It's Football Time

It's football time for anyone that enjoys football. I coach my ten year old's tackle football team, so it is coaching time for me. I cannot help but look at the training of some of the other coaches that share the field with us, since I am a peformance coach. One of the biggest mistakes I see is the use of lactic acid training. This is training that is done for more than 20 seconds continuously, which release a lot of lactic acid. Lactic acid has been shown to be a contirbutor of muscle soreness. The young body at the ages of 7-12 cannot process lactic acid well, which is why training this way causes more of a diminishing training effect. Why do coaches continue to run these little guys into the ground?

I think it is matter of old school thinking. Their coaches from the past have convinced these coaches that running this way is the only and best way to prepare for sports. The problem is most of these coaches are basing these beliefs on what type of conditioning was acceptable for them in college or high school. The problem is these kids are not in high school or college. What should be done to condition these young kids? I keep all conditioning drills 20 seconds or less and allow complete recovery. The point is that these kids are very untrained and conditioing should be basic and not produce lactic acid to produce the best effects.

Muscle Gaining Secrets

Have you ever wondered why you can't put on any muscle? You have probably tried every supplement known to man, read every muslce magazine there is, and spent countless hours in the gym. All the answers that you need can be found in Muscle Gaining Secrets by Jason Ferrugia. Jason Ferruggia is a world renowned fitness and performance coach. He has helped thousands of athletes, hardgainers and weekend warriors achieve their goals in record time. He is a regular contributor to several magazines such as Men's Fitness, Men's Health and Maximum Fitness. He is available for consulting, coaching, and speaking on a limited basis.

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Check yourself before you wreck yourself

This was a line in a song I used to listen to, but I have found that it can apply to training also. Last week friday I decided to go against everything that was going on at the time and make it a heavy squat day. I should have known what was going to happen next. I lifted heavy although I only slept 4 hours the night before, performed a short warm-up, all the weights feeling heavy, and lifting heavy for 4 weeks straight. I guess I do not have to tell everyone that on my third heavy set I strained my lower back. Needless to say, I took this week off.

Summary of my points

* Listen to your body to decide when to take a break
* Make sure you properly warm-up
* Pay close attention to your exercise form
* Don't lift heavy all the time
* Be sure to get adequate sleep
* Eat a snack with a decent amount of protein & carbs to sustain your energy level

Fat Loss Circuit by Craig Ballantyne

7-Minute Weight Loss Circuit
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
http://www.turbulencetraining.com/

One thing we have to lose from our workout mindsets is the idea of this "60-minute workout". Forget about spending that much time in the gym. Instead, choose better exercises that are more efficient. This will allow you to get your workout done faster, eliminating the "no time" workout excuse.

To do so, you need to eliminate irrelevant exercises. I know you want to do an exercise for shoulders, and one for arms, and one for abs, and one for this and that. But before you do, ask yourself, will these really get me to my goal, or have I just been convinced by bodybuilding magazines that I need 40 sets per workout to get results?
Now, taking those lessons, we can then create some pretty incredible bodyweight workouts as well. And these bodyweight workouts can get finished fast!
In fact, here is a 7-minute bodyweight circuit that can help you lose weight, burn calories, and blast your metabolism. You don't need machines or weights. You can do this anywhere!
Bodyweight squat (10-20 reps)Pushup (10-20 reps) - do it on your knees if you mustReverse Lunge (10 reps per leg)Plank (30 second hold)Close-grip Pushup (10-20 reps)Side Plank (20 second hold per side)Mountain Climber (10 reps per side)
Do this with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the 7-minute circuit and repeat up to 3 times.
If you are a beginner, do fewer reps and take longer rests.
It's a tough, tough bodyweight circuit, especially the combination of two exercises late in the circuit. This combo literally exhausted me to my knees...twice...before I was able to finish the circuit.You can do the circuit up to 3 times.
Another weapon in your fat loss arsenal. Now you'll know how to train efficiently and eat effectively for fat loss.
Don't wait any longer to get started! Get all of these bodyweight exercises, and more, in the Turbulence Training workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home. No more annoying drives to the gym, waiting in line for machines in an uncomfortable environment, or being intimidated by the super-buff gym bunnies. Lose fat, get fit, and workout your way - at home with only a bench, a ball, and dumbbells.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MSAuthor, Turbulence Training
About the AuthorCraig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit

Such a time as this

Everyone is in a such a time as this experience. What is this experience you might ask? These are questions you ask in life that you can't answer. For instance, the family you were born into, the place you live, the height you are, and the daily trials you go through. Only God can answer these questions. The point is there are certain things that are going to be in your life for the meantime and there is nothing you can do about it. What you do in that meantime could determine how you live life on a daily basis.

Training for a goal is no different. You might not like the way that you look in the meantime, being second string on a sports team, or your overall health. You can choose to complain on a daily basis, believe you do not have time, and accept your situation. Option 2 would be to find a reputable fitness coach, gain some confidence, learn as much as you can while going to the process, and knock your goals down one at a time. It's not what you do in the meantime, but what you learn that will determine your continued success.

Consistency is Key

Do you want to know the key to being stronger, more athletic, or losing weight? The key is being consistent with your plan of action. If you have scheduled 3 workouts a week for 2 months, then you have to find a way to get those three workouts in. If you are on a nutrition plan you must at least be 90% compliant. I laugh when people say I don't understand why the plan is not working for me and they are missing a ton of workouts. They also are not following their meal plan. Instead they make excuses why they can't do things. One of the big things that I push in my speed camp is that the kids should never make excuses.

My challenge to most of my clients is that I guarantee success with the programs I design if my clients are consistent with adhering to the program. I was able to build a good amount of stength and muscle off of poorly written strength programs in college because I was consistent. The best thing I can think off to keep consistent is to keep a folder and record your workouts. How can you tell if you are on course if you have no record of what you are doing? I promise you that if you would committ to two months of focused effort you would be amazed at the results.