GUT CHECK FITNESS

2010-04-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

It seems like almost everyone is getting involved in group exercise today. On any given day in a warehouse, in a park or at the gym you can find people exercising together. There's everything from Running Clubs, Active X, and Roller Striders to Boot Camp classes. So why exactly are so many people jumping the 'lone wolf' ship to work out with others in a group setting? What is the big attraction?
I've been involved in fitness for 25 years now and have belonged to power lifting and running clubs, but I've also been that solitary figure in the gym and on the road. I do feel this has given me a pretty good understanding of the appeal and the dynamics of both. Years ago I started my own outdoor fitness company, Gut Check Fitness, which recently got voted "A-List Best Boot Camp" San Diego and Competitor Magazine, "Hardest Workout." This is where my passion lies.
Whether you join a workout group or get your own group of friends together for a workout, here are three reasons more is merrier for earning your fitness gains.

Motivation
Unless you're that rare person that can jump out of bed at 5 a.m. and hit the ground running, odds are that getting and staying motivated are difficult for you. You are not alone. The majority of the people I've worked with over the years have had the same problem. That's one of the great things about the group setting. Many people who attend a class will show up exhausted from the ups and downs of everyday life. But once they join the group, they become re-energized. With a friendly fitness instructor there to light a fire under you rear, it can't get any better.
Not only are you more motivated to get out of bed and exercise, but there's the motivation to improve your current fitness level. If you work out with people who are faster, stronger or fitter than you, you are probably going to get in better shape. There's an old saying that goes, "The lead dog sets the pace for the rest of the pack." Think about it.

Accountability
Remember when you were a high schooler and your mom would wake you up in the morning to go to school? She was holding you accountable. If you were anything like me, you probably wouldn't have graduated without her wake-up calls. Thanks Mom! A workout group can do the same thing for your exercise routine. I've had countless clients over the years at Gut Check Fitness say, "I wouldn't be there in the morning if I didn't know that Kim, Ron, Nancy, etc. were going to give me a hard time for not showing up."

The fear of group teasing gets them out of bed. Hey, it works!
Plus, there's the friendly instructor again that keeps track of your tardiness. I take a daily roll at my classes then each week I look to see who's been playing Harry Houdini. If I haven't seen someone for a week or two, I'll generally send them a friendly reminder with the threat of numerous burpees. This usually does the trick.

Group Camaraderie
Human beings are social creatures. Yes, a few are hermits and recluses, but the majority of us love to be around other people. We love to laugh, joke and have fun. I feel this is one of the greatest products of a group workout setting. Nothing brings people closer quite like misery and physical suffering. If you've ever done a boot camp or similar class, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
Many people sign up to get more fit and along the way become friends through this mutual ritual. Many become lifelong best friends. My classes not only work hard together, but they play hard together. We regularly have happy hours, wine tastings, and sports days where we do races and events together. We sincerely enjoy one another's company. It's truly one of the best ways to meet people like you and develop a common bond while getting into the best shape possible.
Joining a workout group can keep you motivated, hold you accountable and help you develop a sense of group camaraderie.

Finally, in a world where we've become so dependent on email and texting, working out with a group offers that human interaction that is slowly disappearing. We can do just about everything today virtually without ever talking to a person. That is outside of a group fitness setting. With group fitness, you have to get involved. You can try to escape to the back of the pack, but a good instructor will integrate you into the group whether you like or not. That's why it's called group dynamics, and that's why technology will never replace the good 'ol fashioned group workout. Get out of your cubicle, your car or your house and go meet other people that have a common interest just like you. You never know, you might just meet some real friends instead of the ones you find online.

Today's Deal: $29 for Five Boot-Camp Classes at Gut Check Fitness

2010-03-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hey gang! Don't miss out on this incredible offer at www.groupon.com It lasts today only!
Sweating by oneself in a gym or underground elliptical bunker can cause blinding rage or the common cold. Work out with pals in the sunshine during boot-camp classes with Gut Check Fitness. With this Groupon, $29 gets you five boot-camp classes, a $75 value.
Gut Check is run by Joe Decker, who broke the Guinness World Records Physical Fitness Challenge Record in 2000 for completing 100 miles of cycling, 10 miles running, five miles of power walking, six miles kayaking, 10 miles hiking, two miles swimming, 3,000 abdominal crunches, 1,100 jumping jacks, 1,000 leg lifts, 1,100 push-ups, 10 miles on a rowing machine, 10 miles on a Nordic Track, plus 278,540 cumulative pounds of weight-lifting all at once and all in less than 24 hours. That means he's fit.
Decker’s workouts are full-body, muscle-toning, fun agility exercises with heart-pumping workouts. The schedule includes classes at 6 a.m. in Torrey Hills Park, 9:30 a.m. at La Jolla Shores and Torrey Hills Park, or 5:15 p.m. at the Carmel Valley Rec Center with one of Gut Check's friendly, energetic trainers. During a workout, Gut Checkers may lift rocks majestically above their heads, flip tires, or carry each other on their backs up steep inclines simply for the love of exercising. The instructors won't make you march in step, salute them, shave your head, or do push-ups until your arms quake worse than San Francisco in 1906, but they will make you sweat buckets and challenge, tone, and trim your body.

ReviewsGut Check Fitness won 10news.com's A-List award for Best Boot Camp in 2009, and it has a perfect five-star rating on Yelp:

- I have never had more fun getting my butt kicked in my life. If you are into fitness or want to be into fitness, look no further. – trevor h.
- Don't expect to pump iron in a gym, but you should expect to get in incredible shape if you let Joe and the rest of his clients motivate you to push yourself as far as you can go. – Derek L.
- Joe Decker runs the best boot camp in San Diego. – Brian B.

The Burpee: The One Exercise to Rule Them All (from The Art of Manliness)

2010-01-27T05:31:00.000-08:00

When I played football in high school, my offensive line coach had an exercise he liked to use on us for punishment. When we were caught screwing around or didn’t respond with “sir” or didn’t hustle in-between plays, Coach Chamlee had to say just four words to elicit an audible groan from the offensive line: “Get your feet moving.”
Those four words marked the beginning of one minute of pure hell. It was burpee time.
The Benefits of Burpees
The burpee is the ultimate full body exercise. There’s a reason why football teams, CrossFit practitioners, and elite military forces use the burpee in their workouts. Just one simple movement tests both your strength and aerobic capacities. Below we go into a few more details on the benefits of the burpee:
Strength. The burpee is a full body, strength training exercise. With each repetition, you’ll work your chest, arms, front deltoids, thighs, hamstrings, and abs. Trust me. Your legs will feel like they’re pumping battery acid after you complete a set of burpees.
Fat burning. Because you’re using your full body when doing burpees and because they’re such an intense workout, the burpee is one of the best exercises to burn fat. Studies have shown that high intensity exercises, like burpees, burn up to 50% more fat than conventional strength training exercises. They’ve also been shown to speed up your metabolism which helps you burn more calories throughout the day. If you’re looking to get rid of that spare tire, step off the elliptical machine and start doing burpees.
Conditioning. Many men today spend hours a week in the gym sculpting washboard abs and bowling ball biceps. While those muscles look nice, they don’t do much for you when you have to split a giant pile of wood or even save your own life. Burpees are an effective exercise for developing the conditioning and endurance, the manly vim and vigor to tackle any challenge. They’re also a great exercise to include in football conditioning drills.
Free. There are no fancy gizmos, classes or gym memberships required to perform a burpee. All you need is your body, a floor, and an iron will.
Portable. You can do this exercise anywhere. On the road? Bust some out in the hotel room. Don’t have a gym membership? Get your burpee on at the park. In prison? Do them in your cell.
Burpees are how Mike Rowe keeps in shape to work his dirty jobs:
How to Perform a Burpee
The burpee is a ridiculously simple, full body exercise that will leave you gassed after doing only a few.
To perform a basic burpee, just follow these instructions:
Begin in a squat position with hands on the floor in front of you.
Kick your feet back to a pushup position.
Immediately return your feet to the squat position.
Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.
When performing burpees, the key is to perform them in quick succession in order to get the conditioning benefits this exercise is famous for.
Some of you might be thinking, “Hey, this is a squat thrust.” While the squat thrust and burpee are indeed similar, the crucial difference between the two is the leap at the end. That leap is what separates the men from the boys.
Besides the basic burpee, you also have your choice of a few burpee variations that will not only kill your body, but also your soul.
Burpee with push-up. Perform the burpee normally, but after you kick out your feet to a push-up position, go ahead and do a full push-up.
Burpee with divebomber push-up. Instead of just doing a full push-up, make it a dive bomber push-up.
Burpee+Pull-up. Stand underneath a pull-up bar or tree branch that is high enough that you have to leap to reach it. Perform a burpee normally, but when you leap up grab the bar and perform a pull-up. Repeat. Did you hear that? That was the sound of your soul dying.
The Coach Chamlee Burpee. I hated these. As mentioned above, my offensive line coach would use the specter of burpee punishment as motivation to keep us from slacking off. When Coach Chamlee said to get our feet moving, we had to “chop” our feet in place as fast as we could. When he said “hit,” we’d hit the ground and perform a burpee. Between each rep, we continued rapidly chopping our feet. I’m tired just thinking about it.
Burpee Workouts
Because they’re such an intense exercise, you can make a quick and effective workout using just burpees. Below are a few suggested burpee workouts that will whip your flabby butt into shape.
Descending Burpee Ladder. Start with a set of 10 burpees. Rest one minutes. Then do a set of 9. Rest one minute. Continue lowering your reps by one on each set until you reach just one rep.
100 Burpee Challenge. Pretty simple. Just do one set of 100 burpees as fast as you can. I can usually do the first 20 in a minute or so. After that I hit a wall, and it takes me about 15 minutes to finish the rest as I lay on the ground to rest between reps. Take as long as you need until you hit the 100 burpee mark.
2 Minute Drill. Set your stop watch and crank out as many burpees as you can in two minutes.
Burpee Ladder with Sprints. So you’ve been doing burpees for a bit and feel like you’re in good shape. Try this little ditty to take your burpetitude to the next level. Perform the burpee ladder as described above, except instead of resting a minute between sets, perform a 50 yard sprint. I tried this a few months ago thinking I was in good shape only to barf after the second set. You know a workout is good when it’s barf good.

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BuyWithMe - Just $30 for One Month of Unlimited 1-hour Boot Camp Classes from Gut Check Fitness ($100 value)

2010-01-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

BuyWithMe - Just $30 for One Month of Unlimited 1-hour Boot Camp Classes from Gut Check Fitness ($100 value)

Death Race 2010

2009-12-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

I turn 40 next year and have found myself pondering what I can to do bring this decade in properly and torture myself at the same time. Oh, I'm going to attempt the Barkley 100 Miler and the Running of the Bulls in Spaiin but needed something a little more sadistic. Enter the Death Race - http://www.youmaydie.com/ I just signed up 5 minutes ago officially to head to Vermont in June with 99 other wackos and try to survive. Why you might ask? Well, I could go get completely piss ass drunk like many of us have in the past to wake up 40yrs old and not remember what the hell happened. I figure this event will leave a big enough emotional, psychological and physical scar that I will never ever forget where I was my 40th year alive!

"Get Busy Livin' or Get Busy Dyin'!"

North American Wife Carrying 2009

2009-10-15T08:47:00.001-07:00

Hey Gang!

Just got back from the 2009 North American Wife Carrying Championship. Here's a link for some quick coverage to give you an idea of what it is.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Sports/2009/10/09/Wife-carrying-filling-the/1255126719.html

I will tell ya, it's definitely harder than I thought it would be. Running 300 meters with a 128lb person slung up on ya gets friggin' hard! Plus going through mud, over logs and through a water pit just wears your ass out. We did well but I fell to my knees once on the sand hill and was penalized time which dropped us to 11 place. I'm perfectly fine with that. We went there to jsut have fun. I gotta tell ya they kept announcing the World's Fittest Man is here. Which I hate! Everyone wanted to kick my butt of course. It makes ya nervous. Nik and I lined up against a 29yr old x-country stud and his little wife. He even had on running spikes. I was like "oh shit!" We were neck and neck until the sand hill where I tripped to my knees. He wanted to beat me so bad he launched over the hill and drove her into the ground!haha...Luckily it was soft. I got back up and passed to win by 3 seconds. Made me work. Just a good time. I would do it again. I love events like this that are fun, goofy but challenging. Isn't that we're after in the long run anyway? You gotta have the fun factor! Getting settled back in. I'll start putting up daily workouts tomorrow. Time for me tos start training for the Barkley 100 Miler so will keep ya posted. http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/ Got that then Texas Water Safari and hopefully La Ruta de los Conquistadores. Remember, don't take yourself to seriously. Enjoy life and have one helluva good time while doing it!

LONG - STRONG - FAST - FIT!

Top 10 Fitness Gear From the World's Fittest Man

2009-09-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

I've been involved in competitive fitness of some sort for about 25 years. I started out as a powerlifter and football player while also running track for a little farming community in the Midwest where I grew up. Then I joined the military only to find Uncle Sam's one-of-a-kind intense fitness program.
After my time in the military, I decided to combine a couple newfound passions of Strongman with ultrarunning to eventually go on and break a World Record for fitness. Having a love of such diverse outdoor disciplines has called for a unique array of gear. Here's my top 10 list of favorite gear that has helped me run long and fast, stay strong and be continually fit.

1. Real Food

I eat an array of fruits, vegetables & lean meats plus drink plenty of water daily. I take no supplements, no shakes and no shortcuts. My mantra is and always has been, "eat right, work hard and play harder." You'll find quite a bit of helpful eating information at http://www.mypyramid.gov/

2. Body Glide

I do not leave home without it. As a big strong guy who likes to run, cycle and lift, I've found my frame more prone to chaffing in all the wrong areas. This stuff is a life saver, especially on long runs and rides.

3. Under Armour Compression Gear

Listen, if you're going to be on the ground doing push-ups, on your back doing sit-ups or just running around in shorts and shirts all day, these babies keep the pieces and parts in place. Again, not glamorous but this is for real people and not prima donnas.

4. Injinji Socks

I swear by the toe socks. I've worn them across Death Valley, through the Himalayas and during numerous 100 mile trail races without getting one blister. They're like Isotoner gloves for your feet.

5. Running Shoes

I have two favorite running shoes. My longtime love that has been with me since before the Guinness Book in 2000 is the New Balance 1220. There have been many styles since, but none can compare. They are inexpensive, fit great and still hold up well.
My next pair is for down and dirty, in your face billy-goat-style trail running. They are the Salomon Speedcross 2. Not quite the ride of the New Balance, but I call them the "Monster Truck of Off-Road Running." They are going to the Barkley 100 miler with me in 2010.

6. Watch

I'm not a big gizmo guy and actually still wear my old school Casio G Shock watch. It doesn't have a compass or GPS but it is affordable, durable and still looks tough. I don't like to sweat my pace or the mileage, but just enjoy my time on the trail.

7. Hydration Pack

I've been using CamelBak products for hiking, trail running and cycling since they first appeared on the market. I still love and use their products today. I have a 100 oz. old school HAWG hydration pack that goes everywhere with me. I wouldn't leave home without it.

8. Torque Pull-Up System

One of the most difficult to master but effective exercises you can find is the pull-up. If you want a strong back, biceps and grip--do pull-ups. I have a traveling pull-up bar that I got from the guys at Torque Athletic. It travels in the back of the truck to the beach or to the park with me. Add some rings and presto! Instant gym. Plus, their stuff is still 100 percent made in the USA.

9. Strongman Gear

My two favorite Strongman implements are the tractor tires and atlas stones. You can get large tractor tires from many implement dealers that are looking to get rid of them. I have about a dozen in my garage that range from 200 to 500 lbs. Who doesn't love throwing around a big tire? And it's an incredible workout. My next favorite piece is the atlas stone. Atlas stones range in size from 75 lbs all the way up to 500 lbs. This is another old school strength exercise that is lots of fun. It's very effective and can be done outdoors. I got my stone molds from Slater's Hardware.

10. The most important piece of gear is a healthy body, a strong mind and a fire inside of you.
You cannot buy this in a store. You have to be born with some of it and build the rest. You have to be willing to put yourself out there, only to fail miserably and then learn from your mistakes and come back stronger than ever. As the saying goes, "Where the mind is willing, the body will follow."

These are just a few of the things I have continued to use over the years. They have helped me along the way and will hopefully do the same for you. But remember, gear can only help. You have to do the rest. Hope this helps you on your journey!

Active Expert, Joe Decker is an ultra-endurance power athlete and renowned fitness trainer who has helped thousands of people get into shape. He has completed many of the world's toughest endurance events, including the Badwater 135, and the Grand Slam of UltraRunning. In 2000, Joe broke the Guinness World Records® Twenty-four-hour Physical Fitness Challenge to help inspire and motivate people to get fit. He is recognized as "The World's Fittest Man." Visit his website at www.joe-decker.com .

Speed training - 200m repeats

2009-08-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

Had a great group this morning, about 20 people. I'm telling ya gang this stuff can be hard to do alone so try to find another twisted sicko to join ya! Also, if you have some about as fast or faster training with you, you will both get stronger and faster through competitive competition. It does work!

As I've told ya before, there's about 50 of us getting ready for the Boot Camp Challenge next month and then the big Gut Check Challenge, Nov 14th. So we're training our arses off! Upper body stuff, Mon & Wed, lower body Tues & Thurs, a mix on Friday. Today we got after some short but strenuous 200 meter repeats then some lower strength. Here's how it went;

1 Mile warm-up

8 x 200m - *note, you can run them on a track or whereever you choose. 8 on a track can be boring but you can watch your times better. I like to mix them up and screw with peoples heads so we did 5 on the flat through the neighborhood, then 3 repeats up a long ramp, that sucked! But kick butt training.
1min box jumps

2 x 30 sec side step ups - left & right for 30 each

2 x 30 sec single leg squats with a hop

5 burpees w/pu

10 walking lunges

5 burpees

10 reverse lunges

5 burpees

5 single leg long jumps - each leg

5 burpees

10 more walking lunges

5 burpees

30 sec decline sit-ups - spin it around to;

30 sec decline leg lifts

5-10 min stretch

This is a great little lower body smoke session. Listen, fat & speed are bitter enemies! Run faster, wathc what you shove in your pie hole and you will get leaner. Get after it!

Become a Certified Gut Check Trainer

2009-07-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

The CERTIFIED GUT CHECK™ TRAINER program is a rigorous professional certification course that will prove to your picky personal training clients, your bootcamp classes, cross-training athletes, and more importantly, yourself that YOU have what it takes to take them to the next level and beyond...

Are you:

The Reluctant Trainer? - You Are In Good Shape But You Don't Know Where To Start With Program Design, Marketing, and Motivating Others...
A Burned-Out Trainer? - You've Been In The Business For Years But Your Lost Your Passion and You're Tired of Programs That Over-Promise and Under-Deliver.
An Already Successful Trainer? - You Are Doing Well But Always Looking for the BEST system, Plus You Prefer A Non-Rubber-stamped Cert That Actually Protects Your Territory!!

This fitness business program was made by a World-Class athlete and coach ONLY for those seeking to become World Class trainers.

Benefit from Gut Check Fitneess' coaching, our unparalled fitness programming, our outstanding marketing support, and our fierce protection of your GUT CHECK territory (that's right, we absolutely will NOT allow other GUT CHECK Trainers to cannibalize your clients by actually assigning you your geographic area) you can relax knowing your name and profits will continue to grow with GUT CHECK FITNESS!

We Currently Offer Two Distinct Levels of Gut Check Certification:

Trainer (Level 1 - Gut Check Certified to train others, one-on-one)
Coach (Level 2, Gut Check Certified to train others as a group/team)
NOTE: You must complete the Gut Check Challenge as part of the Certification. Entry into the Challenge is included as part of your Certification ($49.95 value). You also must first pass Level 1 before moving to Level 2.

As a Certified Gut Check Trainer you will receive:

Full 2-days of grueling hands-on Gut Check Training overseen by Joe Decker himself and his staff of Gut Check Trainers.
Complete access to GutCheckFitness.com (including areas of the site not available to those who have not attended certification.
Education in performance programming, nutrition, rest, and mental toughness.
Knowledge of how to properly train others in the Gut Check Fitness methods, from beginners to advanced.
An introdution to the business of training others, marketing yourself locally and on-line.
License to train others, one-on-one, in the Gut Check method.

As a Certified Gut Check Coach you will additionally receive:

Premium placement on the front page of GutCheckFitness.com to promote your business.
The exclusive license to train others in a group/class setting in your territory in the Gut Check method.
Start your gym with the World-Class Gut Check Fitness education and certification program and little-to-no equipment and no need to rent a gym space.
IMPORTANT: Space is extremely limited due to the level of personal attention given to each attendee. Affliate yourself and your business with the very best, get Gut Check Certified (before your competition does)!

UPCOMING CERTIFICATION:

WHEN: November 14-15, 2009
WHERE: San Diego, California
WHAT TO EXPECT: Two days of fun and sun, learning and burning! Bring good running shoes, comfortable work out gear, water bottles, and a towel. Number of participants will be strictly limited.

VOTE for Gut Check Fitness now!

2009-07-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang!
Voting is currently underway for the "Best Boot Camp" in San Diego. Many of you have never taken one of my classes but I can tell ya it's the same workout format that I created to break the Guinness World Record. The workouts are military style without the yelling, very well rounded and lotsa fun. I believe in working hard and playing harder!;-) Please take a moment and go to the attached link to VOTE for Gut Check Fitness. http://kgtv.cityvoter.com/gut-check-fitness/biz/369660
Thank you! I appreciate the support. Have a great day!
Joe Decker

Strength training at any level

2009-06-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Strength training at any level
When most people think of strength training they tend to primarily think of huge muscled shaven men all oiled up in their underwear standing on a stage. This of course is incorrect. The above mentioned, bodybuilding, does utilize strength training but itself is a sport not a form of the exercise. Some other popular sports that incorporate primarily strength training are weightlifting, power lifting & strongman competitions but all sports can benefit from it for instance, football, swimming to even running.
Well, then what exactly is strength training and can I benefit from it? Strength training by definition is the use of contraction to muscular resistance to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity (through weight stacks, plates or dumbbells) or elastic/hydraulic resistance respectively to oppose muscle contraction. Some of the benefits of strength training include increased muscle, tendon and ligament strength, bone density, flexibility, tone, metabolic rate and postural support. Can you benefit? Of course, anyone can benefit from positive of effects of strength training if performed properly in a safe environment.
I have been strength training since the age of 14 and continue to today at 39. It’s like an old friend to me. It was there at age 14 to give me self confidence, to help my football performance and to become one of the strongest teenage power lifters in the state of IL at that time. It’s still with me today to help keep me healthy while running 100 mile ultras and to compete in national Strongman competitions. Trust me, it is just as important as eating right, doing cardio and will help you maintain great health. Here are just a few suggestions for beginners, intermediates or even the advanced that I’ve learned over the past 25 years.
Beginners - I strongly recommend that if you’ve never lifted weights that you get professional help to get you on your way safely and correctly. I do not mean just some big guy in the gym, but an actual fitness professional that holds a degree in the field or has a reputable certification. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the various forms of strength training. For instance, I still switch it up from using my own bodyweight, to dumbbells, machines, free weights and to even atlas stones and tires. Don’t be intimidated by anyone or anything. This is your chance to get to know your body and have fun with it.
Intermediates- You’ve been lifting for awhile, possibly hit a plateau or just looking for a change. You’ve got the base now really experiment. You may currently incorporate machines and free weights into your workout so now start playing with sets and reps. For instance, some workouts I’ll do the old school workout of 3 sets x 10 reps, the next might be 2 sets x 15 reps and then to really add some flavor, I’ll do my Millennium Workout which utilizes 1 set of 25 – 50 reps to equal 1000 total reps. Also, look into the sports of weightlifting, power lifting or strongman. They can be a lot of fun and help keep you motivated and driven.
Advanced – Ok, you are the guys and girls that have been hitting it for years. Probably played a sport in high school or college and still like to get after it. Hey, I’m right there with ya. I love it too, but even we get bored or hit plateaus. Try really mixing it up with db’s, free weights, machines and especially try some strongman toys, like atlas stones, tires and even sandbags. Its loads of fun and a great workout. Also, if you’ve never put your strength to the test, give it a try; you have nothing to lose and only a good time to gain. You can find Strongman competitions at http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/index.asp and Power lifting events at http://wvuspf.com/ I still compete in both and love it. Oh, and my 135lb wife even joins me. It’s great family fun.
Strength training should be an important part of your fitness program. Anyone of just about any age can benefit from the positive effects of lifting weights. It’s also important to help keep our bodies, joints and bones strong as we age. The most important thing to remember is to have fun with it. Don’t’ be afraid to experiment with during modes of strength training or to attempt the various sports that utilize it. Like Arnold said, “I’m here to pump – you up!”

Barkley 100 Miler - "the race that eats it's young!"

2009-04-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

The Barkley 100 Mile trail run, http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/ this is the toughest race I've ever run in my life. Having completed the the Badwater 135 (twice), the Marathon des Sables, the Grandslam of Ultrarunning and countless other endurance events, I thought I'd have no problem at Barkley, was I seriously mistaken! Last year I completed 2 loops of the 5 loop race before pulling myself at the end of loop 2 due to injury. Here's a link to my last year's Barkley farewell -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpail3x8nIY&feature=channel_page
It's in progress right now with one runner left. Go Andrew! I had every intention of going back this year and was even invited again. Unfortunately this year I injured myself 2 months before the race during a 50k training run. As you can imagine I was and still am pretty disappointed. I would give anything to be out there with the other 35 runners slugging it out with the Barkley. Oh well, there's always next year. I broke the Guinness World Record when I turned 30 and plan on taking Barkley out next year when I turn 40! Oh, and Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain too.
I truly feel that we were all put here on this big ole wonderful planet to do incredible things, not to let life pass us by. Find your Barkley whatever it may be and go for it! "We're not here for a long time, but for a good time!"

2009-04-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

People ask me all the time, "How were you able to do 1100 push-ups or 3000 crunches for Guinness Book?" Many times these numbers are almost too much for the mind to comprehend. Heck, they were for me at first. I remember when I first joined the US Army, 12 push-ups on my first PT test. That was it. You needed 60 to pass. That seemed virtually unattainable. But with the help of my 'friendly' Drill Sergeant I was able to do around 100 at the end of Bootcamp. How did that happen?

Here's the trick or atleast what has worked for me over the years. Also, this can be applied to running a marathon, a 100 miler, bench pressing 400lbs or pulling car. Take your ultimate goal and break it down into manageable & realistic sets over a realistic time frame. For instance, when I first started running, couldn't run a full mile. Well, kept with it then ran a 5k, 10k, half marathon and eventually a marathon. Did it hurt, yes, but was it worth it, of yeah! Then decided, hmm, can do a marathon, now let's try a 50k. How about a 50 miler. Ok, what about 100 miles. From 1 mile to finish 100 miles took me 10 years but I do feel that it can be achieved much faster. I've worked with clients that have started at 10k's to the marathon and done the 100 miler in less than a couple years. You can do it. Just gotta be smart and want it bad enough. Back to 1000 reps. Ok, could do 100 push-ups without much trouble, now add 10 more at the end of each set. 2 months later, 250 push-ups with quick breaks at every 25 or so. 2 months later 500 push-ups with quick 10 sec. breaks at the end of 10 reps. Within 1 year hit 1100 push-ups for Guinness Book in 45 minutes. Applied this same methodology, which is actually called "Progressive Overload" to 1100 jumping jacks, leg lifts and 3000 crunches. After Guinness in December 2000 I wanted to attempt the World Record for Push-ups in 1 hour, which was 3,500 at the time. My goal was 57 push-ups a minute for that hour. So again, I broke it down into manageable sets. 30 push-ups, 10 sec break, 27 push-ups, 10 sec break which came to about a minute. I came somewhat close. My max for 1 hour was 3,000 push-ups. Yes, it hurt and I left a puddle of sweat the size of lake. Believe it or not, it wasn't muscle fatigue that got me but my darn blood pressure went through the roof being in the push-up position for an hour. Got a massive pounding migrane and blurry vision, had to call it quits. So the bottom line, no matter what the goal, break it up into manageable blocks over a releastic timeline. Periodically check your progress along the way and the sky is truly the limit. Believe me, if a an out of shape guy like me can go from 12 push-ups to 3000 and 1 mile to 100 miles in 10 years, you can too! The sky is the limit! Never, ever quit or lose site of your dreams and your goals. You'll look back some day and regret. To me, living and eventually dying is being able to look back on judgement day and have the fewest regrets. "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!"
LONG - STRONG - FAST - FIT

Joe Decker W.F.M
www.gutcheckfitness.com

Exercise for your mind

2009-03-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Accordomg to the Scientific American, a great publication by the way, thousands of new cells are generated in the adult brain every day. Within a couple of weeks, most of those newborn neurons will die, unless the animal or human is challenged to learn something new. Learning--especially that involving a great deal of effort--can keep these new neurons alive. So what does that mean for you? You better start exercising your mind unless you want to end up with big muscles but dumber than a box of rocks. And NO, watching Idol or Dancing with the has-been Stars does not count. Get your brain off the couch and let's get started!

Here are couple options that I use. In 2006 my New Year's resolution was to read every Novel that has won a Pulitzer Prize - http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/Novel I'm about 60 books into it now and look forward to it as much as I do the Caveman workout! Also, when we do watch movies, we've been picking them from the AFI's list of the top 100 movies of all time - http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx Pretty much guaranteed to be interesting. In addition to this, I decided to start taking classes at the local Community College at lunch time or after work. In an Astronomy class now that I don't miss. Absolutley love it! Going to take Literature over the summer. Why not?! We're never to old! What are some way you exercise your mind?

Gut CheckFitness website

2009-03-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang!

Sorry it's been so long. I'm still blogging but have moved it primarily to my new high-speed www.GutCheckFitness.com
Come join us. It's packed full of motivation, information and a great community. I hope to see you there!

Joe Decker W.F.M.
www.gutcheckfitness.com

My 2009 Challenges!

2009-01-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

People ask me all the time, "Where do you go after breaking a Guinness World Record? What's next?" Let me tell ya, in this day an age someone is always coming up something a little more extreme or even crazier. So even I don't have a problem finding challenging and even fun events to keep myself motivated and in shape. Here's my wish list for 2009. What's yours?

-First, get back to Guinness weight & shape - How? - I'm currently following my own eating & exercise program from my book "The World's Fittest You." Already lost 6lbs, feel better and running faster. It's all about taking baby steps, being realistic and not expecting it to happen overnight.

-Second, I got invited back to the World's Toughest Trail Race, The Barkley 100 Miler http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/ Only 7 people have ever completed it. I'm training my butt off and expect to be number 8 this year!

-Third, I'd like to try to qualify for the National Strongman competition in the under 200lb class. I may try it in Indiana. http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/pdf/entries/CCSM2009.pdf It's going to happen. Just not sure when. Strongman and Ultrarunning make for odd bed fellows. Which I find that much more appealing! The crazier and more insane, the better!-

-Fourth, and craziest event, The North American Wife Carrying Championship, http://www.sundayriver.com/EventsActivities/Wife_Carrying_Campionship.html This one looks to be a blast! I've found it's fun to compete in a broad spectrum of fitness events, from the serious to the just plain fun.

Whatever your goals or resolutions are, stick with them. Don't quit on yourself. Odds are you'll be sorry and look back some day and go, "What if?!" Now is the time. Have fun and never stop playing like a kid!

Joe Decker W.F.M.

2008-12-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

We had our 2nd Annual "Running with the Turkeys 10k" on Thanksgiving Day. About 20 hearty souls showed up to enjoy the little course that I had layed out for them. I told them there would be a couple little water crossings along the way and to be ready. Well, most of them know me and knew this meant they might be swimming. And yes, they were right. It rained the night before and all through the morning of. I was a little nervous that it might be a little too muddy but decided to give it a try. What's a little mud amongst friends? The mud wasn't too bad and the rain let up but when we got to the water crossing at the half way point, it was a raging torrent! Yikes! So, rather than have everyone cross there I decided to do it up stream over a bed of reeds. It was still waist deep but not as strong. I stood midstream to make sure that no bodies floated away. Everyone made it across with only a couple people going under and Jeff Martini, of course crying like a baby!;-) I got what I thought was everyone in around 9:20 AM, only to find out we still had 2 lost in the canyon. Great, there goes my mimosa drinking time! I had about 8 bottles of champagne and OJ at the end. I went back out and couldn't find them so decided I'd better go guard the mimosas with Martini, Fran, Doug, Nancy and the rest of the crew back there drinking. I think Jeff White, Marnie, Pam, Eldar and I finished off most of the cocktails about the time the 2 lost runners showed up. Asia and Chuck has spent 3 1/2 hours running back and forth in the canyon. Not fun! Sorry guys! All and all, race turned out extremely well and everyone had a great time! Oh, our first runner in was our oldest, Doug, at 51! He's a machine and a die hard Gut Check fan! There's all kinds of fun stuff out there to challenge yourself. Just look! "Never stop playing like you're a kid!" Stay tuned for our 1st Annual "Gut Check Challenge" coming up Feb. 28th. Don't miss out!

Joe Decker

www.GutCheckFitness.com

Friday MOTIVATION for my friends on the East Coast

2008-11-14T12:21:00.001-08:00

If ya wake up in the morning and it's cold, nasty and raining, DON'T look out the window and go, "Ah man, I'm staying in bed, it's to bad out." Open your eyes, listen for the rain and the wind, find it, jump out of bed, hit the floor for 20 clap push-ups, jump up and throw on your running clothes and add an extra scoop of coffee to your morning cup. What you have here is an opportunity. Yes, an opportunity to only get stronger. You don't get stronger continually training in perfect conditions. You get stronger and tougher by training in adverse conditions, like cold, wind and rain. Use this opportunity. Don't let it pass you by. Know this. Somewhere much colder, hotter, windier, nastier, there is someone out there with a FIRE in there gut that has been up since 4 AM pushing the envelope knowing that most people won't brave the conditions. Be that person! "ADVERSITY BUILDS CHARACTER!" Oh, and gives ya big brass metaphorical cajones! Enjoy!

My new Atlas Stones

2008-11-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

After lunch yesterday, my neighbor Kevin and I headed out to my garage to work on some more man-style strength training toys - Atlas Stones! It's amazing the amount of joy one can have creating a large egg shaped rock. I wonder if this is how a proud rooster feels?! We made quite a mess but had fun while doing it. We did get plenty of stares from the neighbors. Probably because my 500lb tires were sitting out too. I'm sure they've got to wonder what the hell I'm up to!;-)
Anyway, checked on my large rock children this morning and it looks like they'll be ready for debut this Friday! I can't wait. Ah, to hold them in my arms as they rip the flesh from my forearms! Just can't wait!haha..I've even attached a photo for ya. There will be more to come!
If you have any questions about getting some of your own, let me know. I'll be glad to help. Have fun!

Do as I say - and even as I do

2008-06-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

How many times have you found yourself telling people, "Do as I say, not as I do." Most likely plenty of times. Being a Fitness Professional I constantly get asked questions concerning eating and exercise. My motto is, "work hard and play harder!" This means I love to run, lift weights and stay active, but on the flip side, I love to drink wine, eat pizza and smoke the occasional cigar. As you can see, opposite ends of the spectrum. But hey, I'm an extremist.

This has been all fine and dandy until lately. Sometimes life passes us by and we just go with the flow. It's easy to get caught up and then tell yourself, "well I'm not that bad." Compared to what or who? In 2000 I broke a Guinness World Record and followed it up with some other crazy events like the Raid Gauloises, the Badwater 135, the Marathon des Sables, the Tough Guy Challenge and other fun stuff. But even extreme and challenging stuff has started to fade.

I know I'm getting older and I will slow down, but wait, not yet. A couple weeks ago I got on the scales and the dial screamed - 203lbs?! What the ....?! Ok, I'm not a big believer in the scales. But 203?! I tell myself, "We need to start thinking about this." That same day I'm out for a jog and a guy probably 10 years older and 10 lbs heavier than I am passes me on MY running trail. Ok, gotta catch him and show him who's boss. Ok, faster legs. Uh-oh, can't catch him. Feel like I'm going pass out. What the ....?!

Time for the wake up call buddy! My little speech of, "Do as I say, not as I do" has finally caught up with me. Too much wine, pizza and cigars. Ok pal, time cowboy up. But where to begin?

And then it hit me or at least I noticed it on my bookshelf. Five years ago I published a book with Penguin Publishing Company called "The World's Fittest You." It's about a fat out-of-shape guy, which is me, that turns his life around to become a Guinness World Record Holder. An amazing story, if I do say so myself!;-)

I grabbed it from the shelf, copied down the shopping list, and looked over the workout program. Time to get the party started as they say and follow my own advice.

I've now been following the eating and exercise program that I wrote five years ago and feel great! I've lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks and my strength and endurance have increased. If only it could tell me how to grow more hair!;-)

Remember next time you tell someone, "Do as I say, not as I do" that maybe some day you may have to step and actually "Do as you do" yourself! And it's actually not that bad. Try it!

Have a great day!

Don't Pay the Ultimate Price for Ignoring Your Arteries

2008-05-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

Atherosclerosis is what our parents and grandparents used to call hardening of the arteries. It involves the gradual deposit of fatty substances called plaque along the inside of our arteries. As plaque builds up over the years, it can result in blocking the blood supply to one or more parts of the body.

Yet only about half of Americans understand how dangerous atherosclerosis really is, according to a recent Harris survey. Part of the reason is that most people don’t experience any symptoms until it’s too late. Heart attacks kill 600,000 Americans every year.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that atherosclerosis is also highly preventable. Here are some simple steps you can take to reduce your risk:

1. Get fit: A great starting point is getting up off the couch and exercise. While it may be tempting to just dive into a new workout routine, you should always check with your doctor to make sure your training plan is right for your current medical condition.Depending on your personal situation and general health, your doctor might recommend a program specifically geared to weight loss, building muscle mass or improving tone.

2. Make necessary lifestyle changes: Lifestyle changes can be difficult because they often involve changing or eliminating certain things we really enjoy. I love Mexican food, but I also know that if I don’t moderate my intake, I could be facing weight gain issues.

There are other lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of atherosclerosis. Quitting smoking is always in season. And keeping an eye on your LDL cholesterol is another way to good heart health. (LDL cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol that can result in more plaque deposits in your arteries. It only takes a little bit of homework to make sure your diet is low in cholesterol.)

3. Talk with your doctor: Sometimes, you need a little more than diet or exercise to maintain proper heart health. Sometimes it’s genetic and there is not a lot you can do about it. In those cases, there are a number of medications you can discuss with your doctor that can slow down the process of hardening arteries.

A simple aspirin can reduce the chance of blood clots formed by platelets that can clump together in the bloodstream. Some statins have even been shown to slow the progression of atherosclerosis. There also are anticoagulants like heparin or warfarin that can thin your blood, thereby helping prevent clots.

Remember there is no magic bullet when it comes to keeping your heart muscle and cardiovascular system in good shape. A combination of appropriate lifestyle changes and talking with your doctor about diet, exercise and the use of medications can put you – and keep you – on the road to maintaining a strong and healthy heart.

For more information about heart health, go to:

Us against Athero: www.athero.com
American Heart Association:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4440
Mayo Clinic: www.mayoclinic.com
Healthology: http://www.healthology.com/
WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/

Joe Decker is recognized as "The Worlds Fittest Man" because he is an ultraendurance power athlete, renowned fitness trainer, motivational author and speaker who has helped thousands of women, men, children and seniors get into shape and lose weight. Once overweight and out-of-shape, Joe transformed his body and his life through an amazing journey from fat-to-fit. In 2000, Joe broke the Guinness World Records® 24-hour Physical Fitness Challenge to help inspire and motivate people to get fit. He recently authored the book, The World’s Fittest You, which outlines how anyone can get on the road to a lifetime of physical fitness with hard work and discipline.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!"

2008-04-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Barkley 100 Miler has come and gone. Just like that it's over. Still, I find myself sitting here some what dazed and confused, trying to figure out what exactly happened to me.

December 26th, 2007, I send my application in for Barkley 2008. I'm doubtful that I'll even get in due to the popularity. A couple weeks later I get an email from Gary Cantrell with this very memorable line, "Hi Joe, be careful of what you wish for." Being a young strapping man I let this comment slide. How tough can it be?

I put together what I consider to be a pretty comprehensive training program for the upcoming race. I spend weekend after weekend running local hills and trails. Many of the hills aren't that tall but really, how tough can Barkley be? I've been to Himalayas for crying out loud.

The weeks roll by and Barkley is almost here. Nicole organizes a surprise Barkley fundraiser event and invites many of my friends. Great people, good times and it's time to go.

Saturday, March 22, I land in Nashville, rent a car and off to Wartburg TN I go. Roll into Frozen Head State Park about 5pm in the evening. Set up my tent, organize race gear and I'm ready to go. Uh-oh, need a map of the park. Ranger Michael pulls up and we chat. Great guy. He has an extra map at the station and goes to get it for me. Very cool. Now I'm ready to go scout come first light.

Sunday morning, I awake to temps in the 40's. Yikes, this is cold for a So Cal boy. Takes me a couple hours to get things organized and ready to go. Gotta have my coffee, eggs and bacon first. Necessary gear - check, compass - check, map - check, I'm ready to go or so I think. I know how to navigate using a map and compass. Used to do it all the time when I was with the 10th Mountain Light Infantry Division. Should be no problem even though that was 15 years ago. I head out on the trail and find Book 1 no problem. This is going to be easy. The next portion is unmarked trail meaning no orange blazes or road signs. Now the real navigating test begins. Within an hour I find myself terribly lost. Use the map dummy. Uh, I can't even find myself on the map. This could be a problem. It's getting cold, don't have much food or the necessary warm clothing. Now I think, great some Girl Scout troop is going to find your frozen carcass out here come spring. Survival mode takes over. Using my compass I shoot an azimuth in the direction I think I need to go to return to camp. Unfortunately this means wading streams, busting through briers and climbing impossible inclines. Onward I stumble for a couple hours only to eventually come across the trail that I needed 4 hours ago. Nice job stud. Hurriedly I make it back to camp to lick my wounds and get ready for day two. It's got to be better.

Monday morning I awake to about an inch of snow on the ground and frigid temps. Ok, this is officially no fun. Be tough ya big wimp. Ok, yesterday was a disaster but it'll be better today. Right? Let's hope so. Out I go to pick up the trail I stumbled upon towards the end. Got it. Onward I go. Ok, not so bad. Orienteering skills are coming back. I find Books 2 - 7. It's a great navigating day. But wow, is this trail brutal. Are we really supposed to run this?

Tuesday morning comes, still cold and now I have a sinus and lung infection. Thanks irony, just what I need while climbing mountains is to be out of breath. Ok, only 3 more books to go. Off I go and have no problem finding them. My map reading is back. It's about time. Feeling confident. No problem.

Wednesday. It's taken me 3 days to locate and cover the 20 mile loop that is supposed to take me less than 12 hours. This could be an issue. I decide to wake at 0430 hours and attempt the entire 20 mile loop in the reverse direction. A little voice asks, might this be just a little too many miles on your body this close to the race? Let's see, 13 miles on Sun, 20 miles on Mon, 10 miles on Tues and now another 20 miles today. Hmmm, 63 miles less than a week before the race. Yes, this could be an issue. Do I risk over training or the possibility of getting lost during the run? I decide to risk the over training. I've put in lots of hill training before hand and should be fine. Unfortunately I make the wrong decision. The climbs along the way are no problem, but the insanely steep descents start to make my knees sing. And it's not a very pleasant tune. I've never had patellar tendinitis but have read about it in books. Lucky me, I feel all the symptoms that I've read about in my own knees as I stagger back into camp. I'm worried but what can I do. Ok, two days to go, get plenty of rest and you'll be fine by race start on Sat.

Thursday I pick-up Jeff Martini at the Nashville airport. Luckily Jeff has volunteered to come and crew for me during the race. Thanks Jeff. We head to Darnelles to buy more supplies. We're ready to go. I've got plenty of coffee, pb & jelly, POP Tarts, Snickers bars and everything else. Jeff has plenty of beer and lighter fluid to play with the fire while I'm gone. We're set.

Saturday morning comes. The big day is here. We awake around 6am to a cold thunderstorm that has continued throughout the night. Great. This is Barkley for ya. Expect the worst weather. Now I know what they mean. Jeff makes a hot breakfast. I get all my gear ready to go. Nerves are on edge. They blow the ceremonial conch shell to signal one hour until race start. It's almost here. What to wear? I decide to wear my Army pants that I trained in rather than shorts. This will turn out to be a bad call. Food is packed, water bottles filled and we line up at the start.

8:41 AM and Gary lights the official race starting cigarette. And we're off. Loop 1 goes smoothly. I find all the books and am back in camp in around 9 1/2 hours. Way ahead of schedule. Unfortunately it's now much hotter than the previous days and my clothes are soaked with sweat. I know that I have to change into dry clothes or I'll freeze during the colder night temps. No more pants but shorts should be fine now. Wrong. This will turn out to be a very painful lesson. I also decide to leave my jacket behind thinking that a lightweight long sleeve shirt is enough. Wrong again. Off I go. The sun sets quickly, the temperatures drop and it begins to rain. Uh-oh, it's getting real cold all of a sudden. Just move faster I think. This should work. It does for awhile. I get out my new REI flashlight. Time to test you out. Another HUGE mistake. You don't test out new gear during a race. Batteries go dead in about an hour. I change them. These go dead. I change them. Last set, they go dead in about 15 minutes. Oh crap, it's cold, rainy, very foggy, extremely dark and I'm under dressed. Nice job Einstein. I've got 10 miles to go and only have a very crappy headlamp that can penetrate about a foot into the thick fog. I stumble on. Through brier bush after brier bush I go. My body eventually shuts out the pain inflicted from each cut. They begin to feel like being emerged in warm water. Ok, this is probably not good. I'm up, I'm back down, I fall sideways, I fall forward and I fall backward. This is ridiculous. It's virtually impossible to stay on my feet in the rough terrain without light. This is what ya get for pulling such a moronic move. I want to strangle the salesperson that sold the light. Luckily for me I'm able to hook up with Blake that has done the race before. He has a good light and let's me follow along. Half way down Zip Line ridge I slip off a wet rock, fall about five feet and feel my already sore right knee twist painfully. I knew it right then that my Barkley race was over. You're done buddy. No, this can't be. Try to shake it off. I stumble on and am able to cover about 5 miles in 6 hours.

Even though I still have enough time to continue on for the 3rd loop and a possible 60 Mile Fun Run finish, I know that it's not worth it. I might have considered it at an ordinary 100 miler but not at Barkley. Quit. Drop out. I've never had to do this before. But this is what I now must do. Wow, what a hard pill to swallow. I feel completely fine and know that I could go on if only my knee wasn't throbbing. Gary comes by and I give him the news. I'm pretty sure that I'm not the first nor will I be the last. I head up to the race HQ and let the bugler play Taps for me. Ok, this really sucks.

So, what exactly happened the last couple weeks? It seems like a whirlwind. What just occurred? Still trying to sort things out. What an absolutely incredible, wonderful, powerful, painful, discouraging, enlightening experience. Am I depressed or upset that I didn't finish Barkley? I don't think so. I actually feel a little giddy maybe even happy. Why you might ask? Even though I didn't complete the 5 loops that I so desired, I did learn a considerable amount about myself out there on the trail. They say adversity creates character. If that's true, my character just doubled. Also, I now have something to look forward to next year. Barkley is my personal mountain to climb or ocean to cross. I told Gary that I'll continue to come back year after year until I complete the 100 mile course. It might happen next year or possibly never. Regardless, I have a goal, a challenge, a dream. I think that this famous line from the movie Fight Club sums it up best, "I ran. I ran until my muscles burned and my veins pumped battery acid, then I ran some more!"

A special thanks to Nicole for holding down the fort while I was gone, to Jeff Martini for hanging out in the woods with me, to all the people that supported me with this crazy endeavor and to Laz for making this friggin' insane event known as The Barkley possible. Thank you all!

Who's afraid of the dark?!

2008-02-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

For the past few months I've been training for the Barkley 100 Miler http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/index.html that takes place March 29th. It's considered one of, if not the toughest trail race in the world. Only 6 people in 20 years have finished. So, I've been training my butt off with big dreams of possibly finishing this monster.

I went out to Cuayamaca State Park last Saturday in the afternoon to put in a 50 Mile Training run by myself. I get out there, park my Harley and ask the Ranger if it is ok to leave it there while I go for a run. She asks how far, I say 50 miles. She then asks, "All at one time?" I say yes, hopefully be done around 1-2 AM. She says, "You're going to be out there after dark?!" I say yes. She says, "OH! That's when the Big Boys come out!" I know she means mountain lions. I try to act like I'm not scared but now she has planted the seed!

I take off, it's a beautiful afternoon. I'm at the edge of the Anza Borrego Desert when the sun sets. Absolutely breath taking. Now the sun is down. No problem. I'm an ex-hunter/ex-soldier/all around tough guy. I ain't scared of the dark or any old mountain lions. No sir.

As the time goes by in the dark, I hear the normal forest critters. Coyotes howling in the distance, owls in the trees and other normal noises. No big deal. It's pitch black without a soul in sight. I'm completely alone. For some reason I keep thinking, "that's when the Big Boys come out!" Darn it, I can't get it out of my head!;-)"

Then it happens, about 10 PM I hear a far off scream that sounds like a woman being strangled. Having heard it before, I knew the sound. It was one of the Big Boys announcing his arrival! Goose bumps crawl up my neck but I try to convince myself it's no big deal. For some reason that always becomes difficult when you're alone in the woods.

I notice that my pace has increased, dramatically! I still have roughly 20 miles to go and the first 30 took me about 7 hours. Great, I've got about 4-5 more hours I'm telling myself. I'm leaping streams in a single bound, running up hills that I would generally walk and pretty much hauling some serious butt. It's funny how this just happens.

Need less to say, instead of 4-5 hours, I make it back to my Harley in a little over 3 hours. Probably a new course record! I'm sweating profusely, my lungs are heaving and my legs are smoked. After I catch my breath, I stand up, collect my composure and try to make sure that no one has witnessed my mad dash out of the woods. Good, no one around.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway. "I'm not afraid of any ole mountain lion. I always run 4 minute miles during my late night trail runs!" Right?!

San Diego Summits Training Run

2008-02-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

39 Hours without sleep, 52 Miles of peak summiting, 17,000 ft of elevation, pushing your body to it's limit - PRICELESS!

"If you ain't livin' on the edge, you're taking up to much space!"

-Checkout the videos in order from top to bottom. I was unable to video the first peaks due to the darkeness. It was one heckuva an adventure. Get out there and enjoy your body!

Overcoming Adversity

2008-01-31T13:35:00.001-08:00

Isn't it funny how when things are starting to go well that life throws you a curve ball? It never seems to fail. For instance, you're saving money for something cool and bam, your transmission goes out on your car causing it to catch fire. Or you start dating someone cool and hot only to find out that they're on 5 kinds of anti-depression and bipolar regulating medications! Can you say R-E-D-R-U-M?!

That brings me to my dilemma. I recently got invited to the Barkley 100 http://blog.washingtonpost.com/why-we-compete/2007/04/curiosity_1.html
Put together a killer training program and kicked it off like a champ. Things are going great and then bam, I throw my back out during a routine lifting session. Ok, can't walk for a couple days and I'm bed ridden in a fetal position. Finally better and I jump back in. Step it up, things are going awesome, bam, I crack a couple of ribs playing capture the flag with kids. Don't even ask.

So today is a big training day. I had planned to leave my place around 8 PM tonight and take off to the woods. My goal was to drive to seven peaks around San Diego and run them all. Start with Cuyamaca Peak, then Viejas Mtn, El Capitan, Cowles Mtn, Iron Mtn, Woodson Mtn and finally Black Mtn. All this continually with no sleep. Sounds like a good time, right?

It did, but that's where the cracked ribs come into play and there's my dilemma. Ok, it hurt's to breath, sleep and bend over. I'm thinking I should probably wait until I feel better. Then it hits me. What would John Wayne do? Actually I ask that all the time. He would drive on. No whining or crying. Plus I've now decided, I can't think of a better way to train for the world's toughest running event that breaks the world's best runner's bones each year than to do it all ready broken. I'm starting to realize that my cracked ribs may actually give me a training advantage. Anyone can train healthy, now do it when you're broken.

Maybe life is actually fair. Maybe it throws these curve balls at us not to keep us down but to pick us up. Wow, in just a short amount of time I was able to turn what looked to be an excruciatingly painful experince into an incredible opportunity. I just hope my ribs are as understanding.

Life is short. Play hard.

"Super Foods"

2008-01-23T05:12:00.000-08:00

I found this in an article by Ed Bruske of the Washington Post. Here are 16 "super foods," depending on which authority you choose to believe. According to the latest advice, these foods are super because they contain loads of vitamins and minerals and help fight cholesterol and keep us healthy. I try to incorporate all of these into my eating regimen most days of the week. How often do you eat these "super foods" each week? Put the list on your refrigerator and give it a try.

-Black beans
-Blueberries
-Broccoli
-Dark (not milk) chocolate
-Oats
-Onions
-Oranges
-Sweet potato (or pumpkin)
-Salmon (preferably wild)
-Soy
-Spinach
-Tea (preferably green)
-Tomatoes
-Turkey
-Walnuts
-Yogurt

Sources: "12 Best Foods Cookbook," by Dana Jacobi; "SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life," by Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews

"I'll start Monday!"

2008-01-10T09:15:00.000-08:00

As a kid, growing up on a farm in the Midwest, every year my Dad would tell us that he was going to start his eating and exercise program come January 1st. As you can imagine, another year would roll around and eventually Dad would postpone his resolution until it was the following year.

Well, it's 25 years later and Dad still hasn't started that program yet! Like most of us though, he does have good intentions. Resolutions and truly changing your life can be difficult. You've had years to develop bad habits and let them spiral out of control. How do we then keep that promise that we've made to ourselves to take control or our eating, exercise and our life?

Many times, just like Dad, we only half-way commit. We know in the back of our mind that we're not seriously ready to make the change. Change only comes with serious commitment. You've got to take a good long look in the mirror and decide that you are 100% ready to make that change.

Next, you've got to set realistic goals and develop a plan of action. There's a saying that goes, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!" You can do this. Yes, it will take hard work and dedication but many times the things that we value most in life are the things that we've worked the hardest to obtain. You are worth it.

I keep my weekly exercise and eating report on the refrigerator. It's one of the first things that I see in the morning. This helps to hold me accountable and keep me motivated. Here are the links for the very basic reports that I use.
Weekly Exercise Report -TRAINING SCHEDULE
Weekly Eating Report -TRAINING SCHEDULE

Hope they help. Remember, you can do this! No one is more important than you. Take control now before you end up a habitual offender like my father. Still luv ya dad. Oh, and you're starting Monday, right?!

10 Worst Foods of 2007

2008-01-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

This is a great article written by John McGran, Food Writer and SparkPeople Contributer. Check it out. How many of these foods have you tried?

1. Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger

I’m an East Coast kind of guy, but I realize there are no boundaries when it comes to bad foods. So, for this review, I took the advice of 19th Century newspaper editor Horace Greeley who urged, “Go west, young man, go west.” The Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger will gun you down with 1,130 calories (600 from fat), 66g fat (100% of your Daily Reference Value), 28g saturated fat (140% DRV), 150mg cholesterol, 2,540mg sodium (110%DRV), 83g carbs, and 47g protein. I’m beginning to understand why it’s called the Wild West! Sorry boys, but I’ll take the 3:10 to Yuma… and then the next plane to good old Philly, land of cheese steaks and soft pretzels over this one!

2. Pizza Hut Double Deep Pizza

These Double Deep Pizzas are handcrafted by loading an entire pizza with twice the toppings of a medium pizza, plus 50% more cheese and then wrapping the crust over the top to hold all the toppings in. I tried two slices of the Meaty variety. According to the Pizza Hut Website, I also opted for 1,160 calories, 72g fat (110% of your recommended Daily Value), 28g saturated fat (140% DV), 3g trans fat, 200mg cholesterol, 3,980mg sodium (166% DV), 62g carbs, and 62g protein. In all fairness, the suggest serving is one slice (1/8 the medium pie) but who eats a single slice? Not me.

3. El Monterey XX Large Chimichanga

While shopping at Wal-Mart here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I noticed Spicy Red Hot Beef & Bean Chimichangas in a cooler near the deli. They looked suspiciously like my 3-for-a-buck burritos of yesteryear—only bigger and a tad more costly. While a standard burrito wraps a filling of meat, beans and/or cheese in a flour tortilla, a chimichanga is a meat-filled tortilla…deep-fried. The key words "deep-fried" may explain why my mushy 10-ounce XX Large Chimichanga did a Mexican fat dance on my diet to the tune of 920 calories, 57g of fat (15g saturated, 1g trans fat), 40mg cholesterol, 1,140mg sodium, 83g carbs, and 22g protein. Ay, caramba! It's a good thing I only had one.

4. Denny’s Meat Lover’s Scramble

As Mr. Bad Food, I’ve seen plenty of bad nutrition numbers in my day. But I never saw anything as heart-stopping as what I found on the Denny’s Website one day. It was my stomach that turned upside down when I checked out the nutrition numbers for Denny’s Meat Lover’s Scramble. Denny’s could be charged with “salt with a deadly weapon” for serving a breakfast entree that packs an unbelievable 4,170mg of sodium! (The Recommended Daily Allowance for sodium is 2,400mg.) The Meat Lover’s Scramble will also shake you down with 1,280 calories, 71g of fat (21 saturated, 0 trans), 565mg cholesterol (the RDA is 300mg), 103g carbs and 54g protein (RDA is 50). By the way, the RDA for fat is 65 grams, so you are taking in more than a day’s fat, cholesterol and sodium in a single meal! So if you find yourself at a Denny’s and someone recommends a scramble, take my advice and scramble for the door!

5. Hardee’s Country Breakfast Burrito

The word burrito sounds like a term for a little burro. If you don’t want to make an ass of yourself—by scarfing down 60 grams of fat with your first meal of the day—then steer clear of the Country Breakfast Burrito at Hardee’s. The king-sized breakfast burrito is cobbled together from two omelets, five hashrounds (their cutesy version of hashbrowns), cheddar cheese, and sausage gravy. The omelets that fill out the tortilla each contain two eggs, crumbled sausage, diced ham and bacon bits. Now, if you’re hungry for 920 calories, 23 grams of saturated fat, and nearly 2,000 milligrams of sodium for your morning meal, dig in!

6. KFC Chicken & Biscuit Bowl

The clever cooks at KFC devised a way to toss together an entire chicken dinner in a single bowl. According to the KFC Website, the new bowls are “a blend of mouth-watering KFC flavors and textures all layered together.” A blend…a jumble…a clutter…Call it what you will. But after checking out the nutrition facts, I call the Chicken & Biscuit bowl a great way to flock up your diet! Their nutrition guide says that the Chicken & Biscuit dish will bowl you over with 870 calories, 44g of fat (11 saturated, 4.5 trans), 60mg cholesterol, 2,420mg sodium (101% of your recommended daily amount), 88g carbs, and 29g protein.

7. Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Blended Crème

When is a coffee drink not a coffee drink? When it comes with calories and frothy extras you’d expect to get with a milkshake! Oh, and when it doesn’t even include coffee! Case in point: The 24-ounce (that’s Venti-sized in Starbucks lingo) Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Blended Crème served up at your local Starbucks. This drink is made from rich chocolate, chocolate chips and milk, and is blended with ice, and topped with whipped cream (optional), and chocolate drizzle. With 670 calories, 22g of total fat, (12g saturated fat; 0.5g of trans fat), and 107g of carbs, it only sounds like a coffee drink. The 12 grams of saturated fat is equal to the saturated fat you get in a McDonald’s Quarter-Pounder with Cheese… but the sandwich packs 160 fewer calories than the Frappuccino!

8. Pizza Hut P’Zone

It takes two hands to handle a Pizza Hut P’Zone. The problem is—according to the nutrition info on their website—it should also take two people! Yes, despite the fact their TV ads showed a bunch of hungry guys chowing down on whole P’Zones, each super-sized dough pockets of meats, cheeses and sauce is considered TWO SERVINGS. The nutrition numbers… doubled for those of us who consider the P’Zones one-meal wonders: P'Zone Classic: 1,220 calories, 46g fat, 22g saturated fat, 2g trans fat, 130mg cholesterol, 2,700mg sodium, 144g carbs, 8g fiber, 60g protein. P'Zone Pepperoni: 1,260 calories, 48g fat, 22g saturated fat, 2g trans fat, 140mg cholesterol, 2,980mg sodium, 140g carbs, 6g fiber, 64g protein. P'Zone Meaty: 1,380 calories, 58g fat, 26g saturated fat, 2g trans fat, 160mg cholesterol, 3,460mg sodium, 144g carbs, 8g fiber, 70g protein.

9. Wendy’s Baconator

The term “Baconator” sparks images of an action flick featuring a leading man with a terribly thick Austrian accent. But if you’re planning on ordering Wendy’s newest blockbuster, think again. I can picture it now: A seatbelt-straining drive-thru customer grabs his grease-stained bag of beef, bacon and fried potatoes, and before driving off to feast upon his Baconator, he shouts to the drive-up window jockey, “I’ll be bawk…for my defibrillator paddles!” Then, just before he zooms out of earshot, the server leans out of her window and yells back at him: “Hasta la vista, flabby!” OK, so it’s poor scriptwriting. But it’s also poor dining to indulge in this Wendy’s double cheeseburger on steroids. The Baconator boasts two beef patties, two slices of cheese and SIX slices of bacon! Do yourself a favor and terminate your urge to order this beast of a burger. The nutritional numbers for the 10-ounce Baconator: 830 calories, 51g of fat (22g saturated, 2.5g trans fat), 170mg of cholesterol, 1,920mg of sodium, 35g of carbs, and 57g of protein.

10. Denny’s Extreme Grand Slam

Ads for Denny’s Grand Slam breakfasts used to feature the tagline, “$2.99…Are you out of your mind?!” Now that the restaurant chain has launched ads for its new Extreme Grand Slam—a breakfast platter piled high with three strips of bacon, three sausage links, two eggs, hash browns and three pancakes—they might want to change it to, “You’re ordering a Denny’s Extreme Grand Slam…Are you out of your freakin’ mind?!” The Denny’s Website urges customers to “fall in love with breakfast all over again.” It then offers up its latest line of “Breakfast Cravers” platters—dishes packed with the artery-clogging goodness of not-so-lean meats. Cases in point: The Meat Craver’s Breakfast and the Steak and Cheese Omelette. The nutritional numbers for the 21-ounce Extreme Grand Slam: 1,160 calories, 64g of fat (17g of saturated fat), 560mg of cholesterol, 3,750mg of sodium, 102g of carbs, 4g of fiber, and 45g of protein.

The Gift of Health thru Fitness & Commitment

2008-01-04T15:08:00.000-08:00

This is an article written by a mentor and very good friend of mine, John Philbin. John is the owner of Philbin's Athletic Training Center in Gaithersburg, MD and the Former Redskins Conditioning Coach. I've learned a lot from him. Maybe this can help you too. Enjoy!

It is with great pleasure that I share this information at the request of my good friend Ken Harvey, former All-Pro for the Washington Redskins, whose commitment to fitness and excellence I deeply respect and admire.

In my career, I have trained many professional, world class athletes and among them was Ken Harvey, who I was fortunate enough to train as a conditioning coach for the Washington Redskins and have since worked with Mr. Harvey on numerous ventures since his retirement. In response to his request, this is an effort to provide some general guidance and right hand rules to achieve better health through Fitness and Commitment.

I have dedicated my athletic, professional and education to health and fitness. As a former Olympian and owner of a family fitness and athletic training facility in Montgomery county www.philbinsatc.com. my business has given me the opportunity to assist athletes with improved performance and guide people on methods to change their lifestyles so that they can achieve what ever it is they want to accomplish as a personal goal.

Over three decades I have trained thousands of people with different aspirations and goals. Some of the most notable clients were Redskins such as Darrel Green, Tre Johnson, James Thrash, Brian Mitchell, John Riggins, Joe Theisman, and Trent Green. Interestingly, all of my successful clients, athletes and non-athletes, have similar personality traits when it comes to achieving their fitness goals. I would like to share with you Philbin’s top 10 personality characteristics for success;

Top 10 Personality Traits for Success

1) Set Realistic Achievable Goals – In order to succeed at a goal you must have a plan of action that is broken down into small incremental objectives. These objectives must be realistic, achievable and need to be written down so that they can be reviewed on a daily/weekly bases and adjusted if necessary. It is personal accountability to yourself.

2) Make the Right Choices – You must be conscious and aware of the choices you make when it relates to achieving your daily objectives. This takes mental discipline and many times sacrificing certain things that you normally would enjoy but know are working against your daily objectives. Eating habits for a majority of people are the most challenging. Prioritization

3) Seek Out Expert Advice - Before engaging in a physical fitness program seek out expert advice and start with complete physical and guidelines from a successful personal trainer. Personal referrals will be your best advice. Don't spin your wheels, do the wrong things and find yourself getting discouraged. Get engaged.

4) Build a Support Team – In order to succeed there must be a support team around you willing to encourage you and make your actions accountable. These people must also be willing to tell you when your swaying off track and must be prepared to do what ever it takes to keep you on track. Hard love ... Support

5) Don't Justify the Wrong Actions – It is all too easy to justify certain actions (choices) that work against your goals (objectives). If you choose to do something that you know is wrong then you are only hurting yourself and disappointing everyone else on your support team. Make the right choices! Dedication

6) 90 /10 Rule – Ninety percent of the time you should work extremely hard to accomplish your daily and weekly objectives. Most of us find making life style changes (habits) very difficult so we allow for a ten percent off track concession. Consistency

7) Karma & Respect – Believe in yourself and what you are trying to accomplish. Creating good "Karma" around you helps develop a successful atmosphere that is critical for success. Always respect everyone elses efforts no matter who they are or what they do for a living. Confidence

8 ) Unfulfilled Promises - All too often people start a fitness program (New Years resolution) with great enthusiasm and commitment. After 6 to 8 weeks the excitement starts to fade and it becomes work (50% drop out). Unfortunately, only 30 percent of these new programs will survive after 4 to 5 months and only 15 percent after 8 months will have created a healther lifestyle. In my opinion creating significant lifestyle changes (habits) takes 18 months or more. Hard decisions for personal improvement.

9) Fear of Failure – A very common personality trait for all successful people is the fear of failure ... this drives people to go the extra mile and sacrifice whatever it takes to accomplish daily objectives and reach their goals. Fear comes in many forms i.e. hating anything less than first, proving to someone that you can do it, redemption, materialistic satisfaction, repercussions from not meeting a certain standard, awards and accolades. Failure is not an option ... Fear is a great motivator.

10) Perseverance - It is inevitable that there will be extreme challenges and obstacles to be conquered along the path of success but those who persevere will eventually make positive lifestyle changes that will improve the quality of life. Be a fighter ... enjoy life!

Stop the New Year Madness

2007-12-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. Time to make a life altering New Year's Resolution that odds are, most of us will not keep. Why is that? I have found over the years that most people do not put too much thought into these resolutions. Often they are made after too many cocktails or just a repeat of last years failed attempt. How do we stop the madness?

Of course there is no fail safe plan, it all depends on you, your motivation and dedication level. I recommend that you start thinking about some challenging, interesting and fun goal or event that you'd like to undertake. Come up with a doable goal but not an unrealistic one like looking like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie. Sorry guys, that ain't happening for any of us. Or the same old goal of losing weight.

Set a fun goal, like a race, strength contest or charity event, and work systematically towards achieving it. I tell people not to focus on weight loss, but to let it become a by-product of your training. That way you're not constantly obsessed with food, not eating and those evil scales.

For instance, I have a group of clients training for January races from a half marathon to a 50 miler. They're all getting in shape, having fun together and losing weight. Weight loss is a by-product of their training.

You don't have to choose a marathon. Your goal can be a 5k, 10k, Cancer March, Triathlon, Muddy Buddy, Strongman, Highland Game, Bodybuilding show or Ultramarathon. You pick it! Make it fun, adventuresome and exciting. Gather some family and friends to join ya. That's the best part.

For instance, here are some very cool goals that some of my friends and I have for 2008;

My friend & client, Michelle Ehda, is getting married in 2008. She wants to get in the best shape possible. You can follow her progress and support her at - http://community.active.com/blogs/Michelle_Wants_to_Get_Active

Another friend, Toby at Active.com, is getting ready for his first 100 miler and other crazy fun stuff. You can check him out at - http://community.active.com/people/Active%20Toby

These are just a few of the events I have on the radar.
-Chicago's Strongest Man competition, http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/pdf/entries/ChicagoStrongestMan08.pdf
-La Ruta de los Conquistadores,
http://www.adventurerace.com/eng/about-race.htm
-North American Wife Carrying championship, http://www.sundayriver.com/summer/wifecarry.html

Come join the fun. Life's too short. Work Hard and Play Harder!

The Barkley 100 - The road to hell

2007-12-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

In the world of UltraRunning there's long very doable trail runs, then there's Barkley. It's like no other. In the history of the run, only a handful have ever completed it. It eats the world's best for breakfast. And now, it's my new goal for 2008. I am actually nervous about a race for the first time in years! Read the entry form below and check out the attached link to see why. Anyone wanna join me?!

Website - http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/index.html

BARKLEY MARATHONS - 100 MILE RUN & 55 mile fun run

Put this down. Get away from it. You are holding a one way
ticket thru the portals of Hell. One way in and only one way out.

The Barkley is not the most imposing 100 miler. Only 2000'
separate the highest and lowest points. Yet, somehow, year after
year nobody finishes. Why? Because, eventually, everybody quits.
Maybe it is the endless gut-wrenching climbs. Maybe it is the leg-
wrenching descents. Maybe it is the sawbriers and blackberries.
Maybe it is because the Barkley is truly man against the
mountain. We don't have cute little glo-lights every hundred feet.
If you can't find your way, you shouldn't be in the woods. No
gourmet stands every half mile. You are lucky we put out water.

The Barkley is not for the pretty boys. The Barkley takes away
your speed and leaves you a struggling shadow of yourself. The
Barkley runner must be tough. A thousand foot per mile elevation
change exacts a heavy toll. He must be savvy. Finding your way with
a map is easy if you know how. Knowing where you are on a remote
mountainside at night requires no little skill. He must be self
reliant. At the Barkley we provide a venue, and render it
reasonably safe. The rest is between you, the mountain, and that
little voice inside you that says " Mommy, it is too hard, I want
to quit."
There are reasons that the fun-run averages only 2 finishers
a year. There are reasons that no one has ever finished the 100. To
know the Barkley is to know humility...and fear.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: April 1, 1995 : packet pickup March 31
Starting Time: Saturday morning
Time Limit: 55 miles, 36 Hours : 100 Miles, 60 Hours
Location: Frozen Head State Natural Area
Don't ask, if you can't find the park on your own, then
you don't belong "out there".
Average Weather: Temperatures 0 to 80 f. Possibly during the same
race. Rain, snow, sleet, hail, hot sun have all occured
in the past.
Requirements: Rigorous requirements must be met: NO women. They are
too soft. No children. They are too small. No Californians. This
race is not cool. NO soccer fans. Soccer sucks. NO marines. They
don't biodegrade. NO yankees. We don't want them buried here. NO
wimps, worms, slugs, or weenies. They don't got what it takes. And
most of all, NO Health Fascists. We encourage smoking during the
race.
Course Profile: Gently rolling, numerous downhills (27,000' in the
fun-run alone). Very scenic.
Trail Description: Varies. Some of it ain't for sissies.

Recomended Clothing: Enough to get thru briers. You should carry
emergency gear. (dry clothing, matches, etc.)
Aid: Access to your car @ 20 mile intervals. Water @ 5-8 mile
intervals.
Fee: $1.55 and a pair of thick, warm boot socks.
Entry Limit: 25 runner limit. Selection by whim.
Your chances of finishing: You Will Not Complete the 100 Mile Run.
You have about a 10% chance in the fun-run.

ESSAY: ALL ENTRANTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ESSAY ON
"WHY I SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RUN IN THE BARKLEY".*

* include discussion of all issues involving deorative wood
shavings, unnecessary surgery, Tommy Lasorda, uninspected poultry,
shampoo, duck costumes, reptiles, investment bankers, and unwanted
hairs.
------------------------------------------------------------------
send entry to: Idiot
233 Union Ridge
War Trace, TN 37183

NAME:_________________________________AGE:_____(in Mercurian years)

ADDRESS:_____________________________________SEX: Y/N

CITY:__________________________________ST____HAT SIZE:_____

FAVORITE PARASITE:_________________________________________________

Complete the following: You can never know too much about fungus,

because..._________________________________________________________

*** read before signing ***

I KNOW THE BARKLEY IS A GRUELING, GRIM, AND HAZARDOUS EVENT,
WITH MINIMAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS. I SWEAR TO OPERATE STRICTLY
WITHIN SAFE PARAMETERS. RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY SAFETY IS ENTERELY MY
OWN

SIGNED ______________________________________________DATE_________

WITNESS______________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------
DEFFN: Fool- enters the Barkley
Moron- enters the Barkley, expects to finish
Idiot- enters the Barkley, thinks he will do the 100
Sissy- does not enter the Barkley

2007-12-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

Even though I have a Guinness World Record for fitness, I still find myself getting bored or becoming complacent from time to time like many of you. When this happens, I know that it's time to add some spice to my workouts or for a little kick in the rear. This usually comes in the form of a 'goofy personal fitness goal.'

There's a set of stairs at the park that I teach my 6 AM Gut Check Fitness Class that just keep going on and on. They are long and steep. You gotta love them. Needing a little fitness attitude adjustment, I decided to try to run 50 repeats in one hour on Tuesday. Was I in for a reality check.

It's 4 AM, alarm goes off. Who's idea was this anyway? Nicole and I get to the stairs at exactly 5 AM. We're off. I'm trying for 50 and Nik for whatever she can get. She keeps me motivated and helps me count. I still have a problem with numbers over ten.

First five stairs, I'm on fire. Five to ten, legs getting warmed up. Ten to fifteen, in the zone. Fifteen to twenty, who's idea was this! Now reality sinks in, I have 30 more to go. Yikes!

Ok, may not get 50 but let's see what we got in the tank. I buckle down, welcome the pain, fatigue and nausea. Now it's on. Mind over matter. "I don't mind 'cuz my body doens't matter!"

Clock strikes one hour. Not bad, was able to get 44 stairs. Nik got 35 and Megan, 20 in 25 minutes. Didn't get 50 but will definitely be back for more.

Even though I doubt the stairs are initimidated, it does and will continue to be one of those goofy fitness challenges that will keep me and others in my group motivated. "Watch out stairs, here we come." What's your fitness challenge?

High Desert 30k & 50k Race Report

2007-12-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Dec. 1st, 14 of us carpooled from San Diego to the big town of Ridgecrest, CA. Our goal, to run and complete the High Desert 30k & 50k. Our group consisted partially of trail running newbies and some old pros. A great group all around.

Not long after leaving San Diego we started to notice the wind picking up and the temperature dropping. The closer we got to Ridgecrest, the windier it got. Me, being the genius with the bright idea of running in the desert in December, started to get a little nervous. I knew if the wind continued and temperature dropped that I would be in for it come race day.

We all got checked in, picked up our race packets and headed to the local pasta establishment for some carb loading. It wasn't fancy but mission accomplished. Next we were off to Big 5 for last minute items. With 10 women in the group, I'm still a little skeptical about the shopping being necessary or not. But I sure as heck wasn't going to argue!

Race day. The weather channel has the local temperature at 19 degrees. Yes, that is Fahrenheit! Yikes, I haven't seen 19 since I left DC a year ago. I was a little nervous about the amount of grief that I might catch. Luckily everyone was in good spirits and ready for the run.

And we're off. The 30k runners are Kim Martini, Ses & Greg, Nancy & Jeff and Eldar & Erin. The 50k runners are Mindy, Rebekah & her mom Lynn, Marie & her dad Will, Nicole & me. What a good looking group we are! The very first thing we notice while leaving the parking lot is a local runner wearing only what looked like his sister's running shorts and a Fabio hairdo. That'll wake you up!

It was a beautiful sunrise in the desert. As the sun began to rise, so did the temperature. By noon it was close to 55 degrees. Perfect running weather. The course was laid out very well with extremely friendly volunteers at each aid station.

All fourteen runners finished the race with big smiles on their faces. Not sure if that was due to being finished or knowing that there was beer & pizza at the finish line. You tell me! For Kim, Nancy, Jeff, Eldar, Erin, Ses, Greg, Will & Lynn, it was their first. Great job! For Marie, Rebekah, Mindy & Nicole, it was a new 50k PR. Way to go!

CONGRATULATIONS to all of you! You guys trained hard and it showed. You made this run not only look easy but very enjoyable. Everyone seemed to have a great time and many are talking about what's next. Thank you all for a wonderful adventure!

Jim's intro to UltraRunning - JFK 50 Miler

2007-11-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Race Report: JFK 50 Miler 2007

I met Joe earlier this summer when I was working in Los Angeles and he encouraged me to think about stepping up from my annual marathon routine to go after an ultra. Joe is a very persuasive guy so after coming back to New York in July I took the plunge and signed up for the JFK 50 Miler!

The JFK 50 Miler has been around since 1963 when 11 people ran the first race. Today more than 1100 people run the race annually. The race starts in Boonsboro, MD, winds across the Appalachian Trail for 16 miles, snakes along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath for 26 miles and wraps up with 8 miles of winding country roads.

At 5.00am on November 17th the race kicked off in the darkness of downtown Boonsboro. The adrenaline was pumping as we started off up a hilly 2 mile road before hitting the Appalachian Trail. It was an incredible feeling to hit the trail before sunrise, lit only by runners headlamps and glow sticks, but as the sun slowly came up the route became an ankle pounding 13 mile trek across rocky trails and steep switchbacks.

At mile 16 we descended off the Appalachian Trail to cheers from supporters before hitting the C&O Canal towpath for 26 miles. The towpath was a welcome relief from the trail but seemed to be never ending. The highlight of the C&O Canal section was the aid stations, which appeared every 3 or 4 miles. Fantastic supporters served everything from M&Ms, soda, sports bars, and hot soup to constant shouts of encouragement. The last major aid station on the towpath at Mile 38 was aptly named “38 Special” and was a truly welcome site before heading off to the final section of the race.

After 42 miles the last 8 miles along a winding country road were a real grind – I had never run or walked this far in my life so I had to dig deep to keep going. As the early evening darkness descended over Boonsboro I headed across the finish line almost 13 hours after starting. Incredibly the winner finished in less than 6 hours!

I got to my car cold and exhausted, and found a cheery voicemail from Joe on my cell phone checking in on how I was doing. I called him up and joked that although I was shattered, maybe its time to step up to a 100 miler next year! I’ve not decided yet, but I’m sure Joe will be there offering encouragement if I do!

Lessons learned -
Next time I’ll wear trail shoes instead of regular running shoes – my ankles took a pounding
If you have run marathons regularly this is doable with some extra long training runs.
Most of the battle really is mental.

A big thanks to Joe for all his support and encouragement – good luck to anyone else who tries this next year. I might be back to try and knock a few hours off my novice time!

Cheers, Jim.

Video of the San Diego 100 Miler

2007-10-26T11:38:00.001-07:00

The following video footage is from the San Diego 100 Miler. I captured the beginning, various aid stations after the 50 Mile mark and the finish line. The videos are in order from top t0 bottom. Check them out if you get a chance.

*Before the race

Bootcamp Challenge 2007

2007-10-11T08:46:00.001-07:00

On Oct. 6, 2007, myself and a very brave group of my cohorts decided to head down to the Marine Recruit Depot and attempt the Annual Bootcamp Challenge. http://www.bootcampchallenge.com/

What is the Bootcamp Challenge? Let me tell ya;

EVENT FEATURES---The first and best! A fun and furious 3-mile course featuring obstacles used only by Marine Recruits at the Marine Recruit Depot. Get "encouragement" along the way at each obstacle by MCRD Drill Instructors. Compete as an individual or a member of a 3-person or 5-person team.Great post-race party with plenty of music, food, drinks and beer, awards to the top 3 finishers in each category/age group, official race T-Shirts to all entrants. If you've never ran it, you've gotta give it a try. Lotsa fun!

Team Fox Force Five having too much fun! By the way, 6th place as a 5 person female team! Get'em girls!

(From L. to R.) Jen, Ses, Mary, Rebecca, & Rebecca!

Daphne and Gregg came by to say HI! You can always expect to find them at this sort of event!

Katie Mc. & Mary. Great job ladies!

Carrie & Doug - Carrie got 8th place in her age group and Doug got 3rd place in his! This was Doug's first race by the way. Great job guys!

George and Wendy both did a great job! They were cheered on by Alexis, Willow and the little Gramms!

Nikki and Dianne -- We're just here for the beer! Way to go ladies!

J.J. (Super Trooper) & her man, Anthony -- They both did extremely well and were all smiles! Say "Cheese!"

Team PBR made up of Sean, Dave and Katie -- Hmmm, and what are they holding in their hands?!

Team Spartan -- Made up of Erin, Eldar (Crazy Legs) & Jeff. These guys did awesome too and finished 9th as a 3-person mixed team!

CONGRATULATIONS to Team Decker & the Divas! 1st place in the 3 person Mixed Team category. (Joe, Nicole & Marie)

A big CONGRATS to everyone that participated! Awesome job! Gotta do it again next year. Oh, by the way, you also missed the incredible post-race party at Wine Steals. That's another story! Have a great day!

Noble Canyon 50k

2007-10-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 29, 2007, Aaron, myself and a group of very attractive "Dirt Divas" set out to run the Noble Canyon 50k. For 3 0r 4 months prior to this the group had been training together and putting in the hard work to attempt this challenge. These girls and Aaron, worked their tails off. Week in and week out. Sometimes we would meet at 0530 to log some miles. Half the group had never even ran a marathon so this would be a huge challenge.
Race day arrives and nerves are on edge. Will we finish? Will our bodies hold up? What lies out there for us on the trail? Me, I had no doubt that they would do just fine. At 0700 hours the race begins. Within a couple miles the jitters are gone and the fun begins! For the next 7 1/2 hours this group runs, jokes and laughs together. Not only did they all finish, they did so with big smiles on their face! CONGRATULATIONS -- Aaron, Carrie, Marie, Meg, Mindy, Nicole & Rebekah! You guys are awesome. More good times to come.

Keeping Motivated

2007-08-31T16:46:00.000-07:00

Like many of you, I'm continually looking for new things to motivate me. It can be tough at times. You find yourself asking, " Why am I doing this?" I have found by searching for and attempting new challenges, it definitely helps. Also, my friends and I are constantly challenging one another. You name it, we'll compete at it. Everything from timed sit-ups and stair repeats to hardcore fitness programs. Our latest competition is what I've titled the Millenium "1000" Challenge. It's a three and half circuit of the famous "300" Workout. If you're looking for a little kick in the butt, give it a try. I was able to get through the "1000" in 44:54, but it definitely left a mark! If you're just getting started, try 300 reps of the program. See if you can do it in under 10 minutes. It's tough. Give it a try.

Millenium “1000” Challenge
-25x Pull-up
-50x Deadlift @ 135#
-50x Push-up
-50x Box Jump @ 24” box
-50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count)
-50x DB Clean and Press @ 35# DB(DB must touch floor between reps)
-25x Pull-up
-50x Deadlift @ 135#
-50x Push-up
-50x Box Jump @ 24” box
-50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count)
-50x DB Clean and Press @ 35# (DB must touch floor between reps)
-25x Pull-up
-50x Deadlift @ 135#
-50x Push-up
-50x Box Jump @ 24” box
-50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count)
-50x DB Clean and Press @ 35# (DB must touch floor between reps)
-25x Pull-up
-25x Deadlift @ 135#
-25x Push-up
-25x Box Jump @ 24” box
-25x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count)

-25x DB Clean and Press @ 35# (DB must touch floor between reps)

-25x Pull-up

I followed it up that evening with a bottle of Cabernet and a nice cigar! You gotta reward yourself. Have fun!

Aug 26, It's Friday again!

2007-08-24T11:38:00.001-07:00

Time flies when you're having fun. Where did the week go? I'm sure many of us ask that question quite often. If you're healthy and exercising, you can look back and congratulate yourself on a job well done. If you're still making excuses and not taking care of yourself, remember, you are not getting any younger and healthier. Don't let this precious time slip away. It goes just like that. I don't know about you, but I'd rather go doing what I love to do with my head held high instead of laying in a hospital bed with tubes up every orifice in my body. Not a pretty picture. Now get your butt moving!

Outdoor Fitness Workout

This morning we mixed it up a little. I like to do that on Fridays to change it up. We started with a half mile jog for a warm-up. Next;

200 Meter sprints x 8
Weighted DB sit-ups - 3 sets x 1 min
5 stadium stair repeats
DB Squat-curl-presses - 3 sets x 1 min
Mile Run - at 75-80% max
10 min stretching

Gut Check Workout

It is Friday and I'm feeling a little lazy. I'm going to hit a workout that has become old faithful. The "300" Workout. Time yourself. Try to do it faster each time. Good luck. Have fun!

“300” Challenge

-25x Pull-up

-50x Deadlift @ 135#

-50x Push-up

-50x Box Jump @ 24” box

-50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count) -the link below has a video description of these

-50x KB Clean and Press @ 36# (KB must touch floor between reps) (I used a 35 lb dumbbell since I didn't have a Kettlebell)

-25x Pull-up

300 reps total

*Floor Wipers - Josh Hillis' Fat Loss and Fitness Articles: Video: Floor Wipers from the 300 Workout

Off to LA to crew for Nicole, Aaron and Jeremiah. They're all running the Bulldog 50k tomorrow. I'm taking it easy. Getting ready for the San Diego 100 and the Javelina 100 in Oct. Good luck gang! Have a great weekend everyone!

Joe Decker

www.joe-decker.com

Aug 17 - It's Friday!

2007-08-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

Another week almost over! Time to look back. What have I done this week? Did I drag butt and not get too much done? Did I just coast along? Or, did I pony up, kick butt and take names?! Hopefully this last one applies. Life's too short. Make the best of it each week and day. Think outside the box and try new things to challenge and push your self. Like Joe Dirt said, "Life's a garden. Dig it!"

Outdoor Fitness Workout

Today we mixed it up and had some fun. A little bit of this and a little bit of that. We started with a half mile warm-up run and then hit the field.

200 Meter sprints x 6 with only 15-30 sec of rest
DB squats x 25
DB Hammer curls x 25
DB Presses x 25
Combine all three - DB squat-curl-presses x 1 min
Combine all three - DB squat-curl-presses x 45 sec
Combine all three - DB squat-curl-presses x 30 sec
Stadium Stair repeats x 5 - tried to finish between 5-8 minutes
Sit-ups x 30 sec
Weighted DB Sit-ups x 1 min
Weighted DB Sit-ups x 45 sec
Weighted DB Sit-ups x 30 sec
3/4 mile run
1/2 mile run
1/4 mile run
Stretching x 10 min

Gut Check Workout

25 pull-ups (remember you can break up into sets - like 10-10-5, etc)
50 box jumps
50 push-ups - regular
25 chin-ups
50 deadlifts @ 135#
25 One-arm DB chest presses - 25 each arm
50 DB snatches
50 squats @ 135#
25 pull-ups - thumbs touching
50 Diamond push-ups
25 starbursts
50 hammer curls
100 bench dips
25 shrug/calf raises
100 sit-ups w/25lb plate
50 hanging knee raises
Timed Mile @ 3% incline!

Have fun! I'm eager to do it myself. Please let me know if you enjoy it as much as I think that I will! Have a great Friday! Keep driving on. Remember, when you're sitting on your butt being lazy, someone else is out there doing a workout just like this and tearing it up!

"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!"

Aug 16, Thurs - Keep it going!

2007-08-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

I love Thursday mornings. On this day we generally go to our favorite set of stairs or least favorite long and steep hill. Then we proceed to run it until our quads are quivering and our knees start to buckle. Nothing like a little exercise induced nausea to start the day out right! Give it a try. If you're like us, you might just start to like it!

Outdoor Fitness Workout

This morning we started out with about a half mile warm-up run. Next we did some side-to-side shuffles, butt kickers, high knees, one-legged hops forward and sideways. We followed this up with some 40yd sprints, 5 forwards and 5 backwards. From here we headed to THE HILL. This thing is the length of a football field with a 15 degree incline. It's beautiful. I had everyone get a partner and do 6 repeats, trading off on each one to give them a break. It's a great workout. Find your own hill or use a treadmill. Hills are great for building strength, power and maximizing calorie burn.

Strength Training Workout

I really enjoy experimenting with different workouts. Last week was dumbbells, this week is barbell and next will be machines. Have fun with it. Try different exercises. Really push yourself. Today we'll hit Legs, Back and Biceps for 3 sets of 8 reps. Remember, always warm-up for 5-10 min.

10-20 pull-ups
Deadlifts
10-20 chin-ups
Squats
Lat pull-downs
Straight leg barbell deadlifts
Bent-over barbell rows
Barbell lunges
Calf Raises
Barbell curls
Shrugs
Barbell reverse curls
Ab exercise
Knee Raises

Looks like fun. Give it a try. Let me know how it goes. I'll get to work on program for tomorrow. It'll be a fast paced, non-stop butt kicker. Get ready!

Aug 15, Wed - Back in Action!

2007-08-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Finished up 100 Mile trail run on Sunday. Leg's feel pretty good. Time to get it going again. Guy's, I've gotta tell ya, there is nothing more empowering than getting out there and pushing your body. The human body is meant to be pushed and prodded, it's not meant to sit in a dark cubicle and punch a key board all day. Have fun with it. Punch the gas, squeal the tires! Your body will take you there and beyond if you push it!

Outdoor Fitness Class

Wednesdays are our Cardio days. It's the middle of the week and all downhill from here. Get out there, burn a few calories, clear your head and have fun. We generally meet as a group at 6 AM and run for an hour together. Whether it be running, cycling or swimming, grab some friends and go!

Strength Training Workout

Last week we tried dumbbell only workouts. I really enjoyed those. I think today we'll try a barbell only workout. See how that goes. Let's hit Chest, Shoulders and Triceps for 3 sets of 8 reps. Something different. Here we go.

5-10 min warm-up - 50 jumping jacks - 20 push-ups - 10 pull-ups
Clean and Jerk
Flat bench press
Push-presses
Incline bench press
Barbell front raises
Close-grip bench presses
Decline cable flyes
Lying tricep extensions
Parallel bar dips - 2 x 15-25
Weighted sit-ups
Hanging knee raises

Gut Check Workout

Squat-curl-presses w/20-50lb db's
Push-ups - feet elevated - one foot on the bench at a time - slow and touch
Bench dips - rotate foot on the ground - slow and touch
Reps go 30-25-20-15-10 -- Advanced Reps 50-40-30-20-10

Hope you enjoy the workout. Push yourself. Get out there today and do something physical that you've only been thinking about. Like run a few more miles or do a few more push-ups. Challenge yourself! Have fun!

Aug 13th - Headland's 100 Miler

2007-08-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

"You can walk enough when you're dead." I kept repeating these words to myself over and and over again as I stumbled and staggered along the narrow and rocky trail at 3:30 AM in the morning. I had just left the aid station at Mile 91 and have been running for over 20 hours now. Only 9 more miles to go. "Who's idea was this anyhow?"

This past Friday, Aug 10th, Nicole, Steve Purinton and myself drove to San Francisco for the Headland's 100 Mile trail race on Saturday. It had been 6 years since I ran my last 100 Miler. I have to admit, I was just a little nervous. Could I still do it? "Now is not a good time to consider that ya dummy!" I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Saturday morning we drove to the start of the race, checked in and got ready to go. From the starting line you could see the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. What a great view. At 7 AM all 140, 50 & 100 Mile runners were off. Across the beach then up the hills we ran. At roughly 5 miles into the first leg we came out onto a ridge line that overlooked the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and downtown San Fran. What an awe inspiring view.

The 50 Milers were to do an out and back. The 100 Milers did the same out and back with two smaller 25 Mile loops afterwards. The first 50 miles was no problem. The sun was shining and the views were spectacular throughout the Golden Gate National Park. Life was good. I've found with 100 Mile runs though, the race doesn't really start until the sun goes down. This would turn out to be no exception.

I was feeling great at the end of the first 50 miles. "No problem, I can do this all day." I'm pretty sure this is a common statement many of us make half way through any event, only to have our butts handed to us later on. Steve left the 50 mile aid station with me to help pace over the next 8 mile leg. Seeing a another runner in the distance, I decided to push it a little harder. This little mistake would catch up with me later. "There's still a lot of running to do."

Nicole traded roles with Steve and ran the next 17 Miles with me. I could feel the fatigue starting to sit in. Up and down the hills and canyons we run, stumble and climb. Over 17,000 ft of elevation gain. And I thought this was going to be an 'easy' 100 miler!

75 Mile mark. Last loop. 25 miles to go. I'm thinking to myself, "Are you kidding me, one more marathon?!" Again, Steve paces me through the first section of the loop. It's definitely slower than the last 2 times. Luckily he keeps me moving. At mile 80, my batteries go dead in my light. Not good. It's pitch black out. Luckily Steve has a light and we're able to navigate the treacherous trails of this section.

Mile 83. Coyotes are howling in unison very close nearby as we approach the aid station. Mother nature's concert. Nicole jumps in at this point and we're off. It's roughly 2 AM in the morning and I'm tired! Must keep going. We stumble on.

Mile 90. The turn around point in the last loop. Only 10 miles to go. My eyes are burning, quads are quivering, stomach is upset, feet and knees are throbbing, but besides this, I feel pretty darn good. We get to Pirates Cove and have about a 2 mile climb to the peak to head down to the last aid station. Don't really remember this section. I think I was having what is known as an "out of body experience" or I was simply asleep! One of the two.

Mile 96. All I want to do is get this thing over with! My mind and body are both rebelling against whatever the heck is keeping me going. Not sure what is. Steve feeds and waters me at the aid station. Nicole and I are off. Straight up the hill we climb. "Were all these hills here before? Did someone add them during the night?"

Mile 98. The sun is coming up again and the fog is rolling in at the higher elevation. Yeah, we're almost done. I can do this. Wait. "Where did this last climb come from?!" You've got to be kidding me. We stumble to the top only to behold the finish line in the distance. Thank you Lord! We actually look pretty good as we cross the finish line at 24 hours and 20 minutes. I find out that I got 5th place. http://www.pctrailruns.com/HH_Results_07.htm Very excited considering all I wanted to do was finish. Time for a Steak Omelet and Pancakes! Here I come!

I couldn't have done it without Nicole and Steve to keep me fed, hydrated, motivated, and actually on the course. They were up the entire night and met me at every aid station with a smile and a peanut butter cup! Thanks guys! And Thank You too all the wonderful people that supplied me with race goodies and support. You really made this Ultra Runners race very memorable and special.

My ankles are swollen and legs are still throbbing. Yesterday, I considered retiring from UltraRunning. It's just too painful. Today the pain has subsided and I'm already looking at the San Diego 100 in October. "Hey, I can't help it. I'm an endorphin junky and always will be. There's no high in the world that can touch the incredible high one experiences when pushing the human body to the limit and accomplishing incredible feats!"

"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!"

Aug 7, Tues - Pick it up!

2007-08-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Another great day in paradise! Got up this morning at 5 AM and did speed and lower body work with my 6 AM Outdoor Fitness Class. Great group! We meet 5 days a week and hit it hard. So does my 5 PM group too. Good stuff! I hope all of you got your butts out of bed this morning and enjoyed the sunrise while burning a few calories. You can't beat it.

Outdoor Fitness Class

This morning we focused on Speed and Lower Body work. Good little butt kicker. Started out with a warm-up followed by some additional exercises to get the blood flowing. Using about 40 yds on a field, we shuffled right, then left, followed by running backwards. Repeated this a couple times. Next came butt-kickers or heel to your rear-end, high knees, one legged hops forward - both legs, one legged hops sideways - both legs and finally lunges.

4 x 40 yds - with a 10 sec rest break
1 x 400 m
We repeated this 3 times
Lower body exercises -
40 yds walking lunges with a 15lb db
20 yds - backward lunges
squats - full, 3/4, 1/2 & 1/4 - 10 each - nice and slow
2o yds lunges - back to db's
DB Squats - holding db in one hand - left for 10 reps - then right for 10 reps - then middle for 10
25 calf raises
50 dirty dogs
1 min partner - weighted sit-ups
1 min reverse curls
30 sec sit-ups
30 sec reverse curls
10 min good lower body stretching

Strength Training Workout

Today will be a Dumbbell workout like yesterday. I find that switching it up like this keeps it exciting and interesting. Try out different exercises. Incorporate these into your program. We're still doing 2 Sets of 10-12 Reps. Here we go!

5-10 min warm-up
10 pull-ups - left hand over & right hand under - focus on form - full range of motion
DB Deadlifts
10 pull-ups - right hand over & left hand under - focus on form - full range of motion
DB Squats
One-arm DB Rows
DB Straight - legged deadlifts
DB Pull-overs
DB Stationary lunges - 10 each leg
30 - 60 sec pull-up hang
DB calf raises with a shrug added at the top
DB seated incline curls
DB concentration curls
DB wrist curls
100 crunches

Don't be afraid to add your own exercises if you want. Have fun with it. Have a great day!

Aug 6, Monday - Get it goin'!

2007-08-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

The weekend's over, time to pick it up again! We had a great "Hit the Surf" workout on Sat. at La Jolla Shores. Lotsa sand, water and fun in the sun. On Sunday, we went for a leisurely little 13 mile run through Rose Canyon. Good time. I'll be taking it some what easy this week. I've got the Headlands 100 Mile trail run on Sat. Can't wait!
As I've said before, we'll start changing up the workout variables a bit to keep it interesting and challenging. Today's Strength Training format will be similar to last week, but we'll do an all Dumbbell Workout. I think you'll like it.

Outdoor Fitness Workout

We started out with a half mile jog for a warm-up. We always work the upper-body on Monday's. Today we went straight to the pull-up bars and proceeded to do

10 sets of 10 pull-ups with a little break in between - 100 total

Next, we hit push-ups and dips;

5 circuits of - 20 dips and 10 negative push-ups with only a 10 sec break in between

Back to the park and our dumbbells;

2 sets of 50 DB weighted sit-ups - timed (from 10 -40 lbs)
2 sets of 50 DB Bench Presses
2 sets of 50 DB Hammer Curls
2 sets of 50 DB Arnold Presses
2 sets of 50 Crunches
5-10 min of stretching

Strength Training Workout

Today our workout will consist of only DB exercises. Thurs will probably be Barbell only then possibly machine. Variety and change is good. We'll still be doing 2 Sets of 10-12. Focus on form and taking it slow hitting the negative.

5-10 Warm-up - 50 Jumping Jacks - 20 Push-ups - 10 Slow Pull-ups
One arm DB Clean and Press - both arms
DB Flat Bench
DB Arnold Presses
DB Incline Press
DB Front Raises
DB Flyes
DB Upright Rows
DB Overhead Tricep extensions
DB Kickbacks
DB Push-ups
DB Weighted Sit-ups
Hanging Knee Raises
Cool down and stretching

Gut Check Workout

10 Pull-ups
25 One-arm DB Clean & Presses - each arm
20 Bench Dips
10 Negative push-ups
Repeat 5 times (If you want to go for it, try to repeat it 10 times!)

Hope you enjoy the workout! Have fun and enjoy your day!

Aug 3rd, Fri - 1st Week Down!

2007-08-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang,

One week down now in our Fitness Challenge. I hope the workouts are helping and you're able to put together a schedule that works for you. I'm seeing a lot of people working their tails off. Some are coming out at 5 AM, others at lunch time and even more in the evenings. It's great to see! I hope you're ready, next week we'll really kick it up a notch!

Outdoor Fitness Workout

I joined my friend Eddie at CrossFit San Diego for a little Olympic Weight Training this morning. If you get a chance, check it out. Good stuff!
This left Nicole to teach class. From what I heard, sounded like a good time!

1/2 Mile Warm-up
50 Jumping Jacks
25 Push-ups
1 Arm DB Squat Presses or Thrusters - 3 sets of 20-15-10 on each arm
Clap push-ups - 1 set of 20
1 Arm DB curls - standing on 1 leg - 3 set of 20-15-10
Clap push-ups - 1 set of 20
1 Arm DB Snatches - 3 sets of 20-15-10
Super slow eccentric push-ups - 1 set of 20
4 x 40 Meter dashes
1 Arm DB Chest Presses - 3 sets of 20-15-10
Crunches Fingers to toes, holding up 1 DB - 25 each arm
Bench Dips - sets of 20-15-10
50 Jumping jacks
100 Full sit-ups
5-10 min stretching

Strength Training/Gut Check Workout

I'm going to combine the two today. It's Friday, the week is over, time to kick it in the butt! I want you to leave it all here. You should finish in a pool of sweat! Let's do it!

5-10 min warm-up - 50 Jumping jacks - 20 push-ups - 10 pull-ups
50 DB Squat Presses/Thrusters with 30 lb dbs
50 Box jumps
25 Pull-ups
50 Squats with 135 lbs
50 - 1 Arm DB Snatches or Swings with 50 lb db - 25 each arm and switch
50 Straight leg DB Deadlifts with 30 lb dbs
25 Chin-ups
50 Deadlifts with 135 lbs
50 - 1 Arm DB Rows with 50 lb db - 25 each arm
50 - 1 Leg BW Squats to a bench using bodyweight - 25 each leg
25 Pull-ups
50 Barbell Curls with 50 lbs
50 Calf Raises w/ Shrugs with 50 lb dbs
50 DB Hammer Curls with 30 lb dbs - 25 each arm
50 Second timed hang on pull-up bar
50 Weighted Sit-ups with a 30 lb db
50 Knee raises
50 Supermen
1 Mile timed Run
5-10 min cool-down and stretch!

There it is! Try it out and let me know what ya think! I'm getting ready to go see I if I can make it myself. Remember, feel free to modify the weight if necessary. Try to get all the reps in even if you have to divide them up in sets. DO NOT move on until you've completed all the reps! Good luck. "Remember, when you're sitting on the couch watching the tube letting yourself get soft, someone somewhere is out there training there ass off right now trying to get hard!"

Aug 02, Thurs -

2007-08-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Fitness Workout

This morning was a great workout. Some might even call it tough!;-) We ran a half-mile warm up loop to get started. From there we headed to the stairs. We have a set of stadium stairs at our park that have 128 steps. Pretty substantial. Try to find some comparable or just do more repeats if you want.

5 Stairs - up and down is one - ours take 5-6 min to complete all 5
50 Crunches - bringing your knees into your chest then back out
5 Stairs
50 Abs
5 Stairs
25 Box Jumps
25 Starbursts
50 Mountain Climbers
25 Crunches - Fingers to Toes
50 Flutter kicks
10 min of stretching

This whole workout should take roughly an hour. Be sure to really push yourself up the stairs to get the most out of it.

Strength Training Workout

I like taking the exercises in groups of two's. It helps to speed it up and keeps my heart rate up. Remember, try to get 2 Sets of 10 Reps. We'll change it up next week.

Olympic Clean and Press
DB Flat Bench Press
DB 1-arm Snatch - this is an Olympic lift -pretty tough, but great exercise
Barbell Incline Press
Lying Triceps Extensions or Skull Crushers - lie on a flat bench - bring bar to your forehead
Decline Cable Flyes
DB Rear Delts - lie face down on a incline bench for these - lightweight -slowly
Weighted Bar or Bench Dips - 2 Sets of 25 Reps
100 Full Weighted Sit-ups - non-stop or in sets of 10,25,50, etc - just get them done try to use as heavy of weight as possible - I'll probably try a 30-40 lb dumbbell
50 Hanging Knee Raises

Check back tomorrow to find a butt-kicker Gut Check Workout to finish off your week. I hope your workouts and training is going well. If you have any questions, please let me know. Have a great day!

Aug 01, Wed - Make-up

2007-08-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang,

Sorry I was unable to post a workout yesterday. Was out of the office most of the day. Here's what I was able to squeeze in if you would like to keep it for future reference.

Outdoor Fitness Workout

Wednesday's are group run days. We generally meet at 6 AM for a little 4-6 Mile Run. Yesterday we hit Penasquitos Canyon for a trail run. Great way to start the day. Some of the group decided to either hit the pool or the gym for some cycling. It's up to you. Use this day for a good little cardio burn. Have fun!

Strength Training Workout

The schedule for this week has you taking Wed. off from strength training. Gives the muscles a break and time to recover. But I did do a Gut Check Workout.

Gut Check Workout

15 Overhand thumbs touching Pull-ups
50 Push-ups
50 Dips
15 Underhand pinkies touching Chin-ups
40 Push-ups
40 Dips
15 Overhand Wide grip Pull-ups
30 Push-ups
30 Dips
15 Regular Chin-ups
20 Push-ups
20 Dips
Max set of Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
10 Dips

You can for wrong with this workout. It's a great little upper body smoker! Have fun!

Fitness Challenge Testing

2007-07-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are interested in testing yourself and following along with our 12 Week Challenge, I'll list the tests that we used. I started out by taking everyone's bodyfat measurements. Next, I used 5 different fitness tests to use as a baseline and to track their progress. The 5 tests were;

200 Meter Dash
Standing DB Squat-curl-overhead presses for 90 seconds - as many as possible
Stairs x 3 - this was timed using a very long set of stairs
Weighted Sit-ups for 90 seconds - girls used 10lbs and guys used 20lbs
One Mile - timed

At the end of 12 Weeks I will test again. Our Challenge is based upon Fitness Progress, not weight loss. In addition we'll be looking at accountability, dedication, motivation and hard work. The goal is to get everyone to really embrace fitness and a healthy lifestyle and incorporate it into their life.

July 31, Tues

2007-07-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang!

Real quick, each day I'll list various workouts. From Outdoor workouts to one's done in a gym, even to things you can do at home. Don't think you have to do all of them. These are only options. I generally do the Outdoor Workout in the early morning and the Strength Training at lunch. This works for me. Now you need to find a schedule that will work for you.

Outdoor Fitness Workout

Today we focused on the lower body. Started out with half mile warm-up to get the blood flowing.

50 Jumping Jacks
200 Meter run
20 DB Squats
20 Alternating Step-ups
20 Lunges
400 M run
repeat 3 sets of 20
600 M run
repeat
800 M run
repeat
600 M run
repeat
400 M run
repeat
200 M run
5 minutes of AB work
10 minutes of stretching

Strength Training Workout

Today's workout will again be similar to last weeks. We'll be hitting Chest/Shoulder/Triceps. I want to get you in the habit of moving quickly from exercise to exercise. Be sure to hit it hard for 2 Sets of 10. I believe in "Quality over Quantity!"

Barbell Bench Press
Seated Overhead Press
DB Incline Press
Standing DB Arnold Presses
Triceps Pressdown
Cable Flyes
Cable Rear Deltoids Cross-overs
Parallel Bar Dips
Front Raises
Close-grip Bench Press
DB Kick backs
Weighted Sit-ups
Hanging Knee Raises

If you have time, try to cool down for 5-10 min., followed by some light stretching.

Gut Check Workout

I'll start posting these workouts Mon, Wed & Fri. They're an added little bonus to really give ya a kick in the rear. Have fun with them. Try to time the Gut Check and let me know how it goes.

Have a great day and an awesome workout! Keep me posted on your progress!

Start of the 12 Week Fitness Challenge

2007-07-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang!

Today is the beginning of our 12 Week Fitness Challenge which will end the week before Halloween. My goal is to help you get in incredible shape, incorporate fitness into your life and have a great time while doing it. For the next 12 Weeks I'll be listing a daily Outdoor Fitness Workout, a Home/Gym Workout and an occasional Gut Check Workout. Feel free to use what you want. You can take some of this and make it your own. Remember, this workout has to become your own for you to continue after the 12 Weeks is up.

Outdoor Fitness Workout

This workout will be pretty similar to the one we do at 6 AM at the park we meet at. You could probably do this workout at the park, at home or even the gym. Our 5-day AM format is;
Mon - upper body, Tues - lower body, Wed - Run/cardio, Thurs- lower body & Fri - upper body. Remember, if the workout is too hard or too easy, please modify it to suit your needs. This is all about you! We always start out with 5-10 minutes of jogging to get the blood flowing.

50 Jumping Jacks
Pull-up & Push-up Super set - Remember to move quickly from exercise to exercise
10 Overhand Thumbs Touching pull-ups - 10 push-ups
10 Pinkies touching pull-ups - 10 push-ups
10 Overhand wide-grip pull-ups - 10 push-ups
10 Regular grip palms facing chin-ups - 10 push-ups
10 Overhand regular width pull-ups - 10 push-ups
50 Jumping Jacks
Dips & Crunch Drop-set - On a bench or parallel bars if you have them (Nice and slow with a pause)
20 dips - 20 crunches
17 dips - 17 crunches
15 dips - 15 crunches
13 dips - 13 crunches
10 dips - 10 crunches
50 Jumping Jacks
DB Squat Presses & Sit-ups
5 Sets of 10 DB Squat Presses with 20 full un-anchored sit-ups between
2 Sets of 20 DB Concentration curls / DB Kickbacks
2 Sets of 20 Leg lifts
5-10 min stretching

Strength Training Workout

You'll see that I'm constantly changing my strength training workouts up. I like to keep them fun and interesting. For the next couple weeks we'll be lifting 4 days a week, then I'll probably cut it down to 3 day routine, then maybe back to 4 days or 2 days. We'll see then. This weeks will be similar to last weeks. Same basic format just to help ya get started. We'll really change it up next week and the following weeks. I generally divide my weekly routines up into Chest/Shoulders/Triceps and Legs/Back/Biceps. This is one of my favorite formats, the Push-Pull breakdown. I've found that it works well to hit all the major muscle groups and allows plenty of rest in between. It's great for maintaining general fitness. Remember, this week is still 2 Sets of 10-12 Reps.

5-10 Minute Warm-up
Barbell Deadlift
Lat pull downs
DB Squats
DB One-arm row
Single Leg Curl
Barbell curl
Single Leg Extension
DB Hammer curl
DB Calf Raise
DB Shrugs
Ab exercise
Wrist curl
Hanging knee raises
Low-back Hyper extensions or Superman's
* I like to take 2 or 3 exercises at a time and rotate quickly through them to get my heart rate up and to speed up the workout.

Gut Check Workout

10-15 Pull-ups
25 Box jumps
25 Starbursts
25 Mountain Climbers - single count
25 Fingers to Toes - lie on back, arms and legs extended in the air, try to reach up and touch fingers to toes, similar to a crunch
25 Flutter kicks
REPEAT 4 TIMES

Have fun with the workouts. Let me know what you think. Would love to have your feedback and input. Have a great day!

Joe Decker

July 26, Thurs - Changing it up

2007-07-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang,

Remember, what I want you to notice today is how we change some of the various workout variables. We'll change reps, sets, rest time to using barbells, dumbbells, machines and your own body weight. This keeps it interesting and constantly challenges your body to function differently each workout. This will help you continue to achieve results and stay motivated. I'll start with my Outdoor Fitness workout and then list today's gym workout.

Outdoor Fitness Workout
-This morning we jogged for about 10 minutes to a hill that's roughly 800 meters/ half-mile long with about a 10% incline. From the bottom we tried to run up it, without stopping to walk. We repeated this twice. It took between 4-6 minutes each time. You can try this on a hill that's close to you or on a treadmill at an easy jog.
-Next we did 50 squats with 15-30 lb dumbbells. Hold the db's in a curl position under your chin. Squat down and touch your elbows to your knees. Repeat.
-50 Walking lunges - single count
-50 Alternating Step-ups on a bench
-50 Box-jumps
-1 minute timed sit-ups holding a 15-30 lb db
-1 min plank position
-5-10 min stretching

Strength Training Workout
-Today's workout will be similar to Monday's - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps. We'll still do 2 Sets of 10-12 Reps. I'll change up Exercises, type and order. Here it goes;

-5-10 min Warm-up - 20 Jumping Jacks - 20 push-ups - 10 pull-ups

Standing 1-arm DB presses - 10-12 w/each arm - start w/non-dominate arm
DB Flat Bench Press
DB 1-arm Snatch - this is an Olympic lift -pretty tough, but great exercise
Barbell Incline Press
Lying Triceps Extensions or Skull Crushers - lie on a flat bench - bring bar to your forehead
Decline Cable Flyes
DB Rear Delts - lie face down on a incline bench for these - lightweight -slowly
Weighted Bar or Bench Dips
100 Full Sit-ups - non-stop or in sets of 10,25,50, etc - just get them done
50 Hanging Knee Raises

I'll put together a real butt-kicker Gut Check Workout for Friday. Stay tuned. Let me know if you have any questions concerning today's workout. Good luck! Have a great day!

Joe Decker

Legs/Back/Biceps Workout

2007-07-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention yesterday, that I teach Outdoor Fitness classes 5 days a week at 6 AM and 5 PM. I'll list that workout first because I do it first thing in the morning. I generally hit the gym at lunch time to get in my strength training. If you can possibly incorporate both workouts in during the day, you'll really notice your fitness level improve dramatically. Many just do the Outdoor Fitness class because it's extremely challenging and comprehensive. It's your call.

Today's Morning Workout;
This morning we hit the road for a little Speed Play or Fartlek Training. You can try this on the road, a treadmill, or any other piece of cardio equipment. The primary goal is to have fun with it. We ran from light pole to light pole. Run about 80-90% to a light pole, then slow easy jog to the next. Repeat. Sometimes I will throw in 2 or 3 light poles or stop lights to make it interesting. If you are doing this in the gym, you can pick it up from song to song, from commercial to commercial or minute to minute. It's your call. Be creative and have fun with it. Remember, 5-10 minute cool-down and stretching afterwards.

Strength Training Workout;
Yesterday we hit Chest/Shoulder/Triceps, today we'll hit Legs/Back/Biceps. This is one of my favorite formats, the Push-Pull breakdown. I've found that it works well to hit all the major muscle groups and allows plenty of rest in between. It's great for maintaining general fitness. Remember, this week is 2 Sets of 10-12 Reps.

Overhand Pull-ups
Barbell Squat
DB Deadlift
Chin-ups
Single Leg Extensions
Seated Cable Row
Single Leg Curl
Lat pull downs
DB Calf Raise
DB Shrugs
Straight bar curl - focus on the negative
Ab exercise
DB Hammer curl
Hanging knee raises
Wrist curl
Low-back Hyper extensions or Supermans

* I like to take 2 or 3 exercises at a time and rotate quickly through them to get my heart rate up and to speed up the workout.

Gut Check Workout;

10-15 Pull-ups
25 Starbursts
25 Fingers to Toes - lie on back, arms and legs extended in the air, try to reach up and touch fingers to toes, similar to a crunch
25 Mountain Climbers - single count
REPEAT 4 TIMES

As usual, please let me know what ya think. I always appreciate your feedback. Enjoy the workout. Remember, "that's why we call it working out, not hanging out!" HOO-RAH! Have fun!

Joe Decker

About My Workouts

2007-07-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang,

I've been getting some specific questions about my workouts and wanted to try to clear things up the best that I can. First, I've been competing in Powerlifting for 23 years, Strongman competitions for 10 years, and Ultra Running for about 10 years too. The daily and weekly workouts that I utilize are a combination of my years of competitive experience, college education, military background and rugged farm upbringing. This workout format is the same that I used to break a Guinness World Record for Fitness in 2000. Trust me, it will work.

Real quick, what is Fitness? Some say it's looking like a supermodel or having big muscles. Fitness is different things to many different people, but by definition fitness is a mixture of cardio endurance, muscular endurance & strength, flexibility and body composition. This is the definition of fitness that I subscribe too. This is what you will get from my workouts. My goal is to help you achieve total body fitness through a very comprehensive and well rounded workout format. The things we tend to value most in life are the things that we work the hardest to obtain. "Long. Strong. Fast. Fit!"

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Joe Decker

Chest/Shoulders/Tricep Workout

2007-07-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang,

Like I said before, I'm going to try to change as many of the workout variables weekly as possible. From sets & reps to the number of days you workout per week. This will help keep it fresh, really challenge your body and get you the results that you want. The first workout that I list will be primarily a gym workout. The second will be a "Gut Check" workout that can be done at the local playground, home or at the gym. I'm going to start off this Monday with the Push muscles; chest, shoulders and triceps. Try to use as heavy of weight as possible for each set and move quickly between exercises. Each exercise will be performed for 2 Sets of 10-12 Reps.

-Easy One Mile warm-up Run

Workout

Barbell Bench Press
Overhead Press
DB Incline Press
Standing DB Arnold Presses
Triceps Pressdown
Cable Flyes
Cable Rear Deltoids Cross-overs
Parallel Bar Dips
Front Raises
Close-grip Bench Press
DB Kick backs
Weighted Sit-ups
Hanging Knee Raises

* I like to perform and time the Gut Check Workout as soon as I'm done with the above workout. It'll only make you that much stronger if you do it while you're tired rather than doing it fresh all the time. Suck it up and knock it out!

Gut Check Workout

50 Jumping Jacks - one count
50 Overhead DB Presses - 3o lbs
50 Push-ups
50 Bench dips
50 Ab crunches
30 Jumping Jacks - one count
30 Overhead DB Presses - 3o lbs
30 Push-ups
30 Bench dips
30 Ab crunches
20 Jumping Jacks - one count
20 Overhead DB Presses - 3o lbs
20 Push-ups
20 Bench dips
20 Ab crunches

Email me at worldsfittestman@aol.com and let me know what ya think of these workouts. I would appreciate the input. It'll help me improve them for future use. Have a great day!

Joe Decker

Movie "300" Workout

2007-07-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

If any of ya have seen the movie "300", you've probably wondered how the actors got those incredible physiques. Let me tell ya, it came through a tremendous amount of dedication, perseverance and training. Master Trainer, Mark Twight, of Gym Jones - Gym Jones - Knowledge - "300" put these guys on a pretty serious program of old school strength training. In addition, there was a high degree of accountability. Staying at home in bed was not an option. Best of all was their motto, "appearance is a consequence of fitness!"

Many of their workouts were similar to the one's that you guys do with me on a daily basis. Unfortunately you don't have 10 hours a day to workout. If you did, you might look like that too. This stuff works. "Only through hard work, dedication, motivation and perseverance will you see the results that you want and deserve. Remember this, no one owes you anything. "You get what you work for."

If you or someone you know is up for the challenge, listed below is the "300" Workout. It was a right of passage for the actors and stuntmen of the movie. I gave it a try today. It's tough as hell. Took me 12 minutes and 10 seconds and I was hurting! You will have to hang in there, work hard and just keep going. You can do it. Give it a try!

“300” Challenge
-25x Pull-up
-50x Deadlift @ 135#
-50x Push-up
-50x Box Jump @ 24” box
-50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count) -the link below has a video description of these
-50x KB Clean and Press @ 36# (KB must touch floor between reps) (I used a 35 lb dumbbell since I didn't have a Kettlebell)
-25x Pull-up
300 reps total

*Floor Wipers - Josh Hillis' Fat Loss and Fitness Articles: Video: Floor Wipers from the 300 Workout

This is definitely a keeper. Remember, if you can't do this on your first attempt, try, try again until you succeed. I'd love to hear your feedback concerning this workout. Drop me a line if you get a chance. Good luck!

Joe Decker

Oldie but a Goody!

2007-07-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

I've been doing this workout for years but have never actually timed it. It's a good one. I'm going to modify it to make it a little tougher. The first set of numbers is for all my HOORAHS. The second set is a little easier. You decide which one to attempt. This might hurt! Ok, here we go;

Push-Dip-Pull Workout

50 push-ups / 30 push-ups - This is the modified side - still challenging though
50 dips / 30 dips
10 Jumping Pull-ups (from the floor, you jump to the bar and do a complete pull-up. Lower yourself down slowly and drop to the floor. Repeat)/ 10 Modified
40 push-ups / 25 push-ups
40 dips / 25 dips
10 Jumping Pull-ups / 10 Mods
30 push-ups / 20 push-ups
30 dips / 20 dips
10 Jumping Pull-ups / 10 Mods
20 push-ups / 15 push-ups
20 dips / 15 dips
10 Jumping Pull-ups / 10 Mods
10 push-ups
10 dips
10 Jumping Pull-ups / 10 Mods
TIME

This is a good one. I like to try to do it a couple times a week. It really helps your push-ups and dips. The Plyo or Jumping Pull-ups will get your heart rate up too. Let me know how it goes!

Speed Ladder Workout

2007-07-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ok guys, this morning was spent doing a little Speed work followed by lower body calisthenics. I have various distances marked out in the local park using my GPS. You can do the same, go to a track or use a treadmill. It's all good. I like the convenience of stepping out my door. Here we go.

Speed Ladder Workout

5-10 minutes of easy jogging
100 meter sprint - 15 sec recovery
200 m - 30 sec recovery
400 m - 1:00 min recovery
600 m - 1:30 min ''
800 m - 2:00 min ''
600 m - 1:30 min ''
400 m - 1:00 min ''
200 m - 30 sec ''
100 m - 15 sec
5-10 min easy jogging

This is a great workout to help increase your short and middle distance running. If you want to increase the intensity, try shortening the recovery time. This morning, we never rested for more than a minute the entire workout. Give it a try!

Can you hang?!

2007-07-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

Starting today, Friday the 13th, I'm going to start periodically posting a challenging 10-15 min workout smack down. The length of the workouts will vary from day to day. They'll be a very comprehensive mix of all kinds of good stuff. I like to call it "Gut Check" Workouts. I'll do the workouts first to make sure that they are tough enough and to see if I can even hang. Then I'll pass them on to you. If you need to modify, go ahead. Use the format that I give you, but change the weight or distance if need be to make it challenging and doable for you. Give them a try, have some fun then post a comment on my Blog if you want. I'd like to hear what you thought of that particular workout. For instance, "I enjoyed it, that sucked, you suck or no friggin' way!" Feel free to pass the workouts along to all your tough guy/girl friends. See if they can hang!

Here's the workout I did today. It took me 9 min and 48 sec to complete. Not too long, but pretty challenging if you really push yourself for time. Go for it!

1) 15 Wide-grip pull-ups (Ladies - 20 modified)
2) 15 Overhead Barbell Presses w/135 lbs (Ladies - the 45 lb barbell)
3) 15 Palms facing ya/pinkies touching pull-ups (Ladies - 20 modified)
4) 15 Standing Presses w/60 lb dumbbells - both arms together - palms facing in (Ladies - 20 lb db's)
5) 15 Overhand palms away/thumbs touching pull-ups (Ladies - 20 modified)
6) 15 Overhead Presses w/135 lbs (Ladies - the 45 lb barbell)
7) 15 Chin-ups-palms facing ya-shoulder width (Ladies - 20 modified)
8) 15 Presses w/60 lb db's (Ladies - 20 lb db's)
9) 15 Pull-ups - palms away (Ladies - 20 modified)
10) 15 One-arm snatches w/60 lbs- both arms for 15 - weak arm first (Ladies - 20 lb db's)
11.TIME

"PAIN IS ONLY WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY!"

What about my knees?!

2007-06-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard people say, "I don't run. Running is bad for your knees." We've all heard it at some time. Generally this is a person that has never run before in their life, an ex-runner that has torn up their knees from abuse, or just a lazy out-of-shape person making another excuse for their current state. Well, is running actually bad for your knees? Yes and No. What does this mean? I will try to answer this based upon my past running experience. First of all, anything in excess can be bad for you. Yes, even beer, wine and pizza! I think we all know that, but did you know that water can too. Yes, too much water can kill you. It's called hyponatremia. Getting back to the point, too much running and only running can tear up your knees. Again, nothing in excess. I will use myself as an example here. I have run 56 marathons to date and many 100+ Milers around the world. Plus, I weigh 195 lbs. That's a lot of abuse on my poor old knees. Sorry guys. And, knock on wood, have never had a major knee problem. Oh, I've had the occasional standard runner issues like ITB syndrome, plantar fascitis and tendinitis in most joints, but nothing serious. You may wonder how a short, stubby, balding guy can run so many miles and escape serious knee injury. Well, here's my story and I'm sticking to it. I started serious strength training around the age of 14. For many years I was a Powerlifter only. No running. I actually got into running because my meathead buddies like myself said, "Dude, you're too big to run." Of course that was all I needed and like Mr Gump, I started running and have not looked back. Luckily though, I have never stopped strength training. I continue to perform squats, deadlifts, lower body calisthenics and plyometrics. This, combined with a good amount of cross-training, has been my saving grace. I strength train heavy, 2-3 times per week, and I listen to my body, especially my knees. I love to run, but when my knees say,"leave me alone for a couple days," I do just that. When this happens, I'll substitute a run for a bike ride or jump on the elliptical machine. In addition, I try as much as possible to keep my body fueled with wholesome, healthy foods and lots of water. Of course I still enjoy the pizza and beer on the weekends, you've gotta stay human. To sum my rambling up, if you are going to run, you need to make sure you implement a couple days of strength training, incorporate some cross training and keep your body properly fueled and hydrated. Will this work for everyone? Who knows, but it'll definitely help and has certainly worked for this 37 yr old UltraRunning Clydesdale. "Running doesn't tear up your knees, the lack of a well rounded plan does!" Stay Long. Strong. Fast. Fit.

"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!"

2007-06-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang,

Sorry for the disappearing act, I've been busy trying to come up with new and exciting challenges for myself. Like many of you, I start to lose motivation now and then and have to step back, reevaluate and drive on! Well, I've come up with a couple new adventures with the help of some interesting friends. I'm currently working on a trip to the Amazon with famed Naturalist, Richard Fowler. We're going to parachute out of plane into the Peruvian Amazon, hike through the jungle and try to survive for a couple weeks while meeting indigenous peoples along the way. Still in the process of finalizing but that's the gist of it.
http://www.iquitostimes.com/rfowler-index.htm

The next adventure may have be climbing Everest or a trip to the North Pole. You may ask why? My answer will be, "Because I can." I truly believe that we are not on this old earth for a long time. So the short time that we are here, we need to make the best of it. The "best of it" is different for each and everyone of us. Individually we need to determine that. Before my grandfather past away he would say "Too old too fast." These words motivate me to experience as much as I can while I am still physically capable. Think about. This is our deep thought for the day!

Here's a link to my latest podcast interview. Check it out if you get a chance.
http://www.enduranceplanet.com/

If you are ever in San Diego, come join my Outdoor Fitness class. It's the best in the World and the most fun! Get Fit with the World's Fittest Man (San Diego, CA) - Meetup.com

I'll try to update my Blog more often. Please let me know if you have any particular questions you want answered. I hope that everyone has a great day!

Joe

Joe Decker
"World's Fittest Man"
858-342-2993
www.Joe-Decker.com

"i ran. i ran until my muscles burned and my veins pumped battery acid. then i ran some more."

More fun stuff

2007-04-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang!

We're going to have a GREAT workout tomorrow! I hope that most of you can make it. It'll definitely be a good time.

I put together a Workout Log for some of the employees of AMN yesterday. If anyone is interested in getting a copy, follow this link- AMN's Workout Log - Bodybuilding.com If you want to develop your own Strength Training Log, this is a pretty cool tool and it's free. Bodybuilding.com - Printable Workout Logs - Create Your Own!

If any of ya are interested in beginning a structured Running Program, talk to me first. But if you need some good running resources, here are a couple of my favorite sites. They're loaded with info. http://www.halhigdon.com/ and http://www.run100s.com/

I've added a couple of the races that I'll be doing in the next couple months. If any of you are interested in participating in any fun events of your own, please let me know. I'm sure I can help get ya pointed in the right direction.
Camp Pendleton Races: Mountain Warfare Training Challenge
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon - June 3, 2007 - San Diego, California

In addition, I'm going to start putting together Mountain Bike, Rock Climbing and Kayaking clinics. Please let me know if you might be interested. This is the good stuff in life! Have a great weekend!

Joe

Joe Decker
"World's Fittest Man"
858-342-2993
www.joe-decker.com

"i ran. i ran until my muscles burned and my veins pumped battery acid. then i ran some more."

Doing it for the kids

2007-04-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Joe!

This is Bill Eaker from Northside Elementary in Geneseo, Illinois. You just spoke to our students today at our Fine Arts Fair and I helped you set up the DVD. I just wanted to tell you how inspiring you were to the kids. When I got back to my 5th grade classroom, you were all the buzz, so I know you made a great impact on them. I heard one specific girl comment to a friend, “I think I’m going to start running!” This is a girl with self-esteem issues, so I think it is important that you know that you had an impact directly on her. My son, who is also in 5th grade, was talking about all the things you had done and how impressed he was. He and his friends were playing X-Box and talking about it the whole time. After they were done playing, they went on an “epic” bike ride across town. With all the childhood obesity that we see everyday at school, I just want to tell you that it is awesome that you take your time to talk to the kids, encouraging them to exercise and eat right.

Melanie Rice has talked to me about you for years, and it was a pleasure to finally meet you. It would have been nice to have some time to talk to you about biking and kayaking. I have been an avid mountain biker for years, and have been kayaking now for 7 years now. I have to admit that you inspired me a great deal today as well. I have always talked about planning, training, and completing the entire length of the Mississippi River by kayak, and you brought those thoughts back. Sometimes the doubt that sits in the back of the mind keeps me from larger accomplishments such as these. I’ll just have to set some short and long term goals, take baby steps, and you never know, I just might get around to doing that. Anyway, enough of my babbling. Keep up the great work and inspiration for the kids. I hope you had a safe trip home.

Bill Eaker
Northside Elementary
Geneseo, Illinois

From Kyle in Canada

2007-03-20T13:11:00.000-07:00

I just received this email from Kyle in Cananda. I thought you guys might enjoy it. It's a great story.

hey joe!

So everyone has a story, heres mine.

I live WAY far north. In a town called yellowknife, nwt, canada. Here we have winter for 8 or more months of the year. I always made excuses for myself, not working out in the winter and saying ill wait for the summer....but guess what? I never did.

I grew up as the BIG Boy in school, teased from time to time, but i used my size to kinda intimidate them. I did alot of out doors stuff like camping, fishing, hunting, and all that. And i got plenty of excersize from it. I also played alot of sports, soccer, basketball, hockey, paintball and many more. But what i ate and drank (alcohol) and how much of it was killing me from the inside out. You know the meals im talking about, the momma's home cooked meals. The ones with more meat and white breads and pastas, and sugars. Id sit down and CLEAR 3 PLATES!!

So on new years day (2007) i stepped on a scale and weiged myself....I was shocked. I was a 19 year old guy out of high school, that weighed in at a whopping 307lbs!

This shocked me, i was depressed for a few days, not sure what to do or where to start, it just seemed like an obstacle that i couldnt conquer.

Then i decided to do something about it. I got a gym membership. I was workingout everyday, drinking lots of water, but i was skipping almost all my meals accept dinner. Where i would fill up on more than i would before!

So then i found your book at walmart (where i work by the way). And i flew threw it in just 2 evenings. Your story reminder me of me alot. So then i decided it was time to change. I started the power of eating program. Whole grains, no bad fats, no more red meat, cut the sugars, everything i should be doing i did. Im eating vegies like brocoli, carots, and snap peas (which i love now). I have been substituting mustard for mayo. And i have started the "shock your body" program too. What a difference!

So here it is. I started the program on january 9th 2007. I weighed in at 307 lbs. Now its march 17, 2007. And in just about 10 weeks. IVE LOST 87 LBS! Thats right, im down to 220! My muscles are toner, arms, legs, I even have pecs haha! And the compliment are great!

So heres my question.. I still have my problem area to take care of. My stomache. Its still really big. I was wondering if i were to work the muscles more in that area, ie abs, lats etc. Will this speed up the weight lossn this area?

any way i really hope youve read this and reply, thanks for everything! And im sure uve heard this before, but your a life saver! thanks again,

Kyle

What does Fitness mean to me?

2007-03-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

What is Fitness? I have asked many people this same question over the years. Many have said, "It's looking like a super-model or having muscles like a bodybuilder." I personally couldn't disagree with them more. Fitness, to me, is a way of life, a state of mind, a philosophy. Fitness is getting up in the morning and being happy, truly happy with that person looking back in the mirror. Being able to actually say that I love this person. How do we get to this point? I'm sure it's a very different path for each and everyone of us. When I was down and out in New Orleans and contemplating taking my own life, fitness was my savior. It gave me hope. It enabled me to escape from my self-imposed prison. It allowed me to discover the true power of the human body and spirit, to find the fire that dwells inside of us all. The power to believe that anything was truly possible if I only believed in myself. It then allowed me to travel to exotic places around the world to compete in what was once only unthinkable endurance and strength events, inevitably taking this human body as near to death as possible only to come back stronger and more self-confident than ever before. It's a best friend that's always there. It is to be enjoyed and cherished, not loathed and abandoned. It's the ability as I grow older to never stop playing like a child. Most importantly, fitness is my golden path to aging with grace, moving proudly through life and when the time comes to leave this world with dignity. That's what fitness is to me.

It's Not Your Fault

2007-03-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

We've all heard the TV commercial for a popular diet pill that states, "If your fat, it's not your fault." It's about time. That's what I always said when I was 80lbs overweight. No one would believe. It wasn't my fault. It was Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Hostess. Not mine. Isn't it such a relief to finally find this out?

Are you kidding? "It's not your fault." Why do we humans have such a difficult time with accountability? Many times we like to play the blame game and point fingers. I've been there and lived that lie. I'm here to tell ya. If you DO NOT hold yourself accountable for your actions, i.e overeating or not exercising, you will continue down the devastating path you're probably currently on.

I know. I sit alone late one night in a dirty New Orleans apartment, contemplating taking my own life. Why? Because I couldn't figure out how I had come to this state in my life. I was overweight, out-of-shape and abusing drugs and alcohol. But it wasn't my fault. Right?

Luckily for me I was able to get it together. I looked in the mirror for hours. I hated the person staring back. But I realized eventually that that person could be weak and pathetic. He was human. He needed to hold himself accountable and not blame the food, alcohol and drugs. He had to accept responsibility for his actions and current condition.

When I was able to do this, it was like a tremendous weight was lifted. Wow. To think, that I could be weak and pathetic. But now I had control. I made the decisions. I stopped blaming everyone and everything. When I was able to do this, it set me free. I was no longer bound. Through my weakness I found strength.

I truly believe that this can be applied to many of us out there. Listen guys, many times in life "it is our fault!" There's nothing wrong with that. Don't give someone or something else that ability to have control over you. Set yourself free! Break those chains. Repeat after me, "It is my fault and I control it!"

Have a great weekend!

Joe

You're Never Too Old!

2007-02-13T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hey Gang!

It's been a couple months since I last signed in. 2007 started off with a month full of fun-filled fitness events. I started with a Powerlifting meet in LA, then the Death Valley Trail Marathon followed by the Strongest Man in Arizona competition. Let me tell ya, I'm pretty beat-up but in a good kinda way. These sort of events don't let you forget that you are alive.

Speaking of being alive, I have worked with and continue to work with people that tell me, "When you get to be my age, you won't be doing these crazy events." Most of these people are 40-50 years old and the majority have set on their ass their entire life. Now that they've gotten older and haven't engaged in any prevention, like a fitness program, they are starting to fall apart. Most people that tell you that running destroys your knees, have never actually run. Or that tell you that weight lifting will destroy your shoulders, have never lifted. These people have done nothing and are paying the price.

I believe that engaging in activities like running and weight lifting in moderation do not destroy your body but have the opposite effect. They help you to continue through life with your head held high and to live with pride. We do not have to become these helpless little crippled people that we generally associate with aging. Yes, I'm only 36, so what do I know. You've got a point there so how about I give you a couple examples from some incredible individuals I met over the last couple of months.

I met Ryan at the LA Powerlifting meet in Jan. This competition consisted of a one rep max bench press and a one rep max deadlift. Pretty serious business even for us youngsters. Ryan told me that he started lifting weights when he was 15 years old. Back then it consisted of picking up heavy things around the farm. He's watched the industry grow over the years. And he's watched many of his friends get old and feeble and die. Ryan is 71 years young. He can bench press 275lbs and deadlift 365lbs. He looks like he's 50 and acts like he's 21. He said, "Lifting weights all of these years has kept me looking and feeling young and strong." Who would you listen to? Your overweight and lazy neighbor or Ryan? Hmmmm?

I met Tom and Kate at the Death Valley Trail Marathon in Feb. This is one of the most scenic and beautiful courses in the country. 26.2 through lovely Death Valley. Marathons are not easy, especially one in this location with 4,000 feet of elevation gain. This would be tough for a young person. Tom and Kate have been running their entire lives. They have done countless marathons and races together all over the world. It is their passion and their first love. Not bad considering Tom is 76 and Kate is 69. I asked them about their knees. They said, "Yes, we've had the normal aches and pains, but both of us would take this any day over sitting down and actually growing old. Running together is our fountain of youth!" Who would you believe? Hmmmm?

I've come to this conclusion, never stop playing like your kid. Try to continually enjoy your body and let it take you to far away exotic places to do incredible things. "We're not here for a long, just for a good time!"

Holiday Fitness Tips

2006-12-14T13:28:00.001-08:00

It's that wonderful time of the year again. A time for friends and family to get together to eat, drink and make merry. Now there's nothing wrong with this, just be careful that you don't over do it or you'll start off the New Year looking like the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man! Here's a couple tips that might help you out during the next couple weeks.

We all know how easy it is to avoid exercising during the holidays. It's easy to make the excuse, "Oh, I want to spend more time with my family and friends." Who doesn't? When I'm home, I try getting up a little earlier than everyone else and go for a jog or hit the gym. Get it out of the way in the morning. That you won't put it off during the day. You really feel so much better the rest of the day after a little morning sweat. It's also a good way of cleansing the system from the night before.

How do we avoid over-eating and filling up on all those goodies? This is very difficult. I grew up on a farm and my mother can cook. Unfortunately most dishes are made with old-fashioned Crisco. The good stuff. To avoid over-indulging as much as I possible, I go shopping for myself even before I get home. I like to stop by the store and buy fruits, veggies and lean meats. I know I will not find a lot of this at my parents. When I'm sitting at home and the urge strikes to munch, it's nice to know that I have some healthy alternatives. It's not a 100% guaranteed, but hey, every little bit helps in the battle of the bulge.

I hope that everyone has a very Healthy and Happy Holiday Season!

Death Valley Marathon recap

2006-12-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

We got to Death Valley Friday night around 9:00PM. It's been six years since I was there. I really forgot how incredibly awe inspiring the place was. Plus, I forgot how darn cold it can get there at night. The temperature was around 37 degrees. I pitched the old Sierra Design tent and we crawled in our warm and cozy Mountain Hardwear sleeping bags. Race day was bright and sunny. We checked in at the Furnace Creek Saloon to get our race numbers and chips. Nicole's goal was to run a sub-4 hour marathon. My plan was to pace her. At 8:00AM we were off. It was a pretty small group of runners and spread out fast. I forgot how darn hilly Death Valley was which really affected our mile split times. Still, at the turn around point we were right on mark. But the hills did catch up with us and we crossed the line at 4:05:32. Not bad for a December marathon in a beautiful place like Death Valley.

If you ever get a chance, you've got to do the race in Death Valley. It really is an incredible experience. If the marathon isn't for you, they have a half-marathon and a 10k. For marathon, half-marathon or 10k training info, check out www.HalHigdon.com I've been using Hal's programs for years to get ready for races. Hope this helps!

Death Valley Marathon

2006-12-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

We head out today to run the annual Death Valley Marathon on Sat., Dec 2. www.envirosports.com/events/displayevent.php?eventid=1611 Ahh, 26.2 scenic miles through lovely Death Valley. Well, maybe not so lovely, but it is definitely an awe inspiring place. I have run across the length of it twice now while competing in the annual Badwater 135 http://www.badwater135/ . 135 miles of running on asphalt, in July, from Badwater, 282 ft below sea level, to the Mt. Whitney portals at roughly 8,600 ft. Why? Because it's there of course. It is an extremely challenging race but what an empowering achievement once completed. Tomorrow will just be a little stroll down memory lane. A chance to ponder how totally alive I felt in a valley named after Death. Hmmm...Interesting. It's hard to believe that my passion for running ridiculous distances all started with my meat head buddies in the gym saying, "Dude, you can't run. You're too big and bulky." I replied, "Yes I can. I just choose not too." And then actually thinking to myself that maybe I couldn't run. I didn't like the thought of not being able to do something. So I grabbed my old worn out pair of Chuck T's and hit the pavement. And just like Forrest Gump, I kept runnin' and runnin'. Hopefully this will inspire of few of ya to dust off those running shoes and do the same. "Life is about the journey, not the destination." Have a great weekend!

The Gear

2006-11-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

I get tons of questions about gear. I've added some to Joe's Gear link for you to check out. It's very important that you get the proper gear if you're going to start a new fitness program. Here are just a few of the products that I like. You may not like these or may have your own favorites. That's fine, just make sure you're well equipped and ready to rock-n-roll!

Shoes- For road running, I like the New Balance 1221 or the Asic's Gel Kayano. These shoes are not flashy but are very high quality. I use these and their off-road shoes for trail running too because they have great cushioning and support. They come in bigger width's for those of you with Fred Flintstone feet like me. Also, I would definitely recommend Salomon's shoes for adventure racing and anything in the wood line. They are comfortable and very durable. Try on different shoes to find the right brand for you. Your feet, knees and joints will definitely let ya know.

Workout Clothes- Under Armour is my favorite. Their stuff is durable, comfortable and looks cool too. You gotta look the part. Just remember to get something that wicks the moisture away from you skin. Try to stay away from cotton.

Outdoor Clothing- When it comes to rugged outdoor gear, you can't beat Mountain Hardwear or Patagonia. Their stuff is the state of the art, lightweight and extremely durable. It kept me warm and dry when we raced 520-miles across the Himalayas a few years ago.

Socks- I'm a big fan of Feetures performance socks. They kept my feet blister free while running through Death Valley and crossing the Sahara Desert. www.feeturesbrand.com

Toys- Boys do like their toys and I'm no exception. I love my Garmin, Suunto and Casio watches. The Garmin is great for plotting the distance of running and cycling routes. Suunto is the ultimate Adventure Racing watch. It can be used as a compass, an altimeter and even a barometer. Casio is my Boot Camp and gym workout watch. All three are tough watches. My IPod is a must while doing cardio in the gym or getting pumped up before an event. Nothing like rocking out to some Metallica before a heavy lifting session. Plus, I like to keep my small Cannon camera with me at all times to take awesome photos while training, competing, or wine tasting with friends.

Misc.- Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing of all, BodyGlide. Trust me this stuff works. www.bodyglide.com

This is some of my favorite stuff. I'd love to hear your recommendations. Drop me a line and let me know what makes your list of must have gear.

Event Locater

2006-11-15T15:14:00.000-08:00

You're inspired! You're motivated! You're dedicated! You've set a goal and now it's time to find a cool event. Here's a list of some of my favorite websites that should help you find something fun in your area.

Running Events
www.runnersworld.com
www.trailrunnermag.com
www.coolrunning.com
www.run100s.com

Strength Events
www.nastrongmaninc.com
www.rawpowerlifting.com
www.celtichighlandgames.org/index.htm
www.bodybuildbid.com/upcom/abaupcom.html

Multi-Sport
www.insidetri.com
www.usara.com
www.urbanadventureracing.com/wildonion.html

Fun Stuff
www.muddybuddy.com
www.sundayriver.com/summer/wifecarry.html
www.camppendletonraces.com/mud_sun.html

Crazy Stuff
www.badwater.com
www.adventurerace.com/eng/about-race.htm
www.toughguy.co.uk
www.texaswatersafari.org/index.htm

Charity Events
www.komen.org
www.teamintraining.org

The Goal

2006-11-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

Ok gang, you've all had enough time to get motivated and hopefully start thinking about some challenging and interesting event that you'd like to undertake. This is where you draw that line in the sand and come up with a goal. Not an unrealistic goal like looking like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie. Sorry guys, that ain't happening for any of us. Or the same old goal of losing weight and getting in shape. Set a fun goal, like a race, strength contest or charity event, and work systematically towards achieving it. I tell people not to focus on weight loss, but to let it become a by-product of your training. That way you're not constantly obsessed with food, not eating and the good ole scales. For instance, I have a group of ladies training for a Jan. marathon. They're all getting in shape, having fun together and losing weight. Weight loss is the by-product of their training. You don't have to choose a marathon. Your goal can be a 5k, 10k, Cancer March, Triathlon, Muddy Buddy, Strongman, Highland Game, Bodybuilding show or Ultramarathon. You pick it! Make it fun, adventuresome and exciting. Gather some family and friends to join ya. That's the best part. For instance, here are some very cool events that me and some friends are doing in 2007;
-the Death Valley Marathon, http://www.envirosports.com/events/displayevent.php?eventid=1673
-Arizona's Strongest Man competition, http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/pdf/entries/20070120az.pdf
-La Ruta de los Conquistadores, http://www.adventurerace.com/eng/about-race.htm
-North American Wife Carrying championship, http://www.sundayriver.com/summer/wifecarry.html Come join the fun. Life's too short. Work Hard and Play Harder!

Veteran's Day Reunion

2006-11-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

Saturday, Nov. 11th, was Veteran's Day. A time for Americans to pay tribute to the US military men and women that have defended and are currently defending this great nation. So many times we forget about those around the world that are protecting our freedom and putting their lives on the line. As a Vet, I have seen this day come and go many times without really giving it that much consideration. This year I wanted it to be different. I decided a few months ago to attempt to break a World Record on Veteran's Day to pay tribute to our troops and create national patriotic awareness. I told an ole Army buddy, Morse, about this venture and he decided to help out. Within a couple weeks, Morse, had tracked down Hobbs, Trim, Dunn and Donahue. All of us had gone through basic training at Ft Benning and were eventually stationed together at the 10th Mountain Division in Ft Drum, NY. It had been 15 yrs since we had last seen each other. Where does the time go? It just seems like yesterday that a group of snot-nosed 18yr old kids were hitting bars in Kingston, Ontario on the weekends and training how to kill with sophisticated weapons during the week. Ah, the good ole days. They traveled from all over the country and got into San Diego on Thursday evening. I met the gang at the Hilton in La Jolla. It was hard to believe that it had been 15 years. It really seemed like only yesterday. We talked for hours about all the crazy stuff we had done back then and how we were all very lucky to be alive today. The group met up on Sat. morning, Veteran's Day, for our big one-mile run. I wanted to attempt to break a world record and Morse just wanted to complete the mile. As we ran the course together, some of us Vets and some still serving, I really felt proud to have served my country and to have served with this group of great guys. This I thought to myself, is what Veteran's Day is about. If any of you are Vets and haven't made the time to see the friends you served with, take my advice, make the time and get together. This past weekend spent with the guys I served with will be one I'll never forget. Life is short. Too many times we let it slip on by. I challenge all of you to take a moment, stop, and try to contact someone special that you haven't talked to or seen in years. Like the VISA commercial states, "It's PRICELESS!"

Let me hear ya!

2006-11-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

I've talked about motivation, accountability and setting goals. This I'll continue and will be a weekly part of the blog. In addition, I want to hear from all of you. What motivates you to stick with it? What sort of goals have you set and how do you hold yourself accountable? Believe it or not, we just might be able to learn from each other. Feel free to send me any questions that you might have about training, eating, shoes and clothing or just getting started. I'll pick out a couple questions and post them on the blog. Also, we'd love to hear suggestions about must try wine, beer, cigars, books to read, where to eat, places to go and people to meet. That stuff is every bit as important as exercise in the broad scheme of things. For those of you that have been asking about products, I do have some that I like to use on my website under the "buy products" tab. I'll add more as time goes on. Send any recommendations that you might have for necessary or outstanding gear that you think others would be interested in. Of course I had to find a couple links to help motivate you through the rest of the week. This link is to an amazing human being that has overcome extreme adversity to motivate other's. http://www.chrismoon.co.uk/ And this is a story from a 29 year old kid that I know continues to motivate him today. http://www.badwater.com/stories/1999/99decker.html Remember the old Chinese proverb, "The journey of a 1,000 miles begins with one step." Today that journey begins with putting down the chicken wings and remote control. Get out there and enjoy this fabulous day! Work Hard and Play Harder!

Those Monday morning blues!

2006-11-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

As a kid, growing up on a farm in the Midwest, every week my Dad would tell us that he was going to start his eating and exercise program come Monday morning. As you can imagine, Monday would roll around and Dad would inevitably postpone it until the following Monday. Well, it's 25 years later and Dad still hasn't started that program yet! Like most of us though, he does have good intentions. Mondays can be difficult. You've had the weekend to relax and indulge and now it's time to get back to the ole grindstone. How do we keep that promise that we've made to ourselves on Friday to take control or our eating and exercise on Monday? Many times, just like Dad, we only half-way commit. We know in the back of our mind that we're not seriously ready to make the change. Change only comes with commitment. You've got to take a good long look in the mirror and decide that you are 100% ready to make that change. Next, you've got to set goals and develop a plan of action. You can do this. Yes, it will take hard work and dedication. The things that we value most in life are the things that we've had to work the hardest for. It is well worth it. Physical fitness is the closest thing that we have to a "Fountain of Youth." Here are couple of examples of people that have drank of the fountain their entire lives, Jack Lalanne, http://www.jacklalanne.com/biograph.html and Helen Klein, http://www.leadingladiesmarathon.com/pdf/Helen-Klein-MB.pdf . I hope that these incredible stories of everlasting youth will help to motivate you on this Monday morning. Drink up!

It's Friday!

2006-11-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

T.G.I.F. Thank God It's Friday! The week is over and it's time to kick back and relax. The weekend is almost here. This is usually the point that most of us destroy what we've worked so hard all week to accomplish. All week we've been good about watching our food and alcohol intake (somewhat), we've got plenty of sleep and actually exercised. The weekend rolls around, and BLAM, all of our hard work goes to hell in a handbasket. How do we gain control of this vicious cycle? If any of ya know, please tell me. I'm just as guilty. You can't beat pizza, wings and beer while watching the football games. I've found if you can't beat'em, then join'em. The key is to try to get a workout of some sort in on Sat. and/or Sun. morning before the big games and life gets in the way. This will keep you on track and help with those Monday morning doldrums we all experience after a rough weekend. And try setting achievable goals throughout the year to keep ya motivated. I'm currently teaching an Outdoor Fitness class on Sat. and running with a group on Sundays that is training for a Jan. marathon. Plus we have the Death Valley marathon coming up in Dec. http://www.envirosports.com/events/displayevent.php?eventid=1611 These and other events keep me motivated and on track. Set health and fitness goals and go for it. Have fun. You can do it! Like Baz Luhrman said, "You are not as fat as you think you are and do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly!" Work Hard and Play Harder!

Motivation

2006-11-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 11th, Veteran's Day, I'll be attempting another World Record. This time for running a mile while carrying a 40 lb pack all in 5 min 35 sec. People ask me all the time why I contuinue to attempt these crazy stunts. For me, it's just to challenge this incredible human body that we were all given. To see what this thing can do. It's not for the glory or the ego. The human body was meant to be challenged and tested and pushed. It was not meant to sit behind a desk all day punching a key board. I know at times it can be difficult to motivate ourselves. And I know that it is something we all have in us but just need to find. I like to call it, "the fire inside." Think about this for a second. Are you happy with you current fitness level or state of mind? No. Then do something about it. Set a goal. Make a serious promise with yourself to take back control of your life. It is your life and doesn't belong to Nintendo or McDonalds. If you still need a little motivation, check out this video. I guarantee that it will fire you up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE Remember, "We're not here for a long time, just for a good time!"

Here we go!

2006-10-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Finally, after countless emails from around the world and lots of poking and prodding from family, friends and clients, I've decided to enter the new millennia and start a blog! I've put numerous hours of thought into "what" I wanted the content of this blog to be. Should it be just about extreme fitness, or proper diet and exercise, or what fitness means to each of us or even books, beer, wine and cigars? I've decided it should be a little of all of that good stuff but also motivational, inspirational and thought provoking. I want this blog to provoke you to think outside the box. I want it to "fire" you up and get you motivated. I want it to inspire each and everyone of us to really "live" and not just "exist." Oh yeah! I'll try to answer interesting and timely relevant health, fitness and life questions that I get sent daily. And I'll post current training info, upcoming events, inspiring people, and any thing else that will help us rock-n-roll through the daily grind that many of us call life!