Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

So many people in gyms. So many people “workout”. The supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Personal Training is one of the most in-demand careers in America.

My one question is simple: if so many people are obviously so involved in fitness, why do so few people look like they really workout?

The answers, while as simple as the question itself, aren’t easily fixed.

-To make a drastic change in the body, one must take drastic results. It isn’t as simple as going to the gym and going through a routine of a few exercises that “target” those bodyparts you are interested in changing. I see the smae people doing the same things in the gym and it’s obvious what their thought process is: lunges, leg curls, light squats, etc – she’s trying to firm her butt and her legs. Curls, db bench press, flies? He wants bigger arms and a defined chest. Seems logical, but it takes a more full body approach, and a MUCH more scientific approach.

-What most people think of as “eating clean” isn’t very clean at all

-Working hard is more than breathing hard and sweating. WHAT your doing is just as important as your exertion.

-As humans, we seek the path of least resistance. Most people will settle for a leg press before a freeweight squat, a bench press machine to a barbell bench press. A lighter set before adding 5-10lbs and really pushing it. It’s easy to convince ourselves that we’ve “done enough”.

-Being focused for 4-5 days per week simply is not enough.

-Follow what is popular and look like the masses. We are the most obese country in the history of mankind. What the masses are doing is not working, and when you see someone on tv telling how it worked for them, look at the small print that says “Results aren’t typical”.

IF you’re going to workout, LOOK the part. It doesn’t come easy, but if you’re going to play the game, play it to win!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey everyone,

No matter what gym you may venture into anywhere in the world, you could easily mistake any given day as National Arm Day, World Bench Press Day, International Ab Day, or something similar. No matter how often you frequent the gym, no matter how much you run or whatever else you do: if you do not squat, then you do not workout…

Many of you may be thinking you don’t want bigger legs or you are just trying to lose weight – this article is for you too – squatting is essential for fat loss!

I know: doing legs sucks, and squatting sucks more than anything else. But put temporary anguish aside and consider these things:

-The largest muscles in the body are below the waist. When you do a proper leg workout, those large muscles do the work – when large muscles work, more calories are burned.

-Large muscle groups grow the fastest. More lean body mass = a higher resting metabolic rate

-Training large muscle groups forces the body into a desirable hormonal state – In Layman’s terms, training legs causes an increase in overall muscle building and fat burning hormones.

Your legs move the weight, your lower back stabilizes the body, your arms squeeze the bar: squatting is not JUST a leg exercise – it’s a full body exercise (as is the dead lift).

Proper squatting provides even more benefits:
-Gaining strength will lead to increased lean body mass
-Squatting increases flexibility
-Regardless of what the misinformed think, proper squatting actually strengthens the knees

Now, I would guess that less than 1/4 of the people in a typical gym perform squats. Of that number, I would then say that less than 5% actually do them properly, which leads me to: “How do you squat perfectly?”

I know what a lot of personal trainers and doctors believe (I’ve heard it at least 100 times): squatting less than full range of motion is ok and will lessen the likelihood of injury. This information is completely false. While these partial squats may very well stimulate the quads, the lack of full ROM doesn’t properly activate the glutes and hamstrings, leading to muscular imbalances that greatly increase the chances of a knee injury.

First, let’s discuss unracking the bar.
-I personally like to set the bar in the power rack at about upper chest level, so that I am slightly squatting to get under the bar. I do not want to lift the bar off by going to my tip-toes or bending at my lower back.

-Position your feet directly under the bar.

-Place the bar on your upper back/mid-trapezius. Do not try to put it on the top of the shoulders or on your neck. Sounds crazy, but a lot of people hold the bar entirely too high.

-Tighten everything and lift the bar from the rack

-One step back with each leg and then you’re in position to begin.

Before you begin:
-Chest up.

-Eyes forward – do NOT look at your feet.

-Again, bar on the muscles, NOT the spine.

-Straight wrists – your back should be supporting the weight, NOT your wrists.

-Elbows back.

-Feet at proper stance (depending on the style, I prefer at least shoulder width).

-Toes OUT.

Descension:
-Knees out. If your hip flexors/groins are weak, you may have a tendency to buckle the knees. Don’t let this happen – keep them out.

-Focus on sitting. Do not let your knees go past your toes.

-Get DEEP. Your hips should drop below your knee. I know it may FEEL like it is, but have someone judge it, or better yet, video yourself. Stopping before this is basically using the knee as your “brakes” – use the muscles and the natural range of motion.

Going UP!
-Torso angle should be like this: /

-Hips and chest go up together – this is a squat, not a good morning raise

-Keep your feet flat and “Grab” the floor with your feet to activate the glutes. Do NOT shift the weight to your toes!

-Keep those knees OUT! IF you are injured, you cannot train!

I always prefer the squat/power rack and free weight squatting. Locked machines and fixed routes are not optimal for developing the full and natural ROM, and will lead to the same imbalances and injury risks listed above.

Practice makes perfect. If you cannot keep perfect form and use a full ROM, swallow your pride and lower the weight. Performing lighter, proper sets will lead to better gains than heavy, improper squats and will keep your risk of injury lower.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

IF you are looking for a shortcut

IF you are looking for a magic pill

IF you are looking for a hardcore diet secret

IF you think there is an EASY way

IF you believe that you really don’t have time

IF you do not believe in yourself

IF you think that you really do have a valid EXCUSE

IF you aren’t willing to make sacrifice

IF you think you can make up for bad eating by simply skipping meals

IF you think the HCG diet is a good idea and you want to check out an HCG clinic

IF you think working late, not getting enough sleep last night, a birthday party, happy hour or anything close is a valid reason to miss your workout

THEN

Look elsewhere. Give up now. Look DEEPER inside yourself. Find someone who will coddle you and tell you it’s okay and you’re still going to reach your goals.

Excuses are crutches for the weak.

And, if it were easy, a) it wouldn’t be called workout and b) everyone would look amazing.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

During a discussion with a client this morning, she told me that someone had asked her how working out with her personal trainer was going. She explained how she told them how I am quite different from other personal trainers she has had in the past at big gyms, and how much more she enjoys working out at my private training studio versus working out in the big box fitness centers.

Mission Accomplished, sort of…

I have made no bones about saying this: I am San Antonio’s foremost expert on fitness training and performance nutrition. My track record of client success, whether it is simple fat loss, sports performance, figure/fitness/bikini/bodybuilding prep, injury recovery and everything in between is unequaled in this community.

I opened Personal Fitness Revolution in 2006 for several reasons:

-Professional. I was tired of seeing personal trainers in San Antonio (and everywhere else, for that matter), train their clients incorrectly. I have 15 years of personal training experience, hold advanced degrees, and have worked with over 2000 clients that range from housewives to professional athletes. Most personal trainers are in the career field for less than one year – it is definitely a field that defines “survival of the fittest”.

-I hated the idea of anything being before progress and client success. At the large gyms, there is one concern: Sales, sales, sales. Sell them the nutrition package. Get them to sign up for a year in advance. Sell this, sell that.

-Gyms are meat-markets and social clubs, and to many, they are overwhelming. I wanted a private environment with the real essentials, without the distractions of morons posing in the mirror and the dangers of people practicing their “stunts” in the corner, putting everyone within 100 feet in danger.

-Put the “personal” in personal training. Every individual is different. I do not train any two individuals identically, because no two people are identical. Most trainers are what I call “fad” trainers, and do what the newest craze is – to hell with it actually working, it gives them the chance to “seem” cutting edge. Nothing I do is cookie cutter. What my clients do depends on a) their condition and b) improving weaknesses while maintaining strengths, and c) their goals. Not what I saw in a book or what the CrossFit studio down the street is doing (incorrectly).

-Privacy. Never more than 2-4 people training at one time. No crowds, no waits.

-No memberships. We work by appointment only, and clients get the sessions they pay for. No time limits, no hidden monthly charges.

-Holistic approach. Simple diet and exercise are do not guarantee success; rather, one must integrate a synchronized and synergistic diet and exercise program that is focused completely on one’s needs and condition.

When people call me or email me looking for the cheapest trainer, I’m not going to be that person. There is a difference between a typical personal trainer and a professional – if you’re looking for a rep counter with less than a year experience, you’ll definitely get what you pay for at other gyms, and I take it personal when people believe that all personal trainers are like the ones you see at the big gyms. When you’re ready for the best and you are serious about your goals, that is when you call me.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Yesterday, I overheard an entire conversation between a trainer and a client about how breakfast was “absolutely and unequivocally” the most important meal of the day.

A note to personal trainers: it’s time to step out of the stone ages.

First and foremost, the most important meal is one of two meals: the last one you had, or the next one you will have. Calling one more important than others makes it sound as if some meals are ok whether you have them or miss them.

