Overcoming barriers to exercise. http://ping.fm/NR9hq

Pushing Through Your Barriers to Exercise

Exercise Barriers are either real or perceived limitations, road-blocks &/or excuses that can impede or interrupt a lifestyle of daily exercise and effective training. Check the slide show  below to identify any barrier/s you might be struggling with and explore some of the possible solutions presented. These solutions can help you move beyond your barriers to smart training so you can be successful in achieving your goals.

"Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer." - Rick Pitino

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being while movement and methodical physical exercise save and preserve it.” - Plato

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. C. S. Lewis

Jumping Back on the Fitness Bandwagon

What do you do if the inevitable illness or any interuption causes you to miss several weeks of workouts? This article sets up a good strategy to get you back into your routine safely.
Jumping Back on the Fitness Bandwagon

We are all Athletes

I believe anyone can and should train like an athlete! …

As Dr. George Sheehan once said; "we are all athletes, the difference is that some of us are in training and some of us are not!"(1) Anyone who is serious about their health and fitness and has the willingness and patience to train smart can plan for optimal results, long term impact and peak performance. The point here is, if you are training to get results then you should be training like an athlete. The top athletes know that training hard is important but not "all important". There is a fine line between training hard and over-doing it. Knowing how much is too much can make the difference between optimal results and negative or no impact.

For example, NASA experts recognize that no matter how advanced the technology, their vehicles in space will always be in need of an adjustment. As a matter of fact, if left unto themselves, they won't stay on target. The most critical aspect is what these experts call the "attitude" of the vehicle (2). Peak performers are not any different. They consistently need to be willing to make adjustments to stay on target. It is the reality of the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and it is at work in all of us...we will breakdown and sometimes at an accelerated rate unless we can "tweak" the system a bit. Sophisticated cardio-metabolic and functional strength testing encourages exercisers to make those critical adjustments in the "attitude" of their training.

Below is a list of some common traits among elite endurance athletes:

•athletes have a long term vision that is in focus
•athletes train in systematic and periodized phases to ensure optimal recovery and energy management
•athletes are constantly training their technique
•athletes work toward a consistent overall healthier lifestyles (diet, stress,etc.)
•athletes get immediate intervention when injured
•athletes need a strong sense of commitment & teamwork
•athletes are constantly re-evaluating and testing outcomes from training

Note that most of these traits can actually be integrated into your program and they won't require extreme time commitments or over-whelming intensities. Find out how to train more like an athlete by scheduling a Fitness Evaluation today. You can reach us at (760) 634-5169 or email kjnico@fitstop-lab.com .

1. Former runner, MD, and author who was referred to as "the running guru"
2. Adapted from a quote by Tim Hansel in his book "Holy Sweat"

Challenge vs. Recovery

Although my field is exercise physiology I hope to use these posts to comment on the many similarities I've observed between the "smart training" concepts that enhance physical endurance and the broader concept of finishing strong in Life.

In his book Finishing Well Bob Buford interviewed Howard Hendrichs and they discussed what it meant to "finish well". Dr. Hendrichs commented that finishing well is described in the writings of Paul in the Epistles. He wrote, "Paul says you cross the finish line running and not staggering."

In that light I believe the key to finishing strong at health and fitness is to try and apply a measured dose of challenge integrated well with a healthy dose of regeneration. To train hard is occasionally necessary in order to improve. At the same time, there has to be time to regenerate during the struggle, or the stress may be too much. There is a thin red line between enough and too much exercise and that amount is specific to each person and should be thought of with a strong finish in mind.