Why a stopwatch is the most important piece of fitness equipment you can own

Your workout.

If you pay any attention to my blog and Facebook posts you already know what you need to do. Learn how to do squats, pushups, pullups, deadlifts and sit-ups and then run, row, jump rope and bike. When you master these movements then learn some of their advanced variations. Do these at a high level of intensity.

Intensity. It's in bold so it must be important. Why? Because speed equals intensity and intensity equals results.

How do you measure intensity?

That's where the stopwatch comes in.

Regardless of your fitness level, you can do some form or squats, pushups, pullups, deadlifts, sit-ups, running, rowing, jump roping and biking. If you need ideas on how to pick an alternative that you can do just visit my website (www.ActivePersonalFitness.com/videos.html).

"Running" a mile can look many different ways. As can doing a defined number of squats (let's say 1 set of 30). Moving your body a mile is a defined amount of work. Running that mile in 12 minutes is a different level of fitness than running it in 8 minutes. Covering the distance in less time indicates better fitness for that event. Basically, doing the same amount of work in less time means you are more fit.

That is why the stopwatch is so important to your workouts. My pet peeve is hearing people say they worked out for an hour but when I watch them I see them resting half the time. The BEST way to improve your workouts is to limit your rest time!!

For some people 1 set of 30 squats comes easy. I know people who can do 30 body weight squats in 30 seconds. For others, the set may need to be broken up into sets of 10 with a short rest in between. The people doing 30 in 30 seconds are more fit. They can do the work in less time. The key to improving your fitness is to constantly try to do the exercises FASTER WITH PERFECT FORM.

Here are three straight forward workouts you can use to measure your fitness. Use the stopwatch. Try to get better every time you try it.

Workout #1

15 squats

15 pushups

25 jumping jacks

10 lunges on each leg

15 dips

Workout #2

4 rounds of:

Move 0.25 miles

25 squats

Workout #3

50 sit-ups

40 walking lunges

30 squat jumps

20 pushups

Set your stopwatch. Record your time. Do it again in a few days...faster.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

267.626.7478

"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."

2011 Fitness Goals -- A Call to Action

This Year’s Fitness Goals -- A Call to Action

One of the keys to accomplishing anything in life is to set goals and hold yourself accountable to them. The goals could involve career, relationships, travel, education and, yes, fitness.

Setting a specific goal and communicating it to family, friends, co-workers and peers will help hold you accountable to achieving the goal. It will also inspire many of them to see you accomplish what you set out to do.

In December of 2009 I published my fitness goals for the world to see. They included indoor rowing competitions, running races (including my first marathon!), a team triathlon and a series of aggressive CrossFit WOD goals.

I hit many of my goals. First marathon – check, first rowing competition – check, Turkey Trot and Patriot Games – check. I did these because many of you held me accountable without even realizing it. You asked me about the events, encouraged me, trained with me, cheered for me and that made all the difference.

And I want to hold you accountable to yours. Post your fitness goals in comments and update us throughout the year as you achieve them. Don't worry if you think they are not challenging goals. If they are a challenge for you then they are the right goals. Remember, I am a trainer, it's my job to be able to do this stuff.

Here are my fitness goals for 2011

The Main Line Slide (Indoor Rowing) - Saturday, February 5 -- Villanova University (Philly)
Goal time: 6:45 for 2000m Previous Best : 6:47

Center City Slam (Indoor Rowing) - Saturday, February 12 -- Drexel University (Philly)
Goal time: 6:30 for 2000m Previous Best: 6:47

Gettysburg Getaway (Biking) – Memorial Day Weekend
A two-day, round-trip, 180-mile ride from Doylestown, PA to Gettysburg, PA with a group of friends. No slackers allowed so the hammer will be down.

Bucks County 5K Series - 7 race series March through June -- Bucks County, PA
Goal: Compete in 3 of the 7 races and earn points in my age group in each race (7^th place or better)

Broad Street Run (10 miles) -- Sunday, May 1st -- Philadelphia, PA
Goal time: 1:11:00 Previous Best: 1:15:18
www.broadstreetrun.com

Patriot Games (run/canoe/bike/run two-person team triathlon) - Saturday, Sept 10 -- Chalfont, PA
Goal: Top 10 overall team, Win Coed Division Championship

Buffalo-Niagara Turkey Trot 8K (4.97 miles) -- Thanksgiving Day -- Buffalo, NY
Goal time: 35 minutes Previous Best: 35:42

CrossFit Goals (This will only make sense to my CrossFit friends)
Complete an uninterupted "Fran"
21 full pullups
21 95# thrusters
15 full pullups
15 95# thrusters
9 full pullups
9 95# thrusters

CrossFit Total (Back Squat + Shoulder Press + Deadlift)
Goal: 750 lbs

Filthy Fifty
Goal: 23 minutes (the pullups will kill me) Previous Best: roughly 35 minutes
50 Box jump - 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings (35 lbs)
Walking Lunge
50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press (45lbs)
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots (20 lbs med ball)
50 Burpees
50 Double under jump ropes

"Cindy"
Goal: 18 rounds
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Body Weight squats

Max rep pushups (full range of motion)
Goal: 75

That's it. I better get my butt to the gym.

January Fitness Challenge

Start your new year off right with a fitness challenge designed to suit your level of fitness. The theme is pushups. Can't do 'em. Don't worry, by the end of the month you'll be an expert.

Here is January's Fitness Challenge:

Every day in January do a number of pushups related to the day of the month based on your fitness level. You do not need to do them all at one time. Break them up throughout the day as you need to.

Beginners (new to doing pushups)

The number of pushups equals the day of the month. For example, January 5th is 5 pushups.

Restarters (have done pushups before but it has been a while)

The number of pushups equals 2 times the day of the month. January 5th would be 10 pushups.

Former jocks (it has been a while but you don't think it has)

The number of pushups equals 3 times the day of the month.

Avid exercisers ("I do pushups while I brush my teeth")

Add a "0" after the single digit days and do 4 times the two digit days. January 5th is 50. January 17th is 68.

Personal Trainers ("You call this a challenge?")

Do the following using the avid exercisers prescription above.

Pushups

Body Weight Squats

Dips

Walking Lunges

Ready, Set, Go!!!

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

267.626.7478

It is time to make your New Year's resolution for 2011. Our buddies discuss the most popular resolution...losing weight and getting in shape. See how Active Personal Fitness can help you finally reach your goal.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

267.626.7478

"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."

Healthy Holiday Plan

It’s here....mid-December. The two week stretch leading into Christmas and New Years. Where did the year go? How am I going to get ready for the holidays? How much weight am I going to gain? We all ask ourselves these questions every day.

Stop. I have the answers.

The year moved along at the same speed it always does. You’re going to get everything ready for your holiday season, you always do. And no, you’re not going to gain any weight at all. Here’s how. Below is a simple suggestion that you can implement and follow. It will let you enjoy the holi"days" and still stay on a fitness plan.

Be realistic with your expectations. The holidays are filled with obstacles to healthy eating and exercise. Food is plentiful, we are surrounded by a gluttonous mentality, we are forced to make changes to our regular routine due to travel or bad weather. This is simply the reality.

Think maintain, not gain. By gain I mean, making progress toward your fitness goals. We want you to maintain your fitness level and your weight through the holidays. Leave December with the same fitness and weight you had at the beginning and everything will be ok.

Create a Holiday Calendar <<===== Do this right now!

Part of the difficult with avoiding holiday weight gain is the mentality that the entire month is one big holiday. How many times have you said “Oh, I can eat this cookie, it’s the holidays.” The key is to learn to enjoy all the treats of the season while keeping in mind there are only a few holidays. Take a moment right now and circle every day that you know will be a “bad” eating or exercise day. Include days where you have parties, big family dinners, travel days, etc. Try to limit the list to 4 or 5 days between now and New Years.

These will be days you set aside to enjoy all the food and fun of the season. The key to your success is sticking with your healthy eating and exercise on all the other days. Commit to those workouts, commit to avoiding the treats, commit to working harder at staying healthy on all the other days so you can sit back, relax and enjoy all of your favorites.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."

Lessons from a (new) baseball Hall of Famer

Pat Gillick's lifetime devotion to baseball was rewarded this week when he was elected to the Hall of Fame. For 27 years he served as General Manager for 4 major league teams including guiding my beloved Toronto Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series victories in the 90's and my hometown Philadelphia Phillies to a championship in 2008.

Pat Gillick understands what it takes to be a champion.

So what did he learn over his career?

"When I started out in this game, I thought it was 70 percent ability and 30 percent character, and the longer I've been in it, I think it's 60 percent character and 40 percent ability," Gillick said.

To me, character is made up of many things. When it comes to competition, I list a willingness to work hard, put in the time, commit to the workout, and not giving up are the top character traits.

This applies to your workouts as well. All of us put limits on ourselves based on our perceived ability level. We look at someone who can do 50 pushups or walk on their hands or deadlift 300 lbs or run 10 miles and say "I wish I was a natural athlete like they are". We tell ourselves we're too old, too fat, too out of shape, too tired, too sore, too stressed to achieve great results.

But remember what Pat Gillick said, "60 percent character and 40 percent ability."

You can achieve great results if you choose to display the right character traits. Work hard, put in the time, fully commit to the workout and don't give up. The results will follow and others will look at you when they are in need of some fitness inspiration.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

267.626.7478

"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."

Three fitness gifts for that special someone

The airwaves are overrun with infomercials during the holiday season. Most of them offer you fitness in a box. For 4 easy payments of $49.95 you can give the gift of fitness to your loved one in the form of a fitness DVD, a wacky contraption that will give you sculpted arms like the model in the commercial, or electrodes you attach to your stomach to shock yourself into having a six-pack.

It's tough to decide what should you buy as a fitness gift? I'm here to help. Below are the three gifts you can count on to help get you or your loved one in shape.

#1 - Personal training sessions

The personal trainer wants you to buy personal training as a gift. Shocking, right? Yes, I do, because knowing what to do and how to do it, being regularly motivated to workout, and being held accountable are the three things everyone needs to establish a fitness habit. A personal trainer can meet you at your home, design a personalized program for you, show you how to do the exercises and set the proper intensity. Your trainer should leave you with homework to do between sessions and offer you a new set or mix of exercises each time you meet. Sessions can be 30, 45 or 60 minutes to fit your needs.

One caution, however. Don't give personal training as a surprise gift. Talk to the person who you are gifting the sessions to beforehand and get them excited for it. Remember, all you have to do is buy the sessions. They have to show up once a week and actually work their butts off so you want them to want the gift.

#2 TRX Suspension System

TRX is hard to explain until you see it. http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/ It is not a gadget or a gimmick. It is a method to do total body workout that challenges everyone from the novice to the pro athlete. Consisting of two straps that attach to a doorframe, tree branch, backyard swing set, the TRX provides 10 standard full body exercises for the beginner that can be expanded to literally 100s of different exercises. It is portable and lightweight for travelers and easy to use.

I am a reseller of TRX, the only piece of equipment that I resell. Contact me if you are interested. The cost is approximately $180.

3. P90X

The popular infomercial workout program is great because it focuses on full body exercises and an ever-changing mix of workouts. It does require a lot of time and commitment to follow the program but the results are there at the end. See my previous blog posts with my reviews of P90X.

http://activepersonalfitness.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-i-like-p90x-and-why-i-dont.html

http://activepersonalfitness.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-i-like-p90x-and-why-i-dont-part-2.html

Try to stay away from other infomercial junk. The equipment typically works one isolated muscle very well but neglects the way the body moves as a unit. You will not get a six-pack by simply working your abs in one repetitive motion over and over. You need to do total body exercises at a high-intensity to see those kinds of results.

Enjoy your holiday season!!

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
NASM - Certified Personal Trainer

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