Sunday VO2 Max

Great night last night.  It is always good to be with people who mean a lot to you.  Got to hang with some college buddies and guys that I played hockey with.  Never a dull moment in that group.  Just the way I like it.  Definitely made the beer taste better telling old stories and laughing it off.

Today’s training sessions is straight cardiovascular.  VO2 kettlebell snatch workout.  I don’t exactly know why it is named the “VO2″ workout, because my feeling is that I don’t even get in the same ballpark of my oxygen uptake threshold, but whatever.  At least I know that the workout is by its name.  The workout weight used will be a 16 kg bell, alternating arms every 15seconds for roughly 40 sets.  At a work:rest ratio of 15:15 this equates to about 160 KB snatches with each arm in about 20 min.  Sounds like a lot I know but I think the fact that KB snatches are a little more free flowing than DB snatches, and also the fact that I am not trying to break any records with the weight used (relatively light) allows for avoidance of overuse.  I still think that engaging in too many snatch based workouts in a week will lead to major upper trap dominance.  Upper trap dominance can be associated with neck pain, asymmetries with lower trap development (if not addressed with corrective work), and overactive traps.  Overactive traps can be painful if left un-attended, giving a person a constant aching/spasm type feeling.  I have had it happen to me a few times and I have avoided it at all costs ever since.  Its annoying to say the least.

My recommendations to any doing metabolic work like this, where work and rest periods need to be spot in regards to time is to buy a Gymboss, or any other type of interval timer.  I like the Gymboss personally.  It is portable, has multi-functional settings, and allows me to focus on the workout.  Nothing worse then trying to calculate rest periods while you are wheezing from exertion.  Just set the timer and forget about it.  It’s that easy.

Give the workout a try:

VO2 Snatch Challenge

40 sets (20 minutes) of:

• 16kg/KB snatch
• Alternate Right/Left each set 
• 15sec work: 15sec rest

Enjoy…

 

KG

You have to progress…

The journey to becoming increasingly conditioned and changing body composition is one that constantly has to be evolved. If you do what you always did, you will have what you always had. The training program has to have progressions. By progressions, I am talking about changing loads used, using more demanding progressions of easier exercises. Example would be a double KB front squat, progressing into single leg squat patterns… Maybe first with supported (rear foot elevated), upper extremity supported (TRX assisted), or just flat out 1-Leg Pistols if you can perform reps with great technique. I can’t stress enough that when technique fails, the set ends. Injury prevention has to be the foundation of training. If you are injuring yourself during training sessions, you are ignoring something in the program (dysfunction, proper warm up, over training).

One of my favorite progressions from push ups are suspended push ups. Initially, I would suggest that you start with feet anchored to the floor, with hands being above the feet. Pretty much an inclined push up. Sounds simple but the element of instability through using the TRX adds an additional stress in that you have to stabilize the handles eccentrically and concentrically. I have progessed to elevatiing the feet and setting the straps at a height that is parallel with my feet. Take a look at the picture below. (Yes, I workout without a shirt most times so save the “I’m in love with myself comments”).

Harder than it looks

Keep the handles as still as possible on the way down and up. Challenge yourself to lower yourself as controlled and slow as possible, while exploding out of the bottom of the push up without jerking the handles all over the place.

Enjoy the challenge…

KG

Eat Garbage

One of the easiest meals that I make almost daily is known to my Dad as “The Garbage Salad”.  It’s brilliant, delicious and takes about 3 minutes to prepare.  Actually the time that it takes to make the entire meal from start to finish depends on how fast a person can open lids and add the ingredients.  So what are the ingredients?  Depends.  I have used just about anything (within reason)…  Make a base layer of salad (I prefer spinach leaves) and add any or all of the following (in no particular order as you will see):

Carrots, tomatoes, sweet potato, onion, broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, chicken, fish of any kind, cuts of beef, turkey, apple, beans of any kind, dried cherries, black olives, and the list goes on.

Garbage salads serve a few useful purposes.  First, they are loaded with nutrition.  Second, for people who desperately need to reduce calories without starving themselves, you feel extremely full for a long period of time after eating one of these things.  Third, nothing is processed… no bread, croutons, etc.  All of that factory created shit is crap, and shame on anyone who tries to tell someone else that it is perfectly fine to consume “100% wheat bread”.  It is hard for me to accept the fact that hundreds of dietiticans are still giving the thumbs up to flour loaded foods. 

Last but not least is the dressing.  I wouldn’t even really call it a dressing, more like flavor boost.  In reality, the salad is already packed with flavor at this point, but may be a little on the dry side.  I am partial to mixing a small blend of Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Raspberry Vinegerette + Basil.  Nothing “Bobby Flay” on this one, but it certainly tastes damn good in my mind.  John Berardi’s cook book “Gourmet Nutrition 2.0″ is loaded with great recipes, some of which include a great menu of dressings to mix up and add to salads and other meals that need a little flavor.  Most can be made with items already found in most cupboards and refrigerators, so nothing that will break the bank.

Do yourself a favor and give it a try.  But most of all, stop making nutrition harder than it is. 

KG

Priveleged

Today was a memorable day in my life.  One of those days that presented me with an experience that I will never forget.  I got to get completely hands on with a cadaver (and no not necrophilia style you sick bastards).  But in all seriousness, I was able to listen to an extremely intelligent and well respected surgeon speak and lead a few of us into a full “touch and tell” session on the lower half of a cadaver. 

It was tough to explain to my girlfriend that the actual cadaver that we used was literally chopped in half from the belt line down.  Yes, that means that on the table it was just legs and the groin.  Pretty weird I agree but if you are in to learning anatomy like I am, it was amazing. 

I was able to dissect the quadricep group for a while, look at insertion sites and check out striation patterns along the muscles.  I am not anti-quadricep development, but as it has been beaten down again and again, far too many people are quad dominant.  Maybe quad-dominant isn’t even a correct way of wording it, perhaps glute deficient is a little more appropriate.  Regardless, most people would feel and function better if they would spend a little time addressing glute strength, hip flexor length, blah blah blah…. the usual.  I am not skilled or qualified enough to assess a person and single out local muscular deficiencies, but any idiot can tell if someone works a 40 hour a week desk job and has pulled themselves into the dark hole of anterior pelvic tilt.

While I think that it would be fun to be in the physical therapy world and possess that skill set, I am quite honestly glad that I didn’t go that route.  3 years of added school (tuition) and you are not even guaranteed to be learning from outside the box thinkers.  I love it when people of any profession cut corners and just go for the cookie cutter approach to problem solving issues.  If you are going to engage yourself in that much post-bachelor schooling at least ensure that you are not getting short changed on your new skill set.  But, as is with human movement, people are most apt to move in the path of least resistance. 

Tonight’s workout isn’t going to be anything groundbreaking.  I am actually sticking with the strength/hypertrophy theme as I leaned out way more than I wanted to.  Changing body composition is like watching the grass grow, it doesn’t happen quickly or overnight but one day you randomly notice that some changes have occurred.  In this case I have leaned out about as far as I can go while maintaining comfortable caloric intake and food choice… but at the price of strength loss and a bit of atrophy as well. 

It is easy to understand in my mind.  Train for what you want to look like.  If you want to put on some mass, moderate rep range (6-10 reps) and time under tension is the name of the game.  If you want a large metabolic disturbance in hopes of fat loss, then shake up your system with negative rest periods with resistance training (ex: kettlebells) or some kind of cardiovascular taxing movements like sprinting, sled push/pull, burpees, etc. 

I think fat loss is something that is meant to be extremely simple and structured but is way over thought.  Make a few rules that you have to live by, I would suggest any rules created by the likes of Alwyn Cosgrove, John Berardi, Dan John, etc…  But I am just partial to guys who seem to have similar thoughts and opinions of how to structure a training program.  I particularly like Mike Robertson’s favorite exercise for fat loss… “table pushaways”.  Fucking brilliant.  A very high percentage of people just need to get the hell away from food.  That’s it.  You don’t need a four year ivy league education to learn that one.

Anyways, as I mentioned earlier in this thoughtless post, it was really a great day.  Very educational and I now have a even greater respect for the surgeons that I am so lucky to work with on a daily basis.  I don’t care what anyone argues, they should be paid more for the work that they do.  Maybe not every single case, but there truly are miracles happening daily in hospitals. 

Cheers folks…

KG

Finding Inspiration

I have decided that I am going to start writing again.  What I failed to realize previously is that my writing can only getting more interesting for readers if I push myself to contribute more relative content to the blog.  Nothing monumental, but just providing a few tips and pearls here and there that can help people out.  I think that someday I would like to move toward creating an online community, that could hopefully evolve into some sort of business venture.  Right now I am focusing on just writing whatever feels right at the moment, no pressure, no time constraints.

So naturally my love for writing relates to living “best life”.  I like the idea of mainstream magazines such as “Men’s Health”, although I think that some of the content that they publish is a little cheesy.  I think that most people are looking for interactive content that they can read, watch, or listen to and immediately apply.  At least I know that is what I want.

I was looking at my window sill on the far end of my apartment the other day (where I workout) and noticed that I had piles of post-it notes that document nearly every training session that I have ever completed.  I prefer to document my conditioning sessions for a number of reasons:

1) So I know the rep/sets/time/rest scheme of the training session.

2)  It gives my training regimen structure for the immediate short-term/ long-term.

3)  I am able to decide if I liked the flow of the session.

The third point in more valuable than people think.  If a training session doesn’t have some kind of efficiency and flow, I think trainees lose a little steam when performing it.  Especially if we are talking about a high tempo fat loss training session.  Being able to flow from one piece of equipment or movement pattern promotes adherence and a sense of enjoyment during the workout. 

Rest and recovery are going to be ongoing themes for training in 2010.  I already know that I have a high work capacity, as I pushed myself physically and mentally to new limits last year.  Part of that was submerging myself head first into the wild world of kettlebells (which I have raved about extensively in older posts.)  The problem is that I think I have denied myself optimal results post-workout due to lack of proper recovery tactics.  It is so blatantly obvious that the body needs time to regenerate from the stresses created from such high impact sessions, but so easily ignored at the same time.  I need to improve in this area.

Another common statement from those looking to improve strength and conditioning is this, “I don’t know what to do” or “What workouts are the best?”.  The first quoted statement is answered through proper programming and education.  Achieving desired health requires a bit of understanding of basic health and wealthness concepts (Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime”).  The second quoted statement is not easily answered unless the statement is more goal oriented.  I recently overheard a colleague complaining how she didn’t achieve the body she wanted from the famous “P90X” program.  Well, P90X is structured for a certain outcome.  If you follow it religiously, you will look like what the program is set up to make you look like.  If a person wants to put on mass, then maybe that person should reconsider why they are performing bodyweight fat loss sessions.  You just have to use common sense before you blindly jump into something.  Deconstruct what you want to happen and create a map to get you there.

Keep an eye out for sample workouts to try.  I recently skimmed a book released recently by Robert Dos Remedios called “Cardio Strength Training”.  While it is a clever book, many of us have been using the concepts listed in this book for years.  It is nothing new believe me.  Like I said, keep an eye out for example workouts on here.  Budget friendly and effective.

End of the Week

I am one week in to cutting milk out of the diet, and honestly, I feel great.  I think it might be a little early to come to any conclusions about body composition or gut health.  More and more people are flipping up stones about the food industry that are extremely disturbing.  I am not extreme about going all organic, but I think that it is definitely something that I can see myself moving towards.  Our industrial practices in producing food is atrocious for the most part.  In my personal opinion, if you aren’t aware that high fructose corn syrup is being put in everything these days, then you need to wake up.  It is killing us, slowly but surely.

Training was good this week.  I am toying around with intense training sessions, but lowering my frequency of workouts during the week.  I know that I could battle through training 5-6 times per week, but I want to see what kind of an afterburn I can create from training every other day.  Research shows that metabolism can be cranked for up to 36 hours post workout, assuming that you are training with weights and shortening your rest periods.  It may just free up the perfect amount of time to get other things done instead of training.  Not that I don’t like getting a good session in when I have the opportunity.

 

I have added a few things to my daily intake that I am extremely hopeful about.  The first is a scoop of Metamucil in my shakes.  Most people take Metamucil so that can free up a good dump, but I just want to get more fiber in my diet.  More people airball on fiber intake that you can imagine. 

The second is a vitamin/antioxidant powder called Emergen-C.  Basically its just a single serving powder form of loads of vitamins mixed in with 6-8oz of water.  I have been taking it before bed, but in reality I should probably be taking it in the mornings to start the day off right.  I was sick about a week ago, and in an effort to prevent feeling like crap again I decided that I was going to take the “best offense is a good defense” approach and be proactive about avoiding illness.  I can’t be sick with what I do for an occupation, the surgeries are still going to be performed and I need to be there as a support network. 

Lastly, I have been consuming more water consciensly.  I KNOW that people miss this element big time, and it is so simple.  Just carry a water bottle with you.  Buy a re-usable container and use the hell out of it.  Better yet, buy like 3-4 of them so that if you need to wash them (which you should often to prevent bacteria build up) then you have 1-2 handy to take on the go.

 

Well…  Going to swing the KBs for a little while and then meet a buddy out for some beers.  Am I a hypocrate for drinking some beer on the weekends?  Probably.  But consider this…  I am not the one desperate for fat loss.  I think people really just need to worry about themselves.  If you feel like you deserve a drink or two… or 15, then do it, but weigh out how you can going to counter those actions.  Going out and having a good time can only be a sometimes thing, not an all the time thing.  Plus I am too young to be watching Man vs. Wild re-runs at 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. 

 

Cheers big ears…

 

 

World’s Greatest Wednesday

Not really, but I couldn’t think of anything else to title this post.  List format again…

 

1.  I am going to cut milk out of my diet.  Too much information leading me to believe that it is not needed in the diet, and can actually cause bloating.  A lot of people are mildly allergic to milk and don’t even know it.  I am going to take almond milk for a test run and see how it fits in with my pre/post workout shakes.

2.  I used to think Lil Wayne was a fruit.  I watched his “Behind the Music” on VH1 while I was out of work ill on Monday and now I think differently.  He freestyles ALL of his lyrics on his albums.  Seriously, that is sick.  I am not the biggest fan of rap music, but I respect talent, and that takes talent.

3.  I am picking up a pair of Power Blocks soon.  Shortened rest periods are all well and good, but if I want to pack on any muscle, I need to spend more time under tension.  I have been fairly creative thus far, but I have to get more external loading if I want to progress from where I am at.

4.  I talk training and nutrition with my doctors all of the time.  Some of the smartest people on earth have no idea how to train or what to eat.  I would have originally thought that will such a comprehensive understanding of functional anatomy and how the body systems cooperative with one another, they would have some idea.  Nope.

5.  Platelet Rich Plasma is starting to take off for us.  We have 5 docs using it now regularly, and they are seeing great results with there patients post-op.  Just wanted to reinforce my theory that putting the doctor and the patient as the top priority will reward with a salary increase.  The cardiac guys at Luther are next on the target list.  Good challenge but I think that I am up for it.

6.  If I see one more person hobble through a recreational jog I am going to throw up.  Why would you do that do yourself?  You have obviously created some kind of trauma through dysfunction, so why continue to make it worse?  Are you trying to lose weight?  If you really want to lose weight go to the library and check out a nutritional book by someone with some credibility (who preferrably doesn’t reference the current food pyramid at all because it is bullshit).  Read it, learn how to read food labels and ingredient lists, learn basic cooking and go to town.  I bet you would suprise yourself with body transformation just from paying more attention to your eating habits.

7.  Sleep is under-rated in regards to its effect on daily performance.  Get more of it and complete tasks more efficiently.  It is all about getting things done.

8.  Craft beer is the greatest thing ever.  So it Bud-Diesel.

 

Happy Wednesday…

 

 

Next Up… Laffer T. Daniels

If you are a sensitive person, don’t read this blog post because I am going to carve out quite a few things…  It’s Friday and God Bless America…  In no particular order, here is a list of things that generally are guaranteed to piss me off…

1.  Wiping your ass with paper towel because you pulled off the last half patch real toilet paper.

2.  Taking a shower with guests in your apartment, then realizing that you don’t have a towel to dry off.

3.  95 year olds weezing on the only decent functioning airdyne bike at the YMCA. 

4.  Fat chicks bucking a dart on the highway, in the summer with the top down in a ‘98 Chevy Cavalier. WTF.

5.  The long haired bitch that lives in my apartment complex who carries a whole goddamn arsenal of keys and runs everywhere.  Dude stopped staring at everyone and take a fucking shower. 

6.  Smokers in general.  I want to put your cigarette out on your eyeball.

7.  People who limp through a run.  Get off the road.  You are nobodies hero.

8.  Celebrities.  They can all blow me because you are not that special.  I will give Will Smith a pass though because he puts his money where his mouth is. 

9.  Kwik Trip Cashiers.  Don’t hate on me because you decided to gang bang in highschool and skip class.  Give me my change and smile, that is your job.

10.  Dog owners who let their dogs shit in other peoples yards, and then walk away like nothing happened.  When I have a house and someone does that to me, (I might go to jail but…) I am going to pick up every last turd and make you eat it.  Bastards.

11.  People who moan softly while breathing heavily when they eat food.  Absolutely disgusting.

12.  Lip smacking while you chew your food.  Absolutely annoying. 

13.  Biceps curls inside the squat rack.  What makes you think that you need an entire freaking rack to curl 45 lbs? 

14.  Sagging pants/shorts.  Buy a smaller fucking size.

15.  Shorts that are too short, pants that are too short.  Buy a bigger fucking size.

16.  High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Are we still consuming this shit in modern day?

17.  Obesity.  How long will it take to see that nothing good comes from being ridiculously overweight?

18.  Recumbent Bikes.  Unless you blew out a knee or physically cannot stand up and exercise, get your lazy fat ass off of this machine.  Makes me sick.

19.  Ebonics. 

20.  Overly aggressive parents of kids who play sports.  NEWS FLASH:  Your kid isn’t good.  In fact he/she blows.  The reality is that you are going to burn your kid out before they ever reach highschool, which basically means that they are going to resort to smoking dope and mating uncontrollably, which also is the main cause of TOWNIES. (I ran my own case study for this information).

 

Music Motivates

Music motivates me.  I think people often forget how powerful music can be.  There has been more than one occasion when I was nearly down for the count during a training session and a classic song pops on my IPOD and I get a second wind to finish the session.  Music motivates, I don’t care what anyone says.  Try working out in dead silence, compared with working out with a slower song on, compared with an upbeat intense song on.  I guarantee you 100% that you will perform better during your training session with the upbeat tunes on. 

I like to get away from the health and nutrition every now and then and talk about new music that I have stumbled upon in recent weeks.  So, below is a list of songs that I would add to your playlist if I were you…

Artist/Song

Volbeat – Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood (check out all the stuff by these guys, I love their sound)

Authority Zero – Sirens

Snow Patrol – Hands Open

Lamb of God – Descending

Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter  (This song is just classic.  Feels like an intro to an absolute beat down)

The Tragically Hip – Grace, Too (This is not a new song.  Get the live version.  Classic)

Muse – Uprising  (I think that the lyrics to this song are more intense than people think)

Florence and the Machine – Howl (Florence, the singer, has an unreal voice.  Something weird about this group that gets me jacked up)

 

I am a huge fan of metal, true metal, like the material that Pantera used to put out.  That stuff is timeless.  I could pop in a Pantera record and still want to punch my neighbor in the face for waving at me.  haha.  Anyone who has an interest in metal I think would understand the feeling. 

I think that we are going to start seeing metal come back to its roots.  A lot of bands these days are experimenting with samples and voice alteration, and I think that there is a void left for real talent.  Any group can rip it up in the studio, but you better be able to back it up live in concert.  I think this is a lost art.  People are paying out their asses to see some of these “progressive new age” bands live, and leaving the show wondering how they could put out an album with such amateur talent.

An alternative group that I have been jamming to for a while is Frightened Rabbit.  Give the record a chance.  Its two guys, brothers, guitar and drums.  For alternative music I think that the lyrics and the overall vibe of the album is great.  Lyrics are something that I think people ignore as well.  Some groups are putting out some really clever lines.  Better than the typical rap lyrics…  “grab a forty and shoot your shorty” bullshit.  I don’t know how people are drawn to that shit but whatever, your entitled. 

 

Cheers…

 

You Have to Say No…

A common misconception that people have about eating out is that they have to eat unhealthy.  Yes, it is true most times that even the healthiest item on a restaurants menu runs no comparison to the type of nutrient/ingredient content that a person can get from preparing a meal at home, but it will do. 

Just because your buddy across the table is getting the deep-fried donuts does not mean that you have to, or better yet, you are enabled to.  If you want a salad, order a damn salad.  Don’t like the menu listed?  Ask the waitress to tweak a recipe.  Trust me, they can do it.  They have the ingredients to do it. 

I would encourage everyone to take the time to learn how to cook.  Just basic cooking is enough to make some pretty amazing meals.  Better yet, buy a nutritional cookbook like the one that John Berardi and his camp put out, Gourmet Nutrition 2.0.  Some of the menu items in his cookbook are absolutely amazing.  The best part by far is that they list exactly the nutrient profile, and even better yet is that all of the recipes are healthful and usually packed with protein and essential vitamins. 

I will admit it, I pretty much eat the same thing for breakfast every morning.  Some people can’t do that, but it is completely fine by me.  I basically scramble some eggs, and throw in a ton of beans, mushrooms, veggies, meat of some kind, dash of sea salt and pepper, and a little cheese for some flavor.  I still don’t think that cheese is horrible for a person, but you have to realize that you can’t dump a 1/2 pound into every meal that you eat.  The whole moderation idea is tough for some people to grasp. 

Nutrition is seriously just common sense.  I have always said that I think that most people really know that to eat, but they are making a conscious decision to indulge themselves in foods that are destroying their bodies.  It bothers me that people still think that adding a little tomato, lettuce, onion to a 1 pound burger somehow makes the burger more healthy.  There is no logic sometimes.

The real truth is that if you want to see PERMANENT results in body composition, you have to commit to eating smart almost all of the time.  You can’t half ass it.  If you can stick to healthful eating habits, then maybe you don’t want change as much as you think you do.  Treat your fat loss program like you are desperate.  Willing to do anything.  Set a deadline in the near future and work your ass off to achieve goals by that date. 

Last of all, set the bar high.  Weak goal setting bothers me.  It’s like settling for less.  Nobody deserves less, yet everyday people are falling into the mentality that says “I’ll just do enough to get by”.  Why be average in anything when you could be great?  Get to work today…

 

Cheers