Friday, December 26, 2008

Happy Holidays All Around

Happy Holidays!

I wanted to send a big "Thank you" to everyone.

I started this endeavor to help people, 1 or 2 at least, and keep
my mind engaged.

Knowing you are taking the time to read my notes, rants and raves,
makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

It has become much more than that. It has given me the opportunity
to expand on ideas, engage in dialogue and share experiences with
people from around the world.

Now on to next year. New experiences to come. New notes to share.

I am really looking forward to continuing this in the new year and
sharing with you my trips, training and motivation.

I'll be off doing the family thing so notes will be a little spaced
out. Not unlike myself.

Thank you again. Here's to another wonderful year.

Have a great one everyone!

In health,

Todd

Thursday, December 11, 2008

What would you do with the 3hrs 2min?

Do you have your motivation now?

Good cause you're gonna need it for this one.

As it turns out, short, intense sessions work the best for you.

The best part, my "intense" doesn't have to be yours. As long as you are pushing yourself to your limit, you are in the game. And with body-weight movements, for example, the bar is always moving when you change the speed of the movement or how many you do of something.

How great is that? Gym in a body!

And it impacts metabolism greater in the long term than long slow cardio. Note: I did not say how many calories burned DURING the activity. I said metabolism increase in the long term.

Study after study repeatedly shows the tremendous impact of interval training.

The other best part: it doesn't take nearly so long.

Get this (and I know some of you won't believe me but this is SCIENCE!):

A recent study out of the UK, with the help of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont, showed that the metabolic impact of 5 40 minute runs in a week can be replicated with 3(!) 6 minute(!) interval sessions. Each minute was 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds light.

Imagine, 3 hours and 20 minutes being replaced each week with 18 minutes of activity! And getting the same results!

That's a lot of exclamation points!

The only thing I ask, if you are just starting out, is that you get clearance from your doctor and get a fitness professional to help you get started.

Fitness professionals: we area handy bunch, put us to good use.

So chew on that for a while and try it. Ironically, start off slowly. Build up to a good pace when you are ready.

Have a great day!!!

In health,

Todd

Monday, December 8, 2008

Hiatus

Why do we fall off

There are many reasons why we fall off our routines. The point I am making today is that it is normal. It's not a control problem, impulse issues or a chemical imbalance. It's just what we, as humans, do. We get distracted.

Oh look, a shiny object...

Wait, what,... oh yeah

Getting back to it

What is important is why we are doing something. If it is highly motivational it is more likely that you are going to get back to it.

I am not going to get all preachy as to what the best motivation is. It's none of my business frankly. But you had better know what it is and be firm. It is the one (or three) thing(s) that will get you moving every time.

To quote "Fast Times at Ridgemount High" - Learn it, love it, live it.

3 days grace

So as it turns out 3 days grace is what you have. If the pause goes on longer than that it is much less likely that you will get back to it anytime soon.

That's the brain for you. It picks a number and that is that. So use this to your advantage. If you ever drop off for a moment be sure to resume activities within 3 days.

Sure there are good reasons for longer then accept it and prepare to get started again.

I stopped for about two weeks (and I am glad no one called me on it) but I have been itching to get back to it. I love to do this so it was a great motivator. So I am back. For better or worse. Ok, stop laughing...

What do you need to do today

So what have you been missing out on? What do you need to do today to get you back on track, or started for that matter? What is going to motivate you every day!?!

If I could do anything today, I hope it is to motivate someone to action. Get it done.

Get at it people. Time waits for no one!

In health,

Todd

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Big things are going down!

Hello,

Today's message is about catching up. I have some announcements. It
has been a couple weeks since our last message. And for good reason.

First of all I was selected as a member of the provincial
SOGOActive Advisory Committee to increase fitness and activity
education for youths.

Then I landed a gig as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for a
local elite girls basketball team. Very exciting!

Then sold my house. Started packing this week.

Then found out my mother in law has cancer of the lungs and was
immediately shuttled into surgery at the next available time. She
made it out quite well and is recovering as we speak. However the
packing and moving will happen without my rock and lovely wife
(same person!) as she is off to be by her mom's side. I'll hang
with the kids in the meantime.

To say that I have been a little bit busy would be an
understatement.

But it also has made me appreciate all the help and interest I have
had from my readers.

Thank you for your time and interest. We only make this trip once
so let's have a good time and make the most of it

Thank you all.

In health,

Todd

Saturday, November 8, 2008

STOP WORKING OUT!

STOP WORKING OUT!

The kids had it right all along!

It's happening right in your own back yard. Play time.

It turns out that shorter, more intense bursts of intensity are really, really good for you.

No gym necessary.

It only takes minutes a day to gain benefits that others need hours to do.


Warning: Nerd Content

Researchers have found short sharp sprints of up to 30 seconds could be as beneficial as doing up to five sessions of an hour's exercise a week.

The university studied the exercise patterns over several years, comparing short high-intensity sprints to longer endurance training, such as cycling and jogging.

Prof Julien Baker, who conducted the research with Prof Bruce Davies, said: "Six 30-second sprints three times a week can have the same health and weight-loss benefits as jogging or cycling for up to 45 minutes several times a week.

Nerd Content Complete

Just so you know, it can also be done on a rower, bicycle or treadmill when we get trapped indoors during beautiful snowy days.

Any one of my clients can tell you the results they get with this type of activity. Even with their hectic schedules.

With the proper structure and support of my groups you will achieve the results you are looking for. Starting out where you are now, not sprinting right out of the gate, means a lifetime of gains for you.

So go and make it fun and invigorating.

It will be fun, effective, aaaand metabolic boosting!

Who wants to take advantage of that? Anyone?

If you are in the neighborhood and would like to see this for yourself please drop in.

The first on is on me!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Athletic Youth Nutrition

I am really excited about next week.

I have been invited to do a pre/post nutrition competition segment
for youths for a CBC show called Living Halifax.

This is a little snippet of what I will be covering.

It has been long believed that "Carb Loading" was what you had to
do to get energy before a big game.

So the big plate of pasta became a staple.

Turns out it is not entirely accurate.

Grazing is better. Sipping a Carbohydrate/electrolyte mix after a
standard sized meal will boost energy.

So depending on the time of day your meals will be standard sized.
No gigantic meal before a game.

Graze, sip your drink and avoid foods that are heavy in fats.

And take advantage of the breaks to sip more carb/electrolyte drink
during timeouts and at halftime.

If you have any more questions please let me know. I love to help
young athletes perform at their highest level!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Chewing. Good for what ails ya.

It has been noted that eating slowly aids in digestion. Goes
without saying that it aids in energy replenishment as well.

Taking the time to sit with family and friends and relax during
meal times will help increase your energy.

This gives lots of time for the body to recognize the fullness of
the stomach at mealtime as well.

No cramming food in on a break.

No snarfing down donuts during a meeting.

No noshing on burgers in the car.

Here is a BBC article about a Japanese study on Obesity and the
speed of eating.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7681458.stm

You've heard the old adage, chew 20 times before you swallow? Well
it looks like it has some scientific props now.

Should have listened to Mom!

So how rushed are you? Eating fast indicates a few things at
least.

1. You are rushing, not taking time for yourself.

2. Food is not getting the attention it needs for proper breakdown
and absorption because it is lost in the volume of an over-eating
session.

3. You are probably not sitting down with friends and being social
(that one usually hurts the most, oddly enough)

So grab the family, sit them down for breakfast and talk and eat.
Take your time. With a little bit of planning it can happen.
Remember, put yourself first so everyone can benefit.

I'm personally going to be focusing on this over the next week.

Please try it out. What can it possibly hurt. You may even taste
your food for the first time in a while.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Please tell me your trainer doesn't do this!

Any idiot can make you vomit or feel pain.

I have heard of trainers doing this 3 times in the last four months.

Does this make any sense to anyone?

I have no idea why a personal trainer would do such a thing. It is
irresponsible!

What a horrific way to introduce a young athlete to health and fitness.

It takes a skilled fitness professional to make you feel your first
workout but not immobilize you, and have it be the first step in a
progressive activity plan.

We, as trainers, have been given your trust and bodies to take care
of. This goes against everything we are supposed to be working for.

Trainers who do this need to get a reality check.

I don't care if that is the way they were trained. That is a cop out.
Plain and simple. You have the burden of care. Show some responsibility.

If you have a trainer, if they think this is good for you, please,
question them. Make them think, explain themselves, or fire them
and get a better trainer.

I could go on but I think I should nip this while it is still civil.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Get out, stretch those legs and have some fun!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Group Fitness is Full! More on the Way!

Hello everyone.

I am just writing to say that the response has been overwhelming.

The first group is full!

The class filled in 5 days.

If you had intended to join this group it is already too late!

Couples joined, moms and daughters, brothers in law. It is quite a mix and already knowing over half these people it’s easy to see that we are going to have a lot of fun.

They are serious about their health but they always have a good time.


THE BEST PART

Due to the overwhelming response I have gotten more time and space for a second group. I have acquired the space at Studio 1 on Waverly Rd. It is two buildings past the MicMac Tavern. And no, we are not going there for supper!

I am looking to you to help me get members. People you would like to see get into better shape or who have been asking if you know of someone to help them get fit

If you know anyone who has one hour a week and is looking to get into great shape, please pass this on. They just might thank you for it. Often.

Not only that, I have a Referral Reward System. Get one person signed up and you get a free session. Two and it is two. Three and your free for the whole 3 months!!!

Really! Get three friends signed up and you are free. The four of you will get into great shape together, have fun and save 25%. Unless you don’t want to tell them! Don’t worry, I wont either!

It’s only $66 for the two months! Looking the best for Christmas or getting a huge jump on New Year’s resolutions, now is the time to start.

So if you've put it off and missed the first group here is your chance at the second.

Call me at 219-0072 or e-mail me at todd@altiusfitness.com

Thank you again for helping spread the word about this wonderful opportunity.

Have a great day!

In health,

Todd

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Complete Athletic Development for Youths

Hi,

There is no risk to promoting Brian Grasso's Complete Athletic Development so early in the life of my blog. I have not seen it's equal.

Brian is a Canadian who has been transplanted south of the border. He has been flown around the world to talk about his ground breaking techniques in Athletic Development.

If you already know what I am talking about you can order the complete package here!

With testimonials like this you can see why he is so widely respected:


"I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of learning how to best develop athletic ability in young athletes. I have researched it, applied it practically and now teach it to professionals worldwide. The information offered in this collection is precisely what more Trainers and Coaches need to hear."

Dr. Kwame Brown
Neuro-Scientist & Motor Skill Development Expert

and


"After reading Training Young Athletes - The Grasso Method by Brian Grasso, there is no doubt who is leading the industry in youth coaching. I have basically taken all my books on youth training and put them in storage - The Grasso Method covers it all! I highly encourage coaches and trainers of young athletes to make this book your next purchase. You won't believe the difference it will make!"

Lee Taft
World Class Speed Coach


And here is an mp3 audio testimonial from Richie Whall,Young Athlete Coach from Cheshire, England.

Complete Athlete Development Home

You can see why I back it up as well. I've been following Brian's work for over a year now and I can say I have never been led astray. The information and his motivation is fantastic.

If you want to take your athletics to the next level, this is the program for you!




Click here to get your copy right now.

You will NOT be disappointed.

Who's looking out for you?


In health,

Todd

Complete Athlete Development Home

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Knock their socks off!

What can I say. You learn something new everyday. Sometimes it is the things that you thought you already knew.

I've been reading and researching what makes a successful weight loss plan for all these years.

Guess what I "found out".

Eat less, do more.

Yup. That's it.

Careful, what I mean by eat less is to reduce carbohydrates and make your meals smaller. Oh, you know what I mean by that.

I've bee there myself. Big heaping plate for supper. It feels good when you haven't had a lot to eat all day.

But if you eat more during the day, and more often, the less likely we will gorge at the end of the day.

Makes sense doesn't it?

Something weight loss guru Alwyn Cosgrove said stuck with me. Weight loss is simple, not easy!

We know what we have to do. It's all in black and white above. But why can't we do it. That's the hard part.

You are going to have to figure out what is stopping you from succeeding. That is something no personal trainer in the world can do: go inside your head.

We can quote statistics until we are blue in the face. But if a client isn't ready to make "the change", well, nothing is going to happen.

For instance: reduce carbohydrate intake.

Seems simple enough.

How many people do it? Take a look around at our collective girth. Not many, I'd say.

Simple, not easy.

Another: 1 hour of activity a day

Any takers?

And I mean any activity. Sure some are better than others depending on what your goals are but lets get the cart out in front of the horse shall we. Start by doing anything. Enjoy your activity.

Fine tune later.

So what are you going to do today?

What are you going to do this week?

There is a hint at what will make any plan successful. Looking ahead. Seems like an oversimplification. But I encourage you to look around.

See anyone else doing it?

Now go. Get out there. Knock their socks off and surprise yourself. You are capable of so much.

In health,

Todd

Check out the Complete Athletic Development for young athletes. The best system in the world for preparing your young athletes for competition and reducing injuries.

Go HERE!

Have a wonderful day!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

My mom is fitter than you!

Middle aged people are more likely to be active and enrolled in
extracurricular sports than youths are!

Really? Why is that?

Kids today are not encouraged to go outside. In fact we go to great
lengths to make sure they are not.

Video games. Drives everywhere. Computer time. No gym at school, my
personal fave.

As a result the parents of the kids I work with are often in better
shape than their kids.

Parents had complete athletic development by going outside and
pushing, pulling, jumping, climbing, skipping.

All those things go a long way to creating a very complete athletic
body that is capable of adapting and playing sports. Almost any
sport at that. And that is fun.

So if our kids are uncoordinated and winded, how much fun do you
think they are having?

The answer is NOT putting them on a treadmill, for too many reasons
to lay out here.

The answer is NOT joining a gym. Resistance is only one tiny aspect
of overall health.

That is why I train for complete athletic development. It doesn't
mean Olympic style. Just looking at the whole picture. Balance,
coordination, stamina, strength, health.

Look at all of it before we start trying to figure out what to do.

The difference in kids that I work with who get outside and play
and those who don't are staggering.

But don't just take it from me.

Check out what the experts have to say. Here is a blog I posted a
little while back.

http://mysportspeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/complete-athletic-development-for.html

It is still relevant now and I have a bad feeling that it will be
for a while.

Please read it. Check it out.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Obesity Recognition Doesn't Happen?

Parents don't recognize obesity in their own children.

Believe it.

Here is an article referencing research into this area.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6451015.stm

So it has to be asked how active are our children? Are we over
protective?

It's a difficult place to be but it is necessary to look at what is
really happening.

Take a look at how much time our kids spend being active every day.

That doesn't mean playing sport. It doesn't mean winning
competitions.

Just being active.

We joke about being kicked out of the house until the street lights
came on. It shouldn't be. It might have been the best thing that
could have happened to us.

All that climbing, pushing, pulling, crawling and jumping we did as
children is extremely important. It was during some of our critical
development periods. That means we take those skills through life
and can use them in all of our activities.

That makes everything that much more fun.

That means we are more likely to do something active and stay
healthy.

So I ask again: How active are our children?

Monday, July 28, 2008

Functional v. Impressive

As a developing athlete function is more important than impressive.

Trust me, I have the ankles, unfortunately, to prove it.

At least physically. Mentally, well, we all would like to look
impressive.

I am more concerned with the ability to take what an athlete has
learned and apply it to the field of play. And young athletes need
the basics established first. The impressive will then be that much
easier, and therefore more impressive. Because you made it look easy.

I've run into this with my athletes who have been run four hours
during their practice. Impressive? Maybe.

But could they stop on a dime? No. If you want to be impressive on
the field, track, court, then you need "change of direction" speed.

What do you think the most important first component of that is?
Stopping.

Seems like a no brainer. Yet, have you been taught how to stop
properly?
Parents: How about your kids?

When stopping is coached and the athlete is able to change
directions faster than anyone else, then you have an incredible
advantage over the competition.

I recently enjoyed watching a local basketball tournament. Know
what impressed me? There was one athlete who, despite their
considerable size, was quicker than anyone else on the court, at
any size.

Now that was impressive!

But (I can hear it now) standing on a swiss ball looks impressive
in the gym.

So what?

Does it translate to the court? That should be gauge for the
training program.

Especially for developing athletes!

And that is what I want for my athletes. To have the skills to be
the best possible athlete they can be now and for the rest of their
athletic journey.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Why am I here?

I'm guessing you didn't sign up for something quite so esoteric as the title might suggest but a little background never hurts.

I come from an athletic background. I've experienced good and bad coaching.

Not just bad as in yell-at-em, but also bad through omission. Omitting the coaching (which is not yelling) or positive reinforcement. Assuming that kids "get it".

Kids want to hear good things, just like anyone else.

Young athletes are still developing physically and mentally. Yelling at them or running them "until they puke" is not going to foster an athletic lifestyle.

I'm sure that bad coaching is not what they set out to do. It's possible they think that whatever was done to them will work just fine.

Being negative works for a little while but soon performance becomes something about avoiding mistakes than taking it to the next level.

That's what hurts the most.

I've had good, bad and everything in between. But my first coach (hockey) was not at all helpful.

Here is the sum of my memories from playing hockey when I was 6 years old.

Getting yelled at for icing. I was 6. I do believe I quit hockey shortly thereafter and I haven't played a game since.

Nice.

Fortunately I moved on to basketball a few years later and had a pretty decent coach. Better yet, he was a good person. I learned to respect that and it made me want to play hard. And guess what, it was fun to.

This is a major factor in my involvement in coaching youth athletes now. Because I still see the bad. Believe it or not, some misguided coaches in my daughter's U6 soccer league won't even play our team, or the 2 other teams for that matter, because they are not "ready".

Ready? They are four, five, and six years old. They are ready to play and have fun at the drop of a hat. That's all the "ready" that any coach should be worried about at that age.

So why am I here?

I want to change the way kids are coached for the better. Take into account how mature they are, mentally and physically, and make it positive experience that will influence them and their success in life. 

It's why I joined the IYCA and became a Youth Fitness Specialist.

It's a lot of fun and working with kids who want to be there. I want them to have a good time, and learn to become healthy active successful adults.

Is that too much to ask?


Enough about me. Some more fun stuff is coming your way soon. We'll chat later. 

Have a good one.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Olympic Effort

It's about time. This is a great time to pick up the slack in your program. There is something so inspiring about the effort these people put in. Look at the 41 yr old Dara Torres. Any age people. You can make it happen.

naturally we need to temper our efforts with a wee bit of reality. We may not make the olympics but you can certainly get strong enough to impress family and scare the neighbors. Perhaps this will be the kick you need. Draw off the energy of the competitors. Even from here. I don't imagine we'll be able to make it to the Olympic venues. It's too much of a drive for me, at least.

I use the Tour de France to get my bicycle time up. The scenery and the ability to lose yourself in the race will help you perform at levels you wouldn't have expected from yourself.

So get your butt in front of the tv. Take a skipping rope, a matt, a couple weights and start moving. A little bit goes a long way. Recover your form and energy. Show the family how it's done.

And don't forget to scare the neighbors.

Friday, June 27, 2008

I'm here for you, honest!

This is somewhat ironic.

I profess to be looking out for you and yet I forgot to queue this message. I have had this written for the better part of a month and I didn't get it sent off. Nice!

So here is a little ditty about support and how it goes in both directions.
****

A point about trainers and some of the resistance they encounter.

A psychologist I have on my support team noted that people don't expect you to be 100% supportive. Most people don't get that from family.

That is interesting. Make a mental note about your environment. Do you really have a supportive environment. Physically, nutritionally and no less important, emotionally.

What do you want to be surrounded by. Visualize the results you want. Strong and lean? Start thinking that way. Food, sneakers, workout plan, and time set aside. We can't really expect to get the
results we want if none, or even a couple, of the components are in place.

Positive support? That comes from within as much as outside of us.

I've recently been hired on as a mental skills coach for a local university varsity program. These are very successful athletes. And what do they work on to get the edge? Mental skills. Positive inner dialogue. Visualization.

If you do the same you will be well on your way to achieving your goals.

* Move of the day, more of a prompt really. Squeeze glutes, quads, hamstrings and draw your belly button in (not down, see the difference?).

Do this before any power move that involves spinal support or the spine directly. You could argue that every move directly involves the spine but we'll save that discussion for another day.

PS: Happy birthday to me!

Monday, June 9, 2008

A Recent Nutrition Presentation

Rather creative title, isn't it? Now,...

I just gave a sport nutrition seminar to an elite level girls
basketball team.

I had a blast. They were motivated, interested and oddly quiet. I
think they were a little tired, what with it being the weekend and
finals week coming up.

When it was all said and done I got one of the best compliments
ever from the head coach. No mean feat.

But, when all is said and done, elite athlete nutrition and
everyday nutrition are share a number of qualities.

Eat to support your needs. Don't be shy.

Be consistent. Planning ahead will help.

Drink water. Have a bottle handy.

Lean cuts of meat or go with alternatives. Be creative.

Vegetables and fruit are vitally important. Do I have to go into
this? Didn't think so.

After that don't make excuses. For health or performance, being
picky doesn't mean you can't eat enough.

It means you get to eat more of what you like! Aww, that's rough.

So be positive, plan ahead, and reap the rewards. One day at a
time. You'll blow the socks of your goals.

I am going to have the mp3 audio of that presentation available to
you soon. I'll keep you posted.

Enjoy.

Todd

PS: If you want the information from a researcher and educator in the
field of nutrition, and not l'il old me, look up Dr. Susan M
Kleiner. She'll set you on the right path. I've been to her
presentations and have two of her books. Read a couple others from
the library, one was a cookbook. Top notch stuff.

It's a chronological thing?

The nervous system makes no sense. It works beautifully. But there
is no rhyme or reason as to how we get here from there. There being
wee embryo.

So when coaching young athletes it is necessary to assess not only
their physical age but their emotional age. Some kids may be ready
for the hard physical stuff but not have the mental preparedness to
do it.

Some may be mentally ready to jump over buildings but not the
physical preparedness to do so.

We develop all parts of our neurological and physical system at the
same time. But there is no hard and fast rules about when to start
lifting weights, running maximally or going 100%.

Just because one 12 year old is ready to start training hard it
does not mean every 12 year old is ready.

This requires discipline on the coaches part to not push the
athlete in front of them into territory that will make them feel
uneasy.

This would be a negative event for the young athlete. And that is
the one thing that should be avoided during training.

This is why I joined the IYCA (IYCA.org). They focus on the
positive aspects of physical training and it's effect on the rest
of a child's life. It is fun and chalenging and preparatory for a
childs academic an dathleticcareer.

Kids have enough stress without getting yelled at during something
that is supposed to be fun.

So let's put the stop watches away and encourage growth,
athleticism and fun!

Have a great day!

Todd

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Worth the Wait? You Betcha!

I have some exciting news.

I made it into Brian Grasso's "First 500"!!!

Only 500 (on the planet) made it in for the Level one Youth Conditioning Specialist certification.

This thrills me to no end. If there is one thing that bothers me the most is the poor state of youth conditioning. I want to be able to help kids perform better and have more fun doing it.

I learned many valuable lessons growing up and participating at provincial level athletically. And I got injured several times. So the old hindsight is definitely 20-20. I don't want that to happen to other young athletes.

Here is the program I am enrolled in.

Check out the videos! They say more than words on a page.

http://www.iyca.org/fitspecialist1.html

Coming soon: Youth Conditioning Bootcamps

Friday, May 9, 2008

Bone Density

As the bone density studies have indicated, training when younger stimulates growth that will last a lifetime.

Force Production
This is not a "no brainer". When most think of force production the first thought is muscle mass. But what if the bones are thin or frail. The mind reads this imbalance and never allows full force production to protect the bones. So stronger bones also aides in athletic performance.

How to stimulate density growth is a touchy subject when it comes to our youth. Worries over stunting growth is the big one. Well to this I point out climbing trees, jumping off of swings, bicycling for hours, jump rope and many other activities that we've all done. Did we stunt our growth? Nope.

Research shows that stimulation, when done properly, encourages growth at the joint and tissue connection. That combined with the effect of activity on the release of growth hormones. It sounds like a good thing for a growing athlete.

Injury prevention
The training that encourages stronger bones naturally encourages stronger muscles and coordination. Being athletic, strong and coordinated, training to encourage balance and strength reduces the likelihood that the athlete will be injured.

If you are an athlete, you can relate how an injury slows you down, keeps you from playing and generally takes the fun out of the event for you.

Longevity
Get it done now and it is one less thing to think about later! When training is encouraged sooner in an athletes career, healthy activity encourages longer athletic careers, personal or otherwise, and make life in general more fun. Think of all the great people you meet through sports and athletic endeavors.

Not to mention networking. If you don't know how this influences life, trust me, it's a good thing.

So train safe, be strong and enjoy yourself.

In health,

Todd

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Muscle Building for Men and Women

* All Athletes - All Ages *


I need a really good reason to promote something. This is one of two that I feel would benefit any athlete. Muscle is important to performance. First you need it. Not just for lifting things but for providing the materials required that can be then trained for speed and quickness.

So, if you are an athlete who needs to gain mass for their sport then this is th emotherload. Vince is a Canadian and a Fitness Model who started out pin thin and learned the gainers secrets. He has all the information you need.

Vince works out of Hamilton but he is invited and travels around the world to present on his Muscle Gaining knowledge. It's a huge plus that he is a Canadian, in my books.

If you already know about Vince and his amazing product Click Here! to purchase!


Human Performance and Nutrition Expert
Dr. John Berardi Ph.D Didn't Hesitate To Recommend
This Program...Nuff Said!

"The principles of No Nonsense Muscle Building have helped Vince Delmonte transform from “Skinny Vinny” to a physique champion.

These principles have also helped hundreds of others increase their strength and muscle size.

If you’re looking for some of the best muscle-building information currently available, check out Vince Delmonte’s No Nonsense Muscle Building"


Dr John M Berardi
Adjunct Professor, University of Texas
Author of Scrawny to Brawny
http://www.scrawnytobrawny.com

That is high praise indeed!




Some success stories:

"Vince, I finished your book, very good. I will obviously re-read it a few more times over this week. There is a lot of info in there that i have to get used to.

Some concepts are really an eye opener for me and are pretty much common sense when you stop to think about it all.

I like the added physiology lessons... once you tear away all of the hype that bodybuilding mags put out there, you realize the truth."

Nello Miele
Ontario, Canada
charming_007@hotmail.com


Gained 62 lbs In Just One Year And Now Competing In First Bodybuilding Competition!

"Hey Vince, whats going on man, it's Brian Karschti... But yeah I just wanted to give you a little update on me here.....I'm 5'11 and sitting at 193 lbs. at about low 9% body fat.

As of January 1st I was able to pack on 62 lbs. of weight (mostly muscle) in just one year, too awesome... Thanks again man, if it wasn't for your book I couldn't have done it!!!

One more thing, as of June 8 (2008) I'll be up on stage in my first bodybuilding competition, I'm doing FAME, thats right!, LOL, so yea I'm stoked and can't wait....hope to hear back from you man, take it easy."

Brian Karschti
Ontario, Canada
lambo_02@hotmail.com


"Gained Tons Of Lean Muscle And Lost 10 Pounds..."

"When I reflect on how weak and out of balanced my muscles and mind were I know I have come along way and could not have gotten this healthy on my own.

I have lost 10 pounds, gained lean muscle and have 23% body fat.

Wow I feel great"

Erin Teeft
Ontario, Canada




This is a fantastic product with tons of success stories.

Don't wait a minute more if you need to gain muscle mass.

Click Here!

Go get em!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

I Have to Know!

Hey,

Not much sense in my tapping away on the keyboard if I don't know what your main interests are.

So on the right hand side there is a little survey. Please give me some feedback on what you'd like to see more information on.

I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

Then, the moment your done, get up and move around a bit. You've probably been in front of the computer too long, like me. Time for me to get outside!

Have a good one. Thanks again.

In health,

Todd

Thursday, April 24, 2008

How to Plant

No shrubbery here.

This information would have saved my ankle back in the day.

When you are going to change direction and/or speed it is important to plant the foot firmly on the ground. All of it. Heel and everything else.

In the beginning don't try to make a high speed direction speed change on your toes. The next step will be on the toes, of course. And based on your agility there should be a small (acute) shin-ground angle. That means the push off is will produce more power in the direction that you want to accelerate in.

No go forth and start breaking the opponents ankles! (figuratively speaking, of course)

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Complete Athletic Development for Youths

Hi,

There is no risk to promoting Brian Grasso's Complete Athletic Development so early in the life of my blog. I have not seen it's equal.

Brian is a Canadian who has been transplanted south of the border. He has been flown around the world to talk about his ground breaking techniques in Athletic Development.

If you already know what I am talking about you can order the complete package here!

With testimonials like this you can see why he is so widely respected:


"I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of learning how to best develop athletic ability in young athletes. I have researched it, applied it practically and now teach it to professionals worldwide. The information offered in this collection is precisely what more Trainers and Coaches need to hear."

Dr. Kwame Brown
Neuro-Scientist & Motor Skill Development Expert

and


"After reading Training Young Athletes - The Grasso Method by Brian Grasso, there is no doubt who is leading the industry in youth coaching. I have basically taken all my books on youth training and put them in storage - The Grasso Method covers it all! I highly encourage coaches and trainers of young athletes to make this book your next purchase. You won't believe the difference it will make!"

Lee Taft
World Class Speed Coach


And here is an mp3 audio testimonial from Richie Whall,Young Athlete Coach from Cheshire, England.

Complete Athlete Development Home

You can see why I back it up as well. I've been following Brian's work for over a year now and I can say I have never been led astray. The information and his motivation is fantastic.

If you want to take your athletics to the next level, this is the program for you!




Click here to get your copy right now.

You will NOT be disappointed.

Who's looking out for you?


In health,

Todd

Complete Athlete Development Home

Saturday, April 19, 2008

On Site Hop & Stop Testing

This test reliably measure force production, force absorption and symmetry between the lower extremities.

When you read the numbers on injuries they are hard to grasp. Then when I began to shop the knee test around I immediately was told of friends and family members who have busted or really sore knees.

Knee pain comes from a variety of factors: ability to produce force through the knee, force absorption and symmetry. Why symmetry? If one knee is always favoured over the other, one of them is either going to wear out or the other is going to be asked to do a little too much some time. Neither is a good situation!

And incredibly girls are 3 times more likely to injure a knee. Some studies indicate a higher risk than this but they weren't well referenced.

Here is a short clip that shows one of jumps measured in the test. We would have measured from the toe from start to landing. This particular aspect of the test does not require the participant to "stick the landing".



What's important here? Isolating the power leg and keeping the swing leg static. Measurements are much easier to record reliably, crunch and assess.

The complete test, assessment and programming can be done on location and takes approximately an hour. If you have a team or an athlete that could use or needs to have a reliable test that can be used to create a lower extremity fitness program and be able to follow it up reliably drop me a note and we'll discuss the possibilities.

In health,

Todd

Thank you to this client who allowed me to film this and use it for demonstration purposes.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

MySportSpeed.com

Over 3.5 million student athletes are injured every year in North America! Over 150,000 just in the gym (Periodization by Tudor Bompa).

Want more ice time? Want more court time? Want to have the kind of exposure that might land you a scholarship? Then what is the one thing you have to train smart to avoid?

If you said injuries then pat yourself on the back.

So becoming a better athlete is going to take more than lifting heavy in the gym.

The balance comes in training for results while taking into consideration the current level of the athlete. We want to enhance skills without hindering the long term development. Promote performance and inhibit injuries.

Girls and boys can benefit from athletic specific training that will reduce their risk of injury and increase the enjoyment of their athletic lifestyle. This kind of fun they can take with them for life. Considering less than 1% of high-school athletes turn pro this is an important consideration.

You don't want your first lessons to lead to a road of injuries. Safe effective training techniques for gains will needs the experience of a professional trainer to take you to the next level.