Trainer Tip: Arming Yourself for Success and Longevity

Exercise Prescription and Programming 

One may ask what the importance is, what exactly that entails, and how to do. Well, here we go.  As a health and fitness specialist (HFS), the above is a foundation upon what I work upon, for not only my clients, the programs written here, for the my parents and siblings, but also, myself.

The human body is one that is comprised of muscles, bones, organs, tendons, ligaments, and many other structures.  In a perfect world, our bodies would move how they were intended to.  Symmetrical and proportionate beings would walk the Earth, however we all know this is not so.  If you do not believe me, next time you go into a gym, a park, work, a store, etc., just take a glance around.  Many people tend to have a forward slouch, slumped shoulders, tiny legs, no ass, or too much of, cant raise arms overhead, have shoulder issues, lower back issues, cant squat down without crapping on their own heels, and generally only workout the muscles they see in the mirror (arms, chest, and "abs").  This is where we as HFS come in, myself included.  To correctly and effectively program is an art, one that goes back to chiseling the perfect body as seen through the "Statue of David".  Notice Dave's perfectly balance, symmetrical physique.  Art.  And so are our own bodies, all of us; beneath all of the superficial matter, there are bones, muscles, and a masterpiece waiting to be unveiled.

So on to your journey of optimal health, wellness, and yes, even aesthetics.  To remain realistic, we must recognize that David led a much different life than most of us today.  He did not sit for a living, he ate beautifully, embraced the gift he was given through taking care of his body and temple, and sought balance throughout his life.  For many of us, that is an unattainable and unrealistic aspiration...and you would be  partially correct.  Perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and always out of reach, driving us forward, to persevere, to attain further, and never ceasing in the face of adversity.

Enter, the importance of programming a sound and balanced training regimen that will highlight areas of need, corrective issues (previous injuries, movement disorders, and/or future areas of concern), injury prevention, goals (muscle mass, fat loss, improved cardiovascular health, clinical improvements, etc).

For those of you interested in education and arming yourself, I recommend a great beginner book...

Athletic Body in Balance by Gray Cook

Pick up the book, and take a read.  This is only the tip of the iceberg.  Let me arm you, and lets proceed forth.

For those who wish to have me be your leader, GREAT!  Contact me with specifics and we can discuss!

Mike Dewar 
mikejdewar@gmail.com
M.A. Applied Physiology
B.S. Exercise Science w/ Minor in Nutrition and Foods
Precision Nutrition and Counseling Coach
Health Fitness Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer

 

Pushing past the lazy you

Today was one of those days when you get to the gym, look around and think to yourself, "Maybe I'll just rest today". That was my attitude as I walked into the gym this morning. I was having trouble getting motivated and it didn't help that the gym was empty, I mean totally empty. Just me and the weights. Normally I would be happy, no one to complain about my music, crank the stereo up loud and throw some weights around. Today I just couldn't get in the mood though. I was already there so I was bound to do something.
After an extremely slow warm-up I decided that if I did my strength work I would skip my WOD and go home. I made the agreement with myself and got to work. I have recently begun the 5/3/1 program that our dear Dewar has been on. After reading the book and consulting with the one and only I started this week.

~3x5 Bench Press
~3x10 Bent Over Row
~3x10 Dips w/Cable Pushdowns

There! I was done. I did what I said I was going to do so now I can go home right? Wrong. I thought about leaving briefly but a multitude of thoughts rushed through my mind. How would I feel later if I skipped this? What were my competitors doing right now? How will this benefit me in the long run? Why am I being a bitch? I had this inner monologue with myself, who is apparently a little mean, for a few moments. I thought of my goals and how leaving would help me achieve them..........nothing. So I made the choice to push through. I picked the most motivating song and played it as loud as I could without my ears bleeding and as Mike would say, got shit done.

Cindy - 20 minute AMRAP
5 Pull ups
10 Push Ups
15 Squats

Once I finished, and was thoroughly deaf, I knew I made the right choice. The point of today is to push aside the lazy person inside of yourself and accomplish what you know you can and should do. Whether it's making it to the gym, spending those extra minutes at work, or even just getting up and getting to work. If you need help committing to the right decision just ask yourself these questions.

1. Am I going to regret this later?
2. Will I feel better once this is done?
3. How will this help me achieve my goals?

These should help you make the right choice. But the fact that you need to ask these questions at all is evidence that you already know the right choice.

Review: Reebok CrossFit OLY Shoes

Recently I made an investment in my journey in the form of a pair of Olympic lifting shoes. I bought the Reebok CrossFit OLY Shoes that are pictured below. For those that are unfamiliar with these lifting shoes, they have a few specific purposes. The first of these purposes is to give you a hard surface to push off of so you don't lose any force in your lift. Imagine trying to squat on piece of memory foam compared with a slab of concrete. While these are drastic comparisons, the point that is being made is that the harder the surface you push off of, the greater the force that is directed straight to the load being lifted instead of being lost in the give of the surface. The "surface" in this explanation can also be replaced with "shoe". Think of squatting in a normal running shoe with all of its cushioning. As that load is applied to the shoe the padding will absorb this force and essentially lower your force output as you try and push back. This is the reasoning behind a lifting shoe, it gives you a hard solid surface to push against.
Another benefit of these shoes is the design of the heel. The heel is raised up to provide a mechanical advantage by keeping the shoulders over top of the hips. In this position the body is the strongest and can exert the biggest forces. It is similar to placing a weight under your heels when you squat. This is especially important when receiving heavy loads in the full squat position during a snatch or clean.
So to sum it up, a lifting shoe raises the heel to provide a more upright torso and pushing power as well as providing a hard, solid surface from which to push against.

