Cycle #1 is in the Books - Cycles 1-2

Its hard for me to think that I am already moving onto cycle 2 in my training program - and frankly, its pretty obvious my mental state is still in "off season" mode.  The last training update I posted, I laid out the basics of my training program.  I explained that my program consisted of 30, 9-day cycles.  So, basically, I am 1/30th (3.33% done with training!).  Bear with me as I attempt to find a good format for my training update posts.  I want to find a good, easy to follow layout that explains what I did, changed, went though, what I did well, what I need to improve, what I learned, etc.  I want to accomplish all that without repeating myself or ending up with a ridiculously long post.  With every cycle update, I will post a picture of what the previous training week ended up looking like with times and distances.  This will include my daily weight, daily totals, and a cumulative total of distances on top.  Further down I will also include my upcoming training schedule.  With that being said, let's dive into the past 9 days and the upcoming 9 days.

Brief Recap

The past 9 days of training were by no means overwhelmingly difficult.  But getting mentally focused was.  I found that my mind was still operating in "off season" mode.  I began the cycle making smart decisions.  But, as the week wore on, I found it more and more difficult to get out of bed to train.  I also found my eating habits going south in a hurry.  Maybe it's the time of the year, maybe it's just me.  After a couple really good days of eating right and fueling my body, I started eating like crap towards the end of the cycle.  I was pigging out on Christmas cookies, ice cream, processed cereals, and plenty of beer.  I was in a downward spiral of having one, then thinking, "Oh - just live a little, one more won't hurt you!"  Well, after an inexcusable amount of cookies (I'm sure 8+) I was hating myself and feeling like crap.  I have always had a sweet tooth, I love baked goods and ice cream (especially cookie dough! - my mouth is watering just thinking of my favorites) and have always had the habit of eating and eating until they are either gone or I am literally too full to have another.  Due to this habit, I have started to tell myself "Treat you body like a machine, NOT a garbage disposal."  And quite honestly, I was a full fledged garbage disposal the last few days - WHICH NEEDS TO CHANGE!

As far as workouts, I decided to change a scheduled interval swim day and a scheduled interval run day to a Critical Swim Speed (CSS) Test and a 10k Run Test respectively.  I made a late decision to add more testing into my annual training programs, which is something that I informally have done in the past.  My previous "testing" never followed a repeatable testing protocol and was just merely comparing previous hard workouts with other hard workouts of similar distances.  I am incorporating a standard CSS test for swim fitness, a 10k run test for run fitness, and a 40k time trial for my bike fitness.  I pulled the testing protocols for the CSS test from the Swim Smooth book I discussed HERE.  It consists of a warm-up, then a 400 yard all out swim followed by a 200 yard all out swim and finished with a cool down.  My 10k run test, consists -of a 1 mile warm-up with some leg swings, lunges, and short sprints (pick-ups) then a 10k (6.2 mile) run for time, and finishes with a brief cool down.  My 40k time trail is similar to the 10k run test, but 40k (24.8 miles) and done on a bike.

I wanted to begin training with some baseline testing to look back on.  But due to cold weather and some icy road conditions I was only able to complete a CSS test and 10k run test.  My CSS test resulted with a 400 time of 6:00 and a 200 time of 2:49, which I was extremely happy with.  I can now use those times to determine a CSS training pace to aid in determining paces to swim at during specific workouts.  My pace per 100 yards is 1:36.  For my 10k run test I ran the 10k in 39:10 (6:19/mile pace), which I honestly feel indifferent about.  I wouldn't have minded a faster time, but also need to realize that it's plenty EARLY.

Other than the two fitness tests, there were really no big items of note.  I only missed one workout during this cycle.  On day 7 I was scheduled to strength train after my swim workout.  I didn't get my butt out of bed early enough to fit it all in and only swam that day.  So not all was lost.  It possibly was a blessing in disguise, because I was quite sore from the previous 10k run test and strength training probably wouldn't have helped things out and left me more sore.

Favorite Workout

My favorite workout of this cycle would either be my CSS test or my long run on day 9.  I went into my CSS test with the hopes of averaging 1:35 per 100 yards for the 400y and 1:30 for the 200y.  I did better then I had hoped.  As I noted above, I swam a 6:00 for the 400y (1:30 pace) and 2:49 (1:24 pace) for the 200y.  I first swam a 900 yard warm up set consisting of 3x(3x100y) with varying different drills for each individual 100.  I than swam a 300 yard build set of 4x75y to start thinking of swimming fast.  After these two sets, I rested and swam my 400 first.  I took as much time after the 400 to catch my breath and allow my body time to clear out all the lactic acid which took about 3 minutes, at which time I swam my 200.  I then swam a 100 with a pull bouy and finished with 100 yards of a kicking set.  

The reason I enjoyed my simple long run this cycle is the simplicity of it.  I just went out and ran for an hour.  I had no specific pace to hit no distance in mind, just go and move forward for 60 minutes.  I got up early and went out.  Sure, it was a tad chilly, but I was up and out before the sun and finished right as the sun was starting to come out.  I ended up running just under 8 miles and had a low average heart rate - PERFECT!  There's something relaxing about not checking your watch once and just going out and thinking about what ever comes to mind.  Takes me back to why I got started in all the endurance junk the simplicity and almost therapeutic qualities of it.  I turned on my iPod and just zoned out for 60 minutes and cleared my mind - makes me happy just thinking of it.

Moving Forward

The next cycle will be another test of my mental condition.  Right in the middle of the cycle lies Christmas.  Not only will I be tested for making time for workouts, but I will undoubtedly be tempted with an absurd amount of cookies, sweets, cakes, chocolates, etc, etc, etc.  Not only is this a busy time of the year with the holidays, but my Sister-in-law is getting married on December 29th, which doesn't technically fall into this cycle, but some of the wedding events do.  The rehearsal dinner is on the 28th and the fact that my wife is her older and only sister, she has her duties as the Maid of Honor.  This cycle will no doubt be a challenge to enjoy the holidays and family, but also balance it with work and my training.  Yes, I said work, unfortunately working the holidays comes with the territory of being a cop.  Not much I can do about it.  I work right through the 25th, but have a few additional days off beginning on the 26th which will be nice.  This cycle I want to be able to enjoy what the holidays offer but keeping myself in check by not over eating and still get my workouts in each day.  On top of all that, my home town (an nearly the entire Midwest) is currently under a Winter Storm Warning.  Winter Storm Draco is scheduled to bring over a full foot of snow beginning late Wednesday night and continue through Thursday evening.  First off, let me tell you, I absolutely despise winter and everything it stands for.  I hate the cold, I hate sloppy roads, I hate snow, I hate ice, I hate shoveling, I hate snow plows, I hate limited day light - I could go on, but I'll spare you.  So, not only am I grumpy because of the imminent threat of snow, but I am also, not looking forward to running through the snow.  So this upcoming cycle is going to be just great (said with plenty of sarcasm) I can tell!

Grocery Store Must Haves - Vol. 2

If you haven't seen my first edition of Grocery Store Must Haves, you can read it here - First Edition.  Since, writing that edition, I have realized I have several other items that seem to always end up in my cart on a weekly basis.  Each of them offer a unique health benefit or are healthier alternatives to their unhealthy counterparts.

Hummus

Serving Size: 2 Tbsp; Calories: 50, Fat: 3.5g, Carbohydrate: 4g, Protein: 2g

If you know you should be eating your vegetables, but find eating them plain is just...well, plain, and resort to dipping them in high fat ranch dips or other vegetable dips, try using Hummus.  Hummus is made from cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and tahini (ground sesame seeds).  You can find it either near the cheeses and dairy or in the produce section near the other vegetable dips.  The cool thing about hummus is you can usually find it a wide variety of flavors.  So, you're nearly guaranteed to find a flavor that works for you.  Hummus is great on just about any vegetable but can also be used as a spread on breads or can be used to spice up any sandwich.  Hummus is generally low in fat and calories and high in fiber which can help make you feel full, which can be great for those dieting.

Beets

Serving Size: 1 cup - diced; Calories: 58, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 13g, Protein: 2g

Personally I like to get my beets fresh from the farmers market during the summer months, but you can find them year-round in the produce section.  They usually come in bundles of 3-5 with their leaves still intact.  Beets, along with other bright and dark colored vegetables, has high amounts of beta-carotene, which gets converted into vitamin A in the body.  Vitamin A is a potent antioxidant which can improve eye health.  When you get them home, cut of the stem and leaves to avoid them from drawing moisture out of the beet itself.  I like to eat beets raw, or you can saute them with a little bit of Olive Oil and add a bit of sea salt or even dill.  You can also wash the beet greens and saute them as well for a delicious side salad.   

Figs

Serving Size: 1 fig; Calories: 21, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 4g, Protein: 0g

I have never actually found figs as a full fresh fruit, but have always been able to find them as a dried fruit in the produce section at just about every store.  They have a very rich flavor and are as about as natural as you can find.  My biggest gripe with most dried fruits are all the added oils and sugars (just look on the label of dried cranberries or cherries!).  Raisins and dates are just about the only dried fruits with no added sugars or oils.  The benefit of dried fruit is they are easy to pack and store, as compared to their fresh version.  Dried fruits loose a minimal amount of their nutrients so they are a small nutrient dense food.  The down side, is they still contain just about the same amount of calories, making them very calorie dense.  Figs are an excellent source of a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  They are especially high in a variety of vitamin B's, which help promote energy.

Eggs

 Serving Size: 1 medium egg; Calories: 70, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrate: 0g, Protein: 6g

There are some folks who think they should be avoiding eggs to avoid cholesterol.  However, cholesterol, in healthy amounts is a necessity for hormone production - especially testosterone.  Eggs began getting a negative reputation when they were eating in high amounts by those wanted to gain muscle (i.e. the body building community).  When I say high amounts - I mean HIGH amounts like over a dozen a day!  In fact they have found that moderate amounts of eggs in a healthy diet can help LOWER blood lipid levels (lower cholesterol)!  Eggs in moderation 1-3 a day, are a great source of healthy fats, muscle building protein, along with a good array of amino acids, and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.  Personally I buy medium eggs but the size really doesn't matter except for the number of calories.  If you have a few extra bucks to splurge on eggs, look for eggs from cage free or even free range chickens, who were not pumped with steroids and antibiotics, and look for eggs from chickens that were fed "normal" diets such as vegetarian diets.  The best way to do this is buy organic eggs.

 Flax Seeds

 Serving Size: 3 Tbsp; Calories: 160, Fat: 11g, Carbohydrate: 11g, Protein: 6g

Flax seeds have been billed the healthiest of the plant foods lately.  They have been said to help reduce your risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and cancer.  These tiny seeds are being found in more and more typical grocery items, from breads to crackers, and pastas to desserts.  Flax seeds offer some of the highest omega-3 fatty acids in the plant world.  They are also high in fiber.  As the name implies, they are a seed, which are designed to withstand a lot of punishment to ultimately eventually grow somewhere to continue their existence.  I say this because often people will simply add the whole flax seed to cereals and other recipes in hopes to benefit from its many healthy properties.  However, our digestive system struggles digesting seeds in general due to their extremely hard outer shell.  I would recommend either buying your flax seeds pre-ground in a "meal" or using a coffee grinder to coarsely chop your seeds before adding them to your recipes.  I use flax seeds in my oatmeal and will at times add them to homemade granola, granola bars, and various baked goods.

Tamari

Serving Size: 1 Tbsp; Calories: 15, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 1g, Protein: 2g

Tamari is very similar to it's counterpart, soy sauce.  They are both made from fermented soy beans.  However Tamari is thicker, darker, and richer than traditional soy sauce.  It is generally smoother and has less bite than salty soy sauce.  Also, most Tamari is gluten free for anyone looking for a wheat free version due to an intolerance or a gluten allergy.

Frozen Produce

For those who are often pressed for time and want to save some time during dinner preparations, look to frozen produce.  I use frozen produce for stir frys, pizzas, pasta dishes, and just as a side to various main courses.  I will even get frozen fruits such as berries to add to hot cereals or my greek yogurt.  The benefits of frozen produce is endless - they are generally good for as long as you can keep them frozen and free from freezer burn, they generally come prepared in vairous forms (slices, chopped, whole), and they are just about as nutritious as their fresh versions and they even are better then canned vegetables.  All fruits and vegetables begin to loose their nutrients immediately after they are picked.  Most frozen produce are "flash frozen" very shortly after being picked - locking in their nutrients.  The same can not be said for canned produce.  Just be sure to avoid frozen produce with the added seasonings and flavors, and choose to season them on your own after or during their cooking.

Quinoa

Serving Size: 1/4 cup raw; Calories: 160, Fat: 2.5g, Carbohydrate: 27g, Protein: 6g

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is said to be one of the healthiest grains.  Quinoa is as versatile as rice with more nutrients.  It has 8 essential amino acids and a high protein content for a grain.  It's relatively high protein content along with it's good source of gluten free carbohydrates makes quinoa a staple in many endurance athletes' diets.  The nutrient profile makes it a great food to aid in recovery.  Quinoa has a nuttier flavor than rice but can be used just like rice.  I like to use it as a bed for my stir frys or a carbohydrate for chilis.    

Tea 

You can choose to purchase tea in a wide variety of types, from green, white, black, or herbal, just to name a few of the more popular varieties.  All versions typically come in a caffeine free option.  You can also choose between loose leaf tea or tea in prepackaged bags.  Buying tea in loose leaf varieties will require some way of brewing it, whether it be a special cup with a strainer component or using a loose leaf tea ball.  Loose leaf varieties will generally brew a stronger, better tasting tea, and will generally get more of the healthy antioxidants out of the tea leaves.  According to Wikipedia, Tea contains a large number of potentially bioactive chemicals, including flavinoids, amino acids, vitamins, caffeine and several polysaccharides, and a variety of health effects have been proposed and investigated.  It has been suggested that green and black tea may protect against cancer, though the catechins found in green tea are thought to be more effective in preventing certain obesity-related cancers such as liver and colorectal while both green and black tea may protect against cardiovascular disease.  Personally I buy my tea from a specialty store which sells nothing but loose leaf teas.  I drink green tea and herbal teas.  I drink green tea for the health benefits and flavinoids, and I drink herbal teas for their specific health benefits, such as aiding in sleep, or increasing my immune system during cold season.   

Apple Butter

Serving Size: 1 Tbsp; Calories: 10, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 2g, Protein: 0g

Apple butter is highly concentrated version of apple sauce.  It generally has a variety of spices added to it, similar to those added to apple pie.  Be sure to by apple butter with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.  If you do, apple butter is low in calories and is a great substitute for jellies and jams.  I use apple butter on my morning toast or on my peanut butter sandwiches.  

How to Prepare Pomegranates

Pomegranates are a great winter fruit that often gets overlooked. Many people simply either don't know how to prepare a pomegranate or they aren't willing to spend the extra time to prepare one. But, taking the 10 minutes to prepare a pomegranate is a great way to add variety to your diet. It also contain high amounts of important nutrients. A pomegranate are a rich source of soluble and insoluble fibers.. They also contain Punicalagin, which is a polyphenolic anti-oxidant compound. Studies suggest that this compound is effective in reducing heart disease risk factors. Pom's have also been found to be effective against prostate cancer, diabetes, and lymphoma. The portion of the pomegranate that is edible are called arils. They are tiny juice filled sacs with a small seed. They have a unique texture due to the juiciness of the aril along with the crunchy seed in the middle.

When picking out your pomegranate look for fruits that have smooth skin, free from any bruises, and have a dark, rich red color. When you get home store the pom in a cool, dark place at room temperature. You can store your pom like this for 5-8 days. You can also store them inside your refrigerator for a couple weeks or so. So, now that you have your pomegranate - how the heck do you eat it? It's actually very simple....

1. Take your pomegranate and cut it into half, and then cut the halves into half. So you should have 4 quarters.

2. Get a medium bowl and fill it partially with luke warm water.

 3. Take each quarter slice of the pom and use your hands to proceed to gently break it apart to allow the arils to break free from the rind or pith. Do this just above the water and allow it all to just fall into the water. The arils are significantly more dense than the pith and will sink, while the pith will float. This makes separating the arils from the pith super easy.

4. Once your done breaking apart all the slices, skim the pith and rind pieces off the top of the water and strain the remaining water out of the bowl. Place the remaining arils in a bowl which can be stored in your fridge.

The arils have a tart flavor similar to that of cranberries. I think they are slightly sweeter than cranberries though. Arils, by themselves, make a great simple snack. Otherwise you can add them to plain yogurt, hot cereals, or salads. I have also seen several recipes for lamb or fish. Personally I just either eat them plain or toss a hand full into my plan greek yogurt.

The Journey Begins - Cycle 1

My "off season" officially came to an end today.  As I look back on it, my first thought is, "WOW!  That went quick!"  But it has been just about 2 months since I have been following a training program.  My down time from training was a nice physical and mental break.  I didn't have any strict plan to follow, there was no checking my plan before going to be to see what has to get done the next day.  There was no planning or making sacrifices to fit in 2+ hour workouts.  I took days off with no workouts - if I woke up and didn't feel like working out, I didn't.  My diet was sub par at best, splurging on unneeded sweets and unhealthy fats.  I also drank my fair share of craft beers most, if not all nights I had off from work.  I lived a care free life.  It was a good change of pace.  Granted, I still worked out on majority of the days during the past 2 months.  None of my workouts were stressful or long by any means.  They were long enough to keep my mind at ease and "get my fix."  I was able to spend some extra time in the pool working on my stroke technique, which was absolutely invaluable.  I even had the time to do things I don't normally do (if ever!) like inline skating and circuit training.  There was even time spent in the weight room, which has been an area of my training which gets neglected.

December 11th is the official start to my training plan for the 2013 Ironman Wisconsin.  As of December 11th, there are 272 days until the race.  Which is still a significant amount of time.  But, with the Green Bay Marathon on May 19th, a Half Ironman on June 15th, and the shear distance of the Ironman, I have a lot of work ahead of me.  Typically I like to structure my training plans to begin approximately 12-16 weeks prior to the race.  In this case, this program is starting 39 weeks out.  The training plan is structured into 30, 9 day cycles.  Which follows my work schedule of 6 work days and 3 off days.  It begins with 3 cycles of an Anatomical Adaptation phase.  The purpose of this phase is to ease back into a structured training plan and prepare the body for what lies ahead.  What I plan to do is write a post at the end of each cycle with a breakdown of what I did, how things went, and what I learned.  I will also post my plan for the upcoming week.  Below is the first cycle of my training plan.

The first week is nothing special really.  For the first 3 cycles, there are no specific distances that need to be completed, just a duration.  Its a simple, sort of a mindless, way to train.  There is no route that needs to be planed, no specific workout that needs to be set, just go out, or jump in the pool, and go until the times up.

It's really hard for me to explain how excited I am for this upcoming year.  There is so much to look forward to.  I have been wanting to get the opportunity to complete an Ironman triathlon since I first started endurance sports over 7 years ago.  Other than qualifying and racing in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, racing in Ironman Wisconsin has been at the top of my lifelong bucket list.  There's something about that race that has always been in the back of my mind.  Since registering for this race, not a single day has gone by where I haven't at least thought about the race and the challenge it poses.  On top of getting to race an Ironman this year, I am doing it as a sponsored athlete.  Words can't express my gratitude towards The Tri Shop for bringing me on board as a member of their Triathlon Team for the 2013 calendar year.  I am also doing the Green Bay Marathon and the High Cliff Half Ironman this year which are a couple of my more favorite races.  Its going to be a good year!

