Heh, yeah imagine that… lil ol’ FJ being an ignorant ass. Sounds impossible, I know. But now I’ve changed, I swear.

But you know who isn’t ignorant? The woman I’m interviewing today. In fact, she’s quite the sweetheart and happens to be a personal trainer and also an expert on ellipticals! Her name is Valery Fortei, and she is joining us all the way from Italy! You should know that English isn’t her first language but shit, I think she speaks it better than I do!

Valery is going to help de bunk a few ridiculous myths as well as give us some tips on how to best use an elliptical, which ones are hot in the market right now, how bodybuilders and MMA athletes can benefit from them, and her thoughts on the good ol comparison between an elliptical and the treadmill. Valery also goes on to reveal how she lowered her blood pressure and effortlessly lost 8lbs!

If you want to know more about her, check out her Elliptical Machines blog. Now, let’s get on with the interview!

————[Interview Start]————

FJ: Hey Valery what’s up? How are you today?

Valery: Fine thanks! I’d like to start this interview!

FJ: Haha awesome, want to dive right in huh? I love your attitude already. So is it safe to say you’re an “elliptical expert”?

Valery: Of course, I’ve discovered this wonderful fitness equipment 2 years ago and I’ve doubled my fitness goals.

FJ: Really? That’s nifty and I want to hear all about how you did that. But before we get into the nitty gritty I want to ask you something. A lot of people (specially men) feel that ellipticals are only for women, girly men, or people with knee problems. They don’t feel that it’s as intense of a workout as say, lifting weights or doing a moderate sprint on a treadmill. What do you have to say bout that?

Valery: I could answer Your question with a “real life” example. My boyfriend is an ex MMA Thai Boxer. He was one of those guy that thought Ellipticals were for girls only. Now he uses it more than me!

FJ: Haha, I think you just gave subconscious approval to hundreds of MMA guys out there. So how exactly does he use it? I mean we both know there’s more to an elliptical machine than just hopping on and pedaling away. Can you give us his little routine?

Valery: Sure! Cardio is the essential part of MMA training. The main principle of cardio training for those types of sports is diversification. You need to train Your body at different conditions, so Ellipticals can help you alternate cardio training with swimming, running, biking or rope jumping. Another important thing to consider is that during these activities, knees are subject to considerable stress. Training the ligaments of the knee through the elliptical machine allows you to avoid unnecessary stress & damage.

FJ: So basically you’re saying that ellipticals make for a great, low-impact MMA warm up?

Valery: That’s right! I know that it is not usual, but the elliptical machine in my opinion can be an essential piece of equipment during warm-ups for all combat sports.

FJ: Noted (you hear that dudes… You’re not any less of a man if you use ellipticals!). Alright so let’s talk about the treadmill… Which is it’s biggest competitor I guess you can say. What benefits do ellipticals have over the traditional treadmills?

Valery: As you may already know, the treadmill is the older among the two because it has been around the fitness industry for what seems like forever. IMHO there are 3 main differences: Intensity, Calories burned and Knee impact. The treadmill is good if You feel exhausted, so you can walk slowly just to burn some calories. This cannot be done with Elliptical because they require a “core” intensity level to make them work effectively. It’s clear that Elliptical burns nearly the same amount of calories per hour as the Treadmill. Elliptical lets You warm-up/work the arms too.

FJ: Valid point, let’s talk about the arms involvement with ellipticals for a second. For those who haven’t used it before, or are just plain curious, tell us a bit about how it works and what type of arm workout you can experience while using the elliptical machine.

Valery: You do have the option of working on your upper body muscles, simply use the moving handle bars or carry weights as you slowly workout using the elliptical trainer. Mainly Ellipticals can work the deltoids, dorsal and upper pectorals. The biceps and triceps experience more workouts aimed at conditioning, it’s not indicated to gain muscle mass.

FJ: Of course. If ellipticals built muscle I’d be on that shit like stink on a monkey. I gota say that carrying weights while doing ellipticals is something I have yet to see, but it sounds like quite a workout. Now, you initially got in touch with me because you said you had a few ways that bodybuilders could effectively use ellipticals. Expand a bit on that because big meaty men on elliptical machines is not something you’ll see often, so let’s bring some change to our local gyms.

Valery: Sure, bodybuilders have 2 main training periods (I know I’m being simplistic here, but it’s for the sake of explanation). 1st is the Mass Gain period and 2nd is muscle definition [FJ: also know as "cutting" because you're basically dropping fat]. During the mass gain period, ellipticals are very good for a total body warm-up, especially upper body, 10-15 minutes of moderate elliptical workout would be good.

