Maximizing fitness, athleticism and performance in the world of endurance athletics is easier said than done. Many athletes focus too much of their effort on just the training component. To see consistent improvement, one must create an entire system to envelop a training program.
Endurance athletes are tremendously hard workers but sometimes this hard work will come back to haunt them as injury and pain tend to creep up for this specific athlete. As training is the foundation to getting results there are other components that incorporate the complete system. These "other" components need attention and when they are disregarded, an athlete does not maximize true potential.
The Complete Training System
Component #1 - Performance Nutrition
Perfecting healthy nutrition principles is imperative to staying healthy, injury free and truly maximizing one's performance. When your diet is incomplete and lacking of the nutrients and vitamins the human body needs to perform, recover and stay healthy, your training program will become stagnate. As training is crucial, the nutrition program is just as imperative to an endurance athlete. Vigorous training hours leads to fatigue, broken down muscle tissue, tired joints, a run down nervous system and an immune system fighting to stay healthy. Without a proper nutrition plan to assist recovery and replenishment, your body will spiral downward to a state of overtraining, thus causing inconsistent sleep, lack of motivation, and ultimately injury and stopping of the activity. I use this as "component #1" because there isn't enough focus on this tactic. Without changing any of the training protocols, tweaking nutrition for peak performance can give endurance athletes an edge on their competitors. An endurance athlete's diet should be full of complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and healthy whole grains, lean proteins like fresh and lean chicken, turkey, fish and occasional red meat and healthy fats like natural peanut or almond butter, avocado, raw nuts and olive oil. Keeping your food consumption to calories that are nutrient dense and limited of saturated fats, high amounts of sugars and salts and empty calories is imperative for high level performance. Food timing is another critical aspect to understand. What you eat is important but dialing in your nutrient timing can expand your performance to high levels. Understanding what specific food does for your system can assist your energy levels, increase the intensity of your workouts and allow your body to fully recover after training. Pre-workout food consumption is dependant on each individual and the needs of that person. Find what works best for your body. Do not rely on what you saw in a magazine or read in a book. What works for you? The basic nutrient breakdown before training should consist of a 3 to 1 ratio of complex carbohydrates to protein. This ratio will top off the glycogen tank to prepare for the work ahead. This pre-workout meal should not be heavy, fiber dense and packed with empty sugars and calories. Instead aim for calories that will give you the necessary energy and jumpstart you will need to begin training, without overworking the digestive system. Within thirty minutes post-workout, this is a time when the body is an anabolic state and will be at its highest response to the calories you consume. Food that is easily and quickly digestible are better choices. Whey protein, chocolate milk and/or your specific supplementation (hammer nutrition, Gatorade #3, etc) are good choices. Once you have hammered down your post-workout snack immediately after completion of your training, you now have a 1-hour window to consume natural whole food. Aim for lean protein sources like eggs, chicken, fish or legumes and complex carbohydrates like quinoa, vegetables and fruit. And don't forget your healthy fats. Post workout is a time to nourish the body with omega 3 and 6 nutrients to repair muscle damage and decrease inflammation.
Component #2 - Efficient Training
Training progressively and smart is a tactic many athletes do not follow. A randomized training schedule is the method most amateur endurance athletes’ use. They train depending on what they want to do for that particular day. There isn't a plan of action, no progressive build up, no planned rest days, and limited structured workouts. These are strategies that must change in order to fully reach an ultimate performance level. The first step is setting up a structured training program that fits your needs and goals. Write down the top three objectives that you want to accomplish over the training period. Example: 1. Get faster at 1/2 marathon distance 2. Get stronger on the bike 3. Complete 1/2 Ironman. Having goals in place before you start the training plan will give you a target to shoot at instead of just guessing. When you start constructing your game plan, you must use these simple strategies:
1. Never increase volume more than 10% each week.
2. Every 4th week decrease your highest volume week by 40%. This is a recovery week and will allow your body to fully adapt to the training block.
3. You never want to have back-to-back training days that are both high intensity workouts. Stick to the "easy/hard/easy/hard" set up for your workouts.
4. Find your "A" race and plan your training backwards from the scheduled day to the present. This will allow your peak to happen for your most important race. Trying to peak for every race of the year will lead to lack of performance and ultimately injury.
5. Listen to your body. If your body is in a fatigue state and just can’t get through a specific workout, call it a day. Know the difference of being a sissy and just having mental and physical fatigue.
6. You should implement a base phase to build your aerobic capacity, a build phase where you implement more race pace strategies, a peak phase where you are preparing for the demands of the race, a taper period where you allow for full recovery and adaptation from all of your training, and a transition period where you have time off and allow for full physical and mental regeneration. These periods will set you up for a successful training year.
Component #3 - Recovery, regeneration and rest
The human body is very resilient and can take training loads at extreme rates. But the human body does breakdown and it’s what you do during your recovery time that allows you to build and improve performance. During workouts, we breakdown muscle tissue, deplete our energy stores and we create nervous system fatigue. When our nervous system is fatigued it doesn’t matter what we do for our training, we will not get better. We will be in a constant state of overtraining, causing compensation, breakdown, and ultimately injury. It is a must to plan and schedule rest days, rest weeks and transition periods into a training program. Here are strategies that are a must for recovery:
• Foam Roll/Stretch: You need to schedule flexibility sessions into your training week. After long weekends of training our muscle tissue becomes inflamed, tight, and adhesions are formed throughout the fascia. Rolling and soft tissue therapy will help get rid of the small knots and adhesions that build up over time. Plus it will help promote blood flow, which gives you better movement and range of motion. Endurance athletes should focus on the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, IT band and mid-back. Stretching also needs to be implemented into the schedule. Stretching the muscle will help lengthen the fascia to allow for proper movement and range of motion. If our muscles are tight we restrict movement, decrease our performance and eventually we will get hurt. Take time to roll and stretch.
• Ice: After long and/or hard training sessions icing the legs is a great way to get them to recover at a more rapid pace. Icing will decrease inflammation, any swelling and enhance healing. But icing is not about "more is better". You should ice your legs for no longer than 15 minutes an hour. Any longer can cause damage to the surrounding muscle tissues. If you have a direct pain site (i.e. shin splints, plantar fasciitis, etc.), then ice massage is the way to go. Simply freeze a small water bottle, cut the bottom half of plastic off the bottle to expose the ice and then massage the affected area. Do this for only 5 minutes each hour.
• Light movement: After a big weekend of training or a race the best thing for your legs is to flush them out the day after. Know the difference of a hard workout and easy moving. These lighter workouts can tremendously assist recovery as it will get your legs through a range of motion, increasing blood flow, decreasing inflammation and promote recovery. Just make sure to keep these workouts very light. Spinning on a bike or a light recovery swim on Monday, following a big training weekend or race, will assist the body to recover and allow for a better week ahead of training.
• Corrective Exercise: I wrote an article for www.trifuel.com titled, “Corrective Exercises Triathletes need to do”. Go read the article here: http://trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/corrective-exercises-that-triathletes-need-to-do and implement these moves into your routine to create a balanced and more functional body.
• Consistent Sleep: When the body is at rest, it will be at its greatest state of recovery. If you are not getting consistent sleep throughout the week you will suffer, breakdown and it will lead to injury, fatigue and burnout. As endurance athletes we are continually breaking down the body during training and it is a must to get adequate sleep. The key is consistency. So 6 hours of sleep every night is better than 4 hours one night, 8 hours one night and 5 hours another. Aim for 6-8 hours each night. During the day, try and fit in short 15-30 minute naps to rejuvenate and recharge the body and mind.
Component #4 - Flexibility and Mobility
When you lack functional movement and range of motion of your joints and muscles you do not maximize performance. Swimming, biking and running are all repetitive sports that can create stress, imbalance and compensation to the body. It’s a must to have adequate flexibility in the muscles and mobility in the joints to decrease overuse injury in these sports. When you become tight, immobile and restrict movement your body starts to compensate, thus forcing other parts of the body to work harder than they have to, which will eventually cause pain and injury. Before every workout you must warm-up thoroughly using dynamic stretching movements to allow the joints to open up and the muscles to lengthen before the actual workout begins. You will set yourself up for a higher-level training session when you learn to warm up the entire system. During the week schedule times to foam roll, stretch and work on your mobility. Just keep in mind, when you get hurt you cannot train and if you are not training you will not get better. Implement flexibility and mobility work into your training program at least 3 times a week to see improvement and reduce injury.
