Using 2018 As A Guide To Improving 2019

       Happy New Year everyone. I hope everyone had a great new year. Let's get 2019 off to a better year instead of just resolutions which most people often don't keep. One way is to look at what we achieved and didn't achieve in 2018 and then use it as a guide to improve us.

        Look at your workouts. Did you stick with them and if not why?Was it because of illness or injuries? Were there other circumstances? I'm applying such critiques to myself.


         In 2018 I certainly had ups and quite a few downs.  My running has really gone down, mostly due to incredible stiffness , especially quads and hip flexors, which has blocked proper mechanics. These muscular imbalances have prevented the right muscles from firing ( glutes, hamstrings) . I was slowly starting to improve but hit major roadblocks with hamstring pulls as well as my right hip locking up.  You may also have muscular imbalances which are preventing you from correct training and achieving your goals.


         How do you fix it? There are corrective exercises such as exercises with bands or very light dumb bells. You could also use a foam roller as well as recovery activities like Yoga or Tai Chi Chuan. I've done some of those and they have helped although I won't lie, I haven't done them enough. You may want to consider professional help, such as massage therapy or a chiropractor as well as a coach in your specific activity.


         One thing that'll really help is keeping a log of your training activities, either on line or paper. Take note of the factors such as energy levels, warm ups , weather,etc. Use that as a guide to see how you did , especially when you did very good or bad. What were your strong points and what were your weak points?



            Keep training your strong points but definitely work on your weak points that are holding you back. I did that. While my running , as well as overhead pressing were weak I was able to improve my back and grip strength , especially towards pull ups. I finished 2018 on Saturday , December 29th setting a new personal best, 22 pull ups...barely!!

               There were a few other reasonably good moments. The Murph Challenge on Memorial Day which I detailed in June. I also competed as usual in the Navy UDT/SEAL Museum 5 K. I didn't set any records. I was however able to finish without walking.

         

I also competed in my first Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5 K in Palm City. Again my goal was to run non stop which I did. 

I've since had ups and downs as I mentioned but I'm not going to quit. I'm looking at what's working and what isn't, and what can help and what hinders. I'd also urge you to do the same and make 2019 a successful year!

Be sure to like and follow this blog and email me@mbrls2000@yahoo.com if you have any fitness questions you'd like me to answer. 

Modified 1 Arm Chin Up

      I finally achieved a modified 1 arm chin up! I say modified because I used my opposite arm to stabilize my body as well as taking some weight off. Actually even though 1 arm was doing the majority of work the other arm was still involved , while not gripping the bar nevertheless the other arm was still contracting and extending at the same time. A true 1 arm chin up ( palms facing you) or 1 arm pull up ( palm facing away) would require the other arm to not be involved, hanging at the side or back,etc.

     Don't get me wrong , this was no easy task! However a true 1 arm pull up ( I mean either way, palm facing or palm away)  takes it to another level. I'm going to start to work on various drills to make it. Meantime let me give you a few tips. First and foremost you should be able to crank out 15 - 20 dead hang pull ups. This means no bicycling, kipping, swinging! And your chin has to clear the bar! So check out my post on how to improve your pull ups. Don't even think about 1 arm pull ups until you can hit those numbers in good form!

     All the factors I mentioned in my post about pull ups apply here but even more so. Especially important is grip strength. So pay extra attention to your grip because it will definitely give out very quick here. Reverse curls and bicep curls will help some but minimally. Towel pull ups, which I've described in that pull up post All the other factors like body fat are of course very important here.


       I'm not at a true 1 arm pull up yet but I've made a major step forward. So keep following me and I'll keep you updated.

                   

Murph Challenge Memorial Day 2018

       This past Monday , May 28th was Memorial Day. We honor our men who made the ultimate sacrifice. And not just parades but also workouts, namely the Murph Challenge.

       I've posted about them in the past but in case you forgot it's a 1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups , 300 squats and run 1 more mile ! And if you can , do it all with 20 lbs, a weighted vest or a ruck! I don't think I need to remind you but obviously this isn't a workout for beginners! You've been warned!


     This workout was named in honor of SEAL Lt./Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy, made famous in the movie Lone Survivor. This was a favorite workout of his. It's a total body workout and it can be done almost anywhere. He used to do this in Afghanistan.

         This year I went to the National Navy UDT/SEAL Museum. The day started with a memorial service honoring the dead, including a speech from Gold Star father Dan Robinson whose son Heath was killed in Afghanistan in August 2011. I was also fortunate enough to meet the Murphy family. Truly heart felt.

