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I am really excited to share with you a Dad Fitness exclusive interview with best selling fitness author, Lou Schuler.
As a fitness book worm I personally get every book Lou puts out because they are always top notch and full of the latest information in regards to effective workouts and healthy eating.
Lou has been in the game a long time and seen a lot of the fitness fads come and go.
So I asked him to give me his thoughts on fitness, family and fatherhood…
SB. For people who don’t know, tell us a little about yourself Lou, and how you got started in the fitness industry?
LS. I’m a journalist who’s also a fitness professional. Before I started at Men’s Fitness in 1992, I’d had a fairly conventional journalism career, working at daily and weekly newspapers and regional magazines. I worked at MF for six years, the last three as fitness editor, and then moved to Men’s Health for the next six years, first as fitness editor, then as fitness director.
The Testosterone Advantage Plan, my first book as an author, came out in December 2001. That was followed by Home Workout Bible, Book of Muscle, The New Rules of Lifting, and The New Rules of Lifting for Women. The third book in the New Rules of Lifting series will come out in January 2011.
SB. I hear you are also a busy dad and husband as well. How many kids do you have and what is your favorite part of being a dad?
LS. I have three kids, who are 13, 11, and 9. My favorite part of being a dad is not being anything like my own dad, who was a wreck physically and disengaged emotionally.
SB. Lou, how did your fitness philosophy change once you became a father?
LS. Most of the changes in my approach came about because of the research I was doing for the books I wrote. My diet changed from low-fat to one with balanced macronutrients while writing Testosterone Advantage Plan. I also got my CSCS in 2001, and that coincided with more of an emphasis on training for strength and performance. Coincidentally, I found it was more efficient to train that way.
SB. As a fitness author, what are the 3 biggest mistakes you see busy dads trying to staying fit make with their workouts?
LS. I can’t really say what other guys do or don’t do. I really just see the guys in my own gym, and most of them seem to have pretty solid workout programs. And I also hate to criticize the minority of adults who’re actually making an effort to stay in shape. I could find ways to improve most of the routines I see, but I’m sure at least a few of those guys are thinking the same thing about my workouts.
SB. What do your workouts currently look like?
LS. I do full-body workouts every time in the gym, so if I have to miss a workout because of an unforeseen problem, I don’t have to worry about unbalanced training.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’ll start with a lower-body exercise — a squat variation one workout, a deadlift variation the next, and a lunge variation the next. My upper-body work alternates between bilateral and unilateral movements. I like to do almost every exercise from a standing or kneeling position, to keep the core muscles engaged.
I also move pretty quickly from one exercise to the next. I’m not trying to add size — in fact, I’ve lost a few pounds in the past year — so I minimize rest periods and aim for more of a conditioning effect.
SB. What are some of your favorite healthy meals and snacks?
LS. My favorite is one I got from TC Luoma of TMUSCLE: natural peanut butter mixed in a bowl with low-carb chocolate protein powder and low-fat milk. Really hits the spot, and satisfies my hunger for hours.
SB. Why do you think it’s important for us dads to stay fit?
LS. Our kids should see that fitness is a lifelong pursuit. If they see us make time for it, and invest energy in it, they’ll understand that it’s an important part of life.
In our parents’ generation, there wasn’t much of an organized structure for fitness activities. You played outside as a kid, then maybe you played on sports teams through high school or even college, if you were one of the lucky ones. Many of our dads also did physical training in the military, where it was used as a punishment as much as a tool for activity-specific performance. Once you were out of the military, and presumably finished with sports, there wasn’t really any structure in place to encourage lifelong fitness.
But with our kids, everything is structured. There’s almost no such thing as backyard sports, or neighborhood games. If you play something, you play it on a team. If you do pure exercise, it happens in gym class. So it’s important for them to see their parents using those same structures to pursue lifelong fitness, and doing it voluntarily.
We all know as parents how important it is to read to our kids, and to have lots of books around the house. But it’s also important for kids to see their parents reading books for pleasure. That helps them understand that they aren’t just reading because adults say they have to. They’re reading because it’s such an important part of a fulfilling life.
