No one can deny the reality of pain. We have all heard the voice of pain and suffered its stronghold one time or another. We all deal with pain in different ways…some submit right away when they reach the edge of their comfort zone, while others struggle so much against this unyielding force of pain, that their performance plummets to less than acceptable. Frustration can set in and the power of the pain wins yet another battle.

When we are back in the “comfort” zone, we ask ourselves how we could have given in…it seemed so easy, but we soon remember that this pain is an illusion and seems to be relative only to our present actions. In other words, pain is only REAL when we are presently caught in its trap, and only in that moment can we understand it, learn from it, and make peace with it.

The best way to prepare for pain is to accept it when it is happening to you, and take small steps to deal with it, then and there. Afterwords, when you are in your comfort zone, it is too late. It doesn’t seem to have the same hold or effect on you when it is not happening, it just isn’t ‘real’ anymore.

Just like all things in life, we learn to adapt to such things as pain. The more times that we experience pain in different situations, the more we can potentially adjust to it mentally and physically. Once we do this, we have a higher threshold for it the next time out. Whether the pain is physical, such as a very painful ankle sprain, or mental, like the pain someone feels when they miss the game winning shot, it must be dealt with in an affective way or it will control us and take us away from our goals.

What is pain? Pain can be thought of as physical pain, where the nerve endings in our bodies give a noxious stimulus to our brain and thus pain is felt. On the other hand, pain can be mental, where our mind cannot deal effectively with the situation at hand, so frustration and chaos set in and we feel a painful sense of being. Sometimes this mental pain can be the hardest to deal with and get by. Regardless, whether physical or mental, it zaps us of our initial focus and takes away our goals for the day…whether they are to train to a certain intensity, or win a race. Therefore, we must find a way to face this pain and learn to go through it.

How hard should you push when training? How much can the human body take before it gives out? Are you pushing too hard? Not pushing hard enough?

I am old school when it comes to training. Not all of the education in the world means a whole lot when dealing with the human spirit. As a fitness coach I can monitor heart rate, and breaths per minute and measure someone’s estimated anaerobic threshold, and all of the other “physiological markers” and it really doesn’t tell me much in the grand scheme of things. The majority of people out there will quit mentally way before their body gets to a point of any real danger. I have taken people to their own personal limits, only to discover that there are entire new boundaries that can be and need to be pushed through with a little more work and a lot more mental training. In fact, I have not trained many people that have come close to the real physical breaking point. Some people have suffered muscle cramps, asthma attacks, dizziness, etc…but in the end, all of these people were fine physically and in almost every case, it was other factors that caused these scenarios and not the actual training that was taking place. This is not to say that these people were not trying, or consciously gave up. Rather, these people have yet to learn how to push through the barriers that have caused them to stop. It’s a tricky problem for most. Each time you push through a new barrier, you become more resistant to “quitting” the next time out, while training at that same level.

Lactic Acid is not fun. If you have ever suffered the burn of your lactic acid system when it is going full force, then you know what I am talking about here. Lactic acid running through the fatiguing muscles of the untrained or unconditioned is usually the first thing that causes someone to “quit.” “Quitting” can be defined in many ways. Sometimes it is a flat out refusal to do anymore. Other times it is a slow down in tempo, partial reps, or extended rest periods that go way beyond what the training program is asking. Either way, it is a form of quitting. Everyone has quit at some time during his or her training “careers.” I have, and most of the people I train have. It doesn’t make anyone a quitter however. All that this means is that you have reached a point where you are too uncomfortable to go on at the current intensity. Each time out, if you push yourself a little further than the last time, you will improve and reach a new quitting threshold. Although this manifests itself physically through pain and discomfort, I will still argue that it is more mental than anything else.

It all comes down to dealing with pain. There is a difference between ‘pain threshold’ and ‘pain tolerance.’ Pain threshold is the instance that something you are doing signals that it is “painful.” Many people, beginners mostly, will quit when their body signals a type of pain. Pain tolerance is subjective and learned. It is where a person learns to tolerate pain to a certain degree and manages this pain based on their own experiences, definition of what this pain means. As you become more trained, usually your pain tolerance will go up…meaning you will be able to handle more “pain” as you train through difficult barriers.

