Month: July 2018

I have been receiving a number of messages pointing to the importance of friendship and community.  So, taking a cue from The Celestine Prophecy, I have been reflecting on what it means to create “well-centered community”.

I have been reading A Hidden Wholeness in which Parker J. Palmer addresses the practice of a “circle of trust” as a means of finding one’s inner soul.  He addresses solitude and community and stresses that these are not either-or concepts.  He defines these as follows:

“If we are to hold solitude and community together as a true paradox, we need to deepen our understanding of both poles.  Solitude does not necessarily mean living apart from others; rather, it means never living apart from one’s self.  It is not about the absence of other people—it is about being fully present to ourselves, whether or not we are with others.  Community does not necessarily mean face-to-face with others; rather it means never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other.  It is not about the presence of other people—it is about being fully open to the reality of relationship, whether or not we are alone.”

This is the very essence of Spiritual well-centeredness—“never living apart from one’s self…never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other”.  As well, this perception of “relationship” is essential to the concept of well-centered fitness—the interdependence of the Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimensions.

In a well-centered community, we make room for solitude and community.  There are times for isolation—for journaling, reflection, meditation, etc.  Isolation provides time to recharge the batteries and to center one’s self.  There are certainly times for community—Social well-centeredness is at pinnacle of the well-centered fitness pyramid, after all.  It is important that we have family and friendships—that we be in relationship with others.

S. Lewis wrote:

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”

Well-centered fitness—living a well-centered life (Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially)—requires that one “give value to survival”.  Thus, one’s personal “well-centeredness” has its greatest value in community.

Spiritual Community.  There is no Spiritual well-centeredness without community.  As stated already (using the words of Dr. Palmer), Spiritual well-centeredness is “never living apart from one’s self…never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other”.  We seek Spiritual growth in both solitude and community.  This is the “Spiritual self” I addressed previously.  We are our best today and strive to be better tomorrow for community.

Physical Community.  We are nearly always in some form of physical community.  We live in physical proximity to someone(s).  We may attempt to isolate our self, but short of living entirely off the land like a hermit in some very remote wilderness, we will at some level interact with someone at some time.

We have some choice in our Physical community—where we live, work, exercise, etc.  Where we have no choice, we have the choice in how we interact with that physical environment.

In terms of Physical well-centeredness, we determine what we do for our physical exercise and health habits.  Thus, the well-centered community is one that supports these healthy choices.  This includes the personal example we set for others and the opportunities that we create for ourselves and others.

I live in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon—a city that prides itself on being “bike-friendly”.  I find, however, that this label of “bike-friendly” is true only in limited places.  There are bike lanes, but they are not continuous.  Thus, there are numerous stretches of road where only the most expert cyclist would dare ride between designated bike lanes.  This hardly encourages recreational cycling (or running/walking, as these roads are equally unsafe for pedestrians).

A Physically well-centered community (in the geopolitical sense) should provide easy access to physical activity.  There should be parks and appropriately challenging playgrounds for children (and ideally ones to which people can easily walk and bike).  There should be access to clean waterways for physical activities, such as swimming and kayaking.  Communities need to be safe for residents to be outdoors—safe for children and adults to play.  Schools need to emphasize physical education, sports, and general physical activity.  Physically well-centered communities make physically healthy living a priority.

In the relational sense, we create a Physically well-centered community in our personal health choices.  There is a need for community when it comes to exercise.  Personally, I exercise at home—alone.  I prefer this; but, deep down, I would rather be exercising with others.  On one hand, I find exercising at home convenient, and, as a former fitness trainer, I struggle watching people workout (there is just so much form to correct!—it is distracting).  I have also had struggles over the years to find effective and reliable lifting partners.  So, I opt to “go it alone”.

I have my issues with CrossFit® training, but one thing they have certainly gotten right is the community environment they build.  They quite effectively tap into our innate desire and need to be part of a community.  We can see similar communities develop with local running groups, Weight Watchers®, diets, exercise classes, etc.  We must encourage such communities as well-centered persons.  It is unfortunate that much of the fitness industry is so commercially-oriented that the focus is on profit and not health (a tip: fitness facilities that charge extremely cheap monthly dues do not want you to come!).  Physically well-centered communities are welcoming and encourage the success of all individuals in pursuit of their Physical goals.

Intellectual Community.  Personally, I think we have lost sight of “Intellectual community”.  K-12 schools are increasingly driven by standardized test scores and curriculum that is determined by non-educators.  Universities have been slow to adapt to the changing societal needs and are fast becoming little more than vocational training centers and diploma mills.  We have access to a tremendous amount information—and that access grows at an exponential rate—but we have lost sight of what to do with it.

Intellectual well-centeredness is not just about accumulating information.  It is about the synthesis and utilization of information.  More importantly, it is about the sharing and generation of new ideas.

Our society is becoming increasing polarized by ideas—decreasingly well-centered.  We fear “political incorrectness”.  We easily cry “offense”.  We protest and argue, but rarely discuss.  We get information from social media and share without interacting with the information—without considering the accuracy or legitimacy of the information.  We close ourselves off from information and viewpoints that do not agree with our worldview.  Sadly, we do not regularly evaluate our ideas or seek to broaden our knowledge.

An Intellectual community supports and encourages free-thinking and honest (and respectful) discourse.  An Intellectual community supports education over indoctrination.  Schools and libraries—and other institutions of culture and history—are important community institutions.  Intellectually well-centered people welcome and participate in the sharing of ideas—no matter how different they are from their own.

