My New Toy - Garmin Forerunner 305
garmin, gps, pace, forerunner
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It's been awhile since my last blog - I've been travelling and didn't have much time to check in. I did manage to keep a steady workout while I was gone, but let me tell you... Running in Singapore is much different than running in California. The humidity is a killer and I ended up being happy with half of my normal run (and one time I even lost 5 lbs in water weight from one 5k run!). I also kept up with the weights and bodyweight circuit, but I took about a week off when I got back. Just getting back into it this week... Which (finally) brings me to the subject of this blog: my new toy, the Garmin Forerunner 305.
I ordered it from Costco.com as they were having a great deal before I left for my trip. About $190 out the door, including shipping. I used to work at SiRF, the maker of the GPS engine inside, so I knew all about the product as I actually used to get paid to go running with it and call it "testing". But I never did buy one because it was a little too expensive to justify. At less than $200 bucks, though - it's a steal and I couldn't pass it up.
I used it for the first time today as I ran a short run of 3 miles. It's like a bulky wristwatch, so it really doesn't get in the way physically, but it makes a huge mental difference. When you are able to see your instantaneous pace (e.g. minutes per mile), it really keeps you trying hard, since you know that it is also recording the whole run for analysis later. This is where it gets really fun - you attach it to the computer afterwards, and it downloads the workout into the Garmin Training Center software for a detailed review of your performance (see the following link for today's run):
sites.google.com/a/zillywilly.com/zillywilly-/Home/garmin-305/paul_garmin.JPG
BTW - the Forerunner has built-in modes for biking, running, multi-sports. I highly recommend getting one if yo... read entire entry
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on 6/3/2008
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21.8
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Plateaus: Resting Stop or Destination?
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Thanks runningbear for inspiring me to jot this down ;)
Anyone that is serious about fitness and has been going at it for more than a few months has experience with plateaus. What is a plateau? In any fitness activity - such as running, rowing, weightlifting, stretching, you name it - there will come a point where you get stuck at a number, and you can't seem to break through it. In running, you might hit a certain distance and can't go further, or you can't get faster than a certain pace. In weightlifting, you might hit a barrier at a particular weight. Whatever the case may be, your mind and body have adapted to your routine and you are now in a comfort zone, unable to break out of the groove.
Consensus says that to get off the plateau and start climbing to the peak, you should shake things up. Change the routine, cross-train, try something new.
I've been mulling this over recently. The other day my 14 year old son, who is in weight training for the upcoming football season (yes, already!), told me he squatted 245 lbs and asked how much I can do. I replied that I normally do 315 on squat days although I can max at around 365. He started to tease me that I've been working out this long but haven't gotten past that point, and he will likely pass me up if he continues at his current pace. Ahh, the indestructible and overconfident youth!! So my response to him was, we'll see if he's even still working out at my age and if so, what the numbers will look like. If he continues at this pace, he should be lifting about 10,000 lbs when he gets to be my age, right?
I rarely push myself on the heavy lifting anymore, and honestly I don't need to. I'm at the point where I feel good, I like my routine, and I don't care what other people think about it. If I hit a plateau, I just roll with it and don't start immediately planning a new routine to get me to th... read entire entry
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on 5/2/2008
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13.8
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From 0 to 10k in 4 weeks
5k, 10k, race
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Anything is possible with enough effort and discipline... Here's a workout plan to get you ready for your first 10K in 4 weeks. Obviously, depending on the starting fitness level, this can be either very easy or very hard. I won't lie: if the starting fitness level is couch potato, then the person is going to be an 'ouch potato' during this process. But it's definitely do-able.
The goal here is to finish the race. That's it - just finish, baby. No injuries, please - and we also want to get and stay excited about fitness in general. So once again, just finish the race and everything else is gravy (for example, if you complete the race without walking, or even better get a personal best time).
An important part of a successful experience is diet and rest. I won't go into that - I'll just say to eat right (plenty of other help on this site for that), get plenty of sleep, and stay well-hydrated. MINIMUM 64 oz of good 'ol H2O every day...
Week 1
Shake out the cobwebs - from 'couch' to 'ouch'.
Day 1: Get out and walk/jog at least 1 mile.
Day 2: Light stretching and 30 min bodyweight circuit (work through soreness, if any).
Day 3: Get out and walk/jog at least 1 mile.
Day 4: Light stretching and 30 min bodyweight circuit.
Day 5: Get out and walk/jog at least 1.5 miles.
Day 6: Light stretching and 30 min bodyweight circuit.
