Even the oldest improve with exercise

Saw a great article about the benefits of exercise, even for the oldest of people. Tell your parents and grandparents, it’s not too late to start.

From yahoo health.

So Long Phil & Rita

My friends and clients Phil and Rita are off on a new adventure into the Colorado Rockies. Colton will miss Phil and Cheetah.

This is from their last workout with me (so far). Rita finally rocked the Hard. Not Easy shirt and everyone enjoys doing burpees with a side leap. Hope you enjoy. Keep a safe distance from the mountain lions. See you.

The new address for the blog is http://trainwithstanimal.com/blog.

Greg rocks the kettlebell

Kettlebell training is one of the best methods I have come across for total body training and weight loss. Works great for any fitness level. Above is Greg doing the single snatch, one of the pillars of kettlebell training.

There are many types of swings and presses available. I am especially interested in the single arm movements. The off-center weight of the bell make these movements really good for core development. The cardio demands are great as well so your metabolism will be tuned up. Keep the rest as low as possible.

The new address for the blog is http://trainwithstanimal.com/blog.

The blog has moved next door

The new address is http://trainwithstanimal.com/blog.

So there is a new RSS feed as well.

Thanks for looking…

Back from vacation in Colorado

Just got back from vacation, a little recharge of the batteries. Colorado is very pretty. Besides all the hiking and walking I only managed one workout. I went to a place called Planet Fitness. It was an interesting step back in time, late 80’s early 90’s maybe. There were a good selection of equipment, new cardio gear and Free Motion machines as well as free weights and plate loaded machines. All very good.

The step back in time was by the patrons. I should mention there were no balls, bosu, disks, bands or any equipment for training balance, stability or flexibility. There were guys with very oversized mid-sections working set after set of arms even though they are racing toward heart problems or diabetes. There were only single joint exercises.

I don’t want to belabor the point but my expectations were different. This gym is within a few miles of our Olympic training facilities yet a lifetime away from the types of exercise people need to be functional, healthy and fit. There was a personal trainer working but he was only leading two clients through some rows of machines.

We need to work on the whole body by training movement patterns and developing overall fitness and agility.

Treadmill Interval Workout, Volume Two

This is an update on a post I wrote a while ago. Updated for variations available to use this concept for total body workout or leg workout indoors or out.

I use this workout for legs and use it for a total body workout. Here we go. This is a sample used as a leg workout.

3 min. walk warmup
Interval 1 – 3 min. walk 8 incline, speed depending on your fitness level, 3.0 -4.5
jump off treadmill, hands on head, 20 prisoner squats
10 jump squat
Interval 2 – 2 min. jog 4 incline, speed 5.0-8.0
jump off, 20 walking lunge with dumbells
15 squats on bosu or other balance equipment
Interval 3 – 1 min. run 2 incline, speed 6.0-10
20 ball bridge
20 single leg deadlift (10 each leg)
Interval 4 – 30 second sprint 1 incline, speed 7.5-15 again depending on your fitness level
30 crunches and 1 min. of plank (core hold)

Repeat

That should take almost an hour and you should be ready to sit down for a while.

To make it total body substitute your favorite upper and lower body exercises on the breaks, e.g. squat presses, push ups, chin ups, dips, etc.

Let me know what you think.

Are you in the other 14%?

A new study suggests that at the current rate of increase, 86% of Americans will be overweight or obese by the year 2030. Are you going to join me in the other 14%?

What do you intend to do to make it happen? If you add only two pounds per year in 22 years (let me do the math) that is 44 pounds of fat. I don’t know about you but I would be overweight.

Obesity is already a public health crisis now. So let’s make some positive changes starting today. Are you going to workout today? How are your eating habits? Talk to me if you need suggestions.

And check out the study here.

New boxes

I built some new plyo boxes. Aren’t they beautiful and functional. Get it. Functional training. Eh..

Yes, I am finally adding some plyometrics back into my workouts. Skaters side to side over the small box, or power step ups. These are great additions to a circuit or interval routine. Depth jumps and power chins are all coming back.

If you have any questions about what these exercises are and would like to add them. Comment or email and I’ll explain further.

Going fast again

Back at the track for about 6 weeks. Had a knee issue for a while in the spring.

I have been working on running fast as I can. It feels great. It trains my legs nothing else, especially my hammys. And it keeps my body fat low. Usually do some active warmup, lunges and leg swings. Then jog a half mile. Do some power skipping for about 50 yards x 3 then walk back with some hurdle walks and walks on my heel only. Don’t let the balls of your feet touch. This gets the tibialis going and dorsiflexion as well.

Next I get 5 x 60 yard rolling start sprints. Then it is time for a few longer sprints. Depending on my mood I do some combination of 100, 150, 200, 300, or 400 meter sprints. If I am feeling OK by then I might finish with some bounding or hops. It all depend on the shape I’m in. My times are starting to come down so I am getting in better shape.

If you want to be more fit, add some sprinting or interval work. Your body fat percentage will drop.

Weight loss trouble

Overheard at the gym yesterday.

Trainer drinking red fluid from a plastic bottle. I think it was some sort of energy drink.

His client asks, “How much sugar is in that?”

Trainer, “Only about 15 grams, oh wait there are 2 and a half servings in here.”

So this corporation is calling 20 ounces 2 and a half servings. Is there anyone in America who would buy this from a vending machine and not drink it all. No.

Try to lose weight in this country. It is difficult.