Real Butter, High Blood Pressure, and Help With Baby Names…
April 4, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I have to give props to Brian St. Pierre, as he consistently puts out great information. Today I’m going to copy a couple links to the last two blogposts he has made on his site because I think many of you will be interested in the topics. Sometimes we trainers like to talk about topics such as ”exercisesto strengthen the serratus anterior.” While important, this can have you falling asleep at your computer. But when it comes to butter and high blood pressure, that’s where it’s at! I mean, who doesn’t like to add a little butter to their meal here and there? And who doesn’t either have, or know someone with high blood pressure?
The Truth About Real Butter Here, Brian discusses whether or not butter should be a part of your nutrition plan. (Hint: It really depends on the source). Besides butter, there is some other great info in this article. Definitely worth a read!
How To Decrease High Blood Pressure In America we love to medicate (i.e. over medicate). As usual, the best medicine is food. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place where meds are needed. But if we would just focus on whole, unprocessed foods, often times meds wouldn’t even enter the conversation. In this piece Brian discusses foods that will help bring that high blood pressure down (or keep it down if it is currently at a good level). After reading this post, I forwarded it onto some friends and family members that have high blood pressure. I suggest you forward it onto anyone that you know that has high blood pressure or that is looking to keep their blood pressure down. So I guess that means you need to forward this onto everyone in the world… just do it. 
Finally, my wife is over 30 weeks pregnant with twins. Because we’re cool like that, we are not finding out the sex of the babies. We have 1 name for each sex that we like (Daxton and Capri). BUT, what if we end up having two of the same sex? I’ll tell you what, we’re screwed! As of now, we can’t agree on a second name for either sex. We’re looking for a second name that is unique AND super-duper-luper-muper awesome! Any suggestions? Please help!!! 
March Madness!
March 26, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I recently wrote up a “March Madness” article for FitStudio. It’s all about the craziness that is March Madness and what it has meant to me over the years. Check it out HERE.
Enjoy this weekend’s games!
Major League Baseball Predictions – 2011
March 23, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
March Madness once again has been outstanding! We have a couple days of downtown before the craziness starts back up, so I figured now would be a good time to post this. My good buddy Jeff Rinaldi and I had been texting back and fourth about what to expect out of the Cubs this upcoming season. In our “conversation” he told me that he has been doing his MLB homework. I’ve been extra busy lately, but I decided we should at least get a “rapid fire” preview of this upcoming season. So let’s get to it!
Danny McLarty: Thanks for coming back for another Q & A Jeff! This time MLB 2011…
Jeff Rinaldi: Danny, anything for the “Legend!” I am leaving for spring training in Phoenix tomorrow. Can’t wait to see our Cubs.
DM: You know I have to do it – briefly let me know, do our Cubbies have any chance this year!?!
JR: I think the Cubbies will be competitive as long as they stay healthy. I don’t see them winning the Central though.
DM: Let’s start in the NL. Any surprise teams?
JR: I actually like the Fish as a team to look out for. The Marlins have good starting pitching with Johnson, Nolasco, Vasquez and Anibal Sanchez. Combine those young buck hitters and I smell playoffs. I think they take the Wild card. Phillies too tough in the NL east.
DM: Who is winning each division, and who do you have as this year’s wild card team?
JR: Phillies, Cardinals, Giants and Marlins in the NL.
DM: Your NL Cy Young pick?
JR: Roy “Doc” Halladay again. Mark it down
DM: And NL MVP?
JR: I think Matt Holliday shocks some people and wins it.
DM: Onto the AL. Surprise teams?
JR: I think the Angels are going to be very good this year. Weaver and Haren anchoring a good staff. They disappointed last year and they know it. They win the AL West.
DM: Cy Young?
JR: I think Jered Weaver edges out Jon Lester to win it.
DM: AL MVP?
JR: Carl Crawford in his new uniform
DM: AL division winners and your wild card pick?
JR: Red Sox, White Sox, Angels, and the Rangers with the Wild card. Sorry Yankees.
DM: Do you have a breakout player or two, in either/both leagues that become household names this year?
JR: How about Andrew McCutchen, Starlin Castro and Mike Stanton in the NL. AL, I think Gordon Beckham rebounds from the soph slump this year
DM: The San Francisco Giants shocked the world last year. Who do you have going to the ‘Series this year, and who takes home the trophy?
JR: Not going out on a limb on this one. Red Sox over Phillies. Both teams are too good on paper.
DM: Thanks again for another great contribution Jeff! Any closing thoughts?
