Short on time workouts

The number one reason for people not working out is the lack of time. One of the most time conscience and effective methods of training is called tabata training. Tibata training is categorized as high intensity training which essentially means short but intense aerobic exercise combined with short test. A complete tibata session is 4 minutes broken up in 20 second active 10 second rest for 8 rounds. There are studies that show tibata improves both aerobic and anaerobic systems whereas standard aerobic exercise only improves the aerobic system. A tibata set can occur any where and no weights are needed. You can sprint up and down your block for 4 minutes. A great suggestion from Mark Sisson is to try to 'race' yourself each sprint. For example in the first 20 seconds if you make it from your driveway to your neighbors driveway, for the next 20 second sprint run back and try to pass your driveway. Have only 25 minutes before the kids come home from school, string together 5 4min tibata sets such as burpees (or push-ups), body weight squats, jumping jacks, mountain climbers and plank. You have a full body workout without the need for weights. Tibata training is an excellent addition to any workout routine! --rich

Rest Day

A lot of people feel guilty about taking a rest day or off day. The genesis of the guilt is typically based on the philosophy of 'calories in calories out'. Another motto I hear often is 'a little bit is better than nothing'. I disagree with both philosophies. Let us explore why. The 'calories in calories out' philosophy is rooted in the individuals desire to lose weight. I would argue that with proper nutrition that your weight should not be affected by whether you miss a workout or two. There are a number of testimonials from followers of the Primal Diet who had major injuries without losing body composition or gaining weight. The body needs a rest day to recover from long runs or bike rides or the high intensity training of crossfit or cross training. Read any professional marathon guide and they always have 2-3 rest days per week. Rest is as critical to achieving your goals as is the work you put in during your gym days. If your goal is to workout so you can eat what you want realize that 30-90min of exercise is not enough to counteract a piece of chocolate cake and french fries. Even if your eating habits are not as bad as chocolate cake be honest with yourself that working out to eat what you want is a losing battle and at best you are working to keep the status quo. The motto 'a little bit is better than nothing' is just as misinformed. If your body is sore it is a sign that trauma has occurred to the muscle fibers. Listen to your body! Working out when you are sore or tired can lead to poor form, which as discussed yesterday, can lead to injuries. If your workout continually leaves you sore and exhausted it will be a mental and physical battle to continue at this pace. Remember the goal of fitness and exercise is to help you feel energized. There is also the trap that a little bit of exercise will release your mind from the guilt of poor eating habits. What to do for your rest days. There are two options to discuss, full rest or active recovery. Full rest means limited to no strenuous physical activity. This can include light walking and should include mobility work. Active recovery includes swimming, biking or other outdoor activity that is done in a low heart rate zone and of course mobility work. Your body and your prior workouts will decide which recovery is best for you. Personally I have that if I am doing high intensity workouts a 3 days on 1 day full rest works best for my body. I am also not afraid to take a day off after a heavy day or when I am sore. Putting maximum effort into your workout gives your maximum return and if today is not your day do not feel guilty about packing it up or making it an active recovery day. Rest days should be an important and planned part of your workout. If you are working with a personal trainer and feel worn out with their plan, work with him/her to add more rest rather than half-ass your way through with lighter weights. Let's discuss if there are questions. --rich

Building the Foundation

After reading the Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett I was inspired to review all movements and mechanics. Weakness in the movement chain may not be visible or noticeable immediately. A trainer may not push the movement far enough to fatigue or not to a heavy enough weight. For example a client might have perfect forward squat form for 5 reps or at 15lbs. But asking the client to do 15 reps or use 50lbs may expose weakness. 

I decided to do a self assessment of all my movements. Engaging in this assessment is the one step back to take three steps forward approach. Why one step back? To properly assess certain movements means starting at body weight. It can be a huge hit to the ego to be doing body weight squats or light shoulder press while the guy next to you is putting up big weight. The idea behind this exercise is to ensure proper movement for all reps and/or weights. Incorrect form with heavy weights can lead to injury. Incorrect form can lead to muscular irregularities (such as synergistic dominance or altered reciprocal inhibition) which can lead to not only injuries but also poor performance. 

I recommend taking the time, either self assessment or from a personal trainer, to review your form on squats, bench press, shoulders and all Olympic movements. This should even be extended to running and swimming. Proper form on all movements is the most critical but overlooked aspects of fitness training. 

--rich

Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon Lessons

This past weekend I ran the Philadelphia Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon. Due to a lack of preparation and 10,000 miles of cross country travel the week prior my expectations were low. Despite my poor mindset in the early stages I not only was able to overcome my self doubt but I was able to set a new PR of 1:35:54. I want to use this post to focus on the lessons from the run that are relevant to all of us. Lesson 1: Mental Outlook We are all in control of our mental outlook when competing in an event. When I first started the race I had my told myself that 1:40 was my goal. I picked 1:40 as I knew this time was challenging but attainable. By setting a realistic goal I set myself up for mental success in the early miles. Positive outcomes yield positive thoughts which influence your posture and form. Negative thoughts can lead to poor posture which can lead to injuries due to poor form. Furthermore if you are mentally defeated early in a race those thoughts will become self-fulfilling as you fight through your first 'wall' or 'bonk out'. By building positive results in the early part of the race my outlook changed which pushed self doubt into the background. Lesson 2: Trust Your Training Not every training plan goes according to schedule. Full time jobs, families and other outside commitments can pull us away from our optimal training plan. A training plan should serve as a guideline. If you are able to complete 80-90% of your training plan and have been honest during your workouts than you should trust the work you put in. If your training plan called for 4 mile run, circuit training and 7 mile run but you listened to your body and took a rest day instead of circuit training that is OK! Knowing your limits and boundaries during training is just as important as testing them during a race. Being honest with yourself will allow you to set a realistic goal prior to the race. Odds are you are in better shape than you believe. Lesson 3: Nutrition is key One of the mistakes athletes make is changing their diet in the 24-48 hours prior to an event. If you do not regularly eat pasta why would you shock your body prior to the event by carbo-loading with pasta. The possible negatives far outweigh any positives especially in events of less than 3 hours. The same goes for sports drinks, gels and meal replacement bars (such as powerbars, etc). Gatorade has a PH of 2.7 which makes it very acidic and could cause severe stomach issues during a race. These products certainly have a place at these events but they should also have a place in your training. For my race the only changes I made was to add a second sweet potato into my meal (one for lunch and one for dinner) to up my carbs. I regularly eat sweet potatoes so I was not worried about any adverse effects. The morning of the race I had a half a bottle of Green Juice with a tablespoon of MCT oil 1.5 hours prior to the start. Lesson 4: Listening to your inner coach I took the first mile with trepidation but as the race went on and miles passed I still felt strong. As I continued to feel strong my inner coach told me to pick up the pace. My second 5k pace was 10 seconds faster than my first 5k. Realizing what I had achieved the inner coach in me set a new goal of 1:35-1:36. I found my stride and miles 6-13 were within 2 seconds of each split. I had achieved my impromptu new goal and a new PR! After the race I thought to myself that if I would of started faster I could set an even lower PR. But as time passed and I reflected on the race I realized that I ran the perfect race for me that day. Had I taken the race out too fast and hit a wall or encountered an issue I was not mentally prepared at the time to overcome that issue. By setting a realistic goal I was able to build self confidence which was necessary to help me overcome the challenges I faced in the latter stages of the race. By trusting my training and not changing my diet prior to the race I was able to acquiesce my inner coach after that first 5k and know I could push my pace. Your race, whatever that may be, is the end result of months of training so it can be viewed as a gift to yourself. The lessons above can help you to maximize that gift. --rich

Am I "Paleo"

The Paleo Diet has become very popular in the past few years and it is probably not a coincidence that the rise Paleo Lifestyle has coincided with the rise in popularity of CrossFit. What I call the Worshipers at the cult of Paleo can make it intimidating for the novice to adopt. The idea to eat like Grok (the name given to our paleo ancestor whose diet we are trying to mimic) is a noble idea. The science behind this movement can be found in many different places but should begin with the 'The Paleo Diet' by Loren Cordain. The question of whether you are Paleo, Primal or Paleo-ish should be the second question. The first question should always be "What are my end goals?". Those with Celiac should avoid gluten and grains as these foods trigger reactions. Naturally their diets would move towards the more strict Paleo. But that brings into another questions about strict Paleo. Neil Stephenson in the Aug/Sept 2013 Paleo Magazine titled 'True Paleo' argues that Pseudo Paleo foods, those created by substituting Paleo ingredients for the normal ingredients (paleo pancakes, rolls, brownies) are NOT paleo at all. Amy Kubal takes it a step further in her article 'Paleo - Reality vs. 'Rule Bending'' about how our ancestors did not have access to large amounts of nuts, nut butter, coconut milk and even juicers. So by that definition most of what you get a Whole Foods or Fresh Market or for that matter make with your Vitamix or Juicer is not strict Paleo. But back to our end goals. This should be the question that drives your health choices. And health is much more than diet it is also sleep, play, exercise, etc. Again back to our question about goals. If you goals are to lose weight and feel better a grain and gluten free diet is an excellent place to start. Furthermore removing processed foods, soda and refined sugars from your diet will help to achieve these goals. A good rule of thumb - if it comes in a plastic sealed package and has more than 4 ingredients it is probably not natural. It may take more time to cook and prepare food but it will be worth it. What to eat, organic eggs and organic meats (chicken, bison, beef, pork), lots of fresh veggies (never from a can), natural juices and raw nuts are options that allow for diversity. Spices are an excellent aid for diversity and most have no calories. The next step is to figure out what works for you and your goals. Personally I train hard 6 days a week so maintaining my weight on a clean diet requires a lot of eating. To aid in my goals I use a lot of fatty oils such as coconut and MCT oil. The Paleo Movement, as defined by Loren Cordain, eschews saturated fats. Mark Sisson is a large proponent of saturated fats with the argument that our ancestors would of eaten the entire animal including fatty organs such as the liver and kidneys. The oils work well for me and fit into my fitness goals so I do not worry about if they are strict Paleo and neither should you. Finding a balance is a key to a successful lifestyle change. I liked the response from Elana Amsterdam to the criticism that her recipes (found on her blog elanaspantry.com) are not strict Paleo, she said "I think everyone needs to eat foods they feel good eating". Eating clean should make you feel good inside and out. My wife has started juicing in the morning for breakfast and she has stated that the change has given her more mental clarity and energy. Therefore even though Grok did not have a juicer or an abundance of veggies/fruits it is a healthy choice, makes her feel good, which will help lead to her goals. If a once or twice a week dessert is needed as a reward making it with Paleo ingredients is the best option. Nutrition is the largest part of achieving your goals especially weight loss or reduction of inches. The initial goal should be removing grains, gluten, refined sugar and processed foods (this includes non-organic meats and canned veggies) from your diet. I am happy to answer any more questions. --rich

Coffee and Health

I get two questions about coffee on a consistent basis 1) will caffeine improve or hurt athletic performance 2) Is coffee safe from a health perspective 1) When most people talk about coffee for athletic improvements generally they are asking about caffeine and its affects on performance. So let us focus on caffeine first. Contrary to popular belief caffeine does not cause dehydration. Katherine Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic Nutritionist, offers a detailed explanation on the Mayo Clinic website http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661. There have also been studies published by University of Connecticut scientists in both 2002 and 2005 that found that there was no change in electrolyte or urine volume after taking a caffeine pill or placebo (these studies can be found The International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism). Abusing caffeine, which World Anti-Doping Agency defines as 12mg per liter of urine, would take 6-8 cups of strong espresso prior to a workout. At this time there is limited evidence to suggest that a cup or two of coffee will impact your athletic performance. Does coffee improve athletic performance? For super endurance athletes that carbo-load (defined in this blog by events lasting 4-12 hours) coffee can act as aid in glycogen storage during carbo-loading for endurance athletes. There is evidence that in certain cases caffeine can aid in performance but not enough to pick up the habit if you do not drink already. Each person can have different sensitivity to caffeine including gastrointestinal and cardiac issues. It is best not to try caffeine the day of an important race nor it is a great idea to stop the day of a big race. Give your body time to adjust in either direction. 2) Is coffee safe? Moving away from the caffeine portion of coffee let us investigate the health effects. The most common question around coffee is the effects of mycotoxin. Mycotoxin is a fungus that attaches to coffee beans and that are not killed during the roasting process. Some of the effects of mycotoxin can be the 'sick' feeling you get from a cup of coffee. If you add milk to your coffee his can also be confused with lactose issue. If you do not have milk issues you may notice that certain brands make you feel better or worse. That is due to the fact not all coffee beans have the same levels of mycotoxin. There are many differing opinions about mycotoxin per brand but there a few knownns: Mycotoxins often form during the drying process so beans made from the wetting process are less likely to contain higher levels of mycotoxin them than dry processed beans. Caffeine has been found to protects coffee beans from the growth of mold and can prevent large amounts of mycotoxins from growing meaning your cup of decaf could cause more issues than a cup of caffeinated. What to do: If you are a coffee drinker and you feel fine after your cup of coffee continue. 1-2 cups of coffee in your regular diet is not a major issue. If you drink coffee for the benefits of caffeine but your cup of joe leaves your stomach feeling upset or sluggish investigate maybe a change in beans is in order. Higher elevation, single origin beans are less likely to have higher levels of mycotoxin. I have recently purchased 'upgraded coffee' in k-cups(not to be confused with bulletproof coffee) and my results have been much better on my stomach than Pike's Place from Starbucks. Please share your questions or experiences. rich

Labor Day Fun

Following the inspiration from Oliver Selway's 'Instinctive Fitness' I eschewed the gym for Labor Day weekend and spent my time outside playing.

The first day we hiked 12 miles along the Pacific Coastline on the outskirts of San Francisco. What a change from the treadmill. The views were inspiring, the uneven ground provided an altered prioceptive experience to the paved and flat roads. And the best part- it was fun!!  

I highly recommend adding in fun outdoor playtime into your fitness lifestyle. It is equally mentally refreshing as it is physically. 

The second day we decided to take a long bike ride with no other plans except to stop for lunch. Being exposed to natural sunlight allows the body to naturally make vitamin D. 

There are no negatives to outdoor playtime. Make time, your body and mind will thank you!!