WHAT YOU WILL FIND ON PERFORMANCE QUEST FITNESS & ATHLETICS' BLOG

A collection of websites, articles, blog posts, videos, comments, studies, etc. from other forerunners in the areas of performance that will be covered, along with my own rants, raves, thoughts and ideas about selected topics. Also this blog serves as a showcase of the accomplishments and achievements of the hard-working athletes of Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Which Came First...The Chicken Or The Egg? Answered! AND Do You Need To Worry About A Salmonella Outbreak?

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2010
NO CLASS

NOTE: Next Class time will be Thursday, September 2nd at 6:30pm

Which Came First? British Scientists Now Say it was the Chicken!

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The age-old riddle that has stumped us for generations has finally been laid to rest.

In February of 2010, British scientists reported that a protein found only in a chicken’s ovaries is necessary for the formation of the egg. According to scientists, the egg can only exist if it has been created inside a chicken. This protein is fundamental in the development of the shell.

Cooked, or Raw? And the Issue of Salmonella…

The CDC and other public health organizations will advise you to thoroughly cook your eggs to lower the risk of salmonella, but eating eggs raw is actually the best in terms of your health.

It’s important to realize that salmonella risk comes from chickens raised in unsanitary conditions. These conditions are the norm for factory farms, but extremely rare for small organic farms. In fact, one study by the British government found that 23 percent of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella, compared to just over 4 percent in organic flocks and 6.5 percent in free-range flocks. In 2007, it was found that 83 percent of fresh, whole broiler chickens bought nationwide contained campylobacter or salmonella, the leading causes of food borne disease. Prior studies have shown that organic chickens are far less contaminated with these antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, conventional chicken products were found to be up to 460 times more likely to contain antibiotic-resistant strains than antibiotic-free chicken products.

That said, you are clearly better off seeking eggs from only high-quality sources, which are the ones that will be safe from the get-go, and then consuming them raw, which is their most nutritional state.

For more tips on eggs, including how to identify fresh, high-quality eggs, please read Raw Eggs for Your Health.

And, for more information about salmonella from eggs, please review yesterday’s article on this topic.

To read the whole article posted on Mercola.com go to: Don't Avoid This Daily, Healthful Food Because It's Been Mislabeled As "Dirty"



Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Monday, August 30, 2010

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31ST, 2010
6:30pm

NOTE: There will be no class this Wednesday and Friday. Also, be aware ahead of time that next Monday's class (Labor Day) will be held at a different time which has not been determined yet.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Western Diet = Epic Fail!

MONDAY, AUGUST 30TH, 2010
6:30pm


"On a calorie per calorie basis, fruits and vegetables have, respectively, two and eight times more fibre than whole grains"


Western Diet and the Human Genome: Part 3 - by Pedro Bastos

Absence of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Primitive non-Westernized Populations


The Neolithic (Agricultural) and Industrial Revolution and Its Consequences

About 11 thousand years ago, the Agricultural Revolution that took place in the Middle East forever changed the diet and lifestyle that had shaped the human genome for more than 2 million years. Some of the more significant changes were the use of cereal grains as staple foods, the introduction of legumes (all beans) and other plant foods, non-human milk in the human diet brought about by the domestication of animals, and later on sucrose and distilled alcoholic beverages19, 76.

Table 6. Foods introduced by the Industrial Revolution.*

Chronology - Food
1800 D.C. - Universal availability of Refined Sugar
1860 D.C. - Meat from Obese grain fed animals
1880 D.C. - Universal availability of Refined Cereal Grains
1897 D.C. - Hydrogenated vegetable Oils
1910 D.C. - Universal availability of Omega 6 rich Vegetable Oils
1970 D.C.(USA) - High Fructose Corn Syrup
*Adapted from Cordain et al.19, 76

Nevertheless it was the Industrial Revolution (Table 6) and the 20th Century (with the advent of the junk food industry, generalized physical inactivity, introduction of various pollutants and avoidance of sun exposure) that caused the biggest changes in terms of diet, which were:

1. Macronutrient Distribution

The percentage of total food energy derived from macronutrients in Pleistocene diets would most certainly be different than current official dietary guidelines (Protein – 15%; Carbohydrates - 55-60% and Dietary Fat ≤ 30%)166. Cordain estimated76 the following distribution for Pleistocene diets, as a percentage of total daily caloric intake: Protein (19-35%), Dietary Fat (28-58%) and Carbohydrates (22-40%).

Even though the Daily Protein RDA is 0.8 g/kg of body weight167, there is evidence that athletes need higher amounts (which is why 1.2-2 g/kg/day is being increasingly recommended168-170) The elderly also need a higher intake to prevent or attenuate Sarcopenia171, 172 and Osteopenia173, 174, especially in the context of a high fruit and vegetable diet (a net base yielding diet)175.

Moreover, High Protein Diets (> 20% of caloric intake176) have been shown to improve Dyslipidemia177-187 and insulin sensitivity93, 178, 181, and are potentially effective strategies in obesity188-190, and Metabolic Syndrome associated Hypertension191-194. Furthermore, they may decrease the risk of stroke195, Hyperhomocysteinemia196 and Ischemic Heart Disease197, without adversely affecting kidney function in individuals without pre-existing kidney disease198-202. Nevertheless, there is an hepatic urea synthesis limit (2.6 - 3.6 g/kg/day)160, 203 that shouldn’t be crossed.

