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