With all that said, I am fully responsible for how this upcoming year goes.  I am not just looking forward to doing these events, but I am wanted to be successful at them and have zero regrets at the end of the season. I want to leave it all on the table, so to say.  Having a sponsorship has been a complete new source of motivation for me as well.  I feel as though I have an obligation to The Tri Shop.  With the sponsorship, the monetary commitment to the Ironman, fulfilling my dream of doing an Ironman, and my pure desire to be the best I can be, I am putting everything I can into this season.  I am completely committing to being the best.  I will be following a strict diet, free of refined sugars, unhealthy fats, sweets, most dairy, most gluten, and focusing in on a high fat, unprocessed whole grain, "real" food diet.  I am dedicating time specifically to recovery (which I RARELY ever do) through strategically placed rest days in my training plan.  These days are not necessarily days where I do nothing, but days set aside to focus on stretching, self massaging with a foam roller, and getting necessary sleep. Tracking my body composition is another aspect I am paying closer attention to.  I stopped by the YMCA today to not only visit my old boss, Jill, (who also hired me at the Y several years ago) but to get my body fat estimated.  In the past I have always had Jill do my testing, so in consideration of keeping things consistent, I went back to her.  I was at 8.65%, which is nearly double what I used to be a couple years back, so I have some work in that area.  On top of the extra efforts in my diet, body composition, and recovery, I am also following a stricter supplement regimen including high quality protein, branch chain amino acids, and a greens supplement just to name a few.  I am also devoting time to the weight room.  I have noticed over the past couple years that strength has been a limiter for me to seeing better race times.  I have specific strength programs for each individual phase throughout training cycles (i.e. Anatomical Adaptation).  So, like I said, I have high expectations this year and a good feeling to go along with those expectations - its going to be a good year!  :)

With out much else to say, I'll close this out in the words of Bud Light's new ad campaign - Here We Go!

Be fast, be strong, and carry on!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Strength Training

I have been putting more time in the weight room than usual this off season. It seems like every trip to the gym I see something done by someone that leaves me wondering where the hell did they learn to do THAT? It's not difficult to spot something at the gym that is either unsafe, unproductive, or just plain dumb. I would be willing to bet that approximately 80% of the population at the gym have no idea what they are doing and why they are doing it. That doesn't even take into consideration if they even have a plan at all. So I have decided to create a resource for people interested in learning how to get the most our of your time at the gym. I have always said that there is no one right way to properly strength train, but a ton of wrong ways to. If you are anything like me, you have a limited amount of time as it is to work out, so why waste the little time you have? Just follow the steps below and you'll be well on your way to making the most of your time spent in the weight room!

1. Have a Plan - You should have at least one specific goal in mind, otherwise why are you even spending your time at the gym? You goal can be anything that means something to you; gain lean muscle mass (hypertrophy), loose body fat, gain strength, gain power, improve athletic performance, get in shape, ANYTHING! Once you have your goal you can start personalizing a training plan specific to your goal. To find a plan, you can buy a book, pay for a personal trainer, or scour the web, just be sure you find something that will help you achieve your goal. I will lay out some very basic rules to putting together your own plan, but I recommend running your plan past someone who has a background in strength training to some extent.

2. Go to the Gym Prepared - Have your workout either printed off or written into a notebook that you can reference in the future. Have a designated gym bag with all your supplies in it and ready to go with little time spent before hand packing. I have a specific gym bag that I keep all my swimming gear, shower supplies, and a strength training gear in. The night before I head to the gym all I need to throw in there is a change of clothes for after my workout. I keep my training log right in my bag so I know its always in there. A second note about being prepared when you go to the gym is being properly fueled. If you go first thing in the morning you should consider taking in some form of fuel (food) prior to leaving to top off your glycogen stores (your 1st source of energy). Your pre-workout snack doesn't need to be a full blown breakfast, just a small snack of about 100-200 calories will do the trick. Some good examples include: banana, cup of yogurt, baked sweet potato, sports drink, instant oatmeal. Your pre-workout snack should be mostly carbohydrate, with a bit of protein, and low to no fat.

3. Dress Appropriately - Sounds obvious, but I can't tell you how often I see people wearing jeans and boots, khaki shorts, and other street clothes to the gym. I encourage you to wear active clothing - you will be 100 times more comfortable and the clothing will leave you less restricted in your movements. You will also be cooler as most active wear now-a-days is made to breath and absorb sweat better then most if not all general street clothing. You should never not be able to do something due to your choice of clothing.

4. Bring a Watch - Sounds simple enough but timing is everything. Not just for endurance athletes to time how long it takes to cover a given distance, but it should be used during all strength training sessions. You should know how long your in the gym and how much rest between sets is needed relative to your goal.

5. Stick to Your Plan, But Be Flexible - So your plan says you need to do Squats first then Bench Press, but all the squat racks are full? Go on to the bench press and come back to squats, don't sit around and wait to start. This is especially important when your in the middle of your workout, because down time becomes extended rest time which is not what you want to be doing. Also, do not become side tracked watching the attractive girl/guy in the spin class, stick to your plan and avoid excess breaks. You want to maintain a rhythm with your workout and the more excess rest you put into your workout the less you benefit from your workout. I don't want to sound like rest is a waste because that is not the case at all, in fact rest is extremely valuable, but if your plan calls for 90 seconds of rest between sets and your taking 5 or more minutes of rest, your wasting time and wasting gains!

6. Know or Learn How to Lift - As I stated at the beginning of this post very few people actually know how to lift properly. It's not their fault they were never taught. Most people see something done by someone else and do their best to copy that movement. I believe a combination of not knowing how to perform the exercise properly along with wanting to cheat to complete the lift lead to most if not all reasons why people have incorrect form. With the amount of information that is available to everyone now with resources such as YouTube and thousands of websites devoted to strength training, there is really no excuse for someone not to know how to perform and exercise. If you are unsure, do not be afraid to ask someone who works at the gym - that's what they are there for! A small word on cheating - It's very easy to do and most of the time you may not even know your doing it. But if there is any one thing that will inhibit your strength gains and put you risk for serious injury its cheating. Cheating can be done in the form of swinging weights to gain momentum, bouncing weights off your body, swinging your back/body to gain momentum or not going through the full range of motion. The easiest fix if you find yourself or your lifting partner doing any of these things is to lower the weight and slow down. Most exercises should be done slow and controlled, not fast and ballistic.  Here is a great link to a website full of videos of exercise technique (from my Alma Mater!)

7. After Your Workout - Now that your done, its time to get outta there! Shower and leave or if your showering at home, wash your hands and head out the door. Fitness Centers are notoriously infested with germs. While your working out avoid bringing your hands to your face or head for this exact reason. But now that your out the door, its time to start thinking about recovery. Post exercise nutrition is important but not something to live and die by. Our bodies are going to uptake the most nutrients within the first 30 minutes after exercise is completed. Avoid the sugar filled high protein shakes served up at your local gym as they offer more calories then you probably just burned! Instead look to whole food options such as oatmeal with a nut butter and banana, a sandwich with lean deli meat, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or you can utilize a simple protein powder mixed with sports drink or water. Just remember carbohydrates! If you opt for mixing your protein with water, have a banana or other fruit along with it. The benefits of a protein powder is it's easy to take to the gym with you and allows you to drink it almost immediately following your workout. Try to avoid powders that contain artificial sweeteners, artificial ingredients, and other unnecessary additives. Look for a pure form of protein, it will be easier to digest and will actually be absorbed into your body to be utilized.

8. BASIC Guidelines to Creating Your Own Plan - Before I dive into this topic, I want to first say, I am going to be BASIC, very basic. I am doing this because there are literally thousands of full books written on this very topic. I took numerous college level courses on this very topic. Creating a workout is an art, it needs to take a variety of things into consideration. So, take this for what it's worth. Below are the guidelines to follow when putting a workout together for yourself.

• Know yourself, you real age, your training age (how long you have been strength training), your knowledge of exercises, your goal, your sport, and the reason your are wanting to train. This should be the first step in creating a workout. Every exercise should have a purpose that will help you reach your goal and should be reflected in your ability. You wouldn't have a beginner go off and do a full olympic lifting program and visa versa. Be smart here and don't get in over your head.
• Know your time frame. Don't schedule 12 exercises done at 4 sets of 12 reps each when you only have 30 minutes to workout. Make the most of the time you have available, don't create a workout that won't work.
• Order exercises from the more complex to the least complex, larger muscle groups to smaller muscle groups, or from most difficult to easiest. Always put core work LAST.
• Assign appropriate reps to each exercise
• 1-8 reps @ light to moderate weights = POWER
• 1-6 reps @ heavy weights = STRENGTH
• 8-12 reps @ moderate weights = HYPERTROPHY
• 15+ reps @ light weights = MUSCULAR ENDURANCE

• Assign appropriate weights for each exercise. You can do this based on a 1 rep max (1RM), found by using a sub max test (click here for a Google search of resources on this topic). Or, you can leave the weights unknown and play it by ear. If you do this the tendency is to go too easy. You should be able to complete the assigned reps with the ability to complete 1-5 more additional reps, especially during the first couple sets, but by the final sets you should be struggling to get the final reps but still able to get them.  Here is a basic chart listing the percentage of your 1RM for each number of reps 1-12.  An example of this would be if your exercise calls for 4x8 you would use a weight of 78% your 1RM.
• 1=100%
• 2=95%
• 3=90%
• 4=88%
• 5=86%
• 6=83%
• 7=80%
• 8=78%
• 9=76%
• 10=75%
• 11=72%
• 12=70%


• Assign appropriate rest periods for each exercise
• POWER = 4+ minutes
• STRENGTH = 4+ minutes
• HYPERTROPHY = 60-120 seconds
• MUSCULAR ENDURANCE = 0-30 seconds
• Do the workout and don't be afraid to make adjustments! You should be changing your routine in some fashion every 4-12 weeks (6-8 being a good range of how often to change). You can change the sets/reps, exercises, exercise order, anything really, but change SOMETHING. Otherwise you'll find yourself hitting a plateau.

I hope you learned something form this post, at least one thing, anyway. If you have any specific questions or would like my opinion on something, post a question in the comments section. Good luck with your training!

Be fast, be strong, & carry on!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I am a huge fan of lasagna, definitely one of my favorite meals.  So when I found this recipe for Butternut Squash Lasagna, I was very excited to try it.  Both my wife and I love butternut squash as a side.  It is a great healthy vegetable and a great substitute for sweet potatoes or other starches.  Butternut squash is low in calories and is very filling.  It is also very high in Vitamin A and polyphenols.  .  I was very surprised with the amount of time it took to prepare this meal.  From start to actually sitting at the table to eat was a few minutes over 1 hour.  The fact that you need to back the diced squash for 30 minutes, give you sufficient time to prepare the other layers for the lasagna.  After letting it cool and serving it to the family, it was fantastic.  I loved it, as I expected.  Sarah, thought it was very good.  The sage came through great and the hint of nutmeg with the squash went perfectly with the cheeses.  The only change I personally would make would be to use quinoa pasta as opposed the the whole wheat noodles we used.  But, that is strictly for my desire to avoid gluten.  I definitely recommend this recipe for anyone looking for a lower calorie, meat free lasagna option.

Ingredients

• • 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • Fresh Lasagna Noodles cut into 4-by-13-inch strips and cooked, or store-bought dried noodles, cooked
  • 4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Bake until light gold and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Combine ricotta, cream, yolks, mozzarella, and a pinch of nutmeg in a medium bowl. Season with salt.
3. Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add sage, and cook until light gold and slightly crisp at edges, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Place squash in a medium bowl, and mash 1/2 of it with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving the other 1/2 in whole pieces. Gently stir in sage-butter mixture and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spread 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture in a 9-cup baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta). Sprinkle Parmesan over ricotta mixture.
6. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.