In case you’re not yet familiar with MovNat, here is a directory of resources to get you started:

MovNat – the Official Site

Mens Health Article about MovNat – “Fitness to Survive in the Wild: a wild workout for the real world”

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine article about MovNat – “Wild Workouts with the Worlds Fittest Man” (PDF)

Health and Fitness Magazine article about MovNat – “Go Primal!” (PDF)

Interview with Erwan Le Corre from Chris at Conditioning Research

Thoughts on MovNat from natural movement expert Rafe Kelley

Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see a comment from Le Corre about what makes movement natural

MovNat seminar review by Greg Carver of “Did Spartans Do Situps?”

MovNat seminar review by Finn Christo of “The Ego of Finn”

Another MovNat seminar review

And of course, if you haven’t seen the video already, have a looksie…

I’ll come back with a full report of my experiences.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional

The joint mobility, clubbell training, and Prasara yoga (the 3 wings of CST) all work together harmoniously to produce superior training effects when conditioning. I’ve been very happy with the results from this system and have committed to attending this seminar as a final test of its validity and to get all of my questions that have amassed over the years answered. The seminar is the ultimate expression of CST, where student-athletes experience the seamless interdependence of the 3 wings of CST and how they work together for peak progression.

Over the years, I’ve learned that CST is not just a health-first fitness system, it is a method and collection of principles that can be applied to any physical training system, whether it’s sports, fitness, or simply natural movement. Sure, you can participate in the fitness programs that CST Coaches publish and benefit immensely from them like I have. But the real value of CST is that it provides a holistic path to personal mastery in whatever way you wish to express it.

If you want to master any physical skill or art, then CST can help you do so faster and safer than any other system I’ve encountered as a fitness professional. Martial art, rock climbing, dancing, military fitness, kettlebell sport, or triathlon training can all be augmented and quite literally super-charged with the inclusion of a CST practice.

Unfortunately, this is not something that one can just buy and reap the benefits from. It takes diligent, disciplined practice to realize the full potential of CST. I’ve spent the last three years practicing various elements of CST and I’m still realizing it!

The good news is that anyone can start CST and begin to unlock their own potential one day at a time. You don’t even need to be interested in physical mastery at all. You want fat loss through full body conditioning, try FlowFit. You want strength, try clubbells. You want muscle mass, try Forward Pressure. There is a program for almost every training goal, and each one delivers big time.

The beauty of CST is that you don’t even need to understand why it works to experience the benefits. If you put in the time and practice, the results will inevitably follow. Sometimes, it feels like magic, but in reality, it’s just good science and programming.

So, while I’m away on my trip, I’ll leave you with some CST educational materials that I’ve created over the past year. Enjoy!

Interview with Scott Sonnon (Part 1) – Creator of the CST System

Interview with Scott Sonnon (Part 2) – Creator of the CST System

Interview with Ryan Murdock – Faculty Coach of the CST System

Interview with Adam Steer – CST Head Coach

Interview with Adam Steer about Bodyweight Training

My First Clubbell Competition Results

You can find a lot more about CST on my site if you do a search for CST, Sonnon, or clubbells. You can also check out the Mobility tab above for info on joint mobility training, along with the Body Transformation tab which is a listing of some of my CST workouts in a training journal format.

I leave Thursday morning – here I come Bellingham! I’m looking forward to finally meeting the tribe!

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete

P.S. If you want to get started with CST today, then I highly recommend the Intu-Flow Joint Mobility Encyclopedia. This is the foundation program for the entire CST system, and I have used it almost daily for the past 3 years:

Intu-Flow Complete Package

After dinner, I did Intu-Flow Intermediate level, with some other exercises added in where I needed it most.

I followed the joint mobility session with a FlowFit session/test. I did FlowFit level 3 for 14 rounds in 13:45.

One of the requirements for the Circular Strength Training Certification is to be able to do 14 rounds of level 3 in 14 minutes, so I passed my self-test.

Let me tell you, if you want a program that will have you working up a sweat in less than 10 minutes, then give FlowFit a try. I was making it a point to keep my exertion as minimal as possible – I just wanted to pass the test, really – but I started really breathing and I’m drenched. I’ll probably have to drink at least a quart of water before bed just to replace what was lost. This one is ideal for burning fat all over your body and building muscles in places you probably didn’t know you had them!

