THURSDAY, JULY 1ST, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Friday's workouts will be held at 9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
July Schedule to be posted soon.
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Shasta's Scott to Play Volleyball in D-II
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Published by The Record Searchlight, June 25th, 2010
Written by Jeffrey Jen
WEST VALLEY GRADUATE HEADING TO NEWBERRY COLLEGE IN S.C.
There were times when Sarah Scott began to think that her volleyball career would not continue after Shasta College.
However, a drawn out recruiting process ended Monday when Scott signed her national letter-of-intent to NCAA Division II program Newberry College out of South Carolina.
Scott, who is expected to fax back the letter today, is already cleared to enroll in the school but was only waiting on the letter to make it official.
“I’ve been verbally committed for a while now,” Scott said. “But I figured I would wait until I get the letter to sign. It has been a crazy recruiting process.”
A 2008 West Valley High School graduate, Scott led the Knights in kills (257) and digs (504) in 2009, earning all-conference honors as a sophomore outside hitter. She finished with the fifth-highest digs total in the state despite an uneven season from Shasta.
Uneven would be a good way to describe Scott’s recruitment process. There was contact from the likes of Hawaii Pacific, Cal State Dominguez Hills and D-I program Florida Atlantic.
In the end, Newberry College came in late with its need for an experienced hitter for next season. Newberry is coming off an 18-16 season and a sixth-place finish in the South Atlantic Conference.
At the time that Newberry came along with a full scholarship offer, Scott was still being looked at by Florida Atlantic. She took trips out to both schools last month. However, she was uncertain about how much Florida Atlantic would be offering. Newberry was offering a full ride.
“Nothing concrete ever came of it,” Scott said. “I wasn’t sure what they would be offering until August, so I figured I would take the sure thing I had with Newberry instead of more uncertainty.”
Newberry College is a liberal arts college in Newberry, S.C., located 43 miles northwest the state capitol of Columbia. It has an enrollment of slightly over a thousand. A couple of years ago, the school retired its mascot name Indians. Earlier this month, it was announced Newberry’s athletic teams will be called the Wolves.
Scott was impressed with Newberry on her trip, and that made the decision easier.
“I did like it there,” Scott said. “It was really pretty. I like the coaches, both the head coach and the assistant.”
Scott was told by head coach David Nicholson that she would have to earn her spot on the team, but that suits Scott fine.
“I know there is an outside hitter spot open and they have a lot of younger players out on the roster,” Scott said. “They were looking for a JC transfer to come in right away for them.”
All things considered, Scott is happy with the way things turned out.
She had a partial scholarship offer from Hawaii Pacific coming out of West Valley. However, she wasn’t sure if she was ready yet to leave home.
“I was pretty young when I graduated,” Scott said. “I’ve seen so many times people rushing to leave the area to someplace only to come back. I didn’t want to go through that. When I did leave, I wanted it to be for good. I decided to stay around for another two years and go to Shasta and see what I get from there.”
Scott said she will be studying physical education as her major at Newberry with a concentration toward leisure studies. She would like to one day become an activities coordinator at a resort or on a cruise ship.
But, she still wants to continue playing volleyball. Now, with a trip to South Carolina, she’s still got two more years with the sport.
Congratulations Swiffer!
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Best Definition of Fitness
TUESDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
From the CrossFit Journal's "What Is Fitness?"
What Is Fitness and Who Is Fit?
Outside Magazine crowned triathlete Mark Allen “the fittest man on earth” (http://web.outsidemag.com/magazine/0297/9702fefit.html). Let’s just assume for a moment that this famous six-time winner of the IronMan Triathlon is the fittest of the fit, then what title do we bestow on the decathlete Simon Poelman (http://www.decathlon2000.ee/english/legends/poelman.htm) who also possesses incredible endurance and stamina, yet crushes Mr. Allen in any comparison that includes strength, power, speed, and coordination?
Perhaps the definition of fitness doesn’t include strength, speed, power, and coordination though that seems rather odd. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines “fitness” and being “fit” as the ability to transmit genes and being healthy. No help there. Searching the Internet for a workable, reasonable definition of fitness yields disappointingly little(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=fitness+definition). Worse yet, the NSCA, the most respected publisher in exercise physiology, in their highly authoritative Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning doesn’t even attempt a definition.
Crossfit’s Fitness
For CrossFit the specter of championing a fitness program without clearly defining what it is that the program delivers combines elements of fraud and farce. The vacuum of guiding authority has therefore necessitated that CrossFit’s directors provide their own definition of fitness. That’s what this issue of CrossFit Journal is about, our “fitness.”
Our pondering, studying, debating about, and finally defining fitness have played a formative role in CrossFit’s successes. The keys to understanding the methods and achievements of CrossFit are perfectly imbedded in our view of fitness and basic exercise science.
It will come as no surprise to most of you that our view of fitness is a contrarian
view. The general public both in opinion and in media holds endurance athletes as exemplars of fitness. We do not. Our incredulity on learning of Outside’s awarding a triathlete title of “fittest man on earth” becomes apparent in light of CrossFit’s standards for assessing and defining fitness.
To continue reading "What is Fitness" and learning how to achieve fitness (whatever that may look like for you) continue reading here: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
From the CrossFit Journal's "What Is Fitness?"
What Is Fitness and Who Is Fit?
Outside Magazine crowned triathlete Mark Allen “the fittest man on earth” (http://web.outsidemag.com/magazine/0297/9702fefit.html). Let’s just assume for a moment that this famous six-time winner of the IronMan Triathlon is the fittest of the fit, then what title do we bestow on the decathlete Simon Poelman (http://www.decathlon2000.ee/english/legends/poelman.htm) who also possesses incredible endurance and stamina, yet crushes Mr. Allen in any comparison that includes strength, power, speed, and coordination?
Perhaps the definition of fitness doesn’t include strength, speed, power, and coordination though that seems rather odd. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines “fitness” and being “fit” as the ability to transmit genes and being healthy. No help there. Searching the Internet for a workable, reasonable definition of fitness yields disappointingly little(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=fitness+definition). Worse yet, the NSCA, the most respected publisher in exercise physiology, in their highly authoritative Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning doesn’t even attempt a definition.
Crossfit’s Fitness
For CrossFit the specter of championing a fitness program without clearly defining what it is that the program delivers combines elements of fraud and farce. The vacuum of guiding authority has therefore necessitated that CrossFit’s directors provide their own definition of fitness. That’s what this issue of CrossFit Journal is about, our “fitness.”
Our pondering, studying, debating about, and finally defining fitness have played a formative role in CrossFit’s successes. The keys to understanding the methods and achievements of CrossFit are perfectly imbedded in our view of fitness and basic exercise science.
It will come as no surprise to most of you that our view of fitness is a contrarian
view. The general public both in opinion and in media holds endurance athletes as exemplars of fitness. We do not. Our incredulity on learning of Outside’s awarding a triathlete title of “fittest man on earth” becomes apparent in light of CrossFit’s standards for assessing and defining fitness.
To continue reading "What is Fitness" and learning how to achieve fitness (whatever that may look like for you) continue reading here: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Paleo Chicken Strips
MONDAY, JUNE 28TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
This has long been one of my favorite recipes and now I've adapted it for Paleo eating.
PALEO CHICKEN STRIPS
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup almond meal
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 whole eggs (omega-3 enriched)
1/4 cup shredded cheese (optional)
coconut oil
Directions:
Using a paper towel spread coconut oil on cookie sheet until a light layer covers entirely. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into strips. Combine almond meal, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic into a medium bowl and blend well. In a separate medium bowl whisk the two eggs. Dip chicken strips into eggs, roll in alomond meal mixture and arrange on cookie sheet. Lightly cover strips with shredded cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
These also work well as appetizers. Just make the strips into 1" square nuggets.
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness.blogspot.com
Friday, June 25, 2010
Daring To Go Where No Man Has Gone Before...Kinda – GOOD LUCK ANNA
SATURDAY, JUNE 26TH, 2010
9am
To view the entire June schedule click here: JUNE SCHEDULE
Prior to seeking me out Anna had signed up for a month-long wilderness adventure in the Rocky Mountains through and organization called the National Outdoor Leadership School.
During this month-long endeavor Anna will have to literally survive off of the land using only the resources that the group can manage to find and forage. She will have to complete a wide variety of skills in order to complete her treacherous trek beginning in Lander, Wyoming and winding her way through the crystal clear lakes and stunning glacier-carved granite cirques of the Wind River Mountains, the sprawling meadows and deep rivers of the Absorakas, and the hidden red canyons of Utah’s slickrock country. Among the many tasks that she will have to perform include horsepacking, backpacking, rock climbing, caving, mountaineering, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyon travel, backcountry skiing, fly fishing, wilderness medicine, and I’m sure a few others.
I want to congratulate Anna on a very hard-fought several months with Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics preparing herself for this journey. As Anna progressed through the weeks and through the workouts she continually pushed herself beyond her comfort level in order to accomplish feats that she had never even dreamed of being able to do. Coming down with a “bug” at one point during our time together Anna was forced to take some time off. When she was feeling better however, she came back to the gym with a renewed focus and vengeance, and accomplished more in the last several weeks of her training than she did in the first couple of months! This fact alone makes me wish she were able to keep coming in and continuing her progress. However, I am excited for her on this journey she is about to take and wish her the best of luck.
I know that you are prepared to do this Anna and that the entire Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics gang is behind you and supporting you 100%. We will all be looking forward to seeing you and your pictures, and hearing about your triumphs, difficulties and amazing stories that you are sure to have when you return.
I and the whole PQF&A clan are all very proud of you.
As a side note, Anna is a 3-sport athlete for U-Prep High School participating in soccer, basketball and swimming, volunteers at the Mission and is completing requirements in order to work toward coaching basketball for autistic children. She also improved her 3-rep max deadlift by 40lbs, her 3-rep max press by 15lbs, and her 3-rep max squat by 30lbs. over the course of 2 months. Meaning…that she is much more capable and prepared to tackle the tasks, known and unknown, that lay before her.
Anna nailing her 135# deadlift x3
Anna grinds her way through a max press x3
Anna grinds her way through a max press x3
Playing around with the sandbag
Coach-couldn't-be-prouder-Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Performance Quest Athletes in the Media Spotlight - Follow Up on Stupek and Cole
FRIDAY, JUNE 25TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
To view the entire June schedule click here: JUNE SCHEDULE
Diamondbacks' Late Rally Gives them Win
The Redding Diamondbacks beat the Reno Rebels 5-4 at the Father's Day Chico Slam on Monday.
The Diamondbacks scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning to pull out the win.
Matt Montez led off the seventh inning with a triple to right-center field. Montez scored on Brian Stupek's grounder to third base that led to a throwing error. Stupek eventually stole second base with two outs before scoring on Ryan King's RBI double to right-center.
Richard Asourian, Cameron Cole, Montez and King all collected two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks (12-5) who are now 3-1 in the tournament.
This article was published in the Record Searchlight June 20, 2010.
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Performance Quest Athletes in the Media Spotlight - Cole and Stupek Shine
THURSDAY, JUNE 24TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Lately there has been a slew of Performace Quest Fitness & Athletics athletes making thier way into the headlines. I'd like to start what will prove to be a series of multiple articles by doing a double-feature of two of my first and most dedicated athletes. Their names are Brian Stupek and Cameron Cole and both of these young men have been doing great things on the baseball diamond as of late. Continue reading to hear how they did in their Sunday game of the Chico Father's Day Classic.
This was written in the Record Searchlight June 21st, 2010.
BATS, COLE CLICK
The Redding Diamondbacks exploded for 12 hits Sunday to beat the Colusa Channel Cats 10-2 at the Chico Father's Day Classic. Cameron Cole pitched a complete game for the Redding American Legion team. He threw a two-hitter on just 72 pitches.
Leading hitters for the Diamondbacks were Richard Asdourian, who was 4-for-5 with four RBI's on three doubles, Andrew Lauritzen, who went 2-for-3 with a single and a double, and Brian Stupek, who was 3-for-3 with tow RBI's on tow singles and a double.
A crucial play fo rthe Diamondbacks occurred in the fifth inning when Austin Coleman laid down a squeeze bunt to bring in Stupek.
The Channel Cats scored in the second inning on a tow-run home run by David Walker.
The Redding team next plays the Reno Rebels toay at 8 a.m. in hte Breakfast Classic at Doreyland in Chico.
Stay tuned for more featured Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics athlete write-ups soon to come.
Brian Stupek
Cameron Cole
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Optimal Function is Built From the Ground Up - Part 2
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23RD, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
The shoes we wear not only cast the foot in a protective form, but also weaken our foot and leg muscles, leaving them underdeveloped and more prone to injury. The foot, like any other part of the body, needs to work to remain strong and maintain desired function. It is important to stimulate and exercise the foot in a more natural state on a regular basis. Stimulating muscles in your feet and lower legs will not only make you stronger and healthier, it improves your balance, agility and proprioception (proprioception is the body's ability to adapt to change...such as stepping on rocks or uneven surfaces). Wearing shoes with arch supports, orthotics, soft/squishy soles, heels, etc. places your feet in positions they don’t normally want to be in. These “aides” are simply a crutch that temporarily masks a problem. They are the easy way out and more frequently than not are only effective for a short period of time. Hence, why I wear a flat-soled shoe such as Converse All-Stars or a minimalist shoe such as the Vibram FiveFingers, that allow my foot to maneuver itself better than the typical "cross-training" shoes that most people wear now days that manipulate your foot into positions it doesn't naturally want to be in.
My theory on this is that they take an improper movement pattern that you have developed and transition that pattern over to another incorrect movement pattern that relieves the old pain but then causes a new one. Kind of like lightly tapping your finger in one spot on your head until it hurts in that spot and then moving the finger to another spot until that hurts. It takes a while for the new spot to begin to hurt and in the meantime the old spot will cease to hurt but you’ve not eliminated the tapping altogether, which should be the goal.
Furthermore, cushioned shoes teach us to run and even walk improperly placing all of our "landing/striking force" when running or walking in the heel of our foot instead of our toe. And, if you think (or anyone thinks) that it's good to run on your heels, there's some serious education that needs to take place with regard to physics and speed training as well as biomechanics and injury prevention. In short, if you "heel strike" you are stopping your momentum with every step and apply resistance or “backwards pressure” every time you take a step. It's like rolling a tire with your hands and putting a board in front of the tire every 3-4 feet. Do you think that tire is going to go as fast as possible with those boards there or do you think it would go faster if it had no resistance in front of it? This type of running (running on the heels) also promotes injury. Injuries that are largely preventable. Running on the heels causes a hyperextension of the back/driving knee and hamstring. This leads to a large number of knee injuries, hamstring strains, plantar fasciitis, etc.
Just look at the sport with the highest rate of injury. It’s the “non-contact” sport of running! Particularly cross country runners. Not only do they typically not train their bodies for anything except running (this leads to some serious movement flaws and injuries, save for another discussion) but they are hammering away at their feet and, essentially, their joints with every single step they take. And I can’t think of one of them (doesn’t mean that there aren’t any) that doesn’t log all of their miles in some sort of padded, possibly unnaturally forming shoe. In addition most of them run on their heels…they’re “heel-strikers”. Again, we’re not designed to move this way.
So what about people who NEED arch supports and orthotics? This is nothing more than great marketing that people have been told by medical professionals or "experts" who either don't understand how to get the foot functioning properly again or are making money off of selling people something they really don't need and is actually hindering them in the long-run (no pun intended). Arch supports and orthotics are merely a crutch that TEMPORARILY allow people to carry out tasks pain-free during their everyday activities. Wearing these aides will innevitably only worsen the condition of a persons foot causing a whole string of problems as age increases and function deteriorates.
So what makes me so sure? Because I've helped people and know other coaches who continue to "cure" people from having to wear orthotics and arch supports that they were told and believed they'd have to wear their whole lives. It isn't a pleasant process and there are several stages that someone with poor arches must go through to achieve aidless foot independence but it is achievable and exceptionally beneficial in the long run for those willing to do it. In other words, I've developed arches in people with flat arches. However, I will say that I don’t have this down to a science like some of the specialists I’ve met and worked with. Specialists whom people search out specifically to fix their foot problems and associated joint pains. I don’t believe I’ve ever had anyone come to me or realize that they came to me because they needed me to fix this problem, it simply occurs over time as a result of me teaching them how to move properly and gradually getting them into a flat-soled or minimalist shoe.
What about Pronation? This is where a gradual progression is critical. For some pronators (people whose feet tend to rotate inward during normal gait or flatten during full weight-bearing exercise) an immediate shift to a flat-soled shoe or minimalist shoe will most-likely be too much of an abrupt change in biomechanics. I always recommend what is called a micro progression into minimalist footwear. The "too-much-too-soon phenomenon" can be a problem for anyone’s foot. In the case of heavy pronators, flat-soled or minimalist shoes might not be a wise choice for weight-bearing activities. Pronators will definitely benefit from some focused rehabilitation and foot-specific exercises before wearing any minimalist footwear.
Here's a video clip that demonstrates the difference in lifting with cushioned shoes as opposed to flat-soled shoes. At the beginning of the clip they say that running shoes are great for running, standing in line, and walking. This is also wrong. Yes, racing flats are great for running and oftentimes everyday use but the more common cross-training shoes that we (people) typically wear put us at a disadvantage when it comes to taking care of our bodies...even when we're walking or standing in line.
References:
Vibram FiveFingers
Further Research Resources:
CrossFit Endurance
SportScience – Barefoot running
Inov-8
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
My theory on this is that they take an improper movement pattern that you have developed and transition that pattern over to another incorrect movement pattern that relieves the old pain but then causes a new one. Kind of like lightly tapping your finger in one spot on your head until it hurts in that spot and then moving the finger to another spot until that hurts. It takes a while for the new spot to begin to hurt and in the meantime the old spot will cease to hurt but you’ve not eliminated the tapping altogether, which should be the goal.
Furthermore, cushioned shoes teach us to run and even walk improperly placing all of our "landing/striking force" when running or walking in the heel of our foot instead of our toe. And, if you think (or anyone thinks) that it's good to run on your heels, there's some serious education that needs to take place with regard to physics and speed training as well as biomechanics and injury prevention. In short, if you "heel strike" you are stopping your momentum with every step and apply resistance or “backwards pressure” every time you take a step. It's like rolling a tire with your hands and putting a board in front of the tire every 3-4 feet. Do you think that tire is going to go as fast as possible with those boards there or do you think it would go faster if it had no resistance in front of it? This type of running (running on the heels) also promotes injury. Injuries that are largely preventable. Running on the heels causes a hyperextension of the back/driving knee and hamstring. This leads to a large number of knee injuries, hamstring strains, plantar fasciitis, etc.
Just look at the sport with the highest rate of injury. It’s the “non-contact” sport of running! Particularly cross country runners. Not only do they typically not train their bodies for anything except running (this leads to some serious movement flaws and injuries, save for another discussion) but they are hammering away at their feet and, essentially, their joints with every single step they take. And I can’t think of one of them (doesn’t mean that there aren’t any) that doesn’t log all of their miles in some sort of padded, possibly unnaturally forming shoe. In addition most of them run on their heels…they’re “heel-strikers”. Again, we’re not designed to move this way.
So what about people who NEED arch supports and orthotics? This is nothing more than great marketing that people have been told by medical professionals or "experts" who either don't understand how to get the foot functioning properly again or are making money off of selling people something they really don't need and is actually hindering them in the long-run (no pun intended). Arch supports and orthotics are merely a crutch that TEMPORARILY allow people to carry out tasks pain-free during their everyday activities. Wearing these aides will innevitably only worsen the condition of a persons foot causing a whole string of problems as age increases and function deteriorates.
So what makes me so sure? Because I've helped people and know other coaches who continue to "cure" people from having to wear orthotics and arch supports that they were told and believed they'd have to wear their whole lives. It isn't a pleasant process and there are several stages that someone with poor arches must go through to achieve aidless foot independence but it is achievable and exceptionally beneficial in the long run for those willing to do it. In other words, I've developed arches in people with flat arches. However, I will say that I don’t have this down to a science like some of the specialists I’ve met and worked with. Specialists whom people search out specifically to fix their foot problems and associated joint pains. I don’t believe I’ve ever had anyone come to me or realize that they came to me because they needed me to fix this problem, it simply occurs over time as a result of me teaching them how to move properly and gradually getting them into a flat-soled or minimalist shoe.
What about Pronation? This is where a gradual progression is critical. For some pronators (people whose feet tend to rotate inward during normal gait or flatten during full weight-bearing exercise) an immediate shift to a flat-soled shoe or minimalist shoe will most-likely be too much of an abrupt change in biomechanics. I always recommend what is called a micro progression into minimalist footwear. The "too-much-too-soon phenomenon" can be a problem for anyone’s foot. In the case of heavy pronators, flat-soled or minimalist shoes might not be a wise choice for weight-bearing activities. Pronators will definitely benefit from some focused rehabilitation and foot-specific exercises before wearing any minimalist footwear.
Here's a video clip that demonstrates the difference in lifting with cushioned shoes as opposed to flat-soled shoes. At the beginning of the clip they say that running shoes are great for running, standing in line, and walking. This is also wrong. Yes, racing flats are great for running and oftentimes everyday use but the more common cross-training shoes that we (people) typically wear put us at a disadvantage when it comes to taking care of our bodies...even when we're walking or standing in line.
References:
Vibram FiveFingers
Further Research Resources:
CrossFit Endurance
SportScience – Barefoot running
Inov-8
Coach Justin
Monday, June 21, 2010
Optimal Function is Built From the Ground Up - Part 1
TUESDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
To view the complete June Schedule click here: JUNE SCHEDULE
There are many reasons why people may have joint pain. Oftentimes joint pain is caused from the flow of the pain or improper movement pattern of one joint that is directly above or below the affected joint. For the purposes of this article, let’s begin with what supports us every day, with every step and with every change of direction…our feet and ankles.
In order to consider the magnificent mechanical complexity and structural strength of our feet and ankles let’s first consider these facts.
The foot and ankle contain:
· 26 bones (one quarter of the bones in the human body are in the feet)
· 33 joints
· more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments
· a network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, and soft tissue
· The ankle serves as foundation, shock absorber, and propulsion engine
· The foot can sustain enormous pressure (several tons over the course of a one-mile run) and provides flexibility and resiliency
Sounds rather important – wouldn’t you say?
These components work together to provide the body with support, balance, and mobility. A structural flaw or malfunction in any one part can result in the development of problems elsewhere in the body. This brings us full circle back to the flow of pain from one joint to the next. For example: A structural flaw in the feet leads to a structural flaw in the ankles, leads to a structural flaw in the knees, leads to a structural flaw in the hips, leads to a structural flaw in the back, leads to a structural flaw in the neck. Along the path of these joints there are a whole host of neuromuscular afflictions that happen during this process that only accelerate the process. Lack of strength training, flexibility, as well as improper movement patterns during strength training also attribute to and compound these problems. Keep in mind that when it comes to the human body, one thing leads to the next and a problem or injury can usually be remedied by looking either upstream or downstream of the actual problem site. And pain may arise at any of these sites. But…
AND HEAR ME ON THIS FOLKS! Foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, back pain, neck pain, and all of their associated surgeries can possibly be avoided through proper intervention. This means taking care of your body and approaching the issue from the ground (foundation) up. How do I know? Because I’ve not only seen it, but dealt with it time and time again.
The first step I take to dealing with these issues is by taking a look at how you treat your foundation and what form of structural flaws you may be subjecting your feet to. In other words, what type of shoes do you wear and/or do you wear arch supports or orthotics?
To Be Continued...
Check back soon to see whether I am pro-support or anti-support when it comes to your shoes and my recommendations.
Here's a hint
Coach-leaving-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Sunday, June 20, 2010
MONDAY, JUNE 21ST, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
To view the complete June Schedule click here: JUNE SCHEDULE
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Friday, June 18, 2010
SATURDAY, JUNE 19TH, 2010
9am
9am
To view the entire June Schedule click here: JUNE SCHEDULE
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Grilled Pork Chops
FRIDAY, JUNE 18TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
GRILLED PORK CHOPS
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp thyme, ground
1/4 tsp oregano, dried
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 pork chops, 1" thick
Directions:
Mix marinade ingredients and pour over pork chops. Marinade 12 hrs (overnight). Grill over hot coals. Baste pork chops with marinade during grilling. Eat with vegetable medley sprinkled with olive oil.
Enjoy
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Rethinking Your Doctor's Diagnosis
THURSDAY, JUNE 17TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
This summer I've enrolled myself in an online abnormal psychology class through Shasta College and my homework post for the night doubles as a great post for you to consider.
My homework question was as follows:
"Do you feel people's experiences can or should be given specific diagnoses? Please feel free to argue pro or con, or to see both sides, but please give reason for your belief."
My Answer:
Initially, I begin looking at this question from more of a personal standpoint through experiences that may not deal with psychological issues in particular but may have a great deal of correlation with how we look at the body and its healing processes.
When I take on a new client with a health issue, an injury, or a weakness I always ask questions and look for clues that will tell me what the symptoms are that are actually causing this unwanted entity. Why? Because one, I am not legally allowed to diagnose or prescribe, and two, this method of approach is great at giving feedback which generally either fixes the issue quickly or gives a deeper look into the root cause of the problem and guides which course of action is the next logical progression.
In medicine there has been an overwhelming mindset of 1-disease, 1-pathology. It has been my experience that it could be any combination of disease and pathology. There may arise several diseases from one pathology or several pathologies may contribute to one disease. My hunch is that this same phenomenon most-likely holds true for many psychological cases as well.
For example, high insulin levels lead to (1) abdominal adiposity (apple-shape), (2) high circulating blood glucose, (3) high blood fats (hypertriglyceridemia), (4) high blood pressure (hypertension). This is what’s classified as Syndrome-X disease, which encompasses cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, polycystic ovarian syndrome, PMS, depression, and the forerunner of today, type II diabetes. And this is merely the tip of the hyperinsulinemia iceberg!
But…instead of diagnosing someone who has diabetes, endometriosis, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, crohn’s disease, AND is depressed (I’ve actually seen this before!), and treating each one of these separately like this person’s doctor was doing (you should have seen her medicine cabinet!), I ask her to get a simple blood panel and begin working on the deficiencies that are the root cause of the problem.
I know that oftentimes psychology is much less tangible as compared to a physical panel reading on a piece of paper in my hand telling me what the root cause is, but my point remains the same. Symptoms, NOT disease should be treated. In other words I work to fix what causes your diabetes, not your diabetes diagnosis itself.
I do however, in specific cases, tell the person what they could have from their symptoms in order to give them something tangible to go off of instead of having them feel like I am making stabs in the dark at what I am doing to help them. This is only on the rare cases that the person has not already been previously diagnosed by a person with the legal ability to do so and is someone who needs to know what we are shooting at.
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
This summer I've enrolled myself in an online abnormal psychology class through Shasta College and my homework post for the night doubles as a great post for you to consider.
My homework question was as follows:
"Do you feel people's experiences can or should be given specific diagnoses? Please feel free to argue pro or con, or to see both sides, but please give reason for your belief."
My Answer:
Initially, I begin looking at this question from more of a personal standpoint through experiences that may not deal with psychological issues in particular but may have a great deal of correlation with how we look at the body and its healing processes.
When I take on a new client with a health issue, an injury, or a weakness I always ask questions and look for clues that will tell me what the symptoms are that are actually causing this unwanted entity. Why? Because one, I am not legally allowed to diagnose or prescribe, and two, this method of approach is great at giving feedback which generally either fixes the issue quickly or gives a deeper look into the root cause of the problem and guides which course of action is the next logical progression.
In medicine there has been an overwhelming mindset of 1-disease, 1-pathology. It has been my experience that it could be any combination of disease and pathology. There may arise several diseases from one pathology or several pathologies may contribute to one disease. My hunch is that this same phenomenon most-likely holds true for many psychological cases as well.
For example, high insulin levels lead to (1) abdominal adiposity (apple-shape), (2) high circulating blood glucose, (3) high blood fats (hypertriglyceridemia), (4) high blood pressure (hypertension). This is what’s classified as Syndrome-X disease, which encompasses cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, polycystic ovarian syndrome, PMS, depression, and the forerunner of today, type II diabetes. And this is merely the tip of the hyperinsulinemia iceberg!
But…instead of diagnosing someone who has diabetes, endometriosis, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, crohn’s disease, AND is depressed (I’ve actually seen this before!), and treating each one of these separately like this person’s doctor was doing (you should have seen her medicine cabinet!), I ask her to get a simple blood panel and begin working on the deficiencies that are the root cause of the problem.
I know that oftentimes psychology is much less tangible as compared to a physical panel reading on a piece of paper in my hand telling me what the root cause is, but my point remains the same. Symptoms, NOT disease should be treated. In other words I work to fix what causes your diabetes, not your diabetes diagnosis itself.
I do however, in specific cases, tell the person what they could have from their symptoms in order to give them something tangible to go off of instead of having them feel like I am making stabs in the dark at what I am doing to help them. This is only on the rare cases that the person has not already been previously diagnosed by a person with the legal ability to do so and is someone who needs to know what we are shooting at.
Coach-wildly-stabs-in-the-dark-Justin PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
TUESDAY, JUNE 15TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
See the entire June schedule here: JUNE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
THURSDAY, JUNE 10TH, 2010
9am
I will be out of town for most of Thursday and all of Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Classes will resume as scheduled Monday morning at 9am.
In the meantime I strongly encourage you to spend some time checking out the following website. Especially if you are vegetarian, know a vegetarian, or are thinking about vegetarianism as an option. Consider this an I-O-U as you or your vegetarian loved one is now endebted to me for saving your (or their) life.
Coach Justin
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
What You Don't Know CAN Kill You
TUESDAY, JUNE 8TH, 2010
9am / 10am / 2:30pm / 7:30pm
Just got this through my personal email. The take-home message is this - environmental factors, even unasuming ones, can and do effect your health. Yes, I want you to please make changes when you fire up your car, but I want to also get you thinking and possibly even looking into other things that may affect your health. Some examples might include fire-retardent bed mattresses, cell phones, the carpet in your house, the soap, shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, and lotion that you put directly on your skin...EVERYTHING and ANYTHING! Lots of consumer products are chemically treated or have harmful toxins in them, emit radiation-type waves through your body, etc. Sounds extreme and I don't know as you should be so neurotic about these things that they ruin your life but I want you to get in the mindset where you're able to make conscious, educated decisions that will positively effect your health and the health of your loved ones.
Car Air-conditioning - MUST READ !!!
No wonder more folks are dying from cancer than ever before. We wonder where this stuff comes from, but here is an example that explains a lot of the cancer-causing incidents.
Many people are in their cars first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, seven days a week. As I read this, it makes me feel guilty and ill.
Please pass this on to as many people as possible. Guess it's not too late to make some changes.
Please do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car. Open the windows after you enter your car and turn ON the AC after a couple of minutes.
Here's why:
According to research, the car dashboard, sofa and air freshener emit Benzene, a cancer-causing toxin (carcinogen).
Take time to observe the smell of heated plastic in your car. In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells.
Prolonged exposure will cause leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. It can also cause miscarriage. Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq ft.
A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level.
People who get into the car keeping windows closed will inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of the toxin.
Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.
So friends, please open the windows and door of your car - give time for the interior air to dispel the deadly stuff - before you enter.
Thought: 'When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.'
Coach-neurotic-male-26-caucasian-loves dogs-and long walks on the beach-Justin
Sunday, June 6, 2010
JUNE SCHEDULE
MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2010
9am / 10am / 5pm / 6pm
To all of you who are training with or planning on training with Performance Quest for the month of June here's the schedule.
If you can't make any of the days/times listed below please get ahold of me and let me know so we can see about working something out. If you are not cleared for the open classes then please contact me as soon as possible or, if you're already working with me but not in the classes, follow the personal schedule that we have already come up with together.
I will also post the class times for the following day every evening so please check back every night in case of time changes.
Please click on the schedule below to view a larger image.
Coach Justin
530-356-4339
Friday, June 4, 2010
Things That Really Get Under My Skin – Part 2: No, it's Kardio, With a K
Alright. Just found this post written by Kelly Starrett of SanFrancisco Crossfit. His words definitely do a great job giving my thoughts and feelings on the subject their due justice so I will present them to you:
"Kardio"--defined as any non-quality, junk volume, cardio-respiratory training that involves machines including but not limited to: Stairmasters, Spin-Bikes, Ellipticals, and Recumbent Bikes. “Kardio” is usually an unconscious drive to burn more “Kalories”.
Ok Gang, here goes:
From time to time we hear athletes ask us if they should "do" some more kardio".
After a little probing on our parts, we consistently discover that what they mean is "I'm worried that this Crossfit stuff doesn't burn enough calories". (Calories being the second part of the Trifecta of bad training jargon that makes our skin crawl. The third being "core". As in, "can I burn more “K”alories doing “K”ardio while working my “K”ore?") What is our answer? An analogy will serve us well here.
If we were building a fire that would "burn calories", traditional mono-structural, steady state, typical elliptical machine exercise is equivalent to the first piece of kindling on the fire. That is, it will not burn bright, or hot. Crossfit on the other hand is like big dry pieces of wood that will melt your coat and singe your eyebrows.
The key piece of information here is that there is no better way than Crossfit to:
1)Actually improve your "Cardio"-respiratory endurance. (no one has ever, ever thrown up on an elliptical machine)
2)Develop metabolically expensive muscle tissues (read, tissues that consume more calories by nature).
One of the most brilliant aspects of Crossfit programming and one that is not often discussed is the fact that you can Crossfit, and NOT have to consume a ton more calories. This phenomenon means that there is ultimately less oxidative load on the body AND the body will consume more calories at rest.
The Crux of the discussion is this:
Diet is the best Calorie control mechanism. NOT EXERCISE. When we hear, "Do I need more Cardio?" What we really think is, you don't, you just need to better monitor what you eat.
But what if I like Stairmastering, and Ellipticaling? Well, you should by all means do them and treat them like your sport. Crossfit will definitely get you in shape to be able to stairmaster like a world champion stairmasterer. But be very clear. If you intent is to burn more calories, I mean do some more cardio, you are ruining your fitness by destroying your hard earned, speed, power, strength, flexibility, VO2max, and god forbid...your work capacity. If you want to have a slower Fran time, you should do some more cardio. If you hate going so fast at Jackie, you should do more Kardio.
But, if your sport IS actually running, AND you use Crossfit to get in shape for it. You should run. And run hard.
Just don't kid yourselves.
Here we see the "Kardio" body (left) vs the Standard Crossfit Body(s) (right)
The upshot is this: Watch what you eat and Crossfit 4-6 times a week. You will look sexy naked. You will become an athletic monster. Never again will you consider needing to do more junk Kardio.
- Coach K
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
"Kardio"--defined as any non-quality, junk volume, cardio-respiratory training that involves machines including but not limited to: Stairmasters, Spin-Bikes, Ellipticals, and Recumbent Bikes. “Kardio” is usually an unconscious drive to burn more “Kalories”.
Ok Gang, here goes:
From time to time we hear athletes ask us if they should "do" some more kardio".
After a little probing on our parts, we consistently discover that what they mean is "I'm worried that this Crossfit stuff doesn't burn enough calories". (Calories being the second part of the Trifecta of bad training jargon that makes our skin crawl. The third being "core". As in, "can I burn more “K”alories doing “K”ardio while working my “K”ore?") What is our answer? An analogy will serve us well here.
If we were building a fire that would "burn calories", traditional mono-structural, steady state, typical elliptical machine exercise is equivalent to the first piece of kindling on the fire. That is, it will not burn bright, or hot. Crossfit on the other hand is like big dry pieces of wood that will melt your coat and singe your eyebrows.
The key piece of information here is that there is no better way than Crossfit to:
1)Actually improve your "Cardio"-respiratory endurance. (no one has ever, ever thrown up on an elliptical machine)
2)Develop metabolically expensive muscle tissues (read, tissues that consume more calories by nature).
One of the most brilliant aspects of Crossfit programming and one that is not often discussed is the fact that you can Crossfit, and NOT have to consume a ton more calories. This phenomenon means that there is ultimately less oxidative load on the body AND the body will consume more calories at rest.
The Crux of the discussion is this:
Diet is the best Calorie control mechanism. NOT EXERCISE. When we hear, "Do I need more Cardio?" What we really think is, you don't, you just need to better monitor what you eat.
But what if I like Stairmastering, and Ellipticaling? Well, you should by all means do them and treat them like your sport. Crossfit will definitely get you in shape to be able to stairmaster like a world champion stairmasterer. But be very clear. If you intent is to burn more calories, I mean do some more cardio, you are ruining your fitness by destroying your hard earned, speed, power, strength, flexibility, VO2max, and god forbid...your work capacity. If you want to have a slower Fran time, you should do some more cardio. If you hate going so fast at Jackie, you should do more Kardio.
But, if your sport IS actually running, AND you use Crossfit to get in shape for it. You should run. And run hard.
Just don't kid yourselves.
Here we see the "Kardio" body (left) vs the Standard Crossfit Body(s) (right)
The upshot is this: Watch what you eat and Crossfit 4-6 times a week. You will look sexy naked. You will become an athletic monster. Never again will you consider needing to do more junk Kardio.
- Coach K
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
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