Emotional Community.  Emotionally well-centered communities give space to others to find their Purpose or “soul”.  Personally, I find it difficult to step back and let others “be themselves”.  Rather, I prefer to shape people into my image for them.  As a parent and as a teacher, I am finding that I need to be a guide rather than a potter.  As well-centered communities, it is important that we allow others to feel and to express themselves in their own time and space.  We must encourage rather than push.

As an Emotionally well-centered community, we are accompanying one another on solitary journeys.  Sometimes this involves more Social interaction.  More often, this requires what Dr. Palmer refers to as “practicing presence”—he using as an analogy the act of “being alone together” with a dying person.  He also suggests that relationships are “neither invasive or evasive”.  In other words, the Emotional community is not about solving problems, it is about being present for the journey.

Social Community.  The Social dimension of community seems obvious.  We desire to be with other people.  We need community.  As C. S. Lewis wrote, however, “(community) has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival”.  Thus, we don’t need to be with others to survive.  Community makes life worth living.

It is sad that we are becoming so increasingly connected yet so increasingly disconnected.  We are living in tighter spaces, yet know so little of the people near us.  It is downright depressing to walk the halls at my university an see a hall full of students staring at their phones or observing tables of people in restaurants sitting together yet apart.

Social community is present for the people present.  This is not to say that there is no value in social media or electronic interactions.  Personally, I value greatly the relationships that I am able to maintain with distant friends via Facebook.  I find, though, that the depth of the relationship is a matter of effort.  Clicking the “thumb up” emoji and indicating that you favor someone’s comment or post is not Social community.  Rather, Social community requires that we add value to the interaction—that we be truly relational.

Social community circles back to the Spiritual dimension of community.  As Dr. Palmer is quoted above: “(Social) community does not necessarily mean face-to-face with others; rather it means never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other.  It is not about the presence of other people—it is about being fully open to the reality of relationship, whether or not we are alone.”

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

There are many things that Spiritual well-centeredness is not.  It is not being religious (though one’s religious practices may be integral to one’s Spiritual practices).  It is not solitary (indeed community is central to Spiritual well-centeredness).  It is by no means a denial of self or the sacrifice of personal needs (rather, to the contrary, it is the fulfilment of self).

I define Spiritual well-centeredness as the realization that there is something greater than “self”; that self is not the center of the Universe.  I have as a daily mantra “I am third” (i.e., my God is first, my family and friends are second, and I am third).  These beliefs, however, do not suggest that I am (or pursue to be) totally “selfless”.  Certainly, any time I attempt to practice
“I am third”, without including consideration of “self”, it ends in frustration and anger.  I will find myself struggling with the failure of others to live “I am third”.  Few if any can be “selfless” without taking time for self.  This includes sleep, nourishment, recreation, personal meditation, reflection, etc.  So, how then does one resolve the paradox of a Spiritual self?

I believe the answer lies in “Purpose”—the idea that we are on this earth for a reason.  Philosophy and religion seek to understand the deeper reasons for life.  I don’t know that it is possible for the human mind to fully understand these things.  As a Christ follower, I believe that Jesus points us in this direction (though religion often loses the message in the practice).  There is a diversity of understandings regarding what can be called the “soul” (and with such diversity comes an assortment of terms).  Call it what you will, it seems we all feel some pull or drive in our lives.  I see this as the “Spiritual self”.

The “Spiritual self” pursues its rightful place in the Universe.  It perfects its gifts and opportunities for the benefit of the masses—of the Universe.

I consider the dimensions of well-centered fitness to form a pyramid rather than a more traditional wellness model as slices of a pie or an interconnected circle.  As such, our Spiritual and Physical form the base.  Call them the “soul” and the “flesh”, if you will.  They are inseparable, yet separate.  All that is Physical is universally connected.  In science class, we learn the Law of Conservation of Energy (that energy can be neither created nor destroyed).  Thus, there is an Energy that runs through all that is physical—forever changing forms and possessors.  Likewise, the chemistry behind the physical organism is dynamic and flows from one organism to another.  Oxygen, carbon dioxide, foodstuff, water, etc. all share the atomic and subatomic particles that make the Universe.  We share the air we breathe, for example.  The oxygen I breathe was released from some plant (or the breath of another).  It, for a time may reside in my cellular structures or form join with carbon and the electrons passed through metabolism to form CO₂ that is ultimately passed to another.  One need not be overwhelmed by physiology or quantum physics to see that all of the Physical Universe is connected—is Spiritual.  We build upon this foundation the other dimensions—Intellectual, Emotional, and Social.  These, in turn, feed the Spiritual and Physical leading ever closer to “self” fulfilment.

Self fulfilment is, ultimately, the fulfilment of Purpose.  It is the successful accomplishment of one’s role in the Universe.  Thus, I apply another of my daily mantras—be your best today; be better tomorrow—as a prompting of the Spiritual self.  The Spiritual self, then, takes it rightful place in the Universe not for its own purposes but for the good of the whole of the Universe.

Be your best (Spiritual self) today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

The other day I saw a meme about picking up 2 or 3 items of trash every time you walk the beach.  It is a great idea.  I would go a bit farther and say pick up some trash everywhere you go.  See something on the ground or floor?  Pick it up.

I try to teach this, by example, to my son by picking up paper towels on the men’s room floor (thus, why I can’t also teach my daughter).  It bothers me that people are so inconsiderate that they can’t just bend down and pick their garbage.  We often don’t understand that someone has to pick it up.  So, give the custodial staff a bit of a break and clean up after yourself.

