Stay Loose on the Go

I fly often. Especially this time of year. Translation: I spend way too much time seated. My hamstrings shorten, my low back and hips tighten and my shoulder blades get pushed forward by the seat. All of these ingredients lead to bad posture, body imbalance and pain. But I have vowed not to simply accept this. There are things I can do to counteract the effects of sitting for hours on end.

For starters, I carry a few mobility tools with me when I travel:

• The multi-purpose mobility peanut. This tool consists of two hard, tennis ball sized balls in a sleeve. It can be used all over the body as a massage tool. I like to put the peanut on either side of my spine while I'm seated and press into the chair. This helps unlock the tightness in the muscles in between the shoulder blades. I also use the peanut to roll out the fascia in the bottom of my feet, to dig deep into my butt muscles and smash the front of my chest and shoulders. The possibilities are endless.

• The stretchy therapy band. This simple piece of rubber tubing provides resistance for many easy-to-do exercises and stretches. I like to take the band in both hands and stretch my arms as wide as possible, squeezing my upper back muscles. I do this at my waist, chest and overhead. I also like to wrap the band around my knees and drive my knees outward while sitting. It makes the outside of the hip, which is turned off when seated, activate in a serious way.
• Golf Ball. I keep one of these in all my travel gear. It is the ultimate tool for smashing knots, especially in the feet.

In addition to these tools, I also have a few travel habits that help keep me loose on the go.

• I never sit in the terminal chairs. I either stand or sit cross legged on the ground. Anything but more chair sitting.
• I do forward fold. A lot. It may look weird to touch one's toes in an airport, but I don't care, it's worth it.
• Hydrate! The air in planes is dry, which sucks more water out of your body when you breath. Dehydrated muscles are tight muscles.

I use this set of tools mainly when I fly, but you can take them on a road trip just as easily. Travelling can wreak havoc on your body, but with a properly stocked toolbox, you can arrive at your destination feeling loose.

Limber travels,

Jack

PS - Shout out to the airlines that are allowing small electronic devices throughout the flight, per the new FAA rules. Some airlines are still not playing ball, saying that they need to update the training programs for their flight crews. I call BS. Just stop telling people to turn off their devices for take off and landing. How hard can that be?

Get Strong

When you exercise, what motivates you? Do you want better health; to lose weight; to look good in a bathing suit? Do you have a concrete motivation that you rely on to get you off the couch and out the door? One that will last past beach season?  I think one of the most lasting motivations you can have is to be stronger.

There are myriad reasons to get strong. Most people don't think of themselves as needing strength, but in reality we use our strength every day. We carry groceries, play with kids, and help friends move sofas. You don't think about needing strength until you go to lift something and it doesn't move. Strong people are generally more useful than weak people.

In addition to being more useful, strength helps you avoid injury. If you're strong, you will be able to handle challenging situations that would injure a weaker person. Look at football players. These guys take some serious physical abuse, yet they (usually) get back up and keep playing. If the average person took just one of those hits they might never get back up. They can take so much punishment because they are strong. Their muscles and conditioning protect their organs, joints and the rest of their body from serious damage.

Being strong also facilitates increased confidence and mental toughness. Knowing you have physical abilities that allow you to do things other people can't gives you a confidence that will spread to all aspects of your life. If you regularly improve your strength and physical ability you will reap the benefits of self confidence and a strong mind.

Finally, being strong will ultimately aid you in surviving the zombie apocalypse. When the dead walk the earth, there will undoubtedly be plenty of things to move, lift and carry. The weak will be the first to go.

Seriously though, being strong is always preferable to being weak.  Whether you are a business person, a home maker, a fire fighter or a special forces operator, strength is an essential trait. Here are some of my favorite ways to build raw, useful strength;

• Farmer's Carry - Pick up something heavy (dumb bell, kettlebell, suitcase full of bricks, etc.) and walk until you can't any more. Rest and repeat.
• Clean - Find an odd shaped object (sandbag, log, suitcase full of bricks, etc.) and lift it from the ground to your shoulder. Put it down and pick it back up.
• Pull-up - find anything you can hang from (bar, tree, rafters, etc) and pull your head above your hands. How many can you do?

There are many ways to get strong. Challenge yourself by working on your weak areas. It's better to have strength and not need it than to need strength and not have it.

Jack

PS - Today's Gameday Games were a doozy. We watched the afternoon RedZone games (Eagles at Broncos, Jets at Titans, Redskins at Raiders and Cowboys at Chargers). Every point we did one plank V-up with feet on the swiss ball (160 total). Every first down we did 5 sumo deadlift high pulls with a kettlebell (29 total, but we only did the ones showed on the Redzone coverage. There were many more.) Every turnover we did one minute of wall sit (8 minutes total). Every sack we did one minute of bridge (9 minutes total). What were your Gameday Games?

!st Official Gameday Games!

What's up, Sports fans? I don't know about you folks, but I'm fired up about the return of football and all the associated activities: grilling, fantasy football and, of course, Gameday Games. For those of you unfamiliar with this idea, Gameday Games is the practice where we assign certain exercises to various actions in football games. This approach can be applied to any sport or other event with quantifiable results. I prefer football.

Today, we watched the afternoon Redzone games between the Packers and the Niners and the Rams and the Cardinals. For these games, we did 10 weighted lunges per first down (50 lb for me, 23 lb for the wifey). For each point scored, we did one inchworm with feet on the swiss ball. This move consists of plank with your feet/shins on a swiss ball. You raise your butt up in the air and then straighten back out into plank, keeping your core, butt and quads super tight. If you don't have a swiss ball, just do a plank where you walk your feet toward your hands and then back out into plank. For each sack we did 10 kettle bell deadlifts (again, me with 50 lbs and wifey with 35 lbs). For each turnover we did a one minute wall sit. The totals: 95 points scored = 95 inchworms, 45 1st downs = 450 lunges (!), 6 turnovers = 6 minutes of wall sit (painful after all the lunges) and 6 sacks = 60 deadlifts. We were both glad when this round of Gameday Games finally ended. The lunges were brutal.