Component #5 – Functional Strength and Power
If you lack specific strength and power you will not maximize your performance in your sport. Functional strength is having usable strength that will transfer to the “playing field”. Plain and simple, the stronger athletes excel. But strength and power is not lifting heavy weights with improper form. Strength and power is not about bench-pressing outrageous weight. As the bench press can be a great upper body exercise, it is just a piece of the “strength and power” puzzle. As endurance athletes are very focused on their specific training they tend to forget about their functional strength and explosiveness. These traits can lead to better performance and reduction of injury. Implement strength workouts into the training program that promotes muscle balance, stability, and explosiveness. When done incorrectly you could create imbalance, a weak muscle system and poor movement qualities. Plan and perfect your movements in the gym. For every upper pushing exercise, add an upper body pull. For every lower body “quad” dominant movement, add a “hip/glute” dominant movement. When lifting think “technical failure”. Do not let your form suffer because this can lead to injury and inadequate movement.
Component #6 - The Mindset
The first step to achieving any of your goals is the power of believing in yourself. You must create a positive mindset that consistently has you believing in your abilities. If you show up to the gym or to one of your workouts with a negative, non-believing attitude you will have a lack luster training session. Mental conditioning needs to be worked on just as much as the physical conditioning side of things. We need to teach and train our thoughts to be positive. Did you know that 80% of most humans’ thoughts are negative thoughts? The crazy thing about this issue is that we can do something about it. We can change our attitude, our thoughts and our mindset. But just like we prepare and train for a 5k or marathon to get faster, we must put in the mental training to improve our mental performance. This mind conditioning does not just happen over night. Just like training the body to get faster, stronger and more athletic, we have to train our thoughts to become more positive, energetic and confident. It takes daily work for this to happen. Here are strategies to follow to improve our mindset:
• Daily Affirmations. First, when you wake up you must create positive thoughts before you even jump out of bed. Do not wake up muttering, “ugh, another day.” Say things like: “Today I will be my best and give my best”; “I will move closer to my goals”; “Nothing will get in my way”; “I will tackle my problems with a full head of steam”; “I will drop body fat”; “I will improve my times in my workout.” These thoughts will turn into actions and you will see a tremendous change in your mindset and your life. You have to be conscious of this exercise, as it is very easy to just get out of bed and “get through another day”. Remember each day is a new beginning, a fresh start, and a brand new chance to create greatness. We cannot focus on yesterday but having a good and better yet GREAT today will make for a better tomorrow. Secondly, after a long day, when you are lying in bed about to fall asleep, finish the day with a positive thought. “I did my best today”; “I am so happy to be alive and tomorrow will be another good day”; “Good job on your effort today”; “Tomorrow will be another great day”. Starting and ending your day with positive affirmations can be a game changer.
• Believe in yourself at all Times. During the day you must create a mindset that truly believes in yourself. Do not put yourself down or have disbelief in accomplishing a certain project, or workout, or task. Think of the self-degrading comments we tell ourselves sometimes. Would we like it if someone else said bad things about us? Absolutely not. That would make us very angry. But yet too many times we are putting ourselves down and disbelieving in our abilities. No matter the task at hand, do the work necessary to kill it. If you have the action and the mindset you will accomplish. Believe in that and you will start doing Big Things.
• Try some meditation. Have you ever sat in a room or in your car with complete quietness, your eyes shut and focused on your internal thoughts and mindset? Try doing this for 3-5 minutes everyday. Do it before your workout or before you step into your office or before a big race. Meditation can relax your mind, get you centered, focused and energize your thoughts. With such busy lifestyles our mind is always racing and thinking of the next step. Focus on zoning out and direct your attention on your thoughts and your internal motivations. What drives, inspires and motivates you? This internal conditioning can be a supercharge in energy that you have been looking for.
• Positive self-talk. This one goes hand in hand with endurance performance. During workouts and training you must create a positive self-awareness that will lead to successful performance. It is easy to talk ourselves into not completing the recommended distance or the last few intervals. Continually tell yourself that you can do the mileage and you can push through the tough intervals. This will transfer over to your racing as when you are pushing and giving it your all, you will be able to push through that uncomfortable zone and have a successful race. When those negative thoughts enter the head, immediately erase them and turn them into positive thoughts. “Keep going”; “Yes, I can”; “I can hold this pace”; “I can do 1 more hill repeat”; Your performance goes in the right direction when you think positively.
• Write down all of your goals. This can be a road map to a successful training program. What do you want? Faster 5k? Run a marathon? At the end of each season, you need to assess the previous season. What were your strengths? What were your weaknesses? What will be your goals for the next season? Goals are just random ideas and thoughts until they are written down. Create a game plan that you can look at everyday. When your goals are in sight every morning when you wake up you are more likely to stay on path to accomplish those goals. The next step is showing those goals to a mentor or a coach. Now you are held accountable to achieving your goals. Meet with that person periodically throughout the year to talk about where you are at and what you need to do to stay on path.
There you go, the COMPLETE TRAINING SYSTEM. You start working to improve on all six of these points you will see a dramatic change in not only your performance but also your vitality and the way you live life.
If you have any questions, you can direct them to justinlevine03@hotmail.com.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Wildflower 2011
Going into Wildflower I was in my best form for any triathlon. My training the past 6 months has been consistent, efficient and dialed in to fit my needs. I am a true believer in creating a program that is about focused volume and training not necessarily long useless mileage. I try and cut out all junk mileage and keep my training time efficient and to the point. This aides in my performance come "game day".
I woke up Tuesday the week before Wildflower with a surprisingly weak body. I had a sore throat and had a bit of the chills. I went into work for half of the day and spent the afternoon/evening on the coach sipping hot tea in a blanket trying to fight off the chills and high fever that crept up on me. As Wednesday approached, I had much to do to get ready for the big weekend. But the sickness was still there. I decided to take work off and get some much needed extra rest. I found the energy to take care of the errands I needed to finish before I left for Lake San Antonio.
Thursday morning I awoke to a screaming sore throat, the worse it has been all week. We were planning on leaving at 7:00 am. I took an IB profen to get me through the morning and we finally left at 10:00 am (we had a small mechanical problem in our RV that needed to be fixed).
Wildflower weekend is pretty exciting. You have the best athletes in the country show up for this grueling course. And whether you are taking on the 1/2 Ironman, Olympic or Mountain bike course, there is deemed to be challenges that awaits you. Usually it is fun times by the camp fire and enjoying the company of our Visalia Triathlon Club team members but for me, it was extra rest in the RV as I was still battling a weak immune system and sore throat.
I got some much needed rest on Thursday night, woke up Friday morning and went for a 20 minute jog around the campgrounds. This was a needed workout because I had been on a coach the entire week. I needed to wake my legs and prepare them for the big race. My legs and lungs finally started to wake up after 20 minutes. I then hoped on my bike for a 20 minute easy ride. I actually added in 4 short 30 second hill repeats to really sharpen my legs. These two workouts definitely got my body rolling and ready for the next day.
Friday was full of rest, recovery and good nutrition. I stayed hydrated and took in all my vitamins to get any last minute immune system strength I could. It was time to go.
After a good night's rest on Friday, I woke up at 5:30 am on Saturday morning, feeling a little better. I went outside and did my foam roll routine, dynamic warm-up and some striders to wake up the body. I like this pre-race warm-up early in the morning to get any last minute nerves or anxiety out of my body. I felt confident going into this race and knew I was capable of hitting the 5:30ish mark.
I went down to transition area very relaxed, warmed up and fueled and ready to go. I stayed moving until about 20 minutes before my wave went into the water. That is when I put on my wetsuit and headed down to the water. Immediately when it was our turn to warm up I jumped in the lake and headed out for a quick 3 minute warm-up. It was enough to get my arms moving. Here we go, another triathlon is about to start.
The swim was very chaotic at first. I went out in the 2nd line of athletes and was mobbed by flailing arms and kicking legs. I stayed strong and kept my stroke relaxed and made my way through the bucket of athletes. Once we hit the first buoy, the water opened up and I began to get into my rhythm. Going into Wildflower I hadn't put much focus on my swim because I knew I had a good base and some decent speed so I decided to get in the water only 1-2 times a week. The swim went by fast and before you knew it the last turn to the boat dock was in site. I always kick my legs hard in the last 200 yards to wake them up before the run up the dock and get them ready for the bike leg. I was ready to go.
Training leading up to this race was about a bike focus. I had been biking quite a bit and my fitness on the bike was stronger. I was ready to take on this challenging bike course. Once I was out there, the wind was howling. It was so tough that it began to be a test just to stay on the bike. Being a light athlete, with aero wheels made for a tough ride. I never really got into a rhythm in my aero position. Anytime I tried, my bike would shake and the wind would throw me around. I clinched my handle bars and stayed safe. Once I made the turn into the campgrounds my energy was high and ready to take on the run course. I executed my nutrition plan and was ready for the 13 mile hilly run.
Right out of transition is an important time because you can assess how your body is feeling and mine was feeling strong. I had practiced some tough transitions leading up to the race so my legs were ready for these hills. My goal was to stay steady on the up hills, let it fly on the downhills and keep a good cadence on the flats. My heart rate was controlled and the miles were flying by. At mile 4, the big hills began and this year my goal was to keep jogging and I accomplished that goal. No walking for me! Once I hit mile 6, I knew I had some rollers to deal with that if you surge to the top of each one the downhills take you to the next one so I kept that mindset. At mile 7-8, you run through many of the camp sites. As I hit the Visalia Tri Club camp site, I saw the cheering squad screaming and yelling for me. It was uplifting to see my wife and my daughter Olivia JoJo supporting my efforts. Once I made it through the next 2 miles which was a mild decent, I knew all I had was a couple of hills to get through and the finish would be in site. I continued to grab water and toss it on my head and body to keep everything cool. I consumed one more gel at mile 10.5 just so I could finish strong.
As I hit Lynch hill, I began my sprint towards the finish line. I like running downhill so I tried and passed as many athletes as I could. I turned the corner, saw the finish chute and ran hard through the finish line. My time was 5 hours 36 minutes, 8 minutes faster than last year. I actually had a 14 minute faster run time this year so I was very satisfied with that effort.
All in all, it was another great event. Triathlon is not about wins or losses or even a specific time, it's about determination, desire, sacrifice and the sense of accomplishment. Finishing my 5th Half Ironman in 4 years leaves me feeling excited and ready to take on Ironman Arizona at the end of the year. 199 days and counting...
I woke up Tuesday the week before Wildflower with a surprisingly weak body. I had a sore throat and had a bit of the chills. I went into work for half of the day and spent the afternoon/evening on the coach sipping hot tea in a blanket trying to fight off the chills and high fever that crept up on me. As Wednesday approached, I had much to do to get ready for the big weekend. But the sickness was still there. I decided to take work off and get some much needed extra rest. I found the energy to take care of the errands I needed to finish before I left for Lake San Antonio.
Thursday morning I awoke to a screaming sore throat, the worse it has been all week. We were planning on leaving at 7:00 am. I took an IB profen to get me through the morning and we finally left at 10:00 am (we had a small mechanical problem in our RV that needed to be fixed).
Wildflower weekend is pretty exciting. You have the best athletes in the country show up for this grueling course. And whether you are taking on the 1/2 Ironman, Olympic or Mountain bike course, there is deemed to be challenges that awaits you. Usually it is fun times by the camp fire and enjoying the company of our Visalia Triathlon Club team members but for me, it was extra rest in the RV as I was still battling a weak immune system and sore throat.
I got some much needed rest on Thursday night, woke up Friday morning and went for a 20 minute jog around the campgrounds. This was a needed workout because I had been on a coach the entire week. I needed to wake my legs and prepare them for the big race. My legs and lungs finally started to wake up after 20 minutes. I then hoped on my bike for a 20 minute easy ride. I actually added in 4 short 30 second hill repeats to really sharpen my legs. These two workouts definitely got my body rolling and ready for the next day.
Friday was full of rest, recovery and good nutrition. I stayed hydrated and took in all my vitamins to get any last minute immune system strength I could. It was time to go.
After a good night's rest on Friday, I woke up at 5:30 am on Saturday morning, feeling a little better. I went outside and did my foam roll routine, dynamic warm-up and some striders to wake up the body. I like this pre-race warm-up early in the morning to get any last minute nerves or anxiety out of my body. I felt confident going into this race and knew I was capable of hitting the 5:30ish mark.
I went down to transition area very relaxed, warmed up and fueled and ready to go. I stayed moving until about 20 minutes before my wave went into the water. That is when I put on my wetsuit and headed down to the water. Immediately when it was our turn to warm up I jumped in the lake and headed out for a quick 3 minute warm-up. It was enough to get my arms moving. Here we go, another triathlon is about to start.
The swim was very chaotic at first. I went out in the 2nd line of athletes and was mobbed by flailing arms and kicking legs. I stayed strong and kept my stroke relaxed and made my way through the bucket of athletes. Once we hit the first buoy, the water opened up and I began to get into my rhythm. Going into Wildflower I hadn't put much focus on my swim because I knew I had a good base and some decent speed so I decided to get in the water only 1-2 times a week. The swim went by fast and before you knew it the last turn to the boat dock was in site. I always kick my legs hard in the last 200 yards to wake them up before the run up the dock and get them ready for the bike leg. I was ready to go.
Training leading up to this race was about a bike focus. I had been biking quite a bit and my fitness on the bike was stronger. I was ready to take on this challenging bike course. Once I was out there, the wind was howling. It was so tough that it began to be a test just to stay on the bike. Being a light athlete, with aero wheels made for a tough ride. I never really got into a rhythm in my aero position. Anytime I tried, my bike would shake and the wind would throw me around. I clinched my handle bars and stayed safe. Once I made the turn into the campgrounds my energy was high and ready to take on the run course. I executed my nutrition plan and was ready for the 13 mile hilly run.
Right out of transition is an important time because you can assess how your body is feeling and mine was feeling strong. I had practiced some tough transitions leading up to the race so my legs were ready for these hills. My goal was to stay steady on the up hills, let it fly on the downhills and keep a good cadence on the flats. My heart rate was controlled and the miles were flying by. At mile 4, the big hills began and this year my goal was to keep jogging and I accomplished that goal. No walking for me! Once I hit mile 6, I knew I had some rollers to deal with that if you surge to the top of each one the downhills take you to the next one so I kept that mindset. At mile 7-8, you run through many of the camp sites. As I hit the Visalia Tri Club camp site, I saw the cheering squad screaming and yelling for me. It was uplifting to see my wife and my daughter Olivia JoJo supporting my efforts. Once I made it through the next 2 miles which was a mild decent, I knew all I had was a couple of hills to get through and the finish would be in site. I continued to grab water and toss it on my head and body to keep everything cool. I consumed one more gel at mile 10.5 just so I could finish strong.
As I hit Lynch hill, I began my sprint towards the finish line. I like running downhill so I tried and passed as many athletes as I could. I turned the corner, saw the finish chute and ran hard through the finish line. My time was 5 hours 36 minutes, 8 minutes faster than last year. I actually had a 14 minute faster run time this year so I was very satisfied with that effort.
All in all, it was another great event. Triathlon is not about wins or losses or even a specific time, it's about determination, desire, sacrifice and the sense of accomplishment. Finishing my 5th Half Ironman in 4 years leaves me feeling excited and ready to take on Ironman Arizona at the end of the year. 199 days and counting...
Friday, April 15, 2011
What Motivates You to wake up everyday....
Caitlin Summers I'm motivated to wake up and work hard because of the feeling I get when I step on the softball field. I feel unstoppable, free, I feel like the luckiest person on the planet. That feeling motivates me to challenge myself so that I can continue to have that feeling as long as I can.
Murrell John Rizon the fact that I'm alive
Stacy Grinsfelder Without a doubt it is my family. I love modeling a strong, confident and healthy mom to my four children. When I see my husband and kids cheering me on at the marathon finish line I know that all the hard work has been worthwhile. As a family, they all work together to help me achieve my fitness dreams. I recognize their sacrifice, and that motivates me to never give up.
Jay Damo
Once an athlete, always an athlete. No matter if you're still in competition or not, that drive & passion will always be there & those 2 things can never be taken away by anyone. There is always room for improvement and excellence. Everythi...ng only just gets better. Be the one that gets ahead while others are taking time out. :) My motivation: to be able to pass down what I, as an athlete, know to only better themselves. That goes for my HS team I coach & my team over at the coast. :)
Joshua Hickey
Begin with the end in mind & embark on the journey to improve. There is an elite athlete inside each of us & we must work and sacrifice to make this transformation until you reach the state where you look at yourself in the mirror & the el...ite athlete inside you is jumping out of your skin. My favorite story is I'm running airport loops today because someday these runs will take me on one of those planes to somewhere great, Boston, Kona and beyond. Health is the true wealth, my goals are not directed toward growing old with money but rather investing my time to grow old using training as the fountain of youth so I can still play outside like a kid in my later years. In hind side, no amount of money you have in your later years to spend on a doctor can replace the years you investment today in your training & healthy lifestyle. Time is the true asset, you can't buy it back so invest that time in your health wisely.
Stephanie Johnson
This is a great question. I am motivated by the unlimited opportunities available in this world. The possibilities in life are endless when one strives for excellence. Excellence is doing more than others see necessary. It takes commitment,... perseverance, consistency, hard work and most important action. Nothing happens 'til someone does something. It doesn't take 100 years to reach your goals. Strive for excellence you may surprise yourself.
Murrell John Rizon the fact that I'm alive
Stacy Grinsfelder Without a doubt it is my family. I love modeling a strong, confident and healthy mom to my four children. When I see my husband and kids cheering me on at the marathon finish line I know that all the hard work has been worthwhile. As a family, they all work together to help me achieve my fitness dreams. I recognize their sacrifice, and that motivates me to never give up.
Jay Damo
Once an athlete, always an athlete. No matter if you're still in competition or not, that drive & passion will always be there & those 2 things can never be taken away by anyone. There is always room for improvement and excellence. Everythi...ng only just gets better. Be the one that gets ahead while others are taking time out. :) My motivation: to be able to pass down what I, as an athlete, know to only better themselves. That goes for my HS team I coach & my team over at the coast. :)
Joshua Hickey
Begin with the end in mind & embark on the journey to improve. There is an elite athlete inside each of us & we must work and sacrifice to make this transformation until you reach the state where you look at yourself in the mirror & the el...ite athlete inside you is jumping out of your skin. My favorite story is I'm running airport loops today because someday these runs will take me on one of those planes to somewhere great, Boston, Kona and beyond. Health is the true wealth, my goals are not directed toward growing old with money but rather investing my time to grow old using training as the fountain of youth so I can still play outside like a kid in my later years. In hind side, no amount of money you have in your later years to spend on a doctor can replace the years you investment today in your training & healthy lifestyle. Time is the true asset, you can't buy it back so invest that time in your health wisely.
Stephanie Johnson
This is a great question. I am motivated by the unlimited opportunities available in this world. The possibilities in life are endless when one strives for excellence. Excellence is doing more than others see necessary. It takes commitment,... perseverance, consistency, hard work and most important action. Nothing happens 'til someone does something. It doesn't take 100 years to reach your goals. Strive for excellence you may surprise yourself.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
65 Ways to be Elite
We are in the middle of April already. This year is flying by. We are 28% completed with 2011, just like that! How is your year going? Use these 65 strategies below to become elite. Practice them daily, do them consistently and watch your life take off....
1. First thing when you wake up you need to read or watch something motivational. Get your day started with something positive.
2. Try and read a personal growth book a month. Reading conditions and educates the mind. You can start with "The 4 Agreements" by Miguel Ruiz. It's a life changing book.
3. Workout at least 4 times a week. And when I say workout, TRAIN! Working out increases endorphins and gets us accomplishing something for ourselves.
4. Eat nothing but fresh fruits, vegetables, lean fresh white meats, and healthy fats. If you eat healthy and nutritious food you will become elite.
5. Create a weekly list of all of your ideas and thoughts. Then highlight the 5 most important and start tackling those ideas. Do this every week.
6. Get a schedule and write in everything that needs to be completed. Add your work schedule, school schedule, kids schedule, your workouts, social events, everything that needs to be done. We only are given a certain amount of hours in a day, we must use them wisely.
7. After every training session make sure to have a post-workout meal within 30 minutes. Try 6oz. of orange juice with 1 scoop of whey protein or 1 yogurt with a piece of fruit. This is a must if you want elite results.
8. On Sunday, make sure to head to the grocery store to stock your house with healthy food. When you are prepared you will make better choices.
9. If you own a business, you must spend at least 30 minutes everyday on marketing your product. If you don't market you won't have business.
10. What are your goals? If you want true elite status, you will take the time to write down everything you want and when you want to achieve it. Type them out and highlight them and put them in a place where you will see them everyday.
11. Breakfast should be nutrient packed and eaten everyday. When you skip breakfast, you are telling your body to slow down and lack energy the rest of the day.
12. Core training is about anti-rotation and anti-extension movements. Stay away from repetitive crunching and twisting. Planks, side planks, farmer walks, core pressouts, chops, lifts and medicine ball slams are examples of core training.
13. Read anything by John Wooden. Coach Wooden knew how to live in a humble and positive way. He taught his athletes to not only be high level athletes but high character people. You can start with "A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court".
14. Start logging all of your workouts. If you want continued success in your training program you must track your progress and keep the stimulus on the body coming.
15. Quiet time is a must. Put away your phone, your Ipod, and turn off the TV. Try and do this 5 minutes everyday. You will recharge and center your thoughts.
16. Write down 20 things that could make you better. Highlight 3-5 of those things and go do them. Then repeat the process over and over.
17. Keep a big water bottle by your side everyday. Water is a must for elite performance and achievement.
18. Train for something. Pick a 5k, a mudrun, 1/2 or full marathon or a triathlon. Having a goal keeps you motivated and accountable to stay on track.
19. Surround yourself with the most positive and motivating crew you can find. Eliminate anyone that brings you down and is a bad influence in your life.
20. Cook your own food at least 85% of the time. Anytime you cook your own food it will be significantly healthier than restaurant food.
21. Eat lots of dark greens. Bell peppers, spinach, zucchini and red leaf lettuce are examples. These foods are loaded with nutrients and vitamins to get us performing at ultimate levels.
22. Take fish oil, vitamin C and a multi-vitamin everyday. Odds are we are not getting all of our vitamins and nutrients from food so we must supplement to max our intake.
23. Be adventurous. Try something new. This will stimulate the mind and excite you to live at higher levels.
24. Look in the mirror and recite your goals out loud. Do this everyday. Your subconscious mind will start truly believing you can achieve those goals.
25. Stay away from packaged and processed foods. Anything in a box or package is not as healthy as fresh food.
26. Workout with someone. The right training partner can help take your performance to high levels.
27. Foam roll and stretch at least 3 times a week. Tight and restricted movement causes pain and injury.
28. Try interval training. If you can't run, then walk fast up hill. If you can run, work your way to sprinting. If you don't like to run, get on a bike and do sprints.
29. Your warm-up starts your workout. Make your warm-up high energy and movement based.
30. Workout with fun training tools like kettlebells, battle ropes, medicine balls, dumbbells, sandbells and don't forget your own bodyweight. Create fun and motivating workouts that forces functional movement, mobility and flexibility so you live life to the fullest.
31. Train your mind to be confident and optimistic. Daily affirmations will condition your mind to become elite.
32. For motivation and fitness education read my blog: www.justinlevine03.blogspot.com
33. Dress clean, fashionable and look the part. If you want to make good impressions, how you take care of yourself is the first step.
34. If you are in the fitness industry you need to go to as many www.performbetter.com seminars you can. If you want continued growth in your business and professional in the fast growing industry these workshops are a must!
35. Go and read "The Generosity Factor". A great book about the impact someone can make when they decide to help and inspire others.
36. Go on at least 5 dates a month with your significant other. This relationship is your most important so cherish the times you get to spend together.
37. Get consistent sleep every night. Six hours a night is better than 4 one night, 8 another and 5 another. And anytime you get a chance, a 15-30 minute power nap can re-energize your vigor the rest of the day.
38. Eat every 2-3 hours during the day. This will keep your energy sustained throughout the day. Add a lean protein to each meal.
39. Laugh more. Laughing creates a feel good feeling. So surround yourself with fun, adventurous and happy people.
40. Say hi to more people. Don't be afraid to greet more people with a smile and friendly hello. Happiness is contagious and a smile can go a long way.
41. Always do your best. After a day is completed and you only gave 60% you wasted opportunity to get a little better. Take advantage of each day by giving 100% every day.
42. Get truly committed. Whether it is at work, school, a fitness program, with your family or with your friends, be fully committed. Don't just do something half ass. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing to the max!
43. Help a stranger. Your true character is what you do when no one is looking. Give some food the the homeless or volunteer to kids in need. Talk about being elite!
44. When your feeling a little down and defeated, go watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIcwkn7fl-I
45. Workout like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVLe871j34
46. Focus all of your attention on the tasks that are urgent and will be of greatest value to you.
47. One hour of reading everyday. If you do this for a whole year you will enhance your knowledge big time.
48. Next time you workout, bring a friend or family member with you.
49. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you represent. If it's a specific workout program, a religion, situation at your job, whatever it is be true to yourself.
50. Always know your word can mean so much. We have the power to affect people in such positive ways. But vice versa we can defeat and derail others as well. Let your word be optimistic and life changing.
51. Listen to this great audio book on personal development, its life changing: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Exceptional-Living-Jim-Rohn/dp/0743529065
52. Be a positive "Hustler". Go out and create your own luck. Fortune and wealth will not just sit in your lap. If you want big things then you will do big things everyday to get what you want.
53. When challenging times arise, stay focused and be determined to get over the speed bumps. Just remember without challenge you do not get better. So except the challenging times and be strong and you will get better.
54. Stay humble and never get to the point where you think you know it all. There is always room to improve - no matter who you are.
55. Make time to workout. Do not let that be an excuse. All you need is 30 minutes. Do this workout if you are buckled for time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qjv3y9K6oo
56. Becoming elite in the sport of triathlon means you need balance and injury prevention. You will learn that is my ebook, "The Complete Triathlete". Shoot me an email and I will send you a FREE download.
57. Make yourself homemade trail mix for a healthy snack during the day. Add raw almonds, raw soy nuts, sunflower nuts and raisins. Grab a couple handfuls during the day to keep your energy high.
58. Speaking of recipes try this one: 1 can albacore tuna, 5 cherry tomatoes, 1 chopped pickle, 1/4 cup of black beans and 1-2 tablespoons of mustard. Mix together and enjoy as a tuna salad. Very healthy for elite individuals.
59. If you made it this far, GREAT JOB, send me your email because you just won a free 30 minute phone consultation with me. Let's connect and I will give you some real world strategies to help you reach your goals. justinlevine03@hotmail.com
60. Always think before you speak. Be conscious of that 3 seconds before you are about to say something and process it first. Ask yourself, "How will it affect the person I am talking to." Always be self aware, it's a sign of elite professionals.
61. At the beginning of the week write up a menu of the food you will eat each day so you are fully prepared to eat healthy and accomplish your fitness goals. Preparation is the key to a successful fitness and nutrition plan.
62. Next time you go to the gym, work extra hard. You do not get results in the gym by going easy and doing what you did last week. Keep pushing!
63. Focus all of your attention on the essential things in your life. Family, work, school, your health, your friends and your spiritual life. Stay focused on the important stuff.
64. Write out the 1 thing that will truly make you happy. Love, money, health, family, God, friends, what is it for you? Write it out in big read letters and place it where you will look at it everyday. Keep your eye on the prize!
65. Keep reaching for ELITENESS! The climb is trecherous but you will get to the top, just keep going, one step at a time!
1. First thing when you wake up you need to read or watch something motivational. Get your day started with something positive.
2. Try and read a personal growth book a month. Reading conditions and educates the mind. You can start with "The 4 Agreements" by Miguel Ruiz. It's a life changing book.
3. Workout at least 4 times a week. And when I say workout, TRAIN! Working out increases endorphins and gets us accomplishing something for ourselves.
4. Eat nothing but fresh fruits, vegetables, lean fresh white meats, and healthy fats. If you eat healthy and nutritious food you will become elite.
5. Create a weekly list of all of your ideas and thoughts. Then highlight the 5 most important and start tackling those ideas. Do this every week.
6. Get a schedule and write in everything that needs to be completed. Add your work schedule, school schedule, kids schedule, your workouts, social events, everything that needs to be done. We only are given a certain amount of hours in a day, we must use them wisely.
7. After every training session make sure to have a post-workout meal within 30 minutes. Try 6oz. of orange juice with 1 scoop of whey protein or 1 yogurt with a piece of fruit. This is a must if you want elite results.
8. On Sunday, make sure to head to the grocery store to stock your house with healthy food. When you are prepared you will make better choices.
9. If you own a business, you must spend at least 30 minutes everyday on marketing your product. If you don't market you won't have business.
10. What are your goals? If you want true elite status, you will take the time to write down everything you want and when you want to achieve it. Type them out and highlight them and put them in a place where you will see them everyday.
11. Breakfast should be nutrient packed and eaten everyday. When you skip breakfast, you are telling your body to slow down and lack energy the rest of the day.
12. Core training is about anti-rotation and anti-extension movements. Stay away from repetitive crunching and twisting. Planks, side planks, farmer walks, core pressouts, chops, lifts and medicine ball slams are examples of core training.
13. Read anything by John Wooden. Coach Wooden knew how to live in a humble and positive way. He taught his athletes to not only be high level athletes but high character people. You can start with "A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court".
14. Start logging all of your workouts. If you want continued success in your training program you must track your progress and keep the stimulus on the body coming.
15. Quiet time is a must. Put away your phone, your Ipod, and turn off the TV. Try and do this 5 minutes everyday. You will recharge and center your thoughts.
16. Write down 20 things that could make you better. Highlight 3-5 of those things and go do them. Then repeat the process over and over.
17. Keep a big water bottle by your side everyday. Water is a must for elite performance and achievement.
18. Train for something. Pick a 5k, a mudrun, 1/2 or full marathon or a triathlon. Having a goal keeps you motivated and accountable to stay on track.
19. Surround yourself with the most positive and motivating crew you can find. Eliminate anyone that brings you down and is a bad influence in your life.
20. Cook your own food at least 85% of the time. Anytime you cook your own food it will be significantly healthier than restaurant food.
21. Eat lots of dark greens. Bell peppers, spinach, zucchini and red leaf lettuce are examples. These foods are loaded with nutrients and vitamins to get us performing at ultimate levels.
22. Take fish oil, vitamin C and a multi-vitamin everyday. Odds are we are not getting all of our vitamins and nutrients from food so we must supplement to max our intake.
23. Be adventurous. Try something new. This will stimulate the mind and excite you to live at higher levels.
24. Look in the mirror and recite your goals out loud. Do this everyday. Your subconscious mind will start truly believing you can achieve those goals.
25. Stay away from packaged and processed foods. Anything in a box or package is not as healthy as fresh food.
26. Workout with someone. The right training partner can help take your performance to high levels.
27. Foam roll and stretch at least 3 times a week. Tight and restricted movement causes pain and injury.
28. Try interval training. If you can't run, then walk fast up hill. If you can run, work your way to sprinting. If you don't like to run, get on a bike and do sprints.
29. Your warm-up starts your workout. Make your warm-up high energy and movement based.
30. Workout with fun training tools like kettlebells, battle ropes, medicine balls, dumbbells, sandbells and don't forget your own bodyweight. Create fun and motivating workouts that forces functional movement, mobility and flexibility so you live life to the fullest.
31. Train your mind to be confident and optimistic. Daily affirmations will condition your mind to become elite.
32. For motivation and fitness education read my blog: www.justinlevine03.blogspot.com
33. Dress clean, fashionable and look the part. If you want to make good impressions, how you take care of yourself is the first step.
34. If you are in the fitness industry you need to go to as many www.performbetter.com seminars you can. If you want continued growth in your business and professional in the fast growing industry these workshops are a must!
35. Go and read "The Generosity Factor". A great book about the impact someone can make when they decide to help and inspire others.
36. Go on at least 5 dates a month with your significant other. This relationship is your most important so cherish the times you get to spend together.
37. Get consistent sleep every night. Six hours a night is better than 4 one night, 8 another and 5 another. And anytime you get a chance, a 15-30 minute power nap can re-energize your vigor the rest of the day.
38. Eat every 2-3 hours during the day. This will keep your energy sustained throughout the day. Add a lean protein to each meal.
39. Laugh more. Laughing creates a feel good feeling. So surround yourself with fun, adventurous and happy people.
40. Say hi to more people. Don't be afraid to greet more people with a smile and friendly hello. Happiness is contagious and a smile can go a long way.
41. Always do your best. After a day is completed and you only gave 60% you wasted opportunity to get a little better. Take advantage of each day by giving 100% every day.
42. Get truly committed. Whether it is at work, school, a fitness program, with your family or with your friends, be fully committed. Don't just do something half ass. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing to the max!
43. Help a stranger. Your true character is what you do when no one is looking. Give some food the the homeless or volunteer to kids in need. Talk about being elite!
44. When your feeling a little down and defeated, go watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIcwkn7fl-I
45. Workout like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVLe871j34
46. Focus all of your attention on the tasks that are urgent and will be of greatest value to you.
47. One hour of reading everyday. If you do this for a whole year you will enhance your knowledge big time.
48. Next time you workout, bring a friend or family member with you.
49. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you represent. If it's a specific workout program, a religion, situation at your job, whatever it is be true to yourself.
50. Always know your word can mean so much. We have the power to affect people in such positive ways. But vice versa we can defeat and derail others as well. Let your word be optimistic and life changing.
51. Listen to this great audio book on personal development, its life changing: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Exceptional-Living-Jim-Rohn/dp/0743529065
52. Be a positive "Hustler". Go out and create your own luck. Fortune and wealth will not just sit in your lap. If you want big things then you will do big things everyday to get what you want.
53. When challenging times arise, stay focused and be determined to get over the speed bumps. Just remember without challenge you do not get better. So except the challenging times and be strong and you will get better.
54. Stay humble and never get to the point where you think you know it all. There is always room to improve - no matter who you are.
55. Make time to workout. Do not let that be an excuse. All you need is 30 minutes. Do this workout if you are buckled for time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qjv3y9K6oo
56. Becoming elite in the sport of triathlon means you need balance and injury prevention. You will learn that is my ebook, "The Complete Triathlete". Shoot me an email and I will send you a FREE download.
57. Make yourself homemade trail mix for a healthy snack during the day. Add raw almonds, raw soy nuts, sunflower nuts and raisins. Grab a couple handfuls during the day to keep your energy high.
58. Speaking of recipes try this one: 1 can albacore tuna, 5 cherry tomatoes, 1 chopped pickle, 1/4 cup of black beans and 1-2 tablespoons of mustard. Mix together and enjoy as a tuna salad. Very healthy for elite individuals.
59. If you made it this far, GREAT JOB, send me your email because you just won a free 30 minute phone consultation with me. Let's connect and I will give you some real world strategies to help you reach your goals. justinlevine03@hotmail.com
60. Always think before you speak. Be conscious of that 3 seconds before you are about to say something and process it first. Ask yourself, "How will it affect the person I am talking to." Always be self aware, it's a sign of elite professionals.
61. At the beginning of the week write up a menu of the food you will eat each day so you are fully prepared to eat healthy and accomplish your fitness goals. Preparation is the key to a successful fitness and nutrition plan.
62. Next time you go to the gym, work extra hard. You do not get results in the gym by going easy and doing what you did last week. Keep pushing!
63. Focus all of your attention on the essential things in your life. Family, work, school, your health, your friends and your spiritual life. Stay focused on the important stuff.
64. Write out the 1 thing that will truly make you happy. Love, money, health, family, God, friends, what is it for you? Write it out in big read letters and place it where you will look at it everyday. Keep your eye on the prize!
65. Keep reaching for ELITENESS! The climb is trecherous but you will get to the top, just keep going, one step at a time!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Are you really eating healthy??
First off, I have a great deal for you. The first 10 people to comment on this blog will receive my ebook for free.
Are you really eating healthy???
On a daily basis I always ask my clients how they have been eating. The answer I get is "good". Then I say ok, well tell me what you have been eating the past two days. Come to find out it was a bad two days, but before that they were eating "perfect"! So, I then tell that person to give me a food journal for the next 5 days with everything that goes into their mouth. When I see their food journal we come to the conclusion that they need some help.
Healthy nutrition is a tough task. It takes thought, preparation, time and organization. If you do not put thought into it you will never know what is going in your body. If you do not prepare there will be times when you do not eat or you will make a bad choice. If you do not make time you will rush to a fast food because you do not have time. If you are not organized then you will not be able to put in thought, you will never be prepared and you will never have enough time.
The first list are things you should be thinking about daily. I got this list from a former athlete that I used to train. His university gave this "checklist" to him on the first day of camp. We all need to concentrate on checking these things off the list on a daily basis.
Performance Nutrition: The Inside Edge
Consistent High-level performance requires that healthy nutrition be a high daily priority. Performance nutrition is about eating to optimize energy production, maintain a healthy body composition and accelerate recovery and healing. A true edge is gained by eating for health and performance EVERYDAY!
THE PERFORMANCE CHECKLIST:
Do you eat breakfast 7 days a week?
Do you eat 3 balanced meals at approximately the same time everyday?
Do you eat 3 nutritious snacks in between your main meals everyday?
Do you eat at least 3 pieces of fresh fruit daily?
Do you eat at least 5 servings of fresh vegetables daily?
Do you choose high fiber breads and cereals? (Not corn pops!)
Do you eat a large serving of lean or low-fat protein at each meal?
Do you eat adequately to maintain your body weight (unless on a fat loss or weight gain program)?
Do you eat a pre-practice snack within 1 hour of beginning exercise?
Do you eat a post-workout snack within 30 minutes of completion?
Do you eat a balanced meal within 2 hours of completing your workout?
Do you drink at least 72 ounces of water daily?
Do you sleep 7-8 hours each night?
Do you go to bed at the same time at night and get up at approximately the same time each morning?
Do you take a multi-vitamin on a daily basis?
So look at these questions on a daily basis. You will see huge results in your energy levels, your physique and your performance if you are answering yes to these questions.
Next I am going to show you your calorie needs. Here is a formula for you to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The BMR formula uses the variables of height, weight, age and gender to calculate the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is more accurate than calculating calorie needs based on body weight alone. The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will underestimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Example: 35 years old, 155 pounds, 55 inches
=655+674.25+258.5-164.5
BMR for this individual = 1423 calories at rest
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )
Example: 50 years old, 175 pounds, 65 inches
BMR = 66 + 1090 + 825 - 340
BMR for this individual = 1641 calories at rest
So, once you figure out your BMR you need to know how much activity you are putting in everyday. The Harrison Benedict forumla will help you out:
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
We will use the male example above. His BMR is 1641 and we will say he is moderately active.
1641 x 1.55 = 2543 calories/day
NOW, you are asking "what do I do with that number"? Good question. If you want to lose weight you deficit that number by 500 calories. 500 calories a day will equate to 3500 calories a week which is 1 pound, a good healthy number to lose in a week. If you want to gain weight you add 500 calories to that number. If you want to maintain weight you eat right at that number.
So if that same man wanted to lose weight he would take that 2543 and subtract 500 which leaves him at 2043 calories a day. And vice versa if he wanted to gain weight.
Your daily calories CAN NOT be below your BMR. If you have these days it is detrimental to getting results. You will do nothing but eat away lean muscle mass and store body fat. You must eat enough food to spark your metabolism.
Final Tips:
majority of your food needs to come from fresh vegetables, fruit and lean proteins
eat smaller amounts of food every 2-3 hours during the day
water intake should be at least 65 ounces; the more active you are the more water you need
everyone, even weight loss individuals, needs a protein supplement; most people do not eat adequate protein sources throughout the day
if you do not cook, you need to learn
prepare you meals before you step out the door
alcohol will stagnate results; except for the buzz you get, there is nothing good about alcohol
If you have any specific questions feel free to email me anytime at justinlevine03@hotmail.com.
Are you really eating healthy???
On a daily basis I always ask my clients how they have been eating. The answer I get is "good". Then I say ok, well tell me what you have been eating the past two days. Come to find out it was a bad two days, but before that they were eating "perfect"! So, I then tell that person to give me a food journal for the next 5 days with everything that goes into their mouth. When I see their food journal we come to the conclusion that they need some help.
Healthy nutrition is a tough task. It takes thought, preparation, time and organization. If you do not put thought into it you will never know what is going in your body. If you do not prepare there will be times when you do not eat or you will make a bad choice. If you do not make time you will rush to a fast food because you do not have time. If you are not organized then you will not be able to put in thought, you will never be prepared and you will never have enough time.
The first list are things you should be thinking about daily. I got this list from a former athlete that I used to train. His university gave this "checklist" to him on the first day of camp. We all need to concentrate on checking these things off the list on a daily basis.
Performance Nutrition: The Inside Edge
Consistent High-level performance requires that healthy nutrition be a high daily priority. Performance nutrition is about eating to optimize energy production, maintain a healthy body composition and accelerate recovery and healing. A true edge is gained by eating for health and performance EVERYDAY!
THE PERFORMANCE CHECKLIST:
Do you eat breakfast 7 days a week?
Do you eat 3 balanced meals at approximately the same time everyday?
Do you eat 3 nutritious snacks in between your main meals everyday?
Do you eat at least 3 pieces of fresh fruit daily?
Do you eat at least 5 servings of fresh vegetables daily?
Do you choose high fiber breads and cereals? (Not corn pops!)
Do you eat a large serving of lean or low-fat protein at each meal?
Do you eat adequately to maintain your body weight (unless on a fat loss or weight gain program)?
Do you eat a pre-practice snack within 1 hour of beginning exercise?
Do you eat a post-workout snack within 30 minutes of completion?
Do you eat a balanced meal within 2 hours of completing your workout?
Do you drink at least 72 ounces of water daily?
Do you sleep 7-8 hours each night?
Do you go to bed at the same time at night and get up at approximately the same time each morning?
Do you take a multi-vitamin on a daily basis?
So look at these questions on a daily basis. You will see huge results in your energy levels, your physique and your performance if you are answering yes to these questions.
Next I am going to show you your calorie needs. Here is a formula for you to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The BMR formula uses the variables of height, weight, age and gender to calculate the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is more accurate than calculating calorie needs based on body weight alone. The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will underestimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Example: 35 years old, 155 pounds, 55 inches
=655+674.25+258.5-164.5
BMR for this individual = 1423 calories at rest
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )
Example: 50 years old, 175 pounds, 65 inches
BMR = 66 + 1090 + 825 - 340
BMR for this individual = 1641 calories at rest
So, once you figure out your BMR you need to know how much activity you are putting in everyday. The Harrison Benedict forumla will help you out:
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
We will use the male example above. His BMR is 1641 and we will say he is moderately active.
1641 x 1.55 = 2543 calories/day
NOW, you are asking "what do I do with that number"? Good question. If you want to lose weight you deficit that number by 500 calories. 500 calories a day will equate to 3500 calories a week which is 1 pound, a good healthy number to lose in a week. If you want to gain weight you add 500 calories to that number. If you want to maintain weight you eat right at that number.
So if that same man wanted to lose weight he would take that 2543 and subtract 500 which leaves him at 2043 calories a day. And vice versa if he wanted to gain weight.
Your daily calories CAN NOT be below your BMR. If you have these days it is detrimental to getting results. You will do nothing but eat away lean muscle mass and store body fat. You must eat enough food to spark your metabolism.
Final Tips:
majority of your food needs to come from fresh vegetables, fruit and lean proteins
eat smaller amounts of food every 2-3 hours during the day
water intake should be at least 65 ounces; the more active you are the more water you need
everyone, even weight loss individuals, needs a protein supplement; most people do not eat adequate protein sources throughout the day
if you do not cook, you need to learn
prepare you meals before you step out the door
alcohol will stagnate results; except for the buzz you get, there is nothing good about alcohol
If you have any specific questions feel free to email me anytime at justinlevine03@hotmail.com.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Recover Better - Train Hard
As training gets into full gear, overuse and injury seems to creep up on many endurance athletes. You can tremendously reduce your chance of injury by what you do outside of training. Here are 5 recovery strategies for you to implement into your training program:
1. Foam Roll/Stretch: You need to schedule flexibility sessions into your training week. After long weekends of training our muscle tissue becomes inflamed, tight, and adhesions are formed throughout the fascia. Rolling and soft tissue therapy will help get rid of the small knots and adhesions that build up over time. Plus it will help promote blood flow, which gives you better movement and range of motion. Endurance athletes should focus on the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, IT band and mid-back. Stretching also needs to be implemented into the schedule. Stretching the muscle will help lengthen the fascia to allow for proper movement and range of motion. If our muscles are tight we restrict movement, decrease our performance and eventually we will get hurt. Take time to roll and stretch.
2. Ice: After long and/or hard training sessions icing the legs is a great way to get them to recover at a more rapid pace. Icing will decrease inflammation, any swelling and enhance healing. But icing is not about "more is better". You should ice your legs for no longer than 15 minutes an hour. Any longer can cause damage to the surrounding muscle tissues. If you have a direct pain site (i.e. shin splints, plantar fasciitis, etc.), then ice massage is the way to go. Simply freeze a small water bottle, cut the bottom half of plastic off the bottle to expose the ice and then massage the affected area. Do this for only 5 minutes each hour.
3. Light movement: After a big weekend of training or a race the best thing for your legs is to flush them out the day after. Know the difference of a hard workout and easy moving. These lighter workouts can tremendously assist recovery as it will get your legs through a range of motion, increasing blood flow, decreasing inflammation and promote recovery. Just make sure to keep these workouts very light. Spinning on a bike or a light recovery swim on Monday, following a big training weekend or race, will assist the body to recover and allow for a better week ahead of training.
4. Corrective Work: I wrote an article for www.trifuel.com titled, “Corrective Exercises Triathletes need to do”. Go read the article here: http://trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/corrective-exercises-that-triathletes-need-to-do and implement these moves into your routine to create a balanced and more functional body.
5. Consistent Sleep: When the body is at rest, it will be at its greatest state of recovery. If you are not getting consistent sleep throughout the week you will suffer, breakdown and it will lead to injury, fatigue and burnout. As endurance athletes we are continually breaking down the body during training and it is a must to get adequate sleep. The key is consistency. So 6 hours of sleep every night is better than 4 hours one night, 8 hours one night and 5 hours another. Aim for 6-8 hours each night. During the day, try and fit in short 15-30 minute naps to rejuvenate and recharge the body and mind.
1. Foam Roll/Stretch: You need to schedule flexibility sessions into your training week. After long weekends of training our muscle tissue becomes inflamed, tight, and adhesions are formed throughout the fascia. Rolling and soft tissue therapy will help get rid of the small knots and adhesions that build up over time. Plus it will help promote blood flow, which gives you better movement and range of motion. Endurance athletes should focus on the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, IT band and mid-back. Stretching also needs to be implemented into the schedule. Stretching the muscle will help lengthen the fascia to allow for proper movement and range of motion. If our muscles are tight we restrict movement, decrease our performance and eventually we will get hurt. Take time to roll and stretch.
2. Ice: After long and/or hard training sessions icing the legs is a great way to get them to recover at a more rapid pace. Icing will decrease inflammation, any swelling and enhance healing. But icing is not about "more is better". You should ice your legs for no longer than 15 minutes an hour. Any longer can cause damage to the surrounding muscle tissues. If you have a direct pain site (i.e. shin splints, plantar fasciitis, etc.), then ice massage is the way to go. Simply freeze a small water bottle, cut the bottom half of plastic off the bottle to expose the ice and then massage the affected area. Do this for only 5 minutes each hour.
3. Light movement: After a big weekend of training or a race the best thing for your legs is to flush them out the day after. Know the difference of a hard workout and easy moving. These lighter workouts can tremendously assist recovery as it will get your legs through a range of motion, increasing blood flow, decreasing inflammation and promote recovery. Just make sure to keep these workouts very light. Spinning on a bike or a light recovery swim on Monday, following a big training weekend or race, will assist the body to recover and allow for a better week ahead of training.
4. Corrective Work: I wrote an article for www.trifuel.com titled, “Corrective Exercises Triathletes need to do”. Go read the article here: http://trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/corrective-exercises-that-triathletes-need-to-do and implement these moves into your routine to create a balanced and more functional body.
5. Consistent Sleep: When the body is at rest, it will be at its greatest state of recovery. If you are not getting consistent sleep throughout the week you will suffer, breakdown and it will lead to injury, fatigue and burnout. As endurance athletes we are continually breaking down the body during training and it is a must to get adequate sleep. The key is consistency. So 6 hours of sleep every night is better than 4 hours one night, 8 hours one night and 5 hours another. Aim for 6-8 hours each night. During the day, try and fit in short 15-30 minute naps to rejuvenate and recharge the body and mind.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Youth Athletes in the Gym
Young Athletes in the Gym
We live in an area where youth sports are very popular. From traveling baseball, soccer, basketball to city league sports and the very popular junior high and high school athletics, young athletes have many options to be active. Early specialization is becoming more common and youth strength and conditioning is becoming a trendy activity for young athletes. There are many parents that are willing to spend some money for personal trainers, speed coaches, sport specialty coaches and sports psychologists so their kid can get a step ahead. This article is about training. For kids under 15 years old, starting to work out is normal. In fact, more and more junior high and early high school students are seen at the gym working out. This is not a bad thing. What could be bad is the application of what they are doing. Too many kids still have the perception that it is about weight lifting. You have their sport specific coaches hammering "how much did you lift today" in their heads. Unfortunately this is bad coaching. Working out is mandatory for athletic kids. It will create healthier habits, reduce injury later down the road, teach them about fitness and conditioning and give them the tools to improve their coordination and performance. Between the ages of 8-15, the body is in a building and maturation phase. Most kids these ages lack coordination, movement skills, running mechanics and they seem to “flop” around like a fish out of water. I know parents are agreeing with that comment because that is the first thing they usually tell me when signing up their kid "my kid is all over the place when he/she runs". Building the right program is very important. As a coach, I am going to give the most safe and effective exercises to these ages. If all I worry about is "how much they lift" then I am not doing my job. And if you have a coach that is hammering that motto, I'd be careful. Youth strength and conditioning goes well beyond just "lifting weights". For this demographic the key is to start the foundation. The foundation must be set with bodyweight strength, flexibility, healthy nutritional habits, proper warm-ups, and safe and technical movement training in the gym.
What should kids be focusing on when they do workout?
Here are few things to think about:
1. Bodyweight strength is critical. Get this age group to become superior at bodyweight control. Even for older kids (16+) the focus should still be on mastering bodyweight control. If you can not control your own body you should not be adding external loads to the movement. Once they can start understanding their own body’s movements and strength then you can start adding light external loads. Having bodyweight strength will create a solid foundation to build on the rest of their life. Having bodyweight strength will advance an athlete's overall performance. Being able to control your own bodyweight makes you more functional and you will be able to move more freely out on the court or field. For 8-15 years old, this is such an important time to drill bodyweight movements into a routine. Once a young kid can start performing 20 perfect push-ups, and 10 perfect chin-ups then you can start adding light loads. And when I say perfect, I mean perfect! But it doesn't stop there. When you have bodyweight strength you reduce injury. Your stabilizers are strong and support your big prime movers. When you increase stability which is your ability to control movement in the presence of change, you create a better and more functional athlete.
2. Improved running mechanics. Young athletes have poor running mechanics. More and more I see kids that, plain and simple, can't run. They flop and flail all over the place. Teaching proper running mechanics can be a great way to add coordination and agility to the arsenal, all while increasing foot speed and running efficiency. These drills should be practiced before practices, before games and in training. When youth athletes improve their running, they improve their overall athleticism. Their coordination improves, their movement improves and they see tremendous enhancement in the speed and explosiveness.
3. Keep it simple. Youth athletes need the basic and simplest exercises. Getting too complicated too early means you are skipping progression steps and when you skip steps you risk injury. Focus on perfect push-ups, bodyweight squats, pull-ups, core strength and proper stretching mechanics. With young athletes you have plenty of time to progress and get better. Do not be in a rush to jump levels. Mastering the simple exercises will set them up for success later down the road.
4. Stretching is huge. I see more and more young athletes super tight and immobile. When young athletes are tight they risk chronic pain at an early age. At these ages the muscles should be stretchy and supple so we can run, jump and cut more efficiently and reduce injury. Flexibility training should be in the program at least 2-3 times a week. Focus on stretching the hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, adductors, calves and glutes. And focus on good mechanics when you stretch. You should have good posture and be in good position when you stretch. Don't go to the point where you are in pain but you can feel mild discomfort.
5. If it looks cool, it probably isn’t. Too many parents will see professionals on TV working out a certain way and then want their 9-year old kid doing the same things. Go back and read #3. You must keep it simple and master the basic exercises. Repetitive jumping, lifting and crunching will lead to overuse injuries. The whole "functional training" philosophy has gotten a bit out of hand. Functional training is not standing on bosu balls doing squats or performing repetitive plyometrics for explosiveness. Functional training is a systematic, training plan with a purpose. For a youth athlete a functional training program should focus on warm-up strategies, injury prevention, running efficiency, bodyweight strength and lifestyle habit training. Just because you see it on TV, that doesn't mean it is correct.
6. Weight training is about perfect form – no exceptions. When weight training is introduced do not let technique go by the waste side. Unfortunately I can walk into many high school weight rooms right now and the weight training going on would make me cringe. There must be a period where the lifts are taught properly without any weight. Do not rush into maximal loads because this is a recipe for injury. At these young ages, learning how to lift weights correctly is fabulous. Even learning the simple olympic lifts are crucial for better development of the athlete. The focus should be on perfecting the technique of each lift. Think “technical failure”. When you no longer have perfect form the set is completed.
7. It’s about building lifestyle habits. Overall, this should be the #1 goal. A lot of kids have a dream of playing a college or professional sport but the odds are stacked against them. Teach them now how to be healthy and live healthy and they will have a healthy foundation the rest of their life.
We live in an area where youth sports are very popular. From traveling baseball, soccer, basketball to city league sports and the very popular junior high and high school athletics, young athletes have many options to be active. Early specialization is becoming more common and youth strength and conditioning is becoming a trendy activity for young athletes. There are many parents that are willing to spend some money for personal trainers, speed coaches, sport specialty coaches and sports psychologists so their kid can get a step ahead. This article is about training. For kids under 15 years old, starting to work out is normal. In fact, more and more junior high and early high school students are seen at the gym working out. This is not a bad thing. What could be bad is the application of what they are doing. Too many kids still have the perception that it is about weight lifting. You have their sport specific coaches hammering "how much did you lift today" in their heads. Unfortunately this is bad coaching. Working out is mandatory for athletic kids. It will create healthier habits, reduce injury later down the road, teach them about fitness and conditioning and give them the tools to improve their coordination and performance. Between the ages of 8-15, the body is in a building and maturation phase. Most kids these ages lack coordination, movement skills, running mechanics and they seem to “flop” around like a fish out of water. I know parents are agreeing with that comment because that is the first thing they usually tell me when signing up their kid "my kid is all over the place when he/she runs". Building the right program is very important. As a coach, I am going to give the most safe and effective exercises to these ages. If all I worry about is "how much they lift" then I am not doing my job. And if you have a coach that is hammering that motto, I'd be careful. Youth strength and conditioning goes well beyond just "lifting weights". For this demographic the key is to start the foundation. The foundation must be set with bodyweight strength, flexibility, healthy nutritional habits, proper warm-ups, and safe and technical movement training in the gym.
What should kids be focusing on when they do workout?
Here are few things to think about:
1. Bodyweight strength is critical. Get this age group to become superior at bodyweight control. Even for older kids (16+) the focus should still be on mastering bodyweight control. If you can not control your own body you should not be adding external loads to the movement. Once they can start understanding their own body’s movements and strength then you can start adding light external loads. Having bodyweight strength will create a solid foundation to build on the rest of their life. Having bodyweight strength will advance an athlete's overall performance. Being able to control your own bodyweight makes you more functional and you will be able to move more freely out on the court or field. For 8-15 years old, this is such an important time to drill bodyweight movements into a routine. Once a young kid can start performing 20 perfect push-ups, and 10 perfect chin-ups then you can start adding light loads. And when I say perfect, I mean perfect! But it doesn't stop there. When you have bodyweight strength you reduce injury. Your stabilizers are strong and support your big prime movers. When you increase stability which is your ability to control movement in the presence of change, you create a better and more functional athlete.
2. Improved running mechanics. Young athletes have poor running mechanics. More and more I see kids that, plain and simple, can't run. They flop and flail all over the place. Teaching proper running mechanics can be a great way to add coordination and agility to the arsenal, all while increasing foot speed and running efficiency. These drills should be practiced before practices, before games and in training. When youth athletes improve their running, they improve their overall athleticism. Their coordination improves, their movement improves and they see tremendous enhancement in the speed and explosiveness.
3. Keep it simple. Youth athletes need the basic and simplest exercises. Getting too complicated too early means you are skipping progression steps and when you skip steps you risk injury. Focus on perfect push-ups, bodyweight squats, pull-ups, core strength and proper stretching mechanics. With young athletes you have plenty of time to progress and get better. Do not be in a rush to jump levels. Mastering the simple exercises will set them up for success later down the road.
4. Stretching is huge. I see more and more young athletes super tight and immobile. When young athletes are tight they risk chronic pain at an early age. At these ages the muscles should be stretchy and supple so we can run, jump and cut more efficiently and reduce injury. Flexibility training should be in the program at least 2-3 times a week. Focus on stretching the hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, adductors, calves and glutes. And focus on good mechanics when you stretch. You should have good posture and be in good position when you stretch. Don't go to the point where you are in pain but you can feel mild discomfort.
5. If it looks cool, it probably isn’t. Too many parents will see professionals on TV working out a certain way and then want their 9-year old kid doing the same things. Go back and read #3. You must keep it simple and master the basic exercises. Repetitive jumping, lifting and crunching will lead to overuse injuries. The whole "functional training" philosophy has gotten a bit out of hand. Functional training is not standing on bosu balls doing squats or performing repetitive plyometrics for explosiveness. Functional training is a systematic, training plan with a purpose. For a youth athlete a functional training program should focus on warm-up strategies, injury prevention, running efficiency, bodyweight strength and lifestyle habit training. Just because you see it on TV, that doesn't mean it is correct.
6. Weight training is about perfect form – no exceptions. When weight training is introduced do not let technique go by the waste side. Unfortunately I can walk into many high school weight rooms right now and the weight training going on would make me cringe. There must be a period where the lifts are taught properly without any weight. Do not rush into maximal loads because this is a recipe for injury. At these young ages, learning how to lift weights correctly is fabulous. Even learning the simple olympic lifts are crucial for better development of the athlete. The focus should be on perfecting the technique of each lift. Think “technical failure”. When you no longer have perfect form the set is completed.
7. It’s about building lifestyle habits. Overall, this should be the #1 goal. A lot of kids have a dream of playing a college or professional sport but the odds are stacked against them. Teach them now how to be healthy and live healthy and they will have a healthy foundation the rest of their life.
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