Love Your Curves or Tone Your Tummy?

Once again the media is sensationalizing the debate between loving your body as it is or exercising to beautify your body. 

My stance on this as a fitness professional is that both sides of the debate need to wake up, open their eyes, and close their mouths. 

The love your body side says that being focused on changing your body comes from a place of self loathing, and the make your body beautiful side says that accepting yourself as you are is an excuse to not get fit. 

Why do they focus on external beauty and ego? There is an easy answer, those make it easier for them to sell you something. 

I say let's all forget about how beautiful we think we are and how beautiful we think others are. That is not what fitness is about. Fitness is about loving yourself enough to take care of your health. Fitness is about giving ourself the strength and energy to get through your daily activities. 

Lack of fitness leads to aches and pains. It leads to disease and injury. It leads to early death. 

Looking good is so irrelevant when you look at the big picture. 

Love your body because of the work it can do. Love your body because it allows you to do good in the world. Strengthen you heart, lungs, arms and legs not to get that bikini body, but so you can live life more fully, so you can give more to others and so you can be around longer for your loved ones. 

If you need help getting started contact me, it's what I do. 

Starting From Zero.

The importance of being active, of regular exercise, is nearly immeasurable. The list of benefits is staggering. Unfortunately, the idea of getting started can seem pretty overwhelming. 

You might see the ads for the "Insanity" workout, or witness the people lining up at a local 5K race starting line peeling off their shirts before they run or you may see the commercials for a local gym full of insanely fit people who make you wonder why they even still need to go to the gym. 

Part of the problem is that a lot of fitness advertising is trying to grab the eyes of people who already have a high motivation for fitness. They are the easiest ones to sign up, and the easiest ones to keep signed up. 

So what do thearketing machines try to sell to people who are feeling overwhelmed by all this?

An easy way out. 

Buy this pill, wrap your body in this concoction, order these shakes or buy this device and you can burn body fat while ordering more stuff from us. 

Those gimmicks won't cut it. It takes work, but it doesn't take insanity. When I have a personal training client, I start them from where they are, even if they've been on the sofa for the last 15 years. If one-on-one isn't for you, I also have a group class called "New Fit You" for those who need to start at the bottom. If you are ready to get started, let me know how i can help. 

How to Get Six Pack Abs

I guarantee, right now, there is someone out there willing to sell you a bottle of pills "guaranteed" to melt away fat and give you that six pack. 

That someone is not me. As a matter of fact I will tell you right now I CANNOT give you six pack abs. 

What I can do is help guide you on a path of fat burning, calorie killing workouts. I can show you what work to do. I can show you how to start from where  you are and build your way to a healthy lifestyle, which depending on your specific goals might include six pack abs. 

In short, if you want a six pack, come earn a six pack. 

How to Get Six Pack Abs

I guarantee, right now, there is someone out there willing to sell you a bottle of pills "guaranteed" to melt away fat and give you that six pack. 

That someone is not me. As a matter of fact I will tell you right now I CANNOT give you six pack abs. 

What I can do is help guide you on a path of fat burning, calorie killing workouts. I can show you what work to do. I can show you how to start from where  you are and build your way to a healthy lifestyle, which depending on your specific goals might include six pack abs. 

In short, if you want a six pack, come get a six pack. 

What Fancy Equipment?

A great workout does not always require expensive equipment. Pictured to the right is a very basic piece of exercise equipment called a hill.

The hill can be used at all levels of fitness. Workout number one is for people new to fitness, or returning to fitness after an extended bout of sedentary lifestyle. Workout number two is a workout for those interested in leg strengthening. Workout number three is a workout specifically for increasing performance in running.

Workout 1:

1. Warm up by walking to a hill.
2. Walk up the hill.
3. Walk down the hill.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have worked out 10 to 20 minutes.
5. Cool down by walking back home or to your car.

Workout 2:

1. Warm up by walking to a hill.
2. Perform walking lunges up the hill.
3. Perform backward walking lunges down the hill.
4. Repeat 2 and 3 as desired.
5. Walk back home or to your car.