I hope y'all give this a try. It's a fun and healthy way to watch the game.

Jack

PS - After a high volume of exercise focused on a certain body part (we abused our legs today) it is important to stretch and mobilize said body part. We took turns using the roll stick on each other's legs. We will reap the benefits tomorrow when we can actually walk up and down stairs.

 



Sleep, sleeeeeeeep . . .

Sleep is arguably one of the most important activities we do in terms of health and well being. Both our body and brain need sleep; our body repairs damage and replenishes used energy stores while our brain organizes and stores thoughts and other information from our waking hours. Yet many people neglect their sleep habits, operating under the premise of "sleep is for the weak" or "I'll sleep when I'm dead." People get poor sleep and wonder why they feel tired, have headaches and generally perform less well. Instead of assessing their sleep habits, many people turn to external sleep aids, such as drugs (Ambien, alcohol, etc.). For many who have years or decades of poor sleep habits, the negative effects of poor sleep might not even register as abnormal. Chronic sleep deprivation is a way of life for many. You may not put that much thought into sleeping, but we spend roughly 1/3 of our lives asleep. So don't you want it to be the best sleep possible?

You might be thinking, "I get plenty of sleep and feel fine." That may be true, but you may not be operating at 100%. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about the quality of your sleep;

1. What is my sleep environment? Do I fall asleep with the TV on? The lights? Music? These kind of noise and light producers activate part of the brain, telling your body that you should be awake. The result is a longer wait to fall asleep and less restful, less deep sleep. What's more, studies have shows that seeing a multitude of faces (i.e. TV) triggers a part of the brain that encourages social interaction, which discourages falling asleep and restful sleep. The fix? Remove the TV from your bedroom, black out your windows and turn all the lights off at least 30 minutes before going to bed. I turn all lights out before I brush my teeth, which gives me a few minutes of total dark before going to bed. If you like/need some noise to fall asleep, try a fan and/or a noise machine. Nothing like the sound of rain on a window to lull me to sleep.
2. What do I do before going to bed? Is my nightly routine stressful? Do I fall asleep every night on the sofa watching Sportscenter, only to wake up at 2:00 am and relocate to bed? Do I eat dinner right before bed? Any combination of these or other factors can make it harder to go to sleep, even if you feel tired. I try to taper my activity level down as my target bed time approaches. I also avoid eating a big dinner or a late dinner in favor of an afternoon snack and a small dinner at least 3 hours before going to sleep. I've also found that a cold shower before bed puts me out like a light (especially if it's hot).
3. When do I go to bed? Many people go to bed at varying hours throughout the week. Some people sacrifice sleep during the week, planning on playing catch up on the weekend. Your body doesn't work that way. You can't "play catch up" or "bank" sleep for later. What you're doing is essentially jet-lagging yourself on a weekly basis. Not good. I try to go to sleep at the same time every night, including weekends, to establish a strong circadian rhythm.
4. Do I count sheep? The age old remedy for restlessness is actually rooted in a meditation technique. Instead of counting sheep, I count my breaths. Each inhale/exhale counts as one. I rarely get to ten with out either falling asleep or letting my mind wander.

While you may feel like you get good sleep, I'd wager all of us can improve our sleep quality at least 1%. Being well-rested equals better performance in all aspects of your life. So examine your evening and bedtime habits. Maybe cut out the bedtime snack and definitely get that TV out! (When I stay in a hotel, I can never go to sleep because I can't help but have the TV on. It knocks at least 2 hours off a good night's sleep). Get to work constructing your cave of slumber and enjoy the benefits of deep, restful sleep.

Sleep tight,

Jack



Gameday Games are Back!

We are weeks away from the start of the NFL regular season. And with that comes the return of Gameday Games. I have been eagerly awaiting football this year. I am missing a big part of my Sunday routine without Red zone Gameday Games.

For those of you that have never tried, Gameday Games is a method where one assigns exercises to various parts of a football (or other sport) game. For example, 5 pushups for each point scored, 20 situps for each turnover and 20 seconds plank for each first down. These rules can be applied to both teams or you can assign separate exercises for each team. If you have a favorite team, this can enhance the enhance the viewing experience and get you off the couch. If you and a friend/family member are pulling for opposing teams, the rules could be that if my team does x (score, first town turnover, etc), than the fan of the opposing team must do y (pushups, situps, etc.) This is a method that I have not tried but I can imagine how fun this will make watching a game together. I think I will propose that my brother (a Jets fan) and I (a Bucs fan) will play the inaugural head-to-head edition of Gameday Games on September 8th when our two teams open the season in New Jersey. Game on!

The whole point of this game is to add a level of activity to what otherwise amounts to sitting on the sofa for 8 hours. So next time you are gathering to watch the games, get moving by making your own Gameday Games.

Can't wait!

Jack

PS - This whole idea stems from watching the Oregon Duck, who has been doing a pushup for every point his football team scores for years.

None Shall Pass!

Traditional thinking about exercise revolves around the idea that most of our activity should come from one trip to the gym per day. And most of us don't have time to go more than once a day, so this concept fits most schedules. But one of the most common obstacles to daily exercise is finding the hour or more it takes to go to a gym. If a schedule changes, the daily workout is often the first thing to go. I'd like to propose another option; short bursts of activity throughout the day.

Instead of one big workout each day, try doing a bunch of little workouts throughout the day. These shouldn't be sweat inducing, but they should get your heart rate up. I like to set up a "gate" in my apartment, so whenever I walk past the gate, I have to do, say, 20 pushups or 20 kettlebell snatches. This same idea can be used at the office, at school or anywhere else you usually don't work out. I like to use this approach on rest days or on days when I don't want to do a heavy work load.

This method of exercise is more fun if others play along. Get friends, family and coworkers involved.   Take turns setting the rules and post them somewhere visible, preferably near or at the gate. Hold each other accountable for adhering to the rules of the gate. You can even establish a penalty for getting caught skipping the gate. Use the same gate regularly to help establish the habit of participation. High traffic areas, like doors, hallways or kitchens make perfect gates. Eventually, this habit of constant activity will become second nature.

Set up a gate; get others on board; make it a habit and you will increase your daily activity, even if you don't get to the gym.

R&R

Rest and recovery. This term usually conjures up ideas of being lazy (at least for me). No work, no exercise, just lounging on the couch, watching the tube. I want to change that idea.

We need rest in both mind and body. We put ourselves through the wringer at work, in the gym, in life. Cortisol (stress hormone) courses through our veins, exhausting our brain. Sitting at work, at home, in the car and everywhere else puts our hips, back and shoulders in a terribly compromised position. Our workout schedules tax all of our systems: cardiovascular, muscular, neurological. We need rest. But simply not doing anything is not the smart way to recover.

Here are some intelligent ways to rebuild your mind and body for the next round of abuse:

• Plan Your Rest - Pick a day (at least once a week) to focus on recovery. Stick to your plan and avoid hard workouts or excess stress, even if you don't feel tired. Your body will thank you. Every few weeks, take a full week off from hard workouts and stick to easy activities aimed at recovery, ie; light, low impact cardio, yoga, etc.
• Ice Bath - The benefits of cooling yourself down are numerous: faster recovery, improved circulation, instant refreshment and, if you cool down before going to bed, better sleep. (This one really works! I sleep like a log after a quick cold shower.)
• Move - Nothing feels worse to me when I'm worn out then sitting still for long periods of time. My joints tighten up, my muscles feel more sore and things pop when I stand up. Doing low impact cardio (walk, jog, run, bike, etc.) will help blood get to your sore, tired body. Yoga and stretching will help you fix the areas that give you trouble. (Back and hips for me.)
• Flow - Doing activities that require your full attention can help you to enter a zen-like state called "flow". Pick something that you enjoy doing and treat yourself to some you time by immersing yourself in that activity. Read, do a puzzle, cook your favorite meal, play with something. Have fun and forget about your stressors. Let your brain relax.

There are all kinds of things we can do to rest. Active recovery will lead to faster, more effective return to a 100% you. Take time, treat yourself and be smart about how you spend your R&R.

 

PS - Look at this monster! It is about to break free from the confines of the bucket. It has been fun to watch the tomato plant grow so fast. Can't wait for it to start fruiting. 

#PowerPose

If you have never watched a TED talk, you are missing out. TED (short for Technology Entertainment Design) is a non-profit organization that invites smart, creative people to share their ideas in 18 minute presentations, which are then uploaded to the web. They cover a wide variety of topics, from the possibilities created by the internet to how to save humanity from itself.

I was watching a TED talk the other day about the psychological and physical effects that can be achieved through simple posture and body position. Power posing consists of simply standing or sitting in positions that convey to others (and yourself) that you are confident and not stressed. (On the flip side, you can also sit or stand in ways that convey low confidence and high stress.) In people and in nature, we see examples of power poses everywhere. The athlete who just scored a goal. The alpha male of a band of gorillas standing tall. Rock stars strutting on the stage. All of these individuals are large and in charge and their body language shows it.

 

                             Power Pose Characteristics:

                                    Sit/Stand up straight

                                         Hands on waist

                                      Hands behind head

                                    Shoulders pulled back

                                   Chest and hips squared

                                   "Open" body position

 

 

Non-Power Pose Characteristics:

Slouch

Favoring one foot or the other

Crossed arms/legs

Shoulders hunched forward

"Closed" body position



 

These characteristics convey nonverbal messages to others. They also have the ability to trick your brain chemistry into whatever pose you choose. If you sit or stand in a power pose for a few minutes, your cortisol (stress hormone) level drops and your testosterone (a measure of confidence) rises. If you take a submissive or non-power pose, your body will do the opposite. By power posing you can fake it until you make it. This can be helpful prior to a job interview, a test, a sports or musical performance or just to boost your daily mood. Whether you're feeling like a rock star alpha or not, you can use power posing to take on the day like a silverback gorilla.

                           



Random Acts

Too often, we get caught up in our own lives and ignore the people around us. Be they family, friends or strangers, these people comprise our social support network. How we treat them has a direct impact on how we are treated in return. Some call it karma, some call it the golden rule, others just call it being nice to people. It is amazing how a small, seemingly insignificant act of kindness can have a profound impact on someone else. It could be something as small as holding the door for someone with their hands full or letting someone into a busy lane of traffic. It can even be a simple smile at a stranger. It doesn't matter how big or how small the act is, it is the intent that matters. People often get so used to others being indifferent or rude that a kind gesture can really stand out in someone's day. Random acts of kindness hold the power to make a person's day, week or even year.

Here are some ideas for how to sprinkle random acts of kindness into your daily routine.

• Don't leave home without it - Make sure to do something nice every day before you leave the house.
• Pick up the tab - Offer to pay for the coffee/meal of a stranger. Can be anonymous or not. Your choice
• Send a thank you note - This can be done for any number of reasons; a gift, an invitation, or just to say "thanks for being you." Corny, I know.
• Smile - Flash those pearly whites at anybody and everybody. Some won't notice but for others it will brighten their day.
• Help out - Do something around the house, office or in public that it not your responsibility. If you see a piece of trash on the sidewalk, throw it away. If you don't normally make dinner, do so. The options are limitless.
• Volunteer - Whatever form this comes in, it is rewarding for both you and the people you are helping

Kindness can make you feel better and brighten people's day. Try and do at least one kind act every day for a week straight. See what happens.

Have a great week,

Jack

PS - Week #1 of the hydroponic tomato plant project: the plant has not shriveled up and died, so a success thus far.

Try something new. . . again.

