NYRs, Consistency and Patience

It's almost 2012, and, like clockwork, everyone is gearing up for their New Year's Resolutions.  Yes, New Year's Resolutions always creep up around this time of year like clockwork or that buddy who always "forgets their wallet" when you go out to lunch. 
Many people do the typical New Year's Resolutions: they toss out the potato chips, join a gym or start scratching items off of their Bucket List, and dive head first into the deep end, without water wings or even a wetsuit.
Well, it gets cold in the pool if you haven't warmed up to it, and you'll soon jump out of the water, convinced you'll never do that again.  It's the same thing with the resolutions (or NYR as I call them).  You go balls to the wall, never thinking about the consequences...or planning...or really, with any sense at all.  That's why about 3 out of 4 people don't keep with their NYRs after a few weeks.  You've got to have a plan.
That's why I have my three big NYRs, complete with plans.  Read for them?  Here we go:
1.) Cook More Often.  I used to be very into cooking (used to be pretty good at it too), but during college that fell by the wayside, and I forgot a lot that I knew.  I started getting back into it several months ago, but my culinary skills still need some refreshing.  So here's my outline for cooking:

• Cook dinner for myself at least once a week
• Plan what I'm cooking for before I head out to the grocery store
• Find recipes that I can manage within my time frame (about an hour; more or less depending on the week) First food item on the list: fruited chicken thighs, combining some of my favorite items to eat: chicken and fruit, yum!
• Write out a grocery list!  This should go without saying. 

2.) Be More Organized.  This one I've always struggled with.  Having grown up in a messy household, and being ADHD on top of it, organization has never been a strong suit of mine.  While I've gotten gradually better over the years, I want to get even better.  Here's my stuff to do:

• Clean for about 10 minutes a day, more when I get the chance.
• Get something to keep all my daily to-do items handy (if you have an iPhone, iPod touch or an iPad, I recommend either the "Reminders" section that comes with the latest software update, or this little app called organize; the best part?  It's free!)
• Keep on top of things; if I can find time to do something, do it NOW, not tomorrow.

3.) Stay Disciplined.  This means in all aspects: work, acting, training, etc.  I've been pretty good about it; now I want to get better.  Much better.  Dare to strive for greatness even. 

• Practice consistency.  Get into a routine.  Don't upset the routine (or upset it as minimally as possible)
• Have someone hold me accoutable who will actually hold me accountable!  Sorry best friends, but you won't do; I need someone tough, who will force me to hold myself to an almost unattainable standard.  Any takers?
• Work before pleasure.  That should go without saying as well, but you'd be surprised how many people don't do that.  Especially me.

Take some time off to recharge.  Little vacations if you will.  If going to California has taught me anything about my life, it's that I need to do "working vacations:" little things a couple of times a year where I get to "work" (do some acting connections, work out), but also know how to have fun.  I'm a work-a-holic, so this last one might prove a bit of a challenge.
The key to this list is not nessecarily being perfect at it from the get go; it is being consistent and doing the best you can each day.  It is not perfection that makes us perfect; it's the journey towards improving ourselves that we become better people.  So do I have to do everything perfectly right from the word "go?"  Absolutely not.  But I have to improve myself a bit at at time, and keeping building upon that. 
So, each day, strive to be a little bit better.  Sit a bit taller.  Work out a little bit harder.  Read a bit of a book.  Do something each day, and keep at it.  If you're patient and consistent, great rewards await you.

Motivational Monday: Time Off to Refresh

Well ladies and gentlemen, I'm back in full swing, and boy do I feel pumped!  I took a few weeks off of blogging every day to relax and really enjoy my vacation, as well as gear up for the holiday season.  Sometimes you have to treat yourself with the respect that you deserve.  Make sure that you take care of yourself because if you don't look after yourself, then how are you able to help others?
Me?  I'm working, then working out hardcore; after a couple of weeks of "me" time, I am back and better than ever!
So let's get things moving this week with a quote that I love:

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, "Always do what you are afraid to do."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Workout Wednesday: Abs, Abs, Abs

While I'm not fully back yet with my daily workout posts (that's coming next week), I am starting to throw up some random posts.  It's good to change it up every once in a while, and those posts are coming as soon as I get a bit of time!
Here's my Workout Wednesday this week: an ab routine that will destory your abdominals, but make them rock hard, just in time for the holiday season.
Check out the video:

Abs of Steel Baby!

Motivational Monday on a Tuesday

So I've been gone for quite some time (away on vacation) but I'm back (sort of).  Apparently I got slammed with a lot of stuff to do when I got back; who knew?

Anyways, I wanted to show you guys this.  It's a great little video of a member at my gym who takes it upon himself to try and complete my challenge.  He's doing the last component, full burpees (burpees with a pushup) and he threw in a jump and an extra one just for good measure: 10% more as he said.  He was enthused to try to challenge and really went for it every day in the training phase.

