Do you have training goals? If not, you could be missing out. Missing out on attaining the strength, body composition or fitness that you are truly after.
If you don't set goals for your training, how do you know if what you are doing is actually working? For years I've seen people train consistantly and consistantly not get any results, despite hours of training. I don't know about you, but when I train I want to see myself, my clients and my athletes progress on a regular basis.
So how should you set your training goals? Just like any other goal: by using the SMART process.
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
I'm not going to go through all of these, but if you need any help there are many websites available that will take you step by step through the process.
The most important thing to think about is what you actually want to get out of your training and stick to that goal. It's important to stick to one goal because it will take much longer if you have multiple goals and if you try to attain multiple goals at once you may never end up reaching any of them.
So, for example, your goal may be to bench press 225 within the next 3 months. It would be a bad idea to also say you want to lose 20 pounds to get ready for a vacation in April. So pick one goal, give that one goal all of your attention and follow the SMART outline.
Some other actions that will help is to tell people about your goal. This holds you more accountable. Another is to put a picture up in your bathroom or next to your bed of the body you want or of the barbell loaded with the weight you want to lift. This will constantly remind you of what your goal is and to stay focused on attaining it.
So set your goals, find out exactly what it is you have to do to reach them, and give it all you got!
Let me know your training goals on facebook at www.facebook.com/NHaFC.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Warming Up for Successful Training
Whenever I work with somebody I always take them through a thorough warm-up based on the individuals or needs.
There are a few parts to a succesful warm-up that I will discuss.
First, is foam rolling. If you don't know what this is, search youtube for a ton of video's on the topic. If you are serious about your training you will foam roll your legs, butt, hips and calves at least 2 times a week.
Next, is a general warm-up. This can consist of a number of things, like jogging, biking or GPP drills. Personally, I like jumping rope. I do a routine I got from elitefts co-founder Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 ebook:
100 2 leg
50 right leg
50 left leg
100 alternating
50 high knees
100 2 leg
This will break a sweat, which is exactly what we want from the general warm-up.
The next thing is something that is highly debated: Stretching.
Here is my view on the topic
- if you are tight (can't touch there toes), you should stretch.
- if you feel better about training when you stretch, you should stretch.
Basically, if flexibility is something that prohibits you from doing exercises correctly, or if it just increases your readiness to train, stretch, but keep it to a few minutes so that you don't lose the affect of the general warm-up. If I have an athlete or client that needs to stretch, I will usually do some type of assisted stretching with them, which usually works better than self-stretching. A few area's I always stretch before training is my hip flexors, glutes, calves and chest.
Next is the dynamic warm-up or mobility work. What I like to do and what I like to have my athletes and clients do is hurdle step overs to the side, forward, backward and then hurdle duck unders going to the side and even forward and backward. Another good way to get your hip mobility work in is to get on your hands and knees and make circles with your knees, first by bringing your knee to your elbow, up and over toward the back of your body, and straight out behind you.
Last is the general warm-up, where you look at what it is you will be doing for your training and do a similar movement or activate a certain muscle group. Many times this will be glute activation since most training that I do with people is full body and all of us do so much sitting around that we need to wake the glutes up before we squat or deadlift. I also like bodyweight squats, lunges and pushups to get the body ready for the training that lies ahead.
I know all of this may seem like a lot, but taking 10-15 minutes to warm-up will help get you mentally and physically prepared for training.
What I want you to take from this post is some ideas of what you could do. Everybody will want to warm-up a different way, so just tinker around with some things until you find out what works best for you.
If you would like some more examples of warm-up routines just leave a comment or email me at bobby.fisk@yahoo.com. Or, stop by NHaFC for a more personal example!
There are a few parts to a succesful warm-up that I will discuss.
First, is foam rolling. If you don't know what this is, search youtube for a ton of video's on the topic. If you are serious about your training you will foam roll your legs, butt, hips and calves at least 2 times a week.
