Eight Ways to Make Running Less Boring
Running is a great workout, calorie burner and cardio booster. However, there are also many drawbacks. These could be joint pains, breathing problems and boredom. Here are eight ways to make running more interesting:
1. Variety: Avoid long stretches of straight roads, make sure you have bends, curves and different sceneries. This will make sure your brain stays busy as well and it doesn’t get too boring. If you run on a treadmill or the weather is bad, try to watch something on the gym’s tv, your phone or tablet.
2. Music! Make a great playlist of your favorite workout music and change it up every once in a while.
3. Further or Faster: Don’t get into a habit of always running the same distance and the same speed. Switch it up, it’ll give you much more variety and more challenges. This way you can create more small goals for yourself which will lead up to successfully reaching your larger fitness goals.
4. Run with a friend. That is, assuming you are at the same level and have the same goals. Chat about your life, your goals and motivate each other. Just make sure you don’t forget about your workout as well!
5. Register for a race. If you need a little more pressure, register for a race. It doesn’t have to be a marathon but there are plenty of 3-10k’s out there you can join and get excited about.
6. Compete a little bit. If there are other runners around or a person on the treadmill next to you, you can do a little bit of competition (even if they don’t know it). Just make sure you don’t overtrain or get hurt yourself. Know your body, level and limits.
7. Interval Training. It is a great way to get a lot of workout in a small amount of time. It also keeps your mind busy and you’ll definitely feel the workout and results afterwards. However, don’t make all your running about intervals, it’ll only get you so far. Endurance levels will not necessarily skyrocket from this training only.
8. Count your steps. Keep yourself busy counting your steps per minute or half mile. It might make time fly or it might drive you crazy! Try it out.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, instructor and personal trainer .
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- TRX / Cross Training Classes
- Kettle Bell
- Warrior Training
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Sander@DefineDefense.com
www.DefineDefense.com
www.TrainerVanacker.com
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How to pick your personal or group fitness trainer
30/01/13 14:30 Filed in: Personal Training | Martial Arts | Strength & Conditioning | TRX / Cross Training | Kettle Bell | Other
As a trainer, I’m very critical towards other trainers and expect the same from them. Everyone can always continue to learn and should take steps towards continuing their education and skills, no matter how long they have been a trainer.
Now how do you choose a trainer? I’d like to share some things I find important to ensure that you select the right trainer who can help you reach your goals. First, you have to figure out what you’re looking for in a trainer:
- Is there a certain style, workout program you want to pursue or a specific piece of equipment you want to focus on and is the trainer competent in teaching it?
- Are you looking for someone to give you tough love or to hold your hand?
- How much time and money do you want to spend on a trainer and does his/her availability and price fit into your plan? Many people can afford a trainer on a regular basis if the trainer proves to offer a big return in experience, knowledge and results!
- Important: are you ready for this?
- …
Next, once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to learn more about your trainer:
- Does he/she have certifications and if so, are they valid and significant? Personal trainer certification companies just pop up every other day. Many require some reading and an online open book test. This doesn’t make a trainer. Intense classes, exams, hands on training and a whole lot of time makes a good trainer (and even so, there are some incredibly smart trainers out there who still don’t get results because of other factors).
- Is he/she in shape? I know this is discriminating but would you hire a dermatologist with bad skin or a child psychologist with badly behaved kids? I doubt it. It’s the same with trainers. If they take their job seriously and love what they do, they’ll do it for themselves. I know of many trainers and coaches (both fitness and martial arts) who have all these goals and years later, haven’t accomplished any of them. Not a good sign.
- Does the trainer have people skills? He/she doesn’t need to be the most social person in the world but they need to be able to push you, motivate you and help you when you need it.
- Are they experienced in many different workout methods, equipment and programs? Variation is huge in fitness training, both for your physical results and to prevent mental fatigue. The trainer needs to be able to switch things up and keep it fun by adding variety.
- Is the trainer open minded and critical at the same time? Being open minded is an important thing in training (and everything else). New equipment or methods may come out and it’s great to take advantage of that. A good trainer will take great things from different sources and put them together for a superior training experience. At the same time, being critical is vital because there are a lot of useless things in the fitness world. It is a multi billion dollar industry so many people out there promise you everything but give nothing but false statements.
- Does the trainer do any kind of assessments? These are great to check on your progress but also keep you motivated.
- Does the trainer offer packages, multi clients sessions etc. These might save you some money!
- As with some chiropractors (from my experience), a trainer who pushes you to buy their supplements, is a huge red flag. It’s ok if they introduce you to it or if you ask about it. However, if they keep being forceful about it, find someone else!
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- TRX / Cross Training Classes
- Kettle Bell
- Warrior Training
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Sander@DefineDefense.com
www.DefineDefense.com
You Get What You Work For
12/11/12 14:45 Filed in: Other | My experiences | Martial Arts | Fitness | TRX / Cross Training | Strength & Conditioning
When I was a kid, my parents taught me early on how to take responsibility seriously and work hard. I started drying dishes, vacuuming the floors and dusting real early on in my life. When I was 8 years old, my parents did a kitchen remodel (extension) and my sister and I brought in all the broken bricks by hand for the foundation, as well as all the bricks to build the extension.
As a teenager, I had vacation jobs from picking out fish in the factory, drying dishes in a restaurant, metal work to planting corn by hand. No matter if I knew how to do something or not, I was eager to learn and willing to make up for my lack of knowledge by hard work and motivation.
Up until this day, that lesson has stuck with me and as a business owner or athlete, if I have a goal I will not be outworked.
That doesn’t mean I’ve been successful with everything in my life, absolutely not. As a competitive biker I had a good run but didn’t have what it took (mentally) to turn pro. I have lost tournaments, failed on personal goals and have disappointed people. For these things I take full responsibility and am sorry. However I do not blame others for my shortcomings.
It is the exact way with training. If you want to reach a goal but don’t make a change, nothing will happen. If you have a 1,000 excuses all the time, nothing will happen. If you seem comfortable with how things are and don’t show motivation, nothing will happen. And if you feel sorry for yourself, it’ll be damn hard to reach that goal. This might seem blunt but it is the truth. If you want to be successful in reaching your goal and see a change, you have to look at yourself first. Keep yourself accountable for the changes you have or haven’t made, see what you can do better and don’t be satisfied with how you do things right now. If you are successful and see results in your training, there wouldn’t be a need to make changes because you are already doing a great job.
Now this doesn’t work for everyone, some individuals have other situations and should be more confident in themselves to reach a goal. However, for many this does apply. My job as a trainer is to know how to motivate someone, know who to make them reach their goal and make them feel good doing it. I highly believe in positive reinforcement and challenging a client while giving them a successful feeling when accomplishing their goals. It could be a small as an exercise or as big as a weight loss goal in 4 months from now. I don’t find it necessary to be overly strict with my clients as they are doing a great job and are intrinsically motivated. But there are also many others who need more accountability. If you want your physical goals to happen, you have to be mentally prepared. It is a huge factor in sports and training. Set little goals and go for them. Obviously things happen and your results might be off but don’t use too many excuses. If you reach a lot of little goals, you will eventually reach your final big goal.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer .
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- TRX / Cross Training Classes
- Kettle Bell
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Performance and Motivation Workshop
25/09/12 20:09 Filed in: Other | Fitness | TRX / Cross Training | Martial Arts | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Strength & Conditioning
Define Defense is partnering up with Coach Meg from Spark Behavior Solutions to offer you a workshop about performance, motivation and learn how to master healthy habits for better results! This great workshop will take place at the Define Defense studio on November 15th from 6-7.30pm.
Before the workshop, we will be offering a free TRX / Cross Training class from 5-6pm for our clients and all workshop attendees.
$35 for DD members
$45 for non DD members
The TRX class will take place before the workshop. MMA class will be cancelled and our 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu class will start at 7.30pm.
Please register by emailing Coach Meg at info@sparkbehavior.com
Dowload the flyer here:
Define Defense Flyer
Recovery as Indicator
As a child and teenager, my focus was all too often on how hard I could go and how much I could do during training. It was all about weight, speed, intensity, duration etc.
One thing I realized when growing older (and throughout college education, training etc.) is that I needed to pay more attention to my recovery heart rate. After doing a set, an interval, a workout, see how long it takes for your heart rate to drop to (or close to) normal levels. If it continues to race for minutes, you might need to switch up your training routines or in extreme cases, go see a doctor.
If you heart rate drops pretty quickly, then you know your body is able to recover quicker and it is also acting more efficiently compared to someone’s heart rate who stays higher for a much longer time period. It is a great indicator of your current physical condition. If you recover faster, it enables you to do more repetition, keep your intensity high and outwork an opponent. If your body fails to recover, you will be forced to stop or slow down.
The easiest way to check is to count your heart rate during 15 seconds and multiply this number by 4, right after you finished working out or doing your last exercise and again after 1 or 2 minutes. If you continue to do this over a certain time period, you will see if there are any changes. Remember, every individual has a different level, different maximum heart rates, heart rate zones and recovery time. Compare to your own data over time, not others!
Now how do you improve your recovery time? Easy: by training! If are new to training, you will notice a significant difference quickly. If you have been training for a while and don’t notice any difference anymore, you can switch up your training and focus on different ways of working out. You can focus more on endurance (which plays a huge factor in improving recovery times), intervals, tempo training etc. Do things you are not used of doing to keep your body guessing. That is why cross training is so great! It shocks your body and makes it stronger in every single way. This new and improved body will be able to make more progress in the sport you want get better at.
Next time you are working out, don’t only focus on the workout itself, also measure up your heart rate after some sets and after your workout and take notes. These notes will be helpful down the road! It’s not all about training, but also about recovery, rest, nutrition etc.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
One thing I realized when growing older (and throughout college education, training etc.) is that I needed to pay more attention to my recovery heart rate. After doing a set, an interval, a workout, see how long it takes for your heart rate to drop to (or close to) normal levels. If it continues to race for minutes, you might need to switch up your training routines or in extreme cases, go see a doctor.
If you heart rate drops pretty quickly, then you know your body is able to recover quicker and it is also acting more efficiently compared to someone’s heart rate who stays higher for a much longer time period. It is a great indicator of your current physical condition. If you recover faster, it enables you to do more repetition, keep your intensity high and outwork an opponent. If your body fails to recover, you will be forced to stop or slow down.
The easiest way to check is to count your heart rate during 15 seconds and multiply this number by 4, right after you finished working out or doing your last exercise and again after 1 or 2 minutes. If you continue to do this over a certain time period, you will see if there are any changes. Remember, every individual has a different level, different maximum heart rates, heart rate zones and recovery time. Compare to your own data over time, not others!
Now how do you improve your recovery time? Easy: by training! If are new to training, you will notice a significant difference quickly. If you have been training for a while and don’t notice any difference anymore, you can switch up your training and focus on different ways of working out. You can focus more on endurance (which plays a huge factor in improving recovery times), intervals, tempo training etc. Do things you are not used of doing to keep your body guessing. That is why cross training is so great! It shocks your body and makes it stronger in every single way. This new and improved body will be able to make more progress in the sport you want get better at.
Next time you are working out, don’t only focus on the workout itself, also measure up your heart rate after some sets and after your workout and take notes. These notes will be helpful down the road! It’s not all about training, but also about recovery, rest, nutrition etc.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
'If you talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk' - Goals & Determination
19/04/12 12:48 Filed in: Other | Personal Training | Fitness | My experiences | Martial Arts | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Strength & Conditioning
When growing up, my parents had a certain saying: It’s better to get a B or C after trying really hard than getting an A without trying at all. That being said, I was a very good student but it showed the values that were important to them. I guess it’s in line with the saying ‘Hard Work Beats Talent’ and I couldn’t agree any more. If things go too easy for you, then you never learn determination, the satisfaction and rewards of hard work.
The point is, you have to work and you have to try hard. If you put a lot of effort and determination in something, good things will come your way. The road may not be always full of sunshine and there will be bumps in the road but nothing ever goes perfectly. This absolutely applies to training as well. If you train hard (and smart but that’s for another article), then you will see progress. If you don’t put 100% in, then don’t expect all your goals to come true.
Now that has absolutely nothing to do with performance. As a trainer, I never expect our clients to perform the same or compare them to each other. For example: I prefer much more that a person is giving a 100% lifting a 20lbs. kettle bell than the person next to him/her lifting a 50lbs. kettle bell without breaking a sweat. Everyone works at their level and gets the equipment suited for them. However, we do expect everyone to do their best and to give a 100% in their workouts, whatever their fitness level allows.
I believe in perseverance or as the saying says: ‘If you talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk’ (last saying I promise). Of course, if you don’t enjoy something it is likely that you will quit at some point which is fine! There is so much out there that enables you to choose what you really love to do. Also, you will fail at some goals in your life and that is normal. Everyone does but as long as you gave it a fair shot and put your energy into it, then there is nothing to feel bad about.
My family was always very motivating in every hobby I had but also very strict. I could not be any more appreciative for that. It taught me discipline and determination. At the same time, that is why I was able to reach my personal goals. If they didn’t bother putting rules in place and taking the time to enforce them, I would not have learned the lessons that I did. So find motivation in your training, no matter what it is, be confident and persistent. As your trainer, I will do my part as well as I can but I need to see the focus and determination in your eyes.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Getting into the right mindset for working out
21/03/12 15:12 Filed in: Other | Fitness | My experiences | Personal Training | Martial Arts | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
For training and working out, goals are extremely important. You need to set short and long term goals and make them challenging but possible. If they are not possible, you will not reach them and eventually become disappointed or frustrated. On the other hand, if they are too easy, you may not push yourself enough and not make enough progress, if any at all.
Another aspect of training, one that I feel has played a huge role for myself is having the right mindset. I'm not necessarily talking about what your motivation is for your workouts because there are thousands of reasons why you can, should or want to do it. What I'm thinking about is the attitude, the mindset, the personality you step into the gym with. When you have that mindset, nothing can stop you. You can just keep going and whatever is in front of you, you do not stop. When I go into a workout like that, I feel stronger, faster and better than any other moment. People call me nuts when they see me training (and I probably am) but it gives me great satisfaction and motivation. This is when I get my best workouts and earn some of the nicknames I have been given over the years (Beast, the Hammer,... All for different reasons).
Getting that mindset is not easy and I feel cannot always be planned ahead. It's a feeling of the moment. It may be influenced by your goals, motivation, your previous success and progress or simply how well you slept the night before. It depends on the individual and circumstances but also on the people around you. A good group of training buddies or trainer can get you in that moment, in which you feel invincible and full of energy (sometimes I have to step in to prevent injuries as a trainer when a client gets 'in the moment').
There is nothing like this feeling and sometimes you just start working out and you know you'll be killing it that day. Other times, you need more guidance from a trainer to get in the right mindset. Either way, it should be your goal to find that motivation. It is the perfect intrinsic motivation (because you want to for yourself, not for others or a reward) and when you work out like this, you will feel great after and again be looking forward more to the next workout. It's a vicious circle. If you feel bad for yourself when working out, it will probably not be any better next time. So give it your all. I guarantee that, if you work out hard but responsibly, you will experience that mindset more and more while enjoying every minute of it.
For the beginners out there: no matter what sport you practice, go for it, get over that beginner's hump and you'll find more enjoyment and great progress lying right ahead of you! Leave it all out there and you will experience more results than what you were hoping for!
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Goal Setting: The Next Phase in my Training
The first few years after cycling and doing weight training off and on, I gained a great amount of muscle mass. At this point in time, I weigh about 215lbs with a fat percentage of approx. 14% (up from 8% when cycling). The reason behind the higher fat percentage is less cardio (I was on the bike 18 hours/week) and a less strict diet since I was no longer competing until now.
It was very important for me to retain my full range of motion, flexibility and speed. Mass means nothing if you can't put it to good use after all, especially as a martial artist. This is why I always focussed on explosiveness, speed drills, stretching and giving martial arts training 100%. The right attitude means everything. You can train 6 hours/day but if you only give 50%, results will stay behind. I was also very fortunate to study in a great college (while cycling) and since one of my majors was Physical Education, we had about 12 hours of different sports every week. This absolutely made me a more complete and diverse athlete, challenging me in every way. I feel stronger than ever and haven’t compromised my speed, flexibility etc.
Next week, we are doing a workshop about the Paleo diet. I will do a 30 day Paleo diet challenge throughout March and expect this to be a great help in my training. It will also be a great experience as I really like the idea behind the Paleo diet. I will be posting blog articles, updates and videos about my upcoming training, progress and Paleo diet experience. Every week, I will show you what I am doing and what differences I notice by changing my routines.
Until then, my training will be stepped up a notch and the focus will be on 5-6 meals a day with unsaturated fats, complex carbs and protein in every meal. Drinking lots of water is vital and fruits, vegetables and lean meats will be my refuge. Stay tuned for more updates!
By Sander Vanacker, owner and head instructor of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302