Sunday, July 21, 2019

⭐️Thank you to everyone for CLOGGED EAR Help!⭐️ ....And the winner is.....⁉️

Well, I am very behind on work today, but I wanted to make sure I thanked you all for those who helped give suggestions for the clogged ear last night!

I was driving myself crazy.

Over the past two months, this dam ear would go deaf, hurt, cause me insane headaches....and best of all....

😜It allowed me to tune out Noah at night and "truthfully" not hear him and be able to use the excuse, "sorry hunnie, I didn't hear him!" 😳

I hope it makes your laugh for the day...

But in all honesty...it sucked. I just thought it was seasonal allergies blocking up my ears, and I didn't know what was happening so I would try everything.

Most of the time, it would "get a little better" .... but last night, my attempt at hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and vinegar, over the counter meds and warm water did NOTHING but make it worse so I decided to head to Urgent Care.

Thinking my wife at this point was pretty assured I was crazy...I didn't know what to expect but I just wanted to be able to hear again.

Plus the headaches were bad and last night topped with it never getting any hearing back so I knew I had to go...

And it turns out...

PLOB....after 30 minutes of flushing them making me nearly pass out....a small pebble or rock covered in wax fell into the canister. It was the size of my pinky nail...

CRAZY RIGHT?

So I am sorry Noah, but daddy was truthfully unable to hear you.

But we are back in action and full of hearing. It definitely is one of those things that when you don't have it, you dont realize how amazing it is.....(other than Noah crying of course, lol)....

But the sounds of my dinner sizzling in the pan, the noise my shorts make swishing together when walking, the sound of a horrible nickelback song.....

and most importantly....the crying my wife was sure I was pretending to not hearπŸ‘ΆπŸ˜œ

Anyways, hope you all got a good laugh on this one and I am not ready and full of hearing this week! So those of you who may have gotten away with mumbling name calling behind my back after forcing sets of burpees.....

BEWARE!πŸ₯Š

See you all this week!

Coach Mikey

Friday, July 12, 2019

7 USELESS Exercises!

Often times, I see some pretty interesting exercises when I visit global gyms. Today I decided to share 7 I am truly not a fan of....

Enjoy! πŸ˜‚

1. Bench Dips

This is a really bad exercise for your rotator cuff. It places your scapula in an awkward position (tipped forward) and puts a lot of force on your rotator cuff.

An alternative to bench dips, if you're trying to target your triceps would be a) close-grip pushups or barbell close grip bench or b) regular dips using a parallel bar or c) rope tricep extensions.

2. Donkey Kicks

Too many bootcamps and trainers got their panties in a bunch doing endless amounts of these with clients going into hyperextension. Bending at the knee and extending through the hip can be problematic for those who have trouble with flexibility in their hips. 

Instead try quadrupled banded hip extensions or reverse hyper kick backs. Keeping the foot more plantar flexed will help activate more of the posterior chain. 

3. 1.5 Rep Barbell Deadlifts. 

It's one thing to teach hinging and add tension to lifts, but it's a whole new ball game to do it while under heavy loads in a exercise that requires strong bouts of initial force off the ground to minimize the stress added to the spine. 

I hate seeing trainers who think adding 1.5 reps to their lifts are "cool" and "magical".....YES, they are a great way to spice up an exercise, but deadlifts are not one of them man. Stick to safer exercises.

4. Upright Rows

Upright rows are another exercise that place a lot of force on your rotator cuff and can lead to injuries. If you are prone to shoulder pain, stay away from them and try leaning single arm lateral raises instead.

Or much better exercise alternatives would be wide grip seated rows or standing face pulls using a rope.

5. Kipping Pull Ups

Just stop. Don't get me started on these. Just dont do them. If swinging on bars like a monkey on crack is your thing, be prepared for some shoulder issues and join a zoo.

6. Dumbbell Side-Bends

Side-bends cover such a small range of motion that they really are just an inefficient way of working out your obliques and abdominals.

A better alternative would be to do farmer's walks in a figure eight pattern.

Side bends crack me up because so many people do them to lose their love handles, but they actually will create inflammation and make them larger. So if you want to keep them growing, go for it!

7. Triceps Kick-Backs

These are another really inefficient exercise. The plane of motion through which the dumbbell is going through is not optimal for working your triceps. Gravity is really only working at the end of the motion. If you are looking to add on slabs of muscle, stick to exercises that will do such a thing like the close grip bench, dips or ring push ups.


Kick these 7 strength training exercises to the curb and you'll improve your training and reduce the risk of serious injuries.

Better yet, if you see someone doing them, offer them an alternative I suggested! :) 

😬Honest and REAL Post time!πŸ’―πŸ‘‡


😬Honest and REAL Post time!πŸ’―πŸ‘‡

Look, I know many of you who follow me think I am a “perfect fitness icon.” Maybe you don’t, but I don’t care. That isn’t the point of my post. 

It is to be πŸ’―real with you today. 

