Hey there,

Progression is a key factor in getting better results with your workouts.

I wanted to share three simple ways that I am progressing with my current weight lifting routine.

Before I share those three methods I am doing a three day per week (every other day), full body weight training workout plan that focuses on multi-joint complex exercises like deadlifts, push-presses, rows, lunges, etc.

Without further delay, here are the three methods

PROGRESSION METHOD #1. Increase Intensity of Your Lifts

This one is simple. Increase the amount of weight you lift from workout to workout. So, on Monday, the first week of a program you lift 150 pounds on a lift such as the bench press. On week two for your Monday workout you should try to increase the weight to 155 pounds.

PROGRESSION METHOD #2. Increase The # Of Reps/Set

Another simple way to progress from workout to workout is to increase the number of repetitions you complete for a given set. So let’s say Week 1 of your Wednesday training session has you set do 5 sets of 8 repetitions for each exercise in your workout. On week 2 of that same plan you would try to get 5 sets of 9 repitions. That’s an extra 5 repetitions per exercise per workout so that will put a greater training stimulus on your muscles.

PROGRESSION METHOD #3. Decrease Rest Periods Between Sets

This form of progression is great if fat loss is your goal. Here’s how this one works. Let’s say your Friday workout calls for you to do 4 sets of 15 repetitions with 60 second rest periods. On week two for your Friday workout you would decrease your rest periods to 55 seconds while keeping the weight and reps/set the same. This decrease in the rest period will make the workout more metabolically challenging on you. Week 3 you would drop it to 50 seconds, week 4 drop it to 45 seconds.

So there you have it - Three simple ways to progress with your resistance training workouts.

I hope these ideas are helpful and I hope that you use one or more of them.
Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.SecretsOfBurningFat.com
http://www.BurnTheFat-InnerCircle.com

Hey,

One of the biggest success principles that I follow is accountability. Having a way of checking in with yourself is important to keeping you on track with your goals - and they don’t have to be fitness goals either. Accountability is useful for every pursuit.

Accountability has a way of motivating me into action. Just knowing that someone is going to ask me about my progress with “X Goal” is enough to keep a fire going, and ensure that I stay on track.

Here are three tips for maximizing the power of accountability.

1. Just Do It - Find a way, any way, to keep yourself accountable. I think the best way is by having a close friend, or co-worker, to check in with from time to time. Set aside a time each week, or every day, to meet with your accountability partner and review your progress. It doesn’t have to be anything formal. You could just talk on the phone for a fewminutes, but having this one ingredient makes a recipe for success.

But there are other ways to stay accountable…

-join a social networking community online with people that have similar goals as yours.

There are so many different ways to stay in touch with people and there is a support community for virtually every different pursuit: blogs, facebook groups, myspace, ning communities, squidoo lenses, paid membership sites, the list goes on.

-Write your goals down and post them somewhere you’ll see them every day.

-Make a weekly checklist of action items that you MUST accomplish to reach your goals.

The key is starting today, starting RIGHT NOW.
 
2. Find Your Groove - everyone has something that makes them tick. For me, it’s COMPETITION.
Put me in a group of cut-throat competitors and I am likely to succeed - it’s in my blood.

If you’re not into competition, that’s fine too, and there are other hot buttons you can utilize to maximize the power of accountability.

-setting a deadline, and WRITING IT DOWN.

-tell everyone you know that you are going to achieve “X Goal” in “X Amount of Time,” and you’re going to feel “X Times Better” for doing it

-decide on a reward for achieving your goal on time.

Anything that will keep a fire under your butt to TAKE ACTION will work perfectly.

3. Be the One to Initiate Accountability.  For some people, asking for an accountability partner is awkward - it’s open and honest, revealing even - and it can be taken as a sign of weakness or neediness by some. Sometimes, it feels like We live in a stand-off culture, and it’s true to an extent.

Be stronger than that, and understand that by asking someone for help, you will build a sense of comraderie and help each other with what is truly important.

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.SecretsOfBurningFat.com
http://www.BurnTheFat-InnerCircle.com

P.S. My training partner, John Sifferman, just posted a video about accountability at his
blog. Check it out by Clicking Here

Howdy,

I was reading Tom Venuto’s New Hardcover book this moring at the Gym while doing morning cardio on the stationary bike and came across a great quote I wanted to share with you.

This one quote basically sums up in concise paragraph EXACTLY what it takes to improve your fat burning and get super lean.

Check it out:

“You are what you think. You are what you believe. You are what you eat. You are the exercise you get. You are the company you keep.” –Tom Venuto

Pretty simple ehh?

It is easy to look at this one quote and dismiss it as common knowledge. I would challenge you with the following questions:

1. What are you thinking about ona daily basis? Are your thoughts conducive to a leaner, and healthier physique?

2. What are your beliefs about eating, your beliefs about exericse, your beliefs about what you are capable of, your beliefs about how successful you can become?

3. What exercise do you get every week? Do you lift weights a few times per week? Are you getting enough cardio? Are you progressing with your weight training AND cardio workouts? Are you working hard enough? Can you work harder in your workouts? Are you getting enough variety in your workouts?

