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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

7 habits of highly effective "losers"

By losers of course I mean people that lose weight.

Sorry Stephen Covey, it's catchy.

Millions of people lose weight every year. Problem is that most of that weight is gained back and then a little extra is added on for good measure.

It today's short post I am going to bullet point the 7 habits of people that manage to keep the weight off. Some of these may surprise you.

HABIT #1: They start with a true purpose. I once read a story of a man who tried and tried to lose the weight and he couldn't. Then one day his daughter was dying and needed a kidney. He could give her his kidney but there was a problem: he was to fat. Do you want to take bets on whether that dude lost the weight.

You know he did.

My friend Autumn was 300+ lbs was told straight faced by a doctor that, at 23, she wouldn't see her 30th birthday. That didn't sit well with her and her two babies. She lost the weight.

My friend Brittany is on a weigh loss journey. Her's started when she couldn't perform CPR on a dummy because she was to fat. PURPOSE. 

Find you true reason and purpose for losing the weight and you'll be amazing how quickly the fat comes off.

HABIT #2: They do it the hard way. We all know what the "easy" way is. It's the newest pill or newest diet of the latest craze of this or that. Perhaps surgery.

None of that crap works. Those that do it the hard way ALWAYS succeed. Those that try the latest "craze" almost always fail.

HABIT #3: They create a weight loss synergy. I don't think I have ever heard of a long term success story that starts with, "I lost the weight first through diet then I started exercising...."

It just doesn't happen that way.

"I am going to start running everyday and lose the weight....." Are you changing your diet? No? Not a success habit.

You need to balance what you do. You need to take supplements. You need to exercise. You need to change the way you THINK about food. You basically need to change WHO YOU ARE.

HABIT #4: They "leverage" the scale. Those that create a  great weigh loss journey use the scale like this: "Weight went up today? Crap. Means I'm not doing enough or I need to re-adjust my path..."

"Down 5 lbs. BOOM! I am a champion! WAHOO!"

Those that stare at the scale and expect big numbers and get frustrated when they don't come lose in the end. The number on the scale is a victory every time! It means you are doing something right so keep doing it or it means TIME TO CHANGE.

HABIT #5: They use supplements. I'll be 100% honest. I have helped more people lose a weight in the last 2 years by helping to connect them with supplements then I did in the 12 years previous COMBINED but using diet and exercise as tools.

Your body needs to be balanced and detoxed before it can lose weight long term. This is 100% truth. You need probiotics for digestive health, you need omega's to fight inflammation, you need the correct micro-nutrition to help your body to absorb the macro-nutrition.

I believe people make two MAJOR mistakes when it comes to supplementation.

Mistake #1: They don't do it. If you think you get all your nutrition from the food you eat then you need to re-think that thought. It just doesn't happen. Sometimes people also say, "I don't do supplements" but yet drink coffee before a workout and chocolate milk after a workout. Those are supplements people. You need to supplement if you want to lose weight long term. PERIOD.

Mistake #2: People read an article online (where EVERYTHING is 100% true) and fancy themselves biochemical nutritional pharmacologists and buy 16 different supplements at Wal-Mart. How is it that you know more than the scientific and medical advisory board from  AdvoCare or any other company?

My advice on supplements is to stick with one company. Of course I think that AdvoCare is the best but if you like another company then stick with that. Don't mix and match. Stay with one company's system because likely the people that put it together and smarter then you or I.


HABIT #6: They workout in a progressive manner. This means that as the days and weeks go on you realize that the one that brought you to the dance isn't the one that is going to bring you home. Just because you lost 10 lbs walking 30 minute per day doesn't mean you are going to lose 20 that way.

Every time you workout you need to add things and make things harder. Challenge yourself to do a different exercise or do the same thing longer or faster.

If you are trying to lose weight long term to need to accept that everyday (or most days) you are going to physically exhaust yourself at the gym. If that is to hard then get used to being overweight. Sorry. Don't mean to be harsh but there is no compromise here. It's gonna be tough. Accept that an get to work.

HABIT #7: They don't view calories as the enemy. Very rarely do I hear of a long term success stay that begins with, "I cut my calories way back....."

If you don't eat you die. Is that what you want? Do you really think that eating caused you to gain weight? It's lack of eating followed by binge eating is what caused most people to gain weight.

It's as much about quality of food as it is about quantity. Have you ever heard someone lament the fact that all that broccoli they ate as a kid made them fat?

Ridiculous, right? It's just as ridiculous to try to "restrict" calories and lose weight. Do you need to stop eating CRAP? Absolutely.

Calories are a good thing. You need to eat to survive and you need to eat SMART to lose weight.

Those that succeed long term with weight loss treat food and calories as a ally and not an enemy.

Do you live local to the Central Florida / Leesburg area? If you do will you consider checking out the race that my wife and I are putting on October 4th?


I hope you can join us. Pre-registration is just $15 and kids 15 and under are free and can register on race day. 

Did you get value out of today's post? If so please share with your friends. You never know when you could change someones life! 

