For the majority of the spring and summer, I train and compete in triathlons. Most of the time, my training time is spent running, riding, and swimming and working on getting faster in all three areas.
During the fall and winter months, my gears switch into an "offseason" mode and I focus more on strength training and playing soccer while the triathlon training takes a back seat. Currently, I only ride and swim 1 x week, while I play soccer 2 x week and strength train 3 x week. Outside of what I get in my soccer games, I'm not doing any running.
After my swim last week, I realized that I was swimming my fastest times that I have accomplished up to date. Upon seeing this, the old competitive juices started flowing again and I began to think about the next swim session and the times I wanted to achieve.
Then, I remembered what time of year it was and what my focus was right now. It was almost too easy to lose focus and start worrying about the wrong goals. And besides, how much faster can I really get if I'm only swimming (or riding for that matter) 1 x week?
This personal example is just my way of taking the long road in discussing an issue that I come across as a strength/conditioning coach for young athletes. I'll use the many soccer players I work with and coach as the example today.
So many of them want to develop their first step quickness or their ability to change directions, yet they (or their parents) don't choose the right avenues to help themselves. Instead of actually focusing on the specific issue and getting specialized speed/agility training, they pick up another team practice session or skills session during the week and get essentially the same type of training they were already getting.
In order to develop better physical skills, your body needs specificity in the training routine. You cannot expect to increase your speed and/or agility with repetitions on the ball in practice. Just like I cannot expect to see significant gains in the water or on the bike if I am only concentrating on building strength. The two examples share a training specificity and a technical skills set that must be worked through repetition and consistent practice.
Now, in my case, strength will certainly be of assistance as the stronger athlete will be able to move faster in both the water and on the bike. However, my gains will be marginal until I actually put in quality time in both areas. And the same goes, for speed/agility training. A weekly session is a good place to start, but when the time allows, the more frequent you can attend training, the more repetitions you will get and the greater the results will be.
In any case, just remember that you cannot expect results to improve unless you are consistent and specific to those goals!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
What's the Real Problem?
When I first started coaching youth soccer, I overheard my director, a very smart and experienced coach, outlining the 4 areas of development that the coaching staff were concerned with.
They were: Technical, Tactical, Physical, Psychological
Just to ensure that everyone is on the same page here, I'm going to briefly describe all four.
"Technical" refers to specific skills that soccer players learn. How to dribble, pass, shoot, receive, shield, head, cross a soccer ball. Many coaches argue that this is the base level of development. If you cannot make the ball do what you want it to, you cannot play the game.
"Tactical" refers to the tactics of soccer. How to defend and attack as an individual, small group of players, and as a team. It also refers to basic and complex movements individuals on the field make in relationship to the location of the ball.
"Physical" refers to physical traits like strength, speed, agility, power, etc. These are attributes that cross over into every sport and truly define someone being "athletic." Remember that word, athletic, because it is going to come up again shortly and will be the crux of the argument today.
"Psychological" refers to a couple of different factors. But here, I believe we can define in two ways: being mentally tough enough to do what is necessary in order to win, and being smart enough to determine what a player needs to do in certain situations. I feel like this one goes hand in hand with the "Tactical" area.
Now, I bring all of this up to illustrate the disconnect between sport coaches (which I myself am) and strength/speed/fitness coaches (which I myself am) and the players/parents who are caught in the middle. I recently had a conversation with some soccer coaches and certain players that we all worked with came up. Upon them stating that certain ones weren't athletic enough, I felt obligated to disagree based on my experiences with them.
I train a large amount of youth soccer players, many who have been lead my way by their coaches who have told them they need to be "more athletic." While I am certainly extremely grateful for the recommendation and referral of my services, there have been times when I feel this has been done for the wrong reasons.
Let's take "Mike" for a second. Mike has been told that he is not athletic enough by his soccer coach and that he should go train with Coach Tim. He is not "good enough" for his current level of play. Now, after a few sessions, I note that Mike seems to pick up rather quickly on all the instruction I am giving him. Even more so, he has decent strength for his age, adequate body control when moving, is fast and powerful, and seems relatively balanced and in control of himself.
The question I ask myself is...How is Mike NOT athletic?
