November 23, 2015: Emotional Training

Today, I was a little emotional while I was training. I had a few things on my mind and I had to consider whether or not it was advisable to work out today. I did, and I think I did the right thing, but here are a couple thoughts.

On the one hand, I found it difficult to focus. I figured I wasn't going super heavy with my lifts, so I would be okay. Also, I refocused and asked myself whether I was present before I took up the barbell. However, I think if I were lifting a lot more weight I would have opted for a different workout.

Working out did help me to work through the emotions though. It was good to separate from the situation and do something productive. As the weight went up on my squats, I found I had to really focus, which helped me take my mind off my challenges. It was cathartic in a way.

I think ultimately you have to ask yourself three questions. First, can you focus enough for the exercise to be safe? If the answer is no, then don't work out. The second question is whether you should be doing something else. For example, if my emotional stress was caused by something I could have done something about at that moment, then it would have been better to do that. Third, will working out be helpful? If the answer is neutral or yes, then I think it might be a good idea.

Sometimes, you will not be in the mood to work out. You might be thinking about something at work or in your personal life that is distracting you. It's not the end of the world to take a day off. However, sometimes it might be helpful to your emotional state to exercise. Remember to put fitness and exercise in its place when other things are occupying your mind. Consider your priorities and safety when making your decision. God bless you.

November 23, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 4:00 PM

Warm-up: Stationary bike 3 minutes

Stretching

BW Squat: 5 reps x 3 sets

Front Squat: 

1. 45 lbs. x 5 reps

2. 55 lbs. x 5 reps

3. 65 lbs. x 5 reps.

4. 75 lbs. x 5 reps

I warmed up very deliberately and slowly. I was not feeling great, but I wanted to be productive. I took my time to refocus myself before each set. After this set, I felt I was ready to focus and tackle a heavier weight. 

5. 95 lbs. x 5 reps

6. 95 lbs. x 5 reps

I still need to work on my form. I kind of dip forward a little sometimes when I drive out from the bottom. However, I felt a lot more comfortable with this weight and my knee felt fine after warming up.

I did a couple Turkish Get-ups with light weight. However, I realized I was running late to pick up the kids! I stretched for a few minutes then ran out to pick them up from school.

November 21, 2015: Comfortable with Uncomfortable

Stretching my hips after a hard rowing session.

I used to row in high school. It was there that I was introduced to the Concept 2 Rowing Machine. Although I enjoyed rowing on the water in a boat, I kind of dreaded and despised the rowing machine. Basically, it took all of the "difficult" stuff about the rowing movement without the fun stuff. You get the burning quads and lungs and the desperate hope that your piece (rowing session) will be over soon. You don't get the gliding on the water or the breeze at your back. You don't get the satisfying feeling of your oar pulling you through the water. Instead, you get the whir of the flywheel. And lactic acid...oh, I mentioned that already with the burning quads.

Rowing is a great exercise. It works the legs, glutes, lower back, upper back, forearms, and hands. You can train both aerobically and anaerobically. When done correctly, the rower learns how to initiate power in the stroke by connecting the drive from the legs into the prying and pulling of the back and arm movements. An efficient stroke is graceful and powerful.

Speaking of graceful and powerful rowing, here is a rowing tutorial from Concept 2:


I see a lot of people rowing improperly at the gym. At a minimum, they waste a lot of energy with suboptimal strokes. At worst, they risk injury, particularly to their lower backs. If you have access to a Concept 2 Rowing machine, try to learn the stroke properly. Looking for an experienced rower at your gym who is willing to give you tips is a great idea. Besides the video above, check out Concept 2's page on rowing technique (that includes the above video as well).

I highly recommend adding rowing to your fitness regimen. Besides the physical benefits mentioned above, the general discomfort of hard rowing will help you develop mental toughness. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable will serve you in all areas of your life.

November 21, 2015

Workout time: 3:30 PM

Warm-up: 5 minutes Rowing - 1007 m

Stretching

Rowing: 2000 m in 9:12.4

A hard rowing piece. I increased my intensity throughout the piece, finishing with a faster stroke rate and pressure. I was pleased with my effort.

Cool-down: Rowing 3:06 - 502 m

Did some pause reps and stopped at arms away and arms and back. I tried to accentuate these aspects of the stroke to improve my technique. In particular, I think my flexion at my hip needs improvement although part of this may be flexibility in my hamstrings, so I will work on that.

Plank: 30 sec. with 20 sec. rest x 3 sets

I will increase my planks to 40 seconds next time. 

Stretching: 10 minutes

Total Time of workout: ~40 minutes

November 20, 2015: Humility and Growth

I was reflecting this week on humility. I know I've written about this previously, but it is so important that it always helps me to repeat it. Humility is not weakness. Instead, it is the courage to look at things the way they truly are, instead of through a lens of pride and overconfidence.

I have found that my greatest periods of growth in business, martial arts, and relationships occurred at times of great humility.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I was about 20 years old. I was introduced to a new Kali instructor named Doug after training with another teacher for several years. I was young and perhaps overconfident. I told my instructor about my previous experience and although I felt I was being respectful, in hindsight I can see how my introduction of myself may have come off as slightly pretentious. After the class, he gave me a private "lesson."

To be kind (to myself), he showed me some nuances that I had failed to grasp in my previous training (to no fault of my previous instructor, but perhaps to my overconfidence in my technique). This lesson involved very sore knuckles - we used rattan sticks as seen in my last workout - and a bruised ego. From that day on, by revisiting and relearning the basics, I learned how to use my body more effectively and once applied to my previously learned techniques (along with the new ones I learned), made me much more powerful and fluid. Besides humility, my experience with Doug reinforced the importance of mastering basic movements before attempting more complicated ones.

I have similar somewhat embarrassing experiences in other parts of my life. Fortunately, I can laugh about them now. More importantly, I am grateful for them because it is through them that I have found the greatest growth in my life. God bless you.

November 19, 2015 - Recovery Day

November 20, 2015 - Workout

Warm-up: 5 minutes Elliptical 

I'm not a big fan of the Elliptical, but my son was using the one next to me, so we hung out for a few minutes. It is a nice non-impact way to warm my knee up though.

BW Squats: 5 reps x 3 sets
My right knee felt a little off, but warmed up as I did the squats.

