I have decided to start a 30 day nutrition challenge. Not because I don't eat healthy, not because I am trying to lose weight, and not because I am trying to cleanse. Rather I want to see what all the hype is about eliminating certain foods out of my diet. In this profession, experimenting on your body is the BEST experience you can get to be real with your clients and give them your best opinions. Like my mom always said, "Don't say you do not like something before you have tried it."
THE CHALLENGE
Eliminate the following:
Gluten, Refined Sugar, Dairy
Entering this challenge I am not concerned about the gluten, but I am concerned about the dairy and refined sugar. Personally, I struggle with refined sugar because dessert is usually where my nutrition goes to poop. However, I have set myself up with the necessary support to do this.
TIPS AND TRICKS
First, if you want to join this 30 day challenge with me, go for it! Do not hold back. Here are some tips that may help along the way.
1. Make sure you have a friend to do it with. Accountability is key and will help you in the long run.
2. Know what is in your foods! Do not guess or hope that something is not in there. Do the research.
3. Plan out your meals so you know what is coming.
4. If you are going to do this, keep a journal about how you feel or what changes you may see.
HELP
If any of you have tips for a challenge like this, thoughts on substitute foods, or any advice I would love to hear it. Nothing in my training regimen will change (oly lifting, power lifting, single leg training) or my sleep schedule. I will update you all as much as I can about my journey and I hope you share about yours as well.
The team at Prevail has been talking about their favorite movements or exercises to do in their programs. Some of us love metabolic work and others are more strength based. So we proposed the question:
IF YOU COULD ONLY DO 1 EXERCISE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Office Manager jade MUNDELL:
I would probably say a Tabata of some sort because they are quick, intense an effective. I like that I can add them into any workout to boost metabolic work. Also, if I’m short on time, I can do one anywhere with no equipment.
Coach jacob GOODIN:
I suppose I would have to say the deadlift. It uses and coordinates more muscle mass then any other lift. It also builds posterior chain strength, a nice bootay, and when coached correctly can help fix a host of postural problems. Plus, nothing feels better than ripping huge weights off the floor and then dropping them.
Coach juliann LYNCH:
My number one is a deadlift, but I love the push up as well. They require great scap and core stability through out the entire exercise. Plus, they can be done is so many different ways to alter where the workload is concentrated and body tension is really needed.
Coach peter BLUMERT:
The Snatch. It has/teaches all the components of pure athleticism: mobility, stability, technique, power, strength, balance. More so than any other exercise, if I can still do a full squat snatch in 30 years from now, I will be a very happy old man.
Coach chris ECKLUND:
If only one: Clean - Front Squat - Jerk (from the floor). Probably a 2:2:1 ratio. Great posterior chain pull from the floor (and relatively light for us old guys). Helps maintain hip and ankle mobility, grip strength, upper body pulling patters. Good scap stability and dynamic pull. Triple Extension explosive movement. Love front squats, so I like this combo because it gives rise to various catch heights (catching high into a full squat, catching low in a squat). Also, the jerk for upper body push and shoulder girdle stability. Good eccentric shoulder press pattern.
Coach daniel GUZMAN:
I would choose any form of the Clean (from the floor or hang, high catch position or low catch position). First, the clean is a movement that I have a lot to work on and I know I could continue to learn and perfect my clean for the rest of my life. It is a dynamic movement that calls for specific direction and rate of force development by recruiting typeII muscle fibers. One of the top choices for athletes as well.
This past month I have been grinding day in and day out to learn as much as I could working with a high school football team. Unfortunately it has taken me away from my blog content, until now. Fortunately, I have taken away so much more experience and knowledge that I can now share with my followers.
1. START WITH THE BASICS
Any solid S&C professionals know that the more individualized a program is for an athlete, the better you can address their needs/wants. The only problem is that as your numbers increase your coaches to athlete ratio can exceed a manageable number. The danger then becomes not being able to correct an cue every athlete appropriately.
So how do you approach large team training. You start with the basics. Choose the movements that are of highest value and start everyone at the same level. With any team I might choose to work on a neutral spine, eccentric loading, and mobility of the hips and ankles (leading to oly lifts, squat, hinge, push, pull, etc). Of course the team's past history of training could allow room for other foundational movements to take place. The point being is to start everyone equal and demand them to earn the movement. Some athletes are motor geniuses and might learn this in a week, while others may take a month.
2. LEARN YOUR ATHLETES NAMES
Some of the high school football players enjoy being on the team and only want to earn the jersey to wear every Friday night. That being said, they do not always show up motivated to train as hard as they can. That is an atmosphere that must be created over a period of time. However, by learning a few names and creating somewhat of a relationship with the players will show them you are not just a random coach trying to teach them to lift. We care about their success, safety, and experience in their sport and learning a name can show them you care.
3. BE WILLING TO COACH EVERYTHING
I am specifically talking to the coaches who are not running the training. I spent the first month with the team as an extra coach to help cue our athletes with positioning and technique. One day I could be coaching their hinge or squat station, the next day I might be working with them on their corrective or soft tissue work. Of course and olympic lift takes more coaching and cueing than an ankle mobilization drill, but they are all of importance and someone has to do it. So in everything you do, do it to the best of your abilities. Would I rather coach a higher difficulty lift, sure. But you can bet I will coach a mobility exercise to the best of my ability as well.
4. TEST YOUR ATHLETES
There must be a start and finish in your season, off season, etc. Therefore, you need to test your athletes to give them concrete evidence of the results they are getting from training. Also, coaches needs this in order to study their program and see the reasons why their athletes are or are not getting better. We want our athletes to know that every time we go into the weight room or onto the field it is with a purpose!
Also, here is an extra video of my deadlift update from 3 weeks ago. My goal is 300 by December!
I have the privilege of publishing a guest post today by Melanie Bowen. It is great to submit guest posts every so often and this one is really special. She has done research on the benefits of exercise for cancer patients. This is an important subject and I really think you will all enjoy this.
Exercise Helps Cancer Patients
It is no secret that there are many benefits of exercise. People are always reminded that exercise can help to reduce stress levels, increase energy levels, allow people to lose weight, and reduce the chances of acquiring diabetes. Until recently, many healthcare advocates encouraged cancer patients to refrain from exercising when they were in the process of getting treated for the disease. The false assumption was that if they did not exercise, they would have more energy to spend doing other things that they needed to do. However, this is no longer the case. Today’s healthcare officials encourage patients to still exercise while they are going through treatment and even after the treatment is completed. Exercise will allow the patients to have more energy, increase their muscle strength, and reduce the chances of the cancer returning; therefore, cancer patients should talk with their doctors about developing a safe exercise routine for them.
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments have the tendency to bring on a lot of fatigue for patients. The fatigue will vary and could even be more severe with certain cancers such as mesothelioma patients. With many patients, the fatigue is extreme and prohibits them from enjoying a good quality of life. Proper exercise can help to combat these effects. By properly exercising, the patients can begin to increase their energy levels, and in return, they will be able to enjoy a more independent and productive life. As the patients exercise, their bodies will release endorphins, which are feel good hormones. Therefore, not only will the patients begin to have more pleasant feelings, but they will also get an energy boost that will allow them to respond better to their cancer treatment.
A second result of cancer treatment is the weakening of bones and muscles, and as a result of this, many patients have been known to experience fractures and not have enough strength to handle the treatment. Both cardio and strength training exercises will help in this situation. These exercises will allow the patients to increase their muscle strength, and in return, their strong muscles will better protect their fragile bones. As the patients become stronger, the inability to respond positively to the treatment will be reduced.
Chemotherapy and radiation are known to destroy cancer cells, which leaves the possibility of the cancer returning. However, exercise will help to strengthen the immune system, and this will result in the body having a better chance of fighting any cancer cells that may return. Therefore, patients should always be reminded of the importance of exercising during their treatments, but the importance of exercising after the treatment should also be emphasized.
Firefighters have a very physically demanding job. Not to take away from all the logistical and emotional strength that goes along with it as well; however, simply being able to perform a variety of movements in a specific time is important.
Let's take a step back. When I was in college at Westmont in Santa Barbara, there was a huge fire that ran through the school (The Tea Fire). I remember firefighters were being called from all around California to help put out the fire. These men and women must have worked continuous hours, possibly days, without a break. I am so thankful for everything they do and did that weekend to help our school and community in our time of trouble.
THE PHYSICAL
Imagine the strength and endurance an individual would need to do this. The jacket, trousers, air equipment, supplemental equipment can weigh up to 70+ pounds. On top of wearing all that extra weight, these people have to physically work as long as it takes to get the job done. Whether this is putting out a fire, showing up to medical calls or being on a hotshot crew. It only makes sense that firefighters would need a well thought out training regimen in order to keep their movement and performance at a high level to be able to do their job.
The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published a study in their March 2013 issue regarding physical fitness in Firefighters. This article said "The lack of an appropriate regular exercise program for these professionals may contribute to high on-duty injury rates and deaths caused by heart disease," (1).
FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTIVE DUTY
The article goes on to talk about the physical, mental, and emotional demands an individual will encounter while on duty. So what type of exercise program does a firefighter need? Look at the basic demands of active duty.
Low intensity physical activity for long periods of time accompanied by random bursts of high intensity activity. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO?
I propose the following. Train for strength, train for endurance, condition healthy movement, prevent injury. First, firefighters need to have a foundation of strength just to wear the uniform (literally)! We are asking them to save our possessions, workplace, animals and personal lives. Second, they need to perform various movements for an undetermined amount of time. They don't know if they will be working for 5 minutes or 5 hours, so I high level of endurance is required. Thirdly, teach healthy movement. This is a career that people will plan to stay in their entire lives. Even if that leads to a desk job later down the road, you still want to allow that person to be able to enjoy their movement. The program should never be designed to sacrifice good movement for better conditioning only to let their bodies fall a part later on. As coaches we always want to teach proper positioning and correct movement, end of story. Finally, if a firefighter is injured, then they cannot do their job. So take the correct approach to injury prevention in your program. A big part of this can be the recovery outside the training program.
Be thankful for these men and women who work in our communities. If your a firefighter seeking a good program, look for these things.
