Learning From Others

Often the people in our lives are our greatest teachers. Some say that we attract precisely the people we need in our lives to learn what we have to learn.

We learn from them not only directly-oh, so that's how to do it-but also by negative example-oh, so that's how NOT to do it. We learn from them by having to stretch ourselves in new ways-to assert ourselves finally, maybe, to avoid being run over by someone. Or to be more patient and tolerant of mistakes. When we see our interactions as opportunities for growth, we can by happier with them and with ourselves.

The list of what we might be learning is endless and different for each one of us. But today, I'd like you to contemplate these two questions: From whom must I learn to receive? From whom (or what) must I learn to protect myself? Take note and stay open. :)

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 219.
Thanks Mom!

Free Your Mind

One of the most common problems everyone faces at one point or another is the amount of sleep they get. Some people will average about 3-4 hours of sleep per night...others will not be able to fall asleep at a appropriate time due to the mind not shutting off...and others will sleep and wake up several times during the night. All of these examples are not good for anybody. We all know that we must get a good 8 hours of sleep like we did when we were growing up. We take for granted our sleep, but our sleep is probably if not the most important factor for real change within ourselves. Getting a good night rest helps people to be focused and alert for the next day...it allows for recovery and rebuilding in your body...it helps keep your cortisol levels balanced ...and it keeps your immune system strong. In the next paragraph I am going to give you some information about a natural herb that will help you find those good sleeping nights again.

A real happiness killer is not getting enough sleep. Experts say one in four people have trouble sleeping, at least occasionally, and the National Commission on Sleep Disorders estimates that folks spend $16 billion a year trying to sleep. Kava Kava to the rescue. Studies have shown that this South Pacific herb is as effective as Valium or Halcyon, without their side effects. A nightly dose of 150 mg not only cures insomnia in 50 percent of those trying it in as little as seven days, but it also abolishes nervousness and anxiety. Don't exceed the recommended dosage, and stay away from this supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have Parkinson's disease, are taking sedatives such as Valium (it enhances the effect; ditto for alcohol), or are allergic to pepper (it is derived from a pepper tree). Medical advice suggest you shouldn't take it for more than eight weeks at a time.

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 27.

A PURPOSE REMAINS CONSTANT FOR LIFE

KEEP IT REAL.

HAVE FUN PLAYING.

UNDERSTAND.

BE IN TUNE.

BE PATIENT.

DON'T GIVE IN.

FIGHT.

TRUST.

LOVE.

REFUSE TO STAY DOWN!!!

Part 1 Of Brandy Goddard's Ninja Warrior Training. 

You've Worked Day In & Day Out! Free Your Mind...Drop & Dissolve Any Inner Blockage. Raise Your Potential By Living Every Second Refreshed. Always Have Faith In Your Ability & Strength. BELIEVE & BECOME!!! You've Worked Too Hard For This-REFUSE TO STAY DOWN! You Have A Strong Foundation Ready To BE UNLEASHED. YOU Have A Powerful & Lethal Weapon- That's YOUR WILL. YOUR WILL TO DO/YOUR WILL TO SUCCEED. Remember: DON'T THINK-JUST DO! YOU GOT THIS!

SUCCESS COMES FROM DISCIPLINE

Our Life Is Defined By Opportunities. Opportunities That Help Us Grow. In Order For Growth, There Must Be Commitment. A Commitment To Yourself...A Commitment To Succeed.

Check Out This Amazing Accomplishment...Awesome Job To My Client For Reaching Her Big Goal After One Year At Dofitness Training Studio. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Resistance Band Training During Squats Boosts Force And Power Output

SO HERE YOU HAVE IT! :) 

Movements become ballistic at the end of the range of motion during large, multiple-joint exercises, such as the bench press, squats, and deadlift. In other words, there's less load on the muscles as you get closer to lockout and little motor unit activity in the prime mover muscles (the muscles doing the work). Lifting with resistance bands or chains attached to the bar increases the load at the end of the range of motion.

