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You dont have to drive across town to a high-end gym to score a great workout. And, honestly, sometimes, you shouldnt even try.

Time is biggest obstacle standing in between most people and their workouts, Chris Freytag Chris Freytag, C.P.T., founder of Get Healthy U TV, told Fox News. But working out at home is so quick and easy to do. You can set the oven timer for 15 minutes, crank out a workout, and then get on to other things. Plus, you literally have everything you need for a great workout in your home already.

Not sure where to start? Freytag helped us round up five pieces of furniture that double as exercise equipment and showed us how to get awesome workout with each.

COUCH A sturdy staple, the couch is perfect for any exercises that require supporting a good chunk of your body weight.

Feet-elevated glute bridge Lie on your back on the floor, perpendicular to the couch and your butt about a foot from its edge. Place your feet on top of the couch. With your knees bent to about 90 degrees, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to raise your body until it forms a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Pause, then lower to start.

5 MILITARY-INSPIRED MOVES FOR A FULL-BODY WORKOUT

Incline and decline push-up Get in a high-plank position, hands on the couch and directly underneath your shoulders. Bend your elbows to row your chest toward the couch, making sure to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Once your chest just barely touches the couch, push through your chest and arms to return to start. You can also perform with your feet raised on the couch and hands planted on the floor.

Double- and single-leg hip thrust Sit on the floor with your back against the long side the couch. Rest your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and your arms straight out on the edge of the couch. Keeping your face pointed forward, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift off of the floor until your body forms a straight horizontal line. Pause, then lower to start. Perform with both or just one foot.

Triceps dip Sit on the floor with your back against the long side the couch. Place your hands behind you on the edge of couch, hands spaced shoulder-width apart. With your legs straight out in front of you, push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your torso off of the floor, your body forming a straight line. Pause, then lower to start. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE WORKING OUT

Mountain climber Get in a high-plank position with your hands on the couch, directly under your shoulders, and balls of your feet on the floor. Bend one knee and bring it toward your chest, return to start, and then repeat on the opposite side. Perform slowly and under control or, to get your heart rate up, as quickly as possible.

Single-leg squat Stand with your back about two feet in of the couch. Extend one leg behind you to place your foot near the edge of the couch. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, bend your knees to lower toward the floor. When the thigh of your front leg is parallel with the floor, pause, then press through your heel to return to start.

STAIRCASE It might not technically be a piece of furniture, but if your home has a staircase, youre about to get some cardio.

Staircase sprint Run up and down the stairs as quickly as possible, while making sure to maintain control and balance. Try skipping every other step on the way up to increase glute activation.

5 TRENDY HEALTH FOODS THAT AREN'T WORTH YOUR MONEY

Depth jump Stand on the bottom step of the staircase, feet together and slightly off of the edge of the step so that you are facing the landing. Take a giant step forward and land in a squat position, feet flat on the floor. Progress so that you jump up immediately upon landing.

CHAIR You dont want a chair flying out from underneath you mid-rep, so save the chair for exercises that require only slight balancing.

Calf raise Stand tall next to a chair, and place one hand on the back of it for balance. Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels from the floor as high as possible. Pause, then lower to start.

Lunge Stand next to a chair, feet hip-width apart, and place one hand on the back of the chair for balance. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, take a giant step forward with one foot and then bend both knees to lower toward the floor. When the thigh of your front leg is parallel with the floor, pause, then press through your heel to return to start. Step back, rather than forward, for reverse lunges.

SEE THE VIDEO: 6-MONTH-OLD DOING PLANKS GOES VIRAL

WALL

Timed wall sit Stand tall with your back against the wall, feet hip-width apart about two feet in front of you. Bend your knees to drop into a squat. Hold for the allotted amount of time, making sure to keep your back flat against the wall.

Feet up the wall Facing away from the wall, get in a high-plank position, the soles of your feet flat against it. Brace your core like you are about to get punched in the gut, and while keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels, slowly walk your hands back toward the wall, and feet up the wall. Stop when you can no longer raise under control, or when you achieve a full handstand. Reverse the movement to return to start.

BED

Leg lift Lie on your back on the bed so that your legs hang off of the edge. Extend them straight up in the air so that your body forms an L shape. Brace your core and, while keeping your legs straight and together, slowly lower them until they are below the top of the bed, and then squeeze your abs to raise them back to start.

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5 pieces of furniture that double as fitness equipment and how to use them - Fox News

SIR Branch #92 will hear from John Phillips about wellness and fitness for mature adults at its monthly meeting on March 14. Phillips is the Oakmont Fitness Centers trainer. He holds a Bachelors degree in Health and Wellness from the University of Nevada, Reno. He is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and active member of Idea Health and Fitness Association. He continues to study any information available regarding the training and health of mature adults, and obtain continuing education certificates. He also holds certificates as a Fitness Nutrition Specialist, BOSU instructor, and Mat Pilates instructor.

Phillips began training at a moderate sized fitness center in Reno, and then moved to San Francisco where he trained with 24 Hour Fitness, which brought him to Santa Rosa and eventually to Oakmont in 2008. Phillips enjoys working with a more mature clientele, They present some very interesting situations that really, at times, make me think, I really enjoy the challenges.

SIR #92 is a social club for retired gentlemen and is part of a statewide network of over 150 clubs. The group meets monthly on the second Tuesday at the Berger Center, starting with a happy hour at 11:15 a.m., followed by a catered luncheon, and interesting speaker. Annual dues are $25 and monthly meetings are $20 for the luncheon.

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Fitness and wellness on tap for SIR #92 - kenwoodpress

The first sweat broke during Round 1, which was three minutes of jumping rope. Easy right? Well, whens the last time you jumped rope for three minutes?

The three minutes of elevated plank jacks supported on your elbows, springing your legs in and out really got the blood moving. By Round 4, the gloves were on and I was hitting a punching bag suspended from the ceiling and anchored to the floor. Right jab, right jab, left punch

Five more rounds, or stations, to go.

By the time my 30 minutes was over I had finished a nine station workout that had me throwing combination punches, kicking heavy bags and challenging every part of my body.

And it was fun, above everything else, even though I had no idea what I was doing for the first 20 seconds of each round.

Thats the motivational concept behind the four Arlington and Falls Church locations of 9Round Fitness. The idea is to make a workout efficient (30 minutes, max; no appointment time, you drop in when you can and start right away), safe (a trainer is on the floor at all times to help with techniques) and fun (yes, hitting a heavy bag is fun).

While the signature movements are based on boxing and kickboxing be advised that no one hits anyone else, ever.

Were not a kickboxing or fight gym, says co-owner Rob Graveline, who grew up in Arlington. Its a 30-minute, full-body workout with a trainer included. Were not hitting each other or making contact. Were for all levels: You dont have to be an elite athlete or an MMA fighter in training to appreciate this workout.

The idea is to keep the body moving in a strategically designed sequence that incorporates different motions to achieve maximum results, namely calorie burn and muscle development.

The nine workout stations are modeled on nine rounds of boxing; a timer on the overhead sound system keeps everyone apprised as to how many seconds are left in their three-minute round, and when the bell rings, you have 30 seconds of active resting to get to the next station.

I was brand new to boxing technique but in the 30 seconds between rounds Graveline was able to show me the basics of what I was going to do for the next three minutes.

Thankfully, you dont have to be versed in gym-lingo to understand the instructions. In my case, I completed each station successfully, if a bit sweaty and out of breath, but was well aware that my technique was monstrously beginner. With practice my technique would improve and I would get the maximum benefit from the exercise.

The exercises on the circuit change daily, so those dropping in three, four or five times a week get a completely new workout each time. And yes, you can drop in as often as you like, and without appointments, a huge luxury in the personal training world.

Membership rates are based on how long you want to invest in yourself: The longer the commitment, the lower the rate. Included in the membership is a surprising number of value-adds, such as a heart-rate monitor to target fat-burning zone (calories burned, heart rate, effort level and other data); nutritional guidance and one-on-one nutritional support; an online meal planner; and 9Round instructional videos and podcasts.

Your gloves and wraps are included in the membership fee.

As for Graveline, a career trainer for 27 years, enjoys motivating people to reach their goals. For him, he fell for the 9 Round concept as soon as he heard about it.

Its one of those things where everybody can do it, he says, adding that one client is an 85-year-old woman. Were there to modify it to your ability to keep it safe and fun.

And nobody gets hit.

A single membership is good for all three Arlington/Falls Church locations:

An Old Town Alexandria location is expected to open this summer. Email Rob Graveline at [emailprotected]for more information

The preceding was a business profile written by Buzz McClain and sponsored by 9 Round.

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9 Round Fitness: Punching, Kicking, Conditioning in 30 Minutes and No One Gets Hit - ARL now

If my Facebook feed is any indication, cold and flu season is far from over, even though we are experiencing warmer weather. Unfortunately, the natural spread of cold and flu viruses at this time of year can interfere with your springtime activities.

Getting a flu vaccine is the most important thing you can do to prevent seasonal influenza, or the flu. If you didnt get a flu shot this year, there is still much you can do to reduce your risk of getting sick.

For starters, you can protect yourself by not touching your eyes, nose or mouth and by washing your hands frequently with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. But there are additional steps you can take to fight cold and flu viruses.

Exercise can have a positive effect on your immune system. People who exercise on a daily basis have fewer and less severe colds and have up to 50 percent fewer sick days than those who arent regularly active. Research in animals and humans shows that exercise increases the activity of certain immune cells called helper T cells. This makes the immune systems response to viruses, like the cold and flu, more robust. The strongest evidence is seen when the exercise is moderate in intensity and duration, such as a 30- to 60-minute walk or jog each day.

More exercise isnt always better, though. Very vigorous and prolonged exercise can have the opposite effect. Athletes who engage in long, intense training tend to be more susceptible to upper respiratory infections. Research shows that immune function is depressed in the weeks leading up to and after running a marathon, resulting in an increased risk of becoming sick. The bottom line is that while exercise improves your immune system, very vigorous exercise may not.

Regular exercise also enhances the immune system response to the influenza vaccine. This means that the flu vaccine can be more effective in people who exercise. If you dont exercise already, you can still benefit: one study showed that a single, 45-minute exercise session can improve the immune response to the flu vaccine. You can get this benefit by going for a brisk walk before your flu shot, something to think about next fall.

Good nutrition is also important for optimal immune system function. Deficiencies of certain nutrients can have a negative effect on immune function, so eating a balanced diet is essential. That said, there is no support for boosting the immune system by taking high doses of vitamins, minerals or other supplements, despite the claims made by supplement companies.

You can get benefits from two more common-sense recommendations: getting adequate sleep and reducing stress. Poor sleep habits are associated with suppressed immunity and more frequent illness. Sleep deprivation can also reduce the positive immune response to a flu shot. High levels of stress increase susceptibility to colds and flu and can lead to more sick days from work or school. Stress and poor sleep habits tend to occur together, creating a double negative effect on the immune system.

You should definitely follow the traditional advice of getting a flu shot and washing your hands frequently. In addition, to have your best chance of staying healthy you should also exercise every day, eat a healthy diet, manage your stress, and get enough sleep. As a bonus, many of these habits will also help you lose weight and reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers along with keeping you healthy this cold and flu season.

Brian Parr, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior. You can learn more about this and other health and fitness topics at http://drparrsays.com or on Twitter @drparrsays.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS: It's not too late to fight the flu - Aiken Standard

If you thought masturbation affected your stamina at the gym, read this.

Stamina also called endurance is of two types when it comes to aerobic exercise cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance. Cardiovascular endurance is the ability of the heart and blood vessels to pump and deliver oxygenated blood to working muscles for extended periods of time during any activity or workout. Muscular endurance is the ability of the muscles to contract and create the required movement for a particular activity or workout for prolonged periods of time without getting fatigued.

So when it comes to masturbation affecting stamina during aerobic exercise, there is no evidence that masturbation has an adverse effect on any cardiovascular activity because masturbation does not in any way hamper the aspects of physiology that are involved in aerobic performance says Vikram Dutta, personal trainer, fitness entrepreneur and founder of CurveStrength Wellness Fitness Studio in Mumbai.

Masturbation leads to a surge in testosterone hormone immediately after the act, which is in no way going to hamper aerobic fitness. The fatigue after masturbation may lead to decrease in performance for some people but this is quite negligible to consider.

Does masturbation affect your capacity to practice weight training?

Weight training or strength training is the practice of strengthening the musculoskeletal system (muscles, bones, connective tissues: tendons & ligaments) with the use of resistance. There is no evidence to show that masturbation affects weight training practice adversely in any way.

Healthy practice of sexual activity and masturbation actually improved immune system, mental well-being and better quality of life. In fact according to some studies a post workout induced ejaculation can help in increase the functionality of the immune system to aid in exercise recovery.

Do gym trainers suggest avoiding masturbation before workouts?

Ejaculation naturally causes a spike in prolactin which causes temporary decrease sexual desire, and decreases dopamine, it does not cause significant changes in the testosterone levels. There is no biological reason whatsoever to avoid masturbation before workouts. However, if someone experiences fatigue and loss of energy after masturbation, then obviously it may affect their performance in the workout if performed in that condition.

Image Source: Shutterstock

Published: March 6, 2017 11:25 am

Disclaimer: TheHealthSite.com does not guarantee any specific results as a result of the procedures mentioned here and the results may vary from person to person. The topics in these pages including text, graphics, videos and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only and not to be substituted for professional medical advice.

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Does masturbation affect your stamina during workouts? (fitness query) - TheHealthSite

Alissa Widman Neese The Columbus Dispatch @AlissaWidman

When you first step inside the Arnold Fitness Expo, odds are you'll be greeted by the thumping bass of a dance party fueled by energy drinks and preworkout powder.

The ladies with washboard abs shake their hips to the Cupid Shuffle.

A mixture of pungent sweat and sweet whey-protein pancakes fills the air.

For many, the sprawling expo is the main event of the Arnold Sports Festival. Through Sunday, 200,000 people will pile into the Greater Columbus Convention Center to meet fitness celebrities, peruse 1,000 vendor booths and cheer on their favorite athletes in both iconic and lesser-known competitions.

Rows and rows of vendors make sales pitches for the latest in sports equipment, apparel and nutrition. Gawkers weave through the walls of people, cellphones recording, but it's doubtful any video will compare to experiencing it firsthand.

Taste the peach-mango amino acids, the pure liquid egg whites and the mint-chocolate-chip protein mix. Let the man in the unicorn mask sell you the powerlifting Pikachu T-shirt.The $300 bejeweled bikini is a bargain, compared to its original price of $650.

You can even buy mattresses, beard butter and super-healthy pet food.

But if you want to sample some of the expo's most popular freebies, be prepared to wait in very long lines for hours, longtime expo-goers warn. Many of them spend a good portion of the fitness convention standing in one place, but they say it's worth it to access all the supplements and merchandise under one roof.

Their advice: bring a big bag for swag and plenty of patience.

"At least you can check out the scenery while you wait," joked Rose Behanna, who drove from West Virginia to spend her third weekend in "muscle-man heaven."

She and friend Jayme Jett expected to wait about two hours for free items from the Optimum Nutrition display. And Friday at the three-day expo is the "slow day," they added.

At one stage Friday, a swarm of men in kilts used pitchforks to hurl a weighted burlap bag to the tune of bagpipes. At another, crowds cheered on a 66-year-old armwrestler with all the fervor of teens at a high school lunch table. Metal music blared as the guy with giant muscles and bulging veins went for one more rep at the bench press.

Throughout the weekend, among the sea of shoulder-to-shoulder spectators, some may even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the man himself: Arnold Schwarzenegger. He supposedly passes through once a day to pose for photos at every sponsor booth with the help of dozens of security guards.

It's not difficult to spot him, expo veterans Amy and Jeff Crace, of Findlay, said.

"Just listen for the crowds screaming," she said. But, he added, "don't expect to get too close."

awidmanneese@dispatch.com

@AlissaWidman

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Bring patience and a bag for swag to Fitness Expo, regulars advise - Columbus Dispatch

Frenchman's Creek Beach & Country Club is just one private club that offers expanded spa and fitness facilities.

Frenchman's Creek

For years, golf clubs have been trying to answer the question of how to attract more females to the game. And it seems that some clubs have found -- and spent significant amounts of money on -- the solution: boutique fitness clubs.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, consulting firm Global Golf Advisors found that 145 top private U.S. clubs ranked programming for women as the third biggest trend in the industry, just behind product development. As a result, these clubs have expanded their spa and fitness facilities by 22% to combat lag in membership numbers.

For example, Frenchmans Creek Beach & Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., has a $6 million, 24,000 square foot fitness facility that offers personal training and fitness classes determined by mostly female focus groups. Business development manager Pamela Rudd told the Journal that approximately 40% of the club's 1,200 members don't golf at all.

That doesn't mean that women aren't picking up the game if they haven't played already. Debra Berney, a member at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Fla., was originally attracted to the gated community because of the alternative programming the club offered to her husband Jeff's passion for golf. Now, she plays too, thanks to a program designed to attract beginners and have them learn together.

Of course, becoming a member of any private club still has a pricetag. But increasingly, the more a club offers, the more attractive it becomes -- which, at the very least, is a start for a struggling industry.

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Golf clubs increasingly investing in high-end fitness to attract more women - Golf.com

Richard Simmons is an American fitness icon. Hes worth over $15 million. He weighed 269 pounds at his high school graduation. He lost 123 of those pounds in his 20s. He is estimated to have helped Americans lose over 12 million pounds.

And hes been missing for 1,095 days.

The podcast about his disappearance is #1 on the iTunes charts.

Since 2014, Simmons, now 68, has not been seen in public.

RICHARD SIMMONS EXPLAINS HOSPITAL STAY

For decades, he courted constant media attention and bathed in the spotlight. He was a regular guest on The David Letterman Show, taught his loyal followers at weekly exercise classes at his gym in Beverly Hills, California, and made hundreds of phone calls a week to Americans struggling with their weight.

I dont have a lot to offer to one person. I have a lot to offer to a lot of people, he once famously said.

Dan Taberski was one of those people. He met Simmons while attending one of his famous exercise classes in LA in 2012, and they struck up an immediate friendship, as Simmons did with many of his clients.

They were friends for about a year Taberski has been to Simmons house for dinner and the pair even discussed producing a documentary about Simmons life but one day, Simmons just didnt show up to teach his exercise class. And he stopped answering Taberskis phone calls.

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The following week, Simmons still didnt show up to class. When he failed to turn up the week after, people started to get worried.

Friends tried calling, texting, driving to his house and knocking on the door. But they found nothing. It was just so out of character.

He would wake up at 4 in the morning and reach out to 30, 40, 50 people with phone calls and emails, Taberski told Yahoo News. It was sustained relationships that lasted years, sometimes decades.

RICHARD SIMMONS ON CLOSING HIS ICONIC STUDIO

So why would he suddenly give all that up?

Taberski has set out to find the answer to that question in his new podcast, Missing Richard Simmons.

The first episode premiered just two weeks ago, and already the series has shot straight to the top of the iTunes podcast charts. Its been dubbed the new Serial, the blockbuster podcast from Sarah Koenig and the creators of This American Life.

Taberski speaks to Simmons friends and the people closest to him and tries to figure out what on earth happened. Only three episodes have been released so far, and from those emerge three possible theories:

No. 3 is obviously the juiciest, so lets explore that.

The allegations against Reveles were made by Simmons former masseur and assistant, Mauro Oliveira.

DID RICHARD SIMMONS HAVE A SEX CHANGE?

I feel that Richard is now being controlled by the very people that he controlled his whole life, Oliveira told the New York Daily News. Controlled in the sense that they are taking advantage of his weak mental state. Controlled in the sense that they are controlling his mail, controlling his everything.

WHERE DID RICHARD SIMMONS GO?

But Simmons manager Tom Estey has denied those allegations, telling People his client is safe and simply out of the limelight.

Richard, after 40 years of being in the spotlight, is now simply taking a break from the public eye and working behind the scenes to continue to help those millions of people worldwide in need of his assistance and on several projects to be announced soon.

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'Missing Richard Simmons' explores how the fitness guru hasn't been seen in public for more than 1000 days - Fox News

Living a healthy, fit, productive, and happy life can be an infinite number of portrayals depending on the individual that you speak to.

But, what cant be argued is that being fit and healthy goes beyond the physical aesthetics of abs and a head-turning butt. Besides the physical, there is also an emotional, spiritual, and mental side of fitness.

Search the internet for how to live the good life and youre flooded with numerous options and suggestions for how to go about this. But, to make fitness great again doesnt require complexity or any other type of special programs despite the ever-growing list of fad diets, detoxes, and revolutionary workouts.

If our internal world isnt in order, then it doesnt matter how hot we look nor how smart people tell us we are. Our wellness bucket isnt complete.

To make fitness great again, start by incorporating these 11 habits.

Anytime you hear the word mantra and affirmations, you may be thinking of looking at yourself in the mirror or sitting in a room full of candles chanting weird sayings.

Neither of these scenarios is necessary. An affirmation is simply a statement that you repeat to yourself on a daily basis for empowerment and confidence about a perceived truth. An affirmation helps with programming your mind with positivity and the pursuit of your goals.

Your mantras and affirmations will help you stay aligned with your mission.

Forcing yourself to pause and ask why 3x about something you want creates clarity about the situation. This system helps uncover why youre making decisions.

When it comes to your situation, maybe youre reaching for a snack due to stress from work, a friend, a family member, a partner, or something else. The point being is that youre not hungry more so than youre just seeking a form of escape and comfort from the present situation.

When it comes to relationships and dating, this is another area where this system helps with preventing regrettable decisions (hello one night stands, drunken kisses, and crappy relationships).

If our internal world isnt in order, then it doesnt matter how hot we look nor how smart people tell us we are. Our wellness bucket isnt complete.

Meditation provides you an opportunity to get in tuned with your thoughts and some much-needed headspace from the noisy world that we live in. The type of meditation you choose isnt as important as you being consistent with the habit.

You want to get healthier and leaner. You want a great relationship. Great, but what does that look and feel like?

Get specific with your goals. With your fitness, it could be I want to lose 10lbs and feel more confident in my body while improving my sex drive. These are tangible goals that can be measured and completed with an end destination.

Sleep is the most expensive currency in the world of health and fitness. Without sleep, the rest of your life will slowly head down the drain.

Sleep is what rebuilds and restores your body after tough and stressful days. Sleep affects your waistline, mood, work, performance, and bedroom performance.

At the end of the day, exercise isnt rocket science or quantum physics. No need to get super serious or force yourself into a type of exercise that you dread as much we dread those depressing Facebook posts.

Life is far too short for punishing workouts and guilting yourself for having some carrot cake or a couple too many pastries. Make fitness fit into your desired lifestyle, not the other way around.

Bored at the gym? Try some salsa dancing, pole fitness, yoga, or anything elsejust get moving.

Simple, but how many of you actually pay attention to your water intake on a daily basis?

Water helps with our metabolism, muscle functioning, and keeps your skin looking flawless as well as helping with your cognitive functioning.

Micronutrients are pivotal to making your fitness great again.

Implementing an eating regimen full of micronutrients will lower the risk for almost every single common health issue that you can think of as well as improve your quality of life and longevity.

The best way to fight diseases is to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

The type of exercise you do doesnt matter. What matters is getting your body in motion each and every day.

Exercising brings about endorphins and provides an outlet to relieve stress and frustrations from your friends, peers, family, work, and social media (the worst of them all).

A healthy mind makes for a richer, productive, and better life. Quality information in leads to quality output and thus improving your professional and personal life in the process.

If you have a set of friends who are lazy, see the world in scarcity and spend all day trolling Facebook while getting into pointless internet argumentsits time for some new friends.

The circle that we hang and communicate with on a daily basis has more power and influence over us than we realize.

We become the environment that we submerge ourselves in.

Trying to become a millionaire or start a business? Hang around people with similar aspirations or find some people who have already done what youre trying to accomplish.

Want to get healthier? Hang around people who are living a lifestyle that is conducive to those things.

Want to find a happy relationship and reframe your mindset around this? Stop listening and treating your jaded friends as the expert and seek out people who have successful relationships and learn from them.

Only surround yourself with people and environments that aspire you, not despair and drain you.

Photo: Getty Images

Julian Hayes II is the founder of The Art of Fitness & Life. He is an author, health and wellness consultant, and speaker operating at the nexus of creativity, health, and business. His mission is to help you integrate health and wellness into a life you love without having to use tricks or lose your identity through the process. His book, Body Architect, is a real-world guide designed to help you create a life you love while creating a body you love.

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Make Fitness Great Again: 11 Simple Habits to Immediately Improve Your Well-Being - The Good Men Project (blog)

Gulls defenseman Jaycob Megna and a teammate hopped in an Uber to visit San Franciscos Golden Gate Bridge during an American Hockey League road trip that included a stop in neighboring Stockton.

As they stood on the landmark to soak up the inspiring view, jaws dropped as Coach Dallas Eakins casually ran past.

He just said hey and kept going, Megna said. He ran from the hotel, across the bridge and back. It was like 12 miles. I was like, Are you kidding me?

Thats Eakins, a fitness-obsessed, walk-the-talk coach who has molded the Gulls into the AHLs hottest team not named San Jose and the leagues most health conscious.

The 50-year-old runs to practices on the road. Sometimes, he runs back. He annually pedals through the pain in a 100-mile bike race in Colorado, spending 10.5 hours or more in constant motion at more than 10,000 feet.

Eakins banned creamer at the locker room coffee machine. He booted ice cream from pregame meals, much to the smiling chagrin of General Manager Bob Ferguson. Forget about any cream-based soups.

To Eakins, its not diet dictatorship. Its common sense.

The Gulls strangle the life out of third periods, finding extra gears that helped them win 21 of the last 25, including a blistering 10-2 mark in February the most victories in a month since their San Diego debut in 2015.

When you go to the gas station, what do you do? said Eakins, detailing an annual conversation with players. Would you ever go and take a big (pee) in your gas tank and fill it with that? You wouldnt (pee) in your gas tank, because your car wouldnt go very far.

Why would you do that as an athlete? Why would you put a bunch of junk in your body if its going to bring down performance?

Eakins is a new-age rink thinker, trimming mid-season practices to a half hour or less and advocating for daily naps. Rest and recovery rank near the top of the Gulls preparation list.

Megna said Eakins, who sometimes turns out his office lights at the teams rink in Poway to power nap, drills in the concept with a memorable saying: Work hard and recover harder.

Following a game-day skate Friday morning at the Valley View Casino Center, Eakins pulled out his phone to share fresh information he just forwarded to the entire team.

Eakins noticed on Twitter that a presentation during the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference at high-browed MIT in Boston equated lack of sleep to drinking alcohol the night before competition or workouts.

He fished the phone from his pocket to reveal a slide that showed six hours of sleep is like downing two or three beers. Sleeping as little as four hours ramps the comparison up to five or six.

God forbid you double-dipped, said Eakins, whose team currently is second and climbing in the Pacific Division. If you have three or four beers and sleep six hours, now youve got a big problem and performance suffers. I dont want to be a guy who walks in there and says, Eat right, sleep right and Im doing everything the exact opposite.

I dont like beer, but I love red wine. So Im not walking around drinking protein drinks all day or whatever. But Ive always thought the best leaders lead by example.

Just ask Craig Elsten, the Gulls play-by-play announcer.

Elsten recalled a trip to Rockford, Ill., when Eakins stayed after practice to work with players doing extra skating. As they ticked off rink laps, the coach dropped to the ice and used his hockey stick as a base for push-ups and chilly sets of burpees.

It makes it hard to eat that cheeseburger or be lazy around him, Elsten said.

When the Ducks opened the organizations training camp last fall in Anaheim, Eakins picked the most Eakins way to travel. He rode his bike for almost 105 miles. That meant chugging to the coast near Torrey Pines, zig-zagging through Camp Pendleton and San Clemente via a labyrinth of trails and side roads.

Ferguson, the general manager, answered in a fraction of a second when asked if Eakins is the fittest coach in the AHL.

Its not even close, Ferguson said. Even though I havent been around everybody, my moneys on him. It almost shames the players. Theyre like, My fitness better be good.

The mindset runs through the family.

Eakins wife, Canadian actress Ingrid Kavelaars, is training for a half-Ironman. The woman who worked on the Stephen King-based movie Dreamcatcher with Morgan Freeman keeps the hockey coach motivated.

Shes fitter than I am, Eakins said.

Megna mentioned a trip to Tucson when Eakins brought his bike. The team walked outside the arena and into 80-degree heat. The coach had ridden his bike so far and high that he found snow.

The message by osmosis is clear: Treat your body like the Mona Lisa.

You see third periods come along and were fresh and were rolling, Megna said. Its hard for teams to keep up with us.

Makes sense. They got that way trying to keep up with their coach.

bryce.miller@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @Bryce_A_Miller

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