Category: Fitness

HMT: Days 5 & 6 “Rest is for the awesome!”

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HMT: Days 5 & 6

HMT: Days 5 & 6

 

I’m going to keep this post short because as you can see, its only 10:00pm (PST) which means I have 2 more hours of rest (aka watching the first season of The Walking Dead on Netflix, duhhhh).

 

Yesterday, Day 5, I had work from 6:35am-5:45pm so I didn’t have time to workout anyway. I got off work, bought some Mega Millions Lotto Tickets (what a waste of $30 btw), had some sushi with my lady and then KTFO!

 

Today, Day 6, my crazy muay thai friend woke me up from my 11 hour slumber and told me to wake up so we can go to a boxing class at his gym. So that’s what I did. His school is FTCC in Daly City. The boxing class was awesome! I am currently a member of Polk Street Boxing in San Francisco, so I’ve had some type of experience boxing, but this class was a little different. We had some light contact drills, something that I haven’t really experienced much of at Polk Street (which really isn’t a bad thing). At one point during the class, I was matched up with this one tall white guy who my friend referred to as “Coach.” This guy def. looked like he’s been doing MMA/boxing for a while now, so I was a little worried that he would hit me hard…. and he did. But the thing is, I’m pretty sure he was throwing pretty lightly. I’m not complaining, I’m actually glad he knocked me as hard (or light) as he did. His punches were def. a wake up call for me; and a wake up call is what I needed. I think I may have found a new gym in FTCC, I’m very close to signing up for a membership.

 

FTCC: me (Left), my crazy muay thai friend Jeff (Right)

FTCC: me (Left), my crazy muay thai friend Jeff (Right)

 

So that was my Half Marathon Training Days 5 & 6! I hope you all are having a good weekend! Cheers!

Half Marathon Training: Day 4 “Visualize Continually”

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Half Marathon Training: Day 4

Half Marathon Training: Day 4

Today was a pretty good workout. I got to Crunch around 9:00, sat in the dry sauna for 5 minutes and did some SMR for my IT band and quads. I’ve come to love the ~20 minute foam roller session that I always have before my runs. It gives me some good time to take care of a few other things: think about how my day went, think about & visualize the run I’m about to do, check in on Facebook, look at Instagram photos, catch up on some Tweets, and listen to some good relaxing R&B music.

I read (in a book ;)) that one of the 12 steps to set and achieve any goal (step #11 to be exact) is to visualize your goal continually. And that’s exactly what I am doing when I foam roll before my runs. I visualize myself with good form when I’m running, I visualize myself taking deep, controlled breaths, I think about how I will feel when I get tired and then I think about what I will say in my head to help keep me going. Visualizing my run, before my run, really does help me out.

 

Do you visualize your run before you run? 

 

My 4 mile run was pretty easy, I felt good, I was breathing well, my shoulders were relaxed and I finished the last mile in 7 minutes.

The strength training portion of todays workout almost didn’t happen! And here’s why: After my run, I went to the bathroom and sat on the throne for 10 minutes, and when I came out of the bathroom I headed straight for the exit. When I got to my car I was like “something isn’t right……. did I finish my workout?!?…… crap, I didnt!!” So I went back in the gym and took care of business and I’m glad I did.

 

I did some lunges, some hamstring curls, 2 chest exercises and 1,000 bicep curls,

Oh, I can barely lift my right arm 'cause I did so many.

"Oh, I can barely lift my right arm 'cause I did so many." - Ron Burgundy

I’m not going to post the sets and reps and weights I trained with, but I will say that I went pretty hard knowing that the next two days of this training program are rest days, HOLLER!

 

Cheers!

Half Marathon Training: Day 3

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Week 6 - Wednesday: 2 mile run or cross

Week 6 - Wednesday: 2 mile run or cross

So today was either a 2 mile run or a “cross” workout. Here is how Hal Higdon explains a “cross” or “cross train” workout:

It could be swimming, cycling, walking (see below), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training if you choose to do it on Wednesdays and Saturdays instead of as indicated on the schedule. And feel free to throw in some jogging as well if you’re feeling good. In fact, on Wednesdays I offer you the option to run or cross-train. What cross-training you select depends on your personal preference. But don’t make the mistake of cross-training too vigorously. Sports such as basketball or volleyball that involve sideways motions or sudden stops and starts do not qualify as cross-training. In fact, you may increase your risk of injury if you double up on these sports, particularly as the mileage builds. Cross-training days should be considered easy days that allow you to recover from the running you do the rest of the week.

