Monday, July 30, 2012
Olympic Fever
So I gotta admit, they're few things that excite me as much as the summer Olympics. Its been that way since the '88 games in South Korea. I was 9 at the time and that was the first Olympic games that I watched pretty much non stop. I remember bits and pieces of the '84 games, but mainly just a bunch of McDonald's commercials about the Olympics, ha ha (sad I know, but that's the power of marketing). Seeing the world's best athletes go head-to-head in a true "World" competition inspires me beyond words. I still remember that summer of 1988 getting an old wooden tennis racquet from the Goodwill for a dollar and stealing a chewed up tennis ball from the neighbor's dog. I spent countless hours hitting the ball against the side of the house thinking I was going to be the next world tennis champion. I'd then run over to a make-shift punching bag my older brother had hanging from a tree and work on my boxing skills. I'd end the day with some track and field activities, just certain that I could make the games in some event :) Well I never made it to the Olympics, but I certainly never lost that sense of excitement over something so amazing as seeing the athletes from all walks of life come together in such a beautiful exposition of skill, talent, grace, strength. poise, spirit and intelligence. Nowadays, I use this inspiration from the Olympics to motivate me to push harder in my workouts, and to strive to be the best that I can at my own personal athletic endeavors. If you've yet to watch any of the games....I suggest doing so and see if you can catch a lil' of that Olympic Fever!!!!!
Today's Yoga Pose is.......
Upward Dog
Upward Dog is a posture that really works to open the heart and chest, while strengthening the arms, glutes and legs. You'll also get a nice spinal stretch from this posute. Begin by lying flat on your stomach and bring the hands directly under the shoulds. Your legs should be slightly apart and as you lift the torso up with the arms, flex the quadriceps as they too will be lifting slightly off the mat. Take the chin upward as your gaze lifts to the sky. Work at holding the pose for 5 deep breaths.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Yoga Pose for the Day is............
Side Plank
This posture is a real arm and core strengthener, as well as pose that works on balance. From a high plank pose (push up position) roll on the the side of the feet while shifting the weight into one arm. Take the other arm straight up with the shoulders in line with one another. Make certain that you keep your hips lifted and do not let them "sag" as they will have a tendency to do in this posture. I then take my top leg into the position in this photo or the full expression of the posture is to grasp the big toe with the non-supporting arm and taking the arm and leg towards the ceiling. Its also important to take your gaze up to the extended hand and hold the posture for 5 deep breaths before repeating on the other side.
Hurt So Good: What's the Deal with Inflammation?
Anyone that exercises regularly is certainly familiar with
the muscle and joint soreness that accompanies tough workouts, particularly a
day or two afterwards. So what’s going
on here in the body that causes the onset of sore and stiff muscles? The simplest answer is tissue
inflammation. By better understanding
inflammation and learning ways to control the symptoms can lead to faster
recovery times, fitness gains, and most importantly avoiding injuries.
To get started, let’s look at what inflammation actually is, in simple terms. It is an immune system response to damage that’s occurred to the tissues. Exercise causes damage to the tissues by causing microscopic tears to the muscle fibers. As a result of this damage, inflammation occurs around the site of the tears….which is actually the body’s way of repairing the damage. In turn, once the tears have healed the muscles become stronger, so in this sense, inflammation is a good thing. Yet inflammation, while it repairs muscle damage, actually in turn causes further damage to the tissues. This secondary damage is caused by the release of free radicals, which we’ll look at more in depth a bit later. This secondary damage is the culprit behind that soreness one to two days after a hard workout, which actually has a name of its own…. Delayed-onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This is where the risk of injury comes in to play. When we do not allow for adequate recovery from this tissue damage and jump back into hard exercise, joints and muscles can become chronically inflamed or lead to serious injury. This is how overuse injuries occur, such as IT Band syndrome or Runner’s Knee which can literally take months to recover from.