Day 7: Rest! Maybe ride bikes around the neighborhood, walk the dogs, etc. Stay active, but not 'exercise'. Stay motivated even though you may be having a very tough time right now... It gets better!
Week 2
We're stepping it up a bit, need to think about 5k - approx 3 miles. If running the 10k, the numbers here should be at least 3 miles by the en... read entire entry
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on 5/1/2008
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47.6
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Listen To Your Body
qi, chi
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What is your body telling you? Have you listened lately? Or is it only a one-way communication, e.g. mind-to-body: do this do that, keep going, hurry up, ...? (kind of like parent-to-teenager, but that's another story ;)
Allow me to introduce the two of you: Your mind, meet your body. Your body, meet your mind. Now the two of you go talk amongst yourselves, and hopefully get to know one another. It's a part of fitness that is often overlooked, the mind/body connection. Many people are supremely disciplined when it comes to the exercise schedule, cross-training, caloric intake vs output. You know, those things that are an important part of any fitness regimen. But I think that somewhere in all that process, the two-way communication is lost and the mind takes over with it's dominating one-sidedness.
Unfortunately when that happens, an amazing amount of potential is lost. For as much as our minds can push our bodies, our bodies can push our minds with equal force. Now many will point out that listening to your body means knowing when to take it easy. When I started this blog, that's what it was going to be about: knowing when you've hit your physical limit and it's time to back off or rest. In fact, I have a cardio kickboxing class today and it will be the first time in exactly one week that I've stepped foot into the gym (or done any exercise for that matter). I've been sick for the last week, and I've been 'listening to my body' as it was telling me over the week, "No, don't go to the gym today - I need more rest. If you push me too hard, I'm just going to get more sick." My mind was getting very upset over this, knowing that one week off is like a month of setback. But my body won the argument this time and I've gotten a week of well-needed rest.
What about the flip-side? Meaning, what about the times when you are pushing yourself during a workout and your mind calls it quits, but you could've sprinted to the... read entire entry
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on 4/9/2008
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19.1
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Take A CPR Class
cpr, american red cross, heart
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I just finished a recertification for adult CPR/AED and got more out of the class than I bargained for. During the class, I realized that about this time last year, I made some drastic changes to my lifestyle - as a direct result of the CPR class last year.
Now most of my life I have been a little more fanatical about exercising than the average joe, being involved in martial arts at an early age and especially since weight training started for high school sports. Running, lifting weights, bicycling, spinning heel hooks, you name it - they've all been a part of my continuous but evolving exercise regimen. But there have been many times in my life - maybe even most of it - that I wasn't that concerned with the choices I was making to fuel my body. A little more than a year ago, I started a new job that had a full-blown fitness center on site (gym, classes, trainers, etc) and at that time they were looking to add some new classes to the schedule. Since I had experience teaching at a karate school for many years, I offered to teach a cardio kickboxing class. They agreed and sent me off to CPR class.
What an eye opener that was. Of course, much of the class is hearing about statistics related to heart disease, cardiac arrest, strokes, etc. If you happen to get an experienced instructor, you also get plenty of real-life stories about heart-related emergencies. I remember that class a year ago, thinking about all the males in my blood-line that had "heart issues" and decided then that I was going to do the best I could for my own heart. Today it hit me how much my lifestyle with respect to eating has changed. It's been so long since I've had french fries that I might not remember what they taste like (yeah, right), and the only bread I will allow near my mouth is "whole grain something or other". I still drink way too much alcohol, but in general I would actually rather have a salad than a pile of carbs deep fried in boiling grease. ... read entire entry
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on 4/5/2008
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29.1
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Personal Best! (But Not There Yet)
rowing, personal best, concept ii
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The funny thing is, I wasn't even planning on hitting the gym today; I was going to take it easy and give myself a rare break, since I've been feeling a little rundown lately. I rolled out of bed this morning and thought - what the heck, I'll do a quick workout and get this Friday over with and onto the weekend...
Friday is normally a day that I run, so I wanted to do something cardio in lieu of a lunchtime run. I walked into the gym around 6:30 am and the place was empty, not even the crickets were chirping. As I scanned the room, trying to decide where to begin, my eyes locked onto it. There it was, smug, in the center of the unmoving, silent cardio machines - the Concept II. It was almost as if it was daring me to come over, knowing that I would pass. On the contrary, I walked straight to it and started stretching out for the upcoming battle. It coldly sat there, doing it's best to intimidate me.
