As the economy continues to take us on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and scary turns, we become increasingly aware of the many ways in which money — or lack of it — can affect our lives.
… Affecting everything from fitness to sex!
In this issue of the “Just For Guys” Newsletter, we’ll hear from fitness guru Mike Wonnacott as he gives us the low-down on how to keep your workouts on track…
… even if you’ve had to forgo your gym membership for a while!
Then, our dating and relationship experts chime in with a brash, no-holds-barred discussion about the importance of money in the dating scene… and how to meet women without it.
Last but not least, check out Dr. Fuhr’s expert advice about how lack of financial control can indicate much bigger problems in other areas of your life!
The Top 3 “No-Fee” Workout Tips for a Ripped Body in a Down Economy
— By Mike Wonnacott
In these uncertain economic times, we all want to tighten our belts a little and try to curb our spending.
You may have already decided that you can’t afford your personal trainer anymore… and maybe you’re even thinking of quitting your gym membership to help cut costs.
And that’s okay!
Quitting the gym does not mean you have to stop training.
In fact, staying active will help lower stress levels and allow you to keep your focus on what really matters.
Here are my top 3 home training exercises that will keep you in tip top shape until you find the means to get back to the gym!
Home Training Exercise #1: 15 up 15 down
This exercise can be done anywhere, and requires no equipment at all.
“15 up 15 down” technique:
Start with 15 push-ups, then immediately do 15 sit-ups. DON’T STOP HERE!
Without rest, continue this repetition with 14 push-ups, 14 sit-ups, 13 push-ups, 13 sit-ups, etc.. counting all the way down to one.
If you feel this is too much, start at 10 push-ups/sit-ups, or even 5, and work your way up to 15 over the coming weeks.
Muscles worked:
- Core: abdominals and lower back
- Arms: biceps, triceps
- Shoulders: all three heads of the deltoid
- Back: upper, middle, and lower back
Cardiovascular benefits:
Your heart rate rises, pumping blood to the working muscles, and stays within the target heart rate zone due to eliminating rest between sets.
Tips for best results:
- Push-ups: Tighten your core muscles in the push-up position. Lower your body until your nose touches the floor.
- Sit-ups: Do not anchor your feet to achieve a full sit-up. If you are not able to do a full sit-up, then do what we call a crunch.
A proper crunch is this: Normal starting sit-up position, knees bent up, back flat on the floor. With your hands beside your head (not behind — you will pull on your neck), raise your upper torso to the sky halfway to a full sit-up, and consciously flex your abdominal muscles. Hold for a count of two. Return to the start position.
Home Training Exercise #2: Power lunges
Lunges are the ultimate leg exercise! Again, these can be done anywhere, and require no equipment.
“Power Lunge” technique:
To start with, simply stand with your hands on your hips, take one large step forward with one leg. The front leg will be doing the work while the back leg acts as balance.
Simply bend your front knee and lower your body straight down so the front leg is at or near 90 degrees without touching the ground.
Then press back up with the front leg returning to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times (or less if you are just starting out).
Muscles Worked:
- Quadriceps: all four muscles of the front of your upper leg
- Hamstring: muscle in back of upper leg
- Gluteus muscles: that’s your buttocks fellas!
- Core: abs and lower back acting as stabilizers
- Calf muscles
Cardiovascular Benefits:
The larger the muscle group being used, the more demand on the heart to pump blood and oxygen to the muscles. The leg muscles are some of the largest in the body and therefore demand the most from your heart. In other words, this will get your heart pumping in no time!
Tips for best results:
Do this exercise in front of a mirror until you perfect it. There are two important things to watch for:
- When lowering your body, lower your hips straight down. You should not be leaning forward with your weight out over the front leg.
- Make sure the knee of your front leg never goes ahead of your toes. The angle of your bent leg should be 90 degrees and not more.
Home Training Exercise #3: Burpees
This exercise is a full-body workout — great for your legs, arms, torso, and heart.
“Burpees” technique:
Start with a push-up.
At the top of the push-up, kick your feet forward to your hands, then jump up from that position with your hands above your head like you were Lebron going for a dunk.
Jump as high as you can!
When you land, return your hands to the floor, kick your feet back so you are again in a push-up position, and repeat 10 to 15 times.
Muscles Worked:
Too many to list!
