Moving to a new blog address!

Now that a new chapter in our lives is about to begin, Nikki and I have decided to make a small change and have new blog addresses.

You can always check out our blogs from our homepage of http://www.sghumanperformance.com or http://www.nebraskakettlebell.com

My new blog (titled Mr. SG Human Performance) is located at http://mrsghumanperformance.wordpress.com

Nikki's blog is located at: http://mrssghumanperformance.wordpress.com

Have a wonderful year everyone and see you on the other side!

Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie from eatingwell.com

Healthier Pumpkin Pie
A classic holiday favorite made healthy!
Here is a visual comparison of EatingWell’s Thanksgiving recipes versus more traditional versions of the same foods that are bound to be gracing your holiday table. We included calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium in our comparison, and we think you’ll agree the statistics are telling. Best of all, the tricks and techniques used to make these recipes lighter also make them delicious! There is no sacrificing taste in any of these great recipes. Share these healthy dishes with your family and friends this year—and save up some of those calories for the next big holiday.

EatingWell Frozen Pumpkin Mousse
We go with a crust made from gingersnap cookies, raisins and a bit of healthy canola oil rather than a traditional pastry crust. This cuts out the butter and shortening (along with the saturated fat) normally in a pastry crust.
Look for healthier brands of store-bought gingersnaps for the crust that don’t have any partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list.
Many pumpkin pies use cream and whole milk in the pumpkin filling. We combine pureed pumpkin with low fat frozen yogurt in this untraditional frozen version. We get a creamy rich result with less total fat, saturated fat and calories.
Pumpkins are already sweet so we limit the amount of sugar we add to the filling to decrease the calories even more.
EatingWell Frozen Pumpkin Mousse

230 Calories

5 g Fat

1 g Saturated Fat

2g Fiber

179 mg Sodium

Regular Pumpkin Pie
484 Calories
33 g Fat
20 g Saturated Fat
3 g Fiber
191 mg Sodium

10 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including freezing time)

Ingredients
Crust
30 small gingersnap cookies, (about 7 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon canola oil

Filling
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 pints (4 cups) frozen low-fat vanilla ice cream, softened (see Tip)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray.
To prepare crust: Combine gingersnaps and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add oil and pulse until blended. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
Bake the crust until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare filling: Combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Add ice cream and stir until blended. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Let the pie soften slightly in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and freeze the pie for up to 3 days. Equipment: 9-inch deep-dish pie pan
Tip: To soften ice cream quickly, microwave on Medium-Low for 30 to 60 seconds.

Nutrition
Per serving: 230 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 179 mg sodium; 165 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (80% daily value)
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Terrific Weekend in Nashville

Nikki and I had a most incredible weekend. The weather was absolutely beautiful and I am happy to say that we took full advantage of it.

Saturday started of at 6am with our RKC prep workout with Kristen and Matt. Nikki was in charge of the workout this week and she had a terrific workout planned for us.

• 5 min snatch test with RKC test weight



• Clean and Press ladder of 5x3 with 2/2 clean and squats between ladders



• Finished with alternating double swings (varied weights) and burpees 35 seconds on/20 seconds rest. 4 rounds of swings with 4 rounds of burpees in between

Terrific workout. Then I was off to shower and then to work. Not much going on today in the VOI so I got caught up on some paperwork, cleaned up the facility, spoke to the members and even got to wii bowl with one of the members for fun! (Thanks Deb!)

After work Nikki and I walked around Hillsboro village for a while to check out some things. Then went to Tabouleh for a wonderful Mediterranean lunch. I have never had Mediterranean before but it was wonderful! We finished off the afternoon with a movie (watched the proposal). Very funny and I enjoyed Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds (my favorite actor).

