Do you HAVE to workout or do you GET to workout?

I was recently discussing this with a colleague at the gym and wanted to share my thoughts on the differing perspectives when it comes to working out and how that manifests itself in your results (or lack thereof).

When I sit down to plan out my schedule for the week, I immediately look for the open spots in my days and say to myself, "that's when I'll get a chance to workout". That comes naturally to me. Exercising has become something that I look forward to and anticipate. However, a lot of people sit down and go through the same routine of planning out their week and look at those same open slots and say, "that's when I have to go workout". Now...on first glance, those responses don't look much different. But they are! Anything that you do in your life with excitement and eagerness....you will do better than if you approach the same task with dread and a sense of obligation. Our attitude is everything!

I understand that looking forward to exercise doesn't come naturally for everyone. It's hard work. But, if you can begin training yourself to approach it with a positive attitude and say to yourself "I have an opportunity to improve myself. I get to spend a few minutes today making myself a healthier person", you will be amazed at the difference you will see and feel during your workouts. And those positive thoughts and feelings will translate into better results....I guarantee it!"

App Review: Lose It!

I'll preface this by saying I'm a huge app fan. There are becoming fewer and fewer things that I can't/don't do with my iPhone and I love it! This morning, a fellow trainer was showing off a new app she had downloaded so I naturally joined in on the conversation. The app is called "Lose It!" and is available for both android and iPhone users. At first glance it appears to be just another calorie counter. There are hundreds of those out there and few bring anything new to the table. However, after playing with this one for a couple hours throughout the day, I'm sold!

Lose It, like other apps, will walk you through the steps of determining a daily calorie goal based on your weight loss goals and offers a daily tracker to keep you honest. You plug in the food you eat during the day and it keeps a running total of your intake, as well as the number of calories you have left, and calculates in the impact of any exercise you have gotten during the day. It also allows you to interact with social media to share your progress, goals, etc.

The two unique/appealing functions of this app are a barcode scanner and a nutrient tracker. The barcode scanner allows you to scan the barcode of any product you are buying at the grocery store and have its nutritional info displayed. You can then indicate that you have eaten it and it will be added to your daily food log. Very cool!!

Secondly, the nutrient tracker is something I haven't seen on other apps. This allows you to not only track your calorie intake but also your intake of other important nutrients such as fat, protein, sodium, carbohydrates, etc. So much time is spent on calories, and rightfully so, but we often forget that there are a lot of other factors to good nutrition and weight management.

One thing I would like to see added in future updates are restaurant menus. A few other apps have started doing this and it can be very helpful when eating out. All in all though, I think this is one of the better weight management apps available. Give it a try and see what you think!

How Important Is It To You?

We've all heard people make the comment "I need to lose weight" or "I really want to get back in shape". We'll hear those phrases uttered even more often over the next month as everyone makes their infamous New Years Resolutions. And, don't misunderstand me...those are great! I fully encourage everyone to think about their goals for the new year. However, the point I want to make is that speaking those resolutions outloud and even writing them down really don't mean a whole lot. Only our ACTIONS will show us, and those around us, what our goals really are. Do you "...really want to get back in shape"? Let's see it. Wanting to lose weight is great...but if you don't act on it, then it really isn't as important to you as it may sound when the words come out of your mouth. We make time for things that are important to us, we spend money on things that we really want/need, we make others adjust to our schedule when we are focused on accomplishing something that means a lot to us. Does that describe your attitude toward working out? If not, then maybe you need to take a step back and ask yourself again, "how important is this to me?"

With the new year approaching, I hope we all take some time to think about what we want to accomplish in 2012 and what our goals are going to be. And, during that process, tell yourself that your actions over the next 12 months are going to show just how important those goals are to you. Find that drive inside of you and go hard! You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish! 

The Importance of Physical Fitness in Law Enforcement and Executive Protection

I wrote an article a few months back for Bodyguardcareers,.com on the importance of staying fit for those working in the Executive Protection field. I thought I would share the article here as well as this is of the utmost importannce for anyone working in law enforcement or any other position in which you are responsible for someone else's safety.

http://bit.ly/tQupoX

Keys to Keeping the Holiday Pounds Off

It's scary to think how many great diets and solid workout routines are compromised over a one month stretch every year. The holidays are wonderful times and should be enjoyed. However, too many times we completely self-destruct from a health perspective. I'm here to tell you that you CAN still enjoy the time AND the wonderful food while keeping those extra pounds off.

First of all, you have to go into the holidays with a plan. Sit down and think things through. Set a daily calorie limit for yourself that will help you maintain your current weight while still allowing for a desert or two along the way. If you have a sweet tooth and your plan is to not eat any deserts....you will most likely lose that battle and feel defeated. Instead, allow for a few small indulgences to satisfy that sweet tooth but then don't let yourself exceed your allowances.

Secondly, continue to work out! Just because you have some time off work and plan on doing some travelling, you don't have to completely shut down. Even if you can't get to the gym, go for a walk with the family after dinner or get up a few minutes before everyone else and get a quick jog in. You can also do some pushups, situps, air squats, etc. in your bedroom before you go to bed or when you get up in the morning. Stay active and don't fall into the trap of vegetating during the holidays.

Good luck!

Push Yourself!

One of my pet peeves as a trainer is seeing people refuse to push themselves beyond the realm of comfort. Profound statement coming....Exercise is hard. You've probably heard the saying, "if it was easy then everyone would do it." Well....unfortunately, a lot of people believe that it CAN be easy, AND they can get the results they want. I'm here to tell you, that's simply not the case. If you want to lose 20lbs, you're going to have to push yourself and develop the mental toughness to keep going when your body is asking you to stop. If you're not willing to push yourself then you're really not mentally ready to get the results you think you want.

Now, I am in no way suggesting that you push yourself to the point of risking injury. There is a point where it is necessary to stop or lighten the weight load. However, too many people confuse that point with the point of difficulty and discomfort. Your pulse is going to quicken, your muscles are going to ache, and, yes, you will sweat. Those are good things! Embrace them and learn to love it. Then you'll get the results you've always wanted.

Injuries Can Lead to Opportunities

Last week I found out that I had, in fact, fractured a bone in my wrist while playing basketball. Unfortunately, that means being in a cast for the next 8 weeks! One of my first thoughts was...."I'm not going to be able to workout". However, after evaluating the situation and experimenting with different exercises, I now have a new outlook on the next 8 weeks. Yes, my upper body lifting is going to be limited. But, I'm also going to be forced to explore new exercises and new methods to help keep my upper body strong. I will also use the time to focus on my core, conditioning, and lower body strength. In fact, I fully anticipate being in the best cardiovascular condition of my life by the time this cast comes off. And, my core will be stronger than it has ever been before!

Yes, injuries are a drag...no way around it. However, if/when you get hurt try and look at the situation as an opportunity to spend more time conditioning and strengthening the areas of your body that are not effected. Come back from your injury stronger and better than you were before!

Keep It Fresh

I've had a lot of people ask me lately about structuring workouts. A lot of people who work out on their own do 5-6 exercises, three sets of each, 10 reps a piece. As you might imagine, a routine like that could get somewhat boring over time. It doesn't just get boring to you but your muscles also begin to set into a rut. So, let's mix it up! There are several different ways to structure a workout that can provide excellent results while keeping things fresh and exciting! Explore different options such as volume training, cross fit style workouts, high intensity interval training, supersetting, pyramid sets, etc. The options are nearly endless and all of them can provide great benefits when used properly.

If you start to feel like your workouts are getting predictable then mix it up and try something new. Keep your muscles guessing and you'll see the results!

Are You A Driven Person?

If you have read previous posts, you know that I'm a big believer in goal setting in all areas of life. If you don't have anything to shoot for then how will you ever know if you succeed? So, for just a minute, I want to use that as a spring board into the next stage of that process.

You've set your goals; now what? How do you approach the task before you of trying to reach those goals? I'm a firm believer that we should let our goals drive us to work harder every day of our lives. Let them be the motivator behind everything you do. If you want to lose 15 lbs. let that goal drive you not just while you're in the gym but also when you sit down to dinner that night, when you're faced with the option of taking the elevator or the stairs, when your co-workers want to grab fast food for lunch. If you really want that goal, every action you take during the day will be moving you one step closer to it. If not, then maybe you need to rethink your goals. Maybe they aren't as important to you as they should be. Discipline yourself to be a driven person and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Good luck!

"The Press" - Video Demonstration

I recently filmed a short video demonstrating the proper technique for an overhead barbell press. This is a very common exercise but one that is done improperly very often putting both your back and shoulders in awkward positions. Take a look at the video and feel more confident in adding this lift to your workout routine!

Jump Rope: The Double-Under

There are few exercises out there that match the full body benefits of jumping rope. Not only does it help strengthen the calf muscles and shoulders but it's also a great aerobic workout and also increases foot speed and coordination. Personally, I jump rope as a warm up prior to nearly every workout I do and frequently use it as a part of my workout when working lower body and/or conditioning. If you jump rope, I want you to try double-unders next time you pick up your rope. This is a variation that will push you every time. The idea is simple, instead of the rope passing under your feet once every jump, it passes under twice every time your feet leave the ground. In order for this to work successfully a few things have to happen.

- First, you need to get in a good rhythm. Good jump ropers are able to maintain a constant rhythm throughout their set and it's even more important when attempting the double-under.

- Secondly, you are going to need to pick up the speed that the rope is turning. Think about it - if it's passing under your feet once/jump now, it only makes sense that if you want to double that, you're going to need spin the rope faster.

- Finally, you will have to get a little higher off the ground on each jump BUT don't start tucking your knees in an effort to get your feet higher. This will only throw off your rhythm.

It will take some practice but put these three tips together and you'll get it. Start by just trying to do one or two in succession and then work your way up. A great goal to shoot for is doing continuous double jumps for 20 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds and then go again. Repeat that circuit 5 times and you'll be feeling the burn from head to toe! Good luck!

No Wonder Our Country is Overweight!

This is just going to be a bit of a rant so bear with me. I was driving into work this week, listening to the radio, when the DJ began talking about this new sandwich from Denny's. called the "Mac 'n Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt" (I'm not making this up...). The description from their web site is as follows: "Introducing the ultimate in patty melts. A hand-pressed beef patty topped with our NEW creamy Mac ‘n Cheese, melted Cheddar cheese and zesty Frisco sauce on grilled potato bread. Served with a side of our wavy-cut French fries." (http://www.dennys.com/#/menu/menu-13) I actually felt my arteries clogging while listening to him describe this over the radio so I decided to check it out for myself and see just how bad this new sandwich. From Denny's site, they list the calorie content from this meal (fries included) at 1,690 calories! Just for reference...that's MORE calories than most women should be consuming in an entire DAY and just shy of a man's daily intake. But Denny's certainly isn't the only culprit....Hardees sells the Monster Thickburger that registers 1,320 calories in the sandwich alone (http://www.hardees.com/menu), and of course, what meal is complete without the1,400+ calories you'll get from your large Dairy Queen Blizzard (http://www.dairyqueen.com/resources/-007/4830/3231/2011USDQTreatNutritionBrochure.pdf).

The list could go on but I think you get the point. If we want to become healthier we have to have the will power to cut these types of foods out of our diets! Eating out every now and then is fine...just be smart about it and be aware of what you're putting in your body. Rant over.

Killer Full Body Workout

I had an awesome workout today with fellow trainer Josh Gray! It should only take about 30-40 mins to complete but will push you to your limit! Do each of the following two circuits twice in succession with as little rest time between exercises as possible.Adjust the weight as needed.

- Air Squats x20
- Pushups x20
- Chinups x20
- BB Lunges (45#) x80 yds
...
- Rope Climb 20ft
- Wall Ball (squat/throw) x20 w/ 15# ball
- Push Press (25# DBs) x20
- Box Jumps (24") x20

Good Luck!!

Concentration and Focus = Results

When you're weight training are you thinking about what you're doing, about the muscle group being worked? If not, I challenge you to try it next time. I know day dreaming about the weekend or the project you have to finish at work might seem to make the time go by faster. And chatting with your friends or even your trainer might seem to be more entertaining. However, just like anything else in life, when you really concentrate and focus on what you're doing, you will get more out of your workouts. If you're doing a chest press for example, think about the chest muscles contracting, think about pressing your heels into the floor and think about the tight grip you have on either the bar or handle. You'll quickly notice that your form will stay truer for longer that you'll be able to more reps/weight by having your mind engaged in your workout. Good luck!

Balanced Training - Lessons Learned

I recently had to deal with some annoying shoulder pain that was hindering my workouts and becoming quite discouraging. I went to a chriopractor for a while but saw limited results. Finally a massage therapist was able to help diagnose and fix the problem and, after some recovery time, it's nearly back to normal. During this time though I learned two very valuable lesson when it comes to weight training.

1. Don't over do it - As much as I enjoy lifting, I have to remind myself that weight training 7 days a week will take a toll on my body. And, muscles aren't able to recover and GROW unless they are given time to rest. Building in rest days to your weekly workout routine is crucial to avoiding injuries and seeing maximum strength gains.

2. There is such a thing as too much pushing - Let's face it guys, we all want bigger chests and shoulders and, if not careful, we can fall into the trap of flooding our workouts with pushing exercises; bench press, shoulder press, pushups, incline/decline press, etc. These are great exercises but they need to be balanced with pulling exercises as well to maintain good posture and equal strength on both sides of your body. If you've ever seen a weight lifter whose shoulders are pulled in so far they appear about ready to touch each other in front of their body...you've seen someone who is doing a lot of pushing and not much pulling. Balancing these exercises out will also help avoid injury to areas such as your shoulders which bear a lot of the burden during the presses.

Learn these lessons and apply them to your workouts to help avoid injury and maintain a well-trained/healthy body. Good luck!

Conditioning For Non-Runners

There is a common misconception out there that if you want to improve your conditioning, you have to spend hours on end running mile after mile. Now, for those of you like me, who can't stand to be on a treadmill for more than 5 minutes or get bored just thinking about pounding pavement....I've got a few suggestions for you. Because, good cardiovascular conditioning CAN be achieved without running 5k's.

The basis of improving your cardiovascular conditioning is to elevate your heart rate for a sustained period of time during your workout. Running will certainly do this, but it's not the only way. Using equipment like a rowing machine, an Airdyne bike, or a jump rope can accomplish the same goal. Find a group of conditioning exercises that you enjoy and put them into a circuit training workout. For example:
- Row 500 m
- Jump Rope 100x
- Ride the Airdyne for 3 mins w/ a :10 sprint at the top of each minute
Repeat this circuit 10 times as fast as you can. Be sure to time yourself so you can see improvement over time. You could also add some short distance sprints into the mix or exercises like burpees or mountain climbers. The point is - play around with it and continue to challenge yourself while making it interesting - you will see major improvements in your conditioning....and no treadmill required!

Remember, don't think that if you're not a runner you'll never be able to improve your cardiovascular conditioning. There are other ways to skin the cat....get creative and have fun with it!

54" Box Jump - The Box Jump/Chinup Workout

Anybody that knows me knows one thing....I like to jump! Always have. It's a movement that combines explosiveness with maximum power into one quick movement. The workout I've outlined below takes box jumps and pairs them with chinups, an upper body equivalent that focuses on maximum power output. One thing to remember when going through this workout: the key is PROGRESSION. You're going to be doing 8 rounds of jumping and 8 rounds of chinups. With each round you need to go higher and heavier than the round before. The number of reps you can do will naturally decrease....that's ok. This workout is about POWER.

The workout: Superset box jumps with chinups - 8 total rounds. My workout is listed below but you will obviously have to tailor the height/weight to your own abilities. The first two sets of each should be used as a slight warmup with the last six being taken to failure each time. If you can't do bodyweight chinups, use either an assist machine or wrap a band around the chinup bar and use that for assistance.

Box Jumps (height/reps): 36"x12, 39"x10, 42"x9, 45"x8, 48"x7, 51"x5, 54"x2, 54"x1

Chinups (weight/reps): BWx12, 17#x9, 26#x8, 35#x6, 45#x4, 50#x4, 61#x3, 75#x2

Note: To do weighted chinups, use a weight belt and attach kettlebells. If your gym doesn't have kettlebells, you can also use dumbbells or weight plates.

Good luck and have fun with this one! Give it your all and push yourself to the limit with each set.

Exercise Review: The Single Arm Dumbbell Lift

Anyone that has lifted for any significant amount of time has no doubt done their fair share of dumbbell exercises....bench press, shoulder press, incline press, chest flies, curls, and the list could go on. These are great exercises and should be included in any weight training program. But, I want to give you a slight variation to try that adds a different element to these common lifts. In your next workout, do your dumbbell exercises one arm at a time. For example, if you're going to do an incline bench press, take just a single dumbbell and do your reps with one arm and then switch it over to the other hand and do them with that arm.

Doing the exercises in this way will still give you the same workload on the targeted muscle group as before, but what you'll find is that your core also becomes very involved with these exercises. The idea behind this is that you are putting your body in an imbalanced state. By doing so, you're forcing your core to work and contract during the lift in order to stabilize the rest of your body. So, in essence, you're killing two birds with one stone by working the intended muscle group while also working your core. It's a win-win situation!

Give it a try and remember to keep pushing and challenging yourself every time you step in the gym!

Friday's Boot Camp Workout at FBD

Rob Hudson put together a killer workout for us on Friday at Fitness by Design. Give this one a try and I guarantee you you'll feel it the next day!

*Be sure to stretch/warmup prior to starting the workout - about 10 mins should do it

Round 1: Lower Body
- Deadlift x 10 reps: Use a weight that allows you to complete all 10 reps but puts you near failure as you reach the final rep
- Explosive Jumps x 5 reps: As soon as you finish the last deadlift, take a couple steps back from the bar and immediately begin your explosive jumps. Start from a squat position and jump straight up as high as you can. Perform these in quick succession
- Lunges x 10 steps: If BW lunges aren't challenging enough, place a barbell on your shoulders. Take 5 steps with each leg

Perform the Lower Body circuit twice with a short break in between

Round 2: Upper Body
- DB Bench Press x 10 reps: Use a flat bench and go as heavy as you can
- One Arm DB Row x 10 reps each arm: Again, use a flat bench and perform the rows one arm at a time pulling the DB up tight to chest level each time
- Overhead Carry x 100 yds: Grab two DBs and press them straight up over your head. Lock out your arms and walk quickly for 100 yds.
- Single Arm Bicep Curls x 10 each arm: Using a DB, do 10 reps on each arm
- DB Skull Crushers x 10 reps: Lie on a flat bench and press the DBs straight up above your forehead. Slowly lower them down to ear level while just bending at the elbows, engaging your triceps. Push them back to full extension and repeat

Perform the Upper Body circuit twice with a short rest in between

Are You Tracking Your Results?

If I asked you to show me the progress you have made in the gym over the last 6 months, could you do it? And, no, "I feel better" or "I look better" is not the answer I'm looking for. I'm talking about real, quantitative results that show your progression over time. If you're working with a trainer on a regular basis, then the answer should be "YES". He/she would be able to pull your chart and go exercise-by-exercise with you showing your increases and gains. But what about those of you working out on your own? Do you keep track of your workouts - the number of sets, reps and weight that you are doing every time you hit the gym? If the answer to that question is no, then, at the end of the day, your answer to my initial question is going to be pretty vague, or simply "NO". Tracking your workouts will allow you to maintain consistency over time and constantly push yourself to reach new heights.

If you have taken the time to sit down and set specific goals for yourself like we discussed in an earlier post, then you owe it to yourself to track your progress so as to determine if you are in fact reaching those goals. So, here is my suggestion - go to Wal-Mart on your way home and pick up a notebook and start recording your workouts and other activities today. Keep track of your workouts, bike rides, jogs, etc. and, before you know it, you'll begin to see the progress you want.