Maybe, you might want to try the Swedish trend of “Plogging”—the combination of picking up trash and jogging. Ploggers wear gloves and carry trash bags to fill as they run.  It is one of the hot fitness trends for 2018.  It probably isn’t for everyone, but, for those who do, it is a help.

Maybe Plogging isn’t your thing.  Perhaps just take a scheduled walk one or more days a week and do your personal part to clean up your neighborhood (“Plolking”?—Maybe someone can come up with a better name and start a trend.)

If you want to make the world a cleaner place:

1. make less waste,

2. pick after yourself, and

3. pick up after others.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Image source: https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/clean-ocean-action-s-spring-beach-sweeps-april/article_3306b648-0c92-11e6-87af-b76548b34f27.html

Summer is vacation season.  Vacation is supposed to be relaxing; however, it can be equally stressful.  All the planning.  Trying to cram in all the sites and activities we can.  Family.  Pets. Etc.  As we seek to have the best summer ever, it is important to keep it “well-centered”.

Keep it Spiritual.  No need to schedule a pilgrimage.  Spiritual well-centered fitness, remember, refers to the reality that we are not the center of our Universe—that there is something greater than “self”.  So, on vacation, don’t make it about “me”.  Make it about others.  Relax and just seek to be present—carpe momento.  Slow down and absorb all that is going on around you.

Yield to the desires of your children, family, and friends.  Seek first to make vacation enjoyable for others, and you, too, will have fun.

This does not mean one must completely yield to the vacation others want to have.  It just means you don’t have to drive.

Take time for yourself, too.  Vacation is a great time to keep up with the journal.  Personally, I like getting up early, pour a cup of coffee, and enjoy the stillness.  Whether camping or in a hotel or a the home of family, there is always space to sit, reflect, and embrace the moment.

Take time to hit the ‘pause’ button.  Don’t be so driven to “create memories” that you neglect to experience the moment.

Keep it Physical.  Family vacations are a time for family.  Keep the vacation active, but don’t let your training interfere with the other dimensions of well-centered fitness.  If possible, plan for vacation to be a training deload—a period of planned, active recovery.

Diet is always a challenge on vacation.  There are hotel continental breakfasts (i.e., carb-laded “free” breakfasts with few, if any, healthy choices).  There is a lot of restaurant dining.  There is alcohol. Let’s face it, we work hard to get into vacation shape, only to blow it on regrettable meals.  Our diet, however, need not fall apart.  We can enjoy ourselves (and we should) and still keep on track.

I would not suggest calorie counting on vacation (unless it is absolutely necessary).  Just keep the eating under control.  Plan for some deviation from the normal diet.  Limit, however, the destructive behavior.  If you know there will be some high-calories meals, counter these with control during the other meals.

Avoid the high-carb continental breakfast.  Take a more “intermittent fasting” approach and restrict caloric consumption at the start of the day—saving calories for later.  If you are a coffee drinker, try adding some quality fat to your morning cup in lieu of a pastry.  Grain-fed butter and/or coconut oil actually tastes pretty good, and it can satisfy one’s hunger for quite some time. Once you get going on your active vacation, you will be too busy to eat.  Another low-calorie and satisfying breakfast option is a low-carb meal replacement shake.  If you must eat, think high-fiber and protein.  Avoid the sugary foods that are going to leave you hungry a short time later and cause you to binge on junk.

Be careful in your choices when you eat out.  Emphasize veggies and protein and avoid the starchy carbs.  “Save room for dessert” takes on a new meaning on vacation.  Allow yourself treats, but eat to allow yourself these pleasures.  Avoid the feeling that you have to “eat everything on your plate”.  If there are a lot of tempting items on the menu, consider sharing food “family style”—allow yourself a taste of many things, but don’t over-indulge.

Be smart with alcohol.  Alcohol is empty calories.  Choose options that are “sip-able” and on the lower end of the calorie scale.  On average, most alcohol is about 150 kcal per serving—per shot, per glass of wine, per 12-oz beer.  Hard liquor is usually coupled with mixers that can dramatically add to the calories.  Beer can be quite deceiving.  I have learned to look at the %ABV of beer.  For a 12-oz beer, there are 30 kcal per %ABV (pints: 40 kcal per %ABV).  So, the difference between a pint of a 5% ABV “session” IPA and a pint of an 8% ABV “imperial” IPA is 120 kcal!!  I like to try local craft beers when I travel.  Sharing a flight of samplers is a good way to limit consumption.  I am not much of a mixed drink person, but a tip I learned on My Diet is Better than Yours is to drink through a straw.  This forces you to drink more slowly—to sip the drink.  Always the best decision with alcohol is to drink less.

Keep it Intellectual.  There may not be as much time as you like on vacation for quiet reading, but try to make time.  For the sake of the children and young adults on the vacation, try to sneak some learning in on the fun.  Seek the informational sites and well as the amusement parks.  Teach (and learn) about the local history and culture.

Keep it Emotional.  Minimize the stress.  Avoid negativity and have fun.  Don’t try to make it the “perfect vacation”, because it won’t be.  Let things slide and choose to be positive.  (Not my strongest trait.  So, I need to remind myself or this.)  Vacations should be relaxing.  If you are not relaxing or feeling relaxed, pause.  Evaluate why and correct your path.  Don’t let friction ruin the memories.  Deal with it before it gets out of control.

Journaling can help keep your Emotional dimension “well-centered”.  Emotional well-centeredness is the keystone.  It is dependent upon the other dimensions, but it also supports the other dimensions.

