Training

Plus 10 workout ideas that I believe are more effective and fun!

by Mike Geary,

Now that I made all of the treadmill and elliptical machine worshipers angry… let me say that if you truly enjoy mindlessly pumping away on a treadmill or elliptical (or exercise bike for that matter too), then by all means, keep doing what you enjoy, because enjoying your exercise is one of the most important aspects to sticking with any exercise program…

However, don’t say that I didn’t warn you that you were wasting your time with all that mindless cardio machine boredom.

If I haven’t mentioned it before, I don’t believe in cardio machines, and to be quite honest, I don’t think I’ve personally used a treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike for at least the last 10 years or so.

As a matter of fact, I don’t even use cardio machines anymore for warmups before a workout (I did before occasionally)… Nowadays, I prefer to do dumbbell orkettlebellsnatches and swings mixed with bodyweight exercises as the perfect full body warmup at the beginning of my workouts.
So why do I have such hatred for cardio machines?  Well, here are 5 reasons:

1) Treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes are mind-blowingly BOOOORING!  Personally, I can think of a million things I’d rather be doing than pedaling my way to nowhere!

2) Mindless steady state cardio exercise while watching TV or reading creates a mind / body disconnect resulting in poor results from your exercise routine.  Instead of reading a gossip magazine or watching a cheesy reality TV show on the TV screen in front of the cardio machine, a REAL workout consists of actually having your mind engaged strongly in what your body is doing!

3) I’ve seen studies that indicated that treadmill running may be less effective than outdoor running for various reasons such as stride abnormalities on treadmills vs natural running, slightly less caloric burn compared to outdoor running, etc.

…although I never recommend just “jogging” anyway (or as Ron Burgundy would say, “yogging”) … Instead, variable intensity walks / runs or sprints are so much more effective, training your heart rate in a much wider range instead of just the same pace during the entire workout.  I choose to do a lot of hiking up mountains and also sprinting, but never steady state jogging.

4) Treadmills and ellipticals are ridiculously expensive and a waste of money for people that workout at home… there’s so many better options for home workouts you could have spent your money on rather than wasting it on a treadmill, bike, or elliptical.

The perfect home gym setup is MUCH cheaper… there’s no reason you need anything other than a jump rope, bodyweight exercises, a few dumbbells, stability ball, maybe a few kettlebells (if you want to get fancy), and perhaps high tension bands for some more variety.  And of course… the great outdoors has some of the best workout options of all… hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, skiing, sports, and more!

5) Treadmills and elliptical machines are just a very ineffective way to workout compared to other options.  The metabolic response is much lower compared to the types of workouts ideas that I describe below.  Why should you do treadmill or elliptical workouts when you can get better results by doing more interesting forms of training that actually stimulate a fat-burning hormonal response and stimulate your metabolism to a greater extent…

So what are the alternatives to treadmills, exercise bikes, and elliptical trainers? Here are TEN of my favorite types of alternative workouts:

1. jumping rope – great mind-body connection – try speed jumping, crossovers, and double jumps once you get skilled at it.  An amazing metabolic exercise with one of the cheapest pieces of equipment available.  There’s a reason that every world class boxer uses this exercise!
2. kettlebell training – nothing will get your heart pounding like high repetition KB swings and snatches or clean & presses (can be done with dumbbells too, but I prefer KBs).  Personally, I think one of the most intense body changing exercises ever invented are double kettlebell snatches (snatching both kettlebells at the same time overhead from the floor).
3. outdoor wind sprinting (the ultimate exercise for a rock hard ripped body… just look at the chiseled powerful bodies of world class sprinters, and compare that to the weakling withered physique of a typical marathoner… nuff said!  I generally do wind sprints 2-3 days a week during the warm times of the year, and I’ll do something such as 50 yards, 60 yards, 70 yards, 80 yards, 90 yards, 100 yards, and then repeat (with about 40-60 second rests between sprints).  By the way, for the international folks, a “yard” is just slightly shorter than a meter.
4. hill sprinting – yet another classic exercise for a rock hard lean and powerful body!  I like to do 30 yard sprints up a steep hill and then walk down and repeat a bunch of times for maybe 20-30 minutes.  Amazing workout.
5. The rowing machine – ok, I don’t really lump this in as a “cardio” machine like treadmills and ellipticals… I think the rowing machine is actually a great full body workout that actually uses resistance… The best results come from using variable speeds and really pulling hard to challenge your body.
6. Sprint style swimming workouts – a more muscular workout than steady state distance swimming… I actually love the upper body pump I get from sprint style swimming — this is the same concept as sprinting vs jogging but in a pool instead.  It’s all about intensity!
7. heavy bag punching / kicking workout, speed bag, rebound bag – all are great forms of training and much more interesting than boring cardio machines.  These exercises are also great examples of exercises that require an intense mind-body connection, which is missing in boring cardio equipment like treadmills and elliptical machines.
8. shadow boxing – This is an awesome workout, but if you’re shy, this is best saved for your home workouts since you’ll get some crazy stares doing this at a typical gym from people who think they’re “too cool” for stuff like this.
9. dumbbell circuits — This is a super metabolic type of workout that involves alternating between various full-body multi-joint exercises to get a crazy fat-burning workout in minimal time.  A good example would be alternating between dumbbell lunges, overhead presses, bent over rows, step ups, and squat presses all with minimal rest between.
10. bodyweight training – bodyweight squats, pushups, lunges, jumps, bear crawls, mountain climbers and jumpers, planks, and the list goes on and on.  Another example of great mind-body connection and much more metabolic type of training than treadmills and ellipticals.

Well, I hope this article helps give you ideas on how you can get away from all of these mindless and ineffective treadmill and elliptical trainer machines (and exercise bike) workouts that are just wasting your time and energy that could be better spent on more effective workouts.

If you want maximum results, it’s all about your intensity levels and also your mind-body connection… and that all important mind-body connection is usually missing when it comes to elliptical and treadmill workouts, that most people do while watching TV or reading.

I usually reserve the word “stupid” for things like wrestling an adult grizzly bear, sticking your finger in an electrical socket, or Justin Bieber. But, unfortunately, there are lots of stupid things happening at gyms across America, too.

Now, I don’t like to pass judgment on gym goers. They’re doing something other than sitting on their butts and watching television—and being active should be commended. But I also want you to have a safe and effective workout, so I’m here to help foolproof your workout. Keep reading for three “stupid” things you might be doing at the gym, and the best ways to fix them.

You skip squats because they’re bad for your knees.

Squats don’t ruin your knees; the way you’re squatting does. Many men butcher the move, and then complain of knee pain. And that’s a shame, because the squat is one of the most effective exercises you can do. It works nearly every muscle in your body, and burns a ton of calories. In fact, physiologists at the Mayo Clinic have found that squats place less stress on your knees than leg extensions, a popular machine alternative.

There are some guys who have past injuries or musculoskeletal issues who should stay away from the exercise, but they’re rare. So stop skipping it, and start reaping the benefits of this classic. If you properly execute a good squat pattern, your knees shouldn’t hurt. Here’s a brief breakdown on how to properly back squat.

SETUP

1. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to create a “shelf” along your upper back. This is where the bar will sit. Maintain this “shelf” throughout the entire exercise.

2. Before unracking the weight, step under the bar so it’s across your shelf, and pull down on it. This will help engage your lats—which are the largest muscles in your back—and provide more tension and stability in the spine.

3. Unrack the bar, and take two steps away.

4. Brace your abs, squeeze your glutes, and keep a neutral spine.

DESCENT

1. Push your hips back like you’re sitting in a chair.  (To maintain proper form as you lower, I tell clients to pretend as if they’re crushing a can between their butt and hamstrings.)

2. As you sit back, open up your hips by pushing your knees out. Your kneecaps should stay in line with your middle toes.

3. Your knees may glide forward over your toes a bit, and that’s fine. It’s impossible to squat without that happening. You just want to minimize this glide as much as possible.

4. Push your hips back until your quadriceps are parallel to the floor or slightly past parallel. Going past parallel (110 degrees) puts no added joint stress on your knees than staying above parallel (70 degrees) or going to parallel (90 degrees), according to a study in Clinical Biomechanics.

ASCENT

1. Stand up by thrusting your hips forward and squeezing your glutes. That’s it.

2) You bench press with your feet on the bench.

