who has the time to workout?

Who has the time to work out?

As we have all know, the key to getting fit is consistency: eat well and exercise, both on a regular basis. For most busy people, time is the number one reason for their lack of exercise. Time can be a very real excuse, but the reality is we probably won’t be less busy anytime soon. Relationships, jobs, and kids will still be there. It will probably all get more complicated as time goes on. So, it isn’t realistic to say “I will start exercising after (insert excuse).” It is vital to step back and take a look at your life and find ways to fit physical activity into it, despite how busy it is.  Here are a few great ways to do this that can work for you!

1. Keep it short: a highly efficient workout can be completed in 30 minutes or less. Focus on exercises that work multiple muscle groups. Perform movements that will provide the best bang for the buck (deadlifts, squats, pushups, and pull-ups, just to name a few). Focus on the workout, work hard for 30 minutes and move on with your busy life!

2. Combine cardio and strength: there is no need to do 30 minutes of cardio after a lifting session. It is highly efficient to combine the two. Supersets (2 exercises back to back with little or no rest in between) or circuits (multiple exercises back to back with little or no rest in between) are a great way to incorporate cardio into your strength training program. Cardio is anything that raises your heart rate. Performing multiple exercises back to back will elevate your heart rate if done at a high intensity. There are many recent studies that show performing cardio in short intense bursts is more efficient than long steady cardio sessions. Not only will this combine cardio and strength training, it will help keep the workouts short!

3. Find a workout buddy: a big complaint busy people have is they don’t have time to exercise because they prioritize socializing. Working out with a friend or a significant other is a great way to stay fit while keeping in touch with friends. Taking a class with your wife or meeting a friend at the gym can also be a great motivator to stick with a workout program. It is also much healthier than meeting for drinks at happy hour...

4. Get active every day: finding ways to get active in your day to day life is very productive. Take the stairs, go for a walk at lunch, park further away...these are all easy, effective ways to get active daily. These are especially useful if you are not exercising regularly. Once your activity level increases, your energy level will rise and you will feel motivated to get more active.

Daily activity is also a great security system in case something comes up and you can’t get to the gym. At the absolute minimum, you hit your step goal and you got moving during the day. For example, to choose a step goal, track the number of steps you are walking daily. Increase that number by 10% every week until you reach 10,000. This is a solid baseline and a good number to aim for on a daily basis.

5. Get up early: no one likes to hear this one...but if you can’t find time during the day, get up earlier. There is something to be said for getting the workout done and out of the way. All of my clients that have made the change have been happy they have done so. Generally, the clients who train bright and early are the most consistent and see the best results.  No last-minute meeting or work dinner will get in the way of your workout!

It will take a little bit of time, but when it becomes a habit, you won’t think twice about it.

All of us have busy lives. Being busy doesn’t mean it is impossible to get fit and stay fit. The most important thing you can do is have a positive mindset and use your time efficiently. Get active regularly and make small strides towards becoming the best version of yourself that you can be!

Everyone should deadlift.

Everyone should be deadlifting.

It doesn't matter if the goal is building muscle or weight lose, Young or old. Of course there are medical issues that will force modifications to the movement.

The deadlift is a functional, complete movement that should be included in your workout routine in some capacity. The movement works many large muscle groups all at once, therefore making it highly efficient for building strength as well as increasing your metabolism, which then promotes weight loss. A heavy deadlifting session can also help increase testosterone and decrease cortisol.

The problem is it isn't like a curl. You can't just load the bar and go for it. Form and technique are of the upmost importance. When done incorrectly it can wreck havoc on your back. Sometimes paying for it years later.

The number one priority is to move the weight while maintaining good form and protecting the back.

The first image is a common sight in the gym; the other is not, unfortunately. I see a guy like the one in the first photo at least once a week. He is usually in his 30’s or 40’s and thinks he is the strongest man alive. He likes to yell when he lifts so everyone can see just how strong he is! He stands with locked knees, a rounded spine and his head pulled up. This is everything that shouldn’t be done when performing a deadlift. All this guy is getting out of this lift is a degenerated spine and some herniated discs. This guy will, at some point, pay for this with back issues.

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow…but someday.

He would get far more benefit from the movement by dropping the weight and doing them well.

The proper technique:

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart with shins about an inch from the bar.
• Reach down and grab the bar. I like to use an overhand grip. Many like a mixed grip. It can help you lift more weight however,  I feel it can cause some imbalance issues down the road, but its preference.
• Stick your hips back and up until you feel tension in the hamstrings.
• Pull your shoulder blades down and back.
• Flatten your back and squeeze your core, gazing straight ahead maintaining a neutral spine.
• This is a very tense position. You should feel tension in your upper back, hamstring and hip flexors
• From this tight position drive your hips forward, don’t think about pulling the weight up. Just drive your hips forward. The weight will go up on its own. If it doesn’t, take some weight off.
• If at any point in the movement you feel back pain, STOP! You are most likely doing something wrong.
• Let me back track a little bit here. As I mentioned before; it takes hip, hamstring and back mobility, core strength and stability to be able to do a deadlift well. There are some exercises you should master before attempting a deadlift with any weight.

Hip flexor/hamstring dynamic warmup.

Make sure to squeeze the glute as you slide your hips forward and squeeze your quad as you reach for your toe

Hip hamstring mobility exercise

Make sure the quad is tight and active for the entire movement. Keep that leg as high as you can. Keep your shoulders on the ground as you rotate back and forth,

Bridges

Be sure to squeeze your glutes (not your hamstrings) when driving the hips up. Keep your shoulder blades pulled down and back and push through your elbows.

Plank

Keep your glutes and core tight throughout the exercise. Build up to at least 1:00 before you try to deadlift.

Side plank

Keep your glutes and core tight throughout the exercise

Superman

Think reach your hands up and forward as far as you can and your feet upand back as far as you can

Wall RDL

Now we are starting to do something that resembles an deadlift (kind of)

• Keep your feet about a foot from the wall
• Squeeze your core like someone is about to punch you in the stomach and pull your shoulder blades together and down
• Think as if you're pushing the wall back with your hips. Your tail bone should be on the wall, not your pelvis or lower back.
• As you lower your chest you should feel tension in your hamstrings.
• When you get maximum tension bring your chest back up
• Maintain a tight core through, there should be no movement in your core/lower back area.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

• Start with no weight then add a kettlebell or barbell as you get comfortable with the movement
• Start standing shoulder width apart
• Shoulders pulled back and core tight
• The movement is just like the RDL off the wall. Push your hips back until you feel tension in hamstrings
• A common mistake I see, is people will get to maximum hamstring tension and then keep leaning forward to get more depth. Don’t! The depth will come with time.
• When you feel tension drive your hips forward to come back up.
• Again, keeping your core tight and shoulders pulled back.

Deadlift off blocks

• The last step is to perform the deadlift steps off blocks
• Start with the bar elevated. As you get comfortable with the movement lower the blocks until you are lifting off the floor.

Now that you understand how to properly build up to and perform a deadlift, take your time and go at your pace. It isn’t a race. You are better off doing it light and right than heavy and wrong.

I hate commuting

I hate commuting; between going into the city from long Island to taking the subway from client to client, it adds up to about 20 hours of traveling per week.

I'm not here to complain; I love what I do. It's rewarding and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. Instead, I’m here to touch upon a little solution I found to make those dull, extensive trips more bearable and productive, and to explain how it relates to well-being. 

For years, I would use those 20 hours of travel time to listen to mindless sports talk radio, or just watch people on the subway (disclaimer: the subway isn’t the place to people watch…some things you just can’t unsee!).

I regularly told myself “I don’t have time to read or learn more!”, which is crazy- because if you think about it, those 20 hours I spend commuting are equivalent to working a part time job. Once I made learning a priority, I made better use of my time. 

I started listing to audio books and subscribing to podcasts. I used my down time efficiently. It didn’t take much effort- just a bit more organization.

I read (listen to) a lot of books on personal and business development, biographies, fitness, and nutrition. For example, some of my favorites are "4 hour work week”, “4 hour body”,”Born to Run”, “10% happier”, “The Tipping Point”, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, ”Steve Jobs”, ”Sam Walton: Made in America”, “The Power of Habit”, and “Outliers".

I try to use the app “Hoopla” to listen to them; it connects to your library card, and you can access books and audio books for free. However, it doesn’t contain many titles. Thus, I usually use Audible to buy audio books. If it's made in audio book, they always seem to have it! 

This makes it super convenient to focus on while commuting. No excuses, right?

On top of the audio books, there are a bunch of podcasts I listen to regularly. Here are a few I like: "The Tim Ferris Show", "How I Build This", "Eventual Millionaire", and "This American life" (depending on the topic). 

If you have any book or podcast recommendations, I'm always looking for something new. I love spending those 20 hours commuting like this; the audio books and podcasts relate to the things that I love- fitness, health, and business. Not to mention, they're very enlightening and teach me a ton, so I feel much more productive.