Back Squat: 
1. 65 x 5
2. 95 x 5
3. 115 x 5
4. 115 x 5
5. 125 x 5! New PR!
I felt like challenging myself, and it was a challenge. I took several breaths at the top before holding a big breath through the squats. I focused a lot on keeping my core engaged and reaching proper depth. I'm thinking I might work some pause reps in my lighter warm-up sets next time to accentuate my bottom position and driving out of the bottom. I was pleased to hit a new PR. 

Push-ups: 5 reps x 3 sets

Bench Press:
1. 95 x 5
2. 115 x 5
3. 135 x 5
4. 135 x 5
5. 135 x 5
These were hard sets, but solid. I'm going to stay put at this weight while I bring up some of my other lifts, although if it gets too easy, I will add some weight to it. I'd love to hit 1x bodyweight by the end of the year.
At this point, I actually drove home and did some pull-ups at home.

Pull-ups:
1. 4 regular reps + 1 assisted rep (with band) This felt a little awkward and the band wasn't very strong, so I decided to use negatives on the following sets.
2. 3 regular reps + 2 negative reps (5 seconds down)
3. 2.5 regular + 3 negative reps (5 seconds down)

I realize in order to progress with these I need to get more reps in, so I'm using some assistance to increase the volume.

Stretching: ~5 minutes

November 18, 2015: Practicing Mental Toughness

Our attitude affects our performance. If we have a positive, "will do, won't quit" attitude, it will improve our mood and our perception of our workouts. Sometimes, we may not feel very tough or strong during a particular workout. Even then, we can adjust our attitude and "act" tough and strong.

I learned this from my wife. She ran cross country in high school and college. While we were dating, I would occasionally run with her. She was much fitter than I, and I would often trail behind her and whine about the pain I was experiencing. She told me I had to lift my head, look straight ahead, and "run stronger." This was something her high school coach taught her - she was a trained athlete and she should always run like a trained athlete. Even though I was just a recreational runner, that lesson stuck with me.

Every time I run now, I have "the eye of the tiger." Even though I'm running slow and relatively out of shape, I run with the attitude that I'm strong. I even say that to myself - "I'm running strong!" It affects my mood when I'm running for the better. My pace is a little faster and my form is a little more solid. Overall, I just feel better when I run.

When you're working out, practice mental toughness. Even when you're suffering or winded, act as if you are fresh and energetic. Watch your posture and your breathing. Your "acting tough" will carry over to reality, and you'll get tougher and more determined during your workouts.

Strength of body begins with strength of mind.

November 18, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 8:15 AM

Warm-up: Joint rotation with the sticks - 4 minutes

Kali Tire Training:

About 10 minutes of free flow stickwork. First with two sticks, then with single stick. There are different ways to train with the tire. You can practice for pure power or speed. In this particular workout, I just wanted to work on using both hands equally and the general flow of the strikes. This training develops accuracy, distance awareness, as well as hand and forearm strength.

Here is an excerpt of the training:

I felt a little sluggish with my footwork, but I think the more I practice, the better it will get. I'm a little rusty overall, as I haven't done much consistent training in a few years.

Running: 2.54 miles in 27:08
I've been tracking my runs with mapmyrun.com. I recommend it if you like running outside.

During this run, I put a few sprints of varying distances in the run. I probably sprinted 6 times during the run. I am confident I'll be reaching my short term running goal within a week or two. Admittedly, the last half mile was quite tiring, I think because of the sprints.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Overall time: ~50 minutes

November 17, 2015: Progress with Accountability

As I was working out today, I was reflecting on how this blog and the videos I make have helped me to progress with my fitness. First, I enjoy writing and making the videos. It has become a hobby in itself in a way. At this point, I now also feel a small responsibility to my readers - all 4 of you! The blog has become a source of accountability to me.

I think a lot of people are afraid of accountability. We don't like when we need to report to someone, or when our actions have consequences for other people. A lot of people just want to do what they want to do with no regard for how it affects other people. This includes our health among other things. 

Before, I used to think of fitness as an extracurricular. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized how important it was to my life as a whole. My fitness and health affects my energy to do the things I have to do - my responsibilities. This includes being a father to my children and a husband to my wife. It includes having the energy to work a full week serving my clients in my business. It also includes having the energy and strength to take care of my house and property. Fitness matters! It is more than an enjoyable activity - it is a responsibility.

If you are trying to develop good habits for exercise, diet, or any other aspect of your life, try finding ways to become more accountable. Phone apps that track your diet or exercise like mapmyrun.com for example are great because they are visible and you can tap into the community if you wish for additional support. Maybe you have a friend who has similar goals to you. You can check in and support each other along the way.

Well, speaking of accountability, time to get back to work. God bless you!

November 17, 2017 Workout

Time of workout: 11 AM

Location: Basement

Warm-up: 3 min. Stationary bike

Joint Rotation

Overhead Press: 

1. 45 x 5

2. 55 x 5

3. 65 x 5

I have not done these in several years. I stuck with this weight for the rest of the sets because I still had full control of the weight but it was "hard."

4. 65 x 5

5. 65 x 5

I did something a little different in that I filmed every set and spent a minute watching it. I made a couple little corrections along the way, mainly in my grip.

Bodyweight Squat: 5 reps x 3 sets 

Warming up for Back Squat

Back Squat:

1. 65 x 5

2. 75 x 5

3. 95 x 5

4. 115 x 5

5. 115 x 5 (Click here for a video of the 4th and 5th sets - now with a cool soundtrack!)

Working with heavier weight forced me to focus on my breathing and technique. It felt great. Hard...but great.

5 minute rest

Boxing Heavy Bag: 3 x 3-minute rounds with 1-minute rest

This felt good. I focused on keeping active with 4-5 punch combinations and footwork. The 2nd and 3rd rounds I picked up the pace as well as adding more power hooks at the ends of my combinations.

Stretching: 10 minutes

Total Workout Time: ~75 minutes I had a little more time today so I enjoyed it!

Squeezing In Productive Workouts

My morning is somewhat hectic. I have two children who catch the bus at different times. The first bus picks up my older son at 6:40 AM. The second bus picks up the other son at 8:10 AM. Before these buses pick them up, I have to make sure they are awake, clean, dressed, fed, and packed up for school. Admittedly, it's gotten better because they can do a lot by themselves now, but I can't ignore them quite yet. While this is going on, I need to get clean, dressed, fed, and packed up for work! And just because I love her, I make tea for my wife for her drive to work. Some days, getting a workout in before I go to work can be difficult. However, with the right mindset and focus, it can be done.

