This obviously brought a smile to my face since I had a chance to work 1 on 1 with Dellin back when he was the top pitching prospect here in NYC.

Go Grand Street Campus Wolves Baseball!!!

We called him “The Little Unit” as a reference to then Yankee pitcher Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson.

They share a common trait as they both are over 6’6 and throw 96 miles per hour.

And although my work with Dellin was brief I did see things in him that I knew would allow him to be successful in the
pros.

Besides his GOD given talents his biggest asset was that he was very coach-able and took action on advice given to
him.

I remember going over some hip flex-or mobility work with him and he immediately used the few drills I taught him with
his teammates before practices.

He also understood the need for expert training as he would travel out to NJ to train at the famous Parisi Speed Training
Center.

So what can you learn from all this?

It’s simple really.

Are you willing to put into action what a coach tells you or just become a library of information that’s never put to use.

And coaching info can come from a newsletter, a book, your trainer, your doctor or any source that you think is worth your time.

Does this mean that each piece of information or advice will be
right?

Of course not.

But you need to take action to see if things work or not.

And that is where the magic begins.

When you actually see what works and what does not work from your own personal experience.

There are way too many information seekers and not enough action takers.

Without question Dellin is an action taker and I can’t wait to go to The NEW Yankee Stadium for his first start in the big leagues

Which one are you?

Info seeker or Action taker?

And last but not least:

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You work out hard and you want it to show. But you won’t get the look you’re after if your hard work is hidden under a layer of fat.

You need all the tricks you can get your hands on to burn fat, and you want to do it quickly and efficiently. After all, who has hours to spend on the endless drudgery of a treadmill?

Are you gonna bury those washboard abs under a layer of pudge? Or will you tap into these three fat burning secret weapons? This is the stuff those really ripped guys at the gym have figured out and aren’t telling you, cause they don’t want you showing them up!

By the way, I “stole” these three tips from the TACFIT Commando program developed by my friend Scott Sonnon. He released an updated version of the program yesterday and is offering 51% off the product until tomorrow!

51% off awesome at-home fat burning program

Untapped Fat Burning Tip #1:
Exploit the “EPOC” effect with high intensity interval circuits

Contrary to what mainstream fitness has been saying for decades, long slow distance running is not the most direct route to fat loss. It’s true that moderate intensity, steady state exercise uses primarily fat oxidation as fuel, but that isn’t the total picture.

In a study done to compare the fat burning benefits of traditional “cardio” training and high intensity intervals, two groups were assigned different training regimens. Group A performed the regular moderate intensity cardio regime (ex. jogging or bicycling) for 20 weeks, and Group B performed a high intensity interval training routine for 15 weeks. Group B lost nine times more fat than Group A — and in 5 weeks less!

Why are high intensity intervals so much more effective?

Interval circuits place such an intense demand on the system that it takes your body up to 36 hours to work its way back to homeostasis (a normal state). That means you’ll incinerate calories for hours after you finish training, even if you’re just lying on the sofa. That aftershock of fat burning potential is called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

Plus, high intensity interval training is fast! That means you no longer have to spend 30 minutes to an hour jogging your life away on a treadmill. You can spend more time pumping iron instead.

EPOC Generating Bodyweight Workouts (51% off)

Untapped Fat Burning Tip #2:
Build muscle to burn fat.

We’ve known for years that muscle tissue is highly active metabolically, and it helps us burn more calories during the day. So more muscle equals better fat burn, right? Unfortunately that’s only partly true — and not to the extent we once believed. A pound of muscle is now thought to burn an extra 6 calories per hour (as opposed to the 25 or more per hour we once believed). You’d have to pack on an awful lot of beef to make much difference.

But that’s only one side of the equation. Muscle mass provides a number of other important benefits, foremost of which is better management of insulin. Insulin is your “storage” hormone. Its job is to transport fuel into your cells. The higher your ratio of fat to lean tissue, the less sensitive your lean tissue becomes to insulin. Basically, when your body fat percentage creeps too high and insulin comes knocking, your lean mass stops answering the door. If you see a vicious cycle in all of this, you’re right!

One way to encourage your muscles to start answering the door again is through resistance exercise aimed at growth. Why is it important to improve insulin sensitivity? Well, if your muscles don’t answer the door, guess who will… Yep, your fat cells are always ready with a warm welcome.

To top it all off, long slow cardio can actually cause you to LOSE muscle because it increases your level of cortisol. If you focus instead on short bursts of high intensity effort using exercises that target the entire body in all its ranges of motion, you can actually BUILD muscle while you do your cardio! Fat burning just got easier, and a lot more fun.

Turn Your Body Into A Fat Burning Machine (51% off)

Untapped Fat Burning Tip #3:
Use lactic acid to spike growth hormone

That burn you feel in your muscles when you’re in the middle of a workout is caused by the buildup of lactic acid. It’s the “misery” that keeps non-exercisers from working out, and it’s the rite of passage hardcore trainers push for simply as a matter of masochism.

But there’s much more to it than that. The lactic acid burn is also your body’s trigger to start the secretion process for human growth hormone. And growth hormone acts to build lean mass AND reduce fat.

A 2006 study from Brazil which measured four different repetition protocols determined that what they called Functional Isometrics was the most potent metabolic stimulator. Hold a static position under enough of a load and you’ll feel the burn… That same burn is what you should shoot for in your cardio training if you want to tap that GH release and send your fat metabolism into overdrive.

It’s not a magic bullet, but it does play a powerful role in your quest to shred your physique. Sounds like a good deal!

The Coolest “BURN” You’ll Ever Experience

You don’t have to spin your life away on an exercise bike to get the shredded look you’re after. And you don’t have to sacrifice your hard-earned muscle to get lean. All you need is an intelligent program that taps into the most efficient fat burning methods available today.

You can spend a lot of time and energy putting your own program together using these principles. Or you can let the experts do it for you. One of the most effective program designs I’ve seen — and one that taps into all 3 of these principles and more — is TACFIT Commando. And the cool thing is, it doesn’t require ANY equipment whatsoever. So you can build muscle and burn fat no matter where you are or how busy you get.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grab this powerful program at less than half its normal price. You’ll also get access to some pretty cool extra bonuses if you act now.

But this ends tomorrow, Thursday July 22nd, at midnight. So make sure you head over now.

CLICK HERE for your exclusive TACFIT Commando 51% off discount

I originally could not stand him but he’s starting to grow on me.

So what makes him so special?

What makes him possibly one the Greatest Boxers of All Time.

What has allowed him to have a 40-0 recored and make other future hall of fame boxers look like they don’t belong in the ring with him.

Read on because it can help you be better at what you do as well.

Here’s what I feel separates him.

Besides reaching a mastery level at his craft Floyd also  has a team of master level coaches.

From boxing trainers, strength trainers, financial advisors etc… Floyd has it all.

It’s no coincidence either that many of his coaches are Masters as well.

In fact every highly successful and prosperous person I know of has a team of master level coaches.

Can you learn something this?

Do you have a nutritionist?

Do you have a personal trainer?

Do you have a financial advisor?

If you don’t you may want to re-think that.

Floyd speaks his mind and is brutally honest.

He gets lots of flack for this but at least people know where they stand.

Calling out Manny Pacquia for using PED gets him a lot of flack but can you really argue with his position?

I mean who else would turn down 20 million dollars because they don’t want to take a blood test.

He uses his instinct in and out the ring?

Floyd uses his instinct when he fights and when he is out of the ring which tells me that he really is in tune with his body and listens to it.

He trains at the weirdest times like 3 AM or 8PM.

Crazy? Maybe but I think it’s just Floyd listening to his body and letting himself be guided.

Do you do this?

Do you listen to your body and let it guide you to success?

Or do you fall victim to useless habits like watching the 6 & 11 O’clock News?

I’d love to hear what you think?

