January 2012
4 posts
7 tags
preseason, month one review
Last week I completed the first of two months for my ‘preseason’ training. Here is a review.
Using the Rumble Roller instead of a conventional foam roller helps much more with trigger points or any tight spots before my warm-up. It looks intimidating, but worth it.
I limited my static stretching and instead focused on mobility drills. Hip, thoracic spine, and shoulders are my main...
6 tags
self interview
A friend of mine came across an internet interview with a trainer in the California area. I thought his fitness philosophies were in line with mine, which was good. My idea then was to take the questions from the interview and answer them myself. Here we go…
What’s the first essential concept we should all know about exercise?
Exercise should closely mimic the movements that are...
6 tags
Research review- Jan 2012
Before I review this month’s research article, I’d like to wish all of you reading this a Happy New Year. One of my goals for this year is to add 50 blog entries this year. Thankfully I write out my goals so this should be an easy one to track and reach!
Ok, onto this month’s study. Back in April 2010, the Journal of Applied Physiology published a study looking at strength...
3 tags
“Everyone is an athlete. But some of us are training, and some of us are not.”
– Dr. George Sheehan
December 2011
1 post
4 tags
Yearly training plan- Phase 1 review
Today was the last workout in my first of a four phase strength program. This first phase lasted four months with an emphasis on strength development. To review, here are the goals of each phase:
Increase strength
Use new strength levels to develop muscle endurance and power
Maintain strength, develop running power and economy
Reduce intensity and volume to actively recover for phase...
November 2011
2 posts
4 tags
Training versus "working out"
When it comes to exercise, there are fundamental differences between training and “working out”.
The benefits of exercise are extensively listed, but in a nutshell, they improve health markers, body composition and performance measurements. It really does come down to just those three categories. While it’s true that “something is better than nothing”, having an...
7 tags
Spring track training plan
While March may seem very far away as of now, training for Spring track has to begin in mid to late summer. Here is the layout I put together for my own training.
Offseason: September to December. In this block the main focus is on developing maximum strength. Track work is done once a week on a non-lifting day. I like using a short to long approach, meaning I run several short distances and...
September 2011
1 post
5 tags
Track workout
Today’s track workout consisted of the following:
10m fly 35m
10m fly 70m
175m
Times set
Rep 1= 4.68s
Rep 2= 4.47s
Rep 3= 4.50s
Rep 4= 4.47s
Rep 5= 4.47s
Rep 6= 9.18s
Rep 7= 9.13s
Rep 8= Deferred
Rep 9= 25.27s
All target times were met, however I’m most pleased with how I can maintain my speed fairly well as the distance increases. For example, my top speed today was...
July 2011
2 posts
4 tags
Food log
I’ve decided to log what I ate all day since I have not done so since August of 2009! Here you go…
Breakfast @ 9 AM
Protein shake- 1 scoop Jarrow Formulas chocolate whey protein, 1 apple, 1 tsp cocoa nibs, 1/4 cup Quaker oats, 1/4 cup walnuts, 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate almond milk, honey, cinnamon, and 1 scoop of lecithin granules
Trader Joe’s low sodium garden juice
Slice...
3 tags
Watch100 meter dash time trial earlier this afternoon. I believe my (unofficial) time was around 14.79 which I am happy about. A couple of things of note:
Will work on speed-endurance a little more. I felt like the last 30 m were lagging for me.
Will start to incorporate some weighted vest 10 m runs to improve my 0-10 m acceleration time.
Single leg power and deadlift strength must...
January 2011
2 posts
4 tags
What I'm still seeing...
This March will mark 5 years that I have worked full-time as a personal trainer. If not for this job, I would not have had any chance to put exercise theory into practice. It’s this experience that allows me to get better at coaching, training, etc. Even to this day I still abide by the ‘Always learning, constantly improving’ mantra. In order to give clients the best fitness...
5 tags
From Sedentary to Active
In light of numerous recommendations by health officials and government health agencies, only about 15 percent of Americans are regularly active. By “regular” I mean at least 3 days a week, exercising between 30-60 minutes a session. Fitness professionals have done an excellent job in keeping that 15 percent active throughout most of their lives. There are numerous clubs and fitness studios...
December 2010
1 post
A cook, a sous-chef, or a chef?
Yesterday I had the privilege to attend the Perform Better! One day seminar and Coach Mike Boyle was one of the speakers. His topic was ‘Success in the Fitness Industry’ and while there were many other great points made by Coach Boyle, this one stood out a bit more. He mentioned that for trainers who just start out, it is wise to be a “cook” and use programs written...
August 2010
1 post
4 tags
Research review 1- August 2010 →
Muscle Activation the Same During Lifts on a Swiss Ball or Stable Surface
A recent study out of California State University showed that a chest press or shoulder press done at the same amount of weight on either a Swiss ball (the big ball you usually see at gyms) or a bench activated muscles the same way. I have mentioned before that unstable surface training is, to some extent, an overrated and...
July 2010
2 posts
4 tags
Getting out of your comfort zone
First, I am finally back into the blogosphere after having taking some time to catch up on some continuing education. It feels good to get back to writing!
Second, I had this thought yesterday during my own workout. I have heard coaches and trainers talk about having to get out of one’s comfort zone in order to see continued fitness improvements. While I do agree with this since the...
3 tags
“You can’t run to get fit, you need to get fit to run.”
– Diane Lee
March 2010
4 posts
6 tags
cardio or strength training first?
I came across this 6 month old study which compared three different exercise programs:
Aerobic exercise only - 20 minutes continuous
Low intensity strength training then aerobic exercise
High intensity strength training then aerobic exercise
The main results of the study showed that fat burning and oxygen consumption was higher in the high intensity strength then aerobic group versus the other...
“It does not matter how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is –...”
– Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize-winning physicist
4 tags
workout of the week
In keeping with the unconventional endurance training theme which was posted before, this workout done by one of my clients underscores the main points which were discussed in that post.
1. Mobility, Activation, and Movement Prep
Full foam rolling set
Static stretch - Lats, pecs, Hip complex
Reach, roll, and lift
W Raise
Thoracic rotation
Forward and back leg swings
Lateral band walks
...
4 tags
Hacking your diet
We all have heard of the importance of diet and nutrition to meet whatever fitness and performance goal we set. For example, those looking to lose fat and keep muscle have to eat differently than those who are getting set to run a marathon. But what about those who do not have a fitness goal? What if they just want to eat better and healthier? Is it as simple as “cutting out...
February 2010
5 posts
5 tags
WatchFront plank progressions from basic to advanced. Some dynamic stabilization examples as well.
6 tags
unconventional endurance training methods, part...
In part one of this post, I covered the three areas of focus to condition the aerobic system. Please keep in mind that aerobic exercise uses just one of the three energy systems in the human body. Simply getting on the bike and going for a long ride at the expense of other conditioning methods just will not improve your performance. Let’s take a look at some practical examples.
First on...
5 tags
Sessions a week vs sessions a month?
Alot of my clients train with me twice a week which gives me a good amount of flexibility when designing their programs. Obviously two times a week is better than once a week since there is 100 percent more training time. However, there is another way of looking at a training schedule. Rather than focusing on how many times to exercise a week, look at how many workouts you have to get in a...
4 tags
Unconventional endurance training methods, part...
Training for endurance is simple in theory. Putting it into practice is where things get, well, boring. Most people just hop on a treadmill or bike and just go without any long-term planning. Creativity is what’s needed to add distance and volume in your program.
Let’s dive right in to some basic physiology. I’ll try to make this sound with as much sense as possible. Most...
6 tags
Watch5 minute timed set workout
45 seconds work
15 seconds rest
Rear foot elevated split squat
Pike pushups
Strap fallouts
Strap rotational row
1 leg deadlift
January 2010
14 posts
6 tags
steak plus butter
I hate the scale, not because I am trying to lose weight but because it only gives you 33 percent of what you need to know about your true physical makeup. The number on the scale can be divided into two other parts, how much muscle and how much fat you have.
This is an extremely simplistic breakdown of the body, I know. It’s the two-component model of body composition which basically...
1 tag
fat: it's not what you think- book review
Every time I shop at Trader Joe’s I pick up a container or two of their brand of Greek yogurt. I have already blogged on how it can be used as a high-protein snack or as an addition to a protein shake. What I did not get into is which percent fat version I choose and why.
I always go for the full-fat version of yogurt, milk, and cheese because I now know that one, the saturated fats they...
1 tag
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
– Charles Caleb Colton
1 tag
Home gym equipment choices
Setting up a home gym can be a grind considering some major factors that go into the setup phase. First, you have to look at what space is available to determine what equipment will be there. Second, determining a budget (and sticking to it) is not as easy as it sounds given the prices of certain items. And lastly, what exactly should you buy to go into your gym?
I am not sure how much space...
1 tag
Bob Braman on Strength Training for Distance... →
NOTE: Click title above to view video
Nice video from Florida State University track and field coach Bob Braman explaining why core training is vital for distance runners. So many distance runners elect to just run and build up their volume at the expense of intensity. In addition, I feel there is a fear in runners that they will “bulk up” if they start lifting. There are three types of...
Teen core training
Yesterday afternoon was the first teen core training class at Breathe Fitness Studio, a class which I believe will be the first of many. I feel this class is vital not just for those teens playing sports, but for non-athletes as well.
There is a fitness continuum that we are all on. Whatever age we happen to be at a particular point in our lives will dictate what we must obtain through an...
Duet training, part two
A duet workout is different from a one-on-one workout in that clients work off of each others’ fitness levels. This provides for a good amount of exercise in a given time frame. A full example follows:
Warm-up 1
Quad to hamstring stretch
Mini band lateral walks
Warm-up 2
Jump rope
Plank to spider-man stretch
Strength 1- Clients switch off when sets are done
Dumbbell row
Rear foot...
1 tag
Duet training
Last night I had the privilege to train two friends for about 40 minutes before my next client arrived. I rarely have duet sessions in my schedule, but I created a workout on the fly.
I didn’t expect to have a duet session last night, but it was a nice change of pace. The time flies by much faster with two people and I can see why it is recommended in addition to one-on-one training. The...
1 tag
Snacktime
I was approached the other day in between sessions and was asked, “What are some good snack options that have protein?” It wasn’t an easy of an answer as I thought it would be.
Nutritionists recommend that 5-6 small meals be eaten throughout the day in order to keep energy levels up. Some of those meals have to come in the form of snacks. I think the easiest way to determine what snacks to pick...
1 tag
Where Do BOSU's Fit in a Training Program?
If I had to take a guess, I would say that there are several BOSU’s in most commercial fitness gyms and studios. In fact, I believe that they could even be found in physical therapy facilities as well. But are they really necessary to use for someone who is looking to develop better “balance” - are they useful for that goal?
On the BOSU website, it states that there should...
Workout of the Week
A copy of a workout completed by one of my clients this week:
Band assisted chinups > One leg deloaded squat
Two arm overhand cable rotation > Plank walkup + pushup complex > Triple squats
Side plank with knee flexion > Floor row > Two arm DB SLHE > Straight leg situps
Slideboard intervals- 30s work : 15s work X 6
Tabata Overload?
There seems to be a trend in fitness where Tabata intervals are used alot more often in workouts. Not only am I seeing them in cardiovascular programs, but they are used in strength training circuits as well. For those not familiar with Tabata intervals, they implement a 2:1 work to rest ratio where clients perform an exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds while repeating that round 7-8...
“Learn to respond, not react”
– Buddha’s Little Instruction Book
Getting in shape for 2010
The more I train clients, the more I see how manipulating the time you have in a given week can dramatically improve ones fitness level. For example, the US government now recommends that all adults accumulate at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week. 150 minutes a week can be broken down into the following: 2 times a week for 75 minutes each session 3 times a week for 50 minutes each...