Monday, February 19, 2007

This Crunch is Sponsored by Starbucks

There are entirely too many guys and too many gals doing too many things wrong in the gym. What's more troublesome is that there is never anyone around to point out these mistakes. I could spend all of my workout time telling this person to raise the seat on the chest press and that person to walk without holding the rails on the treadmill. I could tell that guy to sit up when he's on the cable row - instruct him that he needs to squeeze his shoulder blades together when pulling in.

I could point out to the guys that they are chatting way too much and taking 2-3 minute rest periods between sets (way too long).

I actually watched an older man get on the abdominal machine and do crunches holding a cup of Starbucks coffee in 1 hand!

How about the guy that comes in the gym and lays right down on the bench press. He's usually wearing long pants to hide his skinny legs.

How about the really skinny girl going a mile a minute on the elliptical machine. She needs to lift weights, not do cardio.

I watched a guy doing laps in the pool take 1 breath every 10-12 strokes. When he did come up for air, he stopped swimming.

The girls are doing Pilates and yoga when they should be lifting weights to improve their bone density. The guys are curling and pressing when they should be stretching, doing more cardio and trying yoga.

Fitness clubs don't care. They provide the equipment. If you actually want assistance, that means signing up for personal training at $70+ per hour.

So much for the average Joe.

The gym: Everyone looks self conscious, no one seems to know what they're doing and the ones that do can't peel their eyes from the mirror.

I can't wait to to open up agile's first fitness center. The experience is going to be different.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Hiking Big Sur with My Valentine

April 12th, 2000. Jen and I took our first long trip together by driving the coast from Napa Valley to San Diego over 10 days. On our way south, we stayed at a small spa resort tucked away on the side of a small mountain that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. We were still getting to know one another at the time. We were both very good athletes but in very different ways. Jen was the stop and go court-type of athlete and I was more of an endurance athlete. One morning I proposed we hike up the mountain at Big Sur. She looked at me with a slight sense of dread. She likes to spike volleyballs, not walk for miles on end.

So I had an idea from something I had heard a few years before. I tore my white t-shirt into a buddy rag. I wrapped one end around her wrist and the other end around mine. The deal was that neither one of us could let go of this rope. We were bound by it and would climb and descend Big Sur together. 5 miles up and 5 miles down.

There were moments going up where Jen was being stubborn and the t-shirt seemed to choke my wrist. But when we got to the top, the view was unbelievable. To the right we could see a full panorama of the Pacific Ocean and to the left was miles and miles of rolling California mountainous woodlands.

Surprisingly, the trek down was harder than going up because the steady downward pounding really tweaks the quads. But we did it and we stayed together. Our homemade buddy rope bonded us and we came away from our little adventure feeling closer to one another.

Grab your spouse and take him or her for a walk. Do it together with an old t-shirt tethered to your wrists. Enjoy each others company and get physical together!

Friday, February 02, 2007

Can You S.E.E. ?

Sleep. Eat. Exercise.

These are the 3 main factors in the mix of you living a healthier lifestyle.

Which comes first?

If you're not getting enough sleep, the motivation and energy to exercise will naturally be low. But, if you exercise a few times, you'll hit the sack and pass out more easily, and thus get a sound night's sleep.

If you're exercising, you're body will naturally crave healthier foods that offer sustainable energy instead of fast-fix sugar. But its hard to exercise when you just ate or you still have food in your stomach - and that seems to be the case just too often for many people.

If you're eating well, or on a strict diet, it's really hard to double-down and get the exercise in, because you're sluggish from being in a negative caloric balance. Of course, if you can grin and bear it, you'll lose a ton of weight this way - but this is extremely hard, and sometimes dangerous, to sustain.

So which comes first?

The answer is: start in the middle.

Here are some options:

1) Get a string of good sleeps, then start an exercise program.

2) Force the issue with a couple of workouts - then you're sure to sleep well.

3) Workout before lunch and pass on the burger afterwards; opt for a salad with chicken. Better yet, workout on your lunch break and eat an energy bar for lunch.

The point is that sleeping, exercising and eating are inter-related. If one gets out of balance, it throws the other 2 off balance. My imbalance always starts with not getting enough sleep. I start compensating with sugar and caffeine. Workouts then suffer if they happen at all. So should I get more sleep tonight and then workout this weekend? Or should I go to the gym so I'm snoring by 10:30 tonight?

It doesn't matter. But I will do one of them. And then again the next day - and the next - until I'm back in balance. Until I can see again.

About Me

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NY, New York, United States
I'm 34 years old, the proud father of 2 beautiful children and husband to Jennifer, a beautiful, smart, and very caring woman. I'm an athlete - someone that was blessed with the ability to move fast and fluidly past, around, up and over my opponents. But, my body now reminds me that those days are numbered. I'm the Founder of Agile Fitness, a company dedicated to helping others achieve their fitness goals. Resume: - Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist ('96). - Bachelor of Arts & Science, University of Delaware, ('95) - Masters in Business Administration, Baruch College Zicklin School of Business ('01)