TOPFIT Blog

Lower Table Rock

2012-01-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

What an fantastic end to the week!
After a couple of active hours with Hailey, I had an awesome, relaxing hike on Lower Table Rock.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Tabatas and a Busy Day

2012-01-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

My day got started with several brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with clients and a killer Tabata workout with the last client.....working out with my client gave us both a little extra push and I'm sure we'll be feeling it tomorrow.
But, that ended up being the lighter part of my day. The rest of the day was filled with business paperwork, laundry, dishes, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, etc, etc, etc....all of the things I put off for far too long.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag

2012-01-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

Since it was a busy day and I have had several high volume and/or intensity days in a row, I only made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout today.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and a Push/Pull Workout

2012-01-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

FROGS!! This morning I did a great Upper Table Rock run and I got soaked! It seems the frogs like this weather too. Both yesterday on LTR and today on UTR, the frogs were out in force. There was an almost deafening cacophony of croaking on the plateaus…..very surreal…..like some sort of Hitchcock movie.
And then, there's nothing like a good push-pull workout to compliment a TR run.....in the afternoon I did a quick, moderately heavy workout of bench press and deadlift supersets.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

2012-01-25T22:30:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I was going to squeeze in a quick deadlift workout between sessions, but goddammit, the Table Rock sirens started singing their sweet, sweet song and calling my name again! So I ran Lower Table Rock and let them have their way with me. Maybe I'll get to the deadlifts tomorrow.
Afterward I did a couple of brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock

2012-01-24T22:51:00.000-08:00

What an awesome day! Earlier I had one of the best modeling gigs…..there was a fantastic, lively group of artists (as always), the theme was a fun one to do (picture a hillbilly with his banjo and jug dressed in the finest hillbilly fashion) and I got lots of very positive feedback.
Of course, after spending the better part of 3 hours sitting motionless, when I got back I squeezed in a quick Upper Table Rock run before seeing my last client of the day and doing a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with him.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and Circuits

2012-01-23T19:27:00.000-08:00

Goddammit!! I was half way through a great heavy bag workout when the bag came crashing down. After around 15 years, the quick link connecting the chain to the bolt in the rafters finally wore down to less than the thickness of pencil lead. I got it back up, but then I didn't have time to finish the workout before I had to leave for a training session :(
After the session though, I managed to finish the heavy bag workout without any heavy objects falling on me. After that, I did a similar workout to the one I had my client do.....pullups (I had her do band rows), pushups, squats and crunches.....9 circuits of 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 reps.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Rest Day

2012-01-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

Other than some time with Hailey this morning, I didn't do anything that could be considered exercise today.
It seemed like I needed another full day of recovery....sometimes you just have to listen to your body, especially after a week of some fairly high intensity workouts.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag

2012-01-21T22:25:00.000-08:00

I was feeling a little puny today....a little short on sleep and I might be getting a little cold....so in addition to a couple of warmup/cooldown walks with a client, the only thing I made time for was a 30 minute heavy bag workout.
I might actually make tomorrow another rest day.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Rest Day

2012-01-20T22:34:00.000-08:00

Because it's been a busy day and I've had several high volume/intensity days recently, I took it easy today. The only thing I made time for was a couple of 1/2 mile brisk walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

2012-01-19T23:26:00.000-08:00

So, what happens when you have a howling wind, pouring rain, temps hovering around 40 deg and a crazy SOB with a couple of hours of “flex” time in the morning?
You get one crazy SOB hiking Lower Table Rock and ending up soaked, with frozen, prune-like feet and a huge smile on his face!!
There was no avoiding the puddles and staying dry this time….I just had to wade my way through them.

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and Plyos

2012-01-18T21:31:00.000-08:00

I had another great balance, agility and core stability workout this morning. This time it was an Upper Table Rock run and it was mud instead of ice that made it so slippery.
Later I had 30 minutes free so I did a fun workout of upper and lower body plyos.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and an Upper Body Workout

2012-01-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

Because of a slow schedule this morning, I had time for a great Lower Table Rock run. I did have to slow down a bit due to a thin layer of ice and snow on much of the trail, but there was an added benefit....it made for an awesome balance, agility and core stability workout.
In the afternoon I had about 1/2 hr before seeing my last client so after a couple of warmup sets I did 3 supersets of BB bench presses and DB rows plus 3 supersets of chinups and ring pushups.
I finished the evening with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Kettlebells and Heavy Bag