Next, is a general warm-up. This can consist of a number of things, like jogging, biking or GPP drills. Personally, I like jumping rope. I do a routine I got from elitefts co-founder Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 ebook:
100 2 leg
50 right leg
50 left leg
100 alternating
50 high knees
100 2 leg
This will break a sweat, which is exactly what we want from the general warm-up.
The next thing is something that is highly debated: Stretching.
Here is my view on the topic
- if you are tight (can't touch there toes), you should stretch.
- if you feel better about training when you stretch, you should stretch.
Basically, if flexibility is something that prohibits you from doing exercises correctly, or if it just increases your readiness to train, stretch, but keep it to a few minutes so that you don't lose the affect of the general warm-up. If I have an athlete or client that needs to stretch, I will usually do some type of assisted stretching with them, which usually works better than self-stretching. A few area's I always stretch before training is my hip flexors, glutes, calves and chest.
Next is the dynamic warm-up or mobility work. What I like to do and what I like to have my athletes and clients do is hurdle step overs to the side, forward, backward and then hurdle duck unders going to the side and even forward and backward. Another good way to get your hip mobility work in is to get on your hands and knees and make circles with your knees, first by bringing your knee to your elbow, up and over toward the back of your body, and straight out behind you.
Last is the general warm-up, where you look at what it is you will be doing for your training and do a similar movement or activate a certain muscle group. Many times this will be glute activation since most training that I do with people is full body and all of us do so much sitting around that we need to wake the glutes up before we squat or deadlift. I also like bodyweight squats, lunges and pushups to get the body ready for the training that lies ahead.
I know all of this may seem like a lot, but taking 10-15 minutes to warm-up will help get you mentally and physically prepared for training.
What I want you to take from this post is some ideas of what you could do. Everybody will want to warm-up a different way, so just tinker around with some things until you find out what works best for you.
If you would like some more examples of warm-up routines just leave a comment or email me at bobby.fisk@yahoo.com. Or, stop by NHaFC for a more personal example!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Write It Down!!
This weeks blog post is about a simple thing that many people overlook, or don't understand the importance of. It's something that I tell every single person to do when starting a training program of any kind.
This simple task is: Keep a training log and write everything you do in it!
What's the one thing you need in order to get into better shape? Progress
How are you supposed to know if your progressing if you're not writing down your training?
You can't! The best thing you can do for your progress is track it.
So what should you be writing down? Everything.
What you do for a warm-up (which will be the topic of next weeks post), exercises, sets, reps, weight, any cardio, grip or core training, how you felt, how much you can move up in weight or reps for next week, what supplements you are taking, a good idea you had for work while you were in between sets, EVERYTHING!!
Not only is this important for progress, but its also good to be able to look back on your training log and either have a good laugh at the dumb stuff you did (my laugh came from a terrible routine about 6 years when I apparently forgot I had a lower body) or for a reminder of how well you progressed during a certain program or phase from earlier in your training career, so that you can do something similar and hopefully see similar results.
Regardless of what you are doing, keeping a log is a simple step that can help you towards your strength and fitness goals. So grab a notebook and a pen and never leave for the gym without it!
As a reminder, I am starting my free training sessions for high school, off-season athletes this week. The sessions will be on Saturdays, will run for 4 weeks and are taking place at Neighborhood Health and Fitness Center in Ravena, NY.
The session will begin at 3pm and last about an hour. I will be putting athletes through a strength based session I put paying clients through.
Please call me at 518 312-8106 if you are planning on attending.
Post questions or comments below or email me at bobby.fisk@yahoo.com.
This simple task is: Keep a training log and write everything you do in it!
What's the one thing you need in order to get into better shape? Progress
How are you supposed to know if your progressing if you're not writing down your training?
You can't! The best thing you can do for your progress is track it.
So what should you be writing down? Everything.
What you do for a warm-up (which will be the topic of next weeks post), exercises, sets, reps, weight, any cardio, grip or core training, how you felt, how much you can move up in weight or reps for next week, what supplements you are taking, a good idea you had for work while you were in between sets, EVERYTHING!!
