What Micah Did On His Christmas Vacation. By Micah

I left Micah with a few tasks while I went on holiday: 1. Keep working out; 2. Don't completely overload on yummy Christmas food; and 3. Please write a guest blog because I think people would love to get your side of the story. Micah rules because he did it all! Without further ado, here is Micah's blog entry! Enjoy!

"When I began working with Izzy I didn’t know what to expect.  All I knew is that I really wanted to get in shape and I needed a jump-start. 

Honestly I’ve never had a girl train me and I had my reservations.  But, why wouldn’t I?  I’ve worked out plenty of times on my own and have seen people give up when things got hard.  That’s just not me.  In fact, I'm the opposite!  I’ll set some stationary row machine to a setting and tell myself that I’ll go hard for 10 minutes and try to keep it above whatever number.  Well, when things get going I’ll find myself push those numbers up and increase the difficulty level and time.  By the end I’m exhausted and loving it.  I knew I didn't need someone to push me that way but I did want some guidance before my upcoming trip to Hawaii.

Here are some things Izzy has taught me or reinforced in my mind so far:

• It’s all about form over sure desire and heart!  I just hammer things out.  I think my form is good when I start but as I get tired and continue to go hard, my form suffers.  Not now.  Izzy is a stickler for form.  It increases the difficulty when you maintain proper form for the entire set.  That’s new for me.
  
• When the camera is on, find an extra level!  I find myself digging deep when Izzy’s watching.  I guess I don’t want to look like a moron.  When I see she’s got the camera on I pick it up two extra notches!  I don’t want the world to see me slacking.  She will often grab the camera out on my last set and I would like to think that I’m still going when the other guy would be giving up.
• Proper nutrition and supplements are critical for a good workout.  Izzy is a stickler with food.  I’m now eating a protein shake before my workout and a recovery drink after.  A side effect to working out is that I tend to eat better the rest of the day.  

My mind is in a different space when I’m regularly working out, and that transcends into all aspects in my life. If I want to have a top-tier workout (or athletic event) I’ve got to do certain things.  Some of the things I have to do are:

• Get some sleep!  Go to bed early rather than sleep in late.  It’s not all about the hours you log in, but also the quality of those hours!
• Get proper nutrition.  Eat things with ingredients you can pronounce!  
• Take supplements! They really help!  Other than high quality vitamins and minerals, I’ve got a couple go-to supplements I love.  My favorite 3 probably are Rhodiola Rosea, Asea, and Perfect Water.  
• Breathe, baby, breathe!  If you can open up the nasal cavity, you will find the ability to go harder and longer with greater concentration. Oxygen is no joke and your ability to get more oxygen in the body will drastically improve a workout.  
• Drink water! Pre-hydration is a lifesaver. Drink abnormal amounts of water starting at least a day prior to a workout or sporting event.  It will make an enormous difference in how the body feels and how quickly the body wears down. [The daily recommendation for water intake is 3 liters (96 oz)]
• Warm up and stretch like a madman!  Spend a considerable amount of time getting muscles ready for the grind ahead.

These are my tips for a killer workout every time with Izzy.  When I take these steps, I'm able to work out harder.  I have much better concentration as the workout is happening and I finish with a smile!

I’m only 3 ½ weeks into a 6-7 week workout plan and I can see Izzy’s wisdom.  When I wanted to go full speed she slowed me down and made me focus on form.  She was building up tendon and ligament strength that I wouldn’t have done on my own.  I probably would have also sustained an injury or two, but she has kept me away from that.  She has revved the engine and now we are beginning to hit the weights!  I’m beginning to see results and it’s pretty exciting.

It’s been a blast so far!

~Micah Valentine"