Albert K. Park

Hey there, Albert here and I hope all of you are doing well…

            I just wanted to talk to you about my new website that is about to launch in January (this is why there haven’t been many articles recently) and share this kick ass anti-holiday weight gain workout but first, I need to get something off my chest…

               If you are out battling the Christmas shopping population and getting your list finished in primetime mayhem, do me a favor and keep your horror stories to yourself. I don’t need to hear about things I already know.

            But don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means an Ebenezer Scrooge. I’m just a man seeking some “joy to the world” this time of year.

             I know that chaotic mass consumerism during the holidays can only lead to domestic war and in an effort to maintain mental health, I strategize my contribution to boosting our dog sh*t economy by shopping last minute alongside my fellow male species.

            There is nothing like getting your Christmas shopping done with only a handful of frantic males at the mall trying to figure out how to get the “right” gift for their significant others without setting the bar to high for next year in an honest attempt to avoid financial suicide.

            Again, I am no scrooge. By all means get the girl you love a kick ass gift! I am just trying to say, I have my shopping strategies for a reason and they have been tried and tested over time to be successful. I am hoping to 4-peat this year!

            For the past couple years of my personal training career I have maintained this blog mainly as a means for me to keep track of everything I was learning. I never expected this many people to follow my articles…to tell you the truth I didn’t think that anybody would read it.

            Over time a ridiculous amount of people started sending me emails with questions on everything from fat loss, muscle gain, and even relationship advice (save your jokes). All these people were not only reading the blog, they were following it.

            The blog I kept mainly for myself quickly transitioned into a go to information hub for fitness enthusiasts and people seeking real fitness results. It got to the point where I had a sh*t ton of article requests and needed to do something…

            I decided to get a Brand NEW blog based website deisgned that would allow me to more effectively share FREE content and my passion for fitness. But in the brainstorming and designing process I realized that everyone who frequented the blog shared one major commonality.

“Fit” wasn’t a new years resolution or temporary life stage phase to any of you, it was a lifestyle.

            My new website is zoom focused and catered to the individual who is passionate about living THE Fit Lifestyle. This website is being made for YOU.

            The goal for this project was to design a place that you could go to and be understood. I wanted to offer you a destination where you could escape reality for a slight moment and get into your zone, our zone (because there is more of us who live the fit lifestyle out there than you think).

            This is a site where you can read and learn, find out more, and be entertained by everything the fit lifestyle has to offer.

            I quickly found out in my reading career, which probably started post-college to be honest (please refrain from laughing), that I only read things that entertained me. If it didn’t keep my attention, there wasn’t a chance in hell I would finish it.

            So when I write now, I write always asking myself if I would read this shit. What I’m trying to say is, I’m no distinguished writer. I just know that like you, I love reading and learning about fitness but I don’t want to have to read a damn textbook to get the info.

            I will sum it up with one sentence.

            Okay, one more thing.

I promise to keep it bad ass as long as it is in existence! (That’s quite a serious commitment!)

            With the increasing amount of bullsh*t we have to face during this holiday season (Christmas shopping-cough, cough), I find that I can continually depend on training to loyally offer a means to stay level headed, offer an effective form of stress relief, and bottom line make me happy.

For me, training is like a roller coaster…it can make you throw up sometimes but the majority of the time you can count on it to give you a damn good thrill and if you do choose to go for the ride, you won’t ever regeret it. (Insert Albert’s evil smile here)

            I am going to share with you a workout that will viscously fight back relentless holiday FAT that strategizes sly attacks in the form of delicious eggnog (no, spiking your eggnog does not make it okay), carb overloaded Christmas smorgasbords, sweet but bad intentioned little gingerbread men, and any other joyous snacks you can justify eating with the phrase “But it’s Christmas!”

            This is the infamous SPARTACUS workout my Elite Small Group Personal Training members have a love-hate relationship with. It’s a High Intensity Interval based workout that is the perfect remedy for a case of Holiday weight gain.

            What you will need to perform this workout is a visible clock or timer, a small open space (enough for you to do a burpee and lay down), a resistance band or a pair of dumbbells, and yourself.

