Nuf Said

Theresa Plunkett is my savior

thanks so much for the coffee this morning after my alarm malfunction.  You are my hero.

Visit From Fellow Affiliate Owners

Mike and Lynne from Valley Crossfit were visiting Dayton, and dropped in to see how we do what we do.   Some nice pics of yours truly on their daily blog

Congrats to all my swimmers

congratulations to all the PowerAthlete swimmers that kicked butt this weekend at the Makos Swim Meet. 

Don't Follow Professional Athletes

I just received Laird Hamilton's new book, which documents his thoughts on how to live a productive and balanced life. 

I have huge respect for Mr.Hamilton, his spiritual connection to the water and the earth is truly inspiring, and the holistic way that he lives life is amazing.

When I was first looking for his book, I landed on a few forum sites, where different people where explaining how they were going to start following his way of life and his training, and how it would make them a kick ass _____ (fill in the blank, I saw everything from a better surfer to a better firefighter)

Where we common mortals make the mistake, is that these amazing human beings are the genetically the top one percent of all of us.  Laird could eat coco puffs and watch TV all day, and still be a much better surfer than most people, Michael Phelps could take a year off swimming, and still beat 99 percent of the population of this planet in the 400 IM.

The point that I am making is we should take inspiration from these people, not try and emulate their training or dietary habits.  I read that Michael Phelps ate nothing but pizza in Beijing, and still beat everyone!

The average person doesn't have the genetic make up to withstand their training or dietary habits and still be successful.

Two classic examples, my favorites are the young men that try and follow the "Nebraska football program" or the "Notre Dame football program" or those that find a "super hardcore special forces workout" on the web and try to follow it. 

Trying to excel is fantastic, but realism in the face of injury or other negative turns of events trying to follow such programs, is an indication to re-evaluate the intensity rather than push through the pain with some ideas of grandeur.

Gaining Weight

Football is finally over, my boys have done we, and we are back to the same questions, "how do I gain weight for next season?"

To anyone over the age of 35, this question seems silly, as weight gain seems to be what you are fighting, but to a teenage boy, who has a metabolism in over drive, it is a serious problem.

First of all junk food will do the job, but not in a positive way.  You will gain weight but not a the right kind.  Anytime you eat more, the weight you gain will be both muscle and fat, what is important is what percentage of fat and muscle you gain.

In order to keep the amount of muscle gained as the higher percentage of total weight gained, I suggest to my athletes that they stick to as much natural food as possible, and avoid processed foods the majority of the time.

The benefits of natural foods is they have natural controls built in, to control absorption of calories at a steady rate, high amounts of fiber help significantly.  Fiber is most prevalently found in natural foods, and not very often in processed foods.

I suggest a diet high in protein and good sources of fat, combined with high fiber carbohydrate sources, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and of course all the fruit and vegetables you can eat. 

Good sources of fats would be from nuts, as in natural peanut butter, or cooking oils such as olive oil.

High protein is from any meat source, or eggs or milk (preferably whole, vitamin D milk)

A sample day would look like this:

• whole grain cereal with whole milk
• scrabbled eggs (whole eggs not egg whites)
• fruit (apple, orange, banana, etc)

 

• apple or banana with ample peanut butter 

 

• whole wheat bread lunch meat sandwiches with cheese
• whole milk
• fruit and ample peanut butter

 

• mixed nut and dried fruit

 

• meat  large portion
• whole wheat pasta or brown rice
• ample vegetables

 

• ice cream and fruit smoothie

Max Plunkett most improved

After one year with Power Enterprises, Max Plunkett won the most improved senior award for his state winning football team.  See what Power Enterprises can do for you.......

Congrats again Max Plunkett and the Alter Knights for their State Championship win.

This is a picture of Max Plunkett, Senior Offensive lineman at Alter High School.  Max barely played last year.  He came to see us at the end of last summer, looking for the extra push to jump start his football aspirations.  This year, with lots of work at Power Athlete, and lots of constructive encouragement from his coaching staff, Max had a starting position on the offensive line of a State Championship Winning Football team.

This is a story of perseverance, fantastic coaches, and a true team of brothers.

If you have these kinds of aspirations, come see us at Power Athlete, you won't be disappointed.

Kettering Alter Wins State Championship

Congrats to Alter football with their win tonight.  Great athletic leadership with the athletic director Chris Hart, all the Coaching Staff, and of course parents.

Congrats to everyone.

Alter Knights Football Goes to war!

The Archbishop Alter Football team goes to war in the Division 4 state finals against Stubenville this Friday.

