We’ve seen it on TV– people losing hundreds of pounds and transforming their bodies and lives right in front of us. What would you do if that opportunity came to San Marcos? Would you sit idly by and watch your friends and neighbors change their lives, or would you join them?

This isn’t a pipe dream. It’s a reality.

Heath Herrera, owner of HH Fitness in San Marcos, has just announced his partnership with Personal Trainer Food– the hottest pre-made meal delivery system in the country– Fitness Consulting Group, and the Fitness Revolution franchise to put together their first ever National Transformation Contest.

Herrera says, “I love helping people change their lives. Unfortunately there is so much misinformation out there, and many struggle with finding the right knowledge to make positive changes. This contest is going to help a lot of people make big changes in their lives and hopefully inspire many others to do the same.”

HH Fitness has also teamed up with Diaz Martial Arts to offer local support throughout the community and also plenty of prizes to the contestants.

The contest, which will kick off on January 23^rd all throughout the country, is an 8 week long, life changing event, consisting of proven training programs and workouts, and of course, a nutrition program designed to boost metabolism and promote healthy lifestyle changes.

The goal is for contestants to develop habits that will allow them to turn back the clock, add years onto their lives, and feel confidently about their bodies.

Over 100 fitness facilities throughout the country will be involved, and the winner at each location will be evaluated for the opportunity to win a national grand prize of a spot in a Meal Movement commercial and a place as a spokesperson for the company.

The real winners, however, will be the participants and their families. “This isn’t just a quick fix. We want to help these people get their lives back,” said Herrera

Over the next 8 weeks, we will be providing updates as well as chronicling their journeys online as well as at Diaz Martial Arts. You can follow along at HHFitnessBlog.com for updates, video, and pictures.”

Of course, if you want to do more than just follow along, the National Transformation Contest is open to all applicants who wish to enter. For more information on how to transform your body and your life, contact Heath Herrera at 512.787.2219 or HeathHerrera@HHFitness.com.  You can also visit our sign-up page to learn more and to sign up:  CLICK HERE

Fitness Revolution – San Marcos owner, Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS, is a firm believer in giving back to the San Marcos community. Herrera claims “It’s clear that we all really need to stick together and help each other out when we can. We have a really tight-knit group of campers and they always go above and beyond in helping others.”  We will be trading a free workout for every frozen turkey or $10 donation brought in. Herrera goes on further stating “The San Marcos community continues to be overwhelmingly receptive to our program, so it is an absolute honor to have the resources to be able to give to back to such a great cause.”

Fitness Revolution – San Marcos believes that no family should be left without a turkey for the Thanksgiving holiday. “A basic American right that no family should be denied,’” says Heath. “Humbly, we will do everything in our power to make sure as many needy local San Marcos families as possible have a hot meal for Thanksgiving.”

To make the turkey even tastier for needy families this Thanksgiving, HH Fitness will also be providing one coupon to each recipient family for a free month boot camp membership to jump start their fitness in 2011. Their large group workouts feature a music interval training system that burns nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. Herrera states “We help people get fit and burn fat like crazy with our Fitness Boot Camp Program. The best part about our training system is the host of equipment-free exercises utilized. So even if someone cannot continue with our camps they will be able to keep up with their workouts in the comfort of their own home!”

HH Fitness Boot Camps are currently in progress at Diaz Martial Arts and Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos and the Studio of Dance in New Braunfels. All newcomers receive a free 2-week trial to HH Fitness Boot camps at Fitness Revolution – San Marcos. To learn more information about Fitness Revolution – San Marcos and HH Fitness Boot Camps visit www.HHFitness.com or contact Heath via email at HeathHerrera@HHFitness.com or call 512.787.2219.

The Hays County Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since 1984, the food bank has been providing food to senior citizens, low-income families with children and individuals who are chronically ill, disabled or have otherwise fallen on hard times.  Last year the Food Bank provided more than 2,000 Thanksgiving turkey boxes to those in need. Visit www.haysfoodbank.org for more information. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hays.county.food.bank. The Hays County Food Bank is located at 220 Herndon Street, San Marcos, TX 78666.

The Release your Inner Super Hero Boot Camps was a collaborative effort between the United Way of Hays County and HH Fitness to raise awareness for the efforts put forth by the United Way. In return for a $20 donation brought in by participants, HH Fitness provided a workout at Diaz Martial Arts. All contributions were collected at the door with 100% of a participant’s donation going to the United Way of Hays County.