Virgil Aponte

Happy New Year and I wish you all the best in 2010!

So what’s up?

What’s it’s gonna be?

I wanna hear from you

Post your New Years Resolution or Goals here on the blog and I will send you a free copy of my NGN Workout Program! (97.00 Dollar Value)

***Offer Expires Saturday January 2nd at 12AM***

As Always

My Best to You In

Strength, Happiness & Health

Virgil

Here’s part 4 of Jon Benson’s useless/worthless series with my comments at the end

Make sure to post your comments as well as I love your feedback!

Here’s what Jon says about cardio:

Yep… saved the best for last.

Here’s a fact: Most cardio (bike, treadmill, glider, whatever) is a waste to time… UNLESS you do it at the right time with the right nutrition plan.

The calories you burn from cardio will be easily negated simply by eating a bagel!

Hardly effective for getting rid of bodyfat.

Weight training and/or resistance training at home or with your body weight, as covered in 7 Minute Muscle, is your best bet for exercise that burns-off mega-calories and keeps on burning long after the exercise session is over.

Here’s how to use traditional cardio wisely:

1. Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach

2. Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately)

3. “Burst” for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate.

4. OR, do cardio right after weight or resistance training when your heart rate is already elevated and your blood sugar is lower. Your body burns blood sugar first during exercise.

Cardio for most people only needs to be performed 3-4 times a week for 20 minutes.

The only time I break this rule is when I want to get my bodyfat below 10%. Then I will do more, but only using the rules above.

Hope this saves you a ton of time with your workouts.

Enjoy your holidays!

P.S. You can get both books, The Every Other Day Dietplan and 7 Minute Body, for a big-time discount by going here and watching this presentation:

Every Other Day Diet Presentation

My Comments

First I’ll start with this. I think timing is important but for some people timing can be tough with their schedules so it’s more important to do cardio when you can as opposed to not doing it all.

So if you can’t do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or right after weight training don’t use this as an excuse to skip it

Second I think most people simply don’t do enough interval training: Hills, Stairs, Running, Whatever I also think using heart rate can be very inaccurate.

Max heart rate formulas are very inaccurate especially the age adjusted ones.

Go by how you feel.

Are you breathless? Then slow down

Can you carry on a conversation? Then 2 easy

I like to use that as more of a gauge then heart rate unless I’m using a heart monitor.

Heart monitors are a great way to gauge your recovery from workouts.

What I did when I used one was wait till my heart rate got to under 100 beats per minute and then repeated my interval.

And what I noticed was that as my conditioning improved it took less time to get under 100 beats per minute.

So does this mean to scrap the treadmill and gym cardio machines?

If you have a choice I’d go with the real thing; Real Running, Real Hills, or Real Stairs

But if you don’t then of course use the gym equipment.

Just don’t be a slave to long, slow cardio which is what I see in every gym.

Use the 180 rule and do the exact opposite of what most people do in a gym because for the most part it’s not working.

Most people simply plot along for 30-60 minutes and this just isn’t the best use of your time.

I also happen to love spinning classes because people in there work hard and at then end of the day you must work to get the body you want.

It’s not always about light easy cardio.

As always let me know what you think and share your cardio training ideas by posting to the blog

Virgil

Programs I’m Partnered with & Highly Recommend

Body Weight Fat Loss Blue Print

7 Minute Muscle

The Every Other Day Diet

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Simply email your receipt to support@virgilaponte.com

I’m sure many were in response the The Truth About Cardio Post from Craig Ballanytyne.

Question?

Hey Virgil

I’d love to implement interval training into my program

My question is can I do interval training on a treadmill, stair master or elliptical trainer

Answer:

Of course you can.

Cardio interval training can be done almost anywhere

Interval means you alternate harder work with lighter work or even rest

For example on your typical treadmill you can alternate a hard run at 8 MPH for 1 minute followed by an easy run at 5 MPH for 1 minute. You simply then repeat this sequence.

