Thank you Team Scarito

I just want to close this blog by saying thank you to Allison, Ashley, Doug and Dina for an amazing month. I had the best time training all of you. Everyone gave 110% every workout. Nutrition was excellent and you all stayed away from alcohol!!!!

I was impressed by all of your motivation and ability to resist temptation throughout the month. It's not easy, if it was I would not have a job. You guys rock. We consistently beat every team for the first 3 weeks of the contest and remember, we did not have big guys either.

Thanks again for an amazing time and the best part about it is that we all became good friends.

It I changed one thing in your life and training, than I did my job.

power to you all.

This is the Final weekend!!!!!

It has been a great month, I have not only had the best time training all of you, but I made 4 great friends. Whether we win or not (WE WILL WIN) I will always have Team Scarito's blog to go back to.

This weekend will determine everything. All I can say is that you guys keep doing what your doing. I wish all my clients were like you guys, motivated, committed, on time and best of all honest about what you eat. Remember, we need a top 10 list. The top 10 things you hated about Phil's workouts.

" If we fight, we may not always win but if we don't fight, we will surely lose!"

You guys Rock!!

Another great weigh In for Team Scarito

Team,

Team Scarito made another leap closer to winning the Biggest Loser Team Challenge. Today's agenda was a run on the Radnor Trail with some stops along the way. Everyone did very well, given that it was probably the hottest part of the day.

Allison, given what she has been through came in to weigh in with the Team, now that is what I call a teammate. The most important thing this week is that we all stay on course, eat well and don't forget to take a rest day or a couple please. Allison, let me know how you feel about working out on Wednesday-Stay strong women!!! You Rock

Doug, have fun in Florida, I have no worries about you. Come back with less weight on you.

Change it up a bit, is the best thing I've ever heard from a client

Comrades,

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I spent my weekend building window frames, and vacuuming drywall dust. Weigh-in tomorrow, I'm sure it has been on your minds, again no worries for Team Scarito, because we already have the contest won!!

Dina, blogged about how she is staying away from the gym and is going to change it up a bit, very smart. Take note of this, please it's all about changing up your routine!! That is why I try real hard never to do the same workout over and over. Or, you can train with those who just do the leg press machine at every session.

Tomorrow, bring your running shoes.

Sleep well.

How did today's Team session go?

Well, to sum it all up, Doug left early and Dina gave me the finger. I love you guys too.

Just kidding, Doug is leaving for Florida and Dina, well I think she really gave me the finger. Today was a tough session, it sort of was a modification of a prior session when we cleaned the floors. This Monday I believe everyone is going to drop another 3-4 pounds, which will basically leave the competition in the dust.

Tomorrow is D-Day. I will be doing 200 snatches and a mile run to celebrate our troops.

Ooorahhh!!!!

The Perfect squat

This is my goal for Doug. Doug how is the squats against the wall coming? Squatting like this will save your knees and back. We all must master the basics before we add any weight, remember that.

I say Dina and Ashley at CLM today, what a surprise!! I think this was their 2nd workout of the day. Tomorrow, try real hard not to workout before you see me. Ashley don't look at the scale tomorrow morning.

Allison, do you still hate me for making you clean the raquet ball court with your feet.

You guys Rock!!! See you tomorrow.

Congratulations!!! Team Scarito

Listen,

We had another week of weight loss, that is something to be proud of. Each of you lost weight every week we have weighed in. Each of you worked your ASS off for those pounds too.

I just want to say that I have never trained a group of individuals that worked so hard. I feel like we have developed a great relationship and are all working together as a team should. How many workouts do we have left?? Bells will be included in our next workout for sure. So everyone should get a stick and workout those tight muscles in the hams and quads. Please stretch, Please stretch before you go to bed and when you get up.

Going forward here is what NOT to do:

Never do a bicep curl!! It's useless. Lift you kids up and down 10x's instead.

Don't do the Treadmill workout more than 1x a day.

Ashley, every time you get on your scale, do 15 squat thrusts.

Doug, get to know your walls. Squat in front of every wall in your house

Enjoy!!

Whatever happens today, we just keep pushing along

Today is weigh in day. I think we will drop some good weight for a 2nd week in a row. It may not be the numbers we had before, but it all adds up. Remember one thing, it is imperative that we all stay positive and keep moving forward. Us humans get discouraged very easily, it doesn't take much.

I brought my suit, even though I think I am going to freeze my Ass off this morning,, I'm looking forward to it. I'm bringing 2 balls so we can partner up. Does anyone have any noodles?

See you all soon.

We Fear nobody, Team Scarito is ready for another weigh in.

Team Scarito,

The fact that Adam's team still has yet to weigh-in and post the Team's numbers, makes me suspect. I'm not sure who is monitoring the monitors?? Either way, we are warriors and will not fail, we fear nobody and we have to ability to resist everything that is tempting.

power to you!!

General Training Principles

What are the 3 things that every training program must have in order to see results??

According to NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) the 3 General training principles are:

Specificity
Overload
Progression

Specificity simply means training someone a specific way to produce a specific change or result. Team Scarito trains using the Functional Training method or using your own body weight as resistance. I believe that each individual needs to be able to handle their own weight before adding more on. This is why we have injuries. Master your range of motion and exercise technique first.

