It's been a while since my last post - I guess I have to get used to the commitments I let my kids get me into. Baseball and softball just ended last week. Brandon was invited to the year-end home run hitting contest (came in 4th of 16) and Rachel hit over .700 for the season and was the team's leading power hitter. It was a blast, but was a continuous four nights a week for 2/3 of the summer! Looking forward to lots of camping and fun for the last month, hoping the sensation of global warming sets in a bit.
I have been training under Mike Nelson in preparation for both the Tactical strength challenge and the RKC in September. Most times I avoided big training events in the fall so I could be a little more lax on my training over the summer. Not this year! This, along with the kids schedule really took some commitment. But I feel things are paying off and I'm hoping for some big PRs.
A few days after a great 4th of July I went to sunny and WARM (117!)Phoenix for the five day Z health 9S Sustenance training. It was mind blowing in many ways, but bottom line, many things impact health. There is not a "single factor" that will change someone's health. One needs to eat well and move well to be well! The quality of trainers down there was amazing. Most had went through all the certs and I believe I met all the master trainers but one. Good stuff!
Congrats to Mike and Jodie at the news of their engagement! They make a great couple!!!!!!
Can't wait for "S Phase" or Sports phase in December. Should be great! As Dr.Cobb always says, KEEP MOVING!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Gotta love Running
Dusted off my MMA shoes this morning after a Z health neural warm up and ran for a mile. Having not run in a looong time it was harder than I thought. In fact, my nine year old son beat me for time - I got 7:19 and he cranked out a 7:18 in his last week of school. Not sure if he is a prodigy, but his time would be considered "superior" for even a 12 year old! Maybe the test standards have been watered down I'm not sure. All I know is that the run felt great and I am going to try to do a mile run for time on a weekly basis. It also shows that sitting at a desk all day is not conducive to great CRF health. I must do more! I continue to be amazed at what marathon runners go through...and reading Brad Nelson's blog where he ran a 4:47 mile in high school gives you an idea of goals/parameters. Everyone needs them!
Some points of interest: The Z health NWU is terrific for getting you ready for running. Half way through my upper back/cervical spine was a little off and a quick neck twist and a crack and it was gone. And remember that force transmission runs all the way from your feet to the opposite side of the body and to the TMJ. All the body all the time!
As for dietary note, I got a little too much sun yesterday and was dehydrated a bit (at least I nailed some Vitamin D!). Studies have shown that performance drops 2-5% as a result of dehydration. I read that if you want to see how you will look in 20 years, look in the mirror after a marathon. I remember the sports anchor "Perk" on Kare 11 videotaping himself on a long run. As time went on, he looked tougher and tougher. A rule of thumb is to drink half your bodyweight in ounces, so if you weigh 150 you should drink 75 ounces of water per day. That is a lot and of course if you are drinking pop you will need to replace it with water. Choices!
In the meantime, I'll keep increasing my efforts for the September TSC. I truly believe that eventually your CRF will be a limiting factor in your strength training, so find a cardio activity and do your best to quantify it, so you can show progress.
Enjoy!
Some points of interest: The Z health NWU is terrific for getting you ready for running. Half way through my upper back/cervical spine was a little off and a quick neck twist and a crack and it was gone. And remember that force transmission runs all the way from your feet to the opposite side of the body and to the TMJ. All the body all the time!
As for dietary note, I got a little too much sun yesterday and was dehydrated a bit (at least I nailed some Vitamin D!). Studies have shown that performance drops 2-5% as a result of dehydration. I read that if you want to see how you will look in 20 years, look in the mirror after a marathon. I remember the sports anchor "Perk" on Kare 11 videotaping himself on a long run. As time went on, he looked tougher and tougher. A rule of thumb is to drink half your bodyweight in ounces, so if you weigh 150 you should drink 75 ounces of water per day. That is a lot and of course if you are drinking pop you will need to replace it with water. Choices!
In the meantime, I'll keep increasing my efforts for the September TSC. I truly believe that eventually your CRF will be a limiting factor in your strength training, so find a cardio activity and do your best to quantify it, so you can show progress.
