What's All This Talk...

Everyone has an opinion but no one cares to listen. I doubt I'm the only person who has ever been asked a question, and upon giving the reply, get this hazy look of confusion or the gear-grinding look of a statement that's about to be started with the word, 'but.'

Listening has become a long lost art that few can master and even fewer understand the importance of. So what seems to be the issue? Perhaps we've become so accustomed to hearing ourselves talk that we have no room for what others have to say. If that's the case why do people still ask questions? As with everything, there needs to be some give and take. If you've ignored the words of others for no other reason than liking to hear yourself speak, then why should we jump to answer your question, certainly not because it's 'our time' to talk.

Listening should be thought of as a virtue as well as a learning experience. I may not acquire textbook knowledge from listening to someone speak in a casual conversation but I've learned a little about their thoughts and ideas, I've become better acquainted with the things that drive them, the person they are, the things they wish to achieve, and what they believe in. I can't do that if I'm talking all the time.

In my profession if I haven't listened to you than I won't be able to help you achieve your goals, you might achieve the goals I have for you, but I'm sure the ones that are more important are the goals youv'e set for yourself. And if I listen to what you have to say perhaps the height of your goals will become even higher because we'll work togehter to set them and then achieve them.

Thoughts occur naturally, sometimes more often in some of us, but if we aren't encouraged to share them and in turn have someone listen to them, how do we manage to turn our thoughts into conversations if only person is always doing the talking?

Have you started to listen yet?

All You Need

Although I am co-owner of a gym in Philadelphia, and I want people to come to my gym to workout, it mystifies me that so many folks think you need a gym to workout. The reality is you can get many places and achieve many goals just by having one of these...



Combine kettlebell training with bodyweight training and you have plenty of workouts at your fingertips. You can train outside, in your garage, at the park, at the beach, on your lunch break, on vacation, or practically anywhere for that matter.

The kettlebell provides a portable training system, that's easy to store, and in the larger scheme of things costs practically nothing after the initial investment. So if you can't make it everyday to the gym, there's always time to do a quick twenty minute workout that involves you and your kettlebell.

Here's one just for fun...

20 Swings
20 Push Ups
10 Front Squats

5 Rounds

Who are you holding yourself accountable to?

Yeah, those are actually full range of motion pull ups, not sure which set I'm on, but it was a tough workout regardless.

Time to teach yourself a lesson in accountability. We all have health and fitness goals, right?! So what's holding you back? Sure, some of us are right on top of it, putting forth our best effort, and conquering every last thing we said we'd do. Then there are the rest of us, who work really hard on all aspects (working out, nutrition, recovery) for a few weeks and then we start to slip. Then there is another group that works out consistantly with a lot of effort, but we haven't got out nutrition dialed in or we eat too much (yes, eating too much of good food is also bad.) The last group is those of us who actually eat really well and control our portions but haven't worked out in years (this is fake fitness.) I'm skipping the group that eat's like crap and doesn't workout.

For those of us who aren't leading the picture perfect view of what health and fitness should look like, what are you going to do about it? (Assuming you want to do something about it, that is.) If I have a goal for you, that you could care less about, chances are you aren't going to reach that goal. So...

What do you want to achieve?

What do you want to prove?

Start breaking it down, what are your short term goals, what are your long term goals? Develop an initial plan and stick to it, re evaluate the plan every few weeks and see if you're staying on track, if not adjust where necessary. Enlist the help of a friend who will be there to keep you on track if you start to slip, someone who's willing to give you positive reinforcement, to help you reach your goals.

Use this person to help you, set up some guidelines and rules that you both have to stick to, to get the job done. It's always a little easier if you have to answer to someone else.

"Stacking Fitness on Dysfunction"

That sounds like the worst idea possible, however after this past weekend, it seems as though many of us, myself included, are doing it on a regular basis. We either know we are doing it, or haven't got a clue.