Now, during the muscle definition period, the bodybuilder needs to lose fat and water weight so extra cardio training is required. I think 30 minutes in the morning of elliptical workout would be great.

FJ: in those 30 mintues, what kind of intervals would your recommend while on an elliptical? And is there an average calorie burn that you can expect in those 30 mins?

Valery: I cannot provide a general rule because it depends on Heart Rate, metabolism and so on… As a general estimate though, you will be able to shed off a maximum of 720 calories in an hour when working out using an elliptical trainer.

FJ: awesome. I’m going to hop on one of these things the next time no one is looking and see the max calories I can burn in 25 mins.

Valery: Lol yeah. But everyone needs to remember that your total caloric burn can depend on any of the following factors: Interval training; settings of the elliptical trainer, Upper body usage, Your muscle-to-fat ratio, Your cardiovascular system, Your gender and weight.

FJ: Abso-friggin-loutely. Ok so let’s talk about the machine itself. For those that are thinking of buying one for their homes, what should they look for? What are the price ranges and maybe you can name some of the features that are a “must have” and some that are a waste of money or completely un-necessary.

Valery: Price is one of the most important things to look for. Ellipticals will range from $300 to more than $1500. You also want to look for: Stability and a fluid motion, Quiet operation, comfortable stride that is appropriate for your height, a variety of programs and the ability to change the resistance and the size of the machine.

FJ: That’s a hefty check list. Alright, now let’s say price was no object, what are the top 3 machines you’d recommend that are available on the market today?

Valery: Not in particular order: NordicTrack ASR 1000; LifeFitness X1 Elliptical Cross Trainer; Schwinn 418 Elliptical

FJ: …and what’s so special about these 3 units and would u know the price off hand?

Valery: They well balanced, solid and resistant. NordicTrack ASR 1000 899$; LifeFitness X1 Elliptical Cross Trainer 2,000$ and Schwinn 418 Elliptical 1,000 $. Consider it as a lifetime investment in Your health at your home.

NordicTrack ASR 1000

lifefitness_X1

Schwinn 418

FJ: Right on. Now I wanted to ask you about the “drive” or the placement of the motor. Some have it in the front, some in the back and now were seeing ones in the center. Does it make much of a difference during a workout? And if so which is the best option in your opinion?

Valery: The 1st elliptical design was the rear drive. The 2nd is the front-drive and the latest design is the center-drive. It does not make too much difference in the workout. I think it’s all about manufacturers benefits of projecting well balanced-high durance machines. IMHO though, the best would be the front drive.

FJ: You know, I think I’ve learnt more about ellipticals in the last 10 minutes than my entire lifetime so big ups for that! Let’s change topics just slightly. You’re a personal trainer yourself and just before we started the interview you had a few things to say. The first was the protein issue, do you want to expand a bit about that?

Valery: Oh sure. I’d like to start saying with my philosophy: “We don’t need nutritional supplements”. That’s why I suggested that you to stay away from proteins supplements. For instance, to ingest the branched amino acids we eat in the Parmesan, the proteins can be made from legumes and meat (especially the meat of wild boar or horse). But eating synthesized proteins can cause stress to the kidneys and liver, creating nitrogen compounds that pollute our bodies.

FJ: Yeah you totally turned into my mom when I told you I was grabbing a protein shake. You know, I can’t say that I’ve had any personal issues with protein supplements, nor have I seen many studies where the whey isolates have been proven dangerous but frequent kidney and liver tests is something everyone needs to do. Talk to your doctor about this one.

I do agree with the “don’t need” part though. I mean as you know I review supplements on this site. Some are shit, some are good but none are “absolutely necessary”. The problem is that people confuse supplements for substitutes. A supplement is supposed to “SUPPLEMENT” a good eating lifestyle… As in enhance the awesomeness that you’re already doing. It’s not supposed to fix your problems, but the marketing department would claim otherwise.

Valery: Ha, for sure. And some times you cannot provide the right protein amounts (i.e. Your’re out or You don’t have protein rich foods) so a supplement could help replace the natural food you should eat just for that one time. But as You said it’s not a permanent substitute.

FJ: Right. See, I love it when people are on the same page as me. Alright so now I want to get to the good stuff. You said in the beginning that you “doubled” your fitness goals. So what changes did you make to achieve this feat and what were you doing before that wasn’t working as wel?