What I feel Mike's issue might be is that he is not tactically good enough, or psychologically strong enough to play at the current level he finds himself. Does Mike have a grasp of his tactical responsibilities on the field? Is Mike brave enough to put in a tackle or close down an opponent? I ask these questions because deficiencies in these areas could certainly lead to a coach thinking that Mike is not "athletic enough."
If he doesn't understand the tactical side of the game, then he will appear slow as he moves around the field. He will not be able to stay with the speed of the game, not because he is not physically fast enough, but because he can't process what needs to happen fast enough. If he isn't mentally tough enough, he will shrink from physical confrontations that will make him appear as if he lacks power and strength.
So, I think the message today is that we need to find out what the real problems and concerns are when we see our youth athletes not performing at the level desired by the coaches and themselves. Because while I feel that all youth athletes need some type and amount of athletic development training, it cannot be used as a "fix-all" for all deficiencies that are not technique-oriented.
They were: Technical, Tactical, Physical, Psychological
Just to ensure that everyone is on the same page here, I'm going to briefly describe all four.
"Technical" refers to specific skills that soccer players learn. How to dribble, pass, shoot, receive, shield, head, cross a soccer ball. Many coaches argue that this is the base level of development. If you cannot make the ball do what you want it to, you cannot play the game.
"Tactical" refers to the tactics of soccer. How to defend and attack as an individual, small group of players, and as a team. It also refers to basic and complex movements individuals on the field make in relationship to the location of the ball.
"Physical" refers to physical traits like strength, speed, agility, power, etc. These are attributes that cross over into every sport and truly define someone being "athletic." Remember that word, athletic, because it is going to come up again shortly and will be the crux of the argument today.
"Psychological" refers to a couple of different factors. But here, I believe we can define in two ways: being mentally tough enough to do what is necessary in order to win, and being smart enough to determine what a player needs to do in certain situations. I feel like this one goes hand in hand with the "Tactical" area.
Now, I bring all of this up to illustrate the disconnect between sport coaches (which I myself am) and strength/speed/fitness coaches (which I myself am) and the players/parents who are caught in the middle. I recently had a conversation with some soccer coaches and certain players that we all worked with came up. Upon them stating that certain ones weren't athletic enough, I felt obligated to disagree based on my experiences with them.
I train a large amount of youth soccer players, many who have been lead my way by their coaches who have told them they need to be "more athletic." While I am certainly extremely grateful for the recommendation and referral of my services, there have been times when I feel this has been done for the wrong reasons.
Let's take "Mike" for a second. Mike has been told that he is not athletic enough by his soccer coach and that he should go train with Coach Tim. He is not "good enough" for his current level of play. Now, after a few sessions, I note that Mike seems to pick up rather quickly on all the instruction I am giving him. Even more so, he has decent strength for his age, adequate body control when moving, is fast and powerful, and seems relatively balanced and in control of himself.
The question I ask myself is...How is Mike NOT athletic?
What I feel Mike's issue might be is that he is not tactically good enough, or psychologically strong enough to play at the current level he finds himself. Does Mike have a grasp of his tactical responsibilities on the field? Is Mike brave enough to put in a tackle or close down an opponent? I ask these questions because deficiencies in these areas could certainly lead to a coach thinking that Mike is not "athletic enough."
If he doesn't understand the tactical side of the game, then he will appear slow as he moves around the field. He will not be able to stay with the speed of the game, not because he is not physically fast enough, but because he can't process what needs to happen fast enough. If he isn't mentally tough enough, he will shrink from physical confrontations that will make him appear as if he lacks power and strength.
So, I think the message today is that we need to find out what the real problems and concerns are when we see our youth athletes not performing at the level desired by the coaches and themselves. Because while I feel that all youth athletes need some type and amount of athletic development training, it cannot be used as a "fix-all" for all deficiencies that are not technique-oriented.
Monday, September 10, 2012
The 1%
Over the past several years as a youth strength and conditioning coach, I have heard more than one parent or observer of my training sessions say something similar to the following:
"Man, if I had this type of training when I was younger, I would have played.....(insert college or pro ball...) for sure!"
Um, no, you wouldn't have.
Sorry to burst your bubble. I couldn't have played college or pro ball either, so I don't exclude myself from this category. I often think the same thing, and then I step back and recognize the truth of the matter. I didn't want to work that hard, and probably neither did the parents and observers who made the same claims.
The fact is professional and even college athletes are in the 1%.
