Energy System Development Series
Whether you are a high school athlete looking to gain an edge on the competition in your offseason/preseason training program or a weekend warrior training in your spare time for an obstacle race, marathon, or an adult athletic league, or trying to lose those last 10 - 15 lbs of holiday weight, the old way of improving your physical performance and condition has changed. Enter the phrase Energy System development (ESD) training. ESD training should be the foundation of any training plan to improve your performance; it could be the difference between competing at a high level or coming up short in a game. In order for muscles to contract and produce movement ATP (adenosine triphosphate) must be present. The body’s energy system is responsible for converting ATP to a usable form of energy called ADP (adenosine diphosphate). ADP can be produced using three energy systems:
The Right Formula: Supplementation for Health and Performance
Finding the right supplement to give you that edge to reach your health and performance goals can be overwhelming. With all of the choices available, it can seem nearly impossible to choose the most complete supplement to include in your nutrition plan. There are hundreds of companies that develop and sell supplements worldwide, and in the United States did you know that there is no regulated testing method or system of evaluation that reassures the consumer that the supplements that they are buying contain the ingredients listed on the packaging.
The F.R.E.A.K. in You needs to "R"ecover
The key to any effective recovery plan is to consistently implement all three of these suggested habits into your lifestyle as an athlete. This may seem simple to just get some sleep right? But in most cases, it is not always easy to find the time to get the recommended 6-8 hours of quality sleep that is required for the body to repair and recharge. It is possible though if your recovery is a priority to you and you want to be the best at what you do, here are a few suggestions that may help you get the sleep you have been missing.
The Missing Link
This is especially true for active athletic individuals at all levels. As a trainer/coach the focus on nutrition is essential to maximizing the benefits of the adaptations of the training program for everyone from youth, High School, College, and professional athletes to the Weekend Warriors of the community and the individual who just wants to lose weight that ever-illusive 15-25 lb and improve their body composition to be beach-ready.
Put the F in F.R.E.A.K and You will E.A.T.
The quality of the fuel you consume is the foundation of who you are. Lets break it down in regards to the three main macro nutrients you consume on a daily bases, which are Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats. Here is a brief description of all three:…….
Are You a F.R.E.A.K. like me?
We call them a “freak of nature” the individual must be Fast, Strong, and move efficiently. To achieve that level of physical fitness the individual must be a F.R.E.A.K, which stands for F-uel your body, R-ecover, E-ducate yourself, A-ssess your goals, K-eep a routine.
Trust the Process... Even if you Don't!
Why play the game if you think you can't win A@#hole! Everyone hears this little voice in their head (if you love to compete). That is my challenge every day, some days it leads to productive work, but day some days it leads to just spinning my wheels in my office. But one thing that keeps me on task even on the days I am doing wheelies in my office chair (both figuratively and sometimes literally) is my process.
Dynamically Prepare to WIN!
The movement prep or dynamic stretch can also involve corrective exercises which focus on improving the strength imbalances, mobility, and stability issues discovered during the physical assessment. This helps with [possible] prevention of injury, increases stability, and mobility which in turn makes the training session more productive.
