TEEM Performance Training - HAHPN - April #4 2011: Just...In Time

Health and Human Performance e-Newsletter

• Cats Be Nimble. Cats Be Quick.


• Chocolateers

Cats Be Nimble. Cats be Quick.
So, we have all of this talk about exercise this and exercise that. Derek, when do we stretch? Well, stretching has been a part of past topics. But, I am literally giving you and just about hand feeding you stretching secrets, which can help you throughout the day and that you most likely will not read in GQ, Cosmopolitan, or many other cashier aisle magazines.

The mags give you the photo of a stretch. Right now, in the past, and in the future you are getting the "why of the stretch." Basically, we stretch to stay nimble. We stretch to stay quick...OK, OK, maintain some of the quickness that is left at the present time. You will not read the "why" in the mags.

Total stretching really only accounts for about one-sixth to one-fourth of a 60-minute workout, depending on the individual. However, it's actions have great results whether static or dynamic flexibility is completed. Dynamic flexibility garners you nimbleness. Static flexibility is part of gaining quickness...in terms of recovery.

You can perform either one on any given day. And, get this...you do not need any equipment. There are no barriers to stretching. Not even time or a busy schedule because stretching can be done while you walk, sit, stand, drive, eat, pray, love, lounge, shout. You name it.

Chocolateers
Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter - three of the biggest chocolate holidays (V-Day is not a holiday but for this sake it is). So, with Easter only a few days removed I bet many cadbury chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies, and other chocolate treats were consumed. Right? Don't be shy in admitting it. I ate plenty of chocolate egg/ball shaped treats too and still am eating them.

But, take this chocolate eating in stride. Just know that if you consume a large amount of chocolate, BELIEVE that it will not negatively affect your body. If you simply believe it, then you will know that you can burn those "worrisome" calories. If you sulk in guilt, trust me; it will be more difficult to shed those extra calories. Chocolate, because it has sugar, most likely travels straight to your stomach fat/muffin top/belly button corridor/pouch (pick any name). Hence, here are a few chocolate-stompers for you:

Front Planks and Others - collectively, all of the exercises listed here engage your abdominal muscles. Keep it tight. Keep it right. You can do these!

No Crunch 'N Munch - from the Yuletide Mania Video Series Day #3

Go slightly past your comfort zone. If you think you can do 10 repetitions of an exercise then do 12 or 13. Thinking you can do a certain amount is a lot different then a certain rep range being selected for you based on your current exercise phase. Lastly, writing all of these guidelines is easy. Training anyone to do these exercises is harder yet worth it. Enjoy!

Be fit,
Derek

www.teempt.com


Before you say you can't, you can!

Sleep: On the Go and Stepping Back

Here is a Wednesday tidbit on a short article revealing that the Celtics have hired a Sleep Doctor. Man, with all of the news about how much sleep we need everyone may need a Sleep Doctor.

Sleeping is valued

In short, when we are on the go we tend to forget about how much rest we need. Sleep becomes under-appreciated. Sometimes, looking around and taking a step back is all we need. My tidbits to incorporate this advice into other health, fitness, and wellness plans:

Health

- Smoking. You want that one cigarette. It will supposedly charge you up. Skip it. For those who smoke, you can stop. You can build a core group to help you.

- Sex. Oh no he did not mention that. Hey, it's part of our health. Sure, there is all of this talk about safe sex. How about this one: how about abstain from sex completely until marriage? Difficult? Of course, it is - especially with all of the sexual innuendos, music, advertisement, peer pressure, both genders dressing with little to leave to the imagination. Going a step further, what does your emotional, spiritual, and intellectual side have to say about abstaining? Listen to the beneficial part.

Fitness -Been in the gym for two hours already?...Why? You're done. Go give your body some nutrition and rest up for the next time around. Your favorite professional football player does not work out this long when a lockout does not exist. You know who works out this long? Marathoners, Tri-athletes, and some practice times for sports.

Wellness - Need to get just one more thing accomplished at 11pm at night while working on 3 hours or rest from the night before? Hey, you might need to step back and just go to sleep.

Exercise with sound sets, reps, intensity, frequency, and timing to get good zzzz's.

Be fit,
Derek

Fitness Birth Certificate

Birth certificates. They reveal that we were all born at a certain time, on a certain day, at a certain place, by a certain doctor, in a certain physical or non-physical structure, and by certain parents or guardians.

