 | IN PURSUIT OF THE PISTOL SQUAT - PART 5 (ECCENTRIC PROGRESSIONS) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:53 Number of views: 16 In this episode I will demonstrate a few eccentric progressions for the pistol squat, focusing only on the lowering phase of the exercise, and building up to be able to sustain a static hold at the bottom position. We're almost at the full pistol... unless you are already very comfortable with all of the previous progressions, don't jump ahead yet. Work at each level until you feel solid, then move on to the next tutorial. Stay strong! Josh http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: pistol squateccentric training |
 | STAY FIT MINUTE - RESPONSIBILITY AND POWER! Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:23 Number of views: 46 To accept that you in some way attracted or created every situation, event, or relationship in your life today may be tough to do, and the instinct might be to find dozens of reasons why all of the negative things (health issues, debt, job you hate, unhealthy relationships, etc) have nothing to do with you. It's not easy for some peopleto believe, especially if you tend to experience a lot of bad things in your life. I can almost hear some of you right now saying, "well that car accident wasn't my fault!" or "I didn't create this illness I'm suffering from", and so on. However, once you find a way to understand and accept that you did indeed play a role in creating your current life, the more empowered you will become and the faster you can change your life for the better. All I can say is, without getting too much into the science and philosophy being it, that based on what you focus on and what your emotions are like, you are attracting or creating everything that is in your life right now. http://top-form-fitness.com/fitness-blog/you-control-your-life Related: positive thinkinglaw of attraction |
 | IN PURSUIT OF STANDING AB WHEEL ROLLOUTS- PART 1 Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 3:07 Number of views: 37 Yay, a new bodyweight training goal! I decided to take on the ab rollout from the feet (standing position) as a new goal. It's a challenging core exercise that not many people can manage, and the rollouts from the knees are getting too easy. Follow me as I show you how I'm progressing towards that goal! http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: ab wheel rollout, power wheelcore |
 | "NATURAL" GLUTE HAM RAISE (GHR) ALTERNATIVES Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 4:05 Number of views: 70 The glute ham raise is a unique and effective exercise that targets your entire posterior chain, specifically your butt and hamstrings. It is a very "functional" way to train your hamstrings, and hits the core hard also. It also fits in nicely with my mission to incorporate more 'natural' or body-weight type exercises into my program. However, not everyone has access to a GHR machine, so this video outlines some alternatives. Enjoy! http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: GHR, glute ham raisegluteham developer |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE 600 LB DEADLIFT - PART 7 (ASSISTANCE EXERCISES) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 4:09 Number of views: 34 This is Part 7 in my tutorial series on building a bigger deadlift. In this episode I demonstrate a few accessory movements I have started using to take care of some weak links that I have started to notice as my deadlift is getting heavier. http://www.teambarbarian.com Related: deadliftassistance exercises |
 | PURSUIT OF 600 LB DEADLIFT - PART 7 (HAS GLITCHES... WILL RE-UPLOAD)) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 4:13 Number of views: 55 It appears there was a problem with some of the footage in this video, so I have corrected it and uploaded it again at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1gOUmm9Leo Related: deadlift, accessoryexercises |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE PISTOL SQUAT - PART 4 (ASSISTANCE EXERCISES) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 3:38 Number of views: 64 This is the fourth episode in my tutorial series on how to perform a Pistol Squat. So far I've demonstrated several progressions you can perform to work towards doing pistols, and I'm almost ready to attempt the full range pistol squat. Before I do, however, I want to make sure I've taken care of any potential weak links so that I don't expose myself to injury. This tutorial will show you some simple assistance exercises you can start to include in your training plan as we move on to the final Pistol Progressions, coming up soon. Almost there! http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: pistol, squat, assistanceexercises |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE PISTOL SQUAT - PART 3 (ASSISTED PISTOLS) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:31 Number of views: 69 This is part 3 of my tutorial series on how to progress towards performing single leg 'pistol' squats. In this episode I demonstrate the Airborne Lunge as well as a couple of ways to perform the Pistol with assistance. At this point we are getting close to introducing the actual pistol squat, so next episode I want to demonstrate some assistance exercises you can start incorporating into your training plan first, to improve your knee, hip, and ankle stability in order to prepare your body for the pistols. http://www.Top-Form-Fitness.com Related: pistol squat, single leg squat, lunge, lower body, leg strengthknees |
