Left Coast Fitness: Living Fully

A great read and a great need...

Now, if I told you up front what the subject of this post is I can easily say that a number of people would run from their computer!
Yes, I'm talking about s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g. Stretching has to be THE most underused tool in most athlete's and fitness enthusiast's bag of tricks. Does it trump nutrition in importance? Noooo, I wouldn't go that far but let’s understand some fundamental things about your body.
 OK, so this is about as unscientific an explanation as you can get but...

Your body has a structure (your bones) and this structure is held together at a variety of points (joints) by a spectacular system of connectors (ligaments and muscles). For the structure to be supported properly and to move properly, the connectors must be supple and strong.
Ligaments need movement to get the nutrients they require for their greatest ability and well-being. "Motion is Lotion" may sound corny but it is all too true. Muscles get nutrients through an intricate system of arteries, veins, and capillaries which carry nutrients to the cells and dispose of waste but ligaments have a far poorer exchange mechanism and require motion to encourage that mechanism.
Furthermore, each of your muscles has an optimal length at which it can produce optimal force. It's analogous to a guitar string being able to produce a specific note - too little slack and the note is high, too much slack and the note is too low. For our muscles to be truly effective they need to operate at the proper length and simply exercising to produce greater strength will not overcome the deficiencies of shortened, tight muscles.  Have you ever met someone who looks fairly typical - no bulging muscles, possibly even slight of build and yet they are tremendously strong? It's a good bet that their muscle fibers are all firing as they should and without great bulk producing great force.
So, on to the topic of how to get there - read this book: "Stretching Anatomy" by Arnold G. Nelson and Juoko Kokkonen.
It's kind of "techy" and may not be the most exciting of reads but boy does it show great stretches and wonderful explanations of stretching technique.  The illustrations show external and internal views of the body and the authors give precise identification of which muscles are involved. Too much information for some? Yes, but you’ll likely find your understanding of how your body works expanding with each read.
Don’t skip the introduction of the book - it’s short but very helpful. Once you’ve done that, dive right in and read about a portion of your body that you know needs help - Oh, I'll hazard a guess and say...hamstrings, for example, and follow the instructions on how to bring more length to these often neglected muscles.
 I guarantee (IF you actually DO the stretches consistently) that you'll find relief from many aches and pains and you'll enjoy sports more and possibly even create a sense of well-being in the world. OK, that last one might be a bit much but give it a read and give it a try.
I'll post more about stretching, but for now let's borrow from Nike and say "Just Do it" (with some well-done instruction by Arnold and Juoko).

Obese Beasts and Couch Potato Critters?

By now you’ve probably heard enough about obesity in adults and children to see that we need to make changes in our approach to how we live if we’re going to be able to enjoy our lives fully.
Well, said to say, our pets are also falling under the spell of too many calories in and too few calories out.

Studies from 2007 through 2011 have shown a steady increase in overweight pets with some studies citing obesity levels in pets as high as 57% for cats and 44% for dogs.
Considering that we’re talking about domesticated animals it’s hard to ignore the obvious truth - we are overfeeding our animals for the level of activity they live with.

In the case of cats this is a pretty straightforward fix - simply decreasing the amount of food or the availability of food will yield great results. A bit less obvious but an even better solution is, if possible, consider a raw food diet for your cat. Le’s face it, not too many cats are out there foraging for wheat, rice, or corn, regardless of how hungry they are!
Dogs will fare far better on a more “conscious” diet as well, of course.

One of the biggest reasons why animals overeat is simple boredom.
I think sometimes we forget that these are domesticated animals but only barely...they are hunters at their core. Pets need physical stimulation as well as mental stimulation; they need to run, jump, chase and be chased and this is especially true for dogs.

Think about the last time you sat in a meeting or an airport or in a car for hours; now think about the last time you were out on a beautiful trail or on the beach or beside a lake - the smells of nature, the breeze against your skin, the exhilaration of being able to move freely and walk or run. Now which would you like to repeat again and again?

Our pets are often stuck in situations that prevent them from enjoying their very nature and they’re looking to us for help. One last thought - as a client of mine pointed out today, if your pup is overweight, odds are you (the owner) aren't getting enough exercise!

NEXT UP: The joys of flyball, frisbees, parks, and recreation.

Hey, Inner Child...take a hike.
OK, so that doesn't really mean what you might think it does.
The other day I heard a couple of people talking about very disparate pleasures and enjoyments of life and in each case they spoke of how they wanted to allow their inner child to play.
Sounds good, right?
However, I think the concept of inner child has been used too widely and in this case in particular.
Why should play be associated with an inner child? Why not the outer adult? Better yet, why not with...YOU!
You see I think people create an artificial and restrictive state by maintaining that distinction. Why shouldn't, why couldn't, the outer adult be as free to enjoy and play as does this supposed inner child?
I think such a distinction bifurcates our psyche (always wanted to use that word) and gives responsibility to the outer adult and pleasure to the inner child. Well I say it's far more important to remember when play was a part of our life and reinstate it to a well-deserved and well-respected part of our adult life.
My blog is about wellness, about living life fully; I believe those imperatives can't be met without play. Of course responsibility is still part of our life, again living fully would require that but that doesn't have to impinge on fun, on play, on laughter and even being care-free if only for a few moments!
Frankly, I think many people experience a childhood that is anything but care-free!
So I say, if you've forgotten that play is an important part of your adult life - remember *how* to play, remember *what* play is - a way to grow, to learn, to life life more fully.
Now get off the couch and play but by all means have a good time.

Getting Stuck; Getting Unstuck.
So there's "Just Do it" or this gem from Walt Disney: " You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. " and other fabulous admonitions meant to break through the sludge of our inability to move forward (or even move, for that matter).
I'm sitting here today at the computer to put these words out there and to slap myself on the back for breaking through a bit today myself.
You see, in the last 2 years (almost to the day) I've lost my two older siblings, neither of whom were particularly old when they died - Patrick was 60, Elle was 69 and I've found myself stuck...no make that weighed down as if by gravity times 10. I think I wanted that weight to be lifted or to become less dense or something before I could get back on track but I decided today that isn't going to work that way.
So, I had a business meeting, worked on cleaning up some stuff that was preventing me from doing some creative activities, and I set up my hex bar for some squats. Started at 185, went quickly to 235, upped it just a bit to 255 and right now I can't remember that feeling of being weighed down at all.
I know that I pushed a total of 427 pounds off the floor (the bar + me) and I know that over the course of the lift today I pushed well more than 10,000 pounds off the ground. So for some of you those numbers sound big, for others they're nothing much. Today, for me, they represent more than 5 tons I moved piece by piece but I moved them. I moved a bit of the ache and a bit of the loss and unstuck my heart from the pit...just a bit but it moved!
I didn't plan on anything, I just wanted to accomplish something, to achieve something, to feel movement to beat the s*** out of inertia both physical and emotional.
So I did just do it and my teeth are still intact; maybe I'm not doing so badly after all.

Fitting in Fitness

Today I wanted to give you some quick ideas to help you fit in a few healthier choices throughout your day.

Even those days when you have no time to work out in any conventional way, you can find a few things that will help you be healthier.

For example (in no particular order):

1. park as far away from the store as possible when you go grocery shopping - if it's a big purchase day, load up the cart and push it as far as you can to get in a quick workout. Think of it as a sled run for the urban athlete.

2. forget the cart and carry two baskets instead - for those days when everything you need to get can fit in two hand-carried baskets, let your shoulders and arms work a bit more (or a lot more if you're getting heavy stuff). As you walk home or back to the car (which is parked far away, of course), keep your shoulders back and down to allow your lats to work harder, keep your shoulder blades active and get those rhomboids working as well. If you're really into it, see how many lateral raises you can get in but please make sure your grocery bags are strong.

3. speaking of grocery bags - use canvas bags rather than paper or plastic and don't forget to throw them into the wash often so they don't become germ carryalls.

4. change your pillow - get one that suits your style of sleeping well with just the right amount of support and you'll sleep better, breathe better, have a far better disposition in the morning as your neck and shoulders thank you for the proper support (not to mention your spouse thanking you for not snoring).

5. stand while watching the game on TV…you'll probably feel more connected to the action and your body will be working just by not slouching on the BIG DESTROYER OF SPINES aka, the couch.

6. get your teeth cleaned - a healthy mouth is tremendously beneficial to your overall health. 

7. in the same vein - get a water pik. helps to keep your mouth far cleaner than just brushing or flossing (but use 'em all)

8. refuse to sit for hours on end if it's within your power to do so - a few hours a day at the gym or even a bunch of hours of weekend activity does not counteract hours and hours of sitting. Stand while you're on the phone, for example; stand at meetings (I'll bet you'll have shorter meetings if everyone stands) and while you're at it, stand tall with your feet in parallel (yes, look to see if they really are) and weight evenly distributed - a bit of awareness can result in a lot of comfort

Well, that's it for today but I'd be willing to bet you can probably add another 5 ideas without thinking too hard at all - so stand up and call a friend and get some more ideas!

Stay active, stay strong.

With gratitude - Jack Lalanne: 1914 - 2011
Jack Lalanne was a fixture in my home when I was growing up - a constant reminder of the need for fitness, not just exercise. Did my folks want to join in as he exercised? Hell no! But he did inspire me and eventually set me on the path I walk (and run) today.
Despite his phenomenal mind-blowing feats of strength, Jack constantly spoke of finding balance in your life so that you exercised well, ate well and slept well.
Did you know his Dad died at age 50 from a heart problem? Jack himself lived to be 96, perhaps because as he put it, dying would be bad for his business.
So go on and honor Jack by pushing away from your desk, standing tall, running a few flights of steps and finding time in every day to be more active and more loving towards your body.
Jack will be smiling in my mind, in my memories for all my days.
We'll miss you Coach.

The secret to succeeding with your new fitness goals? Just one thing...

Remember the Billy Crystal movie “City Slickers”?

Along the trail Jack Palance asks Billy Crystal, "Do you know what the secret of life is?"

Crystal responds, "No, what?"

Palance holds up his index finger and says "This".

Crystal says, "Your finger?"

Palance says, "One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean (bleep)!"

Crystal, puzzled, says, "That's great, but what's the one thing?"

Palance smiles and says, "That's what you've gotta figure out".

Well, I’ve been hearing the usual resolutions from people about how they’re going to get fit (since we are starting a new year) and I cringe at the intensity of the regimen they lay out for themselves - yeah, I’m gonna get up an hour early every day and run 10 miles and work out 5 days a week at the gym and eat only lean poultry and swear off alcohol and, and,and…

And wind up quitting in about 3 weeks in most cases because they’ve set themselves up!

Don’t get me wrong - I’m all in favor of setting high goals but I’m also in favor of reaching those lofty goals.

So back to Mr. Crystal and Mr. Palance - you want to get fit this year? Great! Go for it! But do yourself a favor and add some strategy to your goals. Consider one thing you can change, or start doing, or stop doing for that matter, and get that one thing started - today.

Once you’ve got that in place,  have met success for a while and the new behavior becomes simply a part of you, add (or subtract) another thing and then another…you get the idea. 

You don’t take on the next challenge until you’re ready, but the cumulative effect can be tremendous.

So maybe one vegetarian day a week will help you realize you can be strong and fit without steak 7 days a week. Maybe adding one more workout each week will help you break through that plateau you’ve landed on. Maybe simply changing your routine so that Monday isn’t always chest day (as it seems to be for 95% of male gym-goers) will shock your body into greater change. 

Give it a shot - do that one thing - and have a rewarding and successful New Year.

 

The Meaning of Life...
Now that's likely to get a hit or two.
A friend asked me the other day (after a long and very multi-leveled conversation) what the meaning of life is.
Without skipping a beat I answered tangerine; OK, I couldn't resist an answer like that but then I took the question seriously and realized I did have an answer at the ready - the meaning of life is that life is full of meaning if you are willing to live it fully and be open to whatever it offers.
There certainly was a time in my life when I doubted that life had any meaning at all. I was "stuck"...stuck in a bad job, a bad marriage, a life that felt empty to me. It took a while to learn many difficult lessons from that period of my life but learn I did.
A couple of hours ago I was glued to my computer doing research for a client and responding to emails; I was (as I told another friend) "stuck" inside. Until I put down the work and got my butt outside and tossed around some kettlebells and stopped and smelled the roses (quite literally) and basked in the warmth of the sunshine and the warmth of the realization that "stuck" means I'm just not seeing possibilities.
Well, this IS a blog about fitness and well-being so let me offer you this - Do you feel stuck when it comes to your fitness? Tired of the routine, the locale, the crowd, the...whatever? Then break it up; shake it up. Try a different time of day to work out or a different place. Ask a friend to work out with you if you typically train alone or train alone if you usually hang with the same gym crowd. Do you know what exercises you'll be doing by the day of the week? DROP that routine! Shake out the cobwebs that even an active person can get and watch how possibilities suddenly blossom in front of you.
Did my answer to the question really work? Well it certainly does for me, especially when I've lost sight of it and the question is asked directly or indirectly (as when you get that feeling...that nagging feeling that something's missing or something is out of balance.
So, what is the meaning of life for you?

bathtubs, teaspoons and treadmills...

During a visit to the mental asylum, I asked the Director how they determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.

'Well,' said the Director, 'we fill a bathtub with water.  Then we offer the patient a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.'

'Oh, I understand,' I said. 'A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.'
 
'No.' said the Director, 'A normal person would pull the plug.’

‘So, would you like a bed near the window?'

Sometimes when I listen to people arguing about whether the treadmill or the elliptical is superior I think of that story.

Do you really want one hell of a great cardio session? Get outside, first of all, if the weather meets your tolerances – the same time spent on a bicycle or fast-walking or running out of doors will burn more calories and be more stimulating in so many ways.

Better yet, do a long set of walking lunges, a short set of burpees, a short set of walking lunges and a long set of burpees (repeat as necessary) and I guarantee you’ll be burning more calories and strengthening your core. Or a few series of swings and snatches will produce an incredible demand on your cardiovascular system.

So, are ya gonna pull the plug on those electric hamster wheels or should I ready your elliptical, I mean bed, by the window?

Too little time to work out? Chunk it, don't chuck it

This morning I was hitting my emails and found my daily inspiration from Zach Even-Esh, the Underground Strength Coach. He was talking about a topic that hits hard both as a personal trainer and as someone who wants/needs to stay in shape myself - too little time to work out.

He made an important distinction: he spoke of having little time, as opposed to NO time and that makes all the difference in the world.

"I don't have an hour to devote to working out; I'm just too busy" OK, how about 30 minutes? How about 10 minutes? How about 5 minutes? C'mon...you've got 5 minutes every now and then throughout your day.

What can you do in 5 minutes? Well, let's see...a whole LOT of pushups or body-weight squats or tricep dips or a combination of those three. How about some ab/core work? 5 minutes can be a long time if you're doing good solid ab/core exercises.

Zach used a great term - chunking - taking small chunks of time and doing one or more movements. Over the course of a day you'll probably get in more than a half hour and you'll beat the cycle of having those "too busy to train" days.

Give it a shot and be sure to head over to Zach's website

While you're there, sign up for his underground strength ejournal. Time spent with Zach is always time well-spent