RICK THE BRICK
HOW TO GET A 6 PACK FAST

How to get a ripped body, is what most guys dream of and want to accomplish as a goal for their bodies.  It normally starts in high school or younger when your dad flexes on you and shows his huge bicep.  Then you grab your garage sale dumbbells and have a go at it.  There is a science behind how to get a six pack fast, how to pop out your chest muscles and loose body fat.  For the ladies your goals may be to have beautiful curves and sexy slender legs, or having those Abs like Jillian Michaels on the Biggest Loser TV show.  Or having toned arms like Madonna, or having a backside like Jennifer Lopez whatever your goals may be for fitness keep them alive and finish them.  I’ll give you a few pointers that have WORKED for me and will WORK for you as well.  Back years ago when I was a little husky, and I started my little gym routine I didn’t understand why some people ONLY do cardio on treadmills and elliptical machines, while others only lift weights, while others only do fitness classes and some do all three.  So I began to do cardio on the elliptical machine then lifted weights, but I noticed that my energy would be shot after cardio first.  So after a couple weeks of that I started my next routine with lifting weights first, then moving over to cardio after but for about 45mins-1hr wow (way to much).  Some might say what’s wrong with doing that much.  Well if you know the science behind laying on toned muscle and working out you’d understand but for the sake of this post I’ll keep it really simple.  What I was doing was over training and ruining the new muscle I was trying to build by doing to much cardio after lifting weights.   The tip and science I have for you today is workout if that is what your goals are lift weights 1st for no longer then 45mins.  Ladies you can do the same time of 45 mins, trust me you can do everything that you need to do in that amount of time.  Keep your rest periods down to 45 seconds to no more than 60 seconds for lean muscle and toning and loosing fat while doing light to medium weight for 10-15 reps.  If you want to gain more muscle and are lifting really heavy weights then increase the rest time to 1min 15 second to no more than 1 min 30 seconds with min 5 reps to 8 reps or 10 if your feeling really frisky.  After your weight training is over (watch the clock 45mins) then head over to the cardio machine of your choice.  I love the Stairmaster,

now turn it on and start doing a pace of whatever machine you choose where you would be able to have a conversation with the person next to you and still talk with out huffing and puffing.  But not to little were its just to easy.  Get to this pace and you’ll workup a gradually sweat, this is called being in the FAT BURNING ZONE.  The fat burning zone is where your burning fat and not muscle.  The reason is because during your weight workout you have burned through your stored up carbohydrate storage’s that the body uses for energy, and now your burning fat for energy instead.  Again like I said it’s a science but forget about science it really works and it WORKED for me.  Do cardio for about 30 mins max after lifting weights at this pace.  Example of what I do set the treadmill to a incline of 6.5%-7.5% and speed of 4.0 with out touching the handles or side rails for support walk at a good pace while watching TV, the time will fly trust me.  Finish it off by lowering the machine back to a incline of 0% and speed of 2.5% for 2 mins of cool down.  Then head home. For the advanced gym rat I throw ab exercises in for about 15 mins after lifting weights and before cardio.  Or you can do abs during your resting times between lifting weights for more of an intense workout.  This will get you started to a fast healthy routine and a ripped body.  Until next time have a good sweat.

Now before you head to the gym with thoughts of huge arms, a ripped six pack or 8 pack.  Understand that keeping your motivation is the key factor to continuing to do what you start.  Returning that is what were going to work on today.  I remember when I was chubby, now understand this I was born out of the womb jacked N tan but there was a time when I used to stay up late and eat Mexican food and bake cookies because I enjoyed them and it made me feel good.  Emotional eating will talk more about that in another post.  It all started with a couple of not so nice comments about my chubby weight gain by family members, which I’m so thankful for because in my mind I was still the in shape kid from high school years.  Not so much:(  so after putting on my swim trunks and my belly hanging out the top I said enough is enough.  Now I was always going to the gym but just like 2 days a week, I wasn’t doing any cardio and just eating pizza drinking soda and ice cream for movie nights.  The first thing I did was work on my nutrition,  I started with (now for you men out there swallow your pride here)  was order salads.  I would still dump the salad dressing on top but at least I wasn’t putting down double bacon burgers.  I then slowed down with eating dirty food really late at night like 2am before bed, instead I ate some cheese or yogurt or fruit something healthy to satisfy those cravings.  Its hard at first then becomes super easy.    I then was still going to the gym like 2-3 times a week but this time was doing some light lifting then cardio after I lifted weights.  This helps in the fat burning process after you lift weights.  Well I continued to control my food and chose healthier options example, like instead of pizza I would order a turkey burger or a tuna sandwich etc.   Next thing you know I was putting my shoes on in my room one day and I looked up in the reflection of the TV that was in front of me and I saw some shadowing around my arms.  This means that I saw definition of muscle on my arms that certain light gives off to your reflection that’s why some gyms or places have great shadowing lighting to make you look tanner or in better shape.  From then I was hooked, I wanted to see what my body could accomplish.  The point of this post is to “yes” go exercise but don’t over kill it at first or you won’t return to do it again.  Example don’t go to the gym and lift for 45 mins then do abs for 20mins then cardio for 20-30mins just because the guy you work with that does amateur bodybuilding in his spare time told you to.  Why do you think that people never return to train with their trainers again, because the crazy in shape trainer pushes them just to hard at first.  Do what you feel will push you, don’t be afraid to break a sweat, don’t be afraid to be sore in the morning this is good, just do what will encourage you to return then when you start to see shadowing you will be HOOKED.  Until next time stay young and alive.  God Bless:)

Staying Lean year round is always the goal, I know many lifters who like to put on a little weight during the winter, they call it their winter weight.  I on the other hand feel as though if your body feels good and you don’t mind seeing a little chub in your love handles, then top of the morning to you.  But Rick on HATES fat I hate to see it feel it and I will personally never put weight on for winter.  Some might ask but what about if your bulking?  Again it’s how you want your body to feel and look naked in the mirror.

So speaking of being Lean which brings me to Cardio.  Now before you jump up and yell and say I hate Cardio I hate treadmills, Just

Listen.

So do I that’s why just get outside and breath fresh air, go for a walk go for a run, try Road biking.  I tried it once and fell in love instantly.  One outdoor activity that also hooked me the moment I first tried was Stand Up Paddle Boarding.  People are even surfing in the middle of the country.  It’s called River Surfing (check out the link to view a killer site with awesome river surfing.)  Or you could rollerblade like I did in the picture above just don’t fall.  Play handball, just try to sweat daily.  Your body will thank you and so will the mirror, and of course before you know it you’ll be having your husband or wife saying “WOW” watch out.  Let me leave you with these words, pick something any form of exercise that you love or fall in love with anything that gets you motivated, if you not motivated you will not do it.  So even though Rick the Brick breaths the GYM, it might not be for you so find a activity and stick with it and find new ones to stay Pumped about it.

HEAD to my Nutruition Page for what Rick the Brick EATS.

I Do love eggs but honesty I only eat egg whites, I’ve eaten them for so many years now that I prefer the taste.  I consume about 6-8 eggs a day.  I used to eat about 12 a day.