Now we apply that to sports and fitness. At a certain point, I think kids start to ask themselves if they’re playing sports because they enjoy it, or because their parents expect them to play. If Dad is still playing something in middle age — golf, bowling, slow-pitch softball, or anything else that involves competition and some degree of coordination and focus — it reinforces the idea that sports are something you do for yourself.
If they understand that Dad goes to the gym three times a week because he enjoys it and considers it important, it sends the message that structured exercise isn’t just something you do in gym class because the school says you have to.
SB. Anything you would like to add? Any favorite tips you learned from other experts over the years?
One thing I’ve learned from experience is that you have to place as much importance on your wife’s fitness program as you do on your own. That is, you make sure she has as much opportunity to get to the gym or get outside for a run as you do. You can’t pressure her to train if she doesn’t want to — I think that’s obvious. But you have to make sure there’s equal opportunity within your household. Sometimes that means skipping your own workout when something comes up, rather than forcing her to miss hers.
During those times when you simply need to train more often than she needs or wants to train, you have to negotiate the opportunity to do that, rather than just assuming you deserve it by virtue of the fact you’re more ambitious or disciplined.
The benefits come back to you in two major ways. First, of course, is the health and stability of your relationship. You don’t want your wife resenting your desire to be healthy and fit, or to see it as a wedge you use to shift the priorities of the marriage in your direction. Second, your kids see that fitness isn’t just a priority for one individual in their house, but for everyone. If Mom and Dad have fitness pursuits that make them happier, that’s the most positive message we could possibly send to our kids.
SB. Where can people find out more about you and your books?
New Rules of Lifting Books
SB.Thanks Lou for showing us that as a busy dad and fitness author you also practice what you preach!
LS. My pleasure.
Lou Schuler is an award-winning journalist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, author or coauthor of many popular books about diet and strength training. His books include The New Rules of Lifting for Women (with coauthors Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove), The New Rules of Lifting (with Alwyn Cosgrove), The Book of Muscle (with Ian King), The Home Workout Bible (with Mike Mejia and many other contributors), and The Testosterone Advantage Plan (with Jeff Volek, Mike Mejia, and Adam Campbell).
Would you like to see more interviews like this? Let me know who you would like to see by leaving a comment below!
Well I survived…
I made it through my first Strongman Contest…barely.
The events started shortly after 6pm on Tuesday , and luckily it was a warm summer’s evening.
I loosened up at home first with some foam rolling, bodyweight exercises like squats and pushups, and some light stretches.
My wife and 15 month old daughter Matea as well as my sister and her family and my mother in-law and came along for support.
Feeling a little nervous when I arrived, I was glad to see a few guys from around town who I knew as regular gym goers who was to give this a shot.
First event was the Tire Flip. Man, this is the ULTIMATE WORKOUT! I can see why this lift has gotten so popular in the fitness industry. I am not quite sure how heavy this tire was but I am thinking around 300-400 hundred pounds?
I can see why this is such an intense exercise because it’s simulates a deadlift to lift the tire working almost every muscle in your body especially your lower body and your grip then to push the tire over it simulates a standing chest press. Plus it was probably the most INTENSE cardio workout I ever done! Man I don’t remember my heart rate ever being so high. I thought I was going to puke when I finished!
We had to flip the tire as many times as possible in 2 minutes. I got off to a great start and ended up tying for 1st place in this lift at 26 flips.
The 2nd lift was the Block Raise or in this case a car battery tied on to a stick which you had to raise off the ground for as long as you can. Not sure how heavy this was but after holding it up for almost a minute it starts to feel like a ton. I came 2nd place in this event with a time of 45 seconds.
The 3rd event was the Farmer’s Walk which involved holding two 110lb dumbbells and running a certain distance as fast as you can. Again I got off to a pretty good start until about half way I stepped into a big dip in the grass and almost dropped the weights. But I managed to hold on to the end to give me a 3rd or 4 place in this event.
Next up was the Log Press. Everyone was all pretty gassed by now but this lift dragged on a little too long as this was the only event which they didn’t time! Big mistake. Guys could take as long as they want to press the log and continue on.
The log was a sawed off telephone poll with screwed on handles that to everyone’s surprise made this lift A LOT more awkward than it looks. Unfortunately in the end only 2 guys were able to lift the log at all!