Now, see if you can stay with me on this post. I'm going to try and weave different versions of the 1% into a narrative here and see if it comes out without sounding absoutely nutty.
When most people hear the phrase "1%", they think of the ultra rich and all the tax breaks they get and how they were all born with silver and diamond-encrusted spoons in their mouths. However, most of those people worked their butts off to get where they are today. And if not themselves, then their family members before them did so, ensuring their future generations would not want for anything. Like it or not, someone was working harder than everyone else and had enough internal motivation to be great that ensured their success.
Now take college and professional athletes. Either they are born with a massive amount of God-given talent and ability and they happen to choose the one path that will allow them to demonstrate those talents....or they find themselves with just enough talent and a gigantic amount of work ethic and drive that allows them to reach their goals. Take any professional athlete that grew up as a kid in the 1990's. They didn't have the specialized training programs that we do today, and yet they still achieved their exhaulted status through hard work and dedication.
To say that one's ability to perform at a high level can be based on whether or not they are provided with quality training programming at an early age is naive. While the training programming that I myself and many other qualified coaches across the country provide can be instrumental in refining athletic skills, it is hardly the deciding factor in whether or not a child reaches the highest level of competitive sport. The drive to excel and compete with not only those around you, but yourself as well, must be overwhelming and ever present if you are to reach the highest of levels in competitive sport.
While an athletic development program can put youth athletes on the right path and prepare them for higher levels of competition , it takes support from family and friends, quality sport coaching, and a huge surplus of internal motivation to reach the goal of collegiate and professional sports.
"Man, if I had this type of training when I was younger, I would have played.....(insert college or pro ball...) for sure!"
Um, no, you wouldn't have.
Sorry to burst your bubble. I couldn't have played college or pro ball either, so I don't exclude myself from this category. I often think the same thing, and then I step back and recognize the truth of the matter. I didn't want to work that hard, and probably neither did the parents and observers who made the same claims.
The fact is professional and even college athletes are in the 1%.
Now, see if you can stay with me on this post. I'm going to try and weave different versions of the 1% into a narrative here and see if it comes out without sounding absoutely nutty.
When most people hear the phrase "1%", they think of the ultra rich and all the tax breaks they get and how they were all born with silver and diamond-encrusted spoons in their mouths. However, most of those people worked their butts off to get where they are today. And if not themselves, then their family members before them did so, ensuring their future generations would not want for anything. Like it or not, someone was working harder than everyone else and had enough internal motivation to be great that ensured their success.
Now take college and professional athletes. Either they are born with a massive amount of God-given talent and ability and they happen to choose the one path that will allow them to demonstrate those talents....or they find themselves with just enough talent and a gigantic amount of work ethic and drive that allows them to reach their goals. Take any professional athlete that grew up as a kid in the 1990's. They didn't have the specialized training programs that we do today, and yet they still achieved their exhaulted status through hard work and dedication.
To say that one's ability to perform at a high level can be based on whether or not they are provided with quality training programming at an early age is naive. While the training programming that I myself and many other qualified coaches across the country provide can be instrumental in refining athletic skills, it is hardly the deciding factor in whether or not a child reaches the highest level of competitive sport. The drive to excel and compete with not only those around you, but yourself as well, must be overwhelming and ever present if you are to reach the highest of levels in competitive sport.
While an athletic development program can put youth athletes on the right path and prepare them for higher levels of competition , it takes support from family and friends, quality sport coaching, and a huge surplus of internal motivation to reach the goal of collegiate and professional sports.
Monday, August 27, 2012
School's Back!!!
Well, summer has finally bid us adieu, and school has roared back into gear this week! Meyer Athletic Development had a fantastic summer training season with tons of kids and adults putting in some solid effort on both the turf field and the weight floor. In addition to the regular training sessions, we partnered up with the revamped Austin Aztex Football Club and Nitro Swim Club's top youth swim teams as training partners. While the focus with the Aztex was providing quality injury prevention and recovery sessions, the kids at Nitro were treated to some old fashioned strength and power training in order to improve their swim times. All told, it was a really busy summer and we truly couldn't have had a better start to our new life inside SoccerPlex (formerly SoccerZone) Cedar Park.
However, with school starting this week, schedules seem to tighten up just a little bit. Maybe it's the homework that the kids are bringing home, or the taxi service to and from practices that the parents have to coordinate. In any event, it seems like there is less time to continue the great training program that was such a staple in the schedule not so long ago.
