La Jolla Half Marathon

Today was the La Jolla Half Marathon.  I signed up for this event about two months ago and I wanted to be committed to something that I have never tried to achieve before.  I started training with my roomate ran about three times a week and were doing very steady on that pace as well.  This morning I was excited to run this route, because I have never done  it before, and I heard it was one of the nicest runs in San Diego, let alone the nation.  I woke up bright and early at 430 to head to La Jolla, as they shuttle me to Del Mar where the starting line was.  It was an overcast morning, but perfect weather for running, because it wasn’t too hot and the sun wasn’t beating down on us.  I made a goal for myself to run the half marathon in one hour and forty-five minutes, because I have run the same distance before in that time, but it was more of a flat road run that I have done.  I drove the route the day before the race, and knew what to expect, a huge uphill battle, followed by a downhill battle…It was going to be rough.  I squeezed my way to the front of the starting point so I wouldn’t be stuck in the traffic of nearly 6,500 people running the race.  I was keeping up in the top twenty for the first two miles, but mile after mile, the experienced runners passed me one by one.  I did not mind it because I was still on pace to beat my goal, and that is all I went there for, I was not expecting to win. (The winner got one hour and nine minutes…CRAZY)  I was at good pace before the hill, which was at about mile five.  I ended up the hill pretty exhausted, followed by a two-mile flat, then an insane downhill.  There were about two miles left and I was going through La Jolla, and I knew the finish line was near.  I wanted to practically collapse but I had to get to the finish line.  What really motivated me was that a fourteen year old kid passed me up, and he was running barefoot! I thought that was crazy, so I had to keep up if this kid can go on like that.  I sprinted the last stretch across the finish line, and my time was about one hour and thirty-five minutes.  I have not received my official time and place yet, because we wear a chip on our shoe to track our personal time/place, and they have not been posted online yet, so I am eager to find out.  All I know is that I beat my goal and I was very proud of myself.  I never would have thought I could run a half marathon, but I stayed committed to it and I’m really glad I did it.  I enjoyed the run a lot, I am pretty sore tonight, and am for sure going to be taking it easy for tomorrow.

Finding the Center

Yesterday I was at Fit Athletic in downtown San Diego with David Weck from BOSU Fitness.  I love going in to work with David there because I only see him one time a week there, and every time he has more new ideas that blow my mind.  David was developing a simple warm up to allow people to find their “center line”.  This is the line of symmetry within your body that allows you readjust your balance and make efficient and exact movements with both sides of your body.  Once you are able to discover your center line, it makes movements such, as opening and closing the hips, and pronating and supinating the arms, that much easier.  I was able to learn a stance that gives myself the most potential to move in any direction- the stance has no name yet, but a possibility is the MOST stance- which allows one to be prepared to make any movement, in any direction, and have the MOST efficiency, balance, and range.  David also mentions that a lot of the positions and movements we make can seen documented as far back as the statue “David” by Michelangelo and “The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin.  In both “David” and “The Thinker”, their arms are in a supinated position, and many of the exercises involve these same movements, as demonstrated in these statues.  I am excited to hear new things from David every time I go in and meet with him because his ideas about movement are amazing and help me realize how we can make our bodies move in the most efficient ways that our bodies will allow us to make.

Spring Break

I’m on my spring break for San Diego State and I am back at home visiting with my family and friends.  It is easy to become lazy when I am here because there are a lot of people I want to see and a lot of food that is prepared for me as well.  I am trying to still stay active while I am here, even though I do not have access to a gym.  I am really glad that I have been introduced to crossfit workouts because it allows me to do short but intense workouts from home, so I am still on top of my game.  I was introduced to crossfit workouts when Chris Keith introduced Crossfit 619.  We have been doing many different types of crossfit workouts that involve no weights and simple movements such as pushups, pull ups, sit ups, and squats.  With all these different exercises I am able to put together small workouts that are short and efficient.   I have also learned a lot from Mack, who is working with BOSU Fitness, because he is crossfit certified and he and I have talked a lot about the subject.  I am glad that I am able to learn about all sorts of different workouts, whether it be strength training, balance and stability, flexibility, muscle or cardiovascular endurance, etc. because it allows me to change things up in the way I exercise and keep me interested and not doing the same thing all the time.  It also allows me to find ways to still stay active even when I am not around any gym, or equipment.  I’ve been looking into different sorts of crossfit workouts and I am beginning to become a lot more interested.  I’ve also still been training for the La Jolla Half Marathon, and have to keep up my training even though I am on Spring Break.  I plan to do as much as I can while I am here at home, but then get back into full force when I am back in San Diego.