So how can we limit the amount of inflammation and tissue damage that occurs from exercise? Well in terms of exercise, by using the process of progression, you can make sure that the body is adequately trained for the amount of work you are putting it through. In terms of endurance training, the rule of thumb is not to increase workouts by more than 10% in distance or duration per week for 3 weeks out of the month, then engaging in a recovery week every fourth week, in which you reduce total workout duration by 20-40%. We can also manage inflammation in the body to some degree through diet. Foods high in antioxidants have been show to assist in both preventing inflammation and in repairing tissue damage associated with it. It is important that we understand what antioxidants are in order to see how they can benefits us in this regard. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit the destructive effects of oxidation. Oxidation is a process that occurs in the body in which free radicals are produced, which in turn can lead to cellular damage or destruction. Antioxidants also assist in circulation and digestion. Foods which are rich in antioxidants are dark green vegetables such as greens and broccoli. Brightly colored fruits are also high in antioxidants such as cherries, berries, and mangos. It is important to eat these raw as often as possible, as cooking can cause a breakdown of the vitamins and nutrients.
Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to reduce inflammation. Fatty, cold water fish such as salmon and mackerel are high in Omega-3. Non meat sources are hemp and flax seeds and avocado. Certain spices have anti-inflammation characteristics such as ginger, black pepper, garlic and turmeric.
Other ways to deal with inflammation include the R.I.C.E. method of treatment which stands for Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Pretty self-explanatory stuff there. NSAID's are also medications that many people choose to use (Ibuprofin) which have anti-inflammatory effects, to help control swelling and the pain associated with inflammation.
Hopefully this sheds a bit of light on inflammation and ways to prevent and manage some of its symptoms. In many ways, it really is just a part of hard workouts, yet by knowing a little more about what's actually occurring in the body, we are better prepared to handle it, move on, and avoid injuries.
To get started, let’s look at what inflammation actually is, in simple terms. It is an immune system response to damage that’s occurred to the tissues. Exercise causes damage to the tissues by causing microscopic tears to the muscle fibers. As a result of this damage, inflammation occurs around the site of the tears….which is actually the body’s way of repairing the damage. In turn, once the tears have healed the muscles become stronger, so in this sense, inflammation is a good thing. Yet inflammation, while it repairs muscle damage, actually in turn causes further damage to the tissues. This secondary damage is caused by the release of free radicals, which we’ll look at more in depth a bit later. This secondary damage is the culprit behind that soreness one to two days after a hard workout, which actually has a name of its own…. Delayed-onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This is where the risk of injury comes in to play. When we do not allow for adequate recovery from this tissue damage and jump back into hard exercise, joints and muscles can become chronically inflamed or lead to serious injury. This is how overuse injuries occur, such as IT Band syndrome or Runner’s Knee which can literally take months to recover from.
So how can we limit the amount of inflammation and tissue damage that occurs from exercise? Well in terms of exercise, by using the process of progression, you can make sure that the body is adequately trained for the amount of work you are putting it through. In terms of endurance training, the rule of thumb is not to increase workouts by more than 10% in distance or duration per week for 3 weeks out of the month, then engaging in a recovery week every fourth week, in which you reduce total workout duration by 20-40%. We can also manage inflammation in the body to some degree through diet. Foods high in antioxidants have been show to assist in both preventing inflammation and in repairing tissue damage associated with it. It is important that we understand what antioxidants are in order to see how they can benefits us in this regard. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit the destructive effects of oxidation. Oxidation is a process that occurs in the body in which free radicals are produced, which in turn can lead to cellular damage or destruction. Antioxidants also assist in circulation and digestion. Foods which are rich in antioxidants are dark green vegetables such as greens and broccoli. Brightly colored fruits are also high in antioxidants such as cherries, berries, and mangos. It is important to eat these raw as often as possible, as cooking can cause a breakdown of the vitamins and nutrients.
Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to reduce inflammation. Fatty, cold water fish such as salmon and mackerel are high in Omega-3. Non meat sources are hemp and flax seeds and avocado. Certain spices have anti-inflammation characteristics such as ginger, black pepper, garlic and turmeric.
Other ways to deal with inflammation include the R.I.C.E. method of treatment which stands for Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Pretty self-explanatory stuff there. NSAID's are also medications that many people choose to use (Ibuprofin) which have anti-inflammatory effects, to help control swelling and the pain associated with inflammation.
Hopefully this sheds a bit of light on inflammation and ways to prevent and manage some of its symptoms. In many ways, it really is just a part of hard workouts, yet by knowing a little more about what's actually occurring in the body, we are better prepared to handle it, move on, and avoid injuries.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
What's All This Talk About Gluten?????
So these days it seems the going dietary trend is going
gluten-free. You see the words
“Gluten-Free” on everything from almond milk to Jell-o. So what is gluten and should or shouldn't you be eating a
gluten free diet?