Truth: the same amount of planning and thought needs to go into every meal that goes into breakfast. I know, you don’t have time to eat right or be consistent. If that’s your case, go away, and please stop cramming the gyms right now because you aren’t going to make a change anyway.

Every meal has a purpose (fuel for future activity, recovery from past activity, simply curb overwhelming hunger, keeping stable hormones, etc). If you plan accordingly and choose nutrients that go hand in hand with the time of day you are consuming the meal, you’ll be eating in a more efficient way that will help you reach your goals in a more timely manner.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

This is the time of resolutions. I have people calling me telling me they want to go from Rosie O’Donnell to Jennifer Anniston before March 1 and from Chris Farley to Jason Statham in a “realistic” timeframe – let’s say, by next Thursday (Read: IT AIN’T HAPPENIN’!)

While it is great to have specific goals, a goal isn’t worth much if it is not realistic. With that being said, many people do themselves a terrible injustice by trying to undo a year or a lifetime’s worth of unhealthy living in a few days or weeks. The biggest mistake that most people make is trying to do too much in too short amount of time, thus, overdoing it, becoming burned out, injured, or even worse (sick, dead, etc).

When the synergistic combo of training, nutrition and RECOVERY (yes, it’s that damn important) you can do amazing things with the body. The perfect examples are the bodybuilders and fitness competitors I train: their results from week to week (especially in the 12 weeks prior to a competition) are amazing. I know, most of you don’t want to be fitness competitors, but that level of fitness is MUCH more difficult to obtain and maintain then wanting to be “bikini ready” for the lake this summer.

When establishing your goals, it is important to know what is obtainable. That starts with a realistic evaluation of where you are beginning. It also helps to know the optimum way to get from where you are to that destination and how long it will take. Time is valuable, but the process of rapid body transformation does not happen overnight.

Don’t take this as a reason to go in and half-ass your workouts. Go hard or go home – but don’t try to workout 4 hours per day and expect to stay healthy and recover properly.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

Late last week, I was invited to contribute to a soon to be released fitness and nutrition related book, and today, I received my first set of interview questions to fill out. Great timing, because they’ve definitely given me several worthy topics to discuss.

As far as the book goes, I’ll update everyone here as I learn more about future stages on the project. I have been involved in a few of these projects in the past, and this one looks to be a very high level project – I am definitely honored that they decided to include me as one of the contributing fitness experts.

How is 2012 treating you thus far? Remember, January turns to February quickly – be patient, stay focused and committed, and take one day, one step at a time!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

As I pulled up at the gym to get my first workout of 2012 in, I’m sure I mumbled “Dammit, look at this place.” Of course, the parking lot was jammed pack – and I schedule my own personal workouts at common downtimes at gyms (9am or so).

Once my workout partner and I were up and running, I could see the irritation with the crowd growing on his face. People were being careless (not yielding to those who were lifting), not cleaning up after themselves (towels are free, nobody wants to lay in your sweat), and much of the same nonsense that goes on at most every gym during the first of the year.

Don’t worry: 80% of the people that are in there right now won’t be in there by the end of the month (and about half that number will fade in the next week or so). Don’t let the cluster that is the circus that is the gym kill your enthusiasm!!!

Set your goals, make a commitment, and be ready to grind it out and do whatever it takes to get there. Do not settle, and know that at some point, there will be bumps in the road and you may become discouraged: the difference in reaching your goals and not depends on how you react to that adversity.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio – there is still time to give your family and loved ones the ultimate gift of health. If you have a friend or family member that is looking to make 2012 the year that they get in the best shape of their life, lose body fat and drastically transform their body or maybe prepare for an athletic competition, a Personal Fitness Revolution Personal Training Gift Certificate is the perfect gift idea.

Health clubs and gyms in San Antonio are simply PACKED after the first of the year – not ours. Our private personal training studio is by appointment only, and there is NEVER a crowd.

All clients receive complete nutritional and supplement guidance, 24/7 access to their personal trainer (via telephone, email, etc), and complete directions on what to do on days when they aren’t with their trainer. For more information on programs and pricing, check out our Personal Training Programs or contact Boyd via email at boyd@the-personal-trainer.com or by phone at 210.391.1454. We have hundreds of references available by request.

Any personal training package is available as a gift certificate, but from now until Dec 31, 2011, we will be offering 15% off of any purchased package of 36 or more sessions!