Pictured (L to R) – Top Row: Jennifer Abshire, Priscilla Delgado, Maxine Schaffer, Dale Shively, Rebecca Shively, Captain Live United, Diane Gregerson, Luara, Daniels, Nick Aluotto, Bill Pogue, and Bill Henry.  Bottom Row: Cory Thornton, Michelle Harper, Daniel Guerrero, Pam Dever, Heath Herrera, Wendy Shanks, Kim Herring, and Shelley Henry; not pictured: Michelle Lenderman

“Amazing super hero workout this morning,” said Priscilla Delgado, a super boot camp participant.

HH Fitness Founder, Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS, YFS1 is a firm believer in giving back to the San Marcos community. Herrera claims “I am honored and humbled to be able to assist great organization like the United Way of Hays County.”  Herrera goes on further stating “It is great to be part of a community that has individuals willing to sacrifice their Saturday morning for such a great cause.”

United Way of Hays County is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve lives of Hays County citizens by mobilizing the caring power of the community in the areas of Education, Income and Health. UWHC partners with other non-profit agencies that provide programs and services throughout Hays County in these areas.  United Way strives to raise dollars and awareness for these programs and services through its annual fundraising campaign.

“United Way of Hays County is pleased to partner with HH Fitness to raise funds for our 15 partner agencies while also promoting health and wellness throughout the community,” said Michelle Harper, Executive Director of United Way of Hays County and avid boot camp participant.  Harper stated after the event, “Nothing like an early morning workout with a best friend and a superhero to get your day started!”

Pictured (L to R) – Michelle Harper, Captain Live United, and Cory Thornton

HH Fitness believes everyone should find a way to take time out of their day for exercise.  Herrera says. “We will do everything in our power to make sure we continue to assist as many local agencies in their efforts to raise funds for their causes through our fund raising boot camps.”  You can continue to make a contribution by purchasing a shirt for $5 with all this money going to the United Way of Hays County.

HH Fitness Boot Camps currently has programs at Diaz Martial Arts and Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos. HH Fitness, a proud member of the Fitness Revolution nation, offers a free 2-week trial to all newcomers. To learn more information about HH Fitness visit www.HHFitness.com or contact Heath via email at HeathHerrera@HHFitness.com or call 512.787.2219.  For more information regarding the United Way of Hays County call Michelle Harper at 512.353.1420 or visit www.unitedwayhaysco.org.

-          Lowering (eccentric) portion

-          Pause (isometric) portion

-          Lifting (concentric) portion

Unfortunately, most boot camp workouts only go at one speed… FAST! 

Lifting weights too fast can lead to many problems, the most obvious one being injuries.  It’s critical that trainees lift with good form to both properly challenge the muscles of the body as well as avoid injuries.  If a beginner who hasn’t learned proper technique just starts throwing weights around they’re bound to get hurt, and if not, they’re still going to be less than satisfied with their results.  Lifting technique is critical for success, and when it comes to the relationship between speed and technique just remember that speed makes bad technique even worse!

On the flip side, the most widely accepted advice on tempo among fitness professionals is that you should lift and lower weights under full muscular “control” in a smooth, rhythmic fashion.  This generally leads to a 2-0-1 tempo.  For example, in the case of a squat you would lower your body for two seconds and then take one second to return to the starting position.  While this is a much safer approach and will certainly create positive physical changes, it’s certainly not the only way to train…

Subtle differences in tempo can have extremely significant impacts on results, as research and practical application have shown that muscles respond differently to varying training tempos. 

In addition, deliberately focusing an entire training session on just one aspect of the repetition range (eccentric, isometric, concentric) will yield great benefits, as well as offer variety and fun to your overall weight loss and fitness training program.  It is this particular focus that we’ll be employing in our boot camp training program this month.

Eccentric Training

Science is proving what many bodybuilding experts have been preaching for years – that the negative, or eccentric, part of a repetition is extremely important for size and strength gains.  In fact, in a now famous (among fitness geeks like me) informal study, Nautilus creator Arthur Jones put Casey Viator on an eccentric-only training routine.   According to Jones, “in five weeks of negative-only workouts Casey added seven pounds of bodyweight while increasing his muscularity.”  In other words, he built muscle AND lost fat!

Eccentric training focuses on slowing down the elongation of a muscle and tendon group. In other words, it serves as a braking mechanism to protect your joints from damage prior to a subsequent concentric contraction. It’s critical to note that the vast majority of all chronic and acute injuries occur during deceleration type movements such as landing from a jump, quickly changing direction, or suddenly falling down. Think of eccentric training as sharpening your brakes so that your muscles and tendons are properly able to absorb kinetic energy and thus control any sudden or repetitive deceleration forces that may come your way. For this reason, it’s second to know for improving performance and reducing the risk of injuries in sport.

