Man’s Best Friend and Fitness

By Leave a Comment
Oct 25


What do dogs and fitness have in common?

Let’s begin with our standard workout disclaimer:

WARNING: Exercise, stretching, sports, and other fitness related activities can be dangerous. You can be seriously injured, crippled, or killed. The opinions, stories, and ideas presented here are my own and do not constitute a recommendation of or endorsement for any particular or general use. I strongly recommend getting a complete physical and doctor’s approval before starting any type of strenuous activity. Especially if you are over the age of 40 or have high blood pressure, genetic heart problems or conditions, or elevated cholesterol levels. If you choose to workout, you do so at your own risk. In addition, working out requires patience, diligence, and above all else, using good form. Never bounce or over strain! Most important: listen to your body...

Many of us have dogs. And, if you’re like me, you might neglect them a bit… What I mean is; I should walk my dog more than I do. I’m spoiled because we have a fenced backyard. And, unfortunately, I often fall into the lazy habit of simply letting him out there to do his business and then fail to give him the walking that he deserves and needs. On top of that, my dog is a yellow Labrador Retriever and has high energy levels. Not only does he need to be walked, but he really should be run. This was recently pointed out to me by my friend, Eden Ellis, who is a “dog coach.”

This discussion really got me thinking… If Samson (that’s my Lab) needs exercise, why can’t I incorporate it into my daily routine, since I need exercise too. So, I started planning and came up with a routine. Eden told me that Samson needs to run about two miles each day. So, my plan was to do 2.5 miles total with .25 miles of walking on each end of the two mile run. Also, just like people, I knew that Samson needed to work up to this distance. We started with a short half-mile run on day one and did that for a few days before I carefully upped the distance. After a week I was up to a one mile run and I stayed at that distance for an entire week. From there, I followed the same rule that you should follow as a person by adding 10% distance each week. So over the next several weeks we slowly added to our distance and we are now nearing our goal of two miles of running!

Once we have run our desired distance for a few weeks, I’m going to add one more thing that I like to do… I’m going to sprint the last 1/8 of a mile to roll into our cooldown walk with some serious heavy breathing and sweat

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My running clothes and shoes are laid out beside my bed and I literally leap into them and head out after a quick pass through the bathroom. You only need to wake fifteen or so minutes early (depending on how fast and far you run) to get this awesome exercise in. If you have a dog this is a great way to start your day! It has helped me with my doggie bonding. And, it’s making Samson and me healthier and happier.

Eden gave me some great advice and information. She said I could share it…

Tips and Pointers from the Dog Coach

Notify Your Vet
Since dogs don’t complain like us, be sure to tell your veterinarian that you plan on exercising with your dog. They need to pay extra close attention to their heart, lungs and joints.

Know Your Breed
Certain breeds of dog are better suited for distance running than others. Shepherds, terriers, retrievers and other working/sporting dogs are built to run long distances, while others are not.

Build Up Gradually
If the longest you have walked is a mile, you cannot expect your pooch to run a marathon. Start with one mile the first five times and make sure his joints and pads are holding up well. Add a mile every five times you run. (Run 1-5 do one mile, run 6-10 do two miles, run 11-15 do 3 miles). Pay attention to your dog’s calorie intake if you start doing more than 15 miles a week.

Watch the Paws
The pads on a dog’s paws are very sensitive and must be toughened up with gradual increases in mileage. Be aware of the type of surface you are running on. Hot blacktop, jagged ice, glass and other roadside debris can cause injuries. If your dog starts to limp or lick its pads, stop the workout immediately. Salt and dirt from the road can get in between your dog’s toes, causing irritation and even infection. You must inspect your dog’s pads before and after outdoor workouts for cuts. Cleaning your dog’s paws with a warm, soapy rag after your run will take care of this problem

Weather is Important
Remember, your dog is wearing a fur coat. In the summer, don’t run in the middle of the day. If you plan on running long distances, bring water with you. Dogs cool off thru panting, their feet and the back of their neck. If possible, plan your run where there is access to creeks or other water features for them to cool down.

Look for What He’s Saying
Dogs can’t talk, but foaming at the mouth, heavy panting, glazed eyes and slowing down are sure signs that your dog is being overworked and should take a break.

Leash or No Leash
Leashing your dog will keep both of you under control and will ensure your pet keeps pace. Avoid using retractable leashes. A three- to six-foot leather leash should provide the right amount of distance. Able to run off lead is great since it allows him to stop and catch up at his own pace and tell you if he needs to rest. For the first few weeks, bring treats to help them get with the program. When they want to stop and investigate, say “leave it” and reward when they do. This will make a more pleasant transition for everyone.

 

You can find Eden online at: www.pup-luv.com. Also, drop by and like her Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pupluvdc

In addition to Eden’s advice, some of my tips include:

1. When he poops, I bag it and hide it so I’m not running with a bag full of crap.
2. Remember to warm-up and cooldown with a walk.
3. Run against traffic and remember that a car can spook your dog. Stay alert!
4. If you’re running with the sun behind you, the oncoming traffic is often blinded. Be aware!
5. Wear light colored and reflective materials if you run during the night/dark.
6. Don’t forget to pickup the bag of poop that you hid earlier!

Consider running your dog!

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Jump Start Your Day

By Leave a Comment
Oct 4


What if I told you that if you were to give me 13 minutes, I PROMISE your day will be more enjoyable and go smoother!!! What have you got to lose?

Lately I find that I am slower getting out of bed. Perhaps this is because I’m getting older (I’m 46 years young). Another thing I have noticed is that how I get out of bed affects my ENTIRE day!

Starting NOW, I am going to improve this battle in the morning. Wanna do it with me??

Let’s promise each other that we WILL NOT hit the snooze button. I wish I could disable or remove mine. If you find that this is too tough for you, my good buddy Nino Greasemaneli likes to put his alarm clock across the room from him, to ensure that he has to get up and run to shut off the alarm. I do this too… My alarm clock is on a dresser a litte ways away from the bed, so I have to get up and walk some to turn it off.

Train yourself to jump out of bed immediately, with no hesitation, and start your day with movement. When I say, “jump,” I mean it… Literally leap with excitement and land with crazy eyes and a huge grin!!! (My wife is gonna think I’m nuts… Maybe she already does… HA!)

The next thing we will do together is to keep our shoes and a pair of shorts beside the bed and hit the ground running!

I’m going to start walking my dog, Samson, every morning… So, I will simply jump into my shorts and shoes and head down to take him out! If you don’t walk the dog, go outside anyway and do a brisk walk. I am talking about you being outside within two minutes of your alarm going off

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. No excuses! Don’t stop to take a pee even! Get up and run for the door! (okay… You can pee if you have to, but NOTHING else!)

Here is the fun part of our walk. Breathing exercises…

Start your walk with a deep breath holding exercise that I learned from Tony Robbins. Inhale briskly and deeply to a count of seven (7). Hold this breath for a count of 28 (you might not be able to do this the first couple of times you do it). Now slowly exhale to a count of 14. The ratio is: 1 in / hold for 4 / 2 out So if you can only inhale for a count of 5, then do 5 in, hold for 20, and then exhale for 10. Get it? Good! Repeat this exercise three times (this will take just about three minutes total).

Then, for the next five minutes of your walk, perform “breathwalking.” Essentially, you inhale four times through your nose, exhale four times through your mouth, and repeat continuously for five minutes. During my exhale, I chant a powerful 4-syllable incantation like “my day is great!” Or, you could try, “I will lose weight!” Just make sure you chant something positive! Mucho thanks to Tony Robbins for teaching me this one too!

Finish the last minute of your walk by calming your body and then do several minutes of easy stretches.

So in 13 (or so) minutes, we have just sealed the deal for a fantastic day!

I plan to follow my “breathwalk” with a 45-minute run (after dropping the boy inside the house) and then a more extensive stretch. On days that I don’t jog, I will go right down to my gym and do 45-minutes of “other” training.

Who’s with me? I want a commitment for at least the 13-minutes to enrichment!

Because I am a CDO (my doctor calls it OCD, but I didn’t like the order of the letters) planner, here is my morning routine that I have setup. If you dig, use it as an example of how you can do your own.

4:25 a.m. WAKE UP WITH VIGOR!!!
4:30 a.m. do the Eagle breathwalk exercise with Samson.
4:45 a.m. run or workout for 45 minutes.
5:34 a.m. stretch for 11 minutes.
5:45 a.m. make and eat a healthy breakfast.
6:15 a.m. jump in the shower and get ready for work.
6:45 a.m. drive to work!

Happy mornings to you,
Vaughn

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How to Fit in Fitness

By Leave a Comment
Aug 5


We’ve all been there… Each and every one of us über fitness nuts have brief stints where we fight internally and struggle to get a simple workout in. I’m fighting that battle on a regular basis. So I thought I would put some of my thoughts down to share with some of you.

It seems tougher and tougher to get a workout in these days. My job is busier than ever. I am working more hours than ever. Especially nowadays with the advent of smart phones. I even find myself working at 2 a.m. when I wake for no apparent reason and then check my e-mail while lying in bed. I get up at 5:01 a.m. to get ready for the work day and usually don’t get home until 7:31 p.m. Once home, I crack open the laptop and sit on the couch and get back to work. Before I know it, it’s time to put the kids to bed and I am winding down… Where did my day go??

On top of work, I keep up with two blogs, personal forum, writing my books, reading books, and studying fitness magazines to see the latest trends in getting bigger, stronger, and faster! Did I forget to mention the Facebook? Ahhhh..

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. Love wasting time communicating with people in the virtual world.

Lest we forget family. I juggle a wife and two kids. And, Trinity, who is eight years old, takes piano lessons and gymnastics. Guess who takes her? (well, actually we normally take turns on this one, but you get the picture). Now she talks about karate and dancing. Holy dump!!?? I haven’t even mentioned Xander and his karate, t-ball, lacrosse, and soccer!

So… Where do I find time to squeeze in exercise? Wait… we aren’t done. Before talking about how to do it, let talk about one more thing. Even when I’m in the workout groove (as it were), I usually get hit with something that takes me out physically. Like right now, it’s allergy season. During the winter it’s colds and flu’s. Do you feel me? Stop me if none of this sounds familiar. *crickets*

We all know that daily they prove how important rest and sleep are. So, how can I possibly get enough rest and do workouts too? I’ll tell you… Actually, I’ll let you in on a little secret. I cheat. That’s right folks… You heard it straight from the straight shooter. I don’t listen to that crap being spoon fed to me. Eight hours sleep my ass! I know that something has to bend. My work ain’t gonna bend (at least not on a regular basis). My family won’t bend (and I would not ask them to). Daily grind stuff won’t bend, because it is all necessary. And, taking time to eat will not suffer, because my body will not let me. That leaves one thing. Sleep. I steal from the sandman. I know that I’m going to get some boo’s and a few hisses after that statement. C’est la vie, baby! I’m not saying you have to do it. I’m just telling you what I do. Life is too short to worry about losing a few zzzzz’s. You snooze, you lose. The early bird catches the worm. And, my favorite, I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead!

So, what does all that mean? You ask. It means that I set my alarm for 4 a.m. (an even number? WTF?) Okay, I really set it for 4:12 a.m. I wake up early and I bang out my run or my bicycle ride (depending on the day).

Got a better idea? Post a comment and let me know.

If you manage to squeeze in tough workouts despite the craziness of life, I salute you! Keep up the great work!!! And, please chime-in with your secret!

See you at 4:12 a.m. sprinting down the empty, dark, and chilly road!

-Rip

Please comment by clicking “Leave a Comment.” And, if you dig, share this article! Also, please type your email address into the “Subscribe” box up top to get updates each time I post a new blog article.

You can rest assured that we will never SPAM your email account, and it’s only used to send the latest articles.