There are always ways to better yourself and become the person you want to be. When it becomes important enough, the time is found.

I have been working with clients for more than 10 years. In that time, I have learned that no one person (including myself) can make anyone change. Real life change must come from a genuine place, and not until they are truly ready.  Success will be achieved when the decision has been made and the effort is put in. I am not saying there is a switch, and that when you flip it you’ll magically become a different person. Self-improvement of any kind is a process; there will be ups and downs. Keep moving forward and make small changes that bring you closer to your goals.

I have had struggles in the past with committing to change, and still do. Think about why you want it. The reason for doing anything must be powerful enough to outweigh the initial discomfort. 

Figure out what’s important, and go get it. 

I was injured by an 8 year old.

Injuries suck, Even the most minor injury can derail progress.

Last weekend my family and I went to my parent’s house in Connecticut. By family I also mean my sisters and their kids, which makes a total of 10 kids running around. It was a great weekend, and I love playing with them. I pride myself on being the fun uncle. On Sunday, an intense game of soccer broke out. My super competitive 8-year-old niece tried to steal the ball and kneed me in the calf. A couple of hours later it blew up and I could barely walk. Strange injury, but it happens

Safe to say deadlifting, squatting, and running is out this week. I have been focusing on upper body and core work. Not going all out, it’s not worth the risk of making anything worse. The priority was just to stick to my routine and stay active.

I have seen this type of thing happen many times before. Something interrupts a great routine and off the wagon you fall. Once you fall off it can be tough to jump back on.

It isn’t always injury that causes this back slide. It can be anything that interrupts the routine. You or the kids getting sick, a business trip, vacation, a schedule change, a busy time at work, moving, really any additional stress.

In order to avoid this, your routine has to be rock solid. Understanding the importance of a routine and doing everything you can to keep it intact is paramount to success. I am not a drill Sargent, I understand stuff happens. Be aware that when the routine is broken for whatever reason you have to get back into it quickly. An object at rest tends to stay at rest, an object in motion tends to stay in motion. This isn’t just true with the laws of gravity.  The longer you are Inactive, the harder it is to get moving again. I am sure many of you can relate, I know I can.

My wife is a teacher so when the school year ends I struggle with this most. A few years ago, I was preparing for a personal training certification. Everything was going great. I was studying daily, I had developed a great routine. Clients in the morning, workout, study, come home. Then when her school year ended, I wanted to hang out with my wife more and the wheels fell off. I thought “I’ll just study later, it will be fine”… I didn’t open a book for months. I did finish the certification, although it happened 6 months later.

There is nothing wrong with spending more time with my family, I just should have handled it differently. Even if I altered my routine, reduced the study days of amount of time I was doing it. Something would have been better than nothing.

When you suffer an injury or setback make sure to stick with your routine.  Your program might not be exactly what you want it to be, but making sure you hit the gym as planned will help maintain the consistency you have worked hard to develop. If your doctor tells you to shut it down and stop working out for a while, of course you should listen. Just be aware you are going to have to make it point to get moving again when you are well enough. Good habits are everything. If you aren’t careful bad habits can creep on you.

Spring is finally here!

It's finally getting nice out in the Northeast. After being stuck inside for the past 5 months, it’s time to get outside and get moving. This time of year always makes me appreciate the warm weather and realize maybe my brother was onto something moving to California...

After being stuck in the gym all winter, it also gives me an itch to change up my workout program. 

Do you feel lost with your workout routine? Do you go to the gym and float around without any goals, or just don’t know what to do even if you do have specific body changing goals?

We all go into these lulls; I can assure you, it happens to me too. 

A great way to combat the monotony is to train for an event. Pick something that interests you, register for it, find a training program, and start training. Make sure to choose something that will be a challenge for you. Running a 5k when you already run 15 miles per week probably won’t be much of a challenge. A race that will require 3-6 months of training is a great choice. It will keep you focused and striving for a goal. It can also help you accomplish weight loss goals as a happy side effect.

I don’t run much from November to March- it's too cold to run outside in NY, and I don’t like treadmills; they make me feel like a hamster. When the weather gets warm I like to train for obstacle races (tough mudders or spartan races). It mixes up my training and gets me running outside, which is always welcome during these warmer months.

 There are so many options to choose from. Runs, obstacle runs, biking events, weight lifting competitions, triathlons...just to name a few. Choose something that sparks your interest and run with it. 

Pick something, get outside and start moving!