There are concerns that a pre-Agricultural Revolution-type diet may have consisted of a high intake of fat, with a corresponding increase in Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk. In that regard, it should be mentioned that the absolute amount of dietary fat is less important than the type of fat31, 123, 204, 205. Moreover, the majority of fats ingested by HG were monounsaturated, which have a beneficial effect in the lipoprotein profile123. Finally, the consumption of industrial trans fatty acids was virtually nonexistent 76, 123.

2. Fibre and The Glycemic Load

During the Pleistocene, most carbohydrates came from the consumption of wild fruits, berries, vegetables, and sometimes tubers, with cereal and honey intake being very scarce32, 19, 76. Therefore, the Glycemic Load (GL) was significantly lower than the GL of Western diets76, since even whole grains possess a higher GL than most fruit and vegetables206.

Furthermore, on average Pleistocene diets had more fibre76 than the typical Western diet, because most of the fibre today is derived from cereal grains, whereas until the Neolithic it came from fruits and vegetables. On a calorie per calorie basis, fruits and vegetables have, respectively, two and eight times more fibre than whole grains76.

Another food group that was not part of the Pleistocene diet, but is considered a staple today is dairy76. This is highly relevant since milk, yoghurt and some lactose containing cheeses – despite having a low GL – elicit a very high insulin response207-211.

The increase in GL and insulinotropic potential of the diet, coupled with a decrease in dietary fibre and an increase in fructose intake76, may be one of the causes of the high incidence and prevalence of Epithelial Cell Cancers, Obesity, Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Gout, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Acne, Myopia and various gastrointestinal problems76, 99, 134 in industrialized countries.

3. Omega 6/Omega 3 ratio

Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids of the omega-3 and omega-6 family were part of the hominin diet for millennia. Also, for most of human existence (e.g. the Palaeolithic era), the omega-6 / omega-3 ratio in the human diet has been estimated to be76 between 1:1 and 3:1 – similar to the ratio found in the traditional diet of Greece until 1960, which parallels a low incidence and prevalence of CHD in that country205. In contrast, the ratio in United Kingdom, Northern Europe and the USA is above76, 212 10/1, and is rising to 50/1 in certain urban areas of India213. This elevation of the omega-6 / omega-3 ratio may increase the risk of CHD212, 213, cancer214, psychiatric disorders215 and Osteoporosis216 among other diseases.

4. Micronutrient Density

Calorie per calorie, fish, shellfish, meat, vegetables and fruit present a higher micronutrient density76 than cereal grains (especially the refined version), milk (with the exception of calcium), sugar and refined oils. Therefore, current food choices – together with soil depletion, modern food transport, stocking and culinary methods are the main reasons why a significant percentage of the developed world’s population doesn’t reach the RDA for various vitamins and minerals76, 217-225. This is another factor explaining the high prevalence of chronic diseases in industrialized countries 76, 226.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the adoption of a diet and lifestyle very different from the one that shaped the human genome for more than 2 million years is a likely explanation of why chronic degenerative diseases are epidemic in Western countries. On the contrary, regular physical exercise156-158, sun exposure according to latitude and skin colour (in order to maintain plasma 25OHD3 above 40 ng/ml227), adequate sleep6, 228-230, and the adoption of a diet similar to the one followed by Pleistocene HG (fish, shellfish, eggs from free range chickens, muscle and organ meat from free range grass fed animals, fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers, nuts and seeds) may lead to optimal health.

References:

Due to the large number of references for this article (230), the list of references has been published as a PDF which you may download here.

Editor's note: Pedro Bastos has authored a paper discussing the human genome, Western diet, and chronic, degenerative diseases that are prevalent in Western countries but which are largely absent in hunter-gatherer societies. This is the third and final installment of this paper.

Coach Justin

PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Friday, August 27, 2010

Eating For Athletic Performance and Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes

If you're here to get the recipe for the Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes click here...BUT THEN MAKE SURE YOU READ BELOW!

This is an extra post before I get set to take off for the weekend so you can fullfil your fix. Since I posted this one with not much time in-between my last one please make sure you don't miss the post from yesterday.

I want to briefly talk about nutrition as it relates to performance on the field, on the court, in the pool, and in life. Please know that I'm writing this with athletes as my audience but this applies to every aspect of performance, including those who aren't athletes but still want and need to lead a healthy everyday life.

Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics works with a number of teams who's goal is to become athletic "beasts" in thier respective sports. The training is grueling and the benefits are astounding but what many of the athletes fail to realize is how important nutrition plays a role.

Let me put it to you this way. If I had to chose only one aspect of performance enhancing lifestyle, whether it be training, supplements, nutrition, or what-have-you, it would be NUTRITION - hands down.

In other words I believe you will get more - that is, feel better and perform better (as well as look better) - from nutrition alone than you will from training alone. Now, combine the two and watch out!

Training is a whole other 3-headed dragon that I will have to cover another time. I will briefly state this however. The 45-year old housewives that I work with train more athletically than the collegiate level athletes - football players, basketball players, volleyball players, baseball players, etc. - that I see working out nearly every day thinking that they're doing something to improve their performance this season or next. If you think you're doing something to improve your athletic performance and you're still using machines or isolation exercises, simply remember two very pertinent points:
1. "God made machines to keep the wankers off the barbells"

and

2. "Curls are for the girls"

This doesn't mean that girls should be doing curls either. It just means that curls achieve NOTHING positive toward your athletic performance. The only reason you'd do curls is if you are trying to win a bodybuilding competition - which, again, is a whole other topic that I'll save for later and maybe never post because I don't want to piss off any bodybuilders who accidentally stumble across a site with useful information. (Those of you who have known me for more than several years can now openly laugh out loud at me because I was a bodybuilder for a handful of years before accidentally being introduced to a man and a website that actually provided me with useful information. And no, I don't have any convicting pictures from that dark time in my life to show you. I've either burned them all or beat the computer(s) they were stored on with a baseball bat.)

