The Aging Movement

Hey Fitters!
 Firstly, thank you Lonny for tonight's blog post topic! If any of you readers have an idea, post it in the comments below.

 Tonight's topic is personal to all of us. We're all doing it. I'm doing it, you're doing it, the Queen of England is doing it RIGHT NOW! It is the act of aging. It is inevitable, and as it happens, our body's needs change. But something that maybe people don't realize is this:

The needs of every individual differ by degree, NOT by kind.

Every human being needs to better themselves in the ten aspects of fitness (check out this Post to see those aspects). What an Olympic speed skater and what your grandmother need to support their quality of life is the same in that they need to develop their strength, coordination, agility, etc. However, while Apollo may be doing 185 pound explosive front squats to cut a tenth of a second, Bertha is doing box squats holding a 10 pound dumbbell at her chest. Both are the same movements that elicit the same stresses to the body, but differ by degree (speed, weight, depth) But why? Why do work on a movement that she won't be doing in real life? Let's think about it.

As we age, what is it we want to be able to do as long as possible? I think most of us would agree that it is to live independently. Would you rather live to be 85, visiting family hundreds of miles away and hiking in the woods, or live to be 110 in a chair in your house, with hospice taking care of you? Whatever your choice, we can agree that the second does not sound appealing. So by doing a weighted squat, Bertha is training her mobility through a squatting motion, as well as developing (or at least maintaining) muscle mass. This allows her to get out of a chair on her own, walk up and down stairs, step off curbs, get in and out of her car, all on her own. This allows her to maintain her independence well into her golden years.

With all of that being said, there are things we can focus on as we age to continue our quality of life, which are also the things we tend to lose as we age. The main aspects of fitness I believe we should focus on as we age are:

Mobility/Flexibility - As we get older, our muscles become less supple, and muscle imbalances cause us to not be able to move our joints through full range of motion. It is imperative that we work to maintain mobility through these ranges so we can continue to use our joints the way they are intended.

Strength - Along with muscles becoming more immobile, we also lose a great deal of muscle mass. To combat this, it is important to use resistance training (weighted exercises) to build and maintain muscle mass. This is what helps insure that we can get out of that chair, and keep getting up when we are down.

Balance - "I can't do that, I don't have any balance." I've heard this time and again from everyone from 75 year old men to 28 year old women.  Balance isn't like brown hair, it isn't genetic, you gain it by practice (which is how you work your neurological system, as opposed to training, which benefits things like strength, endurance, and other "organic" bodily changes). So if you want better balance, you have to work on your balance. And most injuries that occur to the older population occur via falls, making balance vital.

So now I tell you how to train for these things, right? Sorry, there is no way I could do that in one post, it would be an endless list. And moreover, everyone has different needs, even in their mobility (shoulders, ankles, hips, etc.) strength (hamstrings, shoulders, etc.) and balance (stand on one foot, stand on tiptoes with eyes closed, balance on a beam, etc.). So to truly learn more, you can continue to read my blog, look for more information on your specific needs with resources such as the internet, or even visit a personal trainer like myself and start preparing for living well the rest of your life!

Stay Fit.

Try telling this man "That's just a part of getting old." Don't let someone else's sorry excuse become your "reasoning" to live a poorer life. Squat, jump, run, lunge, pull, push. LIVE. Until the very day you stop, LIVE.

Don't Jump 29 Inches for a 30 Inch Box Jump

Greetings Fitters!
 We are going to talk tonight about commitment. We all make commitments on a regular basis, and since we are all humans, we have all given up on some from time to time, including myself. Some small commitments that come to mind are things like starting a strength training cycle, only to give up before the entire cycle is complete. Here recently, I made a commitment that I did not follow through with that cost me some immediate pain (and a little skin off my shin). Those who are friends with me on Facebook (if you aren't, please feel free to add me!) saw a picture of the aftermath of me missing a 30 inch box jump today. It wasn't pretty, but it made me consider some life lessons.

Why do we commit to actions? Why is it important to stay committed to an idea or action once we begin?

Remembering why we began: Usually, if it is something worth it, we begin an endeavor for very good reasons. It may start off unalterable, but over time we may lose our path or logic behind why we began. It is important to take time now and again refocus our efforts, so that we not only stay committed, but stay moving in the right direction.

Committing to the Big Picture: I personally try to make sure that the endeavors I commit to are ones that will assist me in the bigger picture of life. I make sure the things I commit to will help myself grow as a leader in fitness and wellness, or grow as a husband or family member, or to be a better athlete. I enjoy helping people as much as possible, but if my commitment isn't going to help that, I won't be able to give it 100%, and it would be better off in the hands of someone who can commit all the way. The next time you are asked to commit to something, ask yourself this: Will this help me be a better person, in the ways I believe a person can be better?

100% Commitment: 100% commitment is vital in two facets. The first is that you must commit yourself completely to the idea. If it is worth taking up your valuable time (life is too short not to do something you find worthwhile) then commit to it 100%. If I had committed to that 30 inch box, I would have kept all of my skin today. Instead I became lax, forgetting to give everything I had into that jump, and I suffered for it.

 Secondly, committing to something 100% means that you are going to see the thing to its completion. Remembering why you began is a great way to assist you in making sure you complete the task. If you can remember why you started this commitment in the first place, and remind yourself that it is to help the Big Picture, you are more likely to finish. After I cracked my shin on that box, I stepped away, perhaps said a few choice words under my breath, and I went back and jumped on that box. Because I knew those jumps (in conjunction with the rest of the workout), were going to help improve my fitness.


Making commitments like this, be it large or small, can be challenging, and sometimes frightening, as commitments usually come with a great deal of change and sacrifice. But if you can remember why you began, align your commitments with the big picture, and be 100% committed, you are more likely to see this thing (that we call life) to the end, and make the world a better place for it. Stay committed my friends.

Stay Fit.

The 12 Days of Christmas Workout

 Merry Christmas Fitters!
 And happy holidays to everyone. Since it is ever so timely, I want to share a very fun workout scheme that is great for the holidays, The 12 Days of Christmas. The gist of it is this......take 12 workouts, but them in a list, and put the numbers 1-12 in front of it. Start with the first movement, do one rep. Then do two reps of the second movement, and one of the first movement, then three reps of the third movement, two reps of the second movement, and one rep of the first movement. Repeat until you have done all twelve movements, returning to the other movements each time. Think "One first day of Christmas my first love gave to me, One Burpee. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Dumbbell Thrusters and One Burpee. One the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me,  Three Power Cleans, Two Dumbbell Thrusters, and One Burpee....".

This is a great way to do a lot of work in "little time" (this can take up to 20-30 minutes, depending on your intensity and the moves you choose). It is also a fun way to workout, as you are not spending too much time on a single exercise. You can also do it with any type of exercise, which makes it versatile and mobile (you can do it anywhere!). A tip in making selecting your exercises: Keep the heavier exercises (cleans, deadlifts, heavier deadlifts) towards the beginning (1,2, or 3 reps at a time), or at the end (11 or 12, but only done once or twice).

Here is an example of The 12 Days of Christmas (in this one, you would need a barbell loaded with a challenging weight that could be used for all barbell exercises):

1 Burpee

2 Dumbbell Thrusters
3 Power Cleans
4 Deadlifts
5 Box Jumps
6 Pushups
7 Jumping Lunges
8 1-arm Dumbbell Snatches
9 Kettlebell Swings
10 Squats
11 Pullups
12 Manmakers

Here's to celebrating the holidays fitness-style!

Stay Fit.