Don't let this happen to your child. The gains that were made over the summer will inevitably fall by the wayside without regular training sessions of a similar caliber and design. Make sure that all of that work wasn't in vain!
In the strength and conditioning business, we call it Periodization. For a moment, imagine that you or your child are a college or pro athlete. The summer is your off-season. There is plenty of time to put in quality strength/conditioning training as there are no practices to attend and no competitive games to play. You train up to 4 times a week, working on speed, strength, and agility. However, now, you are in season again, with practices and games a plenty. Do you think that athletes at those levels just stop training? I guarantee they don't. While the games and practices have taken the driver's seat in the training plan, the athletic development continues with supplemental training sessions to help maintain the growth achieved in the off-season.
Now, your 10 year old soccer player is not a professional athlete. But, still, they trained two to three times a week over the summer, developing their speed, strength, and agility. Without a weekly training session, those skills and gains will slowly fade. I'm afraid it is a use it or lose it situation. Just like playing the game itself.
So if you think that athletic development is just a summer time thing, think again. Help your child maintain those improvements and not have to start all over from scratch next summer by keeping a weekly session with Meyer Athletic Development. We'll be ready and waiting for you!
However, with school starting this week, schedules seem to tighten up just a little bit. Maybe it's the homework that the kids are bringing home, or the taxi service to and from practices that the parents have to coordinate. In any event, it seems like there is less time to continue the great training program that was such a staple in the schedule not so long ago.
Don't let this happen to your child. The gains that were made over the summer will inevitably fall by the wayside without regular training sessions of a similar caliber and design. Make sure that all of that work wasn't in vain!
In the strength and conditioning business, we call it Periodization. For a moment, imagine that you or your child are a college or pro athlete. The summer is your off-season. There is plenty of time to put in quality strength/conditioning training as there are no practices to attend and no competitive games to play. You train up to 4 times a week, working on speed, strength, and agility. However, now, you are in season again, with practices and games a plenty. Do you think that athletes at those levels just stop training? I guarantee they don't. While the games and practices have taken the driver's seat in the training plan, the athletic development continues with supplemental training sessions to help maintain the growth achieved in the off-season.
Now, your 10 year old soccer player is not a professional athlete. But, still, they trained two to three times a week over the summer, developing their speed, strength, and agility. Without a weekly training session, those skills and gains will slowly fade. I'm afraid it is a use it or lose it situation. Just like playing the game itself.
So if you think that athletic development is just a summer time thing, think again. Help your child maintain those improvements and not have to start all over from scratch next summer by keeping a weekly session with Meyer Athletic Development. We'll be ready and waiting for you!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Habit Forming
In addition to being an athletic performance coach, I am also a sport coach who works with young soccer players. I get very little time with my players during our 2 practices in the week. We have roughly 2.5 hours of practice to cover a multitude of topics.
There's technical work like passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting, shielding, controlling balls out of the air, heading, crossing, etc.
And don't forget the tactical side of the game where we deal with team and individual defending and attacking, set pieces (goal kicks, corner kicks, kick offs, free kicks, throw ins), shadow play, etc...
But there is another side to the game that we as coaches don't get enough time to address. And that side is the psychological one. It is this area of the game that can truly make or break an individual's or team's performance. An athlete needs the proper skill and situational awareness to be able to execute at the right time and place in order to be successful. However, without some of the traits that are illustrated in the article below, the opportunity to showcase themselves wouldn't even present itself.
http://iyca.org/5-traits-of-a-champion-that-youth-sport-coaches-love-to-see/
There's technical work like passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting, shielding, controlling balls out of the air, heading, crossing, etc.
And don't forget the tactical side of the game where we deal with team and individual defending and attacking, set pieces (goal kicks, corner kicks, kick offs, free kicks, throw ins), shadow play, etc...