Sunday was supposed to be a moderate day for Rite of Passage with swings and presses but Nikki and I just weren't feeling it. We decided after breakfast that we needed to have some fit fun. So we went to the sand volleyball court and just played for an hour. Played pepper, played serve and receive, even set and spiked a bit. Got a great sweat and were pretty winded by the time we were done. We even challenged each other to 3 shoe getups each side as well as tried some farmers walks, rack walks and overhead walks with a light kettlebell in the sand. Very challenging.

Then off to Costco to pick up the majority of our groceries and then Whole foods for samples and some fruits and vegetables. Decided to get some poolside time in for an hour where Nikki read "Born to Run" by Chris McDougall and I listened to a StrengthCoach Podcast.

We finished the afternoon with cooking. We made oatmeal cherry protein bars (recipe coming soon), pumpkin pie protein bars, quinoa salad, turkey burgers, & quinoa pasta with vegetables and chicken meatballs. I am very much looking forward to enjoying my meals this week!

Sports Specific Movement?

Nikki and I did a "core" talk for a Vanderbilt Athletic Trainers camp. The attendees were all high school kids and I was very much amazed by how much they already know about movement.

We spoke about what is the core, what it entails and the main function of the core. These kids all picked up very quickly. We spoke about the crunch and the plank and the difference between the two. We talked about how important it is to train, not only the front of the core, but the lateral sides as well as the backside.

At the end of the day alot of the questions were asked about, "I am in this sport" what should I do? It is pretty simple actually. The majority of sports all have the same fundamental movement patterns. EVERYONE should train the squat, the deadlift, the lunge, the push up, the pull up, some type of vertical press and some type of horizontal pull.

You should train what you are not good at and maintain the movements that you have already mastered. Simple as that.

Quest for RKC - Week 5 of 16

Hello everyone. This has been a very productive week for both Nikki and myself. We are still moving through the Enter the Kettlebell right of passage with our presses and even added double rack squats this week. We are currently on a plan of alternating single kb presses and double kb squats 1 week along with double kb presses and single kb squats the following week.

We were able to get in our turkish get ups twice this week as well as attend bootcamp 3 times this week.

Dave Whitley wants us to progress in our snatches to the point that when I show up to RKC I can do 200 repetitions in a 10 minute snatch test with a 24kg kettlebell (53 lbs) and to have Nikki to be able to to 230 snatches with a 16kg (35 lbs).

Our progression continued this Saturday to 200/230 snatches in 10 minutes. I performed 5 snatches on the L, then 5 on the R and then began again on the next minute. Nikki performed 6/6 on the minute. We went for 20 minutes total which got me to 200 and Nik to 240. We both felt very good following the workout and our hands felt pretty good.

Next week I will perform 6/6 and Nikki 7/7 on the minute until I get to 200 and Nikki gets to between 230 and 240.

What was absolutely amazing was that RIGHT AFTER THE WORKOUT Nikki decided she wanted to try to snatch a 24kg. And she did with really no trouble. She actually did 2 each side! I am such a proud husband to have such a sexy and strong wife!

Now Nikki and I are off to Vanderbilt to speak to a camp about "the core". We are going to teach the high school kids all about the "hardstyle" methods of the RKC and the plank and moving plank.

100th POST! Workout Tuesday 4/14

Nikki and I woke up early again this morning at 5am to get our workout in. There was a good chance that both Nik and myself will work late and not be in the mood to kick our butts, so we rolled out of bed and got to work for 30 minutes. Here is the workout we did Right of Passage style for Pavel and the RKC.

Circuit 1 - 10 minutes
-Clean and press ladder heavy 1/1, 2/2, 3/3 (means 1 rep Right, 1 rep Left, then 2 and 2, then 3 and 3).
-Followed immediately by clean and squat ladder 1/1, 2/2, 3/3
Repeat circuit as many times in ten minutes, concentrate on beautiful form!

Circuit 2 - 10 minutes
-Single leg deadlift light 1/1, 2/2, 3/3
-1 arm row light 1/1, 2/2, 3/3
Same rules as above

Circuit 3 - 10 minutes
-1 arm partner swings: 5 L arm/ 5 R arm then partner goes, 10/10, 15/15, 20/20
Perform as many rounds within 10 minutes.

