Saturday, April 24, 2010

WORKOUT BLAHS!!!

Hello and welcome everyone! Let's go back a few years...OK, make it 65 years...that would put me at age 7. It's Christmas eve and I am anxiously awaiting Christmas day...to see if I get what I want. One waits for weeks and months for the big day. And suddenly, the day is TODAY! Am I ready? Fast forward...for me, that same feeling exists today...waiting for the BIG DAY...
the track meet or the game. My first "big day" is in two weeks. That's followed by six more
track meets. Am I ready?! I am ready! Anticipation is a big part of preparation. One of the
roadblocks...the blahs. Each and everyone one of us sooner or later will face THE BLAHS. For
me, today was one of those days. The day...Saturday, the time 7:30 AM, the elements...cold,
raining. My first thoughts...forget it, come back later, wait for Sunday. So easy, who will know?
I will know...am I a quitter? NO! My other thoughts...what would the competition do? I answered the question by digging in and worked out. Today was one of my best workouts.
Whatever the outcome in my events, I will always remember today and one other day about
two weeks ago. You must conquer yourself...it's a great feeling! That's the intangible of life!

Have a great and meaningful life everyone! Jimmy O
Reference: www.secondwindfitnessfilm.com
www.jimmyo.stemtechbiz.com
Email: sprint444@hotmail.com

Sunday, April 18, 2010

STARTING OVER..AGAIN!

Hello and welcome everyone! Yesterday I and a friend of mine set up a booth at a Health and
Wellness Fair. The highlights...saw some of the participants from my class Balance Your Life.
I counted eight of them. Also met a few of the other vendors...Beth and Paula stopped by our
booth...alot of laughs. The lowlights...attendance was down. The poor attendance can be
attributed to a bad marketing plan on the part of the organizers and "mindset" of the consumer.
So, who is at fault? We all are...all of society. Those of us in the "health business" need to do a
better job at educating the general public through publications, forums and speaking engagements. We need to simplify our approach, our presentation and become problem finders.
I have had a saying for several years..."if a six year old does not understand what we are saying,
our message is too complicated." We need to stay away from the highly technical language.
We need to become better listners...not better talkers. So, I learned something yesterday, I
"relearned" what I already knew...ask questions and pay attention to what the consumer is
telling me. Yesterday was another learning experience for me. Carl Rogers once said "I became
a better teacher when I became an excited learner!"

Have a great and meaningful life everyone! Jimmy O
Reference: www.secondwindfitnessfilm.com
www.jimmyo.stemtechbiz.com
Email: sprint444@hotmail.com

Sunday, April 11, 2010

THE BIG 3!!!

Hello and welcome everyone! Hope you had a great week! Breathing, posture and technique...
words to train by and live by. Don't take these three words lightly. BREATHING...ten years ago,
when I started training for the Senior Olympics, I had to learn how to breathe correctly. Deeper
breathes were the order of the day. As we age we take more and shorter breathes. We have to
learn to take longer and fewer breathes. When we feel we lack endurance...the way we breathe
is a major part of the problem. POSTURE...walking, running, sprinting, jumping and yes, even
sitting, correct posture is paramount. Remember, most muscle and joint pain comes from
muscle imbalance. Walk around the house forward and backward in your stocking feet. It's like
a massage! TECHNIQUE...poor technique leads to inefficient workouts. Whether you are lifting
weights, walking or running, pay attention to your technique. Have someone watch and
critqiue you.

Have a great and meaningful life everyone! Jimmy O
Reference: www.secondwindfitnessfilm.com
www.jimmyo.stemtechbiz.com
Email: sprint444@hotmail.com

Sunday, April 4, 2010

RAISING THE BAR!!!

Hello and welcome everyone! Happy Easter! This past week was bitter sweet for me. From
Labor Day of 2009 to April 1 of this year I conducted 11 classes a week, "Balance Your Life,"
with 371 participants in attendance. So, it meant saying so long until Labor Day. Lots of hugs
and tears. We are family! Let's visit this thing called "inner challenge." We hear and talk about
"raise the bar" also. Working out and training is for the most part an all alone thing. I play a
game. 1) change my routine 2) add one or two drills 3) challenge myself in at least one drill.
This can be done by adding reps or timing myself in the sprints. Also, I time myself in every
drill. My workouts are for one hour plus twenty minute warmup and twenty minute cool down.
NEVER, EVER cut corners or take shortcuts when working out. Remember you are conditioning
the mind as well as the body. A personal challenge, raising the bar is a mental thing first! Finish
every workout on a "high." Raise the bar higher with each workout. As a competitor, I keep
telling myself "someone else is better, someone else is doing more." The day of your event...
at the starting line...now mental toughness has to take over...visualize yourself winning!
Have a great and meaningful life everyone! Jimmy O