Xfactor Xplanation: Warmup and Cooldown
You may be familiar with the need for a warmup and a cooldown with traditional training and it is indeed necessary with traditional training, because traditional training tends to use heavy weights and ballistic reps, which can easily cause injury. Warmer muscles are more resistant to muscle tears and strains, so for those people doing traditional training, a warm-up is a great idea.
Another reason for a warm-up before a traditional workout is because warm muscles are stronger muscles and with traditional reps which start out fast and end quickly, the muscle doesn’t have time to warm up during the set itself, so a warmup is a great idea for that reason to.
HOWEVER, we don’t do traditional training at X Gym, so these warmup reasons don’t apply. In fact, with the X Gym methodology, using controlled repetitions, over Xtremely long time under tension (TUT), the warm-up is built-in! You have probably noticed that the first couple reps are pretty easy when you start an X Gym Xersise, but those reps take a pretty long time to complete – just the amount of time in fact, to increase muscle temperature and warm the muscle up. Then, when you reach the muscle failure point towards the end of the Xercise – when you need the muscle temperature to be warm for maximum strength input – you are warmed up for that part by then! This is another Xample of the many ways the X Gym style saves you tons of time.
As for the cooldown, research has shown that it’s pretty much a waste of time whether doing traditional training or X Gym training. If you need to do it for mental reasons, or because your doctor recommended it due to a heart condition, then go for it, but it’s not going to add any additional health or fitness benefits to your program.
Nutrition Revolution Step: Eating out and on the road
It’s actually pretty easy to eat healthy when traveling or eating out. First, decide ahead of time what you will and will not do if you are going to a restaurant. For me (PJ), it’s easy, because I only enjoy certain foods since my brain has been rewired from brain training Xercises. I don’t even miss the unhealthy foods I used to eat. I crave meat and veggies more than anything now, so that’s what I eat at restaurants. Even if a restaurant doesn’t have a menu item that is only meat and veggies, I just place a custom order. I simply ask them what meat and veggies they have today, and make my choice from their answer. It’s actually easier for the chef back in the kitchen to steam some veggies and grill some meat then to make what’s on the menu, so I’m doing him/her a favor when I put in my custom order.
For traveling, I just pack snacks that will keep well without refrigeration, like nuts and seeds, beef jerky, etc. I also bring a small cooler that fits in my carry-on, filled with hard-boiled eggs, fitness chocolate, etc. Additionally, I have a small fridge that works with DC power or AC power, which also fits in my carry-on, or if I’m on a longer trip, I will throw it in my checked luggage. That way, I can bring food that needs to be refrigerated. Plus, this gives me a fridge in the hotel room, whether they supply one or not.
Yes, I probably seem overboard to you. Maybe even “militant-fanatic,” but that’s what my brain loves now and what I actually enjoy, so it’s fun and not a chore or bother. I’m proof this brain re-wiring stuff really works! I used tothinkl people like me were crazy and were really missing out on the “good food.” I thought they were certainly going to way too much trouble to be healthy. Now I’m one of those people and it’s easy, delicious and I feel amazing!
Then when I get to my destination, I look up the nearest healthy grocery store and find out what I can get there to replenish my supplies of food while I’m there. When I’m eating at restaurants on the road, I just do the same technique mentioned above.
The single most important thing to remember may very well be to DRINK YOUR WATER when traveling. We get knocked off our normal routine when we are away from our normal life back at home and hydration is often the first habit to fall by the wayside. Traveling can be very dehydrating (due to flying, increased activity, hotter climate, etc.) so if anything, you should be drinking MORE water than when you are at home.
Also, when you are dehydrated, your body often confuses the hunger signal with the thirst signal, so it might tell you that you are hungry when you are really thirsty, thus causing you to eat more than when you are hydrated at home. Plus, for this reason, and more, water is a great appetite suppressant, so when you drink 8-16 oz. 30 min. before a meal, you can effectively prevent this mixed signal.
When people say they find it difficult to eat healthy while traveling or eating out, they are really saying they find it difficult to resist standard American foods and just haven’t rewired their brain yet, so if that’s you, keep working on your brain training techniques supplied in these courses and soon, you too will find it remarkably simple to eat healthy regardless of where you are! If you are still having issues with losing weight and bulking up, it could be to do with your testosterone levels. If this concerns you, it may be wise to discuss possible testosterone injections from your doctor. You may want to look up ‘hcg and men‘ to see how this type of injection can be beneficial for your weight loss journey.
Brain Training Revolution: Visualization
I’m sure you were already familiar with the “affirmations” technique in the last step and you are probably also familiar with the concept of “visualization,” but the video below will teach you a new twist that’s even more effective than what you know so far:
Resource Revolution:
Did you know there is a PJ Glassey eHow page? It’s true and you will find a bunch of interesting ideas and topics there: http://www.ehow.com/contributor/pj_glassey/
Early warning: If you have read this far down the page here on this 10th course in X Gym University, then you qualify to “opt in” to the “Masters Program” at X Gym University! Just let me know through pj@xgym.com that you would like to continue with more lessons and I’ll put you in the “special inner circle” group that will continue to get these issues, with even more advanced training and content! Otherwise, you will see these issues ending as you graduate with your BX (bachelor of X Gym) degree soon.
Revolution Reminder:
This “course” is intended for X Gym members in order to learn the unique exercise methodology and health principles, but our main goal is to help as many people as possible, so if you know other people who could also be helped with this information, please feel free to forward any or all of these pages or email issues to those individuals.
The advice and guidance given at the X Gym, through emails, newsletters, blogs and other sources is not meant to replace any advice given by your medical practitioner. All ideas, guidance and concepts should be confirmed with your medical practitioner to be appropriate for you before implementing or adopting into your lifestyle.