-Coming Soon…Rippel Effect!-

After a bit of brainstorming, trying to come up with a catchy name for my women’s outdoor group fitness program that DOESN’T include the word “bootcamp,” one of my friends just suggested something amazing…

RIPPEL EFFECT

More info coming soon!

And on the subject of working out for a lifetime, check out this article…

“Ask Larry Haubner for the secret to living 107 years, and the Fredericksburg man flexes his biceps, flashes a mostly toothless smile and growls. “Nutrition!” he bellows. “Exercise! I think we should all exercise more than we do.”

There are NO excuses, people!

-The Lean Abs Machine!-

You're never too old to exercise!!!!

Hey rockstars!

So, this morning I endured yet another fun workout, which you may read about over on my triathlon training blog, OTBTri, by clicking  HERE.

As I mentioned in that post, there are some adorably precious and sweet little old ladies who are in the pool when I go swim.  They are awesome!  I got a kiss on the cheek from one of them this morning!  One of these days, i’ll get someone to take my picture with them, as I feel they have become part of “Team Sarah,” and they motivate me to keep swimming!  I also will tell them i’m a trainer and perhaps show them a few new exercises they can do with the pool noodles!

So, after my 950 yard swim workout, I hopped on the stationary bike for 45 minutes.  I met another sweet little old lady who came in to use the treadmill as well as the chest press machine.  If you check out the blog post I mentioned above, you’ll probably smile when you read about our conversation!

The Lean Abs Machine!

Anyhow, in the weight room at the so-not-crowded facility I joined (which I may add, is super-great because I really don’t want to deal with perverted creeps staring at my butt while i’m swimming), there is a small assortment of somewhat-dated equipment.  All I require is a bike treadmill for days I don’t feel like training in the heat.

After I finished my ride this morning, I happened to notice a funky-looking contraption laying on the floor.  If the foot plate was at the opposite end, it could resemble a makeshift T-bar row of sorts.

Ta-da!

So, I glanced up from the machine and spied a piece of paper on the wall that said “Ab Lean.”  It shows a chick doing what I then realized was the contraption on the floor.  Wow!  All this time, i’ve been doing the wrong things for my abs!  How have I been so stupid?! LOL!

Really, though, take a gander at the picture to the left and let me know if you agree with me – doesn’t this exercise remind you of a stability ball kneeling rollout?  It sure does to me, and the kneeling rollout is a legit exercise.  I can see some big problems with the “Lean Abs Machine’s” method.  First off, y’all know i’m not a fan of machines at all.  Secondly, y’all know I DO love exercises that require you to be on your feet.  Combine these two things, and in this case, you have a potential back issue on your hands.  Look at the middle picture where the chick is in the “extended” position.  See how long a line there is from her elbows to her feet?  Also see the potential for the low back to “sag?”  Maybe i’m wrong, but in the picture, it really does seem she’s sagging!  BAD!

Obviously, if someone was proficient in most exercises & knew the ins and outs of “core training,” they could probably try this funky contraption with no issues.  BUT…this is a machine in a facility where there is no staff monitoring the weight room AND there are elderly members.  I hope they don’t try this piece of junk!

As I said above, the Stability Ball Kneeling Rollout is a great “core” exercise.  It’s also a great “pulling” movement as the lats are recruited when one returns to the upright position.  Rollouts may also be performed with legs extended, however, for most people the kneeling variation is a much better choice as a starting point.  Why?  Shorter “lever arm” (there I go again, talkin’ Physics, lol) and therefore a decreased risk of form breakdown.

On the lever arm note – pushups are one exercise where I never recommend they be done on the knees to begin with.  Why?  It’s much easier to elevate the upper body, therefore decreasing the intensity of the exercise, while reaping the benefits of the core and glute’s  involvement.  No sissy pushups, people!

Key pointers for the Stability Ball Kneeling Rollout: Use a 55cm ball if possible.  Keep “tall kneeling” position the entire time.  Place hands on top of ball with arms extended.  Don’t hinge forward at the hips as you roll.  Keep neutral spine, glutes tight, and abs braced.  Forearms should rest on top of ball at “end” position, then reverse the movement as you exhale.

Next time i’m at the facility, I may just have to try out that contraption…just for kicks.

-Pivot Your Way To Better Hips!-

Ah...the glorious hip pivot!

