Unless you live under a rock, Bruce Lee needs no introduction.  Some say he was one of the most genetically gifted people of our time, but the wise ones recognize it was a combination of genetics and a work ethic that would put ALL OF US to shame.

Bruce Lee lived and breathed his passions and sought them without restraint.  There is a book, The Art of Expressing the Human Body, that has a great section about the authors experience of having Bruce Lee as his personal trainer.

“Bruce had me up to three miles a day, really at a good pace. We’d run the three miles in twenty-one or twenty-two minutes. Just under eight minutes a mile [Note: when running on his own in 1968, Lee would get his time down to six-and-a half minutes per mile]. So this morning he said to me “We’re going to go five.” I said, “Bruce, I can’t go five. I’m a helluva lot older than you are, and I can’t do five.” He said, “When we get to three, we’ll shift gears and it’s only two more and you’ll do it.” I said “Okay, hell, I’ll go for it.” So we get to three, we go into the fourth mile and I’m okay for three or four minutes, and then I really begin to give out. I’m tired, my heart’s pounding, I can’t go any more and so I say to him, “Bruce if I run any more,” –and we’re still running-”if I run any more I’m liable to have a heart attack and die.” He said, “Then die.” It made me so mad that I went the full five miles. Afterward I went to the shower and then I wanted to talk to him about it. I said, you know, “Why did you say that?” He said, “Because you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.”

If this doesn’t hit you right in the gut with guilt from all the times you said, “I CAN’T” then you are beyond help!

Let this be your guide for the next few weeks as you continue to train hard and work hard.  You will run into plateaus that will make you feel like quitting.

“YOU MUST GO BEYOND THEM.”

If you don’t at least ATTEMPT to break your “limits” then YOU ARE DEAD, your progress has stopped, and your efforts are futile.

You can’t do a pullup? LIES! You haven’t trained hard enough to do one.

You can’t do a real pushup? LIES! Smash through your plateau!

Do you physically want to be where you are 1 year from now?  I hope not.  DON’T SETTLE, “a man must constantly exceed his level.”  Imagine your capability if you could perform without limits!  Release your negative thoughts and actions.  PROVE YOURSELF WRONG!  Always adapting, always changing, always growing.  “Be Water, My Friends.”

Daniel Woods
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

Fitness professionals are constantly asked
“what should I eat?”

I love this question because it means the individual realizes that health & fitness is LARGELY based off what one puts in their body. Fueling your body for a workout & for life in general is a full-time process.

Our biggest source of energy comes directly from the foods we eat.

Food = Energy.

The best way to keep energy levels high (no matter the time you workout) is to eat small meals throughout the day. In these meals/snacks you always want to combine a protein and a carbohydrate. The optimal timing of meals around a workout varies by individual. Ideally, you should to eat 1-2 hours pre-workout and within an hour afterwards.

Pre-workout nutrition is necessary for muscle strength, better endurance, increased energy and it can help you burn more calories and fat as well as improve concentration levels. During an intense workout your muscles are broken down in order to build back stronger.

Post-workout nutrition is important to replenish the body and help repair muscle fibers. For these reasons it is commonly said that pre-workout meals should favor the carbohydrates and post-workout meals should favor proteins.

As long as you are eating sufficient amounts of both together, and from quality sources, you are doing well.

If you feel you are slacking in your workouts or having a hard time recovering post-workout, please talk to your trainer! You are doing hard work and we want you to fuel your body properly to get the results you are working for. If stress and/or time constraints are an issue we have great products we can offer to help you along the way.

Use us! We are here for you!

Laura Thompson
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

The never ending repeat of those P90X informercials has inspired you to exercise once again. Jillian Michaels in your face attitude on “The Biggest Loser” has motivated you to get off the couch and get moving. You decided to join the gym, again, for the umpteenth time, in hopes of sticking with it long enough to validate the monthly dues.  Through all of this, you begin to ask yourself, “What’s the trick for sticking with an exercise program?”

I hear this question a lot. People assume that since I am in the fitness profession that I know some secret way to make it easy. Gosh, I wish I did!

Unfortunately, there is no trick. Even the greatest athletes struggle with motivation.  During my time as a professional strength and conditioning coach for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, I was always trying to find ways to motivate my players to exercise and eat right.  I would explain to them that eating right, exercising and staying healthy went a long way in achieving success. Their bodies were their livelihood so staying healthy was vital to success.

The problem with motivation is that many of us believe it’s something that will come to us if we wait long enough… that someday we’ll wake up and finally want to exercise. Rather than believe in that fantasy, maybe we’d be better off by realizing that motivation is something we create, not something we wait for.

When do you get excited about exercise? For me, it’s usually right after I’ve made the decision to do it at some future time. Just deciding to exercise makes me feel good… almost like I’ve already done something. My experience is not unique just to me. The problem, with most people, happens when it comes to follow through and their motivation has suddenly disappeared. If that sounds like you, maybe it’s time to focus your attention on what’s important. Deciding to exercise is important, but it’s what you do to follow through that really matters. Setting goals is easy but achieving them is the real battle.

Instead of trying to overhaul your life overnight, break your ambitious goals into manageable, smaller goals and take on one small goal a week. For example, if your larger goal is to have more stamina and better muscle definition by summer, your weekly goals for the coming month might look something like this.

1)     Add 5 minutes to your cardio workouts

2)     Make a point to use deep breathing techniques during workouts

3)     Walk up the two flights of stairs at work instead of taking the elevator

4)     Meet with a personal trainer to create a strength training plan

Make things easier on yourself! Start with easiest changes first and work up to the more challenging tasks. By the end of the month, you’ll have made at least 4 important health changes and you’ll feel even more motivated to continue to make other changes needed to reach your goal.  Change isn’t always easy, find what motivates you and ride that momentum into a new and healthier you!

In fitness,

Brett Watkins
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

In my lifetime, as short as it may be compared to most of my readers, I’ve have the wonderful privilege to work with many successful people.  Some are prestigious professors at state universities, while others are self-owned business millionaires, full-time bloggers, award winning chemists and nuclear engineers.

I’ve also had the privilege to work with the opposite end of the spectrum, where success was a hassle they didn’t want to bother obtaining.  Both groups have taught me not only about what it takes to be successful in business but also what it takes to be successful in my own fitness goals.  These are what I consider to be “The 3 H’s of Successful People.”

1) HUSTLE

Although this may be one of the most over used words by coaches of little league teams everywhere, this term speaks VOLUMES to our psychological desires to pursue our goals.

Webster defines it as “the action of making strenuous efforts to obtain something”, the key word being STRENUOUS. Not “when you feel like it”, not “on your good days”, not “when you have time.”

One of my favorite authors once wrote, “Hustle isn’t just doing the things you love all the time.  Hustle is doing the things you don’t enjoy sometimes to earn the right to do the things you love.”

Success in fitness isn’t about always doing the exercises you enjoy or eating right on the days you FEEL like trying.  Success comes from accepting the task in front of you and going after it as hard as you can, AT ALL TIMES.  Fill in the blanks. “Do I want ________? Then I have to _______.”

Do I want to be lean and in shape?  Then I have to eat right and train hard.  PERIOD. NO EXCUSES. NO EXCEPTIONS. “But tomorrow I’ll have more time!” HUSTLE!

2)HARD WORK

This is one that we sometimes overlook, intentionally or not. I’m not referring to the hard work we deal with DURING exercise, however.  I’m referring to the hard work we set in front of us as a goal.  ANYONE CAN RUN A 5K,  IT’S HARD WORK TO RUN A MARATHON.

The fact of the matter is, we as people are TERRIFIED TO FAIL! So we often short change a vital part of ourselves by not putting the REAL goal in front of us.  Personally, I want to be the best trainer in the world!  I also want to be one of the best black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!

Do those goals terrify me? ABSOLUTELY!  I’ve put A LOT of hard work ahead of me.

But you know what scares me even more? NOT TRYING.  I’d rather fall short of a seemingly impossible goal any day then defeat a false goal I’ve created to PROTECT MY PRIDE.  Every day I wake up with the motivation that lights a fire under me to run hard after my goals!  So stop lying to yourself.  “I want to lose 15lbs.”  You want to lose 40lbs and run 5 miles non-stop before the year is over!  STOP CHEATING YOURSELF AND PUT SOME HARD WORK IN FRONT OF YOU!

3)HEART

This is the big kahuna.  Without it, all else will fail. The scariest part is  that YOU CAN’T TRAIN HEART.

Most of us have seen the Rocky movies, so I’m not ashamed to admit that as a kid I use to get misty eyed when Rocky would take a beating for 12 rounds against a monstrous opponent that was bigger, stronger, and faster. But in the final few rounds he’d turn this switch on and become an unstoppable being, taking every punch the villain threw and would knock them out with the final ounce of his energy! 

THAT IS HEART!

I’m not asking you to step into a boxing ring and fight somebody, but I am asking you to look deep down in yourself and really see if you have that switch.  The truth is, WE ALL HAVE THAT SWITCH! Some of us have just never flipped it!  Heart never shows up when the going is easy.  True heart shows up when the odds are stacked against you!  When you’re worn down and KNOW you can’t go on but there’s still time left on the clock.  But nobody can teach you to turn it on-only you can make it happen.  We will always find moments in our lives where we are the underdog, and where the odds don’t look good and failure is almost inevitable.

“I can’t do anymore!  I have no more energy!” HAVE HEART!

These 3 H’s, though similar, are all very different in their own ways.  Learning to combine them will make you an unstoppable force in both your life and your fitness!

“NOTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT’S WORTH HAVING COMES EASY”

Daniel Woods
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

Breathing is mindless right? Not necessarily.

Continuous airflow through your lungs is crucial for healthy, effective exercise. During any exercise, it’s important that you focus on always moving air in and out of your body efficiently.

If you hold your breath, especially during intense exercise, your blood pressure spikes and intra-abdominal pressure increases. You could be putting yourself at risk for a hernia or blood vessel strain. Proper breathing will also help prevent dizziness and uncharacteristic shortness of breath during all forms of exercise.

To decrease these risks, focus on breathing deeply all the time – during workouts and in your daily activities.

“Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.”
Andrew Weil, M.D.

Tips on breathing properly during exercise

• During cardiovascular training
  • Focus on taking deep breaths
  • Establish a comfortable breathing pattern
  • For example, use a 3:2 ratio of breath in to breath out when running.  This means you inhale for 3 steps and exhale for the 2 steps following and repeat.  This breathing pattern takes practice to master, so have patience!
• During resistance and strength training
  • Exhale on the exertion or the “grunt” phase of the exercise,
  • Inhale on the relaxation phase of the exercise,
  • Most importantly remember to breathe continuously!

Good breathing technique when exercising ensures you get the most out of your performance and remain safe. And that’s what we want for you. Breathe intentionally, breathe deeply, and breathe continuously.

Now go do something!

Laura Thompson
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

Summer is the perfect time to go outside and have fun.  It’s one of my favorite times of year because there are so many outdoor activities to choose from. Everything is more fun outside, whether you’re swimming, running or cycling. But the summer heat can be a problem if you’re not careful, particularly here in Mississippi with its extreme heat and humidity.

Throughout my career as an athlete and avid exerciser, I have learned a few things about exercising in the heat. For me the biggest problems were staying hydrated and maintaining my body’s electrolytes and salt. When you sweat, your body loses not only water, but electrolytes and salt, too. This delicate balance of water and electrolytes is crucial to keep your body functioning properly.

If you don’t drink enough water, you can get dehydrated and suffer from light-headedness and nausea. If not recognized, dehydration can even lead to kidney failure and or, in extreme cases, death. However, if you drink too much water without replenishing your electrolytes, you can experience hyponatremia. This can lead to confusion, nausea, muscle cramps, seizures or even death in extreme cases.

You may not be playing baseball in the summer heat, but there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to exercising in the heat:

• The time of day is important. Unless you are training for an event that takes place in the daytime heat, avoid exercising from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s the hottest part of the day.  Generally, the early morning is the best time to work out, especially if it’s going to be a scorcher that day.
• Wear loose, light-colored clothing. The lighter color will help reflect heat, and cotton material will help the evaporation of sweat.  You may also want to try specially designed moisture wicking fabric that are designed to keep you dry, comfortable and cool
• Sunscreen is a must. I use SPF 30 just to be safe. It’s important to protect your skin. You can get burned and suffer sun damage to your skin even on cloudy days.
• Stay hydrated. Before you go out, drink a glass or two of water. Carry a bottle of water or even a hydration puck such as the CamelBak. Take a drink every 15 minutes, even when you are not thirsty. When you are done with your workout, have a few more glasses of water.
• Replenish your electrolyte and salt intake while exercising. I like to drink a Powerade or Gatorade to keep my system in check.
• If you can, choose shaded trails or pathways that keep you out of the sun.
• Most importantly, listen to your body. Stop immediately if you’re feeling dizzy, faint or nauseous.

In Fitness,

Brett Watkins
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

One of the most over looked, brushed aside concepts in the art of exercise and nutrition is the glorious REST day.  As we get deeper into our training and see major changes in our body’s composition, we often get into this mindset that more MUST be better in terms of our exercising and cardio.  Unfortunately, this concept will almost always lead to the dreaded experience known as “Overtraining Syndrome.”

Now, until you have actually experienced Overtraining Syndrome you will never truly understand why it is SO important to avoid it at all costs.  Well, what IS Overtraining Syndrome?  Overtraining Syndrome, as defined by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, is “a physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. They cease making progress, and can even begin to lose strength and fitness.”

Overtraining is a common problem in weight training, but it can also be experienced by runners and other athletes.  In short, when we train hard, push ourselves, and eat right, but fail to get adequate REST we are sabotaging all of our work!  Lets take a deeper look into how the body reacts to lack of rest.

PHYSIOLOGICAL RAMIFICATIONS

When we exercise we are actually causing small tears in our muscle fibers so that when we REST it allows our body to use the nutritional tools we’ve given it to rebuild them stronger, larger, and more powerful. (Yes, you read that right.  Muscle isn’t BUILT in the gym.  It’s built from REST.)  If we fail to REST adequately, the small tears don’t have time to repair and are further damaged into a state known as MICROTRAUMA.

From this point on it’s a physiological chain reaction of events.  Our body tries to keep up with the repairs it needs to make by using up amino acids faster and in turn pulls the body into a protein-deficient state.  The body then sets itself into a caloric-deficit that releases high levels of cortisol (THE STRESS HORMONE) and begins breaking muscle down for energy.

On top of all this your testosterone levels drop, your immune system begins weakening, you develop chronic muscle soreness, and often times you struggle to fall asleep at the end of the day.  As we lose muscle, we become weaker and all of the hard work we put into the gym for the last few weeks is now NULL AND VOID.  Keep in mind these are just the physical problems you experience.

PERFORMANCE RAMIFCATIONS

Once we are in a full state of overtraining the signs in our performance are almost always a dead give away that we are in trouble.  Suddenly, you can’t run as fast or as hard as you normally could.  You are out of breath quicker and even the lighter weights seem to be a burden to your body.  The reason for this stems from the physiological side of your body.

When you exercise in any form or fashion you have glycogen storage in your muscles that is used for energy to accomplish physical tasks.  When you exercise you deplete your body of glycogen and you must go through a period of REST to regain those glycogen stores.  As you can imagine, if you are overtraining, you don’t have enough time to replenish your glycogen and your body burns out quicker.  You become borderline useless in comparison to your former self.

PSYCHOLOGICAL RAMIFICATIONS

I personally think this is the worst section of results from overtraining.  Feeling tired, having a rough workout, and even struggling with certain movements come and go, but when your body starts sending you into a state of depression it is time to get serious!  Our brain is one highly advanced piece of equipment and has unique ways of telling us when something is wrong or out of the ordinary.  This is the same case when we reach a period of overtraining.  Depression, loss of motivation to workout, loss of the joy of exercise, and even having mood swings are all resulting factors of overtraining.  If we don’t LISTEN to our body’s cries for help, we end up paying for it dearly.

SOLUTIONS

Ok, so if you find yourself reading this blog and thinking “oh man, this is me in a nutshell,” FEAR NOT!  There are solutions to this terrible experience.  The most obvious one, if you haven’t picked up on my subtle hints in this post, is to REST!!!

Good old fashion, 8 hours of sleep will fire just about ANYONE back up into full motion!

However, if you are in a very deep state there are other alternatives that have helped me out in the past.  Contrast baths are wonderful for the muscles if you have the time.  If you don’t know what a contrast bath is, look it up, they are a life saver in tight spots.  My personal favorite is a deep tissue massage!  Now guys I know it sounds girly but trust me on this one, getting those muscles to truly relax is a fantastic experience that I highly recommend.

I strongly suggest you really look deeply at yourself the next time you feel burned out from exercise or find yourself not enjoying the way you look.  Chances are you just might be overtraining! Always remember, TRAIN HARD, EAT RIGHT, REST EASY!!!

Daniel Woods
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness

In life we make choices. Sometimes the decision can be easy with quick turnover and fast results. Oftentimes decisions are difficult. They can be life-altering and reaching our desired outcome can be a lengthy process. I want to talk about those type choices and the mindset we should keep when approaching such decisions.

Many times in life we will be faced with the decision of accepting a current condition in its negative state, or choosing to change for the positive. Sounds simple enough, but realistically that isn’t so. For the sake of this discussion let’s say your ‘challenge’ is related to living a healthy lifestyle. My question for you is when you are faced with a challenge, will you choose to change? Will you choose to accept the challenge that you know will bring certain growth and happiness?

The Don’ts

If you say yes, you must keep a mindset that isn’t afraid of success. Don’t “protect” yourself by refusing to give up old habits. Can change be scary? Sure, but don’t allow fear to dictate your life. Change will be much more rewarding than convincing yourself to accept something you do not like. Don’t settle for comfortable, you must embrace the unknown. And don’t wait for the right time. There isn’t one. The best ‘right time’ is either today or some time in the past. Life happens constantly and will continue to do so.

The Do’s

Do be a risk taker. If you give your all to accepting, embracing, and acting upon this change the only option is success and growth. Do be vocal to family and friends about your goals. You will find your support system which will hold you accountable and mostly likely you’ll encourage others to take positive steps as well. You must do what you can do when you can do it. No matter how much or how little it is, on any given day, do something towards reaching your goal. Allow yourself happiness, a rewarding lifestyle, and positive experiences along the way.

Is it always easy? No. In fact change is rarely easy until it becomes habit and second nature. So, pick your poison. You can refuse change, stay the same, and work towards convincing yourself things are fine. Or you can accept the challenge, learn new means, make new habits, and endure a hard workout or two. Let go of comfort and habit for what you know is best for you. One day you will    run out of excuses. The time for change is now. You are worth the effort.

Laura Thompson
Fitness Coach
Raising The Barr Fitness