Distracting distractions...

Right now you're probably supposed to be doing something else. It could be prepping a document for work, it could be housework, it could be working out. The fact is that reading this is distracting you from doing something else. Unfortunately distractions are a part of life. Before we go on though, there is a difference and a distraction and unavoidable life/work events. Life/work events come up from time to time that need to be taken care of immediately. For instance, I normally have this blog post written by 12 noon. It's 4:30 right now and I'm just sitting down to write this. GHB (my son) had an allergic reaction to some bug bites and we had to take a quick trip to the doctor. He's ok. The trip to the doctor wasn't a distraction, it was unavoidable.

On the other hand distractions are completely avoidable. As a matter of fact, you usually choose distractions to avoid doing something else. I would never choose a trip to pediatrician with 2 year old. I would choose my Facebook feed over bookkeeping. I take the time to point out the difference because I've known plenty of people who confuse distractions with unavoidable events all the time. As a general rule of thumb, if you find yourself in the middle of the same unavoidable events/situations then they are most likely distractions.

Now that's out of the way, let's talk about avoiding distractions.

Deadlines: if your TPS report is due in 2 hours and it usually takes you 3, you probably don't have Minesweeper open on your desktop. You might have to be over the age of 35 to get those references. The point is having a deadline forces you to bare down and do what you need to do.

Environment: I normally write and do most of my work that isn't with clients in Starbucks. My wife thinks this is weird since I don't drink coffee. I like to go to Starbucks because it's not home. At home there is a TV and a kitchen and a bed and a couch. All Starbucks has to offer is amazing WiFi and a beverage I want no part of. The physical space you're in can/will effect your production.

Schedule: this kind of goes with deadlines but it's a little different. If you know you have tasks that have to get done then allot an appropriate time for each task. By appropriate I don't just mean "this will take an hour so I'm going to give it an hour." It may take an hour but if you want to claw your eyes out after 20 minutes, it may be more appropriate to allot 15 minutes and then go to one of your other tasks for a little bit and then come back. This is better than being on task for 20 minutes and then wasting 30 minutes on something non-productive.

Allow the distractions: I do KenKen puzzles everyday. It's stupid, I know, but if I don't do them they sit in the back of my mind and keep reminding me that I haven't done them. The easiest way for me to prevent this is to just do the stupid puzzles. So I make them the first thing I do when I start to do work. I allow myself to waste 10 minutes to prevent hours of wasting energy trying to not think about KenKen. If you know you have something that's just gonna nag you then just get it out of the way.

These are just a few techniques you can use to avoid distractions. Having a plan is going to be your best bet to avoid distractions. Try some of these out and get back to work.

Squatting Basics

I've mostly been writing about some pretty abstract things like change (and here & here) and motivation. This post is going to be more concrete. It's about the squat. Last week a friend sent me a text about squatting and how to do them correctly. My elementary school teachers always said if I had a question then somebody else probably has the same question. So I figured this would be as good a place as any to talk about the squat. Squats pretty much work all the muscles in your thighs, predominantly the quads (front of thigh), glutes (butt) and hamstrings (back of thigh). Since these are such large muscles squats are a great cardio option along with being a one of the best strength exercises. While squats focus on the legs, squats are a full body exercise. They require mobility and stability at different parts of the body. So you may need to do some stretching and warmup exercises before hand. Also it may take time to be able to do a full range of motion squat.

First thing you should know is that squatting is good for you, despite what you may have heard. Second thing is that everybody squats at some point everyday. I can confidently say this because everyone sits and/or goes to the bathroom everyday. Knowing those two things, everyone should add squats to their workout routine.

So with that being said I'm going to lay out the basic components to a good squat. A couple of caveats before I start. First, squats (actually no exercise) shouldn't hurt while you're doing them. If there is pain stop. Go to a professional (orthopedist, chiropractor, physical therapist, trainer) to figure out what is causing the pain. Second, it's up to you to figure out your starting point. If you can't get full range of motion on day one that's ok. Keep working on it and there will be progress. Let's get to it...

• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart: I say "about" because this is going to be different for everyone. Some people will be able to have a narrower stance and some will need to be wider. Also your toes will probably be somewhere between being pointed straight ahead and 45°. Stance is highly individual so you're going to have to experiment a little to find what works best.
• Sit BACK and down: squatting occurs at the hips. Pushing your butt back is the first movement and then it goes down. Stand in front of a bench/chair: take a step away: sit on the bench/chair. Notice how you have to "reach" back to get to the chair/bench? This is the   you want to replicate when you squat.
• Keep  your back straight: your spine (back) should not move when you're doing a squat, especially if you're using weights. This one may be a little tougher depending on your flexibility. Imagine you have a broomstick taped to your back when you squat. Now depending on the length of your legs and torso, your torso may be completely vertical, more "folded" down towards the ground or somewhere in between. No matter where the torso ends up just make sure the spine/back doesn't move to get there.
• Butt just below parallel: the goal of the squat is to get the butt just below the knees. If you can get lower while keeping your back straight that's great but from a strengthening stand point, just below parallel is the standard. Also the lower you go the higher the risk your lower back will round (remember the back moving is a no-no). If you can't get below parallel try stretching your glutes, quads and calves and keep squatting. This is a case where practice will lead to closer to perfect.
• Keep your heels down: your feet should stay flat on the ground the whole time. Don't lift the heels just so you can get lower. If you can't get low without lifting your heels, work on stretching the areas I mentioned above and only go to the point where your heels begin to rise.

These are the main points a beginner squatter needs to remember. There are hundreds of squat variations. These rules will hold true in the vast majority of variations. Once/if you can follow all of these rules then you can begin to add weight or try more advanced squat variations. Try these out and/or share with a friend. Let me know if you have any questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkbtqX4U6Ts

Monday Motivations

Today is Monday. Social media feeds all over will be full of #motivationmonday posts. The fact that it's Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer just means more people will be thinking about how they want to finish out the year. Which means even more #motivationmonday posts than normal. Put simply, motivation is the driving force that gets us to do something. Motivation can be boiled down to two types: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivations are drivers that are from a outside source. For example: I want to get into shape because the hot chick at work likes fit guys. Intrinsic motivations are drivers from within. For example: I want to get into shape because I feel better about myself when I'm taking care of myself.

Both types of motivation can and should be used to get you wherever you want to go. That being said each type of motivation has to be used at the right time in order to be effective. I've been talking specifically about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation but each of these can be broadened to encompass different specific motivations. I'm going to talk about a few of these different motivations.

• Incentive (extrinsic)- you're going to get a reward. It may be a raise or promotion at work. Or you may get the attention of the hot chick at work if you get into shape. In order for an incentive to be motivating it has to be something that is outside the norm but not too far outside. If you don't think it's possible to do what's needed for the reward then you won't even try. So the reward has to be (perceived as) attainable with extra work.
• Fear (extrinsic)- you're going to lose something or get hurt. Your physical or mental health may be in jeopardy. Maybe it's financial repercussions or loss of your social circle. Fear can be a great motivator if, and only if, the fear is big enough to spark action. Think of a lion running toward you growling. Now think of a house cat doing the same.
• Purpose (intrinsic)- you're making a difference or you're a part of something. You feel like what you're doing is shaping the bigger picture. This could mean your affecting things at home, work or with your friends. Knowing they'll be a part of the end product drives people to work harder.
• Mastery (intrinsic)- you're getting better. It may be that you're work or workouts are getting easier. In order for mastery to be a motivator there has to be clear progress markers. Going from blue belt to black belt, getting a promotion at work or going from lifting 100lb to 200lb all show improvement. Reaching these markers helps to propel you to the next marker.

Again, these are only a few specific motivators. There are plenty more that can be used and certain motivators will only motivate certain people. The point here is to highlight differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Extrinsic motivations can be taken away (the lion isn't running toward you anymore; the raise is off the table; the hot chick changed jobs) so they have to be taken advantage of quickly. Extrinsic motivation are usually great to get started. Then if/when they are used correctly they can lead to long lasting intrinsic motivations. Then all it takes is periodic reminders of your intrinsic motivators to continue moving toward your goal.

DON'T JUST LIFT WEIGHTS...

Move weights. What's the difference? Lifting is mostly what we do in the gym. Moving weight is mostly what we do in life. https://youtu.be/SNT7wTPdiOc

I'm not saying not to lift. In fact get strong as fuck (as the kids say). Get strong in as many ways as possible.

https://youtu.be/I02EZiMyrMQ

Here Dora is doing shovel pattern and a lunge with a rotational shift with a 10kg ViPR. Also Dorothy is doing a Zercher carry with a 12kg ViPR.

https://youtu.be/KQGabICXYvw

Core Activated Leg Lift

On Monday I wrote a blog and talked about this exercise a little. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ot5i9u_mM

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This is a great ab exercise for everyone but particularly if you have back issues. Laying on the floor supports the back and since only the leg is moving the spine is stable.

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This exercise is harder than it looks. You may need to start by bringing the knee to the chest instead of lifting the whole leg. If shown version isn't too tough, try using a smaller ball. Just make sure to keep your entire back flat on the floor. Begin with 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Step Into The Rack...