Sometimes I feel like I repeat myself…okay, so I feel I do that a lot!  Call it what you will, I call it “getting the point across.”  There are a few subjects with which this is the case, one of which is the glorious phenomenon of the hip pivot.

Why devote an entire post to this subject?

I could devote several posts to this subject.

Trainers – all of your clients need to do exercises that incorporate the hip pivot action.

Exercise enthusiasts – all of you need to do exercises that incorporate the hip pivot action.

Does that make my point clear enough?

Okay, then…here we go with the “hip pivot nugget of gold” for today.

Why do I feel so strong about the hip pivot?  First off, most people have less-than-stellar hip mobility. Most people have tight external rotators of the hip. Do this for me: stand up and walk a few paces, then stop.  Look down at your feet.  Are they turned out?  A clue that you might have this common issue is that your feet externally rotate.  Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal.  Most of my clients initially present with this compensation, which is indicative of tight Soleus/Biceps Femoris/Piriformis and weak Glute Medius.  You don’t have to be a fitness genius to realize that if you want to promote balance, you must “calm down” & stretch the tight areas and “fire up” the weak ones.  There are many ways to do this for the areas listed, but the action of hip pivoting should not be left out of the equation.

You see, when you perform a hip pivot, not only are you actively driving the pivot leg into internal rotation, you are also driving the stationary hip into internal rotation.  This action “fires up” the glutes and provides a dynamic stretch of the tight hip external rotators.  It’s a win-win!

Here’s a rundown of a corrective strategy:

1. Tiger Tail for Soleus/Gastrocs
2. Straight-Leg Hamstring Stetch (assisted or with rope) for Hams
3. Static Piriformis Stretch
4. Bridge Variation (for Glute Max, which most likely is also weak)
5. Miniband Lateral Walks for Glute Medius
6. Medicine Ball Pivot Rotations for total-body integration and emphasis on hip internal rotation

Crappy picture quality, but check out my pivot!

Bottom line:

The “lost art” of pivoting must be rediscovered!

WE ALL NEED TO PIVOT!

Til next time, get started and keep on pivoting!

Yours in Health,

Sarah

-OTBTri Training Blog!-

Just a quick little post, and i’ll be posting later today regarding non-triathlon stuff on here…

I have added an “OTBTri” Page, which you will see in a tab at the top of this page!  I will use this page to give an overview of my training for The Austin Triathlon (and then some, lol).  It also is linked to my “other” blog…“Outside the Box” Triathlon Training…check it out!  I just set it up!

For those who wish to subscribe, I will be adding a Feedburner opt-in form later today.

Also, I will be updating my tri blog with a recap of my training this week!

Thanks for your support!  I have the best “cheerleaders” around!

Go Team Sarah!

-Workin’ Out Barefoot!-

The whiteboard is in effect!

Just a short post today, because i’m about to get to work on setting up a second blog that will be devoted to my triathlon training.  Yes, i’ll be linking it to my main blog, so no worries for those of you who are interested in what my own training is like in preparation for The Austin Triathlon!

LOTS going on…more this week regarding upcoming guest blog posts, magazine interview, etc!

As many of you know, I am a BIG fan of working out barefooted.  I do my total-body workouts at home, and most of the time, i’m barefoot.  I have wanted to get a pair of Vibram Five Fingers for months now, but still haven’t gotten ‘em.  Why?  I don’t do any total-body workouts outdoors at the moment b/c the heat is unbearable.  Yes, i’m doing tri training outside when I can, but i’ve also got indoor accomodations for swimming, biking, and running if need be.  Gotta be smart!  Anyhow, I typically run in my Nike Free 5.0’s and love ‘em!

Why am I bringing up barefoot training today, you ask?  Well, my 7:30am client, Kay, worked out barefoot for the first time this morning.  I’m excited about this because she already knows my “slant” on barefoot training and already noticed a difference as she exercised.  For those of you who may not know a lot about training barefoot, in a nutshell, shoes interfere with our bodies’ natural proproceptive abilities.  Shoes cause the body to compensate, which of course isn’t a good thing.  Training barefoot rocks because you can “feel” the floor.  This always brings me back to my gymnastics days.  You see, in gymnastics, the ability to “feel” the floor and especially the balance beam is very important.  Watch any gymnast perform the simplest of tricks on the beam, and you’ll see a ton of foot action.  Gymnasts develop extremely strong feet and toes from gripping the beam, as well as constantly pointing the toes.  Mark my words – I feel gymnasts have some of the best physiques in the sporting world.  Why?  The emphasis on bodyweight training, body control, and balance.  No one muscle group is overutilized.  A lack of mobility is obviously not an issue.

Wow…boy, did I go off on another road in talking about gymnastics…and my main point was to discuss barefoot training!

Okay, back to Kay’s workout this morning.  What she noticed was that she felt more in control of her body.  Go figure, right?  What I noticed was this, especially on tri-planar lunges, but also that pesky little right foot/ankle issue she has seemed to be less of a problem.  You see, her right foot wants to externally rotate & pronate, and yes, I realize all the possible reasons as well as corrective strategies for this.  We have really been working to iron-out this issue, and it’s gotten a lot better.  Without shoes, though, the issue seemed less obvious.  From now on, i’m thinking Kay’s new nickname will be “Barefoot Boxing Babe,” as she got to hrow a bunch of combos at the focus mitts this morning as well!  Pretty soon, Laila Ali will be getting a run for her money!

So…stay tuned for more regarding Kay’s adventures in training barefoot, as well as upcoming info regarding my next “outdoor fitness experience” here in Baton Rouge!

-5K Race and Open Swim Clinic!-

I will be creating a separate blog entirely about my triathlon training, but for now i’ll just post this here!

Yes, I ran in my Frees!

Yesterday, I raced in the “Run For Your Life” 5k, supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The race started around 7:45 am and it was already hot and muggy.  I believe it got up to 97 degrees yesterday (not including the heat index, which pushed that number well past 100).

I hadn’t run in a 5k since 2002!  The last one I did was the Race For the Cure with my mom.  She and I met a few times a week for weeks leading up to the race so I could help her with getting better at running.  It was good bonding time for mom and I.  Anyhow, we would run/walk and I would let her choose when it was time to walk.  So cool to help my mom be active, because she was always athletic, just the type that falls off the wagon often.  So…the 5k came and mom saw a few of her fellow grad students there (she was working on her 2nd Master’s Degree, this one was her MFA – Master of Fine Arts), who talked some smack to her (in a nice way, of course).  So…race is off and mom and I are running together, and I kept making sure she was okay.  I remember asking her several times if she needed to walk, and her response was “just keep talking to me, Sarah!”  She ran the ENTIRE 5k and it was the most awesome thing because she was so proud of herself.  She raised her arms as she ran thru the finish line!  I was so proud of her!  Come to find out the reason she refused to walk was becasue the grad students smack-talked her!  Cute huh?

So, back to my 5k.  I started mid-pack and had it in my mind to run at my current “happy pace,” which is roughly 8:45-9:00 min/mi.  Obviously, in a race situation, you’re fired-up and tend to go faster.  This was the case for me!  I was zoomin’ at first, then tried to settle into a comfortable pace.  I passed up a few guys and there were probably three women ahead of me.  I sported my Garmin Forerunner 305 for the first time, and LOVE it!

Just a sidenote on that subject – one of my amazing clients, Ruth, who i’ve mentioned before, was tickled to learn i’m training for a tri.  Her youngest son does triathlons, and she has always talked about his training and performance throughout the past almost-four years we’ve been training.  When we talked last week about our upcoming appointment, she mentioned she had a surprise for me for the tri.  Well, when I got to her house Friday and she handed me the box, I FREAKED OUT!  I jumped up and down like a little kid on Christmas morning!  It was awesome!  She gave me a Garmin, and i’ve been drooling over one ever since I got bitten by the GPS bug (thanks to my buddy Rick Karboviak).  GPS training is where it’s at.  I am in love with it and if you’re a runner who’s interested in learning more about incorporating GPS AND kettlebells into your workouts, you need to check out Rick’s programs!  CLICK HERE to find out more (and y’all know I don’t plug just anyone)!  Also, thanks Rick, for the shout-out in your latest blog post over at 1 Mile Nation!

Okay, back to the race!  Off and running, my biggest challenge was to run at a comfortable pace, yet push myself.  I am very competitive with myself.  Of course, my initial pace goal was left in the dust.  According to my Garmin, I ran 3.19 miles in 26:16 and my pace was 8:15.  Fastest pace was 7:08 and average HR was 180.