            You will be performing all the exercises following a 50 second work period and than a 10 second break. Follow this time template through all 10 exercises.

            So, for the work periods you will perform as many reps with good form as possible in 50 seconds, break for 10 seconds, and then start on the next exercise for another 50 seconds, followed by the 10 seconds break. Repeat this pattern all the way until your done.

            Note: You get out what you put in,  and intensity will be the x factor here. Push an uncomfortable pace for each work period. Pretend I am right next to you continually gauging your level of intensity. (p.s. I can tell when people are giving a bullsh*t effort)

            Also, make sure to follow the order of exercises as listed. I received an email one time from a guy who said he tried one of the barbell complexes I posted and wasn’t impressed. I was a little shocked because even our top-level athletes struggle with this workout but later I came to find that he changed the order of the entire program. The program was specifically written in a way to increase difficulty and maximize total effort. What an idiot!  

             After you complete 1 round, rest 1-2 minutes. (1 round = 1 time through all 10 exercises) Repeat for 2-3 rounds.

            I have also added progressions to increase difficulty for appropriate exercises. So if you can perform the standard exercise with proper form fairly easily, step your game up with the suggested progressions!

1. Body weight squats (Progression = Body Weight Jump Squats)

3. Reverse Alternating Lunges (Progression = hold dumbbells for added resistance)

4. Bent over rows with resistance band or dumbbells (Progression = add a 3 second hold at the top of row)

5. Squat Presses (Progression = single arm squat press, make sure to do other arm the next round)

7. Burpees (Progression = hold onto the dumbbells the entire time)

8. Lateral Lunges (Progression = hold dumbbells)

10. Side Plank (switch half way)

            So there it is, Spartacus, chaos Christmas shopping, and the first announcement of My new website launching next month!

            I would love to hear how your Spartacus experience went, email me: albykennethpark@gmail.com. Let me know if it wasn’t difficult enough, you really liked it and want more workouts like this, or have any other questions or comments.

            Don’t forget to come check out my NEW website launching in January (new website address will be posted on this blog or check out my Facebook Fan Page AlbertPark'sCompleteFitnessExperience 

           Also when the New website launches make sure you sign up for the FREE newsletter so you can receive even more FREE content and updates for NEW blog posts. 

See you all in January!

                        Hey there, it’s Albert and I hope everything is going good for you… this is the article where I am going to reveal 1 kick ass workout that is going to get your body to burn body fat and get lean fast.

                        I actually just got done doing some weighted chain pull-ups for max reps in between training two of my favorite small groups. The second group has one of my clients that “love’s” this workout and I think he may have thrown up doing it last time.

                        Despite his weak stomach he really does train hard but there is one thing that bugs me about him. He has this cousin and his cousin is a douche bag. One thing that gets under my skin is when people put others down for being successful and reaching their goals.

                       Let’s call my client Zanzabar (sorry I didn’t ask him yet if I could use his real name so I just gave him this sweet ass name) and through hard training, Zanzabar lost about 20 lbs in around 4 weeks earlier this year. Pretty awesome right? His cousin didn’t think so and has been trying to put him down and make him feel inferior to his “Bodybuilding, bench press on Monday, and finish every workout with bicep curls” training style.

                        After Zanzabar told me about this I got a little crazy and told him that I wanted his cousin to come in for a free training session with me! It’s been 5 months and I am still waiting.

                        Let me get one point across, your body is amazing in the sense that your muscles will respond to nearly any kind of training as long as it’s challenging and not the same workout you have been doing for the last 3 months.

            It’s called Escalating Density Training or EDT for short. What the workout calls for is performing all the exercises for the set amount of reps as many times through for the set amount of time!

One thing you will notice… This is completely different from what you are used to. Don’t underestimate the simplicity of this workout. Intensity will be the X factor here.

Perform all exercises back to back with no rest for the entire time period.

Time period: 10 min

Perform all exercises back to back with no rest for the entire time period.