To your success!
Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 


Friday, September 5, 2014

My top 5 tips for distance runners to avoid injuries



You are training for a marathon or your first 5k. Or maybe you are triathlete trying to improve your run time. Perhaps you are competitive high school of collegiate runner. Maybe even you are adding running to your workout routine to help you get fit or to help shed body fat.

It doesn't matter WHY you are running. Chances are you have been injured.

Injuries range from minor setback to major issues that requite months of rehab or perhaps surgery.

How do you avoid getting injured?

Truth be told it is VERY hard to completely avoid being hurt. It's part of running for sure. In all the years that I have been running I have beenf injured BUT I have been blessed to say not very often.

Today's post will help you if you are hoping to stay injury free.

TIP #1: Proper warm up. A proper warm-up involves you getting out of breath and getting your joints lubricated. I like to do squats and some push-ups to go with a 5-10 minute easy run. I will also throw in a couple of "striders" or "accelerations" to get my body running a little quicker.

This is a great warm up for a race. What about a normal run? To help prevent injuries you should run for a short period of time, like 5-10 minutes, then walk for a spell before you hit your normal pace. If you are a "slower" runner who does 12-15+ minute per mile then this can be a walk to get the blood flowing. Another way to get warmed up is to do some squats of jumping jacks before you head out the door.

Regardless of how you do it, you shouldn't just run out the door at your regular running pace. Ease into it!

TIP #2: Run on trails. Sometimes people will tell me that they don't run on trails because they don't want to get hurt. This, my friends, is precisely WHY we run on trails. Running on soft and uneven surfaces keeps you alert and it makes you lower extremities work harder and thus get stronger.

Here is a video that I recorded a few months ago on the benefits of trail running.


Don't you think strong ankles, knees and hips will help you stay injury free? You bet!

I believe that you should do 1/3 to 1/2 of your training on a soft surface. Trails are awesome but running in the grass on the side of the road is also a good idea.

TIP #3: Fuel you body! I don't know about you but I think this is the most important one. If your car runs out of gas you don't blame the gauge do you?

No. That's silly. But we, as runners, get hurt and we try to blame our shoes or our flexibility or the pace or something crazy like that.

Why should our high performance vehicles (us) perform properly without the right fuel?

What to eat is another topic for another day. Just understand that you need to have fuel for the fire. You need to have the right micro-nutrients (supplements help for sure), macro-nutrients (focus on QUALITY and not quantity) and water.

If you are in the habit of running without proper nourishment then you may be causing your injuries with that decision.

TIP #4: Do functional workouts. I am a VERY big fan of not just running. I am a fan of cross training and working out at the gym.

I will also say that I am not a big fan of traditional weight lifting and stretching. (More on that later)

So if you interpret "functional workouts" as the leg extension, inner/outer thigh machine or bench press then you are missing the definition of functional training.

For the most part functional routines keep your feet on the floor and focus on building strength through the core. Examples of exercises are: kettlebell swings, thrusters, burpees, push-ups, standing row, bar push-press, cleans, dead-lifts...etc.

Don't get me wrong. I don't advocate that distance runners become power lifters or CrossFit fanatics. I just think that it is important that runners add some functional resistance training to their routines. I would keep it simple. Do 2-3 workouts per week that have some intensity and last 15-30 minutes. I would get with a coach or spend some time in front of YouTube to get these exercises dialed in the right way.

In case you are wondering CrossFit workouts for the most part fit this bill. Doing CrossFit full time probably won't help your running a whole bunch. If you do CrossFit don't try to up your max lifts. Keep everything that you do below your body weight.

TIP #5: Balance your endurance workouts. One thing I have learned over the years is that as I add mileage to my running I tend to get burned out, sick or injured. Don't take this as gospel for everybody but I don't like high mileage training for anybody.

It's a law of diminishing returns in my eyes. The change of getting sidelined with sickness and injury increases exponential with the addition on miles over 40 per week.

I am a huge fan of supplementing running mile in the pool or on a bike. Instead of another hour long run add a 2 hour bike or a 45 minute swim. You will still get a workout and give your running muscles a little break.

So there you have it. My top 5 tips for avoiding injuries as a runner....

Wait. Is there something missing?

Of course. It's the top 5 ways not ALL OF THEM. Will having good shoes help? Sure. Does stretching prevent injuries? The jury is still out on that one. Some say it does and some say it doesn't.

Personally I think that stretching after you run isn't a bad thing but it doesn't help prevent injuries.

Another thing that will help you is chiropractic care and massage.

Look at that! You got 9 tips for the price of 5!

Are you curious about supplementation for runner? I recorded a quick video a while back that may help you. Check it out and email me with questions: (rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com)

Did you find value in this short post? If so please share with your friends. They may find some value as well! 

Have a great weekend! 

To your success!
 Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 
352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

5 keys to long term success in health and fitness


I know. Long title. I titled this post like that for a reason; it's a great reason.

Lately I have had the "No Limits" concept on my mind. When I think about "fitness" and "health" it's not a bout a "goal" or a "number" or an "event"...it's about YOU and it's about you being more.

The more will change. The goal will change. It may be weight loss today and an Ironman next year. Who knows? There are no limits to what you can do.

Today's post if for someone trying to lose 10 lbs. But is also for someone trying to lose 100 lbs of train for a 5k or an Ironman.

I don't want to pigeon hole anyone. It's about and it's for YOU!

How do you succeed with becoming more and being better long term? Here are 5 keys that I know can help you.

1. Begin with WHY.  I like listening to books on my iPhone. I usually listen when I am doing the dishes or driving. It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. It also helps me to learn and to grow as a person. The book that I am listing to now is called, "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek. It's about successful businesses but the principles work great for you and I and out health.

Why are you doing what you are doing? My friend Brittany has an awesome why. She wants to lose 150 lbs so she can start a family. This means something and it will FORCE her to make good decisions each and every day. Your why may change but the importance needs to stay the same. Doing anything hard is never going to work long term if you don't have a compelling reason to do it.

2. Seek support, shed the anchors. There are a couple of concepts at play here. First of all, don't be that person that has a secret goal and does things in private. These people are afraid to fail and in the end the thing that we fear most almost always happens. Be bold about what you are doing and seek out people that are on the same mission as you.

You would be amazed at how many people are trying to get healthy and to become more. TRUST ME. I know a ton of them. Make new friends and support one another. This is vital.

It is also vital that you shed from your life the people that want to bring you down. In my life the minute someone tries to bring me down they are GONE. I don't accept that from people. I un-friend people on Facebook almost everyday. I also un-follow people on Instagram everyday. If you are not going to support me well then you do not have the privilege of being part of my world. PERIOD.

You need to have the same thought process. Who are your biggest cheerleaders? Get around them! Who are the people that bring you down? Shed them from your life. 

3. Start with YOU on your calendar. If you don't use some sort of calendar system you should. How do you know when to do stuff? Gosh...I would forget EVERYTHING if I didn't use my Google Calendar. 

We all start with some sort of blank calendar somewhere. What is the first thing that goes onto the blank page? My suggestion is that the first thing you schedule is YOU time. Now this is different for everybody. I like to workout a lot so I schedule my workout time. Unless my house is on fire don't call me during workout time. I will not answer. (HINT: text me. I will likely read in then finish my workout and pray the fire department can save my house!)

You need to schedule things like reading time, workouts, food shopping, meal prep.... all the truly important things that most people simply hope they do then someone claim, "I didn't have time..."

4. Set goals. I'm not just talking about your big goal. I'm talking about daily, weekly, monthly, hourly.... GOALS all the time. If you are doing something you'd better have a goal. My goal RIGHT NOW is to get this blog post out there by 9:30am. I have 33 minutes. I'd better get cranking. 

You are not on an inter-tube on a fast flowing river. Life doesn't just happen. You PLAN and you DESIGN your life. Get to work planning every aspect of it so that life doesn't happen to you. You need to HAPPEN to life! 

5. Read books. If you are not growing as a person then you are not succeeding. Personal growth is the spark that lights all fires. It's been said the only difference between you now and you 5 years from now is the people you hang out with and the books you read.

I believe this 100%. Shut off your stupid TV and pick up a book. Be more that average. Be more than the person that zones out in front of the TV every night with a beer and a bag of chips.

Grow, learn and be more. The time is going to pass anyway. Why now work on yourself instead letting others try to sell you crap?

There are no limits to what you can do. Fight for the body you want and fight to FEEL the way that you want. It's already inside you. All you need to do is let it out!

Did you find this post helpful? If so I would appreciate a share no social media. Someone out there may need some motivation and this could be his of her trigger.

Would you like to be personally coached by my wife and I? Its what we do for a living. Shoot me a quick email and I can go over the options with you. My email is: rick@yourbestfitensscoach.com. Teresa's email is teresa@yourbestfitnesscoach.com . We would be glad to help.

To your success!











Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 
352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

Thursday, August 28, 2014

No Limits


The only limits in life are the limits we place on ourselves.

Look at some of the doers of the world. Some are "talented" and some come from a "good upbringing" or where "born with a silver spoon" or have certain "gifts" but the truly great people of the world are those people that simply decided to define their own limits.

Truly, you are your greatest limitation.

If you really delve into the "why" of lack of success guess what you are ALWAYS going to find at some point? Yeah, it's you.

If you do the same for the true successes in life guess what you are going to find? Every great success that you have is going to be the result of actions that YOU took and decisions YOU made.

When all is said and done it's 100% up to you. Your life is your responsibility. You can either blame the world for all that you don't have or you can get off your ass and make it happen.

It's up to you.

When you peel back the layers and you have the courage to define your true reality you will see that there are NO LIMITS. 

I heard comedian comedian Stephen Wright say this once and it's very funny and prolific at the same time: "Anywhere is walking distance if you have the time."

Same goes for your goals and your vision. There are no limits to what you can accomplish if you have the time, the perseverance and are willing to do what it takes.