For example, when doing an eccentric step-up, you begin standing on top of a box or bench and then slowly take 5-seconds to lower yourself to the floor while staying tall up top and loading the heel of your support leg so the knee and ankle stay aligned. This exercise is unmatched for developing knee, ankle, and hip stability and building your quad and glute muscles to take pressure off of your knee during explosive movements like running and jumping. For this reason, this is one my favorite exercises to bulletproof the knees and is just what the doctor ordered for people with chronic knee pain from conditions such patellar tendonitis (“jumper’s knee”) or arthritis. In fact, if you are unable to do multiple sets of multiple reps of eccentric step-ups with 5-second lowerings on a high box where your front thigh is parallel to the floor at the bottom of the movement in a pain-free environment, then you have no business running or jumping whatsoever unless your goal is a traumatic knee injury.

Why 5-second lowerings? First it’s important to note that tendons connect muscles to bones. Using the step-up example above, your patellar tendon connects your quad muscle to your knee cap. Well it takes a full 4 seconds to eliminate the aforementioned stretch reflex, or stored elastic energy, in your muscle and tendon groups. Subsequently, this is why eccentric training works great in rehab settings for conditions such as tendinosis because it takes the bounciness of the tendons out of the movement and forces the muscles to do all of the work. In this way, the muscles grow stronger to take pressure off of the tendons it works in conjunction with working against deceleration forces.

One reason eccentric training may be so effective for muscle growth is because of the significant microtrauma it causes to muscle tissue. This skyrockets metabolism as the body is forced to busily repair all those damaged muscle fibers. “Eccentric actions place a stretch on the sarcomeres to the point where the myofilaments (myosin and actin) may experience strain, otherwise known as exercise induced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)” (Aaron Bubbico & Len Kravitz, 2010). There’s a large body of evidence suggesting that muscular damage is associated with increased muscle growth, although research is still inconclusive in this area (Brentano et al. 2011; Komulainen et al. 2000; Zanchi et al. 2010). 

Plus, you are much stronger eccentrically than concentrically because your muscles can oppose more force than they can generate. Think about how much easier it is for you to sit down into a chair than to get up and stand out of it. This is why the best way to be able to learn how to perform challenging bodyweight movements like push-ups and pull-ups through a full range of motion is by first mastering the lowering portion. Finally, since your muscles are elongating during the eccentric portion of a movement this leads to greater total muscle recruitment and subsequently a great stimulus for muscle growth. For all of these reasons, eccentric training is a well known tool to break through any frustrating strength, muscle-building, or weight loss plateaus.

However, caution is advised when it comes to eccentric-only training.  It is extremely taxing and can lead to severe soreness as mentioned earlier.  It’s very important that eccentric-only training is performed in limited amounts for a limited period of time. 

Finally, when designing an eccentric-only workout, it’s best to choose exercises that are “self-limiting” meaning that you won’t be able to finish a rep if your form is bad. Also, be sure to choose exercises that won’t place you in a dangerous position when you reach total muscle failure that would require a spotter like barbell squats or bench presses.  That’s why exercises such as push-up, bodyweight row, single-leg squat, and step-up variations work great for eccentric-only training. After all, no one has ever died from collapsing to the floor while lowering from the top of a push-up – but sadly they have from bench pressing.

Isometric Training

An isometric contraction is a contraction of the target muscle in static positions at a specific joint angle in which tension is developed, but there is no change in the length of that target muscle (no movement).  Tension can be developed by exerting force against immovable objects (overcoming isometrics) or by statically contracting a muscle to resist against an external force (gravity or added resistance) that ‘s attempting to force you into an eccentric contraction (yielding isometrics).

It is important to note that isometric training only increases strength at the specific joint angles in which the exercise is performed (e.g. statically holding the bottom of a push-up position about 1-2 inches off of the floor) where the classic dynamic exercises (e.g. dynamically performing a push-up where you lower your chest to the floor and back up to the top position) increases strength throughout the full range of motion of an exercise. However, isometric contractions can improve maximal strength at specific joint angles better than their dynamic counterparts. This is because dynamic exercises are often performed very quickly and engage the stretch reflex – the natural bounciness, or elasticity, of your muscles and connective tissues – so that some muscle fibers will not be fully activated due to force contributions from your tendons. The best example of this is how much more your muscles burn when you slowly walk up the stairs rather than quickly running up the stairs.

Though isometric training has traditionally been popularized by yoga and Chinese martial arts like Kung Fu, it can and should be used for general strength and conditioning as well.  It’s also a popular training tool in rehab situations because as I mentioned earlier, it helps strengthen the muscles at very specific joint angles and weak points. Plus, when properly applied, isometrics don’t place undue stress on the joints like other fast, high-impact dynamic exercises can because it takes the tendons out of the movement (think tendonitis of the knee caused by lots of running and jumping).

