31 FITNESS & LIFESTYLE

Fall Favorite

2011-09-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

Homemade Tomato Soup

As I think back to my very recent childhood, no meal was more comforting than tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Salivating like Pavlov’s dogs at the very thought of it, I decided to take on the task of creating my own homemade version of this favorite classic. Conveniently, I also had a nice crop of tomatoes from the garden that were at risk of going bad if I didn’t use them. Here’s what I did:

-Washed and peeled 3lbs of Tomatoes (I used the dull side of a knife to loosen the skin and then peeled it easily away)

-Diced them, discarding the top, and put flesh, juice, and seeds into a large bowl

-In a soup pot I heated 2 Tbls of EVOO and half of an onion on medium heat until it was translucent

-I added the tomatoes, juice and seeds to the pot and let it simmer for 20min. I also added a few leaves of basil, which I plucked fresh from the garden and let them simmer as well

-I then carefully used a blender to puree the mixture. Poured the puree though a sieve and placed it back over low heat *It is much safer to use an immersion blender for this step. In a normal blender, hot steam can cause the top cover to lift off and burn the chef - - please use caution.

-Next I added a cup of 2% milk, along with salt and pepper to taste

-I returned the soup to simmer (about 8 min) and then enjoyed with oyster crackers

Don’t expect this soup to taste like Campbell’s, with no sugar or preservatives added the tomato’s rich flavor is able to shine though. Enjoy this one!

Book Review

2011-08-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

Review of The Tipping Point, By Malcolm Gladwell

The external environment is a commodity we take for granted through our experience of everyday life. The people we know and the places we visit all play their unique role in influencing our behavior. Stopping to analyze our environment brings clarity to the impact everyday interactions can have on the choices we make and perceptions we hold. Malcolm Gladwell is a staff writer for the New Yorker and a New York Times best-selling author. His work specifically enriches topics in psychology and social psychology. In his book, The Tipping Point, Gladwell offers an exceptional view of the interaction between our mind and our external environment. He uses simple examples to explain why some ideas skyrocket to unimaginable heights and others fizzle like a bad 4th of July fireworks finale.

Gladwell introduces the reader to three factors that help ideas reach a point of rapid growth. They are (1) the law of a few, (2) the stickiness factor, and (3) the power of context. He makes it clear that there is not an absolute way for an epidemic to occur, suggesting that the book is not a how-to guide to influencing behavior change. First, he describes the law of a few. This principal states that very few people can be responsible for a large outcome. To demonstrate, Gladwell uses the mid-90s syphilis epidemic in the city of Baltimore. Research showed that residents from just two neighborhoods, who frequented the same local bars and drug corners each weekend, were responsible for a massive spread of the disease.

Next, Gladwell tells the reader about the “stickiness factor”. A message that is sticky does not just go in one ear and out the other. A message becomes sticky when recalled frequently and long after initial exposure to the message. Many slogans from marketing campaigns come to mind when thinking about stickiness. The example Gladwell (2002) provides is from Winston Cigarettes, and their motto, “Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should” (p. 25).

The final element introduced is called the power of context. One would expect that a person would make the same choice in any given situation, but research repeatedly demonstrates differently. Gladwell uses an example of people reporting an emergency. When people encounter an emergency alone, they are far more likely to report it than when they are with someone else, or in a group.

In his introductory chapter, Gladwell does a fantastic job setting up the reader for a journey exploring social epidemics. From the start, one of Gladwell’s strengths is using very diverse examples to make his points. Even without psychology background, a reader is captivated, and immediately begins to ponder the application of knowledge from the book to his or her own career. Gladwell continues by telling us the people delivering a message are as important, or sometimes more important, than the message itself. So called, “special people”, is what The Law of a Few is centralized around. Specifically, there are three types of unique individuals. They are known as connectors, mavens, and salesmen.

A connector is someone who is non-judging in nature. Connectors usually have weak social ties with many people. They are satisfied just knowing a little bit about you and not wanting, or needing, to know any more. Connectors are great at bringing people together because they are typically involved in many different activities and get satisfaction from introducing people to each other. Connectors are essential to beginning word of mouth epidemics. Gladwell uses the example of Paul Revere’s midnight ride as an example of how powerful word of mouth epidemics can be. He insists, because Revere was involved in many different social circles, he was precisely the right man for beginning a rally that would eventually lead to a revolutionary war and the independence of America.

The second type of unique personality is known as a maven. Mavens are people who find satisfaction in passing information along to others. Mavens are tuned-in to a specific market. Whether it is culture, travel, or consumer goods, mavens are connoisseurs and passionate about their interests. Mavens are great negotiators; they make compelling arguments that are difficult to resist. For example, when a food maven tells people about a particular new restaurant, they are far more likely to become patrons simply based on who made the recommendation.

The third type of unique person, Gladwell calls a salesmen, has a natural knack for persuasion. A salesman presents him or herself with charisma and confidence. Salesmen are capable of lighting up a room just by walking in. They have the ability to change the emotional state of others around them through subtle, non-verbal cues. To demonstrate the power of non-verbal cues, Gladwell provides evidence that suggests simple physical movements, such as a head nod, can influence an individuals’ perception. Messages are perceived as positive when accompanied by a vertical head nod, and negative if accompanied by a side-to-side head nod.

When describing these unique personalities, Gladwell presents very colorful, convincing information. He implies that these people are essential to quickly passing along information. The strength of his argument is the attention given to word-of-mouth epidemics. If an idea is going to catch on, people need to know about it. However, I found Gladwells’ notion that these people just “are who they are”, and the rest of us are perhaps “normal” to be a weakness. The theory of expertise suggests that with enough practice, and development, anyone can become an expert at a certain skill. The same should be true about becoming a connector, maven, or salesmen. Each of us is capable of fulfilling these three social roles, however, one of the three personalities might just come to us more naturally. Another factor I found to be a weakness was his statement, “The one thing that a maven is not is a persuader” (Gladwell, 2002, p. 69). It is true that persuasion is not the goal of the maven, like it might be for the salesmen. However, the maven is a persuader in a nonchalant way; the maven persuades others through voice inflection, passionate enthusiasm, and just plain being knowledgeable. It might be argued that a maven is more of a persuader than a salesman, because many people tend to take his, or her, advice.

For an epidemic to take off, the delivery of the message has to be just right. If a message is memorable, the perceived importance of that message is increased. In order to make this point clear, Gladwell uses examples from children’s television programs. Television programs are successful when they receive high ratings, in other words, when many people view the program. Gladwell discusses the success of Sesame Street and Blues Clues. Writers of these programs have identified a few important things that make children television show sticky. Writers know stories make sense for young children. Storytelling, either fiction or non-fiction, is the basis for all children’s television. Repetition is a key element of stickiness for children. Blues Clues plays the same episode five days in a row. Gladwell explains, this is because each time children watch a show they view it differently than the time before. It is as if they are watching it for the first time, and they derive the same satisfaction from the experience. In sports, we should follow this model and structure our training and practice time to include fundamental activities every day. Timing is also very important in television. If a segment is too long, children become distracted; too short, and the stories do not make sense. Sesame Street and Blues Clues have been successful because they have balanced each of these elements to create highly sticky programs.

A strong point Gladwell makes is the connection to motivation. Messages become sticky when they are committed to memory, and memory is enhanced when a person feels a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These three needs play essential roles in a theory of motivation called Self-Determination Theory. Gladwell also points out how individual perception is responsible for forming memories. The content is very similar to that found in another book called, Stumbling on Happiness, by Daniel Gilbert. Gladwell also does a fine job outlining the learning process his section on stickiness. However, an aspect I considered to be a weakness was that he focused so much on stickiness in children. Gladwell made very little mention of stickiness research in teen, or adult, populations, or even if the learning process is the same? Fortunately, when Gladwell later introduces a case study about the Airwalk Shoe Company, he revisits this topic and fills in some of the blanks.

You now know that both the person delivering the message and the message itself are important to influencing behavior. Another important element influencing behavior is the environment in which a message is presented. Gladwell calls this the power of context. He uses an example of toll skipping on the New York City subway. This petty crime was rarely policed which lead to vandalizing, which lead to drug trafficking, which eventually lead to an increased rate of violent crime. People stopped riding the subway, because they were afraid. If you let the little things go a strong message is sent, and people accept it as the norm. As you can see, this mentality has a snowball effect. In order to alter behavior in a positive way, it is important to create a situational environment that supports a favorable outcome.

Adding context to a situation includes more than just the interaction with our surroundings; it includes the interaction with others in our surroundings. Being able to influence other people is an important part of epidemics and a major means of creating change. Earlier I pointed out that people react differently when they are placed in different social situations. Peer pressure and social norms often take precedent over individual perception. Gladwell suggests that this is because a salesman is most likely included in the group. To further explain peer pressure, Gladwell discusses the effect of group size on individual behavior. He explains that when a group grows beyond 150 members there is a loss of personal pride and personal connection within the group. Gladwell sites specific examples from history that use the same logic including, military units and nomadic tribes of Austrailia and Greenland. The logic is based around peer pressure. In smaller groups peer pressure to perform well is very high, and this force becomes much more powerful than a boss telling someone what to do.

Gladwell nicely combines all of the elements that influence behavior. He pulls together how influences from individual perception, our surrounding environment, and others within that environment affect our behavior. Speaking about group size and culture is very reminiscent of theories in sport psychology such as, group dynamics and organization. The section also drew upon thoughts from a book by Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom called, The Starfish and The Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations. Their book also explains how social pressure in a flat business structure has a greater motivating influence than in a typical hierarchy structure. Another strength of this book is Gladwell’s discussion of how a persons’ character is a dynamic set of traits, which become more or less prominent depending on the environment they are in. We all own many masks and wear a different one depending on the situation, and which character we want to portray to the world around us.

To summarize, The Tipping Point acknowledges the details that make significant alterations to our behavior. Gladwell writes about social epidemics by combining research facts with easy to understand language, suitable for a non-academic audience. For a teacher, business manager, or coach The Tipping Point is more useful as a motivational tool, which points out the possibility of behavior change, than it is a literal how-to guide to influence change.

Making The Sacrifice

2011-05-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

Implementing a weightlifting program for high school athletes is important to maximizing potential. Many high schools are now equipped with the necessary strength and conditioning equipment, and coaches who can provide proper supervision. Weightlifting is the same as learning many other skills. Initially, an athlete should focus on the fundamental movements of each exercise. These include squatting, dead-lifting, lunging, jumping, landing, pressing, and pulling. Placing a priority on proper mechanics, range of motion and stability will put athletes in the best position to make strength gains. Below is a list of reminders when creating a proper weightlifting program for high school athletes.

• Begin each workout with a proper warm up routine. This includes aerobic activity, calisthenics, and static stretching exercises.

• Perform the most technical exercises first. For high school athletes, this should be the core exercise for the day (ex. – squat, dead lift, bench-press, Jumping).

• For core exercises, up to 30 total repetitions should be a maximum for any one day. Break the sets up however you would like (ex. - 3x10, 5x5, 5x3, 3x8, 2x12, or 2x15). When an athlete has 1 or 2 years of weightlifting experience, this number can be increased, in order to challenge the athlete.

• Work mostly with a weight range that is 50 – 75% of an athletes’ maximum capability. Remember the goal is proper mechanics, not displaying max strength or power.

• Add volume to a workout with body weight exercises (ex. – pushups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, step-ups. Be strict on technique and range of motion when performing all exercises.

• When working the core do not focus only on crunching. For sport performance, exercises such as planks, side planks, super heroes, leg lifts, and hip bridges are just as important. Be sure to include some core exercises in each workout.

• Focus on stretching after each workout. Stretching increases range of motion, promotes fluid movement, and encourages recovery.

• Encourage proper nutrition and sleeping habits. Eating breakfast and fruits and vegetables should become habit for athletes. Water should be an athletes’ main choice of beverage. Sleeping 7-8 hours each night is essential for performing at a high level.

• Properly plan enough off-days during the training week. 2 or 3 days of resistance training is enough for beginners. 1 or 2 additional days of light cardio, stretching, and abdominal exericse can be included.

No Gym, No Problem!

2011-03-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Exercises that can increase athletic performance without going to the gym

All of us, at one time or another, have had a hard time getting to the gym. However, this should not be an excuse to let our strength or fitness levels deteriorate. Increasing performance takes time and effort; in order to increase performance the bottom line is hard work. There is a whole world at your fingertips to explore and utilize as a gym. Below is a list of exercises for you to choose. To begin, choose 2 or 3 exercises from each group and complete 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps of each. Once you feel comfortable with the exercises, increase to 4 or 5 sets of each exercise. Don’t always choose the same exercises, it is fun to mix it up!

All of the exercises are performed with only your body weight so minimal equipment is needed. The exercises below are grouped according to which muscles they work. Choose exercises that challenge you. To increase your performance you need to step out of your comfort zone.

Group 1(Lower Body Strength) Group 2(Upper Body Strength)

Squats                                                             Push Ups

Sumo Squats(wide foot stance)                      Wide Grip Push Ups

Split Squats                                                     Close Grip Push Ups

Single Leg Squats                                               Scap Push Ups

Wall Sits                                               Internal/ External Rotation

Step Ups(Onto a chair or bench or stair) Pull Ups(Palms face away from you)

High Knee Balance                                      Chin Ups(Palms face towards you)

Walking Lunges                                                Wide Grip Pull Ups

Lateral Lunges                                                  Close Grip Pull Ups

Calf Raisers                                          Dips (From a chair or bench)

Hip Bridge Extension                                Front Shoulder Raise

Single Leg Hip Bridge extensions               Lateral Shoulder Raise

Laying Hip Abduction                                      Reverse Shoulder Fly

Laying Hip Adduction                                        Chest Fly

Group 3 (Abdominal Strength)                    Group 4 (Plyometrics)

Sit Ups                                                               Squat Jumps

Butterfly Crunch                                                 Tuck Jumps

Coffins                                                            Single Leg Jumps

Crossover Crunch                                         Side to Side Jumps

Bicycles                                                              Jump Rope

Bird Dogs                                                          Step Jumps

Super Heroes                                                        Burpees

Pike Ups                                                              Bounding

Alternating Pike Ups                                            Skipping

Planks                                                                  Reverse Skipping

Lateral Planks                                            Straight Leg Skipping

Elbow Taps                                                        Skip w/ High Knee

Change the Channel                                             Jumping Jacks

Lateral Plank + Twist            Box Jumps or Hurdle Jumps(If available)

Of the month club...

2011-02-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

Fun stuff to check out from January

Exercise of the Month: Anything with FAT GRIPZ

Song of the Month: Keith Urban: Put You In A Song

Youtube Video: I Just Had Sex! feat. AKON

Book of the Month: George W. Bush - Decision Points - Memoirs recapping the years 2000 - 2008 through the eyes of the President. A must read for any American!

Beer of the Month: Goose Island Mild Winter : With the spice of rye, this beer will surely cure your winter blues!

Gadget of the Month: My smart phone. If you think you don't need one, I totally understand. I never thought I would like one either. Now I would never go back to life without one, it's a serious organizing and communication tool.

Favorite T-Nation Post Ever

2010-12-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

Since it's the holiday's I'd like to once again give a gift that keeps on giving. From Chris Shugart, an author on T-Nation.com, comes the holiday classic, "Merry Christmas Bob." I hope it motivates you as much as is does me. If not, its sure to give you a few laughs. Enjoy

Merry Christmas Bob

Reminders for Personal Trainers During the Holidays

2010-12-20T09:20:00.001-08:00

Managing the Holidays – Reminders for Personal Trainers

As you pull up, the house is alive with shimmering lights and a murmur of festive music. The frosted windows hide a frenzy of activity within. With your gift in hand, a delightful platter of hard cheeses and savory meats, you make your way towards the door of the first holiday gathering of the season.

Inside, the warm atmosphere puts you at ease and you quickly gravitate towards a familiar crowd. In the midst of a social delirium it is easier to lose track of, or rationalize, that extra helping of food, second trip to the dessert table, or staying out later than usual. Also, most partygoers aren’t bashful about kicking back a few beverages, and why would they be? No one wants to be labeled as lame or uptight, especially during the holidays.

Chances are you'll be sporting an ugly sweater sometime over the holiday season!

As personal trainers it is important to guide our clients through the holiday season unscathed by temptations not aligned with their health and fitness goals. We need to educate our clients and give them methods for managing the hustle and bustle of the holidays. In fact, what they learn from us might be the most beneficial gift they receive. Physical activity has been important to the study of the mind-body connection. The difference between people who relapse into negative behavior, and those who don’t, might be as simple as holding onto a sense of normalcy. The purpose of this article is to articulate the positive effects of exercise on physical and mental health, and the importance of maintaining a routine through the holidays. Exercise should be considered an important part of a daily routine, especially during the holidays, in order to maintain control over one’s cognitive state.

Don't be bashful about enjoying yourself during the holidays, remember: Planning, and Moderation are key!

When a client seeks the help of a personal trainer they have already taken the first small steps towards change (Finch, 2010). Most importantly, they’ve acknowledged they have a problem and that they need help to correct it. Not unlike other addictions, failure to incorporate regular exercise can have devastating effects on one’s health. Luckily, by the time a client seeks the help of a personal trainer they have ventured into the action stage of behavioral change (Finch, 2010). Depending on the relationship with the client, important habits for maintenance of an exercise routine may already be in place. If your client/s have been with you a long time managing the holidays might be as easy as providing them with verbal reminders during the last few training sessions prior to big holiday events or extended periods of vacation. However, new clients may require more aggressive tactics to enforce healthy habits. This might include, but is not limited to, scheduling workouts throughout the holidays, providing them printed guidelines, or communicating by telephone, e-mail, or text while they are away from the gym. To help your client successfully, it is important to understand their behavioral background and break down barriers that may be limiting their exercise participation (Finch, 2010). Consider the following research into the mind-body connection and how it might apply to your client’s routine.

Lack of time is cited as the factor most likely to influence one’s behavior (Buckworth & Dishman, 2007). In a season where lack of time is all too common, being more productive would be very beneficial. Investigation into the effect of exercise on cognitive functioning has produced exciting results. Physical activity has shown to induce chemical changes in the brain, including concentrations of neurotransmitters such as Acetylcholine, which positively impact brain function (Landers & Arent, 2007). One would expect that increases in cognitive functioning would allow the focus on a single task to last longer, thus becoming more efficient. We’ve all experienced the increased pressure of the holiday season. During the time crunch between Thanksgiving and Christmas, exercise is often the first thing neglected by people looking to fit everything in. Developing appropriate time management skills may be needed in order to maintain a priority on exercise. As a trainer it is important to hold clients accountable for their sessions, even if that means charging them for not showing up. Another way a trainer can help the client is by providing them with time efficient workouts during the holidays. As we know, for exercise to be effective 20 – 30 minutes is all that is necessary (Finch, 2010). Therefore, lack of time should not be a viable excuse for not exercising. From the awkward, forced, interaction with distance relatives to tracking down the perfect gift for a special someone, feelings of stress and anxiety may also present themselves during the holiday season.

During times of heightened stress and anxiety, exercise can help stabilize physical as well as mental health (Landers & Arent, 2007). Chemical changes in the body also are highlighted in these studies. Many popular models have been investigated, but the ones that most correlate with the stress of the holidays are outlined here. It has been hypothesized that exercise induces a calming effect on animals and humans via increasing endogenous opioids in the blood. Endorphins have been identified as the main opioid increasing due physical activity, and levels of Endorphins have been shown to increase through sustained aerobic exercise or short, intense resistant training (Landers & Arent, 2007). This is important because modalities of exercise vary between individuals, and as stated earlier effective exercise does not need to last long. No matter what your client’s preference for exercise, they can get the positive benefits from increased Endorphin activity. However, considering the nature of the blood-brain barrier it is unlikely that and increase in blood plasma endorphins are the sole reason for a reduction in anxiety and stress (Landers & Arent, 2007). Improvements in mood have also been linked to exercise behavior that lasts for many weeks. For a clients’ success, this is another reason to keep them consistent during the holidays.

We all know that children have a hard time sleeping the night before Christmas. However, adults may have a hard time finding a restful night sleep throughout the holiday season. Another connection between exercise and physical and mental health is known as the Serotonin hypothesis. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that can have a positive effect on maintaining a positive mood. Serotonin levels are highest in those who experience a restful night sleep, which is when Serotonin is produced. Exercise has shown to have a positive effect getting a restful night sleep, and has also shown to increase cellular Serotonin levels during the day (Landers & Arent, 2007). With late night parties, hectic travel schedules, and general increase of excitement during the holidays sleep can be hard to come by; a boost in Serotonin levels could make the difference in your client’s mood. In order to effectively get enough sleep it might be beneficial for clients to adopt a pre-bedtime routine. Such routines typically include: putting closure on the current days’ events, preparation for the following day, investing some time in an activity which is relaxing. Most importantly, one should put aside all distractions and commit to being in bed, with the lights out, by a pre-determined time. If exercise can aid us in maximizing of our limited sleep time, that is just more ammunition to keep it part of the normal routine.

A final piece of the mind-body puzzle is the concept of self-esteem. Self-esteem has a large impact on mental health simply because it is how we perceive our self; self-esteem is the value we place on our own existence (Landers & Arent, 2007). The holidays can be extremely hard on the perception of self because of the social interaction between peers and family members. When we see a sibling, or peer, receive a gift, or praise, from a significant other, thought to be greater than what we receive, it is safe to say that impacts our perceived self-worth. When our self-esteem is damaged, it can negatively impact our intrinsic motivation (Buckworth & Dishman, 2007). During the holidays, clients may need further external motivation to encourage exercise adherence. Social support has been positively correlated with physical activity adherence. Social interaction is even a stronger factor for support if the person is considered a valuable friend (Buckworth & Dishman, 2007). Thus, the trainer-client relationship is very important to success. Exercise has been shown, in numerous studies, to increase scores on self-esteem surveys (Landers & Arent, 2007). Interestingly, Arent et al. (2000) found Adults who participate in weight training typically report experiencing the greatest boost in self-esteem. This is an important aspect for personal trainers because the best results, both physically and mentally, come from combining and changing training modalities.

In conclusion, we all have vices that trigger unhealthy behavior, and the tensions of the holiday season seem to be exacerbate them. Clients could be experiencing increased stress because they wait until the last minute to finish their shopping. Perhaps they are at increased risk of relapse because they have trouble putting down the fork, or over-indulge at the bar. Maybe in the past they have suffered from insecurities relating to their perception of self. All of these behaviors may arise due to the uniqueness of the holiday season, and can affect ones’ daily routine. As a trainer, it is important to identify the causes of negative behavior within our clients. Then provide them with a plan to navigate the holiday season with a sense of control and continue using external motivation to minimize their chance of relapse back into a negative behavior pattern. Remind your clients that the holidays don’t have to be a time where they let themselves go. In fact, clients should emerge from the holiday tussle with heightened spirits and an eagerness to continue their progress in the New Year.

References:

Buckworth, J., & Dishman, R.K., (2007). Exercise Adherence. In G. Tenebaum & R. Eklund (Eds.) Handbook of Sport Psychology (3rd. ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

Finch, L.M. (2010). Overview of exercise psychology. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://stcloudstate.ims.mnscu.edu/d2l/lms/content/home.d2l?ou=1205765

Landers, D.M., & Arent, S.M., (2007). Physical Activity and Mental Health. In G. Tenebaum & R. Eklund (Eds.) Handbook of Sport Psychology (3rd. ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

A November To Remember

2010-11-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

What a hectic month! Anyone else feel like it was just Halloween?? I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I love fall, with winter being my next favorite season. From harvesting the garden to the leaves changing to the first snow there always seems to be an abundance of events going on. Here are some highlights from fall 2010.

- School/Thesis
It was good to get back on campus and start preparing with my teams again. I must say one rewarding thing about being a coach is meeting a ton of people and building relationships. It just so happens that the weight room is a great place for self discovery and you can learn a lot more about a persons character when they are faced with challenging situations. I've also started piecing together my master's thesis. I am investigating the effects of social influence on achievement motivation. I'm excited to get the details hashed out and collect some data!

- Football Games
Perhaps the single most important reason I love fall is football. From the NFL to fantasy to college rivalries to the high school prep bowl I've watch a lot of games on TV. I saw a couple real nice football games in person this fall too. I got to a few Gustavus games (go Gusties!), an epic St. Johns/St. Thomas game, a St. Cloud State game, a MN Gopher game, and a MN Vikings game. The games don't always end the way you want them to, but enjoying time with friends and family and just taking in the scene at each event is worthwhile! I'd like to say congrats to Kyle Schroeder, D-tackle for St. Johns football team. Kyle was selected as the MIAC Defensive lineman of the year. Kyle is a member of the 31 fitness team!

Largest Crowd in D-III History - 16,000 at St. Johns/St. Thomas

- Oktoberfest
If football is the most important reason to love fall, Oktoberfest is a very, very close second. Every year I look forward to the fall selection of seasonal beers. I try my best to sample as many different kinds as possible, and every year I am "Wow'd" (that's when I saw WOW after every first sip) :)This fall was no exception, here are my top 5, in order. Each have their own unique balance of hops and malt and vary in color from deep rust to golden. If you haven't had a chance to try any of these get out there and search for them while they are still there! and if anyone has a tasty one I forgot let me know!

1. Capital Brewery, WI - Oktoberfest
2. Summit Brewery, MN - Oktoberfest
3. New Belgium Brewery, CO - Hoptober
4. Schells Brewery, MN - Oktoberfest
5. Widmer Brewery, OR - Okto

A selection from one night of Thesis writing

- Baking
This fall was a special one because my brother came home to visit during Veterans day break. We spent Saturday baking with my grandma. Not only did we learn some lifelong recipes, we got to hang out and spend time with my grandparents. Our menu included: chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, and pecan pie. Our grandpa also showed us how he makes his own beef jerky! I was even in charge of bringing the pies to thanksgiving dinner, and I'm happy to say they turned out very well! I'm glad that these recipes and memories will live on in the Theisen family.

Big B, manning up!

- Novembeard
A special time of the year when the manliest of men show their stuff and grow the fiercest beard they can in one months time. Unfortunately, in years past I haven't faired too well, but it all changed this year....Behold! Circle beard!

I really feel like this was my breakthrough year, and maybe now I finally have the look to be a real country western singer. Alright, maybe not quite, shut up I'm 24 and cursed with a thin beard!

Hope everyone out there is doing well. Enjoy the holidays and Live Your Life!

Own Yourself, Own Your Opponent and Become A Star Pt. 2

2010-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Owning your opponent

If you missed Pt. 1, Read it HERE!

Stars have a knack for making great plays/decisions in seemingly impossible situations. Highlight real performances often lead fans and critics to chalk success up to “natural talent” or “God-given ability”. Although there might be a case to be made that some of the best are genetically inclined, and have a leg up on the competition, but there are often underlying themes behind each of these performances.

First, is doing the little things right. My football team used to have a motto, “Control the things you can control.” Successful people understand this and they pay attention to the details that others overlook. They keep their mind in the moment, and do not look past any opponent or situation. They do not waste time with things that are going to keep them from reaching their goals. This often means making sacrifices. However, to a star, their love and respect for their dreams puts that sacrifice into perspective so that it is no longer a sacrifice, but a necessary step along the right path. Preparation also ties in here nicely. The most successful people are masters of preparation.

Second, successful people are respectful. Stars respect themselves, they respect others around them, and they respect their competition. Now I don’t mean you have to like everyone and be nice all the time. In fact, some of the most successful people are at times blatantly ruthless. They act this way because they have the courage to protect themselves and their dreams. Stars do whatever it takes to achieve success. If you want to be a leader you’re going to be expected to deal with tough situations, and you better have the stomach to stand up for your teammates, your company, or your family and friends when the circumstance arises.

Finally, in part 1, we talked about confidence. Stars portray confidence on the field; a true star can ease the tension of his/her teammates, and at the same time, stir up the nerves of players on the opposing team. This is achieved through a confident aura a star attains by doing all of the other steps mentioned. Confidence is earned through preparation, hard work, respect, patients, and most of all knowing yourself and defining your dreams. The neat thing I’ve found about confidence is that it is a chronic condition. Once you have it in one area of your life it seems you can surround yourself with it whenever you need to, even if you’re trying something for the first time!

To end this post, I had the opportunity to catch up with 2010 NFL draft pick Eric Decker. This up and coming WR certainly knows what it takes to play at an elite level. I asked him some questions pertaining to his star qualities, and here is what he had to say,

31 Fitness: I’ve heard you are a great student of the game. What drives you to go the extra mile, and put in the time to focus on the little elements that others might ignore?

ED: What drives me to go the extra mile comes from the values instilled in me as a child and the fear of being underprepared. My parents taught me from a young age that if I am going to do something, I might as well put forth my best effort so there is no room for 'what if'. The fear of being underprepared started to make more sense in college. Sports became more than just playing the game, it involved studying your opponent and executing the play calls throughout the week of practice. At a highly competitive level, if you did not feel comfortable going into a game, you already were beat. That's why I made sure I did everything possible to feel confident and completely prepared for each week's game.

31 Fitness: Who is your football mentor and how important is that person to getting to where you are now?

ED: I've had a few different mentors throughout the different steps in my football career. Coach Kurt Langer was my offensive coordinator in high school and played a major role in my development as a football player but more importantly a man. He demonstrated important values and 'professional' mannerisms in all circumstances. When I reached college, Matt Spaeth currently a tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers, became my mentor because of the work ethic and values he had. He became an All-American on the field, but off the field he was a humble, down-to-earth guy who was successful in the classroom and in his community. Over the past few months I have grown a great relationship with Brandon Stokley, who is a 12-year vet and current Seattle Seahawk. Making a transition from college to the NFL is a major step in life and Stokley was willing to help me with my own. He became a big brother to me, sharing advice on football and life, showing me how to be a pro, and spending time off the field.

31 Fitness: Off the field, you’re always keeping the mood light and having fun. Do you have any secret pregame rituals that put you in the right state of mind for game day? Is there any difference between your mentality on game day and any other day at practice?

ED: My pre-game rituals is staying loose and enjoying the moment! The work is put in during the week and that gives me the confidence every weekend to know I am prepared. I will admit, when I run onto the field before opening kickoff, the adrenaline hits me and I get more 'juice' and emotional. Throughout the week, I use practice to improve my craft and get better at the mistakes in the previous game or little things I need to constantly improve on. Where in games my mind is clear and I just react to the situation at hand. Though, I would say the biggest between games and practice is the level of physicality so preparing yourself mentally is something that separates games from practices.

31 Fitness: Thinking about the “Wood chop” celebration against Wisconsin this past year, you seem to play with a lot of fire and passion. How do you think your attitude and intensity on the field affect the d-backs who line up across from you?

ED: The game of football is a very emotional and passionate sport. To be successful in football and, really, anything, you need to have the right attitude and bring a level of intensity to constantly perform at a high level. Bringing both week in and week out plants a perspective in opponents minds that affect them two ways: they have to rise to the occasion or play fearful throughout. This goes along with the motto I learned in high school, "attitude and effort beats talent over a complete season." That's the mindset I try to bring every week to my game!

I’d like to say thanks to Eric Decker for taking the time to share his insight and experience with us. He truly represents what it means to be a star. His accomplishments on and off the field speak for themselves, and I’m always grateful for opportunities to spend time with people of his character. Thanks Eric and best of luck!

Tips For A Healthy Body

2010-10-08T06:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a list of 10 things I've incorporated into my daily routine that has helped me feel great, stay positive, and enjoy life! Let me know if you have others that help you?

31 Fitness Tips for Weight Management

1. Eat Breakfast: This is the most important meal of the day. It wakes up your system, promotes metabolism, and supplies you with energy to be productive. Try to incorporate a protein, complex carbohydrate, fruit or vegetable and healthy fat source. However, the old adage, “something is better than nothing,” applies here.
2. Eat Every Two – Four Hours: Smaller meals/snacks consumed throughout the day promote a more efficient use of calories and nutrients. Try to include a protein and healthy fat source with each meal or snack.
3. Drink Water: Water is vital for every process in the human body. Our body runs most effectively when we are well hydrated, get at least 64oz. of water daily.
4. Limit Calorie Consumption Through Beverages: Non-calorie beverages should be your main choice. Monitor portions of calorie containing beverages such as juice, milk, and soda.
5. Consume Quick-Carbs Early In The day Or After Exercise/Activity: This includes most snack foods, breads, cereal grains, desserts, and sugary drinks or juice. Our Body is in a good position to use this fast source of energy. It will aid in the recovery process by repairing any muscle or tissue damage.
6. Fruits and Vegetables: Try to get 10 servings combined throughout the day. Fruits and vegetables are natures’ pharmacy. The nutrients you will get from them are vital to living long, happy, lives. If you’re not a regular consumer of these foods, start out with a smaller goal and try to get 5 combined.
7. Make Meals Social: Meals were meant to be shared. Our bodies tell us to stop eating about 20 – 30 minutes after the first bite. Conversing during eating can help us curb overeating and greater enjoyment out of our meal.
8. If It Runs, Swims, Or Flies; Eat It: All of your main meals should be planned around this concept. If you’re an omnivore, make sure to include plenty of quality protein in your diet from various animal sources. If you’re a vegetarian, make sure you meet your protein quota through quality plant sources.
9. Exercise Regularly: It is important to get at least 5 hours of planned exercise per week. It doesn’t all have to be intense, but it is important to challenge yourself for at least half of the time.
10. Cheat 15% Of The Time: When was the last time you followed the rules of your diet 100% of the time? Don’t beat yourself up if you want to have a weekend out with friends or just need to grab something on the go. The main thing is to realize that it was a mistake, take responsibility, and get back on track.

Guac, Margs, and Football

2010-09-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

Sundays at my house consist of a few weekly rituals. Important things help that clear my mind, calm my nerves, and enjoy the upcoming week. First, grocery shopping. Going to the grocery store is my opportunity to dream up something new to cook, tackle a new culinary skill, and stop at one of my favorite stores, the meat market! Second, editing my fantasy football lineup. I obsess over this most of the week, sorry I just love it. It also gives me a reason to watch every single game on Sunday afternoon, score! Third, baking or cooking homemade snacks.

Football is even better when enjoyed with some cold drinks and goodies to munch on while your favorite team marches up and down the field. This past weekend I made some homemade guac. I recommend some fresh margaritas to go along with this Sunday favorite!

Guacamole:

2 Ripe avocados
1 small tomato
1/2 red onion
3 jalapeno peppers
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. Cumin
Crushed red pepper

Open avocados, discard the pit, and scoop into a bowl. Take a fork and mash it until it is the desired creaminess in texture. Dice the fresh tomato and onion add to avocado. Cut open jalapeno and remove the seeds, dice and add to the mixture. Add the garlic and Cumin. Finish with just a pinch of crushed red pepper. Adjust the spices if needed and serve with ice cold margs and fresh chips!

Fat Revisited

2010-09-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

I posted this article about a year ago to highlight the importance of fat in our diets. I think it is a good re-read every now and then. I've also updated it to elaborate on the Essential Omega Fatty Acids. Hope it makes you realize how important this misunderstood nutrient is for our health and performance!

The Skinny on Fat

Some people like it, some people hate it, and almost everyone has feared it. This week I’d like to rant a little about my views on fat in the diet, fat-free foods, and why I think you’ve been taught to think ass backwards about this important macronutrient.

The basics

I’m not a nutritionist, nutrition coach, nutrition major or anything in between; nor do I pretend to be. However, I do feel like I’ve done my homework and at least understand the basics of how fat works and the important role it plays in our body’s sustainability. So this is what I think I know, let’s start with the down and dirty:

Most commonly referred to as fat, oil, lipids, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, or polyunsaturated fat. These terms are all synonyms for what we think of as dietary fat. Only the chemical structure distinguishes what term is exactly used. Fat has many responsibilities within the body, it provides our main source of energy, while in a resting state, or during extended bouts of aerobic exercise. It aides in the utilization of certain vitamins, it adds integrity to our cell walls, maintains healthy skin and hair, it helps with hormone production, it offers cushion to our internal organs, helps regulate our body temperature and it can also be stored for later energy consumption. (to me this seems like some awfully important jobs to want this to be low in our diet?)

Common Healthy Fat Sources:

Extra-virgin olive oil
Almond Oil
Macadamian Nut Oil
Sesame Oil
Eggs
Nuts/seeds
Avocado
Flax Seed
Fish Oil
Cold water fish – Tuna, Salmon
Poultry

These are items that have become staples in my diet. I use most of them every day, and all of them weekly. They are seen as healthy fat because they are mainly made up of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated molecules. This simply implies that it is easier for our body to process and put to use. These foods are also great sources of essential fatty acids known as omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 molecules. These are chemicals that our bodies need to get from an outside source and studies have repeatedly shown they are key players in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular and circulatory system. There are many other sources of these healthy fats. I suggest checking out Jonny Bowden’s book, 150 Healthiest foods, for more information.

Omega 3 fatty acids: found in fish, olives, flax, many types of nuts and seeds
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
Docohexanoic acid (DHA)
Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA)

Omega 6 fatty acids: found in canola, poultry, eggs, whole grains, avocado, nuts and seeds

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
Linoleic acid

Omega 9 fatty acids: found in olive oil, cocoanut, nuts and seeds

Oleic acid

These are the most common ones you will hear talked about. Although there are smatterings of other ones, if you are consistently eating these foods they will be sufficient in your diet.

Common “Unhealthy” Fat Sources:

Red Meat
Pork, or Cured Meats
Eggs
Dairy products

Now before you freak out on me and punch the computer screen, hear me out. I DO NOT THINK THESE ARE UNHEALTHY FATS! I feel this is a common misconception, because these products contain a majority of their fat in the saturated form. We have been taught that high levels of saturated fat increases your risk for heart attacks, obesity and a number of other health concerns. In a recent book I’ve read, Good Calories, Bad Calories, Gary Taubes provides vivid research into why the US government has built a paradigm of healthful eating around misinterpreted data. I highly recommend anyone who is serious about nutrition to check this book out! Taubes magnificently explains why and how refined carbohydrates are responsible for recent epidemics such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. All of which are commonly associated with too much fat in the diet. Albeit, I think that we need to monitor our daily intake of saturated fat, to control caloric intake, I do not think it is the root of all evil, or do I think it’s responsible for that muffin top! In moderation, products included in the above list are part of a healthy and balanced daily/weekly diet for myself.
On an interesting note, Conjugated-linoleic acid (CLA) is actually a trans fat that is formed naturally in cattle. CLA has been linked to anti-cancer studies. It is also well known for its ability to reduce fat accumulation a, particularly around the midsection. CLA is found in meat and milk of cattle, and is more abundant in grass-fed beef than their grain-fed counterparts.

Truly Unhealthy Fat Sources

Trans Fat
Hydrogenated Oil
Partially-hydrogenated Oil

These products are an absolute no-no. Get rid of anything that includes any of these listed on the food label. These fats have been altered in a lab, previously unsaturated molecules are taken and pumped full of hydrogen ions (hence the term, hydrogenated) Our bodies are confused on how to break down the molecules and convert them to energy and often view them as toxins. We then stick deep within our fat stores and do not release them easily. Now, these fats are so widely used in our food supply that it is hard to find packaged products that don’t contain them. That is why I feel it is important to prepare meals from raw ingredients, and shop organic. But don’t be fooled just because it says, “natural, or organic, or other gimmicky health slogan” doesn’t mean it is free of this crap. Learn to read your label. In the end, it's probably damn near impossible to get rid of these 100%, but just limit them as much as you can, and you'll be on your way to better overall health.
“That’s how I grew up, and it’s what I’m used to.” This is what I hear all the time from friends and clients who are addicted to low-fat and/or fat-free products. Just to be clear most of the products I’m referring to fall into the dairy category. I’m going to give it to you straight; I don’t have a problem with using low-fat dairy products, provided you are supplementing healthy fats into other areas of your daily diet. I can see where caloric intake and saturated fat may need to be monitored, but I personally don’t feel that most people, especially those trying to lose weight, are consuming enough calories to keep their metabolisms ramped up! Remember all the important functions fat provides our bodies: energy, vitamin utilization, cell structure, healthy skin, nails and hair, hormone production, protection, and temperature regulation. I do, however, have a few big concerns with the fat-free variety of products. First, these products are typically highly refined and processed in order to remove the fat. Second, ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, trans fat, and uber amounts of preservatives are likely added to enhance the texture and palatability, and also extend the shelf life of the food. To stress a point I made earlier, learn to read your food label. If it claims “No Trans Fat,” but lists partially hydrogenated oil, it’s got trans fat folks. Now, not a significant amount, but day in and day out it can add up and your body has no idea what to do with it, except stick it deep inside other fat stores.

A thought on weight-loss

I have a case study that I found out to be quite interesting. Most people associate the South Beach Diet with the Low-Carb fad diets that hit the market in the late ‘90’s/early ‘00’s. I knew some people who had tried it and successfully dropped weight so I wanted to analyze it and also compare it to my current dietary break down.

After flipping through and reading a few recopies I noticed one thing in particular about the ingredients. Low-fat or fat-free dairy products kept showing up in most of the dishes. Naturally, I assumed it was also low fat, aside from low carb. So I decided to break down a few days of sample meal plans provided in the book. Here is what I found:

Total Calories: 1500-1900 per day

I would consider this a healthy restricted range, especially if daily exercise was included into the mix. The biggest plus, it is well above the typical 1200 caloric goal of people trying to shed pounds. I think having that low of caloric intake is very damaging to your metabolism and also could induce muscle loss, the opposite of what you want if your are trying to lose weight. More muscle = greater calories burned = greater overall fat loss.
(Not to mention a sexy, hard body)

Total Carbs: 25 – 30% of daily intake

I would consider this low-carb, but only when held against the government recommendation of 50 – 60%. For me, I typically fall somewhere between 28 – 35%, so I would say that it is carb restricted. The things most important with carbs is type and timing, but that’s a topic for another rant.