Tank top was drenched!

I placed second in the women’s 30-34 age group (but there were only 2 of us, lol), and i’m curious to see my placing overall.  I figured i’d finish in 28ish minutes, so I was happy!  The last half mile was a bit painful, thanks to a bit of a boost I cranked as I passed a teenage boy and another guy.  Coming back towards the finish line, my breathing became a little labored and I was determined to not get a side stitch.  I was able to turnand burn and finished strong!  Talk about sweaty!  The awards were at 9:45 so we stood around in the heat.  I drank at least two waters, a diet Vitamin Water, and a diet Redbull!  Let me tell you, when I got home, I went to town on those McDonald’s pancakes! Nom nom nom…lol…then I was in a carbo coma.  You KNOW i’m worn out when i’m able to sit through an ENTIRE movie without doing anything else.  Even moreso when the movie is horrible…I sat through Cloverfield.  Yep, I did.

Mom would be proud of me…this morning, I attended an open water swim clinic held by BRTri.  I had no idea what to expect.  I did know that we’d be swimming in a small lake and there is a gator who resides there.  For a brief moment yesterday, I was convinced I shouldn’t go…but then my “why the hell not?” lightbulb flickered back on and I told myself I was being silly.  I want to learn as much as I can, and take advantage of as many clinics/training opportunities as I can.  I want to be as prepared as possible going into my first triathlon experience.

The clinic was aweome and very eye-opening.  First off, swimming in a pool is obviously WAY different than swimming in a lake.  First off, you can’t see sh*t in lake water.  Secondly, you’re out there…there’s no edge to swim to if you need a break.  Third, there are critters.  The rule is that you don’t talk about the critters, lol.  Anyhow, i’m not gonna lie.  The experience kicked my ass in a good way.  We did roughly 300 yards total, I would say.  Swam down a bit, then treaded water while the instructor gave us pointers about “sighting,” meaning picking a focus point ahead and being able to get your head up just a bit prior to breathing every so often.  This is going to be someting I must work on, because what happens when you raise your head TOO much?  Your feet drop and you end up wasting a ton of energy trying to regain position.  She had us swim some distance keeping our heads up, and oh my goodness…yes, it was fatiguing!  I am strong overall, so I was able to “hang” and muscle it up, but it got me huffing and puffing!

Here’s another thing.  Swimming  around a group of people for the first time is freaky.  I’m not gonna lie – it’s a bit of a panicky experience.  I had a hard time feeling relaxed in the water the entire time, and I wasn’t the only one.  There were a bunch of us in the same boat.  My stroke is becoming more efficient and relaxed, but it was a completely different ballgame this morning.  Just as in the 5k yesterday, when you’re around a group of people doing the same thing, you tend to want to go faster.  My pace was completely thrown off AND I was trying to get adjusted to the fact that I had swimmers all around me.  In the murky water you can’t see crap, but you can sense when there is someone near you.  The trick is to be constantly aware of your surroundings.  You’re gonna get kicked and scratched, and you’re gonna kick and scratch others.  It just happens.  As my friend Sheila puts it, “you gotta worry about yourself because you’re gonna get run over!”  I found myself swimming for a while, and then my breathing would get thrown off, i’d tense up a bit, and have to breast stroke a tad, then keep going.  The key is to not stop swimming!  I am definitely wanting to do anything and everything I can to get more comfortable with this.  It’s not gonna get the best of me!

Hopefully I will have pictures soon!

Here is a great little article about open water swimming!

-This Is Why I Do What I Do-

I love talking about my clients!  Expect to be hearing more about them.  I love bragging about them and sharing, with permission, what they feel comfortable with telling you.  My clients are REAL people.  I don’t train any professional athletes or celebrities.  I train “general population” clients, which I believe is more of a challenge than training athletes.  I’ve brought this up before in forum discussions.  My reasoning?  General population clients have a million other things going on in their lives.  Athletes, although they are also handling a gazillion things in their lives, are more focused on their physical goals & their sport is very important to them.  My opinion may ruffle a few feathers but i’ll stand behind it any day.

