Greg

Everyday Health Battles

 Fitness  Comments Off on Everyday Health Battles
Sep 022011
 

Common everyday challenges to our health:
1. Sitting too much at work or in the car.
2. Standing too long.
3. Hunching over a computer for extensive periods.
4. Working indoors too long during daylight hours.
5. Getting stressed over external forces of which you have no control.

If the above situations apply to you, then you need to start now to take massive action to limit the long term damage such repetitive actions can have on your health.

Solutions:
1. Move 15 minutes for every hour you sit.
2. Sit for 10 minutes for every hour that you stand.
3. Do more exercises for the posterior chain muscles – butt/legs/back/rear shoulders to compensate for sitting and hunching.
4. During a break from work go outside instead of staying indoors.
5. Only worry about what you can control.

It’s Got to Be the Shoes, 5 Tips to Pick What’s Best for You

 Fitness Gear  1 Response »
Aug 242011
 

There seem to be a number of competing schools of thought regarding athletic foot wear. On one side we have the specialists who believe that a different shoe is needed for every type of activity. We have the running shoe, trail shoe, basketball shoe, tennis shoe, and then the different variety of cleats for baseball, football, and track.

Then we have the all purpose shoe – which many manufacturers of cross trainers (who also make specialty shoes) claim can be used for a multitude of athletic endeavors.

So what do you get if you engage in multiple activities yet don’t want to blow out your budget?

Follow these 5 tips:

1. Identify if the demands of your favorite physical activities are similar in scope. If you love basketball as well as tennis, these are court sports which require lots of jumping, sudden changes in direction, and explosive moves. A shoe with a small heel to toe ratio with great ankle support for lateral moving is ideal. Provided that you play a majority of your tennis on hard courts, then you can get away with using the same shoes for both sports. If you play much of your tennis on clay courts, then you will want to find shoes whose soles can grip the surface quite well.

2. Identify what type of gym goer you are. If you go to the gym and run on the treadmill, use machines, do most of your lifting on benches then you can get away with a cross trainer or running shoe. If you engage in olympic lifting, kettlebells, or cross fit type work outs, you will want a low profile shoe with little to no cushioning. The reason for having next to nothing in terms of support is so that the transference of force from your body to the ground is not inhibited by foam. If you are a runner and by that I mean you are running like 20-30 miles per week, then you want a nice light but cushioned shoe.

3. Comfort -If you are wearing athletic shoes because of they are “in” yet cause you pain, they are not for you and you are doing yourself a disservice. If you feel more comfortable running in cross trainers than sport specific running shoes, use them. Try out several brands in stores before purchasing.

4. Keep your athletic shoes for athletics –  This is a big one. You can extend the lifetime your shoes by reserving them for your time in the gym, court, or field of play. If you want get shoes to go everywhere with, buy a pair of casual shoes, don’t use your Under Armours, Nikes, or Rebooks for  walking around town.

5. Identify your level of seriousness about your sports – If you are only playing basketball once a week, tennis once, and casually run 1-5 miles per week.You don’t need to get a super engineered shoe for each sport, a cross trainer will do you righteous. These days the major shoe manufacturers are designing cross trainers that are lower to the ground reducing the incidents of people turning ankles while participating in reactive sports. If you are playing very competitive basketball games or tennis matches multiple times per week, run or part take in power/ballistic type  sports then invest in a specialized shoe. For those who frequently use multi-use game areas, maintaining the quality of these space is crucial. Services like those provided by https://multiusegamesareapainting.co.uk/ can ensure that the playing surface remains in top condition, enhancing your overall sports experience. One important aspect to consider is the type of flooring used, especially when it comes to indoor sports hall flooring.

5 Keys to a Long Life

 Core values  Comments Off on 5 Keys to a Long Life
Aug 192011
 

1. Move at least 30 minutes everyday.
2. Eat 4-6 small meals each day including snacks.
3. Mentally challenge yourself.
4. Get enough sleep
5. “Always look on the bright side of life.”

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The Importance About Always Being in Shape

 Core values  Comments Off on The Importance About Always Being in Shape
Aug 182011
 

Two guys are in the woods hiking and have set up camp for the night. After the tent is up and they have eaten. One of the hikers starts stretching and doing jumping jacks. The other hiker asks him, “what’s with the warm up routine?” The first hiker says, “well in case there are any bears.” To which the second hiker says, “you can’t out run a bear.” Prompting the first hiker to say, “No, I just have to out run you.”

The morale of the story is to always be fit or risk becoming someone else’s lunch.

 

Know Your Target Heart Rate

 Fitness  Comments Off on Know Your Target Heart Rate
Aug 162011
 

If you want to get the most out of your work out, monitor your target heart rate. If your goal is improved cardiovascular fitness or strength, it is important to identify how hard you are working from a performance perspective. If your goal or phase is maximal strength, having too high a heart rate, will inhibit your ability to produce force. Conversely, if your goal is extending your time exercising in a particular heart rate zone, using a monitor will help you stay in the parameters of your cardio zone.

How to you find your target heart rate, here is the Karvonen Formula:

(40 year old man) 220-age(40) = Max heart rate (MHR) 180

(40 year old man) Resting Heart Rate (RHR) = 70

Target Heart Rate = (180 (MHR) – 70(RHR) = 110 x .65 (percentage of max heart rate desired) = 71.5+ 70 (RHR) = 141.5

 

Getting Tactical – The First Step

 Fitness  Comments Off on Getting Tactical – The First Step
Aug 152011
 

The term tactical is a a sexy term. When we think of “tactical operators”, we conjure images of special operation forces, SWAT team members, and close protection agents. Inside of the sub consciousness of most men and perhaps some women, resides that desire to be an able bodied tactical operator. How great would it be to call on that “person” inside of all of us that is situationally aware, can take charge of any situation, has the skill sets to avoid danger yet possesses the ability to conquer external forces that threaten what we hold dear.

The good news is that one does not need to enlist or serve in an elite military, police, or security unit to embrace tactical skills.

The best entry into the tactical lifestyle is not at the gun range but at the gym. Through fitness you will develop a foundation on which to add the necessary tangible and intangible skills and abilities that are instilled in many tactical operators. I know what you are thinking, “What do you mean by fitness? What kind of fitness is needed to empower me with a base for adding specialized tactical skills?

Step 1: Work backwards from a likely incident that will place physical demands on you. In most cases, we are talking about short, intense, heart racing periods of time. Think of the condition your body will need to be in to run to safety in case of a fire, to escape a stalker or robber that targets you on street, or the strength needed to move items or people in cases of man made or natural disasters.

Check back in for Step 2.

 

 

 

Up and Running Again

 Core values  Comments Off on Up and Running Again
Aug 122011
 

Battle Tested Fitness evolved from my 20 plus years of tactical training and operations. As my career evolved from soldier, executive protection team leader, undercover agent, and to security management consultant, my first priority was to ensure that I am equipped physically and mentally to navigate and survive any situation however dangerous.

I discovered that by preparing myself for a worst case scenario, I am all the more prepared to handle the mundane occurrences of daily life. I realized that there is a direct relation with the performance of one’s duties in the field and their level of physical (tactical) fitness.

Battle Tested Fitness is designed to be an asset for not just the tactical operator – combat soldier, policeman, firefighter, or security agent but for the person who has a desire to succeed and live a healthy and productive life.

Battle Tested Fitness will offer fitness plans, tactical training solutions, nutritional strategies, and commentary on issues and incidents that are prevalent in the realms of fitness and  personal protection.

Greg Schneider, CPP, CPT-NASM

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