My Fitness Journey Part 1

I think that you are probably born with it but I have been a passionate fitness and athletic enthusiast my whole life. It started with the greatest movie ever made, Rocky. My parents still laugh about seeing me outside shadow boxing at the age of three after seeing Rocky for the first time.

I first started competing in small races at the age of four. As soon as I started school, my annual schedule of sports included Baseball, Basketball, and Track and Field. I started playing Football in 3rd grade. I was blessed with speed which allowed me to excel in most sports. I loved the training aspect as much as the competing aspect of sports. I remember in forth grade listening to the Eye of the Tiger in my room and then going out and jogging down the street and doing a burpee at every other house I passed. I would then come home and lift those plastic, cement filled dumbbells and do push-ups. I remember thinking that they should invent something that allowed you to listen to music while you ran. The walkman came out about a year or two later.

I loved how it felt to feel strong and fast. The results were seen in the sports I was playing. Very little has changed to this day.

Life Lessons

One of the great benefits of physical training is how it mimics life. Some workouts are long and tedious whereas some are fast and intense. Some workouts will test your strength and stamina whereas others may test your endurance and flexibility. The same goes with life. Life will throw obstacles at you that will require you to dig your heals in and tough out the situation. It requires endurance, strength, stamina, speed, and a strong faith to make it through many of life's challenges. I have found that physical training can be a great tool for life training.

When you are doing everything you know to do but are still waiting on circumstances to change, keep running. When the world keeps throwing hurdles in your way, keep jumping. When the doors to your dreams won't budge, keep pushing. And when your workout seems to hard to finish just know that you are training for more than a smaller waist but for the victory of living a better life.

Above the Storms

The forecast for today includes lots of heavy clouds and rain. Not surprising, the second I stepped out of my house this morning, I was met with exactly that. Heavy clouds and rain is what many of us are greeted with every day. Some people just walk around with this dark cloud following them. What I was reminded of this morning is that we can rise above those storms. As I was driving to work, I noticed a break in the clouds. I could see a clear blue sky and the sun beaming off of the white clouds that reigned above the storm. The fact is that the sun is always shining if you can rise high enough. Isaiah 40:31 says "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

Interestingly enough, eagles are known to fly at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet. They do not have to worry about storms because they can fly above them. We also can learn to fly above our storms. For us, our words are our wings. Our ability to rise above storms will be determined by the words we speak. What kind of words are you speaking each day?

Today it is raining. What a great chance for the grass to grow. With that being said, I can already see the sun.

Renters Insurance

I experienced a first recently. I lost my Grandmother last week. She was 88 years old. She was the first close relative that I have lost in my lifetime. Not bad considering that I am 35 years old. She lived a long life. The last several years were more difficult on her physically but a good life nonetheless. As would be expected, I have thought a lot about life and death since then. Once again I am reminded that we do not own our bodies but rather we rent them for this short period of time we are on this earth (1 Corinthians 6:19).

If you look at the condition of most houses for rent, you will probably find the conditions to be very similar to the condition we find our own health in currently in this country. Maybe we don't take care of them because they are not ours to keep. I find this to be very disturbing. That is nothing more than a lazy cop out to release ourselves from any responsibility. I guess the real question is what is our motivation. My motivation is not singular but includes several factors. One, I feel a since of responsibility to maintain my temple (1 Cor. 3:16). I owe it to God who blessed me with this body to begin with. Secondly, I feel like I owe it to those people who would love to be in my shoes, dare I take it for granted.

My last source of motivation comes from the quality of life that I hope to live. When I was a kid, I was very athletic and active which allowed me to eat anything and everything without the concern of weight gain. I figured that I could just exercise my way to better health without sparing the joys of hamburgers and Twinkies. Now as an adult, I am paying the price. Silent inflammation from years of poor dietary choices have taken their toll. Don't get me wrong, I never was overweight and judging from outward appearances was the vision of health. But somewhere down the line I developed all sorts of digestive issues. I have been diagnosed with IBS, Celiac disease, and have had my gallbladder removed with horrible side effects. I am no longer able to eat anything I want and that will be the case for the rest of my life. Again, this is not a sob story about my inability to gorge on chocolate chip cookies. I am healthier than I have ever been. I just don't get to be care free in regards to food as I was in my younger days. Had I taken care of my temple a little better nutritionally, maybe I could still enjoy some of the foods I used too. My quality of life would be better today.

Doctors are predicting that we will live longer than previous generations. So in other words, we get to stay in this rent house of ours for a little longer. Yet, we are seeing disease and the consequences of unhealthy lifestyles as never before. We may live to be 80, 90, or even 100 years old but the question is about the quality of those years. Do you want to live 100 years but have to have someone change your diapers the last 20 of those years? That will all depend on how you take care of this rented temple of yours. So I encourage you today to look into the future. Your insurance for a better quality of life is not bought with money but with exercise, diet, and the discipline to maintain the temple you have been so blessed to live in.

FITNESS TRAINING

Trinity Fitness is a private fitness gym designed to help people of all walks and ages find better health. We specifically look at health and fitness from a fitness point of view. It is our belief that better health starts by being fit not only physically but mentally and spiritually as well. Being fit enhances the quality of life and produces results ranging from a better physical appearance to a more discipline and satisfying lifestyle. We provide the facilities, training and counseling to help people attain the results they are working for.

We believe our type of training will ellicit the most benificial fitness results possible. We use functional movements. Don't be afraid of whether you can complete a push-up or pull-up. We scale each movement to fit each individual. Whether you are a business professional, housewife, student, or athlete, Trinity Fitness can accommodate you with the appropriate training. We also provide nutritional counseling that encourages “healthy yet realistic dietary choices.”

We normally train running classes on a monthly schedule. Usually it is 8 sessions per month, give or take a session depending upon the month. We charge $15 per session which would be $120 per month.

Training Schedule

Liability Release Form

SPEED TRAINING

Me and Carl Lewis

Every individual was born with a distinct way of running and genetically gifted with a certain amount of speed. Regardless, speed can and will be improved with proper training. Practice will either lead to good or bad habits depending upon the instruction. Our goal is to help each athlete improve his or her speed by focusing on developing the correct technique specifically geared toward each individual. Training will revolve around improving proper running technique and mechanics. Along with proper running form, speed is improved through a combination of stride length and stride rate. A variety of different drills, exercises, and speed training methods will be used to improve overall speed and athletic performance. How can an athlete do the same training routines from two different trainers and get totally different results? The answer to this question is what we pride ourselves in. We look at running as a science. We pride ourselves on being technique specialist. Remember, practice does NOT make perfect unless that practice IS perfect. We will do our best to give the best training possible.

Initial Training and Evaluation = $50
Individual Training = $40 per session
Group of 2 = $35 per person per session
Group of 3 = $30 per person per session
Group of 5 - 9 = $20 per person per session
10 or more = $15 per person per session

Liability Release Form

Running on Empty

One of the most overlooked yet important keys to being physically, mentally, and spiritually fit is SLEEP. The consequences of sleep deprivation are many and can affect every aspect of your life. I experience this fairly often. I have days here and there when I have severe headaches, I am tired, drained, even nauseous. All results from a lack of sleep. I am a busy man. I have three children and three jobs. Sometimes I just stay up too late trying to soak up the silence of my children being asleep when in acuality I should be doing the same.

Think of sleep like filling your car up with gas. Would you rather have a half a tank of gas or a full tank? Each day will most likely require a full tank yet most of us are running on fumes. A good, solid nights sleep will benefit you in more ways than you can imagine. It will allow you to reap the benefits of that tough workout you put yourself through. You will think more clearly and handle life's challenges more easily. At the end of the day, you can know that you made the most of it because you started the day with a full tank of gas. When the sun goes down be sure to pull in to the gas station and fill your tank to the brim because tomorrow is on it's way. Who knows how much gas you will need.

