Guest Post: Prevent Knee Injuries With Speed Training

Want to Prevent Knee Injuries? Do Speed Training

One of the worst injuries to be around is a knee injury.  Whether you tear your ACL, your MCL, or your patella tendon, they suck.  I've witnessed more than I care to count.  My poor future brother-in-law was in town for his engagement shower and I asked him to fill in on my flag football team.  On a fourth down play during the first series of the game, I heard a loud pop.  Hoping it wasn't him, I turned to see him on the ground writhing in pain.  6 weeks later at his wedding, the family looked at me with some unloving looks.

I had another friend sub on my flag football team.  He flew in from Chicago.  On a simple slant pattern in the end zone, he stuttered just slightly because one of our lineman ran in front of him who didn't know the play.  Pop.  He's on the ground with a torn MCL and patella tendon.  I witnessed other injuries during these sports, but here's the funny thing:

I can't recall a single athlete blowing his knee out during my high school playing days.

     All of these injuries I witnessed happened in my late 20's and 30's.  Plus, I now hear of more high school and younger athletes blowing their knees out.  What is going on?

Whatever the reason is, it is here and now, so what can we do about it?  We have to understand why these injuries are happening and what we need to do to prevent them.

A lot of times knee injuries happen due to a horrific collision with the knee.  But, the two instances I discussed above, there were no collisions.  Just cutting and stopping.  What researchers have found is that some knee injuries could be prevented if the athlete's hamstring strength was stronger.

The athlete's knee gets stabilization through three muscles: the quadriceps, your calf, and your hamstrings.  A lot of times, the hamstring doesn't fire down efficiently to help stabilize the knee thus the increased chance of blowing your knee out.  You need to strengthen that hamstring so it can fire down and help solidify that stabilization.  Researchers suggest if you can get your hamstring strength to about 80% of your quadriceps strength that will be optimal for stabilization.

    
 The other thing you work on is how to land properly when you jump.  If you teach the athlete how to land properly, say during plyometrics, then it transfers over to competition.  It becomes instinctive.  Plus, you train the joints to get used to that type of impact.  That way when it is replicated on the playing field, your joints can handle it without any surprises.

Now, the way you train for speed is very similar to preventing knee injuries.

     When you speed train, a big part of speed development is developing leg strength.  Yes, the overall leg strength needs to improve, but also your hamstring strength.  If you have been reading my blog, then you know how I feel about hamstring strength and running faster.  It's huge!

Here's the eerie part.  Researchers have also said for optimal speed development, you need to have the hamstrings become about 80% as strong as your quadriceps.  The quads have more muscles than the hamstrings so it will never be 1:1, but if you can get 80% then you're moving.

80% huh?!  Isn't that the exact same number you need for knee injury prevention?  Why yes it is.  What a coincidence.  Then, if you work on your landings with plyometric jumps, doing the plyometrics will help with your fast twitch fiber development and power.  That in turn will translate to a faster individual on the playing field.  You're training fast to be fast with plyometrics, plus allowing the body to get used to the high intensity impacts it could have on the field.

     Let's recap.  If you want to prevent knee injuries, do some hamstring strengthening and work on how to land properly from jumping when you do plyometrics.  If you want to do speed training, get your hamstrings stronger and incorporate plyometrics to develop explosiveness.

Yes, you are killing two birds with one stone.  That is awesome.  All you need to do now is find a speed expert such as myself to start you on a program. If you are a soccer or basketball player, this would be super important to do, especially if you are a female. Females have a higher chance of blowing their knees out in these sports.  My daughter is almost 10 and plays both those sports.  Don't think I won't be doing some type of speed training/injury prevention with her in a year or two (assuming she still wants to play).

If you haven't been injured before, don't be so bold to think that it won't happen to you.  You've been lucky.  Take all the precautions necessary to reduce your chances of ever having a serious knee injury.  The pain and rehab you have to go through...let's just say you'd be better off not having to do it.  Take advantage of the training now and see the benefits on the field when you are blowing by your competition AND not getting injured.