I haven’t done FlowFit in awhile, and surprised myself with my performance.  I didn’t expect to be able to maintain optimal technique for all 14 rounds, but that’s what happened. I finished each working set in about 45-50 seconds, and then rested for the remaining 10-15 seconds while shaking out my legs and torso.

I will be finishing the evening with some Prasara BodyFlow yoga flows. I’m going to work on Forest flow and Flock of Pigeons Flow to hit these legs.

Later!

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete

MovNat – Erwan Le Corre – The Workout The World Forgot

You may also want to read the recent Men’s Health article “Wild Workout for the Real World.”

And I dug up this fantastic interview with him over at Conditioning Research: Interview with Erwan Le Corre.

In a little over 12 hours, both of Erwan’s seminars have already filled up (and Erwan is now trying to book the Summersville Lake resort for another week), and for good reason – this is a revolutionary philosophy about physical living, and physical culture enthusiasts are going to go BONKERS over the MovNat system in the coming months and years.

I’ve been working with Erwan to help him obtain his O-1 Visa that will allow him to move to the U.S. and teach MovNat on a more permanent basis, including certifying coaches in natural movement methods. I feel honored to be able to help someone that has so much to offer our sedentary, dis-eased, and physically disconnected culture. Erwan has a heart for people that want to rediscover the joy of natural human movement, and his passion is contagious.

If nothing else, I encourage you to check out Erwan’s articles above, and to visit his site at http://MovNat.com

If you want to act quickly on the seminars in WV, then I’d head over to this page quickly… I’m guessing the new dates will be booked within the next 24 hours or less.

USA MovNat Seminar Info:

http://movnat.com/seminars/usa

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional

7th Anniversary Interview with Tom Venuto

Here’s some of the info that was covered:

• old bodybuilding photos pulled out of Tom’s photo albums!
• The story of how Burn The Fat was originally developed
• Tom’s “man boobs” story
• The most important fat loss strategies Tom uses with a new client
• The difference between male and female fat loss strategies
• 3 things that mess up your results
• How to get rid of the last bits of stubborn fat

7th Anniversary Interview with Tom Venuto

Tom kindly requests that no one make any wisecracks about the “man boobs” thing!!!

Enjoy the interview, and feel free to discuss it here.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Manager of BurnTheFat.com

The book isn’t a fitness manual, with an organized plan that is prescribed for a specific need or population. Rather it provides an opportunity to challenge your views and change your perspective about health, movement, and exuberant living. It offers a glimpse into a lifestyle that is obviously different from the norm, and encourages freethinking, creativity, and fun. It’s a joyful alternative to the dead-end of conventional wisdom in health and fitness.

The book starts off with a warning (aka medical disclaimer):

Before beginning a program of physical inactivity, consult your doctor. Sedentary living is abnormal and dangerous to your health.

This mild humor is strewed about generously throughout the entire text, making it a real easy read. The stories, imaginary characters, and guest appearances from Frank’s dog Mojo make it a real page-turner. The only thing that inhibits a quick read is the deep thought that it inspires. Sometimes, I would just have to put the book down and think about what I had just read, and other times I would just highlight, underline, or jot down some notes to come back to later. My notes got denser the further into the book I got. I might as well highlighted the last 4 chapters.

Frank says in the introduction that his book will show you that “the world of the body is far more than one of sets, reps, and calories. It is immensely rich and endlessly fascinating – an ideal life-long study.” When I was done, I was experiencing idea and information overload. I had just read too much to contain within myself. There were ideas bouncing around my head like crazy. So, I’ll try to summarize some of the main points of what I’ve learned in this review.

1) The placebo effect is at work in almost every situation imaginable – not just in the medical industry. If you believe that you’re going to get healed, then you have a much better chance of actually healing. Medical research has proven this beyond reasonable doubt. Similarly, if you BELIEVE that you’re going to get healthier, fitter, faster, stronger, or leaner, then you’ll have a much better chance of that actually happening. If you believe your strength training program is perfectly suited to your individualized needs, then it will work better for you than if you think it’s just a cookie-cutter approach for average Joe’s.

The effects of this new knowledge of the placebo effect are far-reaching for sure, but this is not new news, except in the research community. Many philosophers, visionaries, and success coaches have long taught that success in any endeavor starts in the mind.

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford

What the mind conceives the body achieves. - unknown

Taken a step further, your own internal dialogue will also have a profound effect on your lifestyle. If you’re always thinking…

“I’m so out of shape”
“I’m not as young as I used to be”
“I can’t do that”

Then, your body will respond accordingly with poor health, fear-reactivity, dis-ease, pain, and weakness.

On the other hand, if you’re always thinking…

“I’m getting into the best shape of my life”
“I’m aging, but I’m not slowing down”
“I can do anything I put my mind to”

Then, your body will also respond accordingly with joyful movement, health, and abundant energy.

The take-home message is that you have to get out there and express yourself positively. Tell the world who you really are!

2) Adopting the mindset of abundance is paramount to long-term success in anything related to health, fitness, or athleticism. Beyond our basic needs of survival like food, water, and shelter, an abundance mindset is in the eye of the beholder. If you’re focused on temporal poverty, on scarcity of resources (not just money, but time, education, etc.), then you won’t be able to fully appreciate the abundance that is literally sitting on our doorsteps. This is catastrophic to not only our health as individuals, but our communities in terms of creativity, freethinking, and passion. A lot more is lost than just resources when you focus on how much you don’t have.

3) We already know that one of the MAJOR secrets to health and vitality is vigorous movement. The research is without a doubt in favor of frequent, vigorous movement. Even our governmental authorities have been telling us this for decades. But you don’t need to read a research journal or look to the most recent guidelines for healthy living to know that physical activity is good for you. We don’t need more research, and we definitely don’t need more guidelines. Frank says, “what we need is primal participation…If you can talk, you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance.”

My interpretation “BUCK UP PEOPLE!”

4) We need to balance exuberance with discipline. If we have too much of one, the other will suffer. If we’re gung-ho about our new fitness program, it won’t last forever, and we’ll probably lack the discipline to keep it up long-term. Similarly, if we’re psycho-disciplined, devoid of fun and play, then we’ll get bored or unsatisfied. We’ll turn play into work, and that isn’t sustainable either. It’s best to have a little of both.

By the way, I’ll never just “workout” ever again.

5) Do you want to know the secret to sustainable health and vitality? If you’re a rabbit, stop chasing carrots and running away from sticks. If you’re a human, stop chasing health and fitness benefits and running away from health and fitness consequences. Instead, choose a lifestyle that is intrinsically rewarding. Do things that you would do just for their sake. Having trouble with a weight problem? Try kayaking or hiking or dancing or rock climbing or clubbell swinging or yoga or weightlifting or martial arts – try something that you will enjoy regardless of the outcome. One rule: It must involve vigorous movement!

That is just a taste of what I experienced when reading Exuberant Animal, and it hardly does my notes justice. Hopefully, you now have an idea that this is a different kind of book, one only suited for those with open minds.

As a literary work in the health and fitness industry, it gets 4 out of 5 stars. But with that said, I think everyone whom is involved with the health, fitness, movement, athletic, and wellness areas should get a copy of this to read and reflect on. The last star was withheld because a lot of Frank’s claims seem like common sense, but are not backed up with proof or convincing evidence. But this is part of the natural appeal, the idea that true healthy living advice transcends modern research. So, it feels like you’re taking his word for it most of the time, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He does provide footnotes in some chapters and a recommended reading section at the end, which is very helpful.

As an aside, I don’t believe or endorse the evolution theory myself, which is espoused throughout much of the text.  Evolutionist or not, Frank has got a perspective on health and movement (not just fitness) that everyone should be open to receiving. I hope that this inconsequential difference in beliefs wouldn’t keep anyone from exploring the value contained within.

4 out of 5 stars, and two hearty thumbs up! Pick up your copy at Amazon here:
EXUBERANT ANIMAL: THE POWER OF HEALTH, PLAY AND JOYFUL MOVEMENT:

Also, check out Frank’s site http://ExuberantAnimal.com

And don’t miss the insightful interview I did with him here:
John Interview’s Frank Forencich

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional

Adam Steer - CST Head Coach

I had an awesome interview with Adam Steer, specifically about bodyweight exercise.

In case you don’t know Adam yet, he’s a wealth of fitness and conditioning knowledge and he’s also a man who walks the talk when it comes to fitness and athleticism. He has not only been a strength and conditioning coach to elite athletes and others around the world, he has some very impressive athletic achievements himself. Adam is most notably known for being on the Circular Strength Training head coaching staff and for his work on the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution program. He is a co-author and co-creator of the book, which includes 5 distinct training programs.

I was able to get Adam to answer some of the most common questions about bodyweight exercise on this call. I guarantee that you’ll learn something new by listening in. Some of the key points we covered include:

• The clear advantages that bodyweight exercise has over other training methods that will help you keep fit equipment-free.
• How structuring the program design variables can help you progress to achieve almost any training goal.
• Explaining the “you can only get so strong with bodyweight exercise” myth and giving you a glimpse at how strong you can truly get without extra resistance.
• How to build lean, functional muscles that aren’t over-bulky.
• How to keep fit with a hectic schedule, even while traveling without a gym available.
• Don’t miss the special offer at the end of the call, available only to my readers who take action in the next 24 hours.

Listen to the interview here:

John Sifferman Interviews Adam Steer about Bodyweight Exercise (28 Minutes in Length)

Thanks again for a great interview, Adam.

If you’re interested in learning more about Adam’s program, Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Be sure to check out the official site here:

Bodyweight Exercise Revolution

This is the busy-man’s solution to training on a budget, and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. But don’t take my word for it. Read the testimonials on the official site yourself.

*Janice from sunny California was the first to take advantage of Adam’s exclusive Inner Circle coaching group offer. Way to lead from the West Coast, Janice!

*Jon from Spain will also be joining the Inner Circle – great choice mi amigo!

*Shirley from California just joined the ranks!

Note: Entrance into the Exclusive Inner Circle Coaching Group is now closed, but you can still take advantage of this great program and post your training journal on the Circular Strength Training forums.

Chris from Australia and Peter from Massachusetts have both decided that the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution was a good program to invest in.

June 11 Update: 5 others have also invested in the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Student

My Feet

If you can live with the fact that some people will think you’re weird for not wearing shoes and still avoid the religious “barefooters” who drink the Kool-Aid, then I think you can greatly benefit from some barefoot living. Going barefoot is becoming increasingly popular in some social circles, and I’ve been hearing a lot about it recently. So, I compiled a listing or resources to give you a comprehensive perspective on the benefits of going barefoot anywhere – whether it’s barefoot running, barefoot walking, or barefoot training in the gym.

The Case For Going Barefoot

It turns out that most people not only have very weak feet and ankles, they also have immobile feet and ankles. This is largely due to over-engineered footwear being the norm across the civilized, modern world.

Think about it – what does putting on a work boot do to your foot in terms of mobility? It limits it to a pre-determined range of motion. Sure, it stabilizes your ankle and protects your toes from falling objects, but it also prevents your ankle from moving through a full (and natural) range of motion, which means over time your ankles and feet will get progressively weaker. Your feet will become less independent and able to protect themselves from injury, and more dependent on the work boots to prevent a sprained ankle or any other foot injury. This starts a vicious cycle of poor movement patterns, which eventually leads to injury or worse.

Najia Shakoor and Joel A. Block of the American College of Rheumatology (1) found that walking barefoot decreases loading on the lower extremity joints. Here is a snippet from their study conclusions:

It has long been appreciated that excessive loading of the lower extremities is associated with the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA); however, no attention has been given to the role that modern shoes may play in potentiating these aberrant loads. In the present study, we formally evaluated the differences in gait and joint loads that occur when patients with knee OA walk barefoot compared with when they walk in shoes. This study demonstrated that such patients undergo a significant reduction in their joint loads at both the knees and the hips while walking barefoot compared with when walking in their normal shoes. Moreover, whereas significant changes in several gait parameters were observed during barefoot walking, including changes in stride, cadence, joint ROM, and toeout angle, these changes in gait could not explain the significant reduction in loads at the joints. This suggests that the design of modern shoes may intrinsically predispose such patients to excessive loading of their lower extremities.