Pack Mentality

You have probably heard the quote that your attitude determines your altitude. Attitude will lead to words which will lead to actions. Sometimes it is the other way around. Our words lead to our attitudes which lead to our actions. So a negative attitude will lead to negative words and actions whereas a positive attitude will lead to positive words and actions.
An example would be if you are training with someone who is always complaining or negative about an upcoming workout, it will affect you and your attitude towards that workout as well. Nothing can destroy the spirit of a team more than a negative attitude. It is amazing how much more powerful a negative attitude is than a positive attitude. We have seen it time and time again in professional sports. An entire team is brought down by one guy with a bad attitude. Take away that one guy and the team usually does better.
I deal with it myself. Not often but sometimes I dread a certain workout or exercise. When this happens I have to verbally encourage myself. I have to say out loud that I am going to knock this workout or exercise out of the park.
If you are with someone who is bringing you down because of a negative attitude, I encourage you to change that negative into a positive by either speaking words of encouragement or by limiting your time around that person. Remember that you can’t reap the physical benefits of exercise until you sow positive seeds of victory over those workouts.

I Can't Drive 55

When it comes to training, the more out of your comfort zone you are the better. If you want something you don’t have you have to do something you’re not doing. The reason some people may not see results from their workouts is because they are choosing only those workouts that they are sure to master, workouts that are either easy or comfortable for them. Sure, they may get you out of breath or include some heavy lifts but unless it is different or constantly varied, you are sure to become comfortable and complacent therefore minimizing the benefits of the training itself. If you are “working out” with a friend and are able to talk comfortably with that friend during the workout, you are probably not working very hard. Your results will be different and much less than those of people who are training at higher intensities.
Compare a car burning gas to our bodies burning calories. Drive slow and burn little gas. Drive fast and burn more gas. Drive slow for a long distance and your car uses the fuel more efficiently therefore still burning less gas. If your goal is to burn more gas, you are going to have to leave your comfort zone and put the pedal to the metal. It is going to put more pressure on the engine and the car will get hot but you will love the results. You will see that you can reach your destination faster by breaking the speed limit. You just have to be willing to shift into overdrive.

Two Views of Fitness

It seems that most gyms today look at fitness or physical training as a means to alter appearance. There are several reasons why having this perspective holds very few benefits to overall physical, mental, and spiritual health. Many people who train for appearance are willing to take anything and try any diet for fast results. The problem with that is the constant weight fluctuation and yo-yo dieting. No realistic, lifestyle changing habits are formed. Look at plastic surgery for example. Many people who get plastic surgery are soon unsatisfied and return for more. They valued the deception of looking healthy rather than actually being healthy. This proves that the problem is more than skin deep.
The most beneficial perspective on physical fitness is the idea that fitness should be used as a means to enhance the quality of life. It seems that we have strayed from the simplistic, common sense view of physical fitness. You train for better health. The benefits of better health are innumerable ranging from having more energy to having higher self-esteem. The appearance part of physical training will come in addition to being physically fit as long as your expectations are realistic.
What is so ironic is that many of today’s fitness specialists are so unhealthy. Many personal trainers are overweight and cardiovascularly unfit. They seem so focused on being bigger and leaner that they forsake physical fitness by taking supplements and looking for the fast, easy way to results. How can you require discipline and hard work from clients if you don’t hold up to these standards yourself? Instead of being more physically healthy, we are seeing people with higher blood pressure and higher body weights. In addition, we are seeing many people dealing with the frustration of unrealistic eating patterns that only lead to broken promises and weight fluctuation. Does that sound like good health to you?