Australian scientists found that force and power output was greater during back squats performed on a Smith Machine when using resistance bands than during traditional weight training. Also, resistance bands are effective when doing traveling lunges and side shuffles...keeping the tension and force continuously while performing these movements.

They used a force platform to determine the forces created during the exercise. Muscles tend to get larger and stronger when subjected to more tension, so we may infer from this study that training with resistance bands (or chains) is beneficial. It can also be stated that training with resistance bands or chains does increase strength and lean muscle mass more than traditional training methods. SO GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF THE CLIENTS THAT TRAIN WITH ME...JUDY IS HERE TO STAY!!! LONG LIVE JUDY!!!

Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 20: 268-272, 2006.

TAKING IT WAY BACK....

Going Back In Time!!! How Time Flies!!! In The Beginning...WAY BACK...FLASHBACK!!!!

YOUR FORMULA IS INSIDE OF YOU

The formula is that wonderful feeling inside that tells you that you can do anything. The Formula is GOD given; we all have THE FORMULA you just have to find it!

*The feeling you experience when you know your purpose in life
*That burst of energy...the last mile of the race
*Experiencing the best workout ever and knowing you gave your all
*Running your first race and finishing no matter what place
*Coming up with a successful business plan in the middle of the night
*Overcoming that intense muscle fatigue...biking up that impossible hill
*Reaching your goal when others thought you would fail
*When you know you have done the impossible

PUMP UP Those Legs

A Great Exercise Round To PUMP UP Your Legs

My client is on one of my favorite exercise machines...Vertical Leg Press. She had just completed a round of lower body boxing drills...I then made her stop and get on the leg press machine. She has a soft ball that goes between her legs, which makes her have to stimulate those inner thighs as she is pressing. Her round consists of a ladder drill.

BEGINNING WITH:
2 mini press (starting from the bottom you will come up a little below half way and then go back down to your starting position) + 2 full presses
* 4 mini presses + 4 full presses
* 6 minis + 6 fulls
* 8 minis + 8 fulls
* 10 minis + 10 fulls
She then took a 45 second break went back to her lower body power boxing drills...now remember what goes up must go down...so after her boxing drills she went back to leg press and began at 10/10 and worked all the way down to 2/2.
Be creative when you train....your muscles won't know what's coming and you will definitely see the results you have been working so hard for.
~ Dofitness

POST WORKOUT PROTEIN INTAKE SPEEDS TISSUE REPAIR

After a hard workout in a gym or on a track, your body must repair damaged tissues using amino acids from protein. Exercise speeds the use of amino acids as fuels, which puts them in short supply during recovery... the time the body repairs and restores itself. 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers did a sophisticated study showing that feeding protein (10 grams) and carbs after endurance exercise increased whole body protein synthesis after exercise compared to a placebo. All athletes should eat a high-protein energy bar, protein shake, or a high-protein meal within 30-45 minutes of an intense workout. This practice will speed recovery and build muscle faster. 

Your post-workout meal is one of the most important things you must do in order to recover and in order to see the results you are working hard for. If you are not doing this already, be sure to start, you will see an overall increase in recovery, performance, and body change (results achieved). Thanks for checking out my blog article. Have a good day and HAPPY TRAINING AND DON'T FORGET YOUR POST WORKOUT MEAL! :)

Med. Sci. Sports, 34: 828-837, 2002.

DO AND BE

Success in life comes in cans, and failure comes in cant's!

Round One:
1) Elliptical- 10 minutes/Resistance- 7-9;increase every 2 minutes/Incline- 8; increase every 2 minutes/Strides Per Minute- 165-185 (If you can keep this pace for 10 minutes great...if not, please set your work load and incline for your specific fitness level. Try to make this a challenge that you work toward).
2) Body Weight Squats (no rest/continuous motion)- 100x
3) Push-ups- 10x
4) Body Weight Alternating Lunge Steps In Place (Stepping Forward)- 50x
*Make sure it is continuous without stopping
5) Push-ups- 10x
6) Body Weight Alternating Lunge Steps In Place (Stepping Backward)- 50x
*Make sure it is continuous without stopping
7) Push-ups- 10x + Sit-ups- 25x + Bicycle Pumps (2 pumps on each side)- 50x
8) Step-Mill- 10 minutes/Resistance 8-10; increase resistance every 2 min/For each minute that you are stepping, you will do the following: 1st-30 sec step on each stair; 2nd-30 sec. skip each stair. (If you can keep this pace for 10 minutes great...if not, please set your work load for your specific fitness level. Try to make this a challenge that you work toward).