Gluten is simply a protein that is found in most grains such
as barley, wheat and rye. Gluten is also
used to flavor foods and as a “binding” agent to help hold processed foods
together. Being that gluten is found in
the majority of processed foods, people looking to eat less processed food
might opt for a gluten free diet. As a
result in the reduction of processed foods, there is a potential for weight
loss as processed foods typically have a higher caloric count than non-processed
foods. Many of the processed foods that
are gluten-free use sugars and other agents to replace the gluten as “binders”
so keep in mind that gluten-free does not always mean lower calorie.
Celiac Disease is an inability to process gluten and roughly
1 out of every 133 people has it.
Celiac disease is an inability to process gluten and thus the body rejects
the gluten particles that are consumed.
The consumption of gluten by people with Celiac Disease causes an immune
response, which in turn damages the small intestines, leading to gastrointestinal
issues. Even folks that are not gluten
sensitive report improved digestion when switching to a gluten-free diet or a
reduction in gluten consumption. I have
personally seen this to be the case as my wife and I try to limit the amount of
gluten containing foods we eat and by doing so, we have experienced better digestion and regularity in general.
One good thing about the increase in awareness related to
gluten and Celiac Disease is there are more and more gluten-free options at
restaurants and grocery stores, which again I personally feel are more easily digestible foods for all of us. In my
opinion, everyone should be conscious of the amount of gluten that they are
consuming and for those that are experiencing any type of gastrointestinal or
digestive issues try reducing/eliminating gluten from your diet for a period to see if
there is a reduction in symptoms.
So there it is....I hope this is a simple to understand explanation of the gluten craze!!!!
The Yoga Pose for the Day is...............
Shoulder Stand
This Posture is all about building core and leg strength, while going into an inversion that you can easily hold for a nice period of time, and gain all the benefits of an inversion (getting oxygen rich blood flow to the upper extremities and head, while reversing gravitational pull on the lower extremities for the duration of the posture). Begin by laying flat on you back, then slowly lift the leg and bring them towards your chest as if you were going into Plow Pose, at which you'll bring your elbows by your side, at approximately shoulder distance apart (slightly wider if needed), while supporting the lower back with the hands to lock in the position as you straighten the legs towards the ceiling. Point your toes upward as well and focus on shooting the energy right out of the toes and up to the sky. You'll work towards lifting the body up with the core and legs. Hold the posture for 5 to 10 deep and slow inhalations/exhalations. Some folks in the beginning can benefit from folding a blanket and placing it under the shoulders to create a lift, while lessening some of the pressure on the shoulders that you experience in the pose.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Simple Bike Interval Workout
So having spent countless hours on an indoor bike trainer while training for my Half Ironman, it became necessary that I come up with some sort of interval workouts to break the monotony of these bike rides. One of my go-to favorites that I use is a 15 minute cycle that I break into 3 different 5 minute intervals. Sometimes folks have a tendency to over-complicate interval workouts, so my intent was to develope a simple and easy to remember interval workout that is effective and challenging. It works like this....
If you have aerobars, you're golden....if not, well you gotta figure out something to do during one of the 5 minute intervals sections (maybe one-leg pedaling drills???). I begin in a moderate gear that I can comfortably ride a few hours in. I start my first 5 minute interval in the "hoods' of my road bike bars or simply riding in an upright position. I hold it steady and maintain a comfortable cadence (keep in mind that this will be the recovery segment in subsequent 15 minute cycles). After 5 minutes, I drop into my lowest gear, drop into my aerobars and hammer it out for 5 minutes. I would say give this an 85-95 % of max effort here. You want to start sweating at this point. After 5 minutes in the aerobars, I shift up one gear, stand up and count 30 revolutions with one leg (60 total revs) the sit down, while riding in my "drop" bars. When the next minute pops up, stand up again for 30 revs one-leg (60 total), then back down. When the 3rd minute of this interval comes around....you got it, back up to standing then down. Again I hammer the standing segment of this interval. Really focus on getting a nice burn then use the sitting portion of the interval to recover slightly until the next minute comes around. Then after 5 minutes, you're 15 minutes into the workout, go back to your upright "hoods" position and kick it up a couple gears and recover for 5 minutes. I use this opportunity to take in fluid or depending on how long I go, take in calories. I typically do 4 cycles of this, so my workout is an hour.
