The time has come – Who’s IN? Teammates, I’ve spent the last 8 years with my head down developing products and workout routines to help folks of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels to take control of their bodies potential. It’s time to take what we’ve learned to the next level and reach those who still question their own potential and natural born abilities – we need to offer these people more motivation to give them a little extra boost for them to take action. 

It’s time to write a book. 

The  book we’re going to write is going to be a simple one – it’s going to focus on the waistline – turning adipose (fat) tissue into Awesome Abs, and we’re going to do it together. The three key elements are: 

1. Philosophy – Getting the mind right to take action
2. Output and Input – Exercises and Nutrition
3. Action Plans – Easy to follow workout and nutrition plans 

The goal is to create a book that inspires and encourages people to take action and find success with their bodies – after all, once they find success with their bodies, they’ll find success throughout their lives. We’re going to help people feel and look better about themselves – one teammate at a time, and I can’t think of a  better team of people to help me, then all of you who have joined me over the years. 

How can you help?

Submit your favorite ab exercises – I don’t care if they’re in a chair, on the floor, or in a boat with a goat!

1. Submit your secrets/tips to succeeding with your body
2. Submit your picture of your abs – waistline (as high definition as possible folks)
3. Submit your full name so we can give you credit in the book! 
4. You know the drill: send email to getfit@perfectpushup.com

Why help us? Because folks that want to help us are those that have learned to succeed themselves and want to share the joy of their successes with others. There’s no greater gift than helping others help themselves! 

I’m on a mission – who’s with me? 

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Find the right teammates. Step Three of Mission TANGO ALPHA. No matter what mission SEALs go on, it’s always as a team, the size of the team is determined by the audacity of the objective – some missions require 32 SEALs some require only 2 SEALs, but you are ALWAYS more powerful with a team. No matter what your goal is, find the appropriate teammate to help you complete it, whether it’s losing 20 lbs or finding your dream job, you’ll be stacking the deck in your favor with teammates that can support you in your pursuit of achieving your goal. Example – it’s a fact, you’ll be more inclined to continue your workouts if someone else is depending on you to show up – not to mention, if you’ve never lost 20lbs before, don’t you think it would be helpful to learn from someone that has?? 

Are you willing to take the first step – that is, Take Action…TANGO ALPHA. You can talk all you want to yourself, friends and family about your big ideas, but until you Take Action, your words are just that – fleeting puffs of breath that are meaningless until backed up by Taking Action. The beauty is, you can do it! Taking Action starts with getting out a pen and paper, and deciding what objective you want to have in your life – then creating the plan on how to accomplish it…don’t know how to accomplish it?

Find a teammate that can tell you! Then you Take Action toward your goal EVERY DAY – each day you Take Action you’re building a new habit that will become a powerful new teammate that over time will help propel to new heights…but remember, habits don’t form overnight, they take time and repetition, so make sure you TAKE ACTION every day toward your goal! 

Enjoy this summer, it’s what summer’s all about. Make it memorable not only for the fun and fellowship you’ll have with friends and family, but also for the TANGO ALPHA mission you’re making happen. After all, if you don’t do it – who will? 

Happy Summer Teammates – make it great! 

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Teammates, it takes a Team and Perfect Fitness has some of the best Teammates on the planet! AKO, I appreciate you fielding some questions from Jeff, a new Perfect user. Folks, stand by for AKO’s Warrior Workout — it’s coming next month and it’s intense! AMM

Jeff wrote in, “I have purchased one Perfect Pushup and one Perfect Pullup. The directions of the workout, says that it is a “2 MINUTES DRILL”.  Simple question: I do 20,12,8 on pushups. Do I have to do all those reps in 2 minutes max? Which will give me like 20 seconds max for rest each reps, or do I rest 2 minutes every rep? My other question, I was training with weights for triceps and biceps. Will doing the Perfect Pushup also train my triceps? Should I quit the weight training?  Does the Perfect Pullup training work my biceps? Will I still get ripped if I train only with the Perfect Pushups and Pullups for my arms?

