There Is A Method to the Madness
This is a podcast where I will be discussing all aspects of physical fitness. I am an exercise physiologist and personal trainer and owner of Maxwell's Fitness Programs for the last 25 years. My passion is health and fitness and I am excited to share my views, some stories, interviews and much more with you.
There Is A Method to the Madness
Magical Monday!
Fitness isn't just a routine; it's a tribute to those who inspire us. I share the heartfelt story of my friend Jerry, whose passion for staying active left a lasting impact on everyone around him. Join me as I celebrate fitness as a joyous journey, exploring creative ways to keep workouts exciting, like naming them "Maniac Monday." We'll reflect on the camaraderie of local 5Ks and the importance of finding hobbies that fuel our passion for a healthy lifestyle, emphasizing that fitness is a choice that enriches life, not a chore to be dreaded.
We'll also tackle the fine line between ego and confidence in today's fitness culture. Discover how genuine self-assurance doesn't hinge on the number of social media likes but rather on uplifting others through pursuits like CrossFit and running. Even as we celebrate achievements such as race awards, it's crucial to remember they don't define us. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I'll share tips for enjoying holiday treats without derailing our wellness journey. Let's embrace the marathon of life, prioritizing consistency and gratitude in our health and wellness endeavors.
Welcome to. There is a Method to the Madness. My name is Rob Maxwell. I'm an exercise physiologist and personal trainer. I'm the owner of Maxwell's Fitness Programs and I've been in business since 1994. Purpose of this podcast is to get to the real deal of what really works, talk about things health and fitness and try to use some science to help you out. Today we're going to talk about it's Monday Manacle, maniac Monday. Before I get to all of this fun stuff, let me thank Jonathan and Lynn Gilden of the Gilden Group at Realty Pros. They are committed to providing the highest level of customer service in home sales. Why don't you give them a shout and figure out how much your home is worth to sell? 386-451-2412. So it's the great show on Monday Medical Monday.
Speaker 1:You know Jerry, who recently passed, as I've spoken about we have little nickn Hardly ever missed in the course of 20,. What three years Hardly ever missed, three days per week. Didn't like to miss, loved his workouts, looked forward to them. We always came up with different little names like Manacle Monday or Maniac Monday, and on Mondays we always did slightly higher reps, kind of utilizing a form of periodization. Wednesdays we would do medium reps and then Friday we'd get a little heavier and, like most people, the higher reps were the hardest. So he would call it Maniacal Monday. It was just kind of funny Wicked Wednesday. We had all kinds of different names for Friday. Back at the old gym we had some of the tougher machines in the back of the gym and he used to call it Amen Corner, in reference to the famous golf course. But anyway, it's kind of fun to have names. We still do it today, but anyway it's Monday.
Speaker 1:So what is going on on Monday? What is the fitness stuff we can talk about today? So, personally, we did a. We, ellen and I and the team did a couple 5ks over the weekend. Did one in port orange for a great cause, no longer fatherless, I believe it was called great cause owes love, using fitness to help causes, you know, raise money. Um, today we did another one over in debarry and uh, it was a 5k and half marathon and marathon. Most of us did the 5k. Angelica did the marathon because she's training for an ultra. Those were good, good events.
Speaker 1:Cooler weather always makes it really, really nice to run. When it's cooler out, definitely everybody runs a little bit faster, you know. On the petty side it's like why Definitely everybody runs a little bit faster. On the petty side it's like why can't these guys measure these courses correctly, especially the 5k? Won't say who they are, because I think they're genuinely nice people, but it seems like every race they score is mismeasured and it is so simple and you know what Runners do get really irritated about that and they kind of discuss it. You know if you're going for a certain time or whatever. You know people like it to be accurate, you know. But I showed up and I thought, oh, they're scoring it, this thing's going to be off and, sure enough, almost 0.10 long. But again, that's being petty and absolutely first world problems. But you know, it's always great on the weekends to do some of the 5Ks for fitness and I just think that when people find something like that to do, it absolutely helps them stay in shape when they find a hobby.