Just apply that to any cardio machine to create an interval workout.

It is however much easier and more effective to do interval work on real surfaces like a track, stairs or hills which is why they are big part of my NGN Program.

http://nogymnecessary.com/hill-sprints.html

http://nogymnecessary.com/stair-exercises.html

On real surfaces it’s much easier to do very hard or even extremely hard intervals then it is on machines.

The transition from a very tough interval is also smooth as you can simply stop or slow down for your easy interval.

For example If you run up stairs for 30 seconds all you have to do is stop or walk for your easy interval.

On a treadmill you have to actually press the buttons to slow down which can be a little tricky.

It can be done and is still effective but the real deal is the best choice if you have it available.

Virgil Aponte

Have your training questions answered live!!!

There’s stuff you know.

Then there’s stuff you don’t know.

But the key to success in anything is the discovery of one other variable:

The things you don’t know you don’t know.

Think about that.

So many people ask me questions like…

– How can I get rid of my stubborn bodyfat?
– How fast can I do it?
– What’s the best dietplan for me?

These are good questions, don’t get me wrong.

But there are at least 10 questions most people never know to ask.

It’s the stuff they didn’t know they didn’t know… make sense?

Today we’ll cover 3 of the 10…

HIDDEN QUESTION 1:
“What’s The Best Dietary-Fat To Eat To Get Rid Of Bodyfat?”

Sounds nutty, doesn’t it?

The media loves to deceive you when it comes to dietary fats… and I’m here to set the record straight:

You absolutely must consume dietary fat in order to burn-off your bodyfat.

There’s an old saying: “Fat burns…but in the presence of dietary-fat.”

It’s true.

There are actually two “Best Fats” you should be eating:

Coconut Oil
CLA

Coconut oil is ideal to cook with. Use that in place of all the starchy foods you may be eating. You’ll get leaner faster… and you’ll be a ton more healthy too.

Coconut oil keeps you satisfied longer, lubricates your joints, and yes… actually helps you get rid of stubborn bodyfat.

Use 1 tablespoon per 50 lbs per day, but be sure to decrease your starchy carbs (breads, rice, potatoes, etc.)

CLA is a form of (gasp!) transfat… but it’s a healthy form that helps your body get rid of bodyfat. You can only get it in supplement-form… well, that’s the best way.

I personally take 4 grams per day. Jarrow is my favorite brand. You can get it at most health food stores.

I cover several other fats you need to eat in my video and book, found here:

The Every Other Day Diet Click-Here

HIDDEN QUESTION 2:
“Why Is Cardio Bad For Me?”

Okay… that’s an over-statement. It’s not ‘bad’ for you… it’s just not nearly as ‘good’ for you as the media and magazines want you to believe.

Especially if you do it the way they suggest: Too long, too frequently.

Do it the way I suggest and watch what happens.

First, spend 80% of your exercise time doing ‘resistance’ training, not cardio… but rest very brief between sets.

My newest update to “7 Minute Muscle” is called “7 Minute Body”. It combines both “7 Minute Muscle” and an additional 100 or so pages of in-home ONLY workouts.

That way you can train in the gym… or in your home… and get it done in 7 to 14 minutes a day. Done!

You will be shaping your body and burning-off some major calories at the same time… all without boring cardio.

Then when you “do” cardio, do it the way I detail in “7 Minute Body”… use the 9-minute GXP Cardio Workout.

Add simple walking to this several days a week and your cardio is set.

GXP works because it is progressive and does not over-tax the recovery system. You warm up, then hit about 85% of your max effort, then cool down.

But the key is ‘when’ to do it… and that’s covered in my book.

I still enjoy sitting on my bike and watching TV, but I do that just to burn-off those last bits of bodyfat. Most of you do not need to do this.

It’s a waste of time for the masses… but resistance training is not.

Oh, one more thing: Runners have a far higher degree of heart attacks than non-runners. So cardio ‘can’ be bad for you if you over-do it.

