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
Monday, October 28, 2013
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:
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!
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!
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:
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
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
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