            This workout will get you pushing past your usual comfort level and if you bring the intensity, I guarantee you this will be a fat shredding and lean muscle-building workout. If you are looking to top your workout off with a crazy ab finisher, try this – 2 minute ab finisher.

            I know that all of you are going to go out there and crush this workout and I really want to know how it went and how you got through it, post a comment, it really does mean a lot to me. While all of you are out there training to burn body fat and get lean fast I will still be waiting for Zanzabar’s cousin to come in and get his ass kicked.

                        

                       

                         

            

            The quality of your workout is influenced before you even walk through the doors to your gym. Believe it or not your training starts the moment you decide that you even want to workout. Your attitude towards your commitment, training, and the workout that particular day can set the pace for your results. So ask yourself, can you already tell what kind of workout your going to have before you’re even at the gym?

                        Okay, I know that this sounds like another self-motivational book or a Tony Robbins seminar but I am only bringing this to your attention because we can all so easily get lost in Bad attitudes. I’m talking about Bad attitudes like a teenager dealing with roller coaster hormones, pro active worthy acne, and a serious identity crisis. But unlike teenagers, we don’t have a parent, teacher, or coach to tell us to “Check our attitudes.” So, here is your chance.

            One of my favorite fitness coaches, Todd Durkin – trainer to Drew Brees and owner of Fitness Quest 10, says, “Your attitude can reflect your altitude.” Damn, isn’t that the truth. Your perception of your training easily effects how successful you are in reaching your goals. If you are dreading your workout and have to keep writing it down on your to-do list, chances are your progress is going to be suffering from a serious lack of results.

            Here are some ways to overcome bad attitudes..

                        For a lot of individuals, (men, cough, cough) commitment can be a scary thing. In fitness, this is no different. Everybody wants to lose weight, get lean, and look great but when it comes time to seriously commit, people quickly shy away.

                        Verbal commitments don’t count for much these days, I’m sure you have a sketchy friend who says they will always be there, if you don’t, you probably are that friend. I see the same dry verbal commitments in fitness. So, the first step to the right attitude for training is writing your goals down. Write it down the old fashion way with a pen and a paper. Yes, Microsoft word will spell check it for you but there is something about writing it by hand that makes it so much more official.

                        Another thing you should incorporate into this hand written document is “BE SPECIFIC”. Writing down I want to get in shape is not enough. Sit down with a cup of coffee and seriously think about what you want to achieve. How much weight do you want to lose, when do you want to lose it by, and why do you want to lose this weight are all great starting points for you.

                        This step is easy because the hard part of writing your goals down is over. Now, you need to put this piece of paper somewhere you can see it every single day. It’s not only going to be a reminder of what you committed yourself to but it’s going to be an attitude check system whenever you start acting like a punk ass teenager.

                        Just because you wrote your goals down doesn’t mean your going to remember them. It’s like that ab crunch machine you purchased on a TV infomercial that promised you a 6 pack in 3 weeks. It doesn’t work if it’s sitting in your closet, out of sight, and out of use. So make sure you put this attitude check system paper somewhere you can “REALLY” see it. I mean really see it.

                        Before you take this advice to heart I will share a small story to put the main idea into perspective. I used to always run into this guy at the gym I worked out in college. He was a nice guy but every time I talked to him he rambled on about how he was trying to bulk up and hit PR’s on the bench press and bicep curls. His rant was endless and made me want to shoot myself in the face. So when I say tell people about your goals, I want you to tell people in the less annoying way possible. Don’t be the douchebag at the gym everyone goes out of their way to avoid.

                        By telling your friends and family about your goals, you are creating a personal accountability circle for yourself. The next time you see them, if your not ranting on about your fitness goals all the time, they will probably ask to see how your training is going. I am always adamant about doing something I said I was going to do and when people know about it, I go out of my way to get it done fast.

                        We have all heard “Have a positive attitude!” all our lives that a lot of us are desensitized to the intention behind the overused coaching slogan. In fitness, it’s not just having a “positive” attitude but an attitude that is serious about training and seeing real results. This has truly been the secret to my results. Ice cube said it best in this case, “Check yo’self before you wreck yo’self!” 

