Muscle milk

My pre workout cocktail. It's delicious and gets me through my workout. A great shake to drink on an empty stomach right before the gym.

My mantra

My mantra is simple. As I believe all mantras should be. But it's also empowering and direct.

 

I AM STRONG

I AM CAPABLE

I AM WORTHY

Plyometric madness

My plyometric jumps are getting better.  I am doing Strength plyometric jumps including  the squat jump, knee jump and butt kicks. I am focusing on form rather then speed. And they really get  your  heart rate up.  I did a combination and I am already  sweating.  Feels great.

 

It is important to note that unless you have a stable core and strong stability, these exercises could be dangerous.

 

NASM Mid-term

It's hard to believe that I am already gearing up to take my mid-term (5th week) for the e-learning class through NASM or The National Academy Of Sports Medicine.

I am a mixed bag of emotions-nervous, excited and anxious. And although this is not the National exam that I will need to take in order to get certified as a personal trainer, it will test my knowledge and retention of the information I've learned thus far. 

Resistance training concepts
Isolated functions of major muscle groups
Fitness assessments
Flexibility training
Cardiorespiratory training
Core training
Balance training
Plyometric training
Speed, agility, and quickness training

Adapting to life

I was ill the past few days.  And I wasn't physically able to go to the gym.  And I felt awful. 

On the plus side. I am feeling much better.  And I visited the gym yesterday.  It felt great. My muscles felt tight and eager.  And while I missed most of the week, I got back to my routine. 

What I'm trying to say, is that it's not  the  end  of the world  if you miss a few days. You just have to get back on track. Life happens. We have sick days, long days at work, important appointments. And we have to make adjustments.  Our success depends on how we adapt to those adjustments.

My fresh gear

I absolutely recommend Under Armor. This is my first outfit from them. And I am completely satisfied. The material is very comfortable and breathable. Lightweight and very well made. Love the electric blue shorts. And the compression top fit like a glove.

Commitment

When you become passionate about something, that laborious task becomes an essential and satisfying part of your life. For me, that passion is in my physical fitness.  It is the gift that keeps on giving.  I am blessed and thankful for my health. Happy Holidays!

My new workout gear

My new Under Armour gear came in the mail yesterday.  So excited to put it to use in the gym.

On Cardiorespiratory Training

There are 3 stages. And there are 3 zones within those stages. Zone 1 (65%-75%), Zone 2 (76%-85%) and Zone 3 (86%-95%)

The first stage is designed to improve cardiorespiratory training. It is commonly associated with walking and jogging with a target heart rate between 65% and 75% of your HRmax or Heart Rate maximum. To calculate your HRmax-- 220-age= HRmax. So my HRmax would be 220-30= 190. If I was training in zone 1, my baseline would be 124 (65% of 190 HRmax) and my max would be 143 (75% of 190 HRmax).

Stage 2 will prepare your for interval training. It is commonly associated with group classes or spinning classes. You would be alternating between Zone 1 (65%-75%) and Zone 2 (76%-85% of HRmax). For instance you would do a warm up then gradually increase your heartrate to Zone 2 for 1 minute then back down to Zone 1 for 3 minutes and so forth.

Stage 3 is an advanced form of cardiorespiratory training.  Zone 3 (86%-95% HRmax).And should only be progressed through when the first two stages have been completed successfully. 5-10 minute warm up then progress to Zone 3 gradually for 2 minutes then hold in zone 3 for 1 minute. Then back down to Zone 2 for 1 minute and then back to Zone 3 for 1 minute. 

I am currently training in Stage 2. The advantage of Stage 2 training is that you get the maximal amount of workout in the shortest amount of time possible. It also helps if you are looking to transform body weight because it gets your metabolism soaring. 

Warm up/Cool down

One of the most important aspects of a good safe workout is the warm up before and cool down after. Which includes stretching, core, balance and plyometric modalities. These exercises mimic the movements your body is about to preform. It's like a fire, you're igniting the flame with a match. Firing up your central nervous system and body. A good warm up and cool down also help to avoid injuries caused by tight or overactive muscles.

A good cool down includes static streaching (holding a stretch for 30 seconds) and self myofacsial release (with foam roller).

An integrated approach

I've learned that the most effective exercise routines include a myrid amount of training systems that challenge all planes of motion effectively.  It's not just cardio alone or resistance training. It is a integrated program, Flexibility Training (stretching), Cardiorespitory Training (cardio), Core Training and Resistance Training. And it all starts with mastering the stabilization phase in the OPT model. I learned those concepts last week in chapters 7, 8 and 9.

