First Gym Characters Post

This is the First Gym Characters post

First Fitness and Sports Post

This is the first fitness and sports post

My #1 Motivation To Be And Remain Fit

As I looked back on all the hours I toiled in the gym, I asked myself what motivated me to be so committed. There were times I was preparing myself for a sporting event, attempting to look ripped for the Fireman’s calendar and modeling gigs, and hoping to impress a fitness goddess who caught my eye. These events were sporadic during a lifetime of fitness, but it dawned on me as I made my way to the shower after workout no. 18,000 and counting, that it was competition that propelled me to a lifetime of being healthy and fit. Whenever I enter the gym I find myself trying to better the individual near me. If he is doing ten chins, I want to do one more chin. Even if it happens to be a young brute on the bench press who I can’t possibly champion as to the amount of weight lifted, I will find myself doing more repetitions till my muscles scream for mercy so I expend more energy than him. If someone is kicking butt on a cardio machine, I’ll hop on one nearby and push myself harder. I notice members in the gym trying to copy and exceed the exercises I am working on, and this makes my competitive juices flow ever more.

I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing beats competition when it relates to fitness. You can remain in the gym for hours and think nobody is putting out more effort, but you’ll never know until you compete what real exercise and heart is all about.

Next time you go to the gym, compete against those around you. You will feel your muscles come to life and the time will fly as you attempt to one up the competition. You may end up sucking wind and lose out to your chosen foe, but it won’t be for lack of effort. As you persist, your physique will rise to the top. It’s all about the competition. There is nothing like it!

Yours in health,
“The Fighting Fireman”

For those interested in a great read, I just sent my new book to the publisher “Jobs Heroes Zeroes and Thieves.”

The New Fitness Fad of Drumsticks and Sweat

When I saw the title listed above on Fire Fox I thought the meaning instituted that if you sweated a lot you would be able to eat a drumstick. How utterly wrong the Fighting Fireman was!

I immediately clicked on the news and discovered how to exercise with drumsticks. The instructor leads you through a class where you pound the gym floor with wooden drumsticks. There is a lot of pounding and it might cause damage to the floor, but you can label it exercise. The inventors are praying it will catch on so they can capitalize monetarily by selling the drumsticks to participants and, of course, by making a fitness video of this newest fad.

I have to give it a thumbs down because you aren’t necessarily learning a skill since the pounding is haphazard, at best, though a good drummer might consider it beneficial endurance-wise. The session I viewed was conducted on a hardwood floor, but the wear and tear would mandate rubber as a wiser venue. You can sweat if you pound with intensity, but then again all exercise will make you perspire even in lieu of a drumstick.

My recommendation would be to stash this exercise fad just where it will end up…in the dust bin! If not, I will eat my hat with a turkey drumstick.

Yours in health,

The Fighting Fireman

Absolute Fitness Tips For Children

This is so common sense that it gets me upset I even
have to list fitness advice for kids. They contain the ultimate unbridled energy
than can be harnessed. If they don’t play tag and chase the rabbit
with local friends their age you be the rabbit and they’ll be even more
enthused. Local baseball and basketball leagues are a must when you reach
first grade and a healthy diet should prepare them for the remainder of
their life. It’s called reaching your set point as a kid.
Of course they’ll be evolutions as the child ages but once the foundation is
administered the youth will find the proper niche just as my pet pekingese can
locate her food bowl. Lead up games in basketball, baseball, football, track
and hockey will keep our youth in condition as they develop a skill in aforementioned
sports. Get them interested in healthy snacks such as granola, protein bars, yogurt, carrot
sticks, bananas and apples.
If the street and park isn’t enough for them and you want to raise the stakes introduce
the tykes to a chinning and dipping bar together with varied assortments of push-ups and running
games. At the age of twelve I would recommend weight training and plyometrics to fulfill
the very active child.
At absolute intensity we run a “Champ Program” designed to benefit children and young
adults. Our program caters to the child’s every fitness and diet need. Coach Reilly

with Suki the wonder dog!

Join The Super Fit Lifestyle Of Absolute Intensity

Checking in with Absolute Intensity and “The Fighting Fireman” daily
can only increase your level of fitness. When you follow our direction exercise
becomes behavioral health for everyone who participates. We see to it that you will
achieve your set point so as not to exercise becomes distasteful. 50% of exercise
participants tend to discontinue within a year but we are bucking this trend. 90%
of our members stick with the program because we do more than just cajole you to
become fit.
Absolute Intensity applies personal techniques to make certain of initiation
and maintenance of exercise goals. We guide you through a series of attainable goals
until you are able to sustain a firm commitment. Intensity, duration and frequency of
exercise is manipulated by your instructor so that the participant will be comfortable
to the point of not even realizing how intense they are working. Flexible goals are
provided so one can be absent yet retain confidence it can be made up on the days
following.
Rewards are built into the program because you will be reinforced to work for
the results to achieve a more efficient diet and have the ability to enjoy the foods
we all crave. Independent and group exercise is encouraged because no two mindsets
are similar for any exercise venue. For exercise maintainence Absolute Intensity delves into
the different settings of fitness to encourage training generalization. Whether it be
the home, travel, gym, spa, park etc., Absolute Intensity has a well developed program
to effect your change from sendentary lifestyle to fittest of the fit.
We are there to support you when the obvious temptation for a relapse initiates.
This will not happen under an Absolute Intensity tutelage because we are in constant
contact with members through email and by phone. Customized videos will be entered
on the site for body specific exercise and to become familiar with self-management. I
particulary encourage this because it is imperative for long term success.
Absolute Intensity seeks out the obese,blue collar workers, the elderly, smokers,
depressed individuals and arthritis sufferers because we can identify and enable
them a successful healthy lifestyle. Join our site and follow us on face book to make your
fitness lifestyle dreams a reality. “We are never slow, just fast and efficient” Send photo
and biography through the website with your fitness story so we may post it. Photos and
biography can be sent only through the contact us page @Cindy@absoluteintensity.com
Yours in health “The Fighting Fireman”

The Inconsiderate Personal Trainer

I’ve never seen anything like this at the thousands of
Health Clubs I’ve taught at, visited as a guest and been a member
of. As I made my way to the stair stepper to loosen up a woman
in her thirties nearly knocked me over from behind. She was running
sprints throughout the gym on orders from her trainer. What makes
this all the more incredible is that this gym has a special area for the
specific use of only trainers and their particular clients.
After almost knocking me down I saw her nearly decapitate a guy in his
seventies as he ambled to the water cooler. In this incident she was carrying
a forty pound weight above her head. I couldn’t fault the lady after seeing
the trainer waiting for her return in the “personal clients only arena”. The equipment
in this area is only for the clients use only and regular paying members are not
allowed. This irks many of the paying members since equipment such as kettle
bells and heavy bags are situated here which could be put to good use by the
members familiar with there implementation.
To escalate the absurdity of it all the large muscular trainer smiled brightly
as his pretty charger wreaked havoc amongst the membership seeming to will
her to be destructive. He did not mind putting out the now alerted members
paying the bills to keep the gym running and enabling him to have a job. I must
admit he looked the part of a personal trainer but required some serious lessons
in gym etiquette and personal responsibility. He and the gym might be getting sued
someday but I guess he never thought of that. I’ve dubbed him the “Trainer In Black”
because he always wears the gothic look. by “The Fighting Fireman”

Best Exercises To Sculpt Your Chest In The Gym

My preference is to use dumbbells for sculpting exercise. The beauty of free weights, specifically dumbbells, is that they are sport specific, bring more of the stabilizer muscles into play, and provide more striations and definition because of better range of motion. As you age, dumbbells will become your best friend when it comes to resistive exercise.

For my first exercise I will use the seventy pounders on a straight bench to stimulate my chest. Since I’m not training for a particular sport and only want to maintain my strength and range of motion, I perform 10-15 repetitions. I make sure to squeeze the chest upon completion and my reps are forceful and controlled. I may alter the tempo of my lifts to stimulate the muscle further.

Completion of Lift

After five sets of the above exercise I raise the bench for inclines to further shape the pectorals. I perform two sets at an 80% angle and three at 65% with sixty pound dumbbells. This will provide a more aesthetic shaping of the chest muscles. Again, I will perform 12-15 repetitions on all sets. Remember, your deltoids and triceps come into play, so it is recommended to exercise your deltoids and triceps the same day as chest.

After five sets of the above exercise I raise the bench for inclines to further shape the pectorals. I perform two sets at an 80% angle and three at 65% with sixty pound dumbbells. This will provide a more aesthetic shaping of the chest muscles. Again, I will perform 12-15 repetitions on all sets. Remember, your deltoids and triceps come into play, so it is recommended to exercise your deltoids and triceps

After five sets of the above exercise I raise the bench for inclines to further shape the pectorals. I perform two sets at an 80% angle and three at 65% with sixty pound dumbbells. This will provide a more aesthetic shaping of the chest muscles. Again, I will perform 12-15 repetitions on all sets. Remember, your deltoids and triceps come into play, so it is recommended to exercise your deltoids and triceps the same day as chest.

Completed Incline Bench Press

The third and final exercise I normally use for chest is dumbbell flyes. This is the only true chest exercise since the triceps and deltoids don’t come into play. Beginning at mid chest I extend my arms forcefully and controlled to make certain I recruit all the muscle fibers and extend my arms out to almost 90% and repeat for 10-15 repetitions. I normally use 30 pound weights for this particular exercise.

The third and final exercise I normally use for chest is dumbbell flyes. This is the only true chest exercise since the triceps and deltoids don’t come into play. Beginning at mid chest I extend my arms forcefully and controlled to make certain I recruit all the muscle fibers and extend my arms out to almost 90% and repeat for 10-15 repetitions. I normally use 30 pound weights for this particular exercise.

The third and final exercise I normally use for chest is dumbbell flyes. The third and final exercise I normally use for chest is dumbbell flyes. This is the only true chest exercise since the triceps and deltoids don’t come into play. Beginning at mid chest I extend my arms forcefully and controlled to make certain I recruit all the muscle fibers and extend my arms out to almost 90% and repeat for 10-15 repetitions. I normally use 30 pound weights for this particular exercise.

Example of bench flyes at the initial phase before extension. I change the hand grip from supine to supinate every other set.

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Please e-mail us with any questions about your chest workout.

Yours in health,
“The Fighting Fireman”

Dean Fiorella #34 Will Be Missed

I met the outgoing, supremely confident Dean M. Fiorella my sophomore year of high school and we became immediate friends. He was way ahead of his time and never needed a gym to stay in shape because he was constantly organizing local softball, hockey, football and basketball games when not competing in organized sports. Chin-ups, dips, body squats and push-ups were some of the body weight exercises he performed daily since he was a kid. At 5′10″ and 165 pounds, Dean was solidly built and possessed both good speed and better than average strength for a middle weight. The quality that made him superior to all and a great teammate, no matter the sport, was his athletic instinct and nose for the action. He possessed a never-say-die attitude and his confidence was contagious. His talents weren’t just relegated to the athletic field because he was voted best looking, best dancer, and most athletic at different times during his short life.

At 57, Dean was way too young to pass and will be missed by everyone he came in contact with. I never heard anyone say a derogatory comment about Dean. He could get away with ridiculing people because that was his style. He did it to everybody and I laughed harder when he made fun of me. Instead of REILLY, my name was ROOLIE, just like Tom BRADY was BRODY to Dean. One Christmas he gave me a one dollar bottle of “Russian Leather” as a gift. When I got him a $5.00 gold painted plastic bust of Julius Caesar for his birthday, he gave it back wrapped in newspaper as a Christmas present a few months later. One time at Joyce’s, he informed bartender Tom Brady to treat the $20 like it was his own as he put it on the bar. After receiving three rounds of Beck’s beer with three Sambuca’s, Mr. Brady discovered both Dean and the $20 gone when he returned from getting ice for the bar. Instead of being pissed off, Tom spread the story around and it became legend in Great Kills, which was the Staten Island town Deano virtually owned.

In pick-up basketball he was able to get over with Harlem Globetrotter basketball moves and anchored the defense for our high school football team. No one hit harder than Deano, and at 17, we both fought in the N.Y.C. Golden Gloves. We sparred together and Dean never backed down, even though I had almost forty pounds on him. He would talk a great game and he always backed it up. All the many athletes I competed with in the boxing ring and gridiron remembered Dean as a competitor and a character who would scrap until he beat you. His mantra was fitting, “Never say die.”

I was with Dean when he met his wife Lori Brownstein Fiorella and know how much they loved and depended on each other. Dean’s passing has to be devastating for her because everyone I know who enjoyed only fleeting moments with Dean miss the good times enjoyed with him. Although I never met his daughter, Sabrina, I know how much he treasured her through our conversations. Though retired by 9/11/2001, Dean immediately traveled to the Twin Towers after the attack to assist in search and rescue. Like the rest of us, he lost a lot of close friends and suffered immensely. I’ll be posting the Dean Fiorella Fitness Routine in the future. It’s a no-frills exercise program you will never forget.

We all miss you, Deano, but your Number 34 lives on to all whose lives you touched. Dean Martin Anthony Francis Fiorella was one of the good guys who will never be forgotten. The legend lives.

…………………………….

………………….Dean and wife Lori…………………………………Dean on the job

Original N.Y. Pizza Inspires The Fighting Fireman In Cary

Although I’m ten months away from 60 and riddled with arthritis, I plan my gym workouts the same as when I was 17. The politician is to lying as to what I am to fitness discipline. My exercise has evolved over the years, but I continue to work all the muscle groups with constantly changing exercise variations. I’m planning the next workout while in the process of completing the current one.

Though I may dread what I have in store for myself the same way Congressman Weiner must have hated having to fess up for his unsavory language and lewd photo tweeting, there are ways I can push myself to fulfill my health and fitness obligations. When I am desperately sucking wind and feel like capitulating, I think about the special lunch waiting for me at N.Y. Pizza off of Highway 55 and Highhouse Road in Cary, N.C.

The photos of Yankee greats, the Sopranos, the Broadway Subway, and Marlon Brando bring back fantastic memories, while the clean, cool atmosphere and spacious tables surrounding the big screen T.V. keeps me occupied for the short wait before devouring the best pizza in town.

I normally show for the lunch special thrice a week (two slices with toppings and a soft drink for $5.60), but I must warn you to call ahead on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings for your pizza because the wait is long, but worth it.

When gym members question me where I go to eat, they are stunned when I recommend N.Y. Pizza. They couldn’t be more misinformed. The fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and perfectly cooked dough replenishes my muscle cells and provides me the incentive to exercise intensely so I can enjoy it more. I’ll take it over a lean grilled chicken breast with a protein shake any time. I feel my best after a great workout and my lunch at N.Y. Pizza. Don’t ever doubt me.

Yours in Health,
The Fighting Fireman

Speedy Lucito Is A Dandy And Track Coach Supreme

When I first met Steve “Speedy” Lucito he was issuing equipment to over
60 football players at Missouri Valley College in 1971. Every player with a size
complaint was directed to see Speedy. The temperature was 98 degrees and he
was working his behind off with little to no assistance. After trying on the black
high top Johnny Unitas cletes I was issued and nearly spraining my ankle when I took
a step, I was forced to ask the overworked and underpaid athletic manager for more
up to date footwear. Speedy just looked at me while he juggled ten other immediate
tasks and fixed me up with acceptable footwear that caused a few blisters but no breaks.
At Mo. Valley in those days there was no air-conditioned locker room and Speedy
had to change the cleats individually for all the football athletes. Coach Gibler knew from
the get go that “speedy” was both a “good one and a dandy” when he recruited him for
track the previous year. He was given the nick name for good reason and his track exploits
are legendary at both the high school and college level. Valley had a cinder track in the 1970’s
and Steve made them smoke when he raced. Coach Gibler had such confidence in Steve he basically
had him train himself and the other sprinters, while during football season he never had to think
about any athletes not having the proper gear. The program did not have a large budget and Speedy
was forced to make due with little resources, but always found a way to rectify untenable situations
with innovative budget crunching solutions.
Steve “Speedy” Lucito was responsible for initiating the weight training program at Valley. There
was no identifiable weight room at Valley other than some rusted weight and an unbalanced Joe Weider
Bar in the basement of Young Hall. The tiles were cracked and the room was filthy. I used the outdated
equipment since it was part of my daily training program and Speedy talked Coach Gib into updating
and refurbishing the facility and he did periodically. Thanks to Steve many of the footballers began
lifting weights at Valley and he encouraged us to engage in sprint workouts during his track practices
during the off season. Coach Gib spent more time with the footballers during track and field practices
because the track athletes were a disciplined group who didn’t need constant motivation only Speedy’s
example.
While always looking for an edge to increase his own speed Steve helped me bring my forty yard
dash time down from 5 seconds to 4.7 by my senior year. This enabled me to sign a free agent contract
and go to camp with the N.Y. Giants. An incredible fact about Steve most sprinters would cringe at was
that he lined the track on the days he competed in the home meets. The fact that he won a significant
majority of his races and ran sub 10 second hundred meters after getting the facility prepared is both
incredible and unprecedented. Steve was recently voted into the Missouri Valley College Hall of Fame which
he rightly and richly deserved.
Speedy has been kind enough to clarify how he prepared himself for track and field competitions.
He varied his workouts but on certain days he would run forty yard sprints with us football guys to make
us perform at 100% max. No one came close to beating Steve but he would coast at times making us feel like
we had a shot to make it interesting. After thirty of these I’d watch him run 200’s and practice relay handoffs
before doing reps in the long and triple jump. Speedy like to run himself into shape while competing in the 100m,
4×100m relay, 200m, 4x 400m relay and the long and triple jump in two and three meets a week. His love of
competition was unmatched and he prepared himself meticulously.
After his hall of fame career was completed Speedy coached and helped thousands of young men at both
the high school and college level. He eventually went on to coach the olympic athletes of the middle eastern country
of Bahrain. Speedy found time to get the flight attendents of Gulf Air into tip top shape and referred one of their
Dutch beauties to my boxing class in N.Y.C. Speedy taught them well because Paula Rampan put all the other athletes
at my Club La Raquette class to shame.
Upon returning to the United States Speedy continues to coach and teach in Missouri where he works with
troubled youngsters. I am going to list some of the workouts Speedy provided me for training track athletes in
running events up to the 400 meter.
Workout #1 He likes to begin the season with and use it continuously in practice following a speed rep or interval
workout. Tempo 400’s 4x 4(400m) run @ 60% of fastest 400 with sixty second recovery on the rep and
three to five minutes recovery per set. E.X. = run a 400 and rest 60 sec., run a 400 and rest 60 sec. until
you run four and then rest 3 to 5 minutes. (Repeat for 4 sets)

Workout #2 is for Speed Maintainence. 20 meter In’s and Out’s. E.G. ( You have a 20 meter acceleration phase/ 20 meter
deceleration phase.Run at 100% max with 3 to 5 minute recovery between reps and ten minute recovery
between sets. Usually run 3x 7(20 m in and outs)

Workout #3 is the Speed Reserve Workout. 4x 2(200m) @ 95% fastest 200m with full recovery of 10 to 20 minutes. E.X. =
Run 200m and take sec. recovery and run another 200m with full recovery. Repeat for 4 sets.

Fly Workout for speed. 3 to 5 sets x 5(30m, 40m up to 60m maximum) 5 minute recovery for reps and and 10 minutes
for sets. Remember it takes a sprinter 4 to six seconds to accelerate to maximum speed. EX.(You have a
Fly zone 10 to 15m long. you reach full speed in the fly zone and then sprint another 30m, 40m or 60m.

Incorporate these into your own workouts and you won’t be disappointed because they come from the best track
man in the nation. You will never find any individual who works with more intensity than Steve “Speedy” Lucito!

Don’t let Coach Lucito’s smiling face fool you.

Overcoming The Fitness Odds His Way

There is no one I admire more than my kid
brother Patrick. The youngest of six boys he was stuck
with the name “young Pat” but never complained. Even when
Happy from the neighborhood candy store dubbed him “Wild
Irish Pat” it didn’t faze him. At the age of fifteen he tried out for
his high school football team and the doctors discovered a problem
with his aorta, so he was forced to undergo major heart surgery at
this young age. This would have sent most athletic teenagers into
a life of depression since heart surgery was embryonic for the most part
in 1970 and after a successful operation the surgeon deemed him never
to exercise and a lifetime of medication.
Forced to remain immobile for most of a year Patrick educated himself
to become a mechanic. He secured every book and manual that could be mustered
on the subject and asked questions of everyone who might have more knowledge
about such machinations. For stress relief he went against the doctors advice and decided
to begin exercising again. At 6′ 3″ and 220 he was bench pressing 315 pounds for
reps within months and pressing 225 for ten repetitions. I arrived home after my junior
year of college on my way to becoming an all-American and signing a contract with
the N.Y. Giants and realized what lousy cards my younger brother had been dealt. He
was bigger faster and stronger than me and wasn’t even able to perform to his full
potential because of the heart surgery. Just like our dad and unlike me he refused to
complain.
He did odd jobs like working at “Jack In The Box” and washing dishes at diners while
continuing his personal study of mechanics. All those taking government handouts should
take a look at what Pat did. He refused to accept a handout! He kept up a membership at
the local YMCA and continued his exercise program unabated. He asked questions and
constituted his own workout program which he still follows to this day.
Pat worked and studied his way to refurbishing sports cars, becoming an ace heavy equipment
mechanic and fixing up his own two family home. The kid is really incredible because he still
rises at 5a.m. daily to work his heavy equipment mechanic job in Brooklyn. Young Pat recently
came down with prostate cancer and was back at work in two weeks after having his prostate
removed. He was back at the gym within four weeks and continues working out as hard as ever.
His girlfriend Tracy has him on a healthy diet and with all he’s been through his body fat is
less than 6%.
The most amazing thing about Pat is the way he fights off adversity without complaining.
Besides the medical hardships he’s been screwed over by contractors for thousands on a summer
home he bought at the Jersey Shore. The company lost a judgement to Pat in court but just changed
their company name and moved to Florida without paying. Our oldest brother Jim lost Pat, myself and
oldest brother John tens of thousands through his stupidity and failure as a broker. While working on
his newest invention of a truck that is generator powered he was ripped off for over $1,500 by a con
artist on Ebay while searching for a part.
One constant that Pat will always have going for him is that he is not afraid to work for a living
and has a tremendous desire to succeed. I use him as an inspiration for all the clients I train. He has to
continue being monitored for the return of the cancer but it doesn’t faze him. He is back at the gym
and working out like he always has, with absolute intensity. He gives us all inspiration because he exercises
his way, The Right Way! Photo of Pat and I from our younger days with Bill Day in middle.

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