 | IN PURSUIT OF HANDSTAND PUSHUPS - PART 4 (ECCENTRIC REPS) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 1:54 Number of views: 85 In this episode of my tutorial series on handstand pushup progressions, I demonstrate eccentric training. This is basically slowly lowering yourself in the negative phase of the handstand pushup only, to build strength in that full range of motion before progressing to adding the concentric phase. Work on these for a few workouts until you feel strong and have good control of the movement for several repetitions. Next episode I will introduce several assistance exercises for the HS pushup. Stay strong! Josh http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: handstand pushupseccentric |
 | GETTING FIT IN 2012 Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:39 Number of views: 149 By Jenny Yuen,Toronto Sun First posted: Sunday, January 01, 2012 05:09 PM EST Costa Warwar extends his arms forward and picks up the rope. He grits his teeth and strains his face as he drags 31.8 kilograms of weights across the span of the gym, not once or twice, but four times. The Toronto chef came to Fusion Fitness several months ago to deal with a weight issue. He found that he was constantly tasting different dishes at work and that often translated to packing on extra pounds. "I fell off the wagon a few years ago," he said. "I had my first baby and I got busy with my own business and didn't have time to catch up with my own health. I thought, if I want to be there for my daughter, then I have to get into shape." Twice a week, the 40-year-old meets with certified personal trainer Josh Hewett at the Yonge St. gym for a gruelling hour-long workout session. They often switch up the weight training and cardio program to keep it fresh, and by the end of the session, Warwar is sweating buckets. "I want to be able to move about without getting tired," Warwar said. "I feel a lot of energy and better after the workout. I find that when I used to go to the gym by myself, I would injure myself, so having someone here helps and keeps you motivated." The new year prompts many couch potatoes to vow to get in shape after they realize those extra slices of turkey — and other holiday goodies — did a number on their waistlines. In 2012, there are more ways than ever to get fit without getting bored. Fitness trends are getting more creative and the days of sleepwalking on a treadmill are over. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), turning to educated, certified and experienced fitness and strength training professionals for instruction will be among the most popular ways to get in shape in 2012. "There are a lot of fitness fads and trends coming out each year," said Hewett, who is also owner of Top Form Fitness. "You have to be really careful about what bandwagon you jump on. Typically, you can always fall back on science and what's tried and true and proven to work. The fundamentals are always going to be more effective. It doesn't have to be fancy to be effective." Hewett, who has been a fitness trainer for roughly 20 years, tells his clients to forget about quick fixes and to make for lifestyle and nutritional changes that slowly bring improvement. "You also have to find that internal motivation," he said. "For some people, that might be a longer life with their children, relationship, career or a family history of health issues — something that gives you a strong drive outside of wanting to lose a couple of pounds." Getting fit doesn't necessarily mean an expensive gym membership, either. You can do a lot of exercises at home, just using your own body weight. Diet and sleep are also key parts to how your body reacts to the workout. He recommends using basic pulling and pushing movements — squatting, lunging, bending and twisting with the upper body. Multi-joint exercises use several muscles together and burn a lot more calories. "A lot of people think doing long-distance training and slow cardio is the mainstay of a fitness program but you can get a lot more done if you keep your workout shorter and add sprint intervals," he said. Hewett has heard every excuse for not working out, but the most common complaint is a lack of time. He asks people to jot down excuses and rebuttals to each one. "There are effective ways to exercise effectively that take very little time," Hewett said. "Fifteen to 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training can get you similar results as doing an hour of cardio without any of the negative side effects — including muscle wasting. How many of us have a favourite television show we watch for hours a week or how many hours a week do we spend on Facebook? If we're willing to give something up, we can reach our goals." The prevalence of obesity among Canadians has been on the rise for the past 20 years, according to Statistics Canada. The increase was highest among women in the 20-39 age group and in men between the ages of 60-74. Hewett said while most fitness fads have some purpose to them, the problem arises when too much is mixed at the same time. "Yoga has a point to it — it helps with relaxation and lower blood pressure and improve flexibility," he said. "But when you start to combine yoga with pilates and yoga-boxing, that's when it loses what it originally was. Everyone is doing stability training on wobbly balls and whoopee cushions and they figure the less stable they are, the more they'll get. It will reduce the intensity of your workout if you're on unsteady surfaces." His last piece of advice: Set reachable goals. "Start with small goals and when you reach them and see success, that's going to be what motivates you to bigger goals," he said. "If you take action, you're going to get results." -Excerpt from the Toronto SUN Related: New, Year, Fitness2012 |