I know that I personally am working around some injuries. In fact I gut through it almost daily, grimace with some pain, and complete my workout. I rationalize it as not having the time to take off and get healthy again. Tournaments are coming up in two months, among some other competitive events in the months to follow, so how can I possibly take time off to heal and still be ready? In my mind I can't, but duh, I can do other things, and take a week or two to address the issues I'm having and come back stronger and more powerful than before.

All of these revelations came about after the CK-FMS this weekend and some small talk about Z Health. After discussing my extreme disappointment with my low scores on the FMS due to pain, I was posed with the following thought...

'You're already strong and well conditioned, imagine what you could do if you took the time to fix yourself.'

I imagined that thought for just a split second, and holy shit! Talk about eye opening. The fact that one of my most nagging injuries is already less bothersome, is truly the best thing that came out of this past weekend. I'm not planning too far in advance, just incase I have to take a detour, but as of right now, I am ready to see what's on the other side of the brick wall.

Kick It Up A Notch

For those of you who watch the Food Network, you're familiar with Emril's phrase, 'Kick it up a notch!' It's a good phrase, and although I'm not applying it to food today, it works for a variety of other things as well, most specifically training.

We've all it that plateau in training at some point or another. In fact, if you're like me I'm sure you've tried to avoid it, but regardless it still happens. I've had four seperate and entirely unrelated conversations in the past week about plateaus, sticking points, and simply just wanting to take it to the next level. I hear you! So let's do it.

Strength comes in numbers and switching it up with a little extra guidance or support might be what we all need. Even if it's something as small as taking one food item out of your diet, adding one extra workout a week, or even switching the days of your workouts. The worst thing any athlete/fitness guru wants to have happen is a stalemate in training. We get comfortable in our daily patterns, we allow our bodies to accomodate to whatever training stimulus previously worked for us. Constantly review your nutrition and training programs, see if there is a flaw somewhere, and look at the entire picture.

Feel free to share some ideas, or ask questions. Those four conversations I had this past week, share some thoughts here and use each other for motivation. It never hurts to have a lending hand.

Your Training Environment

I've never really had that feeling of needing to force myself to workout. Sure, I might skip a day or two, or perhaps I'll take it easy on some days, but I don't feel like I'm dragging myself to the gym for a workout and dreading every minute of it. And no, it's not because I'm already in the gym. The fact of the matter is, I usually like to train outside of the gym. There are days when that just isn't possible, but whenever I can I head outside, to the park, to the track, or even to the backyard. I love to be outside.

That's why I was so excited to workout on the beach this weekend. I couldn't wait, I even got up early on a Saturday to go. (I won't talk about the crazy storm that pushed my workout back 8 hours) Found a spot on the beach that was perfect, a few soft sand spots, a few hard sand spots, a little incline, and close to the water (my favorite part.)

I think it's really important to head outside, or at least change the scenery of where you workout. If your job keeps you in doors all day long, the best thing you can do for yourself is to go outside! Working out in fresh air, natural sunlight, and away from what you typically look at and do. It's so beneficial to your overall health.

Step aside and see where you go.

What's your health worth?

What's your health worth to you? Seems like a simple question, but few answer that question with a lot of thought. A simple answer is, "I want to be healthier." I would assume that most people want to be heathier, but then they turn around and have a pizza and regular soda for dinner.

Some more well thought out answers would be...

"My health is worth watching my children grow up."

"My health is worth leading a functional life now and when I am older."

"My health is worth being able to enjoy the physical aspects of life."

"My health is worth not having to take additional daily medications."

The short answer isn't specific. There isn't one thing that can be singled out and then drawn on as a negative if they don't choose to be healthy, at least not in relation to their life because we don't know what drives them.

In the last four answers, there is a constant reminder of not being able to see your children grow up, having to rely on others to do daily tasks and to get around, not being able to enjoy activities, or having to take medications. The last four answers give you a driving point a specific reason for working out and following proper nutrition.

