Without Limits Review

This movie was recommended to me by an influential fitness figure I follow. His motto embodies a hard-nosed work ethic, and lives his life to 'redefine limits'. One of the sources he attributes much of his motivation to is the movie 'without limits' released in 1998. The movie is all about the legend of Steve Prefontaine, an international track star. It was the spirit and mentality Steve had that changed the name of internal competition. His coach, Bill Bowerman later formed a little company today known as Nike. Need I say more about that connection? Sure Bill Bowerman was an innovative guy with a vision, but its easy to see the influence Steve left not only on him, but anyone that came into contact. 

Steve radiated a persona that was on a different level. He was know as extremely confident and a need for competition yet straight-forward, honest, and direct. Those who knew Pete from a young age have said that's just who he was and it didn't change for anybody. Steve was very verbose and quite imaginative, and has many well-know quotes used still to this day.

Here are some of my favorites:

• "To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift."
• "Something inside of me just said 'Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,' and I just took off."
• "Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement"
• "A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways they're capable of understanding"

Look guys the movie doesn't have an all-star rating and from a cinematic perspective I fully agree on that, the plot is sloppy and seems to run out of time. But the idea that is captured from Prefontaine's spirit is much more powerful and important in my eyes than the actual movie itself. Steve loved competition, he craved being the best, and he would stop at nothing to achieve that, which was his true happiness. That's the take home message, you don't have to be a hard core Olympian athlete, but live your life in a way that makes you truly happy, and have an intense drive to achieve it!!!!

Linked Post

I was searching around for some fitness posts today, as of late I've been looking specifically into nutrition and different training styles. I came upon something a little different, which made me realize a very important aspect that is sometimes left unsaid when it comes to fitness.

Small Chunks... Big Progress by Tashawn Howell

It was a very good read, the essence of the post was that attempting to make small changes in various aspects of your life will turn into larger overall progress. Sometimes we try to do too much, as Tashawn states we want to be Jack's of all trade... and while it is impossible to be perfect at everything, it is perfectly possible to make great strides in the things you do and how you live your life. By breaking these things down into smaller chunks, it helps the overall progress in the grander scheme of life.

Tashawn also went on to say a new promise he made to himself was to finish 1 thing everyday, regardless of how big or hows small, he must finish one thing that had been currently in progress. This he says leads to momentum and a sort of snowball affect. I had for a while lost sight of the whole idea of momentum. I was looking at it from a singular point of view, I was trying to isolate everything so much that nothing was actually getting done. After reading that post it really awoke my motivation and desire to improve again, that snowball starts as just a flake but once it gets rolling it starts picking up more and more sustenance, covers more ground, and more matter gravitates toward it. Everything has a weird ability to either directly or indirectly influence who you are and how you think, taking a step back and realizing that can really change your entire mental approach. If everything your involved with is approached from an aware mindset, one that knows good tends to follow good, those small chunks can truly lead to big progress.  

Nerd Fitness Analysis

After doing some background search for popular fitness blogs Nerd Fitness consistently came up. The basic summary of Nerd Fitness is a guy (who is a nerd) talk about his view on fitness and health. He has a coalition of over 250,000 of his membership called "the rebels".

The Topics Mr. Steve Kamb (creator of nerd fitness) covers in his blog are numerous. A lot of the posts involve more 'how-to' for prepping food. Talking about knife sets, scales, thermometers etc and other proper utilities to have in order to prep successfully. He also brings in some of his personal nerd life (comics, movie-reviews). There is actually some well written posts on what looks to be very good dishes, he includes everything from the ingredients to final product. Kamb does an excellent job with keeping a consistent up-beat tone during all his posts which range in frequency but most mostly between 4-6 days.

