As a father of two, I have seen one of the purest meanings of strength: in their mother, the woman who carried and brought them into this world. And I'm not just talking about the labor, which trumps ANYTHING I have or will ever experience in my life. I'm also talking about the complete physical transformation that women undergo, physiologically, bio-chemically, all of it. Then needing to be so closely tied to them, for the first little while anyway, especially if you breastfeed them. The giving up of themselves for a time, to breath new life into this world.

The closest thing we as men will ever be able to come to experiencing that is by being by their side, day in and day out. It merely provides a glimpse.

I'm sharing these thoughts because a little while ago I came across another amazing example of this strength (my wife continues to blow me away with hers each and every day) when I came upon a training video of a woman getting herself back in shape after having had her son. Her name is Maya Garcia. She and her husband Steve Khuong are Strength and Conditioning Specialists out of California and run The Ice Chamber. I met Maya and Steve when we were getting certified as Kettlebell Lifting Coaches in San Diego. Really great couple.

Now, this isn't some lose a bazzillion pounds, get ripped, never look like you carried a baby in 4 weeks kinda deal. This took a year of incremental progress, determination, consistency, patience , hard work and....strength. I have been truly inspired by Maya as I continue with my own training and practice.

Without further ado:  Postpartum Maya!

s.

I am absolutely pissed. I guess it wasn't all my fault but I screwed up badly in the game twice. I want to be stronger, faster, better, then I am now. I am going to start running, & lifting more often and this is where I start my march.

PS: I will not check my grammer in these posts. Think about why I am not going to.

Shoulders:

1. Shoulderpress (smithmachine)
2. Dumbbell Front Raises
3. Standing Side Laterals
4. Plate Raise
5. Back Laterals Cable

I came back just before the game and hit the arms in a big superset, think it's called giantset meaning at the most i rester 20-30 seconds and if i as an example was doing bicepscurl i would just switch and do triceps press, and then get back to the bicepscurl so that the biceps only got a little rest while i was hitting the triceps.

Biceps & Triceps

1. Biceps Curl & Lying Triceps Press
2. Dumbbell Curl & Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension
3. Standing Biceps Cable Curl, & Triceps Pushdown
4. Cable Hammer Curl & Triceps Pushdown (rope attachment)

Forearm

1. Palms Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench
2. Palms Up Wrist Curl Over A Bench

I woke up wanting to go on a run this morning, but it was pouring down rain...! :( But not to fret. I got a one day pass at my favorite health club in Tokyo, called Tipness, in Roppongi. They have this cool machine there, where they can measure fairly precisely your body fat percentage, your lean muscle mass, your intracellular water content, extracellular water content, girth, fat in each body part, your metabolism, and put it all on a easy-to-read chart. It's such a great device; all you do is stand on it, hold onto a metal hand grip, and the computer does the rest of the work. It's such a great motivator; knowing exactly what each body part needs! As expected, it said my upper body/arms needed more lean body mass and strength. But I don't know what to do - because of my wrist/shoulder pain, I can't DO anything! How am I supposed to build strength when it hurts to even do anything, and the Dr. can't find anything wrong with it?

At least I can run!

I did:
30 minutes of interval running. I run at a moderately fast pace for 10 minutes at a 1% incline. For the next 5 minutes, I increase and decrease the speed every 30 seconds to 60 seconds, making sure I'm sprinting fast! For the next 5 minutes, I slow it down, but walk on the highest incline (usually 15%, depending on the machine), changing the speed every 30 seconds. Then I repeat those two different intervals. This gets me sweating buckets every time, and it's a great cardio workout.

30 Minutes of abs and back exercises

10 more minutes of light jogging, and 5 minutes walking to cool down.

All in all, a great workout. But I really want to start working on my upper body again! They are getting so weak...