Keep it Social.  The Social dimension is the pinnacle of well-centered fitness.  Our relationships are fed by the other dimensions.  Make the vacation about others (Spiritual) and it will produce lasting (good) memories.  (Re)connect with others.  Put away the electronic devices!  Be present for those who are present.  Your Facebook friends to wait until you get home to hear about your trip.  Take pictures, not “selfies”.  (The very term, “selfie”, is non-Spiritual and anti-Social.)  Create memories, not social media updates.  Engage.  Interact with the family and/or friends who are with you.  Interact with the locals.  Be sociable.  Enjoy the company of others.  Have your alone time, but make time for others.

Enjoy the Summer!

Carpe momento!

Out of necessity, I much prefer a high-frequency exercise program because of my lifestyle constraints and personal preferences. Is it ideal?  For me?  Yes.  For everyone? Probably not.  For some?  Possibly or possibly not.  We each have to determine—for ourselves—what works for us.

Today, I want to share what I do and why.  Let this be a guide and not an absolute.  (May God strike me down if every I try to convince anyone that there are absolutes in exercise.)

I have a 54 mile commute to work (roughly an hour drive to and from campus).  I have a 10-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old (soon to be 13) son.  My wife is in sales and has a rather varied work schedule.  I teach three 4-credit hour courses a term (12-hours in the classroom per week) plus office ours and research.  I am typically on campus from before 9 AM to 2:30-3:00 PM.  Honestly, I am fortunate, given my commute, that I have some flexibility of scheduling time to get my work done.  (I often grade and prepare work in the evening while I wait for my kids to be done with sports practices.)  I am up at 4-4:30 AM (most days) so can journal before working out at 5:00.  I work out before 6 to be done for my wife to have an opportunity to work out.  I then shower, get the kids up and going.  Bus stop duty usually falls on me, so I am not on the road until 7:40.  If I get out of work in a timely fashion, I can get home by 4 PM to work out before taking my son to practice (or pick him up in the case of middle school wrestling.)  So, as perhaps the reader can see, I have two blocks of almost an hour to exercise on most days.  I try my best to take advantage of these and still make time for family and other activities.  I leave myself flexibility for life to happen.

Scheduling 10-12 blocks a week for exercise works for me.  I can split a reasonable volume of exercise up and accomplish some reasonable goals.  If, in all likelihood, something comes up—I don’t get enough sleep, oversleep, hit traffic, the kid’s schedules change, a student drops in at the end of my office hours, I have a meeting, etc.—I can adjust.  Workouts can be shifted or condensed.  If I skip a workout, it is a low-priority workout (e.g., a cardio workout).  If a workout is shortened, I can do supersets to save time or cut something (e.g., stretching—don’t judge!).  If I tried to schedule longer, less frequent sessions, I would likely come up short on accomplishing what I want/need to do.

So, how do I make use of 10-12 blocks?  First, I consider my priorities: muscle strength/endurance, hypertrophy, cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition (fat loss), general motor skill-related fitness, and flexibility.

I shoot for 6-8 weight training session per week.  I can always adjust to hit at least a maintenance workout, if I have to condense body parts.  I tend to prefer a 2-3 day per week per body part split.  Currently, because I am opting for higher volume sessions, I am doing 2-day splits: squats + press, deadlift/Romanian deadlift + rows,  and bench/incline bench + calves–Sunday/Wednesday, Monday/Thursday, and Tuesday/Friday mornings, respectively.  I do accessory training (e.g., biceps, triceps, trapezius, neck, etc.) one or two days a week, usually in an afternoon session.  These are usually done on the days I schedule bench and calves.  This is for two reasons: 1) bench and calves aren’t so strenuous (like squats and deadlifts) so the added volume is manageable, and 2) can easily condense the two workouts, if necessary.

This leaves me 4-6 sessions for cardio and HIIRT sessions.  These allow quite a bit of flexibility, as they can be dropped or modified to accommodate for changes in the morning routine.  Some days, morning weights get pushed to the afternoon and there is either no time for cardio or I do a higher intensity short cardio workout instead.  Preferably, I do a couple MISS workouts a week and two Bulgarian bag/HIIRT workouts per week.  Depending on how the weight training goes, I might add a HIIT workout (e.g., a 20-min “Tabata” workout on the cycle ergometer) after accessory work.

Flexibility work fits is there where I can make it fit—and as I need it or am so motivated to do it.  I am inclined to start subbing a cardio workout for a yoga session.  (We’ll see where that goes.)

One will notice that there is no mention of abdominals.  This is for several reasons.  First, I am not inclined to doing a lot of crunches and ab work, because I don’t prioritize a “six-pack”.  Second, I am of an “opportunity costs” mindset.  Strong abdominals (more specifically, a strong core) is required for stability and agility.  Using the core to stabilize the spine during heavy squats, deadlifts, presses,… well, nearly every exercise, strengthens the core  Additionally, I prefer more dynamic core exercises that emphasize the multi-directional acceleration and deceleration of movements.  In my case, the Bulgarian bag training works for this.  Others might use medicine balls or other tools.  I can also accomplish some of this core work in the HIIRT exercises.  I don’t find a need to spend 20-30 minutes or more doing abs.  If I decide I want a six-pack, diet and cardio will help accomplish this.

