The Road to Ultra

Today I ran just over 6 miles:

MapMyRun.com - Regular Run: iMapMyRun: Jan 31, 2010 2:34 PM on 01/31/2010

I'm going to call this my "man-up" week because it gave me the opportunity to focus on willpower and not give up.

The week started off with a great upper body workout on Monday. I'm doing alternating sets of push-ups, pull-ups, and bench dips. In the pull-ups, if I can't do a full one, I jump up and then slowly lower myself (negatives). I did 40 of each total (4 sets of 10).

Tuesday's run was a little chilly, but I got through it. Thursday I had my first challenge, which was starting out on the run dressed for 30 degree weather but having it really end up being 50 degrees. The result was that I overheated. I still finished it out, however, and then we come to Saturday.

Saturday I had every excuse to skip out on my 4-miler. Everyone knew a big ice storm was coming. It ended up not hitting our part of town, but it was just over freezing and raining and sleeting. I wanted badly to use this as an excuse but there really wasn't anything solid to hold onto. The ice wasn't sticking, so conditions were safe. It was really about how badly I want it.

I want it badly, so I stepped out and ran. It turned out being a remarkable run. I had a lot of fun, pushed to new heights, and felt great. I was drenched when I came home and actually ran through some light sleet but it was worth it.

Today would be the first day I do a significant distance back-to-back. 4 miles yesterday, 6 miles today to make a 10 mile weekend. I came home from church feeling tired. It was still freezing cold, but the sun was shining. I wanted to make an excuse again. I was tired and sore from the previous run. It was too cold. We've got too much to do, etc. But the reality set in, simple as this: there are a lot of people in far worse situations who push forward and live with what they have. Doing a 6-mile jog in the cold would be a luxury to someone in Haiti right now. What right do I have to get so soft and weak that I can't even honor my own commitment to train? Give me a break ... no way!

So I set out and did it. It was a tough six miles ... probably the first significant distance I've done in months. But I did it. When I hit the hills, I pushed. When my feet felt numb, I kept going. When I was nearing the end and everything ached and my mind was saying, "Just stop, walk, it will be fine" I kept doing it.

It was one of those runs that I drew on my faith and gave thanks to Jesus Christ for so many blessings in my life, and the joy of that gratitude really fueled me on and gave me the courage and strength to push through to the end. This was just the beginning, my goals are aggressive but the journey of 1,000 miles starts with the first few steps and I logged my 6 miles worth today.

MapMyRun.com - Regular Run: iMapMyRun: Jan 28, 2010 12:04 PM on 01/28/2010

Now this may seem a little silly, but I actually got too HOT on this run! I was dressed for high 30s but it had to be 50s by the time I was done. My issue was too much coffee, not enough water before the run ... was struggling on the hills out of the gate. My ankles/lower calves were burning and had to walk the uphills but ran all of the level and downhill and finished STRONG. Got a 10 mile weekend, looking forward to it!

MapMyRun.com - Training Log for JeremyLikness

Whew! It was "warmer" (31 degrees F) but humid, so it was a tough one ... enjoyed it throughly however and the best part is getting it done!

MapMyRun.com - Regular Run: iMapMyRun: Jan 11, 2010 12:05 PM on 01/11/2010

Gret run! Still very cold, and my left foot fell asleep about 2.5 miles in. After loosening the shoe-strings and walking on the grass for a bit, gotmy feeling back and was able to finish strong.

MapMyRun.com - Regular Run: iMapMyRun: Jan 7, 2010 12:30 PM on 01/07/2010

Yes, you see it right ... I'm firing this blog back up, coz I'm running again!

It was a good run for several years (pardon the pun), and I've not given up on my goals, but a lot has changed and I'm moving on for now. I've sold LoseFotNotFaith.com ... the book is no longer in print and the eBook no longer for sale, however, I do still retain the rights to the book so one day I may revive it. I have my own site (JeremyLikness.com) but am focusing more on my IT career and will be posting more on those blogs instead. Does this mean I'm no longer interested in health and fitness? Couldn't be farther from the truth. However, I have to be realistic and prioritize my life. God comes first, then family, then my main occupation, and right now that just hasn't left much time for the health and fitness business. I need to "clean house" and focus on my own health and wellness, as well as that of my family, as a priority.

At some point we will reach another stage where it makes sense to become more involved and I look forward to that. Until then ...

Take care, and God bless.

Just a quick post ... as I'm doing more and more programming these days and find that the blogs where I learn information are incredibly useful, I decided to "pay it forward" by producing some of my own tips and tidbits, so you can now follow my C#er : IMage blog if you're into C# / .NET development.

Take care!

Labels: c#, development

Wow, where do I begin?

It's been a few weeks since I last posted. It has been a busy few weeks. I wanted to take some time today to share what's going on and why I haven't been able to update blogs, the website, and other aspects of Lose Fat, Not Faith as often as I should.

It really starts with you.

I've been doing a lot of praying about what my purpose is. For those of you who might not know my history, in brief I acquired my passion for fitness nearly a decade ago after losing weight. I realized that losing the weight wasn't about a diet or exercise program, but about a mindset shift, and that change in mindset empowered me to tap into the other amazing events God had in store for my life.

Four years ago I had one of those calls you know was meant to happen. It was an invitation to help build a wireless software company. Many people have been confused about my decision to jump into this project because it's not related to health and wellness. One thing I feel strongly about is that sometimes it takes what appears to be sacrifice to reach important cornerstones of our lives. I say "appears" because it really hasn't been a "sacrifice" for me to join the team that I joined, it has been an opportunity and a challenge. The reason I accepted the offer was because I knew that I had a lot to learn about business, building teams, writing quality software, and many other aspects of creating a successful enterprise. This would be an opportunity to learn and participate in the process in a way I never was able to before.

So I made the decision to focus on this and it has been an amazing journey. I've gained knowledge and skills and faced challenges I never imagined, and it all is helping me move closer to my longer term vision of impacting lives and making a real, tangible difference in the health of others.

This job takes most of my week ... we're talking literally 60 - 80 hours sometimes ... because it is a start up and it is a rapidly growing enterprise. That means I must be very protective of the remaining time that I have. In lieu of movies and television and participating in the "not much club" I spend that time with my family. I carve out a little bit to keep healthy, and then there is Lose Fat, Not Faith.

Originally my focus of a few hours per week was to keep the question of the day, this blog, and the occasional article written to grow the content and continue to bring you new information and insight. A few weeks ago as I began to meditate on my purpose, that focus shifted.

I realized what I want today is still what I wanted ten years ago, and that I must prioritize my time to move Lose Fat, Not Faith closer to that. The goal is ultimately to give you an experience that integrates all of the aspects of fitness: knowledge, empowerment, mindset, nutrition, exercise, and more. While the articles and questions and forums tap into a small part, there's always been more that I've wanted to do: give you the opportunity to track your weight, enter your statistics, build workouts and nutrition information. While there are many other tools out there, I don't believe there are many fully integrated that cover all of the aspects, are flexible enough to allow you to enter YOUR meal preferences or choose YOUR style of training, AND are free on top of that.

So I've decided to start building that and moving to that goal. It's just a little bit each week because even my weekend time outside of family and church is mostly dedicated to the software business I mentioned, but I take a little bit of time to add features. I've also focused on win-win where I can take new technologies as a proof of concept here, understand them and then apply them to my company where they are feasible and add value.

I've decided that the bare minimum I need to unravel the new site is to at least duplicate what's there now - articles, question of the day, blog, and forums. I may still use third-party forums and blogs but I'm actively building out the software for the articles and forums. You'll see more powerful search, a sharper user interface, faster loading pages that are more standards compliant, and a lot more. But I'm also adding the concept of user profiles and logins and then building out the sections that will eventually be stats (tracking weight, calories, measurements, etc), goals (life goals, weight goals, lifting goals, running goals), nutrition (both logging and generating menus), training (I believe my ideas in training will revolutionize how people track and generate workout programs online ... that will be the first aspect I focus on after the articles).

At any rate I felt it was important for you to know the site hasn't grown stale and I'm not pulled away doing other things ... if anything, I unfortunately sacrificed some of my consistency with training to create extra hours to build out the new application. That's not the right approach either, so I'm focused on creating balance and getting back into a consistent routine with training after this weekend.

What you won't see is as frequent posts and updates from me except for the occasional update on the site. I'm still finding out what cost effective .NET hosting is and how I can transition from the old PHP/MySQL-based site to the new C#/MVC/SQL 2005 one and I can't even give a tentative date for rolling out the new version, but it is coming and as I know more, I'll share it with you.

Lose Fat is truly grassroots. It grows because of you, the reader. I don't invest the time this project deserves to attract new people who can be transformed by the idea that weight loss begins in the mind and heart, not with a diet or exercise program. It is your testimonials, your enthusiasm, the time you take to mention to someone, "Hey, check out this article" or "You should look into this book" that really helps bring new people and help the site grow.

I am blessed that I have heard back from so many people who have received tremendous value from the site and my Lose Fat, Not Faith eBook - especially with the new training and coaching guides that are included with it. I can say after a 80 hour week when I am exhausted and feel like I don't have much more to give and think, "What's the point ... I just can't keep this project moving" it's the heartfelt, passionate emails and success stories that motivate me to keep going and help me realize this isn't about me and it's not my right to even consider stopping it ... it's about you and the change we can create together to help people live healthier lives.

I continue to pray for balance, wisdom, and insight. I ask God daily to ensure that I am putting the Kingdom first, my family second, and everything else in its place. It's difficult for people to understand why when I say family is so important, I invest so much time in work and then on top of that do a little on the side. The answer is that it is all part of a bigger picture that I believe is my purpose to help others really create the change they deserve in their lives. At the end of the day if no one remembers my name but even two people have transformed their lives as the result of connecting with something they read or learned, then I can say I've accomplished what I set out to do.

Thank you for your time, patience, and understanding. As always I am open to feedback, comments, and suggestions of how I can continue to improve what Lose Fat, Not Faith is and represents.

Please continue to share the website link with others. If you are one of those fortunate enough to be able to invest in the ebook kit during these tough economic times, I assure you all of the funds I receive go directly back into improving the site and what it has to offer. Things like software licenses and website hosting fees. Because of your blessings last year I was able to invest in a laptop. Just one book sale empowered me to secure that laptop with professional anti-virus software. Just a few more sales will enable me to invest in the additional tools that can help me create the new website more quickly and effectively.

Above all, if you believe in the power of prayer like I do, please pray. I would love to ask for a prayer for the long term success of this project but I know there are more pressing needs in the world. There are too many people struggling to find jobs or make ends meet in a tough economy, some of you who are reading this right now, so instead I ask that we pray for each other, for the great nations of the planet, for swift healing and recovery and ultimately that we can take these challenges in life and use them to temper our character and grow.

Warmly and in Him,

Today's Run: 6.0 miles
Run Time: 1 hr 9 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 955.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

If you haven't figured out by now that I'm not superhuman, here's another little entry.

Our daughter had her first singing performance today at a church. It involved singing during the service (parents invited) followed by several hours of games and activities (parents NOT invited).

It was a beautiful service, I was so happy to see her take courage, standing in front of the audience, and sing so beautiful with her team.

Afterwards, my wife and I went on a date.

Now I knew that I had a run scheduled today. I had purposefully skipped a few workouts (two lifting and a jog) because I was feeling run down and needed to recoup a bit. My rest period was over, however, and I had resolved to begin with this longer run.

So as we drove around looking for a place to eat, I knew it wasn't going to be easy when we finally decided on Mexican. While I did choose a decent main meal (steak with beans) I also munched on a lot of chips, and, well, here's the kicker: they were known for tasty margaritas, so I enjoyed one during our date.

Don't get me wrong, I don't see an issue with having a glass of wine or a margarita, it's just that this was the middle of the day and I had a workout planned. The effect that having some alcohol has on me during the day is simple: I get tired.

So we drove home and I was pretty much asleep in the truck.

When we got to the house, I slowly dragged myself out of the truck and decided I was too tired and had already blown my chance of running: I had a drink, plus I had cheese and chips, so my stomach probably wouldn't take it.

However, by the time I was inside, I had a different thought. I made the commitment, and I should stick with it. If it was tougher because of my bad choices earlier in the day, so be it, but why make a few bad choices worse? If it was bad to stray off plan, it would be really bad to skip another workout. It's not like it's a small run that I can easily "make up" either, 6 miles at this stage in my training is one of the key "long" runs I build my progress around.

So, I filled up my water bottles (one with water, the other with Gatorade), strapped on my Shuffle and shoes, and told my ladies I was headed out.

I couldn't have made a better choice.

The sun was low on the horizon but only began to set just as my run finished. The air was cool and there was plenty of shade on my run. Surprisingly, I felt refreshed and my energy came back to me after the first mile. The rest of the run went smoothly ... while I was feeling a little stomach discomfort during the last mile, overall it was a positive run. I actually felt better than last week and finished at the same pace.

As I finished, I just felt TERRIFIC because once again when I could have easily made the excuse to avoid a workout, instead I took the bull by the horns and kept on moving. If I had "given in" and skipped it? I would have spent the night feeling guilty and regretting that I had enjoyed a nice little lunch. Now I was able to enjoy the lunch AND the workout after, and I have the rest of the evening to relax with my daughter and wife.

How cool is that?

Warmly,

Labels: alcohol and running, drinking and running, margarita, running

Today's Run: 4.0 miles
Run Time: 41:28 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 949.3

Thoughts on the Run:

I'm writing this with hopes that someone reading this will "get" me. What I mean is really tap into what I'm trying to say, feel, experience, and share this moment. What it means to really keep pushing forward and trying until you reach a point where everything clicks.

If you've read my journal, you'll know that for several years now I've been writing about my journey to achieve a feat that is well beyond my comfort zone: to run an ultra-marathon. It's been a very human journey. I've created my own obstacles, had my own ups and downs, and have been far from consistent, with gaps of months going by in limbo between having the focus and consistency to train the way I need to train.

This past fall was a turning point for me as I decided to quit trying and start doing and began to take an attitude of getting it done no matter what. It wasn't about being a different person or having special skills or even following some arcane "trick" ... it was simply a pure choice and sticking with it.

You see, despite the roller coaster ride I've had one thing remain the same throughout: my commitment. I haven't given up. And I feel I can't fail if I don't stop.

So today could be considered and "ordinary" day - nothing much different than any other day. I woke up feeling tired, decided to sleep in and do my run in the evening.

The first thing I noticed was that instead of dreading the run during the day, I was really excited and looking forward to it. I had a mindset that it is a beautiful day (66 degrees when I came home) and a perfect evening to run, and that by doing so I would still be 100% on my schedule for training.

I even brought a bottle of Gatorade to drink on the way home so I would be hydrated and not have any excuse to linger, but just lace up and head out.

That's exactly what I did. I stepped in the house and could smell the wonderful dinner my wife had cooked. She knew I was going to run so she already prepared a bowl for me to heat up. I laced up, put on my Garmin watch to pace my run, turned on my Shuffle, and was on the road.

I always struggle out the gate but because I write this journal and focus on how my body responds, I know it's part of my warm up process so I just grit my teeth and work through it until I'm warmed up. Sure enough, the first mile I was feeling great. In fact, instead of getting tired, I was getting more invigorated. I felt fantastic!

So I stepped up the pace for the second mile. Halfway point and I was still going strong. On the way back, I hit Hamburger Hill in stride and did not slow (OK, so maybe I DID slow but I felt like I was going on pace ... I certainly didn't stop). In fact, it wasn't even a battle to get all the way through that hill. Coming down for my last mile, I was pumped. I felt I could even beat a 10-minute mile pace.

One thing I learned was that when I check my watch and my pace constantly during the run, it does nothing but create stress and cause me to artificially vary my pace. So I've learned how to glance at my watch at just the right angle so I see the mileage but not the time. I don't worry about it, my goal is distance, not pace, so I make sure I go the distance and sort out the pace when I'm done.

I had so much energy that last mile that I just flew ... I even pumped it into a semi-sprint and was going better than a 7-minute mile. It felt GREAT - the night was cool and clear, and I finished with gusto.

Here's what I want you to get: I finished with a rush. A feeling of accomplishment. A feeling of being fit, in shape, and conquering. The feeling like I can take on anything. A rush of good feelings: euphoria.

Rewind to some of my previous journal entries. You'll see me tired, struggling, in pain, trying my hardest just to get into the routine. Then read today.

THAT, my friend, is the reward. When you stick with it long enough to get out of your own way, you reap the benefits and rewards. I'm in a zone now where my workouts aren't something that I have to push myself to do, but instead lift me and pull me into them. They no longer wear me out: I might be physically tired, but they energize me and give me more energy. They don't take an hour out of my day, but give back because I am happier and more productive. THAT is the key to all of this and where you deserve to be, and THAT is why you make your lows high and your highs low until you reach the zone and create your life the way you want it to be, on your terms, even if you have to pave the road before you can drive on it.

Best of success,

Labels: benefits of running, commitment, euphoria, rush

Today's Run: 6.0 miles
Run Time: 1 hr 9 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 945.3

Thoughts on the Run:

Whew! We're getting closer to the first 1,000 miles. Exciting!

Today was a great run. I didn't dread it one bit. I was looking forward to it. I knew it might be a challenge because of my tough leg day yesterday, but I was eager to try it out and see how it felt.

I slept in and caught up on some much-needed rest, then cooked a delicious breakfast (if I do say so myself): two whole eggs and two eggs whites scrambled with chipotle-flavored Tabasco sauce, organic hashed browns with red pepper and olive oil, and chicken sausage. It was delicious!

I waited two hours and then set out on my jog. I decided to try something different for hydration this time. As you may know from reading my blogs from last year, hydration has been my biggest challenge. Most of the time I would fall way short and end up getting nauseous or dizzy. I figure as a bigger guy than most runners, my needs are a bit higher. However, when I'd bring lots of fluid and drink it down constantly, I'd end up with major stomach discomfort.

This year because it's been cool, I've avoided the hydration (during the run) issue for the most part. Now it's starting to warm up and I'm running longer distances. I almost talked myself out of bringing fluids today, but then realized how ridiculous that would be ... I'd be on my feet for well over an hour in the hottest part of the day.

So I tried something new. I brought two 16-oz bottles, but instead of filling them both with just water or just Gatorade, I did one water and one Gatorade. The water alone doesn't do well for me because I sweat a lot and therefore lose plenty of sodium. I need the electrolyte replacement. On the other hand, I get sick of drinking Gatorade because after awhile it is just too sweet tasting to me.

So, I brought both and alternated between the two.

The second thing that I did was instead of sipping constantly, which seems to cause me to have the stomach discomfort, I swigged every mile. Each mile I would grab one or the other bottle and then take three big swigs.

This strategy seemed to work out. I never felt like I was running low on fluids and I did not have any stomach discomfort.

I have to say this run was one of the first times I can truly say I tapped into what I would call a true "runner's high" or second wind. I was about 4 1/2 miles into the run when I came upon my old nemesis, "Hamburger Hill" and began the long (1/2 mile) ascent to the top. By this time, my legs were on fire and I was getting a little tired from the run. I instantly felt drained as I began to climb the hill and for a second my mind was saying, "Maybe we'll walk it."

My iPod Shuffle, upon hearing these thoughts, decided it was time to kick into action and obediently switched to a high-energy, upbeat song. The driving rhythm was too much to allow me to slow down and I had to clench my feet and start pumping my arms and begin to pace myself up the hill.

Suddenly a strange thing happened. It was like my vision narrowed for a brief second and I had tunnel vision. I was afraid I was starting to get dizzy and would have to stop, but then I realized my eyes were just intently focused on the ground in front of me. I was aware in my peripheral vision of the trees going by on my left and the cars in the street on the right, but I was tuned out of the distance I had to go and focused solely on the rhythm on my pace as I ran up the hill. My breathing settled into a cadence and I no longer felt like I was gasping for air. The pain left my legs and my whole body just felt nice and light.

In this state I pushed easily to the top and continued on. It lasted the remainder of the run and felt great. In fact, when I finished, I was still a good 1/2 mile from the house, so I went ahead and ran most of that as well.

It was a great run that I enjoyed and I'm happy to have made it through this week with all of my schedule workouts. I'm looking forward to another abundant and successful week to come!

Warmly,

Labels: long run

Today's Run: 3.0 miles
Run Time: 31:12 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 939 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

Before I share my run, I wanted to point a "shout out" to my daughter. She was recently selected as a spokesperson for the American Heart Association (AHA) so she along with my wife had a short television spot on our local Fox channel talking about the new Go Red for Women campaign. You can enjoy the clip by clicking here ... congratulations Lizzie!

Today I'm going to call "Leg-a-Palooza" because of what I did to my legs. I am wondering how my 6 mile run tomorrow will go, all things considered.

Yesterday was Men's Fraternity. I wake up at 4:45 am and head in early so I can meet with others at our church before going into the office. As I'm not a huge fan of setting my alarm clock for 3:45 am, I usually either do my training in the evening or push it to a double-up on Saturday.

Today was a double-up, that turned into a triple-up. First, my workout was legs. I had a phenomenal workout. I'm getting better with the form and bar positioning on my front squats, and loading a respectable weight. Leg extensions were great (lots of pain and loud sounds emanating from the basement as I did those). Dead-lifts are by far my strongest lift and the one I love to hate. Knocked those out and had a huge jump in strength with my leg curls.

My legs were toast and I could barely walk up the stairs. I had promised my daughter we would go to a local event. A Lego Robotics team was demonstrating what they do (yes, there are Lego robots ... and competitions ... and they have tasks and other interesting things to do). If I was going to get in my run, it had to be right after the workout.

It was "only" three miles so I set out and hit the pavement. I must have looked a little funny limping along at first. My legs did not feel that great and the struggle it took me to reach the end of my block made me wonder if this was an exercise ... in futility (sorry, I couldn't resist the pun). But as I turned the corner and started to "warm-up" (as if the previous 40 minutes of pushing steel wasn't enough to get the ticker going) I started to feel much better and settled into a good pace. By the time I had wrapped up the first 1.5 miles and turned around to head home, I was feeling great. My only mistake: even for such a short run, it was "hot" by my standards (after a sub-30 degrees Fahrenheit runs, the 55 today felt hot) and I did not bring fluids. My mouth was feeling quite dry.

I managed to push hard and made it non-stop with a decent pace. Legs were sore but usable. I enjoyed the presentation with my daughter and how the young team (ages 9 - 14) learn how to work as a team, how to construct the robots and learn things like how you can have a light weight frame and an agile robot but it is prone to falling apart, or a sturdy frame but a sluggish robot, or how they actually program its tasks. Pretty amazing!

As we drove home, we discussed how beautiful the day was and my daughter had her heart set on hiking Kennesaw mountain. How could I resist? So my "triple" workout came when we came home, put on the tennis shoes, and headed back out to the mount for an hour and a half hike. It was beautiful, perfect weather and we had a wonderful time. We really enjoyed the time together and came home exhausted and ready to relax and unwind.

Warmly,

Labels: american heart association, lego robots, running, weight lifting

Today's Run: 4.0 miles
Run Time: 40:46 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 936.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

Ran 4 miles. In the evening. It was cold and dark. It's done. 'Nuff said.

One of the biggest things I think has helped me not only stick with training and not make excuses, but also have fun, is learning to train outside of the box. What I mean by training outside of the box is being creative and creating solutions for every situation. One of the most common complaints and excuses for skipping a workout is "I don't have the equipment" or "I'm on the road" or "The gym was busy." If you learn how to be creative and adapt, you can always have a successful workout.

As an example, when I did door-to-door personal training, one of my clients had a universal gym. It had a great vertical bench press attachment but virtually nothing for the back in a rowing motion. Imagine how surprised my client was when I showed him how he could stand and face the bench press contraption, and turn it into an instant rowing machine!

Of course this comes with all of the standard warnings about not using equipment as intended, following safety precautions, etc, but is an example of creating value out of a situation and not having to go out and buy all new equipment.

The techniques I used today in my upper body workout are actually quite simple but for some people not so obvious.

I started out with a standard bench press and then did a push-up superset. Many people have seen the commercials on television for special push-up contraptions that allow you to get a better grip instead of having palms flat (some even twist). If you have standard hex dumbbells, here is an easy solution: just grib a light weight dumbbell in each hand, and use those to elevate your grip from the floor. Simple and easy to do and reduces the strain on your wrists without investing in a fancy contraption.

For my back I was doing dumbbell rows. For this segment I'm doing both arms at once, so I elevate the bench enough so my dumbbells are not touching the floor when my arms are extended, and then go to work. I did a cable row superset.

For shoulders, it was the Arnold press. Nothing new there, but then I did a front raise super set. For some reason, people seemed to be locked into the belief that the shoulder is mainly a single-armed dumbbell muscle. I always see people doing side and lateral (to the front) raises with dumbbells. My front raise was using the EZ-curl bar. It has a nice grip. I simply grab the bar shoulder width, then raise it with my arms locked in front so my arms are parallel, pause, then lower. You'll notice an immediate difference from using dumbbells. Most importantly if you have a shoulder/scapular imbalance which many people do, with dumbbells you may tend to shrug one side. This helps you balance the lift and avoid that shrug.

I closed out with pull-ups. Again an exercise people shy from because it's so difficult. I was surprised to learn some people avoid it completely because even if they have a pull-up bar, they have no pulley for lat-pulldowns in the house and no partner to do assisted pull-ups so it becomes that elusive exercise that "someday" I may be able to do.

This is where a cheat ... albeit a controlled, safe cheat ... can help. I set a goal of, say, 12 pull-ups. While I used to be able to do these weighted when I was training for bodybuilding, I can barely do a few body weight pull-ups right now. No problem! I set the goal for 12 and execute as many pull-ups with perfect form as I can. Then, I still finish the 12, this time assisting myself. Basically, I use my legs to jump and gain momentum. The rule is that I still clear the bar, and am able to control myself enough to at least lower slowly. So I'm not pulling up from a dead hang, I'm launching up but then lowering myself more slowly. Sometimes I'm going down faster than others!

If you think this is "cheating" and not receiving the benefit of the exercise, you haven't tried it. The first time I learned this technique, I was sore for days afterwards and I was amazed at how fast I was able to master pull-ups. The goal is obviously to end up doing the target repetitions with no assistance, but this creative compromise will help you advance to that goal instead of having to give up and settle for dumbbell rows every week.

It was a good workout, now on to breakfast!

Labels: home gym, pull-ups, shoulder exercises, training at home