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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Taste & Money Part I: Confess-Shuns

Since we are approaching the eating season, Halloween to Valentine's Day, it is important for us to get this self-discipline roll down packed - we have to know when, where, why, and how we will rebound, who will help us, what will and will not stop us. So, as I was contemplating this week, it would be nice to share the things I like; and can stand to eat with everyone. Ready? Here we go:

The Less Innocent
I will eat, like, and have eaten: most of a box of assorted baklava, pancakes like there was not tomorrow, french fries, potato wedges, meat only meals; cookies; donuts; muffins; cakes; pies; tarts; brownies; cupcakes; frosting; strudel with frosting; strudel without frosting; Italian sub; fried fish; fried chicken; fried potatoes; and other fried stuff; um...OK, that is it. we can end it there.

The Less Guilty
I will also eat, also like, also have eaten, and almost prefer in many cases: food without any seasoning (can stand it); mustard greens stalks; bok choy; raw broccoli; brussel sprouts; kale; collards; and basically any vegetable; tofu when it is small and mixed in with other stuff; basically any fruit; Ezekiel bread; sweet potato and its skin without anything else on it (same for red and russet potatoes); brown rice, brown this and that; plain yogurt; water galore; green tea; black tea; tea tea; unsweetened you name it; almond milk, soy milk; nuts galore; um...Yea, that is it for now too.

The Point
All of this information that comes at you on a monthly basis is not to point what the bad things we all may perform in health and nutrition. The less innocent foods are drastically limited and controlled. The less guilty foods are a reward of patience for anyone who comes by them. Recently, I was involved in a conversation where one gentleman could not foresee himself eating foods without taste. However, the dietitian who was present mentioned that our taste buds adapt to "tasteless" foods.

I strongly agree.

There are so many combinations of foods that do not warrant extra stuff, which my be detrimental to our health solely because they are, well...in excess.

We love access to excess.

Progressing,
Derek

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Sports' Complimentary Sports

What other sports would you like to see? Just a matter of opinions that can change.

Good Complimentary Sports to Ice Hockey:
#1 - Lacrosse
#2 - Soccer/Track sprint events
#3 - Skiing

Good Complimentary Sports to Football:
#1 - Rugby
#2  - Wrestling = positional
#2 - Track and Field - sprints due to positions
#3 - Ice Hockey

Good Complimentary Sports to Soccer/Futbol:
#1 - Track and Field: 100m, 200m, 400m
#2 - Ice Hockey
#3 - Football

Good Complimentary Sports to Lacrosse:
#1 - Track and Field: 100m, 200m, 400m
#2 - Ice Hockey
#3 - Football

Good Complimentary Sports to Basketball:
#1 - Team Handball
#2 - Volleyball - indoor and beach
#3 -  Football

Good Complimentary Sports to Distance Running:
#1 - Bicycling
#2 - Strength Training (special selection)
#3 - Cross Country Skiing
#3 - Swimming

Good Complimentary Sports to Bicycling:
#1 - Running
#2 - Plyometrics - lower body (had to put this info in here)
#3 - Swimming
#3 - Cross Country Skiing

Progressing,
Derek

It's Fall - What Is Happening?

From the TEEM Performance Training perspective, happenings this fall season include:

1) Fall Olympics on Saturday, September 29th and Saturday, October 6th. An exclusive statement, if this event goes well, then it will open up an even better opportunity for more individuals. Rain date for September 29th is October 6th. Winner receives tickets to Boston College vs. Virginia Tech football on 11/17/12. So...

2) TEEM Performance Training Human Performance Scholarship. It is still open until Thanksgiving Day of this year, which November 22nd. Need the parameters? Here they are (link this and find on blogger).

3) Students: if you carry a 4.0 GPA this semester, then you are eligible to receive free training for 4 sessions.

4) Individual package discount = 10% off until the end of September 2012. Group discount = 25% off until the end of October 2012.


5) Apple Picking. Who is going? Who has been? Why ask? Because it is fun, open, and a good fall activity.

6) Races/Rides/Walks/Strolls. There are more races out there, especially on Thanksgiving Day: Turkey Trots. See why a race is important. Plus, here is my photo after finishing Boston's Hub On Wheels on Sunday, September 23, 2012.

 Now, it's your turn.

7) Penn State Ice Hockey begins Division I play in October against American International (men) and versus Vermont (women). I had to throw in this news because it is exciting!

8) Midterms. We could have a little fun with how these exams turn out for any students on here. Remember one TEEM PT theme is learning.

Progressing,
Derek

For the Kids - The Broc. It's So Versatile

Throughout the years, I have been asked what is the scope of people I would like to work with or serve. I answer: it is health and fitness, so my scope is broad and encompasses kids to older adults, the novice to the highly-skilled, non-athlete to athlete. So, in this section is an ode to kids and their health and fitness.

Kids supposedly have trouble eating their vegetables. We have been battling this issue for years, and we still cannot get it done? "Experts" now have issued changing the name of vegetables to include more pizazz. Welcome in power punch broccoli.

Why does broccoli always get a bad rep? It even goes well with every other food group. What a versatile vegetable. On a side note, have you ever notice how mountains that are green foliage-dense look like broccoli? It's OK if you have not. But, denouncing vegetables at an early age gets everyone into trouble, especially once college comes in to play. By observation, one of the least refilled areas of the dinning commons included any vegetable area (i.e., salad bar or hot food). Of course, young coeds piled their plates with the "good stuff" such as pizza, pasta, and bread. Oh my! Do not judge me... I like pizza, pasta, and bread; but not all at once on many close occasions. We will see more of these nutrition confessions in an immediate HAHPN e-newsletter. First, we must confess and own up to eating right. We must also assist the next generation in eating right. Let's Move, Michelle Obama's health initiative is doing a good job in getting school-aged kids to eat better and take better care of their bodies. In addition, kids should, and it is believed, that they are learning more about their bodies.

It is important to have knowledge of body and a versatile response to receiving good vittles!

Progressing,
Derek

Friday, September 21, 2012

Why A Running Back Is A Running Back

In honor of the start of all of the football seasons that are upon us, attention is diverted to seasonal athletic talk and more related topics. When the professional football season began a couple of weeks ago, the sudden thought was birthed as to why a running plays the position he or she plays.

And really, without further adieu, a running back (RB) plays the position because a running back can.

This part of the e-newsletter was not meant to be confusing. It is, in fact, the truth. Besides speed, quickness, power, and the choice to play running back, height, weight, and even body type come into play when selecting a running back. We do not see linebackers or offensive linemen playing running back. These position players are too big and too tall in some cases. Are there other position players that resemble running backs? Maybe, but they mostly play at the high school level. More commonly, a running back plays RB because his or her body matches the position. It matches in a manner that allows the athlete to have speed, quickness, and power for the position.

Speed (S), quickness (Q), and power (P) can be taught. There are plenty of running back drills that feed these skills, making a polished athlete. However, the new thing is to see RB's jumping over defenders - just pure athleticism and good reaction time. S, q, and p also hold the quality of being taught to non-athletes and non-RB's. The rest of the field may perform the skills differently. But, they will do it. For the non-athlete, s,q, and p are complemented well as general fitness skills. These skills for the normal exerciser are rarely performed. Most individuals are concerned with bench pressing and other linear strength exercises. However, in many cases, there is a big push for high-intensity interval training.

Plain and simple: a running back benefits from running back type training. I like to call it position-specific training. Functional training and sport-specific training exist as well as position-specific training. For non-atheletes, functional training may involve a lunge to increase butt/glute strength. I will say that again for those who are worried about their butt: lunges improve the glutes! For athletes, sport-specific training involves, for example, sprinting 50 meters for a 100-meter track athlete. Position-specific training involves running a route for a running back, for example.

So, from a human performance perspective, why do you do what you do?

Progressing,
Derek

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Health and Fitness: It Should Not Be Viewed As Punishment

In an article posted the other day, it was revealed that 39 states are on pace to have an obesity rate of 50% or greater. That is alarming. There are 11 spared states, which may also see troubling increases. Colorado, Utah, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Oregon, Vermont, and California are among them.

It was also stated that adults rate 'not enough exercise' as a premier cause of health problems for kids in their communities.

Let us err on the side of positivity. Instead of pointing out all of the problems, let us focus on other ways in which to engage fit and healthy lives full of integrity and energy. It can be argued that some individuals view exercise as punishment. How?...Why? If exercise is punishment, then why does it have many positive effects that aid us physically, mentally, intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, socially, financially, characteristically, and self-efficacially (if, that is a word...it was fun to type). When the word punishment is uttered, the thought of something bad comes to mind. Usually, when we are punished, it is due to an aberration from what is perceived as good. OK, OK...it is bad. Therefore, if exercise is bad and many feel as though it is punishment, what is the good or the non-punishment deed?

Just curious. By the way, Virginia and Nevada are the other two projected spared -states.

The whole idea reverts back to thinking, saying, and limiting the right words and phrases. In certain parts of the United States and the world, exercise is not perceived as punishment. However, in these same parts there are plenty of individuals who still think the life-saver of exercise is a punishable offense. That is fine. Many people have had bad experiences with exercise, and some of us have high restrictions on the amount of exercise we can exert. The bottom line exists: do not give up on it. Exercise is not punishment.

We can make these high future numbers decrease.

Progressing,
Derek

Monday, September 17, 2012

TEEM Performane Training Human Performance Scholarship Questions

Question #1: What sport lasts for most of the year, communication and reflexes are vital, heart rates can reach at least 80% of its maximum?

Question #2: The Nike swoosh. When placed on the left shoulder of a jersey, the swoosh is reversed or not reversed?

Question #3: In what country, can you find a large production of quinoa, a two-time Copa America futbol champion, and a mountain that tests your anaerobic threshold at 6,746m high?

Question #4: What is the most important muscle in the body?

There could be more questions, but these are good for now. If you answer them, then you will be in the running to receive a one-year TEEM Performance Training Human Performance Scholarship. The two winners receive any TEEM produced product for free over a one year period. The entire scholarship round ends on Thanksgiving Day.

Other scholarship qualifiers:
1) Enter a race between now and Thanksgiving. Take a photo of yourself post race to submit as proof that you finished. Advice: there are plenty of Thanksgiving Day races. But, the faster you get in the photo. the better.

2) Send proof of (one photo, you can even post in an email or on Facebook) how you incorporate a healthy breakfast and lunch into your day.

3) Send proof (one photo, you can even post in an email or on Facebook) of yourself dancing. Preferably, doing a cultural dance is best such as salsa, etc. However, square dancing counts as well.

Progressing,
Derek

Saturday, September 15, 2012

TEEM Performance Training Fall Olympics 2012 - North Cambridge

Who: You, the participant. Teams of two individuals. You are allowed to have one alternate.
What: It's a competition of fun, skill, and movement.
When: Saturday, September 29th, 2012 at 3pm and Saturday, October 6th, 2012 at 3pm.
Where: Danehy Park, North Cambridge, MA - by the main soccer field.
Why: I hate to say it, but why not? It is part of TEEM Performance Training's mission and values.
Parameters: 6 events
  1. Modified Pentathlon
  2. Tug-Of-War
  3. Medicine Ball Mania
  4. Football Frenzy
  5. Jumping Journey
  6. Agility Arsenal
  7. Basketball Bonanza*
Award: The team that garners the most point at the end of the two weekends wins 2 tickets to the November 17th Boston College Football games versus Virginia Tech

Note:
  • Points are doubled on the second weekend...
  • $5 per team (teams of two people)

*May be included as a bonus event.