A Walkers Delight

 

Koko Head Oahu

Kanoa and I hiking Koko Head Crater (Oahu, Hawaii)

We have been a very active family from day one.  As an avid runner myself, I find enjoyment in being able to move from sprint speeds to paced 5ks.  For both of our kids, we had running strollers that weren’t just for show.  Those things saw all sorts of miles, speeds and terrain.  🙂 Both of our boys were raised around running and even from an early age they were encouraged to walk with us to stores.  Hiking trails, and running them, is a lovely experience that is enjoyed by all of us.  Our eldest was fortunate enough to experience quite a few beautiful hikes when we lived on the island of Oahu.  Where ever we found our lives, we would search out local trails and hikes and discover life as nature intended.  This is something that I feel is being lost nowadays with the advent of so many different technological devices.  On top of that, most kids are primarily already eating very unhealthily, couple that with the sedentary lifestyle of our modern age and you got a recipe for disaster.

The United States is undergoing an epidemic of childhood obesity and this has consequences way beyond the present.  Our kids are the future and if they are not healthy then our communities won’t be healthy.  I have a saying, “healthy individuals create healthy communities”, but the opposite is true as well.  Hence, Diana and I have decided to focus our energy in this area and feel that is where most of our efforts should be placed.  We want to bring awareness to this problem and offer the solutions as exhibited in our way of life.  This is why we will feature prominently that every step in the right direction counts as they all add up in the end.  What this means is that there is no miracle fad from exercise to diet that will change things over night, what needs to be done is just start from where you are at and make an effort to change.

For example, two days out of the week I walk to pick up my boys from school, it’s 1.2 miles each way.  So, my boys cover that twice a week.Hot  Even under hot conditions we make the effort.  On the particular walk I am referring to, the temperature was very hot and humid.  I remind my boys on the days we walk that during the early afternoon they should remember to drink water in anticipation.  It’s a smart idea to stay hydrated while moving around in such weather.

There is so much to do and see while walking.  The first thing to do is get out of your head and use your eyes and ears to take in the sights and sounds. Bond The bonding experience with your children will be well worth it.  Of course, with all the modern convenience kids, and adults for that matter, have grown accustomed to, it will be challenging at times to keep them encouraged and moving forward.  The best thing for you to do is lead by example and just have fun with the experience.  There will be many things encountered along the way; the kids will have an open forum to ask you all sorts of school related and life questions that at other times is hard because of our daily duties.  And, on top of everything, you all get exercise in the process.  Talk about the ultimate form of conscious multi-tasking.

One good thing we’ve encountered during our walk is a sea grape tree and it has fruits ripe for the picking.

Sea Grape Forgaing

 

The kids love this part of the walk and look forward to it.  There’s nothing like finding edible food in the wild (read: not a supermarket) to revitalize one’s sense of nature.  One word of caution, please don’t eat anything you don’t know for sure is edible as it can be harmful.

The Future

Our children will lead us into the future and continue the process of this experience we call life.  Let’s leave our legacy healthy and capable to tackle all the challenges they will face.

What are you waiting for?!

 

Focus on the Solution

 

Waking up this morning to torrential rain down here in tropical South Florida, and after a week of intense training sessions that left one of my hips tight and stiff, I decided to feel my day out leaving the training program to a decision made later on.  I had planned for an easy 5 mile run barefoot on grass at the beginning of the week, but with the rain and the way my body was feeling it was better that I approached today’s session with wisdom.

As the day progressed, and one thing came up after the other, swimming sounded like the best option.  I grabbed my goggles and headed to the pool for a relaxing easy swim for an hour.  About 7 laps in I noticed my eldest fidgeting with his goggles so I stopped to help him.  After adjusting them I grabbed mine and went to put them on when, SNAP!, they broke.