Valery: Starting from my goals: Heart Rate from 70 to 60 beats per minutes, Blood Pressure from 120 to 110 Systolic and weight from 150 to 142 pounds (I’m 5 feet 9 “). It looks very simple but it worked. I bought an elliptical and an LCD TV. That’s the real “secret sauce”! Doing elliptical at home in the early mornings before breakfast for 30 minutes a day helped me improve my goals.

FJ: And how long did it take to go from 150 to 142?

Valery: 6 months to safely lose the weight.

FJ: And did you throw in any intervals or was it a constant steady pace?

Valery: constant. Doing workouts in the mornings can give you a decent metabolic increase for the day.

FJ: For sure, I recommend it. In the morning your body’s only source of fuel is FAT, so why not take advantage of that? I think for most people who are strapped for time that’s solid advice. For ones looking for more dramatic results, the fat loss can of course be accelerated. By the way, that TV show you were watching in the morning must have been good!

Valery: hehe

FJ: The morning shows we get here are pretty shit

Valery: hahaha

FJ: So basically, we’ve reached a paramount conclusion… if you want to lose 8lbs while watching TV and doing cardio, go to Italy!

Valery: Sure, in Italy there are the best weight loss (TV) programs!

FJ: Really, Id have to check one of these out. I don’t think they do that in North America anymore. They got hungry and realized that instead of airing it for free on TV it’s better to slap it on a DVD and sell it.

FJ: Actually I don’t know if that was a smart idea though. I mean it was painful enough to watch them when they airing themselves for free, now they’re asking to be paid so you can watch terrible programming on your own time? Id rather poke my eye out.

Valery: Haha. Well here the fitness commercials are fitness programs with workout models and exercises.

FJ: Yeah we get those too, but most of the time they lack “personality”. By the way, do you think I’d look good on Italian TV?

Valery: I don’t know about that because here in Italy, the TV people are complete idiots. So it’s not better for you.

FJ: haha, that’s funny because it’s not much different than over here. But thanks for that, much appreciated. I’ll keep my pretty face away from Italian TV.

FJ: So with that bombshell I think we’ll wrap this up. Valery, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions and enlightening us on the awesome elliptical machine. If anyone wants to reach you, is there an email where they can get in touch?

Valery: You can use info@ellipticalmachines.net, and it’s has been a pleasure.

FJ: Likewise. I’m due for a workout later this evening so I’m gona try and hop on one of these and get back to you. If you don’t hear from me, that’s because something went horribly, horribly wrong.

Valery: haha alright.

FJ: Oh, and damn you for having nicer weather in Italy… I’m experiencing extreme jealously.

Valery: Hehe you should be. But I think you’ll survive.

FJ: I think I’ll have to. Take care, ciao.

Valery: Ciao!

————[Interview End]————

Hope you learnt something new, I know I did. So, what are your crazy thoughts on the elliptical? Do you use it often? Are you gona start, now that you know more about em? Or do you still think they’re for pussies? Sound off in the comments below.

- FitJerk
FlawlessFitnessBook

How does one make it on the list? Well the reasons can vary… But here are some of they ways that these pathetic souls earned their spot on my DoucheBag List:

• Their actions piss me off…
• Their decisions piss me off…
• Their lack of intelligence pisses me off…
• Their stupidity pisses me off…
• Their constant pessimistic views on life pisses me off…
• They always feel sorry for themselves…
• And many more that I can’t come up right now…

I’ll try my best to make sure the reason for putting them on the list is well justified. In my eyes at least. If you feel that someone belongs on this list, and want to make a recommendation, DO email me.

———————————————–

To see those who made the list, click on the category “Fun Stuff” then select the “Douche List” sub category.

Of course, my routines are ALWAYS changing and improving but they always follow the fundamental principals that I swear by… one of them being variety. So here is my latest plyo routine that you can perform.

Before we begin, let me address those that have no clue what plyometrics is and are probably wondering why they are reading this article…

Plyometrics is a fancy word for something called “jump training”. Gymnasts and basketball players have been doing this type of training for a LONG time, and it’s safe to say they have pretty much mastered it.

When I get approached by thugged out bboys that want to learn nothing more than a backflip, the first thing I do is tell them to pull up their pants. Then drill in the basics – and plyometrics is a big part of that in my opinion.

And yes I know… A back-tuck (backflip) is 90% technique, but the other 10% makes a BIG difference. Do you want to attempt a back-tuck with a vertical jump of 12 inches? Didn’t think so. I know all of this for a fact because I can back-tuck really… REALLY high.

