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.

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!*

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

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.

Bar Muscle Up? Check!

What's up freaks? Fitness freaks that is. Hope your day has been productive and you've taken a few more steps or even a hop or a skip closer to your goals. Today I have done just that by cementing the Muscle Up firmly into my repertoire of exercises. I'm pretty excited about it as that was one of my goals I set for myself a few weeks ago. So now the next step is to up the ante and work on chaining multiple Muscle Ups together.

Anyways, after about an hour and a half of soccer this morning we conducted this little gem in the afternoon.

-Isabel - 4:59
30 x Snatch @ 135#
-3x8 Single Arm DB Snatch
-3 rounds
50 yd Farmer Carry
Push Ups
-3 rounds
50 yd Farmer Carry
Handstands
-Incline DB Bench
10-8-6-4-2 reps
-3 rounds Incline DB Bench
5 Halfway Up > 5 Halfway Down > 5 Full Rep > 5 Negative Reps
-Strict Pull Ups
1-2-3-4-5 reps
-Row 2k
-Core
1 min Left Side Plank > 1 min Plank > 1 min Right Side Plank

We started off with foam rolling like always and warmed up with some Bear Complex and light Snatches. Then we did the CrossFit benchmark workout Isabelle which is 30 Snatches at 135 pounds. Just barely snuck in under 5 minutes. The first thing to go was my grip on this one, so we decided to attack that weakness and do some more grip work with the Farmer's Carry. Then we worked some Incline Bench to even out all the pulling with some pushing. We did 3 sets of an exercise similar to the classic bicep workout 21's. You do 5 reps from start to halfway up. Then 5 from the halfway point to fully extended, followed by 5 full reps and lastly 5 slow negative reps. It was surprisingly rough and a good way to end out the pressing. After a quick little Pull-Up ladder we rowed 2k for fun and then did a total of 9 minutes of core. 3 minutes of each left, center, and right side planks. Finally we stretched and went home.

A decent amount of work today. It felt good to come back to the gym after a full day off and I felt nice and strong even after all that work. Moral of the story, if you are feeling stale in the gym don't underestimate the power of a full day off. Not just a light day either, a day of complete recovery can rejuvenate you and refill your motivation meter. So if you ever get that feeling, think back to when you last took a full day off. It may be time for one. Just don't do that too often and do what my sister refers to as "over recover".

Enjoy your long Labor Day weekend if you're lucky enough to get a 3 or even a 4 day weekend like yours truly. We'll talk soon.

Hurt, Humbled, and Healed. My Thursday JOURNEY.

Balanced,  symmetrical, proportionate, variably consistent, methodical, and progressing.  All attributes of a sound workout, exercise regimen, nutrition philosophy, persona, outlook, and lifestyle.  To forever continue on "The Journey", which can only be defined by you, one must begin and end with that.  And here, at J2FIT, I yearn to inspire you to aspire, motivate you, and help you begin and continue on your own path.  Our road map, entrance ramp, and vehicle is your health, fitness, and being. Let's get "The Journey" started today.

Resources are all around J2FIT, so comment on a post, shoot me an email, or continue to be an unwavering follower, and when you are ready to leap, join in hands and reach out.

Yes, very sentimental, heartfelt, and real. But now, here's a glimpse of my journey today. Give it a go, and let's embark together.

Warm-Up: Jump Rope 5min
1a. 3x 5/3/1 BB Clean and Press ( another PR!)
1b. 20kg American Swing 3xAMAP
2a. BB Inclined Press 3x8 w/ *Drop set last set
2b. Body weight Plyo Pull Up 3x3
2c. Weighted Neutral Grip Pull down 3x6-8
3a. First Half Rep Muscle Up 3x2
3b. Wide Grip Pull down 3x6,10,10
3c. DB SA Concentration Curl 3x6,8,10
4a. "S.O.S. :P" (Yes, you will be screaming for help if you could, and face doodle is you gasping for air after this one).
DIRECTIONS: Perform one rep per exercise in consecutive order = 1 set.  Do 10 reps per round. Following each round, jump rope for 100 hops. Repeat. (I did 5x)
S. = BB Snatch 65#
O. = BB Overhead Squat 65#
S. = BB Squat Jump 65#
:P = BB Behind the Neck Overhead Press 65#
In 25 minutes (1 complete round with jump rope hops every 5 minutes X 5) I managed to move over 5 TONS or to be exact, 13,000lbs...repeat....
25 minute S.O.S. :P = 5 Tons AKA 13,000LBS moved.  Get shot done.
Try this yourself, and do the math...
(65# X 4 reps per set) x (10 sets per round) x (5 rounds)

Then, I was treated to a 20 minute lower body massage, mmmm. Massage heals muscles. Don't think of it as a fancy and delectable treat, rather a component to you health and well being. Just like cardiovascular exercise, foam rolling, stress relaxation methods, sound nutritional practices and diet (I use diet not as something we go on or off of, rather, ex. Bears have a DIET of berries, salmon, and picnic food, and hence, HUMANS have a DIET of ________), long walks on beach,...you catch my drift, they all have their place in your journey.

"Win it All" Wednesday: Go, See, Conquer, REPEAT

Wednesdays...the day of the Hump, of your week...(sounded cooler in my head I guess).

"Off-days" are seldom in the life of a personal trainer, advocate of movement, and the love for that special conquering feeling after spending time and maximal effort in the one's "Iron Heaven and Hell" (contrasting imagery, too true to hate).

After a great start to my week, I decided to snowball my small yet vital feats and keep my progress rolling.  Momentum of successes are key to any pursuit in life, because failure is lurking around every opportunity.  That being said, here is today's lesson:
*Disclaimer*  These lessons I speak of are merely my opinion, so live and let live, all while providing constructive feedback!

I have come to adopt a growth-mindset which views all challenges, setbacks, and criticisms in one's life as opportunities to learn, adapt, and grow.  In this mindset, failure is imminent.  Yes, you heard that correctly.  However, I also recognize that those failures (both minute and catastrophic) are inevitable opportunities to improve, get stronger, gain insight and experience, refine one's craft, and learn from the failure so that one is better prepared for the next.  This outlooks does not accept failure, rather it has a special relationship with failure.  I recognize, I respect, and I move forward, using failure as a valuable lesson to help me succeed in my greater pursuits.

The opposition is the fixed mindset.  Fixed mindset individuals look at these failures with utmost fear, terrified that when failure strikes, it is because their abilities and skill sets are lacking AND that the lacking attributes are fixed, ultimately destined for failure again.  Hence, repeated and reinforced negative outlooks, pessimism, and fear of failure.

That being said, we need to view every setback, failure, and loss, as an great opportunity to comeback, succeed, and gain.  We need to all look at the glass that is either half full/empty and agree that at some point it may be run dry, but that doesn't mean that we cannot go fill that sucker back up with the insight and knowledge gained from our previous attempts.

Whether in life, the gym, relationships, or work, this is always the case, so might as well recognize failure, become more humble, and set out to become better.

Today's Workout

Warm-Up: 1 mile run
1. The Pit: 140 reps (BB 75# Thrusters - Rest - KB 53# American Swings- Rest - Burpees - Rest - 20in Box Jump)
2. Density Training: 15 mins
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) DB Tricep Press (pair of 50# DB)
b) DB Push Press (pair of 50# DB)
c) DB Bent Row (pair of 50# DB)
d) DB Weighted V-Up (one 50#)
e) DB Curl (pair of 35# DB)

Then, for shits and giggles, I added up the total amount of lbs I moved in 15 mins...check this out...
Multiply # of DB X each arm used in movement per movement, then X by total sets = TONAGE!!!
SO, I moved just over 3 TONS (7250#) in 15 minutes.  Not to shabby for my first run.
3. Hip and Shoulder Mobility Complex
Cardin-Enhancement: 1 mile run

There ya have it, success!

Run Run Run......Run...Rest

Well hey there, I missed you yesterday. Don't worry though, you didn't miss out on anything too exciting. Quick recap from yesterday - in the morning our section at work went on a 4 mile run to the old football stadium, ran about 20 sets of stairs, and then took a more direct route back which ended up being twice as fast. So a nice 6 mile run with some stairs in there to get the day started off right. Then after work our gym session got cut short but we were able to get in our main work for the day which was 5x5 of strict Overhead Press followed by 5x5 of Push Press and finished with 6x3 of Push Jerk. Heavy pressing which was supposed to be followed by some pulling to even things out but unforeseen events got in the way.

But that was yesterday! Today on the other hand was a rest day so no picking things up and putting them down today. I did get the chance to go out and play soccer this morning though which was a damn good time. Hopefully I will be a little better tomorrow when I actually have some spikes on. For those who haven't tried playing soccer on wet grass with running shoes on, it doesn't work out too well and you come home with lots of grass up your shorts and a sore ass from all the falling.

Short day today, but in other news we will be changing some things up a bit at J2Fit so don't be scared if things look a bit different the next time you stop by. It's still the same old crew here just changing a few things up to continually improve and get better for our sake and yours, the loyal readers. Let us know what you think next time you stop in and if there is something else you want to see, hear, or read about. Or hell, just say hi!

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.
- Zig Ziglar

No Work = 2 a Days & Playing Outside

Today was a day off of work for us, its about damn time. So of course this meant I would end up being bored and working out twice, which did indeed happen. Not that I'm mad about it though. I had the time so I used it because who knows if I'll have extra time later in the week. Today was Light Squat Day so we didn't go above 70% but we added in a fast, explosive movement with the Squat Jumps.

Morning
Back Squat w/ Squat Jump @ 95#
10-8-6-4-2 Increasing Weight
Overhead Squat x 30

2 rounds
60 yd run > Climb Fence > 3 Tire-high jumps x5 > 10 Tire Flips > 100 yd Tire Carry > 30 yd Log Lunge, Run back > Fence Climb > 60 yd run > 10 Backboard touches > 10 Pullups/Dips/Pushups > 1 suicide sprint

1,2,3,4,5,6 Pull Up Ladder x 2
30 sec flexed hang

For the second part of our first session we went outside to get a different view and our daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun. So we ran to the outfield of the baseball field, jumped over the fence, did some tire jumps, tire flips, tire carries (they had a lot of tires) and log lunges. Then we hopped the fence and headed back to home base and over to the basketball court to do the backboard touches, pullups, dips, pushups, and the suicide sprint. It was a fun workout and felt awesome to get outside and soak up some rays. We ended the day with the Pull Up ladder and a simple Flexed Arm Hang.

On to the next one....

Evening
Rower - 30 seconds on/30 seconds off for 30 minutes for distance - 5290m

EMOM for 5 minutes - 1 Muscle Up

Shoulder Prehab - 3x5 of Scarecrows and External Rotations

GHD Sit Ups x 50

Stretch

Not a whole lot going on in this second session, mainly just the cardio from the rower and a lot of stretching. One big progress area was the Muscle Ups though. Out of no where we attempted and successfully performed a Muscle Up on the pull up bar. Completely random and not planned but after that we decided to just go with it and try to do some more. Sadly by the 5th minute we were flopping like fish.

BUT that was visible, measurable progress! And there isn't anything more motivating than to see progress in yourself. That's what everyone is in the gym for, to get better. To actually see results from your hard work makes you want to get in there and work even harder. That's why it's important to record your workouts and track yourself. It serves a dual purpose, to show what you have done so as to not overwork yourself....excuse me "under recover" yourself....but also to show your progress. The guys at the gym with the big notebook writing down every set with every weight and rest times and day of the week and lunar cycle may be going a bit overboard but guess who is going to see the results and stay motivated. The athlete who writes everything down or the athlete who doesn't track anything and never remembers what they did last time. In conclusion, have a way to accurately track yourself and you can literally watch yourself get better. You will stay motivated and be excited about going back to the gym to break new ground and cruise on to your goals....you do have goals right???

"There is no achievement without goals."
-Robert J. McKaine

Back in Action

What is up my fellow fitness freaks! Finally back to the real world after a long absence and damn it feels good. Had a long weekend of training and a 24 hour staff duty shift and I'm rolling along on a few hours of precious sleep so apologies in advance for any portion of this post that may seem jumbled or confusing.

Today was the first day back in the gym since Wednesday night and it was good to be back. I mean I did run around the woods playing G.I. Joe Thursday and Friday so I wasn't completely lazy but anyways. I just revamped my workout schedule here since my schedule will return to somewhat normal and today was the first day of it - Heavy Cleans with a fast and intense WOD. Here she is...

Foam Roll, Shoulder Dislocates
Row 500m

Power Cleans:
3x5 @ 65%
5x5 @ 75%
5x3 @ 85%
1x10 @ 55%

WOD:
Fran - 558
21 - 15 - 9
Thrusters @ 95#
Pull Ups

5 mins Abs
1 min Sit Ups > 1 min Russian Twists > 30 sec L Side Plank > 30 sec R Side Plank > 1 min Flutter Kicks > 1 min Plank

A decent amount of Power Cleans today. We normally end up only doing Hang Cleans so today was a good change to our normal routine. It also throws a little deadlifting into the mix. Recently we have acquired an app that allows you to record videos and then break them down frame by frame and even draw lines on it just like John Madden used to on TV. So expect to see some pictures or potentially even videos coming from that once we get the hang of it.
The second part of today was Fran, which is known to many in the CrossFit arena as one of the worst and most tiring WODs there is. It is also one of the biggest benchmark workouts they have. Asking someone what their Fran time is equates to asking someone what their bench press is in more traditional gyms. It is a killer workout that left us gasping for breath and someone, I won't mention any names, almost puked. Although the aforementioned someone also beat me by 1 second so I can't say much.

Due to some other issues (fantasy football draft) it doesn't look like we will get back to the gym today but we have tomorrow off so be ready for two workouts, I'm sure we will be bored and come up with something crazy.

"You have to believe in yourself when no one else will"
~ Sugar Ray Robinson

"That's like, deep, like deep deep man...."

Love of the pursuits, love of the work towards the common goal, and love of the persistence, the challenges, and the teamwork necessary for THE SUCCESS. This is today's topic.

Today marked the official beginning of leading the herd.  As you may know, in addition to living the J2Fit lifestyle, I also have made my profession in inspiring, leading, and being an integral part of the lives of (hopefully anyone willing to lend an ear), my clients, friends, and family, addressing; health and wellness behaviors, goals, outlooks, and ultimately lifestyles.  My mission as an Exercise & Nutrition Health Professional, Certified Personal Trainer, and role model, is to "direct, motivate, and shape the path" (Switch, By Chip and Dan Heath), of how we ALL can balance the wants, impulses, and needs throughout our hectic lives.

It brings me great joy to be able to share my passion with you, my fellow colleagues here at J2Fit, and anyone who is willing to give the effort and their all (that is all I can and will ask from anyone who is ready to take the steps towards their boundless future) towards their whole-hearted pursuits.  So now, my clients and I, along with our very own Mike Barbot and Brianna Weiclaw (yes, my trusted J2Fit advocates and health professionals), will be embarking on our physical and mental feats together, through the practices of; "Teamwork, perseverance, motivation, leadership, and trust...all characteristics that comprise the pillars of any successful individual."

Hence, our journey here is not solely of fitness. Fitness serves as the gateway and portal to greater development, character building, humility (see Life's Lessons #1), failure, perseverance, dedication, cooperation, and success.

Deep shit huh...

That's what I have for you.

Behind "Manhattan Mike's" reddish tan skin, freckled physique, and Prince Harry look-a-like face, are insightful messages, ones waiting to be heard, analyzed. and reformulated into your very own.

Whew...it's just one of those days.

Today's workout:
1a. 5/3/1 (3x3) BB Clean and Press
1b. KB American Swing 3xAMAP 1min
2a. BB Inclined Press 3x8,8,20
2a. Weighted Pulldown 3x10,10,20
3a. Assisted Muscle Up (done on assisted pull/chin up machine) 3x8-12
3b. DB Hammer Alternating Curl 3x5-10/side
4a. 65# BB Snatch 3x20 AFAP (As Fast As Possible)
4b. 65# BB Overhead Squat 3x10 AFAP
4c. 65# BB Plyometric Jump Squat 3x10 AFAP
5a. 90# BB Landmine with Single Arm Alternating Chest-Shoulder Press 3x10/side
Cardio: Stair Climber 25mins


It was a doozey, and one that left me excited for tomorrow (thank God though I have 19 hours left of recovery). 

So in closing, chew on this one...

"It's easier to persevere on a long journey when you're traveling with a herd."  
- Yet, another gem from the Heath Brothers

Workouts, Fear, and....Dancing????

What's up folks. Back again for another workout post. Let's get right into it....we'll talk later.

AM workout
Back Squat to 5 rep max
Front Squat to 3 rep max

400 meter Lunge - 8 minutes

Incline DB Bench / Back Ext ISO
4x8 / 4x30 seconds
Incline DB Bench / GHD Sit Ups
4x5 / 4x10

PM Workout
3 x 500 meter rows in under 1:50

Annie - 12:30
50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 of Double Unders and Sit Ups

So the first thing that probably popped out up there was the 400 meter lunges. You may or may not think that's far, but after a 1/4 mile of lunges the walk to the water fountain is a long ways. I like doing those lunges because its low impact on the body but you still have to push yourself to finish strong and with a good time.
The PM workout of Annie is a CrossFit Benchmark workout where you do 50 Double Unders followed by 50 Sit Ups followed by 40....30...20...10. Pretty simple workout, the average time is around 9-10 minutes so I have some work to do. The biggest improve is  on the Double Unders. I haven't gotten the technique down just yet so I'm unable to chain large numbers of them together yet. But I have an initial time to beat next time. Always good to have motivation and goals.

This evening got me thinking, when I got to the gym there were some other athletes doing Double Unders and they were pretty damn good at it. Seeing that almost made me not want to do my workout for fear of them seeing me struggle with the exercise. I quickly dismissed that thought and continued as planned. I thought on this moment of fear/embarrassment while I was walking home and how many people I've heard use that same excuse, in gyms and in other daily situations as well.

"Everyone else lifts more than me." "They will think I'm weak if I can't lift as much as them." "I don't want to dance, people will laugh at me."

The last one is usually me until I have a few drinks in me. Regardless, these are negative statements and have no place in the world of an athlete. In reality, all those people you think are watching you are actually looking at themselves in the mirror, checking out their own muscles, or too drunk to care how you are dancing. So get out there, show everyone what you can do, and have some courage and dance like a damn fool.

"You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start in order to be great."
- Aja Barto

"Manhattan Mike's" Sunday Quickie

Coming off my day of rest, in which I spent my Saturday at Six Flags with some of my greats, had a cheat meal (or two) of ice cream and pulled pork and fries, and sleeping off the tail end of Dramamine coma (thank you genetic disposition of motion sickness), I too was faced with the harsh reality of rest/recovery Sunday, or train.

As I had lunch with my girlfriend, internal struggles made war within; "Am I just being a lazy ass?  Should I rest and promise to do it tomorrow?  Will one day make a difference that much if I just take it off?".  Then my best friend and greatest motivator (my girlfriend), said, "It's an 8 minute circuit, and then a run,...you can do that, can't you?"

It was done. 

Her words we not those insinuating that I was being a lazy loaf of sourpuss bread, but rather ones that struck a different cord. She was motivating and insightful, without even knowing it. Those 8 minutes of my CMC circuit built me for the future, which trust me, could have been spent sitting on my ass on the coach or at a booze brunch. Furthermore, taking that 8 minutes one rep at a time, energized me (just enough to get through my workout) to pump out my foothill run as well. One hour later, I looked as if I jumped into a swimming pool, got beat by a red paint roller (if you know me, you know I have beautifully lush cheeks...thank you Scottish/Irish genetic disposition).  Nonetheless, I managed to put in quality time and get a foundation for my next month of CMC event training.

Below is my CMC specific event workout (straight from what I will be asked to do come Sept 22).

The Pit = 8 mins
- 75# BB Thrusters (Clean, Front Squat, Push Press) AMAP in 90 sec
- Rest 30 sec
- 20kg Kettle Bell American Swings (elbows to ears) AMAP in 90 sec
- Rest 30 sec
- Burpees (hips and chest to floor, jump up with arms overhead and hips and knees fully extended) AMAP in 90 sec
- Rest 30 sec
- 20 inch Box Jump (hip and knee full extension at top) AMAP in 90 sec
- Rest 3 mins

4.5 mile "Foothill" tempo run 
I find it difficult to simulate this component of the CMC event, so I focused on endurance and pacing.

F.Y.I...
My Pit Max Reps = 142 (27,45,28,42)
My 4.5 mile "Foothill" Run = 42 mins
Not too shabby for a month out, given the CMC averages:
Pit = 126 men
Run = 18 min PER mile (higher due to unknown obstacles...think "Tough Mudder")

Take a look below and visit the site.  Sign up and see how you stack up against yourself.  And it is for an outstanding cause, one that hits home here at J2Fit as well...
Civilian Military Combine (CMC)

As one can see, doing anything is better than doing nothing when it comes to your health, fitness, and your life.

Pushing things off for tomorrow is always assuming you will have tomorrow...don't get caught taking your time here and your ability to move and live for granted.

So hell, sign up for an event with some friends, go to that fitness class, or just get your ass outside and moving.  What better time to start than now.

"Catch the bug, foster the infliction, and become who you want to be."
- Mike Dewar

Morning Motivation - No Excuses

I found this picture the other day. It's pretty motivating and puts things in perspective. There should be no excuse for you to not pursue your goals. If you want something there is always a way to get there. It may not be easy, but the harder it is to get there, the more rewarding achieving that goal will be.



Next time you have doubts or are thinking about reasons why you "can't" do something, take a look at this guy and all the others out there like him that push through their limitations and achieve their goals. The only limitations you have are the ones you put on yourself.

                                           Now get out there and Start Your Journey!