Those in the strength and conditioning world are likely familiar with Soviet training strategies and protocols.  Over the past few decades those Russian "secrets" became more main stream.

What hasn''''''''t become mainstream is the way Russia (and other countries) develop their young athletes.  Here in the US we tend to look out for the child sport prodigy in the midst of the youth masses, push them to excel, then replace them when they are no longer a star.  Countries like Russia and Australia have taken a different approach.

Take a few minutes to read this insightful article by Brian McCormick, founder of the Youth Basketball Coaching Association.

Developing Young Athletes for the Long Term

1. There were only eight “trained” men with an average height of 70 inches and weighing 207 pounds. At 5’10 and 207 pounds how were they “trained?” He never mentions their lactate threshold. Why is this important? Although he had the volunteers do a 36-minute cardiovascular workout on a treadmill at 65% of the heart rate reserve, it doesn’t tell me everything I need to know. For example, an aerobically  trained athlete won’t go anaerobic until 90+% of the heart rate reserve so at 65% this kind of athlete wouldn’t be perceiving much intensity, therefore the post exercise consumption (EPOC) wouldn’t be much since EPOC increases because of intensity.  An aerobically trained athlete wouldn’t be burning much sugar at that intensity either. I would have liked to have seen this data to help get a picture of what kind of aerobic fitness level these eight subjects had. I don’t have many male clients that are 5’10 and 207 pounds.
   
   
2. In a chart, Dr. Kravitz demonstrates the post exercise oxygen consumption at the 12-hour and the 24-hour mark. The chart shows the eight subjects burned slightly more calories because they had a higher EPOC and a lower RER (Respiratory Exchange Ratio). As RER rises the body uses more carbohydrate for its energy needs. In essence, the article misleading leads us to believe they were burning more calories but the calories were not from sugar which I will explain better below. I would’ve liked to see the rest of the math. Although, their EPOC was higher, they did eat 673 more calories for that day. Did the 673 calories offset the higher EPOC? At the end of the day, did the subjects end up in a caloric deficit? Did they lose body fat? In the fasting week, the subjects ate a “normal” breakfast after the workout. The caloric intake for that breakfast was never defined, so we don’t know the total daily caloric intake for both groups.
   
   
3. According to the chart, there was only a .3 ml O2/kg/min difference between the groups at the 12-hour mark and even less at the 24-hour mark! Although the RER was slightly higher (and I mean slightly) in the fasting group workouts, both of the groups were burning a mixture of carbohydrates and fat. An RER of 0.70 indicates that fat is the predominant fuel source, RER of 0.85 suggests a mix of fat and carbohydrates, and a value of 1.00 or above is indicative of carbohydrate being the predominant fuel source. The RER for the non-fasting week was 8.0 at 12 hours and 8.25 and 24 hours while the fasting group was at 8.25 and 8.75.
   

1.       No human on the planet would ever have a reason to support their body, 90 degrees to the ground with a locked knee, especially on the edge of the foot. Gymnasts don’t even perform this in their sport! If they did, it would be for a few seconds; if even that.

2.       Structure determines function. Since there is no reason for a human to ever be in that position, both the LCL and the MCL aren’t that strong in that plane of motion.

3.       Even if the intent were to strengthen the tissue in those ligaments (pre or post surgery)how would measure it? What standard would you put a living ligament up against?

In my opinion, the premise of the article is absurd! How to alleviate forces to a ball and socket joint who’s structure is clearly more adept at dealing with forces at 90 degrees to any axis, so a person can introduce forces at 90 degrees to a hinge joint?

For example, in wrestling or MMA fighting, if an athlete were trying to get an opponent off of them they would never attempt a side plank with their leg locked. The moment arm is too long. Any fighter or wrestler would bend the knee to shorten the moment arm. The photo in Figure 1, letter A is a much better version for health care professionals to explore as a core exercise. However, if people are experiencing shoulder pain/fatigue because they’re leaning on their shoulder with a portion of their own body weight, then either they’re too heavy and/or, they need shoulder strength. Many people sleep on their side and although they’re not up on the edge of the foot (why would they be?)they should be able to lie on their side with their body weight for more than 180 seconds!