Broken Goggles

My first reaction was an expletive I’d rather not write down. ssssss  The next reaction was playing the blame game like, “why did my eldest get in the way”, “if I only was able to keep swimming without interruptions”, and more blah like that.  As I started to shift the focus towards a solution in terms of what will I do instead, “shall I just run later”, “borrow my son’s goggles”, “go home to get a snorkeling mask”, or “just stop swimming all together”, as it was just not my day; through all this I searched my feelings and decided upon doing some breaststroke without immersing my head under water.  After a few laps this was not doing it for me.  At that moment, side stroke came up for me and as soon as I started down to the other side of the pool I realized why I never thought of this before as the scissor kick in side stroke is so reminiscent of a running stride, for swimming related strokes that is; it’s a perfect way to loosen up tired muscles and joints as well as getting the blood flowing with water resistance.  Side StrokeWith the freestyle stroke’s flutter kick, I mostly use my arms for distance swimming primarily working a part of my body that isn’t going to assist with me being a better runner.  And, even if I kicked hard all the time, it still won’t simulate a runner’s gait.  I know the cardiovascular benefits are there, but the development of sport specific adaptations are not.  Now, if you have an underwater treadmill, awesome, but for the majority of people who don’t have access to one or can afford it, the side stroke is a great addition to a runner’s program.  I have also used the water belt that keeps you afloat, but I dislike how my legs don’t feel anchored not being able to grab onto anything.

Putting everything into perspective, it’s never a wise course of action to stay focused on a problem, as soon as one arises shift the focus towards solutions and search your feelings during these moments as one of the solutions will be the best fit.  We are all given everything we need in life as all our challenges can be handled, just be open to the opportunities that are presented by letting your spirit flow free and clear.

Until next time!

 

 

coMra-Therapy

As runners we have many different tools of our trade.  From foam rollers, compression gear, lacrosse balls, physio appointments, massage therapists, chiropractors, yoga, tai chi, ice baths, supplements, high-end running shoes, coMra-Therapy and so on.  In each of these we look for ways to maintain healthy and injury free to continue pursuing our passion of running.

I am now going to properly introduce you to a life changing solution that I have found invaluable in overcoming some serious injuries and running conditions that would have otherwise proved difficult to recover from.  Now, knowing that a tool is just that, a tool, it’s all in the manner of how one uses such and makes the most of what is in front of them.  I mention this because knowing the stubbornness of runners firsthand I need to share that life is a natural gradual process of evolution and running is no different.  This means, even though coMra-Therapy will cut most injury healing times in half, compared to only using the R.I.C.E technique espoused by most, one will still need to see through proper rehabilitation strengthening exercises and appropriate rest.

Maintenance

Knee Ache Treatment

After a day of adding some additional miles to my training regimen, I noticed an ache in my knee that made walking a bit uncomfortable.  That evening I proceeded to treat it with my Delta Pro Medical Terminal as I didn’t want to take any days off for it to normalize nor did I want it to progress further.  And it worked out exactly as I wanted it to as my training program continued without a hitch.

Recuperation from Injury

Plantar Faciitis Treatment

I recently developed my first case of plantar faciitis.  One thing I’ll state upfront is that having the ability to effectively treat many of my sports’ conditions at home has made me quite bold about training through certain injuries.  I do this especially in the case of grade 1 muscle strains where I’ll return the following day to running with a toned down approach in terms of a shorter stride and slower cadence all the while treating the affected area with coMra.  I did the same with the plantar faciitis injury because at first I didn’t know it was plantar faciitis, being my first time experiencing it.  Not knowing exactly what was the problem with my foot, I ended up training on it for 3 days one of which included a 10 mile run.  This was the second day I trained on it, the first being a strength and conditioning circuit including tuck jumps and many more high impact movements.  And the best part was, it was getting better!  Well, that was up until I did the 10 mile run. LOL My bad!!!! After that run, I took two running days off (I cross train) and then I did a nice run set which was the straw that broke the camel’s back.  Realizing that I want to have this issue heal fully, I decided to only cross train around it and treat my foot with my Delta.

A week later I ran a total of 10 miles at varying speeds.  Now, to be fair, I did notice the area was a bit tender the evening of this 10 mile day and decided that on top of coMra a lacrosse ball under foot, rolling back and forth, would add an additional healing dynamic with its gentle, yet firm, rolling motions.  The combination was magic!  Like I  mention above, the extent of a tool’s efficacy is all in the manner of how you use it.  Furthermore, builders don’t just use one tool when they are constructing something.  Instead, they employ an assortment of tools to accomplish their work from nails and hammers to power tools and cranes; running is no different.  I liken coMra to the high-end power tools that get the job done more effectively and efficiently when used under a thorough rehabilitation program.

Family Matters

Being an active father, and married to an active woman, we have raised to very active boys.  Now boys will be boys, pushing their limits to times of physical harm.  Case in Abrasion Treatmentpoint is an abrasion my eldest attained by doing his natural freerunning/parkour practice at the park.  The two images on the right side of this picture collage are from February 28, 2015 and March 1st, 2015 (1 day!).  As you can clearly see, the healing that took place was rapid.  We only cleaned the wound properly with soap and water and then administered a 3 minute treatment on the Delta 1000Hz setting.  And that was all!

The 1000Hz setting is used for superficial conditions of the skin.  The Delta also has a 5Hz setting – for deeper penetration, 50Hz setting for medium depth penetration, and a Variable setting which cycles through the above mentioned frequencies and where it is preferable to reach various depths.

The speedier healing time also occurs in a similar vein with internal injuries for any tear, strain or sprain.  Times do vary when it comes to acute or chronic conditions and taking into account the type of tissue involved.  So, be patient, give your body love and care and enjoy the ride.

How does it work?

As complex as it might sound to some, this is a simple therapeutic approach that is very easy to use.  Basically, coMra-Therapy works only by supporting the body to heal itself.  In other words, the body has the intelligence and the capacity to heal itself, what coMra does is provide an energetic stimulus the cells understand and use, then the work is done by the innate ability of each specialized unit of the body.  This is primarily why coMra-Therapy is considered a holistic modality with no harmful side-effects.  It doesn’t change anything, move anything around, or alter the body in any way.  As the radiances are absorbed by the body, the most notable effect is increased ATP, the energy currency of the cells, via natural cellular metabolic pathways, and here it is plain to see how just this process alone can induce quicker healing times for an assortment of conditions.

I truly hope this information helps you become a healthier and more vibrant natural athlete.  And remember, above all else, the most important part in healing, training, and life, is belief in Self, which is the true limit not the sky.

To receive 10% off your purchase of a Delta device and make an income sharing the benefits of coMra, please visit coMra For All and sign up to become an ambassador.

Happy Trails!

Weights, Sprint 8’s and Yogurt Parfaits

Sprint8s on Elliptical

 

After doing an assortment of chest, triceps and shoulder lifts (core always at the end) I ended my gym work with sprint 8’s on the elliptical.  If you don’t know about these then you are missing out.  Oh, how I love AND hate them.  It’s never a dull workout when you include it.  I mentioned them in a previous post and linked to the creator’s, Phil Campbell, demo of how, why and when you should do them.  Not to scare anyone, but you should really consult with a doctor before engaging in these.  I know, I know, they say that for any workout routine, Sweaty Bettybut sometimes that is just straight ridiculous as walking in a mall could be considered a workout routine and I don’t see anyone needing approval for that. LOL  However, these, if done right, will leave you worn out by the eighth one and if you aren’t prepared then….who knows!  Just look at me after I finished all eight.  Take your time when it comes to building conditioning and don’t jump into things that are way above your fitness level.  It’s like the signs at North Shore, Oahu, around pipeline area, “when in doubt, don’t go out”.  Pushing past your present fitness level is good and it’s the way to build new and improved physical adaptations, but overdoing it can cause an assortment of issues that are unnecessary if we just learn to listen to our bodies.

 

Following my training session I take a protein mixture and sometimes (depending upon the intensity and duration of my session) mix it with C2O coconut waterRecovery DrinkThrough research and discovery, sports scientists have determined that for optimum nutrient uptake for cellular repair (i.e. recovery: better and stronger physical adaptations) there is a 30 minute window post training session.  I figure most people know this, but in case you don’t – there you have it.  Also, please query it online and find the various ratios of protein:carb combos that work best for you and your particular activity.  I think it’s pretty standard in a general sense across the board.

I felt so refreshed after that recovery drink that instead of driving to the post office I decided to walk.  It’s about a mile and a half away, so a total of 3 miles of steady walking was extemporaneously added to my daily training log.  Though I had this recovery drink and then followed it by a sandwich and popcorn for lunch, I felt like I needed another snack after I returned to maintain a caloric balance.  I had yogurt parfaita homemade yogurt parfait.  So easy to make and enjoy I wonder why people even buy these pre-made to begin with.  Once you mix the different parts of the parfait you have to either add unhealthy preservatives or eat it quickly.  This makes making it the preferred choice for health conscious individuals.  A fresh pineapple was cut, organic raisins were used in addition to shelled walnuts, raw honey and, of course, organic plain unsweetened yogurt.  Its unfortunate that all they had was the low-fat variety at the time I purchased it.  I prefer whole fat for all my dairy products and now science is vindicating all those who didn’t fall for the low/no fat health fad.

Happy Trails!  🙂