Different training approaches: Card workout...

At Elite-Bodyworks, we are strong advocates of programme design. Carefully structured reps, sets, exercise selection and order, tempo of each rep and rest periods are all considered and this is a huge part of why we've had such amazing transformations and results with our clients. Sometimes however, random workouts are can be useful.

We've had the privilege to study under some of the most respected coaches in the industry. Charles Poliquin's guidelines feature heavily in our programme design but we've also interned under some of top coaches in the UK, Tom Crudgington being one of them.

Tom is based at his private centre in Bath called Body Development and is one of the most well equipped gyms I've ever witnessed. Working closely with the equipment designer Simon Watson he has a huge array of bars, dumbbells, machines and unique pieces of kit which truly makes training there a new experience each time we go.

Me and Ben have both been up there a few times but the first time we went, we attended a 'Body composition internship' which focused on reducing body fat rapidly using lots of different methods. The one that stands out most vividly is the card workout.

The set-up is simple, one deck of cards, one exercise per suit and the number on the card turned at random dictates how many reps you'll do on that exercise. We use all picture cards as 10 and Ace is 11! Rest can be taken at set intervals (10 cards/5 minutes) or alternatively taken when needed.

Tom uses the card workout with different types of press ups for his fighters, saying he expects them to be able to complete the workout in less than 15 minutes. It is also a great way to test mental toughness or also as a challenge with pairs picking alternate cards and going in a you go/I go format.

It can be used in lots of different ways though.

For example if you wanted to set up the session for fat loss, you could have the following exercises as the deck...

Clubs = DB Lunges
Spades = KB Swings
Hearts = DB Overhead Press
Diamonds = Russian Row (Another unique exercise learnt from Tom)
Joker = 3 x Prowler Sprint

The card workout can also be used as a high volume second workout of the day for a specific body, e.g. chest and back...

Clubs = Neutral Close Grip Chin Up
Spades = Face Pull
Hearts = Persian Press Ups
Diamonds = 45' Inc Neutral DB Press

We've experimented with clients doing this on their own, as a large group, with two decks and racing to complete the pack (see Ben and his winning team below) and as a pair/trio in a you go/I go format as mentioned above.

There really is no right and wrong, we've experimented with many different combinations of exercises and body parts. If your feeling really brave, try doing four leg exercises!

As trainer's, sometimes it's nice to not have to plan out a workout an just let the randomised cards dictate that for you. It's been a staple in mine and Ben's training for close to a year and we credit it hugely to our improved lactic acid endurance.

As always, there are a few points to consider with this type of training:

• It's hard to monitor linear progression because of the randomisation of the cards
• If you have any injuries or niggles, however slight, this type of training is not indicated because of the speed and amount of the reps
• I'd use this workout sparingly throughout the week, to do every day at such high volume would increase cortisol levels considerably and like anything, eventually become counter intuitive
• Form is easily disrupted so because of the increased risk of injury, reduce the weight and perform the reps correctly

If your training could use some variation or just want to push yourself or a group with a hard and effective training session, give the card workout a try, I'm confident you'll enjoy the results.

FAT Tool Assessment

On February 18th I'm undergoing a one day course called FAT Tool which is run through the Poliquin Institute and invented by a guy called Dr. Mark Scappaticci.

FAT Tool stands for Fascial Abrasion Technique and is designed for Personal Trainers/Strength Coaches who want to complement their training knowledge with some soft tissue work. The tool itself is a unique design which is able to address all muscles whether they are long, short or close to a joint.



At the moment I have no soft tissue experience and with a lack of quality practitioners to refer to in the area I felt it was time to gain some expertise with this technique which is currently getting some amazing feedback from across the globe. I've seen prestigious coaches such as Jonathon Wong, Wolfgang Unsoeld, Mike Demeter, Andre Benoit, John Connor and Derek Woodske all being listed as using it and with Charles Poliquin endorsing it, it must be something special. I also believe that this is one of the first courses being run in Europe so feel it would put me again further ahead of most in the industry.

Laymans term - Increases range of motion and decreases pain and fascia restriction.

Taken from the www.fat-tool.com...

Fascial mobilisation using the FAT-Tool that specifically targets and loosens the fascia that surrounds and inter-connects muscle tissue that, when tight, can restrict range of motion and impair quality of movement.

This device can help with recovery after hard workouts and improve performance by optimising soft tissue mobility and increasing range of motion. The FAT-Tool has been reported to help improve motor-firing patterns by optimising soft tissue mechanics and stimulating specialised receptors within the skin and underlying fascia.

A small amount of warming balm is applied to the area being assessed and treated. The application of a thin layer allows for smoother movement of the FAT-Tool while at the same time, helps improve the friction between the tool and the skin.

I hope that this technique will help take me to the next level by being able to treat clients' pain immediately and also to be able to increase their range of motion a lot faster. The course isn't cheap but it's also impossible to put a price on quality information for a course that is clearly at the forefront of the industry.

I will be offering treatments at a reduced price from the 19th Feb until the 1st March 2012 so if you have any restrictions when in the gym or in daily life, have pain at all in your muscles and are looking for an immediate fix, this may be exactly what you're looking for.