They are proof that we, indeed, started from somewhere (because we did not transform from a tree and were all of a sudden 5 years of age).

Your fitness birth certificate is the day, time, moment, event, season, or experience that catapulted you to either liking or disliking health, fitness, and wellness. Some people have a fitness birth certificate the second they are prone (on their backs) as a baby. Arms and legs just flailing about. Once walking is introduced, a baby might run. Once running is introduced most running does not stop until the weight of a baby's head topples the little cute boy/girl.

We say "Awwww" to early awakenings with this type of fitness birth certificate.

Then, there are those individuals that attain their fitness birth certificate late in childhood. They play and also start to like competition.

Next, there are birthers who do not bloom until high school. All of a sudden making the varsity squad is a important goal. Hey, go for it!

Move on to college. The stressors of making a team do not exist for most individuals. Hitting the gym is a hot social commodity, and something that needs to be done to knock off the 'Freshman-15'. Sometimes, it should be referred to as the 'Freshman 15 to 30'. Um, that goes for both males and females.

After college. We say "Ahh!" I have to do something before I hit 30!

And yes, you do.

The one thing a fitness birth certificate should obviously do is help you to maintain your level of creative fun with movement and wellness. We're all introduced to it at a young age. That is, of course, if physical education classes still exist.

In all honesty:
...Some fitness birth certificates are ripped up and thrown away.
...Some are shiny and brand new.
...Some have always been hung high on the wall.
...Some are still being searched.
...And some...come and go repeatedly.

Just. Live. It. Out.

Be fit,
Derek

Boston Marathon - A WR or a PR?

2:03:02

Ponder that time. It's slow if you are cooking meat. It's an easy drive if you are driving from Washington, DC to Charlottesville, VA (scenery and all).

It's blazingly the fastest ever if you are running a marathon. A 26.2 mile marathon!

A mar-a-thon!

So, congratulations to Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya for running this time at the 2011 Boston Marathon.

There are only a couple of problems. Word spread that 2:03:02 will not be declared as a world record. What!? Yup...But why? Well, supposedly the course, which is one of the most difficult courses in the world has a steep drop in altitude; and it had a nice tailwind. It's downhill? Pssh, tell that to the thousands of runners who run it every year. I'm sure they all loved the tailwind.

Here is what I have gathered from this information about a so-called non world record:
1) This info means the elite runners are only running for personal records (PRs) or course records (CRs) whenever they run the Boston Marathon.

2) If someone breaks 2 hours one year, it will not go into the record books as a world record.

3) A difficult course is too difficult to include a world record.

4) I'm done with options because 26.2 of anything on foot is an extremely honorable feat.

The good news: marathon organizers are pushing to make it a legitimate world record time. C'mon USATF listen to their case! 26.2 miles.

2:03:02... blazingly fast. If I ever run a marathon, I will not come anywhere near that time. But, it will be my PR.

Congratulations to all of the runners!! Special congratulations to G. Mutai of Kenya.

Fleet feet,
Derek

TEEM Performance Training - HAHPN - April #3 2011: April Exercise Showers

Health and Human Performance e-Newsletter

• Groceries Please




• A Review: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks




• Exercise: You're Fine!

Groceries Please
It is a topic that has been talked about before. Seriously, the gas prices are skyrocketing, which means grocery prices will increase. Typically, when grocery prices increase, our selection of poor choice also increases; so it is important to budget your money while simultaneously making good grocery choices.

Get your receipts out. Save them. Calculate how much you typically spend. If the number of poorer choice foods is greater than better choice foods, then let's talk about how to switch this scenario. Sure, it's easy to "splurge" on processed foods and keep grocery bills low. But, the main purpose is to minimize spending and maximize sound nutritional value. You and I can shop together on this one (whether it's in-person or virtual). Merely changing how we shop can make a difference.

I realize that there maybe some people who are already on the right track. Good!