Now to the shoes at hand, Reebok's shoe is a hybrid shoe which combines these elements along with a flexible shoe in the ball and toe region. They did this so the shoe would be able to be used during workouts that incorporate Olympic lifts and other exercises like box jumps, double unders, and burpees. The shoes run true to Reebok sizing, a 10 in their regular shoes will be a 10 in these shoes as well.
I love these shoes. They make a significant difference in squatting and even more so when doing full cleans and snatches. I could instantly feel the increased stability when I squatted down. It was the most apparent when doing overhead squats and full snatches. My feet felt glued to the ground during these lifts but the shoes are still light enough that I was able to do box jumps and double unders while still wearing them.
Overall, if you do a lot of Olympic lifting or even just a lot of squatting then I would recommend a pair of lifting shoes. If you plan on doing these lifts in conjunction with other exercises where you need some foot mobility then these are the shoes for you. Are they expensive? Yes. The Reebok ones are $150. You can find other brands from $99 to $200. Most of the other brands are going to have a hard sole throughout the entire shoe which will limit the mobility in them slightly but if you are only going to use them for those lifts then they won't be a problem for you.

So in review - If you do a lot of Olympic lifting then you may want to look into a pair. If you don't, I would pass.

$8 Man meal. Come get it.

Here ya go.  Build the muscle, stabalize the blood sugar, and get shit done! Time to sleep....

"To infinity, and BEYOND!"

To my friends.  We did it.  Proud to be a part of something bigger than just a race.  Thank you for including me in on YOUR JOURNEY.
Pit: 164 reps
5 Mile Course: 51 mins
Motivation, perseverance, determination, and success. 
"Just keep swimming."
- Dory

***70th place out of 1300+.  I'll take that for first time competing.***
Who knows, an alternative path upon my journey may begin.

To go, to do, and to conquer.

For some, these three are seen as seperate, while to others they are seen as consecutive synonyms. 

Half ass efforts lead to half ass results.  This has been preached to most, including myself, since youth.  Believe it or not, our parents had it right on this one. 

Enter...
1. Goals (realistic yet optimistic)
2. Goal mapping (direct, clear, and measurable tracking)
3. Goal reaching (ALWAYS, if not on the first attempt, fix it, and attain)
4. Re-evaluate and repeat

Today was the day of the CMC event, and as I sit here writing this on the train ride into Brooklyn, I recollect the past 6 weeks of focused intensity.  That focused intensity drove me to push harder, run faster, and endure the uncomfortable and the ominous.  Through reaching my daily goals of not bitchig out, and holding myself accountable, I feel confidently anxious going into today. 

Whether in your own health and fitness events, goals, personal life and feats, and any other aspect of what and who you are, the above four steps are crucial and vital to your ongoing success.  So get a pad of paper out, and write things you like about what, how, or who you are; and then things to the contrary.  Find the practices that model success, and illuminate the ones that need improvement.  Set your goals, track yourself, and attain.  Build upon your successes, and learn from your failures.  It's a long journey.  Embrace the struggles, celebrate your feats, and NEVER become contempt with your successes.  Re-assess, re-focus, and reapeat. 

Whew, that must be the caffeine and jitters talking. Thanks for the ear.  Off I go, only to return again, ready to celebrate today, and repeat the steps tomorrow. 

"To infinity, and BEYOND!"
- Buzz Lightyear

Daily Workout (9.20.12): Dumbbell Detonation #2

Here's next rendition of Dumbbell Detonation#2.

This metabolic meltdown will forge the muscle in the iron furnace, strip the fat fro your body, and make everyone else look and stare.  Haters are always welcome.

Daily Workout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a12OpOz-Dj8

Proper Nutrition = High Octane Fuel

What's up athletes? As you may know, I'm home on vacation until October and I am living it up as much as possible. A lot of lounging and eating, a lot of eating and not my usual healthy foods either. I've cheated quite a bit and am starting to feel the effects. Normally my diet is clean and I eat healthy but since I've returned home my diet has taken a turn for the worse. Home cooked food along with parties and family gatherings don't make for the best scenarios for eating healthy.

The reason I bring this up is because of this lapse in nutritional discipline my performance in the gym has suffered. It may not be hugely significant but is very noticeable, especially to me. It has added a little more struggle under a weight that's normally manageable, added seconds on to workouts, and required just a little more motivation to get started. Sometimes the importance of nutrition gets lost in the rush of the day so a healthy meal gets sacrificed into a double cheeseburger and fries. I've heard people say that eating right is hard and confusing. These are just excuses so they can continue eating the same foods they always have. When you get down to it though eating right is simple, it just requires a decision by yourself to commit to it.

Aside from being a fat kid back at home, here is what else I've been up to...

