We were in San Francisco this weekend, but I got a quick row in after we got home. The funny part was Jen went to the store so I put Baby Eva in her little chair and put her next to the rower. She just watched me the whole time with her eyes wide open. She was probably thinking “what the hell is this guy doing?”. I wish I had a picture…
Row 500 meter intervals with 1 min. rest between (9) 1:35, 1:43.5, 1:44.5, 1:47, 1:46 total time 8:36 rest 5 minutes, then row 2000 meters 7:37.8 Ab circuit
Talent is never enough. With few exceptions the best players are the hardest workers.” Magic Johnson
row 10,000 meters 39:38.1 (9) ab circuit
Cheryl and Cindy (two original members of the Consistency Wins workout group) are running in the Reno Tahoe Odyssey tomorrow. It is a 24 hour race where 12 person teams trade off running 3-5 race legs. The race starts in Reno, goes through Tahoe, Virginia City and then ends in Reno. Sounds like fun (sort of). Anyway, best of luck girls. We will expect race reports next week.
Be decisive. A wrong decision is generally less disastrous than indecision." -- Bernhard Langer
row 2000 meter intervals with 4 minutes rest between (8) 7:18.8 7:40.1 7:38.5
Pretty tough workout. I had not rowed in a week, and I think the rower was punishing me for not paying attention to it. Rowing today after having run a lot this weekend and lifting weights yesterday, I am increasingly convinced that for me rowing is the single best exercise activity I can do. It is the best balance of cardio, total body strength and low impact. If you have access to a rower and don't mind the pain that comes with it, I highly recommend you try to row at least once per week. I think at some point in the summer I might experiment with doing nothing but rowing for awhile just to see what happens.
One of the things that has struck me the last few days is the difference in people's perspective about how often/long people exercise. While my workout intensity is pretty high, I only end up working out a little less than an hour a day, 6 days a week, for a total of about 5 hours per week. For some people, that is a huge commitment and sounds like a ton of time. To others, that is nothing. Just yesterday Steve was telling me about some people he knows that never miss a daily run, on the weekends they take hours to hike up and ski down Mt. Shasta, go for 60 mile runs in the mountains, etc. Personally, I would argue that folks like that are a bit extreme and you should shoot for balance in life, but to each their own.
My point is, just like most things in life, you can always find someone who works harder and longer than you, as well as someone who works less than you. Similarly you can always find someone stronger, faster with lower body fat than you, and someone who is weaker, slower, and with more body fat than you. All that matters is how you compare to yourself, and that you are working to constantly improve versus what you did last week. It may be helpful for motivation to focus on people who put in more time than you or work harder than you do (I find it to be a good motivator), but at the end of the day the person in the mirror is the only one you really need to compete against.
I hope everyone had a fun Memorial Day weekend. We spent the weekend in Lake Tahoe, so I got some good running in.
I am planning on running the Lake Tahoe 10k at the end of September, and I would like to place in my age group. So I started with a 10k the first day to see where I am at. I pushed pretty hard, and I think this time would have put me in 3rd place in my age group last year. I have four months to improve my time, maybe I can cut a minute or two off by September.
5/23 run 10k in Tahoe 46:08 ab circuit 55 pushups
5/24 run 8 miles in Tahoe 1:01:54 ab circuit
5/25 run 4 miles in Tahoe 29:23 ab circuit
5/26
Trainer today, just a few sessions left, and then I will be on my own. I am getting kind of weak so I should probably lift weights twice per week, but I really like rowing and running right now. This tends to happen to me each spring, where I like cardio more, and in the fall/winter weightlifting is more fun (because it is too cold out to run).
-15 explosive pushups with bosu ball (turn bosu ball blue part down and explode into the air at the top of each pushup and pull bosu a foot off the ground) -machine chest press - 120 lbs x 5, 80 lbs x 5, 40 lbs x 5 -15 dips -5 pushups, then 10 pushups from knees -cable chest fly from lunge stance with 40 lbs, 20 reps -15 close grip dead hang pullups -overhead throws with 12 lb medicine ball - 20 throws -5 pushups with hands on medicine ball, 10 more from knees -seated dumbell shoulder press 40lb x 2, 30lb x 7, 20 lb x 5 -15 pushups -walking lunge with 20lb db doing a bicep curl at the bottom of each lunge - 15 steps -15 back rows with 15lb db -walking lunge with 20lb db and bicep curl at bottom - 15 steps -seated back row machine 140lb x 10 -10 dead hang pullups -resisted crunches on swiss ball 20 straight, 20 left side, 20 right side -ab circuit
I thought I would share just some of the things different people who are reading this blog are doing this week:
1. 8 pullups with a 16lb weight vest (max was 8 pullups with no weight 10 weeks ago) 2. run 50 miles per week 3. run 20 miles per week 4. boxing and wrestling training 6 hours per week.
Pretty impressive. I like how even though each person has a different approach, everyone is working hard to reach their goals.
Trainer today, all exercises done with no rest in between
5 super slow (10 sec up, 10 sec down) pushups, 10 regular pushups seated machine chest press 150lb x 3, 100lb x 5, 50lb x 5, negatives at the end of each set chest flyes with 35lb db lying on a swiss ball 10 reps 5 clapping pushups, 5 regular pushups 15 dead hang close grip pullups 10 pushups on medicine ball 5 reps seated shoulder press with 35lb db, 5 reps with 25lb db, 5 reps with 15lb db lateral raises with 3lb db kneeling on swiss ball iron cross for 30 seconds with 3lb db kneeling on swiss ball 10 pushups (from knees) on medicine ball seated bicep cable curls with 72.5lb x 3, 50lb x 5, 30lb x 10 10 pushups (from knees) on medicine ball ab circuit
I am usually about 75% consistent on my diet, and I have been wondering what would happen if I was 100% serious for a couple of months. Like every other guy in the world, I wouldn't mind having lower body fat, but not losing any weight. So here is my "six pack" diet:
1. No red meat, no dairy, no grains, eat nothing that comes from a box or a bag 2. Eat as much chicken, fish, beans, vegetables and fruit as you want
Clearly not earth shattering information, its the implementation that is the hard part. As usual, this stuff is simple, but not easy...
500 meter row intervals with 1 min rest between each interval (7) 1:36.9 1:40.2 1:45.0 1:47.9 1:46.2 total time 8:36.2 rest 5 min row 2000 meters 7:43.5 ab circuit
Walked 18 holes at Arrowcreek yesterday afternoon, so I was a bit tired this morning, but still a good workout. Heavy upper body weights tomorrow, and then a day off. Incidentally, if any of you want to get into rowing (or already are into it), this is a good technique video. It is only about 10 minutes, and it is the best one I have found.
Setting Goals
"It's all about the journey, not the outcome" Carl Lewis, Olympic Sprinter
Recently Paul asked me what my fitness goals are. Here is what I said:
My fitness goal is pretty simple --- consistently push my limits. My fitness goals used to be more focused on the mirror or specific accomplishments like run a mile in a certain time, etc. But in the last year I have come to realize that it truly is about the journey, not the destination. If I set a goal of running a mile in 6 minutes, I will just want to run it in 5:45 next year. Whatever I accomplish, I am going to want more. But I have found that I really enjoy working hard and getting to that mental place near the end of a difficult workout where my mind goes blank and I am totally in the moment. My mind tends to be pretty active all the time, so getting to that blank place (I think of it as a mental whiteout) is a very cool feeling for me. And then I really like the feeling of accomplishment after I successfully pushed my limits. Might sound hokey, but that's it.
