Coach K's Speed Blog

What I Learned From Broken Toilets

Dear Friend,

Saturday morning. Early flight to Tampa. Great story to tell you.

Got up at 5 am, went to the airport. Stood in lots of lines - there are never any lines at the Madison airport.

Boarded the plane - and sat for almost two hours before we could take off.

Why?

Because the toilets wouldn't flush.

Yeah, that's right. The toilets wouldn't flush and apparantly there was no faith that we could all hold it for the 45 minute connecting flight to Detroit.

I was not happy. Would you be?

But, the more I thought about it, the more OK I was with the decision.

As the mechanics worked on the lavatories, they discovered something wrong with a circuit breaker - and possibly more in the electrical system.

Like I said, it seemed silly to stop the takeoff simply because the toilets didn't work. But hold on just a second...

If this was an electrical problem, I surely didnt' want it affecting more important parts of the plane. I didn't want to discover half way over Lake Michigan that the whole plane shorted out.

So, I gradually accepted that this delay was actually a good thing. I was glad that the flight crew did such a detailed safety inspection before takeoff. I'm glad they got all the little details right.

The same goes for your workouts.

Take hill sprinting - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - for example. You may think you know exactly what to do - doesn't seem that hard does it?

But, in fact there are a lot of important details to how you run your sprints - and without them, you're not getting the most out of your workouts. How you warm up, how you start, your technique up the hill, how many to run, how long to rest, what you do afterwards - and all of the other 'need to knows' will get you better results - faster - and with less chance of injury.

If you're trying to go it alone, you may be doing it the hard way. Take advantage of the easy step by step information in Uphill Fitness Training - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - to propel yourself to the highest level of fitness.

Run Fast Not Hard

Coach K

PS I'm thinking of starting a Belated October 16th sale tomorrow - Why that date? Watch for details manana.

More Proof Of What I Have Been Saying All Along

Dear Friend,

We've been talking a lot lately about intensity. How it is one of the most important parts of you workout. Here's some more proof about the need to train fast in order to be able to run fast. Really fast.

Danish Scientists at the University of Copenhagen conducted an experiment with experienced runners who had been training for 60 miles per week. The split the runners into two groups.

The first continued running long distances for around 60 miles total per week.

The second group is the more interesting one. These runners ran onlly 30 miles per week and sprinted sets of 50 to 100 meters at maximum intensity.

Guess which group saw the most improvements? I'll bet you can guess since I'm writing this email. The sprinting group had a 7% increase in their ability to take in and use oxygen. They were able to race fast because they had trained fast. I bet that they saw other benefits as well.

The first group did not improve in this aspect - even though they were running twice as far!

High intensity sprinting leads to gains that can't be realized without it. Make sure that you crank up the intensity of your workouts and get everything out of your workout time.

RFNH

Coach K

PS One of the easiest ways to raise the intensity of your workouts is to hill sprint. If you want to get the most out of every workout, speed over and get the facts at http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

How To Stay Dedicated

Salutations Friend,

Staying dedicated to a workout program is one of the hardest things to do.. or is it really that hard?

Take a look at this example of dedication that I got in an email last week:


'I wake up at 3am in the morning to sprint on that hill. Since the hill and the road uphill have lots of vehicles passing there by 5:30am until at night. It is a busy hill by day until the evening because on the top of the hill sits the Provincial Capitol of San Fernando City, La Union. 3am is the only good time and safe time to sprint there. It has two sets of stairs one is 90 plus steps and the other one is 110 plus steps and three uphill roads to choose to sprint on. '

Ray

Think about other exercise programs you've tried and given up on. What was your excuse? It took too much time? It didn't work? It was boring? All of the above?
Truth is, I think we have all run into those kind of excuses before - and they have kept us from reaching our fitness goals.
So, how can Ray stay dedicated - rising at 3 in the morning to do his workouts?
I'll bet it has something to do with this...
Ray has found something that:

1. is enjoyable and pumps you full of energy
2. doesn't take up the whole day to complete
3. give incredible results - fast

And hill sprinting can do the same for you - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

If someone is willing - and able - to get up before dawn to run hill sprints, you'd better believe that they are on to something good.

RFNH

Coach K

PS There is still a little time - but very little - to get in on the valuable information in the October issue of Fitness Fast Track - included with your membership in Coach K's Inner Circle. Dedicate yourself to making your reservation with this exclusive group - and getting to new fitness levels at break-neck speed - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

Behold the Power of Fish Oil

Dear Friend,


Behold the power of fish oil and exercise. Great comments from someone on the list who has also fought through arthritis:

I am half the age of the person in question and suffered from severe
joint stiffness and swelling for years. All of the medication in
question in the media now (naproxyn, celebrex, and the like) didn't help
so I had to look to other alternatives. My mom read an article about
how fish oil combined with a B-complex helped to alleviate joint
swelling/stiffness. I was desperate to find a solution, so I tried
this, and found it to be surprisingly helpful. I would recommend trying
this to see if it works for you. I also highly agree with the 'keep
moving' argument. Facing similar circumstances to the person in
question, I have found that I am in much less pain when I stay active.
Do your body good-- get moving! :)

Great advice even if you don't have any current problems. Be open to alternative treatments and do something active every day. That's it for now.

Take Ownership of Your Life

Coach K

PS The list continues to grow! Welcome to all the newcomers and keep spreading the word. Is there anyone else that you know that can benefit from daily fitness info and motivation?

PPS Don't forget about the October Inner Circle newsletter and teleseminar - you only have a few days left to take advantage and take action to make your fitness levels skyrocket - get the lowdown here - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

Copyright, Tim Kauppinen, 2005

Let's Get Visual

Dear Friend,

I guess I've been doing this for some long - in athletics, in school and relationships, then in business - that I've taken for granted that everyone knows how to do it...

Talking about visualization, of course.

Here's the email that smacked me upside the head and made me rethink how I write some of my visualization suggestions:

Coach, I know this is hard to believe but, there are those of out here that don't create pictures in our heads. It amazes me to talk to someone who can 'see a movie' when they close their eyes. I know visualization is a great tool but what can you recommend for those of us who don't have easy access to this tool? Thanks for your time and your wisdom.

Mike Hardgrove of Tulsa, OK.

Well, Mike - practice, practice, practice.

Here's what to do:

Find a quiet time and place.

Get into a relaxed state (if you don't know how to do this, you can get a detailed visualization technique - that I walk you through step by step - in the Top 5 Reasons to Hill Sprint audio CD - http://www.makesyoufast.com/top_5_cd_sales.html )

Picture and focus on what you want while staying relaxed. Fitting into those pants you haven't worn in years, getting stronger, running faster, conquering that hill, seeing lard drip off your frame... anything that you want can be visualized.

The more you do this, the better you'll get at it. Try to practice the technique every day and soon you'll be seeing movies in your own head... and achieving your dreams and goals faster than ever before.

RFNH

Coach K

PS It might be easier to start visualizing in the 3rd person - like you are someone else watching yourself - then switch to the 1st person - seeing yourself achieving your goals from your own perspective.

More Have Found Way To Hill Sprint

Hi Friend,


The other day I wrote about finding a way to do Uphill Fitness Training - even if you don't have hills. Wrote about someone who found a way to do it - and was excited about the benefits he was getting.

Turns out, he wasn't the only one.

'Hey Coach Tim,

For the Flats, which is what we face on the Hempstead Plain on Long Island, try elevated parking garages. The earlier or later the better, avoid rush hour. '

Tom

Law of Attraction at work... I was actually thinking something similar on Saturday afternoon. Leaving the Badger game at the end of the 3rd quarter - I never do this, but it was C O L D cold and a rather lopsided affair by that point...

Anyway, my wife and I were headed out of the stadium by way of the ramps that were added when Camp Randall was renovated.

'You could hill sprint up these,' my wife said (through chattering teeth)

Ha! I finally have her thinking about sprinting and Uphill Fitness Training - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - all of the time too...

Here's another reader who has had to 'find a way' to hill sprint -

'...here in pool table flat North Texas, we use high school bleachers.
Unfortunately, we have had some recent vandalism and the school board has
severely resticted access to the public. Fighting that decision is my new
mental hill climb!'

Best,

Warren

Notice again that Mr. North Texas is going to find a way - not just say:

'Oh, can't run bleachers anymore... the school board said so...'

Hey, you're paying for those bleachers - with property taxes if Tejas is anything like Wisconsin - you have a right to use them. Same goes for that nice track - both great (and no charge) ways to get a killer workout.

So, if you've been on the fence about getting Uphill Fitness Training - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - you've now got two more ways to get your backside up and over...

No excuses. No alibis. If you want to get fit, find a way.

RFNH

Coach K

PS The sooner you take action, the better. Or, as John Kanary put it:

If doubt is challenging you and you do not act, doubts will grow... Challenge the doubts with action and you will grow. Doubt and action are incompatible.

How To Start Faster

Dear Friend,


I was walking down the hall yesterday when I had a dooohhhh Homer Simpson type moment... I had completely forgot to include something in Uphill Fitness Training.

In the program, there is a section on various ways to start your sprints - about 15 in all. These start variations are great for keeping your workouts fresh and interesting - plus, they teach you to come out low - an essential skill to running fast.

Many of the starts also help your reaction time and are key to your explosiveness - you can find them all on pages 60-66 of the manual - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

But, like I said, I forgot a good one.

So, here it is as a special bonus.

I have used this one for many of my track and field athletes - like the others, it teaches you to come out low and 'push' at the beginning of your sprint.

I call it 'sweep the ground' - sounds sort of Karate Kiddish, don't you think?

Anyway, here's what to do:

Start in a standing position, hands at your sides. Keeping your right arm straight, raise it slowly in front of you. Continue raising it up past your shoulder and over your head. Then continue the arm swing behind your back.

As your hand passes your hip, bend your knees enough to let your fingertips brush the ground as your arm goes forward.

When your fingers sweep the ground - sprint.

If you need a picture, think of this as a big, exaggerated fastpitch softball wind up and pitch - although you'll be going lower at the point the ball would have been released.

Try these out in your next sprinting workout and be sure to let me know what you think.

Run Fast Not Hard

Coach K

PS If you want all of the details on these techniques and to get the most out of your workouts, I strongly suggest that you get your own copy of Uphill Fitness Training here - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

Find a Way


Dear Friend,

Still getting lots of people emailing with this question:

What if I don't have any hills?

I keep answering that adding resistance to your sprints is almost as good as hill sprinting. Also, that you don't need much of a hill to add intensity to your sprints - even short hills and low grades will work.

The other day, I included this quote in one of my emails - and it is even more true in this one:

'If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.'

Boils down to this. If you want to hill sprint - and get the incredible benefits that come along with them... find a way.

Here's an email from Glenn who has done just that.


Coach Tim,

I know that you are a very busy guy, and have little time to answer personal e-mails. However, I just HAD to tell you about the great find I made yesterday. I live in Louisiana, a very flat state. Fortunately, I live in the Tunica Trace parish of West Feliciana, where we have hills. I had been running on some decent hills near my house, but they are asphalt and unkind to the joints and shins.

A friend had told me of a wilderness track that had been created at the new recreational facility just out of town, so I tried it out yesterday. May I tell you that I immediately fell in love with it! There are literally dozens of hills of varying heights and angles, mixed with gentle slopes and rapid switchbacks. It was like a hill sprinter's heaven, even without the beautiful woods! I ran till it was getting too dark to see. Absolutely exhilarating! This has certainly become my hill sprint location.

I also wanted to mention to you that because I had been doing hill sprints already, I noted to my amazement that I literally bounded up these steep wooded inclines without the slightest problem... it was almost scary how easily I mounted each rise and ridge. I felt like one of the many whitetail deer that live in these woods!

Thanks for allowing me to share my joy,

Glenn

Notice that Glenn didn't say 'I can't'. And he didn't wait for me or anyone else to solve his problem. He kept looking until he found a way to do the do the thing he wanted.

And, he's reaping the benefits as we speak.

No more excuses. Modify the workouts in UFT - www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - to fit your own needs. You'll be glad that you did.

RFNH


Coach K

PS In case you had trouble finding your way through that last link, here it is again. www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

Supersize She

Dear Friend,

I had the TV on while washing dishes Thursday night when I heard a man say:

'People think all we do is take steroids and we look this way... it takes a lot of hard work.'

At least I thought it was a man...

I moved over to where I could see the tube - any excuse to quit washing dishes.

There was a female body builder discussing her training for the upcoming Ms. Olympia contest.

It was a shocking sight.

She was huge - and had a deep voice like a man and some serious acne problems... telltale signs of steroid abuse...

Now, I can't say for sure that she was using the stuff - OK, maybe I can - and she didn't come out and deny it.

She challenged anyone to come into the gym for as long and as often as she did. To train from the age of 15 to look like this...

Notice she never denied using roids. And you should have seen her eyes...

While she was 'dodging' the drug question - she had no eye contact with the camera - they were darting all over the place. Looked suspicious to me...

Anyway, I applaud this bodybuilder for one thing. She had a goal - to win Ms. Olympia - and she was willing to do anything to reach it.

Too bad that 'anything' probably included sticking needles in her, ummm, muscles.

I write all the time about having goals and doing whatever it takes to reach them. But, you've also got to use your brain...

Don't do anything unnatural or potentially dangerous or harmful. In almost all cases, using these kinds of shortcuts is simply an excuse - an attempt to find the easy way to do something.

And you know what? The 'hard' way doesn't really need to be that 'hard.'

Take hill sprinting - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - for example. If you want to get in shape or increase you level of fitness, you can do it in as little as 15 minutes per day, 2 or 3 days per week. That doesn't seem too hard, does it?

You can get the results you want without killing yourself in the process.

RFNH

Coach K

PS Missed the Top 5 Reasons To Hill Sprint teleseminar? You can still get your own copy here - http://www.makesyoufast.com/top_5_cd_sales.html to find out all the benefits that doing uphill training can give you...

The Cure For Parskevidedatriaphobia

Dear Friend,

For many people today feels just plain unlucky. Friday the 13th rears its ugly head every once in a while - and people worry about what will go wrong... they fear this day.

OK, here comes the history teacher in me again... So, where did this superstition about Friday the 13th come from anyway?

First of all, Fridays have been seen as unlucky for a long time because of bad things that have happened on this day. For example:

People in the Middle Ages called Friday the witches Sabbath

Christ was crucified on a Friday

In fact, the Bible is chock full of 'bad' Fridays - Eve tempted Adam - on a Friday, Soloman's Temple destroyed - on a Friday, Tower of Babel was cast down - on a Friday, the Great flood began on a Friday...

