Shitbit....I mean FitBit

Well well well.  It's been a few weeks since you have heard from me.  I know that you have just been sitting there hitting refresh waiting for something new to pop up.  Well, you sob's are in luck.  I stewed on it for a while and just couldn't help myself.

It all started the other day when I for some reason caught somebody throwing away a Micky D's bag away in the trash while forcefully stuffing there face with the last fries they had, finishing it off with a gulp of there soda.  None of this was out of the norm by any means but then I caught a glance as they looked at there wrist, checking that sweet shitbit device looking ever so elegant on there wrist.  This got me thinking about a few things.

1- Do those damn things even work?
2- Sure seems to be going about it a little backwards.

Let's get into it.  First off I'm not here to say that these Fitbits don't have there merit.  They have caught on rather well, don't look horrible, and do seem to get people moving to some degree.  So, I can't say that's not great.  What I am here to say are a few other things.  After looking in and doing hours on hours of research on the subject, guess what I found.  Well, you could have been getting better results with that new fangled smart phone that you already have, than shelling out the loot for that contraption you have on your wrist.  University Of Pennsylvania did a study on 14 different phones/apps that track the same thing as the pretty little thing you shelled the loot out for.  Guess what, your smart phone actually does a better job.  Studies showed a 22 % variance in the range and step counts on your Fitbit, where there was only 6% on your phone.  Now this study was basically just steps and walking, so it doesn't get into the fact that I'm sure the Fitbit would be easier for more intense working out.  I'm sure if the numbers were ran on what these get used for the most though, it's going to come back mostly for general activity.

This also got me to thinking about what these are really used for.  Generally people wear these to see how many steps or cal they burned while moving through the day to justify their shitty diet.  I've got a news flash for you.  If you think that getting a few extra steps in each day, while not eating better, is going to make any kind of measurable difference you are sadly mistaken.  If it sparks you to get active -- awesome.. but just use your damn phone.  Let's stop looking at this as rocket science.  Eat better and get physical activity in every day.  That's it.  That's what it takes.  If you need something to keep you accountable, find someone, a person for gods sake.  This whole world has started to rely on the techy shit way to much.  Find yourself somebody that will hold you accountable.  Shit better yet find somebody to help you with being accountable, working out, and what goes in your mouth.  That's the kinda shit that makes changes, real changes.

I'll close it out with this.  I do believe the idea is good.  That it gets people actively thinking about moving. Just save your money and use that fancy phone of yours.
But, I believe most that buy these things are wanting to get moving to loose a few lbs, not just because they feel like they don't move enough and are happy with there current body image. Studies show that 1/3 of these people will stop wearing this devise completely in the next 6 months, and that number goes well higher after that.   To make real change, the change you really want to see, it's going to take a bit more than focusing on how many steps you took that day.  It's a step in the right direction, but far from where you need to be going.  Now, this may sound rough, but I'd be more inclined to track what and how much of what was in your hand when that Fitbit got close to your mouth. And I'm out.

Take away from bodybuilding/figure show

So this weekend the wife and I got a chance to take a quick drive up to Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, Oregon to cheer on one of our own.  Nick Tatom, a trainer at our gym, had a physique competition up there this weekend.  This is the second show we have been to to cheer him on and get the chance to take it all in.  Was great to see some other people up there that I know personally or just from online and get to see them do so well.  This blog I just wanted to give my take away on these events.

1.  These competitors in all divisions deserve a round of applause.  All of them.  For 1 -  I would be nervous as hell to get up there and get picked apart by everyone.  For 2 - the time, dedication and hard work that goes into this shit is amazing.  Blows me away every time.

2.  The people walking around these shows, just makes you want to pack on some damn muscle.  There is equally if not more jacked people, male and female running around spectating.  It's a great environment for some motivation.  You look around like, shit! Looks like bulking season has begun.  Let's do this.

3.  There are tons of categories at these shows.  Personally my favorite is the bodybuilding class, male and female.  It's awesome to see what the human body can achieve when pushed to it's limits.  I'm looking forward to taking in a big pro show in the future.

I don't know a shit ton about this sport, although I trained that way for a long part of my life never having the dedication or balls to take it to the stage.  What I do know is it's pretty damn fun to watch and I appreciate everyone that gets up there's hard ass work.

What I am starting to see is a lot of these bodybuilders, bikini, and figure competitors using powerlifting in combination with there other training and putting together some awesome packages on stage.  Just food for thought for all you competitors out there.  Getting strong as shit, packing on some meat, and limiting how much mindless cardio you need to do.. sounds pretty good to me.

Why is soccer training stuck in the past?

Well hello there friends.  This is a topic I have been really wanting to write about for a while now.  I have had the opportunity to take in some great soccer spectating over the years.  To be honest I was never really a fan until I actually got into watching it.  I will say this before we even go any further.  I've never been a soccer player or coached a soccer team.  I have been in and around sports all of my life though and they do have allot of the same characteristics.  What I do know something about is training, so that's what we will talk about. 

Now, it's funny....
I can sit and watch a game and tell you in the first 5 min who is going to win generally, unless it's a good match up.  For some reason, more often then not, one team will be more dominant.  One team is quicker, faster, and more aggressive.  The other team generally is chasing them around hoping to get the ball and make some miraculous play that may or may not happen. I'm going to let you in a little known secret of what wins games.  Getting that dam ball in the net.  To get that ball and to be able to get it in the net you best be quick.  Speed and quickness is what that takes.  If you are being beat to the ball every time, then guess who has the ball... you guessed it, NOT YOU.  OK let's say you get to the ball at the same time, who gets that ball?  Not shy little Sally over here being afraid cause she's so frail from all the miles she's been pounding down to "stay in soccer shape".  You know who gets that ball every time? Bad-ass Brenda, who's aggressive, fast, powerful and ready to dominate the hell out of Sally, that's who.  You can pile your team of frail distance runners up around the goal all you want to try to defend but an aggressive quick team will get through that shit.  Guess where that leaves you anyways, 0 points on the board.  Yay, you become the team that the "best you can do is tie".  Who in the hell shows up to play to tie?  Losers, that's who.  

OK, now that we got the easy play by play and obvious stuff out of the way, lets look at what needs to change in my mind.  

1) Soccer is a fucking contact sport.  Anybody that thinks different needs to open there eyes, wake up and quit being a shit-wit.  Soccer is a constant fight for a round ball between two teams that want to battle to get said ball into a goal.  

2) Not getting into different positions of all players, I mean we could get down to how we could train each position different, but that's for another post lol.  Soccer is a game of movement.  We have standing, jogging, running, sprinting, jumping, kicking, throwing.. you get it.  Soccer is not cross country running.  I've seen the training going on and watched what the outcome of that training is on the field.  There needs to be a new way of thinking.  

3) Soccer players need to be trained more like contact sports athletes.  Take a look at how rugby players train.  How fast they are, strong, explosive, oh and they run for basically the same amount of time.  I'm not saying get rid of the long distance stuff, they need that too.  Just don't need that every single day.  Quit shunning squatting, dead lifting, and pressing.  Athletes need to get strong.  Strong explosive athletes, are the fastest athletes.  FAST WINS, SLOW LOSES.  BOTTOM LINE!! 

So there we have it.
Now for all you soccer parents out there - Get them training, get them strong, get them fast, get them explosive.  The benefit to them will be that they will be all around better players.  Benefit to you is they will have less chance of injury out there on the field.  Win Win.  Sounds like a pretty novel idea to me.  

Positive Vibes

Well here we are pushing into the middle of the week-ish.  We have some heavy ass squats for us coming over the next few days depending on our training day layout out here.  I've got 3 different blog posts going right now that I'm writing but I stopped those to bring this quick little post.

All over the the internets, the youtubes, the books of face, the twitters... generally anywhere out there on the line in the "fintess industry" all I see is allot of negativity.  So many posts, just about how people are mad at somebody, or somebody is doing something that they feel in there opinion is wrong, or the world is against them or they don't think somebody should be doing something they are doing because they don't know anything.  How about this, try to post something positive.  I'd much rather contact somebody for information or even just converse with someone that has a positive attitude and doesn't need to put others down or talk shit to try to get business.

Hey it's just my opinion, I'm a nobody that knows nobody and knows very little. But what I do know I'm happy to share.  Now back to focusing on these heavy ass squats coming up.  Positive mental state... check!

So you wanna be jacked?

I'm writing this as hope that maybe you will watch the video below and take it in.  Most of us do enjoy to have a few drinks here and there, or stuffing our face with some donuts.  On occasion, not a horrible thing.  But, if you are going to the gym day in day out, but not seeing the progress you had hoped maybe it's time to take a look at the outside factors.

What outside factors do I speak of?  I am talking about diet and recovery/sleep.  I'm not talking about what diet or eating style is best.  There are 100's of ways to eat to help make your goals attainable.  What I am talking about here is eating like complete shit, drinking, and sleeping like crap.  These all play a role on one another.  Eating like shit is pretty much obvious.  If you can't figure out that what you put in your body has an affect on how you look...you might need to seek help.  Now lets get into the drinking and sleeping.  I'm including a video at the bottom, that explains hopefully in easy to understand terms the metabolic process of alcohol in the body.  Also, if you think that you are sleeping good because you are passing out from your drinks.  Not so much there either.  

I'll close this out with this.  If you contstantly are looking for the new thing that's going to get your ripped, saying the only way you can get cut or gain muscle is by using steroids, but you can't clean up your diet, eat well, and stop drinking... you might need to take a long hard look at the mirror and see where the problem really lies.  It's really simple.  Eat good most of the time, cut out the booze, and lift heavy shit. Done deal. 

The Biggest Loser Mentality

Good morning Eternians near and far.  Today I wanted to touch on a quick subject that I like to call the "Biggest Loser Mentality".  Now I'll start by saying I am not a doctor or anything close to the sort, so take my ramblings for what they are.

It pretty funny when I think about it, but not on the other hand.  Someone will start on a nutrition program, generally just cleaning up there shitty diet.  First week you always see a good drop in weight (5-8 lbs) once they start to actually drink some water and eat some "healthier" foods.  Beginning week two can continue with a higher number then tapering down to the 1-4 lb per week mark.  Generally speaking a drop of 1-3 lbs per week is the sweet spot.  It could be a few more here and there depending on how much you have to loose as well as other factors.  

This is where we get into this crash diet or Biggest Loser mentality.  Generally its one or the other.

Crash diet- 

It's always hey I have a vacation or event coming up and I need to lose x amount of weight.  That would be the quickest way for me to not work with you.  My first thought when I here that comment is, what a shitwit.  Why can't they just get it.  Grasp the concept that the way you are eating is making you fat. You can't just diet for a month and loose it, come back fatter than when you left, then continue to get fatter when you back and try to crash diet again.  You are wrecking havoc on your hormones and your metabolism.  Now, if you were to get your shit together.  Start eating right and continue with that getting yourself down to a healthy weight and maintaining that with a good diet and exercise, you could go on vacation whenever and be looking how you want.  You could control yourself when on vacation with some splurges here and there without a major affect to your weight or health.  Instead you choose to eat like shit and not take care of yourself for the whole year besides one month where you actually think you are be healthy but you are probably more than likely starving yourself.  

Biggest Loser-

"Well I was just hoping for more".   This comment right here.  Steam generally starts to roll.  This comes from what I call the "Biggest Loser" mentality.  You watch these shows where these people loose double digit weights for weeks on end.  There are plenty of articles written by former contestants going over the wild shit that goes on at the "ranch".  Here are a few examples 

* Workouts from 4-6 hours 

* Intake daily of less than 1K calories 

We are looking for a sustainable weight loss.  Take a quick google search of how many Biggest Loser contestants kept that weight off.  It's not pretty.  

If I told you, over the next year you could loose around 100lbs if you cleaned up the shit you eat and worked out 4 days a week. Wouldn't you think that sounded great?  That's roughly 2 lbs a week weight loss.  So, the next time you weigh yourself to see what you lost for the week.... don't be a shitwit.