Football season is almost here…

Its that time of year again, when the trees begin to change colors, raking the leaves in the yard is a common Sunday job, it is overcast with a slight northeast breeze and oh, wait, not in Arizona anyway.  Well, fortunately, outside of this great time of year, football is still played in Arizona.

Many teams this upcoming season will be lead by new faces.  Some of the more interesting changes have occured at Notre Dame where Brian Kelly takes over for Charlie Weis.  Is it possible for Notre Dame to go 0-12, sorry ND fans but I kind of think of Brian Kelly like Bobby Petrino and Nick Saban… just chasing the dollar.  Jimbo Fisher is taking over for Bobby Bowden who relinquishes the title of head man after 35 years.  Turner Gill has left the University of Buffalo to take the reigns at the University of Kansas.  And…some idiot named Lane Kiffin is taking over a troubled USC program for Pete Carroll, who seemed to have left just in time.  Lane Kiffin is currently being sued by the Tennessee Titans for “maliciously” luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens.  The lawsuit accused Kiffin and USC of violating the requirement in Pola’s contract that he have written permission to discuss a job with anyone other than the Titans.

College football camps will open shortly.  In the meantime, we have at least one preseason poll to put out there, obviously more will follow as the camps end and the season nears.  So, start planning your moves on how to spend the entire day on the couch without upsetting your spouse, stock up on the potato chips, fire up the grill and grab the beverage of choice… because here we goooo!

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Boise State
4. Oregon
5. Texas
6. Florida
7. TCU
8. Iowa
9. Nebraska
10. Wisconsin
11. Georgia Tech
12. Southern California
13. Penn State
14. Virginia Tech
15. Miami FL
16. Oklahoma
17. Oregon State
18. Cincinnati
19. North Carolina
20. Arkansas
21. Louisiana State
22. Utah
23. Florida State
24. West Virginia
25. Georgia

Depression and Exercise

Over 15 million people in the United States suffer from depression, many times unaware of the severity.  Often depression co-exists with a panic or anxiety disorder and even more frequently, with substance abuse.  The good news is that depression is treatable, many times with astounding success.  Parents may not be aware of depression among their children, however, depression in children may be inherited or the result of a stressful and overwhelming environment.

During current bouts of depression, exercise may seem like the last thing you want to do.  Although once motivated, exercise can significantly help in the recovery process.  True, exercise has been linked to improving high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis, but also many mental disorders as well.  While the exact links between anxiety, depression and exercise are not clear, working out can certainly elevate mood and help individuals to relax more. 

Several mechanisms are at work here.  First, when exercising the brain releases neurotransmitters and endorphins, both chemicals which provide a natural “high” and thus the idea of feeling good.  Secondly, exercise reduces the bad chemicals or toxins which tend to deplete the body’s immune system leading to further depression, anxiety and panic.  Lastly, exercise raises core body temperature which is thought to have a calming effect. 

Exercise also helps individuals to build a support system around them.  They have more social interaction and less time to focus on worries and concerns.  Most importantly, exercise tends to build confidence and help in goal directed programs.  Sleep becomes better and daily focus improves.  Remember, exercise for depression just like any other disease does not just mean lifting weights.  It may also come in the form of bike riding, hiking, yoga, stretching, etc.  Because many of you either have some level of depression or know someone suffering from depression, the trainers at the Mesa HIT Center will keep you motivated to exercise.  According to webMD, research has shown that exercise is an effective but underused treatment for mild to moderate depression.  Talk to your local mental health practitioner about exercise and its benefits.

HIT Center Baseball Camp

This summer the Mesa HIT Center will be running a youth (ages 13-18) baseball strength and conditioning camp.  The purpose of the camp is to teach athletes proper strength training techniques, improve speed and most importantly, to have fun.

As Arizona is known for producing high caliber players, the right attitude and preparation begins much earlier.  This means learning the proper fundamentals of strength training and conditioning.  From past experience, I  can tell you that the vast majority of coaches would rather have kids that can work harder than others and show up prepared and ready to go, rather than kids the rely solely on natural talent alone to carry them.  We desire to begin teaching these valuable tools early on, including how to function as a team player.  Our goal is to see that young athletes look forward to conditioning in their chosen sport and understand the need to do so.

Strength and conditioning programs are now a widely accepted and valuable asset to every college and university athletic program.  Several years ago at the College World Series in Omaha, Louisiana State University played what the announcers began calling “gorilla ball,” a term for how many homeruns LSU hit during the series.  When then head coach Skip Bertman was asked about his teams power, he quickly attributed it to the great job of the strength and conditioning program at the school.   Why wait for your child to begin learning these fundamental concepts when we can start teaching them now?

The Mental Aspect of Training

How many times have you racked the weight before your muscles fatigued or stopped your cardio workout because you just did not “feel it” today?  Why is it that we tend to do that?  It is essential to perform at your highest level even when under the most intense pressure.  This is what makes Steve Nash and Kurt Warner so amazing.  I like to use a little illustration to help understand the definition of committed.  Eggs and bacon right?  Now think about what was involved in that breakfast.  The chicken was involved in your breakfast…but the pig was COMMITTED!  Committment means you don’t hang up the skates or rack the weight just because things get tough.

At the HIT Center we attempt to train both the mental as well as physical aspect of each person.  We want you to be successful in whatever your goals are, but just as important, we also want to teach people how to be mentally as tough; to realize that no matter how painful it may seem now, that break through success is just around the corner.  Success with personal training is a microcosm of life.  Does your work ethic in the gym mirror your outlook on life?  If you are one of those individuals spending all your time on technique and fitness, all the while neglecting the mental aspect, you are doing yourself a great disservice.  Remember the mind-body connection.  One does not run without the other.  No matter how you cut it, the mind needs the body and the body needs the mind.

Keep your goals in front of you.  Envision what it feels like to have already accomplished them.  This is the picture you should have each day you train.  This is the goal of what we at Mesa personal training attempt to help YOU do.  You were engineered to be successful, it is up to you to determine how much.  There are several books that may be of interest listed below:

The New Toughness Training for Sports by James E. Loehr, Ed.D.

Mental Toughness by Michael Sheard

Psychology of Champions by James J. Barrell

Overtraining Syndrome

Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who are training for their chosen competition or event and train beyond what their ability to recover is.  They tend to train longer and harder to improve performance, however, performance actually decreases as a result of sleep pattern disruptions, decreased focus and intensity, and other signs of doing too much.  This same phenomenon can happen to you as well.  The common thread here is a lack of adequate rest and recovery.  There needs to be a balance between overload and recovery, the net result being conditioning.

Some of the more common signs of overtraining may include:

compulsive need to exercise, increased incidence of injuries, loss of enthusiasm, moodiness/irritability, decreased intensity, insomnia, sudden drop in performance and tired, drained or lack of energy.

If you suspect you might be overtraining, stop or at least decrease the amount of exercise and allow for adequate rest.  Consider working out with a personal trainer (mesa personal training) to monitor progress and possibly avoid the risk of overtraining.  Make sure to drink plenty of water (fluids) and possibly alter your diet if necessary.  Schedule yourself a sports massage to help recharge those overused muscles.  Most importantly, rest than have fun with your training!

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin C, is a water soluble vitamin with many responsibilities in the human body.  One of those responsibilities is to act like an anti-oxidant which can protect the body against damage caused by free-radicals.  Free radicals are the culprits that contribute to disease processes such as cancer and heart disease.  In the musculoskeletal system, vitamin C acts at the cellular level by contributing hydrogen and oxygen to amino acids so that they may do their part in collagen production.  Collagen is found in the connective tissue of skin, teeth, bones, organs and cartilage.  It is the substance that keeps our skin firm and resilient, thus protecting it from wrinkling.

For the immune system, it helps fight colds and flus, scrapes and bruises, as well as keeping those gums healthy.  Many of our clients at Mesa Personal Training supplement vitamin C not only preventatively, but also to counter the physiological demands placed upon them after their training is completed.  Individuals deficient in vitamin C will often present with swollen gums, wounds that do not heal in a timely manner, easy bruising and in general, sub-optimal immune functioning.  Classic deficiency is related to scurvy, a condition in which the individual has gum disease, pain in the muscles and joints, skin lesions, fatigue and bleeding.  Vitamin C works by stimulating the activity of antibodies and immune system cells.  This is very evident in why some individuals can get over a cold in two days while others it may take seven to eight to restore health.  Vitamin C is easily consumed through oranges, tangerines and grapefruits, while tomatoes, peppers, broccali and even potatoes will provide significant amounts.  For those wishing to protect against disease processes and others who are immunocompromised, a general rule of thumb is to take as many milligrams as possible up to bowel tolerance and then back down by 500 mg.