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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Ladies are you lifting?

JUNE 11, 2008 - 3:58 PM

girls who do curls

Many women don't realize the benefits of lifting weights and will often shy away from the idea altogether with the thought that they will end up looking like a bulging bodybuilder. This is a HUGE misconception ladies.

First of all, women do not have near the testosterone levels that men have, therefore it's virtually impossible to build muscle mass the way the average man can. Secondly, it can take years of focused and consistent effort for a female bodybuilder to put on muscle mass drug free. That's if she is eating properly to facilitate muscle growth.

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Ezekiel Bread to the rescue!

JUNE 11, 2008 - 2:41 PM

Ezekiel Bread

I'm not a huge bread-eater, but once in awhile I will indulge. I don't go the traditional route of white or wheat, but instead pick up a loaf of Ezekiel Bread found in the Freezer in the natural section of Carrs and Fred Meyer.

Ezekiel bread is a flourless organic bread that is made with whole grains and ranks a 36 on the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index is a useful tool to gauge how different foods affect our blood sugar levels. Any foods lower than 55 are considered "low glycemic." This is important for diabetics as well as those trying to lose excess body fat.

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Meet Jill

JUNE 7, 2008 - 5:50 PM

Jill and baby

Jill is on an "after baby weight -loss journey." She had her baby girl in February 2008 and is ready to get back into shape, so I will be tracking her progress on the blog and give an update each month.

Her starting weight was 177lbs and after a few weeks, she is currently at 171lbs. Her ultimate goal is to get down to about 135lbs and fit into her high school jeans again. Jill is no stranger to working hard and eating healthy because she was my high school workout buddy and I would drag her to the gym every night for some cardio and weightlifting.

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Write it down

JUNE 2, 2008 - 1:54 PM

If you ever kept a diary as a kid; jotting down your current crush, best friend and future dreams, you understand the significance of writing everything down for memory's sake. Somehow the simple concept of recording your life in a notebook seems to put everything into perspective and allows you to reflect back on things to see where you've been and more efficiently plan where you are going in life.

Keep a diet and workout journal

I began keeping a workout journal before the October 2006 Anchorage Bodybuilding Competition. I had never really kept one before and had never recorded my food intake- ever. I have since kept a regular journal where I record all sets, reps and exercises as well as the time of day I work out. I keep a separate journal where I record everything I eat every single day. At first this was tedious and annoying, but after 5 months, it would be strange if I didn't record everything. It's become a habit.

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Get in shape by skateboarding

JUNE 1, 2008 - 12:30 PM

I took up skateboarding with my best friend when I was in 6th grade. At that point all we had to practice on was one of those huge, heavy old boards with big wheels. It must have been hilarious for the neighbors to watch us learn tricks on that thing- it weighed like 15lbs.

What attracted me was the counterculture of skateboarding, what kept me was the fact that my skateboard became my new mode of transportation and took me all over the city for free. Yes, it took hours to get to the mall when riding the bus would have only taken 15 minutes, but our young adventurous spirits craved adventure and.... exercise?

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The thrill of competition

MAY 27, 2008 - 12:57 PM

Stephanie Figarelle: Ms. Anchorage 2006

I was always a very active kid growing up, playing softball and basketball in school as well as participating in competitive swimming. I was on the track team in 9th grade and excelled in the throwing events, but not so well in the running events. I loved competing and of course winning, it was always very important to me. A fractured finger prevented me from playing softball for East High my sophomore year, so I decided to take a break from sports for awhile.

When my Senior year at East rolled around, I felt like there was something big I should do. Since I hadn't played any school sports for awhile, I decided to train and compete in the end of year Miss East bodybuilding competition and go out with a bang. I knew NOTHING about competitive bodybuilding, so I grabbed every single book I could find on the subject and absorbed as much information as humanly possible. I learned that I had to start drinking tons of water everyday, doing insane amounts of cardio, increasing my intake of lean protein and cut back on my intake of carbohydrates.

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Beware of the quick fix!

MAY 22, 2008 - 12:44 PM

Every now and then a "new" product pops up on the market promising to make you skinnier, prettier, richer, healthier and smarter. These are all diets I'm referring to by the way. All joking aside, it frustrates me to see people get all excited and dump loads of money into the hype of a product that will soon come to disappoint them and eventually fade into the sunset. These products are usually sold in a bottle and lead the customer farther and farther away from the reality that is hard work and discipline, something that cannot be replaced with a pill.

A few years ago I worked for a large health store and found it very difficult to persuade a customer to buy something the company wanted me to push, but that didn't truly offer the results it promised. It's called lying and I didn't succumb to the pressure even if I had to meet a sales goal or might make a few cents commission on the product. I became a part of the fitness and health industry to help people, not help myself or deceive folks.

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Bust through plateaus with agility & balance training

MAY 19, 2008 - 9:26 PM

If you have ever hit a point in your fitness endeavors where your progress has stalled and won't seem to budge, then you have probably hit a plateau. The best way to plow through this temporary bump in the road is to refrain from getting frustrated, you'll just raise your cortisol levels. Secondly, take this time to re-evaluate your goals and write them down. Keeping a diet and workout journal is the best way to determine where you've been, where you are and where you are going.

Once you've established what you want, change everything you have been doing. Workout on different days and at different times. Get outside on your bike or your feet instead of holing up in the gym. Try free weights instead of machines and stick to the basics over fancy manuevers. You can't go wrong with good old fashioned pushups, pullups and dips either.

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