I prefer a more undulated microcycle.  Hence, I alternate workouts (i.e., my splits) between (sarcoplasmic) hypertrophy, (myofibrillar) hypertrophy/strength, and absolute strength intensities.  Thus, I cycle between 5×12 at 65%, 6×7 at 75%, and 7×3 at 85% (I calculate working sets from 90% 1-RM).  Thus, I move back and forth between high-volume/low-intensity and low-volume/high-intensity.  For example, for a 345# 1-RM squat, the weights for the working sets would be 205#, 235#, and 265#, respectively (rounding to the nearest 5#).  The corresponding volumes (weight x repetitions x sets) would be 12,300#, 9,870#, and 5,565#.

There are many ways to accomplish your goals.  The only sure way is to do what works for you.  What I have set above is what works for me.  Adjust according to your schedule and preferences—more specifically, to your goals.  Let this be a template for designing your individual exercise program.  Keep in mind: opportunity costs and gains require effort.  There are no shortcuts, but there are many paths to fitness.  Baby steps!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

First, let me be clear, there are no best exercise programs.  What I do may not work for others (probably won’t work for many others), and many other programs won’t work for me (and some will).  The most important principle of exercise is that something is always better than nothing (within the scope of safe practices, of course).  So, the primary factors to consider in planning the exercise program are: goals, time, and availability.  The time frame for results?  Well, that is going to depend on what you do, how much you do, diet, and recovery strategies.

Goals.  The first thing anyone needs to do before starting an exercise program is set goals.  Even if your goal is to “get into shape”, you need to be specific in the goals.  What does “in shape” mean?  Everyone is different.  Thus, one must consider what they want to accomplish according to the components of health-related (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and body composition) and motor skill-related (speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time) fitness, and proceed accordingly.

First, prioritize these goals.  Remember: “opportunity costs”.

Personally, I prioritize my goals: muscle strength/endurance, hypertrophy, cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition (fat loss), general motor skill-related fitness, and flexibility.  Thus, my exercise protocols follow accordingly.  I prioritize my time for weight training, HIIRT, cardio (HIIT and moderate intensity steady-state exercise—or “MISS”), flexibility exercise.  Everyone will be—and should be—different.

Further, goals should be specific—targeting specific performance measures such as exercise-specific RMs, body fat percentage, gains in muscle mass (overall, as well as muscle-specific), 5-k time, etc.  Set goals and set a timeline for achievement (in other words, have a rate of progression in mind).

Time. If you really want to be serious about your training, every minute of your day needs to be planned around training, recovery, and diet.  Realistically, 99% or more of us just can’t manage such a lifestyle.  So, we make the best of what we can.  Time comes down to commitment and opportunity.  Realistically, how much time can you dedicated to exercise?  This means time for workouts that you schedule and actually complete.

When it comes to scheduling time, one has to be reasonable and realize that stuff happens.  Therefore, block off the time you want to exercise and plan with the realization that some sessions might be missed.  Physiologically, some times might be better for specific types of training (e.g., weight training is most ideal late morning and early evening when the body is nourished and warmed), but these times don’t always fit our schedule and lifestyle.  So, don’t sweat the details.  Schedule when it works for you.

A reason I like to schedule a higher frequency of training sessions is that I know that, if I miss a workout here or there, less damage is done.  I have to start early so my wife can work out, too.  My window is also small—45 minutes to an hour.  I can, however, also squeeze a 30- to 60-minute workout in the later afternoon between work and shuttling the kids around to sports, etc. or my “15-minute check-in” with my wife.  There is, however, the possibility that I might not get away from work on time or traffic will be slow (I have an hour commute—traffic is always slow).  So, the likelihood of missing an afternoon session is greater.  So, priorities dictate when I schedule the components of my exercise program.

Availability.  Not everyone has access to the same facilities.  Make do with what you have access to.  I have discussed this previously.  Do what works for your budget and schedule.  Personally, working out at home has worked for me for almost 15 years.  Over that time, I have accumulated equipment and weights, worn out a used stairstepper, and been up and down with my fitness goals.  I have worked out at commercial gyms and corporate/university facilities, depending on my circumstances.  I also know that when I travel, I can use hotel facilities, get short-term gym memberships (I have paid to use Gold’s Gyms for a week more than once during conferences and other travel), or do body weight exercise.  It is also possible to plan training programs around travel/vacation schedules (e.g., plan a deload week during a vacation).  The most important thing is that we don’t allow a perceived “lack of availability” as a barrier to exercise.  It is also important that we have a coping strategy in place for when availability changes (and when schedules change).  No excuses for not exercising.

Realistic Time Frames.  Everyone is different and will progress (and respond to exercise) at different rates.  The more aggressive the training strategy (coupled with the appropriate diet and recovery strategy), the greater and faster the gains one might expect.  It is important to emphasize that not everyone responds to specific exercise the same.  This is why I am careful with how I might generalize exercise science research and personal empirical results.  It is clear that there are “responders” and “nonresponders” to specific exercise.  We all have different genetic potentials.  So, consider how well you have selected your parents.  With experience and some trial and error, you will find what works best for you.

In general, there are some general expectations for progress we can expect based on the exercise science.  Again, I have to be clear that everyone is different.  If you are not achieving the same results as you neighbor—and you are putting in the same effort—it may not be the right approach for you.  Adjust.  By “adjust”, though, I mean “tweak”.  Do bounce from program to program every couple of weeks.  Give a program time.  Put in the effort.  Adjust the volume up and down according to your recovery.  Be consistent.