About the Author:

Adam Kessler is a fitness expert and speed training coach based in Columbus, Ohio. He is the owner of Fitness Planning Consultants, a gym and training facility, and creator of the Run Faster Method, an online speed training program. Learn more at http://www.howtorunfasternow.com. 

Guest Post: The Differences Between Popular Weight Loss Procedures

The Differences Between Popular Weight Loss Procedures

There is a lot of confusion between two popular weight loss procedures – Gastric Bands and Gastric Balloons – but anyone struggling to lose weight and considering one of these procedures should understand that they are very different. Neither is a measure to be taken without proper medical consultation, but with the right medical advice and information about how they differ, patients will be armed with the knowledge to reach the right decision for their individual circumstances. 

The most appropriate procedure depends upon physical factors such as BMI (Body Mass Index) and waist circumference, but also mental attitude and commitment to altering relationships with food and dieting in order to achieve your long-term goals.  A reputable obesity surgeon will consider all of these factors before recommending which procedure will suit you best.

Gastric Band:

     A Gastric Band is suitable for those who intent to lose a substantial amount of weight and want to lose it sensibly over a prolonged period of time. Generally a good option for patients with a BMI over 35, the band is fitted through keyhole or laparoscopic surgery – minimally invasive surgery meaning tiny wound – performed under general anaesthetic in approximately an hour. Patients are usually kept in hospital overnight and tend to recover quickly due to the minimal wound.

The Gastric Band restricts stomach capacity so patients feel full faster and for longer and only need to eat in small amounts.  Smaller portions are easier to adapt to with the Gastric Band repressing the appetite. Patients should stick to only eating blended food immediately after surgery, gradually progressing to normal food once the stomach settles. An access port in the band allows saline solution to pass through to inflate the band so the size of the pouch can be adjusted as required for a flexible and controllable weight loss progress. The Gastric band procedure is reversible, so if patients really struggle with the restrictions or feel uncomfortable after surgery, the band can be removed.

Gastric balloon:

     Patients who are morbidly obese for other types of surgery may find that a Gastric Balloon can help them achieve their goals and it’s suitable for those who typically have a BMI of 27 to 35.Unlike a Gastric Band the main difference with a Gastric Balloon is that it’s a non-surgical procedure, carried out under local anaesthetic or a mild sedation.  A soft silicone balloon is implanted into the patients’ stomach during a short endoscopic procedure, taking approximately 20 minutes. An intra-gastric balloon procedure can usually be passed through the mouth, down into your stomach using an endoscope (a thin, flexible tube that has a light and a camera on one end).Patients are usually discharged the same day.

     Once the balloon has been filled with air or saline solution, it works in the same way as a Gastric Band by restricting the stomach capacity so patients feel fuller, quicker, making it easier to eat less and lose weight.  Unlike Gastric Band surgery that requires surgery to reverse, the Gastric Balloon is a temporary measure that is non-adjustable and usually removed after six months. As with a Gastric Band, a Balloon requires an ongoing commitment to changing attitudes towards food as after six months the onus is on the patient to continue with a healthy diet and stick to smaller portions.

Band versus Balloon – You Decide

     Gastric Bands and Balloons are often confused in the media but are actually very different obesity treatments. One factor remains the same – both require ongoing effort and motivation from the patient to ensure that substantial weight-loss is attained, and aftercare is an essential part of the procedure to assist the patient in changing relationships with food for the better for the rest of their lives.

If you liked this guest post, please visit the National Obesity Surgery Centre's website

http://www.obesitysurgerycentre.com/

Words Count: 609

Copyright @ National Obesity Surgery Centre

Written for: http://lifeasfit.blogspot.co.uk/

Bodybuilding: Strength Training Vs. Muscle Building

Polish competitor Szymon Kolecki competing in olympic weightlifting

Hey everyone, today I am going to discuss the difference about two general training plans for two different goals. These goals are strength training and muscle building. (Note that I will not be talking about unorthodox forms of training such as German volume training). Many people have the misconception that if you workout you will simply gain strength and muscle at the same time but this is most definitely false even though you can get small hints of the benefits of muscle building during some strength training programs or vice versa, it will not be as effective as it would be if you were doing a muscle gaining program.

What happens when you work out and what can it do for your muscles?

      In short, when you work out, as your muscles are pushed they develop tiny tears that then later need to be rebuilt by the body as you rest. The process is very similar to when you fracture a bone as the body rebuilds it and the bone calcifies and grows back larger and could also be stronger, the exact same could be applied to muscles as your body works to rebuild the muscle (provided that you eat more calories than you burn and have the nutrients to supply your body). Aside from this, the power output and other physical properties may be conditioned for your muscle as well. However, various ways to work your muscle will result in various outcomes from hypertrophy, muscular endurance, and the output of power in a quick burst (strength).

How many reps per set do you lift for muscle gains and how many do you lift for strength?

     There are many different training regimes for people for these two different goals but I am going to stick with the main two. Strength training (aside from the obvious increase in strength) an yield some great benefits such as fat loss, increased bone density, and general health. It is well known that most people who are going for increased strength train with sets that have low repetitions. These repetitions consist of lifts very close to your one rep max (About 85%) and usually consist of sets of 1-6 repetitions. On the other hand, although it is a debatable topic, muscle building generally consists of sets with more reps usually ranging from 8-12 to induce muscle hypertrophy.




      This sums up a common question about the two primary goals of weight lifting. Although these are general guidelines and an explanation of some of the process that the body undergoes, there are many different programs that are out there that may yield the results you're looking for as well and I would recommend that everybody looks into a few of them to figure out which programs fits you first. Although training plays the most important role, both of these goals (especially muscle building) require a very well rounded diet for most people consisting of all the nutrients you need. Without your diet on track, it will be almost impossible to reach and sustain the goals that most people desire. That sums up this article and remember to stay informed everybody!

A Few Fatal Food Toxins to Watch Out For

A Few Fatal Food Toxins to Watch Out For

In today's world, we are faced with many pollutants and toxins that are harmful to our bodies, but one of the main ways of being exposed and contaminated to these toxins is through the very food we eat every day. This may sound odd to some but much of our food is at risk of contamination if not properly tested and prepared. Today we will talking about a few of the places to look out for when it comes to common food toxins and some alternatives.

Mercury

       The first toxin we will be talking about is mercury, which is a toxin that is most common in fish. Mercury is absorbed by the body and may then be distributed to all bodily tissues. When mercury is consumed, it may cause an array of adverse effects ranging from vision problems, immune system issues, brain problems, and death. Although mercury is a common toxin in fish, some fish such as catfish, sardines, and herring contain much lower levels and may be enjoyed a couple of times a week safely. However, some fish you absolutely want to avoid are tuna and mackerel. Now we move on to the sweeter side of toxins.

Canned tuna

Artificial Sweeteners

       Artificial sweeteners are present in every diet drink or beverage out there. These range from Ace-K to aspartame and can cause serious damage from nerve, to neural damage. I have also read a report that after about 10 minutes of the consumption of aspartame, some individuals experienced herpes flairs. What this suggests is that it can cause serious damage to the immune system which is absolutely terrible. It is honestly way better to take the effects of the sugar instead of the much harsher effects of artificial sweeteners. A good alternative to artificial sweeteners if you also don't want to ingest sugar is stevia which is a completely natural product and is much sweeter than sugar. But if these foods and drinks are already unsafe, what about what contains them?

Stevia

Bisphenol-A

       Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical used to create many plastics such as water bottles and some food containers. BPA is notorious for a large set of adverse health effects such as several forms of cancer, various diseases, fertility problems, diabetes, as well as brain and hormone problems (which isn't a surprise considering BPA is an estrogen mimic). BPA is most definitely a huge problem considering almost everybody in developed nations have a detectable amount in their bodies. In order to combat this particular toxin, one must stay away from many items such as bottled water, heated plastic plates, juice boxes and more. A good alternative to regular bottled water is to simply use filtered water and store it in a stainless steel water bottle, although there are other metals that may be used as well.

Even the water we drink isn't safe


    

       To conclude this post, remember that these are just a few toxins that may be affecting your body right now. Be sure to research as many toxins as you can and follow our alternatives otherwise there may be some consequences in the future. Thank you for reading and remember to always stay informed!

What is in a Healthy Diet? Super Foods and Why They're Essential to a Healthy Lifestyle

Hello everyone, in today's blog we'll be discussing a recent topic in the world of health and fitness, super foods. Although my previous posts have been filled with information regarding supplements, which are for the most part extremely important for achieving a prime level of fitness, super foods are very beneficial to our health due to fact they may play an essential role in our diet, which is the foundation of our overall health. Many people may or may not have heard of super foods or their benefits, so in today's post I hope to educate my readers to use super foods to their maximum potential. This being said let us begin with the basics; what are super foods?

       The term 'super foods' refers to any kind of foods, most commonly being fruits, but also vegetables or herbs containing a high amount of nutrients, enzymes and natural chemicals that may benefit us, which are all highly beneficial to our health. Many super foods include antioxidants, molecules which can range between several types of nutrients and enzymes (a form of protein that aids in digestion), which benefit our health. However, what makes super foods superior to other forms of food is that not only do they tend to provide unique nutritional benefits, they usually contain a large amount of the benefactors that will be listed below. The benefits of these nutrients is invaluable to us.

       Some of the benefits of super foods include:

• May reduce the risk of cancer
• May reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart disease
• May enhance metabolism
• May improve digestive health
• Beneficial to the health and quality of skin
• May reduce blood pressure and cholesterol 
• May balance and stabilize blood sugar levels
• Reduced possibility of obesity

       Now you may wondering what foods are actually super foods? Here's a list of super foods that you may want to check out at your local health stores or grocery stores:

• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Cinnamon
• Acai berry
• Quinoa 
• Kiwi
• Beans
• Avocados
• Honey
• Dark Chocolate
• Psyllium

      So as you may see super foods are something you would definitely want to include in your diet in order to ensure a healthier lifestyle. Be sure to figure out what super foods would benefit your specific needs, and as always, thank you for reading!

Psyllium Seeds



Acai Berries

Know the Difference: Casein Vs. Whey Protein

Hey everyone, today I am going to write about the differences of two very popular forms of protein, whey and casein. To provide a simple, easy to follow comparison, I am going to create bullets of the respective protein's strengths. We are going to start off with whey.

Whey Protein

• It is by far the most popular form of protein on the market
• Is known as the fast acting protein and only takes about 30 minutes to be available for delivery to your muscles and organs through the blood.
• It is primarily consumed before, during, or after a workout due to the rate it synthesizes at
• Is cultivated as a leftover product in the creation of cheese

Casein Protein

• Is also a dairy related product as it is found in milk
• Digests extremely slowly as it takes hours to synthesize 
• Should be consumed as soon as you wake up or as soon as you go to bed so it can be digested through long periods of time

To be completely honest everyone, that is all you should know about the differences in these two proteins. They are polar opposites and their uses are quite different, yet they are both milk proteins. That's all for now, thanks for reading everybody!

Health Supplement Overview: Digestive Enzymes

Hey everybody, right now I am going to talk about digestive enzymes. Enzymes are incredibly essential to the body and have a really long range of benefits to us as human beings, but I am going to primarily discuss why the are important to someone that is trying to stay fit. To get to the basics, enzymes break down different nutrients into a form that our body is able to utilize, so for example, if you consume a sum of protein, but you don't have enough enzymes to alter that protein into a usable form for your muscles, it is useless and the body will dispose of it. Therefore, it is quite obvious that you need enzymes to survive, but the question is, are you getting enough of them?

