tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53482183861012884012024-02-06T22:10:12.147-08:00Superfit!Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-54392587025943148172012-01-22T11:24:00.000-08:002012-01-23T03:04:19.092-08:00The Pit Stops: Refueling (Part II)<br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s been a while
since the last post, but I hope you have been putting into practice the
hydration techniques during this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember; when in
doubt…drink up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Water and more water! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Obviously, the occasional
beer and wine will keep you happy, too!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let’s now focus on the
sources of energy during your “Pit Stops”, glucose and fats, and we’ll leave
the third and final part of these series of blogs to the amino acids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GLUCOSE</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you ever seen a
car running without fuel?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Never?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me neither.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that is what some
people pretend to do with their own bodies during training and races. And then
they wonder why they are not able to finish their races, or why they have to
slow down so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is happening is
that their gas tank is just empty, and their engines are running just on fumes.
They have skipped their needed “Pit Stops”, and now they are paying the price.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without glucose, which
is the primary and fastest source of fuel, your body simply stops. It is no
longer able to move properly, and it is not able to transform other sources of
energy like fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To avoid that, you
have to make sure that there is enough glucose in your body to keep you moving.
Otherwise, you have to consume sugars and carbohydrates (they will be
transformed into glucose in your body) to support you during training and
racing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When:</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eat moderate amounts
of carbohydrates (brown rice/ pasta/ bread, potatoes, etc) and lots of fruits
and vegetables in your meals to keep the glucose levels in your body (stored as
“glycogen” in muscles and liver) to the maximum.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">b.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are about to do
a long or highly intense workout or race, make sure that you have eaten a bit
of carbohydrates at least 2 hours before starting.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">c.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are racing or
training for more than an hour, make sure that you are taking energy gels, honey,
sports drinks or any other liquid sugar after the first half hour, and keep
doing it at regular intervals. Avoid solid food if you are doing highly intense
activities, as you will have a difficult time digesting it.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">d.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Immediately after you
have finished a long race (longer than one hour) drink your water and eat carbohydrates
and simple sugars. Drinking a sports beverage is a good idea as it contains
lots of sugar, besides the water and minerals needed to rehydrate you.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, now you know
that replenishing glucose is fundamental if you are training and/or racing for
more than an hour and at intense levels. However, you have to keep in mind a
couple of warning points:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do
not eat or drink anything when you are exerting yourself at maximum
levels. If you are gasping for air and you eat/ drink at the same time,
your stomach will not be able to digest food properly and you will end up
with an upset stomach. Thus, if you are pushing hard, take a few moments
to slow down a bit to ingest your food or drink your beverage. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Additional
sugar and carbs are not needed if you are not training hard or racing for
a long period. The reserves in your body, created from your normal meals
(mainly from eating fruits and vegetables), are enough to keep you moving.
Do not eat additional carbs or take any sports drinks or gels if you are
not working out much. You will only end up creating an insulin spike (see
the blog post <a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/understanding-vicious-cycle.html">"Understanding the Vicious Cycle"</a>), which will only make you
fat! <o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you seen marathon
runners with a big belly and lots of bodyfat? Well, that’s because they have
eaten too much carbs thinking that they need a kilo of pasta and tons of bread every
time they train. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don’t make the same
mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Find the right balance
of carbs needed to support your long and intense training and racing. If you
avoid emptying your muscle and liver reserves of glycogen, you will recover
much faster and you will be able to train and race hard again in no time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FATS</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You might think, “why
do I need fat if I want to be lean and athletic”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, you need fat in
your diet to be lean and athletic, but most importantly to be healthy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fats are fundamental
to support your hormonal systems and to repair your cell membranes. They also
help you avoid peaks in blood sugar levels, so your energy levels are more
constant. Finally, they are the most concentrated form of energy that is stored
in your body and which can provide calories for you for days even if you ran
out of food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fat is the ultimate
source of energy for survival when there is no food available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need to eat good
fats (olive oil, nuts, fish oil – omega 3, flaxseed oil, etc) during your
normal meals, to support your health. Without these fats, your hormonal system
will not work properly and your cell membranes will be weaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other benefit of
fat is that it slows down the process of food being converted into glucose.
The slower the process, the more constant the levels of energy and the less
insulin there is circulating in your body. With normal or low levels of
insulin, you are more able to use fat as fuel and you end up becoming a lean
machine!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep in mind, however,
that you do not need extra fat during your training or racing. Different to
glucose, which is stored only in limited amounts in the body, we all have
already a lot of fat in our bodies to survive for several days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When:</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Consume your good fats
during your meals: extra virgin olive oil as salad dressing, or eat cold water
fish like salmon or sardines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">b.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Use nuts as snacks.
Instead of cookies or candy bars, replace them with a fistful of nuts (walnuts,
hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, etc). Just avoid the salty and fried types. Go
natural!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">c.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do not consume fats
during your training or racing, as they are slow to digest and you might end up
with an upset stomach. Besides, you do not need to replace fats during racing
as you have huge reserves in your body, as said before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although fats are
highly important, you must be careful with the quantities. Fats are high in
calories, so make sure you consume them in all your meals and snacks, but in
small quantities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you follow your appetite,
you will eat small portions, as fat satiates your hunger almost immediately and
for long periods of time. In other words, your body knows when to stop eating.
You just have to listen to it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, now you know how
to keep your Perfect Machine running fast and recovering even faster with the
proper Pit Stops to rehydrate you and fill your tank. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next time, we’ll cover
how to eat protein (i.e. amino acids) to keep your moving parts and organs strong and
healthy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember; keep your
tank full, but do not overload it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-28709668126132486722011-11-25T06:09:00.001-08:002011-11-25T08:38:39.301-08:00The Pit Stops: Refueling (Part I)<br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you ever seen a Formula 1 car race? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Those incredible machines can be driven at speeds greater than
350 km/h. They are perfectly designed to combine an extremely powerful engine with
a very light and aerodynamic chassis. The result is a wonderful machine that
can only be driven at its potential by the most talented pilots in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But even the best machine and pilot needs to do “Pit Stops”
during the races to change tires, fix any problem and refuel. If the Pit Stop
is skipped, sooner or later, even the best engineered machines stop completely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, your body, your Perfect Machine, is exactly the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make it work properly and at its best, you need to do all
your “Pit Stops”. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And you have to do them at the right time and with the right
fuel.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you master this, your recovery times improve tremendously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So let’s now concentrate on the “refueling” aspect of your pit
stops. In other words, let’s see how you can best replenish all the nutrients
and fluids that your body consumes during normal living and especially during
sports training.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>RESOURCES CONSUMED</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While you are having fun working out or practicing your favorite
sport, you are basically wearing and tearing your machine's chassis (muscles and tendons)
and consuming several resources in your body. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In simplified terms, you are consuming:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Water :</b> lost in great
quantities to cool you off through
sweating, and in minor quantities through your urine to depurate you of
detritus resulting from the chemical reactions at cellular level<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Electrolytes:</b> also lost trough
your sweating, these are minerals like magnesium, potassium and sodium
(that’s where the salty taste of your sweat is coming from)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Glucose:</b> consumed as the
fastest source of energy to make your muscles contract and make you move.
The faster you go (and the greater effort
you do), the fastest rate at which glucose is consumed<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Fats:</b> consumed as a very
concentrated, but slow source of energy. If you move easily and for a long
time (like a hike) a great proportion of your energy is coming from fats.
Fats are also used to repair cellular membranes.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Amino Acids:</b> these are the
building blocks of protein which are used in large quantities to repair
and reinforce the muscle fibers damaged during training. They are also
consumed in small quantities to produce energy.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let’s now see in more detail how you should replace these
resources to make your Perfect Machine work at its best all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WATER<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the most important of all the resources. Make a mistake
in your hydration, and your performance will decrease enormously and your
post-workout recovery will take much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep in mind that when you feel thirsty, you are already a bit
dehydrated. Thus, drink constantly!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That sense of fatigue you get after you exercise can be greatly
reduced if you drink enough before, during and after your workout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drink all the time. Keep a water
bottle next to you and keep sipping all day. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make sure you are going into
your workout well hydrated by drinking one or two glasses of water half an
hour before the start.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Try to sip water continuously during your
workout when you take short breaks. Just don’t drink much when you are working at extreme levels of
intensity as your stomach might get upset. It is better to wait for the end if you are working out intensely for less than 30 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drink at least half a liter
after your workout, and much more if you have been training for more than
an hour or in hot conditions. The more you have sweated, the more you have
to drink. It will also help you to carry out of your body the toxins produced during your training.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ELECTROLYTES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These work together with the water to keep you hydrated up to
the cellular level. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have been sweating a lot (like in a hot marathon race), plain
water will not be enough to hydrate you. The sweating makes you lose minerals
(lots of sodium) from your blood and cells.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Actually, you need the electrolytes to carry the water inside
the cells, otherwise you are only “washing up” the mineral content in your
blood and cells (if this is taken to the extreme it is called hyponatremia
which can be very dangerous).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without the proper mineral balance, the electrical impulses sent from the brain are not transmitted well to the muscle fibers, so they cannot contract
properly. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s when the horribly painful muscle cramps appear!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During prolonged workouts or long races (more than an hour), sip sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade
or Powerade), in addition to lots of water. The greater the heat, the greater the
amount of salts and minerals you have to drink in addition to your water.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After your long workouts or races in the heat, eat salty food and keep drinking sports drinks in
addition to your water. Your rehydration and recovery will be much faster
this way.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have not sweated much, water is enough. The minerals lost with normal sweating are replaced with your meals. Thus, avoid sports drinks if you are not working out much (they have too much sugar that you do not need in short workouts!).</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Bonus tip:</b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(This is for those friends of yours who are alcohol lovers, not for you of course!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After drinking lots of alcohol and before going to bed, drink at least half a liter of a sports
drink with as much water as you can. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hangovers are mainly a severe state of
dehydration caused by all the peeing (and vomiting!) done to eliminate the
toxic alcohol from your body.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thus, after the night out, and if you are conscious enough (I mean, your friend!) eat salty food, and drink </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a sports
drink in addition to lots of water before going to bed. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You will feel much
better the day after... </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, that’s what they tell me ;)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK. I’ll leave you here. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hopefully, you are now sipping from your water bottle and keeping well hydrated!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next time, we’ll cover the other three resources that you need
to replace to be in top conditions to perform at your best and recover faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Train hard, drink hard!...water, I mean!</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-22552048722506090892011-11-20T07:53:00.001-08:002011-11-25T08:37:43.643-08:00Are you really sure you are a sheep?<br />
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After I have done the Ironman triathlon many people have told me that I am fortunate to be a "super-athlete". They tell me that it would be impossible for "people like them" to do something like that.</div>
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I just smile at this and immediately tell them that I am not at all a "super-athlete". </div>
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At least, not more than they are. </div>
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Our DNA's are 99,9% equal. </div>
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We are basically the same.</div>
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The only difference might be that I know that (with proper knowledge and conditioning) human beings are capable of accomplishing amazing feats. </div>
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Our species have evolved over million years, and we have survived incredible challenges not only because of our intellectual capabilities, but also due to our superior physical abiities.</div>
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We are all incredibly strong.</div>
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We have just forgotten what we are capable of.</div>
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We are confusing modern comfort with well-being.</div>
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So we are not using our Perfect Machines correctly or at their potential.</div>
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And they have become weaker and weaker as a result.</div>
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But the whole process can be reversed.</div>
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We can all carve out the "super-athletes" inside of us.</div>
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We just need to wake up and remember who we really are.</div>
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The following is a very nice fable adapted - by the Coach and Author Michael Neill - from an old Hindu myth about enlightenment and discipleship. Just read it and let the message ring and resonate inside you.</div>
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<i>Once upon a time, there was a baby lion who was born into the world alone and afraid. A family of sheep found him in their home in the green grassy valley at the bottom of the mountains one day, and because he was so beautiful and because they were so kind, they decided to raise him as one of their own. It was his sister, who had a highly developed sense of irony, who suggested they name him 'Leo'.</i></div>
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<i>So they taught Leo the baby lion how to walk as a sheep, and talk as a sheep, and taught him all the ways of sheep, and they loved him with all of their hearts. They taught him to fear what all sheep fear, and that whatever he did he must stay away from the mountains, for lions lived up there, and no sheep who had ever gone up the mountain had ever returned.</i></div>
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<i>Eventually, Leo became so good at acting like a sheep that even his own family forgot that he was really a lion. Sure, occasionally some of the other sheep teased him for his unusual size and his bushy haircut. But Leo did what he could to fit in, and he made good friends, and eventually he became a good, productive member of the sheep community.</i></div>
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<i>The years passed uneventfully until one day an old lion from the mountains came down into the green, grassy valley in search of food. Leo was the first to sense his presence, and as soon as he yelled "Lion!" all the sheep began to run in panicked circles. In the midst of the chaos, the old lion noticed Leo.</i></div>
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<i>"Hey, you!", roared the hungry lion.</i></div>
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<i>"M...m...me?" whimpered Leo, terrified but at the same time fascinated by this magnificent old creature.</i></div>
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<i>"What are you doing here with all these sheep?" the old lion demanded.</i></div>
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<i>"They're my family," said Leo proudly.</i></div>
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<i>At this, the old lion laughed. "Then who are you, young one?"</i></div>
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<i>"I'm Leo, and I'm a sheep", Leo bleeted.</i></div>
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<i>Suddenly, the old lion's face turned fierce. "Come with me!" he roared.</i></div>
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<i>Leo didn't want to go with the old lion but he thought that by doing so, he might save his fellow sheep. So with a last look back at his herd, he followed the old lion off into the mountains.</i></div>
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<i>They walked for many miles until at last, high up in the mountains, they came upon a beautiful crystal clear lake filled with smooth, blue water. The old lion beckoned for Leo to come to the edge of the lake. By this time, Leo was exhausted - not so much from the climb, which he found surprisingly easy, but from the constant fear that at any moment, the old lion would eat him. So with a final reluctant 'baaa', Leo made his way to the edge of the lake and looked where the old lion's paw was pointing.</i></div>
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<i>To his amazement, he saw not a sheep, but the reflection of a strong young lion. In that moment, he knew who he really was and let out a mighty roar that shook the mountains all the way down to the green, grassy valley...</i></div>
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<i>After the shock of discovering his true identity, Leo realized that he was hungry - really hungry. And grass just wasn't going to cut it anymore. Fortunately, Leo knew where he could get food, and plenty of it.</i></div>
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<i>But when he got back to the valley to where his old herd was still grazing, he stopped in shock. For what he saw was not a herd of sheep, but a pride of lions, each one grazing and bleating and acting for all the world like sheep. It was his own mother who saw him first, and though Leo could see that she herself was a beautiful lioness, she cowered in fear, not recognizing him and bleating "Lion!" at the top of her lungs.</i></div>
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<i>"Mother!", he roared, but the sound just made the sheep/lioness run even faster amongst the increasingly agitated herd.</i></div>
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<i>Finally, Leo noticed that his sister was looking at him with a faint hint of recognition, and he knew what he must do. He put on his fiercest face, and he roared at her "Come with me!"</i></div>
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<i>And though she was afraid, she followed him on the long journey up to the clear blue lake in the mountains...</i></div>
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OK. That's it.<br />
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Now....breathe deeply...and let me hear that loud ROAR! ;)</div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-66015714889358218972011-09-29T12:14:00.000-07:002011-09-29T21:29:20.281-07:00Mix it up! (Part II)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doing different sports is
extremely fun, and it helps you to improve your fitness levels rapidly without
the risk of injuring yourself. But it can be complicated and not very practical, if you have a very busy agenda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, how can you add the
needed variety to your training without making it so complex?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quick answer: Focus each
workout you do on a different and specific physical ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, you are right! Quick
answers are not always clear answers. So bear with me while I try to explain this
into greater detail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The following is key
information for those of you who really want to optimize your recovery times,
so you can train constantly to improve your fitness very rapidly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The basic physical
abilities<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your body is a Perfect
Machine, full of organs and complex systems that work all in synchrony to keep
you enjoying Life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Muscles, glands, arteries,
lungs, brain, tendons, heart, senses, hormones, and million other precious
parts working together as a perfect team. From the macro body parts to the
infinitely small cells and intracellular parts, all work together and have
different responses according to what you do (and also to what you think and
how you feel).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You knew that already?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, what you might have not
considered before is that these DIFFERENT RESPONSES can be used to your
advantage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can optimize your recovery
by consciously stimulating your body just in a certain way each time, so while
some body systems work fully, the others are resting a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now you want to know how you incorporate
this into your training program, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Simple! </span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best way is by dividing
your training to develop the basic physical abilities:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc7dfBu5kDtFwQLh426j2J32QPDKnTpR1kHVQLVrMAb19-zVSSqBh_HybcwEuo1X_8KtIkXZyGpLLPecx1W7sFddMj-MYRKMLAp0bFrCkbUdG_oNgJav45HJcBKwk9S_yAatFle5TCBJq/s1600/Abilities+Triangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc7dfBu5kDtFwQLh426j2J32QPDKnTpR1kHVQLVrMAb19-zVSSqBh_HybcwEuo1X_8KtIkXZyGpLLPecx1W7sFddMj-MYRKMLAp0bFrCkbUdG_oNgJav45HJcBKwk9S_yAatFle5TCBJq/s320/Abilities+Triangle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Endurance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Represents your ability to
repeat a movement for long periods of time. When you train your endurance, you
are working at a low intensity level, so your breathing is under control and
your muscles are moving constantly but without much force. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the main ability
needed in sports lasting more than 2 - 3 hours (i.e. marathon, long distance
triathlon, hiking, etc).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Speed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Represents your ability to
move fast. When you train your speed, you are working your muscles at a high
intensity level, but not against heavy resistance. What you are focusing is on
developing the ability of your muscle fibers to contract and relax
sequentially really fast, and at your command. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the main ability
needed in sprinting, like running or swimming 100 meters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Force<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Represents your ability to
lift or push great weights or resistance for short periods of time. When you
train your force, you are working your muscles at a high intensity level, but
in such short periods of time that you have time to catch your breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the main ability
needed in sports like Olympic weightlifting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">---- o ----</span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you train all three basic
abilities, you not only become a more rounded athlete, you also allow your body to recover more properly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although it is much better if
you ask the help of an experienced Coach to prepare a training program for you,
you can plan a very simple program for yourself by alternating the following in your training:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Endurance: train very easily and continuosly for at least 45 minutes (much more if you want to and have the time). Examples are
walking, jogging, elliptical machine, biking or swimming easily. Never gasping
for air or with burning muscles!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speed: do quick and short
intervals of 10 seconds to 1 minute of cycling, swimming, running or any other
movement you want to become fast at. Recover your breath in between intervals
and keep repeating them until you are able to move with good form and agility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Force: either work with weights
or body weight exercises, or use heavy resistance in your sports. For example,
you can run uphill, or use paddles for swimming or heavy gears in cycling. Don’t do it for too long and concentrate on pushing hard with your muscles. If
you are completely out of breath, stop and start again only when you are fully
recovered. Your muscles must do most of the work, not your lungs!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Play with these different kinds of challenges.</span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Test yourself in various ways.</span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Learn how you react under different circumstances.</span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have fun with the different sensations.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The variety of the experiences will keep you motivated and injury-free. Both conditions are needed to train consistenly. And as you already know, it is only through consistent training that you become Superfit.</span></div>
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Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-57475981250964082282011-09-10T03:51:00.000-07:002011-09-10T03:52:38.620-07:00Mix it up! (Part I)<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">You know already from the previous post that too much training without proper recovery is only detrimental and can be even harmful to your health. And you also know that you need to train constantly and with increasing effort levels to produce fast results.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">So, how do you combine the two things? </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">How do you train more without hurting yourself?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Very simple answer: train AND recover all the time!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">This means that any good training program has also recovery designed within it. And the best training programs are the ones that consider the optimization of recovery a priority.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">I know, I know....you want to know how to do it by yourself, right?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Here's the trick: Mix things up!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">If you train different body parts, do different sports, and use different intensity and duration levels, you will be always taxing mainly one area of your body while the others are recovering. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Sounds obvious, right?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">But how many people you know that go always for that same 30-minute run, at the same pace and at the same place? I bet is the same people that show little or no results. Even worse, I am sure those same people complain about pain in the knees or ankles from exercising. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">So now let's see in greater detail how you could avoid that same mistake. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Different sports, different body parts</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">What is your favorite food? </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Would you eat it at every meal, every day?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Most probably you wouldn't, but if you would, that same food would become very soon your most hated dish. Your mind and body will reject it as the lack of variety would not only make your eating very annoying, but you will be also lacking many important nutrients.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Well, it is the same for training. If for example, you only do a certain run all the time, it will become annoying very soon and you will lose the desire to be active. Even worse, you will be stimulating only some of your body parts exactly in the same way, while completely neglecting others.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">At a certain point, this constant and repeated movement in the same body part becomes too much, and you end up with extreme pain or even injured. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Thus, the best way to avoid it is to use different body parts and play different sports. This is called "cross-training" and it is the best injury-prevention medicine you can use. By the way, it is fun, too!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">If you are not competing in a specific sport, you can keep doing different things all the time. Go hiking, biking, running, swimming, climbing, kayaking, play tennis or basketball, do weight lifting, and whatever comes to your mind and feels appealing to you. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">The more variety you add, the better.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Be creative and follow your instincts!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Be adventurous, too!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Your body will be trained AND recovered properly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">And your mind and spirit will be refreshed, too!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">But even if you are focusing in just one sport because you have some race in mind, add some cross training to your program to avoid injuries. For example, if you are preparing for a running marathon, a swim or bike ride can keep your cardiovascular system working at top level, while you give much needed rest to your lower back, knees and ankles from the constant running impact. Even if you do not swim or bike, you can always walk uphill to challenge your cardiovascular system and activate different muscles (i.e. glutes), while you avoid the hard impact on your knees (ask somebody to pick you up at the top or come back down walking very slowly!!!).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">OK, that's it for the first part.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">But before leaving, just one quick final tip: If whatever you are doing is hurting badly and acutely (especially in the joints), stop doing it! Do a different movement or do a different sport, until your pain disappears.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">I know from experience that this final tip, unfortunately, will not be followed by many.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">But I am writing it for the SMART ones like YOU!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Pain is an alert signal telling you that you need recovery time in a certain area. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">And extreme pain is a loud alert signal telling you that the area is damaged already and needs greater recovery time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Don't be a hero!</span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are in pain, keep training, but focus on a different area.</span></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Listen and respect your body!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">At least if (like me) you want to be able to enjoy the beauty of sports and the outdoors for all the rest of your life.</span>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-36724136182346126582011-08-29T13:25:00.000-07:002011-08-29T13:41:20.037-07:00Fitter and healthier, much faster!....or mastering the art of recovery<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Remember this formula?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Improved fitness levels = Stress</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> (from training)</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> + Recovery</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">We covered it for the first time in one of the first posts (<a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/02/only-15-minutesor-missing-intensity.html">Only 15 minutes!</a>) about training. The focus at that time was on how to effectively and efficiently stress your body during training. Well, it’s now time to focus on the equally important, but usually forgotten, second part of the formula.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you are training consistently, rest and recovery are critical for your body to really become fitter and healthier. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Check the above formula again: if your recovery is non-existent, what you end up with is only stress! And I am sure you do not need more of it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For fitness enthusiasts and athletes, it is important to keep in mind that all stress is cumulative. Work, family duties, life challenges, climate changes, diet changes, physical stress (yes, that includes training!), and other stresses are all added up and cumulated. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This whole load of stress is handled by our bodies through a very effective mechanism lead by our adrenal glands (or suprarenal glands – located above the kidneys). These glands produce hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare us to handle these situations effectively by making our heart beat faster, dilating the air passages to get more oxygen, increasing the blood sugar levels, and by focusing many other body resources to handle the stress. As a result, our attention is heightened and we have the extra energy needed to fight and survive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sounds like the perfect protection system, right?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is! But it is intended to work only for short “emergency” periods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The problem is that with modern life, we are surrounded by stress sources. Thus, this effective mechanism very rarely switches off. And while it is constantly working, it is impeding the proper functioning of other important systems in the body, like the immune system.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">See where I am getting at?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you do not provide enough rest and recovery to your body, not only you stop improving your fitness levels, but also you end up chronically tired, injured, and with a weak immune system. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Do you know athletes who are full of allergies, or catch colds frequently? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Now you know why! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">They are doing too much, too soon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And their bodies are just breaking down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Have you ever heard the motto “No pain, no gain”?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you have, cancel it from your mind! Now!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This mentality is at the base of many frustrations and injuries in sports. It promotes one of those terrible cycles that we need to be aware of in order to avoid them:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Initial rapid fitness improvement from hard training (when the body is still fresh and able to cope with the stress)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Decrease in results (the body is starting to get tired)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Harder and longer training (mistakenly thinking that this will produce results again)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sickness (colds, allergies, etc) and/ or injuries appear</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Training even with painful injuries and sickness (thinking that otherwise fitness will disappear)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">More severe injuries and sickness appear (the body has finally broken down completely)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The pain becomes too much and results seem something that happens only to others...to those “genetically gifted people”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sports and training are abandoned completely, with worse health and fitness levels, accompanied by many injuries and great frustration. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Balance is key!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Too much of anything is detrimental.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Even if it is a "good" thing!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, if you are passionate about sports (like me) be careful about how “obsessed” you become with training. Sport and training need to be challenging to produce results, but the level of the challenge has to be just a little bit above what your body can handle at any given moment. If you do more than that, you are only wasting your time and making yourself sick.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Training and recovery are opposites that work only in relation to each other. As with other things in life, they need to be in balance to get the best results. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihxe9c3dHoRpk7VBZuzi813GAyJleEsZOjll-UX2RE0NMGRy-7uHkHRR_9BRsodDD65j8qhFIhQUzwp_Ytrf2CQA2V-ABYqxBY5SIqhiVUt7dQBg0xRs5mmfNWqZ84czkq18koWHlCRj7/s1600/yin-yang-symbol1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihxe9c3dHoRpk7VBZuzi813GAyJleEsZOjll-UX2RE0NMGRy-7uHkHRR_9BRsodDD65j8qhFIhQUzwp_Ytrf2CQA2V-ABYqxBY5SIqhiVUt7dQBg0xRs5mmfNWqZ84czkq18koWHlCRj7/s1600/yin-yang-symbol1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Yin and Yang symbol from Taoism</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As your mind needs quiet and relaxing periods to reflect and learn the most from your life experiences, your body also needs moments dedicated to rest and recovery to assimilate the training and become stronger. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, the idea is to get continuous improvement by constantly looking for the right balance between stressing your body with training and then letting it recover and heal properly to become stronger. Once it is stronger, it can handle a greater stress and the process can start again over and over.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sleep well, take days off and do not train too hard, too soon!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Easy, right?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Well, that is a good way to get results without hurting yourself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But how about finding ways to maximize your ability to recover (without using drugs)? </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You would be able to train a lot more, still assimilate the stress, and be able to transform it in greater fitness and health levels at a much faster rate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Impossible?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nope, not at all!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is possible!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And it is doable by anyone who masters the Art of Recovery!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Through the Art of Recovery, you can get fast and continuous results throughout the years. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And it is with consistent training throughout the years that you become SUPERFIT!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, if you want to learn how to master the Art of Recovery, check the next posts as I will be sharing many tricks on this front.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">OK. That’s it for now!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tired from reading?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Go take a recovery nap!!! ;)</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-80310417531031813992011-08-08T08:31:00.000-07:002011-08-09T00:00:41.722-07:00Do you believe in Magic? (Part III – The Bike)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The swim is over, but the day is just starting. Jogging quickly among the rooting fans, I let a celebration smile appear in my face while I keep moving towards the transition area. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A thousand thoughts are flooding my mind at this moment. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Focus! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Come back to the present!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">T1: Swim-to-bike transition</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">After entering the transition area, I start following the routine I had visualized in my mind many times. The change from swimming to cycling was going to be easy, perfect and, best of all…FAST!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Well, at least that was my visualization. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Reality ends up being completely different, ha!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The place is so crowded that I have to “wait in line” to get my bike transition bag. The changing tent is also full. My wetsuit gets stuck in my calves and brutal force is not working. Slowly and gently, I roll the neoprene down my calves and finally liberate myself from the wetsuit. SLOWLY!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Relax, breathe, but keep moving! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Keep moving! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The rest of the routine goes much better. I get dressed rapidly, including arm warmers and cycling vest to protect me from the cool air of the morning. Race number, helmet, sunglasses, socks and shoes, I put them on without major problems. The wetsuit, swim cap and goggles get in the bag without resistance either. Done! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I finally throw the bag through the air to one of the volunteers, almost hitting another athlete (sorry dude!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Run!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Where’s my bike? Where the heck is it?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Keep moving! Keep moving! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There it is! There’s my baby!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Run! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Oh yes! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This is it! </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time to fly!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time to do My Magic!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3crmbCYOwhBPUVyMOgpYm4VgaQ3z_Nkqs9euCHE1juJNEmbAuLTPz_pKDuLQUQuZIBecXOl28K9S5RVNUkOwzf1fOaLrfCDU6KdTlRof8aWaxYDaSaBT10Dnj4Kzb5YBVNiysL5x_WPO/s1600/14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3crmbCYOwhBPUVyMOgpYm4VgaQ3z_Nkqs9euCHE1juJNEmbAuLTPz_pKDuLQUQuZIBecXOl28K9S5RVNUkOwzf1fOaLrfCDU6KdTlRof8aWaxYDaSaBT10Dnj4Kzb5YBVNiysL5x_WPO/s200/14.jpeg" width="132px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The bike </span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I leave the transition area with a big smile on my face. Cycling is my strength, and I know that the two-loop course of 180 km total, full of rolling hills and just four hard climbs is ideally suited for me. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The scenery is beautiful and the temperature is cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My energy is still intact, and I am ready to attack.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This is going to be so much fun!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As soon as I get on the bike, I start passing on other riders. The effort seems fine, but I keep surpassing lots of people. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To the right! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You are too slow to be in front of me! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Move! Get out of my way! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I am flying!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0_sSpreFwvOJJfIg8w4RXS2zMrf6S2Ix3pEaC-iCosiIgpF6WQEhJcIiscOhCGhfYS9HDi0jliu24tmijn7rXx-oEbV4IkKtykUIB0-x9vRyleWPGeXhDX7iTvnZIB_3FlF_t0Qv4X8d/s1600/10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0_sSpreFwvOJJfIg8w4RXS2zMrf6S2Ix3pEaC-iCosiIgpF6WQEhJcIiscOhCGhfYS9HDi0jliu24tmijn7rXx-oEbV4IkKtykUIB0-x9vRyleWPGeXhDX7iTvnZIB_3FlF_t0Qv4X8d/s200/10.jpeg" width="200px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But…Am I going too fast?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Will I blow up if I keep going like this?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Come on! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Attack that little hill!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sweet!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I keep switching from caution to overconfidence, while I keep surpassing people. Big, skinny, young, fat, tall, short, old, everything…I see all kinds of athletes while I am surpassing them. I try to see a correlation between their body types and age to the speed they are going, but it seems like there is no one. It seems like everyone can do the Ironman.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Hold on a second! I get it! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is not the body type or age that is common to them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is their Eyes! The Determination in their Eyes!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">All these guys and girls have Fire in their Eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">They are so Full of Energy. They are so Alive!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">With this realization in mind, I suddenly silence my continuous mental debate and neutralize my conflicting emotions. The noise disappears, and I stop thinking completely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A subtle smile grows again inside me, and my instinct takes full control of my pacing. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My legs keep moving, but only as they want to. No rules. No thoughts. I become pure movement!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Magic again!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The kilometers pass by fast. Almost too fast for me, since I am enjoying the ride so much that I do not want it to end. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Eat, drink, eat, drink!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Go up that hill! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Eat, drink, eat, drink!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Attack that super fast descent!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Smile at the rooting fans on the street!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Drink, eat, drink!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I reach the hard and long climb at km 65, which I approach easily and slowly. Many people are surpassing me at this point, but I keep letting my instinct (and not my ego) determine my riding speed. At the top of the climb, I see a scenery that resembles what I see each year on TV during the hardest mountain stages of the Tour de France:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fans coming closer to the riders to cheer them on and leaving only a narrow space for each rider to pass. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Excitement invades me, and I get an extra supply of energy to reach the top. Cool!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But the excitement changes in a second, as one rider coming from the back loses his balance while reaching for a water bottle. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What the f…!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">No…no…NO!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">He crashes into me and we both go down heavily to the floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tragedy!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I bounce back immediately to my feet. Survival instincts take control and my veins are flooded with adrenaline in a second. The “Tour de France fans” are suddenly silenced by my fast and loud heart beats.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Is my race over?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Can’t be!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Please! It can’t finish here!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Not like this!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Look at the bike! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Is it broken? Twisted? Doesn’t seem so!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">How is the chain? Still on!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Put the bike up and turn the chain ring! Seems to work!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I am relieved!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Hold on! What about yourself?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Oh no! There is blood coming down the leg from your left knee!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Left wrist hurts too!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Is it bad? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There is only one way to know. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Jump on and ride!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You’ll soon know if your race is over or not! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Luckily, I discover that I am in a bit of pain, but nothing serious has happened. The knee hurts, but the adrenaline rush helps. As soon as I realize that I can keep going, I calm down, the noise in my head disappears, and I get back into my world of Magic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">From them on, it is pure excitement. Surrounding mountain views, music, fans, rolling hills and fast descents make for an amazing ride. I am so full of this free energy, that I finish the first loop of 90 km feeling great.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I see and hear my parents and friends calling my name after the turn, and I respond lifting my arm and pointing my index finger to the sky to show them that I am feeling like a champ, like a “number one” (although I was way behind the real champ, but who cares, right?). Funny how the very act of showing my confidence gives me even greater energy: I surge again to surpass a group of riders in front of me.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmOMJTpjdJRi6DEi3X144dBsdlXLOaqicrCNgmYRTytrFpy1GaFP5sltuGsO3v811xeyRmN5EhAMC016t39uY6EEhHKoTFx4rvsPXkXCEl3wdUjdKWe7dvKa8Q9R-rjofNok1eZFlkjT-/s1600/Picture+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmOMJTpjdJRi6DEi3X144dBsdlXLOaqicrCNgmYRTytrFpy1GaFP5sltuGsO3v811xeyRmN5EhAMC016t39uY6EEhHKoTFx4rvsPXkXCEl3wdUjdKWe7dvKa8Q9R-rjofNok1eZFlkjT-/s200/Picture+031.jpg" width="150px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">At this point of the race, my instinct is the only pilot, my body is pure movement and my emotions are the raw energy propelling it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Total ecstasy!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time flies and kilometers keep getting shorter and shorter. In the last 30 km, I find my Austrian friend Paul, who is waiting to ride with me and take a few pictures in the last part of the ride. How lucky am I to have friends like this, huh?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn6-lOmNCVynONzP5616OQMQDuKo627EaSfOnYgLjTzLdronhpTMatiFjx8cA6g4No6mq9Gopy8Sr8V3atWoycIHKB3uI0rjTfJanvNY6Oe3wGyzNhr-ZpBdGK_BawdZxgd5VEGY3cyAd/s1600/P1030991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn6-lOmNCVynONzP5616OQMQDuKo627EaSfOnYgLjTzLdronhpTMatiFjx8cA6g4No6mq9Gopy8Sr8V3atWoycIHKB3uI0rjTfJanvNY6Oe3wGyzNhr-ZpBdGK_BawdZxgd5VEGY3cyAd/s200/P1030991.JPG" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Finally, I reach the last street of the bike course. As soon as I see the transition area at the end of the road, my mind takes the pilot seat again. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time to wake up! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time to start thinking about the marathon run ahead!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My watch shows that five hours and eleven minutes have passed, but to me they were just minutes. A big celebration smile grows within me again, as I reach the transition area. I am living a dream!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This is Real Magic!</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-70640576963306292362011-07-23T09:03:00.000-07:002011-07-23T09:31:05.592-07:00Do you believe in Magic? (Part II – The Swim)<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">OK, here is the scenario where I left you last time: beach, huge and beautiful lake in front of me, triathletes all around me, loud music, and thousands of fans making incredible noise.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNV_w8Bm8pB4jzwsIxLLf1ONDVqP98muYtq-ZRsh1bXOMeQAmeDuk6Z8s9LMp7PMqIyDG60NbZWV3uSWe09zu1rj76ILtI9MsyasbY4VaoSCw_G3Z5mRKBtMNkEYNsFiV6LA40ZgrjAv1/s1600/tine+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNV_w8Bm8pB4jzwsIxLLf1ONDVqP98muYtq-ZRsh1bXOMeQAmeDuk6Z8s9LMp7PMqIyDG60NbZWV3uSWe09zu1rj76ILtI9MsyasbY4VaoSCw_G3Z5mRKBtMNkEYNsFiV6LA40ZgrjAv1/s320/tine+1.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time seems to slow down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is like I am watching a film.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“15 seconds left”, says the speaker.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And I realize I am actually living the film.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The countdown starts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">10,9 - I shake my arms and legs to relax a bit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">8,7 - one look at the “thumb-up” among the crowd from my friend Alessio</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">6,5 - I give back the “thumb-up” sign, too</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">4,3 - I adjust my swim goggles</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">2,1 - a moment of deep silence (at least in my head)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">BOOOOM!!! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The cannon has been fired.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One deep breath again, and I run into the cold water.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The Magic has started, and I am ready to live it.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8-N81r7TqUC5yV2Ay5BYXgawZDgwRR7kfHfOWVF9rTtkhIEx5BSrxYedGVnxzJjDOxGmsZXbDfVynQlHcFTepwGsKrHkir0G0KDcVJl9xuBAbADXEYoITjPtLKnPomZuKY7nwAL8LKeG/s1600/tine+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8-N81r7TqUC5yV2Ay5BYXgawZDgwRR7kfHfOWVF9rTtkhIEx5BSrxYedGVnxzJjDOxGmsZXbDfVynQlHcFTepwGsKrHkir0G0KDcVJl9xuBAbADXEYoITjPtLKnPomZuKY7nwAL8LKeG/s320/tine+3.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The swim</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As soon as I start to swim, I clash with another athlete, and then another one. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Arms and legs are all over me. I take my head out of the water and see nothing but black neoprene, white swim caps, and water. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I breathe and move my arms and legs in a way to protect myself in all this chaos. I think that I might even get knocked down if I get kicked in the face, so I use my arms more to protect my face than to pull the water to move forward.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">While I am trying to breathe, I get one hard blow to the head from another athlete. My head goes down with my mouth wide open and lots of water gets in. Gulp! I gasp for some air desperately. Another athlete is now climbing over my legs, but a couple of fast kicks from my part makes him understand that he should look for another route.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kofNKRenhoM79zm8hCPoHGHcMjsd73vT0gHXMlkUIpzPyxR66kZVsJYHNsextRx9j2CXu9QW508mzOpV79gW0tnJbSVCA6uzCGZjSL8GVUrOTxFaYhLa_RO8BjvzRYTfmJKStXZHB1lJ/s1600/tine15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kofNKRenhoM79zm8hCPoHGHcMjsd73vT0gHXMlkUIpzPyxR66kZVsJYHNsextRx9j2CXu9QW508mzOpV79gW0tnJbSVCA6uzCGZjSL8GVUrOTxFaYhLa_RO8BjvzRYTfmJKStXZHB1lJ/s320/tine15.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This is no swim. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is a fight for survival in the water. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And it is just the start.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I take my head out to see an open space where to go. No luck. Everything is crowded.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I realized at that moment that I would not be able to swim freely, but that I would be in tight company throughout the whole 3,8 kilometers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nZn7pR6-m4011aAFKOpPrZhKAaSywBIyHzPmibNO7xC-dQ2PwXtTDvaiklF8ldJ7aAPViU9YTgZ-BoLUnfJv8z53Awrjb9NeNXKYS-Q9j9IGmM-eH3isDUBHGR2q8rkujdIfRoxvqHUP/s1600/tine+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nZn7pR6-m4011aAFKOpPrZhKAaSywBIyHzPmibNO7xC-dQ2PwXtTDvaiklF8ldJ7aAPViU9YTgZ-BoLUnfJv8z53Awrjb9NeNXKYS-Q9j9IGmM-eH3isDUBHGR2q8rkujdIfRoxvqHUP/s320/tine+7.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What to do? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Get desperate as I was not able to swim as fast as I could?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Get nervous because people where constantly clashing into me?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Panic?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For a moment I was getting really anxious. But the very next moment I thought that anxiety would not have made me any faster, and even worse, it would have made me waste precious energy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What to do then?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Just go with the flow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Accept reality as it is and make the best of it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;">Enjoy the experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tension disappeared, and although the blows to my head and back did not stop, I started to swim much better and faster. I was moving again and actively looking for open spaces and for ways to surpass swimmers in front of me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The mindset switch from victim to attacker made all the difference.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I had now only to control my effort, in order not to swim so hard that I consumed all my energy even before starting the bike.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The meters started to seem shorter and time flew again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was in The Flow. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Chaos outside, but deep relaxation and focus within me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Magic!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">We reached the first buoy and turned to the left. Then another buoy after a few hundred meters. Left again, and we were heading back to the beach.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Now, I could see the sun, as it was rising from the beach. The reflection on the water was nice, but the glare did not allow me to see much ahead. So I just followed the moving feet in front of me. Wherever those feet went, I went. The pace was fine for me, so I did not look for another pair of feet to follow for a while.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My guiding feet and I reached the final part of the swim which was a narrow channel (the final 700 meters) connected with the lake. Fans were on both sides of the channel, and I could see them briefly every time I turned my head to breathe. More than seeing them, I could hear them: whistles, claps, screams, everything…and all fused down to become music in my head.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;">Magic again!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Finally, I could see the last turn to the swim exit. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was about to finish the Ironman swim. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And I almost could not believe it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was eager to leave the water, as my arms were tired and my back was hurting a bit. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But I guess all my fellow competitors were thinking the same, as we all ended tangled up in the final turn. Everybody was trying to rush the final part, but the turn became a bottleneck. It looked like a big traffic jam with nobody moving.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I had to laugh at the idea of having the finish line of the swim just in front of me and not being able to reach it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Finally, there was some room for me to move again, and I was able to reach the ramp to get out of the water. One volunteer helped me to get on my feet, as I was a bit dizzy from having all the blood in my arms after such a long swim. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was out of the water.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As soon as I was on my feet, I took the swim cap and goggles off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And I was able to see clearly all the fans and volunteers around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And to hear the loud music, the noise from fans and the speaker’s voice cheering athletes up.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv_thFQGjE740kM2rxN_gOUTmQZCT2gkqHuEiQ60J4zZ7MRVUa676Sd72tUd1VCnvjWvR3eVn4mWNuPw970-SbRTYgRsyzeMusBhFe9HltTD4yN8kCn1pT1qwT9z2TmBqgTHCJoU1N4uQ/s1600/raw-IKBJ1273.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv_thFQGjE740kM2rxN_gOUTmQZCT2gkqHuEiQ60J4zZ7MRVUa676Sd72tUd1VCnvjWvR3eVn4mWNuPw970-SbRTYgRsyzeMusBhFe9HltTD4yN8kCn1pT1qwT9z2TmBqgTHCJoU1N4uQ/s320/raw-IKBJ1273.jpeg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One look at my watch: 1h06</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What? I was expecting at least 10 more minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Hard to believe, as I was not able to swim as I am usually capable of.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“Time is relative”, I think!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">No doubt, I am living the Magic!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">OK, I’ll stop here, before I get you too tired with this post.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Next time, I’ll make you jump on my bike with me to go for a really nice ride of 180 km.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In the meantime, keep believing in the Magic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Create it. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Live it. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Share it.</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-29697795977623933682011-07-09T23:22:00.000-07:002011-07-13T06:31:39.645-07:00Do you believe in Magic? (Part I)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>“Limits exist only in the souls of those who do not dream”</em> – Philippe Petit</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Many friends have asked me to write about my Ironman race of last Sunday. They want to know how hard it was, how I felt, and in general, how I could do such an extreme thing. They really do not understand how it is possible to swim 3,8k, bike 180k and then run 42K in a day (in my case in 10h33…to be precise!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Well, last Sunday for me was not about effort, but about doing a big celebration. The whole weekend was very surreal for me. After only 5 months of my comeback to sports training, I was really making one of my dreams come true. And the great thing is that I was sharing this special moment with friends and with my parents, who came all the way from Ecuador to live this with me. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Very cool!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">On Sunday, the 10 hours and 33 minutes flew by as if they were just a few seconds of normal time. After all, Einstein already demonstrated that time is relative, and for me his Relativity Theory becomes very evident whenever I am living such special moments: Large distances become extremely short and many hours become only a few seconds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Yes, I can say that Einstein was right!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Space and time are really relative!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Everything becomes effortless because there is a sense of being carried away by a greater force that the one I can generate by myself. In those special moments, everything becomes a source of endless energy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is pure Magic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is the Magic that is created when you follow your own Passions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Magic that comes when you immerse yourself fully in the Present.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Magic that you experience when you are with People you love to be with.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Of course, I am not saying that everything was easy last Sunday, or that everything went as planned. What I am really saying is that I was not struggling mentally or being anxious. In fact, I was enjoying every single moment of the whole experience. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This was the mental and emotional state that I experienced also during the whole 5 months before the race. In fact, I never had the sense of sacrifice behind my preparation that many people associate to Ironman training. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Seriously, the training was not hard!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nor was it painful!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I am a hedonist, not a masochist!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Sorry to delude some of you!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To me, everything was just a continuous, 5-months party.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">By the way, to the more technical people reading this, I only trained an average of 11 hours per week during 5 months to prepare the Ironman race. Never trained when I did not feel like it. And I never got sick or injured (but I do know how to make the most of the time I have available to train, which gives me a great advantage).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So you want to know how this Magical Sunday went by?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I’ll try to describe my impressions for you here, although I am sure I am not capable of fully communicating with words what I felt during the whole day. I guess you will have to use your imagination to compensate for my lack of writing ability ;)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Before the race – at the hotel</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Alarm goes off at 4.00 am. I woke up early to have a light breakfast, and to be able to digest it well before the start of the race at 7.00 am.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The great thing is that I woke up to find really nice encouragement messages on my cell phone from special friends of mine and family, so the day started very well. I was also feeling rested and relaxed even with the few hours of sleep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My parents were staying in my same apartment in Klagenfurt, so we went together from the hotel to the race area using the transfer bus. They were actually my “supporting staff”, carrying my bike pump, food, water, and wetsuit for me. It was great to see how excited they were with this whole craziness!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Before the race – at the race area</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Arriving at the race site, we immediately felt the excitement in the air. It was only 6:00 am, but the sun was already up, and the city was crowded with 3000 athletes and many more spectators and fans. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I went into the transition area to set up my bike with my water bottles, to pump the tires, and to check the transition bags. The whole area was full of participating athletes, but everything was very quiet. I guess most of us were already thinking about what we were about to do, and not many of us felt like chatting at that point.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I finished my bike preparation and left the area as soon as possible. There was too much tension in the air, which I wanted to avoid.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Then I just walked with my parents to reach the swim start area, following the crowd (a surprisingly quiet one) of athletes, and their supporting families and friends.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Just before going into the swim area, at 6:30 am, I put on the wetsuit and my dad zipped it up for me. A quick hug to both mom and dad (actually I had to reassure my mother that everything would have been fine, and that I would have not kill myself!!!) and off I went into the swim start area.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Finally, I was alone to focus on what was about to happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I crossed the check-in line into beach area and stood almost at the front of the group to be able to see the huge lake in front of me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sun was already way up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Temperature was cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Music was pumping loud.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Helicopter, kayaks, and cameras were all around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A mass of rooting fans were surrounding the beach</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">At the center stage, the ready-to-fight troop of 3000 neoprene-covered athletes, with fancy swimming goggles, were tightly formed and ready to jump into the beautiful lake laying in front of them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Surreal!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">All set for the Magic to happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Was I really part of that?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Was I there?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One quick look at my heart rate monitor: 95 beats per minute</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tense!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One deep breath.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One look into the hills over the lake in the horizon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A thought about how lucky I was to be able to be there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">80 beats per minute.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Relaxed again!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Yes, I was ready!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ready to create and Live the Magic!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">No effort, no tension!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Just raw energy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">OK, I’ll leave you here. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Right at the beach, ready to explode when the cannon is fired!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In the next post, I’ll try to take you through the whole race, as it happened within me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But before that...one question for you...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Do YOU believe in Magic?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;">If you (REALLY) want to live it, you have to believe in it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-68824577906519193202011-06-24T14:38:00.000-07:002011-06-24T14:53:53.534-07:00Don't Quit<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In one week I will be traveling to Klagenfurt, Austria to do my first Ironman triathlon. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is almost time to do the event that I have chosen to become the inspiring goal behind my <a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/01/superfit-project.html">Superfit Project</a>. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For the last 5 months, I have been training again with consistency (and having lots of fun in the process) while thinking about the challenge I will be facing next Sunday, July 3, 2011. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Swimming 3.8 km in the lake, then switching to cycling for 180 km, and then finalizing the day with a marathon run (42 km) is not an easy thing. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is going to be a long day of approximately 11 hours (hopefully less!) of uninterrupted racing, full of many difficult moments. If I do not manage myself well during the race, I could be facing muscle cramps, hunger, low energy, nausea, swollen knees and many other body problems. In those many hours, also many things outside my control can happen like heavy rain, flat tires, bike crashes, and so on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In short, I could be facing many crises during the day. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Actually, I know many of these crises will inevitably come. And I am sure that no training in the world could have prepared me to avoid them completely. Thus, I know I will just have to face them without panicking when they arrive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In fact, on the Ironman triathlon, it is fundamental to be able to overcome those difficult moments. You have to keep going until you reach the finish line. Keep pushing, even when the pain clogs your mind with fears and doubts. Keep moving forward, even when your body is screaming at you to stop. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">How can you do it?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What can you do when your legs do not move anymore?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What can you do when you think you have nothing left inside you?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You can slow down and smile (instead of frowning).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You can focus on the surrouding beauty (and not on the pain).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You can even take a short break to relax and breathe (instead of being anxious).</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But there is one thing you should never ever do:</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You must never surrender.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Not for a second.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You just DON’T QUIT! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;">Never.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For it is usually in the most difficult moments when you discover how strong you really are </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">in Ironman triathlon racing. And in everything else.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The following is a poem (anonymous author) that was sent to me by a very special friend of mine a few months ago. I received it almost when I started my preparation for the Ironman, and I have kept it with me all this time. I guess now is a good time to share it with all of you. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Don't Quit</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
<br />
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,<br />
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,<br />
When funds are low and the debts are high,<br />
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,<br />
When care is pressing you down a bit,<br />
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.<br />
<br />
Life is queer with its twists and turns,<br />
As every one of us sometimes learns,<br />
And many a failure turns about,<br />
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out.<br />
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -<br />
You may succeed with another blow.<br />
<br />
Often the goal is nearer than<br />
It seems to a faint and faltering man;<br />
Often the struggler has given up<br />
When he might have captured the victor's cup,<br />
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,<br />
How close he was to the golden crown.<br />
<br />
Success is failure turned inside out -<br />
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,<br />
And you never can tell how close you are -<br />
It may be near when it seems afar;<br />
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -<br />
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-61618231999077166542011-06-17T13:44:00.000-07:002011-06-17T13:58:02.182-07:00The Switch (final part)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 9pt 0cm 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><a href="about:blank" name="9023393451343197271"></a><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It’s time to close the series of posts about how to make <a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/switch-part-1.html"><span style="color: #2288bb; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Switch</span></a> happen. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This time, I will not focus on the right foods, but on the right quantities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As you might know already, even when you eat the best food possible, if you eat too much of it, you will store the extra calories as body fat. No way to go around that. Period.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Fat is the ultimate and most efficient way for your body to store energy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you keep eating in all your meals more calories than what you need, you will end up storing more and more energy. And your belly and hips will end up becoming larger and larger!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So - you might say - if I stored fat by eating too much, I can get rid of it by starving myself, right?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Wrong!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Your body does not work exactly like that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Bad news…I know, I know!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">However, that is what many people do: eat like maniacs and drink gallons of alcohol one day, and then eat almost nothing the next couple of days “to balance” things out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">While the effect is that they feel lighter after eating very little for a couple of days, in reality, what has happened is that their bodies have gone through a very negative cycle of:</span></div><ol style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Feeling bloated and enlarging the stomach <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(from eating large amounts of food)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Storing extra fat (because too many calories were ingested)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Having low energy levels (during the following day/s when eating very little)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tearing down muscle tissue (the body needs the protein to sustain vital organs and life processes – if you do not eat, the body gets its needed protein from its natural storages which are the muscles)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slowing down the metabolism (no energy is getting in, so the body slows down to consume less energy – it consumes less fat, too)</span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In other words, if you pig out one day and starve the next day, you end up with a larger and upset stomach, with lower energy levels, less muscle and a slowed down metabolism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might have lost a kilo or even two, but that lost weight is manly water and muscle, not fat. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, what to do to avoid this negative cycle?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Just avoid overeating!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And do it with every meal you have.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Very simple, huh?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">OK, I know it is not easy. Not at all.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Honestly, for me this is the most difficult thing to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I tend to overeat a lot when partying or when dinning out. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I just can’t resist good food <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(and sincerely, I just do not want to!). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Since I guess you might have the same “problem” I have, let me give you now some quick tips on how to avoid overeating when going out to parties or dinners:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Eat before you go</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Eat a small snack before going to the event. The whole point is to avoid arriving there starving, so you do not end up eating the whole buffet by yourself as soon as you arrive. Ideally, you should eat some sort of protein in your snack, as it will satisfy your appetite much better. As an example, you can try eating some nuts (not salted or fried, but natural) and a small piece of fruit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Drink water</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you drink a couple of glasses of water before your party, not only you will be better hydrated, but also your stomach will be already filled a little bit with no calories at all (more on the importance of drinking water in later posts!). With water in your stomach, you will have less desire to pig out once in front of the food.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Take it easy with the alcohol</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Alcohol is full of calories. You know it. I know it. We all know it! So try to avoid drinking too much. A couple of glasses of good wine or beer are perfect with nice food, but more than that starts to become too much if you are trying to lose fat. If you are drinking alcohol, at least eat less. On the other hand, if you feel like partying and losing your senses with alcohol one night, invite me!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow down and be aware</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I think this applies for almost anything in life. Slow down and savor every single moment. Enjoy every single piece you eat. Be aware of how food awakes your senses. You’ll end up eating much less, but being much more satisfied. After all, Life is mainly a qualitative, not a quantitative experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ok, let’s be honest here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you are like me, you will not do this perfectly. Far from it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You will overeat and drink too much many times.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But now you know what the consequences of your actions are.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You are also better equipped to reduce their negative effects.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, don’t sabotage your Perfect Fat Burning Machine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Follow your appetite and do not overeat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Remember that constantly starving yourself does more harm than good. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Just eat a little lighter the days after you have eaten too much, but do eat. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And eat properly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Relax and enjoy your dinners and parties.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">No need to be extremely strict. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is enough if you follow good habits 80% of the time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(and make sure the other 20% really counts!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It's all about quality, not quantity!!!</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-90233934513431972712011-05-31T08:36:00.000-07:002011-05-31T15:51:00.374-07:00The Switch (Part 2)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It’s been a while since the last post about how to make <a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/switch-part-1.html">The Switch</a> happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I’ve been a bit busy(ier) with work, normal life, and mainly from my long distance triathlon training and racing. The Ironman race is going to be happening almost a month from now, so I had started to become serious (kind of!) with my preparation, and I have not had much time to write more blog posts. Sorry!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To make up the lost time, let me go directly to one more powerful tip that will help you take full advantage of your Perfect Fat Burning Machine:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Increase your protein consumption</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">With our current diet habits, we tend to eat too much carbs and too little protein. This is a mistake, because the right amount of protein in your diet brings you many benefits to your health, your fitness and your looks, too. I will actually write a full blog post in the near future about the Power of Protein to go into more details, but for now, let me focus on how protein can help you burn fat. Lots of it!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you eat a good amount of protein in all your meals, breakfast included, you have three positive effects for fat burning: </span></div><ol style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Your hunger is satisfied for much longer (so you do not eat too much during the day)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Your metabolism becomes faster (so you end up burning more calories and body fat)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You build -or maintain- muscles more easily (and the more muscle you have in your body, the more calories and fat you burn daily, even while sleeping!)</span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Three synergistic effects for the price of one! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Great deal, huh?!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So, how can you make it happen?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Start by checking if you are consuming at least 1 gram of protein for each kilogram of bodyweight you have a day. For example, for a guy weighting 80 Kilos, he should consume at least 80 grams of protein during the day. These grams should be spread out in each meal, at about 25-35 grams per meal (about one chicken breast portion or steak portion)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In my case, as I am training and racing (this damages the muscles and they need to be repaired using extra protein from the diet), I consume much more protein than that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To make it practical, use your main meals to consume large amounts of protein:</span></div><ol style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="a"><li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Breakfast: this meal is critical to boost your metabolism and set your day. Don’t waste it with donuts, cookies or sugary cereals that have very little nutrients in them and lots of calories. Use instead plain yogurt (a large portion) with no sugar added and fruits or natural cereals. You could also use ricotta cheese, or if you enjoy it, also eggs, ham or even salmon (I don’t like salmon at all for breakfast, but in some countries is very common). The point is to find what you like (yogurt for me!), but consume large amounts of protein for breakfast. You will notice a positive difference in your energy and hunger levels during the whole morning.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Lunch and Dinner: make a large portion of either chicken, turkey, fish, beef or tuna (whatever…just make it large and vary it every day) and add lots of vegetables dressed with extra-virgin olive oil. Make a large portion of both protein and vegetables. Don’t be afraid about the calories! If you do not add bread, rice, pasta or desserts, you will not gain weight by eating this. You will instead “train your body” to burn fat as fuel, and the best thing is that you will not be hungry for many hours.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As I do not like to measure everything (it is boring and unpractical!), I check if the amount of protein I am consuming everyday is appropriate with two things:</span></div><ol style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="a"><li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Are my nails growing fast and strong? Is my beard and hair growing fast? This is in an indication that there is enough protein in the diet to help build and repair body tissue (muscles, hair, nails, etc)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Am I getting sick frequently? Catching colds or the flu? Allergies? This might indicate that I am lacking protein in my diet, as a strong immune system is greatly supported by enough protein in the diet. By the way, I do not remember when was the last time I had a cold (knocking on wood now!!)</span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If I think that the level is too low, I usually adjust it by adding extra protein using Protein Powders to supplement my normal diet. The chocolate flavor, whey protein shakes are my favorites!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Go ahead! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Increase your protein consumption drastically from today!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Try it! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You will immediately notice that you are less hungry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Your body temperature will rise slightly (this is your metabolism speeding up!) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And you will start to see muscles in your body that you didn’t know they even existed!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Additional protein is the secret weapon to make The Switch really happen even with people that usually have problems losing fat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As always, test it by yourself!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And then let me know if you are happy with the results </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(I know you will be!)</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-76373422701524675682011-05-09T11:52:00.000-07:002011-06-01T02:00:22.245-07:00Superfit projects are for all! (so what's yours?)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got the following email from an old friend of mine, whom I have not seen since elementary school. He wanted to share his success story applying the Superfit Project principles, and he has allowed me to share it with all of you.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #444444;">Hope you get a few tips from his experience, and especially get some inspiration to really start working on </span><a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/01/superfit-project.html"><span style="color: #444444;">YOUR SUPERFIT PROJECT!</span></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">As you will see, it does not matter what physical condition you have right now, or the time you have available to train. What really matters, as Cesar has demonstrated, is to take the decision to make it happen. And then do it!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">Thanks to you Cesar for sharing your story and my sincere compliments on your current amazing results. With your new lifestyle, I am sure you will obtain even greater results and much more fun with your training, too! :)</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dear Jose,</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was thinking about what would be the best way to thank you for the positive changes that your posts in "thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com" have stimulated in my life, so I thought that the best way was to share my story with your readers.</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until the end of 2010 I used to carry a sedentary lifestyle. I used to do sports regularly only until I was about 18 years old, but after that a complete life change came: university, girls, parties, wedding, children, etc. Thus, I arrived at 35 years old with 112kg of bodyweight and I had become an occasional sports practitioner (terrible idea!). I used to play indoor soccer every 15 days or once a month, while the rest of the time I was full of pain in the knees, heals and back. All finished by mid 2010 when I suffered an injury in my ankle while I was playing. I had to spend $300 just to recover, and I decided that it was much cheaper to stay away from the play field.</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the end of 2010 I contacted you via Facebook, since we were classmates in elementary school, and the last time we talked was by the end of the 80's. Honestly, once I saw the lifestyle that you carry, I compared it with my own reality, and I decided that I had to start an immediate and radical change in my life.</span></em></span></div><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On December 28th of last year, I started my Gracie Jiu Jitsu classes and I have not stopeed since then. I now eat healthier food, too. As a result, I now feel much better, physically and emotionally.</span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started to follow your blog, and I was inspired and motivated to keep going with the life changes. I guess that others like me have been positively influenced, directly or indirectly, by your blog. This is the case with my wife and my sister. They both saw my enthusiasm and the visible changes (I have lost 12 kg already), so they got motivated as well to start practicing “dance-therapy” three times a week. And they have been doing it for the last three months.<br />
<br />
Finally, let me share some conclusions I have reached, which I hope could be useful to others:<br />
1. You do not have to be an athlete in top physical condition to practice any sport: just practice it at your own pace, with consistency, and the results will invariably arrive in a certain time.</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Choose a sport that you enjoy (not the one that your friend or neighbor tells you to do because it works for him). Your training should be fun. If it is boring to you, or if it represents only a sacrifice, then for sure you will not keep doing it in the long term.</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">3. Once you have taken the decision to change, fight your “old-self”. Especially at the beginning of your program, you will unconsciously look for excuses to skip training (work, traffic, family, tiredness, etc). Create yourself the </span><a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/02/building-new-habits.html"><span style="color: #444444;">new habit</span></a><span style="color: #444444;"> and once you have done it, everything will be much easier. To create the habit, force yourself to follow the same activity for at least 21 days. That should be enough to make you get used to your new routine.</span></span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">4. Do not follow strict diets. Just learn to eat well. (</span><a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/perfect-fat-burning-machine.html"><span style="color: #444444;">The Perfect Fat Burning Machine</span></a><span style="color: #444444;">; </span><a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/understanding-vicious-cycle.html"><span style="color: #444444;">Understanding the Vicious Cycle</span></a><span style="color: #444444;">)</span></span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Rest assured that your body can work perfectly fine eating much less food than what you are ingesting today (without sacrifices, simply by reducing a bit your portions)<br />
<br />
Pepe Viche, my friend, thank you again for your significant contribution to this life change. It could seem like an exaggeration, but changes like this could also save a life, or at least add healthier years to it. Only as an additional fact, last year I had my triglycerides level at 450, while the limit is only 150. Today, they are at normal levels again.</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the best</span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"></span><span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cesar</span></em></span></div><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nothing complicated. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">And actually fun!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">Great results can be obtained by anybody.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">By anybody who has the will to follow a path with consistency.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">One step after the other.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">So, what is Your Superfit Project?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">What would you love doing with consistency?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">Choose your activity!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">(or if you are like me, choose many!!!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">But choose!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">Start today.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">Take your first step.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana;">And then just keep moving.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Courier; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #444444;">You will be amazed to see how far you can </span><span style="color: #444444;">actually go.</span></span></span>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-37021152088942605652011-05-01T14:54:00.000-07:002011-05-02T08:27:25.358-07:00Clear Objectives<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I did my first long distance triathlon race in a long time. It was a half-Ironman distance which corresponds to 1,9k swimming + 90k cycling +21k running. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was a tough course with a three-loop bike course full of climbs and fast descents. A course not suited for my skills, but I still wanted to do it to regain some tri-racing experience and to test a few things before my full Ironman race.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In short, in terms of time performance, it was a disaster.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was really physically suffering the whole day!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Due to the suffering, during the race, I was starting to doubt my approach to the preparation of the Ironman race. Actually, I was starting to consider what some of my friends tell me: that I should prepare the race with a more specific and structured training plan, and that I should cut other activities like free-climbing that are hurting my triathlon performance.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As a matter of fact, specific and structured training is what I prepare for athletes looking for top racing performance. But this is not what I am doing for myself.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Is it ok for me not to follow what I do when coaching others?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It all depends on what is the final objective.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This is where having Clear Objectives, from the beginning of any SuperFit Project (or any Life Project!) become so important: T</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">o plan how to approach any situation and how to measure the success of anything you intend to do, you have first to consider what is Your guiding objective.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">And my guiding objective for this comeback to being active in sports, through the preparation of the Ironman, is this:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"To be able to complete the Ironman triathlon in Klagenfurt on July 3rd, 2011 with the best time possible, having always fun and without putting my health at risk"</em></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Thus, based on these Clear Objectives, what happened today in my training race was not a disaster at all:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was not fast, but I still finished the race</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I learned a lot from the experience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I really enjoyed the beauty of the lake and the view from the surrounding hills</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am not injured and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I had lots of fun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I drank lots of beer and ate great food, too! ;)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In other words, following My Clear Objectives, I will keep training and having fun as I am doing now. I will also keep drinking red wine and beer. And I will not eliminate my mountaineering or free-climbing activities even if they make me slower. I love them too much to sacrifice them just to improve my race time performance.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Having Clear Objectives is key to dissolve any doubts during decision making. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">After all, it does not matter what others think, but what You really think and want.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">By the way, here is a short video compilation of the last training I have done. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You will see that is not only triathlon, but for sure it is respecting my Clear Objectives: It has been extremely Fun!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">(I am using a helmet camera during the bike, so be ready for jumpy video again!)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z6KC5Me-yio?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6KC5Me-yio">Superfit Project: Training for Fun (link youtube)</a></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-5416001062410343202011-04-29T13:23:00.000-07:002011-05-01T13:26:10.025-07:00The Switch (Part 1)<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">L<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">et’s now (really) move to the practical side on how to make The Switch to awaken the Perfect Fat Burning Machine that is your body.</span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the previous post you know that it is key to:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Keep your blood sugar levels stable all day long to maintain your insulin level under control, </span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">so it does not interfere with the natural fat burning mechanisms in your body</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is an additional point which is also critical to burn stored fat: </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Create a caloric deficit: </strong>Ingest a little bit less calories than what you are burning, so you consume your stored fat reserves for energy.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But this point is really easy to do if you follow the principle of keeping the blood sugar levels stable. No need to count calories or become crazy about portions sizes. Just follow your appetite levels and never eat to the point that you feel “full”. Obviously, eating until you feel like you are about to explode is a complete “no-go” (although I confess I do it every once in a while!...what is life without pleasure, right?)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok, let’s get into business. Here are the practical tips for you to follow:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Avoid (or eliminate) sugar, sweets, desserts, white bread, white pasta, white rice </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All these create a sudden peak in the blood sugar levels if eaten alone. Thus, if you really have to eat them (i.e. during social events, traveling, etc) try to limit as much as possible the quantities consumed and combine them with: protein, fats, and/or fiber. All these three elements slow down the digestion and in so doing, they slow down also the entrance of sugar in the blood (reducing the risk of creating the sudden peak).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is better if you cut sugar completely out from your diet. But pasta, rice, bread and desserts are so ingrained in our diet habits, that it could represent a severe sacrifice to cut them out completely. And sacrifices do not take you to real success in the long term. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you really want to make a sustainable lifestyle change, then it has to be doing something that you enjoy. Or at least something that you learn to enjoy. No sacrifices!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thus, when eating pasta, rice or bread, try to eat the whole wheat version and make sure that you do not eat them alone. Instead, use fats to accompany them: extra virgin olive oil, sauces, or butter. Do not worry about the calories in fat, just reduce your pasta or rice portion, and cover it with oil/fat! In this way you will feel your hunger satisfied for much longer, and you will end up eating less total calories in the day (this is true if you really follow your appetite levels and avoid eating just for distraction or out of habit).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Besides fats, if you use fiber by adding vegetables and add also protein to your plate (chicken, beef, turkey, eggs, cheese, etc), you will obtain a further reduction in the speed with which sugar enters the bloodstream. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, you will avoid the start of the Vicious Insulin Cycle generated by the blood sugar peak.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, if you really want to go for a pasta or rice dish, make sure you are eating the whole wheat version. Although it has a different taste (it is an acquired taste), it provides much more nutrients and fiber.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore, to summarize this point, avoid or eliminate completely sugars and white bread, pasta and rice. But if you eat them, make it a small portion, use the whole wheat version and add fats, protein and vegetables for fiber and healthy nutrients.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No carbs at all for dinner </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This might sound extreme, but if you do it, you will exploit the full power of one of the best hormones in your body for natural fat burning: The Growth Hormone (GH).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a very potent hormone that is released when you go into deep sleep at night, and it is fundamental to repair your body cells, reduce inflammation, and avoid premature aging. It does all that while also burning lots of stored fat. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GH is such a powerful hormone that some professional athletes or bodybuilders tend to use the synthetic version as doping to lose fat and recover faster from strenuous training.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, you do not need to dope to get results (me neither, by the way!), so just make sure that you do not eat carbs at night, because when there is insulin in your blood, GH production is reduced drastically. No insulin equals lots of natural GH for you! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In practical terms, for dinner you can try to have a large portion of protein of your choice with lots of vegetables. You can also add some nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, etc) to add extra good fat, some protein, and lots of other minerals and nutrients.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to be really strict to get faster results avoid also alcohol at night. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I drink red wine because I like it, and because I do not care about losing fat now. However, if you want to get faster results, avoid alcohol until you reach your desired results.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have several small meals during the day </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is much better to eat 5 or 6 small meals during the day, than 2 or 3 large ones. If you avoid peaks in your blood sugar levels and have several small meals during the day, you will end up eating less calories in total during the day, and without feeling any sense of hunger or food deprivation (no sacrifices! remember?).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By reducing your meals sizes and keeping them constant throughout the day, your blood sugar levels are much more stable and your energy and concentration levels remain high. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Additionally, with smaller portions per meal, your stomach tends to reduce its size (after all, it is an elastic bag!) and you end up needing less and less food to feel satisfied after a meal.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In practical terms, have three meals where you eat protein and vegetables and add two or three snacks where you eat fruits and nuts. Plain yogurt is also a good option for a snack. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For breakfast, avoid sugary cereals, donuts, and any kind of refined carbs or sweets. Chose from plain yogurt (no added sugar), nuts, cheese, ham, eggs, or natural cereals like oatmeal or whole grain (no added sugar!!! Did I say that before?!). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok, before I bore you to death, let me finish the post here for now. But I will continue with the practical tips in future posts.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime, start putting these tips into practice from today. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It takes time to build lifetime habits, but once you get the hang of this, you will notice an incredible difference in energy levels. And in your waistline, too!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is easy! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trust me on this.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or better yet, don't trust me.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Try these changes yourself for at least a month.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You'll notice The Switch.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Parts 2 and 3 of this post, I will give you further tips on how to reduce your hunger and speed up your metabolism so you can make The Switch to becoming a Perfect Fat Burning Machine even faster!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stay tuned!</span></span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-84164499793462565562011-04-09T11:38:00.000-07:002011-04-09T12:18:26.730-07:00Understanding The Vicious Cycle<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My first flight was delayed one hour. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I lost the connection with the second flight as a result.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I just got four “free and unplanned hours” in the airport now. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What to do?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Write a new blog post, of course!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many of you have written to tell me that you are really curious about what to do to awaken the Perfect Fat Burning Machine you have in your body. Thus, this time, I will not go into all the theory before giving you the practical advice. I’ll do exactly the opposite. I’ll give you immediately the secret to melting body fat with no effort, so you can start melting it already from today.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the secret.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ready?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS STABLE ALL DAY LONG.</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s the secret.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No joke!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are able to do it, you will be naturally using a lot of your stored body fat as energy all day long. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And as result, you will reduce your clothes sizes pretty dramatically in a short period of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Start saving some money now, so you can buy the new wardrobe!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, if that is the only thing to do, you might be asking, why not everybody has a “lean machine”? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sounds simple and easy to do, right?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reality is that it is simple and easy, but we have many habits in our modern diets which takes us very far away from this principle. Actually, with our diet habits, most of us go through constant “roller coasters” in our blood sugar levels during the day. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you constantly hungry? Actually starving?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have very low energy levels, or even risk falling asleep over your job desk after lunch?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you always looking for something sweet to munch?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All these are examples of constant “peak and valleys” in your blood sugar levels. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you are in a peak, you feel energized and concentrated. But that high peak lasts very shortly. And almost immediately after you are feeling hungry and falling asleep (yes, that’s the valley! ).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What happens is that our brain needs sugar to work properly, but it needs it in a certain amount. Not too much, and not too little. So when there is too much sugar in your blood, your brain does not like it. So it “asks” the pancreas to produce a good amount of insulin to immediately carry and store that sugar in your muscle cells and into your liver, and in that way, the blood sugar levels are immediately reduced to a safe level.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem is that the pancreas tends to produce too much insulin, and so the blood sugar levels are reduced drastically. And you feel your energy levels in “reserve mode” almost immediately (the valley!). You almost start falling asleep and you desperately look for something sweet to calm your hunger.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This Vicious Cycle, not only keeps you in a energy roller coaster, it also tends to make you ingest a lot of extra calories because you are constantly starving. And extra calories mean also extra fat!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, the worst thing when this cycle is happening (when insulin is high in your body) is that your capacity to burn fat as energy is completely shut down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me say that again: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>WHEN YOUR BODY IS PRODUCING TOO MUCH INSULIN, YOU STOP BURNING FAT AS ENERGY.</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not only that, if your muscle cells and liver are already “full” with sugar (glycogen is the right name of sugar when it is stored in the body) the excess sugar is converted into fat. Thus, if you eat too much sugars or carbs you not only stop your natural fat burning mechanism, you are most likely also increasing your body fat storages, too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A complete mess, if you want to lose fat! </span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But this happens every day to most of the people I know.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this same people tend to think that losing fat easily is just for “athletes” or genetically gifted human beings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The truth is that the whole problem is in their diet habits, not in their genes or physical activity levels. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are living in a constant Vicious Cycle of excessive insulin production.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again, it is a Vicious Cycle that is “hidden” in our modern diet habits!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Sweets (or excessive carbs), </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Peak in blood sugar levels, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Excessive production of insulin, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Shut down of fat burning mechanisms,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Highly probable increase in fat storage,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Low blood sugar levels,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>…sweets again! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>…and so on!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep in mind that when this cycle is always present in peoples’ bodies, it creates also health problems.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first stage is “insulin resistance”, which means that your body is constantly producing an excessive amount of insulin because the normal quantities do not produce the desired effects anymore.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The second stage is Diabetes (type II). Your blood sugar regulation system goes havoc, breaks down completely, and you become diabetic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of the apparently “healthy” people are actually “insulin resistant” to a certain degree, and that is why it is sometimes very difficult to lose extra weight (but it is not impossible!!! Especially when the right things are done).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK. You are right!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That was theory and not practical advice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got carried away! Sorry!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the thing is that I needed to at least explain to you the Vicious Insulin Cycle, so you could better understand the logic of the future practical advice. And in this way you are better equipped to apply it on your own.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I promise that in the next blog post I will list several actions you can do to keep your blood sugar levels stable to avoid the Vicious Insulin Cycle. And therefore, to keep your Perfect Fat Burning Machine working at its maximum power all day long.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Quick preview of next blog: avoid sweets, desserts, sugar and excessive carbs. Replace them with fruits and vegetables. Eat lots of protein and good fats too!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next time I’ll give you a list of tools to help you switch from the Vicious Insulin Cycle to the Virtuous Fat Burning Cycle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get ready to do The Switch and to be amazed by the results!</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-45668711529271785922011-04-01T07:40:00.000-07:002011-04-01T09:50:49.256-07:00The Perfect Fat Burning Machine<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if there was a machine that could make you burn fat all day long?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if such a machine could make you fit into your old jeans again or develop “six-pack” abs in no time?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How much would you be willing to pay for it?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Really! Think about it.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How much?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if you could get it for free?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if the only condition to get it for free was to promise that you would make it work properly?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if the only thing you needed to do to make it work properly was to read and follow its instructions?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you do it?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seriously! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you be willing to do it?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if the instructions were only a few and very simple to follow?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What if those few instructions would require changes in your paradigms?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you follow these new paradigms?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you be Open to The Change?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you think you would at least test The Change for a short period of time?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, if you answered YES, you can have access to this Perfect Fat Burning Machine. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Actually, it has already been given to you a long time ago.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You were born with it!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">YOUR BODY is the Perfect Fat Burning Machine </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(in reality, it is also perfect for a million other things)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you were born, you were given The Perfect Machine.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It can burn fat all day long and make you lose extra pounds and build muscle at the same time.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was designed for that.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It only carries extra fat because it can be used as energy when food is not available. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But most of us are lucky enough to be surrounded by food all the time. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thus, for us (the lucky few), too much body fat is not only unnecessary, it is very unhealthy!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, if you want to lose the unnecessary extra weight to:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- go faster in races, or</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- to fit into your old jeans again, or </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- to be leaner for the next summer season, or</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- more importantly, to be healthier and reduce your heart risks...</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...Follow my next blog posts!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll be mainly focusing on nutrition from now on, as I think this is key in becoming Superfit. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even if you are not exercising, if you eat the right things and at the right time, you can become very lean and healthy.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll try to transfer in writing the simple principles I am following to lean down to become Superfit again. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These principles are applicable also to you, and to everybody else. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All our Perfect Machines are almost identical.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We only drive them in a slightly different manner!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So let’s now try to drive them differently.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make them more efficient, lighter, and faster.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And also better looking! ;)</span></span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-43418968543341388552011-03-15T09:07:00.000-07:002011-03-16T00:08:53.683-07:00Ancient Wisdom<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes things don’t go as expected.</span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes you cannot go as fast as you would like to.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes you feel low.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is all part of The Process.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Accept it!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Long and short. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast and slow.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Highs and lows.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are just your interpretations.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let go of them.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things are much clearer (and easier) that way.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their impact is much more beneficial.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it lasts for much longer.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Forever!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Lao-Tzu, the mystic philosopher of ancient </span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-US">China</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-US">, expressed this concept much better already 2,500 years ago:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>“Tao Te Ching” </strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="EN-US">(The Way of Virtue/ Power)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Chapter 2</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>When people see some things as beautiful,<br />
other things become ugly.<br />
When people see some things as good,<br />
other things become bad.<br />
<br />
Being and non-being create each other.<br />
Difficult and easy support each other.<br />
Long and short define each other.<br />
High and low depend on each other.<br />
Before and after follow each other.</em></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong>Therefore the Master<br />
acts without doing anything<br />
and teaches without saying anything.<br />
Things arise and he lets them come;<br />
things disappear and he lets them go.<br />
He has but doesn't possess,<br />
acts but doesn't expect.<br />
When his work is done, he forgets it.</strong></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>That is why it lasts forever.</strong></span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hope you apply this Ancient Wisdom to your training.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And to everything else.</span><strong></strong></div></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-56537036540623612632011-03-07T14:21:00.000-08:002011-03-07T21:55:55.782-08:00A little insight into my world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Yeap! It’s been a little bit more than a month since I started training again. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">As they say: "Time Flyes!". </span></span></div><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">It really does.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Especially when you are having fun.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I was planning to post a bit about how my training is going.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">But I did not want to bore you to death with all the details.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I am sure you do not want to know exactly how many kilometers I have run (many!) or how many laps (thousands!) I have swum. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">That means nothing without putting it into the context of each individual's life.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">So, instead of giving you useless numbers, I'll tell you that my training is starting to produce results.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">My body is waking up. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">It is moving again.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">And the feeling is just great.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Since I don't think I can express with words how good I am feeling</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">(more than physically, mentally and emotionally), I thought I could </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">share a few images in a short video </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I created.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">These are a few highlights of some recent fun...</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I mean, training!</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">The music comes from the soundtrack of the movie "127 hours".</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Turn the volume up!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">It has to be loud!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">(that is how I hear it in my head in those moments)</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">One thing: the video is jumpy (to say the least), as I did the filming myself during the training.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Please, don't puke!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6qEmqOuTaI">A little insight into my world</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> (youtube link)</span></div><span lang="EN-GB"></span> <br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-59416210322702685052011-03-02T11:20:00.000-08:002011-03-02T11:53:32.123-08:00Only 15 minutes!...or the missing Intensity Factor (part 3)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">OK, time to be concrete and cover the actual workouts you can do if you have only 15 minutes a day. Check the first two articles (<a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/02/only-15-minutesor-missing-intensity.html">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/02/only-15-minutesor-missing-intensity_15.html">Part 2</a>) if you want to know why such a short amount of time can be enough. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">To recap them:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Stimulate your body through training.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Make it work hard to adapt to the stress.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">If you train for short periods of time, train intensely!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Feel your muscles burning and hear your heart pumping!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Then relax and do your normal life during the day </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">(while your body recovers and grows stronger).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Train frequently, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Enjoy every single step of the journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Nice and Easy!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">So, let’s move now on to the practical part.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">How many different workouts can you do to make this happen?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The answer is: Millions! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">You can perform as many different workouts as you want, if you follow these principles:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- Use complex movements that utilize/train several muscles at the same time (EPOC is greater this way)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- Train your whole body if possible (upper and lower body, push and pull muscles) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- Keep moving until you are really gasping for air <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- Resist the temptation to rest for too long in between exercises or repetitions (come on! it only lasts for a few minutes and remember: you won’t die!) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">So, while I encourage you to be very creative and make your own workouts, let me just give you a few examples of what you could do. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">*******</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Workout 1</b> (bodyweight only, at home or when travelling)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">5 minutes warm-up<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 2 minutes easy jog in place<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 1 minute jogging with high knees <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 1 minute jogging with heels touching butt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 1 minute <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BABOdJ-2Z6o">jumping jacks</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">(after this warm-up you should be already breathing uncomfortably)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">7 minutes workout<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 10 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGAW-Jk8I2k">squats</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 5 push-ups (women can do this supported on their knees instead of on their feet)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 3 pull-ups (if you have a pull-up bar at home/ hotel) or 10 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI8u58hPam4">mountain climbers</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Repeat this cycle until you complete the 7 minutes (stop whenever the 7 minutes are over and keep track of how many cycles you were able to do in that time – next time you should aim for more!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Take short breaks if you need them, but always keep the sensation of gasping for air and burning muscles. In other words, REST! BUT NOT TOO MUCH!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">3 minutes cool-down<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 3 minutes of easy jog in place to gradually catch your breath<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">If you have extra time, do some light stretching after you have finished to relax the muscles and to breathe more deeply (5 extra minutes maximum). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">*******</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
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</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Workout 2</b> (run outside)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">5 minutes warm-up<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 2 minutes easy jog<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 1 minute jogging with high knees <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 1 minute jogging with heel touching butt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 1 minute running faster</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">(after this warm-up you should be already breathing uncomfortably)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">7 minutes workout<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 20 seconds run (fast! come on!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 10 seconds walk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Repeat this cycle 6 times (until you complete 3 minutes)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Walk slowly for 1 minute to recover a bit<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Repeat the cycle 6 more times (until you complete other 3 minutes...hang in there! almost over!)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">3 minutes cool-down<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">- 3 minutes of walking <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">If you have extra time, do some light stretching after you have finished to relax the muscles and to breathe more deeply (5 extra minutes maximum). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">This particular kind of workout can be used with any kind of aerobic or endurance sport. I use variations of this one also in swimming and cycling for my Ironman training. You can try this also in the elliptical machine, rower machine or stationary bike in the gym. Just remember to do short busts of intense and fast exercise for 20 seconds, and then add 10 seconds of recovery. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">*******</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">As said before, you can create many different workouts. If you like to use weights, you can make circuit training workouts to train the whole body and cardiovascular system in minutes. Other options are to work at home using many different variations of callisthenics or gymnastics moves. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Also, try to alternate workouts, so you work your muscles in a slightly different way everytime. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">If you are interested in knowing more routines, just drop me a line and I will send you a few links with other examples.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Some final notes.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Since I do not want you to be walking like a robot after the first workouts, let me just give you a general advice on how to start with this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Your body will need some time to learn the moves and to adapt to the stress. So approach this gradually. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">If you have not been active until now (no, chatting on Facebook does not count as exercise!), take at least one month to do only 3-5 minutes of the actual workout (instead of 7). Do it only 3 times a week, and more importantly, do not push too hard (yet!).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Test your body!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Take it for the ride, but listen to it!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">For this first month, when in doubt, do less, never more!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Some pain in the muscles is good. Means you have stimulated your body. But too much pain means you overdid it, and you will need extra time to recover. So listen to what your body is telling you, and if you need an extra day for recovery, take it! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Hint: if you are not able to get up from your bed the day after you have done the workout, you might have done a bit too much!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">So rest and recover when needed. And don't over do it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">However, the best recovery is not necessarily to lie on the couch to watch the TV. It is much better if you stimulate the blood flow in your body (and your mind!) with a nice, brisk walk outside. The relaxing and energizing movement of a walk will help you recover much faster. And it is a great way to clear your mind of any stress you might have cumulated during the day. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Try it! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Go out and try it!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">(I know you'll be happier afterwards!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Since I am not coaching you directly, and I am not able to explain every little detail here, let me know if you have doubts or questions. Just drop me a line here and I will try to clarify things for you. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Attention to details in training, as in life, is key to obtaining the best results.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">OK, that's it!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">You finally have the theory and examples on how to put it into practice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Zero excuses now!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">So go out and do it! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Move!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Don’t think it through too much.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Only 15 minutes! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Come on! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Move!</span><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">I can assure you that the first step is going to be hard. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">But I am certain you can do it!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Once you break the initial inertia, you will be on your way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">And then, only the sky is the limit!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><br />
</div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-54148857217864742322011-02-17T12:00:00.000-08:002011-02-17T12:43:21.387-08:00i WILL do this<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3,8 km Swim + 180 km Bike + 42,2 km Run</span><br />
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</div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bh1yMnrby3w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A 4000 meters early-morning swim waits for me tomorrow. Before I go to the office.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I need the extra motivation (and some caffeine) to make it really happen! ;)</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-77328652032875433042011-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:002011-02-16T01:58:39.796-08:00Only 15 minutes!...or the missing Intensity Factor (part 2)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Now you know that you need to “stress” your body, and then let it heal and rebuild to make it stronger. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">On <a href="http://thesuperfitproject.blogspot.com/2011/02/only-15-minutesor-missing-intensity.html">Part 1</a> we covered that concept. But you might be thinking: “How can 15 minutes be enough? Can I really just train for such a short period of time?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">The quick answer is YES! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Absolutely!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I am sure many of you have attended fitness courses or gyms where they train you for at least 45 minutes up to 1 hour. They have probably told you that less time than that is useless.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Well, it is not true.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Most probably, they train people that way because it is a convenient way to organize courses or gym hours. The focus is on how to use the gym space in the best way, not really on how to provide effective training to clients. In some other cases, unfortunately, it is because they do not know any better and “that is the way everybody does it”. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">But I am sure you do not want to follow the masses blindly. You want to get results without wasting time. So let’s see why only 15 minutes can work for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Fitness improvement is not related only to training time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">What really matters is the total amount of “stress” (stimulus) you apply to your body. Not the total amount of time you spend in your workout. Actually, the duration (training time) is just one of three variables that you can play with in order to stimulate (stress) your body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Let’s go into a bit more detail. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">The three variables or factors you can use to design your training program are:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"><u>Duration Factor</u>: the total amount of training dedicated per workout (i.e. 45 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, etc)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"><u>Frequency Factor</u>: the number of times a workout or set of workouts is repeated within a cycle (i.e. once a day, twice a week, twice a day, etc)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"><u>Intensity Factor</u>: how hard you go (i.e easy, moderate, uncomfortable, difficult, all-out effort)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">If you combine these three factors you get the total volume of stress or stimulus that you apply on your body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Yes! It is time for another formula!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Volume of Stress</strong> (training stimulus) <strong>= Duration x Frequency x Intensity</strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Notice that I am not adding these. These variables are multipliers. In other words, once you increase only one of these factors, the resulting volume of stress gets increased much more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Was that too much math? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Sorry!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Let me try again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">By mixing these three factors properly, you can generate the needed stress for your body. If you increase one of them greatly, while keeping the other two low, you get a sufficient training stimulus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">See where I am getting at? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">If you have no time to train (duration), just increase the intensity (how hard you go) and you will still obtain a solid stimulus to improve your fitness levels. Actually, you can also increase the frequency, as it is much easier to insert a little bit of training in your agenda everyday (or almost everyday) than to find large amounts of free time three days a week.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">But there is more good news.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Recent studies <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training">(high-intensity training)</a> have demonstrated that training with great intensity for short periods of time produce the fastest results in terms of fat burning and cardiovascular conditioning. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">So train hard! Focus!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Make every second count! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">And you will get results.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">You'll get very noticeable results. Rapidly!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">You will see your fat melting incredibly fast (start saving some money to renew your clothes...you'll need much smaller sizes). Not only that. Your whole cardiovascular system will also become fitter. You will be able to play sports, hike in the outdoors, and dance for much longer. Live more!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Cool, huh?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Training with intensity is so powerful because the effects of the training last much longer than your actual workout time. It happens because the oxygen deficit you create in your body during the workout needs to be compensated after you have finished training. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">You know the feeling. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Hard breathing and accelerated heartbeats when you use the stairs instead of the elevator. Even after you have stopped. Even after a long time (specially if you are not in decent shape!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">This is your body working (hard) to compensate and adapt. As a result, your body keeps burning fat while you are working, driving, cooking, watching TV, or surfing the net.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">And yes, you end up burning more calories even when you are sleeping!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">A miracle!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">These incredible results are due to what is technically called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excess_post-exercise_oxygen_consumption">EPOC</a> or “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption” which is a great way to improve your metabolism, burn fat, and make you fitter (more on this in future posts). And high intensity training has been proven to increase EPOC much more than normal, easy-going aerobic conditioning. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">So change your paradigm. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">You do not need one hour or more of easy training to become Superfit!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Use this new concept to your advantage.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Train for 15 minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">(no more excuses to be sedentary!) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">But make each second really count. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Go for it! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">Gasp for air!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Test your limits!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I think you’ll learn to love the feeling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">And I am sure you’ll love the results!</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-67963271924959829842011-02-12T02:04:00.000-08:002011-02-13T00:25:05.592-08:00Whenever Possible...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...train hard. Train damn hard!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaRwr2nIMZWtWZDdkvlh6gwNOi89f2m4SgxaRO5stTTZLETx0uF0inCSert8tB9BqnI0OvzpB2L6IpOnVyYXI8jUYMgmWIH6HflVboyEGMzfn9gvh1lOfXTYloZCLNjJV2e69inBaYN3X/s1600/La+Seine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaRwr2nIMZWtWZDdkvlh6gwNOi89f2m4SgxaRO5stTTZLETx0uF0inCSert8tB9BqnI0OvzpB2L6IpOnVyYXI8jUYMgmWIH6HflVboyEGMzfn9gvh1lOfXTYloZCLNjJV2e69inBaYN3X/s200/La+Seine.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Running along La Seine</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But look for the beauty.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go out and look for it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Notice it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Explore new places.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Listen to new sounds.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(and also to your hard breathing!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get immersed in the feeling.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Ipods strictly forbidden!)</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiv4WiPNbglXHtK6rY-tXSPwUVG8eTKwOMl4TyyLMTkJ7HJYHrj6bEZJoc8Ornmff1UC5GbT1bSLgWhKt0jdhiFU_Nd4AlHryTSfT0FTwSBxpvOc9S2Z5dEIg1_9tvsVGEUHLg3u-ZDNG6/s1600/IMG00803-20110206-1547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiv4WiPNbglXHtK6rY-tXSPwUVG8eTKwOMl4TyyLMTkJ7HJYHrj6bEZJoc8Ornmff1UC5GbT1bSLgWhKt0jdhiFU_Nd4AlHryTSfT0FTwSBxpvOc9S2Z5dEIg1_9tvsVGEUHLg3u-ZDNG6/s200/IMG00803-20110206-1547.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Jardin des Tuileries - Louvre Museum</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioigZ2pgDqIJayQTaGCUaGcw0IV4g-hGUCFH4tnzhx0SgWtjvrTyv6eXmx60zmkY7NnWCXC7sNEmrRJMlOYhASmG1eaiAGJnvrYZBdxBUm_GBNH84UIeKxhqC2kQ7fSCxwfeRWhHsW5ds1/s1600/Looking+at+the+target.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioigZ2pgDqIJayQTaGCUaGcw0IV4g-hGUCFH4tnzhx0SgWtjvrTyv6eXmx60zmkY7NnWCXC7sNEmrRJMlOYhASmG1eaiAGJnvrYZBdxBUm_GBNH84UIeKxhqC2kQ7fSCxwfeRWhHsW5ds1/s200/Looking+at+the+target.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">La Tour Eiffel</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Choose a challenge.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But make it fun.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be creative.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do it differently.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't just follow the masses.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFBKb2B5JZaDFDzuvRlzIGSkGSuwA8J_Kolc-i9XxYUWnEsfrpojLAc-VHhA2kfXPB6SFiHiV98LLNjD-M2-0g_XLOB17bDSL9sLh4ZZc4WVjhu5_fxHwR1pTN87M4I1n0r5W8p1xNzQ8/s1600/Escaliers+Tour+Eiffel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFBKb2B5JZaDFDzuvRlzIGSkGSuwA8J_Kolc-i9XxYUWnEsfrpojLAc-VHhA2kfXPB6SFiHiV98LLNjD-M2-0g_XLOB17bDSL9sLh4ZZc4WVjhu5_fxHwR1pTN87M4I1n0r5W8p1xNzQ8/s200/Escaliers+Tour+Eiffel.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Escaliers Tour Eiffel</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Create your own path.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(you will avoid waiting lines, too)</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMN-H0oR3CCGWmLMjBtal9ee1pZ7k8Y3-N6LjaqLCiRThPCZSe9iLwNHxrQ0-GifjfbolXw1Yg1rKNjuDl1OWuBdGsk4p8YsjNYLKiOjeP-LGbsQwoyxEbZuBj_DFavbPEMQV5BlzsAuk/s1600/Running+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMN-H0oR3CCGWmLMjBtal9ee1pZ7k8Y3-N6LjaqLCiRThPCZSe9iLwNHxrQ0-GifjfbolXw1Yg1rKNjuDl1OWuBdGsk4p8YsjNYLKiOjeP-LGbsQwoyxEbZuBj_DFavbPEMQV5BlzsAuk/s200/Running+up.jpg" width="150" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Running up the stairs of Eiffel Tower</span></td></tr>
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</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You might find inspiration along the way.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So pay attention. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6OEXNUq4DCXwpspTavKnvP7Jq8_Q_gdppYLU6YfXcmn_AN4dNCMPZBPL47IP-gn2IDWxYfmr1zz_kN6OzAp5Z7ZmnRhryVE2fkRcQVoEXDSaiM3SLnEiAknYQORM9gf9832kNm6q1C1d/s1600/Inspiration+from+Petit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6OEXNUq4DCXwpspTavKnvP7Jq8_Q_gdppYLU6YfXcmn_AN4dNCMPZBPL47IP-gn2IDWxYfmr1zz_kN6OzAp5Z7ZmnRhryVE2fkRcQVoEXDSaiM3SLnEiAknYQORM9gf9832kNm6q1C1d/s200/Inspiration+from+Petit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Petit"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">One of many amazing feats of Petit</span></a></td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be aware.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy the moment.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(and catch your breath!)</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg3iwdcp7BI2knGzpiupPQnaGHNLkYL-oIIcz7LFE2w8epoPeYFZyp8bbNoTihHd_n8wvR8_9phAypueHpKYWJTsFSaB-vv-5qu2d4yQEyVNPI6bX_Aa-vfPJx33WfvRX-G5Xvx9Cw5vf/s1600/Enjoying+the+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg3iwdcp7BI2knGzpiupPQnaGHNLkYL-oIIcz7LFE2w8epoPeYFZyp8bbNoTihHd_n8wvR8_9phAypueHpKYWJTsFSaB-vv-5qu2d4yQEyVNPI6bX_Aa-vfPJx33WfvRX-G5Xvx9Cw5vf/s200/Enjoying+the+view.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">2nd platform - Eiffel Tower </span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Absorve the view.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUG58BhLSk2F-6o2v1xfCFDHlifIVMRkhjvlldlNDagSqcNWN3PeGcvSr0z6d0V-OEZpuJ16yrsN8aMxoNalsxhEKRdSmNlJaUPpTXQRc00OXN9mS4i-T1D7S4AdwEmjZQVb8AZY5M4LDu/s1600/Paris+from+the+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUG58BhLSk2F-6o2v1xfCFDHlifIVMRkhjvlldlNDagSqcNWN3PeGcvSr0z6d0V-OEZpuJ16yrsN8aMxoNalsxhEKRdSmNlJaUPpTXQRc00OXN9mS4i-T1D7S4AdwEmjZQVb8AZY5M4LDu/s200/Paris+from+the+top.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">View of Paris from Eiffel Tower</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Breath.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep breathing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And store the energy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(you'll need it to run back home!)</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beauty recharges you in many ways.</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is free.</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it can be anywhere.</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You do not have to be in Paris to find it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whenever Possible...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look for the beauty.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Notice it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Create it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Choose it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfyH5bKT-NSobTXCie5viimwknGzQhyTt3dMAF1eT10c4H1iKae2WorLQ0FX20Z-4kCKePDuG_ywByEeRhCtD7YgZQccRpCVCOMmx9Gq8AF3ZKrHqQFF5w-QYrmwd3UMfzjT0R7PSZ4LA/s1600/Beauty+lies+in+the+eye+of+the+beholder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfyH5bKT-NSobTXCie5viimwknGzQhyTt3dMAF1eT10c4H1iKae2WorLQ0FX20Z-4kCKePDuG_ywByEeRhCtD7YgZQccRpCVCOMmx9Gq8AF3ZKrHqQFF5w-QYrmwd3UMfzjT0R7PSZ4LA/s200/Beauty+lies+in+the+eye+of+the+beholder.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">"Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder" O. Wilde</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div></div></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-19538394778232772011-02-10T06:41:00.000-08:002011-02-16T09:10:29.981-08:00Only 15 minutes!...or the missing Intensity Factor (part 1)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">So you would like to be in shape but you do not have time to train?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Good news and bad news for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Good news first.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">You only need 15 minutes a day to be in good shape. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">And if you say you do not have 15 minutes for yourself, please (!) go look for help. Now. You might not need a Superfit Project, but a Life-Changing Project. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyways, m</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">ost probably you are not in such a critical condition, and you just need to find the 15 minutes by cutting time spent on the internet or watching TV. But I leave the time management to you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Now the bad news.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">It is hard training. More than you can imagine now. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Trust me when I say that these 15 minutes – if done right - will seem very long and almost too hard. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">But, after all, it is only 15 minutes. So I am sure you can handle them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">You’ll think you’ll die, but you won’t. Promised!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">(caution note: if you have a heart condition, please don’t go full intensity in your training, as I might not be able to keep my previous promise! Seriously speaking, always consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Let me now try to explain why this works.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">As many of you probably already know, to improve your fitness levels, you need to stress your body a bit and then let it rest and recover. Only after rest and full recovery take place, the body can become fitter and stronger. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The body actually adapts to the stress by becoming stronger, so it can handle it much better the next time. As a result, you end up running faster, jumping higher, and lifting heavier weights. Or as the Olympic motto says: "Citius, Altius, Fortius".</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Got the idea? Cool machine we have, eh?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">I love the simplicity of formulas to summarize things, so this is the first one for you:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Improved fitness levels = Stress</strong> (from training)<strong> + Recovery</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Keep it in mind. I will return to this many times in future posts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">In part 2 of this post I will write about a few more principles on training with intensity (bear with me), and then on part 3 (finally) I will give you some concrete examples on how to put the workouts together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana;">Stay tuned!</span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348218386101288401.post-73378935394410480472011-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:002011-02-03T12:05:17.074-08:00Building New Habits<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All right, first week and a half of training has passed by fast. Really fast. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the motivation is high. Really high.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been swimming, cycling, and running in a somehow structured manner. I have managed also to dedicate some time to two other sports that I am still learning, but that are quickly becoming new big passions of mine: cross-country skiing and free climbing. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But juggling with all these activities has been difficult. Time management has not been easy at all. I have been working very long hours in the past two weeks to deliver projects with very short timelines. Late dinners and small parties with friends have reduced my sleeping time, too. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I guess I must openly confess that I have not been able to train as much or as hard as I had planned to do. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the training related activities: waking up earlier, preparing equipment, putting clean clothes in the gym bag, taking very sweaty clothes out of the same bag (as soon as possible!), preparing better food, getting the right playlists in my Ipod (very important!), and many others have only added more chaos to an already hectic work-life schedule.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Honestly, it has been a big hassle!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wait a minute! Am I complaining? Looking for excuses? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Truth is that my life-work-training schedule is not going to change anytime soon. Unless I win the lottery, but I guess I should increase my probabilities by buying the tickets in the first place! But I digress… The point is that this is what I have in front of me. I knew it from the beginning. It was part of the contract. And it was also a big part of the challenge that attracted me to this Superfit Project in the first place. So I should just get used to it and find the best way to put as much training as I can in a normal (well, ok, almost normal!) life.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New habits take time to build. Not much, though. Just 21 days. That's what scientist have found. But if it is actually 21 days or 30 or even 50, once you build a new habit, things get easier and many things start falling into place almost by themselves. You sense it. Becomes part of your life. It now feels like it is engrained in your skin. Like magic!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me it’s not been 21 days, yet. So maybe this is why I have been struggling (no magic for me so far!). I do not trust science blindly, but in any case I will just keep building this new habit until I get into the rhythm of things. Maybe it will take a bit more than what scientists say, but for sure I will keep enjoying all this new craziness. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here is the lesson for me, for us:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whenever you are starting a Superfit Project, stick to your goal. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stick firmly to it.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Face the challenging new game field and tasks.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But stick to your project.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adapt it when needed. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But do stick to it. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Build the habit and try to follow this new rhythm in your life.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep doing it until the music, until the magic, carries you completely.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Next time I’ll be writing about how to train with only 15 minutes available per day. That’s how much training I will be able do in each of the following six days as I am currently on the plane for a work trip in lovely </span><city><place><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Paris</span></place></city><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime, go out and start building your new habit!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have fun!</span></span></div>Coach JVBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09327865368282008917noreply@blogger.com0