                                     When a group comes together to achieve a common goal, each individual increases their chances at getting closer to achieving their ambitions. In fitness this couldn’t be truer. Group training stretches far and wide including: military forces, professional sports teams, and even chemotherapy patients all train together. The group dynamic offers such key elements to becoming successful in obtaining your goal; I can’t believe that people still train alone. It’s like seeing somebody with a box Nokia cell phone playing snake, (I loved that game by the way) it’s just outdated.

                        I remember in college my friends and I headed down to Mexico for spring break. (Don’t judge me) As we walked the streets in search of any kind of cheap alcohol, it seemed as if every single business was promoting this club called Iggy’s. Being the 19-year-old testosterone raging college males, we instantly got excited. That night we walked into a giant club, only to see 15 people. The place was deserted and we were heartbroken and vowed to never return.

                        The next night we sifted through a huge crowd on our way to the beach in search of, yes you guessed it, alcohol. The line was so huge that we had to ask what the hell was going on, it turned out that the line was for none other than club Iggy’s. We were confused but immediately got into the line deserting our plans for the beach. With some 2000 people packed into the club we found out that Young Buck from G unit (again, please don’t judge me) would be performing. The night was epic.

                        The level of fun, performance, and effort you put into an activity or workout can depend on the atmosphere. Training in a group that shares the same fitness passion that you have can provide an environment ideal for intensity and obtaining results. The difference can be as drastic as Iggy’s with 15 people in it and Iggy’s with 2000 people + Young Buck.

                        Are you competitive? If not, maybe it’s time to try it out. I see athletes hit performance levels they never could have ever dreamed about when they are competing. It’s inevitable to not compete a little when you are training in a group setting. Don’t think of it as who is the best but how can I push myself and others in my group.

                        The easiest person to convince is you! Imagine coming home after a long day at work after your boss just chewed your ass out and all you want to do is grab a beer or glass of wine and sit. You know you need to go to the gym but you want to sit on your ass. Finally, you tell yourself that working out can wait until tomorrow. Pattern repeats throughout the week.

                        Not going wouldn’t even be a choice if you had a training partner or group you were suppose to meet at the gym. Accountability is something that we all need in many areas of our lives and finding people who keep us chasing our goals is vital to our success.

                        Safety is first. A lot of trainers and gyms will share this rule, rule #1 don’t get hurt. When your hurt not only does it suck but it means that you can’t train anymore. By training in a group you have the valuable asset of a spotter if not multiple eyes watching you all the time. I don’t know about you but the more people making sure I don’t get hurt, the better.

                        Numbers 1-4 are all great but number 5 is what it all boils down to. If there are no results then there is no reason to even be in the gym. Training in a group straight up produces results. You push harder, stay consistent, and see results. Get in a mother freaking group. 

                 After a couple days of research, eating with a woman and reading about women’s diets I have compiled a list of awesome foods. This isn’t a list for a hardcore diet or a body builders meal plan. These are foods for real women who live in a real world and want to see real results. It’s not all about “skinny bitch” starve my ass off diets or 40 day grape fruit juice cleanses. It’s about educating yourself on healthier choices and improving the quality of your life.

            So, the next time you swerve into a drive through or reach for those chips, think about your next workout. Your nutrition can directly influence your performance in your workout. Every training session is an opportunity to make yourself better and every time you eat can control the quality of that training session. Read through this pile and know what your going to eat before the next time you go workout.

                        Not all fat is bad and if you want to burn fat, you have to eat some quality fat. Try this cholesterol lowering power monounsaturated fat in order keep your body strong and pain-free. Studies have found that low fat diets weaken muscles and joints so try eating just a few slices a day to boost fat for you.

                        Carbs? Yes, carbs. With protein focused diets flooding the diet scene people forget that when you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Take in this complex carb prior to an intense training session. The complex grain will provide you with a slow digesting steady flow of energy instead of a one-punch sprint.

