A Testimony of Effort, Consistency, and Sound Training

There are many fitness milestones that people strive to reach.  Run a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, perform a body weight pull-up, squat x-pounds, etc.  But, Leslie, a trainer and friend from St. Paul, Minnesota has run several marathons.  Instead, her goal was (especially for an endurance athlete) very ambitious: The Secret Service Snatch Test.  If you are not familiar with this "test", it is very grueling, and requires a combination of technique, strength, power, endurance and determination.  Essentially, you need to complete 200 kettlebell snatches in 10:00.  For any of you who have performed kettlebell snatches, you know how hard even 20 reps can be.  Most of my females use an 8 or 12 kg kettlebell to perform multiple sets of kettlebell snatches.  Not Leslie, she used a 16kg (35 pounds) kettlebell. 

I know Leslie works extremely hard and is consistent.  She is passionate about what she does- I am sure her clients would agree.  If I was a runner, looking to reach a new goal, I surely would want her coaching me!  Still she had not reached her goal of 200 snatches in 10:00 after many months of training.  Luckily, she just needed a little adjustment of her training plan.  I gave her some suggestions, essentially cutting back on her running volume (which was probably tough for her given it is part of her job), and cycle in some maximal strength-building workouts (every third snatch workout). 

About six weeks later,  Leslie posted this message the HTS facebook page:

'I would like to thank Dan Hubbard of Hubbard Training Systems for all the great advice, coaching, and support through my goal of completing the Secret Service Snatch Test!!... A goal that I almost gave up on several months ago, not knowing how to progress to get there. Thank you Dan for all your smart progression strategies and confidence you had in them. They worked!!! Thanks so much."

She (and her husband) reached her goal of 200 kettlebell snatches in 10:00 with the 16kg kettlebell!  What a great accomplishment and inspiration for other females who strength train and lift kettlebells.  Great Job, Leslie.  Next goal, the Secret Service Snatch Test with the 20kg???

Another Fat Loss Success: Interview with Liz

Fat loss is a struggle for most females. Recently, a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that in middle-aged females, who actually exercised regularly, still steadily gained weight over the decade they were followed. Now, there were many limitations to that study, which I discuss here. Exercise, more precisely, high-intensity exercise is an important part of losing fat (the JAMA study looked mostly at low-intensity, steady-state exercise). I have helped many clients lose significant body fat (here is another success story). In fact, it has become routine for me to help others reach their fat-loss goals that I developed my fat-loss time management hierarchy for easy application for anyone.

In order to have an effective fat loss, high-intensity exercise and proper nutrition work synergistically. They provide the ONLY way to preserve lean muscle mass, while losing almost exclusively body fat. Many popular 'diets' result in up to 25% of weight loss due to loss of lean muscle mass. I advocate modifying your nutrition intake with real, whole foods. I help clients apply some basic nutrition guidelines that help them get the nutrition they need to support the high-intensity training, control their appetite, and easily curb overall Calorie intake. The key is making it simple and flexible. Oh, and there are the ever-elusive intangibles that make or break anyone's pursuit of fat loss. They are: focus, motivation, accountability, and support.

Liz is a recent success story. While Liz has been a client for a long time, in January she decided that she really wanted to focus on losing body fat. We focused on her nutrition and followed her body fat levels for 12 weeks.

As you can see, Liz did an awesome job over the last three months. The results speak for themselves. Liz took some time to answer some questions for my readers:

What was your fat loss goal?


I started at about 28% so placed my goal at 25%. I believe I reached that in 6 -8 weeks. Decreased the goal to 18% for the long run. I think I am around 21% at this time.

Have you tried to lose fat in the past? If so, what methods did you use? Where you successful?


I have tried watching fat intake in past with no change in carbs, or actually higher due to low fat food. Had lot of highs and lows with hunger pangs and cravings. Brought everything low fat/light. That didn't work. Tried counting calories and exercise...loosing about 5 lbs. But unable to easily maintain. Tried exercise with no diet change. That didn't work either.

The nutrition guidelines naturally result in a lower carbohydrate level in your diet. Did you feel deprived while on the lower-carbohydrate diet?

Not at all once I got into the rhythm of increasing the protein and fat in the diet. Increased fat and protein definitely keeps one feeling full and satisfied for longer without all the highs and lows of a low carb. diet. Plus seemed to have more energy. Never felt like I was hungry and craving certain foods. Overall felt really good.

What foods were you eating on the low-carb, moderate fat, moderate protein diet?

I increased my egg consumption the most. Hardly ever ate eggs by themselves. Now eat 2-3 a day in different forms. Yummy. Increased vegetable and salad intake with lots of fresh herbs. I went from 4 slices of bread or pasta a day to 0. Drink water/tea for beverage 90% of time, with occasional milk and alcohol thrown in there:) Stopped diet pop. Kept my meat intake about the same from various sources.

Did you have to count Calories on the lower-carb diet?

At first I tried to,to get an idea of how much I was consuming. Found that with the higher fat and protein I was eating less so staying about the same calories per day, so stopped counting after couple of weeks. Now I don't watch it at all. Just know roughly how many carbs. in food products and try to keep between 50 -80. Once reach fat goal then will try to keep carbs b/80-100 to maintain and stay on track.

Did you have any problems giving up breads and sugar?

The hardest part for me getting started was giving up the bread and pasta. Love both. But as I decreased the sugar and grains found easier to give up and not crave. Partly I believe because the fat and protein is so satisfying. Stopped diet pop instantly. Bread took the longest with my habit of having 2 pieces of toast in the morning. Took about 3 weeks to give up. Still love bread but look for alternatives so I don't eat it. For example tuna salad with herbs on lettuce wrap with tomato instead of a sandwich. No longer need sugar on my fruit...however cream is delicious and allowed:) If I really have a sugar attack. Dark Chocolate 85% couple squares takes care of the sweet tooth with some almond butter and non sweetened coconut flakes...thank you Dan.

Any thing else?

I feel that with the fat-loss nutrition guidelines that Dan gave me, planning and eating healthfully is easy. Once you get a feel for how many carbs are in different foods one doesn't really have to think to much about calories. One stays pleasantly satiated without all the highs and lows. Fun trying out new recipes and different ways to eat. I am not a great cook, but have enjoyed the challenge of new foods and tastes. I feel great. Haven't increased my exercise regime at all and lost and keep loosing fat/weight. Who could ask for anything more. I am hoping, now that I am not working with and being accountable to Dan each week, to be able to continue.

Thanks, Liz. Great Job!

To warm-up or not to warm-up….seriously????? Is that really the question?

Client and guest blogger, Jo, offers her perspective on a common, overlooked aspect of training: warming-up.



I would guess that if you are reading this post, you have some vested interest in exercise at some level. You might even be really interested in what might be said in this particular blog post based on the title. So, I suppose I could be “preachin’ to the choir” so to speak….but my experience tells me otherwise.

Let’s start with the bottom line: YES, it is NECESSARY to “warm up” before exercise.

Is that so dang hard? Evidently, yes. It’s not the “do I?” so much as the “WHAT do I?”

In high school (78-81) for me, warming up consisted of “hurdle stretches,” jumping jacks, a little jogging, straddle stretches, and maybe some hamstring stretches and calf stretches. Common themes: stretch and wiggle. Oh, and be sure not to bounce when stretching. That was the totality of my education on warm-up…until I met Dan and began working with him regularly. My whole notion of warm-up was trashed from the get-go. Dan teaches joint-specific warm-ups. Oh – and the term warm-up has a whole different connotation if not definition.

The other night I looked at it this way as I moved around my kitchen. What does “warm up” really mean? Well, the oven must pre-heat before it can effectively and efficiently bake food. Water must be heated to do the work of cooking, disinfecting, etc. An iron (although not in my kitchen) must get hot before creating steam or being able to do the work of smashing out those wrinkles. My conclusion, albeit elementary, is that to do specific work, the specific “machine” must be warmed up. It must be ‘ready’ in order to be effective and efficient (not to mention to not totally ruin a quality product).

I visited a personal trainer friend of mine last week and joined a session she gave to another couple. Warm-up was simply doing step-ups to get my heart-rate up. That’s all well and good, but I then had to do 6 stations that used muscle groups other than my heart. I know I am old(er), but let me tell ya, this machine was not ready to do any kind of work. Tight hips, shoulders, and hamstrings made my workout fairly miserable. Oh my heart rate was going and I was sweating, but pretty much everything else hurt.

Don’t get me wrong. I mean no disrespect to my friend at all. Her clients were in the beginning stages of training and needed their heart rate to be checked frequently for health reasons. For me, though, I am now very appreciative of the education I’ve received regarding joint-specific warm-ups. Not just stretches, but warming up the muscles that have to do the hard work during the workout. For instance, doing scapula pull-ups and push-ups along with a rocker-stretch, foam-rolling, and teacup exercises provides a great warm-up, stretching, and recovery-day routine. These exercises focus on the shoulder and should-blade area. There are many more to say the least. For the hips, I finally enjoy doing the sumo wall squat, as well as single-leg deadlift, single-leg abduction, and the combo calf-stretch/hip stretch. Dan has videos and pictures of many of these warm-up exercises demonstrated properly on this blog.

I challenge you to iron your next shirt with a cold iron – make instant oatmeal with cold water – cook a pizza in that cold oven…before the preheat beep has sounded. Or – hey – better yet, just warm up your IRON and put your pizza in the oven and see how fast it bakes. You’ll get the same quality result in the next workout you perform without specific warm-ups. But hey, you be the judge.

No Pain, All Gain: Julie's Story

"The art of life is the art of avoiding pain; and he is the best pilot, who steers clearest of the rocks and shoals with which it is beset." - Thomas Jefferson






Any mom of four kids will tell you life can be challenging. Add chronic neck, back, and leg pain and life may be unbearable at times. That is what my client Julie was dealing with when I met her a year ago. Julie had seen physicians, chiropractors, and even discussed surgical options for the chronic cervical and lumbar spine disc herniation and radiating pain and tingling which she had been experiencing daily since she was 16 years old.

Five years ago she started seeing some relief with Egoscue treatment, but it was temporary. She still needed 6-8 advils most days. Then she started stength training with me last year.

Fast forward to today, where Julie is finally pain-free everyday! She is not taking any pain medicine and has not needed to seek any medical treatment. For Julie, restoring proper joint alignment and developing adequate strength to maintain that alignment was key. In the past, even when she received relief of pain with Egoscue exercise, it was only temporary. As soon as she had to lift, pull, or push something, the pain came back.

A couple of properly-executed strength training sessions per week has made a world of difference for Julie. It is not uncommon, now, to see Julie lift an 80-pound barbell with a smile on her face!

HTS Testimonial

"Thanks for my legs! I haven't skied this well in years," commented my client, Paul. He has been a life-long skier, but had slowed down in recent years. Just like all of us, aging and leading a sedentary life can dramatically affect your functional capacity, especially in a demanding sport such as skiing. However, last year Paul started training with me. The training not only developed his mobility, strength, and endurance, but it readily transferred over to skiing, as you can see from the video.