Fat Blaster

I would much rather be outside in the summer. So I thought I would include a pic from a duathlon I did the summer of 07'.

This was my 2nd workout of the day. I needed a little bit of a change of pace and a new challenge. I came up with this series to work the entire body - cardio, strength, interval, etc. It is designed to be hard and painful. It won't make me look like the Incredible Hulk. The Incrdible Hulk is too big to do triathlons. It will help me lose fat, get lean/strong and ripped. My goal here was to push through with good form as fast as possible.

I did 9 different lifting exercises sandwiched between 250 Jump Rope Reps or 15 Burpee/Squat Thrusts. In between each set there was no rest. The idea here was to get the heart rate up and keep it up. At the end of my circuit I did 10 minutes on the elliptical machine.

1. Jump Rope = 250
2. Planks = 2:15
3. Burpee/Squat Thrusts = 15
4. Dips = 15
5. Jump Rope = 250
6. Dumbell Should Press = 45LB x 8
7. Burpee/Squat Thrusts = 15
8. Wide Grip Pullups = 10
9. Jump Rope = 250
10. Incline Dumbell Press = 60LB x 8
11. Burpee/Squat Thrusts = 15
12. Body Weight Rows = 12
13. Jump Rope = 250
14. Tricep Dips = 18
15. Burpee/Squat Thrusts = 15
16. Close Grip Pullups = 12
17. Jump Rope = 250
18. Power Clean, Jerk & Push Press = 40LB x 6
19. Burpee/Squat Thrusts = 15
20. Elliptical Machine = 10:00
    Total Time = 42:30

Long Run Intervals

This morning I planned on going for a long run outside. But one step out the door let me know that conditions were way too slick and icy to risk an injury. So I decided to go to the YMCA. The thought of running long on a treadmill did not excite too much, so I thought of a way to spice up the workout. I did 8 (15 min) running segments sandwiched around 1 set of various multi joint lifting exercises. I did not rest at all. I went straight from the run segment, down a couple of flights of stairs to the strength training room and did my lifting set, before returning upstairs for the next running segment. The only time I deviated from this plan was once to quickly change my soaked shirt(I brought an extra one with me to to the treadmill) and once to refill my water bottle. My workout is as follows:

1. Run = 15:00 (1.68M)
2. Planks = 2:00
3. Run = 15:00 (1.70M)
4. Close Grip Pullups = 16reps
5. Run = 15:00 (1.70M)
6. Power Clean, Jerk, and Push Press = 40LB x 8reps
7. Run = 15:00 (1.68M)
8. Back Raises = Body Weight x 8reps
9. Run = 15:00 (1.68M)
10. Standing Dumbell Shoulder Press = 50LB x 6Reps
11. Run = 15:00 (1.68M)
12. Wide Grip Pullups = 10reps
13. Run = 15:00 (1.68M)
14. Body Weight Rows = 15reps
15. Run = 15:00 (1.73M)
16. Dips = 20reps

-Total Running Time = 2:00:00

-Total Running Distance = 13.53M

-Total Workout Time = 2:22:15

This was an extremely challenging workout for me. Some of the lifting exercises I did were strenuous enough that I was extremely worn out when starting the next running segment. This was by design, not by accident. This workout helped me achieve a number of different training objectives:

1. Teaching my body how to recover after a hard effort. For example, after doing the pullups, it was really difficult to start running right away. I actually started to recover a little bit during my run.
2. Build run endurance. 2 hours of running certainly qualifies as a long run at this stage of my training. Even though I broke the run into 8 segments, my body got the benefit of running for the entire time because I did not allow myself enough rest time in between the segments.
3. Transition Training. In triathlons there are transitions between each phase. These count in the overall time. During this workout, I had 16 transitions where I had to switch gears and quickly refocus on a new task. Teaching my body and mind how to do this has value in triathlon training.
4. Teaching my body how to use fat as a primary fuel. Most everyone has heard that intervals are excellent for fat loss. Even though this was a much different and longer set of intervals than most, it resulted in fat loss for more than the obvious reasons. I went into this workout with a completely depleted system nutritionally. I carb fasted. When exercising, the two main sources of fuel are glucose and fat. The body naturally wants to burn glucose first - its easier to burn and a better energy source. But, if a persons body is depleted of glucose, there is nothing to burn but fat. As McMillan states, teaching your body how to use fat as fuel is not easy to do, but is important for ultimate results. http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/ If I can teach my body how to efficiently use fat as fuel, when I give it glucose for a race, it will be supercharged.
5. Mental Toughness. Although this workout was extremely challenging physically, it was just as challenging mentally. I wanted to stop many times. But this feeling just made me more determined to push through to the end. I believe this type of mental toughness can be learned and developed. Workouts like these these are helping me to develop this toughness.

Lose Weight By Watching TV

It's true! Although the TV part is not what makes you actually lose the weight, it can play an important part in a fitness program. A stationary bike planted in front of a TV is a great fitness tool. Unlike the eliptical trainer or treadmill, your head can stay fairly still so TV viewing is similar to just sitting on the couch. So, anyone who says they don't have time to workout - I have 1 question for you. Do you have time to watch TV? Be honest. The average American watches 28 hours of TV per week! http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html That is equivalent to a part time job. It is estimated that by the year 2013, daily hours watching video/TV will match hours of sleep! http://www.srgnet.com/pdf/TV%20Video%20Hours%20to%20Match%20Sleep%20Release%20(June%202008).pdf If the average American would spend 25% of their TV time per week (7 hours) riding the stationary bike, the obesity problem would be almost completely eliminated. And the obesity problem is large. It is estimated that 60 million Americans are obese! http://www.obesityinamerica.org/bythenumbers.html To give you an idea of how much weight Americans could lose per year by this method, let me give you an example: A 185 pound man, biking at a moderate pace for 1 hour, would burn approximately 700 calories http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php That is 4900 calories per week. 1 pound of fat = 3500 calories. That 185 pound man would lose 1.4 pounds per week. Over the course of a year, that man would burn 72.8 pounds! Of course the numbers would change a little as his weight changes, but you get my point. There are so many ways to get a workout in if a person makes it a priority and is creative.

Today, Iowa played in the Outback Bowl. I decided I would park my stationary bike trainer in front of the TV and keep it spinning for the entire game. I had a full water bottle and 2 sweat towels within reach. The only time I took a short break was to fill my water bottle up and drain the main vain. My butt is a little sore, but I had a great time. Iowa won and I got a great workout.

Bike Trainer

• Riding time = 3:17:00
• RPM = 100+