First, I think it is important to learn to be content with less volume on days where you have to squeeze in a workout. Ideally, we'd love an hour to get in a nice warm-up, our main workout, and full cool-down and stretching session. Some days we just don't have that. I believe we can still make progress towards greater fitness in short periods of time and in my case today, when the workout is interrupted. They key though is to realize this and not get too worked up about not having time to work out.

Second, we need to be creative and flexible with our workouts. On my agenda today was running and Turkish Get-ups. Normally, when I run, I like to do some non-ballistic movements to warm-up my knees (particularly my right knee that I had surgery on a couple years ago). This might be some stationary bike or some shadowboxing with slow bodyweight squats thrown in.

Today, I had to start my workout after my first son got on his bus at 6:40 AM. Also, my stationary bike is in my bedroom and my wife was still sleeping (and the bike is loud). Finally, my other son got up earlier than usual so I knew my time to workout was limited. So I ran out the door and used the first half mile to warm-up by running at a slow pace and being very deliberate about my form so that I wouldn't be pounding on my knees (which I try not to do in any case).

Finally, I have found the ability to increase my focus for short periods of time between interruptions to be critical in squeezing in workouts. After my run today, my son was up (and fortunately started his own breakfast). I told him I'd need fifteen minutes in the basement to finish working out. A couple times, he called down because he needed something. In the past, I would get exasperated at the intrusion and lose my temper. However, I realize that this is part of being a father and I would take care of what needed to be taken care of before returning to work out.

At this point (and all points during the workout), I sharpened my focus on the task at hand - the dumbbell in this case. This is very important for safety. I also think this mental practice also carries over to many parts of our lives. We are constantly bombarded with distractions from social media, co-workers, family members, notifications on our cell phone, and more! To be productive - whether to get a good workout in or in our professional lives - we need to be able to return our focus after distractions. The ability to bring our attention to the task at hand also makes the workout feel more satisfying and less like you compromised on your workout - because you didn't! I have found the practice of meditation to be useful in developing this ability.

Part of becoming healthier and more fit is prioritizing it in your life over things that are less important. For me, these were things like video games and television. However, some priorities have to take precedence like getting your kids on the bus and getting to work on time. Sometimes, we just need to squeeze a workout in. However, these workouts can be productive towards helping us reach our goals. Having the mindset of contentment, being creative and flexible, and learning to bring our attention to bear on the task will help you to squeeze in productive workouts when you are short on time.

November 16, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 6:40 AM

Running: 2 miles in 24:28

As I mentioned above, the first mile was much slower than the second. I am pleased as this is the most I've run since my surgery a couple years ago.

At this point, I had about a 5 minute break as I was conversing with my son and getting him all set up before going into the TGU.

Turkish Get-up: 

2 reps with 8 lb. dumbbell.

2 reps with 18 lb. dumbbell

1 rep with 23 lb. dumbbell (you can check out my attempt with 23 lb. dumbbell here)

Working time: ~10 minutes

I tried holding the kettlebell, but I need to work on my grip technique and it was too heavy at this point to attempt a full TGU. I will work in some floor presses with the kettlebell over the next week I think.

Stretching - Probably about 10 minutes spread out over the next 20 as I was with my son getting him ready for school. Focused on hips, legs, and calves.

Resources

I mentioned meditation above and I wanted to give you some links to some meditation sites that I use. 

Breath Awareness Meditation on MeditationOasis.com: I use this tutorial to practice breath awareness meditation. It is easy but the focus is on bringing our attention back to our breath. Over time we can use this skill to bring our attention to whatever we need to at the moment.

Headspace.com: I am experimenting with this. There are free meditations as well as a subscription service. I am not a subscriber as of this writing, but I am finding their free Take 10 program to be of great benefit. It is a series of 10-minute meditations as well as a few video tutorials that explain the purposes of meditating and how we can use it in our life.

Recovery

Sunday, November 15 - Rest Day

Sometimes, we just need a day off. During this current period of my attempt to get into shape, I've been very careful to moderate my enthusiasm. Even so, I'm finding myself run down today. Part of this is realizing that every area of your life that stresses you out or drains you of energy takes away from your ability to keep working out hard - even if it's not physical activity. Pressures within the family or at work can have an effect on your ability to exercise. 

This is why it is important to not just take programmed days off, but sometimes to listen to your body and get the rest you need even when you have a workout planned. Rest is a part of progress, too. Your muscles and joints need time to recover from exercise. Besides physical rest, you also need to keep fueling your body with lots of good nutrition - fruits and veggies, proteins from various sources, and lots of water!

Have a beautiful day and God bless you!

Saturday, November 14 - Workout

Today I didn't do a full structured work out. Instead, I was just very active during the day with some exercise thrown in. I was doing a lot of laundry and my pull-up bar happens to be next to my laundry machines, so whenever I went down to switch a load, I did a few pull-ups and chin-ups. Over the course of the day, I probably did about fifteen or twenty.

In the afternoon, I went to the YMCA with my son. I wanted to focus on spending some time with him, so we did the Elliptical and walked and ran on the track a little. Nothing too intense, but I took a few minutes to do some more pull-ups - and I did 8 over three sets.

I can feel some soreness in my core and in my back from the pull-ups and chin-ups today. It was good to connect with my son as well.

Challenging Yourself

"Challenge is the pathway to engagement and progress in our lives." Brendon Burchard

A key to improving your fitness is challenging yourself during your workouts. I don't know much about our biochemistry and the physiological processes that cause our muscles and other physical systems to get stronger. However, I do know that when I push myself, I can typically do a little better each workout.

Our bodies are amazing. When we try to lift something heavy, our body adapts so that it gets stronger. When we try to run faster, our body adapts so that it is a little easier the next time. As I mentioned the other day, when the body doesn't get challenged or forced to use its muscles, the body takes away resources that maintain that muscle. Exercise along with proper rest and nutrition are the key to creating the functional bodies we want.

Of course, not all challenge is good. We have to be careful not to overwhelm our body's ability to adapt by pushing it too far. Besides hampering our progress, we potentially risk injury and conditions such as rhabdomyolysis (aka Rhabdo). However, I think we can find a balance between being too comfortable in our exercise and overdoing it. (The chart shown is a representation of the intensity I try to exert during my workouts to challenge myself)

It is important to track your exercise. By tracking what you do, how long it took you to do it, and how much resistance you used, you can see your progress along the way and plan to challenge yourself on future workouts.