1) 5x5 Squat Cleans 
"Grannie" 5 rounds
6 x Clean and Jerks then 50,40,30,20,10 of Double Unders and Sit Ups

1-5 Pull Up Ladder x 3

2)5x5 then 3x5 Flat Bench
5x5 Push Press

"Helen"
400m Run
21 x DB Swings 55#
12 x Pull Ups

3)5x5 Back Squat

21-15-9
Deadlift 225#
Overhead Squat 135#

Still getting the work in but not at the highest potential due to all this cheat food around the house.

In the end, fuel your body up right so you can perform at your highest. If you fill your body up with regular unleaded gas it will perform like a 1972 Station wagon....slow. You want to perform like a 2013 Ferrari then you need that super premium fuel. Picking up what I'm putting down? So next time you get out there and start your journey, make sure you fill up beforehand.

If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?

When life gets me working hard and pondering harder, my body is my fortress.  Paralleling the belief that your body is a temple, I stay true to myself.  The unforeseen and unexpected happen, things get said, and things go differently than planned.  Those you cannot hold on to for too long, because only bad will come of it.  Some of you have found ways to debrief, de-stress, and recoup from such events; however many have not.  What I offer you is my outlet, one forged from solidarity, two deuces thrown in the air to your naysayers, and a heighten respect for oneself; and ultimately the only means you have to accomplish your goals and overcome your setbacks...YOUR body and YOUR mind.

For you, I have what I turn to.  I believe that through exercise, nutrition, and dedication to preserving YOUR temple is rewarded by the outlooks, strengths, and relationships forged through iron, sweat, and occasional nausea.

"OFF" Day Recharge Workout: 55-75min
- Foam Roll: 10min
Why? *Rid your body of painful acid build-up, heal yourself from muscle damage, and recharge your neurological systems.

 How? *Find a roller, a tennis ball, soup can, etc, and get after it.  Videos to come.

- Cardiovascular Exercise: 30-45min
Why? *Improve your mood, lipid and blood pressure profiles, heart health, weight loss / weight maintenance, and stimulate positive thinking through increased blood flow and release of mood boosting neurotransmitters.

How? *Pick your piece of equipment (your own body for walking, running, jumping, dancing, etc, or any mass modalities found in local gym.

- Resistance Training: 15-20min
Why? *Improve muscular health, detoxify yourself from the vigor of life via attacking the weights, and improve your body composition and aesthetic prowess...A.K.A. CONFIDENCE.

How? *Pick a weight that allows you to complete ~20 reps on your first set.  Subtract the total cumulative number of reps from 100 total reps to get your rest period.  As you go into your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc sets, your rest periods will decrease, so get after it!
ex.
100 total reps - (20 reps in 1st set) = 80sec rest
100 total reps - (20 in 1st + 18 in 2nd set) = 62 sec rest
100 total reps - (20 in 1st + 18 in 2nd + 17 in 3rd set) = 45 sec rest
...You get the picture.  Use the same weight throughout entire circuit, descending all the way to zero.  

1) Cable Curl
2) Cable Triceps Extension / Kickback
3) BOSU Crunch
 ***Yes, this was an aesthetically based superficial workout.  Hey, we all need these now and then.  No one can deny improved body confidence, gusto, and empowerment.  We would all be lying if that wasn't true.

There you have it.  Roughly 60 minutes to a greater you.  A greater outlook.  A greater investment in your health retirement portfolio than many other vices out there...(drinking, eating, isolating one's self, negativity, etc).  Remember, your body is your temple.

"If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong"
- Thomas Jefferson

"Our body is a machine for living. It is geared towards it; it is its nature. Let life go on in it unhindered and let it defend itself; it will be more effective than if you paralyze it by encumbering it with remedies."

- Leo Tolstoy

Daily Workout (9.17.12): "Pull" HIST

"Push" H.I.S.T. (High Intensity Strength Training): 60mins (Pick your workout window...pick either a 10, 15, or 20min time frame).  Tack this one in between you cardiovascular exercise time...

* "Push" refers to the cardinal planes of movement primarily involved in this routine (muscles and joints).  A sound exercise program / trainer / advocate should understand how the body works (anatomy, agonist and antagonist of muscle and joint actions, injury prevention through balanced training, programmed rest days for various groups, recovery, etc.  If have any questions, its my thing, so reach out.  I could chat allllllll day about it...and probably evening and the next.)

Example: 
- 10min Cardiovascular Exercise (Rowing, Running, Inclined Walking, ... Elliptical, etc)
- 10-20min of "Daily Workout" (See Below)
- Remaining time doing Cardiovascular Exercise


Pick weight loads that are roughly your 10RM (rep max) for each (barbell, pair of dumbbells, body weight, etc).  Then, perform one repetition of each movement each in consecutive circuit manner (should get all 5 reps...1 rep of each exercise...in about 1 minute = 1 set).  Pick time frame and get as many sets in as possible.  Push yourself, and get shit done.
a) Dumbbell Chest Press x1
b) Dumbbell Deadlift x1
c) Dumbbell Shoulder Press x1
d) Dumbbell Overhead Squat x1
e) Dumbbell Weighted Crunch / V-Up x1

*For now, until we get database of exercises uploaded and ready for your use, shoot me questions regarding how to perform exercises if need!*

Weekend Warriors

This is a recap of the very eventful weekend that passed, followed up with a nice and liesure Monday.

