Another old article...

I got some response from this article. Good and bad. I like both. It means people are reading.

---

I'm No Doctor But...
by Ryan Linderson

I'm no doctor but people seem to always ask me my opinion on health related issues.

I'm no doctor but I do have several strong opinions on how to stay healthy.

This article might seem a little, well, blunt. That's me.

As a society we tend to believe anything someone says if they have a "Dr" in front of their name. I don't know about you, but before I buy into anything I research it like crazy. I don't take anybody's word as fact no matter what title they have. Just because someone puts something in writing does not mean it's the truth. Including me.

People must take control of their health by seeking out knowledge. Knowledge by itself is not power. The use of knowledge is power.

Whenever you hear of any new breakthrough or drug or health product of any kind, try this, follow the money. Find out who will make money off of it. More often than not you can track the money either directly or indirectly to the same group that was promoting it as the new best thing for your health.

An example is coffee. Now I used to be a coffee addict and I still enjoy the occasional cup. Black, the way coffee was meant to be enjoyed. Have you noticed lately it seems every week a new study has come out to suggest coffee can raise you from the dead? I've heard it prevents colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes and so on. I don't know if it does, and don't really care. I did some digging and found out one of these "studies" was funded by the same parent company that owns a major coffee producer. That's all I needed to know in relation to this study. Drink coffee if you want, but don't count on it to keep you healthy.

You can find links like that on almost every "new study" that suggests anything about anything. People want to make money and some will do whatever they can to make as much as possible. Remember that.

Do drug companies really want to cure disease? Or would they rather you take a pill everyday the rest of your life so you can live with the disease and pay them for that pill? Think about it.

Here's another little tip: Try to stay natural when possible. Lose weight by eating right and exercising. Gastric bypass surgery is not necessary to lose weight. I've heard of some doctor's virtually strong-arming obese patients into this very dangerous surgery. If you're considering this surgery make sure you research all the negative outcomes (including deaths) not just all the happy ones you see on TV. Then make your decision. Actually, before you do research some more and find all the stories of people who've lost 100-200+ pounds without rearranging their insides. It can be done. Yes, even by you.

You don't need to take a bunch of magic pills or drink magic elixirs either. Skip all those and just read the fine print on the advertisement where it says, "...with a sensible diet and moderate exercise..." That will be sufficient. Trust me.

Beware of these new commercials trying to make a useless supplement seem like a new miracle weight loss drug. They even try to make it seem like they care about you (besides your wallet) by stating you shouldn’t take their pill unless you’re serious about losing body fat and have at least 20 pounds to lose. Please. Marketing anybody?

Listen to your doctor, but do your own research. Never follow anybody blindly. It's your health, not theirs.

And don't get me started on overweight doctors.

---


Train smart,

RL

Pain and Gain

I've never been a real fan of the phrase "no pain, no gain." It associates exercise with something painful. And I don't about you, but I tend to try to avoid pain. Plus just having that negative energy directed towards the concept of exercise is just, well, a bad thing.

Truth is you shouldn't feel real pain while you exercise. If you do, stop.

The burn you feel in your muscles is lactic acid build up, and although it is an uncomfortable feeling, it really isn't "pain."

The sucking void you feel burning in your lungs while you sprint, sure it's not pleasant, but it's not pain.

There's a saying, "Are you hurt, or are you injured?"

If you're hurt, you can keep going. Little aches and pains, sore spots, are just part of the game of fitness. You need to be mentally tough. An injury is a legitimate trauma to your body that hinders your ability to perform.

They are very different.

I run into this a lot in my coaching. I've said before that kids today are mostly pretty soft mentally. They're spoiled and have never really been challenged mentally. When they feel a slight little ache they want to quit. The best is when they see what they are truly capable of when they realize they were just hurting, not injured.

So you see, if you feel real pain, stop what you're doing and get checked out. If you're just hurting, then push yourself though it and achieve.

Train smart,

RL

Breaking and Making Habits.

People associate the word "habit" with negativity.

"Oh that's a bad habit."

Think about it. When you hear the word "habit" what are some of the first things to pop into your head?

Smoking, nail chewing, junk food, etc..?

Habitual tardiness, habitual over-eating are a couple other's I've been hearing lately.

Habits are not only bad things. In fact, the best way to get into a healthy lifestyle is to get into an exercise habit. Or even a "healthy eating habit."

Flip that negative connotation in your mind. Work to change your unhealthy bad habits to their polar opposites. I've read that doing something regularly for 30 days will cause that activity to become habitual to you.

What is 30 days in the broad scheme of your life? A trickle of time. But what if you planted a seed in that trickle and it grew to be a mighty redwood tree of superior health whose branches and roots grew their way through your entire life? We all know regular exercise is one of the keys to prosperity.

You can use your mind's tendency to make things habitual to your advantage by promising yourself you will do some exercise everyday for 30 days. It will be hard the first couple weeks. That's just the name of the game. Buck up and deal with it. But you'll find by the time you get to day 30 you won't want to stop. You will actually look forward to continuing and discovering how far you can really go.

Make exercise a habit worth bragging about.

Train smart,

RL

Yummy Yummy

I found the following picture online. It was attached to an article about how farmers are educating children about the importance of eating fruits and veggies.



Now look at this picture. What jumps out at you?

Looks like that farmer should take some of his own advice. This is what I mean by teaching our children by example. When those kids heard this guy talking about how fruits and veggies will help keep them healthy I guarantee they were thinking, "then why are you so fat?"

Fruits, veggies and grains are essential to a healthy lifestyle. Do you have trouble getting the recommended 5-9+ servings a day (active people are supposed to get 9-13 servings!) Keep in mind a serving is a little smaller than the size of your fist. That's a lot of food.

Most people can't do it. The cost adds up too.

This is my solution. Click here!


Train smart,

RL

But I WANT IT!

It amazes me how some people will spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars, on varying types of exercise equipment only to use it once or twice. Then it just takes up space.

Of the very limited equipment I use occasionally I've never just bought something right from a store (except for a medicine ball or two.) Almost everything I use I've built myself, or gotten for free or very little money.

Why?

Because I feel fitness isn't something only people with the money to buy the gear should be allowed to do.

All you need is a little ingenuity.

Adapt and improvise to your situation. If you want something, find out a way to get it (a legal way.) The human mind is capable of amazing things when it's given the proper motivation. And there is no motivation more powerful than "want."

A friend of mine recently wanted to get a treadmill, probably the one piece of big bulky equipment I would actually recommend. Anyway, he's a big guy, and he wanted to really sprint and pound on the treadmill hard. So we're talking the need for a commercial quality treadmill. At least 5 grand.

Well he couldn't afford that. But he wanted it. He stayed focused on it and before you knew it he came across someone who wanted to get rid of a big, commercial treadmill they had gotten from a gym that went out of business.

My friend got his heavy duty treadmill for 200 dollars.

He wanted it, and he got it.

You just have to be creative, and pay attention. The things you want might be right around the corner. But only if you know when to act.

Doers adapt to what they have to accomplish goals. Whiners sit around and whine about what they don't have. I choose to be a doer.

How about you?

Train smart,

RL

Call to Action

Here's yet another one of my earlier articles...

---

Call to Action
By Ryan Linderson

Being a business owner, I have read my fair share of marketing material. ‘How to EXPLODE your business in 24 hours,’ or ‘How to reach the most people with the least effort.” Most of these types of books, videos, what have you, are all the same. They teach basic principles of marketing that have been around since the first advertisment was published.

Now you might be wondering why I am writing about marketing. There’s one principle that is in all the books. They all say it is the most important one. That is a “Call to Action.”

Have you ever seen a late night infomercial when they cut to the little sales pitch at the end? They tell you to go to the phone, get your credit card, dial this number. That is the call to action. They are literally telling you what to do. Spelling it out so even a child could follow along.

Why do they do this? Simple. Because it works. If they didn’t tell their prospects how to become customers then the fact is they would not get as many of them. Something as simple as telling a full grown adult how to dial a phone actually leads to much more of them doing it.

Sometimes people just need to be told what to do.

This concept fits well into your fitness regime. People usually get woken up be something that triggers them to get serious about fitness. Their call to action. A doctor’s visit with not-so-great numbers from the blood work. The scale reading a number so high you think it must be broken. Or perhaps they’ve developed an obesity related desease such as diabetes or heart disease. It could also be something not as dramatic, like a teenager realizing he must train harder then his competitors in high school sports if he wants to excel.

Whatever your fitness call to action is, you’ll know it when it happens.

Mine was when I was a freshman in high school and realized I could be an athlete if I just worked hard and stuck to it. A major turning point in my life, my fitness call to action.

You can be the person you want to be. If you’ve never had a fitness call to action, well then, consider this it. If you don’t exericse and live more healthy your life will be shorter and less fulfilling. That is just a fact.

My favorite thing about what I do is opening people’s eyes to the set-in-stone fact that, if you exercise, you will get results. I once had a client who was very overweight. She trained with me for a while, got her eating under some control and lost some weight. She then told me for the first time in her life she was excited about fitness and wanted to exercise.

That is why I do what I do.

Would you like a lifetime of health and happiness? Are you sick of the lack of confidence you suffer from? Then act now! Go exercise! Stop stuffing your face with junk! Act now and get a bonus 20 years of life!

Go.
---

Train smart,

RL

Growl.

I thought today I'd give you a specific exercise to try. All you need to do it is a little bit of space.

It's one of my favorites.

It will build strength and endurance. You will really feel it after just 20 seconds, and if you can do it for longer than 1 minute when you're just start out with it then you are pretty tough. A good goal is to be able to do it continuously for 3 minutes.

It's the good old Bear crawl.

Get down on your hands and feet, stomach facing the ground. The only part of your body touching the ground are your hands and feet. Bend your knees slightly and then start crawling around like a bear. Move like an animal. And do it as fast as you can. Keep those knees off the ground. Breath deep and keep moving.

This is an awesome exercise for your whole body. You'll really feel it in your shoulders. And heart and lungs.

After you do this one you'll start to get the idea about how you can get into great shape without any big, bulky equipment.

Crawl around like a bear. Get moving, and get in shape.

Train smart,

RL

Apple Pickin'

It's coming up on my favorite time of the year. I love fall weather. I would have to say October is my favorite month. Although I'm not looking forward to the heating bills of the winter months.

Wrestling season is just around the corner, that means I will be even more busy than I am now. Winter is pretty much a 3 month marathon for me.

It is my hardest time of the year to find time to exercise. And when I do have the time I'm usually pretty tired and have to force myself to exercise using pure stubbornness.

Every year in October I always take a trip up to New Hampshire or Vermont to do some apple picking. I used to go up every year with my grandparents when I was a kid. Then we I got older it just sort of faded away. My grandparents sold their cabin in NH. I went several years without going. Once I got out on my own and had a family I remembered how much I liked doing it. So I decided we would start the tradition up again.

But anyway...

Apple picking is one of those simple things. While you're doing it you aren't really thinking too much about fitness. That is, unless of course you're out of shape.

I've seen people up there who can barely walk. They sure can't carry bags of apples around as they walk. I saw one mother once who had to sit at a picnic table while her family went out to enjoy the orchard. That would stink.

I'm glad I'm in shape when I go do stuff like that. I carry a bushel of apples while I'm walking a mile or two around the orchard. Then I have to chase my daughter around and constantly pick her up and press her overhead so she can get that "big one" at the top of the tree.

If your fitness level is keeping you from enjoying times like that with your family perhaps it's time for you to make a change in your life. They only grow up once. Wouldn't be a shame if you missed some of it just because you're in bad shape?

Train smart,

RL

Water

I had an interesting day yesterday. I had to get a new well pump and water tank put in my house. We had no water for about 24 hours. Man did that stink. It wasn't cheap either. Nothing makes you feel quite like a homeowner like a huge, unexpected expense that pops up out of nowhere. Makes a man feel good.

I became really aware of how much water I drink per day. I don't drink anything else besides the occasional cup or coffee or tea. I down about 1 1/2 gallons a day. Not having water at my tap interferred with my workout schedule too. We had to conserve the bottled water we had so I couldn't really justify drinking a half gallon of it in one sitting after a tough workout. Unless I felt like going out and buying water. I hate doing that because I always feel like a chump for paying for something I can get for free at my own house.

Anyway, when stuff like this happens it's easy to get into a negative mind frame. Feeling sorry for ourselves because of our "terrible luck." I always try to stay positive. People have it much much worse off than me or you. Of course exercise helps too. It clears the mind and gets you into a state of mental clarity, even if it's brief. In fact, the night we had no water I had an excellent workout, because I just let all that frustration out and expelled it through the exercise.

It was tough not gulping down all the water I wanted after though. But I survived.

Whenever anything bad happens to you, focus your mind with a good workout. You'll be surprised how everything seems a little better after.

I will end with this thought: Running water is a good thing.

Train smart,

RL

Fat Frustration

I read an article this weekend that said, unless public health takes urgent measures (whatever that is), childhood obesity will reach 20 percent by 2010.

As many of you know, not many subjects get me fired up like childhood obesity. And the thought that in just 4 short years 1 in 5 of our children will face the challenges and limitations brought on by the AVOIDABLE condition of obesity, well, drives me nuts.

It's so easy to avoid.

So so easy.

They just have to eat better and move more. And that's it!

I've written quite a bit about this subject. I know I sometimes repeat myself. But I don't care. It's worth repeating.

I was talking to this mother recently. She was telling me about her 12-year-old daughter who was "just getting so heavy." She didn't know what to do. Oh, this mother also happened to be at least 50 pounds overweight herself.

I asked the mother about her own diet, and her own exercise program. Even though I knew what the answer would be. She told me she "didn't eat too bad, but didn't really exercise that much." That's code for, "I eat bad and never exercise." I asked what kind of food she has in the house. Does she drink soda? Fast food? Etc... She answered my questions and it was obvious to me (and her at that point) that she was living the lifestyle of an obese person.

She eventually asked, "What about my daughter though?" I really couldn't believe it hadn't clicked in her head yet.

"Your daughter is you. She learns her lifestyle from you. She eats the food you supply. She learns about how important exercise is from you."

I hope she got the point.

Sure at some point it becomes the kids' responsibility. But those early important developmental years are all the parents. The only reason (barring a medical condition) your children get obese is because you allow it to happen.

Don't allow it.

Train smart,

RL

Sprint to Success

Of all the articles I've written I've gotten the most response from this one. I guess is strikes a chord with people.

---

There’s an ongoing debate in the fitness world. LSD Training vs. S Training. Long Slow Distance Training vs. Sprint Training. LSD, such as training for marathons is popular with certain groups of people, namely, marathon runners. And sprinting is popular with, you guessed it, sprinters. But what about the regular person who just wants to drop a few pounds and be healthier. What is the best for them?

The short answer: In my opinion, sprinting.

The long answer is long so let’s get started.

First you need to understand this debate has been around forever and it will never go away. I’ve tried both. I have run for miles and miles, and I have done 30 second sprints for repetitions. For me and what I want to get out of my workouts, sprinting is best. Think about it, human beings were not designed to run 26 miles non-stop. In fact, no animal is. Have you ever really looked at a regular marathon runner? Strong is not a word I would use to describe them. I would say they look weak and sick. There’s been some convincing research in the past few years suggesting marathon runners are actually harming their bodies because they’re breaking down muscle to fuel their extended periods of running. Remember, the heart is a muscle. Why would I do a exercise that could potentially damage my heart? Seems counter-productive. Most of them also have problems with their hips, knees, ankles or feet. Now think about Olympic sprinters you’ve seen on TV. How do they look? Strong and powerful. The type of training these people do is the reason.

Sprinting cranks up your metabolism. So does LSD training. The difference is research has shown your metabolism stays cranked up after a sprinting workout for a long time. Actually, after a LSD workout your metabolism returns to normal almost instantly. What does a cranked up metabolism mean? Fat burning and muscle growth. Think of those Olympic sprinters.

Running works for some people. Those people are called, “runners.” And I say more power to them. If they have the time and inclination to run and run and run and it makes them happy, who am I to tell them to change? However, most people aren’t runners. Most people just want to find the fastest way to get the results they desire. Sprinting is one way to do so.

When you’re first starting out I don’t recommend you bust into a full sprint right away. Get warmed up first with a little walking, or a light jog. You want to feel that warm feeling and have a little sweat flowing. Then walk as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then walk normailly for 30-60 seconds to recover. Then go again. Eventually, you can run. Sprint as hard as you can for 15-30 seconds, followed by a 30-60 second jog. Do that 10 times and you’ll feel like you just had one of the best workouts of your life.

Do it on flat ground at first. When you get good you can try some hill sprints. That’s the serious stuff there. We’re talking about one of the best exercises you can do to build wind, power, strength, burn fat and build muscle, all at the same time. And the best part is, and good sprinting routine doesn’t take more than 10-15 minutes of total time, including the recovery periods.

Give it shot. Sprint your way to success. Running long distance is boring anyway. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

---

Train smart,

RL

Proof

Something I recommend all people do, at least when they're just starting a workout program is to keep an exercise journal. Write down everything you do. Or, my favorite way, you write down what you're going to do and check it off as you go.

A workout journal is a great way to make yourself accountable to something. Not being accountable is one of the main reasons why people fail to exercise. Truth is some people just won't do it unless there's someone or something literally forcing them.

Although a journal is really just a piece of paper, it acts like a mirror. It reflects back to you the type of person you are. You begin to ask yourself: Am I the type of person who commits to something then doesn't follow through? Or: Am I the type of person who does what they say they are going to do? That blank piece of paper will tell you. It either stays blank, or you write something on it. And if you write something on it you better well do what you wrote.

The journal is also a great way to track your progress. In a few months you can look back and see how far you've actually come. That really helps with motivation. "Wow, a month ago I couldn't even do 3 pushups, now I can do 25 straight!" Or something like that. The proof is in the journal.

Having trouble getting yourself going? Take out a notebook and write, "Sept. 14, 2006-" Now you've got to do it.

Train smart,

RL

My First Dance Class

As I was sitting in the lobby of the dance studio yesterday, waiting for my daughter's first ever dance class to end, I was listening to all the moms talk. In fact, I had to listen, I couldn't get a word in if I tried. I was the only man there. Me and 11 moms.

The topic of conversation for at least half of the 45 minute period was what they do to workout. How some wish they could get themselves to do it, and what some of them do. It would have been a perfect discussion for me to have with them since it is my area of expertise. Plus, the one woman there who said she worked out 2 times a week seemed to be a god to these women. Imagine what they would have thought if I told them that I usually get 2 workouts a day in, but never less than one (except for my rest day.)

I'm more of a listener anyway. I like to sit back and gather as much information about the people I'm with before I say anything. It's the best way to get to know people. Just let them talk. The ones that never talk about anything but themselves are the worst. The ones that ask lots of questions are the best.

Anyway, while the ladies were gabbing away I noticed how fitness is one of those rare things that equalizes everybody. There were women of different ages, social status, financial status all sitting there talking about this one gym, or that one class with that peppy instructor, so on and so forth. They all had trouble finding time but realized they could find it if they tried. They all knew they should be exercising. But most of them had no idea what kind of exercise they should be doing to get the results they wanted. When it comes to exercise we're all the same. We're at different fitness levels, but we're still all the same. We all sweat, we all get tired. And we all need exercise.

It's hard to get done. WIth kids, jobs, homes, etc taking up our days you need to prioritize exercise. Make it a must do.

I'm sure once those women realize what I do I'll be barraged with questions. That's okay, we'll be seeing each other once a week until May

Train smart,

RL

Back Pain No More.

Your spine is the center of your body. Everything is built of of it. So you would think that training your spine would be a common thing. Unfortunately it isn't. In fact most people, including some doctors which is a shame, label certain spine/back exercises as "dangerous." The truth is NOT doing them is dangerous.

How many people do you know who have back pain? Quite a few I bet. And some people just don't tell anybody they have it. The reason people have lower back pain and the like is because they are weak in certain spots.

You want to train your spine so it is as strong and flexible as an Anaconda.

When you have a strong, elogated, flexible spine your whole body feels great. Energy is flowing like is should and your head feels clear and focused. That's what happens when your center is strong.

Your spine is the foundation on your body structure. Do you want your body built on sand or rock?

Train that spine!

Train smart,

RL

PS- Today is my daughter's first day of dance. The thing I'm most concerned about is my ability to get her hair into a bun. Wish me luck.

Honor

Well today is the big day. 5 years. Went by fast. I'm not one for reliving the past, I like to live in the now. I'm not too crazy about how the media keeps dragging up the emotions of that day. But that's just me, some people think we have to constantly relive that day to remember it properly. I think it's more important to remember in a positive way. Remembering the good things about those lost that day, and what, if any, good things came as a result.

Instead of concentrating on the death, focus on the heroism. That day proved what humans are capable of, both good and bad.

I've talked to several people who've told me it actually inspired them to get into shape and learn how to defend themselves. Just in case they ever had to take out a terrorist on a plane. Might be a morbid thought, but that's the sort of real world stuff that drives some people. And if it drives them to get healthier and better themselves then more power to them. And that's the stuff we should be concentrating on.

I say we honor those who died that day by living our lives to the fullest and taking nothing for granted.

I'm also not too crazy about how people are making money off of it with all these movies and mini-series while hiding behind the idea that they're doing it to honor the lost. If that's the case they should be donating all profits to the families. But I doubt they will. I guess that has nothing to do with fitness. It's just my thought. Someone profiting off of 9/11 is wrong, and I don't care how they try to defend it.

Anyway, if you've always wanted to get in shape, today is a great day to start. So go get started.

Train smart,

RL

Infectors!

Here's an article I wrote, must have been last November or the November before. I like it. Enjoy.

---

Beware of the Infectors
By Ryan Linderson

November is here - Probably my favorite month, with my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. People might assume I would write a "being thankful" article this month. Although I do have many things to be thankful for, I think I'll do the unexpected. Something I'm good at. I'm going on the offensive. I'm going to warn you about something - The Infectors.

I can't lay claim to inventing this term and what it stands for. Truth is I read about the Infectors in a book a long time ago. So long ago, I can't even remember the title of the book.

Let me tell you a little story. Back when I was a fat sophomore in high school, I committed myself to getting to the 190 pound mark by the following year. I've written about this before so you might already know that I did it. But, before I did, when I was still 230 pounds, I told everyone on the wrestling team what I was going to do. Did they believe me? I don't know. I do know one guy, who I'll call 'BD,' literally laughed in my face. He did the thing, where, he forced out a big loud laugh so everyone could hear it.

BD was an Infector.

Infectors are those people who tell you - you can't do something. They tell you whatever you want, is out of reach for you. They plant that idea in your head. They want you to fail. They may even get pleasure out of seeing you fail. Infectors don't always know what they are. They may think they're the most supportive, loving, caring people in the world. And they could be, for certain things. Infectors can be family members; the husband - not supporting his wife's weight loss; the teenager - calling his dad fat and laughing about it.