NOTE: You can pick up “7 Minute Body” at 77% off…
but only if you get EODD…

More here:

The Every Other Day Diet Click-Here

HIDDEN QUESTION 3:
“How Does Pizza Help Me Shed Bodyfat?”

Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?

Think again.

My dietary plan not only “lets” you eat pizza (or whatever your favorite foods might be) every week, several times a week… it DEMANDS that you do it.

What the…. ?

Yep. Here’s why.

First, I have you eat less on certain days and certain times. If done the way I suggest your metabolism (the rate you use fat, energy, etc.) will not slow down that much.

Then… at a specific time… boom! You eat a lot more food… and the best way to do this is eating your favorite foods.

First, they usually have more calories.. duh! Second, you’ll ENJOY the freakin’ process! Most “diets” fail because people hate them… too restrictive.

So I created my System from the ground up to ensure I never got bored with my eating… and the extra cals from pizza (or my favorite… Mexican… or Key Lime Pie… yum) actually boosts my metabolism sky-high.

Here’s an example:

Last week I ate the normal Every Other Day Diet-way… for me it’s the “Extreme Plan” (there are 4 Plans, each for different goals.)

So, after several days of lower-cal, lower-carb eating, I ate about 5000 calories of Mexican food (so good!) But the TIMING is crucial. You just can wing it. Don’t worry… I tell you exactly when to do it.

The next morning I saw more of my abs.

I went back to EODD-style eating, which I love btw… and then later had some Key Lime Pie… and what do you know? Leaner the next day.

Now I’m doing this as I “peak” — I have to be in top shape in December. The only time I stop this is 4 weeks prior to a photoshoot… but unless you want to be 5% bodyfat (and you probably do not) you never have to stop it.

Works like a charm.

Watch this and find out why:

The Every Other Day Diet Click-Here

Yours In Fitness,

J O N B E N S O N

P.S. Special freebie to those who watch my entire presentation on the page above… very nice… : )

You know what?

I like “weird.”

I’ve always been a bit on the fringe side of the fence if you know what I mean.

A bit of a rebel.

So were guys like Einstein, Mozart, and Picasso. Not that I’m putting myself into their category of genius by any stretch… but I love their approach to life.

BE BOLD…OR GO HOME.

Makes sense to me. This life it too darn short for anything less than being bold.

That means taking some risks here and there. That means taking action while the others are content to sit on the couch being the same person they were yesterday.

And the day before…

And the month before…

And the year before.

Do you want to live your years like that? Or do you want to dive into life? Be the greatest “you” possible?

Then be a bit of a rebel.

Here’s some “rebel tips” for fatloss I think you’ll enjoy…

REBEL TIP 1
Flip The Food Pyramid Upside-down

The USDA’s Food Pyramid is an utter joke. It’s origins stink up the joint, let me tell you.

First, the grain industry was in a pinch when the Food Pyramid was created. And wouldn’t you know it… the grain industry increased their “contributions” (read: bribes) to certain politicians to get placement atop the pyramid… or in this case at the very bottom. The “foundation” if you will.

Just think about this for a moment:

The USDA wants you to eat (gasp) MORE starch than vegetables? More bread than fruits, lean meats, and hormone-producing fats?

Are they NUTS??

Yes… they are nuts. (Which, by the way, are no where near the foundation… nuts, that is.)

You’d be better off flipping the sucker upside-down.

That would look like this:

40% of your cals from healthy fats 30% of your cals from protein 30% of your cals from carbs

Roughly, that is.

Sounds… rebellious, right? Well it is.

Too bad I have the science (and the abs) to back it up.

If you want a system laid out for you, then go here:

The Every Other Day Diet The “Rebel” Fat Loss Plan!

REBEL TIP 2
Cardio Is Not Smart-ee-o

At least the way the so-called “experts” want you to do it.

Look: This isn’t rocket science. Just walk into any gym…take a look at the folks who only do cardio work for 45-60 minutes every day.

Do they look any different from year to year?

Let me save you some time: NO. They do not.