Please email james@elite-bodyworks.com for more information or to book your first treatment today.

What's your marker for achievement?

I was inspired to write this post this morning when training one of my clients as she really made me realise how much huge accomplishments differ from person to person. You may be used to thinking about how a huge weight lifted or amount of reps completed is required to achieve respect from your trainer, fellow trainees or fellow gym go-ers but this morning has confirmed even more so in my mind that this is not the case.

At the start of January, this particular client (I won't say her name for fear of embarrassment) was new to the gym so to a degree you expect poor motor and recruitment patterns along with a certain degree of weakness. However you are not always faced with someone who has no control of their hip popping out and being unable to complete a bodyweight split squat without incorrect movement of their foot, knee, hip and torso. Also when using the overhead squat as an assessment technique she could not get more than a quarter of the way down without an uncontrollable hip shift.

For 2 months we have started with the basics, step ups, split squats, pull through etc to slowly start to strengthen limbs uni-laterally (we have no access to a leg curl otherwise I would have used that too). The PICP guidelines for re-hab are clear; slow tempo, moderate-high rep range and moderate rest period to ensure enough recovery to complete the subsequent sets with good form.

This morning she completed 3 set's of 8-10 reps with 10kg with a front foot elevated split squat before going on to complete 10 full range of motion bodyweight squats. Then completed her first full back squat and first full deadlift. With NO hip shifting. We've managed to increase her range of movement by 75%, simply by strengthening what was weak (everything) and stretching what was tight. Also she's reported that her hip has not popped out in the whole time we've been doing our sessions.

What we've competed is perhaps not as astounding as a female doing 13 chin ups or a guy doing a double bodyweight back squat but the look on her face when she completed this morning what was previously impossible made the feeling for me as good as anything else that I've achieved with my clients.

Too often I see trainers eager to jump ahead to maybe what could be considered to be more glamorous exercises and hammer on with poor form and incorrect technique, just so that they feel their client is doing what they believe to be empowering. Maybe there's also a feeling that doing structural work their client won't be able to lose body fat but again my client has proved this to not be the case. Over the notoriously tricky christmas period to now she has lost 6 lbs and over 3% body fat with only being able to train 2 times per week. With her increased strength we can now start to use exercises that create an increased metabolic demand which in theory suggests her body fat loss will now increase further.

Hopefully this post has made you realise that your marker for achievement does not necessarily have to be something as conventional as lifting a huge weight, doing none can be just as remarkable.

Group Sessions

Our group sessions are just about to roll over to a new block and I just wanted to give you an overview of the type of work we've done so far...

We started off with just our Monday sessions at 8 and 9pm but the demand grew so we also opened up sessions on a Wednesday at 8 and 9pm. Our original goal was to give our clients the chance to train an extra session a week with us at a fraction of the cost of a 1-on-1 session but soon it was clear that a lot more people were interested.

Our Monday sessions have now cycled through 3 different phases; arms, torso and fat loss. Our Wednesday session has just been geared at fat loss although we plan to cycle through different ways to achieve the same result; LEANNESS!

These sessions have a really good atmosphere, everyone working hard whilst having fun at the same time. Everyone goes home knowing they've worked hard and we always end up getting told how sore everyone is the next day.

Here is an example routine from our last fat loss phase...

A1 Front Squat (4 x 6, 50X0, 10)

A2 Back Squat (4 x 12, 30X0, 10)

A3 Prowler (4 x 1 min sprint, XXXX, 120)

B1 Trap Bar Deadlift (4 x 6, 41X0, 10)

B2 Rope Pull-Through (4 x 12, 30X0, 10)

B3 Kettlebell Swing (4 x 25, 1010, 120)

Very tough session that produces excellent results.

We have already had nearly everyone want to continue with their spot on the courses but we still have a few spots left on a Monday. Please contact James on james@elite-bodyworks.com to register your interest and to receive more details.

High volume back and shoulder session

Following on from a recent blog post from Nick Mitchell regarding a chest and arm workout I used a similar system to create a leg and a back and shoulder workout which I did this morning.

The idea is sometimes you need a higher volume workout than usual to trash as many muscle fibres as possible using different rep ranges, exercises variation, tempo prescription and rest periods.

I specifically wanted to work on my upper back with rowing variations as because I have been performing a lot of chin ups recently, wanted to ensure the length tension in my back was healthy. Another priority was medial delts however in hindsight, I could probably add another exercise in.

This is how it went...

