Developing the Complete Wrestler

When it comes to the aim of helping an athlete become a better performer in their sport and improving sport form, the exact protocols used need to be implemented to the EXACT demands of the chosen sport.

To take that thought a step further, it is absolutely critical that deviations must be made even within programs for the same sport, as different positions and tactical schemes will demand different expressions of abilities from the players. For example, an offensive tackle in a spread offense is going to need to be lighter and more mobile than a tackle in a power run offense who needs to be bigger and stronger in order to control his opponents in the trenches.

Junior High Training at Strive

Check out Justin, Tommy, and Michael doing what is necessary yesterday!

No Nonsense Training Solutions,

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Owner/Head Trainer
Strive Training
kyle@trainstrive.com
513-571-2950
www.trainstrive.com

Youth Athletes Always Bringing It at Strive!

Call 513-571-2950 to schedule your free trial training session.

No Nonsense Hard Work,

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Owner/Head Trainer
Strive Training
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com
513-571-2950

Offseason Football Training

Lately, I have had the chance to assist in the training of the Western Hills High School Football team in preparation for the 2011 season.

Their head coach, Paul Jenne, runs a top notch and smart program unlike how many other high school football programs operate. Instead of performing worthless and endless 300's, Paul has them conditioning to mimic the direct demands of the energy systems used in Football.

National Handstand Pushup Day!

As I have often written about, body-weight training is an often forgotten about aspect in many people's program. I am a strong believer in incorporating some form of a body-weight exercise in every training session. In fact the majority of my assistance work is body-weight based!

Product Review: Amazing Grass' SuperFood

Many people know that I am against "normal" multi-vitamins, due to their price and poor absorption, and strongly urge all to eat as many whole foods as possible. I am against most anything that was created in a lab to try and simulate what God has already put out there in nature for us to consume. However, understandably many of the plants and fruits God gave us are rare and not plentifully available in your local supermarket. So what is the solution to fulfill your vitamin needs? How about a supplement made directly from the natural ingredients provided on the earth.

2 New Killers Added to the Strive Family

Tommy and Michael

The Strive Army just keeps on growing. Recently we have had two new members join are ranks, Tommy and Michael (Pictured Above). The two will be 8th graders this coming fall and are looking to set themselves up for success once they hit high school.

Recovery Solutions for Performance-Part 4

In the final part of this series I am going to delve into 3 different options for recover, nutrition, epsom salt baths, and hot/cold therapy. Here are the links to the previous parts of the series in case you overlooked them: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Nutrition
As should go without saying, nutrition plays a large role in promoting recovery. Under eating will always equal under achieving. Making sure you get enough calories to repair and grow is crucial for long-term success. While I could provide different dietary approaches per individuals, for generalities purposes, here is a list of  3 nutrition tips that everyone can benefit from: 

Recovery Solutions for Performance-Part 3

Today, in this series (Part 1 and Part 2), I want to move the discussion onto the often overlooked components of sleep and medication/active visual realization. Though I have mentioned before the importance of central nervous system recovery, it is still imperative to continue to harp on it. Of all the other factors, peripheral included, it is the most important. While deloads, active recovery sessions, and a structuring of training by level of CNS stress are important, sleep and meditation/active visual realization should be the meat and potatoes of any CNS recovery plan.

Recovery Solutions for Performance-Part 2

As mentioned before in Part 1, training takes its toll on your muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc., creating micro-trauma in these tissues. From this, scar tissue forms. These tissues can also become tightened and imbalanced which leads to faulty movement patterns and the inability to get into necessary positions needed for sport. For example, in the back squat, someone with tight internal rotators/horizontal adductors (the pecs and subscapularis for example), might have a hard time getting the hands and arms in the proper position, due to the external rotation/horizontal abduction required to do so. In order to fix this issue, soft tissue manipulation must be done. The main goal of these soft tissue therapy options is to break up adhesions/scar tissue, restoring proper function, and promoting blood flow into the tissues for repair.

Recovery Solutions for Performance-Part 1

If you train regularly, than there is no doubt you are aware of the the stress and strain that hard work can put on your body. Your joints began to ache. Your lifts began to suffer. Your training becomes stale. You lose your motivation. You feel as though you have been KO'd by Tyson. These and other symptoms all can arise from the stressors of continued training. A common phrase to describe the above is over training. Along with the previous symptoms listed, a lose in appetite, a problem with falling and staying asleep, and a rise in resting heart rate are other signs that you are in a state of over training.

Strive is Going Digital!

 Hey Everyone,

I apologize for the lack of posts lately as I have been bogged down with things, but that is no excuse.  Today I wanted to aware you all that Strive is in the process of having all of our scheduling and billing going online. This will allow you to book appointments from the convenience of your own home. As you can see, there is a login box for Strive Family Members on the right side of the site.

Rest Pause Training

Mike Mentzer.. Body By Rest-Pause

Yesterday, I was asked a question about rest pause training on Facebook. Well, a few sentences turned into the longest post I have ever made on Facebook.

After finishing writing the post, I decided that it was the type of thing that would work well as a blog post. So I have gone ahead and decided to post the Facebook post over here for all to see.

Boot Camp Training

Strive is proud to reopen our Boot Camp Training sessions for those who are looking to change up their routines in a awesome group setting. Be prepared to push your body to its limits and learn what you are truly capable of. Strive's "No Nonsense Boot Camps" will help you gain strength, lose weight, and finally achieve your fitness goals. Call 513-571-2950 to schedule.


Prices are as follows for 1 month:


1x week/4x month=$80/month=$20/session
2x week/8x month=$144/month=$18/session
3x week/12x month==$192/month=$16/session


Sessions are run on an appointment basis, with the majority of the classes occurring in the morning hours. Also, for a great deal, head over to Yodeal.com to purchase a 1 month, 2 times a week Boot Camp Coupon for only $59!(Today only)


No Nonsense Boot Camps,


Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
Strive Training
kyle@trainstrive.com
513-571-2950

Wrestling Training

    Wrestlers are a different breed. They are unlike any other type of athlete. Their sport requires both unwaivering physical and mental strength and endurance. Wrestlers also don't leave anything on the table, exhausting all options to achieve their goals no matter the obstacles presented before them. Whether they are going through social, physical, or emotional problems, wrestlers possess a mental drive and focus which overwhelms the body's desire to give up.

    When it comes to training for wrestling, many recognize the importance of strength training year around. While their aim is right, many incorrectly go about this. They fail to train the most important traits a wrestler needs, or any combat athlete for that matter. Those elements include strength endurance, power endurance, grip strength, relative strength, core training, neck strength, stability, mobility, flexibility, and proper energy system development (conditioning), along with absolute strength and power.

    Below are some videos of two of my wrestlers attacking two "circuits" which develop many of the traits listed above.






No Nonsense Wrestling Strength,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
Strive Training
kyle@trainstrive.com
513-571-2950

Another New Member to the Strive Family

Justin

Today we welcome another new member to the ever growing Strive Training family. Justin is a 7th grade baseball, football, and basketball player (Gotta love young kids who don't specialize at an early age). Justin was referred to us by his baseball teammate and Strive member JD Vanover.

After just two days of working with Justin, it is clear he has some HUGE potential. He already has some pretty impressive lower body and core strength that puts to shame what even some high schoolers can do. Heck, today, in his first time performing planks, he held strong for an extremely impressive 1 minute and 31 seconds. To put that into perspective, with most first time clients I deal with, about 30 seconds is the max time they can perform. 

With Justin, I see a kid who will be turning some heads when he enters high school in the fall of 2012. I wouldn't be surprised to see him being one of the strongest and most powerful guys in the entire school.

No Nonsense Ability,

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Owner/Head Trainer

Strive Training

kyle@trainstrive.com

513-571-2950

New Members to the Strive Family!

Cole and Alex Vencill

I'd like to take the time to welcome Cole and Alex Vencill to the Strive family. The two are cousins who wrestle for Northridge High School in Dayton. These two know what it means to do what is necessary to elevate their performance. The drive for them is about an hour to come train at Strive, but that doesn't stop them. They want to be the absolute best that they can be, and nothing is going to stand in their way of achieving that. They possess THE attitude we want for anyone who comes and trains at Strive. Strive is a family and just like any other family, we want the best for every member and are dedicated to everyones success. If you come to train at Strive, we expect you to return that commitment to your trainer and other Strive family members. I know that Alex and Cole are those type of guys and I welcome them aboard. 

No Nonsense Dedication,

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Owner/Head Trainer

Strive Training

kyle@trainstrive.com

www.trainstrive.com

513-571-2950

Stop Wasting Your Money!

    Open any bodybuilding magazine and you will see it littered with page after page of supplement adds which claim to be on the cutting edge of giving you huge biceps and a thick chiseled chest. Heck, those adds usually out number the articles (which are absurd themselves). For many years I bought into the marketing hype. I truly believed that a certain supplement was what was holding me back from my goals. It was not uncommon for me to spend $200+ a month on supplements. This went on for about 4-5 years. For the sake of putting it into perspective, that would mean I spent somewhere around $9,600-$12,000 during that time. I'm not going to lie, when I punched the numbers in my calculator, I got sick to my stomach.  I often wonder how things would be now had I saved all of that money?

    I am here today to tell you not to buy into all of the marketing that is thrown at you everyday. Learn from my experience and save yourself the trouble and money. Most people don't even need any form of supplementation what-so-ever. Focusing on eating a lot of clean food and choosing raw whenever you can, is all you need to gain incredible amounts of strength and build an awe inspiring physique. 

    To go along with the financial side of my point-of-view is the health concern. The supplement industry is unregulated by the FDA. Here is an excerpt from the FDA website about the supplement regulation process:

"the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.^* Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading."  http://www.fda.gov/food/dietarysupplements/default.htm 12/16/10

    

    So all of the supplements out there are put on the market with ZERO inspection by any overseeing body. We are left at the mercy of the manufacture's goodwill and conscious. Needless to say, that is something I don't have much faith in. Are you OK with ingesting something that you are not exactly sure what exactly you are ingesting? I'm not!

    Sure I sometimes recommend supplements to some of my clients, but even then, I make sure they know that they are far from a necessity. Whole food is always the way to go. I have been training for a little over a year now with zero supplements and have had the best gains of my life. Take after me and stop wasting your money!

No Nonsense Conservatism,

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Owner/Head Trainer

Strive Training

kyle@trainstrive.com

513-571-2950

Denison University Strength and Conditoning Clinic

Denison University Weight Room

Yesterday, I had the chance to attend the 2011 Central Ohio Strength and Conditioning Seminar on the campus of Denison University put on by Head Strength Coach Mark Watts and his staff. Needless to say the whole event was fantastic and well done. I will definitely be attending in the coming years.  It was a full day packed with information and the chance to pick the brains of some of the presenters. I came back humbled by all that I had learned.

Presentations were given by Youngstown State's John Patrick and Willie Danzer, Joe Hashey of Synergy Athletics, Eastern Michigan's Head Strength Coach Blair Wagner, Jay Ashman of Invictus Strength and Conditioning, Tom Palumbo of Ohio State, Todd Hamer of Robert Morris, Travis Self from FITT Warehouse, Kate Rawlings of Coca Crossfit, and Mark Canella from Columbus Weightlifting. The Denison staff also gave a presentation as well as a tour of their facilities.

Youngstown State's presentation was phenomenal, showing a way to develop a program for in season football training that allows for the adjustment of an athlete's workload depending upon the amount they had played that week, and their goals.

I also really enjoyed Tom Palumbo's work delving into proper energy system development. This is a topic that I myself have been studying a lot lately, so it was a pleasure to hear his point of view. I also had the chance to talk more with him on the topic after the seminar, and appreciate him giving me his time to answer my questions.

Joe Hashey's presentation about different business tactics was of great help. I learned a great deal from him and am already working towards implementing some of his strategies into my plan.

Finally, I'd like to thank Travis Self for spending a good deal of time with me talking about youth training, the seminar, and the field of private training.

Once again, my experience at the seminar was a great one. I highly respect Mark Watts and his staff and will definitely be making the trip up there again next year

No Nonsense Continuing Education,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS

Owner/Head Trainer

Strive Training

kyle@trainstrive.com

513-571-2950

Limiting Innings for Youth Pitchers

Early specialization and overuse in youth athletes is a recipe for disaster. It will lead to injuries, ending athletic careers as well as causing burnout and peaking too soon. An example of this would be the kid who was throwing 80mph in 8th grade and was the most talented player in his area, but due to overuse and high demands, they are done with the sport by their junior/senior year of high school.

It is incredibly important for youth athletes to avoid specializing in a sport to soon. Kids 14 and under should be participating in a wide range of sports and physical activities, developing a large athletic foundation for future development. Upon entering high school, the athlete can begin to narrow their sport focus, allowing for further skill acquisition. However, they should not at this point devote all of their time to 1 sport. Continuing on with 2-3 sports should allow for sufficient time to develop the skills of those sports, while avoiding overworking the athlete to the point of physical and mental breakdown. Other physical activity is still highly encouraged.

I came across this article through a newsletter I subscribe to and I thought it was worthy of being brought to your attention. If you are a parent or coach of a youth baseball player, or a player yourself, the study cited in the article is a good source of information on the impacts of overuse. Even if baseball is not your sport, it should still teach you a very important message.

Too many pitches strike out youth athletes early, new 10 year study suggests

Kyle Bohannon, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Owner/Head Trainer

kyle@trainstrive.com

513-571-2950