Welcome back!
In this week's episode, Scott and I talk about getting injured during training. What should you do in the short, medium, and long term to get back and be better than ever! Hint: Injuries are a blessing in diguise!
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See you next time!
In a recent article from The Morning Chalk Up, Whoop released the HRV data of women’s individual competitor Haley Adams and the winners of the team championship Crossfit Mayhem.
The most fascinating takeaways were:
For Haley, a decrease in HRV score correlated to a drop in performance
Crossfit Mayhem’s HRV scores dropped substantially the day after the competition ended, meaning their bodies were still in fight or flight mode even after the competition had concluded.
In a recent episode of the Fitness, Wellness, and Longevity Podcast with Scott Hagnas, Scott and I covered exactly what HRV measures. Here are 3 minimally invasive and simple ways to get you back into a ready state:
Consume quality calories-After hard training sessions, the body is broken down and in need of repair. Having adequate fuel allows for the body to repair more quickly. In addition, the gut produces most of the bodies serotonin, the bodies feel good hormone, which will get the body back into a more rest and digest state.
Keep Magnesium Levels In Check-Magnesium is a mineral that’s integral to the processes of the nervous system. Unfortunately, magnesium tends to be on the lower side in conventional western diets, so supplementing with a broad spectrum magnesium is essential to recovery,
Practice Mindfulness-Getting yourself back into a calm state requires you to remove the stressful stimulus. Getting out of the gym, off your phone, and focusing on the present moment creates a more calming environment for the body. Add in breathing relaxation technique, and you will be back into a ready state in no time.
Looking for additional guidance in the recovery process? I'm here to help. Click the link below to get started today!
Welcome back! It is my pleasure to welcome this week's special guest Rudy Arcara to the Fitness, Wellness, and Longevity Podcast. Rudy is a personal trainer and fitness instructor in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida. He is one the greatest football players to come out of Westchester County, NY, winning two state championships with Harrison High School before moving on to play Division 1 Football at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY.
After graduating from Iona, Rudy sustained a back injury that left him in debilitating pain and unfortunately led Rudy to becoming addicted to prescription pain medication. Rudy and his family decided to seek treatment in South Florida and that's where Rudy's journey started moving in a more uplifting direction. After become sober, Rudy decided to ditch a more corporate gig in favor of his passion: fitness and coaching. His story resonates with not only those in the recovery community, but also the post graduate athletes looking for purpose after a life of competition.
I appreciate Rudy for coming on the podcast and being so honest and candid. I am sure his story and words of wisdom will not only educate but inspire those who listen. If you like this podcast, please subscribe!
When I was 16 years old, my good friend and training partner Max and I went to the gym and jumped into a brand new training block called German Volume Training (popularized by Charles Poliquin). We didn’t really know what it was called, all we knew is that we would put about 50% of our max bench press on the bar, perform 10 repetitions, rest a minute, and then do it again...for 10 total sets. Failure wasn’t an option as we performed forced reps to achieve the 100 total prescribed reps. That was just the start of the workout and we had an additional 6-10 sets of various other exercises to perform as well. For the next week, I couldn’t lift my arms up past my belly button. I was so proud. This is only a hilarious story since we both survived to lift another day, but it brings up the question, “How sore should I be from my workouts?” There are many factors that will affect the amount of soreness an individual experiences (diet, sleep, age, etc.) but today I will focus only on the athletes training and exercise. Like many answers, that depends. Is your goal to be sore, or is the goal to improve something else, like body composition, strength, or performance. If the goal is to be sore, there are very simple ways to cripple athletes and have them rolling out of bed the next morning unable to sit down on the toilet (see 100 bench press workout). Sometimes soreness is inevitable, like if you are exercising for the first time, or if you are coming back to training after a layoff. But if your goal is to make strength/performance or body composition improvements, you must be able to train with frequency (2-3x per week). If you are too sore from your previous workout, and you are unable to to train or your training is compromised, then you can’t make progress. If you are not sore at all and aren’t challenged by your workouts, then you won’t make progress. This is why I rely on the minimum effective dose. In exercise, you want to push beyond the threshold of your current abilities, and then recover. This forces the body to adapt. Any more stimulus, is wasting your time at best and detrimental at worst.
A good way of determining if the training stimulus is enough (popularized by RP Strength) is using a pump and soreness scale. After the workout ask, “Did I get a good pump and was I challenged?” Judge on a score of -2 to +2 (+2 being I didn’t get much pump and -2 being I was so challenged that I couldn’t even finish the workout, 0 being I am pretty sore, but I could train tomorrow). The question you ask the next day, “How sore am I?” Same scale -2 to +2 (+2 I could train right now and I am not even sore, -2 I am crippled and need to take a day or two off). Most training sessions should have a some of 0. If you are doing a lighter week or deloading you may have more +2s, and once in a while you may have some -2s when you are really challenging yourself or maxing out/testing. If you 80%+ of your training sessions are 0, then you are sure to make great progress over time. I leave you with this quote, “You only need to suffer enough, any more is just showing off.”
Looking to get the best workout of your life and stop wasting time in the gym? Floch Fitness will write you a custom exercise plan that fits your exact needs. Click the link below to set up a free assessment and let’s workout together to create the best version of you!
I have tried everything for better sleep. I have tried a ton of supplements including melatonin, magnesium, phosphatidylserine, and Ambien. I’ve spent tons of money on various pillows, comforters, and mattress. I blacked out my room, made sure it was a cold, and got rid of all electronic lighting in my room (you’d be surprised how many things in your bedroom glow in the dark!). Nothing ever gave me significant improvement until I started addressing my habits around sleep.
Specifically, I had not properly addressed the habit of waking up in the middle of the night and staying in bed. It wasn’t until I had multiple discussions with Nick Lambe (@theonlinesleepcoach) that I had been ingraining poor sleep habits for years. He explained to me that lying in bed for anything more than 30 minutes is telling your body, “We don’t sleep in this setting, we lie around and ruminate.” My brain shot out the back of my skull when he hit me with this truth bomb. Every time I woke up at 2 or 3am, I was laying there, trying to get back to sleep, thinking about how frustrating it was. After enough time, that became habitual. I took Nick’s advice, and since talking with him, I give myself 30 minutes to get back to sleep after waking up (and maybe grabbing a glass of water). After 30 minutes, if I haven’t fallen back asleep, I get out of bed and my bedroom, and I sit quietly and meditate. This is what I choose to do, but reading, listening to calming music, or journaling about the ruminating thoughts are also great suggestions too. Once you start to feel drowsy again, get back into bed and just relax. Remember, your body is wired to sleep, you just have to get out of the way. The key to this practice is getting out of your bed/bedroom. As Nick puts it, “There should only be two things done in your bedroom if you want good sleep: sleep and sex. Everything else should be done elsewhere.”
If you need some more great information on sleep and sleep habits, make sure you check out The Online Sleep Coach (https://www.onlinesleepcoach.com/).
There are many other areas that can affect your sleep like exercise, diet, and stress practices. If one or more of these resonates with you, it’s time to book a call with me today and start moving toward the best night’s sleep of your life! Click the link below to sign-up.