"COMPLICATE THINGS AND YOU KILL IT". This is an expression that's particularly true when it comes to strength training and fitness in general. There's just so much confusion and excess information out there that people don't know who to listen to. It's much better to simplify things and break things down into its simplest form. Look at the basic functions of your various limbs and construct your workout accordingly.   Here are the SIX MOTIONS FOR STRENGTH TRAINING 1. SQUATTING (KNEE BENDING) 2. BENDING (DEADLIFT OR HINGING MOTION) 3. UPPER BODY PUSH 4. UPPER BODY PULL 5. CORE STABILITY (PLANK) 6. CORE CONTRACTION   And that's really all there is…

In celebration of my 50th birthday, I chose to do 50 consecutive pushups! I often hear people refer to "older people" as being 40 or 50 and over. I can truly say that I'm in the best shape I've ever been in! When I was younger, I was stronger in terms of lifting sheer weight, but my flexibility and endurance was nothing compared to now. Balance is key and in truth, although it may be a bit of a cliche, age is just a number!   For information about personal training, click here   

The sledgehammer is one piece of equipment that may of course seem very unconventional. But it does have numerous benefits. Although regular dumbbell and barbell training is extremely valuable, the sledgehammer allows you to train along angles and planes of movement that aren't possible with conventional weights. These movements come from weapons training and in the ancient world, weapons training was the primary form of strength training for soldiers. Take a look at the video to see what it's all about!  

One of the negative effects of this pandemic has been the fact that people are sitting more than ever before. This can lead to a whole ton of problems including poor posture and back pain. Thankfully there are some exercises we can do to help target these things. One of my clients works as a lawyer and sits for many hours a day. By doing these exercise, she's been able to mostly eliminate her back pain. Check it out!  

Dave Draper was really something back in the day. He embodied what people thought of as the California bodybuilder and beach dude, not knowing that he really is from Secaucus, New Jersey. In any case, I always liked learning about his training methods. He favored a faster paced training and often trained in almost a meditative way with his eyes closed.   Of course, his training varied a lot over the years just like anybody, but here is a list of some of his favourite exercises from an old article in Musclemag International written by the late Robert Kennedy. He was truly a…

One of the biggest challenges in the martial arts is understanding proper range of your weapons. A sawed off shotgun might be great at close range, but is completely worthless at long range. One of the best examples of understanding range is from the movie "The Hunt For Red October" starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. In the film, there was a scene where a torpedo was launched at the submarine. Captain Ramius (Sean Connery) ordered the helmsman to move the sub right towards the torpedo which seems like a suicide move. However he knew that the torpedo only arms…

As a general rule, it's easier and faster to drink than to eat. Not that I have anything against eating solid food of course, but drinking something nutritious is quick, satisfying, and nourishing. One of the best ways to do this is with smoothies! I love them and I try to make a point of incorporating them in my weekly meal plans. I personally use a Vitamix blender which is super powerful and can blend just about anything. But for most purposes, any decent blender will do. Usually I use smoothies as an in-between meal snack, but there are also…

The I GO, YOU GO WORKOUT is a great partner workout you can do. The specific exercises you do aren't important. It's all about the workout structure. Each of you will take turns doing sets of 10 reps for either 4 or 5 sets. The catch is that the only rest you get is the time it takes your partner to do their set! It's a fast paced workout for sure, but it definitely works. I've got 2 examples below. One is with bodyweight and one is with weights.   BODYWEIGHT Punisher Squats Pushups Wideouts (pop squats) Kickouts (the exercise I'm doing in the photo) Close Grip…

It's been a great summer, but now it's time to get back to working out! Today's workout is 5 exercises and each one is done for 5 sets of 10 reps. The key here is the rest time. Limit it to only about 30 to 40 seconds and then go again. It's a fast paced tough workout, but it's definitely effective. Here are the exercises.   Seated Cable Rows Dumbbell Bench Press Lateral Raises Front Barbell Squats Hanging Leg Raise   Watch the video to see what it's all about and for information about personal training, click here  

I find these to be excellent for shoulder and arm exercises. Check out the video to see three of my favourite moves to do with them. There are different types of chest expanders available. Some have metal springs and some are rubber. I find the rubber ones to be much better both for safety and also for feel. I bought mine from Lifeline USA. However any type will do. As with all resistance band exercises, you must maintain tension at all times and not let it go slack. This will allow you to get the most benefit from it. Anyway here's…

Wrist and forearm training is often neglected. They may not be a "show" muscle, but they're crucial for overall strength and fitness. You are, after all, only as strong as your weakest link. Check out this video to learn more.   