The true hero's and legends that we all look up to are the ones what refused to accept the limits that others placed on them.

So to you I say: There are no limits. Release the chains that hold you back. Stop pretending that lock that keeps the chains in place is secured by someone else. Look in your pocket. The key is there.
Here is a 7 step action plan for YOU to live the life you desire:

1. Accept that the past is a book written by you and that the next chapters are also written by you. You determine the story line. Your life is your responsibility.

2. Only read, watch and listen to positive things. Negatively will bring you down day after day. Refuse to be drawn down.

3. Stop complaining. 

4. Stop sharing negativity on social media.

5. Make it a point to set daily goals and ACCOMPLISH them. If you move closer your big goal each and every day then you will get there!

6. Politely dismiss people from your life that don't believe in you and aggressively add people to your life that support you and build you up.

7. Do good. Give back in some way. Even if it is something small that you do just make sure that you are adding value to others when you expect nothing in return.

This list of 7 step is like a foundation. You do this on a daily basis and the world you create is going to astound you on every level.

Trust me.

Are you local lake county and want to get some exercise and give back to the community at the same time? If so please support:

It's only $15. Kids 15 and under are free. Come get a good workout that isn't going to break the bank. Here is the link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/running-is-for-the-birds-5k-runwalk-tickets-12710751199

Did you get value out of today's blog post? If so will you please GIVE BACK (#7 above!) by sharing so that others may be blessed? 

THANK YOU!

To your success!
Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 



Wednesday, August 27, 2014

4:57



I did well as a distance runner in high school in the 80's and 90's. Clearly I had some talent and I worked hard. I loved the mile and that was my favorite event.

I remember very well my first mile race. It was the "alumni mile." During halftime of the Friday night home football game the cross country team challenged the alumni to a mile race.

I finished 5th and ran 5:05.

In the spring I ran 4:55 in my mile first race and my best that year was 4:49. I didn't even qualify to run at the district state meet that year.

As a sophomore I ran 4:40 and as a junior I ran 4:32.

I had some natural leg speed and I ran a lot of miles so I got stronger as I got older. I trained a lot during the off season and I always gave my all in races.

One day in February of 1991 I ran the perfect race on a perfect day and lowered my best from 4:32 to 4:24. I set the school record that day and that record stood for 18 years. Today the school record at my high school is 4:15.

The race I ran 4:24 was truly epic. It was at the state championships. Do you know what place I finished? I was 6th in that race.

In college I went on to run 4:16 in 1994 and that is my all-time personal best.

I tell you all this for what reason?

4:57.

What is 4:57?

I was walking around the campus of a local high school on Monday. I thought is was cool that the Track and Fiend school records were on a board outside. Awesome! Of course I zeroed in on the distance records and was shocked and disturbed that the school record was 4:57.

What happened to my sport? Why can't kids run faster than 4:57? To be honest I really am deeply saddened by the trends nowadays. Distance running is a dying sport.

I guess today's blog is a little bit of a downer. I didn't mean for that but I always write about what is on my heart and to see my sport struggling so much is hard for me to take.

I know that distance running is Lake County Florida is a not a big thing. I know there as so many different options for kids in this day and age. I know that ball sports and team sports are more glamorous. It's to hot....the list goes on and on.

I really don't know the true reason for the nationwide decline in the sport of distance running.

I guess it just is what it is.

I will finish with a happy thought. I was a runner in high school and it helped to form who I am. Running was and still is a blessing to me. I am a runner. Running created life long bonds and friendships that I will never lose with people that are amazing. Running connected us.

The memories of the state titles and the championship can never be taken away from me. I was part of an era of fast runners that we may never see again. I am fine with that. Running has giving me so much and I am thankful.

I hope that you gained some incite or perhaps this post got you thinking a little bit. If you got value I would appreciate it you shared with others.

Are you struggling with your weight? You are not alone! Maybe our "Back to school" group 24 Day Challenge is just what you need to kick-start some results!

What is the 24 Day Challenge? 6 minute Video: http://www.24daychallengemovie.com/ 

It you already now and AdvoCare distributor then get with them and get started. If you don't know one then Teresa and I would be honored to coach you.

Please let me know if you have any questions! 

To your success!
Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 
352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com


Monday, August 25, 2014

Group 24 Day Challenge

You have seen me talk about the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge before.

Why?

Because it changes lives. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

In the last 2 years we have helped hundreds of people to lose thousands of pounds but more importantly we have helped people to become more and to become better. It's an awesome feeling.

It's a program that I have done a bunch of times (it's not just for weight lose!) and so has my wife. It's 100% safe and obviously totally effective. 


Maybe now is YOUR time? Maybe this is the time that you want to start to create your own success story.

What if? What if it is your time to shed the weight FOR GOOD. If the results above appeal to you then I encourage you to find out more via one of the many resources that are available to you.

Are you super busy? Here is a recorded call for you that is only 7 minutes: 559-726-1099 code 342621 ref#52.

