The Principle of Overload

There is a principle in fitness training that is essential to experience any type of improvement in performance.  It's called the principle of overload and here's how it works.  Our bodies get really good at performing the demands we place on it.  If you ask your body to run 2 miles every other day, your body will get really good at that.  If you ask your body to do 60 push-ups and 60 sit-ups every day, your body will get really good at that.

What about at work?  If you tell your body to walk around the store room and move a few boxes, your body will get really good at that.  But what if those boxes got heavier?  You'd struggle!  Or what if you were asked to move 30% faster?  You'd struggle!

This is where the principle of overload comes in.  When you overload your system (i.e. your body) you systematically break down your muscles so that they grow back stronger.  This is the only way to improve performance, by breaking down muscle fibers.


I experienced a perfect example of this on my 12 mile run this morning.  I'm training for a half marathon in Middleton at the end of the month.  Training has gone well so far, but my longest run was last week and it was only 8.75 miles.  To jump to 12 miles was ambitious, but I know my body and it's abilities.  Typical distance training calls for small increases in "long runs" once per week.  To go from 8.75 to 9.5 or even 10 would have been very comfortable.  But that additional two miles was excessive overload today.

And I felt it.  My route was three 4-mile loops, and on the third loop I was halfway through when it hit me.  I knew it was coming, but knowing the principles of overload and progression made the feeling even more pronounced.  I had entered a mileage where my body was completely stress because it hadn't been there before (during this particular training session).

Of course this brings up another topic - the fight.  What do you do when you are at a place you've never been before, but you need to make it to the finish line?  Another post for another day.

Back to overload.  This morning's run was excessive overload but it was a controlled situation and it was a place I've been before, albeit one year ago.  Still, the overload is necessary for improved performance.  (I'll have to remind my legs throughout the day that this is for their good.)

So what about you?  Training, work, personal, spiritual.  If the principle of overload says that you must exert greater than normal stress on a system to grow it stronger, how are you doing that?

Change in Race Schedule

Katie and I are signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon in two weeks, but have to change our plans because we could not find a babysitter for Norah.  Now don't you all start jumping out of the woodwork now - we've already made our decision.

It's tough for me because I've wanted to run Chicago for years and this year my mom bought my entrance fee as a birthday gift!  Well, it just wasn't meant to be.  Katie is really bummed too because she's been training so hard.  I wish I knew how many 5-mile runs she's done pushing both kids in the double-jogger. 

But fear not: the Schiefelbein's will not be denied!  We've decided to sign up for a half marathon in Middleton October 31st.  This entails a rededication to our training.  We're going to taper down a bit and then build back up to peak in about 8 weeks.

As for me, I'm hoping this little rest will allow me to ramp up my training.  I'll admit that I lost interest in the last couple weeks.  My long runs have been good, and I'm getting faster.  But the short runs during the week haven't been happening.  So this little adjustment may be just what I need.

I've been training with my Five Fingers occasionally.  This will allow me to get back into regular training once a week barefoot.  Also, I haven't had the time this summer to train on the track doing sprint work which was a goal of mine.  I guess I'm getting a second chance here.

Are you training for anything this fall?  There's always a good Turkey Trot somewhere locally.  And a good (cold) Jingle Bell run is always fun! 

Vibram Five Fingers

Have you heard of the barefoot running craze?  Did you know that the Stanford track team practices barefoot and only puts on their Nike shoes for competitions?  Barefoot running sounds hard on the feet... could it actually be good for your health and training?

When I heard that the book Born to Run was based on an ancient tribe in Mexico and their ultra-running culture, I was immediately turned off.  It just sounded a little too far-fetched for me.  But it was recommended by Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing and a voice I highly respect.  It took me a couple months to get into the book; Katie and her dad beat me to it.  They said it's a must-read.  So read I did.  And it's changed everything.

The idea of the book is this: our feet were made to run, and all of the "protection" of high-end running shoes inhibit their ability to get stronger.  Essentially the cushion prevents our feet from being stressed and this eventually weakens the feet, leading to injury.  In another post, I'll do a book review of Born to Run.  Today, I'd like to tell you about my experience with barefoot running.

My running career consists of two half marathons and three full marathons.  I have an educational background in biomechanics and exercise physiology.  Born to Run drew on these collective experiences and knowledge and convinced me to at least try to train part-time barefoot running.

I bought my Vibram Five Fingers three weeks ago partially on a birthday gift from my brother-in-law, Peter.   It is very important to know that you don't just jump into training barefoot.  So I've progressed from quarter-mile runs to about three miles yesterday.  This has taken place over the last three weeks.  Currently I'm on vacation in Sanibel Island, Florida and I just completed a 38-minute run in my Vibrams.

Many people ask, "How does it feel?"  Friends on Facebook are asking, "How do your ankles and calves respond?"  My answer aligns perfectly with one of my principles of training: progression is essential.

My feet hurt pretty bad after my first couple weeks of running in the Vibrams.  But I could literally feel my feet getting stronger.  I know the biomechanics of my feet and their high arches.  I know I've done a bunch of sprinting on the balls of my feet and barefoot running on grass and sand.  So I know the science says they'll get stronger.  But as with any form of training, there's a breakdown phase before there's a strengthening phase.  I'm starting to get stronger.

In Summary:  Born to Run convinced me to explore the barefoot running method.  I bought Vibram Five-Fingers and have been progressively training longer distances in them.  I have a long way to go to change my running form.  But as an athlete and a trainer, I've dedicated my life to helping people understand health and fitness.  This is just one other component to training of which I'm seeking to become an expert.

Any questions?  Find me on Facebook or ask in the Comments section.  In my next post, I'll talk about my first water-shed running moment - my first mile run in the Vibrams followed by four miles in my running shoes.

A Common Thread of Competition

Last week our family was on vacation up in Reinlander, Wisconsin.  For the second year in a row we attended Family Camp #1 at Fort Wilderness.  I'll be writing about that experience this weekend, but right now I want to talk about a recurring discussion I was having all week: training.

When training conversations came up, I could feel an interesting vibe and buzz.  Maybe it's because I'm a fitness guy and that topic gets me jazzed.  But I think it's more than that.  It wasn't community because it was a bunch of conversations I had with individuals.  Still, being the common denominator in all of them I can't help but recognize the theme. 

Here's some of the stories I heard: one was doing her first marathon after just completing her first triathlon.  Another is doing her first marathon after realizing she signed up for the full instead of the half.  Another was asking me about doing her first 10K or even half marathon, but she's chosen to run around her hometown lake - no small feat, it's 17 miles!  One woman just got done with P90X and she and I were discussing the pros and cons of the training and what's next for her. 

When the topic of training was brought up, I certainly perked up and took extra notice.  Maybe that was part of the reason I was feeling a vibe each time.  But even if that was the case, there's no disputing our mutual excitement to talk about training.

If exercise and training evokes such positive conversations, why?  My guess is that each person feels a sense of empowerment and pride.  Their fitness is a challenge.  You don't hear people talking about their trip to the gym and the great treadmill work they did or the additional set they got through on their bench press.  But training for a marathon?  Now there's a lively discussion.

What about you?  Are you training for anything?  Katie and I are signed up for the Chicago half marathon in September.  I've got a bunch of friends doing other races and competitions this fall.  Would you be intrested in training for your first 5K?  10K?  Sprint triathon?

Or maybe you're just working out to get in shape.  That's cool, and great work! 

Feel free to comment below if you'd like to join our community of athletes?

The New Recovery Drink: Chocolate Milk

(This post doesn't necessarily belong in the current series on Exercise Programming, but it's posted as a supplement.  Enjoy!)

At this point I hope that everyone has begun to incorporate some of this material into their exercise program.  My goal is for this website to be a resource for you, a place where you can get all your exercise information and motivation.  Need more?  Find me on Twitter, Facebook, or email.

If you've started to ramp up your exercise program, your body is working hard and needs to learn how to recover.  Our last post talked about the importance of stretching to facilitate muscle recovery.  One of the biggest omissions from an exercise routine is the area of nutrition.  Today I'm giving you permission to enjoy one of our favorite kids' drinks: chocolate milk.

Sure, you should drink the chocolate milk because you just had a great workout and "you deserve it."  But that's not why I'm telling you to drink it.  Current research has found that chocolate milk has the perfect balance of carbohydrates to protein to facilitate muscle recovery.  (You can read an interesting article with more details at CBS.com here.)

I can already hear the experience athletes: "Hans, the last think I'd want to drink after a long run or bike ride is chocolate milk."  I can hear you because that's what I was thinking until I tried it.  It's way better than you'd think.  After I finished the Madison Marathon last year, they had small cartons of chocolate milk available for all the runners and it was the best drink I had all day.

If nothing else, go run for 30-40 minutes and cap it off with a glass of chocolate milk.  And if you're wondering which kind to buy, it doesn't matter.  I mix Hershey's syrup with 1% milk.  Bottoms up!

The X-Factor: Stretching and Flexibility (Exercise Program #4)

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In the first two post of this series I have thrown a lot of information at you regarding cardio training and strength training.  Let's ease up a bit and do something a little less stressful, like stretching. Muscles work very hard. They stretch and contract in a brilliant way to provide us with the ability to move dynamically. This does not come without consequences. When you use your muscles for excessive movements, you're actually tearing and changing the composition of the muscles. Stretching is one of the best ways to recover from an exercise bout.

Notice we haven't talked about stretching until after our workout.  This is because active stretching is done most effectively after muscles are warm.  Also, there is very little evidence to suggest that there is any benefit to stretching before your exercise session.  If anything, the stretching will take some of the "bounce" out of your step, and could hinder higher levels of performance.  But this is beyond the scope of this post.  What you need to take away is this:  

1. warm-up before exercise (light jogging to break a sweat; not stretching)
2. stretch after exercise (muscle recovery)

You might be saying, "Hans, I've always stretched before a run.  It feels good."   I don't doubt that, but I'm just communicating the research which says muscles should be warm before a workout (they're not if you haven't run yet) and that there's little to no benefit to stretching before the workout.  Conversely, stretching after exerting your muscles is great for recovery of all that muscle activity.

So what kind of stretches are we talking about?  Glad you asked.  For the purpose of this post, I'm going to offer three stretches for the biggest muscles you'll be using:

• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Calf (gastrocnemius)

Here's the hamstring stretch:

And if you have really tight hamstrings, you'll want to increase the stretch of the muscle like this:

Here's the quadriceps stretch:

And finally, the calf:

Do you stretch enough?  Most likely, no.  And to be honest, neither do I.  Don't take it lightly.  I've gotten a lot better over the years in my stretching and you should too.  As we get older, our muscles take longer to recover.  Injuries happen much more readily.  If you have any questions or would like some other ideas regarding your stretching, you can find me in the Comments Section.

Looking forward to the next post?  I'm about to give you a recovery drink that will make you say, "REALLY?!!?" 

(Updated research:  I just found this related article on MSNBC.com - Want a better workout? Don't stretch before)

Strength Training (Exercise Program 3)

Strength training is an important component to an exercise program.  It also seems to be the most confusing part of the program for new exercisers.  There are many different variables in a lifting program: days, sets, reps, weight, rest.  But don't worry - I'll explain the essentials here and have you feeling stronger within two weeks, guaranteed.

Why strength training?  The easy answer that fits every individual is that strength training makes life easier.  That's right, when you are stronger you are able to do the ADLs (activities of daily living) much easier.  You can take those two flights of stairs because your legs don't get tired that easily.  You can bring in 4 bags of groceries instead of two.  You can pick up that box for storage, climb the step ladder and heave it over your head without fear of falling.  You name it, it will be easier after just two weeks of strength training.

The other reason I like to focus on is increased confidence.  When you've spent time "pushing weights around" and adding some strength to your frame, your frame and your confidence display your hard work.  You walk a little more upright.  You move around better.  You feel more confident in your body - both men and women.

As I noted earlier, strength training is probably the most confusing part of the exercise program.  This post will make you familiar with the essentials so you can start lifting this week.  Remember - think of this training in terms of progression.  Strength training provides the greatest feedback in terms of accomplishing a goal and moving forward.

First, some definitions:

• repetitions (reps): number of times a weight is lifted, ranging from 8-15
• sets: number of times a group of reps are completed, ranging from 2-4
• weight: come on, you know what weight is

Some debate exists on how often strength training needs to occur (per week) for benefits to be seen.  At minimum you need to lift two days per week.  This is mostly for maintenance, but it's a good place to start.  Ideally I have my clients lifting three to four days per week.

Without me being able to demonstrate the proper technique of these lifts, I'm giving you homework.  If you are unsure of how these lifts should be done you should search YouTube for proper technique.  As always, I'm available for individual consultation in the comments section or on Facebook (Facebook.com/hans.schiefelbein).

So how do you put together a strength training program?  Let's start with two days per week and six lifts.  (Remember, you have to look these up for proper technique)

• Bench Press
• Bent-over Row
• Bicep Curl
• Tricep Extension
• Military Press
• Squat

There are a couple reasons for me including these lifts but all I want you to walk away with is the understanding that these are the building blocks for a complete strength training program.

How much to lift?  That's up to you, and it will require some trial and error.  Your goal is to lift each weight 8 times (reps) and do this for three sets.  You should lift in the order listed, and you can do two exercises at a time, alternating.  So it would happen like this:

1. bench #1 followed by row #1 (which would be first set)
2. do this for a total of three sets
3. move to curl #1 followed by extension #1 (which would be the first set)
4. do this for a total of three sets
5. finish with military press #1 followed by squats #1 (which would be  - you guessed it - the first set)
6. do this for a total of three sets

Have I mentioned I'm available in the Comments Section?  You can also email me at Hans416 [at] gmail dot com.   (Sorry, I'm a little paranoid about spammers.)

Two weeks.  

That's all you'll need to grow out of the first set of weights you started at.  You'll see increases within two weeks if you lift 2-3 days per week.  All the gains won't happen that fast or that often, so enjoy it while it's there.

Strength training is important for so many aspects of your health, both mental and physical.  I'll write about that more in later posts.  Have you experienced any benefits of strength training?  Share your experience with me and this community (you're not the only reader, mom) in the Comments Section.

Do you know someone who would enjoy this post?  Please consider sharing the link via email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Happy Training!!

Big Rocks First - Cardio Training (Exercise Program #2)

Essential reading:  Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  The principles in this book are foundational for successful living.  One of the ideas from this book has to do with today's topic: cardio workouts.

The principle is this:  organize your schedule inserting the big rocks first.  The idea is that when you're looking at a schedule, agenda, priority list, etc. it's important to put the most important elements (big rocks) in first.  Then the little rocks (less important or even unimportant) fit it around the big rocks.  

You can see the application.  In my world of exercise, health and fitness the Big Rock is cardio.  I don't care how flexible you are.  I don't care how big your muscles are or how much you can bench press.  And I certainly don't care if you can do 125 sit-ups without stopping as you display your washboard six-pack abs.

Sorry.

What I care about is the health of your heart.  The cardio component is the Big Rock in your exercise program.  It's the most important aspect of your training that can never be neglected.   Why?  Because nothing compares to the health of your heart.  Your heart makes everything else work.  It pumps oxygen rich blood to muscles and living tissues of the body.  Your heart is the workhorse - why would you neglect it?

So what does a cardio workout look like?  First, a cardio workout should happen three days per week.  This may seem like a lot - it's almost every other day.  But that brings us to our second component - duration.  A cardio workout needs to be 20 minutes long to have any cardiovascular benefits.  Walking?  20 minutes.  On the bike? 20 minutes.  Running or jogging?  20 minutes.  Combination of theses?  20 minutes.

It's important to remember that every aspect of your exercise program should be seen as a progression towards something more challenging.  I'm not suggesting that you'll be running 90 minutes for seven days per week.  But I am insisting that you push yourself a little bit each month.  That's right, each month.  More later.

In review, a cardio workout is:

• the Big Rock in your exercise program
• should start at 20 minutes of activity
• should happen three days per week

Simple, right?  Start with these guidelines or leave me a message in the comments section and we can discuss your fitness training.

If you found this post helpful, please share it with a friend via email, Twitter, or Facebook!

In our next post, we'll discuss strength training.

Happy Training!

Creating an Exercise Program (Exercise Program 1)

This is my second series on creating an exercise program.  The first was called the J2K Fitness Challenge, and it centered around the principles and organizational structure of an exercise routine.  It discussed dealing with previous exercise failures, setting goals, keeping records, and bumps in the road.  Take a few minutes and review them as we continue this series.

Now it's time to get to the nuts and bolts of an exercise program.  Most likely this isn't the first time you've ever attempted an exercise routine.  There is no shortage programs out there.  So this is my take on the essentials.  Please use the comment section below or email me to make this an ongoing discussion.  Conversation is good.

An exercise program should consist of the following:

• strength training - lifting weights (machine or free weights)
• cardiovascular training - "cardio" i.e. running, biking, walking, paddling
• stretching - muscle recovery, injury prevention
• core training - the bridge to the body

Today we are setting up the design of the program.  I want you to write down how much time you'll spend on each component.  This is not as easy as it sounds.  You cannot do all components each day of the week.  Check that - you could, but you'll burn out, injure yourself, or actually decrease your results.

As a personal trainer, I consult individually with each client to understand their history and goals for their exercise program.  I'm happy to consult with you if you comment or email me.  But 95% of the time, here's what a typical exercise program looks like:

• Cardio:  3-4 days per week
• Strength:  2-3 days per week
• Stretching:  after each cardio workout
• Core:  3-5 days per week

I always start with cardio.  When push comes to shove, cardio must get done.  Cardio is what strengthens your heart and it's too important to put anywhere but first.  So start there.  I suggest M,W,F and a weekend cardio workout.

Then strength training gets worked in.  If you can do this opposite cardio days, you may find it more productive.  Then you're looking at T,R and maybe a weekend day.  This gets full on the schedule.  If you want to get two birds with one stone (trips to the gym) you can lift after a cardio workout.  More on the importance and details of a strength program on Friday.

Most of my clients are adults and none are getting younger.  Stretching is an essential component to a program and it is by far the most difficult one to remain faithful to.  As you begin your training, start with designating 5 minutes at the end of your cardio to stretch.  Five minutes will feel like an eternity, but it's actually a minimum and will most likely increase with experience and age.

Finally, core training cannot be ignored.  Think about those you know who have lower back problems.  Maybe it's you.  Core training is critical to maintain all the activities of daily living and to connect our cardio with our strength training.

Don't be nervous.  I know it seems like a lot but it becomes second-nature after a couple weeks.  And as always - progression is key.  If you start for two weeks and do just cardio - GREAT!  I promise we can work up from there.  That's really where the personal in personal training comes in, so for the third time, please feel free to contact me.

In review, go buy a 99-cent notebook and call it your Fitness Journal.  Take the first page and write down some thoughts of exercise programs of yester-year.  Then write your current situation and goals.  Then on page two make a calendar for yourself and plan out cardio, strength, stretching and core training.  Figure the following time-frames:

• cardio - 20-30 minutes
• strength:  15 minutes
• stretching: 5 minutes
• core: 10 minutes

Happy Training!  See you in the comments section.  And please feel free to share this post and series with your friends via email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 5 - Putting it all together

I hope you've enjoyed my series on creating a fitness routine.  I truly hope you've learned something or taken some time to reflect on your exercise routine or habits and have been able to implement something from this series.

Here's where we've been with the J2K Challenge.  We've all failed at fitness at one time or another (or even more times than not).  So the challenge is to identify those shortcomings and move forward - failure will lead to success.

After we critiqued our failures, we compiled some goals, but not just any goal - S.M.A.R.T. goals.  Then we discussed how we'd keep ourselves organized.  I wrote about keeping good records and gave some examples of different ways to monitor your workouts, mostly online.

From there we realized people were starting to implement their new exercise program but the inevitable always shows up - distractions and changes in the schedule.  So we talked about making adjustments to your plan so that you can stay on track and move towards your goals.

Have you noticed that I haven't talked about exercises specifically?  There's a couple reasons for this.

1. I'm establishing a framework for a fitness routine before I discuss the details.
2. I have to establish an audience before I get into specific exercise recommendations.  
3. I didn't know quite what to expect with a series and I've used this as a learning experience.

Now as I write this, I'm already a week past my self-imposed deadline for finishing this series.  If it seems like it's coming to an abrupt end, that's because it is.  But the story is not over.

I'll be taking feedback from this series and launching a new series within a week.  Of course most of you know Katie and I are expecting our second baby any day now.  So depending on that arrival and our sleep patterns (or lack thereof) you can look forward to that series.  

Please give me your feedback in the comments below.  Bloggers relay very heavily on those comments.  Also, if you feel like you know someone who would benefit from or enjoy this information, please subscribe their email to my list.  Just kidding (it wouldn't work anyway).  But seriously, if you would be so kind as to pass this blog on to a couple people I'd enjoy the additional conversations.  Thanks.

So to put it all together, I encourage you to do just that - read over the 5-part series which will take you about 15 minutes.  Reflect on some of the things I've talked about and make a plan for yourself.  If you're interested in some personal training or some accountability, I'm available in the comments section.  Post your email and we'll go from there.

Thanks for joining me in the J2K Challenge.  Get outside, be fit, and join me for the next series on the specific components of an exercise program.

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 4 - A Series of Adjustments

I can still hear my defensive coach from high school.  I can see him out of the corner of my eye, pacing around the team and insisting that "life is a series of adjustments."  Very few - I mean very few - phrases have stuck with me over the years.  But Coach Lecher ("lek-er") had a phrase that I'll never forget.  He used it in such a brilliant context - defensive football.

In the game of football, the defense can game plan and strategize all they want.  But often the defensive unit will succeed based on their ability to adjust to what the offense is doing and find a way to stop it - make and adjustment.  "Life is a series of adjustments."

In part 1 of this series we talked about recognizing previous failures at exercise and using this as a learning tool for moving towards a successful plan.  In part 2 we talked about SMART goals.  Part 3 had to do with keeping detailed records of your fitness routine.

Today I'd like to encourage you to listen to Coach Lecher with me - "life is a series of adjustments."  You've undoubtedly had weeks where you didn't get all your workouts in.  You've had workouts where you couldn't workout as long as you had hoped.  One day of lifting was you vs. the weights, and the weights won.  This happens all the time in exercise. You're good, but if you're so good that you never have setbacks, what are you really accomplishing?  (You need more challenge.)

Life happens - and we need to adjust.  I'm learning this right now with our adjustment to life with a kid, and soon two kids.  My time gets pulled in new directions in this stage of life.  I'm also a personal trainer - I hear the excuses all the time.  (I think I heard the worst one this week, but I better keep it to myself in case he's reading.)  We all have a list of things that take up time and then other lists of things that seem to just pop up and take even more of our time.

So when things get in the way of your workouts, or a workout beats you up pretty good one day, what's your response?  Will you be passive and allow the set-back to just happen?  Will you promise yourself it will never happen again?  Will you play the blame game?  Will you chalk it up to bad luck?  Or will you process the set-back, regroup, and find a way to move towards your SMART goal?  Tim Sanders wrote about this last week.

Engage with your workouts.  Engage with your goals.  Engage with all the details of your life and then come up with a game plan.  When you get knocked around a bit, try to hear the words of my defensive coach, "Life is a series of adjustments."  Big or small - make that adjustment and take another step towards your goals.

Creating A Fitness Routine - Part 3: Keeping Records

If you're new to our series on becoming more fit, please check out the first few posts.  In part one we talked about how we've all failed at fitness in the past.  We all do it - just admit your with the rest of us and move on.  Failure is critical component to success.  It wasn't the first time you failed and it won't be the last.  (We'll be getting into this later in part six.)  In part two we talked about SMART goals.  As an experienced personal trainer I feel this is top-three important!  Working out for the sake of working out very rarely works - so don't try to be the exception.  Read about creating a SMART goal and you'll find a lot about yourself and your motivation.

In this post I'd like to talk about record keeping.  One of the biggest challenges I have is keeping good records for my clients.  Doctors have nurses and administrative assistants to take notes and update records.  But it's up to me and me alone to take notes during my sessions with clients and then record them on their programs so that we know where we've been, what we've discussed, and new developments and goals as the come up.

And you?  Maybe you're not the detail orientated person for the job.  But you should be - and here's why.  Writing down what you've accomplished is a great way to reflect on the physical activity you've done.  It also ensures you have accurate records for two, six, eighteen months down the road.  Even if you have a perfect memory I guarantee you'll appreciate looking back at your workouts in a couple years to reflect on where you've been.

This record keeping can take various forms.  Do what works best for you.  Some examples:

Google Documents - you can share (online) with friends, family, trainers (like me)
Word or Excel file on your computer
DailyMile.com - the Facebook for athletes in training
Journal - I love my Moleskin notebook
Or whatever works for you.

So what will it be?  Give it a try and tell me how you're making it work.

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 2 - Goal Setting

This is part two of our J2K Fitness Challenge.  In part one we talked about how we can learn about ourselves in our failures, and that in fact failure is essential for success.  I ended part one with instructions to write down some obstacles that have gotten in the way of your training programs in the past.

Now with those in the back of our mind, let's start writing some goals.  Goals, both short and long term, are extremely important in creating a fitness routine.  In college as I was learning about physical and health education we learned about S.M.A.R.T. goals.  At first it seemed a little over the top, but over the years I've come to realize how important each component is to the success of your goal.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals:

Specific           (What *specifically* do you want to happen)

Measurable     (How will you know when you've accomplished your goal?)

Attainable        (Is your goal within reach but still challenging?)

Relevant          (Is it your goal or someone else's; how does it fit in your life?)

Timely             (To be completed next week, next month or next year?)

Without a goal we will never accomplish what's important to us.  The world distracts us in many different ways, so we need to focus.  And when we establish a goal, it needs to have the five SMART components.

Take that sheet of paper and start formulating your S.M.A.R.T. goals.  Nothing is written in stone, remember?  You may write these goals and then make some changes a few weeks into the program.  Life is a series of adjustments.  But we'll continue our J2K Challenge by writing some goals.

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 1

Admit it - you haven't had that much success in this area.  You've had a few exercise routines come and go over the years.  Maybe you've tried running or getting on the bike, but it didn't last more than a couple weeks.  You've tried some diets that didn't produce the results you expected.  And weight lifting - after a week you were so sore you never made it back to the gym.

Score:  Intentions 44  
            Results   0

Deep inside everyone knows they could be a little healthier.  We all want to eat a little better and workout a little more.  We have something to prove to ourselves.  Forget the guy at work who always gets a good workout in - we have something to prove to ourself!

This is the first article in a new series called J2K.  Kind of catchy, right?  J2K.  It's a project for you, by you, with me.  But mostly it's for you.  This is a story you're going to write about your fitness experience.  "But Hans my fitness experience, if I'm really honest, has been a story of failure."  I'm with you.  I've failed too.  But luckily history provides proof that even when we fail, we can still learn and succeed.  Here's how the J2K Fitness Challenge derives its name.

Virgin Atlantic Airways is an airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin label, a forward-thinking business group known to be highly innovative.  In 2000 they made a $67 million investment to create sleeper seats, reclining seats for their business class.  

Although sleeper seats had long existed in first class, airlines had not yet adopted them for business class. Virgin was the first to announce it would be offering "a bed in business," says Joe Ferry, Virgin's head of design, who led the design of the J2000 seats. Within a year, however, Virgin's idea was one-upped by its chief competitor, British Airways PLC (BAB ), which rolled out a truly flat bed. While customers were initially enthusiastic about the J2000, some complained about sliding and discomfort. In the end, says McCallum, it "was wildly unsuccessful. Everybody acknowledged that it was not as good a product as our principal competitors'." Agrees Ferry: "We were an also-ran, which didn't really sit well with us."

But Ferry didn't get fired.  In fact, CEO Gordon McCallum entrusted Ferry with more money - $127 million to over-haul the upper-class seats.  The new version, launched in 2003, has been a solid success.  Called the "upper-class suite," Ferry's makeover made a design leap beyond merely being flat.  Flight attendants flip over teh back and seat cushions to make the bed, allowing for different foam consistencies for sitting and sleeping.  While Ferry hoped the new seats would eventually improve Virgin's business-class market share by 1%, they've already exceeded that goal.  (Source: businessweek.com)


Failure is not the end of the story.  Many leadership experts and business professionals would testify that failure is in fact necessary for success.  So we begin J2K with a look at our failure.


When you think back to your attempts at creating an exercise program for yourself, what has gotten in the way?  What's made your routine fall apart?  What one aspect would you do differently to improve your chances at success?


The first part of the J2K Fitness Challenge is to get one piece of paper for some thoughts.  Write "J2K Fitness Challenge" at the top and brain-storm a couple reasons why exercise hasn't worked for you in the past.  That's it.  Come back in a couple days and we'll talk about what to do with those thoughts and we'll formulate some goals.  But not just any goals - we'll formulate S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

Training Log: I Use DailyMile.com

After three seasons of running, it looks like this summer will be an off-season for me.  I've really enjoyed the different challenges of each race.  But Katie and I are expecting our second child this April and that means our household will be busier than ever.  Time for training will be hard to come by, so I'm planning on a much lighter exercise routine.

But as a personal trainer I have come to find great joy in helping others experience success and a healthier lifestyle.  I've promoted this lifestyle and these runs (half and full marathons) and a few members of our extended family have taken the challenge and joined me in these different races.  This season I'm focusing on two of these people, Jess and her dad Kevin.  Jess is the finance of Katie's brother Grant.  Kevin is her dad.

I've found a great website that will be helping us stay in contact with our workouts.  It's called DailyMile and it's free!  If you use Facebook you'll see the similarities.  Once you create a profile (which you can link to Facebook) you find other friends who join your News Feed.  When your friends post a workout or make a comment ("note") it shows up in your News Feed under "You and Friends." 

I am really impressed with the way technology is allowing us to create community in the exercise and fitness industry.  Sure, it can get overwhelming.  But with a little discipline and initiative it's possible to start a couple accounts on social networks and create some community as you get fit.

3 Words for Twenty-10

I think new years resolutions set you up to fail.  Have you ever actually kept one past the third week of January?  On the other hand, I'm a big proponent of reflecting often on the details of life - where you've been, what you want to do, where you want to go, and how you're going to do it.  The title of my blog, The Game Plan, should signal my readers that I believe in organizing strategies and executing the plan.  To my core I'm a teacher and coach.

In my last post I talked about articles by Michael Hyatt and Chris Brogan that are exercises in reflecting on the past and planning the future.  I highly recommend both articles.  It's not too late to put together a plan for 2010.  In fact, I think without the pressure of the first few days of the year you can strategize with a more level head.

Chris Brogan has an exercise he does called 3 Words.  From his post:

Over the last few years, I’ve practiced something I call “my 3 words,” where I come up with three words that I use as guidance for how I should conduct my efforts in the year to come. I set goals around these three words. I build deadlines and projects around these words.

Here's my 3 words for twenty-10:

catalyst:  A catalyst is someone or something that makes things happen.  I want to take more initiative with my family time (especially with a baby girl on the way).  Catalyst.  I want to add value to people's lives.  Catalyst.  I want to take Katie out more often.  Catalyst.  I want to create excellent content on my blogs. 

athlete:  I understand the world of athletics; I think in terms of sports.  Athletes are into training, planning, practicing, performing, and then reviewing the whole process and doing it again.  Thinking of the word "athlete" makes me pursue my fitness.  Though I may not compete in a race this year, I want 2010 to be a solid year of training.  Athlete.  I want to prepare for each week (and month) as an athlete prepares for a game.  My life would be much more efficient and enjoyable if I spent a little more time preparing.  Athlete.  I also want to explore the idea of failure.  Athletes fail.  Failure is ok... if you learn from it.  I'm afraid of failure.  But if I fail I will know I'm trying hard and am fully invested.  "I've never failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."

coffee:  This is my most abstract word.  Coffee this year reminds me of my morning routine.  Before my family is awake I'm up reading my Bible, journaling about life, reading a good book, and preparing for my day.  Coffee.  I'm also going to pursue a few more meaningful relationships for me and my family.  Coffee.  I want to host friends and family at our house.  Coffee.  I want to get into some strategic relationships with other Christian men who I can do life with.  Coffee.

Disclaimer:  These three words may mean nothing to you, and they can't be fully understood from this post; it's not meant to be all-inclusive.  But they have been pondered by me for over a week and I've internalized them and started to process them here.  Accountability is good.  Having goals is good.  Failure is ok.  Learning the process to growth is essential.

Goal Setting

If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time.  ~Author Unknown

How true is this?  Have you recently analyzed your goals in life?  Could you list your top three priorities on a sheet of paper?  How are you spending your time?

Goal setting is an exercise that requires our daily and weekly attention.  I am very easily distracted, and I'm not alone.  In today's age of technology there are so many things that battle for our time, and they often win... unless we have a set of goals in place.  These goals need to address what's important in our lives and no one can create them but ourselves.  We must internalize them and make them our own.

One of my biggest challenges in helping clients become more fit and lose weight is to help them understand the importance of goal setting.  "I want to lose weight"  This is a bad goal.  "I want to be healthier."  This is also a bad goal.  Why are these bad goals?  Because they don't give me enough information.  They're not SMART goals:

Specific           (what do you want to happen; why; how)

Measurable     (how will you know when you've accomplished your goal?)

Attainable        (are you in over your head or is your goal within reach?)

Relevant          (is it your goal or someone else's; how does it fit in your life?)

Timely             (to be completed next week, next month or next year?)

This is a criterion I learned while studying physical education in college.  While it first seemed a little over the top, I now realize how essential these five components are to proper goal setting.  So without a goal we will never accomplish what's important to us.  The world distracts us so we need to focus.  And when we establish a goal, it needs to have the five SMART components.

Challenge:  

1. write one short-term goal to be completed this week
2. write one long-term goal to be completed within one month
   

Lakefront Marathon

When I finished the Milwaukee Marathon yesterday, I felt two emotions:  first I was proud of my time, and second I was grateful for all my supporters.

Let me start with the latter.  I can say how thankful I was to have so many friends and family out on the course with me.  Yesterday was 48 degrees at the start of the race - and windy.  By the end it wasn't much warmer.  The breeze sure didn't go away.  Watching someone (like me) run 26 miles is quite and undertaking - it took me just under four hours, so there's some committment there.  And still other family members showed up towards the end when I needed encouragement the most.  I wish you all knew the energy I get when I see supporters on the side of the road there cheering me on.  In the challenge of my race you were pushing me to the end - thank you so much.

My other emotion after the race was pride in my training.  This was my second marathon of the season, and it was the first time I had this volume of training under my belt.  While I had the miles to run well, I hadn't worked on speed like I had hoped.  This time my training called for two 20-mile runs.  Mine went so well that they turned into 21 and 23 mile runs.  So I knew I had a chance at a good time.  Saturday night I wrote here about my goals:

Here's how I'm looking at tomorrow:

• 3:55 should be a lock
• 3:50 is my goal
• 3:45 is "things went perfect"

The start of the race was very cold - I couldn't even get myself to take off my long-sleeve, but I ditched the hat at mile 8.  The first 13 miles felt very clunky and I was actually worried that things wouldn't go well.  I knew from training that around 8-10 I would get into a rhythm, but when that came and went I started thinking this might not be my day.  At mile 13 I was three minutes behind where I wanted to be (1:50), but that just meant there was even less room for error.

And then I started thinking about the Madison Marathon five months earlier.  In that race I started off very strong and just barely held on to the finish.  Would today be the same or did I have more in the tank?

At mile 14-15 I started getting into a nice groove.  What a feeling!  I was blaming the weather and maybe my high ambitions started me too fast at the start.  But here I was feeling smooth and strong.  At mile 18 I was thinking back to my last few long training runs and glad that I had pushed to 21 and 23 miles.  I started to think of when I wanted to push the pace because I knew I had strong legs.

Mile 22 would be a little early to go for it.  Four miles doesn't seem that far, but at the end of a marathon it's too much for me.  I figured I had a little more than two good miles left so at mile 23.5 I left Ken who I was running with and increased my pace.

Those last 2.7 miles were very tough.  It's really hard to push yourself when there's not that much in the tank.  I knew I'd finish but I didn't know how fast I could go.  In previous races I would alternate walking and running around mile 21.  That didn't happen once yesterday!  I had picked up the pace but I was maxed out of muscle in my legs.  I don't know how many people I passed but I know that no a single person passed me after mile 21.  I'm very proud of that.

I finished Milwaukee Marathon in 3:46, bettering my personal best by 13 minutes.  The training had paid off.  The cheers and support were greatly appreciated.  Who knows what's next.  Right now I can be thankful and proud as I go into the winter and think of next season.  Katie and I have some thoughts about the future, but right now we're very excited to focus on family and Katie's health as she carries our second baby.  And I'm looking forward to cheering her on.

Race Week

I am very excited to be at the final training week for the Milwaukee Marathon this Sunday. It is my third marathon, my second this year. I did Madison Marathon for the first time in 2007 and finished in 4:04. Last May I did Madison again and met my goal of going under 4 hours - I finished in 3:59. And now I've completed my training for this marathon on the heels of my Madison marathon, so the two consecutive training programs is making me very excited to see "how fast" I can go on Sunday.

Training is so motivational for me. I've made many updates on Facebook and Twitter this summer as I've processed my runs and the training program. It's been great to see how much stronger my body has gotten from all the miles I've logged. Are you aware of the capabilities of the human body? I'm not saying everyone should run marathons. But what might it be for you? Your first 5K? A run/walk. A brisk bike ride around the lake? What could you train for that would require some time and effort, but you think is possible in 8 weeks of training?

So this week I'm resting and looking back on my first two marathons - how my splits were and what my heart rate was over the course of the run. My friend Tom Moore says that marathons start after mile 20 - and I agree. It's the last six miles that are really what you train for, especially after your first marathon. In May I basically ran two different runs - my first 18 miles were great and my last 8 went downhill. So I'm starting to develop strategy for having more in the tank at the end.

If you're interested in following me on Sunday, you can watch my Twitter feed which my sister will be updating.

Benefits of Training

As I train for my third marathon, I've been able to focus less on the miles scheduled for the week and focus more on the structure of the program and it's purpose.  For those that don't know, when you're training to run 26.2 miles, you never actually run that far before the race.  One common training program (Hal Higdon) has you peak at "only" 20 miles.  And that's three weeks before the race! 

While I understood this concept in 2007 when I first did Madison Marathon, the years have allowed me to familiarize myself with the program, the design, and most importantly my body.  Having gone through the program three times now, I can confidently talk about training for a marathon with any novice runner.

Lately I've been reaping the benefits of training.  The human body is designed to be able to run 26.2 miles.  Not everyone can do this because too many of us let our bodies go.  But with proper training, I feel like I could get most people to complete a marathon.  And this is because of the power of training.  Think about training.  It's not something you figure out over night, in a week, or a month.  People take years to be properly trained on a piece of equipment or proficient at a job.

And training for a run is no different.  My marathon training program for the Lakefront (Milwaukee) Marathon on October 4th included two 20-mile runs.  This is an advanced workout that I was trying for the first time since I'm looking to improve on my run from this spring.  I'm happy to report that the first 20-miler was going so well that I extended it to 21 miles.  Then the second 20-miler was going well (training!) that I extended it to 23.5 miles.  If you haven't had the feeling of your body getting stronger, you're missing out.  

So after 17+ weeks of training, I'm tapering.  The program is set up such that your body decreases its workout load for the last two weeks of the training so that you're ready for maximal effort on race day.  I remember feeling this three days before my first marathon in 2007.  I came home from a short run and told Katie "I'm ready to go."  I could just feel my body's strength and even pent-up energy during my taper.  This was because I was used to so much higher mileage, my body was under-performing.  And that would change in three days when I would ask it to run 26.2.


When is the last time you trained for something?  It doesn't have to be a marathon.  It doesn't have to be athletic.  But when is the last time you felt yourself noticably get better or stronger in an area?