Saturday: *8 mile training run; however actually did 9 miles to my girlfriend's dismay...  : )

Sunday: 45min
- 5/3/1 BB Bench Press: 10min
This was my 2nd week of my 3rd cycle, (so my 10th week since I started).  Loving this methodology.  Bench went up 15lbs, which is very consistent gains (for someone who has been trying to get this done for so long.  5lbs per month, I'll take it)...

- "Push" H.I.S.T. (High Intensity Strength Training): 20mins
Pick 5 exercises, use loads that are 10RM (rep max) for each.  Then, perform one repetition of each movement for each in consecutive circuit manner (should get all 5 reps...1 rep of each exercise...in about 1 minute = 1 set).  Pick time frame and get as many sets in as possible.  Push yourself, and get shit done.
a) SA DB Snatch (65#) x1/side
b) SA DB Windmill (65#) x1/side
c) SA DB Bench Press (65#) x1/side
d) DB Overhead Squat (pair of 15#) x1
e) I-Beam Wide Grip Pull Up / Side to Side Pull Up / Low Lat Pull Up x1

- Chest/Triceps Volume Circuit: 15min
Perform all exercises in circuit fashion, resting only at end of complete round.  Pick weights that are of your 10-12RM (hypertrophy training weight).  Perform 3 rounds.  Rest60-90sec between rounds.
a) Cable Seated Chest Press / Inverted Bodyweight Plyometric Push Up w/ Claps x10
b) Cable Flye (various angles) x10
c) Dip (I practiced on muscle up transitions, so I did dips from end of muscle up position) x10
d) Cable Pressdown / Overhead Extension x10


Monday: 100min
- 3.5 mile Central Park run w/ hills

- TRX / Bodyweight Plyometric Circuits
We did 30sec max work:30-45sec rest frames, in which I alternated work and rest with my workout partner / girlfriend.  We completed 5 rounds each (5mins total....30sec X 5 rounds X 2 people) before progressing into next exercise.
1. Squat Jump / 180 Jump Turns / Burpee x30sec
2. Inverted Row / Pull Up / Chin Up x30sec
3. Inverted Shoulder Press / Push Up / Dip x30sec
4. Core Variation / (Plyo Leg Raise, Kick Throughs, TRX Pike/Pull In, etc) x30sec

- 1 mile run HOME.

Pretty active weekend.  Nothing crazy.  No crazy times spent at gym, no frills, nada.  Just outdoors, fitness, friendship, hard work, effort, persistence, and improvements!

More to come for week ahead.  6 days until CMC event!

R.A.W. Training Experience

I am officially on vacation as of noon yesterday. After a long day at Atlanta Airport I arrived back in Pittsburgh. I spent the night with my brother, sister, and sister-in-law as we had a nice cheat meal (there will be a lot of those on vacation) at a place called Burgatory. Great burgers and shakes but a little heavy on the calories. This morning I went to R.A.W Training, the CrossFit gym my brother and his wife go to. They competed in the CrossFit Games this year in the team division and came in 5th overall, not too damn bad.

We conducted a dynamic warm-up and did some agility and core drills to start the day off. Today's workout was a team workout, and there were about 30-40 people there. They broke us up into teams of 3 and this was our workout:

5000m Row
100 Deadlifts @ 225#
100 Hand Stand Push Ups
100 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 88# KB
100 Single Arm KB Overhead Squat @ 35#
100 Pull Ups
Max Reps of 40 yd Sled Pushes w/2 45# plates

The workout was set up like so - 1 athlete would row while the other 2 teammates worked on the Deadlifts. Every 2 minutes the athlete on the rower would switch with 1 of the other athletes. This continued until all 5000 meters were completed and then all 3 athletes continued to work on the remaining repetitions of the exercises. Once the Pull Ups were complete we moved onto the turf field for the Sled Pushes. There was a 35 minute time limit to complete all this.

This was my first team workout and I liked it a lot. It's a great change of pace from just working out by yourself or with a partner. There is a lot of teamwork and camaraderie between your team and the other teams as well. If you ever get a chance to participate in a team workout I would definitely recommend it.

Started the day off with a great workout and then finally arrived back in my little hometown of Linesville for some home cooked food. Don't expect a whole lot from me tomorrow, I plan on laying on the floor with my dog and watching football all day.

Hey, don't hassle me okay. I'm on vacation!

If this doesn't make you dig deeper on those final reps, what does?!

Forget "Squat til you puke", try deadlifting http://t.co/YG28FMiW via @youtube -- Mike J Dewar (@mikejdewar)

Daily Workout (9.13.2012): Dumbbell Detonation

Dumbbell (DB) Detonation: Named solely due to metabolic explosion that occurs.

Fact: High intensity strength training has capacity to increase metabolic disturbances in muscle physiology, oxygen consumption, and nervous system; all leading to increased oxygen demand, depletion, and "debt", therefore increasing overall energy demands (A.K.A. calorie expenditure) both during the exercise round, rest periods, and 12-24hrs post workout. No frills here; just sweat, humility, triumph, and results.
Try this H.I.S.T. (high intensity strength training) circuit to jump-start your muscle building and fat burning factories.

*Perform #1-5 in consecutive order, using weight loads that are your 8-10RM (rep maximum).  Finding the right load may take a minute or two. When in doubt, check your clock.  Every round should take roughly 1min...to quick on average and you should increase weights, to slow, and well, get shit done...
* Perform as many rounds as you can in predetermined time period that you select (10, 15, 20min, etc).  Record weights used, and total rounds completed, and beat it next time.  Compete!