I hope this post will inspire you to challenge some of your current bests in various exercises. No matter what level you are - whether you are starting out or an experienced athlete - there is always a next level that you can go for. Do it during your next workout!

November 13, 2015 - Workout

Time of Workout: 1:30 PM

Location: YMCA

Warm-up: 3 min. Rowing (559 m)

Push-ups 5 reps x 3 sets

Stretching

Bench Press:

1. 115 x 5

2. 125 x 5

3. 125 x 5

4. 125 x 5

5. 135 x 5 Goal Met! New Personal Record!

This last set felt great! I focused on my technique, particularly my bar path and having a good grip on the bar. 

Bodyweight Squats: 5 reps x 3 sets

Front Squat:

1. 95 x 5 New Personal Best!

2. 95 x 5

3. 95 x 5

Inspired by my Bench Press performance, I decided to take a calculated risk. I have to admit I was also motivated by watching a guy do some very heavy squat singles. I need to work on keeping my chest up and my back vertical. I think I try to sit back too much which puts the bar in front of my center of gravity, which causes some struggle. The nice thing about the heavier weight is that it exposes this weakness so that I can correct it.

Rowing: 1500m in 7:49.9

This was not easy particularly coming off the front squats. I focused on 10 strokes at a time and the position of my back. I felt my form was pretty good although perhaps it broke down a little in the last 300 meters or so. 

Plank: 30 seconds x 3 reps with 30 second rest in between.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Total Workout Time: 70 minutes. I took a little longer in between sets in Bench Press and Front Squat since I was going for personal bests. This is acceptable and I had the time today. I wanted to stretch more afterwards but had to get home before my son's bus.

Start Where You Are

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." -Arthur Ashe

A couple years ago, I tore my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and my meniscus. After surgery to repair the damage to my knee, I couldn't put any weight on it for a week. My leg quickly shrunk to half of its thickness due to muscle atrophy.

However, three days after surgery I started physical therapy. All I could do was squeeze my quads slightly to straighten my leg. It seemed like it would be forever before I could regain use of my leg much less do any of the activities I had enjoyed before - e.g. running and martial arts.

I just kept doing my exercises. Each week, the physical therapists increased the difficulty and added more exercises. Over the following months, I saw my leg slowly regain mobility and strength. Now I can run, row, squat, and do martial arts again!

No matter where you are physically, you can do something to improve yourself. I am not trying to downplay the physical challenges that some may have. However, I think a lot of people wait for the "right time" to get started with something that will benefit them - like exercise.

What can you do to get started today? Can't do a proper push-up? Try pushing off the wall and work your way to a full push-up from the ground. Can't run? Start by walking down the driveway and add a few feet each day. Don't have time? Do a few bodyweight squats or push-ups during commercials of your favorite television show. Just get started!

November 12, 2015 - Rest Day

I'm feeling good overall, but busy with work and a little tired from lack of proper sleep. It is a good day to recover from a few good workouts and looking forward to picking it up against tomorrow.

Attacking Your Weaknesses

I listened to several interesting presentations by Crossfit's founder Greg Glassman. He was very insightful about many fitness and health-related topics, but today I wanted to focus on his view of weaknesses. One of the basic philosophies of Crossfit is that they don't want to specialize in anything - and conversely they don't want to have any weaknesses in fitness. He states that we should focusing on strengthening our weaknesses. It is fairly logical advice - your fitness "chain" is only as strong as its weakest link. However, this is often easier said than done.

Weaknesses may develop for many reasons. Maybe we've never been exposed to a certain exercise or method - e.g. the person who grew up using "bodybuilding" weightlifting strategies who discovers powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting. However, sometimes our own fears and biases have led to a "comfort" zone where we continually focus on the things we are good at. For example, always being of slight build, I always preferred high repetition calisthenics like push-ups and bodyweight squats to heavy weightlifting. You may notice my current strength goals are biased towards weightlifting in an attempt to balance that bias.

We may also have fears or embarrassment that prevents us from facing our weaknesses. I didn't learn to swim when I was younger, and for the longest time, I avoided going anywhere I'd have to swim. However, now I'm currently trying to improve my swimming - partly because my wife and children love swimming, and partly because I realize it is a great form of exercise and a practical skill to have. Now that I have some proficiency, I'm actually finding it somewhat enjoyable as well.

So what are your weaknesses? Are you a runner who dislikes strength training? Or are you on the other spectrum, you love lifting heavy weights but don't enjoy conditioning? Of course, part of exercise is enjoyment and recreation, so don't feel like you have to attack your weaknesses. However, if comprehensive fitness and health is your ultimate goal, your weaknesses are a great place to start.

Extra Credit

If this post inspired you or sparked your curiosity, you can also check out Greg Glassman's original article What is Fitness? that defines what Crossfit is and attempts to do. I'm not affiliated with or represent Crossfit in any way. I respect Greg Glassman and have many friends and family who enjoy Crossfit.

November 11, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 11:30 AM

Location: YMCA

Warm-up:

Bike 3 minutes

Bodyweight Squat: 5 reps x 3 sets

Stretching

Back Squat:

1. 75 x 5

2. 95 x 5

3. 95 x 5 Here I reminded myself to hold my breath until the end of the rep, which helped a lot.

4. 105 x 5

5. 115 x 5! I felt good and brave, so I went for an unplanned jump in weight. I did well in the first 4 reps. On the 5th rep, I struggled and my hips came up before the bar a little, but I was able to quickly correct it. On a side note, this is the most I have ever squatted.

Time for Squats: ~15 minutes

Stretching - 5 minutes

Swimming - Nothing too intense. Practiced breaststroke a little as well as floating around in the deep. About 20 minutes with the boys.

Post-Workout Comments

Not much to add. I was pleased to hit a new personal best. I want to continue to developing my breathing technique during the squat. 

Paying the Price

"For every promise...there is a price to pay. If the promise is clear...the price is easy." -Jim Rohn

Original photo credit: picjumbo.com

What price are you willing to pay to reach your goals - fitness or otherwise? Do you know what the price is? In order to make a significant change in your life, you must do something different than what you are doing now. These changes might involve reallocating your time to the activities that will help you reach your goals. This means taking time away from less important activities. This is often easier said than done. However, if you want the change badly enough and you believe you can reach it you will pay the price.