       After the services this year the museum held the Murph Challenge. We went in 5 different waves. I went in the last wave. Our run fortunately was from the museum on to the baseball field parallel  , and did 3 laps and back to the museum so I could run barefoot. By the way, I used an old backpack with two 10 lb weight disks. But disaster struck. Literally on the first lap my backpack tore and the disks fell out! Lesson learned, next time make sure it's a sturdy military strength ruck or spend $ on a weighted vest!

     That changed my plans. My original plan was to shuffle on the runs, then do 5 pull ups, 10 push ups and 15 squats in  20 sets for the workout part. As I've always said do it right. Unfortunately the overwhelming majority of people doing the challenge usually swing, bicycle or don't even get their chin over the bar. I refuse to do that. So I left the torn pack and weights behind and proceeded to use just body weight with good form high reps. It became 10 pull ups, 20 push ups and 30 squats in 10 sets. I won't lie, it became tougher and I had extra problems finishing the push ups because of my shoulder problems but I didn't quit. The time was 38:34! And then I ran the final mile in 8:25! I definitely "earned" my food for the day!

    As I said earlier, this isn't a workout for beginners.But for serious athletes and especially those who want to join elite military units this is something to consider. First you should be able to do at least 10 body weight pull ups, 20 push ups and 25 squats. See my earlier post on pull ups. And while the post was about pull ups those principals can be applied to other high rep, body weight exercises for the most part. After you've reached those numbers you may then want to try doing the workout weighted. Obviously your reps will be much lower with many more sets and the runs will be more of a shuffle. And as my experience showed, get a sturdy back pack or better yet a weighted vest!

   I want to thank the National Navy UDT/SEAL Museum for hosting another great day. And extra thanks to the Murphy family for taking the time to talk to me and pose for a picture. They truly represent the best of America. Your son is never forgotten.

Lt. Michael Murphy 5/07/76 - 6/28/05 RIP!

The Murphy family

My torn backpack!

                                         The final set. Thank god!

  If you have any fitness questions feel free to contact me  @ mbrls2000@yahoo.com and be sure to like and follow this page.

Heart Rate Training

        Using your heart rate as a measure of fitness is used in various physical activities as a guide. While there may be a goal number the pulse itself isn't especially a goal but rather how it relates to your training. Let me explain.


     Heart rate training is essentially a guide in your training much like other guides such as pace during swimming or amount of weight lifted. It's generally used to see your progress in your training. So how can it be used?

     This type of training was first used by endurance athletes , especially tri athletes, but now it's used by many people for a variety of activities. Usually a person wears a heart rate monitor, either around the chest or the bicep. There are some watches that also measure your pulse  as well as some machines have pulse measurements ( treadmills, bikes, rowers, elliptical) although they're usually not as accurate.

       While monitoring your pulse is useful if you don't it's not the end of the world. And in some strength , anaerobic or low intensity activities, such as balancing on the bosu ball or push ups or even hitting the heavy bag all out for 3:00 ( 1 round) it really isn't useful to measure your pulse because the effort and the time spent is too short. Generally, it's best to do about 10:00 at least of moderate - high intensity activities non stop or almost non stop before measuring your pulse.

      Pulse is also often used in the morning by many athletes to see if they've recovered from the previous day's workout & overall whether you're fitness is improving or not. Generally, almost first thing in the morning after you wake up you would take your pulse and hopefully your resting pulse will be relatively low.

      In the past the formula for finding your maximum heart rate was 220 - your age but that has been shown to not really be accurate, partly due to genetics as well as differences in lifestyle. New methods for measuring your maximum pulse have been devised. Also important is zone training. These are the different percentages of your maximum pulse you want to train in depending on your goals. For most people training around 60 % of your maximum heart rate , building up to 85 + % near the end is a good idea. For advanced athletes, especially endurance athletes , you'd want to train occasionally around 85 % - 95 + % of your maximal heart rate for half an hour up to an hour. This is good for long distance runners, tri athletes,etc. Of course build up to it very carefully.  And another important factor, is perceived training effort vs actual heart rate.  This is very important for competitive athletes. Essentially how do you feel on a scale of 1 - 10? Can you maintain a conversation or are you gasping for air? Most of your training, regardless of whether you're a beginner or advanced, will be easy. However in order to improve your speed and performance, threshold training at very high race like intensity is a must.  Obviously  not every day but once or twice a week could provide great benefits.  What type of threshold training you do will depend on your activity ( a runner might do track repeats, a swimmer might do laps,etc).  For the general public high intensity intervals don't have to be running, it could be body weight or resistance exercises.   Plyometric style workouts are an example .You get the idea. I'm not giving specific workouts in this post because that's not what this post is about. As I've said , it depends on your goals, activities and fitness level. And of course start slowly, especially if you're  a beginner, build carefully and check with your doctor first.

