Oatrageous Snack
Well I was passing by Uxbridge personal trainer, Andrew Ross, when he said,”Pssst, try this…it’s goood.”
The goooey mixture didn’t look particularly appetizing – unless you like haystack brownies.
But, you know me – anything for science – so I took a big fork full!
And, let me tell you it was so goood, I twisted Andrew’s arm, almost breaking it in fact, until he reluctantly gave up his secret recipe:
- 2 cups oatmeal, uncooked
- 2 scoops Chocolate Protein Powder
- 1/2 cup organic raisins
- 2 Tbsp (heaping) Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1/4 cup Wheatgerm
- 1/2 cup milk (use more or less to achieve desired texture)
Try this one out…especially you hargainers out there.
Circuit Training Defined
Circuit training is a great way to do resistance training and aerobic training in one workout. You select a certain number of exercises, and go from one exercise to the next with little or no rest, until you’ve completed all of them.
A circuit can be set up any way — it’s fun to be creative. You can do a full body circuit, a lower body circuit, core circuit, upper body circuit, etc. By doing the exercises consecutively, your heart rate stays in the aerobic zone, at the same time developing lean muscle tissue. You can also add in exercises like jump rope and step-ups.
Circuits are great for all levels, beginners up to advanced. A circuit of 6-8 exercises is usually a good beginner level, working up to 12-15 exercises done twice for advanced. As you can see, a circuit can last as short as 10-15 minutes and go up to 60 minutes.
Time Involved: 10-60 minutes
Body Benefit: Workout in half the time!
Uxbridge Trainer Takes On The Heavy Events
Recently, I volunteered at the Heavy Events at the Highland Games of Durham at Uxbridge’s Elgin Park.
This really raised my pulse. As “fun” as retrieving a 56lb weight or standing up a 20 foot caber (telephone pole!) can be, I wanted to try my hand at throwing.
Rick Blair, one of our great Uxbridge gym members, told me about a Heavy Events school (the only of its kind…more on that later) in Fergus. It would cost me some money, but I’d learn the events from Warren Trask and Kevin Fast — legends in Highland Games and strongman circles.
I was sold. And it was well worth it. In my first competition, I finished 8th, and qualified to throw as an amateur on Sunday at Fergus. What a ride! And, it’s just getting started.
Obviously in a week, you can’t perfect technique in 7 unique events. After the first day, Warren Trask, who placed second in the World Championships in Scotland this year, and a veteran of over 800 Highland Games asked me what I thought about yesterday – I said, “I learned a lot, but I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Hopefully you can learn, as I did, from his response: “That’s why some of us live a long time.”
Are you still learning? I hope so. This fall, you may just have an opportunity to learn the Heavy Events right here in Uxbridge…so stay tuned.