Catching My Breath

James 1:2-4: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

During the middle of my workouts, I am really not enjoying myself. Being out of breath and struggling to complete another rep or interval is not necessarily the best feeling in the world, or is it? I actually enjoy myself while I am training because I have my eye on the prize. The prize is the results of my training; the endorphin high, the feeling of accomplishment and well-being. I enjoy the results of training and hard work so much so that I consider it a good trade-off for the temporary pain and anguish I may be going through at the moment.
The same can be said about other aspects of life: the pain of depression or fear, a financial setback, the loss of a loved one. These are all tests which we will more than likely encounter. The key is to keep your eye on the prize. Like training, it may not be enjoyable at the moment but it can be a chance for your faith, endurance, and strength to grow. Before you know it, what you once considered a huge deal in the past may become an issue that can be tolerated much more easily. What used to scare you may not any longer. What once caused you to become down and depressed may actually lift your spirits.
I know that in my own life, some of my toughest trials led to my greatest victories. Had I been unwilling to endure the trial, I may have never known the victory that awaited me. Now, I know that when I am tested, my best days are ahead as long as I am willing to keep running even when I can hardly breathe.

Why Exercise Part I

To Produce Good Fruit

REFERENCE:
Matthew 7:17 – A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit.
Matthew 12:33 – A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad.

The reference verses can be interpreted as an illustration of a tree (our body) and its fruit (the effects of being healthy or unhealthy). What exactly are healthy and unhealthy fruits? In our society today, we are seeing the obvious fruit of living an unhealthy lifestyle. As a whole, obesity is at an all time high. The number one killer is still heart disease. We have better technology, more money, and more modern conveniences yet we are seeing the sour fruit of low self-esteem, depression, and insecurity as never before.
It seems that the more sour the fruit, the more unhealthy the solution we use to treat it. Most people fertilize the bitter fruit of fatigue with a large Mocha Latte from the trendy coffee shop down the road. Every year, billions of dollars are spent on dietary supplements in the attempt to make our health better by taking the newest, most improved, extra strength pill on the market. In reality, all we are really getting is a short-term answer and excuse for our own laziness.
So what is one of the best fertilizers for our tree? EXERCISE! There it is. The most obvious yet avoided answer for treating an unhealthy tree. Exercise is the miracle drug. It is the perfect, natural fertilizer. The best part is that it is free. You are guaranteed a lifetime supply. God has even given you all the equipment you will need. All you have to do is take advantage of it.

No Pain No Gain

1 Corinthians 9:27 – But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Could you imagine taking advice from an overweight fitness instructor? How about a financial advisor who just went bankrupt? I think that this verse not only deals with training the body but with training every area of your life. Paul, the author of this verse, had to have his life in order before other people were to take him seriously. The two key words to the scripture are discipline and subjection. Paul said that he disciplined his body, or trained his body. He continued to state that he brings his body into subjection, or under his control.

Do you have an area in your life where you don't have discipline or control? Maybe it is with spending. Maybe it is with eating. Maybe it is with time and priority management. It should be our goal to be disciplined, trained, and to have control over every area of our lives. We should strive to have discipline and control over our weight, finances, marriages, and homes. With God as our guide, we can find the motivation and inspiration we need to bring our bodies and our lives into subjection. All it takes is a little discipline.

Only the Young

Only the Young is one of my favorite Journey songs. But a better title would be Start them Young. By that I mean that we need to be actively engaging our children in developing themselves.

My wife and I have decided to start working with our kids each day on some type of skill. Whether it be catching a ball or running better, we think it is important for our kids to take some time away from the tv and video games and be physically active just as we were when we were younger.

More and more research is showing that kids with poor athletic skills are more rejected socially which has lead to higher drop out rates, drug use and depression. I am not saying that we need to push our kids to be the absolute best at everything and take away the fun of being a child but it is important to help them develop in all areas. Just remember when you were a kid. Would being more well rounded have made life better or worse? I think the answer is obvious.

Spending time with our children and helping them grow physically, mentally and spiritually is something that we will never regret.

Roll with the Punches

You never know what unexpected events may alter your normal schedule. It may be a sickness, kids activities or just the hustle and bustle of everyday life that sideline your workouts. These bumps in the road are nothing to fear or get down about. When something takes you away from your training, take care of business by keeping your priorities first, then get back on track with your workouts. Missing a workout or two hear and there is not going to make or break you. What will break you is when you let something short-term take you out of your game long-term. Missing a game is one thing but don't miss out on the entire season.

The Golden Rule

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you." Matthew 7:12

Want to feel better about yourself? Follow the Golden Rule. Want to have more confidence? Follow the Golden Rule. Want to have more friends? Follow the Golden Rule. Want to have more satisfying relationships? Follow the Golden Rule. Every honorable character trait in a person such as integrity, honesty, diligence and discipline can be fully realized by following the Golden Rule.

Our Training Design

The training behind Trinity Fitness is an accumulation of resources gathered from many years of research, personal experience, and the knowledge passed on from generations of trainers and exercise specialists all over the world. Trinity Fitness is not unique as if we have created something that no one else has or train in a way that no one else has trained. Rather, we have developed our training protocols based on what we believe is true fitness. We understand that our way of training is not the only way to train for fitness. But we do know that our way of training can and will allow a person to maximize their fitness to the highest levels.
Although we have gathered information from a wide range of fitness specialists, we do favor some more than others. We have developed our own training from a mixture of NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) guidelines, the Crossfit community, ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) as well as many others. It would be hard to not argue that Crossfit has developed some of the most fit people in the world. Although we are not affiliated with them commercially, we certainly recognize them as being leaders in fitness and some of our own training designs mimic certain Crossfit workouts.

My First Muscle Up

Ok, maybe for some people this is no big deal but when you pop off your first muscle up, it can feel like quite an accomplishment. I haven't been training for these but just happened to have the rings up for a different workout and I also had my digital camera on me as well. I ask my wife to video me so that I could see how close I might actually come to completing a muscle up. Much to my surprise and hers, I did it. I tried again and was able to do it again. What a great feeling.

Sometimes when I may want to get a little lazy or complacent with my workouts, all I need is some good movie quotes to light the fire again. Here are some of my favorites.

Vision Quest
Elmo: It ain't the six minutes. It's what happens in those six minutes.

My name is Lowden. Lowden Swain. Last week I turned 18. I wasn't ready for it. I haven't done anything yet. So I made this deal with myself. This is the year I make my mark.

Chariots of Fire
Harold: If I can't win, I won't race!

Sybil: If you won't race, you can't win.

Rocky
Adrian: There's one thing I want you to do for me.

Rocky Balboa: What's that?

Adrian: Win!

Apollo Creed: Now, when we fought, you had that eye of the tiger, man; the edge! And now you gotta get it back, and the way to get it back is to go back to the beginning. You know what I mean?

Clubber Lang: I'm going to bust you up.

Rocky Balboa: Go for it.

Rocky: Oh, Adrian. Adrian always tells the truth. No, maybe I can't win. Maybe the only thing I can do is just take everything he's got. But to beat me, he's going to have to kill me. And to kill me, he's gonna have to have the heart to stand in front of me. And to do that, he's got to be willing to die himself. I don't know if he's ready to do that. I don't know.

Duke: Now you're gonna have to go through hell. Worse than any nightmare you ever dreamed. But in the end, I know you'll be the one standing.

Rocky: I'll try.

Duke: You know what you have to do. Do it. Do it.

Rocky: Going in one more round when you don't think you can - that's what makes all the difference in your life.

Building a Strong Temple

Temple Training is all about being wise stewards of the body/temple we have been given. But having a strong body is only part of the equation. To have a truly stong temple, you must have a strong foundation. Build a strong foundation and you can possess a strong body.

1 Timothy 4:8 - For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Luke 6:48 - He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.

Let the Games Begin

After several years of hosting a website, I have decided to try a blog instead. I hope that this will be a way to communicate more frequently and keep clients and friends up to date on current events, activities and other information that I believe could be beneficial.