I wasn’t one of them as it wasn’t reallly the weight as it was the handles which normally should be inset into the handles so you can rotate the log and clean it to your shoulders. After 3 attempts I decided it wasn’t worth it to invite a serious injury.
By the last event we all felt like we were hit by a truck we were so tired and beat up. But for this event we had to PULL a truck!
I was one of the last guys up for this lift and by this time it was getting dark and I was starting to cramp a little and cool down. Not a good thing when you have to push your body to the limit in an event such as this.
My 175lb body was at the laws of physics against this truck as I had to give everything I had to get this truck moving and managed to pull it about half way before I had enough and had to call it quits. The key to this lift was to stay as low to the ground as possible as you drive forward with your legs…but it’s easier said than done when you are pulling a TRUCK!
After all was said and done I tied for 4 or 5th place. Not totally sure as the results will be out in this weeks local paper. But it was the experience I was after not the prize for some camping gear.
I have to say this was probably the hardest workout I have ever done. No matter how good of shape I thought I was in, these strongman events are way more physically demanding that I thought.
Not just strength wise but way more demanding on your cardiovascular system.
A couple years ago I completed our local duathalon which involved a 15km bike ride and a 7km run which I ended up finishing 4th even though endurance events are not my thing.
So I thought it was time to shake things up again and I am glad I gave this strongman contest a try.
Even if you are consistent with your busy dad workouts sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. If you think “I could never do that”. You probably SHOULD.
The biggest benefits to these strongman lifts is they carry over to REAL WORLD everyday activities so you can be the strong dad you need to be to push your wife’s car out of the snow, lift your kids over your head without breaking a sweat or carrying in heavy bags of groceries to feed your growing family.
I am thinking of even getting a big tractor tire for the back yard as I was really impressed by how intense this lift was. Beats staying inside on a boring treadmill!
I wonder would the town miss one of their telephone poles?…
Do YOU have any fitness event you would like to try or you are currently training for? Strongman, Marathon, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding?
If so, tell me all about it by leaving a comment below.
Well, the big day is almost here.
No…not Father’s Day, but the launch of the all NEW DadFitness.com and The Dad Fitness Lifestyle System.
I am celebrating Father’s Day early this year with busy dads around the world with the relaunch of Dad Fitness.
Starting tomorrow at 12 noon, The NEW Dad Fitness System will be available with some cool new bonuses and a limited time offer to get in the best shape you can this summer.
Here is a sneak peak of the NEW bonuses.
Buff and Busy Home Workout
(Retail Value= $29.99)
Busy dads can now build maximum muscle at home in minimum time with The Buff and Busy Workout from Dad Fitness.
You can finally be the buffest dad on the beach this summer with only 3 short home workouts a week! This workout program uses
the most effective muscle building technique called undulating periodization which has been proven to be
more effective in inducing maximum muscle gains when compared to traditional workout programs.
The Truth About Fit Dads Audio Series
(Retail Value= $99.99)
Listen in to these 3 EXCLUSIVE interviews with the busiest and fittest dads in the health and fitness industry today!
Brad Pilon reveals shocking truths about obsessive eating, food recalls and the shady supplement industry.
Mike Roussell gives you the 6 pillars of nutrition, how to lose more than 2lbs a week and the challenges of having baby twins! Zach Even-esh gets real about why us dads need to stay fit despite our busy schedule, why you don’t need a gym and how to balance hectic days and still get in a great workout. Finally you will hear how you can get in great shape despite being a busy dad…
Manley Meals Cookbook
(Retail Value: $39.99)
If your a hungry dad who likes to eat REAL food with your family and still want to get in great shape, you will love this cookbook.
Sean Barker shows you the real recipes he eats on a weekly basis to stay in great shape year round despite working 2 jobs and running a family.
This is fit and fast food recipes for guys who likes all the classics like burgers, pizza, pasta and how to grill the perfect steak.
Plus your kids won’t know they are eating healthy with these tasty wholesome ingredients!
