Injuries Engined

Injuries are common with movement. But, if we take care of our injuries through preventative methods, then we can diminish their affect and the amount of times they occur. Ah, so some consider their bodies as injury prone. Injury-proners really may need certain training methods included in their regimen or even simply specific coaching and proper education on avoiding injury. Actually, I think there is a bit of a fear factor for anyone who thinks they are injury prone. For example, do not think about getting injured before the activity occurs. Think about completing the activity and training properly first and foremost. A few things on injuries:

• Massage - Treat yourself to one. It helps your muscles. It helps you to relax. Even the toughest athletes receive daily massages. Too expensive? Then, purchase a foam roller or The Stick.
• Warm-up - It really works. It preps your muscles. Many trainers spend a lot of time on the warm-up, which is a good thing. Even the toughest athletes warm-up. Not enough time? Then, shorten your warm-up; but make it as specific as possible. For example, you can only get 10 minutes of running and lifting. Perform leg swings, body weight squats, arm circles, and neck warm-ups to, at least, start to avoid the possible muscle tweak!
• Cool Down - It also works. It tells your body, "Thank you for moving today." Not enough time? Again, make the cool down as specific as possible. That is, whatever muscles you trained are the ones you stretch.
• Rest and Sleep - Get it in. Enough said. Start with 6 to 7 hours of sleep if those two numbers are difficult to achieve. If you achieve over 7 hours already, then you are well on your way to a great day.
• Fitness Level - Do not rush it. If you would like to participate in a Tough Mudder Race, but working out is not your thing, then you might want to start working out. Even injured athletes have set timetables on their return because their fitness level is not up to par due to the injury and rehabilitation time period.
• Occupation - Oh boy! There are physical occupations and non-physical ones. Physical ones possess the most danger as in construction, timber cutters, and more. Non-physical ones include working in a cubicle, which is the most dangerous for your posture. Either way, physical or non-physical, working out plays a large factor in avoiding unnecessary time-off from work.
• Stupidity Level - Do not be! If this level is high, then you are in trouble. If it is low, then trailblazing is up your alley. If you want to figure out what the Grand Canyon looks like on a motorcycle, then know the results of a bad landing. Yes, think positive. But, do know that you better stick the landing. Everything else on this level is included as well.

Progressing,

Derek

Honduras - From a Fitness Perspective

A couple of weeks ago, I had the great opportunity to attend a church mission's trip to Honduras.

Great trip. Great exposure.

There are so many ways to write about this trip. But, since this message is located in this particular blog the best way to talk about the trip lives in the fitness realm. I had the exhilarating chance to lead an obstacle course for kids ages 5 or 6 years old to early tween age through their schoolyard. The teenagers, on the other hand, mostly enjoyed playing futbol [soccer]. As for the obstacle course, it involved the following:

• Start - running one full counter-clockwise lap around a school-center, which measured approximately 100m in circumference. 
• After one full lap and [a return to the start line], everyone proceeded up four steps to hop-scotch drawn on the sidewalk. After finishing hop-scotch, each kid jumped back and forth over a 10-foot linear line also drawn on the ground...we're hitting at agility here. Great for kids at this age.
• After jumping, another run up about 5 steps preceded yet another hop-scotch diagram.
• Something new: no linear line here. The kids had to jump over the "idle-v" as it reached its widest end mark. If you have never seen an "idle-v" (I like to call it that), it simply resembles the letter "v" drawn on the sidewalk. When jumping, start at the bottom of the "v" on either side where it is narrow and keep jumping as the lines separate. It is fun for a kid with a lot of energy. It is more difficult for a someone who is training to improve leg power and agility. But, hey, these types of exercises can train any age level. The intensity is the thing that is lessened or increased.
• We are around half-way complete with this obstacle course - it definitely covered a vast majority of the grounds where the school-center was located. Following all of the jumps, the kids proceeded to the tire-field, zig-zagging or figure-eighting around four tires placed roughly 12 to 20 feet apart. The fifth and final tire was used as the agility part - two feet in-two feet out - just like normal tire agility training. If you can picture what five dots resembles on a domino piece, then you can picture the tire-field. However, the middle dot or tire in this field was placed at the top of the set of four. The higher two tires in the field were placed slightly wider then the two bottom tires. Come to think of it, the diagram probably looked more like a pentagon.
• Plenty of room left. From the tire-field, it was a quick run back down the second set of five steps and on to the sliding board. By now, kids were on top of each other as a line formed to go down the slide. But, these kids did not complain. They did not shove (I do not think they did). They humbly giggled and waited their turn. On to the last lap.
• Finish - Racing down the previous first set of steps, each kid scrambled to run clockwise around the building and finish back where they started. Done!
• Otra-vez ("Again")! Everyone cheered.

Through two tries total for each group  (one morning group and one afternoon group), everyone burned plenty of calories. We covered speed, agility, endurance, strength, coordination, and fun throughout this obstacle course. Oh, and a little vitamin D from the unguarded sun. To tell you the truth, anyone could run this obstacle course. But, the fact that these kids either went to school beforehand or left for school afterwards coupled with their desire to continue playing prior to their long walks home for the evening means they wanted to move. 

I know kids have a lot of energy, but we all can learn something from children. They are youthful and very energetic. They make boring things look exciting. Adults can do the same thing. The enthusiasm may go awry during our late adolescent years when we realize that certain fun activities are not cool because friends and other students will laugh or play lazy. Adults do work all day, but there is adequate time to partake in sound fitness training for working folks. Nike says, "Just do it!"

So, just do it.

During this entire one week trip, futbol was the main sport or movement activity. Futbol fields were located everywhere with their goals made of metal posts or even a fence. Big fields. Small fields. All fields spelled m-o-v-e! Even when a field was not occupied, the urge to move passed as a jolt. For Americans, it is like seeing an empty basketball court, imaging yourself dunking (even when you cannot dunk). It is a thought process. It is a culture. It is a movement.

I asked a couple of the teams in my best broken Spanish if they would like to play Team Handball. Yes, a non-American dominated sport in a futbol culture. No hands to no feet. Was not happening. Thankfully, the teens listened to me explain the sport. It was fitting that the Olympic games were being played in London during this time because it is the only time when Team Handball gets a lot of attention on the world stage. Really, it looks like a cool sport. Yet, we have never medaled in it.

For one week, it was all about futbol, hop-scotch, swings, running, sliding, see-saw, horseback, hiking, walking, bicycling, farming, and even hotel room workouts. Activity in the Danli and Linaca areas of Honduras. Amazing!

Progressing,
Derek

Lower Abdominal Fat - A Visit

You know that area right around your belly button? The area that seems like it protrudes. The Cyclops-esque area, which can resemble a visceral and circumferential forehead with one eye in the middle. Yes, the lower abs area - Hey, we have to adopt some humor about these quirks.

It can affect all of us. In fact, the abs-fat has a name: Apple-Shaped.

I like apples. They are my favorite fruit. But, I do not like this type of apple.

The apple-shaped body typically has more abdominal fat or torso fat, as I sometimes call it, which can be detrimental to our health. Weight gain, lack of blood flow, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, back pain, and squeezing into jeans are all associated with the apple-shaped “bod”. Recently, I had a conversation with someone about how to get rid of "that fat" or "this" as some refer to it. As we discussed, six different behaviors can affect lower abdominal fat: 1) Genetics 2) Sugar intake and brady/stagnant-metabolism of sugar  3) Fat intake and brady/stagnant metabolism of fat 4) Alcohol intake 5) Lack of physical activity 6) Smoking.

A different take

When we look at these six, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, and smoking are the guiltiest culprits of fat in general. Smoking, however, is by far the most difficult of the three to control. No one has to be a professional to know why. It is the only one of the three behaviors that is a gas. When a gas goes into our bodies, it is either hard to follow it or it cannot be followed at all. Foods are solids or liquids in which their digestion can be followed. So, we know where the food is going; and how it will be dissipated at complete digestion. Of course, there are a few scanning procedures that give us a good look on digestion.

Take these six causes of excess lower abdominal visceral fat and see what you can do with them. The two biggest culprits: alcohol and smoking. The two culprits that can be controlled with the appropriate increase in the usage of another culprit: sugar and fat with the increase in physical activity (PA).

Progressing,
Derek

More Olympic Sports

A continuation from the unsung sporting events in the Olympics:

Fencing - 3 forms: foil, epee, and sabre.

Archery - The form of archery used in the O-games is Recurve archery because the bow is flexed

away from the archer (stores more energy)

Weightlifting - The Russians are strong. Wow, is this sport powerful. Men and women snatching and jerking about 3x times their body weight!

Equestrian - the horse is also an athlete.

Water Polo - Hungary dominates in this sport at the O-games.

Wrestling - first introduced in 708 BC of the Ancient O-Games - USA and Russia dominate now.

Judo - Medals are based on a single elimination bracket.

Volleyball - High flying ever since 1964 whether it is played indoors or on the beach.

Taekwondo - Are you a male that weighs 80+ kg or a female that weighs 67+ kg? Then, you are considered a heavy weight in this sport.

Soccer - Going all the way back to 1900 in Paris, the 2nd Summer Olympiad.

Gymnastics - The "Iron Cross" and the "Balance Beam" are just two of the most difficult apparatuses.

Swimming - Phelps (USA) is the most decorated. But, anyone can pose as a threat in this sport.

Rowing - Only one boat per National Olympic Committee means that there is a slim chance to compete in this competition.

Triathlon - A fast growing sport. Australia and its shark infested waters owns the most medals.

Track & Field - Names: Bolt. Lewis. Owens. FloJo. Rudolph. Johnson. Devers. History and present. Just fast.

Tennis - Fitting that Great Britain owns the most medals since the sports Olympic emergence in 1896.

Basketball - There is only one "Dream Team". But, bring back the amateur athletes!


Make It Happen,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS      www.teempt.com       TEEM Performance Training, LLC

London `12 Olympic Games: Unsung Sport - Table Tennis

Originated: 1988 Olympics in Soeul, Korea. But, it was the 1880's in Great Britain that introduced the sport to the world.
Where Popular: Asia and basements
Best Countries: China (hands down). Korea is in a distant second with the other countries far behind.
World Rankings Women: #1 Ding Ning (China)
World Rankings Men: #1 Zhang Jike (China)
Reigning Olympic Champion: Ma Lin (China - men), Zhang Yining (China - women)
Interesting Tidbit: The U.S. has never medaled, ending out the third and final Olympic sport in which we have never touched the winners podium (Team Handball and Badminton are the others.)

We know it as "Ping Pong", which ultimately could be an onomatopoeia if it is not already one. Great, a sport in which we have never medaled has been named, at least in Western culture, by a sound.



If you have only seen this sport played as a basement activity, then you are missing out on its true nature. First, the sport is fast. You need reflexes, coordination, body control, and focus.  Second, because the space is so small communication is a necessity. Do not bump into your partner. Let your partner know that you have the ball. Third, China dominates this sport. I mean, dominates the sport. They dominate table tennis so much that the tournament's criteria had to be changed because China takes all of the medals. But hey, when you are good; you are good.

Again, look at the muscle tone, at the balance, at the precision of all of these athletes. It is no joke. Have you ever profusely sweat playing table tennis/ping pong? Probably not. But, less sweat might be due to playing at a slow speed, which brings technique into play. Look at the distance from the table and the follow through on the return hit. Look at where the receiving athletes place there paddles in the ready position.

Table tennis is more than simple leisure. It is indeed very skillful.

Make It Happen,
Derek

London `12 Olympic Games: Unsung Sport - Badminton

Originated: 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Mid-18th century in India by British soldiers.
Where Popular: Asia
Best Countries: China, Korea, Denmark.
World Rankings Women: Singles - #1 Wang Yihan, #2 Wang Xin (both from China). Doubles - #1 Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang (China)
World Rankings Men: Singles - #1 Lin Dan (China), #2 Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia). Doubles - #1 Chung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae (Korea).
World Rankings Mixed Doubles:  #1 Zhang Nan and Zao Yunlei (China)
Reigning Olympic Champion: Lin Dan (China - men), Zhang Ning (China - women), Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan (Doubles - Indonesia)
Interesting Tidbit: One of three sports in which the U.S. has never donned a medal (we already mentioned Team Handball as the other one)...The feathered birdie that the athletes hit is called a "shuttlecock" or "shuttle"...Badminton has a single-elimination tournament: lose and you're done!

A very popular sport in backyards and at cookouts (I remember having a set as a kid), badminton is not the most popular when it comes to the USA medaling in the sport. Most individuals probably think that this sport is boring and slow. Wrong. Just let loose of our typical "oh, it must be slow because that is how we play in our backyard" mentality. When it is played overseas, the reflexes and reactions are much faster and much more serious.

What is needed in this sport? Looking at the photos below it is evident that muscle tone is very visible. Look at the athlete body types. The positions. The concentration. In addition, good balance, flexibility, and coordination are important. Would one of these athletes need to be thrown on the bench press? No way! Plus, the bench press is an exercise on which the general population loves and thrives.

A recreational athlete or individual would love working out like a badminton player: various planks, various lunges, various overhead exercises, and more. Think of exercises that are typically done in these positions with a little flare to them since badminton involves holding a racket.

Make It Happen,
Derek

London `12 Olympic Games: Unsung Sport - Canoeing and Kayaking

Originated: 1936 Berlin Games (demo sport in 1924 Paris O-Games); wherever there was water and a paddle back in the day. American Indians used them a lot to travel.
Where Popular: Wherever there is water and canoe and kayak accessibility.
Best Athletes: For the kayak - Rene Holten Poulsen (Denmark - men), Edward McKeever (Great Britain- men); Spela Ponomarkenko (Slovakia - women), Henriette Engel Hansen (Denmark- women), Marta Walczykiewicz (Poland - women). For the canoe - Andriy Kraytor (Azerbaijan - men) and Mark Oldershaw (Canada - men)
Best Teams: Former Soviet Union, Germany, Hungary at least in the past. European dominated. 
Recent Champions: Germany, Russia, Canada.
Interesting Tidbit: 85 nations have fielded a canoe/kayak team since the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.

Have you ever canoed or kayaked before? Did you know that canoeing is most likely more difficult than kayaking minus the rapids. Endurance, and strength are two things that are necessary for both of these boats. Having to navigate through goals or posts set up while rapids provide resistance. An athlete needs core stability, upper body strength, reactive agility, quick reflexes, the ability to change direction using a device, flexible, and get this...he or she needs to be lightweight. Yes, lightweight.

It is an exciting sport to watch, and most likely an exciting one in which to participate. Could a non-athlete perform canoe and kayak drills in the gym? Sure! Why not use the body bar for something other than wasteful curls and other less functional exercises. Why not use a core bar hooked to the cable machine? But, the body bar is a big favorite for this sport.

Whether the event or boat is in rough water or flat water, this sport is something to recognize.

Olympic dreams,
Derek