Although it appears Kamb has established a great following of beginning fitness enthusiasts, there are things ignored on the page. There is an extreme over-simplification of training and diet. For example his meals all include instructions on how to cook with a list of all the ingredients, even listed the total protein count on a pound of meat; but no where does it say how much that individual should be eating, in order for a diet to be successful it must include a quantitative factor. With training he says you should only use free weights never machines, but doesn't take in to the fact that most people can't to a proper wide-grip body-weight pull-up, and almost all people who execute a pull-up have mechanics that take the focus off the pull muscles. Also with diet he is all about paleo, when in reality that is not an optimal diet for everyone, due to the body metabolizes carbs as the primary energy source (pretty important if you want to be deadlifting, squatting, doing wide-grip pull-ups.

It was cool to see the design, definitively a customized type of presence. It draws you in, the page always has HD pictures in easy-clicks to any section of the page. Most everything leads you eventually to a buy-page, where he sells multiple books, guides, and training packages all on the site. It markets well because you are intrigued by the posts and other free information he gives out, so you obviously want to see what's being offered at a price.

Lifestyl3 Blog

My buddy Paul is one of the few colleagues where we can sit down and talk about health, eating, training etc... He's set up a cool page with various posts about living a healthy, balanced lifestyle (or lifestyl3). One of his recent posts "How do I stay on Track" struck me as something everyone should have an understanding of.

The main point in his post was to talk about MyFitnessPal, an app that allows you to track calories of virtually any food you could think of, and get an instant breakdown of how many fats, carbs, proteins etc. In the post he talks about common misconceptions that are deeply set in the fitness community today. Everyone thinks there are good foods and bad foods, but that is a misnomer in itself really. As Paul stated in his post, many people think an apple and peanut butter is a "healthy" snack because both are viewed as good food, but in reality that can be well over 500 calories and if your viewing that just as a healthy snack, you may have missed the more important concept. You can eat 100% 'healthy' food but won't lose a pound because you are still at a caloric surplus. So although yes peanut butter provides great fats, apples are a good source of vitamins, but if the calories are too high, then those healthy benefits will be of no use because no weight will be lost.

Paul is a great example of someone who understands the importance of tracking not only your nutrition but training. The entirety of his blog centers around being able to do this as a style of living, to make sustainable progress and still enjoy life throughout the process. If you want to know more about setting up a sustainable diet check out his ARTICLE.

Product Recomendation

A product I would definitely recommend to those reading is the cardillo weight belt. Anyone who wants to take their lifting to the next level should have this accessory within their arsenal. I believe in using a belt for multiple reasons, although wearing one all the time to 'bring down your waist' is a misconception. Wearing a belt helps with a few vital things in regards to lifting. The first is it protects your spine, it acts like an external TVA (if you don't know what that is look it up you'll learn a thing or two, maybe even stumble upon vacuums, which is a way to bring that waist down). Secondly it helps brace your core and protect your back when lifting near or at maximal capacity, you don't need one for 20 rep biceps curls. Thirdly it DOES in fact keep your core from expanding after heavy loads. Fourth it teaches you to breath correctly, almost all people I know do not breathe properly nor do they breathe deep enough. Breathing is obviously essential to life and ironically enough most humans suck at it.

So, the reason I recommend cardillo besides for 'all the Pro's are using it' is because it is truly known as the top belt provider out there. I personally like the tapered version because it doesn't clip my waist but they have the 4" all around for all ya'll who are into that. The fit is great and their sizing chart is spot on. The quality leather material really breaks into your body structure and squeezes you into a perfectly correct spinal alignment. I feel completely safe and confident when repping some heavy squats or deads. Knowing my back is in the right position and my core is staying slim, I believe it is well worth the buy.

By the way for all you hipster lifters out there they do offer a custom belt option. You can pretty much get whatever floats your boat on the things, and that's pretty cool, the one downside is they don't offer returns for that option (which is understandable) and it takes 12-14 weeks to ship and that anticipation sucks

Pop a Squat

Everyone loves a good squat (who loves training that is). For others maybe the leg press or extension machine is how they got those huge wheels (men's physique where you at). Before my crowd stops and asks what in the heck I am talking about-- I'm going to quit this ramble and get back to the squat.