Trainers, who do you think is easier to train & progress?  A high school basketball player with boundless energy and scholarship dreams on the line or a 40-something housewife who hates exercise and spends most of her time driving back and forth picking up kids from school, practice, parties, etc?  I have trained athletes in the past, and enjoy doing so.  I would like to work with more athletes, so please don’t take this as me saying “I don’t want to train athletes!” lol

I love working with all sorts of people, and to be honest, I get extra excited when I get my hands on a former athlete/dancer.  Those who have done a lot of work with their bodies have a knack for exercise!  They are already a step ahead of someone who has never had to be that aware of their movement.  Dancers are my favorite!  Every former dancer that i’ve trained has been not only awesome at picking up complex exercises, but very attentive to details & instruction as well.

With that being said, I wanted to share something my client Kay sent to me in an email this afternoon.  As i’ve mentioned before, Kay has been training with me since January of this year.  She has come a long way in half a year, and i’m extremely proud of her.  Kay is one of my clients who does not have an athletic background, therefore she’s been learning to be “present” in her body.  She’s become more coordinated and continues to surprise herself with her newfangled abilities!  Here’s what she had to say regarding getting back on track and the importance of working with a trainer:

“It is hard, but life is a challenge! You are so right …this client could never have gotten to where I am “on her own”…lack of knowledge, motivation, stamina (initially), lack of knowledge, fear, lack of insight, lack of knowledge, no guidance…..so I am where I am now BECAUSE of MY trainer! and myself!   I know the diet is a challenge and it is difficult but again, I thank you, I thank you!!”

-The Beauty of Training Clients-

This is going to be another “post from the heart” from your’s truly.  Yes, all of my posts are from the heart, but this one may be borderline sappy.  Any fitness professional who genuinely LOVES what they do and LOVES working with clients will most likely take these words to heart.  Anyone who’s ever worked with a truly gifted and “in their element” personal trainer will most likely find these words make sense.

I’m sitting here with a tired body and mind…and even my eyes are tired.  It’s Thursday and i’ve been training hard, doing my thang training clients, making some important decisions regarding work & life, sneaking in an evening out with friends, and trying to find some much-needed “down time.”  As I discussed in my previous post, I got a massage Tuesday and it was amazing.  That hour of laying on the massage table while my massage therapist worked the hell out of my super-tight traps and glutes wouldn’t necessarily be considered “down time,” although I did lay there doing something that could be considered relaxing.  Folks, there’s not a lot of relaxing when it comes to deep tissue!  It hurts so good!

So…what’s on my mind.  Well, for the past two days or so, i’ve been in “soapbox mode” and as usual, not apologetic in the least about it.  You see, I have reached a point in my life where I realize that there are always going to be people out there who’s standards aren’t in-line with mine.  It’s just that way.  I tend to talk about the “majority” and how I have never felt I was “mainstream,” and this definitely applies to my career.  Call me harsh, but these days it seems the “mainstream” way to do things in the fitness world is to become an “Internet expert.”  This is the “easy way out.”  Since when did it become so popular to be LAZY in the fitness world?  Oh, wait…ever since someone discovered the magic of the Internet & info products.  Nothing wrong with this at all…the problem lies in the fact that a great deal of those out there hawking their products are complete idiots!  Why am I so harsh?  People seem to think they can claim they are a fitness professional, yet they don’t train clients!  Some of these types HAVE trained clients in the past, but have “discovered” they can make more money by pimping out everyone else’s Internet products as well as their own.  Some of these types have never worked with a single client.  I find this ridiculous and i’m not afraid to talk about it.

Don’t get me wrong, i’m all for fitness professionals succeeding and taking care of business, but don’t think you’re not selling-out when you decide “wow, I don’t have to train clients but I can tell people what to do, and i’ll make more money doing it!”  You ARE selling out, in my mind, and you have NO right to provide “fitness advice” to whoever is naive enough to buy into it. So, there ya have it.  If you fall into that category, there’s your sign.

You see, how in the hell can someone tell people what to do, when they:

A.  don’t use their “expertise” hands-on by training people, and

B.  most of the time don’t even work out themselves?

Makes ZERO sense to me!

Legit?  Hell no.

See how i’m not at all a fan of this trend?  Yes, I know people who have created some amazing fitness information products and do very well selling them online, but they also work with clients.  I will gladly support these hard-working trainers, and am by no means referring to them!  In my eyes, anyone who claims they are an “expert,” as i’ve said before, is a crock of hooey.