I sat down and strapped my feet in, adjusted the damper to max, then turned the electronic display on. I paused and my confidence wavered. Would I come in at 9 minutes again? I haven't been able to break that barrier despite all the tips from the college rowing studs that I know. Form was good, breathing was good, cardio was good, heck - 9 minutes is good! But not good enough. The guy who consistently wins the yearly rowing competition came in with a blazing 8:30 (defeating the guy that he had won with an amazing 8:31) in the previous competition. Since then, I've had my sights set on 8:30. Yeah, me - the average joe with no previous rowing experience. After trying it out a few times, I quickly got to the 9 minute range and thought - I can do this! So now here I was, wondering if I would hit the barrier and bounce backward, yet again.
On the first pull, I felt something was different today. The Concept II felt it as well - I could tell that it knew that today I was stronger than usual. My form was smooth, and my b... read entire entry
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on 3/28/2008
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10
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Have Sex, Live Longer
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143
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The number of muscles you send into fat-torching mode when you have sex
30
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Percentage by which your immunity improves if you have intercourse once or twice a week
50
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Percentage by which your risk of dying of heart disease dips if you have at least two orgasms a week
118
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Calories burned by a 180-pound man during 1 hour of foreplay
11
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Percentage decrease in your risk of prostate cancer when you have 8 to 12 orgasms a month
Above numbers from "By The Numbers", Men's Health, April 2008.
Who can argue with this fitness plan?!?!
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on 3/24/2008
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27.6
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Change Is Constant
change, modification, yin yang, balance
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There is beauty in that phrase - a simple statement of three words that efficiently and elegantly describes balance through conflict. Ok, I'll get off my philosophical soap box now and get to the point. I think this concept applies to life in general, but I'll keep it in the context of fitness here, and the point is: if your goal is to be fit for life, then you have to embrace change.
I was talking to another guy my age in the locker room the other day. He is a very athletic person, participating in several sports and has kids that are getting involved with youth sports. Recently he had shoulder surgery and he believes the cause was all of the power lifting he's done over the years. He said now that he's getting older, he doesn't have anything to prove so he has changed his workout to lighter weights and higher reps, focusing more on cardio and conditioning than size and strength. So there's one aspect of "change" and that is we must adapt to changes in ourselves and possibly change priorities or even mindset as we get older or experience changes in our physical makeup.
Something I've been doing lately (and commenting about it a lot here) is trying new modifications to my own workouts. I'm all over the map for cardio, e.g. running, rowing, kickboxing, jumping rope (thanks, kettlebell27!), even adding supersets and 30 second rests to my weight training (thanks, Mitch and ryan!). I've also tried a new thing called 4-minute drills (feel free to ask what those are) and "cuts classes", which are now both staples in my workout routine. Now, I don't have ADD - but what I'm finding is that by adding modifications, variations, new things to the workout, I'm having to adapt both physically and mentally to the new challenges - and it keeps me interested and excited to go to that same ol' gym every day, often more than once daily.
Ahh, yes - change is constant... Much like the yin and yang: inseparable, one is nothing without the... read entire entry
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on 3/19/2008
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12.1
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Mixed (Up) Martial Arts
martial arts, self defense, karate, kung fu
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I've been thinking about creating a group for traditional martial artists, but I'll see how the response to this blog goes first.
So, you're wondering what's up with the title "Mixed (Up) Martial Arts"? I'll get to that in just a sec... First, let me introduce myself in the context of this post. I've been involved with the "traditional" martial arts for over 20 years (yeah, yeah I started young ;) When I was a kid, I took a rec center self-defense class and found then that it was something I liked to do. As I got a little older (late teens) I took judo for a couple of years and even took a tai chi class for about 6 months (sorry, don't remember what style/form). When I found out that a good friend of mine was a black belt in kajukenbo, I decided to take a class to see what it was about and I was hooked. I eventually reached black belt in that system, but then moved to another city, making it difficult to still train at the same school. A year or two went by, and I was itching to train again so I found a school close to home and again, I was hooked; this time in a system known as bok-fu. Starting all over again at white belt, I eventually reached black belt level in the bok-fu system and was a lead instructor at the school.
Now, when I say "traditional" martial arts, the two main systems that I've been involved in were not true, thousand-year-old, traditional systems, such as karate, judo, kung-fu. They were both eclectic styles, meaning they were comprised of pieces of various traditional systems, thus forming a new system in their own right. Which is why I think they were better, at least from a modern, practical self-defense perspective.
