Why Sometimes, Slower is Better

by:

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:31:00 -0800

When focusing on technique, slower may be better.  Yes, even in high intensity boot camp or kickboxing workouts, this could be the case. 

"What, I thought we hustled through everything in boot camp?"  Although you may want to be attentive and move from exercise to exercise with as much speed as possible when participating in a higher intentisy exercise class, you should always pay attention to form.  When we are performing an exercise that is complicated or when the instructor specifically mentions to focus on technique, a slower pace is often better.

For example, your muscles will react differently if you perform very fast squats vs slow, controled squats pausing at the bottom of the movement.  You will feel the burn in the quads during the very fast squats, but with the slower movement, you will feel it more in the glutes.

Additionally, if you are working with weights in your class you will want to take extra caution to make sure your body is aligned properly.   Are your shoulders down and back?  Are you abs pulled in tight?  Are you knees slightly bent?  Are you breathing?  These quesitons should go through your head on every repitition.  Take the time to slow down and check.  As you get more confident with the movement, you can increase your speed. But technique should not be sacrificed for speed!

So slow it down when you work on technique, but hustle up between interval stations or when switching between exercises and you will see results in no time!

Mari Garner's winning Red Team lost over 250 pound in only 11 weeks in the first Atlanta's Biggest Loser. For more information on kickboxing or boot camp classes with Mari Garner or The American Boot Camp Company go to www.thebootcampcompany.com.  Join us for a FREE workout on February 24th to see what outdoor fitness is all about and why Tommy lost so much weight so quickly!

• CLICK HERE to comment on this blog entry.

Keep Your Resolution Resolve

by:

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:26:00 -0800

It’s six weeks into the new year, and how are your resolutions going? 

Many of you have joined gyms or made promises that you have not kept.  One of the main reasons that people don't succeed in keeping their fitness resolutions is that they bit off more than they can chew, so to speak.  They simply get in over their head.  Well if you are one of those people, there is good news for you.  Accountability based fitness programs.  Often called boot camp, gyms across Atlanta are now offering programs that include attendace taking as part of your fee.  This is a great way to make sure you show up, because if you don't - they follow up with you! 

So many of us just need a little bit more help when it comes to sticking with our fitness routine and and indoor or outdoor boot camp is a great way to get that help.  The folks at The American Boot Camp Company know making the decision to commit to a program is often the hardest part.  That's why their 4 week outdoor fitness programs include accountability, daily motivation and tons of hand holding! 

• CLICK HERE to comment on this blog entry.

I DID IT!!!!

by:

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:30:00 -0800

Well, the journey is over.  I have gone to the end of this challenge and I am sad to say that it is no more.  The working out at five forty five in the morning and at six in the evening is over.  Counting the calories to a T is over.  Going to the 11Alive Studio is over.  All the pain, suffering, and sacrifice is over.  We started out with twelve contestants that sweat blood and sacrificed the world to make a change to their lives.  We all came in this together with the same goals in mind.  We understood what we needed to do to make this change, and we were willing to do what ever it took to make this change.  Through out the weeks we were separated one at a time from the competition.  Some lost a small amount of weight, while others lost a large amount of weight.  Regardless of the numerical figure that was displayed on the television screen; we were all planted with a seed to make a change. 

I came into this challenge weighing significantly less than the other competitors.  I was for categorizing purposes considered "obese."  I was fat.  Some people held this against me that it was easier to lose the weight quicker, or it was not fair for me to be in this competition because I weighed less.  If you look at it or argue that I should not be in this competition because of my, for lack of better wording "I am not fat enough."  Then you are a sad person.  I was obese.  I was fat.  Key phrase-"I WAS FAT."  It was hard for me to lose the weight.  I have spent my entire life building up to the point where my doctor reminded me I will die soon if I do not change.  I made it to the point my wife was fearful of me dieing in my sleep because of my weight.  So many reasons attribute to why I needed this competition.  I needed a change and god knows I was not doing it myself.  It was hard for me to lose this weight.  It was not easier than any other contestants.  We all struggled with our own demons and barriers, we just got through them differently.  I will not ever think that I was not "FAT" enough for this competition or that I did not deserve to be there, my thoughts are that I deserved to be there if I was willing to make a change.  It was hard and I was willing to make a change for my future.

Everyone in this competition deserved the opportunity to make a change for the better.  And everyone did a amazing job in making the change for themselves.  Whether it was five pounds or one hundred pounds a dramatic change transpired over the past three months.  Many lives were changed and everyone should be recognized for their changes.  The blue team and the red team: congratulations on your success.  It is both moving and inspiring on what you all have done.  The viewers do not really get a entire jist of what you all have accomplished, but I would again like to say congrats.

I would like to say thank you to the following; 11Alive, Mari Garner's The American Boot Camp Company, and Good Measure Meals-without you all this could not of been accomplished.

Thank you to my friends, family, coworkers, and fans-you all are amazing.

And most of all thank you to my wife KELLY.  You are my rock.  Seriously without you there is no way I would of done this competition.  You really helped me get to the point I am at now.... Now only a couple more pounds to go.  I love you and I love "Bean."

PS I am going to be a dad--- I nicknamed my baby "Bean"

For all of you skeptics out there--weight loss is possible---it is possible to make a change in your life--- this is not a over night thing that a miracle diet can cure.  This is a long term life change that takes hard work and discipline.  You can do it... Just believe in yourself and you will find you are more capable of accomplishing your goals....

REMEMBER 

CAN'T IS NOT A OPTION

NO MORE EXCUSES

Thank you to everyone and have a happy holidays...  

Tommy The Cop

• CLICK HERE to comment on this blog entry.

Well the votes are in and I came up a little short

by:

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:27:00 -0800

Today the votes came in and Tommy had the most again but I want to thank everyone that voted for me and have gave me encouragement along the way. I am not leaving this empty handed because I have won my health back, and that is the greatest prize I could win. Tommy will represent the Red Team well and he has done an incredible job the whole time. I will be cheering him on to victory next week and I know he will not let anyone down. This journey has just began for me and I already have my goals laid out for the next few months. I will start training to run a half marathon in March with my cousin and brothers. I also still want to lose at least 25 more pounds and I hope to have that done in the next few months. I will also be working out with The American Bootcamp Company in the studio and will start back up with the bootcamp workouts next spring. I have accomplished more than I thought I could and that is all due to Mari and her instructors pushing me but also encouraging me each and every day. To me The American Bootcamp Company ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The people I work out with are also some of the greatest people you could be around, each one of them have encouraged the Red Team the entire time so I want to thank each one of them. The meals that Good Measure Meals provided us were wonderful and played a large part in my success also. The convenience of having them, made eating so much easier and taught me a lot about portions and what I should be eating. Our dance class at Daza dance was fun but I showed everyone that I have 2 left feet, but I was proud that I did not hurt anyone:). I want to also thank 11Alive for organizing this competition and helping all of us gain our health back. Everyone we came in contact with at the station were wonderful.

As for the members of the Red Team, I want to tell each of you that it was a honor to go through this with you and get to know you all. You are all winners and I hope we can get together still and continue to workout. As for the Blue Team unfortunately we did not get to know each other very well but I can see so much difference in each of you since the first time we met. You all are winners and I was so happy to hear that each of you kept working out even after you were off the show. I wish all of you the best in your quest for a healthier life style. I know you will achieve it.

I can not end without thanking everyone that followed and supported each one of us. The comments you left us really did help and made it easier to get up each morning at 4am and go out in the cold to be pushed out of our comfort zone, and let me tell you that in the beginning I was pushed so far out of mine I did not know if I would ever get back into it. But your support helped me each day.

 I hope everyone will support Tommy and Tara in the finals and I wish both of them the best of luck.

Everyone have a wonderful holiday season and be safe.

• CLICK HERE to comment on this blog entry.

Thank You Atlanta

by:

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:40:00 -0800

Well today was a pretty intense day for me.  I made a decision a couple of day's ago whether I made it to the finale or I did not I was going to keep on training like I started this challenge.  Through the days of this challenge my mind and body has taken a large amount of stress.  The training was designed to break us down and build us back up.  This creates a lot of wear and tear on your body.  I was fortunate to not get injured and stayed relatively healthy through out this entire process.  However your mind takes a even bigger toll.  You must tell yourself that you will do well.  That you will keep on going and you will not quit.  Your body does not perform like it used to in your younger years and your mind knows this.  But through the process your body begins to perform and your mind sees the changes.  We are three months into this challenge.  I have not slept in three months, I have trained harder than I have in almost twelve years, and I do not cheat when it comes to meals.  So I made a decision that I will continue to make it through all of the pain.  I weighed in on tuesday so there was a 50% chance I would not see the end of this challenge.  I, however, made a choice to continue.

 Sorry I went off there, I am tired, but anyway I had my early morning training session at Blackburn Park.  It was around 30 degrees with a windchill of ungodly cold.  It is so easy to just sleep in.  I love my bed.  I have one retarded dog that sleeps on my head (he litteraly sleeps on my head), one dog that sleeps under the covers inbetween my wife and I, one cat that sleeps on my chest or side, and a three hundred pound cat that sleeps where ever she can find a spot.  My poor wife and I have no bed anymore.  But anyway it is fantastic.  So warm and soft.  So it would be so easy to stay home.  I woke up around four thirty left the house at 4:40 and got to the park around 5:00.  We do not have to meet until 5:45.  So i made a decision to run on my own in the Polar Ice.  I was able to run around three to four miles before I saw the first group get there.  I stopped running and then did my boot camp with the other campers. 

With this pointless story I have come to one theme that centers around our training.  Everything that we do in our lives is a choice.  We have a choice for anything.  We have a choice to let our guilty pleasures dictate our lives, we have a choice to let our lack of discipline dictate our lives, or we have a choice to make a change.  I had the choice to ride out todays results or take control of my life.  This entire challenge has not been a three month challenge, it has become a foundation to a future.  I can use what I was taught and apply it to my life.  I can learn to integrate everything I have been taught, or go back to my old ways.

If anything you all can gather from what I have said in this blog I want you to understand that you have a choice.  Not to be all Hallmark or anything but you do have a choice.  That is the beauty of being human.  Although the choice is sometimes tough it is still yours.

Back to today:

So I went to work after the training and then later went to the NBC Studios to find out the results of the voting.  I sat there anticipating the results, but not nervous.  I knew that regardless of who won today that we have made a good example to others out there that change and choice is possible.  Whether Jimmy continued or I continued I was proud of what we have accomplished.  We have both lost a large amount of weight and we have gained even more with this challenge.  I was greatful.  So we went into the studio and sat at our seats.  We sat through the initial interview, and let me tell you I am always petrified when it comes to on air tv.  The results were read and I was excited.  At the same time I was a bit sad because it is a bitter sweet victory-double edge sword-a good win but not a good win. 

Jimmy has come so far with this challenge.  No one deserves this victory more than him.  But like everything in life we take the good from all experiances.  We move on.  Nothing would of made me happier than seeing Jimmy move on, he is a good man and a great inspiration.  I applaud Jimmy and I applaud his success.  I know he will continue to inspire others and myself. 

Now the challenge is left to Tara and myself.  Once again: we have all come so far and we have even further to go.  If Tara wins I will be very proud of her and her accomplishments.  I will not lie it would be nice to win, but the best victory is knowing that I can now see my toes again.  I forgot they were there.

All of the contestants I wish you the best.  Tara I wish you the best.  Regardless of the winner I will continue to push it as hard as I can.  I will continue to train hard and eat right.

But god knows I can not wait for my first slice of Felini's Pizza and pint of the finest Lager in the world: Budweiser

Thanks again for everything.  Thanks to my friends, family, and supporters.  Thank you to 11Alive, Good Measure Meals, and most of all Mari Garner and her crew at The Boot Camp Company.

(P.S. my wife and I have tried for almost a year to get pregnant.  We both have been doing the good measure meals and training with the Boot Camp Company.  Call it getting in shape, your body gets in shape, and poof you get pregnant.  Or call it what ever you want but for those of you who have been trying to get pregnant, seriously concider boot camp.  If it works for my wife and I, then I am pretty sure it will work for you:  I asked Mari with the Boot Camp Company to change her company name to "Knocked Up" but I doubt that.)

Thanks again everyone and I will talk to you later:

Tommy "The Cop" aka My wife is pregnant------- YIPPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

• CLICK HERE to comment on this blog entry.