The deeper you dig for an answer the more you find, the more you have to work toward, and the more reason you have to succeed. Generally speaking one thing always leads to another. Usually the first reason is more vague and the later reasons become more specific.

Learning, a lot!

I never consider that I know everything, I know that I don't. I might believe that I know at least a little more than most, but everything, no.

The thing that irritates me more than anything, even more than not lifting heavy weights, is the person who thinks they know more than I do. Everyone has their own little bubble of knowledge and we tend to excell in those things we are best at, but you can't be the best at everything.

I know that I'm not a stock market guru or an international language god, but I never pretend that I am. Sure I know a little bit about this, and a little bit about that, and a lot about a few things, I'm sure you do too, but they aren't the same things. I'll let you do what you do best, let me do what I do best.

Learning is a constant, and the second you step outside of it, and think you know it all, you've just lost it. Encourage knowledge, pass on what you know, but don't be a fool and avoid what others have to offer.

Expectations...

Have you ever looked back on your life to see if you can figure out why you are where you are? I don't know that most people give it a second thought, but for me it's a constant reminder. Of making things work, and working hard to make sure it gets done. Has it always been destined for me to end up where I am, or is it more like those children's stories where you can choose a different path, and the story has different endings depending on the path you chose? I don't have the answer exactly, but I'm leaning towards being able to choose your own path. Mostly because we all should encounter choices throughout our life, even the smallest ones can make the biggest difference.

The world is full of options and choices, from which we've all made bad decisions as well as ones that have fulfilled various stages of our lives with reason and desire. Each one leads us into the next chapter of our own lives, and adds to who we are, and why we do what we do.

If we choose the path that represents security, where the outcome is almost a guarantee, have we really attempted to make a change, to do something different, to step outside of our comfort zone? Not likely. It's almost as if you're letting your life be chosen for you. So why not chose your own path and ultimately your desired life?

We all have the ability to make the most of our lives, and really no one can or should stand in your way. If you've chosen the path less obvious, you've chosen to challenge yourself.

Why do what others expect of us, when we can expect ourselves to do amazing things?

Manual Labor

As soon as I resigned myself to the fact that I'd be taking the day off, my Dad starts chiseling away at the brick in their basement, where the old coal stove used to be. After a few bricks, he said it was taking too long, so he was off to rent some power tool that would make the job easier. I should have let it go at that, I would have been driving home before he even got back, but instead I headed downstairs and started chiseling away.

It certainly wasn't an easy task, but one that not only required physical stength endurance but also a little bit of thinking. I watched the breaks in the cement start to form, noticed pockets of air that made some of the demolition easier, and strategically chose break lines that removed several bricks at time. All in all it was about 400lbs of brick. Still have some fatigue in my right hand, but by the time we were done breaking the bricks, and hauling them out of the house, and up to the barn, I had worked for a little over an hour, and was glad to be able to help, and get in an unexpected workout.

Back To Pressing Heavy

When you focus on strength training you get strong. When you focus on conditioning you have endurance. It's hard to do both.

Soon after I was pressing the 28kg kettlebell, I switched my focus to conditioning type workouts. Not to say that I had become weak by any means, but I started having difficulty with pressing the 20-24kg kettlebell, boo! This was (and sometimes still is) a struggle for me. It seemed simple enough that I should be able to spread my focus in two directions.

Focus, however needs focus. It's similar to completing a task. If you get in your car to go to the grocery store and end up stopping off for a cup of coffee on the way, which is right next door to the car wash, which reminds you that you need an oil change, two hours later you have no time left to go to the grocery store.

Although I am still strong, it's been a struggle for me to be my strongest and still have what I consider to be decent conditioning. We're about ready to see if I can do it. The next 15 weeks of my training is already planned out. I'll be reporting back on it's progress often, I'm sure with successes and frustrations.

How many times do I have to say it?

