Thomas Jefferson, author of The Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States, once said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Similar to General George Washington’s belief ‘if we’re always doing’ (see blog from April 6th), luck has a way of finding us if we’re working hard at something. Like fitness. If you workout everyday and begin to experience A) more energy, B) increased self-esteem, C) a more positive attitude toward yourself and others, or D) a healthy glow in your face, are you just lucky or is luck finding you? Of course luck is finding you because you’re “doing”, and in the “doing” comes results. It’s not luck. It’s your hard work getting rewarded with the benefits of a daily fitness routine. So keep it going with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #46 – Killer Squats – and let luck find you!
Thank you Manny Ramirez
About 20 years ago my father showed me a baseball card of a rookie he said would become one of the greatest. His name was Manny Ramirez. My father was right. In 19 years in the majors, Manny hit more home runs (555) and drove in more runs (1,831) than Mickey Mantle. As a long time New Yorker and Yankee fan at heart, this means something. And with a lifetime batting average of .312, not to mention his ability to intimidate opposing pitchers by just stepping into the on-deck circle, he’s a Hall of Famer in my book. What I remember most about Manny was the way he electrified the city of Los Angeles and led the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series in 2008. The energy and excitement was something the whole city felt, whether at Dodger Stadium or Venice Beach. Yes, he violated baseball’s drug policy (2 times), and yes, there was always Manny being Manny. Yet he played with such confidence and poise that it inspired everyone, especially his younger teammates. Love him or hate him, he was the ultimate baseball warrior. Thank you Manny Ramirez. My best always – Rich
And don’t forget today’s 5 minute workout #45 – because we all could use some Balance!
Short and Sweet
Everybody knows the expression short and sweet, right? Quite simply it means “to the point”. And with most challenging activities in life, it’s usually best for them to be short and sweet rather than drag on for some infinite period of time. Like working out. Because if you know what to do and have a specific game plan for any given day, your workouts will be effective, rewarding, painless and most importantly, to the point. Well, I guess painless is a relative thing, so let’s settle with effective, rewarding and to the point. So have fun toning your Arms and Abs with today’s short and sweet 5 minute fat burning workout #43. Enjoy – R
Perfect example of bad role models
I read in the LA Times this morning about two parents in Michigan who beat up a 73-year old school crossing guard who tried to break up a fight between their 6-year old son and another boy. This after bringing their son to school to beat up the other boy after the two kids got into a fight last week. I would call that a perfect example of bad role models. How about leading by example and treating everyone with respect – starting with yourself. Interestingly, I would bet that neither of these attacking parents partakes in anything physical fitness at all. Just a hunch, but it seems like a lot of pent up anger and negative energy. So for these accused attackers – and anyone else who’s looking to open their heart and release some aggression via a daily fitness program – check out my 5 minute fat burning workout #41, Standing Heart Openers. Then lead by example! R
What’s so special about 40?
In the Holy Bible, there’s plenty of references to the number 40: it rained for 40 days and 40 nights when God wanted to cleanse the earth; Noah waited another 40 days after it rained before he opened a window in the Arch; Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days (twice); the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness – one for each day they explored the Promised Land; Goliath came for 40 days – morning and evening – before being slain by David; Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness; and Jesus appeared for 40 days after his crucifixion to speak about the kingdom of God. In the Bible there’s also reference to your physical body as being a temple – a temple that should be respected. Regardless of your religious beliefs, respect your temple today and strengthen your shoulders, chest & arms with my 5 minute fat burning workout #40. Enjoy – R
Rich Tola to star in ‘Godfather’ remake
April Fools! But really, wouldn’t it be nice if all our dreams came true? At least in the world of make believe – and I don’t mean Hollywood – anything is possible. Today, why not consider your world of make believe the real deal? Like rapper sensation Drake croons in Nicki Minaj’s hit single, Moment 4 Life, “everybody dies but not everybody lives”. So on this April Fools’ Day 2011, imagine yourself in your wildest possible dream, and just live. Because life is short and the days fly by. And if by chance your wildest dream includes you looking like a movie star with that perfect body, here’s your chance to get started with my 5 minute fat burning workout #37 that combines some Zen with that Warrior in you. It’s called Peaceful Warrior. And I’ll see you next time! -R
Gotta love ‘Opening Day’
As a child, my brother and I used to play baseball for hours on end with my tireless father hitting us popups and grounders until the sun went down. To this day my father and brother coach kids of all ages from childhood through high school. My two nephews are also following in our footsteps, becoming quite the ballplayers we knew they would. So of course I’m a huge fan of ‘Opening Day‘. The smell of freshly cut grass, the sounds of the crack of the bat, the pop you hear when the pitcher fires one past the batter right into the catcher’s mitt. Hmmm, hmmm, good! There’s also that feeling of a new beginning. Because once the season starts, nobody cares about last year, let alone what happened yesterday. Everybody gets a fresh start – something we all can use from time to time. So if you’re a baseball fan like me, take this time to start something new. Like a daily fitness program. Because just like ballplayers forgetting their past seasons, you can forget about the workout you didn’t do yesterday and start anew. Why not? It’s Opening Day! Have fun getting terrific triceps with my 5 minute fat burning workout #36. Let’s play ball – R
48 and Feeling Great
By the time you reach 48 there’s not much hoopla about your birthday, right? The true celebration is in the continued evolution of your soul. Which also applies to your body. And with that evolution of your body brings new challenges each year. Challenges that include dealing with a slower metabolism rate, a weakening of muscles and bones, and an increasing waistline. Go figure, right? So what can be done to counter these challenges? This: what I’ve been doing everyday for the past 32 years – working out. I hate to blow my own horn here, but maintaining a daily fitness program really works. Yesterday I met a 20 year old gal who thought I was 33. That’s 15 years younger folks. Plus, I’m not a fanatic about what I eat – just smart – so I must attribute my success to working out. Everyday. Trust me, it works. Here’s a few of my favorite abdominal exercises in today’s 5 minute fat burning workout #34 – Birthday Abs. Enjoy – Rich
Quickie, anyone?
I met this 47 year old gal last night who said she spends a lot of time on conference calls, not speaking for long periods of time. She also said she hasn’t worked out in about five months. She was too busy with work and couldn’t find time before or after to squeeze in some physical exercise. When I told her about my 5 minute fat burning workouts, she noted she could easily close her door during conference calls, mute the talk button, and follow along for a quickie – for my 5 minutes of exercise, that is. Or two or three quickies that would certainly put a spark into her day. So if you’re too busy with life and can’t find the time to workout, take heed and increase your productivity during conference calls with Workout #32. And don’t forget to hit the mute button! Enjoy your quickie – R
Why procrastinate?
Did you know that today is National Procrastination Day? Well, it was actually yesterday but it was pushed off until today. Easy to do with just about anything that’s not a life or death situation. Especially physical fitness. Because exercising usually involves time and money, and of course, the rather undesirable fatigue and discomfort you experience from doing it. Everyone knows the benefits of fitness, so why procrastinate and push if off until tomorrow, or Monday, or the first of the month? Don’t do it. Don’t procrastinate. Especially with your daily fitness program. Here’s another great abdominal workout using tabletop crunches anyone can do. My 5 minute fat burning workout #31 completes a month’s worth of workouts you can do anywhere. No people. No props. No special clothing. No money. Just 5 minutes and your non-procrastinating self. Enjoy – R