If you need to label yourself as an “expert,” you’re looking for a way to make up for a lack of something.  Much like the stereotypical “macho man” who drives a big Dodge Ram with dual exhaust glasspack whatevers, big-ass tires, and mudflaps that have bikini ladies on ‘em.  I have a special term for these types, but i’m not gonna say it here.

Now, let’s get on to the GOOD stuff!  I’m done talking about the majority of “fitness personalities” you’ve most likely encountered online.  Seeing some of the garbage they produce or copycat from some other schmo’s stuff does nothing but reinforce the confidence I have in myself and my abilities.  I also am reminded that I have integrity and refuse to buy into any “quick fixes” or “easy ways out.”

If you actually work with people like I do, here’s some amazing stuff that happens:

• You get to witness firsthand the positive changes YOU helped bring about in your clients. Yes, a trainer’s clients are the ones in control of what happens, for the most part, but the trainer is the guide.  Without the trainer, there would be no transformation…hence the reason people hire us…they can’t seem to get their on their own.

Case in point, one of my online training client rockstars, Tonya.  Yes, this is a testimonial from an ONLINE client.  I am very selective about my clients in general, but due to the fact that my time is very limited, I haven’t been promoting my online training services.  Obviously, online training means i’m not working with a client face-to-face, BUT it works for me because I have the know-how to help people in this manner.  Also, this isn’t an option for just anyone.  It requires a great deal of accountability and dedication on the part of the client.

June 19, 2009

I found Sarah around the time I injured my rotator cuff in a group kettlebell class. I was in the best shape of my life and I thought it was all going to go down the tubes with the injury. My doctor was telling me it could take up to 2 years to get back to 100% and I was clueless as to how I could workout with out further damaging myself. My doctor and PT were no help in this regard. They were NOT fitness enthusiasts and their best advice would have left me fat and flabby. All the plan and programs I had included something that was off limits for me. Also, I needed to keep the uninjured parts of my shoulder strong and incorporate exercises from my physical therapist.

Because Sarah was so knowledgeable about corrective exercises and is really truly a pro, she was able to design weekly workouts for me that kept me in shape and allowed the shoulder to heal. She even managed to work kettlebells into the mix without risking my shoulder.

Sarah introduced me to exercise bands which I had previously shunned as too “girly”. Let me tell you, there is nothing girly about working out with bands. They seriously improved the strength and stability of the muscles in my upper back and Sarah has figured out numerous challenging lower body exercises with the bands as well.

6 months later, and my shoulder is 90% healed and I’m still in great shape. Best money I spent on fitness in years.

Tonya Bednarick

TBS Web Solutions

• You get to help people discover an ENJOYMENT for moving their bodies, and help them by figuring out just what it is that makes them “tick.” Case in point, one of my relatively-new client’s pool workout yesterday.  I met her at a local indoor pool and we discovered that the heater was broken.  Pool was FREEZING!  I did some kickboard with her but my legs were dead from the morning’s run.  Pretty funny because at one point, she looked at me and asked if I was okay…my teeth were chattering and I was shivering!  I told her i’d lost some bodyfat!  Anyhow, the most obvious difference to me between this pool workout and her previous “regular” workouts? She had a smile on her face the entire time! Several times, she made comments about how much she loved the pool and could do “this kinda thing” for hours.  Immediately after training her, I was on my way to go train four 15-21 year olds in another pool!  Talk about a blast!  I partnered them up, had them do various swim strokes, kicking drills, upper body work with the Aqualogix, and towards the end of the hour I had them do a relay race!  Nothing like working with enthusiastic, upbeat clients in the pool on a hot day!  It’s fun, it’s a challenge to most, and an all around winner!

So…big lesson there for trainers:  figure out what makes your clients “tick!”  Throw new stuff at them.  Watch their faces and be aware of their feedback (not just verbal) while they are exercising.  If you figure out what activities they really dig, capitalize on them and make the results happen!

• You get to help people “OWN” their bodies and lives. What exactly do I mean?  Well, for a great example, check out Lissa Rankin’s “Owning Pink” for a lesson in regaining some lost mojo!  Just a sidenote, in the near future you’ll be seeing a guest post from your’s truly on this amazing site!  Okay, so what am I getting at, exactly?  Well, this morning I met with another amazing client I have mentioned in previous posts, Kay.  She’s been on vacation and has gotten a bit off her mojo-track, so it was time to get her back in gear!  We spent 45 minutes talking about what WE need to do as a team to make things happen.  I told her that obstacles happen, and this is just another test.  You see, I view life as an ongoing series of tests.  If you can hack it and learn from these tests, you’re forever growing as a person.  It’s obviously easy to throw in the towel entirely and just let the old patterns take over your life.  Kay and I had and amazing heart-to-heart!  I made her aware of just how far she’s come since we started in January, and the fact that more and more, she’s “owning” herself.  So many of us are detached from ourselves.  I can say this because I lived for a very long time out of touch with my emotions.  If you live this way, it’s hard to have boundaries, and you may end up playing the “victim” more often than not.  I know I did, and I simply didn’t care at the time.  I didn’t “own” myself.  Now I do.  I own everything about myself…my health, my career, my goals, my sexuality, my decisions, my mistakes…the list goes on and on.  So, back to Kay…it was so awesome just getting to talk openly with her, as i’m able to with most of my clients.  There’s this knack I seem to have with getting on an individual level with clients, and as a trainer I feel this is invaluable.  Why?  Personal training is personal!  Exercise is very personal in general!  Exercise most definitely makes you more self-aware…therefore, it can be said that I am helping “enlighten” my clients (both literally as well as figuratively, if you’re catching my play on words)! Awesome, awesome stuff, people!  You can’t get this from anything BUT a personal connection!

Okay…i’m bringing this post to a close because it’s time for me to skeedaddle!  Got an easy pool workout to tackle, then it’s time for some R&R.  Early bedtime tonight!

-Friday Thru Tuesday-

Friday June 19's Run

I’m playing catch-up, so here are the recaps of my workouts from last Friday June 19 thru today, Tuesday June 23.

Friday, I got up and ran through a nice, older neighborhood.  I didn’t have a plan on where I was going, I just wanted to run.  It felt good to do so, although I believe the heat (even though it was relatively early in the morning) combined with the intensity of my run set me up for a bit of heat exhaustion over the weekend.  Friday’s soundtrack was provided by ATB, as I listened to his album “Trilogy.”  Good schtuff!  Totally sweaty and happily spent, I came home, showered, and ate a bit prior to heading out the door to train clients.  I trained a few in their pool later that morning, and it was blazing.  I should have brought my swimsuit so I could have joined them.  Lesson learned!  Friday turned out to be a pretty exciting day!  I am now the proud owner of a Terry Isis road bike.  It’s shipping from California sometime this week, and I can’t wait for it to get here!

Saturday’s plan was to get up and fit in an easy run prior to my swim workout.  My body said “hell no” regarding getting up at 5:30 am, so I slept in, realizing that I had a long day ahead with my birthday luau.  My swim workout SUCKED.  Okay, so it wasn’t terrible, but it was obvious that I had heat exhaustion by that point because my body wasn’t cooperating.  I felt awkward in the water and it was a bit of a bummer, but I stuck it out and completed over 700 yards.  The rest of the day was devoted to pre-party tasks and then a ton of fun in and out of the pool all day/evening.  I have a bruise on each elbow thanks to the slip n’ slide races!

Sunday was NO working out…and more hangin’ in the pool…another scorcher of a day.

Yes, folks, I was drinking a ton of water, I promise!

Monday, June 22's Run

Monday, I got up at the butt-crack, had my coffee, ate some cereal, and went for a run very much like the one I did Friday.  It felt so good to run after a weekend of cuttin’ loose!  I’m feeling stronger using improved posture, and i’m focusing on my breathing.  Monday’s run’s soundtrack was provided yet again by ATB, as I listened to his latest album “Future Memories.”  Another great one from ATB!  I believe it was 100 degrees Monday, and it’s projected to be just as bad all week…and that’s WITHOUT the heat index.  I trained my little group of clients in the pool again Monday, but this time I got in there with them!  We worked on stroke techniques and had a good time.  My 2:30 client got a bit of everything because she asked for it!  Dynamic warm-up, hip/t-spine mobility work, some new core stuff, Superband locomotor circuit, and focus mitts!  Another great workout for one of my rockstars!  My second workout of the day was a swim around 4:00pm.  Did some different stuff – 4 sets of 12 laps (a little over 100 yards), resting only as long as Sheila went, and then 3 sets of 50 yards (6 laps) using pull buoy, then 3 sets of 50 with kickboard.  Grand total of 45 minutes or so for both of us to get done, and oh…my…gosh…talk about dead legs!  Maybe i’m a weirdo, but the feeling of being pleasantly spent really makes me happy.  Such a sense of accomplishment!  Felt redeemed after Saturday’s crappy swim workout!  Ate a good dinner and vegged on the couch for the evening while doing some work.