But there is another side to the game that we as coaches don't get enough time to address. And that side is the psychological one. It is this area of the game that can truly make or break an individual's or team's performance. An athlete needs the proper skill and situational awareness to be able to execute at the right time and place in order to be successful. However, without some of the traits that are illustrated in the article below, the opportunity to showcase themselves wouldn't even present itself.
http://iyca.org/5-traits-of-a-champion-that-youth-sport-coaches-love-to-see/
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Early Specialization of Youth Athletes
Just yesterday, I was having a conversation with a father of one of my former soccer players. He is the father of 3 very athletic children, 2 girls and 1 boy. All 3 of them play soccer, but they all participate regularly in another sport or athletic activity. His oldest, a girl, is a very good soccer player, but a very good dancer as well. She recently told him that she most likely wants to concentrate on dance next year and quit soccer. The dad and I had a very interesting conversation about whether or not kids should play multiple sports and when, if ever, they should begin to specialize in just one.
It is my personal belief that kids should be free to try any and all sports and athletic activities and regularly participate in them as they grow and mature. Particularly important in my opinion are the "tween" and early teen years when they are beginning to go through puberty and their bodies are starting to change physically and hormonally. Developing a well-rounded sense of athleticism that comes from participating in multiple sports can only help a young athlete hone their physical skills as they grow up. From a cogntive standpoint, most young athletes between 10-14 years old are much too emotionally and mentally immature to maintain a concrete focus on just one sport.
However, I do feel that by the time an athlete reaches high school, the focus on a particular sport should begin to be refined and defined a bit more, especially in the "pay for play" situation that club sports provide. In my opinion, it doesn't make sense for an athlete to be paying to participate in a sport where they are not able to take full advantage of the coaching and organizational benefits that are provided to them because they are involved in another sport at the same time. From a time standpoint, obligations from each sport and team organization increase. I believe that the ability to perform at a high level across multiple sports and seasons while remaining heathy, minimizing fatigue and injury, and maintaining the proper academic levels may be beyond most young athletes.
The article listed below was shared by an extremely well-known strength and conditioning expert who I respect and admire very much. If I end up being a fraction of the strength coach that this man is, I will consider my career a massive success. It details a the story of a professional baseball player who played and lettered in 5 sports in high school and how the overall athleticism contributed to his success as a professional athlete. It is my opinion that this story is the exception to the rule and that this athlete is extremely gifted and would have most likely exceeded in whichever sport he chose. After all, what percentage of youth athletes actually go on to play a professional sport? I also feel that by choosing to play most of his sports in the high school setting, it was actually easier to achieve as the seasons don't tend to overlap as much. While I agree in principle that early specialization of youth athletes is not a good idea, I do feel there is a time and a situation for most youth athletes (once they have reached high school) to hone in on their preferred sport a bit more in order to optimally reach their highest level of performance.
I welcome any and all feedback and comments on this issue as it certainly is a relevant topic in these times where we put so much emphasis on our youth athletes developing their abilitites faster and earlier in their lifetimes.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120318/SPRINGTRAINING/303180051/Ellsbury-once-athlete-all-seasons
It is my personal belief that kids should be free to try any and all sports and athletic activities and regularly participate in them as they grow and mature. Particularly important in my opinion are the "tween" and early teen years when they are beginning to go through puberty and their bodies are starting to change physically and hormonally. Developing a well-rounded sense of athleticism that comes from participating in multiple sports can only help a young athlete hone their physical skills as they grow up. From a cogntive standpoint, most young athletes between 10-14 years old are much too emotionally and mentally immature to maintain a concrete focus on just one sport.
However, I do feel that by the time an athlete reaches high school, the focus on a particular sport should begin to be refined and defined a bit more, especially in the "pay for play" situation that club sports provide. In my opinion, it doesn't make sense for an athlete to be paying to participate in a sport where they are not able to take full advantage of the coaching and organizational benefits that are provided to them because they are involved in another sport at the same time. From a time standpoint, obligations from each sport and team organization increase. I believe that the ability to perform at a high level across multiple sports and seasons while remaining heathy, minimizing fatigue and injury, and maintaining the proper academic levels may be beyond most young athletes.
The article listed below was shared by an extremely well-known strength and conditioning expert who I respect and admire very much. If I end up being a fraction of the strength coach that this man is, I will consider my career a massive success. It details a the story of a professional baseball player who played and lettered in 5 sports in high school and how the overall athleticism contributed to his success as a professional athlete. It is my opinion that this story is the exception to the rule and that this athlete is extremely gifted and would have most likely exceeded in whichever sport he chose. After all, what percentage of youth athletes actually go on to play a professional sport? I also feel that by choosing to play most of his sports in the high school setting, it was actually easier to achieve as the seasons don't tend to overlap as much. While I agree in principle that early specialization of youth athletes is not a good idea, I do feel there is a time and a situation for most youth athletes (once they have reached high school) to hone in on their preferred sport a bit more in order to optimally reach their highest level of performance.