Total Protein: 35 – 40% of daily intake

I think this is right on where everyone should be. Protein is going to help keep you satisfied longer after you eat, but will also keep your metabolism raised since more energy is needed to breakdown and put protein to use. This amount of protein is also going to be sufficient to prevent muscular breakdown, but more importantly promote muscular growth for most people.

Total Fat: 35 – 40% of daily intake

Whoaaa, what!?? You’re crazy man, 40%? Yup, and people lose weight on this diet. Fat helps keep you feeling full longer and prevents us from over-eating, stimulated by spiking blood sugar levels (again caused by carbs and another topic for later). So even though it provides double the caloric density as carb or protein sources, it sustains us well throughout the day and during short periods of fasting, like while we sleep for 6 – 8 hours each night.

With all the low fat ingredients, I was surprised to find out that it was above even the recommended 30% daily intake. I reviewed the recipes again and noticed olive oil, one of our healthy (monounsaturated) fats, showed up everywhere. Now, personally if I had to choose, I would spring for low-fat versions of everything dairy if I needed to restrict calories based upon exercise amount and intensity in a given period, otherwise whole milk versions. The best advice I can give is eliminate fat-free products, the harmful processed ingredients added to them are going to do much more damage that a 2 -5 extra grams of fat. Choose low-fat if you are squimish about the subject, and if you are a tolerant and active individual you might be pleasantly surprised by the manageable amounts of fat actually found in whole dairy products. If they are being used in moderation, as they should be, no need to sweat anything expect the spare tire off your ass! :)

Green Bean Soup

2010-08-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

As summer wanes into fall, I really start to crave heartier soups and chili. This one is an old fashioned favorite, that has been churched up a little to keep it fresh and interesting.

Bean soup

Green Beans - fresh picked or farmer market beans are best. Clean and cut them, usually somewhere between a 1lb. to 2lbs will do. One bag of frozen would be my next choice.

Potatoes - I like unpeeled baby reds here, but peeled russets or Yukon golds give a more traditional feel. 1/2lb. to 1lb. Cut into small cubes.

Onion - 1/2 of a good sized yellow onion. Chopped.
Olive Oil - 2Tbls.
Butter - 1 stick
Cream - 1 small carton
Milk - 2% or whole works best
Bacon - 1/4 lb. Fried and chopped - This is an add it that gives the soup a little extra body and another flavor dimension!
Salt
Black Pepper
Lowry's Seasoned salt

In a large pot, boil potatoes and beans until potatoes are softened. In a separate pan sweat the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Pour off water from the boil, reserving one cup. Add onions to the pot and fill just to cover with fresh water. set the heat to medium and let boil. Once boiling, add butter, cream and milk until desired volume is reached. Season with Salt, Pepper, and Lowry's. Reduce head, cover and let simmer. At this time, begin cooking the bacon. once the bacon is done, drain excess grease and chop. Add to the soup along with the one cup of reserved liquid from first boil. Let simmer for 1/2 hour to thicken. Cool to desired temperature and enjoy!

This one is really filling, I find that it is also better after setting a day or two in the refrigerator. Making it a great meal to enjoy for days to come!

Midweek Madness

2010-08-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

31 Exercise of The Week - Hip Extensions

Strong, proper functioning glutes can go a long way to alleviating nagging pain in the knees and low back. Hip extensions, while having your knees bent have been shown to be one of the best glute building exercises. Proper hip position means better posture and could a key reason why you haven't achieved that flat tummy quite yet.

Technique: Lie flat on your back, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Make sure your low back is pressed firmly into the floor. squeeze your glutes and extend your hips up, pressing down through your heels. Think about getting your hips above your belly button and rib cage. When performed right, in the beginning you may feel nice stretch in your hip flexors. Start with double legs, then continue on to more advanced single legs, holds, and weighted hip extensions.

31 Jam of The Week: AC/DC - Back in Black

Loaded Burgers

2010-08-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

August is always a time that strikes me as the best time for grilling...I'm not sure why? Here in Minnesota we break out the grill on a nice day mid February if the mercury hits 28. None-the-less, grilling and August just seem to go together; its too hot to cook in the house, the sun is up until after 8pm and muggy air, cold beer, and hot grills just feel right.

When I make burgers I like to do em' up real fancy, sure the regular patty topped with cheese is nice, but why waste a great opportunity to sneak in some extra vegetables along with that juicy, mouth watering, gooey goodness. Here's how I like to do them up 'Loaded' style; of course any thing that you would like to incorporate is also encourage. The sky is the limit, let your imagination take over.

Loaded Burgers

1lb 85% lean ground beef ( I use 85% because it holds the ingredients together in the beginning and stays moist though cooking. If you grill a lot you've noticed that during the cooking process a lot of the fat drips out and your burgers shrink)

Half Red Onion
Bella Mushrooms
Cheddar Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Minced Garlic

Finely Chop the red onion and mushrooms. Cut the cheddar into cubes. Mince garlic if using fresh cloves. In a large bowl incorporate all ingredients except for the Mozz. Form 3 or 4 good size patties, remember they will shrink when the cook. After forming them, pop them in the fridge to firm up and start the grill. I think the key is to get the grill nice and hot prior to placing the burgers on. Cook about 8 min on each side, and then place the Mozzarella on time, if you can use a sauce pan lid to cover the burgers, otherwise just give the Mozz enough time to melt, it will take a little time, be patient.

Top with your favorite garnishes: lettuce, tomato, pickle, mustard, katsup, BBq, or hot sauce. Invite your friends so they know who cooks the baddest burger on the block!

Oh and don't forget, a refreshing IPA from Full Sail Brewing Co., EPA from Summit Brewing Co., Sam Adams Coastal Wheat, or a Schell's 150th anniversary brew all good choices with your grilling masterpieces.

Mid Week Madness

2010-08-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

‎31 Jam of The Week: Red - Overtake you

Track suggested by a fan of 31 Fitness! I had never heard of this band before, but very reminiscent of Breaking Benjamin or Chevelle. Thanks for the suggestion!

31 Exercise Of The Week - Front Squats

Front squats are a nice change up or alternate to back squats. It is another exercise that works just about every muscle in your body, disguised as a lower body exercise. The biggest muscles worked: Back, Quads, Glutes, Abdominals. Try em' with dumbbells, Kettle Bells, or a Barbell today...!

Technique:

Start with your feet shoulder width apart, maybe slightly wider, and turn your feet out just a bit. With the weight, rest it across your shoulders/chest so you do not have to support it with your arms. Tighten your abs, then reach your hips back and bend at the knees. Keep your shoulders tall and chest up (so you could read anything written on the front of your shirt) Keep your heels on the ground and sit down as low as you can. Drive the weight back up as fast and explosively as possible, while staying under control.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

2010-08-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

Try this fresh side salad while you're entertaining friends during a weekend Bbq or any week night when you're rushed for time.

Mid-week Madness

2010-08-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

31 Fitness Exercise of The Week - Overhead Press

This exercise is excellent for strengthening mainly our shoulders and triceps. However, the benefits of overhead lifting extend to some not so conscious areas. Our Abs and back for example play a supporting role keeping our posture correct during this lift. Balancing the weight works musc...les in our ankles, calves, hips, and forearms. This is especially true if using unstable weights such as dumb bells or kettle bells. The exercise can be performed with both arms at the same time, or alternating left and right, or just the right and then just the left, if you'd like.

Technique:

Start with our feet shoulder width apart. Lift the weight to your chest and press overhead. Control the weight back down to your chest and repeat. Some important things to think about is keeping our back ridged and upright. People have a tendency to let their back arch in order to get better leverage on the weight. However, we want to be pressing straight up overhead so choose a weight you can handle with perfect form.

31 Fitness Jam of the Week: Disturbed - Stricken

Of all the weight rooms I've been to, I don't think there has been one that hasn't had this blasting on the stereo at some time. I've also noted that if females are in charge of the music they love this one too. So ladies, enjoy!

This one made me laugh...

Own yourself, own your opponent, and become a star: A Two Part Series

2010-08-02T21:13:00.001-07:00

It no doubt takes a lot of skill to become a star athlete. These skills can be practiced and honed day-in and day-out over the course of a lifetime. However, even with the fastest fastball, the hardest slap shot, quickest feet, highest jump, or perfect shooters eye; a player may not be the star of a team or a defining player in the history of their sport.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins exemplifies star quality, and he's only 23.

So what does it take to become a star? Stars are unique in the way they approach not only the game but the way they approach everyday life; and it is this reason why we fantasize about becoming them when we are youngsters. We are mesmorized by the ones that seem to light up the room just by being present. We note their confident demeanor, yet humble mannerisms, and we feel good just entertaining the thought of, “maybe someday…” There are stars in every aspect of life, not just athletics. Yes, the most recognizable are often seen in the paper, on television or heard on the radio, but let’s not forget the great soldiers, philanthropists, teachers, doctors, journalist, police and fire fighters, inventors, or businessmen. Heck, I think even a person who has worked the 3rd shift at a factory for 30 years, been married for 28, raised 4 children, and is active in the community deserves the biggest star of them all. The moral is that you don’t have to be rich and famous to be a star. The best, the stars of life, possess courage, charisma, integrity, great forward thinking, a good sense of humor, strong morals, and an attitude that doesn’t accept failure. Not surprising, possessing this combination of character traits almost always leads to a fulfilling life, which is ultimately all anyone is hoping for.

Owning Yourself

I used to have a football coach who, at the end of practice, would give our team a word of the day. Well, it didn’t take very long to find out that the word of the day, every day, was attitude. At the time I thought, “ok guy, you’re just the ol’ ball coach trying to rally the troops,” but man do I wish I would’ve listened sooner. Being around coaching and fitness has made me realize that a players/clients attitude can determine how quickly they can rise to the top. Sports stars and successful people alike use a positive, go-getter attitude to attack every opportunity, and make the most out of each day. With hardened determination they don’t cut corners and they don’t expect anything to be given to them. The best understand the utility behind hard work, and do what it takes to be the best.

When faced with a challenge or decision all of us reflect, for some time, on the right way to deal. Some critical questions we ask ourselves might include: How does this choice affect who I want to be? How will this affect others view me? How will this help me reach my goals? How is path ‘A’ better than path ‘B’ or vice versa? Analyzing and dissecting these questions is a great start to defining yourself. Considering the “how” is necessary to successful preparation, and we can agree that preparing for something often induces a favorable outcome. Preparation also increases confidence when faced with unexpected difficulties along the way; more on that in a bit. Stars are naturally steadfast with answers to these questions, and can easily identify which path is a means to a gratifying end.

Stars go confidently about their daily business; they portray swagger and can put teammates at ease, while at the same time filling opponents with nerves. Confidence, along with attitude, illustrates that you are in charge of your actions and no matter what you are going to make each minute your own. Once you are in control of you, then you can manipulate problems and conquer obstacles that stand in your way.

Stars are also patient, and smart, enough to know a second opinion is often helpful to solidify decisions. Seeking outside advice is another way successful people choose the right path. They find others who have been in similar situations and learn from them. A mentor is often, but not necessarily, older than the person seeking advice; but has been someone of admiration for a long time. A star knows to seek advice from an outside person, but does not necessarily administer all of the advice to their own life. A star simply takes the new knowledge, edits, and uses it as a guide, thus maintaining the integrity of blazing their own path.

So have you made a plan for yourself? Do you know what qualities define you? Are you aware of your strengths and weaknesses? I encourage you to ponder these questions and outline your character. Once completed, you’ll be on your way to owning the problems in your life. Stay tuned for part 2!

Exercise of the week

2010-07-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

31 Exercise of the Week

The Dead Lift. This exercise is a great total body lift. Major muscles worked include your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes in the legs. Your entire back and abdominals. Your shoulders, forearms, and grip in your arms.

Technique: Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your grip outside of your knees. Bend your knees and sink your hips back. Keep your shoulders tall, and your chest "up" (if you have writing or logo on the front of your shirt you should be able to see it when in the bottom position.) As you stand up keep your back ridged and straight, extend your knees and hips at the same time. If you are using a barbell for this exercise, keep the bar as close as you can to your body, being careful not to scrape your shins or hit your knees with the bar.

31 Jam of the Week: Hidden in Plain View - 20 Below

With a fast tempo its perfect for 30 - 45second sprint intervals.

This is a jicama. It is a root vegetable from mexico. I tried it for the first time this week, and I have to say it is quite refreshing. It tastes somewhat like a radish, except not quite as bitter. Maybe like a cross between a radish and an apple. It is very high in fiber and is considered a high volume food, if you didn't catch my post on that click Here!

Exercise of the Week

2010-07-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

31 Exercise of the Week - Bent Over Row

This exercise is great for the upper back, shoulders, and biceps. Can be done with dumbbells, barbell, kettle bells or any other weight implement. The technique is the same.

Technique: Feet shoulder width apart. First move is to "reach" the hips back as far as possible, while keeping your knees relatively straight. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and set your sight about 6 feet out in front of you. Pull the weight into your stomach and drive the elbows back.

‎31 Jam of the Week - Offspring Smash

Title track of their 1994 album. This album produced 4 hit singles and has been certified 6x platinum, making it one of the best selling albums of all time.

Don't be a trendy asshole, forge your own path!

High Volume Foods

2010-07-19T18:11:00.000-07:00

Summer seems to bring a new opportunity weekly to rock that swimsuit and show off the body you worked all winter and spring to create. With lots of summer left, here is what you can do with your diet to help protect that waistline, or if you're a little behind, catch up to feel comfortable soaking up some rays.

High Volume Foods

What is a high volume food? It is food that takes up a lot of space in your stomach, making you feel full, without costing you many calories. Here are some of my favorite choices:

Melons - Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. These melons are superstar fruits which pack a tremendous amount of vitamins and minerals. Because they also have a high water content they can really stretch your stomach quickly giving you the sensation that you are full.

Squash - Acorn, Spaghetti, and zucchini are my favorite varieties. They are all delicious, and prepared differently so it gives the impression of a lot of variety to the menu.

Soups - Soups prepared with a water base are a great way to get good nutrition while again filling up fast. Load beef broth with tons of vegetables in a large pot and have meals for an entire week!

Fiber - Having fiber with each meal also fills you up fast, and keeps you feeling full longer.

Lean proteins such as fish, chicken, and turkey are also great choices during the summer months. All taste great on the grill and are quick and easy to prepare.

Here is my recipe for spaghetti squash with meat sauce:

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 can crushed tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
half yellow onion
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
3Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic
salt
black pepper
basil
oregono
crushed red pepper

Fry onions, garlic, and meat in a large skillet. Place everything else in a medium pot, except the squash, and bring to a boil. Spices should be added as much or as little as you'd like. Once boiling reduce heat and add mixture from skillet. Let simmer while you cook the squash.

Preheat the oven to 375. In a baking pan place a cut squash flesh side down. Fill with water, about 1/2" up the sides of the squash and cover with foil. Place in the oven and bake covered for 45 min. Uncover and continue to bake for 15 min. Once soft, remove and allow to cool. Scoop out the seeds, and then with a fork pull the rest of the squash out. it should come out in strands resembling spaghetti noodles, hence the name!

Top with sauce and fresh parmesan cheese!

Wednesdays

2010-07-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

In order to write more regularly, I'm going to devote Wednesdays to adding a weekly post. It will most likely have to do with my little entrepreneurship endeavor 31Fitness. It will include things like the 31Jam of the week (devoted to my liking for music), exercise of the week or core power move of the week, and soon an athlete of the week.

So here it is:

Jam of the week

Love The Way You Lie by Eminem, Featuring Rihanna. Heard this one and it just tugs at some feelings and just makes me want to rip someones arms off. perfect prior to weightlifting! :)

Exercise of the week

Wall Sits - Really easy exercise if you are looking to add some strength to your quads. Press your back flat against a wall and drive your heels into the floor. Squeeze this for 20 - 60 seconds. When you get good with both feet, try one foot at a time or add weight to your thighs. It is a good alternative if you cannot load your back for back or front squats. Being Isometric in nature it also increases the anaerobic activity in the muscle promoting muscle growth! step away from the wall and pair it with body weight squats or squat jumps!

Stay Young at Heart!

2010-07-12T04:48:00.000-07:00

I have been working nighttime security at a bar this summer (insert random meat head joke here)

I promise you I do not stand like this, or wear a bluetooth while working

but I've gotten to know some of the local high school kids, who are waiting and busing tables. A lot of them remind me of myself when I was their age, eager to graduate and leave home, be independent, and most importantly turn 18. so "no one could tell them what to do anymore." I think for the most part everyone goes through this phase when they are in their late teens, but sooner rather than later I think the thrill of being on our own wears and we all miss the comfort of having people close to us. So my advice to these youngsters, Don't be in such a hurry to grow up! Before you know it you'll have to work 9 - 5 monday through friday, plus pick up a weekend job just to make ends meet. You'll be thinking about 401k's, savings accounts, insurance, rent or mortgage payments, groceries, utilities, and probably marriage and children. I was at the gym the other day and someone had their daughter with them, who was running around and they said to me, "they sure grow up fast don't they?" I smiled and replied "I've been growing up for 24 years but I'm still a kid" I think for me having that attitude has been key to keeping level headed over the years and not only deal with problems more effectively, but also enjoy my days more. Thinking about how I'm different now, compared to when I was 16 - 18, I concluded that perhaps stress plays a big role in our ability to self motivate. Here are 5 things that I feel decrease stress:

1. Sleep - Everyone knows the feeling of groggy disgust experienced when we are forced to wake up before our bodies are ready. Getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night will do wonders for your state of mind, and not to mention your body. Sleep allows your muscles and nervous system to recover. Sound sleep allows your hormones to level out, which can affect everything from body composition to mood. Make sure you turn off all noise and lights when you sleep in order to take full advantage of the short term hibernation.

2. Enjoy something you usually take for granted - Everyday take time to enjoy something that brings a smile to your face. Even if its just 5 or 10 min of watching the sun rise, or set. Looking at pictures or spending time with pets. Maybe reading or drinking coffee is your thing? Whatever it is schedule a short period to escape reality everyday. For me its every morning when I write this blog and drink coffee, while enjoying a lovely sunrise over the lake.

3. Laugh - I love laughing, I go out of my way to find something funny everyday. For me it keeps things light. I look forward to reading the comics in the daily newspaper, receiving funny e-mails from friends, a clever text message or facebook post, and one time I even youtube'd "laughing" and just watched people laugh for about about an hour. Best of all, after all the chuckling I feel like I've really worked my abs!

4. Visit Friends - Every chance I get I go and visit my friends. Since starting grad school, I'm not very free to see my roommates and friends from undergrad, but when we get together its almost a seamless transition to where we left off. The jabs, jokes, and bickering is all there and its a nice reminder of how important having people you care about, and who care about you, really is. So make that road trip out east to visit a brother, or west to see a friend from high school. call your grandparents, or at the very least text or facebook your friends daily. Because even though we're split up, technology makes it easy to share your life.

5. Exercise - Now that you've got your abs from laughing so hard, its time to do a little extra for the rest of your body. The workouts I enjoy most are the ones, that when its over all I can think about is laying down, closing my eyes, and breathing. Just focusing on the euphoric sensation radiating from my head down. During a few studies this past year in school, I found that this feeling is brought on easily when lots of lactic acid is present in the blood. (I'm a science geek, sorry) To achieve this we must activate our fight or flight response, the sympathetic nervous response, which sends a flood dopamine and other hormones circulating throughout the body. Yes getting high off of exercise is real! The best method? Try doing short, fast intervals on the bike or treadmill; or circuit training with weights and short rest periods in between exercises. Oh yea, this method of training has also shown to attack body fat, and jump start metabolism! Just make sure you don't bit off more than you can chew the first time around!

The Renegade Row - A nice addition to any circuit!

Breakfast

2010-07-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

For the fit person, breakfast is usually a no brain, mindless activity that is all part of a daily routine. For the rest of us, breakfast can be a chore as daunting as climbing Mount Everest. However, eating a fresh, quick breakfast doesn't have to be a terrifying experience, and even cooking in the morning can become efficient with a little practice. Here are a few tips for making breakfast a successful, healthy experience.

1. Start with water. 12 - 16oz of water should be included into your morning routine. This has been a weight management technique used for many years. Water stretches your stomach and causes a sensation of feeling full, and allows one to avoid over eating. If you skip breakfast to cut calories, it often just ends up biting you later in the day. Many studies, have shown people who skip breakfast often snack more and eat bigger meals later in the day.

2. Grab a high in protein option to jump start your day. Greek Yogurt is one of my new favorites, with a whopping 17g of protein per serving, it is just the right thing to mix with fruit and rolled oats or pecans for a satisfying parfait. Another favorite of mine is smoked salmon on top of a bagel and cream cheese. Of course, eggs, bacon, and other lean meats, and protein shakes are also great options.

3. Eat Fruits and Vegetables. The morning is a great time to get carbs, since you know you'll be using the readily available energy throughout the day. Fresh squeezed juices are the best choice, or look for ones with no added sugar. I prefer vegetable juice, and whole fruit instead of fruit juice.

4. Make a plan. If you plan out what you're going to eat, the night before you will be more likely to stick to it. Plan not only your breakfast, but your whole day or weeks worth of meals. This will not only help you reach your dietary goals, but also save you time and money at the market.

5. Practice cooking breakfast foods. Once in a while for dinner, I'll make an egg bake or omlette. loaded with fresh vegetables and turkey or ham and cheese. This is a great low carb choice for the end of the day, and it gives me practice at quickly preparing these meals in the morning. In reality cooking eggs on the stove top takes less than 10 min. and if you're quick with a blade adding fresh chopped vegetables and meat doesn't add any additional time. A good egg bake will last for a few days and reheats into a quick delicious meal!

Hope these tips help you and provide some new ideas for the most important meal of the day.

The less than 10min Omlette - - no this is not from a restaurant.

The Ant, The Fly and The Importance of body Composition

2010-06-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Alright, during a previous workout I saw this ant carrying a fly, which was almost the same size as the ant. Grasping it in its mouth, I was in awe of the ants awesome strength and power. Its ability to move, rather quickly, carrying such a large object got me thinking about muscular strength and body control, not only in athletes, but also for improving quality of life.

In a literal sense the weight of your body isn't all that important. In fact, it only references how much force there is between you and the ground. You know this force well, its called gravity. Every particle of matter has gravity, we just are incapable of feeling it because of the relative strength of the earths' gravitational force. Realistically, you should be able to move the weight or your body with ease in a number of different directions and planes. Which means...body composition on the other hand, is very important in terms of the overall health and performance of your body. Simply put, body composition is the tissue make up of your body, and is usually categorized as lean mass (LM) and non-lean mass (NLM). LM incorporates just the muscle tissue in the body. Where NLM includes everything else: fat, water, organs, bone, and nervous tissue. A healthy body composition is a range from 8% - 25% NLM, with males being on the lower end of the spectrum. Having the muscle and coordination to control your own body weight is very important to increasing your quality of life. Here are a few things I feel everyone should incorporate in your lifestyle in a habitual manner.

Strength Training - Call it power lifting, Olympic lifting, circuit training, resistance training, P90X, Yoga, Pilates, Body building, Cross-fit, whatever...the purpose is to stimulate your bodies muscle cells to adapt in a way that allows for greater manipulation and control of the skeleton. Sure circuit training, P90X, and cross-fit improve the work capacity of muscle, body-building focuses more on the aesthetics of muscle, power and Olympic lifting improve the force output of muscle, yoga and Pilates improve the coordination between muscular and nervous systems. These are all specific adaptations imposed by the demands of each of these activities. Practice in each of these areas would ultimately give your muscles the best stimulation, but is probably not important to everyone's specific goals. Choose whats right for you, improving your weakest link first. If you've never strength trained before, be sure to start with simple non weighted exercises: squats, lunges, step ups, push ups, pull ups.

Following a consistent diet - consistent means 80 percent of the time. Include protein and vegetables with every meal. Eat whole grain carbs in proportion to your activity level. Have your fruits early in the day or following a workout. Drink enough water, at least 64oz a day. Get 25 - 50g of fiber. And incorporate plenty of mono and poly unsaturated fats, found in things such as olive oil, fish, nuts, and avocado.

Light to Moderate Cardio - just having an elevated heart rate (above 120 bpm) for 20 - 30 min each day can help to improve your body composition and your heart health.

For an athlete, being able to manipulate and control ones' body weight is critical to performance and reaching the elite levels of competition. Being able to put force into the ground and react to certain situations is the name of the game in almost any sport or activity. Muscular development and control is a must if you are serious about being a competitor.

Which do you want to be the Ant or the Fly?

Another Circuit

2010-06-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another kettle bell/ sandbag circuit. I'm a big fan of this full body style circuit for a few reasons. One, it works multiple muscle groups maximizing your workout in a short amount of time. Two, Training the large muscles in the legs and back is very important if you have a weight loss goal. These muscles are not only responsible for consuming large amounts of energy, but a stronger lower body/ core can keep you feeling balanced and functional, which ultimately will increase your quality of life!

In order the exercises are Kettlebell Clean and Press, Push Ups, Big Swings, Kettlebell Bentover Rows, and Sandbag front squats. If you don't have Kettlebells or a sandbag, these exercises can be easily completed with dumbbells or a combination of dumbbells and barbells. Just make sure to select an appropriate weight. You should be able to complete each rep explosively, and without much rest between exercises.

I completed each exercise for 4 sets of 10 reps with a weight approximately 35 - 45% of my max. Between sets I rested fully, until my heart rate returned to 120 beats per min.

Prior to this I also completed a 3mi run and set a new PR - 22:08!

Here is a demo of each exercise!

Oh Yea...Handstands Rock!! Practice them for the ultimate shoulder workout!

Down to Business - 31 Fitness

2010-06-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm currently working on a start up small business, as you can see with the updated site and content. Let me know what you think of the logo, and please visit the facebook site and become a "fan" or "like" 31 Fitness!! Hopefully with the updated site I'll be able to add more multimedia content.

Be Fit,

Blake

Sandbagging and Dinner

2010-06-02T17:03:00.000-07:00

Recipe:

Cornish Game Hen or Fryer Chicken - 1
Olive Oil - 2 Tbls
Salt - Generously
Peper - Generously
Garlic - 2 tsp
Onion - 1/2
Carrots - 3 whole
Lemon - 1/2
Chicken Stock - 1/2 cup

Wash and trim the bird. Place 1 Tbls oil in the bottom of the roasting tray or dutch oven. Slice Onion and Carrot and place in the bottom of the pot. Rub the bird with remaining table spoon of oil, and continue to add salt, pepper and garlic. Stuff the bird with the lemon and place in the pot on top of the vegetables. Add the chicken stock and place in the oven, covered, at 375 for one hour. Remove cover and cook an additional 10 min uncovered.

Classic Fish Fry

2010-05-26T15:29:00.001-07:00

I've had a lot of chances to fish and provide food for myself already this summer. Two of my favorite types of fish to catch are Crappies and Sunfish. They can be picky and challenging to hook, and quite feisty despite their small size. The bite has been steady the past few weeks in the evening and picking up during the morning hours this week.

A Perfect Slab! - Black Crappie

I made a tasty meal last night with my most recent bounty. I added sides of home-made coleslaw and grilled asparagus. Here's how I did the fish:

Ingredients:

Fish Fillets - 14
Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Lowreys Season Salt - 1/3 cup
Panko - 1 cup
Pecans - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2 organic brown
Olive Oil - pour steady for a 15s count
Lemon - 1 Medium

I use a cast iron skillet over medium heat for the fryer. Fill the pan with the oil and start it heating. Wash the fillets and drop them into a large freezer bag filled with the wheat flour and season salt. Give them a good shake and make sure they are fully coated with mix (may have to do two or three batches). Chop the pecans as small as possible and mix with the panko in a glass baking dish. Crack and scramble the eggs in a small bowl. Take the fish fillets and soak them in the egg, then dredge with panko and pecan mix. By now, the oil should be ready. The key is to have the oil hot, but not to the point where it is smoking. Fry the fillets in batches for 3:30 to 4:30 min each. Garnish with lemon juice and chow while their still warm!

The Classic Fish Fry

One Pot Meal

2010-05-20T14:46:00.001-07:00

Since I'm back to cooking for myself full time, I think I'll try to share a few recipes. The first one here is an old school favorite of mine, It's called boiled dinner. I gotta thank my Grandma Mary for introducing this one to me, nothing beats it after a hard days work or workout. Although I'm not sure I'd go with it for a first date meal, but I think it will score big points with the g/f or wife, and its definitely what I call a KISS meal (Keep It Simple Stupid)! Make a big batch of it, and put the leftovers in the fridge, its better a day or two later.

Ingredients:

Water - 3 Cups
Beef Stock - 1 Cup
Ham ( I used a pre sliced ham steak) - 1 lb.
Carrots - 3 whole, raw
Baby Red Potatoes - 6 whole, raw, unpeeled
Garlic - 1Tbls (or 3 cloves minced)
Yellow Onion - 1 medium
Cabbage - Half of a medium head
Salt & Pepper - To taste

Add water, beef stock, and Garlic to a large pot or Dutch Oven. Set it over a medium-high flame. Dice the ham medium and add to the pot. Half the carrots and chop them, divide the potatoes into eighths add them to the pot. Add salt and pepper (more pepper than salt). Bring to a boil, cover, and let cook for 40 - 50 min. During this time prepare the onion and cabbage. I like to slice the onion three times across the equator side and three times top to bottom (big ribbons of onion). For the cabbage, a good chop will do just fine, make sure the leaves are not too small, but not too large either. After about 45 min add, the onion and cabbage to the pot, stirring everything together. Cover and let cook an additional 20 - 25 min, or until the cabbage is tender. Remove from heat.

Serve it warm

Wine Pairing: Riesling or Gewurztraminer
After dinner drinks: Jagger or Pear Brandy (served freezing of course)

Dawn of A New Week

2010-05-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is the view I now wake up to every day. Admit it, you now feel more peaceful having seen it! (You hate me, I know) Its views like this that have made me stop a few times during the past week and enjoy where I was and what I was doing. During my morning runs I've seen 3 white tale deer, an Osprey, Mallards and Teals, Geese, 1,000 squirrels. While fishing off the dock there have been loons swimming as close as 5 feet away and also, diving underwater in search of fish. (The lake is very clear so you can see them swimming underwater...it's freaking sweet!!) Being so close to the wild life is one thing that makes living in Minnesota unique. Especially in the norther half of the state where most wild life encounters just provoke a look-see and then they continue going about their business.

We grow em' bigger than Wisconny

Osprey...a kick ass bird

Top: Green Winged Teal Mid: Mallard Bot: Canadian Geese...Not so much kick ass birds, but nice to look at

This guy runs around the yard...I call him Blacky

Coolest state bird

I was catching up on my readings in GQ and they had a nice article about bourbon. So being the good American that I am, I made a purchase at the local liquor mart. Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon.; its made using the same basic process in which Jack Daniel's is distilled, aged in Oak barrels and charcoal filtered, but unlike Jack Daniel's, each barrel is aged until the perfect peak flavor arrives then bottled from a single cask. Most bourbon wiskey's are blended to keep the flavor consistent between batches. I recommend trying Blanton's, It is by far the smoothest bourbon I've ever had, plus it has a cool horse on the bottle stop.

Stopped by the farmer's market and got some farm fresh eggs. They are definitely worth the extra dollar. I'm excited for the early crops to start showing up, nothing better than fresh garden produce. More flavor, more nutritious, community support, and lower prices.

Here is a look at a sled/weight circuit we did last summer, I'm doing a lot of this type of stuff right now. Hopefully, I can get some new video soon. My running is going well too! I picked up my heart rate monitor over the weekend so now it's easier to pace myself.

These are the funniest two videos I've seen on youtube in a while. You might not think they're that funny if you don't have a weird obsession with top 40 radio like I do. Now don't go drinking that Bieber Kool Aid!

I got a bad case of the Bieber Fever!

Ke$ha...and P Diddy is not your friend!

Summer Time

2010-05-10T05:39:00.001-07:00

Find unpaid internship ....check

Find minimum wage job ....Check

Finish finals ....Check

Move up to the family cabin ....Check

Jump back on the workout wagon ....Check

That's right, I'm back baby! started off this morning with a 3 mile trot and some kettle bells. I'm looking forward to the summer spent in Cross Lake, MN for a few reasons, but mostly it will give me the opportunity to be creative with my workouts, since I don't have any regular gym space available. I'm definitely going to employ the 3rd world workout tactics -- wood chopping, hauling rocks, yardwork/gardening, and of course body weight, kettle bell, and energy system work. I'll also have access to regular saunas and swimming, although its a little balmy and 45 right now so I'm thinking a dip can wait.

I'm making a few other changes too, while I'm staying at the lake.

First, I'm going to keep the TV off, unless it's raining or to watch a night time Twins game. For my own sanity, I need to keep a healthy diet of Bert Blyleven in my life. I've had the radio on this morning for the news and forecast. I would also like to get some pleasure reading in, I'm going to try and take down 10 books over the summer.

Second, I'm going to get back to blogging, as you can see, I need to practice my writing as next year I'll be working on my Thesis, so I can graduate in the spring.

Third, I'm going to focus on my diet once again. It will be tough when family and friends are up on the weekends, but after my experience with the velocity diet I know I am strong willed enough to make good choices. I underwater weighed before I left school and was at 12.5% body fat (26 lbs) I'm hoping to cut that down to about 8.5% (15 lbs) by the end of the summer.

Expect lots of blog topics, as I'll be busy with work, gardening, exercise, fishing, photography, hiking, reading, cooking, guitar, and other outdoorsy stuff. I'm also going to try and add more video content over the summer, hopefully filming some workouts as well as other experiences. Thanks again for following, hope you all have great summers! Be active and live your life!

Twins color broad caster, Bert Blyleven...he's the man!

The Energy Systems

2010-03-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

The following is a pretty geeky, yet, a simple summary of the energy systems in the human body. If you have any background in biology, chemistry, or physiology you'll probably be alright.

To sum up the summary: There are three main pathways which provide energy for the human body. The first, phosphocreatine provides rapid energy production when a quick burst is needed. For example, during a reflex, when having to dodge traffic, running to catch the bus, or performing 1 - 5 reps during weightlifting. Glycolysis is simply using glucose(sugar) to create energy. This process can be done with (aerobic) or without (anaerobic) the use of oxygen, and the difference is in the energy yield. Our bodies want to utilize oxygen as much as possible. This is a major reason for exercising to increase your aerobic capacity (how well your body uses oxygen). This takes time however, and if the intensity of exercise is too high, much more energy will be formed without oxygen. Finally, aerobic metabolism can be completed without the use of glucose. In this instance fat is broken down and used as fuel, or protein is converted into glucose and then used as fuel.

Bottom line: When you exercise, you are always utilizing all three energy systems and your body will always try to use oxygen to the fullest to meet its energy demand. The overload principle can be applied to cardiovascular exercise as well, and if you push yourself out of your comfort zone your body will adapt and improve.

Now for you science geeks

Phosphocreatine
When maximal force is exerted by the muscle tissue, the minimal amounts of ATP readily available in the muscle are broken down to ADP. As the ratio of ADP to ATP rises phosphocreatine is called to action. When this compound decomposes a huge amount of energy is released, ~10,300 calories per mole. Since this is much more than the amount of energy contained within the bond of ATP rapid synthesis of ATP from ADP occurs. The human body stores enough phosphocreatine to provide maximal muscle power for ~8 to 10 seconds.

Anaerobic Glycolysis
When the need for ATP is high, and phosphocreatine has been exhausted, there is a need to increase the rate of glycolytic activity. Hydrolysis of glucose during the initial steps; ends with the formation of pyruvate. The formation of pyruvate yields 2 ATP, a very small amount, which is why glycolytic activity can increase thousands of times above resting values. As ATP is split at faster rates, excess hydrogen is released into the cytoplasm. NAD⁺ is an important coenzyme in glycolysis; it keeps the intracellular Ph in balance. In order to recycle NAD⁺ quickly, a majority of the pyruvate combines with NADH forming lactate + NAD⁺. Lactate can accept additional H⁺ ions; in this role lactate aids the intercellular buffering system and protects the cell from acidosis. With this additional H⁺ molecule it is now referred to as lactic acid. If the concentration of lactic acid inside the cell is greater than that outside the cell, lactic acid will escape through the cell membrane via osmosis. This is perhaps where the association of lactic acid accumulation got its bad reputation because it is indeed responsible for transferring H⁺ out of the cell. However, it should be recognized that lactate is only the acceptor of the hydrogen ion; the source remains hydrolysis of ATP during the initial breakdown of glucose. After lactate is formed it can be utilized either as an intracellular buffer, as a source of ATP production, or transported to the liver and kidneys for regeneration of glucose. Since oxygen is not present in these reactions to create energy, it is referred to as anaerobic, or without oxygen.

Aerobic Glycolysis/metabolism
When the need for ATP is low, glycolytic pathways predominantly send their pyruvate molecules to the mitochondria to complete citric cycle. This is ideal because it yields the highest amount of ATP (36-40) per molecule of glucose. Reactions take place in the inner membrane of the mitochondria, and one ATP is produced. Hydrogen ions are also released and picked up by NAD⁺ and FAD forming NADH and FADH₂. Through a system of proteins gates, NADH and FADH₂ release the hydrogen into the outer compartment of the mitochondria forming an energy gradient. This is known as the electron transport chain. When the energy gradient reaches a threshold, hydrogen rushes back into the inner membrane through a special protein gate, which is high in an enzyme called ATPase. ATPase uses the energy from the hydrogen ions to combine ADP and phosphate ions; creating ATP. After diffusing back into the inner membrane hydrogen ions combine with oxygen to form water, hence the name aerobic, which means the presence of oxygen. Through this same cycle, the mitochondria can utilize a byproduct of fat breakdown called acetylCOA. The same number of ATP is produced when acetylCOA completes the citric acid cycle. Therefore, this pathway can spare glucose and produce an adequate energy supply under most conditions.

The secret is....There is no secret

2009-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

Tips, Hints, and Things to Think About When Dieting

Before we get started, let us define diet:

di-et n. [lit., manner of living, to lead ones life] 1: food and drink regularly consumed. 2: an allowance of food prescribed for a special reason.

I think this is important to know because as Americans we gravitate towards the second meaning of the word. However, that should really be more of an afterthought, used only in certain situations. The first meaning is the real key to looking great and also feeling good about your body. What is it that you do on a regular basis? If you are doing things right regularly (80% - 90% of the time) then it is absolutely 100% ok to indulge and enjoy the finer things in life. Here are a few things that I have adopted, which have helped me make changes in my life.

1. Plan your weekly meals. This is by far the best thing you can do for yourself if you are trying to make a change to your body. Whether for weight-loss or weight-gain (muscle strength) it is always going to be easier if you prepare before you start. This also happens to be very fun once you get rolling, and with the help of the stop light lists, I hope it is that much easier to get your creative juices flowing. So set aside 30 min and write down what you would like to eat for your meals for the next 5 – 7 days. This is also handy because by doing so you have just created your grocery list. Now get shopping!

2. Try to eat 4 to 6 times a day. Of course you have to still stay within your caloric range so adjust the amount of calories at each feeding to match your body size. This is what most of us struggle with due to our hectic lifestyles. However, a quick handful of mixed nuts and a piece of fruit can count as a meal. You could also mix two scoops of protein powder with water. It is that easy, and it literally takes all of 2 minuets to ingest. So stop making excuses (I don’t have time to eat right) and start doing it. The best results have been found when you space out your feedings 2-4 hours apart. The important thing is eating this way will help get your metabolism back on track!

3. Stop eating foods that are in packages. Packaged foods means they have been processed to some extent and often have added, or subtracted, things that made the original food worth eating.

4. Plan your meals with other people. Eating was meant to be a social event. You’ll be surprised how much more you enjoy your food if you’re with people you love. Start preparing them together and you’ll really be surprised.

5. If there are ingredients listed that you can’t pronounce or don’t recognize as food, don’t eat it. Pretty straight to the point, to take it a step further don’t eat anything your great grandparents wouldn’t have been able to eat. This includes margarines, vegetable oils, fat-free foods, packaged or boxed foods, etc.

6. Don’t be scared of eating fats. Sure you need to watch your portion size when eating fatty foods, since fat does contain twice the number of calories as protein and carbohydrates. However, understand that your body wants to use the fats to fuel your body during the majority of your day, and also while sleeping. Stick to the green light fats and you will be golden. Ladies, you might also end up with fabulous hair, skin, and nails as a result!

7. Exercise, plain and simple: be active. You don’t need to crush yourself into the pavement day after day, spend hours running or elliptical yourself to death. Remember I said your body burns fat during a resting state? If your goal is fat loss I suggest deliberately walking for 30 min a day combined with 2 or 3 days a week of weight lifting or interval training. Other than that stay active, get outside, go shopping, do yard work, or get a dog. Whatever it is, save gaming, reading, web and channel surfing for rainy days or nighttime. If weight loss is your goal; a good place to start is 5 hours per week of planned exercise.

8. Stop drinking your calories. Getting enough fluids are important to maintain a healthy weight, and staying energized throughout the day. Water is the best choice, add some citrus fruit to create a variety of different flavors. I've become pretty fond of tea and coffee, without sweeteners, and diet or calorie free drinks. One of my favorites is Poweraid Zero. I can't figure out what makes it so good, but I like it better than the sugar packed original! Fruit Juices are typically loaded with sugar. I guarantee your apple juice without all the sugar is not nearly as delicious, but would be great if you could buy it that way! One Juice I do drink everyday is V-8 tomato juice. If I were lucky enough to have my own juicer I would make my own vegetable juice, but whatever you do don’t get fooled by V-8 splash. You’ve been warned.

9. Eat fruits or veggies with every meal. Be aware, some people will tolerate the natural sugar in fruits better than others, so if weight loss is your goal stick to the fruits early in the day or after exercise. As a general rule try to get around 10 total servings combined every day.

10. Limit yourself to 5 alcoholic drinks per week. Alcohol is a part of life and rightfully deserves its place. If you are responsible, it is awesome to go out with friends and socialize over a tall one. Believe me, I know all about being irresponsible, so I won’t lecture you, but just know that alcohol is a toxin and your body wants to get rid of it. Alcohol stops the digestion of all other nutrients in your body, allowing other nutrients to be stored as fat when they go unused in the bloodstream. I don’t care how or when you drink them but once you hit 5 during the week, switch to some type of non-calorie beverage.

11. Remember that your goal should be to change your percent body fat, and not necessarily you’re weight. I guarantee if you loose 10 lbs of fat, but gain 5 lbs of muscle the net loss is only 5 lbs, but you will look and feel amazing. Oh yea, not to mention your curves and overall physique will be a lot tighter.

12. Be patient. This is not a race people. It is not realistic to lose 10lbs in 10 days. Like I said before, diet is the food and drink regularly consumed. Just make this your lifestyle and you will notice a difference in time. Consider this: If you’re a woman at 30% fat (clinically obese) and you’re losing 1% fat per month, by the end of a year you’ll be at 18% fat (athletic) You’ll have gone from clinically obese to athletic in just one year.

13. Measure your progress. Keep track of the amount of weight you are lifting and continually progress to heavier weights. Keep track of how far you walk in 30 min and try to walk farther every week. Try this, take a picture of yourself today and then again in 6 weeks. Because you see your own body on a daily basis you’ll tend to have a skewed perception. The camera won’t lie.

14. Rest. Another easy one, get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and allow enough time for your muscles to recover in between weight lifting sessions. Like I said, you don’t have to beat yourself into the ground day after day.

15. Stick to it! If your serious about getting results: feeling stronger, having clothes fit better, liking what you see in the mirror, seeing muscles you couldn’t see before, feeling more athletic and energetic, getting rid of head aches or dry skin, then you should have no problem with this. If you’re looking for the quick fix, this probably isn’t for you, and I bet if we take a closer look, the listed results probably aren’t very near the top of your reasons for wanting to go on a diet.

I’ll leave you with saying good luck, and I wish you the best in health.

Resources:
(Listed in no particular order or significance. All are great resources and have helped shape the way I live, and are worth looking into if you are serious about making a lifestyle change)

Precision Nutrition – Dr. John Barardi
Built For Show – Nate Green
150 Healthiest Foods on Earth – Jonny Bowden
In Defense of Food – Michael Pollan
Good Calries, Bad Calories – Gary Taubes
The new Rules of Lifting for Men – Lou Shueller
The New Rules of Lifting for Women
“Lift like a man, look like a goddess” - Dr. Cassandra Forsyth

Lazy writer...

2009-10-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I haven't been posting much about exercise, or much about anything at all as of late. However, I assure you that this grad student has been working hard in the classroom and in the weight room gaining knowledge and good experience that will hopefully be transformed into many well written blogs in the future!!

for now, just enjoy some ninja lessons, but don't go ninja'in nobody that don't need ninja'in!

Snuggies

2009-10-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

Greatest or Worst invention ever?? I'm on the fence, what do you think? Either way this video is out of control!

2009-09-23T11:36:00.001-07:00

Kind of makes you wonder how all of this will play out in the next 50 years?

Ultimate Shot for HORSE

2009-09-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

This is worth seeing!!!

How perfect does everything have to be for this to happen? Honestly?? Still awesome, real or not.

Gustavus Adolphus College MIAC FOOTBALL Preview

2009-09-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Ahhh,behold! Sunny Saturdays, hazy-eyed college kids, friend and family filled stadiums, traditions of old, and rivalries anew. For as long as I can remember the fall has meant one thing in my family...football! Although not every season has been a championship on (i actually don't think any of them have been) the memories made and the common bond that has brought us together is one that will continue to be cherished for many more years to come. And even though my friends and I are currently nothing more than washed up wannabees, we still have a passion for following the action each Autumn. I'd like to share some history of the program at my alma mater, and give you my predictions for the league this season.

A Tradition Few Can Match
Of the many fine schools to choose from in the MIAC, I had the honor to play at Gustavus Adolphus College, in little St. Peter, MN. Gustavus holds one of the most storied histories in the MIAC. A perennial powerhouse for a decade, from the late 40's to 50's Gustavus complied 8 conference championships in 10 years. The 'Gustie' squads were relentless and it has been said that when Gustavus would come to town the opposing fans would cry, "God-save-us, All-of-us," in hoping that their team be spared from an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Gustavus. True Story.
Gustavus does rank 2nd all time in conference titles with 22, only behind St. John's University(31). The Black and Gold also sport the Classic 'winged' helmets adopted from University of Michigan in the early 1920's.

Gustavus/St. Olaf Rivalry Sweden and Norway have been involved in many different bouts of war and peace over the years. Co-existing and then defying each other was common place as far back as the 8th century. Both schools continue the feud. Each filled with pride of their own roots, battle for bragging rights each season in the highly anticipated game.

The 2009 Gusties

This season the Gusties will enter MIAC play under the direction of first year head coach, Peter Haugen. Haugen spent the past 15 years as head coach of Minneapolis Washburn High School. He has also brought with him a new look for the Gusties on Offense. They will convert their run-and-gun spread offense of Tom Brown's to a more traditional two-back look. The expectations are to become more balanced as the Gusties have been known for airing it out in years past. QB Jordan Becker returns for his senior year, looking to build off of last season where he finished with 1895 yards passing, 15 touchdowns and 15 int's. Jordan will have his favorite targets around him as the Gusties return 4 or of 5 WR's from a year ago. The biggest question on offense will be at RB. Jr. Mike Wubbena is coming back from an ACL injury and has yet to play a career snap for the Gusties. The young Gustie backs will no doubt be competing for a share of the running load. On Defense, The Gusties are young up front, only returning starter Christain Vanek, and partial starter Scott Wilkie. Playing a 3-4 scheme I expect Vanek to play the middle, leaving the Gusties looking for some speed rushers who can hit the edge. In the back 8 there is a different story. Returning linebackers and defensive backs who all contributed significantly to the Gusties campaign last season hope to be the keystone for a solid defense this year. They are lead by Sr. captains Joe Welch(div. III pre-season all-american) and Tony Palma, I expect big things from both of these athletes.

Joe Welch (Div. III Preseason All-American)

To say I expect big things from the entire team is a little bit of an embellishment. I think the offense will struggle to find the end zone, and even though the defense returns a lot of contributors, they contributed to finishing in the bottom half of every defensive statistic last season. Needless to say, I'll still be following the action and cheering on my boys. Go Gusties!

Here are my picks...

From Top to Bottom

1. St. Thomas University
2. St. John's University
3. Bethel University
4. Concordia College
5. St. Olaf College
6. Hamline University
7. Gustavus Adolphus College
8. Augsburg College
9. Carlton College

Still Holdin' On To The Dream!

CP in Portland '09, GET SOME

2009-08-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

So I did get out of town one other week this summer. At the end of July I jetted back out west to Portland, for a 5 day romp in which included a scenic hike, a workout with some high school wrestlers, the Portland Micro Brewfest, whitewater rafting, and a few nights on the town with my best friends. It made for an interesting weekend indeed.

The weather was perfect, again, just as it had been out on the east coast in late June. Upon my arrival I trucked it all the way from Portland international out to Beaverton via public transportation. Lucky for me, my run in with the rail system in NYC prepared me for the ride. (That last sentence was soaked in sarcasm) The train in Portland was clean, uncrowded, relaxing, and fast; all of which were not included four hours eastward.

The first day, I conquered this hike overlooking the Columbia River Valley, or "The Gorge" as it is referred to out there. It was exactly the experience I was looking for. Moderately difficult with a spectacular view at the end.

Conquering our hike

Day two, I worked out with my buddy's high school wrestling team, well I hit the weightroom next door, I didn't want to get pinned by a high schooler. I'm not exactly a natural born grappler.

Day three, I trucked it back down to Portland to spend the weekend with my college roommates. Instantly the slang shtick, name calling, and putdowns began as if we had never spent any time apart. It was comforting being with all of them again, even being by far the easiest target for badgering. We spent the night whistling and cat calling any women that walked by and catching up on our hectic lives over several pints of our favorite beverages.

The Portland Brewfest

Day four, Brewfest came to town. After spending the morning recovering with a game of pickup basketball and a walk along the river. The grounds were packed full of beer connoisseurs, scandalously clad women, and lots of bearded drunk dudes. We all took a good taste of the many fine brews offered, before sauntering off to dinner.

Cheersing

Doin' Work

Leaving your drunk friends phone number for the waitress :)

On Saturday, we piled into the car for a whitewater rafting trip. Although hung over we were all looking forward to an exciting adventure. The White Salmon River is home to the largest waterfall that can be rafted commercially. The water temp was also running at a brisk 42 degrees, but with the wet suits and the air temp in the upper 80's it was a nice change to plunge under with each rapid.

Gettin' after it

12' Drop!

After rafting, I spent the night camping with friends in a national forest at the base of Mount Adams. There were some good glimpses of the great mountain on the drive, however once down inside the trees there wasn't much to look at. One neat thing did happen after dark; deer kept walking all around our camp site and we'd hear them and shine our flashlights; only to be met by curiously starring eyes glowing green against the brightness.

Camping at the base of Mt. Adams

The grill master

Summer Training

2009-08-12T18:13:00.001-07:00

Well my summer vacation hasn't been all fun and games. I've had a really good opportunity to work one on one with a college football player from the prestigious University of St. John's, which just happens to be practically in my backyard. I'm really happy with the progress Kyle has made this summer, we pushed each other hard and he never missed a workout!

I decided to try a program I loosely based on the conjugate method of training and split up the way Boyd Epley used to run his Nebraska program

Monday: Max Lower Body
Tuesday: Dynamic/Explosive Upper Body
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Dynamic/Explosive Lower Body
Friday: Max Upper Body

As the season approached we also added in football specific conditioning sessions, some defensive line drills, abdominal repetition work, a max week, and for good measure a circuit training/conditioning week.

Kyle had some really amazing gains, so I am pleased with how the summer went. Prior to starting here is how he tested.

Bench Press Max: 310
Back Squat (Thighs to parallel): 355

Now, I feel these numbers were a little skewed. Kyle had just got back from a semester studying in Europe. I'm not sure how much studying was actually taking place, but a lot of stories seemed to involve studying the culture of the UK night clubs. However, at the end of the summer Kyle is back to being lean and mean, getting ready to clean up in the MIAC!

His max's at the end were:

Bench Press: 350 (lifetime PB by 15 lbs)
Back Squat: 405 (Not bad for a guy coming back from ACL surgery)

I'll leave you with some video of our training. Enjoy!

Kyle - 350lb. Bench Press!

The Prowler

Sand Bagging

Patriotism

2009-08-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

So every year on the fourth of July, for the past few anyway, I have made a tradition of making a cake to bring up north to our cabin. This years was a real spectacular one! I am happy to say I made it completely from scratch, decorated it myself and everyone seemingly enjoyed it! I have to find a way to out-do myself every year because I don't want to let the family down. People have begun to look forward to my cake. Another thing I enjoy about the Fourth of July on the lake is the firework show. If you've never experienced a fireworks show out on a lake or river, in a boat full of friends, I suggest that you add it to the bucket list.

Patriotic Angelfood...YUM, YUM :)

I also took the time to notice the American Flags being flown around the cities I traveled to over the summer. I have some real nice shots from New York City, New Jersey and Portland. Next time you are out and about try to take in a little patriotism, or if you don't see any, create some of your own.

Wall Street

Cape May, NJ

Portland, OR

No Fourth of July would be complete without this little tune either, so sit back reminisce and be proud to be an American!

The Rodeo

2009-08-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

An experience like no other. The NASCAR of the great American west. You bet, I'm talking about the Rodeo. A place where steers, ponies, pistols, whips, sexy women in knee high boots, men with stone like features and lips full of chew, of course complete with cowboy hats and handkerchiefs, all come together for one rowdy night of wrestling in the mud. If I hadn't already told you, you might think I was retelling that one blacked out experience down in Mexico...rrrrrrrright

None the less, I did visit the rodeo this summer! Right now I can't even remember the name of the town, it was that small. It was a pleasant experience and I hope you too get to enjoy it some day! If not, you can always try the Mexican version; where I'm sure you'll get a lot more bang for your buck...you know what I mean ;p

Roper and his brother Pistol Petey

New York/New Jersey and Guido Beach

2009-08-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

In late June I took a time out from my super busy summer to travel out to the east coast and visit my brother, his girlfriend, and tour NYC and New Jersey.

Hoboken, NJ: This is where my bro currently lives. I liked this city better than the big one across the river. If you've never been, Hoboken is highly populated but provides the feel of a really large neighborhood. I think its easy to think of it as a district of New York City. Being only 1 sq. mile allows easy walking distance to anywhere within the city. There is plenty to explore, and the population is very very young, median age is probably around 28, just a guess. Some of the best things were the coffee shops, the old school Italian deli's, Carlo's bakery, and being able to look across the river and see the New York skyline lit up at night.

Me and My Bro

South New Jersey: My Dad, Mom and I ventured down the coast all the way to the vacationing beach community of Cape May, NJ. This town is very well known for its Victorian style housing and many miles of clean sandy beaches. No Guido sightings as I made sure to keep a close watch from my really tall beach chair. There are many bed and breakfast offerings here and we were lucky enough to stay at one. The meals were beyond amazing, home cooked apple waffles, an egg bake, juicy bacon, fresh fruit and of course hot coffee.

Guido Patrol: High Alert

B&B in Cape May

Atlantic City, NJ: Ahhhhh Finally, the land of real Guido Beach! We spent a day with some family friends who live near Atlantic City, NJ. The beach had all the tell tale signs of a real GB hangout, and I was sure that a pack of half naked, screaming, drunk, New Jersey beauties was going to appear. Unfortunately, it was not to be seen. I did hear stories of the mythic Guido population and they lived up to the hype, filled with all the gold chains, body piercings, gel abused hair, and steroids freaks you could stomach. Oh yea, I broke even at the casino.

Now you know what I mean

New York City, NY: About day 5 we decided to venture into the big apple. The core of the universe, as many people like think. Here among the hysteria of mass transit, crazy street vendors, homeless people wearing designer jeans, and Japanese tourists we were able to see some of the great landmarks of America and it's dream for capitalism. The Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, The NYSE, the future sight of the new World Trade Center, and Yankee Stadium.

Statue of Liberty

That's me grabbing the bull by the balls...litteraly

The New York Stock Exchange

Ground Zero

New Yankee Stadium

Long Island, NY: Our Final mini-trip was out to the north fork of Long Island. We enjoyed fresh sea food, visited a few to many wineries, and stayed a a place called Shelter Island. It was home of the most expensive mixed drink in America. $12 for a rail vodka and soda. $16 for a Long Island ice tea. However, it was to get away from the hussle and bussle of the city while spending time with my brother.

Lost in the vinyard

On Tap

2009-07-31T11:19:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, sorry for being a ghost lately. I'm hoping to have some more time to focus on writing now that I am more settled in back home. There is a lot to catch up on, but for now here are some ideas for future blogs I will be posting. (mostly just a recap of the last two months)

1. summer training program/kyle schroeder/SJU Football
2. East Coast Trippin' New York/New Jersey
3. 4th of July
4. The Rodeo
5. The Zoo
6. The Remodel
7. The Garden
8. CP in Portland '09
9. Book reviews
10. MIAC Football Preview

Let me know if there are any specific exercise/nutrition/or health topics you are interested in. I'd like to stick with that theme on here!

Best in Strength

Weekly Thoughts

2009-05-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

Its a busy week around here, but I wanted to share an article I came across. I think you'll find it inspiring and probably out of the ordinary. Great football players just aren't lumped into categories alongside neurosurgeons.

Myron Rolle

I think this just goes to show that if you find yourself in the majority, you should re-evaluate what you are doing, and in most cases do the opposite. I've found that doing the opposite of what most everyone else does yields the best results.

Also, take time to plan your day. If you think you're too busy; most likely you're wasting time and don't even know it. When you have a plan, your more likely to stay on task. Thus, completing chores on-time and freeing you up to do the things in life you enjoy most.

Hilarious Videos

2009-05-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I can't resist posting after watching a few video's. And my typical Thrusday at work consists of me finding the end of the internet. Hope these put a smile on your face!

Thanks to ericcressey.com for providing some of the entertainment!

Moving!

2009-05-20T06:58:00.001-07:00

Well it's my last week of work, then I'll officially be a grad student. :) I'll be moving back in with my parents and then beginning the process of settling into my new surroundings for the next two years. I probably won't be able to get any posts up for a while. I've taken a break from lifting and have just been doing some rowing and interval runs this week. When I get back to the blog I plan on outlining my summer training program, I'm going to be doing two-a-days for three months. Precision Nutrition is waiting for me back home to get started with, and I'm hoping to get together twice a week with a group of high school and college athletes tocondition, I got a prowler! I'm also hoping to post some more video and pictures soon. For now, keep on keepin' on and I'll check back soon!

Weekly Thoughts

2009-05-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

My Heroine - Silverstein

This is an older song, but I just heard it for the first time last week and have probably listened to it 150 times since then...OC?...maybe, but it just gets me jacked up and excited. It also reminds me of how I feel when I'm lifting heavy shit. The feeling of exerting so much stress on yourself that you almost black out. Then lie back, relax, and let the endorphins send you into a state of euphoria.

Better Than Drugs?

For me lifting/exercise is an escape, its a chance to relax. It's an outlet to stress relief. A way to measure my current self up against my past self, a way to progress, a way to feel good, a way to accomplish goals, a way to positively impact my life. This is one of my favorite quotes,

“The iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you’re a god or a total bastard. The iron will always kick you the real deal. The iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But, two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds.” - Henry Rollins

The best part about lifting is the weight is always a constant. Faced with a bar full of 45's it all comes down to you can or you can't. If you fail you can't hide from that, there is no excuse, you have to except the fact that you're not good enough. You have to work harder until you succeed. If I find in a situation confronted by the latter, you bet I'm going to work my ass off in order to change the odds in my favor. So, is it the same for you? I’m sure there are other things that affect people the same way. What’s your heroine?

Weekly Thoughts

2009-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

The Skinny on Fat Pt. 2

So in the last installment of this article I explored my knowledge base of what makes up the fats in our diets and how that fat is utilized by the body. I’d like to continue on that subject now, with a case study and my view on low-fat or fat-free products.

“That’s how I grew up, and it’s what I’m used to.” This is what I hear all the time from friends and clients who are addicted to low-fat and/or fat-free products. Just to be clear most of the products I’m referring to fall into the dairy category. I’m going to give it to you straight; I don’t have a problem with using low-fat diary products, provided you are supplementing healthy fats into other areas of your daily diet. I can see where caloric intake and saturated fat may need to be monitored, but I personally don’t feel that most people, especially those trying to lose weight, are consuming enough calories to keep their metabolisms ramped up! Remember all the important functions fat provides our bodies: energy, vitamin utilization, cell structure, healthy skin, nails and hair, hormone production, protection, and temperature regulation. I do, however, have a few big concerns with the fat-free variety of products. First, these products are typically highly refined and processed in order to remove the fat. Second, ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, trans fat, and uber amounts of preservatives are likely added to enhance the texture and palatability, and also extend the shelf life of the food. To stress a point I made earlier, learn to read your food label. If it claims “No Trans Fat,” but lists partially hydrogenated oil, it’s got trans fat folks. Now, not a significant amount, but day in and day out it can add up and your body has no idea what to do with it, except stick it deep inside other fat stores.

A thought on weight-loss

I have a case study that I found out to be quite interesting. Most people associate the South Beach Diet with the Low-Carb fad diets that hit the market in the late ‘90’s/early ‘00’s. I knew some people who had tried it and successfully dropped weight so I wanted to analyze it and also compare it to my current dietary break down.

After flipping through and reading a few recopies I noticed one thing in particular about the ingredients. Low-fat or fat-free dairy products kept showing up in most of the dishes. Naturally, I assumed it was also low fat, aside from low carb. So I decided to break down a few days of sample meal plans provided in the book. Here is what I found:

Total Calories: 1500-1900 per day

I would consider this a healthy restricted range, especially if daily exercise was included into the mix. The biggest plus, it is well above the typical 1200 caloric goal of people trying to shed pounds. I think having that low of caloric intake is very damaging to your metabolism and also could induce muscle loss, the opposite of what you want if your are trying to lose weight. More muscle = greater calories burned = greater overall fat loss.
(Not to mention a sexy, hard body)

Total Carbs: 25 – 30% of daily intake

I would consider this low-carb, but only when held against the government recommendation of 50 – 60%. For me, I typically fall somewhere between 28 – 35%, so I would say that it is carb restricted. The things most important with carbs is type and timing, but that’s a topic for another rant.

Total Protein: 35 – 40% of daily intake

I think this is right on where everyone should be. Protein is going to help keep you satisfied longer after you eat, but will also keep your metabolism raised since more energy is needed to breakdown and put protein to use. This amount of protein is also going to be sufficient to prevent muscular breakdown, but more importantly promote muscular growth for most people.

Total Fat: 35 – 40% of daily intake

Whoaaa, what!?? You’re crazy man, 40%? Yup, and people lose weight on this diet. Fat helps keep you feeling full longer and prevents us from over-eating, stimulated by spiking blood sugar levels (again caused by carbs and another topic for later). So even though it provides double the caloric density as carb or protein sources, it sustains us well throughout the day and during short periods of fasting, like while we sleep for 6 – 8 hours each night.

With all the low fat ingredients, I was surprised to find out that it was above even the recommended 30% daily intake. I reviewed the recipes again and noticed olive oil, one of our healthy (monounsaturated) fats, showed up everywhere. Now, personally if I had to choose, I would spring for low-fat versions of everything dairy if I needed to restrict calories based upon exercise amount and intensity in a given period, otherwise whole milk versions. The best advice I can give is eliminate fat-free products, the harmful processed ingredients added to them are going to do much more damage that a 2 -5 extra grams of fat. Choose low-fat if you are squimish about the subject, and if you are a tolerant and active individual you might be pleasantly surprised by the manageable amounts of fat actually found in whole dairy products. If they are being used in moderation, as they should be, no need to sweat anything expect the spare tire off your ass! :)

Favre Vikes?

2009-05-06T11:40:00.001-07:00

Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year?

Brett Favre is reportedly meeting with Vikings head coach Brad Childress this afternoon or tomorrow in his home state of Mississippi. Making a second comeback could provide the opportunity for Favre to finally complete his career the way he would like, by hoisting the most holy of holies.

The past few seasons have seen the Vikings acquire the pieces they need to be a perennial playoff contender in the NFC. Their Offensive line, although now missing pro bowler Matt Birk, has a solid core of veterans and one mammoth rookie. Adrian Peterson, no doubt the leagues most premier running back returns as a seasoned veteran, supplemented by the second best back in the NFC north, Chester Taylor. These two may just be the best one-two punch in the league. With a wide receiver core that doesn't include a lot of flashy names, guys like Bernard Berrian, Bobby Wade, Aundrae Allison, and Sidney Rice seem to be able to make a few plays when called upon. Baring another Troy Williamson incident, Percy Harvin should be able to add a new dimension to the offensive scheme. Also, lets not forget Jimmy Kleinsasser at TE, he’s a franchise player. Leaving the only real gap at the QB position. Personally, I don't feel like Tavaris has what it takes to make it as a starter. He's been given a fair shake on a few separate occasions. JD Booty is still a year or two away, making Sage Rosenfel their guy right now. If Favre does decide to play this season with Minnesota he will have to be the guy from the start. I liked Favre when he was a Packer. As a fan watching him play is always exciting because he's out there playing because he loves the game, and I think 85% of the time he's just being an athlete and ad-libbing plays. I think he could be the missing piece of the puzzle that has kept MN from advancing in the playoffs. He has familiarity with all the teams and stadiums in the conference and division, he’s holding a grudge against his former team (Green Bay), and being the gamer that he is, he just thrives on the rush of hearing his name announced and running out of the tunnel.

Biceps Tear

According to ESPN.com, Brett's main reason for retiering 3 months ago was a partially torn biceps tendon. This type of injury usually takes care of itself by completely tearing away from the bone. After which, the arm is basically relieved of pressure and the quarterback sufferes no loss in performance while the tendon is left to heal by itself naturally. Favre suffered a similar injury to his non-throwing arm earlier in his career, that injury did not require surgery. The main concern will be trying to keep swelling out of the arm, by undergoing proper regimin of rest, ice, compresion, and elevation post usage.

So Long Ronneby

2009-05-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Central Minnesota town of Ronneby officially dissolved yesterday, after a run of more than 100 years. 27 of the towns 32 residents showed up to vote to save the town, however it was shot down 18-9. In it's hayday, Ronneby was dominated by the lumber company. Aside from the mill there was also a hotel, a newspaper, post office, and 3 stores. Life was good until the railroad stopped service, and highway 23 was rerouted. In 1900, Ronneby boasted a population of 156 residents. at the turn of the millenium Ronneby had shrunk to of total population of 16.

(the town had doubled in size in the last 9 years, not bad, considering the economic uncertainty!)

The current residents will become part of Maywood township. On the bright side, It was reported that things will not be much different in the area, except that former residents will notice lower property taxes.

Saying goodbye to Ronneby reminded me of a few things. First, things change. Inevitably over the course of time there are going to be situations that we are going to have to adapt to. It may not be to our liking, but it might be beyond our control, so we need to find a way to accomadate that allows us to live happy and fulfilled. Second, change isn't always bad. At times change can make us better in the long run, it makes us evaluate the direction we are headed and allows us to choose the best course to reach our goals. Goals can remain the same, but there might need to be a new way to get to the end results we are looking for! I think this is an opportunity to grow and learn new skills or have a different experience, possibly helping us see something in a different light.

The best example that I have experienced in the past year is in regards to my own training and exercise philosophy. Since I was involved in sports I had been under the direction of a strength coach and followed their prescribed plan. Well, college ended and I was left on my own to get the job done. After some trial and error, and also a ton of reading, I've found a system that works for me, and I've also realized that I could have pushed it a lot harder and could have been better prepared to participate in athletics.

Lastly, regarding change, if you are someone who is serious about making a big time lifestyle change consider these words of wisdom, "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got" So keep an open mind to new ideas, and keep progressing in the right direction.

Joke of the week

2009-04-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

I FEEL WE NEED TO BUMP UP THE HUMOR A LITTLE HERE, I'M BEING WAY TOO SERIOUS :)

THE GOLFING NUN

A nun walked into Mother Superior's office and plonked herself down in a chair. She let out a sigh heavy with frustration.'What troubles you, Sister?' asked the Mother Superior. 'I thought this was the day you spent with your family.

''I did' sighed the Sister. 'And I went to play golf with my brother. We try to play golf as often as we can. You know I was quite a talented golfer before I devoted my life to Christ.

''I seem to recall that,' the Mother Superior said. 'So I take it your day of recreation was not relaxing?

''Far from it,' snorted the Sister. 'In fact, I even took the Lord's name in vain today!

''Goodness, Sister!' gasped the Mother Superior, astonished. 'You must tell me all about it!

''Well, we were on the fifth tee...and that hole is a monster, Mother - a 540 yard Par 5 with a nasty dogleg left and a hidden green... I hit the drive of my life. I creamed it. It was the sweetest swing I ever made. It flew straight and true, right along the line I wanted...and it hit a bird in mid-flight!

''Oh my!' commiserated the Mother. 'How unfortunate! But surely that didn't make you blaspheme, Sister!

''No, that wasn't it,' admitted Sister. 'While I was still trying to fathom what had happened, a squirrel ran out of the woods, grabbed my ball and ran off with it

''Oh, that would have made me blaspheme!' sympathized the Mother.

'But I didn't, Mother' sobbed the Sister. 'And I was so proud of myself! And while I was pondering whether this was a sign from God, a hawk swooped out of the sky and grabbed the squirrel and flew off, with my ball still clutched in his paws!

''So that's when you cursed,' said the Mother with a knowing smile.

'No, that wasn't it either,' cried the Sister, anguished, 'because as the hawk started to fly out of sight, the squirrel started struggling, and the hawk dropped him right there on the green, and the ball popped out of his paws and rolled to about 18 inches from the cup!

'Mother Superior sat back in her chair, folded her arms across her chest, fixed the Sister with a baleful stare and said...'You missed the fucking putt, didn't you?'

IT'S ALMOST FRIDAY! :)

Book Review

2009-04-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

NEW MOON

Alright, I finished up the second book of the Twilight series. After the first book I wasn't quite hooked, but man after this one i'm chompin' at the bit to get to the next book!

This book starts off a short while after the first one, and Bella and Edward are happily coexisting. Suffering from reoccuring dreams Bella is unsure of her longterm future with Edward. Thrilling action forces the Cullen's to relocate, and Bella suffers severely from the void left by Edward. After this time, we get to meet and learn about a completely new set of characters. Some familiar names, Jacob Black and his father Billy, take center stage. Bella spends a selfish amount of time with her new best friend, Jacob. Jacob is part of a native american community living in the ocean-side town of La Push, there is more mystery surrounding his tribe. A strange love triangle develops between two people, and a dillusional Bella finds herself caught in the middle of a troublesome situation. This takes us on a final adventure sweeping halfway around the world. Finally, the reader is left with a glimps of what the future holds for the starcrossed lovers. And the Cullen's make a big return to Forks!

Weekly Thoughts

2009-04-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Skinny on Fat, pt. 1

Some people like it, some people hate it, and almost everyone has feared it. This week I’d like to rant a little about my views on fat in the diet, fat-free foods, and why I think you’ve been taught to think ass backwards about this important macronutrient.

The basics

I’m not a nutritionist, nutrition coach, nutrition major or anything in between; nor do I pretend to be. However, I do feel like I’ve done my homework and at least understand the basics of how fat works and the important role it plays in our body’s sustainability. So this is what I think I know, let’s start with the down and dirty:

Most commonly referred to as fat, oil, lipids, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, or polyunsaturated fat. These terms are all synonyms for what we think of as dietary fat. Only the chemical structure distinguishes what term is exactly used. Fat has many responsibilities within the body, it provides our main source of energy, while in a resting state, or during extended bouts of aerobic exercise. It aides in the utilization of certain vitamins, it adds integrity to our cell walls, maintains healthy skin and hair, it helps with hormone production, it offers cushion to our internal organs, helps regulate our body temperature and it can also be stored for later energy consumption. (to me this seems like some awfully important jobs to want this to be low in our diet?)

Common Healthy Fat Sources:

Extra-virgin olive oil
Almond Oil
Macadamian Nut Oil
Nuts
Avocado
Flax Seed
Fish Oil
Cold water fish
Poultry

These are items that have become staples in my diet. I use most of them every day, and all of them weekly. They are seen as healthy fat because they are mainly made up of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated molecules. This simply implies that one or more of the chemical bonding sites are free of a hydrogen molecule, making it easier for our body to process and put to use. These foods are also great sources of essential fatty acids known as omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 molecules. These are chemicals that our bodies need to get from an outside source and studies have repeatedly shown they are key players in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular and circulatory system. There are many other sources of these healthy fats. I suggest checking out Jonny Bowden’s book, 150 Healthiest foods, for more information.

Common “Unhealthy” Fat Sources:

Red Meat
Pork, or Cured Meats
Eggs
Dairy products

Now before you freak out on me and punch the computer screen, hear me out. I DO NOT THINK THESE ARE UNHEALTHY FATS! I feel this is a common misconception, because these products contain a majority of their fat in the saturated form. We have been taught that high levels of saturated fat increases your risk for heart attacks, obesity and a number of other health concerns. In a recent book I’ve read, Good Calories, Bad Calories, Gary Taubes provides vivid research into why the US government has built it paradigm of healthful eating around misinterpreted data. I highly recommend anyone who is serious about nutrition to check this book out! Taubes magnificently explains why and how refined carbohydrates are responsible for recent epidemics such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. All of which are commonly associated with too much fat in the diet. Albeit, I think that we need to monitor our daily intake of saturated fat, to control caloric intake, I do not think it is the root of all evil, or do I think it’s responsible for that muffin top! In moderation, products included in the above list are part of a healthy and balanced daily/weekly diet for myself.

Truly Unhealthy Fat Sources

Trans Fat
Hydrogenated Oil
Partially-hydrogenated Oil

These products are an absolute no-no. Get rid of anything that includes any of these listed on the food label. These fats have been altered in a lab, previously unsaturated molecules are taken and pumped full of hydrogen ions (hence the term, hydrogenated) Our bodies are confused on how to break down the molecules and convert them to energy and often view them as toxins. We then stick deep within our fat stores and do not release them easily. Now, these fats are so widely used in our food supply that it is hard to find packaged products that don’t contain them. That is why I feel it is important to prepare meals from raw ingredients, and shop organic. But don’t be fooled just because it says, “natural, or organic, or other gimmicky health slogan” doesn’t mean it is free of this crap. Learn to read your label. In the end, it's probably damn near impossible to get rid of these 100%, but just limit them as much as you can, and you'll be on your way to better overall health.

To be continued…

Product Review

2009-04-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

A must have for anyone serious about improving energy and performance!

Get Ready To Unleash The Beast!

I'm talking about Surge High-Performance Workout Fuel. I had read about this stuff for a few weeks before I decided to put it to the test. The boys over at T-nation had been talking it up and saying it gave them a crazy boost in energy. I was skeptical, but decided that I couldn't judge it fairly unless I gave it a shot, and with a new cycle of higer volume work the timing was just right.

Three weeks later, I'm convinced this stuff is for real. I've never felt better doing more weight, for more reps than ever before. I've been doing max effort leg days on mondays and explosive leg days on thursday, and even though I'll still be feeling Monday's workout in my legs prior to Thursday, I'm still able to power through every rep of every set. Could it be placebo effect? There is always a possiblity, but I think I'll let you judge for yourself. I'd recommend Surge Workout Fuel to anyone who has been stuck at a plateu, or if you're just looking for that little extra 'pop' in your step during your workout.

As a former athlete, I know the offseason seems to fly by and pre-season will be starting before you know it. There are only so many opportunities to gain as much strength and speed as possible. I think adding Surge Workout Fuel as part of your daily workout routine, will give you the edge to make gains faster than you have in previous years. I wish it had been available to me during my career!

Ratings:

Performance - 4.5/5 - Refer to above statements, I think it works great!

Taste - 2.5/5 - Different, I've only tried the lemonade, sort of like a lemoney-vanilla flavor. but it's only a small amount, I usually just chug it down in 1 or 2 gulps. It also comes in fruit punch.

Price - 3/5 - A little pricey at $45.00 if you buy two, but it is at least a 2 month supply, if you are lifting 4 days a week. Can probably stretch it to 3. Also depends on how much you use at a time, I just take the minimal serving amount. Again, if you're serious about improving, price shouldn't be an issue.

Weekly Thoughts

2009-04-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Tangent Tuesday will now be weekly thoughts, thus freeing me from any type of deadline :)

Kids Will Be Kids

Bridging The Generational Gap

So I’ve heard two different debates in the past week regarding children playing video games and watching television and how much is too much or should it be allowed at all. So for this weeks’ rant I thought I’d chip in my two cents and let you guys know how I feel from a fitness professional s point of view.

I’ll start by sharing my experiences. Growing up I played video games, watched television just like any American kid has done in the technology era. However, I was also very active, taking weekend trips to our cabin, playing school and community sports, playing outside with neighborhood kids, I felt like my parents did a good job balancing out my schedule. I remember I would sometimes play video games for an hour or so after I was all cleaned up and ready for bed. As I got older, I and able to make my own decisions, I would play games and watched television for longer periods of time, but it was still expected of me to complete my chores, and have my homework finished, and of course attend sports practice. I’ll admit some of that that didn’t always happen, but video games or TV never interfered with my studies or sports. I also found out that I would play the games, sometimes for 3 or 4 hours, but after a few sessions like that the novelty of it wore off and I found myself playing less and less, eventually moving on to another activity or hobby.

So here was one debate I heard, should parents try to keep their kids away from video games and television as much as possible? Or does allowing them access to digital content keep them up to date on what is the ‘in thing’.

I found this interesting because I had never thought of it like that before. So if you think about what teens are talking about while they interact with each other, example: American idol, dancing with the stars, family guy, keeping up to date with MTV and even younger kids with their shows (I’m not sure what’s popular now) I know I watched power rangers a lot when I was a kid. When they get to school if you’re someone who’s in the loop you’re more likely to be social with others and make friends easier. If they know a little bit about a cool game: madden football, halo, need for speed, grand theft auto, whatever, these are things that kids are talking to each other about.

Lets try to avoid this statistic, moderation is the key

I always thought of it from the point of view where gaming and watching television makes people anti-social. Well, now if I were a parent I think I’d rather have my son/ daughter be the cool kid, and at least know what people are referring too; instead of the quiet kid who gets lost in the mix. This kind of changed my point of view, and how I would handle the situation if I had a child.
Now as a health professional I feel very strongly that there needs to be some lessons taught about how to use technology. Younger and younger children are learning how to use technology efficiently and effectively. I think it’s the job of the parent to teach a child to be responsible while using technology. They need to learn, early, to prioritize needs and place importance on such things as helping around the house and getting good marks in school, and their physical health and social health. Parents definitely need to encourage their children to get outside and be involved in activities where they are learning teamwork skills and how to appropriately interact verbally with other children. I feel that a child should earn the right to watch television or have gaming time. If monitored and trained correctly as a young child, when they are old enough to make their own decisions hopefully they understand well enough to know when its time to shut it down. Technology shouldn’t become a distraction to the more important things that shape our lives.

Becoming addicted: I understand the fear some parents may have about their children becoming hooked on television or addicted to gaming. I think it is a very real concern. Today I was listening to the radio and the dr. suggested the “would you rather” test. If you think someone is spending too much time in front of the screen ask them, “would you rather play video games/watch tv than __________,” fill the blank. If you get more yes’s than no’s maybe it is time to seek help from a professional.

There is a responsible way to teach children what is most important in life, to be able to differentiate between real life and fantasy. Be sure your setting the right example by being responsible yourself and adopting healthy life-long habits. Remember children learn a lot of their habits by watching the behavior of others around them. But, I don’t think a little time spent in front of the ol’ tube is going to fry their brain, now for hurting their eyes probably another discussion.

Tangent Tuesday

2009-04-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to make this a weekly rant of things that are on my mind. I'll try to make it current, topics will probably come from discussions I hear on talk radio.

What Going Green Means to Me, and How Simple Things Can Rejuvenate Your Lifestyle

(Apparently this represents going green??)

I’ve been confused for a long time to what people actually mean, or think they mean, when they talk about going “green.” It seems to me that people do a lot of talking about it, but no one actually ever takes the steps necessary to make a long term change. Like any other type of transformation it often involves hard work, dedication, and an alternative way of living. (usually meaning you have to give up a few things we take for granted) It isn’t ever as easy as it sounds and no one seems to follow through; at least not long enough to make a permanent difference. I think they choose to call it “the green movement” because to me green means go! Its motivating, its fresh, and its fun! I think people have gotten used to associating the “green movement” with just the environmental aspect of it all. To me, it goes a lot further. Frankly, I don’t care if you are going green, blue, purple, or orange, but I’ll digress starting with the environment.

Using less fossil fuels – I feel that it is our job to conserve what we have left of oil, coal, and natural gas so that future generations won’t have to solely rely so heavily upon the improvement advancement of new technologies. That being the case, I think it is important for us to begin development and research into alternative forms of energy. In fact, I feel that it is long overdue. The need to improve nuclear technology as a form of power, harvesting the energy of the sun and of the wind, and researching geothermal and hydrogen should be a priority as we enter into the second decade of this century. Each of us can do the little things we can to help save: drive less, carpool, public transportation, buy new cars which have a lower environmental impact, shut off lights when you’re not using them (this will save on your electric bill too dummy!) I know when I have more money to spend on me; I’m less stressed and happier. Two big things that can extend your life!

Conserving water and the environment – Growing up in Minnesota, there’s not much I like more than jumping into a crystal clear lake during a steaming hot, humid summer day. I enjoy the water as much as I can. I fish, wakeboard/ski, pontoon with family and friends, and sometimes just sit and listen to the waves at night. Water is important and I hope I’m not around when it becomes a scarce resource because shits going to hit the fan. (I’m reminded now of the diamond-water paradox) Maybe folks who didn’t grow up around water don’t have the fondness for it that I do, but those three molecules are a big deal! Air quality is important to me too, for the same reasons; I’ve always enjoyed the fresh air up here in the Midwest. Seeing pictures of smog hanging over LA makes me want to vomit. Also, stop smoking because you’re ruining the air I’m trying to breath! There is more to this though, when I think of the environment I think of everything that makes up the world we interact with. Plants, animals, other humans, be nice and have some respect! Pick up trash when you see it lying on the ground, it will make you feel surprisingly good about yourself, and is one of the little things each of us can do to help. Another one, plant a tree or a flower, it is more difficult a task than you might think and it is nice to watch it grow.

Recycling – I’ve heard a lot of different things about recycling. Some people have told me that they don’t actually recycle plastic because it is too expensive to break down. So I’m more of a fan of just re-using things, and not buying plastic bottles in the first place. It takes a lot of oil to produce plastic bottles (remember one thing we were trying to conserve) I still sort out all of the recyclables each week for the garbage man, so I guess I’ll keep doing that, if nothing else it makes me feel good. I’ve also seen some cities offering a rebate or cash rewards for participating in recycling so what the heck give it a shot!

Supporting local agriculture/economies – I think this one goes a long with eating fresh and free foods. The closer your foods are grown to your home the more fresh they will be, and the less they have to be processed for transportation. Foods grown on small family farms are usually cared for a lot more than food from the mega industrial farms. You can also get really great deals at farmer’s markets or organic grocery stores by buying in bulk or just buying the amount you need personally. This cuts down on wasted food and money. Not only are you getting more for your money, you are also helping out someone else who needs it more than some giant corporation. Feel good about that.

