An apple and 10 wall balls a day keep the Doctor away!

Coach Pat said do the movements and put forth 75% effort. You have 5 minutes to get it done. I picked up my 14# wall ball at 4 min 55 sec. I knew I wouldn't finish in the time domain. Just then he shouted "keep moving until your finished, complete all the movements!" I finished at 5:21 That was round one of three. We were to do it again, same movements with added effort each round. I counted each pull as I pressed my feet as hard as I could into the rowing machine. Focused on pulling strong and breathing, anxious to get off the rower and pick up my barbell. Man, how I love the barbell. I surprise myself even now thinking about it. Each rep count I feel butterflies. Butterflies of joy and excitement to get back to the bar. It's getting harder and harder to breathe but I still keep moving. I paced it better the second time and somehow finished in 5:06. Now I still have to do it again. One more time at 100% effort. Standing there,  trying to catch my breath and thinking where can I improve? How can I shave off any time from this? Where did the rest time go? 10 seconds... 3, 2, 1.. Here goes everything. I moved as efficient as possible. Broke up the barbell movements and the kb swings in effort to not get too out of breath. Swung my arms as hard as possible in the box jumps. As I picked up the wall ball for the final of the seven movements, the clock read 4:40. I didn't see what anyone else was doing. I was totally in my zone and finished in 5:04. Whew! 2 seconds faster than the previous round. I felt the buzzing in my head and my body was a bit trembly. I just lay there for a minute overwhelmed with pride and accomplishment.

Afterward, I stood up. A sweat outline imprinted the shape of my back on the floor.  Wow that was fun! It's moments like this one that reinforce my decision to make this a priority in my life. I only wish other people experience this feeling within themselves. The buzz that ignites a desire to be a better person, to take care of myself and encourage others to do so as well.

It's funny that CPJ said today "do 10 wall balls and eat an apple every day for the rest of your life. You'll live better and longer" I believe this to be true.

I stopped at Shop Rite on the way home from the gym. Why is there a bench in the bread aisle? As I thought about the bench and it's odd placement a man sat down on the bench. At first I was curious why he would take the load off in the bread aisle. That's when it occurred to me! He needed to take a rest! Slightly annoyed by this and increasingly saddened as I thought about it more and more. I realize the man on the bench could probably not do any wall balls never mind 10 of them and he most likely would never even try.

Before you become the man on the bench in the bread aisle, start with an apple a day. When that is so easy and you do it without any thought, then try a few wall balls. As the wall balls become easier and easier increase the quantity to a minimum of 10. Then do it every single day.

10 Things You Didn't Know Proper Hydration Could Do For You

10 Things You Didn’t Know Proper Hydration Could Do For You

•Hydration
•Spartan Training
•Spartan Race

We all know that it is important to drink plenty of water, but do you know why? I’ll be honest; I didn’t know until recently, but I was amazed at how much it made sense.

By SGX Coach Kris Perry-Tedesco
We all know that it is important to drink plenty of water, but do you know why? I’ll be honest: I didn’t know until recently, when I started doing some research to answer some of the questions that came up in my SGX classes. (I’m the coach.) Believe me when I say that I was amazed at the reasons why hydration helps us. Here’s what I found.

-1- Water promotes brain function.
Your brain consists of about 85% water. It makes sense, then, that if the body becomes dehydrated, the brain is going to suffer. Dehydration affects memory, concentration and coordination. The lack of water actually causes the neurons to shrink, which disrupts hormones and neurotransmitters as well as the brain’s ability to communicate with other organs. If a Spartan is always learning, the brain must be sharp and ready to focus.

-2- Water is essential for circulation.
The human body consists of between 65% and 75% water, depending on your body composition. Water is crucial for the body’s ability to maintain proper blood flow, which transports oxygen to all of its cells. In addition to transporting oxygen, blood takes carbon dioxide from the cells back to the lungs, from which it leaves when we exhale. This means that if you’re not hydrated, your blood is not going to work as well. This is obviously not good, especially during long endurance events.

-3- Water keeps your skin healthy.
Every month, your outer layer of skin regenerates itself. This means you can see the positive effects of drinking enough water after about a month. (Some people report “glowing.”)  But that’s not the most important part. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and requires water to regenerate new cells. If your skin doesn’t regenerate, cuts and wounds won’t heal. In addition, the skin can become dry and less elastic if it is dehydrated. This year, everyone is talking about commitment…How about we #commit to healthier skin by carrying a water bottle with you every day?

-4- Water keeps your muscles healthy.
I bet you’re starting to see a pattern. Turns out the muscles are like the brain, the blood, and the skin; they work better when the body is properly hydrated. Hydration keeps the joints and cartilage lubricated, providing better support for your muscles. Dehydration often results in muscle cramps and a decrease in performance. 

-5- Water helps us to digest food.
Drinking water before and during a meal can help to dissolve chewed food and help it pass through the digestive tract. Water also helps to flush toxins from the body and to relieve constipation. Not even the healthiest FOD can overcome the effects of poor hydration. Drink up!

-6- Water will energize you.
Remember what I said in #2? Because hydration helps your blood to transport more oxygen and nutrients to your cells and organs, your organs will not have to work as hard to—well, to keep you alive.
I can explain this with a question: have you ever tried to go for a run on a full stomach? My guess is that you have, and that you didn’t like it. This is because, after you eat, all of the blood rushes to your stomach to help it to break down food. Less blood is available to fuel your legs. Therefore, your legs feel more tired. Being well hydrated means that your blood will work better, which means that you will digest food better, which means that you will have more energy. 

-7- Water helps to regulate body temperature.
Do you know why your face gets red after you exercise? Because your body generates heat when it moves. To keep from overheating, your body sends warm blood into the skin. At the same time, your body produces sweat, which cools your body as it evaporates. This, in turn, cools the blood, which cools you. However, this can’t happen if your blood isn’t working efficiently, or if your body can’t produce sweat. Both of those processes take lots of water.

-8- Water keeps you in shape.
I don’t mean that it takes the place of exercise and good food. I mean that water is an excellent training tool. Whether you’re swimming laps in a pool or lifting your body out of the water by hoisting yourself onto the dock or the side of the pool, water is a great place to practice your obstacle skills.

-9- Water decreases stress.
Becoming only mildly dehydrated can cause a spike in cortisol production. Cortisol is our chief stress hormone and can cause an increase of sugars in the bloodstream. This means that hydrating can help to keep cortisol levels down and keep your blood sugar at a healthy level.

-10- Water therapy can help you to heal faster.
Water therapy, ice baths for example, can rejuvenate the muscles. Hot springs or hot tubs, on the other hand, can be soothing and relaxing. Dunk tanks or sensory deprivation tanks can be amazing for meditation and self-exploration. But these are just the beginning. Take a walk along the beach and feel the waves wash over your feet….

What should you do?
I think that the answer is clear. The best thing you can do for your body and mind is to hydrate every day. Your future Spartan self will thank your current Spartan self for choosing to #commit to hydration and living the Spartan lifestyle.

Cheers! Aroo!

Join Kris’s Spartan SGX training programs or find a Spartan SGX coach near you.

Methodical Movement for Fitness and Health

As I am pondering this quote from Plato -

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it."

I love this quote. I live this quote. I teach this quote.

I identify with this because it means so many things and yet is such a simple way of approaching life, habits and fitness. For me it instantly takes my mind to exercise. Physical fitness is a baseline for all humans to strive to achieve. It also enables a person to do many things such as move around, take care of yourself and take care of others that you care about. Additionally, physical fitness provides a person with capability to participate in activities. Activities such as hiking, running, jumping, playing ball are just some of the basics. Then, there's a love of fitness that provides a person with a higher platform to perform more advanced activities. Then, this spark, this ability to understand what a body is capable of,  this love of fitness, then translates out into life. It supports activities like organized group sports, individual sports and activities that challenge the body and the mind.

Once you find yourself at that place, where you are training for the love of fitness, only then.... you begin to embrace the quote. Apply this methodology to your life. You need to move your body to respect your body. You need to fuel your body to demand activity from your body and improve yourself. You need to respect your body as  your vehicle to navigate this life. You can demand so much more of your physical being than your mind convinces you of. This is a lesson and a test. You take from it what you put in and you get back what you deserve. If you continue to move you will stay in motion, if you stop moving the momentum will be lost. You can begin again but it is more difficult each time. So it's better to slow down, take a breath and keep moving.

Your body is meant to move. It doesn't have to be fast it just needs to go. It doesn't always need strength but you will find strength. It doesn't need to always be sweaty but then you may break a sweat. It can be fun and it almost always is. It can improve your life in so many ways. It's return on investment is inmeasurable.

Try it... I challenge you! 

Just Breathe!

Breathing correctly is important for living longer, maintaining a good mood and keeping you performing at your best

Here are some benefits of proper breathing

Releases toxins, tension and relieves pain, relaxes the mind and body while elevating your mood, massages organs, improves circulation and quality of blood,  strengthens the immune system, increases digestion and assimilation of food, boosts energy levels and improves stamina, improves nervous system function, improves cellular regeneration and improves posture.

Try the 4, 7, 8  method 

breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds expanding your diaphragm (belly breathing)

hold in the breath for 7 seconds 

exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds

This can be repeated for about 5 minutes, you will be amazed how quickly you find yourself feeling relaxed.