Workout 3:
1. Warm up by running to the hill.
2. Going up hill, with each step, leap upwards driving your knee high into the air.
3. At the top of the hill, jog a bit to recover your heart rate.
4. Going downhill, run quickly and lightly with a fast foot turnover to the bottom of the hill.
5. At the bottom of th ehill, jog to recover.
6. Repeat 2-5 as desired.
7. Run back home or to your car.

Did the directions for those workouts (especially the first one) sound ridiculously simple?

Yeah, that was the idea.

No Excuse

New Fit You is a class specifically for those who have been sedentary. A fitness class that takes you from zero then safely progresses into a fit lifestyle. 

KB500 is a calorie burning, sweat inducing, punching, and kicking workout. 

Run For Your Life is training specifically for runners. Beginner or experienced there is a workout for you. 

With one-on-one sessions and other classes still to come, there is no excuse to not get started. Contact me today. 

Steven O'Nan

Franklinkungfu@gmail.com

270-776-6873

Individualized Training Plan

This training plan is for R.H.

First of all, for anyone, before starting, increasing, or changing a workout routine check with your doctor and make sure that it is OK for you and your current health levels.

Now for the plan.

To put it together, I had to gather information to find out where he was starting.
He has been training for a year and has completed three half marathons with times of 2:55, 2:47, and 2:48. He runs 2-3 days per week, running 3-5 miles per run. He also gets in a bicycle workout once per week. As far as intensity level on his runs he said he does not push himself, and so continues to get the same results.

I am a big fan of Jack Daniel's running formula, and utilize a modified version of it when making plans for runners. Especially for those that have come to running after the advantage of youth has past us by. I am in that category, by the way.

R.H. has been doing Yoga 2-3 times per week, and I think continuing that will be sufficient for strength training for the time being. I'd like him to continue his bike cross training as well.

I decided to keep the three runs per week formula as it is working for him so far. If he would like to, he can add a fourth run of 2-3 miles each week.

Throughout the plan, R.H. can pick which days of the week work best for his training. If there is soreness after a quality run or long run, the next day should be a rest/recovery day. Light running or light exercise is OK on recovery days.


Easy runs will be approximately 14 minute 35 seconds per mile.
Phase 1.

Week 1: week of Nov. 11: 
3 Mile easy run, 3 mile easy run, 5 mile easy run.

Week 2:
3 Easy, 3 Easy, 5 Easy

Week 3: (Thanksgiving week)
3E, 3E, 5E

Week 4:
3E, 3E, 5E,

Phase 2. Week of December 9th
Week 1.
3 mile easy run,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 4 repeats of 400 meters (or quarter mile) with a goal of running 400 m in 2:45, with a 400 m jog between each interval.
Long run 5 miles

Week 2.
3 mile easy run,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 4 repeats of 400 meters (or quarter mile) with a goal of running 400 m in 2:45, with a 400 m jog between each interval.
Long run 6 miles

Week 3. Easy week (Week of Christmas)
3 easy
3 easy
5 easy

Phase 3:
Week of Dec 30.
Week 1:
3 easy
Quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 2 repeats of 800 meters in 5:30 with 800 meter rest between.
Long run 6 miles

Week 2.
3 easy
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 7 miles

Week 3.
3 easy
quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 2 repeats of 800 meters in 5:30 with 800 meter rest between.
Long run 7 miles

Week of Jan 20 Easy/recovery week
3 easy, 3 easy, 5 easy

Week 5.
3 easy
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 8 miles

Phase 4.
Week of February 3.
Week one
3 easy,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 9 miles

Week two:
3 easy,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 10 miles

Week three:
3 easy,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 10 miles

Week of February 24th
Taper Week.
3 easy
3 easy with faster strides if it feels good
7 mile long run

Race week
3 easy
3 easy with strides if it feels good
Half Marathon race.

Good luck R.H.!!