IHRSA

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to IHRSA (The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) at the San Diego Convention center.  I was really impressed to see how many companies from across the country attended this event.  It was a great experience for me to get to see many of the fitness companies around the United States, and to see the new products and ideas that people had to offer.  I also attended a sales training meeting at the event, which helped sales managers be able to sell themselves, or the gym to potential clients.  The meeting was beneficial to me because it allowed me to realize that you want to work around the client’s needs, and to always leave them wanting more.  You should never just throw everything you have on the table all at once, because there will be nothing else for the client to get to find out about you or your gym.  The trade show was my favorite part about the weekend’s event.  I got to sample many different types of protein supplements and shakes, as well as trying out new equipment that I have never used.  I also had the chance to meet Larry English from the San Diego Chargers and got a picture with him too.  I was very glad I had this opportunity to attend IHRSA.  It was cool to be in such a huge environment based solely on fitness.  This event made me excited that I chose to be a part of this industry and I hope that I will be attending IHRSA again in the future.

Bootcamp 619

Last night was a good night at Bootcamp 619.  I go in a few hours earlier prior to the start of class to help set up the gym in preparation of the bootcamp.  It was especially beneficial for me to be in early today because after I was done setting up the tires, wall balls, and clearing the floor, I was able to have a walk though with Chris Keith and one of his clients.  Chris showed me his techniques of personal training and how he would approach a client, knowing everyone that comes to him starts with a different physical ability, so there are different steps you have to take.  With a person who has not been active for a long time, it is proper to start from the fundamentals.  Chris mentions the fundamental aspects of exercise that someone should focus on come down to four components: Pushing (push-ups), Pulling (pull-ups), level change (squats), and core work (abdominal routine).  It is also very important for someone to focus on working their weaker side first, when doing an asymmetrical exercise (when working one side of the body, then the other) to focus on reaching a balance between the two sides of your body so one side is not more dominant than the other.  This was a good opportunity for me to see how a personal trainer works with a client and how keeping the client encouraged and breaking things down will help them very much.  I’m looking forward to these next couple of weeks to become more involved with the bootcamp sessions and hopefully be able to instruct part of the class.

BOSU Office/ Recap

I went into the BOSU Fitness office today and got a lot accomplished.  My assignment this week was to work on program designs and what is needed to develop them.  I was looking up many qualified certifications and comparing their recommendations.  I also found what you must include into a program design if you’re trying to make one, those include: Aerobic exercise, Muscular Strength Conditioning, and Flexibility exercises.  There are also things to consider such as a person’s health, physical ability, age, and gender when developing a program.  Jena and I worked together to research this information and pull up the details and information in making a great Exercise program.

These few weeks with both Bootcamp 619 and BOSU Fitness have been going great.  I’m lucky to have an opportunity to work with two companies and see how both can work together to make things happen.  I get a lot of hands on skills learned though the bootcamp and instructing of Rolling Ropes, as well as the behind the scenes work that is needed to make a business successful.  This internship has been going great so far as I am enjoying the people and work that comes along with it.  I hope that I can learn a lot from this and possibly be able to get a job for the summer through this.  I learn more and more every day I go in to work and find out that this industry is really what I want to be a part of in my future.

