I had a blast at the Savage Race which was held at the Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City, FL on March 28th and 29th, 2015. This was the very same property where I did my very first Tough Mudder, and hosted my first TEAM RUN with my team Team Dynasty OCR, so it was nice to come back. I ended up running 9+ miles filming the event, running the course, and hanging out with some amazing OCR (obstacle course racing) people.
WATCH FULL RACE VIDEO BELOW!
With Margaret Schlachter, Author: Obstacle Race Training
Savage Race does a really great job with their course map, entertainment, and festival layout. They are well-organized, and the staff were very nice and accommodating. It was a 7 mile course with about 26 high-quailty obstacles. That's what I really like about SR, and what I have noticed about their events from the very beginning, they don't just put up rinky-dink obstacles, they are very well-built and well thought out. I would have to say that the Savage Race fits right into my TOP 3 Obstacle Course Race companies of all time. So if you haven't done a Savage Race, then what are you waiting for, you're going to love it!
Here is the Full Race video that I made, it's 7 miles in under 7 minutes! If you need some race motivation, or need assistance in training for a race, please feel free to message me. I am a Full-Time Beachbody Coach and I can give you some Beachbody Fitness Options that can be very helpful during your journey, it has sure helped me =).
I'm always researching ways to improve my speed and distance with running. Being an OCR athlete, it is always good to change up your workouts, and find out what other athletes are doing. Just as a reminder though, just because it works for someone else, doesn't mean it will work for you. It's best to work with a Running Coach to get the best advice according to you.
Sprints with my Father
Here are two simple Sprint and Distance Running Interval Workouts that can help you with gaining more speed. I highly recommend that you do this workout at a track location. I have done this workout plenty of times, and I have to personally tell you that it has worked for me, and I hope that it will work for you.
SPRINT:
- One mile warm up, slow pace
- 10 minutes lower body stretching
- Quarter mile sprint (or 1 lap around track), 60 to 90 second jogs after each sprint: Repeat 5X
- Half mile sprints (or 2 laps around track), 2 to 3 minute jogs after each sprint: Repeat 3X
- One mile cool down, easy pace
- Whole Body stretching
DISTANCE:
- One mile warm up, slow pace
- 10 minutes lower body stretching
- One mile sprints (or 4 laps around track), 1 to 2 minute jogs after each sprint: Repeat 4X
- Two mile cool down, easy pace
- Whole Body stretching
*Workout provided by the US Navy SEAL Guide to Fitness and Nutrition
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Y Get Dirty Mud Run - Foley, Alabama (March 21st, 2015)
Where I am from in Tampa, Florida, there are a lot of mud runs and obstacle course races to participate in. Almost every weekend there is an event that you could run, it's almost like there is no OFF SEASON! It's a little different around Northwest Florida and the Panhandle area. But one day I was hanging out with my brother in Pensacola (my hometown) and I asked him if there were any events coming up, and he told me about the Y Get Dirty Mud Run. The "Y" stands for the YMCA.
Watch the Full Race Video below!
I originally had plans to attend an event in Central Florida, but was not able to make it, and so without any other plans for the weekend, I decided to make a point to check out the Y Get Dirty Mud Run and see what it was all about. I normally try to either run or film an Obstacle Course Race event every weekend if I can when I am not spending time with my family, daughter, or traveling somewhere around the world.
I woke up around 6:30am and started getting my GoPro equipment ready. From Pensacola, it's takes about 45 minutes to Foley, Alabama where the Y Get Dirty Mud Run is located, so it was pretty close. I arrived around 7:45am at the Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley, and the property looked untouched and clean =), at least for now it would be.
The event was organized by the Snook Family YMCA and the proceeds benefited the Y Campaign for Youth and Families. From the moment I introduced my self to the race director/organizer, I believe her name was Mykala, I had a very good first impression of the YMCA team, and the people who were running it. Even the volunteers were very helpful.
It was probably the smallest mud run that I've ever attended. There were only two waves. One elite wave at 9:00am which was 4.5 miles, and a Fun Run 5K at 9:30am. There were no chip timers, so they were pretty old school and used a timer at the finish line and gave out placement cards as the runners flew in through the finish line, and trust me, there were some really fast runners. Top Runners and Top Teams were awarded prizes which were nice little baskets of all kinds of things. I didn't see what were in them, but all I can say is that it must have been put together by a girl because it looked all pretty =)
I ran and filmed with the first elite wave, and went back and took as much footage as I could from the Fun Run as well. I ran about 8+ miles that day, but I loved every minute of it. This is one of the reasons why I love what I do because I can run and get some exercise, and also motivate and coach people while they are racing. It's something natural for me as a Beachbody Coach, so I enjoy doing this at the events.
A lot of people ask me why I film and attend races almost every weekend, and how I can afford to do it. Not to turn this into a book or anything =), but I started OCRTUBE.com which is a network portal for OCR (obstacle course racing) athletes to meet and network with each other, it's also a website for me to showcase my racing videos. The mission for OCRTUBE.com is to help the sport of obstacle course racing grow worldwide. I tend to to focus on more race motivation versus news and drama. I really don't care about what goes on with anyone's business, my focus is to get people off the couch and start living the active lifestyle, and that's what I focus on with my OCRTUBE.com project, as well as my Beachbody Coaching business, which is my full time gig. I am currently a Star Diamond Beachbody Coach, and help people with all fitness levels from weight loss goals to becoming a better athlete.
So without further ado, here is the video that I made from the Y Get Dirty Mud Run in Foley, Alabama. I had an absolute blast, and I definitely plan on coming back one day!
Y Get Dirty Mud Run - Foley, Alabama 2015 (Full Race with Elite and Fun Run)
Many people enjoy eating high-protein foods because they believe that protein will make them grow big and strong. Is that what you think? Let's take a look at what protein really does.
Unlike carbohydrates and fats which contain only carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, protein also contains nitrogen and other elements essential for life. Proteins are made up of several amino acids which are building blocks that are hooked together. Although there are many different amino acids (at least 20), only 9 are called essential amino acids because the body cannot make them; they must be obtained from the diet. That's why we must eat protein to take in the essential amino acids.
How much protein should I eat?
Most people consume about 150 to 200 grams of protein each day which is more than enough. Protein needs are determined by the following factors: age, body weight, and activity level.
Many athletes think that if they eat more protein their muscles will get larger, but this is false. Excess calories from protein can be converted to fat and stored. Not only that, the liver and the kidneys are put under a lot of strain when processing large quantities of protein.
How much protein do I need?
Suppose you weight 175 pounds and are doing both extreme strength and endurance training. Your protein needs would be 0.6 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. Check out the examples and how to calculate your protein needs below:
Protein Requirements for Strength Training:
Research has shown that the protein needs of strength athletes and endurance athletes are quite similar. The calculations are the same as the above.
The excess protein in an athlete's diet, not required by the body, is often around 100 grams per day. Because muscle is 20% protein, the additional 100 grams of protein per day should result in a gain of 500 grams of muscle per day, or about 1 pound of muscle per day.
Concerns with Very High Protein Intakes:
- Increases the work load of the kidneys and in the extreme cases result in kidney failure. In some individuals this practice has resulted in hypertension.
- Can be dehydrating especially during endurance events if additional fluids are not consumed.
- High intake of free amino acids may cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
- Creates imbalances of the essential amino acids.
*Information provided by: US Navy Seal Guide to Fitness and Nutrition Try Shakeology Super Sampler!
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I just finished the Insanity Max 30 Challenge and so I am currently doing HYBRID WORKOUTS and decided to try the Upper Fix Extreme from Autumn Calabrese's newest workout program, the 21 Day Fix Extreme.
The workout has you using a couple set of weights (one set of light weights, and another set of heavy weights), as well as a resistance band which is not included in the program unless you purchase the deluxe program. If you don't have resistance bands, you can get them here.
In my opinion, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but like anything, it's all in how hard you push yourself. This was my first time doing this workout, so I was simply trying to figure out what they were doing and making sure that I was doing the exercises correctly which is very important. I actually didn't even have a band with me at the time, so I substituted the band movements with a variety of pull ups. That's the one thing that I would say is a negative about the 21 Day Fix Extreme Program, there are no pull ups. When I begin my 21 Day Extreme Challenge, which I plan to very soon, I will most likely incorporate the pull ups into some of the band exercises.
There are two nutrition plans: the Extreme Nutrition Plan, and the Countdown to Competition Plan, I plan to do the latter which is really focused on carb depletion and helps get you super lean.
Here are the movement list for Upper Fix Extreme: Every movement is 1 minute starting with heavy weights, then finishing the last 30 seconds with light weights. Resistance Band movements are as described below. Rest in between each circuit and round.
WARM UP
ROUND 1 (2X)
- Full Push Up to Half Push Up (30 sec Full, 30 sec Half)
- Wide Grip Lunge (30 sec heavy weight, 30 sec light weight)
- Chest Flys (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light) if you are at the gym, you can use a bench to get more full range of motion
- Band Lat Pull Down (30 sec single arm, 30 sec both arms) if you are at the gym, you can use the lat pull down machine
ROUND 2 (2X)
- Military Press (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Twisted Abs (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Post Delt Fly to Hold (30 sec fly, 30 sec hold)
- Dolphins (1 minute)
ROUND 3
- Hammer Curls (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Tricep Dips to Leg Up Dips (30 sec legs down, 15 sec right leg up, 15 sec left leg up)
- Isolated Curls Right Arm (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Kickbacks (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Hammer Curls (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Tricep Dips to Leg Up Dips (30 sec legs down, 15 sec right leg up, 15 sec left leg up)
- Isolated Curls Left Arm (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
- Kickbacks (30 sec heavy, 30 sec light)
COOL DOWN
I really like this workout because it works out the whole upper body. If you like pull ups, I would recommend doing a variety of different pull ups instead of the resistance band exercises. You can do one pull up variety the first 30 seconds, then switch to another pull up variety the last 30 seconds.
Are you ready to take the 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge? I have some upcoming challenges, simply message me, or get the 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack here. As soon as you get your Challenge Pack, please message me here on Facebookso that I can add you to my exclusive 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Group so that you can meet and workout with others.
Stay active my friends! =)
21 Day Fix Extreme
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The BattleFrog Central FL was held on March 14-15 at the Rock on Adventures Ranch. This was my second BattleFrog Series event, and I would have to say that this company definitely puts out a great race. The event hosted elite waves from a 15K distance, 5K's for everyone, a College Dash, a kids race, and even an extreme race for the strong-willed, super human endurance athletes, BattleFrog Series has something for everyone.
I spent all day filming the 15K elite and open waves, so I probably ran almost a half marathon on Saturday first filming the elite start and finish, then going out on the course to film everyone else. It takes a lot of strength and endurance to film these races because I am out there longer than most athletes, and crossing the finish line multiple times. I have to give it up to Beachbody Fitness for keeping my health and fitness on point to do what I do.
I have been filming and running OCR (obstacle course racing) since 2011, and I have a lot of people always asking me what I take out there when I am filming races. Here is a quick list of what I typically take with me when I am filming the races, and not running competition:
Foods and Hydration:
- CamelBak for hydration (depending on the distance of a race, I will add a little P90X Recovery Mix into my camel bak for added electrolytes and calories)
- Liquid calories like Vega Sport Gels
- Cliff Bars and even Peanut Butter sandwiches on wheat
- Mustard Packets to help with cramps =)
Equipment:
- At least 2-3 GoPros
- GoPro Stick for extended shots
- 1 Extra GoPro Battery
- 1 GoPro Head Strap
- iPhone with waterproof cover (for emergency purposes and course map)
The above can change anytime depending on the race, but that's pretty much it. I try to bring the least amount of items so that I can run fast when I need to so that I can keep up with the faster athletes.
Now for the video. Check out the video that I made, and feel free to comment below what you thought of the event, your toughest obstacle, overall experience, and the type of training that you are currently doing.
BattleFrog Central Florida - 2015 (Full Race)
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Do you need some OCR and Fitness Motivation?Connect with me here, and I'll add you to my exclusive fitness group on Facebook. I understand how motivation and accountability can play a key role in life and training. Beachbody Fitness along with OCR has changed the game for me, and I am just paying it forward, and I'd love to help you.
See you at the next race, and stay active my friends!
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