One Complete Round =
1. DB Burpee with Push-Up and Jump x1 (Yellow)
2. DB Dual Lateral Delt Raise x1 (Red)
3. SA DB Curl to Shoulder Press x1/side (Blue)
4. Plank Heel Taps x1/side (Green)
5. DB Dual Shrug x1 (Black)
Give me some feedback on what you all think.  If responsive, more will come!  Looking forward to leading the herd on, "THE JOURNEY".

Efficiency through Creativity and Grit

To test one's mettle, grit, determination, and cajones, all you need is yourself, creativity, and " Big Kid Pants" (realistically, you could workout naked and still bust your own balls/ovaries, no pun intended...more power to you). 

When in a crunch, try this out for your cardio strength blast. Pick your favorite and most familiar moves; I recommend the Squat Jump, Burpee, Push Up and Curl-Overhead Shoulder Press.  Add weight if need be so that you have moderate resistance (say a pair of DBs that you can get 8-10 reps with max on your weakest exercise).  Pick your time frame, and go through as many rounds as you can, performing sets of 1,2,3,4, or 5 reps per exercise in consecutive fashion.  No frills, No excuses, Only results.

Here is mine, and yes, pics included! 
Workout #1: "Gymnast Gusto and Glory"
1. KB Push Up x1
2. KB Plank to Double Leg Kick Through x1
3. KB Levitated "L" Hold x1
4. Steps #3 to #2 Reversed
5. KB Burpee Deadlift x1
*Repeated for 20mins resting only as needed, recording total rounds.
*WHEN you decide to embark on this one, start off with hexagonal dumbbells, then progress to kettlebells that have larger base, so that you can stabilize yourself when levitated.  Just make sure you can still manage a proper Deadlift at end. 

I then ran my 5 mile training run to stay on track with my race training.  Got it in. Got it out, did it right.  Effective and efficient advancements on "THE JOURNEY" doesn't always need to mean 3 hour trips to gym.  These both we in, showered, and out in less that 90mins (20ins to "Freshenize").
Stay tuned to J2Fit blog.  Give some feedback on what you all want!  Stayed tuned for video clips of warm-ups, exercise instructions, workouts for you, etc!

When in doubt, just get shit done.  That bar, obstacle, predicament, extra mile, workout, or unforeseeable event is not going to move itself or get out of your way miraculously.  Keep your head up, hips down, and get dirty.  See it out to the end.  "It builds character".  Get it started, keep it moving, and get it done.  Then continue on the journey.

Monday Monday Monday!!!

What's going on folks? Surprisingly great Monday here in Georgia (how often do you hear that). Only 4 more days until this guy is flying home for vacation. For those that don't know, I will be heading overseas in the near future so starting this Friday is my 2 weeks of leave before the real work starts. And since we are basically done training that means there isn't a whole lot of work to be done. That makes for an easy day and enough free time to do this before lunch....

~10 x 10 Back Squat
~10 x 5 Overhead Squat
~3 x 8 Romanian Deadlift
~3 x 10 Back Extensions
~1 minute Back Ext Iso
~10 x Calf Raises on every step out of the gym. 20 steps x 10 raises = 200 total reps

We were able to get this in before lunch and our only afternoon meeting. Today was scheduled as a light squat day so we stuck with lower weights and increased the volume while moving as explosively as we could. It was a nice quick workout and left us walking to the chow hall a little weird. We had plenty of time to recover after lunch during a 4.5 hour meeting. After dinner we headed back to the gym. The idea was to do a longer workout instead of a faster, more intense WOD. Once we warmed up, we did some skill work with Muscle Ups and climbed the rope then got to work. Lucas and I took turns picking an exercise and number of reps for 30 minutes. Everything was free game, no restrictions aside from there was no rest between exercises. The goal was to move for the entire 30 minutes and mission accomplished. Fast forward a half an hour and I feel a little like throwing up. The best part about the workout is that we competed against each other to finish the exercises first as well as to try and make the exercises harder and harder as we went along. We ended up pushing each other and choosing exercises that the other person may not be as good at. While we did this so we could beat each other at it, it served another purpose as well. That forced us to work on things we were weak on. Another great benefit to having a workout partner. With another person there to help select workouts and exercises, you won't always do what you like or are good at. It pushes you outside of your little comfort bubble and helps improve areas you may be weak in.

So next time you and you're workout partner are getting bored with your schedule and want to try something new, shake it up with this workout. It can be as long or as short as you want and don't hold back on the exercises, use everything you have at your disposal. It's a great workout if you are short on time too. Just remember these tips: Move fast, don't rest and vary the exercises and reps.....oh and have fun!

"If you don't have fun in life, it's your own damn fault."
~ Sonny Litwiler

Life's Little Things

Results come through diligent practice, consistency, and perseverance.  If it was easy to get, everyone would have it.  Be the person you want to be today, tomorrow, and the next.  Do it for yourself, your loved ones, and your future. This is you 401k or Roth.  You may have money at retirement, but how well will you be able to live then if your journey towards greater health, self-respect, and well being hasn't started now.  Quality of life and it's pursuits.  Get after it today, because tomorrow is knocking at your door.

