TRX Orientation Video Series

I’ve recently been urged by several friends, family and VWP’s (virtual workout partners) to produce instructional videos catering to new and would-be TRX-ers. The goal is to expedite TRX competency for each and every user in terms of understanding and applying suspension training principles, tools for success, detailed exercise demonstrations; workout plans and much much more.

Most people would agree that “TRX-ing” isn’t an intuitive thing (including me)…it’s very much experiential. In other words, you have to do it to understand it…and once you get it you’ll have a fitness tool for life to serve as your vehicle to fitness and conditioning success – whatever that means to YOU. TRX has become my ultimate training tool and has helped get me into the best shape of my life…and I’m just months away from my 40th birthday!

I’ve decided to answer this call and share with you (via video!) all the secrets on TRX-ing that I’ve acquired over past several years. My work with TRX is extensive and dates back to the launch of Fitness Anywhere (makers of TRX) when I was their PR guy responsible for essentially giving birth to the TRX in national media (including military outlets). The TRX, as a product I knew for 3 days, inspired me to re-certify myself as a fitness trainer (first certified in the mid-90’s to improve my training as a professional beach volleyball player), which only helped me to further spread the gospel on TRX for what it was – the epitome of functional training for the whole body within a single, lightweight and portable station…and by the way, it was invented by a Navy Seal. Not a bad story to pitch, eh?!? We did quite well (worked with a great team!) with story generation and quickly garnered placements in the LA Times (yours truly demoed TRX w/the reporter), the New York Times (first story to name “Suspension Training” as a fitness genre of it’s own), and Sports Illustrated (showcasing Drew Brees who used TRX extensively in his torn labrum rehabilitation with elite trainer Todd Durkin). Conveying TRX in all its glory to media with limited resources like telephone and email (for the most part) was a big task since it was a three dimensional device (with no seat) capable of working through all planes of motion – which most all equipment is not capable of doing. Needless to say, we pulled it off…and I’m hoping to “pull it off” with these orientation videos so that you’re able to have a consistently beneficial relationship with your TRX for years to come.

Please enjoy these videos and share them with others who may be fitness enthusiasts, needing fitness in their lives or those who lead busy lives with limited time for working out, or even getting to the gym at all.

Work that Body!!!

3 Great TRX Exercises for Biceps

You can get a great bicep workout by using just your bodyweight and the TRX Suspension Trainer. In this video I demonstrate 3 exercises that are great for not only building muscle and toning the arms, they are great for improving core strength! Give these exercises a try and incorporate them into your training…you’ll feel stronger and look better right away.

If you don’t have a TRX I seriously recommend you get one ASAP! It’s the most effective, versatile and portable piece of fitness equipment I’ve come across in the last 15 years as a fitness professional.

Give Fitness for Father’s Day

Father’s make all kinds of sacrifices in order to provide for their family. Often times, they’ll even forgo their own health in order to satisfy the needs of others. It’s time to show some appreciation to Dad by giving him a gift that enables him to train the entire body within a single station, virtually anywhere he is. Working out regularly will not only give Dad a better physique and improve his athleticism, a fit body will give him the independence and strength to share in all that life has to offer for years to come.

My recommendation is to send Dad a TRX Suspension Trainer for Father’s Day. It’s cool because it was created by a Navy SEAL, it’s used by athletes in every major sports league and Men’s Health just voted TRX the “Best Total-Body Tool,” it’s a gift Dad will enjoy…and actually use to get fit and strong, for years to come!

The TRX comes with an instructional DVD and exercise guide to get Dad going. There are also plenty of exercise videos that Dad can watch and then do on his own at the gym, at home, outside or even on the road in his hotel room, virtually anywhere!

Thanks and happy Father’s Day to all those Dads out there!

Huntington Beach AVP Wrap Up

The Huntington Beach AVP tournament last weekend was an awesome experience both from a player and a fan standpoint. Nothing like a pro beach volleyball event at a natural beach to make the summer more enjoyable…I wish more events were produced on natural beaches! The fans tend to know the game of beach volleyball more, they follow the players throughout the season and aren’t shy about interacting with the players, refs and other fans…thanks to the high-touch environment that allows fans to do so in beach volleyball – something unique to the sport. Natural beaches also capture new fans because they can see first-hand what the lifestyle is like, and seeing well conditioned athletes do their thing half-naked doesn’t hurt either.