Enjoy!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
King James and specificity
I'm not sure how many NBA fans we have out there anymore but the conference championships this year have been outstanding. The NBA had an identity crisis a few years ago when players decided to mix it up with the taunting fans. Not good. But there have been several times in history where ONE person can influence an entire culture change. For the NBA, it is LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Just when it looked like you could fold up the NBA this "kid" (now 24) with three straight high school championships comes out and decides to take over the league. And he has kept his nose clean (pardon the pun) and been an absolute joy to watch.
Did anyone catch the now famous "LeBron shot" heard round the world Friday night? With his team down 2 points with one second to go, King James took the inbound pass, turned and nailed a 23 foot three point buzzer beater. WOW! My family and I are rooting for the Cavaliers so we jumped off the couch in utter disbelief. I had given up on them, thinking they didn't have a chance. But as all things go in life, it's not over until it's over.
After the game, the announcers (previous NBA players) were discussing how LeBron and Kobe Bryant practice crazy shots in anticipation of these exact circumstances. LeBron routinely shoots 40-50 foot jump shots in practice. They also take shots off balance, in different positions and with different hands. Triple teamed or wide open.
This ties right in with Z health's concept of specificity, namely, predictability. The body LOVES predictability. When the body is unsure of a movement, it may feel it's a threat and go into startle. As I watched "King James" nail his game winning shot he did not demonstrate any tension in his face or hands. He had done this many times before as they practice, practice, practice these shots.
So when you see people doing amazing things, realize the power of practice but also the power of specificity. Z's concept of doing the exercises exactly and precisely applies here. As much as practice makes perfect, it is important to have PERFECT PRACTICE.
Go Cavs!
Did anyone catch the now famous "LeBron shot" heard round the world Friday night? With his team down 2 points with one second to go, King James took the inbound pass, turned and nailed a 23 foot three point buzzer beater. WOW! My family and I are rooting for the Cavaliers so we jumped off the couch in utter disbelief. I had given up on them, thinking they didn't have a chance. But as all things go in life, it's not over until it's over.
After the game, the announcers (previous NBA players) were discussing how LeBron and Kobe Bryant practice crazy shots in anticipation of these exact circumstances. LeBron routinely shoots 40-50 foot jump shots in practice. They also take shots off balance, in different positions and with different hands. Triple teamed or wide open.
This ties right in with Z health's concept of specificity, namely, predictability. The body LOVES predictability. When the body is unsure of a movement, it may feel it's a threat and go into startle. As I watched "King James" nail his game winning shot he did not demonstrate any tension in his face or hands. He had done this many times before as they practice, practice, practice these shots.
So when you see people doing amazing things, realize the power of practice but also the power of specificity. Z's concept of doing the exercises exactly and precisely applies here. As much as practice makes perfect, it is important to have PERFECT PRACTICE.
Go Cavs!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Reflections on the NSCA Spring Conference
The NSCA clinic was Fri/Saturday at the fine Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington. It is a great place to have a conference, the only better would have been outside! Friday night had four hours of info from some of our solid members: Mike Favre, Larry Meadors/Scott Sahli (president of the MN chapter), Sean Armstead and the unrelated Nelsons (Brad & Mike T).
Saturday started with an hour long presentation by Bud Bjornaraa where he proved that in his 70s he STILL HAS IT. That guy is amazing for ANY age, and gave some great "off the beaten path" ways of fitness. After that we had 3 hours of hands on training at three different stations. I started with Mike and Brad Nelson's "Walk before you run" series, which is based on Z Health "S Phase" training protocols. It was tremendous, and I can't wait until December when I get to go through it. The next station was with Larry/Scott going over the olympic lifts. Not sure if its Z health or what, but I felt a lot better than I did two years ago at this same station. The power output derived from these lifts is amazing and cannot be denied -I feel like I should throw some of these in my routine!