JR: Loved giving my predictions D. Hopefully, they turnout better than my NFL picks. One final note, I really think Zambrano is going to pitch very well for the Cubs this year. He was dynamite in the 2nd half last season and I think he felt bad about his antics. For the critics on Big Z, remember if Soriano or some other Cubs had half the passion Big Z did we’d be a better ball club. Look for a big year from Z!
What do you all think? Do you agree with Jeff’s picks? Any players that will come up big this year and walk away with some of the hardware? Have another team that you think may take it all this year… besides the obvious – Cubs! Let us know what you think.
My Interview with Kelly Olexa…
March 17, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
Kelly Olexa puts out her “Wednesday WOOT! Factor” on, well, Wednesdays (makes sense – she’s more than just a pretty face ). Kelly has great energy and a very positive attitude! So when she asked me to be a part of this Wednesday’s WOOT!, I was happy to oblige.
Hey Everyone!! Welcome to today’s Wednesday WOOT! Factor! - sponsored by Sears(R) FitStudio! WOOT! Today I am happy to share an interview with Danny McLarty, another member of our FitStudio team. I have learned a LOT from Danny since connecting with him through our Sears(R) situation– you will also find him contributing on the FitStudio Facebook Page.
DEFINITELY check out his blog and also his great YouTube channel for a boatload of instructional videos!! Holy Wow!! YouTube.com/DMcLarty7.
Join us tonight on Twitter at 7:30pm CST for our weekly FitStudio chat!! Follow #FitStudio at just hop on in to gab!!
1. When did you first start working out and why?
I’ve been active in sports all my life, so I guess I was “working out” without even knowing it back when I was 6 or 7. I was obsessed with muscles at a pretty young age. My mom still laughs and says to me; “do you remember when you used to play with your He-Man toys and say; ‘mom, who do you think has bigger muscles, He-Man or Skeletor?’” Ha! As far as when I started lifting weights, that began in high school. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I badly wanted to learn, and really loved it right off the bat!
Read this rest of the interview HERE.
I’ve Lost A Lot of Fat, BUT, I’m weaker. Please help!
March 8, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
The other day, my good friend Matt Brewer sent me the following e-mail:
“Quick questions – I’ve been busting ass in the weight room ever since I was in Las Vegas and continued to do so after my return to Omaha, but when Megan got pregnant I ate whatever she had a craving for and gained an enormous amount of weight. At the same time I was getting stronger and stronger but fatter and fatter. I hate using bench press as a bench mark (like what I did there?) for strength but for this purpose it works: I was repping out 315 x 5 for my last set but my gut was carrying around 220 pounds.
Last summer/fall Megan and I got our crap together and started eating right. I felt that if we are going to raise a healthy kid we might as well start with ourselves and get healthy first to serve as a good example for him. Since then, I’ve lost 45 pounds and am currently weighing in between 174-176 pretty regularly. I incorporate cardio and still do a lot of strength training. I haven’t changed my routine a whole lot; only changed what I was shoveling in my mouth.
One thing I’ve noticed though is my strength has gone down significantly. I’m not starving myself, but I just don’t seem to have that ‘pop’ when pressing weight out. Do you think the significant weight loss has had a direct effect on my strength and if so, how do i get it back without packing on the fatty pounds? I’m just wondering if I need to consume more calories so my body isn’t eating up muscle tissue for energy.
Thoughts? Funny comments? Jokes about my tubbiness?”
My response:
First of all Brewer, I’m glad to hear that you and Megan are now setting a good example for your little one. This out of shape/obesity problem that we have in America, starts with the parents. After all, the parents are the ones that bring the food into the house! Too, kids are very impressionable, so it is important for your son to see you both living a healthy, active lifestyle. Keep it up Megan and Shrew Dog!
And now, to answer your question:
Think about it this way: let’s say that when you were 220 lbs, you were 20% body fat (for the sake of easy math). That means that even know you were carrying 44 pounds of fat, you were also carrying 176 pounds of lean body mass (much of which is muscle). Now, at about 175 lbs, let’s say you are down to 10% body fat. That means that you are carrying about 157 pound of lean body mass. So, even know you are now prettier, healthier, and more athletic, you are not going to be able to lift as much with this reduction in lean body mass. This is why you’ll see many fat powerlifters – they purposely put on as much weight as possible so they can lift as much as possible. Make sense?