DO IT.

Unless you have severe spinal degradation, a hernia, or your legs are paralyzed squatting should be part of your routine  AT LEAST once per week. This is easier said than done. My honest consensus after years of observing gym goers, training partners, IG fitness models etc perform leg movements (whether that be squat or something similar) I notice a general pattern. From talking to these folks and getting their responses (or excuses) I have realized that almost all people who A) dislike squatting B) can't squat for some unheard of medical reason C) avoid squatting because leg press is 'better' all have 1 huge thing in common--- their form SUCKS. 

The key to a successful squat has nothing to do with the weight (the weight is a result of proper form, always remember that principle) if you get strong with improper biomechanics for your body then you will either injure yourself acutely or develop chronically lengthened or shortened muscles that are weak and strong in the wrong positions. When I see a great squat, the only time I look at the bar (not even the weights, the bar itself) is to see if its moving as vertical as possible. Other than that, I am looking at the break in the hips, big chest, neutral spine, and fluidity in the eccentric/concentric. 

The crucial factor here is that OPTIMAL FORM is 100% based on body structure (femur length, position of pelvis, etc) there are some easy tips to make you squat more efficient. I can say with certainty a good squat will actually relieve joint pain, and they feel absolutely great when you do them correctly. Your core will become stronger, your back will align better, you will breath better, and you will have a stronger mindset, and do I have to mention it... Who doesn't want a set of wheels for a complete, balanced physique. 

There are many ways to perform the squat. Most people think its lifting some heavy ass weight, and while that may be the ultimate goal (for some) there are a variety of ways to emphasize certain goals. 

1. Hypertrophy squat- quads focus, muscle growth 
2. Powerlifting- glutes and hamstrings (hip drive strength) power, maximum strength
3. Olympic style- speed 

To generalize, here are 8 keys to a better squat

1. Good mobility-- if you can't hit a body weight squat with good form you should not be squatting as a matter of fact this is probably the number one reason why so many mess up on the squat.
2. Keep the line on the heels- this means the bar on your back should match up to the center of gravity being on the heels
3. Break at the hips- the hips should be the first joint to flex, not the knees
4. Sit- the easiest way to summarize the motion with proper mechanics is to sit down into the hole 
5. Make use of your traps- the trap group is the key muscle for the placement of the bar, retract your scaps and load the weight around the mid-low region of your traps, squeeze it likes it owes ya something 
6. Brace your core- you should have intra abdominal pressure throughout the phase of the squat
7. Keep your head neutral- look straight forward, this keeps your spine in a more natural alignment 
8. Take your time- I see too many people rush the process, this is a key lift, an important one, and requires attention and focus. Spend some time under the bar before lift off and find the right placement 

Fostering Physical Excellence-- A better body, a better you

Every book, every trainer, every study done has some sort of conclusion or belief that a certain method of training is superior to one another. You look in muscle magazines these days and see article after article of a mass program that guarantees 30 pounds of rock solid muscle in 4 weeks or a magic workout that will make you the most aesthetic human being to grace this planet. The reality is there are basic principles to an nearly endless inventory of possibilities when it comes to training; all of which really mean nothing unless you have the knowledge of them and practice them religiously.

The beauty in fostering physical excellence is the extreme variation of each person. Everyone has a different genetic make-up, different levels of motivation, different lifestyles, and most importantly different goals. Some people want hypertrophy, some people want pure strength, some want to be the most athletic on the court/field, some are just looking to live longer. Because of this there are certain training styles, lifts, rep ranges, etc. that will work more efficiently for people's bodies, abilities, and goals. There is no way someone can tell you 'this is the best workout, or that is the best lift to do', due to the degree of variation between each person and what they are trying to accomplish. Your health, fitness, physical abilities... whatever you consider it, can only be optimized by not only your knowledge but your application to what you want to achieve. The point of this is not to tell you what's the key to your fitness goal, but instead give useful knowledge and tips that you can take and apply in order to optimize that goal for yourself!