          As for devices there are millions out there. They range from cheap to very expensive so look at what you can afford. For triathletes , if you can afford it, consider Garmin , Apple & Polar. I personally use a Garmin 920 XT. It shows pace, heart rate, cadence,etc. For most people you can find cheaper sports watches that measure often through a fingertip pulse ( I had such a watch several years ago). Of course it won't be as accurate. Just see what your needs are.Another possibility before your workout and especially in the morning is a blood pressure monitor along with pulse measurement. Such devices measure your vitals with a strap around your brachial pulse ( bicep). Unfortunately obviously you can't work out with it on! And often times after a sweaty workout these machines may not give an accurate number. Or you could just use  a simple wrist watch or clock after you're done or resting. With 2 fingers just press your  radial pulse or carotid pulse. and count for anywhere from :10 - 1:00.

       I hope this post has been helpful and will give you the info needed in order to improve your performance and reach your goals.

     If you liked this post click like, subscribe and spread the word. And if you have a performance/fitness question feel free to email me at mbrls2000@yahoo.com.


   

   



       

Finishing 2017 On A Good Note

        As an NASM PES I try to start with me, leading by example. And that means improving my performance where I can. Even if it's just by a little bit.

     One area I'm pretty good at is pull ups. And I finished 2017 with a new personal record of 21 reps! Yes I know it's just a 1 rep improvement but it's moving forward which is what we want. Whatever your activity ( running, overhead pressing, swimming,etc) I think any improvement , no matter how small, should be viewed positively.

       I've written about how to train pull ups previously. The only new things I suppose I've done is once every week or two I'd push it with 10 reps per set, along with other exercises , averaging about 5:00 - 6:00 per set x 10 sets. Or once  every week or two train to failure, like max out at 16 or 17, reps,then keep maxing out with minimal rest until I hit 50 reps.

    I'd like to add these ideas can apply to most high rep exercises , like push ups, sit ups,etc, not just pull ups.

    I hope everybody has a productive 2018, contact me with any training questions or suggestions at mbrls2000@yahoo.com. Be sure to like and follow.

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7zlI-0x-WE&t=21s

When Do You Need A Coach?

     Although most physical training is relatively simple and straightforwards some training depending on your goals as well as the difficulty of the activity may require getting a coach.


     While many of you are already competitive athletes & already have coaches in your sport, others, especially tactical athletes ( military, first responders ) & just regular people may consider doing certain activities in order to improve your fitness.

      2 examples include swimming & Olympic weight lifting. For example military swimmers & lifeguards obviously need to swim as part of your job. Would a coach help?  If you're new to swimming or even mediocre you may want to consider a swim instructor or even joining a swim club for awhile until you bring your swimming skill up to necessary times ( BUD/S students at least 500 yards side stroke in under 12:30, US Lifesaving Assn. 500 meter freestyle stroke in under 10:00 ). But remember, competitive swimming is different from swimming on the job or even swimming just to stay in shape. In competitive swimming swimmers spend a lot of time doing swimming drills which everybody can benefit from but also things like learning to dive off blocks, swimming with pulleys, are totally unnecessary for most people. Also competitive swimmers compete in Speedo suits or even special swim suits meant to glide through the water easier. They also usually shave the hair off their body.  While lifeguards & military swimmers have swim tests in regular swim suits or UDT shorts , which aren't too bad , they certainly aren't the same as  laser suits  ( in fact LZR suits as you see were banned after the 2008 Olympics ).Also in BUD/S you'll be swimming in the cold waters of Coronado, Calif. You'll want every advantage to stay warm & shaving your body hair definitely isn't going to help!

      Olympic weight lifting is an even better example. The 2 lifts ( clean & jerk & snatch ) & their derivatives ( drills, partial pulls ) as well as the no longer used clean & press are definitely good for explosiveness, strength & overall fitness but they're also quite technical & also often require good mobility of ankles, hips & shoulders. While you could probably do these lifts at home you'd definitely be limited in terms of weight. Often times an empty 45 lb bar is all you may be able to handle safely. Certainly if you want to lift any significant weight safely, even body weight let alone double body weight a coach is an absolute must! And if you think that's over caution even a gold medal winner like Matthias Steiner can have an accident ! I should add if you don't have the time or money, you could train those lifts with kettle bells or dumb bells ( as a side note kettle bell competitions in fact contain the exact same Olympic lifts as well . But again choose between sport & training. ).


     Boxing & martial arts are another example of differences between general fitness vs competition & skill. While you can get a reasonably good & safe workout shadow boxing or even on the heavy bag to become skilled, especially for competition ( boxing or UFC) & self defense to be good definitely requires guidance & instruction.