I used to play a lot of video games. I played with my children. I played after the kids went to bed. I used to play when I got up! I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this, but sometimes I played three or four hours a day. Other aspects of my life stagnated. I wasn't reading. I wasn't exercising. I wasn't conversing with my family. It was bad.

I realized that I needed to change around my priorities. I started reading good motivational and educational books. I started to exercise. It was hard at first, because I had to stop playing the games I had come to love. At first, I started to just reduce my time in order to do more reading each day. Then when I started working out 20-30 minutes a day, I reduced it even more.

The surprising thing was that as I started to increase these positive behaviors in my life, I eventually stopped playing video games all together. It started out gradually, but it ended very abruptly. I realized (at least at a subconscious level) that whatever joy, satisfaction, or escape video games were giving me, it was no longer feeding me like the vision of a future where I was smarter, fitter, less stressed, and with better relationships. As Jim Rohn said, "When the promise is clear...the price is easy."

Now, I won't be foolish and tell you that this is easy. Some of you may be struggling with habits and addictions that have served you in some way for years. What I will offer are a couple things I did to help me overcome my vice (at least this one) and use that time and energy more wisely.

First, I wrote down what I wanted. These weren't necessarily goals at first, they were just concepts or phrases that were attractive to me:

• I want to be in better shape.
• I want to be of better service to my clients.
• I want to be a better father and husband.
• I want to fulfill my potential.

After I wrote these down in my journal, I started to ask myself questions, "What does a person who does [fill in the blank] do? What activities and habits do they have? What activities and habits don't they have? 

• Does a successful business person play video games? Maybe, but probably not as much as I do.
• What types of things to healthy, fit people do? Exercise, eat well, and keep their stress levels down.
• What kind of activities do good fathers do (and I looked this up on the internet)? They spend time with their children, they encourage them, and they teach them.

I did this quite a bit, mainly using my journal, but also just talking to myself. I realized there was a bunch of stuff that I could be doing but wasn't. So the next step was to start small. Here are a few examples of what I did that got the momentum going, but didn't "break" me.

• I tried to work out a minimum of 10 minutes as often as possible.
• I took note of when I spent quality time with the children - conversing with them, playing sports, helping them with chores.
• I decided to read something motivational or educational 10 minutes a day.
• I decided to read something related to my business at least 20 minutes a day.

The final thing I did was to decide what the price I was willing to pay to do these things. Fortunately, I was able to steal a lot of time from the video game playing. However, there are a few other things I committed to doing. I stopped eating at fast food restaurants (although I still occasionally stop for a breakfast sandwich and a coffee from Tim Horton's). I also made an effort to stop whining and complaining - I'll have to write more on this another time. Finally, I stopped watching late night television in an effort to get to bed earlier. 

By taking these little steps, I got the momentum going in the right direction. Admittedly, I didn't come up with this process before I did it. When I started, I just realized I needed to make a change, and my first reaction was to ask myself, "What do you want to change?" The following steps were all logical next actions from the first step. However, now that I'm sharing them with you, perhaps you can apply them more efficiently than I did. 

My Challenge to You

Is there something in your life that you'd like to change? Some aspect that isn't ideal for you? Commit to making a change and try out these steps. If you have other steps that you think belong in this process, let me know. I share my thoughts with you with humility, and I am always looking to learn as well. God bless you and I look forward to hearing from you.

November 10, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 11 AM

Warm-up: ~10 minutes

Kali Stickwork (double and single stick)

Shadowboxing

Foam Rolling

Push-ups 5 reps x 3 sets

Stretching (mainly chest area)

Bench Press: ~15 minutes

1. 115 x 5

2. 125 x 5

3. 125 x 5

4. 125 x 5

5. 125 x 5! This last set was very hard and I struggled to get the bar back to the rack.

5 minute rest

Conditioning

10 sets of 10 Kettlebell Swings on the minute.

Jump rope in between sets.

Stretch: 10 minutes

Total Workout Time: ~45 minutes

Post-Workout Comments

This was a great work out. On days where I have more than 20-30 minutes to train, I like to do a strength movement, and some type of conditioning - e.g. Crossfit-style MetCon, Running, Rowing, Boxing, etc. 

One area in the weightlifting I want to improve is my breathing technique. Right now, it's not a big deal, but as the resistance increases, it will be an important factor both for safety and for maximum performance. I experimented during the bench press, but will have to do more research. I'm finding with these heavy lifts that they are more technical than I once thought. 

The conditioning was hard! I was breathing heavy, but it felt great. I need to push myself more. In this particular session, I need to find a way to measure my efforts between the Kettlebell swings. Greg Glassman from Crossfit ruined me, because now I want to measure my output on everything! On a side note, Crossfit is cool. I cannot afford the time or money right now to train at a Crossfit gym, but I like their general philosophy. 

Course Corrections

When we work towards goals, sometimes there is a fine line between being committed to a course of action to reach a goal and failing to making necessary adjustments to reach your goal. Indeed, when we develop a plan we don't want to abandon it at the first sign of adversity. However, at times, we need to change our plan in order to reach our goal. Ultimately, our goal is the goal and we have to be careful to not follow a plan blindly. We have to check make sure the plans we make are still the best path towards our goal.

As a fan of the Buffalo Bills football team, I naturally loathe the New England Patriots. However, Bill Belichick - the coach of the Patriots - is a master of halftime adjustments. Unfortunately, I have seen many games where the Bill were winning going into halftime, only to have the Patriots come back to win seemingly with ease. Why? Because Coach Belichick made the changes needed to win, while the Bills' coaches couldn't adjust to New England's new gameplan fast enough.

Being able to make adjustments is crucial in all parts of our life. Fitness and health are no different. Currently, one of my goals is to increase the weight on my back squat. Specifically, I am currently working on the Low Bar Back Squat, which emphasizes the large muscles of the hips, glutes, and hamstring along with the back to lift the weight. After watching several videos and reading articles, I realized that none of the exercises in my current arsenal directly address the front of the legs, the quads. Hence, I decided to include the Front Squat into the mix. I eventually would have gotten this exercise into the mix, but I felt that doing so sooner was important for balanced development. 

