Name: Total Body Works Personal Training
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If you’ve ever stood on a vibration plate and felt like your whole body was being shaken into action, you’re not imagining things. Vibration plate training—also called whole-body vibration (WBV)—has been gaining attention not just for its convenience and versatility, but also for its effects on hormones, particularly growth hormone (GH).

But what does a machine that vibrates have to do with a powerful anabolic hormone like GH? Let’s break it down.

What Is Growth Hormone and Why Does It Matter?

Growth hormone, or human growth hormone (HGH), is produced by the pituitary gland and plays a vital role in:

While it peaks during adolescence, GH continues to support overall health and fitness well into adulthood. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts are particularly interested in boosting natural GH levels to enhance performance, recovery, and body composition.

Enter the Vibration Plate

A vibration plate is a machine that oscillates rapidly, creating mechanical stimuli that are transmitted through the body. These vibrations activate muscles reflexively—up to 30–50 times per second—forcing your body to work harder to stabilize itself.

You might be thinking: “Okay, cool… but what does this have to do with hormones?”

Vibration Training and Growth Hormone: What the Science Says

Several studies have shown that vibration training can increase the natural secretion of growth hormone. Here’s how:

How to Maximize Growth Hormone with Vibration Plate Training

Want to use vibration training to stimulate growth hormone naturally? Try these tips:

Bonus Benefits

Final Thoughts

While a vibration plate isn’t a magic machine, it can be a powerful tool—especially when combined with smart training and recovery strategies. If you’re looking to naturally enhance your growth hormone levels, improve muscle tone, and get a little more bang for your workout buck, whole-body vibration could be worth the shake-up

Are you ready to try vibration training? Want to notice a difference in recovery or strength? Call us now to schedule!

Whether you’re gearing up for a light jog, a high-intensity workout, or a weightlifting session, the
importance of warming up cannot be overstated. A proper warm-up is an essential component
of any exercise routine, laying the groundwork for a more effective, safer, and enjoyable
workout. In this blog, we’ll dive into why warm-ups are crucial, the benefits they offer, and how
to properly incorporate them into your fitness regimen.

What Is a Warm-Up?
A warm-up consists of low-intensity exercises or movements that gradually prepare the body for
more strenuous activity. The goal of a warm-up is to increase the body’s core temperature,
boost blood flow to muscles, and enhance joint mobility. It’s typically performed before engaging
in more intense physical activity and can vary depending on the type of exercise you’re planning
to do.

Injury Prevention
One of the primary reasons to incorporate a warm-up into your exercise routine is to reduce the
risk of injury. Cold muscles are stiff and more prone to strains, tears, and sprains. Warming up
increases the elasticity of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, making them more flexible and
resilient. This is especially important for activities involving quick movements or heavy lifting,
where the risk of injury is higher without proper preparation.

Improved Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery
A warm-up boosts circulation by increasing your heart rate, which leads to better blood flow
throughout the body. With more blood circulating, oxygen and nutrients are delivered more
efficiently to your muscles, enhancing their performance. This ensures that your body is better
equipped to handle the demands of your workout, whether you’re running, lifting weights, or
performing high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Enhanced Muscle Performance
Warming up activates and engages the muscles you plan to use during your workout. When
muscles are warmed up, they contract and relax more efficiently, allowing you to perform at a
higher level. For example, a dynamic warm-up that mimics the movements of your
workout—such as bodyweight squats or lunges before a leg day—can increase muscle
strength, endurance, and coordination.

Increased Joint Mobility
Many warm-up exercises involve movements that help lubricate the joints, which reduces
stiffness and enhances range of motion. This is crucial for activities like weightlifting, running, or
sports where joint mobility is vital. Proper warm-ups ensure that your joints are flexible and
better prepared for the full range of motion required in certain exercises, reducing the likelihood
of strains or joint-related injuries.

Mental Preparation
Warming up isn’t just for your body—it’s also important for your mind. A proper warm-up gives
you time to focus, clear your mind, and mentally prepare for your workout. This period of
preparation can help you shift your attention to your performance goals, improve your focus,
and boost your overall motivation.

Better Flexibility and Range of Motion
Dynamic stretching, a key part of the warm-up process, helps improve flexibility by gently
stretching muscles through movement rather than holding them in a static stretch. This type of
stretching also improves joint range of motion, helping you move more freely during your
workout. Over time, regular dynamic warm-ups can even enhance your flexibility in the long run.

Start Slow and Gradually Increase Intensity: Begin with light aerobic activity to gradually raise
your heart rate. This could include a brisk walk, light jog, or gentle cycling. The idea is to
gradually increase your body temperature without tiring yourself out.

Incorporate Dynamic Movements: After your light cardio, include dynamic stretches that
mimic the movements you’ll perform in your workout. For example, if you’re preparing for a leg
workout, do leg swings, walking lunges, or hip circles to loosen up your hip flexors and legs.

Focus on Areas That Will Be Used: Pay extra attention to the muscles and joints that will be
most active during your exercise. If you’re about to go for a run, focus on stretching your calves,
hamstrings, and quads. If you’re lifting weights, warm up your shoulders, wrists, and core.

Don’t Rush the Warm-Up: A good warm-up should last about 5-10 minutes. It’s not just a
quick checkmark on your to-do list—it’s an important step to prepare both your body and mind.
Take your time to ensure you properly increase your body temperature and activate your
muscles.

Creatine is a supplement that many people seem to be curious about but just do not
know enough about it to feel confident adding it into their diet. So let us dive into what
Creatine is and how it can be beneficial and what information to be aware of with it!enough of it.

Creatine is made naturally in our bodies and is found
in our muscles and brain. It is compromised of amino acids (building blocks of proteins).
Creatine helps our body make energy specifically when a lot of power is needed quickly
and at one time. This is done by providing big bursts of energy at a time like sprinting or
heavy lifting. Creatine as a whole is an energy boost for the muscles in our bodies
including that big one in our head, the brain.

Just like with everything we put in our bodies it is important to know the right
amount of Creatine to take. If you take too much it could potentially be harmful. And if
you take too little then obviously you probably aren’t reaping the benefits of it like you
should! So how much should you take in a single day? It is recommended that you take
3-5 grams every day. There are some people who are concerned about if Creatine can
harm your kidneys and liver but that is false! Creatine is here to improve muscle mass,
cognitive function, and cardiovascular fitness.

As stated above Creatine does not harm your liver and kidneys but there are
people who should avoid taking creatine and those are
* People with kidney or liver disease
* Pregnant or breastfeeding women
* Children

Research is limited on the affects of creatine when it comes to women who are
pregnant or breastfeeding and or children.

There are quite of few benefits of implementing creatine into your daily routine.
Some of those include enhanced athletic performance, increased muscle mass,
increased cognitive function, improved cardiovascular fitness, and has potential in
therapeutic applications.

Creatine enhances athletic performance through high intensity but short duration
activities. It increases strength and power output. Improves sprint performance and
enhances muscle recovery between intense exercise bouts. It does this by making more
ATP (energy cells).
This supplement also increases muscle mass. It helps older adults combat age
related muscle loss. And it also helps the body retain and hold more water while
absorbing more protein. Appropriate water retention and protein absorption helps
increase those big muscles in our bodies!

Next is the increase in cognitive function! Creatine helps immensely in our brain
health. It helps improve

This supplement gives the brain cells more energy and protects the brain from
harm while increasing those energy making chemicals again. This is typically seen more
in older adults between he ages of 66 to 76 or those with certain diseases. It can also
affect those who are under metabolic distress, such as people who are on vegetarian or
vegan diets.