The Knights Templar were arrested in Europe - on Friday the 13th... (read the DaVinci Code?)

And what about the number 13?

13 witches in a coven

13 people at the last supper

13 symbolized death to the ancient Egyptians - although they saw the afterlife as a good thing

13 has been called the 'Devil's Dozen'

13 people at a dinner party - all will die within a year

Some people think that since early man could only count to 12 (10 fingers and two feet) that 13 became unlucky... not sure I buy this one - what about toes?

With all of these bad luck superstitions, it's no wonder that when the two come together - on Friday the 13th - it is thought to be unlucky. Heck, at least 7 installments of the Jason movies have come out of this belief... but nobody really knows the true origins of it.

So, are you doomed to endure rotten luck on this day?

I don't think so.

The great thing about luck is that you really make your own. If you choose to be successful in fitness - or any other part of your life - you will eventually persevere.

As Earl Wilson once said:

'Success is simply a matter of luck, ask any failure.'

My advice is: Don't play the victim today, or any other day. Take action and 'luck' will find you. You can make your own fate.

RFNH

Coach K

PS A Japanese proverb says:
'The day you decide to DO it is your lucky day' Be a doer - go to http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness _training.html and make today - and every day from today on - your lucky day.

Read Part Three Here

Dear Friend,

This is it - at least for now.

The 3rd installment of 'the things I learned by reading Jerry Kramer's Instant Replay book'.

And this is a good 'un.

I mentioned yesterday that Mr. Kramer was a follower of Psycho-Cybernetics. Here's an example that proves it.

While Jerry was preparing for a big game with the Rams, he visualized the game in great detail - days before it actually happened.

How vivid were his visualizations? Check out these examples.

He visualized Merlin Olsen - who would play across from him. He visualized breaking his leg or knocking him unconscious and then saw himself knocking out a couple of other guys (hey, football's a rough sport...)

He saw the Packers scoring a touchdown and saw himself as the hero.

Then it got even more detailed:

Third down. Passing situation. Olsen likes to do this. I will do this to counter.

Different situation - what will Olsen do? Here's what I will do.

Sweep to the left (Kramer would pull on this one) - the defensive end on that side plays wide so I will have to turn upfield quickly and look for the linebacker, knock him down and go get the safety - and knock him down too.

Before he knew it, he had played a great half of football - all in his head.

See what Kramer is doing here?

He is visualizing success. And visualizing it in as much detail as possible.

Other successful people - not just athletes - use this technique all the time.

You, for example, could visualize yourself winning a race, playing your best game ever, breaking your own personal record, sprinting up that 'impossible' hill - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html - if you can see it, you can believe it and achieve it.

Take the time to see yourself being successful. Base it on past successes, think about it in as much detail as you can and involve as many of your senses as possible.

Use this technique and you too, can 'win' when it counts.



Run Fast Not Hard

Coach K

PS Remember that visualizing is only half the battle - you still have to take action. Seeing yourself at the top of the hill is not enough, you need to do what it takes to get there. Find out the quickest and easiest way at: http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

An Italian Kick In The Can

Dear Friend,

When is the last time you needed a kick in the can?

If you are like me, it's necessary every once in a while. It's why I belong to a coaching group and an inner circle - so I can get that little extra push when I need it. The little nudge to get me over an obstacle - either a real one or one in my own mind.

We all need a little push to get us over the hump and closer to achieving our goals.

Like I mentioned in yesterday's email ( read it here if you didn't get it - http://www.makesyoufast.com/speedblog.html ) I just finished reading a book about Lombardi's Packers.

Yesterday, I talked about goals in the book. Today, about needing some help in reaching them.

Saint Vince - as he is known here in Wisconsin - once told his running backs this:

He said that football is a game of abandon and you have to run with complete abandon. You don't care about anything or anyone, and when you get close to the goal line - you intensify your abandon. Nothing can stop you from crossing the goal line. Not a tank, not a wall, not a dozen men.

And here's the best part...

He finished with this:

If I ever see one of my backs stopped one yard from the goal line, I'll come off the bench and kick him right in the can.

So what does all this have to do with you?

Think of it this way. When you are going after something that you want - really want - you must go after it with everything you've got. Nothing and nobody should be able to stop you from reaching your goal. And, when you are close to reaching it - you should crank up your intensity even more to help you break through the barriers.

But, how often have you been stopped one yard from the goal line? How many times have you almost reached your goal - only to be thrown back? It's frustrating and disheartening...

That's where Lombardi's second statement comes in.

When you are that close, it may take a bit of help from outside. A 'kick in the can' to get you through to the other side.

That's part of a coaches job. To help you 'over the wall' when you need it. You will achieve more of your goals with a coaches help.

Now, if you have a coach - great. If you don't, you need to find one.