Can you carve out 6 minutes to watch a video on your computer? Here you go: http://www.24daychallengemovie.com  

Do you want a little more info and a chance to ask questions? Cool. we are doing 2 live webinars in the next couple of days so you can get the details visually and auditory.

Webinars are Monday, August 25th at 9pm EST and Tuesday, August 26th at 1pm  EST. 

Login: http://join.me/advocareteamcopley
Dial in: 559-726-1000 code 342621.

Our group 24 Day Challenge starts next Tuesday. To be part of the September group you will need to order your 24 Day Challenge by Friday, August 29th.

Anybody who joins this group will not only get high qualify coaching to go with the world class supplements but they also will get access to a SECRET Facebook accountability group. In this group we are going to provide daily recipes, workouts and motivation. The value on this is VERY HIGH. Social accountability is VITAL to long term success!

Will you join us?

To get started get with the person that referred you to this post. If you are new and friends with Teresa and I just shoot me an email and we will get you started!

To your success!










Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 



Friday, August 22, 2014

5 workout ideas for YOU!


Have ever heard someone say: "I just don't know what to do at the gym..."

Or maybe you have said that yourself?

In today's short post I am going to show you how to get ULTRA FIT by teaching you 5 different types of workouts that you can do on your own or with others at home, at the gym or virtually anywhere.

Trade secrets coming your way.

Ready?

You start with exercises. You can pick 1, 2, 3 or 10. Depending on the type of workout it really doesn't matter. Mix them up! Don't pick push-ups, bench press and dips. Add variety! Throw in some running or rowing or jumping jacks as well to keep the heart rate up. I would try to do at least an upper body intensive exercise and a lower-body and perhaps a "cardio" exercise.

When you pick your exercises you are going insert them into one of the 5 routines that I am about to talk about. This really is easy stuff people.

1. AMRAP. "As many reps as possible" in a set amount of time. This is a good one to challenge a friend with. Let's keep it simple: let's pick push-ups, squats and jumping jacks.

Once you get you exercise you pick numbers and a time. How about 10, 10 and 50 for 20 minutes. Here is your workout:

10 push-ups
10 squats
50 jumping jacks
12 minute AMRAP

Are you at the gym? How about this one:

12 leg press
12 bench press
200 meter row
20 minute AMRAP

The possibilities really are limitless. AMRAP workouts are fun because it keeps you moving. My suggestion is that when you do one write your score down and try to beat it next week or next month!

2. Count-down or count-up. I love these workouts. They are so EASY to program and a lot of fun to do. Plus they end up being more challenging then you think.


Here is how it works. You pick exercises, you pick a goal number and you pick a starting number and you go!

Exercises: squats and swings. Starting number: 1. Goal number: 15.

Here is what you do: Do 1 squat and one swing. Then 2 each, then 3, 4, 5.... until you reach 15. That is a count up. The countdown is the same thing except you start high and end low.

You can add variety to this workout by doing something in between. Do you have stairs? Do one set of stairs in between each round. You can do a countdown with just one exercise but using this method!

How about this! You have a basketball court. Do 20 burpees at one end line and 19 at the OTHER end line. Go back and forth till you are done.

An absolute KILLER workout is to pick 7 exercises and start at 1 then go up to 7 and BACK DOWN to 1. What a great workout!

3. TABATA.  Another simple concept than can create a really challenging workout. You can add a lot of variety to this by adding different exercises. The basic one exercise at a time tabata looks like this:

20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest: 8 rounds (4 minutes)


You can keep score in a couple of ways. You can add you total reps if you want. The other way is more fun thought! You "score" is your lowest rep for the entire 8 rounds. If you highest round was 20 but you lowest round was 4...well.... your score is 4. Makes you stay consistent!

To get a killer workout pick 4 exercises and do 8 rounds of each. This will be 16 minutes of pure joy!

You can also mix up the 2 or more exercises. First 20 seconds push-ups, rest 10 seconds, then 20 seconds squats, rest 10 seconds then back to push-ups.....

4. Hopper. Here is how this works. You put the numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 in a bucket. You have another bucket and you put 5 different exercises in there. You pull out a number and you pull out and exercise and you do it. When you are done with that round you draw another number and anther exercise till they are gone. You can do what ever numbers you want and as many as you want. You can can have an equal number or you can have some extra exercises or numbers that may not show up.

You can do this is a group and make it fun by letting people pick. Line up the numbers on one side or a board and the exercise on the other side of the board. You can pick which exercise goes with which number but each exercise and number can only be picked once! Start at the the bottom, start at the top, do whatever order you want...it's up to you!

5. Workout poker. This isn't new but it is a lot of fun. I was doing this long before Facebook and CrossFit so maybe I invented it. Or maybe not.

Here is way to do this as a group and make a game out of it.

Hearts: Burpees.
Spades: Jumping jacks.
Diamonds: Squats.
Clubs: Sit-ups.

Ace is 50, king 25, queen 20, jack 1, all other cards use the number. Maybe 7's are zero and deuces are 10 for the other team of something. Be creative!

I know I would be DREADING that ace of hearts!

