FMC Update

My last submission was 3 weeks ago and since then I am happy to say things are going quite well considering the season we are in. I fell off the tracks a bit this past week but am determined to get back on and continue. While nutrition has always been my achilles heel, I feel that workouts are progressing nicely. While overall conditioning and athleticism continues to be my goal, I have made some strength gains in the pull up (15) and weighted vest push ups (40) departments. Ryan has been plagued with a shoulder injury since we began training but has been persevering and doing what he can. Matt has increased his speed incredibly and was quoted "This is the most fit I've ever been in my life". Newbie Taylor has caught the fitness bug and continues to push his limits at every training session.

FMC has definitely shown what kind of discipline is needed in order to live a healthy life. We have been tricked into thinking convenience is more important than purpose. Fill your belly with purposeful, nutritious food and your workouts will thank you. I owe $22 thus far. From here on out, workouts will continue to challenge us physically and mentally, which one fails first is up to us.

Quan, OUT

Week of June 27, FMC

I have failed by my standards this week as I am submitting a $5 penalty. This includes my $1 submission for chocolate digestive cookies. My confessions for this past week are:

- chocolate digestive cookies
- ice cream cone from ribfest
- pulled pork sandwich from ribfest
- 1 hamburger (not home made)
- 1 serving of munchies (chips)

I hope the other members of OutFit fared better than me. Another week, onward.

Quan, OUT

I owe $1. Chocolate covered digestive cookies. That is all.

Train hard my friends,
Quan, OUT

Temptation vs. Need

It has been 2 days of the FMC and I have managed to restrain and divert my cravings for food that truly serves no functional purpose to my body. It does take a complete change of the mindset in order to take on such an endeavor. I don't doubt that there will be times of weakness and caving but if I can maintain adherence to this challenge 95% of the time. I think it will be a success. It also helps to have Matthew looking over my shoulder at lunch.

This mornings workout was a challenge but has opened the door to endless combinations of activities and workouts. Also this Friday is July 1st. 8 weeks until the conclusion of summer. There is work to be done.

Train hard my friends,
Quan, OUT

A New Beginning...

It has been quite sometime since this blog has seen a post but for good reason. OutFit has been busily training, perfecting our craft and making ourselves useful bodies of the world. As we constantly try to challenge ourselves physically and mentally we devised the challenge called "Fat Man's Club". Now this is a club where membership is frowned upon and exile from it is seen as euphoric. Our newest member to the OutFit team is Taylor West. He is a literary mastermind who's quirky 19th century English quotes often add confusion and looks of "WTF" to our workout sessions. Nevertheless, he has developed a constitution of the "Fat Man's Club" which we will abide by.

Propositional Rules for the 2011 "Fat Man's Club"

Any good Fat Man's Club has a constitution so, what follows, is my modest proposal for the rules of our club.

1) Any consumption of obvious candy (chocolate, ice cream, etc.) shall result in a donation of $1

2) Any consumption of luxury baked good (cookies, muffins, croissants, etc.) shall result in a donation of $1

3) Consumption of fried foods (wings, fries, jalapeno poppers, etc.) shall result in the same.

4) Pops, sodas, soft drinks, root beer floats shall fall under the category of "candy"

5) Donations will add together when various rules have been broken (i.e. wings and fries shall result in a donation of $2)

6) Beer, for the sake of not ruining summer will fall under a special category. All beers beyond the 3rd of the week (i.e. beginning with 4) with result in a $1 donation. However, the first three are exempt.

7) Clear cases of pigishness (that 3rd hot dog, second pound of wings, second burger, etc.) will be a $1 donation

8) The pot will be spent on sweet gear.

As with anything we do here there is a purpose to this. Many of us function on a work to reward ratio. This Club works on the same basis. It is a motivator for us to make healthy nutrition choices but also adds the element of competition, something we are all to familiar with. Competing with friends to see who can lift the must, run the fastest, jump the highest or eat the cleanest are all tools with the same purpose, to elevate your game. Find a friend with similar goals as you and challenge them to see who can lose the most weight by a certain date, who has the better 5k time or who can rep out the most pull ups. Make fitness and your goals fun.

Train hard my friends,

Quan, OUT

11 Things I wish I had known.....

I don't know anyone who doesn't like reading a good list. Letterman has his Top 10 every night, ESPN has their top plays of the night and everyone tunes in for the greatest songs of the year during the holidays. I've come up with this list mostly because I've made some mistakes along the way, followed poor advice and read into misconceptions and fad training tips. After reading this you may think "Oh shit. I've done that!" or "Hell no. You must be an idiot to think that." And in no particular order...

1) Getting big does not mean getting strong. I recently read an article on AnimalPak.com about looking like you can bench 600lbs doesn't mean you actually have to be able to do it. This makes no sense to me whatsoever. I'd rather be the guy that doesn't look like he can bench 200lbs but then settles under the bar and punches out 315. Me and my two buddies in high school were so focused on "bodybuilding" that we didn't care what we were doing as long as we were getting bigger. I'm talking about "Squat Days" where we would just rep the crap out of our legs and believed because we couldn't walk for the next 3 days we were doing something right. Train for strength. Being big is great if your into contact sports and what not, but being strong has a lot more advantages and is far more impressive in my mind.

2) You can't out train a shitty diet. Ha! I remember coming home from a tough workout and just ravaging the fridge for anything that had a lot of protein in it. I'd be making 8 egg omelette's and drinking down a protein shake with it. Or having steak as an appetizer and then wolfing down something my dad cooked which was usually a carnivore's dream. If I had worked out during the day and was with my friends at night, I could justify eating 3 Burger King chicken sandwiches or mowing down 50 wings at Duff's. It was insane! All the while, I'm wondering why my pants are getting tighter, and my shirts aren't starting to fit as well. Ummm.... Ye. You're getting fat(ter). I didn't believe this, I just assumed I was getting bigger and stronger. Sure in high school being labelled as the big kid only helped personify my hard work in the gym, but I was on track to looking like an NFL lineman and being labelled by my rugby coach as part of the "Tragically un-fit". Fuel your body the way you want it to perform.

3) Train for a purpose. I've said this before. To motivate your training, you've got to have something to reach for. We're not all trying to enter a strongman competition, or entering the NFL combine but we can at least train like we are. Getting your mind right as to why you're training is the first step to really being serious about fitness and your health. That's why we see gym attendance spike in January and February and then by March it's dead. People want to lose the 15lbs they gained over the holidays and when they've lost 10lbs they're ecstatic and take off. Ummmm... do the math! Ever wonder why all those gym specials happen in spring? Because sign up is slow and the only way gym's make money is if they sign new members. So no matter what your reason is for training, make it something worth while and something you've given thought to. Wanting to look good is fine, but wanting to be purposeful with your body is even better.

4) Read! Read! Read! I'm not talking Men's Health or Oxygen Magazine here. I'm talking about books, journals, encyclopedia's. Those things you get at the library and need a card to borrow. Magazine's make money by selling you crap information. Sure they can cite studies, but you don't know who was involved in the study. You don't know how it was conducted. A magazine article reads "Increase your bench by 40lbs in 3 weeks". Sure that's achievable, use this program the University of Miami uses with their football team. You're only getting one side of the coin. They don't tell you what the diet is like, tempo, testing protocol and whatever else. Read scholarly journals where you can actually dissect where the information has come from. And always question what you're reading. Me and my two buddies from high school bought Arnold Schwarzenegger's New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding and considered it to be our bible in high school. It now sits on my book shelf and hasn't been looked at in 4 years.

5) Pull more than you push. One of the first exercises I see people doing when they get into the gym is Bench Press. Second is probably bicep curls, but I don't have room for that rant in my list. Everyone's always talking about "Hey, whaddya bench?" Bench Press is a staple exercise. No doubt. But if you don't balance out the push exercises with the pulls, you're gonna end up looking like an ape with forward shoulders, an aching back and injury prone. I was a big fan of the squat. It was my meat and potato leg exercise which made me neglect the deadlift. Big mistake. I should have done both but I didn't. I only started seriously training deads a couple of years ago and I'm still no where near where I should be for my size. My brother on the other hand... I wish I could dead like him. Advice: for every 1 push exercise you do (bench, military, squat) do at least 1 pull exercise (pull ups, deadlift, db rows). I'd even go as far as saying 2 pulls for every 1 push. Chances are you're probably already severely imbalanced so you've got work to do.

6) Conditioning and cardio are not the same. Sometimes you'll hear Joe Rogan talk about a UFC fighter's conditioning. Georges St. Pierre is a conditioning freak. But what if I told you that Vince Wilfork is also a conditioning freak. Or any other NFL lineman (minus Albert Haynesworth). Conditioning refers to being able to sustain a performance intensity RELATIVE to your activity. Could Vince Wilfork last five 5 minute rounds in the UFC? Hell no! Likewise, could GSP last a defensive drive in the NFL? Ye, I didn't think so. Cardio is schelpping around on an elliptical for 45 mins with no real purpose... Unless that is your purpose, schlepping. Plan your conditioning to suit your goals whether it's a 1okm race, a triathlon, football, rugby, hockey, basketball, whatever. Look at the performance and energy systems needed and train them. Quit wasting your time on the treadmill watching CNN or Dr. Phil.

7) Pride has no place in a workout. Just because you squatted 400lbs last week or benched 315 the week before means nothing. There is someone else out there doing more than you. More importantly, there is someone out there who knows more than you. I don't pretend to know everything and I really dislike people that think they do. If you don't know something or want to find out why that guy in the gym is standing on a BOSU ball squatting, ask him/her. The only thing you'll do is make them feel better because you noticed them. Training is not a race. It's a journey. If you approach every workout with the mindset of "I'm here to blow out the competition and show everyone that I'm better than them" you're never going to get anywhere. The best workouts I've had are when I've failed or didn't hit my mark. That humbles me. That's what makes me plan and come back at it again tomorrow.

8) Use the stuff no one else is using. Ever walk into a gym and wonder why all the cardio equipment and weight machines are placed at the entrance or near the windows? And all the dumbbells and squat racks are hidden in the corners? Because that's what the gyms want you to see. They know that having treadmills with TV's makes people "Oooooo and Ahhhhh" or having a $4000 lat pull down machine will lure in the Fortune 500 business exec. No one thinks an impressive gym is a squat rack, 1000lbs of weight plates and some dumbbells. That doesn't look cool. I'll tell you right now, if you walk into your gym and just use the dumbbells, barbells, squat racks and pull up bar for your workouts, you are well on your way to an efficient gym session and training with a purpose.

9) "This is not talk-out, this is workout!" Ah yes, one of my legendary phys-ed teachers from high school would shout this out when he saw too many kids in my class standing around in the weight room. And he's right. If your going to the gym to try and pick up (not weights) then please leave and go to the nearest bar. 1) You'll make space for those of us who are actually there to train and 2) You'll make it easier for us to pick up when we go to the bar because you'll be "tragically unfit". Me and my buddies would spend 2 hours at the gym after school. Seriously though, a workout session should not last longer than an hour. This changes if your training for an endurance event, but even marathoners don't weight train for longer than an hour. Be efficient with your gym time. Get in, go to work, get out. It's that simple. Most athletes train the same way. That's not to say their practices only last an hour but a workout session will.

10) Water. Drink it. I can't say it more simply. Water makes up more than half your body. It's a vital nutrient to your health and you should be consuming it on a regular basis. No, having a venti non-fat mocha frappaWhateverTheHellIsIntThis does not count. Nor does downing a case of beer every weekend. Your muscles need water to stay healthy and repair themselves so feed them what they want. I definitely didn't drink enough water while working out in my earlier days. I'd go to the gym and sip my creatine shake and then chug down a protein shake post workout. Hell, I think I was drinking 3 meals of just shakes. That's no way to live. Post-workout shakes and whatever have their place, but water should be your staple.

11) Rest. We are constantly faced with doing more, eating more, buying more. When it comes to training, sometimes less is more. I used to think that if I was feeling tired during a workout I was weak and needed to push through it. Missing a workout was like missing a meal for me. Absolutely unacceptable. But this is part of the training equation that I really neglected. I was always thinking, I've gotta do more, train more, lift more, sweat more. I read a quote from EliteFTS.com that said "The guy that under-trains will take longer to reach his goals but the guy that over trains will never reach his goals." And it's that simple. Over training will lead to mental fatigue and worse it'll lead to injury, which will set you back even longer. Listen to your body and don't fill yourself with guilt if you can't make it to a workout. The important thing is to stay consistent for the majority of the time. Is missing a workout this week going to impact your entire training program? Probably not. Think "Big Picture".

So there's 11 things I wish I had known. I'm sure there are a lot more but I'll have to save those for a different post. One thing I know for sure, is that there's a lot of stuff I still don't know and I'll continue to make mistakes in training and in life. I'm just hoping to learn from them and not make the same ones again. Keep working hard and moving forward. If you can be better than yesterday you've done a lot more than everyone else.

Train hard my friends,

Quan, OUT.

Success and Safety in Sports

This is a little out of scope for a fitness blog but it needs to be said.

Safety is key in no matter what sport you are playing.  If you are running, stretch and wear the right shoes.  If you are lifting weights have a spotter and know your own strength.  In football, don't try to run through a set of linemen with your helmet off.

With Hockey's general managers meeting currently in Fort Lauderdale there is a lot of talk on how to make the game safer.  But no one is saying what needs to be said.  The equipment is an issue.  There have been major advances in helmet technology with extra padding being added to prevent concussions.  How is no one addressing the fact that helmets pop off all the time when players are hit.  I have known since a child that if my bike helmet is too loose and falls forward, and I fall off my bike, I am getting a head injury.

There is so much talk about the players taking onus of knowing when they have someone in a vulnerable position.  How about the players take onus to wear their equipment properly.

It is ridiculous.  Wake up hockey.  You want to stop concussions and head injuries, wear your helmets like you mean it, not like you are a super cool dude who doesn't need it.

Necessary Evils.

They exist everywhere in our lives, these necessary evils. Whether it's the morning traffic jam called a commute, or sitting beside the most annoying guy in the office, they find their ways into our lives and we have two choices. We can either endure and be unhappy or we can change. Everyone has a different necessary evil. For me, it's long distance cardio. The thought of running farther than 100m makes me cringe and to be honest I've neglected the long distances ever since I stopped training for a triathlon about 4 years ago. I've been on and off with it but never really found the motivation or the point really. I got caught up in HIIT, Interval Training, HIT, Tabata, Turbulance, Ballistic and other acronyms to describe high intensity training. I assumed that because I was busting my ass doing these workouts, panting and completely exhausted at the end something beneficial must have been happening. The physiological benefits were there, but I wasn't happy at the thought of not being able to just simply run for awhile. I felt imbalanced and inadequate in that area. After re-evaluating my goals and prioritizing the importance of longevity, I've re-introduced the long distance cardio to my workouts. I'm not training for a marathon here but using it to balance my fitness approach. It MUST find it's way into training. Quick story, during my undergrad at U of T, we had to do a 12 minute run fitness test for one of our classes. Being in Phys-Ed, I assumed everyone would have no problem with this, should be a walk in the park. But after about 7 minutes in I say the struggle in people's eyes and was just shocked. How could we be the fitness ambassadors of tomorrow and not easily run for 12 minutes. RIDICULOUS!!!

After a smack in the face of reality and some research, distance cardio is back... and back for good in my training program. If you're looking to incorporate long distance work in your training I'd recommend starting with 1-2 times per week and building from there. Everyones definition of long distance work will vary but I'd say building up to 45 min plus would be a safe bet. If you can find a park to run in or trails, your ankles, knees, hips and back will thank you later on in life. Really take a look at your current training program and see if it's meeting your needs for a balanced fitness approach. If your one of those people wanting to shape up for the summer, now is a great time to start planning that out. A well planned and balanced fitness approach will trump a fad program any day. It's about outfitting your body for what you need it to do.

Quan, OUT

Ryan's Journey - Yoga Part 2

So since my last post I haven't done as much yoga as I initially intended but its still been really good.

I went last night to a Moksha Flow class.  It was fantastic.

There are so many intricacies to yoga that I don't think I can ever master, but an understanding of can help one be a better athlete and train better.

One principle that I think can apply to anything is being in the here and now.  We all do it, we let our mind wander.  For example, just now I was studying respiratory physiology, but I could not get a blog post out of my head, so here it is.  I could not stay in the here and now with my studies and it will probably come back to bite me later.  But it applies everywhere.  In yoga they say to focus on your breath to bring you back.  But whatever it is, focusing on the moment can give you excellent results.  It can help you push for that extra rep or set and it can help you better yourself.  I for one will try to do that more often and I am hoping it will help my training.

The flexibility is a long haul.  As some who know me have pointed out in the comments of my last post, I cannot cross my legs very well.  Its not comfortable for me.  But yoga is helping me change that.  I feel better even though I have only gone a few times.  I will continue to go and I know I will keep making gains on my flexibility.

I am also strengthening my feet.  This may sound weird, but I have horrible feet.  They are flat... like really flat.  No arch at all.  That makes them hurt, it makes them weak.  It makes it hard for me to balance because my feet hurt.  Not my leg muscles, the soles of my feet.  I can feel yoga straining these muscles in ways that I have not felt in other forms of exercise.  I look forward to seeing some gains from that.

I am easily the worst person in my class.  I go with my workout partner here at school.  He has done yoga for quite some time and is quite good at it.  I can't hold Dancer's Pose for more than 5 seconds.

But you know what.  I'm not giving up.  In fact, being this bad has only strengthened my resolve to do more and to get better.  I encourage you to give it a try too.  Don't let it replace your strength training routine, let it me a day off kind of thing.  Go, stretch and feel good.
I feel unbelievably good when I'm done.  I hope you will too.

Find me @Applesunltd

This one's for the ladies...

Ladies, ladies, ladies... as much as you may think that strength training is not for you, let me reassure you that it is of the utmost importance for your health and longevity. Research has shown that weight bearing exercise strengthens bones and ligaments and becomes extremely important for women once their bone mass reaches its highest possible density. This often comes as early as age 20 for some women, but can be extended to the age of 25. After this age, your bones will not get any more dense and it's up to you to maintain what you have. This is why there is such a focus on calcium enhanced foods to prevent osteo-related problems later on in life. Strength training is the key. I've even included a link to Dr. Oz because I know some women out there are thinking "If I use weights I'm going to end up looking bulky and manly". Ladies, you're not going to get bulky or manly for one simple reason... You don't have balls. More scientifically and simply, you don't have testicles that release testosterone, which make men... men. (They may also be responsible for poor dinner table manners, release of toxic gases, poor memory and the inability to impress in-laws)

Okay, so you've decided to start a strength training regime. Where do you start? OutFit is about training for everyday life. Therefore, the most logical place to start would be compound movements. Below is a list that you can start with, simply using your own bodyweight. No barbells or dumbbells needed. The reason why you're starting with just your own bodyweight is because your day to day tasks probably don't require you to move too much and these exercises will be more than enough as a starting point. Start a routine with 12-15 repetitions and 3 - 4 sets of these exercises one after the other. Once you get proficient you can start adding some resistance. It can be as simple as a set of dumbbells. But if you don't have that, I used to train my mom using a bag of rice as weight. Use whatever you have. Just a note, this is a very basic beginner routine. If you've been weight training already, you will need a more comprehensive prescription.

Examples of Compound Movements:

1) Squats

2) Lunges

3) Step-ups

4) Split Squats

4) Deadlifts

5) Burpees

6) Squat + Press

Mastering these basic movements will ensure a good base to build your exercise regime on. Now, I'm not saying trade in your yoga membership for a gym membership but as I'm sure they say in yoga, seek balance. Ladies, if you have questions, leave a comment and hopefully one of us can answer it for you.

Follow this link for the Dr. Oz page on women and weight training. http://www.sharecare.com/question/important-for-women-strength-train?partner=droz

Quan, OUT

Ryan's Journey - Yoga Part 1

So the gym at my school has not slowed down yet.  It is packed.  And I hate it.

So I have been looking for alternative ways of working out.  I went to the rock climbing gym.  It was a good workout.  Specifically I enjoyed the bouldering.  I haven't gone back.  I don't know why.

On Wednesday we had a snow day and the gym was closed.  So I couldn't go in at all.  But I really wanted to exercise, so I looked online at the prices for the local yoga studio.  It was $30 for 2 weeks of unlimited yoga.  So I went for it.

Now something you need to understand is that I am the least flexible person in the world.  I cannot touch the ground when I bend over.  For someone who considers himself an athlete.  That is AWFUL!  I am embarrassed of this.  So yoga is very intimidating for me.  Being in a room with a bunch of very very flexible people and not being able to do anything is quite a challenge.  I like to win. And I do not win at yoga.

But... I'm trying.  I am tackling something that is a huge challenge for me.  I am doing Hot Yoga, which I have done a couple times before with Quan in Toronto.  I like it.  You sweat like a beast.
Hopefully it will help me become more flexible.
I went to a class Wednesday and Thursday and I am going back today.  Then I will take the weekend off for super-bowl fattening and get back to both yoga and weight training on monday.  I really like yoga.  It is a challenge for my muscles and for my mind.  It is everything that OutFit is about.
I have the pass for another week and a half so I will probably write two or three more updates about the my journey in yoga.  Stay tuned for that.

Find me @Applesunltd

Strength

When we talk about strength we often speak of it in physical terms, however strength can come in many different forms. For example, the strength between two brothers, the strength of a leader, or even the strength to cope with the loss of a loved one. As I reflect on the various types of strength that an individual or group of individuals can possess, I truly believe that we all have the strength to give. This may mean giving to a friend or an enemy, something big or small, shiny or dull, each and everyone of us has the strength to give. So to whoever is reading this blog, whether it just be my fellow brothers or the entire world, the next time you have the choice to give, practice a little selflessness and find the strength to give.

Learning as I go

I am learning as I go here and I hope you will join me.  Any resources you find, post em up in comments.  Any ideas or corrections you have for my ideas please post em up.

So far this year I have made a couple big changes.  I am eating better for the most part.  Its a slow switch and I have had a few relapses into old unhealthy habits but for the most part, my fridge and cupboards are full of whole grains, fruits and veggies.

It feels good.

I am trying to sleep better.  That is still a work in progress.

I am trying to exercise better.  Make gains etc.

So far, the New years push has not died down in my gym.  It was packed in there yesterday.  I could not get an elliptical (I have bad knees and the treadmill is not an option) so I rowed.  Rowing is new for me, and tough as hell.  My back hurts every time I do it.  I just don't have the muscles yet to be able to row for a long time.  I did 3K yesterday.  I am hoping to work my way up to half an hour straight by the end of the semester (I do 3K in about 12-14 min, but I need to stop to rearrange my back/catch my breath).  So there it is. Goal #1.

Goal #2 is from my doctor.  I went to the doctor for the first time in years and I went to a doctor here on campus.  She was asian, and I tell you this so you understand that my conversation with her felt like it was straight out of a Russell Peters sketch.

Doctor: You not fat.  Maybe you lose 5, 10 pound.

No joke.  Thats what she said to me.  So here I go.  Losing 10 pounds.  I am currently 6 feet tall and 205 pounds.  Need to get down to 195 and I am looking forwards to it.

So 2 goals.

1. Row 30 min straight
2. Lose 10 pounds

Join me in figuring it out.

First thing.  I need a workout plan.  I have a basic one for this week but I'll be working on a phase plan to get me through to june.  Here we go.

I'm CEO... B*tch!

For the last few posts, the audience has been somewhat dismal and consisting of the 4 people on this blog plus our newest follower, spankyfinch. Regardless, the time has come to introduce OUTFIT to the world. Or at least bring it out of secrecy. This momentous occasion calls for a post...

I recently viewed The Social Network and right off the bat must give credit where credit is due. It's a fantastic film. Jesse Eisenberg was spot on in his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg. (At first I thought he was just being annoying, but later Googled a video of Zuckerberg speaking and... well... yes) Regardless, you're probably wondering how does a programming genius relate to training? Like so, in The Social Network Zuckerberg is pulled and twisted by a number of different people, his true friends, investors, Sean Parker played by Justin Timberlake, future Olympians and litigator after litigator. Even with the bombardment of ideas Zuckerberg stays true to his original vision for his stolen creation. (Yes, he stole it) How can this help you're training? Well, right about now is when the New Year's Eve crowd of wannabes should be making their exit from the gym. Their motivation has worn off, the excitement of going to the gym has turned into a monotonous chore and the 10 lbs they lost actually nets them +5lbs because of the 15lbs gained over the holidays. This, however, may be the time you're also thinking of making your exit. Things are getting busy at work/school/home/life, if you take a break this week, you'll get back on the horse next week, right? WRONG! When everyone is making their exit, you keep pushing forward leaving those lazy bastards behind. Stick with what you started. Don't lose sight of the goal you set 4 weeks ago and just like Zuckerberg did to all of his "friends", be an asshole to everyone around you until you get what you want! If you started a new training program at the beginning of the year, like I did, now should be about the time you're moving on to the next phase, or taking a "de-load" week. As much as I hate hearing people say "You know man, I'm mixing it up, keeping my body guessing", now is the time to mix it up, keep the body guessing. The way those other idiots are using it is completely wrong. Let me assure you, they are spinning their wheels.

If you didn't start your new year with some lifestyle changes, eating healthier or being more active, now is the perfect time to start the journey to better health. (Actually anytime you decide to start is the perfect time). It doesn't take much and can be as easy as taking a walk in the morning with your dog, your loved one or hot stepping it solo. Whatever you choose, go out and do it. I find that February is a great time to start a training program because the gym is clearing out and it's exactly 16 weeks until June, which is pretty much summer for us in Canada. That's more than enough time for you to elicit some change in your health. In the next couple of weeks, we will be posting some sample programs to help those of you looking for a general program. If you also look through the past blogs you'll see some circuit workouts we've done. You are more than welcome to give them a shot. Matt's are more beginner level and mine are a little more advanced. Start where ever you feel comfortable. Welcome to the world of OutFit!

Quan, OUT

The exception to the exception is an exception...

Reading Matt's post sparked me to write a post to address some of his questions, but also because of a conversation I had with a friend studying at the University of Texas. My friend is an S&C Coach Intern at Texas and we often bounce ideas of one another. While he takes a very athlete-first approach, I take the more general public approach which is why I try to base my training on a balance of both. We were discussing the importance of conditioning and the role it should play in overall training. The conclusion, conditioning should be done when you can. If it's a priority for you're training then make it so, if you're looking for more strength/hypertrophy then conditioning can take a back seat (but don't neglect it all together).

Now to Matt's post. Firstly, everyone is an expert in training, clearly. The guy at the gym doing "metabolic circuits" is an expert, the guy doing deadlifts @ 405 lbs for 3 reps is an expert, the guy doing cleans + snatches is an expert and the guy doing 4 sets of 12 is an expert. It goes without saying (and Matt you clearly have a handle on this) you need to know where you want to be in order to know how to get there. The guy lifting for strength is going to tell the guy doing circuits that his training is better because that's his goal, to get stronger. Conversely, the going doing circuits will say his training is better because he's working on conditioning. My point is simply this, you have to know what you want from your training. Personally, I'm striving for a balance of both strength and conditioning. Most of my workouts will have a focus of either of those. I'm not entering a strong man competition anytime soon and I don't expect to get a call from Dana White saying I'm on the next UFC card. I want to achieve a balance albeit while going back to my basic strength training roots of low reps (3-5) for 3-6 sets and as for conditioning doing dreaded bodyweight circuits for time or some old fashioned sprints/suicides. To address Matt's questions, your goals of increasing explosiveness and speed are achievable through training for strength and power. Doing 3 sets of 12 won't get you there. You'll also need to incorporate some plyometrics in your training as well. All of this needs to be well planned out as to not over train and to avoid injury (a lot of the time guys want to increase their "hops" and end up getting jumpers knee or patellar tendon inflammation). What I would recommend is starting your session with a dynamic workout, once warm work into some plyos (box jumps, hurdles or whatever) if you don't do plyos do an Olympic lift (Cleans or snatches). Get into your lifts using the strength training parameters I mentioned and finish off with some light conditioning if you're not too gassed. If you're doing some strength training now, I'd say stick with it for the next few weeks and see what happens. I just started a new program last week and things are feeling (and looking) good.

To recap where this all started, you need to know your training goals. Going into the gym and watching other guys workout and copying them isn't going to get you anywhere. You need to do the research yourself (checking out this blog or commenting with your questions is a good start) and clearly define your goals. Saying "I want to get ripped" is not a goal nor should anyone really be training strictly for aesthetics. A good physique is secondary if you're really serious about training. Personally, I train so I can still beat up my friends and to show the kids I teach gym to where hard work can take you. (Unofficially, I train to keep my brother's progress at bay but that gets harder and harder every year. More on that another time.) I know my body type and while I still have a ways to go in terms of a lean look, I'd much rather by a strong and conditioned individual than be mistaken for someone from Jersey Shore. TRAINSMART and EATSMART. That's all it takes.

Quan, OUT.

An open letter to the world of OutFit...

As I continue to work out I try and pick the brains of everyone around me for tips and techniques they use and find effective. I've heard changing your workout routine every 3 weeks is a must for anyone interested in TRAININGSMART. I've heard you should eat your weight in grams of protein while working out. I've heard alternating hands on dead lifts is better and I've heard that keeping them the same way is better. What I've come to realize is that everyone knows their own body. Although there are general health guidelines that more or less work for the masses, everyone knows what works for them through trial and error (although hopefully not too much error).

So I come to OutFit nation with a few questions...

I am looking to increase my initial speed, or explosiveness. While playing hockey I beat almost anyone to a puck 200 feet down the ice but i consistently lost the short battles. Now I am looking to gain explosiveness for hockey and for basketball (to increase my vertical). I assume training my Fast twitch muscle fibers (more specifically my Type IIB) is the way to go. Am I way off track? Do you have any exercise suggestions?

Strength training is also an interest of mine right now but I am hearing conflicting methods. Before this year when I would work out I would do 3 sets of 10-12 of increasing weight. This was fine but I have recently been trying starting with a heavier weight and consistently getting 8 reps per set. I have only been doing this for about a week so I have not seen any different results I just want to see if I'm on the right track.

As always, consider yourself a student of the game. You will only get better if you are willing to learn.

Know your role...

I came to the realization a couple of years ago that my rugby career was over and the only way I was going to be involved in the sport was to either play in a very leisurely men's league or become a coach. I went for the latter. I still wanted to train though and felt compelled to stay in the physical shape I had built up for myself. But when I took a look at my training I realized that I wasn't really training with any purpose in mind. Before I had trained to be fit for rugby, but now without my sport what was I going to do? I came across a post from Jason Ferruggia, a strength coach based out of New Jersey and it really opened my eyes to purposeful training. (For more info visit http://jasonferruggia.com/) Train like an athlete is the message I found. And why not? Who doesn't want to look like the guys we see battling it out on the gridiron on Sundays? Or be able to dunk a basketball with such finesse and power? I certainly want to. Alas, reality set in. Professional athletes make their paycheck by being physical specimens with an uncanny and freakish ability in their respective sports. The amount of time they dedicate to their craft is appalling and it doesn't just start in the pro's, it started way back when they would shoot baskets for hours on end, or skip the school dance to do sprints across the football field, or show up in the gym an hour before everyone else did. That type of dedication is what separates the peasants from the King James'.

When it comes to your training you need to take an honest assessment of your goals and what type of commitment you're able to make. Putting yourself in the mindset to train like an athlete is fantastic. It takes extreme discipline, hard work and a TRAINSMART attitude. All are achievable and possible. But the question remains, do you have the time to dedicate yourself to that type of training. I used to think I did. I would be working out 5-6 times a week because I put myself in the mindset that there was another team out there that I had to play this week, or a guy I had to beat. But there wasn't. It lead to stalled workouts, burnout, and just a poor attitude to fitness. Since then I've taken an honest assessment of my goals and my life to come up with a detailed and achievable fitness regime. It's about being realistic. If you know full well that your schedule won't allow you to get to a workout in more than twice week then don't commit to the 4-day split routine. It's simple. If your a father or mother with two kids, finding the time to workout will be tough. Getting to the gym 2 or 3 times a week would be amazing with the amount of time and attention 2 children need. Likewise, if you're an up and coming business executive and are on the brink of burnout, maybe you need to take time off and get to the gym 3 or 4 times a week instead of once to help balance out your life. Family life, work, friends are all apart of life. Finding time for fitness should be a priority because its an investment in yourself, in your health, in your life.

Quan, OUT.

Just Do It...

When Dan Wiedan coined the phrase Just Do It 23 years ago, he was probably under intense deadline pressure and wasn't thinking it would apply to almost every facet of life. When you hear the phrase, you immediately think of everything athletic, successful, Jordan, Nike branded event you have ever experienced. It has become much more than just a catch phrase, or company slogan, it's become a culture. That's exactly what OutFit is, a culture. A culture of pushing your physical limits, smartly and effectively to reach your goals.

Being it is January, and Matt touched upon this in his latest workout post, most of the dedicated fitness individuals lose their motivation to trek through the snow and get into the gym for a workout because it's congested with lululemon wearing, treadmill/elliptical motoring, sleeveless shirt wearing, cellphone sexting wannabes. (Unless those wannabes are actually women who are always there and distracting you because those lululemon pants seem to fit perfectly everywhere then continue on.) Seriously though, I know its extremely tough to stay motivated when those around you will drop out or fictitiously reach their goals within the next couple of weeks. But I'm here to tell you, Just Do It. You've already made the trek to the gym, you might as well improve your health by giving yourself one hell of a workout. I suffer from the same attitude this time of year and believe me, sometimes I go vocal on it. But when all is said and done, you know you're the one who is dedicated and has been busting their ass since September and didn't just decide to make a change for a healthier life. So that addresses motivation on getting to the gym. Now about what happens when you're there.

I've probably done this over 100 times, let a seed of doubt be planted into my mind that I'm too sore, too tired, mentally exhausted or whatever. Yes, all of these things happen. But really take a good look at your status and decide if you can't push through your workout for these reasons or for another one, you're too lazy. Out of those 100 times that this seed has been planted in my head, I'd say 98 of those times was laziness. At OutFit we are always talking about efficiency, using your time as best as possible. By the time you finally come around in your workout and decide to push on, you've already wasted 10 minutes. My advice when you step into a gym, is already have a plan going forward. Saying it's an "upper day" or "chest day" isn't enough. Know what you're going to do, warm up, exercises, reps, sets the whole thing and be the guy in the gym who brings a note book, sheet of paper or whatever helps you record your progress. And no, bringing your Blackberry or iPhone to record your workout does not count. I don't give a fuck if there's an app for that. At the end of the day, your workout is only helping one person, you. (Unless you're trying to get the attention of the guy or girl on the elliptical, in that case you're there for the wrong reasons. Go to the bar instead.) Make the most of your time in the gym. Plain and simple. Push through those moments of doubt and finish.

Last piece, safety. If you're legitimately feeling like a truck has run over you or that your body temperature would allow you to roast prime rib then do us all a favor and don't come in. There's no point in coming for a workout when your mind and body are not 100% prepared and ready to go. Workouts are supposed to make you feel good, not make you wish you had never been born. You have to be the judge. No one ever failed by under training (it just takes them longer to reach their goals) but people who over train will ultimately get injured and never reach their goals.

Just Do It,

Quan, OUT

Thursday the 13th of January 2011

With the school gym being ridiculously full at all times of the day, I have been using the gym in my apartment. When I say gym I really just mean closet with a treadmill, bike, row machine, some mats and exercise balls. At first this was suitable to get back into the swing of things but now that I am playing basketball 3 times a week, hockey once and working out as much as I can I am looking to increase the intensity of the workouts. Today was probably my least satisfying workout yet and I will look to go to the gym tomorrow no matter how packed in an attempt to challenge myself.

Warm-up: Bike Ride

Workout:

- Row machine

- Core

- Squats

- Push-ups

- Tricep Dips

30 seconds at each rotation. 3 sets.

January 13, 2011

This has been a tough week.  Hit the gym 4 times last week and played 3 hours of Hockey on Friday.
But I spread myself too thin, partied too hard on the weekend and came down with a cold.  I was out of commission until today.
But back at it, stuffy nose and all.
Did a quick circuit alternating between max pushups and lat pulldowns.  4 types of each.  Then on to a regular workout of chest and back 3 exercises of each, 3 sets each exercise.  Wanted to hit the mats for some abs or the cardio room after but both were completely full.  Ended up heading home, will hit it back up at 9am.  Hoping for an emptier gym.
Home made veggie soup for dinner.
Weight 210.

Eat like a Caveman, Feel like Superman

Diet is something that we take seriously when OutFiting ourselves.  Part of making sure you TRAINSMART is making sure you EATSMART.  But what exactly does this mean?
There are always tons of diets out there to chose from, diets for weight training, diets for leaning down, diets that make you a Spartan, diets for helping the planet and diets to cleanse your body.  But what diet you choose is entirely up to you and should really be based on your goals.

For me, changing my diet is something that has occurred over a long period of time.  Over two years ago I cut most red meat out of my diet based mostly on environmental reasons.  And recently I have been learning more and more about the way in which our diet interacts with our bodies.  One interesting concept that has come up repeatedly in my life is that our modern day North American habits do not match what our bodies were designed to do.

Mark Bittman wrote a book called Food Matters which is essentially a call for people to eat significantly less meat (amongst other things - its an eat well, do your part for the environment type book).  He discusses the fact that North American lifestyle includes a diet that is predominated by meat, but this diet is not in keeping with our history.  In a lecture this year at OVC the same concept came up.  In the past (the very far past) we ate a diet that was 70% fruits, vegetables and nuts and only 30% meats (and lean meats at that).  Now we are eating diets that are 10% fruits and veggies, 30% grains and processed foods, and 60% meat.  Our lifestyle has changed but our genetics have not.

So what does this mean?  It means that our bodies have the same abilities the same skills, but the fuel we are putting in them is changing.  Think of our bodies like a machine that is designed to continually grow and repair its parts.  We take the building blocks from natural foods and build them up into our own skeleton.  But what happens when we start to use that same factory as a recycling plant?  We are putting in a fuel predominated by other machines (the meat).  It means that we end up lacking essential parts in our fuel, that we produce far more excess waste than we used to and that we work significantly less efficiently.

Our genetics are designed to eat predominantly fruits and veggies.  So why are we putting the wrong fuel in our cars?  Now don't get me wrong.  I am not a vegetarian.  I love a steak, a chicken breast or a couple of eggs in the morning.  And when I'm working out and going hard, I need these things.  But this year I am trying to replace some of my protein sources with the primary building blocks.  Beans and lentils, nuts and grains.  Its amazing how good you can feel with a fuel that your body is designed to use.

So what is the bottom line here?
1. Cut out the shit.  Why have a processed snack when carrots and celery taste just as good and are a way better fuel.
2. Think about your meals.  As Quan said in his last article, 80% of training is your diet.  You are going to spend a ton of time planning your workout and thinking about what you do. Why not do the same for what you eat.
3. Rethink the portions.  Instead of centering every meal around a piece of meat, consider some other options.  Soups, pastas and stirfrys can be just as good if you empty out the crisper into the pan rather than the meat drawer.
4. Do your homework. There are a ton of valuable sources out there.  Mark Bittman's book and cookbook are a couple that I have been enjoying so far but his ideas are not the law.  Figure out what works for you and go from there.

So think about it.  If you take your diet back a few thousand years and put in your body what your genetics are designed to thrive on then maybe you can OutFit your body for success.

As always find me @Applesunltd.  If you have something to share or thoughts to be heard, don't hesitate to use the comments.

Back to the Basics

As the new year has come and gone, the gyms are starting to fill with the "wannabes" looking for fitness miracles they didn't receive from Santa. Health Clubs (notice I didn't say Gyms) are offering 5 for 1s and guaranteed results with the latest and greatest fitness crazes. I see PTs getting their clients doing squats on BOSU Balls or 10 min of KB Swings and calling it "conditioning". When's the next time you're going to be walking on a bouncy, unsteady surface? The moon? Please, you know that's bullshit. I see women spending 2 hours at the gym, jumping from cardio machine to cardio machine. The truth is it's a waste of time. What those people accomplish in 2 hours, can be accomplished in less than an hour if your exercise regime is planned out intelligently. It's all about sticking to the basics.

January and February should be named "bullshit cardio month" because people for some reason think that by doing endless hours of steady state cardio they will reach their fitness goals. Now I'm open to hearing new fitness advice or training but when I see idiots (more so idiot trainers) telling their clients to get on the elliptical/treadmill/bike and work in the "fat burning zone" I just about lose my shit. First of all, the fat burning zone should be dubbed the "waste of time" zone. There is no reason for anyone to be hustling away on a piece of equipment at a steady rate for an hour (unless you're walking, which is a whole other post in itself). Would you rather look like a sprinter or a marathoner? I'm not going to respond to that. What you should be doing is making efficient use of your time, getting the most bang for your workout. So instead of bumbling away for an hour on the bike, take 12-20 mins and do some interval training. Do some hill sprints, stairs, suicides, something where your body is moving at a high rate of exertion. I'd say anywhere from 10-20 sec of all out intensity with appropriate rest should do it. Hit that up 2 or 3 times a week and you're golden. Hopefully that clears the air about conditioning.

Now to strength training. Funny name isn't it, strength training? If it's called strength training why are there people doing 5 sets of 25 or "Volume Training" 10 sets of 10? That's not strength training. Strength training at the most basic physiological level is 85% to 95% of a 1RM for a range (which is highly debated) of 1 - 5 reps and 1 -5 sets. I personally would even go to 6 reps. Yes, 6 reps. But the key is that it's a high % of your maximum effort. I'm not saying there isn't a place for high intensity body weight circuits, I love those. Do them all the time in the summer. Helps me work on my tan while getting a workout. What I'm saying is that if your lifting weights, training for strength, then by the mighty hand of Zeus himself, get strong! Increase muscle tissue size, strengthen tendons and ligaments, push some big weights around and by God TRAINSMART!!! The aesthetics will take care of themselves through dedication in training and diet (about 20% training and 80% diet. You can't out train a shitty diet). Athletes base their training on this simple concept alone! The concept has been through the blender so many times that everyone's forget the basic ingredients that went into it.

To conclude, OUTFIT is about being smart and efficient with your training. Train with purpose, train smart and train hard. At the end of the day, you want to be able to say "Damn, that workout was great." Not, "Damn, I wish I hadn't blown chunks every where on the floor." Stick to the basics of training.

Quan, OUT

Wednesday the 5th of January, 2011

Played some basketball yesterday to stay active and back in the gym today...

Warm up:

- Bike ride

Workout:

- Row machine

- Push ups

- Core

- Squats

- Tricep Dips

30 seconds at each station, 3 rotations.

Stay humble. Stay hungry.

Jan 4 - UOG gym

Went to the gym today.
Second time back since holidays.  2nd time in a month.  Yesterday was 2K of rowing and Chest and Back weights.

Today:

35 min - elliptical

15 x dips
15 x shoulder press
15 x curls
(Repeat)
15 x hold curls
15 x upright rows
15 x skull crushers
(Repeat)
Abs ripper X (brought to you by p90x)

I did not make it through the abs but I'm eating well and getting back into cardio.
Weight as of Jan 3: 215 lbs

Find me @Applesunltd

January 3, 2011

Among other things a couple new years resolutions of mine are to get jacked and dunk on a 10 ft. net (if Earl Boykins can dunk, I should be able to as well) and since they go hand in hand what better way than to start off the new year than with a modified QuanStrong workout...

Warm Up: Light jog

Workout:

- Row machine

- Squats (no weight)

- Push ups

- Core

- Bike

30 seconds at each station. 3 rotations. It was my first workout in almost 2 months but Im excited to get back into it... gotta start somewhere.