By Josh Bowen, on Thu Jul 3, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET 
Do me a favor and Google “ab workout” and see what the response will be. 59,000,000 results for “ab workout!” That is astounding and also very scary. The general consensus of anyone with a great stomach (both male and female) is they must do thousands of crunches and/or sit-ups. When in all reality the best stomach physiques have less to do with how often they exercises their “core” and more to do with what they fueled their body with i.e. what they ate.
Shocking huh? You were under the impression that a six pack came from doing tons of crunches? Wrong. In fact, let me show you how ineffective doing sit-ups and crunches can be, per the American Council on Exercise burning 3,500 calories through situps alone requires you to perform an impossible number of reps. If a 145-pound person performs situps at a moderate pace of 20 per minute, she burns about 4 calories per minute. To burn 3,500 calories, this person would need to perform situps for 875 minutes — and perform an unattainable total of 17,500 sit-ups.
I don’t know about you but the rate of return is not in your favor. So you may now be asking yourself how do I achieve a great abdominal physique? Simple answer; eat better.
However, the article today has nothing to do with how to make your abs pop and everything to do with alternatives to work your midsection and strengthen the muscles involved to reduce lower back pain and combined with a great strength training program and proper nutrition can give you the body you have always wanted.
Below is a select group of my favorite “core” exercises. Each one involves multiple muscle groups and can be added to most every program. I have included videos of each of these exercises with a brief (very brief) description.
*Since my audience is the general population, I did not feel the need to go over everyone’s head with complicated anatomy, physics and biomechanics. Most people’s attention span is very short, the videos are straight to the point but if you need more explanation on any of the below, please feel free to email me at jbtrainer21@gmail.com.
Anti-Crunch Exercises
The Plank
Variation: Reaching Plank
With proper alignment, straighten your body to 180 degrees with hips facing down and no excessive curve in the back. Slowly extend one arm out and then place it back on the table or ground.
Variation: Plank Rotation
Same as above, however this time rotate at the shoulders and hips from left to right touching the ground or table slowly. Rotate through the shoulders not the lower back.
Read the rest of…
Josh Bowen: The Anti-Crunch — 10 Better Exercises than Crunches or Sit-ups
By Josh Bowen, on Tue Jul 1, 2014 at 7:00 AM ET Globally-recognized personal trainer Josh Bowen will this week be providing intensive physical workout routines for The RP as he prepares to compete in the World Series of Poker.
This morning’s workout is below.
Visit Josh’s web site here and sign up for his newsletter here.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Jun 26, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET 
You may decide one day to work with a personal trainer, like myself. It potentially could be the best decision you have ever made. However, it does require you do a little homework. No different than any profession, there are some great ones and then there are some not so great ones. Sometimes it falls down to a matter of personality and preference.
*insert from my book 12 Steps to Fitness Freedom available now on Amazon in paperback and e-book.
1. Know what you are looking for
Hopefully this book has helped you make things seem clearer. You have a better idea of what you want out of fitness. Seeing a personal trainer takes commitment. You need to know what you are looking for both in yourself and your trainer. Who do you want this person to be in your life? A motivator? Someone to hold you accountable or someone to refresh your workouts? Having this in mind will help in making a decision.
2. Know your budget
Trainers that are accomplished and have loads of experience are not cheap and nor should they be. Know what you are willing to spend and what you are able to spend.
3. Make sure personality clicks
A trainer can have a high level of skill but if the personality of his or her client doesn’t match or click, it won’t work. Ask a lot of questions about past clients with your personality type. If it gels, great if not move on.
4. Check qualifications but do not be blinded by it
At one point or another I have held 16 nationally recognized certifications and I hold a bachelors degree in Exercise Science. It shows my knowledge base and my passion for learning but it does not show what type of trainer I am. Check your potential trainers qualifications but realize that experience and passion for people matter more than pieces of paper.
5. Ask for testimonials
Ask to see what the trainer has done with other clients. This can give you a great idea of what type of trainer you are dealing with.
6. Watch them train
If possible, watch a few sessions while working yourself out to see the body language, engagement etc they have.
7. If they don’t discuss goals in detail, walk
A must for every client is goal setting, without goals we are just working out. There is no point to training with a trainer if they don’t discuss your goals.
