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Unhappy With Your Current Workout? | Kap Lifestyle

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Ever start a workout program and realize it’s simply missing your sweet spot? Perhaps you made a New Year’s resolution to work out, but you’re not getting the results you envisioned. You’re not alone – one of the most common questions I get from loved ones is what to do when they’re unhappy with their current fitness routine.

For today’s post, I invite you to be a fly on the wall of a conversation I had via email with a close friend. He wrote me because he is displeased and burnt out on his current workout program and wants to change it up. I’ll provide the exact interaction, then we’ll explore what it really means. See if you spot yourself in any part of this conversation.

For context, my friend is an executive with an NBA team. He’s intelligent, hard working, caring and intuitive. I’ll call him Fred.

Fred:

Kap, I’m struggling with old tired ass workouts. I’ve just trained for a half marathon and lost most of my muscle that I actually had. I am looking to try a different type of routine. I actually was interested in doing a sprint workout because I am tired of bikes and Precor machines. I am looking for a plan that allows me to do a few different exercises but not spend the whole day in the gym, the squats and deadlifts scare me as I don’t want to do them, actually never really had to. I will do them if you trust they are the best. I need to add muscle definition to my upper body as it took a beating during this running gig I was doing, not to mention jet ski and boat season are right around the corner. Thoughts on number of days to train and what to train?

Interpretation:

[I’m struggling through a moment of weakness and feeling insecure. I tried something and it didn’t work; now I’m worried about trying anything new. I need a friend to talk to about this and I’d like to make a change. I need extra reassurance that this is right for me. Can you help?]

Me:

Yes, I believe wholeheartedly in squats, dead lifts, bench press, overhead press and rows as the essential moves. This is tricky, because it will require a huge mental commitment on your part to potentially gain some body fat while you build muscle. I recommend zero cardio for a month while you build, no sprints either. Just do the lifts, and only three times a week for an hour. Can you do that? This is a three month process that will have you leaner and harder at the end, but you’ll need to put the dogma out of your head for at least the first six weeks. 

Let me know how this sounds, and we’ll talk further.

Fred:

Whoa, wait bro…..just curious….what do I do on the other days??  Yoga, stretching, TRX training…swimming?  I don’t have the problem doing the work, but what do I do when on the road and don’t have a facility that has a squat rack, or over head bar or bench are there other exercises that I would do as a replacement?

[Your advice is overwhelming and makes me nervous. This is very different from my current program, and it’s hard to digest that as wasted time. I was hoping you’d suggest something that would require less change but provide great results.]

Me:

On the other days, you rest. You do nothing, or take a leisurely walk, because you want full recovery and give your tissue time to repair. You will be in building mode. Like I said, it’s a challenge mentally to do less. 

A rack and bench are the two most common pieces of equipment. Your ability to find them and adjust is an indication of your willingness to grow. Nobody understands that better than you, dig? 

Every hotel you stay at will have a gym with what you need within a 5 min cab ride, more likely a walk. 

Fred:

Wow interesting. I see your point…I think the real struggle would be not doing cardio for a month…wow.  If I would commit to do this, I would find the places to work out.  I am very curious to do this, but need to prepare mentally as I won’t have anything to do on the other days. After the first month would I then do some cardio next?

[You’re taking me out of my comfort zone. Reassure me that this change won’t break me, and I’ll get through this. I’m still overwhelmed.]

Me:

I’d introduce modified sprints after the first 4 weeks to help you burn fat. You’ll be more efficient at that point because you’ll have more mass. 

I totally get it mentally. That month will be a grind on your mind, because you’ll think you’ll be getting fat. You won’t be. You’ll be getting harder, stronger, and more equipped to burn calories, meaning eating

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I aim to plan and consciously choose all of my indulgences. I have the knowledge and willpower to do so, but occasionally, I will have a substantial misfire.

I was in Boston, my home away from home, for the 2004 World Series reunion. I splurged nutritionally as I had intended, but I didn’t map out my large nutritional stumble while watching the game.

I had it all pre-navigated. My two men (12 and 14) and I love to experience travel through food. We think it’s the most efficient and interesting way to explore the culture of a city. We discussed the trip ahead of time and decided on three restaurants where we would fully indulge and eat like kings. We’d start with the team dinner at a fine steak and seafood house, follow it up with breakfast the next morning at a bakery, and finish it out with lunch at a tapas joint in the South End.

The first night the three of us shared bone in filets, swordfish steaks, oysters, giant shrimp, crab cakes, lamb chops, chocolate cake, apple crisps and cold vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed a few glasses of whiskey, neat, and my boys drank Sprite. We left the restaurant 1 for 1. Remember, this indulgence was planned.

The next morning, we went to a bakery suggested by a Boston-based chef friend. The boys picked up scones and French toast; I scored big with a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a crusty roll with spinach and tomato. The bite came complete with a Dijon mustard finish that struck a chord with me, managing to last all day. 2 at bats, 2 knocks.

After mobbing around on the T train all morning, making our way to Harvard and back to Downtown Crossing, we landed at our destination for lunch, Toro. Theo Epstein made the recommendation after I mentioned that my boys and I were on a food adventure. This is the guy who went out to get the “washed up” 2002 version of David Ortiz, so he’s proven his scouting mettle. If he thinks it’s a worthwhile trip, I’ll take his advice.

Back to food.

Rather than turn this post into a restaurant review, I’ll keep it simple. I had an out of body experience. Every small plate that arrived was visually captivating and stunning on the palate. We sprinted the gamut. From spicy curry beef empanadas to cauliflower with golden raisins and pine nuts to the pièce de résistance, roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade. This dish, holy fuck. Our waiter described it exquisitely as “like rich, hot, beef flavored butter.” I was now 3 for 3 and ready for my final at bat.

A theme throughout this entire trip was advance planning. My first mistake was not preparing for this final meal. I figured my boys and I would just eat at the ballpark and didn’t put much thought into it. I knew that the options would be plentiful and come in large quantities. I wasn’t necessarily wrong, but I quickly got off course.

I was running around at Fenway from this place to that, answering questions and meeting folks. My boys were on their own and already up in the suite by the time I arrived around the start of the first inning. They had eaten pizza, snacks and fruit, totally what I expected for them. I walked in starving, my second mistake.  I reached for a plate and piled on decent looking veggies, a huge mound of guacamole, and the only available protein, stale fried chicken strips. I could have reached into my bag and opened a can of wild caught salmon. I didn’t. My defenses were down. I hadn’t snacked. I ingested that garbage and suffered strike one.

You know my stance on processed foods. Those frozen chunks of flour covered meat product provide little nutritional value. I had already experienced a whirlwind day filled with emotion and exertion, and the pizza under the heat lamp began to look lovely.

I advocate indulgence, but I advocate planned, quality indulgence. This was neither. I scarfed down a piece and the drugs hit my bloodstream. I couldn’t chew fast enough. Strike two.

The final pitch of the at bat came in and I chased it. I scarfed down a few more slices, knowing even as I did so that it wasn’t my finest hour.

3 for 4. In baseball that’s a hell of a day. Nutritionally, I expect 4 for 4s from myself almost always. I’m in control, so the high bar is appropriately set. Rather than dwell on it, I’ll do what Manny tells us to do after a rough at bat. “Turn the page, papi.”

I write this from the plane the following morning. I’ve turned the page. Today, I’ve ingested steel cut oats, fresh organic blueberries, a pile of kale, a chunk of a ham steak, a few fresh scrambled eggs and organic black coffee.

In my bag, I have a large salad with tons of fresh veggies, almonds, chicken, organic Hannah yams. I also still have that wild salmon I passed over for pizza in a box.

I’m back on track. I remember last night’s at bat and will make the adjustment without carrying the emotion of yesterday over into today’s game.

I hope you’ll share your stories of strikeouts or home runs in the comments section below.

Kap