We cannot get too attached to our tactics - the methods we use to reach our goals. If you knew you were headed the wrong way on the highway, when would get off the highway? As soon as possible! Success requires us to continually assess our tactics, and make course corrections along the way. 

November 9, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 6:50 AM

Warm-up

Double stick practice - 3 minutes 

This gave me a chance to shake the rust off and the movements are very good for warming up the shoulders and arms.

Joint Rotations and Stretching - 2 minutes

Turkish Get-up: 18 pounds (dumbbell + 10 pounds) x 3 reps on each side.

These took longer than expected. Also, because i was using slightly heavier weight, I didn't want to practice poor form with fatigued muscles. I can probably practice this tomorrow or in the next couple days and continue to work on my form before adding too much weight. 

Front Squat: 

1. 45 x 5

2. 55 x 5

3. 65 x 5

4. 75 x 5

5. 85 x 5

This wasn't too hard until the last set. However, today I wanted to just focus on technique, which improved over the sets. I watched a video by Coach Mark Rippetoe which I found very helpful to explain some of the mistakes I made today. 

Here's a link of the Mark Rippetoe video on Youtube. 

Stretching: 5 minutes

Total Workout Time: 35 minutes

Training Differences between Novices and Experts

November 8, 2015 - Rest Day

Happy Sunday, friends! I have been reflecting on my general strategy for getting fit. It can be summed up fairly easily:

1. Set goals I feel I can reach in 1-3 months. When I hit a goal, I set a new one.
2. Practice and work on those goals fairly frequently - at least once a week or more. Try to improve in some way every time I work on a specific goal.
3. Practice other exercises and skills frequently enough to maintain those skills and for variety - at least once every three weeks or so or more. These exercises provide more variety as well as supporting the goals directly or indirectly.
4. Eat reasonably well. I'm keeping this simple as well - more fruits and vegetables, less fast food, eat enough to support exercise but not too much.
5. Get enough sleep. I am aiming for at least 7 hours a night.

This basic plan should help me to progress steadily for a while. However, there may come a point where I will begin to plateau or stagnate in my progress. This is natural and to be expected. There is a difference between the training for novices and beginners and the training of more advanced athletes. I've been watching a few videos and reading a lot over the years for this. Here are some key points.

1. Beginners and novices improve fast at the beginning because they are going from a low or no frequency to more frequency. Basically, a person (like myself) who hasn't worked out in a while or not often benefits greatly just because of increased frequency. Right now, my body is adapting because I am working out 4 or 5 days a week as opposed to 4 or 5 days a month - I know, embarrassing to admit, but it's the truth.
2. Beginners and novices do not need complicated programs for any type of training. Because their bodies are going from not training to some training, the strength or endurance gains are easy. For all types of training, performance improvements from refining and perfecting technique during this phase is also the greatest. For example, I am currently able to improve my deadlift and squat weight in part because I'm improving my form and technique from watching videos (both of myself and of expert or high level practicioners). So beginners just need to practice frequently, improve form and technique, and increase the resistance until they this doesn't work anymore.
3. As athletes progress, they will need to adapt their programs to account for their limiting weaknesses. Let's use a running example. Right now, to improve I mainly have to just get out there and run. Then the next time try to either run a little faster or a little further. I can repeat this for a while, but as I get more fit, my progress will slow for a few reasons that I will need to address in my training. For example, I may have technique flaws that prevent me from getting the most output for the energy I'm expending. It might also be something like flexibility or mobility imbalances that cause injury, therefore limiting my ability to train. It could be that I need to put more speedwork or sprints into my training to improve the anaerobic capacity of my body. The point is that I will need to adjust my program to make further gains. The same goes for strength training, martial arts, or any other athletic attribute I'm trying to improve.
4. As athletes become more advanced, their gains will come slower. This may be because of point number three, but also as the athlete approaches their genetic potential in an area, their progress will diminish. 

So consider your level of training when you are developing your game plan for training. If you are a beginner, keep it simple and strive for improvement in every workout. As you progress, you may need to change things to continue your progress. At that point, the help of a skilled coach or experienced training partners may be necessary to help point out your weaknesses and keep you accountable. As for me, my focuses are on consistency and constant improvement. When my progress starts to plateau, I'll have to make a plan to get to further levels of progress.

Train hard and smart. Remember to have some fun as well. God bless you!

Humility and Wisdom

I wrote about humility in a previous post, but it is such a key attitude to my getting fit (among other things) that I wanted to expand upon it a little more. As I went to the gym today, I set up to do the deadlift. At one time, I had been able to deadlift 250 pounds. Not world class, but not too shabby for a guy who weighed 135 at the time. However, since my knee surgery and some back issues a couple years ago, I stayed away from the deadlift. This was the first time I had done it in about two and a half years, so I started with a very modest weight of 135 pounds.

There was a young guy next to me doing some heavy overhead presses. There was something inside me that wanted to put some extra plates on the bar. Fortunately, humility and reality kept me from doing something very foolish.

Besides keeping the weight reasonable, humility has allowed me to continue to try to refine my form. Watching one of Alan Thrall's tip videos on the deadlift, I learned a few things I needed to improve upon. Similarly, a previous video of his that I watched suggested doing some Romanian deadlifts (aka RDL's) to improve the engagement of my butt and hamstrings in the deadlift movement. I did so today as well and it felt great.

I'm not the only one who thinks humility is important to success and life. Tim Ferriss interviewed former Navy SEAL and world-class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor Jocko Willink. In this interview, Tim asked Jocko about what quality separated great leaders from good ones. Willink very quickly replied, "Humility." Especially in the dangerous environment of combat as a Navy SEAL, He discussed how the lack of humility could get people killed. Jocko discusses the connection between humility and courage as well. The interview had many other insights about many topics, so I encourage you to check it out. (Small warning: there is some - but not a lot - of  profanity). 

Humility is very important if we want to improve in life - whether it be in fitness or when leading men in combat. It allows us to see things more objectively. It allows us to seek solutions and advice when we have problems. Also, it gives us the courage to do things we should even if we worry about what other people think. God bless you.