VERY IMPORTANT: When you get your copy of the Dad Fitness System during this special promotion you will also get the 8 other FREE bonuses that has been a part of the Dad Fitness System. BUT, after this special is over all 8 of the other bonuses from other fitness experts will be gone for good!
So, during this Father’s Day special you will get all 11 bonuses for FREE along with the Dad Fitness System.
This is a HUGE package at a tremendous value, which includes workouts, meal plans, recipes and everything you need as a busy dad to build muscle and burn fat in only 3 hours a week.
The greatest gift you can give yourself or even your own dad is the gift of health!
Be ready at 12 noon tomorrow at www.DadFitness.com to get fit for life and be the best damn dad you can for you and your family…
I am looking forward to hearing your success story!
With the sun shining and the temperatures rising to a balmy 15 degrees here in Labrador the last few days, I am trying to get out and enjoy it as much as possible.
After my Dad Fitness workout yesterday afternoon we spent the entire day outside with baby Matea and put a nice few miles on her stroller.
The fresh air really did her good as she slept like a rock last night!
So instead of sitting in front of the computer today I called upon one of my friends in the fitness industry to help you out with any aches and pains you might be having.
Make sure to enjoy any spring sunshine coming your way and get outside and get active with your family…
Guest Blog:
By Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems
Tip One: The Hyper-Warm-Up
If you’re hurtin’ and you start your squat session with 135 on the bar, keep reading…
Look, if you’re young, healthy, and stupid, you can skip the warm-up- for now. But if you’ve got a few miles on that chassis and you’re not yet ready for replacement parts, it’ll serve you well to institute the hyper-warm-up:
Step 1: The Early Bird Gets Burned:
If you can, your joints will appreciate a later workout as opposed to an earlier one. Synovial joints, for example, aren’t fully lubricated with synovial fluid until a few hours after waking. Think of your first few hours after waking as part of your warm-up- and in fact, you’ll immediately find that your exercise warm-up will be faster when you train later in the day as opposed to earlier.
Step 2: The Long, Hot Shower:
This is another example of success by “doing the opposite:” Take your shower before your workout, not after (well, OK, you can take one after too if you like). How long? How hot? As long and hot as you can comfortably tolerate- 15 minutes is probably plenty, but play around with it and you’ll come up with the best duration. Warm tissues respond better to training- which is where the term “warm-up” comes from in the first place).
Step 3: Dress For Success:
Even if it’s warm out, try to wear Under Armor-type sweat-wicking material. There are a number of materials available now, but the salient idea is that these new fabrics wick sweat away from your skin as you train. Why is this important? Because evaporating sweat cools your body- the exact opposite of what you’re trying to do. I love cotton when I’m not training, but in the gym, forget it- I’m sold on Synthetic sweat-wicking materials. If you haven’t yet tried them, I urge you to give it a go and see what you think.
Step 3: Joint Custody:
Neoprene joint sleeves help to warm your joints faster, and they also keep those joints warm through your entire workout. At Bed & Barbell, we like sleeves made by TK and Rehband, but a number of brands are available. If you haven’t yet tried joint sleeves because you view them as “cheating” or “giving in,” you’re really missing out!
Step 4: Sweat:
Your general warm-up should be sufficient to generate a sweat. You don’t need to be pouring sweat mind, you, but if you’re still dry, you’re not warmed up. I like skipping rope, but whatever works for you is fine.
Step 5: Come In Through The Back Door:
If you’ve got a “problem” joint, muscle, or body region, try training it last in the workout. Now here’s why you’ll probably dismiss this idea- your “problem” areas are likely to be related to exercise you deem important to you. For example, if you love to squat and/or you’re a powerlifter, and your knees are a bit cranky, try squatting at the end of the workout instead of at the beginning. I know this violates the old axiom that important exercises should come first in the workout, but your HEALTH is what’s really important, correct? Use your upper-body exercises as a general warm-up, and you’ll find that your knees will respond better to the squats as a result.
Tip Two: Control Variables
If I’ve got a client who needs/wants to squats, but he’s got orthopedic issues, I’ll always do everything I can to ensure we’re using consistent technique on every rep. For example, squat depth can be made more precise by squatting down to a box or bench. Similarly, tempo can be monitored/timed as well.
