‘Stealing Workouts’

In my previous workout log, I mentioned “stealing workouts” when I don’t have actual time to hit the gym. This is a concept which, come to find out, was something I’ve pretty much always done my whole life.

I was at a local discount book store and picked up a copy of “Cover Model Workout“ because it was a good price and I’m always interested in reading different philosophies on fitness.

In this book, Owen McKibbin, the author, talked about how he gives himself the mental - and physical - advantage over others by taking mundane, everyday tasks and views them as a way to steal workouts in the least likely of circumstances:

When you fit in a workout even though all the odds are against you, you’ve stolen one. Say you don’t have any exercise scheduled but you find yourself with time to kill and decide to lace up your shoes and do 20 minutes of sprints. That’s stealing one…

…Say I arrive at a hotel with no time to hit the health spa. Instead of tipping the bellboy, I walk up the stairwell to the top floor, bags and all. Then I take the elevator down and go back up the stairs again…

… You should always be looking for ways to steal a workout.

Now, it’s easy to dismiss McKibbin’s advice because when you think about it, his job is to work out. I mean, he is after all the person to appear on the most covers of Men’s Health magazine.

But there’s a bunch of research to back up what McKibbin suggests. For example, in the June 2008 issue of Men’s Health magazine, on page 48, it says that according to Danish researchers:

When men were asked to park close to buildings, take the elevator instead of the stairs, and walk less in general, their triglyceride levels went up 18 percent in 2 weeks. The explanation is NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis), which consists of all the ways we expend energy without actually exercising.

Take walking out of the NEAT equation and you’ll not only gain weight, but also accumulate more triglycerides in your bloodstream says the study author, Rikke Krogh-Madsen, M.D. So look to the men in the study and then do the opposite: Take the farthest parking spot you find, hoof it up the stairs, and squeeze in extra steps whenever possible.

I’ve also read that, forgive me if the percentage is a bit off, about 70 percent of the average male’s caloric burn comes from everyday activities.

So that’s it! That’s what I meant when I said I’ve had to resort to stealing workouts the past week or so due to the number of wild fires burning in the area.

Cheers!

Daniel

Holy Smoke! Literally!

I haven’t posted about workouts for the past week-ish because, well, to be honest, there’s been a ton of fires burning in the area. The whole Sonoma Valley is filled with so much smoke there are some days it smells like every home in Northern California is having a campfire. Only without the smores and campfire songs. 

The local newspaper published this update earlier this morning:

Bay Area Air Quality Management has declared a third straight unhealthy air day and is recommending people forgo outdoor activities and undue exertion today because of the poor air quality.

The warning is expected to be lessened to moderate on Saturday when only unusually sensitive people should avoid undue exertion.

Santa Rosa is expected to hit a high of 87 downtown today, with winds picking up to about 20 miles an hour in the afternoon after early morning breezes.

But those winds are not expected to be heavy enough to clear out the thick smoke that has been hovering for days as thousands of acres in Northern California burn.

Source: The Press Democrat

I’ve tried going to the gym regardless, however, nearly all of the machines were in use, as local were forced to take their workouts indoors. Since I only have lunch breaks to hit the gym most days, I’ve taken to “stealing workouts” whenever I can by doing everyday activities differently. What do I mean by “stealing workouts”? I’ll post more about that later on. 

Here’s a map of the local fires. The town I work in is located just about underneath the “128″ sign on the map, just north of my hometown of Santa Rosa. 

In any case, I’ve also taken the opportunity to try and eat better and manage my portions. While I slipped up hanging out with friends last night - having a Sam Adams and two Cokes - I do still feel healthier. Maybe early tomorrow morning I’ll go for a bike ride with the kids before the smoke thickens. 

 

Cheers! 

Daniel

Workout log

I was a bad monkey and didn’t go to the gym very much last week. Lots of stress in my life right now and I tend to do the “couch potato” thing and dwell on my sorrows with a pity party involving laziness, lack of movement and eating more than I need to be. I’ve decided that I simply need to make a more serious conscious effort when stress hits a higher level to just get out and Get Moving!

As mentioned previously, school is out for the summer so every piece of cardio equipment was in use by out-of-school teenagers. In any case, today was a shorter, but still very good workout:

• Neutral grip pulldown on the Lat machine. Two sets of 8 reps @ 80 lbs.
• Rowing machine, targeting middle and lower back muscles:
  Both arms at once: Two sets of 8 reps @ 100 lbs.
  Each arm individually: one set of 8 reps @ 100 lbs.
• Lat/shoulder pulldown - like a reverse military press. Two sets of 8 reps @ 100 lbs
• Biceps pulldown on the Lat machine - Two sets of 8 reps @ 80 lbs.
• Calf extensions - Two sets of 10 reps @110 lbs.
• Leg press - Two sets of 10 reps @ 180 lbs.
• Triceps cable pulldown - Two sets of 10 reps @ 100 lbs

 

Switching things up a bit

Yesterday I hit the gym on my lunch break, again. I got smart and changed into my gym clothes at my place of employment, before heading to the gym. This ended up giving me at least an extra 10 minutes. One of the best pieces of advice someone has ever given me was by my a man my Grandma was married to for a few years. He told me “Never let anything become too routine. Even if it means walking a different way to school one morning. Keep things fresh.” So that’s what I did in yesterdays workout… I made some slight switches to my routine.

• Cardio - “My” usual elliptical machines were either in use or out of order so I had to use one of the other ones, off to the side. I used the “Hills” program on this machine and, phew!, it whooped my ass! 10 minutes on the elliptical machine, with the resistance gradually increasing from 11-16. Burned 140 calories.
• Neutral grip pulldown on the Lat machine. Two sets of 8 reps @ 80 lbs.
• Rowing machine, targeting middle and lower back muscles: 
  Both arms at once: Two sets of 8 reps @ 100 lbs.
  Each arm individually: one set of 8 reps @ 100 lbs.
• Lat/shoulder pulldown - like a reverse military press. Two sets of 8 reps @ 100 lbs
• Biceps pulldown on the Lat machine - Two sets of 8 reps @ 80 lbs.
• Calf extensions -  Two sets of 10 reps @110 lbs.
• Leg press - Two sets of 10 reps @ 180 lbs.
• Triceps cable pulldown - Two sets of 10 reps @ 100 lbs

 

The local high school is out for the summer, so the gym is quite busier than usual, with kids too busy listening to their iPods and trying to look good. I may have to switch to hitting the gym in the early mornings instead.

 

Cheers!

Daniel 

I’m still here

I just suck and forget to post on this blog. 

I’ve hit the gym twice this week so far. Yesterday was the best workout, though. 

It was a quick, 30-minute sprint:

• 10 minutes on the elliptical machine, with the resistance set to 11. Burned 102 calories.
• Neutral grip pulldown on the Lat machine. Two sets of 8 reps @ 80 lbs.
• Rowing machine, targeting middle and lower back muscles. Two sets of 8 reps @ 100 lbs.
• Lat/shoulder pulldown - like a reverse military press. Two sets of 8 reps @ 100 lbs
• Biceps pulldown on the Lat machine. Two sets of 8 reps @ 80 lbs.
• Calf extensions. Two sets of 10 reps @110 lbs.

Felt like I got hit by a truck afterwards, but I was maintaining a safe posture/form. Every once in a while it’s fun to do a sprint-mad-dash type of workout: Doesn’t take a lot of time but you feel great afterwards!

Cheers!

Daniel

D’oh! Forgot to post

Sunday I went to the gym while the family took naps. 

I used the exercise bike for 15 minutes, doing one of the preset “rolling hills” programs. Man, that kicked my butt!

After that I did at least two sets, 8-10 reps each, of the following:

• Neutral grip pulldown on the Lat machine
• Rowing machine, targeting middle and lower back muscles
• Lat/shoulder pulldown - like a reverse military press
• Biceps pulldown on the Lat machine
• Leg presses on the leg press/”squat” machine.

Cheers!

Daniel

Holy Severe Weather Warning, Batman!

Going to the gym at lunch today is out of the picture:
 

HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING… … EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING…

 A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS… STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT BE PRONE TO HEAT SENSITIVITY.

Maybe if it cools down enough I’ll go tonight. If not, I’ll have to hit the gym early tomorrow morning. The workout area at my gym is upstairs and even on a mild day, it gets pretty warm. 

Day One

Well today at lunch I went to the gym, even though walking outdoors into the 80-ish degree heat made me want to turn right around and go back inside. 

I feel much better for going, though. I took advantage of my new iPod Shuffle (Thank You, IRS!) when I started off by doing 15 minutes on the elliptical trainer - burning aproximately 200 calories. 

After cardio, I crammed in at least two sets, 8-10 reps each, of the following:

• Neutral grip pulldown on the Lat machine
• Rowing machine, targeting middle and lower back muscles
• Lat/shoulder pulldown - like a reverse military press
• Biceps pulldown on the Lat machine

I think that’s all I did. That’s quite a bit to sqeeze into a 1 hour long lunch break - including walking to and from the gym, hitting the steam room for a few minutes, shaving and showering.

Cheers!

Daniel 

Getting back in there

Well, today, after about three weeks of not going to the gym, I’m going back. 

I used to go on my lunch breaks at least three days a week. Then due to general life exhausting me, I always found ways to talk myself out of going. 

Today I’m making the commitment to go back and keep going at least three time a week.