So, part of the problem of not being able to lift as much, is just something you’re going to have to deal with. IMO, the pros greatly outweigh the cons. BUT, if you time your carb intake around your workout (peri-workout), you can get that “pop” back that you mentioned you no longer feel. So, eat healthy carbs pre/during/post workout and try to minimize carb intake the rest of the day. You could just eat healthy carbs pre and post-workout with some protein… sweet potatoes + chicken OR rice + grass-fed beef etc. I NEED to eat during my workout, or I lose that “pop.” So, I go with organic raisins + whey protein powder during the workout, or Surge (from t-nation). But you don’t necessarily need this if you feel full of energy with the pre-workout carb + protein meal (which should be eaten 45-60 minutes prior to workout – depending on how BIG of a serving you eat).
Finally, once you start to time your carb (“energy” meals) meals around your workout and your body adjusts to heavy lifting at this reduced body weight, you may just be able to get back to the strength levels that you enjoyed when you were 220 lbs. Keep at it and continue the great work buddy!
The Real “Main Reason” To Workout
March 1, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
If I were to take 3 random people and ask them: “what is the main reason you work out?” If they were being honest, I’d probably get answers that look something like this:
-so I can have washboard abs
-to get BIGGER gunz!
-so I can have a nice booty
I’ll be the first to admit, going to the gym in attempt to improve my physique has motivated me for years – and will probably continue to be the case for years to come. But when we take a step back and think about it, the main reason for working out and eating right, is because it is GREAT for our health. My 59 year old client (we’ll call him “Sam”) came in to train with me a few months back after he went into see his doctor only to find out that he was pre-diabetic. Sam had trained with me about 4 years ago but then took time off only to let himself get out of shape. He had been e-mailing for the past 1.5 years saying that he plans on getting back in to work with me. Well, after the news he received from the doc, it was time for Sam to finally put his foot down and get back to the gym. If Sam would have continued down the path that he had been going, the quality of his life would have greatly changed, and diabetes was inevitable.
He had a follow up appointment with his doctor last week to see if his workouts and improved nutrition would have a positive effect on the numbers for the various tests (glucose levels, cholesterol, etc) that raised so many red flags just 3 months ago. Well, when Sam came into his training session today, I’m thrilled to say that not only are his numbers improved, they are so much better that the doctor said he COULD NOT BELIEVE how much better they look! He told Sam that no meds are needed, and that he just needs to continue down the same path that he has been on! His HDL (good cholesterol) is the best that it has been in years, and he is down 16 pounds. Keep in mind that when Sam came back to see me, it was the holiday season. For most people it’s considered a win just to maintain weight during this time of the year. This makes Sam’s results all the more impressive!
The Secret Sauce
The secret to his success is, that there is no secret. Sam shows up 3 times a week every week to train with me (and his training partners). And he has greatly improved his nutrition. So if there is a secret sauce it is this: consistency + discipline = results. His hard work has paid off and Sam is now the poster-boy of how to fight off diabetes and live a long, healthy life!
FitStudio + Heavy Female Lifting
February 23, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
In case you didn’t know already, I’ve been doing some writing for FitStudio. I am one of the contributors at fitstudio.com and you can find my blogposts right here. So far, here is what they have up;
-Changing Exercises Isn’t Enough - Most people do the same exercises each time they hit the gym. Changing exercises is a good start, but not enough for optimal results.
-Even if fat loss is your MAIN goal, does strength matter? Guess what my answer is… Strength Matters - Part I.
-Obviously strength is very important for sports like football, but what about for endurance sports. Check out my take… Strength Matters - Part II.
Check back in with FITSTUDIO as they will be adding more of my stuff each week!
Just thought I throw this in real quick. My client, Coco, tossed around some heavy weight the other day. This is her doing rack pulls for 205 X 6. She ended up hitting 215 pounds later on in the workout, and made it look pretty easy.
And what do you know? She is lifting some heavy weight and nowhere near BIG and bulky “like a man.” Each week her arms, shoulders, and back are looking more and more “toned.”
What do you say Coco, 225 pounds next week? Sounds about right to me.
Don’t forget, you can follow me on twitter @dannymclarty.
Guest Post; No Pain No Gain?
February 18, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
My boy Jamie V. was nice enough to let me share with you the recent newsletter that he sent out to his bootcamp clients. I think Jamie hit he nail on the head with this one! Nice work Jamie!
Enjoy…
No Pain No Gain?
Trust me, there is a fine line between a trainer structuring a tough workout that is efficient and meaningful,
and one that just beats the living daylights out of you without a clear plan. Soreness is an indicator of
microscopic muscle tears, but is total and utter soreness the ultimate goal? This topic has some debatable
components, but the mindset of the trainer and trainee is where my point rests.