Slots WILL BE limited after the first of the year, and our personal training studio operates on a first come, first served basis (by appointment). Beat the crowds at other health clubs at our private personal training studio!

No gift could be more precious or appreciated more than a healthy, lean body, and there is no better way to help someone you care about get a head start on their New Year’s Resolution with the help of a fitness professional that will drastically improve their chance for success.

Happy Holidays!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

Hope that you are enjoying the holiday season. This foreign substance (rain) falling from the sky over the last few days has actually almost made it fall as if Winter is finally here, although it is muggy and should be in the 70s for a good part of the week.

If you have watched any television over the last month (and unless you spend all of your time watching those Kardashian losers), you have probably heard about the hysteria that is Tim Tebow.

A quick run-down, Tim Tebow is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He attended the University of Florida where he played in an unconventional offense, that traditionally has not transferred well into the NFL for quarterback play. Tebow is also a devout Christian, and openly displays his faith during the game.

As a player, I probably should hate Tebow. I am a die-hard University of Tennessee Volunteer, and Florida is one of our most bitter rivals.

From a mechanical standpoint, Tebow is often criticized for his basic fundamentals: his throwing motion is deliberate and slow. His footwork isn’t very good as he often throws off of the wrong foot, while moving, etc. He has the tendency to run before going through his progressions and finding the open receiver.

When he became the starter, the Broncos were then 1-5. Denver fans had been clamoring for the coaching staff to give Tebow a chance, while the coaching staff often explained that he simply was not ready, wasn’t performing in practice, and did not give the Broncos the best chance to win.

Finally, he received his chance. And while he hasn’t put up Tom Brady and Peyton Manning type stats, he does one thing very well: He WINS.

How can an individual with such flawed mechanics and limited experience have success in the brutal, super-athletic world that is the NFL?

First, Tim Tebow believes in Tim Tebow. He believes that God has given him great gifts (he is an amazing raw athlete, built more like a fullback and bodybuilder than a traditional quarterback) and that with those blessings, he can overcome the people that have told him since he was in 6th grade that he can be a great football player.

He believes that he is in every game, and that it is never over as long as there is time on the clock. He may be right – since he took over, he is 7-1 with 5 of those wins coming in the 4th quarter. A few of those victories were almost indescribable, overcoming circumstances that seemed extremely overwhelming.

His team believes in him – their defense understands that he isn’t going to score 42 points per game, but if they are able to keep Denver within striking distance, he will pull through when it matters.

So, what does any of this have to do with fitness, losing fat, changing your body and changing your life?

I realize that many people have tried to accomplish these things. In less than a month, many more will try for what may be an annual ritual for them. Of course, several will fail to uphold their resolutions through the first month of the year.

Repeated failure breeds doubt. Many have no idea where to start or how to go about it, and while that is limiting, it can be overcome. The negative reinforcement of repeated setbacks can be much more difficult to persevere through.

Find motivation that is deeper than “it is a new year!” Search for reasons that make your objective too big to fail. But more than anything, believe. It WILL get tough, it will be challenging, but understanding that rewards come with tribulation is a big step toward the right direction.

There is a reason that most successful people have self-confidence and strong beliefs about the things they can accomplish – it is no coincidence.

Make 2012 the year of the best you – let nothing stop you!

Boyd Myers
Master Fitness Trainer – San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio

Hey San Antonio,

Nothing compares to the gift of health. If you have a friend or family member that is looking to make 2012 the year that they get in the best shape of their life, lose body fat and drastically transform their body or maybe prepare for an athletic competition, a Personal Fitness Revolution Personal Training Gift Certificate is the perfect gift idea.

All clients receive complete nutritional and supplement guidance, 24/7 access to their personal trainer (via telephone, email, etc), and complete directions on what to do on days when they aren’t with their trainer. For more information on programs and pricing, check out our Personal Training Programs or contact Boyd via email at boyd@the-personal-trainer.com or by phone at 210.391.1454. We have hundreds of references available by request.

From now until Dec 31, 2011, we will be offering 15% off of any purchased package of 36 or more sessions!

Slots WILL BE limited after the first of the year, and our personal training studio operates on a first come, first served basis (by appointment). Beat the crowds at other health clubs at our private personal training studio!

No gift could be more precious or appreciated more than a healthy, lean body, and there is no better way to help someone you care about get a head start on their New Year’s Resolution with the help of a fitness professional that will drastically improve their chance for success.