I welcome any and all feedback and comments on this issue as it certainly is a relevant topic in these times where we put so much emphasis on our youth athletes developing their abilitites faster and earlier in their lifetimes.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120318/SPRINGTRAINING/303180051/Ellsbury-once-athlete-all-seasons
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Darwin was Right!
Imagine you and a few friends are in the forest camping, just having a good time. All of a sudden, a huge, rabid, vicious bear comes tearing through the woods and is bearing down on your little campsite. You and your friends realize that the bear is after you and you quickly jump up and start running. It occurs to you as you distance yourself from your friends that Darwin was right....
This little story has been re-occuring to me a lot over the past few weeks as I've been substitute teaching for P.E. classes at my local high school. Now, I've been working with young athletes for several years, but it's been a long time since I've worked with regular kids who don't consider themselves athletes. And all I want to know is this....When did running around, playing games, being fit and having fun become so UNCOOL?
Now, it would be unfair to say that every student I've worked with in these PE classes is unmotivated and anti-movement. About half of the kids I've "taught" really enjoy the actiivites I've planned for them and have actively participated, even thanking me for showing them something new. It's the remaining half who have to be coerced, prodded, and even begged to continue moving, often at a snail's pace, for no more than 30-40 minutes. You would think that after sitting at a desk for 5-6 hours, you would want to get up and move a bit.
I do think that Darwin was right. Life is about survival of the fittest. I actually asked one particularly unmotivated and anti-movement student if he believed in survival of the fittest, and he responded that he did. But then, he asked me what my definition of "fittest" was. I replied that it was not just being physically fit and strong that mattered, but you needed to be intelligent as well. After all, if you are going to escape the bear crashing through the woods, you need to be mentally aware to the fact that all you need to do to survive is be physically fit enough to not be the last guy running away from the bear.
Now, I suppose the question is how, if at all, do we reach the 50% that are unmotivated and don't care if they ever move at a speed faster than a snail's pace? Not everyone can be an athlete, and that's certainly not the intention. But, from a health and wellness standpoint, high school teachers and coaches need to find a way to reach this population of kids. Otherwise, we could end up with generation of adults who wouldn't pass Darwin's test.
This little story has been re-occuring to me a lot over the past few weeks as I've been substitute teaching for P.E. classes at my local high school. Now, I've been working with young athletes for several years, but it's been a long time since I've worked with regular kids who don't consider themselves athletes. And all I want to know is this....When did running around, playing games, being fit and having fun become so UNCOOL?
Now, it would be unfair to say that every student I've worked with in these PE classes is unmotivated and anti-movement. About half of the kids I've "taught" really enjoy the actiivites I've planned for them and have actively participated, even thanking me for showing them something new. It's the remaining half who have to be coerced, prodded, and even begged to continue moving, often at a snail's pace, for no more than 30-40 minutes. You would think that after sitting at a desk for 5-6 hours, you would want to get up and move a bit.
I do think that Darwin was right. Life is about survival of the fittest. I actually asked one particularly unmotivated and anti-movement student if he believed in survival of the fittest, and he responded that he did. But then, he asked me what my definition of "fittest" was. I replied that it was not just being physically fit and strong that mattered, but you needed to be intelligent as well. After all, if you are going to escape the bear crashing through the woods, you need to be mentally aware to the fact that all you need to do to survive is be physically fit enough to not be the last guy running away from the bear.
Now, I suppose the question is how, if at all, do we reach the 50% that are unmotivated and don't care if they ever move at a speed faster than a snail's pace? Not everyone can be an athlete, and that's certainly not the intention. But, from a health and wellness standpoint, high school teachers and coaches need to find a way to reach this population of kids. Otherwise, we could end up with generation of adults who wouldn't pass Darwin's test.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all of the MAD Blog readers out there! I hope this blog post finds you all doing very well and enjoying a good start to what surely will be a great year! For this post, I've put together a few fitness and wellness tips to help you be more successful in your active lifestyle this year.
1. Create a Routine-When you have a routine to follow, you are more likely to find success when it comes to losing weight and getting fitter and healthier. Whether it's daily walks with the dog at Lady Bird Lake, or trips to the fitness room, planning and organizing your day around your exercise program is the best way to ensure that your success.