The third station was with Mike Favre and he put us through some Zercher lifts/circuits and rope work. After that, another we had another four hours, starting with Mike Favre going through some program design strategies he has implemented at the US Olympic center in Colorado. Next, Ryan Johnson the strength coach of Wayzata spoke about how he has built it up the program to hundreds of participants. I met briefly with him, and plan on stopping by the school sometime soon. Brad Gillingham and Dave Ostlund chatted about powerlifting and strongman and showed how the two training styles were similar in some ways and different in others. Both of them had blown biceps to show for it - OUCH! Brad pulled a PR DL of 881 about eight months after the repair, so its proof that at age 43 you can still rebound.
Finally, Rich Heilman wrapped up the conference with the polar opposite of Brad/Dave, that of marathon and Iron Man training. He told of the ins and outs and how to peak the training in all three events. I have newfound respect for these athletes (not that I didn't already) but the mental aspect is extraordinary. Swimming 2.5 MILES and getting kicked and slapped while doing it doesn't sound that easy. Then biking 112 miles in 100 degree heat with toxic volcanic residue filling the air (in the mountains) isn't a picnic either. Oh yeah, and then go run a full marathon! After listening I felt liked I ran one...wow. Bottom line I am proud to have my CSCS and be part of the NSCA. If doctors the world over still put the CSCS intitals after their name that surely says something.
As for the soreness I felt today, it proves that a person needs to mix up their training frequently and strive for same, but different. Work with a trainer to help set up your goals and now which energy systems are required for your specific sport. But be sure that your body is ready, and that is where Z health comes into play. Everything must be firing in order for you to be at your best. While I am sore today I can still move around. And the soreness is in areas that were not working properly before - especially in my hip area and the psoas. This is a GOOD thing! Contact me if you want to be at your best.
Saturday started with an hour long presentation by Bud Bjornaraa where he proved that in his 70s he STILL HAS IT. That guy is amazing for ANY age, and gave some great "off the beaten path" ways of fitness. After that we had 3 hours of hands on training at three different stations. I started with Mike and Brad Nelson's "Walk before you run" series, which is based on Z Health "S Phase" training protocols. It was tremendous, and I can't wait until December when I get to go through it. The next station was with Larry/Scott going over the olympic lifts. Not sure if its Z health or what, but I felt a lot better than I did two years ago at this same station. The power output derived from these lifts is amazing and cannot be denied -I feel like I should throw some of these in my routine!
The third station was with Mike Favre and he put us through some Zercher lifts/circuits and rope work. After that, another we had another four hours, starting with Mike Favre going through some program design strategies he has implemented at the US Olympic center in Colorado. Next, Ryan Johnson the strength coach of Wayzata spoke about how he has built it up the program to hundreds of participants. I met briefly with him, and plan on stopping by the school sometime soon. Brad Gillingham and Dave Ostlund chatted about powerlifting and strongman and showed how the two training styles were similar in some ways and different in others. Both of them had blown biceps to show for it - OUCH! Brad pulled a PR DL of 881 about eight months after the repair, so its proof that at age 43 you can still rebound.
Finally, Rich Heilman wrapped up the conference with the polar opposite of Brad/Dave, that of marathon and Iron Man training. He told of the ins and outs and how to peak the training in all three events. I have newfound respect for these athletes (not that I didn't already) but the mental aspect is extraordinary. Swimming 2.5 MILES and getting kicked and slapped while doing it doesn't sound that easy. Then biking 112 miles in 100 degree heat with toxic volcanic residue filling the air (in the mountains) isn't a picnic either. Oh yeah, and then go run a full marathon! After listening I felt liked I ran one...wow. Bottom line I am proud to have my CSCS and be part of the NSCA. If doctors the world over still put the CSCS intitals after their name that surely says something.
