Strengthening Your Way to the Finish Line

   Yet another study which shows how resistance training can help endurance athletes.


   This article by NASM details some studies that show how strength training can improve running efficiency which in turn obviously helps in a race. This doesn't mean body building ( triceps extension, pec flyes,etc ) but heavy lifting and explosive lifting. This means exercises like the dead lift ( power lifting ) or the clean and jerk ( Olympic lifting ). Theses exercises help with explosive power and even breaking power . I can honestly say from first hand experience that strength training , whatever it may be ( weights, kettle bells,etc) can only help, not hinder.


  So along with your road work, biking, or swimming, don't forget to stay strong.

B-O-R-I-N-G

   I took the title from this excellent post by Geoff Neupert. In the post he explains how posture is critical to not just looks or physiology ( although those are important) but also performance. I can appreciate that as I've seen and felt the difference when I'm in alignment. You name it, strength exercises ( 1 leg squats, overhead presses) , swimming, and running. In fact, not being in alignment I would add also can cause injuries. I unfortunately have found out the hard ( and painful ) way. So check it out and put the effort into proper alignment. Trust me, it's not boring.

No Limitation As Limitation

 Sorry for the long gap in posts but I was seriously busy trying to improve my knowledge and skills. I'll tell you some other time.


 That title comes from Bruce Lee's famous statement " Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation". Let's focus on the second part of that statement. I feel that's especially timely in light of a couple of  things. One was this past July 20th marked his 40th year passing (R.I.P).

   While everyone knows about Lee's phenomenal skill, strength, and speed as a martial artist, what most people don't know about his limitations. He himself admitted as much. Did you know he was very nearsighted? Infact that was the main reason he studied Wing Chun Kung Fu , so he could fight in close. He wore contact lenses the rest of his life.



   One leg of his was shorter than the other.  He also had a small frame and was prone to sinuses. Despite these problems he put the effort to overcome these obstacles. And because of the height difference , even though he was a righty, he switched to a lefty's stance. He found this to be more powerful. He had defeated his "limitations".


  Another thing was this article from Eric Guttman. His article came infact just a few days earlier. Guttman points out how many famous people overcame obstacles to achieve success. Some examples include Michael Jordan and Bill Gates.

    And just this past Labor Day, endurance swimmer Diana Nyad completed the Cuba - Key West swim. That's 100+ miles! Did I mention she's 64 years old? Did I also mention this was her 5th attempt? That's perseverance!  I think it also shows she didn't let her age "limitation" stop her!


    I too have had to overcome limitations. One hip is slightly higher than the other, there's a slight curve in my spine, and my feet while not flat don't have big arches. Despite this I've been able to become a pretty athletic guy, doing pretty good in running and strength activities. At age 42 I was able to run a 5:45 mile and at age 46 I was finally able to do a 1 leg squat ( aka the pistol ).


    We may have limitations but we shouldn't let those keep us down.

You Do Have A Choice

 Hey everybody. Hope you had a great 4th. However I hope you didn't indulge too much, and if you did get ready to work all that off.

  Of course since most of you reading this are serious in your training, whether a warrior in real life or a warrior in athletic competition, you already know that and when you do indulge you'll get back on track immediately.


  Strength expert Pat Flynn wrote an excellent post about the choice we have to be obese or not. He points out in modern America people lack accountability and instead blame other factors. Well we make the final decision.

  Motivation and mental attitude are definitely 2 key factors in becoming a winner. That's the final ingredient beyond physical attributes and skill that separates the contenders from the quitters. As most of you reading my blog as well as my site, stluciestrengthfitness.yolasite.com, know I've battled the bulge much of my life. I've let myself go for many years. I was a heavy smoker. But as I commented, it's almost 13 years since I quit smoking, and over 4 years since I've lost and kept the fat off. Reaching for the top motivates me. I'm serious about reaching the top. If you're also serious you have to decide whether you'll quit and live for just donuts and beer, or put your heart into your training and make serious, and possibly major lifestyle changes. Which is it? The couch or the winners circle?