One way that many people are getting that extra oomph is by joining my Inner Circle. They are getting help by mail, by teleseminar and by email each and every month - and not only reaching their fitness goals but skyrocketing to levels beyond what they've dreamed...

Inner Circle members are people who strongly believe that:

'If you really want to do something, you'll find a way; if you don't, you'll find an excuse.'

If you are interested in joining that group of achievers - who aren't afraid to take a kick in the can when they need one - you can get the details here - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

RFNH

Coach K

PS The price of Coach K's Inner Circle membership WILL go up before the end of October. Make sure you get grandfathered in to the current price by filling out the membership application here - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

Why The Treadmill Sukx

Hey there Friend,

I continue to get more and more questions about adapting hill sprinting to the treadmill.

Any time I think of treadmills, I think of some poor hamster, running endlessly in a wheel. Working and working and working - but never getting anywhere.

My advice?

Don't.

And here's why:

1. Treadmills are inaccurate - don't think you can run the same distance and time on the ground that you do on the mill.

2. Treadmills are boring. Enough said.

3. Treadmills can lead to injury. When you run on a perfectly flat surface like a treadmill, you feet and legs do not need to adapt to movement back and forth or side to side that you get on the ground. If you run on a treadmill and then switch to the ground, you're asking for injuries.

4. Treadmill workouts are not as intense. There is no wind resistance - unless you're in a wind tunnel - and you don't have to overcome the braking action that happens when you run and propel your body forward. Besides, any piece of equipment with a motor, or chains or pulleys is doing some of the work for you.

5. Treadmills don't get you out into the fresh air.

6. Treadmills are hot - no air moving to cool you - and your own personal space heater - I mean heat generating motor...

7. Treadmills can be dangerous - especially at high speeds. Sprint training workouts - like those in Uphill Fitness Training
http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html involve drastic changes in speed. Not suitable for treadmills unless you enjoy being shot off the back end...

8. Most models that you and I can afford can't handle sprint workouts.
First of all they don't go fast enough - remember that sprinting means getting up on your toes and going all out - not easy on a treadmill.

Secondly, they are not built to withstand the pounding of a high speed workout.

Thirdly, the treads are often to narrow to be safe.

Even many health club models that cost thousands or even 10's of thousands of dollars are not built for high speed training.


So, there go any hopes of a treadmill endorsement deal. Hey, I'm throwing money away here but I just can't support something that doesn't work as well as real hill sprinting - http://www.makeyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

I've tried it both ways. Real hills are best.

One last thing. If you have NO other option, or are just in love with the treadmill, then, of course doing interval type workouts on the treadmill (or other cardio equipment) is better than nothing. But if you have hills or stairs or any other 'real world' way to add intensity to your sprint workouts - use them instead.

Don't be a hamster - or a lemming - if you don't have to be.

RFNH

Coach K

PS To get the inside scoop on the best ways to sprint when you can't get outside, read the October issue of Fitness Fast Track - available only to members of Coach K's Inner Circle. Get off the treadmill and apply for membership NOW - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

PPS OK, OK, since so many people are asking, I've relented. I've also included 8 interval workouts to do on cardio machines in the October issue. If you must use the machines, you might as well know how to get the most out of them. http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

Rummage Sale Instant Replay

Dear Friend,

'Always check for old books and magazines.'

This is what I have told my wife when she gets the itch to go out to garage and estate sales. And some of you know why...

Last week, she brought home a gem. The 1968 Green Bay Packer Diary of Jerry Kramer titled - Instant Replay.

Now this book wasn't a perfect fit in my quest for old books, but it was a great read and I learned a lot from it.

And guess what? I'm going to pass on some of what I learned to you - and you don't even have to read the whole book.

First a little background. Jerry Kramer played guard for the Packers from 1958 to 1968. Number 64 was a big part of the Packer's potent offense during their first set of 'glory years'. His coach? Vince Lombardi of course...

And this is the topic of the first interesting thing I picked up in the book - page 31.

In the first section of the book, Kramer describes a Lombardi speech before the start of the season about the Packers greatest challenge for the year.

The team had won the NFL Championship in 66 and 67. It had also won it in back to back years in 61 and 62. But nobody had ever won three in a row.

And that became the team's unifying, driving force.

To paraphrase from Kramer: 'The 3rd Championship was one of the few things left to accomplish. The team wanted it and wanted it badly.'

Think about this. The Packers were more successful than any other team in the history of the NFL. They had already accomplished more than anyone else. The had won back to back championships - twice. No other team had done that. But, even with all of their success, they still had goals...

A lot can be learned from this. No matter how much you have accomplished, you can always accomplish more. Once you have reached a goal, set another higher one to strive for.

(I found out from another source that Jerry was an avid supporter of Psycho-Cybernetics by Dr. Maxwell Maltz - ties in well with goals and how to achieve them)

This goal seeking activity is what keeps you alive and young.

More wisdom from the 60's manana...