A Review: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks
As long as these four types of meals are around, we will always have questions and concerns about them. So, here are some tidbits for you with a twist:

Breakfast with a Movement Focus - Peanut butter on wheat bread (sometimes with bananas) and oatmeal packed with blueberries or strawberries are great morning and pre-workout foods. I'll go on record to say that energetically they are better than muffins, especially if you have a certain goal. Going donutless or coffeeless (yes, some kinds are better than others) in the morning works wonders. Sure, it's possible to draw enough energy to last until the afternoon with donuts and coffee. But, the two are so cliche. Bet! You will move better (or more) with a compact mix of oatmeal and a protein spread like peanut butter versus a sleepy treat in the heavier morning sugar foods as an example.

Lunch with a Movement Focus - It's the middle of the day, but take this good advice. Thirty minutes to eat lunch. That is, your first bite is at 12 noon and the last one is at least at 12:30pm. You should not have to rush through it. Yes, even timing your consumption correctly helps out with how well you move throughout the day. Thirty minutes whether you are in a group or alone.

Dinner with a Movement Focus - Start it, eat it, end it. Save the seconds for tomorrow. You will sleep a lot better with room to move and digest before going to bed. If you're truly serious about weight loss or toning, then this rule of thumb is extremely reasonable.

Snacks with a Movement Focus - As part of your 3 to six meals a day, picture snacks as an extra "umph" to get you through the day. The larger and main meals are typically 3 to 5 hours apart. Based on this health and human performance philosophy, a good snack should be included between those meal gaps. Don't worry you will not stuff yourself because you will make a smart choice and smart actions.

Exercise: You're Fine!
Part of developing and maintaining a sound exercise routine means that you have to have a good attitude about it. Really, if you're sulking it does not look too good when you are out in public. If you're tired, then it is understandable.

Run, walk, or bike like everyone is looking at you. Act like you're fine! Not snooty but fine! Forget it if you sense that others are judging you as you sweat. I mean, why aren't they sweating? So, when you're out of breath pant like a champion and not like a novice. Case and point, watch an elite sprinter's reaction after a 100m race. Talk about cool panting. But, take your efforts in stride, push yourself (or I will definitely push you), but don't over do it.

Last thing and it is unrelated - Get up and walk around right now if you have been in one area or have been sitting for a long period of time. I do not guarantee much, but I guarantee this movement change makes a difference in keeping your muscles loose and in burning calories. The most time sitting generally occurs at work. You cannot sit for too long at your work station because that area does not change often. You have to get up and see new things. Heck, it may prompt new ideas.

Be fit and Happy Easter,
Derek

www.teempt.com

TEEM Performance Training - HAHPN - April #2 2011: A Visual Process

Health and Human Performance e-Newsletter

• Photos


• Shoe Drive in Common


• An Exercise, A Wellness Trick, and A Focus

Photos
For your eyes and for others only, pictures are posted on the facebook page and on the website from the April 2nd hike and the April 9th indoor trampoline group outing. The photos are really large, so these are the best places to post them. With spring here and summer arriving in a couple of months, group outings look to increase in frequency if schedules agree. But, enjoy the photos!

Shoe Drive in Common
This month of April still marks the shoe drive being put on. If you have any shoes that you would like to recycle instead of dump in the trash, I will be sending them to Soles4Souls on behalf of TEEM. This particular shoe drive ends on April 30th. I will be in the DC area this coming Easter weekend for anyone who would like to drop off their shoes.

Who else is doing a shoe drive? A couple of places that you know well in Puma and Cole Haan. They're even offering some discounts. Hey, it's a good cause! Seriously, just think about all of the people in the world who do not have shoes or the children who still play on rock hard asphalt instead of refurbished ground made from recycled shoes.

I don't know if you've been on these new playgrounds recently, but they are contagiously bouncy! Less knee scrapes.

If anyone is interested in sending any shoes directly to me, then I can give you the mailing address.

An Exercise, A Wellness Trick, and A Focus
An Exercise: Here's an exercise tip or movement challenge: by the time you read this you could be at work or maybe at home. Stop reading this message in 20 seconds and just get up and walk around. If you're at work just get up and walk away, if you can for....Heck, get up and walk around anyway. The more prolonged sitting that occurs the more fatty deposits are attracted to that troublesome mid-section area. Walk and stretch it out. Your "computer muscles" need the break!...If you're already walking, but have tight muscles then you could use a stretch.

A Wellness Trick: Keeping it short and real today. It's an easy trick to visualize and a more difficult one to actually perform. Here it is - clean your closet by putting away cooler weather clothes (if you can), by giving away clothes, and by (check this one out) recycling your metal hangers at a cleaners that will take them. That's it!