Isometric holds can also be used to significantly increase training intensity because you generally are able to hold a heavier weight than you can actually lift (concentric training).  Bodybuilders and strength athletes will often use isometric holds at the end of a set to train “beyond failure” thus creating a greater stimulus for muscle and strength gains.

In a boot camp setting, where the goal is to develop a “tight and toned body” along with improving strength, endurance, balance and function isometric-only exercises can add great benefits.  They’re also mentally challenging and can be a lot of fun.

In this case, isometrics work best with core exercises like pillar variations and postural exercises like resisted scapular retractions and depressions.  Isometric training is also great for single-leg balance hold variations, and specifically targeting weak points of movements such as the bottom of a squat or at the top of a hip extension hold.

Furthermore, isometric holds performed at joint range of motion extremes are great for increasing muscle flexibility and joint mobility. For example, holding the bottom of a split squat with your front thigh parallel to the floor is a great way to not only strengthen the muscles and knee, hip, and ankle stabilizers of the lead leg, but also to increase the quad and hip flexor flexibility of your trail leg.

Now, I believe the best way to get the most out of your isometric training is by opting to perform short 10-second work periods of isometric contractions with brief rest periods between them.

Why 10 seconds for the core stability holds?

Well, it’s simple- it’s about QUALITY over QUANTITY.

When most people perform isometric holds for 30-60+ seconds they tend to spend a majority of the time in compensated positions due to fatigue. This really prevents the trainee from getting the maximum benefit from performing the exercise. In other words, long sets make us weak and make us cheat.

However, if we shift the focus on maximum activation and contraction with short, focused 10-second holds we get more bang for our back.

For example, which option outlined below sounds like it has a greater benefit:

Perform ONE low intensity, wobbly, shoddy front plank for minutes on end OR perform many sets of maximum effort 10-second front plank holds with perfect form and technique for the same total time-under-tension (TUT)?

If you chose the latter then you are indeed correct. If it’s the same total volume (or TUT) there will be greater muscle recruitment with the submaximal repeat set format and thus a better overall training effect.

In fact, it’s quite similar in nature to the whole Escalating Density Training (EDT) format popularized by legendary strength coach Charles Staley in his book Muscle Logic. Staley claims that better short and long-term results will occur from multiple sets of submaximal reps then a single set of maximal effort.

I believe this whole 10-second core stability concept stemmed from Gray Cook who is a world-renowned physical therapist well known for his Functional Movement Screen (FMS).

Here is what master Physical Therapist Dr. Kareem Samhouri says about the whole 10-second isometric hold concept and here’s his direct reply:

“10 seconds for isometrics?  I give exception to the plank b/c your ‘core’ needs to be ‘on’ for up to 60-90 seconds at a time during various activities.  Athletes need to go longer than this if they are endurance athletes, but this is not max contraction. Other exercises, with a non-lengthening/shortening contraction, as follows:

 - Your muscle takes 2 seconds to ramp up intensity

- You can sustain maximal motor unit recruitment for 6 seconds

- Your muscle will then ramp down for 2 seconds

- 2 + 6 + 2 = 10 seconds: The optimal isometric contraction is 10 seconds as a result

Hope this helps!”

Does this mean you can or should never do 30-60+ second core stability holds again?

NO!

As Dr. K noted, long-duration core stability holds have their place for endurance athletes or people with advanced core stability.

But it does mean that 10 seconds is the optimal length of time to work on isometric strength and it’s most likely a better fit for the general population, especially for entry-level core programming.

There isn’t much in the way of studies or literature supporting this 10-second core stability concept, but I’m sure there will be in the years to come as some of the top trainers and coaches in the world are using it with great success with their clients and athletes.

Concentric Training

 The concentric portion of a muscular contraction is the most obvious portion.  It’s the lifting, pressing or pulling portion.

Oftentimes, uneducated or sloppy lifters will only focus on the concentric portion of an exercise by lifting the weight in a controlled fashion only to follow it by “dropping” the weight back to the starting position.  Just picture your gym-rat meathead who grunts his way through a way-too-heavy bench press and then drops the weight back to his chest before moaning his way through another ugly rep.  This has proven to be a very ineffective way of training for long-term gains, and is also more likely to lead to injuries.

However, when performed properly, concentric “focused” training has a significant place in your overall training regimen.  Let’s take a closer look…

First, let’s quickly review Olympic lifting.  The Olympic lifts consist of the clean & jerk and the snatch.  These lifts are entirely concentric because the lifter’s only goal is to rip the weight off the floor and get it to the end position.  Once achieved, the lifter will actually drop the weight…there is no eccentric portion to the exercise. 

