The Diet Craze: Non-Organic vs. Organic

Healthy eating should be a lifestyle, not a diet.  As I mentioned in my last blog, http://tinyurl.com/d454b8q, I will discuss some popular diets as well as some styles of eating over the next several weeks.  After you read the pros and cons of the featured styles for eating healthy, you can decide which nutrition option best suits your lifestyle. 

Non-organic vs. organic food often caused heated debates among health wellness proponents.  But the main question is “what is the difference?”   An organic diet does not necessarily mean that you are eating healthier in the form of calories and nutrients.  Organic pertains to the way food is grown or raised. 

The guidelines listed below must be followed when fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and meat are labeled as organic.  These are the important differences between non-organic and organic foods.  The choice is yours, you decide!

Non-Organic	Organic
Chemical fertilizers are used for the promotion of plant growth in fruits, vegetables, and grains.	Natural fertilizers like compost and manure are used to feed soil and grow fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Synthetic herbicides are used to kill weeds in crops.	Crops are rotated and weeds are removed by hand or mulch.
Synthetic insecticides are used to eliminate pests and disease in crops.	Beneficial insects and birds, mating disruptions or traps to reduce pests and disease in crops.  Spray pesticides, when used, are created from natural resources.
Animals used for meat or dairy products are given antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to increase growth, production, and prevent disease. Housing for these animals is often overcrowded and unsanitary.	Animals used for meat or dairy products are given organic feed and allowed access to outdoors.  They are also part of a plan that includes rotational grazing and clean housing.

A CrossFitters Journey: Update on Sara Urban

My previous blog (http://tinyurl.com/adxuarh) documented the successful weight loss journey of my sister, Sara Urban, as she embraced CrossFit as her fitness passion. Sara has just completed her final workout of the CrossFit Open as she attempts to qualify for the CrossFit Games: Fittest on Earth.  The CrossFit Open consists of five workouts (one workout each week) with only the top 48 athletes in each region advancing to regionals. Sara’s ranking in the South Central region as well as her World ranking is listed below:

Sara Urban – 17^th place South Central Region/256^th place World (out of 130,000 athletes)

Week 1- Workout 13.1 (45^th place in region; 734^th worldwide with 176 reps)

Week 2- Workout 13.2 (43^rd place in region; 810^th worldwide with 322 reps)

Week 3- Workout 13.3 (76th place in region; 1317th worldwide with 245 reps)

Week 4- Workout 13.4 (8^th place in region; 138^th worldwide with 102 reps)

Week 5- Workout 13.5 (19^th in region place in region; 218^th worldwide with 126 reps)

For a glimpse of the detailed workouts, check out http://games.crossfit.com/workouts/the-open

Sara is sitting in 17th place in her region with 191 points and is ranked 256th out of 130,000+ athletes worldwide with 3,217 points. This will be her first year to advance to regionals as an individual competitor. Regionals consist of a 3-day competition and held during May 17th-June 9th; Sara will be competing in San Antonio, Texas.

An avid CrossFit athlete, Sara has come a long way on her fitness journey and shed a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in the process. All of her family and friends are so proud of her accomplishments and will be at the Regional competition taking pictures and cheering her onward. If you’re in the area or just interested in CrossFit, come check out the San Antonio CrossFit Regional and all the incredible competitors.  Good Luck, Sara Urban!!!

A Health Professional’s Role in Workplace Wellness

According to an article in The New York Times, the  average American is at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) even if that individual is physically active (The New York Times, 2011). When a person is physically active in terms of recreational time, he or she is still subject to CVD due to prolonged inactivity caused by the average job requiring employees to sit for excessive lengths of time. The sedentary job environment in today’s society combined with increased commute time to/from work, deskbound job duties, and the excessive consumption of foods of minimal nutritional value, high fat and high calories puts most office workers at an increased risk for CVD. Although the outlook may seem bleak, your local health professional can provide simple and effective solutions to combat the problems associated with lethargic workplace environments.

 

The role of a health professional in the workplace can be as simple as providing employees with sound nutritional advice, exercising tips, and other healthy living guidelines. With today’s individual being at a higher risk for CVD due to the lifestyles and jobs they choose, it is very important for the health professional to get involved in workplace wellness.

 

Workplace wellness programs have a proven track-record of increasing worker productivity, creating a happier work environment, increasing staff morale, lower absenteeism, and most importantly, lowering insurance costs for both the employer and the employee.  Healthy employees make for a healthier work environment.  A health professional with a vast knowledge of workplace wellness is worth the investment.

Reference

Rabin, R.C. The Hazards of the Couch. The New York Times. January 12, 2011.

Unilateral Training and Sports Performance

Single leg training, otherwise known as unilateral training, may be the most underdeveloped and overlooked area of strength & conditioning.  Just because an athlete can squat 500 pounds on two legs doesn’t mean they can squat and control their own bodyweight on one leg.  The development of single leg strength is extremely important in athletics.  For example, running is simply a series of single leg bounds where the athlete spends little time in contact with the ground.  If an athlete is not strong on one leg, they will be unable to cut and fun fast while staying injury free. 

Stabilization plays a key role in injury prevention.  An athlete must be able to stabilize their extremities while resisting external forces and do so under extreme conditions.  In order to stabilize the lower extremities during single leg movements, the body utilizes what Mike Boyle calls the lateral-sub system.  The lateral-sub system is comprised of the gluteus medius, the adductors, and the quadratus lumborum (Boyle, 2007).  The muscles of the lateral sub-system are recruited only during single leg activities and work to stabilize the femur by resisting rotation (2007).  During double leg or bi-lateral exercises, the lateral sub-system is not called into action and therefore not being trained.  This is why single leg training is so beneficial and functional to an athlete’s physical development and injury prevention.  So the next time you train, try to add some single leg squats or lunges in your workout.

Boyle, M. (2007). The Case for Single Limb Training. Retrieved from  http://tinyurl.com/bzvure4                                           

Golf 101 – Warm-Up Before you Tee Up

There are three easy but essential steps that will help you create a warm-up routine for the next time you decide to tee it up on the golf course. It is important to warm-up before you step up to the first tee box so that you are physically and mentally prepared to play your best on the course. It is important to stretch during the warm-up so that you can avoid potential injury.  Warm-up exercises also allow ample time for tweaking your swing.  Confidence can also be boosted by developing a consistent swing and follow through.  Here are three steps that should be included in a basic warm-up routine:

1 - Show up early --- Show up early enough so that you have plenty of time to get the feel for the putting green and also enough time to hit range balls. I would recommend getting to the golf course an hour prior to tee time.

2 - Putt first --- Each person is different, but personally I like to spend the majority of my time on the putting green.   As the old saying goes “Drive for show, putt for dough!” the putting green is where you can save strokes. So, start out on the putting green to get the feel for the greens.

3 - Hit the Range --- After the putting green, you should move over to the driving range.  Be sure to stretch prior to swinging the club.  When you are ready to hit, first begin with a sand wedge then slowly progress to the short irons followed by the long irons.   The last phase of the warm-up should be the woods and driver.  Each person is different about how many balls you need to hit. I recommend a small bucket of about 60 to 75 balls to get warm. Remember you are getting warmed up and not practicing.

Next time you hit the links don’t forget to include these three basic steps so that you are physically and mentally prepared to play your best!

End of the Old School Coach

Bobby Knight threw chairs. Lou Holtz grabbed players by the facemask. Jimmy Johnson banished a player to the ‘asthma field’. These are three of the many well-known stories of how ‘old school’ coaches would treat their athletes. With the recent scandal of player mistreatment and subsequent cover-up by men’s basketball coach Mike Rice at Rutgers University, the era of the ‘old school’ coach has come to an end.

Today’s coach lives in a new world, a world dominated by new technology like cell phone video, social media and 24-hour news cycles. Coaches have to be aware that everything they say or do to their athletes during a private practice may be recorded and made public.

 Just as technology has become a game changer, it is important to note that today’s athletes are different than the athletes of the past. The top athletes in the world of basketball  are from the AAU generation and have been treated with ‘kid gloves’ by major shoe companies who fund the programs, as well as trained by  coaches who are afraid that the athletes might switch allegiances (Adidas to Nike) if they are coached in an ‘old school’ manner. For these reasons coaches must adapt and adjust their coaching methods.

While coaches can still be tough on their athletes to get the best out of them, they have to balance this out by building the athlete up as well. All athletes want to be coached; it’s the way they are wired. But the new generation of athletes expects to be coached by a leader with a ‘new school’ philosophy.

Interscholastic Coaches & Assessment Plans

As an aspiring teacher and coach, I believe that requiring interscholastic coaches to submit learning outcomes and assessment plans to their athletic director is a great tool to keep their athletic programs successful and continue their growth well into the future. The benefits of implementing this requirement for coaches could not only help keep them responsible and in sync with the athletic director, but it could also benefit the student-athletes by guiding them toward achieving the learning milestones in their athletic and personal careers. Schools already require core academic areas to implement learning outcomes and assessment plans so it makes sense for athletic programs to follow suit. With these requirements in place at the beginning of the season I think that they can improve the student-athlete’s academic grades as well as their performance in their sport. The growing trend of learning outcomes and assessment in athletic programs provides essential and reasonable expectations for student-athletes and coaches at the beginning of the season and can continue to prove useful throughout the season.

SLOs and Assessment Plans in Athletics?

What is the purpose for having a coach develop a formal written plan that is submitted to the athletic director? Coaches naturally make student learning outcomes (SLOs) and assessment plans for their programs --- they are called game plans! In my personal experience as an educator and coach, anyone can write up a glorified lesson plan or create top-notch learning outcomes. But for most educators, these are all just words on paper. Submitting SLOs to the athletic director does not indicate that a coach and/or team will have a successful season. It’s like planning for the National Championship, it is a great goal, but you will never get there if you are not executing the steps in all areas of your program. Coaches put a lot of hours and effort into developing the best game plan for their program. The results of a solid game plan can be seen in the win/loss column. Overall, the coach’s assessment plan in arbitrated through his/her athletes and how well their season unfolds.

Coaching by the Numbers

For the advancement, growth, and success of team sports at the collegiate and public school level, coaches should be required to provide academic standing reports as well as team record reports to the athletic director each season. Most coaches live by the numbers game and improved numbers equal added success.

 

It’s been known that success in the classroom equals success on the playing field and the academic standing of student-athletes reflects upon schools as a whole. Tracking an athlete’s progress throughout their academic career helps ensure their success and provides a positive image for the athletic program. Maintaining team records is another sure-fire method for keeping a team on the path to success.  Athletes are competitive by nature and strive to excel when challenged by goals such as ‘most tackles’, ‘bench press champion’, or ‘fastest 40’. Team records keep the program progressing in the right direction.

 

Providing academic standing reports and team records to the athletic director every season can and will help the athletic program, along with the image of the school. All coaches should be required to provide these reports.

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

Should interscholastic coaches be required to submit learning outcomes and an assessment plan to the athletic director at the beginning of season?  Yes, I think that they should because “failing to plan is planning to fail”.  Having an assessment plan is an excellent way to find strengths and weaknesses in not only the athletes but the program.

 

Planning and assessments are the best way to be successful and have accountability in any program or industry.  Kinesiology students at Tarleton must pass certain physical assessments to be in the program, personal trainers give their clients a plan to follow and then assess their progress regularly, sales professionals have a business plan for their year which  is assessed by their manager, and so on.

 

By providing learning outcomes and assessment plans to athletic directors, interscholastic coaches will be able to have a structured plan that can not only be measured but also help them be more successful with their students.

Strength & Conditioning Formal Assessments

Requiring Strength and Conditioning Coaches to submit learning outcomes and an assessment plan to the Athletic Director at the beginning of the season keeps everyone in-check and accountable.  It creates an environment where everyone is concerned with the development of the program and the student-athlete.  Winning takes on a whole new meaning.  Perhaps not only are the coaches concerned with winning games during the competitive season but winning year-round.  Having an assessment plan is like having an athletic development road map.  The program knows where it wants to go and how it will get there while assessing progress along the way.  In the field of Strength & Conditioning, assessment is crucial in getting the athlete where he or she wants to go.

Prior to beginning a Strength & Conditioning program, the athlete is pre-screened for movement deficiencies and overall health.  From these results, the Strength & Conditioning coach is able to place the athlete into their own correctional program.  The athlete is then able to improve weak areas and allowed to re-test later in the year to see these improvements.  This information provides the Athletic Director with a progress report that directly reflects the work of the Strength & Conditioning Coach.         

Assessing the Athletic Program

Assessment is critical for measuring the overall productivity of an athletic program. By submitting learning outcomes and assessment plans to the athletic director before the competition season, measures can be made during and after the season. These measures are essential for monitoring the student athlete’s progress throughout their athletic and academic term. Learning outcomes and assessments can measure critical elements such as, academic performance (grades), absences, productivity, work-ethic, and athletic results. The advantage to these assessments is that it allows for the athletic director to see the goals of each coach (and team) in an organized manner. Additionally, these assessments provide insight into areas which need improvement after a season. Because measuring the impact of a program is highly dependent on organization and planning, submitting learning outcomes and assessment plans is essential for keeping the coaches accountable for the progress of the student-athletes, the teams, and the athletic program as a whole. 

Achievement on the Court

I do not believe that interscholastic coaches should be required to submit a learning and assessment plan to their athletic director at the beginning of the season. If coached properly, an athlete will learn core life values while furthering their education. A coach is responsible for instilling the values of hard work, good sportsmanship, dedication and teamwork in their athletes; success is measured by their wins and losses each season. In the state of Texas, there are minimum grade requirements that must be met in order for athletes to participate in sporting competitions. If athletes do not achieve quality academic or attitude standards they should be disciplined with negative reinforcement (sprints or bench time). A coach should not only coach a sport, but also coach a student in academics and values.  However, if coaches are asked to write an assessment plan each season, this may take away time spent encouraging athletes to achieve their best on the court and in the classroom.

UIL Approach - College Ready Learning Outcomes

High school Athletic Directors and coaches have many responsibilities but the number one goal should be preparation of their student-athletes for college. Requiring coaches to provide learning outcomes would benefit the student-athletes academically by focusing on an awareness of student progress (PSAT, ACT, and SAT scores) and identifying areas that need improvement, as well as an attention to expanding cognitive and social horizons. This would put an emphasis on coaches making their athletes aware of college requirements in their freshman/sophomore years rather than waiting for their junior/senior years to begin testing for college requirements.

 

Being an NCAA certified college recruiter, I have had to ‘pass’ on many potential student-athletes because they do not have adequate test scores. Every high school athlete has (or should have) the dream of playing college sports or attending college. It is my beliefs that parents of high school athletes would rather have their child earn a college scholarship than win a State Championship. Many head coaches are judged by how many athletes they put into the college ranks.  By providing learning outcomes and other assessment tools, the entire athletic program (especially the athletes) benefits --- it’s a win/win!

Assessment & Dance

Interscholastic coaches should be required to submit learning outcomes and a formal assessment plan to the athletic director at the beginning of the season, just as any educator would to be expected to before the school year. As a high school dance coach, the skills that I teach my athletes should be just as important as what they learn in core classes. My goal is to make sure my student-athletes are getting as much out of my dance program as possible. I deliberately work to build respectful, self-motivated, successful individuals as well as great athletes.

While educators who teach core subjects are accountable for developing lesson plans, I am responsible for doing the same for my program.  If coaches were required to submit learning outcomes and assessment plans to the athletic director perhaps it would add to the credibility of those who clearly strive to teach their student-athletes more than just winning. The job of coaching is not “easier” than those of teachers who are in a classroom all day. By providing a formal means of assessment, it is my belief that many school personnel would better understand the vital role of coaches in education. 

Athletics & Assessment

The issue of whether coaches should be required to submit Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) has been a much debated topic. It is my opinion, as a future coach, that athletic departments should be held to the same high standards as the other departments. Coaches, especially at the high school level, are educators first and foremost. It is that the majority of a coach’s classroom time is spent on the field or court.

It is important for a coach to submit SLOs so that there is formal plan which outlines the goals of the athletic program. For example, the SLOs provide written documentation that the students are being guided to be productive members of society. Yes, students should be groomed for college; however, research suggests that most students will not go on to college and for many athletics will be the extracurricular activity that most shapes their lives. Coaches need to be able to demonstrate that developing athletes to become contributing members of society is a measurable outcome in sports. By assessing SLOs the athletic department will meet the same standards as others in the academic setting and the student-athletes will be recognized for more than “winning games”.

 

 

Planning for Success in Athletics

Requiring coaches to submit learning outcomes and an assessment plan to the athletic director at the beginning of the season can help with organization, preparedness, and an awareness of the coach’s plan for the year. The assessment plan is useful for the coach as it casts a vision for the direction that they want to take the team in the upcoming season as well as adds a level of accountability that would demand better preparation.  Andy Stanley once said that “Direction not intention determines destination”. A coach cannot simply ‘intend’ to have a good season rather the coach must create a firm direction to enhance the likelihood of success. I believe the assessment plan as well as the learning outcomes provides a structure that puts the athletic program, the coach, and the student-athletes in the best position to succeed.

Assessment Plans for Athletic Programs?

Athletic directors have a very difficult job. They are responsible for every sport, coach, and athlete within an athletic program. Many times they must make tough decisions regarding budgets, discipline, and hiring/firing a coach. Assuming the ‘buck stops here’, I believe that athletic directors have every right to do what he/she thinks will make the athletic program successful. If that means making every coach submit student learning outcomes (SLOs) and a formal assessment plan for their team as well as athletes, then so be it.

However, on the flip side of this issue, coaches have enough on their hands without worry about developing useless SLOs. Many coaches might resent their athletic director for making them do busy work that is simply a ‘checkmark in the box’ exercise. If I was an athletic director, I would hold my coaches accountable for their team’s production. Ultimately, the wins/losses determine the success of an athletic program.  Do the fans, alumni, and administration really care about SLOs if the team fails to produce on the field?

Pscyle Lab

A rare rehabilitation facility can be found in the Kinesiology Department at Tarleton State University. Established in 1994, the Laboratory for Wellness and Motor Behavior has been providing paraplegics and quadriplegics with a workout facility which targets full body movement. The laboratory’s nickname, Psycle Lab, derives from an interesting piece of machinery. The Psycle is an innovative recumbent bicycle which allows those with paralysis to engage in cardiovascular exercise which targets the lower body. These Psycles are generated by a flywheel, which corresponds to the effort exerted by the rider. As astonishing as it sounds, paraplegics and quadriplegics can benefit from the Psycle.

 The Psycle allows paraplegics and quadriplegics to engage in aerobic activity to enhance their cardiovascular health. These clients propel their legs by using their arms to push and pull under the knee cap and thigh. The Psycle is also a great for preparing those who will be able to walk again by stimulating muscle cells. Benefits of using this Pscyle have shown improvements in flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, decrease in muscle spasms, and hypertrophy.

The neat thing about this laboratory is that it’s FREE. Anyone with a disability can take advantage of this facility and improve their overall health and even their chances of walking!

Indoor vs. Outdoor Track & Field Season

Not all NCAA affiliated schools compete in an Indoor Track & Field season. Indoor season begins at the end of December or beginning of January and finishes at the end of February. Outdoor season starts end of February and concludes in late May. For those colleges fortunate to have an Indoor season, it provides a jumpstart for the athletes and prepares them for competing in the upcoming Outdoor season.

 

Various track & field events are offered during the two seasons.  For athletes competing in throwing events, the Indoor season incudes the weight throw and shot put. While the Outdoor events are shot put, discus, javelin, and hammer throw.

 

Just as the events are different during the two seasons, there are also significant differences in the environment and implements. An indoor shot put is a metal ball wrapped in a plastic cover; it has a completely different texture than the metal ball used in outdoor competitions. Athletes also tend to use chalk for their shot put while throwing indoor which allows them to have a better grip on the shot making it less likely to slip out of the hand.  The weight throw is performed by imitating the same technique as the hammer but the implement is shorter, has a bigger ball, and weighs more. The throwing rings are also different; indoor the rings are usually a type of polished wood, while outdoor rings are made from various types of concrete. Spinning or gliding in the shot put event while on a polished wooden ring for the first time can be an experience worth watching. The wood rings are considered “faster” rings providing for a better execution of technique. The smoother the surface is in the ring, the “faster”.  These factors alone can affect a throwers outcome.

 

 If your school doesn't have an indoor facility to practice in then the first time an athlete is in the new ring can be interesting. The good news is that as throwers we are used to adjusting to different surfaces (rings), so it shouldn't affect the athlete too much once they get in a few glides or spins. Tarleton State University Track & Field just recently received the great news that next year they will be competing in both Indoor and Outdoor seasons for the Lone Star Conference. Wish us luck; come out and support our teams in both Indoor and Outdoor venues!

Indoor Shot Put

 

Indoor Weight Throw

SEC- Recruiting Too Young

On February 23 in Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban, the head football coach for Alabama, extended a scholarship offer to current 8^th grader Dylan Moses. The 6-1 215 lb. 14- year old impressed Alabama’s coaching staff at their annual Junior Day. Although this is not the first time BCS schools have offered an athlete prior to their junior year, it is the first time for an 8^th grader. Many would assume that this would be illegal under the NCAA regulations however it is not deemed an official contact (which can’t start until the junior year of high school) because the offer was extended at a sports camp.

There is no doubt that Alabama’s coaching staff is one of the best evaluators of talent. Yes, this 8^th grader has the potential to be at the top of the 2017 signing class, but what is this verbal offer accomplishing? Alabama has given themselves the best opportunity to recruit this athlete once Moses’ junior year arrives. Other colleges across the nation have little hope to woo and recruit Moses now that this verbal offer has been made. In today’s social media and news soaked culture, this young man has made headlines as the most talked about 8^th grade football player in America. One can only imagine what emotions this 14-year old must feel ---excitement, fulfillment, super star, and a sense of arrival..

Alabama has nothing to lose in providing a verbal offer to Dylan Moses. But, on the other hand, Moses has everything to lose. What is going to happen when other kids his age catch up to his athleticism and strength? What would happen if he gets hurt or fails classes and becomes ineligible? Moses already has an offer from the best college football program in the nation; what would happen if he feels a sense of entitlement and loses his drive to become the best football player and young man that he is capable of becoming? This is a lot to put on the shoulders of a 14-year old--- no one wants to be known as the one that lost it all.

 

I believe the NCAA should regulate verbal offers prior to the junior year for the overall benefit of the young athlete.  What do you think?

The Diet Craze

People’s hunger for nutrition and diet knowledge is at an all time high!  Diet books are best sellers and many magazines are now offering and featuring advice on diet and nutrition.  Much of the information out there is for the purpose of making a profit rather than improving the public’s overall long-term health.  With so much information available, some of it contradictory or utterly false, it’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed and don’t know what to believe or where to start. 

For those who want to lose weight, it should be noted that obsessively controlling the consumption of one nutrient, such as carbohydrates or fat, will not result in optimal long-term health benefits.  Yes, weight loss may occur but the loss is typically temporary as it is a lifestyle diet that can be sustained without experiencing negative side effects.  To debunk the many diet myths that are prevalent in society today, I will address some of the hot topics related to nutrition in a blog series.  Topics will include things like:  Organic vs. Non-Organic, High Protein vs. Vegetarian or Vegan, Soy- is it good for you?, Do carbohydrates make you fat, The Fat Debate:  Saturated, Unsaturated, Trans?, Vitamins and Supplements?

As a health professional, I have been researching these nutrition topics for some time and promise to keep information fact-based and un-biased.  Check back soon for the first blog of the nutrition series as I discuss the pros and cons of the debate concerning Organic vs. Non-Organic.

Athletes Utilize Compensatory Acceleration

The term compensatory acceleration means to lift a submaximal weight with maximal force or simply an individual’s intent to move a weight as fast as possible (Hatfield, 1982).  Compensatory acceleration is used to develop explosive power and has been around for quite some time.  Dr. Fred Hatfield aka “Dr. Squat” is credited with the discovery of compensatory acceleration.  Compensatory acceleration is incredibly important when training with free weights, especially to the competitive athlete.  By moving a weight as fast as possible, the athlete works to improve neuro-muscular efficiency.  A neuro-muscular efficient athlete is one who can recruit a large number of high threshold motor units simultaneously in order to complete a task such as moving a barbell in the gym or unleashing a big hit on the football field. 

As a Strength & Conditioning coach, it is important to make sure the athlete understands the importance of compensatory acceleration.  The Tendo unit can be used to provide instant feedback that lets the athlete know how fast they are moving a weight in the gym.  The Tendo unit measures an athlete’s power output in watts and m/s.  The higher the number the better!  The Tendo unit is an incredibly valuable piece of equipment in strength and conditioning and can be used to stimulate competition.  Even though two athletes may have a different weight on the bar, they can compete with each other to produce a greater power output.  For example, athlete A can have 400 lbs. on the bar while athlete B has only 300 lbs. on the bar, however athlete B may produce more power than athlete A.  Now not only are they competing on how much weight they are moving but how fast they are moving it which has even more carry over to the playing field.  

    

Dancing My Way to Better Health

From the years of 2004-2011, I danced year round, making it easy for me to stay in shape. However, after graduating with my Bachelor’s degree in May 2011, I put my dance career on hold while I focused on making the transition from college student to full time teacher/coach. After finding a job, in June 2011, my life became extremely hectic as I tried to learn everything about becoming the best coach possible. My high school students became more important to me than my own health which in turn caused me to gain about 20 pounds. It was hard to stay confident, with such negative changes in my appearance, so I decided it was time to focus on me and get back to the gym.

Shortly after joining a gym, I heard about an audition for a dance team. I missed dancing and knew that this audition would motivate me to get back in shape. For a period of eight weeks I engaged in a vigorous exercise routine; I completed a cardio workout five days a week for 45-60 minutes  and incorporated strength training into my daily routine. Audition day came, and although I had lost over half the weight, I was not as fit as the other dancers. Luckily, the director still invited me to join her team. During the season, I watch the extra weight fall off as I danced daily and incorporated more strength training into my weekly regimen.

During the next audition season, I was selected for a semi-professional dance team.  After working hard for two years, and completely changing my lifestyle, I am proud to say that I am back to my college size. I am in better shape than I ever thought possible which has prompted me to consider attending my biggest audition yet --- a try-out for the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm & Blues Dancers!  I truly feel that I have danced my way to a healthier, more confident me.

Pictures are from auditions in 2011, 2012, and me currently.

Kick up the Intensity = Faster Results!

Too many people go to the gym with a ‘do whatever’ mentality and these are the people who never see positive changes in their bodies. You’ve probably seen them talking on their phones, texting, conversing with others for an extended period of time. Typically these people go to the gym for the camaraderie or the atmosphere. But you aren’t one of these people! You go to the gym with a ‘get it done’ attitude. You get in and get out once your workout is complete. However, you have reached a plateau and are no longer seeing results. Are you really giving it your all in the gym? Give these easy to follow tips a try and watch your results kick into overdrive.

 

1.       Pick up heavier weights – You can’t use the same weight all the time. Schedule heavy days that focus on strength and light days that focus on speed.

2.       Take shorter rest periods – Taking shorter breaks can help keep your heart rate up and burn more calories. The shorter rest periods can also help build more muscle.

3.       Superset – This is a simple technique used to increase intensity by combining two exercises that are performed back-to-back with no rest in between. Opposite muscle groups are usually supersetted together, such as chest/back or biceps/triceps, etc.

4.       Try circuit training – Circuit training is a great way to up the intensity in a routine. Simply perform a series of exercises consecutively with no breaks at all. This works best with a full body routine. Pick an exercise for each muscle group…choose a weight you can perform for 10-12 repetitions… work your way through all the exercises with no break in between them. Take a 2-3 minute rest then repeat the circuit. Perform 2-3 rounds to work up a great sweat and burn a lot of calories.

These are simple yet effective tips that can be applied to any routine. Just remember that you can always push yourself a little bit harder, ride a little bit farther, and sweat a little bit more.