Right after I showered, I went to eat lunch at this SWANKY restaurant In Tokyo Midtown. Midtown is a very recent addition to the Tokyo landscape. It features upscale delis, cafes, restaurants, shops, and boutiques. It's posh, new, and stylish, but I personally don't think it's exciting as Roppongi Hills, and all the food is so ridiculously overpriced, and not THAT much better than food that costs half as much. Except for today's lunch. Mom and I got invited to lunch at Union Square Tokyo, by Tami and her family. The place was elegant, and very up-scale New York style. The menu was expensive, but very delicious. They had a fairly straightforward menu, but the food was prepared impecably, with high quality ingredients, and a great presentation. Here's my salad with apple, pancetta, walnuts, apple, arugula, and red cabbage;

It had a delicate, light vinaigrette, and it went so well with the bacon pieces. The pomegranate pieces were a perfect, juicy addition. Loved it. The hamburger was also very delicious. Even though I don't like beef, it was such a gorgeous, thick burger I just HAD to try some. Wow. Pretty awesome stuff!

The French fries weren't bad either! :) Here is the lunch crew:

And of course, don't forget the dessert! I didn't order one, but I got to nibble on this amazing Yuzu Cheesecake with Lemon jelly and Yuzu cream. Oh boy. It was decadent, yet tart from the yuzu. The acidity of the Yuzu cuts down on the sugary sweetness, and the lemon jelly provides a nice, cool treat for the mouth. And will you just look at how gorgeous it is? How could anyone resist?

It was such a fancy lunch. Thank you SOOO much Tami, for a fantastic lunch! It's definitely one of the highlights of my trip!

Here is a shot of the interior of Midtown; gorgeous bamboo shoots line a bridge over an indoor pond. Very modern Japanese.

Here are the 'kids' from the lunch crew; me, Bruno, Gen, and Chie. Wow. How small do I look compared to these tall guys? haha

Love Handles exercise:

·          Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart. Fold arms and hold the dumbbells close to your body at shoulder level. Flex your hips and legs to make sure your legs remain still while bending sideways.

·          Bend to the left from the waist only and extend your right hand to the left. Return to the start position and bring the arm back to the body. Bend to the right in the same way and extend your left hand to the right.

Biceps curl:

The general population probably already knows how to do these, but for us beginners...

·          Standing with feet shoulder width apart grab two dumb bells and let them rest at your side. Tensing your bicep curl one dumb bell up and twist it so that when the dumb bell reaches its top position near your shoulder your palm is facing your shoulder. As you lower this dumb bell down to its starting position repeat with the opposite arm.

Triceps exercise:

·          From standing position, lift your arms up around your head. Bent elbows to the back and lift them. For this exercise is important not to feel tension in your waist. For more stability bend a little your knees and monitor not to feel any discomfort in your waist. Do 3 sets, each from 10 reps. When bend elbows inhale, when lift them exhale.

**According to my online reading it is important to work both the biceps and triceps in order to get an all-over toned look.

I don't think I'm going to have a ton of time to workout today, but my plan is to go for a run, do these arm exercises in the middle and then finish up with another short run.  Sounds waaay more aggressive than it actually will be :)  Of course, let's hope this actually happens; unlike yesterday when I left work and decided "maybe I won't work out today...."  Hehe, oh well.  Off to figure out a good recipe for dinner tonight.

I asked Mr. Magic Hands about insoles, and he recommended Dr. Scholl's Sport. He says he likes them better than his own custom orthotics. I picked some up at CVS on the way home. I've used them before and they do provide some nice cushioning. If they don't do the trick I'll buy the Sofsoles online.

Note: When buying full-length insoles, remove the insoles that come with your shoes before putting them in. For half-length arch support insoles, leave the shoe insoles in.

Strength Training

After talking to Mr. Magic Hands, I lifted weights in my alma mater's small weightroom, conveniently located in the same building. I'm a little sore today from using different machines and a few different exercises. I did 2 sets of 15 reps of the following:

• Lat pulldown
• Chest press
• Bicep curls
• Fly
• Lat rows
• Shoulder press
• Assisted dip

I also did:

• 30 inclined situps with a 5 lb. weight
• 25 back extensions
• Turkish Get-ups (from Ultimate Abs)
• Abs on the Captain's Chair
• Dumbell Walkouts (from Ultimate Abs)
• Pods and Hip Hikes

I only graduated a few years ago, but all the students looked so young to me! And they seemed so immature and naive (freshman?). I guess you can change a lot in a few years.

Well energy is starting to kick in.... I say "starting" i still have to talk myself into working out, but i do it. :) I have lost 13lbs according to my scale at home and my doctors scale. So that makes me happy. I wish i could lose 13 a week but reality is.... i cant. So i am going to do day by day... pound by pound.