Fit Athletic

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to workout at a tremendous gym called Fit Athletic in downtown San Diego.  This gym was like no other gym I had seen before.  It was an amazing facility and had what seemed to be all of the top equipment any gym would want to have.  I went that day to meet up with David Weck and watch how he taught clients and fitness instructors the strengths and benefits of Rolling Ropes and BOSU Fitness.  His goal was to hopefully develop workout programs with his equipment and possibly make a class out of it.  I also had the pleasure to meet Stephen Nave, the Fitness Manager at Fit Athletic, who is also an expert with the Bulgarian Bag.  I had never seen a piece of equipment like it.  The bag reminded me a kettle bell because the workout seemed similar to the movements they were doing with it.  The bag also seemed to have many other uses to it than just a kettle bell type workout, but one day was not enough for me to find out.  After watching David Weck instruct the Rolling Ropes and its benefits, I really got to understand why he developed this program in the first place.  Rolling Ropes is a tool that will help people incorporate balance in their body.  By using both sides of your body, your are forced to make symmetrical movements to get your right half of your body in sync with the left half.  Rolling Ropes uses basic movements such as supination and pronation, but using them in a way to help find balance within your body.  The program seems great for any type of athlete because there are movements that any athlete will make while they are performing.  Yesterdays work with David Weck had me more confident that Rolling Ropes had so much benefits to our bodies and also that it was simple yet challenging for any type of athlete.

Morning at Mission Bay

Today was another morning out in Mission bay at 6 am. I remembered how great of a workout it was last week so I was excited to have at it again. This time we did not start off with a short run, but we did many calisthenics. It was a good to get our bodies moving this morning because it was for sure very cold out there. We picked up a sweat and started doing stretches in between sets, to help out body not tighten in the cold morning weather. Again, it was awesome working out next to the water as the sun was rising this morning at Mission Bay in San Diego. We then set up a circuit for all of us that involved four exercises. It started off with about twenty push-ups, then move to the jump ropes and we did ten “double jumps”, followed by pull-ups until failure, and finished with the ladder drills. I got through this circuit three times before we moved on to the next thing we did. Chris Keith had us move to an area of open grass which could have only meant one thing, wind sprints. I had not run those since high school football, but I still had it in me. The workout ended great with some stretching. Those early morning workouts got me going on a great day as I was awake many hours than my normal wake up period.

Workout at the Convention Center

This weekend I got to help out Bootcamp 619 and BOSU Fitness by putting a workout together in Downtown San Diego.  The workout was held for all Canadian women who have traveled to San Diego with their husbands, and while they were all in a conference meeting, Chris Keith and David Weck put together a workout for these women to take part in.  It was a great experience to work from people outside the United States.  A lot of these women were very interested in the Rolling Ropes activities because they had seen nothing like it before.  I was helping David Weck instructing some of these women the correct techniques for rolling the rope and helping them understand that a person of any physique, athletic ability and age is capable of doing Rolling Ropes.  It takes maybe ten minutes of practice and almost all of them had it down.  It was great to see how the day turned out as we had the workout all across the Convention Center, and the park that is located behind it.  The weather was off and on with the rain, but that stopped none of the participants.  This was one of my first opportunities to be hands on and help instruct with the rolling ropes.  It was a good experience for me and I liked getting these women motivated for a workout they have never taken part in.  We handed out T-shirts and dog tags to all the women and they seemed to get a great workout in that morning.  I really enjoy doing off cite activities like that because we get to work out in amazing locations in San Diego and I can’t wait for the next event to take place.

BOSU Office

Today was my first day working at the BOSU Fitness office.  It is located pretty close to where I live and was not aware they were located that close to me.  As I walked in I notice that the BOSU office was not like any other office I had seen.  This was more of a fitness lab, better than any other office I imagined.  There was a whole bunch of BOSU equipment located throughout the room and rolling ropes material as well.  It seemed like a great place for ideas to come together and for creativity to get the best of the workout equipment.  I could tell that this was where many of the techniques for all of these products were developed in here, as the equipment was being used when I first stepped in.  I was there that day to help out with the company and help with their research and development work.  I was there for a few hours and got a lot accomplished.  I also got to work along with another internship partner, Jena, and we worked together to make our assignment go by easier and quicker.  I was excited to work with BOSU Fitness and be able to contribute to their progress toward the future and success.

