Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Answering questions about mobility, marketing, post workout nutrition and more!

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Hint: if you are rushed for time, just read the bold print... Appreciate you making it to my blog.


Q: Should someone add a little bit of mobility to a strength workout?  Should it be worked on separately? 

A: This depends on the movement individuality of the person. Some people are just more predisposed to mobility restrictions: sit down jobs, long term poor posture, previous trauma or injury, poor lifestyle habits, etc. A properly designed strength program can do wonders to someone's movement and mobility capabilities. Vice versa, a poorly designed and executed program can devastate mobility. So, with that said, we have members work on their movement EVERYDAY. Whether the main workout is more strength based or conditioning focused, daily we are implementing specific mobility drills into the routine. If there are major restrictions, I encourage daily work to remold the skill. It takes good repetitions to unlock mobility issues. I also recommend that you stay proactive regarding specific "mobility/flexibility" drills. Learn what your limiters/restrictions are and consistently work to improve upon. Don't wait until pain surfaces.


Q: What's the best way to market a new business and bring in clients?

A: HUSTLE YOUR ASS OFF! Constant FB ads targeting your specific demographics, local speaking engagements, ask your current customers for referrals, putting out valuable content showcasing your skills, video marketing (tip of the day or showcasing your business in action)... ABM...ALWAYS BE MARKETING if you want to grow your business from the ground up. 


Q: Is it better to have protein before or after a workout?

A: It is important to have a small amount of protein before the workout but coupled with adequate carbohydrates. Strength workouts 2:1 ratio carbs:protein (slice of toast w/2 tbls peanut butter), endurance workouts like running 4:1 ratio carbs:protein (cliff bar). But these numbers are just guidelines. Start here then adjust according to how your body feels.  It's usually about the same post workout as well. Whether you use a protein powder or not, it's key to ingest protein pre and post workout.


Q: Is it better to get protein from food sources versus a powder supplement?

A: A supplement replaces food sources so it is best to use whole foods as much as possible. I use a protein powder a few times a week to "supplement" when I may need a quick and easy protein source. I also like to add a vegan protein to a smoothie.  For me, it’s easier on my digestion versus whey.  For the most part though, the majority of your calories should come from natural food choices.



Q: What should eat/drink pre/post workout? 

A: So many options and it is key to find what works for you. But here are some ideas: cliff bar or powerbar, slice of sourdough toast w jam, banana w/tbls of peanut butter, 2-3 oz of orange juice w/small scoop of protein powder, small bowl of oatmeal w/crushed almonds, a banana with 1-2 scrambled eggs, etc. You want just enough calories to give you energy but not too much where you feel bloated.



Q: What are the benefits of foam rolling?

A: Anecdotally, I have used the foam roll in the training of myself and others for over 10 years. "Foam rolling" is really muscle tissue work. I think if you know what you are doing and working towards, it can be very beneficial to your mobility and tissue health. If you are unsure what to do, you could harm yourself.  I like hitting my quads, hip flexors, glutes, thoracic spine, lats and calves with the foam roll. I use other tools like lacrosse balls, rolling sticks and pvc pipes for more deliberate work. Benefits: blood flow, tissue suppleness, wakes up the nervous system, movement flow, etc.



Q: Is there an absolute right way to split up muscle groups for weight training?

A: Nothing will ever be "perfect". The key is that you are getting results. The way you get results is by consistently training, staying injury free and making slight changes to your program time to time. So really, it's key to "change it up" every so often so the body does not completely adapt to what you are doing. But these are slight changes to the program. Tempo of the lift, set/rep schemes, 1 limb/2 limb variations of exercises, different order of routine, etc. For example, for 3 weeks do 4 sets of 10 repetitions of your main lifts at a 3:1 tempo (3 seconds eccentric:1 second concentric). Then for 3 weeks do 6 sets of 7, little heavy weight, tempo is 3:3, 3 seconds eccentric:3 second concentric. Time under tension when weight lifting is probably the most important component as this is what creates the muscle fiber change. Again, the key is CONSISTENCY w/ slight changes.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Mental Conditioning, it’s not what you think, or is it


Conditioning your mindset to be resilient, focused on the positive and open for growth is something anyone can achieve.  This is not a generic, pop out of bed, skip around the house, and “life is perfect” idea.  You take each day head on and express your potential.  You go after your goals.  Building a strong and confident mindset is possible.  You can achieve some amazing goals by developing a tough mental muscle. 

