June 2025

There is a ton of information out there. One of the benefits of the digital age in which we live is that it is relatively easy to do a Google search to find just about any information that we want. This is a far cry from when I was growing up, and I would have to either consult an encyclopedia or do extensive research at a library to find the answers to questions that I had. Yes, I realize that I am dating myself. The downside to having a plethora of information at our fingertips is that it can be difficult to sort through what is truth and what is fiction. If you read enough about nutrition, health, and exercise you are bound to come across conflicting information. I believe it is important to question everything you read and do your own research, so that you can formulate an educated opinion and have a clear strategy going forward.

Multiple nutritional philosophies are touted as "the answer." Nutrition is a hot-button topic on podcasts, in YouTube videos, and in print. One place I would suggest not taking nutritional advice from is the medical establishment. Most American medical schools devote very little time toward discussing nutrition, and even then the prevailing thought is that "a calorie is a calorie." Even highly esteemed endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig said that there was no nutritional curriculum when he attended Cornell University Medical College. As I said earlier, there are a multitude of nutritional philosophies: the Mediterranean Diet, Paleo, Vegan, and the Ketogenic Diet are just a few of them. All of them have some merit and can work, provided you eat real food and minimize your consumption of sugar and processed food. My own personal opinion is that while humans, biologically speaking, are omnivores and should consume some meat, every individual has different likes and dislikes. The bottom line is that there is no one specific diet that everyone should follow. You have to experiment and find what works best for you within those parameters.

Are fitness trackers useful or not? It all depends on what you want to do and what type of person you are. Are you someone who is very numbers-oriented? Do you enjoy tracking how many calories you have burned through activity, your sleep patterns, heart rate, and many other things? The analytics movement isn't just a trend in team sports; fitness trackers have exploded in popularity over the last fifteen years, and it wouldn't be happening if people weren't interested in what they can do. There is no question that these devices can give you useful information, but it is very easy to get bogged down in minutiae and miss the big picture. If you are taking care of yourself properly by drinking plenty of water, eating a clean diet, strength training once or twice per week, managing stress, sleeping seven to nine hours per night, and drinking alcohol in moderation (and these are things that you don't need a fitness tracker to judge), then you will optimize your health regardless of what a fitness tracker tells you. I don't need a device that's located on my wrist to tell me when I stayed up too late or made poor dietary choices over the weekend. My body will be the first to let me know. You will hear evidence on both sides of the fitness tracker question. I recommend you do some research, experiment, and see what fits your lifestyle.

Vaccines are obviously a controversial issue, given the events of the last five years. I'm not just talking about the Covid shots, but also the growing number of immunizations that have been advertised and required now by the public school system. Public opinion is very divided on this, but the majority of the establishment media are in favor of them. In my estimation, this comes down to a personal decision, but my suggestion is to not take what the pharmaceutical companies say at face value (especially since they are the ones usually sponsoring the commercials). With the release of "The Pfizer Papers" last year, I believe that we can confidently conclude that the Covid shots provide minimal benefit and have killed and seriously injured thousands of people (maybe even more than have been reported). Ultimately you must educate yourself and decide what is right for you and your family; don't allow someone to make that choice for you.

I have been a practitioner of the Total Results exercise philosophy for over two decades, and I wholeheartedly believe in our methodology. However, there are many exercise regimens out there, and numerous people have achieved positive results by doing something different than what we espouse. I am convinced that Total Results is the safest, most efficient, and most comprehensive exercise protocol available, but there are other forms of high-intensity weight training. Some instructors spend their free time arguing on HIT message boards about why their philosophy is the best. I see that as a waste of time and effort; I would rather help our clients achieve great things. There is a mountain of evidence, even from the exercise physiology establishment (which was reluctant to embrace weight training), that confirms regular strength training is a must if you want to maintain muscle and bone health and remain physically independent. Give Total Results a try and see if we are a good fit, then go from there.

The Internet has made the world a much smaller place, but you still have to do your homework. Whether you were a fan of former president Ronald Reagan or not, he had some sound advice: "Trust, but verify." Beware of sources of advice and information; there could be a hidden agenda, but if there is a lot of vague language or misspelled words I would discredit the source. Every individual is different, and life is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. My hope is that if you take anything away from this article, it is an impetus to educate yourself and act as your own advocate for everything that you do. You have the power!

Novice Total Results clients are often very keen to heed their instructor's cues down to the smallest detail. People who genuinely want to succeed, especially when they are trying to learn things that are unfamiliar, tend to focus intently and work to execute as they have been instructed to do. Mistakes will naturally occur, and we must learn from every failure if we eventually want to achieve mastery. However, human nature is that as we become more proficient we subtly let off the gas pedal and ease up on our attention to detail. In the martial arts there is something that is referred to as "the white belt mindset," in which one displays "a mindset of humility, eagerness to learn, and persistent effort characteristic of a beginner." No matter what you have accomplished or how long you have been a Total Results trainee, it is important to not develop a false sense of security.

I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to assist hundreds of clients over the years in their pursuit of increased strength, robust health, and an improved quality of life. Some clients have made improvements that I didn't even believe was possible, but that is a testament to their drive, desire, and attention to detail. Some clients have made excellent initial gains, but were unable to sustain those improvements over the long term. As Nick Saban says, "It's not human nature to be great. It's human nature to survive, to be average and do what you have to do to get by. That is normal." Some clients eventually fall off track with their nutritional habits and choices, but think that if they just continue to work hard in their Total Results workouts and add in some additional activity elsewhere that this will make up for it. Dr. Robert Lustig told us in the book "Metabolical" that, "You can't outrun a bad diet." Don't fall into this trap! Remember that exercise is an important but small component of the overall health equation.

One can develop a false sense of security when it comes to safety. During a Total Results initial consultation we go to great lengths to explain how client safety is our number one priority, and we discuss the reasons why we use such a slow speed of movement in each exercise. Remember from physics that force equals mass times acceleration, and that excessive force is the root cause of any injury. If clients follow our instructions they are at virtually no risk for injury; as Ken Hutchins is fond of saying, our exercise protocol is safer than stepping off of a curb. However, committing form discrepancies not only diminishes muscular loading, it also significantly increases your risk for injury. One client many years ago injured his back at the end of the Leg Press exercise by lifting his butt out of the seat and firing out in an attempt to start one more repetition. I had another client recently injure her quadriceps muscle because she fired out of the stretch position to start the exercise. Don't let this happen to you! Bear in mind that committing form discrepancies is rarely a conscious effort on the part of the client to do the wrong thing; they are typically misguided attempts to make things just a little easier. On the other hand, jabbing at the weight, off/oning, and increasing your speed put you at greater risk for injury. Once we achieve a certain level of strength and conditioning, the idea of injury often fades into the background. It is important to see the bigger picture. Taking liberties with your form to achieve one more repetition in the short term can lead to trouble down the road, even if the immediate result isn't injury. If your form suffers now, it is harder to get back on track.

Whether I am instructing exercise or coaching high school football, I believe it always comes back to the fundamentals. I have learned over the years that it is okay to reduce a client's weight on one or several exercises in order to recapture proper form and protect against injury. This is where attention to detail becomes critically important, and we should understand that mastery is a lengthy process. Past success does not guarantee future prosperity; don't stray from the habits that have helped you to achieve great things. It's okay to be bored once in a while.

Everyone has their "why" for participating in high intensity exercise. Identifying your "why" will help you push through when things get tough or when you don't feel like working out. It is harder to stay at the top than it is to get to the top, and it's important to not rest on your laurels once you have achieved a certain level of fitness. There are always other mountains to climb. Approach Total Results exercise with the mindset that this is a lifelong endeavor, and recognize that mystery is a continuous process. Never take anything for granted!