The boys have played some very impressive football this year, but what is most impressive to me is their mental poise.

After having to forfeit 2 games due to a rules oversight, they could have fallen apart mentally, and cried foul.  Instead this outstanding group of young men, and their coaches rallied their resolve and went after the stars.

I work with a number of players from  this years team, and I am very proud of them, but I am also very proud to be in anyway associated with a program that teaches kids to succeed through hard times.

Coach Ed Domsitz and his staff should be applauded for their life changing skills with these young men.

Visitor From Crossfit Verve

We had our first traveling crossfitter this week, Amy from Crossfit Verve in Colorado.  We exposed her to our version of crossfit, she took what we showed her and posted it to her coaches at home.  It was a great experience meeting Amy, an obviously well coached athlete.

This is what I love about Crossfit, it is all about the open source method of performance improvement, thousands of minds and ideas coming together to improve the system using the basic laws of exercise physiology set forth in the crossfit method.

We endeavor to become fitter in all the 10 elements of fitness, what ever way works, not just which ever ways are popular.

Wiener Deadlifts

I have had this since halloween, but have just got off my lazy butt to get it off the camcorder.  This is Ty B. who in passing told me he had a hotdog costume for halloween, we couldn't pass that up.

Post workout Recovery

I have told my athletes for along time that the commercial protein powders are second rate compared to the source of nutrition found in whole milk. 

British researchers recently found that "The protein and carbohydrates in milk appear to inhibit muscle-protein breakdown, and may also reduce inflammation.  This leads to quicker recovery.

A focused mom.

this video I found very interesting.  The kid is obviously phenomenal, but the most amazing thing about it is that mom is much more focused on his education.   Very refreshing

Which movement is more useful for athletic endeavors?

Not everyone that reads this blog is a coach or exercise Nazi,  but it doesn't take a genius to see how misguided our athletes have been when selecting exercises to improve athletic performance.  For example, pick which one looks the most athletic:

or this one, my favorite exercise to blame for athletic injury.

we ask our athletes to perform explosively on the field with their whole bodies, and then train them with exercises that support most of their bodies while they perform them. 

I guarantee you that an athlete that can perform a 210# thruster, as is shown in the first video, can do a 210# bench press, but not necessarily the other way around.

Congrats Kelly W. and the Alter Vasity Volleyball

Nice Job Girls with your win over Tippecanoe, keep it up!

the video to go along with swimmer gymnastics

It is a mobile phone video, but you get the idea of the movement and how powerful such movements can be to the sport of swimming

I have now seen it all

this is from a Hawaiian website, they are crispy creme bacon cheese burgers.

Action Shot, Sandy P

Paleo Diet Redux

this is the simplest explanation of the paleo diet I have ever found.

http://www.tbkfitness.org/TBKdiet.html

Crossfit Trains the complete athlete

I have preached in blog posts earlier that crossfit trains all athletes to be better athletes, not just better basketball players, soccer players, SWAT team or special ops team members, but better athletes.  This video is a prime example of that

Click Picture to see video of this amazing feat of varied athletic ability.

Swimmer Gymnastics

We are using some gymnastic movements to improve the water awareness/balance/position of our swimmers.  Here is Aaron B, working on an inverted position on the rings

Technorati Tags: swimming,conditioning,gymnastics rings,raiders

 

Athletes at work

The mental benefits of non specialization

I just read the summary of the interview Crossfit radio had with Strength Coach Mike Boyle, who up to this point I have had great respect for.

Mike Boyle's work, along with other prominent strength coaches, I was taught in college, is the only way to produce increased performance in athletes.

As I own a crossfit affiliate, it should be obvious that I have gone in a different direction.  The one factor that was consistently missing with the athletes that I trained in this manner, was a total lack of perseverance, and mental toughness. 

When one walks into a conditioning facility, regardless of the level of athletics, and you already know each set will be fully rested, perfectly timed and laid out, it doesn't take much mental fortitude to persevere.  

On the other hand, if you are a little scared at the prospect of what is coming from a workout, you have to "man-up" to walk in the room.

Now other strength coaches, Mr. Boyle included will probably read this and cry foul.  What about periodization, what about tapering of endurance athletes/swimmers?

I would say to that, to all but the absolute cream of the crop athletes will any of those things matter.  I have had the honor of working with a number of very good athletes, maybe not the cream of the crop, but some very good athletes at the college and Olympic levels.  For them, I would say a little more mental toughness was and is, the limiting factor to their continued success.

We have gone from irresponsibly over training our athletes, to severely under-training them, especially concerning the mental aspects of athletics.

I believe the multi faceted variance of Crossfit allows for this mental training, as well as kick ass total athletic development regardless of sport, in a responsible manner.

Why Grains, Potatoes and Beans are Poison

Great post that answers all the questions I get about food choices and the modern diet.  If you are sick a lot, you may look to your diet as a cause.

 

Grains, Beans and Potatoes, more trouble then they are worth.

very interesting reading on good health and nutrition

Human Mistakes

 

bodies built on hunting and gathering

-courtesy of crossfit balboa

Amazing article on Human Potential

An interesting look at what makes us push our boundaries

http://barefootfts.com/blog/Human+Potential/

words to live by, this is how we live at power enterprises inc.

World-Class Fitness in 100 Words

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

from crossfit.com

Starting the zone diet?

Here is a good resource page for those looking to start zoning.

http://zoneperfect.com/nutrition.aspx

Great for Analysis of the Olympic lifts

Olympic lifts are my love and my hate.  Love to watch them, never really feel comfortable doing them, but we practice anyway, practice makes perfect

Technorati Tags: olympic lifts,snatch,clean,RDL,olymic training center

 

God Bless America. Never Forget.

To all the families of 9/11 victims we say a silent prayer for you today. 

Running and Reading

Here is an interesting video of the prospective of a very successful person on over coming adversity and advancing yourself.

 

Congratulations Matt Enouen

Technorati Tags: Matt Enouen,alter football,archbishop alter

why you shouldn't be a smart ass........

dietary advice, all or nothing

I had a conversation with a client today about dietary ideas, and I came to 2 points.

first of all you can't go into changing your lifestyle half way.  You can't half way quit smoking, doing drugs, or anything else you know for sure  is going to kill you. 

Eating poorly and acting like you are doing a good job will still kill you, even if you convince yourself otherwise.  Eating well Monday through Thursday, and eating every piece of crap you can find from that point on......will still kill you, and make you soft and pillowy, just a little slower.

Stop trying to fool yourself and blame everything and everybody around you, and make the commitment.  Full time

Please I implore you....read this and live by it.

ZONE DIET
* Eat at last three meals and two snacks a day to stay within the "zone" where you are not hungry and have a clear mental focus.
* Divide your plate into three equal sections. One-third should be enough low-fat protein to fit in the palm of your hand, and two-thirds should be fruits and vegetables, with a dash of fat such as olive oil.
* Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and fruits.
* Eat less pasta, breads, grains and starches.
* Aim to get calories from protein 30 per cent, fat 30 per cent, carbohydrates 40 per cent.

for all those with excuses not to workout today....

Football Players leave us for the college year

This is the week that the college football players leave us to go to their colleges.  This year has seen an average of 150 pound increase in the back squat 100 pound front squat increase, and 125 pound deadlift increase.  Military presses have doubled, snatches and cleans too.  All in all a successful summer.  Good luck and a good year at school fellas!

On the topic of diet.....

I read an incredible thought process about the use of carbohydrate in the American diet.  As many of us don't do extended manual labor in our day, we should use grain or potato carbs as an accent or condiment rather than a main stay of the dinner plate.  These rules should obviously be relaxed for competitive endurance athletes, but vegetables and low glycemic index fruits should be the majority of the carbohydrate make up of our diet for optimum body composition and health.

zone calculator

for those looking for even energy levels all day, lower body fat, and higher lean muscle mass, you know, everyone, he is where to start.

 

zone calculator

I thought this was funny as hell

remember to eat your fruit and veggies.....

 

Happy Birthday Evan Johnson

Happy Birthday, and great job on the 535 squat.  Evan has made great strides this summer with a 500+ deadlift and squat, as well as great improvement in snatch, clean and push press.  Evan is an Arch Bishop Alter High School Grad, and is playing football at Brown University in the Fall.

Understanding your blood test results

I just found this very interesting site for all of those that have had blood work done, and are trying to understand the results.

http://www.amarillomed.com/howto.htm

Keeping a diet journal/diary can be a powerful tool

check out this article about the power of writing it down.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080708/hl_nm/diet_diary_dc

Work Harder To Succeed.

Hard work works

For about the nine hundredth time I recently read an article about a new top secret rep scheme that is guaranteed to increase your lifts 600%.  The truth of the matter is that there are some simple truths to fitness and athletic performance, and they are as follows:

1.  everything works for a while.  Everything will improve your performance for some period of time, then you will adapt to it

2. Hard work beats all.  If the exercise is hard, brutally hard, you are going to improve.  Pushing the stimulus boundaries of your body, will make it change and improve

3.  If you aren't a little scared of the program, write a new one.  This one follows the one above, if you go into your workouts calm and collected, and you don't have to convince yourself you really should be doing this, it isn't hard enough to make changes in your body or how it moves.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Girls of Alter High chalk up!

Alter Alumni  Louise V. squatted deadlifted 235, Megan S squatted 180, Sandy P, a junior, squatted 160, Ali M made a great showing at a 145.  All have made significant improvement.

Great Week for the Ladies

Megan S box squatted 180 x 3, Mary B box squatted 135 x 1 and Louise V. deadlifted 225 x 1, all three under 150 body weight!  Didn't have my video camera, but I will get video from here on out. 

Just can't workout today, just too tired?

check out this little boy, what an inspiration.  If you can watch this video, and still not get your butt off the couch....something is seriously wrong with you.

 

Great Week of Football Strength

My boys from the area football teams are starting to put some great numbers up in the major lifts. 

Notables this week are a 485 deadlift from Evan J, a 300 front squat and a 150 military from Matt P (155 pound bodyweight)  Max P put up a 190 military press and Evan N and David K broke the 405 squat barrier. 

Keep up the good work fellas.

Fast like the wind

Took some pics at the gym today.  These show the speed necessary for Olympic lifts to take place with proper execution.  I didn't have the sports setting on the camera turned on, but I think it makes the effect that much more dramatic

 pic 1

pic 2

pic 3

 

Also Mary B. working on her chin ups,  and Ryan S. working the lower body triple extension with the dumbbell jump squats

Nice Squat Matt P.

Matt P. DB for Archbishop Alter High School's football team squatted 350 x 1 at a bodyweight of 154 this morning . Very nice job Matt!

chasing a 5 year old

As many of you know, I have a 5 year old child, Joe, who is a very active child.  we were at the park today, and as an experiment I mimicked him around the playground for an hour.  It was quite an eclectic workout.  Adding variety and new challenges to your program with keep your metabolism guessing and therefore ramped up.

Scholarship Congrats

Congrats to Arch Bishop Alter's Evan Johnson on his  scholarship to Brown University, and Fairmont High School's Evan Wray on his scholarship to Butler University.  Both Are great students and athletes.  We are happy to have them as part of the Power Enterprises family.

Welcome Isaac Michael Manfre

I would like you to meet my son Isaac, all 8.9 pounds and 22 inches of him.  Obviously a very proud dad.

 

Isaac 1

Isaac 2

Isaac 3

Native Eating

This Article is very interesting.  It basically documents how native people in this country, but also documented cases in Australia and South America, have gone back to their native diets, and have seen massive weight loss, Higher energy levels and a decrease in depression and diabetes. 

Congrats to Jenny Forster and the Arizona Swim Team

The Arizona Wildcats are the newly crowned national champion swim team.  Our own Jenny Forster is a contributing member of this team, so I thought I would mention it. 

We can no longer take credit for Ms. Forster's conditioning, as it is obviously handled by the excellent strength and conditioning staff at the University of Arizona, but she is Power Enterprises Inc alumni, so she gets the mention.

Congratulations to our own Sarah Andrews

Our own "little fish" Sarah Andrews got her Olympic Trial Cut time in the 200m bk.  Congratulations to her, her family and the Dayton Raiders Swim Coaching Staff.

Congrats to the Alter Girls Basketball Team

We have had the privilege of being associated with the Alter Girls Basketball team for a number of years now.  We wanted to wish them luck in the Ohio Girls Basketball State Finals, this Saturday March 8th in Columbus. 

We were mentioned in the local Dayton Daily News in an article, third paragraph.  This is the link to the article about the very talented Ms. Waterman

Waterman Article

Toughest Bird I have ever seen

It not that this bird swam to shore, its that the damn thing never dropped the fish.  Keep your eye on the prize!

Interesting Research

Two points of interest for the men who think that a little ride on the exercise bike while reading the paper, and never breathing hard is doing the job.

1.  out of shape (read: men that never do any high intensity exercise) are 100 times more likely to die while shoveling snow or sprinting for the bus than those who are in shape.

 

2.  scientists found that sedentary middle aged men who took up exercising saw a quantum leap in their libidos

 

Just some things to think about.

Congrats Eric Limkemann

Our resident triathlete and shark's swim coach Eric Limkemann has won US Triathlon Association Rookie of the Year.  Continued success Eric.