A Wide Grip Pull Ups (4 x 3-5, 40X1, 150s)

B Thick Double-D T-Bar Row (3 x 12-15, 20X1, 90s)

C1 50' Inc One Arm DB Row, Elbows In (3 x 6-8, 20X1, 0)
C2 Seated Row to Neck (3 x 10-12, 20X0, 60s)

D1 Arnold Press (3 x 10-12, 30X0, 45s)
D2 L-Lateral Raise (3 x 10-12, 2012, 45s)

E1 Bent Over Trap 3 (3 x 6-8, 4010, 30s)
E2 Flat Powell Raise (3 x 6-8, 4010, 30s)

F1 Cable Rope Upright Row (2 x 6, 30X0, 0)
F2 Trap Bar Shrug (2 x 12, 20X1, 0)
F3 Standing DB Shrug (2 x 15, 20X0, 60s)

This is a workout slightly adapted from the strict Poliquin guidelines I usually stick to. For a 3 week microcycle I think it will be a nice (read torturous) change from what I'm used to. However my training partner did describe it as 'one of the best workouts I've had this year'.

Judging from the 3 workouts so far, this might be something I adopt regularly in the future.

If your struggling for a workout template this week, give something similar to this a go and I'm certain you'll be happy with the results.

Arm Sessions

Over the last 6 weeks, James and Ben have run an arm course, designed to increase specifically muscle mass but also strength within the arm musculature.

Each week focused on a different training system which was designed to create a different stimulus through volume, variety and time under tension.

Every week had the main workout and then a finisher of some kind, whether it was our Watson Fat Grip Wrist Roller, constant tension curls or close grip press ups we made sure that our trainees had nothing left!

Here is a brief overview of the 6 weeks.

Week 1 - 6,12,25
Week 2 - Nasty Sets
Week 3 - 8,8,16
Week 4 - Origin/Insertion
Week 5 - Gironda 8x8
Week 6 - EBW Special

I just want to focus on the final week, the EBW special. It's called this because I haven't seen a workout written like this before, that's certainly not to say that there hasn't been, but until I find out it's proper name, it will stay as this for now. Here's how the workout looked...

A1 - Supinated Close Grip Chin Ups
A2 - V Bar Dips

B1 - 1 1/4 Fat Gripz 60' Hammer Curl
B2 - Decline Close Grip Bench Press

C1 - Fat Gripz Straight Bar Cable Reverse Curl w/ Isometric Hold at 90'
C2 - Standing Rope French Press

Not too bad right?

Here's how the reps, sets, tempo and rest was set out...

Set 1: 6 @ 50X0
Set 2: 8 @ 40X0
Set 3: 12 @ 30X0
Set 4:15 @ 20X0
Set 5: 25 @ 10X0

You would complete the super-set and then rest just 60s between each set! The workout should take just 40 minutes!

The idea is that with the varying rep ranges, you complete destroy every muscle fiber. The high volume and minimal rest ensures high growth hormone levels, essential for building muscle and losing body fat. You would think the guys were doing a leg workout!

Thanks to: James Godfrey, Lee Sharp, Nick Stanley, Keith Tucker, Adam Wilson, Mattais Andersson, Gary Dinsey, Paul Adams and Jon Richardson. You all trained very well (standard moaning from Adam and Gary) but hope you all enjoyed the course.

Our Chest and Back course, starting on Monday 26th September is now completely full which we hope is a sign of things to come.

Please email james@elite-bodyworks.com for any information on upcoming courses.

Paleo Nutrition NOT a salad diet!

The eating habits I advocate are those of a paleo nature. This is to avoid sugars as much as possible and to keep insulin levels down.

Let's review the rules of what paleo nutrition includes:

• UNLIMITED red meat (buffalo, beef, lamb)
• UNLIMITED poultry (chicken, turkey)
• UNLIMITED seafood (scallops, salmon, sea bass)
• UNLIMITED healthy fats (nuts, coconut oil, omega 3)
• UNLIMITED vegetables (broccoli, spinach, cabbage)

The biggest problem initially when you say that you want to restrict someones carbohydrate intake is 'Well what am I going to eat then'? It's important when you take something away to put something else back in so increasing protein portion size, vegetable intake and most importantly healthy fat content is paramount.

Here are a couple of example meals:

Buffalo burgers fried in organic butter with cashew nuts, spinach and tomatoes.

Wild Alaskan Salmon Parcels with roasted vegetables

Organic chicken fried in avocado oil, add almond nut butter to coat the chicken and serve with sliced banana and a mixed salad.

The point I'm trying to make is you should never go hungry and when people tell me that they are just having a salad for lunch it's easy to see why they find it hard to stick to.

It's true that carbohydrates give you energy but fats give you more! Carbs provide 4 calories per gram whilst fats provide 9. That is why it is important to include fats to keep your blood sugar steady and stable. From this you can see that you will have to control your fat intake to an extent but it also proves that all calories aren't equal.

Initially you may experience nausea or slight headaches, this is your body switching fuel sources from sugar to ketones. If this gets unbearable then add in some berries or thin skinned fruit and this should subside.

Research has shown that as homosapians we were lean and muscular but as of the present day, as many as 66% of our nation could be considered overweight. Let's go back to what we designed to thrive on!



There are hundreds of websites giving paleo recipes and advice so there's no excuse to get bored. Jonny Bowden's 'Living the Low Carb Life' or Rob Wolfs 'Paleo Nutrition' are both excellent reads.

Paleo nutrition provides outstanding health benefits and body composition changes and now you know that you can have far more than a garden salad to get lean.