As promised! Here are my S.M.A.R.T. health goals I am declaring for 2012:
1 - I will lose 20lbs by Aug 3, 2012
2 - I will drink 64oz of water daily
3 - I will train for and complete the WarriorDash on Sept 22, 2012
Lets breakdown how these are S.M.A.R.T, or at least one of them.
First what does S.M.A.R.T. stand for?
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic / Revisable
Time Bound
Do you see how each is S.M.A.R.T.? Here is the first one, see if you can figure out the other two and then maybe use these to inspire your own!
1 - I will lose 20lbs by Aug 3, 2012
Specific - lose 20lbs (at current gulp! 147, that brings me to a much healthier 127)
Measurable - 20lbs is an amount, unlike just saying I will lose weight
Attainable - 20lbs in 8 months is only 2.5lbs a month!
Realistic / Revisable - 40lbs for a goal weight of 107 is NOT realistic, 127 is my previous high average when I was living more healthfully. Revisable as I may hit my goal and go farther!
Time Bound - goal date is 8 months out
2 - I will drink 64oz of water daily
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic / Revisable
Time Bound
3 - I will train for and complete the WarriorDash on Sept 22, 2012
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic / Revisable
Time Bound
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Happy New Year fellow gym rats!
 |
| (Photo image courtesy of Google search "happy new year 2012" which led me to this site) |
Have you jumped on the resolution band wagon? Have you failed at them already?
Its ok!
Failures only teach us how not to do things! My only resolution is a resolve to not make resolutions, but rather declarations. Not only does this feel more powerful, it also sets me up to acheive instead of try. Coupled with my S.M.A.R.T goal skills (read more from wiki) I feel a strong foundation is set for 2012 to be a really great year!
First A.M. Gym Rat encounter of the year was a late started yet strong cardio session on the eliptical at good ol LA Fit. 20 mins and approx 200 calories burned later, I feel a small amount of the holiday bliss, I mean treats melting away. To say I indulged in a sinful gluttonous way would be an understatement. Dinner with friends on New Years brought delicious cheeses, crab cocktail, crab cakes, crab stuffed mushrooms and steak with the glasses of champagne and white wine literally overflowing. A celebration I would not have missed for the world, and that no pair of too snug pants will convince me was a mistake.
DECLARED GOALS FOR 2012 to come in next post. Stay strong!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Sick Days
I have been fighting a sinus infection forEVER! Seriously it is my second, if not third in the past month and a half. The drainage is causing a hacking cough...needless to say, have not been chasing the cheese much lately. That is AM Gym Rat talk for going to the gym...it is my chez ;)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Unforgettable?
Seems like every, single, day...I forget something. Such is the life of waking up before your brain. Today, it was my to go coffee. Yesterday it was my laptop. That was not fun. Ended up driving all the way home, and back to the office. So the day started at 10, instead of 830. I forgot a towel last week. Thankfully my locker room friend had a spare. The week before that I forgot underwear...that was interesting. At least the shirt I brought had a built in cami bra and I was wearing tights...like I said, interesting. My goal is to dish to you about this comical point of view of the life of an AM Gym Rat more regularly...maybe even share some friends tid bits along the way...
Monday, April 25, 2011
Q&A
I received the below email (edited for applicable content) and thought not only to answer it directly, I will share the information as it is very good for all you gym rats to know!
Email received:
Hey,
I cant seem to ask the question to google in a way that gets me an answer =0)
So my goal is trimming and toning. I have been swimming every other day and weight training every other day taking Sunday off.
When I am weight training I am doing 3 sets of 12 reps for now until my endurance is up then I will increase the reps.
How I am working it now is like circuit. For example:
bicep curls 1:12
tricep 1:12
shoulders 1:12
squats 1:12
lunges 1:12
etc.
then start again at biceps and so forthe until I have done the circuit 3 times.
Would it be more effective to do biceps 1:12 rest 30 sec, bicep 1:12 rest 30 sec bicep 1:12 rest 30 sec THEN move to the next muscle group?
Thanks in advance for your input!
