Category: health

Three Great Core exercises


Today’s post is going to be real short I am including three core exercises that I have been implementing into my clients workouts. The core main purpose is to provide stability/support to allow your limbs to move and produce force. When there is weakness in the core(Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Transverse abdominis, Thoracic Diaphragm, and pelvis floor) there can be a lack of performance and/or Injury over time.  Try these three exercises in your next workout.

Pallof Walkout 
Cues
Arms Straight
Back in neutral position
athletic stance
Keep Hands in the middle of the body.

Plank Drops 
Hips are Tuck and Low back is Flattened
Keep hips level with shoulders
Drop quick then explode back up

 

Adductor Plank 
Place Top leg on bench or box
Big Chest Shoulder blades together
Raise hips and hold for set time

 

How to Develop Power


In the industry of athletics the ability to produce power is a mysterious topic. Helping an athlete improve their ability to produce force will help them become more athletic. The pathway to produce power is still not clear. There are many different options for a coach to train their athletes and get similar results. Underneath all these special ways of training athletes there are some principles that they all share.

Maximum Intent 
In order to develop power the athlete must have the mindset to perform repetitions of an exercise as fast as possible. Power = Mass x Velocity.  For any type mass or force you want to try to produce the highest Velocity possible. No depending on the load being used for the exercise the speed will differ greatly. Lighter loads will move faster than lighter loads. The load doesn’t matter because if you are moving light loads slowly the amount of power will not be great. The goal is to try to move weight as fast as possible.

Keep Reps Low
To train for power you should not have sets with more than 5 reps. After the 3rd rep in the set speed tends to drop due to fatigue. If a coach says they are working on power development and reps are greater than 5 in a set. That is not power development. That is either strength work or endurance. Lets look at it from a running perspective. If someone asked you to sprint 40 meters you could sprint the entire distance with problem. Now if the same person asked you to maintain the same speed over a mile. You would give them a crazy look. As distance, Repetitions, or time increases for an exercise the ability to produce power/maintain speed  drops dramatically.  Power should be trained in short burst. Think Quality over Quantity

Lots of Variety
Power should be trained with a variety of different exercises and loads. Based on the force-velocity curve training one aspect of power could lead to deficiencies in other aspects. Using heavy loads or light implements to produce force can be very beneficial to improving the athlete overall. The French Contrast method is a favorite of mine to implement. The French Contrast method is when you pair a Strength-Speed exercise with a lighter weight plyometric exercise.(Example Back Squat @ 75-85% of 1 Rep Max and Box Jumps or assisted Jumps Squats).

 

Longer Periods of Rest
When trying to build strength and Power you will need longer periods of rest. Allowing the body to replace ATP and Creatine Phosphate will greatly improve you training sessions. Giving your athletes 2-3 mins between sets will insure that they are moving weight with maximum intent. Without adequate rest the body will not produce maximum force. To get faster you must make sure that every reps is the best rep possible.

 

 

 

 

Exercises to improve shoulder health


For great shoulder health it is very important that the shoulders are mobile and strong through full range of motion. The shoulders are the most mobile joint in the body. They are capable of extension, flexion, rotation adduction, abduction, and circumduction. Since the shoulders are very mobile and very dependent on other joints of the body. It is best to stretch and strengthen the shoulders in as many ranges as possible. Below is a list of my favorite shoulder stretches and exercises to help keep my shoulders healthy.

Band/Broomstick Pass through 
Grab a resistance band or broomstick and perform this exercise to help improve range of motion of the shoulders.
2 x 15-20

 

Band pull apart 
Keep shoulders down pull the band  apart but make sure to keep you elbows straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together  when you finish the movement
2 x 20

Scapular Push-ups 
Get in to a push-up position on the ground. Keep the elbows locked and make sure to only move through you shoulders pushing them into the ground and allow your body to drop between the shoulders.
2 x 15-20

Child Pose with Lat Stretch
Try to walk you hands up as far as you can and get a good stretch in the lats. Then walk your hands to one side to get a better stretch.
2 x 30 seconds each

childs-pose-with-reaches-e1412191155998.jpg

Thoracic Extension with a Foam roller 
Grab a foam roller and a weight and you will bridge over top the foam roller using the weight as an anchor.

Progression 2 

Scapular Depression
You will need either a bar to hang from or a lat pull down machine. The goal is to help recruit lower trapezius and lats. Arms stay straight and from their pull your shoulders down. you will only move about an inch or two that is fine.
2 x 15

Performing these exercise will help improve your shoulder health but it will take consistency to see results. Stick with it gang

 

Workout Blog Dec 14th 2015


 

2015-12-14 07.54.17

Time completed 15:56 felt like I was going to pass out

*For the workout Hurdle hops over and back count as 1 rep

Workout Data Dec 14th 2015

My go to mobility exercises


When I have days in which I move like the Tin man I have some go to mobility drills to help put my body back into proper alignment.

TRX Chest stretch
Move your arms up and down searching for really tight areas of the chest and anterior deltoids

Couch Stretch
Great Stretch for the Quads try to hold between 1-2 minutes on each side

Banded Hamstring Mobility:
Try to perform 12- 15 reps per side.

Lateral Chain Stretch 
This can also be done on a stability ball hold the stretch for 1-2 minutes

Rocking Groing Stretch:
Grab a kettle bell or dumbbell and gently rock back and forth to help stretch the groin. 12-15 reps a side.

External Rotation of Shoulder
Try to hold for 1-2 minutes.

Thoracic spine extension
By dropping your hips down after you get set-up you can control how much tension you want. If you are unable to get the weight to the floor that is fine. 12-20 reps

Workout Blog Dec 7th


TGIM another great day time to put in some work. here was my workout for today. Hope you have a great workout as well

6 mins Foam roll 
Back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calfs, Quads, IT Band

4 mins static Stretching ( 30 secs each)
Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Groin, Glutes

4 mins Dynamic Stretching (15yds each)
Knee hugs/Quad stretch, Lateral Lungs, Elbow to in-step,
High knees, Butt kicks, B-Skips, Side shuffle, Run.

Conditioning 
C2 Concept rower
1 min work/ 1 min active rest x 10
The goal was to stay under 1:45 pace while working and light pressure when resting but keep moving total meters cover 4590m

3 min rest then jumped into 12 noon session

4 rounds
Hang clean x 8 @ 135lbs
Box Jump x 5
Ankle mobility after 4th set

4 rounds
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 8 @ 135lbs
Hand Stand Holds 15 secs

4 Rounds
Pendlay row x 10 @ 135lbs
Crater slams x 16

Ab series 
30 Leg raises
30 Reach ups
15 ea Side plank twist
30 Plank Jacks
1 min plank

Workout Data Dec 7th 2015

 

Quote of the Day


If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.
-Oprah Winfrey

5 Steps to fix tight hamstrings


Do you have tight hamstrings. Do you  dread dropping items on the floor  knowing that you have to bend over to pick it off the ground. Do you feel that you have steel cables running down the back of your legs. I have 5 steps to help length those muscles.

  1. Tissue Quality 
    The first step to help lengthen your hamstrings is to improve tissue quality. When your hamstrings are littered with knots. There is no way you can improve the length of your hamstring. So the first step is to perform SMR( Self Myofascial release) aka Foam roll. You can use several different tools to assist with improve tissue quality. You start with the easiest method which is the standard foam roller  or you can move up to more advance option the barbell.
    Foam roll with rollerBarbell Smash
  2. Static Stretching 
    Once you get those knots broken up is time to stretch those hamstrings and tendons and try to get a little more range of motion try to hold a stretch for 2 sets of 30 secs really push to get a little more range in those hamstrings.
    2015-12-02 06.31.252015-12-02 06.31.44
  3. Mobility Exercise
    The next step is to reprogram movement pattern using a mobility drill that moves the joint through the range of motion helps reset your movement. Also helps warm-up the joint capsule and help prepare it for movement.  here are two of my favorite mobility drills for the hamstrings.

  4. Strengthen the new range of motion
    Now that you have this brand new range of motion it is time to strengthen those hamstring and further cement that additional range of motion. Here are two exercises that I recommend try to use light weight and concentrate on form.

    Really concentrate on keeping the back straight and only work through hips really load the hamstrings.

    Keep your back straight and allow the weight to help push your down into the bottom of your squat.
  5. Consistency
    The last and most important step is consistency. This is not a one time fix. The more you work on your hamstring the better your results. I recommend performing your hamstring rehab 2-3 times a week. Until hamstrings  are to desired length.

Do you have the Buffalo gene?


If you are wondering if you have a the “Buffalo Gene” then you probably don’t have it. But don’t worry you can develop the buffalo gene by throwing these exercises into your daily routine.

Bulgarian Split Squat to Single Leg RDL

TRX Push-up to Tricep Extension to Fall out

Behind the neck Press to Overhead Squat

TRX Curl to Face pull to Row

Lateral band walk to Goblet Squat ( Thanks Amanda for the demo)

Kettlebell Snatch to Windmill

Buffalo Gene Workout
E.M.O.M x 5 for each exercise 5 reps on each exercise in each series.

Have fun with these exercises

 

29 lessons I’ve learn in 29 years


Today November 24th is my birthday. I’ve decided to write a post about 29 things lessons that I have learned throughout my life.

  1. It doesn’t have to be perfect in the beginning just get it started
  2. You don’t live life for yourself; you live life for others
  3. Surround yourself with like minded individuals they will bring the best out of you.
  4. Save money….as much as possible
  5. Learn to forgive and let go of the past. Look forward to the future.
  6. Trust you gut when making difficult decisions.
  7. Do what you love to do for a living.
  8. Killing your clients with every workout is not the best way to keep clients around.
  9. Master the basic movements: Push, Pull, Squat, Hip Hinge, and Carry
  10. Donate and volunteer more. It is worth it.
  11. The hours that you sleep before 12 am are way better than the hours you sleep after 12am.
  12. Preparation will always lead to success. If you don’t prepare you can hope for success.
  13. Diet and proper nutrition will beat any exercise program when it comes to fat loss.
  14. People will always comment on what you are doing good or bad.
  15. Always strive to better yourself. Read a book, watch a lecture, go to a seminar.
  16.  In order to receive you must give first.
  17. People don’t care about what you do. They want to know why you do it.
  18. Smile more( my mother would always tell me that)
  19. Put 100% in everything you do.
  20. I can’t drink milk…( I’ve tried too many times)
  21. Everyone you meet knows something you don’t
  22. It is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission
  23. You can survive a long time on pancake mix and ramen noodles
  24. Never Quit
  25. You are responsible for you. Your current outcome is based on decisions you made in the past.
  26. Try to make someone laugh everyday( that a personal goal of mine)
  27. You can’t do everything alone; don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  28. If you want to go fast go alone; If you want to go far bring others with you.
  29. Make sure to call you Parents every week.