C. Fluck Training: 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Twas the Night Before Christmas

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the gym
Men and women worked out, looking healthy and slim.
Kettlebells were swinging, shiny ones at that,
Strong hips were snapping, getting rid of some fat.

Butts squeezing tight, abdominals braced,
Cement your heels to the floor, and relax your face!
Keep your chest open, it’s a hinge, not a squat.
Sit your hips back, is that all you’ve got?

Chris in his hoodie, Sam in her fleece,
Kept the morning class going, while thinking,
“Damn, it’s warm on the beach.”
Melissa on the turf, hopping and skipping,
No morning coffee for her, we don't want him tripping.

Bear crawls and pushups, TRX rows, squats and swings,
Michelle loves burpees, among other things.
Ball slams and pull-aparts all get the job done,
Keep working hard, don’t forget to have fun!

The prowler it sat, with weight plates abound,
In hopes someone strong would push it around.
The finisher was coming, the end was so near,
Chris got the ropes out, before they all disappeared.

He set the timer, with rest time included.
Huffing and puffing, they didn’t dispute it.
The music was loud, the atmosphere energetic,
He whistled a tune, unapologetic.

A quote on the whiteboard inspired them all,
“No B.S. here, once and for all.”
Hard work, determination, perseverance and sweat,
Tom exclaimed, “Don’t you dare give up yet!”

“My message is simple, but bold and to the point,
Build strength in small increments and save all your joints.
Evolution is the solution - plan your New Year’s resolution.
Get strong, then get stronger, there’s no substitution.”

“Strength is a skill, it takes care of all things,
Embrace it and practice it, see what it brings.”
He shouted this to all, then stayed awhile longer,
And left saying, “Have a very Merry Christmas,
and try to get stronger!”

Monday, December 16, 2013

What I've Been Reading

The Miracle of St. Anthony by Adrian Wojnarowski

The story of St. Anthony basketball is an incredible tale that covers so many different layers. St. Anthony's in New Jersey is a school on the brink of financial ruin in a neighborhood mired by decay and crime. Upon entering there is a that reads "You are entering a special and safe place. The streets stop here". Unfortunately for some, these students needed a little assistance. Enter Bob Hurley. Coach Hurley works miracles in this little brick school house. His endless work to keep the school from closing and coaching a national basketball power is profiled in this book.

This book follows the St. Anthony's basketball season for a season with Coach Hurley's most dysfunctional team. I didn't know much about him but one thing I did know was that he was a bit of a hard ass. One of his former players said, "I know if I can get through St. Anthony with Coach Hurley, I can get through anything". His response for riding his players so hard, "If a coach doesn't yell at you, he probably doesn't care about you". On top of the 30+ basketball games his team played, his biggest challenge was to get these boys to understand how important it is to amount to something in life. To separate yourself from the crowd and to be special. It is what every coach wants for his players: to turn them into champions on and off the court. This is a good read for anyone (especially those in the coaching profession).

Coaching Wrestling Successfully by Dan Gable.

Dan Gable is the greatest coach off all-time...in any sport! His record speaks for itself: 15 NCAA Championships, 21 Big Ten Championships, an overall record of 355-21-5 (That is winning 93% of the time), and coached numerous Olympic Gold Medalist. Anytime you get an opportunity to read something by someone who is the best in their profession, you do it. Many coaches tried to study his methods and find out his secret's. Gable's training method has been the secret to his success- outwork them all. Talent is everywhere in this world but a winning attitude is not. Coach Gable strives to teach his wrestlers how to work hard.

If you aren't a wrestling coach I would not buy this book. But if you are interested in the man, read this article.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

This was the most interesting book of the bunch. It is a story of modern medicine meets ethics. The year is 1951 and the story involves a tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks. After a visit to the doctor and Johns Hopkins Hospital, she learned that she had malignant cancer in her cervix. Treatment was started and cell tissues were taken...without her knowledge. The samples were labeled HeLa (abbreviated from Henrietta Lacks). From there these cells were cultured and they became the first tissue sample that continued to grow on their own. Before this, tissue was used from healthy cells and the cells would die shortly after. HeLa cells continued to grow and demand for them went soaring. Scientists were interested in running tests on these mass produced HeLa cells and were willing to pay a price. All the while her family had no clue that all this was going on. They had no idea her cells were used to find a polio vaccine or used in cancer research. Henrietta's cells were being sold and yet her family could not even afford doctor visits. Great book, add it to your holiday wish list!

We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Iraqi People by Peter Van Buren

Sun Tzu: Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.

Peter Van Buren was part of a reconstruction team in Iraq set to improve the quality of life in Iraq. He loved the warrior but hated the war that we were in. His mission was to use his team to create ways to improve Iraq. The problem was this: just because something worked in America, doesn't mean it would work elsewhere. Van Buren discusses various projects that his team attempted to improve and the vaste amounts of money spent on these projects. The major decisions were made by individuals sitting in an office and not out in the desert sweating with the locals. It was a so so book, had to take a break from it because it got to be a bit excessive.

Relax Into Stretch by Pavel Tsatsouline

Another informative read by my favorite Russian author. This book gives great explanations on the benefits of stretching, better techniques to use while stretching and how to maximize each and every stretch. The basic premise: the most obvious way to control muscle tension is to relax. Next time you perform a stretch remember this and enjoy the outcome. This book offers great stretches and a few techniques to "trick" your muscles into a new muscle length. If flexibility is an issue, this book could be an eye-opener.

Chris Fluck, CSCS

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Attack the Obstacle

Archimedes: If you give me a large enough lever and a fulcrum on which to place it, I shall move the world

There was once a man born in 1918. His entire world was divided by race. His father died at a young age and all throughout his childhood he heard stories of his ancestors valor during wars of resistance and dreamed of leaving his own mark on the world. As he grew up, he vowed to be the first in his family to go to school. Often times, he was the only native in his class and was tormented for it and even faced expulsion. Still, he yearned to overcome these obstacles and make a difference for his country. After his schooling was complete, he began to leave his mark. Activism that led to change in his racially divided country was his mission. This led to multiple arrests and eventually he was convicted of conspiring against the government. Avoiding a death sentence, his 1964 conviction led to life in a 8 foot x 7 foot jail cell. After 27 years and 8 months in prison, he was released. This man was Nelson Mandela. He went on to win the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for putting an end to apartheid and became South Africa's first democratically elected President in 1994. He became one of the worlds greatest humanitarians up until his death last week.

Like many stories, great obstacles can lead to bigger opportunities. Taking the easy way out is never the answer. If Mandela would have chosen the easy route, the same issues South Africa faced since the 1800's could still be going on today. You might think that with less problems in your life, everything would be easier. That may be true but will your life be better? The answer to that is No! Without challenges, obstacles, tragedies, and failures, our lives would be less, not more. If you want to be more (fill in the blank) you have to overcome the obstacle that is standing in your way. Embracing this will give you the courage to move forward when difficulty eventually knocks on your door! So my challenge to you is this: think of the biggest obstacle holding you back. Pick it, attack it, and pass it. Keep this process up and you will live a fulfilled life! I will leave you with this question: How far are you willing to go to get there?

Chris Fluck

Friday, December 6, 2013

The Big Bang Theory (of Strength Training)

Before you read this article, I want you to ask yourself the following question: have the weights I been lifting improved in recent months? If your answer is no, what is the reason behind it? When you figure out that answer, you will begin to reach new heights in your fitness level. Training simply to "gain a pump" or going through the motions will not get the job done.

Some of you may be asking yourself, why do I need to be strong? For one, weak people get hurt. Strength is the foundation for mobility and stability. Your joints were made to withhold stress, and the more stress (weight) your joints can comfortably handle, the better. Crank up the weight a little bit and your joints will thank you. Secondly, weak people are less powerful. Power is force divided by time. Power is how quickly you can make use of your strength. As we age, our power output diminishes. This causes us to "lose a step" and as we get into our older years, forces us to move at a zombie-like pace. If you don't have strength, you can't have power. Thirdly, for those training for aesthetic reasons, weak people struggle to put on mass. You can talk about volume all you want but small muscles don't stay small if you lift big weights. The list can go on but I think you get the drift.

You may ask yourself, "how do I get strong"? That answer comes in the form of the big-bang lifts. I am talking about squatting, dead-lifting, benching and overhead pressing. In recent years these lifts have gotten a bad rap. Rather than blame the exercise, take a look in the mirror. For one, I would look at your movement capacity. As Dan John once said, "Squats don't hurt your knees- how YOU squat hurts your knees!" If your body can not perform the squat pattern properly without weight, adding 185 pounds to your back will only increase your risk for injury. If you need help, find a good coach. That way, the coach can help you set-up the lift properly and give you verbal cues as you perform the lift. The set-up is the foundation and if you rush through it, or are not paying attention, you will not be successful!

Now on to the method. I am currently using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program. This is the ultimate strength routine that can be added to any fitness program. The plan is simple: Workout One you do 3 sets of 5 reps; Workout Two you do 3 sets of 3 reps; Workout Three you do three sets of 5 reps, 3 reps & 1 rep; Workout Four you do 3 sets of 5 at a light weight to "unload" and give your muscles a chance to recover. If you lift absurdly heavy weights every session, it'll burn you out so workout four is important and do not skip it! I currently lift three days a week and spread the big-bang lifts over 4 training sessions. So one week, I do not perform a big-bang lift. For example, Monday is Deadlift, Wednesday is Military Press, Friday is Front Squat, Monday is Bench Press, Wednesday is Deadlift, and so on. These lifts are to be performed first as they involve large muscle groups and multiple joints. Once you complete the lifts, move on to your workout and get in the other lifts that you deem necessary!

Need some help putting it all together?
Getting support often times make the difference between success and failure. My CFT Plan is designed to get you on your way to reaching new heights. The time to create a new you is NOW!

Chris Fluck

Thursday, November 28, 2013

The +1 Principle

It does not matter who you are what you do, there is always one area in life that you can make a change for the better. This article will focus on the health and fitness aspect of life but can be applied to all areas. The idea of "+1" was inspired by reading an article by Mike Robertson. He asked his followers to adhere and now I will be doing the same. The principle is simple: whatever you are doing right now, add one small thing to your program and reap the rewards!

The purpose of +1 is to get you doing something on a day you typically would not. So if your the person who has terrible conditioning, instead of taking a "rest" day, make your way to the gym and do some interval work or do some circuit training. Your body will thank you later! Or lets say you love banging the weights but put no effort into joint mobility or flexibility, sign yourself up for a yoga class. I recently started going to Bikram yoga in Bethlehem and it is 90 minutes of exercise that I would never do on my own. And for that, I appreciate the challenge (even though it whoops my butt). Or you are that endurance athlete who can't get enough of cardiovascular training. Instead of running, find yourself a gym and get in some strength training. Not only will it benefit your body composition and boost strength, but it will be less time intensive and a little more healthy on your joints! Lastly, lets say you workout 3-4 days per week and want to add another day, do something fun! Keep the intensity low and act like a child.

For most of us, doing "just enough" is commonplace. We do what we do as we are all creatures of habit. And because of that, we often complain about how we stopped making progress or are struggling to hit your goals. This is the purpose of the +1. Small changes in your fitness routine can make profound differences! If you are looking to spruce up your current routine, come check out one of my classes at WarriorFit Performance. They are uptempo, fun, and most importantly, something you would not do on your own!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Chris Fluck, CSCS

Adult Group Training Schedule
Sunday 8 am: Mud Run Training
Monday 9 am: Kettlebell Training
Tuesday 7 pm: Kettlebell Training
Wednesday 9 am: Crank It Up Conditioning
Friday 9:00 am: Kettlebell Training

Saturday, November 23, 2013

The Mysterious DOMS

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common side effect of physical activity. DOMS does not discriminate. It can show up in individuals ranging from Olympic athletes to the weekend warrior. This soreness is the bodies response to unfamiliar or vigorous activity. Many consider DOMS to be a great indicator of training effectiveness and it is necessary for every training program. I am not one of those people!

So what causes DOMS? We do not know for sure what causes it. There is a common perception that DOMS has something to do with lactic acid. That is not the case. Lactic acid is a by-product of exercise (like your legs burning as you bicycle uphill) and not the cause of pain following exercise. DOMS appears to be a product of inflammation caused by microscopic tears in connective tissue. So when your muscles are hurting after a workout, it does not have anything to do with "lactic acid buildup", but rather your muscles are literally damaged.

A general rule for Delayed onset muscle soreness is that it becomes evident about 6-8 hours after an exercise session and peaks at approximately 48 hours post exercise. These times are highly variable and some pain may even last up to 72 hours post-exercise. Pain associated with DOMS has been shown to negatively effect training. A damaged muscle can be tender, stiff, swollen and up to 50% weaker until it is healed. This impairs your ability to train at a high level as your movement patterns are effected and researchers speculate that this could reduce your motivation to train. If your goal is to make improvements every time you begin a training session, exercise induced muscle damage is your worst enemy. If you are on a quest for DOMS, you are putting yourself in position for a lackluster workout.

There is a belief that DOMS follows an inverted U-shaped curve. The logic of the inverted-U curve is that the same strategies that work really well at first stop working past a certain point. So lets say on day one of your workout, you do 3 sets of 12 pushups. That strategy seemed to work for the most part so you decide to double the amount of sets for workout two. Instead of doing 3 sets you do 6 and the result of that will be sore pecs for days on end. Your strategy worked day one but it hit a certain point on day two and negatively effected your training program. This indicates a failure to plan. There is no logical progression and that is a dumb idea if you need to maximize your training potential. (This is why I am not a big believer in "shocking the body" regularly or "planned randomization"). The key to controlling DOMS can be found in general progression and training consistency. Now if you repeat that workout a few more times, the soreness will dissipate. This is known as the repeated bout effect. When you repeatedly do the same exercises, you "strengthen connective tissue, increase efficiency in the recruitment of motor units, greater motor unit synchronization, a more even distribution of the workload among fibers, and/or greater contribution of synergistic fibers". So if you do a workout and it gets you pretty sore, repeat that workout the next week and I can almost guarantee you that the soreness will not be as bad as the previous week.

Is DOMS necessary? Who really knows. I have had success training with it and without it. One thing I know for sure is that you cannot use it as an indicator for progress. DOMS does not mean a thing if you are not getting stronger or adding additional lean muscle mass to your body. Progress comes from the adaptations from training (this is the period between workouts), not during the training session itself. A workout should always give you more than what it takes out of you!

Hope you enjoyed,
Chris Fluck

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Obesity: A Terror Within

The statistics are well-known: a full two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. In the past 30 years, childhood obesity has tripled. As a result, today's children may be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. The need of achieving good health is sky high yet very little is being done to combat obesity. How is this so? Maybe it is time to take matters into our own hands!

Obesity is the result of inappropriate lifestyle choices. We have an activity problem in this country. To put it simply, "the soul of the nation is sapped by sitting in a cubicle". When you are sitting, your muscles are as silent as a library. You need to get up and get moving. Little things like taking the stairs, jogging to the water cooler, bustling through your chores and fidgeting at work make a difference. The American Cancer Society conducted a study and the results were frightening. Men who spent six hours or more per day had an overall death rate 20% higher than men who sat for 3 hours. For women it was 40%! If that is not reason enough to get you up and moving, than that is a YOU problem!

When you combine inactivity with improper nutrition, you have yourself a perfect storm. Conventional diets and health recommendations are off the mark and are attributable to our flawed diets. The old adage that "a calorie is a calorie" is false and could be the cause of your lack of health. YOU ultimately control the calories that you eat. 1,000 calories of cake and 1,000 calories of broccoli have the same arbitrary caloric value but the metabolic effect will be entirely different. One can lead to diabetes and the other can lead you to a six-pack. The calorie is not what makes you fat. You get fat because YOU eat the wrong kind of calories. Below I give some general recommendations on diet and tips to follow everyday. These tips may not be for everyone!

MY CFT FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Nuts, avocados: 1-2 servings.