8. See if they practice what they preach
How a trainer takes care of themselves is an indication of how they will take care of you.
9. Ask for their 6 week plan
See, based on you and your goals, if they have a plan of action for you.
10. Pick someone who is motivating
A positive, motivating person can make even a dark situation seem light.
11. Set up a consultation with your trainer
Most trainers will do a consultation to show what they offer. Take advantage of this to see if you click.
12. Choose wisely
There are a lot of great, qualified trainers out there. I have personally hired, certified, managed a good number of them. Find the best one that fits you.
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Jun 19, 2014 at 12:00 PM ET  I may be 51 But I’m nowhere near done
Just kickin’ it Old School
Revving up for my next run
I got nothing to lose
And I got nothing to prove
Done paid up all of my dues
And rock these comfortable shoes
Fighting gravity and time
As I’m bustin’ my rhymes
Got no awareness of shame
And still got slow motion game
Don’t write me off yet
‘Cause I’m just turning it on
Even crankin’ up the volume
Since my hearing’s half gone
Don’t push me out
‘Cause I’m still “all in”
And still got it going on
If I’m in bed by ten
So remember these words
And take them to heart
Young Guns and Young Turks
Show respect for us Old Farts
As you reflect on my rhymes
You’ll find no hate in my rap
Just tryin’ to hang on
Between power naps
This game’s nowhere near over
Young pups stay out of our way
Old dogs may not know new tricks
But we still call the plays
Young haters can hate
And plan to take up our space
Just know you’ll be leasing from us
And we still set the rates
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Jun 19, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET
 It is the middle of the week and this is when the weekend distractions start to hit. Use the following quotes from my book 12 Steps to Fitness Freedom plus an extra one to build a fire inside to workout today. Remember, all things through fitness…
1. “Strive for progress, not perfection” -Unknown
2. “The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race” -Unknown
3. “Never settle for second when first is available” -Lou Holtz
4. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed”-Michael Jordan
5. “Procrastination is the assassination of motivation” -Unknown
6. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going” -Jim Rohn
7. “Ability is limitless” -Unknown
8. “To get something you have never had, you have to do something you’ve never done”-Unknown
9. “The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline” -Steve Smith
10. “Fear nothing, achieve everything” -Josh Bowen
11. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will” -Mahatma Gandhi
12. “You want me to do something… tell me I can’t do it” -Maya Angelou
+1. “Happiness can only exist in acceptance.” -George Orwell
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Jun 12, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET
 My 11 years in the fitness industry has taught me a lot about life. It has taught me what to do and in some cases what not to do. Life often emulates art and I have always thought of personal training as art, it makes sense that I have learned some important life lessons. In no particular order, these are the 5 things I have learned about life from being a personal trainer:
1. Anything can be achieved with passion.
I’m not the best personal trainer and I am far from perfect. I am however passionate, a word that is thrown around in the fitness industry more than anything. My definition is simply one who eats, sleeps, breathes their work. That I do. Fitness taught me how. Through ups in downs, passion has let me conquer personal issues as well as professional. An unrelenting quest to be the best version of myself was taught to me from my experience in this industry. I attribute everything I have accomplished personally and collectively due to that passion. Without it, I have nothing.
2. If you want something bad enough you will do whatever it takes to achieve it.
My clients and clients of other trainers have taught me this. My client Rolodex is full of people who conquered the odds, all because they wanted it bad enough. In my book 12 Steps to Fitness Freedom I tell a story about a woman from Columbus who lost an extraordinary amount of weight and developed a community of enthusiastic people wanting to do the same. Or the woman who I have trained for many moons, who at first just wanted to be fit but now owns her own personal training business, all because wanted it more than other people. If you want it bad enough, you’ll go get it.
3. No one gets to where they are, alone.
I didn’t get to this point by myself. I had help…a lot of help. That help came in the form of support from others a long this 11 year journey. It also came in the form of detractors and negative people who taught me what I didn’t want be. No matter how successful you are, you got there with help. If I was never given a shot to train at Gold’s Gym in 2004, I would never be here today.
4. Bad times will always pass.
Obstacles are put in front of us not to stay and best us down but to leave after we have conquered it. I’ve seen it a thousand times, some one who goes through turmoil but keeps at it and never quits, always turns out for the better. If I have learned anything from working with trainers and clients is, regardless of the situation, if you keep at it, never waiver and never quit you will come out of the dark and into the light. It’s that simple.