I will be totally blunt with you. People eat like crap and gain poor weight. They hire a trainer and tell them
they want to lose the weight. A trainer beats the sh!t out of them (because that produces fast results
right???). The person hobbles and cusses the trainer for weeks, but thinks he/she knows what they are
doing. A month later everything is back to normal. The person is frustrated, eating poorly again, and the
same trainer is beating the crap out of someone else. The person blames the trainer for not doing their job,
and the trainer blames the person for not being tough enough or committed.
The cycle continues…and continues…and continues…
A boot camper of mine went to a personal trainer and thought she was in good shape. The trainer really
put her through the grinder and she was sore for a looooong period of time. She told me that she “thought”
she was in good shape. I told her that she was, but the trainer structured a workout to beat the living tar out
of her. The workout was not appropriate for her. I asked her if she was still with the trainer. The answer
was no. Now, I am not bashing her trainer, I am just filling you in on my philosophy here.
I will give you some straightforward information. I could take a very high level athlete and make them
vomit. It does not take much for a trainer to evaluate and push you harder beyond the norm, if pummeling
you into MUSH is the goal.
This is a disturbing fitness trend if we want people to LIVE healthy lifestyles
and exercise frequently. People want FAST results from poor eating, and they accept an a*s kicking for it.
I will tell you that what you do in a ONE-day workout is not as important as the cumulative results of a real
program. The REAL goal should be to create a workout plan that is appropriate, has challenges and
progressions, yet encourages the person to continue and strive to keep going. There is a fine line between
tough, and downright too much. A good trainer sees that and makes adjustments. Should the person be
sore from it though? Well, soreness is a side factor, but it is not necessarily the ultimate goal every time.
The trainers goal is to take you to a new level, get you out of your comfort zone, but also keep you
motivated and interested…without living in total pain and discouragement. It is a PLAN, not
PUNISHMENT.
At YOUR boot camps, you will experience some soreness, but my intention is for that soreness to become
more tolerable and evenly distributed. MY goal is to make you work HARD, but also provide a
meaningful opportunity for you to want to continue. If the soreness is not tolerable, adjustments will be
made to help you continue. The ultimate goal of mine, is to make you want to continue your health program, teach you new ways to get results, and do it in a manner that is not discouraging. You still will be pushed, however.
If I turn YOU off, then I have failed you as well. Let’s find YOUR balance of tough and challenging without tipping the scales towards the side of discouragement.
All the Best,
Jamie Vanderheyden
Follow Me On Twitter…
February 13, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
“You never know ’til you try.” For the most part, I like that quote. We can speculate all we want, but until we actually try something, we won’t really know if we would like it or not. I do have a few things I’ve tried in my life that I greatly regret. For example, back in 1989 I decided to root for the Green Bay Packers just one time. I thought, who knows, maybe I’ll actually enjoy the game if I root for these guys. I found out that I hated it, and that doing so ended up to be a very bad idea. As it turned out, rooting for these punks made me so sick that I couldn’t get out of bed for an entire month. Moral of the story; nobody, and I mean nobody should ever root for the Packers!
OK, moving right along. When I first heard about Twitter I thought it sounded like the stupidest waste of time ever. I mean, I don’t care if you …”Just slammed 3 #beers and now I have to pee so badly!” People wasting their lives on their phone/computer tweeting out this crap seems pointless to me. But then my friend Sarah Hoffman told me that I should really get a twitter account. I agreed, and she was nice enough to set it up for me (because setting up my own account is waaaay too complicated for me!).
At first I popped onto twitter very occasionally and didn’t think I’d really get any benefit from it. But a couple weeks ago I decided to be open-minded and start using it more often. And I can honestly now say, that I see the value. It’s a great way to quickly get out information. For me, that means I can link to the blogposts and the articles that I write. It also means that I can get my hands (eyes) on more great info that others tweet. And I can pass on (tweet & retweet etc) great basketball, training, and nutrition info that more people can learn from. So in the end I guess twitter has the possibility of making the world a better place.
Also, a lady and I from Ohio ended up following one-another after we talked smack back and fourth during the Carolina-Duke game the other night. I admit, I started it because “we” were looking very good during the first half. But in the end, she got the last laugh as stupid Duke came back to win. By the way, our smack talk was both good-natured… I can’t stand Internet tough guys/girls that act like they are bad asses over the ‘net! As it turns out, Twitter is a great way to network, meet new people in a fun setting (i.e. the Duke fan and I “going at it” during the game), and get quality info to pass out right away.
In the end, “you never know ’til you try” can go a few ways…
-You try, and don’t like it. At least now you know.