You certainly can’t argue with the athleticism and fitness level of these lifters.  In fact, some would say that the Olympic lifts and their component exercises are the most beneficial exercises for total fitness.  After all, these exercises involve the entire body as one functional unit, place a tremendous workload on the muscular and cardiovascular system, burn a ton of calories in a short period of time, and create an enormous post-workout metabolic boost.  Pretty awesome, right?

Of course, not everyone has access to Olympic lifting equipment or a qualified Olympic lifting coach, but there are other ways to perform concentric-focused workouts.  For one, kettlebell variations can be just as effective, are generally easier to learn, and are far more convenient than traditional Olympic barbell lifts. 

Another variation on the concentric-focused training theme is to select exercises that focus on explosive movements like punching, kicking, throwing, and spearing.  You can also use ropes for pulling and sleds for dragging.  The options are endless…

Tempo Interval Training Boot Camp Template

Workout A- Eccentric Training

Workout B- Isometric Training

Workout C- Concentric Training

Continuing research shows when we perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for maximum fat loss and fitness results it’s best to perform exercises in a non-competing circuit fashion.  There are a number of different ways to perform non-competing or alternating sets and each has its own merit:

• Supersets: Alternate between 2 different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as pushups and lunges)

• Trisets: Alternate between 3 different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as pushups, rows, and lunges)

• Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

However, every once in a while it’s fun AND effective to take a different approach – a more old school approach with a new school twist…

I’d like to share one of my new personal favorites; and to my surprise, a program design absolutely loved by my boot camp clients as well.  It is called BODYBUILDING BOOT CAMP!

BODYBUILDING BOOT CAMP (BB) combines classic old-school bodybuilding style training with new-school metabolic training for maximum muscle building and fat melting results.  This program is really gonna burn…

”Oh, it’s a deep burn.  Oh, It’s so deep.

Oh, I can barely lift my right arm ‘cause I did so many.

I don’t know if you heard me counting; I did over 1000.”

BB is a method of intentionally overloading each target muscle group by performing consecutive sets of the same exercise with short rest periods between sets in an effort to stimulate maximum hypertrophy – much like a bodybuilder would.

Hypertrophy is just a fancy word for muscle growth.

Hypertrophy training employs moderate to heavy loads (65 – 85% of your 1-Rep max) and moderate to high volume (3-6 sets of 6-15 reps). Sets must be performed to momentary muscle failure.

Momentary muscle failure is pretty much what it sounds like.  You lift a weight until you simply cannot lift it anymore.  This is beyond the point of muscle fatigue.  Your goal is to select a resistance where your muscles completely fail at a predetermined number of reps or time under tension.  This may sound scary, but it’s really nothing to worry about.  In fact, once you get used to it it’s a lot of fun and it really shows you what you’re made of!

When you train at this level of intensity you send the signal for muscle growth.  Remember, we want muscle growth because lean muscle tissue is highly metabolic.  In other words, the more muscle we have the more calories we burn at rest and the more fat we can melt off over the long-haul. J

In fact, some studies show that for every pound of muscle we add to our bodies we increase our daily caloric burn by about 50 calories. That means if a person gained just 5 pounds of muscle they would burn an extra 250 calories per day or 1750 calories per week.  That’s equivalent to ½ pound of fat loss per week while at rest!! Though many experts disagree over the exact number of calories burned with each additional pound of muscle gain, they all agree that you do burn more calories each day with every pound of muscle you do gain and that’s good enough for me!

I know what you’re thinking…

“Am I going to end up looking like some sort of muscle freak??”

DON’T WORRY!  YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET BIG AND BULKY!

We’re not talking about massive gains in muscle like professional bodybuilders train for (often under the influence of powerful and illegal performance-enhancing drugs).  One pound of muscle is only about the size of your fist- hardly noticeable when spread across your entire body.

And here’s a quick disclaimer for all the ladies- please know that you have 10-20 times less testosterone (a top muscle-building hormone) than men do, and there are lots of men who struggle to gain size and put on muscle.

In other words, you’re not going to rip through your clothing and start looking like the Hulk (unless you eat like him and experiment with high doses of gamma radiation). Rather, you’re gonna come away with a tighter, more toned physique and a couple more cuts in your arms, legs, and shoulders to boot!

Now, how exactly do we combine the benefits of a traditional bodybuilding workout with the proven efficiency and effectiveness of high-intensity interval training like we perform in our boot camp workouts?