So how hard should you push? This cannot be answered in an article, or even in a discussion. It is my experience that most people will learn to push through discomfort and “pain” as they become more trained. Knowing the difference between a real injury or physical problem and something that is just very uncomfortable is the key. Once you learn that breaking down an uncomfortable barrier is not going to result in injury, long tern damage or even death, usually you will succeed in improving and pushing your limits yet a little further.

Things to think about:

• You WILL be uncomfortable during your training routines. This is normal and good. Learn to push through those uncomfortable times. It is the only way you will get better and improve
• Get a training partner or hire a trainer/coach to work with you. You will be able to push through so many more physical and mental barriers when you have someone there pushing you along. It is much more difficult to quit when someone is by your side, helping and pushing you through.
• Even the best trained people out there experience pain, discomfort and the urge to quit. The difference between these people and beginners is that the trained have learned that pushing through these times is necessary for real progress and more so, they figured out that they are not going to die from it. Rather, they know they will be better than ever once they get through.

I sometimes tell this story to my athletes and clients who I think “need to hear it.”

This is not my story; this is a hand-me-down story from my high school wrestling coach which I never forgot.. He tells it better, but I will do my best to get the story, and most importantly the point across.

This story is about a very strong high school wrestler who dominated his opponents with sheer strength and power. This guy didn’t have a great technique; he wasn’t your stereotypical wrestler with flash and style. His philosophy was all about being bigger, stronger and much more powerful than anyone he wrestled. A few days after winning the State Championship in NJ, a young wrestler approached him curious to see how this guy trains and what he does in the weight room.  The young wrestler rattled off one of the same questions that so many young lifters are first curious about. The question was not about the State Champion’s training splits, or about his conditioning protocols.  The question was rather about something much more simple: “How much ya bench?” Yep, that was it. The kid wanted to know how much this guy bench pressed. Like it mattered? Without taking more than a second to answer, the wrestler replied with a knowing smile, “Anyone I want to!”

This story may sound simplistic and meaningless to you. You might actually think it is stupid and stop reading now, but I do ask you to think about it. This story is not meant to bash the bench press or the numbers that someone gets in the weight room; rather, it points out the importance of the ultimate goal of training, or practicing for your event. It is simply about seeing the forest through the trees. Athletes don’t train so they can bench a lot. People don’t usually just workout only to throw big numbers up (well some do, but…). Remember WHY you are training. Remember WHAT it is you are training for. In this case, this guy was training to win. He was working towards dominating his opponents. It didn’t matter if he benched 200 or 400 pounds. His training was effective enough for him to “bench anyone he wants.”

Take home message: Don’t get caught up in numbers, whether they are weights you are pressing, or weight on the scale. See the bigger picture; focus on why you are doing what you are doing and you might be surprised with the outcome.

I constantly get questions about working the “core”, and a few people suggested that I write a blog about how to build and strengthen the famous “core” muscles.

A couple of years ago, I wrote a feature article for Men’s Fitness magazine on strengthening the core. Rather then spend time writing another article on the same subject, I posted the link to the article so you can check it out yourself.
The Core -Ultimate Workout

I offered up some “alternative” exercises for working the core in all it’s glory. (By the way, don’t expect an article about performing 1000s of crunches either)

The Core -Ultimate Workout

Sports Performance training has come a long, long way in the last 20 years. As a matter of fact, it has a common place in in many high school and even middle school athlete’s lives. When I was in high school, my sports performance training consisted of jumping off of my picnic table in the back yard for plyometrics, sprints at the local high school football field, and jumping rope in my basement for as long as I could for foot speed and quickness.

Now-a-days sports performance training is a normal part of the athlete’s year around training. Parents seek out qualified coaches to help their kids get an edge. Starting positions, playing time, scholarships and advancement to the next playing level are all at stake. It has become a high stakes game in a sense. For those that are getting proper training, have a clear advantage over those that are not. This kind of training is even more important for those athletes that are less naturally talented at their sport, and need every single edge that they can acquire.

High school coaches are overwhelmed with busy schedules and numerous players that they need to take care of, and besides that, many coaches are just more concerned with the “X’s and O’s” rather than the necessary training that is needed. Many athletes join gyms and “workout” a few times a week, with no real direction and after a couple of months that gym membership goes to waste as a few times a week turns into a couple times a month. Athletes can’t always get the right training.