Round Two:
1) Body Weight Walking Lunges- 1 lap around the track or 200 Lunge Steps
2) One Crunch + One Sit-ups (2=1)- 15 times
3) Core Plank- 1 minute
4) Six Laps around the track- on every 2nd lap- do 10 squat jumps at each corner
*For example- Run 1st lap regular/On 2nd lap do 10 squat jumps at each corner of the lap/3rd lap-regular…
*If you don't have access to a track- Run in Place 30sec + 10 squat jumps after each 30 sec mark (do this six times. You may also decide to create your own cardio challenge for this round. Always be creative! :)5) Core Plank- 1 minute
6) Roman Chair- (knees-to-chest)- 15x
7) On Bench- Reverse Crunches (roll knees-into-chest)- 25x
*keep your heels close to your butt/lead from your belly button not your legs
8) Wall- Sit- 30 sec + 10 Squat Jumps/Wall-Sit- 40 sec + 15 Squat Jumps/Wall Sit- 50sec + 20 Squat Jumps/Wall Sit- 60 sec + 25 Squat Jumps (watch your form/make sure you are sitting in an L (legs form an L-shape on your wall sit; Squat low and jump from the bottom and land in the bottom on squat jumps).
*ABSOLUTELY NO REST! Your rest time is when you are sitting on the wall.

Nice Work...You Did It! Way To Get After It! :)

BURN CALORIES BY DRINKING WATER

Many diet books recommend drinking plenty of water to cut hunger and create a feeling of fullness. But did you know that , drinking water also increases metabolic rate slightly and burns more calories. German researchers found that drinking 500 milliliters of water (about 1 pint) increased resting metabolism by 25 percent- so about 20 extra calories for 60 minutes. Drinking 50 milliliters of water or 500 milliliters of saline (mildly salty water) had no effect on metabolism.

Water increases calorie burning by diluting the blood going to the liver (portal circulation) and by turning on the sympathetic nervous system (the body's fight-or-flight system). The cells have very sensitive methods for regulating fluids in blood, cells and the space between cells. Water intake activates this system, which increases caloric expenditure. Drinking extra water has little effect on weight control and could be dangerous...just like anything. You must find the right balance that works for you and how water plays into your everyday activities. The 20 calories you expend processing the water is equivalent to jogging for two minutes. But again...don't forget, excessive water intake can cause hyponatremia (water intoxication), which can be deadly.

So remember to stay hydrated each and every day...do not go overboard on your water intake especially if you are not active. Water has and will always be vital to your survival. It participates in almost all the chemical reactions in your body, it helps cool you, and moves vital fuels and hormones to your muscles and tissues. Just be aware that just like anything else...there have been known cases of people drinking too much water and dying from these decisions. BALANCE IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING IN THIS LIFE! So be ACTIVE and DRINK YOUR WATER!!

Journal Clinical Endocrinolgy Metabolism, 92: 3334-3337, 2007)

An All-Time Favorite Recipe For A Cold Winter Season

The All-Time Favorite, Turkey Chili, is brought here by popular demand.

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 cup red pepper, coarsely chopped

1 onion, coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chopped plum tomatoes in juice

2/3 rib celery, coarsely chopped (2/3 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 cup chicken stock or low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat a 3-quart, nonstick saucepan over high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the turkey and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up the turkey into pieces, until browned all over. Remove to a bowl, and cover with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to low, and add the peppers, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium, and add the tomatoes, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Add the browned turkey, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.
Makes 4 servings.

