Moving the Blog

I have about 100 readers a month on here--most through search engines. So a move doesn't affect them. But I wanted to let the regular readers know that I'm moving this blog to beyondthe5k.tumblr.com. The archive for this blog will be moved to beyondthe5k.blogspot.com so you can still find old posts that you like.

My reason is that I like the layout and process of tumblr better than blogger. Blogger doesn't get many updates and as my post have gotten shorter and more focused on what I'm doing, I decided to move it to a better format. The internet doesn't need another how-to fitness blog. There are tons. But I find that I like to learn about real people's training, especially when I share their goals. My favorite blog like this is  http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=61 (the trainers at military athlete are training someone for the crossfit open this winter, and it's an awesome read)

I may be writing out lists of what I'm doing, pics from my training or training log, or stories about my projects and progress. If you want to know something specific, shoot me an email.

Thanks,

Charter Challenges--January

At the gym where I work, we post monthly challenges on a bulletin board. You can do them on your own or with friends. The idea is to test yourself at the beginning of the month and then try to beat your performance a couple of weeks later. Here are the two challenges. Try them yourself and then again next week.

General Challenge:
 Set a running stopwatch, and do 40 push-ups and 60 squats as fast as you can. Break up the repititions however you want (4 push-ups and 6 squats for 10 rounds is one example), and rest as you need to. Write down your time, and try to beat it next time. *You can do modified push-ups from your knees or against a counter-top if you need to.

Advanced Challenge:
Set a 3 minute timer, and do 10 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, and 60 squats before the timer goes off. *Only full reps count (pulls--all the way down and chin above your hands, push-chest touches the floor, squats-butt goes below your hips). **For a real challenge, do this in less than 2 minutes.

Share your score below.

Maintenance is Going Backward

I'm reading "Body by Science" right now, and in it the authors explain that trying to maintain strength or fitness without pursuing progress actually makes your body regress so that you get weaker. Many people, especially women, don't want to keep adding resistance to their strength exercises, but continuing to do the same routine without adding resistance, actually makes you weaker.

So if you don't feel like adding weight to your squats or doing more difficult push-ups, then find a different way to make the exercise more difficult.

Here are some ideas:

• Do your push-ups very slowly (This works with any exercise)
• Learn a different type of squats such at Bulgarian Split Squats or one-legged squats.
• Use a different type of weight or hold it in a different position like overhead for squats.

Do you have other ideas for making an exercise more difficult?

How to use a Training Log

You've seen people at the gym keeping a clipboard or notebook and logging their sets, weights, and reps. That's not the kind of training log I'm talking about.

Ways to Use Your Training Log

1. It's a plan--use it to map out everything you'll do for your workout. You don't need to write anything down in the gym if you use it as a plan. That way you won't rely on how you feel, and you won't waste time figuring out what to do.
2. It's a schedule--write down the workouts that you'll do and when you'll do them.
3. It's a report card--write your goals at the front of it. Every time you write a workout, you won't have to guess if you're making progress.

Have you used a training log? How did it help? How did it change your training?

5 Reasons to Start a Training Log

One simple way to boost your training this new year is to keep a training log. Here are 5 reasons to use a log and some ways to use a training log.

1. It keeps you on track--It's easier to miss a workout or lose your way while training for a goal if you don't have a record of what you're doing.
2. It helps you plan--It takes just a minute to write out what you're doing this workout/this week/this month to help you stay on track.
3. It motivates you when you check your progress--When you see the reps and weight go up, or your weight go down, then you know that you're doing well.
4. It keeps you organized--Instead of wasting time in the gym trying to figure out what you feel like doing, you go in there with a plan and a map so that there is no questions of what you will do and how.
5. It prevents overtraining--If you keep track of what you're doing, then you'll see if you are doing too much with a certain movement or pattern.

Go down to the store and buy a composition notebook (or find a notebook lying around the house) and start logging your workouts.

Best Men's Fitness Equipment for the New Year

I wrote last week on the best equipment for women's fitness. Now, I turn to men's fitness. I don't think men and women's performance goals should be that different, we might want to look different but our hormones will take care of that. I recommend balanced fitness for everyone.

Here are my top 4 equipment recommendations for men

• Doorway Pull-Up Bar--Pull-ups are one of the two best exercises you can do. Get a doorway bar--one store around here is selling them for $12.99--and learn to do full pull-ups (no half-reps). You will look and feel awesome.
• 60-80 lbs. Sandbag or 35 lbs. Goat Bag--You can make these yourself and use them for tons of squat, press, carry, and get-up exercises. They are cheap, real-world, and tough.
• Walker--buy one used at a thrift store and use it for dips and inverted rows. Dips are the best pressing exercise you can do (way better than the bench press), so get to it.
• Jump Rope--This was on the women's list, but it's awesome enough to be mentioned here too. Buy a speed rope at your local sporting goods store for $10. Get started doing :30 of jumps and :30 of rest for a simple cardio workout. Or throw them in a circuit with pull-ups, dips, sandbag squats for a workout that uses all four of these pieces of equipment.

Have some other ideas? Share them here?

Best Women's Fitness Equipment for the New Year

Maybe you're starting a new plan to get in shape for the new year or the lady in your life is starting a plan for the new year and you want to know what equipment to buy to do this right.

If you check the women's magazines for fitness plans--you can find plans in everything from Fitness to Taste of Home--you'll see them recommend using 3-5 lbs weights. I call those "What's-the-point" weights. They are so light that she will have do dozens of reps to get any benefit.

Here's my list:

1. A kettlebell--pick one that is moderately heavy--about the weight of a 1 1/2-2 year old child--for most women this is a 15-18 lbs kettlebell. You will use this for swings, goblet squats, presses, rows, and woodchops. You can and often will get your whole workout with this one piece of equipment. This is the most expensive piece on the list, but it's well worth it. Check local fitness stores and even Wal-Mart so you don't have to pay shipping.
2. Exercise Bands--buy a couple of different strength bands and make sure to include a loop so you can put this in a door for rows. LifelineUSA has great bands and handles that can hold multiple bands at once--increasing the resistence without having to buy a new band.
3. Jump rope--This is great for doing cardio circuits and including agility/skill work in your workout. Plus, it's a lot of fun.

What would you include in your list of equipment for women?