Training for Life away from you, the trainer??

So,
Who is still confused over what style of training is best? By this I mean, what manifests the greatest results when it comes to fitness? (I care nothing about looks right now). Is it cardio or endurance training or strength training exclusively--3 to 5 sets of one exercise per body part, is it split body part training or old style 'circuit' training?

I have been giving my clients weekly routines for years that involve each of these scenarios. In my opinion, train for fitness first then for whatever your particular favorite event is next. Meaning that if you want to run a marathon, fine, but first make sure your body is fit enough to handle it. You must be strong enough to handle the pounding your body will take, so train for it.

If a client asks me to give them something to do when they aren't training with me, I am realistic about how often they will train without me. No client is the same. Keep this in mind when handing out "to go" workouts. To stay fit, and therefore have function (ie everyday living capabilities) one must train all 3 energy systems, as well as muscular strength and endurance. Look this up online if you are unfamiliar with them...phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative.

To do this, givce them workouts accordingly. One day's workout should focus on strength training, one day's on muscular endurance and some form of cardio endurance (either utilizing resistance or traditional cardio machines), and another day on intervals (again utilizing resistance or traditional cardio machines).

Use your skills as a trainer to figure out what type of exercises your client needs away from you. Let's be realistic and understand that most are NOT doing what they need to do outside of your presence when 'prescribing' these exercises. Know that they may screw up your drill when they are not near you. At least make sure their form is safe...it may not be perfect, but if it's safe, off they go!

Good New Year so far?!?!?

2009 Mission Statement

Hi folks.
I just wanted to start off the New Year by saying congratulations on surviving 2008. It was a tumultuous year to say the least. But new things for you are on the horizon.

First, I want to thank you all for trusting me with HELPING you reach your fitness goals. No matter what you read or see, YOU are the person who works hard to reach your goals. I NOR ANYONE ELSE can do it for you. This does not mean that I can't improve in helping you...I CAN and I WILL!

Second, guiding you is what I do. We will traverse through injury, mental and physical fatigue, and all of life's hurdles that come upon us. What YOU WILL DO, is come out the other side a MORE FIT PERSON.

Third, YOU will take matters into YOUR OWN HANDS! The one, two, or three days a week you see me, for some of you, is NOT ENOUGH to move forward. If you want to maintain what you have, or stay at your current level of movement and/or fitness, that is fine. We will discuss this individually later.

Finally, you know that you WORK HARD while you are with me. This will continue. There is a time for flexibility, for easy or moderate intensity, and a time for a 30 minute walk--along with the high intensity training that's needed to improve most of your fitness levels. I will expect MORE CONCERTED efforts by you to improve your health OUTSIDE OF MY REACHES in 2009. If the economy is going to suck, let it, your efforts in improving your health WILL NOT!

2009 is going to be a BREAKOUT year for some of you. I hope for ALL of you it is. It is in your hands, as to if it is YOU or not. Grab the opportunity and improve yourself.

Personally, my 6 month old Charlie has reminded me that life is precious...that the meaning of life is to GIVE YOUR life meaning. My life's meaning is to help you the best I can. If you fail I FAIL...and I will not fail!!!!!!!!!!

See you at your next session.

(This is a letter I sent out to my clients last week.)

Holidays and Fitness

Plain and simple...if you've done the tings all year long to stay in shape, and create a level of fitness you are proud of, don't worry about missing a day or two this time of year.

Spend time with your family. They've missed you this year, doing the things you have to do to compete in whatever event you've chosen to train for--a marathon, a long distance multi day bike ride, or the stress of your job. Watch Hermie and Rudolph try to save the world from the abominable snowman. Or Eddie show up unannounced at Clark's house, without the daughter trying to "get cured off the wild turkey."


Have fun. See you in the New Year!!

We all know WHAT to do!!

Those of you who know me, also know my philosophies of training. The harder you work, the more results you see. The cleaner you eat, the leaner you will be. Of course, I'm not talking about macronutrients--which can change throughout your training plan, depending on what that is-- i'm just talking about fewer chemicals. The growing trend that I notice is that no matter what training plan I recommend for someone, they have to do it. Something psychologically NEEDS TO CHANGE in this society. People know what to do, they just aren't doing it. Alwyn Cosgrove echoes my belief with these remarks:

"Therefore it's likely that you already have ALL the knowledge you need to achieve anything in your training. You KNOW how to get bigger. You KNOW how to get leaner. You KNOW how to get stronger. It's not a lack of knowledge for most people -- it's a lack of application. As you may have noticed, I've become tired of writing training programs and prefer to write about concepts or mindset shifts these days. I think people know what to do, but just aren't doing it. e.g. for getting lean: Did you train today? Did you do something that will elevate your metabolism? Did you eat supportively? Post workout shake? 5 meals? Protein at every meal? EFA's? Stop trying to figure out a better plan if you aren't already doing all of the above. A lot of the time it's an application of knowledge that is the missing link - not a lack of knowledge per se. Think about this: One trainer recommends 8 x 3 for squats. Another trainer recommends 3 x 10 for squats. Trainer one prefers total body training three times per week. Trainer two prefers body part splits with each "part" getting hit twice a week. The average person gets "frozen" as they don't know what to do now as the advice is the complete opposite. The educated person realizes that in order to succeed, based on both coaches experiences - you have to squat, you need about 24-30 reps of squats, and you need to train the whole body around 2-3 times per week. So they just get started and make sure that they hit those variables. The good stuff is in the similarities. So keep studying - but focus on taking action not on formulating the perfect plan. This person already had all the knowledge he needs to get to where he wants to go. He just needed to get started. If he'd have started with the completely wrong weight, he'd still have been closer to his goal than he is after taking the weekend off."


APPLY YOURSELF! Be the change for which you have the knowledge to MAKE HAPPEN!

So, Which Government Cares about it's People??

Brits Get Treats, Americans Get Tricks From Food Companies, Says Nutrition Action Healthletter

Pumpkin, Annatto, & Strawberry Color Foods There, Synthetic Petrochemicals Fill In Here

WASHINGTON—British consumers enjoy products made by General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft and McDonald's that are free of synthetic food dyes, but American customers lack such royal treatment, according to the October issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter. Despite evidence linking food dyes to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children, companies continue to use the controversial dyes in American product lines while substituting natural colorings in the United Kingdom.

In the U.K., Fanta orange soda gets its bright color from pumpkin and carrot extract, but in the U.S. it comes from Red 40 and Yellow 6. Starburst Chews and Skittles, which are both Mars products, also contain synthetic food dyes in the U.S. but not in the U.K. Similarly, in the U.S., McDonald’s strawberry sundaes are colored with Red 40 but—amazing as it might sound—real strawberries in the U.K.

"British candy has all the sugar of American candy, and it’s certainly not health food," said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, Nutrition Action’s publisher. "But as Halloween approaches, it's a shame that American kids trick-or-treat for candy dyed with discredited chemicals while British families have many of the same foods, minus the dyes."

Americans consume five times as much food dye as they did 30 years ago, according to data from the Food and Drug Administration. But in the wake of two British studies that found food dyes (and possibly the preservative sodium benzoate) impair the behavior of many children, the British government pressured companies to switch to safer, natural colorings and the European Parliament approved a warning label for foods that still contain the dyes.

In June CSPI urged the FDA to ban Red 40, Yellow 5 and six other synthetic dyes. The group wants parents of children sensitive to the chemicals to file reports online at http://www.cspinet.org/fooddyes, which CSPI will then forward to the FDA.


So, who has your best interest in mind in this country? If Mr Obama is REALLY going to do something about healthcare, what about some preventative care with changes in FOOD?!?!?

where is the beef? (or in this case science)

Brought to you by Neil Anderson, broadcaster of CrossFit Radio--

"When I was in school (USU, ex-sci - Class of 98, woot!), we had a cutting edge instructor (Dr. Abendroth-Smith) who had a penchant for destroying myths and fallacies of the exercise world. I learned a lot from her. She had a major impact on my thinking and the way I looked at "generally accepted" training principles and "popular" health instruction. Much of what she taught was contrarian, and poorly accepted by the "scientific community." Things like:

1. Eating low fat (big in the day) was poorly studied and not recommended, by her. She also doubted that eating a high fat diet was contributing to the rising incidence of heart disease and stroke (something still cutting edge to this day).

2. Balancing macro nutrients was better than following the food guide pyramid. She argued that the food guide pyramid was more political than scientific.

3. Hight intensity, short duration exercise was generally better for non-specialists. Can you imagine the words "non-specialists" being used in the late 90's?

4. HR training in the "fat-burning zone" was not recommended, by her, for fat loss.

5. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is misunderstood and probably not caused by the popular thinking of the day. Which had more to do with lactate build-up and nerve irritation than anything

These were just a few of the things she would open our minds to in the lectures.

You should have seen the looks she'd get from the Fiteratti as she would teach these principles. CrossFitters know this look. If you have forgotten, simply plink down $5 at your local globo tomorrow and go throw down a Fran. It'll come back to you. I had friends check out of her classes because they thought her teachings were tantamount to heresy. I didn't.

Listening closely to Dr. Abendroth-Smith has served me well over the years. Although I took my lumps and have been kicked out of a couple of places, many of the thoughts on how to improve general health and performance that were considered Law in the late 90's have gone...and those that persist have improved or have been mostly disproved and are only being used by fossils and BS artists of the industry..."

truer words never spoken...

"Too many people in this world want you to believe that their way is the only way. Don’t buy into the nonsense. It simply isn’t true. There have been successful athletes who have engaged in an infinite number of training styles. Almost anything that you do will work if you are passionate, diligent, and consistent with the work. Often times, it isn’t the individual workout that is most important, but how you attack the workout. How much passion and intensity do you apply to the work?"
Ross Enamait