Goal Setting and the New Year

    I have never been one to get that much "up" for the new year. To me it is just another night. I have never been much of a partier so the fan fare that comes along with it has never appealed to me. However, there is one aspect that I like, and that is the tradition of New Year's resolutions. What I like about it is the social push it instills in people to set goals for themselves. While the goals that people come up with cover a wide range of issues from having a better career, buying home, taking up a hobby, etc. the one I want to focus on obviously would be the fitness goals people set for themselves.

    Ever year the up tick in gym and personal training memberships around this time reflects the rise in goals people set for themselves for their health and fitness. However, as usual, come May, June, and July, those numbers make a steady decline. People lose their focus and commitment. They either, reach their goal and don't see the need to maintain, stop setting aside the time for their training due to increased social commitments, or drop it completely because of a lack of results. Now some do leave for the enjoyment of training outside, but they are usually the ones who leave just to perform long distance running outdoors. Unless you our an avid runner who gets joy from running long distances, leave the treadmills and distance runs alone. If you are going to utilize the nice weather to train outside(I'm a big fan of training outdoors), head to a park and start busting out some pull ups, dips, and stone deadlifts. Anyway, all of that is for another post. Today I wanted to talk about goal setting. Namely, chronic goal setting.

    Like stated, many will make their New Year's resolution, and then eventually fall off of the wagon. The problem, a lack of continued goal setting and a lack of accountably to attain those goals. Here's a tip. Write down a list of what you are going to do this year. Don't phrase it in a way that leaves any doubt in your commitment. Phrase it as if it is already happening. For example, one could write, "I strength train 3 days a week, alternating each day between a main deadlift, bench, and squat variant." or perhaps, "I avoid all forms of dairy." Next, take the list you come up with and place it somewhere where you will see MULTIPLE times a day. Next to that, you could post a picture of yourself in your underwear reminding you every time you see it what you don't want to be.

    Regardless of the way you approach this, the most important take away is to continue to set goals, reassess those goals periodically, and make the necessary changes to reach your goals. Don't make this a one time thing this year. 2011 is the year YOU are revamped.

No Nonsense Commitment,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

    

Keep it Simple Stupid

    I just wanted to make a quick blog post today about something that many do when it comes to training and something I did and still do from time to time, over thinking things in planning your program. I often have to stop myself, take a step back, take a deep breath, and say keep it simple stupid.
    Too many times we can over analyze every little detail that we end up creating a paranoia that in fact disrupts our mental state and ruining perhaps a very good program. It could be you can't decided between 5/3/1 or Westside. The dilemma could be over should you do a wide grip bench or a close grip. You might fret over should you do reverse lunges for the decreased eccentric stress or Bulgarian split squats for the improved hip mobility, however, at the end of the day the differences between the two are minimal. Sure the benefits of both for the situation can be debated endlessly, but the bottom line is it's like trying to pick between natural cinnamon raisin peanut butter and natural honey peanut butter. They are both so full of win, what is the use of debating over which is best, just pick one.
    From here on out, whenever in doubt, take a deep breath and ask yourself "Is it that big of a deal?" Am I incorporating basic barbell work? Am I performing my mobility, flexibility, and soft tissue work? Am I working on bringing up weak points? Does this lend itself to my overall goal (gain strength, gain muscle, becoming more explosive, etc.)? If you ask those questions every time you begin over thinking things and can answer them yes then you have a successful program.

No Nonsense Thinking,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Conservatism in the Weight Room

    When thinking of strength training, many envision preforming grueling, grinding reps. They'll see a lifter contorting their body into many unimaginable ways trying to move the weight. They are under the impression that they are putting in good work when in reality, they are only serving to set their training further and further back. Grinding and slow reps are the polar opposite of what most athletes and the general public should be doing. They fry the nervous system,  impair your recovery, and can lead to a cascading list of injuries. The only athletes that should be performing these types of reps are, in my opinion, powerlifters whose sole task is to lift maximal weights in competition where grinding reps happen the majority of the time. Watch any powerlifting meet and you will see what I mean.

     Now it is worth mentioning that while I advocated all reps being explosive, at times these death reps do have their merit. They are incredible and undeniable in building mental toughness in individuals. Many today lack that killer drive and grinding reps can help correct that.

    Slower lifts also have their place when not dealing with maximal loads and the intent of the lift is to promote hypertrophy (muscle gain). Longer durations (~20secs - ~50secs; average ~40sec (Poliquin)) under tension provide a very influential stimulus for muscle growth.

    With that said, here are 3 guidelines to remember during your training sessions:

• When it comes to your training, be conservative with your weight selections, especially if the lift is new to you. You have your whole life to make progress, don't be in such a hurry to rush these things. 
• Make sure that your reps are always explosive with good form. Sports require you to be explosive so why train (for the most part) any differently. 
• Always leave 1-2 reps in the tank. Continued failure on lifts only results in injuries, impaired recovery, and just as important, damaged confidence.

No Nonsense Explosiveness,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

    

2 Quick Programming Rules

    With all of the conflicting info out there about training it is easy to get confused on how to come up with your own program. Whether you choose conjugate or block, or any of the other periodization types, it doesn't matter how scientifically sound your plan is, there will be flaws. However, what you can do is follow these two simple rules to make you programming choices less stressful and yet still highly successful. 

1. Always err on the side of Training Economy- Pick exercises which provide the most bang for your buck. Choosing compound exercises, where multiple muscles are involved, over isolation exercises should be a staple in your program. Also, exercises which can simultaneously develop multiple qualities like strength and dynamic flexibility together can be the subtle changes in your program that can produce not so subtle results.
2. Keep Things Simple- There is no question as to what the simplest way to get strong is, and that is by deadlifting, squating, benching, and pressing overhead heavy stuff. You don't need to be spending hours upon hours in the gym on an endless list of exercises. If all you did was perform one exercise during each workout alternating between lower body and upper body variations of the lifts above you would, in time, be stronger than 90% of the lifters at your gym.

    If you make it a point to follow theses two rules, your training WILL produce results. Remember though, no program is perfect, and no program will continue to produce results. However, if you follow these rules, the decisions you make when it comes time to alter your program will be sound. 

No Nonsense Training,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Jacked up on Energy Drinks Part II

In continuation of the previous Jacked up on Energy Drinks post, I came across this study, looking at the negative impact caffeine consumption has on children:

Study shows caffeine negatively affects children

For those who don't feel like clicking and reading the link, the summary of the article is that in the study, "75% of children surveyed consumed caffeine on a daily basis, and the more caffeine the children consumed, the less they slept."

Thus it can be taken that the loss of sleep can lead the children to having mood swings, performing poorly in school, and affecting their relationships with others, which in turn can impact their social development.

The author of the study goes on to promote the education of parents on the effects of caffeine on their children's health and development.

No Nonsense Knowledge,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Jacked up on Energy Drinks

    Whether it be a long day at work or school, many can find it hard when they finally get to the gym to attack the weight with the intensity needed like mentioned in the last blog post. Many athletes face this problem when it comes game time as well. To combat this they will down an energy drink or two to "Wake themselves up." They do this without asking is it really doing them any good? Does it increase their performance? 

  

     According to a recent post at Mercola.com,  "Energy drinks are beverages that contain massive doses of sugar and caffeine, along with other ingredients such as the herb guarana and the amino acid taurine. They are often marketed to athletes -- but they are not sports drinks.  However, a recent survey found that 32 percent of American high-school athletes reported drinking energy beverages, many in an attempt to improve their sports performance."

    The post at Mercola.com went on to address the results of recent studies reported in the New York Times as to whether or not energy drinks improve sport performance. According to the New Your Times, 'A study of collegiate runners found that a sugar-free version of Red Bull, while loaded with caffeine, did not improve the athletes’ run-to-exhaustion times, possibly because the athletes were so habituated to the stuff.' Please note the use of a sugar free version. The article goes on to state, "Meanwhile, because it is a diuretic, caffeine “can contribute to dehydration,” Dr. Higgins said. And the large amounts of sugar in energy drinks have been known to cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal upset, he said, “which is certainly not going to improve anyone’s performance."

    The point to be taken away is that if your looking for improvement in sport and gym performance, stay away from energy drinks. Even if you elect a sugar free version, chronic use of caffeine can 'numb' your body to its effects as well as lead to sleeplessness, depression, dehydration, and headaches which obviously do nothing to make you better whether it be in the gym on in competition.

    In a future post I will address an acceptable replacement for energy drinks in order to improve your energy levels and mental focus safely.

No Nonsense Energy,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Sources:http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2010/12/09/do-energy-drinks-really-improve-athletic-performance.aspx

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/phys-ed-do-energy-drinks-improve-athletic-performance/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Training with Intensity

    Training is worthless unless you are ready to give 110% of yourself. Too many times in most any gym in America you can see hundreds of people going through the motions. There is no passion, no energy. They are just spinning their wheels till they eventually quit going all together. What is missing in these people's programs are not certain exercises or a certain program but rather they are missing unadulterated intensity. They are not throwing their mind and body into their training. A lot of programs, even if you might have some questions about their methods, will have success as long as their athletes believe in the philosophy set forth by their coaches and they exude that belief through their energy and enthusiasm when in the gym.
    Thanks to strength coach Zach Even Esh of the Underground Strength Gym for finding it, this video is a model for the mindset and intensity every program must exhibit:

No Nonsense Intensity

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

FREE Trial Workout

Attention to anyone in the Cincinnati area looking to take their fitness to a No Nonsense level. The New Year is only a few weeks away, so now is the time to begin planning for that New Years Resolution. Call Strive Training today to schedule your FREE trial workout. 513-571-2950

Is 2011 going to be the year you change your life forever?

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Product Review-Soy Nog and Rice Nog

   AHHHH! Egg Nog. A delicious holiday drink. To me, it is one of the essentials to ring in the season, however with it can wreck havoc on any nutrition plan. With 343 calories, 19 grams of fat (11 saturated) and 34 grams of carbohydrates (21g sugar), and not to mention being a dairy product, in a small 8 oz glass, it might just be the true lump of coal of Christmas.  One option of course is the low fat option which is 240 calories. However, for those who are lactose intolerant, have a milk allergy, are vegetarians, or just simply like to avoid dairy products, typical egg nog is not an option. So what are you to do? Thankfully options do exist in the form of Soy Nog and Rice Nog.

Soy Nog-

1. Nutrition- (In 8 oz) Calories-180; Fat-4 grams; Carbohydrates-30 grams, Protein 6 grams
2. Free of- Lactose, Dairy, Cholesterol, Eggs, Casein, and MSG
3. Taste- To me it tastes just like the real deal. It brings back all the memories of Christmas' past. The only thing it lacks is the thickness of usual egg nog but given the other benefits, it more than makes up for it.

Rice Nog-

1. Nutrition- (In 8 oz) Calories 160; Fat-2 grams; Carbohydrates-32 grams; Protein ~1-2 grams
2. Free of- Lactose, Dairy, Soy (For those allergic), Gluten, Cholesterol, Egg, and Casein
3. Taste- Doesn't taste as much like regular egg nog like the Soy Nog does and has more of a bite to it. Perhaps that mimics the traditional egg nog with rum which I have never had before or maybe it is a stronger cinnamon taste, I am not sure. Regardless, for those with a soy allergy, this is a great option.

No Nonsense Christmas Spirit,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

3 Quick Tips for Healthier Knees

    A lot of people deal with knee pain either acutely during exercise/physical activity or chronically during all activities in their life. Due to the knee pain, those same people will ignore training their lower half, missing out on a wide range of benefits that training the lower body can bring. Now admittedly there are cases where severe structural damage has occurred and there is no other option than surgery first followed by re-hab. Even so, strength training should still be performed, if applicable, before the surgery in order to strengthen the surrounding muscles of the knee joint, to facilitate a quick and less painful recovery. The point being, you need to be training the areas below the belt line.

    With that said, here are 3 quick tips for healthier knees:

1. Avoid Machines and instead Perform Squats- This first tip encompasses a lot, so I'll try and hit the bullet points.  Machines for one, work the muscles through a fixed range of motion (ROM). This prevents the skeletal system from performing natural movements such as internal/external rotation and abduction/adduction. This fixed path also increases the stability of the exercise.  Whenever there is an increase in stability through out the body, there is less activity in the synergistic and stabilizing muscles. This puts a greater load on the prime movers. Which sounds great, we want to hit those quads right? Well, this increase in load doesn't only impact the muscles, it impacts the joints involved as well.  Thus the joints are being forced to move a load that they are not physically capable of handling (This is not to say I oppose super overload in all scenarios). The answer to these problems and the many more out there is squats.  If performed properly, the body is allowed to move as it was designed to move, and the entire body is utilized to produce force and move the weight.
2. Reduce the Range of Motion- Simply put, reduce the ROM to the point where you stop the movement just before the pain point. Focus on increasing your strength through that ROM and gradually over time try to increase the ROM.
3. Perform Terminal Knee Extensions-I wish I had a video for how to perform this exercise, but if you head over to YouTube and search it, you will get plenty of videos of it. Terminal Knee Extensions or TKE's work the last few degrees of knee extension. The prime mover for this is the vastus medialis oblique(VMO), one of the quadriceps muscles. The VMO is an often dormant muscle in individuals due to imbalances between it and the vastus lateralus. Activating and strengthen this muscle can help balance strength throughout the quadriceps, and if the source of knee pain is poor patella tracking, it can help reduce and often remove the pain.

No Nonsense Knees,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Fulfill that Coming New Year's Resolution

    Hey Everyone! As the New Year fast approaches you are sure to ask yourself what is going to be different for you in 2011. Will it be a new job, a new home, a new significant other, or perhaps a revamped you!? Will this will be the year you exude dedication? Will this be the year where training and nutrition become leaders in your life? Will this be the year dedicated to YOU?!
   Sure there will be obstacles that find there way into the picture. Many forces will try to rip you off of the rails. You might find discouragement from those who you thought cared, but deep down are jealous of your ambition. You pride and determination must remain steadfast and strong. You might suffer a bad weekend with your diet, however you will not let it become the beginning of a downward spiral to failure. Your inner being will be the lumber for your fire. Your testament of change shall be the match. But what will be the oxygen to breath life into that flame? What will be the extrinsic element to keep you on your path? Who will make sure you stay in check?
    Strive Training is now accepting determined individuals for the New Year. Take your body and take your life to the next level. Train No Nonsense. Call 513-571-2950 today to set up your FREE workout!

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Foam Rolling

    When it comes to training, two of the most often neglected aspects in people's programs are often flexibility and mobility work. People will focus solely on hours of cardio and strength training while not considering the impacts that they will have on muscular length/tension balances and joint mobility. One mode to address these problems is the implementation of foam rolling.

    Foam rolling is basically a cheap way to get a massage, loosening up trigger points and promoting faster recovery.  It is also beneficial in activating muscles and increasing joint range of motion due to the decreased tightness of the muscles. Through the use of various density rollers and tennis and lacrosse balls an athlete can target specific areas of the body which may be tight, sore, injury prone, etc.

For most athletes Strive’s top recommended areas/muscles for foam rolling exercises are:

1.      IT bands (Sides of Legs)

2.      Adductors (Groin)

3.      TFL (Sides of Hip)

4.      Gluteal Region

6.      Calf Region

7.      Scapula (Shoulder Blades)

8.      Latissumus Dorsi (Upper Back)

9.      Pectorals (Chest)

10.  Hamstrings

    As always, the above isn’t an exhaustive list, and the actual recommendations for an athlete are given on a case by case basis.

    As far as recommendations for how often, how many rolls, and when to perform foam rolling, at Strive we suggest a minimum of 3-4 days a week.  We always perform foam rolling pre-workout, during the workout and post workout as needed and highly suggest to the athlete to perform more rolling during their static stretching session.  If an athlete has a high level of tightness in a particular area, we strongly suggest the athlete to perform foam rolling on at least 2 other non-workout days on the areas.

    When it comes to the number of rolls per body part, 10-15 is what we at Strive recommend, breaking larger muscles into 2-3 smaller parts.  Remember to spend extra time, 10-30 sec, applying pressure to tight spots/trigger points.

    In a future post, I will delve into more specific foam rolling details, explaining proper execution of the movements.

Stay Flexible,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Clearing The Mind

    Much like sport, life is a hectic, ever changing arena that which you can never fully prepare for. Whether it be struggles from work, family, relationships, etc. they all provide impacts that are perceived in as many different ways as they are unique.  For most, these accumulated emotions stay ignored until they overflow and affect all aspects of life including training. It is how you address these issues in your own life that make or break your inner peace.
    To stem this you must always make time for yourself to truly relax and analyze your soul. I am naturally a very anxious person. I am the epitome of a worry wart. If it wasn't for my coping strategies I'd probably need to be committed. Some of the outlets I use are long walks late at night and long drives with Temple of the Dog playing on the radio. These strategies work for me, but what works for you?
    What also must not be ignored is mental recovery from workout sessions. After my most intense training bouts I will try to seclude myself some way in silence.  I allow my body to slowly calm down, then I work to tame the mental excitation that the lifting induced.  Whenever I do this, I seem to recover faster, have better following workouts, and am in a generally more positive state of mind. Now I don't have any scientific backing whether my simple form of meditation after training biological actually produces those results, all I can give is my point of view from first hand experience. In the future I plan to delve deeper into this topic but for now I hope this post has given you a basic insight into the need for mental clearing and awareness.
    Of course it doesn't hurt to have someone to be your listening board.

No Nonsense State of Mind,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Change Things Up

    I have mentioned before to always strive to challenge your body. Unless you're a competitive athlete you have no reason not to shake things up from time to time, especially if we are all in agreement that our main goal is to live a long healthy and athletic life.

    I've gotten the itch lately to go for some distance runs...gasp! 'But Kyle how will you ever get swole?' Well broski sometimes you just gotta ignore the literature and completely change the stimulus. No matter how perfect your program is on paper, it isn't the end all be all! Why, because no matter what, the results WILL come to a halt. The only way to see continued progress is to continue to force your body to adapt to ever changing stimuluses.  

    I did a short run today, not over doing it to prevent injuries such as ankle problems and plantar factitious (which I easily get if I over do it too soon) amongst others, as most of my work has been short sprint work. Over the next few weeks I plan on upping the distances and frequency. I'm going to keep a close eye to how my body responds to the running and adjust properly. Being that right now strength gain is still my number 1 priority, I will be making planning and volume adjustments to still allow for complete recovery for my strength training sessions.  Bottom line you gotta change things up and push your limits, despite what the books might say, in order to see true progress.

No Nonsense Training,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Cheap Training Tip of the Day

    When it comes to training, I believe in being outside as much as possible. Unfortunately, in most gyms taking equipment outside to perform farmers walks and walking lunges isn't exactly looked upon with encouragement. So what are you to do, especially when on a limited budget?  The answer, go sledding.

Sledding isn't just for snowy hills in the winter.

    While you can go out and buy a $180 fabricated sled and then spend another $100-$120 on used Olympic plates (Which isn't much to begin with considering all of the exercises you can do), you can have a suitable sled for much cheaper.

What is needed

1. Used tire- Preferably with a rim still inside. Just head to a local tire place and ask if they have any used tires in the back. Most have a large stockpile and are always happy to clear some space. While your at it, you could always pick up a large tractor tire for some flipping Cost= Free
2. Chain- Head to your local home improvement store and pick up 7-10 feet of chain plus a quick link, carabiner, or some other piece to connect the two ends of the chains together. Cost= ~$20-$25
3. Rope- While your at the hardware store pick up 20-30 feet of rope. Cost= $13-$19
4. Stones- Head to a nearby river/creek or anywhere where there are stones a grab as many as you need.  Not only will this provide the weight for the sled, but you can perform many different exercises with the stones themselves. Cost= Free

Total Cost- ~$33-$44

Training No Nonsense,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Why Avoid Traditional Cardio

    Head to any gym in America and you will see the most populated area of the gym being the cardio area. Countless people are seen performing long and boring hours on the treadmill thinking that it is going to drop the fat they desire. They will head to the gym 5-7 days a week and sometimes twice a day to perform their traditional cardio. They feel they are on the path to success, when in fact they are on the path to disaster. First-and-for-most it should go without saying that their time would be better spent strength training, building muscle, thus raising their metabolism and losing fat.  However, for right now I am going to avoid delving into the benefits of strength and sprint training and rather focus on the reasons why not to perform traditional cardio.
    Back before I knew what I know now, I'll admit that I too performed traditional cardio. I hated every minute of it as it was just flat out boring, but I kept going right along because that is what the media had told me.  Regardless of how I felt physically I felt an obligation to do it through the guilt that was instilled upon me by outside forces. All the while during this time, I would get weaker, I would grow tired faster during the day, and I would get beat down by stress. Thankfully, in my continuing search for knowledge my ways have changed. I will never again step foot on a cardio machine for the rest of my life, yet I know I will be healthier for it.

Reasons to Avoid Steady State Cardio

1. Cortisol-Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal glands in the body. Frequently called the stress hormone, it is used in one capacity during the 'fight or flight' response in the body, elevating awareness amongst other benefits. However, if cortisol levels are elevated to long, much like can happen from long steady state cardio, a cascade of problems car arise. Increased blood pressure, decreased immune function, a lose of muscle tissue, a decrease in thyroid function, and elevated fat levels are just a few of the problems. It should already be clear to you why you should do all the things in your power to keep cortisol levels low.
2. Joint Complications-If you have ever performed frequent steady state cardio, you are probably more than aware of the pain it can bring.  The fixed path of motion on a lot of machines can create significant muscular imbalances and cause a great deal of wear and tear on the joints of the ankles, knees, and hips. Running can lead to many ailments, one being a common condition called IT band syndrome.  The IT band, or iliotibial band is a tissue that runs down the lateral side of the thigh.  It begins at the pelvis and runs down to the tibia, and during running, can undergo constant friction with a part of the femur. This friction can lead to inflammation in the area and thus cause lateral knee pain.
3. Muscular Complications- Constant traditional running can also produce muscular problems, which can lead to strains, tears, and more joint issues. As a result of frequent and long running, the hamstrings become shortened and tightened and glute function declines due to a high volume of knee flexion and a lack of hip extension involved during running. This produces a length/tension imbalance with the lower back around the pelvis, and thus the arrival of lower back pain(It should be noted that this is not the only reason for lower back pain).
4. It's Boring-Anyone who has spent anytime doing traditional cardio knows what I'm talking about here. Spending up to an hour or more running in place makes my mind go numb. No amount of your favorite tunes or an awesome movie playing in the 'cardio theater' do anything do dull the pain. My first bit of advise to you, is to move all forms of running/cardio outside.  Why spend the free time you have not in your office inside of another building? Head outside and enjoy the fresh air. If it is rainy, wait till it lets up.  If it is cold, bundle up.  If it is hot, wait till later in the day when it begins to cool down.

    Bottom line, unless your a marathon runner, avoid traditional cardio.

    With all that said, I do not denounce low intensity cardio all together, what matters is how low of an intensity we are talking about. 45 minutes at 65% of your target heart rate is a big no, 30 minutes of a brisk walk however gets two thumbs up.

Till Next Time,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Pre-Thanksgiving Advice

    As the Holiday season is upon us, many will envision the numbers on the scale going up and the person in the mirror getting larger. You are not one of those people however. You have self control and a dedication to your health.  While I am not saying to avoid all offerings your family provides for you, unless you want, these tips can help keep you going strong into the new year.

1. NO SECONDS-You wouldn't stuff your face on any other meals to the point of discomfort at any other times, so why do so now.  Take your time eating and enjoy the tastes of the Holidays with conservative portions. One trip to the food line is enough.
2. Avoid Snacking on Sweets-One slice of pumpkin pie is fine, but don't overdo it. If your hungry, do what you'd always do, snake on some fruit or veggies.
3. Keep Your Goals in Mind-Don't let the temptations around you cause you to forget about what your goals are. Remembering that goal to run a marathon in the spring or to take up tennis when the warm weather shows its face again will pay off. 
4. Limit the Carbs-Since this is more than likely an off day from training, you should already be avoiding the carbs, especially if you are carb cycling.  Have that small serving of potatoes and maybe some stuffing if you want, but try to keep most of your food limited to meats and veggies. Given that there will be a limited amount of activity, limiting the carbs will leave you feeling much better come Friday for training.
5. Have some Real Cranberry Sauce-Amongst others, cranberries can inhibit LDL oxidation, which when allowed causes inflammation in the arteries, and can possibly prevent kidney stone and cancer development. 

Happy Thanksgiving,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

513-571-2950

Listening to Your Body

    Life is a continuing evolving process.  Day in and day out new opportunities and new downfalls continue to enter our lives. Whether it be a new job, a death in the family, sickness, stress at work, or many other things, they all have a cumulative affect on the body. These things are inevitable and thus must be properly accounted for in order for you to have a long and healthy life.
    When it comes to your training, the rules are no different. Sure we would all love to go to the gym and train balls to the wall every time. However, that just isn't possible. The body gets beat up from training, and even with proper rest and recovery implemented, the added stress like those listed above WILL drag you down. You more than likely have dealt with this yourself. When this happened, some of you continued to push through, which occasionally is warranted but most if the time is only going to hurt. Others may decided not to train that day but end up feeling guilty about it later, further exacerbating the problem.
    The solution, listen to and respect your body. If you feel run down from your routine, break the monotony. Instead of your usual workout head out to the park, hit up some body weight training and lift some stones. The mental break will do you great benefits, and the fresh outdoor air will only help. If you absolutely do not feel like training, that is fine. Don't stress about it. One missed workout is just that ONE missed workout. In the end, the break from that workout will probably have done you more good than that one workout ever could have. Never underestimate the power of your mind.
   If you are to ever have long term training, and more importantly life success, understanding you body and being able to adapt your training to accommodate its' needs is of utmost importance. As strength coach Zach Even-Esh of the Underground Strength Gym in NJ calls himself, you need to be a 'Soul Lifter.' Listen to your body and train to keep it at peace because with all of the stress it faces day in and day out, it deserves our attention.

Train for Harmony,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/ Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Sunday Musings

1. Stay away from machines.  Sport are chaotic, multi-planar, and multi-directional, so why train in way that focuses on a fixed plane of motion.  Machine movements accentuate and develop muscular imbalance which will only end with one result, injury. Take the leg press for example. During the leg press, there is absolutely no balance required, as your hips and back are supported.  Because of this, you can lift more weight, 'artificially.' The use of these heavy loads on your joints and muscles that are not prepared for that weight will dramatically increase your risk of injury.  There are plenty of other negative impacts of machines, but that will be for another day.
2. Lift Heavy Weights. Men AND WOMEN alike need to be lifting heavy weights, provided they are dingo so with proper form and execution. Progressive overload through the use of heavy weights builds muscle. This increase in muscle mass, increases metabolism, which in turns helps you burn fat.  For the women out there, get the 'But I'll get bulky and look like a man' thought process out of your head. You WILL NOT! You are not a man. Significant muscle gain requires testosterone, levels that are much higher than you possess.  The only way you could get 'bulky' is if you would injecting testosterone, and I'm guessing your not.
3. The Bengals are horrible. 49-31 are you kidding me! 2-8 on the season!  Ladies and Gentleman of Cincinnati hunker down and prepare yourself for a long and tough next decade.

Let's get Ready to Bust Tail this Week,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Goal Setting

    When it comes to training it seems most people either fail to set goals, set unrealistic goals, or set goals which are not indicative towards long term success. While the goal of losing 20 pounds and hitting a certain weight are a step in the right direction, as opposed to doing nothing, they are not supportive of what the true goal should be, a commitment to lifelong health and wellness.  Those goals also neglect a certain part of human nature that encourages our dedication, competition.

    Instead set goals for yourself that put you in a competitive environment(much like your training environment should be).  Competition elevates everyones performance, and thus their results. Pick goals with the end result of being placed in an environment which promotes a healthy challenge.  You could sign up for a marathon 6+ months from now or join a rec league and sign up for an activity which you are passionate about.    There are many options out there to choose from, all you have to do if pick one which you will throughly enjoy.

    The bottom line is that goal setting should not be a system of picking arbitrary numbers, rather, it should be a path for an active lifestyle.

Avoid the Status Quo,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Friday Finisher

It's Friday! Time to kick some tail.  While others are too entrenched in their minds with tonights activities to train, you rise above. This isn't to say you won't go out tonight, heck I encourage it (despite myself being sort of a home body), you just have priorities. Getting out there and training like the athlete you are with reckless abandon to get stronger, more powerful, quicker, and more agile is just another day...another more satisfying day. With that said, here is a little Friday Finisher action for you that is done with zero equipment.

1A) 10-20 Body Squats
1B) 100 yard Shuttle (25 yards 4x)
1C) 10-20 Burpees
1D) 10-20 Split Squat Jumps
1E) 100 yard shuttle (25 yards 4x)

Rinse, wash, and repeat as many times as possible within 5 minutes.

Push On,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

3 Tips for Increasing your Bench

1. Row, Row, and Row Some More- If you want a big bench you need a strong and powerful back.  The many muscles of the back, posterior deltoids, and scapular articulators, during the bench, are known as antagonists, or opposing, muscles. Their job is to slow down and control the movement, if they can't do that, they aren't going to allowing the agonist muscles(the ones doing the work), to press to their full ability. Sort of like a car with no breaks, if you can't stop the car are you really going to try and speed it up? If those muscles are not strong, they will not allow optimum pressing.  So bottom line, including plenty of rowing into your routine.  Try a 2:1 ratio of  rowing to pushing, so for every one pressing exercise, included two rowing/scapular retractor exercises. For example One Arm Dumbbell Rows and Band Pull Aparts.

2. Improve Your Form- No matter if your a seasoned vet at the bench or new to it, I'm willing to bet that most of you could use improvement in your form.  I even have things to work on.  Lifting is a continuous learning process.  With that said, if I was training you right now on the bench the first few cues I would give would be to squeeze your shoulder blades tightly, put the pressure on your upper back and traps by driving your feet into the ground, and to keep your elbows tucked at a 45 degree angle which will keep the bar path in a straight line.  There are other factors involved, but for now, focus on those three things and become really good at them.

3. Train Your Triceps-Don't begin to fall into the lie that the bench is a chest lift.  The bench is in fact a total body lift, from your tight grip down to your leg drive, the entire body is involved.  A problem that a lot of bencher's have is that they focus too much on chest and anterior deltoid strength and neglect triceps training, and no a few sets of kickbacks and pushdowns is not triceps training.  If there is a strength imbalance during the bench, and the back as been ruled out as the problem, chances are it is because of weak triceps.  Focus on heavy close grip press work and heavy extension work.

Kickback Free since 2006,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Break From the Norm

    A lot of times we can get so locked in on a style of training that we begin to lose sight of the big picture. While the plan your on might have given you results before, and maybe it still does, it is inevitable that the progress WILL come to a halt if you don't adapt and FORCE your body to change.  There is no such thing as a perfect program, which by definition, is a plan that would give you results forever.  No program, no matter what style you advocate will continue to bring that progress.  So what are you to do? You break from the norm!
    Challenge your body.   If your a strength and power guy who focuses on heavy lifting and sprinting(and not a competitive athlete), throw some distance running into the mix.  Pick a 2-4 week block and replace your sprint work with distance running, progressing in frequency slowly as to avoid injuries such as plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy, and if you are higher in weight, knee injuries. If your an endurance person, do the opposite.  Begin a block of sprint work and slowly increase in frequency as the block goes on.  Begin with 4-6x30-50 yard sprints with complete recovery and go from there.  Not only will this be a kick in the butt, but it will also have a positive influence on your distance running once you return to it.  The sprint work will increase muscular strength, inter and intra muscular coordination, fast twitch metabolic properties, as well as power production resulting in improved distance running performance.
   The moral of the story is to always look for ways to challenge your body.  Never let it get comfortable in a certain training program.  If our goal is to live long, healthy, and active lives(Which it should be), continuing to adapt is the key to get there.

Never Accept Mediocrity,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

5 Key Rules of Nutrition

Today I wanted to write a brief post about my 5 key rules of nutrition.  There is a lot of confusing and conflicting information out there which can leave anyone crazy not knowing what to do and inevitably falling of the wagon.  Thus I give you my 5 rules to help build the foundation for your nutrition and lifestyle.

1. Raw Foods-Eat raw, organic foods as often as possible.  With the overabundance of additives and preservatives in food these days, which for some of the substances you can't even pronounce, sticking to raw foods provides the way to only feed your body what it needs and nothing more.
2. Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables- This one goes without saying, but yet needs to be said. Tying in with the Raw Foods rule, choose only organic fruit and veggies and fresh over frozen if you can.  If you are eating plenty of these foods you can even rid yourself of your multivitamin, which will never be able to replace the abilities and benefits or real foods.
3. Avoid Dairy-Dairy consumption has been linked to acne outbreaks, an increased risk of cancer, obesity, while also being an inflammatory agent, which can cause arthritis flare ups amongst other things.  For some, dairy consumption is already out of the question because many are lactose intolerant and/or cow's milk intolerant (Which you may unknowingly be), which are different conditions  Lactose intolerant individuals lack the necessary digestive enzymes to breakdown and digest milk while cow's milk intolerant people are actually allergic to milk due to an immune system response.  Drink rice, coconut, and almond milks as they are the more preferred choices.
4. Consume 3-4 meals a day- There is no need to follow the adage of six+ meals a day. While I will admit I was once guilty of worrying about eating every two hours because of some evil disruption to my metabolism, I have since wised up.  Eating less frequent is actually healthier for you as the digestive process is extremely stressful on the digestive system.  Just like any other part of your body needs rest to recover, so to does your digestive system.  Another negative effect of frequent eating is that you become a slave to your diet, stressing out about getting in your next meal and turning your anger onto others.
5. Have a Cheat Day-One day a week allow yourself to satisfy your cravings WITHIN REASON. Don't be throwing down an entire jug of ice cream because 'Kyle said so!'  Lean towards healthier choices  like always, but don't be afraid to treat yourself. Try and limit the cheat to one meal on that day, however, don't freak if you have two.  The bottom line is to cheat within MODERATION. Following this one day a week will keep you sane.

Clean it Up,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

The Overlooked Importance of Rest and Recovery

    There is such a heavy emphasis when it comes to some people's strength training programs on performing endless grueling workouts that take a serious toll on the body.  They measure success by the number of times they, or their client throws up.  This mindset leads to over-training, burnout, and a reduction in overall training gains.  While I am not saying throwing up is a bad thing, as hellish workouts can really cause you to gain some serious mental toughness, performed over and over will lead to the negative list of problems stated above. It is the exact opposite mindset that must be taken to ensure that gains are made and kept.
    There are multiple times when recovery must be taken into consideration. First and foremost, recovery from a previous workout.  The pace, volume, and intensity of the workout all impact your considerations here.  For example, if you used a lot of high intensity (Heavy weights), your central nervous system will need a few days for recovery, thus you must plan the following workouts accordingly.
    A second time where recovery must be planned is within the entire training week.  Make sure you have at least one day a week where you do absolutely nothing.  When I design programs, I actually start the plan off by planning the rest days and building from there.  These planned rest days will enable you to recover and regain your energy for the next bouts of exercise.
    The third recovery time that is planned is after a few weeks of training.  Every 3-6 weeks preform a deload from training.  The goal of your deload should be to reduce the volume and intensity of your workouts, focusing on letting your body heal and to become prepared for your next 3-6 week block.
    The fourth recovery time you must make as an athlete is after your competitive season.  Sports are grueling and taxing on the body thus time must be taken post-season to allow for recovery.  A solid time of 2-4 weeks without weight training while undertaking various forms of recreation such as hiking, rock climbing, biking, etc. will provide sufficient time for physical and mental recovery. During this time, there should be a focus on beginning to correct imbalances that were a result of the sport season. After this, the athlete's training should build on the imbalance corrections that were beginning to be made before.
   Finally your sleep is of utmost importance to your recovery and training.  Making 8 hours of sleep a night a priority will go a long way to helping you achieve the benefits from your hard work in the gym.  The hormone responses to sleep aid in repairing and building muscle tissue.
   Also let us not forget the need for adequate nutrition in your recovery process. Perhaps it should be the dominating subject in this post because without the proper nutrients, your body will not have fuel to recover, leaving all the above weapons alone to fight a losing battle.
   As to note, physical stress is not the only element impacting your recovery needs.  Social, psychological, and environmental factors can place a great deal of stress on the body, sometimes greater than the physical stress.  While the impacts of these are outside the scope of this blog post, it is still of great importance to make considerations for them in your planning.

Recover for success,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Training
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Bodyweight Training, a lost Art for Athletic Success?

    Over the years simplicity has been lost in the training world. Much as mentioned in the Eugene Sandow article from last month, you'll head to most 'globo' gyms and see people utilizing a never ending world of machines. You'll see one youth athlete working the leg extension machine, lifting the entire stack, and strutting around afterwards as if they have accomplished some magical feat of strength which is worthy of your gaze.  Then afterwards, they might just head over to the smith machine to pump out a few quarter rep squats, very productive. However, come game day, where is that athlete? They are no other place than on their back pinned by their opponent. Is this athlete getting quality work in during their workouts? Is this athlete challenging their body day in and day out to become THE BEST THEY CAN BE? The answer, ABSOLUTELY NOT? 

    Does that athlete sound too much like you? Let me ask you, how often do you include bodyweight training in your workouts? Once a month? Once every few months? Never?  If you answered yes to any of those three you are missing out on exercises and workouts that can elevate your performance and give you newfound strength and muscle that will help you become a feared athlete in your sport.

    You should be aiming to include bodyweight training into your program at the very least once a week (If you're an advanced lifter, which you probably aren't), but preferably every workout.  A high frequency of bodyweight training can set you apart from your competition. I personally make it a priority to include at least one bodyweight exercise per workout in my programs and often times have workouts completely dominated by bodyweight exercises and complexes. Hitting up a 20 minute circuit of push ups, pull ups, lunges, handstand walks, and broad jumps will do more for your performance and injury prevention than any long, tedious, and draining bodybuilding magazine inspired workout.

    To better understand the benefits, take wrestling for example.  In wrestling you must be able to control and dominate your opponent physically who is of near equal weight to you. You must also have an elite proficiency at maneuvering your own body to get into the positions you need to be in to lock down holds and pins. Give me a wrestler who dominates and uses bodyweight drills as a big part of his training program any day over one who follows a 'bodybuilding' program.

    So what exercises should you perform?  Since the list of bodyweight exercises is seemingly infinite, below is a listing of my top 5 favorite exercises divided up into upper and lower body.

Upper Body: Push Up Variations, Pull Up Variations, Recline Rows, Handstand Walks/Wheel Barrels, and Handstand Push Ups

Lower Body: Squats, Lunges, Cassock Squat, Duck Walks, and Single Leg Squats

    Also, don't forget the benefits of using bodyweight exercises to train explosive power. Drills like box jumps, broad jumps, plyo push ups, and stair bounds, etc. will go a long way in making you a more powerful athlete. Again the variety of exercises is only limited to your imagination.

    

    Here is a challenge for you. Go 2-4 weeks straight of performing nothing but bodyweight exercises as your mode of exercise.  After this, let me know how you feel...I guarantee you'll have amazing results.

Here is a sample workout:

Complete Max Rounds in 5 Minutes

1A Stair Bounds x5

1B Push Ups x10

1C Duck Walks x30 yards

1D Pull Ups x5

Alternatively you can use more variety and implement a workout like this:

5 rounds for time

1A Power Exercise x5

1B Upper Body Push or Walk Variation x 5-10 or distance

1C Lower Body Exercise x 10

1D Upper Body Pull Exercise x 5-10

There are many ways to skin a cat. After reading this, you should have a pretty good idea how to implement bodyweight training into your program.

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

Strive Training

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

513-571-2950

Eugene Sandow, A Man Well Ahead of his Time

In an age where training philosophies change by the day by the hottest trend, it is astounding how much we can over think things.  I for one am guilty of sometimes over analyzing every little detail when developing a program when the most basics of parameters can and do achieve amazing results.  In today's fitness world, we are pummeled with every "Guru's" super duper muscle blasting fat scorching program that they say will bring results, when in reality all they are trying to do is make a quick buck and a name for themselves. With so many crazy recommendations out there, we lose slight of the simplicity that is proven to bring results.     However, Eugene Sandow got it right...all the way back in the late 1800's.  Sandow, a bodybuilder, embodied simplicity by today's standards.  Check out this little tidbit from Sandow:     "The Training I, of course, specially commend is dumb-bell training and bar-bell exercises, and, for beginners especially, very light weights. (For the generality of people, my experiences would limit the weight to four or not more than five pounds.)  But walking, rowing, skating, swimming and when where the heart is all right, climbing and running are very good exercises; football if not roughly played being also excellent.    Nothing, in my opinion, however, is better than the use of the dumbbell for developing the whole system, particularly if it is used intelligently and with the knowledge of the locations and functions of the muscles. With this knowledge it will surprise most would-be athletes how much can be done with the dumbbell and what arrangement for the best complexity of muscles can be brought into play. It has been well said that the muscular system of command is not made up alone of chest and biceps; yet to expand the one in the large the other is almost all that is thought of by the untrained learner."    Now while Sandow was more famous for his physique rather than feats of strength, his words here are insightful nonetheless. It is amazing how over 100 years ago, an effective way to exercise had already been discovered, yet, in the time since, we have strayed so far away from it.   Keep it Simple, Kyle Bohannon, CSCS Owner/Head Trainer kyle@trainstrive.com www.trainstrive.com

Smoothie Recipe

Here's a quick smoothie recipe that I crank out a good number of times during the week for breakfast.

2 Cups Water
2 Scoops Protein (I use Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion)
1 Cup Frozen Mixed Berries
1 Cup Spinach (You won't taste it, but just reap the benefits of the vitamins and minerals)
1/2 cup Non-Fat Cottage Cheese

Quick, Delicious, and Nutritious

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS 

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

Why You Should Train like an Athlete

    You want to be lean. You want to be strong. You want everyone to do a double take every time you walk into the room. Then why are you doing a monotonous machine based, body part split exercise program with some slow paced cardio added in? You're an athlete!  Humans were not designed to spend their day driving to work, followed by sitting behind a desk typing away on a computer, then driving home only to cap off the day sprawled out over the couch with an over-sized bowl of double fudge chocolate ice cream.  Oh ok, I'm sorry, I forgot to mention you managed to get a few sets of seated leg extensions in. Insanity! We are meant to jump, sprint, and lift heavy objects off of the ground! They are the elements of sport.

This is what your meant to do.

(December 26, 2009 - Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images North America)

   If we are built to function that way, why would you train any different?  Regardless of your goals, your regimen should be built to improve strength, function, movement efficiency, flexibility, mobility, and energy production components. With improvements in these areas, you will be capable of training harder and longer than before, while actually being in a better position to avoid injury and burn more calories. 

   How can you reap the benefits of athletic strength and conditioning? Implement these 6 elements into your program to begin training like the athlete you are today.

1. -Resistance Training-This should go without saying
2. -Pick one key basic exercise- Every workout(squat, deadlift, bench, military press, pull up, etc.) each workout and perform it first.
3. -Do Not Neglect-Incorporate unilateral leg work and posterior chain work. Neglecting these training stimuli will lead to muscular imbalances and eventually injury. 
4. -Balance- Balance horizontal and vertical pushing with plenty of horizontal and vertical pulling.
5. -Progressive Overload-Week after week beat your previous best, whether through increasing the weight (1-2%) or the reps, just flat out get better.
6. -Deload-Every 3-6 weeks undergo a deload week in which you reducing the overall training volume and intensity.  Also try and avoid and heavy barbell loading on your back.  The point of this week is to allow your body to recover from the previous weeks of hard training and prepare you for the next block
7. -Keep a log-This goes hand in hand with #3.  Keep a detailed log of what exercise you did, how much weight used, plus the number of sets and reps completed at each weight
8. -Train explosively and Avoid Going to Failure-In a controlled manner, try to accelerate the weight as fast as possible. Never continue sets past a point where the speed of the movement slows down noticeably. This will keep you from frying your system and thus allow for continuous improvements
9. -Implement High Intensity Cardio-Add complexes, sprints, hill sprints sled work, etc. 
10. -Perform soft tissue work-Include foam rolling as well as implementing a dynamic warm up pre-work, and a static stretching session 4-6 hours after your workout to increase flexibility and mobility

To learn more about how you can train like an athlete, visit www.trainstrive.com website today.

Till Next Time Fueling that Drive,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer 

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

Recipe Review: Chicken and Corn Chili

Chicken and Corn Chili
In this first installment of Recipe Review, we try our hand at a simple crock pot chili. The recipe was found on allrecipes.com and for all intensive purposes, most of the recipes that will be reviewed here will come from there.

Ratings on a 1-5 scale
Nutrition: 5- Coming in at a mere 145 calories per serving with 1.9 grams fat, 15 grams carb, and 18 grams protein. The only problem here is that it doesn't say how much is one serving
Ease of Prep: 5- With only 9 ingredients, 5 being seasonings, this recipe is extremely uncomplicated, just throw it all in a crock pot and let it cook for 6-8 hours.  After the time is passed simply shred the chicken(not that big of a deal) and it's good to go.
Taste: 4.25-While it certainly is a very satisfying taste it just seems to be lacking something.  Perhaps all it needs is a little more kick with some chili powder or the all important hot sauce.
Overall: 4.75-A great all around recipe.  Inexpensive, easy to make, and terrific on the nutritional side of things.  While it could use a bit more spice, this is a recipe that will definitely be made again.

Till Next Time Fueling the Drive,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer 

kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

When Should Youth Athletes Begin a Resistance Training Program?

    In an age where it appears children are beginning athletic participation earlier and earlier, many parents, coaches, and children alike are pushing to gain any competitive edge they can. One path to that is the inclusion of resistance training into a child's athletic plan for development.  However, there seems to be a great deal of confusion of the efficacy of its implementation.  You hear it all the time, 'Weightlifting too young stunts a child's growth.'  Does it?  Will resistance training performed by adolescents affect their development? The scope of this article hopes to shed light on an answer to that question.
    There is no doubt to the benefits of resistance training in relation to body composition and athletic performance in adults.  A well developed strength and conditioning program can increase anaerobic(in the absence of oxygen) and aerobic(in the presence of oxygen) power along with other vital athletic components such as agility, speed, and explosiveness amongst others (Giller, O'Brien, Ryan, & Rogowski, 2009). Proper planning of the frequency, mode, intensity, and duration of each training cycle(micro, meso, macro) must be adhered to for this to occur.  If there is poor planning and execution of those qualities, muscular strains, tendon and ligament tears, and even sickness from a weak immune system due to over training can occur.  Bottom line, if correct protocols are not followed, injuries can and mostly likely will occur.
    Now, while that gives us a background on training factors, how does it influence adolescent athletes?  How do we ensure the correct development of height, growth plates, and other factors of the early maturation process? Well it appears that, as stated above, as long as the training is developed and regulated by knowledge professionals avoiding intensive exercises, those ill affects can be averted (Strength Training, 2008). Studies have been conducted showing how resistance training in adolescents can have many of the same health benefits that it gives to adults including improved muscular strength, body composition, and even better blood lipid profiles (Lubans, Sheaman, & Callister, 2009). With this in mind, it can be summarized that with the growing concern of obesity in children, not only can resistance training aid youth athletes, but also children across the board. According to Benson, Torode, & Fiatarone Singh (2006), resistance training is also capable of deterring or even perhaps preventing the onset of certain diseases such as metabolic syndrome and type two diabetes in children.
    Well alright then, now that we know that a resistance training program for youth athletes is beneficial, lets get those kids lifting five times a week, twice a day.  In case you missed it, that was sarcasm.  What is being missed is another variable to the equation which needs to be addressed, that being recovery capacity.  In youth sport, practice, training frequency, and volume are great, sometimes reaching the levels of excess for even the most advanced adult athletes (Matons & Winsley, 2007).  While there is limited research in youth recovery, the assumption at this point is that social factors and pressures are a major culprit to over training in youth athletes.  Due to this, according to Matos and Winsley (2007), changes in the planning and organization of youth sport participation and expected results must be tamed to insure the safety of the athletes mental, physiological, and social attributes.
    The training procedures must adhere to certain known parameters that aid in the desired outcome, youth self-efficacy.  Positive feedback, instant visual corrections, and achievable short-term goals are just a few of the considerations needed to be implemented by coaches (Benson et al., 2006). With sound coaching cues and loyalty to a system, adolescent athletes can safely and beneficially follow a resistance training program.
    Now while I could go on and on into the subject, I believe at this point we can make the base conclusion that resistance training, if implemented with proper protocols, can aid youth athletes not only in sport, but also in their overall development towards adulthood.

Recommendations:

• -During the early stages of child development, developing movement qualities should be the top priority.  The nervous system is like a sponge during these early years, thus presenting a wide range of stimuli will aid in the physical capabilities as the child matures. Staying active in numerous sports is one way to develop these qualities.
• -Till acceptable levels of relative strength are attained, the child should focus solely on body weight exercises, learning to move and control their body through space.
• -While the frequency can vary depending upon volume and intensity, a good suggestion would be around 2-3 times a week of resistance training activities.
• -Focus the training on accumulating neural adaption (letting the body learn how to train) and avoid high impact exercises as the impact endured during sport participation is already a great deal, thus any more would be overkill.
• -Limit duration to 20-30 minutes a session for resistance training.
• -Around the ages of 13-14, traditional weightlifting can begin, considering the child as good relative strength.  The focus should however focus on proper form rather than absolute strength and power production.  2-3 days a week is still a sufficient frequency.
• -Perform 1-2 sets of 15-20 reps for the initial 4-8 weeks then progress to 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. Limit sets per body part to 4-6 in the first phase and then 6-8 sets going forward.  Once proper form has been learned, the athlete can progress to higher intensity training, working in the 5-12 rep max range.

Till Next Time Fueling that Drive,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer 

kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

References

Benson, A.C., Torode, M.E., & Fiatarone Singh, M.A., (2006). 

    A rational and methos for high-intensity progressive resistance training with children and adolescents.        

    Contemporary Clinical Trials, 28, 442-450

Giller, J., O'Brien, L., Ryan, M., & Rogowski, J., (2009). 

    Strategic exercise prescription for baseball: bridging the gap between injury prevention and power         

    production.

Lubans, D.R., Sheaman, C., & Callister, R., (2009).

    Exercise adherence and intervention effects of two school-based resistance training programs for     

    adolescents. Precentative Medicine, 50, 56-62. Available from http://www.sciencedirect.com

Matos, N., & Winsley. R.J., (2007). Trainability of young athletes and overtraining. 

    Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 6, 353-367

Strength Training by children and adolescents, (2008). Pediatrics, 121(4),

    Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/121/4/835