AKO’s answer: The 2-minute drills call for each set of pushups or pullups to be done within 2 minutes.   As the chart says, good form for a Perfect Pushup or Perfect Pullup means that you go through the full motion of the exercise, taking one second on the downward movement, and one second on the upward movement. 

This means that, if you tested at a Max of 30 pushups and 15 pullups, you would do 20, then 12, then 8 Regular Perfect Pushups per set within 2 minutes, and 15, then 10, then 5 Regular Perfect Pullups per set within 2 minutes.  (The numbers for the other exercises are listed on the workout charts, each set being conducted in the same manner.)   

At 2 seconds per repetition (one second up, one second down), this would mean that it would take 80 seconds to complete the forty pushups you are doing in the pushup set, leaving you with 40 seconds of rest time between the 20-12-8.   Concomitantly, it would take you 60 seconds to complete the thirty pull-ups you are doing in the set, leaving you with 60 seconds to rest between the 15-10-5. 

Now some of the exercises, like standing rows, and some of the Power 10 exercises, would cause you to go over the 2 minute time limit, but as long as you use proper form, proper timing, and don’t over-break, you will still be maximizing your workouts. 

I hope this clears up any confusion.

AKO

Teammates, Mike Ryan, CEO of Intensity Nutrition, is weighing in on creatine. You can post follow-up questions here or on twitter @InNutrition. Here’s a link to Part I, which ran last week on CHARLIE MIKE. Thanks Mike! AMM

“Every body is different, and everyone trains for different purposes and at different intensities. So here is what I recommend:  start with a relatively small amount, monitor the timing of your supplementation and the effects during training, and revise your intake accordingly.   It’s that simple. 

I’ll admit, several years ago I had some less than positive experiences with creatine.  My greatest complaint was that creatine seemed to adversely affect my endurance workouts.  My muscles were just getting too ‘pumped” and occasionally my legs felt ‘heavy’.  Having said that, I was gaining lean muscle, recovering better, and getting stronger.  Rather than modifying my approach, I just stopped taking creatine altogether.  Stupid move. Later, as I focused less on endurance and more on strength and speed training, I revisited creatine and started to experiment with both the amount and timing of my supplementation.  By modifying my intake, I was able to experience the benefits of creatine without compromising performance in other training areas.  The results have been terrific. 

As with other supplements, creatine augments my normal nutritional routine.  Because I get some creatine from other protein sources throughout the day, I skip the ‘loading phase.” I have found that my optimal dose is 2.5g daily taken about 30 minutes before training.  As always, I ensure that I am optimally hydrated and consume some good carbohydrates prior to any training session.       

Considering the overwhelming scientific evidence supporting the ergogenic benefits of creatine, I believe it merits serious consideration as part of your overall nutritional and supplementation strategy.”

TANGO ALPHA — Take Action this summer Teammates! Australian boxer Mark DeMori, knows how to have fun and stay in shape. His fitness equipment: the Perfect Pushup Mobile (2 pounds light) and Perfect Handles. Here he is on the deck of a yacht off the Greek isles! HOOYAH Mark!

Last week’s blog outlined TANGO ALPHA and how to define your objective.  Next up:

2. Understand the purpose of the objective – the weaker the purpose, the weaker your determination will be in accomplishing your goal. In accomplishing any goal, your ability to persevere is your key to success – it’s all about persistence, and the purpose of your goal will power your persistence.

Example: I want to lose 20 pounds to look better in a swimsuit – that’s not a very compelling purpose – however, if you said I want to lose 20lbs because I’ll be able to live longer and do the things  ____ that matter to me (explain exactly what those things are – hike a mountain, run a race, set an example for my kids, attract someone who cares about being in shape as much as I do, etc.), then you’ve got the building blocks of a stronger purpose that will fuel you when feel like slacking on your goal.

What are your building blocks?

