Thursday, June 4, 2009

Random Thoughts

So, if you have noticed it has been a few weeks since my last post. Yes, I admit I have had writer's block. So to stir some thoughts in my head a bit, here are a bunch of random thoughts about training, nutrition, life, sports, motivation, and more.


Hope you enjoy.



  1. You need to challenge your body in your work outs. Do not just go to the gym and sit on an elliptical for 45 minutes at a slow steady pace. That is not a workout. Your body will never change doing that and you will never get in shape. Do interval conditioning and be intense. You do not need as much time and you will burn more calories over time with this type of training. If you want to hit the weights, use pair, tri or even quad sets for your workout. Meaning put 2-4 antagonist movements together so your rest time is minimal. This will make for a much more efficient use of your time. If you are standing around resting for 3 minutes between sets, you are wasting time.

  2. Always and I mean ALWAYS start your workout with a dynamic warm-up. This warm-up should increase joint mobility, muscle flexibility, assist in correcting bad posture mechanics, elevate your heart rate, activate specific musculature, prepare the body for the workout ahead and most importantly reduce your chance of injury! A proper dynamic warm-up is just as important as the strength training and conditioning. If you can not move in a proper function then you will just create more of an imbalance by adding external loads to exercises. Take the time and warm-up!

  3. Kobe vs. Lebron??? Well if you know me, you know my answer. I am picking Kobe any day and all day. Kobe is the best basketball player in the NBA right now. In fact he is probably top 5 players of all time. When the game is on the line I love being a Laker fan because I know Kobe will take over and guide them to a win. I like Lebron but he isn't at the level Kobe is at yet. He is a very explosive player and I enjoy watching him play but Kobe is the MAN!

  4. How important is nutrition you ask??? When you look at a year, you need to eat healthy 85% of that year. So, 310 days a year need to be full of healthy carbohydrates, lean proteins, and quality fats. You have 55 days a year to cheat and eat what the hell you want. That is about 1 time a week. Along with being active and getting your workouts in, nutrition is part of the equation to achieving your fitness goals. Think about a car that looks great on the outside: nice paint job, nice rims and nice tires but then you feed that car bad fuel and bad dirty oil and never maitenance the vehicle. Guess what....it will not run and will eventually breakdown. Same with our bodies. If we are not putting quality fuel into our body we will have no energy, get sick, and eventually break down. Feed the body with good nutrition, it is a must!

  5. STOP DOING CRUNCHES! I have wrote about this in past blogs. If you are still doing crunches, you need to stop. Perform planks, side planks, push-ups, chin-ups, medicine ball throws, and core rollouts for a great core routine. This will build stability and stiffness in the lower spine so you can move more freely throughout the rest of the body.

  6. Life is all what you make it. You can wake up everyday with a negative attitude and not enjoy the things you do and the people around you. It is your decision. But you can also wake up with a positive mindset, ready to take on each day, and a burning desire to be successful. "Your attitude determines your altitude." Remember this quote next time you have a bad attitude towards something. You can change that attitude with a snap of the fingers. Ghandi was quoted as saying, "Live everyday like you are going to die tomorrow. Learn everyday like you are going to live forever." Do not settle for average. Educate yourself and live everyday to the fullest and watch your life soar!

  7. Ok, so I had to bring up my LA Dodgers. I don't want to jinx them but damn they are playing great right now. It is great being a LA Fan right now. Hopefully they will keep the momentum and continue this hot streak all the way to the playoffs and into the world series. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

  8. My own personal training numbers so far in 2009: 177 hours, 112,600 meters in the pool, 1285 miles on the bike, 293 miles running, and 59 miles racing. Since I started logging everything in 2008: 614 hours, 371,500 meters in the pool, 4539 miles on the bike, 756 miles running, 314 miles of brick training, and 194 miles racing. I am not bragging, just thought it is cool to look at all the training I have put in in the past 2 years.

  9. If you have knee, shoulder or hip pain, what are you doing about it to alleviate that pain? Do not "work through" the pain. Do not just take time off. Do not make the pain worse. You need to perform corrective exercises that will help strengthen the areas around your pain site. The majority of non-contact pain is caused by a "neighbor" that is weak or tight and not doing their job. So if you have knee pain and have never had major impact to that structure then you need to look at the mobility of your ankle and the mobility in your hip. Odds are you have tight ankles or hips or both and your knee is taking the unwanted movement, thus causing pain. Buy a foam roll and roll the hell out of your major muscles to help decrease density in the muscle tissue. This will aid in your recovery, increase the blood flow and improve muscle tissue quality. Do not let a "little twinge" just pass. Figure out what you need to do so you are pain free.

  10. Stay motivated daily. I know this is easier said than done but again it is a mindset. Surround yourself with motivating and positive people. Get rid of your negative friends (I wouldn't call them friends if they are always negative). If you want to be successful, you must create an environment full of inspiring people that will support and guide you to your goals. Go out and make it happen and do not make any excuses!!

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