-You try, you like it. Now you know and the quality of your life improves (like me now enjoying Twitter).
-You learn from others that have already tried and you realize that you should never cheer on the Packers. Don’t waste your time trying this one my friends… it’s just not worth it.
You can find me on Twitter right HERE.
My Current Training Block…
February 9, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
It has been awhile since I posted my training routine. I’ve had a few people in person and on facebook recently ask me what my training looks like right now. So I thought it was a good time to share. Those that are familiar with my methods, know that I believe that there are many ways to skin a cat in regards to the best training split to use. Throughout the course of the year, I’ll use a number of different splits… upper/lower split, body part split, full body training, “hybrid” split (i.e. Monday – Full Body, Wednesday – Upper, Thursday – Lower, Saturday – hit a body part or two that I’m trying to bring up). Each split has its potential pros and cons. I don’t seem to respond best to any particular split (as I mentioned in this blogpost with Bret Contreras), so I’ll rotate them in where I see fit (what kind of time I have available due to work/family/coaching obligations; what split fires me up the most to train; what split I haven’t done in awhile, etc). If you have found one that gives you the best results, I suggest you use that split for the majority of the training year.
For the first time in months, I’m using a full body routine. The great thing about full body training, is that it allows you to hit a muscle/movement pattern often throughout the week. As I mentioned above, you could also pick apart a few things about full body training, as you could with any split. But let’s not go there today. The increased frequency in which I am stimulating each muscle group with this program will (hopefully) lead to a sexier me!
Day 1
A1) Hip Thrust 3 X 10-12
A2) Incline Chest Press – DB 3 X 8
B1) Front Squats 3 X 6-8
B2) Mixed Grip Pull-ups 3 X AMRAP (set 1 = a tempo of 211, the rest of the sets = a tempo of 201)
C1) Low Rope Hammer Curls 3 X 15
C2) Band Close-Grip Push-ups 2 X AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)
D) Seated Lateral Raise 1 Set – do 15-20 reps, take a 10 second and do AMRAP, take another 10 second break and do AMRAP
Day 2
A1) Standing Shoulder Press 3 X 10
A2) 1L (one leg) RDL 3 X 8L (per leg)
B1) TRX Row with ER (external rotation) 4 X 6 (tempo = 2011)
B2) Bulgarian Split Squat, Back Squat 2 X 7L, 1 X 15 (that is, 2 sets of bulgarians and 1 set of back squats)
C1) Hammer Curls 3 X 12
C2) Overhead Tricep Extension 3 X 12
D) Slight Incline Chest Press 1 Set - do 20-25, rest 10 seconds, perform AMRAP, rest 10 seconds and perform AMRAP
Day 3
A1) Barbell Elevated Deadlifts 2 X 3, 1 X 10
A2) Fillers
B1) Seated Cable Chest Press, Seated Cable Chest Fly 2,1 X 10,15 (2 sets of 10 presses followed by 1 set of 15 flyes)
B2) FF, RR Walking Lunges (Forward-Forward, Reverse-Reverse Walking Lunges) 3 X 5/Movement
C1) NG (neutral grip) Seated Cable Rows, Chins 2,1 X 8, AMRAP (2 sets of 8 rows and 1 set of AMRAP chins)
C2) Tricep Pushdowns 1,2 X 20,12 (1 set of 20 and 2 sets of 12)
D1) Ab Wheel Rollouts, Split-Stance Cable Lift 1,1 X 10 (1 set of each for 10 reps)
D2) Reverse Grip EZ Bar Curls 2,1 X 8,12 (sets of 8, 1 set of 12)
Program Notes
-The sets and reps you see are in accordance with week 1. I keep the volume a little lower in week 1 to try to reduce soreness. In the weeks to come I use a bit of cybernetic approach (going by feel) where I up the amount of sets if I am “feeling it.”
-I’ve been toying with hip thrusts for awhile, but haven’t really gone heavy yet because I just purchased my Hampton Thick Bar Pad. This thing makes the lift much more comfortable, as the bar does NOT hurt while digging into your pelvis. As I’m getting a better feel for this exercise, I’ll be going heavier and working in the lower rep ranges soon.
-My main goal is hypertrophy right now.
-I also train my wussy calves, but I usually do them on “off” days. Since my job is in a gym, I usually find a 10-15 minute gap between clients somewhere in the day to hit them 2-3 times per week.
Alright, there’s your sneak peak of my current training block. I definitely put thought into making sure I am balancing things out to keep myself healthy and strong. But even more important then what the “paper” tells you about a program, is the effort that goes into each session. And I always give it my all!