That being said there are some general keys to training that can be applied nearly to everyone.

• Quality over Quantity
• Practice, Practice, and Practice some more
• Even top-level lifters practice the motion with little to no weight because the technique is so vital for a successful lift (and obviously avoiding injury)
• If you thought about going ahead, sit your ass back and practice some more... No matter how good you are, or how perfect you think your form is, there is ALWAYS room for improvement, never stop trying to maximize the efficiency for YOUR body
• Periodization-- fancy word for programming your training to increase intensity in some manner
• This goes beyond just lifting more, the overarching theme is to physically become better
• Lift more weight (the obvious one) 
• Add volume
• More reps
• More sets
• More TUT (time under tension)
• Isometrics, Pause Reps, Dropsets 
• Decrease rest times
• Work past failure 
• Movements for your Goals
• Athletes 
• Squat, Push movements, Hip drive
• Bodybuilders
• Movements to maximize muscle tension/contraction
• Moms and Dads
• Functional movements
• Overhead press
• Deadlift
• Core work (including pelvic floor, diaphragm, and lower back)
• Goals
• Micro (Short-term)
• Meso (Mid-range)
• Macro (Long-term)

Essentially you should always train mindfully, with a goal in your head. Whether it be for fun or preparing for the biggest competition of your life; have a vision and train according to it!!! As I post more I will give more specific programming and exercises+ techniques that can be very useful to certain fitness demographics, stay tuned!! 

About Me

What's up folks, my name is Conor Hart and I am a senior undergrad at Illinois State. In my early years, fitness was so prevalent it had just become an assumption in my family. My parents, especially my father were always playing sports or weightlifting; so for me it became second nature. It was in 5th grade I first started weight-training with the old man, he had a simple Weider bench and barbell in the basement and the first time I started using the weights, I fell in love with it. Fast forward through my middle school and high school career I was heavily involved with sports. I was never the most naturally gifted, but I worked the hardest out there, and put in the most hours in the weight room and on the court (shout out to my Dad who woke me up at 530 every morning to help me with shooting practice). I ended up playing one year of college basketball before realizing my love for the game was gone. 

It was during this time some major life shifts were made. I was angry at myself for losing such a strong passion which made me question what I really was meant to do. I studied harder, ate better, and left every last bout of energy I had in the weight room. I came to realize it was that simple bench and barbell I truly had a passion for, and a strong surge of motivation came back. Although I loved team sports, I came to understand it was the hours of training, pushing my body to/past its limits, and physically transforming that gave me the fire. 

After my Freshman year I transferred to Illinois State. While studying business I did my own research on diet, training, and took notes from every reputable source I could find. By the end of that same year, I competed in a natural bodybuilding show and was fortunate enough to be rewarded a Pro Card. Although stepping on stage was the most unique experience I have ever been a part of, and was grateful for the opportunity to do so; the struggles were far from over. Post show I developed an overly obsessive mentality, I beat certain body parts into the ground, ate an extreme diet, trained multiple times a day, lifted through injuries, developed multiple imbalances and was generally unhappy with myself.  

 I've always felt that mindset is everything, and although I was committed to training with 100% focus and intensity I never realized what truly connecting the mind to the body meant. I didn't realize there was this negative relationship I had developed between the two, which had become the root of my problem. Through many failed attempts and missed opportunities, I began developing a balance of harmony and intensity between the mind and body. As silly as it sounds I knew that in order to be happy, my mind had to become one with my body, and vice versa. Even though I'm still insane about fitness, I have a much better mindset about my body, and my training has actually become more intense and focused because of it!!

The goal of this page is to help people build their bodies and their minds together. This is not a yoga class, or some crazy philosophy of mine. It is a truly powerful connection, and once you become aware of it you will notice (like I had) how much one can affect the other! If both are working in harmony you can live a balanced, successful, intense, motivated life!!