5.Look to add value versus make money.
Money comes and goes like the wind blows. No matter how much you have you cannot take it with you. Having money is not impressive, adding value to other’s is. I have learned this through experience in the fitness industry. I have seen people with lots of money that truly had nothing, nothing because they were not adding value to others. The single most important lesson we can all learn is how to add value to someone else’s life. Whether it is to listen, be a shoulder to cry on or help a friend in need, adding value to someone means so much more than money. “Choose legacy over currency,” is a favorite quote of mine and it means to simple to add so much value to someone that you build a legacy and are never forgotten. A very important lesson.
I could write a list longer than this but for time purposes I will keep it short. Being in fitness has taught me so much that I feel honored to talk about it day. The lessons I have learned are so important not only to my life but the lives that interact with on a daily basis.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Jun 5, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET  It is inevitable, we will all get in a rut. No matter good you are at something or how passionate you are, someday you will find yourself in a hole. A hole that, if not careful, could snowball, and create havoc on your goals, fitness or otherwise. As I discuss in my book 12 Steps to Fitness Freedom you must “ride the waves” in order to be successful in any aspect of life. Challenges will come and how you respond will dictate the end result.
I am reminded of a perfect example for present day, my beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats. Currently we are preparing for the Final Four in Dallas, something that was expected before the season started and anything less would of been considered a failure. However, what happened after the season started and how the regular season ended you would called someone crazy if they thought this would come to fruition.
The Wildcats hit a rut. They were immature, made poor decisions and didn’t play well (that is putting it lightly). They had succumbed to the pressure. Their talent was high but there performance was lackluster. They were in a funk.
After an exhilarating win against LSU, UK dropped their next two games against non-tournament teams including a jaw-dropping loss to SEC bottom feeders South Carolina. To the fans, the season was over. Many gave up on the young Cats. Their on and off funk had taken over their season and it showed.
Miraculously, the team entered SEC tournament play on a mission, prove everyone wrong. After a few “tweaks” the Cats blitzed their first two opponents and nearly knocked off the best team in the country, Florida. A month later and four big time victories later the Wildcats have gone wild and “shot” themselves out of their funk and are two games away from a National Championship, the school’s ninth. How did it happen? How did they get out of their funk?
If you are in a funk, in any part of life here are three steps to “shooting” your way out of it:
1. Simplify don’t complicate
Life is easier when you isolate a situation and simplify it versus throwing your hands up and over complicating it by letting your frustrations impact your decisions. Every situations has it’s own set of legs, do not let one frustration creep into other aspects of your life. Had the Cats let their turnover issues creep into their passing, the season would of been a loss. Thankful, with help, they isolated their problems and improved collectively.
2. Keep going
The old saying goes, “if you are going through hell, keep going” applies here. It is easy to quit, it’s easy to let your funk get the best of you but you must keep going. Miss a day at the gym? Go back tomorrow. Slip up on your nutrition today? Eat better tomorrow. Life not go the way you planned? Keep pushing and never look back.
3. Be consistent
If the shots are not falling, keep shooting until they start dropping. Consistency during a rut is key because your first reaction is to change something and sometimes drastically. Changes maybe necessary but you must evaluate each individually and game plan for what needs to change. UK is who they are, they haven’t changed. They have just changed their perception and the way they approach the game. It has worked.
Nothing is perfect and nothing will go as planned. How we react to failure and frustration dictates our success pattern moving forward. Like the Wildcats have done, shoot your way out of a funk.
By Lauren Mayer, on Wed Jun 4, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET It seems that nearly everyone has a different opinion about what is and is not funny. One common definition is that “comedy equals tragedy plus time.” Another explains that “when I fall into a sewer, it’s bad, but when someone else falls in, it’s funny.” And you can find thousands of websites purpoting to explain why The Three Stooges are hilarious to men but not to women.