Before I barrage you with my weekend mayhem, I want to get something off my chest.

Food for thought:
The other evening on the subway, my girlfriend and I saw a woman in her mid 50's who was disabled with a prosthetic leg, screws and bolts on in her ankle, and something looking like scoliosis.  I was heartbroken at the sight of her, in what looked like painful endeavors to accomplish the every day tasks that we take for granted.  Struck by intense feelings of shame and frustration at myself and others who have forgotten how precious the little things in life can be.  I sat there later in bed, struggling with the concept of obesity and lack of physical activity (as well as many other factors of influence) among our population as a whole, furthering my disappointment, confusion, and frustration regarding motivation the masses to make changes for the future.  We all, yes even I, need to count our blessings, and recognize that they may vanish and deter at any moment.  Live your life, and do it to the fullest.  There are many things that you cannot control, but your health, the ways you eat, sleep, and live, is up to you.  And those actions will bring outcomes.  Start your journey today, snowballing your successes into an avalanche.  Get on the journey, stay on it.  Lead.  Reach out.  Conquer.

Ok, off my stand...

Saturday: 75min
*6 mile Scaffolding Run: My girlfriend and I ran our first scheduled long run for race in late October.  My girlfriend's goal was to run a half marathon, and mine was to help her achieve her goal and stay on track during HER JOURNEY.  The scaffolding part is where my love of climbing and doing random things comes in; at every scaffold that we passed, she was to do one jump to pull/chin up (assisted only during last half) and myself, plyo pulls and/or muscle up (I want that muscle up, so I'm keeping at it....Sonny, give me some pointers!).  We finished in great shape, and we both accomplished the goal of the day, to finish and do it strong. 

Sunday Mock Pit: 136 reps
*Not impressed with my mock pit numbers today. Wanted to beat my 149 mark from a week ago.  13 days til Showtime.

Sunday Pre-Kickoff Barbell Showcase: 26:59min
*I picked 10 BB exercises, threw them together into a circuit, and got after it.  I did five rounds in a ladder scheme, doing all 5 reps of an exercise, and continued in manner until all exercises consecutively completed.  I increased the weight on the first, second, and third round, then reversed down weight increments and got after it.  Here's what I have for you. Give it a shot for yourself, partner or not.  Grab a bar, a pair of dumbbells, or soup cans; for our beginners or elders out there ;)
Just get after it, and yes...
"Get shit done." (Excuse my French...)

*5 reps per exercise, alternating with partner per exercise (or resting just as much as you need).  Increase the weight on first three rounds, then reverse.  Then do your math to see how much weight you moved! 
1. BB High Pull
2. BB Clean
3. BB Front Squat
4. BB Push Press
5. BB Back Squat Jump
6. BB Bent Row
7. BB Roman / Stiffleg Deadlift
8. BB Floor Triceps Press w/ Toe touches to Plates (Obliques and Abdominals)
9. BB Abdominal Roll-Out
10. BB Bicep Cheat Curl (yea, why not right?!)

*The math part.  Follow along if this isn't your strong subject.
Round One: 10 exercises X 5 reps X 95# = 4,750#
Round Two: 10 X 5 X 115# = 5,750#
Round Three: 10 X 5 X 135# = 6750#
Round Four: 10 X 5 X 115# = 5,750#
Round Five: 10 X 5 X 95# = 4,750#
27,750# (13.5+ tons!) moved in 27mins! GET.SHIT.DONE.

With all that coming in in under an hour time at gym (foam rolling, warm-up, mock pit, BB complex, and cool-down) there are no excuses why one can't get shit done.


Now, off to watch Week 1 of the NFL! GO LIONS!

JVA 5K, Pressing, and Swimming

Today was a pretty busy day for this guy. Started out this morning doing a 5K run for MSG Jared Van Aalst. He was a Ranger who died 2 years ago while he was deployed. The money goes towards scholarships in his name so it's a good cause. As I mentioned yesterday, my goal was to run in under 20 minutes. Unfortunately I didn't quite make it. I ended up coming in at 20:53 which isn't too bad but a little over my goal. Luckily I have another chance to reach that goal in about a month.

After that nice morning run I moved to the gym in the afternoon for our heavy pressing day...

~Warm-up
~DB Military Press 3x5 then 3x3 increasing weight
~DB Flat Bench  3x5 then 3x3 increasing weight
~Single Arm DB Flat bench 3x12
~WOD - "Gracen" - 15:59
10 rounds of:
3 x Clean and Jerk @ 135#
15 x Wall Ball Shots @ 20#

~100 Sit Ups

Felt good in the gym today, everything seemed to feel lighter than normal. Set a PR on the flat bench with the dumbbells so that kept the motivation going today. We threw in some single arm bench at the end to work the core a little differently than usual. The WOD for the day was a combination of Karen  (150 Wall Balls) and Grace (30 Clean and Jerks) hence the name "Gracen". It was a good combo and took anything I had left in my legs out of me. We finished the day with 100 sit ups before we could leave the gym.

Lastly, we decided to go to the pool since it was 90+ degrees out today. It was good to get outside and get some sun, had to get some UV rays on my pasty white skin.

Pretty busy day compared to a normal Saturday but I got a lot of quality work in and raised money for a fellow Ranger so I call that a success. To take a step up on that dreaded soap box for a moment, I was reminded today of the great feeling you get from helping and being involved with good causes. Just doing something as simple as paying $25 and running on a Saturday morning for a fallen brother. The point is to get out there and join a cause, contribute to society, and help someone out. The satisfaction you get is worth it and you may just be able to workout in the process which never hurts!

MSG Jared Van Aalst

Still Kicking

What's happening J2Fit nation. I've been a little inconsistent with my posts lately, I blame work. Let's do a quick catch up.
Wednesday - Rest day, enough said.
Thursday - Worked on heavy Snatch with 7x5 followed by "Elizabeth" (21-15-9 of 135# Cleans and Ring Dips)
And now we are caught up, I feel better now. Today started off with some work related training and then I hopped out of a C-17 airplane in the afternoon. Obviously by me writing this it was a successful jump and I landed safely on the drop zone.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't want to work out at all today. I wasn't hurt or sore, just feeling lazy and unmotivated. Enter the trust workout partner who made me feel like a shitbag for wanting to skip today when I just rested two days ago! Fast forward 30 minutes and I found myself in the gym warming up. I don't have much of a workout to put up here though because we just kind of floated around the gym and did whatever we felt like today. It was scheduled as a light squat day so we did our main task and I threw in extra Air Squats in between all my sets. The only focused workout I did was with Turkish Get Ups. For those that don't know, a Turkish Get Up or TGU is an exercise where you hold a weight (dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell even) above your head and move from a completely supine or lying position to standing up. It works the core and is a great shoulder exercise especially for strengthening the stabilizer muscles associated with the shoulder. So I proceeded to superset TGU with Air Squats. This video below is a quick demonstration of the Turkish Get Up as well as an impressive strength feat and my newest goal to achieve. The demonstrator uses a woman as his kettlebell, essentially doing a Human Turkish Get Up, check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDQUlshxO_8

Not a lot to dissect today, pretty light, easy going day in the gym. I didn't want to over do it today as I have a 5K run tomorrow morning, the MSG Jared Van Aalst 10K/5K and 1 Mile Memorial Run. My goal is to come in under 20 minutes, I will have the results for you tomorrow. I'm sure you all can't wait! I'll leave you with this little gem...

"Be miserable or motivate yourself to do something about it. The key is it's always YOUR choice."
- Wayne Dyer

New shoes, yah!

So after doing grown up work (expenses, client data and excel sheets, dmv info, blah, blah, blah) I was struck with an urge to break my shoes in (yes, even though I just got done saying rest is important....). And, may just be in my head, or really was needed shoe support, but 4 miles later around Central Park and my hood, Upper East Side of the Big Apple, and welp, nothin better!

Rest up the beat up, and beef up the rest!

Enough is enough, time to recognize my kryptonite.  My kryptonite is chronic heel and Achilles tendon pain, most likely caused from years of abuse during football, motorcycle accident, and more common than we think, EXERCISING IN THE WRONG SHOES.  I tend to over pronate, as do a majority of Americans, and it wasn't helped by my shoes that I have now.  I love my shoes, but they are not intended for 15-30 miles per week with someone of my ankle structure...I'm like an old man when it comes to the left ankle (I swear, it hurts when it rains...).  But, to train smarter, isn't necessarily always to train harder.  All that this minor setback meant was I am faced with a choice; I put up with shelling out for a pair of running shoes that offer support, instead of putting up with random flair ups of pain and frustration.  If you have nagging and/or reoccuring issues, hit us here at J2Fit up. If we do not have the answers, we will get them and/or get you in touch with someone who does!

Today's OFF day...

1a. BB Inclined Press 5x5
1b. Muscle Up (Half Up) 5x2
1c. Plyo BW Pull Up 5x3
2a. 5% inclined jog (nursing a foot issue, hence new shoes now)
3a. 30min bike (15sec all out:45sec average) x30

Today was a day not intended to actually do something. Ended up working out with my client, so all went well. Got the itch, and let it go.

Leg Day "Deloaded"...not.

Today was Leg Day, with emphasis on squat.  It was also the 4th week on my 5/3/1 cycle, hence the deload.  I felt good, so I decided to do lower weight with high volume, all to give my joints a rest from the heavier loads without sacrificing muscle gains via volume training.  Here it goes, quick post today, however I have tour back and all of the goods,..don't worry, I have your back J2Fit nation!

Part I.  Lord of the Legs BB Barrage: 23min (Time yourself! This is what we got)
*Choose a weight that is your 12-15RM (rep max) for the weakest lift in the complex (most likely the BB Goodmorning).
*Perform each exercise for 10 reps, then proceed to next, completing all in consecutive order, then repeat.
*I performed this with my trusty workout partner, and out very own Mike Barbot.  Training partners help by governing rest periods to keep you on track. If by yourself, rest no longer than the time it took you to complete your set.  Get shit done.

1. BB Back Squat 135# x10
2. BB Goodmorning 135# x10
3. BB Roman Deadlift 135# x10
4. BB Jump Shrug 135# x10
5. Medicine Ball Jump Slams x10

*You can modify this by using a pair of dumbbells instead of a barbell, and swap the BB Goodmorning with a DB Front Squat.

Part II.  Glute Glory: 10min (You can do total time of either 10,15,20,or whatever time frame you want.  All that matters is that you are moving throughout!)
*Pick a weight that is your 10RM for weakest lift (most likely the KB Windmill)
*For directions on KB Windmill exercise, see previous post by Mike Barbot.
*You will perform one repetition of each exercise per side, then proceed to next exercise, performing all 5 in consecutive order.  One full run through of all exercises on each side = 1 round
*Try to get through as many complete rounds as possible in the time frame you set up.  Record and repeat every week, always striving to complete more rounds in same time!

1. KB SA Drop Lunge x1/side
2. KB SA Swing x1/side
3. KB SA Windmill x1/side
4. KB SA Front Squat x1/side
5. KB SA Plyometric Calf Hop x1/side

*My numbers: 9 rounds in 10min using a 24kg KB

Get shit done. Short sweet post today my friends.  Even us gym rats have lives and shit to do. Regardless, always get IT in!

Thruster Hell

As you may have guessed from the title, did some Thrusters today....bout 100 to be exact. Probably one of the worst WODs I've done. I hate Thrusters, they suck. Aside from Burpees they are my most hated exercise. Not because I think they are a bad exercise but because they smoke the hell out of me. That's why I did the workout though. I knew that since I hate the exercise I don't do them as much as I should so this was a great chance to make up on some of those deficient reps. So here was the morning workout:

~Foam Roll and Aerodyne Bike - 10 mins, 30 sec fast/30 sec slow
~100 x Thrusters @ 95# - 13:56
~EMOM for 6 minutes - 1 x Muscle Up
~3x12 DB Incline Bench
~15 minutes of Handstands/Abs/Push Ups

After the 100 Thrusters I looked like a wet dog that just jumped in a swimming pool. Did a little extra work and then headed to work.

Gridiron Glory

Following a great Saturday filled with BBQ, swimming, beer, great times, friends and loved ones, and endless meat and sweets, I woke up feeling apprehensively confident about getting Sunday back on track (instead of it becoming a total three day lipid landslide), and reinging order back into my lazy holiday weekend. 

Looking at no gym, no weights, no treadmills or battle ropes, no tires, no tv screens on cardio equiptment, no water coolers, no sweat and eucalyptus towels, and NO disinfectant spray...(do you get my drift?  Stop living the lavish gym experience and get your ass down and dirty, no frills, just getting shit done.)

I was equipped with myself, my trusty G-Shock watch that has been to Hell and back with me, day in and day out, and a field; lucky for me a partially lined practice football field, o those days...

So I suited up, in my shirtless self, ready to get my hands dirty (literally).  Surrounded by greenery, calm skies, and half chewed mouthpieces (belonging to the junior varsity scout team star running back who got his clock cleaned for the sake of the team).

So, I got it going, and got shit done.  I even managed to hit the single man football sled a few times (and I must say, I would have rode the pine after my pitiful deput following my 6 year hold out).

Dynamic Warm-Up: 5min
Power Flow with Bodyweight Travelling Movements: 10min

Gridiron "Glory Days": 18-21min (3 rounds)
-Walking Lunge x20yds (pictured)
-Burpee Jumps x5 (pictured)
-Travelling Lateral Plank x10yds
-Travelling Lateral Plank (other side) x10yds
-Burpee Jumps x5
-Broad Jump x10yds (pictured)
-Burpee Jumps x5
-Sprint x50yds
-Jog (back to goaline to reset) x100yds
-Rest x60-90sec
-REPEAT

CMC Specific Cardio: 25min
2.5mi Road Run (valleys, hills, dips, and greenery...Oh NJ)

Game Day in the Gym

If these words are moving on the screen it means you may have been tailgating a little excessively today. I know you all are busy watching all the college games on today so I will keep this short. Woke up today ready to attack the day so that's what I did.

Morning Workout
~10 min Aerodyne 30 fast/30 slow
~4x10 DB military press
~100 x BB Bench @ 135# w/5x10 snatch pull @ 135#

~21-18-15-12-9-6-3  -  7:08
75# Push press
75# SDLHP (Sumo Deadlift High Pull)

~4x10 95# BB Row/GHD Sit ups

Afternoon Workout
~10 RFT (Rounds For Time) - 14:31
15 x Deadlift @ 135#
15 x Push Up

~Muscle Ups/Handstands/DUs/Abs

Basketball

This morning we worked on a lot of pressing and we kept it light since well, today was a light day. The WOD for the morning was a smoker. I beat my last time on that workout by about 2 minutes, progress! I finished up the morning with some Bent Over BB Rows to balance out the pressing and threw in some abs as well.
When the afternoon session came along I wanted to do something that would keep the pushing and pulling even so I landed on Deadlifts and Push Ups. Ended up doing a 150 of each during that workout and as Mike has done lately I added up my weight moved during that workout. 150 reps at 135 pounds equals 20,250 pounds. I like the way that looks. After that WOD I spent about a half an hour working on Handstands, Double Unders, Muscle Ups, and throwing in Abs as well. After the second session I felt great even though my body was pretty much spent. I went out to the basketball courts and shot around for a while and then called it a day.
I'll spare you a quote today as I'm sure you've heard plenty of motivational phrases/speeches during all the football coverage today. Enjoy the rest of the games and eat whatever you want...just remember it all tomorrow at the gym.