November 7, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 6:30 PM; Location: YMCA

Warm-up: 3 minutes stationary bike

Joint Rotation

Stretching

Deadlift: 

1. 135 x 5

2. 135 x 5

3. 135 x 5

Romanian Deadlift: 

1. 135 x 5

~3 minute rest

Rowing: 1000m in 5:28.6 (stretcher setting=3; flywheel resistance=7) 

Note: The resistance settings on each rowing machine (or erg) is different based on how clean the erg is, how well maintained, and other factors. This was the far left ergometer at the gym.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Total Workout Time: 30 minutes

Post-Workout Comments

It was a good quick workout focused on the posterior chain - back, glutes, hamstrings). My general idea behind doing it this way as that the deadlifts would warm me up for the rowing. The deadlifts themselves weren't super heavy, but I was rusty, so the weight is appropriate. From a technique standpoint, I was okay, although I think I sat back a little too much, and didn't catch it until the 3rd set. I then felt a set of RDL's would help with the posterior chain connection that was missing because my technique was a little off. 

Rowing felt pretty good overall. I was very deliberate and careful with my technique because my back muscles were already fatigued from the deadlifts and I didn't want to risk injuring myself by pulling too fast (in case fatigue caused my form to suffer). The actual distance at this intensity was not too bad, so I can push it a little harder next time, which I will need to in any case to reach my goal. One thing to try is to just do a rowing workout, with just warm-ups OR give myself a little more time to rest between heavy lifting and the rowing piece.

New Tools

Today's workout was a combination of basic movements and modern technology. Besides using my phone to film my bench press sets, I also used a cool app called MapMyRun (www.mapmyrun.com) to track my run. Finally, I used a boxing timer app to do my plank sets. I'd love to figure out (or maybe develop) some way to integrate these tools seemlessly. Perhaps a future project!

These tools help me to track my progress in my workouts. Tracking is very important because it gives us objectivity. Goal setting and tracking my progress are key to my improvement. It's like using your GPS to get to a destination. If you you lose the satellite signal, or just "wing it" you can soon find yourself far off track. Tracking helps you stay on...well, on track! It's also very motivating to see your progress over time.

What are some of your goals? Share them with me on Twitter (@yourbryancastro) or in the comments.

November 6, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 11 AM

Warm up foam rolling

Pushups 5x3 sets 

Bench press

1. 115 x 5 

2. 115 x 5

3. 125 x 5

4. 125 x 5

5. 125 x 5

Time: ~15 min.

Felt great overall. Last set was difficult. Focused on leg drive, bar path, and tight grip. 

Running: 1.5 miles in 16:02

Very windy today, but pushed through. Felt good overall.

Plank: 3 sets x 30 seconds with 30 sec. rest in between each set.

Haven't done these in a while. Third set was hard!

Stretching: 5 minutes

Post-Workout Commentary

I'm still a little under the weather, but I felt good enough to get this workout in. I felt great during this workout. First time in a week or so that I had an hour to work out and I made the most of it. I made progress toward two of my major goals while getting some planks in too. 

Strive to Progress

When you don't have much time to exercise, you have to make the most of the time that you have. One way I'm trying to do it is to always try to make some type of improvement or progress every single workout. This way, I'm always progressing toward my goals. Here's a couple thoughts on ways to progress.

First, the most concrete way is to increase your resistance (for strength training) or reduce your time or increase your distance (for endurance goals). At the beginning, with some of the larger lifts - like squat or deadlift - you can add 5 or 10 pounds almost every week! The more advanced or mature of an athlete you are, the harder this gets. However, there's other ways to make progress.

Another way to make progress or measure improvement is by decreasing the rest time between sets. The way I measure this for my workouts is by recording the full time for the specific movements. For example, for a lot of my bigger movements, I use a 5 set by 5 rep (5 x 5) structure. I record the time from the first set to the end of the last set. That way, even if I'm not ready to move up in weight, I can try to complete the sets with less rest.

Finally, you can make small improvements to your technique, which will eventually lead to strength gains. Today, during my squats, my main improvement in my technique was focusing on one spot during my squat. It was amazing what that one change did to my balance and execution of the exercise.

So see how you can improve today - both in your workouts and in other aspects of life. God bless you.

November 5, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 9 AM

Warm-up: 3 min. stationary bike

Foam rolling

Static Stretching

5 reps x 3 sets bodyweight squat

Back Squat: 

1. 65 x 5

2. 75 x 5

3. 85 x 5

4. 85 x 5

5. 95 x 5

Time on Squats: ~15 minutes

I tried to increase the depth of my squat, but I noticed that when I went to low, my lower back started to arch a little. I think this is due to a lack of mobility in my hamstrings. So until I iimprove that, I will squat to my previous depth - which was still fairly low. Here is a video of my 5th set with a new high point for weight.

Pull-ups:

1. 3 1/2 

2. 2 1/2

3. 3

Yeah I know I need to improve on these. I think as I repeat them I will get better. 

Stretching: 5 minutes

Moderating Enthusiasm

November 4, 2015 - Recovery Day

Bryan Running!

Do you ever get so excited about something whether it be exercise or anything else that you go crazy doing the activity and learning about it...only to fizzle out after a few enthusiastic weeks or months? This has happened to me quite a few times.

For example, three years ago, I ran my first (and so far only) half marathon. I was invited by a friend to join her and I accepted. I went crazy, looking up training plans, changing my diet dramatically, I had two hour running sessions at times. I lost some weight. I ran the race and had a great time. Then after the race, I didn't run again for about six months.

What did I learn from this? First, I learned that there is a place between "all-out" and "nothing." I also learned that I need to proactively moderate my enthusiasm. Instead of spending all of my free time or neglecting my other responsibilities, I fit fitness into my week more sensibly. However, I make sure that I prioritize my business and family activities first. 

This blog and my current workout efforts are the result of this state of mind. Now, I don't want to discourage you to be enthusiastic about exercising. It's only that if you want to develop a consistent habit or activity level, you need to spread that enthusiasm out over a longer period of time. 

Hence, today is a rest day - I did 10 minutes of foam rolling and stretching. Partly because I have a long day at work and I want to conserve my energy, but also because I want to refresh my mind and my enthusiasm for my next workout. So try moderating your enthusiasm so that it lasts for the long haul!

God bless you and have a beautiful day.

Humility and the Bench Press

In my quest to stay fit an healthy, I've gotten back to enjoying working out and improving. I also enjoy presenting and teaching in other parts of my life, so when I found Alan Thrall's Youtube channel, I was very impressed. I was surfing around looking for tips on powerlifting when I came upon his videos. Not only is he a strong guy, he also teaches very well on his videos. I encourage you to check his channel out to learn proper technique on the basic lifts. Here's his Bench Press video that helped me with my technique.

