Radical Change

During Class this morning, someone said those words that are taboo...."New Years resolution".  My thoughts are if you arent doing it now and you decide to make a radical change, it will work until it gets tough! As a trainer I try to coach my clients to remain consistent, treat your fitness like a video game.  If you dont like the results reset and start over. However do it tomorrow don't wait until next Monday, or next month do it now or lose it.  Consistency keeps you moving forward allows you to get into a pattern that is harder to alter and most importantly allows you to make progress.  Progress may be slow but think of the things you couldnt do last year that you can do now.  How did you get there?  Was it on a whim? Was it a Dare? or was it you focus and drive to accomplish something.  Never discredit the progress you have made, but don't stay in that progress either, KEEP MOVING!
Radical Changes:
Push, Pull, and or Move your bodyweight faster everyday!  Sweat everyday because you are chasing not because you are being chased.  Work HARD! Play HARD! Share the love with others.  If you are having fun, bring your friends to the Party
 
Share your Plan- say it out loud, scream from the mountain top or whisper it in someones ear.  When you say it, the GOAL becomes real

Write it Down and do more the next time.  Track your bests and beat your bests, it only happens when you work at it.

I will be better Today than I was Yesterday!

Can you? (choose 1 or more?)
Bench Press your Bodyweight, Deadlift 1.5X your Bodyweight, Squat 2X your bodyweight? Will you try?
Run at least 2 miles per day for one week.  How fast can you do this each time?
1000 Kettlebell swings in a week- How is your form?
Do a Pushup from your toes- How long to do 100? what about a hanstand or a handstand push up?
Can you Play for an hour each day
Can you eat less sugar, eat more greens?
What is your Radical change or addition? Let me know, I want in!

Sweat On!

Rain Drain

As the weather begins to change do you get the feeling you are changing as well? Truth is you probably are. As a trainer I wish more people would remain as active in the fall and winter as they are during the spring and summer, but.....Oh Well!  I have decided this fall and winter, on days that it rains I am going to push more weight and do high intensity shorter duration cardio bouts on the tower or the spinning bike. When it's nice, short intense workouts, then outside to MOVE! Refuse to sit around!  

I ran into a person I have competed against for many years but never really chatted with or got a chance to know. We talked for about twenty minutes where he shared with me something that motivated me to restart this blog. He stayed we competed against one another for the last time because he was diagnosed with MS and it was too fatiguing to continue playing baseball. As I write this I think how talented he is, how strong he is to make a tough decision and give up something he loves so much. On the elevator up to my floor I decided I want to be as strong, physically be better, mentally be stronger and smarter and professionally be more resourceful and better for my clients. 

Here is what I want this blog to be a daily kick in the pants. A motivator to do something a bit different than your normal, and give you a taste of my world. 

Help me be better I will do the same for you. Let me know what you are thinking. lets MOVE!!!!

Too Busy for fitness!

Too Busy for fitness!  It was a statement not a question, the answer if it were a question is YES!  We all have busy schedules and it is very difficult to get to the gym, back to that important meeting, pick up the kids.....You get the idea.  Lets try a different approach:  What fitness is right today?  With gyms open 24 hours, Personal trainers coming to you, class schedules at the fitness centers designed to accommodate you, there are no more excuses.   Here is the problem that throws a wrench in this plan, what do you need or want to do.  If you don't have a plan, it works the same way as going on a trip to an unknown destination without a map.  Businesses start with a target know your market, have whats necessary to meet demands, expand to meet the needs of your clients.  YOU ARE YOUR CLIENT, the market is yours, have a plan to meet your clients needs.  Here are the questions to ask:  How much time do I have?  What are my goals?  What am I doing today?

If you walk into a gym without answers to the aforementioned questions you will likely find you had an ineffective workout.  Keep this in mind the time it takes to complete your workout is far less important than the work done in the workout. If you do your sets and reps and rest and talk and have water and stretch and your workout is 90 minutes is that a good workout?  Can you do the exact same workout in 45 minutes limited rest warmup in the beginning stretch at the end and get more than the first workout? YES! The first workout sounds better for many unmentioned reasons: I can catch up on ESPN, telling my friends and co-workers I workout 90 minutes a day makes me feel good.  The second format will help you reach your goals.

Where do I start?  AMRAP is my favorite starting point.  Identify the amount of time you have for your workout.  Most of you reading this will say; I only have 10-15 minutes a day, I don't take lunch etc. etc. etc.  10 minute AMRAP, As Many Rounds As Possible.  Try this and see if it is a good workout 5 Push ups, 10 Squats 10 Sit ups.  Count your Rounds, repeat this simple workout every week and try to improve on your round total.  Practice squats, improve on your push ups, do pullups.  These are all very simple and valuable exercises and may be the first small step toward a larger goal.  Shorter duration and efficiency will elevate your heart rate and help keep you in line with your busy schedule.