I frequently get asked about recommendations for books, training programs, supplements, fitness equipment and other products. In the past I have limited my public recommendations to books. I have decided that in 2013 I will expand that and throughout the year will recommend some products that I use and am comfortable in endorsing. All of the products I recommend are ones I use, and any training materials or training programs I recommend are ones I have completed or attended. In some cases I have an affiliate agreement with the manufacturer or supplier (such as Resistance Band Training) and if that is the case I will make it clear at the time of the recommendation. I will never recommend something I do not believe it. In fact I recently had the opportunity to recommend a program that paid a very good commission. I spend hours going through the program and in the end was not comfortable in recommending it to you.
Today I will recommend a book and some fitness equipment that has made a dramatic impact on my fitness levels the last few years.
Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob By Bob Delaney with Dave Scheiber
This is the first of two books written by Bob Delaney and Dave Scheiber. I previously recommended their second book Surviving the Shadows. Covert takes you inside the life of a heroic young state trooper (Bob Delaney) who spent three intense years undercover infiltrating the mafia in New Jersey and New York. It is a a fascinating story of courage and dedication and is an exceptionally well written book. Following his career as a New Jersey State Trooper Bob went on to have a 25 year career as an NBA referee. I highly recommend this book.
Resistance Bands
For the past 8 years I have spent an increasing amount of time on the road (the last two years averaged 3 weeks a month) conducting speaking and training around North America. I soon realized that committing space and money to fitness facilities is not a priority for many hotels. As a result you have to be creative with your workouts. Body weight exercises are always a good option but, I was looking for something else that would supplement the body weight training, add variety and intensity to my workouts and provide functional fitness training. While watching a fitness DVD featuring Dave Schmidt I discovered resistance bands and immediately recognized what they could add to my fitness regime both at home and on the road. I purchased a number of resistance bands from Resistance Band Training and they have now become a huge part of my training programs both at home and on the road. Resistance Bands are easy to pack and have resulted in some great functional fitness workouts right in my hotel room.
Here are three packages i would recommend you check out:
