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I just finished Anthony Robles’ book, Unstoppable.  I enjoyed Kyle Maynard’s, No Excuses, last fall.  Today, I saw the story of Kent State Tuscarawas freshman Zion Clark—a wrestler with caudal regression syndrome.  I am already inspired by the sport of wrestling, but these stories (and there are many more) take it to the next level.  These are wrestlers who defied the doubters and did the impossible.  These are wrestlers who did not let their limitations define them.

“Can’t” is not welcome in my home.  I try to instill the desire in my children to always do their best and never make excuses.  I am harder on myself—though I wish I had embraced this attitude much earlier in life.  It took me many decades to realize that my limitations did not define me—and that my limits were a self-created box (or prison cell).  “Can’t”, I had to learn, does nothing.

We are who we are for a Purpose.  Anthony Robles knew at a young age that his missing leg is his purpose, not his burden.  Wrestling is a metaphor for life.  Dan Gable said that “once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.”  I think this is not unlike the statement: “that which does not kill you makes you stronger” (Friedrich Nietzsche).  Those who overcome physical limitations to excel in wrestling show us that there is nothing stronger than the will.

Self-doubt is more debilitating than a missing limb or limbs.  I often think of the story from the Bible in which Peter walks out on the water to Jesus.  He begins to sink, not from a lack of faith in Jesus, but rather from his lack of faith in himself.  We, too, let our self-doubt and distorted perception of our abilities limit our success.

Don’t under-value yourself.  Work to strengthen your weaknesses and play (wrestle) to your strengths.  Don’t put limits on yourself.  Believe.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

I firmly believe that we have choices when it comes to our health.  Our action (or inactions) drive our health and well-being.

Years ago, I taught a Pathophysiology for Sports Medicine course.  My approach was to examine how exercise impacts one’s risk for diseases and the prognosis once affected.  Two actions became quite clear if one desired health—exercise and don’t smoke (or stop smoking, if a smoke).  That is about it.  Exercise does not necessarily prevent disease, but it reduces the risks and improves the prognosis.  It is well known that moderate exercise reduces the risk of upper respiratory tract infections (refer to “Nieman’s ‘J’”) and boosts the immune system response.  The key is “moderation.”  Too much and too hard actually elevates the risk above even that of sedentary individuals.

So, while it might be too late for the annual flu shot, you can take steps to avoid getting sick:

Don’t smoke!!

Exercise regularly.

Increase your non-exercise physical activity.

Get adequate sleep.

Drink water.

Eat a balanced, healthy diet (avoid simple sugars!)

Play.

Laugh.

And don’t be a germaphobe—the immune system is incredibly equipped to fight off pathogens and build a strong defense.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

As I write this, I am preparing to lead my Foundations of Exercise class in a discussion about Youth Fitness and Exercise.  We will address such questions as: “What are the health concerns facing American youth today?”, “How does our approach differ from adult exercise?”, “How do individual, environmental, and task constraints differ from adults? How are they the same?”, and “How do we confront the physical activities facing today’s youth and encourage them to be more active?”

Frankly, our kids need to be more active!  Physical education is increasingly restrictive in our school systems.  Schools almost seem to want to see our kids be less active.  My daughter only has to walk to the end our cul-de-sac to catch the bus—and there is a second stop at the other end of the very block on which her bus stops!  In my profession (and as a parent), that just seems nuts.

Sports tend to be the only outlet for youth physical fitness.  In more than a few, there is an ever-increasing push to specialize early.  Club sports, in particular, increasingly demand more of the children’s time and calendar.  I am no fan of sport specialization (and the literature backs this up).  It is most important that children be involved in as many diverse sports activities as possible for broad physical development.

Preadolescence should be focused of general physical preparation (GPP) and development of motor-related skills and athleticism.  They should be playing multiple sports and/or playing physical games for fun.  Coaches should not be playing the kids into shape.  Ideally, there should be at least some preseason conditioning.  I also recommend that parents seek out a qualified sports performance coach (not a specialized sport or technical coach) to help with over all GPP—when they athlete is emotionally and physically ready.  Lifting weights under the supervision of a qualified professional is safe—when the child is ready.  Proceed wisely.  Focus on technique and foundational movement skills.   There will be time to life heavy when they are ready.

Push the schools to bring back a substantial program of physical education.  Exercise with your kids (they learn their best habits—and their worst—from the parents).  Encourage–don’t push—your kids to be active and participate in sports.  Start them early in qualified programs—programs that introduce the child to the sport and emphasize skill development.  Most importantly, let the child fail.  Let him or her try things and make mistakes—this is how they get better and develop a passion for sport and lifelong physical activity.

Don’t be overly protective.  Let the child run, climb, and play.  Sure, they will get an “owwie” from time to time, but that is part of being a kid.

Follow the child’s lead.  If they like a sport, support them.  If they don’t, don’t force them.  (I would require that they finish out the season and their commitment to the coaches and teammates, but they should not be forced to sign up the following season.  I believe in teaching a child to honor his/her commitments.  Quitting is not an option.  Exploring the opportunities in sport should be encouraged.)  Youth sports should be about learning who the child is and what they like.  Youth sports are about growing (Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially).  Youth sports are not about the coaches or parents.