Happy Holidays!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey Everyone:

Last week, I switched a few days around on my training and actually ran my mile Friday. After not running for several years and then running for the third time in a week, the mile was insanely difficult (I ran a fast 3/4 on Monday and a slower 1.5 on Thurs). Anyway, Friday I felt as if I was running in a foot of water. But that will change once I get conditioned to actually running again.

One other note I’d like to add is that I AM running in my Vibram Five Fingers. Not a huge deal, because I have always been a toe runner, so this changes nothing for me as far as my form.

This morning was only scheduled for a 1/2 mile. I wanted to see how close I could get to 3:15, and I actually was able to break that time and did a 3:06. I know that sounds terribly slow, but I really haven’t ran anything other than sprints in over 7 years (50lbs ago). Not bad considered I did 10 sets of heavy squats and 8 sets of heavy front squats yesterday!

Again, I am doing this for time only. I stay considerably lean and I focus on nutrition for fat loss, not added cardio (scan the blog, I discuss why personal trainers don’t understand this philosophy often). But then again, most personal trainers don’t know which ocean borders California, how many states there are in the US, nor their right from their left. Harsh, but sadly, true.

Anyway, Thursday will be my “over-reach” run where I try to improve on my pace from last week, and Saturday will be my first actual TIMED mile (since the first one). Can’t wait to see exactly where I am!

Boyd Myers
Master Fitness Trainer – San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio

Hey everyone,

As I mentioned yesterday, I have decided on a goal of running a sub-five minute mile.

The key to any training goal is specificity – you have to train specifically toward that goal. Obvious, right? Well, you’d be surprised at how many people don’t get this simple concept: to become a better runner, you run (not swim or bike) and vice versa. There may be a little transfer, but training specifically for your goal is imperative. I work with a lot of people to help them prepare for marathons. Although I am not an avid runner, it requires more than “just running” and the full body approach is important. Still, remember the goal: running x distance in x time.

As a personal trainer, I run into lack of specificity often. People tell me what they want to do and what they have been doing to get there, and they are usually miles away from where they need to be from a training and a nutritional standpoint. Of course, most of the times it is due to misinformation and not knowing HOW to get from point A to point B.

There are a few things I have to work around. First and foremost, I am chasing the world record for a raw bench press, and power lifting is a priority to me. My current power lifting numbers are all considered world class, and so that can’t take a backburner if I am to remain competitive on the power lifting scene. My current training split is typically a 3-4 day split where each workout centers around either squatting, bench pressing or dead lifting. With that being said, while running is part of the picture, I’ll probably train only 3 days per week. My lifting sessions are simply brutal, so recovery is important.

Here are the first couple of weeks worth of training:
Monday:
This is my high intensity, moderate distance day. On this day, my runs will be as fast as I can possibly run for 1/2 to 3/4 mile in the morning. As I progress, I will probably add a second similar run later in the afternoon/evening, and start with 1/4-1/2 mile on the second run with the same goal.

Tuesday:
This is Squat day. With the low volume of the previous day, this is probably the most optimal day to do squatting and still be able to put a quality workout in. While my power lifting is a priority, I am prepared to scale back the volume on my squat days to allow proper recovery.

Wednesday:
This is bench day. With no lower body on this day, I’ll be ready to run on Thursday.

Thursday:
This is my distance day. Remember, I’m not running a marathon, just optimizing my mile run. I’m 245lbs, hate running, and I have my knee drained every 2-4 weeks (old military and football injuries). This day is a very light pace 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 mile run.

Friday:
Dead Lift Day! While my bench is my best lift, my dead lift is also near world record levels for my bodyweight. I also focus on upper back lifts on this day as well.

Saturday:
Time Trial Day! This is the day I determine where I am at! I’ll actually evaluate myself every other week, but I will run one mile every week and focus most on the highest pace I can maintain for the entire distance, and focus on improving that pace regularly.

Sunday:

Rest day. This is the day for recovery – mind, body and soul!

Throughout, I’ll post my nutritional strategy and changes that I make.

Boyd Myers
Master Fitness Trainer – San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio

Hey everyone,

Hope this week is treating you well.

I realize that many of my readers are new to my blog and don’t know a lot about me other than the introduction and maybe they’ve watched a few of my videos and read a few of my articles. If I had to drive myself, I’d say I was very motivated and driven, to say the least.

