Triumph Through the Run

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Something that keeps me going as I run up those hills -- physical and otherwise

Keep pushing,                                      

Cardio or Weights First?

Team workout in Germany.

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  You've made it to the gym, what should you tackle first? The weight room, or the treadmill?

  Even the experts can't agree. Many of them have different answers, and different preferences. But truly, the answer depends on what your goals are. What are you trying to accomplish in your workouts?

  Are you trying to get stronger, improve cardiovascular training, or lose weight/fat?

Train With Your Goals in Mind
  Ironically enough, your fitness goals will tell you what you should do first! If your goal is to become stronger, and increase muscle: hit the weights first. If your goal is to increase aerobic endurance, or lose body fat, perform your cardio first. 

  The ultimate, most-efficient way to exercise is to do both, cardio and weights, at the same time via circuit training. If done at a high pace and intensity, circuit training can be considered a form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

  The key to circuit training is that there is no rest. At least not the kind we're used to seeing. Never are you just sitting or standing (in between sets) idly doing nothing. Your rest time is active rest, either by moving to a different muscle group, or doing a cardio interval, as the muscle groups you've just worked, recover.

  By training in this fashion, your heart rate is always elevated, working both cardiovascularly and muscularly.

Weights First, Hypothetically
  If you prefer to focus on one thing at a time -- strength training and cardio separately -- it is said to lift weights first.

  You should do strength training first because at the start of your workout, there's more blood sugar available to burn through. Your muscles will have a more powerful contraction, resulting in a more powerful workout. You get the most out of your muscles by lifting weights first, and then finishing with cardio.

  Hypothetically, you burn through the available sugar (during the weight session), and during the cardio session, your body moves into burning a higher percentage of stored energy (fat). I say hypothetically because there really isn't much research to back up this assertion. 

Personal Preference and Consistency
  I also look at it like this: what do you prefer? What is your routine? In my opinion, whatever keeps you going on a consistent basis, is the right way to go.

  For me, I prefer to do my cardio first because I like my muscles and body to be warm when I start lifting and doing more-explosive exercises. But, I also am not throwing around extremely heavy weights either, so needing a high level of power isn't as necessary. I have not 'maxed out' (or anything close to it) in the weight room in quite some time!

First season in Sweden. 2008-2009.

  You also might find yourself skipping the second part of your workout (because you're tired from the first part, or are running short on time), so do whatever you enjoy doing the most, first. You're going to put a better effort into something you enjoy over something you despise!

  Likewise if results are most important to you, do what coincides with your goal, first. So if you do skip part of your workout, it's not the part that's the most important!

  I can speak from experience about this too. On the occasions when I do lift before running, I find myself lagging and wanting to cut my cardio workout short. And I always want to get a good cardio burn in, so I prefer to focus on my cardiovascular goals. 

  All in all, despite what you are good at, or what you like, it all comes down to what your goals are, and how much you value accomplishing those goals.

  If you have a goal to lose stomach fat, doing 1000 sets on the bench, or any other muscle-isolating lift, isn't going to help you reach that goal. And vice-versa: if you're trying to get more explosive muscles, running for hours on end on the treadmill isn't going to get you any closer to accomplishing that goal.

  Take a look at what you want to accomplish, and go from there!

 LINKS:

Weights or Cardio?

Commentary: Cardio or Weights?
Weights or Cardio First?

Jillian Michaels Podcast 10/14/2011

No Playoffs, No Climax Point

Playoffs in Germany.

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  The last month of any basketball season usually marks its climax point.

  In high school, you were vying for a league championship, and a state playoff berth. Once you hit college, your conference tournament and a prestigious invitation to the NCAA Tournament caught your focus. Finally as a professional, whether in Europe or the NBA, your motivation is to make the playoffs, and for your team to advance as far as possible.

  The climax is what you play for. All the excitement, all the pressure, all the hard work comes to a head come playoff time. That's when you want to be playing your best basketball. Because that's when the games count the most.

  For me this season, there are no playoffs. There is no climax. And I've decided it stinks! It's like reading a book, or watching a movie that has no climax. It just sputters out, and limps to the finish line.

In college, your focus was the NCAA Tournament!

  The league I'm playing in has no playoffs. There is a Final Four 'tournament' for the top four finishers in the league. But unfortunately my team is not quite at that level this season.

  Some teams are still fighting to avoid relegation for the following season (the bottom two finishers in our league drop down to the lower league). Thankfully, as of a few weeks ago, my team has successfully secured its place in LF2 for the 2012-2013 season.

  So essentially, we have nothing to play for. Nothing, that is, except pride, and satisfaction in your own performance.

Playoffs: Bigger crowds to play in front of, bigger games! (Sweden)

  But let's be real, everyone's level of pride can vary a great deal. Just like our ability to self-motivate can differ enormously from one person to the next. Practices can get lackluster (to say the least), and games can feel like glorified scrimmages. My goal is to not allow that to happen in my final two weeks in Dunkerque.

  At the onset of each season, teams usually sit down together and set goals of how they want the season to go. Some might want to finish with a playoff berth and that's it (in most leagues, that means finishing in the Top 8 in the standings). Others might be more specific, and say they want to finish in the top two, or win the championship.

Have to keep focused as season ends!

  The professional season can be very long. You get tired physically, and you can lose your focus mentally. Once you hit that seventh or eighth month, you might find yourself going through the motions. That's where having goals can help keep you and your teammates motivated. Goals give you a way to measure your success, and will keep your eyes on the prize.

  In situations where the season is seven or eight months, I think it's helpful to break your goals down. 'Shorter-sighted' goals are easier to keep focused on, and easier to measure after all.

  While I'd love to be preparing for a a playoff series, or the Final Four, that's not my reality this season. So my motivation remains on my own personal pride in how I play, and how I can improve as a leader. I cannot control those around me, but I can control my effort and my focus on each and every practice, and our final two remaining games.

My Time

Jumper vs. La Roche.

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  Basketball's a team sport, yes. And having unselfish, team players will always be the centerpiece of a successful team.

  Every once in a while, you need to put the focus back on yourself. When your team is struggling, it's very easy to start pointing fingers; to get caught up in what you feel your teammates are doing (or aren't doing), what plays your coach is calling (or isn't calling), and what calls the refs are making (or aren't making).

  But at the end of the day, there is only one person you have complete control over, and that's yourself.

  My family has a series of favorite family sayings. I'm sure you know the ones. They've been repeated so many times, that you forget where they originated. One of those sayings comes from my Papa (at least I think it started with him!): 'take care of yourself, and it's a full-time job'.

  In other words, stop worrying about everyone else, and take care of you.

  It might not be the same context as he used it, but I think I can hear Papa telling me right now: 'don't worry about your teammates, don't worry about your coach, don't worry about the referees, don't worry about your opponent. Only you control how aggressive you are, how hard you're playing, and what kind of mentality you bring to the court every day.'

Help defense, or something.

  Like I said before, basketball is a team sport. It's one of the things I love most about it. Working together with your teammates towards a common goal. One person can't win a game by herself, and one person can't lose a game by herself. It takes a collective effort either way.

  If I wanted to play an individual sport, and only be concerned with myself all the time, I would have played tennis! But I love being a part of a team. It's a special atmosphere, and that's what has always drawn me to the game.

  Given that, what I sometimes have a hard time with, is finding that balance between a team mentality and individual mentality. I naturally am a 'team first' kind of player. Always have been. Throughout the years, I have discovered it is one of my greatest strengths, and it can be my greatest weakness on the court as well.

  I facilitate, instead of attack. I run the play, instead of making the play. I defer to my teammates, instead of leading the way.

MJ

  This week,the focus shifts back to me.

  In high school, our coach had us write individual goals before every game. And that is something I've done off and on throughout my career in Europe. I haven't done it in a while, but I think now is a perfect time to break out the game goals this season. It simplifies the game.

  What exactly do you want to focus on? I try to be as specific as I can. Sometimes I even break the game down into quarters. I remember reading Michael Jordan's Rare Air years ago where he simplified scoring 32 points a game. It's easy: eight, eight, eight, eight. Only to MJ, I guess.

  So we're shifting mentalities. Not to being selfish, but to getting the job done. And with the shift, I'm hoping to turn the season around. Cause what I have been doing isn't working. My team has lost four straight games, and I have been less-than-stellar on the court. Looking forward to a great week of practice, and
getting back on the right track!

...fitting song for me right now below.

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To Do: 2012

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  I guess I've shared 'personal' things on my blog before, but putting your goals and aspirations out into the world, for everyone to see, is a little more daunting. A little more intimidating. Cause if you don't follow though and accomplish them, you look a little foolish!

  But I think that's also how you get things done too. You tell everyone who's willing to listen, what it is you plan on doing. And that right there, is sometimes motivation enough to keep you working -- keep you plugging along. Fear of failing is a powerful thing. When I've put my name next something, or said I'm going to do something, chances are, it's going to get done.

  I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to come up with excuses as to why I didn't follow through with 'such-and-such', so I might as well just do it, right (hmmm 'Just Do It')?!?

  And that's exactly what my blog has been, and that's exactly what posting my goals and resolutions for 2012 is about. Giving me that extra push. That extra motivation to get things done.

  A few things I have a hard time making 'measurable'. So I'm still working on my 'to do' list for 2012:

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS AND GOALS 2012

IMMEDIATE:

 -PERSONAL TRAINING CERTIFICATION -- decide if it's for me, and WHICH cert. to get. Then start working towards it. Certified by summer.

 -WORK ON RESUME & CONNECTIONS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK

 -CONTINUE TO BLOG 3+ TIMES A WEEK

 -CONTINUE TO EAT AS CLEAN AS I CAN, & CONTINUE TO EDUCATE MYSELF ON FOOD SYSTEM

 -TAKE MORE CHANCES. PUT SELF 'OUT THERE' MORE -- How do you measure that?

 -FORMULATE GAME PLAN FOR THE SUMMER -- Summer plans if I play another season in Europe, or not.

 -DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT I WILL PLAY NEXT SEASON????

SUMMER:

 -RUN MY SECOND HALF-MARATHON -- Anyone want to join, or have done one that's fun? June thru August.

 -VACATION: 1) SOMEPLACE SUNNY (Hawaii, Caribbean....) 2) NYC

 -TAKE A CLASS AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW (COOKING, MASSAGE, OR???) -- Any suggestions?

 -DRIVE HIGHWAY 101 - OREGON COAST TO CALIFORNIA -- If not this summer, sometime soon. Have heard it's an amazing drive. Anyone done it??

  There's my to do list! Have a good Wednesday! 

  And a quote for the day:

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" – Steve Prefontaine