So, what does performance-enhancing nutrition look like?

Remember this and you've got it..."EAT ONLY: Meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits and few root vegetables". That's the baseline. From there we can add whole milk for athletes who want to gain weight. For more on gaining weight see CrossFit Football Nutrition where John Welbourn, who is a 10-year NFL veteran o-lineman, talks about how to do this successfully as well as provides some recipes and other resources for you to get started. C'mon! If it works for the guys in the NFL (and there's a number of them eating this way now), it'll work for you too.

What does this statement, "meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits and few root vegetables" leave out then?

GRAINS: This means all grains! I know that grains, especially whole grains, are touted as healthy but this couldn't be further from the truth. Grains are actually anti-nutrients that literally punch holes in the gut lining of your digestive tract causing poisons and toxins to leak into your blood stream. They also cause mixed signals within your body so when you actually do eat something healthy, like meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits and a few root vegetables, your body will translate those healthy things as bad. This is reversible however once you start eating ONLY meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits and few root vegetables. You should not eat a fracking one of them (grains) if you want to feel your best, look your best and perform your best. This includes ALL grains:


  • wheat (all wheat...even whole wheat and cracked wheat or whatever else you can think of)
  • oats
  • flour
  • bread
  • pasta
  • cereals
  • rice
  • corn
  • barley
  • rye
  • spelt
  • Quinoa
  • etc.

LEGUMES: Legumes is a fancy name for beans and they contain the same poisonous compounds, lectins, that ALL grains contain. Again, this includes ALL beans:

  • black
  • garbanzo
  • kidney
  • peanuts
  • edemame
  • SOY BEANS (ESPECIALLY)
  • pinto
  • et. al.

DAIRY: I know that I said dairy is okay for gaining weight but that's it! Dairy contains certain properties that cause abnormal cell growth in your body (no it doesn't have to be from a cow injected with rBST or rBGH. All dairy has these properties. Abnormal cell growth leads to more size or mass when consumed. The problem is, what is the clinical definition of uncontrolled abnormal cell growth, which an excess of dairy can cause? It's cancer! So, if you want to gain weight, slam down a gallon of whole milk a day on top of as many HEALTHY calories as you can stuff your face with in one day (lots of fats because they contain more than twice as many calories as proteins and carbs). As soon as you get to the weight you want to get to GET OFF of dairy! The best sources of dairy for gaining weight are:

  1. Whole Milk
  2. Soft Cheeses
  3. Whey Protein
  4. Heavy Whipping Cream

The worst sources of dairy that should be avoided like the plague whether trying to gain weight or not include:

  • Yogurt
  • Ice Cream
  • Hard Cheeses (like parmesan)
  • Cottage Cheese

SUGAR: Of course this has to be on there. This includes sodas, sports drinks (which are as damaging as soda...read here), any and all juices (fruit juices included), candy, ENERGY DRINKS (actually have the effects of meth and you can actually go to jail for failing a field sobriety test for drug symptoms if you have too much.), etc.

Again, I know that all of these things are touted as healthy (except for sugar) but I can promise you they're really not and, in fact, they're actually hampering your athletic performance, degrading your quality of life, and shortening your lifespan with every single bite!

To see a list of what you should eat click here: Foundations of Good Nutrition

As a general rule of thumb you should be eating healthy proteins, fats, and carbs with every meal. There are variations off this to help maximize gains but this is a great starting point.

One of the best resources you can look into isn't even on the shelves yet. The Paleolithic Solution, written by Robb Wolf, can be purchased now at Amazon.com and will arrive on your doorstep in Sept. Get it here. Check out the teaser to the book here:




Another phenominal resource is The Paleo Diet For Athletes

All that I ask is that you try this performance-enhancing way of eating and realize the benefits for yourself. It's simple and it won't consume your life. You never have to count calories and the food tastes AMAZING! Just try some of the quick and easy recipes below. Always remember quality matters more than quantity. Give it a month with absolutely none of the stuff listed above. Literally try it without cheating once in 30 days. You should be able to do anything for only a month. Just see how you feel and perform. You won't regret it.

Here are a few recipes to get you started
Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken Strips
Grilled Pork Chops
Taco Salad

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Thursday, August 26, 2010

This Could Be Even BIGGER Then The Vitamin D Discovery

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27TH, 2010
No Classes
NOTE: Next class time will be Monday, August 30th at 6:30pm

A number of you know how highly I regard the importance of Vitamin D - specifically Vitamin D3 - but I know that not all of you do. To sum it up for you, I take only a couple of supplements and out of the two or three that I keep in rotation Vitamin D3 never leaves that rotation. I take anywhere from 5,000IU to 10,000IU per day depending on the time of year and my sun exposure for the day. And, if I get enough sun throughout the day (anywhere from 4-6 hours or more sun with my shirt off the entire time), which doesn't happen very often, I don't take any at all for the day.

