Sunday in the Sun

It was a bright, sunny afternoon when the youth athletic development crew showed up. Despite the heat we stayed well hydrated and did the vast majority of our workout in the shade. ;-)

The class started with a warm-up progressed in to pushups, pillar holds, double leg lifts, side pillar holds, hops and jumping jacks. After 15-20 minutes of working out we moved to the main field and enjoyed a game of 1-hand touch football.

The kids had a great time and it never ceases to amaze me how much they forget about things once the "play & fun" begin.

Also, good luck to all of our "Vipers" who start their baseball tournament this week.

Metairie Update

Another warm summer evening, another great workout last Thursday night in Metairie. After a few minutes of loosening up and getting that heart-rate up, we dove head first into the interval sets that consisted of 30-20-10 second periods of strength, cardio, and recovery. The exercises included side lunges, bicycles, standing twists, marching drills, push-throughs, skips, and others. The workout was challenging yet manageable, and I hope everyone walked away feeling proud of what they've accomplished. Although I understand that we may get a bit too winded to converse much, my facial-expression-reading skills tell me that everyone in the group is working hard and pushing their limits, overcoming the urges to stop early or not finish. And please trust me when I say that this mental aspect of our workouts - this training of the mind to resist the temptation to quit and to keep going especially when you feel like that's the last thing you can do - is just as important as the physical training of the body. It's a skill that needs to be practiced, and the more you do it, the easier it becomes. But don't think of it as all hard work! The feeling of accomplishment, satisfaction, and pride that you get out of this concerted effort to persevere is one of the best feelings you can get. So keep at it, y'all! Stay focused, have fun, work hard, and reap the benefits!

Be healthy, be happy.

Sincerely,
~PG

Sunday Challenge - FitFunCamp

Who said workouts had to be boring? Today's workout started with a dynamic warm-up followed by a mix of 50-10 interval circuits mixed in with several longer cardio circuits.

Tricep dips, picnic table pushups, ladder hops, front/back hops, side-to-side hops, overhand and underhand grip pull-ups, calf raises and wheelbarrow (good for a few laughs). This morning's group pushed each other, encouraged each other and laughed together throughout the morning workout.

The Norco and West Bank crews are really putting the heat on the Destrehan crew to get in gear on Sunday mornings. I think they may even throw out a challenge to everyone real soon. Look out.

Remember, results will be seen once you are coming 3 times per week. You are ultimately responsible for your results and Team Xcelerate is here to help and guide you along the way. Keep up the good work.

Have a great Sunday and we'll see you tomorrow night, 7:15, @ Shriner's Field.

Summer Training begins

For the first night of Teen Athletic Development, mother nature reminded us that if we choose to live and train in a tropical climate, we better be prepared to battle the elements. Right as 6:00pm rolled around, the sky turned dark, the air temperature dropped a few degrees, and humidity sky-rocketed. In a few minutes, the sky opened up and for the rest of the evening it was raining, alternating between periods of light drizzle and intense downpours. The rain was refreshing though, and the first workout of the summer was an excellent one. Except for a short, light warm-up jog, we stayed under the cover of a gazebo, where we completed a circuit of of leg, arm, and ab exercises. For the leg sets, we alternated between sets of leaping lunges and jump-squats as well as step-up-jump-downs and high-knees. For the arms, we used the benches to do dips and and push-ups and then took turns on a Powerbase to work the shoulders (and good running form) with resistance arm swings. And for the ab sets, we did sets of crunch-holds and leg raises (to work upper and lower abs) and side-crunches and side-raises (to isolate the obliques).

All in all, great workout. Expect something drastically different, yet just as challenging and satisfying on Wednesday.

Also, please remember there are morning runs on Mon/Wed/Fri at 6:30 am as well as quick mini workout sessions on Mon/Tue/Wed evenings at 7:00pm.

***In other words, there are plenty of opportunities to come out and train. Don't miss them.****

Be healthy, be happy...

Sincerely,
Phillip Glotser