Last weekend I got pretty Rowdy on my Mountain Bike and ended up getting injured. The injury sent me to the Emergency Room where the (not so gentle) nurses had to scrub and scrape all the foreign bodies out of my wounds. After this fun experience, the first thing they Did was give me a shot of antibiotics and a vial of them to go home with. While I do want to keep the bad bacteria out of my wounds, I also know that antibiotics can absolutely decimate your GUT BACTERIA. So… Ive been passing on the meds.
260420 "5 Kettlebell Exercises That Will Make YOU a Better Athlete"
Kettlebells are uniquely Russian. The geometrically simplicstic and rudimentary tools were adopted over 300 years ago by Russian Strongmen who wanted to build absolute strength. Originally used as weights for feed and grain sales, the tool has become one of the most important tools in training. Today, we swing them, press them, throw them, and carry them in hopes of tapping into our strongest self. My passion for this tool is clearly displayed in the Tough Mudder bootcamp Methodology, where we do a lot more with them than the average gym. I wanted to give you some exercises that are staples in my training and can help you break out of the monotony and into real athleticism. So grab your Bell and lets play fitness!
091219 "Give the Gift of Fitness; My Top 4 Gifts for the Christmas"
Santa is on his way and hopefully you've been a good boy or girl this year. With the arrival of the Holiday season it's time to do some serious wish list making. Now, you can go with the boring old jewelry or bathrobe… but why not think bigger and better. Living a life where Health and Wellness take center stage is more fulfilling and so are the gifts and gadgets that come with it. I've got 4 of the best fitness related items to either gift a loved one this holiday season or to put on your list.
071019 "Heart Rate Monitors; Fact or Fiction
Data Driven Performance testing is no new thing in fitness. From High School weight rooms to the Olympic Fields, we look to measure performance. As a Sports Science Student there are a number of variables that I can point to; from blood markers, muscle biopsies, and the most prevalent... Heart Rate Variability. Monitoring your heart rate has always been the gold standard for cardiovascular fitness assessment and training programs.
220719 "3 Things you didn't know about Training In the HEAT"
New York is great in the Summer. Unlike the Winter time everyone has smiles on their faces. Even on the hottest day in the gym, I love that New Yorkers take it in stride. And, just like Winter Time, New York weather is extreme. Mid nineties on the thermometer with 60-75% humidity can literally make your skin burn. Im not joking when I say its hot. So what are the limits of our training when it gets this hot outside? When is training in the heat too much. I have dug around and found some surprising things about High Heat Training that might surprise you.
150719 "5 Shoulder Stretches that will change your life."
I have studied countless athletes over the years. When they walk into the gym the first 2 things I look at is how their feet are positioned when standing and how they hold their shoulders. In 5 minutes of a consultation I can usually have a pretty good understanding of their athletic ability and a snapshot of their past. The shoulders play a huge role in our health and it is imperative to keep them flexible and strong. As we spend more and more time in front of our computers, there is a tragic postural change that is happening which is hurting our ability to perform even the most mundane of physical tasks.
060519 "Are you Peaking? The 'WHY' behind Seasonal Training"
What do you think your favorite sports stars are doing when they are not in season? Are they laying on a beach soaking up the sun? (Probably at some point) Are they buying expensive shit and dodging Paparazzi? (Most certainly). No matter what, I damn sure am certain that they are not playing their sport! This is because the ravages of professional athletics take a toll on the body and the last thing that needs to happen is more of the same.
210119 "What is Savoring?"
I am fully guilt of seeking pleasure at all times. Feelings of malcontent consume me when I am static for too long or I feel like there is not enough energy flowing through my life. This psychological malady is what drives addiction. The constant drive for more ‘quantity’ in life experiences and not enough reflection in the ‘quality’ of what I have achieved. In our self serving social media driven world, this is becoming more and more prevalent. In an effort to kick the habit and to develop a more consciously driven life, neuroscientists and psychologists have developed a simple therapy of ‘Savoring’ that is having some great effects.
140119 " How and when to use Caffeine to Boost your Training "
In 2004 the Olympic governing Body took caffeine off the banned substances list. This supplement and naturally occurring component of some foods, finally got buy off at the highest level. Caffeine is the most studied performance substance that we take as athletes. The history of use in athletics has a long lineage, going back over a hundred years ago. But Im not here to give you a History lesson. I want to help you with your training TODAY! Caffeine supplementation in your diet is truly a science so read on to see how to maximize its benefits.
151018 "Sprint Training, The Secret Sauce behind the Science"
The next Exposure cycle will feature strength biasing and if you have followed me through the years that means we hit the pavement… fast. Sprinting is part of my fall exposure cycle because of its benefits from strength and coordination. As much as we love to clang and bang all winter, there is some serious neurological-muscular development that needs to happen that will keep us adapting as optimal human beings. But there is a reason why you dont like to sprint… it Frickin hurts! To level up as an athlete you need to understand that there is a big difference between running fast and sprinting. Lets dive in.
170918"3 Key Reasons why your Heart is a Special Muscle"
I can’t help but trip out on the Beating of my Heart. Like all Scientists I like to hypothesize, test, and qualify my findings. With my heart, there are all kinds of stimulations I produce which allow me to dive in on the quality of my beats, quantity of the beats and so many questions about how and why my heart is the way it is. This incredible muscle is sometimes underreported on in Sport because we focus often times on skeletal muscle and its value to producing work for our achievement. Your HEART Muscle is different and really special. What are its needs? How can I boost its performance? Lets take a look under the hood and check out some reasons why???
100918 "Are you afraid of dying, or afraid you haven't lived enough?"
Put your Protein Shake down, stop instagramming your favorite cross fitter and listen up... Some day you are going to die. Thats right, I said it; some day the breath will leave your lungs, your heart will stop beating, your consciousness (as we know it, respective to your education and spirituality) will cease and your body will begin its process of reverting into the same materials from which it was created. This description MAY have startled you, you may have a sinking feeling in your stomach, you may have FEAR. But as humans focused on the transcendence of body and spirit (otherwise known as Athletes) we must not settle with a feeling but rather deduce the cause of the FEAR, and really pinpoint why we view our eventual demise with such trepidation?
270818 "Unilateral Work!... What are we into Now Coach?"
Imagine You are flying 30,000 feet over my programming Template for a year. We are cruising, sipping cocktails and watching a Badass Tom Cruise Movie when we come into late Summer/ Fall. The Muscular Endurance that we strive for has been met, so the long Summer hikes, trail Runs and Mountain Biking Sessions can be dominated. We have built stability and capacity out of our primary movers like the Glutes, hamstring and Quads... But Now its time to get deeper, develop an inner strength that will not only round out your strength but can get you the top end speed you want.... its time for ADDUCTION.
070518" Hey Coach! Whats up with all the skill work?"
Are you savvy with the term 'being plastic'? This malleable substance is used to shape, bend, and form to anything that is asked of it. The goal of a a thoughtful yearly program design is to maintain plasticity throughout your meso cycles of Hypertrophy (muscle growth) as well as optimizing your Central Nervous System adaptations and recovery. To achieve the desired plasticity I have employed scientifically based formulas for building, peaking and tapering through the seasons. All focusing on intensity, load, and recovery.
050318 "4 ways to increase Fat Burning on a Ketogenic Diet"
Living in the Ketone zone is much more than just restricting your carbohydrate intake and crossing your fingers. Ketosis, the bodys ability to burn fat as energy, can help you achieve goals from decreased inflammation to fighting cancer but for many its about shedding weight. The process can be tough both mentally and physically. The high rate of failure in implementing a Ketone Lifestyle is because the recipe is not as simple as many people try and make it. Today we are going to focus on key ways to help you keep your sanity and burn fat at the same time . Goals are certainly achievable, dedication to the process is necessary, but using the following pro tips will speed up your results without halting your performance.
120218 "3 Reasons why the Olympics are good for Humanity"
Every 2 years we get a glimpse into something uniquely Human, Sport and Competition. The Olympic Games are undoubtedly the greatest sports event on the planet. Athletes and Nations emerge from the secret training centers and obscure competitive environments, thrust into the worlds living rooms. For a brief while we get to engross ourselves with the struggle and triumph of the human experience, coming away with a deeper understanding of ourselves and our neighbors.