Month: January 2019

My family is saying farewell to my beloved Aunt Linda today. I am unable to make the trip to Ohio to be there. This deepens the pain.

It is frustrating living so far from family. We live in constant fear that every time we say goodbye to a loved one that is might be our last (even when we live in the same home). We never want to be left alone. In reality of fear and sense of loss are selfish emotions. Death is a painful reminder of missed opportunities and the sense of failure.

I have to celebrate my aunt’s life somewhat alone today. My wife and children have not had the opportunities to spend the time with her that I have had.

Linda was always cheerful. There are so many memories. Having been a teacher, I expect the funeral will be attended by several generations of former students whose lives have been positively affected by my Aunt. She was that teacher that everyone loved. She cared deeply for every student and showed me how teaching can be a calling.

I wish I had just one more memory. I wish that I had called just one more time. Alas, those opportunities were missed.

She leaves behind her husband, Uncle Bob, and son, Bobby (who is much too old for me to be calling him “Bobby” still, as well as grandchildren, siblings, cousins, nieces, and other family and friends. Moreover, she leaves memories that cannot be taken away.

We will always miss an opportunity for one more goodbye to the ones we love. That is life. That is love. The best we can do is to grab the opportunities that we can.

I miss you Aunt Linda!

Carpe momento!

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.”
–Brian Tracy

Others will undoubted judge us and belittle us. Our choice is to believe the naysayers or to defy them. Confidence, ultimately, comes from within. It comes from recognizing and accepting who we are. A strong sense of Purpose is essential to resiliency.

As parents (as well as teachers, coaches, and the like), we must give our children a sense of self-worth and Purpose without developing a sense of entitlement. Understanding that we all have strengths and weaknesses—that we are uniquely gifted—is essential to developing self-efficacy.

Rarely will the actions of others be focused on our best interests. People—parents, teachers, coaches, bosses, etc.—are inherently selfish. When their actions make us feel ashamed, we must take ownership of our response. This is not easy when it bombards us (our children) from many sides, but it is our choice to hear the voices of negativity or the voices of support.

It is a healthy habit to carefully filter these voices. There may be some truth to the negative comments (even the best coaches may be unskilled at communication and empathy), as well as the positive comments (most encouraging comments can sometimes lack the necessary correction to make one better).

The best gift we can give our children is a positive and realistic sense of self. Let them know (and we must regularly tell ourselves) that they (we) are unique for good reason. If we feel inadequate, we are focused on our limitations rather than our strengths. For our youth, this is particularly hard—especially in the age of social media when we are pressured to judge ourselves by “likes” and emojis and veiled comments. Teach your children to be their own best judge—and to like themselves.

When I say “be your best today”, I speak first to myself. The message is not “be someone else’s image of the best today”. The message is to take all the talents and giftedness you have and make the most of them.

Spiritual well-centeredness is the understanding that we are not the center of the Universe—nor is any other. We all have a unique role to play.

Physical well-centeredness is to make the most of physical body we are given. It is not about physical appearance. Rather, it is a focus on health and personal performance.

Don’t let your standards be set by others. Embrace yourself, and…

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Specificity! I am a firm believer in the individualized approach to exercise. With the exception of sports teams, it is rare that individuals have similar fitness needs. Even athletes have variable needs based upon positional roles, history of injury, specific weaknesses, previous training, etc. The challenge for the strength coach is to meet the needs of every athlete within the presented constraints. (I know of no collegiate strength and conditioning coach who is underworked.) Similarly, personal trainers and therapists will rarely have the same exercise prescription for multiple clients. Thus, I am not a big fan of the workout-of-the-day (WOD) approach that has become so common in the fitness industry. This is not to say that there are not some benefits. As with anything, there are pros and cons to the WOD approach to exercise.

Cons. As mentioned above, exercise requires specificity—i.e., the body system makes specific adaptations to imposed demands. So, a generalized approach to fitness is likely to miss some critical aspects of the individual fitness needs. WODs are convenient for the trainer and not always of the greatest benefit for the exerciser. General training produces general results.

There are distinct components to health-related and motor skill-related physical fitness that are optimally addresses individually—preferably in separate exercise sessions. Often, poorly constructed WODs and/or WODs that are poorly matched to individual goals fail to produce significant gains in any body system (e.g., produce minimal strength/hypertrophy gains and/or minimal cardiorespiratory improvements).

Pros. WODs are efficient for the more casual exerciser. There is no thinking required on the part of the exerciser—just show up and do what you are told. Exercises, sets, repetitions, etc. are predetermined. WODs are usually written up on a whiteboard (hopefully with at least some forethought) and the exerciser follows at his or her own pace or as a class.

I consider the greatest benefit of the WOD approach is the sense of community that develops and the subsequent exercise adherence that results. Programs, like CrossFit, have seen exceptional levels of adherence because of the sense of belonging and relationship that their members experience. Done well, WODs can accomplish what exercise professionals have long struggled do successfully—get people to exercise regularly with “cult-like” adherence.

I like the WOD approach for high-intensity interval training (HIIT, e.g., spin cycling classes) and high-intensity interval resistance training (HIIRT, e.g., “burst” training). HIIT can certainly benefit cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., VO₂max) and can be individualized in a class setting via the “relative” intensity of the lead or prescribed intervals. HIIRT requires a bit more care and consideration. It is critical that the fitness leader be disciplined to observe for the breakdown of technique due to fatigue—to minimize the risk of injury. When performed safely, HIIRT can significantly affect body composition. The improvements in cardiorespiratory function are likely to be minimal. Thus, more specific “cardio” exercise should be included. Likewise, HIIRT is less effective for building muscle strength and muscle size. It is, however, great for burning fat while maintaining muscle mass.

There is a place for the WOD in the weekly exercise plan. If time and goals are limited several well-planned (and supervised) HIIRT WODs may be all that the exerciser has time to schedule. If greater gains are desired, however, time should be dedicated to a balance of weight training, cardio, and HIIRT—dependent upon one’s time constraints.

Exercise should not be blindly prescriptive. The individualized approach will always be superior to the general WOD approach. Use your time wisely.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Recognizing your talents doesn’t mean believing they’re limitless. Accepting your strengths doesn’t lead to pride, but instead to humility; you’re less likely to resent what others have if you understand your own bounty.”

—Gina Barreca

One needs to allow space for his or her soul to speak. Too often, we are moving too fast and too busy comparing our lives to see how blessed we are. We feel overwhelmed by life that we fail to notice how we are being shaped by our circumstances to be (extra)ordinary—to affect the Universe in ways far beyond our understanding. Before we can do this, we have to recognize and embrace our talents and strengths. We have to exercise our gratitude.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

We all know that “exercise” is beneficial. Of course, it is. But, does it matter what kind of exercise? Yes. It does.

One might make an argument that cardio is better than weights or vice versa, but that is like arguing that vegetables are healthier than fruit. There is no superiority of one over the other. They are both essential. The benefits are unique.

Moderate intensity and duration cardio appear to be beneficial to the immune system. I may also have protective effects for DNA which may help slow the aging process. It appears quite likely that cardio can be lie-extending.

Weight training may not increase longevity, per se, but it will clearly benefit the quality of those added years. The added strength and muscle function will certainly improve the quality of activities of daily living. Weight training will also improve one’s capacity to do physical activity—particularly the aerobic exercise that will provide the cardiorespiratory exercise.

Essentially, we will want to do both as we age. Medically and prescriptively, we tend to see aerobic exercise most often recommended.

Certainly, some aerobic exercise (AKA “cardio”) is suggested for heart and vascular health, as well as weight management and psychological health. “How much?” and “How intense?” remain as questions. Too much focus on moderate intensity aerobic exercise, in my experience and professional opinion, may be less beneficial for the aging adult. Often, this means frequent long-duration bouts of moderate-intensity steady-state (MISS) walking or cycling. While such exercise can stimulate the immune system and have a protective effect on the aging process, it is less effective preserving cardiorespiratory fitness and has little benefit for preserving muscle mass (consider that any aerobic activity is more efficient at a lower body mass—thus, the body is inclined to shed lean muscle, as well as fat, with endurance exercise). There is increasing evidence suggest that less frequent moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has a greater effect on longevity than low-intensity physical activity (LIPA)—though both are beneficial. It is clearly a good suggestion to move more throughout the day. When it comes to exercise—those physical activities performed for the specific purpose of improving one’s health, performance, and/or physical appearance—“opportunity costs”. More time spent doing exercise with minimal benefit is time less well-spent.

Weight training (or some form of resistance training) may have less effect on longevity (personally, I don’t think this has been studied as thoroughly as cardiorespiratory exercise in “older” adults), but it can have tremendous benefit for quality of life as we age. More overall neuromuscular function will promote a more activity in older adults which, in turn, benefits longevity—e.g., more MVPA. Increased neuromuscular function also benefits the risk of injury.

Weight training and aerobic exercise are different forms of exercise. Remember, specificity is important. The body makes “specific adaptations to imposed demands”. I would make a strong argument for a balance of cardio and weight training, as well as the addition of some high-intensity interval resistance training for all adults. Rather than include a statement that exercise should be “age-appropriate”, I would prefer just leave it as “appropriate”. The concepts of “overload” and “progression” do not end with AARP membership (or some defined milestone of age). Safe and effective should be the only considerations in exercise selection. All health-related (cardiorespiratory, muscle endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and body composition) and motor skill-related (speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time) components of physical fitness remain as considerations in the exercise prescription regardless of age.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

I am grateful. I just have to leave it at that. I am not grateful for anything specific, per se. I am just grateful.

I drove my 54 miles to work this morning and, of course, the traffic was horrible. I can’t comprehend for the life of me why drivers in Oregon (and surely other states, as well) don’t understand the purpose of the passing lane! It is quite simple. Pass left. Move right for vehicles that are traveling at faster speeds.  If one is not passing, one should stay in the right or middle lane. Simple, but a source of daily frustration.

I am working on my gratittude. It is part of my daily routine. This morning, as I was dealing with my traffic situation, it struck me how grateful I am that my biggest frustration was cars in the passing lane. Life could be far worse. Being slowed by inconsiderate drivers is a negligible problem in a world of hurting people. The thought that this was the most challenging problem I am facing brought a smile to my face. A feeling of gratitude poured over me.

Why is it that we are so prone to letting the smallest slight to our ego cause us to turn negative? I start (nearly) every morning with a list of opportunities, along with my “well-centered fitness” goals, mission statement, and values. I also try to start off with some positive thoughts and affirmations. I am intentional in trying to be positive. Some days, though, it is easy to get knocked off course. Sadly, it doesn’t always take a lot of negative force to disrupt my positive momentum. This shift in gratitude this morning, however, is a breakthrough.

If we just take a moment to consider what is souring our day, we are likely to realize that it is insignificant. Of course, some are knee deep in problems that leave little for which to be grateful. Nevertheless, we can “look for the pony” in our circumstances. Most can find something for which to be grateful.

Shortly after my realization this morning, I stopped to get gas.  As I entered the convenience store at the gas station, a young boy was hurrying out of the store. He abruptly stopped and, with a huge smile held open the door. I thought to myself, “There is hope for the youth of today!” As I left the store to return to my car, a second young boy—neatly groomed and sporting a tie—likewise stopped to hold the door. It made me feel good. It was another boost to my gratitude.

There is no particular purpose to today’s post other than the express gratitude for the simple things and for the fact that my life is pretty darn good.

I know things are not so good for many people. All I can say is, “Hang in there, and be grateful.” It may seem that there is no purpose to our hardship. Did deeper and find the pony. Be grateful. Practice gratitude.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

In response to my recent post, “’Functional’ exercise?”, a friend asked if I “think weight machines are as effective as dumbbells” and whether machines are “safer than dumbbells for older adults… until they’ve regained some strength?” These are great questions. As often is the case, the answer is “yes and no”.

Personally, I like machines for beginners. Machines can allow the exerciser to learn the “feel” of the motor pattern while building initial strength. It can be especially helpful for the “older” exerciser, particularly the aged exerciser who has never exercised and/or who has been weakened by years of inactivity. This foundation prepares the exercise for more complicated exercise to be added in due time.

The “safer” question is one of capability. I think of motorcycles. Any motorcycle is safe when it is parked. For one with little to no experience riding a motorcycle, the danger risk is quite high—especially at higher speeds on a highway. For a skilled motorcyclist, the risk is reduced (provided proper safety practices are followed). Exercise is much the same. Any exercise—particularly weight lifting exercise—is safe when done properly. With proper preparation and training, appropriately prescribed and executed exercise is safe. Most importantly, the exerciser must be capable of doing the exercise with proper technique.

In the long run, machines are less effective than free weights.  While great for (body building/physique training) hypertrophy, isolated exercises (e.g., leg extensions, leg curls, bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc.) require more time in the gym and stimulate fewer muscle motor units/fibers and have a reduced hormonal response (e.g., testosterone and growth hormone). Moreover, complex weight-bearing exercises (e.g., squat) require greater balance and motor control. These involve greater engagement of the core. Thus, multi-joint free-weight exercises (dumbbells and barbells) are more effective for motor skill-related physical fitness.

With beginners, there needs to be progression from stable and isolated exercise to less stable and complex exercise over time. This does not mean one need go overboard. Unstable exercise—think squatting on a BOSU ball—is a common push in the “functional” fitness camp. The progression to less stable exercise (e.g., leg press to squat to Bulgarian split squat) should be paired with continued progressive overload—that is, one needs to keep lifting heavier resistances over time to get stronger and to gain/maintain muscle mass. If the beginner continues with machine exercise, he or she can, of course, get stronger over time. Lacking, however, is sufficient core muscle activation.

Safety in weightlifting requires education, practice, and appropriate overload—doing more, but not more than the exerciser is currently capable of doing. Progression involves increasing load, as well as complexity. Effectiveness, after all, is individualized and dynamic. Safe today will soon become tomorrow’s underloaded and ineffective exercise. Progress. Progress patiently.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

A friend shared a Time article: “Want to Live Longer? For Just 30 Minutes a Day, Do Anything Else But Sit”*. As usual, you can’t just rely on the title of the article in popular press. The article, like most such articles, relies on the results of only one research study and provides an optimistic snapshot of the results. In this case, it is a paper published in the American Journal of Epidemiology by Diaz and others—“Potential Effects on Mortality of Replacing Sedentary Time With Short Sedentary Bouts or Physical Activity: A National Cohort Study” (https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwy271). The fundamental take home of the articles is, of course, that one needs to move more. The researchers emphasize the superiority of moderate to vigorous exercise, but also suggest that there is a cumulative benefit of exercise bursts less than the 10 minutes or more recommendation. I think it is important to read the Time article thoroughly (and, ideally, the AJE article, as well) for the complete picture and to understand the distinction between exercise and physical activity. Moreover, don’t use headlines for your exercise recommendations.

Physical activity is any activity above resting levels, so anything other than sitting is physical activity, but standing is hardly a sufficient alternative. The researchers emphasize light intensity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (LIPA and MVPA). The data suggest that MVPA mitigates greater health benefits. LIPA might involve short breaks from sitting throughout the day to walk around a bit. (My frequent trips to the restroom would be included in this category.) MVPA would involve activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It would benefit any sedentary individual to accumulate a total of at least 30 minutes a day of LIPA to MVPA—striving toward a goal of 30+ minutes of MVPA.

Exercise is defined as physical activity that is done for the purposes of improving one’s health, performance, and/or physical appearance. Technically, intentional LIPA and MVPA may be categorized as “exercise”, but this would fall on the minimal end of the exercise continuum. While LIPA and MVPA may be performed for health benefits (such activities will have minimal to no effect on performance or body composition except for the most out-of-shape persons), they should not be considered a substitute for regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise MVE. One should still schedule time to specifically overload the health-related (cardiorespiratory, muscle endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, body composition) and motor skill-related (speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, reaction time) components of physical fitness according to one’s goals and needs. Biking to work, for example, may, as a MVPA (more like light-to-moderate physical activity, have health benefits as well as environmental benefits, but it is not a substitute for taking a spin class (MVE).

A friend recently suggested that I address the “need to strength train for lower body even if you do ‘cardio’.” I had considered a separate piece on this, but it fits in today’s topic. My friend’s frustration is with clients who say, “I don’t need to lift for my legs, I work them enough jogging on the treadmill.” I can empathize. I tell my students quite frequently that my 50-something peers who claim their noon-hoops game as “cardio” are quite wrong. This may be classified as MVPA but it will hardly have the same benefit of a focused MVE bout on a treadmill.

Exercise is specific—the body system makes specific adaptations to imposed demands. Thus, a well-balanced approach to healthy living should include a well-balanced approach to exercise. Certainly, include as much LIPA and MVPA as you can, but do not allow this to be a substitute for the progressive overload of the cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems. Include exercise!

As for those who would say, “I don’t need to lift for my legs…”? Sorry, but you do. Cardio is good for the heart, but it isn’t necessarily good for the muscle. Often, it can result in the loss of muscle mass—particularly the larger and stronger fast-twitch fibers. If one is doing cardio for fat loss, this might actually slow the progress. As well, muscle strength benefits cardio performance. Running speed is dependent upon muscle strength to drive stride length and stride frequency (what affects speed). Proper weight lifting also benefits the endurance exerciser by reducing the imbalances that can lead to injury, and strong muscle better absorbs the impact forces of running (thus, reducing injury).

My take home from the Time article is: more LIPA, more MVPA, more MVE, and less sitting. In short, move (more)!!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

http://time.com/5502042/sitting-exercise-move/

There is a story about a boy who goes downstairs on Christmas morning to find a tremendous pile of horse manure by the tree. Gleefully, he begins crawling through the smelly mess. His brother questions him, and he responds, “With this much poop, there has to be a pony in here somewhere!”

We all have our pile of manure. The question is: How are we reacting?

The struggles in our life are fertilizer for personal growth and success—if we allow them and see them as such. If we see the opportunity. It is all a matter of attitude—i.e., gratitude.

As we go through life, stuff is going to happen. My favorite quote from Forrest Gump is not: “Life is like a box of chocolates.” It is: “It happens.” (If unfamiliar with the movie—really? You haven’t seen the movie?—this is when Gump wipes his face it a t-shirt and the smiley face craze is born.) Forrest Gump really is a movie about finding the pony in the big steaming piles of “it”. In reality, however, one does not have to be intellectually challenged to find the good in all circumstances. One must, perhaps, ignore some of our natural tendencies to overthink problems.

When challenges and problems arise or plans seemingly go awry, we must take our first step of identifying the opportunity. Ask: “What is the good that is to come of this?” Undoubtedly, there is some good—unless you don’t believe it, and, as such, you will never find it.

We have choices at every turn in our lives. Few, if any will find a straight and easy path in life. (And such people, I would say, have missed out on a plethora of opportunity to be so much more.) Our options are often “fight, flight, or freeze”. In my experience, “fight” is always the right choice. Now, I don’t me “fight” in the literal sense. To “fight” is to embrace the opportunity—to let the circumstances of life grow and to shape us. Our fight should not be reactive. Rather it should be reflective, introspective, and wrought with gratitude. In other words, “find the pony”!

If we are fortunate, the pony is right before us. Sometimes (perhaps, most times) it will take a while to “find the pony” amid the manure that piles up. The stink can be somewhat overwhelming. (I am not minimizing the amount of “it” that some people have had to endure or are enduring in their lives.) Whatever our circumstances, we have choices in what we do with them. Some might get mad at the pony, however, and miss the ride. I hope not.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!