I know I've talked about this before, but learning new things never gets old. Sometimes it's good to practice what you know and other times it's good to try something new. Today I tried something new: hydroponic growing. I planted a tomato plant and some tomato seeds in a single five gallon bucket with an air pump that keeps the water oxygenated. The plants are nestled in a bed of pebbles that sit just above the water. I had a good time getting my hands dirty.  I also learned a few things:

• Gardening takes patience. I am a man that likes instant gratification.  Growing is the opposite of that. It will be months before I see the fruits of my labor.
• Making something grow is pretty simple. All you need is light, water, nutrients and TLC. Or so the guy at the gardening supply store said.
• Cats are inherently interested in plants. That is now the number #1 threat to the future of these tomatoes. Not lack of food or water, not natural disaster, not my lack of experience. Our evil cat.

So not many actual gardening lessons learned on day one, but I'm sure I will have feedback after the first cycle. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited.

Trying new things is fun. You learn new skills, get to practice valuable traits (for me, patience) and may even get some delicious homegrown tomatoes. Maybe.

Jack

PS - These are growing on my balcony so my cat can either eat the plants or knock the whole contraption to a three story fall.

Oil for your Muscles

One of my chronic bad habits is poor hydration. I am constantly drinking less water than I should. As a result, I get more sore after exercise; recover slower; wake up groggy and get more fatigued throughout the day. In extreme conditions (walking through equatorial jungle for two days) I have experienced extreme dehydration in the form of nausea and severe vertigo. Not fun and potentially dangerous. On the flip side, when I start hydrating early in the day and keep it going for a few days, I find myself more alert, more eager to exercise and full of energy when I do. Bottom line: I need to drink more water. We all do.

I was talking with a man in his 80s yesterday and he mentioned that he had had bad leg cramps for years and only recently learned that "water is like oil for your muscles." I would not be surprised if this was a revelation for people of all ages. Unless you play organized sports, hydration is rarely emphasized as a health matter. For most of my life, I never really consciously hydrated. I just drank when I was thirsty, which is a sign of dehydration. It wasn't until I started to really push myself physically that I realized you have to hydrate. Most of us spend our lives in a perpetual state of semi-dehydration, not knowing what it's like to be truly hydrated. We all need water to survive.

I've met people who prefer soda to water because they don't like the taste of water. In some places (coastal areas, usually) I can relate. Water's taste can range from delicious to rotten egg to chlorine. Our tap water is gross and flouridated so we bought a 5 gallon glass jug that we fill for 25 cents per gallon about once a week. We go to a local store that filters their water to remove ". . .bacteria, mold, viruses, chlorine, fluoride, prescription drugs, MTBE, arsenic, and lead." This option is cheaper and healthier than buying plastic bottles of water (most of which is just tap water and can have BPA leach into it). And it tastes better. Yet I digress.

How do we make sure to drink enough water every day? Here are a few of the habits I've been trying to adopt:

• Start Early - I make sure to down a glass of water upon waking each day. This ensures that, even if I don't drink anything else until the afternoon, I still get some water in me. The alternative is nothing but coffee until late in the day; a bad option.
• Use the Same Vessel - I use the same 20oz aluminum bottle every day. My daily intake goal is four of these bottles.
• Keep Track - I've found that keeping track of how many ounces I drink each day makes it more likely that I will meet my daily intake goal.
• No More Sugary Drinks - While I'm not on board with the NYC ban on giant sodas, I do think that we drink way too many drinks that are full of sugar. Soda, frilly coffee, sports drinks and even fruit juices are mostly sugar. If water bores you, try a sugar free tab or powder. I like Nunn (http://nuun.com/) and Ultima (http://ultimareplenisher.com/).

Water is the essence of life. And wetness. Wetness is the essence of moisture. We are fortunate enough to have abundant fresh water available. Make sure you drink enough.

PS - If you are interested in the effects of flouride in water, here is an article with some good info. There is much debate on both sides of the argument, but I choose to avoid flouride intake. It seems that something intended as a topical dental hygene chemical should not be ingested in any scenario, let alone daily. http://www.naturalnews.com/038217_fluoride_tap_water_side_effects.html

Go Deep

Multitasking. We all do it every day. Driving, eating and listening to the radio. Talking with your loved ones and checking your phone. Writing your weekly blog and watching the NBA playoffs. . . We live in a world where technology makes multitasking a way of life. How many times do you find yourself with ten or more tabs open on your Internet browser? Me? All the time. Am I really working on all of those at the same time? No way. Am I jumping around from one thing to the next, not really getting anything done? Usually.

There are numerous advantages to having so many options in our daily life. We have nearly unlimited information available instantly. I can check social media, read the news and manage my fantasy football team all in the same place. Text, email and even face to face chatting exponentially increase our ability to stay in touch with people far and wide.

But at what cost? Are we sacrificing depth of learning and experience for volume and instant access? We would drive better if we stopped eating and messing with our phones. We would learn more if we weren't constantly switching between media. We would develop and maintain deeper, better relationships with our friends and family members if we took time to have conversations instead of relying on tweets and facebook status updates. Our time does not need to be constantly filled with new information. Sometimes it is best to cut off the fire hose of new data and go deeper into the info we already possess.

Here are a few of the ways I try to control myself when it comes to multitasking:

• Silent drive - Instead of pumping the jams or listening to talk radio or talking on the phone while you drive to work, try driving in silence. I do some of my best thinking when it is quiet. Also, it helps curb road rage.
• Turn off Tones - Unless you are waiting for some very important phone call, turn off any alerts or ring tones. Don't be a slave to technology. If you find yourself on your device with no idea why, you are doing it wrong.
• Read - I found that the more I accessed fast sources of media, the less willing I was to sit down and read something longer than a few pages. So now I make an effort to actually read books and articles with more depth than a tweet.

There is a time and place for multitasking. It's a valuable skill. But so is the ability to focus on one specific task and do it well. Take time and go deep once in a while.

Jack

PS - Here is the article that inspired today's topic:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/brain--interrupted-173621758.html

Sprint

When I run, I like to think about a real world scenario when I might need to run for survival. I can only think of a few situations where I might need to run more than a mile. Maybe there is an accident and nobody's cell phone works so someone needs to run for help. Maybe the Persian army is coming and you need to warn Athens. Maybe I'm really hungry, my car won't start, my Uber app won't open and the nearest food is really far away.

