Where is the Athleticism?
Where have all the athletes gone? At first that may seem like a very naïve statement, but lets examine it further. Look beyond the numbers, the spectacular performances at the elite levels of sport. Injuries are skyrocketing. What is missing? It is athleticism. We know it when we see it! We talk about it, but do we know how to develop it? What is it? Lets begin by defining the term. Athleticism is the ability to execute athletic movements (Run, Jump, Throw, Pull, Push, Extend, Bend et.) at optimum speed with precision, style and grace. It is certainly not a very complicated definition. It is easy to see when someone has it. It is certainly inherent in the successful performer in any sport. My observation is that in sport, even though performance standards continue to skyrocket we are seeing less and less athleticism, especially at the developmental levels. With increased early specialization and an emphasis on specificity we have sacrificed overall athleticism.
Sometimes we are lead to believe it is an either-or proposition. Produce a better athlete or produce a better sport player with refined specific skills. Ultimately the goal is to produce the best possible adaptable athlete who plays a particular sport. In this case not only will performance be enhanced, but injuries will be reduced.
Some of the downside is the apparent conflict in terms of time and effort. With the same amount of training time available is it possible to train to improve athleticism without sacrificing specific skill training? First of all we need to eliminate the distinction, the two are not mutually exclusive. The two are co-dependent and intertwined, one enhances the other. There is time within the context of the existing training structure to fit in athleticism components. It just needs to be made a priority.

If you are like most people, you have a night time routine. This
routine could include taking a shower, washing your face, brushing your
teeth, etc. In any case, I am sure that at least one aspect of your
night time routine involves a look or two in the mirror to make an
assessment of yourself.

It is amazing to recognize all of the uses that we have for mirrors.
Mirrors come in many shapes and sizes and are used in many ways in our
daily life aside from personal grooming. Without mirrors, driving,
going to the dentist, or taking a picture would become a much more
difficult procedure. In addition to cars, cavities and cameras, mirrors
are also used in telescopes, periscopes, and flashlights. Mirrors can
be used to collect sunlight for solar power and reflect lasers to
determine distance. Mirrors are also commonly found in architecture (on
entire walls to make a room look bigger) and decoration (where would we
have been in the 70’s without the Disco Ball?) In fact, some
professions even depend on the mirror for success. Don’t believe it,
just imagine trying to make a living as a barber or a magician.

Alcohol and Athletic Performance

Alcohol. It’s been around for centuries and will be around for many
more. Many of us consume copious amounts of it throughout the week,
weekend, and to celebrate different occasions throughout the year. As a
combat athlete I’m sure that at least once you have wondered “I wonder
what kind of benefit that alcohol has on my body as an athlete”. As
your personal performance coach I have decided to list out the wonderful
effects alcohol has on body. Read each one, formulate some thoughts,
and then decide what role alcohol use will play in your life as an
athlete.

Decreases Protein synthesis

Protein synthesis is imperative for repair and growth of muscle
following training. Want to see minimal improvement in strength and
muscle size? Grab a pint!

Decreases the body’s production and use of Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
HGH is also necessary for repair and growth of muscles; alcohol can decrease HGH by up to 70%.

Decreases production and use of testosterone

Testosterone is anabolic, meaning it promotes muscle growth. It is
necessary for optimal recovery from high intensity training. Alcohol
has a negative effect on testosterone levels for several hours after
drinking, and this effect is compounded over time.

Negatively effects sleep patterns

Sound sleep is necessary for optimal recovery from exercise and to
ensure that you’re in a good mood when you go to work. Additionally,
the work done by HGH is prominent during sleep.

Promotes dehydration

Muscles need a watery environment for optimal muscle growth and
recovery-they don’t get that from Budweiser. Dehydration also decreases
your performance-in case you hadn’t noticed in circuit training.

I was at the park with my wife and kids the other night and were talking with another set of parents while our kids played together. As we continued to talk, the conversation came up of how we manage to fit in exercise.

This particular couple already has 2 kids, both under 3. And both, admittedly, have struggled to maintain their own exercise habits.

Now we’ll be the first to admit, having kids certainly throws a little wrench into the mix … it makes eating healthy and exercising regularly a bit more challenging, but certainly not impossible or out of the question when you have a strategy in place. What used to be our normal routine is now dictated by an almost 4 and 8 year old.

It doesn’t mean exercising is impossible until your last kid turns 18 and you’re an empty nester. And even if you don’t have kids, similar challenges exist — you’re working longer hours, don’t want to get up an earlier to exercise before work like we do at our OA performance center classes and simply struggle to make time.

What we shared with them at the park is exactly what you’re going to hear today …

…it’s something we’ve learned and adapted over the last few years since our kids have been around. Our goals certainly shifted — years ago I would train twice per day — lifting once, some type of cardio or sprints later on. My wife did the same when she ran more often; lifting in the morning and then running in the afternoon.

But basically we now get in and out of the gym or wherever we’re working out as quickly as possible. We call it the "Power of Less." Interestingly, in the book the 4 Hour Body by Tim Ferriss, he coined the term "minimum effective dose" … same idea.

…how little can you do and still get the best results? In other words, less is more?

Ferriss points to the example of boiling water. Boiling water is boiling water. It doesn’t get "more boiled" with greater and longer heat.

We’re not trying to get people to move less; we’re trying to be practical in our recommendations because at the end of the day, spending as much time with our kids as possible is a lot more important than spending as much time as possible working out.

One example of getting more done in less time is changing the intensity of your workout. We can do 10 hill sprints in 20 or 30 or so minutes…very challenging workout that puts a lot of demands on many muscles of our bodies. Or we can go out for a walk each day, do that for about 60 minutes, barely elevate the heart rate or work muscles with any type of intensity and not get close to the same results.

Does this mean walking is bad? Of course not…and we DO often do that stroll just to get out of the house. We’re not necessarily even doing it for the sake of exercising, it’s just better than sitting around watching TV and it’s a great way to break up the work day and take a break from staring at a computer.

But let’s go back to that minimum effective dose … or what we say is the "Power of Less."

Maybe it means you have to bump up the intensity of your workouts to get more in less time.

The Power of Less works for nutrition, too. In fact we talked about it the other day when we suggested you STOP THINKING. There’s 15 million different ideas, diets, and tips out there … focus on ONE and you’ll get results rather than flip flopping daily and believing every single thing you read. More on this to come in the future…

It’s where less is more. And where LESS will get you BETTER results.

The Power of Less. Agree?

I get asked rehab questions all the time. I have rehabilitated athletes in almost every major sport who were told they were "all done" by a doctor or a team trainer. Because people know my background, they often ask for advice.
Most of the time they ignore the advice because the advice does not contain the answer they want. They say "it only hurts when I run", I say things like "don't run".

My name is Stan Skolfield and I admit I have a problem. I am an addict and my addiction has been going on for years. I spend a lot of my day thinking about this addiction and will sacrifice almost anything to get it. In just a day or two going without it, I experience withdrawal symptoms that can only be remedied when I have another fix. Even after that fix, however, I am almost immediately consumed by thoughts of how I can have more. I constantly crave and even dream about my addiction. When I am unable to satisfy my habit, I feel irritable and become uncomfortable to be around.

There was once a king who was put in a terrible situation. All of the citizens in his kingdom got their water from a different well than the one from which he drank. The well of his subjects became tainted and as a result of them drinking from that well, all of his once-loyal followers went mad. Because everyone in the kingdom had gone crazy, they all looked at each other as if they were still normal and that the King was actually the one that had gone crazy.

Anytime a person thinks about losing fat, it’s always about everything they have to "give up."

I’m losing fat, so pizza is out the window. So is cake, cookies, candy, ice cream, carbs, fat, cereal, alcohol, and so on.

Truth is — let’s look at everything you CAN keep up versus focusing on the negative.

And, better yet, how about 7 Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Diet.

It’s not only about calories. Yes, calories matter. But they’re not the ONLY thing!

Check out these 7 Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Diet

All About Managing Pain

Most of us have had the experience of having a paper cut feel like it’s a “centre of our universe” pain, while we may have broken a limb or cut ourselves severely in another circumstance and not noticed until later on.

How can something as trivial as a paper cut be so huge, when something as damaging as a break could happen without our awareness?