For YOU with LOVE!

Kirsch, D. New York Body Plan. ppgs. 206-207.

Preventive Solutions

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." 

We all know about intensity and we all know what comes with that intensity...muscles that are tight, tired, and sore.  It is important that you are aware of the things your body is facing and do the little things to prevent yourself from getting injured. 

One of the best preventive solutions is gradual stretching. Stretching involves the entire muscle/tendon complex, lengthening it so that the chance of an exercise movement's suddenly stretching these structures past their limits and causing damage is reduced.  Another preventive solution is warming up before you workout. Warming up pumps blood and oxygen to the area and literally raises the temperature of the muscles involved, allowing them to contract with greater force.

THE STRENGTH OF FORGIVENESS

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

-Mohandas Gandhi

In the past, I have read several books that state that many of the PHYSICAL aches and pains we carry around with us have their roots in the past. Many of us tend to carry this extra weight around (negative situations/ experiences that occurred in the past), right into our present situations. This extra baggage can affect the way we think and act...and it is FORGIVENESS that has become a "HOT NEW WAY" to manage anger, cut stress, and improve HEALTH. 

Research shows that forgiveness can reduce chronic back pain, decrease stress by up to 50 percent, increase energy, and improve mood, sleep, and overall physical vitality.

It is also important to take care of your past with something deeper than relief from physical symptoms. FORGIVING someone for something that occurred in the past does not mean what they did was okay, but instead it means to stop feeling victimized and stop making others responsible for our lives. You must take RESPONSIBILITY and never give anyone the power to determine your HAPPINESS.

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover the prisoner was YOU!"

-Susan Brandis Slavin

Hawthorne, J. (2007) Life Lessons. p. 233-235

THE SPIRIT OF DANCE AND EXERCISE

One Of The Best Things In Life Is To Have FUN!!! Smile More Than You Cry, Give More Than You Take, And Love More Than You Hate! :) 

With Love,

Dofitness

BOTH SIDES UP

Exercise balls have been around for more than 100 years. The balls that can turn simple exercises such as crunches into core-building exercises that work many of the major muscle groups of the body. Why are exercise balls so effective? They are effective because you must stabilize your entire body to do the exercises.

The BOSU Ball (a half ball mounted on a platform) has some similar properties as a regular exercise ball. What makes this piece of equipment so unique is that it also requires muscle power for balance, but provides enough stability so that you feel comfortable and don't get injured. This piece of equipment helps build strength and endurance in the major muscles of your legs and trunk that will tone you up and prevent back pain. The BOSU can be the ultimate challenging exercise tool...you can challenge yourself by doing several upper and lower body exercises on both sides of the BOSU Ball...each side has a different component (one side being soft and where the half ball is located/the flip side being hard...the black platform side) that makes each exercise different, unique, and challenging.

Always mix things up. If you haven't tried using a BOSU Ball...give it a try. There are so many possibilities available to you when you use this unique piece of equipment.

IDEA Personal Trainer, Feb., 2003.

HIGH PERFORMANCE FITNESS MACHINE

PLAY HARD AND PLAY STRONG! This Video Shows An Amazing Female Athlete's Strength Of Determination and Power...Going From A Long Thick Pipe, To Nunchucks, To Baseballs, To A Chained Monkey Bar Ladder. Have Fun When You Training. Remember, Life Is A Game!!! PLAY IT!
-Dofitness

VEHICLE OF SUCCESS

TRAVELING TWO-MOTION PUSH-UPS ON BALANCE BEAMS:
To reach a successful destination you need a vehicle assembled with wheels of power and strength, the fuel of action, and a driver with patience and hard work. You are the vehicle and the driver of success. So proud of my client. HARD WORK is the way.

BATTLE UP!!!!

The Finish Line Is 20 Miles Away, The Road Ahead Is Treacherous And There's Not A Muscle In Your Body That Isn't Screaming Out In Pain!!! Push Hard...Stay Strong...BATTLE UP!!!