I've come across several Infectors in my day. I'm still pretty young, so I plan to come across several more. I've met some on my way to all my fitness goals, my business goals, my personal goals, everywhere. There is always someone telling you, you can't do it - And there always will be.

Infectors are people who've not accomplished much on their own. They're people who are too concerned with what you are doing to actually do anything themselves. They want to keep you down with them so they have someone to hang out with. They are not always consciously "evil" people, sometimes they are, but most of the time they aren’t.

Successful people are the most supportive people one could meet. They know "it" can be done, because they've done "it." I will never tell anybody they can't get into shape, that they can't lose weight, that they can't start their own business, that they can't get married at 21 years-old, that they can't learn whatever they want to learn. I've done all those so I know it can be done.

What to do with Infectors?

If you can, cut them out of your life completely. I know it's harsh, but as you know, that's how I usually deal with things. No whining. No crying. Do what must be done. Obviously, if they are a family member, this may not be the best approach. Communicate to them that what they're doing, whether they realize it or not, they are not helping you, and ask them to stop. If they care about you I'm sure they will. They probably won't even realize they were having that effect on you and apologize.

All of you people out there who think that you can't get fit. Let me ask you: Says who? An Infector? Are you your own Infector? I've seen that before. Those are the people whose internal dialogue tells them they aren’t good enough. They say things like, “I can’t do that” more times a day than they blink their eyes. If you catch yourself doing this, pause and think. Think about what you want, and how you plan to get it. I’ve had clients of mine saying they can’t do an exercise while they are actually doing it. It boggles my mind. I just say, “You just did it!”

The next time someone tells you you can’t. No matter if it’s you,a family member, a competitor, a friend, an enemy, think of this article. Take it from me, the Anti-Infector. You can!

---

Train smart,

RL

Sweet Dreams

One of the effects of regular exercise that you never really hear people talk about is how you become more "fine-tuned" to your body. It's almost like you become more unified within your own skin. You can listen to your body and command things of your body that you wouldn't be able to do otherwise.

One of the biggies you must tune into is when your body needs rest. Rest is a key component to fitness. Often people think I'm all "exercise, Exercise, EXERCISE!!!" and of course I am, but you need rest too. There are 3 ways your body gets more fit, exercise, nutrition and rest. Ignore one of those and you won't get near the results you have the potential for.

Now there's a difference between just being lazy and not working out and being legit in your need for rest. In fact, when you exercise regularly you begin to be able to tell the difference. I've had instances when I've been training pretty hard for a couple weeks, then all of a sudden I just feel it. My body is telling me to take a break. After a day or two of rest you can actually see that you continued to improve while resting.

Don't rest too much though. It takes a lot for someone to actually "overtrain" as it's called. Odds are you aren't. A good rule to follow is the "Genesis Rule." Like that? I just made that up. God worked for 6 days and rested 1. If it's good enough for Him it's enough good for you.

Train smart,

RL

Buy This

Sometimes I like to flip around the TV on Saturday and take a gander at all the infomercials selling fitness related products. I think it's amazing how there's a new incredible breakthrough in fitness training almost every week.

Sure, I suppose if you get on one of these contraptions and move you'll burn some calories. Maybe get some results even. But the truth is there is no miracle apparatus that will magically get you in shape, no matter what their marketing says.

I approach fitness on a "blood and guts" level. You do not need one single piece of equipment to get started. In fact, you can workout your entire life and get into awesome shape without touching one single piece of equipment. And this is what I teach my clients. I use some minor equipment every now and then just to mix things up, but that's about it. And the equipment I use is nothing like you'll find in a glossy heath club.

You see it's not about getting the biggest "pump" in your muscle. It's about working your body as one unit to achieve goals. That's when you get into functional fitness training, which is the good stuff. You'll get "pumped" doing this too, trust me.