For most people, I think setting athletic goals usually goes in something like this order (usually with some fits and starts):
Step 1 I want to look good so I better work out (by the way, I think "mirror" related goals are very very difficult for long term motivation). Step 2 I like doing ____ (running for example) and I would like to get better at it (run a race like a half marathon for example). Step 3 I really like working out now so I am going to try 10 different new things and set a bunch of different goals (do 50 pushups, run a 7 minute mile, etc. etc.). Step 4 I can't keep track of all of my goals and workouts and I am paying a ton of money each month on gyms, trainers, exercise equipment, etc, so I am going to simplify things and go back to doing one or two things. Step 5 My goal is to just be consistent and do what I enjoy.
The hard part is it is very easy to stop at each step and quit. For example, you get to step 2, run a marathon, hate it, and then quit running. Then 6 months later you are right back to where you started before you began working out in the first place.
When I was running on Sunday, I ran with a guy for awhile that was at Step 5. He asked me what races I was training for, and I said that I would probably run some in the fall. I asked him what races he was preparing for (it seemed like the appropriate question) and he just said, "well, I pretty much just run". He is 61 years old and has run the same 8 mile route by the river for 25 years. He was running at about 8 minute mile pace when I caught up with him. While his routine may be boring to most people, that is usually how truly fit people are. Working out and eating right are just part of their personality. If you ask them what motivates them to exercise they look at you funny and don't even really understand the question. It's like the Nike slogan, they just do it.
I think a mistake people make when starting up an exercise program is they try too hard to find someone else's formula and then they try to follow it exactly and base their goals off someone else's advice, instead of doing what they enjoy. And then at the same time they try to drastically modify their diet and go "hard core". That tends to not work well. I think the better way to get started is to try to consistently do something/anything 4 days a week, then 5 days a week, and realize it will take you a month to even get a routine down. Then start to get more specific with what you fill that routine with as far as more refined workouts. Remember, it is the journey that truly matters, and you are trying to establish a life-long habit of health, not just trying to look good for the beach for 3 months or trying to finish a single race.
Build your weaknesses until they become your strengths." Knute Rockne
run 8 miles 1:01:05 ab circuit
I think I was feeling the effects of the row yesterday, because I hit a wall at mile 5 today. Ran the first mile in 7:20 and the last mile in 8:00, which incidentally is not how you are supposed to pace yourself. I saw Steve on the trail, so I know he got his workout in. What are you doing this weekend?
Next week I am going to have some stuff on setting goals and starting a workout program from scratch. Enjoy the nice weather!
Even though I wasn't trying to, I beat my previous personal best by 1 second on the row. Had a few beers the night before so I wasn't really trying to kill it this morning, but as usual when I have no expectations and start out easy, I end up having a great workout. More than half the battle is just showing up. As I have said before, negative splits (starting out easy so the first half of the workout is easier than the last half) is by far the most productive method for me. Plus knowing I have to report in to all of you is always a huge motivator.
I'm a firm believer in goal setting. Step by step. I can't see any other way of accomplishing anything." Michael Jordan
run 4 miles 29:42 ab circuit
Had to get to work early, so I did this run at 4:30 a.m. along the Truckee river. Just an amazing experience to run along the river just before sunrise. Everyone should put that on their to-do list at some point. Of course, I ran into Steve on my way back, so he can cross it off his list.
Only 7 more visits to the Trainer -- this was my first heavy chest and shoulder workout since my layoff to rehab my shoulder.
31 swiss ball pushups (put hands on one swiss ball and toes on the other, hold a plank, then do pushups) cable chest presses with back on swiss ball - 100 lbs x 5 reps, 50 lbs x 10 reps (on this machine 100 lbs = about a 185 bench press) 15 dead hang pullups cable chest presses on swiss ball - 50 lbs x 8 reps 15 body rows using straps hanging from ceiling ab side bends holding 25 lb plate - 20 reps each side cable chest presses on swiss ball - 75 lbs x 5 reps, 50 lbs x 5 reps tricep cable pushdowns 75lb x 10 reps, 40 lb x 10 reps, 25 lb x 10 reps 10 pushups with hands on medicine ball (from my knees, a little tired by this point) seated db shoulder press - 30 lbs x 5, 20 lbs x 8, 15 lbs x 5 (shoulders have gotten awfully weak) walking lunges with 1 shoulder press with 10 lb dumbells at the bottom of each lunge - 15 steps 12 dead hang close grip pullups 10 hammer bicep curls with 35 lb db, 10 hammer curls with 25 lb db 15 bicep curls with 15lb db while kneeling on swiss ball hold plank on two swiss balls and then do 1 pushup
There is a pretty good article on dieting in the Reno Gazette this morning in the Living section. I would post a link, but it isn't on-line. It says that we make 250 individual food decisions each and every day, and how we manage those decisions, bit by bit, determines how healthy we are and how much we weigh. You know my philosophy is all about incremental improvements, so the article really fits with that.