As for the soreness I felt today, it proves that a person needs to mix up their training frequently and strive for same, but different. Work with a trainer to help set up your goals and now which energy systems are required for your specific sport. But be sure that your body is ready, and that is where Z health comes into play. Everything must be firing in order for you to be at your best. While I am sore today I can still move around. And the soreness is in areas that were not working properly before - especially in my hip area and the psoas. This is a GOOD thing! Contact me if you want to be at your best.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The NFL Draft and the specificity principle
I may be weird, but the NFL draft is my favorite sports day of the year. I usually have a few guys over and we diagnose what went wrong with the Vikings' picks. Actually, they have been doing quite well in my opinion - I would say Adrian Peterson hasn't been a bust! This year they picked a couple of players with character issues - I guess Ziggy's code of conduct goes out the window if the guy has enough talent. Percy Harvin of Florida was our number one pick on Saturday, a guy who got booted from playing football in the state of Virginia for choking a coach. He also tested positive for smoking dope the day before the NFL combine, proving he is not the brightest bulb on the tree. Oh well, typical Viking shenanigans!
Speaking of the combine, that is the portion of the draft that intrigues me the most. As I am always attempting to break PRs and love strength training, it is awesome what kind of numbers these kids can put up. My PR for benching 225 is 12 reps, whereas most guys get at least 25 - I do remember a guy getting 45 a few years back - WOW! A little trick for finding out a max is to multiply your reps * .03. For me, 12 @225 is 12*.03 = .36; 225 * 1.36 = 306. My max at the time was 305 so that is pretty dang close!
As for the specificity of these tests, it surely remains to be seen. For some players, it has shown to be true - for others the specificity of benching 225 for reps, running a 40 yard dash and a vertical jump test doesn't transfer to the playing field. I think it shows the athlete's potential no doubt, but is not a guarantee. The guy who benched 225 for 45 reps is not a pro bowl player. All I know is that if you can "pass the test" you can become a richer man overnight! My chiropractor buddy Dr.Josh Sandell helped a Notre Dame player drop his 40 time from 4.92 to 4.67 - which raised his stock from a potential 6th rounder to a 2nd rounder...making him MILLIONS of dollars. And with the number one pick from Georgia signing with Detroit for a reported $78M ($42 guaranteed) you wonder if the economy is so bad after all. If I could just talk a team into believing my bench translates into excellence on the field. On second thought, after hearing what pro players do to practice squad players during scrimmages, I'll keep my day job and fight for my life in a non-violent manner!
Speaking of the combine, that is the portion of the draft that intrigues me the most. As I am always attempting to break PRs and love strength training, it is awesome what kind of numbers these kids can put up. My PR for benching 225 is 12 reps, whereas most guys get at least 25 - I do remember a guy getting 45 a few years back - WOW! A little trick for finding out a max is to multiply your reps * .03. For me, 12 @225 is 12*.03 = .36; 225 * 1.36 = 306. My max at the time was 305 so that is pretty dang close!
As for the specificity of these tests, it surely remains to be seen. For some players, it has shown to be true - for others the specificity of benching 225 for reps, running a 40 yard dash and a vertical jump test doesn't transfer to the playing field. I think it shows the athlete's potential no doubt, but is not a guarantee. The guy who benched 225 for 45 reps is not a pro bowl player. All I know is that if you can "pass the test" you can become a richer man overnight! My chiropractor buddy Dr.Josh Sandell helped a Notre Dame player drop his 40 time from 4.92 to 4.67 - which raised his stock from a potential 6th rounder to a 2nd rounder...making him MILLIONS of dollars. And with the number one pick from Georgia signing with Detroit for a reported $78M ($42 guaranteed) you wonder if the economy is so bad after all. If I could just talk a team into believing my bench translates into excellence on the field. On second thought, after hearing what pro players do to practice squad players during scrimmages, I'll keep my day job and fight for my life in a non-violent manner!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Get off the treadmill (with apologies to Mike T Nelson)
It's 85 degrees and I just got back from a five mile bike ride with my daughter. The wind made it pretty tough on some of the hills coming back so it was indeed a workout!
