When it comes to working out, there are plenty of different types and things that you can do. However, every workout should have a basic structure of three things to it. Those three components are: 

1) Warm-up
2) Exercise
3) Cool-down 

We've went over the three components of a workout before, however I think a lot of attention and focus gets put on Component 2: the Exercise. What's often neglected are the Warm-ups and Cool-downs. Those two steps are equally as important as the exercise itself. 

The warm-up gets your body ready for the exercises ahead while the Cool-down helps to prepare you for the next workout. 

Want to focus for just a few moments on the Warm-up and what that looks like. How long should the warm-up be? It depends on the length of the workout itself and what exercises are going to be included. I generally would aim for 3-5 minutes minimum for the Warm-up. 

That could be static stretching (holding a position for a set duration) or dynamic stretching (taking that same position and including movement with it). I find it best to go with the dynamic stretching to better warm-up your muscles and get the blood flowing. 

Do you warm-up, or do you typically skip it and get right into what you have planned? 

If you tend to skip them, I urge you to reconsider. Warming-up has many benefits besides getting your blood pumping. It prepares your muscles, prepares your body for what's ahead. It also helps prevent injuries. 

No matter your age, no matter your fitness level, make sure that you are getting your body ready and loose for your exercise. 

I want to know: what do you do for warming up? Comment below and let me know!

***Like me on Facebook at Vanbar Fitness and follow me on Instagram @vanbarfitness. 

BE GREATER

I'll get straight to the point. I really disliked eggs. I'm talking about a very strong dislike. Growing up I tried them boiled, scrambled, as an omelette, over hard, over easy, and whatever other method there is to make eggs. Didn't matter how they were made, didn't like them. 

Not until recently (over the last year), have I now started to eat them again. Now I can say that I somewhat like eggs. It's not my favorite choice, but I'll eat them. Just add a lot of hot sauce to it. 

You may be thinking to yourself how I can have such a huge dislike for this breakfast staple? 

There is most likely something you don't have a taste for. Some food item, or items, that you don't want to see on your plate at all. And that's okay. We don't have to like everything. 

There are so many food options to choose from that we can have a dislike for some. So when it come to your nutrition, don't feel forced to have to eat certain foods. Eating should not be torture. Eating should not be painful. When we feel that it is, that's when we run into emotional problems that adversely affect our health. 

Of course, don't eat like crap. Eat healthy for the majority of your nutrition, 70-80%. Eat foods that you like, not something that you'll struggle to finish. 

If you have a dislike for eggs, embrace it. But who knows, maybe one day you'll like them. 

***Like me on Facebook at Vanbar Fitness and follow me on Instagram @vanbarfitness. 

​BE GREATER! 

Hey there!

Remember our conversation from last week: What's your Painkiller? You've identified your pain, or pains, and the next step is implementing a plan of attack. So how do you go about that plan?

Write it down. 

You know what your pain is, so write that down. 

Based off your pain, you know what your goal is, write it down. 

With that information, write down a concrete plan of how you are going to overcome that pain to reach that goal. 

Here's an example: 
Pain: Wanting to be able to carry groceries without struggling 
Goal: To put on more muscle 
Plan: Utilize a 3 day/week bodyweight program to develop strength 

Pretty simple right? 

Of course you have to execute, but writing it down increases the chances that you are going to complete that goal. 

Whether you write it down on a piece of paper or put it in your phone, put it in a place where you can see that goal regularly. That way you see it often. That way you visualize it often. That way it motivates you that much more. 

If you are struggling with your PGP (Pain, Goal, Plan), let's work together to at least get that written down for you to get you started. 

Email me at vandie@vanbarfitness.com and write PGP. 

BE GREATER!

*Like me on Facebook at Vanbar Fitness, follow me on Instagram @vanbarfitness.

Have you ever had a tooth pulled?

I experienced that for the first time recently. It's no fun though the tooth needed to come out, so I'm glad that it did. What was worse was the pain that preceded it. If you've ever had the sharp pain that shoots up through your head from a toothache, then you know the exact feeling. 

In life we all have experienced pain. We have these particular pain-points, and we do or purchase different things to get rid of the pain..

​We buy certain products or subscribe to services because they help us solve a problem. We may have a Netflix subscription because of the low-cost price and it serves our entertainment needs. We may subscribe to a service that delivers us meals or groceries on a weekly basis to save us the pain of going to the store or because we don't have the time to go shopping. 

We workout because we want to solve multiple pain-points: feeling better about ourselves, improving our health, training for a specific event, just to name a few. 

Makes sense? We have a certain pain and our solution to the pain is a painkiller (not the kind you may be thinking...you know those at the pharmacy....don't get any ideas).

The problem we have a lot of times is that we aren't able to identify these particular pain-points. We know that there is a pain that needs to be addressed, but we don't know exactly what it is. If we don't know what it is, then we aren't able to know what will kill that pain. 

You know that exercising is good for you, but why exactly are you exercising? Your reason for exercising may be completely different than those in your household. You need to know what your exact pain-point is so that you know the specific painkiller(s) needed to destroy that pain once and for all. 

Need to know what your painkiller is for your pain-point? Do you need help finding out what that pain-point is? 

Let's chat. Email me at vandie@vanbarfitness.com and simply reply with "What's my painkiller?"

Like me on Facebook at Vanbar Fitness and follow on Instagram @vanbarfitness. 

​BE GREATER

About 3 years ago after completing a leg day workout and sipping on my protein shake, I started to look around the gym as I cooled down. I saw members finishing up their BodyPump class, some getting after it on the treadmills, others taking selfies of themselves in the mirror and I thought to myself how awesome it was that we have access to all this. 

How great it was to be able to relieve stress, to be able to exercise with family and friends, to be able to better yourself physically, mentally. Then I thought about all those that don't have that ability to go to a gym (pre-pandemic). 

Whether it may be because of location, finances, family commitments, or other reasons. In that moment I thought about how easily I was able to access the gym at any time, any day of the week and get my workout in. I thought about how much I love doing so. There are those that really do want to workout, they want to leave the excuses behind, but can't.

Today working out takes on many different forms, it doesn't just have to be in the gym. That was part of the premise behind the birth of Vanbar. It was too ensure that everyone, no matter where they are and no matter their circumstance had some access to working out or coaching. 

Help me in reaching those that don't have that access, that want to better themselves. That want to be greater versions of themselves. Help me in spreading the message. Help me to let them know they aren't alone. They have help. They have their coach. 

If you know of anyone, if that may be you yourself, let me know. Email me at vandie@vanbarfitness.com and reply simply with 'I'm Ready!'. I look forward to speaking with you. 

Follow me on Facebook at Vanbar Fitness and on Instagram @vanbarfitness. Let's spread the word.

As always...

​BE GREATER!

With everything that has been going on, are you finding it hard to stay positive? Hopeful? 

Here are some strategies that you can use right now to help you stay positive.

Check it out below in this audio message. 

Are you stuck in a rut with your workouts from home? Sometimes a change in scenery or slight changes can make all the difference. 

Here are some things you can try: 

-Go for a walk/run
-Gardening or cutting the grass (if you're into those hobbies)
-Try adding in family members into your workout (create a little challenge). 
-Workout with family/friends over video call and challenge each other. 

These can make all the difference keeping motivation going for your workouts. Give it a try!

What do the soul and body have to do with each other? A lot. 

First what is our soul? We can easily identify what our body is. It's our physical self. It's our muscles, our limbs, our bones. Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. Our soul is our character, our feelings, our intellect. And the two have so much in common. 

Let's take working out for example. When we are nearing the end of a tough workout, our body is fatigued, gassed, and ready to give up. Ready to stop. However our body may still have something left in the tank. That is where our soul comes in. Our mind can communicate to our body to push through those last few reps or to hold that sprint for just another 10 seconds, to push through and finish our workout. 

It is in moments such as those where our soul and body work in harmony. If there is a major disconnect between the two, then we are leaving a lot of stones unturned. There are workouts that aren't completed, or never started. There are tasks that don't get done. There are projects we are supposed to complete today that we tell ourselves can wait until tomorrow.

We must train our soul to to be strong and diligent. How? 

Through prayer, through meditation, through reflection. Through deciding to make a choice that today is going to be better than yesterday. That today you will be greater than you were yesterday. 

That's how. 

​Be Greater!

Have you ever worked so hard and so much to reach a workout goal? Or to reach an ideal weight or figure to match someone you've seen on TV? 

It's alright if you have. Be honest with yourself. 

Don't get me wrong, it's okay to have a workout goal, and to work diligently to get there. What is wrong is trying to be something or someone you're not. It becomes a problem when your entire workout program is built on you trying to be like someone else. 

It's a trap. Don't fall for it. 

For those that have achieved that "goal", when you have sculpted yourself to look like that person on TV, how did it feel?

Was there something still missing? Did you still feel a sense of emptiness?

Theres' a reason for that. You are more than just a body. You are more than just a physical specimen. 

Whether you want to believe it or not, you are also a spiritual being. 

Again, nothing wrong with wanting to look a certain way. However, don't base that off of someone else. Achieve it for you. That way when you do reach your goal, you don't feel incomplete. 

Working out is for more than just the physical aspect. Your fitness is tied to your inner self, your spirit. When you feed your spirit and body at the same time, reaching that goal seems much more meaningful. You become more effective in reaching that goal. You feel that much better because you're making a greater and lasting impact on the inside and outside. 

Don't workout for vain pursuits. It doesn't lead to anything worthwhile. In fact, it may leave you worse off. 

Workout for a purpose that is defined by you, not anyone else.