The ability to remain calm in a real situation can be very difficult indeed. It almost seems like a contradiction. It sounds very strange to relax while you're trying to hit someone and avoid being hit, but you must do this. One of the keys to doing this is learning to control your breath. This is done through Qigong breathing exercises. If you practice these exercises regularly, it will have tremendous benefit to your overall health and the ability to remain calm.   RELAXATION, AWARENESS, INTENT are the keys to combat. You must stay relaxed inn order to be properly aware and you…

Workout games are one of my favourite ways to train in groups. When I used to teach bootcamps and group fitness more, I would often include games either at the beginning, at the end, or both. And although I haven't done group classes for a while due to a certain annoying pandemic, I fully intend to do them again when it's safe to do so. Of course it doesn't have to be a large group. Your family can do it right in your house and it doesn't require equipment either. Even if it's one other person many games can still be…

Here's a quick 4 exercise circuit workout for you. Some of the exercises are tough, but there are always alternatives if you need them. Anyway here are the exercises.    Knuckle Dips Clapping Pushups Jump Squats Power Jacks   There are two upper body exercises and two ower body exercises. This is great for general fitness and particularly for martial arts. Anyway take a look and give it a try.  

The heavy bag is one of the most recognizable pieces of equipment in Boxing and other martial arts. Indeed it's one of the first things that come to mind when you think of the martial arts. It can come in many shapes, sizes, and types. However there are two major categories. One is the hanging type which can hang from a ceiling hook or from a heavy bag stand and the other is freestanding with a water or sand filled base. Top me the best is the hanging type from a ceiling hook. You can of course get a great workout no…

The battle ropes are a very versatile piece of equipment. They're great for strength, endurance, body connection and coordination, and even for training sport specific skills. On top of that it provides am amazing cardio workout and can really help melt those pounds off. In this video, I cover my favourite exercises on the ropes.    One thing to keep in mind always is that you must use the body as one unit. In the Chinese internal arts, we like to say "One part moves, All parts move". With the ropes it's very difficult to not do this. For if you don't then…

Here's a 9 Exercise Bodyweight Circuit for you. No equipment is required. Here are the exercises.   1. Punisher Squats 2. Pushups with Alternating Widths 3. Frog Jumps 4. Pike Pushups 5. Side Lunges 6. Knuckle Pushups 7. Bear Crawl 8. Ape Crawl 9. Crab Crawl   These are done back to back in a circuit. 2 to 4 total circuits are done. It's a tough one, but effective! Check out the video!  

This is an everything workout using the Lebert Equalizers, Dumbbells, and Battle Ropes. Each piece of equipment is done for 3 circuits before moving onto the next piece of equipment. A very solid and effective workout!   For more information about In-home or online personal training, click here  

Jumping on the trampoline is one of my favourite types of exercises. It's fun, it's simple, and it has tremendous health benefits. One major benefit is it helps you feel youthful. Look at kids running, jumping, and playing. They're so light on their feet and moving easily. Unfortunately it doesn't take long before you start to stiffen up and most adults have completely lost that supple feeling. It doesn't have to be that way however. Trampoline jumping is one of the best ways to get that feeling back. Another benefit is that it promotes lymphatic fluid flow. Jumping up and…

This has been a challenging time to say the least. With so many things closed and put on hold, how can you stay motivated to workout and live the fitness lifestyle? The easiest thing is to make small changes. Don't tell yourself that you'll never have a cheat day again. That won't work. All you'll end up doing is driving yourself insane only to end up going nuts one day and finishing off a large pizza and a container of ice cream. I've seen it happen! So what are some of the ways we can do this? Here are three…