I feel like a broken record. So many women are still afraid to lift heavy weights, and I'm not really sure why. We had a trainer come in today, she's awesome by the way, and Jason wanted her to use the 20kg for TGUs and Snatches. She totally had it in her, but she was nervous and unsure of herself. Once she successfully completed reps of each movement on each arm she said, "I tell my women clients all the time to use heavier weights and then here I am not doing it myself until someone tells me to."

It's as simple as getting through everyday life. If I had to wait for someone else to help me carry in the dog food or to open a jar lid that was screwed on too tight, both my dog and I would go hungry. (Not that I eat food that comes in a jar.) Who wants their life to stop because thay can't do something? Certainly not me.

Just the other day I bought a four draw filing cabinet (that wasn't put together already.) I let one of the sales people scoot the long rectangular box out to my car and load it. Thank you. I honestly didn't think it was that heavy, but then I got home and had to move the damn thing myself.

Once I got it out of the car, I had to travel about 30 feet, then up a flight of stairs, around two corners, and finally another 15 feet to my office. This thing was not only heavy but awkward, I must have stopped and cursed at it a few dozen times. Honestly, it'd still be sitting in the back of my car if I was 80% or more of the single female population.

Point being, if you can't make it through daily life what purpose is there? If you can't pick up your kid to give them a hug, hoist around a few bags of mulch to make the flower bed look nicer, or more simply than that just stand up for yourself, what's the point? What's the point of leading such a sheltered life where someone has to do something so simple as carrying in the dog food for you?

I don't want that. I never will. And neither should you. Stand up for yourself.

Train Like A Girl

I can't remember the last time I rolled with another girl, I've been a part of The Boys Club in jiu-jitsu for more than six months. It's just the way it is right now, I can only hope it makes me a better athlete.

Sure, I'd like to train with other girls, preferably my own size, but it isn't going to happen, we're few and far between. Which leads me to why I'm so persistant on training well and doing my best...I won't settle for anything less. To me getting beat is getting beat, plain and simple. It doesn't matter if it's a guy or a girl, what matters is I finish, that I prove I can do it, that when I walk away I know I gave it my all.

I still run in to the typical dude that thinks because he's a dude, he's automatically better than me. If I had my way, I'd tell you to 'F' off. I probably won't train with you more than once anyway, unless I feel I should remind you that I should be considered a peer and not the person who should be making you dinner.

The reality is, it's still a man's world, at least in the sports world. It challenges me everyday, and I'll never give up.

Working Hard

When it comes to working out, I work hard. I make sure I train 5 days a week. I make sure my training sessions have purpose. Sure some days I might only have 20 minutes, but it doesn't stop me. The thing I can't stand the most, is when people tell me their too busy to workout. Too busy? It really isn't an excuse, I'm sure those same people have time to watch TV at night or in the middle of the day. It's all a matter of your priorities.

Everytime someone asks me what I do, I stupidly reply that I own a gym. This apparently gives them free rights to ask me what the best exercise is for a flatter stomach, a firmer butt, or less jiggly arms. I politely respond and by the time I'm finished with my second sentence, they either sigh because I've told them something they don't want to hear, or they tell me they don't have the time.

What is it with not having the time? Wake up earlier, go on your lunch break, stop off at the gym on your way home from work, I don't care what it is, something is always better than nothing. And, NO, tomorrow is not the best time to start, today IS. Everyone seems to have time to go to happy hour, to go shopping, to take a long lunch, and again time to watch TV. So if you have the free time to do these things, find time, make time to workout. It's good for your health and it relays a good message to your kids.

You can't complain about wanting/needing to do this that and the other thing as it directly relates to your physical appearance if you won't make the time to workout.

Hand Care 101

So you're a girl (or a guy) and you lift weights. Thank goodness! You might have one hang-up, your hands. No big deal, I understand this 100%, but no you can't use gloves. I know you think it's better for your hands to do so, but in reality the use of gloves can get in the way, as well as alter the way the weight feels in your hands.

