Check out Skyd Magazine, an online resource for Ultimate players, for part 1 of 2 articles covering strength training for Ultimate. Skyd provides interviews, videos, training information, and a high level of media coverage for the sport and is a great resource for not only elite players, but those just getting into the game as well.
Here is the link to the article: http://skydmagazine.com/2012/01/strength-training-for-ultimate-part-1-the-warm-up/
Look out for part 2 in the next few weeks!
The new minimalist shoe style (Nike Free, Vibram Five Fingers, New Balance, etc.) and barefoot training has become very popular to the general public in the past couple years. People are finally straying away from orthotics and the traditional “running shoes” with an elevated, cushioned sole and supported arch. This transition can take time, but it’s about time we let our feet function how they were intended to. Weightlifters have been training barefoot or with hard flat soles for many years.
Our feet are the base of support for our body. One of the worst things we can do to a part of the body is to immobilize it. Our muscles go dormant and the toes, foot, and ankle tend to lose range of motion and stability. Losing mobility and stability in the feet will lead to structural and positioning changes in our ankles, knees, and hips. Choice of footwear has actually shown to be a contributing cause of lower leg and foot injuries, such as plantar fasciitis or stress fractures, over extended periods of time.
Many podiatrists will recommend special orthotics to prevent injury or correct mechanics, but the truth is that there has been very inconclusive research concerning the use of orthotics. This may be a short term approach to preventing pain, but it will also lead to reduction of strength in the muscles of the foot and lower leg. The key to correcting the problem is to increase strength, mobility, and function in the foot, ankle, and lower leg. This can be accomplished in most cases using a progressive barefoot training program and joint mobilizations. If there is any serious dysfunction in the foot or ankle, visit a physical therapist who has experience and education regarding mobilization techniques for the foot and ankle. Here you will receive an unbiased opinion from a professional rather then visit a podiatrist who will recommend that you buy expensive orthotics from their clinic, leading to money in their pockets.
Why train barefoot?
- It gives you a better feeling and sense of awareness. This will help improve coordination and body control.
- Barefoot movement requires less energy expenditure then movement with shoes. You have to accelerate less mass at the end of your leg if you are wearing minimal footwear or none at all. It also allows you to use the natural springs in the muscles of the foot and lower leg to store and release energy.
- The closer your foot is connected to the ground, the more force you are able to produce (cushioned soles lead to energy leaks and less connection to the ground). Ever tried running in the sand? Compare that to running on a hard surface and you’ll clearly see how a harder surface allows for more force production.
- We allow our feet to move through their intended range of motion and leave no restrictions on the ankle joint.
- Take away the shoes and it’s easier to recognize and correct poor stabilization patterns or dysfunctional movement. That gives us a better idea of what corrective exercise to prescribe.
- Barefoot movement reinforces proper sprinting mechanics and helps avoid heel striking. This relieves the connective tissue and structural make-up of the body from impact stress. The rate of loading in the foot and leg is increased and the ground contact time is reduced, potentially leading to faster rate of force development (important for athletic speed and movement.)
What SHOULDN’T be done barefoot (these may be done with minimalist shoes)?
- Walking lunges or any type of exercise that requires movement, creating heel striking forces and deceleration under load.
- Long distance running should NEVER be done barefoot. Many misinformed people attempt to run long distance on concrete surfaces wearing minimalist shoes without proper support to reduce forces. We wouldn’t recommend long distance running with or without proper footwear unless you are an endurance athlete training for an event.
- Any high level or loaded plyometric jumps.
- Any exercise that puts you at risk of dropping weights on your feet or toes (this is probably not a good idea even if you are wearing shoes!!!).
Barefoot training is not used in every situation for everyone, but if you don’t have any serious foot or ankle dysfunctions then I would highly recommend it for every lower body exercise, excluding walking lunges. You should always take a progressive approach by increasing the amount of time or volume of the exercises you are performing. If you aren’t barefoot, you should at least be wearing a pair of minimalist shoes without arch support or too much cushion.
In one hour you can:
- Plan out meals for each day of the week
- Cut and store vegetables for those meals and snacks
- Prepare at least one of those meals
- Spend quality time with your family, significant other, or friends
When it comes to nutrition, most people neglect to plan out their meals. Unfortunately, food becomes a last-minute decision; at lunch time we head to a Subway, McDonaldʼs, or some other fast food restaurant. Dinner looks the same; ordering pizza out, picking up fast food on the way home, or microwaving a Hot Pocket. We don’t even eat breakfast. Even if you head to a sit-down restaurant, most folks donʼt look for the healthiest choice on the menu. Most likely, we pick something we canʼt or don’t have at home. As much as we know we should, we definitely donʼt get the grilled chicken breast with broccoli on the side. You think, “I can make that at home, so Iʼll eat it there.” Of course when it comes time for dinner the next night we realize we forgot to set aside the chicken to thaw, so we opt for dinner out again. We’ve all done it.
By putting in a little time for planning meals, we ensure there are veggies cut and ready to toss in scrambled eggs, that when we leave for work thereʼs a healthy lunch already packed, and when we get home there are leftovers ready to heat up or a recipe ready to toss in the oven. With a little planning, nutrition can become the easiest part of the day.I know itʼs not enough to just tell you to prepare your meals, so Iʼm going to give you a full week of food prep and tips to help you in your first hour. I recommend using leftovers and portioning out your recipes ahead of time to make for even faster/easier meals during the week. That way, all you have to do is pull out your reusable dish (we recommend Pyrex-style glass containers) to toss in the kitchen at work and reheat at lunch time.
Below is a meal plan that should feed 2 people for approximately 7 days (recipes are at the bottom of this post). We accomplish a healthy diet this week with just 6 recipes. Check out the Gourmet Nutrition cookbook for more ideas, and feel free to create your own out of healthy meats and fresh vegetables. Now, the meal plan:
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
| Sunday | Eggs w/Greens | 8-Layer | Chicken w/Veggies |
| Monday | Oatmeal w/Fruit | 8-Layer | Chicken Salad |
| Tuesday | Eggs w/Greens | 8-Layer | Beef w/Split Peas |
| Wednesday | Oatmeal w/Fruit | 8-Layer | Texas Pizza |
| Thursday | Eggs w/Greens | Beef w/Split Peas | Texas Pizza |
| Friday | Oatmeal w/Fruit | Chicken w/Split Peas | Chicken w/Veggies |
| Saturday | Eggs w/Greens | Chicken Salad | Start Prep Again! |
First, you’ll need a grocery list BEFORE you go into the store to help you make good choices. Try not to deviate from your shopping list, unless there’s an unbelievable sale on chicken, or some other veggie that’s not listed here. Remember to keep to the outside aisles of the store and avoid the chips and cookies aisles, except on rare occasions (i.e. once a month).
Grocery List (Broken down by location in the store. You may need extras if you have a large family):
2 medium Tomatoes
3-4 Yellow Onions
Carrots (you can use large carrots or get a bag of baby carrots so you have a snack during the week)
Spinach (2 large bags)
Bouillon Cubes, chicken flavored
Curry Powder
2 medium Sweet potatoes
1 Red Pepper (if you like them)
Minced Garlic
1 large container sliced Mushrooms
6-8 pack of Chicken Breasts (skinless and boneless)
2 lbs. Extra Lean Ground Beef
Large Bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Small package of Whole Wheat Tortillas
2 cans Black Beans (low sodium and no flavoring)
dried Split Peas (you only need ½ cup this week, so you’ll have leftovers)
Jardineʼs Chipotle Medium Salsa (or your own favorite salsa, which better be Jardines!)
Your favorite BBQ Sauce
1 can Pineapple Chunks
1 bag frozen Corn
1 small bag Frozen Peas
1 bag of your Favorite Veggie (besides corn) – Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans..
Salt
Oatmeal
Pepper
Sliced Almonds
Coconut Oil (or extra virgin olive oil if you donʼt like to be adventurous!)
Now, letʼs talk a bit about the prep work required. Hereʼs a step-by-step approach of
how you can begin to prepare these meals for your week:
Prep Plan:
:00 – Preheat Oven to 350F, put 3 cups water to boil on stovetop, and begin to peel and
slice 2 medium sweet potatoes.
:10 – Add sweet potatoes to boiling water (even if itʼs not quite there yet), place 4
chicken breasts in the oven for 35 minutes (Youʼll need to do the remaining breasts later
in the week, as we donʼt want the chicken to go bad). Now preheat a skillet to medium
high and begin to chop onions.
:15 – Set chopped onions in Pyrex dish for keeping in the fridge. Add 1 lbs ground beef
to the skillet and begin to brown. Dice 1 tomato, and if you choose to use red peppers
in your pizza, chop them now.
:25 – Add 1/4 cup onions, 1/4 red peppers if desired, and 2 tsp minced garlic to the
cooked meat and keep on the stove for 1 more minute. Add BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup
diced tomato. Stir until combined and remove from heat.
:30 – Place ground beef mixture into Pyrex dish for later in the week. Rinse ground beef skillet quickly, and use for the sweet potatoes after draining. Add 1/4 cup salsa and saute.
:40 – Remove chicken from oven. Slice 1.5-2 breasts and layer at the bottom of
casserole dish. Add sweet potato on top. Follow remaining directions for 8-Layer Dinner (below) and place in oven for 25 minutes.
As you can see, weʼve accomplished a lot in the 1 hour weʼve set aside for our nutrition: we now have onions diced for each meal of the week, which will come in especially handy for breakfast; our 8-Layer dinner is ready to eat tonight, as well as leaving us plenty of leftovers for 2-3 more meals during the week; we have 2-4 leftover chicken breasts for a taco salad or chicken and veggies later in the week; and our ground beef mixture is ready to place on our tortillas for the Texas Pizza or to pair with the split peas. At this point, there are minimal time requirements to create great tasting, healthy meals for the entire week.
Special thanks to the Gourmet Nutrition cookbook and the Precision Nutrition program for the bulk of the recipes here.
If youʼre interested in learning more about Sport Nutrition, please feel free to join us at our free seminar, Proper Nutrition for Athletes September 19th from 6-7pm. We will be hosting the Wellness Education team from the San Antonio Food Bank at Superior Sports Center in San Antonio, TX, and will be covering aspects of sport nutrition including pre- and post-workout nutrition, nutrition for competition days/weekends, and more. RSVP on Facebook or by email to Alan@ExplosiveSP.com.
Recipes:
Scrambled Eggs with Greens
Instructions:
Preheat frying pan on medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup diced onions and 2 tsp minced
garlic until softened. Add 1 cup diced mushrooms and two large handfuls of spinach
leaves. Keep on heat until spinach leaves are shriveled. Add 4 scrambled whole eggs
and stir constantly until eggs are scrambled and cooked. Add 1/4 cup (or less) of
cheddar cheese, season with salt and pepper as desired, and serve.
Roasted Chicken Breast
Instructions:
We will cook all the chicken breasts at one time to have the meat ready for meals
throughout the week. Placed thawed chicken breasts on a cooking sheet about 1 inch
apart. Add spices if youʼd like. Place in preheated oven to 350 and back for 35
minutes. Let chicken cool before storing in the fridge, or use immediately for meals.
Texas Thin Crust Pizza (Thanks to Gourmet Nutrition for the recipe)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Preheat frying pan and add ground 1 lbs ground beef and
saute with salt and pepper. Add the 1/4 cup diced onions, 1/4 cup diced red pepper,
and 2 tsp minced garlic, and saute for another minute. Add 1/4 cup diced tomato and 2
tbsp BBQ sauce and stir until combined. Remove from heat. Lightly coat baking sheet
with cooking spray and place 3 whole wheat tortillas on the sheet. Spread the beef and
vegetable mixture evenly on each shell, leaving a half inch for crust. Top with pineapple
and some cheddar cheese then place in the oven. Bake approx 10 minutes.
8(7)-Layer Dinner (Gourmet Nutrition)
Instructions:
Cook 2 chicken breasts ahead of time and cut into small cubes. Season the chicken
with the salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350. Skin and slice 2 medium sweet
potatoes. Bring a pot with water to a boil and add the chips in. Once the sweet potato is
beginning to soften, drain, and add the sweet potatoes to a skillet with 1 cup salsa.
Saute for 5 minutes. Layer the ingredients into a large, shallow casserole dish. After
the chicken and sweet potato/salsa are in, add 1 can drained and rinsed black beans, 1
cup diced onions, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup frozen peas (if you like them), and 1/2 cup
sliced almonds. Bake for 25 minutes and serve.
Chicken Taco Salad (Gourmet Nutrition)
Instructions
Remove 1 chicken breast from fridge, slice into smaller pieces and reheat. Place 1/4
cup diced onions in skillet with 1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil and cook until lightly
browned. Add 1/2 cup diced tomato and 1/4 cup frozen corn. Cook for 1 minute more.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Combine the chicken and cooling mixture with
3 cups fresh spinach and 1/2 shredded cheddar and enjoy. Add your favorite salad
dressing or salsa for more flavor.
Curried Split Peas
Instructions:
Bring 1/2 dry split peas, 1/2 chopped onion, 1 sliced carrot, 1 chopped tomato, 1 dash
salt, and 1 chicken bouillon cube to a boil in 3 cups of water. Cover and simmer for 30
minutes. Remove lid and boil off remaining liquid. Add 1 dash curry powder after taking
the pot off the heat. Serve with roasted chicken breast or sauteed extra lean ground
beef.
Chicken and Veggies
Instructions:
Heat “Your Favorite Veggies” and reheat chicken breast. This is the easiest of the
recipes, and should be done on a daytime or nighttime meal that you just donʼt have any
time for. Just heat both pieces up, and enjoy.
It’s not about muscle groups or supplements, not about bench press or squat max, and not about muscle burn or how much you sweat. Understanding the science of movement, energy transfer and expenditure, and muscular balance, combined with the execution of every repetition with maximum effort, intensity, and focus is the key to optimizing your training. Motor unit synchronization and myofibrillar hypertrophy are two neuromuscular adaptations we use to improve performance through training.
Motor Unit Recruitment
Training your body for strength and power involves recruitment of as many muscle fibers as possible in a short period of time. Muscle fibers are controlled and grouped under motor units. When a motor unit receives a signal from your nervous system to fire, all the muscle fibers under control of that motor unit also fire. A motor unit will never partially fire, it either fires or it doesn’t. Motor units are only recruited as they are needed for the task at hand. When you lift a light object your nervous system only signals to recruit a small number of motor units. The more force required, the higher number of motor units recruited by the nervous system. The goal here is to increase the amount of motor units your body is capable of “firing” at once to perform a powerful movement.
The average person is only capable of recruiting about 50% of their motor units. Proper training and intensity can increase this percentage significantly by awakening dormant muscle fibers and improving motor unit synchronization, an important component of developing and improving the powerful movements executed in sport. Motor unit synchronization allows motor units within a muscle to fire simultaneously, or in a more coordinated fashion than what usually occurs when a muscle is activated. Slow movements with submaximal loads mainly require recruitment of the slow twitch fibers, which in turn lead to sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which you will read about next. Fast movements at submaximal loads and maximal concentric contractions will result in recruitment of most all the large motor units, as well as the smaller motor units.
Olympic Lifts (with proper technique) are great for motor unit recruitment, they are a valuable tool if performed with intensity and focus.
The speed of trap bar deadlifts isn’t comparable to an olympic lift, but the load and intensity of the lift will still produce the desired neuromuscular effect.
Myofibrillar Hypertrophy vs. Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy
Too many times we hear that in order to become lean or “toned” you must perform high reps at low weight. Well let’s talk about how your muscle really responds to these stimuli. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is the result of high reps at submaximal weight. The definition of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is the increased growth of the muscle cell, not the muscle fibers. This growth occurs by the increased volume of mitochondria and sarcoplasmic fluid inside the cell. Here you will find noncontractile proteins, which will not directly contribute to the production of force. In other words, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy will increase your muscle cell size (making you look bigger), but not directly affect the strength or size of the actual muscle fiber.
Myofibrillar hypertrophy, or the increase in the density of the contractile elements (muscle fibers) of the muscle cell is what we are looking for. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is gained by performing low repetitions with heavy weight and optimal speed. Myofibrillar growth will occur at a slower rate then sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, but the contractile strength of the muscle is directly related to the increase in muscle cross-sectional area that occurs.
185lbs reverse lunges are no joke! Gilbert’s done a great job of building strength and power while maintaining an athletic physique with great mobility required to pitch at a high level.
If you would like to develop a strong and powerful athletic figure with a high strength-to-bodyweight ratio, myofibrillar hypertrophy and improving motor unit recruitment patterns will get you there. If you want to build muscle size, lift lighter weight with high volume, but don’t expect your new body to perform optimally on the field cause you’ll be carrying around useless muscle mass. If you want to be an athlete; LIFT HEAVY, LIFT FAST, and monitor your NUTRITION in order to get the results you desire.
The rotational demands of baseball/softball are what makes their training requirements unique. Both throwing and hitting incorporate many different movements and muscle recruitment patterns that you can’t train in the weightroom. This is where we implement medicine ball training to bridge the gap between strength and power gained in the gym and sport-specific movement (throwing and hitting.)
A solid foundation of strength is recommended before implementing medicine ball training into your program and, without proper technique, you’ll be reinforcing poor movement patterns that could potentially contribute to an injury down the road. You must also take into consideration how often and how much an athlete is throwing or pitching before you determine the volume of med ball throws to incorporate.
Keys to Developing Rotational Power
- Rotational movement should come from the upper back (thoracic spine) and hips, NOT THE LOWER BACK.
- NEVER sacrifice proper form for speed of the movement.
- NEVER sacrifice speed of the movement for weight (most athletes should be using around 2lbs-8lbs depending on the exercise.)
- Train power equally on your dominant and non-dominant side.
- Athletes should NOT mimic their hitting or throwing mechanics while performing these exercises. They should be seen as a power exercise, not a drill for developing skill or fine-tuning mechanics.
- Repititions should never exceed 8 reps on any exercise when used to increase rotational power.
Three Core Movements
1. Rotational Press (Throwing Specific Movement)
It is important to teach proper loading patterns for the hips and scaps to get the most out of medicine ball throws. Shoulder, elbow, and hand positioning are important to prevent stress on the throwing arm. Progressions or regressions are prescribed by evaluating quality of movement and velocity of the med ball.
Stationary Rotational Press
Step Behind Press
Hop and Press
Bounce Back Press
2. Rotational Scoop Toss
The rotational scoop tosses are more specific to the movements performed while hitting. The key here is to maintain upper body posture as you create rotational force through the legs and hips. The trunk must remain tall and stable to prevent energy leaks for optimal force transfer.
Rotational Scoop Wall Toss
Bounce Back Scoop Toss
3. Overhead Throws
Proper shoulder mobility and scapular function are important before incorporating overhead throws to a program. Overhead throws can turn out to be dangerous if not properly performed. The followthrough on all overhead exercises should focus on decelerating on the lead leg and maintaining a stable core start to finish.
Overhead Throw
Overhead Throw w/Momentum
Open Hip Stationary Throws
Kneeling Overhead Throws
There are many variations to each of the three core movements, but arm posititoning, ball speed, and footwork must be perfected before moving on to more advanced progressions. Many of our athletes have had great success improving velocity and hitting power due to the addition of medicine ball training to their strength routine. Medicine ball throws alone will not elicit the desired results without a consistent strength training program and throwing program as well.
We are faced with an excess of misinformation and hype when it comes to supplements. In the case of Creatine, one of the most researched sports supplement in history, it isn’t hype.
According to the position statement of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048496/?tool=pubmed):
“Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.”
Phosphocreatine (PCr) is naturally stored in muscle, up to 160 grams at any given time, and the body relies on these stores for energy production during intense bouts of training. PCr stores are diminished during these high-level sessions, as does the ability to resynthesize ATP. Increasing the level of PCr in the body allows for a prolonged re-synthesis of ATP during high-intensity training.
The improvements due to these higher levels of PCr makes it a “must-have” for all athletes. Creatine’s myriad benefits include:
The supplementation protocols given on most creatine containers require a short period of high dosage (a “loading” phase); up to 25 grams consumed 5-7 days straight; and then a longer period of maintenance where the athlete will consume about 5 grams per day for 4-6 weeks. It’s been shown that reloading every 4-6 weeks is effective in maintaining muscle creatine content. The low cost of the monohydrate brand of creatine makes this an easy option for all athletes.
Recommendations:
Purchase a flavorless brand of Creatine Monohydrate and add the recommended dosage to any drink or swallow with a drink of water. Creatine is also found in meat and fish sources in small concentrations.
As athletic performance coaches, we are constantly looking for the best way to ensure success for our athletes. To us, it revolves around having an intense work ethic and consistency with your workouts, nutrition, and recovery. Intense workouts to challenge your body and improve your performance, a healthy diet of real food to feed and repair the body, and a variety of recovery modalities (like foam rolling, sleep, and, again, nutrition) to consistently progress in your training. Once all of those things are in place, we can then add supplements into the mix. Keep in mind that supplements do not replace any part of your healthy diet, but will instead supplement your diet with nutrients you lack due to the nature of today’s foods.
It’s no secret that there has been a sharp decline in the nutrient density of our foods over the last half-century. It is for this reason that the multi-vitamin has become so popular, and necessary, in our diets. I’ll get to the multi-vitamin in another installment, because today I’m talking about Omega 3 fatty acids.
So what’s the big deal about Omega 3’s? Fifty years ago we could find them in all of our protein and fat sources. We could find them in grass-fed cattle, farm-raised eggs, wild salmon, sardines, and even in some vegetable sources. Now, as livestock are raised on feedlots and stuffed full with corn, the Omega 3 content is diminished and the Omega 6 profile is raised. Although both fatty acids can be good for you, we have reached the point where our Omega 3 to 6 ratio is so heavily unbalanced toward the 6’s that we are getting more than 10 times the proper amount of Omega 6’s. Although there is still some discussion as to the proper ratio of 3’s to 6’s, the research shows a marked benefit in cardiovascular health with higher levels of Omega 3’s in the diet.
Omega 3’s come in 3 different forms; ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The first is found in vegetable sources like flax seeds, walnuts, beans, broccoli, and some dairy products. The latter two are the marine forms found in salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, and other cold-water fish.
Our recommendations: Take a high-potency fish oil daily to improve your fatty acid profile. Look for a pill that has a high concentration of EPA and DHA’s, preferably higher than 50% of the pill size. For a 1000mg pill, look for a potency of up to 90%. The GNC Triple Strength Fish Oil
Benefits of Fish Oil Supplementation:
