Eating to Make your Workouts Better & Body to Look Fantastic - Part 1

Pre-Workout

Number one issue to address is fluids. It is critically important to insure that we don’t go into a hard training session in a dehydrated state. Whether we workout early in the morning, lunch hour, after work or late night- we need to make sure we are well hydrated by drinking 10-20oz of water every hour leading up to the workout session. Training while dehydrated has been shown decrease strength levels as much as 30%. Given this statistic, who wants to start a workout feeling weak?

Hardcore workout enthusiast should consider a more scientific approach. 30 minutes before exercise drink 20oz of water or diluted drink of carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio. Whey has been repeatedly chosen as the quickest protein to digest. Sugar is the quickest carbohydrate source to be absorbed by the body.

Combine the two together and we get a super supplement. Why? Combined together in a shake, these two ingredients stimulate insulin to fuel the muscles. Diluting the drink delays the development of dehydration, hastens the onset of sweating and moderates the rise in body temperature.

Eating “heavy food” before a workout can cause deleterious effect: nausea, cramping and fatigue. Reason being that blood flow is directed primarily to the gut in order to support the digestion process meaning the muscles we are working aren’t adequately supplied with blood flow that would normally carry in nutrients, oxygen and carrying the waste by-products associated with working out.

A “light food” such as fruit can suffice for those who need something in their stomach.

I personally like to be a little hungry during a workout, it gives me that edginess to take out any frustrations on the weights, tires or running workouts.

Workout

Continue drinking fluids (water primarily) every 15-20 minutes. Depending on how well we keep our bodies hydrated throughout the day leading up to the workout, water consumption will vary. Some of us will only sip water throughout the workout, while the majority will drink 10-20oz of every 20 minutes.

Once again, serious individuals will incorporate an additional boost by slowly consuming a drink containing carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio.

By doing this, studies have shown improved endurance 57 percent compared with water and 24 percent compared with a carbohydrate drink.

Common sense says don’t set up a picnic in the middle of workout.

Remember the term workout is short for Work your butt off and get Out.

Human Flag

Human Flags

You don’t always need weights to have a great and challenging workout. Here’s a not so easy abdominal exercise that works primarily the obliques. Similar to doing side bends.

Pre-requisites:
Have the upper body and hand strength to hold and brace yourself up.
Have the abdominal strength to raise your lower body.



And to make it a little tougher… Hold your legs up tuck your knees into your chest then straighten back out and then lower the legs back down.

Advanced Version


Why the term flags? Because you look like a human flag when you hoist your body up like that.

Cormax Youth Training

Is strength training healthy for a child?
The answer is YES! Strength training exercises that are supervised, safe and age appropriate offer many bonuses to young athletes. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommend strength training for kids. Today’s children are increasingly overweight and out of shape. Strength training can put them on a lifetime path to better health and fitness.

Why do some coaches and teachers still think strength training is unsafe and say, don’t lift weights because lifting weights may damage your epiphysis growth plates, which is the area of your bones that are still growing and developing?
This false idea about strength training is even found in many teaching, coaching and fitness books. However, recent research has shown that weight training with light to moderate weights, using proper technique, has been shown to help bone development.

What is the difference between strength training and weight lifting?
Strength training for kids, not to be confused with weight lifting, body building or power-lifting, is a carefully designed program of exercises to increase muscle speed, strength and endurance. Strength training for kids isn’t about lifting heavier weight or building bigger muscles.
Instead the focus is on lighter weights and controlled movements with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Ed Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, says, “Heavy lifting can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and growth plates, if proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.”

What are some of the benefits for young athletes?
Supervised strength training that uses weight machines with safety cylinders as in Cormax provide these benefits.

• Increases a young athlete’s muscle strength and endurance
• Protects the athlete’s muscles and joints from injury
• Helps improve performance in a particular sport
• Better heart and lung function
• A healthy body composition
• Stronger bones
• Lower blood cholesterol levels
• Fitness habits that last a lifetime

Some studies suggest that improved self-esteem and a decreased chance of depression are results of a well designed strength training program. Your child may get a shot of self-confidence and a feel-good boost of self-esteem after improving his or her performance.

When should my child start strength training?
A good rule of thumb is if your child is old enough to participate in sports such as hockey, soccer, or baseball, he or she is old enough to start strength training.

What are some of the general principles of strength training for kids?
The general principles of youth strength training are:

• Proper Instruction. Your child should be taught how to perform strength training exercises using proper form.
  
• Supervision. Adult supervision is important to reinforce safety and good technique. Think light and moderate weights with controlled repetitions. Kids can safely lift adult-sized weights as long as the weight that is lifted can be lifted with a smooth and accelerate motion.
  
• Rest between workouts. Three sessions a week is plenty with a rest period of at least one day between sessions.
  
• Track progress. Your child should fill out a chart or card to record and monitor progress. Add weight gradually. Only when your child can lift a weight smoothly and with acceleration should you add weight. Five to six repetitions per exercise is recommended.
  
• Keep it fun. Have your child train with a friend, or a family member. Vary the exercises. Mix it up. Kids are more likely to stick to strength training if they have fun doing the exercises.
  
• Encouragement from a parent. Encourage physical activity in your child-it is a key step to becoming a healthy adult. Be a good example for your child. If your child shows an interest in strength training, do whatever you can to encourage him or her to engage in this healthy activity.

Becoming stronger and better coordinated is critical to athletic success. Strength contributes to running faster, jumping higher, and being more explosive, but remember, players still must focus on other skill components of their sport. Strength and fitness are just the foundation that these other attributes build from!

Summer YOUTH Boot Camp

This summer I will be holding a youth boot camp starting June 6, 2009. This youth fitness program is a geared for results, staying fit, and having fun doing it. All sessions will be conducted at the Sports Center in Fargo. Some outdoor training may occur.

It is for youth in grades 6th through 9th grade.

Youth Summer Boot Camp will take place on Tuesday & Thursday throughout the summer beginning June 9, 2009 and ending August 20, 2009.

Two sessions will be offered (twice a week)
Session 1 - 10am - 11am
Session 2 - 2pm - 3pm

Boot Camp Cost
$240 / Summer
$80 / Month

Sports Center Youth Summer Membership
$39 / Summer


Contact myself for more information at monty_moran@yahoo.com

The FM Sports Center
3320 Westrac Drive S
Fargo, ND 58103