FullForceFitness Reviewed

"I am not sure where to start with other THANK YOU SCOTT for your program.

Before I get started talking about the program I am going to tell you my view of Scott York (http://twitter.com/ScottYork).

He's very friendly and you can tell he is doing this for the people and his own enjoyment and not the money.

To me this is a priceless trait and it just makes the camp fun.

He works to push you through the workouts and also to educate you on proper nutrition on your road to becoming fit. He also very giving, I once asked if he wouldn’t mind coming to talk to my fellow co-worker about fitness and he did not think twice before accepting the chance to come talk to them.

Overall Scott has a very calming and positive presence that when around you just want to push yourself to the best that you can. What more can you ask for from a coach.

About the camp (www.FullForceFitness.net) I have been attending this camp for two months now and about to go into my third and it is completely amazing.

I was not sure what to expect at first as I had never done any type of group training, so I entered with an open mind and ready body. I took it easy trying to learn things at first and everything we were doing was simple to pickup yet challenging as a workout.

Here are a few things I have gained from the camp:

• Suffering in a group is truly easier than doing it alone. I have worked worked out with partners before, I have used a personal trainer, and even now workout alone regularly. But when I am training with my group, they push me harder than I can ever do myself and I also am able to push them also.
• Beating things is a good thing. The class has a lot of MMA style training. Regularly we use focus mitts, heavy bags, and dummies to punch, elbow, kick, and knee. To me there is no better way to relieve stress than getting to punch and kick things, oh, it is a good workout also.
• Keep it Simple and create your own intensity. Most of the workouts that we do are not complex nor use complex machines/equipment, but they are planned out in a method to get the most out of your complete body. There are very few days that I not completely drenched in sweat after 45 minute workout.

A few of my own lessons learned in class.

• One of the first classes a 15+ foot rope climb was part of the workout. I had never climbed a rope, at least in my adult life, I am just getting where I can do a few pull-ups unassisted. Well Scott asked, “you think you can get to the top” and I was not sure and said I would give it a try. In the back of my head I was thinking there is no way, but as I was put into a small team and assigned the task of climbing, I pushed and to the top like a monkey in a tree without problem. I was able to push that negative thought out and complete it for my team and not just me.
• We are pushed to complete a challenge and one of them is a 12 min mile. I have been working out pretty solid for about a year now and on a treadmill I can push a 10-11 minute mile with a good pace but it is not solid running. With that I was thinking ok this should not be too hard I can do this within 12 (thinking it would be 10-11 minute time). Well I got started and pushed and was able to not only run the entire thing, but do it in around 8:50.
• The next challenge put in front of us was a monthly challenge: 1/3mile run, 5 double unders, 5 clapping pushups, 5 burpies, 5 squat jumps. Well the first time I did this it took me 4:19 to complete. Well through the training and learning to push myself I was recently able to set my new PR at 2:53.

So in conclusion, I would highly recommend Scott’s Full Force Fitness Camp to anyone (beginner to advanced).

For me, the camp has assisted me in learning new ways to do my workouts that I can take anywhere.

But the most important thing that I have gained from this camp is that I have a lot more in me that I know and I can dig deep and push a little harder when the time is tough and overcome the want to take it easy or quit.


This camp will not only assist you with your physical fitness but also your mental fitness. You will be pushed and learn to push yourself to new levels you didn’t know you could go to." - Michael F/Austin, TX

Expectations

"Don’t lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality."

– Ralph Marsto

Did You Know?

Success Is The Doing

    Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be. - Zig Ziglar

FullForceFitness MMA Boot Camp Is A KNOCKOUT!

Find out why here...

Session 54 Day 5

Today's workout:

Teams of 4
On my go:
Run 1/3 mile
5 Double Unders (or 15 regular Jump Rope)
5 Burpees
5 Clapping Pushups
5 Squat Jumps

Then:
50 reps each person of:
Lateral Box Jumps
Ring Rows
Burpees
Jackknife with Medicine Ball
Medicine Ball Slam

Then:
Flip Heavy Tractor Tire 20 yards to earn 1 point for your team (10 minutes)
No more than 2 people allowed to flip their teams tire at a time (others do Jumping Jacks until they switch - 30 seconds or so)

Team "Brian" takes it today!

Success

"Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be."

–Zig Ziglar

Austin Mayors Fitness Council Video

Lou Earle, Publisher of Austin Fit Magazine, and Paul Carrozza, Owner of RunTex, talk about how important it is to have goals with regard to fitness, Austin's desire to become the fittest city by 2010, how local companies can improve moral, productivity, reduce absenteeism, and more by encouraging a healthy and fit workplace in this interview conducted by Jen Ohlson.  Video by Scott York.


