lunchtime that day. People that come to train with me have to be at a point in their lives where they're ready to admit to themselves and to me as well, what they're really doing. I can't help you very well if I'm not getting the full story or a distorted one at that. Nobody says that a model's body is required and you can't have a few treats on occasion and enjoy a nicely balanced life. That would be no fun at all! What is important to achieve, however, is health, vigor, strength, clearness and longetivity. The only way to help yourself achieve those things is to not try and rationalize your pertanant faults, shortcomings, and habits, but rather to slowly make the changes that will ensure your success. That journey begins within every one of us and the first step is be honest with yourself and see what it is that you're doing and why. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 3-28-2006

Entry 5: Consistency

I've often heard people talking in the gym about how long they've been working out and often it comes up that they're a little disappointed with the lack of progress for such a time investment. I can say for sure that it's been common over the years for people to cancel a lot of sessions and then wonder why they don't look and feel like a million bucks. Those that cancel repeatedly usually aren't adequatedly motivated enough to get results. The only way positive change comes around is through consistency whether you hire a personal trainer or not. That means eating what you're supposed to when you don't feel like it. It means going in for your workout when you you'd rather be elsewhere. Even when you're lacking energy, a good trainer can harness what little reserve you've got and turn it into a great workout. Remember, it's not how much weight you lift, but rather how you lift it. There are plenty of techniques a good personal trainer should have up his/her sleeve to extract the remaining energy stores and put them to productive use. Joining a gym is a great, often times, brave first step. An equally big and important second step is to go there. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 4-04-2006

Entry 6: Light or Heavy?

A frequently asked question of me as a personal trainer is whether one should lift heavy weights for low reps or lighter weights for higher reps in order to build muscle. There's the conventional wisdom saying that in order to bulk up, one must lift heavy and in order to tone up, one should use lighter weight and higher reps. This is true to some extent, however, no blanket training method is surefire. I've had plenty of men come up to me and say that they've been lifting heavy with proper techniques and they're not experiencing growth. Plenty of women have said they're bulking up and never wished to and asked me why. What do I know that they or their trainer doesn't? Often times, the solution to the problem lies in the training method. Everybody has a balance of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers in every one of their skeletal muscles. The key is to recognise which fiber type is predominant in the muscle you're training. For example. My biceps are fast twitch predominantly, therefore, I train them with heavier weights and lower repetitions. My calves on the other hand, are comprised of slow twitch fibers and respond better to higher reps with lighter loads. This is not to say that there are no fast twitch fibers in my calves. There are and they must be recruited as well, but just not to the same extent that the slow twitch fibers are. We're all different,which is why what works for one, may not work for the other. It's rather involved because of the 3 classifications of body type. Ectomorph, Endomorph and Mesomorph. On top of that, the fast/slow twitch fiber composition issue. Once these things are correctly assessed, a proper nutrition and training plan can be put together that will successfully bring the client to his or her goals, no matter what they may be. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 4-19-2006

Entry 7: Results

There's a personal training client of mine I'd like to recognize and point to as an example of what one can achieve with determination, consistency and discipline. His name is Isaac and he came to me in late January weighing 300 out of shape pounds. In the time since then, Isaac has lost over 50 pounds of body fat and put on some muscle to boot. The guy is absolutely unstopable. He not only eats only what I've instructed him, but he's in the gym every afternoon doing his cardio. He's never missed a session and never complains that he's tired or doesn't feel like it that day. He just plain does it and stops when the job is done. Clients and other trainers in the gym smile when they see Isaac because of his work ethic and the very noticeable changes he's undergone as a result. Is he done or satisfied? Nope. We still have work to do. On my end, it's truly a joy to work with someone as motivated and dedicated as Isaac. All my clients have their victories and achievements every week and I'm equally proud of all of them. In forthcoming entries, I will recognize them as well. This time, however, the moment belongs to Isaac. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 4-30-2006

Entry 8: More Results

Isaac has certainly had some amazing progress since he began personal training with me. Another person I'd like to draw attention to is Amy. Amy is just over 5 feet tall and weighs 115 pounds. She began training with me in order to increase her strength. Since then, she has bench pressed 135 lbs on an incline for reps. Leg pressed 600 pounds on a 45 degree incline uphill 6 times. When she uses the lat pulldown machine, she routinely uses 80 pounds and sometimes more! You might assume that she's gotten bulky, bigger, lost her figure, whatever. You'd be wrong. She has transformed her physique by changing her body's composition. Her body fat when we met, though not very high, was average at @ 25%. Now it's in the range of 12-15% while her bodyweight has remained the same at 115 lbs. How does Amy manage to lift so much weight? Consistency. Just like Isaac. She works out when she's supposed to, eats the proper foods, and she has a positive approach. People like Amy and Isaac are shining examples of what can be accomplished when the desire, determination, and consistency are there. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 5-07-2006

Entry 9: Feeling Good

I hear a lot as a personal trainer. People tell me things they normally wouldn't tell other people. I enjoy being there to listen while we work. One sentiment I often hear that saddens me though, is people saying they feel embarrassed or ashamed of their bodies in public. It lends itself to low self esteem and is a very destructive way of thinking. No matter what you look like, you're the one and only you. If your heart is good and you treat the world well, you have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. Our society teaches vanity over health and that is wrong in my opinion. As a personal trainer, I always put vanity on the back burner. Without one's health, there's nothing. You may strive only to look great in a swimsuit, but if you're not healthy and treating yourself well, does it really matter? I believe in strength, balance and health as a way of life and in all my sessions, I approach that as an overall goal. If you eat properly, exercise with me, and we correct your structural imbalances along the way, you'll likely look pretty darn good when it's time to get in the pool. Better yet, you'll be healthy and able to enjoy it not just for the moment, but for a while to come. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 5-12-2006