The response:
I am stoked you are focused and committed on your training. Swimming is such a great total body movement, super for trimming and toning :)
To answer your question(s)
Yes, or D all of the above.
Mix it up. Often.
So the 3 sets of 10-12 reps is a very common, familiar and easy formula. Its classic body building programming. However, you will get bored and so will your muscles. While it will work, its not always best to count reps and you certainly want to mix it up.
What I mean by this specifically. Do the counting reps, like the 3*12 (36 reps total) and other rep counting styles like ladders or stacking. A ladder is starting at a number then going to another, and then if you want you go back up or down depending on what you feel like that day. So you can go 1-2-3-4-5 and then 5-4-3-2-1 or start at 5-6-7-8-9-10 and go backwards or start at 10 go to 5 then back up, you get the idea. The math will and should vary. A 1-5 to 5-1 ladder is actually 30 reps when you count it out. A 10-1 ladder is 55 reps and a 10-1 to 1-10 while not so hard at the time is 110 reps! You can get through them at the little 1 rep or 8 rep increments and you get SO much more work done.
Or you can say forget the counting and try for time, even mixing in interval training (SUPER effective for weight loss and muscle building) and just see how many you can do in a minute, rest a minute and see if you can beat your first time. For interval training, my favorite is a 2:1 work rest ratio. Do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds then rest for 10 before going to the next work 20 seconds. Repeat at least 4 times (only 2 min!) and ideally work up to 8 for a total of 4 minutes. For this type of work, use a lower weight or only do body movements, like squats or push ups.
Interval training is extremely effective and the difference lies in the way you work your cardiovascular pathways, or more commonly known as aerobic vs anaerobic. BOTH will burn fat. The only difference is anaerobic training builds muscle while aerobic activity builds muscle.
Do all three sets of one movement with short breaks in between then move to the next movement. Another time do a circuit, one set of each movement moving through them one at a time. For the best results, have as few of breaks as possible. If you are circuit training only take a break after the whole circuit, before you start the second round. This way you are training your muscles and gaining benefits on a different cardiovascular pathway then you do in your swimming.
So really, you want to mix it up, because the only thing you want consistent about your routine is having one. Remember when we were training how we never did the same thing twice. You want to keep your muscles guessing, so that they have to change, and become stronger.
You want to mix up the actual work, from all different angles and how you do the work. If all you do is bicep curls, then all that will get strong is the part of your bicep used for that movement and not the surrounding area. So, do bicep curls close in, out angled, palm up, palm down. Do three sets, three different ways. You will find your strength and weaknesses this way as well. Sure someone can do a chin up, turn their hands the other way and they are a limp noodle. See where I am headed with all of this? I think most important is to have fun and feel good!
Lastly, be sure you are using total ROM (range of motion) so you don't train your muscles halfway or end up with short stubby muscles. Imagine the way really muscle big body builders move, really stiff and uncomfortable looking. This is because they train a limited range of muscle. So to return again with the bicep curls, be sure after your curl you are fully extending your arm (and the muscles inside) at a nice controlled pace, working your muscles that way as well.
I hope this gives you the information you are looking for and that you enjoy playing with your programming as much as I enjoy sharing the information. Thank you for trusting in me and reaching out to me and inspiring me to write about this on my blog.
Email received:
Hey,
I cant seem to ask the question to google in a way that gets me an answer =0)
So my goal is trimming and toning. I have been swimming every other day and weight training every other day taking Sunday off.
When I am weight training I am doing 3 sets of 12 reps for now until my endurance is up then I will increase the reps.
How I am working it now is like circuit. For example:
bicep curls 1:12
tricep 1:12
shoulders 1:12
squats 1:12
lunges 1:12
etc.
then start again at biceps and so forthe until I have done the circuit 3 times.
Would it be more effective to do biceps 1:12 rest 30 sec, bicep 1:12 rest 30 sec bicep 1:12 rest 30 sec THEN move to the next muscle group?
Thanks in advance for your input!
The response:
I am stoked you are focused and committed on your training. Swimming is such a great total body movement, super for trimming and toning :)
To answer your question(s)
Yes, or D all of the above.
Mix it up. Often.