                        Remember when your mom told you to eat a banana for potassium and to prevent cramping, well she was right! Bananas are packed with nearly 400 miligrams of potassium and can help with muscle cramping. You can also eat a banana to load up on carb-fueled energy, a banana can contain up to 20 grams of carbs, which is as much as 2 slices of whole wheat bread.

                        This is a great way to get in some energy, protein, and keep the stomach feeling easy. Have you every skipped out on a meal before working out in fear of getting an upset stomach? Yogurt digests quickly and can offer you that quick punch of energy.            

                        Raw carrots pack a huge punch as an ideal snack. These complex carbs have the ability to provide energy to muscles and potassium to control blood pressure. Best thing is that a half-cup is only 35 calories.

                        Cereal is not just for breakfast anymore! Researchers have found that consuming a bowl of this complex carb mix with nonfat milk 60 minutes prior to working out has the ability to provide you with the perfect exercise fuel. Look for cereals containing muscle building protein and complex carb energy.

                        Low levels of iron and zinc will lead to a zap in your energy. Chicken or turkey has the ability to deliver both of these vital elements into your system. They are a low fat option to get iron, zinc, and b vitamins that women need in their diets.

                        Albert, did you say chocolate milk? Yes I did! Milk is a lot more than just calcium and strong bones. It has the ability to give you a lot of energy while keeping the calories low. Chocolate milk has a unique ability to deliver calcium, vitamins, and minerals just as well as a post workout shake. Drink this yummy drink to help replenish muscles.

                        If you’re big on texture like me, this one may be challenging but there are too many benefits to ignore this power food. For a ½ cup serving, low fat cottage cheese can contain up to 14 grams of protein, 75 milligrams of calcium and 5 grams of carbs. If you need a protein boost, this is the perfect snack.            

                        Urinary tract infections don’t stand a chance if your consuming the proanthocyanin packed fruit. Consume these dried before or after your workout to aid with energy and recovery.

                        Egg yolks are packed with lecithin, which is crucial for brain health. Make sure to gets these protein packed items in early in the morning too boost brain function when you need it.

                        Digestive problems call for fiber and Flaxseeds are there to deliver. Try ground flaxseeds to regulate your digestion and keep you healthy. They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber that will continue to keep you from running to the bathroom during your workouts. That just sounds like it sucks.

                        Hummus is no longer for hipsters, go green activists, and sorority girls. This is a protein rich, complex carb, and unsaturated fat that packs a mean punch for staying healthy. The fact that it is usually made with olive oil, which contains vital fats for fighting breast cancer and weight gain, also helps. Time to jump on the hummus bandwagon.

                        My mom preached about vitamin c day in and day out. Well, she was right again. Thanks mom. 1 orange contains 75 milligrams of vitamin c, more than enough for what a women needs each day. Plus, they are easy to carry around and smell good when you peel them. Sorry, I am all about the small details.

                        Help spare your glycogen stores during a workout by snacking on some peanuts before training. The fats from this small snack will help fuel you with high energy so you can put forth a 100 percent effort when your training. Take advantage of the fact that they also contain high amounts of protein as well!

                        When I say potatoes, I mean baked or sweet potatoes. Not mashed potatoes smothered in gravy. If you are looking to make sure your muscles perform properly and you are able to stay hydrated, try taking in this electrolyte balancing food. It is loaded with potassium and sodium that will maintain fluid balance. Skip the gravy.   

                        Have you ever complained about your midsection and how that is the only place you can’t lose weight. Look no further! Recent studies have shown that the monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fats found in salmon help lessen abdominal fat. Damn, I think it’s time to start eating more salmon.

                        If you are looking to gain lean muscle and tighten everything up, this needs to be on your list. This actually should be number 1 on your list. Whey protein is packed with amino acids that play a crucial role in building and recovering muscle. Also it digests fast and gets to muscles fairly fast, allowing you to recover and go hard again the next workout. 

                  I truly believe that I have an innate ability for direction and refuse to use navigation systems and GPS applications. Give me the directions and I am going to find it. I’m sure most of you men out there will share this mentality with me. In our heads we are all Bear Grylls, in reality, well fu*k reality I want to be Bear. Unfortunately, when it comes to locating “baby showers” my powers are thrown off and wrong turns happen.