Entry 10: Choosing The Right Personal Trainer

Choosing the right personal trainer is a very important thing to do correctly. Especially if you're just starting out in the world of fitness. If you make a bad choice, you're not likely to stick with it when it becomes obvious that you're not getting what you paid for or worse yet, when you get hurt. There's plenty of good trainers available. The problem is, there's also plenty of bad ones too. So how does one differentiate between the good and the bad? It's not so simple to the untrained eye (absolutely no pun intended!) A trainer doesn't need to look like what we think of as the typical personal trainer with the big muscles and tanned skin. Spiffy athletic clothing and a gold necklace... That's all nonsense. A trainer isn't a fashion plate nor a fitness model, but a trainer certainly should be in shape. After all, How can you expect them to be able to get you in shape if they can't do it themselves? As they say. Never trust a skinny chef. Secondly, I would suggest working out in the same gym as a trainer that you're interested in and simply observing them while they're with clients a few times. Do they interact and communicate their points well? Do they spend more time looking in the mirror than at the client toiling away in front of them? Are they on the phone or eating? Where's their attention being placed? On themselves or on the client? A major point to look at as well is of course experience. It's quite frankly not too difficult to become a certified personal trainer. It is, however, difficult and time consuming to acquire the knowledge needed and the ability to use it on a variety of clients with different needs. The trainers at big corporate gyms are less likely to be as experienced as those working for themselves. This doesn't always hold true, but it's generally a pretty accepted fact in the industry. When you operate your own business, you are personally liable and responsible for the clients success' and well being. A company employee is exempt from most liabilites and cannot offer guarantees concerning results, etc. Nutrition is a major factor in anybody's success regardless of their goals. In a nutshell, if the trainer doesn't have a good grasp of advanced,detailed nutrition, they're going to fail you sooner or later. Gaining muscle, losing weight or just improving one's health is greatly dependent on proper, specialized nutrition. Probably the biggest thing to look for is compatability. Do you actually like this person? There's plenty of us to go around with all types of approaches and dispositions. Take the time to find someone that you'll enjoy spending many hours with. If it's an uncomfortable or strained relationship, it's unlikely to be productive. Am I biased? Of course. I love to think I'm the best personal trainer in Austin hands down and everyone can benefit from my services. Is that true? Maybe, but then again maybe someone else is a better fit for you. If you'd like to find out for yourself, give me a call and come on down for a free consultation and you can make up your own mind! Andy Bruchey 5-17-2006

Entry 11: Timing

I'd like to thank all the people who read my personal trainer journal. I asked people to send me any questions they may have regarding fitness, nutrition, etc etc and I found myself flooded. One interesting thing I noticed was that many people asked the same question. "when is the best time to do my cardio?" I'm often asked "how do I get rid of this belly or little area?" I respond with nutrition and cardio which of course leads them to ask me what time of day is most beneficial. I'll keep this relatively simple without going into complex biological functions etc. In order to burn fat, your body needs to be using it as a fuel instead of some food you ate or the by product of the foods you've recently eaten. A good rule of thumb is that if you do your cardiovascular exercise first thing in the day shortly after waking, you'll be burning the most fat. The second best time is directly following a good workout. Your glycogen stores will be depleted then and your body will be relying heavily on it's fat stores for fuel. To some, that's a lot of work. I usually just suggest people get out of bed, have some coffee, etc etc then hit it for 20 minutes 3 times weekly to get some good results happening. Cardio doesn't have to mean going to the gym and getting on some equipment. It can easily be accomplished outside in the cooler morning air by going for a moderate to fast paced walk or even a jog if you're not carrying too much extra weight on your frame. If you'd rather hit the gym, then that's fine too. Cardiovascular exercise is a vital part of almost everyone's ultimate success in fitness training. It needn't be drab and boring. Get up a little earlier and go for a walk in a beautiful park or around your neighborhood. Look at all the summer greenery and pretty flowers around you. It's relaxing, stress free, and best of all, it's healthy. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 5-22-2006

Entry 12: Personal Training and Kids

Occasionally people will ask me if I offer personal training for kids. The answer is yes. I have, and do for children ages 10 and up. Is it a worthy investment for the parents? Truthfully, the answer varies from family to family. Some kids aren't willing to do something they're uninterested in just because their parents want them to and therefore are resistant to learning. In cases like these, I simply tell the parents the truth and we go our seperate ways. No more money wasted for them, no more time wasted for me. Some children, however, really take a liking to the new challenges I present to them weekly and do very well. Those kids, like their adult counterparts that try their best, are true joys to work with. If you're wondering if your children should or can begin personal training, give me a call and we'll sit down and discuss it with them. They'll get to meet me and see the gym. If they're interested and benefit, fantastic! If not, there's always flute lessons. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 5-27-2006

Entry 13: Growing Older

I'd like to start this entry off by again thanking people for taking the time to submit their questions to my personal trainer journal on complete fitness design. With all the premium placed on being youthful in our society, it can make aging a daunting proposition. It needn't be scary or make you feel like you're wasting away. Several people submitted questions concerning getting older and realizing their cholesterol levels were nowhere near the healthy mark they'd imagined they'd find them. They also found themselves with a few extra pounds around the midesction. A lot of folks assumed that if you do sit ups, they'd lose the gut. Not true. Sit ups will increase your abdominal strength as well as their development, but then you'll have some nice strong abs under your gut. Proper diet and cardiovascular/aerobic workouts will reduce the fat and leave you with whatever muscles visible you've developed. For the best times to do this type of exercise, please scroll down to Entry 11: Timing. A healthy, balanced diet is essential. We can get away with a lot more as kids than we can as adults. We tend to be more sedentary as adults sitting at desks, driving places, etc. We don't have the same caloric expedenture and metabolic rates going on as most children do. Grabbing a mig mac might taste good to you and seem like a convenience, but in actuality, you're doing yourself a tremendous disservice. You're filling your body with processed foods and fats that are hard to digest and will ultimately clog up your arteries leading to vital organ shutdowns. A fantastic film to watch is SuperSize Me in which a healthy man embarks on a month long quest to eat nothing but Mcdonalds' food. The results aren't surprising. Do you have to stop eating all bad things? No. You can still have your occasional indulgences. Beer during a football game. A dessert here and there. It's all about balance. If you've neglected exercise for too long of a period, then some more serious cutbacks are in order, but for the person who found themselves a few pounds too heavy and with slightly higher LDL cholesterol and triglyceride numbers than expected, a little here and there is perfect to get things started. Making good choices and embarking on an exercise regiment will help ensure that when you do reach the golden years, you'll be strong and healthy enough to enjoy them. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 6-01-2006

Entry 14: Where to Begin

I had a few people e mail me this week of their interest in starting personal training with me, but they were not sure where to begin. They assumed they needed to be fit and strong in order to be ready for me. The truth is, that very few people are fit and strong when they begin. Most people also have some muscular imbalances and tightness' that I need to correct along the way while we're building the muscles, losing the fat and working on the nutrition. It's a big undertaking with results that come one step at a time. Patience, discipline and determination are required. Being in shape when we meet is not. Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 6-06-2006