On that note, I just had to put something in on the subject of treadmills and the sacred cow(ness) of them. Hint: If you want to get someone riled up, tell them their $3,000 treadmill was a waste of money! Mike T Nelson's blog just had a post on this and it was right on as usual. It got people about as excited as his "dump the foam roller" article. Mike and I went through a lot of Z Health training to learn how to move better and stop screwing yourself up day after day. Staying off a treadmill is one way to do this!
As always, the choices you make have consequences. If you can make an educated decision I believe you should make one. It is PROVEN that running on treadmills make you slower and worsen your movement. So any chance you get, do anything BUT run on a treadmill. And get outside! That means take bike rides. Jump rope. Jog. Swim. Swing a kettlebell. Think of all the Vitamin D you are getting! If it's raining and you must be inside, work out, play hoops or racquetball, ride on a stationary bike or use a rower machine. But don't use something that will hamper your ability to move. Just pick another protocol, that's all I ask!
On that note, I just had to put something in on the subject of treadmills and the sacred cow(ness) of them. Hint: If you want to get someone riled up, tell them their $3,000 treadmill was a waste of money! Mike T Nelson's blog just had a post on this and it was right on as usual. It got people about as excited as his "dump the foam roller" article. Mike and I went through a lot of Z Health training to learn how to move better and stop screwing yourself up day after day. Staying off a treadmill is one way to do this!
As always, the choices you make have consequences. If you can make an educated decision I believe you should make one. It is PROVEN that running on treadmills make you slower and worsen your movement. So any chance you get, do anything BUT run on a treadmill. And get outside! That means take bike rides. Jump rope. Jog. Swim. Swing a kettlebell. Think of all the Vitamin D you are getting! If it's raining and you must be inside, work out, play hoops or racquetball, ride on a stationary bike or use a rower machine. But don't use something that will hamper your ability to move. Just pick another protocol, that's all I ask!
Monday, April 20, 2009
DOMS and the point of no return
Well it's been two days since my VO2 max training day and I am still sore as heck. (For the lay person DOMS means delayed onset muscle soreness). Even after 20+ years of training I still make mistakes, mine being cranking out a lot of snatches without having done them for about a month. I remember reading how some bodybuilders would do hundreds of sets of one particular exercise to determine if it works for them. Marty Gallagher "The Purposeful Primitive" told of a time he did 50 reps of one arm curls for each arm on the hour for 10 straight hours - and his arms locked up the next day! I don't feel that bad but you get the picture.
Let's examine my situation:
Lats: Some tightness
Triceps: Sore, felt like I did 20 sets of brain crushers
Biceps: Sore - some kettlebellers have huge arms - this proves why
Hamstrings: Felt like I got whacked with a baseball bat
Glutes: Ditto
Psoas: Finally! Thanks to Z work!
When looking at the areas that were sore (and not sore), I realized it was directly attributable to my Z training. My muscles are now firing! In the past, this type of work would have led to a severly sore lower back. I took a long walk, did Z health, ate as much as I could and still felt it. To top it off I had some sleep distubances. I asked Mike T Nelson about remedies and he also recommended an epson bath. He also stated that DOMS peaks in 24-48 hours and that even after just 1 exposure, your body will not see nearly as much DOMS with the same exercise. Awesome!
So the moral of the story is don't go overboard unless you have been practicing the exercise. If you are a bodybuilder on the juice knock yourself out. Otherwise you WILL knock yourself out.
Let's examine my situation:
Lats: Some tightness
Triceps: Sore, felt like I did 20 sets of brain crushers
Biceps: Sore - some kettlebellers have huge arms - this proves why
Hamstrings: Felt like I got whacked with a baseball bat
Glutes: Ditto
Psoas: Finally! Thanks to Z work!
When looking at the areas that were sore (and not sore), I realized it was directly attributable to my Z training. My muscles are now firing! In the past, this type of work would have led to a severly sore lower back. I took a long walk, did Z health, ate as much as I could and still felt it. To top it off I had some sleep distubances. I asked Mike T Nelson about remedies and he also recommended an epson bath. He also stated that DOMS peaks in 24-48 hours and that even after just 1 exposure, your body will not see nearly as much DOMS with the same exercise. Awesome!
