When I think back on my experiences as a personal trainer. I realize that I had the opportunity to meet interesting new people, establish a friendship with them, and to a very strong degree impact their lives. Interestingly enough my former clients had a significant impact on me as well. I learned from them, they gave me advice about life, love, and happiness. We all experience trials and tribulations through out our lives. Some not as bad as other and other worse than most. Regardless of the situation the majority of us overcome these obstacles. The experience is gone but not forgotten. I keep in contact with a large amount of all of my former clients and they still give me advice. Why ? Because I trust them and we have created a strong friendship through out the years. I know that they will give me their honest heart felt opinion as I will do the same for them. Recently my wife and I have faced some rather difficult trials and tribulations. During this time our love, understanding, and dedication to each other and our goals and dreams enabled us to grow stronger. When life gets the best of us we rely on each other to keep us strong. That is the beauty of marriage, even when you think you are at your worst there is someone there saying you are always at your best. We also seek comfort and guidance from our friends and family. Earlier this week I felt like the weight of the entire world was on my shoulders. You know that feeling where you don’t want to look outside on a sunny day? If it weren’t for my wife standing by me and supporting and my friends being there for me I don’t know what I would have done. I look back on this week as I press the tip of my index finger to my tongue and prepare to turn another page in my book of life. I tell myself that I am truly blessed to have a wonderful, loving, and supporting wife and great friends like Mando, Milner, Rob, Natalia, Warren, and Vanessa. I realize that regardless of any problems I have or the triumphs I experience it is bigger than me. If it weren’t for my wife and I deciding to start D&M Elite Fitness for these few years before we stepped into the next stage of our life then I would have never had the chance to make such wonderful friends and for that I am grateful. It is bigger than me!

Why run on a treadmill when you can run outside? Personally I only run on the treadmill when I absolutely have to. Normally I will hop on the treadmill to warm up or if I can not make it outdoors to run. I am not a fan of the treadmill but they certainly are better than not getting some sort of cardiovascular exercise in your routine. I prefer the scenery of an outdoor run, the change of terrain, and feel of nature. You can’t get that on a treadmill! You can get a few ugly stairs from people reading their books while they walk. I guess the sound of the treadmill taking a pounding from a guy my size running at an increased pace breaks their concentration. Excuse my while I walk to the weight room with my head down in sorrow.. that where I belong right? All of a sudden you hear to the weight room meet head! That was a joke by the way. I only got ugly stairs the day I didn’t realize there was a line to use the treadmills. You cant beat the feeling of running outside regardless of the time of the day or year you will always see something different on every run. You can even keep track of your performance with a program runtastic that can download to your blackberry, android, and Iphone. You can track your history and even map out your run routes. I heard a rumor you can also get audio books on it as well… Kidding!

I met Joseph at the gym a few years ago. He approached me and I asked me if I could help him reach his fitness goals. I expressed to Joe that I would be delighted to provide my services to him and I would really like to be his trainer. We started our training as I do with all of my athletes by using the evaluation. If you have ever trained with me you know in order to earn your stripes there a few key workouts that you must go through in order to excel through the ranks, such as “The Green Mile,” and  “My Sweat Heart.” When Joe first started his initial weight on 10/23/09 was 204lbs. After a rigorous fitness program full of resistance training blended with cardio we reduced his bodyweight to 199lbs and increased his muscle mass.  On behalf of D&M Elite Fitness thank  you for letting us help you take charge of your body.

Many people identify El Paso, TX by its hot summers, hot salsa, and hot women. I know because I am lucky to be married to a beautiful El Paso woman. Recently the city has made national headlines due to the increased violence in neighboring Juarez, Mexico. The lime- light in the sun city shines rather dim but marching out of the shadows into it stand Cindy Tollen, a creative and intelligent entrepreneur. One visit to her store Sudz n Bubbles inspired me to write this post. As soon as I walked into her store was I greeted by the wonderful balanced aromas of her products. I glanced at the wall and I read this statement, “soap is for the body what laughter is for the soul.” It is clear to see that soap is Cindy’s specialty, but not just any soap hand made natural soap. After purchasing and trying her products I must admit that I am very satisfied. The uniquely named stud bar is fresh and unlike most bars designed for men it does not present a strong overpowering odor, but it still delivers that stud like masculine aroma. This soap is perfect after a long run or great after a weight pounding session at the gym. Stud is hand crafted and chemical free. Its’ composition is just as black and white as its’ creative appearance. Perfect for a stud, or the stud in your life.