Tip Three: Hold Load Constant And Use The “O” Rating
If you’ve got a nagging injury that you’re determined to train through, consider this tip: Every time you perform a/the exercise that tends to aggravate joint pain, use the same load, and the same set/rep bracket. For example, if you’re benching with shoulder pain, you might work up to 185 pounds for 5 sets of 5. Then, every time you bench, in your training journal, make a note of your joint pain on a 1-5 scale (0 meaning no pain, 5 meaning you had so much pain you had to stop). If, over a series of bench press workouts
, your “O Rating” increases, you’ll need to reconsider your plan. On the other hand, if your O Rating decreases, you’re probably on the right track.
Tip Four: Stop the Vicious Cycle
When you’ve got an injury, you might need to rest it, but if you never return to training, you’ll be victimized by the “vicious cycle:” the initial injury tends to cause reduced activity, which causes atrophy, which further reduces activity, which leads to further atrophy, etc. You’ve gotta break that cycle somehow. And that might mean medical intervention by the way.
Tip Five: Train Injured Parts Last
This was already addressed in the first tip relating to the Hyper Warm-Up, but it bears repeating: don’t hammer your hurtin’ joints right out of the gate, even if that’s the way you’ve always done it. The more a joint hurts, the later it should be trained, if at all.
Tip Six: Your Warm-Up Remains The Same
Consistent with the idea of controlling variables is the concept of using a consistent warm-up routine. Here’s mine for Olympic snatches:
44 pounds (2×3)
66 pounds (2×3)
88pounds (2×3)
110 pounds (2×3)
132 pounds (2×2)
Then I proceed to my heaviest weights for the day, whatever they might be.
Notice that I always use the same weight jumps, and also notice that I perform each weight twice. This provides me with a basis of comparison- if, for example, my second set with 110 pounds feels better than the first set with that weight, I know my warm-up’s working for me- I can feel myself becoming more prepared for the heavier weights to follow. Without this approach however, I don’t benefit from this comparison
Tip Seven: Be Efficient
If you’re a competitive lifter, are all those joint-trashing exercises really necessary? For example, let’s say you’re looking for a bigger bench and your elbows are becoming problematic. Further, your pecs (not your triceps) are the weak muscle group in the bench press. So why are you still doing heavy triceps extensions?
Tip Eight: Is Pain An Ibuprofin Deficiency?
OK, it’s probably irresponsible for me to suggest this, but the point is, anti-inflammatories can really help. Ask your doctor, not me.
Tip Nine: If All Else Fails, Rest
I know, you don’t wanna take a layoff. But if you’re O Rating is climbing and your Ibuprofin purchases are breaking the budget, you might have to do it. Take heart: after a very recent three-week layoff, I hit a lifetime PR power snatch right out of the gates, at age 49. Sometimes the upside of healthier joints are worth the downside of detraining.
Tip Ten: If That Fails, See Your Doc
Here’s a wild thought for ya: if you know what’s actually wrong, you might be closer to finding a solution! I know, you don’t want your doctor to tell you to stop lifting, but obviously he will, so just get over it. Knowledge is power. Get the knowledge, make a plan, get those joints healthy, and get back to the gym already.
About The Author
Charles Staley…world-class strength/performance coach…his colleagues call him an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.
Click here to visit Charles’ site and grab your 5 FREE videos that will show you how to literally FORCE your body to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength with “Escalating Density Training,” Charles’ revolutionary, time-saving approach to lifting that focuses on performance NOT pain.
Even though Christmas is long gone for another year, I still received a late gift yesterday in the mail. Thanks Santa!
STRONG, the documentary. It’s by one of the top trainers in the fitness industry.
This is one amazing story of how one man built a gym that changed hundreds of lives and ended up producing thousands more amazing stories.
STRONG is a powerful motivational movie that will leave you inspired and convinced that hard, smart work can take you anywhere.
Pick up your copy at strongmovie.com. It’s a great story about one of the hardest working guys in our field – a guy who is in the trenches every day training people.
I gotta say this was the most inspiring and emotional documentary I have ever seen on human drive and emotion.
After watching this you will be climbing the walls to workout!
Sean Barker, CPT
Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com