FAQ's

Why all the Confusion surrounding  Pre & Post WO snacks?
This topic always seems to bring out some pretty strong opinions from various trainers...do you really need to fuel prior to and after strength training....? 

In my mind you walk a fine line between not getting enough fuel to build muscle and getting too much fuel (calories) which can then lead to energy storage in the form of fat.  With that said, I stand as an proponent of fueling your muscles, pre and post.  Do include these snacks in your daily caloric tracking. They count.  Plan for them much like you plan for your splurges. Just for the record, I feel much better after a killer workout when I  down my post workout shake. Yumm-O.... It snaps me right out of fatigue mode. .. thank goodness.  Below I jotted down my plan ...enjoy.

Be Well
My Pre Work out Fuel- (10-30 mins before WO)
ratio 1:210-12 g protein
20g carb from fruit or starches

protein: best choices
whey powder, egg whites, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, fruit on bottom yogurt -greek if possible
fruit: apples, bananas, grapes, pineapple
starches: rice cakes (brown rice) / jam
crackers, granola, cereal
 
My Post Workout Fuel -10 mins before workout ends to 30 mins after- no later!
ratio 1:310-12 g protein
30 g carb from starches

protein: see above
Starches: rice cakes/jam, Choc Milk, oatmeal, brown rice, bread

Choc Milk!!!! is easiest
Note: Whey protein powder with Nestle Nesquik is a great alternative...adjust amounts to ratio’s above as needed.



It's Just What I Do

I seem to attract a tiny bit of "curiosity" surrounding what I eat and how much I work out.  So I thought, hey, let's put it out there... so there is wondering no more.  

First rule: 
There are no rules, only habits, preferences, splurges and playing (my term for workouts) smart.

I like to play hard. By that I mean, when I hit the gym, I hit it hard.  I work as hard as possible (unless I only showed that day to socialize, which I am famous for by the way) to quickly make the most out of any workout. That usually means interval type training which includes functional ( compound ) movements paired with a complimentary isolation movement.  

Example training sessions can include plyometrics, sprinting , agility (thank you VSP), or strength training. Recovery and rest, ahh..don't forget your rest. Sleep and recover - get a full nights sleep and give your body rest from play at regular (or not so regular to keep your body guessing) intervals.  I like to mix up what days I work out. Sometimes I go three days in a row (never more for me) with the fourth day off, or I may choose to work out every other day for a short period, say two to three weeks, before hitting it hard again.  Hitting it hard would be training three days on, one off, three days on, one off, repeat...for a period of 4 weeks -ish. 

Nutrition is always one way you can make a huge difference in your body composition but proves to be one of the most difficult to master.  My advice: Fall in love with nature...a la naturale.  Develop a taste for the food without the additives (anything boxed or overly processed) and not so necessary diet sabatogers such as too much salt, mayo, butter, dressing, etc.  Spice up your food with diet smart seasonings (such as sage, garlic, oregano, cilantro, etc) and a product I cannot live without, True Lemon, True Lime, and / or True Orange... granular juice from the fruit themselves. 

Variety is the spice of life and trickery to the body.  To keep your metabolism bouncing, eat every three to four hours and mix it up. I mean it, miX iT Up.  Try not to eat the same thing or the same amount of calories day in and day out.  Bounce your metabolism.  Yup... bounce.

Eat breakfast like a queen or king, when you need the extra energy the most. Eat within the first hour of getting up and skip giving your body starchy carbs (such as sweet potatoes, sprouted grain bread, whole wheat pasta, etc) later in the day or at supper.  Hey isn't that when you want them the most?? Yep again.  Well, try, mostly, to eat veges and lean protein at supper.  Think grilled fish with asparagus.  Again think miX iT Up....some days have only one starch, other days two, and then of course, a day with three. I love my three starch day. 

Splurges: This has got to be the best part of it all, the splurge. Do not forget to plan your splurge. Maybe you go out for dinner every Saturday night with your sweetheart(s).  That would be your splurge meal.  We all need them. But what we do not need is too many splurge days in a row.  Stay on track.  Avoid eating poorly for more than one day, ok?   This may be the closest thing to a rule I may have.  

Finally, but not the least: Drink your H20.  Get 'er done. Drink the water and eat healthy. Stay on track  so your body will truly operate like the well oiled machine that it was designed to be.


Be Well




Performing Pullups

One of the most frequent questions I get in the gym from my peeps is how to train for pullups.  The pullup, the ultimate bodyweight exercise, usually is a direct result from the development of superb upper body strength along with a tight nutrition plan aimed at reducing body fat.

In order to complete pullups one should train the whole back, upper torso and core with strength exercises such as lat pulldowns, DB rows, DB bicep curls and RDL's, to name a few. Check with your trainer for a balanced strength plan.  The major movers involved in the pullup are the lats, biceps and the teres major. The mid and upper back act as stabilizers during the movement.





So you say you can't even do one? Where do we start.  The following are listed in order of difficulty starting with easier ( or perhaps less hard would be more accurate) and continuing to most difficult.
  1. Eccentric Pullups
  2. Assisted Pullups
  3. Unassisted Chinup  -close grip, palm towards you
  4. Unassisted Pullup - neutral grip, palms face away from you
  5. Unassisted Pullups -wide grip, palms face away from you
  6. Weighted Pullups
Eccentric Pullups:  Start with your chin above the bar.  Lower your body slowly, continuously down to a straight arm hang. Aim for a 5 second drop to begin with.  If you notice along the way that you speed up, take note where that happens. On your next rep, right before that noted point, slow and hold for a few seconds. This should help develop strength at that weaker point. When you can complete a 30 second eccentric pullup you should be ready to try a regular pullup.

Assisted Pullups:  This can be done on a machine or better yet with a stretch band which more closely mimics the unassisted pullup.  Try a SuperBand from performbetter.com.  Loop the band around the pullup bar and place one knee in bottom of the loop for your assist.  Perform as many as possible (AMAP).  Once you can perform 10 or more assisted pullups try an unassisted close grip pullup your next training session.

Pullups: Unassisted pullups starting position is a dead hang (hang at arms length) with a shoulder width grip. Cross your ankles behind you.  Imagine that your are pulling the bar to your chest instead of pulling your chest up to the bar. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pull your upper arms down forcefully. Once you are at the top of the movement with your chest touching the bar, pause for a second or two before lowering your body down slowly. Repeat this AMAPAMAP. 


Benefits of the pullup
Besides a smoking hot bod, you will see a dramatic increase in your functional strength, better posture, and hopefully less back pain.  Pullups are best for those interested in general health and wellness. It is a multi-joint  / multiple muscle group exercise. Pullups should be a staple in your workout routine.  Get pulling up ladies!

Be well
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