Many of my long time readers realize that I have been chasing the raw bench press world record for the last year plus. I’m not far – within striking distance, and I am now beginning my final push to at least tie the record (715lbs) by my birthday (March 16).

But this week, I have also started another chase: I want to run a sub five minute mile.

Now, I know this isn’t world record pace or anything close, but let me give you a little background:

-I personally HATE running with a passion.

-I used to be an avid runner (I ran 10 miles every Saturday at a sub 6 minute per mile pace).

-That was 10 years ago, and my physique has drastically changed – I was in the 180lb range then, now, after several years of focusing on bodybuilding and power lifting based goals, my bodyweight stays much closer to the 240-245lb range.

-While I do mix high intensity training along with sprinting into my current regimen, my typical longer endurance cardio is on a machine (elliptical, bike, etc). I have NOT ran much over the last decade.

With that being said, I will be running 3 times per week with my one mile assessment being every other Friday to chart my progress. I am a person of metrics and love to measure to see where I am at to stay on track and to make sure I am doing what needs to be done.

Understand, I am not running as a weight loss tool. When I shed weight, I do so with manipulation of food intake and by changing up my macro-nutrient intake. This is a pure “Me Versus The Clock” scenario.

I’ll keep a training log here on the blog for those who are interested, along with my time progress, recovery and more. If you’ve read my training blogs in the past on message boards (and here on this blog when I competed in my last bodybuilding show) you’ll know that I cover nearly every aspect of what I am doing.

Oh, and of course, I will continue my power lifting training (which includes very heavy squatting, dead lifting and benching). Working my runs in to allow for optimal recovery will be tricky, but I have a great strategy where I shouldn’t suffer too much.

Help me out by cheering me on! If you have a goal you are working on, post it in the comment section!

Let’s CRUSH our goals!

Boyd Myers
Master Fitness Trainer – San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio

Hey San Antonio and you other Fitness Fanatics elsewhere!

Had quite a few questions to tend to from the holidays, so I thought I’d do them here!

Hey Boyd,

I am a local high school senior and have committed to play Division 1 football next fall at a prestigious university. Do you work with high school athletes?

Absolutely. I work with athletes of all ages amateur and professional. The transition from high school football (even Texas high school football) to college football is drastic. It is imperative to go into conditioning program a step ahead of the competition. Quite simply, I help athletes become faster, stronger and more cardio conditioned. We focus on regular power moves to develop base strength (bench press, dead lift and squat) as well as explosive movements that transfer into the sport of choice (plyometrics, Olympic movements, etc).

Not only do I focus on the training, but on the nutrition as well to get the most out of your training and to fuel your training and recovery – unfortunately, nutrition is the weakest link in most amateur athletes repetoire. I develop an optimal nutrition and supplement regiment for every athlete.

Ok Boyd, I have tried it all – lots of cardio, less eating, etc. I thought I was doing it right until I read one of your articles from a few months back about becoming skinny fat and how doing what I am doing is only going to make me a smaller version of myself. Not so much a question but a “Dammit I should’ve listened to your advice”!

It’s never too late! Starving and excess cardio may help you look better dressed, but gaining lean body mass and proper training help you look better naked!

Boyd: Which is better? Low reps (3-6) or higher reps (12+)?

Better in what way? Kind of a general question but let me try to help you: no matter your goals, there are reasons to use absolutely every rep range. I honestly use as few as one rep (on a regular basis) and as many as 100 reps in some exercises.

It’s like having a tool box and trying to figure out which is better: a screwdriver or a hammer. You have them both, so why not use them?

Any tips for coming off of a spell with the flu?

More than tips, I have sympathy, because for more than a week, I was battling the nasty flu as well. First and foremost, get yourself some pro-biotics and replenish the good bacteria in your system (especially if you were on antibiotics). My choice is Endo-mune. Second, take a week to “get back into the groove. Your body is still probably recovering, so the worst thing you can do is decimate yourself and make your body relapse into sickness. Increase antioxidant intake (permanently). A great way to not have to recover from sickness is to not get sick. Rest more. Yeah, sounds simple, but most of us aren’t even close on the amount of rest we need. Sleep deprivation has hormonal effects on fat storage and opens us up for a multitude of sicknesses. Sleep more, get sick less, period.

I have a very long email that I am responding to about fat loss/muscle gain, and I will be posting my answer here when it is ready – I think most people will benefit from it, so check back later on.

Make today great!

Boyd Myers
Master Fitness Trainer – San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio