Fitness Philosopher

You're Not Alone.

When you're baptized into the world of fitness, you're often asked to think about things that you've probably taken for granted -- moving, eating, sleeping, stressing -- and not given a whole lot of attention to.

Then, while you're cultivating this new awareness, a library's worth of information is thrown at you. . .

And it can get a little overwhelming.

It's okay if you're overwhelmed because you're not alone.

• You're not the first to be confused about the significance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water.
• You're not the first to ask, "How is eating more going to help me burn body fat?"
• You're not the first to wonder why "doing cardio" (read: a long distance jog on a treadmill) is not an efficient way to burn fat.

Nor are you the first to: 

• fret about becoming Arnold Schwarzenegger by lifting a dumbbell weighing more than 5 pounds.
• wonder if sleep "is really that important."
• wonder if chronic stress really can keep you fat.
• become frustrated with the limitless (and often conflicting) information that's available to you.

Thousands of people begin this journey without a clue -- or that think they have a clue only to find out they've got lots to learn.  (Hey, even highly skilled, highly educated fitness professionals get puzzled as we try to put piece together what we've learned.)

Your story is unique.  The path you've traveled to get to here and now is unique.  You're reasons for "not knowing everything" about movement, nutrition and health are unique.  But the issues you're having are likely not unique at all.  They're experienced by countless others.

And that's great to know, isn't it?

Because when you know you're not alone. . .

• you can find comfort in others who will identify with (and share) your experience. 
• you have a support system to keep you motivated, to pick you up when you're down, to celebrate your success.
• you've got every reason to pursue the wildest of your dreams with confidence.

Are You REALLY Targeting Your Core?

C-O-R-E.

Means "The Epicenter.  The Foundation."

In the world of fitness, core means everything. . . and with good reason.  Without adequate core strength and stability, achieving optimal performance results is next to impossible.

Outside the gym, core means everything. . . and with good reason.  Core habits of healthy living effect the quality of our very existence.

Ironically, however, many of us train one and frequently neglect the other.

We train the physical core. . . and then we go out and make everything else beside ourselves a priority.

We work for tangible core strength, but treat nutrition, sleep, and moderation of (mental/spiritual/ emotional) stress as afterthoughts while navigating through our busy lives.

Why is this?  Why do we focus predominantly on the physical aspect of core strength, when it's only a small pixel of the big "health and fitness" picture?

Why do we disregard the core principles of survival and quality living - treating them as mere "afterthoughts" - when those provide the foundation upon which a strong core is built?

It's time for this to change.

It's time for us to re-learn to focus on the core that matters most.  It's time for us to focus on health and fitness from an increasingly holistic perspective.  It's time to make strength training an entity that manifests itself OUT OF a healthy lifestyle. . . not as something that is a means to the end.

Because, in the end, if we overemphasize physical core strength -- without giving the underlying core principles suitable training and attention -- we'll be too sick, too tired, too stressed or too overtrained to care about the strength of our core.

Carbohydrate Q & A

I recently began working with Heidi -- a woman in Kansas who's on a mission to achieve optimal health.  She's so driven that she created a blog - Health Nut Wannabe Mom - to share with others what she's learning in the process.

Heidi, not unlike many others in the early stages of training, is trying to grasp the confounding subject of nutrition. . . and carbohydrates in particular.  She asked me to share our discussion(s) with her readers, and the result is my first guest post.  Check out the article below.  You'll get some answers to common carbohydrate questions while showing support to Heidi and her fitness quest (which is probably strikingly similar to your own, yes?).

Thanks for this opportunity Heidi!

The Most Common Questions about Carbohydrates, Part I
Christopher Warden, CSCS

(5/19/2008) -- Invariably, every fitness professional gets asked about the topic of nutrition. And why shouldn't we be? After all, sound nutritional habits are the foundation of enhanced performance, aesthetics and health -- as much, if not more than strength training itself. One of the most confounding topics for the fitness enthusiast -- carbohydrates. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about the topic.  (More. . .)

You're Stronger Than You Think.

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right!" -- Henry Ford
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One of the Cardinal Sins of training is to tell yourself (or the coach standing beside you) that you can't do something -- right before you do it.

With the mind having such a strong, undeniable influence on the body, "I can't" is the sure-fire recipe for failure.

Now, I'm not advising you to go train with reckless abandon.  I'm merely suggesting to you that your preconceived notion of your capabilities may be a little off.  So. . .

. . . put your body to the test.

Don't try.

Don't doubt. 

Don't wish or wonder.

DO.

You might just realize that you're stronger than you think.

Trapped in the Future.

Here's an excerpt from a recent dialogue I had with a client:

CW:  One of the keys to your success is to have no fear.  Just "BE." And then DO to the best of your ability!

MK:  I wish I could just BE and DO.  I'm trying, but there just seems so much to be and do.

CW:  There will be lots for you to do, but you only have to BE one thing -- alive in this moment.  It's impossible to be alive in the future, whether it's 5 years, 5 days or 5 seconds from now, because it isn't here yet!  BE alert/aware/awake/conscious right here, right now.  When you are, all the roles you play - loving wife and mother, caring friend, animal lover and fitness enthusiast - are fueled by the unmatchable power of your presence.  If you focus on just being in the moment, instead of living in your head and thinking about the future, the abundance that is in you freely flows into whatever you're doing and strongly influences its outcome.  And that, of course, will have an overriding effect on how your future unfolds.

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"The future manifests itself through the reality that is you right now."  -- Eckhart Tolle

What's Comin' Round?

"Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have the time to do something about it."              -- Anthony D'Angelo

The Law of Reciprocation suggests that you get out (of something) what you put in(to it); i.e. "give and you shall receive" or "what goes around comes around."

This being the case, if you're unhappy/dissatisfied with your situation, the question is. . .

What are you bringing to your training/ your lifestyle/ your situation?

And is it congruent to what you're expecting in return?

Where's Your Sense of Urgency?

No matter what age you are,

no matter your skill level or physical capabilities,

no matter if you love training or merely accept it as something you have to do. . .

You need to train with a Sense of Urgency.

That Sense of Urgency. . .

keeps you from dawdling between sets,

propels you to squeeze out one more repetition when you think you can't,

brings intensity to your training -- intensity that will stimulate your body to change.

(And that's the whole point of this, isn't it?)

There's no getting around the fact that getting fit requires hard work.  Strength and overall fitness aren't going to just fall into your lap.

You've got to go after it.

Go after it with a Sense of Urgency.

Fitness First!!

Christopher's Commentary:

A post I wrote in March 2007 parallels this article by Anthony DiLuglio.  The gist of Anthony's perspective?  Our culture has fallen into a trap of putting bodybuilding ("muscle cultivation") before fitness and it's about time we fight our way out of it.  Training for size is not the same as training for optimal strength. . . and it's certainly no guarantee for optimal fitness.  "Place a premium upon the possession of untiring energy, great staminal (sic) and vital power, and a sound constitution" (i.e. become as fit as you possibly can) and let your aesthetics take care of themselves.  Thanks for the article, Anthony.

What Have We Done Wrong?
Anthony DiLuglio, AOS Master Instructor and Owner of Punch Kettlebell Gyms

There’s been a bit of a restoration going on at Punch Kettlebell Gym over the past couple of weeks. . . This restoration that I’m speaking of is not necessarily being done to the gym rather it’s being done at the gym, see, we’ve decided to restore fitness itself.

I think we can all agree that gone are the days of isolation movements, that’s something we tore apart about 5 or 6 years ago, lets face it, unless you find yourself in a profession where it’s necessary to push a 225 pound object off your chest on a daily basis what good is the bench press anyway. Do three sets of leg extensions really make you fit?...leg curls? Where did we go wrong?

Arthur Saxon, in 1910, was photographed lifting 334lbs over his head…one handed, Arthur Saxon weighed 204lbs. Somewhere along the way, from that moment in 1910, to the present there has been a great disconnect as to what physical fitness really is.  (More. . )

Abdominal Bracing -- A Foundation for Your Strength Training

One of the first things I do as part of screening my new clients is confirm that they know how to do an abdominal brace, i.e. "engage the abs"/"tighten the core."  Though it's a mechanism that you perform regularly during such actions as "bearing down" (going to the bathroom or giving birth), stabilizing against external forces, or protecting yourself from an impending blow to the gut, it's often done subconsciously . . . and it's that lack of awareness that we're attempting to rectify.

Why?  Because being aware when you're bracing, combined with knowing how to do it, enables you to call upon it whenever you require spinal stability.  And in terms of strength training, it's safe to say that the need for lower back stability is constant.  In fact, the ability to provide it is the cornerstone for effectively training every movement that you do:

Want to do a quality push-up?  You'd better be able to brace your trunk.

A squat or deadlift?  Stabilize that lower back by bracing your abs.

Pushing your car up a hill?  Call your friends, line up behind the car, dig your feet into the ground, brace and start pushing. . . .
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With all the above said, I'll reiterate my point with answers to the questions most commonly asked regarding this topic.

What does "bracing the abs" entail?  Quite simply, it occurs when you stiffen the abdominal muscles, effectively creating a corset of strength around the base of your trunk.

Where can I practice it?  Usually, I have beginners practice from a supine position on the floor; however, ab bracing can be performed from any body position.  Actually, the latter is preferred because you'll want to be able to call on the brace for support whenever you need it. 

What does bracing feel like?  How do I develop awareness of it? Place your fingers along the length of your six pack (from your rib cage to your pubic bone) and push down into the muscle. Now grunt.  Laugh.  Or bear down.  Notice how the muscle becomes rigid -- so rigid, in fact, that it's impossible to penetrate.  That's bracing. . . or a glimpse of it anyway.  An actual brace involves maintaining that abdominal tension for as long as trunk stability is required.

Why is it important?  An effective abdominal brace provides stability to your body's core, enabling you to resist against external forces as well as efficiently transfer energy from one pair of extremities to the other; i.e. you move better and can do more work as a result.

Are there any other "fine points" to consider when bracing?

• Don't forget to breathe.  Engaging your abs is not synonymous with holding your breath.  Practice the brace. . . and practice maintaining your breathing while bracing.

• Maintain your posture.  Without adequate awareness, you may brace and pull your spine into flexion.  Be sure to maintain a long torso and neutral spine alignment.

• Avoid using more muscles than required for the job.  It's not uncommon to see a client bracing so hard that his abs tighten up. . . along with his shoulders, neck, jaw, arms, legs. . .  Why use more muscles than you have to?  It'll only tire you out faster.  Keep the brace localized to the midsection of your trunk.

• Contract your muscles with an intensity sufficient for performing the task at hand - no more, no less (an addendum to the point above).  Muscle contraction operates under the All-or-None Principle -- muscle fibers are either all on, or all off.  There's no in between.  That being said, you can control the intensity of a muscle contraction, much like you can control the brightness of a chandelier that operates on a dimmer switch.  There's no need to brace your abs with the intensity required to lift 500 pounds when you're only lifting 50.  Develop the ability and the strength to stabilize against anything, but use only what you have to.

• Don't spend an inordinate amount of time on this. I've taken up a lot of space describing an important,  but very minute, skill.  Be meticulous in developing body awareness.  Use that awareness to create a strong, enduring abdominal brace.  But spend most of your training time executing the primary lifts of your training regimen. . . not the isolated skill of bracing.  After all, it's the big, compound movements (and the utilization of bracing during their execution) that are going to be the most proficient at enhancing your performance.