Michael Warburton of Gateway Physiotherapy (2) found that running in shoes appears to increase the risk of ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis and other chronic injuries of the lower limb. He also found that running in bare feet reduces oxygen consumption by a few percent = more efficiency. And I’ll agree with him that running shoes play an important protective role on some courses, in extreme weather conditions, and with certain pathologies of the lower limb.

Researchers Kong, Candelaria, and Smith from the University of Texas at El Paso (3) concluded that “runners should choose shoes for reasons other than cushioning technology.”

Phil Maffetone says in his book “In Fitness and in Health” (4, 1997):

For the most part, shoes are tested on machines, not people, because machines give the results the company wants and people don’t. A quick look in the medical journals will point out the abundant problems.

Did you know, for example, that the support systems in almost all shoes can weaken your ankles? And the soft, cushioned shoes of today can harm your feet? How about the height, in other words, the thickness of the sole? The farther above the ground you go in a shoe, the more unstable your foot becomes.

Scientific articles over the past decade or more strongly suggest that such protective features put in by shoe companies, including shock absorption and motion control actually increase the likelihood of injury.

Here’s a visual example of what happens to the body while running when wearing shoes versus barefoot:

Dr. Silverman from the New Jersey Sports Medicine and Performance Center created this video. This is the same runner on the same day, with no instruction given in between videos. On the left, the runner displays correct SHOELESS forefoot strike – good running technique. On the right, incorrect, wearing SHOES with heel strike, braking, and straining – incorrect and joint-damaging running technique.

A work boot is an extreme example that does the most damage to your feet over time (and to the rest of your body). Walking and running shoes and cross-trainers are still guilty of the same crime though, albeit to a lesser extent – they all limit your foot to a pre-determined movement pattern that is not natural. The take-home point is that wearing shoes will eventually lead to imbalances and injury. The other take-home point is that if you must wear shoes, take a minimalist view and adopt the philosophy of “less is better.”

The feet have ligaments and muscles just like the rest of the body, and they need to be exercised through a natural range of motion just like everything else. You wouldn’t put your hand in a cast before you go to work or to the gym, would you? (well, some people use gloves and wraps, which I almost always DO NOT recommend for these same reasons.)

Then why does our culture insist on doing the same thing to our feet? Well, for one – going barefoot doesn’t cost anything. It’s free, and that’s a pretty hard deal to beat for a shoe company. Obviously, the shoe execs want you to buy their shoes, and will tell you anything to get you to do it. So, there is advertising stating that shoes are better and healthier for your feet, and even for your performance – blah, blah, blah.

Like most messages in the health and fitness industry, this is only a half-truth. Sure, wearing shoes will help protect your feet from getting cut on glass or sharp rocks, etc. BUT, wearing an over-engineered shoe or boot will weaken your feet over time. So, it’s a catch 22! Protect your feet from the rough surfaces, but atrophy the muscles and ligaments of your feet.

And it makes sense too, how many shod runners do you know that don’t have an injury history longer than their laces? Sometimes, it seems like almost everyone who runs regularly has knee problems. Walk to any high school track and field meet and you’ll likely see half the team wearing knee wraps or taping from a sports medicine specialist. The sad truth is that these kids are usually better off than most adults.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve been there, done that, too. I wore running shoes every season of Fall Cross Country Running, Winter Track, and Spring Track and Field in high school – and I had the injuries to prove it (3 years in physical therapy to rehabilitate myself from over-training via long distance running – anecdotal evidence, I know).

Now, that’s just the movement half of the story. Some other problems that shoes contribute to include: athlete’s foot, deformed toes, hammer toes, and ingrown toenails.

Now we know the drawbacks of wearing shoes, what about the benefits of going shoeless…

We already know that wearing shoes leads to injury such as plantar fasciitis, shortened calf muscles, knee osteoarthritis, tight ilial tibial bands, and lower back pain, among many other things. We also already know that running barefoot takes about 4% less energy than running with shoes. So, here are some of the other benefits of barefooting.

• Running or walking barefoot will help to naturally improve your gait and carriage, which will improve your performance. More effeciency = more speed.