Each person gets 5 cards and its a race to see who finished first! Winner of each round gets a poker chip. The person with the most chips at the end of 30 minutes wins.

You can also start people with 2 cards and when they finish their 2 cards you give them another. Round is over when all 52 cards are out. Winner has the best poker hand!

You can do this by yourself is a similar manner. Set a timer and try to get through the whole deck. Just be creative and have fun.


Now you have 5 workout ideas to help you vary your workout and get in killer shape. This is how I program workouts for our clients. We try to mix it up, make it a little competitive and have fun!

I hope that this short post added some value to you. If you think it may help others will you please share. I would appreciate that!

Are you looking for a good workout and maybe see some of the concepts above from one of my workouts? Well... you are in luck! We are doing an "open to the public" workout on Saturday! Normally we don't do "drop in" classes but... we do on Saturdays. For just $10 you will get an awesome workout and have some fun.

This Saturday is "Montezuma's Revenge". If you want to know what that is you will need to show up at ASM Fitness, 34 Ohio Blvd, Eustis at 8am on Saturday!

Come with a friend! You will love it!

To your success!











Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 
352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Pull-ups


Let's have a philosophical discussion today about why we exercise.

Cool?

There are lot's of "reasons" that you would give as to why we exercise. Some might say to "look better or feel better or live longer or have more energy or to perform better". There are lots of ways to look at the same thing.

We exercise for all of the reasons above.

This is true but I think it is more that that.

I think that we exercise not to be more than we should be or more than we are but to be WHAT we would be. We exercise to get closer to our potential.

You see, our bodies are amazing machines. We were designed by our creator to do so much more than we do. Our potential is so much higher than what most of us get to.

We don't exercise to be more than we are supposed to be. We exercise to get closer to our potential than we are now.

Maybe that is a paradigm shift for you. Maybe it is not.

This brings me to the topic of pull-ups.

I recently posted a video of me doing 45 unbroken pull-ups. The day before I had posted an embarrassing video of me and a NO REP clean. With all the, ahem, feedback I got from the bad form video I figured I'd redeem myself and post a video of me doing something more impressive then falling down.

I figured I was in the clear with that video.

Survey says....
Apparently my pull-up form was wrong. I love the Taylor Swift song with the line, "people throw rocks at things that shine."

I open myself up so I have to be a man and take it. It makes for good blog post idea. 

You can watch the video yourself below. 



When I look at an exercise like pull-ups I go back to the discussion from early. Why do we exercise? Why do we do it? We exercise to help us get closer to our potential.

If I were to only move my arms while doing a pull-up is that BETTER than the way that I do it? MAYBE I would focus on my biceps and my lats little more. But why? Is it a better exercise to do that? With a set of 45 pull-ups I am jacking my heart rate up, engaging my hips, using my core and stretching all my anterior and posterior muscles, tendons and ligaments. 

It's funny because people that make fun of kipping pull-ups probably go to the gym and do the leg extension machine and crunches. 

People have had this criticism of "kipping" pull-ups ever since CrossFit started teaching them as standard. Heck, maybe even before. It drives me crazy. 

Here is what I think: straight arms to chin over the bar is a pull-up. Period. Why should we not use our body to do the work in the most efficient way possible?

I am 170 lbs. If I did 20 strict pull-ups then I lifted 3400 lbs over the bar. If I do 45 kipping pull-ups didn't I now lift 7650 lbs over the bar? Which one gets you a better workout? Which one makes your entire body stronger? 

You could do the comparison with so many exercises. 10 leg extensions at 60 lbs equals 600 lbs moved by one muscle group. 10 thrusters at 95 lbs equals 950 lbs moved my MANY muscle groups. 

The people that don't like kipping pull-ups are, in general, people that believe in the "body building" way of working out. In other words you target one muscle group at a time so it breaks down and then grows. I disagree with that mode of thinking. I believe that the body is meant to do many things and the rest and recovery may of my not be available in everyday normal life. We have to be prepared for anything! 

I think strict pull-ups are a great exercise. I have nothing against them and they are a good way to help develop strength. But I like kipping pull-ups so much better because they make me more fit and do a better job at helping me to reach my potential. 

So I guess to sum up my message today I will leave you with a simple though to ponder. At the end of your workout are you REALLY tired? Good. It was a success. Do it again tomorrow but try to get more tired. 

Did you know that 4 time CrossFit Games champion Rich Froning used AdvoCare supplements? 

If you want to take your game to a new level don't you think putting the same supplements in your body as the champ will help? I know it helps me. CLICK HERE to see what Rich uses! 

If you want to get started with AdvoCare products talk to your favorite distributor and they will help you get started. If you don't have a distributor then shoot me a quick email and Teresa and I would be glad to take care of you! 

Did you get value out of today's post? If so could you please share. There are many out there that might need a little encouragement. THANK YOU!

To your success,
Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Instagram: @rickcopley 


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Stupid things people say to avoid being honest


Sometimes I just don't get people.

Maybe it's more than sometimes...

So the other day I'm driving home from somewhere. My phone rings and I see that it is someone that is an AdvoCare customer of mine who I hadn't spoken to in a long time. She got right to the point with why she called.

She called to invite me to a business opportunity meeting.

Now this blog is not about the right and the wrong way to get people involved with your opportunity. I am ALL FOR direct sales and a business opportunity. It's just that I already have one that I absolutely love and that pays me well. I wouldn't look at any other ever in a million years.

That's not the point.

The point is that while I was talking to her I was thinking of how I was going to tell her that I couldn't come to her party.

100% honesty. The beach. We were talking the kids to the beach and we just weren't going to be around. That would have been a clear lie and totally dishonest. What other excuse could I make up...? Hmmm....

When she got done with her invite this is what I said, "Thank you for the invite. I am honored that you thought of us but I am not interested. I am happy with what we are doing and I have no desire to look at anything else. So have you been? Keeping busy?"

She understood and that was the end of it.

Most people go the easy and cheap way. They say, "I'll be there..." then they don't show up. Or they say, "I can't make this one, when is the next one..."

Lies, lies and lies.


I really don't know why people lie to get out of things. Why not be honest?

In fitness I see it SO OFTEN.

So why did you stop going to the gym? "OMG, life got in the way....I got so busy.... the kids went back to school....the kids weren't in school...." BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.....

We just don't want to the tell the truth.

"I gave up.... I quit....I didn't have the will power....my purpose wasn't strong enough...."

My message today is simple. Have the courage to define your reality. Have the courage to say, "I quit because I didn't make it important enough. I quit because of me. I quit because I simply gave up. I quit and I am ashamed of myself for that. I need to become a better person and I am GOING TO TRY AGAIN."

Admitting that we failed at something is hard. Sometimes though it is ok to say, "It just wasn't for me." There doesn't have to be a reason.

Just don't lie or say something stupid. You didn't quit because you didn't like the music. Face the truth and you will feel better about yourself.

Hey, are you a runner? Teresa and I are super excited to announce that we are putting on a local 5k in Leesburg on October 4th. It's called the "Running is for the birds 5k run/walk."

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/running-is-for-the-birds-5k-runwalk-tickets-12710751199

Want to know the REALLY cool part? Well... actually two really cool parts.

Much of the course is on the rail trails downtown. Shade and no cars. Awesome stuff!

The other cool thing about the race is that the cost is just $15 to pre-register and $20 on race day. Can't beat that. Here is the link again:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/running-is-for-the-birds-5k-runwalk-tickets-12710751199

Did you get value out of today's message? Please share this post if you did. THANK YOU!

To your success,











Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page | Instagram: @rickcopley 
352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

Friday, August 15, 2014

Tough to fathom


I'll be honest. I have a real hard time understanding certain things. I have a couple of examples today.

This is a screen shot of an email I get 3-4 times per week. Do people REALLY believe this crap? It is tough for me to fathom.

I mean seriously. How dumb are we that we will buy something just because it says "burn fat fast, no diet and exercise"?

Have we become that dumb as a society that people actually believe that the only reason 2/3's of all Americans are overweight is that they haven't tried this pill? 

The sad thing is that people do buy this crap.

I am here to tell you that if this worked then the obesity levels would go down and not up. 

Crazy. 

How about this marketing gem that I snapped a picture of as I walked through the grocery store. 

Tell me ladies. Are you going to buy this because it says, "bikini ready". Do you think this "yummy shake" (by the way, "yummy" is a scientific team and the FDA fully supports it.) is the secret that the hot girls at the beach in the bikinis have? 

I know my comments are a little tongue and cheek but I hope you get the point. 

Low grade crap that is marketed to you in a slimy manner just doesn't work. You want to know a secret? If it worked they wouldn't have to do that. It would sell it's self because of the results and the happy customers. 

A quick disclaimer to you, my loyal reader. You know that we are independent distributors for AdvoCare. I don't ever want to try to promote my product my bringing down another. This post obviously goes in that direction. The intent of this quick message was simply to point out the ridiculousness of the marketing campaigned of these products. I hope that makes sense. 

Happy Friday to you all. If you got value from this post today please share it around so that others can get the message as well. 

If you would like to learn more about the weight loss system that we coach people through CLICK ON THIS LINK and send me an email so we can help you get started and coach you up. 

To your success!
Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Rick's No Excuses Blog
Instagram: @rickcopley 


Thursday, August 14, 2014

Our Team


Today I want to tell you about some of the lives that we have changed with AdvoCare as our vehicle.

In late 2011 we said yes to AdvoCare. At the time we were broke, Teresa was working at a job that she hated and I was addicted to energy drinks. We needed a solution.

We made a decision and took action. We went to the highest discount level and started taking products. For us the results were nothing short of AMAZING. Teresa gained 12 lbs of muscle in 6 weeks. I kicked the energy drink habit for good and started performing better in workouts.

As a matter of fact in the 4000+ person Savage Race in 2011 I finished a respectable 7th. In the spring of 2012, after 4 months of using AdvoCare products I won the Savage Race and was paid $500.