The first time I wrote my wife a workout program it included barbell squats. She asked how she was supposed to do them. My caveman response was along the lines of "go into the squat rack and squat." To which she replied, "I don't do that". After some back and forth, I figured out it wasn't that she didn't want to do barbell squats, it was more she didn't know  how to go about doing barbell squats. Not so much how to do the exercise but how to set up the squat rack for the exercise. Let's talk about the squat rack. They come in many different shapes and sizes but they are all mostly large, hulking and somewhat foreboding pieces of equipment usually off in the corner of the gym. The fact that it houses the weight plates that aren't being used and is called the cage by some, I can see why the squat rack might not crack your 'Top 10 Places to Visit in 2016' list.

That being said though, the squat rack/cage (whatever you want to call it) should be one of the places that you visit the most when you go to the gym. Despite it's name, the squat rack is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in every gym. You can obviously do barbell squats but you can also do overhead presses, bench presses and bent over rows to name a few other barbell exercises. Most cages will come equipped with pull-up bars and may even have attachments so you can do other body weight exercises such as dips and elevated push ups. Oh yea, you can do curls in the squat rack also. You shouldn't do them there but you can. Let me repeat, YOU SHOULDN'T DO CURLS IN THE SQUAT RACK.

Here's a short video describing how to set up a squat rack:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrvr12a5eHw

Gym Do's & Don'ts

The gym can be a very intimidating place for newbies. So I thought I would take a minute to put down a few tips that will make the gym more welcoming. Here are a few do's and don'ts that we can employ to make the gym a friendlier place. DO: try all of the various pieces of equipment in you gym. You'll quickly realize that certain pieces of equipment are better for certain exercises. Different types of equipment will also provide variety and different types of intensity to your favorite exercises.

DON'T: be the person that takes out 18 pieces of equipment and then leaves them all on the floor. Nobody likes that person. NOBODY. If you take out a piece of equipment, return it to where you got it from. This includes re-racking your weights.

DO: walking lunges, sled pushes/drags and loaded carries.

DON'T: do them across the main gym floor where you're threatening to take out the guy who's not paying attention because he's trying to impress the girl on the bench next to his. Or even worse you could become the victim of someone who cuts across your path while you're carrying those 70lb kettlebells. Find an empty secluded part of gym and get carried away. (See what I did there?)

DO: remember that sharing is caring. If you're not using dumbbell at the moment and someone asks to borrow it, let them. Just make sure to POLITELY let them know that you'll need it back.

DON'T: just walk over and pick up a piece of equipment that someone has obviously taken out for a reason. POLITELY (hopefully you're noticing a theme) ask the person you can borrow the equipment while they are between sets. If he/she isn't there wait a few seconds before you just walk away with what you want.

DO: workout with intensity. Leave your magazines, newspapers, e-readers and any other reading devices in the locker room. If you're able to read and comprehend then you're probably not working hard enough. The same goes for watching TV on cardio machines.

DON'T: be the person screaming, grunting, "whooing" (there used to be a lady in my gym that would "whoo" while she was on the elliptical; we called her the "whoo lady") or throwing down dumbbells. I get it sometimes you need to grunt loudly to get that last rep or two. That shouldn't be happening on every rep of a set of 1o. Remember you're not the only one in the gym, again be POLITE.

DO:  make sure your surroundings are clear of people and hazards before you start your set.

DON'T: walk aimlessly in front of someone doing kettlebell swings, or any exercise for that matter. This is not only annoying, but it's dangerous. Dangerous for you and the person doing the exercise. I'm only half joking when I tell my clients, "I'd rather you hit him with the kettlebell than hurt yourself trying not to hit him." So if you do get hit by someone doing an exercise, POLITELY apologize and say it was your fault.

Feel free to comment with some other gym do's and don'ts that need to be pointed out. Also feel free to share with the gym goer you know that breaks all of these rules.

Dumbbells For Not So Dummies

In just about every gym you'll find a guy doing curls too close to a rack of weights. Never mind the dummy, let's concentrate on the dumbbells (the weights on the rack).  Dumbbells are excellent tools for increasing strength, muscle tone and muscle endurance. Meaning they can help with just about everything you're trying to achieve by working out. A dumbbell is a free weight, meaning it can be moved around, characterized by a bar with weighted plates on each end.

Dumbbells come in either fixed or adjustable weights. If the dumbbells are fixed weight, the weight is usually written or etched into the sides of the plates. Fixed weight dumbbells range from as light as 1 pound up to as heavy as 200 pounds, though most commercial  gyms will max out around 120 pounds.