CHARLE MIKE — ALDEN

Teammates, I got some good news for you: Summer is here! Now what are you going to do about it? Take (TANGO) Action (ALPHA)! Summer is always known for good times but it is also a Perfect time to reset and recharge your life. Every summer I focus on family, fun and my future…my personal future goals. The first two objectives are up to you, but I strongly suggest you weave in time for yourself and your future. No one else will look after yourself better than you…not to mention, you’re the only one who can make it happen. And to make your goals happen three things need to be in place:

1. Define the objective – what’s the goal – it’s got to be measurable – if you can’t measure it, you can’t reward it, and if you can’t reward it you won’t achieve it! Example: don’t say your goal is get in shape; that’s not measurable, instead, say: lose 20 pounds in 10 weeks with a start date and an end date.

Part 2:  Understand the purpose of the objective.

Part 3: Find the right teammates.

What’s blasting on your iPod while you work out this summer? And what are your goals? Post them here or on the Perfect Fitness Facebook page.

CHARLIE MIKE — ALDEN

Teammates, Intensity Nutrition CEO Mike Ryanis here to answer all your questions about creatine.  He knows his stuff! Thanks Mike. AMM

What’s the deal with Creatine?

I can’t tell you how many questions I get regarding the safety and efficacy of Creatine.  Hopefully this quick blog will help you understand some of the truths and misconceptions about Creatine – and my take on the matter. 

What is Creatine? 

Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that is naturally produced in the human body.  Creatine assists in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a major source of energy for the muscles.  It’s found in many foods, particularly animal protein.  However, many animal sources of protein contain high amounts of cholesterol and fat. For example, one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of raw round steak contains only four grams of creatine, but 119 grams of fat. Porterhouse steak has a bit less creatine, but 325 grams of fat per kilo! 

Is Creatine safe? 

Creatine is unquestionably one of the most scrutinized supplements on the market – over 200 studies have examined the effects of creatine on athletic performance. After years of analysis, current consensus within the sports nutrition community confirms the effectiveness and safetyof creatine. According the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition: “In our view, the most effective nutritional supplement available to athletes to increase high intensity exercisecapacity and muscle mass during training is creatine monohydrate.” (Kreider et al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2010, 7:7)  The position paper goes on to state; “There is no compelling scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals.”

How much should I take?  

The average person uses about 2 grams of creatine per day just to maintain normal energy metabolism. (This is more than twice the amount of creatine found in the average person’s diet.)  According to the JISSN, the quickest method of increasing muscle creatine stores appears to be to consume ~0.3 grams/kg/day of creatine monohydrate for at least 3 days followed by 3-5 g/d thereafter to maintain elevated stores. Ingesting smaller amounts of creatine monohydrate (e.g., 2-3 g/d) will increase muscle creatine stores over a 3-4 week period; however, the performance effects of this method of supplementation are less supported. 

Part II: My Recommendations

This is my kind of workout — the “no room for excuses” kind! Do you have 10 minutes to spare? How about access to a pullup bar? I’m reproducing this Perfect Pushup YouTube user’s advice in its entirety because of its simplicity and effectiveness. He’s mixing it up for maximum results. And it only takes 10 minutes a day. HOOYAH! AMM

Teammates, I’m cheering for the Orange but Perfect Pushup collegiate soccer player, Taylor is cheering for Spain.  Here’s why he thinks Spain will finally win a World Cup:

“Spain has a reputation and expectations to finally fulfill, winning a World Cup.  Unlike most teams, Spain has the mentality that possession wins the game.  This old fashioned notion is very tricky to perform but the Spaniards have the ability, technique, and selfless attitude to carry out this task. 

The Spaniards have been patient with their style, however they will need to press their wide backs upward to create scoring opportunities.  This press leaves a counter attack that the Dutch could capitalize on; therefore, the Spaniards must only press one defensive winger at at time and shift accordingly. 

I wouldn’t count Holland out of the running even though the chance is slim.  We are in for a treat this World Cup cuz both sides seem adequately prepared.”

It’s all about the preparation. Thanks Taylor! Stay tuned for some Fired UP pictures from Taylor and an update on his workout techniques.

CHARLIE MIKE — ALDEN