Youth sports should not add to the child’s insecurities and self-doubts.  Encourage your child—win or lose (or learn).  Never ridicule the child’s performance.  As well, never give the child excuse—teach the young athlete to take responsibility of his or her performance.  Teach the child to show up (game and practice) and give a best effort.  Teach: be your best today; be better tomorrow!

There is nothing wrong with high expectations, as long as they are grounded in reality—not in the delusions of the parents.  Teach the child the importance of effort and teamwork.  Most importantly, make sure they have fun!

Carpe momento!

The other day in class, I covered the topic of exercise during pregnancy and how does training women differ from training men.  It is a question I have had to address often.  In a nutshell, women do not train any differently than men!  We exercise according to individual goals, not gender.  True, there are sometimes some exercise constraints that differ between men and women, but, again, we address the individual.

“I don’t want to get big bulky muscles.”  You won’t—unless you train (and eat) for them.  Even most men are not willing to work hard enough to get “big bulky muscles”.

“I just want to tone.”  What is “toning”?  Essentially, it is code for “I want definition but not big bulky muscles.”  In other words, “I want to diet and lift weights.”

“I want to firm my hips and thighs.”  Okay. Squat.

“I don’t want to get sweaty.”  Okay. Then you don’t have to worry about “big bulky muscles”.

These statements are often heard from women—but, certainly, not all women.  Increasingly, women are joining men in the free-weight room—with great success.  I think this is great.  I also think it is at all threatening to the “feminine physique” (i.e., the “toned body”).

Exercise encompasses health components (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, and body composition) and motor skill-related components (speed, power, agility, coordination, balance, and reaction time).  How we approach these do not differ by gender.  Specificity and overload are the same for men and women.  Repetitions, sets, and volumes are determined by goals, recoverability, and time constraints for women, as well as men.

Male or female, exercise!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

The longer, the longer.  Success is a process.  Examine the life of an “overnight success” and you will find it their success to be the opposite—years of effort leading to capitalizing on opportunity.

A favorite movie is What About Bob?, starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus. Murray’s character, Bob Wiley, is a hilarious example in the process of “baby steps”.  We, too, can baby step our way to change.

Gable’s principle of “the longer, the longer” simply means that we keep doing what we do well and get better every day—be your best today; be better tomorrow.  Consistency and effort.  Kaizen.  It is the summation of the preceding principles.

There is little to say here other than keep being (extra)ordinary.  As comedian, Milton Berle, said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”   No Stalling. Get off your back and fight! “Better yet, stay off your back” (Dan Gable)

Carpe momento!

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”—Thomas A. Edison

“Remember to play after every storm.”—Mattie Stepanek

Recovery.  In exercise and in life, our greatest growth comes not during the stress, but in the recovery time that follows.  Adversity and challenge—overload in exercise science—is essential for growth Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially.  We can’t keep pushing and pushing and expect to see continued success.

Rest and recovery can come in many forms.  All are essential.

Sleep.  Arnold Schwartzenegger famously said: “If you are sleeping more than 6 hours, sleep faster.”  Ideally, one should sleep 7-8 hours a night, but 6 solid hours of quality sleep—emphasis on “quality”—allows one more time to be effective (“opportunity coats”).  Poor quality sleep—no matter for how long—or too little sleep is detrimental to health and to productivity.  Optimally, one needs regular sleeping habits.  Go to be at about the same time each night and rise (preferably early) at the same time each morning.  Have a routine.  Avoid electronics, television, and other sleep-disruptive activities immediately prior to bed.  Sleep well.

Reflection.  Spend time each day in contemplation.  Journaling and meditation are essential to growth.  How?  One’s growth routine is quite personal, but it is necessary that one spend time reflecting, considering, and projecting.  There need not be much time spent on these activities each day, but minimally 15 minutes should be set aside at the start of the day and, ideally, at the end of the day (before bed).  Time for reading should also be included in the day.

Vacation.  Time off and vacation are essential.  Even God took time to rest.  The concept of a “Sabbath” need not be legalistic, but the habit of a weekly day of rest (from work and exercise) is a healthy idea.  We need time to recover.  Take time for yourself and the relationships in your life!  Vacation is difficult for me.  I like to work, but I need to consciously remove myself from my work.  Being an academic and intellectually-focused, rest is challenging.  I have always found it easier to rest from physical labor.  Resting our mind requires the conscious setting aside of the things that occupy our thoughts.  I have committed to posting daily to this blog, but I have been conscious of taking days—especially vacation time off.  I have periods where I get ahead of my schedule so I can spend focused time with my family.  I also consider my “15-minute check-in” with my wife as a daily “vacation”.