The qualifier was held on Thursday morning just south of the pier. On Wednesday night, we had four players staying at our house in Redondo Beach and had a big dinner that night to fuel up on some good food. I had BBQ chicken, my famous salad (with home-made dressing), cornbread muffins and cous cous on the menu. I love to cook and it’s always entertaining when you get a handful of volleyball players together so this was a fun evening. That night however, I couldn’t sleep a wink because I was so excited to play the next day. I also had virtually no appetite in the morning…not normal for me but it happens sometimes when I’m competing in a big tournament. It’s a good thing I take such good care of my body during the week so I can withstand such mental/physical curve balls come tournament time.

My partner, Aaron Wexler and I had a first round match against a team that neither of us knew. We were the higher seed (#23) but in beach volleyball that can often times be thrown out the window as there are so many good players these days and anyone is capable of getting hot at any time. This was not the case however as we proceeded to dismantle our opponents with a 21-9, 21-9 victory. We had great teamwork and served tough the entire match which led to several blocks and transition kills from digs. Although we should win this match 10 times out of 10, I liked how we handled ourselves in this “should win” game. I remember Karch never letting up on an opponent no matter how bad they may be playing. Win and move on is the mantra…and that is what we did.

The only practice time we had together going into the tournament was playing a couple of matches against another qualifier team on Tuesday morning. This was pretty much our sole opportunity to get a good feel for one another and discuss some volleyball particulars. Who will play what side?, what will we do in an over on two situation?, etc. First we played “Hawaiian Style” where we switched sides straight across the net as opposed to staying on the left or right side respectively the whole match. We figured out that we’d be best suited with me playing the left and Aaron on the right side. Also, since Aaron is 6′ and I’m 6’5″, I’d be doing all of the blocking. As much as I’ve enjoyed playing with a “like” partner in the past that I could switch up blocking duties with at any time, I like specializing my skills as the blocker on the team even better. You can really control a game from the net, and the best teams do just that. I’m even finding myself daydream-blocking where I’ll just be thinking of being at the net and reacting to my opponents offensive attack…and swatting it back of course.

When I played AVP volleyball in the big court days it made more sense to have two able-bodied players that were well-rounded enough to block as well as play defense. Only recently has the trend been geared more towards players specializing in their position. Now that I’ve embraced this, I’m motivated to become the best blocker I can be and have adjusted my training accordingly to improve things like core strength, recovery time and footwork at the net. My favorite training tool is still the TRX Suspension Trainer, a bodyweight-based fitness tool that improves strength and athleticism through whole-body, multi-joint exercises that demand high levels of core engagement, balance and coordination.

In our second round match we went up against a solid team that was the number 10 seed in the qualifier tournament, AJ Mihalic and Kevin McColloch. These guys won an AVP Young Guns tournament a week or two before this tournament against a stacked field…so they were on their game. I started off the match with a stuff block on McColloch but didn’t have as many blocks throughout the match as I should have. AJ in particular was driving me crazy with his line hits/shots. He was selling the crosscourt hit pretty well and always seemed to find a hole in my line. They played steady volleyball and had a sound sideout game going against us. Aaron played great defense behind me and maintained a great positive attitude each and every point. We ended up losing the match in two games and a score of 16-21, 17-21.

We felt like we were right there with them for most of the match but they were indeed playing that much better than we were. I’m not shaken or disappointed in the least from this loss. In fact, I look forward to playing them (or anyone that I ever lose to) again soon to see if we can improve on that performance. It’s an opportunity to learn both individually and as a team from what worked well and what didn’t, and to make the necessary adjustments to be better next time out.

AVP Young Guns, Manhattan Beach Wrap Up

Saturday morning was cold and windy…the kind of day where you’d likely prefer to stay indoors, grub on comfort food and watch a good game or movie. It takes more than some chilly wind however to cancel a volleyball tournament, especially one that has AVP Qualifier seeding points at stake and about 50 men’s teams competing in the double-elimination format tournament. 

Due to our position on “the board,” we were up first on court one. I didn’t know who our opponents were but knew that they were young, like 20 and 21 respectively, and that one was a libero at USC and the other was an outside hitter for UCLA (I think).  Our match went three games and we edged them out in game three to win. I was really impressed with the libero, he played great defense and made it hard to find sand. As requested, I started out playing left side and was doing fairly well. My partner felt that we’d do better if we switched, which we did in the middle of the match. We continued the tournament with me playing on the right side and doing virtually all the blocking.

Our first round victory earned us a match up against the #2 seed in the tournament, Ivan Mercer and Leonardo Moraes. These guys I do know and have played against but it’s been a loooong time since then and they’ve been playing at a high level this whole time – 7 years or so. We played well enough to stay with them, but not crisp enough in either offense or defense to take them down. We lost in two games…but it was still a respectible game.

When you lose, you have to referee the next match on the court you lost on so we had a little break where we could sit down and eat something. One and one on the day so far, we’re now in the “losers” bracket and it’s sink or swim time…lose and you go home (after reffing). I knew one of our opponents but had not seen him play for a long time either. No matter, we played well and beat them in two games. I must have blocked 15+ balls that match, which felt really good!

Two and one on the day now (yay, a winning record) and our next match is against a good friend – Tony Pray, who actually lives with us, and his partner. It was obvious that their strategy was to serve me the entire match. I got almost 100% float serves…short, deep and side to side. This should have made things easier for us however it gave us issues because of a couple things. My partner wanted me to pass to the middle of the court rather than in front of me, where I like to pass as it makes it easier to see the court on my approach. His request was due to knee pain he was feeling so I abliged and passed in the middle of the court. Another thing about passing to the middle is that it takes away the over on two play, which comes in handy on short serves to keep the defense guessing. Needless to say I was having difficulty siding out because of where my sets were ending up. Don’t get me wrong, I take the blame for not dealing with those sets as well as I could…and I know that they were a result of trying to help out my partner. We lost this match in two games but I feel it’s a match we could and should win most of the time.

So, we went 2 -2 for the day. That’s one more win than the last AVP Young Guns tournament I played in so it’s still a positive outcome for me. I’m itching to finish in the top three soon in an open-level tournament. I didn’t expect the comeback to happen overnight. Each time I compete I feel I’m getting a little bit better and have takeaways that I’ll work to improve on the next time out.

Speaking of next time out, the Huntington Beach AVP Qualifier will be on May 21st. I’m going to play with a new partner this time, Aaron Wexler. He’s an amazing defensive player with a good jump serve and plays with a serious attitude but doesn’t take himself too seriously. I think it will be a good partnership and I’m looking forward to having him playing behind my block. I’m also making a move back to the left side where I feel that I’m stronger from an offensive and setting stand point.

The AVP has made a couple of announcements recently that are noteworthy. First is that beach volleyball legend Holly McPeak has officially retired from competition. Secondly, the AVP has struck a TV deal with Versus so that all non-NBC games (3 of them) will be aired on the Versus channel.

Geared Up for the AVP Young Guns Tournament in Manhattan Beach

This has been a good week of preparation for the AVP Young Guns tournament tomorrow morning in Manhattan Beach, CA. Here is what I did this week to keep fit and healthy:

Sunday – 90-minute massage…after playing three consecutive days of volleyball

Monday – 30-minute cardio session on the elliptical trainer (at 9,000 ft. elevation!), with stretching and ab work afterwards.

Tuesday – 1.5 hour yoga/pilates class

Wednesday – TRX routine (below…cut and pasted in, I hope it shows up ok)

Total-Body Circuit Routine:

Go through each circuit 3 times in a row, then move on to the next circuit

Do 10 reps per exercise unless otherwise stated. Rest as little as possible!

