Month: December 2017

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of advertisements for knee wraps.  They come in a lot of styles and colors, and they can look cool—to some—in the gym, but….  At least one brand claims that theirs “improves stability and flexibility.”  There are times to wear wraps, as I will explain, but the circumstances in which most of these ads demonstrate their use are not such a time.  First, I must say I am confused by the claim that they improve stability and flexibility, as these are contrary to one another.  Stability requires minimum movement, whereas flexibility and mobility seek to increase movement.

Knee wraps are intended to stabilize the knee—particularly medially and laterally.  These also serve to stabilize the patellar tendon/ligament.  Unless an injury (or risk of injury) demands it, knee wraps are unnecessary.  It is the role of the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments to maintain mobility and stability of the knee.  Unless one has a current injury or is lifting near-maximal weights, wraps may actually limit the strengthening of the knee structures.

Most frequently, I see advertisements demonstrating knee wraps during exercises like the goblet squat.  (I have even seen them used during body weight squats, AKA “air squats”!)  If you are not familiar with goblets squats, these are squats performed holding a dumbbell at the chest.  Rarely are the dumbbells being used of significant weight—usually a 25-35 lb dumbbell.  This is a far cry from the 500+ lb back squats that can put the knees at risk.

If the knee is of concern, start by strengthening the hip.  It is the hip, after all, not the muscles acting on the knee, that protect the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).  The ACL is most commonly injured when the knee is hyperextended and forced inward (valgum).  This can occur with contact or noncontact (e.g., when cutting or pivoting).  Otherwise, proper form and appropriate intensity (i.e., weight or resistance) assures the protection of the knee joint.

Using knee wraps for any exercise less than near maximal is therefore of little benefit.  These can slow progress as the muscle growth, as they tend to assist in extending the knee (a benefit for powerlifters and Olympic lifters; not so great for the fitness trainer).

When it comes to gear—e.g., wraps, belts, and compression clothing—leave these for the serious lifters pushing big weights.  If the knees are “weak” work the hips and train the knee hinge through a full range of motion using safe weights—and progress appropriately.

Be your best today; and be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!

“Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you’re in a fight.”—Michael Jordan

Setting goals is about knowing what you want.  Specifically, it is about knowing what you need.  Most importantly, goal setting is about acknowledging our imperfections.

Even when we are our best, we can get better.  Moreover, we must get better.  We set goals for the purpose of advancing.

In teaching my son about setting goals, we had to acknowledge that he is going to fail—if, of course, he tries.  We talked about how this is okay.  Indeed, it is necessary.  The question I am teaching him to ask (and trying to practice myself) is: “Did I do my best?”  Hopefully, the answer is “yes”, but we know that often it will be “no”.  If “no”, then we must ask “why not?”  When the answer is “yes”, we still have to ask “what can I do to be better tomorrow?”  Even in success (or victory), we can look for ways to improve.

When we do fall short, we must not beat ourselves up.  The worst thing we can do is let failure metastasize.  Instead, we need to let failure fuel our future success.  We can use our mistakes and losses to expose our weaknesses and train these up.  Sadly. We too often focus on what we didn’t do instead of focusing on what we can do.

Today is a new day.  Whatever you are beating yourself up over from yesterday, forget about it.  Set a challenge for yourself to get better today.

Make goal setting a part of your daily growth routine.  Be specific.  Challenge yourself.  Risk failing until you get it right, then fail at something new.  Growth doesn’t come from doing what we do well.  Growth comes from struggling to do, today, what we couldn’t do yesterday, so we are better tomorrow.  One’s 100%, today, might only be 99.8% tomorrow, but that is progress.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

There is a saying in wrestling that “there are only winners and learners”.  The same, perhaps, can be said in the field of sales.  Indeed, in all areas of life, we make a decision to learn from our losses—our setbacks.  We are not always going to win.  In sales, one learns very early that the loss column fills up much faster than the win column.  This may or not be the case in sport.

Whether it is a loss or a lesson is a matter of attitude (gratitude).  When defeated, we have to explore the question of “what have I learned?”.  If we refuse to ask the question, then we have truly lost.

The first question we must always ask ourselves is: “Did I do my best?”  If we can say “yes” (and, hopefully, we can), then it is a matter of working on the things that we can do better.  If the answer is “no”, then we need a bit of an attitude adjustment on top of working on the things we need to do to get better.  Unfortunately, when we don’t give our best effort or fail to execute what we have practiced, we don’t know how to get better.  We have failed to identify the areas for improvement.

Progression or growth require that we exceed our previous efforts.  Training (for sport, sales, etc.) allows us the opportunity to make mistakes trying new things without consequence.  Success, however, requires that we take our training into competition.  The idea of “100% effort one-hundred percent of the time” applies in training/practice, as well as in execution.  Failure to give 100% effort at any time is not doing one’s best.