When it comes to bench pressing, proper technique ensures steady gains and fewer injuries. Unfortunately, I see a lot of guys doing the lift wrong. One of the biggest mistakes: Putting up your feet on the bench. While many guys say it helps them work their pectoral muscles harder, I’m here to tell you that’s just not the case.

Sure, it might help isolate them a little more than the standard version, but benching with your feet up makes you unstable. That means you can’t lift as much weight.

Instead, keep your feet flat on the floor, and drive through your heels as you press up the weight. This creates a solid foundation and allows you to press as much weight as you possibly can. Progressive overload is what builds a stronger bench press and, subsequently, larger pecs—not lifting lighter loads with your feet on the bench.

Other guys put their feet on the bench to flatten their backs. For some reason, they falsely believe benching with a curved back is a bad thing. But have you ever seen a powerlifter bench? They arch their back every single time! It gives them a mechanical advantage to lift more pounds.

Now, I’m not saying you should bend your back until it looks like St. Louis’ Gateway Arch. But your lower back has a natural inward curve that you can maintain throughout the lift.

3) You work your biceps with curls.

Your biceps are the size of tennis balls, yet you’ll work them with 17 different variations for more than half an hour. Stop! There are tons of other exercises that work your biceps while also targeting a ton of other muscles groups. It’s time to get more bang for your buck.

That’s why I have a strict rule in my gym that if you can’t perform at least five strict chinups (sternum to bar), then you can’t do a bicep curl. The chinup not only hammers your biceps, but it’s one of the best ways to work your latissimus dorsi, the biggest muscle group in your upper body.

Strong, wide lats give you the coveted V-shaped torso. And if vanity alone won’t compel you to work your back muscles, maybe this will: You’ll increase your gains at the gym. That’s because your lats and the other muscles of your upper- and mid-back are key to stabilizing your shoulder joints. Stable shoulders allow you to lift heavier weights. If those muscles are weak, however, almost every upper-body lift—including your precious arm curls—will suffer.

If you can’t perform chinups with perfect form, concentrate on the eccentric, or lowering, portion of the move instead. There’s greater potential for growth during this phase if you go slowly and under control.

DO THIS: Stand on a bench, box, or step under a pullup bar. Jump up and grab the bar so that your sternum touches the bar. Hold this position a couple seconds as you try to keep your body from swinging back and forth. Slowly lower yourself until your arms are fully extended. Drop down onto the bench, box, or step. That’s 1 rep. Perform 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps 3 times a week.

 

 

What if I told you that there was one simple breathing technique that I’ve learned in the last few months that can increase your endurance and boost your fat loss… Would you be interested in learning that TRICK?

I figured you would 🙂

Before I share this trick with you, here’s just a small list of things that will happen to you in the next 21 days if you start using this trick during your workouts:

• Burn extra fat  while actually working out with lighter weights and fewer reps. YES, it makes your workouts easier and more effective!
• Oxygenate your cells to make them look and feel a decade younger all in the same amount of time you spend working out.
• Build an amazing body connection that only comes from years of practicing yoga or meditation.
• BOOST your immune system  during your workouts!
• Reduce your risk of injury  during your workouts.
• Recover faster  than you’ve ever thought possible so you can get back to your workouts faster.
• Skyrocket your energy levels  to the next atmosphere and finish your workouts with more energy than when you started!
• And much more!

Ok, now that you know this is some good stuff it’s time to let the cat out of the bag…

The TRICK I’m talking about is soooooo simple to apply that you might even think I’m yanking your chain…

Are you ready?

HERE’S THE TRICK…

During your next workout, lighten the weights or reduce the reps you want to be able to do by about 10%. YES, I did just say lighten the weights, trust me, you’re gonna need it…

From there, do your regular workout. The only difference you’ll make is instead of breathing through your mouth (or your mouth and nose), you’ll breathe  JUST  through your nose!

That’s it!

Just breathe through your nose and try this for next 2-3 weeks. If you do, you’ll see all the benefits I listed above start to happen and you’ll enjoy your workouts much more while getting even better results.

My only warning is to stop if you feel light headed or dizzy. That means you’re going too fast and not resting enough between exercises.