It also includes Balance, plyometric and speed, agility and quickness training which I will learned about this week with my reading --Chapters 10, 11 and 12.

I do my reading and then apply my studies in the lab (gym). And I look forward to learning more.

My happy place

The gym is my happy factory!  I just love being in the environment and working out. And I feel absolutely fantastic when I'm done. Revitalized. Refreshed. Renewed.

What doesn't kill you..

When I started-- 9 months ago, I could barely push out a few miles before reaching the point of exhaustion. I moved up from 20 min miles...to 15 minute miles...gradually to 12 min and then with difficulty, 10 minute miles. But I wasn't done there.

Through NASM, The National Academy of Sports Medicine,  I learned stability and strength training. Through that solid foundation, I can proudly say I have achieved another goal-- 8 minute miles! And I feel fantastic. 

Eteach NASM Unit 3 Quiz

I just took my Unit 3 quiz and passed it. I feel like the information is starting to sink in. And the application of the curriculum also helps to answer the questions. The eteach is a big help. They have weekly discussion questions, test prep videos and application videos and handouts. I always get so anxious before a quiz or test. But I took a deep breath and focused. The 20 minute time limit adds stress but I did my best to focus on it while also not letting it dictate my pace. I got 8 out of 10.

Supersets are Super

Supersets, you perform one stabilization exercise coupled with a strength excercise for the given body part back to back with no rest.

Healthy Competition

"Healthy competition breeds success"

Just a thought I had when I was on the treadmill today. The guy next to me was going hard and it motivated me to push myself.

Not as planned

Well I was a little disappointed my workout didn't go as planned.  The gym was packed and not all the equipment I needed was available. I was frustrated but I didn't let that stop me.

I am doing Phase 2 strength endurance with Horizontal Loading Super sets. Which basically means that I am going down my list of body parts horizontally,  doing all sets for each body part before moving on to the next. For instance, Back, Shoulders Chest etc. The super sets consist of  2 back to back exercises of either the same muscle groups or opposite. Each superset contains one Stength Excercise and one Stabilization.

One of the advantages of horizontal loading is that if the gym is busy and equipment is hard to find, you are able to complete the exercise for each body part before moving on to the next and not having to go back to that particular machine. 

I also wanted to notate, although I don't talk about it in all my posts,  warming up (stretches,  treadmill) and cooling down (stretching) is also a very important component of my exercise routine. 

My body feels like it's on fire. I feel great! Until next time. Time for the recovery phase.

New workout

I always get excited when I am about to start a new exercise routine. Within the NASM curriculum there are 3 main categories Stabilization,  Strength and Power and 5 phases within. Phase 1 consists of Stabilization Endurance.  It is the foundation. Like a house, building a strong foundation leads to a stable core and body. Phase 2 consists of Strength Endurance. Phase 3 is hypertrophy. Phase 4 is Maximal Strength. Hypetrophy is optional and is used for clients wanting to make muscle gains. Phase 5 at the top of the pyramid is Power.

I started in Phase 1 Strength Stabilization and I am progressing to Phase 2 Strength Endurance.

Quote of the week

"Good things happen to those who hustle." - Anais Nin

And I intend to do just that, hustle until I succeed!

Cardio insanity

I had another great cardio day.

NASM mind boggle

I've already taken a few quizzes through NASM The National Academy of Sports Medicine Eteach, a few weeks into the program. And I've learned a ton of information but I also feel overwhelmed.  It's so much information at a fast pace.  I don't feel like I am absorbing it as effectively as I should. I've never really been good at tests or quizzes. I get anxious and panic. But I have learned not to second guess my answers and go with my gut.

I am not going to give up. I am going to focus and study harder in order to achieve my goal. When I feel like the odds are stacked against me, that's when I'm most successful. Because I won't let the odds define who I am or consume me. I will rise above and conquer.

Not afraid

I was that person who was shy and didn't want to go to the gym. I was that person who hid between my fellow gym goers. I was the person afraid to try new moves in fear of looking like a fool.

I am no longer that person. I have a renewed sense of confidence. And I feel fantastic. I am hopeful for my future. And I feel blessed to have the support of my family and friends.   

NASM

Another great workout.  And now it's time to read. I finished Chapter 3 "Human Movement Science" yesterday. And I need to finish Chapter 6 "Fitness Assessment" and learn the isoloated functions of the muscles today.

Quote of the week

"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat." - Napoleon Hill