What happened since 2009? I’ll sum it up

- MMA training
- combat training instructor
- Muay Thai
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Filipino Martial Arts
- Underground Strength Coach
- NSI instructor and affiliated gym
- Element 5 Fitness exploding
- a new baby!!!
- 2012 is my year. I am a dragon and this is the year of the dragon

I’ll catch you on the flip side. Keep up if ya can.

Have you ever looked at high intensity athletes such as martial artists (MMA Fighters), track stars, gymnasts, etc, and wonder how and why they have a physique like that of a bodybuilder posing at the night of their showing? You see 6-pack abs, ripped muscles, and basically just a lean mean fighting machine? These high intensity athletes are not freaks of nature (well, some of ‘em are), but more or less people who have truly maximized their genetic potential through High Intensity Training. Whether it is their profession or a passion, you can see across the board the effects of their training. One class of high intensity athletes are martial artists such as MMA (Mixed Martial Artists) Fighters.

GSP

GSP http://www.sportsbettingandcasino.com/files/2008/01/georges-st-pierre.jpg

As of late, you have seen the explosion of MMA into the mainstream affecting everything from clothing lines, media, pay-per-view, haircuts (kidding), etc. But when you look at how these high intensity athletes train, it is amazing. There is something to be said about the energy demands and requirements for this type of training. This form of training is anaerobic (without oxygen) in nature and has what we call an “afterburn” effect aka EPOC (Excess Post Oxygen Consumption). Unlike traditional cardio aerobic programs where you stop burning once you stop your exercise, anaerobic exercise keeps on going for hours afterwards thus maximizing fat loss! It is the Energizer Bunny of fat loss! Keeps going and going and going…

BJ PENN

BJ Penn http://www.newzealandmma.com/home/images/photos/bjpenn.jpg

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao http://hibachibaby.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/manny-pacquiao.jpg

Although many cannot handle the actual intensity of how hard Martial Artists truly train, you can still get involved in high intensity training starter programs and maximize the benefits from it. As you progress, you can increase the workload and change up the routine to accommodate your progressions. So how many calories can you burn? Well, let me just say that your body composition determines that. Obviously if you are heavier, your energy demands are greater. For example, did you know that you can burn up anywhere from a low end of 300-600 calories OR 800-1200 calories per hour of boxing training? Those numbers are dependent upon the body mass of the individual. But before you get excited about your fat loss journey, keep in mind most people CANT go for an hour of boxing let alone 15 minutes. Now remember, boxing is one format of a high intensity exercise. You are missing the point here if you start buying gloves and a heavy bag. I’m talking about high intensity training and using martial artists as an example.

Look at the example below demonstrating high intensity vs traditional cardio training below:

- 154 pound person who runs at a pace of 8 mph will burn 320 calories in 20 minutes. That same person, walking at 3 mph for an hour, will burn 235 calories.

Now take that into your training protocol and you will see that you do NOT have to train for an hour. Train Smarter not just harder. The Strong and Sexy bootcamp program with Element 5 Fitness has incorporated this form of training into their programming. All over the Eastside clients are experiencing fat loss with this type of training. From 25-50+ pounds of fat loss, you may wonder why participants at the Strong and Sexy Bootcamp classes are experiencing this phenomenon. Well, if you were paying attention to the paragraphs above then you would know why!

I have included some of the sample workouts below that were incorporated in our Strong and Sexy Bootcamps classes. This is a 30 second format PER exercise. You cycle through the three exercises one after another WITHOUT rest. The only real rest you will probably get is a 5 second transition between stations.

30 second format EACH exercise EQUALS ONE SET:

- Bench Press OR Band Punches 30 seconds

- Reverse Lunge with Band Row

- Jump Rope OR explosive cardio format

Repeat these exercises 4 or 5 times through! That itself covers a quick six to seven and a half minutes! Once you combine 3 – 4 formats of this type of training, you will have covered at least 20-30 minutes of a high intensity type of training. If you dare, try this format and adjust the intensity and tempo to get a killer workout! Welcome to the FITNESS WARRIOR LIFESTYLE!!!