RFNH

Coach K

PS The 67 Packers did achieve their championship goal that season. You can achieve your goals too. Run like a pulling guard to join the ever growing group of goal seekers in Coach K's Inner Circle - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html - and find out the best ways to get you to the top.

Have You Bought One Or Two?

Dear Friend,

Friday. Garbage day. A lot you can learn from what people throw away...

This morning I was driving into Madison when I passed a big pile of garbage at the end of somebody's driveway. What I saw there was very interesting...

In among the boxes, bags and cans there were three things that stood out.

An exercise bike.

An abdominal machine.

A 'gazelle' type stepper.

Funny that they were being thrown out, isn't it?

But not uncommon if you think about it.

Now, we've all purchased these kinds of equipment at some time or another - been hooked by an infomercial about the latest and greatest thing to make you exercise. I hate to admit it but I've had a stepper, multiple ab machines, and a health rider in my house at one time or another. I think my wife has snuck a Pilates machine under our bed that I don't know about yet...

How many of these have you had at home?

Know what? I can't even get rid of this stuff at garage sales. Why? Because everyone already has one or two or three or five of them at home, collecting dust or serving as a high-priced coat rack.

Why don't these miracle devices get put to the use they were intended for?

At first they do. It's exciting to get something new, to try out - it's motivating. The problem is - if you are like me:

1. They are boring to use
2. They don't give you results fast enough to keep from getting bored.

So, it's off to that great fitness equipment rummage sale in the sky...

Or, the curb. (Speaking of which, I couldn't even give one of these things away.... Put it on the street with a FREE sign on it and it sat there for days and days... apparently this one had a really good infomercial and everybody had already bought it...)

About 2 years ago, I finally decided to quit wasting time and money on this kind of stuff. I decided to go back to what works. Simple strength training, sprints and hill sprints - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html . Since then, I've gotten better results in less time and had more fun in the process.

Make the move to high intensity training and you can do the same.

RFNH

Coach K

PS Instead of blowing your money on fancy equipment that sits unused, invest in something you WILL use to improve your life. Hundreds of people have made the investment and are seeing how easy it is to get results - you can too. http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

Dear Friend,

(Tim's always writing these so I though I would throw in my 2 cents worth while he's watching football... again.)

Hi ladies. My name is Tammi (Mrs. Coach K) and I had my fifth child (yes 5th) in October of 2005. After having Keion I of course like everyone else wanted to lose the weight that I put on during pregnancy which by the way was 43 pounds. I am a fairly small person to begin with so this was a lot of weight to put on for me.

After having my fourth child I worked hard, ate somewhat healthy and got down to a size 2 and some 4's. When I say that I worked hard, I mean I WORKED HARD. I got up 5 days a week at 4:30 am to get to the gym to get in my 1 1/2 hours at the gym. I did weights for about 40 minutes and the rest of the time I spent on the cardio machines. I rotated between the treadmill (which I HATE running), the elliptical, the stairclimber and all the other machines at the gym. I got so that I could do 60 minutes of hard intense cardio. I totally saw the results and really didn't have to curb my eating habits. I am a totally chips and salsa girl. Anything with salt and I am in heaven!

So right before I got pg with my 5th baby, I weighed about 117 pounds and I am 5'7'. I was fit beyond fit. I tried sticking with my workout program once I got pg, but it is hard to stick with something so intense! Especially the 4:30 am thing, I wanted to sleep.

So I am sure that if you have gotten this far you are wondering why I am writing this and it is NOT to brag trust me! After babe #5 I just still couldn't get motivated to eat healthy again and lose the weight, plus there was no way that I was going to get back up at 4:30 am after being up all night with an infant. I decided that I was just going to have to be 15 pounds heavier and that I would have to learn to live with it.

Then I listened to a wise man and tried hill sprinting. YES, I am the one who hates running. But seriously all it has taken for me to lose the weight and stick to my not so great diet has been hill sprinting. For one, it takes only 15 minutes of my time a day and two it only takes 15 minutes of my time a day. I saw results within a week and I could still eat what I wanted and was losing flab! I am not saying that working out hard at the gym isn't worth it, but I know that we are all busy moms and don't have that kind of time or money.

Believe me, I am the hardest person for Tim to convince about anything - but I had to admit that what he told me worked. Might be the second time that I've admitted that's he's right about anything.

If you're interested in getting the same kind of results look over Tim's letter here: http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

Tammi Kauppinen

PS This was fun. I think I'll sneak on here once in a while to give a woman's perspective on things...

Can You Hill Sprint Year Round?


Hello Friend,

Running my sprints on Thursday, I noticed that a lot of the leaves were changing color already...

OK, not already - it is October, just doesn't seem like Fall should be here yet.

The different colored leaves got me thinking - 'it's getting colder, how am I going to sprint once all this nice weather is over?'

Then I remembered. I won't have to change a thing.

Except maybe the amount of clothes I'm wearing.

Now, sprinting on flat ground is another story - you don't want to be going full speed in the cold or you risk injuring your hamstrings...

