Mid-Point Goals
I want to give a few personal updates on my training these days. I am just over the half-way point with this pregnancy (21 weeks) and last week we found out we're having a boy (yay!). Since I've already been through this process once before I know that the next 20 or so weeks can become quite physically trying. So, I've reassessed my progress to this point and have created some new goals.
First 20-weeks goals:
- Build a solid aerobic base ahead of time - ACCOMPLISHED. With Arabella I had NO IDEA how important aerobic exercise would be for my day-to-day tasks. I ended up having to play "catch-up." You'd think this would happen late in the pregnancy when you've gained a bunch of weight... surprise! It doesn't! It happens very quickly as the result of increased blood volume. The aerobic training helps your body adapt more quickly. For Baby #2 I began a conditioning program (geared towards 800m runners) about 1 month before we started trying to "get pregnant" - it has worked wonders. Weight gain has been slower and I've felt much better.
- Address my body's areas of breakdown ahead of time - ACCOMPLISHED. I've learned that, while pregnant, I need to take special care of my lower back via simple strength movements like the bird-dog, address calf weakness and overall foot health, and can train with more vigor than I did with Arabella (again, I realized this about half-way through with her). The result is that while my back flares up from time-to-time, it is under control and overall I feel much more like myself in terms of strength and health. Regarding foot health, I won't know if I've been successful until after the baby is born.
Second 20-week Goals:
- Continue to prioritize low- to moderate-level conditioning but without laying the foundation for wicked plantar fasciitis. I'm shifting towards Prowler sled pushes 2x/week, stepper or bike or smililar low impact activity 2x/week, and 1 or 2x/week of actual running. Believe it or not, with Arabella I ran 3-4x/week (with low impact on off days) up until I was 38 weeks pregnant. For my Prowler pushes I will do a "trip" for every week pregnant I am - today I did 21. Took about 30 min.
- Keep up with lower leg pre-hab to keep my feet and calves strong enough to safely continue to propel my heavy(er) body when I'm running.
- Maintain pullups and chinups in my training regime. Sadly, these will not be body weight. BUT, on the upside, they can be called "Banded + 25lbs Pullups" by the due date - I'm sure somewhere in there things even out. With Arabella the stretch placed on my torso from the hang position was too uncomfortable/borderline painful to keep in (even banded). So, I'm hoping to keep them in throughout, if possible. Same approach as the Prowler: 1 rep for every week pregnant.
- Lastly - and, okay, I recognize this borders on the ridiculous - but, if everything goes smoothly and all the variables line up in the best possible way. Then my goal is to beat my time in "active" labor. Arabella took 55 minutes. I'm after a PR with this little guy.
One final note is that I'm not entirely a crazy person, I do certainly understand the limits of my body and the safety of the baby comes first. So, as with #1, I know when to dial things down if my body isn't feeling quite right. And, the above is by NO MEANS my recommendation to pregnant women looking to stay active throughout their pregnancies. Rather, this is the by-product of a body (mine) which has been trained consistently at a very high level for about a decade.
I categorized this post under "Awesome" and "Chest Thumping" because, well, staying active throughout a pregnancy is really, really tough. So, anyone who manages that feat should feel it is both awesome and a serious point of pride!
A Small Favor to Ask
Not gonna lie, I'm fairly swamped this morning. With 19 training programs to whip up, along with responding to the usual bank of emails and attending to operational needs - on top of ensuring I make it into the gym in time to keep Ryan from hurting himself - I'm in a bit of a time crunch. That being said, I have time for just a small favor to ask. Can you all please, pretty please (with a cherry on top), "Like" SAPT on Facebook?
Click Me ==> "Like" SAPT <== Click Me
If you enjoy reading the information we put out, and/or have benefited in any way from our posts, we would really appreciate it. We really do put a lot of time and effort into handing out quality stuff to our readers, and this way we can help you stay in the loop of when we put new stuff out there; not just blog posts, but free distance training offers, clothing give-aways, and the like.
I'll be honest, I used to think the whole "Like-ing" thing was ridiculous. Heck, I'm embarrassed to admit it but only six months ago I didn't even know what the term "social media" referred to when Ryan first threw that strange word at me. Yeah, I'm that hip. That "with" the current trends, if you will.
However, I've realized that, for me personally, it has given me a method of supporting - at least in a small way - groups that I've learned something and/or bettered myself from. Given that I've never pushed SAPT's social media on here before (we're new to it as a business ourselves), I thought it'd be worth a shot with you all.
Soooo, please click HERE to give us some lovin'! All the cool kids are doin' it.
5 reasons why SAPT’s adult training options are for you!
5. Because rather than perpetuate imbalances with your current 60 minute wander around the gym/sit on the recumbent bike, mouth agape routine, you’ll be provided a thorough individualized training program applicable to your specific needs and goals allowing you to hit the gym with vigor and purpose. Dare I say you’ll experience results?
4. Because you won’t be allowed to avoid the things you hate, the things you didn’t know you hated, and learn to embrace these things as the most important parts of your week (well, almost most important). Learn to enjoy movement prep, mobility, and soft tissue drills designed specifically to improve active range of motion around joints and soft tissue quality. Muscular knots and adhesions don’t resolve themselves through quick, unfocused static stretching routines; in actuality, they’ll typically make the knot tighter leading to further discomfort. Knead those knots and adhesions out with our localized soft tissue techniques and experience improved recovery, less inhibited movement patterns, and a general feeling of relief.
3. Though you’ll miss the SAPT coaching staff and community feel of the SAPT training facility during your offsite training sessions, you’ll be able to pacify our SAPT cravings through our thorough and extensive, mobile devise accessible, SAPT Exercise Database. Enjoy the descriptive prose and meticulous demonstrations to ensure you’re executing with perfect form even offsite, on your time. There’s only one way to garner the intended benefit of a training stimulus, and it’s through perfect execution. Going through the motions will elicit blah training effects, plus it’s kind-of unsafe…You exercise to improve your health, right?
2. To stave off type II (fast twitch) muscular atrophy and neural drive impairment. As one ages, without central nervous system activation, and therefore limited type II stimulation, type II fibers will actually disappear (to never return again) and thus significantly lower strength and power output levels. Not only does this present grim performance and overall functionality implications, but structural repercussions as well. Because type II fibers are more hypertrophy inclined, neglecting their recruitment will overtime significantly speed-up muscle mass decline. Consider there is a 10% decrease in total number of muscle fibers per decade after the age of 50, and it’s a wonder the majority of the “well-seasoned” population hasn’t evolved into soft, slithering, amoebas of goo (HA, I had fun writing that!). Our adult programming safely implements compound movements and drills designed to improve power output to elicit the physiological responses necessary to ward off the dreaded “amoeba of goo” condition. Besides, throwing medicine balls is just freakin’ fun.
1. Because you’ll relearn how to take time for…yourself…it’s okay, you’re allowed.
Your first step towards a more pain-free, stronger, youthful you in 2012, starts by clicking here…
You’ll love it…
Chris
Pre-Race Carbs Predict Marathon Performance
Welcome back from a long weekend! SweatScience has an interesting post up about carbohydrate intake and marathon performance. Marathoners aren't exactly SAPT's specialty, but I think there are lessons here for power athletes, too. Check out SAPT's newest hat and our newest hat model. Warning: this falls into the categories of gratuitous cuteness and random family update.
9 Days Until Your New Year's Resolutions...
Good morning, everyone! I hope you all have successfully avoided the long checkout lines, pepper-spraying loons, Wal-Mart stampedes and the cologne doused department stores (nausiating, right?). I've already written down what it is I'm thankful for to share at next years Thanksgiving dinner...internet shopping.
So, incase you weren't counting there are only about 9 days until for the eighth year in a row you'll committ to "getting back into it" and losing that spare tire. By the way, did you read this...
Don't let this year blend into your other failed attempts. Contact us today and request a free consultation so we may earn your trust, and demonstrate to you that we posses something that the "other guys" don't.
A protein shake and veggies for Santa and those deer,
Chris
I said, FREE TRAINING...and some pre-meet inspiration...
I wasn't sure if last Thursday peoples fingers were too slippery to type from all the turkey grease, or maybe it was the crippling effects of the tryptophan, but in case you missed it, we are offering some FREE TRAINING; to learn howyou can garner some free SAPT goodness, click HERE!!! Last, the video montage below of Chuck Vogelpohl is aimed at inspiring former SAPT interns John and Shawn, who'll be competing in their second powerlifting meet this weekend. This video is also applicable to anyone who needs a swift kick in the backside this Thursday morning.
Chuck Norris ain't got nothin' on Chuck Vogelpohl,
Chris
