Basic thinking: You're doing it backward

If you’re anything like the thousands of gym goers I’ve observed over the years, you’ve got your head and your ass wired backward in a lot of ways.  This is not entirely your fault but it doesn’t mean you can’t make a few simple adjustments in thinking and find yourself on a much clearer, outcome driven path to success.  The most basic paradigm shift you can make is exchanging when you think you know and when you actually know.

Nearly everyone walks into the gym actually knowing what it is they are going to do.

This might be a list of resistance exercises, a running program or, more likely, it is just a list of things you did the last time you walked in.  Either way, you will go through the exercises, do a few repetitions or miles, a few sets or minutes, and then walk out thinking you know what you’ve accomplished.  I see this over and over on a daily basis.

This is backward.  Why put in the effort and time, no matter how well intended and clear cut the plan was, if the end result is a gray area of hopefulness?  Why hope for the best when you could do your best?

Why not know that the effort and time resulted in the positive outcomes you were seeking?

Make the exchange, the paradigm shift.  Walk into the gym thinking you know what you’re going to do, with a more general plan of action.  This is probably something you’d actually like to do today instead of what was arbitrarily scheduled, but also leave it open to what actually feels good*.  Focus, have fun, do well and, most importantly, highlight what you’ve done better than before.  This is called a Personal Record and is more or less the entire point of going to the gym.  This is when you actually know what you’ve accomplished.  More repetitions, heavier weight, more meters, etc.  Whatever the task may become for today you will know as you walk out, how and why you did better than last time.

This is positive feedback at its finest.  No gray area, no frustration.

*In addition to training what “feels good” I was going to mention what “tests well” but if you’re using biofeedback tactics, it’s unlikely you made it through this article…

PMH

On Failure: A Letter To The Gym Going Populace...

This is a message for those of you who are members of a "fitness center."  These can be the large-scale all amenities included "fitness resorts" or it can be the small box 24-hour joints.  To all of who are attend these facilities with the usual suspect of goals in mind, I would like to make something very clear, though, I hope it doesn't apply to you.

Most of what you are blaming your failure(s) on is not the problem.  Most of what you're expending the effort to complain about is not the problem.  I'm going to state it plainly before you get bored and move on, mmkay?

The problem is you. 

And nothing else, to speak of.

The problem is not the gym.  The problem is not the placement of TVs in the cardio theater or whether or not they're high definition or how many channels they do or don't have or how clear the radio reception is or isn't on your radio and it's not how well your book/magazine/kindle/newspaper can be propped on the machine for easier reading.

The problem is not the gym.  The problem is not which brand of elliptical/treadmill/recumbant bike/weight stacks/dumbbell/swissball is available.  The problem is not the placement of these tools or that the lease was recently updated to the absolute state-of-the-art industry standard stuff that "is just too different" than the old stuff.

The problem is not the gym.  The problem is not the temperature on that side of the room versus this side of the room or the placement of the wall mounted fans or the availability of "sweat towels."  The problem is not the volume of the music in fitness classes and it is definitely not the volume of said music as you walk by in the hallway.

The problem is not the gym.

The problem is your belief system, your personal consititution, your habits... your choices.

If you among the roughly (from my own slightly glib observations of several different gym memberships) 70% of gym-goers that probably found the last few paragraphs disagreeable then that last sentence may be sobering.  So, let's say it again, all together this time:

The problem is your belief system, your personal consititution, your habits... your choices.

But, here's what I propose.  I propose a paradigm shift.  Change your way of thinking, change the life you choose to lead.  So, what if you've chosen to be obese, sedentary, and substance dependent (I'm thinking of the 'caffeine as food' movement, here...)... and it's been years? 

Make a different choice.  Better, ideally, but different for now.  Choose better food, less food, different activities, more activities, more exercise, better exercise... a different attitude about exercise; is it a  lifestyle requirement or a chore?

It may have been sobering to see in print (or screen, as it were) but isn't it actually freeing?  Isn't it freeing to know that you can choose the YOU that you see in the mirror and chose whether or not it matches the YOU that's in your head?

I'm either crazy, just a jerk or I'm right.

You call it,

PMH

The Anatomy of a Workout

I kind of specialize in beginners (and people who've been previously led astray).  The following is what I describe in response to "so, what am I supposed to do when I come here?"