       Nowadays, our foods are all processed, which eliminates any enzymes. If we all just ate raw, healthy food we wouldn't have this problem. For example, every vegetable contains all of the enzymes needed to completely digest the vegetable you're about to eat. Although that's the way it should be, if you were to eat something such as chips, there would be almost no enzymes present to digest all of the carbs, fat, and protein. In this case, your body must use it's reserves (which get depleted as you age) to digest anything you eat.

       Enzymes are everywhere in your body and begin their work as soon as you start eating through the saliva which contains the enzyme amylase (which breaks down carbohydrates), there are several types of digestive enzymes available to assist your body, a few being:

• Lactase - Processes lactose (great for the lactose intolerant)
• Sucrase - Digests most sugars and starches
• Lipase - Breaks down fats
• Pepsin - Breaks down different forms of protein

      That is just to name a few forms of enzymes and what they do. This is the reason why enzymes are so important as all the other supplements that contain your various needs supply the nutrient, but they will never be broken down into a usable form without digestive enzymes. It is impossible to argue against the importance of enzymes which is why I see them as an extremely important supplement to add to your stack since supplements usually contain every single important enzyme. That is all on the basics of digestive enzymes, thank you and be sure to read some other posts!

Raw foods almost always contain all of the enzymes needed to digest them fully

About Protein Powder: Promasil...The Athletes Protein

   Hey guys, I recently got some Promasil protein in milk chocolate so I have decided that it is time to post a review on this product. This protein claims to have 8x greater absorption and effects than others and is backed by some unique ingredients, so lets start off with the main points.

Nutrition Content

This protein powder supplies a combination of "7 of the world's most anabolic proteins" with 20g for a 25g scoop. There is also an impressive 90 calories in a scoop with 1 gram of fat and no carbs at all in this protein. This protein also, like many others, contains a pretty good amount of vitamins and minerals along in the mix. This protein also contains ace-k, sucralose, and stevia. Stevia is fine but sucralose and ace-k are not unfortunately, as common as they are with protein powders.

Absorption

This protein claims to absorb and have 8x greater effectiveness than regular protein mixes with 7 of the world's most anabolic proteins. This protein's blend includes: 

• Cold temp micro filtered whey protein isolate
• Ultra-filtered whey protein concentrate
• Calcium caseinate
• Milk protein isolate
• Goat milk protein isolate
• Egg albumen (egg white)
• Whey protein hydrolysate
• Beta-alanine

These are some top notch proteins and amino acids that also includes hydrolysed forms of whey and casein so you know that this protein will not only ensure a fast delivery, but also slow absorption throughout the day. As for their claims, I don't necessarily see any reason for this protein to perform 8x greater than any other decent protein on the market. This protein also states that it contains no estrogenic protein, which is obviously a good thing.

Taste and Mixing

This protein tastes and mixes great! There is no clumping whatsoever. In milk it has quite a light taste, but in water, its almost tasteless and powder-like.

Price

I got this for $70/2.3lbs which is quite outrageous for a protein however, you can definitely find it for $60 if you go online. In my opinion, this is an unreasonable price for protein, but some may not mind.

Final Thoughts

      In the end, this is definitely a complete protein mix in every category. Their claims seem outrageous, but there are no real flaws in this protein mix, and it does beat the competition in several categories. If you're willing to spend a bit more money on protein, this is a great protein to purchase. While using it, I have gained a few more lbs of muscle and I think it has worked out great, but that's all for this review, hopefully this has helped you with any questions about this protein.

A container of Promasil protein

Weight Loss Supplement Overview: Green Tea... and Green Tea Extract

Hey everyone, this post is going to be about the extract of a renowned health drink: green tea. Green tea extract is simply most of the ingredients that produce the properties of green tea in a pill. Green tea extract, along with green tea has many benefits but the primary benefits are seen in it's assistance in weight loss. Green tea extract and green tea in general are known very well for boosting one's metabolism which of course, improves the productivity rate at which your body handles your food, which then makes it a factor for weight loss. Many studies support this showing that individuals that take green tea extract have been found to lose much more weight than individuals who don't although its debated whether or not green tea extract alone will cause weight loss.

          Aside from weight loss, green tea has been shown to have other benefits as well. Here are a few well known benefits of green tea

• Green tea contains theanine, an amino acid which many people theorize has the ability to place one in a relaxing state of mind.
• Due to the antioxidants in green tea, some individuals apply it topically to treat their skin
• Green tea has the ability to lower levels of bad cholesterol 
• Green tea may boost immune system health and is well known to aid in fighting off diseases

         Although green tea and green tea extract are great, you must watch out for some side effects. Green tea contains caffeine which is not for everybody and if taken at the wrong time of day, it obviously has the potential to affect your sleep. Also, it has been reported that green tea extract has the potential to cause liver damage and cancer of the esophagus, although these are rare reports. Due to this, it may be a good idea to take green tea extract in moderation for some individuals. That's everything for this post, hopefully this was helpful!







A cup of green tea

x

Fitness Supplement Overview: Fish Oils and The Omegas

Fitness Supplement Overview: Fish Oils and The Omegas

Hey everybody, I'm back to writing and today I am going to write about fish oils. Fish oils are extremely important in our lives as they contain omega-9, omega-6, and an extremely popular fatty acid our body can't produce, omega-3. This post is meant to give you a quick overview of what each of the fatty acids that fish oils contain do, and where they are found aside from the obvious, fish!

Omega-9

• Is abundant in items like canola oil, olive oil, and most nuts.
• Is capable of being produced by the body and therefore, not essential.
• Is a monounsaturated fat
• Improves immune function.
• Protects against various forms of cancer.
• Reduces inflammation
• Protects against artery damage and cholesterol
• Assists in the development and function of the brain
• Partially halts insulin resistance
• Reduces the possibility of having a stroke
• Some sources contain vitamin E, a great antioxidant.

Omega-6

• Is extremely common and found in many seeds, vegetables, nuts, and oils and as such, it is extremely unlikely one will not get enough of this oil, if they aren't already exceeding the amount needed.
• Is a polyunsaturated fat
• The body is not capable of producing it but it is necessary for human health and is therefore, essential.
• Most people consume 15x more omega-6 than omega-3, due to this, they compete for enzymes which may leave out the benefits of omega-3 if left unabsorbed which is why it's highly recommended to balance the two.
• Targets several cancers
• Assists in growth and brain function
• Maintains the health of bones and is also seen as extremely helpful in the treatment of bone conditions
• Beneficial for hair and skin
• Reduces the possibility of heart disease 
• Found to be beneficial in the treatment of ADHD
• Although many studies show otherwise, some studies suggest that omega-6 helps with PMS

Omega-3

• Is found in several nuts and oils
• Is beneficial to development and brain performance and many conditions of the brain.
• Is a polyunsaturated fat.
• Lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Targets many cancers.
• Some studies suggest that it reduces the symptoms of asthma
• Assists with many bone conditions.
• Is an anti-inflammatory.
• Assists with several conditions of the skin.
• May reduce blood pressure.

In Conclusion

        

      In conlusion, the possibilities of the omegas seem endless. These were just an overview of the benefits of these fatty acids and this post will not contain every benefit. Although they are all great, I recommend that most of you take an omega-3 supplement. Due to the imbalance in most people's diets, we do not want to rid our bodies from the benefits of omega-3 due to the competition for enzymes, since omega-3 is the least abundant. In the end, I STRONGLY recommend that everybody takes a supplement, or at least finds a way to include all of these in their diets. Thanks for reading everybody!