What's up with the recycling theme? Well, for one it's movement, saves, restores, and get another thing checked off your past, present, and future to-do list.

A Focus: It's more like one way to focus because there are so many ways. Since health, fitness, and wellness are the main themes of TEEM, I would like to share with you the focus tactic of mental imagery. Pick one of the goals that you have set for yourself as part of an individual effort (a.k.a., cooking dinner for your family and guests) or for yourself as part of a team effort (a.k.a, a team work project and presentation). Your easy few step plan in mental imagery: 1) Visualize yourself succeeding and how you and others will react. 2) Visualize yourself doing poorly and how you will bounce back from it. Remember: look good doing what you do not normally do (wow, has that come up several times in conversations since the first time it was posted in a March e-newsletter.) 3) Visualize the unexpected and the expected because the expected can sometimes become the unexpected. 4) Ready yourself. It simply builds up confidence especially if you are presenting in front of a larger audience or an important one.

This technique works? Yes. Just ask Micheal Jordan. He knows one or two things about focus and pressure.

Be fit,
Derek

www.teempt.com

TEEM Performance Training - HAHPN - April #1 2011: What's Happening

Health and Human Performance e-Newsletter

• Preparation


• Activities


• Active Rest

Preparation
It's April and the 4th month this year that has seen snow. The warmth and beauty of spring is already here in some places and will arrive in other locations. Today, not tomorrow and not next week or next month, is a great time to execute your acceptance of the spring season. That is, grab a bike, grab some walking/running shoes, hit the courts or the track and continue your weekly production. Bikes are definitely a hot commodity right now. Plus, they offer a low impact and low to high intensity workout...Protects your joints...Whether you are preparing for a race, a vacation, or you simply want to workout to tone, lose weight, or strengthen, a bike is a great mode of transportation to use.

Activities
Last Saturday, April 2, 2011 was the very first TEEM Group Outing held at Blue Hills State Park in Milton, MA. Pictures will be coming soon as soon as this computer mishap is solved. On an overcast day just after an early spring snowfall the day before, the hiking trails were a little slippery; but the team managed to scale the slightly steeper incline overlooking the land below. There really is a lot of activity to see, and it may not be as evident as you think.

This Saturday, we jump!

TEEM Group Outings are a great way to meet new people, have fun, be creative, learn, and discover new things. Activities in which you may not ordinarily participate can be scheduled. These outings are open to everyone who receives this e-newsletter regardless of where you live. In the case of distance, specialized group training is included.

Active Rest
A couple of days ago on facebook and twitter, a brief note on active rest was posted. For anyone who goes to a gym or has ever been a member at a gym, you will notice that active rest usually means chatting, staring/day-dreaming, water break, looking at the TV, and people looking at other people. But, true active rest actually helps you burn more calories. It is also something you can do at work or even at home.

Let's take for example a workout set composed of squats, push-ups, and single leg deadlifts. You perform these three exercises one time through. Before getting water, taking a brief rest period, or starting another set immediately, perform an exercise that is light and is different from the ones you have finished. In this case, a set of 20 repetitions of a heel-toe raise would be an effective active rest - you are still moving, but the intensity is less yet beneficial.

At work? Basically, an active rest period is getting up from your desk and either walking around or stretching.

At home? It is possible to get up from the chair or couch during your show or during a commercial break in order to walk around (neighborhood watch from indoors) or stretch. If you have kids, then you know they want your attention at some point.

A few TEEMers (just thought of that name) or TEEM clients have this technique incorporated into their workouts and the energy output increases even with only 6 exercises on the agenda.

Before signing off, you guessed it...active rest is an oxymoron.

Be fit,
Derek

www.teempt.com

TEEM Performance Training - HAHPN - March #4 2011: Action and Potential

• Potential


• Shape My Butt (On Fire!)

Potential
This topic has been saved for a few months now. But, with almost one-third of the year gone by, this topic is appropriate for anyone.