You can get real fancy with this, add branches and subdivision as you better grasp the concept and progress your fitness level, but the basics are always super-keen.

Upper Body Push
Upper Body Pull
Lower Body
"Cardio" Challenge

Go.

Bodyweight-Only Example:

Push-Ups
Rear Foot Elevated Lunge
Inverted Rows on the Smith Machine
1/4-Mile Run for time

Equipment-Based Example:

Barbell Overhead Press
Barbell Deadlift
Chest Supported Row
Concept II Rower 2,000m for time

So, those sessions there might be described as "total body" workouts but depending on how you feel and what, particularly, you're training for you might just take an upper body press or lower body day and run with it.  This is very commonly seen in my training notebook as my training needs (strongman competitions) are quite specialized so I might maximize my efforts on my overhead press one day and pulling strength, the next.

Pick your movements and make progress.

Pick things up, put them down.  Eat good food.  Go do stuff.


- PMH

Fitness Challenges: The Strict 1-Arm Curl

This is a fun one.  It comes from the world of arm wrestling but is easy enough to transfer to "normal" people.  Real simple; grab a dumbbell, stand tall with your palm forward and curl that weight all the way to the top.  BUT, let's emphasize that this is a strict, no-extra-movement type of challenge.  "All bicep, bro!" Many of us tend to get a little side-to-side action at the shoulders or a little sway in our curls... this one locks it down.

The original challenge was to see who among the arm wrestling crazies could do this with a 100 pound dumbbell for 1 rep.

My challenge to you is to establish a Personal Records (PRs) at a few different rep ranges (let's say 10, 7 and 5... or whatever) but I want you to include a 1 rep PR.  Have you ever exerted to that extent?  Really tested your strength?  Yes, it will be beneficial and I think you will surprise yourself.

Go.

Here is my friend, The People's Dietician, laying down the rules a bit a demonstrating (in a huge way) a good lift:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFkrNA9f24g

And here is maniac arm wrestler Rob Vigeant setting the bar nice and low for us mortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22TcdMJ84RQ&feature=related

The Myth of Summertime Fitness

There is an ebb and a flow in every gym in the country throughout the day, the week and the year.  In most facilities, the most noticeable gyration in traffic is the summertime lull.  A lot of people "hit the gym" less as the weather gets nicer and many ditch it altogether.  Part of the mindset, or at least the justification here, is that "I'll be outside a lot more doing stuff."  And that is perfectly accurate, to be sure, as most people tend to go outside a lot more in favorable weather and thus they tend to move a lot more as well.  The problem here is two-fold:

1) The disparity between how much activity one FEELS like they are getting and how much they actually are (its easy to feel like you've had a vibrant beneficial afternoon at the beach... but really?) and...

2) The types (and inherent hierarchy of benefit) of the activities performed

And even this says nothing of the quality (read: worthwhile-ness) of the activities.  So, you're outside tossing the frisbee, maybe even doing your lunch jog and doing "some push-ups and sit-ups at home."  This is all well and good, believe me, I'm happy to hear it but keep in mind how this compares to the progress you've made all winter (if you had a training notebook in which you record your efforts, you'd know exactly).  In my experience, folks seldom come back to the gym upon the first threats of snow from the weather terrorists in better shape than when they left in the spring.  Summer promotes the illusion of activity and accomplishment, it seems.

Let me reiterate, by all means, go outside.  But go outside and experience and do things that will challenge you to be better next time; hike, climb, run, ride, whatever... But challenge yourself and improve.

The second point is essentially a point of equipment;  if you bail on the gym, what of those two rower session you've been doing?  And the dumbbell complexes?  And the kettlebell swings you were working on?  First, have you replaced these activities or adjusted your diet?  And second, what is your replacement for the benefit you take from these (you obviously did them for a reason, correct?)?

The bottom line is to be honest with yourself.  Maybe you are proficient enough in pull-ups and chin-ups to get it done at the jungle gym, you love skipping rope and, for you, it's 10k season... that's cool.  But cover your bases and come back stronger/faster/better/leaner in the fall.  Part of this might require staying disciplined about "hitting the gym."

Success, it's your call.

"Group Exercise"

In a typical fitness center you've got a range of choices in fitness related services.  The common breakdown is:

1) personal training

2) small group or specialty training and

3) "group exercise"

Those are in order, by the way.  Personal Training, for the average "health seeker" or aspiring fitness enthusiast, is often your best choice (with a good personal trainer - which should be another post altogether).  You've got one-on-one time with an industry professional to ensure you're getting the most from your efforts, continually progressing and improving as well as enjoying the process as much as possible.

Small group training, often called "specialty training" is, of the three, your second best option.  A group of 3-5 people all receiving instruction on similar activities (i.e. kettlebells, TRX, etc) to the a mutual intent; getting a good workout.  And with a small group it is possible to achieve this while even being able to emphasize basic technical principles and movement quality.  This is generally your best "get-in, get-out" option with a professional as you can still receive individual attention.

Last on the list is "group exercise."  These go back to your "step classes" and such of the '80s.  The Les Mills program is commonly implemented now in big box gyms and other facilities but the gist remains the same in other programs - when I move, you move.  Now, I'm not entirely against these "classes" as nearly everything can have its place but you won't find me following along with or leading one.  (By now, you've likely identified my overuse of quotations marks and parenthetical thoughts but the word "classes" being in quotes above has a very deliberate meaning to it.)

When I think of classes I envision an environment of instruction, learning and performance.  Frankly, this is not what I've observed of group exercise "classes."  There is certainly activity but seldom have I seen any great deal of coaching or teaching or, dare I say it, progressing taking place.  Concordantly, its tough to imagine any substantial learning is going on either.

Rather than continuing to ramble on let me just draw a comparison between PT and GX:

Personal Training process:
1) Consultation regarding your goals, injuries, past exercise experience, etc.
2) Fitness Assessment: measurements of anthropometric variables (circumfrences, etc), movement screen (identifying weaknesses... with-which you are riddled), strength tests, cardio tests, etc.
3) A fitness progression* designed around your goals, limitations and interests
4) Continued accountability of weekly meetings to guarantee progression, examine training journals and nutrition logs and discuss new lifestyle strategies
5) "Homework" workouts and recipe ideas for the next week

Group Exercise process:
1) Walk in
2) Do what I do
3) Burn a few calories
4) Continue to mistake activity for accomplishment

Am I being a negative prick about this?  Yes.  Am I generalizing?  Some.  Can GX "classes" have their place in a well rounded fitness program?  Sure.  Is it you best option or even a good option for many people?  Absolutely not.  If you're a beginner this is literally being "thrown to the dogs."

If you can't look at your efforts of the last, let's say, 1 month and show me your improvements (literally show me, pull out your training log and show me the numbers - strength gains, bodyfat loss, etc.) then what you are doing, no matter the class or activity, is spinning your wheels.  From my observations, showing up to a no-obligation, little instruction class with 20 other people is not optimizing your time in the gym nor is it doing much to improve your understanding of health or your health itself... its spinning your wheels.

*My use of "progression" in place of "routine" is another topic altogether, also.

Health is Not Static or Health is Not The Absence of Disease

I made reference to this idea in a previous post and it is a frequent topic of conversation with the general gym populace.

Your health is not static.

I'll relay a recent conversation I had with a gym regular.  In this same conversation I learned that this gent. is 100lbs. less than when he started "hitting the gym" and building healthy habits.  It is also quite clear that he is at least 100lbs. north of what might be considered a "healthy bodyweight."  Anyhow, he smirked as he mentioned his visit to the doctor earlier in the day and the "clean bill of health" he received for the 3rd time in a row.  To be fair, this means his blood sugar, pressure and lipids were all largely within, at least, reasonable ranges, etc.  But, to be honest, let's look at the reality of things.  There is simply nothing healthy, long- or short-term, about carrying around 100+ pounds of (largely central) adipose tissue.

And here's the real take-home point.  When I stated that fact as clearly as I could.  I could see in his eyes before he verbally acknowledged that it was the truth.  That he was/is largely kidding himself to think of his current state as "healthy."  Because, probably more accurately stated...

health is not simply the lack of disease.

He is not diabetic or cancerous or any of these hazardous and traumatic states we associate with being "unhealthy" but should we not begin to give the correlational credit where it is due and rightfully consider that obesity bears a striking resemblance to disease?

And couldn't we also consider that simply because it may not seem immediately life threatening, there is nothing healthy (and certainly nothing beneficial or economical) about being overweight or obese?

Isn't it time to question being happy with being not unhealthy?

Or maybe more absurdly, isn't it time to consider being unhealthy... unhealthy?