You can also take this workout to the streets if you want to, just keep in mind the terrain. I use it a lot at a local velodrome we have in my town which is flat and fast. You can basically come up with any variation of mini-intervals to fill 5 minute spots of the 15 minute cycle. The thing that I like about the above intervals is that I spend an equal amount of time in all positions of my road bike with clip-on aerobars....meaning 5 minutes in the hoods, 5 in aero, then 5 in the drops....then repeating every 15 minutes for the duration of my exercise.
Just remember:
1X5 Upright (Hoods)
1X5 Aero (Low gear and Hammer it out!!!!)
1X5 Drop Bars (On every 1 minute, stand up for 60 total revolutions, then sit back down in the drops)
Repeat cycles to equal desired length of workout. EX: 4 cycles= 1 hour workout
So give it a try and add some interval training to your cycling. I think you'll quickly see both the physical and mental gains you can make from this type of training!
If you have aerobars, you're golden....if not, well you gotta figure out something to do during one of the 5 minute intervals sections (maybe one-leg pedaling drills???). I begin in a moderate gear that I can comfortably ride a few hours in. I start my first 5 minute interval in the "hoods' of my road bike bars or simply riding in an upright position. I hold it steady and maintain a comfortable cadence (keep in mind that this will be the recovery segment in subsequent 15 minute cycles). After 5 minutes, I drop into my lowest gear, drop into my aerobars and hammer it out for 5 minutes. I would say give this an 85-95 % of max effort here. You want to start sweating at this point. After 5 minutes in the aerobars, I shift up one gear, stand up and count 30 revolutions with one leg (60 total revs) the sit down, while riding in my "drop" bars. When the next minute pops up, stand up again for 30 revs one-leg (60 total), then back down. When the 3rd minute of this interval comes around....you got it, back up to standing then down. Again I hammer the standing segment of this interval. Really focus on getting a nice burn then use the sitting portion of the interval to recover slightly until the next minute comes around. Then after 5 minutes, you're 15 minutes into the workout, go back to your upright "hoods" position and kick it up a couple gears and recover for 5 minutes. I use this opportunity to take in fluid or depending on how long I go, take in calories. I typically do 4 cycles of this, so my workout is an hour.
You can also take this workout to the streets if you want to, just keep in mind the terrain. I use it a lot at a local velodrome we have in my town which is flat and fast. You can basically come up with any variation of mini-intervals to fill 5 minute spots of the 15 minute cycle. The thing that I like about the above intervals is that I spend an equal amount of time in all positions of my road bike with clip-on aerobars....meaning 5 minutes in the hoods, 5 in aero, then 5 in the drops....then repeating every 15 minutes for the duration of my exercise.
Just remember:
1X5 Upright (Hoods)
1X5 Aero (Low gear and Hammer it out!!!!)
1X5 Drop Bars (On every 1 minute, stand up for 60 total revolutions, then sit back down in the drops)
Repeat cycles to equal desired length of workout. EX: 4 cycles= 1 hour workout
So give it a try and add some interval training to your cycling. I think you'll quickly see both the physical and mental gains you can make from this type of training!
The Yoga Pose for the Day is............
Crow Pose
Crow pose is an arm balance that increases both arm and core strength, while allowing you to work on overall balance. You begin in a squat position with hands on the floor about shoulder distance apart. Bring the knees to the back of the arms (somewhere in beteween the tricep and the underarm area). Begin by rolling your weight forward onto the arms and start with lifting one leg off of the ground. As you progress in the posture, venture out by taking both feet off the ground and you can interlock your big toes for stability. Your gaze should be forward and work towards straightening the arms out. Hold this posture for 5 to 10 slow, controlled breaths.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
"Getting there is half the fun!"
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Its from one of my favorite movies of all time....National Lampoon's Vacation :) I often reflect on this quote when I am about 2 hours into a 3 hour bike ride or 8 miles into a 10 mile run. I even think about it 85 minutes into a hard 90 minute Power Yoga class. I think about this quote when I begin to question my own sanity when I am out killing it in a workout and my mind and body are screaming to stop!!!! But the main reason that I think about it is because its the training that produces the results on race day and its the training that produces the results in terms of weight loss and getting fit. You see its the "getting there" that matters most. Learning to enjoy the training so we can do our best when its GO time is key when it comes to making a healthy lifestyle change. You simply have to learn to find the fun in your training or you'll never stick with it. I remember when I made the commitment to stop smoking and start training for my first 5k at little less that 3 years ago. I was in pretty decent shape at this point (except for the smoking thing obviously) so I went and and forced myself through 3 miles of running. I literally thought I was going to die during that first run, but 3 times a week I would go out and make that run until I could push a little faster, a little further. Then race day came around and I was a nervous wreck not knowing what to expect, but the group energy was incredible. I felt like a part of something so healthy and so exciting. Running with 300 other people and feeling that surge at the start of the race had me hooked. After the race was over, I proved to myself that I could do it. I proved that I could make a goal that initially seemed out of reach for me and then through the "getting there" process, I could achieve it! It had been a couple of years since I had lost all the weight I've lost so I needed a reminder of what achieving a fitness goal felt like. At this point I had an awakinging. You see all the misery I went through during the first part of my 5k training was in hindsight such a wonderful experience. I reminded myself of how tough I can be and how amazing that the human body is! I began to realize that I was healing the damage that smoking caused to my lungs and at this point, I fell in love with training and the "getting there" part of my journey to health and fitness! So if you're just getting started with an exercise routine, or even if you're pushing to the next level.....start focusing on the "getting there" part of your own journey and learn to enjoy it!!!! It's the most important part of living a fit life....for life!
Today's Yoga Pose is.......
Wheel Pose
Have a toddler crawl underneath you is optional.....:) This is a great posture to building strength in the arms and legs as well as opening the entire front of your body. It both stretches and strengthens the lower spine.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Yoga and Endurance Training
Since personally beginning a yoga practice close to 3 years ago, I have witnessed a multitude of positive changes in both my mind and body. Yoga is one of the oldest forms of structured exercise, which speaks volumes in my opinion. If something isn't effective, it certainly isn't going to survive for centuries and more an more people are practicing yoga.
Obviously one of the most important physical benefits of yoga is the increase in flexibility that comes from practice. This is especially important for us multisport athletes as the repetitive movements we engage in through running, cycling and swimming can cause muscle strain, tightness and inflammation. Yoga helps to move oxygen-rich blood and energy into these areas that are used over and over again during multisport training and racing. If you ever want to see what this openning feels like, just put yourself in some variation of the pigeon-pose (google yoga pigeon for images) after a run workout. You might see or hear things like double-pigeon or modified pigeon posture, either of which will work miracles when it comes to opening the hips and piriformis muscles. I guarentee you'll immediately experience what allowing energy flow into and out of a muscle feels like by doing this pose By allowing wastes (lactic acid) to flow out of the muscles as well, a natural detoxing effect takes place. These particular benefits are similar to those achieved through massage, which you certain read a lot about when it comes to athletic training.
In addition to the increased flexibility, there is also the increase in strength that comes from yoga practice. Yoga is in fact a balancing of strength and flexibility. What could be more important to us as athletes regardless of what level of athlete that we are? There are styles of yoga that are more focused on increasing strength such as power and Ashtanga yoga, and if you have ever taken a class in either of these styles, you've certainly felt how much strength is needed and involved!!!!
One thing that I personally gained and what I see as the biggest benefit of yoga is the mental strengthening that occurs from regular practice. Maintaining focus and calmness when holding ourselves in physical postures is a practice in-and-of itself.....literally (Pranayama Yoga), but its also a part of any style of yoga. Using ujjayi type breathing, in which we use a controlled inhalation and exhalation, can be utilized in the same fashion when engaged in multisport training. Controlled breathing helps us to stay on pace, remain relaxed, and keeps our heart rates in check (all very important apsects when training and competing). Ujjayi breathing (which you can also google) basically should mimic the ebb and flow of the ocean.... you'll make almost a snoring sound on the inhalation, by focusing on breathing into the upper back area of the throat. The exhalation is powerful and controlled, by also resulting in a snoring type sound as we push the air over the same upper back section of the throat and nasal area. It gets much easier with practice I promise!!! Anyway, once you get it down, you can then do like I do and engage in ujjayi breathing while running and experience the calmness and control you can maintain in your workouts and even when racing. Its also a perfect way to "get out your head" when drifting to those negative places we all reach when workouts and races get hard! Focus on the breathing and those thoughts of quitting and pain eventually subside. Ujjayi breathing can be loud if you want it to be, which can also "distract" you from those negative thoughts of quitting! Just don't pay attention to the person on the treadmill beside of you giving you weird looks :)
These are just a few thoughts that came to mind when I started thinking about posting some of the benefits of yoga, as related to triathlon and endurance training. So go out and take a yoga class! Most people these days have a gym membership and I bet there are yoga classes offered at most gyms. If not, many community recreation centers offer classes and the cool thing about these are that a lot of the instructors are just getting started, which means you as the student, will get a lot more attention and well thought-out sequences as the new teachers are probably spending hours coming up with each class!!!! Many of these classes are relatively inexpensive or operate on a donation only basis. If taking a group class isn't for you, let me suggest looking into purchasing DVD's that you can do at home. Baron Baptiste is an amazing teacher with amazing Power Yoga DVD's. You can get 'em pretty cheap on Amazon or eBay. The instructor that I did my teacher training with, Doug Swenson, also has DVD's out there for sale and he wrote Power Yoga for Dummies, which has tons of photos of postures and routines you can follow. It also gives some of the history of yoga and the various styles out there which is great information to know.
Obviously one of the most important physical benefits of yoga is the increase in flexibility that comes from practice. This is especially important for us multisport athletes as the repetitive movements we engage in through running, cycling and swimming can cause muscle strain, tightness and inflammation. Yoga helps to move oxygen-rich blood and energy into these areas that are used over and over again during multisport training and racing. If you ever want to see what this openning feels like, just put yourself in some variation of the pigeon-pose (google yoga pigeon for images) after a run workout. You might see or hear things like double-pigeon or modified pigeon posture, either of which will work miracles when it comes to opening the hips and piriformis muscles. I guarentee you'll immediately experience what allowing energy flow into and out of a muscle feels like by doing this pose By allowing wastes (lactic acid) to flow out of the muscles as well, a natural detoxing effect takes place. These particular benefits are similar to those achieved through massage, which you certain read a lot about when it comes to athletic training.
In addition to the increased flexibility, there is also the increase in strength that comes from yoga practice. Yoga is in fact a balancing of strength and flexibility. What could be more important to us as athletes regardless of what level of athlete that we are? There are styles of yoga that are more focused on increasing strength such as power and Ashtanga yoga, and if you have ever taken a class in either of these styles, you've certainly felt how much strength is needed and involved!!!!
One thing that I personally gained and what I see as the biggest benefit of yoga is the mental strengthening that occurs from regular practice. Maintaining focus and calmness when holding ourselves in physical postures is a practice in-and-of itself.....literally (Pranayama Yoga), but its also a part of any style of yoga. Using ujjayi type breathing, in which we use a controlled inhalation and exhalation, can be utilized in the same fashion when engaged in multisport training. Controlled breathing helps us to stay on pace, remain relaxed, and keeps our heart rates in check (all very important apsects when training and competing). Ujjayi breathing (which you can also google) basically should mimic the ebb and flow of the ocean.... you'll make almost a snoring sound on the inhalation, by focusing on breathing into the upper back area of the throat. The exhalation is powerful and controlled, by also resulting in a snoring type sound as we push the air over the same upper back section of the throat and nasal area. It gets much easier with practice I promise!!! Anyway, once you get it down, you can then do like I do and engage in ujjayi breathing while running and experience the calmness and control you can maintain in your workouts and even when racing. Its also a perfect way to "get out your head" when drifting to those negative places we all reach when workouts and races get hard! Focus on the breathing and those thoughts of quitting and pain eventually subside. Ujjayi breathing can be loud if you want it to be, which can also "distract" you from those negative thoughts of quitting! Just don't pay attention to the person on the treadmill beside of you giving you weird looks :)
These are just a few thoughts that came to mind when I started thinking about posting some of the benefits of yoga, as related to triathlon and endurance training. So go out and take a yoga class! Most people these days have a gym membership and I bet there are yoga classes offered at most gyms. If not, many community recreation centers offer classes and the cool thing about these are that a lot of the instructors are just getting started, which means you as the student, will get a lot more attention and well thought-out sequences as the new teachers are probably spending hours coming up with each class!!!! Many of these classes are relatively inexpensive or operate on a donation only basis. If taking a group class isn't for you, let me suggest looking into purchasing DVD's that you can do at home. Baron Baptiste is an amazing teacher with amazing Power Yoga DVD's. You can get 'em pretty cheap on Amazon or eBay. The instructor that I did my teacher training with, Doug Swenson, also has DVD's out there for sale and he wrote Power Yoga for Dummies, which has tons of photos of postures and routines you can follow. It also gives some of the history of yoga and the various styles out there which is great information to know.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
The Yoga Pose for the day is........
