Total Results Blog

Last month, I celebrated my 82nd birthday. As I age, I'm curious about how to maintain my fitness and independence. At Total Results, I've been consistently doing a 20-minute workout every week since 2007.

Strength training is paramount for maintaining independence, overall health, and enhancing quality of life. Being independent is my top priority, and the experience of being partially or totally independent can be life-changing.

To better understand my perspective, I recommend visiting a nursing home. Observe the residents coming and going in the lobby. It was eye-opening for me to realize that if I hadn't been strength training for the past 17 years, I might be in a similar situation. Losing my independence is my driving force to stay consistent with my workouts.

I adhere to the Total Results protocol, which emphasizes proper breathing, form, speed of movement, and thorough inroad. My attitude plays a crucial role in achieving these results. Understanding the instructions and executing them are two different activities. I read books and watch instructional videos on playing golf, but it's entirely different when I'm actually on the course. Without the right attitude, focus, and help, I'm in trouble. I try to maintain an open mind and concentrate on the present moment.

I record my times, but only to track my progress and adjust my weights accordingly. I'm not overly concerned about the time under load for each activity. Instead, I focus on giving my all and giving it my best effort during each exercise.

After completing my workout, I can honestly say, "I did the best I could today", and I move on.

When it comes to achieving what we want in life, it is human nature to focus on the outcome rather than the process that is required to get there. The Philadelphia 76ers are a storied NBA basketball franchise, with three world championships on their resume and such luminaries as Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, and Allen Iverson counted among their greatest players. By the early 2010s, the franchise had fallen on hard times and experienced several losing seasons in a row. Former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie developed a mantra that he called "Trust the Process"; this was his vision for how to turn the franchise around, and it involved trading away their most valuable players (who didn't necessarily buy into this concept) in exchange for high draft picks. Hinkie was widely criticized by those who thought the Sixers were losing games on purpose, but the strategy eventually paid off. Philadelphia has made the playoffs every year since 2017-2018 and has won more than 50 games four times.

Lanny Bassham is a former world and Olympic champion rifle shooter who wrote the outstanding book "With Winning in Mind." Lanny has taught his Mental Management � system to Olympic athletes, professional golfers, Miss USA winners, and the United States military, and he teaches his students to become process-oriented instead of outcome-oriented. Bassham believes that if you are solely focused on the outcome you will become disappointed and discouraged if you do not reach it. In addition, over-trying is usually the result when you focus on winning instead of executing the process. The 1976 Olympic champion says, "Put out high-quality effort, consistently over time, and you can do anything you consistently dream of doing."

You are far more likely to achieve something if you write it down and see it every day than if you just dream about it. In his book, Bassham details an entire goal-setting system that can be applied to any endeavor, whether it is quitting smoking, succeeding in business, or becoming a champion rifle shooter. Some of the most important components include determining a goal worth trading your life for, listing the pay-value of the goal, evaluating the potential obstacles in your way, formulating a plan for how to achieve your goal, and starting now. Remember that life is about making a series of choices, and you cannot do everything that you want. Some things must be prioritized, while others may have to be pushed to the back burner or even eliminated entirely. How badly do you want to achieve this goal, and what are you willing to do to get there? Do you want immediate gratification, or are you willing to play the long game by making incremental improvements? Only you can answer these questions, but being honest with yourself, formulating a plan, and marking down your progress are positive steps to take.

What does all of this have to do with exercise? In order to succeed in terms of gaining strength, reducing body fat, building bone mineral density, improving metabolic and cardiovascular conditioning, and reducing systemic inflammation you need to have a plan of action. Otherwise, you will likely end up like so many people wandering around aimlessly in commercial gyms without the first clue of what you're doing. Contacting Total Results is the first step. We can help you formulate a plan of action and educate you on the physiology of how to stimulate positive physical change. Remember that the main exercise objective is thorough inroad, and this is the stimulus that spurs positive physical improvements. We can help you to set ambitious but achievable goals, and we'll do check-ins periodically to see how you're doing. Are you facing obstacles in your process because you aren't a morning person? We can find a time of day that works better for your schedule and helps you stay on track. 20 minutes, once or twice per week, combined with simple lifestyle changes is all that you need.

Every repetition matters, but proper form trumps everything else. Concentrate on this exercise, this repetition, this turnaround; don't worry about what comes next. Stay in the now! Total Results is the accountability partner that you need to help you achieve things that you didn't think were possible. Focus on the process and the end result will take care of itself. How badly do you want it?

Casey Means, MD, earned both her undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University. She completed her residency as a head and neck surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University before leaving traditional medicine to focus on the root causes of why Americans increasingly suffer from chronic diseases. "Good Energy" was written with Dr. Means's brother Calley Means, and it was published in 2024.

During her surgical residency, Dr. Means treated patients with numerous chronic conditions, such as migraines, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and various other ailments. Typically she would prescribe various medications to treat the problem, and if those did not work she would perform surgery. Eventually she realized that she was treating the symptoms rather than fixing the underlying root cause. This prompted her to leave her position as a chief resident at OHSU and open her own practice. Establishment medicine tends to treat every condition separately, without realizing that all the processes in the body are interrelated. As the author states, "...inflammation-which leads to disease, pain, and suffering-takes root because core dysfunctions occur inside our cells, impacting how they function, signal, and replicate themselves." She also correctly points out that, "...every institution that impacts health-from medical schools to insurance companies to hospitals to pharma companies-makes money on 'managing' disease, not curing patients."

Dr. Means makes the distinction between "bad energy" and "good energy." "Bad energy" is when normal metabolic function has tipped into dysfunction, and is largely the result of three things: mitochondrial dysfunction (in which the powerhouse of the cell is overburdened and cannot produce enough ATP), chronic inflammation (mitochondrial dysfunction is perceived as a threat and the body formulates a fighting response), and oxidative stress (free radicals cause damage to the cells and lead to dysfunction). Mitochondrial dysfunction can be caused by many things, namely chronic overnutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, medications and drugs, and nutrient deficiencies. When mitochondria do not function properly, they cannot convert food energy into cellular energy, which can lead to chronic disease. On the other hand, "good energy" can be measured by looking at five markers that are typically tested during an annual check-up. The author says that you should strive for a triglyceride level of less than 80 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol of 50-90 mg/DL, a fasting glucose level of 70-85 mg/dL, blood pressure of 120/80, a waist circumference (depending on your ethnicity) of less than 37 inches for men and 31.5 inches for women, and a triglyceride-to-HDL ratio of 1. This would indicate that your cells are functioning optimally and you have achieved true metabolic health.

The book is divided into three sections. Part 1 is "The Truth About Energy", Part 2 is "Creating Good Energy", and Part 3 is "The Good Energy Plan." I particularly liked chapter five, which covers some principles of proper nutrition. The author does a nice job of explaining the inherent dangers of the contemporary Western diet that is filled with processed foods, and she discusses omega-3 and omega-6 fats and their respective roles in biological function. Dr. Means says that we should look at eating as a means of matching our cells' needs with our oral inputs, and that food is how we communicate with our cells. The most important advice that the author gives is to focus on eating unprocessed food and not worry about diet philosophy. Many different diets will work, provided you eat plenty of protein, vegetables and fruits, and essential fats, while avoiding sugars and processed foods. If you are satisfying your vitamin, mineral, and trace element requirements, it doesn't really matter what template you follow.

I enjoyed reading this book. Dr. Means includes helpful grids for each micronutrient and food sources where they can be found. There is also an exhaustive list of foods to avoid. The author provides other helpful lifestyle strategies, such as how to incorporate movement into your daily routine, managing stress, optimizing sleep by minimizing exposure to artificial light, and explaining the benefits of exposure to hot and cold temperatures. In the back of the book there are recipes that you can follow for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks that are healthy alternatives to fast food and the prepackaged stuff so commonly found in grocery stores. My only point of contention with the good doctor is over her strength training recommendations. I believe that a frequency of three times per week is too much, and that the Total Results methodology is superior. However, I do agree with the author that strength training should be considered an essential component of everyone's life.

How can this book help you? It will educate you about the real reasons why the number of people suffering from chronic (and preventable) diseases has skyrocketed over the last forty years, and it should crystallize for you how the medical establishment, pharmaceutical companies, and big agriculture profit by keeping you sick. If someone as accomplished and respected as Dr. Means walked away from a lucrative specialty practice, that should tell you something. I encourage all of you to read this book and utilize the strategies put forth to optimize your health and independence. You can and should feel amazing, no matter your age.

There are many different ways to measure and track exercise performance. We create a spreadsheet (either in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets) for each client and record the order and selection of exercises, their machine settings, weight (resistance), time under load, and make note of any recurring form discrepancies that are committed for each workout. Our exercise philosophy is the same for every client, but every individual is different; this is why we tailor each exercise routine to meet the needs of each person that is under our tutelage. Naturally, every client wants to perform at his or her best in every workout that they undertake, but different factors can make that an impossibility. There are physiological and mental considerations that have a positive or negative effect on one's exercise performance. How you approach this on an ongoing basis will have a great impact on your level of sustained success.

Some of these factors have been discussed in previous articles, but I thought this was important enough to merit a separate article on the topic. We all have individual differences, which I believe should be celebrated. Metabolically, everyone uses energy at different rates, which means that from one person to the next recovery and exercise frequency can vary. This is why some Total Results clients exercise once per week, while others come twice per week. Some train more intensely than others, which also necessitates a reduced volume and frequency of exercise. Some clients, if they have genetic advantages, can get away with things that others cannot. Since I have a genetic propensity for leanness, I could probably still make decent progress while making poor dietary choices, but I choose not to do that. It would likely catch up to me sooner or later in any event. Just because you can get away with doing certain things that are detrimental to your progress doesn't mean that you should.

Here are five factors that can significantly impact your performance.

Mental state. Attitude is everything! I often refer to the old Henry Ford quote: "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." A positive attitude is absolutely necessary when you are dealing with the adverse circumstances and discomfort that a Total Results workout entails. If you are distracted (and let's face it, that is a battle that most of us have to fight every day), you will struggle. Shut everything else out of your life for 20 minutes and focus on completing something that is truly tangible and meaningful. Show no fear! Accept the fact that what you are about to do will be difficult and uncomfortable, but the realize that the reward comes on the other side in the form of accomplishment, empowerment, and independence from the sick care system.

Proper sleep. Matthew Walker's book "Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams" is one of the most useful books that I have read in the last decade, and I have recommended it to scores of clients. Walker recommends getting between seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and says that anyone sleeping for less than seven hours per night on a consistent basis is functioning at a much more diminished capacity than they realize. Eventually, it catches up to you and can lead to a whole host of health problems. Sleep is important for so many reasons, but especially for recharging your mental batteries and helping to facilitate tissue repair after a workout. Sleep soundly and sufficiently for a few nights in a row prior to a workout, and you will notice a tremendous difference in your performance.

Nutrition. You wouldn't put low-octane gas into a sports car, so why eat junk food before a workout? Do not pay attention to government guidelines, their food pyramid, or most of the commercials that you see on TV. Just like a car needs fuel before a road trip, your body needs to be properly fueled in order to do the things you want it to do. Consume single-ingredient whole foods, select high quality sources of protein (1 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight), and find good sources of saturated fat. Fruits and vegetables should be your primary source of carbohydrates. Avoid processed junk and minimize sugars. Simply put, you should consume the foods that will provide the vitamins, minerals, and other raw materials that you need for optimal energy and recovery.

Protein intake. Most people do not eat enough of it! I touched on this in the previous section, but you should strive to take in 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Simply divide your body weight by 2.2 and you will have your ideal number. In order to build muscle (which should be a goal for everyone), you need protein to repair the tissue that has been broken down in the course of a workout. Good sources of protein include beef, chicken, pork, fish, and eggs, and some protein should be consumed with every meal. If you are a vegan this will be a challenge, but there are alternative sources of protein that you can consume such as flaxseed, lentils, and tofu. I should point out that plant-based sources are incomplete proteins, meaning that they do not contain all of the essential amino acids, so variety will be key.

Activity level. Movement is important for our health, but it is very easy to overdo it. I believe that sitting for long stretches of time is unhealthy for your mind and body, but it also bears noting that our recovery systems can be somewhat fragile. Less is often more, and if you are running or biking three or more times per week your Total Results workouts can suffer. Low-level movement, such as walking, traditional yoga, or golf probably won't negatively impact you too much, but do exercise good judgement when deciding other activities to pursue.

The good news is that all of this is within your control. You have the power to do what it takes to ensure lasting success and robust health. Please let us know how we can help you on your journey!

A few weeks ago, long-time Total Results client and friend Dr. Matt DiLorenzo shared with me a YouTube video of a man performing a bent-legged barbell deadlift in a gym. There were a few flaws in his form in terms of his hip positioning, which led to him being slightly off-balance, and a couple of subtle cues and corrections by a lifting coach helped the man to improve his execution of the exercise. This led me to think about deadlift exercises in general, something that I have not considered and have not performed in many years.

The bent-legged (or traditional) deadlift, in simplistic terms, involves squatting over a barbell that is on the floor and raising it until your knees and torso are straight. The deadlift involves all of the lower body musculature, as well as the latissimus dorsi (large back muscles), spinal erectors, abdominals, and forearms. It is a very large exercise, and can be a productive option for those of you that only have access to free weights. In my opinion, using a hexagonal or trap bar is superior to using a straight barbell because it is easier to keep your back straight and you won't have to worry about scraping the bar against your shins. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the exercise will likely be limited by your grip strength and your lower back muscles, as both are likely to give out before the targeted muscles are thoroughly inroaded.

Another deadlift option is the stiff-legged deadlift, which mostly targets the hamstring muscles for the lower body. In many instances this exercise is performed with a straight barbell and a box or platform is used so that the attached weights do not hit the floor and impede your range of motion. The knees are to be kept with a slight bend so that they do not pop backward, and your lower back should be straight. You will lower the bar until you feel a slightly uncomfortable stretch in your hamstrings, and then raise the bar until your body is back in a vertical position. Just like with the traditional deadlift, however, you will probably find that your hands and lower back will fatigue more quickly than the intended musculature.

Fortunately, Total Results has machines that will target and develop those muscle groups in a safer and more effective way than performing either of the deadlift options. The Leg Press, Lumbar Extension, Pulldown, and Compound Row exercises will do a far better job of inroading the lower body, spinal erectors, and latissimus muscles, and the movement arm is much easier to control than a barbell. These machines also naturally lend themselves to using a slow speed of movement because that is how they were engineered. The Seated Leg Curl is a better choice than the stiff-legged deadlift, because the nature of the machine's design eliminates lower back fatigue as a limiting factor. Additionally, all of our machines are manufactured with a cam that varies the resistance throughout the range of motion based on leverage and your muscles' natural strength curve. You are stronger in some positions and weaker in others, so the cam allows strength to match resistance. A barbell will always provide the same resistance no matter where you are in the range of motion, and our machines made by MedX and Super Slow Systems will give you a more complete workout.

Another consequence of watching that deadlift video is that it caused me to ponder some typical gym behavior. I have not worked out in a commercial gym in over twenty years, but some of the behavior that I witnessed is indelibly seared in my memory. I suspect much of it still goes on at gyms all over the country. Many gym enthusiasts who weight train will do something different every time they workout. No doubt they are buying into fitness lore and myths that have been perpetuated for decades. When I first got into the exercise business it was the stuff that you found in the muscle magazines; now it's typically stuff that is put out on social media. The more things change, the more they stay the same. You often hear about the need for variety in exercise routines, as a way to "shock" the body into growth. In reality, exercise variety is quite overrated and not really necessary in order to produce tangible physical benefits. Ken Hutchins, the originator of the Total Results exercise protocol, even devoted an entire chapter about this in his book "Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol", titled "The Need for Non-Variation in Exercise." Hutchins believes that too much variation is an obstacle to becoming more neurologically efficient, which means that you will not perform each exercise as effectively as you should and will diminish both the exercise stimulus and your progress. I believe that a little variety is useful; at Total Results we make sure to incorporate vertical and horizontal pushing and pulling exercises for both the upper and lower body in order to develop symmetrically and minimize any muscular imbalances. In fact, most of our twice per week clients will perform an A and a B routine each week, although this isn't done explicitly for the sake of variety. These clients are still at the point where they benefit more from coming twice per week instead of once, but performing the Leg Press and some other exercises every time can overtax their recovery ability. Performing an A routine (which typically contains the Leg Press and Lumbar Extension exercises) and a slightly less demanding B routine allows us to incorporate some smaller but very important exercises like the Calf Raise and Cervical Extension, while facilitating steady progress. Physiologically, you do not need variety; it is actually possible to do the same routine each time and still make improvements. Too much variety can also lead to haphazard record keeping and inadequate exercise intensity.

Now for a few random musings! I spent some time with former Total Results owner Tim Rankin a few weeks ago at former client Paul Logan's house. Many of you know that Tim and his wife Pam moved to Florida nearly four years ago, and they are doing great. We talked a little about exercise, and he shared a few stories about the headaches of working out at Planet Fitness (he definitely got spoiled by owning a private exercise facility for twenty years). One thing that he has grown to appreciate and misses the most about Total Results is all the movement that he performed every day when he was an instructor. We are up on our feet quite a bit throughout the day as we instruct clients, and there is a lot of bending, turning, and twisting in multiple planes of motion when we set up machines before workouts. Yes, we do sit at our desks but it is usually for very short stretches. Tim has successfully found other ways to incorporate low-level movement into his daily routine, but I think it underscores how important it is for us to get up and move during the day, especially if your work involves being at a desk and in front of a computer for long periods of time. The human body was designed to move, and if you are fortunate enough to be in good health it seems like a crime to not take advantage of it. Don't sit still. Time waits for no one!

You have the power to take control of your life and your health. Do not allow someone or something to stand in the way of having the body and the life that you have always wanted. Total Results can provide safer and more effective alternatives to the exercises available at the gym. We can craft a customized exercise routine that will stimulate lasting physical change without overtraining or causing injury, and we can provide the highest quality instruction and guidance about what to do when you are not in our studio. Become the best version of yourself with Total Results!