2. Get Uncomfortable-In order to achieve results, you must get out of your comfort zone and exert some real effort, even if it's for a brief amount of time. Buy a heart rate monitor for your workouts. With just a minimum amount of programming, they can tell you which Heart Rate Zone you are working in. There are 5 Zones of exercise intensity. For a reference, walking is typically a Zone 1 or 2 exercise depending on speed and intensity level. For any true weight loss or fitness results, you must get into Zones 3 and 4 for a least part of your workouts.
3. Be Efficient-If you are spending more than 45 minutes in the gym "working out" by yourself, then you may not be working efficiently enough. As mentioned above in #2, we want to work at higher heart rate levels if possible. Plus, with everyone's hectic schedules, it is easier if we maximize our workout time. Try to plan for 5-6 workouts a week, with the workout lasting 30 minutes.
4. Build Muscle-Here's a simple phrase to remember: More Muscle burns More Fat! A body that contains a larger percent of muscle fibers requires more calories to maintain it's daily expenditures. While more calories sounds like the wrong idea, just hear me out. Your metabolism will actually rise if your body has more muscle on it and will in turn allow you to burn more fat. This effect will help you to create a slimmer, leaner, and more defined physique. So, don't be afraid to turn to weight training. If you are not comfortable with free weights, machines are a perfectly fine alternative. Just remember to train multiple parts of your body.
5. Eat Smaller-Think of your body as an engine in a steam train or a fire in your fireplace. You consistently want to feed it small amounts of fuel to keep it running or burning. It has been proven that 5-6 small, balanced meals throughout the day is the best way to feed your body and keep you from storing fat and gaining excess weight. Choose lean meats for a protein source to rebuild your muscles. Small portions of carbohydrates (no bigger than the size of your fist) will keep your energy levels up. And fruits and vegetables of just about any kind are great ways to round out your plate.
6. Be Goal Oriented-This goes hand in hand with #1. Most people need external motivation to succeed in weight loss or in acheiving a fitness goal. Set goals. Whether it be signing up for a race and training to finish it, buying a dress that you want to fit into, or a social gathering that you will attend in the future, have a tangible object to strive towards. When your motivation is low and you are looking for reasons to continue, these goals will be your helping hand.
7. Ignore the Scale-While it is a good idea to check in every so often, don't let your life and your fitness routine be ruled by the scale. A little secret...muscle actually weighs more than fat. Most people don't see a huge weight loss early on when they start a workout routine. Gradually, your body starts to change and you lose weight and gain muscle. Let your clothes be your guide. Concentrate more on how things fit and feel and less on how much the numbers may or may not be changing.
8. Be Social-When individuals have allies in any endeavor, they are more likely to succeed. I compete in triathlons, and a big source of my success in training and finishing them is the fact that one of my neighbors trains for them as well. We talk about our training routines and concerns on a weekly basis and even work out together when our schedules fit. So, join a fitness class. Our Saturday 830am class at the Austonian is tons of fun! Or, if you are more athletic, find a sport league that you can join. Either way, finding other people with your common interests and pursuits is a much more effective way to reach your fitness goals.
9. Treat Yourself-As with everything in life, I truly believe that moderation is the key. As a fitness trainer, I can honestly tell you that there are days when I don't want to work out. There are nights that I want nothing more than to order a pizza and have a beer or two. While I workout more days than I don't, and I keep my pizza cravings to Friday night only most of the time, I still indulge them. I schedule and get a massage every week. Being fit and active is the lifestyle that I have chosen. However, within that lifestyle, I still find time to let go and treat myself. Those are some of the moments that make all the hard work even more worthwhile.
10. Take Pride-Lastly, take pride in yourself. It is easy to NOT do anything. It is EASY to sit around and snack all day. When you stand up and decide that you want to improve your fitness and overall wellness, you are starting down the path of changing your lifestyle. And for some, it is not an easy road to travel. The last thing you need to do is fill yourself with doubt and negative emotion. Take pride in the fact that you are on the road to taking better care of yourself. Your body is yours and yours alone. Love it and yourself. It will have a fantastic effect on the way you view and treat everything and everyone around you.