Entry 15: Tightness' and Imbalances

One great thing about living in Austin, Texas is that there's so much to do. Besides all the indoor activities available, there's a plethora of outdoor activities that are fun, healthy and easily accessible. Last night my wife and I went for a moonlight paddle on Town Lake with a pair of rented kayaks. I couldn't help but overhear a middle aged lady complain about pain in the rear of her shoulder from paddling. She also complained about back pain from prolonged sitting. The problems this woman has are known as synergistic dominance. When a muscle is tight and therefore can't do what it's supposed to do, other muscles have to come in to help so to speak. This creates an imbalance. When your hip flexors are tight, it pulls the pelvis forward thereby shortening the erector spinae. Of course, the left and right sides aren't going to be equally tight so therefore, there's going to be a rotation. For example. With a tight left hip flexor, you'll see a tighter right piriformis, glutes, and hamstrings. In order for the body to perform it's best, the tightness' and imbalances need to be corrected. Part of my approach to personal training is to correct these problems while we're working on the primary goal. In fact, I keep a massage table at the gym for those that are in need of these services. Previously, I have sent people to massage therapists to get the work done, but after quality control issues with too many "therapists", I decided to do the job myself to ensure that it gets done correctly and efficiently. There are no hot stones, oils, or smell good stuff. It's just purely functional deep tissue, myofacial release that puts the tight muscles back into their proper position and length so they can function as they should. There's no extra charge for this corrective flexibility training. It's a part of my job just as nutrition counseling is. Whatever is necessary to help you achieve your goals is what I'll do. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 6-11-2006

Entry 16: Vacations

A client of mine asked me the other day if it would be ok for her to go on a weeklong trip she'd been planning with her husband. I thought it a bit of an odd question until she explained that she didn't want to lose all that she had worked so hard to build. The body needs rest. In fact, several times a year, I personally stop working out for a one week period to let my joints and muscles take a break. Nothing is lost in this time if it's not done too frequently. When you do return to the gym a week later, you'll find yourself refreshed and with a renewed determination towards your goals. Just behave yourself and use common sense. If you overdo the alcohol and sweets, you'll set yourself back for sure. Just find a pleasurable balance that allows you to get away from the routine enough without sacrificing your previous efforts. It's summertime. Go have some fun. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 6-14-2006

Entry 17: You're Never Too Old

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Maine to celebrate my parents' 50th anniversary!! It was a nice family time but it's also good to be back in Austin Texas. I couldn't escape the job though. An old friend of my parents asked me about why her back hurt and she felt stiffer as she got older. I observed her posture and told her where she was tight, etc and suggested a few stretches. She did them for several days and low and behold she felt 100 times better! It just goes to show. You're never too old to get started! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin, Texas 6-19-2006

Entry 18: But the Label Says Diet...

A lady from Austin, Texas e mailed me yesterday and said that she was interesting in hiring me as her personal trainer and that she had already changed her diet to a healthy one recently to get a head start, but that she'd not been having much success losing weight. She'd been doing some cardiovascular exercises and watching her portion sizes, but the weight was clinging on and she was baffled. Where did she go wrong? With some further digging I discovered that she had a penchent for diet coke and consumed several every day. She assumed that since it was diet soda, it was ok and wouldn't interfere with weight loss as opposed to sugar filled sodas. A natural assumption, but one that is wrong. The amount of sodium in a diet coke is astounding and therefore going to make weight loss next to impossible due to the water retention which it generates when you consume many of them. When she kicked the soda out of her diet, she dropped 4 pounds in the first week. She was amazed. Next time you want a drink other than water, consider a juice, unsweet tea, or lemonade (natural). The less chemicals you put in your body, the better off your body is. Cheers! Andy Bruchey. Personal Trainer Austin Texas 6-24-2006

Entry 19: How a Personal Trainer Generates Business

A longtime client of mine asked me this afternoon how a personal trainer goes about getting business. I thought that might make a somewhat interesting topic for todays entry in the journal. Austin, TX has a lot of personal trainers. Some good, some not so good. (You can refer to Entry 10 for my thoughts on how to spot a good trainer) The point is, that the market here is competitive so you must find a way to stand out enough in order to generate your own clientel. I am one of the very few in my field that is willing to guarantee results. I also work in depth with peoples nutrition as well as their corrective flexibilty to ensure balance and precise isolation of the targeted muscles in an exercise. A bunch of trainers will stretch you and tell you to avoid Buger King, but I go quite a bit deeper than that. I've also developed my own techniques, theories on muscle development and nutrition that I've proven successful over the years time after time. That in itself will put you in good company. Again, there's still trainers in Austin that are at my level, so how do I go about generating business? Referals are by far the best. If my clients are happy with my services and with me, they'll be likely to recommend me to their circle of friends and colleagues. I tried advertising a long time ago and ended up just getting annoying solicitations from it. Not exactly a great success! Having a website that's up on the search engines such as google and yahoo is a great way to get exposure. Of course, simply meeting people and talking to them is another good avenue. When someone comes into the gym for the first time looking for help is when I have a chance to make a good impression on them and present my services if they're interested in hearing about them. Meeting new and interesting people is always fun for me so whether they enlist my services or not, I figure I win either way! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 6-29-2006

Entry 20: Nick

In the past I've dedicated this column to highlighting some of my client's accomplishments. This week I'd like to do that again by turning the spotlight on Nick Gabriel. Nick's been training with me 3 times weekly for about a year now. He first came to me in order to lose a few pounds of fat and put on some muscle. With persistence and dedication to his training and his diet, he has now achieved an enormous amount. He has very little body fat to speak of these days and he's very powerful as well. Last week he incline bench pressed 300 pounds. The next day he leg pressed 900 pounds for reps!!!! His cardiovascular conditioning is excellent as well. He not only looks good, but more importantly, he feels good. I'm very proud of all that he's accomplished and I look forward to accomplishing even more with him. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin, Texas 7-3-2006

Entry 21: Strength

One thing I've noticed with a lot of my personal training clients when I meet them is their perception that they're weak. When I put a little weight on a bar, they'll often say to me that there's no way they could lift that. They're not nearly strong enough. To their surprise, they're able to lift it just fine all the while learning the proper techniques. What's funny is that some people who are naturally very strong, will have the same reaction when seeing some weight on a bar. Strength is one of those things that some have a lot of and some don't. With those that don't, I always strive to make them stronger not for the sake of lifting more weights in the gym, but for practical applications as well as their sense of well being. I have a 68 year old lady that trains with me who now when working in her garden routinely carries the 50 pound bags of dirt as if they were nothing. That's what it's all about. She's empowered, not helpless and and feeling weak so she needs someone to come help her. I can honestly say that not a one of my clients is what I would consider weak. Some are stronger than others. The last entry in the journal, I discussed Nick's strength and previous entries have included Amy's strength. How are some people naturally stronger than others? Genetics and background make up an enormous part in that. For the rest of us it's eating right, exercising regularly/properly and having a positive, strong mindset. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin, Texas 7-8-2006