Great workout!

Friday 4/3/09 Bootcamp Workout

Tough workout today so I thought I would share it with everyone.

Circuit ran 45 seconds/45 seconds/45 seconds then rotate to next station with a 45 second rest

Did 4 rounds. Matt & Dennis did a good job on this one!

Group #1
1 arm row R
1 arm row L
Plank

Group #2
Half kneeling press to TGUish stand R arm/R Leg
Half kneeling press to TGUish stand L arm/L leg
Kettlebell swings

Group #3
Forward Lunge R leg(I did the Prisoner lunge like Sandy Sommer would say)
Forward Lunge L leg
Push Ups

Everyone have a great weekend!

New Recipe-Burgers

Here is a burger recipe that Nikki and I both love. We use turkey burger, but feel free to use whatever you like.

Ingredients:

1 lb of turkey burger

1 jalapeno finely chopped (seeds included for spicy, remove seeds for medium spice)

1/2 onion (medium) finely chopped

1/2 green pepper finely chopped

2 Tbsp feta cheese

Olive oil spray

salt & pepper or favorite burger seasoning (we love Tastefully Simple Moroccan Sea Salt or Lawrys)

Very easy recipe. Take the vegetables and burger and mix with your hands in a large mixing bowl. Once completely mixed, form into the shape of 6 patties.

Get the grill or pan up to medium high heat and let it get good and hot before using. Spray the burgers with the olive oil spray and cover with your favorite seasoning and let it sit for a few minutes while the grill/pan is heating up.

Add the burgers to the grill/pan and (I am thinking 4 min per side, but we like our burgers medium). Let sit for a few minutes to keep the juiciness of the burgers.

We usually eat the burgers one of two ways. Chopped up on top of a salad or (OUR FAVORITE) use flatbread as the bun. We usually take NAAN flatbread, spray both sides with olive oil and cover with garlic salt. Heat the oven to 375 degrees, cook for 7 minutes and then broil for another 2-3 minutes. Let cool and quarter. Makes 2 buns!

Exercising with a history of back pain or back surgery

Here is a post I received from one of my friends who is living up in the Northeast. Thought I would share it and then comment more on the subject.

Hey Snowman!
I love the blogs you've been writing. I've been working out myself for the past 6 months or so, taking sporadic breaks. Last year I had back surgery for a ruptured disc that I had been dealing with for quite sometime. Since the surgery I'm scared to death of doing squats and I saw that you no longer recommend leg extensions. So I'm wondering what type of leg exercises you would recommend for me. Right now I'm doing leg press, leg extensions and hamstring curls. Would lunges be an option? I'm curious about your thoughts and your recommendations.

Here is what I replied to him:

The important thing after back surgery is to work on exercises that stress the core but keep your spine in a neutral position (the way it was designed to be). Any crunches or weighted back squats can be problematic for your back.

I will get some videos up on hip hinges, deadlifts and front squats. This will help. Lunges are terrific if you can keep your spine in neutral. Leg presses can be hard on the spine and extensions and curls just aren't very functional.

Another good suggestion would be to get your hands on the book by Stuart McGill

titled: Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance Book.

Dr. McGill has extensive knowledge of working with athletes who suffer from back pain. He even states that the leg press may not be a good option due to the fact that it increases pressure on the lumbar discs. I also feel that the leg press may be dangerous is due to the reason that the exercise does not require any trunk stability which is vital to the back.

To begin, in the opinion of someone who has a background in sports medicine, performance enhancement and injury prevention, I would get you performing exercises that keeps your spine in a neutral position (no more weighted crunches) and works on the muscles of the hips, trunk and scapula to help support your back.

I think it would be in everyone's best interests to first and foremost see a Functional Movement Screen Certified Specialist and get screened to see if any imbalances may exist within your body that may have been the reason that the back pain/surgery resulted. They can clean up your movements so you can work on functional strength without the fear of re-injury.

