Here is a quick video my training partner, Kyle Battis, and I shot in our hotel stairwell in Stamford, CT. We went to a fitness professional conference a few weeks ago, and decided to exercise every morning before the seminar presentations began. These 5 stair exercises can be performed on any stair case, even [...]
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By far, one of the most common questions I receive is how to get great abs. Having a six-pack is considered one of the hallmark achievements by most people. It makes perfect sense that time and time again, great abs has been voted the most desired attribute of both male and female physiques. So, how do you get great abs? The answer is simple, but not easy (it never is). How to get 6-Pack Abs: Q+A with John Sifferman Would you like to know my exact system for ensuring I make consistent and unlimited gains in strength and fitness? It’s pretty simple, but definitely different from the norm. The term “unconventional” strikes a cord when I think about my approach to training programs versus the many others out there. While my methods may be outlandish in today’s age, I base all of my training on timeless principles that have been proven to work again and again. Here is a video about the difference between practice and training which can be applied to every physical skill. Practice vs Training by John Sifferman Many have wondered if the recent Nintendo Wii is actually a decent fitness protocol. After all, there are games like Wii Sports, FIFA Soccer 09, and even Wii Fit. There must be at least some fitness benefits to playing with the Wii. Here is a video that I hope answers your questions about Wii Fitness. Wii Fit Parody The Nintendo Wii has basically accomplished four things in my mind:  Tom Venuto I don’t know about you, but I have always admired a well-kept kitchen. It’s honestly one of the first things I want to see when I enter a new home. I guess I’m a weirdo. Anyway, one of my life strategies is to stand on the shoulders of giants, and mimic those who have achieved success. My friend, Tom Venuto, is someone whom I admire and respect for his attention to detail and his principles such as lifestyle nutrition (I actually work with Tom everyday, with his website www.burnthefat.com). Just for fun, I want to share a video tour of Tom Venuto in his kitchen – he’s quite a character. Just a personal note from me… whenever Tom speaks, I listen. His knowledge of nutrition, fat loss, and achieving the body of your dreams is broad and comprehensive. I’m not a bodybuilder, and never want to be, but I know that Tom Venuto has an amazing message even for health-first wellness warriors like you. Tom is truly a giant, not only because of his natural bodybuilder physique, but also his spirit and integrity. And for those of you who have been wondering… no, Tom is not an “alien life form” or a robot from NASA, the UN, or the future. Tom’s a real life guy.
This is my second post today, so make sure to check out the video in the post from earlier today about a cool pushup sophistication. I don’t normally post twice in one day, but I have to let off some steam. You see, I’m sick and tired of people giving me excuses as to why they aren’t achieving their goals. Just an hour ago, while I was training at the local YMCA (where I go to get away from my office, and enjoy some peaceful training during the afternoon lull), a young trainee walked straight across the gym to where I was practicing a threading hand bridge into an elbow lever for fun. While my body was inverted in space, he proceeded to speak directly at me. So, why did this kid walk all the way across the gym? To tell me… “if I did exercises like that, I would injure myself.” Most people progress in their strength training program by increasing the load that they are using, or altering variables such as frequency, duration, intensity, volume, etc. What most people neglect is the inherent need for the body to learn more sophisticated movements. My Coach, Scott Sonnon, has showed me the errors in the thought process of Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS). The human body craves adaptation and sophistication – not simplicity. Sure, simple goals can be achieved by simple training programs. The process of building attributes like strength or endurance are pretty clear and achievable by anyone. However, simplicity in a training program only works for so long, and it seldom is effective for achieving any training goal other than “general conditioning.” When you have a specific need and goal in mind for movement quality, you need to sophisticate your movement. The great thing about sophisticating basic movements is that it has a cumulative training effect. The more each exercise is sophisticated, the greater the training effect for your body and health. Not only are you working just strength and endurance in a pushup, for example, you are also working in joint mobility, coordination, balance, and perhaps even a feeling of competition (which is supremely important, especially when preparing for an athletic event. Here is one example of what sophisticating movement looks like – an exercise I learned from RMAX Head Coach Ryan Murdock of www.rmaxinternational.com Sophisticated Pushups – elbow rotation by John Sifferman |
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