Today we are doing a tour at Whole foods.. this will be so much fun... i am looking forward to it. Then tomorrow i have a 2 hour work out.. then week 6 begins on sunday..... i am going to do 6.4 miles again.... walking of course... what a way to start off week 6. I hope some day to be motivation for others... because if i can do it... anyone can...  Have a great weekend everyone... much love.. DANADANE.

Vi er på god vei inn i årstiden høst. For mange innebærer dette fullstendig stagnasjon på det fysiske plan. Mørketid og dårlig vær er liksom ikke det samme som en forfriskende bris i steiksol om sommeren, eller? Dermed er det jo generelt sett nå vi begynner opparbeidingen av et solid lagg spekk - og det er jo i grunnen litt viktig at det er slik, en kan jo ikke gå rundt ubeskyttet om vinteren - uff, nei, en vil jo ikke fryse.

Dermed blinker tusenvis av skjermer av Hotell Cæsar (eller Desperate Housewifes!) rundt i det ganske land i høstmørket. Natten blinker så søtt når "god" såpe for følge av potetgull og nær vannrett kroppslig stilling foran "det levende alter" (les: stor flatskjermtv).

Problemet er at det er ganske lenge til sommeren... til den tiden da det opparbeidede spekket virkelig får vist seg frem en onsdags morgen tidlig i juni. Da står mor der og gråter når far kommer inn på badet - "Jeg er ikke som jeg en gang var"...sier hun, og far, trøtt som han er på morgenen, har kanskje ikke helt fått stilt inn sin finslepne, sosiale antenne...

Men frykt ikke! Vi skal nemlig være litt på forkant i år. For jeg har funnet nøkkelen til utsøkt trening denne høsten  - lystbetonet trening nærmest! Og det, min kjære leser, får man gjennom inspirasjon... Hvilket er min misjon, å gi deg og din kjære inspirasjon.

Dermed må vi snu oss mot det glade 80-tall igjen, tiden som nettopp hadde lykkelige, glade, dansende mennesker med rart hår, og friske moter.

Følgende video kan jo, om en vil, streames til "det levende alter", og (om en vil) kan en da slippe å lure på om man skal kjøpe badebukse eller grilldress til sommeren! Så av med kosebuksene og brett opp armene, nå skal det kardiovaskulære systemet presses!

Tomorrow, I will be participating in Adidas' King of the Road 2008. I would be taking the 10K route, my first in my running "career" (that is if running is indeed my career). This would be the second run that I am participating in which the first one was Men's Health Miracle run.

Wish me luck!

Granted, there are some limitations. Heavy stuff (soda, laundry detergent, beer) are nearly impossible to carry on a bike and frozen food is impractical in the summer, but most everything else is possible.

I managed to fit all of the stuff below into one small backpack and 3 bags on my handlebars.  The only casualty of the trip was the lone banana that got separated from the bunch. Oh, and my legs. This probably added a good 25-30 lbs to my "load," so I definitely got a workout that day.

If you live within a reasonable distance, consider walking/biking to the store next time you need to pick up a few (or more than a few) things.

You may know top, or tempo, or seungri. or you don't know him you just get to know him!

He is really cute, he is a great actor and singer, and did I mention that he is super adorable?

just check these 2 out and you'll fall in love with him. (I know I did).

Waking up T.O.P.

A T.O.P. workout

Do you like TOP now? Yes? YAY!! Go top FIGHTING!

<3

check out Big Bangs number 1

]]> http://wandekimaro.wordpress.com/?p=221 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:01:07 +0000 wande2k http://wandekimaro.no.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/double-duty-10/ So far i have noticed more change in my physique then in strengh cause only letting the muscles rest 2 days means alot of times i still have a muscle ake in the muscle i'm working on but the overall pump i have during the weeks is incredible. One of the biggest guys in my gym told me i just kept growing bigger and bigger so that made me really happy! Guess i deserv it cause of all the hard work! But it's when people say things like that i really feel that it's worth the effort i put it.

Chest and Back today with about 6-7 hours rest inbetween.

Chest:

1. Incline Bench Press
2. Incline Dumbbell Press
3. Incline Dumbbell Flyes
4. Incline Cable Flyes

Back:

1. Chins
2. Pulldowns V-Bar
3. T-Bar Rows
4. Pulldown machine & Rows Wide Grip (Superset)
5. Pulldowns Widegrip
6. Hyperextentions (back extensions)
7. Deadlifts

This week 154!!!

Whoo hoo!

Signing up for the marathon soon! can't wait - really need to get training, I've never ran a marathon before!

I've got till March 2009 to train for it!! So excited! Any tips or stories are welcome!

NESTA News – September/October 2008

 In this issue:

• Business Tip: VAK Training
• Training Tip: Toy Time - Using Various Tools in Training
• Training Connections: Additional Opportunities for new and current NESTA students
• Live Training: NESTA PFT and Continuing Education Workshops
• Job Openings for Trainers, Coaches and Instructors

 Business Tip: VAK Training

From John Spencer Ellis, CEO

 If you want to be a successful trainer, you must love what you do and you must be confident and outgoing in your efforts to share that passion and enthusiasm with current potential clients. 

 You should have professional looking business cards, wear appropriate clothing and come to work early, looking like a professional trainer with your workouts planned in advance.

 But when it comes time to train, you must become a VAK trainer.  VAK stands for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

 1)    Visual – you must be seen moving at all times.  Your client must see you moving and not standing in one place to know that you are involved in the workout and that you are truly observing him or her from every assessment angle.  If your client is moving, in some capacity so are you.  If they are standing, so are you, and so on.  You must also move in order to keep yourself alert and attentive as it is often difficult to do so early in the morning or late in the day (energy drinks are not the answer!).  Potential clients or passersby will also see your active involvement and be more likely to approach you or seek your services at a down moment.  Just don’t circle repeatedly around your client like a shark.  Move with a purpose and goal in mind.

2)    Auditory – you must continually be heard (in close proximity, not across the gym) providing direction, giving motivational comments and encouraging your client.  This will also keep you alert and involved in the training process.  Counting reps out loud is not what we are talking about here (after all, you should be timing the sets, not counting reps). Yelling and clapping profusely is great for coaching teams or large group training, but not in a gym environment with a lot of people who are not there to hear your “YEAH, BABY!” comments or standing ovations unless they are only a few feet away or someone just broke an incredible milestone.  Be loud enough for those close by to benefit from, not be bothered by, your teaching direction and coaching encouragement.

3)    Kinesthetic – you must continually make your physical presence known.  This can mean utilizing an open hand, fist or fingertips to help a client understand what muscles are intended to be involved or the direction of joint movement.  It should be obvious, but you only need to put your hands on your client for enough time for them to understand the intent of the exercise or direction of motion.  It can also be to remind your client which muscles should not be active.  If you do not feel comfortable placing your hands on your client(s) or your facility forbids such physical contact, this will limit your ability to teach your client, but you must then find alternative means for teaching and guiding verbally and visually.  You must be professional, clear, and concise.  Don’t waste time and this is not an opportunity to massage your client as this is not within your scope of practice. 

 Finally, you can often interpret whether your client is primarily visual, auditory, or kinesthetic by his/her language, talking speed, tone, and mannerisms.  You must pay attention and listen closely and carefully not just to what your client says, but how your client says it.  Once you have discovered this, training becomes easier.

 For more information on how to teach, guide, and communicate with your clients, gain new clients, and retain all of your clients for the long term, consider Spencer Institute’s coaching programs at http://www.spencerinstitute.com/ourprograms.html.  You may also refer to your NESTA PFT manual.  Don’t have an updated manual?  Order or upgrade at www.nestapft.com or by calling 1-877-348-6692.  Learn from your clients as they learn from you.

Training Tip: Toy Time - Using Various Tools in Training

From Mark Baines, Senior Vice President of Program Development

 In training, you have various forms of resistance available to you.  Here are a few with various rationales for inclusion in your programming along with descriptions on improper usage.

