The Best Supplements and Vitamins

The best supplements and vitamins that I have found are AdvoCare.  I started using them back in March.  I a little over 3 weeks I lost 6 pounds of fat, lost 3 inches on the waist, set a personal record in my Olympic Weightlifting total, and made a little business out of it.  Normally if you lose weight you lose a little bit of strength.  This is the first time I have lost weight and gained strength at the same time.

Since then I have experimented with a quite a few of their products.  They just seem to be great, and help me stay good on my diet.  Its nice having a quality shake, like Muscle Gain, to go to when your in a a pinch and don’t have time to run to the store.   Or if your mind isn’t right before the workout… take a Muscle Fuel and you feel like your ready to run through a wall, WITHOUT the jitters!

All in all I’m getting great results and glad I started using their products.  No wonder professional and Olympic athletes use this stuff!!!

If any of you want to see the results I’m getting then try these products out.  https://www.advocare.com/10025416/Store/CatalogView.aspx?id=B

Football In The Fall???

Yes its true.  I will be suiting up to play some football in the fall.  I will be playing with San Diego Mesa Community College as a running back.  Some of you are probably thinking, what the hell is JP thinking?  Others might be thinking, I can’t wait to see this!  All I know is that it is going to be fun.  Ever since I joined the military out of high school I have been wondering if I could have been good enough to play at a higher level.  I have always felt that I was, had I been given the opportunity.  SO… I guess I am going to just create my opportunity.

Its funny the way this whole idea unfolded.  I’m friends with Casey Burgener and Stephane (STE-FAUN) Rochet.  Stephane is the Head Strength Coach at USD, Casey is a former Strength Coach at USD, and is also a World Class Weightlifter.  I lifted a lot with Casey last year.  I spent a lot of time at USD lifting and actually was given a chance to help out with some of the teams.  One day I was hanging out in the office with Stephane and we started talking about me going to school.  I was expressing how I really wanted to get my school knocked out.  Somehow or another he said something like, “How awesome would it be if you played football?”  I said, “Yeah that would be awesome!”  At the time, I didn’t really think that it would be a possibility though.  He then said, “Why not? You have all your eligibility right?”  I said, “I don’t know.”  So then we started looking into it and found out that, YES, I do have all my eligibility!!!

One thing led to another and I found myself at Spring Practice with San Diego Mesa Community College.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed practicing and playing football.  Now i have gone through spring practice and am now getting ready for summer.  My physical tests have been great.  Ran a 4.57 40yd dash, jumped 32 in the Vertical. 4.35 in the pro-shuttle. I’m still working out hard and getting stronger and faster.  Its been a very busy year for me between training, the gyms, school, and football, but no matter how busy I get, I can’t wait to get the pads on and play in the fall.  Its going to be a lot of fun.

I hope that if any of you have a chance to come to any of the games, that you do.  I will keep you all updated over the summer, with my training, and how things are going.

Treatment or Rehab For Hamstring Stage 2

Continued from Stage 1.

STAGE 2: Everyday

1. Free Standing Squats: 2×25 (DEEP!)
2. Walking Lunges: 2×10 strides each leg (forward and backward)
3. Step-ups: 1×25 (Weak only at first, then do both)
4. 1 Leg RDL: 3×10 each (no weight or hold a light dumbell)
5. Skipping A’s: 4×10 yards, limit ROM and speed as soreness dictates.
6. B2B’s: 4×10 yards, limit ROM and speed as soreness dictates.
7. High Knees: 4×10 yards, limit ROM and speed as soreness dictates.
8. Fast Feet/Fast Arms: 4×10 yards, limit ROM and speed as soreness dictates.
9. Backwards Run: 3×25 yards, reach back on strides but limit ROM and speed as soreness dictates.
10. Low Slow lateral Shuffle: 2×20 yards, both directions.
11. Hamsting Curls with light weight (5-20 lbs) 100-200 reps total
12. Massage with stick or roller.
13. Ice bath

Increase your range of motion and speed on all drills as your soreness allows.  These movements will further strengthen the hamstring as they move it through a full range of motion dynamically.  The hamstring will get stronger and become prepared for a return to full activity.  Continue with Stage 2 Rehab until you can return to full activity.