We rarely need to run anywhere. Most of the running we do is for exercise and fun. A long run can be a scenic experience, especially if you are running a new route. But running miles on end at a steady pace is like cruising around town in second gear; low RPMs. 

Sprinting, on the other hand, puts your motor in the red. The high burst of energy required for a sprint boosts your metabolism (burns fat) and makes you faster.   

You don't need any equipment to get sprinting. Football fields, tracks, parks, alleyways, and quiet streets offer everything you need to get your sprint on.  

Here are a few ways to organize your sprint workouts for max effect.  You can mix and match any of these ideas to fit your needs. You can also add in other exercises to make a sprint circuit (e.g. sprints, situps and pushups).

-Flying starts. These are a good way to start a sprint workout.  First,  mark a starting line,  a halfway point and a finish line.  Start your drill at the starting line (duh) and run with the goal of hitting your top speed at the halfway mark, then sprint at top speed through the finish line.  This drill is meant to increase your top speed.  I do 4-6 reps.  

-Find a loop between 100 and 1000 yards.  Run that loop as fast as you can.  Rest between laps as necessary.  I aim for 3-6 laps,  depending on the distance. 

-On a 100 yard stretch (football field is perfect), sprint 10 yards and then walk back to the start.  Then sprint 20 yards and walk back.  Keep doing this (aka adding 10 yards, then walking back to the start) all the way to 100 yards.

-Pick a stretch of grass/pavement and mark off 40 yards. Sprint the 40 yards as fast as you can and record your time. Rest until you fully catch your breath, then repeat, trying to hit the same time each sprint. I do 8-10 sprints, depending on how I feel. 

Whenever you sprint,  listen to your body.  If you are dizzy or your hamstring feels weird,  don't keep sprinting.  Sit down,  stretch and take a drink.  I've backed out of sprint workouts during the warm up because my quads felt really tight from squats a few days prior. Live to sprint another day. 

Adding sprints to your workout tool box is a cheap, simple way to burn fat and get faster.  And, as a bonus, you can rest easier at night knowing you will most likely be able to outrun your friends in the zombie apocalypse. 

Gameday Games , NBA Playoffs style

Gameday Games are back! This was my first attempt at a non-football gameday game, and it seems to work. Today we watched the Heat complete the sweep of the outmatched Bucks. I will say that I changed the scoring scheme after halftime. The original scheme had us doing over 800 push ups! We checked the box score for accuracy after the game. It is harder to keep track of stats during a basketball game than it is during football. Here is the breakdown:

• Points - 1 squat per point for a total of 165 squats
• Assists - 2 upright kettlebell rows per assist for a total of 86 rows (43 per arm).
• Steals - 5 push ups per steal for a total of 75 push ups.
• Blocks - 1 minute of plank per block for a total of 14 minutes.

This might not look like much but the cumulative effect of everything, especially the push ups and plank got tough toward the end. Next time I want to try and do it real time with the game. Maybe score dunks, fouls, 3 pointers and every time they show the players on the bench celebrating a big play. Let me know your thoughts on today's workout, ideas for future workouts or any other Gameday Games suggestions.

Jack

PS - Are the Heat the odds on favorite to repeat? I think so.

"Cardio"

When you hear the word "cardio," what do you think? Jogging? Cycling? We have a narrow concept of the definition of cardio: long duration, low intensity activities. Aerobic exercise, where your body burns oxygen for fuel is an excellent workout. I'm not knocking it. Where I see an issue is when one type of cardio becomes someones only form of exercise. We need to broaden our arsenal.

Our bodies are excellent at adapting to external stress, like exercise. When one activity is performed on a regular basis, it becomes relatively easier over time. We also begin to receive diminishing returns in terms of health, weight loss and muscle tone. Studies shoe that someone who spends an hour a day, a few times a week jogging at a moderate pace can actually lose muscle mass and gain weight! How can this be? Lean muscle mass requires more calories than fat and moderate cardio does not require lean muscle. So if all you do is moderate cardio, than you will lose muscle and, in turn, your metabolism will slow down, leading to weight gain. I know. What the F?!

So what are we to do? I am not advocating a complete abandon ship on all cardio. What I do like is a variety of different types of cardio in a variety of different configurations. Mix cardio and anaerobic work together in the same workout. Incorporate weights and endurance activities into the mix. Crossfit.com has lots of great workouts that do exactly this. Here are some ways to get some variety up in your life:

• Combine two or more types of endurance exercise. This might take a little more planning, but it is worth it. I like the "run-swim-run" model. I will run to the pool (about a mile) swim a mile and run back. This is basically the same idea as a triathlon. Get creative.
• Endurance intervals. Say you like to run three miles a day. Instead, pick a day and run one mile at a pace that is faster than your three mile pace. Rest for five minutes. Repeat this process twice more. You still get your three miles but you put a different type of stress on yourself.
• Cardio + Weights. Basically, Crossfit in layman's terms. This can be as easy as doing twenty push ups every five minutes on a run. Pick your endurance exercise and then a body weight exercise like pull ups or push ups and combine them into a workout. The only limit is your imagination.

Variety is the key to continued progress. Stop thinking about "cardio" as a separate thing from other forms of movement. I'm pretty sure that burpees tax your heart.

Jack

PS - Here is our workout from today. It is a version of cardio.
        10 minutes on the bike - 4 cycles of 2 minutes hard, 30 seconds easy
        Rest 2 minutes
        10 minutes, AMRAP (as many reps as possible) Kettle bell snatches

I used a 35lb KB and did 173 snatches. I burned 168 kcal on the bike, covering 5 miles. If you don't have a bike or a KB, sub running or swimming or rowing for the first part and something like burpees or jumping squats for the latter part.

Eat Slow

We've all been there: you're hungry, food arrives, and you dive in. You don't talk or take breaks to breath. You do not share. Finished, you push your plate back and slip into a bad case of puppy belly, not remembering what just happened. Believe it or not, wolfing your food down is not ideal. You eat too much, digestion is impeded, and people probably think you are underfed.