 | NEW YEAR FITNESS: GET IN TOP FORM FOR 2012 Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 0:38 Number of views: 86 Happy New Year everyone! Just a quick vid to wish you success, health and happiness in 2012... shot this just after finishing the Polar Bear Dip this AM. Brisk, baby! Here's my blog post: http://top-form-fitness.com/fitness-blog/new-year-fitness-2012/ Related: happy new yearfitness |
 | IN PURSUIT OF 6 PACK ABS - PART 4 (HIIT ALTERNATIVES) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 5:37 Number of views: 191 In this episode I demonstrate some alternative forms of HIIT, using implements or simply jogging and sprinting. You can also perform intervals using your bodyweight only, such as in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_mU11CuX6g The point is that you are not limited to needing specialized equipment to perform your High Intensity Interval Training workouts... aim to get in 3 HIIT sessions per week, about 15 - 20 minutes each, preferably early in the day. For the complete program check out http://www.GetLeanBook.com and visit my website at: http://www.Top-Form-Fitness.com Related: 6 pack, absfat loss |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE 600 LB DEADLIFT - PART 6 (HEX BAR MAX) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:37 Number of views: 119 In this episode I attempt my 1 rep max with the Hex Bar. Following this I will be taking a deload week and going back to the conventional deadlift. For the full program check out http://www.GetStrongProgram.com http://www.teambarbarian.com Related: hex bar deadlift, trap bar, shrug barmax deadlift |
 | IN PURSUIT OF 6 PACK ABS - PART 3 (CIRCUIT TRAINING) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 5:25 Number of views: 126 This is part 3 of my video tutorial series on how to develop and reveal your abdominal musculature, called "In Pursuit of Six Pack Abs". In this episode I outline one of the Resistance Training programs I used to increase my metabolism and burn more fat while maintaining my lean body mass. This is the Systemic Endurance Phase of my Get Lean program, which you can check out at http://GetLeanBook.com ... this is the high volume phase, which involves Peripheral Heart Circuit Training. Perform this workout 3 days per week, on alternate days (do your HIIT on the days in between), and aim to perform more reps every week for up to 1 month. An outline of the program looks like this: Circuit A: 2 rounds of 15-30 reps Lunges Jumping "cheat" chinups V-Sit ups Burpees -- Circuit B: 2 rounds of 15-30 reps Ball hamstring curls Pushup variation Reverse Crunches Mountain Climbers -- Circuit C: 2 x 15-30 Squat variation Inverted Rows Torso Rotation Jumping Jacks http://www.GetLeanBook.com http://www.Top-Form-Fitness.com Related: strength training, resistance training, circuit traininghigh volume workout |
 | TORONTO FITNESS SEMINAR: HIGH GLYCEMIC CARBOHYDRATES Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 1:50 Number of views: 90 This is a brief excerpt from the Reboot Your Body seminar, which I recently held in downtown Toronto. In this video I'm discussing which carbohydrates have a higher glycemic index, and thus tend to raise your blood sugar, causing insulin production and fat storage. To find out more about my next seminar, check out http://www.top-form-fitness.com/reboot-your-body.html Related: high glycemic, carbs, carbohydratesstarch |
 | TORONTO FITNESS SEMINAR: MEAL TIMING Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:30 Number of views: 90 This is a brief excerpt from the Reboot Your Body seminar, which I recently held in downtown Toronto. In this video I'm discussing some of the benefits of eating smaller portions more frequently during the day. To find out more about my seminar, check out http://www.top-form-fitness.com/reboot-your-body.html Related: Toronto, fitness, seminarmeal plan |
 | TORONTO FITNESS SEMINAR: BENEFITS OF HIIT Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:43 Number of views: 181 This is a brief excerpt from the Reboot Your Body seminar, which I recently held in downtown Toronto. In this video I'm discussing some of the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training vs. long slow cardio. To find out more about my seminar, check out http://www.top-form-fitness.com/reboot-your-body.html Related: Toronto, fitness, seminarinterval training |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE 600 LB DEADLIFT - PART 5 (EXERCISE VARIATION) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:59 Number of views: 113 http://www.teambarbarian.com I just came back from a deload week, and I've taken on a exercise variation of the deadlift for the next few weeks to give my nervous system a new stimulus with a similar movement. I chose the Hex Bar Deadlift, and I'll be starting with 3 working sets of 5 reps today, then ramping up the weight and sets over the next 3 weeks, while reducing the reps. I'll be making the complete program available at http://www.getstrongprogram.com Related: hex, bardeadlift |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE PISTOL SQUAT - PART 2 (SIDE STEP UP) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 4:12 Number of views: 177 This is the next progression towards the single leg pistol squat, and I call it the Side Step Up. I've been working on increasing my range in this exercise for a few weeks now, progressing to holding light weights in front of me to assist my balance at the bottom. Now I'm just getting comfortable performing a nice deep side step up on a high box without letting my opposite foot touch at the bottom. I'm finding that my knees are becoming much more stable and the discomfort I was experiencing when I started these progressions has diminished! The next progression will be to work on extending the opposite leg out in front. Look for Part 3 coming soon... I'm determined to master the Pistol Squat! I hope your doing well with your training as well. Stay strong, Josh Related: pistol squat, 1 leg squat, pistolssingle leg training |
