by Neil Anderson

Last week I started informally keeping track of the results GPP’rs are getting.  I have been taking pictures and posting them and the results in the “Success Stories” section of this website.  The results are astonishing on a level I have never seen before in my 16 yr. career.  They range from big time weight loss, to amazing performance gains, to healthier lifestyles free of disease and medications.  Many have asked, “Why?” and my answer is simple.

It is our Tuesday workouts.

When you go down the list of those who have made incredible healthy changes at the GPP you will find that the majority of them almost NEVER miss a Tuesday.

Our Tuesday workouts at the GPP are much heavier workouts than you would do on other days.  They are also more highly skill dependent.  It is our belief that doing a workout which taxes your body on these levels once per week will increase your ability to attack your other workouts throughout the week.  Being able to attack your workouts harder improves the effects of these other workouts.  This leads to improved results – much faster! 

There are many reasons our Tuesday workouts help you to attack other workouts throughout the week. Some of these include:

HORMONE SECRETION

Highly intense, short bouts of exercise activate hormones inside of you that are responsible for increased vitality and health.  Some of these hormones and their effects are as follows:

  • Human Growth Hormone (HGH) – Improves cellular elasticity (think bones, tendons, ligaments, skin,  blood vessels, organs, etc.), increases strength & muscle growth, decreases body fat, aids in recovery.
  • Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGF) – improves protein synthesis (helps your body make muscle), improves resistance to oxidative stress (a known factor in aging), improves resistance to hypoxia (helps you circulate oxygen), aids in recovery and improves immune response.
  • Adrenals – What can you say, adrenaline will help you burn fat faster, more effectively and more safely than any caffeinated drink or pill. 
  • Testosterone – This is the good stuff - Increases muscle mass, increases strength, improves bone strength and mass, burns fat, improves mood, improves energy and virility.  Yes, ladies…you HAVE it, too.  And you NEED it. 
  • Thyroid – Increases heart rate, blood pressure and body heat, etc.  Yep, another sub for energy drinks and pills. 
  • Serotonin – Mood enhancer anyone? 

HORMONE RECEPTION

Secretion of the above hormones (and others) is only half of the story.  Just because your body secretes these hormones doesn’t necessarily mean it can use them.  Through unhealthy lifestyle choices, most Americans are numb to the effects of these important hormones.  Participating in intense bouts of exercise increases the need for these hormones inside of your body.  Not only does increased need improve secretion of these important hormones, it also improves receptor site response.

NERVOUS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

When a muscle becomes stronger the gain in strength is usually attributed to an improvement in the size or quality of the muscle. The truth, however, is that strength improvements can occur without any change in the muscle at all. Most of the early strength improvements are actually the result of alterations in the way the muscle is controlled by the NERVOUS SYSTEM.

Specifically, the nervous system can do a better job of recruiting muscle fibers during your workouts and producing stronger, more forceful movements. That’s not all.  The nervous system might also become better at stimulating 'synergists', or “helper muscles.”  That is still not all.  The nervous system can also inhibit 'antagonists.'  When antagonists are inhibited, prime movers and synergists can create considerably stronger movements.

This is hardly a comprehensive list.  The endocrinology of highly intense bouts of exercise is an ever growing and evolving list.  So is our understanding of how the nervous system functions while we exercise. 

What’s interesting is while others seek to improve health and vitality by taking pills or injections, what they fail to realize is that the substances they seek EXTERNALLY can be obtained more naturally and safely INTERNALLY.   In other words, you already have the ability to produce hormone and nervous system changes responsible for improving health, fitness and vitality.  You just need to know how to turn them ON.  While ALL of our workouts are designed to have specific health, fitness and vitality producing hormonal and nervous system effects, none of these are so effective as our Tuesday workouts.

If you are going to skip a workout in a given week, it is our recommendation that you NEVER make that day a TUESDAY.  It is our firm belief that the Tuesday workouts are magic.  Their effects are far ranging and uniquely responsible for improving your health, fitness, vitality and performance during the other grueling workouts we put you through here at GPP.