Yours in health,

Belton

http://Element5fitness.com

1.) I Hate New Years Resolution in the cliche sense; but I do love the idea of it, the increase in fitness participation, and the excited energy people have on 2009 and the re-birth theme.

2.) I Hate some aspects of the show “Biggest Loser” such as their training methods to accomplish excessive extreme goals, and push till you fly off a treadmill and pass out scenarios; but i do love the display of dedication, struggles, goal setting, achievements, and end result celebrations!!

So why am I writing this blog? To share the Biggest Loser secret? To tell you how they lose 5, 10, 15, maybe 20 pounds per week? Let me clarify some things and give you the bad news first.

BAD NEWS:

No, I will not put you in a ranch to train 6 hours per day, hard core, and risk injury like the Biggest Loser. No, you did not start at 350-400 pounds and have alot to lose. Most importantly NO, I DO NOT have $500,000 to give to you for achieving a healthier and happier lifestyle.  That should be an internal self motivator. If you need a self motivator, go look in a mirror naked.  Seriously…

Let me also clarify some other things first before I talk about the secret of “The Biggest Loser” because it has been irritating hearing it year after year each season it is on. People lost WEIGHT. Have you noticed I did not say FAT weight, or MUSCLE weight, or WATER weight? I said weight and it could have been all three or one or the other.

Imagine this…you have a backpack on that weights about 10 pounds empty. You use that backpack to carry 40 pounds of WEIGHT. The next day, you drop those 40 pounds and throw it away. Ok, so what about the 10 pound empty backpack? Why are you still carrying it?

Imagine you gain 40 pounds in 2 years. Remember, in order to support a heavier weight, your body has accustomed itself to support that new added weight through a heavier frame, whether it has extra tissue or muscle to help lug around the extra 40 pounds. So why am I throwing this tidbit of information? Because I get tired of people saying “Belton, why can’t I lose 15 pounds in one week? How do those guys do it? etc, etc, etc”

You don’t have BIG backpacks!!

You aren’t 350 pounds!!

You don’t live in a ranch and train 6 hours per day. Last I checked you had jobs and a life. Not that it is an excuse, it’s reality and you have to deal with it  and properly design a training regimen and fat loss program.

Ok, so let’s move onto the secret of “The Biggest Loser”, since I did say I was going to reveal it for you to kickstart your 2009 New Year. Well, obviously the ”Biggest Loser” show is over, and the winner was a person that I liked, but I did hear some wonderful things at the finale.

Ready for the secret?  Were you watching the finale?  There were two lines that said it all:

“Live in the Moment” – Vicki was told by Phil

“Surrender to the Process” – Michelle (The winner of “Biggest Loser” 2008 Family Edition)

Those two lines say it all right there. There is your Big Secret. No magic pill, No magic exercise, and No magic gel to rub on your cellulite.

“Live in the Moment” – It’s 2009!! Cmon! Enjoy what you have and know that you are alive, well, and survived 2008! It’s a time for change. New president, New Year, New you. Do something. Goodness! Here is a suggestion, Strong and Sexy Bootcamps. Forget the past, it’s done. Talking about the future is like every other moment you said you were going to start to lose weight.

Act now! The momentum will propel you. Don’t get me wrong, definitely set goals and have a future end goal in mind. But living in the moment means ACTION ACTION ACTION!

“Surrender to the Process” – Strong and Sexy Bootcamps, like other great programs have a plan in place. There is nutrition involved and a proper exercise regimen. Surrender, commit, and hold yourself accountable. Don’t go into it half-a@@. You know what I mean. ‘Nuff said.  New Years is around the corner.  Live in 2008 or come join us in 2009.

Readers, I have said enough. You get the point and now you know the secret. What were you expecting anyways?