Humor is frequently used as a coping mechanism, to release anxiety or to vent frustration (this explains the huge number of Jewish Mother jokes). And some of the most insightful comedians have used it to vent – think of George Carlin’s rant about the 7 words he couldn’t say on television, or Rita Rudner’s jokes about relationships (e.g., when she wanted to dump a guy, she just told him she wanted to have his baby, and “usually he would leave skidmarks”). But it can be touchy – what about when you’re dealing with highly sensitive or politicized issues? (Although I am still impressed by the first Saturday Night Live show after 9-11, when we all wondered when it would be okay to laugh again. After a moving tribute to New York’s first responders, producer Lorne Michaels asked Mayor Guiliani, “Is it okay to be funny?” and Guiliani responded, “Why start now?”, totally diffusing the tension and making laughter okay. I hope I can write a line that perfect someday!)
Writing political humor frequently means tackling subjects that provoke strong feelings. Sure, every now and then completely neutral stories pop up like the crack-smoking Mayor of Toronto, or the scndal involving oh-so-aptly named Anthony Weiner. But it can be difficult to find humor in an issue that makes me angry – which is why it’s also so important. Laughing at a challenge makes it easier to deal with – even if that challenge involves not screaming at C-Span. Which explains the enormous popularity of programs like The Daily Show (not to mention the fact that it’s the primary news source for most millenials . . . ).
Irvine, my home town, is in Orange County, which I like to think of as ‘the red state’ in the middle of California (in the ’60s and ’70s, there were even fewer Democrats than Jews . . . cue rim shot). But many of my uber-conservative high school classmates have seen my videos and will send me messages like “that was really funny, even though you’re totally wrong” or “cute song coming from a commie pinko.” So when I write my songs, I aim for a tone that even those who disagree with me could enjoy.
Normally. (As my father used to say, “Moderation in all things – including moderation.) Sometimes it doesn’t work – and this week may be one of those times.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu May 29, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET Life is busy. We live in a world that goes a hundred miles per hour, everyday. Eating healthy can sometimes get put to the back of the line. From day to day travel to business trips to flying on airplanes, learning the best ways to eat better when we are busy can be challenging, but they can be done. From the appendix of my book 12 Steps to Fitness Freedom here are 12 steps to eating on the go:
Preparation
 1. You either prepare to succeed or fail. Preparing your lunch ahead of time would ensure you didn’t stop for fast food on your way back to the office.
2. Knowing what restaurants are on the way on a three hour business trip that serve healthy options would allow you to stay within your healthy eating strategy and not go for convenience. If we prepare, we can succeed.
Know Your Food
 3. Anytime I go to a restaurant I know what my choices are going to be. I have either looked at their menu online or I have frequented there before. I know what I am walking into.
4. Use nutrition apps to look at menus and food items before sitting down for dinner. This will help you better understand the food quality.
Bring Healthy Snacks
 5. If you are in an airport your choice of healthy options are slim. Bring almonds, nuts, Quest bars or fruit with to curve your appetite an prevent you from making a decision out of convenience.
6. Know the ingredients and how to read the food label on the back to know what your are eating.
Know How to Order Food
 7. Different restaurants use different things to cook with. Some use olive oil, some may use butter. Either way, I always ask for my food to be prepared without butter or seasoning.
8. If it is chicken or beef I asked that it be prepared over an open fire and grilled. This cuts down on all the extra calories the cooking process can add. Drink Water
 9. On the go we sometimes forget about hydrating ourselves. Water keeps us hydrated but also decreases the hunger signals and keeps us full.
10. Keep big bottles of water on you at all times and refill as necessary.
Say No to Fast Food
 11. If it has a drive through, say no!
12. If you have to stop for something quick choose grilled chicken over beef and baked potato over French fries.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu May 22, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET
To paraphrase from the video above, “greatness is not one big thing, it is lots of little things.” That is astoundingly true. It is the little things that add up to make the big things. Our greatness in life is not one thing we have done, it is a collection of small things amplified together to create who we are.
I challenge everyone, including myself, to watch the video above and apply the message to everyday. The narrator states there are 84,000 seconds in day and we all decide how we will spend each one of those.
My mission for this week is to make a hit list of things that must be worked on or accomplished by weeks end and to rid myself of the mental clutter that clogs my brain from time to time. I want to be phenomenal and as it says in the video, “no one cares what you did last year, it is what are doing now that matters.” Move towards greatness. Enjoy the video.
|
The Recovering Politician Bookstore
|
