Strength Wars

If you have not seen the YouTube battles, then you are missing out.


They are so exciting!

I stumbled across "Strength Wars" and watched to exhilarating battles. But, the most intriguing one occurred with The Powerlifter versus Street Workout Athlete. It is going to be difficult for me to hide who won. I will just say that the winning athlete basically had two of the three exercises or drills work in his favor. They were more functional for what he normally does as a workout routine. The other athlete had a musculature that agreed with the exercises, but the functional training was not up his alley.

All in all, the exercises, the coaching, the adrenaline was fair in this contest. I'm not quite sure the position of the bell was fair. But, you can be the judge. I gave it a tie. This battle of strength and others are just one exciting way to see the potential of human performance. Functional training is important as is being overall fit to cross-exercise or dabble in to the domain of another form of working out.

Here is the exciting battle: Strength Wars

With heart,
Derek

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

Adapting To Change

Everyone endures change. Many want change. Many do not want to accept it. Believe me...I know it is very difficult. This year, 2016, has been filled with change. Shifts. Re-adjustments and re-directions. TEEM is unique because wherever I live, it goes. The end of January 2016 marked my official move from Cambridge, MA to the Washington, DC area. From a home made back to home grown. Regular font = feelings back in January. Italicize = current feelings. Fitness hits many aspects in life.

One week in to my new location, and it feels shocking.
(Seven weeks in as a new resident of Northern Virginia and things are different. Trying to find my niche.)

Many people have said it will be fine.
(It will. But, I need support on having to start all over again.)

I believe it will be fine.
(With active patience, I ask...When?)

But, when you get out of your regular routine of exercising, bike commuting, having full-time work, and grinding on a daily basis in an accessible and familiar area...the change is very difficult.
(Cambridge was great! I even learned my way around the Greater Boston Area pretty well. Juggling full-time work in public health and work with TEEM worked. I adapted very well to an area in which I did not grow up.)

At times, I feel like I am doing something that I do not want to do but have to do because I need to accomplish the feat.
(I found my purpose in Cambridge and in Boston. I will have to find my purpose again in the DC area. It has been ten years since I lived here. I am a different person seasoned with experiences that could possibly make TEEM grow among other relationships.)

Dealing with TEEM in the Boston area was great. Personally, I achieved goals that I never achieved while working in a gym, having valued long-term clients with the possibility of getting other valued long-term clients. TEEM is built to establish relationships with clients. That value is a large part of the success. Moving back to the Washington, DC area does not mean the end of the organization. But, it may take some time to get back to the status established in New England. The good news is that to all of you who participated in training sessions in the Boston area...thank you! Thank you very, very, very much! Even though weekly training sessions have come to end, training is not over. I do not know what the future holds.
(Um, just keep smiling.)


With heart,
Derek

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

2016: New Beginnings. New Organization

Sometimes, you have to re-arrange your home in order to put yourself in an optimal position to get results. Do it at the beginning of 2016:

1) Kitchen – Do you cook? Put your spices lower. Emphasizes squatting. Muscles worked = glutes, quads, hamstrings. Skilled worked = isometric holding and weight shifting as you reach to find favorite spices.

2) Bedroom – Do you like TV? Cool. Take it out of the room for the time being. See how your behavior adjusts. You will have to walk to see it now instead of rolling over and clicking the remote. Emphasizes good sleep patterns. Muscles worked = all. Skill worked = discipline. Yes, it’s a skill.

3) Bathroom – You do wash your hands after using the bathroom right? OK, phew! Place a paper towel roll drying rack on the floor. Similar to the spice rack, re-organization and squatting are emphasized. Muscles worked = glutes, quads, hamstrings. Skilled worked = movement control depending on where the rack is located.

 * For all of these keep in mind safety and room design – not all rooms are identical.

With heart,

Derek

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

❓What, Why, How

In every aspect of life it is important to know the effects of the "what" in conjunction with the "why" and the "how".

Here's an easy one to understand:

What - Exercise

Why - To feel good, to gain strength, to avoid certain ailment, and many more "whys"

How - Set a schedule, walk, bike, swim, work your surroundings to your physical advantage, and many more "hows"

A more difficult one:

What - Motivation

Why - To achieve goals and results, to progress, to make ends meet, and many more "whys"

How - Read motivational quotes or scriptures, get an accountability partner, quiet all distractions, and many more "hows".

This topic can go and on, but you only need a few more sentences. In the upcoming new year, 2016, remember your "whats", "whys", and "hows". Life is short. Challenges are difficult. Good support systems and understanding support systems are strong and prosperous.

Happy New Year!

With heart,

Derek

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

A Good Heart Breeds A Good Heart

(Conscience definition)
A good heart...
Is one that gives without regret, jealousy, envy, or deceit. It helps others develop a possession toward their goals. It is empowering.

(Physical fitness and activity definition)
A good heart...
Is one that is durable and welcomes physical repetition. It is strong enough to adapt to different stressors in an environment, especially in performing physical activity. It works well with other body systems. It is energizing.

Two reciprocal definitions. A good heart breeds many positive things no matter how you perceive a good heart. A good heart will benefit the holder (of the heart), the receiver (of the good heart), and put in to position a stage for a good relationship with another individual (i.e., giving to someone of lower income, saying thank you) or with another form of activity (i.e., improving from junior varsity to varsity, starter to all-star).

The above post was first written a few months ago with some recent edits. Now, with December 2015 rolling in and with Christmas nearing, every good heart works consciously and physically to make immediate and distant environments better.

Consciously, how do you heart during this time of year? How will you continue it in 2016?

Physically, how do you heart during this time of year? How will you fulfill your physical goals in 2016?

With heart,
Derek

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

Brazilians May Make Good Ice Hockey Players

The footwork. The speed. The agility. The precision. The skills.

Highly skilled soccer players would make good ice hockey players if they were shown the basics and receive power skating practices. Sure!

Brazilians would make some pretty good ice hockey players based on their futbol prowess. The transition to ice hockey from futbol is on point. The balance. The footwork. The precision. The skills. They are all present. The major difference is between the grass and ice and using sticks versus using feet.

Skate to stick puck control on the ice is akin to skilled dribbling in futbol.

For speed - did you see the Brazil vs. USA game? No? Here are some highlghts. Just check out the burst of speed from the Brazilians. It is similar to acceleration in ice hockey transitions.

The ball-handling skills - good footwork with ball or puck control go hand-in-hand. When they are synchronized, it is very difficult to steal the ball or puck away.

Balance - futbol players need a lot of balance as do ice hockey players. Having played both sports (ice hockey at a higher level), muscles actions, namely the sartorius, gluteal muscles (especially the gluteus medius), gracilis, hip adductors, and hip abductors get in a lot of play in both sports.

With heart,
Derek

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

Energized Breakfast Bowl

Breakfast Bread Bowl // Tasty
Posted by BuzzFeed Food on Thursday, August 13, 2015

Summer is still alive and kicking as it always is until the fall season arrives. The major difference is that so many new things occur during this special 'New Year's' in September that people can feel overwhelmed. Children, teenagers, and adults return to school for the first half of the school season. The eating season is about kick off with the advent of apple picking. Social clubs begin. High school and travel sports teams have tournaments and games every weekend. Football. Oh my....football explodes on to the scene at the youth, high school, college, and professional levels.

So, with everything occurring, why would you need to get energized?

Because everything is draining!

Really, it's not that difficult to understand. September is the beginning of the season where everyone says they are busy. Well, control your busyness now (hopefully, you began sooner). What you can control now by adopting more energy how ever you get more energy (i.e., via food, exercise, rest, and prayer/meditation), you can control later. Get a handle.

Enjoy the BuzzFeed video because that breakfast bread bowl looks good and is packed with a lot of energy!

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teemtpt.com       TEEM Performance Training