Your Fitness Coach,

Belton Lubas

Co-Founder Element 5 Fitness

www.element5fitness.com or www.strongandsexybootcamps.com

It all started on Thursday snow day at 4:45 a.m.  There was ALOT of snow.  It actually started early that morning and filled up the landscape and caused numerous problems all over the Northwest.  I received numerous emails and texts about concerns whether class or training sessions are still on that morning.  Never mind their safety, these people are fitness focused and passionate about working out!  They wanted their Strong and Sexy Bootcamp to continue. Wow! I was impressed.  Although we did cancel our class as the gym eventually closed, I was keeping people up to date like a weatherman/fitness newscaster.  These people were determined. 

It reminds me of a phrase I saw at my martial arts training studio…”SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT TRAINING MAKES ONE WEAK!!!”  It sure seemed like they absorbed that mantra as their motto for the week.  (Feel the pun?) 

On Friday, I sent out a home-based workout for those who wanted to stay active while they were cooped up.  They had their mini at home Strong and Sexy Bootcamp.  I called it the P (1/2 of) 90Xworkout.  (Hehe, must be because it was only 45 minutes instead of 90 and just as hard if not harder)  Finally, Rommel and I gave in to the peer passion pressure and decided we were going to brave the weather and road conditions to fulfill our clients’ fitness cravings for Saturday 8am Strong and Sexy Bootcamps.

As saturday rolls around, and previously closed roads in Redmond and Bellevue open up and the chaos SLIGHTLY clears up, I decide to roll out with my All Wheel Drive to the gym for the 8am class.  It was slick, icy, and scary watching others try to attempt to drive beside you, in front of you, and behind you around turns, and up or down hills.  I honestly did not expect that many people to show up on that dreadful morning, but six people turned up!  It was quite the morning.  let me explain:

Out of the six people, Theresa who was pregnant, worked out with galoshes for the first 30 minutes due to forgetting her shoes.  We had her friend Sandra drive from Seattle, swing by her house, and pick up her shoes before coming to the gym to join in on the workout.  Heather walked to the gym as a warm-up to get her workout in and walked home afterwards.  Dena came in slightly sick, but dedicated herself to taking on the workout.  Molly came in to join the fun, and later switched vehicles with her husband and the kids so he can then workout with me after her bootcamp class.  Matt braved the snow to be the only gentleman representing the males and kept up with these hardcore females!   

Wasn’t I right?  Our clients are Psycho…in a good way!  Maybe I should say Psycho Passionate!  It was fun and quite the laughs. 

Here is that workout I sent out.  It may be somewhat modified but here it is.  On a sidenote, did you know back at Oregon State University we did a segment on home workouts?  We took some film and radio class to learn how to produce a show.  Originally we were going to call it the Beaver show spinning off that Comedy Central ”Man Show”.  We sent out the proposal but it got turned down.  Weird…  But we created a fitness show instead.  Anyways, on with the quick workout:

 -  A1 Pushups 20 reps

-  A2 Bent over Rows using Gallon jugs of water or milk

-  A3 Tabata Squats 20 seconds fast, 10 second rest, and repeat 3 times

-  Repeat the above three A exercises 3 or 4 sets…its a nonstop fast sequence

-  B1 Step out alternating lunges 30 total 40 max with water jug vertical press

-  B2 Plank hold 60 seconds

-  B3 20 Crunches

-  B4 Reverse crunches aka butt lifts aka reverse curls aka you know!

-  Repeat B exercises 3 or 4 sets Nonstop fast sequence!

-  A and B should take 30 minutes

Cardio Time:

-   30 seconds split shuffles

-   30 seconds ice skaters

-   30 seconds jumpsquats

-   30 seconds in place high knee runs

-   30 seconds jumping jacks

-   30 seconds slalom hops

-   30 seconds wideouts (jump in feet together and jumpout wide while staying low and hands behind head)

 -  30 seconds wall sit

-  Rest 30-60 seconds and repeat 3 times the whole cardio series ALL 8 OF THEM IN A ROW!!!

Be Safe, Have Fun, Happy Holidays, and the next time your indoors…Try the above workouts.  No snow can stop you! In fact you might burn so much calories and core temperature reach a pretty high level you can stand out on your driveway and melt the snow.  Not.

Belton Lubas

Element 5 Fitness

www.element5fitness.com 

What a weekend!  I can’t go into words as the weekend rolls into this week of “Thanks”.  But I learned something cool this weekend.  I know I can make a difference.  I can make a difference with “Thanks” and “Giving”.  Two powerful words that can go a long way.  I also learned about the Maharishi Effect! 

“The basis of the Maharishi Effect is the rise of collective consciousness. Collective consciousness is the wholeness of consciousness of any specific group.”    

What does that mean?  Well they did studies of groups of people who in like mindedness rise to the occasion of self awareness as a group and measured the effects it had on societies so-called “problems”.  There were decreases in crime, increases in the stock market, decreases in accidents, etc…

Here are some cool examples when using Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment analysis of predicted threshold:

- Manila, Philippines homicide rate decreased 2% in 1984.

- Decrease in crime rate, traffic fatality rate, and unemployment rate in the state of Iowa.

- City of Jerusalem influenced, then Israel, then neighbouring country Lebanon

- Positive effects on international conflict as proven with the Former Soviet Union and the U.S.

- Global effects as studied in 1983 on impact of global wars.

So you see, what I learned this weekend is that the Earth’s billions of people can be affected by a critical mass.  The magic number is the square root of 1% of the given population.  Well, that would be about 8,000 people.  I will start with myself and ask you to join me in giving thanks. 

As part of my self awareness I want to say THANK YOU.  I give thanks to all those who have allowed me to help them.  I give thanks to those that allowed me and my company Element 5 Fitness, enable them to reach their fitness goals.  I give thanks to my family and my loved ones.  I give thanks to God, for others (Higher Source, The Universe, etc…).  Can you please join me and comment your thanks so as to increase our awareness to help our nation, the economy, the wars, the deaths, the hunger?  After all it is ThanksGiving is it not?  I am thankful, are you?

Committed to your success,

Belton Lubas and Rommel Acda

Element 5 Fitness

Picture this, it’s 5:30 a.m. and you are heading to train a 6:00 a.m. enthusiastic group of people looking to get in shape.  It’s cold, dark, and wet as you walk towards your car.  When you arrive to your spot, you notice that something looks odd.  You see, I purposely parked my car close to the post/wall on the passenger side to give ROOM for the driver’s side in the event another car pulled in to that slot and needed room.  I was also being considerate to my wife because I wanted her car to have OUR designated slot.  I don’t mind the trek to the “open’ spots that early in the morning.  I was in a good mood.  C’mon, I had a great weekend and a great start to the week full of informative, educational, and inspirational lessons.  I also went to the same self defense course that “fitnesswife” went to over the weekend.  What a great way to start the week!!  BUT NO!! LO and BEHOLD my driver side was blocked in with a space of maybe 8-10 inches and the passenger side was already hugging the side post/wall.

What did I do?  Well, I cursed an inanimate object and a person I did not know who was probably sleeping and could probably care less.  I thought about going back home and getting a piece of paper to write them a nasty note about their lack of consideration.  My mind was racing with angry thoughts!

I was then hit with the realization that all this time spent getting mad (about 5-8 minutes), could have been used to crawl through my trunk and into the car.  Another thought hit me! I had forgotten the Ultra Sound Body Fat testing device that was needed for a body fat test for a client after class!

So, I went back to my home (not to write a nasty note), grabbed the device, crawled through to the driver side, and went off to take care of clients.  Driving to the gym I thought about what just happened and laughed at myself and the craziness of it all.  I made the class, had my device, took the test and consulted accordingly, and had a great attitude the rest of the day. 

I learned something that morning.  I learned that no matter how much you yell or stomp your feet at a car, it won’t move.  I learned that life is too short to mind the little things that really ISN’T a big deal.  Ok, so I had to do some yoga-kamasutra-gymnastics moves in order to get in.  But let’s rewind a bit and play that scene differently.