4. What company are you keeping? Who are you hanging out with? Are they supportive of your dreams and goals or are they holding you back? Do you have accountability partners to help you stay on track? Do you have a support network to get your questions answered?

Think about that Tom Venutu quote and the answers to these questions. I hope that you can identify a “Weak link” in your current plan and make some changes that will help you improve your fat burning results.

If I can help let me know!

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.SecretsOfBurningFat.com
http://www.BurnTheFat-InnerCircle.com

Hello,

I’m not sure if you’ve heard the buzz yet about Tom Venuto’s new hardcover book, to be released by a major New York City Publisher (Avery/Penguin Books) on January 8th 2009.

If you haven’t, you will. Tom has already been contacted by some of the largest fitness magazines in the world to talk about what’s inside his new book… (the women’s magazines have been especially interested for reasons you’ll learn inside Tom’s new report)

In a new 21 page transcript I’ve just uploaded to the web for you to read, you will learn Tom’s newest insights, techniques and strategies for fat loss success in 2009

To grab your copy, Click Here!

Download and read this report and you will learn:

- Tom’s simple solution to End emotional eating and stop diet self sabotage once and for all

- The massive confusion-causing and myth-making problem even worse than information overload and Tom’s fool-proof solution

- Tom says, Body fat is NOT a problem, it’s a _________________ (get this, or you’ll be barking up the wrong tree forever)

- Why people are failing with applying positive thinking and law of attraction to their fitness efforts

- How to go beyond goal setting by crafting a powerful “vision” that motivates you for life

- How to eat healthy food almost unconsciously by using science-proven mental re-programming

- Why it may be fat loss suicide to listen to 12 week transformation contest winners or TV show weight loss contest winners

- Weight maintenance strategies of people who lose and keep of 50 lbs or more for 5 years or more

You’re going to see Tom and The Body Fat Solution Book in the major media everywhere in 2009, and you will see the book on the shelves of every major bookstore in America….

But you don’t have to wait until January to learn some of Tom’s newest fat loss discoveries!

I just got a sneak preview for you from the first full-length interview Tom has ever given about his New Book!

Subscribers to my newsletter (that’s you) are getting the inside scoop TODAY, before anyone  else in this 21 page transcript.  To come grab it Click Here

This transcript is from a full one-hour tele-seminar where I picked Tom’s brain about what’s inside his new book and how you can use it to get leaner, healthier and stronger in 2009 and beyond.

The audio was already made available for inner circle members (inner circle members get the first dibs on everything), and now we’re sharing the transcript of that call with all of our newsletter subscribers.

I can guaranteee that when you read this report from Tom, his new insights on the reaons people are still failing with fat loss and why 90% of losers are regaining the weight, will give you the most
enlightening “A-HA’s” of your life.

You can download the report, “An Introduction To The Body Fat Solution” from the link below, and get Tom’s newest advice that will help you NAIL your fitness goals in 2009 and more importantly,
Maintain your results FOR THE LONG TERM.  To learn more Click Here

You can also pass this download link along to your friends, if you think it will help them.

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis
Site Manager,
Burn The Fat Inner Circle
http://www.BurnTheFat-InnerCircle.com

PS - I almost forgot!  we have an exciting announcement:

Tom will be launching a new Body Fat Solution website to help promote his book and the 2009 radio tour and 2009 virtual book tour, but he has just announced that the BURN THE FAT INNER CIRCLE has
been named the official support community for his new book, The Body Fat Solution.

This means that The Burn The Fat Inner Circle will support BOTH of Tom’s books, and it’s not necessary to join another website to get support for Tom’s latest book. In fact, the Body Fat Solution Discussion forum is already open inside the member’s only area

Howdy,

If you want to lose fat then you should be doing some form of cardio training in conjunction with
a good nutrition plan and resistance training. 

To get the most out of your cardio training you must use progression to keep the fat loss results
coming and to make progress towards your goals.

Here are three ways to crank up your fat burning cardio results:

1.  Increase Time - A simple way to get more of a calorie burn is to simply add more time to your
cardio workouts.  This is not my preffered choice for intermediate or advanced trainees but it is a great way to start if you are new to cardio workouts.  

2.  Increase Intensity - You can get more work done in less time by cranking up the intensity of your
cardio sessions.  There are two main ways to do this.  The first is to increase the speed of your efforts
(pedal faster).  The second is to increase the resistance of your cardio.  If you have been pedaling
at level 15 on the stationary bike you can increase it to level 16 to do more work in less time. 

3.  Increase Frequency - The final way to add progression to your cardio training is to increase how often you do your workouts.  If you have been doing cardio 3 days per week you can add a fourth cardio session to your weekly plan. 

Just be sure to balance work and recovery.  As you get closer to your fat loss goals you may eventually move to daily cardio to give you that extra push.  

Just keep in mind how you can improve from workout to workout and try to beat your previous performances. 

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.SecretsOfBurningFat.com
http://www.BurnTheFat-InnerCircle.com  
P.S. - If you are short on time and equipment in your home gym training the 4-minute H.I.I.T. workouts are powerful way to crank up your fat loss results.  To learn more Click Here