The importance is when you lift to have the ability to brace your abdominals like you were about to get punched in the stomach.

Here are some examples of leg exercises that I would give in order of difficulty. I want to emphasize the importance of keeping a neutral spine with all activities. This is just good practice for everyone, especially those recovering/suffering from a bad back.

First and foremost-MOBILITY

You need to have mobility before stability. So if your hip flexors are tighter then tight. You need to spend time on them and get them to open up. Think about this. If you squat and you feel pain in your back, then more than likely your hip flexors are tight.

Frog Stretch

This exercise is a doozy, but really has helped with my

kettlebell swings and squats. My problem was that I

lacked hip mobility. Didn't matter how many times

I performed the exercise, I had to have good hip

mobility to take stress off of my other joints.

Stability Exercises

These exercises will require you to have the proper mobility

and also make you kick in your stabilizers.

Hip Hinges

This exercise is a great start to learning how to hinge with

your hips instead of using the motion in your ankles and

knees to perform a squat. Great to work on the eccentric

loading of the glutes and hamstrings for proper hip

extension.

Quadruped Training/Supermans

Leg lock bridge

Hamstring Bridge

Reactive Neuromuscular Training/Complex Lifts

These exercises help to program the body to use the mobility

and stability you just achieved to work together to train the

body to be more functional.

Reverse Lunge

Deadlift

For all of you who believe that the deadlift is one of the

worst things you can do for your back I am here to tell

you differently. If you perform the deadlift incorrectly

yes you very much can put too much pressure on your

back (But on the other hand, you can also do that with

the squatif performed incorrectly).

Hip hinges are a great place to start, then move onto

using tubing, then onto a weight like a plate or a

kettlebell. Use enough weight to make sure you fire

your trunk, too less of a weight will only make you

use your back extensors and that may be the reason

you are here in the first place.

Gray Cook has a terrific YouTube video on the

deadlift that is much worth watching. Gray Cook and

Brett Jones have teamed together to makea "Secrets

Series" DVD set. On one video they speak about

training the backside using the deadlift.

Brett loves to deadlift and he had a previous back

surgery as well and he can now perform a Turkish

Get Up with a 108 lb. Kettlebell.

So there you have it. I hope that this provides some idea

of how to train your legs after suffering from back

pain/surgery. Get screened 1st and foremost, clean up

any imbalances that exist, then work on mobility and

stability, then tie everything together by using your

stabilizers in unison.

The only thing that I did not cover in this post is

squatting. But I believe that you should be able to

deadlift first before you even think of squatting.

Improving your squat I am going to save for another post.

Questions? Comment on the blog or email me at

sghumanperformance@gmail.com.

Healthy Flat Bread Pizza Recipe

Recipe of the Week: Flatbread Pizza!

Come on! Everyone loves pizza, just not the feeling you get afterwards when all that grease has hit you full force. My wife Nikki and I LOVE pizza and have found a way we can have it and keep it delicious and healthy.

SHOPPING LIST:

Naan Flatbread (can be found at Costco or Harris Teeter

Breakfast Turkey Sausage-1oz

Lean Turkey Burger-3oz

Turkey Pepperoni-9 pieces

Green Pepper-1/8 cup

Red Onion-1/8 cup

Spaghetti Sauce-1 tbsp

Olive Oil Spray

Begin by preheating the oven to 375. Next bring a medium to large pan up to medium heat and brown your turkey sausage and turkey burger. Feel free to add any type of seasoning that you love.

Next pull out a pan and take one of the Naan Flatbreads and spray both sides with olive oil spray (I find that the sprays are cheaper than true olive oil and this is a good way to keep the calories from the olive oil down a little? then place them on the pan. Add a spoonful of spaghetti sauce and rub it all over the flatbread until it covers the majority of the flatbread. You can use as much as you feel is necessary. Then cover your flatbread with as many toppings as you would like. Nikki and I usually use about 4 oz of the turkey sausage/burger mix, 10 turkey pepperoni and then stack the rest of the pizza with the onion and green pepper. Sometimes we use broccoli or green beans as well. Then cover with 1 oz of mozzarella cheese and place in the oven for 10 minutes. One thing we love to do is after 10 minutes we then broil the pizza for another couple minutes so that the cheese and bread get a little brown.

Then pull out of the oven and enjoy!

The beautiful thing is that you can make any type of pizza you would like. Like Mexican pizza? Add taco seasoning to the meat and replace your spaghetti sauce with salsa and fat free refried beans. Want a barbecue pizza? Then replace your tomato sauce for barbecue sauce. The pizza combinations are endless!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

1 whole pizza

Calories=565

Fat=15g

Carbs=59g

Protein=43

As compared to 2 slices of Pizza Hut Supreme Pan Pizza

Calories=800

Fat=40

Carbs=76

Protein=34

Training for Runners for Improved Performance & Injury Prevention- Part 3 -Getting Started

So now you hopefully have some understanding of what you may have ahead for you. First of all, you have read Part 1 and understand a little more about the type of commitment you will need to give.  Not only to achieve your running goals, but to do them well and without injury. Second, you read Part 2 and performed a self assessment on yourself and have a little understanding on what movement or muscle imbalance you need to improve on to help you succeed with your goals.

If you have not read Part 1 or Part 2, please do me a huge favor and read those before moving on. Thanks.

Now, how to get started. A few important things you need to have to begin.

1. The right equipment
2. Set a goal and put your ego/pride away
3. And most importantly, A PLAN!

• The equipment will be a proper investment into your health & goals. Think of it this way, you wouldn't send your child to play a sport with crappy equipment would you? Then why do that to yourself?  The cost is an issue.  I hate to lecture, but it is either make the investment now or pay much more later (medical bills, surgeries, physical therapy).
• Set a goal. You want to run a half marathon by fall. Great that is a terrific goal. Why are you running in the first place? I ran a half marathon to see if I could do it and I did. Very proud of that achievement. Now if you are training for a half marathon to help you lose weight, my wife and I would both agree that there are far better ways that take less time to lose weight. But again, if this is your goal than so be it.
• You need to have a plan/schedule for your running progression. This does not just mean mileage either. This means you plan days for recovery/regeneration, strength/prehabilitation, and for your runs.

EQUIP YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS

Here is a list of things that you will need to be successful with your training.

A.   A TERRIFIC pair of

 running shoes!

This is the one piece of equipment that you will need to be the most successful in your training! Go to a running store (not the mall!)  and talk to someone about your goals for running. Running stores hire employees who will take the time to examine your feet and assess what type of runner you are from the way you walk and jog. Then they should give you a few options for shoes. 

Don't make the same mistake I did. I went to the mall and got me a pair of cool looking (and cheap!) running shoes and began training. I ended up going to a running store 2 months later since I was having so much foot cramping and pain when I was running. I found out that I needed to have a stability running shoe and that I was wearing a pair of shoes 1 size TOO SMALL! They gave me options and let me pick the shoe that felt best for me. I did not know that your feet could feel this good!

If you want to learn more about types of running shoes and how they rate and such, RUNNERS WORLD has a shoe advisor, running shoe finder, and running shoe previews available for you to determine what shoe may be best for you.

B.  Training equipment 

You will need some simple training equipment to help you to stay healthy and strong with your training program.  Here is a list of my must haves:

a.  Foam Roller or Massage Stick 

Very many strength coaches and rehab professionals all have their athletes perform a term called "myofascial release" on a daily basis.  With most training programs, "trigger points" develop within muscles.  These trigger points when not addressed may lead to bigger problems down the road.  If you are able to spend 10 minutes per day (especially before and after runs or any type of training) using the foam roller to work out those trigger points then your muscles that you are training so hard will maintain their flexibility, be more responsive to strength training and will recover much faster for the following day. 

