Author Archives: Hans Schiefelbein

About Hans Schiefelbein

In pursuit of a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. My goal is to help people attain and sustain their health.

Home

My home started in Pewaukee as a child. It moved to Madison for college in 1996. And when Katie and I were married in November 2005, we established our new home together.

Along with that marriage came a second home for me at the Robertson’s in Cedarburg, where Katie was raised. While Katie and I were dating, I loved coming to this new, second home because I had my own room with my own bathroom. I guess it doesn’t take much to make a kid from Pewaukee feel pretty special. But it wasn’t the bed or the bathroom that made my experience special. It was the work that was put in before my arrival that made it memorable. And that was all done by Katie’s mom, Sue.

If you know the Robertson family, you know that home is very special. And even in the months of dating, I was adopted into their family very quickly and very deeply. Home is where family is. Home is special. Home is a gathering place established in love over years and years of good times, with some hard times mixed in. I could tell very quickly that the Robertson home had that history, that tradition, that lineage of love within those walls. And it was from within those walls that I looked out the window on a Sunday afternoon to see how that lineage of love was on display – not from the Robertsons, but because of the Robertsons.

Anyone reading these words knows that in the first two weeks of November our mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In those two weeks we learned that the cancer had already spread to the liver and that Sue was given a few months to live. Soon Katie and I found ourselves driving to Cedarburg because Mom was going to be admitted to the hospital. After two long days there she decided she wanted to go home and be on Hospice care. It was Sunday November 14th.

Mom was home.

We decided to put her in the guest room where I used to stay when Katie and I were dating. The room that welcomed me into the Robertson family was now Mom’s new home. Although it was tough for me to transition a room of such fond memories to the current situation of Mom’s health, I was greatly comforted by the fact that the family and the home were still the same. The walls of the Robertson home still felt as solid as my first night at the house. And it was from within those walls that I looked out the window to see strangers picking up sticks.

Autumn in Wisconsin brings leaves and sticks to the yard, especially Steve and Sue’s which is surrounded by mature trees and thick underbrush. We had just got Mom home and we were beginning to prepare for a long period of caring for her. When I looked out the window and saw a young boy and his sister picking up sticks in the yard, I saw into the future of the tough time ahead for this family and I saw into the past of the lineage of love that my mom had established.

The boy and the girl outside the window were with their dad. Sue had taught piano lessons for the family years ago. It was a cold, windy afternoon. The kids were in their winter coats and had gloves and winter hats on. But they were outside with their dad, determined to get every stick gathered despite the cold weather. Having nothing to offer our family in this tough time they offered all they had, their service.

It reminds me of my favorite Christmas song, Little Drummer Boy:
“I have no gifts to bring… shall I play for him… on my drum.”

The little drummer boy has no gift to bring to lay before the king. All he has is his instrument and the ability to play it. So he does, because he loves the king. These kids had nothing they could offer our mom. So they brought their drum to play, a garbage bag to be filled with sticks. Because they love our mom. The rest of our family was looking to the future and caring for mom. I was watching the past and how mom had worked in the lives of this family.

It’s one of my defining moments of the last three weeks. When mom needed help the most, this family loved Mom so much that they were compelled to offer anything to help. What a tribute to Mom.

Discipline in Scheduling

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This fall I enrolled at the University of Wisconsin to take a refresher course in Kinesiology in preparation for application to the department next fall. The “refresher” course is Kines 773: Cardiovascular Adaptations to Exercise and Environment. The class has totally kicked my butt and has taken up countless hours each week.

Two-third of the way through the semester, life is getting busy. I’m starting to work on a grant proposal which is our final project for the course. It’s very time intensive, especially since so much of the literature is new to me. Up until this point it’s been pretty clear how I prepare for each week’s class. I read between three and eight journal articles. But with this new project it’s much more open-ended and so it’s up to me to pace myself each week so that I am ready to present it on the last day of class.

So this has me thinking about scheduling. A disciplined person is one who can master their schedule. How important is time these days? Invaluable, right? It seems like more days than not I find the hours slipping out of my hands as my To Do List just gets pushed to the next day.

What’s a man to do? According to Stephen Covey, I need to organize the Big Rocks first. When push comes to shove, I need to be crystal clear what needs to happen. When I plan out my day, the following four things need to be prioritized, in this order:

my relationship with God
my relationship with family
my study for class
my personal reading and writing projects

I love to read blogs. I love to think about and craft a good blog post. I love to check Twitter and Facebook for fun research and catching up with friends. But right now that has to take a back seat. I mention this because it’s my biggest distraction and essentially it’s the reason why I’m thinking about the importance of this post.

As I do my research for this grant proposal, I’m constantly on the internet and I’m often emailing my professor or another classmate. The blogs and social networks are one “Open-Apple+T” keystroke away from anything I’m doing. Distraction is right around the corner.

But that due date is also around the corner. And it’s yelling pretty loud. So I need to listen, prepare, and pursue that goal. My Game Plan for this is to write these four priorities on a notecard and post it right above my desk. (I just did it.) Then I’m going to put a sticky note on my computer so that every time I open it I’m reminded of my priorities. (Also done.)

How are you managing your schedule and priorities? Are things getting done? What kind of season are you in? Do you need to take a few steps to think about your priorities and how you’re going to execute them?

If I’m Doing My Job Right…

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For eight years I volunteered at Blackhawk church with the college ministry. I was a student at the University of Wisconsin and as I grew in my Christian faith, it was my desire to help build a program and a ministry where college students could build community and foster an environment where they could grow in their faith. As a member of the leadership team, we were constantly challenged by our college pastor to replace ourselves.

The idea is that true leadership is not based around one person, but a team. Taking this idea one step further, the goal is for each member of that team works with others underneath them and develop then next generation of leaders. The goal is to replace yourself.

As a personal trainer, my job is to instruct and motivate my clients towards a healthy lifestyle. I find great joy in talking through a new workout, a goal of finishing a half marathon, or scheduling weekly check-ins to monitor a client’s progress. Personal training is a journey that the trainer and client take together. But if I’m doing my job right, I’m working myself out of a job. This may seem counterintuitive. But I’m not interested in keeping a client for 3, 5 or 10 years. Even as a business model, I would not consider myself successful if I was still training a client for that long of a time. This is because I value education and take great pride in teaching my clients the principles of training and discipline that lead to and sustain an active lifestyle.

On this particular blog, I find this message very applicable. Some of my former clients read the blog. Other potential clients may be reading the blog. The point is that I want to establish a platform in person and online where I am a continual resource for exercise training methods and best practices.

So wherever you are in your fitness journey, this is an invitation to engage with this website. If I’m doing my job right, I’ll educate and inspire you to make healthy choices. After awhile you may not need my services anymore. But your friends will. And so you’ll send them a link and get them started on their fitness journey. I’m always trying to do my job so well that I’m needed less and less. If you’re still around, it’s because you want to be – not because you need to be.

30 of 1440

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Quiz question: Do you know how many minutes are in a day? Do the math (60 multiplied a couple times, 24 hours….) and you come up with 1,440 minutes in a day. It seems like a lot but we all know how fast those minutes go. But think about taking just 30 of those minutes and devoting them to exercise.

30 of 1,440 — that seems realistic!

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people work out for 30 minutes most days of the week (technically four, but five is best). I wonder how much better our workforce and family lives would be if everyone exercised at this level for two months.

Preparing for Winter Training

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I am the exception to the rule: I actually enjoy outdoor running throughout the winter. But what about you? Do your workouts diminish proportional to the temperature outside?

Last year I bought shoes that are more weather resistant than my typical running shoes. This was in reaction to the previous winter when I cam home after numerous runs with damp if not wet feet. That was no fun. So I made and adjustment. I bought the shoes. I made a plan. Do you have a plan?

Sometimes when I’m at the gym where I work, I look at my clients (current and former) and monitor their attendance to see if they’re still working out here. This week I noticed three (former) clients hadn’t been to the club in three weeks. I think there’s a lull in the season where workouts fall off our priority lists. Then of course the holidays hit and then our attendance is hindered even more.

Take control. Make a plan. If it’s not outdoor running, make arrangements for a different form of cardio. Focus on strength and core for the winter. Whatever it is, don’t allow Mother Nature to determine your plans for working out.

Weekly Butt-Kicking on the Track

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Part of growing stronger in fitness is breaking down your muscles so that they grow back stronger. In a wonderful way, our bodies adjust to the stress that we impose through physical exercise. Working at the gym, I see many people each day imposing the same stresses on their bodies. Sure, they may be practicing the principle of overload. But a realistic limitation unless someone is really pushing you.

Enter Todd.

Each week I teach a Sports Conditioning class on Wednesday mornings from 6:30-7:15. It’s very similar to the ever-popular boot camps you see everywhere. But my focus is more on cardiovascular training and functional interval work rather than a random variety of core exercise of boot camps. My clientele has evolved into a group of attendees that are looking for performance increases, which comes from a high level of challenge.

I can challenge every person in that class on a performance level because I’m faster and stronger than them. Actually, I can challenge every person except Todd. Todd is a two-time Ironman finisher and he continually kicks my butt on the track. To be honest, it gets pretty frustrating. Todd just has a motor that operates at one notch above mine. So as an instructor, I’m planning and executing my class with the understanding that my performance will challenge the participants, and Todd’s performance will challenge me.

I’m used to being the best at athletics, or at least at the top. Having Todd push me each Wednesday when we’re on the track has certainly improved my performance. Some days it’s hard to gear myself up knowing that I can’t beat him. But that challenge is essential for my training to continue and improve.

Do you have anyone that challenges you on a regular basis? Do you need someone to kick your butt on the track or in the weight room? With the right attitude, coming in second place will do more for you than always being on top.

Faithful Four

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Working out 3-5 days per week like ACSM recommends can be time consuming and costly. Gym memberships are great for so many reasons, the biggest being the equipment that they provide. I am an outdoor runner, so I don’t need the gym for my cardio workouts. But my strength training is limited if I don’t go to the gym. Currently I have two 25-lb dumbbells for lifting weights. That’s it. To put together a good set will cost me a couple hundred dollars.

But what if I didn’t need to go to the gym for strength training? What if we broke down our strength training to the most basic component, a minimalist approach?

Along this line of thought I put together what I call the Faithful Four. I do these exercises every week with my Sports Conditioning class I teach Wednesday mornings. These are four exercises that will always be faithful to you. They’ll never leave you and they’ll always give back what you put in.

Faithful Four:

push-ups
sit-ups
squats
lunges

I usually do push-ups and lunges together for three sets, and then do sit-ups and squats together for three sets. This is strength training at its most basic level. But it’s a great routine in that it works the whole body and provides a foundation for you to build more strength training when you’re ready for the next level.

Time commitment? Three sets will take about six minutes! What I love about the Faithful Four is that over time I developed a sense of ownership with this routine. No equipment is required. It’s just me and my body weight. Hershel Walker was an NFL great whose main strength training consisted of push-ups and sit-ups. Of course he worked up to 500 of each per day (yes, per day). Still, it goes to show you the potential of this basic strength training routine.

The Faithful Four is a great starting point to daily strength training. Start out wherever you feel comfortable. Give yourself two weeks to move to where you feel challenged.

Training Success: Taper Week

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One of my favorite benefits to training for a race or setting a goal is the sense of accomplishment that comes at the end. Training is not easy. If it is, how much training is really happening? Training should impose stress on your body so that your muscles break down and subsequently grow back stronger. For me, this means full or half marathon training where my long runs increase to 10-12 miles for a half marathon and 20-22 miles for a full marathon.

This season I’m running the Haunted Hustle half marathon in Middleton with Katie. Admittedly my training has been sub-par due to increased demand for my time with school and kids. But I’ve done well with the long runs and my Sports Conditioning class has helped with some strength training and speed.

My training has progressed and I’ve reached my taper week. As an experienced marathoner, I can look back at the last ten weeks of training and see the progress I’ve made. This weekend I could get away with a short 6 mile run and be ready for the race next Saturday. But I’m still going to push a longer run because I know it will benefit my race. Still, taper week evokes a strong sense of accomplishment knowing I’m ready for the race.

Training and setting goals are very powerful motivators for accomplishing things in life. Short term goals help build momentum. Long term goals contribute to a great sense of achievement.

When’s the last time you accomplished a big goal?

What goals do you have in place?

Welcome to the Pursuit

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You are in pursuit. I am in pursuit. We may be pursuing different things, but we’re all chasing something. For the past five years I’ve been pursuing a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. The journey, the path has evolved over the years. In that time there’s been several continuing themes and pieces of evidence that this is the path I’m supposed to be on. To be fully honest, one is a passion and one is a pursuit.

The Passion: Health and Fitness

Let’s face it: if health and fitness were a pill that you could take to get your daily dose, we’d all get our prescriptions filled yesterday. Living a healthy lifestyle is hard work. That’s why it’s so ellusive for so many people. Anyone who spends an extended period of time with me quickly recognizes my interest and passion for exercise and healthy living. As an undergrad I studied physical and health education. I’ve always been physically active. And when I pursued a personal training certification through the American College of Sports Medicine this knowledge grew into a flame of passion for coaching the benefits of healthy living.

Lately my writing at the Game Plan has shifted to focus more on this passion for exercise and fitness. I’ve been blogging since February 6, 2006. That post began a passion in me that is still growing to this day – a passion for writing. I’ve always written in a journal and I’ve always had the desire to produce meaningful content, with a little commentary around the edges. My career, talents and abilities have developed over the years. I pride myself on being an excellent teacher, student, trainer and coach in the area of healthy living. Exercise is my passion.

The Pursuit: Discipline

Now if discipline were a pill that you could take to get your daily dose, I’d have my prescription filled at all times. I do a lot of things very well, but if there’s one constant pursuit in my life, the theme would be discipline. Discipline is the trait of traits; all aspects of a successful life hinges on the efficacy of self-discipline.

Every man has to have his goals. My goal is for this blog to be a catalyst for discussions on pursuing a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. Although you may have a different pursuit, I guarantee you will find this place on the Web to be full of genuine content and ideas.

Thanks for stopping by. Please say “Hi” in the comments section and come back to join our community.

The Principle of Overload

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There is a principle in fitness training that is essential to experience any type of improvement in performance. It’s called the principle of overload and here’s how it works. Our bodies get really good at performing the demands we place on it. If you ask your body to run 2 miles every other day, your body will get really good at that. If you ask your body to do 60 push-ups and 60 sit-ups every day, your body will get really good at that.

What about at work? If you tell your body to walk around the store room and move a few boxes, your body will get really good at that. But what if those boxes got heavier? You’d struggle! Or what if you were asked to move 30% faster? You’d struggle!

This is where the principle of overload comes in. When you overload your system (i.e. your body) you systematically break down your muscles so that they grow back stronger. This is the only way to improve performance, by breaking down muscle fibers.

I experienced a perfect example of this on my 12 mile run this morning. I’m training for a half marathon in Middleton at the end of the month. Training has gone well so far, but my longest run was last week and it was only 8.75 miles. To jump to 12 miles was ambitious, but I know my body and it’s abilities. Typical distance training calls for small increases in “long runs” once per week. To go from 8.75 to 9.5 or even 10 would have been very comfortable. But that additional two miles was excessive overload today.

And I felt it. My route was three 4-mile loops, and on the third loop I was halfway through when it hit me. I knew it was coming, but knowing the principles of overload and progression made the feeling even more pronounced. I had entered a mileage where my body was completely stress because it hadn’t been there before (during this particular training session).

Of course this brings up another topic – the fight. What do you do when you are at a place you’ve never been before, but you need to make it to the finish line? Another post for another day.

Back to overload. This morning’s run was excessive overload but it was a controlled situation and it was a place I’ve been before, albeit one year ago. Still, the overload is necessary for improved performance. (I’ll have to remind my legs throughout the day that this is for their good.)

So what about you? Training, work, personal, spiritual. If the principle of overload says that you must exert greater than normal stress on a system to grow it stronger, how are you doing that?