You asked for it, you got it!
Here are some resources to help you get better on the Concept 2 SkiErg
Have you signed up for the competition next Saturday yet? Concord v. Epsom, it’s gonna be good!
Deadline is Tuesday March 20th, so Make It Happen!
Coach Dean
As many of you know (and if you didn’t here’s reminder #2) that our next scheduled recovery week is in a couple weeks.
We have written much on the topic of recovery weeks and the purpose and plan behind taking time to let your body recover from training. For those of you who are new (or just plain stubborn :)) here are some past articles outlining recovery principles and procedures:
Recovery Is Where The Magic Happens
Rest, Recover and Regenerate, It’s Not Optional
When we take a recovery week, we are looking at recovery from the standpoint that we will call the macrocycle, or yearlong plan. We schedule 4 weeks off from training per calendar year. These are not haphazardly taken, but scheduled into a carefully designed plan to help you improve over the long term.
Your weekly training is designed in much the same way. Our training schedule is Mon, Tue, Thu, and Friday for a reason, and a huge part of that is the way your body recovers on a daily and weekly basis. Except for the most genetically advantaged 5 or 6 days a weeks of intense strength and metabolic resistance training isn’t effective because we are unable to recover properly.
So what does “Running Interference” have to do with anything?
Strength Coach Ian King was the person who introduced me to the reality of “The Interference Principle”. In his context, he found that that energy system training can seriously impair strength and size developments.
We have observed that this principle also comes into play with some of our clients who do “other” training along with our training. There is a point you can do too much and get less – sometimes less really is more!
I may ruffle some feathers here, but too bad. I can unequivocally and without a doubt say that the amount of sweat produced in a single training session has absolutely nothing to do with how effective that session was in changing your body.
I get it. You enjoy the feeling of working up a good sweat. It makes you feel like you did something. Most of the comments we get about “great training session” come after the ones where you are absolutely trashed.
But what if that trashing made you worse?
If it taxed your recovery to the point it weakens your immune system and you are constantly getting colds? If it caused excessive inflammation in your joints and you are constantly in pain or popping Advil? If overuse produces knee pain, or plantar fasciitis?
Is it worth it then?
No is the only correct answer.
And that is why we don’t train that way every day. Why we take the time daily to work on mobility and flexibility. And why we caution you about your exercise load outside of bootcamp training.
You see it really is possible you are running, or spinning, or ellipticalling (is that a word) interference on yourself and making less progress than you could be.
And that is not what either of us want.
We get asked a lot “What should I do on days there is no bootcamp?”
The answer really is “It Depends”.
And that is something your coaches would be glad to talk to you about on an individual basis.
We are glad to sit down with you and get a complete picture of what your goals are and what you are trying to accomplish. For instance Liz is training for a half marathon. We came up with a plan that will allow her to get the mileage in that she needs in coordination with bootcamp training and other things she enjoys doing. We sat down with Stacy and mapped out an interval protocol she can do a couple days a week that allows her to get that “cardio fix” without taxing her recovery.
Training with Get Fit NH means training within the context of a carefully planned system designed to get you better. When it comes down to it I love the fact that many of our clients are so addicted to being healthy they can’t fathom a day without doing “something”.
Let’s work together and make sure we aren’t “running interference”.
Make It Happen!
Dean
We are finishing up another great week at Get Fit NH Bootcamp – “Real” Fun Friday and all! 🙂
Just a reminder that tomorrow Coach Nancy is holding a prenatal workshop tomorrow, please register if you haven’t already.
A huge shout out to Gretchen, Richard, Karl, Coach Nancy, and yes even me for completing the 100 day burpee challenge. Nancy and I thought y’all deserved a little something extra for your efforts – the custom “Get Fit NH” pullovers are sweet!
The Carlson kids were over to the Concord training facility and decided to pull the sled out – made daddy proud!
Have a great weekend gang, and we’ll see you Monday!
On March 24th we will be holding our first multi-annual (is that a word?) SkErg Sprints, and it is going to rock!
