The Fitness Balance Scale

      One question I get rather often, is, “What does fitness mean to you?”  In a word, I would say:  Adaptability--Move more.  Sit less.  Eat better food. 

This usually leads to a discussion on what specifics I advocate.  I must state this clearly, I am not a medical professional, nor a personal trainer, so all suggestions must be taken with a grain of salt.  All of the following suggestions are based on my personal experience and the results they have yielded for me.  Each person is different.  In kind, our bodies will react differently. 

This is why having a goal is important.  Having a goal will alter your fitness needs.  But to answer more generally…here is how I scale and define fitness.  I call it the “Fitness Balance Scale” and it is comprised of three parts:

1.    Endurance

2.    Strength

3.    Balance

1.     Endurance

For a quick definition endurance training is any lower intensity exercise engaged for a sustained period of time.  

Endurance is a key component to the Fitness Balance Scale because of its long term effects.  The endurance aspect of fitness facilitates mental focus, resilience in the face of tragedies and flexibility during major life changes.  On the mental side of endurance, this type of training has also been linked to calmness in the face of adversity and increased mindfulness in everyday life.  Martin Paulus has begun a landmark study on the subject, you can read about it here   

On the physical side endurance training will:

--melt white fat (the bad fat) off your body

--is one of the quickest ways to detox

--encourage the body to store brown fat (the good fat)

--facilitate quick recovery and muscle repair

--increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis

--regulates/produces consistent energy

--increase sleep quality

--increase insulin sensitivity (reduces the chance you’ll get diabetes)

--increase the production of white blood cells

--makes you a certified badass.

Personally, I would also argue that endurance training also helps develop greater empathy and compassion.  I don’t have any hard science to back this up, but this aspect of endurance training has been one of the most prevalent in my own life. 

2.     Strength

As weird as it may sound, strength training mixed with endurance provides a much needed balance to the body.  Too much training of one specific movement without variation can cause injury.  (I.E. all the data shows if all you do is run, or bike, with no cross training or movement variation, you are more likely to get injured.)  Strength training when mixed with endurance training helps build lean muscle and keeps all areas of your body strong.  Strength training also keeps fast twitch muscle fibers in order, which will help you maintain speed and explosiveness.

For my purpose I incorporate HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for most of my strength workouts.  HIIT workouts are just what they sound like.  You train in intervals for a set amount of time, or set amount of reps, have little to no rest in between and continue until the time runs out or all your reps are complete.  HIIT training also aids in quick recovery while you are exercising--a term often named "active recovery."  It is my preferred method because I can build strength without adding bulk.  In my book, being too huge exceeds your bodies natural state of balance and puts you into the realm of diminishing returns in terms of overall health.   What's the point in being able to bench press 450 when you can't chase your kid around the park without getting winded? 

I include speed work and tempo runs into the strength category because both provide similar benefits to a strength training workout.  The intensity is turned up and different muscles are utilized when speed or maintaining a certain pace are required. 

3.     Balance

Balance is the glue that holds strength and endurance together.  While strength and endurance form a balance of their own, since you need both to reach optimum performance, balance itself aids in reaching peak performance in both areas.  How does this work?

Coach Monk says, "Add balance drills
to your regimen...NOW!"

In a nutshell, incorporating balance work into a fitness program fine tunes the efficiency and effectiveness of micromuscular movements.  Micro muscles are responsible for numerous processes our bodies undergo.  From adjusting your posture, to adjusting the way you stand up, to changing your gait because of that annoying callous on your left toe…all of these are effected by micromuscles.  Micromuscular movements are also greatly embedded by our muscle memory.  Balance training can reprogram bad muscle memory systems and optimize other good muscle memory systems.  Thus when the micro is more aligned and attuned so is the macro, i.e. strength and endurance.

What are some easy and common examples of balance training? 

--Planks and bridges            --Squats

--Running downhill.            --One-legged squats

--Any type of hold               --Conscious breathing

--Agility drills                      --Wall sits

--Jump roping                      --Handstand pushups

Add a couple of the above (there a tons more a quick google search will yield) into any workout regimen and you will see and feel the results quickly.

 

WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU PUT IT TOGETHER???

Below I’m going to list my general fitness goal, my basic weekly training core and how it incorporates this “Fitness Balance Scale.”

My goal:  To have a weekly core training program that will allow me to run a marathon in under four hours.  To be able to add on extra training in case I want to tackle different events.  To have sustained energy and focus throughout the day.

My Weekly Routine:

Monday- Easy 6 mile run (Endurance)

Tuesday-Crossfit or HIIT Circuit Training + 2 mile Run.  (Strength)

Wednesday-8 mile tempo run or 10 mile easy run  (Endurance + Strength + Balance)

Thursday- Crossfit or HIIT Circuit Training + 2 mile Run or agility stations and jump-rope.  (Strength + Balance)

Friday-10 mile run, hill repeaters, or speed work (Endurance + Strength + Balance)

Saturday-1/2 marathon or HIIT Training with Pool Drills or a rest day.  (Strength + Balance) 

Sunday-Planks, stabilization and balance drills, freestyle hike or run/walk (Balance)

This is a core training plan I have developed for myself over the past two years. I have utilized this plan to maintain a training core that allows me to run a marathon in under four hours with no additional training.  This cycle also allows for room to add more rest time when necessary or add additional training for other goals or events. 

Again, this is what I’ve developed and catered to my fitness goals.  But the “Fitness Balance Scale” applies to whatever goal you may have in mind. 

Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

I know you’ll knock it out of the park.

On Dadding

   

     What is dadding?

According to <www.Mattsdictionary.com> dadding is defined as, "any act being or related to being a dad."  Easy enough.  So it goes without saying that all bad dad puns and corny dad jokes fall into the category of "related to being a dad."  Y.E.S.

People often ask me what my favorite activity or hobby is and I respond by telling them it's dadding.  Some are mystified, others think I'm joking, but there are some of you who know exactly what I'm talking about.  Sha-bing-bam!  Feel free to run around in a fit of joy, now.

Ok....Take your seat.

Finish reading this article like your life depends on it.


Here are 3 of my favorite perks about being a professional in my favorite sport, which is dadding:

1.  You get a lifetime membership to the bad joke club:
        

Congratulations!  You now have access to all the bad jokes your

brain conceive.  

Bonus:  Your kid usually will think you're funny.

As any professional in the field of dadding will attest, having unlimited access to the jokes is one of the most luxurious perks.  Forget about comedic timing.  Forget about the joke making sense.  As long as you think it is funny and it annoys your spouse or child, you are in the zone, my man.  Go for it.  Two in a row, you're heating up.  Three in a row...HE'S ON FIRE!!!!

The really great thing about your lifetime membership is that nothing is off limits.  The world is an oyster for your joking pleasure.  I propose that a bunch of us old pros get together and compile an anthology of the best bad dad jokes.  We won't release it to the public of course, this one stays among the brotherhood only.  (Be sure to show your member id at the door.  K thanks.)



2.  When you're not at work you can dress like a slob and know one cares because you are actively dadding.

Once inducted into the noble sport, the dress code is off.  You work hard for your money.  You spend your free time chasing cute little banshees around at a zillion miles an hour.  If you slip up a little on your sleek debonair look, no one cares.  So what if your socks are different colors?  So what if you have a case of perpetual Saturday bedhead?  You're doing what dads do best, which is dadding.

Feel free to look like a bum.
I call this on the "Kangaroo Stud."

 I'm not saying that becoming of a member of the prestigious club means you throw off all responsibilities to your personal appearance.  (On weekends I look maybe 2 degrees north of hobo, if that.)  Looking presentable has a place.  So does taking care of your hygiene.  Trust me, your spouse appreciates if you shower at least once a week.  But if you let your look slip a little bit, it is your right as a participant in the noble sport of dadding.  Let no man look-shame you, ever!  

 ***It must also be noted that 15 years from now, the way you dressed at family get-togethers and soccer games will be the subject of many laughs.  

3.  Your Kid is Always Happy to See You.

In our noble sport, there is no Lombardi Trophy, no Stanley Cup.  What we win is much greater.  We win daily.  It's really not fair.  But it's the least we can be repaid for putting our necks on the line day-in and day-out.  There are great risks to dadding, too many to be enumerated here.  But with great risk comes great reward.  One of my favorites is that my kid is ALWAYS happy to see me.

The kid is always happy to see me.  For The Win.

The other day I had a nightmare of a workday.  My students were off the wall crazy.  I had to break up fights.  Write incident reports.  I had extra meetings to go to after my day in the classroom, then the hour commute home.  By the time arrived at my driveway that evening, 16 hours had elapsed since the time I left that morning.  I was beat.  Stressed.  I felt like a quivering heap, incompetent and at a loss.  But...as soon as I opened the door, Olive (my daughter) shouted my name and kept laughing...it made everything else in my day worth it.  Dad for the win.

In the noble sport of dadding, you always win, because your kid is happy to see you.


Are you an old pro in the noble sport.  Share with us some of your epic tales.  Thinking about joining up, feel free to send us your questions and comments.

Until then, DAD ON!  Do what you do and be excellent!







                

               

The Secret Spots

       One of the things that has absolutely captivated me about running long distances is the opportunities the practice affords me to get into places that would normally be barred from access.  No, I don't trespass (most of the time.)  But typically, I'll use hiking trails as running routes.  Or utilize winding country roads at the behest of my workout and meditation.  The meditative quality of distance running is another fringe benefit.  You get in killer shape.  But you also fall into a meditative state.

       Over the past three years, as I've trained for different events, I've seemed to have lost my attachment to a regimen.  By that I mean, counting miles, time on my feet, strength workouts, speed workouts, etc.  Granted, I still get all these components covered during my usual core fitness cycle.  But the more I run, the more I enjoy what I call the "adventure run."

         The adventure run is pretty much what it sounds like, er,--an adventure.  You take some water, maybe a few calories, leave your watch at home and get lost.  Below I'm going to share with you a few of my favorite finds from some of my recent "adventure runs."

Ahhhhh, take a whiff of the fresh scent of the pines.  Can you feel the tingling in your nostrils?  This shot of the pines was taken somewhere in Bastrop County, on the rim of where the historic fires of 2008 struck.







Below is a prickly pear cactus sprouting beautifully.  Notice the figs on the top of the plant.  They will soon open into flowers.  This cactus, strangely is on the same route as the pines, less than two miles apart.  All I can say, is only in Texas can you have pines and cactus in the same locale.

To the right is a secret pond, I found somewhere behind the Colorado River Refuge.  Good stuff.  Shortly before I took the photo, there was a family of raccoons going for a dip.

To the left is a shot of the Colorado River through a canopy of at the top of a rise on the Colorado River Refuge.  After a fun section, skirting through gently rolling meadows, you'll climb up a ridge that will put you level with a canopy of sycamores and cottonwoods.  If you position yourself just right, you'll see that the river awaits.  (I usually hike down and take a dip, then continue on my run)

The picture to the right is a place the locals affectionately have named, "Quesadilla Rock."  It is just below the canopy pictured above, and is one of my favorite places to meditate.  It's a couple miles in from the Dragonfly Trailhead at the Colorado River Refuge.

 One of my favorite overlooks ever.  This is the top of Bluff Ridge at McKinney Roughs Nature Park.  For the trailrunner, it's a 3-4 mile trek in depending on which route you take.  A good reward for the climb before you head back down.  For the hiker, bring a picnic and soak it in!












Soak up what's around you, my friends!  There are secret spots all around you.  Stake your claim and make it fun.  Let the world be a witness to your fitness.

Need-to-Knows for the Beginning of School

What Parents and Non-Teachers Need to Know About the Beginning of School

         It’s that time of year again.  A time of excitement and dread.  A time of anticipation and anxiety.  The beginning of a new school year.  Think about it:  For the next nine months, your children will be spending the majority of their waking hours amongst complete strangers.  This means two things: Either—1.  As a society we must be a bunch of crazy people…or 2.  As a society we must be a lot more trusting than we give ourselves credit.  Either way, here are a few insider details about the people your children will be spending a big chunk of their time with over the next 9 months.

1.     Summer Break?  You teachers have it easy.  You work a salaried 8 hours, get 2 weeks off at Christmas, a week at Thanksgiving, another week at spring break and you get 2 months off for summer.  If the rest of the country worked your schedule we’d be going under. 

-First of all, you forgot that we do 12 months worth of work in 10 months time.  Those 8 hours on the clock don’t account for the time we spend after school and on the weekends preparing to give your children our best because they deserve our best. 

-Secondly, those two months off are deceptive.  You can go ahead and subtract a week for summer professional development, which is required and for which we are not compensated.  If we teach summer school, subtract another month.  You can go ahead and subtract another week for pre-school team meetings, curriculum planning and arranging our classrooms for the upcoming year.  Yes, we do get that big break, but a big chunk of it is spent prepping for the upcoming year.

In our classrooms, every teacher is a mad-scientist.

2.     Experimentation:  Any teacher worth her salt is going to be trying new things in his classroom every year.  After all, we aren’t spending all this time after hours in team meetings discussing best practices and going to workshops just so we can keep doing the same old same old every year.  Our classrooms are literal laboratories of the mind.  We push ourselves to the limit to get the most out of your kids.  We are constantly trying new things to get the best results.  It is what helps us grow as professionals and keeps the job interesting.  Don't be frightened if you child tells you about something new.  

3.     We Are Going to Forget Names:  Don’t take it personally.  We will forget your name.  We will forget your kid’s name.  It may take a few weeks.  Bear with us.  It’s not intentional.  Keep in mind that most of us have over 100 new names and faces to orient ourselves to, along with the names of moms, dads, brothers, sisters, pets and favorite musical acts that go along with those new faces.  Be patient.  We will get there.

4.     Have a Problem?  Then Talk To Us!:  This is the quickest way to build rapport with a teacher.  You want a teacher to work hard for your kid, then communicate with us first!  We are the ones in the classroom with your kid day-in and day-out.  We want to know if there is a problem or an issue so we can better serve you.  It’s why we got into the profession in the first place. 

-So often it seems that a parent will go straight to the school board or an administrator about an issue before the teacher has ever heard about it.  Please, talk to us first.  We want to work with you, not against you.  When you go over our heads from the get-go, you not only drive a wall in-between yourself and that particular teacher, but you make the job of the other team members, staff and administrators that much harder.  Please talk to us.  We want to listen.  It’s our job.

We may be a bit frazzled the first month.

5.     The First Month is the Hardest:  Yes, we spend much of our summer break working, but it’s on our own schedule.  Having to be back on a straight schedule with no wiggle room is a bit jarring.  The first month or so we will be getting back our rhythm, training new teachers and building up our stamina for the coming year.  We will be more tired the first month than we will be at the end of the school year.  Your kids will be getting used to the routine as well and building up their own stamina.  Push through with us and the rest of the year will be a smooth ride. 

The time is here.  With these insider tips in your toolbox, the beginning of the year should be a breeze.  Now that you know what to expect, pass these tips along to your friends.  I’m sure they will appreciate the info.