 | IN PURSUIT OF HANDSTAND PUSHUPS - PART 3 (PARTIALS) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 3:42 Number of views: 115 Now that we've worked on developing strength with Pike Pushups, and getting used to balance and stability in a handstand position, in this tutorial we are introducing partial range repetitions. I suggest using foam pads, yoga blocks, matts, folded up towels, or books stacked under your head to guide your range of motion, and progressively remove these layer by layer as you get stronger and can perform more repetitions, so that you are gradually increasing your range. Stay tuned for the next handstand pushup tutorial soon! http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: handstandpushups Push-up |
 | GET IN SHAPE WITH JUNGLE GYM SUSPENSION TRAINING Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 1:56 Number of views: 304 Two big excuses many people give for not exercising regularly is not enough TIME, or not enough MONEY. Forget needing to travel to an expensive to get in shape... you can work out at home, at the park, or while you travel, using the Jungle Gym, a simple suspension training accessory that allows you to use your own body-weight as resistance. http://www.strapsworkout.com Related: jungle gym straps, suspension trainingbody weight workout |
 | DEVELOP A STRONG CORE WITH THE POWER WHEEL Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 1:48 Number of views: 359 http://www.strongestcore.com The Power Wheel is a simple yet effective core training accessory that will help you develop a more powerful midsection. You can still perform roll-outs as with the traditional smaller ab wheel, but the Power Wheel opens the door to a whole new range of unique exercises because of the addition of the foot pedals. If you want to develop a strong core, this is definitely one tool to keep in your exercise collection. Check out http://www.StrongestCore.com for more info and to read the Berkeley University Study that rated it #1 core trainer. Related: strong, core, powerwheel |
 | IN PURSUIT OF THE 600 LB DEADLIFT - PART 4 (SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRITION) Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 6:27 Number of views: 147 In part 4 of my deadlift tutorial series I discuss supplements and nutrition. This video was taken during my deload / recovery week, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to introduce this topic. A solid nutrition plan is integral to growing stronger, and although supplements may not be "necessary", there are a few that can help your progress: Pre-Workout: Beta Alanine, Caffeine, Workout Shake (60% Carbs/40% Protein), During: BCAA's, Workout Shake Post-Workout: Creatine, Workout Shake Away from your workouts: fish oil You might also consider vitamin D, multivitamin, and Juice Plus. This is just my recommendation, for what it's worth. More training coming up in the next tutorial... stay tuned! http://www.teambarbarian.com Stay Strong, Josh Related: Nutrition, Deadlift, supplementsstrength |
 | SOCCER TRAINING PROGRAM Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 2:32 Number of views: 1,064 There are certain important training strategies that you should know that are not typically included in most soccer training programs. At Soccer Athletics our mission is to provide you with the most effective training principles to help you become the best soccer player you can be. If you are a coach, parent, or soccer player who wants to improve performance on the field, our DVD "Building the Complete Soccer Athlete: Train Like a Pro" can help you reach your goal. Find out more about our complete soccer training program at http://www.SoccerAthletics.com or check out our digital downloadable version at http://www.SoccerAthletics.com/soccer-training-program.php Stay fit, train smart, play hard! Josh Related: soccer, trainingprogram |
 | PERSONAL TRAINING TORONTO Posted by: topformfitness Duration: 3:16 Number of views: 94 There are a few things that some personal trainers do not want you to know mainly because they want to keep you as a lifetime client. My philosophy at Top Form Fitness is to give people as much information as I can using accelerated learning techniques so that they can become independant of me and get as much benefit as possible in the shortest amount of time. As one of the top personal training experts in Toronto I believe in several things; incorporating the most effective and time-efficient training techniques, such interval training, metabolic resistance training, effective nutritional strategies and above all mental conditioning. In your new world of training you to can be at the top of your game. If you are looking for the top personal training services in Toronto, Top Form Fitness can help. Whether your goal is to lose some weight, have more energy, get back in shape, or improve the quality of your life both physically and mentally. http://www.top-form-fitness.com Related: personal, trainingToronto |