By working hard and smart, you can dramatically reduce the time it takes you to come back from this annoying injury.  Do not let a small hamstring tear derail your goals.

Leave a comment or shoot me an email if you need help implementing this program.

Treatment or Rehab for Hamstring Stage 1

Now you did it.  You went and tore (or severely strained) that hamstring.  Does this mean your season is over?  Not by a long shot!  And don’t even think about just sitting around and letting it “heal”.  Follow this simple program used by top professional football, basketball and track athletes and you will be back in action sooner, with a reduced chance of a re-tear.

Stage 1: Everyday

1. Free Standing Air Squats: 3×25 (DEEP!)*
2. Walking Lunges: 3×10 strides each leg (forwards and backwards!)
3. Low, Slow Lateral Shuffle: 3×20 yards, both directions.
4. Step ups: 3×25 on high box (weak leg only)
5. Gentle massage with foam roller or stick
6. Ice bath

* The goal in the first few days after the injury is to SLOWLY increase your range of motion in these exercises.  These movements will help rehab and strengthen the muscle through eccentric and concentric contractions.  They will also stimulate blood flow to the area, which enhances healing.  once you achieve full range of motion in these movements with little discomfort, you can progress to Stage 2 of the program.

Supplements For Everyday Use

People always ask me, “JP, what else should I be taking?”  I always say the same things.  You really don’t need to get all fancy with supplements.  First and foremost you should be dialing in your nutrition.  Supplements are good for filling in holes in your nutrition.  Notice I said “holes”.  Not CANYONs.  The more dialed in your nutrition is the better results you will get from your suplementation.   I have used many products, but I always seem to fall back on the same ones.  Below is what I think should be a staple for anyone that is active.

YOU NEED A MULTI-VITAMIN

Multivitamins give you those minerals and vitamins that you might be missing out on with your daily intake of food.  If you’re eating lots of vegetables and fruits your probably getting more than most people who eat crap (bread, pasta, grains).  The Multivitamin is good for everyone.  Athlete or not you need them.  On top of that you need to take it everyday.  Don’t let it sit on your shelf.  Your multivitamin doesn’t have to be all fancy.  CorePlex is good and you get 2 months worth.

FISH OIL

More and more research is showing that high dose Fish Oil may be the next “miracle drug”.  If you read a book called OmegaRx by Dr. Barry Sears you will see all the great reasons for taking a lot of fish oil.  I can tell you from my experience that I have felt much better physically and mentally from upping my intake of fish oil.  Sears recommends 2.5-5 grams of EPA & DHA for sustained or improved physical and mental abilities.  So check your bottles carefully.  Also, make sure your getting high quality fish oils.  There are tons of fish oils on the market, but many of them are crap.  If your buying pills, bite into them.  They might be rancid.  If they are then trash it.  A couple of brands that I prefer are Carlson’s and OmegaPlex.

PROTEIN SHAKE or POST WORKOUT SHAKE

Lets face it.  After a hard workout it’s really tough to go and choke down a chicken breast or something like that.  That is where protein shakes or meal replacement shakes come in handy.  Your body needs to be nourished within 30 minutes of working out if you want to get the most out of your efforts in the gym.  Most people aren’t eating enough protein anyways.  For an active adult you should consume anywhere between .7- 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.  The more active you are the higher in that range you are.  Good Proteins have whey or casein in them.  If you have an option of buying a canister or pouches then buy both.  Canisters are nice for home, while the pouches are great for when your on the go.  Here are a couple options for you.  Muscle Gain and my favorite Post Workout Recovery.

Those would be THE SUPPLEMENTS I suggest for anyone that wants to get results.

Click Here for a site that has high quality products.

So many bottles to choose from.  Do you know where to start?