That’s where my BODYBUILDING BOOT CAMP program comes in:

Alternate between 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest for a single exercise for 4 consecutive rounds followed by a 1-minute transition period. Perform 4 total cycles for a 20-minute workout.

Many muscle-building experts believe that 120 seconds of time-under-tension (TUT) for each body part is ideal for maximum hypertrophy and this is accomplished with the 30-30 for 4 rounds protocol.

You also need to select a load or an exercise variation that sufficiently challenges your muscles for about 6-15 reps in each 30-second work period. Intensity is the key to stimulating maximum muscle-growth and you absolutely need to push it to the limit while maintaining perfect form and technique on every set, particular towards the 3^rd and 4^th rounds when it’s starts to really burn.

The short, incomplete 30-second rest periods heavily exhaust your working muscles and stimulate the release of growth hormone (a potent muscle-builder and fat-burner) to shock your body and make it change for the better.

There are 4 total exercises within each workout that work your whole body, though some of the workouts will preferentially work certain areas of the body more than others. Why? Well, that’s just my little secret, he he! Of course, if I’d told you then I’d have to kill you

Below is a sample outline of this month’s program design:

BODYBUILDING BOOTCAMP

Workout A

Workout B

Workout C

It’s critical to note that since we’ll be performing straights sets of a single exercise with maximum intensity and an incomplete rest between sets, these workouts will generate a lot more delayed muscle soreness than usual.

The key to mitigating this soreness is by:

-      Performing body-part specific stretches and flexibility training during the rest and transition periods

-      Performing lots of self-massage both pre and post-workout on any sore and tight muscle groups via foam rollers, softballs, tennis balls, rolling pins, etc.

-      Drinking lots of water and consuming at least 20-30 g of complete protein before and after your workouts and every 2-4 hours throughout the day

One final thought…

I threw in a special 60-second metabolic finisher employing a total body exercise just to make sure we really ramp that heart rate up and cause an additional metabolic disturbance and thus a greatest post-workout afterburn.

Now, I need you to get mentally ready because this programming is EXTREMELY INTENSE.  I recommend it only be used for a short period of time (I like 3-6 weeks) followed by a mandatory active recovery week. In fact, most of the muscle growth will probably occur during the rest week as your muscles finally get to truly regenerate after 3 weeks of pushing them to the max.

OK.  Enough talk.  Let’s build some muscle baby!

Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS, YFS1

HH Fitness, a proud member of the Fitness Revolution nation

If it was easy, everyone would do it!

Bodybuilder Boot Camp Trailer from Workout Muse

To learn more about Workout Muse >>CLICK HERE<<

Stay tuned for the method behind the madness

HH Fitness, a proud member of the Fitness Revolution nation, is gearing up for their Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Boot Camp. This event will benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Central Texas to bring awareness about child abuse. Participants are asked to wear blue shirts to show support for the prevention of child abuse. The event is open to the general public and has a minimum cost of $20 per attendee with all of the proceeds going to CASA of Central Texas.

This event creates an environment unlike any other fitness program in the San Marcos area. “Being consistent with your workouts is not easy,” says Heath Herrera, Owner HH Fitness Boot Camps. “We created this event to assist with CASA’s efforts to bring awareness and prevent child abuse in Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe, and Hays counties.” To create a memorable experience for the participants, the workout is set to the A.B.S. interval training music soundtracks powered by Workout Muse.

Music is an integral part of HH Fitness Boot Camps because all workouts are performed while listening to soundtracks that provide fat-melting interval training instructions and countdowns that tell campers exactly what to do. This allows the instructor to focus on coaching proper form and technique rather than looking at the clock.

CASA of Central Texas Executive Director Norma Castilla-Blackwell said it is events like these that highlight the need for the community to get involved in the fight against child abuse. “We greatly appreciate HH Fitness for using their forum as a way to educate the community that child abuse is happening right here in our backyard,” she said. “We need more people to take a stand against child abuse and let people know that there are ways to get involved.”

The day of this special boot camp is the last day of Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. We are asking all participants to not forget to “go blue” by wearing a blue shirt to the workout to show your support. Don’t let April be the only month you take efforts to make a difference in the life of a child.  For more information about CASA or to become a CASA volunteer, visit www.casacentex.org, or call (512) 392-3578 or (830) 626-2272.  What are you going to do beyond this month or even this workout to be the difference maker?

The Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Boot Camp will be held on Saturday, April 30^th at 8:30 am at Diaz Martial Arts (170 S. LBJ Dr., San Marcos, TX). For more information on this event, please go to www.HHFitness.com and click on the “CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION” tab in the main navigation menu. HH Fitness can also be reached via email at HeathHerrera@HHFitness.com and via phone at 512-787-2219.