First workout at De Anza Cove

It was an early morning that Wednesday having to be up at 5 in the morning.  It was my first time doing the bootcamp out at Mission bay for the morning session.  I am definitely not used to getting up that early to start my workouts, but I realize many people have to in order to get a work out in before they work all day.  It felt good running by the bay and doing my exercises as the sun came up.  It felt like a great start to my day.  The workout was great, it consisted of a short run, followed by many push-ups, squats, lunges, and many other aerobic exercises.  We also set up about eight sets of ladders and had a long train of one-footed hops, “Muhammad Ali’s” and other combinations through the set.  Then we got to incorporate jump ropes into the workout by switching from jump ropes, to wall balls, to push-ups.  By the time we were done it was about 7:15 am and I was feeling good.  It was a good experience for me to know how it is to wake up that early every morning and start your day.  It felt great getting a workout in that early because then the rest of the day was very productive for me.  I got a little taste of how it feels to be a personal trainer and be up that early to start work, lucky for me I am only doing it once a week for now.

Event at Road Runner Sports

Last Saturday we went out to Road Runner Sports and had the Resolution Workout.  It was great to see everything that was planned for the day.  Chris was there with his bootcamp tires,  David Weck was there with all his Rolling Ropes equipment and BOSU balls,  there were even Muay Thai instructors, Crossfit instructors, and kettle bell instructors all set up for this workout.  We were each given a list of all the exercises and put at stations to get the workout started.  I went the whole circuit about four times and it really kicked my butt.  It was tough, but I was glad I did it.  Road Runner Sports had a huge parking lot for us to run around and do this workout it was awesome.  It was good to see that many people at the Resolution Workout working with Chris, BOSU and all the other guys.  We ended the day after about an hour and a half and left with T-shirt.  I was glad to get a workout outside in the sun and in the morning.  I happened to also buy a pair of running shoes at Road Runner Sports at the end of the day as well.  I knew if I were running the La Jolla Half Marathon, my cross training shoes would definitely not be able to hold up.  It was great to have an event located at a place like Road Runner Sports and I hope that I get another opportunity to help out with more events just like that.

My First Bootcamp

I showed up a little early to my first Bootcamp to help Chris set up. We were pushing tires outside and setting them up against the wall. I had never worked with tires before in my workout, especially ones that stood as tall as I did. I was hesitant at first when we started, but I easily got the hang of it and rolled right in with the program. I noticed how Chris was running his bootcamp program like a real bootcamp. He was getting on top of people and making sure that they were giving it their best and not lagging. I noticed that this method helped out a lot; people do not seem to do something to the best of their ability unless they are pushed, and Chris does a great job at that. And at the end of the day, Chris will be the first one to tell you how good everyone did too. The workout was great; it involved a long circuit of many exercises that I had never done before. It was a good shift from working out in the gym and only lifting weights before. I also had the opportunity to meet David Weck of BOSU Fitness at my first bootcamp. He was an amazing guy and I couldn’t wait to start working with him as well. We end class by meeting all the members of Chris’s bootcamp who had previously run a half marathon. This really motivated me to sign up for the La Jolla Half marathon because it was cool to see that everyone works together for that common goal.

Starting up with BOSU and Bootcamp 619

I first heard about the opportunity to have a dual-internship with BOSU Fitness and Chris Keith’s Bootcamp619 through a school email. It was from Chris himself saying he was looking for students to help expand both companies, as well as give us an opportunity to be involved in the health/fitness industry. This email really had got my attention because Chris mentions the focus of his program as Teamwork, Attention to detail, and Core values. It seemed as if the program was more than just working out, but keeping someone motivated and dedicated to a program that they don’t drop after a few weeks. The process to get this internship started with two small essays about Strength Training and Balance Training, two important aspects of both Bootcamp619 and BOSU Fitness. After those were done, I had a conference call with Chris Keith and Steve Froehlich, Vice President BOSU Fitness. The call was with all potential interns and we discussed our goals for this opportunity and what we hoped to get out of it. The call went great and I ended up getting an in-person interview. I met up at the Bootcamp619 headquarters and met with both Chris and Steve. The interview went well and I liked what I saw. The facility looked great, and there was plenty of equipment to run an amazing program. I went home knowing I was coming back that next Monday and starting up with the internship, I couldn’t wait to start.