    Gymnastics & diving are other examples of activities that definitely need a coach. Sometimes if you're having a problem even in a relatively easy activity like running or you want more detail to help you in something like Spartan Races or triathlons you may want to consider a coach.

      I'm not trying to say that you need specialized coaching for all activities & especially for general strength & fitness or towards an athletic test , whether sport or job related.  However as you've seen some activities are so technical & can be dangerous you have to consider the risks vs rewards. And if the risks are many or you want to compete in that sport that's when you almost definitely want to go to a coach.

      I hope this post has been helpful.Good luck in 2018 achieving your goals. Remember to like & subscribe & if you have any questions please feel free to email me at mbrls2000@yahoo.com.

Why You Should Keep Track of Your Training

         Keeping track of your training is important if you want to succeed in your athletic performance. This is true for everyone from beginners to the pros.


           I thought of that recently after I finished my strength endurance workout. I had earlier in the morning done about 20:00 + of lunges & presses, then ran a moderately quick 1.6 mile rainy run. I then headed off to the pool but work was cancelled due to storms. So after taking care of a few errands, I returned home & started my strength endurance workout.

           As usual pull ups were the focus of my work out. And as I mentioned in my earlier post   on "How to Go From 0 - 20 Pull Ups" I try to get a minimum of 100 pull ups 3 - 5 days a week. Since I had time, I decided to push it & see if I could hold at 10 reps per set, completing 10 sets. Remember, 20 reps is my current max so this is obviously 50 % of my max.

          Previously, I've stopped at 8 - 9 reps per set  and this was very tough. But recently I've been able to hold 7 - 8 reps per set, including some difficult type pull ups like ledge pull ups & towel pull ups. So I thought maybe I could push it up to 10 regular pull ups per set.

           Of course recovery between sets is another factor.  And remember, to achieve maximum fitness & athletic performance it's best to do active recovery, in circuit form, activities which work other muscles . So in this case I chose to do 15 push ups, 25 lower back Superman exercise, 25 abs ( leg raises or flutter kicks,etc) & 5 one leg squats. Each set averaged 6:00 - 7:00 per set! One of the main reasons was maintaining balance in the one leg squats. This workout combined mostly strength endurance for high reps ( pull ups, push ups,lower back & abs) but also included maximal strength & balance ( the one leg squats ).  But you get the point.

       It took me an 1:11:00 + but I achieved what I wanted, holding 10 pull ups per set. Compared to just a couple of recent months ago I improved. And this is why it's important to keep track of your workouts.

        The same thing I found out about my running. As I mentioned in my post on Accomplishments, in January & February I had a terrible half marathon & full marathon. However I started to work on my speed again, doing shorter races . My goal has been in both training & races to get my miles under 9:00, and at the last mile a sub 8:00 pace as well as when I do track work ( quarter miles, half miles ). Well, in the last few months I've been able to get miles in the sub 9:00 in medium distances  ( 2 - 6 miles) , & yes getting my last mile in under 8:00. I've also been able to get quarters & halves on the track in the sub 8:00 pace. Again, compared to a few months ago a definite improvement. You see what I'm saying.

     When you keep track of your workouts it's a good idea to make notes about the variables. As I mentioned earlier when I did 10 pull ups per set I was active but I was also averaging 6:00 - 7:00 per set. In the future if I can do 10 pull ups in 5:00 or even 4:00 per set I can see my recovery time has decreased. Or in the case of running, using my Garmin GPS watch, I've been able to see my stride rate & stride length greatly increase in fast miles. This type of feedback can tell you what can help you & where you need to work on.

     There are many websites & apps , some free, that can keep track of your workouts. For endurance athletes especially ( running, swimming, biking) ,you may want to consider  something like GPS apps like Garmin or Polar which as I mentioned track your pace, cadence, heart rate,etc. They also usually allow you to make notes about your workouts. There are other factors which can affect your activity. When running for example, take in to account whether it was windy, was it hot? When running on the beach there are more factors such as whether it was soft sand or firm sand as well as were there lots of shells on the beach, was it slanted,etc?

       I should add while these GPS watches have all these features they definitely aren't cheap! And as a beginner you certainly don't need to buy those. A simple stop watch is more than enough. And for strength athletes/activities ( Olympic lifting, body weight exercises, boxers,etc) a GPS watch is definitely not needed. Even for those who do endurance activities as part of your training/job ( military, first responders, obstacle race challenge athletes,etc ) a  notebook is  probably good enough unless you can afford it. However for endurance athletes as you improve, you may want to consider investing in one of these GPS watches. They are a definite plus in endurance training.

     So start keeping track of your workouts, along with all the variables around them, & use these to improve your performance & achieve new heights.