Speaker 1:I always talk to this one guy. I think he's 70 or 71 now. Super nice, see him at almost every local event and uh, you know, we just chat and um. He's like I said, he's at all the races he's in good shape, you can tell he's healthy. You know, you'd never guess he's 71, runs a good time, you know, I mean I remember when I was a kid, you know I thought I mean 71, looked like my grandpa, you know, and we're just hanging some pictures.
Speaker 1:So I was looking at my grandpa, you know, and he was a Yale graduate and a journalist Not that that has much to do with it, but maybe it does because of how he dressed. But you know the picture he's in the suit with the old fashioned hat. You know that's what I thought of as a 71 year old or 70 year old at the time. He was probably even younger in that picture. But you know, and this guy's in running shoes and, you know, short shorts and tank top, and it's like you just don't picture it, but it's like, you know, that should be the new normal.
Speaker 1:And when people are like, well, how are these people staying in better shape as they age? I mean, well, there you go. I mean you know they don't stop, they keep finding something they like to do physically, whether it be that. Or some people get into triathlons, or some people play a lot of tennis or pickleball, or, you know, some people are into CrossFit, working out bodybuilding. But really, you know, like I like all of that stuff, not so much CrossFit, sorry for my friends out there that do it. I just think it's a little bit too much injury causing for me. But I definitely love to lift weights and strength training. All those things aren't just like what I do to stay in shape, they're also my hobbies, you know, like when we travel.
Speaker 1:I've said before like I like to work out, I don't see that as a chore at all, whether it be hiking, jogging, running, hitting the hotel gyms if they're there, finding a nice little uh gym somewhere that I've never been to. You know, pay the daily rate and go work out and check it out. Talk to the owners. Like I like that stuff. Like fitness to me is absolutely not a chore, it is a way of life, a way of life that I absolutely enjoy. I mean I'm sitting here making this podcast in my office, in my house, looking over at the bicycle I have up on my trainer and a dumbbell rack. You know, even though I have a gym, at the gym I have everything I need. I have more stuff here, three or four bikes in the garage. I mean, you know, I love it. It's just what I love to do Different tennis rackets and golf clubs and pickleball paddles and all this good stuff. So you know, it's just a great way for me to spend the weekend and I absolutely knows it pays off regarding my health.
Speaker 1:And I look at people around me and I think the same thing. You know, when we're at these events, no matter what people are doing, whether they're uh, they had a gong out there today for people to bang the gong if you hit a PR which stands for personal record, I mean that's great, but I mean, whether you're hitting your PRs or you know, there are some people that were coming for the half marathon almost at the same time as people were coming in at the marathon. Matter of fact, there were. There was some crossover. So we're talking people that were coming in and two hours and 50 minutes for the winter of the marathon, and there were some people still finished in the half marathon around the same time.
Speaker 1:So, like, that's obviously different levels of fitness You're looking at, you know, literally double the mileage 13.1 compared to 26.2, but they're all in shape and you know, um, we were talking about it on the way home. You know, the people that are out there for so much longer are are really the heroes. I mean the people that are finishing in short times and it's great, fitness is on display. But they're also done quicker and the people that are, you know, really slugging it out to get through it. You know that's hard and I've heard elite athletes tell them that before you know it's like hey, you're the true heroes. You're out there getting it done, so like it really doesn't matter, or should not matter so much, what the times are.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's always been one of my kind of bugaboos as far as a lot of the endurance events, and I shouldn't just leave it at that. I mean it's everywhere you go, it's no matter what sport. It probably doesn't even have to be a sport. It could be a hobby, like cards or backgammon or chess. I'm sure, like everywhere people go and compete at amateur levels, there's always going to be a little bit level of seriousness that is over the top.
Speaker 1:And, um, I see that often it's the same people. You know we, me, and, uh, you know my friends. I mean, uh, we're by far not perfect creatures. You know we're fallible humans, just like everybody, and we joke around, you know, privately. It's like oh, here comes the social media post. You know there's going to be the glory thumpers. You know they're going to and again, it's typically not the people that are really doing their best just to get through it and improve their health. It's usually the people that do well for their age group or overall all the time, which is absolutely wonderful. I mean, I've coached people who have done that. I've coached people in endurance events that have competed at really darn high levels. That's great.
Speaker 1:But you know, what I find kind of funny is the ones who have been the most elite need the least amount of attention. You know they uh, they don't post very much. You know they're actually very humble, showing a lot of humility and, uh, just happy to be out there, but it is what it is. I mean, you're going to see it. You see him and you're like I was joking. Before I even got home I said, oh, pay attention to social media. Posts are coming. You know they did this and it's. You know. I think we can do better.
Speaker 1:I mean, I think that, um, some people would argue that it's kind of inspirational to other people, but I haven't seen that. Like, that's not what I've seen. I've, if anything, I've seen it turned people off quite a bit. You know, it's kind of similar to someone who really fancies themselves as having a 10 body. And you know who the heck knows. Maybe they do, but they're flaunting it at the gyms all the time. I mean, look, I work out in a T-shirt, sometimes a tank top, usually not, but most of the time a T-shirt, shorts. You know, I feel like I have defined muscles and everything. So I'm not saying anybody that is working out in a shirt or whatever is flaunting, but you know that there are people that are.
Speaker 1:I mean, there are people that put on their whole get-ups before they go to the gym, you know, and, uh, some of the guys look so silly with the outfits they put on. You know, the tough guy thing with the hood hoodies when they're bench pressing. I was, oh man, that that one really gets me. You know, you see that dude sitting on the bench. He pulls the hoodie up and he's like dude, it's like 92 degrees in here, like what the hell are you doing? You know, but you know, hey, it looks great on Instagram, but uh, you know. So both, both sexes do it, all sexes do it.
Speaker 1:Um, but you know it's a turnoff to them. You know it's a turnoff to people that want to go to the gym, because a lot of people that don't go to the gym, you know they have their reasons, but some of the reasons are they feel intimidated. They feel like, you know, I'm not good enough to be here, which of course is silly, everybody should be there. But I get what they're coming from, you know, I really do get where they're coming from because they can walk in. And you know, I don't know if, um, everybody remembers, but I'm sure people at least Gen X or older can remember, like the um, what were they called?
Speaker 1:The leggings with the thong over them. Remember that that the women used to wear into the. You know, maybe some of the guys, I mean who knows? I don't judge, you know they probably did. Who the who knows? I don't judge, you know they probably did who the heck knows. But I remember seeing that more on women. Um, you know, I mean it's like okay, I mean great, look. You know, probably didn't mind it a whole lot in my twenties, but you know, the thing is it's like you know, what are you doing? I mean, and so people are going to look at that and go shoot, that's not my body, I don't want to go, you know. So, I don't know, this turned into a little ramp, but that's what Mondays are all about Manacle Monday, you know, talk about my fitness weekend and uh, I just think we can do better.
Speaker 1:You know, people who are in really good shape, um, probably don't need to flaunt it in any way. I think, like, if we're going to use social media for the good, you know which, it's really not used at least 50% of the time for the good. I mean, a lot of it is just really ego stuff. You know, people need an attention and I'll pull up my psych degree for you a little bit but ego isn't confidence, you know. Ego is insecurity. Confidence says you know, I know I'm good, I know I do, I know I do well, I know I'm pretty fit and I don't need people to tell me that like that's confidence. Ego is lack of confidence and low self-esteem and it's basically, I don't feel like I'm very fit and I need people to tell me I'm very fit. I need those likes on Facebook to get that. No, not everybody's doing it. For that reason, you know, if it applies, great. If it doesn't apply, let it fly.
Speaker 1:But you know, I just think we can do better as people who are doing different activities all the time, whether it be CrossFit or bodybuilding or running races or triathlons. It's like I think we want to lift people up and get them to want to do these events. And, uh, you know, if we're making it all about the plaque, the trophy, like, ah man, we missed something somewhere, right? I mean, you know, uh, typically a lot of the people who were super competitive athletes in high school and college and maybe beyond, they kind of don't do that, like they got it out of their system, they're grateful.
Speaker 1:I think it's kind of rude to not go to the awards and think you're too good for them. Like, I think there's a happy medium. You know, because I know from a person who puts on races you know we got mugs this last time, coffee mugs. They're not cheap. You know we don't get those for free. We're paying I can't remember $7 a mug or something like that and I ordered 40 or something like that. So I mean you know this stuff's not cheap, that we go out and we want to make sure every age group is represented, and so it's kind of rude to go. Oh, I don't need another mug or a plaque. You know, it's like no, you know, no, that's kind of rude and at the same time it's like you get it, you know. You know, be grateful.
Speaker 1:You know, today I like um was third place and got this nice little um cup. You know, it's a little, I don't know if it's a coffee mug or a water cup, I don't know. It's pretty nice, it's pretty cool, you know, but but at the same time it's it's a cup, it's a, it's a third place in a, in a DeBerry 55 to 59 DeBerry 5k. That you know, I don't know how many people in the age group, not many, right. I mean, if I start thinking I'm like the world's greatest runner, I mean I mean, come on, that's like ludicrous. Like there are like super, super, super, super fast people that go to a lot of these local volusia county races and you know what? They're not even fast compared to the world's best. It's like people need to kind of chill out. Like we look at times nationally and we go, oh my god.
Speaker 1:So to give you an idea, there steve prefontaine who died um tragically. I think he was in his 20s, you know. Know, you can look that up. I know he was young, I know it was unfortunately a DUI accident. He was an Olympic hopeful, great, great middle distance runner, 5k. He was phenomenal at the 5k. I don't know exactly what his time was, but I know it was under 13 minutes. I wasn't even at mile two at 13 minutes. No, I wasn't even at a mile and a half at 13 minutes. No, I wasn't. I was probably like right there or something like that. I mean, and he's done, I mean that's elite. I mean my man's done and I still have like 15 minutes left and he's already eaten a pizza, you know whatever. Like there are people in the world like that.
Speaker 1:So whenever we start like really thinking this is really huge, I mean I just kind of think we're missing something in our life, something's not there. Wellness fitness should be used to, in my estimation, make us better people, make us more fit so we can do you know good things more fit, so we can do you know good things. Right, you know, not necessarily so we can boast. I just think that's a misuse of physical fitness. That's just, you know, my opinion, my rant on that. But you know, that's just what I saw today and hope you kind of think about that a little bit.
Speaker 1:We have big week coming up. Of course it's Thanksgiving coming up and, uh, you know it's just time to buckle down and be consistent. You know I'm not a big believer in, um, just throwing away every. I mean, you're not going to throw everything away if you totally bench on Thanksgiving, by the way. No, of course not. I'm not going to sit there and say that that would happen.
Speaker 1:But I will say, like, why throw out all of your habits just because it's a big day? Like why throw out all the habits? There's like no reason to do that. Sure, splurge a little bit. I just I'm not a big fan of just, you know, totally changing everything on a given day. Don't get me wrong. You know I love a piece of pie here and there, and on Thanksgiving I'm sure I'll have two, I'm sure I'll have a piece at lunch at, you know, whenever we eat the main meal, and probably another one later. I mean, but I'm not going to binge all day, you know, I just don't think it does us a lot of good. I think it makes us, you know, feel guilty, feel bloated, feel like pigs, you know. So, you know, just practice maybe a little bit of temperance, you know, I think that might be good to do for all of us and maybe go out and find yourself a nice little turkey trot on Thanksgiving Day.
Speaker 1:There's always 5Ks around and, you know, go out and be grateful. You can run, walk, jog, you know, because some people can't, you know, and the people that can't want to, most of them, most that I know. So, you know, maybe that's the way that we look at these running events. You know, just be grateful. We're out there still kicking it, right. I mean, that's what me and my seven-year-old friend say every time. You know, he always says, oh, made another one. You know, still doing it. That's what counts. It, still doing it. That's what counts. It's like. That's absolutely the truth. It's about consistency and longevity. You know, that's the true win.
Speaker 1:As they say, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon, right. So let me thank Overhead Door of Daytona Beach and I earnestly can say that, you know, I'm so grateful for their sponsorship. They uh, it's so funny, They'll like write me a check before they're due, whether it be for workouts or, um, the podcast. They're just. You know, they just really, really want to help and, and you know, most importantly for you guys out there, they're, they're the best. I mean, they're the best garage door company, like there isn't anybody even close and uh, give them a shout overhead door Daytonacom.
