Contraindicated Exercise

Contraindicated Exercise is one of the most over-used terms leading to a lot of misconstrued information in the fitness industry. In reality, there are very few exercises that are truly too high risk to perform. Rather the contention is caused by people incorrectly performing exercises, biomechanical defeciencies, and chronic diseases that creates the greatest risk of performing most exercises. But the epidemic decline of good health in the U.S. has prompted many industry authorities in the fitness & health field to label a number of valid exercises as contraindicated. This is often done under the pretense that if there is a significant number of persons that can't properly perform an exercise without pain, than it should be scraped. A perpetuated example of this line of thinking is communicated by trainers who routinely tell their clients that sit-ups are bad for their back, and performing abdominal crunches should be opted for instead. How much sense does this make when the human body is clearly well designed to perform hip flexion movement? The reasoning for this poor advice stems from the knowledge that many people experience lower back pain while attempting to perform sit-ups. But what these trainers fail to realize is that the exercise in of itself is not bad. More times than not; the result of lower back pain is simply exsposing the fact those afflicted participants performing the sit-up exercise have weak lower back muscles, tight hamstrings, poor core conditioning, and or a skeletal, nuerological, or muscular injuries.

Understandably, it is humanistic yet erroneous to assume that if a person gets hurt while excuting a particular exercise, than the exercise is bad. Though past injuries are a good predictor of future injuries; a different person performing the same exercise under different circumstances could successfully complete the movement without injury, and derive benefits from the exercise.

The human body not only thrives, but needs healthy amounts of applied physical stress in all full range planes of motion to survive well. Therefore, very few exercise movements are dangerous and out of bounds. The most inherent risk of exercises comes from contraindicated people attempting to execute them.

Do You Run 2 Box, Or Box 2 Run?

The bell has just rung ending the second round of an eight round bout. Each step you take towards your corner is like a death march through quicksand. Finally, you drop down on a stool that emerges from under the bottom rope of the ring and slump your back against the corner pad. Your lungs are on fire seared by your own heavy heated breaths that neither let you hear nor speak. Sweat pours down your brow, blurs your vision and stings your eyes, while your heart pounds in your chest like a Morse code for an S.O.S. The few drops of water provided to you evaporate on your tongue. Simply put, you’ve hit the wall.

Even the most talented and skilled athletes will find themselves at a loss for energy without the right training applicable to their sport. Boxers like the one described above are no exception to this fact. What I’m about to say next will probably raise the eyebrows of a few boxers and their coaches. If you’re a competitive fighter running daily distances of over five miles as part of your conditioning work you’re wasting your time and effort. Right about now, you may be thinking to yourself that some of the greatest boxers in the sport ran long distances. This may be true, but it doesn’t mean they were conditioning their bodies in the best possible way. One of the objectives of most athletes is to have their bodies perform at the optimal level needed for their sport; how an athlete trains has a lot to do with that. While running long distances may help a boxer “float like a butterfly,” it definitely won’t make him “sting like a bee.”

Let me ask a question, and then answer it. Is boxing an aerobic sport or an anaerobic sport? It’s both. Casually stated, aerobic exercise is repetitive movement over a long period of time in which working muscles burn glucose with the presence of oxygen. In contrast, anaerobic exercise involves explosive movement over a short period of time in which working muscles burn glucose without oxygen. A fighter has to be in a constant state of readiness able to attack or defend in a split second. Bobbing, weaving and stepping around the ring reflect a boxer’s aerobic capacity. Quick flurries, power punching, and shoulder butts reflect a boxer’s anaerobic capacity. Fighters fluctuate between these two energy systems during the course of a bout at a furious and rapid pace for extended periods of time with just brief rest between confrontations. So a vital key to success is to be able to maintain high energy expenditures without prematurely exhausting before the conclusion of each round. The solution is to interval train at high intensities to increase the fighter’s Anaerobic Threshold (AT). Thus, boxers running marathon distances is no more helpful to them than a figure skater taking batting practice. I’m not saying that a boxer shouldn’t run at all, rather they should run short distances at a fast pace. And as a side thought, somewhere there might be a figure skater that plays in a recreation softball league, able to switch hit and bat .357.

Now, what is AT, and what does it have to do with stamina in the ring? Let me begin with a very simple review of physiology. I’ve already explained that muscles can systematically burn glucose for energy through aerobic and anaerobic processes. These systems produce a temporary energy store called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which is the only fuel a muscle can use to produce work. In comparison, the anaerobic system provides energy for heavy short-term work while the aerobic system fuels light to moderate long-term work. A fighter going for a knockout with an all-out barrage of punches requires a great deal of power output; this type of effort uses the anaerobic system. In an anaerobic state energy is quickly available but rapidly depleted, and lactic acid builds up as a waste product in the muscle (often referred to as the burn). This in turn inhibits muscle contraction and the assault comes to a halt. The working muscles will recover after a brief period of rest; that’s the good news. The bad news is that boxers aren’t afforded rest during a round, unless they’re given an eight count or get knocked out. Movement around the ring requires a steady output of power using the aerobic system. Aerobic pathways don’t generate the explosive power of the anaerobic but they do operate at a higher level of efficiency and endurance. Throughout the course of a bout a fighter’s body uses different proportions of both these systems. As the tempo and intensity of punches and movements shift often the production of energy is right at the cross-over between aerobic and anaerobic. AT is the point at which lactate (lactic acid) begins to accumulate in the bloodstream. Boxing at a moderate pace utilizes both systems. The anaerobic: aerobic ratio is low enough that lactate in the muscle is easily removed and doesn’t build up. As the action speeds up eventually the production of lactate produced by the anaerobic system becomes greater than its removal.

The AT varies from person to person. Untrained individuals have a low AT (approximately 55% of VO2 max), while elite endurance athletes enjoy a high AT (approximately 80-90 % VO2 max). VO2 max refers to your maximal rate of oxygen consumption. The disparity between trained and untrained individuals can be summed up by this statement: your body will function the way you train it. The human body is very adaptive and resilient in dealing with healthy amounts of applied stress. The body needs and thrives off of meeting the challenges of continual physical conditioning. Now, just being fit won’t guarantee victory inside the ring but it will give you a better chance to succeed. As the saying goes, “the more you sweat, the less you bleed.” With hard work you can train your body to remove lactate more efficiently from the muscles and super-charge the aerobic mitochondrial enzymes, thus raising the AT.

Interval training (which is a repeated series of high intensity exercises alternated with rest periods), is one of the best ways to push yourself into a lactate burden state, forcing your body to adapt. Now, before you say, “Great! I’ll interval train everyday,” let me dispel that notion. Over-training is just as bad as under-training, and this type of exercise should not be done everyday. High intensity interval work is tiring. I have seen athletes lose the contents of their stomach over the matter, myself included. In other words, incorporate interval training into your workouts with common sense and at a slow to moderate progression. Just be consistent and determined, and you should have no trouble elevating your AT. With six to eight weeks of training you should be able to box at higher level intensities for longer periods of time than you ever did before. Eventually, you’ll still reach your AT, but the ceiling of opportunity will be a lot higher.

When it comes to selecting the exercises in your interval training, there is a lot of room for diversity and creativity. Just remember the exercises you select should reflect the skills and movements you need to excel in your sport; in this case, boxing. If you take the fundamentals of boxing (i.e. punching, skipping, bobbing, stepping weaving, ducking, sliding, slipping and blocking) and incorporate dynamic explosive movement to it, you can create many different interval drills.

One of my favorite interval exercises for boxers is as follows. Take an aerobic step and make it one to three risers high. Then straddle the step short-side, your feet should be about shoulder width apart. Jump up to the top of the step with both feet taking off and landing at the same time, then immediately jump back down to the floor in straddle position again. Follow your landing with a straight left punch and a straight right punch. Repeat this sequence ten to twenty-four times for two to five sets, and rest thirty seconds between sets. Try to transition through the exercise as quickly as possible without sacrificing form. To add variety and intensity to this exercise there are at least a couple things you can do. Do the exercise with sixteen- or eighteen-ounce gloves and hand wraps, and have someone stand in front of you to receive your punches with a pair of mitts. Or try throwing different punches or punch combinations for every set (set one: jabs, set two: hooks, set three: upper-cuts, set four: crosses, set five: jabs, hooks, upper-cuts, crosses combination). It’s that simple to create interval drills. Just think about the skills you want to develop and choose exercises that cater to your specific needs. Remember to select exercises that are safe and appropriate for your fitness level and make sure they are bio-mechanically executed correctly.

How do you determine when your workouts are pushing your AT? With a few workouts under your belt you’ll start to feel stronger when approaching and being in your anaerobic zone, and it won’t be just your imagination. However, there are exercise tests such as the Conconi test that estimate your AT, and hand-held devices that with a pinprick of blood can measure the exact concentration of lactate in your bloodstream. But here is how I determine my AT. When I can punch sixty minutes straight on the heavy bag only stopping briefly for water every fifteenth minute to avoid dehydration; I know I’m hitting it on all cylinders. That’s the equivalent of twenty consecutive rounds at three minutes a piece. This way I’m ready for a war; even if it turns out to be just a battle.

Exercise Your Music Muscle

It's been said that music soothes the savage beast. But when it comes to working out, it can help unleash the dragon. There is a human tendency to workout harder and longer when people exercise to their favorite tunes. Music helps distract people from the physical discomfort of a strenous workout. But not all types of music will red-line your engine; only the tunes and genre of music you really like. For example, the only thing a folk song is going to do for me in the gym is have me call it a day and roll out.


Here are 20 of my favorite tunes I like to bump in my ipod when I'm about to "Tear The Roof Off The Sucka!"

1. Rock Star - N*E*R*D
2. Knuckle Up - Sammy Sam
3. We Ready - Archie Eversole
4. 99 Problems - Jay-Z
5. Harder To Breathe - Maroon 5
6. Troublesome 96' - 2Pac
7. Fighter - Christina Aguilera
8. Shackles - Mary Mary
9. Unleash The Dragon - Sisqo
10. Burn Rubber - Gap Band
11. This Is The New Shit - Marilyn Manson
12. The Slave Who Became A Gladiator - Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard (Gladiator)
13. Thunder - Prince
14. Lose Yourself - Eminem
15. Trina Moe - DMX
16. Da Rockwilder - Method Man & Redman
17. Home Alone - R. Kelly
18. Some Like It Hot - Power Station
19. Baby Got Back - Sir-Mix-A-Lot
20. Five Minutes Of Funk - Whodini

New Year's Weight Loss

If You're Planning To Lose Weight In The New Year, Experts Say "Think Sleep"

By Tracee Cornforth

If you are like millions of other Americans, your number one New Year's Resolution is probably to lose weight; however, whether you succeed or not may depend on how much good sleep you get each night. According to recent studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Lancet, sleep loss tends to increase hunger and affects the body's metabolism making it difficult to maintain weight loss or lose weight.

A hormone called cortisol which controls appetite has been shown to be affected by sleep loss. This causes you to still feel hungry despite the fact that you have consumed an adequate amount of food. Other ways that sleep loss affects your ability to lose and maintain weight loss include:

Interference with carbohydrate metabolism which may cause high blood glucose levels.
Excess amounts of glucose encourages the overproduction of insulin which leads to the storage of excess body fat, as well as lead to insulin resistance (a significant sign of adult-onset diabetes.
According to Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, "Sleep loss is associated with striking alterations in hormone levels that regulate the appetite and may be a contributing factor to obesity. Any American making a resolution to lose weight in the New Year should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep."

An estimated 40 percent of Americans promise to lose weight in the New Year; however, almost 90 percent of those who responded to a nationwide survey reported either occasional or no success losing weight. In fact, nearly half of the respondents reported losing very little weight or, unfortunately, gaining weight instead.

How Sleep Loss Affects Body Weight

Not only does quanity of sleep affect weight, loss of sleep quality can also affect your weight. An example of this is seen in the fact that decreased amounts of restorative deep or slow-wave sleep have been associated with significantly reduced levels of growth hormone. Growth hormone is a protein that helps the body regulate the proportions of fat and muscle in adults.

"Sleep loss disrupts a complex and interwoven series of metabolic and hormonal processes and may be a contributing factor to obesity," said John Winkelman, MD, Ph.D., medical director of the Sleep Health Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "What most people do not realize is that better sleep habits may be instrumental to the success of any weight management plan."

Sleeplessness in America

Are you getting enough sleep? If you are not, you are not alone. According to a poll sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation, only 30 percent of adults reported getting eight or more hours of sleep on weeknights; while 52 percent reported getting eight or more hours of sleep on weekend nights. For many of you, this lack of adequate sleep may be elective in order to increase your work or free time. A majority of respondents to the poll also suffer from sleep disorders which affect both the quantify and quality of their sleep. Almost three quarters (74 percent) experienced at least one symptom of a sleep disorder on two or more nights each week. Insomnia was defined as having any one of the following symptoms:

difficulty falling asleep
waking often during the night
waking up to early in the morning and being unable to go back to sleep
waking up in the morning feeling unrested
Over half (58 percent) of the poll respondents reported at least one symptom of insomnia on two or more nights of the week.

"People who experience sleep disturbances for more than a few weeks should see their doctor," said Thorpy. "In addition to making behavioral and lifestyle modifications, there are newer prescription sleep medications that can help individuals fall asleep quickly and increase their total sleep time with minimal next-day effects."

Adjusting your sleep habits will help you to lose weight in the New Year, or anytime, according to sleep experts. Here are a few tips that can help you keep your weight loss resolution.

1. Don't eat right before bed, but make sure you've eaten a good dinner so you don't go to bed hungry.

2. Regular exercise is key to weight loss; however, make sure you exercise at least three hours before you go to bed.

3. Find a relaxing bedtime routine and stick with it--it could be something as simple as a warm bath or reading a book (a really boring book such as a how-to manual is almost guaranteed to put you to sleep fast).

4. Caffeine, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages don't help you sleep, in fact they may actually make sleep impossible, so avoid these substances late in the afternoon and evening.

5. Don't take a daytime nap if you have trouble sleeping at night.

6. Make your bedroom a pleasant place for sleeping. Set your thermostat to a temperature you find comfortable and make your room as dark and quiet as possible.

7. If you have been trying to sleep for 30 minutes and are still awake, get out of bed. Go in another room and do something relaxing until you feel like you are sleepy enough to go to sleep.

8. See your health care provider if sleep problems continue for more than a few weeks, or if sleep loss interferes with your daily life.

Source: PR Newswire

The Joy Of XBOX

XBOX HALO 2

There is nothing better than throwing away precious hours of my life, by allowing my intellect to take refuge in the blissfully mindless task of playing video games on my XBOX. Few things compare to the joy of parking myself in front of the television screen with controller in hand preparing to due battle with aliens that threaten to wipe out the existence of all mankind. Thanks to me and my highly evolved combat skills, Earth is a better place to live. You can't imagine how many times I've had to save middle class suburbia from extinction. But it is probably best I didn't tell you, the truth would only scare you. For instance, last Friday we came pretty damn close from not seeing Saturday. Would that have been a tragedy to work all week, just to have your weekend go flat-line? But not to worry, I opened up a six-pack of whoop-ass, and laid into their mutant behinds quite nicely. It wasn't easy though, those over-sized lizards came by the billions. You would think that with all their technology, they would have developed some means of birth control. Oh well, they're 10 million short now, I don't expect another attack until June. When they do come back, I will be ready for them, and armed with the latest in rapid-fire wireless controllers. I see no reason why I should not be able to preserve the sanctity of the free-world from the comfort of my bed. This way I'll be able to enjoy good lovin' and video games at the same time.

Nothing beats the XBOX except the XBOX 360!

239 Ways To Burn Calories & Reduce Fat

• 
  
  
  
  
  Activity & Calories/Hour
  
  1. Archery 266
  2. Auto Racing 610
  3. Backpacking w/0 load 495
  4. Backpacking w/11 lb 528
  5. Backpacking w/22 lb 573
  6. Backpacking w/44 lb 601
  7. Badminton casual 401
  8. Badminton vigorous 597
  9. Baking 143
  10. Barbequing 180
  11. Baseball Fielder 229
  12. Baseball Outfielder 241
  13. Baseball Pitcher 344
  14. Baseball Catcher 327
  15. Baseball Practice 565
  16. Baseball Game 600
  17. Baton Twirling 556
  18. Billards (Pool) 172
  19. Bookbinding 155
  20. Bowling 393
  21. Boxing - competition 908 (my personal favorite)
  22. Boxing - sparring 589
  23. Calisthenics Warm-ups 303
  24. Calistneics Stretching 286
  25. Canoeing - 2.5 mph 180
  26. Canoeing - racing 450
  27. Car Washing 286
  28. Card playing 102
  29. Carpentry general 221
  30. Coal Mining - drilling 385
  31. Coal Mining - supports 360
  32. Coal Mining - shovel 442
  33. Cooking 192
  34. Cricket Batting 340
  35. Cricket Bowling 368
  36. Cricket Fielding 314
  37. Croquet 245
  38. Cycling - 5.5 mph 259
  39. Cycling - 9.4 mph 421
  40. Cycling - racing 700
  41. Dancing - casual 393
  42. Dancing - moderate 425
  43. Dancing - extreme 548
  44. Dancing - ballroom 213
  45. Dancing - choreographed 425
  46. Dancing - lambada 687
  47. Dancing - modern 348
  48. Diggin Trenches 593
  49. Drawing - standing 147
  50. Eating - sitting 94
  51. Electrical Work 232
  52. Farm - barn cleaning 552
  53. Farm - driving tractor 560
  54. Farm - feeding cattle 348
  55. Farm - feeding animals 266
  56. Farm - forking straw 565
  57. Farm - milking by hand 221
  58. Farm - milk by Mach. 94
  59. Farm - shoveling grain 356
  60. Fencing - practice 319
  61. Fencing - competition 622
  62. Field Hockey 548
  63. Fishing 254
  64. Food Shopping 278
  65. Football Competition 540
  66. Forestry - ax chop - slow 348
  67. Forestry - ax chop - fast 1215
  68. Forestry - bark trees 503
  69. Forestry - carry logs 761
  70. Forestry - fell trees 540
  71. Forestry - hoeing 372
  72. Forestry - hand plant 446
  73. Forestry - saw by hand 499
  74. Forestry - power saw 307
  75. Forestry - stack wood 364
  76. Forestry - trim trees 528
  77. Forestry - weeding 295
  78. Frisbie 413
  79. Furriery 344
  80. Gardening - digging 515
  81. Gardening - hedging 315
  82. Gardening - mowing 499
  83. Gardening - raking 221
  84. Golf - with cart 311
  85. Golf - carry clubs 356
  86. Gymnastics 295
  87. Handball 589
  88. Horse Grooming 524
  89. Horseback - galloping 560
  90. Horseback - trotting 454
  91. Horseback - walk 176
  92. Horseshoes 278
  93. Housework - floor mop 254
  94. Housework - dusting 250
  95. Housework - laundry 254
  96. Housework - windows 290
  97. Housework - vacuuming 250
  98. Hunting 360
  99. Ice Hockey 655
  100. Ironing Clothes 155
  101. Jazzercise - casual 397
  102. Jazzercise - moderate 450
  103. Jassercise - extreme 556
  104. Jog (17 min/mile) 397
  105. Jog (16 min/mile) 421
  106. Jog (15 min/mile) 438
  107. Jog (14 min/mile) 470
  108. Jog (13 min/mile) 507
  109. Jog (12 min/mile) 544
  110. Judo 802
  111. Jump Rope (70 min) 663
  112. Jump Rope (80 min) 671
  113. Jump Rope (125 min) 724
  114. Jump Rope (145 min) 806
  115. Jump Rope (110 rpm) 524
  116. Jump Rope (120 rpm) 556
  117. Jump Rope (130 rpm) 581
  118. Karate 802
  119. Kendo 794
  120. Knitting/Sewing 90
  121. Lacrose 614
  122. Locksmithing 241
  123. Lying at ease 90
  124. Mach. Tooling - machining 196
  125. Mach. Tool - lathe 237
  126. Mach. Tool - Press 360
  127. Mach. Tool - drill 266
  128. Mach. Tool - welding 213
  129. Mach. Tool - sheet metal 196
  130. Marching - vigorous 581
  131. Masonry 319
  132. Mopping Floor 245
  133. Mountain Climbing 650
  134. Motorcycle Riding 565
  135. Music - accordian 131
  136. Music - cello - sitting 168
  137. Music - conducting 401
  138. Music - drums - sitting 270
  139. Music - flute - sitting 143
  140. Music - horn - sitting 119
  141. Music - organ - sitting 217
  142. Music - piano - sitting 164
  143. Music - trumpet - sitting 127
  144. Music - violin - sitting 184
  145. Music - woodwind - sitting 131
  146. Paddle Ball 728
  147. Paddle Tennis 704
  148. Painting - inside 139
  149. Painting - outside 319
  150. Painting - scaping 262
  151. Planting Seedlings 286
  152. Plastering 319
  153. Printing Press Work 147
  154. Racquetball 732
  155. Rollerblading - casual 540
  156. Rollerblading - fast 638
  157. Roller Skating - casual 475
  158. Rowing - skull - casual 409
  159. Rowing - skull - vigorous 736
  160. Rowing Machine - moderate 491
  161. Rowing Machine - extreme 736
  162. Running (11 min/mile) 556
  163. Running (9 min/mile) 794
  164. Running (8 min/mile) 884
  165. Running (7 min/mile) 998
  166. Running (6 min/mile) 1137
  167. Running (5 min/mile) 1186
  168. Sailing - casual 180
  169. Scrubbing Floors 450
  170. Scuba Diving 941
  171. Shoe Repair - general 188
  172. Sitting Quietly 90
  173. Skateboarding 475
  174. Skiing - casual 491
  175. Skiing - moderate 589
  176. Skiing - powder - casual 430
  177. Skin Diving - casual 843
  178. Skin Diving - vigorous 1129
  179. Snorkeling - 376
  180. Snowshoeing - powder - 430
  181. Snowmobiling 307
  182. Soccer 556
  183. Softball 286
  184. Squash 867
  185. Stair Step (6" bench) 556
  186. Stair Step (8" bench) 614
  187. Stair Step (10" bench) 663
  188. Stair Step (12" bench) 736
  189. Standing Quietly 115
  190. Steel Mill - felting 364
  191. Steel Mill - forging 409
  192. Steel Mill - hand roll 560
  193. Steel Mill - rolling 593
  194. Steel Mill - remove slag 728
  195. Steel Mill - furnace 515
  196. Steel Mill - tip molds 376
  197. Stock Clerking 221
  198. Surfing 348
  199. Swim - back stroke 691
  200. Swim - breast stroke 663
  201. Swim - butterfly 704
  202. Swim - crawl - casual 524
  203. Swim - crawl - vigorous 638
  204. Swim - side stroke 499
  205. Swim - tread - casual 254
  206. Swim - tread - vigorous 695
  207. Table Tennis 295
  208. Tailor - cutting 168
  209. Tailor - hand sewing 131
  210. Tailor - Mach. sewing 184
  211. Tailor - pressing 254
  212. Tennis - singles 450
  213. Tennis - doubles 385
  214. Tennis - competition 597
  215. Treadmill (2.0 mph) 213
  216. Treadmill (2.5 mph) 262
  217. Treadmill (3.0 mph) 311
  218. Treadmill (3.5 mph) 352
  219. Treadmill (4.0 mph) 401
  220. Typing - word process 115
  221. Typing - manual 131
  222. Volleyball - casual 209
  223. Volleyball - vigorous 597
  224. Walk - road outdoors 327
  225. Walk - field outdoors 335
  226. Walk - grass track 335
  227. Walk - plowed field 323
  228. Walk - on beach 344
  229. Wallpapering 196
  230. Water Skiing 491
  231. Watch Repairring 106
  232. WT. Train - free weight 352
  233. WT. Train - hydraulic 540
  234. WT. Train - Nautilus 376
  235. WT. Train - Universal 475
  236. Window Cleaning 245
  237. Wrestling - competition 794
  238. Writing 123
  239. Yoga 254
  
  
  
  

Time For Some Action

Well, 2007 is quickly approaching and numerous persons will make promises to themselves to better their lives in some shape, form, or fashion. Undoubtedly, the majority of these promises will be vastly unkeeped. Approximately 80% of all New Year's resolutions are never realized. Among these unfulfilled goals is improving health & fitness. It is the same revolving promise that has taken a backseat to busy work schedules, and hectic family lives for weeks, months and years. Many a determined soul will head to their local gym this January with lofty goals for changing their bodies. But if good intent was enough to get everyone into great physical condition, than approximately 33% of the adult population and 15% of children over the age of six in the U.S. would not be labelled clinically obese. In addition, recent studies suggest that 2/3 of the population may be considered overweight. Not only can obesity lead to well documented chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease; it is a condition often accompanied by emotional and social distress.

As they say, "only the strong survive" and long before 2007 ends, a large portion of the gym population will have dropped off. Bless their hearts for giving it the college try. Maybe it will be of some consolation to know the gym ownership will be thanking them for their monthly donations.

Now, those who manage to persist past the blooming of the Cherry Blossoms will not necessarily be better off. Time in the gym does not always equate to time well spent. The casual gym-user who quits an exercise at the threat of a bead of sweat starting to form is clearly deluding himself or herself into believing that they are actually taking an active role towards their health. Yeah, something is better than nothing, but not by much.

If you are serious about making a commitment to your health, than the first step you need to take is getting your mind right. Getting your mind right means prioritizing yourself. Stop using the excuse that you don't have time to exercise, because of your commitments to work and family. If your health starts to severly fail, you won't be able to direct much attention to either one of those important enities. Taking time to take care of yourself doesn't make you a bad husband/wife, parent, or employee; it makes you a better person emotionally, physically, and mentally. Life is full of important tasks to keep all of us busy around the clock, playing and laughing should be among them. Rest assure no one ever looks back at the end of their life and says, "I should have worked more."

So here is a plan of action for making good on both old and new promises:

Step 1 - Vision

Successful people know what they want out of life. They constantly seek and engage in activites that give passion, purpose, and meaning to their lives. People who are certain about what they want to accomplish are six times more likely to succeed in making positive significant life changes, than those who are not. Thus emphasizing the importance of clarifying one's goals. Conversely, those that are ambivalent and conflicted about their goals are more likely to:

1. Experience depression & anxiety;
2. Be less happy & satified with their lives;
3. Experience more physical illnesses, & doctor's visits;
4. Be indecisive, uncertain & rebellious;
5. Spend more time thinking about their goals; and
6. Spend less time taking action toward their goals.

To uncover the true motivation of a goal, you must answer the question "why?" Keep asking yourself "why" until you have identified a specific reason(s) to act. Then you can establish appropriate goals for modifying your behavior.

Step 2 - Strategy

Throughout the years I have witnessed countless gym members wandering aimlessly through the gym, clueless. They sporadically go from one piece of exercise equipment to the next with no rhyme or rhythm to what they are doing. Consequently, these are the same gym members that have been working out for years, but look the same as they did the first day they walked through the door.

Lofty visions without a compelling strategy to accomplish specific goals can lead to self-pity, hopelessness, and inconsistency. Successful people are flexible thinkers who engage in both higher level visionary thinking, as well as lower level strategic thinking. These people tend to accomplish more than those who think at either level alone. Properly setting your personal goals channels effort in the right direction, thereby boosting motivation while enhancing performance. After setting well refined challenging goals people tend to think longer, harder, and more creatively about how to accomplish them. Believe it or not, there are innovative methods to manage family, work, and other time restraining obstacles and allow time for exercise. Where there is a "will" there is a way.

Goals should be: specific, measureable, aggressive, relevant, time-bound, and approachable.

Many published studies have documented that specific, challenging goals result in better performance than easy goals, no goals, or simply trying to do your best.

Measuring progress allows you to analysis whether the strategy you are employing is significantly moving you toward achieving a specific goal. This in turn encourages steady progress by minimalizing the tendency to measure success in all-or-none terms. It is important to have short-term goals leading up to long-term goals, so that you stay motivated and persistent.

Be aggressive, setting aggresive goals tends to accomplish more than setting modest goals. Setting goals at the upper end of your ability will elicit much more effort, than setting goals that are easily achieved; making success that much sweeter.

Goals should be relevant in that they outline specific actions consistent with your vision or ideal. People strive toward goals with greater enthusiasm, consistency, and confidence, when doing so brings them personal satisfaction. This leads to enchanced performance, perseverance, creativity, and self-esteem.

Achieving a goal is also heightened by setting a specific time-frame in which the various parts of a plan are to be executed and completed, both long-term and short-term. Otherwise, achieving long term success may seem too arduous a task to tackle. This can produce feelings of "why bother, I'll never be able to do that."

Finally, goals should be approachable in that they focus on desired ends to move toward, rather than negative states to avoid. Being desciplined should not be about what you are losing, but what you are gaining.

Step - 3 Belief

You have to believe in yourself and the decisions you make for your life. Pulling from my martial arts experience, I'll share with you this ancient quote. "Destiny is decisions within the space of 7 breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side." However you define belief, it is one of the most powerful prodictors for change and success. If you believe you will be successful, you will be more likely to:

1. Work harder, achieve more and perform better in many different areas such as academics, sports, career, relationships and keeping New Year's resolutions.

2. Be happy, while effectively tackling problems of depression, anxiety, burnout, alcoholism, smoking, and obesity.

3. Set more goals, and set them more effectively.

4. Persist vigorously in the face of adversity and obstacles, while viewing setbacks as a source of motivation.

5. Attribute failures to changeable causes (i.e. poor strategies) rather than unchangeable causes (i.e. not being smart enough).

6. React better to difficult circumstances, including poor grades, career setbacks, stressful life style, paralyzing accidents, and chronic illnesses.

7. Use more effective coping mechanisms, such as humor, regualar exercise, and preventive care.

Step 4 - Persistence

Successful people view setbacks as a temperary state that lets them know there is yet a better course of action to be taken. As I have mentioned before, "if you get knoocked down 9 times, than be ready to get up 10 times." It has been reported that people who successfully maintain their New Year's resolutions for a period of 2 years admitted on average 14 slips. But they used those lapsed moments to strengthen their commitment. Ocassionally someone will be shocked to see me eating food that is clearly far away from the healthy base of the Food Pyramid. So I remind them that I am a trainer, not a saint. It is human to make mistakes and ocassionally give into your vices, so don't beat yourself up over slipping from time to time. Good practice over a period of time will help make it easier to cope with moments of weakness, and incidental slips will occur less frequently.

Reward yourself for success. This can be a powerful tool for aiding in weight loss, smoking cessation, battling depression, boosting self-esteem, and adhering to medical regimes. This can be as simple as treating yourself to a smoothie for not missing any scheduled workouts during the week.

Create a supportive network of friends and family to aid you in your efforts to do well, and help you bounce back quickly when you have setbacks. Successful people readily solicit the support of friends, family, and same interest groups. Consequently, they achieve more, live longer, and derive greater personal satisfaction from life, than those who isolate themselves.

You should expect success, but when setbacks due accur have a coping strategy in place to deal with them. Simply talking to a sympathetic friend that is aware of your struggle can help you get over the hump.

Step 5 - Learning

You should self-monitor yourself, by recording aspects of your behavior and measure the progress towards your goal. It is crucial to know if the strategies you are implementing are causing significant change. If the answer is no, then course correction is needed. Thus, self-monitoring provides valuable feedback on whether a strategy is taking you toward your vision, and lets you know when corrections are needed when they are not.

If you are tired of unfulfilled promises piling up around you, know that it is generally not the result of being lazy, weak, having a lack of will-power, or a fear of success. Rather, it is the result of using flawed strategies to achieve success. Those who achieve more use the best processes for change. These individuals identify more techniques for change, and use those techniques longer, more frequently, more consistently, and more thoughtfully.

So let 2007 be the year that you stop making promises and make a plan instead!

Again, Again & Again - Now Start Over

Beginning practitioners of the martial arts and boxing often ask me, "how often should I practice?" I in turn answer them with a question, how good do you want to be?

It has been said that, "a technique is not yours until you have practiced it ten thousand times correctly." Repetition is the tool of permanent impression. One of the training goals for any fighter should be to practice the physical skills of their craft with such frequency and attention to proper form that they no longer have to think about how, when, why and where. In other words, the aim is to rise to a level of proficiency that the execution of kicks, blocks, punches, and footwork become so fluent and effortless, one does not have to give any more conscious consideration to them then they would breathing. To develop this level of skill takes a great deal of time, devotion, and hard work. Any competitor wishing to reach the echelon of their sport must be willing to commit their mind, body and soul toward his/her goals every day, and by virtue of the process they will be rewarded. For it is the pursuit of goals that gives meaning to achievement in the ring and life in general.

Now go back, and read this post again!

The Will Is The Way

It's a given that every fighter who steps into the ring wants to win, but that alone will not make you a successful competitor. Assuming that you have the right stuff (speed, agility, balance, strength, coordination, power, flexibility and endurance), the single most determining factor to success in and out of the ring is the will-to-win. There is no weapon more lethal than the will. It is the force that numbs you to physical punishment, and mental anguish, and allows you to focus to the point of insanity. When I compete in the ring, it is not the thought of winnning or losing that consumes me, but the opportunity to succeed. Defeat is a state of mind which I am not willing to realize. Even if I fall short of my goals, it is but a temporary state that encourages me to train harder to remove whatever obstacles that are in my way. Failure is what your mind acknowledges. Knock me down 9 times and I'll get up 10 times.

In order to tap into this tremendous power of self-determination, you must want to realize your dreams and ambitions with hunger and passion. Only this type of attitude will allow you to push yourself to the limit and endure long grueling workouts with an effort well beyond the ordinary. When you are tired to the point of exhaustion, but you still find a way to keep going, this is the power of will. Determination wields the actions of the body. If one trains in this matter, fear and doubt should never enter their mind. You will be secure in the knowledge that you can do whatever is necessary to succeed.

Life in general has taught me that people are basically creatures of habit. What you habitually think of yourself, largely determines what you will become. This is why you will never hear me say, "I was just happy to be afforded the opportunity to compete." If your aim is so low that you were satisfied with just showing up, you need not show at all. Effort short of your best always leads to the short end of the stick, and you are already defeated even before the the first bell rings. A second problem that stifles victory, is the anticipation of suffering, which is worse than the actual affliction itself. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. I have been fighting a long time, and I have never come across an opponent whose defenses were impenetrable, and their offense was unstoppable. If you fight not to lose, your mind will be so preoccupied by what your opponent can do, that you lose sight of what you can do. You become a puppet on a string allowing your advisory to control your actions. So what if you get hit (train hard, and you'll bleed less), shake it off and return the favor ten fold. Put your opponent on notice that you can take it, and dish it back with interest. The lessons of pain and suffering are but tools that teach us a better course of action that leads to success, if not now, than in the future.

Eat Your Wheaties

Your Mind Can Make You
Train
Your Body Can Create
Power
But Only Your
Heart
Can Make You A
Champion

5 Tips For Conquering the Fear of Defeat

1. 
   
   Spar at least once a week. Choose a variety of partners with various fighting styles, heights, weight, power, speed and agility. Make mental notes or even write down what works best against what type of opponent (i.e. right handed boxers should keep their lead left foot to the outside of a left handed fighter's lead right foot to set their opponent up for a right cross and in turn avoid their opponent's left cross). The more familiar you are with a variety of types of fighters the more comfortable you will be with handling whatever you may encounter inside the ring.


2. 
   
   Play out various fight scenarios that are likely to occur during a bout and formulate a plan of attack and defense for each exchange. Mitt work, one-step sparring, and shadow boxing are excellent drills to develop speed, timing, agility, and automatic defensive and offensive responses .


3. 
   
   Increase your threshold for pain by subjecting your body to drills that apply a moderate amount of discomfort to areas of your body that are likely to receive punishment during a real match. This is a progressive technique that should begin with only mild levels of pain that slowly increases over weeks with more moderate to intermediate amounts of force being applied. Force that leaves you in long-term pain is too harsh. An example drill would be doing fisted push-ups to toughen the skin on and around the knuckles as well as to increase the calcium deposits surrounding these bones to strengthen them against breaking during punching.


4. 
   
   Train for at least double the amount of rounds you will need for the fight. If the battle becomes a war you will have the endurance and engery needed to go the distance.


5. 
   
   Focus your eyes around the chest of your opponent. It will give you the broadest perspective to see everything that he is doing. Your main focus will keep an eye on his hips and core which will tell you what direction he wants to move in. Your upper peripheral vision checks his hands, and your lower peripheral vision will keep tabs on his feet, letting you know if your opponent is setting up for a kick or punch, or is off-balance and primed for a counter-attack.
   
   
   
   

Funky Enough

I have worked in and out of many gyms for what seems like half my life. The aesthetics, the equipment and the faces may vary, but the one constant is the smell. The second you enter some gyms the stench of bacteria and germs swimming in pools of sweat, and taking refuge in sweaty towels and clothing enters your nostrils and rips through your respiratory system like road kill on a hot summer's day. If smell is the strongest sense tied to memory, then there are people I have met in gyms that I will never forget. Aromatic assault should be labeled a crime punishable by death, perhaps a pool of boiling bubble bath. I'm sure there must be a right to fresh-air law on the books that deals with this sort of annoyance.

Back to back to back aerobic classes in the same studio just saturates the air with fowl offensive aroma. Two dozen or more people exercising in an enclosed area does not make for a bed of roses; It's more like changing time at a child daycare center. You better add a military-issued gas mask to your Christmas wish list this year, if you're going to continue to endure those cardio funk classes. Also beware of the puddles of sweat that have been conveniently left on the aerobic floor for you to slip and fall in. But don't worry Washington D.C. has so many lawyers, at least five of them will hand you their business card before you hit the floor.

The worst situation is the person who comes to the gym already stinking to high hell. By the time they finish their workout the funk coming from their body is at Def Com 5. Do these people not smell themselves? Why would you leave the house smelling like that? These are the people that smell so bad, you don't even want to stand in the same area they are in. After they vacate the premises you can still sense their looming scent. You see people looking around and sniffing trying to figure out where the smell of dead fish is coming from.

I think at the end of every gym membership contract should be a disclaimer in bold print that reads air quality not included.

Have you ever gone to use a machine, and noticed the person before you has left a nice sweaty imprint of their body? If the culprit is still around, sometimes he or she will offer to clean up their moisture glistening mess with the sleeve or tail of their sweaty shirt. I fail to see the logic of this solution.

Don't get me started on the cycling class area. Sweat flys through the air like a game of dodge ball. Routinely gyms pack the bikes so close together there is no way you can run for cover. You just have to grin and bare it. Like the aerobic rooms this part of the gym stinks too.

Your sense of smell can tell you a lot about a person, like whether or not they knocked back a few shots of tequila the night before. You can bet that the scent of a Saturday night drinking spree will come oozing out of your sweat glands during a Sunday morning workout. Many a client has given me a contact buzz.

But even though the gym often smells like it's down-wind from a cattle farm, I would never trade in my sneakers and sweats for a tie and jacket, ball and chain, sweet smelling, 70 hours a week desk job. I'm funkdafied and happy.

Gym Cooties

Got cooties? Healh clubs house plenty of them, even in the most pristine facilities. How ironic is that? Fungi and bacteria love to hang-out in moist warm places: locker room floors, shower stalls, on workout equipment, areas surrounding swimming pools and hot tubs, in steam rooms, and snuggled up in sweaty clothing and towels. Just about any warm damp area in the gym is a perfect breeding ground for cooties.

Two of the most common cooties that like to camp-out in the locker room area are tinea pedis and onychomycosis. Tinea pedis is better known as athlete's foot, which is a fungal skin infection marked by cracked or blistering skin that often includes burning and itching sensations. Onychomycosis is a fungi that causes yellow brittle nails of the hands and feet. Fortunately, both of these diseases are easily treatable with over-the-counter medications. But stubborn cases may require the attention of a doctor.







But even if you manage to stay clear of the above mentioned diseases, you still might have an unlucky encounter with the human papillomavirus which causes plantar warts. These unsightly warts can appear alone or in clusters on the bottom of the feet. Cooties just love the floors of gym locker rooms and shower stalls. They also thrive equally well on both carpeted and tiled surfaces.



Don't be scared, here are a few tips on how to avoid gym cooties:


Don't dare stand or walk barefooted on any gym floor surface including the floor of the shower stall. When the sneakers come off the shower shoes should go on.

Don't sit barebutt on the benches in the locker room. Place a towel underneath of your bum.

Don't dry off sensative areas of your body with the same towel that you dry your feet off with.

When using gym equipment create a protective barrier between you and the areas of contact with a towel.

If your towel hits the floor, ditch it and get another towel.

Clean and cover any cuts immediately after you notice them. Even the tiniest break in the skin can provide a pathway for gym cooties.

Many clubs provide antiseptic spray bottles and paper towels to wipe equipment down; use it to clean behind yourself as well as others.

If you're sick, stay home so that you don't spread the infection to your gym mates.

If possible, avoid showering at the gym all together, and make a B-Line straight for your own shower at home.

Avoid touching your face after handling weights and other items around the gym that could be laden with germs and bacteria from people with colds. So wash your hands thoroughly.

Use antifungal powder on your feet and inside your shoes.

Change or wash the inserts of your shoes occasionally.

Wear synthetic socks.

Keep these tips in mind, and you can leave the gym in good health without the company of a gym cootie.

Free Weights or Machines?

From Paige Waehner

Which should you choose for the best workout?

Strength training can be confusing if you're just starting out or if it's been awhile since you've lifted weights, especially when it comes to choosing what type of equipment to use. Should you use free weights or machines? Knowing the pros and cons of each can help you figure out which one is right for you.

The Pros and Cons of Weight Machines

Weight machines can be a good choice, especially if you're just getting started with strength training. In fact, many beginners start out using machines because:

They're supportive. Most machines provide support, which is great for people who need help when learning new exercises. It can also be good for people rehabbing injuries or those who want to lift heavy weights without a spotter.

They're easy to use. Because most machines work on a fixed path and have instructions and diagrams posted, it's easier to use good form.

They save time. It usually doesn't take as much time to change weights on machines as it would for many free weight exercises.

They're less intimidating. Trying to figure out what to do with a bunch of dumbbells can seem impossible. With machines, you know exactly what muscles you're working and how to do the exercise correctly.

On the other hand, machines do have disadvantages such as:

They're too supportive. Because you have so much support, you use fewer muscle groups at the same time. This means you burn less calories and work the body in a less functional way.

They're limited. Most machines offer one exercise for one part of the body, which means having to use multiple machines for a total body workout.
They don't allow you to work on weaknesses. Many machines require you to use both arms or legs to move the weight, so if one side is stronger than the other, that side may do more work than the weaker side.

They don't allow the body to work naturally. Because many machines work on a fixed path, there's not much room for working the body throughout different planes of motion..

Of course, not all weight machines are created equally and many gyms now offer a variety of machines including plate-loaded, free motion and cable machines which can offer more variety and more functional training. These types of machines often have a higher learning curve and require more skill and coordination than the average machine.

The Pros and Cons of Free Weights

Free weights are probably my favorite way to strength train because they offer effective, time-efficient workouts. Other advantages include:

Versatility. Free weights can be used for a variety of exercises for the entire body, so you don't have to move from machine to machine to work different muscle groups.

Functionality. With free weights, you're able to move the body through natural motions as well as through a variety of planes allowing you to mimic movements you do in real life like squatting, lifting things over your head and rotating the body.

Building whole body strength. Because you're supporting your own body, you can work on specific muscles while involving smaller stabilizer muscles that can get neglected with machine training...this can also help you burn more calories during your workout.

Like machines, free weights also have some disadvantages:

They're hard to learn. Using free weights requires skill and coordination, so you may need some instruction when using them for the first time. Good form is harder to achieve without the added support from machines, so there's a higher learning curve with free weights.

Risk of injury. Because there isn't a fixed path when using free weights, it's easier to put your body in the wrong position, which could lead to injury. There's also the risk of dropping the weights, especially if you're lifting heavy.

Confusion. With machines, you know exactly what exercise you're doing and what muscle you're working. With dumbbells, there are so many exercises you can do, it's easy to get confused about where to start.

With strength training, a variety of tools is often the best way to get an effective workout. When choosing your own resistance, consider the following:

If you're a beginner: stick with machines until you feel more comfortable with the movements.

If you're in a hurry: go with machines. Workouts are generally more time-efficient when machines are used. If you have to wait in line, however, choose free weights.

If you're working out at home: stick with free weights. Machines are expensive, take up a lot of room and offer limited exercises. Free weights are cheaper, versatile and take up less room.

If you're rehabbing an injury: stick with machines since they offer the most support, but always follow your doctor/physical therapist's advice.

If you hate lifting weight: you might find machines are easiest to use.
To get the most out of each workout in the fastest possible time: stick with free weights. You can incorporate more muscle groups at the same time.

One little, two little, three little Indians
four little, five little, six little Indians
seven little, eight little, nine little Indians
ten little Indian boys/girls


Alright, boys and girls gather around Uncle Ho. We are going to have us a good old fashion school yard fight. There will be medals for the winners, and a finger pointing towards the exit for the losers. You kids need to learn that we live in an opportunistic world, and second just doesn't cut it. In other words, you came in last first.

Now strap on your bonnets, and tighten up your girdles. When that bell rings, you come out kicking, punching and screaming like you have just been shot out of your mamma's birth canal. Now if any of you youngsters gets into trouble, I'm going to give you an eight count to get yourself together. Which basically means that you need to suck it up, because you're getting a butt whooping out there. Guard your grill at all times, and don't get caught bobbing and weaving, when you should have been ducking and rolling. If you get knocked out, crawl your way to the edge of the ring. We have a lot of people here, and we don't have time to waste on you sprawled out in the middle of the ring for ten minutes. Bleed on your own time. After you're done beating the stuffing out of each other, remember to shake hands. It's important to show good sportsmanship. Also take note that steroid use is not permitted in this tournament. Cheating is for professional athletes only. As I look around, I see some of you smaller kids are going to have your hands full with the bigger kids. My advice to you is to kick them in the jewels. If there are no questions, let's get ready to rumble.

Rules of Competition:
1. Show Up
2. Pay Up
3. Line Up
4. Shut Up!

Street Fighting vs. Competitive Sparring

"To fight with people face to face over advantages is the hardest thing in the world to do." Zhang Yu

Being ready for a competitive martial arts tournament, and being ready for physical confrontation on the streets is not like the other; one should not think they are one in the same. The rules of engagement are quite different for both, along with the consequences.

A tournament is governed by established rules which provide entertainment for spectators, and protection and fair practices for competitors. There are judges and referees to mediate the action, coaches to counsel the athletes, and parents and friends who cheer. Fighters are expected to exhibit good sportsmanship and respect toward their fellow opponents, or at the very least be able to fake it. Although there is a risk of sustaining serious injury during a match, most tournaments require competitors to wear protective sparring gear (i.e. headgear, mouth piece, instep and shin guards, chest protectors, forearm guards, groin protector, wraps, gloves, etc.) Fighters that are stunned by a particularly hard blow are often given eight counts to collect themselves; saving them from an experience that might have otherwise put their consciousness on a vacation. If push comes to shove, a fighter can throw in the towel, and simply walk away. With all these measures in place rarely does injury result in death.

In contrast, street fighting is unpredictable and often brutally savage. The rules are there are no rules. When I was a little boy growing up in Philadelphia, I witnessed a teenage boy try to fend off four guys that literally beat him within half an inch of his life. Both his legs were shattered with an iron crowbar, and he was punched in the face until he was unresponsive. I am telling this story not for entertainment purposes, but to emphasize the stark differences between street fighting and tournament sparring. Attacks on the street come without warning, judges, referees, protective equipment, and rules. The objective is not to score points; it is to hurt someone, often to the point that death is a real imminent possibility. Lose a fight in the ring, you can come back to fight another day. Lose a fight in the streets, and there might not be another day.

In a tournament there are no losers, short of someone who does not give their all. Sure, some participants will be outfitted with belts, medals, trophies, and other awards, but the experience of competing and the shared interest and camaraderie is the true reward to be had by all. In real life confrontations, everyone is a loser and there are only survivors. Even if you successfully fend off an attacker on the streets, I think you lose a little bit of your compassion, trust, and forgiveness. I can personally tell you that having gone through some combative situations on the streets, after each one I was a little less trusting of people, a little less tolerant, and a little less responsive to violence in general. Until this day I never sit with my back to the door in a restaurant. I look behind me when I hear heavy footsteps or see the shadows of people coming up behind me. I make it a point to watch everyone that comes near or around me. I rarely carry cash, or wear fancy jewelry so as to not attract attention to myself. I walk quickly with purpose, and with an almost unemotional look on my face. Outside of my immediate family and some truly close friends, I trust no one unless proven otherwise. At times the only person I trust is myself. Now, I don't want you to get the impression that I am paranoid, that is not the case. I have just learned through my experiences to be very cautious with my well being. The defensive measures I take are done in a very discreet and subtle manner.

Finally, fighting in the streets requires a completely different mind-set than fighting in a ring. You have to be willing to take a person's life if necessary, and be able to live with the consequences of your actions. Competing in the ring is about sport, not life or death. Even the most aggressive competitors in the ring usually have a conscionable point that they will not cross. That is to say that an athlete understands circumstances that cause the price of winning to become too high to continue a match. Combative sports have specific training goals to meet specific objectives under specific conditions. An athlete who has only trained within the parameters of their sport is ill- prepared to mount a successful defense in a street fight where the scope of possible actions and reactions are much broader than the controlled environment of the ring. Some examples include: (1) Fighting at night or in dim lighting, as opposed to that of a well-lit ring. Distance perception is grossly affected by minimal lighting. (2) Wet and uneven surfaces affect balance. (3) Battling multiple attackers requires quick movements and strikes, preferably techniques that subdue each attacker, so that you don't have to keep revisiting the same threat. (4) Finally, disarming someone is a distinct challenge requiring lots of practice, which is not a skill readily practiced by competitive fighters.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A PERSONL TRAINER

Tips for finding and working with a personal trainer: healthclub.com

Hiring a personal trainer should be a rewarding and productive experience, but retaining a trainer represents a commitment of both your time and money. To get the most from a trainer and your workouts, make sure that you enlist a personal trainer who has the experience and training necessary to help you achieve your personal fitness goals.

Consider the following as you search for the best personal trainer for you:

Personal trainers are increasingly more likely to hold a Bachelor's degree in exercise science or a related field and/or to be licensed physical therapists or athletic trainers.

Not all "certifications" are the same. Some require rigorous study of exercise physiology, while others may only require applicants to pass a very simple on-line quiz. You should feel free to ask for a trainer's credentials before committing to working with him or her.

Several nationally and internationally recognized certifying organizations have achieved accreditation of their personal training certifications from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). For a listing of these organizations, please visit: http://www.noca.org/ncca/accredorg.htm. Certifications that have recently become accredited may not be listed. For the most up to date listing, please contact NCCA at (202) 367-1165.

Always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, whether at a health club or at home. Inform your physician if you are changing or increasing the amount or intensity of your workouts and if you are interested in adding dietary supplements to your routine.

Ask friends and co-workers for recommendations of personal trainers and the reasons why they like a particular club or fitness professional.

A quality health club or gym is a great place to find and work with a personal trainer. Talk to fitness directors at local health clubs to find a qualified trainer that meets your individual fitness needs.

Meet with prospective trainers first to find out how they would work with you and what kind of programs they might recommend to achieve your personal goals.
Keep in mind that a personal training certification does not qualify a trainer as a nutrition counselor/dietician, physical therapist, or other specialized healthcare provider. A good trainer should not recommend specific supplements, medicines, or curative practices for illnesses, injuries, or health conditions unless they have the appropriate credentials.

Trust your instincts. If you don't believe a trainer will motivate you, that person is probably not right for you.

Make sure a trainer has the experience necessary to work with you safely and effectively. Just because a trainer is accomplished at helping clients prepare for marathons, they may not be the right person for someone just getting back into a fitness routine.

Tell your trainer about your level of experience, current level of activity, fitness goals, and all medical conditions or dietary requirements. Be sure to share all relevant information about your health and physical condition necessary to develop a fitness program that is appropriate for you.

If you have existing injuries or a chronic health condition, make sure that your trainer works with your doctor to develop a program that is appropriate, effective, and safe. Your personal trainer should ask you to complete a health history questionnaire to help identify any existing medical conditions.

Take your time and research all the potential trainer options thoroughly to maximize the investment you make in both time and money.

National Commission For Certifying Agencies:

Accredited Certification Organizations/Programs as of October 30, 2006


Organization/Program and Expiration Date

American College of Sports Medicine
Certified Personal Trainer 4/30/2011

American Council on Exercise
Clinical Exercise Specialist 8/31/08
Group Fitness Instructor 8/31/08
Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant 8/31/08
Personal Trainer 8/31/08

National Academy of Sports Medicine
Certified Personal Trainer 11/30/10

National Athletic Trainer's Association Board of Certification
Entry-Level Athletic Trainer Certification 10/31/10

National Council on Strength and Fitness
National Certified Personal Trainer 4/30/10

National Federation of Professional Trainers
Certified Personal Fitness Trainer 11/30/10

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certification Commission
Certified Personal Trainer 4/30/08
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist 4/30/08

Flat Line

At 6:00 A.M. I reluctantly left the dragon's lair to torture a few willing clients with intensive physical labor. For some odd reason they seem to enjoy this, and even pay me for my efforts. It's a strange relationship that we have; I simply point to various mechanical devices and order them to to push, pull, shove and buck until they are exhausted. For an hour this scenario is repeated until every muscle in their body has been thoroughly abused. Then compliments and good-byes are exchanged, and we plan to meet again in a couple of days. How this even qualifies as a profession is beyond me, but such as life.

However this impromptu post is not about fitness; it's about my aero sport all terrain bed with dual power pump (that was a mouth full). After I got home from my morning ordeal, I went to climb aboard my comfy air mattress, and then ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh son of #@$#^&*!!!!!! damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!! My bed is no longer the fluffy cloud of heaven it use to be. Instead it has sunken to the depths of hell, along with my deflated spirit and any hopes of having a good night's sleep until tomorrow, when I go to the mall to retrieve another. Maybe I can turn the bed sheets into a hammock.

Friend or Foe?

B-Flx & Greg

"Friend or foe?" It depends on what side of the ropes your standing when you ask me. Pictured above is me standing shoulder to shoulder with a rival competitor, just outside the ring that we fought in the night before trying to bash each other's head in like two lion seals during mating season.

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

Don't Think, Do

I am not one who likes to live life through exhausting amounts of thinking. Quite frankly, it is a waste of time. Life is the here and now. I can only control what is before me, not what was in the past, and not what will be. My actions at the moment are my only concern; when that instance is gone, I move on. In this way my mind is never cluttered with over-analytical evaluations. People often think to the point that they frustrate and confuse themselves. They stumble over ideas and concepts to the point that they can no longer decipher what is real and concrete, and what is not.

Anyone who has taken two or more of my kickboxing/boxing classes knows that no two classes are ever the same. I compose each lesson as it happens, then I start over again next class. I laugh inside every time someone asks me prior to class, "so what will we be doing today?" Then my internal laughter becomes external as I reply, I have no idea, I have not started teaching yet. Some people find it very hard to believe that I create each class off the top of my head, but I do. I am secure and confident in the knowledge that I possess, and I act in accord with the situation at hand without hesitation or doubt. My instinctual style of teaching allows class participants to physically and mentally grow without the constraints of routine, stale, and boring formats.

I also apply minimalist thinking inside the ring. Once the match has begun and the first blow has been thrown, any thinking there was to do should have already been done. Fists of fury do not wait for you to decide what is the best course of action. One has to know and feel what needs to be done. Indecision and hesitation is a disaster waiting to happen when your sparring. If the knowledge that you need is not at the forefront of your mind, and you find yourself reaching back to remember what to do, you will get hurt. Punches and kicks can reach you in a split second. Opportunities to counter appear and disappear quickly. Blocks have to be fast enough to beat strikes to the point of impact. With this said, it is easy to understand why there is no time for over-thinking inside the ring. A good fighter remains in a state of readiness, so that their actions are in the present and not an after-thought that came too late.

Do not conceive to the point that you miss out on doing.

Sexual Health

Does sex count as a form of cardiorespirtory exercise? Although bedroom escapades may get you all hot and bothered, the answer is no. You and your partner may feel like you have gone the distance in a 12 round bout, because both of your hearts are racing and you're each covered in sweat. But in reality these after shocks are largely due to hormones, not physical exertion. The act of sex burns very little calories. However, if you can find a way to move large muscle groups in extensive ranges of motion in rapid succession over a 30 to 60 minute time frame, then you can qualify your sexual habits as a form of exercise.

Good luck with that!




FIT FACTS: FROM THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE

Studies Show Exercise Can Improve Your Sex Life


Exercise is not only a well-documented means of maintaining muscle and losing fat, recent studies propose that it can also revitalize your sex life.

In a February 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, scientists found that sexual dysfunction is more likely among those with poor physical and emotional health, and plays a major role with negative experiences in sexual relationships and with overall well-being.

Studying sex and exercise

Sexual function is affected by general health, and the more you can do to improve your health by taking good care of yourself, the better your sex life can be.

Doctors at the New England Research Institute found that regular, vigorous exercise can be effective at lowering impotence risk. The researchers studied more than 600 middle-aged men who hadn't reported any problems with impotence. After eight years, the men who exercised regularly were less likely to have problems.

Vigorous exercise - the equivalent of walking two miles or burning 200 extra calories a day - was most effective.


On the opposite coast, a University of California, San Diego study of 78 healthy but sedentary middle-aged men documented changes when the men were assigned to exercise three to four times a week for one-hour sessions.

Overall, the former couch potatoes reported more reliable sexual functioning, more frequent sexual activity and orgasms, and greater satisfaction.

Yet another study, conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health, revealed that men who exercised vigorously for 20 to 30 minutes were about half as likely to have erection problems as inactive men. The scientists in this study also discovered that as a man gained weight, he became more susceptible to experiencing erectile dysfunction (E.D.).

Women's sex lives can also benefit from regular exercise. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin studied 35 women, ages 18 to 34. On two separate occasions the women first watched a short travel film, followed by an abbreviated X-rated film.

To begin with, the subjects cycled vigorously for 20 minutes. The second time they didn't. Researchers calculated their sexual response using a device that measures blood flow in genital tissue, and discovered that the women's vaginal responses were 169 percent greater after exercising.

More to love

Doctors believe that exercise has the effect it does on increasing sexual potency because it strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves circulation. Good circulation is important for sexual function.

Other things that hamper circulation include obesity, smoking or heavy alcohol use, however losing weight and quitting smoking or drinking didn't improve sexual function the way exercise did.

If exercise can do so much for your sex life, shouldn't more be even better? The answer is no, according to the same doctors who did the studies. Heavy exercise can actually decrease testosterone levels, leading to a less-robust sexual appetite.

In addition, over-training can compromise the immune system, which could also adversely affect sexual performance.

Exercise, while not a panacea, can be just what the doctor ordered for physical and psychological complaints.





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