Not only because we are gonna blow the doors off the gym, but it’s going to be Concord vs. Epsom and the right to be the first holder of the “Golden Hammer”!
We are planning on racing in 3 categories:
If you want to get in on the action, there are sign up sheets in each one of the training facilities. Please indicate which events you want to participate in. Once we see what we are looking at for numbers, we will announce more details as the format of race day.
Get Some!
Just received this note from Ann, who is spending her February vacation in Arizona doing some hiking in the Grand Canyon. Ann shared how her training is helping her so what she loves. She is training for life – Great work Ann, and thank-you!
“Just wanted to tell you that I just finished 3 days of hiking in Arizona. Our first day was a 14 mile “reverse hike” (descent before ascent) in the Grand Canyon.
Now, I’ve been doing some hiking in the past few months, but nothing like this, especially since my knee surgery. Yet I felt so strong on the hike, even on the last couple miles climbing back to the rim, which I’m sure is the result of the work I’ve been doing in Boot Camp.
So I just wanted to say “thanks” for providing workouts that not only feel great on their own, but help prepare us for the other things we want to do.” – Ann W.
What “other things” do you want to do? Train for the sport of life!
I can hardly believe it, but our son Drew is having another birthday. Many of you have met Drew and know he is not shy nor one to be left out. He is a go getter. He is persistent. When his sister’s started coming up with their own recipes for foods to be mixed in with yogurt he had to create his own version. Below is the recipe he came up with.
Now to all who are thinking what can an eight, now nine, year old boy make on his own that others will actually eat? This is it! Really we’ve had this.
Drew’s Birthday Blueberry Smoothie
Mix all the ingredients in a blender. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Now I mentioned that Drew is persistent and a go-getter. That is important. He never gives up on an idea. Right now as a parent that is tough to listen to but I don’t want to stop his drive. He is determined.
As adults we need to have more Drews in our life. People who don’t take no for an answer. People who push to be heard. Those who take an idea and make it work. This can go far in our lives.
I see great things for Drew because of his attitude.
What if we took just one idea and see it to the end? Take one day and make it a great day for health. Take one hour and make your meal plans. Take one evening and finish that book you started over a month ago. Your New Year’s Resolutions, how are they progressing? Take time, be persistent, go after your dreams to Make It Happen.
Enjoy your shake,
Coach Nancy
By the way, “Joe” the Lego man, is visiting the Epsom facility. Did you notice he is lifting weights? He’ll soon be coming to Concord.
Get Fit NH Bootcamp is growing, literally.
Our bootcamp family is getting bigger as quite a few of our clients are expecting an addition in 2012. Coach Nancy, the resident supermom (and mother of 6) at Get Fit NH is hosting a prenatal workshop on Saturday, March 10 from 9:30-10:30 at Get Fit NH Bootcamp Epsom.
If you are expecting or expect to be expecting sometime in the future, you don’t want to miss this!
Think about it, carrying a pregnancy and giving birth is usually the most intense physical activity a woman will do in her entire lifetime, yet most don’t even think about training for it!
Learn how exercise is not just for you, but for your baby as well. You’ll go home confident of the “do’s and don’ts” of exercising while pregnant. Also included are tips on eating for two, samples of healthy foods and resources that keep your growing family healthy and feeling great!
This workshop is open to the public, so please spread the word, then let us know you are coming!
Motherhood is not for Wimps – Prenatal Workshop
Saturday March 10th 9:30am – 10:30am Get Fit NH Bootcamp Epsom
You may have noticed a new addition to our supplement shelves recently – LifeSpan Protein.
Now for those of you who have used Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP) from Beverly International, you know how versatile it is, how rich and creamy it mixes, and how great it tastes.
So why bring in another brand?
One Word – Sucralose.
As in, UMP contains as an ingredient sucralose, the artificial sweetener also known as Splenda.
I am all for limiting the amount of artificial sweeteners we use, and in deference to our clients who do not want to use any, we searched for a long time to find an alternative to UMP, without artificial sweeteners, that didn’t taste like puppy chow.