Sports Performance centers have popped up all over the country in recent years. Big box “Speed Schools” seem to be in every state, and local membership gyms are even allocating space to specifically train athletes now. There is a high demand for performance coaches, not just from high school athletes, but professionals as well.

When training is done right, and lead by qualified and experienced coaches, the athlete most certainly will benefit and the results will be quickly noticeable. However, much of the training performed is not done correctly and not done by qualified coaches, and worse is being done by “trainers” that have zero experience working with athletes. It is essential that parents and athletes find coaches that have real experience and education actually training athletes.

Ultimately, however, good sports performance coaches build character as well as physical attributes. A good coach can not only help transform an athlete physically, but also help he or she become more self-confident, more disciplined and a much better student. These things should be built into any sports performance program. That’s why a smaller, family/team approach can be the best training environment around. Athletes get the best of both worlds.

In my own 20 plus years of experience training athletes, the guys and girls that were most successful on the field, were also just as successful off of the field. The character and mental toughness that was developed, was built directly into the training sessions.

Sports performance training can be the missing link for many athletes who are looking for that edge to get to the next level. Without proper training, many athletes will be leaving their development and future up to chance. Strength development, speed/quickness improvement, and agility enhancement, along with injury prevention can be the ultimate recipe for short and long term athletic success. I have witnessed athletes and their parents regret not taking the steps necessary early enough to ensure ultimate success on the field. Many parents hope that the ‘natural’ talent of their son or daughter will be enough once the athlete enters high school or even college. It is regrettable for many to find out that it is not.

These days getting quality training is more affordable than ever. With small group or team training, parents and athletes can better afford specialized training, and in many cases, the same training that a pro would receive.

The key is finding a trainer or coach that is experienced, qualified and understands the importance of development on and off of the field. At the same time, the performance training should be safe and fun. Smaller, family/team operated facilities offer more of a chance for the athlete to get “one-on-one” training while still working in a small group. Good coaches will conduct thorough assessments on each athlete, ensuring that the athlete is working on filling in the performance holes, while correcting issues and preventing injuries.

Finding such a coach and/or facility can be tough in some areas, but they are around. Many times it is better to first rule faux-sports performance coaches that only have experience coaching a sport, like football, rather than actually training athletes. Parents and athletes are wise to ask for real testimonials, training experience and education before spending any time or money. The bottom line is that good coaches and good facilities are out there, it just takes a little time and energy to find both.

Those are three emotions that I never want to feel. I would like to think that no one would ever want to feel any of those things. However, I sometimes see it in the eyes of gym goers and even some clients that have fallen away from their goals. I have seen it in people that have spent large amounts of time and money on memberships and training packages, only to realize that they wasted both, because of lack of motivation or just simple laziness.

You see, just because you join a gym or hire a trainer or coach to help you get to your personal fitness goals, doesn’t mean it is going to automatically happen. There is a misconception out there with some, that the trainer is magically going to solve all of the person’s physical problems…that this trainer is going to, by him or herself, make all of the fat melt away, automatically pack on slabs of lean muscle, and by just by meeting with the client twice a week, magically transform the person into a God or Goddess within that one month training package.

The truth is, the trainer or coach is only a small part of the equation. Sure, good trainers can certainly guide the program and help the person achieve more than they ever have before. However, the main responsibility falls with the client. Too many times the client either forgets this or simply doesn’t realize it, and this is a dangerous assumption.

It becomes regrettable for some that all of that time and money were wasted, and while some realize that they have just fallen back into the same old habits as before, others will play the blame game, and not take any of the responsibility.

Others become disappointed in the lack of results. Sure they “showed” up and even worked hard at times. However, many don’t realize that the other 23 hours during the day are just as, or in most cases, more important than the hour spent in the gym.

Some feel the emptiness inside after realizing that their training package is up, or that their goal date is passed, and they have nothing really to show for it. Many give up trying after they experience this horrible feeling.

As a trainer or coach, I can yell, scream, lecture, get in your face, use stories, etc… just about anything to try and “motivate” someone for that 30 or 60 minutes that they are with me. But in all honesty, if the client doesn’t have a real level of motivation, the kind that is deep down…hard wired in their gut, it really isn’t going to last and won’t go very far. This kind of motivation needs to be found, and once it is, needs to be nurtured so it can grow. I cant give it to the person…in all reality, no one can. The person needs to find it.

The cool thing is, it is there, only waiting to be found. Whether the client needs to remind him or herself of the whys, in other words, the “reasons” that they are here, or just needs to refocus on the what’s, what is important and gain some measure of inspiration from that…might be all they need. Many times it is just one small decision…a decision that is made on the way to the gym, or even during the walk to the boot camp, or training session. That decision is as simple as “I am going to leave everything I have on the floor today. This WILL be the best, most hard working session I have ever had.” Words…that is all they are, but words can bring action and that action can be the difference maker.

I have watched too many people show up for sessions, and worse, go through entire sessions half-assed, dogging it all of the way. Sometimes this is a hard thing to grasp… “Why would someone spend their hard-earned money and all of this time on training, when they are not ever working at it?” Going through the motions, rarely gets any real results. Many of these people have laid down thousands of dollars, and months of time and have nothing to show for it, except for regret, disappointment, and emptiness. THAT…is no way to live.

The moral of the story is for everyone to re-evaluate their current motivational level and figure out if it is enough. Think about the drive and motivation that comes from deep down…examine the “whys” and then think about whether the actions go along with the overall goals. It isn’t only that 1 hour that you train or exercise, it is the other 23 hours as well. But still, don’t underestimate that one hour either. That one hour is the easy part. All a person has to do it “bring it”…everything they have. Make that decision before you walk into the door. Once you master that one hour, the other 23 can be mastered as well.

It seems like every gym or fitness center is doing group training these days, and that is for a good reason…group training gets better results.  When I opened Impact Training, it was one of the first things I put in place.

When shopping for fitness or training services, there are a ton of options. Many gyms offer memberships, personal training packages, classes and support groups. Although all of these options can be good choices for people pursuing fitness, research has shown that many people fall through the cracks when they join a gym, and many others find one-on-one personal training to be intimidating and too expensive.

Group Training just might be the answer

Studies show that when people exercise or train in a group setting, they are much more likely to stick to their training programs, and better yet, even more likely to reach their fitness goals. Group training offers many advantages, and has started a new trend in the exercise and fitness industry.

“Boot Camp” Style Training

One form of group training that is widespread throughout the country is “Boot Camp-Style” training. In a fitness boot camp, people have the opportunity to exercise with others that share the same health and fitness goals. Overwhelming support is provided through this group training class, and members are offered educational opportunities, and support that you cannot find through a one-on-one training program.

Boot camps are usually high energy, full body training regiments, that help people lose fat, gain lean muscle tone, increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen the “core” and achieve much higher energy levels…all while having FUN.

The Price is right

While boot camp style training is fun and effective for people’s fitness, it is also very cost effective for as well.

Boot Camp/group training is usually priced at a much lower rate than traditional personal training is priced. Gyms can do this because groups of people training together in one block of time can split the cost and save everyone a large amount of money for extremely effective training. Many boot camps can save people over 75-80% of the traditional cost of one-on-one training.

When weighing options for your fitness, it is smart to check out the boot camp scene. Group training offers people the chance to achieve outstanding physical results, have fun, make new friends, and save a lot of money all at the same time. Its no wonder why boot camps have long waiting lists for each class. People are seeing the value of boot camp style training in more ways than one!

Impact H.I.T. workouts (the Anti-Boot Camp)

At Impact, we offer H.I.T. (High Intensity Training). HIT sessions are the “anti-boot camp” group training that offers the same benefits of traditional boot camps, without the same old boot camp style of training exercises. HIT has a different approach to group fitness training, one that gets results in record time. Impact’s HIT sessions combine some of the same training exercises that world class athletes use to train for their sport, and unique strength/cardio training that will get the body fat off fast. Impact’s HIT sessions don’t waste time lying around on yoga mats, using 2 pound dumbbells and getting nowhere. Our group training is all about results. We have formulated the training routine to maximize fat burning, lean muscle building, while having fun. Music is pumping, the energy is high and the effects are immediately noticeable.