Balance.

 When it comes to life, this word bears a lot of weight.  We live in a society that often esteems this concept, but operates in extremes.   Juggling work, kids, social schedules, home life, health, and so on, it’s amazing we are even able to hold our heads above water.  I get it.  So when I preach to people on a daily basis about making time to workout and develop healthier habits, I am not shocked when they practically give me the finger.  This is simply where we are.  But I think that response stems from something much deeper that is surprisingly common among many people when it comes to fitness….the “all or nothing” mentality.

 Somewhere we’ve developed this notion that “fit” has one definition and must be applied to everyone, especially ourselves.  But it doesn’t end there.  We go on to set goals which may not necessarily be realistic and adopt a plan of attack that is in no way sustainable because there is no balance with the rest of our life.  A few weeks in and we are not only discouraged, but we even resent the entire journey.  It’s unfortunate because our fitness path is intended to be a unique and empowering journey with enough challenges to change us, and enough success to keep us going.

The ultimate goal is a regimen that is sustainable to produce realistic results we desire.  So how do we get there?

First, we must break the cycle.  This whole all-or-nothing concept is not only confining, but it presents such enormous expectations and leaves us with a greater chance of failure than success.  Refuse it.  Throw it out.  Fact is something IS better than nothing.  If you literally have just 15 minutes in your day to squeeze in a brisk walk, it’s better than sitting on your rear.  If you can only workout twice this week instead of 4 times like you intended, guess what?  Twice is better than not at all.  When we allow ourselves to even consider this, it opens us up to greater success because we’re more likely to stick with a plan that is doable than one which is not. 

Second, we must accurately assess where we are and where we want to go.  Setting goals ultimately dictates our direction.  When goals are self-established and realistic, it’s much easier to maintain focus and motivation when it gets hard.  And it will get hard.  Being realistic is critical because the fact is if our life outside of the gym is too much at odds with expectations concerning the gym, frustration builds and eventually something has to give.  This is not to say that we may not have to sacrifice some things in order to cultivate a healthier lifestyle.  However, if the sacrifices exceed the desire for positive change, commitment folds and we are back to square one.  Long term goals must ultimately mesh with our desire/drive and realistic ability to meet them.

Lastly, look at the day by day steps it takes to reach your goal and ask yourself a few important questions:

•  Am I willing to devote myself to this?

•  Can I make this work for my schedule?  Do adjustments need to be made on either end?

•   Is my environment supportive and help push me in the right direction?

Your fitness journey is just that…yours.  It can twist and turn as you please, run alongside of others, or remain a one-man staircase straight to the top.  It can change year to year and mold to fit the various chapters of life you find yourself in.  It’s still yours.  Take comfort in the fact that you ultimately create and improve yourself, and at the end of the day be proud of the stride you make along the way.

Examine your desires.  Define your goals.  Go lay your path.

-Meredith Falcon

Printed from Endurance Magazine, April 2012

The fastest growing National “race” category is not the half or full marathons that all your Facebook friends claim they are training for, nor even the surge in triathlons, but a different type of multi-event race known as an obstacle course. As more and more people flood to the mud soaked camaraderie, the distances themselves are growing well beyond the starting 2-3 mile entry level race.

There are several different races popping up that are now covering over 6+ miles of running/obstacle challenges, but the self-proclaimed leader in what I would call the endurance obstacle races is the Tough Mudder. Tough Mudder, and similar events can cover 10-12 miles and are designed with mud tunnels, 12 foot walls, barbed wire crawls, tires, log carries, fire, and 10,000 volts of electricity to name just a few of the things your body will need to be prepared to handle, in addition to the run.

The purpose of this article isn’t to provide you with a running plan to get you there (as I’m sure you already have one). But instead, I hope to give you some resistance-specific training to make the obstacles more manageable and make you a stronger more balanced and injury-free participant.

One of the things that you have working in your favor is that most of these races are team-driven and encourage other racers and teammates to help those who struggle with an obstacle. You don’t have to be the strongest or most fit individual to do these races. But you do have to have some baseline strength and agility beyond that of a ordinary half marathon participant to make it through without suffering major consequences.

For most of you, full-time jobs and balancing family dynamics are additional time constraints that limit the amount of training that you can do outside of just running. Because of these real world demands, the two-day a week workout plan that I have devised to add to your running routine also has a high-intensity endurance spin to it and not your traditional “meat-head” lifting session. This will help you improve your stamina even on your “off” running days. The exercises are very functional and multidimensional to help you navigate the course better with a newfound development of strength with balance. Most injuries come from physiological imbalances and/or added velocity of certain movements while fatigued. I strongly encourage you to seek an evaluation from a physical therapist or an experienced and knowledgeable personal trainer to help identify those imbalances and rectify them before moving forward and participating in this or any other type of high-intensity exercise routine.

The exercises listed below are designed to be done as a series of timed intervals. I would start out at 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off (traditional Tabata-style) before increasing to 30/15 and then 40/20 on/off ratios and go through 4 sets with additional rest of 30-60 secs after each set. Each daily routine should not take more than 35 mins and you should optimally allow at least one full day but hopefully two days in between workouts. Please visit www.YouTube.com/ActivEdgeFit for full tutorial on all of the exercises.

Day 1 -

1) Monster Walk w Dynamax Ball Slam

2) Burpees on Dynamax Ball

3) Speed Skaters

4) Wall Climb Tricep Press/Pushdowns

5) TRX Horizontal Pull-ups

6) TRX Side Plank w Hip Flexion/Extension (Right side)

7) TRX Side Plank w Hip Flexion/Extension (Left side)

8) Sandbag Rotational Thrusters

Day 2 -

1) Mountain Climbers

2) Single Leg Balance Squat (Right)

3) Single Leg Balance Squat (Left)

4) Pull-ups w Reach

5) Bench Jumps

6) Tornado Push-ups

7) Plank w Alternating Hip Abduction

8) Kneeling Sandbag Rotational Press

I recently read Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees and appreciated the message he provides.  I was unfamiliar with the amount of difficulty Brees has faced in his life from injuries, family issues, and rough patches in his playing career.  It was during his junior year of high school that he experienced an ACL tear in the state playoffs that would change his life.  He was disappointed and upset but in church one Sunday he felt like the sermon was directed at him.  There he had a revelation to be one of god’s few good men and not just in football.  Brees worked hard in rehab and came back senior year at 195 pounds from 170.  His determination led his team to a 16-0 record where they won the state 5A championship.  Regardless of this feat, Brees was not recruited hard but was still determined to make the most of his offer with Purdue.

Brees started off his NFL career slow which led to the San Diego Chargers drafting a quarterback with their first pick the following year.  Right away his starting job was in trouble and Brees accepted the challenge as he aimed to play his best football.  Unfortunately, he dislocated his shoulder trying to recover a fumble and people questioned if he could ever be an effective quarterback again.    Brees had a successful surgery and painful rehab, as he strived to return better than ever.  Sadly, the Chargers had moved on in a new direction and only two other teams were interested in him.  Brees chose the New Orleans Saints because he felt their staff trusted his abilities more.  Additionally, he took it as a sign from God that a year later the city was trying to comeback from Hurricane Katrina and he should be there to help as he tried to comeback himself.

Brees had good years in New Orleans leading up to 2009 when the team was clicking and excited about making a run.  Unfortunately at the start of training camp Brees found out that his mom had died.  He later discovered it was suicide in which she had taken a variety of pills.  Even though his relationship with his mom had been estranged, he still felt terrible pain and later realized this whole time his mom had mental and emotional issues that caused some of her irrational behavior.  It was a tough way for him to start the season but the Saints started off 13-0 on their way to a Super Bowl victory.  It’s truly impressive and inspiring how Brees was able to overcome these challenges on his way to becoming a Super Bowl MVP with multiple NFL passing records.  All this was possible because he learned early in life that adversity is not your enemy, but to instead use hardships to unleash your power and make yourself stronger.   

It seems like such a simple message, but we tend to forget that when problems arise we need to come up with our best effort.  No matter the setback, we have the opportunity to step up to the plate and come out better than before.  Take Adrian Peterson who had the second most rushing yards in NFL history last season while being less than nine months back from a torn ACL and MCL in his knee.  Peterson credits his genetics and strong work ethic for this spectacular recovery, as he knew from the first day of rehabilitation he was going to give everything he had to overcome the injury. 

-Isaac Brewton

When it comes to our health and fitness, why do we do what we do?

It’s an important question to ponder because good or bad, the reason is habit.  It’s our “norm”.  Whether or not we recognize it as such is irrelevant because habits are often mindless actions that are so engrained into our day that we often fail to consider the Why?

However, the underlying theme is a much broader and heavily discussed topic when it comes to fitness: MOTIVATION.

The fact is that our habits/actions stem from motivation.  This can be motivation to make positive changes and live a healthier lifestyle, but it can also be motivation to remain stagnant and maintain a routine that is non-confrontational to any habits or perceptions that are essentially detrimental to our health.  To sit on the couch and eat twinkies takes motivation.  Whether its motivation to do nothing, indulge, sulk, or escape, the action (or lack thereof) grows from motivation.  Why do we gravitate towards self-destructive behaviors instead of eating clean and making time to workout regularly?…Because by nature we are like moths to a flame when it comes to comfort zones.  And while breaking free and experiencing more confidence, strength, and a renewed sense of health is worth it, our motivation to push until its second nature often lacks.

So if motivation is at the root of all this, where does it come from and how can we foster more of it to stay on track?

There are 2 kinds of motivation: Extrinsic and Intrinsic.  Extrinsic refers to external forces that call us to action.  It can come from someone in the form of encouragement or praise, a “reward” of sorts when a goal is met, or anything outside of ourselves that encourages us to one behavior or another.  Intrinsic is much different.  This is the golden ticket at the end of the day.  Intrinsic motivation comes from within.  It’s a deeper desire to achieve that is planted stronger than any external stimulus to press on.   This kind of motivation is strong as steel because it is directly correlated and rooted in a personal gratification to achieve.  It is not dependent on recognition, money, awards, etc.  Rather, it is internally fostered, nourished, and increased at will.  Yes, a choice.  The beauty of it is that the more you choose it and rely on it, the more habitual it becomes.  This inner motivation is our wellspring when it comes to staying fitness-minded and focused on improving our health.  Setting a goal completely outside of yourself will only take you so far.  At the end of the day, you must desire it in yourself….for the sake of yourself.

I often preach to my clients that motivation is a daily choice.  It is.  The feeling is not always there, and to think that every trip to the gym or bite of broccoli will be exhilarating is unrealistic.  Motivation begins with action.  In this case, it’s making time to workout, preparing healthy meals, and surrounding yourself with other motivated individuals.  It is absolutely about recreating a lifestyle and habits that ultimately lead you to your goals and cultivate a self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

My advice from here,…Move.  Choose to live differently and challenge the boundaries of your comfort zone.  Examine your environment (people included), and ask yourself if it/they promote health, growth, and a general sense of positive progression.  Rid your current routine of those things which are holding you back and dare to face life differently.  Seek support and accountability for this aspect of your life…..Then bask in your own self-driven victories along the way.

-Meredith Falcon

Printed in Endurance Magazine as Cross-training for Triathletes, December 2012

When most people think of “cross-training” they immediately think of spinning on a bike, rowing on the Concept 2, taking a Masters swim class, or any other cardiovascular activity other than running. When a triathlete thinks of cross training, they should immediately think of resistance, and the answer should unequivocally be “Yes!”.

In 2011, an Australian named Craig “Crowie” Alexander raced to a course record in the Ironman Kona World Championships shredding the field and seeking redemption from what he called a letdown in 2010 (although he did win in 2009 and 2008). Another Aussie, Chris “Macca” McCormack, let a group of strong riders out at a faster pace than Alexander could hold and even though his run was superior, he could never catch McCormack. Determined to not let that happen again in 2011, Alexander added a few more tricks to his training arsenal including an amped up weight resistance routine. With a combination of weights, bands, medicine balls, and TRX training, he became a much stronger athlete which he feels contributed his record-breaking 2011 performance.

When you take a look at how much it affected someone who was already at the top, imagine how it could change the age grouper just looking to podium or finish in the top half. And while most of the strongest triathletes continue throughout the season, there is no better time to start than now.

In articles past, I’ve covered some exercises for endurance athletes and you can find many of them on our YouTube channel. This time around, I’m giving you a specific two day a week plan that you need to try for 8 weeks. A good idea would be to get your body fat percentage tested so you know what weight differences are muscular and which are just attributed to fat. We all know the volume of your cardiovascular training goes down while eating inversely goes up over the holidays. So unless you’re training for a late winter/early spring race, pay attention to diet as well. Theoretically, your body fat should go down, or if already low, stay the same. And some people may actually gain weight. Don’t freak out and quit lifting! The weight will come back down when the volume of endurance activities goes back up and the eating is better controlled after the holidays. And what you’ll be left with, will be a leaner, stronger, faster athlete come race time.

Obviously, I suggest a more varied approach to the exercises than just the same two days over the course of the 8 weeks. But I will try and simplify things a bit for those looking to do this on their own. I will make available all of the videos on YouTube that correspond to the exercise listed below and try my best to also give verbal cues and suggestions. The movements should not be too advanced and if you are looking to make them more difficult just email me. Some may stick with a schedule of the same two days. If you do this, I strongly encourage you to allow 2-3 days between the exercises (ie. Mon/Thur, Mon/Fri combos are great!). Try and get a decent sweat going for your 8-10 minute warm-up and complete 3 sets of each exercise for 10 reps unless noted. Let’s call this the triathlete (T) plan of 16 days of exercise, or the self-named T16X for those familiar with the much more popular commercial namesake version.

Day 1

Squat hops on the BOSU

Spider push ups on the BOSU

Bent over SA Alt Rows

SA inclined DB press to fly

DB step-ups

Dynamax Rotations into Slams

NG tricep push downs

TRX single leg lunge into hops

Day 2

KB front squats

Pull-ups

Speedskaters

Rubberbanditz Superman Push-ups

Standing SLR x 4 ways

Bentover Bilateral Band Pulls

TRX Crunch into Pendulums

TRX W Rows (external and internal)

A new study suggests that diet may play a more significant role than exercise in weight control.  That conclusion, reported recently in the PLoS One Journal, was reached by a team of six researchers representing a number of universities in the U.S., U.K., and Tanzania.

The study, conducted in Tanzania, compared the total daily energy expenditure (kCal/day) of 30 members of the Hadza tribe, one of the last groups of hunter-gatherers in the world, with that of their Western counterparts.

A GPS/heart-rate monitor was used to monitor the Hadzas’ activity, and the researchers took into account the effects of age, gender, body weight, and body fat percentage.

Though the Hadza travel long distances over open savannah everyday, foraging for food and hunting for game, their daily energy expenditure, the researchers found, was essentially the same as that of the average sedentary office worker in the U.S. or Europe.

The researchers say there’s evidence that daily energy expenditure is an evolved trait that remains relatively constant despite widely varying lifestyles.  “Difference in obesity prevalence between populations result primarily from difference in energy intake (food) rather than expenditure (exercise),” the authors conclude.

The researchers, including ones from Hunter college in New York City, are currently working to raise monies to benefit the Hadza, and ask that prospective donors log on to hadzafund.org

Belviq

Originally published in Club Business International, October 2012

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first new prescription weight-loss drug in 13 years.  The medication, lorcaserin, developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals, based in San Fransisco, will be sold under the name Belviq.

The drug works by activating the brain receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which, by producing feelings of satiety and satisfaction, helps control appetite.

To date, its effect on weight loss has been moderate.  In two clinical trials, participants who took Belviq lost an average of 5.8% of their weight, while individuals in a control group taking a placebo lost 2.5%.  It appears, however that some people may have more success with the drug than others; some 23% of the individuals who took Belviq lost at least 10% of their weight.

Despite the FDA approval, the drug’s cost and date of introduction have yet to be determined.  There are also some safety concerns about Belviq, since it works in a manner similar to that of another drug, fenfluramine, which was withdrawn from the market in 1997 after it was discovered to damage heart valves.  Arena has agreed to conduct six studies after the drug is introduced, including one that will examine whether it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Together, ActivEdge and Reality Ministries put on their third Reality Race on July 21st. At 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, participants came out to support Reality Ministries in their mission to reach the people of Durham; all of the race’s proceeds went to Reality Ministries. Participants could enter into the 5K race or the Pump n’ Run competition. Thank you to those who invested their time volunteering and to those who ran the race!

Picture taken from Endurance Magazine

By: Brian Diaz

Published in Endurance Magazine, July 2012 Issue.

Revamped and repackaged much differently than the old step routines popular in the 90′s and early 2000′s, group training classes are back. While you still might see an occasional leotard or leg warmer out there, there is a great variety of choices at your disposal. With all of these choices, though, comes a sea of potential confusion for the consumer who is looking to drop a few pounds and become a stronger endurance athlete.

First comes consistency. When I see a facility trying to launch a new class, or the newest “fad” routine, the most important thing that they do is try to get a long-term commitment out of the prospective client. When they require someone to attend an hour-long exercise session at least two to three times a week for eight weeks they can almost guarantee results (in fact, some do). The owners of these facilities know that if you were to do ANY type of exercise you will start to make headway in reaching your goals. So consistency is definitely important!

Second comes change. Most people do not embrace change very well and when they find something that works they tend to stick with it and not try anything else. The body loves change and when put under various stresses and different challenges, weight loss and body fat depreciation occurs at a much greater rate. There are several studies that compare different types of workouts and their respective effectiveness on strength gains and weight loss. The studies that allow different types of training mediums, for example, interval running and weight lifting together, have the greatest percentage of overall fat loss when compared with just one type of exercise. When looking for a gym or personal trainer, make sure they have variety in their classes or change up your training sessions on a regular basis. And if you are going solo, remember change is critical for achieving optimal health and weight-loss goals.

There are places sprouting up all over the country offering a focused exercise routine. Unfortunately, many of them specialize in only one area (boot camp, barre moves, kettlebells, spinning, pilates, yoga, TRX). While this is good for that one area, your body needs several different avenues to train and cross with to get the best benefits and optimal conditioning. If you’re sticking with the group class route you may need to extend beyond the Groupon deal that you got and give other places and classes a try.

Another popular trend in fitness is what I call “fusion” classes, which offer a blend of different disciplines. One of my favorite is TRX and spin. Often these classes may be 90 minutes in length but will be a great combination of resistance and cardio, such as lead-in with the TRX moves and then tough high-intensity intervals on the bike.

Do your homework. Call ahead to the studio or gym that you will be taking the class at and find out if the teacher or trainer is qualified. If you are looking for a class in the endurance field, make sure you are getting someone who is familiar with endurance sports. Better yet, find an instructor who runs, cycles, or swims and may be a certified USA Track & Field coach or a certified USA Triathlon coach. There is quite a big difference between a “fitness” spin class and one that is designed with cyclists in mind (I, personally, do not want to be doing push-ups, crunches, and “jumps” on the bike in my spin class and would rather just spin intervals). Classes are usually for the time-crunched exerciser and you wouldn’t want to waste your time in an ineffective or poorly designed workout.

Group classes also offer other people who hold you accountable. You tend to bond with the instructor and those in the class and form relationships that may extend into your personal and private lives. This is a good thing. Having others who are trying to accomplish similar things to what you are trying to achieve makes for a more rewarding journey.

Published in Endurance Magazine in April 2012 Issue.

It’s that time of year again, when your friends ask you to join them in trudging through mud up to your neck, jumping through a ring of fire, and managing obstacles that look like they came straight out of basic Army officer training or even worse (hanging live wires!).

You oblige, or maybe even you’re the one who’s asking. You’ve done a few of these events and are looking to not just finish with a dried-dirt grin but to actually post a decent individual or team time. You have your running plan under control and are looking to supplement your endurance training with some strengthening. You’ve done some research (or perhaps read one of my previous articles) and know that functional movement training with intervals is what you should incorporate into your plan, but why and how do you do that? Let’s start with the why.

A little more than a decade ago, Dr. Izumi Tabata, at the National Institute of Fitness and Sport in Tokyo, started using different exercise protocols to study their effect on energy production systems in athletes. Trial and error of some intense exercise protocols helped him and his team discover one method that produced extraordinary and repeatable improvements in athletic performance (VO₂Max, anaerobic threshold, fat loss, aerobic conditioning). What emerged became known as the Tabata Method, or Tabata Intervals.

The study hit the United States in 1996 when it was published in The Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport & Exercise documenting his findings and listing the prescribed protocol of 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest for a total of 4 minutes, or eight different movement periods (cycles, as some call them).

This study has been reproduced and analyzed dozens of times and the results are still the same: Tabata high-intensity interval training bouts of 4 minutes can do more to boost anaerobic and aerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise.

How do we incorporate the Tabata, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), into our own workouts? The key is finding exercises that will strengthen the muscles you will be using in your mud race. Races are sprouting up all over the country with varying obstacles and distances to be covered. Know what you are getting yourself into by looking at the pictures or photos online or reviewing the course map. If the race description is vague, write the race director or visit some blogs to see if you can find out any more information.

For the purpose of this article, I am going to keep the exercises in the line of the most common obstacles that I have seen and will try to use minimal weights or gym equipment. Last time I covered an exercise routine for a mud run, I gave you an entire plan on the TRX Suspension Trainer. I will leave that out to vary the routine for this run but please see my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/activedgefit) for that entire series and this one that I will list now.

1. Jump rope or hop in place

2. Spider push-ups

3. Shuffle jumps

4. Kettle bell swings

5. Speed Skaters

6. Kettle bell cross curl to press (left)

7. Kettle bell cross curl to press (right)

8. Plank