Here are some strategies to start with:


1.     Acknowledge, then rearrange negative self-talk.  Everyone, I mean everyone, experiences some form of negative self-talk.  Whether it’s self-limiting beliefs, useless complaining, or self-deprecating abuse, this mentality will drain your energy.  You have to be very self-aware of your thinking and how it is affecting your Life.  What do you see yourself doing in 1-year?  3 years?  5 years?  10 years?  If you want to begin a plan to move in the direction you see yourself, IT. All. STARTS. WITH. YOUR. THOUGHTS.  How you manage your internal dialogue will directly determine your path.  As you go through your day, be attentive to all of your thinking.  Catch yourself and acknowledge when a negative thought comes into the head.  Pause, think about what you said, then rearrange that thought to a more supportive and positive one.  Example: “I can’t do this last repetition.” Instead, “This last repetition will be tough, but I got this, dig deep, in fact do one more.”  Simply acknowledging the thought is the catalyst to conditioning the mindset to think in a more positive manner.  Here is another example: “Gosh, why can’t I lose weight?”  Instead, “I will stay consistent with my healthy habits and focus on my fitness in the gym.  The weight will come off if I am patient and nutritionally aware.”  If you can stay in the present and are self-aware of your thoughts throughout the day, over time, you will condition your mindset to be more positive, proactive, resilient, courageous and supportive to all of your goals. 

2.     Meditation.  Many people tell me they “are not good at meditation, I can not turn off my thoughts.”  Just so you know nobody can completely turn off their thoughts.  Even when we are sleeping, we are thinking.  Meditation can create mental clarity, less brain fog, release tension and anxiety, and improve your memory.  Meditation can be any form that you choose to stick to consistently.  You can do guided meditation (look up on YouTube), unguided meditation (quiet, calm environment), transcendental meditation (mantra repetition) or visual meditation (looking at paintings or picturesque landscaping).  All of these variations have value.  I recommend if you are just starting out, find a guided meditation you like and be consistent to form a habit.  Once you build the routine to stick, then you can explore into other variations.  Be patient during your session.  If all you have is 5 minutes, be committed for those 5 minutes.  Do your best not to cut it short because, “you have other things to do.”  Doing this meditation will improve your productivity and output in your “other things”.  Once you improve and see the benefit, then you can increase your time.  Fifteen to twenty minute sessions seems to be the sweet spot to really tap into the subconscious mind and release tension and negative energy.  If you are not there yet, that’s ok, stick to your time frame.  To simplify even more, practice taking 10 deep, mindful inhales/exhales 3-4 times throughout the day.  This simple daily practice will release anxious nerves and give you a sense of optimism and serenity.  Just like building any skill, it takes time to improve, so be patient through the process. 

3.     Exercise or train for a sport.  Through the process of getting fit and gaining performance, you will condition your mindset.  They go hand in hand.  Many people come into the fitness world wanting to improve their body.  And there is nothing wrong with that specific desire.  But the mental change that transpires is something that surprises people.  Exercise releases stress, disperses endorphins (“feel good” chemical) throughout the body and improves your mood.  All of these biological happenings will help you strengthen your mindset.  I will take it a bit further and encourage you to compete and challenge yourself in a sport or activity (running, triathlon, cycling, Spartan racing, bodybuilding, crossfit, etc).  The journey of competition and consistently pushing yourself to be your best is such a mental process.  The mindset is challenged along the way.   Through the journey, the mental strength and resilience that you will create will be life changing.      

4.     Circle of influence.  Who you spend the most time with will directly influence your mindset.  If you are consistently around negative, energy sucking people, it will be a tough environment for you to strengthen your mindset.  Instead find a positive and encouraging group of people to be constantly around.  I understand that sometimes this is out of your control (who you work with, teammates, bosses, etc.).  Who you spend time with outside of those negative environments becomes even more important to your mental health and vitality.  Find a gym, a fitness coach, a running group, a few workout partners, a life coach or mentor, a group of friends, or a church group, basically any group or individuals that encourages and supports your goals and journey.   


Don’t just focus on the physical; go build that mental strength also.     

Thank you for reading! 

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