Fat loss.  As a rule of thumb, there are approximately 3500 kcal in a pound of fat.  So, to lose a pound of fat the body has to be in a 3500 kcal deficit for some span of time.  Thus, we can backtrack from the specific fat loss goal and calculate how long it will take given a predetermined rate of fat loss and average daily or weekly caloric deficit.

For fat loss to be sustainable—and more importantly to maintain muscle mass in the process—progression needs to be rather slow.  A general guide is about 1-2 pounds per week.  This may seem slow, but, considering the volume of a pound of fat, the appearance change will be more significant than one might think.  At this rate, it is also unlikely that much, if any of the weight loss will come from muscle.  If you are in the habit of watching shows like Biggest Loser or My Diet is Better than Yours, you might be under the impression that losing 10 or more pounds a week is attainable.  Perhaps.  But, consider a couple facts: 1) this initial weight loss is mostly water, 2) in extreme obesity, losing fat may be more critical than worrying about a loss of muscle tissue (and one might expect a smaller loss in muscle when there is less “excess” muscle mass during extreme caloric deficits), and 3) obesity is the result of extreme and persistent caloric excesses, so cutting calories at this stage are probably going to have a more pronounced effect at the onset.  Over time, the body will adjust and the rate of fat loss will slow as the body approaches more healthy levels.  So, be patient.  Let 1-2 pounds per week be your overall target.

Muscle gains.  I have heard a lot of wild claims over the years, but one must be sensible and look at the facts and the science.  When it comes to muscle gains, there is much to consider.  First is training age.  A beginner will typically see large gains in strength before seeing a great amount of hypertrophy.  This is because the initial gains in strength are the result of neural adaptation (muscle fiber recruitment patterns, improved synchrony of muscle coactivation, etc.) in response to the training.  As the exerciser becomes more experienced and begins to lift heavier and heavier weight, then hypertrophy will follow.

Second is training volume.  In the past, when I have responded to the comment (generally from women) that “I don’t want big, bulky muscles”, I have given the rather standard response about hormones, etc.  A couple of years ago, a student asked how to respond to this question.  I must have been in a feisty mood, because my immediate response was: “Tell her she’s not willing to put in the time.”  I thought about it, and this is really the right answer to give.  On one level, few have the genetic potential to put on great amounts of muscle mass, so such people would have to work extremely hard to get “big, bulky muscles”.  On another level, body builders and lifters who have very big muscles have worked extremely hard for those gains—carefully managing their lifting, recovery, and diet (yes, in some cases, this has been assisted by steroids, but let’s not discount that even lifters who are using PEDs are putting in the effort).  If you happen to be the very rare individual who gains muscle easily and does not want to, (first, we hate you—just kidding) you are fortunate.  You can dedicate your exercise time to other pursuits.

Diet and recovery will be critical factors.  If you watch a bodybuilder throughout his or her day, you will notice that, if the bodybuilder isn’t lifting or sleeping, he or she is probably eating.  It takes a careful and hypercaloric diet to gain muscle mass.  Food fuels the training volume and the recovery (i.e., muscle growth).  The workout is the stimulus, but growth occurs while the exerciser sleeps.  Without the right diet, neither the training or the recovery are fully effective.  Most of us, don’t want to make the sacrifices to maximize muscle gains.

So, what kind of gains can we expect in muscle mass?  The best sources I have seen lead me to conclude about 0.5-1.0 pound per month for the average lifter doing a moderately effective program.  Some might gain as much as 2 pounds a month, but more is quite unlikely.  Progress is slow, for all the effort.  Gains of this magnitude, over time, however, will impress.  Remember these gains are cumulative.  Six to 12 pounds of muscle over the course of a year will look better than one might expect.  Couple this with fat loss, and the body composition improvement is dramatic.  Be patient.

Cardiorespiratory endurance.  Improvements in VO_2max are more pronounces at the onset of endurance training and will tend to taper over time.  The overall gains are generally dependent upon genetics and initial levels.  Thus, the lower the initial VO_2max the greater to potential gains.  The exercise physiology text (Powers & Howley) I use for my course suggests that the average increase in VO_2max is 15-20% over a 2-3 month training program.  Persons with low initial values may improve as much as 40-50%, while those with high initial values may see improvements of 2-3%.  There is increasing evidence of “high responders” and “low responders”, and training intensity is certainly a factor (individuals with higher VO_2max values will generally require higher intensities (e.g., > 70% VO_2max) to facilitate improvements.  This is certainly a case for choosing one’s parents wisely.

The key overall is progression.  Be your best today; be better tomorrow.  How much better?  That will depend on you (and, to some extent, your parents).

Carpe momento!

The last component of training to address (albeit quite incompletely) is motor skill-related physical fitness—i.e., speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time.  There are a number of ways to address these, and the methods and time dedicated these are largely dependent upon need and opportunity.  Traditionally, these have been considered needs specific to athletes, but I would argue that (to varying degrees) this training is just as important as one ages—just differently important.

Speed.  Okay.  Most of us over the age of 50 (well, maybe even 30) have little need for speed in the more traditional sense.  Personally, I haven’t had anyone ask we about my 40-m dash time since…(well, we called it a 40-yard dash in those days).  Nevertheless, we do need some level of speed.  It seems to me those street crossing lights are getting shorter.

Speed isn’t just in walking or running.  Speed is required in nearly all movement.  Training for speed doesn’t mean wind-sprints, per se.  It does mean “training between the asymptotes”, as my friend, Steve Swanson, taught me.  This refers to the “force-velocity relationship curve”—in short: low force-high velocity and high force-low velocity.  The amount of force that can be produced by a muscle (sarcomere) is dependent on the speed at which it is contracting.  Varying the forces and velocities involved in movements is critical at any age.