For the most part, I don’t indulge on foods that don’t help me either A) Recover or B) perform or C) Build Muscle

I stay away from ALL packaged foods, and anything with an ingredient I can’t pronounce. I am a pretty regimented person, where I practice intermittent fasting.(message me if you want details on how I do it). I eat mainly the same foods day in and day out…

And YES, you might think….WOW…how boring is that!πŸ˜‚

But in all honesty, I do it for ONE main reason.

You see, my life is built upon making decisions. Whether it’s for my business, my wife, my newborn son or my clients. Everyday my head circulates with hundreds of decisions that all require different levels of thought and stress….SO….eating the same things takes ONE less decision out of the equation. For me, it’s easy because I know what I’m eating most days, and the same thing goes with my clothes. I have my outfits picked prior and I wear the SAME thing after dinner….again….eliminating decisions. 

The < LESS decisions I have to make….the smaller chance I have to make a wrong one.

Everyday my diet consists of plain greek yogurt, plant protein powder, casein, and whey isolate, turkey, chicken, fish, berries, greens, carrots, cottage cheese, nuts, natural granola, oats, sweet potatoes, and of course eggs and avocado. 

I keep it clean for the most part, but again, I am human. I make mistakes, and I also need the occasional “splurge meal” to help give my brain a mental break and also to help with my training, because you can only get so many calories in with those foods above.

Today was a rare form day. And sushi is my go to meal to get tons of calories. Go big or go home, right? Now, I used to think negatively when eating these meals 1-2 MAYBE 3 times a year….BUT now I look forward to them. I learned how EVERY food has it’s place in the human diet, and nothing should be labeled as “good” or “bad.” 



You just need to be smart about the choices you make and be proud of your accomplishments. For me, it was a post 30th birthday/Father’s Day meal I never got, so I fully enjoyed it. 

But the point of my story is that NO one is perfect, and you must find what works for you. There will be times you mess up on your diet, and THAT’S OKAY! You shouldn’t beat yourself up, but learn to truly ask yourself if you needed it and/or if it is helping you reach your goals. 

And of course….today 7-11 was giving out FREE slurpies so you better believe when Noah is old enough…I will be partaking with him! Life is too short to always be stuck eating clean….

So remember, enjoy the foods you like…..don’t beat yourself up with making mistakes, and learn to use the moderation term to its finest when you want to enjoy a meal off your normal routine!

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Holiday Weekend....You STAY on your diet? Slip once? Twice?

One of the biggest questions I get in the industry is "Do I ever cheat?"

Initially, I was confused...

I wasn't sure what it meant because I never thought of food as a way to "cheat."

Which is where I think so many of you guys go wrong. Placing foods in BAD or GOOD categories can ultimately lead to poor relationships with food in general.

Over the years, I've battled many and have been around the world and back when it comes to mind games, diets, and new beginnings.

You guys all know right?

You mess up on Friday....it leads to a poor choice Saturday....then you decide to wait until MONDAY to start over.

This cycle then repeats itself weekly or biweekly....where you "start over" when you "mess up."

So where did you go wrong this weekend?

Was it Thursday at the BBQ? Overdo it on drinks and burgers? Chips and Fries?

Did it lead to a meal out Friday that wasn't on your diet plan?

And it just spiraled to you "waiting" to reset this week....am I right?

What is so magical about starting over?

What if I told you that there are no bad foods, and that everything should be labeled as nourishment. You can make room for more foods over one another...based on their ability to help you reach your goals, but overall....there is a time and place for many things.

Now, this doesn't mean you can eat your way to a six pack with McDonalds or Taco Bell, but you can stop worrying about silly facts about things like:

1. Fruit makes you fat. This is a myth. Over eating anything makes you fat. But fruit in general is one of the healthiest things you can eat. There are higher carb/sugar fruits that may not be a super as others....like bananas compared to berries....but you can't go wrong eating fruit!

2. Potatoes are the devil. This again is a load of junk. They contain many vitamins and minerals essential for muscle function and repair! Sweet potatoes are the BEST. :)

3. Rice packs on pounds. Again, rice is not the enemy of weight gain. Sure, if you are overweight and looking to drop pounds, heading to the local Asian place and eating a pound of it with loaded sodium and sauces may NOT be the best option, but you cannot automatically mark rice as a bad food.

At the end of the day, you want to be able to have a balance. Neglecting certain foods or groups in a diet is not something you can or happily sustain.

If you cannot stick to it.....then why do it?

Remember, balance and moderation is the key to sustainability.....and consistency is king when it comes to everything!

So, if you fell off the wagon and indulged in things you maybe shouldn't have over the weekend, let it go, move on, and get back on track.

Don't go starving yourself this week and cut calories, just find your sweet spot and stick to it. Allow yourself some wiggle room for foods you enjoy!

I can't tell you how many people I have watched try this...only to set themselves up for failure. Forgive yourself, forget about it, and move on! Aim to prepare and plan your meals ahead of time and don't sweat small mistakes.

Consistency is KING!

So, what's on the menu tonight?

I had some Tuna Steaks, Scrambled Eggs, Sweet Potatoes, and Broccoli.

Crush your goals this week!

And remember...

Whatever is in your way, you're better than it, stronger than it, tougher than it, and you're going to beat it!