This handout by Perform Better demonstrates the technique behind foam rolling. 

b.  Bands

This simple band which costs only about $3, can be used as a very important training partner for your legs.  This band will help to teach your body to stabilize your legs when running.  

I suggest buying 1 yellow, 1 green and 1 blue since they are so cheap so you can continue to progress with your training by adding the appropriate resistance.

c.  Tubing

This is the final piece of your training equipment but just as important.  Tubing is a great way to get you moving appropriately, which is the main focus of this training article.  Basically the bands and tubing will be used not only as strength training but more importantly as corrective exercise for those muscle imbalances.  These tools can be used to help you "switch on" the perfect sequence of appropriate muscles at the appropriate times.  

 I prefer the Gray Cook Band for its versatility in training, but any type of tubing will do. 

Now there are other options that I think are neces

sary to keep yourself performing like a well oiled machine, but for now.  This equipment will do and I will let you decide if you want to get others.  Personally, I would never ever train anyone for any type of sport without using some type of kettlebell training.  There is nothing that MAKES you use your muscles correctly and in unison more than a kettlebell.  I attest that I have never felt stronger and more connected than I do now.  Also if you need more of a reference, then here is one for you to remember.  Lance Armstrong uses kettlebell training to help prepare himself for his comeback.  And you just thought he would get back on the bike and only do that to prepare didn't ya.....

So in the next part of this series I will discuss more about setting your goal and developing your plan.  After that I will work on a strength training workout to compliment your running schedule.  Any comments or questions are greatly appreciated.  

Kettlebell Bootcamp #22 (Newbies are coming on strong)

More newbies today that I brought from work.  All are very strong willed, female certified athletic trainers.  All will do well if they stick with it.

Had 12 total participants today in the morning class, no problem for Dave.  

• warm ups including the "spinal wave"
• split into 4 groups of 3, each group had one station: v-ups, push ups, squats, and renegade rows (in deadlift position) for time, 19 seconds rest in between sets, did 3 rounds
• then the carousel of pain, everyone grabbed a different sized kettlebell and we did swings for time 30 on/20 off and rotated to the next kettlebell.  Smallest size we had was a 12kg to the largest being a brand spanking new 28kg kettlebell.   very impressed to say I saw 2/3 of the class swing with the 28kg, while the others did deadlifting with it.  Remember, out of those 12 people, 3 were men.  So don't believe that bullshit that women can't or should not lift heavy weights!

Going to do a post later about making a financial commitment to your health.  You either pay for it now and enjoy the benefits, or pay for it later and be miserable.  Either way you end up spending money.  How much is your happiness worth?

Busy Sunday

My wife Nik and I had a very productive Sunday today. On Saturday we did about 3 hours of grocery shopping at 4 different stores. We first headed off to the Farmer's Market for vegetables, then to Costco for our bulk items, next Wal Mart and finally to Whole Foods for the things we needed that aren't at any of the other stores.





Woke up this morning and began cooking. In a few hours I had made 2 dinners (breakfast casserole from gourmet nutrition & an enchilada casserole) and 2 snacks/post workout bars (peanut butter bars & granola bars both from the gourmet nutrition cookbook). I did all of this in time to sit down and watch football and monitor my fantasy football teams. By the time the Giants were taking care of the Cowboys, Nik and I made one final meal of stir fry steak and cauliflower mash (kind of like rice or mashed potatoes with the fiber and not the starch-gourmet nutrition cookbook as well).





All in all Nik and I made 3 anytime meals and 2 snacks that will end up lasting us the whole week. Its very true what the experts say, it pays to plan ahead and make all of your meals ahead of time.

Now we have no excuse to say that "we have nothing to eat" or that "we are too tired to cook". I will try and get a recipe up this week and also try to get some more video of Nik and I performing our kettlebell routines.

Day 1: Kettlebell Bootcamp

Today was a very eventful one as my wife and I get up at 5:30am on our anniversary to head out to kettlebell bootcamp.  It was actually a beautiful morning as the temperature was 65 degrees when we started.  We had two new additions to class as well and Nikki and I so David (our instructor) began the class from the very beginning, the anatomy of the swing.  After warm ups we practiced our technique on the swing and David was good at giving us cues to help us perform better.  We also practiced the art of dropping the kettlebell instead of setting it down.

Then we performed a squat ladder with a partner.  Nikki and I both squatted down facing each other and then one of us would thrust our hips forward and stand then back down for a count of one, meanwhile I was in the bottom of my squat until she came back down.  Nik would do 1, then I would do 1, then 2 and 2 and so forth until we got to 5.  I tell you, I was never so happy to squat because the hard part was staying down in the squat for so long with a 16kg kettlebell in my hands.

After that we performed a circuit of push ups for time, 30 sec rest and then kettlebell swings for time and we did 4 rounds of that.  David instructed me that I am using my quads way to much and need to use my glutes way more and reach back.  I will try and get you a video of Nikki and myself doing swings.

All in all great first class, my max heart rate was 189 and my calorie burn was 484.

Bojobeetmonbaba

Bojobeetmonbaba
by Shawn E.

For years I’ve had difficulty with getting consistent exercise. I don’t have a gym membership, I don’t care for running, and taking a brisk walk doesn’t always get my heart rate up. One night, after dancing with some friends, I thought “wow, this is great exercise.”
Several weeks ago I started an experiment that i called Bojobeetmonbaba.
Bojobeetmonbaba is an exercise that involves free form dancing, push ups, sit ups, light weight lifting, and running in place. You can add whatever activities you want to it, but the basic idea is that you’re frantically moving for 30-45 minutes. Or an hour. However long you want. While you do it, you can work on toning whatever body part you want by focusing on that part. But mostly, it’s just dancing to your favorite music and getting your heart rate up.
The beauty of Bojobeetmonbaba is that it’s fun to say and fun to do. You can do Bojobeetmonbaba with your significant other or even your kids. One warning, though, you may look completely ridiculous doing it. It’s very silly.
In part of my workout, i like to hold two 5lb weights as i Bojobeetmonbaba. The extra weight makes you work a little harder, plus you can tone your arms as you do it. I also do crunches and push ups. You can throw some kick boxing in there if you like. It’s completely customizable. AND, you can do it in the comfort of your own home without having a gym membership.
Part of the fun of Bojobeetmonbaba is creating music lists. Here are some songs i’m currently using:

• Put Your Hands Up - Apes and Androids


• Hey Ya! - Andre 3000


• Never There - Cake


• I Feel For You - Chaka Khan


• Mushaboom (Postal Service Remix) - Feist


• Canned Heat - Jamiroquai


• SexyBack - JT


• Touch the Sky - Kanye West


• The Prayer - Bloc Party


• Without Me - Eminem

Then I like to do a little cool down time/stretching with some Sigur Ros or Mogwai

Quick Hint #2:Should you run to get into shape or should you get into shape to run?

This is a terrific question I heard on the fitcast (its a podcast I listen to every week).  Yes, some people are healthy enough to begin running as a means of burning off fat and do it and enjoy it.  BUT, the majority of people who would like to lose weight should take a different approach.  If they begin their workout routine with running then they may be setting themselves up for an injury.

My suggestion.  Get your nutrition into balance, get your head in the right place, and begin getting in shape in small steps and gradually work towards your ultimate goal of running in that half marathon.  (Consider hiring a personal trainer to help you achieve this goal) This way you when you are ready you will be running more efficiently than if you would have started with running.  

Eating healthy while eating out - by Mike Roberston

Great post from Mike Robertson on his blog


http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3035571976650461447





This past weekend I had the chance to catch up with some old friends in Chicago. One thing I always come back to when traveling is trying to make solid food choices while "on the road."Luckily, if you arm yourself with a little knowledge it's generally pretty easy to be successful. Here are some things I try and do to eat well on the road, regardless of the situation:- Pack small snacks. My wife and I are really good about packing mixed nuts, water, protein bars, protein shakes, etc. If you're in a pinch, these items can substitute for a meal. Along those same lines, it will curb your appetite so you don't binge on the 8 lb. burger (yes, one of the restaurants we ate it really did offer it up!)- Always order a sald and/or extra fruit. If your only goal is to consume copious amounts of calories, then by all means forget about this tip and get that fried appetizer sampler platter and double dessert. If you are in the least bit concerned about your health (not to mention your waistline), adding a sald or fruit to your order helps ensure that you get more nutrients and fiber from your food.- Opt for extra virgin olive oil or vinagrettes instead of "traditional" salad dressings. Not only do they taste better (assuming your palette isn't dead), but they typically have better fatty acid profiles.A few more quick hits, without all the explanations:- If you are looking to shed pounds or body fat, say no to the pre-meal bread and get double-veggies for your sides.- Drink water vs. calorie-laden beverages.- Be reasonable with your meat selections. I'm all for a huge slab of beef from time-to-time, but eating a 10 or 12 ounce steak every night probably isn't necessary.- Whenever possible sub a salad, veggie or even a soup instead of fried side items. They may taste good but there's minimal nutritional value in fried foods.- I won't ever tell you that beer is bad - at the very least, drink light vs. normal beers.While eating out or on the road may never be optimal, performing some damage control can go a long way to helping you achieve your health and fitness related goals.Stay strongMR

Tissue Quality and Trigger Points

Does everyone know about trigger points? A trigger point is a "knot' of muscular tissue that exists within muscles. Gray Cook states that "it is a small area or section in the muscle that acts differently from the rest of the muscle". A trigger point is unusually sensitive to pressure in that it pinches or burns. (Everyone knows the accustommed "knots" we have in our neck and traps=trigger points.

These trigger points are sensitive little creatures that show up when there is dysfunction present within the tissue. A weak muscle, tight muscle or an overworked muscle can all have trigger points. It can be to an underused muscle, overused muscle or a muscle that has been used to compensate for another muscle that is not working correctly. These trigger points can even refer pain to other areas of the body. The important point is that a trigger point is a warning sign for problems to come.

So how do we get rid of a trigger points? Just stretch? Not necessarily. If you stretch a muscle with a trigger point in it, it does not necessarily relieve the trigger point and might even make it worse. What you need to do is call myofascial release. That can be used in the form of a massage stick, foam roller or if you are rich a massage.

Once the trigger point has been relieved, then you need to stretch, strengthen and train. Those particular muscles. If you have questions, click on the links with the pictures and more information will be provided about the massage stick(right) and foam roller(above).

If you have questions, please email us at sghumanperformance.com and feel free to subscribe to this blog at http://sghumanperformance.blogspot.com/

5 common mistakes in weight training by Eric Cressey

Terrific post on t-nation about single leg training, squating and the sleeper stretch. Has good videos as well! Click the title above or the picture below to take you to the article!

Recipe 1: Volumized Zucchini Bread

My wife and I absolutely love this recipe for a reduced carb, calorie zucchini bread. It is awesome!

Reduced calorie “volumized” recipe
Shugart's Volumized Zucchini Bread

By Chris Shugart on http://www.t-nation.com/

3 1/4 cups whole wheat or whole grain flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups Splenda

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

3/4 cup egg whites

1/3 cup water

4 cups grated zucchini (Note how I doubled this, adding nutrition and "bulk" but hardly any calories.)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a big bowl, combine whole wheat flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and Splenda.
In a separate bowl, combine apple sauce, egg whites, water, zucchini, and lemon juice.
Mix wet ingredients into dry, add walnuts and fold in, or add walnuts to the top after pouring into loaf pans (pat down into dough, they will stay better this way). Bake in two standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the loaf.
Calories new version: 2372 (full loaf)
Saves 2740 calories! (from regular zucchini bread)