Overload is putting the body under stress and intensity that the client in not used to training with. This is a big one for everybody to understand. Who do you think will see results faster, Person A who runs all the time and uses the same weight during their strength training days or Person B who changes up their routine and constantly increases the load they lift? Your muscles need to placed under different stresses all the time. Doug, could not feel his lats after the first couples workouts, his body was not used to the intensity.

Progression is basically the process of continually making the workouts different and harder each time, at a safe pace!!! Having someone do 50 deadlifts with a weight they are not used too is just stupid.

I wanted to write this blog post for my Team to help them understand a little more of how I train and why I do the crazy shit that I do. For the future, keep these principles in mind and you will see results.

TEAM SCARITO!!!!

How is Team Scarito doing this weekend so far??

Team Scarito,

Just wondering how everyone is holding up? Food, alcohol and workouts. Please tell me what you are doing.

We need to blog more. Communication is key to success.

This was a HUGE 5 days for Team Scarito

Comrades,

First let me say that Team Scarito has worked their asses off this week. I am very happy with the food journals, eating looks solid. The No alcohol policy is a tough one and you guys haven't cheated at all-awesome!!!! Keep this up.

Our first weigh in was today here are the results so far:

Doug- Lost 4pds

Dina- Lost 4pds

Ashley- Lost 8pds

Allison-Lost 6pds

Total weigh loss this week = 22pds

Here was today's workout.

Warmed up with 3 runs around CLM
- Mt. Climber/push up combo
- Then the Amazing race began:
I set up a simple but killer set of exercises, using what I had outdoors.
- 1 Squat Thrust
- Run up hill
- jump over 3ft by 3ft wall
- Repeat 10x's, but the Squat Thrusts increased by 1.

Yes, this was a killer, but everyone made it through.
Finished with some Arm haulers and supermans. Did I use any weights? Nope, don't need to, your body weight is enough.

KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID- That is my motto.

Are you kidding me with this!!!!!!!

So, I'm reading Men's Fitness magazine the other day and came across an article titled, "Summer Body." I usually read through these magazines quickly to get some ideas on what not to do during my training. What do I see as I turn to the next page? I see a guy doing a swing with a dumbbell.

Right away I start perusing the article on how they teach the reader to swing a dumbbell between their legs. First, the guy is squatting way to much. Second, the picture shows the guy coming all the way up onto the balls of his feet at the top of the swing. Lastly, given the popularity of Kettlebells, why the hell would they advertise this movement with a dumbbell?

I guess I should be happy that they at least are introducing the swing into the general population, but at least do it right and use a #@#@ Kettlebell.

Previous to this article, they were teaching the dumbbell snatch, a move that has become popular by Crossfit, a great movement btw, but would recommend using a Kettlebell again. They recommend trying the move with the greatest amount of weight you can pull. Let me ask you this, How many readers are going to go to the gym this month and try to do the DB snatch with a heavy weight? Something they probably have never done before. Do you think a lot of these readers are going to injure themselves??? What the hell is going on

Believe it or not, but a lot of people get ideas and training tips by reading magazines. Some offer great advice don't get me wrong, but from what I've seen so far, its scary. Go back to some primitive movements like the Bear crawl and simple squat thrusts. Movements that are multi-joint and really get the heart rate up. KEEP IT SIMPLE.

1st workout is in the books, awesome job Team Scarito

The first workout of the contest began today. Doug, Dina, Allison and Ashley did an outstanding job of staying with the fast pace of the workout. Like I said before, all my workouts will be different in every way, this is to your benefit.

Below is how our first workout went:

Started with a mobility warmup.

* Walk out pushups (looking for trunk stability)
* Squat Thrusts 10, 15, 20 with a run around building between sets
* Intro to the Bear Crawl- Great Primitive movement that works the entire body.
* Worked on "face the wall squats" focusing on keeping a flat spine and weight on heels.
* Dip/push up combination. We focused on keeping back against wood during dip.
* Short sprints indoors around track (5)
* finished with some side shuffles slow/fast. again focusing on good form always.

Bottom line- No stationary equipment, only functional body-weight movements. Let me ask you this. We sit all day long, why would we go to a gym to sit some more on a machine that trains the body in a fixed range of motion??

EAT SMART, WATCH YOUR PORTIONS AND NO ALCOHOL.

Great job to all of you. We will prevail.

Put that cookie down

Doug, Allison, Ashley and Dina,

Do me a favor, start this weekend on the right foot. I don't want you to think that this is your last weekend to eat like shit, then on Monday its a clean start. That is the pattern we all fall into and Team Scarito will always deviate from the normal routine.

I will be posting our workouts and pics from our sessions on this blog. Use this as a way to communicate with me and your other Comrades on your team. Be sure to drink plenty of water during the weekend so you are properly hydrated for Monday.

Any questions or concerns, please contact your me.

Have a great weekend.

Team Scarito will prevail!!

To my 4 comrades,

I just wanted to Congratulate all of you for making the decision to change your life. 1 month may not seem like a lot of time, but you will be amazed at how much healthier you can become by being consistent.

We will meet 3x's a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4pm to 5pm. As my email stated earlier, consistency and determination are key. We must share our stories and struggles on this blog. It's not going to be easy, if it was I would be out of business.

Use this blog to ask questions, share concerns, talk trash on our competitors or whatever you wish to share with your team members. Take advantage of this.

See you all on Monday.