Not only is this important for progress, but its also good to be able to look back on your training log and either have a good laugh at the dumb stuff you did (my laugh came from a terrible routine about 6 years when I apparently forgot I had a lower body) or for a reminder of how well you progressed during a certain program or phase from earlier in your training career, so that you can do something similar and hopefully see similar results.
Regardless of what you are doing, keeping a log is a simple step that can help you towards your strength and fitness goals. So grab a notebook and a pen and never leave for the gym without it!
As a reminder, I am starting my free training sessions for high school, off-season athletes this week. The sessions will be on Saturdays, will run for 4 weeks and are taking place at Neighborhood Health and Fitness Center in Ravena, NY.
The session will begin at 3pm and last about an hour. I will be putting athletes through a strength based session I put paying clients through.
Please call me at 518 312-8106 if you are planning on attending.
Post questions or comments below or email me at bobby.fisk@yahoo.com.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Training ADD and Free Sessions
Now that 2011 is here many people have started a new training routine as well. I applaud anybody who has either been inactive and is now starting to condition their body again or who has been training for some time and just wants to get back into it with a renewed spirit.
One problem I see when people begin programs, specifically strength programs, is that they don't stick with them long enough. This is known as "training ADD". Because there is so much information on the internet, it is very easy to find the next "great program" to follow. Even worse is if your following new routines from the muscle mags every month.
So what needs to be done to get away from jumping around from program to program every other week in an effort to find the "perfect" one? Get rid of your training ADD and pick one that you like and COMMIT TO IT!!
If you're a beginner you can stick with a program for 2 months and see great results. Much of your results will be based on your central nervous system learning new motor patterns and thats ok; it will help you gain coordination for the next program you choose.
Unless you're an advanced trainee, you can stay on one program for as many as 6 weeks seeing great results and even then you may only need to change a few exercises or sets and rep schemes to continue seeing those great results.
So the tip of the week is to find a program, commit to it, and believe in it!
I want to end this weeks post by letting you know that myself and Neighborhood Health and Fitness Center will be offering free training sessions on Saturday's, starting on the 15th for any off-season athlete at 3pm.
This is not an "open gym" offer. This is an offer for free, 1 hour sessions for off-season athletes. I will be putting anybody who comes, through training sessions that I would have a paying client go through, which includes mobility work (and assessment), dyamic warm-up, strength training and strength conditioner, or "finisher".
If you are planning on attending please call NHaFC so I know what type of numbers will be there each week, at 756-3487. Also, if it is your first session, please come 20 minutes early so we can go through some paperwork.
Leave any comments or questions below, or don't hesitate to email me at bobby.fisk@yahoo.com.
One problem I see when people begin programs, specifically strength programs, is that they don't stick with them long enough. This is known as "training ADD". Because there is so much information on the internet, it is very easy to find the next "great program" to follow. Even worse is if your following new routines from the muscle mags every month.
So what needs to be done to get away from jumping around from program to program every other week in an effort to find the "perfect" one? Get rid of your training ADD and pick one that you like and COMMIT TO IT!!
If you're a beginner you can stick with a program for 2 months and see great results. Much of your results will be based on your central nervous system learning new motor patterns and thats ok; it will help you gain coordination for the next program you choose.
Unless you're an advanced trainee, you can stay on one program for as many as 6 weeks seeing great results and even then you may only need to change a few exercises or sets and rep schemes to continue seeing those great results.
So the tip of the week is to find a program, commit to it, and believe in it!
I want to end this weeks post by letting you know that myself and Neighborhood Health and Fitness Center will be offering free training sessions on Saturday's, starting on the 15th for any off-season athlete at 3pm.
This is not an "open gym" offer. This is an offer for free, 1 hour sessions for off-season athletes. I will be putting anybody who comes, through training sessions that I would have a paying client go through, which includes mobility work (and assessment), dyamic warm-up, strength training and strength conditioner, or "finisher".
If you are planning on attending please call NHaFC so I know what type of numbers will be there each week, at 756-3487. Also, if it is your first session, please come 20 minutes early so we can go through some paperwork.
Leave any comments or questions below, or don't hesitate to email me at bobby.fisk@yahoo.com.
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