Creatine also helps improve cardiovascular fitness, which has been shown to
help

It can help the heart work less hard and keep your body cooler during workouts so you
can in turn work harder and longer! While there are more studies being conducted,
there is potential in Creatine helping with therapeutic applications. Such as the benefits
on Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson’s, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

While there are very minimal risks when it comes to taking creatine there are
some side effects that some people can face. Those side effects include minimal weight
gain which can be due to water retention in muscle tissues. Some people have reported
some gastrointestinal issues like stomach discomfort, nausea, and diarrhea. This can
be due to taking too much creatine at once. It usually is resolved by reducing the
amount to 2- 5grams rather than “loading” the amount. Which means taking an excess
amount to reap more benefits quicker. Lastly, creatine can cause dehydration, again this
is due to the water retention in muscles which may lead to dehydration. So, it is
extremely important if you are or plan on taking creatine every day, make sure you drink
plenty of fluids!

Creatine is an amazing supplement with a lot of benefits when it comes to
athletic performance and overall everyday body function. Many people think that only
athletes can take creatine but as we stated above there are many benefits to taking it
for everyone, especially older adults. So do yourself a favor and add it in and get a
better functioning body!

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the human body, yet it often flies under the
radar when people think about essential nutrients. Despite its understated profile, magnesium
plays a pivotal role in various bodily functions, including muscle function, energy production, and
the maintenance of a healthy heart. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of
magnesium, its benefits, and how to ensure you’re getting enough of it.

Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral that is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in
the body. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, with about 60% of it found in
bones, 27% in muscles, and the rest in tissues and fluids. Magnesium is vital for many bodily
functions, including maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, regulating blood sugar
levels, and promoting healthy blood pressure.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium varies by age, sex, and life stage.
For adult women, the RDA is about 310-320 mg per day, and for adult men, it is 400-420 mg per
day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have slightly higher magnesium needs.
Magnesium is found in many foods, particularly plant-based sources. Here are some excellent
dietary sources of magnesium:
* Leafy Green Vegetables: Spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are rich in magnesium.
* Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are excellent
sources.
* Whole Grains: Brown rice, oats, quinoa, and whole wheat are high in magnesium.
* Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are magnesium-rich foods.
* Fish: Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel contain good amounts of magnesium.
* Bananas and Avocados: These fruits provide magnesium and other essential nutrients.

In addition to food, magnesium supplements are available in various forms, including
magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium glycinate. However, it’s always best to
get magnesium from whole food sources if possible.
Signs of Magnesium Deficiency
Magnesium deficiency is relatively common, particularly in individuals with poor dietary habits,
those who suffer from digestive disorders, or those who are chronically stressed. Symptoms of
magnesium deficiency include:
* Muscle cramps or spasms
* Fatigue or weakness
* Nausea or vomiting
* Loss of appetite
* Irregular heart rhythms
* Sleep disturbances
* Anxiety or irritability

Magnesium may not always get the attention it deserves, but its impact on overall health is
undeniable. From supporting muscle function to promoting heart health and regulating blood
sugar levels, magnesium is a cornerstone of good health. By incorporating magnesium-rich
foods into your diet or considering supplementation, if necessary, you can reap the many
benefits this essential mineral offers. Always remember that balance is key—too much
magnesium can also lead to adverse effects, so it’s important to maintain a proper intake level.
If in doubt, seek advice from a healthcare provider to ensure you’re meeting your magnesium
needs.
Whether you’re looking to boost your energy levels, improve your sleep, or support your heart,
magnesium is a mineral that should not be overlooked in your journey toward optimal health.

Inflammation is a natural response by your body’s immune system to injury, infection, or harmful pathogens. While acute inflammation is essential for healing, chronic inflammation is a different story. It can contribute to a range of health problems, from heart disease to diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and even cancer. One of the most overlooked contributors to chronic inflammation is the food we eat.

Some foods can promote inflammation in the body, increasing the risk of these chronic diseases. In this blog, we’ll explore the inflammatory foods to avoid for better health and how making mindful dietary changes can support your body’s fight against long-term inflammation.

What Are Inflammatory Foods?
Inflammatory foods are those that can trigger or worsen inflammation in the body. These foods tend to be high in sugars, unhealthy fats, and processed ingredients. Over time, a diet rich in inflammatory foods can promote the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals, which can damage tissues and organs, leading to chronic conditions.

1. Refined Sugars and Sweets: One of the main culprits of inflammation is refined sugar. Foods like sugary snacks, sodas, and desserts cause a spike in blood sugar levels. This results in the body producing more insulin, which can lead to chronic inflammation. High sugar intake also encourages the release of cytokines, which are inflammatory molecules in the body.

Alternatives: Choose naturally sweet fruits or use small amounts of honey or maple syrup in moderation.

2. Processed Foods: Highly processed foods like fast food, packaged snacks, and frozen meals are often loaded with refined carbs, unhealthy fats, and additives. These foods can trigger inflammatory responses in the body. They also lack essential nutrients that are important for reducing inflammation.

Alternatives: Opt for whole foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins.

3. Trans Fats: Trans fats, commonly found in processed baked goods, margarine, and fried foods, are notorious for causing inflammation. These artificial fats increase LDL (bad) cholesterol and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol, promoting heart disease and inflammation.

Alternatives: Use healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, or nuts in your cooking instead of processed oils.

4. Refined Carbohydrates: White bread, pastries, and pasta made from refined grains can quickly spike blood sugar levels, which in turn causes inflammation. Over time, a diet high in refined carbs can lead to insulin resistance and contribute to conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Alternatives: Choose whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread for better blood sugar control.

5. Fried Foods: Foods that are deep-fried or cooked at high temperatures can lead to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These compounds promote inflammation and increase oxidative stress in the body. Fried foods also contain unhealthy fats that contribute to inflammation.

Alternatives: Opt for grilling, steaming, or baking your food for healthier cooking methods.

6. Red and Processed Meats: Red meats like beef and lamb, as well as processed meats like sausages, bacon, and hot dogs, contain high levels of saturated fats and certain preservatives that are known to trigger inflammation. These meats can increase the levels of inflammatory markers in the body and contribute to chronic conditions such as heart disease.

Alternatives: Choose leaner proteins such as fish, poultry, beans, and plant-based options like tofu and tempeh.

7. Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a range of health problems, including inflammation. Alcohol can irritate the digestive tract and affect the liver, both of which are involved in regulating inflammation in the body. Chronic alcohol use may exacerbate conditions such as arthritis and liver disease.

Alternatives: If you drink, do so in moderation. Herbal teas or sparkling water with a splash of lemon can also be refreshing and anti-inflammatory.

8. Dairy (for some people): While dairy can be an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, it can also cause inflammation in some individuals, especially those who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to casein, a protein found in milk. Inflammatory reactions can vary from digestive discomfort to joint pain.

Alternatives: If dairy is an issue, try plant-based alternatives like almond milk, soy yogurt, or coconut cheese.

Instead of focusing on what to avoid, it’s equally important to highlight what to incorporate into your diet to fight inflammation. Consider adding the following anti-inflammatory foods:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fatty fish like salmon, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, omega-3s are powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

Fruits and Vegetables: Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, these foods, especially dark leafy greens, berries, and cruciferous vegetables, can help fight inflammation.

Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, and seeds are packed with healthy fats and antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.

Herbs and Spices: Turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon are known for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Whole Grains: Brown rice, oats, and quinoa are fiber-rich and can help regulate blood sugar and inflammation levels.

Inflammation is a natural response, but when it becomes chronic, it can contribute to a range of health problems. By being mindful of the foods that promote inflammation and choosing anti-inflammatory alternatives, you can support your body’s health and reduce the risk of chronic conditions. So, instead of focusing solely on what to avoid, embrace a diet filled with whole, nutrient-dense foods that promote healing and well-being. Remember, every meal is an opportunity to nourish your body and reduce inflammation—make it count!

Stress is a common feeling that most of us may have on a day-to-day basis. Stress can be found in many different aspects of our lives. Whether that is, you have a packed schedule without time to breathe, your child is at home sick but you have to still try to work and no one to watch them, or you have a big project due at school and feel like there is just no way you are going to be able to complete it cause you are busy or you don’t even understand it. All these situations can cause stress levels to increase and even small things that just continue to pile up can cause stress. Unfortunately, stress is always there almost every day, but can it be good? Can there be good stress and bad stress? Can our bodies utilize stress level for our benefit? There is some good news in everything!

What is good and bad stress?
Most of the time stress is chalked up to just be a bad thing because it does not usually make us feel good. But there is a difference between good stress and bad stress. The difference is, how long we feel stressed for.

Short term stress is classified right there in the name. Stressors that are short lived. They can be seen as a specific stressor and can cause a fight or flight response. It is typically classified as intense stress, also known as hormesis. And overall can be a part in living longer.

Long term stress does in fact damage our bodies and ultimately leads to the statement “stress kills”. Some of those long-term stressors can be family changes, deaths, births, marriage, divorce, family issues. Along with work life, financial problems, major illness or injuries, and or losing a job, becoming homeless. All of these are major life stressors that if not managed properly can cause some significant health problems.

The Biological and Chemical Parts to Stress and the Unknown
Two components to our stress response system that may only be known as scary or bad are oxidation and free radicals. These two words are not always known to be used as good things. But biologically they can be.

Oxidation is the chemical process in which a substance loses an electron. It is the addition of oxygen or removal of hydrogen. Typically, and more commonly, people hear oxidation and immediately think of the breakdown and destruction of metal (a car rusting) but in all reality it is rather important in your energy production and process. Cellular respiration is when glucose is oxidized to produce energy in cells. Glucose is broken down into what is called Adenosine Triphosphate or more commonly known as ATP. Now ATP is our source of energy and without it we are dead. Our bodies MUST have ATP to function. So therefore, oxidation is really energy production.

Free Radicals
Free radicals are molecules that have an unpaired electron that are highly reactive. Having an unpaired electron causes these molecules to be unstable. All free radicals are not necessarily unstable or damaging. While some are, many are not. They are in fact essential to our long-term survival. Some people may have a knowledge base of free radicals being bad because they are typically talked about with DNA. These free radicals that are typically discussed are called hydroxyl radicals and they can break DNA strands causing mutations. But just like with everything else these days there are good and bad. Good free radicals are found in a couple of different ways in our body. A few examples of those are as follows.

These good radicals are typically produced in times of short-term stress whereas damaging ones are produced in long term stress.

Hormesis type stress (short-term) triggers the body to produce internal defenders called antioxidant enzymes. These enzymes are super oxide dismutase and catalase, they are made from protein, which is another important reason to implement a lot of protein into your diet. While these enzymes are working to defend your system free radicals are working as messenger signals, telling your body that you need to adapt to reduce the threat. Again this becomes damaging when production outweighs the body’s ability to produce the counter attack.

Methods to Combat Stress
So how can we combat stress? There are many ways to lower your stress level and increase the good free radicals and ATP production. At times it can seem more overwhelming than helpful doing some sort of activity, especially if you have a crammed schedule, if this is the case there are activities that will help but just give you time to decompress. Some examples of good stress relief methods are:

Sun exposure– essential to your well-being. Helps produce serotonin (mood regulator), Melatonin (sleep hormone), vitamin D, lower blood pressure and improve mental health.

Weightlifting– builds muscle, strengthens the body, reduces injury, improves heart health, boosts mental health, improves energy and quality of sleep, improves mental health.

Fasting– weight loss, blood sugar control, more efficient use of energy, immune system improvement, cell regeneration.

Sitting in a sauna– reduces stress while promoting relaxation, improves heart health, improves respiratory tract function, reduces inflammation, relaxes muscle and mind, aids in sleep.

Getting in a cold plunge– reduces core body temperature, eases muscles, improves focus, enhances sleep quality, decreases inflammation in the body.

Hyperbaric Oxygen– increases oxygenation of the body’s tissues, time to decompress, improve blood circulation, accelerate healing, increased formation of collagen which supports connective tissue in the body.

In all reality can we be stress free all the time? No, we really can’t. Short term stress is good for us and helps prolong our lives. Which can be rather difficult to believe. While long term stress can be damaging, with the right coping mechanisms we can work through long term stress and let it be released as short-term stress, which in the end is beneficial to our bodily systems. Being more aware and conscious of how our bodies take in stress and convert it biologically and chemically is important when understanding how important it is to manage our stresses throughout our lives. We can live long healthy lives if we come to better understand the unknown and change our outlook on the “bad” to the good.

Sugar is a staple in many of our diets, found in everything from morning coffee to desserts and
snacks. It’s often associated with sweetness, comfort, and indulgence. However, the growing
awareness about sugar’s impact on health has raised important questions about its
consumption. Is sugar really as bad as it’s made out to be? And how much is too much?

What Is Sugar?
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that the body uses as a primary source of energy. There are
naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruits, vegetables, and dairy, and added sugars,
which are found in processed foods and drinks. It’s the latter group that has raised health
concerns.

The Good vs. The Bad: Naturally Occurring vs. Added Sugar
Natural sugars are typically accompanied by other beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and
minerals. For example, the sugar in an apple comes with fiber, antioxidants, and various
vitamins that help the body process the sugar more slowly. On the other hand, added sugars
found in candy, sugary drinks, and pastries provide little to no nutritional value and can lead to a
host of health problems when consumed in excess.

How Much Sugar Should We Be Eating?
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women limit their intake of added
sugars to no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day and men to no more than 9 teaspoons
(38 grams) per day. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests keeping added sugars to
less than 10% of total daily calories, with further benefits seen if it’s reduced to below 5%.
The problem arises when sugar consumption far exceeds these recommendations, which is
common in many modern diets. With sugary drinks, snacks, and processed foods being readily
available, it’s easy to go overboard without realizing it.

The Bottom Line
Sugar isn’t inherently “bad” when consumed in moderation, especially in its natural forms found
in whole foods. The key is balance. It’s important to be mindful of how much added sugar you
consume, as excessive amounts can have serious long-term health consequences. By making
smarter food choices, reading labels, and reducing sugary beverages and snacks, you can
enjoy a sweeter life without the unwanted side effects.
Ultimately, the choice is yours—sweeten your life naturally, and your body will thank you for it!

There are multiple excuses as to why endurance athletes avoid strength training like the plague. They fear they may gain weight, or get injured, or lose speed. I have heard them all… I am a “fill in the blank” endurance athlete not a body builder, why should I lift weights? I don’t want to get big and bulky. This is where the professional comes in and avoids those things. Just because you lift does not mean you will get big. In fact most don’t have the genetics, and the diet is not such to produce those results. The truth is that lifting weights may be the missing link to move them forward and give them that extra edge, especially the MASTERS AGE groups. Weight training helps to maintain and /or build lean muscle mass that can be catabolized during racing and just the normal muscle loss from aging can be off-set.

Weight training also boosts metabolism, regulates hormones and improves posture, which leads to one of the most beneficial reasons to add weight training to your life routine. Weight training when done properly can correct muscular and postural imbalances, caused by repetitive movements (as is done in endurance sports such as running and cycling). Also postural formations like hunch back, which can be caused by activities such as cycling, a desk job, or longer term computer work. This all can lead to all kinds of postural dysfunctions and head aches, neck and back discomforts, etc. If you don’t do something to off-set the muscle loss of age you will never get it back, not to mention the performance loss that happens over time, even if you are not an athlete.

My hope is that by reading this, any myths and misconceptions you may have are now replaced with the desire to improve your performance and your life. If you are curious or motivated to get involved in a scientifically based and sport specific training program, start by seeking out a knowledgeable experienced coach or trainer. Within a short amount of time you could be enjoying your strongest, best year to date!!

I run into this all the time…Johnny or Suzy needs faster legs, we have to get their legs moving faster! So the parent has them doing sprints until exhaustion; that in itself can actually slow them down, and I will tell you why.
To generalize this discussion for time purposes….A sprint athlete is primarily using fast twitch muscle fibers. Once you pass the time frame of good sprint times (hint-use a timer) the workout should be over. If the athlete is exhausted and the workout continues, you will dig into the slower more endurance focused type 1 (slow twitch) muscle fibers. If this is a common training practice, you will in-fact be training the body to survive (endure) the workout. Thus slowing the athlete down, not to mention teaching bad form.
The goal here is a better athlete. So lets start with some basic foundational rules:

How high someone can jump, or how fast someone can explode out of the gate/blocks, is directly related to how fast they can apply force to the ground. The same holds true for acceleration-its all about the force! Sounds like we are talking about POWER =Work/Time. So how do we increase or maximize power?
Lets assume we have appropriate foundational core strength (I hate that term/buzz word), ok lets call it the “frame”.

The frame has to be solid, as to not flex or compress, in order to put the most power to the ground. A weak frame would be like a comparison of trying to help your friend push his car to the gas station in a rut filled 5ft deep with Jello. A strong frame is trying to do the same on solid concrete.

The frame is all of the space between the shoulders and hips, and should be solid (concrete), in order for the bottom line (the arms and legs), to be able to produce greater amounts of force, and have less energy loss due to jello:) The four limbs (arms and legs) are securely anchored to this strong foundation (frame) and the joints need both stability and mobility to produce the most power and performance.

When an athlete comes to us for more performance, sometimes they are disappointed at our analysis and prescribed plan of action, because they were expecting it to involve more and heavier work. We can provide a better formula by anchoring and mobilizing the poor performing joint structures and reigniting muscles that have shut down.

That brings us to movement patterns (muscle firing order) and agonist and antagonist muscle synergy. Muscle synergy is when muscle groups work together to coordinate movement. Muscles that oppose one another (agonist and antagonist) can be working together in order for a muscle to perform correctly and also to stabilize that movement. The ability to turn muscles on and how fast we turn them on (and off) is the pure definition of power, and obviously plays a very important role in power development. We need to have the neurology to fire muscles quickly, in the correct order, and turn them off just as fast to maximize power production.

Let’s use the vertical jump as an example: To maximize this movement the athlete drops down quickly and flexes the hips, knees, and ankles right before take-off. This action, if performed correctly, activates the extensors (glutes, hamstrings, calves) like the pre-stretch of a rubber band before shooting it across the room. Specific muscles fire to allow the body to come down fast and opposing muscles fire in the reverse action to jump as high as possible. There is a lot of skill involved in a seemingly non complex movement such as a vertical jump. The specific skill I am referring to is the ability to turn on and shut off motor neurons that are activated within the muscle. The ability to recruit and turn on and off motor units (a measure of motor neurons) is a foundational component to power development. I have the pleasure of working with a neuromuscular therapy technology called ARP Wave (a proprietary electronic device) that can help me determine what muscles are not firing and turn them back on!

Now lets focus on motor unit recruitment and performance training…When we perform traditional isotonic weight training, we are recruiting a specific amount of motor units based on the amount of force needed to lift the weight. And how fast we lift the weight will determine if we recruit fast twitch motor units or slow twitch. Research has shown that an increase in the speed of the contraction will result in a higher level of fast twitch motor unit recruitment. This again results in more power.

I will use a squat or a press motion as an example here:
As we go through a range of motion we go through mechanical advantages and disadvantages at different ranges throughout the movement. We are stronger at certain points and weaker at others. As in a squat or a press, the deeper you go the weaker you are, and the closer to the top of the motion or lockout you are the strongest because you have a greater mechanical advantage. When our muscles are at the mid range of contraction they are at the optimal length to produce the most force. So it seems that this tells us…the best time to have the most resistance is at the top or end of the movement to produce added challenge for producing performance gains. It would not be as productive to add resistance to the weakest part of the lift for performance gains, as fatigue would result in this weaker position and produce premature failure- session over!

This is where the addition of chains and bands come into play to help create accelerated muscle contractions and dynamic strength. This has by far been becoming my favorite type of training as of late- add a band to that movement as part of the progression plan! By applying a chain or band to the bar it allows for lesser tension at the bottom of the movement and greater tension at the top of the movement. This also helps with recruiting the faster motor units we spoke of earlier, as you will be required to use less weight and thus move the bar faster. Another good benefit of the bands and chains are the smaller auxiliary muscles it fires as well to help to train that core, ugh, I mean frame!

One of the most common ways to stay active is to enjoy what you are doing and make it fun , exciting and challenging. Colorado residents have an easy time of it with all the outdoor activities right in their backyard, and other states have many fun resources as well, you just have to look and stay creative with your thinking.

Exercising outdoors is not the only way to keep things spiced up and challenging, you can also push your limits in the gym as well to keep you coming back week after week for that challenge. Great news…there are a few things you can do to to keep things interesting!

1 Intensify the workout–

A stagnant routine is a good way to kill your results as well as your waistline, and a sure way to hit a plateau in your quest for success. Try increasing your weights in the gym and shorten your rest periods between sets. Studies show that those resting less than 60 seconds between sets burn significantly more calories during exercise and hours afterwards than those who rest longer. And if you are not weight training you should add it to what you are doing to give you that tighter look.

2 HIIT it-

High Intensity Interval Training, can take the blues out of trudging on the treadmill for 30-60 minutes at a steady pace…boring!!! Try increasing your effectiveness by interval training indoors or outdoors either on equipment or without, on a treadmill or similar piece of equipment go as hard as you can for 30-60 seconds and rest 30-60 seconds at a slower pace…repeat 15-20 times. Outdoors can be even more creative…run up a hill, jog slowly back down…hit the deck do 15 pushups, walk for 30 seconds, find a small log to throw for 10 repeats then repeat for 5-8 times…get creative!

3 Get a handle on your nutrition-

Feeling sluggish? It may be that you have adopted the mindset of low calories means weight-loss, this and a few other mistakes can cause issues. One of the biggest mistakes I see here in the training studio is too low a calorie intake and it actually lowers the metabolism and causes weight-gain. One of the most common is skipping breakfast in today’s busy lifestyles…doing this starts the day with the blood sugar too low and nothing in the tank causing the body to break down muscle tissue to make fuel for your activities. This also can lead to more serious health issues! Try eating balanced such as a 2Protein-1Fat-1Carb (2-1-1) ratio for good overall nutrition and energy for 4-6 small meals per day. Try this for 4-6 weeks and enjoy new energy levels and you may just adopt it for good.

4 Try supplementing-

Are you constantly skipping meals because you are too busy to take the time to eat? Here is material for a whole new blog post in itself, but sticking to the subject lets look at simple fixes to fill in the blanks. Several choices are out there for meal replacement supplements and you will have to decide what works best for you and your goals. You can look at high protein/high calorie, high protein/low calorie, low protein/all natural etc. The point is to keep the blood sugar stabilized for health reasons and also to help regulate you weight. Try eating 5-6 small meals per day and if the busy times of day slip away from you try adding protein shakes or bars such as those in the former paragraph in those times.

5 Try something different-

Keeping things interesting is the key to keeping the motivation up, and who knows maybe you find something that really fires you up! Try a TRX Suspension training workout, take up Martial Arts, try Olympic lifting moves (if you have the mobility) with a professional instructor, Cycling or anything that interests you. Any way you can just find something that can get you out of that rut, if you have one…The key is stay moving to stay young and fun!