A story on results and successHave you ever felt like you have done everything right, but have not yet got the results you hoped for? Of course you have; who hasn't! This question brings me to a quote by John Paul Jones, "People always ask me what was it like when I wrote, Stairway To Heaven, as if three wise man had come knocking on my door and said excuse me, are you writing Stairway To Heaven Here!?" I have always remembered this quote and found it rather comical; yet, it contains a valuable message. The thing I take away from this is that this song was just like any other song he wrote to him, he worked hard at it! And that you can truly be in the process of doing something great and not yet know it or see instant return.
Working in a gym I see far to often people who expect instant gratification for their effort and give up when they are so close to achieving the success they want. People come in de-conditioned and work out hard and diligently for a few months, they begin to get in better shape, but because their expectations exceed the results that they are seeing, they give up. They give up right before they would have succeed because they couldn't realize they were in the process of doing something great - they wanted instant gratification for their hard work, but success takes time and patients. You have to learn to value delayed gratification because there will never be three wise men there to tip you off about the greatness yet to come. We don't always know we are in the middle of writing Stairway to Heaven. The thing is people who achieve great things don't give up when things aren't going as planned. They keep pushing forward and enjoy the journey and the process. For example, Michael Jordan was cut from his high school varsity basketball team but he did not give up, or perceive this as a failure. Instead, he used it as a motivating tool to keep going and work even harder that summer to go on and make his varsity team and to become the greatest NBA player of all time. My takeaway here is to keep going even when reality does not meet your expectations because we do not have the cognitive capacity to perceive greatness as we create it. It's impossible to both perceive and create greatness at the same time - top athletes and top performers realize this which is why they persevere. Keep playing. Keep going. Move confidently in the direction of your dreams and your passion - always. You too could be writing your own Stairway To Heaven and not yet know it! So, enjoy the journey and #sisuUP
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15 day water challenge! A great and important challenge from our own Sisu Project team members. I will personally be accepting this challenge and I hope you will join me as well! The Importance of water A Cornell Medical Center study in 1998 estimated that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Often overlooked, water is our most vital nutrient. Try and go without for a couple days and you are dead. Chronic dehydration is connected to almost every health complication you can imagine, however, everyone knows that a day without enough water will lead to headaches, body tension and increased stress. Water is essential for metabolic activity and brain function. Breaking sugars down in the body is called "hydrolysis" for a reason. Every single one of our cells is made up of 80% water and they are constantly trying to stay optimally hydrated. The ramifications if they don't is they begin to lose functionality, shrivel up and die. Remember, you are your cells...so keep them happy! A few health benefits from proper hydration that may intrigue you further to accept the challenge!!
The Challenge! Step 1: Figure out our individual daily water requirement Step 2: Obtain bottles that are measured out in that amount Step 3: Fill these bottles with either filtered or natural spring water (oh just you wait for that adventure!) Step 4: Drink these bottles to the last drop every single day. Step 5: Blog about it! "I challenge you!" I hope you choose to join in on this one. We like the accessibility and relevance inherent in taking this on and you just might be surprised at how such a simple change can make you feel and look profoundly better! Drinking water may seem boring and I think that makes this challenge even more exciting! Plan to make it fun, provocative and sexy. That is right, put down your Cristal...water is where it is at. Water can be exciting when you feel the difference proper hydration can make and appreciate "high quality h20" Just check out how much fun this guy is having just driving to get his fresh spring water!! I would like to thank Mathew Germain and Jeff Bartlet for this challenge. Check out their blog for some great information! http://sugarchallenge.blogspot.com/ I hope after 30 days you continue to hydrate yourself and your body with some "high quality h20" "Never stop improving, be the ever evolving you"
- Anthony DiPaolo Take it in stride.
Taking life in stride - A great runner once told me of a 5k race she ran in high school. She had run a great race, a personal best. Spectators cheered her in as she finished sweaty and tired. When she crossed the finish line people began to noticed her nonchalant reaction to the race. People asked and wondered why she wasn't jumping up and down with joy. She then responded, "I am happy, but this time is just who I am today. at this moment. I might not be this runner tomorrow. I will not let this time or number define me." This attitude. this idea, has stuck with me. Runners, and most athletes, tend to wear their times, their PR's, their stats on there foreheads. As I pondered the statement I realized the sense it made. The lesson I learned was you must take each moment as it comes good or bad and not spend too much energy or time dwelling on the extremes in life. When a runner praises their best in a race, a high extreme in life, they often let these times define them and their running. When life throws this individual a curve ball, when they can no longer hit these performances, they often dwell on how they are not that person anymore. They get discouraged with their running and may fall into a negative place in life. There training and health may suffer as well as overall passion for self improvement. Much like the competitive runner may dwell on what time they are currently running I have found through training, many people tend to dwell on their current weight and level of fitness. Like the runners current 5k race time, your weight and current fitness is only an arbitrary number it does not define you as a person. I am not saying you shouldn't have goals or be happy about well earned success in the gym or in running, as my motto is based on infinite self improvement. I am saying don't ever let these numbers define you as a person and overly dwell on the extremes in life! Your weight or current 5k time is only where you are TODAY, not where you may be tomorrow and in the future. We must maintain a positive attitude through the good and bad and always work towards a better tomorrow. Whether you have reached your best 5k time or reached your goal weight in the gym, this does not mean you stop trying to be something more. Stay positive. The attitude I want to convey is no matter what success you reach in fitness, or how great or bad your life may be, take it all in stride! Don't quit and settle at where you are in life. Never dwell on your past highs or current lows. Get up, get out and be something more. The time is now and the choice yours. "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same... Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it." -If by Rudyard Kipling - 'Never stop improving, be the ever evolving you! - Anthony DiPaolo FOAM ROLLING EXPLAINED! Within the last couple years foam rolling has become extremely popular. Foam rolling is a self myofascial release technique used by many athletes, therapist, and personal trainers to correct existing muscle imbalances, reduce trigger points or 'knots' within a muscle, improve flexibility, and inhibit overactive musculature. This stretching technique focuses on the facial and neural system in the body. By applying gentle force to an adhesion or "knot" in the muscle, the surrounding bundled up muscle fibers that form the knot become untangled and move into straighter alignment. How to foam roll To foam roll properly, apply moderate pressure to a specific muscle or muscle group using a foam roller and your bodyweight. Rolling should be done slowly; no more than an inch of area per second. Scan the muscle first in order to find areas of tension. This technique is done by using the foam roller to roll along your muscle slowly in order to find the areas of tension. These spots will usually produce discomfort or feel like a bruise on the muscle. Once you find an area that produces discomfort, stay on that spot for at least 30 seconds until the muscle starts to relax and the discomfort is reduced. By holding pressure on the area for 30 seconds you will stimulate and increase your Golji tendon organ activity. This will cause the muscle to relax further, helping to aid in the release of unwanted muscle tension. If an area is too painful to apply direct pressure, shift the roller and apply pressure on the surrounding area and gradually work to loosen the entire area. The goal is to restore healthy muscles. Foam rolling is not a pain tolerance test. Never roll a bone or joint as you may cause a bone bruise. Foam rolling should be done 4-5 days a week preferably after the workout, hitting all major muscle groups.
Foam rolling exercise examples Quadriceps Hamstring
Get on the roller!
This technique is extremely beneficial to use as a cool down after your workout. It causes the body to send blood to the massaged area to aid in recovery, decrease muscle tension, improve flexibility, reduce chanced of injury and increase overall performance. Be sure to drink a nutrient dense recovery drink prior to foam rolling as this will maximize the effects. Also, be sure to hydrate well, eat clean, and get a good nights rest as the body will be disposing of any toxic scar tissue broken up during your foam rolling session. Soreness may be present in the following days, and is expected for someone new to foam rolling. If any area is extra tender after a rolling session, allow a day or two in between rolling sessions for the muscle to fully recover! - Stay Healthy, Stay Positive. Build Repair and Recover! Get on the roller! "Never stop improving, be the ever evolving you!" Warm water therapy Water is one of our most precious resources with numerous benefits to our bodies. 70% of our body consists of water, as well as 70% of our planet! Despite these facts, most people struggle to drink the commonly recommended 2.7 liters a day for women and 3.7 liters a day for men. People tend to only think of water when it's hot out, when we are thirsty from an exhausting workout, or when we get a terrible headache. I want you to think of water first thing in the morning upon waking!
A cup of warm water in the morning upon waking up is my first prescription I write to all of my personal training clients because of the many health benefits!
"I want to start working out and get back in shape but I need to find a good gym first." This is something I hear far too often. Although a good gym is beneficial and plays an important roll in exercising, not having a gym is not a limiting factor. The time to start your training is now; life is not opportune do what you can when you can.' Home workouts often can be a great place to start. Try this circuit. 1. Pushups Start and finish Descent Start with body in a straight line with hands shoulder width or slightly wider apart, Be sure to keep your core tight and begin your descent. Touch your chest to the floor with body still in a straight line and push up to return to the starting position and repeat! Push up scaled Start and finish Descent This is a scaled push up. By doing this exercise on your knees you will reduce load on upper body making the exercise easier. Be sure to keep your core tight and body aligned during this exercise. 2.Air Squats Start and finish Descent Start with feet hips width apart and toes pointed straight ahead or out slightly. Begin your descent by pushing your hips and but back while keeping your chest up. Be sure that your knees are tracking behind your toes. To hit proper depth your thighs should be parallel to the floor. Once depth is reached drive off your heals, squeeze glutes and return to starting position. 3.Plank Hold position with core tight. Be sure to keep body straight and aligned. Do not let hips sag to floor. 4. Mountain Climbers Left knee to chest Right knee to chest and repeat
Move left knee to chest with right leg back then proceed to switch positions moving left knee back and right knee to chest. Repeat in rapid fashion Workout Each of the above exercises will be done for 1 minute for as many quality reps as possible in a circuit fashion. There will be no rest between exercises. Once you complete one full circuit of 60 seconds per exercise rest 60-90 seconds and begin your next set. Work up to doing 4 complete sets. Keep track of your total reps and try to beat or maintain that number each time! Pushups can be done strict or scaled on knees to make exercise easier. Hold plank for 60 seconds or as long as you can maintain position with correct form. Summary Try this circuit to begin or progress in your fitness journey! There is no time like the present, "Don't wait for tomorrow to live this life you want to live." I would like to thank my client, Caitlyn, for allowing me to photograph her during our session together. "Never stop improving, be the ever evolving you"
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Positive and Healthy lifestyles are contagious, together we can have a positive affect on the world. This is my resolution, what is yours? "Never Stop Improving, Be the ever evolving you." -Anthony DiPaolo |
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