Here's some simple steps of taking care of your hands. Some I've learned from others, some I've picked up on my own, either way it seems to work really well if you keep up with it.

I use a really fine grade pummice stone about once a week, either about five minutes after getting out of a warm shower or after doing the dishes. Dry off your hands, and gently slide the pummice stone over the calluses.

In between using the pummice stone, maybe 2-3 times a week, I use a moderately coarse nail file on dry hands.

During the day, I use plenty of the infamous Corn Huskers Lotion, since it isn't greasy. At night I use a gernerous amount of cocoa butter on my hands right before I go to bed.

It's all pretty simple, and if you keep up with it, your calluses won't get too big, too hard, or rip in the middle of a set of kettlebell snatches.

Being enough

Winning is great, but sometimes just completing what you set out to do is enough.

Many of us have a competitive nature, if not with other people at least with ourselves. We get caught up in doing better than the person next to us, yet we lose focus on why we started the journey in the first place. Whether it's completing a triathlon, getting a one rep max that exceeds your goal, or even successfully completing something the first time you try it, there's always a reason why you started in the beginning. The people who succeed the most, are those who start a goal based on knowing themselves, and always remember it.

It's easy to lose sight of an original goal if something gets in your way, if someone challenges you to do more than you agreed, or if you get caught up in the moment and simply bite off more than you can chew. The reality is, all you can really expect from yourself is to be better than yourself. No one is like you, so you shouldn't compare yourself to those around you. We each have own talents and successes and they are ours because we worked for them and succeeded. If we gave up along the way, we have no one blame but ourselves, and if someone did better than us, then we should hand-out congratulations.

Keeping people near to us who impose great demands can be crucial to any training program, however they should remain reminders and not reasons. We are only as good as we make ourselves, and no one can take that away from us.

How Many Ways...?

There are many ways to do many different things. It's safe to say that any action can be executed in a multitude of different ways. So what exactly makes one way the best way, the most preferable way, or even the least effecient way? Does it come down to a matter of opinion? Maybe because it's always been done a certain way? Perhaps there is an actual science that proves it. Whatever it is, and all answers could be right for different actions, there are hundreds of ways.

I could go on for hours about the best way to dress, the best way to talk, the best way to travel, but instead it seems more appropriate to discuss the best way to train.

How can there be a 'best way to train' when I just said there are so many different ways to do practically everything? That's simple. The best way to train is to appropriately train for your goal. Now, the training program might not be that simple, but training for your particular goal will be the best way to train.

Let's assume, we want to achieve 20 pull ups in a certain period of time. You aren't going to spend your training sessions focusing on running. This doesn't mean you can't run, but if you don't practice your pull ups several times a week (and I'm talking 5 times a week) you won't be doing 20 pull ups.

Likewise if you are concerned about your conditioning and endurance for your particular sport, you'll spend several days a week working on your conditioning in addition to training for your sport. You won't benefit by doing 1 rep max lifts if your focus is on your conditioning.

Once you start the training program for your goal there will be various different ways to perform the vast majority of movements. What is the best way to do a kettlebell snatch, the best push up variation, the best pull up variation? This all depends on your specific goals.

'The Best Way' is relative to what you are training for. Which is why there are so many ways to execute actions.

The Broad Street Run

This photo shows no justice to the number of people that ran the Broad Street Run this year. The exact number I'm not quite sure, but it's over 22,000 people! That's half as many people I went to college with.

As we all know I lost a bet with a client, which gave me the priviledge of running the race today, I couldn't be happier for her, and now I have just one more notch on my own belt marked off.

These are the stats, and they are by no means impressive to anyone other than myself. When I found out I'd have to run this race I decided that finishing would be the goal, I had three weeks, and hadn't trained a bit. As the race got closer, being the person that I am, not only did I have to finish but I had to finish in under 2 hours! Have I mentioned that I've never run more than 3 miles continuously in my life?