Cardiovascular Benefits:
If this does not get your heart pumping and your breathing heavy, join the Ironman!
Tips for best results:
Take a one-minute rest between sets. Three sets of 10 to 15 is a very good warm up to any physical activity and can prevent injuries. This exercise will feel awkward to begin with so take your time (use a mirror if you can) and get the motions down before you really push yourself to the limit.
Always remember to stay hydrated no matter what the activity. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, your muscles need that water to perform to the best of their ability. This will also prevent cramping and possible injury.
And stick with it! The motivation to do a home workout can be a little tougher than when you’re going to the gym… but it’s a fantastic way to keep in shape until you can afford a personal trainer — or at least a gym membership!
Money Money Money Money… and Women!
When I walked into the gym today, a woman walking past me suddenly looked at me and smiled.
When I walked into the grocery store, two women, one after the other, looked at me and smiled.
When I walked into a restaurant to get some lunch today, a woman walking out looked at me and smiled.
Why did they all do this? Was it because of my dashing good looks?
Or because I flashed a huge wad of bills?
Hey, big spender!
The answer is: Nope.
Today I was wearing a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt, a baseball hat, gym shorts, and athletic shoes. I was unshaven and sloppy looking.
I most certainly did NOT look like the well-dressed, flashy, hot-shot professional type that most people associate with the “big spender” image.
And, since I had to send the IRS a huge check yesterday, I was NOT smiling — in fact, I was pretty pissed. And because that check was just sent in, I definitely did NOT have a stack of pennies to flash, much less a wad of bills.
But I have always maintained that it’s possible for any man to create attraction, regardless of looks, age… or income.
Love is blind — mostly
Here’s why all those desirable women smiled at me: I know, for a fact, that I’m an attractive guy. There’s no doubt, only a firm belief… and women can sense that belief.
Was I born with it? Oh no, not at all.
In fact, I used to believe the opposite — that I wasn’t attractive. And what do you think happened? Women wouldn’t even look my way, even though I was younger and in better shape than I am today (it all goes to hell when you hit 30, guys).
When you truly believe you are attractive to women, they will approach you.
They say love is blind, but the fact is: attraction is all about seeing what you want to see in someone else. So make yourself the guy that women want to see — and believe it.
You don’t need money to create attraction. You can have a wealth of women in your life, even if you don’t have two pennies to rub together.
HOWEVER… (You knew this was coming, right?)
Look, here’s the truth: you don’t need money to attract desirable women.
However, there IS an important link between women and money.
Part of this is the simple fact that the more money you have, the more fun you can have with the woman or women in your life.
Look, if you live life on a paycheck-to-paycheck budget, with little room for entertainment, there aren’t too many things you can do night in and night out with a great woman.
After all, a night at McDonald’s gets old fast — especially for her.
So, when you have money, when you know how to make it, instead of going to Burger King on a date, you can go wherever the hell you please.
You can go to the beach… or on a ski vacation… or to the wine country… or to a Broadway show in New York.
The point is, you can live a much more exciting life when you do have “the green stuff,” AND include the women in your life.
Okay, let’s be brutally honest…
There’s another very important link between women and money, but many of us don’t want to admit it, even to ourselves.
So here goes… The truth is, any *real man* wants to improve his lot in life, and wants to be able to provide for his woman and his family.
As men, we take pride in “bringing home the bacon,” and feel ashamed when another man does it better than we do. We also feel immense pride when we know we can do it better than any other man.
It’s about living life on YOUR terms, and having power and control over every area of your life — whether it’s the women in your life or your financial well-being. It’s about having the freedom to get everything you want out of life.
So do you really need money to attract desirable women?
The answer is no. But the reality is that you’re going to have a lot more fun when you do have more money in your life.
And more importantly, you’re going to have the satisfaction of a man who is in control of your life and the women — and money — in it.
See You Next Time!
A big thanks to our experts for shedding light on how radically our financial well-being can affect our physical health, our dating or marital lives, and our overall well-being.
In the end, it’s a matter of taking your life into your own hands — whether that means working out at home, having the confidence to attract women, or establishing your authority in your own life.
What would you like to read about next? Visit us at www.JustForGuys.com and let us know!
And of course you can contact us any time at editor@justforguys.com and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
To better living,Craig JacksonEditor, JUSTFORGUYS.COM