In this video I had the opportunity to work with Greg Neal the owner of Core Running Company.  We cover some important areas you may want to focus on after a run or a great workout.  I have also included content that went out to my e-mail list a few months back that covers ways to minimize muscle and joint pain.  Continue reading after you watch the video.

A few months back I read an incredible fitness newsletter from world renowned Physical Therapist Dr. Kareem Samhouri and my partners at Workout Muse about the concept of how muscle works and why you get knots in them sometimes- something that ends up causing muscle and joint pain btw…

It was so good that I asked them if I could use the newsletter verbatim to share with our HH Fitness followers and thankfully they agreed!

Please take the time to read this message below for your own good.

Fitness SUCKS when you’ve got pain but it’s a BLAST when you’re pain-free.

Trust me, I’ve been there and done that with muscle spasms in my back and pains in my buttocks.  That’s why Dr. K and WM put the MISSION: UNBREAKABLE (M:U) program together so you too can experience the powers of all gains and no pain!

Committed to your health,

Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS

***

Muscles are made up of tons of mini-muscles, or muscle fibers.  Each muscle fiber has individual potential to grow or shrink, depending on how much it is being used, rested, etc.

When a muscle injury takes place, even in an effort to build strength, a small amount of scar tissue is released into the area.  If the injury is small and the scar tissue tries to lay down on a muscle that is moving well, the muscle pulls on the scar tissue and causes it to align with the muscle.  Essentially, you are left with a small amount of restriction from the scar tissue, but nothing too substantial.  Over time, if this is a repetitive cycle, the restriction can build and it can become symptomatic. This is one type of knot.

If the injury is a bit bigger and the muscle can’t be used in this area, the scar tissue has more time to lay down, and a matrix or web of scar tissue forms.  This forms a major restriction in the tissue and can even try to form bone at times, or calcify.  This restriction forms immediately and will continue to build in time if the scar tissue is not ‘broken down’ and absorbed back into your bloodstream through proper massage and exercise.  This is a second type of knot.

In both cases, the area of the muscle that has the knot does not receive good blood supply, because the scar tissue is suffocating it.  Without good blood supply, it’s hard for anything to heal.

What’s worse?

We have pressure receptors in our scar tissue that cause pain any time you touch them.  Initially, this is meant as a protective mechanism to get you to stop bumping into an area that’s sore.  Over time, the need for these pressure receptors goes away, but the pain remains… and we choose not to make contact with that bodypart subconsciously.

After all, it causes pain.  What are we supposed to do?

Just the opposite, I’m afraid.  The only way to get rid of these pesky pressure receptors is by putting pressure on them.  Simultaneously, break up the scar tissue as a muscle shortens and elongates, pulling on the scar tissue and causing it to realign with the muscle fibers.

Because there’s so much blood flow, the restriction goes away and the area heals.  You restore your body.

Fitness Professionals Click HERE —> http://HHFitness.workoutmuse.com/music/mission-unbreakable-for-fitness-professionals <— if you want clients and campers feel better, improve performance, and alleviate/eliminate nagging aches and pains

Fitness Enthusiasts Click HERE —> http:// HHFitness.workoutmuse.com/music/mission-unbreakable-for-fitness-enthusiasts <— if you want to feel better, improve performance, and alleviate/eliminate nagging aches and pains

This program works, and it works exceptionally well.  If you have old muscle tears, pulls, strains, or aches that you’d like to alleviate,  now is the time to act.

You can restore your body, you can prevent injury, and you can move more freely.  Let BJ & I help you:

Have a great day,

Kareem

PS – One of our new MU clients wrote BJ with a question, and I was so blown away by his response that I thought I’d just go ahead and share it with you… this is why I have no hesitation in telling you that BJ is a stand-up top fitness professional that went to all extremes to help make this product the best he could for you.  He even uses this exact program with his little brother, who he coaches to be a top football star at his local high school.

Anyway, here’s what BJ had to say when asked “How do you recommend I use MU?” – thought you’d be interested:

Hey M***,

On behalf of Dr. K and WM, thanks for your purchase and I hope the program is of much benefit to you as it has been to our other customers

The provided program design cheat sheets outline the program as a nice reference point.

Here’s how my campers and I use the program and how I recommend you use it too:

1.) Our beginner campers do 3 weeks of M:U before moving into our regular high-intensity program. We perform the tissue quality circuit, flexibility circuit, and then the mobility/activation circuit in that order for a 30 minute workout. It’s a phenomenal way to start off if you are a beginner. It will get you moving and sweating without being overwhelmed, especially if you are de-conditioned, overweight, or have any joint/health issues.