 Circuit #1

• TRX Squat w/High Row
• Forward Lunge w/Arms Up
• Set 1 – Push Up w/Pike, Set 2 – Push Up w/crunch, Set 3 – Suspended Oblique Crunches
• Rows (elbows in)
• Rear Balance Lunge

Circuit #2

• Shoulder series – 4 “T”, 4 “W”, 4 “Y”
• Suspended Burpee – Do 10, then 8, then 5 reps per leg per set (3 sets total)
• Wide grip pull ups
• Swimmers pull
• Plank w/Abduction – 15 reps per set

Circuit #3

• Suspended lunge – 3^rd set with power (get separation from ground)
• Scorpion Kicks – 10, then 8, then 5 reps per leg per set (3 sets total)
• Set 1 – Hip Press, Set 2 – Hip Press, Set 3 – Hamstring Curls
• V-sit up

Post Workout Stretch Session

Thursday – rest and use foam roller for self-massage

Friday – Flexibility/circulation session with Power Plate, a vibration training device – then hitting the hot tub

Now I’m ready to play tomorrow morning. We’re up on court 1 in the first round…and we’d have the #1 seed to play in round two if all goes well. Time to battle!!!

BTW – If you want to learn more and get a TRX of your own just go to www.VirtualWorkoutPartner.com.

Preventing Osteoporosis – The Silent Killer

When I think about why fitness is important to me I realize it’s mostly because I like being an athlete, having energy and being able to physically perform just about any activity I’d want to at any given time. I’m also motivated however by the power of prevention with respect to disability and disease, of which there are plenty to be worried about. The exercise and good eating habits I do today will protect me from several ailments/injuries in the future. May is Osteoporosis awareness month so I wanted to help inform people of this disease which is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans…and it’s called the “silent killer.”

Osteoporosis is a disease whereby bone density is reduced, causing bones to become fragile and more susceptible to breaking. The disease affects approximately one out of every three women and one out of every five men over the age of 50 years. In aging populations, a bone break resulting from osteoporosis can lead to loss of independence, hospitalization and even dealth.

Bone loss is inevitable with age. As we get older we’re not able to replace bone tissue as fast as we lose it. The rate of bone loss is different for everyone and some people are at risk more than others including older/aging adults (40+), post menopausal women – especially Caucasian, Asian and Latino women; small boned/framed individuals, those with sedentary lifestyles or who abuse alcohol to name a handful.

Bones have major functions in our bodies and it’s important to maintain their health so they can:

• Provide structural support to the body
• Protect vital organs
• Store minerals such as calcium
• Provide a shelter for marrow to produce blood cells

The 2004 report from the Surgeon General titled Bone Health and Osteoporosis emphasizes the fact that many Americans do not currently get enough exercise. Exercise, strength training in particular, has proven to build bone mass in young people and slow down bone loss for adults – something that typically begins at age 40. Strength training via resistance or weight bearing exercise stresses muscles and bones which causes them to adapt and grow stronger in response.

Osteoporosis is called the “silent killer” because many people do not even know they have it until they incur a fracture. Strength training is especially important for older adults not only to maintain bone density but to also build muscle tone and improve posture and balance for preventing falls, a common cause of osteoporotic breaks. Those who exercise regularly will also speed up rehabilitation from injuries like bone fractures.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week including 2-3 days of weight-bearing exercise. The International Osteoporosis Foundation tells us it’s never too late in life to start exercising but caution people at the same time to consult a physician regarding what kind of exercise and level of intensity is appropriate. In any case, it’s vitally important for people to maintain a lifestyle based in regular exercise and sound nutrition to slow the rate of bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.

As a fitness trainer, I’d recommend bodyweight-based exercise using a TRX Suspension Trainer to anyone 13 years old or older for improving strength (especially in the core), balance and coordination…and to build lean functional muscle mass and maintain bone strength! TRX offers a highly functional workout for the entire body and exercises can be performed as easy or difficult as you want them to be. Each TRX System comes with easy to follow set up and use instruction as well as an exercise guide DVD to get you started. Live a long healthy life and don’t let the silent killer get you!

Three Days of Beach Volleyball in a Row

Since I was playing in a tournament with a first-time partner on Saturday, I decided to meet up with my partner in Hermosa Beach to do some light drills and discuss things like where we each liked our sets, blocking/defense strategy and other general volleyball-related stuff. My wife was playing with some friends in Hermosa that morning so we had a great breakfast at Good Stuff, then we each did our thing. It’s always nice when we can both be at the same beach!

The Great American Volleyball tournament on Saturday was held in Manhattan Beach – probably my favorite place to compete due to it’s rich beach vb history, great sand/courts and it always brings out the best teams. The day was nice and sunny but a steady and ever-increasing wind throughout the day kept it a little on the cool side from time to time.

We lost our first match in two games but it was close. In fact, our first game was lost by a score of 38-40…and the game is to 21 (win by two)! The second game was lost 18-21, which put us in the contender’s bracket for the rest of the day. Our first match in the contender’s bracket was a tough one against a notable team and we pulled it out in two games, including one that was a score of 35-33. I got two blocks in a row to win this match. The win felt good!…it always does!

Our next match was against a smaller, but solid team with good ball control. The wind had picked up quite a bit by now and it was a challenge just to serve the ball in the court. The match was close the entire time and we lost in two games. Tournament over. The loss felt bad!…it always does, especially when it means your tournament is over!

I felt like our partnership was just ok. He played well, made some nice digs and transitioned for points most of the time…and he set me well. I played well also – passed consistently well, had my side out game going on and was getting lots of blocks in each match. We meshed well enough to play competitively with anyone but we didn’t have that “special ingredient” that would give us the edge. That being said, I’ll be joining my previous partner (Sumi) for the next tournament to see if we can improve upon our prior finishes and prepare for the forthcoming AVP Qualifier in Huntington Beach on May 21st. Sumi was in Miami for business this last weekend which is why I was open to playing with someone new.

My partnership with Sumi is bound by a mutual respect for one another. We communicate well with each other and always maintain a positive attitude regardless of what the scoreboard says. This is a great foundation for a partnership! Now, we just have to refine our game and that will come naturally with some practice and playing in tournaments together. I know we both have game enough to make it on the AVP. The only question is will it happen sooner or later….stay tuned!

On Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to train with a couple of full-time AVP pros (Will Stickland & Aaron Watchfogel) in Manhattan Beach. Our house-mate and fellow aspiring AVP player (Tony Pray) invited me to join him after getting the call Saturday night from Will. I was feeling pretty good even after playing in a tournament the day before. As a guest of their group, my goal was to help them with whatever training they were doing as well as help with set up, take down of the equipment and shagging balls. Do unto others, right!?!

We did some side out drills, freeball handling drills and played a game where the serving team had to win 5 points before the receiving team could side out 11 times. All of us got in some good reps. Tony and I played well in the drills but were certainly outdone by Aaron and Will. Those guys are extremely talented and skilled volleyball players! Lastly, we played one  game to 15 points and got smoked…something like 15-5! Aaron started off by acing us down the middle and then later on Will’s float serve was giving us massive trouble. I love playing against better players…it’s motivation to get better and someday hopefully beat them.

It was soooo nice to get in three straight days on the sand since I’m out of town (and away from the beach) so often. Like I’ve said before though, I play as good as I’m feeling so I take the time to train correctly (mostly with the TRX) and eat well during the week so I’m ready to go come tournament time.

Next weekend is another AVP Young Guns tournament and it will be held in Manhattan Beach. Aside from $10k in prize money, this tournament will offer points that will help with seeding in the next AVP Qualifier. The tournament will be stacked and we hope to start making a dent by going far in the tournament, or winning it outright.

BTW – here is my volleyball bio. Hopefully the AVP will allow me to update the info and my photo soon!

The Ultimate Home Gym…To Go!

It’s one thing to have an exercise apparatus that’s fun to use and delivers results in the privacy of your own home. It’s an entirely new ballgame when that piece of equipment weighs less than two pounds, folds up into the size of a toiletry bag and can literally travel with you anywhere to deliver a whole-body functional workout on your time, wherever you like (home, hotel room, outdoors, gym, beach, etc.), and all within a single station. Add the fact that the TRX System by Fitness Anywhere could replace your gym membership for about $150 bucks and now you’ve got a recession-proof (and excuse-proof) fitness program. Not bad, eh?…and it all stems from Navy SEAL ingenuity!

Two of the latest trends in fitness are functional training and bodyweight-basedexercise. The TRX System is a fusion of these fitness methods and has created a new genre of fitness called Suspension Training. Suspension Training is considered by some to be the evolution of functional training because of it’s emphasis on core engagement and it’s ability to work the body through all three planes of motion (saggital, frontal and transverse).

Suspension Training with the TRX System allows users to make exercises easier or more difficult with simple adjustments in hand and/or foot position, and this can even be done on the fly. Due to it’s versatility, TRX is appropriate for use by kids, baby boomers, weekend warriors and elite athletes alike. No matter how strong or weak you are, there are ways to progress or regress the intensity (hence difficulty) within dozens of exercises so that you’ll not only have a workout for how your body is today, you’ll have a fitness method that can accommodate your improved physique  for years to come.

Why do I love the TRX? I used to be a gym rat who lifted a lot of iron to get strong but found it didn’t improve my athleticism or protect me from injury as much as I would have liked. Since using the TRX System about three years ago (still using the same one!), I’ve become healthier and fit enough to try making a comeback as a professional beach volleyball player on the AVP Tour – at age 38!

Each TRX System comes with the following:

• TRX Suspension Trainer
• Instructional DVD
• Fitness Guide
• Travel Pouch
• 30 day, 100% satisfaction guarantee

For additional support, check out their video library for clips on set up and use, upper body exercises, lower body exercises and core exercises. I’ll soon have some videos of my own that I’ll share through this Blog and my website – www.VirtualWorkoutPartner.com so please come back and visit often…and follow my AVP comeback efforts on this Blog too!…see folder titled “The Comeback of 09′”

TRX used on the Biggest Loser TV show

AVP Young Guns, Long Beach Event Wrap Up

The AVP Young Guns tournament run by Great American Volleyball last weekend was pretty stacked. It was a nice sunny day but there was a strong and steady cross-wind blowing all day long. There were many good teams and several players with AVP main draw experience competing. My partner and I won our first match, then lost our next two to place 33rd in the tournament overall.

The first match is one we should win 99 times out of 100, in my opinion. Even though we were ahead most of the match, I’ve learned to keep the pressure on with aggressive play 100% of the time at this level. There is just too much at stake. This is something I learned from watching Karch Kiraly, the best player who ever lived…and who would never let up on you in any tournament situation.

In the next two matches we lost simply because we were outplayed. A couple of things here and a couple of things there can really add up quickly in a game to 21, so consistency is key. All in all, I felt our sideout ability was pretty good but our defense did not make up the difference in earning back any points lost on sideout attempts.

We would have liked to have finished better of course. This comeback will be met with several challenges so each experience along the way will have positive takeaways, and that’s what I’ll mostly focus on…but first, here were some of our challenges to contend with:

• This was the first tournament we’ve played in together – I have a fondness for taking “ball” when I block meaning that I’d read the hitter and react accordingly Vs. committing to line or angle (with option to take ball on tight sets). My partner prefers to defend behind a line, or “channel” block. We settled on me blocking line, then releasing to take ball when the set so dictated. I think we’ll change things up a bit more next time so that I’m freer to act on instinct and aggression. I fear we became predictable as a defense after awhile.
• We’ve played together before in practice but did not have the opportunity to train together durin the week leading up to the tournament – Fortunately I’ve been able to stay in shape and continue to play well despite not getting my feet in the sand during the week. These days, I seem to play as good as my body feels so I take good care of it and that’s my main focus leading up to an event. Communication however if a huge factor in being a successful team and we could have improved here as well…something we discussed and will work on.
• My partner was suffering from a calf cramp the entire tournament, citing dehydration – This is a pretty hampering condition as it affects virtually every kind of volleyball motion, especially the jump. This is another reason why I probably should have been more aggressive at the net rather than keeping my partner in a comfortable posture. Fortunately, dehydration is a condition that has a simple remedie and I’m confident he’ll be 100% by Thursday’s qualifier tournament in Riverside.

You can view the Great American Volleyball tournament results from last weekend by clicking here, then click on the “results” hyperlink for Long Beach. BTW – I just got the AVP brackets for Riverside and found out that the team that won this tournament will be the team we’ll have to go through if we win our first two matches. Tough road to the main draw but I welcome the challenge and look forward to the battle.

There can be no testimony without a test!