|
Fitness Tip of the Week
I had a conversation this week with someone who was looking to shed a few pounds. After thinking on the topic, I realized there are a few ways we can go ahead and address this issue. In this weeks newsletter, we are going to focus on the phrase "what gets measured gets managed" to help get you on the right path towards trimming some poundage. In order for us to get to Point B (our bodyweight goal) we must know our Point A (our current bodyweight). So, lets say you weigh 212 pounds and by the end of the year, you want to weight 200. The next step would be to reverse engineer the problem and realize that in order to get to 200, I have to lose one pound a month. This is nothing drastic. That is roughly one-quarter of a pound per week. I think we can all agree that is reasonable. Now, here is the important part, schedule a weekly weigh-in to ensure you are staying on track. Remember, what gets measured gets managed. So here is what I would recommend: Every Wednesday check your weight to see how the week is going. If you hit your goal for the week, then what you did worked, nice job. If you do not hit the goal, then give yourself a day of redemption on Friday and re-check. The weekly weigh-in is not a life or death experience. It is a learning experience. What I've Been Thinking About... Something has to give. For those who read this newsletter weekly, you all know this is set to be delivered to your inbox at 7:30 am on Sundays. Well, it is 6:15 am on delivery day and I am still writing, hoping to get it done by the scheduled time. Writing on the same day as delivery is usually not the case. I try to plan ahead and get the bulk of it done during the week so I only have to edit and send over the weekend. But this week, something had to give. My work schedule for the summer is roughly 7:30 am to 12:30 am. Prior to work, I try to read and exercise. After work, time is spent with Emilia as Marisa's work has really started to pick up (which is great by the way). Then, when we are all home, it is family time where we put the horses out, water the garden, spray Emi with a hose for 30+ minutes as she runs away and giggles, and then bedtime. As you can see, there is no mention of writing in there anywhere. I was speaking with a local business owner and we were talking about working and being a parent and in my opinion, having a career and being an involved parent is no easy task. If your work demands are 40+ hours per week, it leaves very little time to spend with your child. If you don't like that, then something has to give. If you aspire to be a parent, be prepared to give. There is another little life form who depends and needs you! Fitness & Adolescence Roughly 8 years ago I was coaching high school football and we had a baseball player join the team prior to his senior year. He shows up to the weight room one day and realizes something: I am weak! He doesn't have the technique down and his strength is poor. He looks more like a 7th or 8th grader lifting for the first time than a kid who can drive to and from practice. Meanwhile, his senior classmates who have been in the weight room consistently for 3-4 years were able to pack on strength at incredible rates. Every year, 25-40 pounds were added to their main lifts. Where, as an 8th grader they were lifting 100 pounds for reps, by the time they graduated they were using 225 for reps. When parents ask when is a good age to begin an organized strength training program, the age 11 or 12 usually comes to mind. This is the beginning of those middle school years where the child is starting to mature. The thought is this: teach the techniques prior to puberty, then, when puberty hits, the strength improvements tend to soar at incredibly fast rates. If you want to have a strong child, take advantage of this window of opportunity because when its gone its gone! What I've Been Reading... Testosterone: The Story of the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us by Carol Hooven A few months ago I heard the author on a podcast and I was immediately intrigued. One of the topics discussed was that of South African track star Caster Semenya. The story of Semenya is a complicated one but basically she was born with a Disorder of Sex Development which, in her case, has both male and female reproductive parts. Due to her disorder, her testes are internal and she has lived her life as a female. Now, because of the internal testes, her body produces high levels of testosterone for a female. BUT, because of her disorder, her body cannot use that testosterone which is why she presents as a female. Confusing, I know. Either way, this is why I bought the book to try to gain some clarity on the issue. So far, so good as I am about half way through. More on this book to come... Quote of the Week "When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers" -- Socrates I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck
0 Comments
Fitness Tip of the Week
George Bernard Shaw once said, "We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing". I was listening to an interview with Erwan Le Corre, owner of MovNat, an organization that focuses on building real world physical competency, If you are like me, you may be asking, "what is real world physical competency?" This is our ability to navigate our way through anything that life has to offer in the physical domain. This is allowing us to be someone who can be useful if there is an emergency and not be a hindrance. It means we are able to walk or run long distances when your cell phone no longer works to get help. It means that we should be able to balance on a beam or walk across a downed tree, pick up and move something heavy, carry objects for distance, jump from one thing to another, hang or pull yourself over a bar, swim a certain distance, or any other thing we may encounter in life. The natural environment provides us with plenty of opportunities to train these areas. I am sure if you look out your window you can find something heavy to move, something to balance on, a tree to hang from, and something to jump from. If your yard doesn't provide this, we can bring this obstacle course mentality to the gym. Drag a sled, carry a weight, walk across a beam, throw an object, climb something, roll on the ground, crawl, and whatever else you can come up with. Training doesn't always have to be conventional. Start playing around with some of these ideas and see if it brings any joy to your training. What I've Been Watching... Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (Netflix documentary) This documentary is about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aka the FLDS. This religious sect is a fundamentalist offshoot of the Mormon religion. They split from the church due to their adherent belief in polygamy, and a few other things, and set up their community in multiple towns across Arizona, Utah and Texas. I remember first hearing about this group in the early 2000’s when their leader Warren Jeffs was accused, arrested and found guilty of some pretty heinous things. Jeff's is a gross man who somehow rose to a position where he had thousands of followers believing he was their prophet and listened to every word he said. I discussed this documentary and other cult-ish behavior in my latest podcast episode which can be viewed here: When Does a Religion Become a Cult? or listened to on any major podcast streaming service. What I've Been Reading... Confessions by Leo Tolstoy No matter what it seems from the outside, you never know what someone is going through on the inside. Every time I hear a story about a seemingly happy person taking their life or when an ER doctor told me their rooms are full of suicidal teens, I think back to this book written by the great Leo Tolstoy. For me, the pivotal moment occurs when he writes, "and it was at this time that I, a fortunate man, removed a rope from my room where I undressed every night alone, lest I hang myself from the beam between the cupboards; and I gave up taking a rifle with me on hunting trips so as not to be tempted to end my life in such an all too easy fashion... All this was happening to me at a time when I was surrounded on all sides by what is considered complete happiness" This was the most successful writer of his time and he couldn't trust himself to go into the woods with a rifle or walk into his room with a rope out of fear he may take his life. This was a man who seemingly had it all, but yet he lacked something. He was never satisfied and always looking for more. He wanted to understand his purpose and what was the meaning life. Eventually he found what he needed and was able to live to the age of 82. This is a very quick read and the perspective gained from it is invaluable! On a Lighter Note... Last week we were at the Saucon Valley Farmers Market and once again and it was a great experience. We were able to meet a lot of people and have some interesting conversations. In addition to that, we were lucky, once again, to be placed right next to the music tent. Last month, Arianne Rox was incredibly nice and had a wonderful voice and the same could be said for this month with Christine & Company. While there, a catchy little tune came on that I couldn't quite place. My dad was singing it but he had no clue who it was. I got my phone out and started plugging in the lyrics and what came up was Fire by the Pointer Sisters. As it turns out, this song was written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. My father is a big Springsteen fan so that explains how he knew it. Anyway, I don't know much about the Pointer Sisters but this song was stuck in my head all week! Check the link out above to get a little Fire going in your life. Just be prepared to have this in your head all day... Well, Romeo and Juliet Samson and Delilah Quote of the Week "We lost because we told ourselves we lost" -- Leo Tolstoy I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
July 3rd was a long day. With fireworks rattling off in the distance, I was looking forward to getting some rest. As I made my way through the kitchen looking for a book, I took one big step and SMACK! I walked right into my daughters stool hitting my shin off the edge of it. It hurt like hell. I said to Marisa, "maybe today is just not my day". She said, "maybe today is your day". A few hours prior to this shin smacking incident I was driving on Interstate 78. As I was rounding a bend driving onto an on ramp, a vehicle next to me decided they were going to change lanes. The problem with this is that I was in the lane they were attempting to move into. I knew the contact was coming and it seemed like one hundred thoughts went through my mind in the one or two seconds prior to the accident. Once contact was made, it almost felt like we were playing a high speed game of bumper cars. As I got home, my daughter was a little sad hearing about what happened. She gave me, and the car, a few hugs as she was checking for damages. As we looked over the car, I realized that the accident occurred in the exact spot where she would sit if she were with me. That would have been terrible for her. I also wondered what would have happened if the other driver hit a little closer to the rear of the car. I guess I saw one too many NASCAR races where a driver gets spun out of control. Anyhow, accidents on the Interstate aren't always pretty. Maybe Marisa is on to something here and it was my lucky day that it wasn't worse! Fitness Tip of the Week This week we got our daughter signed up for pony camp in New Jersey. This is usually the highlight of the summer for Emilia as she would stay there all day if the farm would let her. During this time I looked up a few local trails and found a nice one to exercise. I spent the past few months doing some longer runs and building up a decent aerobic base. The pace for these runs was pretty slow but having Emi home in the summer and with work being busy, I haven't been able to continue to include these long runs and/or walks. They were taking up too much time! So, at this point in the summer, I changed the conditioning protocol to performing shorter, faster runs. Most of these runs are done between 20 and 40 minutes. If you are tired of your current plan or bored with steady state training, give this 40 minute workout a try! Here is how you do it…
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer As I look back on books that played a pivotal role in my interest in reading, this book is on the list. Under the Banner of Heaven is written incredibly well and it tells the story of the Mormon church and splinter cell groups like the Fundamentalist Church of Ladder Day Saints (This is the church that made headlines in the early 2000's due to their leader Warren Jeffs arrest). This book touches on the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping, murder, the Mormon churches founding, frauding the government, polygamy, child brides, and dozens more controversial things associated with the church. What I've Been Reading... The Dirtiest Race in History: Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 Olympic 100m Final by Richard Moore The 1988 Seoul Olympics played host to one of the greatest, and most infamous races in the history of the sport. The 100 meter final saw Ben Johnson overcome his rival Carl Lewis and set a blazing World Record of 9.79. Since that day, only five people have ever posted a time equal to or better than that. It was a truly remarkable performance. The joy of this feat didn't last long for Johnson as he, and the rest of the world, were notified that he tested positive for a banned substance and was stripped of his medal. Since then, the athletes involved in this race, their coaches, and Track & Field organizers have been embroiled in controversy, including America's golden boy Carl Lewis. If this topic interests you, Ben Johnson's coach Charlie Francis has an incredible book titled Speed Trap where he outlines the history of doping in the sport and how his athletes trained while using performance enhancing drugs. It is incredibly insightful. One other resource on the topic is the documentary Icarus which is available on most streaming services. Quote of the Week "It is better to starve to death in a calm and confident state of mind, than to live anxiously amidst abundance" - Epictetus I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
One of the first jobs I ever had in the fitness industry was at the LA Fitness in Easton, Pa. During my breaks I would pull out a book and read until the next appointment arrived. Each day there was an older gentlemen who came in with a newspaper and would talk to me about what I was reading. One of the days he asked if I ever read the newspaper. I told him that I did not and generally didn't have much interest. He was surprised by my response. My focus and attention was on the things of the past, not on the present day. He then said, well when are you going to read about the events of today? In 10 years when it comes out in the form of a book? I laughed and said probably. As it turns out, that is exactly what I am doing! News stories today live in an echo chamber. Depending on which network you go to, all you hear is dramatized talking points that get the people fired up. The anchors sell each talking point like it is World War Three and encourage all of you to get on the right side of history. The problem is that choosing a side creates division. At this moment in time, I do not believe our country needs any more division. We need more unity. Until the talking heads start doing that, I will be sticking to the history books! Fitness Tip of the Week 'Tis the season for vacations. I had a question this week about what to do while traveling and after some thought, I decided the 30/30/30 concept would get the job done. Here is how you do it: Perform an exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and continue doing that until 30 minutes have passed. The simplest way to do this is to select ten bodyweight exercises and perform them top to bottom for three total circuits. Here is an example of how I would format it...
Creating Moments... Last week we had our first Girls Camp at the farm and during the last day, I learned/realized something valuable... We had a five year old in the group who could not climb the rope all week. She kept trying and trying but it just wasn't happening. On the final day, she gave it another attempt. As she starts the other 12 girls, who happen to be much older, circle around and start chanting her name. She keeps fighting. She keeps climbing. The cheering doesn't stop. It gets louder and louder the closer she gets to the top. Then, the goal is reached. She made the climb and everyone cheers. I shared that video with her parents and they were appreciative of her effort but more appreciative of the moment that was created that day for their little girl. A moment that she will hopefully never forget. As a gym owner who works with kids, I came to realize the value of creating moments like this for everyone that walks in the door. It may not be as dramatic as everyone chanting and cheering your name but recognizing good effort and encouraging kids to try things they've never done before has incredible power. To learn the value of accomplishment through hard work and effort is one of those lessons that can last a lifetime. What I've Been Reading... Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual by Jocko Willinck A few years ago I stumbled upon the man known as Jocko. He is a former Navy SEAL, blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, best selling writer, consultant for organizations, and much, much more. His book, "Extreme Ownership" changed the way I think about life. This field manual covers a lot of things. It is not a book that you would typically read front to back. It is a manual that you pick up when you may need a little jolt to get back on the path. Each page tells a story and gives the reader a little insight on how to apply some of these concepts to everyday life. Some topics covered include strategies and tactics for conquering weakness, procrastination, fear, physical training, sleep habits, food intake and more! Quote of the Week "Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things" -- Robert Brault I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck A Story I try to Keep in Mind...
Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the central region of China. He didn't have a lot of money and, instead of a tractor, he used an old horse to plow his field. One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead. Everyone in the village said, "Oh, what a horrible thing to happen." The farmer said simply, "We'll see." He was so at peace and so calm, that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift. Everyone's reaction now was, "What a lucky man." And the farmer said, "We'll see." A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, "What a poor fellow!" The farmer smiled and said, "We'll see." Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said, "What a fortunate man." The Farmer said, "We'll see" Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, "What a shame for the poor boy." The farmer said, "We'll see." Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits. When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him. Everyone said, "What a fortunate young man" The farmer smiled again and said, We'll see" Moral of the story: There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from. Fitness Tip of the Week Each summer, as the work schedule gets busier, I typically press pause on long workout sessions and try to sneak in a bunch of 20-40 minute kettlebell sessions. I grab a weight from the gym, park it on the porch, and whenever an opportunity presents itself, practice a few kettlebell movements. These sessions typically include exercises like swings, snatches, goblet squats, turkish getups, suitcase carries, and single arm clean & presses. I try to keep the heart rate in the 120 bpm and above for the entirety of the session. Like discussed previously, there is a season for everything. In my life, the summers mean kettlebell training and short, quick cardiovascular training in my backyard or on our road. Doing this allows me to prevent any barriers (driving somewhere to swim or run, removing myself from the house and going to the gym, etc.) from me training. Keep the workout short, sweet, and to the point. What you decide to do is not the important part. Find things that you can add to your day to day life without adding too much of a hassle. Then, follow through on what you set out to do and move your body in one way or another each and every day. What I've Been Watching... The Darkest Hour I like watching movies that may have some dark, heavy content. Marisa does not typically enjoy those and Emilia is definitely not ready for anything like that so when the girls travel, I watch those movies. The Darkest Hour is about a pivotal moment in history as the Nazi invasion of Great Britain appears imminent. The decision must be made: Do we negotiate a peace deal with a madman (Adolf Hitler) or do we stand our ground and fight? The final decision on this issue had to be made by one man, and one man only, Winston Churchill. After a long, controversial career, Churchill rose to prominence and found his time to shine. His country was reeling and they needed a strong figure that was for the people and for the country. He was the perfect man for the job as he rallied a nation and eventually, was able to keep the Nazi's from occupying their land. What I've Been Reading... Aspen Institutes State of Play 2021 The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy study organization that covers a variety of topics. Their mission is to foster leadership for dealing with critical issues in a nonpartisan way. They look at topics like business, education, environment, justice, and luckily for me, health & sport as they provide tons of resources on the topic. As I read their State of Play from 2021, a few things jumped out to my worried little mind. Twenty-two percent of children and teens have been classified as obese during the pandemic (an additional roughly 20% are overweight), a three percent increase from prior to the lockdowns. For severely obese kids, their expected annual weight gain increased from 8.8 pounds before the pandemic to 14.6 pounds. Moderately obese kids went from 6.5 pounds to 12 pounds. Even children who had a healthy weight prior to the pandemic saw their annual weight gain increase from 3.4 pounds to 5.4 pounds. In addition to the weight gain, doctors warn that some children may have increased long term adverse consequences on their mental health due to the pandemic lockdowns.This last statement was confirmed when I spoke with an emergency room doctor. He predicted that the issues associated with obesity are still down the road but his biggest concern at the moment was the mental health of young kids. He told us, "our emergency room is filled with suicidal teens". It was sad hearing that. Something is missing in society with our kids and the trends aren't going in the right direction. Quote of the Week "Our growing softness, our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security" -- John F. Kennedy I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
I had a funny moment this week working with our Jump Start program which is designed for kids between the ages of 4 and 6. During this class, I set up all kinds of things to balance on, crawl on, hang on, jump over etc. At one point in the session, I told the kids to go jump on a box. In my mind, a box jump is pretty self explanatory. You stand on the ground and from there, jump up and land on top. I had three different heights set up and I allowed them to choose whatever box they wanted. After a minute or two I looked over and saw a few kids doing something that made me scratch my head. These youngsters were standing on top of the box and jumping up and down on it with a big smile on their face. They basically looked as if they were on a pogo stick. This is not what I had in mind when I said "go jump on the box" I thought about the words I used and realized I did not speak as clearly and concisely as I should have. They took my words and followed the instructions literally. To them, "go jump on the box" means to go jump up and down on the top of box. Lesson learned young ones and I don't plan on making that mistake again! Fitness Tip of the Week There was a day this week that I woke up with absolutely zero energy. I don't know what was going on but I had very little motivation. I ended up looking at my Fitbit and my resting heart rate was 4 beats per minute higher than usual. In the past, when this has occurred I had an illness but this time I felt alright other than just feeling really fatigued. Maybe it was stress from planning the summer camps, poor sleep, or a random occurrence but either way, I was cooked. This lazy feeling of mine also happened to be the day that I planned on doing heavy strength training. One day per week I use the barbell and try to do as much work as possible over the course of 45-60 minutes. After moping around a bit I decided to get into the gym and see how it went. After a few warmup sets things didn't really improve so I figured I will try one more thing before shutting it down. I picked up my phone and went to my hip hop play list and started listening to songs I used to love back in the day aka the early 2000's. The weights started moving easier and I started to feel a little better. After each set, I asked, "Should I add some weight and do another?" I did this multiple times until I got to a challenging weight and ended up doing a weight I have never done before. Some days, we all need a little jolt of energy. For me, music has the power to change a sour mood into a good mood. It is nice to be able to tap into something that not only brings joy to your ears but also big weights on the barbell! Side note, after the workout I got into our sauna blanket and put on an audiobook. After about 5 minutes of listening I was out cold. 30 minutes later I woke up in a pool of sweat and felt energized. Who knows what was going on that morning but music, training, rest and maybe a little sweat got me out of that funk! What I've Been Watching... JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass by Oliver Stone I am a fan of Oliver Stone. He has this unique, albeit controversial at times, outlook on things that I really value. Every time I hear him speak or watch one of his films or documentaries it makes me think and this one is no different. Apparently this JFK stuff is a rabbit hole that doesn't have an end but as I watch this I ask myself, how could there be so many inconsistencies? Official documents contradicting one another, altered photographs, deleted documents, questionable evidence, questionable suspect, questionable everything! I am just happy there are people like Oliver Stone (and the author of the book described below) that aren't afraid to dive into tough topics and attempt to shed light on the darker side of history. What I've Been Reading... Hate Inc.: Why Today's Media Makes us Despise One Another by Matt Taibbi This book is a strong indictment of American media, the so called journalists covering most news stories, and the divisiveness that it creates in our society. Sometime over the last few decades news reporting became something different. A certain "us versus them" mentality took over as rival news companies began chasing ratings and clicks rather than chasing real stories. The publisher sums up this book with the following: "Part tirade, part confessional, it reveals that what most people think of as "the news" is, in fact, a twisted wing of the entertainment business." Quote of the Week "Success in not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." -- Winston Churchill I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
Upon his death, poet John Keats said to a friend, "If I had had time". In his case, he was concerned that he did not do enough for the world, that there was still work to be done, and because of it, was disappointed that he would not be able to fulfill his plans. This is the tragedy of all great men and women. At one point or another, they run out of time. I heard a story recently about a young lady losing her father unexpectedly. Just one day, out of the blue, he collapses and dies. This story was told to me from a high school student who knew the family. As we discussed what happened, I shared the ancient stoic philosophy of Memento Mori, which is a reminder that all life has an end. It is not something I typically talk to 17 year olds about but it came up that day. Did the lesson hit home? I don't know. She rolled her eyes and said in a sarcastic tone "of course you would know that". I guess this wasn't the first time I shared some sort of ancient wisdom with them but hey, it is not my fault the ancient Greeks understood life better thousands of years ago than we do today. In concluding the talk, I just said to her that death is inevitable. Because of that, it is important that we make every moment count. It is important that we pursue the things that bring us joy and do the things that we want to do with our lives. We can not waste a moment because in any moment, our time can be up. Fitness Tip of the Week In the Bible there is a passage that reads, "for everything there is a season". I don't think they were discussing physical fitness at this time but we can steal this concept and apply it to our training program. Living in Pennsylvania we have four distinct seasons. Each season provides an opportunity to do something different outside in nature. The winter offers cold weather sports like skiing, snowboarding, and snow shoeing, whereas the spring and fall offer a great opportunity for hiking and walking and the summer time gives you the sun and water where activities like swimming or stand up paddle boarding can be used. The brain and body crave new challenges and the season change provides us with an opportunity to do something new. Earlier in the week, Marisa signed us both up for a Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga class at Lake Nockamixon with Miss Melanie Yoga. It was a great challenge, one in which that needed full focus and attention. The structure of this class is nice. You meet up with the group and get your board, then you paddle out to where the yoga session occurs and do the class, then you paddle back to shore. All of this took place as the sun went down on the lake which provided a very nice backdrop. In case you are wondering, nobody fell in the lake and you stay relatively dry while doing it! Thoughts from a Parent In a previous edition of this newsletter I wrote about self-fulfilling prophecies. This is defined as someone making a false definition in the beginning, which then evokes a new behavior based off that misconception, which inevitably makes the original definition come true. That was a tricky thing to write so let me use an example to help. Lets say there is a child who is still learning the ways of the world. He or she goes to a social gathering and there, they are introduced to people he or she doesn't really know well. It may be a lot for a young mind so they don't say much and stay quiet. At this point, an adult appears and starts saying things like, "Oh, they are just shy". Now, in this case, the shyness is the false definition. They are not shy, they are just in a new environment that they are unsure of. They need some time to get comfortable and feel out the crowd so to speak. If they don't get the time to do that and parents/adults start advocating for them, then they won't get practice at advocating for themselves. The child may accept the "shy role" giving to them by an adult and carry out that behavior in future interactions. Let me make something clear: shyness is not an evil trait. It is common and quite normal. I, myself, have a tendency towards shyness so I consider myself an expert on the desire to avoid large social gatherings and/or public speaking. If you don't want your child to end up like me, there is something you can do. Research by professor Thalia Eley found that roughly 30% of shyness is genetic, the remaining 70% comes from our environment. Like most things, it is both nature and nurture. The more you involve your children in social situations, allowing them to speak for themselves, the more confident they are going to become. These are good things. It won't turn an introvert to an extrovert but it can turn a normally anxiety ridden trip to the store into something less harrowing! What I've Been Reading... The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time by Will Durant It seems that the author may be one of the greatest historians of our time. Durant alongside his his wife published 11 volumes titled The Story of Civilization. In addition to those works, he has dozens of other books published, one of which is the title mentioned above. I believe the publisher does a better job summing up this book so I will share their words... From the “Hundred Best Books” to the “Ten Greatest Thinkers” to the “Ten Greatest Poets,” here is a concise collection of the world’s most significant knowledge. For the better part of a century, Will Durant dwelled upon—and wrote about—the most significant eras, individuals, and achievements of human history. His selections have finally been brought together in a single, compact volume. Durant eloquently defends his choices of the greatest minds and ideas, but he also stimulates readers into forming their own opinions, encouraging them to shed their surroundings and biases and enter “The Country of the Mind,” a timeless realm where the heroes of our species dwell. Quote of the Week "But which of us is original except in form? What idea can we conceive today that has not enjoyed, in one garb or another, a hoary antiquity of time? It is easier to be original in error than in truth, for every truth displaces a thousand falsehoods" -- Will Durant I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck Gym News & Notes
Well, judging by the pictures I see online of high school graduations, it appears the school year has just about come to an end. Time surely does move fast and the summer months prove to be busy ones here at the gym. Starting June 13th, we will be hosting six weeks of Youth Fitness Camps for kids aged 7-11. These camps run from 9-11 am Monday thru Thursday. Our mission with these camps is to teach kids the importance of physical training in a fun and challenging environment. It is our hope that the lessons learned are ones in which can last a lifetime! If you have a child or may know someone looking for things for their children this summer, all of the information can be found here: Youth Fitness Camps. In addition, this will be the first year I offer a Jump Start Program for kids ages 4-6. The goal of the gym is to create an environment for the entire family to explore and challenge themselves physically and mentally. Through play and movement, we want to encourage these youngsters to explore risk/challenges in a safe environment and get comfortable learning new activities and games. The end result will be a child who feels more competent in all walks of life. More information on this program can be found here: Jump Start. What I've Been Thinking About... Prior to Covid-19 shutting the world down I used to run speed & agility programs designed for female athletes. I did this for a few reasons. The first is that I felt girls just didn't have the same opportunities to train or, maybe more importantly, were not encouraged by parents or coaches to partake in fitness training. The second is that as I was coaching high school football, I would see multiple girls in the trainers room with devastating lower body injuries (ie ACL tears). These injuries have life long ramifications and they hit the female community much harder than their male counterparts. Some research even indicates that it is 7-9 times more likely! Last week we were at a Farmers Market and the former idea played out right in front of our eyes. There were girls interested in using some of the equipment we took down there (medicine balls, box jumps, agility ladder, etc.) but they were discouraged from even trying anything. These actions at a young age plant the seed for inactivity later in life. I shared with Marisa how unfortunate it was because sometimes, all it takes is that one time trying something to light a fire in someone to get moving. With all that being said, I decided to bring the girls camp back to life and will be offering it over two weeks this summer. The first session is June 20 - June 23 and the second session is July 18 - July 21. If you have a daughter or know someone who may be interested, please feel free to share these events with them! Fitness Tip of the Week A salad a day keeps the belly fat away...I think! The more I learn, the more I think diet is the determining factor in regards to body fat, not exercise. It doesn't seem to matter how hard I work or what I do in the gym, on the road, or in the pool. If my diet sucks, there is little to no change physically. So this month, my goal is this: eat one salad a day, for as many days as possible. This is not a magic pill for everyone. For me, eating a bunch of vegetables and some fruit or nuts just seems to work. It may not have the same effect for you. We are all individuals and need to try things out ourselves. The best way to be successful with this is to plan and prepare. As I pack Emi's lunch each morning during the week, I also make a salad for myself. I do this so that whenever I decide to eat, I have something ready. It is often when we are short on time that we neglect healthy eating and choose to grab whatever is handy. In this case when I prepare, whatever handy is a bowl full of vegetables! What I've Been Reading... Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Call me morbid but this title appealed to me when I was browsing books. It made me want to look inside the cover and see what this was all about. As I started to read it, I was surprised by its contents. It somehow blends Vonnegut's experience as a soldier and the atrocities he witnessed, with a little science-fiction and anti-war sentiment. The Sci-Fi genre is something I typically don't find myself reading but his writing is entertaining and the first few chapters had me hooked! Quote of the Week "As long as you live, keep learning how to live" -- Seneca I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
Napolean once said, "All men are enamored with decorations...they positively hunger for them". The decorations he speaks of are awards, medals, badges, etc., that not only recognizes their work, but also gave the soldier something to be proud of. It was a nice little boost to the ego for the men putting their life on the line. Napolean understood the role this played in regards to morale with his troops and wanted to keep them in good spirits. As Frederick the Great observed, defeat is often a result of discouragement rather than casualties. Last weekend I was visiting a friend and there, he was sharing a story about his daughter placing third in a mini-triathlon hosted at a local school. She received a trophy for her accomplishment and was extremely proud of that. We talked about where her trophy was (on her dresser) and if she was going to keep it shiny (which she said yes!). As I saw the joy in her face I started to think about the Napolean quote. It seemed that what he realized 200+ years ago still rings true today. People love getting things, especially if it is a reward for their hard work! In my opinion, these rewards are best served when they are novel. If given too frequently, the sense of joy and pride will diminish with each recognition. The individual may start to expect it and realize they may not have to work as hard because they will most likely get rewarded anyway. The inverse is also true. All work with no recognition will eventually lead to disgruntled individuals who, through their frustration, don't give the effort needed. They throw up their hands in frustration and give up. There is a certain sweet spot in regards to this subject. If I had to guess the proper amount, I would say just enough but not too much. Fitness Tip of the Week Sleep better. That is all. At a time where my sleep has not been ideal, I came across this article, You're Not Getting Enough Sleep - and It's Killing You and it was a big wake up call! In the article, the journalist rattles off a laundry list of things that sleep loss is doing to your health. Some of which are the following: "it makes you dumber, more forgetful, unable to learn new things, more vulnerable to dementia, more likely to die of a heart attack, less able to fend off sickness with a strong immune system, more likely to get cancer, and it makes your body literally hurt more. Lack of sleep distorts your genes, and increases your risk of death generally, he said. It disrupts the creation of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, and leads to premature aging." All of those things sound absolutely terrible! I have a device that tracks sleep and gives a score for each night of rest. So far this month, I have slept 7+ hours only six times in the first 28 days of the month. That doesn't seem too good. As a result, I have made an effort to stay in bed a little later and attempt to sneak in a nap or two each week. Thoughts from a Parent The British Journal of Psychology identified something that led students to have a 4.5 times greater likelihood of being in the top 20% of their class, 11% more likely to occupy leadership roles in their school, a 20% reduction in counseling for academic or behavioral issues, a 50% reduction in being identified as having ADHD by their teachers, and the increased likelihood of making it to professional sports. Do you want to know what that is? It is being the old kid in class! This concept is known as the Relative Age Effect. This effect is defined as your age relevant to your peers in the same cohort (school, team, club, etc.). Think about school for example. Every grade has a student that is the youngest and one who is the oldest. In most cases, the oldest student is nearly one full year older than the youngest. The younger the kids, the bigger the gap is as development occurs at such an exponential rates in the early years. I think back to what my daughter was like at the beginning of her pre-school year and who she is now and it is night and day! How do the older kids get such an advantage? Because of their development, they may be identified as having a special gift or deemed "talented". The "talented" kids get into better classes, get more attention, feel more confident, and get more resources. The talent identification system is flawed as it only promotes early talent, not innate potential. Because of this process, a self-fullfilling prophecy occurs where "a false definition in the beginning, evokes a new behavior which makes the original conception come true". Telling a kid they have a gift early on leads to them being treated like they have one, which may increase the likelihood that they fulfill the "gifted" criteria. What I've Been Reading... Zealot by Reza Aslan A few weeks ago Marisa and I went to a book sale that was practically a free-for-all. There were tens of thousands of books scattered amongst a pole barn and over the course of two days, I came home with 60+ books, Marisa another 60+, and Emilia 20+. We may have spent $100 for all of it. It was the best! While there, I came across the book Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth written by Reza Aslan. The author of this book sorts through thousands of years of stories and myth-making to create a somewhat biographical book of the man known as Jesus Christ. Even after reading this, there are still many unanswered questions in my mind. There are so many inconsistencies with what I may have learned growing up and what scholars cited in this book unanimously agree on. Why is there such a disconnect with some of this material? I don't have the answer to that but this book may have opened up an unexpected rabbit hole! Quote of the Week "If you tend to a flower, it will bloom, no matter how many weeds surround it" -- Matshona Dhliwayo I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck 200+ Newsletters!
Every once in awhile I ask myself, "Why on earth do you write a weekly newsletter?" Well, last week I was given a friendly reminder to that question... I have been in the fitness profession for 10+ years (I am losing track of how long) and through the years you get to know a lot of people. It is not uncommon to run into someone out in public that you have met in a gym or coached. Last week, I saw an old friend and he said, "I still read your newsletter every Sunday!". This made me smile and gave me a nice reminder to keep this thing rolling. This newsletter has provided me an opportunity to stay in touch with everyone over the years and getting comments like this make it all worth it. Last Sunday was my 200th newsletter and today is number 201. I am amazed we made it this far! I want to thank all of you for reading and sending a nice message or comment when we cross paths. It is appreciated! Fitness Tip of the Week I came across this question earlier in the week: How often do you do something outside of your ordinary routine? I remember back in the days of working in a commercial gym where you get to know the members pretty well. In addition to getting to know them as a person, you also get a good feel of their training routine. If you paid just a little bit of attention, you could watch someone walk in the door on any given day and know exactly what they were going to do with their workout. This has its pros and cons to it as there is some real power behind having an established routine like coming to the gym, but doing the same thing over and over again did not allow for one key component: PROGRESS! If improving is the goal, then we must change the stimulus one way or another. We have to go a little further, perform an extra rep, train a little longer, or change up our exercise selection for growth. In my mind, the most logical way to do so would be the same but different approach. If you perform a bench press try doing a single arm version with a dumbbell or kettlebell instead. A two legged squat can become a single leg squat or rather than doing exercises for reps, try performing an exercise for time. I am asking you all to make a small change in whatever your current routine is, give it some time, and see if you become a better person for it. Keep in mind, I am not asking for a total overhaul as that can effect adherence. All I am asking for is a little change, a little challenge, and in the end, a little progress! What I've Been Thinking About... This week we were searching for a show to watch as a family while our daughter was home and came across the last season of The Voice. If you have never watched the show, the participants try out by singing in front of four judges who also happen to be successful musicians. The catch for this particular show is that the judges do not see who is singing as they have their backs to the stage. If they like what they hear, they hit the button and their chair turns around allowing them to watch the performance. If more than one judge turns, then the performer gets to pick who they want as a coach. As these artists share their stories, you realize what a cruel, cruel business the music industry is. Time after time they were told "No" but one thing that separates those who make it and those who don't, talent aside, is their ability to stay the course. They chose not give up when the record label turned them down, the radio wouldn't play them, or the media criticized their latest album. In the face of adverse conditions, they decided to keep pushing forward. Often times in life, I think people give up before the going gets good. You never know when the big breakthrough will come so keep on chugging! On a different note, music has the ability to do two things that always amazes me:
I recorded a podcast this week titled: Bully's Suck. In it, I share a story about a kid who had a terrible interaction with a classmate on the day they were set to come to the gym to train. As they arrived, his body language said it all. He was not interested in training at all. With that being said, I set a goal for myself to get him feeling better when he left the gym than when he came in. In this instance, it worked and he left happy. Exercise can work wonders on the mind. This reminded me of the SMILE study out of Duke University that was conducted in the early 2000's. During this study they tested the effects of medication, exercise, and medication plus exercise on depression. They split them up into three groups and went about their business. (Eventually, they added a control group and got similar results). Here is the conclusion: in the first month, all of the treatments helped minimize depression for that month. The crazy part of this study occurred at the ten month mark where 38% of the medication only group relapsed into depression, 31% of the medication plus exercise group relapsed into depression, and only 8% of the exercise group relapsed into depression. At first glance, I did not understand how this could be but the researchers speculated that the individuals who were in the exercise only group took matters into their own hands. They realized that through their work, they could feel better. They did not have the crutch of medicine. They did it themselves and felt much better for it. Which brings me to the quote of the week... Quote of the Week "How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?" -- Epictetus I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck |
Archives
July 2022
Categories |
RSS Feed