I purchased a few containers of Ripped Fuel by Twin lab a few months ago. I used this product a few times as a young soldier in the military. I remember the first time I tried it. Scooped up a bottle of it at the military version of Wal-Mart, the post exchange “PX”. I read all of the safety information and recommended dosage, mind you that this was in 2000 before ephedra was banned so I probably purchased a more potent formula in comparison to the one I have now. The morning of P.T. I popped a few tablets and ran down the barracks stairwell just before that infamous first formation command “fall in”. Marching in formation as a young troop I still have fond memories of that sound of a platoon or company size element moving in unison. The sound of the march as over 80 to 100 soldier’s feet strike the ground creating a thunderous roar followed by the repeated chant of the drill sergeant shouting ” your left, right on left, right, left”. Shortly after it was boogie time, the sounds of various cadence calls fill the air early in the morning. Tunes like Down by the river, and Airborne Ranger echo throughout the terrain at Fort Gordon. As we continue the March we find ourselves competing with rival companies and battalions chanting cadence variations. Each unit attempts over power the other with heavier and stronger foot stomps and battle cries. We all converge on Barton Field, any soldier that has been stationed on Gordon will probably have fond memories of Barton field, it was the longest field I ever had to run around as a youngster. After a brief stretch and moderate warm up we would embark on our company run. The run is a joyous time for most military units, it allows soldiers of all ranks to not only test their cardiovascular strength, identify who in the unit is a strong runner, sing some good ole cadences, but most importantly it is a time where you put your body to the test. You push yourself mile after mile forging into the darkness along with your comrades encouraging each other not to quit or “fall out” of the run. That faithful day proved to be far more challenging than I expected due to what felt like a combination of tachycardia and sickness. Most people that have taken a fat burner for the first time and realized how strong it is can attest to this feeling. I wasn’t sure if my heart would jump out of my chest or if I would puke before the last mile. I finished the run, but not before experiencing some interesting side effects paired with phrases such as “Moncrief! If you don’t back in this formation you will do KP until you left this post”, that was a generous motivational tactic that our Drill sergeant would utilize. Everyone hates KP! Upon arrival at the company area which what seemed to me like an eternity to reach, I remember throwing my body onto the freshly waxed and buffed floor of the room that myself and 6 other soldiers shared. A great friend and hell of a comrade Tommy MIller looked at me and asks “Moncrief are you okay” “Hell to the no!” I respond. I found it hard to recover from those damn little pills. Eventually I was able to regain my composure and make it to formation to go to the chow hall. But I must admit that it was a horrific experience. Eleven years later I had my second encounter with Ripped fuel, as I mentioned in my last post I have been slacking in the nutrition department so I figured ripped fuel would help me gain the upper hand while I workout. Talk about flash backs from PT! This morning I found it hard to make it through what is normally a simple leg day. I am simply going to either do one of the two things. I will take ripped fuel at the recommended dosage before I eat a meal or I will continue to utilize it in the morning pre- workout, but I will cut the dosage in half. Either way I think it taught me a valuable lesson and I relived one of my memories from the military.

TheReebok ZigTech Shoe is designed to conserve and return energy to the athlete for a soft and springy ride. The one-of-a-kind Zigtech Shoes bottom unit features an innovative, lightweight foam that is engineered into a dramatic, geometric, zig-zag shape. This unique zig-shaped sole absorbs the impact of heel strike and sends a wave of energy along the length of the shoe to help propel the athlete forward with each step. Reebok Easytone Shoes are designed to help you tone your legs and bottom muscles with every step. Balance pods are built within the easytone trainers which creates natural instability, this forces your key muscles to work harder than if you were wearing a normal pair of trainers, in turn burning calories and improving muscle performance. The easytone trainers offer slanted heels, therefore enhancing your walking stride. Reebok did a great job with this shoe and offering athletes the ability to customize it delivering there own personal flare won me over easily although I like my Vibram Five Fingers the Zigtech’s are amazing.

Vectron™ is like no other product in existence. It is an entirely new type of protein, a truly innovative, first-of-its-kind supplemental protein formula designed to help athletes lose fat and get truly ripped, while preserving lean muscle.

This unique transformational effect is driven by the key ingredient in Vectron, an elite new fractionated protein complex called Prolibra®. This clinically proven blend is composed of a specialized bioactive peptide matrix along with a special whey mineral complex designed to precisely target key mechanisms of body transformation.

In an independent, randomized, double-blind, 12-week clinical trial† commissioned by the makers of Prolibra and published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, test subjects showed significant improvements in the ratio of lean mass to fat while taking just 24.4 grams of Prolibra per day compared to a control group taking an isocaloric placebo.

This is an astonishing achievement. Athletes accustomed to supporting their mass-building efforts with hundreds of grams of conventional proteins per day are overjoyed with the results achieved by the small dosages detailed in this breakthrough study. It is indicative of Prolibra’s power, potency, and purity that subjects achieved these extraordinary results using less than 25 grams per day

The Kindle by Amazon is an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle.

Amazon designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

Amazon wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and simple to use for everyone, so we made it wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read.

With Whispernet, you can be almost anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a minute. Finished your book in the airport? Download the sequel while you board the plane. Whether you’re in the mood for something serious or hilarious, lighthearted or studious, Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand.

And because Amazon knows you can’t judge a book by its cover, Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of books for free. This way, you can try it out—if you like it, simply buy and download with 1-Click, right from your Kindle, and continue reading. Want to try a newspaper as well? All newspaper subscriptions start with a risk-free two-week trial.

Kindle’s paperback size and expandable memory let you travel light with your library. With the freedom to download what you want, when you want, we hope you’ll never again find yourself stuck without a great read.