As the new year approaches, and people start creating new year resolutions, most will add getting fit and healthy to their list. For those of you that think you need to be a member of a gym to get fit, this couldn't be further from the truth! Some of the best exercises don't require a gym membership at all and can be done in the comfort of your own home. Here are a list of my top 10 exercises to get you fit for FREE...
When it comes to running faster most of us have figured out that to run faster we need to run OFTEN and FAST, but there are several different cross-training methods that can greatly enhance your running. Some of the benefits of cross-training are increased aerobic fitness, better recovery, more flexibility, injury prevention, breaks up the monotony, more efficiency, as well as increased strength. In this blog I am going to discuss the 5 best activities for cross-training to improve your running. Swimming- Swimming will work every muscle in your body, as well as provide for minimal impact. I recommend swimming on an off day from running or after a hard or long run to help speed recovery. Swimming can also be very therapeutic and feel very refreshing...
For most active people there comes a time when we have a lingering ache or fatigue that won't seem to go away. The reasons could be anything from not enough stretching, exercising in cold weather and your muscles are tight, too much too soon, too much intensity in your workouts, lack of sleep, too many days without a day off from exercising, as well as not eating healthy. I have compiled my top 5 questions to ask yourself if what you have is general soreness or something that should require getting looked at by a professional. Has the pain been bothering you for 2 weeks?- I use this one myself to gauge whether or not I am just sore from a prior workout or is this...
When it comes to the sport of triathlon it doesn’t take a long time to realize that swimming in a pool with a black line to stare at vs. swimming in an open body water are 2 completely different things! In this article we are going to compare the 2 ways to gain an advantage in your swim training. First lets look at the pros and cons of swimming in the pool. At the pool you have temperature control in the water and outside of the water, calm water, perfect visibility, pace clock, masters swim coaching (most of the time), convenience, lack of sun exposure (if indoors) and lifeguards. All of this can create the best and safest venue for someone to gain swim fitness....
The holidays are now upon us and most of us will struggle to not indulge too much at the parties and family get togethers. In this blog, I have compiled my favorite strategies to not let that indulgence get out of hand! Talk to everyone- This tactic is one that works best for myself. Work the crowd and keep yourself distracted by all that yummy food being served while focusing on chatting it up with all the guests. Exercise before the party- This is my favorite on the list. It is ok to indulge "a little bit" if you had a good workout before you arrived. Eat before you go- This might sound counterintuitive especially knowing that Uncle Fred will be there with his amazing brownies. You don't...
No matter the task or goal you are facing, there are certain traits that all successful people have which I have listed below. All of these traits can apply to different goals relating to fitness, work, or maybe even relationship building. Drive - This is the trait that sets the tone on what you are trying to accomplish. I have found without this one, none of the others will matter at all. There will be times when your goal does not seem realistic, but with enough drive you can accomplish it. Patience - We all have been in a situation where our patience is waning and we want to give up on our goal. If we did not have any self doubts from time to time we would not...
Everyone today is looking for a shortcut to lose or maintain lean body weight. From professional athletes to the obese, there is countless information on the best approach for weight loss. One approach I have found to work for everyone is called intermittent fasting. When most people think of fasting they think starving oneself for as long as possible, which is not what intermittent fasting is at all. Intermittent fasting is simply shuffling from periods of fasting to non-fasting in a 24 hour period, and can have numerous health benefits other than weight loss. I started intermittent fasting myself by default about 15 years ago when I would taper for an Ironman race. My approach was very simple in that I would do my first and/or...
As of 2015, at least half of all people in the US take a prescription medication. Another 15% take at least 3 a day. Is this really necessary? Is there a better solution? Without a doubt, certain diseases need to be controlled with medication, but at what risk and is there a better alternative? In this post I breakdown some of the most abused prescription medications today. Xanax - Xanax is a benzodiazepine, that is used to treat anxiety disorders, nausea from chemotherapy as well as panic disorders. Xanax is typically taken in pill form and is absorbed within an hour of digestion. Like a lot of prescription drugs, Xanax, a schedule IV drug does come with a host of possible side-effects, some of which are: increased...
We are already into the month of November, and by now most triathletes are well into their off-season. I find it typically comes at the perfect time when your mind and body need a break from the grueling training schedule of the season, as well as is a great time to focus on 3 different things, typically in the following order: complete rest, plan the following year, and focus on 1 sport. Complete rest means just that and I find it is much more of a needed mental break than a physical one. If you have been training hard since spring, it is best to take 1-2 weeks completely off starting immediately after your last big race of the season. This will allow your mind and...
Why do I need a coach? This is a question you may be asking yourself when it comes to your fitness goals and is brought up quite often in running and triathlon communities. There are many reasons to have a coach, but for now I am going to focus on the number 1 reason which is "peaking." Peaking is defined as reaching a highest point, either of a specified value or at a specified time. With regards to running, having a coach keeps your training (which includes recovery) on track so you reach your highest fitness level/fullest potential ON race day, not before. All too often, athletes with amazing potential come up short on race day due to impatience and improper planning. For example purposes, lets say you...