Check out this "quiz" avaialble on the NHLBI website.  I was blown away by how many items we consume in much larger quantities than we did int he past…..

Just a reminder about nutrition.  First off, make sure you are getting some nutrition within 30 minutes of your Elite session.  Next, try to get anywhere from .7-1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight if you are working hard as a Spartan.

Finally, use moderation when you eat those Summer treats.  A bite or two will not kil you, but easy on the large quantities of crap!

THINK before you put it into your mouth.  

Spartans are careful about what they ingest!

Work hard, smart and consistent for maximal results…..

Just saw Ryan Joiner walking around the office with a pizza and a bottle of red wine……….

He looks refreshed and ready to hit the ground……….

Welcome Back Joiner!

What is the best way to prepare for competition.  Art DeVany provides some surprising answers:

I have mentioned that doing a bit of high intensity activity, like squats, or sprinting (after some warmup) prepares the body for the round of more moderate activity of the sport. Penny Hardaway is one of several NBA players who precede a game with a quick session of fairly intense lifting.

The reasoning is that the higher intensity raises lactate in the muscle, which can serve as a source of energy, elevates other energy substrates, increases the rate at which blood and oxygen can perfuse the muscle tissue, and probably sets the hormone flux to one favoring higher performance. For sure, it jumps starts your readiness.

In The Journal of Physiology (September 21, 2006) these effects are found. Mod2 in the authors’ summary refers to a high intensity session followed by the more moderate activity, something like participation in a sport.

Therefore, this study demonstrated faster VO2 kinetics during the transition to moderate-intensity exercise when the exercise was preceded by a bout of heavy-intensity exercise. An elevated PDH activity and greater muscle perfusion and local muscle oxygenation (as determined by a greater change in O2 HB and change in HbTOT ) prior to the start of Mod2 was accompanied by a speeding of VO 2 kinetics and shorter HHb-TD during the transition to Mod2 and a decreased reliance on substrate-level phosphorylation (as determined by a lower PCr degradation) in the first 30 s exercise in Mod2 .

These results suggest that the speeding of moderate-intensity VO 2 kinetics after a bout of heavy-intensity exercise occurs as a consequence of prior activation of mitochondrial enzyme activity (i.e. PDH and possibly other dehydrogenases) and substrate
provision in combination with elevated muscle perfusion and O2 delivery, thereby ensuring adequate provision of all substrates needed to support oxidative phosphorylation.

 

 

 True Spartans know that they need to balance their training to touch all the basic skills.  Today let us look at BALANCE.  You know, the ability to stay in the position desired.  Balance works from 3 main systems:  proprioceptive (little receptors in our muscles and joints that tell us where we are in relation to the rest of the world), inner ear (ever been sea sick??), and visual (close your eyes to increase difficulty).

If you are not spending some time on balance activity, then you are missing out.  Get really strong without balance and you will get pushed over or will not be able to use your new found strength.  

Balance is interesting because it adapts rapidly to stimulus, but it decays rapidly as well.  Try some single leg work, then eyes closed, then uneven surfaces.  Try some functional moves on uneven surfaces……work up to this type of stuff:

"Accumulating injuries are the price we pay for the thrill of not having sat around on our asses."  Mark Ripptoe

If you have an injury you are working with, let us know.  It is part of the training and Athlon Elite is here to help!

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Loads of extra Vitamin D around…..

Research has shown some possible benefits for performing plyometrics in an aquatic environment.

This site has a bunch of intersting idea for cooling off while heating up your training program. 

Anyone up for a trip to the pool to try some of this out???

In honor of our local superstar Jordan Hasay:

Run 3200 meters (a little less than 2 miles).

Jordan does it in 9:52.  Anything under 12 minutes should make you proud.