This is one of my worst habits. I eat too fast and I don't think I'm alone. I love food almost to a fault. I am morbidly obese on the inside. I think about lunch while eating breakfast. Eating is a competitive sport for some, and I consider myself a champion in training.

All kidding aside, it is better to eat slow. As hard as this can be when you are hungry and the food is tasty, there are many reasons to slow our forks:

1. Digestion - When we eat fast, bites get chewed less, meaning they get less exposure to our saliva. This is the first step in our digestive process and if it gets skimped or skipped all together, we end up getting less goodness from our food.
2. Intake - As we eat, there is a delay between food reaching our stomachs and our stomachs telling our brain that we are full. During this delay, we can shovel down a few more helpings before we realize we overate. If we slow down, we can eat an appropriate amount and not get that "puppy belly" feeling after a big meal.
3. Manners - I know not everybody is super interested in having impeccable table manners, but even if you are eating at a fast food place, it is important to conduct yourself like a civilized human being, not a ravenous hyena. 
4. Enjoyment - As fun as it is to try and slam you food as fast as possible, food really does taste better when you enjoy each bite. Try putting down the fork, sandwich or other food delivery vessel in between bites. It might just taste a little better.

My goal is to be more mindful at every meal. I want to enjoy my food as well as my company. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Jack

                                                

PS - Today's workout: Descending ladder of front squats, push press and windmills. So, 20, 16, 12, 8, 4 reps of  each exercise using a kettlebell for all three. Split the reps so you do half with the kettlebell in each hand. I did it with my 50lb. KB. Enjoy.

The Power of 'Tude

Every morning we wake up with a choice: how to approach our day. Will you hate your job, dread going to the gym, and doubt yourself? Or will you get out of bed excited to go to work, hungry to work out and believing in yourself and your abilities?  Whatever you decide, the choice is 100% yours to make. We sit at the controls of our attitude, no one else. Some people seem to look for reasons to complain and think everything is stupid or someone else's fault. Other people attack the day like nothing can stop their relentless march of awesomeness. The difference? Attitude.

It is easy to let your attitude slip into the negative, especially when things are difficult. How you react to a situation, good or bad, can mean the difference between success and failure, health and sickness, happiness and misery. People in terrible situations can be happy and healthy while people in great circumstances can be miserable. Their 'tude makes the difference.

One of my favorite ways to impact my attitude is to say a mantra when I wake up. Even if I feel terrible or don't want to get out of bed and face the day, saying something positive kickstarts my brain into a better place. I learned this habit from my uncle. His morning mantra is "I feel great and I'm going to have a great day." This simple act has ripple effects on the rest of your day and, in turn, your life.

So what will your mantra be? Will you choose to be a beacon of positivity or a negative fun sponge? Either way, you will be contagious. The choice is yours.

Jack

PS - Today's workout went like this:
25 rounds of 1 pullup, 2 kettlebell squat cleans, 3 kettlebell high pulls and 4 atomic situps. This was a good workout after 5 weeks of little exercise and poor diet. Time to get back on track.

Throw

Human beings are meant to throw. Anything. Everything. For fun. For hunting. For sport. Early man threw rocks and spears to kill food. He had to be strong and accurate to hit his target. If he missed, the food might get away or, even worse, charge and attack. Life or death depending on throwing.

Today, we rarely find a need to throw well. Unless we are a throwing athlete like a quarterback, a shot-puter or a professional dart player, we don't rely on throwing in our daily lives. But the potential benefits from adding throwing to our routines are numerous.

Any type of throwing requires a complex interaction of brain, body and hand. Throws start at the feet and energy is transferred up through the body and released into the object being thrown. This action takes mental and physical coordination. To throw things further or more accurately requires a higher level of coordination and strength. One could argue that elite level throwing is the pinnacle of athletic skill.

So how can we incorporate throwing into our training routine? Here are a few ideas:

- Throw for Power - You can throw anything with some weight; a kettle bell, a sledge hammer, a rock, a sandbag, etc. Start with a wide, athletic base. Alternate throwing from both sides of your body as well as underhand (granny), overhand (soccer style) or shot put style. See how far you can throw your chosen item. You can also try to hit a target. Think Braveheart.

- Play throwing games - Think about how many games involve throwing. Baseball, basketball, football, darts, horseshoes, shot put, discus, javelin, . . .hand grenades? Any one of these (probably not hand grenades) can be a fun way to improve your throwing skill. You can play catch with your kids. You can throw a ball for your dog (or cat named Obie).

Here is our workout from yesterday. It was heavy on the throwing.
-We started by carrying a kettle bell to the park, about a mile away. This served as a warm up.
-Once there, we did five rounds of the following;
     -walk up the hill with your KB
     -throw the KB 15 times any way
     -walk back down the hill with the KB held overhead.
     *after each throw, don't just walk. Each round, we travelled to the KB in a different way.
      Round 1 - bear crawl. Round 2 - one legged hop, right leg. Round 3 - one legged hop, left leg.
      Round 4 - standing broad jump. Round 5 - run backwards.
-After five rounds, we carried our KBs back home. This workout was fun and challenging. We did get some funny looks. I guess throwing heavy things in the park isn't an every day occurrence.

Go throw things.

Jack

PS - Throwing a kettle bell or anything else in public should always be done with caution. I did this workout with my girlfriend and we were extra careful to not throw anywhere near each other, strangers, animals or anything else besides soft dirt or grass. Wouldn't want to squash anything by accident.

What's up with Paleo?

Diet fads come and go. One day fat is the devil, the next day carbs are killing us. South beach was big for a while, now it seems paleo is the new thing. So what are we to make of all this? How is someone supposed to pick the right diet?

Here is my take: anything and everything we eat constitutes our diet. The idea of "being on a diet" is absurd. You can change eating habits, but making drastic changes that last for a few weeks or months before falling off the wagon can be unhealthy. A healthy diet is based around moderation and finding what food habits work for you. My diet fits my lifestyle and probably isn't the right fit for everyone else.

