Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 11:49PM Empower
I've forgotten how passionate I am about helping people understand energy systems & food groups from a Coaches perspective. I spent hours with a great group of people tonight at ZUU helping them understand both of these. How they could relate that to their training objectives. Why it's important to know these energy systems. What are the benefits of different energy systems. What "by-products" mean when training. Why burning fat is an objective not just losing weight for the sake of weight.
Then we spent time on food groups. Understanding why amino acids (protein) are vital for life. Helping them see the specific roles amino's play in the body with the immune system, enzymes, hormones, water balance not to mention muscle tissue. Why certain amino's are considered "essential". We then talked about post shakes and the state bodies are in after training. Why it's in that stressed state. What will happen if left in that state. The "window of opportunity" that is open after training. Why it's important to take advantage of that. How they could do that.
Could've talked all night...
Best of all crew, for me it was knowing that when they left, they were empowered with the tools to not only change their lives for the better but those around them. Nutrition is so powerful in changing lives and helping people reach objectives.....& knowledge is without doubt power....the passing of it on, "essential"......SupChe!!
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 10:27PM Integration vs Isolation
When I am hired by elite teams to teach ZUU, it is for various reasons. One of which is a lot of traditional training methods focus to much on isolation of muscles, in fact decades have been built on that. Although serving a specific purpose these methods can come at a cost...weak through full ranges of movement, lack of mobility...decreased overall strength...etc..
What I teach is all about integration. The human body is designed as integrated systems not just a bunch of component parts. A quick example would be of a rock climber. In a typical gym setting with machines, a trainer might prescribe Lat pull-down which is a great back exercise to build strength....Isolation
On a rock face, doesn't a climber use their legs to drive through hips, lower back, shoulders, arms to finger tips?
ZUU...I would have the athlete perform crawling which is one of our foundation exercises. In this exercise every single joint must work. When these work they drag all the muscles groups in which in turn strengthens all your connective tissue, ligaments, tendons, fascia etc....You see......Integration
End result...strong through full ranges of movement...mobile...increased overall strength...more functional athlete.
One of the many reasons why ZUU is bridging the gap between gym strength & field strength....#SupChe
Synergy of foods
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 9:45PM Synergy is word used a fair bit today but originally it comes from the chemistry world. Basically it means when you add the properties of chemical A with chemical B you get X amount as total. When you COMBINE chemical A with chemical B the combined total can be up to 800 times greater than the previous amount!
What's synergy have to do with foods and training?
Everything! I'll give you a quick example. When scientists found the anti-oxidant Beta Carotene and its powerful purposes like perhaps it helped in curing certain diseases they isolated it and made beta carotene supplements. Sounds simple enough? After a while some supplements had to be recalled because they found that they might actually increase disease.
Confused?
Well remember synergy is intergration not isolation. They isolated this one anti oxidant and took it away from it's whole, natural state as in a carrot or pumpkins. Vegetables with beta carotene in them contain a multitude of other vitamins, minerals & trace elements that work in synergy. Isolate them and expect them to do great things....don't be surprised if it back fires.
This is natural synergy for you.....The garden variety Thyme has over 37 anti oxidants in it to date! 37! How do they all work? Who knows! What about when you add broccoli or cabbage to the mix? All we do know is that it does work! Food and the synergy of it has been described as the most powerful drug this world will ever see. Give your body the tools it needs as in whole foods and a variety of them and feel the effects of synergy for yourself.....#SupChe!