Also, here is an article about discipline. The article is a mile long, but it is an interesting discussion of why some people have more mental discipline than others, and the tricks people can use to increase their discipline. The concepts apply well to diet and exercise. It reminds me that usually when I run or row the fastest is when my mind is somewhere else and I don't think about how much it hurts. And when I am really in a zone, my mind seems to go totally blank. Since I spend so much time overthinking everything, this is definitely one of the reasons I enjoy working out hard. It is a nice mental break.
We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and effort is the commodity. It’s the other way around. Effort can trump ability because relentless effort is in fact something rarer than the ability to engage in some finely tuned act of motor coordination.
2000 meter row intervals with 4 min rest between interval 1 - 7:11 interval 2 - 7:43 interval 3 - 7:49 ab circuit
Well, its Monday which means most of us ate crummy this weekend and are resolving to do a good job of eating and exercising this week. And the weather is nice, so everyone is starting to think about beach time, etc. which is another motivation. If this sounds like you, try an experiment this week. Try to set some realistic eating and exercise goals for today through next Monday. Try to lay out on what days you will exercise and what you plan to do. Think about what you want to accomplish as far as eating. Then find a friend/family member to hold you accountable. If you cheat by giving in and eating poorly, or not exercising, you have to report in to your friend. There may be a legitimate reason you didn't meet your goals one day, but you will still have to make the case to your friend as to what you did and why.
If this works well, try to build on it and do it again the next week. It is a lot easier to achieve a bunch of small goals than to try to set a 6 month goal and stick with that. It's a little like running a marathon one mile at a time, instead of thinking at the start, "wow, I have to run 26 whole miles!".
First time I broke 40 min for 10,000 meters. But I think it was more due to setting the rower at a lower drag factor than any huge gain in my fitness level. Pretty cool either way though.
Here is an e-mail my gym sent out, it has some useful stuff in it.
The question that researchers and doctors have been investigating for years is if your metabolism can be altered through various lifestyle and dietary changes. We have provided possible suggestions below. We also recommend that you stop in for a visit this week; it will help speed up your metabolism.
Healthy Lifestyle Tip: Metabolism BoostBoosting the metabolism is the holy grail of weight watchers everywhere, but how fast your body burns calories depends on several factors. Some people inherit a speedy metabolism. Men tend to burn more calories than women, even while resting. And for most people, metabolism slows steadily after age 40. Although you can't control your age, gender or genetics, there are other ways to get a boost.
Build Muscle Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when we're doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about six calories a day just to sustain it, while each pound of fat burns only two calories daily. That small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.
Kick Your Workout Up a Notch Aerobic exercise may not build bigger muscles, but it can rev up your metabolism in the hours after a workout.
Drink More Water The body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four.
Eat More Often When you eat large meals with many hours in between, you train your metabolism to slow down. Having a small meal or snack every three to four hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day.
Eat More Protein The body burns up to twice as many calories digesting protein than it does for fat or carbohydrates. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can jump-start your metabolism at mealtime. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs and low-fat dairy products.
Drink Green Tea Drinking green tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple hours. Research suggests drinking two to four cups of green tea may push the body to burn an extra 50 calories each day. That adds up to five pounds of weight loss in a year.