2.) M:U makes the perfect active recovery workout on off-days or off-weeks to help compliment your high-intensity workouts as well. It gets blood flowing and circulating throughout your body which will help mitigate soreness and prevent your muscles from tightening up between resistance workouts. It also helps improve posture and off-set the drawbacks of a sedentary job where one sits rounded at a desk all day by working on mobilizing the 3 most important areas of the body: the ankles, hips, and thoracic spine/mid back.

3.) In terms of how to use M:U on a high-intensity workout day, you can use the pre-workout (warm-up) and post-workout (cool-down) circuits to book-end your main workout or perform the M:U circuits later in the day to improve recovery and provide an extra metabolic boost.

4.) Use the self-diagnostic checklists to build your own personal improvement routine as well. If you find that your thighs are really sore on the foam roller, then that becomes an exercise that you perform pre-workout and post-workout to ensure that you don’t get any nagging aches and pains in your knees for example. We all have certain areas of the body or muscles groups that need more attention, so when time is tight, focus on these high-priority areas.

5.) What to do if you only have 10 minutes or time for 1 circuit? If you have joint pain, the tissue quality circuit is your best bet. If you have tight muscles, the flexibility circuit is your best bet. If you have poor strength, balance, and stability, the mobility/activation circuit is your best bet. If you want an awesome warm-up, perform the pre-workout routine. If you want a great cool-down, perform the post-workout routine.

M***, does this all make sense?

Fitness Professionals Click HERE —> http://HHFitness.workoutmuse.com/music/mission-unbreakable-for-fitness-professionals <— if you want clients and campers feel better, improve performance, and alleviate/eliminate nagging aches and pains

Fitness Enthusiasts Click HERE —> http://HHFitness.workoutmuse.com/music/mission-unbreakable-for-fitness-enthusiasts <— if you want to feel better, improve performance, and alleviate/eliminate nagging aches and pains

It is important to perform full body routines that incorporate pulling and stabilization movements for your back that will improve strength, endurance and range of motion (ROM) to minimize injury.  Once you minimize injury risk your body can work more efficiently towards that lean/toned look you may be looking for.

The following routine is a 30-30 strength circuit we performed recently during our boot camps powered by Workout Muse (Their is a FREE gift at the bottom of this post).  In order to adequately perform this routine you will need to have access to something to perform lying pulls (we used the Lebert Equilizer and TRX suspension trainer), dumbbells or kettlebells, and bands.

Here are the exercises we performed:

If you are new to exercise and/or have not exercised in the last 3-6 months start with level 1 of each of the following exercises.  You should consult with your physician prior to starting or changing your exercise habits.  You will want to perform up 4 rounds of each exercise at 30:30 work to rest ratio.  Watch the videos below to see how the HH Fitness Boot Campers did with this routine:

6:00 am session

8:10 am session

12:00 pm session

4:00 pm sesson

Yes, I even did this workout.  I even demonstrate some of the different levels during my routine

If you would like to get access to any of the equipment we used in this routine you can get them at the following links (Click on the Image):

The folks at Lebert Fitness have created a new coupon code for $10.00 off the purchase of a set of Lebert Equalizers (includes Beginner/Intermediate DVD and laminated poster) for you when you order online.  Just click the banner and enter coupon code EQ0210 at the checkout (valid until February 28, 2011)

TRX

Kettlebells from Perform Better

Resistance Bands

(Each of the links above are my affiliate links.  Should you purchase something I will receive a commission and I want to thank you for your purchase.  I would not recommend these companies if I did not truly believe in their products)

Dig Deep!

Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS

HH Fitness

P.S. – Click on this link or Right Click to save to you Desktop to get a sample of the 30-30 music from Workout Muse: http://HHFitness.workoutmuse.com/mp3/3030Mayhem/3030Rock5MinSample.mp3.zip

P.P.S. –  To get you own Workout Muse Tracks Click the image below:

I initially purchased the Lebert Equalizer for my boot camps to give my members the ability to work on pulling movements without the use of weights.  Once I received the Equalizers I realized they could be used for more than just pulling movements.

Watch the video below to see the many uses you get with the Lebert Equalizer:

The folks at Lebert Fitness have created a new coupon code for $10.00 off the purchase of a set of Lebert Equalizers (includes Beginner/Intermediate DVD and laminated poster) for you when you order online.

Just click the banner and enter coupon code EQ0210 at the checkout (valid until February 28, 2011):

I will have a workout out for you later in the week in which we incorporate the Lebert Equalizer to strengthen and tone you back.

Committed to your health,

Heath Herrera, M.Ed., CSCS

P.S. – I am a proud affiliate of Lebert Fitness.