Periodization and Transition Phases

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“The dream you are living is your creation. It is your perception of reality that you can change at any time. You have the power to create hell, and you have the power to create heaven. Why not dream a different dream? What not use your mind, your imagination, and your emotions to dream heaven?” –

Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements, Love More, Fear Less

Chris Oemler recently shared this quote in one of her classes at the Leesburg studio. I often think of life in terms of training periodization cycles – here’s a very simple picture to visualize how training periodization works (simply put, purposeful waves). There are cycles of grinding and maxing out, testing your limits – but to grow and optimally perform, these challenging times must be followed my rest, relaxation, and recovery.

In yoga, sports and life this occurs on macros and micro levels – the “micro” rest at the end of each yoga practice or the “down” periods (transition phases) in life (like having a nice Memorial Day week vacation!). These take the form of rest and reflection, allowing one to process absorbed knowledge and experiences, realize what you’ve even accomplished, and take a moment to learn from the past. If you push too far without this rest, hard work and training will be wasted; you risk injuring yourself, you burn out, and you simply become over-trained, not yourself and no longer engaged and benefiting from the process and practice.

Of course, no surprise…like many of us do, I approached last week with ambitious intentions – the business plans I would write, the personal projects I’d complete, etc. Yet, the moment I finished those final exams and completed the long trek home…all I could do was sleep (and eat). Like myself, many of us are unaware how exhausted we’ve become.

Three years ago, when I was forced to do nothing but think while recovering from my hip surgeries due to over-use injuries (something I never paused and stopped to do), I promised myself that I would intentionally plan time for this in the future. As stated earlier, this rest is essential for growing or else you burn out, or get sick, off-track, etc. and eventually are forced to stop.

Often our greatest ideas, insights and intuitions come after we’ve taken a break – whether that’s meditation, a step away from the office, a walk, or vacation. Like a taper from training, at first, we feel ‘off’ or may question if we’ve even put in our best work…especially if we are letting ourselves rest. Was ‘my best’ good enough? Could I have done better? Will it pay off in the end? In sports and life, there’s uncertainty between the point of hard work behind us and not seeing results. However, along the way you trusted in this process, so shouldn’t you believe in the outcome?

In sports periodization, after a week’s rest, our bodies hit a point where rest kicks in and our body can perform optimally. The accumulation of learning, work, and training experiences…and we realize “we still got this”…we’re on the right track. This “performance test” extends beyond a sport competition but comes in many forms – often life’s challenges, ideas or direction for what’s next.

In training and in life, it’s hard to stay in your own lane, or even your own mat. We all have different goals – but we often get wrapped up in what is going on around us. There’s a balance to be found between surrounding ourselves with people who challenge and support us with while also maintaining focus of our own training strategy.

Ruiz also wrote, “Imagine living your life without being afraid to take a risk and to explore life. You are not afraid to lose anything. You are not afraid to be alive in the world.”

It’s only after these tests you realize it was irrational to have ever worried or questioned yourself. This emotion of uncertainty or fear is purposeful – because without out any sort of discomfort, we would casually go about life, perhaps not attentive, without anticipation, never feeling the extremes, no satisfaction or appreciation.

“Imagine living your life without fear of expressing your dreams,” Ruiz writes. “You know what you want, what you don’t want, and when you want it. You are free to change your life the way you really want to. You are not afraid to ask for what you need, to say yes or no to anything or anyone.”

The following of a challenge or test of performance is an essential time to redirect our focus and make changes to the next cycle according to what’s working and what’s not working (and also what you may want to try experimenting). Whether you are approaching summer, a new job, the end of a school year, or any transition phase – it’s a great time to refocus and align with our goals. Remembering to rest, dreaming the life we want to live, following what we love, acting in alignment with our long-term goals, serving other’s, and fearing less.

 — Amanda Presgraves

Amanda is a recent business graduate from Wake Forest University with her B.S. in Exercise Science from James Madison University. As Division I collegiate swimmer, life-long athlete, and entrepreneur – Amanda is an advocate of health and personal growth, on a constant pursuit to optimize life and inspire others through her commitment to healthy living. If you can’t find Amanda bouncing between projects, the gym, kitchen, her mat, or volunteering, you can find her online as she continues to lead and motivate others towards a happier and improved life through article contributions, newsletters and community motivation. (@amandapgraves, linkedin).

12 Reasons to Have a Personal Training Partner

12 Reasons to Have a Personal Training Partner

“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.”

What if we told you there was a way to double your physical activity? What if we provided this for free? Would you do it? The secret – accountability with a personal training partner.

This technique exists free of risk, cost, and effort – dramatically increasing the likelihood of achieving your goals, jacking up your enjoyment, and keeping you safe, happy and strong– are you in?

Research out of the Michigan State University found that those who exercised with a partnered continued twice as long than those who exercised on their own. Make it a group work out – they went even longer, even with only a personal training partner!

Group exercise has been found to significantly increase our motivation to stick with an exercise program. This sense of responsibility and commitment toward another person increases our likelihood of following through on a commitment.

Besides motivation, there exists additional benefits to group exercise that you could be missing out on when exercising solo.