But, hill sprinting is different. http:/www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html The fact that your stride is slightly shortened and you never go 100 percent of your full speed keeps your hamstrings safe and sound.

So, there's no reason to stop just because of the weather.

In other words, if you've been making excuses not to start getting the benefits of hill sprinting - making excuses like:

The weather's not nice enough

Or

I'll wait 'til next Spring to start.

Don't.

You'll miss two whole seasons of incredible workouts to bring you incredible results. Think of the results you can get before Spring rolls around if you invest in yourself now - http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

RFNH

Coach K

PS There will be days when it is too nasty (rain, snow, or freezing cold) to sprint outside. But there are many ways to do kick buht sprint workouts indoors - even in your own living room. This is the subject of the October issue of Fitness Fast Track - available only to members of Coach K's Inner Circle - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html

To The Fence And Back

Dear Friend,

Another in the continuing saga of things I learn when I pick up my daughters from cheerleading practice...

Got there a few minutes early and got to witness a 'not so good' coaching technique - at least in my opinion...

Walked in to where I could see the floor, saw some of the girls on my daughter's team - luckily not her in this case - talking and goofing around when they were supposed to be working.

The coach stepped in and sent this group to run the stairs until she came to get them...

Now, I'm not opposed to sending a message to athletes when they are not following directions - it's necessary for peak performance and for safety.

But, I do have a problem with using the stairs as punishment - or running any sprints.

Look at kids. They sprint all the time - and run up the stairs. They run as fast as they can - even when they aren't supposed to. They are always racing each other to see who can 'get there first.'

Then something happens - and it probably happened to you too. Someone started saying 'Don't run.'

Don't run in the halls. Don't run up the stairs. Don't run or you'll fall and get hurt. Blah, blah, blah...

Around the same time, some coaches and PE teachers started using running as punishment. Lose a game - run wind sprints. Late for practice - run the bleachers. Mouth off in practice - more sprints.

Or, as my junior high school's football coach would put it: 'To the fence and back.'

And I have to admit that I have done the same in the past - because that was what coaches did. Now, thinking back, I should have sent kids to run the treadmill or sit on the exercise bike for an hour or so - now, there's some real torturous punishment...

Suddenly, something fun and great for your fitness and performance becomes a negative.

And that's too bad.

So, back to my cheerleading story. Truth is that the girls running stairs were getting a great workout - improving strength, flexibility, speed, explosiveness - all while burning a whopping load of calories at the same time.

In fact, it's hard to find a better workout than running stairs or bleachers - ranks right up there with hill sprints - if you do them the right way.

A couple weeks ago, I was introduced to a kick buht program on running stairs called Ultimate Stair Exercises. http://www.makesyoufast.com/virgil_stairs.html
This course has been put together for you by Virgil Aponte, a trainer who has used his techniques with Major League Baseball teams and players in the WNBA.

You won't believe how many different variations of stair exercises are included. Doesn't matter if you are just starting to get in shape or ready to push yourself to new heights in your workouts. I learned a ton of stuff and I thought I knew everything there was to know about running stairs.

You'll never be bored again or have an excuse not to train. And, you will get results... much better results than the fake workout you get on the stair climber machine at the gym...

If you want another great set of workouts to add to your training, then you should get over to http://www.makesyoufast.com/virgil_stairs.html and look this program over.

RFNH

Coach K

PS I think Ultimate Stair Exercises is way under-priced - and I may let Mr. Aponte know that. In other words, I suggest that you get your copy of Ultimate Stair Exercises NOW, before Virgil gets smart and doubles or triples the price. Here's the link one last time - http://www.makesyoufast.com/virgil_stairs.html

How Jogging Killed Mother of Two


Dear Friend,

Monday night, I rounded the corner on county highway TT at 63 mph, and cringed to see the jogger on my right, and the oncoming truck to my left... there just didn't seem to be enough room for all three of us...

Luckily, I applied the brakes and eased a little to the left - and snuck through without hitting the jogger or the truck. But, I'm sure the runner felt more than a bit of breeze as I went past...

I hate when this happens. How many times do you see joggers out running on the shoulder of a busy highway? How many cars actually slow down or move over for them? It's just not a safe way to exercise.

And I have a horrible example to prove it.

About a year and a half ago, a young woman named Amy- who my wife graduated from high school with - was hit and killed by a pickup truck. She was out jogging on a county highway and was only a few steps from her driveway.

She was doing everything right. Wearing bright clothing, staying on the shoulder, running facing traffic... the result? She was killed instantly leaving her two young sons behind - not even a quick response from MedFlight could save her.

The driver's excuse? He had seen someone on the road, but reached for something in his glove compartment and lost sight of her. Didn't help that he was also high at the time - at around 8 in the morning.

Anyway, I'm not sure why anyone would put themselves at risk this way. Running on the shoulder of the road is just too dangerous. You can't control people's driving habits...

So, please find a safer alternative. If you must go jogging, find a path, or quiet road or go to your local high school track. Don't run on busy highways...