So the 3 sets of 10-12 reps is a very common, familiar and easy formula. Its classic body building programming. However, you will get bored and so will your muscles. While it will work, its not always best to count reps and you certainly want to mix it up.
What I mean by this specifically. Do the counting reps, like the 3*12 (36 reps total) and other rep counting styles like ladders or stacking. A ladder is starting at a number then going to another, and then if you want you go back up or down depending on what you feel like that day. So you can go 1-2-3-4-5 and then 5-4-3-2-1 or start at 5-6-7-8-9-10 and go backwards or start at 10 go to 5 then back up, you get the idea. The math will and should vary. A 1-5 to 5-1 ladder is actually 30 reps when you count it out. A 10-1 ladder is 55 reps and a 10-1 to 1-10 while not so hard at the time is 110 reps! You can get through them at the little 1 rep or 8 rep increments and you get SO much more work done.
Or you can say forget the counting and try for time, even mixing in interval training (SUPER effective for weight loss and muscle building) and just see how many you can do in a minute, rest a minute and see if you can beat your first time. For interval training, my favorite is a 2:1 work rest ratio. Do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds then rest for 10 before going to the next work 20 seconds. Repeat at least 4 times (only 2 min!) and ideally work up to 8 for a total of 4 minutes. For this type of work, use a lower weight or only do body movements, like squats or push ups.
Interval training is extremely effective and the difference lies in the way you work your cardiovascular pathways, or more commonly known as aerobic vs anaerobic. BOTH will burn fat. The only difference is anaerobic training builds muscle while aerobic activity builds muscle.
Do all three sets of one movement with short breaks in between then move to the next movement. Another time do a circuit, one set of each movement moving through them one at a time. For the best results, have as few of breaks as possible. If you are circuit training only take a break after the whole circuit, before you start the second round. This way you are training your muscles and gaining benefits on a different cardiovascular pathway then you do in your swimming.
So really, you want to mix it up, because the only thing you want consistent about your routine is having one. Remember when we were training how we never did the same thing twice. You want to keep your muscles guessing, so that they have to change, and become stronger.
You want to mix up the actual work, from all different angles and how you do the work. If all you do is bicep curls, then all that will get strong is the part of your bicep used for that movement and not the surrounding area. So, do bicep curls close in, out angled, palm up, palm down. Do three sets, three different ways. You will find your strength and weaknesses this way as well. Sure someone can do a chin up, turn their hands the other way and they are a limp noodle. See where I am headed with all of this? I think most important is to have fun and feel good!
Lastly, be sure you are using total ROM (range of motion) so you don't train your muscles halfway or end up with short stubby muscles. Imagine the way really muscle big body builders move, really stiff and uncomfortable looking. This is because they train a limited range of muscle. So to return again with the bicep curls, be sure after your curl you are fully extending your arm (and the muscles inside) at a nice controlled pace, working your muscles that way as well.
I hope this gives you the information you are looking for and that you enjoy playing with your programming as much as I enjoy sharing the information. Thank you for trusting in me and reaching out to me and inspiring me to write about this on my blog.
(photo courtesy of this blog found via Google image search for bicep curl)
Friday, April 22, 2011
H.I.I.T.
or otherwise known as high intensity interval training. I love intervals for their efficiency and boredom attacking ways. H.I.I.T. is my most recent favorite training sword, or at least runs right at the top. What are these you ask? Allow me to explain.
Crossfit (where I gained my trainer certs) has a couple wicked workouts based around Tabata, peruse their site (FREE!) and discover the ninja way, ha ha! Tabata intervals (named so after Dr. Tabata who discovered them, read more here) are intervals based on a 2:1 work rest ratio. Most common format, maybe the only true one as well, is 8 sets of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. This equals 4 mins and you do it with squats, pushups, pullups, situps, whatever.
Now, H.I.I.T. is an awesome beast and one that I am just beginning to play around with more. I have not done much, until recently, outside of the CF Tabata programs. So now we get funky! Reverse the ratio, extend the time and jump on a treadmill for an evil awesome workout. Minimum 3 rounds on this one folks, and I have yet to make it past 6 rounds. Here's how it goes down.