• Going barefoot will help to develop strength in the muscles and ligaments in your feet, legs, and hips that are inhibited and disintegrated when wearing shoes.

• You won’t get athletes foot or other odd foot odors if you aren’t getting sweaty from unventilated shoes.

• There’s nothing like walking on sand or grass in your bare feet. Seriously, the more you can enjoy nature, the better for your well-being.

• It’s free. I don’t even want to know how much I’ve spent on high class running shoes in the past… going barefoot will save you a lot of money!

Some more info about the barefoot vs. shoe debate…

The UK’s first Barefoot Trail

http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1170253/The-painful-truth-trainers-Are-expensive-running-shoes-waste-money.html

http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/4314401.html

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25171370-5005961,00.html

So, where do we draw the line? Is there a healthy balance?

Obviously, we can’t just go barefoot all the time and everywhere. Society, propriety, and etiquette dictate when and where shoes are most appropriate, but you don’t need to wear them all the time. If you’re like me, then you’re looking for the most “bang for your buck” benefits without getting sucked into a subculture of hippies and other barefoot nerds.

That’s easy.

Just start to go barefoot whenever you can – around the house, around your yard, and at the park or the beach. These are easy transitions to barefoot living, and probably a better idea anyway. If you’re accustomed to wearing footwear, then you will want to “break your feet in” to barefoot walking. The muscles and ligaments will need to strengthen before you can jump into full-time barefoot walking without injury – not to mention your soles too. You may find that after an hour or two of being barefoot, the tiny muscles in your feet start to get sore. That’s because they are now moving in a range of motion that they are not used to.

Progress intuitively, and only go barefoot when you’re comfortable. You may find that some surfaces hurt a little and have you waving your arms with every step, but eventually, your feet will be so tough (read tolerant, not insensitive), that you’ll be able to run over some pretty rough surfaces while barefoot like MovNat founder Erwan Le Corre:

Barefoot Running

Bare Minimum Footwear Alternatives

Of course, there are times when we simply do need to wear shoes. So, when going barefoot is not an option, there are some good minimalist alternatives.

In general, look for footwear that allows the most freedom of movement. If the shoe can bend, flex, and twist easily, it’s a winner. Some shoes are better than others, but I have found that Nike Free’s are a somewhat viable option (minus the tall heel), and some Puma shoes are also decent. My wife and I both wear Puma’s (rawwwr!)

I’ve heard nothing but good reports about Vivo Barefoot shoes. There are many different styles from dress, to casuals, to athletic:

Vibram Five Fingers have received a lot of positive reports:

Traditional Huarache’s by Barefoot Ted (the barefoot guru of the internet – you’ll definitely want to check out his site if barefoot walking or running interests you.):

Barefoot Ted has been testing these huarache sandals for years. Now, he makes them and sells them too. All he needs from you is payment and a paper tracing of your feet. If you can get past the “ancient empire” look, they will serve you well. He even has a free how-to guide, teaching you how to make your own huarache’s at home – or buy one of his kit’s to do-it-yourself.

More Barefoot Living Resources

www.BareFooters.org

www.RunningBarefoot.org

www.BarefootRunner.org

Yahoo! Barefoot Running Group

Great Series About the Case for Minimalist Footwear

The Bottom Line

Go barefoot whenever you can and only where you are comfortable. Shop for shoes that will allow the most freedom of movement around your feet and ankle joints. The less and lighter, the better for your health.

If anyone asks why you’re not wearing shoes, just look them directly in the eye, point up towards the sky, and say “the aliens took them.”

The Society for Barefoot Living would like you to know that…

• It is healthy for your feet to go barefoot.
• It is not against the law to go barefoot into any kind of establishment including restaurants.
• It is also not against any health department regulation.
• It is not against the law to drive barefoot.