Vitamin D is something that nearly everyone is deficient in but is vitally important for proper function and health of our body. In other words it is a MUST HAVE!

Read this to see if you're getting enough Vitamin D already - Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D

I can't emphasize enough the importance that Vitamin D (or lack there of) plays in your life, and, in knowing this, you can only imagine how crucial something that might possibly be even more important would be.

Well, here it is folks. Vitamin K.

PLEASE read this short article on the amazing benefits of Vitamin K as well as the different types of Vitamin K and which types you need.

This Could Be Even BIGGER Then The Vitamin D Discovery


Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

What Makes a Gymnastics Balance Beam Look Like Childs Play?

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26TH, 2010
6pm

NOTE: There is no class tomorrow (Friday)

If you think that the balance beam that is used in gymnastics looks challenging check out what these guys do on about 1/6 of the surface area and on something that isn't nearly as stable. This is darn impressive.
Coach Justin

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2010
6pm

NOTE: There will be no Friday class this week.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Monday, August 23, 2010

Eating For Mass Gain

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24TH, 2010
6:30pm

This subject is a very lengthy subject that I could write pages upon pages about but I don't want to bore you with that so I'm going to touch on one of the finer points of gaining weight.

For those of you that work with me, you all know that as a general rule of thumb, when someone wants to gain weight I place them on an unrestricted Paleo Diet with the addition of a gallon of whole milk a day.

If you don't know what the Paleo Diet is check it out. Good, now we're all on the same page.

The point I want to touch on is a phenomena called "non insulin mediated glucose transport".

Non insulin mediated glucose transport is a period of time after exercise in which we can fly glucose and amino acids into the muscle without much insulin AND we improve recovery.

Timing is critical if you want the most from this! The optimum time for this is less than 15 minutes post-workout. It's still good at 30 minutes, and almost back to baseline by an hour.

So what does all of this mean? If you're one of the people wanting to gain weight I should see you eating a post-workout meal by the time you leave the gym. After a workout we want to slam down a good source of protein and some higher glycemic carbs such as yams, or fruit. Or a quarter gallon of that whole milk you're supposed to get in that day.

Then, within the next hour (after you have your post-workout meal), you should be eating another full meal packed with another good source of protein, carbs (fruits AND veggies), and fats.

Gaining weight the right way takes a lot of work and dedication. More often than not, I have people come to me with a gradios plan of mass gain and once they realize how they actually have to go about doing it their goals change. You should know going into it that you're going to feel full all the time and oftentimes going to have to workout on a somewhat full stomach. You need to literally stuff your face all day long and make healthy fats your best friend. You should also know that, as far as I'm concerned, you can't maximize weight gain and maximize leaning out at the same time. If you want to maximize one or the other you have to do one or the other...not both. In other words, if you want to gain mass, you can expect to lose your six-pack for a while. Not to worry though. Leaning out is the easy part. It doesn't take too long to vaccum-seal your skin back around those now bulging muscles.

Once I see you that you have the dedication and you're going to stick to it then we can take it to the next level and dive into how to partition your carbs throughout the day.


References: The Paleolithic Solution Seminar, Robb Wolf, 2009

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Sunday, August 22, 2010

A Follow-Up About Your Shoes

MONDAY, AUGUST 23RD, 2010
6pm
I made mention at Friday's class about time changes for the evening classes. Looks like that will actually go in effect starting this Tuesday. So, from now on, you can plan on classes being held at 6:30pm instead of 6pm. PLEASE STILL CHECK THE SITE DAILY FOR SCHEDULE CHANGES AND UPDATES.

A while ago I posted an piece about my take on shoes and their place in not only running but in our daily lives as well. To read this article click
"Optimal Function Is Built From The Ground Up - Part 1"
"Optimal Function Is Built From The Ground Up - Part 2"

Brian Mackenzie, founder of CrossFit Endurance, puts on one heck of a technical running seminar through CrossFit Inc. To look into these seminars click CrossFit Endurance Certification. Here B. Mac will briefly introduce us to the Pose Running Method.

Coach Justin

Friday, August 20, 2010

Sorry folks. I'm busy rushing out of town for this weekend so there are not weekend classes. Great week of workouts this week. Everyone pushed themselves to the limit. The next class will be Monday, August 23rd @ 6pm. Hope to see you there.

While I'm out of town this weekend use the time to check out those links to the right of this post. They don't occupy that space as just a cool looking web design ornament. They are your inlets into the most pertinent knowledge that I'm aware of regarding nutrition and performance. Take the time to browse through at least one of those sites and see what you think.

Have a great weekend,

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 6: The Third Drill

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2010
6pm

NOTE: There will be no class next Friday (August 27th)


I promise I’m almost done with this shoulder series. Hopefully you’re taking something away from all of this.

Part 1: Developing a Model of Organization
Part 2: The Steps
Part 3: The First Drill
Part 4: The First Drill's Results
Part 5: The Second Drill

Today I will present you with the third drill. This is going to be what I consider a “global stretch”. It’s not going to just focus on one rib, or one knot at a time. The goal of this drill is to catch anything that’s tight.

First, get your weapons ready. You don’t need much and can make it really cheap. Get a foam roller (less than $5 online) and something heavier than say…15 or 20 pounds. In the pictures below we used a 26 pound kettlebell but grab anything that you can use that you already have lying around the house.

Lie on the foam roller and give yourself a big bear hug. Roll up and down the roller from the base of your neck to the top of your pelvis. Do this a few times to begin mobilizing your back and prepping it for what you’re about to ask it to do.
After you’ve rolled up and down a couple of times then extend your hands over your head just like you did in The First Drill. Only this time keep them fixed overhead and continue to roll up and down the foam roller from base of neck to top of pelvis.
Once you’ve rolled up and down at a moderate pace a few more times with your arms extended overhead, then I want you to bridge your body in order to bias you into an unloaded shoulder position and stretch your body on a fixed arm that’s in a perfect position. While leaving your arms fully extended overhead and with your feet flat on the ground forcing a 90 degree angle of your knees (more or less) I want you to grab the weight that you have chosen in your hands. The weight should anchor your hands at the ground leaving you slightly arched backward over the foam roller with it in the tops of the shoulder blades.
Next, you’re going to lower your butt, pulling your rib cage down with it, as the tensioner. Good. Now hang out there for 2 minutes. Again, if you have a buddy handy ask them to help you push your rib cage down just below your chest, just like in the previous drills.
Maybe you only spend a minute with the foam roller in the top of the shoulder blades then roll a couple inches up so that the roller is now in the lower part of your shoulder blades for the remaining minute. That’s cool. Go for it. But make sure that you’re in this perfect shoulder position by bridging your butt back up and making sure your arms are fully extended and locked out overhead before pulling your butt back down to the ground along with your rib cage. Oh yeah! That’s the good stuff.

Again, we’re trying to mobilize a position of restriction – a position that is important to what we do not only in the gym but also in sports as well as throughout our day.

If you’re already too flexible for the height of the foam roller we can always move you to the Glute-Ham Developer (GHD) or even a bench.
Now, once again, GO FORTH AND MOBILIZE!

Coach-Take-A-Paincation-Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Monday, August 16, 2010

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 5: The Second Drill

TUESDAY, AUGUST 17TH, 2010
6pm

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Now that we’ve tied a mobilization into a movement with the First 2 Minute Drill, we’re now going to try to mobilize a single rib at a time.

In order to do this we’re going to get a single lacross ball and move it to the side a little bit, focusing on the areas along the medial border, the superior angle, and possibly into the superior border of the scapula. Basically between the spine of your scapula and your actual spine.

Normally your dominant hand side is going to have a more restricted shoulder than the other side.

One hypothesis is that if we can clean up the mechanics we’re going to have better ROM through the area mechanically. And then, because I can adopt a much more effective position, the musculature recruits much more effectively. I also get better turn on to external rotators because they have better length-tension relationship and better resting positioning. They’re not so stretched out and working in less than ideal ranges. Not saying that loose shoulders are bad and that you shouldn’t stretch – because you should – but when they’re being stretched in one direction or in multiple directions to compensate for a knot or some other nasty business they’re not functioning or resting properly. And, because your body is synergistic, as soon as we get you organized, sha-zam, everything turns on. Wow Coach! You must be a genie. Well…yes. Kelly Starrett deems this a kind of “positional inhibition”. If we can get you to “clear the mechanism” then we’re going to see better function. Simple as that.

Come on Coach. Give us the juicy stuff. Bring on the pain vacation!

Again, from K-Star, I have learned that in physio there is what’s called a diagonal PNF pattern for the shoulder. It’s an internal rotation of the arm across the anterior torso to the hip and then up to external rotation with the arm up overhead in flexion-abduction a little bit (those who train with me know this as the “active shoulder position”). That externally rotated position is actually the end of my and your Olympic lifting position. So it would appear that we are once again tying a mobilization into a movement. Hey Coach, I’m starting to see a pattern here. As you perform this drill think “Jerk” first, then gravitate toward “Snatch” as you clear out some of your junk in the active shoulder Jerk position. So, in other words, start by bringing your arm up closer to your ear and as you feel things working themselves out then begin bringing your arm up a little further away from your ear. Most of the time you will simply stay in the Jerk – arm close to the ear – position and move the ball around finding one spot after another, never needing to hit that snatch – arm more at a diagonal – position. Just like with Drill #1 don’t let the rib cage extend. Keep that depressed into the ball. And just like Drill #1, this is where your brilliant coach, best friend, or stranger passing by can help.

Don’t cheat off by unloading the side of your body that has the ball underneath it. If your hand can’t easily get to the ground you’ve got some work to do. If, during this drill, you feel like something’s changed move the ball a little bit and find something else.



So now that’s 4 minutes of mobilization and some very physically visible changes. Make sure that you do the other shoulder now that you’ve done the first one though. Come on…it’s only 2 minutes.

Coach Justin PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Appologies for the blog post hiatus. Wanted to let you all know that I will return to teaching classes this coming Monday (August 16th) at 6pm. That is the only class I have scheduled for the day. Monday I will also pick back up on the 2 Minute Shoulder Drill Series so you can continue to care for and cure yourself.

Please bear with me as I figure out what my schedule will exactly be like for the remainder of August.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Monday, August 9, 2010

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10TH, 2010
9am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm

NOTE: 10am class is cancelled for Tuesday so if you need to workout in the morning come in at 9am instead. Wednesday will be a morning only schedule (9am and 10am) and there will be no classes again until Monday.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 4: The First Drill's Results

MONDAY, AUGUST 9TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm

NOTE: Wednesday will be a morning-only schedule and there will be no classes Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.
Part 4 of...?

What we’re trying to do here is tie a mobilization into a movement. Keep in mind that a lot of the stretching we’re doing here is called physiologic range stretching. To further this, if I move my arms through a range of motion I’m gonna’ stretch and mobilize whatever is tight in that range but I may not actually be changing the joint intrarticulations of the joint and the joint capsule. In other words if I have a knot in the system and I just stretch there may still be a knot in the system.

Also keep in mind that I am only presenting a few ways of determining progress in this article. However, even though the scope of this article isn’t broad-sweeping in this aspect, you may not need further your testing. See how you do with this before you decide to pursue other options.

Here’s the first case study. His name is Jake and he self-admittedly has incredibly tight shoulders and even has an old shoulder injury that prevents him from doing many things overhead including overhead squatting. Jake has never been able to perform an overhead squat before in his life. Check this out.

Step #1: Identify the Problem
“Hello, my name is Jake and my shoulder hurts. Because of my shoulder pain I can no longer overhead squat.”


Step #2: Test the Problem
“Do I have adequate flexibility and ROM to perform a painless overhead squat?”
Certainly wouldn't seem so.


Step #3: Start with What You Know
“I know that I already have tight shoulders and that the pain is most prevalent when I do anything overhead – like squat, press, jerk, handstand, etc., which Coach Justin makes me do all the time because he likes to see me look bad. I also know from Wednesday’s blog post “Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away – Part 2: The Steps” that my thoracic region could affect my shoulders…
To further drive this point I would like to tie in some connections so as to better understand the relationship between the thoracic region and the shoulder.

Athlete’s who have a stiff thoracic spine often also lack the ability to achieve good thoracic extension (as if you were laying back over the hood of a car and sticking your chest up in the air). And, because they don’t extend well, their shoulder blades literally have no place to go when they should be moving back and out of the way of the raising arm. Thoracic extension facilitates scapular retraction. Having your shoulder blades get out of the way of your arms effectively eliminates a potentially boney block to your overhead movements.


Step #4: Treat What You Find
“If I ever want to overhead squat efficiently again I will perform the 2 minute shoulder drills that Coach taught me at least 2-3 times per week.”

Step #5: Give It At Least 2 Minutes
“I need to perform each exercise for at least 2 minutes to allow for sufficient change. If I am doing one arm/shoulder/side of my body for 2 minutes then I must also do the other side for 2 minutes as well.”

Step #6: Retest the Problem
“Now that I am only one step away from completing the 7 steps, do I have my shoulder flexibility under control enough that I can now overhead squat”?

Step #7: Perform
“I Jake, am now competent enough to overhead squat efficiently without pain.” Do you think Jake is now a better athlete because of the 2 minutes he spent rolling around on two hard balls? Will this help him perform at his job, compete in a sport, maintain good posture as he ages, go through life with less pain, have more confidence, look good naked, etc. (you think I'm joking...I can tie that last one in if I need to)? Heck yeah!

Congratulations Jake! You made it through the 7-Step Program with flying colors. Know that I will always be here for support if you ever fall on hard times again. Do your best to steer the good course.

Some side-by-side comparisons of Jake before and after the 2 minute drills. All of the "Before" pictures are on the left and all of the "After" pictures are on the right.
Coach-I'll-Be-Damned-Justin

Friday, August 6, 2010

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 3: The First Drill

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH, 2010
NO CLASS

NOTE: Monday will be a regular class schedule. To see next week's class schedule navigate to yesterday's post.

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 1: Developing a Model of Organization
Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 2: The Steps

Before we dive into the cool stuff, let's quickly go over a few principles that I’ve learned from one of my most admired mentors, Kelly Starrett (K-Star), of SanFrancisco CrossFit. K-Star has taught me much of the information that I am providing you with now.

Principle #1: "In our movements and performance we are paying a price to buffer bad positioning." Think about in this way. Limited range of motion (ROM) in one plane of the shoulder may very well affect the capability and performance of said shoulder in a different plane.

For information on body planes click here: Human Anatomy Planes

For information on shoulder articulations click here: Shoulder Articulations

Principle #2: In keeping with Principle #1, "You have to have full range of a joint in all planes in order for that joint to be normalized."

Principle #3: "When we strengthen one thing it may have direct or indirect effect on our other movements…working on handstand push-ups will improve my jerk for example. So what we’re saying here is that maybe working on my overhead positioning will possibly help some other things." Anyone who has done CrossFit for even a short period of time should personally understand this concept.



So now, without further ado…How the heck do we perform magic on ourselves coach?

I’ll teach you how to treat yourself today and Sunday I’ll give examples of someone going through all the steps so you can know how to identify, measure, and quantify change in yourself. It usually helps to see progress when needing to stick to any sort of program.

Here goes!

"The Weapon"

Get two lacross balls (about $1 at sporting goods store) and a roll of athletic tape.

Tape the lacross balls together lengthwise first.

Then tightly tape down the middle of the two lacross balls

The Drill

On a hard, flat surface, lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Place your "weapon" anywhere along your thoracic spine with your spine resting between the weapons’ indented middle, leaving 1 ball on each side of your spine.

Roll your spine up and down "the weapon" keeping it within the thoracic region (typically higher toward your cervical spine – neck – is where you’ll feel it the most) focusing on each joint segment and finding where you need to start the exercise (the most painful spot).
Once you’re on that spot raise your hands straight up toward the sky.
Lock you thumbs together and slowly bring you hands up above your head as if you were diving off a diving board. Once you’ve tested your end range of motion in this position lift your hands back toward the sky.
And, if you have any sort of coach worth speaking of, a good friend, a hated enemy, or a passerby on the street you have another useful tool that can aid you in keeping your rib cage depressed while you perform this drill.


Repeat this motion of raising and lowering your hands for at least 2 minutes. Move the ball either up or down your thoracic spine when you feel it necessary. You may stay on the same spot for the whole 2 minutes.

It’s also very effective to roll back and forth focusing on one joint segment at a time until that segment no longer feels tight. Make sure to maintain keeping your arms crossed over your chest as if you were giving yourself a big bear hug and take big, deep breaths as you rock from side to side.

Coach-Make-It-Hurt-So-Good-Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Thursday, August 5, 2010

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm

NOTE: There will be no Saturday class this week and a limited schedule next week. Next week's schedule will be as follows:

Monday: 9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
Tuesday: 9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Wednesday: 9am/ 10am
Thursday: No Classes
Friday: No Classes
Saturday: No Classes

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 2: The Steps

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
NOTE: There will be a limited schedule next week. Check back for days and times.
WHAT THE STEPS MEAN TO YOU (COMPLETING THE STEPS)
Note: It’s fun to fill in the questions below the steps like you’re at an Alcoholic’s Annonymous meeting…kinda’ like Mad Libs.

STEP 1:
Identify a problem…
(Hello, my name is (your name) and I’m an (problem))

This isn’t really all that hard. For most of us we ignore problems until they become injuries and limit us by the amount of pain they place on us during a given movement. Obviously, if we have an injury we know we have a problem right? Typically, injury is the result of not having identified the problem earlier when it limited our movement not through pain but through performance capability such as deficiency in range of motion (ROM) through a given plane or several different planes. In other words, when we are not in an injured state identifying the problem is recognized by not being able to perform certain tasks. Take the overhead squat for example. This movement is a constant struggle for many because of the demand for several different domains at once. More often than not, people are able to do a press and a squat independently of one another, however; when you combine the two a distorted collaboration of some of the ugliest movements you could possibly imagine the body performing (and some that you can’t even imagine) is the result. The greatest limiting factor in this incredibly important movement is flexibility! If your problem has not become exaccerbated to the point of pain and/or injury yet you'll be starting at Step 2, which, at this given stage, you'll recognize your inability to complete a task or function effectively.

STEP 2:
Test the Problem…
(Because of (problem) I can no longer (function))

This model that I am proposing is a sort of “test and retest model of change”. There are some simple tests that you can perform by yourself on yourself to see if progress has been made in your 2 minutes. These tests can largely be determined by you when we get to Step 3: Start With What You Know. Since this discussion is focusing on the shoulders and overhead movement for the time being I am keeping with examples that parallel this. Let’s say that we’ve identified a problem and we’re now testing the problem. In order to do so we move our arms straight up (flexion of the shoulders) overhead (along the sagittal plane and through the coronal plane) to see how far back we can comfortably get them behind our ears without forcing it. We notice that we don’t have such great ROM in this movement, therefore, we can hypothesize that, "because of my tight shoulders I can no longer press, overhead squat, snatch, jerk, etc. as effectively."

STEP 3:
Start With What You Know
( (problem) is most prevalent when I (action))
OR
(I can’t (function) when I (action))

This is where you can start affecting change in yourself by being smart about how you treat yourself. Always start with what you know. Let’s again go back to the overhead position. What do we know here? For starters you know that you perform movements in this position and that you are trying to treat yourself. So then ask yourself, “Self! This is a position that I’m challenged in (overhead) so what is it about this position that I can affect myself”? Furthermore, you know that the shoulders have A LOT to do with your overhead position, but also that there are A LOT of other things that affect your shoulders. Always remember the root cause of a problem often flows either upstream and/or downstream from the actual problem site. That means that if your shoulders are causing you pain or limited ROM there is most-likely something around or near the shoulder causing it – not necessarily the shoulder itself. Granted, I know freak accidents occur that tear rotator cuffs and dislocate the shoulder but those are more blunt force traumas. Short story long, it is a common observation that when people have difficulty with their overhead positioning there is, 99.9999999% of the time, at least some thoracic business (thoracic = upper/middle spine from the base of the neck to the mid back), if not a ton of thoracic business, that needs to be cleaned up. So…now you know that too.

STEP 4:
Treat What You Find
(If I ever want to (function/action) again I will enroll myelf in an (program))

Duh!

Seriously though, people have the most difficult time actually taking the time to work on the things they need to in order to keep themselves healthy and “in the game”. Think about it. How many people do you know who stretch, roll out, ice, get massage, etc. in adequate amounts?

STEP 5:
Give It At Least 2 Minutes
(How much time will it take to correct (problem))

If we identify a problem we should be able to effect change in 2 minutes. Simply pick 2-3 things that are your “magic bullets” before a workout and focus on them for 2 minutes each. That’s less than 10 minutes or so total. If you want to explore some other things…great! Just make sure you get the stuff you know works done first. Show up early to class, grab a timer (because when your stretching those 2 minutes can be the longest 2 minutes of your life) and begin to effect change.

STEP 6:
Retest Your Problem
(Now that I am only 1 step away from remission, do I have (problem) under control enough that I can now (function))

Now take the same test(s) you did in Step 2 and do them again. Notice any difference? If yes, move on to the next step but don’t completely neglect the old problem. It takes a lot of work to change learned movement habits. Keep on it so you don’t revert back to old patterns and so you prevent other unwanted patterns and injury.

If no then keep working hard on it. Possibly change your approach by trying different tactics, glenohumeral articulations (fancy name for shoulder)(find shoulder articulations link), modalities, etc.

STEP 7:
Perform
(I am now competent enough to (action) without (problem))

Go back and perform the movement you couldn’t do before and see if there is any caryover from the clinical you just put yourself through. If you need to do more work to get the movement where you want it to be then repeat the necessary steps.

And, of course, none of this is a substitution in any way, shape, or form for ice, good deep tissue massage, stretching, etc. Taking care of your body requires a complete multi-faceted approach.


Hey! At least my program is only 7 steps instead of 10 steps...
Check back Friday for the first installment of how it only takes 2 minutes to treat and take care of your shoulders (complete with pictures).
Coach Justin

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Improved Performance Is Only 2 Minutes Away - Part 1: Developing a Model of Organization

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
See Previous Post For Workout Schedule
The thought pattern I find with virtually ALL of my athletes (this includes myself), which is a major defect in how we think about training and performance, is that so much emphasis is placed on that which goes into the actual working out that there is a severe and detrimental lack of focus on recovery and regeneration. This thought process leads to a number of injuries and prevents optimal performance. I think it safe to say that with any athlete whom has walked into my classes that they would benefit more from stretching for a straight month (and this may not even be enough) while not even touching a weight than jumping straight into the weights. But, if I were to do this do you think anyone would even come back for a second class? I’ve tried. It hasn’t happened yet.

Remember, “flexibility” is one of CrossFit’s 10 fitness domains (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, accuracy) but it’s often overlooked by athletes focusing on sexier domains such as strength, power, speed and endurance. The thing is, all of those more attractive domains can be developed to a much greater extent with flexibility. I know of some athletes who have completely done away with lifting for months at a time to focus solely on their tissue integrity and came back to squat, deadlift, bench press, etc. more when they returned then when they stopped. Flexibility alone apparently made them stronger. And, by eating the right way they didn’t really lose any size to speak of either.

That being said, what do you say we start healing, preventing and hitting some of the less attractive domains that can greatly affect our performance? Now…we need a model of organization. Let’s attack this with a scientific approach much like that of the scientific method. You know the ol’ 1.Question 2.Research 3.Hypothesis 4.Test 5.Anaylyze 6.Conclusion/Results deal-io. What should our steps then be?


SELF-TREATMENT MODEL

Step 1: Identify a problem
Step 2: Test your problem
Step 3: Start with what you know
Step 4: Treat what you find
Step 5: Give it at least 2 mins.
Step 6: Retest your problem
Step 7: Live/Perform

In a sentence: Start with what you know, treat what you find, give it at least 2 minutes.
Check back tomorrow for a breakdown and explanation of the 7 steps. Over the course of the rest of this week I'll be focusing my posts on specific ways you can treat yourself as it relates to your shoulder and overhead positioning. There's more than meets the eye. I can tell you that.
Coach Justin

Monday, August 2, 2010

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

TUESDAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm

Hey all. With school starting back this month I think it might be wise to only post my schedule on a weekly basis for this transition month. So, here is my schedule for the rest of this week (August 3rd - August 7th)

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 - 9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 - 9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Thursday, August 5th, 2010 - 9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Friday, August 6th, 2010 - 9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
Saturday, August 7th, 2010 - TBD

CONTRIBUTE TO THE PARADIGM SHIFT WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE FITNESS REVOLUTION
"Paradigm Shift" [par-uh-dahym][shift]:
1. A radical change in underlying beliefs or theory
2. A fundamental change in approach or assumptions
Currently folks there is an extremely important paradigm shift taking place in the fitness industry. Much of the dogma regarding health, nutrition, fitness, etc. that has been filtrated through to the public is now under heavy scrutiny and, in large part, is being PROVEN, if not completely irrelevant, virtually useless. No more are the days of women running on the treadmills and training their c-o-r-e while guys monopolize the bench press and dumbells for arm curls. Globo gyms are rapidly taking a back seat to what is PROVEN to be the most effective fitness program known to man for virtually any application. Period! Sound elitist? Try it. Nay! Not only try it. Strive to understand the concepts, reasoning, and insight behind the philosophy of why CrossFit teaches and trains how it does. Without the understanding CrossFit simply seems "hard", to most but with the understanding your life WILL change. Plus "Nothing worth doing is ever easy".
So this is what you can do to fulfil your part in making this shift and progressing the health and fitness industry for the betterment of human existence now as well as future generations. Every day the Record Searchlight is printing a "2010 Best Of The North State" Official Ballot where you can vote for your favorite business or service in a long list of categories. One of the categories is "Health and Fitness Center". Have fun filling out the ballot and make sure you enter "CrossFit Redding" in the "Health and Fitness Center" section every day from now until August 13th and mail them in. Get your friends, family and acquantances to vote too.
I know that my business is Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics but since I train out of CrossFit Redding I see it only fit to put their name on the ballot. Now, if there were a spot on the ballot for "Fitness Coach" you know who I'd expect you to pencil in.
This shift needs to happen folks and it would be great if Redding were a pioneering city in the effort of functional fitness and performance.

Thanks,

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Sunday, August 1, 2010

MONDAY, AUGUST 2ND, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
Lucy practicing her tribal spear squat!



Coach Justin

PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com