The Mind Muscle Connection is key

AUGUST 27, 2008 - 3:22 PM

If you are lifting weights, I'm assuming you are out to build muscle. If you have been lifting weights for a few months... or years and cannot get a stubborn muscle or 5 to grow, then you may be lacking what is called "the mind muscle connection." Most serious weightlifters who have already achieved a degree of muscle mass, clearly will know what this is. For everyone else, let me entertain you with some touchy feely words.

Shhhh, I'm connecting with my muscles right now!

Having a deep connection to the muscles you are working, say for example biceps- means you are 100% focused on those muscles for every repetition and every part of the contraction (eccentric/concentric). It doesn't mean you are staring off into space while you curl, singing along to Britney Spears and thinking about what you did last weekend. You must be soley focused on the task at hand, otherwise your time in the gym is going to be wasted. Not only time, but gym membership costs and the gas it took you to get there- hey I'm always calculating costs for everything in this crazy economy!

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The price of Obesity

AUGUST 27, 2008 - 11:11 AM

Obesity costs this country almost $100 billion a year and Alaska is one of the leaders in those dollar signs with almost 25% of obese adults. The problem is not just being overweight, it's the issues associated with being overweight that are racking up the Benjamins.

Being overweight invites chronic disease such as Type II Diabetes, Cancer and Cardiovascular disease to name just a few. Not only that, but being morbidly obese greatly affects both men and women's self esteem and the social stigma associated makes them 5 times more likely to be depressed and even commit suicide.

Get up and move your body!

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Hiking Mt. Marathon

AUGUST 25, 2008 - 6:10 PM

I have hiked Seward's notorious Mt. Marathon about 5 times since I've been an Alaskan, no I haven't run the race...yet.... but I'm sure one day I will break down and go for it. Until then, I enjoy taking people on the hike because the beauty surrounding you and the amazing view of Seward below are really insurmountable- you must take pictures in order to prove you were immersed in such an incredible place. Not only that, the physical aspect of it is quite challenging! It's definitely not a forgiving mountain, so being in great physical condition is a must- unless you don't mind making the news because you got airlifted off!

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Why most people will never see their abs....

AUGUST 18, 2008 - 11:02 AM

It's simple really....getting body fat levels low enough to see them is PAINFUL. Building muscle and losing body fat means making sacrifices most people wouldn't dream of making. Real change means taking yourself out of your comfort zone and experiencing temporary discomfort in what I call an "adjustment period." The adjustment period is a short amount of time where your body strives to adjust to lower calories and more physical activity.

The only way to 6 pack abs is discipline and sacrifice!

Most people can't get through this period of discomfort which is why they end up quitting and begin making excuses. I refuse to lie about exercise and the pain that accompanies lifestyle changes. Change is hard. It feels weird and alien to human beings because we do everything within our power to maintain balance and serenity, as does our bodies.

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12 weeks of Perseverance and life changing results

AUGUST 15, 2008 - 3:49 PM

Don came to me after he decided he was going to enter the EAS Body For Life Competition which lasts 12 weeks. When we started training together May 21st, he was 265 lbs. and 28% body fat. 12 weeks later, he weighed in at 219 lbs. and 11.5% body fat. Don has been through some ups and down throughout his life regarding his weight and finally decided he was going to commit to losing weight the healthy- but challenging way...training with me!

Don at the start of his 12 week transformation....265 lbs.

"Before" Back Pose

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When you booze, you lose more than snooze

AUGUST 4, 2008 - 5:25 PM

I wasn't always the goody-two shoes personal trainer/bodybuilder I am today. Believe it or not I spent many a weekend partying with friends and making booze filled memories. Today I rarely consume alcohol at all for many reason- the most important being, to protect my health. There are exceptions when I will have a few beers with friends and unwind, but as some of my dear friends can attest- I don't handle my alcohol quite as well as I used to.

The bane of your REM sleep

I take my extreme sickness after consuming a few beers as a good sign. Why? Because to me it's my body telling me not to put that malty poison back into it ever again. Of course most people feel the effects of a few drinks the next morning and that nasty headache and nausea is really just dehydration that can be remedied with a lot of water and rest.

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Don't skip meals, grab a shake.

AUGUST 4, 2008 - 12:44 PM

In this fast-paced world we live in where most people will choose a latte and flavored coffee bean over a real breakfast, it's no wonder obesity, chronic fatigue and other diseases are running rampant. When your Mom would harp at you and say; "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!" she wasn't kidding.

Whey and Soy protein

It is and here's why. We have 24 hours in our day, we spend 16+ hours of that time awake where we work, exercise, play, etc. Most people barely get 6 hours of sleep- leaving less than 1/3 of your day to recharge the batteries. For 6-9 hours of your 24 (If you are lucky to even get that many hours of precious sleep), you are fasting- meaning you are not eating anything at all.

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P.E. Phone Home

AUGUST 1, 2008 - 9:25 PM

Once upon a time my friends and I ran, climbed and received an endorphine rush while attending...dun, dun duuuun.....SCHOOL! Yes there was a time when kids actually exercised their little bodies during their school day. I realize that video games and bags of processed junk food that overflow the kitchen cupboards, now dominate the lives of children, but things weren't always this way.

My favorite part of the school day was recess and physical education class. Not because I didn't enjoy math...well, maybe a little. But mostly because I got to get out and move! Get the blood flowing and have fun with my friends.

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SCUBA Diving

JULY 22, 2008 - 7:14 PM

One of my favorite things to do in life is try new things. Physical things that is, not like eating lizard or cow intestines or anything like that. One of the most recent endeavors I was able to experience was SCUBA Diving in Maui, HI in February. If you have ever been diving you understand the physical and mental requirements needed in order to have an enjoyable experience under the water, swimming with sharks and huge sea turtles.

MAUI DIVING!

You definitely have to be in decent shape to scuba dive as it requires good cardiovascular strength as well as whole body strength and stamina. The heavy tank and weighted vest aren't noticeable once you get in the water, but the walk from the car to the ocean is quite a feat with all that gear on!

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Body Mind Mastery

JULY 22, 2008 - 6:27 PM

A few months back I took a trip to Title Wave book store to see what I could see. I came across a book entitled; "Body Mind Mastery: Creating success in sport and life." by Dan Millman. I thumbed through the paperback and quickly realized that I could learn a lot from this book, so I purchased it. I have since referred it to a client who has also learned quite a bit from it in terms of attaining physical and mental greatness.

I have always been fascinated with the beliefs of the East and have a lot of respect for the philosophies that originate from this part of the world, which in some instances are polar opposite of the Western life I have grown accustomed to. The author is like- minded, so we got along well as his insight on certain things related to the body and mind were Eastern infused. Mr. Millman was a gymnast for 15 years, so he has experience in competition and knows first hand what it takes to win first place and the journey along the way.

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Camaraderie makes exercise more fun

JULY 19, 2008 - 3:33 PM

The most effective exercise is the exercise you will actually do. Fitness Boot camps are a great way to get in an hour of cardio as well as whole-body workouts- with friends! The camaraderie of people working hard all around you, cheering you on is inspiring and will ensure your workouts fly by.

Bootcampers

Boot camp

I have the pleasure of conducting Fitness Boot camps twice a week and I love the energy my clients bring to each session. The Bootcamps focus on good ol' calisthenics like Burpees (a favorite), jumping jacks, crunches, pushups and sprints to name just a few. These exercises all build strength in the entire body, as well as improving speed, agility, flexibility and confidence.

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Upcoming Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Competitions

JULY 17, 2008 - 9:19 AM

Here are the Fall dates for the upcoming shows, check out the promoter's websites for more information.

The NPC Alaska Crystal Cup: Sept. 27th 2008 at the PAC.

Pro-Am Championships: October 4th 2008 at the Wendy Williamsom Auditorium.

The NPC Natural Crystal Cup: October 25th 2008 at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

http://npcalaska.com/index.htm

http://www.alaskabodybuilding.com/default.htm

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Hyponatremia

JULY 8, 2008 - 1:09 PM

I drink A LOT of water every single day. In high school when I competed in my first bodybuilding competition, I didn't know what competing entailed. One of the things I kept reading over and over was that if you are going to put yourself through the rigors of training for a show- you must consume at least 1 gallon of water per day. This sounded insane! I rarely drank even a liter in a day back then, how was I going to consume 1 gallon?

This would be interesting. I went to the grocery store and bought a gallon of water to bring to school with me the next day. First of all, it annoyed me to no end. I had a handful of books, binders and science projects every day and this gallon of water weighed almost 9lbs. I soon realized there was no way around this. I decided to make a game of it in order to get the gallon of water out of my life as soon as possible each day. I would take no less than 5 drinks each time I picked that beast of a water bottle up. The sooner I drank the gallon, the sooner I could toss it and focus on carrying my books and other school junk.

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Why Competitive Bodybuilding is not mainstream

JULY 8, 2008 - 10:52 AM

In the quest to be as huge as possible, both male and female competitive bodybuilders will do just about anything in order to get noticed on a bodybuilding stage, even if it means putting their health at risk.