Things I could have done: 

- Yell, scream, and kick. May lead to damaging that car and most likely me paying for damages

- Write a nasty note and deal with the consequences of that person getting mad back

- Be late for clients and deal with the aftermath of poor service

- FORGET the Bodymetrix device and deal with poor service and unhappy client

- Have a sour day and provide poor service to other clients and classes

- Deal with the mounting consequences from all of the above and the impact it has to others

Thank you for teaching me a lesson in Humility.  Thank you for reminding me about the Bodyfat Device.  Thank you for allowing me to look at life from a different perspective and practice what I preach to myself.  Thank you for teaching me patience.  Thank you for Blocking my car in that morning.  Really, Thank you…but please try to give me a little room?

Belton Lubas

www.element5fitness.com

This weekend we attended a seminar on business building and product knowledge.  Although the story above was told at the seminar and was related to the seminar product (which is related to fitness and nutrition), I started thinking about some things that related to clients, VIP Fitcamp, personal goals, etc.  And you know what?  We like to sit nails! 

If it hurts, then move!! Instead, we opt to stay in the same place because although it hurts, we aren’t willing to make that effort to get to a better place.  Why do we do these things?  Is it because it takes too much time, effort, and causes you to step out of your comfort zone?  I know why! We don’t have the time to pack a meal replacement shake to work.  Wait I know, I know…  It’s because we don’t have the time to cook up some chicken breast and boil some vegetables for the next day.  Can you imagine taking up the time to do that?  You get the point.

So next time you feel like moaning, whining, and complaining; ask yourself why you aren’t willing to get off the nail you are sitting on?  The scary thing is that most of us do not even know that we are sitting on one.  I leave you with this question and with some quotes.

What Nails are you Sitting on??

-  Do not wait! Start whether you are ready or not!

- Excellence is a commitment to completion

- You have the power to accept or reject

- Do the thing and you will get the energy to do the thing

“Calm down Belton” you say.  Well, this may or may not apply to you so don’t get offended.  But let me tell you something.  I have lost family members to a disease that is IN MY BLOOD.  It’s called Diabetes.  And so you can see why I am upset.  I wish I had gotten ahold of my grandparents and knew what I knew now.  I wish my father never had a stroke and can walk properly.  I wish for many things not to happen to anyone. BUT CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN!! 

I love my parents and I had to see them go through a stroke together (my father) affecting them financially, mentally, spiritually, and physically.  Some of you may relate.  Some of you have stories to tell about your struggles.  This is mine.  So don’t disregard your health that easily.  Doctors and hospitals are too late.  Those are bandaids.  Preventative medicine and healthy lifestyles can slow down the inevitable, reverse it in some cases, and maybe altogether stop it (the disease).     

How did this come up?  Well, I just came back from a seminar in Portland and sat back and listened to one of the greatest Martial Artists of all time.  He is a Legend of Legends.  Master amongst Masters.  Mr. Dan Inosanto spoke of history, philosophy, health, culture, politics, and passion.  It’s as if I did not care to workout, and would rather just listen to him speak.  Now this seminar cost some money.  I’m not going to lie.  It also costs some money for me to get TRAINING from a great instructor (Mr. Kamara) with a great program (Harmonizing Martial Arts) on top of the seminar.  But shouldn’t I stop working out? There’s a recession!!  I mean I paid more for two days of learning and physical training then what costs to train 3+ times a week a month of VIP fitcamp!!  But when all is said and done, I trained my mind, my heart, my body, and do not regret one dollar of it.  I have heard stories from Mr. Kamara of people paying some of the old grandmasters in rice to learn the arts!  Can you imagine?!

To sum things up I will say this. The world will still keep turning, stock markets dropping, houses foreclosing, (put negative thought here), and I will still smile.  Why? Because I have my health, my wife, my family, and my mind.  Because I am helping others achieve crazy goals!  Because I am a student learning martial arts that teach me about life, integrity, purity, physical toughness, mental toughness, and character.  What more can I ask for? What’s your reason for living?   

BELTON LUBAS

ELEMENT 5 FITNESS