Eating a fresh and free diet – Green is fresh. I’m hooked on trying to eat the freshest foods and meat available. When I’m at the grocery store I like to buy organic fruits and vegetables, and I always look for 100% grass fed beef, wild caught fish, and free range chicken. I personally just feel like the nutrition from food grown or raised in the best environment is greater and more pure than foods raised with chemicals and hormones. I’ll admit…I’m a sugar junkie, but I do my best to stick to a healthy diet about 90% of the time so when I do go on a binge, it’s quick and dirty with minimal damage done.

Exercise – Green means healthy, alive, and full of life. There are few things that can make me feel more like this than exercise. Its drugs, and probably one of the best things you can ever get addicted too. I love the challenge, I love the harsh sound of iron when it echoes, I love having to lay on the floor and feeling like my chest is about to collapse, and most of all I love seeing other people pushing themselves just as hard. So if you think your someone who dreads exercise, step up challenge yourself and maybe you’ll find you actually do have what it takes to make a transformation.

Community Involvement – I think green represents goodness, get involved in your communities. I was thinking about this the other day; I was wondering how many kids currently enrolled in my high school would have any idea who I was. For my class I was one of the better athletes, active in three sports, captain and what not, well-known in the news, blah, blah, blah…but I’d be willing to bet if I went back today; there might be one or two kids who know who I am. And they probably had an older sibling that went to school with me. Well, I wish I had known then what I know now; don’t get too caught up with you. In the end no one will remember the things that you did for yourself, they’ll remember what you did for others. Be humble and seek out ways to positively impact your community. Learn this one now so you don’t have to look back and go "yea, I guess I was kind of 'that ass-hole'

Being a positive role model – Green means GO! Help young people, make a difference in their lives, volunteer to help teach or coach, or whatever it is that you do best. Pass your knowledge along to others. Kids all around you are watching, and looking up to you. Whether you’re a parent, a big sibling, an uncle, cousin, or whatever be responsible, act respectful, and follow the dang golden rule; “treat others the way you want to be treated”

BOOK REVIEW

2009-04-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

I will be reviewing the books I am reading, feel free to add comments or start a discussion about any of them. PS: I don't read very fast...

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Yah, Yah get your laughes out, I read the book. I watched the movie first and decided that it was worth it to at least give it a chance. I'm going to give it 8 out of 10. Better than the movie, but not quite vampire porn.

So in the first installation of this series the main character bella moves in with her father after her mother remarries and travels with her minor league baseball playing new hubby. In the Pacific northwest all is not what it seems. At first glance, the town seems like your average small town, everyone knows everything about everyone else type of place. At school though, Belle can't help but to feel like one family is completely out of place. Enter the Cullen's. They are uniquely different with paler thain usual skin and stunning features. The adopeted children seem to be in relationships with each other, hard to grasp at first, except for one; Edward. Belle becomes completely intrigued by Edward, thinking about him constantly. Until one, wet and icey, day Belle is caught in the path of certain death, when Edward swoops in and saves her. This sets off a chain of events in which Belle is determined to find out what this family raelly is. She becomes completely OC with Edward, and thus developes an intimate relationship with a uniquely different type of character. I found it entertaining to learn about the Cullen's family history, and became eagar to find out how Belle and Edwards relationship would develop. I recommend reading the book before seeing the film, that usually goes without saying, but I said it. I will definitly continue reading books in this series. I think New Moon is the next installment.

High Volume Training

2009-04-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

For advanced lifters and elite athletes it may be time to change up the name of the game. I like to consider myself to be in this group, as I have been weight training for 10 years, and a competitive athlete for more than 15. Even though my competition days are past, I still enjoy training like the next season is just around the corner. That’s why I've been experimenting with a new way to train, and I have loved the gains! I only recommend the following if you have been weight training for 5+ years. You'll need a good base of strength under yourself before increasing the volume becomes necessary.

A while back I just became tired of traditional training schemes. During my football training days it seemed everything was 3x3; 4x4; 5x5; 5,4,3,2,1; 10,8,6 or some combination in-between. None the less I was never doing more than 30 reps, and usually much less of a core exercise (Bench Press, Squats, and Cleans) So I decided to try something, I wanted to know what would happen if I kept the weight high 75 - 90% of my max and just did more sets of less reps. Here's what happened:

Max outs 11/2008
Power Clean: 300
Bench Press: 285
Dead Lift: 475

Max outs 1/2009
Power Clean: 315
Bench Press: 300
Dead Lift: 510

Pretty good progress for 6 weeks of work, I think anyway. Something about this style of training just seemed to give me good results. During this period I started with 10 sets of 4 reps working through a range of percentages, and clustering them with auxiliary exercises every two sets.

About half way through I went to a 2x5; 2x4; 2x3; 2x2; 2x1 scheme and really worked with high %'s of my max, throughout, I performed the auxiliary lifts on a 8 rep, 10 rep, 12 rep rotation during the week. There seems to be something about going over that 30 rep mark that really forces adaptations in the muscle tissue. I felt like I was once again able to fatigue my muscles to the point where they could re-grow stronger.

This time around I'm going to push it even more. I'm going to start with 8 sets of 5 back squats and bench press for 3 weeks and then switch to dead lifts and heavy pull ups or chins for 3 weeks. I'm going to keep the auxiliary lifts on the same rotation on the max effort days. One change I'm adopting is adding a 4th workout day to the week. I'm going to be doing two dynamic days trying to imitate Joe Defranco's program. The light weights will give me a chance to build explosive power and recover from my max effort days. I'm trying to keep all workouts to 45 min as well, to keep up with my conditioning.

Here is a sample:
Warm Up
1 mile walk(to the gym from my apartment)
1x8-12 on each:
Glute Bridge Roll V-Sit Hydrant Circles
Supine Leg Kicks Groiners MTN Climbers
Supine Knee Twists Bird Dogs Box Jumps (3x5 only)

Back Squat (based on max of 450)- General warm up: 135x5; 225x5

Set 1: 290 x5
Rest 90s.
Set 2: 310 x5
Wood Choppers by 2x10 each side - 45lb plate (Fast as possible)
Rest 90s
Set 3: 315 x5
Rest 90s
Set 4: 315 x 5
Bent over DB Row 2x10 – 60’s (Fast as possible)
Set 5: 330 x 5
Rest 90s
Set 6: 340 x 5
Snatch Grip Dead Lift 2x10 – 185lbs (Fast as possible)
Set 7: 350 x 5
Rest 120s
Set 8: 360 x 5

Finishers: Double DB Skull Crushers 3x10
Neutral Pull Ups 5x6 (Fast)

I now judge my max effort workouts on how tore up I'm feeling when I'm done. Let me put it this way, afterward I didn’t feel like walking home. The day after, (today) I lifted again only sticking with light weights and working upper body movements. I got through the workout fine, but I can still feel my legs from yesterday. I love DOMS :)

*Please remember that this routine is only recommended for advanced lifters. Strength training should be a regular part of any exercise prescription, but should fit within the skill level of each individual.

So that is just a peek at what I’m up to now as far as training goes. I’ll check back in again after six weeks of this and let you know how the progress is going. Wednesday is a day off, just sticking to the daily walking I’ve been doing.

Food For Thought

2009-04-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

So now that I'm back to real food eating, I've been more tuned in to what I'm putting in my body. I had a little binge on sweets and things that I craved for a month :) but I'm over it and ready to tighten down again. To help with this I've got a few strategies that I think will be useful for anyone trying to cut the fat.

1. Track your food - create a spread sheet and use it to write down everything you are consuming during the day. I give myself a 'O' for something healthy, and an 'X' for something not healthy. I play by the baseball rule, three strikes and your out. So try not to exceed three 'Xs' per day.

2. Keep it complex; Carbs that is - Mostly I like to keep things simple, my one exception is with carbohydrates. The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the effect they impose on blood sugar levels. Simple carbs tend to spike blood sugar levels leaving your pancreas to dump large amounts of insulin into your body to regulate the surge. Insulin also aids in the storage of fat molecules, thus is why highly refined foods and simple carbs are to blame for the increasing obesity epedemic in America (Not High Fat Foods!). On the other hand, complex carbs digest slowly and provide a steady stream of energy to the body. The best sources for complex carbs are found in 100% whole grains and green vegetables.

3. Water, Water Everywhere - Getting enough fluids are important to maintaing a healthy weight, and staying energized throughout the day. Water is the best choice, add some citrus fruit to create a variety of different flavors. I've become pretty fond of tea and coffee, without sweeteners, and diet or calorie free drinks. One of my favorites is Poweraid Zero. I can't figure out what makes it so good, but I like it better than the sugar packed original!

4. Non-Exercise Physical Activity - I got into a good habbit of walking for at least a half hour during the velocity diet. I'm keeping it up so far, and plan on making it a lifetime habit. It's nice to get out side for some fresh air, and now that its warm out a little sun.

5. Weights and Measures - This suggestion probably isn't going to be for everyone, but its something I've started doing. I bought a kitchen scale that also is able to give a nutritional breakdown of fat, carbs, protein, and total calories. If I'm going to continue my goal of becoming as lean as possible, then I need to keep a close watch on my macro nutrients and make sure I have a good balance in my diet. I can also track specific ingredients and know the nutrient content of whole recipies! Maybe a cookbook in the future??

That's all for now, I'll check back in soon with a look at my training schedule. I've taken the week off to recover and prepare for my summer program. I'm going to be training with some college football athletes.

After Shots and Comments

2009-03-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been 28days since I started the Velocity Diet! I started, and didn't look back. Didn't give in to the wierd looks from peers or temptations to eat junk food. I'm extremely happy with the results, although I do not expect to keep off the whole 16 pounds, 10-12 would be nice, eventually adding some new muscle weight over the summer.

The best part about the changes has been the confidence I have everytime I look in the mirror, knowing that hard work and sacrifice do pay off is reassuring as hell! It makes me want to work even harder to be stronger!

Thanks to all my family and friends who supported me during this past month! I feel that I've accomplished my goal of learning a lot about myself. I don't know that I'm quite to superstar athlete lean yet, but hey genetics isn't working in my favor there. I'm going to try to keep up the extra daily non-exercise physical activities since I believe they are a huge part of living a healthy lifestyle. Planning on doing a lot of things outside this summer.

Keep on keepin' on

BT

Get Some

2009-03-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

New Dead Lift PR 515. Body weight is at 187.

Increase Your QuOL

2009-03-25T11:43:00.001-07:00

Here are three easy ways I feel anyone can increase their QuOL (Quality Of Life)

1. Possess a Positive Attitude
(The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes. ~William James)

Focus on how your day has been going so far. Have there been difficulties, since the minute you woke up late? Did you feel overwhelmed at work or frustrated with a co-worker? Has the weather or traffic been bringing you down? How you choose to deal with any of the annoying things that add clutter to your day can have a drastic effect on your overall performance in the areas of your life that matter the most. Public or private having a positive attitude will radiate to those around you and also project a positive self image every time you look in the mirror. This approach can have resounding effects on reaching your goals faster and more efficiently than if you carried a negative view point. One lesson I learned from playing football was no matter how shitty you thought you played, when you reviewed the film the following day things are never as bad they seemed. So if something is getting you down, be a problem solver, do something proactive to change the situation don't just sit back and bitch about it.

2. Do What Makes You The Most Happy, Don't Be Bothered If Someone Criticizes You For It
(Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. - Franklin D. Roosevelt)

Each of us is an individual. We all have different dreams, goals, wants, and needs. I think that if you truly want to be satisfied in this life, then you need to start doing the things necessary to fulfill the things that make each of us unique. People are always going to have an opinion about things you do, regardless if it is positive, negative, voiced publicly or kept to themselves, don't get discouraged if someone who is close to you disagrees with a decision you make. I have a friend who picks on me because he found out early in our relationship that I'm a pretty easy target, more often than not I won't retaliate back and embarrass him. So he picks on me in social situations for 1. because he can get a rise out of others at my expense, and 2. because he knows I'm tough enough to not take it personally. Regardless of this abuse, we're really close and I value his friendship a lot. Probably sounds stupid, but guess what, I don't care what you think! :)

3. Make Time For The People That Matter Most
(If somebody would harm my family or friend or somebody I love, I would eat them. I might end up in jail for 500 years, but I would eat them. - Johnny Depp)

Don't neglect your family and friends. These are the people who will stand by you when you're going through hell. I found that since college ended it is harder to make time to see people you took for granted being there everyday. It is easy to get caught up with work or trying to recover from a long workweek, but I have found that I'm much more satisfied after a visit with someone I haven't seen for a while even if I have to go the extra mile to make it happen.

One Week To Go

2009-03-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Alright, down to the home stretch. I am definitely noticing some major changes in my physique. It is encouraging and keeping me honest and on track, even though I've been tempted multiple times the past three weeks. I've managed to stay fairly strict, only having the shakes, a few nuts, and a pickle from time to time. Look for "After" pictures next week.

I went shopping at the Mall of America on Saturday with Kasey. I treated myself to some great new wardrobe options, picking up three new shorts, two new jeans, long sleeve and short sleeve shirts, and also some new flipflops for the summer. I'm excited because all of my pants are a bit smaller in the waist, and my shirts are fitting better because I no longer possess moobs. (man boobs) The last thing I'll need to pick up for summer are some board shorts, hoping to spend a lot of time wakeboarding and just on the lake in general this summer.

Saturday evening I helped Kasey make dinner again. This time we made roasted vegetables and ginger chicken. She made an amazing appetizer too, Lettuce wraps with cilantro mayo, turkey, peppers, and onions, I put some colby jack on there too :)

Appetizer:

1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup mayo
pinch salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
splash of lime juice
red peppers - julienne
green onion - chopped
fresh cheese (optional)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender and blend until mixture is smooth. Spread on large lettuce leaves and top with turkey, red peppers, onions, cheese.

Chicken:

3 chicken breasts
3/4 small ginger root - minced
2 cloves garlic - pressed
lemon juice
salt
pepper

Cover chicken with ingredients and let marinate for at least 30 min. spray frying pan with non-stick spray and pan fry on med-high heat for 10-15 min

Roasted Vegetables:

1 small zucchini
2 small summer squash
1 red pepper
1 red onion
1 bundle asparagus
3 heads broccoli
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Dice all vegetables, and place in a pre-sprayed baking pan. Add olive oil evenly across pan. season generously with salt and pepper. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 45min or until all vegetables are tender.

Efficient Workouts: Small Time, Big Rewards

2009-03-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Do you ever find it hard to fit in a good workout while you are traveling for business? Between meetings, luncheons, happy hour maybe some late night debauchery and travel deadlines there is never enough free time to keep your body and mind from derailing. Read on to find out how to cut your training time in half and keep you on course when the schedule keeps throwing up roadblocks.

Metabolism
In order to create the most time efficient workout you need to utilize a physiological phenomenon known as post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. EPOC is the number of calories burned while returning to a resting state, following a bout of exercise. In return, any excess calories that can be utilized without physical exertion can help in maintaining weight. Over time these calories can add up to significant caloric deficits, and weight loss. A study performed by Borsheim and Bahr 2003, found that exercise intensity plays a critical role in the effectiveness of EPOC. They stated, “The absence of a sustained EPOC after exercise seems to be a consistent finding in studies with low exercise intensity and/or duration.” Also, they noted, that to effectively take advantage of EPOC intensity should be as high as possible for short periods of time over the course of your workout.

Workout
Alwyn Cosgrove, author of The New Rules of Weightlifting, suggests hacking your strength training to include only the exercises that produce the most results. By focusing your effort on the large muscle groups and multi-joint movements you will be able to increase workload efficiently in a shorter amount of time. This style of workout is often referred to as a complex. A complex involves using exercises that target all of the bodies major muscle groups. This series of exercises can easily be performed in a limited space with a pair of dumbbells, or if equipment is available, a barbell. The important thing is that you select a weight that you can handle for the most difficult movement. The goal is to complete each rep in the set, rest 30 seconds, and move on to the next exercise in the series. Once you have completed each exercise of the complex rest 45-60 seconds and start the complex from the beginning. Complete the entire complex 4-6 times.

Here is a sample complex that can be done with limited space and equipment:

Dumbbell Dead Lift x 8
Rest 30 seconds
Dumbbell Front Squat x 8
Rest 30 seconds
Dumbbell Bent-over Row x 8
Rest 30 seconds
Dumbbell Push Press x 8
Rest 30 Seconds
Dumbbell Swings x 24
Rest for 60 seconds and repeat 4 – 6
times.

Dumbbell Dead Lift

Bottom Position of the Dumbbell Front Squat

Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Dumbbell Push Press (Only look at the middle and right photos, ignor the left)

Same motion seen here, just use a Dumbbell, instead of a Kettlebell

Conclusion
Although, there are various ways to trim body fat and get the shape you’ve always wanted; the best results have consistently been attained through a combination of strength training and short, intense, cardio exercise. This style of training effectively takes advantage of EPOC, which will make your body a fat-burning furnace even after you’ve showered up and are settling into that afternoon seminar.

Half Way!

2009-03-14T09:56:00.001-07:00

Today is the 14th day meaning first, I can eat again :) and second, half way to 28!! Tonight I think I'm going to do breakfast for dinner, steak and eggs style. I got an extra workout in this morning so I can afford to go nuts with the eggs and steak. I'm thinking 8 oz. sirloin (grass fed of course) and a five egg vegge omelette. I think I'm actually more excited to cook again than to eat, but both will be fun. I spent the day at the state hockey tourney yesterday, and I will probably write a blog about that soon. It was fun to connect with an old friend and watch some high school puck again! Tonight is the final and I'm going to be cheering for Moorhead, section 8 baby!

Here is an update from the measurements taken prior to day one:

Weight - 191
%Body Fat Impedence Method - 14.0%
%Body Fat Pinch Method - 7.6%
R. Arm - 13.5"
Chest - 39"
Waist (thinnest) - 32"
Waist (Umbilical) - 34"
Hips (Widest) - 39.5"
R. Leg - 22.5"

pretty good progress for 2 weeks, I think the most dramatic changes are yet to come, and the measurements may not be that accurate. There are also some degree of error factors included in the test. so no big suprises so far. It will be interesting to see what happends in the end!

Mythological Beasts

2009-03-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've enjoy a feature article on T-nation that is written monthly by Nate Green. The series is called myth busters and he has been debunking common fitness myths. I thought I'd give it a shot and rant a little about my most despised fitness myths. Many of these myths are being spread as propaganda as "the best" exercise prescription out there. Hopefully after reading this you'll realize that you've been downright lied to by many health professionals.

Beast #1

Using light weights and doing high reps is the best way to look "toned"

Many female gym-goers simply have the wrong information ingrained in their brain. This is not their fault, the problem arises when popular culture magazines plaster pictures of Hollywood celebrities using their ibells (weights of many shiny colors, not to be confused with apples' ipod nano) to perform simple single joint exercises. Hey now, wait a minute, if the celebrities are doing it, it must be the best way. IS IT!??

You won't find her by the pink dumbells

The Solution

Muscle tissue does not differ scientifically between males and females. Both men and women can train exactly the same way, and what many females don't realize is the 'toned' look they are after is gained through the proper balance of muscle size and % body fat. Therefore, to increase muscle size weight increments must increase and reps should be limited to less than 10. Another benefit of increasing your muscle size is that it costs your body more calories to sustain the new muscular tissue, thus making your body a fat burning machine even while resting. Also, ladies, do not worry about becoming too bulky. It is impossible since females lack the necessary amount of testosterone found in their male counterparts. Muscular growth only occurs within a normal range for your body.

Beast #2

Sit ups - The ultimate abdominal exercise

Sit ups have long been hailed as the be all, end all way to achieve that killer mid-section. However, just like our lesson from above they are often performed with too light of weight for too many reps. Repeatedly contorting ones back in such a way can lead to many posture imbalances including kyphosis. (think hunch backed person walking with a cane). Also, repeatedly flexing the torso toward the hips mostly involves the hip flexors and very little of the abdominal musculature. In many cases, tight hip flexors are the major cause of chronic lower back pain. Tight hip flexors can also cause the pelvis to tilt forward farther than usual increasing the strain on the vertebrae in the lower back (a condition known as lordosis) a real doozy for the lower back, and think all of this from a movement meant to "help" your core.

This hydra will kill you if you do another sit up

The Solution

Craig Weller, of barefoot fitness, recommends training the abdominal muscles as a single unit, and engaging all aspects of the abdominals instead of isolating certain areas. Using overhead lifting, rollouts, planks, ball slams, wood choppers, and farmer carries are all examples of movements that will lead to a stronger abdominal unit. The job of the abdominals is to support the spinal column, and a strong midsection will guarantee a healthy, stable spine.

Beast #3

There is one type of training that is superior to another

I've heard arguments about power lifting, Olympic lifting, body building, long distance training, short sprints, swimming, kettelbelling, and just about everything in between. However, the truth is that there is no single type of training that is better than another. Do some people have better results from one or another? Yes. Do people have different preferences and attention spans? Yes. Do goals and reasons for training differ from individual to individual? Yes.

