Training When Sick or Injured

This post came about due to several avid blog readers sending me questions on how to, or if, one should train when sick or injured.  If you have any particular topic in mind relevant to health, fitness, strength & conditioning, or martial arts that you’d like to see discussed on the blog, please email me HERE and let me know! Continue reading

Don’t Fall Into This Trap

The other day as I was running around teaching classes at the gym, working on various upcoming projects, and writing articles, I suddenly found myself running short on time for my own workout.  I had planned to have an hour to myself before going to pick up the kids, but somehow it didn’t quite work out that way.  As I looked at the clock, calculated how little time I actually had left before having to run out, it didn’t seem possible to accomplish the workout I had planned for the day.  Continue reading

My Super Secret Recovery Method

In addition to my usual compliment of recovery drills consisting of mobility exercises, yoga asana, and compensatory movement, for the past year and a half I have been using a top secret protocol in my exercise recovery work. This exceedingly simple-seeming protocol has consistently accelerated my recovery, allowed me to reach new levels of relaxation, and strengthened the mind-body connection beyond any work I have ever done. It has also managed to increase energy levels while fortifying my body against the daily rigors of life, work, and family stresses. Continue reading

Work Smarter OR Work Harder?

In the ever evolving and changing world of fitness training there seems to be a long standing rivalry between 2 divergent camps of philosophy that never quite goes away. The 2 camps I’m referring to are the Work Smarter Not Harder Camp (WSNH) and the Just Work Harder Camp (JWH). These 2 rivals have very strong proponents on both sides of the fence and some really strong opinions about each other. Continue reading

The Pain of Transformation

Every now and then it’s good to remind ourselves of the initial pain we all went through when starting a new exercise program.  After we have been training for a while and our body has adapted to the positive stress provided by the workout, we sometimes forget how difficult it was in those early days to take the first step and to persevere.  We may have had a few false starts where we thought this working out thing wasn’t for us and we shouldn’t go on, but then we do. Continue reading

Quit or Destroy

When faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in life, you really have only 2 options – go forward or go backward.  Backward is to quit, to give up, to walk away.  Backward is not a viable option unless you don’t mind living with regret.  But regret is a pain that does not go away.  It haunts you forever.  It’s like dying a little bit each day, over and over again for the rest of your life.  No thanks.  Not for me.  Pass. Continue reading

Breakfast, the Most Overrated Meal of the Day

Most of us have grown up with the phrase, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” drilled into our heads.

We’ve heard it thousands of times and perhaps have even quoted it to others thousands of times as well.  No harm was meant by it, in fact, the people who said it to us had nothing but the very best intentions in mind.  Didn’t matter if you were hungry or not, our Moms made us eat breakfast, right? Continue reading

Why Do You Do That?

Here’s a quick video I put together Friday afternoon to answer a question posed by one of my non-training friends.  I had described to him some of the brutal and intense workouts I put myself through on a weekly basis and he couldn’t quite wrap his head around why anyone in their right mind would want to do that to themselves. Continue reading

Lunchtime Warriors

During my 15 year stint in the confines of cubicle hell, otherwise known as Corporate America, the lunch hour was always my time to escape from the office and do some training.  Depending on how densely packed my meetings were scheduled for the day, and if the boss was around or not, usually dictated how long I could escape for.

When only a brief few minutes was available, I’d get outside and go for a quick walk.  Moving and deep breathing outside in the fresh air do wonders to clear your head and fortify your energy reserves for the second half of the day.

When the day allowed, I’d plan my 60 minutes of lunchtime like this:

  • 15 minute drive home
  • 15 minute super intense workout (usually a HIIT training session)
  • 10 minute shower/change
  • 5 minutes to make protein shake for lunch
  • 15 minute drive back to work

Doing this even just 2 times a week, combined with my brief walks on the other days was a great way to fit extra training into an otherwise super busy day.

Obviously not everyone lives in close enough proximity to the office to be able to drive home at lunchtime, but there are many other viable alternatives.

Bring a change of clothes and go for a run.

Head to a nearby park and do a bodyweight workout.

Keep a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in the trunk of your car and use it whenever opportunity presents itself.

Or, you could be like the ladies in my 12 noon Fit Bodies Bootcamp for Women who all work together at a nearby business and make super-productive use of their lunch hour by coming to the gym 3 times a week.  Not only do they get an awesome fat-burning, strength building, body toning, workout but have the companionship of like-minded, motivated friends who support and push each other to achieve greater results.

These ladies rock an awesome workout and then head back to the office with the satisfaction of knowing they kicked a$$ for the day.  Now they can attack the 2nd half of the work day with renewed vigor and determination.  Bravo!

So how about you?

What do YOU do on your lunch hour?