1. Create a Routine-When you have a routine to follow, you are more likely to find success when it comes to losing weight and getting fitter and healthier. Whether it's daily walks with the dog at Lady Bird Lake, or trips to the fitness room, planning and organizing your day around your exercise program is the best way to ensure that your success.
2. Get Uncomfortable-In order to achieve results, you must get out of your comfort zone and exert some real effort, even if it's for a brief amount of time. Buy a heart rate monitor for your workouts. With just a minimum amount of programming, they can tell you which Heart Rate Zone you are working in. There are 5 Zones of exercise intensity. For a reference, walking is typically a Zone 1 or 2 exercise depending on speed and intensity level. For any true weight loss or fitness results, you must get into Zones 3 and 4 for a least part of your workouts.
3. Be Efficient-If you are spending more than 45 minutes in the gym "working out" by yourself, then you may not be working efficiently enough. As mentioned above in #2, we want to work at higher heart rate levels if possible. Plus, with everyone's hectic schedules, it is easier if we maximize our workout time. Try to plan for 5-6 workouts a week, with the workout lasting 30 minutes.
4. Build Muscle-Here's a simple phrase to remember: More Muscle burns More Fat! A body that contains a larger percent of muscle fibers requires more calories to maintain it's daily expenditures. While more calories sounds like the wrong idea, just hear me out. Your metabolism will actually rise if your body has more muscle on it and will in turn allow you to burn more fat. This effect will help you to create a slimmer, leaner, and more defined physique. So, don't be afraid to turn to weight training. If you are not comfortable with free weights, machines are a perfectly fine alternative. Just remember to train multiple parts of your body.
5. Eat Smaller-Think of your body as an engine in a steam train or a fire in your fireplace. You consistently want to feed it small amounts of fuel to keep it running or burning. It has been proven that 5-6 small, balanced meals throughout the day is the best way to feed your body and keep you from storing fat and gaining excess weight. Choose lean meats for a protein source to rebuild your muscles. Small portions of carbohydrates (no bigger than the size of your fist) will keep your energy levels up. And fruits and vegetables of just about any kind are great ways to round out your plate.
6. Be Goal Oriented-This goes hand in hand with #1. Most people need external motivation to succeed in weight loss or in acheiving a fitness goal. Set goals. Whether it be signing up for a race and training to finish it, buying a dress that you want to fit into, or a social gathering that you will attend in the future, have a tangible object to strive towards. When your motivation is low and you are looking for reasons to continue, these goals will be your helping hand.
7. Ignore the Scale-While it is a good idea to check in every so often, don't let your life and your fitness routine be ruled by the scale. A little secret...muscle actually weighs more than fat. Most people don't see a huge weight loss early on when they start a workout routine. Gradually, your body starts to change and you lose weight and gain muscle. Let your clothes be your guide. Concentrate more on how things fit and feel and less on how much the numbers may or may not be changing.
8. Be Social-When individuals have allies in any endeavor, they are more likely to succeed. I compete in triathlons, and a big source of my success in training and finishing them is the fact that one of my neighbors trains for them as well. We talk about our training routines and concerns on a weekly basis and even work out together when our schedules fit. So, join a fitness class. Our Saturday 830am class at the Austonian is tons of fun! Or, if you are more athletic, find a sport league that you can join. Either way, finding other people with your common interests and pursuits is a much more effective way to reach your fitness goals.
9. Treat Yourself-As with everything in life, I truly believe that moderation is the key. As a fitness trainer, I can honestly tell you that there are days when I don't want to work out. There are nights that I want nothing more than to order a pizza and have a beer or two. While I workout more days than I don't, and I keep my pizza cravings to Friday night only most of the time, I still indulge them. I schedule and get a massage every week. Being fit and active is the lifestyle that I have chosen. However, within that lifestyle, I still find time to let go and treat myself. Those are some of the moments that make all the hard work even more worthwhile.
10. Take Pride-Lastly, take pride in yourself. It is easy to NOT do anything. It is EASY to sit around and snack all day. When you stand up and decide that you want to improve your fitness and overall wellness, you are starting down the path of changing your lifestyle. And for some, it is not an easy road to travel. The last thing you need to do is fill yourself with doubt and negative emotion. Take pride in the fact that you are on the road to taking better care of yourself. Your body is yours and yours alone. Love it and yourself. It will have a fantastic effect on the way you view and treat everything and everyone around you.
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