Children from 6 years old and above can benefit from doing light strength and weight training. The majority of parents however are cynical as to how healthy it is for children to do strength training, the fact is though, that children who start strength training early do not suffer from the common myth of stunted growth. Children who take up strength training have few if any disadvantages and it is a positive step for most children. As it will encourage your child to be active and learn the importance of exercise. You can also use it for extra family time and it will teach your child healthy habits for life.

Don’t Start Them Too Early

Your children shouldn’t start strength training until they are both emotionally and physically mature enough to deal with it. Generally this is at around age 6 for the majority of children, if in doubt speak to a doctor first. However as the child’s parent you will no as well as anyone if your child is ready. They must be able to listen carefully and follow instructions to prevent injury or accidents, but the exercises you do should be fun, easy to do and not to technical or intense.

Remember your child is not an adult and their strength training shouldn’t be anywhere near as intense or demanding as you might do. It’s more important that you use the opportunity to teach your child healthy lifestyle habits than to try to get them to build up muscle. Only once they have gone through puberty, should they think about trying to build up muscle mass. Instead you should aim to improve basic endurance and strength, so that the child feels better and fitter. This is especially important for overweight children who want to participate in sports and get healthy.

Here’s What You Should Be Doing

Ideally you should consult a trainer to help you make proper training routine for your child, but you should just aim to make sure that they work out their whole body at least 3 times a week, remembering to include a proper warm up and cool down. For example you could have them do 20 minutes of cardio, broken into ten minutes of skipping, and ten minutes of running (or playing tag). Once they’ve done that you could do some strength training exercises without weights, such as a circuit; including press ups, star jumps, sit ups, squats, squat thrusts, burpees and leg raises for example. Once they’ve built up a basic level of strength and endurance you can start to introduce some light weights exercises.

Remember your child is a child and not an adult, so don’t push them too hard, you’re not aiming for them to bulk up so you should keep the weights light and only slowly increase them over a long period of time. Don’t forget to finish with a proper cool down and stretching session.

Children are not perfect and they may not always do what you ask, and you may have bad days with them, but remember they are only children; you can always bribe them with healthy treats or bonus pocket money for behaving well. If you decide to take you child to a gym make sure you clear it with them first or find one that caters for children, alternatively join a circuit training class which would be ideal. Strength training can be fun and a great way to spend more quality time with your child so give it a try.

Author: Bob Giddy

Selecting a Personal Trainer -  The Top Three Things to Consider    

If you have decided that you want to lose weight, get fit, or improve your performance in a particular sport, a personal trainer could be the best answer.

From my years of experience as a Performance Coach, I have put together the top 3 things one should ask a potential Personal Trainer or yourself before you pay them any amount of money.

Tip 1
Check the credentials of a  any Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). Ask where and when they got their certification, and check it out online.  Don’t just believe the words that come out of a trainer’s mouth. Too many individuals have jumped on the “I want to be a Personal Trainer” bandwagon lately, with a fly by night certification along with a lack of experience.  This mentality leads to a trainer to think that everyone should be trained the same way, with no individualization being incorporated into one’s periodized training program. I have been training individuals, athletes and teams for 14 years now, and it is a passion and a way of life for me.  There are no two clients the same. Their goals and lifestyles are different. If your potential new trainer doesn’t ask about you and your goals before you sign up then take that as a warning sign.

Tip 2
Ask to speak to some of the trainers existing and previous clients. A good trainer will be happy to share names with you. Also do your own research with friends and see if you can get a true picture of who they have worked with and the results that have achieved. Don’t just look at the big box gyms, many towns now have specialized personal trainers and sports specific trainers that give much more focused results. Good trainers quickly develop good reputations.

Tip 3
Basic nutritional guidance shouldn’t come as an optional extra. Your trainer should offer a plan tailored to your specific needs. Caloric needs for an athlete are not the same as that of a 45 year old mother of 3 (although she deserves a gold medal).  I am happy if I feel as though a potential new client is checking up on me. It shows me that they are serious about starting to train with me and I know great results are likely to happen. Any trainer who acts as though you shouldn’t be checking, may just have something to hide.

As a bonus tip, I would say listen to your gut. Your trainer should be approachable (even if he is tough) and listen to your needs and concerns, especially about injuries.

The bottom line is:  If you wanted a return on an investment, you wouldn’t trust a Certified Financial Planner who only had a few hours worth of experience with a thousand dollars of your money, so don’t trust just any Certified Personal Trainer with your money, body and health!

Well, the holidays are past us now and most of the “get fit / lose weight” new years resolution folks have already given up and exited the gym already.

The reason for this is that they never set “realistic” and “achievable” goals.  This is a common mistake that a lot of people make when they want to get their

old bodies back.  They look at the overall goal of “losing weight and getting fit” and fail to set smaller goals along the way to keep them on track.

However, it’s not too late to get back at it and achieve your goal(s).  Try implementing these small tasks into your daily routine and you will increase your chance of success substantially….

1) Work out early.

2) Do something every day and remember, any workout is better than no workout. (long slow cardio won’t help you lose weight)

3) Do strength training & Cardio

4) Nutrition is key (trash any and all processed food in pantry) www.robbwolf.com

5) Join a class, use Performance Coach (not same as personal trainer), and/or a buddy to hold you accountable

So, saddle that pony up and get back on the sucker ~ You can do this……

TB

#1 Eat Breakfast – I’m amazed at how many endurance athletes don’t eat breakfast. It doesn’t have to be a big meal right before you run/ride or swim, but a snack before is better than nothing. Then after you finish training, you can nail down that all important breakfast that should include as every meal and snack should (pro/cho/fat).

#2 Increase your protein intake – I know this is one of the big areas where we can’t get nutritionists and doctors to agree on how much is needed, but we do know that protein is very important and I’ve seen it with my athletes and myself when we have a higher protein daily intake we perform better. I recommend getting your protein from lean meats, fish, plants and nuts but avoid all *dairy sources. *(This is a different article in itself).
This will also keep you satiated (fuller) for longer and help you cut out on the unnecessary snacking.

#3 Cycle your calories – Cycling your calories is nothing more than taking in more calories when you train hard and taking in less calories when you have an easy day or you’re off. By doing this you will help your performance during the hard sessions and prevent you from taking in too many during the off or easy days.

Sure, I could definitely add some more to this, but I wanted to keep it simple for now. You can train all you want for the big race, but if you don’t have your nutrition and the timing of it nailed down you will never reach your full potential and it might even cause you to flop come game time.

Till next time,
Coach T

As with everything in the sports performance world, strength coaches, lab rats and performance specialists are constantly dissecting and evaluating what we are delivering to the athlete is the best, most up to date product that will ensure they get quicker, faster, and stronger.

The Endurance side of the house is no different.  I can remember back in the day, when I was in junior high track being told by my coach to run – heel to toe. This style would actually be used by Olympians as well as your everyday jogger as they liked to call it back in the day.  However, as an endurance junkie I became a student of the sport (which can be really bad in today’s era with the internet and magazines that bleed out a bunch of useless crap) and spent hours on end reading and studying everything I could get my hands on about strength training, swimming, biking and running.  (Most of the literature I studied came from the old Eastern block training regime and university books)  It was through all of this, that in the late 90′s I came across the POSE method.  After studying this method I adopted it for myself, and would eventually start teaching it at my triathlon clinics and workshops across the country.  Up until this point, I truly believe that it was the best way for one to run because It actually focused on the mechanics of the run.  Over the last few years, I’ve been teaching a modified version of Mark Verstegen’s theory and style (only on the endurance side is anything modified) which I’ve spent tons of money and time studying to perfect.

Ironic enough, several days ago I came across this article written by some lab rats on a study they did concerning highly popular POSE method.

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/10/pose-running-reduces-running-economythe.html

In Strength,

TB

I’m sure most of you have heard of or used the spice Turmeric in your time.  In my house, this is one of the many spices we like to use on our everyday dishes to help “spice” things up and for its medicinal uses.  For instance, this morning after my 10 mile run at my LT, I sprinkled a good bit on top of my eggs for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.

In fact, Turmeric is one of nature’s most powerful healers. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.

7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.

8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.

9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.

16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.

17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.

19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.

20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.

Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it’s fun to find new ways to use it in recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a pinch of it to egg salad. It adds a nice flavor and gives the egg salad a rich yellow hue.

Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

This article and more can be found at: http://www.healthdiaries.com

In Strength~

TB

Click the image to find out more information on the Lafayette, IN Triathlon Clinic January 2011

As with most athletes, I have limited time to train during the day so what I do and when I do it, is very important.  

This morning was no different, I had to get a ride and run in before the family got up because today is the day for decorating the house for Christmas.  This is a special time of the year for children and I don’t want my children to miss this experience because I put myself or the sport of triathlon in front of them.  There’s much more to life than triathlon or marathon or ….  You get the point.

So I got up and filled my water bottles with my favorite fresh brewed Peete’s Holiday blend coffee and got on the trainer.  My first part of the workout was 1 hour aerobic keeping a cadence of 80-85 rpms (this is where I refilled the bottles with water for the grueling part of the workout I was about to endure).  From here I turned on my homeboy Coach Troy’s Spinervals video 33.0 (Great ESD workout) for the next 50 minutes (which was the meat and potatoes of today’s workout) and from here, I transitioned into a 30 minute aerobic run.  All of which I accomplished before 8 a.m..

Training for endurance events while holding down your family and life responsibilities is definitely doable, it just takes planning and discipline.  Ironically enough, when people start planning and focusing on being more well-rounded athlete/father/mother/husband or wife, they usually get more quality out of their workouts and in the end become better athletes because of it.

3 Rules everyone should follow:

1) Make the workout count (you can’t just show up, you have to participate)

2) Quality training over Quantity training

3) Always rememeber…. It’s better to be 10% under-trained, than it is 1% over-trained

I know I said 3, but if you have family responsibilities you have an extra rule to follow…

4) Family First -”Carpe Diem”

TB

Every now and then, I feel I have to share with you some of my favorite dishes, snacks, drinks and sweets.  Since Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, (Just realized, I have absolutely no idea what to get my wife.) I figured I let you see one of my favorite cookie recipes…

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These instructions guide you to use parchment paper and/or silicone liners on your cookie sheets.

• 1 cup almond butter
• 3/4 cup Sucanat
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70%), broken into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.
2. In a medium bowl stir together the almond butter, Sucanat, egg, baking soda and salt until blended.
3. Stir in the chocolate pieces until incorporated throughout the mixture.
4. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool for 15 more minutes.

This recipe makes about 24 Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nutritional estimates per cookie: Calories: 110, Fat: 8g, Sat Fat: 1.5g, Carbs: 10g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 3g, Protein: 2g, Sodium: 55mg, Cholesterol: 10mg.

ENJOY THEM~

TB

As with everything in the sports performance world, strength coaches, lab rats and performance specialists are constantly dissecting and evaluating what we are delivering to the athlete is the best, most up to date product that will ensure they get quicker, faster, and stronger. 

The Endurance side of the house is no different.  I can remember back in the day, when I was in junior high track being told by my coach to run – heel to toe. This style would actually be used by Olympians as well as your everyday jogger as they liked to call it back in the day.  However, as an endurance junkie I became a student of the sport (which can be really bad in today’s era with the internet and magazines that bleed out a bunch of useless crap) and spent hours on end reading and studying everything I could get my hands on about strength training, swimming, biking and running.  (Most of the literature I studied came from the old Eastern block training regime and university books)  It was through all of this, that in the late 90′s I came across the POSE method.  After studying this method I adopted it for myself, and would eventually start teaching it at my triathlon clinics and workshops across the country.  Up until this point, I truly believe that it was the best way for one to run because It actually focused on the mechanics of the run.  Over the last few years, I’ve been teaching a modified version of Mark Verstegen’s theory and style (only on the endurance side is anything modified) which I’ve spent tons of money and time studying to perfect.

Ironic enough, several days ago I came across this article written by some lab rats on a study they did concerning highly popular POSE method.

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/10/pose-running-reduces-running-economythe.html

In Strength,

TB