The paleo diet is based on the idea that cavemen (who lived in the paleolithic era) did not eat certain things, like grains, sugars, dairy products or anything processed. Cavemen had not yet domesticated cows or grains, so these things didn't exist in their world, thus they didn't have that choice. The idea is that throughout most of human history, our bodies never processed dairy or grain or lots of sugar and now that we have all those things in abundance we are having all sorts of health problems (see: heart disease, chronic inflammation, obesity, diabetes, etc).

The people I know who adhere to some form of the paleo diet are all very fit people. The diet fuels better athletic performance; speeds recovery and keeps your brain sharp. It can also take some getting used to. It, like any other diet, can and should be tweaked to suit the individual's needs. I follow paleo about 80% of the time. I find that this level of adherence keeps me healthy and burning clean while allowing for the occasional cheat that helps maintain sanity (I swear they put some addictive chemicals in the smell of movie theater popcorn). But it is up to each person how much effort they want to put into their diet.

Here are a few links to good paleo related sites:

-This article is about a guy who has spent 20 years tweaking his diet and exercise program with great results. http://www.archevore.com/panu-weblog/2009/12/25/panu-eating-and-high-intensity-training.html

-This blog is dedicated solely to eating paleo. I use lots of her delicious recipes. http://paleomg.com/

-Another collection of paleo recipes and other paleo info: http://realfoodforager.com/

Just a reminder: I am not a doctor or a dietitian. I'm just a dude who likes to eat bacon and I build my diet around that. Just kidding. But seriously. . .

Jack

PS - Yesterday's workout - 800 meter repeats. We went to the park and walked off 100 meters. Then we proceeded to run 800 meters (back and forth four times). Rested two minutes and then ran another 800m, then 2 min rest, and one final 800m. I tried to hit the same time for each 800m (~2:25) This can be done anywhere with minimal gear. Disclaimer: These are not fun. Enjoy.

Balance

We are masters of balance. The simple act of walking on two legs is a complicated balancing act that we perform effortlessly every day. Think about a baby taking it's first steps. Not exactly graceful. By the time we are adults, walking is second nature. But then again, think about those people out there who perform ridiculous acts of balance; tight rope walkers, gymnasts on the beam, surfers on a board on a wave. These people have practised balancing above and beyond any normal human level, doing things most of us can not imagine.

So why should we work on improving our balance? Even if we are not striving to be a professional circus performer, having good balance is something that benefits us all. Balance requires core strength, extremity control and a strong brain-body connection (proprioception). Good balance helps prevent injury and will improve your athletic ability across the board.

Here are a few ways to practice and improve your balance:

Tree Pose - This is a Yoga pose that is heavy on balance and proprioception. Begin by standing on one leg and pressing the other foot into your standing calf or thigh. Find something in front of you to focus on (Drishti point). This will help keep you stable. Arms can be by your side, at chest level or overhead. Hold this pose for ten or so breaths and then switch sides. This can be done either alone or as a recovery part of workout.

 



Plank Balance - Start in Plank (top of a push up). Lift one foot off the ground and hold for 5 seconds. Switch legs. Then put both feet down and raise one arm, then the other. Focus on keeping a strong core throughout.

Urban Tightrope - This can be done anywhere anytime you are walking. If you are walking on the sidewalk, walk along the curb as if it were a tightrope. If you are walking in a parking lot, walk along those things in the front of parking spaces. Anything else you can find to balance on, do that too. Make balancing something you seek out instead of just something you do passively.

One of the first things to go with age is balance and athletic ability. These diminish through lack of use. You don't need to be a tightrope walker or an extreme athlete, but everyone should incorporate balance into their life.

Jack

Breathing Ladder

As I've said before, I am a big fan of the kettle bell. They are versatile and challenging and they form the core of my home gym. Here is an easy kettle bell workout we did this morning.

Kettle bell breathing ladder

 

Step One:

Pick a kettle bell and an exercise; today I used a 50lb KB and did American (overhead) KB swings.

 

Step Two:

Decide how high you want your ladder to go. A breathing ladder goes like this; do one repetition (ie; one KB swing) and then put the weight down and take one controlled breath in and out. Then do two reps and take two breaths, then three and three, etc. Our ladder this morning went one to ten and back down to one, then back to ten and back down to one again. It looked like this:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

 

You could also go 1-20-1 or any other variation of the ladder. The idea is to maintain controlled breathing (in through the nose and out through the mouth) throughout the rest periods. You can breath however you want during the work periods.

 

Step Three:

Work hard

 

Try it out. Enjoy.

 

Jack

 

PS - No Gameday games today as we will be at a Super Bowl party, and chili and alcohol don't go well with exercise. Instead we did the breathing ladder in the a.m. With the season ending, I'm not sure which sport will replace football for Gameday games, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. . .

 

Daily Intent

This is a habit that I have picked up from years of yoga practice; setting an intention. This intention can last for an hour, a day or a lifetime but today's goal is to set a daily intention. A simple short term goal that will hopefully lead to a long term change.

In yoga, the teacher will often guide the class to set an intention from the outset. Sometimes they give everyone the same intention and sometimes it is up to the individual to set their own. Mine are usually something short like "relax" or "happy" or "strong."  These are easy words to constantly refer back to throughout the course of the class. If something pulls me away from my intention I take a break and go back to my word or phrase and then rejoin the class.

Outside of yoga, I use the same approach. For example; last Saturday I set an intention to eat more slowly all day. I have a bad habit of eating without putting down the fork. I often over eat as a result of cramming food down my gullet too fast. Not mindful. I ended up doing this all weekend, although my usual Sunday morning fish tacos (best in the world) were gone in about one minute. In the long run I will still find myself eating too fast on occasion. But setting a short term intention will serve as a memory of how it felt to eat slower and hopefully remind me to do so in the future.

This practice can be applied to any arena of your life, from eating to business to sports to parenting. Pick one thing that you want to change and make that your intention for the day.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Jack

Being Lazy is a Good Thing?

