Archive for mantras

Peg Legs

Hola!

Hope everyone’s short week is starting off nicely. Tomorrow is already Wednesday!!(actually it’s probably already Wednesday by the time you read this..if you read this.. ;-))

I was glad to see that some of my readers spoke up to say they are still out there! I know I kind of just ditched out on you guys like a bad boyfriend, but I am hopefully going to get back into some type of “regular” schedule with the blog. Whatever that may be, considering I’ve never really had a schedule, per say :).

I know you are all wondering by now why this post is titled Peg Legs….well I think that I will just let you see the work out my trainer put me through today and maybe it will give some clarity. I’ll be honest, I just wanted to say Peg Leg really bad. Don’t forget to check out the my-pharm-blog of this post for a frequently asked question that I MUST address…..

The Workout (cardio was a little over 4 mile hilly run)

Low Box Squats: 1 warm up set, 5 sets of 10 reps with 60 second rests, 5 sets of 5 reps with 45 seconds rest and an increase in weight by 40%

Hack Squat superset with Elevated Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlifts

Walking lunges AROUND THE ENTIRE BUILDING. He counted 600 reps……

Let me just say that my legs were shaking after the box squats…needless to say I was about to murder him when he took me into the 110 degree weather for the lunges….moving on….

The Question that I Get All The Time

“Lizzy…if you’re a trainer and know what you’re doing…why do you have a trainer????”

I’ll give you the short and simple answer to that: Because EVERYONE can benefit from having a trainer, it’s just a matter of WHO that trainer is and what your goals are.

Reasons to Hire a Trainer(one that is well-educated, experienced and can think OUTSIDE the box)

-You can learn new exercises and learn new ways to pair exercises that you wouldn’t have thought about on your own.

-I don’t care how hard you push yourself, a good trainer and one that knows you well enough can(key word is can because not all trainers do this or know how to do it efficiently…) push you harder.

-You can learn the reasons why this particular trainer does a different variation of an exercise you already do.

There are many other reasons why a well-trained and knowledgeable person can GREATLY benefit from having a trainer…..why do you think NBA players have a coach? or power lifters? or volleyball players? As smart as we can be, there is ALWAYS more to learn, and as soon as you start thinking you know everything, you will fall farrrrr behind my friends.

I also believe in training with different trainers. Many people will stick with their same trainer for years and years, which is fine, but I prefer to learn as much as I can from one trainer and then it’s time to move on. I am not saying to bounce around, because that isn’t effective either. Personally, I’ve had 3 trainers(including my current trainer) in my entire life that truly changed me, the way I workout and my mindset. I’ve been with these trainers for at least 1 year or more at separate times since I began training. These are highly educated individuals who have a lot of experience: a strength and conditioning coach who taught me proper form on all of my foundational exercises, a professional body builder/ex marine, and currently a former world champion power lifter who has been lifting for 35 years. 3 very different worlds, but SO much knowledge to be gained.

I leave you with a quote that my current trainer keeps reminding me of “Get outside of the box.” Really think about what that means for your training. Just because it’s a rule or what you were taught, it doesn’t mean that’s the only way it can be done. Our bodies were made to move and there is more than one way to skin a cat….get outside of your box and see for yourself.


Focus on the Task at Hand

Yola!

This week has FLOWN by. I’ve moved, started summer school(2 classes condensed into 5 weeks) worked and gotten in countless arguments with my former apartment complex, but we won’t get into that.

Oh, and did I mention I’ve still gotten in all of my cardio and workouts? NO EXCUSES PEOPLE.

Yes, I’m tired and no, I am not a fan of doing as much cardio as I’ve been doing, but my body is coming along and I’m officially 8 WEEKS OUT!!! 😀

If you don’t think you have time for your workouts, MAKE TIME. I promise you can find 30 minutes in the day if you plan accordingly.

Anyways, with all that’s been going on, I’ve been repeating a mantra to myself: Focus on the Task at Hand.

I’m not sure when this started, but it REALLY helps me get through all that I need to do. Sometimes I don’t think I do all that much, but when I step back and look at it, I take on more than I probably should. I like it that way, though. I like to be busy, it keeps me engaged in everything. Between summer school, 2 regular jobs, 2 writing jobs, my website and clients, and prepping for a show, it’s hard not to look ahead and get overwhelmed. In fact, it happens often.

As I’m sweating my ass off doing cardio, I realize I still have to weight train and do another session of cardio. It makes me just want to quit and go take a nap, but instead I focus on the task at hand,  and I don’t worry about what I have to do next, until I have to do it.

I keep a lot of calendars and lists everywhere so that I don’t forget to do things (I also have an obsession with checking things off on lists. Tell me I’m not alone on this….)

Source

Anyways, have a great weekend and I will update more this weekend! I’ve got some homework and clients to tend to. Fun Friday night 😉