Of all the cardio workouts I do nothing shreds fat like the Sprint 8 Workout.  In fact, research shows that the Sprint 8 workout increases the body's Human Growth Hormone production by a whopping 530% for up to 2-3 hours after your workout.

Why is Human Growth Hormone (HGH) important?

It increases muscle size and strength. It helps incinerate body fat, improves skin texture, thickness elasticity.  It increases sexual potency, frequency and improves energy levels and exercise endurance.  Hell, increased HGH just makes you feel damn better!

How do you do it naturally?  

The Sprint 8 Workout.

The principle is simple. You warm up for 2-3 minutes then sprint, run, pedal or swim as hard as you can for 30 seconds.  After your gut-busting, heart burning, all out "30 second workout," you decrease the intensity to a comfortable level for 90 to 120 seconds; and then do it all over again for a total of 8 cycles.  

Progressively Build The Intensity On Eight 60-Meter Sprints.

If you are doing this correctly.  You'll know.  You'll be sweating… pardon my French… your ass off!

Here is a sample of how the Sprint 8 Workout would look on a bicycle.  But remember you can apply sprint eight workout to any cardio workout you currently do. 

* Warm up 3 to 5 minutes.  This is crucial!  It will raise the core temperature of your body.

* Set 1.  30 seconds of high intensity riding.  (70% of max capable effort)

      * Recover for 90 seconds by pedaling at a comfortable pace.

*Set 2.  30 second of high intensity. (75% of max.)

      * Recover for 90 seconds.

* Set 3.  30 Seconds of high intensity. (80% of max.)

      * Recover for 90 seconds.

*Set 4.  30 Seconds of high intensity. (85% of max.)

      * Recover for 90 seconds.

* Set 5. 30 Seconds of high intensity. (90% of max)

      * Recover 90 seconds.

*Set 6. 30 Second of high intensity. (95% of max)

      *Recover 90 seconds.

*Set 7. 30 Seconds of high intensity. (100% of max)

     *Recover 90 seconds.

* Set 8. 30 seconds of high intensity (100% max)

     *Recover for 3-5 minutes. 

I've recently done this workout with a few people.  Everyone agrees – it kicks butt.  The best thing about it, it doesn't matter what your level of fitness is.  It works for everyone!

Don't get stuck standing still. Take action. Do something. Try the Sprint 8 Workout!

You can thank me later.

And let me know how it goes.

Be brilliant!

Dan Clark

Dan Clark Nitro

 

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Warrior Dash!!

Posted in Inspiration on April 7th by Dan.

Are you ready?  Every once in a while there's a crazy, killer, off-the-hook, event that lets you find out what you're made of.  It's a chance for every man and woman to stand up and be counted and see how they stack up against the 

I'm talking about the Warrior Dash!

It's a reason to train.  It's a goal.  It's an adventure. 

It's happening this weekend 4/10/10 in Orange County, California. 

Warrior Helmet

Haven't signed up yet? Don't bother.  It's sold out. 

What is Warrior Dash?

It's the ultimate event for thrill-seeking athletes.  It's an obstacle course from hell. There's beer.  There's booze.  There's babes. There's mud.     

It sounds like the perfect event.  And, oh yeah. Everyone who enters gets a Viking helmet, a T-shirt, and a medal.   

I'll post pictures after the event.  But I don't know if you'll see me in the crowd. If you go, look me up.  I'll be running the 3:30 wave and hosting or judging the costume contest after.

Man, this so reminds me of college!  I'm pumped up!  I'm going to try and taste the glory of my youth, but will probably end up with a mouthful of mud.

Be Brilliant!

Dan "Nitro" Clark

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One of my favorite writers Augusten Burroughs of "Running With Scissors" fame had this to say about my book Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption.   

“Dan Clark possesses the emotional honesty, humility and depth together with the innate literary talent and stylistic sensibility to execute this memoir with stunning eloquence and power. His lean, muscular prose never wavers off course as it leads us through his unspeakable loss, overwhelming success and ultimately into a kind of acceptance and redemption. As readers, we are fortunate that not all talented writers march automatically through grad school and into publication; some first become comics and undertakers and whalers and American Gladiators.” 

                                                                            -AUGUSTEN BURROUGHS 

I'm pretty stunned and honored to say the least.  I've been a fan of his from day one. 

Another one of my favorite writer's Chuck Palahnuik, "Fight Club" and "Choke" author said this about Gladiator:

"Clark played the character “Nitro” on the television series American Gladiators, and if you read only one book on vacation this year, this has to be it. After a dark childhood, steroids launch the author into a new life as a national celebrity built from mountains of chemically enhanced muscle. The dream falls apart as he sprouts breasts he can’t conceal inside his skimpy spandex costume, then suffers high colonics in order to pass mandatory drug tests. Of course, there’s redemption, but not before a ton of laughs

                                                                               – CHUCK PALAHNIUK

Only Chuck could would find this book a ton of laughs.  But the recommendation of "if you read only one book on vacation this year, this has to be it" is fantastic.  I'll take it. 

A funny story.  I remember when I finished the book and my editor at Simon and Schuster, Brant Rumble said, "I love your lean, sparse style."  

My response, "Damn it. I used all the big words I know."  

He also said my book was "fucking triumphant."  

Hard words to live up to.  

Hard words to believe.

I still struggle with it.  But maybe… just maybe… it's not so bad. 

Dan Clark

Dan Clark Nitro American Gladiators

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Raise you hand if you have a fear.

Now, raise your hand if you have tried to conquer that fear. 

If your hand isn't raised, it should be.  Now is the time to pick your biggest fear and kick it to the curb, beat it to a pulp, and slap into submission. 

Riding a bull was one of my greatest fears.  The very thought of scared the crap out me.  Not anymore.

I faced my fear and jumped on the back of 2000 pounds of bucking, twisting, fury. This act of bravery, stupidity, or whatever you want to call it… helped me become an author. 

How?

Because it was a building block. When you, pardon my French, kick the frigging ass of your biggest fear, everything else after becomes a cake-walk in comparison. 

You've have earned that certain "je ne sais quoi."  It's called confidence.   

Think about it: 

After you've swam with the sharks – is it really that hard to make a cold call? 

After you've jumped out of a plane – how tough is it to ask that cute girl or guy in the next cubicle out?   

After you've run a 100 mile marathon – is it really that rough to spend the weekend with the in-laws?

The fact is, these things all become easier because you are now an individual who's slain the dragon, stormed the castle, climbed your mountain that couldn't be climbed.

 

Writing a book was something that I never dreamed I could do. Either was riding a bull.  But once I rode that bull writing my book "Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption" didn't seem so impossible.  

And it sure as heck hurt a lot less!

This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time.  

Don't get stuck standing still. Take action. Do something. Kick the crap out of one of your fears and see where it leads you. 

Be brilliant!

Dan Clark

Btw — love to hear stories of people conquering their fears and the person they became because of it. 

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One of the main things people ask me about American Gladiators is the "Where are they now?" question. They want to know what I (Dan Clark aka Nitro) and the other Gladiators are doing.

Well, recently I had the pleasure of going into Shout Factory studios with Raye Hollit (Zap) and Jim Starr (Laser) to do commentary for the release of American Gladiators Season One.

The three of us spent the better part of the day watching episodes, laughing our asses off, and reminiscing about the good times. It's hard to believe how fast time has gone. It seemed like it was just yesterday when we were sporting our spandex, mullets and attitudes.  

I encourage all to go and get the AMERICAN GLADIATORS SEASON 1 DVD – there's a "BUY NOW" button on my home page www.DanNitroClark.com  

I'm sure it will unearth a lot of great memories! 

Wish the USC Trojans luck this year.  Michael Horton (Gemini) son's both play football for them.  

Spoke to Malibu not too long ago.  He's still hanging in the biz.  Sabre (Lynne Williams) now works with his brother-in-law D.L. Hughley.  Ice (Lori Fettrick) is my bud on FB and Twitter.  She's killin' in the Real Estate Market in the San Fernando Valley. Jazz (Victoria Gay) lives in Houston – still doing great as strong and dedicated as ever to training. 

The next thing people want to know is "What I look like now?"  

It was a rough journey coming clean off steroids. 'Roids certainly did a number on my body, but over the last few years I've done countless hours or research and experimentation and discovered  a lot of great supplements and superfoods that have helped build my body back.  

I used to want to be the biggest, strongest guy in the gym.  Now, I'm content with being the "healthiest."  

This little distinction has made all the difference.

To satisfy those who are curious, here's a recent photo of me in Turks and Caicos at the Gansevoort hotel.

Turks and Caicos 2009

Be well!

Dan Clark

BTW — the BEST PROTEIN POWDER I've ever tried is Sun Warrior protein.  It's from brown rice and digest easily and the assimilation into the body is the highest on the market!!

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