I saw the new infomercial for this thing they're calling the "Bean" this past weekend. It's just an inflatable rocking bench thing you can sit on and do stuff. Pretty much a modified stability ball. Looks like just buying that will give you the body of an Olympic gymnist. Nope. Just another thing to waste your money on and never use. You see, you can buy all the stuff you want, but that's not going to change your mental state. That's what you really need to work on. Get your mind in the right place, then get moving. You'd be better off spending you money on a good book about motivation than the latest fitness gizmo.

I'm sure not all the people developing these fitness producs are bad people. But just remember, the only reason they are selling or endorsing these things is to make money. That's not a bad thing but it's something you should never forget.

Always remember: All you need to exercise is your mind and body. Everything else is frosting. And I guess it could be good frosting, but it's nothing without the cake. And the cake is nothing without the baker.

Train smart,

RL

Go

I've been a bummed out ever since I heard about Steve Irwin yesterday. I am a fan. He was a guy who seemed super passionate about what he did. And that passion transformed him into an international celebrity. He has 2 little kids. I think that's what gets me the most. Makes one think, "what if something happened to me?"

When something like this happens it reminds you how fragile life really is. Anyone of us could go today. You never know. So I say you must live your life to the fullest. Don't let fear get in your way. Let your passion be your guide. Attack your dreams. Hunt them down and make them yours. If you want to get into awesome shape, get off your ass and do it. If you want to start a business, take that risk and do it. You only live once.

I know this might sound hokey, but it's the truth.

That's all I have for today. I'll get back to more cheery stuff tomorrow.

Train smart,

RL

Energy Wrap Up

Let's continue.

So you are exercising non-stop for longer than 3 minutes. You can't keep up the intensity but you settle into a nice rythm. Now we finally get to the most efficient form of energy production in your body. The aerobic system. Now you are using oxygen to directly fuel your muscles. Oxygen is being used to burn glycogen stores.

This will sustain you for about two hours. This is the energy system people are talking about when they say "cardio."

Believe it or not, your body won't start burning actual fat for fuel during exercise until you deplete your glycogen and for most poeple it's about 2 hours. So very rarely do people burn fat during exercise. The fat burning comes after, but that's another topic. Fat is very difficult for your body to convert to energy. Which is why it is a last resort, so to speak, for energy production.

So the two systems in the aerobic system are the glycogen and fat system.

Of course all these systems overlap a little and vary depending on the person and what sort of shape they're in. I feel it is important for people to have at least a basic understanding of how their body produces energy. Not all exercise is the same.

Some workouts I concentrate on my glycogen system. Some workouts I go all anaerobic and concentrate on my ATP/PC and Lactate systems. And sometimes I combine all of them. Truth is the average person, even the average fit, person won't use the fat burning system too often. You need to be exercising non-stop for about 2 hours. So these are the marathon runner types. That's not me.

Understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. It helps you to see the real benefits of exercise. Recognize those and you'll never want to stop.

Train smart,

RL

Next up is...

Okay, after 10 seconds your body switches over to your second anaerobic system called the Lactate system.

This system is used for energy while your ATP/PC system recovers. Your all out effort will now be down a gear even though you feel like you are pushing it as hard as you can. At this point your muscles are using almost all carbohydrates for energy. Carbs that are already in your muscles, their also called muscle sugar.

This energy system lasts from 10 seconds to about 2-3 depending on the person.

These two systems are what I primarily focus on with my wrestlers. Since a wrestling match is 6 minutes divided into 3 2 minute periods. They will mostly be using their ATP/PC and Lactate system throughout the match.

Have you ever gone up a bunch of stairs and you feel that burn? That's the lactate system. Lactic acid is building up in your muscles creating the burning sensation.

Remember, neither of these systems use oxygen directly to drive the muscles. You may ask then, "How come I'm breathing heavy?" Because the rest of your body needs oxygen of course. It is just not being used to directly fuel the muscles while your still in anaerobic mode. That's just a fact.

After this system is exhausted we finally move into the aerobic realm. But that's for next time.

Train smart,

RL