AMFC Lou and Paul from scott york on Vimeo.

Lou Earle and Paul Carrozza at RunTex Austin, Texas

Persistence

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

– Calvin Coolidge

What Matters...

"What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan."

–  by Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson

Richer Life

"Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives."

–Daniel H. Pin

Do What It Takes

  

"If you're interested, you will do what is convenient; if you're committed, you'll do what it takes" – Assaraf

Intensity Is Relative

If you are signing up for a "Boot Camp" style fitness program this Summer, here are some points to remember:

• If you haven't exercised in a while, use 75% of intensity for the first 2 weeks.  If not, you run the risk of overdoing it, getting sore, getting injured and then quitting all together.  It's easy to get caught up in the energetic, upbeat boot camp environment and overdo it.  Don't.  Ease into it.
• Progression.  This is essential to making improvements in both your fitness abilities (improved heart rate, etc) as well as cosmetic changes (increased lean tissue, decreased body fat).  The body adapts quickly.  You must increase your intensity (do more reps in less time, run faster, rest less, increase resistance, etc) in order to progress. 
• Variation.  Every boot camp workout is different from the last.  Variety keeps us fresh, interested and keeps our muscles confused (so that we don't adapt quickly).  Just as the workouts are varied, make sure to vary your intensity.  When you're "feeling it" - give it 100%.  When you're not, give it 90%.  Tip - even when you do not feel like getting out of bed for an early morning boot camp workout, DO IT ANYWAY.  If by the time you begin the workout and you're still not feeling it, use less intensity.  Work on your form, focus on your breathing.  
• Consistency.  In order to maximize results, you must be consistent.  You cannot expect to get results by showing up to boot camp once a week.  It's just not going to happen.  The body is meant to be exercised, to be pushed (safely), to be challenged (mentally and physically).  Embrace this process and incredible results will follow.
• Nutrition.  I'm convinced that nutrition is 80% of boot camp success.  Aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.  Less on days that you do not workout.  Reduce sugar, reduce alcohol.  Eat green leafy vegetables and less starchy carbs.  Eat healthy fats (omegas).  Stay away from processed foods.  And have 1 cheat day per week where you eat whatever you've been craving.  Drink lots of water.  

FullForceFitness Session 53 starts on June 7th.  If you have registered for this session or for a later one, use the tips above to get the most out of your boot camp experience!

P.S. 

"Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue, you will change. Don’t let it stop you from being who you can be. Exhaustion tells you when you ought to stop. You only reach your limit when you can go no further." - Anon

Sold Out

May Your Trails Be Crooked...

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds"

–Edward Abbey

Food Combining

I'm always tweaking my diet.

As I grow older, my body changes, my energy requirements change, and as I observe the effect that certain foods have on my body, I tweak things.

For instance, I never use dairy products - except on occasional cheat days.

They make me bloated.

I feel horrible after eating that Friday night ice cream (cheat day).

Why do I do it, then?

For mental piece of mind.  And because it tastes good.

But I don't enjoy the bloat that I usually get following that cheat meal.

I get tired.

I lose energy.

But I get the ice cream desire out of my system for a week or 2 and get back on track with my nutrition the next day.

Lately, I've been studying "food combining".

This is nothing new...it's been around a lo-o-o-o-o-ng time and it makes perfect sense.

Here's an excerpt from the book, "Atomic Fitness".

"In order to avoid the unpleasant discomforts of eating the wrong food combinations, it is important to adhere to the principles of combining foods properly.

There are sound physiological reasons for eating foods in compatible combinations.  Some foods will cause digestive distress if mixed together in the digestive system.

The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry.

Different foods require different mediums for digestion.  Starch foods, for example, require an alkaline environment for digestion, which is initially supplied in the mouth by the enzyme ptyalin.

Protein, on the other hand, requires an acidic medium, such as hydrochloric acid, for proper digestion.

As anyone with a basic knowledge of chemistry can tell you, acids and alkalis neutralize each other.

If you eat a starch with a protein, digestion will be impaired, if not completely arrested.

The food then remains undigested and can cause various digestive problems by becoming a breeding ground for bacteria, which ferment and decompose the food, resulting in a toxic byproduct (yuck).

  To further illustrate this principle, take the All - American hamburger.  The bun is a carbohydrate and the meat is a protein.

You consume them together, and they enter the stomach simultaneously.  Enzymes turn the food into fluids, and the stomach becomes a holding tank.

At this point, it is decided which food will be digested.

