Humor Me!

Not only is it great to have a healthy body, but it's great to have healthy credit as well.  If your in the hunt for a top of the line credit card, Visa now offers their new blackcard. (Centurion and American Express were first to offer this card)

A carbon graphite card that comes with a 24-hour concierge.  The annual fee is $495.

According to AdSavvy, the major perk is the concierge service:

For the ultra-rich, buying whatever you want can get boring; they need the ability to actually do something that other people can’t. A good concierge can do that. You need 12 Arabian horses for your daughters wedding? Call up the concierge, he’ll have them flown in from Dubai…The ability to get difficult things done is what sets these cards apart from just a card with a very high limit. Just the knowledge that cardholders have that ability, 24-hours a day, keeps them happy.

Now, if you have to ask what your limit would be, this isn't for you. LOL!!!!!!!!

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

What does commitment look like?

As we finish up this last piece of 2008 and ease into 2009, be very careful what resolution you set for yourself, if any. For some of us, we'll just "keep on keepin' on," on the other hand, for some it may be time for an adjustment.  Oddly enough, as I write this I feel like I'm speaking to myself just as much as I am speaking to anyone out there reading.  

Well, before making any new rushed ideas, or saying the same things you did the last 3 years, take a serious look at yourself.  Clear your mind and get focused, where are you going?  Where do you want to be? What type of commitment will you make to get there?  Will you step out of your comfort zone?  Just the basic routine questions to help you get started.

While doing my routine net surfing, looking for interesting articles on health & exercise, I came across something that moved me.

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy...The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events raising in one's favor...unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

--W.H. Murray, The Scottish Himalayan Expedition

I'm starting to get a better idea of what commitment looks like.

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

The Movement, Impressive

Ok, so I'm not one for going out much these days, but my buddy Rodney (at the far right) talked me into attending one of their functions.  It was just what I needed.  (Pictured is me left, my friend LaMonte in the center, and Big Rod at right)

Big shout out to those 5 guys over at the The Movement putting it down in a really savvy professional way.  If you wanna see what their about stop by the site, check out a few pics from their events, and definitely put away some time to attend their next function. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.

www.movementlv.com

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

Got'em Coach!!

Oh My Goodness!!!  I really tried to pass this one up, I feel like a news anchor, "This just in!"  We've all seen the commercials with this guy in them, well I don't think we'll see him anymore.  Ole smiling Bob's been fibbing a little about the super product Enzyte.  Click on the link below to read why Bob is gonna do some time.   

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Regulation/Historic-verdict-slaps-Smiling-Bob-with-25-year-jail-sentence

On the other hand, will the Male Enhancement industry slow? Hell NAW!!! 

Well, at least my first order for 30 days was FREE!!  LOL!!!!!

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

Christmas Music "MUST HAVE" Classics

Since most of us are in the spirit, instead of throwing a bunch of health advice at you lets have a little fun.  Music has a way of shifting a mood or two for everyone, so while your getting dressed to hit the gym pull out a few of these classics.

1. Donny Hathaway - This Christmas

2. James Brown - Santa Clause , Go Straight To The Ghetto

3. Stevie Wonder - What Christmas Means To Me

4. The Emotions - What Do The Lonely Do at Christmas

5. Alexander O'neal - My Gift To You

6. Jackson 5 - I Saw Mommy ...

7. New Edition - Christmas All Over The World (Album)

8. Boyz II Men - Christmas Interpretations (Album)

"Santa Claaaaaauuse, Go Straight To the Ghetto, Tell'em Dominic sent you"

Wii Ready!

It is official, the world of video games, or lets say the Nintendo Wii, can be an avenue for great exercise.  If you haven't been exposed already, the Wii is the first video game system that you do not sit down to play, you must be up on your feet!  

I knew this was coming, from an healthy standpoint, the year Wii hit the shelves.  It just so happens that now American Council on Exercise (ACE) has decided to take notice as well.  Since the Wii offers a cool video game Sports Package (tennis, golf, baseball, boxing, bowling), ACE did a study on how many calories this game was actually helping people burn.

The games allows you to mimic the movements of the sports in real life, so your getting some serious work done.  Boxing was the particular sport that came in first for burning the most calories.  7.2 calories a minute punching and swinging was rigorous enough to improve cardiorespiratory endurance according to the standards defined be American College of Sports Medicine.

Mimicking the boxing movement was extremely close to the real thing, the Wii boxing only burned 3.0 calories a minute less than real life boxing!  WOW!!  

Well parents, if your lucky enough to find a Wii in stock anywhere, would this be a better reason to purchase a video game?

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

Exercise Money?

In 2007, sales of sports, diet and bodybuilding supplements, energy/sports drinks and specialty diet foods  -topped $19.6 billion. OMG!  I really thought this was a joke!!  Maybe that b is really suppose to be an m?

I will be the first to say I made a contribution to this figure, however, I'm doing a lot more research these days before making my purchases.