Avoid Crash Diets Crash diets; those involving eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day are disastrous for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds (at the expense of good nutrition), a high percentage of the loss comes from muscle. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism. The final result is a body that burns far fewer calories.
Best Bets The impact of different foods and drinks on the metabolism is small compared to what you need for sustained weight loss. Your best bet for creating a mean calorie-burning machine is to build muscle and stay active. The more you move during the day, the more calories you burn. Source: medicine.net
500 meter row intervals with 1 min rest between (10) 1:40.1 1:41.4 1:44.1 1:44.3 1:44.0 Total time 8:33.9 5 min rest row 2000 meters (10) 7:36.1 ab circuit
Trainer today. Shoulder rehab is over, so this is the first time lifting upper body in about 2 months. I got weak...
one legged swiss ball pushups - 4 reps each side bench press 185lb x 4, 135lb x 6 10 ring pushups 15 dead hang close grip pullups, 5 assisted side bends with 15lb db, 20 each side bench press 135 lb x 10 seated machine row 110 lbs x 10 body rows hanging from rings x 10 side bends with 15lb db, 20 each side walking lunges with 3 back flyes with 15lb db at bottom of each lunge - 15 steps 5 clapping pushups 15 pushups db hammer curls 35 lb x 10, 25 lb x 10, 20 lb x 10 15lb db bicep curls 20 pushups 40 ab strap knees to elbows ab circuit
Today's motivation - for the last 3 weeks, Brian has been doing all of his workouts with a 10lb weight vest on. He just upped the weight to 12lbs, and is quickly moving to 14lbs. Whatever workout you are doing this week, imagine doing the same thing with an extra 14lbs on your back. Now that is fired up.
just wanted to get the blood flowing this morning after the race yesterday.
I was thinking more about the race and how well I thought it went. I think my style of preparation really helped. I didn't put in nearly as many miles each week as most folks (usually 12-15 miles a week), but those runs were pretty hard, and went a long way towards helping my mental preparation.
If a basketball player wants to be a better free throw shooter, what does he do? ---- shoot free throws. He doesn't go play tennis, he repeats the activity he wants to get better at until he knows everything there is to know about free throws. He knows how to make them when he feels comfortable, when he is nervous, when his legs are tired, when his arm hurts, etc. So how will running 5 miles at 10 minute per mile pace help you run 13.1 miles at 9 minute per mile pace?
If you were planning to run a short race such as a 5k and didn't have a ton of running experience, you could just run a 5k three or four days a week for four months. Sometimes run it as fast as you can, sometimes run it easy. After four months you will have experienced every possible emotion, physical high and low, weather condition, etc. that can be associated with running 3.1 miles. Wouldn't you feel pretty good standing on the start line of the race knowing that there is nothing that can come up during the race that you haven't already experienced? Wouldn't you feel more relaxed and run better on race day?
Now this is a bit simplistic, and there are definitely methods to vary your training to improve your performance, but I think in general we are inclined as a society to overcomplicate things, so I tend to recommend oversimplified approaches to offset the complexity.
Ran the Reno Half Marathon today (in the rain). My race time was 1:37:55, but according to my watch I only ran 12.85 miles. If you project that pace out to 13.1 miles, it works out to 1:39:57. So either way I broke 1 hour 40 minutes, which was much better than I thought I could do (Steve was right, race day fires you up).
I felt like I prepared well -- taking two days off before the race and eating properly early in the morning made a big difference. And the long runs the last few months really helped. I felt strong the whole race and feel like my cross training plan worked out. I ran very good negative splits, and the last two miles of the race were my fastest. It rained pretty hard a couple of times (we were all soaked, and I was freezing when the race was over) which I think probably helped because it kept me cool.
Just as fun, the girls ran the 1.2 mile kids race and were very fired up about it. McKenna told us that she was going to be careful to pace herself, and then went out like a bullet and of course gassed out about 3/4 of the way through. She was funny because she just called herself out on it too.
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