Adjustable dumbbells, like fixed weight, come in many different varieties but for the most part they all work the same way. You have the center bar and you (evenly) add plates until you reach the desired weight. The weights are then held in place by a collar that is either spring loaded or locked into place.

Dumbbells are great because they allow the user the option of using both hands simultaneously or individually. Dumbbells allow for alternating exercises (one side then the other) and reciprocating exercises (both arms moving at the same time but in opposite directions). Dumbbells are also an effective tool because you can move them in just about every way imaginable depending on how heavy they are.

The last benefit I just mentioned is also big drawback of the dumbbell. The fact that it can and will move in a variety of directions make the dumbbell a tool that novice exercisers have to be careful with. That being said, I would suggest when starting to exercise with dumbbells to err on the lighter side. This way the worst that happens is that the exercise is too easy and you make it a little heavier the next set.

So (not so) politely say excuse me to the dummy in front of the rack and grab a pair of dumbbells and start pressing, squatting, deadlifting and what ever other exercise you can think of. Leave a comment if you have any questions and share with someone with who's been wondering about those weights on the rack.

5 Things you'll need for a great home workout

For my wife and I life has become dictated by one question first and foremost: who's going to watch Graham? (Graham is our son if you haven't guessed). For those without children, children demand a lot of time and attention. A LOT OF TIME AND ATTENTION! For the record I love all the time I get to spend with my son and I wouldn't change it for the world. That being said, some things had to change. One of the biggest changes was my workouts. Life B.G. (before Graham) I could finish up with clients, dick around a while and then put myself through a nice leisurely workout. Now most days I have to finish up with clients and head home pick up Graham. This means my workouts are usually shorter and take place at home the majority of the time. So I thought it would be cool to list some of the essentials you'll need to create an effective at home workout space. Here goes:

1. SPACE: but not as much as you think. In life B.G., I had a whole room to workout in. Life after Graham, has relegated my workout space to the area between our coffee table our wall unit. I live in a 900 sq ft apartment in Brooklyn so we're not talking about a lot of space. When I'm feeling really crazy, I push the coffee table against the couch and I get a whole extra 5 FEET!!! Seriously though it doesn't take a lot of space to get a good workout. Stand up, reach your hands out to the side, if you didn't hit anything on either side you've got enough space. Check out this video to see what I'm talking about.
2. A BODY: specifically your body (it'd be weird if I was talking about somebody else's right?). I just typed the phrase 'body weight workouts' into Google and there were almost 9 million results. So having no equipment is no excuse for not being able to get a good workout at home. Squats, lunges, push ups and dips (to name a few) can be done anywhere. Try this: lie down on the floor and stand back up as fast as possible. Repeat 10 times. Then rest for a minute. Do this whole cycle a total of ten times (by the end you will have gotten down & up 100x).
3. TIME: again not as much as you think. Everyone knows that time is a commodity but people with infants and toddlers really know this. If your (I'm talking about you, the person reading this) average gym workout is an hour long, I'm almost willing to guarantee that same workout will only take about 40 minutes at home (assuming you had the same equipment available). You wouldn't have to wait for equipment and you wouldn't spend time talking to that lady you met that one time at some friend's party. Then once we take out the fluff (those stretches you only do because you saw the good looking guy/gal doing them at the gym) you can get a great workout in 30 minutes or less. Don't believe me? Comment and I'll send you the same workouts I gave to my wife when she asked for 30 minute workouts.

4. 

   TRX: or any suspension trainer. A TRX is a great way to make bodyweight exercises easier or harder when needed. A TRX also gives you access to exercises that normally you need weights or other equipment such as

   bicep curls. Another great thing about suspension trainers is that they are portable, so now it doesn't matter if the hotel gym smells like a person died in it during the first Bush administration.

5. KETTLEBELLS: an equal sized pair. [DISCLAIMER: if you've never used kettlebells, either get taught how to use them by a certified professional or don't read the rest of this section.] I'm a firm believer that eventually everyone needs to add some weight to their workouts because....well because science. Kettlebells don't take up much space (relatively) and they are great for both strength exercises (squat, presses, deadlifts) and power exercises (swings, cleans, snatches; again get proper instruction). Kettlebells are also relatively cheap once you consider the fact that you'll never have to replace a kettlebell. I suggest 16kg (~35lbs) for women and 24kg (~53lbs) for men. Once you can do all of the above exercises with the suggested bells then you can think about going heavier (for the last time, GET PROPER INSTRUCTION).

This is a list of 5, three of which everyone on the planet has. The other two are worth the investment many times over. The gym may have all the doodads and gadgets that we want for a workout but most of what we need is already at home. If you need home workout ideas let me know in the comments and I'll be glad to help out.