The products are amazing and they worked.

We started sharing and we started building a team. Today I want to take the opportunity to introduce you some of our team.

We change lives. We build champions.

This is Jason.

He was one of the first people that we introduced to the 24 Day Challenge. He had been working out with me for 2 years but was still 210 lbs. He worked and traveled all week. On the weekend he was to tired to play with his 4 year old son AJ. He says "I was napping away my kids life". 

He lost 30 lbs and now has more energy than he ever has had. He has kept the weight off and is a champion dad for his son. 

Meet Joe and Linda Peters. Joe is a firefighter / paramedic and Linda is a nurse. This is what they looked like just a few short years ago. 

There was a defining moment in their lives that they become sick and tired of being sick and tired and they began their weight loss journey. Along the way they came into out lives and we introduced them to AdvoCare and the 24 Day Challenge

Check out their transformation.

Linda and Joe transformed their bodies and that is not all. They also have changed their lives. Now they own a gym and they are part of the National Leadership Team with AdvoCare. They are blessing others with their story and earning $1500-$2000 per month by using AdvoCare as a plan B income. 

They are leading an army of people. 

A couple that is part of that army are the Fosters. Here are Delaney and Gary.

When they joined the team in August of 2012 they were in serious need of weight loss and so much more. They have 6 kids that Delaney's home schools. AdvoCare changed there lives and now Delaney works the business and in less than 2 years has matched the income that Gary makes after many, many years in a government job. 

Plus they are down 130 lbs between them. 

AdvoCare has blessed them and they are champions and raising champion kids. Check out their transformation. Wow. 


A lot of times people that do what i do get a hard time from people that don't understand what we do. The purpose of this post today is to show you that we change lives. Here is the proof. As a personal trainer for 12 years I helped people and some people got some results but results like this? No way.

There as so many more. 

How about Ashley and Trent. I took this picture last night. 

A year ago we found our way into their living room. Sure Ashley wanted to lose weight. The 24 Day Challenge helped her lose 14 lbs in 24 days and over 40 to date. 

But that wasn't what they needed.

Their finances were stretched. Their marriage was stressed. Trent was falling into alcoholism and Ashley wasn't being the mom she wanted to be because the was so tired and disgusted with herself all the time.

Now they are champion parents who workout everyday and they are raising 3 champion kids. AdvoCare changed their lives and the tears in Trent's eyes last night showed me that. 

Think Ashley is proud of her physical transformation?

I could go on all day. There are dozens of storys.

2 years ago Mike waited in line with his wife and 2 little kids for 90 minutes in the summer heat. He got to the front of the line for the roller coaster at Universal Studios only to find out he was too fat to fit. 

He was embarrassed and discussed. They found us and got started on the 24 Day Challenge. During the challenge Mike and Brittany both shed 25 lbs of fat. to date Britt is down over 50 lbs. And Mike? Check him out....

This flyer is a couple of months old. He is down 135 lbs now. He is a changed man and a champion for his kids. 

If you still think that direct sales is "one of those things" or a bunch people that want to "take your money and run" or it's a "pyramid scheme" well.... you are dead wrong. 

These are real people who have had there lives changed and they are all on OUR TEAM.

Want more?

Dawn. Check out her before and after.

Dawn was miserable just a couple of months ago. She did the 24 Day Challenge, lost 9 lbs and now is doing CrossFit. She texted me one day and said that she had just "run for the first time in years." 

Champion! 

Lastly I want to introduce you to Emily. This is the picture she posted to Facebook TODAY.

Does this 27 year old, single mom, school teacher exude confidence or what? It wasn't always that way.

3 months ago she came to us at 38% body fat and in a bad spot in life. The was physically weak and she needed motivation. 

We got her on the 24 Day Challenge and she has shed over 20lbs of fat off her body. She is strong and happy and WE HELPED HER to get that point. Ask her if Advocare had something to do with that.

This is a comment from her on that picture when I re-posted it: "Best decision on my life.

The cool thing? She loves to help people. Remember Dawn from the story above? Emily introduced us to Dawn. Now Emily is paying it forward because that is what we do. We build champions. 

I have a lot more story's but I am going to leave it at that for day.

Did you get inspired? Do you want to be one of these stories? 

What is stopping you? If you are already with Advocare well GET TO WORK. Someone out there needs to be blessed with this opportunity. On the fence about whether to join our team another team? 

What do you think your life would be like if you have the weigh loss results like Mike? Or maybe the smile that Emily has? Maybe you need income and would like to earn $3000 per month working part time (10-15 hours per week) like Teresa and I do.

It's all possible with Advocare.

If you know a distributor and this has inspired you then contact them. Tell them that you want to change lives and they will show you how. If you are our friend and have never been involved before then we would be glad to help you get health results or earn some money helping others. The choice is yours.

I hope you got value out of this post. If you did please share this around. Somewhere out there someone YOU know is desperately looking for a way to be one of these stories. Please bless them! 

You are a champion! 
Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 
Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Rick's No Excuses Blog
Instagram: @rickcopley