Hate the monotonous nature of distance running? Me too!! So you hate the boring aspect of distance running but feel a good long run would benefit you from time to time. I'll tell you what I do.
Generally, for me anyways, trail running helps a lot. Unlike running on sidewalk or rail-trail, you cannot just zone out while doing true trail running. You have to stay focused on your footing as to not roll and ankle or worse. This slightly breaks up the monotonous nature of running and you won't even notice the miles flying by. Trail running is also better on your joints and shins because you are running on soft dirt as apposed to hard pavement that takes it toll over time.
Another trick I use to get over the monotony of running distance is to break it up into more of an interval style workout. Say you have a set distance in mind that you want to cover during your run. Get your watch out and time it. Don't pay attention to the distance, pay attention to the time. Start off at a light jog for 2 minutes and once you hit that 2 minute mark sprint for 1 minute. Once the minutes is over return to a jog and repeat this until you have reached your desired distance. You will be surprised by how quickly the distance disappears when you aren't thinking about it.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Mans Best Friend: Dogs, Your Workout Motivation
Dogs are great! They love us and we love them. They also love being outside! If you have a dog, you need not look any further for your workout motivation, especially if your dog is an active breed. Let your best friend help you shed the pounds. Taking the time to train your dog how to workout with you will do wonders for your energy and happiness. The process could take a while depending on your dogs age and breed, but it will be worth it!
I took a service dog training class while I was in college and they would always stress that patients and persistence are hands down the most important things when training a dog. This is another opportunity for you to do some research. Look up some training tips and read about what other people have found works best.
The dog in the picture is Simon. He is half Springer Spaniel and half English Setter. He is not my dog. We just really like him.
Training your dog to be your workout partner will not only help you, but it will help your dog. An active dog is a happy dog, and doing this will do wonders for your best friends health. Which, in the long run, could save you thousands of dollars in veterinary bills. You can also think of it as a bonding experience. Your dog will love you more than ever when you two start working out together. Dogs aim to please. They are pack animals, meaning they are meant to live in a group/family where everyone has a job to do. A dog will actually get depressed if it does not feel like it has a roll to play in the family. Giving your dog jobs to do, or in this case a regular activity like running will give your dog a sense of purpose and keeping it happy.
Workout ideas for you and your pooch!
For any workout you do with your dog remember that they might not be in the best shape either. You two will work up to your goals together. And think about the breed! Some dogs aren't meant to be runners, so don't hop on your bike and think your Chihuahua is going to keep up. You'll be more likely to end up in jail for animal abuse when people see your toy dog getting dragged down the sidewalk behind your bike.
Running: Running is of course the easiest and most obvious way for you and your dog to workout. I recommend getting a harness once the dog is trained if it is going to be on a leash so that you do not have to worry about affecting the dogs breathing while out.
Sprints: This is my personal favorite and I guarantee you'll see a happy look on your dogs face the whole time. Which, will make it more fun for you! Just like a workout that you would do on your own, set up two cones, and sprint from one to the other, walk back and repeat. Continue this at full speed ten times and regardless of the distance I'll bet you get tired.
Hill Sprints: Just like above, but on a hill. This will be surprisingly easy to train. You can even add a level of competition to it by teaching your dog to "stay" and "go" on command. This way you can start your hill sprint and teach your dog to start after you. Giving you the perfect lead to set up a close race to the top!
Sled Pulls: This is a resistance sprinting workout similar to parachute sprints and is very natural for dogs in the "working" breeds. You can look online and find a dog specific sled, or just use the same one you can get for yourself at your local store. Treat this the same way as the "Sprints" workout above, but you will have to help your dog turn around.
Have an idea for more dog workouts let me know by post a comment below. Get creative and have fun!
I took a service dog training class while I was in college and they would always stress that patients and persistence are hands down the most important things when training a dog. This is another opportunity for you to do some research. Look up some training tips and read about what other people have found works best.The dog in the picture is Simon. He is half Springer Spaniel and half English Setter. He is not my dog. We just really like him.
Training your dog to be your workout partner will not only help you, but it will help your dog. An active dog is a happy dog, and doing this will do wonders for your best friends health. Which, in the long run, could save you thousands of dollars in veterinary bills. You can also think of it as a bonding experience. Your dog will love you more than ever when you two start working out together. Dogs aim to please. They are pack animals, meaning they are meant to live in a group/family where everyone has a job to do. A dog will actually get depressed if it does not feel like it has a roll to play in the family. Giving your dog jobs to do, or in this case a regular activity like running will give your dog a sense of purpose and keeping it happy.
Workout ideas for you and your pooch!
For any workout you do with your dog remember that they might not be in the best shape either. You two will work up to your goals together. And think about the breed! Some dogs aren't meant to be runners, so don't hop on your bike and think your Chihuahua is going to keep up. You'll be more likely to end up in jail for animal abuse when people see your toy dog getting dragged down the sidewalk behind your bike.
Running: Running is of course the easiest and most obvious way for you and your dog to workout. I recommend getting a harness once the dog is trained if it is going to be on a leash so that you do not have to worry about affecting the dogs breathing while out.
Sprints: This is my personal favorite and I guarantee you'll see a happy look on your dogs face the whole time. Which, will make it more fun for you! Just like a workout that you would do on your own, set up two cones, and sprint from one to the other, walk back and repeat. Continue this at full speed ten times and regardless of the distance I'll bet you get tired.
Hill Sprints: Just like above, but on a hill. This will be surprisingly easy to train. You can even add a level of competition to it by teaching your dog to "stay" and "go" on command. This way you can start your hill sprint and teach your dog to start after you. Giving you the perfect lead to set up a close race to the top!
Sled Pulls: This is a resistance sprinting workout similar to parachute sprints and is very natural for dogs in the "working" breeds. You can look online and find a dog specific sled, or just use the same one you can get for yourself at your local store. Treat this the same way as the "Sprints" workout above, but you will have to help your dog turn around.
Have an idea for more dog workouts let me know by post a comment below. Get creative and have fun!
Learn You Foods!
Learning your foods and basic nutritional facts is a crucial part losing weight, keeping it off, building muscle, or whatever your physical aspirations are. Take the time to read about what you are eating. Remember there is no point in wasting all your time in the gym if you are just going to throw it all away with poor nutrition.
I was guilty of this myself. It took me until I was about 21 years old before I even knew that most breads and pastas are made with sugar. I was always told that carbohydrates gave us energy and never thought for a second that those foods were not necessarily good for me.
Fun fact about grains: Ever wonder what the real difference is between a loaf of white bread and a loaf of whole grain bread? Why are they called whole grains? Well, whole grain is exactly what it is! Wheat is actually a three part grain, but after the refining process only one part of the grain remains, removing a majority of the grains nutritional value.
Learn about grain biology and nutritional value here --> http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/what-is-a-whole-grain
Fat burning foods:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/nutrition-101-eat-to-burn-fat.html
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20553780,00.html
Muscle building foods:
http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/muscle-building-foods
I was guilty of this myself. It took me until I was about 21 years old before I even knew that most breads and pastas are made with sugar. I was always told that carbohydrates gave us energy and never thought for a second that those foods were not necessarily good for me.
Fun fact about grains: Ever wonder what the real difference is between a loaf of white bread and a loaf of whole grain bread? Why are they called whole grains? Well, whole grain is exactly what it is! Wheat is actually a three part grain, but after the refining process only one part of the grain remains, removing a majority of the grains nutritional value.
Learn about grain biology and nutritional value here --> http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/what-is-a-whole-grain
Fat burning foods:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/nutrition-101-eat-to-burn-fat.html
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20553780,00.html
Muscle building foods:
http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/muscle-building-foods
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Circuit Workout: Easy and Hard Versions
Dynamic Warm-up
- 5 min jog
- High knees
- Butt kicks
- A-skip
- B-skip
- Lunges
- Toy soldiers
- 10 body-weight squats
- Fence drills (10 per leg)
- 5 squat jumps
Warm-up over
Circuit
For this circuit you need a jump rope and a pull-up bar. The "Easy" version of this workout is posted first, but lower down is the "Hard" version if you think you are up to it. Alter this workout to your strengths. For example, if you are great at pull-ups, add more pull-ups for each set.
Easy mode
- 5 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- 5 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- Rolling Plank: 1 min middle, 30 sec right, 30 sec left, 1 min middle
Done! Great work! You are less of a sissy now. Get your protein powder, stretch out and relax.
Hard Mode
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 15 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes (double, meaning the rope travels under your feet twice per jump)
1 min rest
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 15 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes
1 min rest
- 15 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 15 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 20 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes
1 min rest
- 15 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 15 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 20 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes
1 min rest
- Rolling Plank: 1 min middle, 1 min right, 1 min left, 1 min middle
1 min rest
- Rolling Plank: 1 min middle, 1 min right, 1 min left, 1 min middle
Done!
Great work! You are a beast. Get your protein powder, stretch out and relax.
- 5 min jog
- High knees
- Butt kicks
- A-skip
- B-skip
- Lunges
- Toy soldiers
- 10 body-weight squats
- Fence drills (10 per leg)
- 5 squat jumps
Warm-up over
Circuit
For this circuit you need a jump rope and a pull-up bar. The "Easy" version of this workout is posted first, but lower down is the "Hard" version if you think you are up to it. Alter this workout to your strengths. For example, if you are great at pull-ups, add more pull-ups for each set.
Easy mode
- 5 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- 5 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 10 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 40 jump ropes
1 min rest
- Rolling Plank: 1 min middle, 30 sec right, 30 sec left, 1 min middle
Done! Great work! You are less of a sissy now. Get your protein powder, stretch out and relax.
Hard Mode
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 15 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes (double, meaning the rope travels under your feet twice per jump)
1 min rest
- 10 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 10 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 15 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes
1 min rest
- 15 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 15 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 20 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes
1 min rest
- 15 pull-ups, 10 sec rest
- 15 squat jumps, 10 sec rest
- 20 push-ups, 10 sec rest
- 30 double jump ropes
1 min rest
- Rolling Plank: 1 min middle, 1 min right, 1 min left, 1 min middle
1 min rest
- Rolling Plank: 1 min middle, 1 min right, 1 min left, 1 min middle
Done!
Great work! You are a beast. Get your protein powder, stretch out and relax.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
One Egg: The Perfect Nighttime Snack
A lot of people trying to lose weight are told to avoid eating anything two hours before bedtime. There is truth in this and it is certainly a valid trick when trying to lose weight.
An even better trick is to eat a single egg before bed (within an hour of sleeping). A single egg is low in calories and high in protein. Consuming a single egg before bed will keep your metabolism working harder while you are asleep.
Eat up! Get out! Be active!
An even better trick is to eat a single egg before bed (within an hour of sleeping). A single egg is low in calories and high in protein. Consuming a single egg before bed will keep your metabolism working harder while you are asleep.
Eat up! Get out! Be active!
Super Food #1: Almonds
Almonds!
Almonds are the first "super-food" I will be talking about on this blog. What is a super-food? It is a food that is packed full of vitamins and nutritional value to power your body, aid in normal bodily functions, and often help fight cancers and diseases.
Almonds are a fantastic, delicious food, that contains healthy fats, proteins and vitamins including: calcium, B-6, and vitamin E. Almonds also contain the minerals iron, zinc, and manganese amongst others. They are great for the blood and heart, helping to balance cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. With so much manganese, and calcium, almonds are obviously great for your bones.
Besides the health benefits, almonds are great weight loss food because they keep you from getting hungry.
Eat a handful of almonds a day and you will see and feel the difference, both now and in 20 years!
Read more about almonds and what they can do for you at the links below.
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/age-erasing-superfoods/age-erasing-almonds.php
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsuperfoods/a/Almonds-Health-And-Nutrition.htm
Zinc in Almonds- http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/health-benefits-of-zinc.html
Almonds are the first "super-food" I will be talking about on this blog. What is a super-food? It is a food that is packed full of vitamins and nutritional value to power your body, aid in normal bodily functions, and often help fight cancers and diseases.
Almonds are a fantastic, delicious food, that contains healthy fats, proteins and vitamins including: calcium, B-6, and vitamin E. Almonds also contain the minerals iron, zinc, and manganese amongst others. They are great for the blood and heart, helping to balance cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. With so much manganese, and calcium, almonds are obviously great for your bones.
Besides the health benefits, almonds are great weight loss food because they keep you from getting hungry.
Eat a handful of almonds a day and you will see and feel the difference, both now and in 20 years!
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/age-erasing-superfoods/age-erasing-almonds.php
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsuperfoods/a/Almonds-Health-And-Nutrition.htm
Zinc in Almonds- http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/health-benefits-of-zinc.html
Monday, July 22, 2013
Want to be Better: Plus Tips on How to Get There
A major factor that I believe contributes to most peoples athletic abilities and general good physical shape is their ability to push harder, even when no one else is around. I see a lot of people out there that settle for what they have and what they are. It is important that, as athletes, and as humans, we aspire to the best we can. Below are some simple tips that will help change you for the better.
Have any tips or tricks of your own? Post them in the comment section below
- When exercising, find it within yourself to push a little harder. Write out your workout before you go, as apposed to just making it up as you go. That way you have something to finish. This will also help prevent you from giving up, or calling it quits once you get tired.
- When you are at the grocery store, do not even purchase foods that are bad for you (anything with refined sugars, etc.). That way, when you can no longer resist the urge, it is much more of an endeavor to cheat the diet.
- When you are at the grocery store remember to read the labels. A lot of food companies pretend to be health, but they are not. Take Raisin Bran for example: Kellogg's advertises it as a healthy cereal, but if you read the ingredients you could just go eat Fruity Pebbles and be just as well off. So, be sure to read the ingredients!
- When you play sports/games with other people, or by yourself remember to put effort into it. You might play basketball everyday, but how hard are you trying? Run up and down the court. Give it 100% of your effort 100% of the time.
- Sleep often. As much as you would like to be going hard all the time, that's not how our bodies work. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Let your body do what it needs to, to make sure you have the energy to do the things that you want to.
- Allow for recovery time. Do not overdue anything, regardless of the sport. Your body needs time to recover and rebuild. There is not point in lifting, say chest, every day. Continuously breaking down muscle without giving it the chance to heal is pointless.
- Include other people. Make it a point to include other people in your workouts and activities. This will make achieving your goals more fun and keep you more motivated on your journey.
Have any tips or tricks of your own? Post them in the comment section below
Friday, July 19, 2013
Field Workout: Be Explosive
The follow is a great full body workout that is very explosive and will push you lungs and you muscles to their max. First, location. For this workout you do not need any equipment and it requires minimal space. A large athletic field or basketball court is perfect.
Warm-up:
Like all of my workouts, start with a dynamic warm-up going back and fourth in a space about 15 meters long. Remember to take your time.
- Jog approximately 1/4 mile. (four basketball court laps)
- high knees; butt-kicks; A-skips; B-skips; lunges; grapevine squats; shuffle both directions (stay low).
- four 10m sprints from a standstill
- fence drills
- Stride out at a fast run (not a sprint) for approximately 40m, or the length of your area. Remember to truly stride out your steps, running smooth and fluid.
Workout:
- 10 push-ups straight into 10 squat jumps; 30sec rest
- 10 push-ups straight into 10 squat jumps; 2min rest
For the next part, a set of suicides is one rotation of sprints. Set up 3 cones, as seen below.
Start_____________(10 m cone)_____________(20m cone)_______________(30m cone)
This is non-stop. Sprint to the 10m cone, touch your hand to the ground (try to alternate which direction you turn). Sprint to the start, touch your hand to the ground. Then to the 20m cone, start, 30m cone and run through the start as fast as you can. Explode out of each turn!
- 10 burpees straight into a set of suicides. 1min rest
- 10 burpees straight into a set of suicides. 1min rest
- 10 burpees straight into a set of suicides. 1min rest
- Jog 40m. Jog 40m back. 3min rest.
Start the next 4 sprints from a push-up position.
- Sprint 30m; 30sec rest
- Sprint 30m; 30sec rest
- Sprint 30m; 30sec rest
- Sprint 30m; 1min rest
- Clapping pushups to failure. 30sec rest. Regular pushups to failure.
Cool-down
- Static stretch
- Light jog
Warm-up:
Like all of my workouts, start with a dynamic warm-up going back and fourth in a space about 15 meters long. Remember to take your time.
- Jog approximately 1/4 mile. (four basketball court laps)
- high knees; butt-kicks; A-skips; B-skips; lunges; grapevine squats; shuffle both directions (stay low).
- four 10m sprints from a standstill
- fence drills
- Stride out at a fast run (not a sprint) for approximately 40m, or the length of your area. Remember to truly stride out your steps, running smooth and fluid.
Workout:
- 10 push-ups straight into 10 squat jumps; 30sec rest
- 10 push-ups straight into 10 squat jumps; 2min rest
For the next part, a set of suicides is one rotation of sprints. Set up 3 cones, as seen below.
Start_____________(10 m cone)_____________(20m cone)_______________(30m cone)
This is non-stop. Sprint to the 10m cone, touch your hand to the ground (try to alternate which direction you turn). Sprint to the start, touch your hand to the ground. Then to the 20m cone, start, 30m cone and run through the start as fast as you can. Explode out of each turn!
- 10 burpees straight into a set of suicides. 1min rest
- 10 burpees straight into a set of suicides. 1min rest
- 10 burpees straight into a set of suicides. 1min rest
- Jog 40m. Jog 40m back. 3min rest.
Start the next 4 sprints from a push-up position.
- Sprint 30m; 30sec rest
- Sprint 30m; 30sec rest
- Sprint 30m; 30sec rest
- Sprint 30m; 1min rest
- Clapping pushups to failure. 30sec rest. Regular pushups to failure.
Cool-down
- Static stretch
- Light jog
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Sprinting: Bye Bye Fat Hello Muscle
Have you ever looked at a long distance runner, like a marathoner, and thought "what a strong, healthy, looking person?" Probably not, but I bet you have watched the Olympics at some point in your life and thought about how ridiculously in shape all the sprinters look. Just Google long distance runner and then Google sprinter and let me know which one you would prefer to look like.
Ladies, this applies to you as well. Look at Allyson Felix. World champion 200 meter dash sprinter that also looks like a model (she does some modeling). Sprinting/interval training is much more effective at burning away fat than a continuous slow jog. Not to mention healthier.
Avoid long distance, high impact, boring runs and go find a long flat surface somewhere. Most high schools keep their tracks open to the public when not in use. Some universities, if not all, also do this. I have found that the track at West Virginia University is one of my favorite places to workout. Partially because it reminds me of my old track days, but also because there is never anyone there! So if you are nervous about taking that first big jump out onto the track because you're new to it, don't worry mon! Chances are you will be the only one out there or at least one of a very small number.
How Sprinters Workout
Warm-ups
First off, all athletes in the 21st century warm-up dynamically. Meaning they no longer start workouts with static stretches like touching their toes. Dynamic stretching involves things like high knees, butt-kicks, lunges, fence drills, etc. The reason we do not use static stretching before working out is because it does not effectively warm up your muscles. The point of warming up is to warm up your muscle before attempting to make explosive movements. Static stretches are like taking a rubber band out the freezer and trying to stretch it out a little before pulling it all the way back for the big shot. Chances are your rubber band would snap. That wouldn't feel so great if it was the muscle in your leg.
Workouts
Sprinting workouts generally consist of long breaks in between very explosive exercises. The point of this is to allow the muscles, lungs, and heart to recover. Sprinters do not need to develop their lungs/heart to handle long term exertion like a distance runner. Sprinters need to be able to flood their muscles with oxygen filled blood to produce the explosiveness required to go at high speeds over a short distance. In turn, your body allows itself to put on more powerful muscles. Distance runners lean out to the point of looking like skeletons because it is so much work on your body to keep oxygen flowing to your muscles over long distances, and the less mass there is, the easier it is for you heart and lunges to keep those muscles happy.
Example Track Workout
In the below workout you will notice I specify a percentage after the distance. This is an estimated percentage out of your top speed. Rarely will you very go 100% during a workout. Mainly to prevent injury.
Warm-up
Jog 400m - Run 200m at 75% - walk 200m
In a 20m space do the following: (take your time)
- high knees; butt kicks; A-skip; B-skip; rotating lunge; grape-vine squats; toy soliders; Arm swings; light skip; skip for height; skip for distance
Jog 100m - 100m at 50% - 100m at 75% -100m at 90%
Fence drills (leg swings)
Warm-up over
Workout
300m at 80% - 3 min rest
200m at 90% - 2 min rest
100m at 90% - 2 min rest
100m at 95% - 2 min rest
50m - 100% start to 20m, 70% for remaining 30m (Repeat 5x) - walk back rest
Cool-down
Walk 100m - Jog 200m -walk 100m
Static stretch
Ladies, this applies to you as well. Look at Allyson Felix. World champion 200 meter dash sprinter that also looks like a model (she does some modeling). Sprinting/interval training is much more effective at burning away fat than a continuous slow jog. Not to mention healthier.
Avoid long distance, high impact, boring runs and go find a long flat surface somewhere. Most high schools keep their tracks open to the public when not in use. Some universities, if not all, also do this. I have found that the track at West Virginia University is one of my favorite places to workout. Partially because it reminds me of my old track days, but also because there is never anyone there! So if you are nervous about taking that first big jump out onto the track because you're new to it, don't worry mon! Chances are you will be the only one out there or at least one of a very small number.
How Sprinters Workout
Warm-ups
First off, all athletes in the 21st century warm-up dynamically. Meaning they no longer start workouts with static stretches like touching their toes. Dynamic stretching involves things like high knees, butt-kicks, lunges, fence drills, etc. The reason we do not use static stretching before working out is because it does not effectively warm up your muscles. The point of warming up is to warm up your muscle before attempting to make explosive movements. Static stretches are like taking a rubber band out the freezer and trying to stretch it out a little before pulling it all the way back for the big shot. Chances are your rubber band would snap. That wouldn't feel so great if it was the muscle in your leg.
Workouts
Sprinting workouts generally consist of long breaks in between very explosive exercises. The point of this is to allow the muscles, lungs, and heart to recover. Sprinters do not need to develop their lungs/heart to handle long term exertion like a distance runner. Sprinters need to be able to flood their muscles with oxygen filled blood to produce the explosiveness required to go at high speeds over a short distance. In turn, your body allows itself to put on more powerful muscles. Distance runners lean out to the point of looking like skeletons because it is so much work on your body to keep oxygen flowing to your muscles over long distances, and the less mass there is, the easier it is for you heart and lunges to keep those muscles happy.
Example Track Workout
In the below workout you will notice I specify a percentage after the distance. This is an estimated percentage out of your top speed. Rarely will you very go 100% during a workout. Mainly to prevent injury.
Warm-up
Jog 400m - Run 200m at 75% - walk 200m
In a 20m space do the following: (take your time)
- high knees; butt kicks; A-skip; B-skip; rotating lunge; grape-vine squats; toy soliders; Arm swings; light skip; skip for height; skip for distance
Jog 100m - 100m at 50% - 100m at 75% -100m at 90%
Fence drills (leg swings)
Warm-up over
Workout
300m at 80% - 3 min rest
200m at 90% - 2 min rest
100m at 90% - 2 min rest
100m at 95% - 2 min rest
50m - 100% start to 20m, 70% for remaining 30m (Repeat 5x) - walk back rest
Cool-down
Walk 100m - Jog 200m -walk 100m
Static stretch
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Bulking Up / Building Mass
What I Did to Start Gaining Mass
So you think losing weight is hard? Try bulking up with a fast metabolism and a vast enjoyment for cardio activities and workouts. That's my problem. A lot of people think that in order to bulk up you have to completely stop cardio workouts. I disagree. You do not have to stop working cardio, but it does help. I am going to tell you what I did, and how I put on 15 lbs. of pure muscle in just over a month without cutting too much cardio out.
Lets talk workouts first. I am not going to give you my exact program, because I don't have one and everyone is different, but I will talk a bit about what I found works for me.
Workouts
I started lifting 3-4 times a week in the mornings. In the evening hours (5 days/week) I go outside and do interval training of all kinds. I try to do different things as often as I can, both for the physical benefits, but also psychological (it keeps things fresh). Monday and Tuesday I cover all my major lifts, hitting all my major muscles. Monday is my "push" day. This entails bench press, shoulder press, squats, dips, upper abs and other accessory exercises to punish those same muscles. Tuesdays are my "pull" days. This consists of deadlift, pull-ups, biceps, lower abs and other accessory exercises in the same muscle groups. The other two lifting days change constantly. Sometimes its Monday all over again, sometimes it's all body weight, and sometimes it's full body lifting.
For my evening interval workouts outside I do all sorts of things. And I really mean that. Some days I am doing hill sprints. Others I am at the track doing different length sprints, sometimes I'm in a field doing suicides or a circuit. But the one thing that all of these have in common, is they are interval. Meaning, I give my body recovery time. Sometimes it's a full recovery, sometimes just enough to lower my heart rate a bit. I never do long distance cardio. For a few reasons. First off, it's really boring. Second, intervals work my lungs very hard while still avoiding the high impact of long distance running. And third, my goal is to build bulky explosive muscles, which I gain from the explosive nature of my interval workouts.
Nutrition
In the food department, I had to completely change the way I thought about eating. When you are trying to build mass, 2,000 calories a day will never cut it. This is not exact, but I would guess that I eat at least 5,000 calories a day, and it is all healthy. I am on a 4-5 full meals a day, high protein diet. My meals are always changing just like my workouts, but I usually have 4 eggs for breakfast cooked with veggies and the rest of my meals have a lot of proteins with lots of fruit and veggies. It was surprising to me how easy it became to eat healthy during this "bulking" diet. I feel like I am always in the kitchen cooking and when you eat that much healthy food you just don't want, or have time for, sweets. Maybe because there is no room left in you stomach. I was also taking Syntha-6 Isolate Protein Powder. Today I started using True-Mass protein by the same company, but besides the delicious taste I have not been using it long enough to talk about its effectiveness.
Well, there you go. Like I said, it is not a program, but it is the type of approach I have had to take in order to get the results I was looking for.
Always changing, always working.
So you think losing weight is hard? Try bulking up with a fast metabolism and a vast enjoyment for cardio activities and workouts. That's my problem. A lot of people think that in order to bulk up you have to completely stop cardio workouts. I disagree. You do not have to stop working cardio, but it does help. I am going to tell you what I did, and how I put on 15 lbs. of pure muscle in just over a month without cutting too much cardio out.
Lets talk workouts first. I am not going to give you my exact program, because I don't have one and everyone is different, but I will talk a bit about what I found works for me.
Workouts
I started lifting 3-4 times a week in the mornings. In the evening hours (5 days/week) I go outside and do interval training of all kinds. I try to do different things as often as I can, both for the physical benefits, but also psychological (it keeps things fresh). Monday and Tuesday I cover all my major lifts, hitting all my major muscles. Monday is my "push" day. This entails bench press, shoulder press, squats, dips, upper abs and other accessory exercises to punish those same muscles. Tuesdays are my "pull" days. This consists of deadlift, pull-ups, biceps, lower abs and other accessory exercises in the same muscle groups. The other two lifting days change constantly. Sometimes its Monday all over again, sometimes it's all body weight, and sometimes it's full body lifting.
For my evening interval workouts outside I do all sorts of things. And I really mean that. Some days I am doing hill sprints. Others I am at the track doing different length sprints, sometimes I'm in a field doing suicides or a circuit. But the one thing that all of these have in common, is they are interval. Meaning, I give my body recovery time. Sometimes it's a full recovery, sometimes just enough to lower my heart rate a bit. I never do long distance cardio. For a few reasons. First off, it's really boring. Second, intervals work my lungs very hard while still avoiding the high impact of long distance running. And third, my goal is to build bulky explosive muscles, which I gain from the explosive nature of my interval workouts.
Nutrition
In the food department, I had to completely change the way I thought about eating. When you are trying to build mass, 2,000 calories a day will never cut it. This is not exact, but I would guess that I eat at least 5,000 calories a day, and it is all healthy. I am on a 4-5 full meals a day, high protein diet. My meals are always changing just like my workouts, but I usually have 4 eggs for breakfast cooked with veggies and the rest of my meals have a lot of proteins with lots of fruit and veggies. It was surprising to me how easy it became to eat healthy during this "bulking" diet. I feel like I am always in the kitchen cooking and when you eat that much healthy food you just don't want, or have time for, sweets. Maybe because there is no room left in you stomach. I was also taking Syntha-6 Isolate Protein Powder. Today I started using True-Mass protein by the same company, but besides the delicious taste I have not been using it long enough to talk about its effectiveness.
Well, there you go. Like I said, it is not a program, but it is the type of approach I have had to take in order to get the results I was looking for.
Always changing, always working.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Deck of Cards Workout
A deck of cards is a great way to mix up your regular routine. I am a big fan of this workout because it keeps you on your toes and you never know what's next. The idea behind this workout is that you assign a different exercise to each card in a deck and the different suites tell you how many of each exercise to do. Your rest is the time it takes you to check which workout is being displayed on the card. I would recommend writing it out.
Below is an example of my own. Try it if you dare! All you need for this deck of cards workout is a pull-up bar and a flat surface. If at any point while looking over the exercise you don't know what something is just look it up on the web, they are all fairly simple.
Reps
Diamonds = 4
Hearts = 6
Clubs = 8
Spades = 10
Cards/Exercises
2 = calf raises
3 = jump twist
4 = Leg lifts using pull-up bar (straight legs, bent if that is too hard)
5 = Chin-ups
6 = mountain climbers x2
7 = pike planks
8 = tuck-jumps
9 = push-ups
10 = scissor lunges
J = spiderman push-ups
Q = squat jumps
K = pull-ups
A = burpees
Example: If I pulled a Queen of Spades in this workout I would have to do 10 squat-jumps.
Good luck, and stay motivated!
Below is an example of my own. Try it if you dare! All you need for this deck of cards workout is a pull-up bar and a flat surface. If at any point while looking over the exercise you don't know what something is just look it up on the web, they are all fairly simple.
Reps
Diamonds = 4
Clubs = 8
Spades = 10
Cards/Exercises
2 = calf raises
3 = jump twist
4 = Leg lifts using pull-up bar (straight legs, bent if that is too hard)
5 = Chin-ups
6 = mountain climbers x2
7 = pike planks
8 = tuck-jumps
9 = push-ups
10 = scissor lunges
J = spiderman push-ups
Q = squat jumps
K = pull-ups
A = burpees
Example: If I pulled a Queen of Spades in this workout I would have to do 10 squat-jumps.
Good luck, and stay motivated!
Monday, July 15, 2013
Home Workout #2
To continue the home workout trend for those of you that can't leave the house for whatever reason. Or perhaps you already did a workout and are looking for a good second workout of the day. Here we go!
I will be explaining another 30/30 workout. For this workout there will be three exercises instead of just two. This is a solid full body workout. Enjoy!
The three exercises are:
Pike Plank or Sliding Pike Plank - http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/sliding-plank-pike-towel
Scissor Lunges - http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/scissor-lunge
Spiderman Push-ups - http://www.menshealth.com/celebrity-fitness/exercise-detail.php?66
30/30
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
And if you are feeling good do one more set!
I will be explaining another 30/30 workout. For this workout there will be three exercises instead of just two. This is a solid full body workout. Enjoy!
The three exercises are:
Pike Plank or Sliding Pike Plank - http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/sliding-plank-pike-towel
Scissor Lunges - http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/scissor-lunge
Spiderman Push-ups - http://www.menshealth.com/celebrity-fitness/exercise-detail.php?66
30/30
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Sliding Pike Plank - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Scissor Lunges - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
Spiderman Push-ups - 30sec
Rest - 30sec
And if you are feeling good do one more set!
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Mix up the Routine
I am considered to be a very active person. I love working out regardless of what the workout is and I understand that not everyone is this way. Some people just don't like basketball, or running, or lifting. While there is absolutely no problem having one sport or activity that you like, there is a lot that can be said about being a well rounded athlete.
I contribute a lot of my rock climbing success to the fact that I am such a well rounded athlete. I could say that for any of the sports that I enjoy. Anyone who has played basketball with me knows that I am not actually good, but I'm coordinated and very fast, meaning I can pretty much hang in there with any crowd.
Don't be Afraid to do Other Things!
Besides just mixing up the routine to keep things more interesting (which is great!!), doing other workouts, like lifting weights, will help you to accomplish the goals of whatever your main sport might be. I see this problem with a lot of people, regardless of the sport. If you want improve at anything don't forget to look outside the box! Some people say that the best way to get better at something is to do it. I used to agree with that 100%. No longer. I see a lot of runners struggle to get faster even though they no longer get tired. I understand this. I used to be a 400meter sprinter in high school and I completely plateaued at 50.02 seconds even though I never got tired. The problem, my lungs were in perfect shape for the 400m but I wasn't powerful enough. Simply put, I wasn't strong enough to go faster. I didn't realize that until it is was too late, but there is a reason professional track athletes, football players, soccer players, and all sorts of other athletes lift weights. It works! And its safe! Taking care of your body by doing other things will make you better and keep you in the game longer.
If you play basketball with your friends a few times a week but just aren't quick enough to fly by them or out jump someone for a jump ball and you're tired of getting burned by the fast guys, start training outside your sport and starting lifting, or do circuits to make your legs more powerful. If you're a rock climber remember to keep your tendons healthy by doing apposing lifts, and staying lean by running.
Regardless of the sport there are other things that you can be doing to make yourself better. Don't get locked into a single obsession, because while you might initially see improvements it's not the best, or healthiest way.
Eat Healthy
Remember to eat healthy. You might not look like someone that needs to change their diet, but it's not something that will necessarily show on the outside. Eating well balanced meals made of "real foods" (non-processed) and packed with vitamins will take care of your joints, tendons, and body as whole, but also give your body the appropriate fuel to recover and preform at its best!
I contribute a lot of my rock climbing success to the fact that I am such a well rounded athlete. I could say that for any of the sports that I enjoy. Anyone who has played basketball with me knows that I am not actually good, but I'm coordinated and very fast, meaning I can pretty much hang in there with any crowd.
Don't be Afraid to do Other Things!
Besides just mixing up the routine to keep things more interesting (which is great!!), doing other workouts, like lifting weights, will help you to accomplish the goals of whatever your main sport might be. I see this problem with a lot of people, regardless of the sport. If you want improve at anything don't forget to look outside the box! Some people say that the best way to get better at something is to do it. I used to agree with that 100%. No longer. I see a lot of runners struggle to get faster even though they no longer get tired. I understand this. I used to be a 400meter sprinter in high school and I completely plateaued at 50.02 seconds even though I never got tired. The problem, my lungs were in perfect shape for the 400m but I wasn't powerful enough. Simply put, I wasn't strong enough to go faster. I didn't realize that until it is was too late, but there is a reason professional track athletes, football players, soccer players, and all sorts of other athletes lift weights. It works! And its safe! Taking care of your body by doing other things will make you better and keep you in the game longer.
If you play basketball with your friends a few times a week but just aren't quick enough to fly by them or out jump someone for a jump ball and you're tired of getting burned by the fast guys, start training outside your sport and starting lifting, or do circuits to make your legs more powerful. If you're a rock climber remember to keep your tendons healthy by doing apposing lifts, and staying lean by running.
Regardless of the sport there are other things that you can be doing to make yourself better. Don't get locked into a single obsession, because while you might initially see improvements it's not the best, or healthiest way.
Eat Healthy
Remember to eat healthy. You might not look like someone that needs to change their diet, but it's not something that will necessarily show on the outside. Eating well balanced meals made of "real foods" (non-processed) and packed with vitamins will take care of your joints, tendons, and body as whole, but also give your body the appropriate fuel to recover and preform at its best!
Friday, July 12, 2013
Home Workout #1
The first home workout is great for anyone living in an apartment, where jumping around and making lots of noise simply isn't an option.
This workout is called a 30/30's. A 30/30 is when you do one exercise as many times as you can in 30 seconds and then take the next 30 seconds off before starting, in this case, the second exercise for 30 seconds.
For the first part of the workout we will do two exercises. The first is your standard push-up which can be altered depending on which muscles you want to focus on more. For today lets stick with the standard hands shoulder width apart, going down to 90 degrees and back up. The second exercise for the first 30/30 is a body weight squat. Starting standing up with you feet shoulder width apart and turned out just slightly. Go down to 90 degrees and return to the top.
While this workout is about how many you can do in 30 seconds remember that quality is always more important than quantity! So pace yourself through this.
30/30
Push-ups - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Body weight squat - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Push-ups - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Body weight squat - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Push-ups - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Body weight squat - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Next a quick abs exercise.
Abs
Bicycle crunches - 30 sec http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20412214,00.html
Plank - 1 minute http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/basic-workout-plank?workout=13841
Rest - 30 sec
Bicycle crunches - 30 sec
Plank - 1 minute
Done!
This workout is called a 30/30's. A 30/30 is when you do one exercise as many times as you can in 30 seconds and then take the next 30 seconds off before starting, in this case, the second exercise for 30 seconds.
For the first part of the workout we will do two exercises. The first is your standard push-up which can be altered depending on which muscles you want to focus on more. For today lets stick with the standard hands shoulder width apart, going down to 90 degrees and back up. The second exercise for the first 30/30 is a body weight squat. Starting standing up with you feet shoulder width apart and turned out just slightly. Go down to 90 degrees and return to the top.
While this workout is about how many you can do in 30 seconds remember that quality is always more important than quantity! So pace yourself through this.
30/30
Push-ups - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Body weight squat - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Push-ups - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Body weight squat - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Push-ups - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Body weight squat - 30 seconds
Rest - 30 seconds
Next a quick abs exercise.
Abs
Bicycle crunches - 30 sec http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20412214,00.html
Plank - 1 minute http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/basic-workout-plank?workout=13841
Rest - 30 sec
Bicycle crunches - 30 sec
Plank - 1 minute
Done!
Goals and Motivation
I'm going to talk a lot about motivation on this blog. Motivation is, to me, the most important and most difficult part of working out, eating right, and being healthy. If you can stay truly motivated there is no reason why you cannot achieve your goals.
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or someone just trying to get in shape, giving yourself something to work towards will make a huge difference in your drive and motivation. Now, I'm not talking about the goal of just losing weight. So many people have losing weight as their only goal and get tired and burnt out when they don't see the speedy results everyone wants to see. No, I am talking about real goals, not just the results. Something that will give you something else to work towards besides just shedding the pounds.
What to do?
Signing up for races and mud runs is a great way to stay motivated. Most of these events consist of a certain level of commitment. You sign up months ahead of time and also pay months ahead of time committing yourself to the future agony. Once you have signed up you will find yourself working much harder than if your only goal was to lose weight. Events like these give you something to look forward to, and something to keep your mind off the weight scale. Knowing that you have to run a race at the end of the summer will make you work harder because you want to be better, not because you want to look better. You will go lift weights and go for runs, not to shed the weight necessarily, but so that you are ready, ready for this thing you already committed to. The weight will go away on its own, so try not to think about it.
Fun with Friends
Events like Tough Mudders are way more fun when you do them with friends. Not to mention it adds a whole other level of motivation. Say you sign up for a Tough Mudder with three of your best friends. It will be a great time! But, in the back of your mind you will know that you don't want to be, you can't be, the one that slows down the group. Doing these events with friends will also get you friends to workout with, and now, you all have the same goals in mind, so deciding on workouts won't be an issue. I talked a lot about the importance of having workout partners in my previous post on July 10th Having a Good Partner http://betterlifefitnessandfood.blogspot.com/2013/07/having-good-partner.html
Tell People
Suppose you want a goal to work towards but you don't want to pay money or sign up for an event. Do you have a passion? Or a sport of preference? Use whatever it is to motivate you by setting realistic goals that you can reach in a timely manner. Once you have come up with your goal of choice tell people about it. Be proud of what you are going to accomplish! Telling people will give you just a bit more motivation because you no longer will be letting yourself down by not accomplishing these goals. Once other people know, there is an expectation set and people will see you as someone working towards this goal and later when they ask you about it, you don't want to tell them you couldn't do it. It is important that other people know what you are working towards, you might even find that people offer to help you with your goals.
From My Experience
I have done mud runs and 5k's and half marathons, but the one goal that really got me working the hardest was back in my rock climbing prime. In the fall of 2009 I was 20 years old and I told myself, and other people, that before I turned 21 on April 20th 2010 I would send (climb without falling) my first 5.13a. I picked out a climb and got to work. (Apollo's Reed at Summersville Lake WV) By picking out a climb I knew exactly how I had to train for it and spent that winter indoors working on my stamina. By the time spring came my stamina was through the roof, I was cave climbing for 11min at a time without stopping. I did not get to go to Summersville as often as I would have liked, but it was enough, and on the last weekend before my 21st birthday I sent Apollo's Reed. At any point I could have thrown in the towel and said "maybe next year." Thankfully, I couldn't do that. I had told too many good friends that watched me train hard through the winter and I didn't want to let them, or myself down.
So find something to do! Pick out a goal and make it happen!
Remember to set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely
Read about SMART goals at http://topachievement.com/smart.html
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or someone just trying to get in shape, giving yourself something to work towards will make a huge difference in your drive and motivation. Now, I'm not talking about the goal of just losing weight. So many people have losing weight as their only goal and get tired and burnt out when they don't see the speedy results everyone wants to see. No, I am talking about real goals, not just the results. Something that will give you something else to work towards besides just shedding the pounds.
What to do?
Signing up for races and mud runs is a great way to stay motivated. Most of these events consist of a certain level of commitment. You sign up months ahead of time and also pay months ahead of time committing yourself to the future agony. Once you have signed up you will find yourself working much harder than if your only goal was to lose weight. Events like these give you something to look forward to, and something to keep your mind off the weight scale. Knowing that you have to run a race at the end of the summer will make you work harder because you want to be better, not because you want to look better. You will go lift weights and go for runs, not to shed the weight necessarily, but so that you are ready, ready for this thing you already committed to. The weight will go away on its own, so try not to think about it.
Fun with Friends
Events like Tough Mudders are way more fun when you do them with friends. Not to mention it adds a whole other level of motivation. Say you sign up for a Tough Mudder with three of your best friends. It will be a great time! But, in the back of your mind you will know that you don't want to be, you can't be, the one that slows down the group. Doing these events with friends will also get you friends to workout with, and now, you all have the same goals in mind, so deciding on workouts won't be an issue. I talked a lot about the importance of having workout partners in my previous post on July 10th Having a Good Partner http://betterlifefitnessandfood.blogspot.com/2013/07/having-good-partner.html
Tell People
Suppose you want a goal to work towards but you don't want to pay money or sign up for an event. Do you have a passion? Or a sport of preference? Use whatever it is to motivate you by setting realistic goals that you can reach in a timely manner. Once you have come up with your goal of choice tell people about it. Be proud of what you are going to accomplish! Telling people will give you just a bit more motivation because you no longer will be letting yourself down by not accomplishing these goals. Once other people know, there is an expectation set and people will see you as someone working towards this goal and later when they ask you about it, you don't want to tell them you couldn't do it. It is important that other people know what you are working towards, you might even find that people offer to help you with your goals.
From My Experience
I have done mud runs and 5k's and half marathons, but the one goal that really got me working the hardest was back in my rock climbing prime. In the fall of 2009 I was 20 years old and I told myself, and other people, that before I turned 21 on April 20th 2010 I would send (climb without falling) my first 5.13a. I picked out a climb and got to work. (Apollo's Reed at Summersville Lake WV) By picking out a climb I knew exactly how I had to train for it and spent that winter indoors working on my stamina. By the time spring came my stamina was through the roof, I was cave climbing for 11min at a time without stopping. I did not get to go to Summersville as often as I would have liked, but it was enough, and on the last weekend before my 21st birthday I sent Apollo's Reed. At any point I could have thrown in the towel and said "maybe next year." Thankfully, I couldn't do that. I had told too many good friends that watched me train hard through the winter and I didn't want to let them, or myself down.
So find something to do! Pick out a goal and make it happen!
Remember to set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely
Read about SMART goals at http://topachievement.com/smart.html
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Fitness for Gamers
Heavy Gamer? Can't Workout?
Do you want to get in shape but don't think that it is worth the time to step away from your video game? Maybe you are a raid leader in World of Warcraft and a moment away is simply not worth the risk of loosing a solid player. Maybe you are up late every night playing games because that's when all the good players log on.
Hey! You still have time and you can still be healthy. I used to be a serious World of Warcraft player. Late nights and long hours putting together groups for Rated Battle Grounds. I understand the pressure and addiction involved with staying on these games day in and day out. I was there, and occasionally I still am. Despite this, I never lost a step with my fitness.
Most gamers feel like they get fat because they sit in front of a screen all day and never move. They aren't wrong, but they are forgetting something. The biggest problem is that most people who sit for long periods of time eat horribly. If you do not eat right you will never have the energy to workout in the first place.
My Advice
Realistically any serious gamer is going to have a hard time just dropping the controller and going to workout every day. Take baby steps. Do a little bit of homework on how to eat right and make an honest effort to improve your diet. Cut out the soda and chips while you play your games and cut up some celery. Eat some grapes. Substituting these "real" food for the fake ones will drastically increase the amount of vitamins going into your body. This, in turn, will give you more energy and you might even find yourself wanting to go be active after a while. A lot of people, even athletes, make the mistake of eating poorly. If you do not give your body the kinds of food it needs you will be wasting your time when you finally start working out. After a couple weeks on the new diet it will not feel like work anymore. Now you are ready to workout!
To be clear, I am not saying you should not workout. You should definitely workout. The above advice is for those people that feel tired and can never seem to keep up the motivation to workout.
What I Did
Earlier I said that I was serious World of Warcraft player for a few years, but never lost a step. How? Well, I have always been an active person, but yes, I was scared that spending endless hours in front of my computer playing games would destroy my physique. All I did was make little promises to myself. I would promise myself that every time I stood up from the game I would either do 10 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, or 10 body-weight squats. If I wasn't leading Battle Grounds that night I would do these exercises while I waited. Little self promises like this ad up. After four hours of gaming you might have done the equivalent of what most people do at the gym every day.
You don't need to stop playing games to take care of your body. Game on!
Do you want to get in shape but don't think that it is worth the time to step away from your video game? Maybe you are a raid leader in World of Warcraft and a moment away is simply not worth the risk of loosing a solid player. Maybe you are up late every night playing games because that's when all the good players log on.
Hey! You still have time and you can still be healthy. I used to be a serious World of Warcraft player. Late nights and long hours putting together groups for Rated Battle Grounds. I understand the pressure and addiction involved with staying on these games day in and day out. I was there, and occasionally I still am. Despite this, I never lost a step with my fitness.
Most gamers feel like they get fat because they sit in front of a screen all day and never move. They aren't wrong, but they are forgetting something. The biggest problem is that most people who sit for long periods of time eat horribly. If you do not eat right you will never have the energy to workout in the first place.
My Advice
Realistically any serious gamer is going to have a hard time just dropping the controller and going to workout every day. Take baby steps. Do a little bit of homework on how to eat right and make an honest effort to improve your diet. Cut out the soda and chips while you play your games and cut up some celery. Eat some grapes. Substituting these "real" food for the fake ones will drastically increase the amount of vitamins going into your body. This, in turn, will give you more energy and you might even find yourself wanting to go be active after a while. A lot of people, even athletes, make the mistake of eating poorly. If you do not give your body the kinds of food it needs you will be wasting your time when you finally start working out. After a couple weeks on the new diet it will not feel like work anymore. Now you are ready to workout!
To be clear, I am not saying you should not workout. You should definitely workout. The above advice is for those people that feel tired and can never seem to keep up the motivation to workout.
What I Did
Earlier I said that I was serious World of Warcraft player for a few years, but never lost a step. How? Well, I have always been an active person, but yes, I was scared that spending endless hours in front of my computer playing games would destroy my physique. All I did was make little promises to myself. I would promise myself that every time I stood up from the game I would either do 10 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, or 10 body-weight squats. If I wasn't leading Battle Grounds that night I would do these exercises while I waited. Little self promises like this ad up. After four hours of gaming you might have done the equivalent of what most people do at the gym every day.
You don't need to stop playing games to take care of your body. Game on!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Having a Good Partner
Motivation and commitment are hard to come by for the most accomplished athletes. You aren't alone when you wake up in the morning and dread going to the gym. You aren't alone when you fear the oncoming workout. Everyone struggles to find that super human motivation that we think all the professionals have. I'm no exception to this. I love working out, being in shape, and staying active as much as anyone else, but some mornings I just can't do it. I move my fastest when I'm hitting the "sleep" button on my alarm.
So how do I manage to make it to the gym every morning? Well, to be honest, I don't. Not when I am alone anyways. Thankfully I'm not always alone. I am fortunate enough to have a girlfriend that is as active as I am. She likes to do the same workouts I do and we work around each others goals. Having her in my life has made an incredible difference in my motivation. Even when she isn't around I find myself working hard so that I can keep up with her and don't seem out of shape the next time we workout.
Having a workout partner without a doubt has a positive affect on any athlete. Even the top athletes in individual sports value their workout partners greatly. Take Usain Bolt for example. Arguable one of the best Olympians of all time places great value in his workout partner Yohan Blake, even though Track and Field is essentially an individual sport. The same can be said for any fighter and their sparring partners.
Workout partners give us that extra motivation to wake up in the morning when we know someone else is counting on us to be there. They also make it a more enjoyable experience, which keeps us coming back.
Having your significant other or roommate as a workout partner is even better. My girlfriend eats healthier than I do and having her around forces me to keep the kitchen healthy. We help each other wake up for the gym in the morning and keep each others nutrition in line.
Find yourself a friend or get motivated with you significant other. I promise it will help, and its fun!!
So how do I manage to make it to the gym every morning? Well, to be honest, I don't. Not when I am alone anyways. Thankfully I'm not always alone. I am fortunate enough to have a girlfriend that is as active as I am. She likes to do the same workouts I do and we work around each others goals. Having her in my life has made an incredible difference in my motivation. Even when she isn't around I find myself working hard so that I can keep up with her and don't seem out of shape the next time we workout.
Having a workout partner without a doubt has a positive affect on any athlete. Even the top athletes in individual sports value their workout partners greatly. Take Usain Bolt for example. Arguable one of the best Olympians of all time places great value in his workout partner Yohan Blake, even though Track and Field is essentially an individual sport. The same can be said for any fighter and their sparring partners.
Workout partners give us that extra motivation to wake up in the morning when we know someone else is counting on us to be there. They also make it a more enjoyable experience, which keeps us coming back.
Having your significant other or roommate as a workout partner is even better. My girlfriend eats healthier than I do and having her around forces me to keep the kitchen healthy. We help each other wake up for the gym in the morning and keep each others nutrition in line.
Find yourself a friend or get motivated with you significant other. I promise it will help, and its fun!!
A Little About Me
It is important to note that I am not a professional athlete, licensed trainer, or expert at any one fitness objective. I am a regular guy that REALLY likes to be active and I understand my body.
What I do know is my body, how it works, and what I need to do to accomplish my physical goals. I am 24yrs old and weighed 155lbs since I was 17 years old. In the past four weeks I have started to focus on changing that. I am currently 172lbs, and as far as I can tell, I have not put on any fat.
My current program (made by me) consists of the following:
Workouts:
Monday: 8am lift - chest, legs, shoulders, triceps, upper abs
5pm interval training
Tuesday: 8am lift - back (lower and upper), biceps, lower abs
5pm interval training
Wednesday: One workout: bodyweight training
Thursday: Off
Friday: Full body high reps lift
Saturday: Active day: Usually two of the following: track workout, tennis, boxing, climbing, swimming.
Sunday: Off
Nutrition:
I'm not a nutritionist, and with my body type/activity level I do not have to be as careful as some people. I am currently trying to bulk. I am eating 4-5 full meals a day plus snacking. I try very had to avoid processed foods and sugars. I eat eggs almost every morning packed with veggies and fill the rest of my day with lean proteins as best as I can, though I am not too picking because I love me a big'ol steak!
What I do know is my body, how it works, and what I need to do to accomplish my physical goals. I am 24yrs old and weighed 155lbs since I was 17 years old. In the past four weeks I have started to focus on changing that. I am currently 172lbs, and as far as I can tell, I have not put on any fat.
My current program (made by me) consists of the following:
Workouts:
Monday: 8am lift - chest, legs, shoulders, triceps, upper abs
5pm interval training
Tuesday: 8am lift - back (lower and upper), biceps, lower abs
5pm interval training
Wednesday: One workout: bodyweight training
Thursday: Off
Friday: Full body high reps lift
Saturday: Active day: Usually two of the following: track workout, tennis, boxing, climbing, swimming.
Sunday: Off
Nutrition:
I'm not a nutritionist, and with my body type/activity level I do not have to be as careful as some people. I am currently trying to bulk. I am eating 4-5 full meals a day plus snacking. I try very had to avoid processed foods and sugars. I eat eggs almost every morning packed with veggies and fill the rest of my day with lean proteins as best as I can, though I am not too picking because I love me a big'ol steak!
And it Begins
Welcome to A Better Life: Fitness and Food!
This is a new blog and currently does not have much to offer, but that is up to you!! On A Better Life: Fitness and Food I am giving readers the opportunity to help each other out. Everyone has a different body and a different life with all sorts of different problems keeping us from achieving our ultimate fitness goals.
Interact with other people, ask questions, and post workout/nutrition programs!
Ready?
GO!
This is a new blog and currently does not have much to offer, but that is up to you!! On A Better Life: Fitness and Food I am giving readers the opportunity to help each other out. Everyone has a different body and a different life with all sorts of different problems keeping us from achieving our ultimate fitness goals.
Interact with other people, ask questions, and post workout/nutrition programs!
Ready?
GO!
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