So moving right along, what benefits can plyometrics training give you? Well besides the obviously higher vertical jump power, it is a GREAT substitute to cardio and will give you an aerobic system that will blow the faces off your competition. As a side confession… I really don’t like running even thought I do it. In fact, let me be totally honest – I HATE running, but that is why you will see me come up with a boat load of alternatives to it.

Ok, here’s my plyometric routine. You are to perform it 3x a week with a recovery day in between. So either Monday, Wednesday & Friday -OR- Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.

Rest for 60 seconds between sets.

S= Sets
R= Reps

* = Till Failure

“What are those crazy exercises?” You ask. Well let’s go through each one.

1. Squat Jumps – This one is pretty self explanatory. You start in a deep squat position (knees past 90 degrees) and then jump up as high as you can, returning back to your squatted position. Couple things to keep in mind: You can use your arms to swing but if this exercise is getting too easy, hold a medicine ball or a 5lbs dumbbell in each hand… This will REALLY make you work.

Also, when you blast off in the air, make sure your legs come together and you become a pencil… Then as you descend back down, spread those legs and return to the squat position. As you can probably guess, people with bad knees should avoid this exercise.

2. Calf Raises – This is a very common exercise, so I hope I won’t have to expel a mouthful of words to explain it. Basically you hold on to something stable, elevate one leg and put it behind the other. You then lift yourself up from your ankles keeping the supporting leg straight (Basically going on your tippy toes). Do the desired rep amount for each leg (duh!)

3. Rebound Jumps – This one is challenging… Not because the exercise itself is that hard, but because you’ll have to wrestle with your brain to keep your form as clean as possible. So first, start with your legs straight. Then, jump up as high as you possibly can with MINIMAL bend in the knees (straight legs if possible). Then as soon as you hit the ground, bounce back up as high as you possibly can (again, keeping those legs straight).

A good metaphor for this is to pretend that you are jumping on hot coal, and every time you touch the ground, you want to bounce back up to avoid the burn. But the funny thing is… You will feel the burn elsewhere because this exercise is a b*tch! Either way, there’s no way out! Perfect!

4. Rapid Bunny Hops – Think of this exercise as a mini version of the Rebound Jumps. You still keep your legs straight, you still rebound as soon as you hit the floor, but there is one crucial difference: Your aim with the bunny hops is NOT to jump as high as possible, it’s to burn out those calves.

So basically, you won’t be more than an inch off the floor at any given time, but each rep will be insanely fast (hence the ridiculous rep count). Tip: Focus on your ankles and use them to jump instead of bending at the knees. You can also use your arms for momentum.

And there you have it… A plyo routine that will have you panting and huffing every time, but will eventually increase your jump power by twofold. If things start to get easy, put on a pair of ankle weights or carry 5 or 10lbs dumbbells in each hand. I personally use the 10′s for my Squat Jumps and 5lbs for my Rebound Jumps & Rapid Bunny Hops. For my calf raises, I hold a 30 pounder with my free hand.

—MADE FOR THE ELITE!—

I’m always looking for ways to UP the ante. After you go through this workout, you’ll find that your jumping and natural aerobic abilities will wipe the floor off the regular person. However, there are those that want more, that want to be at the TOP. For these people, I’ve made the plyo routine for the elite. Check it here: Plyometrics For The Elite!

To Being Fit & Sexy For Life

-FJ
FlawlessFitnessBook.com

P.S- Got questions, comments, rants or suggestions? Leave em’ below.
Caution: I MIGHT BITE!

–

If you don’t have a twitter account, click on “Follow Me On Twitter” button located on the left of this article where you may sign up for a FREE account. Do it, seriously.

But let’s get to the point. Recently, I’ve noticed a little “problem”, and this problem has started to become an “annoyance”. What exactly am I talking about?

I’m talking about all the “seminars” “webinars” and “reports” that try and show you techniques on how to “sneakily” get more followers and monetize your tweets… WHAT A LOAD OF SHIT!

Look, I don’t have a problem with people teaching proper Twitter etiquette…  that’s fine, but what I do have a problem with are the dumb little ways they try and show you, to make you appear “follow friendly”… which results in fake & un-authentic LOSERS that are desperately trying to get attention.

Their tweets are boring, dull, lack any substance, and do NOT provide quality content what-so-ever! You want to know how to get followers and become more “in-part” with the community? I’ll tell ya.