Nutrition.  Diet is essential to recovery from physical exercise.  Equally so, diet is essential to recovery from the daily stresses.  Healthy eating need not be complicated.  Indeed, complicating diet simply adds to the stress of life.  Following the K.I.S.S. principle, eat less sugar, less processed food, limit calories, drink alcohol in moderation, limit caffeine, drink water.  “Diet” is the habits of what we eat regularly.  Make wise choices.

Remember, success requires effort, and effort requires rest.  “Opportunity costs.”

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”—Confucius

Victory.  Legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi, once said “The will to win is the only thing” (Not, by the way, “winning is everything”).  Victory is clearly the goal, but victory comes only with focused preparation and the will to be successful.  “We run to win, (after all,) not just to be in the race” (Vince Lombardi).

Iowa defines the winning mindset in collegiate wrestling.  Victory is expected and results follow expectations.  There is no expectation of coming in second.

Success begets success.  It is contagious to those around us, and it feeds us going into the next opportunity.

“I shoot, I score.  He shoots, I score.”  This pretty much sums up Dan Gable and his victory principle.   In life, we must believe without a doubt that our victory is certain.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”—Vince Lombardi

Normal.  My take on normalcy is that normal should not remain “normal”.  On one hand, we want to be (extra)ordinary and stand out from the crowd—to do what exceeds expectation.  On the other hand, we want a certain kind of stability and routine in our lives.  “Normal” is a certain progressive consistency.

Dare to be different.  Have your normal, but don’t seek what is normal for someone else.

Our normal routine should possess the actions that are intended to make us better and more “well-centered” (Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially).  This is our “growth routine”.  Normal is consistent hard work and personal development.  Normal is having (extra)ordinary expectations for ourselves and others.

Normal are our defined expectations.  Thus, the “Gable Trained” principle of normalcy is to have a “normal” that exceeds that of one’s competition.  “Normal” for Iowa Wrestling is winning.  I can’t imagine anyone lasting in Dan Gable’s wrestling room thinking otherwise.

Our normal should be as such.  We should expect success and do all we can to pursue it.  We should be our best today and be better tomorrow.  Better is our normal.

Carpe momento!

Determining the appropriate volume (sets and repetitions) for our workouts can be a bit challenging.  Most have been taught the standard guidelines of 8-12 repetitions for 3-4 sets, which might be fine for general fitness but not for more specific goals.  In addition, we will want to periodize our programming for optimal gains and phase potentiation.  Chad Wesley Smith does a great job breaking down the overload principle in the video, “Smart Training is Hard Training: The Principle of Overload” by Juggernaut Training (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqF8EoDMSGo).  The video is more directed at serious weight lifters, but it is no less applicable to the older lifter who is still looking to progress his or her strength and physique.

Three phases are applicable: hypertrophy, strength, and peaking.  Hypertrophy is the adding of muscle mass.  The strength phase is intended to maximize force development—the weights that can be lifted (for one repetition maximum or 1-RM).  Peaking is intended for the competitive lifter—lifting for maximal intensity in the technical lifts (e.g., bench, squat, deadlift, etc.).  Peaking may not be desired by all.  I would suggest cycles of hypertrophy and strength, however, no matter one’s age.  Each complements the other (i.e., potentiates) for optimal progress.

Hypertrophy is driven by increased volume (weight x reps x sets).  The target intensities should be about 60-75% of the 1-RM (which can be estimated using a variety of online calculators.  Sets should be in the range of 6-12 repetitions, and 15-30 sets per week directed at each lift (body part) are recommended (how many will depend on factors such as time and recoverability.  I also prefer to start with variations of the “basic 5” (squat, deadlift, bench, press, and row) and build from there.

Strength is driven by increased intensity (i.e., progressively adding weight).  The targeted intensities fall in the range of 70-85% 1-RM (intermediate/advanced lifters) and 75-90% 1-RM (intermediate/beginner).  Sets should be in the range of 3-6 repetitions for 10-20 sets per week.

Peaking focuses on technical prowess and neurological adaptation, keeping the intensity high—85% (intermediate/advanced) or 90% (intermediate/beginner) for sets of 1-3 reps and 5-10 sets per exercise per week.  Peaking is much more stressful on the body, demanding more recovery, and carries a greater risk of injury.  It is not recommended for the older lifter with little lifting experience or without the guidance of an experience (qualified trainer).

Notice the repetitions don’t get very high.  There is little reason to do more than 12 repetitions of a weight lifting exercise.  Many lifters find “5” to be the “magic” number of repetitions.  Many more and each additional repetition loses effectiveness to a greater degree—in other word, the difference between 4 and 5 and 5 and 6 repetitions is much greater than the difference between 11 and 12 and 12 and 13.

We are all different and have different preferences.  We also have very different schedules and obligations.  Consider the above set ranges and how they fit with your exercise needs and opportunity.  There is no definitive training frequency.  Two to three times per week is actually a bit arbitrary.  The most important thing is to optimize the volume to meet your maximal recoverable volume as much as possible.   Sets can be achieved in as few as 1 session per week or divided to fit your time schedule.  More sets per session means a longer session.  Shorter, more frequent sessions, may be better suited to hitting that MRV.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!