Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points

Rant and Tip for April 9, 2012

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. A friend of mine calls it Resurrection day and to be honest I really like calling it that myself now.

Quote: “Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points.” – Knute Rockne

Knute was one heck of a coach, by taking his quote and applying it to my diet and exercise routine I know that I can always get better. I know some of you are thinking that it applies easily to exercise but no to your diet. Well you could not be further from the truth. I will use myself as an example. My weakness in my diet lately has been poor planning. I end up grabbing a low carb protein bar at the local market and will usually end up buying 2 or 4. This is because they are 2 for $4. A pretty good price for a bar with 30 grams of protein, however they also have a lot of sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols can wreak havoc on your digestive system and I should really stay away from them. Just ask anyone around me when I bench after having a couple. So there is my weakness, poor planning. I WILL get better in my planning and I will get away from those bars.

Training went well yesterday. We did not go heavy because my shoulders just were not up for it. What we did do was to work the stroke better. By my last set and I was exhausted my reps were looking great. My trainer Sebastian Burns really knows what he is doing. He still has great expectations for me and I hope to will hit them. Today I am going to work a week point in my bench. My shoulders, this will entail side laterals and front laterals. I need to work  my way up to 50 dumbbells in this exercise to increase my strength at the top of the press. After the lateral raises are done, I will work my trapezius muscles.

Have a great workout!

Tip of the day:

There are many ideas surrounding protein level intakes and how it should be consumed. When I am training very hard and that is most of the time, I like to get in 1.5 grams to 2 grams of protein a day per lean body mass. I consume the protein in 20 to 30 grams intervals. I have read somewhere that your body cannot digest more than that in a meal without having to store the extra grams. Doing this also ensures I have my metabolism cranked. I eat often throughout the day.  If you are not training at the levels I am then .6 to 1 gram per lean body mass will be fine for you.