Being a typical dude, this is my first time reading what an actual “cross” or “cross-train” workout was. Before writing this post, I didn’t know what a “cross” workout was. For some reason, I chose to accept it to mean a crazy/intense workout. And when I think about crazy and/or insane workouts, I immediately think about CrossFit workouts.

If you’re unaware of what a Crossfit WOD is, or if you just don’t know anything about Crossfit in general, then please check out their website (CrossFit.com) I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard or seen anything CrossFit, they’ve been on the come up for a few years now and have officially blown up with their CrossFit Games coverage on ESPN2 and their partnership with Reebok

So today, my “cross” workout was the Crossfit WOD “Fran.” This workout consists of 3 rounds of the same 2 exercises: 95 lb. Thrusters (65 lb. for the ladies) and Pull-ups.

  • Round 1 = 21 Thrusters and 21 Pull-ups.
  • Round 2 = 15 Thrusters and 15 Pull-ups.
  • Round 3 = 9 Thrusters and 9 Pull-ups.

Here’s a video of Irving Hernandez completing “Fran” in a little under 2 minutes. (I don’t own this video, I don’t know Irving Hernandez, I just took this video from YouTube to share with you all.)

 

 

Ummm yea, that guys is a beast (just like a bunch of other “CrossFit-ers”). I completed “Fran” in 08:31 and I was completely spent after.

"Fran" 03/28/12

"Fran" 03/28/12

 

What I learned from today’s training:

  1. read directions
  2. i should do more CrossFit workouts, I’m thinking once a week

 

So that was “Day 3” of my Half Marathon Training! Cheers!

Training for My First Half Marathon

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Yesterday, I officially started my training for my first Half Marathon (Western Pacific Half Marathon) on May 5th. I know what you’re thinking: YOU’RE ONLY STARTING NOW?!?!

Well, I have been running a lot more these past 2 months. For instance, this month I had weekly goals of running 35 and 42 miles, both of which I reached, and I also completed a 13 mile run earlier this month. So I believe I prepared myself enough to start on “Week 6” of my Hal Higdon Training Program (pictured below). Also, I will replace the “Week 10” workout with the “Week 11” work out so that this program will lead me right up to my May 5th Half Marathon.

 

Hal Higdon's "Half Marathon Training Guide: Novice 1 Program"

Hal Higdon's "Half Marathon Training Guide: Novice 1 Program"

 

As you can see at the end of this 6th week, it says to run a 5K. So last night, I registered for my first official race: Running of the Elk Half Marathon, in Elk Grove, CA. I will be running the “Thrive 5K” portion of this race with my brother Gordon and hopefully a few more of our friends decide to come out and run with us.

 

Running of the Elk Half Marathon in Elk Grove, CA

Running of the Elk Half Marathon in Elk Grove, CA

I like this training program because it is very clear and it gives me something to follow. From what I read, Hal Higdon is an awesome resource for anything and everything about running so I am confident that this program will prepare me well for my first ever Half Marathon on May 5th.

 

Starting today, I will post my progress with this training program everyday up to and including race day, May 5th. Cheers!

My first TRXperience! (see what I just did there?)

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TRX Group Class at Resort Fitness, LLC

TRX Group Class at Resort Fitness, LLC

If you don’t see what I just did there, I don’t like you; just kidding.

I’m writing about my first “real” experience with TRX Suspension Training! I say “real” experience because I’ve worked with the TRX before, but not in a group setting and not instructed by a certified TRX trainer. My good friend Ryan Dantes (I will post his website once it’s up and running) was the instructor for this class and he did a great job.

I wasn’t able to get my routine warm-up (SMR IT Band, SMR calves, SMR quads, 10 minute run, 1,000 bicep curls, and 10 minutes of dancing to “Teach Me How to Dougie”) completed because I arrived 5 minutes before the class started. I want to say it was difficult for me to get up this morning because I stayed up ’til 2am playing COD, but I’m not convinced that was it; it must have been something I ate that day ;). But anyways, back to the class. Within the first 5 minutes, I was like “wtheck did I get myself into?!” And I love when I get that feeling because I know that I’m doing something that I’ve never tried before.

Ryan did a great job putting together todays workout. We hit the upper body, we hit the lower body, we hit the core, we did some kettlebell work, we did it all. His cues and instructions were loud and clear, he was motivating, and the music was good. This was a good first experience with the TRX and now I’m even more excited to get TRX Certified.

Once I get certified, I will be teaching 6am and 7am TRX Group Classes at Ryan’s gym in Daly City.

In conclusion…

Would I recommend TRX training?

Hell yes

Was it a good workout?

Hell yes

On a scale from 1 to 20, where would you rank Manning signing with the Broncos?