The primary difference between these two products is that UMP is what we would call a multi-spectrum protein, with protein sources including milk protein isolate, calcium caseinate, whey protein concentrate, casein, egg white, and whey protein isolate, and LifeSpan consists of primarily whey isolate.
The reason that matters is that Beverly digests more slowly, keeps you feeling satisfied longer, and contains some high quality proteins that are more expensive. That is not to say that LifeSpan is bad, because it is not. Whey isolate is a good quality program, it just digests more quickly. It is WAY better (no pun intended) than the 5 pound bags of garbage that you can find in the superstores that consist of the cheapest form of whey protein, which is protein concentrate.
If you purchase from anywhere other than us, I strongly urge you to read the ingredient label, because you get what you pay for. Quality matters, as the bio-availability (how much the body can actually process and use) of the proteins we carry is much higher than the cheap varieties. In other words you have to take more of the cheap stuff to get the same benefit – so what’s the point?
We have discussed the importance of protein in your diet on many occasions, and a protein supplement is just one way to make sure you can easily increase your intake if needed.
Check out these other great tasting ways to integrate protein into your nutrition plan.
Here’s my favorite protein supershake recipe – you’ll love it!
Very Blueberry Smoothie
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries (unsweetened)
1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (Ultimate Muscle Protein is our recommended brand!)
1/2 Cup Nonfat Plain Yogurt (I love Stonyfield)
2 Tbsp Whole Oats
1 Cup Ice
Pile it all into the blender, mix well and enjoy!
Every so often we like to remind you that YOU, our amazing clients, are the best advertising we have.
Over the years you have earned thousands of dollars telling your friends, co-workers and families how they CAN get professional coaching, real world results, and maybe best of all have fun doing what we all know we need to do – exercise!
Who do you know that can benefit from training with Get Fit NH Bootcamp?
Click here to see hundreds of happy people!
Ok, maybe it’s not quite that bad, but I felt like life was turned upside down today, just a little bit anyway.
You see the unthinkable happened Tuesday morning – Coach Nancy was sick.
Now lest you think I am exaggerating, Gretchen and I were searching our (somewhat feeble) minds this morning trying to figure out the last time Nancy actually dared be sick and miss a scheduled coaching session. The best we can remember is that it has only happened once before, and we couldn’t come close to telling you when.
But still, since this post is all about me, let’s get back to it.
This might come as a news flash, but I like routine. Don’t upset the apple cart. Keep your ducks in a row.
So when I came downstairs this morning and Nancy told me it wasn’t happening for her today, it set my mind into overdrive, trying to figure out how I was going to rearrange my entire day.
Who was going to coach classes where? What do I do with the kids? I don’t have time for coffee this morning?
Now THAT is high drama!
Of course in reality it wasn’t really that bad at all.
Deep breath, one thing at a time, trust in the systems you have in place, be grateful for the great people you have that work with you and for the clients who will roll with the punches without Nancy, and least for one day. 🙂
The whole episode got me to thinking what fickle, fragile creatures we humans can be.
One minor thing (don’t tell Nancy I said that, cause she ain’t having too much fun right now) and things can go downhill fast.
We talk ourselves really quickly into imagining all the worst things that can possibly happen.
Why do we do that? (That is a rhetorical question :))
So here’s the take home:
We are going to have curveballs thrown at us – a lot of them.
How we react makes all the difference.
We have the choice whether or not to let the sick kid, or sick dog, or sick coach propel us into a downward spiral.
We missed a couple days training, so there’s no point until going back until next week, right?
Or someone has to eat that BOX of girl scout cookies to get it out of the house, right?
Or my boss was being a (fill in the blank), so eating this pint of Haagen-Daaz will show HIM who is really boss, right?
I think it was Emerson who said:
“Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.”
This works both ways.
We can dwell on the negative or focus on the positive.
Both lead us down different paths, different destinations, even different destiny’s.
Where is your mind going to lead you today?
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