2012-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

In addition to a couple of brisk walks with a client today, I made time for a workout of KB swings, snatches, clean & presses and overhead squats....plus I ended the day with a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Hailey Time and Jacksonville Trails

2012-01-15T18:28:00.000-08:00

After being worn out by Hailey for a couple of hours this morning, I went on a great hike on the Jacksonville Trails with a friend.
It was a perfect end to the week!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Tabatas and Brisk Walks

2012-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

It was another busy day with clients, but in addition to a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client, I still made time for a fantastic Tabata workout....pullups, pushups, SB crunches and squats.

~Feelin' Alive!~

And, I think this bears repeating...... You Can't Outrun Bad Nutrition! I hear it all of the time, "You can eat anything you want because you hike, run and workout all of the time." But the fact is, you can't outrun bad nutrition. I could easily burn the calories in soda, sugary cereals, white bread or any of the other poisons so common to most people's diets, but I can’t outrun the detrimental affects poor nutritional choices will have on my health.....and neither can you.

Heavy Bag

2012-01-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

It was a busy business and personal day so there wasn't a lot of time for exercise, but I did make time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Hike and a Couple of Walks

2012-01-12T23:57:00.000-08:00

Today I went on a great Lower Table Rock hike with a friend. The weather couldn't have been better and we took our time to take in the sights and enjoy everything the Rock had to offer.
I finished the day with a couple of brisk, chilly walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Chinups and Pushups

2012-01-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

After yesterday's leg thrashing, I gave my lower body a bit of a break and kept the overall volume of activity a little lower today.
In addition to a couple of brisk walks with a client, I made time for an upper body workout of 30 minutes of chinups x 10 reps and ring pushups x 20 reps (I'm not sure how many supersets I did, I just kept going non-stop for 30 mins).

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper and Lower Table Rocks, Leg Workout and Walks

2012-01-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

This morning I found time to run both Table Rocks....I haven't done a TR2fer in a long time and it felt GREAT! Afterward, I finished my "office" work faster than expected and had time for a good leg workout of BB front squats, SLDLs, DB stationary lunges and calf raises.
I finished my long day of activity with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and a Couple Brisk Walks

2012-01-09T21:26:00.000-08:00

I was going to try to get the week off to a killer start, but all I made time for was a 30 minute heavy bag workout and a couple of brisk walks with a client.
But, tomorrow I should have time for a good trail run and maybe more....I'm ready to pick up the volume and intensity again!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Hailey Time and Lower Table Rock

2012-01-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

After being thoroughly worn out by Hailey this morning, I went on a fun Lower Table Rock hike as a cooldown. The weather lately might not be very good for the winter snowpack, but it's great for trail runs and hikes.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and Walks

2012-01-07T23:53:00.001-08:00

Today, partly due to a busy schedule and partly due to needing to give my body more of a break, I kept things light and only made time for a 30 min heavy bag workout and a couple of 1/2 mile brisk walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and Kettlebells

2012-01-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

This morning I had a cancellation so I decided to use the time to catch up on paperwork. I got the files etc. out and ready to work on, but the Sirens of the Table Rock were singing my song again and the files just had to wait. So, I had a great Upper Table Rock hike....no running, just a hike this time to give my muscles and joints a break.
Afterward, I did a fun workout of KB one arm swings, KB snatches and KB clean & presses.
And yes, I did finally get to the paperwork.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run and Upper Body Workout

2012-01-05T23:48:00.000-08:00

This morning I made it out for a great Lower Table Rock run....a stiff, sore run due to yesterday's heavy leg workout, but still a great run. Afterward, I spent an hour in my gym doing bench presses and DB rows.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Leg Workout and Brisk Walks

2012-01-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

Today I braved all of the New Year's resolutioners at the gym and did a heavy leg workout of leg extensions, leg presses, prone leg curls and donkey calf raises....4-5 sets x 8-12 reps each.
I ended the day with a couple of brisk warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and Brisk Walks

2012-01-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

After several days of high intensity activity, it was time to relax and do a little active recovery, so today all I did was a heavy bag workout and a couple of brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Pushups and Lower Table Rock

2012-01-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

I never should have told my client how many pushups I had done yesterday and last Friday. He likes to see me hurt too, so he challenged me to another pushup twofer.....he did 45 (damn him) and much to my surprise, I managed to get 90….I even did 96 with a complete and total collapse half way up on 97.

And, I wasn’t gonna do it…..I was gonna take a break after the killer workouts I had been doing…..but the weather was just too perfect and the Table Rock Sirens were singing their sweet, sweet song and calling my name again…..so I succumbed to their wishes and ran Lower Table Rock this morning. Surprisingly, it felt pretty good and I made great time considering the past few days’ workouts.

I finished my day with a couple of brisk walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

1112, Upper Table Rock and Hailey Time

2012-01-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

Today I brought in the New Year with typical TOPFIT style.
After a couple of very active hours of Hailey time, I headed out to Upper Table Rock for my first trail run of the year. Plus, I finished my second annual ~January 1st Pushup Challenge~. Using today’s date (1-1-12) as my target number, I did 1112 pushups.

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Lower Table Rock -- Last Hike of 2011

2011-12-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

In an effort to escape the freezing fog on the valley floor this morning, I hiked Lower Table Rock…..and it was beautiful and sunny up there!! It was an awesome last hike of 2011.
That makes 186 trail runs/hikes this year.

~Feelin’ Alive!~

YEAR END TRIBUTE TO 2011

2011-12-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

This evening I did my patented TOPFIT ~Year End Tribute to 2011~ workout.
Except for the squat thrusts which were done at the end, all exercises were done for 100 reps (not necessarily non-stop or in the following order) before moving on to another exercise. When all was said and done, I did:

chinups x 200
KB swings x 200
pushups x 400
lunges x 200
SB leg curls x 200
SB tucks x 200
SB back extensions x 200
SB crunches x 200
squats x 200
squat thrusts x 11

TOTAL = 2011 reps!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock, Deadlifts and KBs

2011-12-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

After getting the day started with a little business I found time for a Lower Table Rock hike followed by a workout out deadlifts (standard and sumo) and KB clean & presses.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock sloughing off the fog......taken from Lower Table Rock

Heavy Bag and Brisk Walks

2011-12-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

It was a busy day, but I still made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout in addition to a couple of brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and a Couple of Walks

2011-12-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

I had a change in my schedule this morning and took advantage of the extra time by doing a quick Upper Table Rock run. I ended a busy day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Body Workout and Heavy Bag

2011-12-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

Today I kept things down in the valley and in my gym with a workout of BB bench presses, DB rows, chinups and ring pushups. A little later I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run and Christmas Workout

2011-12-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

This morning I got out for a fantastic Lower Table Rock run followed by a fun Christmas workout.
Since I’ve had a few clients doing a similar Christmas workout this week (adjusting number and choice of exercises to fit their needs and abilities) I decided I should share their pain. So I just did 4 non-stop circuits of KB swings, pullups, pushups, squats, SB crunches and SB leg curls. The repetitions on the 4 circuits were 12, 25, 20, 11…..a quick, but intense workout.
Now THAT’S how you celebrate the holidays!

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Heavy Bag

2011-12-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

After several high intensity and/or high volume days of activity, I backed off a little today and only made time for a 30 min heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

A Long Hike and The Punisher

2011-12-22T18:59:00.000-08:00

After a brisk hour long hike along the trails, back roads and sides streets of Ashland, I heard the Punisher Sirens calling my name and once again they lured me in only to have their way with me as usual. That hike always kicks my butt!
I shall return!!
I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Body Workout, Heavy Bag and Walks

2011-12-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

Between my early and late sessions today I made time for a good upper body workout of lat pulldowns, seated cable rows, Hammer Strength bench presses and incline DB bench presses. Afterward I did an intense 30 min heavy bag workout followed by a couple of brisk warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and a Leg Workout

2011-12-20T20:55:00.000-08:00

Breaking Through the Mist......

With the valley blanketed in a frosty fog this morning, I decided to see if I could get above it and did a fun Lower Table Rock run. The pic is about 2/3 of the way up Lower Table Rock and it was a beautiful sunny morning on top.
Afterward, I went to the gym and did leg extensions, leg presses, prone leg curls and donkey calf raises....4-5 sets x 8-12 reps each.
I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock

2011-12-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

Although I had intended to go to the gym for a heavy leg workout, it was just too nice this afternoon to be inside so I hiked Upper Table Rock instead. Afterward I did a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

2011-12-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

After taking a day off from activity yesterday (other than a couple of warmup/cooldown walks with a client), I had a relaxing Lower Table Rock hike today.
Overall, it's been a fairly low volume and intensity week...I'll probably pick it back up next week.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and (you guessed it) More Walks

2011-12-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

Partly because of a busy schedule, I took it kind of easy today. But, I still made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout and a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and Even More Walks

2011-12-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

After getting an early start to my business day, I had a good run on Lower Table Rock this morning. And, after a busy day of business, chores and errands, I ended the day with a a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and More Walks

2011-12-14T21:31:00.000-08:00

I started my day with a very cold 30 minute heavy bag workout and, after a busy day, I ended with a couple of very cold 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock, Back Workout and Walks

2011-12-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

This morning, after taking care of business, I headed out for what could have been an awesome Lower Table Rock hike.
Unfortunately, two cretins with their dogs kind of spoiled it. Not only are dogs not allowed on the Table Rocks, but the dogs were running at me acting very aggressive and the low life owners threatened me when I warned them repeatedly that I’d pepper spray their dogs if they didn’t call them off. I had the spray deployed and was one twitch of the finger away from using it...on both man and beast! Game on! Now the sheriff and animal control are involved.

Afterward, I did a great workout of weighted pullups, DB rows, chinups and hanging scapular depression/retraction.
I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Lift weights to run faster. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that 8 weeks of resistance training improved experienced runners' 5k times by 30 seconds.

Upper Table Rock, Chest Workout and Walks

2011-12-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

After my earlier sessions today I did a quick hike up Upper Table Rock followed by a good workout of BB bench presses, DB flye/press supersets and decline pushups. I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

2011-12-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I finished a great week of activity with a Lower Table Rock hike/run (mostly a hike this time). As I was heading down, there was a very light, almost mist-like snow starting to fall.

~Feelin' Alive!~

A Couple of Walks and Heavy Bag

2011-12-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

I started my day with a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client out in the sub 30 degree morning frost.
After a couple of sessions, shopping, paperwork and coffee with a friend I did a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Full Body Circuits and Walks

2011-12-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I made time for a full body, bodyweight circuit workout. I spent 30 minutes doing chinups x 10, squats x 15, ring pushups x 20 and SB crunches x 25. Afterward I went on a 1+ mile and a 1/2 mile brisk walk with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

When doing pullups or chinups, don't think about pulling yourself up, think about pulling your elbows down. The exercise will feel easier and you'll target the lats better.

Lower Table Rock and Heavy Bag

2011-12-08T21:39:00.000-08:00

This morning I went out into the freezing fog and ran Lower Table Rock. It was a little slick on the way up and a little muddy on the plateau, but overall it was awesome.
After taking care of business, I made time in the evening for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Back/Bi Workout and a Couple of Walks

2011-12-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

After taking care of business earlier in the day, I made time in the afternoon for a good workout of lat pulldowns, seated cable rows, Hammer Strength high rows, reverse pec dec and seated DB curls.
I finished the day with a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

When you do reverse crunches or hanging knee raises, instead of simply raising your legs, round your back by rolling your hips and pelvis toward your chest (drawing the ribcage and pelvis closer together). Otherwise, you're mainly working your hip flexors.

Upper Table Rock and a Chest/Delt/Tri Workout

2011-12-06T18:22:00.000-08:00

This morning I got out in the freezing fog and did a fun Upper Table Rock run....actually, I was only able to run or even power hike about 1/2 of it since the upper half of the trail was frosty, icy and slick as hell!! But, that part turned into an awesome agility, core stability workout.
After a little business, I went to the gym for a workout of Hammer Strength bench presses, DB incline bench presses, cable crossovers, seated DB shoulder presses and cable pressdowns.....4 x 6-12 reps each.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and Brisk Walks

2011-12-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

The day was shaping up to be fairly busy, so I got out early and did a 30 minute heavy bag workout before my first session. I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and Thrusters

2011-12-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

This morning I did a fantastic Lower Table Rock run! There was almost zero visibility with the thick fog, but everything on the plateau was covered in a thick frost making for an awesome experience.
Afterward I did a fun full body workout of BB thruster/pullup supersets and SB back extension/SB oblique crunch supersets.
Unfortunately, much of the rest of the day was filled with laundry, bills and other chores :(

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag/Jump Rope Workout

2011-12-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

My day got started with a couple of freezing warmup/cooldown walks with a client. After finishing up business for the day I did a fun jump rope/heavy bag workout, alternating between the two for 2-3 minute intervals.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock

2011-12-02T22:13:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I headed out to Upper Table Rock for a great power hike/run. It was near freezing and the fog was dense all the way up, but it cleared from the plateau just as I got to the top. I got some awesome views of the sunset and the fog covered valley.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and an Arm/Delt Workout

2011-12-01T21:36:00.000-08:00

A foggy hike up and across Lower Table Rock got my day off to a good start. In between sessions and errands, I fit in a good workout for my arms and delts.....BB shoulder press/BB curl supersets, DB lateral raise/DB rear delt flye/ring dip circuits and DB concentration curl/DB kickback supersets.....3-4 sets x 8-12 reps each.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Do squats and deadlifts to build your abs. Research shows that these two exercises force your abdominal muscles to do a significant amount of work to maintain your posture.

Leg Workout

2011-11-30T22:58:00.000-08:00

No time for a trail run today, but I did squeeze in a great leg workout of leg extensions, leg presses, leg curls and calf raises.....4-5 sets x 8-12 reps each.
In the evening I went on a couple of brisk walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and Heavy Bag

2011-11-29T19:22:00.001-08:00

I headed out to Upper Table Rock this morning intending to do a good run, however it was far too muddy and slick. So it turned into a moderately paced hike, but with all of the slippin' and slidin', I got one heck of an agility and core stability workout. Afterward, I did a 30 minute heavy bag workout.
I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Body Workout

2011-11-28T23:20:00.000-08:00

It's been a fairly busy day, but I still made time for a good upper body workout at the gym....Hammer Strength incline bench presses, incline DB flyes, seated cable rows and lat pulldowns.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Overtraining occurs when you train your body beyond its ability to recover. If your body cannot recover from the last workout then it will be unable to adapt and unable to grow. Symptoms of overtraining include:

A higher-than-normal resting pulse
Illnesses become more frequent and last longer than usual
Muscle spasms while resting e.g. eyelid twitch etc.
Shaky hands
Loss of sleep
Loss of appetite
Unexpected and unexplained fatigue
Unintended weight loss
Very slow or non-existent gains in exercise poundage, or loss of strength and the use of reduced poundage in the gym.

Solution: If you are overtraining on your current routine, first take a few days or a week off to let your body recover, then cut back on the number of workout days per week, exercises and/or number of sets.

Lower Table Rock, Chores and Plyos

2011-11-27T18:44:00.000-08:00

I started my Sunday morning with a fantastic Lower Table Rock run....it started in the near freezing fog on the valley floor and climaxed in the bright sun on the plateau looking down on a silvery fog covered valley....awesome....totally awesome!
Afterward, I spent the day doing a fun upper and lower body plyo workout and lots of chores around the house.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Rest Day

2011-11-26T20:17:00.000-08:00

After a few fairly high volume/intensity days I figured it was time for a break, so all I made time for today was a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client. My body has been appreciating the break.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and Heavy Bag

2011-11-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

I kept things a little lower intensity today, but still got out for an Upper Table Rock hike and later did a 30 minute heavy bag workout. Still waiting for yesterday's big workout to hit....LOL.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Don't buy in to the myth that by doing low intensity cardio you’ll burn more fat than doing high intensity cardio---sounds like an excuse to be lazy to me. Whereas it is true that the percentage of calories coming from fat is higher when doing low intensity cardio, total calories and total fat burned will be lower.....and for fat loss, isn’t it all about burning more calories?

~TOPFIT Turkey Burn~, Lower Table Rock and Heavy Bag

2011-11-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

I started my Thanksgiving celebration with a Lower Table Rock run this morning and followed that with the patented and infamous ~TOPFIT Turkey Burn~ workout…….5 non-stop circuits of 1 minute intervals of squat thrusts, pullups, pushups, squats, SB crunches, SB leg curls and a rest station........count and total all reps.
I dare ya to try it!
After an afternoon of family and food, I finished my day with a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Run, Lift, Walk

2011-11-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

Due to a noon cancellation, I had time to run Upper Table Rock today followed by a quick upper body workout at the gym of Hammer Strength bench presses, cable crossovers, seated cable rows and lat pulldowns (4-5 sets x 6-12 reps). I ended the day with a couple of warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Walk, Hike, Lift, Walk

2011-11-22T20:15:00.000-08:00

I got my day of activity started with a 1+ mile walk with a client, followed that with a Lower Table Rock Hike, then a good leg workout of leg extensions, leg presses, leg curls and calf raises, and ended the day with a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with another client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

A couple of the hottest drugs on the market are for erectile dysfunction. These drugs work by increasing blood flow to the affected, or more precisely, the un-affected area.....but why not do the same thing naturally with exercise? Studies have shown that men who exercise vigorously are about half as likely to have erection problems as inactive men. It's also been shown that as a man gains weight, he becomes more susceptible to experiencing erectile dysfunction.

Heavy Bag and Walks

2011-11-21T22:45:00.000-08:00

After a couple of high volume and intensity weeks, I kind of took it easy today.
After a couple of brisk walks with a client at the end of the day, I came home and did a 30 min heavy bag workout....just a nice bit of light/moderate exercise and active recovery.

~Feelin' Alive!~

A Little Whirlwind, a Walk, Upper Table Rock and a Back Workout

2011-11-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

My day started off with a 2 hour whirlwind of activity with Hailey followed by a 1 mile walk with a friend. Afterward I had a great Upper Table Rock run, then went to the gym for a workout of chinups, seated cable rows, lat pulldowns, Hammer Strength high rows, DB rear delt flyes, seated DB curls and hanging scapular depression/retraction.....3-4 sets x 8-15 reps each.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Spot reduction does not work, and doing hundreds of crunches will not make you lose the fat covering your abs. Think about it---if exercising a bodypart got rid of the fat in that area, then everyone you know that talks a lot would have a skinny little face.

Lower Table Rock

2011-11-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

After sitting inside for far too long getting my CPR/AED/First Aid recerts, I just had to get out for a trail run on Lower Table Rock.....and it was just what the doctor ordered! The trail was in great shape, a few patches of snow on the side, and lightly traveled. Plus there were great views of the snowy mountains surrounding the valley.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and a Couple of Walks

2011-11-18T19:41:00.001-08:00

I kept things a little on the light side today by starting the day with a 30 min heavy bag workout and ending it with a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and a Chest/Delt/Tri Workout

2011-11-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

This morning I braved a blizzard of blowing, swirling, golden leaves and ran Upper Table Rock....the rain was light, but the wind was cold and strong!
In the afternoon I went to the gym and did a quick workout of Hammer Strength bench presses, incline DB bench presses, pec dec, seated DB shoulder presses and cable pressdowns.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and Weightlifting

2011-11-16T19:18:00.000-08:00

After a busy day, this evening I made time for a 30 min heavy bag workout. After a quick snack, I went back out for a light weightlifting workout of snatches, cleans and power cleans.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

You need to think of your metabolism as a campfire and calories like the wood you feed into that fire-----your fire will burn a lot hotter and burn more wood if you feed it small amounts throughout the day instead of throwing a huge log on it once or twice a day after it's died down.

Lower Table Rock and a Leg Workout

2011-11-15T17:20:00.001-08:00

After taking care of business early this morning, I had a great Lower Table Rock run followed by a killer leg workout at the gym.....4-5 sets x 6-12 reps of leg extensions, leg presses, prone leg curls and donkey calf raises. I ended the day with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client (and I do mean BRISK.....he's got looooong legs.....LOL).

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and Yard Work

2011-11-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

First thing this morning I made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout and after taking care of business all day, I got out and did some yard work right before it got dark.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Too often when people go on vacation or attend a special event, they totally put their exercise and nutrition on hold. But, this is about your health isn’t it? Would you stop taking your heart medication or insulin just because you’re on vacation? I think not! You need to get your priorities in order and decide if your health or some temporary gratification is more important.

Lower Table Rock and an Upper Body Workout

2011-11-13T16:53:00.000-08:00

I started my day with Yaya (aka Hailey) playing, building, reading and singing....what a great way to get the day started!
Afterward, I had an exhilarating Lower Table Rock run.....after a moderately paced 25 minute power hike up, I ran around the east edge to the south end of the plateau (this is NOT your flatlander’s easy, obstacle free, flat and level trail…it’s rocky and bobs and weaves around obstacles and in and out of gullies….YeeHaw!). Then I ran the main trail back across the plateau and down the hill.
Then, since I had just a little energy left after my Table Rock run, I went to the gym and did a workout of Hammer Strength high rows, seated cable rows, Hammer Strength bench presses, incline DB bench presses, seated DB curls and cable pressdowns.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Here’s a great little tip for keeping your posture correct while driving. When you first get in your car, sit up straight and adjust your rear view mirror. If you notice after a little driving that you need to re-adjust your mirror, try re-adjusting your posture instead. Typically, you will start to slump a little and the result is you can’t see out of your rear view mirror as well as you did when you first adjusted it---most likely your mirror didn’t move and you just need to correct your posture. So, use your mirror to remind you to sit up straight----your back and neck will thank you.

Upper Table Rock and a Couple of Walks

2011-11-12T17:29:00.000-08:00

After training 2 clients this morning and going on a couple of 1/2 mile walks with one of them, I went on an awesome Upper Table Rock run which included running around the southern end of the plateau.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Whenever the seasons change, people start thinking about getting involved in the current seasonal sport to get fit. But, this is really backwards thinking and can lead to injury. You should be getting fit to play sports, not playing sports to get fit. Once you are fit, sports can help you stay that way, but you need to train your body ahead of time to prepare it for the unique stresses it will be put under.

Heavy Bag

2011-11-11T20:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a high intensity and high volume week so far, so I took it easy today and only did a 30 min heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

According to the American Council for Cancer Research, you can lower your risk of cancer by 20% by eating your 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
20% not enough to get your attention? Then bump that up to as much as a 40% reduction by making the rest of your diet healthy, staying active, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Lower Table Rock and a Leg Workout

2011-11-10T17:46:00.000-08:00

I got a good start to my day with a Lower Table Rock run and in the afternoon, while waiting for my car to be serviced, I did a leg workout of front squats, SLDLs, DB stationary lunges and calf raises.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Tips

Time seems to be the excuse everyone uses when they don’t eat right or exercise, but if you don’t mak time to do it now, you’ll really come up short on time at the end of your life. Make time now to get healthy and stay healthy, and you’ll more than make up for it by living a longer and more functional life.

Heavy Bag and Snatches

2011-11-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

First thing this morning I got the blood flowing with a good 30 min heavy bag workout. In the afternoon between sessions, I did a snatch and power snatch workout. I finished the day with a couple of brisk walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and a Back/Posterior Delt/Bicep Workout

2011-11-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

Today was almost a repeat of last Tuesday. I started off with an Upper Table Rock hike and followed that with a workout of chinups, seated cable rows, lat pulldowns, Hammer Strength high rows, reverse pec dec and BB curls....4 sets x 8-12 reps each (except for the first set of chinups which was 15 reps).
A couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client was a good end to the day.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and a Pec/Delt/Tri Workout

2011-11-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

I got the blood flowing first thing this morning with a 30 min heavy bag workout. After taking care of business, I went to the gym for a great workout of Hammer Strength bench presses, Hammer Strength incline bench press, cable crossovers, DB seated shoulder presses and overhead cable tricep extensions.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

2011-11-06T16:36:00.000-08:00

Today, after a couple of hours of non-stop activity with Hailey, I hiked Lower Table Rock. In an effort to let my body recover a bit from an active week, I didn't run any of it this time.....just a nice moderately paced hike.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock, Kettlebells and Medicine Balls

2011-11-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

After helping a client get her weekend off to an energetic start, I did a fantastic Upper Table Rock run/hike. It was cold, wet and a little bit windy.....so, in other words, AWESOME!! Later I needed an excuse to put off doing my chores, errands and paperwork so I did a fun little kettlebell and medicine ball workout. I started with KB swings, snatches and clean & presses (all single arm w/20kg KB) followed by MB supine plyo press/throws (20 lbs) and MB supine plyo pullover/throws (12 lbs).

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Tabatas and Heavy Bag

2011-11-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today I made time for a fun little Tabata workout of pullups, pushups, SB crunches and squats. A little while later I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag. I ended the day with a couple of brisk, chilly, 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock, Heavy Bag and Walks

2011-11-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

I got my day started with a fun (and COLD) Lower Table Rock run followed by a 30 min heavy bag workout. Then, after a day filled with business and personal errands and chores, I did a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Leg Workout and a Couple of Brisk Walks

2011-11-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

It was a busy day today, but I did make time to go to the gym for a great workout of leg extensions, leg presses, seated leg curls and donkey calf raises.
In the evening, I did a couple of brisk warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and a Back/Posterior Delt/Bicep Workout

2011-11-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

I got my day off to a good start with a cold Upper Table Rock run followed by a great workout at the gym.....I did pullups, seated cable rows, lat pulldowns, Hammer Strength high rows, reverse pec dec and seated DB curls....4 sets x 6-12 reps each.
Later, I did several 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with clients.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Pec/Delt/Tri Workout and Walks

2011-10-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today I made it back to the gym for a good pec/delt/tri workout. I did alternating Hammer Strength bench presses, DB incline bench presses, pec dec, DB seated shoulder presses and cable pressdowns. In the evening I did a couple of 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Traipse

2011-10-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Today after a couple of non-stop hours of play time with Hailey, Clista and I had a perfectly awesome afternoon on Lower Table Rock. We spent over 3 hours hiking up, traipsing and exploring around the plateau and then running accross and back on the plateau, down the hill and around the Savannah Loop (about 5k)....and the weather couldn't have been better!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag and a Few Brisk Walks

2011-10-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

My day got off to a good start with several brisk 1/2 mile walks with clients and after a few hours of chores and "office" work, I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag. Overall, a rather light activity day.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock, Leg Workout and Circuits

2011-10-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

This day is definitely going to leave a mark!
I started the day by running Upper Table Rock and then went to the gym and did a killer workout of leg extensions, leg presses, prone leg curls and donkey calf raises......4-5 sets x 8-12 reps each.
And, as if this wasn't enough, in the evening I worked out with a client. We alternated between time on the heavy bag and circuits of DB step ups x 15/leg, pullups x 15, pushups x 15, SB leg curls x 15 and SB crunches x 15. While one of us did the circuit, the other was on the heavy bag. We did 4 total circuits each. Plus we did 2 brisk 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks.

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Lithia Park Run

2011-10-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

It was a busy day but there was still time in the afternoon/evening to get it a good run with Clista on the Lithia Park trails.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and a Back/Posterior Delt/Bicep Workout

2011-10-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Due to a schedule change, I had time to run Lower Table Rock this morning and just enough time to go to the gym for a ~TOPFIT 4 Get It~ workout....Get in, Get busy, Get done and Get out….pullups, seated cable rows, Hammer Strength high rows, DB rear delt flyes and seated incline DB curls….4 x 8-15 reps each. It’s been a nice change of pace to get back in the (commercial) gym.

~Feelin’ Alive!~

Heavy Bag and a Couple Brisk Walks

2011-10-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

After several high volume and/or high intensity days, I took it kind of easy today. I started the day with a 30 min heavy bag workout and finished with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and Chest/Delt/Tri Workout

2011-10-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

I started my day with a brisk Upper Table Rock run/hike followed by an intense workout at the gym consisting of Hammer Strength bench presses, DB incline bench presses, cable crossovers, cable pressdowns and DB shoulder presses. I also did a couple of 1/2 mile walks with my last client of the day.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Rogue River Run

2011-10-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

After a couple of active hours with Hailey this morning, Clista and I ran and hiked for a few hours along the Upper Rogue River upstream from the Natural Bridge. Great run and amazing scenery!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Circuits w/Heavy Bag

2011-10-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today I joined a client for her workout. In addition to our 1/2 mile warmup/cooldown walks, we did circuits of pullups, pushups, squats and crunches (she did 15 reps, I did 20 reps of each exercise)....plus heavy bag. While one of us did a circuit, the other was on the heavy bag and then we switched places......for a total of 5 circuits and heavy bag rounds each.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Leg Workout and Heavybag

2011-10-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

I decided to do something a little different for my leg workout today and finally went back to the gym for the first time in a long, loooooooong time. Did a great workout of leg extensions, leg presses, prone leg curls and donkey calf raises......it's gonna leave a mark!
Afterward I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock and Pullups

2011-10-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

Whew! After taking care of a little business earlier in the morning, I had a great Lower Table Rock run. In the afternoon after more business, errands and chores, I did a fun little pullup workout working up to an added 90 lbs hanging from the belt. I also found time to mow the lawn and prune some bushes.....a very active and productive day.

~Feelin' Alive!~