Better yet. Make the change to an exercise that is safer and more effective - running sprints. Just don't do those on the highway either.

Run Fast Not Hard

Coach K

PS And if you really want a safe alternative - try hill sprints. Not only will they keep you far away from traffic - they'll protect those finicky hamstrings in the process. Get the inside scoop at http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html

One Leg At A Time

Dear Friend,

The Other Incredible Moss

Late Sunday night, I saw one of the greatest NFL hilights of the season...

Did you catch it?

Washington Redskins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars. Overtime.

Santana Moss goes up between two defenders and snatches the ball out of the air. Most receivers would have fallen to the ground upon landing. Not Moss...

Instead, the Washington receiver stuck one leg down into the ground. With incredible strength and balance, his one leg stopped his downward motion and almost instantly contracted to propel him forward - straight into the endzone...

It's hard to imagine the amount of strength in that leg - able to perform an almost impossible task.

It's hard to imagine the amount of balance it took to make such an athletic move.

All on one leg.

Which is why doing single leg training is so important for speed and athletics - http://www.makesyoufast.com/ultimate_insider_speed.html - because the majority of the time, that's how you are playing - on one leg. No coincidence either that Santana is one of the fastest men in the NFL...

Want to perform amazing athletic feats on the field? Train your lower body the right way - one leg at a time.

RFNH

Coach K

PS Not only is this speedster fast, turns out he is also wise. Check out this little piece of wisdom - '...I remember an old coach of mine told me to think about what you want to do, think about who you want to be, and you can be that person. It was all a visual during the week, and it came true during the game.' I couldn't agree more...

How To Turn Things Around

Dear Friend,

Saturday Wisconsin wide receiver Paul Hubbard turned things around...

He had been plagued by dropped passes for the entire season - though he was the only returning receiver who had ever caught a pass in the game.

The fans and media were all ready to chalk him up as one big disappointment.

He had all the tools. 6'4', over 200 pounds, Big Ten Champion speed and leaping ability - but he dropped passes.

That all changed last Saturday.

Hubbard caught 6 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown - with no drops.

So, what changed in a week?

Hubbard explained it something like this:

'I remembered how much fun it is to play football...'

'I quit worrying about the mistakes I had made before...'

'I quit worrying about the bad things that might happen...'

'I quit worrying about what other people would think...'

This is a great formula for success in football - and in fitness.

Take a cue from this Badger - quit worrying about what hasn't worked for you in the past. Quit worrying about mistakes you might make. Quit worrying about what other people think. Make your workouts fun.

You'll results will go through the roof.

RFNH

Coach K

PS If you missed the Top 5 Reasons to Hill Sprint teleseminar in August, you are in luck. It is now available on audio CD at http://www.makesyoufast.com/top_5_cd_sales.html Over an hour of in depth information on why you should be hill sprinting - a great way to add fun to your workouts.

Why Walking Is Not Enough

Dear Friend,

Got an email Monday from JCK talking about a recent study presented to the American College of Sports Medicine that says the walking alone is not enough exercise to get fit.

Now, this goes against the common notion out there when we are told that all you have to do is walk at a low intensity to get in better shape.

The University of Alberta study looked at two groups during a 10,000 step program. One group walked at their own pace, the other did interval type training - low intensity alternated with short bursts of higher intensity.

The 'at your own pace' group improved their oxygen update by only 4% - the interval group by an impressive 10%.

Some interesting notes from the article:

'Generally, low-intensity activity such as walking alone is not likely to give anybody marked health benefits compared to programmes that occasionally elevate the intensity.'

And

'You've got to do more than light exercise.'

And

'gentle exercise was not enough to get fit.'

And

'...there was no doubt that vigorous exercise was the way to get fit.'

Seems to be no doubt left in these researchers minds...

So, why are we continuing to be told that low intensity exercise is enough?

Because many people are generally lazy. If you tell them they might need to work a little, they won't do it. So, tell them that 'easy' is enough, more people might actually do some exercise.

Now, remember that higher intensity is relative to your own level of fitness. It only means that you should raise the bar on your workout at least a little bit. You don't have to jump right into full all out sprinting intensity - in fact, it's not safe to do that anyway.

So, how can you raise the intensity safely? Let's look at walking as an example.

You could:

1. Walk uphill - Go to http://www.makesyoufast.com/uphill_fitness_training.html for how to do this most effectively.

2. Walk up stairs.

3. Add some intervals to your walk.

4. Add some deep breathing exercises.

These are only a few examples and they can all be adapted if you already are at a higher fitness level.

So, bottom line, you've got to get breathing heavy to get fit. Which, if you really think about it, makes sense.

RFNH

Coach K

PS Only 2 copies of my September Fitness Fasttrack newsletter remain - join the group of doers who have already benefitted from this info by becoming a member of Coach K's Inner Circle - http://www.makesyoufast.com/newsletter.html Join today and get the September newsletter and teleseminar thrown in at no extra charge...