Today was a rest day, for the most part.  I got up and did an 18-minute mobility/kettlebell workout just because I felt like it.  Scheduled a massage for this afternoon and it was AMAZING.  I will be getting a massage every other week from now on!  I used to do this back in my fitness competition days and have been wanting to get back on track with regular appointments.  If you don’t get regular massages, I highly recommend that you do.  It’s all about happy tissues, folks…lol!  Oh, and i’m not talking about lame relaxation massages…i’m talking deep-tissue make you wanna cry at times massages!  Main areas of concern today were my neck, traps, occipital region, glutes (especially left, boy howdy), calves (especially left), and feet (arches were killer, especially left).  Notice a left-sided trend?

As always, thanks for being so supportive and appreciating what i’m doing.  I am trying to throw in posts regarding things other than just triathlon stuff, so don’t worry.  I know a few of you are curious about my progress, so i’ll keep writing about my own workouts.  I want to hear from you – what do you want to learn more about?  Leave your comments below!

Yours in Health,

Sarah

-Yes, I’m Alive!-

Hey my beautiful readers!

Yes, I know…it’s been FOREVER, or so it seems, since i’ve written a new post!  Okay, so it’s been since last Thursday…I think…yeah, Thursday…no, i’m not losing my mind!

My brain and body are in a happy little state of fatigue thanks to a great day.

I realized that I hadn’t posted about last Thursday’s mini-mobility/core workout, so I will do that right now!

The Exercises:

Up/Down Dog Flow

Child’s Pose

Hi Plank with Knee to Outside of Elbow (lunge position) Stretch
Hi Plank with Knee to Inside of Elbow Stretch

Feet Wide, Hands on Floor with 1-Arm Reach to Ceiling (not sure what to call it, so there ya have it, lol)
Shift Across, Opposite Hand on Foot, Arm to Ceiling

Sliding Scapular Reaches using Valslide

Sliding Hi Plank Knee Drives (to Inside, to Opposite Elbow, to Outside, Sweep) using Valslide

Miniband Lateral and Forward/Backward Walks

Wave Squats

T-Roll on Elbows without Foot Pivot

Renegade Row + Scap Pushup & Slight Rotation

Now, these are just demonstrations of the exercises I did.  If you’re interested in specific reps/sets/etc, drop me a line.  I do online coaching and program design and have worked with hundreds and hundreds of clients over the past 14 years.  If you’re wanting to know which exercises are best for you, and WHY i’m prescribing them for you, you need me!  Remember, there’s always a reason behind every exercise.  Many trainers randomly pick exercise junk out of nowhere, throw it together, and call it a “workout.”  I say that’s lame.

Also…in the near future, you may just be seeing a NEW “Outside the Box” Training site, complete with an even better “members only” login page where you can access all sorts of great stuff.  I’ve been told that I give away too much for free, and I realize this.  This is just how I do things, but…I will be testing out a paid-access option for those who are interested.  This means more interaction with your’s truly, as well as individualized coaching.  You can get it for $895 a month!  Ready to sign up?  Kidding, folks…well, kidding about the price!  It will be nowhere near that!  What do you think?  Do you think I give away too much info?  I, for one, can’t stand it when so-called “experts” claim they have “secrets” to this or that…I think it’s stupid!  More often than not, the “secrets” these fools are trying to make you believe you need are NOTHING NEW!  People appreciate the fact that i’m real and put it out there.  I don’t plan on losing this, as this is just the way I do things, but I do want to offer more if I can!  Stay tuned.

Also…stay tuned for my interview with The Biggest Loser’s Mike Morelli!

I’ll be back tomorrow with a recap of Friday-Monday…workouts and fun!

Y’all rock!

S