• Dumbbells (DBs) – gravity is the main force of resistance, so your motion must directly oppose gravity if you are to involve the intended musculature with joint movement.  DBs are great tools to use at almost any point in training with your client.  They require sufficient coordination and are particularly effective when your client has movement imbalances on one side of the body as DBs allow open chain movement where one limb can move without affecting the other.  Always train with a weight low enough that the weaker side or limb can control the load and achieve the desired range of motion.
• Barbells (BBs) – similar to DBs with the exception that your hands are fixed to a bar.  For this reason, BBs are not advisable when a person has a strong imbalance of strength or size difference from one limb/side to another.  BBs also can create some challenges with strain on the wrists as it is imperative that the wrists remain in a neutral position with a strong grip on the bar at all times, whenever possible.  The wrists are not meant to move under great loads.
• Cables – cables also require a great deal of coordination and control to gain the benefits of cable resistance.  Since almost any angle can be achieved with a cable and pulley, it is imperative that the movement be understood and clear.  It is not ok to merely duplicate how a person moves in real life.  The resistance profile of a bodyweight movement is not necessarily the same as the same movement with cable resistance.  It is imperative that you teach your clients how to move properly in the gym so that this movement efficiency translates to real life movement. 
• Bosu balls, balance boards, dyna discs, airex pads, etc. – your client must have mastered a posture (body position) or movement on the ground or a stable surface before progressing to an unstable one.  Too many times trainers are looking for something new and a client is put on an unstable surface where he/she cannot perform the movement correctly.  If the movement cannot be accomplished efficiently and effectively, the client is not ready for the unstable tool.  Don’t get carried away with multiple joint actions on such a surface either.  More unstable on an unstable surface is not necessarily better, it is just another tool, and it is a tool that must be used wisely with a client who already has good balance.  You cannot teach balance effectively on an unstable surface, it will merely hide one’s deficiencies making the strong muscles stronger and the weaker muscles weaker.  These tools are great for teaching greater postural balance and movement control, but control must be present in the exercise.  Furthermore, you cannot and must not put a client on an unstable surface JUST because it is different or is a “cool’ concept.
• Therabands, tubing, etc. – bands and tubing are great forms of resistance in that they can be attached to almost anything and used almost anywhere.  However, it must be understood that a band or tube will go from a very small resistance to an almost immovable resistance in a hurry.  You must find a band or tube with an appropriate level of resistance for the client to be able to perform the entire goal range of motion (ROM) effectively (you must know what the goal ROM is!).  You can also double up on smaller bands and tubes to allow for greater range of motion with less end range resistance compared to higher tension choices.
• Medicine balls (MBs) - medicine balls are great for light resistance once a client has “mastered” a movement (you decide what “mastery” is for each individual client as it will vary from one person to the next) such as a squat, deadlift, pushup or crunch.  MBs are also great tools for training power in overhead, chest, chopping, lifting, and side throwing motions or for simply adding some fun to exercise and the training session (as long as movement efficiency is not lost!).  It is imperative that medicine ball weight not exceed 5k/12lbs for throwing motions in order to achieve both speed and efficiency of movement without undue strain (always start with 1k/2.2lb MBs).  Medicine balls used for strength can increase in weight with slower movements under control.  Once again, it is imperative that your client “master” the motion before using medicine balls as a form of resistance.

 These are but a few tools with a few ideas for training and exercise application.

 For more information about utilizing these and other exercise tools to fit your clients’ goals, consult your NESTA PFT manual or Elite Training Specialist program.  Don’t have an updated manual?  Call 1-877-348-6692 or got to www.NESTApft.com and order yours today.  For more information on the Elite Training Specialist program go to http://www.nestacertified.com/elite-personal-trainer-program.html. Take care of your clients and they will take care of you!

 Training Connections: Additional Opportunities for new and current NESTA students

NESTA, in conjunction with Future Films, wants to help you earn up to $5000 to $10,000 per month doing Motion DNA Testing!

Have you been struggling to make ends meet as a trainer at a gym? Are you currently making near or below the industry average of $30,000 annually as a fitness professional? Do you want to earn $3,000, $5,000 even $10,000 per month as a trainer to athletes, weight loss seekers, or clients who suffer from personal injuries?  Future Films, Inc., is seeking experienced and non-experienced fitness and sports performance professionals to expand its athlete and non-athlete Motion DNA testing programs. To learn more about this exciting cutting edge opportunity...and how you can immediately start to earn what you're worth doing what you love...attend one of the scheduled FREE Webinars in the coming days (http://www.motiondnaonline.com).  Spaces are limited at each webinar, so don't get left out!

