Fit ‘n Glam

Today, 16th of June, is Youth Day, a public holiday in South Africa, observed to commemorate the 1976 Soweto uprisings. The uprisings marked a key moment in South Africa’s struggle for liberation during apartheid: they were a spontaneous, sustained challenge to the racist government from an unlikely source, the country’s youth.

Practical note on SA public holidays: banks and post offices are closed, as are many shops; and trains, buses and minibus taxis run limited services. On 16 June, 1976, a large band of schoolchildren gathered in Orlando, Soweto (and other areas), to march against the government’s imposition of Afrikaans as the universal medium of learning.

The police arrived to break the protest up, and, during the confrontation, began to fire with live ammunition on the students. Many were killed - including Hector Pietersen, subject of an iconic photograph that is featured at the Soweto memorial where he fell. The Soweto protests galvanized other parts of the country, and became the focus point of a new, internal movement for freedom.

I recently purchased the 1 ton hooks as I wanted to improve my grip on pulling exercises when I work my back muscles. I love training back and I was starting to really get frustrated as I will still have plently of strength left in my back muscles, but the grip will give out and I had to stop the set.

So, I did back instead of chest (couldn’t wait till Thursday to train back) and I was quite impressed with myself. I totally killed back today and got a few comments from other gym members about how strong I am etc…I will train back again on Thursday and give a full review..

I look forward to achieiving my goal of doing 20 unassisted pullups in one month…

The inner battles that athletes wage within themselves are numerous. The fear of failure as well as the fear of success, are common. Each person deals with it in his or her own way. Canadian golf sensation Lorie Kane knows as well as anyone what this battle entails. "When I’m confident I move forward and when I’m not, I don’t." Sounds simple enough, but confidence and winning can be illusive in both sports and life. Lorie has first hand experience in this matter and her approach to finally winning her first LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tournament has lessons for all of us.

 In 1997, her first full year on the LPGA tour, her goal was simply to get experience and get better. She stood on the brink of victory four times that season. Two of her four second-place finishes came in agonizing sudden-death playoffs, but still she won U.S. $425,964, eleventh on the money list. A stellar first year. Over the next three years, Kane became one of the tour’s most consistent performers, reaching number five on the money list in 1999, the only player without a winner’s cheque to crack the top ten that year. She led the LPGA in most rounds under par for two years running.

She lowered her scoring average every year and established a reputation as an iron woman, playing thirty or more tournaments a year and earning nearly two million dollars. She even shot a hole-in-one. But she could not win. The questions began circulating amongst media and fellow players: When would she win? Did she have the right stuff? Was she tough enough? Did she have the will? After nine second-place finishes, she began to wonder herself. Here is where her caddy Danny Sharp played an integral role in helping her over that final hurdle. "When she started to have all those seconds, it became obvious that she had a fear of success," said Sharp. "Winning was going to put her out in front.

Prior to that she could hide in the pack." It might sound odd having a fear of success, but it is more common than you might suspect. Kane had been secretly managing her fear by focusing on lowering her stroke average and never talking about winning. Sharp believed that this strategy had to change. It had put her into contention nearly every tournament but it did not help her win. "You have to think about winning, embrace it, talk about it," said Sharp. "Once she got into a position to win, no one helped her to think about winning." Heading into the Michelob Light Classic in St. Louis last August, she decided to face her fears head on.

Early in the tournament, the attention was where she wanted it — on the tour stars. The cameras only shifted to Kane after she followed a first round 68 with a scorching 66, putting her in the lead. "The night before the final round I visualized the whole course," she said. "I have a great memory for golf courses. I played my way through each hole, each shot. Then, driving to the golf course, Danny and I talked strategy to get focused. I wasn’t comfortable through the first nine holes. I was fighting things. I can remember standing on the second green after I bogeyed the hole and I turned to Danny and told him I felt like I was going to throw up." Kane was one over par through the front nine, but when she made the turn to ten, she says she had ‘a chat’ with herself. "I said to myself, ‘This is mine and you’re not taking this away from me.’" The real competition Kane realized was in herself, between the part of her that feared success and standing out, and the part that wanted to be a golf star. "I remember the save I made on eleven. I had a very difficult shot.

I said, ‘I’m going to get this down.’" She took a breath and chipped out of the rough to within four feet of the hole. Then she made the putt, saving par. And then it kicked in. Not the old fear, the confidence. A relaxed and smiling Kane birdied the next two holes. "I remember coming up to eighteen. People started clapping on the tee and they didn’t stop until my putt went in." She won by three strokes. Golf World declared her breakthrough the LPGA’s "feel-good story of 2000." After that, says Kane, her confidence level "went boom." Over the next twelve tournaments Kane won three more times and posted seven top ten finishes. She had broken through the hurdle. "Improving the physical part of your game can take weeks and years,’ says Sharp. "But changing your thinking can change things just like that." "Golf tests you every day," says Kane. "When you’re down or there’s pressure, you have to find that place in yourself that is calm.

Golf makes you bring out the best in yourself." The same can be said about life. It tests us and forces us to bring out our best. What Lori Kane went through is no different than the challenges we face. We all must look within and challenge fear. We must fight our own inner battles. With confidence and the will to win we can achieve any objective, surmount any hurdle. We all have that spirit within us and that is what makes us so special. We too can be champions.

John Kehoe

I have recently come across the Scivation books, and feel that I have finally found something that makes sense for me. I have also been following their Scivation threads for the last 2 months, also read all their books. I have started doing the Lifestyle Advanced Training Routine on 8 June 2009. It is a 12-week training program (split routine hitting each body part once per week and allowing recovery.

The routine is divided into three phases:

Phase 1: Conditioning
Phase 2: Growth/Strength
Phase 3: Strength/Growth
Weeks 1-4: Conditioning 

During the Conditioning weeks, the rep ranges are 12-15 and you perform three to four sets for all upper body and lower body work. The goal is to adjust the weight (increase the load (weight) as the volume (reps) decreases) to get 12-15 reps on every exercise. Rest 60 seconds between sets. 

The goal is to handle a weight and rep range that allows for completion of 15 reps for three sets. 

Week 1 – 8 June – 12 June workout  

Monday, 8 June 2009 – Chest
Exercise performed in order
1. Incline Barbell Press - 3 sets 12-15 reps
2. Flat Barbell Press - 3 sets 12-15 reps
3. Dumbbell flys - 3 sets 12-15 reps
– smooth and controlled motion
4. Push Ups - 3 sets to failure
5. Crunches - 3 sets 30 seconds6. Reverse crunches - 3 sets 30 seconds 

Tuesday, 9 June 2009 – Shoulders
1. Dumbbell Military Press - 3 sets 12-15 reps
2. Front Dumbbell Raise
3. Standing Side Lateral Raise - 3 sets 12-15 reps
4. Rear Deltoid Machine
5. Standing Calf Raises - 4 sets 15 reps
6. Seated Calf Raises - 4 sets 15 reps 

Wednesday, 10 June 2009  – Legs
1. Squat - 3 sets 12-15 reps each leg
2. Straight Leg Dead Lift - 3 sets 12-15 reps
3. Leg curl - 3 sets 12-15 reps
4. Leg press - 3 sets 12-15 reps each leg
5. Leg extension - 3 sets 12-15 reps
6. Standing Calf Raises - 3 sets 12-15 reps
7. Seated Calf Raise - 3 sets 12-15 reps 

Thursday, 11 June 2009  – Back
1. Bent Over Barbell row - 3 sets 12-15 reps
2. 1 Arm Dumbbell Rows - 3 sets 12-15 reps
3. Cable Pull Downs - 3 sets 12-15 reps
(like dumbbell pullover but with cable standing)
4. Wide Grip Pull downs - 3 sets 12-15 reps
5. Hyperextensions - 3 sets 12-15 reps – smooth and controlled motion 

Friday, 12 June 2009 – Arms
Exercise to be performed in order
1. Standing Barbell Curls - 3 sets 12-15 reps
2. Preacher Curls - 3 sets 12-15 reps
3. Hammer Curls - 3 sets 12-15 reps
4. Triceps Press Down
with V-Bar or Rope - 3 sets 12-15 reps
5. Over the Head Extensions using rope - 3 sets 12-15 reps
6. Dips - 3 sets 12-15 reps
7. V-ups - 3 sets 30 seconds
8. Leg raises - 3 sets 30 seconds 

I also performed 30 minutes of after weights with heart rate 130-150.   I had a great week, my whole body is sore (in a good way), I am also eating the Scivation “way”, and I don’t feel deprived, and I am not constantly thinking about food. 

My current macros are : Carbs = 50 Protein: 151 Fat = 45g Except for when I carbs almost triple. 

I feel more energetic, stronger and have no cravings with this way of eating So my breakfast is: 8 egg whites, 1 whole 1 cup spinach Half grapefruit 

Current grocery list: Carbs: Sweet potato, oats, grapefruit and oranges Veggies: Broccoli, green beans, spinach, cucumber and lettuce 

Protein: Chicken Breasts, Whey protein, tuna and lotsa eggs 

Fats: Avo, Almonds, peanut butter and olive oil 

I love the peanut butter, avocado, almond nuts…Yum. I am so looking to seeing results..