You don’t need Lessons or Workshops, you need to make sure you don’t get sucked into all this douch-baggery and start LIVING A LIFE. A life that is fulfilling, fun & interesting. Because then, you will have fulfilling, fun & interesting shit to talk about… what does that lead to? *hint* *hint* *nudge* *nudge*…great content! Then people see this and are like “damn, this dude (or dudeette) puts out quality shit, I think I’ma follow em’”

See how that works? It’s simple, so stop making it so fucking complicated. You don’t need SEMINARS, and you don’t need WEBINARS to teach you how to put out 140 word tweets to get others to follow you, what you need to do is start being REAL. Duh!

[Update] Speaking of real… do you know those follower tweets and shit you get? Well here is one site where there are LEGIT Twitter people following other LEGIT twitter people. The way it works is simple… you follow a bunch of people and get credits, then your twitter account gets listed on their main page so people can follow you which costs you a point or two. Then when your credits run out, you follow some more and some more follow you back. It’s a beautiful system and keeps everything real. Check em out: Fast Followers

You should also go out and search for like-minded people and have like-minded discussions while posting like-minded quality content!

It’s Twitter… it’s not rocket science, so don’t make it out to be.

Now get tweetin’

- FJ
FlawlessFitnessBook.com

So today, I’m going to show you how to be like me. Almost.

Working out from home has it’s OBVIOUS advantages. It snows where I live and let’s face it… Why go out in the cold when you can stay in the warmth right? Right.

There are other advantages which I am sure you can come up with, so for those that are hell bent on figuring out a way to workout from home, I am going to show you how you can invest a measly amount of money to have your very own 24/7 gym… Right at home!

Let’s get started:

Equipment #1 ($34.99):
They very FIRST thing you need is a QUALITY set of resistance bands. Why resistance bands? Because you can come up with literally HUNDREDS of different ways of using them. Seriously, I could write a book by itself on how to use resistance bands… There’s just that many exercises that you can do. (Hint: some of the most effective ones are in my book)

But… There is one small problem with the bands. Most of them are of low quality, which means they can tear, rip or snap in the middle of your workout. I’ve been there… It wasn’t pretty it. It left a nice red line down my back, which eventually turned blue. AND IM BROWN!

I wanted to sue the pants of that company which I won’t mention… But when I looked them up, they went under. I wonder why. Bastards.

So anyways, after going through a few bands… I FINALLY own a pair that is comfortable and of high quality, while being very affordable. Check them out: http://www.aylio.com

For a set of 4 interchangeable bands, with ankle straps and a door attachment… $34.99 is seriously dirt cheap!

Equipment #2 ($29.99):
Next thing you will need is a pull-up bar. Why? Because while the resistance bands offer a great lat-pull down setup, nothing replaces good old fashioned pull ups. NOTHING.
Here is a great one I found: Pull-Up Bar

This can also be used as a push-up bar and an ankle attachment for your abs. Perfect.

Equipment #3 ($0):
Another thing you will need is a chair. You HAVE to have a chair at home which you can use, so there’s no reason to spend money on getting one just for your workouts. Although if you feel like getting one, get a workout bench instead.

Equipment #4 ($14.98):
If you have carpets then this becomes optional but a Yoga Mat, in my opinion, is a good piece of equipment to have. Especially when you’re doing abs and you have hardwood floors. Here is a great one at a great price: Yoga Mat

Equipment #5 ($12.99):
At some point your normal ab-routine will become boring and un-eventful. You need to add resistance to your ab workouts, and what better way then to invest in a pair of ankle weights? Check these out: Ankle Weights

Equipment #6 ($4.77):
Doing cardio in my Fat Burner plan is one thing, but you should try and change things up every now and then. Our bodies are very adaptable and therefore just running all the time will start to become in-effective. That’s why I HIGHLY recommend doing jump-rope training. Check THESE out, inexpensive and great!

And that’s it! Using these pieces of equipment or a combination of them, you can do HUNDREDS upon HUNDREDS of different exercises right at home… Without having to go to the gym.

I still recommend a gym membership but for those that like the convenience, but this should serve you well.

Ok let’s tally all of this up:

$34.99
$29.99
$0
$14.98
$12.99
$4.77
——–
$97.72

Look at that! Now depending on where you live the shipping costs might differ, but hey… If you combine everything I’m sure it wont be more than $20-30.

So there you have it… An entire gym replaced for under $150. Some of  you maybe be able to get this setup for UNDER a $100 if you search locally for some great deals. The point has been made… You do NOT need much $ to start working out. Some crucial pieces of equipment and you’re ready to go!

Now you have one less excuse… since you have everything you need RIGHT AT HOME. Get crackin!

- FJ
FlawlessFitnessBook