It can be over-whelming in our many roles to be giving our all at all times.  The key to remember that we are not serving in every capacity simultaneously.  We balance our roles and maximize our efforts in each.   This the opportunity of living a well-centered life.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

“There will be many challenges ahead, and I’m looking forward to them.”—Cael Sanderson

2017 had its challenges.  Certainly, so will 2018.  The question for us is, “How will we face these?”

I love Cael Sanderson’s attitude toward challenges.  I have learned to call these “opportunities”.  Challenges—or opportunities—can be for our benefit.  They are for our growth.

As Nietzsche put it: “that which does not kill us makes us stronger.”  Of course, we don’t want to suffer.  Unfortunately, to some degree or an another, we will.  In the end, it is what we make of our opportunities.

As the new year approaches, let’s look forward to the opportunities and the growth these will bring.  It is all a matter of attitude—or, perhaps, gratitude. 

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

I admit.  I probably don’t drink enough water.  I will usually drink 3-4 cups (24-32 oz) of coffee and a pint (16 oz) of beer a day.  I struggle to drink enough water.  I will generally have about 32 oz of water during a workout.  In total, this is about 80 oz of fluids (and much of this is naturally diuretic).  This is above the recommendation of eight 8-oz glasses of water a day (64 oz), and, on most days I do have an additional 32 oz of water (meeting the 8×8 target), but….

Sixty-four ounces is a minimum.  Researchers have suggested a two-thirds rule—drink 0.67 times your body weight.  For example, at 230 lbs, I should be drinking about 154 oz (nearly 5 quarts) of water daily.  On top of this, one should consume an additional 8 oz for every 30 minutes of exercise.  That’s a lot of water!  But, remember fluid is fluid.

Ideally, drink water.  Avoid fruit juices for the excess calories.  Avoid drinking alcohol for the same reason, as well as sobriety.  Coffee has health benefits, but it is going to increase the trips to the bathroom.  Water naturally cleanses the body, gives the sensation of fullness (recommendations are that dieters drink two cups of water before meals to reduce food consumption and stimulate caloric expenditure), and is a necessary substance for healthy functioning.

My problem, in part, is that I have an hour-plus commute and about a 30-minute bladder.  I get concerned about drinking (water) and driving.  On top of this, I teach in 2-hour blocks and don’t drink as frequently as I should.  Poor excuses, indeed.

I try to start the day with a 16-32 oz glass of water with 1/8^th tsp of colored (e.g., Himalayan) sea salt and a shot of lemon juice.  This is believed to kick-start the adrenal glands.  I’ll drink another 32 oz during my morning workout and again in the afternoon, if I work out.  I should probably pace my hydration better, but I do my best (more or less).

Drinking water is a great opportunity to do a SIDCHA (pronounced: sid-cha).  A SIDCHA is a self-imposed daily challenging healthy activity (Josh Spodek).  Such a challenge would be to drink a cup of water every waking hour through the day.  If one is awake for 16 hours, this is only 128 ounces (one gallon).  What do you say?  Should we set our alarms to go off and remind us?  Shall we start today?

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

I struggle sometimes to recognize my Purpose.  Sometimes, I get it.  Other times, I wonder what I am missing.
I have come to the realization that every choice I have made—good, bad, or otherwise—has brought me to where I am.  I have more recently begun to understand that the decisions of others have, likewise, led me to where I am.  My parents, grandparents, siblings, spouse, teachers, coaches, friends, teammates,…. (You get the point.)  We are all so interconnected.

Sometimes, we feel we want something—and that this something is our “Destiny” or “Purpose”.  In the end (sometimes in the middle), we see there is/was a different plan for us.

As a WVU alumnus and fan, I can’t help but follow and be intrigued by the path of wide receiver David Sills V.  Sills went from 13-year-old commit to USC as a quarterback to a junior college QB to outstanding, wide-receiver—leading the nation with 18 touchdown receptions and finalist for the Biletnikoff award (awarded to the nation’s top receiver) and several All-American awards.  Less than a decade ago, I am sure he would have said that his purpose was to play quarterback.  Today, his goals and opportunities are quite different.  And I am sure that “wide-receiver” is not his Purpose.  It is but a path to what, I believe, will be something more.

Our Purpose is always something more than where we are, today.  We are always growing and moving toward something better.  The greatest challenge in life is to recognize (and accept) that we are where we are supposed to be—right now.