With that being said, there is absolutely no drug, supplement, or surgery that can take the place of pure work ethic!

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

Affordable Wings

So I'm going to assume wings are a status symbol these days? If Bentley can do it, why can't Hyundai do it too?  

Hell, let's even make it affordable!!! LOL!

Hyundai makes a really nice statement with its new luxury sports sedan, the 2009 Genesis.  I saw one on the street a few months ago and had no idea what it was, but it was so sexy.  Once I found out what it was, "HYUNDAI??!! Your kidding right?"

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

Ladies, Please Stand up!!!

I normally write about items dealing with males, however, since I know that women do read this blog, and the majority of my exercise clientele are female as well, I have something for you.  I sent out an email about this quite some time back, but now I have a better platform to get my point across.

Women & Weight Training!!!!  Before that woman bodybuilder runs through your mind in that magazine with Pam sprayed on her body, and she looks like she's one hormone shot away from being a man, lets talk.

Here is a huge Myth you need to take into consideration before turning your workout into nothing but cardio.

Weight training makes you bulky and masculine!

Lets look at the science behind this idea first.  Unlike males, women do not produce enough testosterone in their bodies to gain huge amounts of muscle lifting weights.  NO MATTER HOW HEAVY THE WEIGHTS ARE IT WON'T HAPPEN! Testosterone is the number one hormone responsible for increasing muscle size.  On the other hand, what the professional female bodybuilder does is put synthetic testosterone (steroids) in their bodies, along with other supplements, to produce that look of superior masculinity.  However, I cannot say this enough, just because they take steroids does not mean they don’t train extremely hard!  By no means are the drugs just a “short cut” so to speak.  Their work ethic for that level of the sport is still completely over the top. Women who weight train without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure shows these days.  

According to William P. Ebben, MS, MSSW, CSCS & Randall L. Jensen, PhD, THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE  www.physsportsmed.com, here is a detailed breakdown.

The truth is, strength training helps reduce body fat and increase lean weight. These changes may result in a slight increase in overall weight, since lean body mass weighs more than fat. However, strength training results in significant increases in strength, no change or a decrease in lower-body girths, and a very small increase in upper-extremity girth. Only women with a genetic predisposition for hypertrophy who participate in high-volume, high-intensity training will see substantial increases in limb circumference.

Fox E, Bowers R, Foss M: The Physiological Basis for Exercise and Sport, Madison, WI, Brown and Benchmark, 19932. 

7 GOOD REASONS WHY WOMEN SHOULD LIFT WEIGHTS!

1. YOU WILL REDUCE BODY FAT

2. YOU WILL BE PHYSICALLY STRONGER

3. REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE

4. REDUCE YOUR RISK OF BACK PAIN AND ARTHRITIS

5. IMPROVE THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF

6. ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO BENEFIT

7. GAIN STRENGTH WITHOUT BULKING UP

Ladies Stay Inspired,

Dominic

The above photos are Lenda Murray, 8-Time Ms Olympia Winner, the best to ever do it!

Thinker

To all that apply

"If you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done."

                                                     Anonymous

                                                                                         

Stay Inspired,

Dominic

When do you workout?

In my recent research of supplement products I came across this article that I found simple, but still interesting. Dealing with supplements on a regular basis you learn a whole lot through trial and error.  What works for some may not work for others.  Also, spending less money on a supplement may not always give you that quality your looking for.  "You get what you pay for," COMPRENDE?

Ok, so with that being said I'd like to mention one of my favorite supplement companies, Optimum Nutrition(ON).  One word describes them best in my opinion, quality.  I swear they make the best protein out there, and obviously from sells I'm not the only one that holds them up to this standard.  I discovered not only do they make good product, they do decent research following the genre of their industry.

So I'm reading some information on there web site, www.optimumnutrition.com, and I run across this article.

MORNING OR EVENING WORKOUTS

"Your development into a morning or an evening person occurs during adolescence and early adulthood. This predisposition toward favoring either time frame is a biological as well as social phenomenon. Now what happens when a morning person only has time for evening workouts, or vice versa? 

As it turns out, NSCA scientists were also curious. So they examined the performance of 8 male and 8 female college-level rowers who engaged in almost daily early morning and late afternoon training. First, these students were classified into types: morning, evening or neutral. While the night crawlers rowed no better during morning or evening sessions, the early risers rowed significantly faster in the morning. Researchers theorized that the absence of an evening performance boost among those predisposed to favor late afternoon training was negated by regularly scheduled morning training.  

The Bigger Picture: This study suggests that if you can’t get to the gym at the time of day you’d prefer, you can force your body clock to adapt by establishing a regular time for training. It also shows that you can get more out of your workout if you’re able to train when you’re mentally and physically on top of your game. Whatever position you find yourself in, this science provides a road map for making it work to your advantage."

ON Optimum Nutrition News

They say you have the most energy in the morning when you first wake up, but some folks have kids, jobs, blah blah blah... The most important thing is that you do it!

Stay Inspired,

Dominic