When and where do you go barefoot?

a) just at the beach
b) most places that don’t have a sign “shirt and shoes required.”
c) everywhere now that the aliens took my shoes…
d) never, feet are disgusting! if you aren’t wearing shoes, DON’T COME NEAR ME!!!
e) somewhere else

Please post your comments below.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Barefooter

References:

1) Najia Shakoor and Joel A. Block. ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM. Vol. 54, No. 9, September 2006, pp 2923–2927. DOI 10.1002/art.22123. © 2006, American College of Rheumatology. (read the rest of this study on Matt’s site here)

2) Michael Warburton. Barefoot Running. Gateway Physiotherapy, Capalaba, Queensland, Australia 4157. Sportscience 5(3), sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm, 2001 (read the rest of this study here)

3) Kong PW, Candelaria NG, Smith D. Running in New and Worn Shoes – A Comparison of Three Types of Cushioning Footwear. University of Texas at El Paso, United States. (read the abstract here)

4) Maffetone, Phil. In Fitness and in Health. David Barmore Productions; 3rd Rev edition. June 1997.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is the #1 best selling diet and fitness ebook in the history of the Internet. Tom Venuto, a respected fat loss expert, natural bodybuilder, and personal trainer, has not just pumped out yet another “diet” into an already over-saturated market. Tom’s Burn the Fat can be more accurately described as a “Fat Loss Bible.” It is quite simply one of the most complete, detailed, and precise guides to fat loss you will ever see.

What makes it so much different than other weight loss publications on the market?

Well first of all, it’s not a “weight loss” program, it’s a “fat” loss program. This may seem like semantics or wordplay at first, but once you’ve read just the first three chapters, there will be no doubt in your mind that pursuing “weight loss” is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason that you’ve failed to reach and maintain your ideal body weight. Burn The Fat shows you exactly why it’s fat you must lose, not “weight” (which includes muscle, water and other lean tissue) and then goes on to show you exactly how to do it.

Secondly, what makes Burn The Fat different is the amount of attention that is paid to each and every element of successful, healthy, permanent fat loss. Burn The Fat not only thoroughly dispels the lies, myths and fallacies surrounding a very confusing subject, it is simply the most detailed book about fat loss ever written. By reading Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, (or better yet, “studying it”), you will learn more about fat loss than you would from an entire bookshelf of maintstream diet publications at your local bookstore.

You may be wondering, “Is this a low carb diet? A high protein diet? A high fat diet? what type of program IS it???”

The truth is that Burn the Fat is neither a high protein diet, or a low carb diet. That’s because with the information in this book, you will be able to easily determine your own ideal macronutrient ratio. You will be able to analyze your body type (are you an endomorph, ectomorph, or mesomorph?), determine your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate, or the amount of “maintenance” calories your body requires daily), and assess whether you are carb tolerant or carb intolerant.

This personalized approach makes perfect sense because each of us is a unique individual and no two people are exactly alike in terms of body physiology and personal goals.

One of the most powerful chapters in the book is the first one called, “How To Set Powerful, Compelling Goals That Will Propel You Forward and Charge You Up with Unstoppable Motivation”. In this chapter, you will learn what is perhaps, the ultimate secret to burning fat and getting in shape…and it has nothing to do with diets, supplements or training programs.

There’s a great quote in this chapter from the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi…

“The dictionary is the only place success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must all pay for success.”

That quote does a nice job of expressing the “no quick fix” philosophy behind the program and setting the tone for the entire book. In the rest of the book, you’ll learn the complete and exact mechanics of fat loss – explained on both a scientific and a practical level (which you can easily apply in your own daily life in terms of what to eat and how to exercise to burn fat).

If there is any drawback to the Burn The Fat ebook, it’s that it contains so much information, that some readers may find it a bit overwhelming. Those who are looking for a “cliff’s Note’s” quick start type of fat loss program, might be a bit intimated at first. The good part however, is that even these types of readers can feel confident and assured that it will be worth the effort because this will literally be the last book they ever have to buy on the subject

Who will benefit most from Burn the Fat?

In the broadest sense, anyone and everyone who needs to lose weight will benefit from Burn The Fat. Men, women, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, and especially motivated individuals and avid readers will love this book. Although it was written by a bodybuilder, this book is certainly not just for bodybuilders.

You will find no “30 lbs. in 30 days” miracles at work here. It’s all about intelligent eating choices, planning, hard work and lifestyle change. As Burn The Fat author Tom Venuto says,…

“Burn the Fat is simple, but it’s not easy.”