Yeah, I said it. In the big scheme of things, having the option to be lazy and still survive is a good thing. Think back to the dawn of man. Imagine if a cave man didn't feel like leaving the cave to find food. Imagine if a feudal farmer didn't bother to tend to his crops. Throughout history, mankind has not had the option to sit back and take a lazy day without risking peril. Today, most of our lives don't take much physical effort. Our food doesn't need to be hunted. Our cave doesn't need to be defended from bears. We spend most of our days sitting, either at work, at home or in transit. Foods that used to be rare delicacies (sugar, salt, fat) that provided vital calories to our diet are now overly abundant. Our laid back lifestyles coupled with our proclivity for sugar, salt and fat has led to a wide spread tendency to avoid physical activity and pack on a few pounds.

What I'm trying to say is that we, as a species, have won. We live comfortable lives without much uncertainty. That is a good thing.We don't have to fight bears for our food, also a good thing. The only things that worry me are the symptoms of our modern life. Now we have to make an effort to seek out healthy foods instead of just seeking out foods. We have to make time to exercise instead of burning calories and staying in shape in our daily battle with those bears that try to steal our food.

The Freakonomics guys said that 300 years ago, it took the average person 12 hours of work to earn enough to buy a candle to light their home. Today, it takes the average person about 2 minutes to earn enough to light their entire homes. We have reached a point where it takes relatively little effort to meet our basic needs. This means we have no excuse for being unhealthy.

Every morning, when you wake up, think about all the things you will not have to do; you won't have to search for food, you won't have to fight off bears (hopefully), you won't have to struggle to survive. These are all good things. But don't take these opportunities to only sit back and eat bon bons. Take advantage and be the best you can be every day.

And watch out for bears.

Jack

PS - Yesterday's version of Gameday Games was a good one. We watched the early game, San Fran Vs. ATL. Here are the results:
Touchdowns/Turnovers - 10 total, 20 temper tantrums each, 200 total tantrums. A temper tantrum is done sitting on the ground with your feet lifted off the ground. One tantrum is completed when you touch the ground on either side. You can hold a kettle bell or use no weight. We used a 35lb and a
50 lb kettle bell.
Field Goals/Sacks - 3 total, 1 minute wall sit each, 3 minutes of total wall sit.
1st down - 27 total first downs. Each 1st down we did 4 high five push ups and 4 kettle bell front squats. A high five push up is done with two people facing each other in the push up position. At the top of each push up, the two people high five, ie; right hand to right hand, etc. 108 push ups and 108 squats total.

Gameday Games - January 13, 2013

Another Sunday, another edition of Gameday Games. Today, we watched the Patriots lay the smack down on the Texans. Here are the results:

Touchdowns/ field goals - We did one kettle bell overhead squat for each point scored, ie, field goal equals 3 overhead squats. 72 total

First Downs - These are by far the most common occurrence (duh) so we did two exercises per first down: 2 pull-ups and 5 push-ups. There were 35 first downs, 70 pull-ups and 185 push-ups total. We did wide, normal and narrow pullups and pushups.

Sacks -  There was only one sack all day, so we did one minute of wall sit. Pretty easy, but that's the way this game goes.

Turnovers - Same thing happened here; only one turnover, so only one minute of plank. Lame.

Overall, this version of Gameday Games was challenging, but more well rounded than last week. What games are you playing?

Jack

PS - From last Wednesday to today I ate poorly, never worked out, and spent most of my time sitting (either in a car or at a desk building PowerPoint presentations). I can't put into words how bad I felt by Saturday. Lesson learned: even though I made a few days worth of bad choices, I still got back on track. It doesn't matter if it's a few days or a few years, it's never too late to change your habits.

Game day Games - January 7, 2013

Today's edition of game day games was played while watching the Redskins and Seahawks playoff game. It went a little like this:

Touchdowns x4, 6 pullups each, 24 total (should have upped the number to around 20)
First downs x37, 10 weighted lunges with a 50lb Kettle bell, 370 total (ouch)
Field goals x3, 5 overhead squats with 2 kettle bells, 15 total (went with the 35lb and 50lb KB)
Turnovers x3, 1 minute plank, 3 minutes total.
Sacks x7, 1 minute wall sit, 7 minutes total.

This ended up being a lunge heavy game. The wall sits burned as a result. Made sure to stretch legs, hips and back afterward.

Jack

PS - Has anyone else tried playing game day games recently? If so, how did it go?

New Year

The holiday season is behind us, and in its wake, we are most likely out of sync with any good habits or routines. Travel, family events, irregular schedules and a seemingly endless supply of cakes, pies and other delectable goodies have given many of us (me included) plenty of excuses for not making good choices. Don't get me wrong, I love this time of year. I see lots of family and friends. We eat and drink and generally have a good time. I don't even think that this unmindful splurge once a year is a bad thing, so long as you do let the splurging become a habit that persists into the new year. Here are a few ideas for getting back on track in the new year.

1) Spend some time with your goals. Set aside a block of time (at least an hour) and write down what you want to accomplish in the coming weeks, months and years. What are you already doing to see these goals happen? What can you start doing? Are you doing anything to hinder your progress? Be open and honest with yourself. Tell others close to you about your goals. Write them down and put them somewhere where you will see them daily.

2) Surround yourself with good things. If you are eating too much cake, don't have cake in your house. If you want to do kettle bells daily, have a kettle bell in your office or living room or both. Proximity to whatever you are trying to do lowers the barrier to getting it done. On the flip side, I have never once gotten in my car and driven to the store because I was craving cake. But if it's sitting in front of me I'll eat it all day.

3) Get out of your comfort zone. There is no better time to try new things than the start of a new year. New foods, new activities, new habits.

Getting better starts with you making a choice and taking action. Make 2013 a year of growth, betterment and success. Start today.

Jack.

PS - I am about as guilty as it gets when it come to falling off the "better every day wagon." My lack of holiday self control can be summed up in one meal. I woke up, went to the gym for a great workout, came home and ate a healthy meal of lean meat and veggies. Then I saw the coconut cake sitting in the fridge. And I ate not one but two large slices and proceeded to take a nap. Curse you, coconut cake!