Live Training: NESTA PFT and Continuing Education Workshops

From The NESTA Live Instruction Team

 The link for the NESTA live workshop schedule in the coming months can be found below. If you do not see a workshop scheduled in your area any time soon, please contact Dave@nestacertified.com.  NESTA currently provides live, hands-on training workshops in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Washington (FL and OR coming soon).  In most cases, in order to hold a NESTA workshop there must be at least 30 attendees or the workshop may be postponed to a later date or alternate location.  We realize that live hands-on training is perhaps the most useful form of training for any professional.  Please be sure to sign up early as workshops often sell out. Let us know how we can be of greater service to you.

 In addition to our PFT Workshops, NESTA is currently planning on holding the following one-day, hands-on workshops:

·      Advanced Program Design

·      Business Training for Personal Trainers

 Are you interested in attending such a workshop? Would you like to attend one with a different focus?  Please let us know by emailing Dave@NESTAcertified.com and we will do our best to schedule one in your state or closest geographic location.

 Nothing beats a combination of live training with solid distance education.  Sign up now at http://www.nestacertified.com/workshop-schedule.html.

 Job Openings for Trainers, Coaches and Instructors

From Everyone at NESTA wishing you great success

If you are NESTA certified or have a NESTA specialization and are looking for a job or position in your local area, start here.  NESTA wants you to be successful and find a place that you can further your career as a fitness professional in an environment that best suits your needs.  Your dream job may be closer than you think!

 Go to www.nestacertified.com/jobs.html for updates job availability and get working now.

Takes this short quiz...

• Does your job have you seated most of the time?
• Rather than walk a few flights of stairs, say at the office, do you take the elevator?
• Do you spend more than one hour a day driving?
• Do you have a housekeeper to clean your house and do the laundry?
• Does someone besides yourself do the yard work?
• Do your kids or a neighbor kid walk your dog instead of you?
• Have you converted your treadmill into a clothes rack?
• Do you find yourself out of breath after a short walk or from climbing stairs?

If you answered yes to most of those questions, you may not be getting the exercise you need to stay healthy, especially if you're not exercising by using the time saved from having others to do your household chores.

Well come on lady, it's time to move it!

If you can manage to squeeze in just 10 minutes of workout time a day in the privacy of your own home, you'll be better off than most.  By combining some simple resistance bands exercises with simple cardio jumping-jacks for only 10 minutes a day, you'll lose weight, tone and sculpt muscles, increase strength and endurance, reduce your risk for diabetes and heart attack and just plain feel better about yourself.

Find out what a short 10-minute strength training routine can do for you.

The Lenders are changing there approach to the credit crisis and increase to Foreclosures across the country.  there fixed asset protfolio of loans are perfroming at a stagering low rates and by putting them through the foreclosure process is costing them more then offering a workout agreement.  Just last week BOA Bank of America announced that it will offer Loan Modification to some of their distressed borrowers adjusting there payments to 34% of there Gross Income and IndyMac at 38% according to an article on Yahoo Finance.

Loan modification programs come in all shapes and sizes depending on your propensity to pay or not pay depending on how one looks at it.  Lenders will be likely to one or more of the following.

1. Lower your principle amount to be in line with current values.
2. Extend the term of Your Loan to 40 or even 50 years.
3. Move delinquent payments to the back end of your loan.
4. Lower your rate.
5. Fix Your Adjustable Rate Mortgage.
6. Waive Escrows
7. Force Escrows
8. Deed In Lieu of Foreclosure
9. Short Sell Agreement
10. Dismiss liens in 2nd and 3rd position.

As you can see there ar several alternatives to foreclosure but trying to do this on your own will typically only end up up in enternal phone hell.  You need the expertise of an experienced professional who has experience in loss mitigation and can negotiate on your behalf.

Beware of Loan Officers that are  out of the origination business that say they can help.  Most likely they never dealt directly with a lender in any of the applications they submitted.  There is a specific skill set and process that takes place and not being well represented will cost you thousands or worse yet your ability to stay in your house.

Bankruptcy as an alternative. I am not an attorney but by filing a chapter 7 or 13 you may be able to prolong the process and save up your payments for renting because you will typically not qualify for a long time for a new loan.  Usually it takes 4 years after the filing date and your score will need to be a 680 or higher,

If you would like a free consultation with one of our Financial Fitness Pros please call me at 414 737.1444 or email me at keith@financialfitnesspros.com

That's pretty much where I do updates on my weight, update my workouts, and just tinker with the technical aspects of my diet and exercise routine in general.

