Fitness | Top Form Fitness

Fit Women CAN do Pull Ups with Correct Training

A recent study suggested that even fit women can’t do pull ups (or chin ups), and it went on to explain why. Although it’s obviously more challenging for women to perform pull ups than it is for men (due to differences in muscle mass and leverage), I do have some concerns with how this poorly designed study was conducted. First of all, according to the New York Times, here is the basic outline of the study: “The Dayton researchers recruited 17 women of normal weight who were unable to perform a single pull-up. They then trained them for three months, prescribing exercises to strengthen their upper bodies, improve their aerobic fitness and lower their body fat. All that training produced results: the women’s upper-body strength increased by 36 per cent and their body fat was reduced by 2 per cent. But they failed to produce the main result researchers were [...]

Josh Hewett2012-11-06T17:52:48-05:00

Gold Medal Bodies Parallettes One Program

If you’ve been following my blog for the last few months, you know that I’ve been pursuing bodyweight training / calisthenics for a while now. I’m very pleased that I’m able to perform several exercises that I could never do in the past, such as muscle ups, handstand pushups (on the wall), pistol squats, and standing ab wheel rollouts. I’m also close to mastering the front lever and human flag. The set of exercises that I’ve been having the greatest difficulty with have been the parallette skills. Planche and press progressions on the parallettes KILL me! Thankfully I was referred by a friend of mine who is really into this stuff to check out Gold Medal Bodies. The GMB crew are experts at coaching this type of gymnastics / bodyweight type training, and offer a broad selection of awesome programs (for rings, parallettes, handstands, flexibility, floor work, and more). I [...]

Josh Hewett2012-09-16T20:35:04-04:00

Six Pack Abs Success!

I reached my goal of single digit body fat % with my abs visible without flexing! My body weight dropped from about 214 when I started this plan a few months ago, to about 196 at the time of this video. Overall I was pleased with my fat loss progress while minimizing loss of lean tissue, especially since I just turned 42 y/o. It does take longer to reduce body fat % without losing significant amounts of muscle, but it is well worth it. By following the advice in these tutorials you can achieve similar results. […]

Josh Hewett2012-08-24T22:36:52-04:00

Stay Fit on Vacation using Body Weight Training

I just returned from Florida for a relaxing 10 days of vacation with family. I got some much needed rest, sunshine, food, and ‘entertainment’, but I also got in some great workouts! I’ve always found that during a vacation is a perfect time to step up my fitness routine. However, it’s common for many people to fall off track with their health and fitness goals while on vacation. Their regular routine is disrupted, the exercise facilities are less than adequate, and there is probably an abundance of food and alcohol available. It’s no wonder a lot of people tend to gain a little body fat on their holiday travels. But by following some basic exercise and nutrition tips, and by looking at your vacation ‘free time’ from a different perspective, you can come back from your trip in better shape than when you left. […]

Josh Hewett2012-08-15T02:23:50-04:00

Why I am Learning Tai Chi

I always tend to keep a fairly full schedule, and engage myself with projects and activities that excite me, but this past few months have been particularly busy. It wasn’t until I had a chance to slow down during this Canada Day long weekend that I actually realized just how fast my life was moving. This becomes especially apparent as I watch my daughter grow right before my eyes at what appears to be an alarming rate. Watching her also reminds me just how important it is to treasure every moment and really be present. You can learn a lot from watching your children. As much as I still believe that intensity is the key for getting results from your training, I also understand that this needs to be balanced with proper rest and recuperation (for your mind, body, and nervous system). I have known for some time that I [...]

Josh Hewett2012-07-01T20:52:49-04:00

Advanced Core Training for 6 Pack Abs

As I discussed in my previous “6 Pack Abs” tutorials, the key factors for revealing your abs are: 1) Training – MRT workouts, alternating high volume and high intensity training; and HIIT on an empty stomach. 2) Nutrition – Reduce carbs (especially high GI carbs and starches like most grains), avoid processed foods, include healthy fats and proteins, stay hydrated, watch your portions, track your caloric intake, and pay attention to peri-workout nutrition. Check out my blog post on nutrition here => Nutrition Guidelines for 6 Pack Abs A good full body training program (like the one I outlined in my previous tutorials) that will burn calories, increase your metabolism, and bring on the After-Burn Affect, along with an intelligent nutrition plan, will help you reduce body fat while maintaining your lean muscle tissue. This is the key to revealing your abs… fat loss through a solid nutrition and fat [...]

Josh Hewett2012-06-01T14:24:12-04:00

More HIIT Alternatives for Getting a Ripped Midsection

Would you be interested in a very efficient, effective method for losing body fat that requires far less time commitment than traditional cardio, and without any of the negative side effects of those long, slow endurance workouts? If you’ve been following my tutorial series, “In Pursuit of 6 Pack Abs”, you’ll remember my previous post on the many benefits and advantages or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)… you can check out that post here: -> HIIT For 6 Pack Abs Well, I recognize that some of you may not have access to an indoor bike, or like myself, you are interested in keeping your workouts interesting by adding some variety, so in this episode I demonstrate some alternative forms of HIIT, using implements or simply jogging and sprinting. I also update you on my progress towards the coveted 6 Pack, and show you how far I’ve come over the last [...]

Josh Hewett2012-01-07T13:37:10-05:00

Getting fit in 2012

By Jenny Yuen ,Toronto Sun First posted: Sunday, January 01, 2012 05:09 PM EST | Updated: Sunday, January 01, 2012 07:42 PM EST Costa Warwar extends his arms forward and picks up the rope. He grits his teeth and strains his face as he drags 31.8 kilograms of weights across the span of the gym, not once or twice, but four times. The Toronto chef came to Fusion Fitness several months ago to deal with a weight issue. He found that he was constantly tasting different dishes at work and that often translated to packing on extra pounds. “I fell off the wagon a few years ago,” he said. “I had my first baby and I got busy with my own business and didn’t have time to catch up with my own health. I thought, if I want to be there for my daughter, then I have to [...]

Josh Hewett2012-01-03T05:26:52-05:00

New Year Fitness: Get in Top Form for 2012

Happy New Year… Another year has passed and we now have the opportunity for another fresh start! Just a few days ago I was interviewed by the Toronto SUN for a piece on New Year’s Fitness Goals. During this interview I shared what I consider to be some of the key elements for setting and achieving your health and fitness related goals for 2012. Here is the Toronto SUN article and a brief video on the SUN website with some footage from our interview: Some other New Year’s fitness suggestions I offered included: 1. You can’t out-train a bad diet. You need to realize that exercise alone, although very important, is not enough. Your nutrition plan has to be your priority, especially if your goal is to lose some body fat and keep it off. […]

Josh Hewett2012-01-01T20:00:43-05:00

Reboot Your Body Toronto Fitness Seminar

I just recently did my first formal seminar presentation called Reboot Your Body. It was a success, with a great turnout and some lots of positive feedback. I also learned a lot and I look forward to raising the bar for my next seminar! At Reboot Your Body I shared my strategies for losing fat, reshaping the body, slowing the aging process, and feeling younger. We cut through the fluff and fads, and focused on the most efficient and effective methods of achieving your fitness goals based on my 20+ years of personal experience, and based on what gets my clients results. Here are a couple of short video excerpts from the seminar: […]

Josh Hewett2011-12-08T01:59:37-05:00

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