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| Location: Blogs J.D. Hart |   | | Posted by: dhart | 8/15/2007 2:03 PM | Last time, I left off telling you how things were coming together on these self improvement projects, and today I am going to tie everything together so we can get on to the business of transformation.
At this point you know that I had a life altering moment, and decided that I wanted to change my life. After deciding to loose weight and get back into archery, via a co-worker, I was lead to AUM, and their great staff in the Exercise physiology department. That is where we pick up today.
After learning that there was an archery guru right in our own back yard, Daniel Dye made a call to a former colleague over at AUM in their media and information department. He told them what we wanted to do, and to see if they would be interested in working with us on this project.
After getting clearance, we were told that Dr. Williford would help design a program for me for switching to left hand shooting, and that Dr. Michele Olson would work with me on the training side of the hand switching project.
In preparing for our initial meeting with Dr. Olson, or Dr. O as she is called by her students, I was looking up some information on exercises designed for archers. In that search, I found the little know fact that heart attacks kill more hunters in the field every year than all the other top ten reasons combined. I also learned that Dr. O is one of the most accomplished professionals in her field, and that she has trained several stars and pro athletes. (Anna Kournikova was one of the latest).
Could I be any luckier??? I definitely felt like the good Lord had given his stamp of approval, and was clearing this path, so to speak.
In that initial meeting with Dr. Olson, I explained to her pretty much what you are reading here and she was more than happy to help out. She would design a program that would not only help out with the right to left hand shooting switch, but that would also whip my big ol' booty into shape.
The stage was set, and we set a date for my fitness assessment at the Auburn Montgomery campus. That is where I would get my customized exercise and eating plans based on what the assessment told them.
It was ON!!!
On the day before the assessment, Dr. Olson called me and asked if I would mind being on the local news. As it turns out, Dr. Olson was in a recent magazine article talking about the training she had given Anna Kournikova. (I'll find it and link it here if that is possible).
A local reporter at the local CBS affiliate (WAKA Ch.8) found it, and wanted to do a piece on it. Dr. O agreed, and then told the reporter about what they were doing with me. She asked if they wanted to get that story as well, and they said that would be great.
So, I agreed to let them film the next day's torture test. We said our goodbyes, and I was left to ponder what I had gotten myself into.
Up until this point, I had been pretty calm about the whole thing, but somehow, the television thing had added a new element to my experiences that was really cranking up the pressure. My apprehension was growing, and growing fast.
After tossing and turning all that night prior to the testing, (I am sure that my wife will attest to that fact), the morning finally came for the torture . . . I mean fitness assessment. As we made our way over to the AUM facilities, thoughts of rock-walled, medieval chambers, and evil, laughing madmen in leather frocks filled my head.
Silly? I know, but hey, it's me we are talking about here.
Anyway, as we entered, I don't know if it was the 100+ degree heat outside, or if the thermostat inside was set too ~ 0 degrees Kelvin (-454 degrees F), but to say you could have hung meat in those halls was an understatement.
It was refreshingly nice though, and hopefully it would help keep down the sweat that I was sure, in a little while, would be freely flowing.
As we walked into the offices of Dr. Olson and her staff, the only lights that were on were some VERY diffused lighting fixtures that were bright enough so you could see to carefully navigate the room, but not much better than that. Maybe this is a medieval torture chamber? The equipment that was hanging on the walls looked to have a very sinister purpose.
Dr. Olson greeted us and showed us around. There were exercise machines set about all over the floor, and even more machines on the walls. There was some serious machinery in there let me tell you. It was a little intimidating, but the friendly demeanor of Dr. O and everyone else gathered there to witness the proceedings soon had me convinced that it was not going to be as bad as I had imagined.
Thinking back on it now, I think that I was reflecting back on the physical therapy I had to go through after the car wreck in 1995. The one that had pretty much destroyed my left arm had also completely smashed the Epicondyle of my right Femur. That is the big knot on the end of your Femur that makes up the top half of your knee joint. If you have ever seen a cartoon dog with a bone in its mouth, the knots on each end of that cartoon bone is an Epicondyle.
Long story short, the therapy for this injury was torture. REAL TORTURE. So much so that the rehab hospital I was in would only let female therapists work on my leg. When I asked why this was so, the chief therapist, a guy, said that when anyone has that much pain inflicted on them, they are liable to loose it and hit the therapist. As such, after talking to me, he had decided that I was much less likely to hit the female therapist.
Smart guy. But, I admit that thoughts of retribution crossed my mind several times.
At the time, I thought of them as taskmasters and sadistic torturers. I now think of them as miracle workers. If you ever have to have physical or occupational therapy, please listen to your therapist. The life that you improve will be your own!
Anyway, back to the story. At this point Dr. Olson introduced me to her colleague, PhD candidate Mike Esco. (It is Dr. O and Mike that you see in the photos with me). Mike is my day to day contact on the project, and you'll hear more about him in my next post.
Dr. O and Mike put me through the paces, and declared that I was in better shape than a slug, but not much better. It used to think that there was just more of me to love, but now I think that it is just a little more work I'll have to do.
Here were the numbers:
Fitness Assessment from Auburn University - Montgomery (A.U.M.)
August 8, 2007
J.D. Hart
Risk Goal 1 Final Goal
Height 67 in. -------------------------------------
Weight 252 pounds High 242 200
Resting Heart Rate 78 Beats / Minute --------------------------------------
Body Fat % 27.5 % High 25% 13.5%
Body Mass Index 39.5 m2/kg High 36.0 31.0
Time to peak Heart Rate 7:30 Fair ------------------------
VO2 max 28.0 ml/kg/min High 35.0 38.0
About that time the camera crew came in and filmed some exercise shots and interviewed me and Dr. Olson for a spot on the following day's news. It has since been on-air, and they will be filming monthly follow ups to track my progress.
I will post the first interview, and the follow up clips, here, as they are made available to Buckmasters by WAKA CBS 8
Great, now half of Alabama will be watching. Plus, there is also you guys and gals here reading this drivel. Talk about holding my feet to the fire!
Actually it is a blessing, because the fear of failure is now a lot greater that a craving for a milkshake or a pizza. As much as I love those things, my fear of looking like a weak-willed looser is greater. So thanks to you all for that!!
Well, that is how we got to this point.
My next post will describe the eating and exercise plans that Dr. Olson, Dr. Williford, and future PhD Mike Esco laid out for me. I will also show you how you can formulate your own eating plan online, for free! And as a bonus, I will also give you all the daily forms I use to plan and track my eating and exercise progress
And lastly, if any of this inspires you to start exercising or dieting, please, please, please consult a physician before you start. It is a requirement. If you don't you are just asking for trouble.You have been warned!!!
Thanks again for reading!!
Until then,
J.D. | | | Permalink | Trackback |
Comments (1)
| Re: Fitness Assessment from Auburn Montgomery (AUM) | By fjs52 on 8/19/2007 7:38 PM | | Hi JD,<br>I've been thinking about making a similar change in my lifestyle. I was at one time a very athletic guy. Three kids and 14 years behind a desk have left me at 285 lbs. and way out of shape. Over the last few hunting seasons I've found myself being too lazy to use my climbing stand more often then not. I quess that's what's driving me. Keep us all posted on how your doing and good luck!<br>Frank |
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