It is possible that one of the goals you set earlier in the year has not been started. For example, it's the end of March and you wanted to get out and play some recreational sports; but the weather was too cold. Or, you have the desire to cut down on eating sweets because you may eat them like a champion. But, every time you turn around you cannot resist the sugary treats. Last one here, you are swamped with work and schoolwork and you want to claw your eyes out because the computer screen is mesmerizing, preventing you from doing anything else and introducing you to bad habits! Do not look at your situation as being too negative. Basically, you are still in a developmental phase of reaching your goal...You can reach your goal. Health and fitness goals seem as though they are some of the most difficult goals to achieve. Perhaps, the hardship these types of goals endure is due to the fact there are so many changes that occur as we develop; for all of us develop even in older age.

Case and point: You have not lived up to your potential until you are no longer here on earth.

Motive: How bad do you want what you would like to possess?

A statement and a question that is arguably versatile and pushes you to do better.

Shape My Butt (On Fire!)
Here is an exercise for you to try, especially for those of you out there who want to target your glutes. Difficulty Level = Intermediate but the modified way is described:

Procedure: Get on all fours (quadruped position). That is, hands on the floor and beneath your shoulders, knees beneath your hips, back flat, eyes look out at about 45 degrees, neck is neutral (no bending your extending the neck). Now, straighten your right leg directly behind you; so it is at your hip level (this is the start position). Keeping your elbows straight and keeping your right leg straight, proceed to extend/abduct your right leg toward the right as if you are kicking someone on your right side. Do not bend your right knee (beginners can bend their right knee). Return back to the start position and repeat the movement.

Muscles Worked: Your glutes will be on fire! Shoulder stabilizing muscles
Guidelines: 2-3 sets, 8-10 each side. Rest for 30 seconds to 60 seconds after each set is complete.

Be fit,
Derek

www.teempt.com

TEEM Performance Training - HAHPN - March #3 2011 - Unplug Yourself the Exercise Version

• Mason "North and South" Dixon - thank you and respecting your inbox plus more


• Unplug Yourself

Mason "North and South" Dixon
Greetings and very quick. For almost everyone who is north of the Mason Dixon line and is on this list bare with me as activities will be planned and updated (April 2nd and April 9th are the next planned dates. You will receive an email today or tomorrow through the local email list serve that is geared toward you. It means you may receive just a couple of additional emails (about 1 to 3 in one month - not every month - from this address but with a different subject line.)

For almost everyone who is South of the Mason Dixon line and is on this main list serve bare with me as there are some creative ways on the way to accommodate activities/sessions, etc in or near your area. You too will be updated via the local email list serve that I have set up with a different subject line. Stay tuned.

Your feedback has been extremely helpful. Really and thank you! I want to respect everybody's inbox. I, too, receive a number of newsletters everyday (man, people really send out a lot literally everyday). Honestly, I do not read all of them. But, if you feel swamped let me know, and I will try to improve. I will tell you that an individual who requested to be taken off the list last year gave feedback (opinions with solutions are helpful), which has helped decrease the amount of emails per month from 8 to 5 (sans any video series)...Seriously, we are all a teeming team (I heart words).

Unplug Yourself
It's a money saver, energy saver, and of the least obvious...it's an exercise. What the heck is this about?...

You may be cramped up with bills, bills, bills. Loaded with little energy. Swamped with so much work that you forget about other important things that could make everyone around you happier...And then, your health and fitness is unfortunately the most obvious to cut out of busy schedules.

Aches and pains that could improve or disappear with just a little attention still linger. Switching to "we": "I wish" becomes a term of comfort that we associate with "wishing" we could do something. But, only if we just stopped wishing our wish may come true.

I was going to relate this topic to how unplugging appliances can help you save money, save energy, and practice a lunge position in order to unplug a cord out of a socket. But, unplugging yourself means just that and more. Unplugging yourself in this fitness term means to unleash your efforts. Sometimes, I hear conversations or people may come up to me and say, "I need some assistance, pleeeeeaasse!!!" Well, it is granted.

As it should be with many trainers, coaches, or specialists you should receive the help you need and deserve. You shall receive special attention in your health, fitness, or wellness goal. Unplug = out of the comfort zone, engage in a positive challenge. Workout plans or sessions that anyone receives on this list serve and beyond will be a challenge to you. But, remember: it is not always about squatting, lifting, running, or walking.

Lastly, how did the eat green St. Patrick's Day challenge turn out? And, the water challenge?

Be fit,
Derek

www.teempt.com