This brings up the topic of humility. When I first decided to write a blog on working out, my purposes were twofold. First, to keep me accountable by sharing my workouts publicly. Second, to share my experiences as a regular guy who is out of shape and trying to get into better shape. At first, I thought to myself this might be embarrassing because I am so weak. However, then I thought about being humble and just being who I am. I am weak, but I can and will get stronger. Humility gives us permission to be who we are - flaws and all. Humility gives us courage too because we know we need help and we can seek it out - even if it is just watching a couple Youtube videos. By the way, writing the blog has been a ton of fun too!

November 3, 2015 Workout

Time of workout: 4:30 PM

Warm-up: 5 minutes of shadowboxing

5 reps x 3 sets of push-ups

Bench Press: 115 x 5, 115, x 5, 115 x 5, 125 x 5, 125 x 5

125 is the most I've benched in a couple years. Here is a video of my 5th set. The Bench Press sets and rest took a total of 15 minutes to complete. I took a minute break before doing the Kettlebell Swings.

Kettlebell Swing: 10 reps on the minute for 5 sets
I was going to do 10 sets, but I stopped it short so I could stretch and pick my kids up from school.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Total Workout time: ~30 minutes

Post-Workout Thoughts

I'm glad I got this workout in. I didn't have much time between work and picking up the kids, and I just went for it. After watching Alan Thrall's videos, I was pumped to try out the new technique tips on my bench press, so I went for 125, and got it! I still have to keep working on the technique, but I hit a new high heading towards my goal of 135 pounds - which I think I can probably hit it soon enough, but I really want to focus on getting the technique down so I can hit new goals after I hit this one.

One important benefit of improved technique is that I feel my shoulders are safer. Before, I always felt I was kind of stretching my shoulders too far on bench press. However, by pulling in my shoulder blades, it lifts my chest a little and my shoulders are at a better angle to bear the weight. In any case, even though my form was not perfect, my shoulders felt very solid throughout the movement.

The kettlebell swings weren't too taxing with the 40 seconds of rest I got in between, but they got me breathing hard and sweating and they were a nice finishing touch from the bench press. 

Back Squats are Fun

When I was younger, even when I rowed in high school, I didn't squat. I did bodyweight squats as well as exercises like leg press, and the rowing itself worked the same muscles, but I never did a squat with a barbell. Now that I'm older and wiser, I realize how important squats are - particularly from the perspective of longevity of activity. The hips and lower back are a very common area where people get injuries as they age, so the more of a foundation of strength and stability we can build, the better.

Workout

Time of workout: 7 AM

Warm-up: 5 minutes shadowboxing with calisthenics mixed in. I just kept it active and loose.

1. Back Squat: Bar x 5 reps

2 Pull-ups

I did the pull-ups straight after racking the bar, although I had about a minute rest between the pull-ups and the next set of squats. In case you are wondering, I can't do that many pull-ups in a row (maybe 5), so 2 is a solid amount to do between each squat set.

2. Back Squat: 65 x 5

2 Pull-ups

3. Back squat: 75 x 5

2 Pull-ups

4. Back squat: 75 x 5

2 Pull-ups

5. Back Squat: 85 x 5

2 Pull-ups

I recorded my last set of squats. The quality isn't great, but I want to use the videos occasionally to check my form and share them with you.

Heavy Bag: 5 minutes

I tried to keep the pace going for the 5 minutes. I also focused on body and head evasion. I originally wanted to use the double-end bag, which focuses on evasion and head movement, but my bungee cords need to be replaced, so I tried to keep in the spirit of the intended medium.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Duration of workout: ~25 minutes (it got broken up as I was getting my son ready for school between the main workout and the stretching, but probably 25 minutes of actual exercise.

Post-Workout Thoughts

I was pleased by the workout. I can squat more, but as I want to progress slowly as I haven't squatted heavy since before my knee surgery in 2013. However, I feel progress and a good workout overall. I could feel some good soreness from my shoulders from the Turkish Get-ups and Heavy Bag yesterday. Not too bad, but I wouldn't want to have bench pressed today.

Thank you for checking out my blog. Let me know what you think and I always appreciate any feedback. I'm not an expert on working out or blogging, but I try my best. God bless you.

Working Out When Sick

November 1, 2015

Today I debated whether or not I should work out as I have a little cold and sore throat. After reading this article about working out when sick, I decided to do a quick workout focusing on technique and skills. In summary, you shouldn't workout when the cold is in the lungs (or "below the neck") or if you have a fever. Otherwise, listen to your body!

Workout

Warm-up: Joint Rotation - 3 minutes 

I knew I was doing a less intense workout, so I just loosened up a little.

Turkish Get Up (TGU): 5 minutes with dumbbell (~8 pounds). Alternated reps with each side.

I found some pain in my right knee (I had surgery a couple years ago and there is pain sometimes on contact with the incision). But I worked through it as I knew it wasn't an injury. 

Heavy Bag: 3 minutes (light intensity)

Turkish Get Up (TGU): 5 minutes with dumbbell (~8 pounds). Alternated reps with each side.

Kettlebell Swings: 3 sets of 10 reps

Stretching: 6 minutes

Total Workout Time: ~25 minutes

Comments

I didn't really plan out my workout other than that I wanted to practice the TGU. My form is still there, but I wanted to use light weights for safety as I tried to focus on technique. I think a little added resistance will be good because the light weight allowed me to "cheat" as I didn't have to hold the weight directly overhead - e.g. I could hold it at an angle without it falling.

My Turkish Get-up technique is from Jeff Martone - both through his kettlebell book and his Crossfit videos. It is also known as a "tactical" TGU in that it is meant to be the fastest way to do it and not necessarily focusing on the perfect aesthetic. However, it's functional and the exercise will be great for my overall core and posture development.

Today's workout was about "play." I didn't want to focus too much on the design of my workout. My main goals was to practice TGU and threw in the heavy bag work and KB swings because I felt like it. It was a fun workout for me and  a good used of my time on a busy day of housework and spending time with the family.

Resources

Exercising when Sick: A Good Move? http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick

Video: The Turkish Get-up with Jeff Martone (from the Crossfit channel)