Saturday, May 30

Beginning weight: 234.6 pounds

Belly size: 44 inches

Neck: 20.25 inches

Biceps: 15 inches

This morning, my main focus for Chris was to continue working on his strokes, his streamlines and continue to familiarize him with sendoffs and repitition of swimming sets.

We started with a warmup of 5 x 100s. 100 free swim, 100 free drill (leg touch), 100 free swim, 100 free drill (stretch drill), and 100 breast with 15-20 seconds rest after each 100. THE FOCUS: To continue stretching out our stroke, loosening out our muscles.

Next we did 10 x 50's freestlye drill with fins. The drill is the most important freestyle drill in swimming: 3 pull, 6 kicks. THE FOCUS: this drill focus' on rotating the shoulds in the water, while maximizing each pull. Think distance per stroke. The more strokes you take, the more tired you will be. So the whole goal is to stretch your arms forward and take the LEAST amount of strokes possible.

Next was the main set. THE FOCUS: Get Chris ready to swim, familiarize him with the clock and send offs, and to make sure he keeps going, even when he gets tired and wants to stop.

5 X 50 Free with fins on 1:15

10 X 50 Free with fins on 1:10

5 X 50 Free with fins on 1:05

1 Min Break

5 x 50's Free with fins on 1:00

Chris did pretty well on these, I can tell he was getting tired by the end of the 1:05 50's. During the 1 min break, I told him, "The most improvements you make to your stroke happens when you are tired. So make good decisions about clean streamlines, long strokes, high elbows and continue to be strong in the water no matter how much pain you are in." 5 mins of good making good decisions when you are tired is equal to 1 hour of swimming when you are full of energy.

Our cool down was 5 x 50's with fins. 25 backstroke steamline kick, 25 free (3 pulls, 6 kick)

May 28: Our Agreement

With our River Oaks Masters swim teams group attendance a little short due to births (Coert)/expecting babies (Laura)/marathon training (Gray)/opening a pilates studio (Hank)/back surgery (Sarah), and with the summer swim team soon coming to an end (End of June), and our Club Gators swim team doesn't start back up until the end of August..... I needed a summer project.

Unfortunately, I can only golf so much before the green's fee's and beverages from the beverage cart start eating away at my bank account. So golfing more often is out of the question. I needed to focuse on something else....

Well, since our River Oaks Master Swim Team has been dwindling in numbers, and our recruitment as pretty much failed (since no one wants to wake up to swim at 5:45 AM), I decided we needed a new pitch to make our Masters swim team more attractive.

We all know that Chris Behan (Thomas' Dad) has been trying to lose some weight. We often see him trying to keep up with Mrs. Pickens while Thomas and Lexi are swimming at Club Gators swim team practice. I have been trying to get Chris to join our master group.... but the 5:45 AM has been quite a deterrant. So, Yesterday, I made my pitch (with the OK from Brad).

My Pitch: "Chris, join our Master Swim Team in the morning, and I will GUARANTEE a 10 percent weight loss by the end of the summer (3 months), or your money BACK!!!". At that moment, his eyes just opened wide, and I knew I had him.

For the next 10 minutes, we discussed the terms of the agreement (Practice attendance is a must unless he is out of town for business). We also talked about nutrition; and I am going to leave this up to his wife. Mrs. (Jennifer) Behan is a nutritionist, so I am assumming he eats pretty healthy. So I am going to let him continue his regular diet.

From here on out, I will be "bloging" about Chris's development. I will update this blog once a week about his current weight, his waist size, neck size, bicep size, I will also comment on his stroke technique, and any wierd thoughts I have or conversations. I will also post a sample workout (not all, or else you guys would just read this and get the workouts and not sign up for our Master's group) each week that Chris has accomplished.

The Goal of this blog is to track Chris's development over the next three months. Its not about the amount weight he will lose, but more about being transparent about his goals to become healthier (since we can all be a little more healthier.... by exercising and eating healthier).

We all know that exercising alone is a difficult task. Everyone is guilty of sneaking a extra piece of cookie, or slice of pie, or a slice of pizza, or bag of chips in our mouths when no one else is looking. Imagine yourselves sneaking a snack when someone else is watching...... would you still eat that extra slice of home made pie?

The point of this blog is for everyone in the River Oaks Community to track Chris's development and provide our moral support so he can achieve his goal. Weather he loses all 5, 10, 15, 25 percent of his weight is a secondary objective. The main objective is making a life style change to become healthier with the support of his friends and family and the River Oaks Community.

Please stay updated, and check this blog every few days. I will be updating this as much as I can with pictures and specific numbers.

Thank you, Tim