1. Exposure to a social and fun environment: ACSM suggests a social atmosphere for increased enjoyment, sustained interest, and a heightened sense of camaraderie and accountability among groups, participants and instructors. When you are having fun, you’re laughing and releasing various endorphins. This makes the routine enjoyable, but also creates a positive connection with exercise. Many, especially those seeking weight loss, have negative associations with exercise. Having a friend makes it more enjoyable, rewiring the brain neural connectivity for enjoyment with exercise.
2. A safe and effectively designed workout: No more worrying about what to do, poor form, muscle group knowledge, or who’s going to spot you. Personal training buddies have you covered. During our boot camp classes, our instructors are experts in biomechanics and modifications for injuries and body types. However, no one can monitor an entire group of twenty during every repetition. Having a workout partner, even in a group class, makes the exercise more safe encourages you to use correct form. Also, when you have a partner modifying your form, you and the partner will learn more about the exercise, the correct technique, and build another positive learning experience with exercise.
3. A consistent exercise schedule: Consistency is key. Not only is that provided by group scheduling, but also the energy of others gets us excited for the next class. Having a workout partner gets you to the next workout, which is essential if you are a beginner or a veteran. Recently two situations of accountability come to mind from our boot camp:
   1. This duo always works out together. They come at the same time, do the exercises together and are glued at the hip. This week, one wasn’t there for the first 30 minutes of class. However, 30 minutes into class she showed up. Some may not see this importance, but if she didn’t have her workout partner waiting for her, do you think she would have come to class? Exactly, the partner builds and enforces the workout schedule, even it is subtle.
   2. A recent couple for the boot camp is a bit more forceful. Last Friday, one dragged in the other for a workout. The resistant exerciser was exhausted from the week and didn’t want to move. However, their partner dragged them to class and got their butt moving. Their butt wasn’t moving much, but building the routine and consistent exercise schedule was essential for creating the boot camp a healthy habit. This week, the shoe was on the other foot and the one who didn’t want to workout the week before was now the motivator! Everyone hits a point where they want to rest or break the routine. A consistent exercise schedule is HUGE for building compliance and long-term gainz, now approaching Gainzville!
4. Increased pain tolerance: According to Oxford University, endorphin release is significantly greater in group exercise or group personal training than in individual training, even at constant power output….therefore doubling our pain tolerance! The significance of pain tolerance is underappreciated, as pain can lead to altered movement patterns, injury, and disability. This may seem like a morbid mindset, but it happens more than you think! Too many people let pain and injuries alter their daily life, taking away the things they love! Back pain prevents many from picking up the grandchildren or even their children, workout, or garden. Working out helps you build your pain tolerance and prevent the negative cascade of events!
5. Positive influence on habits: A 2011 study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that the exercise habits of people you know have a positive influence on your exercise habits. Getting yourself a workout buddy will increase your chances of sticking to a program! In the world of short attention spans and instant gratification, being patient and consistent is mandatory for success. Exercise, health, and nutrition are not sexy. Despite what other gyms and the next fad, exercise, health, and nutrition take a lot of time and effort. Often times, this time and effort isn’t fair. Sometimes you’ll work your butt off and not lose a pound. Other times you’ll train harder and not improve. Exercise, fitness, and health are like life, and life isn’t fair. You could be in tip top shape, then get hit a bus. This makes a long-term outlook essential for successful, realistic, and positive improvements in health and exercise. It is sexy and easy to hop on and off the health and fitness fad, but taking the bus down the health and fitness lifestyle is grueling, so having positive influcers (like your personal training partner) around you is mandatory for picking you up when you get knocked down (cue the Chumbawamba).
6. Power Couples: Not only are you 5 times more likely to exercise if your spouse is – but the empathy, praise, and connection has a huge emotional benefit that spills over into your relationship. Our boot camp classes have a growing number of couples who are working out together. Now, we don’t suggest critiquing each other and do suggest having a different workout partner, but working out with each other has tons of benefits:
   1. One person isn’t at home eating ding-dongs while the other is working out.
   2. One person isn’t thinking the other is at home eating ding-dongs while the other is working out.
   3. You will begin eating healthier at home.
   4. You are aware of each other’s physical goals and can help keep each other on track.
   5. You are both in better shape and potentially more attracted to one another…
   6. You set a positive example for your children (if you have any).
   7. You can enjoy the COR Couple’s Discount.
   8. You have an excuse to massage each other for recovery.
   9.  And so on…
7. Increased Force Production: Having a workout partner who motivates and challenges you will increase your force production. No matter the quality of a group exercise class, one person keeping an eye on you can increase force production. We often try and push ourselves, but certainly can feel tired or down on certain days. This makes having a partner call you out on a tired day or feed into your energy when you are making hard pushes great for increasing force production.
8. Greater Social Involvement Outside of the Workout: A lot of exercise programs (like our group exercise boot camp) expand beyond the gym. Social activities can increase social and community engagement. If you workout with a partner, you’re more likely to attend these social outings. This completes the triangle of balance, building up the social side to balance the work and health. In the Bay Area, whether you are in Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, or San Jose, you are becoming more isolated. You sit in front of computers and in your cars for long periods of time, decreasing our social (not work) interactions. Group exercise classes can increase your social and fitness aspect. At COR, we have quarterly parties, monthly dinner outings, hiking, coffee…a lot of social engagements!
9. Increased Goal Attainment: Goals are easy to make, but hard to attain. How many times have you written or thought of a goal, only to have it fall to the side after a week. The greater accountability the more likely you’ll reach your goal. Too often goals are kept within, but if you share your goal with your trainer, personal training partner, or exercise community, the greater the likelihood you’ll reach this goal. Our goal wall is a great way to increase goal attainment, forcing you to look your goal in the eye for every workout and day.
10. More Likely to Try Something New: If you are hesitant to try something new, a personal training partner can help you conquer this fear. Seeing someone you know and trust do an exercise or movement increases your likelihood to try something. You shouldn’t always practice this jump off the bridge idea, but it can help if you are hesitant to exercise and trying new things.
11. You Could Afford a Personal Trainer: A workout partner can make a personal trainer more affordable. Often, a partner workout is half the price as a regular one-on-one session, saving you a lot of money. Some are concerned a trainer can’t keep an eye on more than one person at once, but this isn’t true. A trainer should (not all do) be able to monitor multiple people at once and teach skills systematically for safe workouts.
12. You’ll Be more Fit: If you workout with a friend, you two will become more fit. Having more fit friends will help you stay more fit, as habits are contagious. The more time you spend with someone who is fit, healthy, and/or happy the more likely these feelings will rub off on you. Why not increase your chances of a successful fitness and healthier life? Stack the odds in your favor and bring a buddy to get fit and surround yourself with fit people!

How to Find a Workout or Personal Training Partner

Now, that you know the 12 benefits of having a workout partner, you need to know how to find one. This step may sound easy, but you need to find a good fit, as a bad workout partner can be a toxic as a good workout partner can be beneficial.

1. Make Sure you Really Like Them: It is easy to bring a work friend or someone you casually know as your personal training workout partner. Unfortunately, you are going to undoubtedly hit rough patches with your workout partner. Make sure you really like your workout partner. Like any relationship, you’ll hit tough times, them skipping workouts, slacking, wanting to chat, etc. Also, you want to increase your chances of making the workout, so if you pick someone you really want to hangout with and don’t see too often, then you’ll find a way to get to the workout.
2. Pick the Perfect Skill Level: When picking a personal training workout partner, make sure you pick you pick someone with the perfect skill level. This skill level will differ based on your level and who you work well with. When finding a workout partner, here are the are common good fits:
   1. Nervous Newbie: If you are a nervous newbie, bring someone with a similar skill level. This way, you can have someone to laugh with and make mistakes, because you will certainly make mistakes.
   2. Pleasing Partner: If you are a people-pleaser, I highly suggest working out with someone slightly more skilled than you. This can keep the carrot in front of you, challenging yourself and your people-pleasing traits.
   3. Debbie Downer: If you don’t want to workout, you have a few things to address first, but finding a highly dependable person is key. If you are already down on exercising, having a dependable partner can get you to the gym. However, make sure this person doesn’t annoy you and give you another excuse to miss the gym.
   4. Skilled Samurai: Even if you have been in the gym for years can be helpful. If you have years under your belt, finding a newbie with great potential can expand your mindset, pass along what you know, and also challenge you once they progress.
3. Compatible Attitude: A compatible attitude is often a positive attitude. Finding someone with a positive attitude can rub off on you and make each workout more enjoyable. However, if you are a Debbie Downer (see above) this high positivity may hurt you. This makes a compatible attitude a must for an exercise buddy.
4. Compatible Motivational Styles: If you like to get yelled at, then finding someone who also enjoys this style can help your workouts. If you want to gossip between workouts, then find someone who isn’t at the gym yelling at you to get your rear off the ground!
5. They have the Sameish Schedule: Your workout partner has to come to workouts. If your partner needs to workout at 5 am and you are a night owl, it isn’t going to work. Finding the person with the same schedule greatly increases workout accountability.

We aren’t letting the power of accountability go underutilized. In effort to maximize your performance, goals, and self – we’re setting you up to succeed by taking advantage of the strength of group training.

We’re setting you up with a kick-butt support system, team collaboration and camaraderie, friendly competition, and quality accountability to make those goals reality.

How are you staying accountable for your goals this week?

Improving Your Physical, Emotional, & Spiritual Health

Improving Your Physical, Emotional, & Spiritual Health

“We live in a world where the yellow brick road has many forks and can take us on many incredible journeys … But this is exciting news. It means we can choose the life we want for ourselves. You choose that life by doing the best you can right in this moment. Right now. By being bold in this moment. Right now. There is no other moment to wait for.” – Dick Costolo’s Foreword from James Altucher’s, Choose Yourself

When do we ever truly know the outcome?  We don’t. But we can choose right now to do the best we can and make the most of the moment.  You can choose to be bold. To ‘choose yourself’. James writes an entire book on how he turned his life around from a point of dark failure, depression and poverty by following 5 key principles.

1. Improve your physical health (focus on exercise and diet)
2. Improve your emotional health (be around people that you love and trust)
3. Improve you spiritual health (always expressing gratitude)
4. Capture your brilliance (write down ten ideas every day)
5. Give without expectation (give your ideas away)

This TED Talk sums it up in 10 minutes, but let’s highlight the first principle that that James emphasizes.

Improve your physical health

“From that internal health the rest will come, whether it’s business, art, health success”

Before we want to succeed at anything (which is defined entirely by you), the very first thing that we must get together is ourself. The quickest and easiest way to see results is through exercise and diet. Beyond the many physiological changes that occur, exercise not only guides us toward a healthier and happier lifestyle but also one where we are more driven and optimistic. Doing this one thing for yourself, in return improves your sense of livelihood and influences those around you as well.

The book defines this in very basic terms – exercise, eat healthy foods, drink lots of water, and get plenty of sleep.

As for the second principle – surround yourself with awesome people…we make that one easy too

“There’s no one path. There’s every path. Every path stars with this bold moment. Did you choose yourself for this moment? Can you be bold?”

What is part of your daily practice to #chooseyourself?

5 Steps to Maintain Daily Energy (without coffee)

5 Steps to Maintain Daily Energy (without coffee)

“We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.” – Earl Nightingale

At the age of 16, if you were told you had 12 months to live – I think you too would be rather motivated to scientifically unwrap how we can derive the most meaningful life. 23 years later, author Tom Rath explored the key elements of energizing our work through deep research, interviews, and stories from leading scientists in his book Fully Charged.

His research conclusion: “The odds of being completely engaged in your job increase by more than 250% if you spend a lot time doing meaningful work throughout the day”

Harvard Business School’s conclusion:  “After 12,000 diary entries, 64,000 workday events and 238 workers across 7 companies” – “of all the events that engage people at work, the single most important – by far- is simply making progress in meaningful work”

Here are the top 5 ways to be Fully Charged according to Rath and health research:

1. “Every day you let something keep you from following a dream, you lose an opportunity to create meaning” – Interests + Strengths = Meaning

A 2013 study of over 12,000 workers around the world found that those who derived meaning from their work were three times more likely to stay. Meaning has the highest single impact of any variable, and the strongest source of motivation is meaningful work…particularly doing things that contribute to a collective good. This can be any involvement – your job, your fitness, your family – any activity you engage in should be more than a note on your ‘to-do list’ but a have purpose.

2.  “If you want to make a difference – not just today, but for many years to come – you need to put your health and energy ahead of all else” – Eat/Move/Sleep

Personal well-being is as important as your work engagement. If you are neglecting to fuel your body with nutritious foods, lacking exercise, and are burning yourself out from work – how do you expect to have a meaningful contribution to the lives of others? Good news is that this doesn’t have to be some grand, difficult plan. Make one step in the right direction toward either your sleep, eating, or exercise and it will lead you to an upward spiral in the other two areas. These small lifestyle choices influence each other every day.

3. “People who have very high energy levels in a given day are more than 3x more likely to be completely engaged in their work that same day” – Work with purpose! 45+15!

“There is a great deal of support for the general notion of workingin intense bursts paid with a period of time to recharge”. The top 10% treat the period of working time like a sprint – a highly focused burst of ∼45 minutes –  making the most of the working time with intense purpose. This if followed by a ∼15 break to rest up, walk around, move, and have the freedom from structured work to renew. This schedule followed in the Finland education system has been found to not only be effective in school but also in business.  Rath suggest adjusting up/down from there to determine what ratio allows you to remain fully charged.

4. “Small wins generate meaningful progress” – Small wins everyday

“Chipping away at a dream in small steps is deeply motivating” and “even in the worst situations, you can find opportunities for growth”. Seek out the small things that engage you to make daily forward progress.

5. “The actions you take throughout every single day accumulate to shape your years, decades and overall life. However, when you think about a typical day, it’s easy to take these moments for granted” – Choose Positivity 

Rath’s research found that people who reported having great interactions through the day were nearly FOUR times as likely to have a very high well-being. No doubt, life throws curve balls which we can’t control…but we can always control our next interaction and choose to put a positive spin to that conversation.

What are your strongest internal motivators? What are those reminders that give meaning to why you do what you do?

The One Question You Should Be Asking for Body Transformation

The One Question You Should Be Asking for Body Transformation

“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.” – Duke Ellington

Combine the innovator in Edison with the improver in Twain and you have yourself the key to problem solving.

Problem solving sounds a lot like the grade school math challenges we never want to look at again, or the tedious, mind-consuming solutions to our car-pool dilemma. If you think about it though…everything in our day-to-day lives require problem solving – cooking breakfast, getting to work, who’s going to pick the kids up from soccer practice, how we find time to fit in a work out. Sometimes it’s even automatic how we solve them – it’s time we look at this differently.

Why are we neglecting these simple, yet vastly available opportunities throughout our day to improve our lives?

I like to think of optimizing the potential of the human body, ourselves, and our lives as I would a business or job. The problem solving strategies used to optimize companies and design products can easily be applied inward to our health and wellness, behaviors, and daily life – just ask some of the top researchers from Stanford and Fortune 500 companies.

All it takes is one question.

But are you asking that right question? Chances are you aren’t…many of us aren’t.

What have you always wanted to solve but never quite have? Weight loss? Completing a marathon? Starting a business?

Last week we talked about trying new things in order to improve – we need to expand our approach to see the many solutions.  Too often we approach looking for the solution – which isn’t the answer. We set goals and benchmarks, only to sell ourselves short of our potential. We think “if I lose weight I will be happy” or “if I’m faster than I will like my sport more”. We go out pursuing weight loss because then we will be happier, or we go to practice dreading it but thinking that eventually it will be better.

Whatever it may be, it can seem like there are insurmountable obstacles standing between us and our goals. The truth is…these goals are completely achievable…and in most cases, YOU are the only one holding yourself back.

So you wanna know what we’re doing? 

A community body transformational fitness journey.

30 days. Sustainable results. Helping you figure out how to achieve your goals. Guaranteed success… and some bonus prizes at the end wouldn’t hurt right?

We are changing the question and the answer to body transformation.

March – body transformation.

We are digging deep to find the real answers, the science, the motives, and how to personalize it to YOU…with a killer community to be with you every step of the way, doctors to analyze, cater, and support you, and some of the Valley’s top personal trainers.

We are taught to believe there are ‘traditional’ ways we need to improve our health – going on a walk, lifting weights, eating salad – it’s much cooler than that…and more enjoyable.

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” – Soren Kierkegaard

I challenge you to think outside the box, explore, laugh and enjoy the process – the journey is meant to be lived, not taught. See how this Stanford professor figured out the best way to lose weight and how we want to support that journey for you through our March Mania Transformation Challenge.

To learn more on how we are using design thinking to help create healthful habits, how problem solving will help you lose weight or reach any of your goals, what March Mania is all about, and get more motivation – stay tuned next week!

Ready to go? Sign up for the Transformation Challenge at COR.

What chance are you taking advantage of this week to do your best?

5 Steps to Apply Design Thinking to Improving Health

5 Steps to Apply Design Thinking to Improving Health

“The experience of taking control of your life will change your reality, making it possible to achieve almost anything you seriously want to do.” Dr. Roth, The Achievement Habit

As we prepare to launch our March Mania Challenge, we are going to fill you in on the process on how we are determining the most effective health transformation.

What is it that most people want anyways? To lose weight, right?

Well…

We realize it’s not getting people to lose weight – it’s about getting them to want to work out, to enjoy it, make it accessible, build a community, and give them the power to be in control of their health and life.

People loved being a part of the COR community, the kids even join in on the fun (psst!…we are already planning the fun for KADP this summer!), all while pushing everyone to new heights.

“By changing the question, I have altered my point of view and dramatically expanded the number of possible solutions.” – Dr. Roth

The question changed –

• “How might we get people to lose weight?”
• “How might we prove working out is fun and establishes a healthy lifestyle?”
• “How might we demonstrate the impact COR has on encouraging families to be a part of this healthy community?”

…by better understanding our clients.

Design Thinking is term coined by Roth and other Stanford engineers (typically used to improve on a specific product or experience, like a lightbulb or online dating). In “The Achievement Habit“, Roth explains how the same process can be applied inward, helping individuals become happier and more successful.

There’s innovation in the way we approach technology (think that hip watch you’re sporting on your wrist, or the new heart rate monitor) – we got that covered for you here – but there’s also innovation in how we approach our health. The latest gadgets are great and serve as fun motivators…but mastering yourself is all the rage as well – and free.

Nothin’ is more stylish than that.

When Dr. Roth, had first-hand experience applying design thinking to his weight-loss, he discovered that everyone can form the kind of lifelong habits that solve problems, achieve goals and help make our lives better. All it took was “changing the question“. By simply altering his point of view, the number of possibilities dramatically expanded.

So what’s that #1 question we talked about last week –

#1: “What would it do for me if I solved this problem?”

How do we ask the right question to make these next-level changes that step up the game, technology or potential of anything?

Step #1: “Empathize” — learn what the real issues are that need to be solved.

• Understand yourself and define the issue
  •  ex: Diet: Is the junk food the problem or the REASON you are eating the junk food the problem(aka lack of sleep, stress, cravings, triggers, etc.)? Too often we focus on fixing our diet, but what not on fixing the root of our behaviors. Sometimes it takes a nutritional analysis to understand these mechanisms.
  • ex: Exercise: In terms of weight loss – What would it really do for you?  Is it to live longer? Look better and be accepted by others?  Is it to build strength to improve performance? Longevity? Functionality?

Step #2: “Define the problem” — a surprisingly tough task.

• Become empathetic toward yourself during the journey as well as reframing the world and our perspectives

“Design thinking on the highest level is a way of reframing the way you look at the world and deal with issues, and the main thing is this idea of empathy.”

“If you have tried something and it hasn’t worked, then you’re working on the wrong problem.”

Step #3:  “Ideate” — brainstorm, generate possible solution, come up with ideas.

Step #4: “Build” – Create a plan, map out your goals, work with a coach, talk with others.

Step #5: “Test” – The final step is to test the idea and get feedback…when it comes to you, this means testing it on yourself – go try it! Is it working? Was it enjoyable?

Why does this work so well? Because it’s focused around you! Not your friend, not your co-worker, and not the bodybuilder on the bench over…but YOU!

There is both a growing need and opportunity to build collaboration between health and design to address the critical public health issues of our time. Applying human-centered design to address complex health problems (obesity, disease, etc.) creates environments and experiences that make healthy behaviors not only simple, but easy, enjoyable, and economical.

1. Ask the right question
2. Do what we’ve never done before
3. Discover our capabilities

Be More Effective, Enjoyable, Productive, & Profitable in 2016

Be More Effective, Enjoyable, Productive, & Profitable in 2016

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” – Mark Twain

Do the same things, you can expect the same results.

You’ve probably heard Einstein’s expression – “Insanity = Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.”
Since it came from a smart person…that makes it true, right?

Continual action sounds more like persistence, but in the context of improvement it’s simply ineffective.

Whether it be athletic performance, personal improvement, business, or life – I’ve yet to meet someone satisfied with the status quo.  Every thing wants (and has the potential!) to be better, more effective, more enjoyable, more productive, and more profitable.  Nevertheless, many of us seeking improvement continue doing the same thing we’ve done and just hope for a different result – insanity right?

How is this done in sports? When does improvement stop?

It’s fun to wonder – how long can athletes like swimmers continue to drop time? How much faster can we run a marathon? Eventually we can’t blink and be at the finish line, so when does it stop?

Competitive athletes reach the point at which they are willing to make any sacrifice for that inch of improvement. However, that “anything” is usually restricted by the ‘same-ol’, traditional norms that they’ve been taught.

These are the two hardest times to make improvements –

1. Getting started (my NY resolution folks)
2. Improving after ‘exhausting the limits’ (competitive athletes, professionals)

These two circumstances are also the most optimal for achieving improvements. Why?

They both hold the key to breakthrough: 

Doing what you’ve never done before

What are you doing this week that you’ve never done before? How are you changing things up? Keep it fun, keep improving!

You can experiment for yourself, or finish reading how here.

The discomfort, unfamiliarity, and risk of failure is trumped by the possibilities of success – explaining why we almost always neurotically continue. The journey is easy when you are reaping the benefits and riding the wave of success, but what happens when you are continually knocked down? When discouragement sets in and failure arises. When you invest every ounce and nothing is worthwhile. That time, money, energy put into your passion makes you question if it was a waste.

The balance between persistence and change is hard – but they actually co-exist.

Grow in a different way.

What does that mean?

• Doing the same exercise over and over again until you get injured
• Becoming frustrated and doubtful
• Following what works for everyone else
• Trying something new
• Recognizing the gains
• Trusting in the process and yourself

The most successful start to a new exercise regimen or habit is beginning with something you enjoy. Why do we change this approach to grinding out 30+ hours of training a week?
If we don’t make room for the things that are enjoyable (like this!) – it’s not sustainable. You need to either be 1. Having fun or 2. Improving

Our training model reflecting this relationship -“The fastest swimmers have the most fun”

Grinding out work is exhilarating when you recognize the momentous gains and enjoy the process. That moment when you learn a new skill, laugh with your training partner, make something a little tastier than before, feel better after a workout – it’s essential we pause and recognize the moments that make it all worth while – the tiny joys that are found in the fun, impressionable memories along the way.

As for improvements – we are made to think they are limited to gains in physique, finances, or championship performances. Don’t overlook the improvements found in the mundane but critical – sleep, nutrition, practice, attitude, and beyond.

Meanwhile, there are inner processes occurring:

• Physiologically, if you dig into the science of exercise performance improvements – countless changes are happening. In a 10-year, longitudinal study on a world-record marathon runner, many physiological factors were tested, and many changes occurred. The vast data pointed to the runner’s profound improvement in running economy as the key to her performance improvements. This is impossible to contribute to any single physiological adaptation considering all the changes she was making…but maybe that’s the point – for 10 years she continued changing, stressing and improving different systems more efficiently: more rest, quality over quantity, resistance training, periodization, better nutrition – all values COR emphasizes. There is no single change to credit her success. All we know is that we must mix things up…and there’s a science to doing that most effectively!
  • Approach: If you aren’t satisfied, maybe it’s time to look inward: Are you doing the same ineffective things over and over? Going to the gym and frustrated with the lack of results? Are you waiting for the circumstance to change? Or maybe the people around you?
  • You: If you’re stuck in a pattern that’s not getting you what you want, then it’s time to change the pattern. Which means changing the only part of the situation you have control over – you.

Instead of waiting for the circumstances to change, you must change them yourself. Don’t wait for a better future, create you own.

There is no specific list of tasks to becoming successful. Success isn’t formulaic. It’s personal. Studying a field that educates on the countless factors differentiating each individual human, I’ve learned to appreciate this. It’s not something that overwhelms me with impossibility of a formal answer – instead it provides a palette to pull from and inspiration to design the optimal personal experience catered to an individual.

Why?

We are unique. Not only in our inherent physiology and genetics but throw in our experiences, environment, and lifestyle – you’d think it would be impossible to know how to help others. Instead, you need someone who understands all these factors and YOU. Part of what makes success special is the personality you infuse into why and how you do what you do. Stop looking for the prescribed set of answers. Success is creating your own habits. Personalizing it to YOU.

One Step Closer to Happiness

One Step Closer to Happiness

“Active natures are rarely melancholy. Activity and sadness are incompatible” – Christian Bovee

Anyone who ever said they didn’t feel better after a workout is lying. We weren’t meant to be stagnate individuals and a dose of activity does wonders.

Move your body. Move your mind. Move SOMETHING.

No matter if you’re on the beaches vegging on vacation or stuck indoors with snow and rain – simply don’t forget to move every now and then. Small bouts of movement repeatedly can be as beneficial as a long workout.

Harvard Medical Publications advise us to take advantage of what both physical and mental activities provide. On the physical side it could be anything as simple as getting up and taking a lap around the office. It could also be on the mental side – take a three minute break to do to a crossword puzzle, read a book, volunteer, doodle. The principle of active engagement is not only the top rated identifier in markers of successful aging but it enhances memory, decreases depression and risk of dementia.

No matter if you’re the young athlete or weekend warrior, professional or that newbie just trying to get through one more rep –  this is where gains are made.

Small gains add up over time – persistence and movement is key.

You’re body and brain will thank you later.

A great day is only one step away – literally.

What are you doing this week to get movin? How do you monitor happiness?

Finding Balance and Keep Moving Forward

 

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Whatever you do, keep moving forward. 

So maybe this isn’t the traditional message that many associate with Dr. King’s legacy, but it’s a universal teaching made evident through his actions. Dr. King had a way of conveying ideas that left others looking at the world with a new perspective – what better time to share some of his impactful and timeless messages.

While this quotation epitomizes the determined efforts of King, it is very much applicable to our athletic lives.

Dr. King’s role as a civil rights activist ignited a powerful movement and left influential change, however his life and work symbolize a quest that rests at the heart of us all –  refusing to be satisfied with the suboptimal.

Sometimes we won’t be able to run, but that doesn’t mean we can’t walk. At times we can barely walk, but we can still crawl.

No matter what, there is always a way to make progress.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

Whether it be our social conditions or athletic performance – it is human nature to dream bigger and better. It’s this enthusiasm that ignites change.

But how often do we act on that? 

It’s not enough to dream. We all can dream. We must find a way to take the next step toward change.

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle”

This message is two-part. 

Just as important through the process of change, is the balance between strength and persistence to move forward with compassion and understanding to modify. 

It’s not the continuous, violent pounding to our bodies that ignites improvements and progress – it’s the growth through change that follows finding a way no matter the struggle.  It’s no easy feat, but change is the result of determination and persistence. When pursued with enthusiasm, passion and love, it becomes the catalyst for change.

Moving forward means listening to our bodies and choosing to ‘walk’ when we cannot ‘run, yet challenging ourself to make that decision instead of stopping altogether. As we approach any kind of change – whether in ourselves or for social betterment – it’s with this enthusiasm and strong vision that allows us to move forward.

Do you choose to use your enthusiasm for improvement and change to propel you forward? How do you find ways to move forward in the face of struggle?       

Scared to Exercise? 5 Steps to Banish Doubt and Eradicate Fear

Scared to Exercise? 5 Steps to Banish Doubt and Eradicate Fear

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

– Dale Carnegie

Going out, taking action, and making the first step is HUGE. How do you expect to trust in your abilities if you are sitting on the couch being scared of exercise? Being active in the moment (even if that is “failing”) brings you one step closer than when you were doing nothing…surprisingly you soon get to the point where you say, “hey, I’m actually capable of more than I realized”.

Fear arises from situations that could yield failure, suffering, success, isolation, foolishness, disapproval, etc. Fear of exercise makes sense, for years and years it’s promoted survival! Nowadays you may not be concerned with running from lions, but while the stimuli has changed it still serves the same purpose. Instead of fighting for our lives it’s now a spot on the podium or a job at an office. Fear is a natural response, it should be welcomed, appreciated, accepted…and it’s OK to feel…what we’re concerned about is how it’s originating.

DOUBT.

Most times people have fear of exercise and doubt when venturing into something new, uncomfortable, or with previously undesirable effects – it’s to protect us from getting hurt…but these are often exaggerated and acquired by expectations based on our experiences.

So how do we dissipate fear? How do we approach the next step with vitality, reassurance, excitement, and purpose?

We banish doubt. 

“Fear dissipates when doubt is banished” 

It’s easy to go with what’s comfortable, accept defeat, or live in fear of exercise where we don’t need to take action, but that fosters a life of inaction, stagnation and lack of purpose. To banish doubt you must TAKE ACTION – be willing to forego security and stability to step into the unknown and take a risk.

Everything you do produces a result – no matter the place, time or position – it’s what you do with those results that counts! Eradicate fear by knowing you have it what is takes. Results (no matter the outcome) yield experience and knowledge that enable growth. As soon as you acquire the 100% trust in your ability and an unshakable belief, the idea of possessing even the smallest ounce of doubt is long gone. You’re ready and soon won’t be able to think otherwise.

Taking action can be reflection, it can be going out and creating something tangible, or preparing for the future. Various methods exist to build the courage and confidence in yourself to tap into your potential. Realizing you CAN do what you are capable of given your particular skills, at a certain time and under certain conditions is empowering and enables us the strength rise to the challenge (and even seek them!).

Stop doubting and start living! 

1. Get out there! Experience! Internalize the good! Performing and gaining experience prepares you to be better it. No matter the outcome..switch your mentality to not see it as failure but GROWTH that prepares you for the future. Practice that speech for you presentation, nail your 3-pointers…it’s easier to focus on the reasons we will fail than all the reasons we are ready so log all these steps you’re take toward being better and think back to them!

2. Expose yourself to others overcoming similar challenges. This will transform the expectations you see in yourself. Finding these positive outcomes in those with shared commonalities and experiences enables us with the understanding we can achieve the same thing! #inspired. Surround yourself with people who are striving to bump up the weight at gym, overcoming an injury or ending world hunger too – follow those people doing great things that you want to achieve as well!

3. Simply DREAM IT! Think about the times you rocked out, draw a picture of the future, visualize the game winning shot.

4. Pep talks! Keep reading these newsletters  we are influenced by what others say about us and believe for us. Encourage others to explore and challenge themselves as well.

5. Our physiological and emotional state can easily put us out-of-whack. A broken pencil is now a life-ending tragedy. Lack of sleep, nutritious food and physical activity has the power to completely alter our perception and ability to process a situation. Increased fatigue and decreased cognition is not what we want…stay up on sleep, pack your plate with colors, and stay moving. Put yourself in the position to be the best you.

Feel confident, ready and fueled with a purpose to go out and conquer the week! Have unshakable belief! Bandura stated, “People see the extraordinary feats of others but not the unwavering commitment and countless hours of perseverant effort that produced them”. Focus on the possibilities…not the limitations!

What are you doing to prepare, take action and propel with readiness to produce the desirable outcomes? Are you practicing, taking risks, or believing?

Weight Loss Tip: Get in Motion, Stay in Motion

Weight Loss Tip: Get in Motion, Stay in Motion

“Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance.”

– Samuel Jackson

From time to time we find ourselves in a rut – stuck, frustrated, bored, beat down or simply going absolutely nowhere. It’s during these times that we have the opportunity to discover some of our greatest abilities, deepest realizations and moments of growth! This truth is demonstrated through something as fundamental as the Laws of Physics.

Here’s a little Physics101: Newton’s First Law says that an object in motion stays in motion unless acted on by an unbalanced force.

This “Law of Inertia” makes it clear – in order to stay grinding on what you want to get done, you have to first get moving and secondly eliminate the unbalanced forced…persevere!

This is figuratively speaking (yes, there is much more to these laws of physics) – pushing through the tough times (weight loss, muscle gain, work stress, etc.) and relentlessly pursuing despite adversity – but literally speaking…GET MOVING! I’m asking you to stand up and take a walk.

The small act of activity can do wonders biologically to alter our states of mind, accelerate weight loss, improve our physical health, and transform small, subconscious behavioral changes throughout our day.

Einstein, the legend himself, even compares the act of exercise to these laws of life – “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving“. While Einstein relates the simple act of movement through a universally accepted law, his message conveys the criticalness of the staying in motion. Whether you want to finish a paper, start an exercise plan for weight loss, or take your performance to the next level, you must start somewhere. Whether it be small actions each day or simply taking a walk – stay continually active in your pursuit!

Great acts are surely performed with perseverance and finding ways to thrive despite difficulties, but add a little physical motion into the mix and you are providing yourself the best chance of optimizing your potential.

We have grown to become a society of convenience, and I am as much a part of it (and guilty) as any one else!

Staying active throughout the day, is just as important as the power hour gym sesh you squeezed in before work (still shout out to you for fitting that in!). Small bursts of movements are better than none at all!

So make that trip to the restroom, go talk to our friend in the office over, make that extra block for your mid-day Starbucks fix, or a second to step outside for five minutes – even if your’e not seeking weight loss, this makes a difference! Studies suggest it improves your memory and attention, reduces fatigue, tension, confusion, and depression! ..and it’s free! MOVE!

This movement spillovers to other areas of your life. Throw a ball with the kids, take a walk instead of scrolling through Facebook at lunch, or simply stand up for a couple minutes while you’re grinding out a paper.

How do you plan on incorporating little bouts of movement into your day to better improve your life?

The Determining Factor of Success

The Determining Factor of Success

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” -Winston Churchill

How do we choose success?

A tight correlation has been recently discovered between a person’s perception of their health and their actual health status. This study found that those who believe that weight is outside of their control have less healthy BMIs, make poorer food choices, and report lower levels of personal wellbeing than those who don’t.

Why? Because if it is outside of their control and if they “don’t even have a shot” of course they are going to engage in behaviors that are rewarding in the short term!

The ability to focus on solutions in the face of adversity, to see growth – that is the determination of success.

Dr. Jason Selk speaks on this in 10 Minute Mental Toughness – “We humans are better at seeing problems than we are at seeing solutions. This itself is a problem, because what we dwell on expands“.

Those that think they are stuck with what they have – whether that be athletic performance, career, body type, poor eating, personality ticks, behavioral habits – are less likely to make an effort to change and often become distressed.

When we begin to focus on problems, our brain releases neurotransmitters that cause us to feel ‘not so hot’, they significantly limit your intellectual abilities and creativity. This is all occurring biologically and comes down back to how we perceive ourself, our control, and that overall image. It makes sense that we generally give up on hopeless causes…they wouldn’t be advantageous and our biological tendency is to focus on problem centric thoughts.

However, the second you cross the barrier and search to focusing on solutions – you release a whole new set of neurotransmitters that cause you to feel better, increase your memory, mental capacity and creativity.

“Being focused on solutions means keeping your thoughts centered on what you want from life and what it takes to achieve what you want, as opposed to allowing thoughts of self-doubt and concern to occupy the mind“, Selk’s research found most solution-focused people achieve this 40% of the time, but RELENTLESS solution-focused people replace 100% of undesirable thinking with thoughts emphasizing solutions.

You possess the ability to achieve success. The first step is believing it’s in your power to change. The second is to choose to be relentlessly focused on the solutions and seeing growth.

1. Have the choice 2. See the solutions

That’s what this is all about! Want to be pleased with your efforts and progress? It doesn’t matter if you are striving for an Olympic gold medal or cleaning the kitchen – if you have a growth oriented mentality and focus on solutions you will be satisfied!

You have two choices – believe you have the capacity AND fight to overcome the challenge or let problems intimidate you and slump to defeat.

What is on thing you can do differently to make this week better? What is in your control?

COR Team Stability Ball Challenge

COR Team Stability Ball Challenge

When programming exercise, just as life, everything must have a purpose. You need to go about it with deliberate intentions –

1. What is the goal/focus
2. What did we accomplish
3. What did we learn.

The focus:

Our last day of Kids Athletic Development Program was focused on three things

1. Stability/Balance

Balance is a component of fitness that is often overlooked. For a skill so critical to athletic development as well as everyday activities, it’s necessarywe educate its importance and role in proper functioning. This was the topic of Thursday’s lesson during our Kids Athletic Development Program. Many associate balance with wimpy exercises forcing you to stand on one leg and close your eyes. While yes, this is balance, it is far more extensive.

2. Teamwork

Kids need to be challenged. Actually, we all need to be challenged. Of course, I hoped to push their body to it’s limit, but more importantly I wanted to show them that the only way to do so is as a cohesive unit – as a team. This requires communication, constant feedback, and engagement at all times. The kids weren’t only challenged physically, they were also challenged mentally (#3).

3. Creativity

If we are creating a foundation of a life-long, healthy lifestyle it is necessary to be creative. We must teach kids to always challenge themselves to find a way, and then take it a step further.

We fished off our last workout at KADP with a challenge.

If we are creating a foundation of a life-long, healthy lifestyle it is necessary to be creative. We must teach kids to always challenge themselves to find a way, and then take it a step further.

There will be times when these kids can’t afford gym memberships. Five years from now school work will pile up. Put a job and social life on top of that – how are they going to find a way to still incorporate physical activity? Then there’s family and balancing a career, will they have the time to fit in a workout?

YES, they will.

In a world where we always seem to find excuses, we want them to see a way.

What we accomplished:

One piece of equipment. Two hours. Four kids.

While they discovered that a workout doesn’t have to mean running laps on a treadmill or lifting weights, they took away much more.

They were forced to maintain engagement and constant communication for two hours. However, it wasn’t myself forcing them. They saw the challenge at hand and discovered for themselves what was required to accomplish it. In order to challenge each other as a cohesive unit they were forced to use their imagination. Once instructed on the proper form and biomechanics, it was up to them to figure out how to work together to make the exercise work.

The moment I knew we accomplished the task at hand wasn’t when they started sweating, or even when they worked together. It was in the last 10 minutes of the workout.

We were running out of time and I told the kids we weren’t going to have enough time to finish. Without a second of hesitation the kids collectively grouped together and teamed up to find a way to finish the workout! Now, I gave them full permission to skip the last round…and they wanted to finish? Together they found a way to partner up on the piece of equipment for the last strength component round and combine the exercises

…this meant that they had no rest between sets.

As a unit these kids teamed together, used their imagination, and were intrinsically driven to find a way to challenge themselves. This exemplified everything that I hoped for them to gain. That is definition of accomplishment.

What we ALL can learn from this:

One of my favorite quotes comes from Mihaly Csiskzentmihalyi, he says –

“The pursuit of a goal brings order in awareness because a person must concentrate attention on the task at hand and momentarily forget everything else. These periods of struggling to overcome challenges are what people find to be the most enjoyable times of their lives” and “By stretching skills, by reaching toward higher challenges, such a person becomes an increasingly extraordinary individual.”

They knew three things going into this:

1. The task (the focus)
2. They possessed the skills and potential to accomplish this (this was emphasized!)
3. The challenge presented (…this wasn’t going to be easy!)

• I cannot emphasize more that these kids are the highlight and a perfect example of growing through conquering clear goals and tackling any challenge presented. However, I had my own goals and challenges when presented this opportunity to run the camp for the first time. There were goals I had for them and the structure, challenges in creativity and programing, and skills I had to employ. Not only were they accomplishing so much, but through them I was as well. We can all take learn something from any experience, even when we aren’t the ones directly involved.*

Coconut Oil: The One Ingredient Solution to the Top 10 Swimmer Problems

The One Ingredient Solution to the Top 10 Swimmer Problems Coconut Oil!

*Features on About.com/Swimming*

Swimming is a sport that demands efficiency – in the water but also on land.

Efficient stroke mechanics, time management, space utilization...you name it.

EVERYTHING.

Forget caring bottles of lotion in your bag, making countless trips to the convenience store, and putting chemicals in your body that you can’t even pronounce. If there is one item that you should remember to pack for your meet (besides your suit, cap and goggles, of course) it’s this – Coconut Oil.

1.     Chlorine Hair

While shiny, green, dry hair is an emblem of our countless hours of dedication and hard work in the pool, there comes a time when we may actually need to comb through our hair or at least take it out of our permanent swimmer buns… (http://swimswam.com/missy-franklin-how-to-make-a-swimmer-bun/)…and when you do, you don’t want it looking like this (http://swimswam.com/swimmers-hair-the-facts/)

Adding coconut oil to your hair pre-swim will saturate the hair and keep it from absorbing the chlorinated water while also reducing protein loss (no more dead ends) due to its high affinity for hair proteins, low molecular weight and straight linear fatty chain (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094).  AKA our first grade science experiment -  water and oil don't mix…coconut oil repels the water.

This also works as a natural post-swim deep conditioning moisturizer. The small molecular structure of the oil allows for easy absorption through the hair while the fatty acids delivers a soft smooth texture which relieves that dry post-swim chlorine hair feel. This will also protect your hair from the damaging effects of the copper deposits giving your hair that lovely green hue.  

**Rubbing a small amount of oil in your hands and working through the hair before and after you swim will do wonders!

2.     Dry Skin

Chlorine, bromine, salt, you name it – exposure to these chemicals can be harsh on your skin, eventually depleting your skin of its natural oils. Water itself even removes oil that allows dryness to set in.

**Moisturize and even treat skin infections by using coconut oil in place of body lotion (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19134433) (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24320105

3.     Swimmer’s Ear

Every summer…we all know it’s coming. No matter how many Dry-n-Clear bottles and earplug packs we go through there is always the inevitable case of the dreaded swimmer’s ear.

Coconut oil has antifungal properties (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17651080), and I hate to break it to you but the cause of your ear infection is from swimming in bacteria and fungi. The oil is a great remedy by helping to drain the water out of the ears, thus reducing the pain.

**Warm 20ml of coconut oil and fill the ear using a dropper. Tilt your head to side of the filled ear to empty and drain.  (Note: if in a cold climate, avoid using this method due to the hardening of the oil at lower temperatures)

4.     Sunscreen

Coconut oil has a natural SPF of 3, however chances are with the amount of time spent at the pool this isn’t going to be enough. What you can do is add a dash of zinc oxide, the skin-protecting ingredient in sunscreen (http://tanacceleratorstore.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Zinc-oxide-on-face.jpg), which provides broad-spectrum UV protection (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9922017)

5.     Sun Burn

…and if you didn’t follow number 3, coconut oil can still help you!

The skin-nourishing fatty acids double as burn relief to calm that sting. Coconut oil also contains free-radical fighting compounds. These antioxidants have been shown to slow the aging of skin and reduce the harmful effects of sun damage which we put our bodies through each day. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21646825) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20523108, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19115123

6.     Chlorine Burn

If you don’t have it from swimming everyday, just wait until your championship meet when the pool chemicals spike. The repeated exposure to the harsh chemicals often triggers rashes. No worries, coconut oil works to combat redness, irritation and mild inflammation (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20645831).

7.     Razor Burn

You get to shave once a year, so make the most of it. Using coconut oil can be used in place shaving cream. The oil sets you up for a close shave while also hydrating your skin. Plus, this works wonders for those with sensitive skin (Boys with the painful post-taper meet razor burn, I’m talking to you).

8.     Nutrition

Coconut is extremely high in fat. BUT…this is good fat. YES. Good fat!  Fat gets a bad rep but as endurance athletes we need to make sure we are getting these essential fatty acids for proper cellular energy production, immunity and brain function…. and the right kind! (This isn’t an excuse to go out and eat cake, sorry)

MCFA’s (medium-chain fatty acids) are naturally found in coconut oil and these are digested a bit differently than most fats. Instead of chilling in the bloodstream like all the other fats, these triglycerides are absorbed and go straight to the liver. Since this is easily digested, the fat is utilized quickly as energy (like carbs!) and may even boost endurance performance. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19436137)

9.     Massage

Thanks to the increased research emerging (http://swimming.about.com/od/swimworkoutsandskills/tp/5-Reasons-you-Should-have-Swim-Meet-Massages.htm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPRdjWQKZOA) on the benefits of massages for swimmers, we finally have a science-backed excuse! Not only does the coconut oil work as a great lotion for massage techniques, but its aromatherapy benefits will take you to your happy place on the beach in the middle of the high-stress, swim meet environment. If you can’t bring the trainer along for the ride this is easy for self-massage techniques (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zicY_g13jWk&list=PLYbTyTuxq2uhBQ7kqzp8YqYTR2PtlIohH&index=4)

 10.    Odor

And for the few spare moments when you are out of the water…           

You have five minutes to get from the pool to dryland and all you have are tennis shoes and coconut oil…well the good news is that’s all you need! Smooth some under you arms and the lauric acid (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24328700 ) will kill the stinky causing bacteria.

--

Coconut is the true swimmer triple threat with its antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant properties – killing pool thriving fungi, curing cracked skin and restoring our hair to normal. Here are a few things to remember: 1. Go for the organic, unrefined, extra-virgin products which are higher quality and less refined (Costco is fabulous) 2. A little goes a long way 3. It’s normal for coconut oil to solidify at cooler temps (melting point is 76 F) 4. And lastly, these are just tips that I’ve found to work and coconut oil may not be for everyone. Like all products, individuals can be irritated by all kinds of things. Make sure you stop use if any irritation occurs!