Power.  Power is defined as force times velocity.  Thus, the above consideration of “training between the asymptotes” applies.  While we may not jump as often as we used to, we still maintain a need for power.  Practicing power movements remains of great importance not only for recreational sports, but also for safety.  Therefore, be need to continue practicing exerting greater forces at greater speed.

Agility.  Agility, like power, has implications for safety as we age.  Agility is defined as the ability to change direction quickly and accurately.  We need to do the cone drills like the young athletes might, but why not?  At least, we should practice activities that require multi-directional movements that are performed with relative quickness and require a degree of accuracy.

Balance.  The ability to maintain balance (maintain one’s center-of-mass within the base of support; not fall) should go without saying.  Thus, a progression from stable base to less stable base should be included in training.  This is often over-emphasized in strength-training.  I find this practice tends to limit the overall gains in strength unless practiced with some wisdom.  (For example, a split-squat may be a fine alternative to the back squat, but, once BOSU balls and unstable surfaces come into the equation, the exercise shifts to the stability muscles rather than the prime movers).

Coordination and Reaction Time.  Coordination and reaction time can go somewhat hand-in-hand, at least for this discussion.  We all—athlete and non-athlete—need to make coordinated movement decision with some degree of quickness.  I am a big proponent of stroboscopic training for athletes and non-athletes, alike (check out: http://vima.com/).

Agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time, as well as speed and power, can be addressed quite well through high-intensity interval resistance training (HIIRT) workouts and recreational sports activities.  I will be addressing some ideas for balance in the workout plan in an upcoming post.  The key is to remember “opportunity costs”.  Any time spent in one activity takes time away from other more or less important activities.  So, consider your exercise, recreational, and other leisure-time activities carefully.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

In celebration of our nation’s independence, here is a transcript of the Declaration of Independence:

“In Congress, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Of course.  Stretching is necessary.  How much?  That is more complicated.  Flexibility and mobility are not so straight-forward.

Flexibility is defined as the joint-specific pain-free range of motion of a joint.  There are some key components in this definition.  “Joint-specific.”  This means a stretching program needs to be multi-joint.  “Pain-free” is pretty obvious.  “Range of motion” is individualized and need specific.  Thus, flexibility is an objective terms (i.e., it is measured in angular degrees), but its interpretation is rather subjective—usually defined by terms like “good”, “average”, “poor”, etc.  More is not always better.

Mobility is defined as the ability to move freely and easily.  In many ways, this is the more important consideration in human movement.  Proper execution of resistance exercises and the dynamic movements of sport and daily activities will maintain joint mobility.  Note the emphasis on “maintain”.  Proper mobility is a priority of training, but as long as it is present greater emphasis can be on other things.  Thus, activities that might be labeled as prehabilitative or rehabilitative are not necessary throughout the training cycle.  Spending unnecessary time on mobility and flexibility can take away from otherwise more productive training activities (i.e., “opportunity costs”).

Stretching, then, should always be with the intent of increasing performance and reducing the risk of injury.  The degree to which flexibility, or more specifically mobility, is necessary is task specific.  Gymnasts and wrestlers require very different levels of mobility than football or basketball players.  Too much mobility can actually impede force production.  For most non-athletes, flexibility and mobility needs are driven primarily by the requirements of activities of daily living and recreational/exercise needs.

How much time should be spent stretching?  In my opinion, as little time as is needed.  This said, I don’t mean it should be avoided.  Most recommendations are 5-10 minutes 4-7 days a week.

An important consideration for stretching is “When?”.  My answer to this is always after (at least some) physical active—i.e., at the end of the exercise session.  In cases of extremes immobility (e.g., tight hamstrings in an athlete or tight hips before squatting), some stretching might need to be done prior to the performance of the sport activity.  In general, though, a more dynamic warm-up (moving through progressively greater ranges of motion) is preferable to static stretching.  Stretching should be done with the intent of more permanently increasing range of motion.  The dynamic warm-up is intended to prepare the joints and muscles for force production and reduce injury.  When the joint and connective tissues (the targets of stretching activities) are elongated when the tissue is “cold”, they act in a more elastic fashion.  In other words, they quickly recoil from the stretch, resulting in a less permanent improvement in flexibility.  On the other hand, when first “warmed”, the joint and connective tissues respond in a more plastic fashion; thus, being more permanently deformed or elongated.

Post-exercise, try to invest 5 minutes stretching the hips, shoulders, and back using static stretching or partner stretching (“proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation”) techniques particularly emphasizing areas of pain or limitation.  Have a qualified person evaluate your movements for muscle imbalances or joint limitations.  With this information, incorporate mobility exercises (often referred to as “functional training”) to correct these.  Otherwise, focus on healthy, full range of motion movement throughout the exercise session and throughout the day.

Here is some advice that I, personally, need to heed: Take a yoga class once or twice a week.  Include it as a part of a regular schedule of high-frequency exercise.  I preach “opportunity costs”.  Prolonged, ineffective stretching takes time away from weight lifting and calorie-burning cardio exercise (5-10 minutes spent stretching can be 2-3 sets of a lift or 25-50 kcal expended).  Use the exercise sessions wisely.  A 30-60 minute yoga class can be much more effective for overall flexibility and stress release.  If a class is less accessible or desirable, one most certainly has access to videos or streamed classes (e.g., “Daily Burn” or other streaming services).