I was attracted to competitive bodybuilding in the early 90's, a time when women still had a feminine look and men had tiny waists and proportion to their physiques. An ex-female bodybuilder friend of my Mom's passed a stack of old 80's magazines on to me when I was about 13 years old, because she knew I enjoyed lifting weights and perhaps thought I would one day pursue bodybuilding.

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Unorthodox Training Methods that work!

JULY 5, 2008 - 7:29 PM

Regular sprints aren't challenging enough, so I run them hauling a 50lb. tire behind me. My clients get to do the same. To make it even more challenging, I time their sprints so they can break their own records or someone else's.

Tire pullin' sprints

Running sprints with some form of resistance attached to you; whether it be a tire, weighted-vest or parachute (yes that is a real method of training), will have you breathing oxygen harder than ever before. Your lungs will be on fire and your legs will be burning as well.

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Self-Myofascial Release: a different kind of flexiblity training

JUNE 30, 2008 - 1:08 PM

Usually when I show my new clients the hard foam roll I want them to roll all over like they are human dough, they just kind of stare at me skeptically like I just told that jumping off of the roof is part of our workout. I then launch into my speech about the unique benefits of corrective flexibility.

Self-myofascial release for the IT band

Self-Myofascial release with the foam roll is essentially like giving yourself a massage with a large rolling pin (hard foam roll). Not quite as relaxing though, as you are inflicting the pain instead of someone else doing it for you and there are no massage oils included.

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Are you headed in the right direction?

JUNE 23, 2008 - 12:58 PM

Getting into shape is never easy and sometimes we are our own worst enemies when it comes to setting and reaching our goals. Upon mapping out your quest to lose weight, build muscle and feel great- set aside some time to plan your short and long-term goals and write them down where you can refer to them often.

Just do it!

Goal setting is a lot like an architect drawing up plans for a building. If you wanted to build a house, you wouldn't just start nailing boards together haphazardly, hoping they eventually turn into a livable structure. You must plan, prioritize and stay consistent with a healthy diet and exercise routine in order to see the results you want. At first it will be challenging because it's new to you. The first week will be the hardest part, but persistence and dedication to the new you will inevitably produce a healthier body and mind.

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Create a healthy lifestyle for your kids!

JUNE 23, 2008 - 9:24 AM

Every kid needs a role model right? The first influences in a child's life are their parents and other family members around them. Setting healthy examples at a young age is the best way to start your child on the right path for life. Kids are like sponges, absorbing EVERYTHING around them- good and bad, so make sure you are setting healthy examples in your own lifestyle....they are watching you like a hawk.

Introduce them to new things...

I'm old-fashioned in the way that I think every kid needs to be outside playing, moving their bodies and using their imaginations- all the while building self-confidence, this is how I grew up. I didn't have a computer until I was in College, we only saw cans of soda on special occassions and I believe we were the only kids on the block who had a dust-covered Atari from the 80's instead of Nintendo or X-Box.

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The chain reaction of a weak grip

JUNE 20, 2008 - 4:19 PM

Most people neglect to realize how a weak grip impacts their whole- body workouts. It seems obvious that we are only as strong as our weakest link, but why then do both men and women avoid strengthening their forearms in pursuit of better grip strength? I remember working out in the gym a few years ago and overheard a guy make a comment to a woman who was performing wrist curls. He said; "Wow, I've never seen a woman work her forearms before!" This has stuck with me over the years.

Hand Gripper

The Deadlift is such an important whole-body lift and most times it's a weak grip that prevents the lifter from reaching their full potential. The grip is important in the pull-up, dip, Barbell bench press and many other significant moves that enable one to make substantial changes in their physique. So don't neglect working the forearms from all angles. The forearm muscles are accustomed to a high workload from everyday use and can therefore be worked in a higher rep-range than other muscles. Use a weight that is light enough to get 15-20 reps in 3-4 sets (depending on your goals).

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Back to Basics with the Pull-up

JUNE 19, 2008 - 12:09 PM

I've always incorporated pull-ups into my back workouts and will honestly admit it took some time to master them and actually feel my back doing the work, but the time spent learning them was well worth it. The trick is to visualize the use of the back muscles (Lats, rhomboids, traps, etc.) doing all the work- this is called the mind-muscle connection, and to think of your arms simply as "hooks" holding onto the bar.

Get ready

This visualization will eliminate the biceps from doing all the work and you will be able to pump out more reps. As you fatigue, your biceps will kick in and begin to help a bit- so they will get some work but the back muscles should be the main focus. The core also stabilizes you in the pull-up, so the abs get involved to a degree to help get you up and down.

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