In the Game: Group Fitness 🏋🏾‍♂️🏋️‍♀️

 

Strong 

Infantry Camp

Tabata

Stretch

The Domain

Boot Camp

TRX Training 

Spin

Kid's Fitness

Circuit Training

Glutes and Legs

Kickboxing

PHIIT Running

Those are some classes over my career that I have either regularly taught or subbed. Yoga. I subbed yoga in my first year of my health & fitness career. The yoga instructor could not make it, and I was the trainer on the floor that evening. They said, "you can make it a stretch class," since I was not certified in yoga.

We stretched.

And held.

Stretched some more.

And held.

That night foreshadowed a skill that I needed as a personal trainer - the ability to teach anything. Well, the ability to teach anything in my scope. My grasp. 

I've had people walk out of classes I subbed because I was not the normal instructor.

Pssh, do what you need. How could I be mad at that move?

I have also had individuals ask, "Hey, that class looked cool. How do I join?"

Group fitness has not served as my #1 fitness trait. It has held a secondary position behind personal training and working with athletes on a strength & conditioning and coaching basis. 

Group fitness has so much access: remotely, via apps, YouTube, in-person, DVD 📀, VHS and its antiquity. Have fun with gf and embrace its partner accountability.

Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Bowls of Athletic Prowess

 

We're talking the NFL's Pro Bowl.

I used to watch it and care about who won. Looking at the rosters back in the day as a kid and even in college had an awe effect:

"Oh, they're stacked!"

"Oh, that's a good match-up!"

"Looking forward to his play in Hawaii."

Yea, not anymore. I have not watched the Pro Bowl in over a decade or more. Actually, I don't remember the last time I watched it. OK, let's see...the Patriots went 16-0 in 2007-2008...I moved to Massachusetts in 2006...so, yea, I have not watched it since the late Sean Taylor delivered the hit heard around the world.

You remember that hit? Sean Taylor

Boom! 💥 is the last thing I remember about the Pro Bowl...well, besides highlights (I didn't know Jeff Saturday, playing for the NFC, switched sides for one snap to the AFC just to play with Peyton Manning one last play.)

Solution. Easy. Make it a skills competition. The guys don't want to tackle, so let them somehow off their skills. Throw, run, catch, kick (maybe), and blitz in skills. Take it back to Hawaii. People will watch a skills competition even if it occurs before the Super Bowl.

Right?

Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

A Sea of Turmoil or A Mountain to Transgress

 

You know...after big news stories, changes in the season, your team needs some kind of reprieve. An outing. A change in procedure. 

What do these changes do?

It brings things together. It tightens loose ends even if you do not win the next game. Check it out:

A pro team that endures turmoil with one player threatening a trade in the middle of the season needs some type of intervention to return cohesion. They do not have to go all out and have some extravagant celebration or outing. The team can do a volunteer session.

Hey, I am only giving examples.

Would you, as a fan, rather see your team lose a poorly played game after turmoil or strife in the organization or see them lose a 1-point game that showed improvement in areas of the team's game that has lacked for most of the season?

Yes, I know you'd rather see them win. In reality, this scenario occurs. So, which loss would you rather see?

Say it...the latter one. Of course, the latter one. Why not?

What is the inspiration behind this post? 

Actually, it is the Los Angeles Lakers. I am not a Lakers fan nor do I dislike them, but news swells around their camp every year. The Lake Show represents one team that endulges in constant news throughout the entire NBA season. So, when something arises, it usually occurs around losing. Let's say their losing is due to lack of offense. Now, they go in to a game versus the Golden State Warriors, and though the Lakers lose the game by one point, they show tremendous offense. 

Again, only an example.

...But, wouldn't a Lakers fan like to see a close loss with upside versus a blowout?

Take mental breaks to try to gain upside in your season. The pro level does not have to be the only skill level to do it. In fact, any team at any skill level can experience stress during the season. Mental breaks help relieve stress. Will it work for every team? May be not. But, many teams need it.

Oh yea, what if my team is 2-22? 👀 😬. That's different.

Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Shop 'Til You Drop 🛒

They say that the following foods represent the most popular Super Bowl food choices:

• Chicken wings
• Pizza
• Chips/Nachos

...to name three.

So, what did you have last night during the game?

Add to that food menu:

• Chili
• Guacamole
• Bratwurst

...as popular items.

Better yet, do you know how to shop for these items in order to get the best bang for your buck, including all of the ingredients? The best answers include:

• Look at the unit price
• Look at how much you want to spend
• Look at the fiber content. We're talking at least 5%.
• Look at the first few ingredients. Oh boy, watchout for the overly packed hidden sugar ingredients.

...for they can help your wallet and control the things you put in your body.

Speaking of meals and food, once you face a potential eating weekend like the Super Bowl, how hard do you find it to get and stay on track with wholesome eating experiences? Ask some unconventional questions:

Do I want to workout this week?

Will I go for a walk, run, bike, or skate this week?

What activity can I look forward to this week?

Change the narrative. Food and shopping are the main topics in this post, but look how the attention shifted towards the other half...physical activity. Albeit, in question format. I never said how many reps, sets, or weights you have to work with. Sometimes, when you change the narrative without entirely deviating from the main topic in this case and field, you can gain a good return.

Invest in yourself in multiple ways that suit you, especially if you have a health goal. Developing grocery shopping skills provides a good goal. It has the tendency to set you up for a solid week of movement.

So, how are the grocery prices in your area? 😳💀💲💰💰

Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Fight, You See for Consistency 💯

Consistency really is the name of the game. You can feel good about where your goals are headed. However, you have to keep at it. 

Even short term goals have enough intensity that they can face a lack of persistent effort in order to achieve consistency.

Here's a short term goal: You will make up your bed every morning for seven days. That goal provides ease if you already do it. However, if you struggle with this good habit, seven days may spill difficulty in your camp.

Here's another short term goal: You will get eights hours of sleep every night for one week. Again...easy if you already do it. More difficult if you struggle to reach five hours a night.

So, what do you do to make the change to achieve goals like the ones aforementioned?...I am going with hope. I'm not here to give you a bulleted, step-by-step process because plenty of these lists thrive - you merely have to Google.

But, hope.

See, if you want to make your bed every day or receive eight hours of sleep every night, you can repeatedly tell yourself, "I hope I______." So, if you fall short, did you hope enough or just talk?

Sometimes, people hear an utterance about hope, and you know what they do? They encourage you to go after the thing for which you hope. 

People like hope.

Even in sadness hope floats, lingers, and waits for an opportunity.

How did we go from talking about consistency to hope? Well, for one, I was sprinting 🏃🏾‍♂️ because one of my 2022 goals is to sprint more. Then, I realized that I have ten more months to sprint as a 2022 goal. I cannot give up now, 48 days into the year. If I gave up even though I have added more sprints to my regimen in these first seven weeks, I would yearn for the same goal in 2023.

Nope. 

So, I hope I stay consistent. While hope continues, the sprint goal I have set will be at the forefront of my mind. 

Keep hoping and do the work, and changes will come. Results will happen.

Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

🔥 Because It’s 🔥 SB Halftime

 

California Highway

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 

Whaaaaat! Those were the college days, right there. Dr. Dre, Snoop, 50, Mary J, and Eminem. Kendrick Lamar came afterwards. Still, it was...

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 

Gen Z, did you like it? Gen Alpha? Younger Millennials? Add those songs 🎵 to your workout playlists this week. You will not be disappointed! Why? Because they are straight...

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 

If you don't have Lose Yourself by Eminem on your playlist as your run, bike, row, sprint, or lift then you are missing solid reps. You can use that song in warm-ups. Why? Because it's...

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 

50 Cents', In Da Club...workout song but more for lifting. I feel like it's not as versatile as LY. But, blast it, workout with it, sweat to In Da Club. Why? Because it's...

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 

Snoop, Dr. Dre, Kendrick, and Mary J...belong up in workout playlists, helping you to sweat and get through your sets and reps. Dig at them. As a matter of fact, use them before group fitness classes begin and after they end. Why? Because they're...

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 

So, you get it.

Derek|@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Peloton: Listening to Michael Jackson - Gonna Make a Change

 They have to do it.

They're gonna make a change.

It only makes sense, right? Peloton

A jump in the pandemic exercise equipment winner has now led to an overabundance, if you will, in this 2020 exercise winner. 

A lot of bikes with no homes.

A lot of bikes with diminished interest in them.

Notice that I still call Peloton a winner even though it is experiencing a valley period at the moment because the equipment juggernaut has landed a spark in home and gym equipment. Peloton

It's versatile, fun, competitive, and works up a good sweat. You could almost call Peloton a sport with this definition, alone. Could you imagine Peloton rankings for the household individual?  Peloton

Wait, are there rankings? @peloton if you do not have rankings, then you heard it here to get them. You'll have to include my name or I will reference this blog post, which originated the idea.

What's that? They rank you as you work out?...Yea, but can you say you are ranked #1 in the U.S. in the Peloton 10-mile?

See, leagues could form. Local and regional rankings would be hot 🔥 as stay-at-home 🏡 parents and teleworkers claim their position. Peloton athletes could win money 💰 like they do in golf but not at golf rates - the higher the ranking the more money won.

I'm merely stating how exercising includes fun and competition. 

Professional Pelotoners. It has a good ring to it, right?

Seriously, I'm writing...exercise equipment. The fitness world. The type of industry that changes so much and relies heavily on everyone's schedule, motivational level, experience, will, sleep pattern, work life, and attitude. With all of these qualities and more in mind, we, pros, are forced to keep things competitive and fun.

However...

You also must consider those individuals who don't want any or too much competition or who have a difficult time recognizing fun.

Too many changes and opinions in this field.

I will admit that this ebb and flow gets annoying. One thing I am certainly aware of is the need for Peloton to regain its previous momentum. For a trainer like myself, Peloton works well in motivating individuals who have the equipment in their homes 🏡. 

Derek |@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Command to Calm Down 🏈

📷: IG @commanders

Commanders.

Commanders.

Commanders.

Has it sunk in yet?

Commanders, Commanders, Commanders.

Could everyone who is completely torn about the rebrand, puh-lease calm down! I know folks do not like change in the first place or that change has its difficulties. But, role with the mumbo sauce on this one. 

It will be OK.

The team and name would look great with winning behind it. Time will tell that story.

I let this post sit for 10 days and have witnessed a lot of reactions with most of them coming from sports talk radio and social media. Here's the sentiment:

• The name could be better, and many fans are not fond of it.
• The name is fine. Just go win.
• Dan Snyder...yup, folks want a change.
• Mistreatment of women on staff was, unfortunately, prevalent over the years.
• The logo, it...oh, it's a letter. People want a real logo.
• The name unveiling on Good Morning America had as much excitement as a bland tofu buffet at a carnivorous festival in the middle meat country.
• The jerseys...some feel them and some do not.

But, everyone can calm down now because winning will be the best factor to the name change. Alright, may be the second best factor in terms of how people feel towards Snyder, the owner of the Commanders.

Derek|@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Super Bowl LVI Sensation 🏈🏟

Cincinnati or Los Angeles...who do you pick in today's Super Bowl?

If you select five major sports: football, basketball, soccer, ice hockey, and baseball, there are at best eight championship games in the United States at the professional level that garner mainstream media attention...to some degree. So, you could say that eight major gatherings per year can happen in households, restaurants, sports bars, sports facilities, and then squares throughout the year, right?

Not true.

The Super Bowl 🏈 gets the most attention out of any other title game. It brings people together who may never watch American football. Look, you don't need a part in the game - your favorite team most likely sits at home watching this game every year. 

So, what is it? What sparks the interest?

One, it's football. The U.S. loves football...and too much so. For over half a century, the Super Bowl has won viewers and fans of the title game. Aside from the Super Bowl itself, an increase in advertisements,  halftime entertainment options, pre-game entertainment preparation, and post-game shows have made lukewarm fans tell them themselves, "I guess I will watch this game."

Commercial Skills. The commercials had better quality in the past. These tech commercials somewhat stole the taste from Super Bowl breaks. I remember watching one recent Super Bowl, hoping that no more commercials would come on during the game. Just pan the crowd and stadium 🏟.  

Yet, commercial gems still occur and deliver appropriate humor for a big game and gathering.

Halftime Shows. You can watch them, but everyone has jumped on the halftime bid. Sure, the NFL picks its halftime entertainment to support the interest of its fans. Some shows are better than others. The 2022 halftime show with Dr. Dre, Snoop, Eminem, and Mary J will have individuals my age enjoying a good ole time back down memory lane.

Now, with social media and other TV channels, you can tune into any outlet for halftime entertainment. 

Check it...you can even exercise for five minutes. Just five. I dare you. Five minutes of push-ups, squats, jumping jacks, plank taps, and a quick walk. Who's in?

Bengals and Rams. Back to who you want to win. The Bengals have not been in the Super Bowl since the 49ers beat them in Super Bowl XXIII. The Rams, with a heart pumping victory in 2000, made their last appearance a mere three years ago in 2019, losing to the Patriots, 13-3.

History would pick and cheer for the Bengals to bring home their first Super Bowl win. Growing dominance would pick the Rams, having such a young coach, Sean McVay, 36, making his second trip to the big game.

The match-up has plenty of excitement:

Two different teams.

Two good QBs.

Good defense.

Good offense.

Young coaches.

Make your last picks and fun predictions.

After the Game. Many football fans fall 8nto the frenzy of, "Oh, there are no sports for me to watch until football starts again!"

Stop it!✋ 

Watch anything else. You will be fine. There is more to life than NFL football. But, do have fun today and enjoy any and all types of entertainment.

My pick: Bengals

Derek|@teemptraining |derekteempt@gmail.com 

Made it to 40!

Forty posts, that is, in January. The road to 300 is alive and well for 2022!

Most of the categories that will dominate the blogsphere:

• Strength & Conditioning
• Group Fitness/Fitness👟
• Sports🏅🏏
• Public Health🏥
• Rehabilitation
• Nutrition 🌯
• Spirituality🤲🏾
• Intellect/Brain 🧠 Power
• Finance💰
• Character Building 
• Coaching
• Family👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
• Play🤽🏾‍♂️🤽‍♀️
• Open Topics

With events and themes throughout the year such as the Olympics, which are on right now, holidays, summer, world events, and more, there are plenty of topics to blog.

Look, Valentine's Day is coming up. Everyone relates Valentine's Day to chocolate🍫, dates👩🏿‍🤝‍👨🏼, hearts♥️, red ❣, pink🎀, flowers 🌹, kisses😘, and, of course, love 💘. These themes make sense. Will try to relate it to play and and movement on here.

I don't know what that entails yet, but imagination works.

Derek| @teemptraining | derekteempt@gmail.com