The body, in a desperate attempt digest this combination, will leave some undigested food to rot in your stomach, causing bloating, gas, and a swollen lower abdominal region (yuck).

The common complaint, particularly among women, is that no matter how much fat that they lose, their stomach is still in a bloated state, causing discomfort and looking unfashionable.

This is because they have created a constant state of irritable bowel syndrome in their lower tract due to inefficient eating habits.

No amount of exercise will ever flatten a bloated stomach.

The reason is that the internal pressure pushing out from the stomach is greater than the strength of even the strongest abdominal muscles.

In order to avoid this unpleasant condition, it is important to adhere to the following rules of proper food combining:

1) Eat acids (fruits) and starches (pasta, rice, potatoes) separately.  Acids neutralize the alkaline environment required for the digestion of starch and result in fermentation and indigestion.

2) Eat proteins and carbohydrates at separate meals.  Proteins require an acidic environment for digestion.

3) Do not eat more than one type of protein per meal.

4) Eat proteins and acidic foods at separate meals.  Acidic foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion.  Undigested protein putrefies in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.

5) Eat fats and proteins at separate meals.  Fats slow down the digestive process.  Some foods, especially nuts with over 50 percent fat, require hours for complete digestion.

6) Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.

7) Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.  Fruits require no digestion in the stomach and are held up if they are eaten with foods requiring digestion.

8) Eat melons alone.  They combine with almost no other food.

9) Skip the deserts.  They lie heavy in the stomach, require no digestion, and simply ferment (yuck)."

There is a ton of research on this subject.

I am experimenting with food combining because I want to see if digestion improves following this way of eating.

My gut (no pun intended) tells me that I will have improved digestion, more energy and better overall health as a result of properly combining my foods.

My only concern is practicality.

How practical is this to follow?

Of course, if I still keep my Friday cheat day (always will) and the book "Atomic Fitness" recommends it, then maybe it becomes more practical.

The other concern I have is getting enough protein.

I'll have to do more research in this area because I know that my body responds best with a 1 gram of protein to 1 pound of bodyweight ratio.

Bottom line:  If you feel lethargic, if you aren't getting the results that you're after, if you get bloated/indigestion after eating,  you may want to look more into combining your foods.

source:  "Atomic Fitness" - by Steve Michalik, Mr USA/Mr America/Mr Universe
Basic Health Publications

"Punch It Out and Lose Inches Fast!"

"Add boxing to your cardio routine.  When you throw punches with weights or at a fast pace, you're working  your core in a way that that helps to flatten  your midsection.

You must engage your core to throw punches, and twisting your torso works all of the ab muscles.

Boxing also gives you a cardio workout that burns extra calories." - Michael Olajide Jr., Aerospace High Performance Center in NYC.

I can attest to this.

We've added MMA gloves to our toolbox and I have a new respect for boxing style workouts.

We mix it up and use boxing (focus mitts, heavy bag), strength training, sprinting, jogging, bodyweight exercises and more to create the "Perfect Workout".

It's a blend of strength, agility, cardio - it's fast and furious - it's never the same.

We've got 2 spots left for Session 53 which starts on June 7th!

Register at www.fullforcefitness.net or call Scott at 512.233.0756

note - you will need mma opened fingered gloves.  Cost is around $18 - $20.  See pic below as an example.

FullForceFitness 30 Day Lean Up Challenge nutrition review

I was just reviewing a couple of boot camp clients nutrition logs.

We're having a 30 day lean up challenge this month - there's $200 up for grabs so nutrition is very  important.

The upside is that these clients have established great consistency for the most part.

They're not skipping meals, drink lots of water and making healthy choices.

The area that needs improvement will make me sound like a broken record.

They need to bump up their protein intake.


They are not eating enough protein.

And one of them is not eating enough calories, period.

Less than 1000 each day.

That is not going to give you the energy that you need to power through our workouts or through your day.

It's not going to provide your body with the right building blocks (protein) to build lean tissue (muscle).

I told them to shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.


I told them to eat around 150 grams of carbs a day - less on days that they don't work out.

I told them to eat the majority of their carbs in the morning and early afternoon.

I told them to shut off their carbs after 6pm - the body is more primed to store the carbs as bodyfat.

And that's basically it   -  just stay consistent.

Try new foods - like squash, lettuces, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.

Build big salads.

Drink tons of water.

Feel good, look good, and have tons of energy!

It's Worth It

"Any time you take a great risk to accomplish something great, you'll always receive great rewards.  You may not get the rewards you expect, but they will be great nonetheless." - Jim Vance

Try These Carbs For A Better Body!