2. Fats, oils: 2-4 servings.

3. Dairy: 2-4 servings.

4. Fruit: 2-4 servings.

5. Starchy foods: 2-4 servings.

6. Low-starch vegetables: 3 or more servings.

7. High-protein foods: 4-8 servings.

Here are few quick tips I have learned along the way:

1. Eat three main meals and two or three snacks per day. Consume protein at every meal

2. This is one of the greatest tips I can give you: Eat like an adult! That means no lucky charms for breakfast, skittles aren’t a safe alternative to eating fruit and leave the cotton candy for the six year olds!

3. If you want to lose more weight and are struggling, replace grains with greens. Make a fist. That is your serving size. Eat 1-2 fists full of vegetables at each meal and watch the weight drop! If replacing grains with greens doesn’t get you the results you want, save the fruit consumption until after you exercise. Fruit contains fructose which can make it more difficult to lose body fat.

4. Hydration is important but remember we are not camels. We cannot store water for extended periods of time. If you are thirsty, drink. Any excess will leave the body through urination. Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum!

5. Do not avoid fats. They are essential. Eat the right kind of fats, including nuts (such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts), avocado, olive oil and nut butters

6. Before and after your workouts, combine carbohydrates and protein for optimal recovery. Post-exercise nutrition should have a 3:1-4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. If you are struggling with this aspect, break recovery into these stages: immediately before exercise; during exercise; 30 minutes immediately following exercise; a period equal to the duration of the preceding exercise session; long-term (this is post-exercise recovery proceeding the next stage 1). Make small improvements in each of these areas and over time, you will find what works best for you!

7. Be happy with your success and remember that that is always the objective. Be proud but always keep your eye on the ultimate goal: improved overall health. You don’t have to celebrate every success with pizza, cheesesteaks, brownies and booze.

NOW is always a perfect time to take action. If you need someone to nudge you along the way, My CFT Plan will make the difference and get you moving in the right direction!

Hope you enjoyed!

Chris Fluck, CSCS

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Perfect Compliment

To anyone who has read my posts or heard me speak on fitness, you all know that there is a bit of a strength bias at C. Fluck Training. Strength is the glass and the bigger the glass, the more you can fill that glass with other skills. Because of that, I place an emphasis on old fashioned strength training. A few months ago I began searching for something new to compliment my training program. The more I read, there was one implement that kept coming up over and over. That tool was the kettlebell.

The kettlebell was developed by Russian strongmen in the 1700's. It hasn't been a huge part in American training until recently, where now the kettlebell is one of the trendiest things in fitness since the protein shake. Why is the kettlebell so great? How much time do you have? For one, the KB amplifies your power endurance. This is your ability to produce power movements over an extended period of time. With proper weight, these fast muscular contractions will make your heart feel like it wants to jump out of your chest. Because of the time component performing the exercise, your grip and forearm strength will be challenged. Add in the odd design of the bell and your body has to contend with a constantly changing center of gravity. When you mix all this up in a pot, you are able to reduce your overall training time, improves cardio-respiratory fitness, and bridge the gap between strength training and conditioning. (One study revealed that a 20 minute workout performing kettlebell swings will burn 20.2 calories per minute. That is equal to running a 6 minute mile pace!)

That is all fine and dandy but how are you supposed to know how to use these odd bells? Technique is number one if you intend on maximizing your training and saving your body from injury. Search the internet and you can find terrible technique by "fitness experts" explaining the benefits of the KB. So if you plan on doing it on your own, be careful. Get quality advice whenever you have a chance. If you want to perform these moves under the guidance of a professional, I run classes every week. Feel free to join anytime. Bottom line is this: kettlebells provide one helluva workout. If your goal is to burn fat, increase power endurance, and get strong, then the kettlebell is for you!

Chris Fluck, CSCS

Monday, October 28, 2013

The Time is NOW!

New behaviors are tough to get going. Often, we tell ourselves that the time is not right. We hold off on starting new projects, learning new skills, improving our diet, or beginning a new exercise program. Why are we always waiting for the perfect time? Doing so prevents us from growing, thriving and reaching greater heights. Waiting for the perfect time is an "all-or-nothing" approach and when we do this, we tend to get more of nothing.

I hate to be the one to tell you but there is no perfect time to make a positive change in your life. And sorry to burst your bubble but no one is going to give it to you either. So revise your expectations. There is no perfect time. You are going to have to make it happen on your own. Those that reach their goals go out and do something, anything really. It is not because they wait for that perfect time, it is because they create it. They understand that it is going to be a process. They understand that they aren't going to be a master by day three but if they stick to the plan, they can be a master by day three thousand. They avoid things that sap energy or divert focus. Constant, daily improvement is the focus and in order to do that, you have to do one thing: START.

The moment of starting will be the hardest. You have to get through this resistance. Resistance doesn't mean that it is not going to work. All that it means is that you have started, and it is time to show some grit and get through this perseverance. One positive moment will lead to another moment, and that moment leads to another, and before you know it, you are well on your way to reaching your goals. So give it time, push through, and get it done.

The goals we set are going to help us stay focused. There are two types of goals: intrinsic and extrinsic. An extrinsic goal would be to lose 15 pounds for your best friends wedding. An intrinsic goal would be to begin a workout routine to improve health. Ample research in behavioral science shows that those who set extrinsic goals may reach their goal, but will often revert back to their previous norm when the target event is over. And those who pursue intrinsic goals- like getting fit to feel good or for their family- tend to make slower initial progress but achieve significantly better results in the long run. As Olympian Sebastian Coe once said, "Throughout my athletic career, the overall goal was to be a better athlete than I was at that moment- whether next week, next month, or next year. The improvement was the goal. The medal was simply the ultimate reward for achieving that goal". So before you go to sleep each night, ask yourself this simple question: Was I a little better today than yesterday?

Need some help getting started?
Getting support often times make the difference between success and failure. My CFT Plan is designed to snap us out of that "all-or-nothing" mentality and give you that nudge in the right direction. The time to create a new you is NOW!

Chris Fluck

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

MY CFT PLAN

"Your System for Success"

Did you ever wish you could have a professional develop your fitness program? How about constant feedback and advice from a strength coach to guide you and push you in the right direction? If the answer is yes, then this plan is for you!

My CFT Plan is created to get you in the best shape of your life! If you are truly ready to make that happen, I will be there with you every step of the way. Here is how it works:

Contact me for application information
Schedule and complete an assessment
I will use the assessment information to create a program tailored to YOU!
Each month(s) you will receive a new training program and receive constant support via email!

This plan is designed for the individual who needs the guidance and accountability of working with a fitness professional. The workouts will be available for you 24/7. The clients who succeed the most are the clients who communicate the most!

It is time to make the best version of YOU! Give yourself a gift and sign up today!

Testimonial: Killer workouts! More people need to get into this CFT Plan. I felt more accountable for this workout because it came from you and know it will push me in the right direction. Thanks again!

CFT REFERRAL PROGRAM

I would be nowhere without my loyal clients and I'd like to thank you for spreading the word. As a "thank you" for your referrals, I offer you the following program:

For your first referral, you will receive a free assessment. This will include baseline testing, goal setting and any additional advice or recommendations that will help you reach your goals! Assessments usually run 30-45 minutes.
Any additional referrals, you will earn a $15 credit per referral to be used towards any CFT services! This credit can be used towards classes, personal training, and My CFT Plan!

This referral program is for personal training only and will run through Dec 31, 2013.
To qualify, the referred client must purchase two or more training sessions

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Recovery 101

This past weekend, Runners World Magazine held their annual event in the Lehigh Valley. Seeing all the Facebook posts about setting personal records and completing this race and that race, it got me thinking a little bit about the importance of recovery. I came across a great article on the precision nutrition website and wanted to share some additional thoughts that I have learned along the way.

There is such a wide variety of workout options but one thing holds true no matter what you do: improvements in fitness does not occur during the workout session, it occurs in the periods between training sessions. Our body adapts to the stress of exercise while at rest. Think of training as a withdrawal from your bank account. The harder you train, the bigger the withdrawal. The only way to replenish those funds is with rest and recovery. Without it, you are working at a deficit and your bank account goes into debt. When this excessive training occurs on a short-term basis, it is called overreaching. This is the more common and milder form of overtraining. Signs of overreaching are low energy, 'meh' workouts, sore and achey muscles or joints, minor or nagging injuries, not feeling 100%, catching minor bugs, feeling run down (I hope you get the idea). When this occurs over the long term, over training will inevitably occur. The time course for over training greatly depends on the individual but it is much more serious. When over training occurs, you will experience loss of strength, chronic joint and muscle pain, change in mood, sleep disruptions, immune problems, hormonal suppression, altered resting heart rate, and the list goes on. Below I will list a few of the common ailments that I come across every week in the fitness world and how to address them!

Problem One: Feeling tired and not being able to bring yourself to train. This is a sign of not giving your body adequate time to return to the norms. If this is your problem, take a break. Give yourself 20 minutes each day to relax and shut your eyes, improve your bed time (here are a few tips), take an extra day off, or reduce the volume of training. As Bruce Lee once said, "hack away the unessential". If you are performing exercises or additional sets or reps than your program calls for, that extra energy expended would be better served towards aiding your body in the recovery process. Cut the unessential out of your program and track how you feel. It could make the difference!
Problem Two: Not having the strength to perform exercises that you once had. If this persists over time, you have a serious problem. If the ideas outlined in problem don't help, you may have a nutrition problem. If this is the case, eat more- primarily carbohydrates. The prime time to eat these carbs is before, during and after your workout. Throw in a little protein and you have yourself a nice recovery meal!
Problem Three: I am always getting sore. Soreness and strength gains do not have a positive correlation. Increased incidence in soreness is a sign of poor recovery. This is a huge obstacle towards reaching your goals. Increased soreness decreases your likelihood to workout. The ideal fitness plan is a balanced plan that rarely results in soreness. If this is your problem, review your current training plan or ask a fitness professional for recommendations.
Problem Four: I am always getting sick. If this is your problem and it is persistent, see your doctor. Your training has an effect on your immune system. If your body is constantly fighting off illness, you will not be able to recover adequately from workouts. Get some sleep, reduce your stress and make an effort to improve what you put into your body!

If hard work is all it took, there would be no need for sports science. Excessive training should never be a part of your program. If it is, you better nip it in the butt during the early stages (when it is overreaching) before it becomes a serious detriment to your training and quality of life. Waking up sore and achey is no way to live and are not qualities of a healthy individual. And remember, adaptations to training do not occur during the session, they occur in the periods between sessions. Take this time seriously and reap the rewards!

Thanks for reading!

Chris Fluck

Thursday, October 17, 2013

What I've Been Reading

Non-Fiction:
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan: "No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness". That Aristotle quote couldn't be any more true then in the tale of New York Post writer Susannah Cahalan. What started out as a potential bed bug scare turned into total psychosis. The author, who was also the individual inflicted with the mental illness, literally went mad for over a month of her life. Her memory of the time is almost non-existent. After tons of misdiagnosis, one doctor finally came to realize what was wrong: a disease that was only discovered three years prior. If this would have been a few prior, when the disease was not yet discovered, where would she be today? Most likely a life spent in a mental institution or an early grave. This was one of the most interesting books that I've read all year.

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff: This book is based off a Chinese proverb that reads, "An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break". This story begins in the late 1980's in New York City. During this time, the city was deep into a crack epidemic with no end in sight. One day, a women walks down the street and a young, 11 year old boy asks her for change. She continues walking but something makes her stop. Something makes her turn around and talk to that boy. She took him to McDonald's for a meal and since that day, a relationship was built. A very quick read and amazing story.

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell: Gladwell is hands down my favorite author to read. His books are thought provoking and most, if not all, are on the best seller list. In this book, he somehow manages to connect the David and Goliath tale (which, according to Gladwell, was not as big of a mismatch as one might think) to Civil Rights, Dyslexia, Criminal Activity and a whole slew of other things. I was excited to read this one and it did not disappoint.

Fiction:
The Skeleton Box by Bryan Gruley: This book was my months fiction choice. After a series of burglaries paralyze a small town, a local reporter finds himself in the center of it all. A women was found dead in his Alzheimer stricken mother's house. As it turns out, his mother may know more than she is leading on. There are too many twists and turns in this book to write a coherent summary.

Fitness:
Power to the People by Pavel Tsatsouline: Growing up, my father always used to joke (at least I thought he was) that the Russians never took a day off from training. After reading this book written by a crazy Russian, I don't think my dad was kidding. Below are some of the key points learned from this book:

The commies were not motivated by vitamin sales. They wanted one thing: athletic supremacy
Tension. Learn how to tense your muscles and you will get stronger, bulk free.
The burn you feel is lactic acid buildup and has nothing to do with muscle toning. If you want to feel a burn, like Dr. Fred Hatfield said, "light a match".
There is NO correlation between getting sore and getting stronger
If hard work is all it took to get strong, there would not be such a thing as sports science
Ken Hutchins: By and large, people do not get injured from using too much weight...people get injured because of their behavior with a heavy or light weight.
Pressure near the fleshy part of the palm causes a stabilization response in the upper arm. This will aid in stability in the upper arm, most notably the triceps. Gloves reduce that pressure.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

My kid is slow. Can you help?

It doesn't seem to be a day at the gym until a parent comes in and says "my kid isn't fast enough, we need more agility work". Well, lucky for them our goal is to never make a kid slower. One thing that needs to be addressed is that you can do all the speed work in the world, but without a foundation of strength, you will never see the amount of improvement that is desired.

A quality speed training program depends on where your child is developmentally. No two children are alike. The focus should be placed on stability, mobility and the often overlooked component, strength. If you lack strength you cannot control your body. It is that simple. With each stride you take running, the forces against your body are roughly 4-6 times your bodyweight. So, if your child weighs 100 pounds, the forces against his/her body will be anywhere from 400-600 pounds. What does that mean? Your child is at an increased risk for injury. As Brett Jones once said, "absolute strength is the glass. Everything else is what you can put in the glass." Often times, you will not see improvements until the athlete improves their strength. The larger the glass (strength) the more room for improvement. With that being said, strength is not the only answer to speed improvement. Improving mobility and stability around the joints is important. Once you improve these areas, your child will be able to efficiently put more force into the ground on each movement. To review physics, force equals mass times acceleration. Improving force will improve you in any athletic endeavor.

So back to the question at hand: Can you make my kid faster? The answer to that question comes with an understanding that speed is not training in a few sessions, weeks, or monthly blocks. Speed improvement is achieved as part of a comprehensive plan. On one end of the continuum is absolute strength and on the other end is specificity training. Most children spend their time practicing and playing their sport. If you focus on the other end of the continuum (strength training), all other areas will also see an improvement. Contact me for more information on getting your child up to game speed!

Chris Fluck

Monday, September 30, 2013

Sleep: Are you getting enough?

Checking out all these new fitness fads and gimmicks it is amazing to see what great lengths people go to to ensure that they have a structured fitness and nutrition plan. Unfortunately, they forget about the third component: sleep! If your goal is to improve health, performance, and body composition, then quality sleep is your key to success. Good sleep helps our bodies and minds recover, keeps us lean, happy, mentally focused and healthy. Chronically bad sleep increases body fat percentage, screws up hormones, ages us faster, increases the chance of chronic illness, drains our IQ and negatively effects our mood.

In order to get adequate rest, most people need 7 hours of sleep. Unfortunately, 33% of people get under 6.5 hours. It is no wonder why we are all so tired and spend the early part of our mornings looking like we belong on The Walking Dead. Why does this all matter? A 2006 study was used to study the effects sleep has body composition. There were three groups studied: those who slept under six hours, those who slept 7-8 hours, and those who slept 9 or more hours each night. The group that slept under 6 hours per night gained always twice as much weight as those who slept 7-8 hours. Over an extended period of time, getting less than 7 hours of sleep increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and sudden cardiac death. Those who slept more than 9 hours per night had similar body composition outcomes as those who sleep less than 6 hours. With that being said, do not assume that because a little bit of something is good, that more of it is better. Aim for 7-8 hours and your body will thank you!

What is the cause of our lack of sleep? Like previously discussed (Why is Everyone so Tired?), our work schedule may be at fault. Or we can be at fault. Most people lose sleep due to voluntary bedtime delay. We spend time watching television, texting our friends, messing around on our laptops or doing anything else that modern society has introduced to. Finding a suitable sleeping strategy needs to be a part of your healthy living and good nutrition. Below are some factors that should be taken into account for improving your sleep:

Consistency. Having a constant sleep routine (even on the weekends) could allow for a deep, regular sleep.
Lighting. Dim the lights, cover your windows, put your iPhone or other electronics in another room, and cover or dim anything that lights up in the room (ie alarm clock).
Noise. Keep your room extremely quiet or use white noise, a fan or air filter work well.
Relaxation and routine. Create a nighttime routine that tells your body that you are ready to shut it down. De-stress with some gentle movements, reading, relaxation techniques, or do a 'Brain Dump'. Whatever is on your brain, get it out of there and put it down on paper.
Temperature. Most people sleep better when it is cool. Keep your room somewhere between 66-72 degrees.
Nutrition. Keep caffeine (stimulant) and alcohol (depressant) to a minimum. Alcohol may make you sleepy but too much of it negatively effects your quality of sleep. So you may sleep 9 hours after a night of drinking but the quality of that sleep will be low. You should also eat a regular sized meal a few hours before bed. Your body needs time to digest that food. Eating a big meal before sleep may lead to restless sleep because your body will be working to digest on that food in your belly.
Exercise. Exercise regularly but intense exercise before bed might "rev you up" so try to avoid that. A poor night of sleep will negatively effect your next days workout.

So now that we have taken care, it is time to talk about developing a strategy. This is a 24-hour process. A quick explanation of sleep cycles is that a full cycle occurs every 90 minutes. Stage I and II are light sleep stages. Waking up during one of these stages and we feel reasonably good and alert. Stages III and IV are deep sleep stages. The final stage, stage V, is when REM sleep occurs. If we wake up during one of the final three stages, we will feel groggy, sleepy or disoriented. One way to get a better understanding of which stage you wake is by using a Sleep Diary. Take the time to fill one out and it may provide you with the answers to all your sleep problems!

Sleep debt is cumulative. The more nights with inadequate sleep, the greater the likelihood of negative effects. Hours missed need to be repaid if your goal is to optimize your health, performance and body composition. When creating your next meal and fitness plan, take the time to get yourself into a good sleep routine and reap the rewards!

Hope you enjoyed,

Chris Fluck

Saturday, September 28, 2013

40 Day Program 3.0

I spent the past two months attempting the most mundane weightlifting program known to man. It was titled the 40 Day Program (for a better explanation check out 40 Day I, or 40 Day II) and the directions are quite simple: for the next 40 lifting sessions, you will perform the same exercises, each and every session, over and over again. I am not proud to admit that after 32 sessions, I am no longer taking part in the program. I tried like hell to find ways to make it more interesting but couldn't bring myself to continue for another 3 weeks. Here are a few things that I learned from the program:

I saw tremendous improvements early on in the program. Every time I would repeat a workout, I made sure to add weight to the bar. Buyer beware: increasing too much weight between sessions will cause you to "peak" sooner than expected. Once you reach the peak of a cliff, the next step is down so be careful adding too much weight too soon. Stick to 5 pound jumps for the upper body lifts and 10 pound jumps for the lower body lifts until you find a reasonable weight to train at. This brings me to my next point...
If you are someone looking to regain some "lost" strength, I would highly recommend doing an abbreviated version of this program. Pick a few exercises that you would like to improve on and have at it. The only way to master something is with practice and this program exemplifies that. So for 10 or 15 training sessions, repeat the same workouts until you reach your goals and regain some of that strength you may have lost.
Strength is a skill. Performing the same lift over and over enables you to improve on your technique and to steal a phrase from Dan John "grease the groove". Like everything else, the more you do something the better you'll be. With that being said, this program could be beneficial to the novice athlete who is trying to learn how to perform a few major lifts. Through repetition and proper instruction, the novice would see tremendous improvements in weight lifted through improved proprioception.
These workouts should give you more than it takes out of you. Like the directions say, make sure you never miss a rep and stop a set if fatigue sets in earlier than expected. If ou are interested in getting a "pump" or "feeling the burn", then this program is not for you.
Your body will feel good on this program. With proper nutrition to enable recovery, soreness should be limited as your strength increases greatly. If you want pain when you train, forget the 40 day program and learn muay thai.
If I ever plan on doing the program again, I will follow the "same but different" model. What that means is that if you choose bench press as one of your lifts, after 10-20 sessions perform the incline press. That way, if offers a little variety in the hopes of keeping you sane during the training.
As the program progressed I got progressively lazier in regards to cardiovascular training, working on weaknesses, and performing dynamic or static stretches. Advice: if you decide to try this program, work on your weaknesses as you rest between sets, make sure you warm up and cool down, and add in some form of interval training to train the cardiovascular system. Something as simple as 8-16 rounds of tabata training would do the trick!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Chris Fluck

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Paleo Diet for Athletes

The Paleo Diet is a hot topic in the world of fitness and nutrition so I wanted to see what it was all about. The basic premise of the "diet" is that if our hunter-gatherer ancestors did not eat it, neither should we. This excludes grains, legumes, dairy, alcohol and sugar. Instead, we should focus on consuming grass-fed beef, lamb, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables. As a result, author Loren Cordain adds, this type of diet will "lower risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, inflammation, help with weight loss, reduce acne, promotes optimum health and athletic performance". They make it a point to bring up that this is book is about lifestyle change, not a short term diet with a fixed end date. The focus is on consuming quality fats, protein and "adequate" carbohydrate supplies, while cutting the aforementioned foods that were not available during stone age times. I can't help but agree with that.

There is one big takeaway from this book and it is all about recovery. The authors break down recovery into five stages

Immediately before. You should eat 2-3 hours before your endurance event. If you eat 2 hours before, they recommend consuming 400-600 calories. If you eat 3 hours before, you could eat 600-900 calories. Take in mostly carbohydrates, keep the meal low in fiber, and drink to satisfy thirst. Remember, we are not camels. We cannot store water, if we drink too much, we will remove the excess.
During exercise. This should be experimented with during training sessions. For events under 90 minutes the focus should be on hydration. When the event gets longer, it is important to replenish fuel stores. Take in 200-300 calories per hour in an equal distribution every 10-20 minutes. DO NOT consume 200-300 in one drink/snack. Spread it out.
30 minutes following exercise. This is the most critical phase. During this phase, you should replace expended carbohydrate stores, hydrate, provide amino acids for re-synthesis of protein, and replacement of electrolytes. The carbohydrate to protein ratio during this phase is 4:1-5:1.
This period is equal to the exercise session. So if you train for 90 minutes, you will consume calories 90 minutes after your workout or 60 minutes after Stage III recovery. Carbohydrate replenishment remains important and you should continue to use the same carb to protein ratio in Stage III. Make sure you maintain your lean protein intake. Do not skip this phase. If you rush into Stage V from Stage III, your recovery will be delayed.
Long term recovery, this stage continues until the cycle restarts at Stage I. This is where the Paleo guidelines need to be followed. While consuming the lean meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, your body will get adequate amounts of branch chained amino acids (building blocks of protein), trace nutrients and glycogen stores found in nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Why is this important? A healthy athlete, free of colds and ailments, can train more consistently and intensely and thereby improve performance. Your body will be ready to go sooner if you recover quickly and completely. There may be some days where you are tired or might not be able to complete a workout. This is called overreaching. This occurs early in the path to greater fitness. If allowed to continue too long, over training will set in and your performance will be greatly influenced in a negative way.

With books of this nature, if you are able to take 2 or 3 things away from it is a success. On top of the tips on recovery, the goal for me is to make improvements to my diet. The stuff in this book is not rocket science. The tough part is finding a way to implement it into your life consistently. For me, I need to make more time to prep my meals and cook more often. This is something I have always struggled with and I don't enjoy doing it all that much. But it is something that needs to get done. When you cook for yourself, you know exactly what you are eating and how nutrient dense your meal is. When the goal is to improve performance or lose a few pounds, pairing nutrient dense meals with exercise is the best way to achieve that.

I hope you enjoyed!

Chris Fluck

Saturday, September 14, 2013

A Week in the Life of a High School Football Coach

Bill Parcells: My wife said to me once, “Explain to me why you continue to do this? The times that you enjoy it are so much fewer than the rest of the other stuff. What kind of ego do you have that you have to keep proving things to yourself? Why do you do it? You’re not happy, so why do you keep doing it? I told her she didn’t understand. I told her it’s just about competition because my whole life, since I was seven years old, you went to the gym or you went to the playground. It was always ‘who are we playing and where?’ I’m still doing it. Nothing has changed. It’s still, Who are we playing today?

A few short hours ago I sat down and looked at the clock: it read 4:02 pm. I shook my head and then wondered where the heck the day went. This was supposed to be a day "off". Well, as it turns out, there is no off day when the football season is in full swing. It is a never ending cycle of planning, preparation and competition. For those that may not know what coaching high school sports entails, this blog is for you!

Sunday (9/8): After teaching a fitness class I drove down to the school for a meeting with the football coaches. The meeting touches on the previous game, where we need to make improvements, and how we will go about approaching the upcoming week/game. After a few hours of discussion, the meeting ends and we all go home feeling good about the upcoming week.

I coach at a small school where the coaches have multiple roles. I act as an assistant Varsity coach (I coach the quarterbacks and cornerbacks), Junior Varsity head coach/offensive coordinator, and serve as the strength and conditioning coach. With that being said, our first JV game is the following day and I need to get a game plan together for it. 90 minutes later the game plan is set and I am ready to go!

Day Total: 3 hours

Monday (9/9): Game 1 for Junior Varsity. This is one of my favorite days during the season. The young kids get their butts whooped all week at practice and this is their day to shine. I leave for the school at 2:00 pm. From 2:30-3:00 the varsity kids watch film, then it is time to get everything together for the junior varsity game. We depart for Bangor with high hopes for the upcoming season. At half time we have a 26-0 lead and go on to win 40-0. This is the first time in awhile that we not only got a shutout but also hung 40 points on the opponent. I arrive home at 9:30 exhausted and pleased with how well the kids played.

And I will share one thing with you, calling plays on the sideline has to be the toughest thing to do in football. Stress levels are jacked up and you get 100% locked into each and every call. There are so many variables that you have to take in and the 20+ seconds you have to make a decision feels like 5 seconds. You can't even watch the play you called because you are busy getting your next call ready. This is why preparation is key and why you see all these coaches with huge play call sheets on game day. It is much easier planning what you will do on 3rd and 13 in your office than it is on the sideline. And to those "expert play callers" who criticize play calls from the stands or their couch, just remember the coach knows his team a hell of a lot better than you do. Give him a break!

Day Total 7.5 hours
Weekly Total: 10.5 hours

Tuesday (9/10), Wednesday (9/11), Thursday (9/12): Tuesday and Wednesday are our big practice days. Thursday is used as a "walk-through" to go over situations that may arise in the upcoming game. So one day after the JV kids are the stars of the show, they come back to practice with the Varsity and accept their role as getting the older kids ready for the upcoming game. I get to the school around 2:30 for lifting. The JV lifts on Tuesday and Thursday, Varsity lifts on Monday and Wednesday. We then hold practice and leave the school around 6:00 pm. These days fly by and it never seems that we have enough time to get in everything we need to. Our work is done for the week, the following day is game day.

Day(s) Total: 10.5 hours total
Weekly Total: 21 hours

Friday (9/13): So it is Friday the 13th and we are hosting our third game of the season. I get to the school around 4 pm to workout before the game. Around 5:20 our warm-up begins. We run through a variety of things during pregame and before you know it, it is time to play. After a game that felt like a roller coaster ride, we get our second straight win and feel fortunate to leave the field victors. We haven't played our best football yet and I look forward to the day when we put it all together. After the game the coaches go out for a bite to eat, check the scores of the other games in the league and talk about the good and the bad that just happened during the game.

For example, with a little over three minutes to go we are on defense and our opponent is putting themselves in a position to score. A timeout was called and some of the coaches are out there talking things over with the kids. Our head coach is telling them how we are going to defend the next couple plays and one of the kids taps me on the shoulder and says "hey coach, check it out" while pointing at the ground. I look down and see an enormous butterfly lying on the field. I couldn't help but laugh. Instead of listening to how we plan on defending, he finds a butterfly on the ground and makes sure no one steps on it as we break the huddle. Needless to say a few plays later they score and our lead shrinks to 5 points.

I got home around 11:30 and went straight to bed.

Day Total: 7.5 hours
Weekly Total 28.5 hours

Saturday (9/14): Today is used as a day to watch our film from the previous night and also watch film of our opponent. After viewing our game and three of our opponents games I am finally ready to relax. Before you know it, it will be time for bed and the process begins all over again!

Day Total: 4.5 hours
Weekly Total: 33 hours

As you can see, coaching football is a job in itself (albeit a fun one). I am fortunate to have the flexibility in my schedule to do something that I enjoy. It is a job that you can never take for granted and important to enjoy the process as you prepare for the upcoming challenges (injuries, illnesses, academics, discipline, and any other things that high school kids get themselves into). As Bill Parcells said, competition has defined my life since I was 5 or 6. It is still, "who are we playing and where?".

Chris Fluck

Sunday, September 8, 2013

What I've Been Reading

Here are a few books that I have read, or still reading, this past month.

Fiction
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A client at the gym brought in a bag of twenty something books and told me to have at them. This was the first one I chose. I was in need of some fiction and this story was pretty interesting. The main character is a man who has been ostracized by his community for something that happened during his youth. The twists include disappearing children, racism, dead drug dealers, and a creepy snake character with a foul mouth and messed up sense of reality. Once you get past that you learn about a broken friendship and one man getting an opportunity at redemption.

The Fault in Our Stars: This book was given to me by the same man who lent me Geek Love. (If you dont remember my review of that one, here is the link http://cflucktraining.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-ive-been-reading.html). Anyway, this book had my attention. This is a story of teenagers who have been dealt a crappy hand. They make the most of their situation by being sarcastic and making light of each others ailments. The book has the unique ability of making you laugh one second and (nearly) cry the next. In the end, it offers you an opportunity to read about what some young teenagers have to go through and opens your eyes to how good you may have it.

Football
The Essential Smart Football: One of the opening sentences of this book is the reason I chose it, "Learning football is a lifetime endeavor". Just like everything else in life it always seems that there is someone out there who knows more than you or is better than you at your job. And that is what motivates me to become the best coach I can. This book offers a good history of the game and discusses trends and how they came about. Like the book states, "the history of football is essentially the history of ideas meeting talent meeting a moment".

History
City Of Scoundrels: This work of non-fiction is almost unbelievable. The story is about a twelve day period in Chicago that led "gave birth to modern Chicago". In this span, there was a blimp crashing into a bank killing over a dozen, a young girl was kidnapped and found dead, racial violence was at an all-time high and a transit strike that paralyzed the city. Add in some shady political dealings and you have yourself a solid work of non-fiction about Chicago in the early nineteen hundreds.

Fitness
The Paleo Diet for Athletes: Still working on this one. A busy weekend left me very little time to read but it has been informative so far.

Hope you all enjoyed the weekend!
Chris Fluck

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The 40 Day Program 2.0

In the beginning of August I decided to challenge myself with a program that was dubbed "Simple Strength". The premise of it has been previously explained (if you haven't read it, here it is http://cflucktraining.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-40-day-program.html).

Well, I am sorry to inform you that I have failed the challenge. After 22 successful workouts, I failed to comply with the very first rule that was outlined: Never miss a rep. If the set calls for 5 reps, then make sure you get all 5 of those reps with quality technique. The program is titled simple strength for a reason. It should feel somewhat "light". Credit ego or lack of discipline for causing me to try a weight that I couldn't handle for the required rep. Here is a quick run down on how I felt throughout the program so far:

Workouts 1-5: "Wow, they weren't lying. This is simple!"
Workouts 6-10: "Holy crap, I am getting strong!"
Workouts 11-15: "Oh man, doing the same thing everyday kind of stinks!"
Workouts 16-20: "Wow, this is simple but it sure is driving me crazy!"
Workouts 21-22: "Well here we go again..."
Workout 23: "FAIL. Now I have an excuse to stop doing the same thing every day!"

Rob Lawrence once said, "I need specificity to get me strong and variety to keep me sane". That quote is this program in a nutshell. So after workout 23, my immediate reaction was to move on to the next thing. I have a few other programs that I would like to try and was going to take a 1-2 week break from heavy lifting. But after sleeping on it, I realized I can't stop now. So I am going to continue the 40 Day Program. If I go crazy over the next few weeks you will all know why!

To those who wonder how much it boosts strength, here are a few of my best numbers (weight x reps)

Front Squat

Workout One: 225x5 reps
Workout Fourteen: 295x5 reps
Workout Twenty-Three: 315x2 reps

Military Press

Workout One: 115x5 reps
Workout Twelve: 160x5 reps
Workout Twenty: 205x2 reps

Weighted Dead-Hang Pullups

Workout One: 15x5 reps
Workout Twelve: 40x5 reps
Workout Twenty-Three: 70x2 reps

Kettlebell Swing

Workout One: 40x30 reps
Workout Thirteen: 60x50 reps
Workout Seventeen: 70x50 reps

Their is great potential for improvement if you do this program. Even if you just want to regain some strength and not complete the full 40 days, 10-15 workouts should do the trick as you can see. Don't be like me, follow the rules previously outlined and only test yourself on the days you feel good. I made the mistake of "planning" my Tuesday workout a few days in advance. This sounds good until you begin your workout and realize you are not feeling your best. Listen to your body and know when to back down.

I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful morning!

Chris Fluck

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Endurance Exercise: How Much is Too Much?

To all those who dread spending countless hours in the gym, I've got great news for you: less is more. This is not permission to skip the gym or leave without completing a workout. More often than not, the average American needs to workout more. The benefits of exercise are well-known: your heart pumps more effectively; the amount of oxygen in your blood increases; body's immune system is activated; and the number of endorphin's increase which elevate your mood. But just like everything else in life, there is a tipping point. That point is not defined and is different for everyone but when your training sessions gets into 60+ minutes, you should be cautious. Just because a little bit of something is good, doesn't mean a lot of it is better.

Excessive exercise can backfire on you for a variety of reasons. After prolonged bouts of training, your body will run out of fuel sources. When this occurs, your body enters a catabolic state where it will begin breaking down muscle tissue and using it as energy. One other contributor to putting your body in a catabolic state is the stress hormone cortisol. As your exercise session increases, so too does the release of cortisol. Both of these factors have a negative effect on your lean body mass. This is why some endurance athletes are incredibly thin but also have a stomach pouch or no muscular definition. Along with negatively effecting your lean body mass, you may also develop microscopic tears that only heal with rest and if you do not recover properly, it will begin to weaken your immune system. So, if you are working out like crazy and are always hurting or getting sick far too often, it is highly likely that you aren't recovering properly. However, the most serious risk can be damaging your most important muscle: the heart.

High endurance training puts extraordinary stress on your heart. The heart is a muscle and like all other muscles, if it is worked too hard, damage can be done. Some stress is good, but too much stress can lead to serious damage and in some cases death. Need proof? These eight studies may stop you right in your tracks!

According to a study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010 in Montreal, regular exercise reduces cardiovascular risk by a factor of two or three, but the extended vigorous exercise performed during a marathon raises your cardiac risk seven-fold!
In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers recruited a group of extremely fit older men, all members of the 100 Marathon club (having completed a minimum of 100 marathons). Half of the men showed heart muscle scarring as a result of their endurance running—specifically, the half who had trained the longest and hardest. If running marathons provided cardiovascular benefit, this group would have had the healthiest hearts!
A 2011 rat study published in the journal Circulation was designed to mimic the strenuous daily exercise load of serious marathoners over the course of 10 years. All the rats had normal, healthy hearts at the outset of the study, but by the end, most of them had developed "diffuse scarring and some structural changes, similar to the changes seen in the human endurance athletes."
A 2012 study in the European Heart Journal found that long-term endurance athletes suffer from diminished function of the right ventricle of the heart and increased cardiac enzymes (markers for heart injury) after endurance racing, which may activate platelet formation and clotting. Twelve percent of the athletes had detectable scar tissue on their heart muscle one week post-race.
A 2010 study presented by the American College of Cardiology showed that endurance runners have more calcified plaque in their arteries (which also increases stroke and dementia risk) than those who are not endurance athletes.
A 2011 German study revealed a very high incidence of carotid and peripheral atherosclerosis among male marathon runners.
A 2006 study screened 60 non-elite participants of the 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathons, using echocardiography and serum biomarkers. Researchers found decreased right ventricular systolic function in the runners, caused by an increase in inflammation and a decrease in blood flow.
Research by Dr. Arthur Siegel, director of Internal Medicine at Harvard's McLean Hospital, also found that long-distance running leads to high levels of inflammation that may trigger cardiac events.

At rest, your heart pumps out about five quarts of blood per minute. While running, that number goes up to 25-30 quarts per minute. The heart is not designed for this type of volume overload for longs periods of time. This increase in volume stretches the walls of your heart muscle and literally breaks fibers apart. This can lead to scarring. Combine that with how some training plans are for endurance races, and you are constantly overloading the heart on a regular basis. The results of this study show us that it can be assumed that most endurance athletes do not give their heart adequate time to recover. With inadequate rest, the body is in a "post-workout" state and these athletes will have cardiac fatigue. The fatigue is a precursor for heart arrhythmia which can lead to full cardiac arrest. This is why 50 percent of marathon deaths occur in the last mile of the race. The chronic stress is too much and the body cannot withstand it. Even the very first "marathoner", Greek messenger Phidippides, couldn't take the stress. After covering 175 miles in two days he suddenly dropped dead.

Now, keep in mind I am talking about high-endurance events. Do not give up on running and do not throw those running shoes away just yet. Keep your miles to around 20 per week, spread them out over 3-5 days, keep your heart rate steady and allow yourself adequate time to recover. Most important, listen to your body. Do not ignore the signals of distress and get rid of the "no pain, no gain" mindset. Your heart will appreciate it!

This blog is a summary. For more information, check out the following article:
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/08/23/extreme-endurance-exercise.aspx?e_cid=20130823Z1_PRNL_art_1&utm_source=prmrnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130823Z1.

Hope you enjoyed!
Chris Fluck

Saturday, August 24, 2013

What is your Philosophy?

When it comes to fitness, it seems that a large majority of people perform exercises with no real idea on why they do what they do. I fell victim to this problem for a large portion of my life. I just found something that looked cool and gave it a try. When I got bored with it, I found the next idea and repeated the cycle. The problem with that was that I was never able to develop a philosophy, create goals, or assess my progress. Every training program should have a purpose and it is important that you create your own philosophy of training. I am not talking about describing yourself as "a functional trainer" or a "kettlebell guy". A philosophy is ideas, and it is important to develop these ideas regardless of what type of equipment you have available.

Much of my philosophy is influenced from my own experience and learning from others experiences in the world of training. Instead of focusing on how programs differed, I began looking at what these programs all have in common. After a little bit of research I noticed a trend. Most of the knowledgeable strength coaches in this nation were advocates of performing total-body workouts each training session. I began experimenting with this concept myself and began to see great results. As I continued this plan, I struggled with exercise selection. Over time, I was trying to do too much each week, changing up my exercises each workout and this lead to 60+ minutes of training. That was too long for me. I wanted to reach my goals without having to spend tons of time in the weight room. Enter the book Easy Strength. The premise: get the most out of your workout while doing the least amount of work. I learned about specialization and if you want to get good at something, you have to do that something over and over again until your happy with your progress. So, I decided to cut about two-thirds of the exercises out of my training program and began focusing on large muscle group lifts that challenge your entire body from your feet all the way up to your hands. I am talking about power cleans, front squats, military presses, sled pushes, turkish get-ups, etc. When deciding on which exercises to cut out, ask yourself, "if I only had 15 minutes to train and wanted to get the greatest results, which exercise would I choose?" To steal a line from Alwyn Cosgrove, I decided to "TiVo my workout". TiVo allows you to turn a 60 minute television program to a 40 minute program by fast forwarding through the non-essential stuff. Do the same with your workouts. Cut the exercises that aren't necessary, time your rest periods, and get more out of your workout in less time.

Here are some tips on how to start:

Create goals. Write them down, announce them to everyone you know, pick one big one, create a plan with deadlines, celebrate your wins, learn from your losses and enjoy every minute of it.
Figure out how much time you have and build off of that. Be honest with yourself. If you can only consistently get to the gym twice a week for 40 minutes, make sure you "TiVo your workout" and get in some serious work in a short period of time.
Assess your progress. Training philosophies are never ending. Something I wrote today may change six months from now. So change your mind, learn new things and allow your philosophy to evolve!

Chris Fluck

Sunday, August 11, 2013

The 40 Day Program

A few weeks I made the decision to join some friends for a race called Hero Rush. It was at that moment that I decided to cut back on the strength training a bit and put an emphasis on running. As a result, my strength took a bit of a hit. So when I received an e-mail 8 days before the race saying it was cancelled I put the running shoes away and thought about what kind of strength training I will be doing this week. Then it hit me: now is the perfect time to try out this program created by a crazy Russian that goes by the name of Pavel Tsatsouline.

The name is The 40 Day Program but is also known as the Simple Strength Routine. The premise is simple: "to get as strong as possible as easy as possible". To anyone that knows me, this program is right in my wheelhouse. Before I get into the nuts and bolts, I will list a few of the rules:

Never miss a rep. If the set calls for 5 reps, then make sure you get all 5 of those reps with quality technique. The program is titled simple strength for a reason. It should feel somewhat "light".
The Rule of 10. In order to get quality reps, you need to limit the amount of reps performed each set. It has been said that once you get to 5 or 6 reps your technique begins to falter and I honestly believe that. So the rule of 10 states: do not perform more than 10 reps of any lift in the entire workout.
Spend 10-15 minutes on a warm-up. On top of the dynamic warm-up that I typically perform, I added in some foam rolling, tempo runs, monkey bars, rope climbs and started doing some tumbling. I have no future in gymnastics but hitting a couple shoulder rolls, cartwheels and headstands really gets the blood pumping. I then grab a light kettlebell and perform some easy sets of swings, goblet squats and Turkish getups. It looks like a lot but I don't do all of the things each day. I basically do what I feel like to get the blood pumping.

Here is the exercise selection:

A large posterior chain exercise. Deadlift is the right answer here but I chose to do front squats.
Upper body Push: Military press, bench press, incline, etc. I went with the military press
Upper body Pull: Pull-ups and chin-ups are your options here. I chose the pull-up (overhand grip on the bar)
Total body explosive move: The kettle bell swing or snatch is the right call here. This exercise calls for 20-50 reps so performing the Olympic lifts is not wise. The swing is what I decided on doing.
Anterior chain (the abdominal region): I chose the ab wheel here

You will perform these 5 exercises for 40 straight workouts and nothing else. You want to aim for five days per week varying your reps throughout the week. The sets and reps are as follows (remember the rule of 10):

Week One

Sunday: 2 sets of 5 reps
Monday: 2 sets of 5 reps
Tuesday: 3 sets total, performing the following reps 5-3-2
Thursday: 2 sets of 5
Friday: 2 sets of 5

Week Two:

Sunday: 2 sets of 5 reps
Monday: 6 sets of 1 reps
Tuesday: 1 set of 10 reps
Thursday: 2 sets of 5
Friday: 3 sets total, performing the following reps 5-3-2

After completing the first 10 workouts, you then repeat until you reach 40 workouts. Some people who have done the program have reached most of their goals by day 22 so you can do a shorter version of it. I am going to continue this program until my goals are reached. The program is unique and the objective is to never struggle and over time, "nudge" the weights up each and every session. Some days you will feel good and you should cash in on those days. If you're feeling sluggish lighten the load get the workout done. Mood and feel are important and need to be taken into consideration. With that being said, you cannot make a plan for the week because you cant prognosticate how you will feel as the week progresses.

At the end of the sessions I perform some weighted carries (farmers walk, sled pushes, etc), tempo runs (70-75% "sprints") or just stretch. Do one, two or all three of those options. Nothing too taxing but I don't want to ignore that stuff over the 2-3 months of the program. My body has been feeling good so lifting back-to-back-to-back days has not effected anything. Just remember to take it easy, remember the rules, and finish each workout feeling great.

I finished week one and began week two. I am already seeing a steady increase and look forward to seeing where I am at the end of the week.

Thanks for reading,
Chris Fluck

Friday, August 2, 2013

What I've Been Reading

It has been a few months since I posted about some of the books I've been reading so I thought I'd share. I have been trying to get as much reading in before I start coaching football so here is the short list.

Most Bizarre Book: Geek Love. A friend lent this book to me and the moment I read the back cover I couldn't believe I was about to read this crazy tale of a carni family. This book ranks 10 out of 10 on the weirdness scale, without a doubt. It involves a circus family that includes albino dwarves, Siamese twins, babies with telekinetic powers and a leader who is half fish, half human and 100% crazy. There is also some murder and weird body "transformations" that I don't feel is necessary to describe. I think it takes a shot at religion/cults but not totally sure. I was able to finish it with no problems so I have to admit that it did grab my attention.

Most Interesting Story: Lone Survivor. This story brought out a ton of emotions. It is a tale of Marcus Luttrell who is a US Navy SEAL. The story begins with his upbringing, his training, and how he got to where he was in the military. It then gets into one of the saddest days in SEAL history, a mission gone bad with three of his cohorts. It was an operation where the terrain was essentially unknown and turned out to be as bad or worse than anyone had ever dreamed. Their story could be summed up by their philosophy: "I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight". These guys carried never strayed from their philosophy and a movie will be coming out soon. Check out the trailer Lone Survivor!

One thing that really struck a cord with me was his thought process on war: "If you don't want to get into a war where things go wrong, where the wrong people sometimes get killed, where innocent people sometimes have to die, then stay the hell out of it in the first place". These soldiers were given "rules of engagement" and because of this, it essentially led to the worst day in SEALs history. If you trust these men enough to go risk their life, you should trust them enough to make decisions on their own and not lock them down with strict rules.

Best Sport Book: Toughness by Jay Bilas. Drew Brees' book came in a close second but the stories that Bilas shares are incredible. He tells stories of his upbringing, his years at Duke playing and coaching with Mike Krzyzewski, working with Bob Knight and much more. Through all these experiences Jay outlines what toughness means to him. Each chapter contains one element of being tough. In his opinion they are Trust, Preparation, Courage, Communication, Persistence, Next Play, Commitment, Acceptance, Resilience, Self-evaluation and Hope. This book is filled with great stories and great lessons to use in everyday life. My personal favorite was a golf story he shared. "As I stepped onto the tee of that difficult hole, I said to the caddy, this is a really tough hole. Not today it's not, he replied. And not for you". To me, that is a perfect example of a positive mindset.

Fitness Books:
Warrior Cardio: This book was written by Martin Rooney who is a mad man. The purpose of this book is to teach you the benefits of using high energy work bouts with limited rest to stimulate your aerobic system. He supports his approach with science in the beginning of the book, the discusses and gives examples of his circuits, followed up by solid nutrition advice. The final part of the book gives you a detailed workout plan. If you decide to follow the plan, I would recommend reading the entire book to get an understanding of why you are doing what you are doing.

Mass Made Simple written by Dan John. He is my favorite author to read about training. His book Easy Strength opened my eyes to training properly and his track record and results are incredible. I am not looking to gain mass but I work with some kids who have that as a goal so I checked it out. Anybody can put on weight by eating junk but this book provides the way to put on LEAN mass. Very quick read that offers a program book to anyone looking to gain size without compromising their body composition.

I hope you enjoyed and would love to hear about any books that you have read recently. Recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Enjoy your weekend
Chris