Entry 22: Who You Listen To

Yesterday I had a lady come train with me for the first time. She'd never been to a personal trainer before so naturally there were a few questions on her mind and some myths that needed to be clarified. This lady is looking to drop about 15-20 pounds of fat and add some muscle. A very common agenda. After we concluded our session, she asked me what she should do until the next time we met. I said cardio 3 times and give me a journal of what you eat so I can set up a nutrition plan for you based on your tastes. She looked at me incredulously and said, "but I thought I had to lift weights 3-5 times per week and do cardio until I literally dropped to get the results I want". The source of her misinformation was her "fit" roomate. I reitereted what she really needed to do and assured her of her upcoming success should she stick to this first plan of our attack. Her roomate, the "fit" one who doles out the advice apparantly doesn't do much at all in the way of cardio. She has great genetics on her side. My client does not. The point is, just because someone is fit, it doesn't mean they know the first thing about fitness. I know a guy that lifts weights with the most horrible of techniques. He drinks a lot of beer daily and eats whatever he wants yet still looks strong and in shape. If you or I were to do that, we'd be in the hospital with broken bones, pulled muscles and digestive disorders! The guy's got great genetics. Period. He doesn't know the first thing about proper form, anatomy or kiniseology. Eventually this will catch up to him when he gets older and his body can't take the beating anymore. For now though, he "looks great and is knowledgable". Remember that everyone's different. As a personal trainer, I've seen all kinds of body types, genetics, etc. People have to work with what they've got in order to get to their goals. The trick is knowing where you are and where to start in order to get the ball rolling. Phase 2 and above come later. One step at a time. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin, Texas 7-12-2006

Entry 23: Myths

After hearing so many crazy theories based on heresay, I've decided to clear up a few things this week. 1) To get big, you need to lift heavy weights for low reps. The fact is that you need to eat big in order to get big. Whether you target the slow or the fast twitch fibers in your muscles will depend on your bodies' makeup. 2) Stretching is a bad idea before lifting because it pre-fatigues the muscles you're going to work. The fact is that you should thoroughly stretch and warm up any muscle before working it. Not doing so will eventually lead to injuries. Myth 3)If I want to lose weight, I should cut out my carbs. The answer to this is no. You need carbs. Your brain and other organs rely on carbs as your muscles do for fuel as well. Cutting carbs cuts water. 1 gram of carbs cut will result in 2.2 grams of water shed. You'll lose weight from dehydration before anything else. Too many carbs just like too much protein, will be stored as fat. Moderation is the key and knowing how much protein, carbs and fats for your body is essential. Myth 4)If I stop eating after 6, I'll lose weight better. Maybe if you stopped eating at noon you'd be even better off... Nonsense. It's not necessarily the calories, but rather where they're coming from that matters. Obviously too many calories will result in weight gain and too few will result in loss. You should be eating 6 meals daily spread out every few hours. Your metabolism will increase and your fat retention will decrease. Your digestion will improve as will your energy. Got questions? E mail them or call them in to me and I'll do my best to set you straight. Send in your myths no matter how far out they may seem and next week I'll include a best of the best. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 7-17-2006

Entry 24: Myths Part 2

Last week I attemted to clear up some common misinformation and asked those of you that read this to send in some good ones of your own. Thanks to all those that have taken the time to do so. I got quite a bunch! Let's get right to it. 1) Vigorous exercise is needed to lose weight. Truth: You don't gain body fat because of a lack of exertion. You gain fat because your blood sugar levels exceed what you are using. In a shell, you're eating too many calories at one time. 2) When you reach 30, your metabolism will slow down. The truth is that hundreds of studies have shown that it's the loss of muscle tissue that slows down the bodies' metabolic rate. This can be easily prevented with exercise and proper muscle building diets. 3) Pasta and Bread are nothing but fattening. The truth is that anything can be fattening. Anything ingestible containing calories can be stored as body fat if it causes your blood sugar levels to exceed what the body needs at that time. Bread and pasta are fantastic sources of complex carbohydrates and shouldn't be avoided. What's important is how much you eat and when you eat it. 4) Weight lifting will make a person bulky: Not even close to true. Women are always saying they don't want to get bulky, but they have little to fear. Muscle size is primarily affected by genetics and hormone production. As a result, most all women don't have the potential to build very large muscles without the supplementation of Testosterone and other hormones found naturally in men. Men too don't have to fear unwanted bulking. In order to achieve that look, one must ingest a ridiculous amount of calories, proteins, amino acids, etc and train specifically for that goal. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 7-22-2006

Entry 25: Intimidation

Yesterday I had a wonderful new client train with me for the first time. She did very well, especially considering that she'd never even been in a gym before. Before we got started, she told me with a smile that she was nervous and intimidated by the thought of a gym. That seems to be a common feeling amongst novice trainees. The fact of the matter is, there's nothing to fear. This is a new adventure and we'll be undertaking it together. It's actually quite fun and rewarding. The only thing you have to do is show up and try. What some people can find intimidating is the huge steroided up guy strutting around or the nearly naked, tanned, and toned "gym bunny" flaunting it as you'll find in some places and feeling not quite in their league. As a personal trainer for a long time, let me assure you that everybody, but especially the very thin, weak, elderly, or obese coming into a gym and getting down to the business of self improvement is getting far more respect from me than someone who is seemingly starved for attention and is seeking validation from others. A gym isn't center stage. It's not where one should strut their stuff. That's what you do in the real world and hopefully in a tasteful and appropriate manner! A gym is a place for physical renewal, self discovery for some, and most importantly, a place for physical improvement which leads to better health and a better quality of life. That's why you're there and that's why I'm a personal trainer. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 7-26-2006

Entry 26: Lemonade

One problem we all face at some point is that we have to travel and therefore, fall out of our routines. People ask me frequently what they can do about this. The answer's simple. Improvise. If you're in a hotel with a substandard gym, you can go to your room and get a great workout. Pushups, elevated feet pushups, wide stance, narrow stance pushups, squats, good mornings, lunges, pull ups, dips, etc. Use the furniture as needed for props(carefully) and turn your creativity on! I was in a remote mountain side cabin for over a week in a foreign country and still managed to have great workouts with the help of a few trees and a few blocks, etc. If you're content with the lemons, then so be it. I'd rather make lemonade. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 7-30-2006

Entry 27: Core Matters

This entry will be short and sweet, but I wanted to clear up a common misconception that a lot of my new personal training clients relay to me. People seem to think that the abdominals muscles are the core muscles. They are a different muscle group altogether. The abs are muscles that are actually on top of the core muscles for the most part. The core includes the pelvic floor, the diaghphram, the internal obliques, the erector spinae... These are the muscles that are first recruited in every movement a person does. Their strength is vital for good posture and overall body strength as well. Strong abs are important for many reasons including the aformentioned as well, but if your core is weak, then you need to start strengthening it before you get too worried about bigger arms or smaller hips or you won't get too far. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-2-2006

Entry 28: Sleep

A friend of mine asked me the other day what I thought he was doing wrong. He is trying to put on some lean muscle, but it's not going so well. He's eating and lifting right, but he neglects one key element. He doesn't sleep enough. The body recovers from the workout while you rest. Therefore, it's important to have a sufficient amount if you want to see best results. Even better is to have the right amount of a slow releasing protein in your body as you lay down so your muscles stay nurished throughout the night. That's why some extreme bodybuilders go so far as to wake in order to eat a few chicken breasts in the middle of the night. That's a bit much, but you can make sure you ingest some good quality protein before slumber. Then comes the easy part. You just snooze while your body takes care of the rest! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-7-2006

Entry 29: Reality Show Non Trainers

A client of mine asked me yesterday if I watched the Bravo tv show Workout. I confessed that I tuned in for the first time wednesday because it followed one of my favorite shows, Project Runway. The show basically is this woman who owns a $400/hr personal training studio in Beverly Hills and employs a bunch of meathead and bimbo trainers who create more drama than results. The reason my client asked me about the show was because a client depicted had her first session with the trainer, who in this case was the gym's owner, and was complaining that her bodyweight was up 3 pounds since then even though she claims to have strictly adhered to her new diet given to her. The trainer in the show claimed that the woman had gained 3 pounds of muscle and that it wasn't fat, water or anything else. Was it possible to gain 3 pounds of muscle with 1 workout my client asked? The answer is not even with enough steroids to kill a horse. Assuming the woman is being honest about sticking to her diet for the week, what likely happened is the woman held water and also didn't manage the portion size of her daily 6 meals. A very common occurance. What's also likely is that she wasn't counting the slip ups or indulgences and therefore didn't include them as mess ups on the diet. In 12 years I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard "I've only been eating what you said to eat..." Later the truth emerges and we can make some progress. Tv is tv and drama mixed with ridiculousness makes for good ratings. Don't take it too seriously. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-11-2006

Entry 30: Gym Etiquette

A new client asked me yesterday about gym ettiquette. She was curious what it was like in the "meathead culture". I explained that it's very much like most other cultures. You treat others how you wish to be treated and you'll coexist nicely. There are certain gym rules of etiquette that apply no matter if you're by yourself or with a personal trainer. Here's a few simple rules to get you started. Always allow others to work in on the equipment that you're using. No cellphones on the gym floor. Wipe your sweat off the equipment for the next person. Don't walk directly in front of people that are lifting. It's distracting and very aggravating. Don't talk to people that are concentrating. It's a workshop, not a happy hour. Don't be loud. Last but not least, is put away your equipment when you're done using it. That means re racking the weights, stripping the plates off bars/machines, etc. Nobody should ever have to pick up after you. Be considerate of others and have a great workout! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-13-2006

Entry 31: The Lower Abdominal Myth

A huge misconception is that the lower abs are exercised during leg raises. It can be misleading to judge the mechanics of an exercise based upon localized muscle fatigue. The primary muscle used in hip flexion is actually the Iliopsoas, which is one of many hip flexors. The Iliopsoas, originates deep below the lower portion of the Rectus Abdominis (abs). During the leg raise, the entire abdominal musculature isometrically contracts. The combination of the local muscular fatigue, or a burning sensation from the contracted abdominal muscles, and from the working hip flexors produces fatigue in the pelvis area which we mistakenly interpret as the lower portion of the abs being exercised. Many people with weak abdominal muscles are not able to perform hip flexor or even some abdominal exercises without lower back pain or discomfort. The solution is 2 fold. Strengthen the abdominal muscles through consistent isolation exercises and stretch the hip flexors, glutes, piriformis', etc and then you're on your way to better posture, stronger abs, and a stronger lower back. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-17-2006

Entry 32: What's a Pump?

A prospective personal training client e mailed me this morning saying that she wanted to get more pumped from her workouts than she has been able to get on her own. The funny part was a moment later when she asked me what a pump was... Immediately following a weight training exercise, the worked muscles may seem fuller and tighter for 10 to 20 minutes. This is what's known as the pump. It is caused by an increase of blood pressure which then forces plasma from the congested capillaries into the muscle cells. For elite lifters, athletes, and bodybuilders a pump is vital for putting extra blood into the muscles and thus supplying them with oxygen and nutrients and at the same time flushing out the wastes that are created during the cellular exchanges such as lactic acid and carbon dioxide. For most people, however, there is no real benefit from achieving a pump except for the boosting of one's ego as it inflates the muscles to a slightly larger size. Fluid volume in the muscle and possibly blood volume can decrease when glycogen stores are low thus resulting in the inability to achieve any pump. If this is the case, you're likely overdoing it and should back off. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-21-2006

Entry 33: Machismo

One strange phenomenon I've experienced over the years as a personal trainer is the competitive males who know it all and can certainly outlift any other male in the gym. I urge everyone to leave their ego and/or insecurities at the door and we'll get down to the business of self improvement. These guys, luckily few and far between, will ask how much I can bench, how much I can squat, how big my arms are, etc. All nonsense that has nothing to do with anything therefore, I never answer those questions. How much I can lift is not even of the slightest interest to me. I lift whatever weights I need in order to stimulate muscle growth. No more and no less. Weightlifting and exercise is not about strutting. It's not about how much you can lift in comparison to your trainer or anyone else. It's all about you and only you. The motto of Complete Fitness Design is strength, balance, and health. If you've got that, what else could you need? Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-25-2006

Entry 34: Toning

How do I get toned is what a lady asked me in her e mail this morning. The answer is couple weight training with aerobic exercise and then add in healthy eating habits and you have the most effective formula for fat loss and toning. What is toning? Toning simply refers to the decrease of fat and addition of muscle. The fact is, every year after the age of 25, the average American gains one pound of body weight and loses roughly one half pound of muscle. Embarking on an exercise regime and proper diet can ensure this won't happen to you. While aerobic exercise burns fat during exercise, anaerobic exercises, like weight training or sprints utilize fat hours after exercise. Weight training also increases the metabolism a second way by increasing muscle tissue. One pound of muscle burns approximately 30-50 Calories per day while a pound of fat only burns about three Calories per day. The bottom line is that beyond superficials, the addition of lean muscle will improve your vigor, your self image, and most importantly, your health. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 8-29-2006

Entry 35: Preparedness

Our hard drive crashed a few days ago. Luckily my wife had stressed to me the importance of backing things up so it wasn't a total catastrophe. It was a big pain in the butt though! Firstly, I'd like to offer a public enormous thanks to her for fixing the problem. Secondly, I'd like to offer an apology to those who e mailed me with inquiries and who didn't get a prompt reply. That said, the whole computer problem got me thinking about when our bodies crash from illness' etc and how resilient some of us are and some of us aren't. The fact is, the better you take care of yourself with proper nutrition, exercise, and adequate sleep, the better your body is able to handle adversities such as virus', extended travel, colds, stress, inadequate nutrition when you're in a pinch, etc. The bottom line is that the stronger your entire body is, the better off you are. How do you tackle such a huge task? One step at a time. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-3-2006

Entry 36: I'm Too Tired

As someone who regularly exercises I can understand when a personal training client calls me and complains of being too tired to workout. There's times when we all feel like it would be a waste to get into the gym because you're likely not able to lift any meaningful amount of weight. Here's where that's wrong. I personally have had my strongest days in the gym when I felt tired enough to take a nap. I've noticed that with my clients as well. I can't explain it other than maybe we're rested mentally as well as physically and not stressed out about anything and then when we lift the weights, we're able to fully focus all of our attention to the task at hand. Who knows if that's right. There's probobly a multitude of explanations that could make sense, but whatever the reason, just go with it! I'm not suggesting that every time you're tired you'll be lifting massive poundages, but that rather I've been very surprised by my own performances as well as my client's over the years to notice that something is going on. Even if you feel the workout was a dud like you anticipated, it's still better than not working out at all. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-6-2006

Entry 37: Spot Reduction

I'm not talking about cleaning your carpet or shrinking your dog, but rather the long standing belief that through certain exercises one can reduce fat in a particular area. The 6 pack abs is a great place to start. I've seen plenty of people doing seemingly endless crunches in the pursuit of the fabled 6 pack. What they're really doing is building the muscle nicely so that eventually, should they ever lose the fat, the muscles will be there to display. The fact is that in order to lose a belly, flabby arms, a big butt, etc, you must reduce your overall body fat levels. I could do bicep curls all day everyday but if my arms were fat, they'd still be fat. Stronger, but fat. The way to achieve a nicer body part or area is to work it aerobically as well as anaerobically, and rest it enough. That'll get the body part stronger and more toned. The way to uncover the fat layer on top is to do consistent aerobic work such as cardio while embracing proper nutrition and a controlled, methodical intake of proteins, carbs, and fats in the proper ratio for your body. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-9-2006

Entry 38: Boomeritis

Boomeritis, as defined by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, refers to sports related injuries suffered by babyboomers. As this legendary generation approaches their sixties, they have found themselves increasingly in the emergency rooms of hospitals because of sports related injuries. According to a recent New York Times article, baby boomers are tearing and pulling muscles at an alarming rate from overexertion as well as improper techniques. Youth is fleeting. There's no way around it. Growing older is a wonderful thing if you let it be. There's no reason you still can't have a great, strong, healthy body well in to your golden years. It boils down to the same equation I've spelled out all along. Proper diet, rest, cardio, and weight training. If you're just now getting back into it after a long layoff, it's a good idea to hire a trainer to insure you won't injure yourself with faulty techniques. If you're lucky and get a good personal trainer, he or she will be able to guide you through your nutritional needs as well to help get you on the path for success. Train smart, and they'll be no need for the emergency room. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-13-2006

Entry 39: No Pain No Gain?

The cliche no pain no gain in the gym has somehow persevered probably against a lot of people's better judgement. Pain is your body telling you to stop because something's wrong. In most circumstances, if you heed the warning, serious damage can be avoided. I'll often hear from other weight lifters that they have a pain in the elbow, knee or whatever but they're just working through it because that's how you get results. In reality, that's how you get sidelined with a serious injury. Anytime you feel pain, especially a sharp or piercing pain, immediately stop. Something's not right. It could be your technique is at odds with your body's structure, or worse, you could be doing some damage. If there's been continued pain that you're not seeing disappear with rest, go to the doctor and have it examined. It'd be silly to destroy your body in the quest for health and strength. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-18-2006

Entry 40: Tightness

This sounds ridiculous, but it's been brought up by clients for years now. A lot of people ask me why I don't wear tight fitting clothes at work to show off my muscles in order to attract potential clients. The first reason is because I'm not in the slightest bit vain. The second is that trainers who are acting and dressing like fitness models usually are way more concerned about their appearance than yours and can often be found admiring themselves in the mirror while you toil away unsupervised and that's not how I do business. Thirdly, it'd be entirely too cliche. Finally, I've found that the "better" they dress, the less they know. This business is one where you have to deliver not just motivation, but real results that can last. I guarantee results. Not because I have impressive biceps, but because I know what I'm doing and I care about your success. Nuff said. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-23-2006

Entry 41: Get Out!

With the beautiful weather we're having these days in Austin, it's a great time to get out of your normal routine and exercise outside. If you haven't got a routine, this is a great time to break the cycle and start one. Since the heat and humidity has broken, it's time to take advantage of the many outdoor activities and places Austin has to offer. For example. Instead of walking on the treadmill at your gym, you could go for a walk around town lake. If you want to do even better than that, you could drive to a park and go for a hike through the woods. You can ride bicycles comfortably these days, swimming is still viable with the temps as they are, and of course, just going for an extra long stroll through the neighborhood with your favorite canine or 2. At the gym, I'll take my personal training clients outside and have them do lunges in the beautiful sunny breeze instead of the normal up and down the gym floor. No need to be stuck inside when it's so beautiful outside! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 9-27-2006

Entry 42: The Olympia

Finally Jay Cutler has defeated Ronnie Coleman at this years Olympia. For those of you that don't know, the Olympia is the pinnacle of body building. To win the Olympia is akin to winning the super bowl or the world series. Ronnie Coleman has won the last 8 and was poised to go down in history as the first 9 time winner, but alas he was dethroned by Cutler, his nemesis for many years who was always coming in second place until now. What does this have to do with personal training in Austin Texas? Plenty. It shows you that if you stick to your belief in yourself and continue to make improvements, even against the odds, you too can have your day in the sun. Whether it's bench pressing 100 pounds, losing the fat around your thighs that you've always been self conscious about, or winning the Olympia. Go do it. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-1-2006

Entry 43: Pushing

I've once had a personal training client that would not only ignore my nutrition advice, but balk at the idea of one extra rep, or anything that was difficult enough to put her out of her comfort zone. One time, instead of simply re racking it, she dropped a loaded bar during our bench pressing because she didn't want to continue. She simply let go. Fortunately I keep a hand close and was able to catch it before it smashed onto her neck. She was famous for complaining that she wanted to stop as soon as any muscle fatigue or burn set in, yet she was the first to complain when she didnt see what she had hoped to see in the mirror. Obviously, her lack of progress was due to her inability to stick to a diet and as well as her lack of motivation to push through the discomfort of exertion. In the end, I discontinued our sessions together so she wouldn't waste any more time or money. The contrast to this story is Quincy Despain. She's an 11 time National Champion horse rider. You'll never hear her utter anything remotely close to a protest during a session. She arrives in a positive frame of mind, works hard, and leaves whooped. Meanwhile, we've had fun the entire session. That's how progress is made in a gym. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-5-2006

Entry 44: Steroids

As a personal trainer for over 12 years, I've come across more than 1 person taking anabolic steroids. They provide a quick, temporary edge to the user in strength and muscle hypertrophy, but in the end, they're absolutely horrible. Besides the obvious health risks, they also sway the user's moods drastically causing depression, anxiety, rage, etc. It's been documented over and over how even after 1 or 2 cycles, the user is not the same person afterwards. I've personally seen the destruction steroids carry with them, but as long as they offer a quick, albiet temporary, fix, people are going to continue to use them. It's a shame. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-9-2006

Entry 45: Sales

I spoke with a lady today who had just come from checking out a corperate gym. She said it was aweful because it was one cliched sales pitch after another from the rep. Unfortunately, not everybody gets it. Fitness is a lot more than about looking good. It's about inner strength as much as it is about physical strength. These aren't things that are accomplished by a one size fit's all or insert name into formula type approach. Those people are pushing a product and trainers that push anything really don't have much to offer from what I've seen. You should be comfortable and excited at the prospect of working with the trainer and at the facility. No special deals or sales pitches should be required. If it doesn't fit, don't buy it. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-12-2006

Entry 46: A Team Effort

This entry comes to you from Atlanta, GA. Today, my wife and I took a break from the neuroscience convention which brought us to town, and went to an Atlanta Falcons game. The energy was awesome inside the building as the hometown team battled the New York Giants. Things were going well for the Falcons until the middle of the third quarter when the offense seemed to shut down. Michael Vick was still throwing the ball beautifully and scrambling from the line of scrimmage, but it seemed as though he was out there by himself. His line wasn't protecting him and his receivers weren't catching the balls thrown their way. What does this have to do with personal training or working out? Plenty. It goes to show that without a good support crew, you're much less likely to succeed. Often times I hear from clients that they're trying to stay on the nutrition plan I outlined for them, but their partners, husbands, wives, etc are tempting them away with sweets, and junk foods. This happens all too often. The solution? Stick to your guns and watch as they inevitably join you in the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. It happens almost every time. The significant other doesn't want to be left behind in the rut of unhealthy activities and tries to lure the other away from their new quest. If they fail in this, it's almost guaranteed that they'll join them in thier newfound healthy lifestyle. I call it a 2 for 1 special. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-15-2006

Entry 47: Bored?

This morning a long standing personal training client of mine asked me if I ever get bored with her or other people in the gym. The honest answer is that I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've found myself bored on the job. The few times I've caught myself daydreaming was when the client was resisting and obviously wanted to be somewhere else doing something else. Those times are awkward and get stagnant quickly. Those people get trimmed from my roster within a session or 2 for their sake as well as mine. If they're not into it and not willing to make an effort, I'd much rather have someone else in that time slot who is. The time goes by quickly for me at the gym because I'm sincerely interested in my client's progress and well being. All of my clients are on the same page as me and it's been that way for years. That makes my job less of a job and more of a fun hang out session where I lead the client through a number of exercises in pursuit of their individual goals. Nothing boring about that. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-18-2006

Entry 48: What Do You Bench?

Sadly, some people really seem to care about how much weight other people can lift. It's rather comical when people expose their insecurities and channel them into such a testosterone fueled, nonsensical competition. Lifting weights is a lot like yoga. It's about feel and response from the body and a total mental focus on what you're doing as well as what you're trying to achieve. What other people do and how they do it is completely irrelevant. Some people would do better to stay focused on their objectives and check their egos at the gym door. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-22-2006

Entry 49: Post Workout Meals

An aspiring bodybuilder told me he had heard it was important to eat a meal soon after a workout but was curious as to why. I explained it's important to eat a meal high in carbs and protein after lifting for a number of reasons. They are: 1) Improves post workout recovery 2) Faster rate of muscle glycogen re-synthesis 3) 50% more glycogen can be stored thus giving improved performance in subsequent exercise sessions 4) Less muscle damage 5) Nearly 3 fold Increased protein synthesis 6) Decreases post exercise cortisol levels 7) Increase lean muscle mass Balanced meals are always important, but for those looking to really add some lean muscle to their frame, a meal packed with protein and carbohydrates is essential after a workout. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-26-2006

Entry 50: Body Types

As a personal trainer, one thing I've heard a lot of over the years is a frustrated person wanting to have the look they see someone else with, but they're unable to achieve it seemingly no matter what they do. This is either because they're not training and eating the proper way to ensure success, or simply because the have the wrong body type for the goal and therefore, it's unrealistic. There are 3 distinct body types. They are endomorphic, ectomorphic, and mesomorphic. An endomorph is a naturally large framed, heavy set person who gains weight easily and has a harder time shedding it. An ectomorph is the polar opposite. They have a hard time gaining weight and keeping it on. A mesomorph is the middle ground. Those people can gain muscle relatively easily and are able to shed fat when they need to without too much stress. The truth is, while some people are classic examples of ecto's, meso's or endo's, most of us are a combination of 2 types. The trick to achieving your goals is firstly, to be realistic about your body and secondly to train and eat for your body type. In the past I've discussed fast and slow twitch muscle fibers and appropriate training for them. This is along those same lines and deserves equal consideration. If you've always been heavy set and big boned and you're goal is to look like Lance Armstrong, honestly, it's not going to happen. Being realistic and then working within the parameters of your individual body type will get you the most mileage from your workouts and nutrition, and the greatest chances for success. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 10-29-2006

Entry 51: Incline Sit Ups

Incline Situps seem to be popular with many folks in search of washboard abs, but often times, those same people aren't physically ready to do this advanced exercise. Once the abdominal muscles are developed enough, it's a safe undertaking. Prior to that, it should be avoided. Here's why. During the first portion of the sit up, the abdominal muscle flex the spine. The hip flexor muscles flex the hip to complete the movement. If the abdominal muscles are not strong enough to counter the Psoas' pull on the spine, the lumbar vertebrae can be forced into hyperextension. This can occur during other hip flexor movements as well. This is why it's important to have a strong core, strong abdominals, as well as flexible hip flexors before hand. To develop under used or weak abs, try sit up machines that enable you to isolate the abs from the hip flexors or, if you're a little more advanced, try laying on the ground flat on your back and doing upper body raises without engaging the psoas. Andy Bruchey Personal Tainer Austin Texas 11-1-2006

Entry 52: Big Butt

I had an interesting question posed to me last week from a man who thought of himself as having a large posterior and not wanting to accentuate it from building too much muscle in the gluteal area. He said that he'd heard from a trainer at another gym that doing certain leg exercises would make his butt larger. Of course some exercises target the glutes better than others. For example, leg extensions are barely going to stimulate the gluteals compared to an exercise such as lunges. The trick is balance in the muscle groups. If you have underdeveloped hamstrings, you'll give off the impression of a larger butt. If you have any spinal lordosis, your rear end will be enhanced. If your psoas is tight, your pelvis will be tilted and once again, your butt will be living large. How do you avoid this? Simply correct any tightness' and imbalances and strengthen the surrounding muscles as well as the glutes. This way the length tension relationship will remain appropriate, and the glutes will be a symetrical and proportional muscle group. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-4-2006

Entry 53: The Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is the relative degree to which blood sugar increases after the consumption of food. A food is measured relative to the effect of pure sugar. High glycemic index foods can raise blood glucose levels very quickly, as well as insulin levels. By contrast, low glycemic index foods do not significantly raise blood glucose levels and insulin levels after eating. Pure glucose is given a value of 100 while other foods are given an index number representing its relative effect on blood glucose levels. All trainers, coaches and serious athletes should know the difference between high, mid, and low glycemic value foods and when their consumption and appropriate mix will best serve their intended purpose. I attached this chart below detailing how various foods stack up on the glycemic index for those that are curious. Glucose 100 Breads Cereal Grains Mixed grain bread 28 Oat Bran bread 48 Rice, instant, boiled 1 min 46 Pita Bread, white 57 Sweet Corn 55 Wheat bread, wholemeal 69 Rice, brown 55 White bread 71 Rice, white 55 Bagel, white 71 Couscous 65 Breakfast Cereals Rice, instant, boiled 6 min 90 Rice Bran 19 All Bran 42 Yogurt, low fat, artificially sweet 14 Oatmeal 49 Milk, skim 32 Kidney beans 29 Grapenuts 67 Butter beans 31 Cream of Wheat 70 Pinto beans 39 Cheerios 74 Baked beans, canned 48 Pasta 82 Cornflakes 83 Fettucine 27 Crispix 87 Pear 41 Apple 38 Macaroni 45 Orange 44 Linguine 46 Grapes 46 Tortellini, cheese 50 Banana 54 Potato, mashed 70 Maltodextrin 105 Potato, baked 85 Maltose 105 Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-8-2006

Entry 54: Not Very Funny

Yesterday I saw a so called personal trainer having the gall to laugh out loud and publicly at a "fat client" for not being in the same shape as the trainer thought he himself was in. This person showed themselves to be an insecure, self centered, idiot and has no business in this profession. A trainer is never to judge and mock people. It made me sick to see it. I guess it's true that in every bunch, there's always one... Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-11-2006

Entry 55: Free Weights Or Machines?

There's been a long standing debate and many myths cultured over which is better. Free weights or machines. The answer is simply both. Free weights require the lifter to stabalize with his or her own body while most machines provide that for you. That's an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time! If you want a well balanced workout, you'll incorperate both free weights and machines into your program to get the best of both worlds. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-15-2006

Entry 56: Grunting

This morning I came across an interesting article in The New York Times about a weight lifter who's membership was revoked because he grunted. While it's true that some people are way too loud and annoying with this practice, it's also been found that the grunter will be able to push 2%-5% harder while grunting. The gray area is how offensive and loud the lifter is being. At a gym or anywhere else, a person should never be disturbing others. If they are, it'd be reasonable to ask them to quiet down first and if that didn't work, then as a last resort, they could be asked to leave. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-18-2006

Entry 57: Thanksgiving Feast?

What a dilemma. You've been forgoing sweets, junk foods, and alcohol while working away diligently in the gym and along comes Thanksgiving with a whole host of seasonal temptations. I view this as a great time to test one's resolve and at the same time exercise a little moderation and allow for some fun. For example. A small slice of pie is better than a large one. A small dallop of gravy instead of a bathtub full, etc etc. Have a great holiday and get back to the gym on friday! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-22-2006

Entry 58: Bingo!

When the triceps area on a woman's arm collects fat and becomes jiggly, it is sometimes refered to as bingo arms because it's associated with older women. While that term may be humorous, it isn't necessarily accurate. While it's true that women are the ones who are affected by this, it isn't just older women. Plenty of women in the 20's and 30's are yelling bingo all over the country! As a personal trainer, I'm often asked what can be done to target the area. The truth is that you can build muscle in the triceps, but as long as the person has an excess amount of body fat, the problem won't go away entirely. It's just a place where women collect fat like the breasts, hips, and belly area. Spot reduction isn't possible without an overall body fat reduction. Proper nutrition and exercise done consistently over time will alleviate the problem and before you know it, you'll be in a sleeveless t shirt proudly yelling BINGO! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-25-2006

Entry 59: Why Not Advertise?

A client asked me this morning why I don't advertise my business. I explained that for starters, I'm nearly full and have been for years, and secondly, I think it looks bad. The trainers that I see advertising and/or paying to get their web sites up high on the search engines tend to have a lot of client turnover, thus the continuous need for new clients. I've always believed that if you really know your stuff, genuinely care about the people you train, and give you best, most positive effort every day, you'll be rewarded with return business and referals. It's worked that way for over 12 years for me so I guess that means I'm doing something right! Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 11-29-2006

Entry 60: Reduced Flexibility

A common concern, especially amongst women, is that lifting weights will reduce their flexibility. I can understand where that assumption would come from, but it simply is not the case. A very recent study with 2 groups has shown that the group that just stretched had no more flexibility than the other group which lifted weights and stretched. Stretching is very important for weight lifters as a muscle cannot grow properly without being elongated first. That simply means that if the targeted muscle is tight, it won't grow nearly as well as if there was more flexibility there. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 12-02-2006

Entry 61: Pregnancy and Working Out

I received a phone call from a prospective client this afternoon who is 7 months pregnant and wanting to work out. She was curious if I'd accept her as a client in that state. You can still work out when you're pregnant, but obviously you'll have to make concessions is what I told her. For example, abdominal work is a lousy idea as is anything else that forces you to lie on your back for fear that it may cut off the baby's blood supply. Squats and lunges are ok with light weights for a while with most people, but towards the 8th month or so, they should be curtailed as well. What can you do? Gentle toning and plenty of stretching. Once the big day is behind you, you'll be ready to get back to the gym in full force. But until that day comes, remember, the better shape you're in before giving birth, the better your chances of having an easier time of it. It should go without saying that the better your nutrition is during the pregnancy, the better off you and your baby will be. For now as well as for the long term. Andy Bruchey Personal Trainer Austin Texas 12-05-2006

Entry 62: Over Training

Yesterday afternoon a young man asked me how he could get big quickly. A loaded question if ever there was one! He explained that he lifts every body part twice a week and it takes about 2-3 hours to do this each time. What he's doing is actually undermining his efforts by over training. If you over train a muscle, it simply will not grow. For growth to occur you need to work the muscle, feed it, and then rest it. All 3 are equally important components for success. I suggested to him, since he was an intermediate level trainee, to hit every muscle group 1 time weekly with 9-12 working sets per group. This way there's adequate recovery time. Another good thing about that approach is it spares him fr