Cerberus didn't attack from just one direction

The Solution

The point is that there isn't one perfect training system. Everyone has different wants and needs, some people train to become athletes, others just train to look good naked, while still others train just to be able to complete every day tasks, or keep up with their children. I had a professor in college who always said, "there are a lot of ways to skin a cat" I liked this analogy and believe that a good mixture of strength training, anaerobic, and aerobic activity is important to achieving a complete state of good health. So stop being so damn stubborn and thinking that it's your way or the highway, use all the tools that are available and achieve the results faster than you ever thought possible!!

Weekend Recap

2009-03-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

So we're 1/4 of the way done. The week seemed pretty long compared to weeks past. I think the change in routine definitly threw me off. I test drove a truck on Friday afternoon, but I don't think I'll be able to afford it without a steady job this summer. It's alright though, I'm planning on getting a new puppy when I move home, if I can convince the rents. I went to the Watchmen on Friday night, completely different than what I expected, but overall I thought it was a pretty good movie I'll give it a 7.9 - 10. Having the opportunity to eat on Saturday was amazing. Grilled salmon, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach salad were all amazing. Saturday night I went to a musical in downtown Minneapolis, my friend Laura was the lead in the performance. She did great as well as the rest of the cast. It was nice to catch up with a few friends from Gustavus, we went for drinks and appitizers after the show. I wasn't even tempted to give in even though chicken wings and casadillas were all around me, I just enjoyed my diet coke. Anyway, here is Friday's workout and the recipie from Saturday. (Kasey made the spinach salad so I'll have to ask her about that secret, it was good though) Enjoy!

Friday's Workout

Rest 45 seconds between sets

Deadlift - 5 x 5
Nutral Grip Dumbbell Press - 5 x 5
Step Ups - 5 x 5
Turkish Get Ups - 3 x 5
Weighted Push Ups - 5 x 5

Marinade for Salmon
Marinates 2 1/2 lb. fillets ~4 hours

Macadamian Nut Oil - 1/4 cup
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
Lemon Zest
1 Tbls. Dill
1 Tbls. McCormik's Salmon Seasoning
1/4 cup Raspberry Vinegarette(optional)

Asparagus
3 Tbls oil
One bunch of fresh organic asparagus
Salt n' Pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Garlic salt to taste (optional)

Cauliflower
1 head fresh cauliflower
2 Tbls real butter
salt n' pepper to tast
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Grill Salmon on aluminum foil for ~15 min on medium-high heat(gas) or directly over heat (charcole). Pan fry asparagus on medium-high until al dent. Add lemon juice and other seasonings. Boil cauliflower until soft, and drain water. Then add butter and salt and pepper. Serve with remaining lemon wedges and Enjoy

Day 5

2009-03-05T15:16:00.000-08:00

Toast...glorious goldeny brown buttered toast. This morning I smelled my roommate making toast and it was truely shocking to realize how great toast smells. One thing I've already learned is that I'm developing a heightened sense of smell during this whole experiement. Whether its coffee, beer, pizza, nuts, bergers, oriental food, or toast I've definitly been noticing aromas more frequently, the other night all I could smell was brown surgar and I asked my roommates about it and they looked at me like I was crazy. Wierd things the mind can make happen. Oh well, trecking on with the shakes, let me know of any good ideas you might have for my healthy solid meal this Saturday. I'm guessing it'll be something I remember for a long time.

Here is the Wednesday workout

Rest 45 seconds between sets; 5x8

DB Front Squat
Seated Row
Push Press
Hanging Pikes
Wide Pullups
Straight Leg Dead Lift

Off and Running...Well Mostly Walking

2009-03-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

Day 3: Weighed in this morning and have already lost 5lbs. from my starting weight. I'm pretty sure that would be mostly stored glycogen and a little water. I made it through a hellish workout yesterday (I'll post it below) but felt fine afterwords. I also found out that walking is not as inconvenient as it seems. I think we're too accustomed to just jumping in the car (especially city folk) when things really are mostly within walking distance. In about 10 min I can walk from my apartment to the grocery store, bank, post office, gym, the and famous dave's. 15 min to get to the movie rental store, McDonald's, DQ, a haircut place, and other various shops. Anyway, things are going good, the shakes get a little old by the end of the day, but each morning seems like a fresh start and they are tolerable again. Noticed I was a little more tired today than usual, again not sure if its from the lack of stored glycogen, or just waking up early today. Time will tell.

Here is the Monday workout.

Rest 45 sec. between sets; 4x5

weighted pull ups
overhead kettle bell squats
bent over row w/ dumbbells
double kettlebell swings 4 x 15 sec.
clap push ups x 40
side planks x 2 min each side

My Starting Point

2009-02-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the big day! The V-diet begins, shake #1 will be at 7am. I'm excited because Kasey is going to do it with me :) I've got my favorite teammate to help me through so I'm 100% confident that there wont be any problems completing it! 28 days from now life wont be completly different, but I expect to have a brand new, considerably more lean, physique to show off over the summer months!

Here are my starting stats and a few 'before' pictures

Weight - 203

%Body Fat Impedence Method - 15.6%

%Body Fat Pinch Method - 6.6%

R. Arm - 13.75"

Chest - 39.5"

Waist (thinnest) - 33"

Waist (Umbilical) - 34"

Hips (Widest) - 39.5"

R. Leg - 22.5"

Why should we read?

2009-02-24T06:55:00.000-08:00

I think I’ve read more since I graduated from school than I did during my 16 years of education.

WHAT A FOOL I AM!

I should have taken some advice given to me, by a very wise man, when I was a sophomore in high school. They said, “Blake, how the hell do you think you learn things if you don’t read?” I replied, “I learn better by doing than I do by reading.” I didn’t know better then, but I do now, this is an excuse for lazy people. If you strictly learn by “doing” you are more often than not dependant upon someone else. Someone must be available regurgitate all the glorious information they have already learned. Rendering you completely helpless if no one is able to come to your aid!! Alright that might be a little extreme, since there is this concept of trial and error. However, this method is often time consuming and stressful. Many of us today cannot or are unwilling to put in the amount of effort needed and quit if the first try is unsuccessful. Have we forgotten the old adage “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again?” Now, I’ll admit I still sometimes resort to this method. I find the fear of the unknown to be sometimes thrilling and love the feeling of accomplishment when you finally get something right. This said, I am still much more comfortable having some sort of guidance prior to experimenting.

ENTER 2009 GOAL – Finish 9 books I have not previously read.

To an avid reader this may seem like weaksauce, however, I will be very pleased if I am able to accomplish this. To get started on the right foot I decided to re-read one of my favorites, The Davinci Code. It won’t count towards my goal, but I consumed it in under a week, even though I already knew the ending. Here are books I already have on the list for 2009 (in no particular order):

Good Calories, Bad Calories – Gary Taubes
150 Healthiest Foods on Earth – Jonny Bowden
Maximum Strength – Eric Cressey
The 4-hour Workweek – Tim Ferris
The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
Freakonomics – Steven Levitt
The Camel Club – David Baldocci
Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else – Geoff Colvin
In Defense of Food – Michael Pollan

Velocity Diet: READY TO ROCK N’ ROLL

2009-02-19T16:03:00.001-08:00

So Bio-test must love me lately. In the past four weeks I’ve had three orders each over $100. This sounds like a lot for supplements, but for the month of March it will be pretty much my only expense for food. Which typically runs me anywhere from 80 – 150 dollars a week. I’ve come to a realization that I love eating the best foods I can, no matter the cost. The way I see it, I’m investing money on self improvement which to me is always worth it. So here is a breakdown of what I bought for the diet:

2 - 5lb. tubs of GROW! low carb protein

4 – 2lb. tubs of Metabolic Drive low carb protein

3 – tubs of Surge recovery drinks

4 – cans of Barlean’s Forti-Flax

1 – bottle of HotRox Extreme

1 – bottle of Flame out, Fish oil

1 double box of fruity pebbles......kidding, but my roommate keeps these around for breakfast and it was up on the shelf by all the other stuff

What Velocity Is All About

Incase you didn’t get a chance to read the articles I posted earlier about the Velocity Diet here is a quick overview of what it entails.

THE DIET: lasts for four weeks; I’m starting March 1, a lot of protein shakes, healthy fats, and low amounts carbohydrates. I’m allowed one solid meal a week of something lean and healthy, think chicken and broccoli or steak and salad, or salmon (insert green vegetable here). Is it extreme?? Yes. Is it necessary for fat loss? No. Do I need to lose any fat? Not exactly, but I’ve always wondered what it would look and feel like to be super lean. We’re talking superstar athlete lean. So that is my pursuit. That is what I’m chasing. I am also curious of the challenge involved. The mental toughness it will take to not eat hardly any solid food and not drink any alcohol for 28 days. I might go insane and break after a few days or I might find a new determination within myself that I never knew existed. No matter the results, I am sure to learn a lot about myself, and my character.

THE EXERCISE: resistance training workouts will be three days a week Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I am going to incorporate a lot of kettlebell work, heavy pressing movements and heavy pulling movements; both upper and lower body circuits. Cardio will be kept to a minimum only daily walks from 2- 4 miles in length. Now the majority may think this is crazy. WHAT NO CARDIO?? Not in the traditional sense, no steady state, no running intervals. During extended bouts of intense or even moderate exercise the body uses sugar, or glucose, for fuel. Since my carbohydrate intake will be low I will not have much to spare. I do not want my body breaking down any muscle tissue, known as gluconeogenesis, for fuel during cardio exercise. However, low intensity walking for an extended period of time should, in theory, put my body into the fat burning mode known as the beta-oxidation cycle. Besides, my resistance training exercise could and will be considered interval training.

The Specifics (excript from, The Velocity Diet pt. 1 by Chris Shugart)

Calories

First I need to decide how many calories to consume per day. I may adjust this number as I go along, but I need to have a place to start. I know for sure I want to get more than 1300 calories per day.

Here's how I'll get my starting numbers. First plug total bodyweight into this equation:
(10.2 x bodyweight + 879) x .50 = _____
Now do it again with this equation:
(10.2 x bodyweight + 879) x .60 = _____ (Only the .60 is different.)

So, let's say a guy weighs 193 pounds and wants to see what his physique would look like at a ridiculously shredded 180:

(10.2 x 193 + 879) x .50 = 1424 calories
(10.2 x 193 + 879) x .60 = 1709 calories

Now, let's round those numbers to the nearest hundred for the sake of simplicity: 1400 and 1700. What our sample guy has now is the absolute minimal and maximal amount of calories he's going to consume while on the Velocity Diet.

My plan is to get close to the first number on non-training days and close to the second number on training days, but as long as I don't fall above or below this range I think I'll do fine.

And so it begins...

So that is the basics of it. A true test of determination and will power. I'm very optomistic that it will go smoothly with no setbacks. I'll take before and after measurements, and pictures. I'm going to use my strength numbers from the last max out in January.

Bench: 300

Clean: 310

Dead: 510

Broad Jump: 106"

I might go for a 315 power clean next monday in which case i'll use that number.

Voodoo Doughnuts, Dead Guy Ale, The Goonies and Homemade Pizza

2009-02-16T06:24:00.000-08:00

PORTLAND ROCKS!
A well deserved break to see the country side and catch up with an old friend.

In January, just after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season had ended, I decided to jump a plane and check out the great American northwest! Accompanying me on the trip was my lovely girlfriend Kasey, who shares the same passion for travel and exploring as I do! We experienced the Portland nightlife, a home-made pizza pie, the beautiful scenery and explored a quaint beach town home to Haystack Rock of the Goonies.

We caught the late flight out of Minneapolis mid-week and arrived in Portland about midnight. We were staying with my friend Ross and his girlfriend Ashley. I went to High school with Ross and will always be great-full for how much he improved my athletic career. I remember Ross would pick me up every morning to workout keeping me accountable to my other teammates and teaching me the importance of making improvements in the weight room.

Day 1:

Ross was working until 5pm. Ashley had to work a midday waitress shift. Kasey and I were left to explore Portland on our own. We set out, armed with only our camera and GPS. We headed to lunch at the Rogue Brewery Public House. All I need to say is, FRICKEN AMAZING BEER! The food was perfect too. Every Rogue beer had earned a gold medal from one beer competition or another. I had the Dead Guy Ale and the Mocha Porter. Kasey had the Hefeweisen. Following lunch we went to the mall where Ashley worked and shopped for about an hour. Kasey helped me pick out some clothes from Urban outfitters. This is unusual for me because I do not normally spend money on clothes. Kasey only bought a few things too. This is unusual for Kasey she usually goes crazy while shopping! The onset of night gave way to the gorgeous Portland skyline as we viewed it from the Portland Grill on the 30th story of the second tallest building in downtown. After happy hour we hit up a must see bakery in Portland. Voodoo doughnut is home to the most bizarre pastries I have ever come across. We got a quick sugar fix and headed to the comedy club for a few laughs. Our night ended at a martini bar where the atmosphere was a little “different.” We had a few drinks and retired for the day.

Day 2:

Ross was working again. Ashley had the day off and was going to escort us around some of Portland’s scenic spots. We packed up our lunch, the dogs, and ourselves and set out to hike to the top of Multnomah Falls. The hike was pretty easy and fast and the view from the top was magnificent. There was a spot overlooking the falls which rose 542ft. from there the view of Willamette River Valley was indescribable. We also were able to sneak a couple of great glances of Mt. Hood in between passing clouds. On our way back to the city we stopped at the Widmer Brother’s Brewery where Ross was able to meet us for a tour and some sampling. We ended the night by cooking dinner (home made pizza and salad) and visiting back at Ross and Ashley’s place. I was exhausted from day 1.

Day 3:

Our last day was Saturday and we decided to take a day trip to the ocean. It was about an hour drive from Portland. The town we visited was Canon Beach, OR. The beach town is famous for its role in the Goonies, as it is home to Haystack Rock (you know where the pirate ship comes out of!!) Unfortunately, the weather was not your typical beach weather, about 50 and raining, but I always enjoy spending time by the surf. We only spent a short time on the sand, but there were a ton of fun shops to visit in the small downtown. We had lunch at a small hand made pizza shop, it was amazing, and then went for coffee at a quiet little coffee house tucked away from the main drag. After that we stopped by the homemade candy shop, and then toured a couple of the small art galleries each presenting their own unique style and atmosphere. One thing we missed out on was glass blowing. We had arrived too late in the day to view the days work. After some minor car trouble we got on our way home. It had been a long day, but well worth the trip. Tomorrow would be another long day of traveling.

All-in-all I was very impressed with Portland and the exciting activities it had to offer. I only wish we would have had a day to spend snowboarding on Mt. Hood, we had to choose between the beach and the mountain and economics won the decision. I’m glad I decided to make the trip and happy to spend the weekend with Kasey and catch up with an old friend and his girlfriend. THANKS ROSS AND ASHLEY FOR THE GREAT EXPEREIENCE!

What I've learned

2009-02-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Something that has become very clear to me in the past six months is a very important step towards improving your quality of life. I'm talking about reflecting on past experiences. This process can be met with mixed emotions. On the plus side you can really learn from what you did wrong, and it can be very enlightening towards making smarter decisions in the future. On the other hand you may realize how you could have worked harder towards a goal and end up feeling ashamed of yourself. Do NOT fall into this trap of self pity, the past is over and done with. MOVE ON, LEARN FROM AND DO NOT REPEAT YOUR MISTAKES. One thing that always comes to mind when I'm reflecting back is my Dad saying, "hindsight is 20/20." I'm not sure how many times I heard that growing up and for how cliche it seemed then, it is just the downright truth. I think the take-away message here is that we always must learn from our past experiences, live in the present, control the things that we can control, make the best out of the hand we've been dealt, and let the future take care of itself.

So its strange to me that I've learned so much more in about six months out of school than I did in four years of college?? Did I not work as hard as I could have? Or perhaps something to be said about realworld experience?? Anyway, here is what I learned (mostly about training) in 2008 (in no particular order) .

· You need to set specific and measureable goals, and a reasonable timeline to reach them
o Short Term – Mid-range – Long Term
o Example of specific and measureable – Add 2 “ to my arms

· Keeping track of your workouts is crucial – plan ahead
o Buy a notebook for 30 cents
o Start thinking about the next phase - 6 weeks

· Periodization doesn’t have to be linear
o Undulating during the month – week
o Light – heavy days

· Being patient is the most important part of your workout
o Rest is important for performance – weight loss – building muscle
o Resting during your sets, and also planning off days (active recovery)
o Give your program time to develop - don't get programming ADD

· Compound (multi-joint) movements are king
o Rebuild the engine and body first – then worry about the detailing
o If you don’t have a lot of time cut out single joint movements

· Diet is about 90% of weight loss – you can’t out train a poor diet
o Plan your weekly meals – eat breakfast
o Understand what constitutes a serving size
o Timing of macronutrients is vital

· Volume and soft tissue work is important in highly trained athletes
o Time under tension
o Foam Rolling – Massage – Warm up - stretching

· Everything works, but only for so long – consistency matters
o Don’t skip/miss workouts – schedule them like you would a meeting or study time
o A lot of different ways to skin a cat

· Never stop researching, reading, and learning about training
o This is a changing industry, keep up with the new data

· Find people who inspire you – authors – pros – leaders in exercise science
o Find a mentor
o Model your behavior after them

· Contact people who inspire you – Network – Be Proactive!
o Successful people are willing to help you get started
o Don’t be afraid to seek their help – “often times you can learn a lot more over drinks with these guys than you can at a seminar” – Nate Green

Feb workout w/ the legend Boyd Epley

2009-02-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I am just comming off of my best 3 - lift max out in my life. I know I'm done with football, what am I doing!? I'm attributing it to high volume training, but that is a topic for a different blog.

Here are my current stats:

Body weight: 205
Bench Press: 300
Hang Clean: 310
Dead Lift: 510

Quickly, I would just like to share with you what I will be doing for February. So here is the basics of it, I will be trying to keep it to 45 min each session. May throw in a Kettlebell day on Saturday, I just got mine from Lifelineusa. I normally wouldn't do the spinning, but it's a part of my job requirements. I got this workout from Boyd Epley at a conference last spring. This was his template for the first four weeks of training his football athletes at Nebraska. It is pretty cool because it alternates explosive movements with pure strength movements and also alternates heavy/light days during the week. I think this will be good to keep my base strength as solid as possible going into the Velocity month.

Monday: Warm Up - Explosive: 3x5 - DB Rows - Squat Jumps
Tuesday: Warm Up - Strength: 3x10 - Abdominal work
Wednesday: OFF - Spinning
Thursday: Warm Up - Explosive: 3x5 - Plank Row - Windmill
Friday: Warm Up - Strength: 3x5 - Abdominal work - Spinning

Explosive Lifts include: Hang Clean, Hang Clean High Pull, Push-Press

Strength Lifts include: Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift

“For an athlete, there is NO SUBSTITUTE for the squat!” - Boyd Epley

Velocity Diet

2009-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

I'm starting this blog to record my workouts and talk about training. A big part of it will also be for sharing my experience with the Velocity Diet in March. I will also provide links relevent articles about training, health, and life. Anyone who desires to post is welcome. Post about anything: training, sports, life, relationships, movies, music, travel, work, hobbies, etc, etc...Thanks!

Velocity Diet Pt. 2
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_diet_mass/the_velocity_diet_part_ii

Velocity Diet - Dan John's experience

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_transformations/the_new_vdiet_test_drive&cr=

Hello

2009-02-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

I guess to be proper I should introduce myself.

My name is Blake Theisen, I'm 23 years old from Cold Spring Minnesota. Growing up I loved playing sports and being outdoors. In high school I was your typical jock, played three sports (football, hockey, track and field) partied, and generally did not respect others all that well. Growing up in a small town it was easy to lose sight of the little things that are most important in life. I was always busy with sports and socializing that I rarely took time to reflect on who I was becoming.

I went to college at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, MN. During my freshman year I had a hard time adapting to my new surroundings. For the first time I realized that I had a piss-poor attitude. I got lucky and had some amazing friends that I met that year and they really showed me how important it is to be humble, especially since I was being given opportunities to do things many others do not get. For example playing college athletics, or going to a private college. I was elected captain of the football team my senior year, and was excited that my hard work and determination was paying off. I finished my degree in four years, and enjoyed every minute of my time in St. Peter. In fact, I wish I was still in school. (hard to believe I would ever say that) The more time I spent at Gustavus the more my attitude changed and I am thankful today that Gustavus was able to teach me some very important life lessons as well as the knowledge I needed to start a career.

Currently, I am a health fitness specialist at Best Buy Corporate. I am learning a ton everyday from working with my clients and from the experience teaching group exercise. Ultimately, it is not the population that I wish to work with for an extended period of time. My love of athletics is calling me, and I'm hoping to start a career path towards strength and conditioning coaching. Next fall, I will be enrolling in a Masters Program at either St. Cloud State University, or The University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

I guess that is me in a nutshell.

ENJOY

BT