I would also suggest regular chiropractic or massage therapy for persistent joint issues.  Treat the problems rather than the symptoms.

Foam rolling may have a place as a recovery modality, but realize that it has limitations.  (Personally, I thinks their use is over-emphasized by many trainers.)  The benefits are short term, so don’t spend an extended time pre-workout using foam rolling as a warm-up activity.  Use it to stimulate muscle you are preparing to use and, preferably between warm-up sets for weight training.  If you really want to affect the deep muscle fascia, seek a deep tissue massage or fascial scraping.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

The hardest (and the easiest) question to answer with regards to fitness is “Which training program is the best?  For strength training the answer is a bit more challenging than “Which cardio is the best?”, but it gets a similar answer: Whatever program works for you and your will do regularly.  There are countless programs out there—the traditional guidelines proposed by the American College of Sports Medicine, the German High-Volume Method of training, the 5×5 Method, the Norwegian Method, the Bulgarian Method, the Texas Method, the West Coast Barbell Method, etc.  The preceding list runs from the more general to body-building to weightlifting/powerlifting, so it should be obvious that the method of choice is certainly goal-related.  Additionally, one must consider time and accessibility.

Goals.  For most of us, the goals are going to be rather general—lose fat, gain muscle mass, and gain/maintain strength.  Most are not and will not be dedicated enough to put in the work of training the extremes of bodybuilding and/or weightlifting/powerlifting.  So, for the one who would say that they “don’t want big, bulky muscles”, don’t worry.  You are not going to.  (If God has bless you with the capacity to gain muscle quickly and easily, and you don’t want to, lucky for you.  You have the opportunity to spend time pursuing other endeavors.)  The truth is that there is no easy route to successful gains in personal fitness—particularly muscle hypertrophy.  The effort will need to be in proportion to the goal.  Fortunately, general goals require less specific training.  One must, however, have some goal in mind and some willingness to abide by the principles of overload and progression.  Any goal requires a plan.

Accessibility.  There is opportunity for all who are willing to put in the effort.  One can build muscle with nothing more than one’s own body weight to the most well-equipped commercial training facility.  The less equipment, the greater the creativity that will be required, but it is possible to build general strength and muscle hypertrophy with quite little.  The creative and ambitious can be accomplished with what is available.  I have seen countless videos of body builders from around the globe getting quite big on make-shift gyms.  The muscle, after all, doesn’t care what it lifts.  Muscle responds to how much is lifted.  So, don’t let the lack of a gym be an excuse.

If one has the space and a bit of cash, one can built a suitable home gym and save the ongoing cost of a gym membership—but remember the gym (home or commercial) is only as good as the person using it.  There are some very creative racking systems on the market that can fold to the wall and save space when not in use.  The basics (e.g., the “basic 5”—squat, deadlift, bench, row, and press) require only a bench, a rack (that adjusts to squat height), and weights.  The advantage to the beginner is that you don’t need a lot of weight to start, and weights can be added as one progresses.  An Olympic barbell set is usually around 300 pounds of total weight (2-45#, 2-35#, 2-25#, 4-10#, 2-5#, 2-2.5# plates, and the 45# bar) and can be bought used.  Power racks are the next step—ideally one with a pull-up bar and possible attachments such as a high/low cable and dip stand.  These are advantageous for safety, especially if one is often lifting alone, without a spotter (something I don’t recommend for the beginner).  Dumbbells are also a nice addition.  I suggest the adjustable kind for greater flexibility and cost-savings.  Beyond these, one can add the sweet accessories like Bulgarian bags, kettlebells, a more versatile bench, and a variety of grips for cable exercise—and more weights.

Time.  The biggest “barrier” to exercise is time.  This is a poor excuse when one really looks at how one spends his or her time, but, for the sake of argument, let’s say time is at a premium (and I get it–I, personally, have a one-hour commute to and from work).  One need not spend hours a day at the gym to get results.  Remember, overload is the stimulus for adaptation.  Thus, something is always better than nothing when it comes to exercise.  Certainly, if one’s goals are lofty—e.g., becoming a competitive bodybuilder—then more time will need to be dedicated to training (maybe significantly more time).  Begin your preparation with a time schedule in mind—and stick to it.

There are numerous ways to manage time spent in the gym.  One is the management of recovery time between sets.  Super-sets (i.e., mini-circuits) allows the lifter to eliminate time wasted just sitting.  Certainly, recovery between sets is important, but more important is the actual stimulus volume (> MEV).  Rest increases in importance as the intensity goes up—particularly when training for absolute strength.  When hypertrophy is the goal, volume rules, so super-sets allow one to fit more exercise into the allotted time.  For those trying to manage body fat, as well as muscle gains, super-sets also move toward the HIRT-style (high-intensity resistance training).  For the most minimal time constriction, the old Nautilus-style one-set to failure of 10-12 exercises can be effective.

Training frequency is another way to manage time.  Most can’t spend two hours 3-4 days a week at the gym.  More often, it is easier to find smaller blocks more frequently.  For example, instead of two hours 3 days a week, one hour 6 days a week might be more effective.  Better might also be 30-45 min sessions spread over 10-12 sessions per week—especially if the goals are more multi-faceted (e.g., balance of cardio and weights).  Break up the necessary components of the exercise in manageable parts.  Do what you can when you can.  An added benefit of higher frequency training is that less is lost when sessions are unfortunately missed or need to be rescheduled.

No excuses.  Just do something.  Establish the right habits and build from there.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!