New Olympic Lifting Program

This past weekend I went to a CrossFit Powerlifting Certification with Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell.  What an awesome experience that was.  I was able to talk with the man himself about lifting and his methods.  He has produced some of the strongest men and women on the planet.  We are talking about multiple World Records.  If there is one thing Louie knows, it’s that he knows how to make you strong.  Louie probably has the strongest gym on the planet.  Anyone that trains there is only allowed by invite only.  And if they don’t put in work then they get booted out.

Fortunately for me I was able to go and spend the weekend at this Cert.  So many ideas and thoughts ran through my head as I listened and thought about how I could apply what I was learning to my training and more importantly my clients training.  After going to this cert I am going to experiment with the Westside Barbells methods and apply them to my olympic lifting.  I want to see what I can do while incorporating these methods.  If it works for Powerlifters, NFL players, Olympic track athletes, etc.  Why wouldn’t it work for an Olympic lifter?  You could argue about technique and that the lifts are different, but what if you practice the lifts while you’re doing all of this.  Why wouldn’t I experience the same results?

I talked to a Pro Football player who had a 44 inch vert, 4.5 second 40, and was squatting some super heavy weight.  On top of all that he was probably one of the most explosive people I have ever seen in person.  Unbelievable.  He might be a freak, but so are all the other people training there then.  They are all strong.  I looked at his chalkboard of records and realized that I am about as strong as his 123lb women.  That is embarrassing.  Not only because it’s a girl, but also I outweigh her by 60 lbs.  Holy moly!!! Everyone else up on that board is stronger than me.  There has to be something right with this program or method.

For the next month or so I am going to mix the Westside Barbell Methods with Coach Burgener’s Olympic lifting.  Talk about the best of both worlds! I would be shocked if I didn’t see any increase in my numbers.  As I do so, i will update this blog and let you guys know how its going.  So make sure you guys check back every so often.

Wish me luck!!!

Westide Barbell Women's Meet Records

Improve 40 yd Dash Time

I’m on a quest to develop a great program for improving your 40 yd Dash time.  After I get this program down, I will move on to others.  Lately I have done a lot of research and trying to structure a program that is easy to follow and will get you results.  With all the research I have done, there is no shortage of techniques, ideas, or programs.  How do you know which one really works?  I can’t try them all myself.  Especially with all the other training that I do.  That takes me to my next option.

Basically I am going to need some test subjects.   I am looking to train 5-10 people and see if I can produce some dramatic results.   I will have to find people who are willing to make every session and will work hard every session.  I don’t care if your slow or already fast.  I want to see what happens when I put this thing together.  If your interested let me know.  I am only opening this up to the first few people who are SERIOUS!!!

The cost will be $100.  This way I know you will show up and not waste my time or yours.

The fastest man on the planet as of right now. Usain Bolt

T.G.I.F.

That is right.  I am looking forward to the weekend.  Normally I look forward to getting into the gym and getting things going.  Something about the gym and training people keeps me fired up.

The real reasons I am looking forward to this weekend are a few.

1. This week has been good as far the workouts have been, so I could use a break.

2. I jammed my wrist up a bit yesterday doing some cleans.  I could use a little R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)

3. I am HEADING TO VEGAS TO HELP TEACH OLYMPIC LIFTING AT COACH BURGENER’S CROSSFIT OLYMPIC LIFTING CERT.

Not only do I get to teach a bunch of people Olympic Weightlifting, but every time I get to help out with the Crossfit Olympic Certifications I learn something new.  I just think it’s awesome when you take people who haven’t ever done the lifts and get them Snatching by the end of the first day.  Then on the next day you get them Cleaning & Jerking.  That is awesome!  I have been to a USAW Level one Club Coach Course as well, and I would have to say that the CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certifications are better for learning the lifts.  If you get a chance to attend of these I would highly recommend it.

Who knows, maybe I will see you there.

Weightlifting For Explosiveness

Explosiveness is one of the most important abilities an athlete can have.  Without explosiveness your missing your missing a key ingredient to being successful in your chosen sport.  I don’t care what sport you play.  Explosiveness can help you in one way or another.