So the moral of the story is don't go overboard unless you have been practicing the exercise. If you are a bodybuilder on the juice knock yourself out. Otherwise you WILL knock yourself out.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
VO2 Max and the Fear Factor
I recently bought the book "Viking Warrior Conditioning" by Kenneth Jay, Master RKC as well as his DVD on the subject. Excellent work on both I must say! Buy them now at http://www.topnotchpersonaltraining.com/educationalmaterials.htm . Last Saturday I went through his 15/15 protocol pre-test and came up with my target number of 7. So I felt I was prepared for today even though I dreaded it, almost to a point of fear in a way.
Started with 20 minutes of Z work and then some work on pistols (I have yet to nail one). Joe Pavel has me doing some band work (JumpUSA) and some other protocols to get my tight ankles used to the "down" position. Then did a quick 1-5 ladder on pullups (15 reps) and finished with two singles at 12K (hard!). I had been doing chinups for a long time because they tested well but my left elbow has been bothering me as of late. A quick test on chinups resulted in much pain - but thankfully wide grip tested fine! The pullups seemed a little harder today, and I was wondering if it was due to any visual issues. It was early Saturday AM so I had my glasses on (I'm blind as a bat due to staring at a friggin PC all day). This may have hampered my form a bit - we'll see next time.
Now I was ready for the 15/15 protocol, or I thought I was. If you have tended to go for more strength work (i.e. low reps) you tend to hate cardio work. I am no exception. You want the pain to end quickly, and with a shot of adrenaline induced rage you can pound out a couple quick reps no problem. This protocol is no such animal. By the 6th minute I was already cursing Kenneth Jay's descendants (if he has any). My hands were hurting and my heart was beating out of my chest. Seems that sitting at a desk all day is not conducive to excellent cardiovascular health!
But I made 10 minutes/20 rounds of 7. While I only used the 16K, 140 reps in 10 minutes is really cool! While it is hell going through it, when you are done you feel so darn good - maybe its because you are done HA! But really, high intensity CRF work gives a totally different feeling than a single max attempt, and better I might add. Of course this all depends on your adrenal type and all sorts of factors. More on that later.
I will keep you posted on my progress with this excellent program - remember, simplicity is the highest form of complexity. When you read Jay's book you will see how much work he put into this and the science behind it all. And all I have to do is 80 sets of 7 to move on to the next torture of a program........60 to go!
Started with 20 minutes of Z work and then some work on pistols (I have yet to nail one). Joe Pavel has me doing some band work (JumpUSA) and some other protocols to get my tight ankles used to the "down" position. Then did a quick 1-5 ladder on pullups (15 reps) and finished with two singles at 12K (hard!). I had been doing chinups for a long time because they tested well but my left elbow has been bothering me as of late. A quick test on chinups resulted in much pain - but thankfully wide grip tested fine! The pullups seemed a little harder today, and I was wondering if it was due to any visual issues. It was early Saturday AM so I had my glasses on (I'm blind as a bat due to staring at a friggin PC all day). This may have hampered my form a bit - we'll see next time.
Now I was ready for the 15/15 protocol, or I thought I was. If you have tended to go for more strength work (i.e. low reps) you tend to hate cardio work. I am no exception. You want the pain to end quickly, and with a shot of adrenaline induced rage you can pound out a couple quick reps no problem. This protocol is no such animal. By the 6th minute I was already cursing Kenneth Jay's descendants (if he has any). My hands were hurting and my heart was beating out of my chest. Seems that sitting at a desk all day is not conducive to excellent cardiovascular health!
But I made 10 minutes/20 rounds of 7. While I only used the 16K, 140 reps in 10 minutes is really cool! While it is hell going through it, when you are done you feel so darn good - maybe its because you are done HA! But really, high intensity CRF work gives a totally different feeling than a single max attempt, and better I might add. Of course this all depends on your adrenal type and all sorts of factors. More on that later.
