What I Eat In The Morning And Why

I Hate Running. But I Love the Feeling Afterwards.

I don’t understand people that get that runner’s high. It’s never happened to me. On my best days with my best times, I still can’t wait until I’m done with the entire course. That is exactly how I felt when I made this quick video after running recently. I hate running. But I still encourage people to do it because there is no better test of health than how your body reacts right after a run. Check it out.

(Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel after watching. You don’t want to miss another chance to see me out of breath and sweaty)

My Incredibly Simple Gym Workout That Is Kicking My Butt

About nines months ago I posted a blog post about my obsession with lifting weights. Click here to read it. That addiction has not gone away, and I’m still at the gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday doing my best to improve my body by lifting things up and putting them down.

If you were a hardcore professional competing bodybuilder, you would split up your workouts by body part. However I am not planning to compete so I do my best to get a full body workout in during a single gym visit . Since I get bored easily I am constantly trying new and different exercises to challenge my body. I am also working hard to get my arms, shoulders and back in shape so I can easily manage the upcoming Conquer The Gauntlet four mile obstacle course that I will be running on June 21st.

Here is the simple routine that I am doing every visit to the gym. It gives me a full body workout in less than sixty minutes. I run through this set of exercises four or five times with a very small rest period in between :

• Back Squats x 10 – Put a bar on your shoulders and squat down – simple stuff. I use an Olympic bar (the big one – 45lbs + weights) but any bar will work. The goal is to get the upper part of your thighs to be be parallel with the floor. You may have to work down to that. If you lose your balance and want to fall forward, be sure that you are focusing on pushing down and up with the heel of your foot vs. the toes. What does it work? Upper Legs, Butt, Calves
• Bench Press x 10 – Lay on the bench press… bench. Grab the bar with your hands slightly greater than shoulder width. Start with your arms straight out in front of you and bring the bar down to your nipples. Make sure you touch your chest with the bar. I see many people only do this 1/2 way. What does it work? Chest, back, arms.
• Bent Over Back Row x 10 – Stand up and grab a bar at slightly greater than shoulder width. Bend over at the waist so your upper body is perpendicular to your lower body. With the bar hanging down by the floor, pull it up with your back muscles and touch your nipples. This is like a reverse bench press. What does it work? Upper Back, Arms
• Overhead Press x 10 – You guessed it. Grab a bar at a width slightly greater than your shoulders. Lift it up and rest it right below your chin. Then press it overhead until your arms are fully extended. Bring the bar back down to your chin. What does it work? Shoulders, Arms, Upper Back.

The x10 means perform the repetition 10 times. Use weights that make the exercises challenging, but not impossible. If you are reading this blog you are probably not working out to compete for any records (but if you are let me know. That would make me feel like a badass if a competitive bodybuilder or weightlifter was reading this website)

That is it! It is simple, it works your major body parts, and if done right you will feel exhausted when you have completed five sets.

Note: This routine does not account for any  aerobic activity that you need. But if you limit the rest time between sets, the high repetition count will keep your heart rate high.

Disclaimer: I am not a fitness instructor in any way shape or form. If you are new to exercise please start slow and work your way into more advanced routines. If you have any questions or concern about exercise please consult a licensed physician or a personal trainer.

Even after the disclaimer – this routine is still giving me one hell of a workout. If you follow it you will burn some serious calories and gain strength.

If you want to read my other posts on workouts, click here.

Your friend in success – Patrick Allmond

Friday Mindset: Go Get You Some

It’s YabbaDabbaDoo time. Time to stand up and get the heck away from the desk. Do not do ‘one more thing’. It will be there tomm. and it will be there Monday. Run, don’t walk, to the nearest exit and go do something for yourself.

Me? I’m headed to the gym. For an hour I can immerse myself in doing what it takes to improve me health. I don’t have to care about marketing. Or LIKEs. Or the weather. Or CNN. Or the cost of gas. When I am in the gym and focused it is ME time.

Go find you some ME time. You don’t have to look hard. Just take a little bit of time away from other people that are not YOU and give it back to YOU. Your ME time should be a high priority for you. If you don’t take care of yourself first, everything else suffers.

Go get you some.

SDN014: Why I Want You To Get To The Gym TODAY!

Over my four decades I have come to believe that managing our physical health is one of the best things we can do. It is obviously great for the body. But today I am going to talk to you about why it is great for the mind and soul also. Listen to the podcast. Watch the video. And then share your thoughts with me in the comments.

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My Name Is Patrick. And I Love To Lift Weights Part One.

I love to lift weights

The year was 1987. I was in the middle of my four year enlistment in the United States Air Force. The military does a great job when it comes to sports and physical fitness programs for it’s members. In 1987 I was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska just outside of Omaha.