Kajukenbo: "ka" (karate), "ju" (jujitsu), "ken" (kenpo), "bo" (chinese boxing, aka kung-fu)
This is a martial art that was born in the 40's in Hawaii, and was used for teaching WWII soldiers hand-to-hand combat survival techniques. Because of this, it is direct, bruta... read entire entry
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on 3/11/2008
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11.3
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I Love Mondays
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Well, the truth is I hate Mondays... Coming down off the weekend, getting back into the grind of work, ugh. Especially with the weather we had this weekend: sunny, blue skies, 70 deg F. Hangin' out in the backyard under a shady tree with a Corona in hand - does it get any better?
It's a good thing I went for a run early in the morning on Sunday (1 hour earlier than usual due to daylight savings), otherwise the transition to Monday would be even harder. Not only getting back to work, but getting back to working out, too! Today was one of those days where any excuse would have kept me from the gym. Luckily no excuses came up - I semi-reluctantly went to the gym and ended up having an excellent workout... Pushed extra hard to make up for those Coronas. I ended with planks and as I was holding, shaking, dripping sweat everywhere, I felt fantastic.
As for the work thing, I've heard a saying, "It's not work unless you'd rather be doing something else" This is very true and Mondays are definitely a day I'd rather be doing something else. But as for the workout, "I Love Mondays!!"
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on 3/10/2008
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6.4
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Hey, Quit Showing Off!!
showoff
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Someday soon, I'm going to start that workout journal... Today, however, I'm just going to rant.
Ok, I'm usually not one to whine; I normally am pretty easy going and go with the flow. Not once, but twice today while at the gym I received comments that rubbed me the wrong way and basically implied that my purpose for going to the gym was to show off.
First, I was in a group conditioning class and as we were nearing the end I was pushing pretty hard (like I normally do). The class was doing planks with 30 seconds on and 10 seconds off, for 3 sets. I like to test the limits (go hard or go home, right?) so I was staying up between sets. On the final set, I went one step further and was alternating bringing each knee up to my midsection (this was mainly to take my mind off the extreme pain at that point, but it actually makes the plank a little more challenging). I heard someone from across the room say, "C'mon Paul, quit showing off!" To which I responded, "Hey, I'm just trying to push myself." Ok, let that one roll off and leave it at that.
Next, since I never go *just* for a group class, I was in the gym after the class warming up with chin-ups and dips. Between warm-up sets, a guy next to me said (loudly so that others would hear), "I need to find another time to come here so I don't have to be next to you and feel so inferior!" I just smiled back and accepted his 'compliment', but it really just pissed me off. Maybe if he actually did a chin-up once in a while instead of standing around talking in his workout clothes, he wouldn't have to feel that way.
I'm happy with the way I look and feel, but it sure isn't magic - it's consistent, hard work. I realized long ago that the only real difference between someone that wishes and someone that achieves can be summed up in one word: ACTION. So normally, if these two incidents were isolated I probably wouldn't even be typing this. But since they were ... read entire entry
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on 3/6/2008
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17.9
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Rockin' the Workout
music, mp3, ipod, rock
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I couldn't decide whether to make this a tip or a blog entry. It gets a little personal with taste in music and I've been wanting to start a blog, so here goes...
I am definitely a music lover and although MP3 players haven't been around that long (relatively speaking), it's hard for me to imagine working out without my iPod attached to me. How did I ever get along without it all those years? When I first got it, I tried running with it and the earbuds kept falling out. I was thinking, "This is a freakin' hassle..." Well, it's good that I persisted and got a pair of earbuds that have small, rubbery hooks that hook the ear and keep those buds snugly in place. Now, if I don't have the iPod with me (rare), I almost dread going to the gym and having to listen to "80's, 90's, and today" pop crap on the radio. Or even worse, get caught up in conversations with those people that stand around talking more than working out. Can you tell I'm a bit of a loner?
So, the point of this blog is to give some suggestions on how to fit the music to the workout, because for me it makes a huge difference. I will say that my musical baseline is metal on the slightly alternative side. I was a teenager during the hair-band 80's metal era and a little bit of that taste lingers, but I do like to explore new artists and stay current. Here are a few samples of what I listen to for any given workout:
Weightlifting: Mostly aggressive base riffs, low distorted guitar chords, double-bass drums.
*Metallica, anything from the early days: "Whiplash", "Hit the Lights", "The Wait", "Am I Evil", "Blitzkreig"
*Disturbed, mainly from "The Sickness", but others too: "Voices", "Stupify", "Believe"
*Stone Temple Pilots, anything from "Core" in fact, the whole thing
*Limp Bizkit: "Break Stuff", "Rollin'"
*Linkin Park, lot's of good stuff: "Hybrid Theory" (the whole thing), "Bleed It Out", "Given Up", "What I've Done"
read entire entry
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on 3/5/2008
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24.4
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