I will keep you posted on my progress with this excellent program - remember, simplicity is the highest form of complexity. When you read Jay's book you will see how much work he put into this and the science behind it all. And all I have to do is 80 sets of 7 to move on to the next torture of a program........60 to go!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Are you done complaining?
Does everyone realize how easy it is to complain during this time of economic troubles? You hear it all the time - my 401K is now a 201K. My hours have been cut. My pay has been cut. My dreams of retiring are over.
OK, we are all guilty of complaining sometimes (although I haven't heard too much grumbling about the weather we have been having.) So why am I bringing this up tonight on this beautiful 70 degree day? Because I just got back from the wake of a high school classmate, Randy Zahler. He was just 42 years old. No, his death wasn't from an accident or suicide or anything like that. Randy had Lupus.
Lupus is a hard disease to treat but Randy braved it the best he could. He had symptoms and problems for nearly twenty years, soon after he served 7 years in the army right out of high school. In addition, he and his wife had to deal with the death of their two kids to similar complications. Not only was his life cut short but his quality of life was terrible. He had to fight infections constantly and was hospitalized many times. The disease took a terrible toll on him, and the pictures showed the gradual degradation. The gray haired man in the casket looked to be 80 years old, but it was indeed Randy.
So the next time you are battling a kettlebell during a five minute snatch test or are at rep 16 in a grueling 20 rep squat set, remember how lucky you are that God gave you the strength and health to give it all you got. That is a tremendous blessing, one that my longtime classmate could have only dreamt about.
Randy Zahler
STMA class of '85
1966-2009
RIP
OK, we are all guilty of complaining sometimes (although I haven't heard too much grumbling about the weather we have been having.) So why am I bringing this up tonight on this beautiful 70 degree day? Because I just got back from the wake of a high school classmate, Randy Zahler. He was just 42 years old. No, his death wasn't from an accident or suicide or anything like that. Randy had Lupus.
Lupus is a hard disease to treat but Randy braved it the best he could. He had symptoms and problems for nearly twenty years, soon after he served 7 years in the army right out of high school. In addition, he and his wife had to deal with the death of their two kids to similar complications. Not only was his life cut short but his quality of life was terrible. He had to fight infections constantly and was hospitalized many times. The disease took a terrible toll on him, and the pictures showed the gradual degradation. The gray haired man in the casket looked to be 80 years old, but it was indeed Randy.
So the next time you are battling a kettlebell during a five minute snatch test or are at rep 16 in a grueling 20 rep squat set, remember how lucky you are that God gave you the strength and health to give it all you got. That is a tremendous blessing, one that my longtime classmate could have only dreamt about.
Randy Zahler
STMA class of '85
1966-2009
RIP
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tax Day
Tax day. Does anyone love it more than a bean counter? Well I can tell you it's a big relief to get it over with. And yes, as usual it was a pain. Every year while doing my taxes I think of how easy this could have been. My cousin who works in Taiwan told me he gets a postcard in the mail that calls for him to pay a flat 17% of his income. A friggin postcard! Now that's efficient. Which makes me think of Einstein's famous quote that "Simplicity is the highest form of complexity". I think of this every time I do Z health or Kettlebells, as they are the simplest exercise protocols around, but the work done behind the scenes is another story. Nothing short of brilliant I say - I am proud to be a messenger!
Compounding the pain is the fact that National Tax Freedom Day was April 13th, the day where you finally realize all your work up to this point for the year has gone to pay taxes. Ironically enough, Minnesota's tax freedom day is April 15th and puts us solidly in 9th place on the offender list. That's 105 days folks, or roughly 29% of the entire year. Americans will pay more in taxes than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined.
And you wonder why there are 700 tea parties all across the nation? Make mine green, organic that is......
Compounding the pain is the fact that National Tax Freedom Day was April 13th, the day where you finally realize all your work up to this point for the year has gone to pay taxes. Ironically enough, Minnesota's tax freedom day is April 15th and puts us solidly in 9th place on the offender list. That's 105 days folks, or roughly 29% of the entire year. Americans will pay more in taxes than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined.
