Reaching Goals

20 05 2010

Top 60 Courses In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Golf weekend was a huge success.  4 rounds of golf in 4 days with 5 close friends.  We played 4 of the top 50 rated golf courses in Myrtle Beach:

  • #1.  Caledonia: a beautiful golf and fishing club on an old plantation.  We saw some of the most beautiful golf holes in the world on this course.  Alligators were swimming by on the rivers next to the fairways, turtles were lounging in sand traps and all kinds of birds flew by as we golfed.
  • #9.  TPC Myrtle Beach: the professional treatment. Gorgeous locker rooms, attendants to take care of your equipment and a challenging golf course.  Most of us agreed with the golf digest rankings but one rated this as their favorite.
  • #12.  Barefoot Resort and Golf (Tom Fazio): A large resort with 4 top-notch golf courses and we chose the top ranked.  An open course with lots of different looks and not too challenging.  We started with this one and it was the first time I’ve ever broken 100.
  • #41.  International World Tour: We had the highest hopes for this course but were disappointed.  Each hole is a replica of a famous hole from around the world.  The idea is great, the delivery was not.  Our least favorite of the weekend.

For the last few months I’ve prepared for this trip.  I set specific goals to improve my golf game and this weekend I realized many of them.  The big goal was to break 100 for the first time and I did… twice.  Probably would have at the other two courses but a few nights of drinking most likely foiled that plan!

Breaking 100 was a large goal so to reach it I needed to split it into smaller goals.  I practiced putting in my basement so I could limit my 3 putting.  I practiced chipping and pitching so I would be better around the greens.  I took lessons so I could make my swing more consistent.  When I put all these little goals together I reached my larger goal.  You may have no interest in golf but this lesson in goal setting applies to any goal you might have.

I didn’t just think of this list on a whim.  I analyzed what I was doing, what I needed to improve on and what I needed to do to get there.  Most importantly, I wrote these goals down and put them in my golf bag.  Every time I practiced I would read my goals which set the direction for my practice.   This method really does work and helped keep me on track I recommend everyone give it a try for your own goals.


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Categories : Behavior Change, Just for Fun, Motivation, Relaxation

Golf Weekend!!!

14 05 2010

Off like a prom dress!

I’m off to Myrtle Beach for a 4 day golf trip with friends.  We fly out at 5:30am tomorrow.  Hopefully I can get some sleep on the plane and then we have a 9am tee time when we arrive.  Lots of golf, hopefully lots of sun and I’ll check in when I return.


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Ask The Trainer

12 05 2010

Go ahead, ask me anything...

I’ve been busy with work and family lately which is why I have posted less lately.  Plus, my focus in the evenings is on the Bruins and Celtics playoff series.  That being said, I started this blog to help people with exercise and nutrition and I intend to.  How better to help people than to answer your specific questions.

So ask away.  Post your questions in any comment section of the blog and I’ll do my best to answer them.  Be it nutrition, exercise, relaxation, equipment I want to know what you want to know!  Now I have to get back to the Bruins game!


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Categories : Behavior Change, Equipment, Exercises, Just for Fun, Motivation, Nutrition, Relaxation

My Home Gym

10 05 2010

In one of my first posts I wrote about Home Gym Essentials.  These are the things that I couldn’t do without in my home gym.  You can see from this post that you don’t need a lot of equipment to work out effectively.  Now that being said, I have and use more equipment than I showed in that post.  Today, I will show you the rest of my equipment and the home gym in all its unfinished basement glory!

I haven’t been using the home gym in about two weeks because it became a spring cleaning storage area for all things in my basement.  Sporting goods, tools, toys and old baby stuff had taken over my exercise sanctuary.  Well I finally finished cleaning it out and changed the layout to a much more open and more efficient area.  I will enjoy working out in this space even more now simply because I moved some things around!  Here it is!

Adjustable Bench, Adjustable Dumbbells, Body Bar, Steps, Medicine Ball, Push Up Bars, Stability Ball, Yoga Mat and Blocks

Treadmill- Helpful for cold, New England winters!

Ipod- Nothing beats music for motivation. Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" was playing at the time!

This is my home gym.  It isn’t much but it’s mine and it serves its purpose.  I can do challenging full body workouts in the comfort of my home.  What more do I need?  Someday I will finish the basement and create a dream gym complete with indoor driving range and sauna but for now this is all I need to stay healthy.

(Update)

Home-Made Pull Up Bar, Various Resistance Bands

I forgot to post the pride and joy of the gym- my homemade pull-up bar.  This only cost me a few dollars for lag screws and a gas pipe.  I already had the wood, which I attached to the floor joists above then just slipped the gas pipe between the two and voila- instant pull up bar!


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Categories : Equipment, Just for Fun

Are You Wasting Money on Sneakers?

8 05 2010

The foot is an amazing and complex piece of anatomy.  Muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones all work together to absorb the forces of standing, walking, running and jumping.  The arches of the foot act like springs as we move and further help to dampen force.  When we wear sneakers the impact forces on the feet are significantly decreased.  Sounds good, right?  Well, not necessarily. Let me explain.

Expensive running shoes do a great job of absorbing force- that’s what they are designed for.  The problem is that when the shoes absorb all the force the foot becomes less efficient at doing its job.  After years of wearing cushioned sneakers the foot “forgets” how to support itself. I’ve even read one study that suggests the more you pay for your shoes the more likely you are to get injured. Researchers have even shown that runners land on their feet differently when wearing shoes and when unshod.  When people wear shoes and run they land on their heel which sends a lot of force up the leg and can damage joints.  When people run barefoot they land on the ball of the foot and transfer the force of impact more efficiently in the foot meaning less stress on other joints.

So what does this mean? Throw your shoes out and start running barefoot?  While more and more people are doing this everyday, there are some things to consider.  If you are used to running with sneakers your foot will not be ready to just start running barefoot.  Like other muscles of the body, your feet need time to adapt to the stresses of being barefoot. Sneakers also protect the bottom of the foot from abrasion very well. A good quality if you run on pavement.  Shoe manufacturers are starting to make shoes with less support but with all the protection of a normal shoe.  These are a good place to start.  Here are some options:

Vibram Five Fingers

Vibram Five Fingers

I haven’t tried these yet as the look of them turns me off but from what I’ve read this is as close as it gets to running barefoot but still having some protection for the soles of your feet.

Nike Free

Nike Free

I have a few pairs of these shoes and love them.  They do offer more support than the Vibram’s and I think they are a good first shoe to try for barefoot activity.

While these sneakers won’t exactly save you any money (they aren’t cheap) they may help you save your feet.  I firmly feel that sneakers are doing more harm than people realize.  The research on barefoot running is still in the early stages but I think we will see more come out supporting the benefits of barefoot activity.  Here is good blog from a person who has been running barefoot for some time…. check it out.

Barefoot Ted’s Adventures


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This is How You Use A Treadmill (MUST SEE!)

29 04 2010

I am speechless… in all my years as a personal trainer, this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen on a treadmill.  If you are gonna go to the gym you better rock the treadmill like this!  Enjoy…


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My First Product Review! Birdie Ball

26 04 2010

Birdie Ball - Best Practice "Ball" Ever?

This weekend I received my newest golf toy- the Birdie Ball.  The Birdie Ball is a plastic cylinder about the size of a golf ball- their website describes it as a napkin holder, which is exactly what it looks like.  However, this odd-shaped object feels and behaves like a golf ball when hit except it only travels about 40 yards.

I was a skeptical when I ordered my set.  I got the “Back and Forth Special” which comes with 24 Birdie Balls and two strike pads.  The strike pads are plastic sheets you use to hit the balls so you don’t damage your lawn.  The strike pads give a little when you hit to mimic the feel of taking a divot.  I don’t think it accomplishes this but it does a great job of allowing you to hit under the ball and is very forgiving for beginners.

I took my set out Saturday morning and hit a few pitching wedges and I was amazed.  The Birdie Ball flew high off my club and started to slice, which is usually what happens with my real swing.  Because I was able to see the slice, I adjusted my swing and was soon hitting them straight.  When you hit one clean they make a pleasing humming sound which only adds to the fun.  My neighbors were curious and came over to take a look.  Their kids couldn’t wait to give it a try and had a blast for 30 minutes hitting the Birdie Balls.

On Sunday, the weather was nice so the family was outside.  My wife and I lined up side by side, picked a target and spent about 30 minutes chipping to a target on the other side of the yard.  We had much more fun than if we had gone to the driving range and this was in our backyard!

I have a hitting net in my backyard but you don’t get much feedback from hitting golf balls into a net.  The Birdie Ball will slice and hook and I hope to one day learn to fade and draw it on command.  You can truly learn from this product and I hope in my case improve my game.  I highly recommend this to anyone interested in golf or anyone looking for a gift for the golfer in their life.

www.birdieball.com


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What are you reading? (and what I’m reading…)

24 04 2010

I always try to stay up to date with fitness and nutrition info.  I like to surf the web for new ideas- especially the sites in my blogroll… I read journals from the medical, fitness and nutritional fields to get a good mix of information.  I go to conferences at least once a year to hear the best speakers in their field speak.  But I always come back to books for a good bit of my information.

I’m a library nut.  If I find a book that interests me I immediately jump online and see if my library has it.  If not, I request it from another library and in a few days it’s delivered.  I’ve saved so much money by doing this.  If I hate a book, I’ve lost nothing and if I love it then I can go out and buy it.

I plan on building a recommended reading  list for the site but I’m starting small and just mentioning what I’m currently reading.  I encourage you all to post your favorite books about fitness, nutrition, wellness, etc. so we can learn from each other.   So without further ado:

A great nutrition book that dispels diet myths and covers all aspects of eating.  The information is scientifically based and the recommendations are easy for anyone to carry out.

Written by the coach of Annika Sorenstam, this golf book approaches the game from a more mental approach than others I’ve read.  There is great discussion on planning before, during and after a round and some of the best practice routines I’ve ever come across.  I can’ t wait to get to the driving range and try the drills.

A look at how everyday people turned their normal lives and careers into extraordinary ones.  The author shows 3 similar traits that these successful people share with one another and how you can make similar changes in your life.

Remember- suggest some of your favorite reads!


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Use Your TV For Good.

20 04 2010

I know most us will plop right down on the couch after a hard day at work, turn on the tv and veg out.  Why not use the tv as a tool to really help you use all that pent-up frustration?  Almost all cable providers now offer some type of free exercise programming. I found this website that shows some of the options in my area: http://www.exercisetv.tv/on-demand.

Everyone can find something to try with this service.  There are options for all fitness levels and many different exercise options.  I tried a short beginners yoga class recently and it was just what I needed.  The video was a quick, morning “help you get out of bed” class.  Nothing too strenuous which is perfect since I am not a morning person.  Some of the other options are Pilates, dance, intervals, abs and walking.

Boredom is a workout killer so look into some of these videos.  It might spark an interest in something you never knew you enjoyed.  Even if you are happy with your current workout the you can get better results by varying your workout.  Give it a try- it’s free.  What do you have to lose?


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Marathon Monday

19 04 2010

Happy Patriots’ Day and Marathon Monday to everyone!  It’s a fun day for Boston sports.  Unfortunately, the Red Sox already lost today but we have the Bruins playoff game tonight to look forward to.  The real amazing event for me today is of course the Boston Marathon.

We saw Kenyan Robert K. Cheruiyot break a course record this year and finish with a time of only 2 hours, 5 minutes and 52 seconds.   I calculated his pace to be an average of 4:48 minutes per mile and his speed to be about 12.5 miles per hour.  I am blown away that anyone can keep up a pace like this for the 26 miles.

Athletes continue to push the limits of their respective sports and in turn motivate others to test their limits.  63 years ago the world’s best marathon time was 2:25:39.  Each year runners would push themselves to better this time.  This is pure competition at its best.  If you asked runners in 1947 if it was possible to run a marathon in under 2 hours and 20 minutes they would have taken you to an asylum.  Now elite marathoners are knocking on the door of sub 2 hour  3 minute marathon.  (The fastest marathon time recorded is 2:03:59 ran by Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin)

The sub 2 hour 3 minute marathon time is hotly debated in marathon circles.  Can it be done?  Is it physically impossible? You need the right runner, on the right day on the right course to even have a chance.  The best of the best running these races very rarely get near a 2 hour 4 minute mile.  Many people people think that we won’t see a 2 hour 3 minute marathon in our lifetime.  I take a more optimistic approach.  I believe that we as humans love a good challenge and the best in the world will continue to push each other to unthinkable achievements.  Us mere mortals can sit back and watch these super-athletes push their bodies to places we can only dream about.


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