Strength Variables:Speed

   One of the variables in strength training is the speed of the activity.

    This post is only about strength activities like power lifting or body weigh exercises, not speed activities like running or swimming. Nor is it about explosive activities like Olympic weightlifting or obstacle courses. However strength training will actually help all these activities as I've pointed out in previous posts.

     There are 3 phases of most activities . There's the eccentric or down phase , often called the  "negative". Then there's usually a static or isometric phase when there 's a pause. And finally there's the concentric motion or up phase .

       These motions occur in almost all strength training, whether weights, kettle bells , or body weight training. How fast you control those motions will affect your strength.



         For maximal strength , low rep slow strength like the military press or 1 leg squats, basically you want to train relatively slow. This doesn't  mean crawling along but rather controlling the motion rather than letting the motion control you. This means don't rush the motion but proceed in a natural way.


           Let's use the military press as an example. When you're ready, just start pressing the bar overhead at a normal pace. You don't have to count , just don't rush and push press or jerk it. This isn't supposed to be that type of lift. If you're using a reasonably heavy enough weight , you'll be forced to press at a natural speed . Press overhead all the way to lockout over the shoulders. Now pause for one or two seconds. Now do slowly lower the bar back down to your rack position.


              Some quick notes.  This rule applies whether to weights , dumb bells, kettle bells, suspension equipment, or even body weight exercises. Remember, this is about maximal strength. For high rep, strength endurance like regular push ups and pull ups, you can train the same way but because of the lighter load, ie less resistance, automatically the reps will be faster as well as more numerous. Again do control your speed, especially on the negative. Obviously there's no way you can hope to dead lift 400 lbs 50 times while 30 + pull-ups , even with a reasonable amount of weight, is definitely possible.


                Remember, no training to failure. You may want to train small amounts through the day or low reps with many sets at once. In a test or competition you want to go as fast as possible. On the negative especially you don't want to waste energy controlling the rep. Nor do you want to pause more than a second at each lockout or completion . Just keep moving in good form.

            Hopefully this post will help you on your strength quest. Remember the road to strength isn't in the fast lane.



       

Happy Birthday

    Happy belated birthday actually! My apologies.

     And it's for a man who's accomplished so much and is extremely experienced , yet he doesn't seek the limelight. He has also trained and helped many, myself included.



     That man is Tai Chi Chuan Shifu (master) Charlie Chen. Unless you live here on the Treasure Coast you probably haven't heard or read about him, although his skill rivals or exceed those you've heard of.



     Chen Shifu is an expert Chi Kung, Ba Ji Chuan Kung Fu, and Tai Chi Chuan, with a focus on Yang style. He also does Acupressure, Tui Na massage, as well as suggesting herbal remedies to clients. He has over 50 years experience but doesn't  look at all like his age. He also has avoided the ills of aging. He attributes his excellent health to his Tai Chi Chuan. He tries to teach his life lessons to his students.


      Some of the lessons are used in other activities, including fitness. 2 things have really helped me although I didn't realize it at the time. 1 is a movement from Chi Kung which is similar to the back swing in the kettle bell swing. The other thing , from Tai Chi Chuan,  is rooting into the ground. This means standing on 1 leg, putting all your weight on it. That concept  is used throughout Tai Chi Chuan. That concept has also helped me to accomplish the 1 leg squat aka the pistol which I detailed in my last post. In fact he routinely demonstrates his ability to stand on 1 leg for long amounts of time as well as move around on 1 leg.

        Again, all I can say is, Happy Birthday and a big thank you.

Major Achievement

After a few years of on/off training, I focused on accomplishing the 1 leg squat, aka the "pistol".I finally achieved it in December 2012! What a X-mas gift.

 It took all types of training to achieve that. Writing all the different types of training, as well as photos , is what delayed me. I'll do those, the how, in a future post. Meanwhile check out the videos, 1 for each leg. I will say this is an example of sticking with it.