Less than a minute before this video was taken he had just powered out 20 pushups, 30 squats and a 1minute plank hold one right after the other.

One more thing: this guy is in his early to mid-sixties.  I wanna be like him when I get to my there.

Enjoy!

This man is an inspiration to me.

Daily Workout: Short Bridges and Headstands and Tai Chi

Here was my workout today!
-Short Bridges: 3 sets of 60
-Headstands: 3 sets of 2 minutes
-And some bonus stuff!

Beginning...

Ending!

Hold it!

In addition, I did some clean and presses with my carry-on bag and pushups in Dallas, and did a bit of Tai Chi at the Santa Monica Pier.

In tight pants too!

Now I'm off to bed...zzzzz.....

Three In One Challenge, Week 5, Day 1: Changing It Up

After about 2 weeks of weird and funky stuff with my blog, I'm back baby (hopefully for good this time).

Without any further to do, let's check out some stat work:

Neck: 16"

Shoulders: 47.5"

Chest: 40.5"

Waist 3 inches above your belly button: 32.5"

Waist at your belly button: 32"

Waist 3 inches below your belly button: 34"

Hips at their widest point: 39.5"

Thigh 9 inches above the top of your kneecap: 23"

Thigh 6 inches above the top of your kneecap: 21"

Thigh 3 inches above the top of your kneecap: 17"

Calf at its widest point: 16"

Bicep (flexed) measure the widest point: 15"

Forearm at its widest point: 12.75"

Weight: 166 pounds

Body Fat Percentage: 5.1%

Gotta love that lighting

Thoughts: How do I keep adding weight, yet stay around the same body fat percentage?  I don't get it.  Ah well, who cares...

Today, I decided to completely change it up, and do a bodyweight "split style" routine.  A split style, for those of you who don't know, means working on one or two body parts a day, which allows for maximum muscle growth and strength.  I'm doing a routine that's based largely off of this book, entitled "Convict Conditioning."

Sexy photo

You might ask why I'm changing things up?  Well for a couple of reasons:

1.) I'm bored with my current routine.

2.) I'm in a movie!  I'm currently training for a movie called "A White Lie," which is currently in development.  For my part of the film, I have to be equally adept in the gym and on the dance floor.  For this role, I am gaining 10-15 pounds of functional, strong, dense muscle.  It's a good time.  For more information, please either message me or check out this website: http://www.sbfilms.webs.com/
Also, check out the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SBFilms?sk=info
So for this, I'm doing a bodyweight training routine.  Because of this, I'm starting out slow, so I can help adapt my joints to the rigorous pounding that my body is going to endure through all of my training, which I'm insanely excited about.  Today's workout: back and legs

Here it is:

Vertical Pulls: 3 sets: 50/71/50

Shoulderstand Squats: 3 sets: 60/62/60

Various Grip Work

Here was my other workout: 3 circuits, focusing on form.  Each exercise, when applicable, was done with a count of 2 seconds up, pause, then 2 seconds down.  When I felt the form start to deteriorate, I stopped.  

Circuit 1:

Rack Row: 8/8/8

26" Box Jump: 8/8/7 (keep in mind that these were done from a full squat, or a squat where your butt is right up against your calves).

Circuit 2:

Wide Grip Pull Up: 5/5/5

Single-Leg Bench Squat: 5/5 : 5/5 : 6/6

Circuit 3:

TRX Row: 6/7/7

TRX Lunge: 8/8 : 8/8 : 8/8

Thoughts:

Vertical Pulls:

This is a preliminary exercise meant to get the back and biceps ready for the ultimate back exercise: the one-armed pull up.

Beginning...

Ending

Shoulderstand Squat: This exercise puts more emphasis on the upper body than the lower body.  However, this exercise is meant to focus on range of motion, or ROM of the legs, as with many functional moves (such as jumps or leaps) you have to go from a full squatted position.

I'm laughing at my pain!

Don't hit yourself!

Until tomorrow!

Motivational Monday: Change it Up!

This week's M and M: change it up.  If you don't like how things are going in your life, make changes in your life.  They don't need to be big, gigantic changes; just a small change will be enough.  I did a different workout routine today; radically different than what I'm used to.  And you know what, it works (I'm gonna write about it in a bit).  Whatever kind of change you do, make sure it's purposeful, and that you learn from it, whether it works or not.  You'll be surprised what you can learn.
Enjoy today and everyday.

Workout Wednesday: Street Performers Are Jacked

Workout Wednesday coming at ya!
Here's a video demonstrated why you don't need weights to be ripped.  These guys do street shows for a living, and make good money at it by the looks of it.  Every single one of these guys is just ripped, strong, flexible and powerful.  Check it out.

For the namesake of this video, go to 6:39 and check it out.  Also, I love the guy doing the handstand pushup work. 

Three In One Challenge Week 4 Day 2: Lower Body and Sprints

Ok, so remember yesterday's post when I talked about a split routine?  Well, today was my lower body day.  Now since I can do a lot more leg work in a shorter amount of time, I decided to throw in some sprint work as well.
I did a few supersets (one exercise one right after the other) and gave myself very little rest.
Circuit 1 (Done 4 Times):
Deadlift: 10 reps @ 165 pounds
Jump Tucks: 20
Circuit 2 (Done 4 Times):
TRX Lunge Hop: 10 reps each side
TRX Hip Press: 10
Then to finish off, I did some High Intensity Interval Training on the rowing machine (which is an amazing device for getting jacked by the way):
30 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy...5 times through.
Sound easy?  Try it: you may not think so after doing it.  My legs felt like jelly after this.
Here's to tomorrow, and a day of work, filming, fasting and working out!

Three In One Challenge Week 4 Day 1: I Kick Things Up a Notch...

I'm back baby!  But rather than being all sentimental, let's get some stats in, since I was a week off.
Please keep in mind that these stats are over a course of two weeks, so there's a bit of inaccuracy.

Neck Measurement: 16”

Shoulders at their widest point: 47.5”

Chest (measuring tape right across your nipples and under your arms): 40.5” +0.25 inches

Waist 3 inches above your bellybutton: 31.5

Waist at your belly button: 31.75”

Waist 3 inches below your belly button: 34.75"

Hips at their widest point: 39”

Thigh 9 inches above the top of your kneecap: 23"

Thigh 6 inches above the top of your kneecap: 21.5"

Thigh 3 inches above the top of your kneecap: 18"

Calf at its widest point: 16"

Bicep (flexed) measure the widest point: 14.75"

Forearm at its widest point: 12.75"

Weight: 167 pounds +3.3 pounds

Body Fat Percentage: 4.8% +0.1%

Beats Per Minute: 60

Terrible lighting...

This time I'm surprised by my weight; I usually don't gain weight very well, but this made me a little happy, especially because the body fat percentage was so low.  Let's hope it stays that way.  
For my workout this week, I decided to do a bit of a split routine.  For those of you that don't know what a split routine is, a quick way of thinking about it is that you work on specific body parts on a particular day.  So if we did a three day split, it might look something like this:
Monday: Chest and Triceps
Tuesday: Abs and Cardio
Wednesday: Back and Biceps
Thurday: Abs and Cardio
Friday: Shoulders and Legs
You can use whatever kind of split system you want.
Me?  I decided to go more general, and do an upper body/lower body split.  Monday was upper body.  Here's the breakdown: I did 4 circuits, with each circuit focusing on a couple of body parts (chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, back).  A lot of these exercises used many different muscles, so in a way, it's not exclusive...either way, you'll see.
Each circuit was done 3 times through without resting.  After each circuit was done, I did one minute of jump rope.
Let's check it out:
Circuit 1 (Chest Emphasis):
Incline Dumbbell Press: 15, 10, 6 @ 45, 50, 55 pounds
TRX Atomic Pushup: 10
TRX Pushup: 15
Circuit 2 (Triceps Emphasis):

Close-Grip Bench Press: 8 reps @ 115 pounds
Rope Pulldown: 8 reps @ 85 pounds
TRX Triceps Extension: 8 reps 
Circuit 3 (Back and Biceps Emphasis):
Pull Up: 6 reps
TRX Row: 15, 10, 6
TRX Swimmers Pull: 8 reps
TRX Biceps Curl: 8 reps
Circuit 4 (Shoulder Emphasis):
TRX Incline Press: 8 reps/side
Thrusters: 8 reps @ 30 pounds
TRX I/Y/T: 5 reps each
TRX Split Fly: 5 each side
After that was done, I stretched for a good 15 minutes, mostly my hips and legs, but some shoulder work as well.  
If this photo is any indicator of my workout, I'm in for a good time come challenge day; it's two weeks away, I can't wait!

Tickets to the gun show?

Motivational Monday: Be Patient and Find the Good in Everything

I'm back!
So excited; I got an email last night around 2:30 am that said my account was fine and I was able to start posting again.  Best thing of all: no one got anything in my account.  Huzzah!
This ties directly into my M and M posting: even though I was initially frustrated about this whole "not being able to post" thing, but it gave me the opportunity to completely re-tool my workout plan for this latest challenge I'm doing.  Not only that, but I was able to take care of a lot of things that were important to me, all the while helping out friends and getting a lot of things done or on the road to being done.  So the moral of the story is: stay patient; something that you initially think is a setback could be a great opportunity.

Motivational Monday: Keep Going!

So for today's Motivational Monday, let's look at what happened yesterday: Daylight Savings Time.  Our clocks were pushed back an hour.  That throws a lot of people off, including yours truly.  I did a marathon filming session yesterday (about 10 hours), then drove home from New Jersey (about a 4 hour drive).  And on Saturday, I was going from about 7 am till about 2:30 am.  So needless to say, I'm a wee bit tired.
But regardless of that, you've got to keep going.  Did I get a bit of a slow start this morning?  Sure, but that doesn't mean that I should stop.  After a bit more sleep than normal, I got myself moving, went to work, worked out, and now I'm about to head of to a personal training session.
Bottom line: get things moving, even if you don't want to get up.

Three In One Challenge Week 2 Recap

Hey guy.  Sorry I haven't been on the ball the past few days, but I've pulled one hell of a marathon weekend.  Video below to explain.

I'm so tired!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to pass out...zzzz....

Three In One Challenge Week 2, Day 4: Spartacus 1.5 and I Talk a Bit About Form

Ok, so another quick blog entry; it's been a pretty hectic week, and it's only going to get worse as the week continues.
But that doesn't mean that I'm gonna get down on a workout!  It was a bit warmer today, so I decided to work out outside and give the Spartacus 1.5 Workout another go.
Here you go:

Power!

Keep in mind that this is an advanced workout, and the reason why I created this workout was that the regular Spartacus Workout wasn't doing it to me anymore.

That being said, I decided to try and slow down and really pay attention to my form: improve my range of motion; regulate my breathing; make sure I was taking care of my shoulders.

What was the result of doing this pain-in-the-ass training?  A sweat inducing workout that had me exhausted both physically and mentally, but leaving me spiritually refreshed.

Here's to tomorrow, and the weekend of hell.

Three In One Challenge Week 2, Day 2 and 3: Double-Whammy!

So because I was restructuring things a bit with how I'm doing the workouts.  Currently everything is still in the works; tomorrow I'll have some time, so I'll be able to dabble a bit into the suggestions that y'all presented to me.  But for tonight, with a lack of time and me possibly having an ridiculously insane weekend, I'm gonna get right to it, and make it short and sweet and to the point.  But don't worry: I'll give you some eye candy very soon ;-)
Tuesday: I did my Spartacus 1.5 workout AKA Functional Spartacus Workout.  For those of you just tuning in, here's the skinny: each exercise lasts 60 seconds, with 15 seconds rest in between each one.  Once you do all 10 exercises once, rest for a couple of minutes, then go through it twice more.  Pick a moderate to light weight for your dumbbells.
Check it:

I am Spartacus!

If you feel like going for a full minute is too hard, that's fine: start with 30 seconds per exercise.  If you need to stop (as I sometimes do), feel free to take a couple of seconds to catch your breath.  This is an advanced exercise routine, so start slow.

Now for Wednesday:

I did my little TRX killer workout.  I'm starting to build up my muscle and cardiovascular endurance while allowing myself a bit more rest.  Here's what I did, 4 times:

TRX Hamstring Curl: 20

TRX Low Row: 20

TRX Lunge (Left): 20

TRX Lunge (Right): 20

TRX Pushup with a Pike: 20

The hardest art: the Pushup.  My arms, legs and core were quivering.  It was also the only exercise where I had to take some rest during my repetitions.  Not ok.  Tomorrow I'm really going to work on TRX form to see what kind of pushup would work best for me in the TRX.  This workout is also highly advanced, and if you haven't worked with someone who's a TRX Trainer, find one; they'll help you get the most out of this device.  Or you can talk to me, as I'm a certified TRX Trainer.  No really, it's true...why are you all laughing at me?

Anyway, enjoy this video of the exercises:

I'm such a cute lil' host :-)

That's all until tomorrow, when I'll hopefully have some time!  Wish me luck; I began fasting #2 tonight; hopefully it will go better than the last one!  Time will tell...

Workout Wednesday: A Man After My Own Heart!

People are copying me!
Well, not really.  But what I want you guys to check out for this edition of Workout Wednesday is what this guys does for his pushups.

I like the "Around the World"

Don't some of this look familiar...oh wait a second!

Hey I'm doing the same thing!

I have also done the side-to-side pushups, but have not recorded them.  Never tried the "Around the World" push up, but it looks interesting; very similar to the kind of stuff I do when break dancing, just a little, well, goofy.  I'll give them a shot though and let you know what I think of them.

The point is: I'm on the right track, cause others are doing the same things I am.  That makes me feel really good.  

In the meantime, enjoy!  I didn't do my Three in One Challenge blog posting yesterday, but that's because I was re-vamping it a bit.  

Stay tuned!

Three In One Challenge Week 2, Day 1: Stats, Photo, and a Slightly Different Trial by Water

On this lovely Halloween evening, rather than giving some annoying children candy and stuff, I'm updating my workout blog.
Let's get started!  Same rules apply; if there are any difference I'll make them bold and italicize them.
Here we go:

Neck Measurement: 16”

Shoulders at their widest point: 47.5” +0.50 inches

Chest (measuring tape right across your nipples and under your arms): 40.25” +0.25 inches

Waist 3 inches above your bellybutton: 31.5

Waist at your belly button: 31.75” -0.25 inches

Waist 3 inches below your belly button: 34.75"

Hips at their widest point: 39”

Thigh 9 inches above the top of your kneecap: 23"

Thigh 6 inches above the top of your kneecap: 21.5"

Thigh 3 inches above the top of your kneecap: 18"

Calf at its widest point: 16"

Bicep (flexed) measure the widest point: 14.75"

Forearm at its widest point: 12.75"
Weight: 163.6 pounds -0.4 pounds
Body Fat Percentage: 4.7% -2.3%
Beats Per Minute: 60
The thing I'm most surprised about: my body fat percentage.  When I want to lose body fat, I lose fat fast.  It's very bizarre about that.

That ain't photoshopped!

Any who, I did a slightly different version or the Trial by Water.  Still two seconds; still do each circuit four times through.  Here we go:
Circuit 1:
28" Box Jump: 8
Dead Lift @ 160 pounds: 8
Thrusters: 35
Pull Up: 8
Plyo Pushup: 8
Circuit 2:
Pull Up: 8
TRX Low Row: 8
Hang Clean @ 105 pounds: 8
Shoulder Press: 8
TRX Atomic Pushup: 8
Thoughts: The plyo pushup really made a difference in exhausting me, and gave me an extra little cardio.  Other than that, it was a pretty good time.
I did get to do some extra work, including a lovely little TRX circuit for my shoulders (building up their strength to do some really fun work), and some ab exercises.  Observe:
(Hanging Leg Raise x7, Hanging Knee Raise x5) x2
(Hanging Knee Raise x1, Clockwork Leg Raise x4, Hanging Leg Raise x1, Hanging Knee Raise x 5) x1
(Twisting Knee Raise x4, Hanging Knee Raise x5) x2
Also got to do some extra upper body work:
Shift Pushup: 4x20
Bicycle Crunches: 4x20/side
Shifting Pull Up: 4x4
I'm ending this rather short blog posting, I have to ask something: what do you guys think about this?  What do you guys want to see more of?
I'm asking this because I want to know who's reading this, and what you want to see.  I am writing this for me, but I also want you guys to get something out of it.
Let me know; write a comment.
That's all; gotta get ready for an audition tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

Motivational Monday: Holiday Spirit!

If you're living on the east coast, then you know we got battered by this very odd snow storm this weekend; the first of the winter season.  I only got around a foot of snow where I live, and I consider myself lucky; I have friends in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and New Jersey who currently don't have power.  Seriously guys, stay warm and stay safe. 
And don't let no power or anything keep you down.  I read about a woman in Connecticut who, just a couple hours after losing power, threw an impromptu party for the neighbors.  Elsewhere, people are planning trick or treating.  I'm just saying: everyone should enjoy Halloween and every holiday, no matter what.  It gets your spirits up, allows you to laugh and have fun with each other, and it reminds us all about community and how we all depend upon each other.
I got into the spirit: check out my rad outfit:

I look good!

I even did my hair:

Rocking the fohawk!; kinda...

But seriously guys, enjoy the holidays, and have fun with those you care about; it could be a lot of fun.

Here are some other costume ideas I found on the internet; some people go nuts for this kind of thing:

Even Spot is getting into it!

Don't mess with his woman 

How cute is that?

How awesome is that?

Happy Halloween!



Three In One Challenge Day 7: Re-Cap!

Re-cap guys!  After a great yoga session today and some heavy shoveling (what with the foot of snow we got last night), I decided to do a video.  Here we go!

Look at me just lounging

Bring on week 2!

Three In One Challenge Day 6: Yoga

Another short but sweet one guys, since I've been preparing for the Nor'easter up here (seriously, it's October...that's just weird).
I did some yoga today to try and soothe my aching muscles.  Good times were had as I really went for it, finding the nitty-gritty in certain positions.
Tomorrow I will do a re-cap, just like in the 300 Challenge.  If I still have power.  For now, I'm gonna snuggle up and read a book.  Nighty-night all.
To all my friends who have experienced this crazy weather: be warm, be safe.

Three In One Challenge Day 5: I Re-Visit Trial By Water

Ok everyone, short but sweet today, as I've had a lot done today, including work and recording a comedy podcast (more on that when it's edited).  For now, let's discuss the workout.
You guys remember Trial by Water, right?  Well, in case you forgot, here's a refresher:

You have two circuits, and each circuit contains 5 exercises.  You perform each circuit all the way through, with no rest.  Then you take a minute to a minute and a half break, and do it again.  Perform each circuit 4 times through.  Then set up yourself for the next circuit, and repeat the process.

Let's do it:

Circuit 1:

24" Box Jump: 8

Dead Lift @ 155 pounds: 8

Thrusters @ 30 pound dumbbells: 8

Pull Up: 8

Shift Pushup: 8

Circuit 2:

Pull Up: 8

TRX Low Row: 8

Hang Clean: 8

Shoulder Press @ 25 pound dumbbells: 8

TRX Atomic Pushup: 8

Thoughts: the workout felt a lot easier.  No, really.  I was really starting to get into the swing of things.  The pull ups are probably the hardest thing, especially when it's the only move you have to do in both circuits.  I do have to admit though, your arms shake a lot during the atomic pushup when you've done a ton of crazy exercises.

Chia Thoughts: I tried something new today: I put a bunch in a bowl, mixed it with water, then let it sit overnight.  Added a squirt of lemon, and viola!  Not gonna lie, it still tasted a bit like runny eggs, but I felt so much more energized than I thought I would be.  I'm going to try and perfect the ratio that works best for me.  But the energy boost that I got from it (and am still getting from it) has been pretty constant throughout the day.

Tomorrow, I'm gonna squeeze in a workout before a (hopefully) long drive; let's hope we don't get a Nor'easter eh?

Three In One Challenge Day 4: Fasting and Running

So, I finished my half fast.  What I call a half fast is really going for 18 hours without eating or drinking anything other than water.
I have to say, physically, after about 16 hours, there wasn't too much of a difference.

See?

However, when I woke up, there was a huge feeling of lightness.  I woke up at 5 am feeling great; I was hungry, but in that sort of "I can deal with it" kind of hunger.  Despite all the lousy weather (tons of rain, about 40 degree), I was ready to go.  I thought I would do a quick reiki treatment before heading off to the gym.  Then I did the biggest mistake I've ever done.

I fell back asleep.

Apparently my body was telling me something: get up at 5 am.  Go to the gym.  It did not tell me "go back to sleep."  When I woke up, I was in agony: my hands felt shaky, I had knots in my stomach.  So I decided not to do a weight training session in the gym.  I decided to go for a run.  And don't worry, I bundled up ;-)

At first, I limited myself to 15 minutes.  But then I realized I forgot my watch.  Another oops.  So I went screw it and decided to ballpark it.  I started off at a fairly easy jog, and then the oddest thing happened: I got stronger.  I felt a lot lighter, like I had wings on my feet.  I began doing some surges in my run, and those felt pretty good, do I decided to try some wind sprints.  Again, it felt amazing.  I threw in something like 12 wind sprints and 15 surges into my run.  When I got back to my place, I check the time; apparently I had been running for an hour.  Oops again!

I grabbed some food, and when it touched my lips...man, I tell ya, nothing beats eating after 18 hours of not and a run in the cold and rain.  I had a fruit smoothie first, and I could taste everything: the apple, banana, the blueberries...man oh man, was it amazing!  

I think I'm going to adjust the fasting cycle and what to do.  More on that next week, when I try again.  

Three In One Challenge Day 3: TRX Work, Chia Thoughts and I Begin My Half Fast

All righty then, so for today's workout, I decided to give myself a taste of this Mission Readiness Challenge.  So I did this workout:
TRX Hamstring Curl: 15
TRX Low Row: 15
TRX Lunge (Left and Right): 15
TRX Atomic Pushup and Pike: 15
Simple right?
Oh, did I mention that I did it 5 times?
Yeah...not so simple anymore now is it?
I have a video of the exercises and tips on how to do each one correctly.  But first, let's talk about my thoughts, shall we?
Thoughts:
Hamstring Curl: This was the easiest out of the four, and it works your core, lower back, hamstrings, and butt.  It's great for balancing out a squat, and is perfect for toning up those butt and thighs.
Low Row: Works your entire back (trapezius, lats, some of the posterior chain); biceps; core; and even a bit of shoulders.  Not bad eh?  I love this exercise; it's so deceptively simple, yet can also be so painful.
Lunge: Works your quadriceps, core, balance, calves, butt, hip flexibility, cardio...aw hell, it's a great move all around!
Atomic Pushup with a Pike: Ooof.  Nice and painful.  Gives your chest, triceps and shoulders a good workout, while giving your core an extra burn.
What's that, you want to learn how to do these moves?  Well then, look no further than right here.
Check it out:

Work those straps!

Note: I've updated my challenge with the video; check it out here.

Since this is a Three in One challenge, I'm gonna talk about the other two things, one of them is something that I've done before, aka chia; the other is something that I haven't done before (in much depth anyway) and I hope to explore how this works and if it's beneficial at all: fasting.

Chia: I decided to add my chia seeds to my breakfast fruit smoothie, intent on no longer consuming my "frogs eggs."  Then I decided "what the hell," and had some more in water anyways.  I'm really starting to get used to them; they've got a slight greasiness to it, but they're really not that bad.  

Fasting: Here's where today gets interesting.  After my workout, I had my post workout/late lunch at around 2:15 pm; then decided to do my "half fast."  

The half fast will consist of me eating or drinking nothing but water for the next 18 hours (so until about 8:15 tomorrow morning).  Right before I eat, I'm going to engage in a very hard workout.  The idea is that, by the time hours 16-18 come around, my body is running off of my stored body fat, so I will burn off much more body fat in my workout than I would normally.  That's the theory anyway.

Initial thoughts: oye ve, 18 hours is gonna be a long time...

Hour 2: I want food!

Hour 4: I'm cranky!  Feed me now!

Hour 6: ...You know, this "lack of eating" thing is actually not that bad.  I'm getting things done!

Let's do a physical comparison.  Here's a shot of me at the beginning of the fast (hour 0):

In a towel no less; what a tease ;-)

And here I am at hour 7.5...

Check out those abs!

Will there be a significant physical difference?  I don't know; we'll find out in the weeks to come.  

Workout Wednesday: Dragon Flags!

What is a Dragon Flag you may ask?
Simply put, you lie down on a bench, brace your arms, and using your shoulders as the fulcrum, you bring your whole body up from prone (lying down) to perpendicular, not unlike a handstand.  It looks pretty impressive, and I'm gonna attempt it sometime in the next couple of weeks.  Just be sure you take care of your neck, and don't tense it.  Also watch your lower back; don't let it arch.
Here's the video.  Enjoy.

Screw Abs of Steel; try Abs of Diamond!

Three In One Challenge Day 2: Spartacus Workout 1.5

So, day 2, and I got a really good workout in.
The workout was a variation on one that allowed me to get into really good shape really fast.  Dubbed "The Spartacus Workout," it was created by Men's Health for the actors in the Starz series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" as a way for the actors to not only look the part, but to also be in amazing shape.  Just check out a photo of the late Andy Whitfield, Manu Bennett, and Jai Courtney in their training outfits:

Ripped!

So, I gave one of these workouts a go.

The original Spartacus Workout is meant to be done with a pair of dumbbells.  That's it.  

The workout is 10 exercises, each one to be done for 60 seconds per exercise; 15 seconds rest in between each exercise.  After you've gone through each of the 10 exercises, rest 1 or 2 minutes, then go through it again.  You go through the exercise sequence 3 times.

But...

I wanted to turn it up a notch.

Herein lies my creation.  Drum roll please!

..........Spartacus Workout........1.5!!!!!

Ok, so I can't do a Spartacus Workout 2, because that's already been taken.  But, I can make it more functional for my purposes, which is to complete this Mission Readiness Challenge.  So, I present to you the Spartacus Workout 1.5 AKA Functional Spartacus Workout.  

The basic format is the same: 10 exercises, each one done for 60 seconds with 15 seconds rest in between each exercise.  3 circuits.  What's different is the equipment and the exercises.  You have to add a TRX, and add another weight if you want.

I hadn't tried this before, so I decided to go a bit lighter in terms of weight.  I'll highlight the exercises that are added by me, and not part of the Spartacus WorkoutHere we go:

Jumping Squat

Sprinter's Lunge

Single-Arm Dumbbell Swing: 20 pounds

T-Pushup: 15 pounds

Split Jump

TRX Row

TRX Single-Leg Squat and Crossing Balance Lunge

Pushup with Row: 15 pounds

Dumbbell Lunge and Rotation: 15 pounds

Dumbbell Push Press: 15 pounds

A couple of highlights:

TRX Single-Leg Squat and Crossing Balance Lunge:

Grrr!!!

I'm going to post a tutorial video later this week, so stay tuned!

P.S. My pulse was 60 again.  Not too bad; let's see what tomorrow brings....

Three In One Challenge Day 1: Stats and a Photo; Workout; And I Chia for the First Time!

Today was my first day of my "Three In One Challenge."  To give you a brief idea of what I'm doing, here's what I plan to do over the next five weeks:
TRX Mission Challenge: Win the Grand Prize by performing 255-260 total reps of 5 exercises
Chia Seeds: Have Chia Seeds every day and chart how I feel
Fasting: Each week, perform either an 18 hour fast; a 24 hour fast; or both, and see how I feel about it
But first, let's give myself a baseline.
Resting Heart Rate: 60 BPM.  This is taken upon waking up in my bed with my stopwatch in hand; minimal movement needed; talk about easy!
Now for the body measurements:
Neck: 16"
Shoulders: 47"
Chest: 40"
Waist 3 inches above the belly button: 31.5"
Waist at the belly button: 32"
Waist 3 inches below the belly button: 34.75"
Hips at their wides point: 39"
Thigh 9 inches above the top of the kneecap: 23"
Thigh 6 inches above the top of the kneecap: 21.5"
Thigh 3 inches above the top of the kneecap: 18"
Calf at its widest point: 16"
Bicep (flexed) at its widest point: 14.75"
Forearm (flexed) at its widest point: 12.75"
Weight: 164 pounds
Body Fat Percentage: 6%

V Shape!

And here was my workout:

Trial by Water

This is a workout that I worked really hard on trying to perfect, which uses a series of compound movements to really work the body for muscle development; cardiovascular fitness; speed; technique; endurance and high intensity interval training.  Behold, my latest workout: Trial by Water.  This is the first time I've ever used it, so it may go through some modifications.

Here's how it works: you have two circuits, and each circuit contains 5 exercises.  You perform each circuit all the way through, with no rest.  Then you take a minute to a minute and a half break, and do it again.  Perform each circuit 4 times through.  Then set up yourself for the next circuit, and repeat the process.

Let's do it:

Circuit 1:

24" Box Jump: 8

Dead Lift @ 155 pounds: 8

Thrusters @ 30 pound dumbbells: 8

Pull Up: 8

Shift Pushup: 8

Circuit 2:

Pull Up: 8

TRX Low Row: 8

Hang Clean: 8

Shoulder Press @ 25 pound dumbbells: 8

TRX Atomic Pushup: 8

The flow of this workout was extremely difficult, and afterwards, my hands and forearms were pulsating with pain.  I'm going to hopefully record more stuff with the workouts tomorrow.

As for the Chia, I decided to record myself taking Chia for the first time.  

Frog Eggs!

After taking these, I felt this really warm sensation in my belly, like someone had started a fire within me.  I felt really energized after that, and for the next several hours. I didn't even feel hungry after a few hours, which I normally do.  I will comment on these sensations as I feel them.

Motivational Monday: Try Something New

For today's Motivational Monday, I decided to try something new, in honor of my new fitness challenge (click here for the challenge), I'm trying a new superfood, known as Chia Seeds.  They're not exactly the most appetizing things ever (they taste kind of like bland almonds), but they're supposedly insanely good for you.
Also, later this week, I'm going to be trying rabbit for the first time.
My point is: try new things.  Surprise yourself; maybe you should go skydiving; eat a new dish; try a new date for your special someone.  Whatever you do, make sure it's something new!

Three Challenges In One!

Ok guys, so I'm getting ready for the TRX Mission Readiness Challenge.
Here's the deal:

You have to perform 5 exercises.  Each exercise lasts one minute, with 30 seconds in between each one, for a grueling workout.  You have to perform as many reps of each exercise for the minute (or until failure).  After, you add up all of your repetitions, and that is your score.  And you're competing for prizes!

The top person in each branch of the military and civilians will win the following, from the TRX official blog:

• Meet and greet with Brian Stann himself. A decorated Marine who completed two tours in Iraq, Stann has been training relentlessly in an effort to contest for the middleweight title, taking his functional training regimen to another level, utilizing the TRX FORCE Kit.
• All-expenses paid trip to Camp Pendleton, California to compete in the TRX FORCE: Mission Readiness Challenge Championship against the top scorers in the other branches. This is your chance to represent (for active duty/veterans only).
• Trip to TRX HQ in San Francisco train at our world-class training center with the creators of TRX Training (for civilians only). Get hands-on instruction from the masters. We guarantee your training will never be the same.
• TRX FORCE Kit, the best-in-class, lightweight, all-body training system developed in the Navy SEALs to build mobility, strength, power and core stability ANYWHERE. Get the same training used pervasively throughout the military, by first responders and by MMA fighters.

The Grand Prize winner gets this:

• Airfare and tickets for two to see a UFC fight. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you and a lucky friend to see two of the biggest names in ultimate fighting today step into the Octagon for a battle of brute strength and sheer will. Who will come out on top? You’ll be one of the first to know.
• TRX FORCE: Mission Readiness Challenge Trophy. Who doesn’t love a trophy??
• Bragging rights and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are the most functionally fit service member in the TRX Community, which at last count was well over 100,000 individuals. Respect.

My goal: to get the grand prize.

Now in order to do this, I think I have to get around 255-260 repetitions of the following exercises:

Hamstring Curl: 60ish

Low Row: 50ish

TRX Lunge (each leg): 50ish/leg

Pushup with a Pike: 45ish

This will require a lot of power and endurance for bodyweight, so I gotta kick things up a notch.

Here's the link for how to do the exercises (I'm going to post a video of me demonstrating the exercises later this week):

Feel the testosterone!

In order to do this, my workout schedule is going to consist of this:

5 days of "hard" workouts, with a combination of weights and TRX, with a bit of straight cardio thrown in.  Lots of high-intensity interval training, and very little rest.  This will push me beyond the brink, and will most likely make me cry more than once.

2 "easy" days consisting of yoga and cardio to up my aerobic capacity.  These will be more "active rest" days.  

No straight out rest days.

The workout schedule will be done for 5 weeks, with each workout being made by me personally.

On November 28th, after a couple of days of active rest, I will record my workout to be submitted to TRX, and hopefully the grand prize.

Each Monday, I will be submitting my measurements to track my physical progress.  I will also be getting my resting heart rate each morning, and seeing if there are any improvements, either up or down.  

But that's not all!

In addition, I'm going to be doing some nutritional challenges as well.

Check out the video for more, and wish me luck!

Nice Faces!

UPDATE: Here is a tutorial on the exercises that I'm doing for the challenges!

Work them straps!