Cardio (unless you are into endurance sports) is a waste of energy done this way. First, it increases your carbohydrate cravings. For most people that’s not a good thing. Why? Because cardio at this pace burns mostly SUGAR, not bodyfat.

What do you want to burn?

Exactly. Bodyfat.

Finally, cardio is no where near as efficient as resistance training at dissolving bodyfat… and certainly not even CLOSE to resistance training when it comes to shaping lean muscle and getting the look all these cardio bunnies are after.

Now, I ‘do’ have a rebel cardio trick… and it takes 9-15 minutes 2-3 times a week to perform.

That’s it. And you get ALL the benefits heart-wise of long-session cardio.

Combine that with some brisk walking and my overall fitness plan and presto: No more bodyfat.

Here’s what is cool: I put my new in-home version of this resistance-based workout online for a few days at a major discount… but it’s only for people who pick up this:

The Every Other Day Diet The “Rebel” Fat Loss Plan!

This is completely illustrated with photos too… and you do not need anything but resistance bands and perhaps some cheap dumbbells to do this in-home. Or you can use the gym-based workouts (included with videos.)

Train like this just 3-5 days a week and you can kiss long, boring cardio goodbye.

REBEL TIP 3
Do Not Overwork Your Abs

Here’s a mistake I see most people make in the gym: They do endless sets of crunches, leg raises, and (gasp again) sit-ups… all geared toward seeing those toned abs they want.

Guess what?

Waste of time.

In fact, it’s worse than that… it can literally shut down your recovery ability. You’ll slow your progress in the gym (or at home)… and your fat-burning too.

And you may give up your plan entirely because of it.

Here’s the brutal truth: Ab ‘muscles’ are easy to build. It only takes about 3 minutes 2-3 times a week… that’s it.

( Note: I included my “3 Minute Abs” in the fitness book I just told you about… it’s only for those who get EODD though… )

The muscles are not what make your stomach flatter… it’s the nutrition plan folks.

You’re just building muscle underneath layers of bodyfat… not good.

I do very little direct ab training. When I do it’s usually 3-5 minutes tops 2 days a week. And my abs are… well… good. : )

I rely on resistance training and my special “favorite foods dietplan” to get and stay lean.

More about it all here:

The Every Other Day Diet The “Rebel” Fat Loss Plan!

So be a rebel.

Thumb your nose at the establishment and step out on your own.

Trust me: You’ll be a leader in every sense of the word if you do.

http://www.nogymnecessary.com/

Hello again  everyone

Here’s a workout tip straight from the NGN Running Secret:

Now I wish I could take credit for creating the NGN Running Secret but I actually learned about it from Wisconsin based fitness expert Tim “Coach K” Kauppinen.

So what is the NGN Running Secret?

The secret is Hill Sprints. And it used by many great athletes like Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Marcus Allen, Mohammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Elroy Hirsch, Kevin Durant, Junior Seau, Simeon Rice, Archie Hahn – just to name a few… So what makes Hill Sprints so effective?

1. It burns a ton of fat while you exercise because you entire body is working hard.

2. It increases your metabolism after you workout so you burn more calories during the day

3. The workouts take very little time. My Hill Sprint workout takes less than 20 minutes

4. They are easy to do. Hard work but easy to do.

5. They not only condition you they help you build muscle.

Here’s a sample workout to start you off:

Go to your favorite hill.

1. Walk up and down once. (1 minute of uphill work)

2. Jog up and walk down once. (40 seconds of uphill work)

3. Sprint up and walk down. (10 seconds of uphill work)

4. Sprint up and walk down. (10 seconds of uphill work)

5. Sprint up and walk down. (10 seconds of uphill work)

6. Sprint up and walk down. (10 seconds of uphill work)

Enjoy and let me know what you think.

And remember with NGN I actually go over all this via instant online video demos (12 videos) so you can learn exactly what to do: http://www.nogymnecessary.com/

Best In Strength & Health

Virgil