But it's not just a routine, it's a budding lifestyle and as such it has a place here on the c@s as well.

My most recent (and incidentally, most perpetual) glitch has been one of timing. For some things time is given to you. For instance, I have no trouble carving ten hours out of each day to go to work so I can pay for food and rent and internet access.

For other things, like finding time to spend with my wife or working out, I really have to wrestle and fight to carve out the time from the rest of my busy schedule. If I don't prepare and plan for it, it's gone.

Now, I am a first class procrastinator, (or will be one of these days when I get around to filling out the required forms), so often times I find that the time has flown and I'm stuck out three sheets to the wind and wondering where it all went.

My company recently opened a new store down in Richmond, which is closer to my home than the store I was working in, so I was quick to jump up and down and get myself noticed to go down there.

Now, opening any new retail establishment is both a lot of fun and a bloody lot of hard work, and almost overnight I went from getting up around 10 am most days, working 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, with roughly 4-5 hours of each work day spent off my feet, to getting up at 4 am every morning, working 6-7 days a week, being on my feet all day for 10 hours + and crawling home just in time to stumble into bed and get up and do it all over again.

Well, a month and a half into it, things have calmed down, I mostly get 2 days off each week and work only 8-9 hours a day, but I'm still on my feet the whole time and by the time I get home they're just screaming

*somebody get this fat barstid off of us!*

Of course, as time goes by my body adjusts, but there is still pain. Mostly in the evening.

Now in the midst of all of this we have moved (the weekend before my store opened), my wife has lost over 30 lbs in her efforts at diet and exercise, and I got it in my head that maybe it was time to do something about my own little colossal weight problem.

So, I took everything about diet and exercise that I know (which despite my size and habits is considerable) and hammered out a diet and exercise regimen for myself.

So far I have been failing miserably.

At the diet because I am not taking the time to prepare my own foods and thus often end up making (or getting stuck with) bad choices throughout the day.

At the workout because by the time I get home each day (and these days that means pretty early, around 4 pm), I'm exhausted and in pain.

So today I reworked my workout one more time. This time instead of hitting core muscle groups each day for about an hour I am condensing it into a total body workout in 30 minutes (about the time I can manage to devote to it before work). Depending on my schedule the number of days I do this each week will vary but it will usually be three, sometimes four. On my off days I will continue with my cardio program, and on Saturday and Sunday I will take time off.

Three days each week I will walk in the evenings.

So today, being off and in relatively less pain than most days, I hammered my little workout together and took it for a test drive. It was reallllly awesome. Not as ambitious as I had originally planned for myself, but it really felt good. Especially the jumping pull-ups. (Fair Warning: That link takes a long time to load, but if you want to start training to do pull ups, or just want a heart-pounding way to turn pull-ups into a strength-blasting cardio routine, wait for it . . .)

Thanks again to Kuri for introducing me to this exercise. I was surprised that I felt as much as I did in my back and shoulders and being as yet unable to do even a single regular pull up it gives me a chance to use my motivator and begin to train my body in the necessary motions.

:

The next step? Getting my diet under control . . .

2 classes today... Digital Illustration and Digital Imagery. 8 to 12 and 1 to 5 respectively. didn't go to the gym this morning. but my body needs the recovery time anyway. tomorrow im going to attempt to recreate the 4 QRTs conditioning workout. here's the history:

my junior year, we had this conditioning coach named Dale Thompson. this guy was a machine. during Hell Week, the last hour of practice was dedicated to the 4 QRTs workout. for 10 minutes we would do some type of cardio aerobic workout [ie. situps, bicycles, up downs, hip flexors, pushups, leg lifts, etc.] after which we had 5 minutes to run approx. 0.5 miles. that's 1 QRT. repeat to complete 4 QRTs. and if Thompson felt you hadn't given your best effort, the QRT would be repeated... as many times as he felt necessary. our fist day, we had 7 QRTs...

since i'm in love with myself [and i have some compulsive need to waste time on the Internets] i'll post a pic every weekend to document my progress. SEXYTIME!!! hahahaha

bits and Peace's bitches