1.. he should have came to SF! jk, we’ll be fine with Alex Smith…. I hope, lol

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

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My whole life I’ve made soooo many excuses. I’ve made so many excuses for everything: why I didn’t finish my homework, why I didn’t pass a class the first time around, why I’m so bad at saving money, why I’m not where I want to be physically, why I haven’t gotten into PT School yet, excuses for anything and everything. Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

And when I really, really, REALLY think about all these excuses (especially the ones that I’ve made recently), I can’t help but think how stupid those excuses were. Why do I continue to doubt myself? Why do I continue to hold myself back?

In the book Goals! How to Get Everything You Want — Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible, Brian Tracy talks about the “80/20 Rule.” This rule says:

“in most cases, 80% of the reasons you are not attaining your goals are internal. they are within you rather than in the world around you. only 20% of the obstacles are contained in your external situation or in other people.” 

Well, I want that to end today. No more excuses.

What are some of the excuses that you come up with everyday? Why do we do that to ourselves?

“… and when you get to the point where all you want to do is be successful as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful…” – Eric Thomas

“you’d better be running”

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“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or a gazelle — when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” – Roger Banister (via Born to Run pg. 13)

 

I think I just fell in love with running

Born to Run

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I’ve always been a physically active person; I’ve loved playing basketball since I was a kid, I played tennis in high school, I’ve been lifting weights since my freshman year of college, and all that good shhtuff. Running, though, I was never in love with; until recently.

Back in 2010, my grandmother (or “Lola” in Tagalog), had a minor stroke and was placed in the ICU at California Pacific Medical Center. I remember the call that I got from my mom who was obviously scared and in tears, “Lola, might be dying. She’s at CPMC.” I immediately dropped what I was doing and rushed over to the hospital. My Lola made it through the night, but was still in the ICU.

That next day, after I got off work, I headed over to CPMC again. When I got there, the nurse said that my Uncle had just left and that I was the only family member there at the moment. So I was at her bed side talking to her, letting her know that I was there and that I loved her. She was obviously not herself; the nurse said that the drugs were really strong and that she wasn’t “all there.” Although I wasn’t able to hold a conversation with her, she was still able to speak. And when she did speak, she would be counting out random, consecutive numbers: “78, 79, 80, 81, 82…” and after the last number she would say, “Continue.” She would say it in such a way as to have me continue counting on those numbers for her. As if she were back at her school in the Philippines, in front of the classroom, teaching all her students.

A few days later, my grandmother was allowed to leave the hospital and head back to St. Anne’s Home. After a few days back, she was back to her normal, talkative self. As the months passed though, her health started to slowly deteriorate just like the Doctor at CPMC had told us it would.

On February 5, 2012 my Lola passed away. It was def. hard for the whole family especially because it was the first death in our family since her husband (my Lolo) passed away on New Year’s Day ’95. I like to think that I went through the normal grieving process that everyone goes through when someone passes: lots of tears, lots of laughs as we reminisced about the past, a lot of praying and wondering where she was at that very moment, etc. As my cousins and I talked about our memories of Lola, I remembered that one day at the ICU at CPMC when my Lola told me to “Continue.”

This one word has taken on a different meaning ever since she passed. It’s stronger now. It means so much more now.

So how does this relate to Born to Run? Well, whenever I used to run, I would stop whenever I was tired and didn’t want to run anymore. I would set a limit to my runs: 1 mile, 2 miles, 20 minutes, etc., but not anymore. Whenever I’m on the treadmill, whenever I’m running Lake Merced, whenever I’m hiking up Mission Peak, I choose to hear my Lola telling me to continue. I hear her and I see her and she keeps me going; she helps me CONTINUE.

So this is the beginning of a new me, I want to “love” running. And I know that in order to “love” running, I have to do more than just run. And that’s why I bought “Born to Run” off of Amazon for $9.

My Lola

My Lola

I want to learn as much as I can about running. I even went to Fleet Feet in SF to get my new pair of Brooks Ravenna 3s instead of just going to a Foot Locker and choosing the coolest looking Nikes.

“Born to Run” marks the beginning of my journey to fall in love with runnning.

Getting Dunked!

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This was my first time getting my body fat percentage taken via Hydrostatic Weighing. I found Fitness WaveNorCal online and decided to use their services; it was a great choice. Aeron did a great job and he absolutely knew his stuff (I was constantly asking questions and he answered them without hesitation; I learned a lot from him).

 

The results: 12.63%. I have ~22 lbs. of fat and the goal is to have only ~15 lbs. of fat if you want to see good definition with your abs. So my goal is to lose about ~7 lbs. of fat and to get down to ~7% body fat by the end of June 2012