Tree Pose
Tree Pose is an incredibly beneficial posture as it helps create balance in the body, stretches the groin area and upper body, and strengthens the legs and core. I begin in relaxed standing position, then bring one foot into the inner thigh of the other (its okay to have the foot slightly lower down the standing leg if needed, or to even hold onto the foot with the opposite hand until you progress in the pose). I focus on balancing on the standing leg, then interlock my fingers while lifting my arms overhead. When I feel securely balanced, I take my gaze upward and....there you have it! I hold the pose for 5 to 10 deep inhalation/exhalations before switching sides. While in the posture begin working towards feeling the standing leg "root" down into the Earth and planting you firmly in the pose.....like a tree :)
And so it began......
Being the first blog on my new spot here, I want to begin by laying out the purpose of this page, which is simply to share my own personal experiences, knowledge, failures, successes, workouts, short-comings, discoveries, ideas, suggestions, and anything else that might seem relevant to mention in a blog dealing with wellness. Look for nutrition tips, fitness routines, reviews, inspirational tidbits, motivation to get out there and DO what it is that you think you can't.....
My own journey to health and wellness is like that of many, which is an up and down rocky road at times, and one that certainly never seems to get easier :) But remember that its the journey itself that creates strength and experience, and that goes for all aspects of life. When you can begin to embrace the journey and set yourself free from the compulsion to get to that "destination" you have in mind, you'll be accepting of each step and be able to take on whatever it is that gets thrown your way!
Five years ago I found myself in the worst shape of my life. I was close to 100 pounds overweight, I smoked, I drank, I dealt with depression and anxiety, and there was no way I ever thought I could get out of that space. Then while at a doctor's exam I was confronted quite bluntly by the doctor who informed me that I was about to be put on blood pressure medication, potentially for the rest of my life unless I made some serious changes. That was my wake-up call.
My own journey to health and wellness is like that of many, which is an up and down rocky road at times, and one that certainly never seems to get easier :) But remember that its the journey itself that creates strength and experience, and that goes for all aspects of life. When you can begin to embrace the journey and set yourself free from the compulsion to get to that "destination" you have in mind, you'll be accepting of each step and be able to take on whatever it is that gets thrown your way!
Five years ago I found myself in the worst shape of my life. I was close to 100 pounds overweight, I smoked, I drank, I dealt with depression and anxiety, and there was no way I ever thought I could get out of that space. Then while at a doctor's exam I was confronted quite bluntly by the doctor who informed me that I was about to be put on blood pressure medication, potentially for the rest of my life unless I made some serious changes. That was my wake-up call.
And so it began........
I had gotten my personal training certification in college and worked as a trainer. I played baseball, football and soccer and even went through a stint as a wanna-be body builder, so I pretty much had a good idea as far as what to do.....it was DOING it that was the hard part, given that I had let myself get this out of shape. I began with walking and doing some weight training. I lost around 60 pounds with that routine. I cleaned up my diet by cutting out fried foods and all meats but fish. I met my wife Kelly who would change my life completely in so many, introduced me to yoga, helped me kick the drinking and smoking habits and next thing I knew..... I lost 90 pounds and I am doing endurance races and getting myself in the best shape of my life. Kelly continues to be an incredible source of inspiration in my life and even supported me in getting my yoga teacher certification.
On my way to taking 2nd place in my age group in my first Half Ironman triathlon.......
And oh yeah, the Punk Rock name comes from my approach to doing things my own way regardless of others telling me that I can't! I'm all about variety and hardwork, and I promise you that you'll get results that way!!!! So don't be afraid to kick a little butt to get where you want to be...even if it takes kicking your own butt to get there!!!!!!!
I'll be posting different yoga postures and functional type exercises to try on a daily/weekly basis. I'll use photos and explain them as best I can, as well as the benfits they provide! So give 'em a shot and lets go kick some butt together!!!!!!
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