I’m a Stuart McGill fan but when it comes to a side plank I fervently disagree. The Biering/Sorenson mentioned in the article is a test for nonspecific back pain and is performed in the saggital plane. Mr. McGill may use the side plank in the same manner as a test, however, if he or anyone else uses the side plank as a training tool, I’d find it hard pressed not to question their judgment.

Here’s why:

1.       Even if the side plank did increase core strength, what’s the point? There is no activity or sport performed in this position. Why strengthen a position that is never used?

2.       The ground reaction forces are all wrong. No one performs anything on the lateral side of their foot.

3.       It stresses the knee at 90 degrees to the joint.

4.       Are the muscles used accordingly i.e., transference of training to what?

5.       There are so many other options, why risk the knee?

               Many times our desire to be creative gets in the way with the basics. In my opinion, not performing a side plank is just common sense. In fact, I never saw anyone perform a side plank prior to 2000.   Maybe even 2002.

We need to be careful, magazine writers who are not fitness professionals often create exercises in order to have something to write about. Their criteria, often is what looks cool, not exactly

what is functionally correct. I see this all the time at magazine stands, in fact, I film videos to educate the public in regards to this matter.  I don’t mean to be negative.

Hi James,

  I love your writing, but want to give you a word of advice. Your latest rant on Broscience  was  entertaining but as a young buck of 43, let me warn you. You’re wrong about the minutiae  or what you refer to as the 10%.

Between the ages of 30-45 you won’t see much of a difference to your body.  After 45, your body starts to mess with you. Ask any 70 year old if there was much of a difference in how they felt between the ages of 50 and 70 and they’ll tell you, there is a BIG difference. You’ll find, the more you consider the minutiae the better you will feel. For example, letting the tension out of your hands slowly after lifting a weight will help that tendonitis in your biceps not hurt so much. Paying attention to the speed of the descent on a squat  will allow you to actually complete the motion without grunting or moaning from the arthritis in your knees. Ensuring that  the axis of the leg extension machine aligns with your knee joint might save you a knee replacement.

 Lifting heavy, often without paying attention to the mechanical wear you’ve  created from your macho  years of proving your virility will not only reinforce the imbalances from not having a clue, but will help you contribute to your orthopedic surgeons’s BMW fund.  It’s paying attention to the minutiae  that will  help prevent an injury or  more pain than you already have.

Consistently kicking ass  without paying attention to the minutiae is like spending a ton money at a strip club every week without a long-term financial plan and then condoning it by saying, “hey, it was a f#@$cking great time.”  At 43 years old, with children I would hope you’d learned that.  

You’re intentions were good in your rant because  most people just need to make a friggin effort. But we differ on what you consider the “essentials.” Essentially, you need to constantly educate yourself regarding nutrition and exercise, especially after 40. You will see young man………. Remember, “Aging is the ultimate extreme sport.”

1. Let people work in. The other day I saw a woman with three sets of dumbbells around a bench go off to the bathroom and came back five minutes later! I’ve seen women park their bag, water bottle, keys, etc in front of a fitness machine. It’s a gym not a picnic. A set shouldn’t take longer than a minute. After that minute, get up and let someone else work in.

2. Don’t do aerobics in the weight room. You rarely see a man doing body sculpting exercises in front of the dumbbell rack. What if someone started doing 400 lb dead-lifts in the middle of a step class? The whole point of lifting weights is to increase the intensity of the exercise. If you can dance with the weights, it’s probably too light. If you want to dance with weights, go into the aerobic room.

3. Don’t lift weights in the stretching area. Some think, if the weights are light, it’s okay to throw them around while people are stretching right under them. Remember, it’s not the weight of a bullet that kills you. A three to five pound weight can break your face just as easy as a heavier weight. NO WEIGHTS IN THE STRETCHING AREA, PERIOD!

4. Use the equipment for what it is designed for. The other day I saw three women using the sit-up bench as a range limiter for their body squats. We only have two sit-up benches for the entire gym. They are for sit ups! Not to squat and touch your butt. That’s what the mirrors are for. Sit-up benches are for sit-ups! Jeesh!

5. When using dumbbells, stand back a few feet from the rack. The other day a woman set her keys, her bag and her water bottle at the base of the dumbbell rack and then proceeded to do front raises and lateral raises a foot from the dumbbell rack. Not only did I have to time my attempt to dive under her arms to grab a set of dumbbells, but then had to navigate around her “landing airplanes” to try and sidestep around her belongings so I wouldn’t trip and fall. Try doing that with a pair of 40lb dumbbells after you’ve just finished 20 reps of shoulder presses.

6. If a woman has headphones on, leave her alone. Although we all need help, some people don’t want any. If a woman has headphones on, don’t try and talk to her. She doesn’t want to talk to you, that’s why she has headphones on. If you need to work in, you might have to trip over her belongings and bang into her, or politely try and get her attention.

7. Wipe your equipment off when you’re finished. Don’t be gross. If you sweat or drip all over the equipment, clean it off with a towel. No one wants to wallow in your sweat.

According to the research beer drinkers experienced greater immune system support, fewer colds and of those who experienced colds -they were shorter and more mild.

If beer isn''t your thing you could opt for wine or grape juice; also known for containing polyphenols.

There are factors that can affect the accuracy of the equation such as genetics, physical activity, organ mass and hormones. That means, as with any equation, you may have to tweak your clients intake to determine the ideal calories.

Here''s the equation:

Male: RMR = 10 x (weight in kilograms) + 6.25 x (height in centimeters) - 5 x (age in years) +5

Female: RMR = 10 x (weight in kilograms) + 6.25 x (height in centimeters) - 5 x (age in years) -161

Become The Next Global Fitness Star with Daily Burn

Daily Burn (www.dailyburn.com) an IAC company (www.iac.com), is looking for the next, great fitness celebrity. The search is open to all fitness instructors, trainers and coaches who feel they have the energy and personality to inspire a global community to get in shape.

What we’re looking for:

The successful candidate will design and lead dynamic, interactive and challenging group workouts; contribute to blogs, postings and member interaction; represent Daily Burn at industry events, public relations opportunities, etc. Applicant must be a certified trainer with experience developing diverse, compelling workouts; have exceptional communication skills; an upbeat, engaging personality and comfort in front of the camera; experience leading video fitness routines a plus.

Think you got what it takes? 

Then grab your video camera and shoot a 3-5 minute video of your best stuff. We’re not looking for incredible cinematography and fancy cut-aways (we’ll handle that) but the video should demonstrate your personality, motivational instruction, fitness knowledge and camera presence. 

Done with your video?

Originally written in 2009 to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, Dr. Jones'' letter has shown up in numerous distorted versions of the original.

The original letter below. What do you think of Dr. Jones'' sentiments?

During my last shift in the ER, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient with a shiny new gold tooth, multiple elaborate tatoos and a new cellular telephone equipped with her favorite R&B tune for a ring tone.

Glancing over the chart, one could not help noticing her payer status: Medicaid.

She smokes a costly pack of cigarettes every day and, somehow, still has money to buy beer.

And our president expects me to pay for this woman’s health care?

Our nation’s health care crisis is not a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. It is a crisis of culture – a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on vices while refusing to take care of one’s self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance.

Life is really not that hard. Most of us reap what we sow.

Starner Jones, MD Jackson

They''''re loaded with ergothioneine and selenium, two immune-boosting antioxidants that cut your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

They also contain beta-glucans, plant chemicals found especially in shitake and maitake mushrooms, which supercharge the immune system and may prevent cancer.

They''''re 90% water with only 15 calories per cup.

Lastly, the B vitamins found in fungi may help fend off age-related cognitive decline.

Over the past several years Oprah announces her "Oprah''s Favorite Things" list.

I''''ve always thought it would be cool to be a guest in the audience on one of the shows where she decides to give away a car or pay off everyones mortgage. I''d probably end up there the day she gave away hand-sanitizer samples.

This year after seeing her list, I couldn''t help but think there was some contradiction in her list of favorites.

Don''''t get me wrong. I really like Oprah.

Here''s a few items:

1) Ghiradelli Brownie Mix

2)A Panini Press

3) Beecher''s "World''s Best" Mac N Cheese

4) "A Course in Weight Loss" - 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever by Marriane Williamson

Is it just me, or does a list that contains 410 calorie per serving Mac N Cheese, 20 grams of sugar per serving Brownies, and Spiritual Lessons in Weight Loss seem a bit contradictory?

After 15 years in business and over 8000 personal trainers certified, the NCCPT has achieved what has become the “industry standard” in accreditation as recommended by IRHSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association). The NCCA’s Standards exceed the requirements set forth by the American Psychological Association and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The NCCPT is only the 13th personal training certification company to receive this high standard of accreditation. “13 has always been my lucky number,” says John Platero, the Director of Education. “We feel we’re the most practical entry-level and cost-effective certification available for people wanting to enter the field of personal training.

Clubs are always in need of personal trainers. The NCCPT cannot only certify new personal trainers but actually removes the painstaking process of finding personal trainers by acting as a recruiting service for sports clubs as well.

Commercial facilities are constantly in jeopardy of litigious actions from their members and the public. There is an “industry standard” for fitness equipment . Each piece must be approved by the American Society of Testing Methods (ASTM). “The NCCA accreditation has become the industry standard for personal trainer certification and after a very extensive process, the NCCPT has met that standard. Certified personal trainers are the assets of a personal training department. We’ve been providing these assets for 15 years. We’re looking forward to increasing our relationships with commercial health clubs in recruiting and providing those assets, plus an additional “peace of mind” they both need and deserve.”

Q & A from Shape Magazine:

Q: Here’s another butt workout question. How do you work the backside without building up the quadriceps?

A: If someone is worried about bulking up their quads, they''re not going to do a traditional squat. They''re going to do a wide-stance squat or a plie squat, which is second position dance, opening up your legs and bringing the focus to the inner thighs and not to the quads. Don''t use excessive weight and keep repetitions high. I use body weight or a medicine ball or light hand weights.

John Platero''s answer: “Inner thighs” are your adductors correct? Yes, a plie squat will emphasize the adductors, however, if the knee is extending and the hip is extending then the quads and gluteus maximus are working. It’s impossible to do a squat that involves knee extension without involving the quadriceps.

The reason why your quads might not “bulk” up is because once you move your legs from a sagitall plane motion to more of a frontal plane motion, the moment arm is much smaller at both the knee and hip so there is less “load” therefore less intensity and less “bulking” up. Remember, size comes from testosterone, genetics, food and intensity or load. Since you’ve lessened one of those components (the load), the size or potential for growth should be less. Unless you’re eating too much food or you’ve genetically inherited big quads, then you have no choice but to starve and/or either not train it all, or do tons and tons of cardio.

Hi John -

I was looking through Shape magazine online "for fun" and came across this from David Kirsh - some trainer to some stars..... WHAAATT?? Worried about "bulking up your quads"...... not to do a "traditional squat".... Well, when I do a traditional squat I feel mostly my hams and adductors and glutes. Hams control my speed on the way down, adductors help navigate so my knees don''''t go wacko, etc..... I feel my glutes and some quad on the way back up.

Ok - just had to share this with you. Am I right here? Is this advice a bit off?

John''''s response:

First of all be careful of what you “feel” or what a person “feels” in an exercise. People feel all kinds of things.

Basically, if a joint is moving then a muscle is moving it. A squat involves, hip extension, knee extension and spinal extension.

In human ascension and descension, the quadriceps and the gluteus maximus are “anti-gravity” partners. Since the knee is extending the hamstrings lengthen at the knee but the hip is also extending so the hamstrings would be shortening at the hip, hence hamstrings don’t change that much in length. However, they do fire. Check this link http://moon.ouhsc.edu/dthompso/namics/lombard.htm

I wouldn’t consider the adductors prime movers in a squat, because only the gracilis crosses the knee and it’s action has nothing to do with hip extension or knee extension. They seem to act as synergists but not agonists. The glute minimus and medius as well as the hip flexors (both single joint and double joint) may have a role in “navigating” your knees, but most likely, actions at the foot and ankle may have a greater effect on the knee.

Remember, whatever muscles act concentrically also act eccentrically. The quads and glutes lower you eccentrically and lift you concentrically in a squat. They are definitely the prime movers at the hip and knee.

Bulky quads come from testosterone, genetics (muscle fiber type), food and heavy loads.

Check back this week for the trainers 2nd questions and answer!

Jane Fonda (known for her workout videos and leg warmers)is scheduled to host. Several other celebrity guests like Richard Simmons and Billy Blanks make for an impressive lineup.

The cause is noble. The fitness event will benefit GCAPP (GEORGIA CAMPAIGN FOR ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION).

Yet, I can''t help but ask...Since when are actors and actresses fitness experts?

Jeff Garlin, co-star of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm just released a book about his struggle with weight loss.

What is it about fitness that seems to always attract celebrities?

Brad Pitt doesn’t represent the medical community. I’ve never seen Tom Cruise in a commercial for dentists.

We’re in an uphill battle as an industry,if we want to be taken seriously, when the public perceives entertainers as the experts.

I guess that says a lot, 67% of us are overweight because exercise, good nutrition, and a healthy lifestyle is just entertainment.

We''d love to hear your thoughts.

What are your thoughts on these new drinks that can be found at any market or convenience store?

Do you drink them? Do your clients?

Is one a day OK? What about someone who already drinks tea or coffee? Are they safe for kids?

Have you read any valuable research on the positive or negative effects of energy drinks? If you have, share it!

They’re popular and probably not going away anytime soon.

You’re the professional, lets us know what you think!

Trust me, as a fellow personal trainer, no-shows, cancellations and late clients are one of the most aggravating parts of this business! You drive all the way to the gym, only to find a note at the front desk that your first client can’t make it.

The NCCPT online scheduler allows you to block out your time. This way no one can book appointments when you’re not available (like at lunch, or sleeping). Any appointment has to be approved by you first, and can be set to recur.

The icing on the cake is the email reminder that is sent to you and your client. 24 hours before the appointment you both receive a reminder email recapping the appointment time.

To give you an idea how valuable this is, take a look at your last few weeks of training. How many cancellations and no shows did you have?

Multiply that number by your hourly rate. Multiply how much income you missed out on times 50 (52 weeks in a year, minus 2 weeks for vacation).

Here’s an example…

Lets say you charge $50/hr and you have 3-6 cancellations per week on average. That’s $150-$300 per week. $7,500 - $15,000 PER YEAR!!!

Do yourself a favor...Give yourself a raise and start using the scheduler!

If you need help getting it set up just reply to this email and I’d be glad to help!

“Results Not Typical” is not enough anymore…

Advertisers must clearly disclose the results a consumer can generally expect from the product or service. In other words, if a fat-burning supplement is shown to have helped a man lose 25lbs, but most people who take the pill lose 5 pounds, the advertiser must disclose this.

Celebrity Endorsements – Yes even your favorite celebrity could be found liable for making false or unsubstantiated claims. The revisions state that celebrities are duty bound to disclose their relationship with advertisers. In fact, all material relationships (like payments of free products) between advertisers and endorsers must be disclosed.

These revisions to FTC Act 16 C.F.R. Part 255 will affect many industries especially nutritional supplements. They will also affect the fitness industry and you as a personal trainer.

The FTC lists many helpful examples to help clarify what these changes mean.

To read the Revised Endorsement and Testimonial Guide go here: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

You’ll also find short videos by Mary Engle, FTC Director of Advertising Practices, explaining these changes.

What do you think of these revisions?

How will they affect the fitness industry?

How will they affect you as a personal trainer and your use of client testimonials?

All of us here at NCCPT hope you are doing well and gearing up for a great Holiday Season.

With that in mind we''''d love to get your thoughts on this...

Your clients are going to get “how to not gain weight during the holidays” advice and tips from TV and magazines over the next few days. Don’t you think they should be getting that information from you, the expert?

Share your ideas on the kinds recommendations you give your clients to avoid packing on the extra stuffing.

For example, I tell my clients “EAT!” then I give them guidelines on how and what. This gives them a sense of freedom. Everyone else is going to tell them what NOT to eat and what NOT to do.

We’d love to hear from you!

Sometimes things just don't go our way. I crashed on my bike, tore ligaments in my thumb and had to get surgery to reattach them. My cel phone broke and although i paid for insurance it took them 9 days to get me a phone. Meanwhile, all the contacts wouldn't transfer! My laptop was going on the blink so i bought another one. The new laptop broke in three weeks! Took the hardrive out so I could use it in an external hard drive case but it was the wrong kind. My original lap top died and had to be completely restored. Bought a sleeping bag and it tore the first time i used it. Sometimes you just think; Why Me?

  Then again, if those things didn't happen and everthing went your way, life would be boring. It's the challenges and obstacles that make us appreciate the good times. Overcoming these challenges is what makes us feel alive. In fact, the harder the challenge, the greater the obstacles, or as the Chinese say "the more you eat bitter," the greater the satisfaction or feeling of accomplishment as you emerge victorious. I just needed to readjust my attitude, take a deep breath, smile, put my head down and things just started to get better. If you start thinking "Why  me?" Feel lucky. Change your attitude, work hard and you'll reap the benefits. Go to http://www.ventanamonthly.com/ for the June issue and you'll see what i mean. Things have a way of coming around.

I watched the Today show on Feb. 6, 2009 and they reviewed four popular infomercial products.
 It was terrible
ARE THEY KIDDING?
I thought the Today show was supposed to be informative? In this case, they were borderline negligent when it comes to what they said.
 Their expert personal trainer didn''t have a clue. I don''t care how many degrees or certifications she has, what she doesn''t have is common sense.

Let me review the products:
1.      The swivel thing your run on.  The Rock and Roll stepper. Haven’t you ever seen a see saw? Duh! It’s a see saw. No different than a balance board. Your body is the axis with each leg teeter-tottering over the axis. It is not only precarious (as you could see as Al Roker and the other woman tried to balance on it), but the weight of one side of your body counteracts the other side, which means it does nothing other than cause an isometric contraction, provides no way of progressing other than moving quicker which becomes a balance act. Waste of money.
2.      The perfect pushup? What does that mean? These are circular pivoting handles that allow the wrist to move while performing the push-up. If the goal is to work the chest, then studies have shown it is better to place the hands closer than shoulder width because the fibers of the chest pull the arm inwards towards the midline of the body. Your expert trainer obviously doesn’t know that, or is aware the chest is a shoulder adductor. She stated it was easier on the shoulder. WHAT? The shoulder has no clue as to what the wrist is doing since the action of the wrist is occurring at the radio-ulnar joint (the elbow). Just look at the shoulder when they were performing the push-up. Nothing changed at all when the wrist swivelled. The action of those swiveling pads takes pressure of the wrist and has nothing to do with shoulder!!!!!! And she’s an expert?
3.      The pull-up bar piece. The Iron Gym. Fantastic, if you’re a leopard. Who can do pull-ups all day? If they could, they probably are already in shape. I gather no one on that stage could’ve done 2-4 sets of 10, which even if they could, might have taken a total of 60 seconds of total exercise. Not very much. This piece won’t get you in shape; you already have to be in shape!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4.      The bucking bronco. The Rock and Go. Give me a break? It moves the muscles of the core???? What if i just shake you for free. Here''s one better: How about you just stick your finger in a socket and fire all your muscles?
 The Today show needs a real expert who knows what they’re talking about, where to even look or examine a piece of the equipment, understands functional anatomy and is actually in shape.
Their trainer is not an expert and a Health editor, please……

Not trying to be mean, but it’s similar to getting financial advice from someone who edits financial news. They’re an editor not an expert.
This isn’t the first time they''ve  missed the entire picture when it comes to fitness or personal training.
Let me on there and I''ll give them a real review............

Although the literature and most all personal training manauls (including ours) suggest people should drink 64 ounces of water a day I disagree. There is no way an average person needs that much water in a day. Are they crossing a desert? I tried. I end getting up to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes. Really annoying. Lewis Black the comedian made a great observation. "When we were kids you drank when you were thirsty and you drank out of the tap. Now that you have to buy water, we''re supposed to drink 8, 8 oz bottles a day! I need a smally burro to carry around all my water for the week."

  It''s the same for the RDA for Vitamin C which is 60 milligrams. Not enough if you are training.

Any thoughts?

Your Last Day

    If tomorrow was to be your last day, what would you do? Would you sleep late or get up early? Who would you see? What would you say to them? Would you do a good deed or a bad deed? Would you work or just play?

    Maybe a little of both.

    Most people take life for granted and plod through life as though it was happening to them. They are the victims, and can’t change their jobs, the money they make, the shape they’re in, the relationships they have or don’t have, nor their current state of happiness. It’s everyone else’s fault. They don’t have the time, the money, the energy, the patience or the connections.

   I prefer not to live my life that way. I live each day as if it was my last.

   First of all, we all have the same amount of time; 24 hours a day. It’s how we spend that time is what makes us different.

   I enjoy family, friends, music, sports, education, business and helping people. Every day I try to have all these components for what could be my last day.

    My office is close to my house so I don’t have far to travel to work. If that’s a problem for you then perhaps move or change jobs. Life is too short to be sitting in a car three hours a day. I speak to a family member and friends every day. Cellular phones, e-mail and fax machines allow you to contact almost anyone, anywhere. Tell them you miss them or love them. This is so important. They’ll be gone before you know it.

   I’m a musician and an athlete. I start each day with exercise and include music everyday. Someone or something gave you that body. How could you disrespect yourself and that gift by not taking care of it? Exercise or movement is the drug of the 21^st Century. Without movement, the body shrivels up and dies.

  Help another living thing. Water your plants, take your dog for a walk, pet your cat, work out with someone, call just to say hi. You’ll feel so much better for it and you will leave the planet a much better place for it as well.

   I love to learn, so I read something daily and carry a dictionary in my car to research words I don’t understand.

   The mind is a terrible thing to waste. Stop watching so much TV. You’re watching someone else act someone else’s life. Not all television is without merit, but too much idle TV is a waste of the life you’ve been given.

  Study something, but remember, museums  maintain and hold records of man’s greatest achievements, but those men weren’t in a museum when they were achieving them. My point is, get out and make a life for yourself. It’s fairly easy. Just walk out your door, interact with people. If you want to learn how to skate then go to a skating rink. You’ll meet people who like to skate. Do you want hang out with rich people then join a country club. Can’t afford it? Get a job parking their cars.

    There is nothing you can’t do. You must show initiative though. Make the first move. See someone you like, ask them out. You have a 50 - 50 shot. The worst is, they could say no. At least you’re living. My Mother use to say, “God helps those who help themselves.” Well, you’ve been given a life, just one on this earth. Make the best of it.

    Just help yourself, it could be your last day.