General

I recently received a testimonial from a client, and it absolutely made my day. You might think that after 20 years of personal training it wouldn’t mean as much. But it does. I have worked with hundreds of people over the years and a positive review still puts a smile on my face. And this one was no exception. Especially since Taylor and I trained for ONLY one session. We had spoken briefly over the phone and he emailed my Exercise & Attitude Questionnaire and Health History Form before meeting. So between our conversation and the forms, I had a pretty clear picture of his health and fitness goals.

There are two reasons why we were so effective working together. First, Taylor was well organized. He didn’t just stand there and ask “What am I suppose to do?” He clearly explained his goals, reviewed his current exercise program, and demonstrated various stretches and lifts for me. Second, he was open to my feedback and criticism. And as he said, he was willing to put his fitness goals in my hands. So when I gave him a suggestion, he knew that I had his best interest at heart. In the short time we had together, we built good rapport and were able to cover a lot of territory. The word “efficacy” comes to mind. We didn’t waste any time, and we were very effective and efficient. You notice that I said “We”. That’s because Personal Training is a two-way street. I can’t just will my clients to exercise and eat healthier. They have to be in the right mind set and willing to take the necessary steps. From the beginning, Taylor knew that I was in his corner.

Here’s his Testimonial.

“I worked with Eric to ensure I was using good form on the barbell training program I am using. Eric gave me great advice on form, and also advised me on several accessory exercises that I have incorporated into my lifting program. The shoulder stability exercises he showed me have been especially helpful, and my shoulders are feeling better and more mobile every week. On his advice, I have also incorporated more dumbbell work to my barbell work to target imbalances and core strength. Eric was great to work with and gave me lots to think about in designing my program, avoiding injury, and how to align my lifting routine with the broader goals of my life. In the 5 weeks since working with him I’ve made good gains in my “working set” weight for all of my major lifts (~30 pounds to bench, ~40 pounds to squat, ~50 pounds to deadlift, ~30 pounds to rows), and I’ve gained 2 pounds of muscle. I recommend him to anyone who is looking for guidance on how to live a healthier, fitter life.” — Taylor W, Madison WI

If you’ve seen someone doing wrist exercises in the gym, your first thought may have been that they were rehabbing from an injury or surgery. While wrist exercises are not glamorous, they are important for injury prevention. Tennis, baseball and basketball players are often plagued with wrist problems. Even driving a car or typing on a keyboard can cause wrist issues. So often I’ve seen people doing bench press, shoulder press, triceps pushdowns and their wrists are liabilities. One wrist is extending while the other is bending inward. Not safe.

Sure wrist exercises are not something you show off to your friends. It’s more about preventing a potential setback. When your wrists are out of position, your lifting and pushing mechanics are greatly affected. This can lead not only to a wrist injury but injuries to other parts of your body like the elbow, shoulder or back.

What about using wrist wraps or lifting straps, Eric? That depends. If you’re bench pressing 600 lbs or dead lifting 1000 lbs, using straps or wraps is crucial. You are pressing and lifting weights that are pushing your body’s limit. But if you’re working our like the majority of us, getting a good sweat and a pump, you should strengthen your weak points, not protect them. So the next time you’re lifting, add these three wrist exercises to your workout program.

Wrist Radial Deviation
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1HZTF5p5fg[/youtube]
Begin exercise by holding dumbbell in one hand with your forearm supported on a bench, thumb facing up. Slowly curl your wrist up tightening your forearm muscles. Lower weight to starting position following the same motion. Be sure to exhale as you lift the dumbbell and inhale as you lower the dumbbell.

Wrist Extension
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqi_SUE2D9k[/youtube]
Begin exercise by holding a dumbbell in one hand with your forearm supported by a bench and your palm facing down. Slowly curl your wrist and fingers up, tightening your forearm muscles. Lower weight to starting position following the same motion. Be sure to exhale as you lift the weight up and inhale as you lower the weight down.

Wrist Flexion
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDwW_WjjRyI[/youtube]
Begin exercise by holding dumbbell in one hand with your forearm supported by a bench and your palm facing up. Slowly curl your wrist and fingers up, tightening your hand and forearm muscles. Lower weight to starting position following the same motion. Be sure to exhale as you lift weight up and inhale as you lower weight down.

14 years ago I read the book With Winning in Mind by Lanny Basham. I also had the opportunity to listen to him speak at a convention in California. Who is he, what makes his story different and why am I writing about it all these years later? Lanny Basham is an Olympic Gold Medalist in International Rifle Shooting. He won a Silver Medal at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 and returned to the Olympics in Montreal fours years later to claim a Gold Medal. His story is not one of luck or natural talent or gifted opportunities. He learned about mental toughness, resilience, motivation and other “mental controls” he calls Mental Management.

I have read numerous books by and about top athletes. One thing these athletes all had in common (at least while they were #1 in their sport) was the belief that they could and would win. They knew that they’d prepared as best as they could in the gym, on the court and on the field. They also had winning in their minds. When it was time to start the game, they were relaxed and supremely confident. You could see it on their faces and in their mannerisms. Spectators could mistake their confidence for cockiness or arrogance. Sometimes that was true, but more often than not, the athlete was simply “match ready”.

Hopefully, you have had the experience of being “in the zone”. Everything was fluid, things were happening almost in slow motion, you could do no wrong. We also have had the experience of being totally “out of sink”. You felt sluggish, things were happening faster than you could react to them, you had difficult focusing. So what was the difference? Especially when the games were a day or a week apart? Was it a physical change? Most likely it was the six inches between your ears. When you’re winning, you just had your “head on right”.

There is no question that the mind and body are closely connected. Too often, when it comes to health and fitness, people spend all of their time exercising and not enough time developing a strong mindset. This is not to say that people cannot learn certain skills while they are lifting, running, swimming, cooking, etc. It’s just that it still takes a decision to go to the gym, to prepare a healthy meal and to get to bed on time. Picturing yourself crossing the finish line, being presented with a trophy or wearing an outfit that makes you smile requires concentration, focus and practice. “Winning” goes beyond the picture in your head and into the realm of emotions. How will it feel when you step on the scale and see that you’ve hit your weight loss goal? The feeling helps drive us. When we believe that we can achieve our goal(s) we feel unstoppable.

It’s worth having a copy of With Winning in Mind so you can refer back to it and also share with a friend.

How would you like to support public television and get a great deal on my personal training sessions? Then check out WPT’s 40th Annual Auction on Friday May 29th from 7pm to 12am. I donated a package of 5 personal training sessions in the Sports & Recreation Category. That’s a value of $350! What do you think it will go for?

You can bid online or over the phone (608)263-9985. The auction begins Wednesday May 27th and concludes May 31st. To learn more or view other auction items, go to WPT Auction.

* This donation is reserved for new clients only.

How would you like a free personal training session? How about two? Simply refer a friend, who purchases a 10-session package, and you’ll receive a FREE 1-hour appointment with yours truly. How we use that time is up to you. We can work out, sit down and review your current fitness regimen, discuss nutrition and meal planning, or learn how to set and achieve goals. If your friend purchases a 20-session package, you’ll get 2 FREE sessions. It’s just that easy and it’s a win-win for you and a friend. For the promotion to be valid, referral must be confirmed by both parties before client’s first appointment.

* Promotion starts today and expires May 31, 2015.

* Promotion is for new clients only.

* Free session(s) to be conducted at Eric’s fitness studio located at 8759 Airport Road in Middleton.

Whether you are new to gardening or a veteran who is looking for unique ideas, Heather is here to help. Known throughout Middleton and Madison as the Green Garden Gal, Heather can assist with siting, layout, planting rotation, installation and maintenance. She’s an expert when it comes to organic vegetable gardens and perennial beds.

Want to learn more? Visit GreenGardenGal.com and read some of her Customer Testimonials. You can also check out some awesome Before and After pics from recent projects.

Click Here to view more garden projects.

In the middle of a training session yesterday, my 26 year old client said that we needed to focus more on his “glam” muscles. He said it with a smirk on his face and was obviously joking. Glam muscles, huh? Those would be the arms, chest and shoulders. And toss in a set of pull-ups (for back) and ab crunches for good measure. I threw him a knowing glance and laughed about it. The funny thing is that most people’s workouts totally lack priority. They choose exercises based on what they see in the mirror. Plus people have a tendency to train body parts that recuperate fast and show the quickest progress. Our biceps are a great example. We use them all the time: for carrying groceries, lifting laundry baskets, picking up our children and even taking the trash container to the curb. What about your other body parts? Or is it all about wearing a tight-fitting t-shirt?

Prioritizing underdeveloped muscle groups is not glamorous, but it can help prevent injuries, improve performance in other exercises and provide better body symmetry and overall balance. Training rear shoulders, hip abductors and lower abs don’t get a lot of press. These muscles are crucial for developing good posture, a strong core and reducing back pain. So I have included three NON-glam video demos for your viewing pleasure. Incorporate them into your current workout routine and you’ll see immediate benefits. Here you go!

Prone Shoulder Raises
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, lie face down on an incline bench. Your head should be comfortably off the edge of the bench. Keep body weight on your chest and stomach. With knees bent stay on the balls of your feet. With palms facing behind you, raise the weights in front of you as high as you can (superman position). You will feel this in the shoulders, and mid and low back. Slowly lower dumbbells back to starting position though the same arc. Face palms toward each other and lift weights out and away from either side. Do not shrug the weights up. Be sure to squeeze shoulder blades (scapular retraction). Once you have lifted the weights as high as you can, lower weights to starting position through same arc. Face palms behind you and lift weights behind you toward your hips. You will feel this in your rear shoulders and triceps. Lift as high as you can then return weights to starting position through same arc. Be sure to exhale as you lift the weights up and inhale as you lower the weights down.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction
Lie on your side with bottom leg slightly bent (for stability) and top leg straight. Lift top leg toward ceiling keeping the heel slightly higher than toes. Be sure to keep leg in line with the rest of your body. Then lower leg back to starting position. Exhale as you lift leg up and inhale as you lower leg down.

Alternating Knee Pull-ins
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees pulled into your chest and your arms at your sides. Press your low back to the floor and draw your navel to your spine. Slowly extend one leg out in front of you keeping your heel close to the floor. Go only so far while maintaining a pelvic tilt. If your back arches, you have extended your leg too far. Bring your knee back into your chest squeezing your abs and repeat with other side.