Warm up for 5 minutes at a nice easy pace, I do mine around 3-4mph. Then let the fun begin. Turn the speed to one that is near as fast as you can go, for me that is 7.5mph right now. And then GO, for a full minute. At the end of the minute take it back down to an easy pace for two minutes which I do 3mph. Repeat (at least twice) Warning, this will kick your butt and right at the end of that minute all out run you will think you are going to die! But it works wonders. Your heart will work hard then calm down and over again. SO effective folks!!
I have found a little formula that has worked with some of my trainees, whatever your pace you normally hit the treadmill at for your long 30-45 min cardio workouts can be the middle ground for finding your pace here. For example Sean normally does 6-7 mph, so we took him 2 mph both ways for 4mph at the low pace and 8-9mph for the high pace.
So it looks a little something like this when I am playing:
1:00-5:00 walk/jog warm up 3-4mph
5:00-6:00 RUN 7-8mph
6:00-8:00 walk 3-4mph
8:00-9:00 RUN 7-8mph
9:00-11:00 walk 3-4mph
11:00-13:00 RUN 7-8mph
13:00-15:00 walk 3-4mph
DONE! 15 minutes, I feel like I have ran my butt off for miles and you will feel the intensity, trust this! Have I mentioned I love the way intervals battle boredom, especially for me when applied to running which I really only enjoy outside, and even then, its a wink link in my bag of tricks.
Let me know how it goes my fellow gym rats!
Crossfit (where I gained my trainer certs) has a couple wicked workouts based around Tabata, peruse their site (FREE!) and discover the ninja way, ha ha! Tabata intervals (named so after Dr. Tabata who discovered them, read more here) are intervals based on a 2:1 work rest ratio. Most common format, maybe the only true one as well, is 8 sets of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. This equals 4 mins and you do it with squats, pushups, pullups, situps, whatever.
Now, H.I.I.T. is an awesome beast and one that I am just beginning to play around with more. I have not done much, until recently, outside of the CF Tabata programs. So now we get funky! Reverse the ratio, extend the time and jump on a treadmill for an evil awesome workout. Minimum 3 rounds on this one folks, and I have yet to make it past 6 rounds. Here's how it goes down.
Warm up for 5 minutes at a nice easy pace, I do mine around 3-4mph. Then let the fun begin. Turn the speed to one that is near as fast as you can go, for me that is 7.5mph right now. And then GO, for a full minute. At the end of the minute take it back down to an easy pace for two minutes which I do 3mph. Repeat (at least twice) Warning, this will kick your butt and right at the end of that minute all out run you will think you are going to die! But it works wonders. Your heart will work hard then calm down and over again. SO effective folks!!
I have found a little formula that has worked with some of my trainees, whatever your pace you normally hit the treadmill at for your long 30-45 min cardio workouts can be the middle ground for finding your pace here. For example Sean normally does 6-7 mph, so we took him 2 mph both ways for 4mph at the low pace and 8-9mph for the high pace.
So it looks a little something like this when I am playing:
1:00-5:00 walk/jog warm up 3-4mph
5:00-6:00 RUN 7-8mph
6:00-8:00 walk 3-4mph
8:00-9:00 RUN 7-8mph
9:00-11:00 walk 3-4mph
11:00-13:00 RUN 7-8mph
13:00-15:00 walk 3-4mph
DONE! 15 minutes, I feel like I have ran my butt off for miles and you will feel the intensity, trust this! Have I mentioned I love the way intervals battle boredom, especially for me when applied to running which I really only enjoy outside, and even then, its a wink link in my bag of tricks.
Let me know how it goes my fellow gym rats!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
What are you on?
"This is my body. I can do whatever I want with it. I can push it. Study it. Tweak it. Listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on?" - Lance Armstrong
A.M. Gym Rat says: I am on the stairs instead of the elevator...I am on the last aisle of parking instead of the closest spot to the door...I am on a healthy diet instead of a fast food diet...I am ON!
(photo courtesy of livestrong.com via Google image search for walking up stairs)
Question is, what are you on?
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