And you wonder why there are 700 tea parties all across the nation? Make mine green, organic that is......
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Great American Bailout
Hello everyone, welcome to my first post! As my profile states I work in big corporate as a "head paper pusher" but my true passion in life is fitness and training. While the idea of sitting at a desk all day, shortening your spine and tightening your hip flexors (all the while fending off huge amounts of stress) sounds wonderful, I would actually prefer to be exercising and helping people reach their training goals. More on that on another post!
Believe it or not, many "corporate world"concepts tie in directly with health and fitness. One such item is the concept of "bailout". Personally, the word bailout drives me nuts. To me it conjures up the idea of being spineless and weak; having others do the work that you should be doing. Mopping up messes YOU created. I believe in personal accountability, and if you fail you fail. No harm in that, at least you gave it your best. For a business, a bailout lets you start at a clean slate via a government handout or a bankruptcy. But the people you have let down suffer the consequences.
On that same token, your health is something that YOU alone need to focus on. Of course there are always congenital issues that cannot be prevented, but the majority of our health issues lay in the hands of the individuals themselves. To me, taking medications is the ultimate BAILOUT. I remember being at a health seminar where we had a certain amount of money to spend and were told we had a headache off and on over the period of a few weeks. Unlike the rest of the table who went to the medical doctor almost immediately, I would not give in and would not go. First I asked if there were any major life changes or undue stress in recent months. I then asked to go to a chiropractor to see if I was out of alignment. Then I asked about hydration. Caffeine. Blood tests. Cortisol levels. Food allergies. I think my partner on the project was really getting PO'd at me, but hey, I didn't want to spend money I didn't have to.
If you are constantly running to the doctor for meds, it's time to look inward. As the economy worsens and health prices skyrocket, pretty soon you will be FORCED into finding alternative ways of handling issues. Of course I'm very happy doctors were able to help my kids with their appendix and tonsillectomy surgeries. But if they are not acute issues, try the scientific method. Find out when things began bothering you. Has anything in your life changed? Sleep patterns? Eating patterns? If possible, try to figure out as much as you can on your own. Your doctor cannot possibly determine all your problems. My challenge for you is to try to keep the "medication bailouts"to a minimum. You owe it to yourself.
Believe it or not, many "corporate world"concepts tie in directly with health and fitness. One such item is the concept of "bailout". Personally, the word bailout drives me nuts. To me it conjures up the idea of being spineless and weak; having others do the work that you should be doing. Mopping up messes YOU created. I believe in personal accountability, and if you fail you fail. No harm in that, at least you gave it your best. For a business, a bailout lets you start at a clean slate via a government handout or a bankruptcy. But the people you have let down suffer the consequences.
On that same token, your health is something that YOU alone need to focus on. Of course there are always congenital issues that cannot be prevented, but the majority of our health issues lay in the hands of the individuals themselves. To me, taking medications is the ultimate BAILOUT. I remember being at a health seminar where we had a certain amount of money to spend and were told we had a headache off and on over the period of a few weeks. Unlike the rest of the table who went to the medical doctor almost immediately, I would not give in and would not go. First I asked if there were any major life changes or undue stress in recent months. I then asked to go to a chiropractor to see if I was out of alignment. Then I asked about hydration. Caffeine. Blood tests. Cortisol levels. Food allergies. I think my partner on the project was really getting PO'd at me, but hey, I didn't want to spend money I didn't have to.
If you are constantly running to the doctor for meds, it's time to look inward. As the economy worsens and health prices skyrocket, pretty soon you will be FORCED into finding alternative ways of handling issues. Of course I'm very happy doctors were able to help my kids with their appendix and tonsillectomy surgeries. But if they are not acute issues, try the scientific method. Find out when things began bothering you. Has anything in your life changed? Sleep patterns? Eating patterns? If possible, try to figure out as much as you can on your own. Your doctor cannot possibly determine all your problems. My challenge for you is to try to keep the "medication bailouts"to a minimum. You owe it to yourself.
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