In terms of graphic design, Burn the Fat is a clean and professionally formatted PDF e-book. It’s a little on the plain side, being just text, but that makes it an ideal volume for printing and reading in the comfort of a favorite chair. Because of it’s size, it does require a robust printer and a good stack of paper.

Initially, some people thought that Burn the Fat was priced a little on the high side because $39 might seem like a fair chunk of money for a PDF-formatted ebook. However, after they saw the amount of information contained within Burn The Fat’s 340 pages, along with the 4 special bonus ebooks and reports that come with it, they said it was not only worth the $39, but many times that amount.

As with any how-to publication, you’re not really paying for the materials used to compile the document, but for what the information can do for you, and clearly, this publication has changed many lives and the hundreds of testimonials and success stories found on the Burn The Fat website are proof of that.

The Bottom line?

Anyone looking for a sugar-coated solution to fat loss, anyone looking to be told fairy-tales, and anyone looking for a “magic bullet” offered by the likes of body wraps, fat burning pills, diet shakes, or “fat-burning” creams and gels might be best advised to steer clear of Burn the Fat.

On the other hand, anyone tired of “spinning their wheels” going nowhere, who wants the truth about fat loss and who is ready and willing to put in the hard work and discipline and make the lifestyle changes necessary to get a fat free body, will find Burn The fat to be one of the best investments they ever made in their lives.

Click here to learn more about Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat!

In a few days, the Real Time Physique (RTP) Body Tranformation Challenge will officially begin (May 1st, 2009). This is a completely new body transformation contest that the world has never seen before, and there are two powerful reasons why. First, it’s because no internet-based body transformation challenge has ever given away such an amazing prize package to the winners. Picture in your mind… flying to New York and staying in a 5 star hotel -  awakening to lower Manhattan as the eastern sun rises over the Atlantic ocean.  You’ll be escorted to a “VIP” high class gym to train with 2 world-famous fitness celebrities. After you’ve had your share of fun, you will finish the day with a Broadway show after a private dinner. Did I mention the $500 cash prize money?

The second reason this body transformation challenge is unique is because there has never been one that is based on accountability. Social support is a major secret to compliance in a fitness program, and that’s exactly what this event capitalizes on. If you have ever tried to transform your body in the past with less-than-satisfying results, then the social support factor that comes from accountability will be the motivational push that makes all the difference this time – helping you to “get out of your own way” and claim the summer body of your dreams.

Here’s the skinny…

Adam Waters, a Fitness Professional from Australia has researched, practiced, and developed this concept of implementing “real-time accountability” into a body transformation system. Adams reputation precedes him as one of the worlds greatest accountability and success coaches, and is one of the worlds most widespread fitness blogger’s on the internet. Adam’s work has been published in Men’s Fitness, USA and Men’s Fitness Australian editions.

An interesting twist is that my friend, Tom Venuto is co-sponsoring the RTP challenge. In the world of changing physiques through diet, nutrition, and body transformations, Tom Venuto is among one of the top experts in the world. He’s not only my go-to expert for everything nutrition, bodybuilding, and killer physique-based training, he’s also someone that I’ve enjoyed personally working with for the last couple of years. Tom is known for his ability to translate research journal jargon into real world practical advice for those of us who don’t have PhD’s. He’s also the author of the Internets best selling diet/nutrition program in history called Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (where I work as the manager) and the founder of the Internets largest fat loss support community, the Burn the Fat: Inner Circle (where I work as a contributor and forum moderator).

I can’t think of anyone more qualified than these two to be heading up a Real Time Physique Body Tranformation Challenge.

After announcing the fitness challenge last week, Tom and Adam have released the transformation challenge trailer (movie)…

Watch the trailer below and find out how this accountability-based body transformation challenge could transform your body in the next 84 days…

The deadline to register for the RTP transformation challenge is this Thursday at 11:59pm EST (less than 3 days!). Nobody will be allowed in after that date since the contest starts May 1. To learn more about the RTP transformation challenge, visit:

http://www.rtp-transformation-system.com

To learn more about how an accountability-based body transformation competition can help you get more motivated to transform your body than ever before in your life, be sure to check out Adam’s personal body transformation and the many testimonials on this page: