Salt of the Earth

Despite dabbling with (inherently vain & narcissistic) modeling for the past 12 years, I've always had a innate repulsion to pretentious, elitist, flashy people.  Hence I never was willing to move to Hollywood, never willing to give up my (Blue-Collar) occupation as an airline pilot to pursue the talent industry full time and still drive an old, dirty Toyota pick-up littered with dog hair.  So I had an absolute blast producing this 'Salt-of'-the-Earth' series of photos.  I'm not claiming to be so humble or down to Earth, but it is a characteristic that I've always been drawn too.  If nothing else it was a fun, family project and got us out exploring off-the-beaten-path shot-locations.  And yes, I make fun of people who drive BMWs or Range-Rovers too haha!

Max Wettstein's Guide to ATHLETIC ABS! DVD Chapter 1: The Exercises

...Now avail for viewing & sharing FREE via YouTube...featuring Chelsea Cruz...we have just released Chapter 1, of my NEW 'Guide to Athletic ABS!' DVD, The Exercises.  10 minutes of nothing but the effective exercises that I use to strengthen & sculpt my lean ABS & core, in HD.  We decided that FREE is better and that you like FREE stuff, and that folks like to watch media on their tablets & smart-phones and not on a DVD player, so that's why we went straight to YouTube with this production.  It will be available for iTunes download soon.  And here it is embedded in my blog...

...and the direct link to the YouTube video here: Max Wettstein's Guide to Athletic ABS!: Exercises

     There are 4 more chapters coming, released monthly to include Nutrition, Abs-Physiology, Abs-Awareness & Making Fitness Fun, all featuring Chelsea Cruz as well, so stay tuned!  Big thanks to Gregory Mantell for producing!  You can also always go to my Abs & Core web page (also FREE), at http://www.onestopabsshop.com/ anytime for my complete body of work in this area, to include reducing internal belly-fat, Syndrome-X & Metabolic Syndrome.  I have done more research in this field of flattening bellies and reducing internal, visceral-fat & inflammation than anybody else you know, I assure you, and it's all posted for FREE.  Why?  Because that is how I roll - Life has been good to me and I'm paying it forward!

Function Vs. Aesthetics: Finding Optimal Balance

     Athletes can't weight-train with the intent to completely blast a certain muscle group to total failure because then they're too damaged & sore to complete their functional workouts properly - Then it becomes like training with an injury at that point.  Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) caused by micro-tears in the muscle fibers due to heavy lifting, peaks up to 36 hours post workout, with full recovery taking up to 72 hours or longer.  That's a long time to have your other workouts or activities negatively affected to some degree.  It should at least cause you or your trainer or coach to pause to consider workout strategy and when it is ideal, if ever, to train to failure.

There's always a training trade-off but there is an optimal balance for all of us. #HolisticAthlete

     I rarely train to total failure in the weight-room: However I always give 100% on the 'court', which becomes a maximum effort workout in itself.  You have to ask yourself, "What is my primary training goal in the weight-room?", because it's always a trade-off:  Gaining muscle-mass or gaining function for your sport?  Aesthetics Vs. Performance?  For me I want to MOVE better & faster - so aesthetics is always secondary goal, but still important given my employment as a fitness-MODEL.

Avatar Max: Your Virtual Workout Trainer now avail via Tablet & Smart Phone!

     I'm the exercise 'avatar' (or model) & trainer for 2 new apps for iPhone & Droid, both smart phone & tablets.  One is FREE & the other is only .99 cents, both avail on iTunes for download.  Over 1100 exercises demonstrated by your's truly in both HD video and .gif animations.  The first is by Fitness Buddy app and the latest one is by Hoist Fitness Systems.  Fitness Buddy app is avail on both Droid & iPhone platforms, while the Hoist Fitness app is currently only avail for iPhone & iPad.  I'm super proud of these workout apps, because I BELIEVE in them:  I helped create the workouts and I made sure to use proper technique on every exercise!  They also provide logs to track all your workout stats & progress - they're really nifty tools, and once they're downloaded you don't even have to be online to use them!  Incidentally, Hoist Fitness Systems happens to be one of my longest running clients, as I have been their primary spokesmodel and exercise consultant for about 7 years now!  Everything they do is first class and cutting edge - they're an industry leader in commercial and home gym equipment!  So what are you waiting for?!...Go ahead and download me and let's train!!

Official Trailer: 'Guide to Athletic ABS!' DVD

     The trailer is released for my 'Guide to Athletic ABS!' DVD - a follow up to the material I brought you 3 years ago in my original Guide to Amazing ABS! DVD.  I partnered with Gregory Mantell Productions for this one and it is all NEW material and better.  How can I claim it's better??  Because during the past 3 years I've become even smarter about sculpting lean Abs, reducing inflammatory apple-shape torsos, reducing internal belly fat, improving body composition, combating Metabolic Syndrome (X), and applying my holistic-method.  So check out the trailer below.  The DVD should be avail by the end of this month and we may also release it for streaming on the internet since nobody really buys DVDs anymore.  We will let you know when and where you can get it!  Big shout-out to my cohost, Mrs. Chelsea Cruz!

Max Wettstein with co-host Chelsea Cruz. Encinitas, CA



Travel Fitness

     As many of you know by now I’m not just a fitness model and trainer, I’m also an airline pilot - A Captain for JetBlue Airways.  I’ve been a pilot for JetBlue for almost 10 years and before that I was a Navy carrier-based pilot for ten years.  In fact my primary career is being a commercial pilot, as it provides the highest standard of living and security for my family.  But what this also means is that I’ve had to become quite smart about staying fit while traveling.  So much so, that I’m the resident fitness advisor to our entire pilot cadre at JetBlue.

Inside the flight deck of a JetBlue Airways Airbus 320

Tim Tadder Photography: 'Uber Athlete Future of Sport' Project

     I had a chance to work with Tim Tadder at his studio in Solana Beach.  He does some pretty sick work!  Believe it or not these shots were taken in his studio.  I love that Tim knows he can give me a call whenever he has any sort of athlete-concept shot he wants to develop.  Not only am I local talent, but that kind of stuff is right up my alley and his too and we're both willing to go to extremes to get THE shot and make it work.  He has shot most of the best & relevant athletes in the world...he's the go-to guy.  To see more of Tim's work go to his online portfolio at http://www.timtadder.com/   Check these sneak-preview shots out he leaked to me: