Minimal Equipment for Shelter at Home

Here we are at day 2 of our mandated Shelter in Place for California and many other areas of the US and around the world. These are going to be some interesting times ahead of us, but there is no need to miss out on keeping yourself healthy while you are stuck at home.

Since the shutdown happened I've had the opportunity to start doing more online type training. This has included creating home programs for people to do on their own, hosting Zoom classes, and doing one on one training through Google Hangouts and FaceTime. All my people are doing a great job keeping up an active and healthy lifestyle which is what is needed more now than ever. If we want to get through this together we all need to keep our bodies healthy and our immune systems strong, and that is done through consistent exercise.

Some people are wondering what equipment they need to be able to do workouts at home. I'm going to share with you some ideas of simple to more integrated gym style equipment you can have to keep you moving and healthy.

First off you don't need much to get a good workout in. Many exercises can be done with just using your own body weight, AND you don't even need a yoga mat. All you need is a nice large beach towel for things you do on the ground. Sometimes when I'm outside on the cement I'll layer 2 beach towels on top of one another to give me a little more squish underneath me.

The basic equipment that is cheap and doesn't take up much space for your home gym are...

Starting with Bands:

Mini Bands - Perform Better brand is the one I use as they are just the right size. There are many other brands that make "mini" bands, but most of them have created a very long one and they won't work for many exercises. These mini bands come in 4 colors depending on the amount of resistance they provide. Yellow is light, Green is medium, Blue is heavy and Black is extra heavy. I would suggest getting one of each color to get you started.

All Purpose Exercise Bands with handles - also from Perform Better and stick with the regular size. I use both the regular and travel size and have found that the travel size though a bit shorter and less bulky to pack, does not create the same amount of resistance. In fact the resistance is much higher than their regular sized bands. The best use you will get is out of their level 4 and level 2 bands. For anyone who has shoulder issues a level 1 will be very handy as well. And for anyone who wants more resistance or are just a bit stronger than most the level 6 or 8 bands are a great addition to your home gym.

Super Bands -  Just when you thought you had enough bands, there's one more. The Super Band. This extra long band is great for a wide variety of exercises including squats, and overhead pressing. I have no preference on brand for these as most of the companies make them about the same length. The difference with these is how they create the resistance. With these bands it is based on both the width and the thickness. The narrower and thinner the band the lighter it is and vice versa. If you go with the Perform Better brand I would suggest starting with the 1/2 inch, and if you want more resistance also get the 1 inch.

That's about it for the bands that I would recommend for your own home gym. In total if you were to buy all 4 mini bands, 2 of the All Purpose bands, and 1 of the Super bands your total expense would be approximately $72 plus shipping. With that you can do many total body workouts without the big expense of machines, kettle bells or other weight equipment.

If dumbells are kettlebells are something you want, go with the hex shaped dumbbells (less chance of them rolling away when you set them down), and you can do exercises that require you to put your weight on them easier than the round ones. Keep in mind these have been out of stock and then back in stock due to so many people setting up their home gyms, you will have to check the sites often to see when things are in stock. I'd go with Perform Better kettlebells, or Power Systems kettlebells as they seem to be in stock more often than the other brands. If you have the ability to get dumbbells I'd start with 5#, 10# and 15# getting them in pairs, and then for the kettlebells I would suggest a 20#, a 30# and a 40# just singles to get you started.

Another type of equipment I regularly recommend for home gym use us a weighted non bouncing ball. These can be used in place of dumbbells and kettlebells for certain movements, and you can use them for dynamic and functional movements too. These come in many different types of materials (rubber, leather, blends) and weights. Some brands make the ball smaller for light weights and larger for heavier weights, other brands do not. I would suggest if you are like me and have small hands it is better to use a brand that has smaller balls options. That's just my preference though.

Now these are not a requirement by any means, but do add a bit of variety to your home workouts without taking up too much space. These do however cost significantly more that the bands I mentioned earlier. These medballs can run anywhere from $25 to over $100 a piece.

A few examples of medicine balls I have used.

No Bounce ball with a 9 inch diameter and rubber material.

No Bounce Ball with 10 inch diameter and leather like feel.

No Bounce 14 inch diameter leather like feel.

As I mentioned earlier you do not need to get this specific brand as they are a bit on the expensive side. However I have used them for years and do love their quality and longevity, not to mention the grip.

I do not get any kick back from this company so rest assured I am suggesting you these pieces of equipment because I use them and I trust their quality. If you have any questions about how you can make your simple home gym better please feel free to reach out. We love hearing from our readers.

USA Triathlon Coaching Certification

WOW, two in one week! I'm actually just making up for missing the last two months. As many of you know I took a few seminars in January. One of which was the FRC seminar that I just wrote about, but if you missed it you can read about it here. The other course I took was the USA Triathlon Level 1 Coaching Certification.

Okay okay I know many of you might not be into triathlons. That's okay. I'm not either. I prefer Duathlons (Run-Bike-Run). Unless it doesn't involve a swim with sharks, murky cold waters or rippling currents. Right that is possible just not that often here in California. I digress.

How did I get into triathlons you're probably wondering. It all started in 2011. My dad passed away suddenly. I then stopped racing bicycles and I was starting to lose my love of endurance sports. At that time I was coaching cycling both individuals and at Santa Clara University. I had a client who wanted to do a triathlon, and she asked me if I would do it with her. I thought this sounded like a great way for me to get back into something more regular, so I agreed. Little did I know she signed me up for an Ironman distance event. WHAT???? I had never even done a triathlon let alone have to do one that will require me to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and then run a full marathon, all in one day. Oh right and I also didn't know how to swim at that time.

To not let me client down I learned how to swim (actually taught myself), I started riding LONG distances, and got back into running. Before I got to doing the Ironman event, I thought it would be fun to participate in one of each of the other distances that are offered in triathlons. That year, 2012, I participated in my first triathlon or each distance, and even won one of them.  The big event was in July and my Aunt from New York came out to support me. My client started the event but wasn't able to finish. I was able to not only finish the race but do it standing up but also in day light. Through all the training and racing I did that year, I met lots of amazing people. I met people who inspired me by their athleticism, dedication, and some who were 80+ years old and still competing.

Since that time I have loved being part of the triathlon/duathlon community for all the amazing people I have met, and for all the fun places it has allowed me to go. Through my adventures I have awakened my travel bug and now been to a few new places here in the US, and I even competed in the World Championships in Odense, Denmark in 2018 representing Team USA.

What I love on a more personal side is the time I get to spend trying to get faster as and "older" athlete. I love challenging myself to see how much I can still improve and compete against the younger crowd. In getting myself to those levels I really enjoy the time to myself when I am out there doing my long rides and runs. It becomes MY time. My time to be alone, escape from my pets, and also disconnect from all electronic devices and reconnect with myself. Through this time of reconnecting I have not only become more healthy due to my time spent training, but also grown in so many more ways. 

Because of my immense love of triathlon and the world of multisport, I really wanted to do something to give back to the community that helped me become who I am today. Coaching is something I have enjoyed in the past and look forward to enjoying it once again. 

In addition to now being a certified USA Triathlon coach, I can now not only prepare you for your next endurance event, but I can also help you do it and stay injury free with the added new mobility knowledge through my recent FRC training.

So to get the ball rolling I am offering a special 4 month training program FREE. This program will be specific to whatever sporting event you want to train for. It includes the specific training toward your sport with programs delivered through Training Peaks, and is valued at $600-800.

This program is for anyone from the serious multi-sport racer to the person who just wants to finish their first 5k or marathon without getting injured. To enter the drawing, all I need is a summary of the event you want to train for, and why you should be picked to receive the free program. Please keep it to 1000 words or less. 

If this sounds like something you or a friend might be interested in please send me your application summary no later than March 20th to velofit@gmail.com. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to send me your summary. 

FRC, what is it?

As many of you know, in January I decided to attend a couple clinics to further
my knowledge in the health and fitness field. Now that I have had some time to
let all that information settle and actually start putting some of it into practice,
I wanted to share with you what I have done.

The first conference I attended was called Functional Anatomy Seminars,
where I got certified as a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist,
or FRCms for short. Okay so you're thinking so what do all those letters really
mean though. Great question!

Developed by Dr. Andreo Spina, is a system for joint health and mobility training
based on scientific principles and research. Mobility refers to the amount of usable
motion (or Range Of Motion) that one possesses across a particular articulation
(joint). The more mobile a person is, the more they are able to maximize their
movement safely, efficiently, and effectively. While improving mobility, the FRC
system also acts to safeguard your joints so that movement can be executed
safely while you are building strength, or participating in your preferred sport or
activity. Lastly, these training principles help improve the function of your nervous
system by training your body to accept loads through the entire range of motion
of a joint. This leads to a reduction of pain and injury, increased joint health and
longevity, as well as an increased ability to move freely and easily.

Still confused? Let me see if I can break it down more. First this course looks at the
difference between what we know and call flexibility and mobility and shows us the
true difference. We also learned what the difference between these two terms means,
and what happens when there is inequality between the two.

Let me start with flexibility. Flexibility is defined as how much your joints can BE
moved through a certain range of motion. Meaning for example laying on your
back, how far can you use a stretching strap or partner to stretch your hamstring
muscle. This does not equate to how far you can actively lift your leg while lying
on your back, that is mobility (more on that later). What Dr. Spina found that
the more flexibility people had compared to mobility, the more injuries and pain
they reported. In most training programs we were taught to stretch to increase
muscular length and that that would in effect allow people to participate in activities
with less pain or injury. This has actually been found to be false.
  
Here is an example of how using the FRS system can help you. Let's use the squat
as an example. In order to do a squat you have to be able to dorsiflex your ankles
(bring the top of your foot closer to your shin), and be able to flex your knees and hips.
Most of the time we can do a little bit of each of those motions enough to make the
squat look good. So you are going along adding more weight to your squat and you get
to a point where all of a sudden you start getting knee, or ankle or even back pain,
or you feel like you just can't get any deeper in your squat. Many times we just keep
pushing through thinking oh I'll get through this if I just push hard enough. Now by
implementing some FRC techniques we would step back and see first what type of
squatting you want to do. Then based on the squat you want to do, look at your mobility
and see if you have all the prerequisites for the movement, then start training the
movement(s).

The movements we would train are ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion and rotation, and
hip flexion and rotation. To do this we would start by assessing each of those joints
mobility through the use of CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations). After some time
practicing the CARs we would add in some resisted PAILS and RAILS (these
techniques will be discussed in a later blog), then finish with more CARs to see how
much the PAILs and Rails affected your mobility. Once the joints in question are
working in the correct capacity needed to perform your squat is achieved then you
can go back to your loaded squats and give it another try.

There is obviously a lot more to this as I simplified it a lot for the sake of this post. I hope
you found this blog post helpful, and I know some of you have already experienced a
few of these techniques with me. I will continue to implement these new techniques with
all those who need them. If you have any questions on this system, or are interested in
doing an entire hour of mobility training please feel free to reach out to me. I'm always
here for you.

Training Outdoors in the Fall and Winter

Every year when fall weather hits, I begin to hear complaints about not being able to get outdoor workouts in anymore. Even though the days are shorter and the weather is less desirable, you can still enjoy your outdoor training activities throughout the fall and winter; you just have to take a few extra precautions to help reduce your risk of injury or illness, and to keep you cozy.

The following tips are for those of us in California, where generally the temps get between the 30's and 50's temps in the winter, and who are running, or doing some other type of continuous movement activities, not including cycling. The clothing you will need for cycling will be slightly different including more wind protection.

I'm going to break this up into temperature ranges. Now keep in mind every one's tolerance and comfort in cold is not the same, but that having being said, play around with your choices during shorter workouts until you have it figured out before you embark on longer adventures.

Let's start with 55+ degrees.
Most people will be comfortable with a pair of shorts and a tee or tank. These cloths can be your typical runners shorts and loose fitting tee, to the more form fitting triathlon shorts and tops. Really whatever you prefer here goes. Yes your first few minutes may be on the cool side when it's closer to 55 degrees, but keep in mind once you have warmed up you will be perfectly fine in the shorts and tee in this temperature range. If you will be doing your cool down with stretching outside as well, having a layer to throw over this would be a good idea.

 45 degrees to 55 degrees.
In moderately cool weather the question of what to wear is largely a personal choice, although when it's particularly windy, runners may want a windbreaker jacket. While a t-shirt won't generally cut it, a quality long sleeve base layer will get runners through most of this temperature bracket. The top should be made of a synthetic material as cotton will absorb and hold all your sweat and not allow you to stay warm and dry.

Shorts will also still get the job done since the legs tend to warm up quickly from the work they're putting in, but consider 3/4 length pants if your knees tend to get cold and stiff feeling. Also gloves may be helpful if your hands tend to get cold easily.

35 degrees to 45 degrees
Below the 45 degree point you should cover more of your body, particularly the hands and neck and head. Light running gloves and a light synthetic beanie or ear cover will help to keep you warm. On your body, a base layer under a windproof jacket will protect your torso, and light running tights ensure that your legs don't get too cold. To help cover your neck, having a mock neck base layer will work, or a light scarf that won't come undone while moving. If it's raining, you may want to wear a rainproof jacket and pants, few things are more miserable than being soaked through in 35 degree weather.

Thinking about your feet is going to be helpful in this temperature too. As our extremities get less blood flow and can end up feeling painful when cold and wet. Using wool socks will do the trick for both the cold AND the wet. Today's wool is made softer and less smelly that older types of wool cloths. One great company is Smart Wool. No I am not sponsored nor do I get any kickbacks from them. I use their socks because they work.

25 degrees to 35 degrees
When it comes to water resistance, windproof running jackets do better in the snow than in the rain, so your rain proof jacket is unnecessary for these temps. However just a base layer and your wind jacket won't be enough. You will need to either go with a thicker base layer and your jacket, or one light and tight base layer with a looser thicker layer over the top, and finally the jacket over that. Make sure you still have a little space between your jacket and your next base layer so you can trap in some warmth.

Your tights will need to be full length now covering all the way to your ankles. They should also have some insulation or wind resistance in them. Now is also not the time for your no show or ankle running socks. Your socks should be quarter length at the very least, up to knee high and don't forget the wool will keep you cozy and warm but not sweaty.

This is also the time to put on a thicker pair of gloves preferably something with some wind resistance. Last, let's not forget about your head and neck. This is definitely the time to cover them with a nice beanie and neck gator, or a full balaclava would be perfect here.

Below 25 degrees.
In this temperature range, moisture control becomes a big factor in your overall comfort during exercise. So does staying warm, so it's imperative that the middle and outer layers keep you well ventilated as well as warm. You're going to want to pick an outer shell that's still breathable but weather resistant. Ski touring and mountaineering shells do well because they are designed for exercise. Your thicker running gloves may not work at these temps, so grab your ski gloves and make sure they pull over your jacket cuff or under, you don't want to let heat out through your wrist area.  Also at these temps you will need another layer of pants over your tights. Something again that is windproof and possibly lined but has space between them and your base layer pants.

You may even find that your eyes start to burn. Grab those ski goggles if your regular sunglasses aren't doing the trick anymore. Something I haven't mentioned yet but is important especially in the below freezing temps, your music. If you like to listen to music while you exercise your phone or ipod wont work as it's too cold for the battery to function. You will want to make sure you have an interior pocket in your outer jacket, this will keep the battery warm enough to allow your music to continue playing while you continue exercising.

Now if you are more of a visual person like I am, I came across a pretty good picture that represents what I am talking about. Check it out below.

Thank you for reading, and as always if you have questions or suggestions please leave me a message.

Paleo Zuppa Toscana Soup

It's that time of year when I like to start making hot comfort food meals. By comfort food I don't mean get crazy and overload with cheese and heavy whipping cream to totally derail my health. Instead I like to make soups, chili's, one pot heart meals and lots of root veggie dishes.

I was surfing the web and came across a recipe for Zuppa Toscana Paleo style and I just had to try it. This recipe used parsnips instead of white potatoes and coconut cream instead of heavy whipping cream. So of course I had to give it a try. As always I change things even on my first time making something new. I like to be able to have leftovers so most of the time it is just a doubling of the recipe as I did this time. The following recipe will give you 6 servings. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs Hot Italian Chicken Sausage, removed from casing
1 small White Onion, chopped
3 Medium Parsnips, chopped
4 cups Chicken Bone Broth
1 can full fat Coconut milk, DO NOT shake it as you will only use the cream off the top
1 bunch of leaf Kale, chopped or ripped, I used 4 leaves from the bunch
A shake of red chili flakes if it's just not hot enough

In a large pot over medium heat, cook the sausage and onion, using a spatula to break the sausage into bite size pieces. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the sausage starts to brown and the onions have softened.

Add the parsnips, coconut cream and chicken bone broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Add the kale and cook for about 5 more minutes, just enough to wilt the kale.

Serve and enjoy. and If it's not spicy enough for you add a dash or more of red chili flakes.

P.S. I enjoyed the soup so much I completely forgot to take a picture of my soup for this post. Instead I had to take this from the original author, but mine did look EXACTLY like this, just in a different bowl.

P.S.S. I enjoyed this with a nice hot gluten free baguette and butter. YUM!

P.S.S.S. Oops! How did that bottle of wine get in there? Yes in addition to the soup and baguette the wine was enjoyed with it too.

HOLIDAY HEALTH

It's that time of year when travel is at an  all time high. You may be visiting with family locally, taking a getaway, or even having to travel for work. Not to mention all the holiday parties, and end of year parties that may be derailing your workouts and normal eating schedule. By eating just 200 extra calories a day - a piece of pecan pie, a glass of eggnog, or a couple butter cookies - you could pack on two to three pounds over this five to six week holiday season. That doesn't sound like much, except few people shed that extra weight in the following months or even years.

You don't need to deprive yourself however. Instead practice some of the following tips to help you get through the holidays without making "go on a diet" one of your New Year's resolutions.

1. Budget calories wisely: Don't eat everything at buffets and parties. Be choosy and spend calories judiciously on the foods you truly enjoy or maybe only get at this time of year.

2. Take 10 seconds before taking seconds: It takes a few minutes for your stomach's "I'm getting full" signal to reach your brain. After finishing round one, take a 5 minute break, converse with friends, drink some water. Then recheck your appetite. You might realize you are in fact full, or maybe only want a small taste of that yummy dish not a full second serving.

3. Distance yourself from the buffet: At your holiday party, don't stand next to the buffet. It makes it harder to mindlessly reach for food. If you know you are prone to overindulging, pop a mint or stick of gum in your mouth so you won't keep reaching for the "insert your favorite go to here".

4. Drink alcohol wisely: A glass of eggnog can set you back about 500 calories; wine, beer, and mixed drinks range from 100 to 250 calories and up per drink. If you drink alcohol, have a glass of water between drinks, this will keep you from getting to the drunk stage and slows down your consumption of extra calories. Also since alcohol increases appetite and diminishes ones ability to control what you eat, don't drink on an empty stomach.

5. Put on your walking or dancing shoes: Dancing is a great way to burn off some holiday calories. If you are at a holiday party with music, get out on that dance floor. At family gatherings, suggest a walk before the feast or even between dinner and desert.

6. Be buffet savvy: At a buffet, wander around the food table before putting anything on your plate. By checking out the options, you might be less inclined to create a huge pile of overflowing food.

7. Cook from (and for) the heart: To show family and friends that you really care about them, be creative and try cooking with recipes that use less butter, cream, lard, vegetable shortening, and other ingredients rich in saturated fats. Also try preparing turkey or fish instead of red meat.

8. Keep track of your consumption: If there are multiple appetizers or drink at a party keep track of how much you are consuming. Keeping the wrappers from candy, chicken wing bones, or wine glasses provides you with an accurate visual count of what you've already eaten.

9. Engage with your family/company: The more time you spend talking and staying connected with the people around you, the less time you have to pop something in your mouth. This conversation may bring you closer to your family or friends, and them to you.

10. Enjoy the food, don't take what will make you feel guilty: This time of year is a special time where we celebrate many things, celebration is different for all of us. So enjoy that food item you only get once a year and don't feel guilty, but do eat it in moderation. Will you regret taking that full second serving of it?

So this holiday season don't use "but the food was right there" as an excuse to consume more calories than necessary and then feel guilty about it after. Enjoy your holidays, enjoy the food in moderation, and enjoy the time with your family and friends. Before you know it all this will be behind you and you want to feel good about your holiday season and health.

Do you have any tricks you use to help curb your intake? Please feel free to share them with us.

STAYING ACTIVE WHILE TRAVELING

Traveling for work can be stressful, unpredictable and tiresome. You may be at the mercy of a daunting conference schedule, less than ideal weather, or a demanding client. On top of that how are you supposed to stick to your current health and wellness routine?

If left unchecked, bad habits that form during business travel can seriously impact your quality of life and the productivity of your work trip.

It can be easy to view business trips as "cheat days" and allow yourself to slack on your regular fitness regimen and diet, but in most cases, you will be more productive on your business trip if you find a way to be active. 

Fortunately, there are creative exercise options for business travelers that go beyond the traditional hotel gym workout. Below I'll explore my top five tips for maintaining your fitness routine while on the go.

1. STAY ACTIVE WHILE YOU COMMUTE.

For someone who is always on the go, incorporating light physical activity into your commute will help offset the detrimental effects of sitting for long periods of time, as well as provide structure to your fitness routine. For example, those expecting a layover on a flight can plan ahead by packing their walking shoes and walk laps around the terminal. Some airports now have yoga rooms (at SFO terminal 2 and terminal 3 have yoga rooms), or other fitness related rooms for the busy traveler. 

If you're expecting a long layover, see if there is a gym near the airport and try to get in a quick workout or group class, or go for a quick jog around a local park.

Once you've reached your destination, small changes in your daily activity can make a big difference. If you're traveling to a city and are fortunate enough to find a place to stay downtown or in an active neighborhood, take advantage! Walk to meetings when you can. Get out and explore the city.

2. USE WHAT YOU HAVE. 

Don't over complicate things. Business travel usually requires traveling light, which means carting around exercise equipment probably won't be a sustainable option.

So be flexible. Incorporate body weight exercises you can do in your hotel room, such as crunches, push ups, or yoga.

If there are trails or a park near your lodging, go for a walk or a jog. If your hotel has a swimming pool, swim some laps, or if it's to busy for that, tread water. If you like cycling, many cities now have some form of user-friendly bike rental system, rent a bike and get out to see the city and get your exercise in at the same time. 

3. PRIORITIZE YOUR WORKOUT.

Make time for your workout routine, whatever that may entail. Ideally, you should work out around the same time every day, even while traveling. Working out in the morning is typically recommended, as it allows you to clear your mind before you start the day, but you will be most likely to succeed if you tailor your workout to your schedule.

Also, technology is your friend. There are plenty of excellent apps that can help keep your fitness routine on track. These range from simple pedometers that encourage you to meet your daily step goals to apps that provide personalized daily routines with push reminders.

4. START RIGHT AWAY.

Once you've settled in after a long flight or train ride, it can be difficult to find the motivation to do anything other than relaxing.

Make things easy on yourself by packing your exercise clothes in luggage that's easy to access, such as a carry-on, or wearing them during your commute if you can. This way, you are dressed and ready to exercise as soon as you reach your destination.

5. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY.

When we're outside of our normal environment, it can be easy to forget that the same rules apply as they do back home. Staying active requires maintaining a diet that makes you ready to work out.

Eat right, drink plenty of water, and go to sleep at a reasonable hour, even while traveling. To make it easier on yourself, buy groceries when you can to decrease the temptation to eat out for every meal.

Go easy on the after-work drinks. If you simply can't avoid going out or you just want to blow off some steam, order wisely.

Although these strategies may feel like sacrifices at first, they will be worth it in the long run. Your body will thank you, and you will be fresh for your meeting the next day.

Do you have any routines that work for you? Please feel free to share them.