                        While I was navigating dark residential streets desperately hoping for a main road I couldn’t help but think how much getting off track sucked. You lose time, motivation, and it’s a little bit embarrassing especially for a self-proclaimed navigational expert. Even with the small goal of attending an event, not knowing where the hell I was had my mind running down a list of doubts.

                        Wrong turns on the road are one thing but wrong turns in life can make you want to give up. Giving up has never been in my vocabulary I didn’t say it when I was a kid, I didn’t say it when I had a final the next day and didn’t go to class even once or buy the book, and I won’t say it now. Your success depends on your perseverance and ability to navigate back to the path you were once steam-rolling on towards results.

                        For any individual who has ever tried to get in shape, Nutrition is war. It is a relentless battle that never goes away and will always be ready to attack when you are weak. The truth is you can’t always be strong. Understanding that you will fail every once in awhile is important. So don’t go drink yourself into obliteration because you ate a slice of pizza. Just get back on track with your goals.

                        If you really want to think about it, your chances for wrong turns with nutrition are quite high. They are even higher if you have a lot of friends. Consider what you and your friends usually do when you get together. Eat? Drink? Happy Hour? All of the above? See, there will be casualties in this war. Will power isn’t enough because friends are too damn good with peer pressure and it’s so hard to pass up a good time. What you need to do is strategize.

                        Strategies can win wars. Instead of going out with your friends 3-4 times out of your week for happy hour, limit yourself to 1. Invite them over to your place so you can control what is available to eat and drink. Strategies will always be more effective then will power. Also, drop the friend who has convinced himself that he is the next roommate on jersey shore.

                        The main problem I have seen with training is a lack there of. For 2 or 3 weeks you go 110% because you are excited about the goals you have set for yourself. By week 4 you start trading training days for other things. Your friend is having a birthday, you need to go grocery shopping, and whatever else you can think of. You have to realize that training for goals is not a sprint; it is a long and testing marathon run. Consistency will prove to be your best friend but wrong turns can trigger a barrage of other problems with training, the main one being not training at all.

                        Anyone who trains at Hocevar Performance, has heard me say “How bad do you want it?” once in their life if not a 1,000 times. It’s simple but honest and real. This is why I love saying it. How bad do you want to see your results and watch your quality of life improve?

                        It won’t take Sherlock to figure this wrong turn out. If you’ve stopped training get back on the road the gym and start getting active.

                        A great thing about life is that nothing is for certain. You can sit and plan all you want but there is no guarantee it’s going to happen that way. Odds are they won’t. When you get thrown a curveball, adjusting and adapting is what makes the process truly an art. It’s not about going by the book and following instructions; it’s about carving your own damn path. If you know where you’re going, it doesn’t matter how you get there, as long as you don’t give up on the way.

                        I remember in college I was registering for classes online and I couldn’t get into a class I wanted. I emailed the professor, updated the registry page in hopes of someone dropping, and even got onto the waiting list. Getting into this class became an obsession. It wasn’t because the professor was great or the class was interesting, it was because I didn’t want to stray off my path! (Someone has to do seriously do something about this registration process, ridiculous!)

                        I never got into the class but ended up taking the same class with a different professor at a different time. The professor ended up being awesome and I was 1 of 3 guys in a class filled with 40 girls! Nice! Even though I strayed off my path, I took the opportunity and made the most of it. Turned out to be a pretty good opportunity.

                        After reassuring people on the phone that I wasn’t lost, even though I was, I finally made it to the baby shower. Wrong turns and all, I finally made it. The Baby Shower was executed perfectly and I had a great time. I never knew how much society instills color preferences between genders until now. Fu*kin Pink, no comment. In all seriousness, I was thankful for the wrong turns I took on the way because it reminded me of how things don’t always go according to plan and how we respond to these situations will ultimately determine our ability to achieve goals.

                        Oh yeah, I got lost on the way home too. Lesson learned again.