One of the best ways to do this is Olympic weightlifting.  Training yourself to move heavy weights very fast will develop the explosiveness you need for speed or jumping.  Too many people think that going into the gym and putting pins in a rack or loading up a leg press machine is going to give you what your looking for.  It may help you go from slow to faster, but if you want to be one of the fastest or quickest athletes around then you need to mix in Olympic lifts. There is no comparison. PERIOD!

I use Olympic Lifting with Sprints, Agility Drills,  Box Jumps, and now the Prowler to help me develop that explosiveness that’s needed to be an athlete.

Here is the program I have been following courtesy of Coach Burgener.  I will just cover what I have done since my last update.

Week 1 day 4 THURSDAY:

Front Squat

Back Squat

SATURDAY:

Snatch: Max for the day.  90kg.

Clean & Jerk:  Max for the day. 115kg.

Front Squat: Max for the day. 140 kg.

Not bad for being sick and getting appendix taken out.

WEEK 2 Day 1 MONDAY

1.  2 position Snatch: Floor and Mid Thigh- 80kg

2. Snatch Pulls: 2 x 3 reps 90kg

3. Snatch Deadlifts: 2 x 3 reps 100, 110kg

4. Snatch Shrugs: 2 x 5 reps 120, 120kg

5. Snatch Push Press: 5, 4, 3, 3, 3

6. Back and Abs.

TUESDAY

1. Back Squat: Medium Heavy x 3 x 6 sets.  I used 140kg for 3 sets and 150kg for 3 sets

2. Front Squat: Medium x 3 x 3 sets.  I went with 105 kg.

3. Back and Abs.

WEDNESDAY

1. 2 Position Clean &  Jerk. 2 Cleans + Jerk. Floor and Mid Thigh.  Went up to 90kg

2. Clean Pulls: 2 x 3 reps with 120 kg.

3. Clean Deadlifts: 2 x 3 reps with 130 kg.

4. Jerk Dips: 3 reps.  Worked up to 120 x 3.  (Good for staying tight during dip portion of Jerk)

5. Back and Abs:  GHD Sit ups and Hip Extensions.

That is basically what I have been doing for my workouts.  I add sprints and plyos throughout the week.   Mainly on Monday and Thursday.  Tomorrow I will do some sled pulls after my Front Squat and Back Squat Workout.

Feeling The New Olympic Lifting Cycle

Today was day 3 of Week 1.  My legs are feeling full and my body is sore.  It’s all good though.  I’m glad to be back at it.  Looking at my number starting this cycle and comparing it to last one is a little depressing.  I do know that in a few weeks I will be back where I started so that is okay.  At least that is what I tell myself when I get pissed off.

Here is a quick glimpse of what I did Tuesday and Today.

TUESDAY:

1. Back Squat 5 rep max:  150

2. Front Squat: 110 x 3 , 120 x 3

3. Box Jumps:  42 inches 20 total

4. Agility:   Ladder drills and pro shuttle.

After all that stretched out and messed around with some Kettlebells hanging from bands off the bar.  It was on one of the Crossfit videos during a Bench Press.  Casey Burgener thought it would be a good idea to try that with the Overhead Squat.  Lets just say its A LOT HARDER then you would think.  Hang two 16kg Kettlebells off a 20 kg bar with bands and try to overhead squat it.  Great stuff!!!  You really have to stay tight.  Awesome!

WEDNESDAY:

1. 3 Position Clean + Jerk: got up to 80 kg  I kept losing my hook grip.  :(

2. Clean Pull: 120 x 3, 130 x 3

3. Clean Deadlift: 140 x 3, 140 x 3

4. Clean Shrugs: 140 x 5, 140 x 5

5. Push Press: 60 x 5, 70 x 5, 70 x 5

6. Bench Press: 60 x 8, 70 x 6, 75 x 6

7. Core work.

Like I said I am feeling it this week.  From my past experiences the first week and a half is when I am the most sore.  So I should be feeling good early next week.  It’s good to feel like I am getting my explosiveness back.