Once we arrived, I anxiously awaited the start, and either wanted to just get it over and done with or walk off the course and sit in the grass. Thankfully, I was running with someone else who took pity on me when Susan completed her five pull-ups. Thanks Rich, you helped me keep my focus many times!

My goal was to hit 3-4 miles, walk a little bit, run another 2-3, walk a little bit, and finish the last 3. Each mile we came accross our time strangley got faster, who knew. Once I hit mile 3 I wanted to run to mile 4, and once I hit mile 4 I wanted to make it to mile 5 or City Hall. I hit City Hall but saw no mile marker, I thought mile 4 was the longest damn mile I ever ran in my entire life, then when I was about to give up hope, I saw mile 6 and I was under an hour. With halfway to go, I chose to stop and walk, my toes were numb, my left leg from my glutes all the way to my ankle was killing me. Of course the only injury I was worried about, my back, didn't even make a peep. Not to mention, at this point some people had already finished the race!

For the next 3 miles I alternated back and forth between walking and running. Rich picked a landmark that we had to run to and once I made I could either continue to run or start walking again. Good strategy. As we approached the last mile, I hear, "I want to run the last mile." In my head I was running the last half mile, but I sucked it up big time and trudged through the last mile, in through The Navy Yard and through the finish line, in under two hours.

The funny part is I'm more impressed with the 6 miles I ran without stopping than I am with the 10 miles I finished. I imagine I'll never do such a silly thing again, and when I wake up tomorrow morning, I know my legs will confirm that.

1:51:57

Today Is The Day!

The Broad Street Run starts in about an hour and a half, and I find it ironic that I'm calmly sitting at the computer eating my breakfast. Really though, what else am I going to do? No sense getting all stressed out over it.

I did get plenty of emails, texts, and verbal "Good Lucks!" yesterday and last night. I have lots of good thoughts and people to think about as I'm striding through some of the sites of the city. Thank you.

Details to follow.

The Countdown Begins

Should I list the days, hours, or minutes until the Broad Street Run? It's less than 3 days, about 61 hours, and roughly 3,660 minutes. An interesting breakdown. Regardless, for someone who's training is all about strength gains, and short yet effective workouts, this has been somewhat of a challenging experience for me. Trust me, I've thought about throwing in the towel on this one, but then I figure what for? I made a bet and now I have to live up to my end of the deal, run...10 miles.

Two weeks ago I was sick and the most exercise I got was during the demos of workouts. Now that I'm about 95% healthy I'm itching to get in one of those off the wall workouts, that in my eyes I'm famous for, but I'm stuck running and keeping the workouts low key, at least for 3 more days (or 61 hours or 3660 minutes). I admit I even attempted some negotiations of a 2 mile fireman's carry over this 10 mile run down Broad Street, Susan was even going to be the one who was being carried, she still chose the running!

I can't quite tell if the people I see every day have faith in me or pity for me. I'm used to the faith, at least when it comes to challenges of strength. But in the end they must be the same. Well not physically of course, Turkish Get Ups with a 36kg kettlebell is completely different than a 10 mile race, but mentally they have to share similarities. Mentally I have to know that I can stand up with that amount of weight overhead, just as mentally I know I have to be able to make it the 10 miles down Broad Street. The difference being, the Turkish Get Up takes at most 3 to 5 mintues, and the race, well I'm hoping the race is over in under two hours.

And what's it all for? It's a strange little world we live in. I made this bet to challenge a client who clearly had the capabilities of doing 5 pull ups, she has a lot more in her too, just as everyone else I work with, but it takes a different type of motivation for each person you work with, sometimes it's hard to find sometimes it's easy. I put myself on the line for this one. I hope she keeps them up, just as I'm sure she hopes that I keep running. I wonder if either one will continue?