Set yourself free this merdeka!

 

Our Independence Day is tomorrow and I am sure most of you have something planned out. I plan to take my munchkin to the 53rd Merdeka Day Celebration and Parade at the Stadium Putra, National Sports Complex, Bukit Jalil.

It is also a good day to set yourself free from any negative mindset that tends to pull you away from reaching your health and fitness goals. Bear in mind that we all have the power to be positive with our actions and our mindset, unfortunately most us use weak and negative language while speaking. How many times have you said I Should when you can say I Could, or how often do you hear someone saying I hope to lose 2 kgs this month when they could be saying I will lose 2 kgs this month.

Realize that you and no one else has the power over your thinking. We all ultimately have the same amount of power, and that is the ability to think and do what we want. It is our choice to do a triathlon, our choice to eat as much as we want, and our choice on how we want to commit to a healthier lifestyle.

A negative mindset will ALWAYS compromise your ability to deal with any situations; be it a fatloss program or completing a marathon. You have the absolute power over your mindset, so don’t let it drag you down.

 

Set yourself free, and Happy Merdeka!

MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA!

 

Info on  Merdeka Day Celebration and Parade 2010

Date : 31st August 2010
Start : 7.30 AM
Location : Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil
Advance Booking : No

This year, the celebration will focus and honour the sacrifices made by the men and women in the security forces. There will be a special 60-minute performance by over 1500 security personnel showcasing the value of patriotism and the spirit of independence.

ways to intensify ‘workouts’

In a perfect fitness training universe, everybody would work hard, everybody would keep adding weight to the bar, everybody would dedicate time for training, everybody would progress and everybody would reach their natural strength limits.

But this is not the perfect fitness training universe. With limited time dedicated for fitness training, not everyone can or will work to their utmost intensity, and strength gains do not come in a linear progression. That does not mean, however, that a busy executive cannot succeed in fitness training.

Keeping ‘workouts’ short (and simple) and increasing the intensity are keys to long term health & fitness success. This applies to Corporate Athletes and people who just love to work hard and get stronger. Whether it is swimming, queuing to pay your groceries, family travel etc., you can really make full use of these activities by introducing a little workout and intensifying it for greater fitness and health benefits. Recently, I took a day off and took my family for an overnight stay at Sunway Hotel for our pre-Ramadhan family vacation. I spent hours in the pool with my munchkin. We swam and of course, this is how I intensified my swim.

Other ways that we can do to intensify our ‘fitness workout’ ;

• Forget about the pram, instead hold and carry your baby. This is great workout for your arms. For toddlers, carry them on your shoulder (I did this all the time).
• Don’t take the trolley when you do your grocery shopping, instead carry baskets. You can do some curls and shoulder shrugs.
• Don’t park your car near the entrance of the mall or elevator (in fact, it’s harder to find one as well), park somewhere far where it requires you to walk. Try it at Mid Valley Mall parking area, it can save you several minutes of waiting, plus can save your fuel too.
• While queuing to pay for your groceries, do calf raises.

Calf Raises In a standing position, keeping the body straight.

Keep your hands at your side and feet five inches apart for balance. Slowly rise up on the balls of your feet and lower again.

Try 10-20 of these.

 

Remember, workouts are not confined within the gym walls. Just be creative and you’ll get equal benefits. Try it, and live well & strong.

 

raya in the woods

Our Singaporean friends who are competing in The North Face 100 already started their own Progressive Runs to assist the athletes in the trainings. While fasting month makes it slightly trickier for us to train, we have very limited outdoor runners too.

Having said that, Corporate Athletes are inviting friends and athletes out there to trail-run together after the fasting month. There are no charges or fee for this run, and please bring your own hydration belt or bag (also as part of the training). As for me, I’m carrying my own 2-L hydration pack.

Due to time constraint, Corporate Athletes is proposing to have its first POR (Progressive Outddor Run) on the third day of Raya i.e. 12 September 2010 (Sunday). Take it as our raya ‘open-house’ pot-luck gathering Best of all, expect ketupat and rendang as your post-run meal . Since it will be our very first outdoor run for this season (plus people are still in the raya mood which means that we still need to attend open houses etc.), expect the run to be about 4 hrs long only. We should reach KL around 1230hr-1300hr, just in-time to attend any Raya Open Houses.

 

Please find below the details about CA’s POR no. 1:

Date : 12 September 2010 (Sunday)

Meeting place : Gunung Nuang Park Headquarters’ Carpark. Look out for Corporate Athletes bunting.

Registration (by Park Authority) : 6.30am. Warming-up to start at 6.40am.

Start : 0700hr (with 9.00am turn-back time, no matter where you are). We should be able to reach KEM PACAT in two hours if we run. To those are brisk-walking, you should reach KEM LOLO within this time.

Finish : 1100hr at Carpark – “raya-in-the-woods” potluck. I may be bringing Morrocan Lamb Harira serve with bread (my trademark dish for every raya …. hehehe)

Distance : 16 km

Also, please take note that this POR is not necessarily for those competing in the race only, but is also opened to those who want to venture into trail-running. However, you need to attest that you are physically fit to take part in trail-running. Do wear proper running attire.

Subsequent PORs are as follows. Do mark these dates on your calendar.

POR no. 02 – 18 September 2010 (Saturday) ~ 25km

POR no. 03 – 25 September 2010 (Saturday) ~ 30km

26 September 2010 (Sunday) – Newton 25km Run

POR no. 04 – 02 October 2010 (Saturday) ~ 35km (sorry folks, can’t afford to taper … hehe)

TNF – 09 October 2010

 

Note : The running locations will be decided later. We will start with easier trails and slowly progresses into more technical and longer trails.

Note #2 : Friends, I just lost my handphone. Appreciate if you can just email your contact no to trainer@corporateathletes.com.my thanks & regards.

longing for lunges

I love doing lunges. Lunges are one of the best lower body exercises you can do. Why? One reason is that lunges are multi-joint exercises which target all the muscles of the hips, glutes and thighs. It also requires no weights or equipment and is great for beginners and even for the experts. However, for anyone with knee problems or for those who are overweight, you need a little bit more support. I consider lunges (like squats) as Functional Training as it sort of mimics the movements we do each time we sit down or stand up. For those who need to add muscles to these areas, you can do lunges while holding dumbbells. Here are two Lunge variations that I love doing .

FORWARD LUNGE

 

REVERSE LUNGE

Care for ‘buns of steel’?. Do lunges!! :)

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Since the inception of Corporate Athletes, it always carry the tagline “DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED.”

I strongly believe that the decision and commitment to become fit and healthy, needs to come within oneself. It’s not the trainer’s duty to force you to decide and commit to their programs. The success of a given training program can only be achieved once the client themselves decide to take up the challenge, and commit to it.

While it is so much easier to say than done, there are small percentages of my clients who just barely have the right commitment level to ensure success in their training program. As a trainer, I never push or force people to join the program although there are times where I just want them to do it for the betterment of their physical and mental well-being. Forcing by a second party will never work in fitness training, unless it is the money that the trainer is looking for. Corporate Athletes is all about lifestyle.

To make it beneficial and successful, it only works if the person has made the decision to become active and healthy by himself/herself and self-commit to it.Here are some tips on starting out and committing to a fitness routine:

• Set aside affixed time daily for your exercise e.g. lunchtime, before work, after work etc. I do my gym and fitness routine before work or during lunch breaks at least thrice a week.
• Link your exercise sessions to your daily activities e.g. jog before dinner, gym before heading home etc. This will make exercise a regular activity to you.
• Get an exercise partner and stick to a mutually agreed exercise schedule. Whoever fails to turn up for an exercise session buys lunch   As for me, I do have friends that share same passion for outdoor sports where we regularly organise our own training sessions. Look out for our upcoming Progressive Outdoor Runs (POR), scheduled to commence on the third day of Raya.
• Make exercise convenient e.g. use office gym, go to the park near your home, use stairs instead of elevator etc.
• ‘Spice’ up your exercise program. Exercise can be anything from swimming, dancing, mopping floors, climbing the stairs etc. and not just weights and running.
• If you miss an exercise session, make up for it – you owe yourself a session and needs to be paid back.
• Sign-up for charity walks or runs. Obviously, if you are in the Klang Valley, there are many organised runs; be it a 10k, 21k and Full Marathons.

As a trainer, I can give you the best of my experience, knowledge and encouragement but in the end, it is you, my client, who must decide and commit to living the life that I know is possible for you. I am living an active and healthy life. Are you?

There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.

Pregnancy boosts Athletic Performance?

 

According to an article that I have just read at Sports Illustrated, I was surprised to learn that pregnancy can have an effect on a runner’s body. It will make  the mothers run faster. To quote the article;

“One of the many physical transformation that occur in a woman’s body to accommodate the new resident is an increase in blood volume, since there are suddenly two people in need of oxygenated blood. Once the baby is born, that extra blood hangs around. Extra red blood cells, as any athlete who has used EPO knows, means extra oxygen to the muscles. This super mom effect, however, is transient, lasting a few weeks or months. A 1991 study at the University of Vermont found that non-athlete women were still pumping slightly more blood than usual three months after giving birth“.

Wifey is almost 9-months pregnant now. She is all excited to start running again. I’m sure after reading this article, she’ll be inspired to start right away. Wifey used to run better than me, but after gave birth to munchkin, she gave up running entirely and concentrated on swimming instead. Currently at 38 weeks, she still swims regularly, doing laps after laps at our pool.  Swimming is great exercise because it uses both large muscle groups (arms and legs). Though low-impact, it provides good cardiovascular benefits and allows expectant women to feel weightless despite the extra pounds added by pregnancy. It also poses a very low risk of injury. I have to say that swimming is one of the safest forms of exercise.

If you swim regularly before pregnancy, you should be able to continue without much modification. Our dear friend Fong, at 4 mths pregnant now, used to join us for long-distance swim sessions (distances more than 4km) during her early pregnancy. She swam fast and strong. However, a word of caution to those who didn’t swim or exercise at all, you should still be able to swim, but check with your doctor first. You’ll need to start slowly, stretch well during a gradual warm-up and cooldown, and not to overexert yourself. Moderate physical activities not only burn calories, but pregnant ladies will feel less fatigued, sleep better, and cope better with pregnancy’s physical and emotional challenges.

To expectant women, have a safe and healthy pregnancy. And to my sweetie pie, you are doing great honey! Can’t wait for Ian Jr. to come out

Note : Our dear friend cum athlete Fong blogs about her experience and challenges in working out during her pregnancy. Read her blog here. However, bear in mind that Fong has always been active throughout her life. Her training regime is not meant for every one.

 

hill running over the weekend

Diket, Syah, Ziff, Syed, Irwan and I had another round of Long Slow Distance (LSD) training last Saturday. We met at Bukit Aman carpark at 6.30am. The route, suggested by Syah, was Bukit Aman – Komuter B.Negara – Matrade – Sri Hartamas - Petronas – Matrade – Double Hill - Bukit Aman; offering a 25km route of mixed terrain, mostly hilly.

 

 

Few years back, I hate the idea of running at hilly sections (uphill especially) but now, am enjoying every second of it.  This kind of training helps me to build confidence. The more hills I run, the less intimidating they’ll seem when I encounter them on a race course. The improved strength and technique on the hills have also given me the confidence boost when I am racing.

I’m not surprised that some runners don’t like hill running because it’s … well …. hard. But running hills provides a lot of benefits to runners, so don’t shy away from them. Based on the information gathered from websites, here are some of the ways you can benefit from hill running:

• You’ll build strength. Running inclines, either on a hill outdoors or on a treadmill, is a form of resistance training that builds up the muscles in your calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Hill running strengthens those areas more than running on flat ground. You’ll also strengthen your hip flexors and Achilles tendons.
• You’ll get faster. The muscles you’ll use to run up hills are the same ones used for sprinting, so the strength you build will improve your speed.
• You won’t get bored. If you’re used to running on mostly flat courses, adding hills to your routines can help prevent boredom.
• You’ll reduce your risk of injuries. As you strengthen your leg muscles through hill running, you considerably reduce the risk of suffering from running-related injuries.
• You’ll strengthen your upper body. Uphill running forces you to drive your arms harder than you do when running on flat ground, so you’ll improve your upper body strength.

To add more hill running to my weekend, CA’s The Wild Gym Coordinator; Che and myself went to Bukit Apek on Sunday to recce this trail. It was so much fun. Do have  a look at my next entry later today.

Have a good week ahead!

resistance training for runners

I subscribed to Sports Performance Bulletin. Earlier today, I received an article from them on how to choose the right resistance training exercises for runners. Here it goes;

Resistance training (RT) takes many forms and most of them can aid your running performance in some way:

Strength training – enables runners to maintain form when running and be more efficient. Certain exercises are useful in helping prevent injuries;

Power training – helps with change of speed and acceleration during races, and with changes in incline during cross-country courses;

Plyometric training – helps improve running mechanics (if performed correctly) by improving the reactivity of ankle, foot and pelvic joints whilst running. This can lead to an overall increase in running efficiency and therefore less energy expenditure whilst running;

Muscular endurance – where increased local muscular endurance can help with overall endurance by increasing the number and density of mitochondria in the muscles.

The tricky part, of course, is knowing how to balance all the different aspects, without detriment to running training and mechanics.

In terms of muscular coordination, running is an extremely complex activity so care has to be taken to enhance, rather than inhibit it. For example, just using large bounding activities will help use the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, but will inhibit the smaller foot and ankle muscles that are used to land and react when running. Conversely, wobble board exercises will use the smaller muscle groups, but don’t require enough strength in the main muscles to create real improvements in running economy.

What works for runners?

Trying to draw conclusions from research apart from ‘elite middle distance runners can benefit from RT’ is difficult. So perhaps we should look at how the body works best, and then create an exercise programme around that, rather than just doing gym exercises.

This may include the following:

• Some form of plyometric activity to work ankle reactivity;
• Single leg strengthening exercises to improve balance and control in the gluteal area and the knee joint;
• Hamstring exercises that develop eccentric strength;
• Some exercises that help develop the core complex around the pelvis that assists in minimising upper body rotation during running.

That exact choice will depend on the individual runner; for example, if a runner has had an injury, or is severely deconditioned then there is a place for general strengthening work in the form of circuit training to establish a sound platform. Jumping too quickly into specific work without an underlying strength base could lead to injury. If a runner has suffered a lower limb injury, the level of coordination will be decreased, so exercises need to be included that re-establish previous motor patterns.

As a result it is vital to remember that although there are benefits for running performance and efficiency, the type of resistance training and exercises chosen are absolutely critical for performance gains.

Choose the right ones for you. As for me, I do many different kind of routines, mostly with my PT clients. We do squats, lunges, butt kicks, knee drills, skipping, stair-climbing  etc.  

calling for Group Training

There are lots of benefits of group training, from improved motivation to expanded social circle. Not sure how to go about finding people to run with? Good news runners, we have different run locations this weekend, starting as early as Friday night. No membership, no fees, no secret handshake – just an easy, friendly long run with meals after (the latter is only applicable to few locations … hehhe). All are welcome.

Putrajaya Boulevard Run
Date : Friday, May 21
Time : 0900pm
Venue : infront of Palace of Justice (PoJ)
Target : 25km

It’s a sun-less run. Flat terrain almost 80% of the route. Expect hilly/rolling section around PICC area. Will be running in loops of approximately 11.6km.

Enaikay’s 2nd Attempt Run
Date: Saturday, May 22.
Time: 0615am (0630am roll out)
Venue :Kiara Park, TTDI
Target : 30km

The route is very interesting, mix terrain of flat, rolling and hilly. Kiara Park – Hartamas – Bukit Tunku – Bukit Aman – Kiara Park. There will be a Petronas along the route for your Gatorade stopover.

Ngae’s Memorial Run
Date : Sunday, May 23
Time : 0600am (run starts at 6.30am)
Venue : Bukit Aman
Target : 10-20km (you can opt to run in sarong, barefoot etc.)

This is a Memorial Run for the late Ngae Koh Hieng (08 jan1954 – 15 may 2010), the barefoot and constantly-smiling runner in sarong. He will be greatly missed.

for better or for worse

Most people engage in fitness training to lose weight or achieve a certain level of fitness. Once they reach their target, they maintain it without thinking much to surpass that goal. Sorry to say that this type of thinking never works for me, definitely not in my programs.

Fitness should be part of one’s lifestyle, and to ensure that, fitness activities need to be interesting, inspiring and motivational enough for one to own and live with it, not for a short-while but until the end of one’s life.

In fitness, or any area for that matter, it is impossible to stay at the same level. You either improve or decline (well, it’s a bit exaggerated to say that). Truth is, you can try to maintain it but it won’t be long enough before it starts to slowly die off. Humans grow or die, and never stay the same. If a person loses all the weight they want to lose, and just want to stay at that level, how do they do it? Either if they stop working out and eating right, or decrease working out and eating right, both ways, they will gain that weight back.

A quick fix is to continue to workout and eat right. Easier said than done huh? Well, the trick is to engage in some sort of competitive sports, be it in bodybuilding competitions for those who are into weight training, marathons for the runners, swimathons for swimmers or practically any other competitions that exist like tennis championships etc.

You can always start at the lowest level and slowly add the mileage and intensity. That way, you will continuously have goals or targets in your fitness regime. Along the way, you will gain not only your physical strength, but mental strength as well. As an example, for a novice runner, probably your initial target is just to complete a 5km run. But once you have completed, probably you want to do a better run next time by throwing yourself a timing target of sub70 minutes – once achieved, lower it to sub 60, sub 50 and so forth. This way, you are not only challenging yourself gradually, but also making your fitness training more meaningful and goal-driven. With higher motivation and commitment level, even when you have a busy workday, you will still try to squeeze in the training session in between your appointments.

So People, stop giving excuses and train hard.

Be Competitive, Stay Competitive.

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