It is all a matter of nature AND nurture.  I love to take Per-Olof Åstrand’s recommendation to “choose your parents (and grandparents) wisely.” I am of the belief that we born perfectly suited to our Purpose and Mission in life. If you think you got the short end of the stick with regards to genes, environment, opportunity, etc., you might not be seeing your true purpose.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Keep all special thoughts and memories for lifetimes to come. Share these keepsakes with others to inspire hope and build from the past, which can bridge to the future.”—Mattie Stepanek

It is easy to begin to think about “special thoughts and memories” this time of year.  The holidays are a time for memories.  Sometimes these are good memories.  Sometimes these are bad memories.  (Hopefully, these are mostly good.)  Each season is an opportunity to make better memories.

The holidays are not the only time for memories.  Special thoughts and memories are timeless.  We can’t wait for special times.  Carpe momento!

The best part of the holidays is sharing them with others.  Mattie Stepanek was wise beyond his years.  When he says “share these keepsakes with others to inspire hope and build from the past” he is speaking to us all.  The present is the “bridge to the future”, so, cheesy as it sounds, but the best present this season is simply to be present.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

A friend recently posed the question: “Why do the holidays bring out the worst in people.”  I know where she is coming from.  People get crazy this time of year.  Shopping, traffic, shopping…. 

It is a question worth pondering.  Why the holidays bring out the worst in people…in us?  As I thought about this, I couldn’t help but focus on the “us”—more specifically, “me”.  It is easy to perceive others as the problem.  It is difficult to see our own implication in the frustration.

As much as I strive to live “I am third”, the more I realize that I am not capable of living this consistently.  I am also aware that people are as frustrated as I am.  Perhaps, it is because the holidays bring out the worst in me that I perceive the worst in others.

Our happiness during the holidays is a choice.  Another friend, Coach Andy Lausier, would remind me that I get to have gratitude this season (to move from “have” to “get”).  The apostle Paul began his letters with the greeting “Grace and Peace”— charis (a derivation of chairein) from the Greek tradition and shalom from the Jewish tradition.  It is a greeting to unite people.  It is a thought that should be in our minds as we greet others during these harried times.  We get to greet others with thoughts of “grace and peace”.  We get to remember that we are not alone in our frustration.  We get to remember that we are connected and the interconnectedness that fuels our frustration can be the same interconnectedness that fuels of joy.  It is a choice.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

Saturday was one of those mornings.  My children had to be it to places at the same time on opposite sides of the school district.  My son had wrestling at 9 at the high school.  My daughter had her first basketball game of the season across town.  It should have been easy.  I’d drop him off early and hurry to make her game.  Of course, everyone was running late.  Gym shorts and basketballs could not be found, and my near teenage, who must have stayed on his PS4 much later than was supposed to, woke up more like a grumpy 6-year-old.  I don’t like to be late, so it was “Go! Go! Go!”

I am not the most patient of men.  I start out the day with the best of intentions, but….  Then, I start the car, and, of course, the first song on the radio was ‘Patience’ by Guns n’ Roses!  Oh, how I love moments like this!  True, one might call it a coincidence.  Perhaps.  I tend to hear it as the Universe speaking.

Sometimes, like this Saturday morning, I am receptive to the message.  Unfortunately, many other times I miss the subtleness of the Universe.  I do try to listen.

I like when the Universe speaks.  I don’t always like the message.  (Okay, truthfully, I never like the message, because it usually pierces.)  Still, I get to hear the Universe speak reset my course.

We can all use a little patience.  Thank you, Universe, for speaking through Axl Rose!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

Why is it always white vans?  The other day, a friend shared that the daughter of a friend was being stalked and was nearly abducted by a man in a white van with a teal stripe down the side on the campus where I teach.  On my campus?!  I don’t know the girl.  She is not one of my students.  But, I care.  It is somebody’s daughter.  It could be mine.  It could be a student I know.  Yes, I care.

Be aware.  Not only for yourself and your closest friends and family, but also for the daughters of friends of friends and people you don’t know.  Love your neighbor means protect your neighbor.

I refuse to live in fear, but I also refuse to allow my neighbors to live in fear.  The world is a very scary place—especially for young women.  Be observant.  If something seems wrong or out of place, don’t dismiss it.  If someone comes to you for help, help.  If someone is in trouble, do something.

I shared my friend’s post with my students.  The ladies in the class were well aware of the attempted abduction—and another unrelated one around the same time!  We discussed it in class.  I want my students to know that I am there for them.  I will do more than call the police to help them.  I drove home from campus on Thursday a bit slower than usual with an eye out for a white van with a teal stripe.  (Incidentally, the van pictured above is not the involved van.  The picture of the actual van was removed from social media.)  I had no worries about what I would have done, if I saw the van.

We can no longer be by-standers.  We must involve ourselves in the safety and welfare of our neighbor.  Otherwise, we are as guilty as the predators who walk among us.

Carpe momento!