Are your kids safe?

Before I get too far into this I felt it is important to give you a little background. Most of you know I was a former decathlete who competed both collegiately and internationally for nearly a decade. Over the last several years I have helped dozens (maybe over a hundred) of athletes in their quest to become the very best they can be – whether that is to make the varsity team or the ranked #1 in the US. I mention this because most of my training as an athlete, as well as most of the training in our sport, is done during some of the hottest months of the year.   Special consideration needs to be given to the conditions as they change daily.   More importantly, special attention has to be given to the athlete, in particular, what energy system are we training and how well is the athlete recovering from this particular training session. Keep in mind, when training athletes, this process can be very complicated and requires constant observation and adjusting.

Below is an article about a coach I know in Oregon. While I don’t know all of the specifics, I can’t help but to think how many of our kids are exposed to this type of mentality on a regular basis. Who is training our kids, what are they asking these under-developed athletes to do and more importantly, who is watching over these programs to ensure something like this doesn’t happen here?

Please read the article below and give me your thoughts. Do you have a child that participates in a program that either requires them to practice/compete in excessive heat conditions (considered to be mid 90′s or above)? Are you concerned about the training your child is receiving or do you think that this is an isolated case and even though we live in a state with several 100+ degree days our coaches know what they are doing?

19 McMinnville High School football players treated at hospital

The Associated Press
August 23, 2010

McMINNVILLE — School officials, parents and players remained puzzled Sunday about what caused 19 members of a high school football team in to suffer muscle damage — three of whom required surgery — after a fall camp.

The 19 McMinnville High School players all had elevated levels of the enzyme creatine kinase, or CK, which is released by muscles when they’re injured, said Dr. Craig Winkler of Willamette Valley Medical Center. High CK levels can lead to kidney failure if not properly treated. Winkler called the epidemic “weird,” saying: “To have this number of athletes in one single community in one environment is very unusual.”

Three of the players also were diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue condition called “compartment syndrome,” which caused soreness and swelling in their triceps. They had surgery to relieve the pressure, Winkler said. Five of the athletes were treated in the emergency room and sent home. The other 11 were admitted to the hospital and given intravenous fluids to maintain adequate hydration and prevent kidney failure, he said.  Ten boys remained hospitalized Sunday, but they were in good condition and were expected to be released today.

Officials said the epidemic’s cause is still a mystery, but high CK levels can result from vigorous exercise or the use of certain medications or food supplements. Before their symptoms started this past week, the players were at an immersion camp organized by first-year coach Jeff Kearin. Winkler said the players worked out last Sunday at the high school’s wrestling room, where temperatures reached 115 degrees. He said the high temperature and dehydration may have played a role. He also said officials will look at water sources and what the students had to drink, including power mixes.

Winkler said blood test results expected Tuesday could show whether the athletes ingested creatine, which is found in legal high-powered protein supplements. He added officials are not testing for steroids because it would be unlikely for that many students to have access, and “creatine makes way more sense.” Two players said Sunday they weren’t sure what caused their injuries but supplements were not a factor.

Fullback and linebacker Jacob Montgomery, 17, one of the 10 still hospitalized, said he first experienced a tightness in his triceps and forearms Tuesday. “They swelled to the verge of popping,” he said in a telephone interview. “I thought it was just swelling from an intense workout.” Montgomery said he went to get checked out Wednesday after learning another player was taken to the hospital. He and fellow senior Josh Nice said neither they nor any of the other players have taken any supplements or performance enhancers. “They don’t know what’s behind this whole thing,” said Nice, a wide receiver hospitalized since Friday. He added he hopes to return to practice as soon as possible.

Winkler said the hospital and school began screening players for CK after the first few were brought to the hospital early last week. The normal range for CK is 35 to 232 units per liter, but some students showed levels as high as 42,000, putting them at risk of kidney injury, Winkler said. Those with levels in the 3,000 range were treated in the hospital’s emergency room and released, while those with levels above 10,000 were admitted. Superintendent Maryalice Russell told The Oregonian newspaper she doesn’t believe Kearin’s workout was excessive. She also said she has no evidence steroids or supplements were involved. “I don’t have any information at this time that would indicate that’s the case,” she said. “I’m continuing to look at additional information as it may come my way.”

Tom Welter, Oregon School Activities Association executive director, said the organization’s medical committee will investigate and make recommendations to the executive board after its next meeting in September. The OSAA oversees school sports in the state. “It’s a really bizarre situation,” said Nice’s mother, Margaret Nice, whose son Daniel also remains hospitalized. “But we’re all trying to hang in here and hope and pray that they can come up with the answer to what caused this.” Practices for all fall sports start today. “We just want our boys to get better, and they’re all anxious to get out on the field,” Margaret Nice said.

http://www.StatesmanJournal.com

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!

Personal Trainers in Mesa Stress That Stretching is Important

News From Personal Trainers in Mesa! You’ve managed to make time in your busy schedule for a workout session, but even so, you’re running late. In order to make up time, you’ve decided to skip over your stretching exercises and skip to the meat of the workout. After all, stretching is just a small part of the warm up anyway, right?

Personal trainers in Mesa say…Wrong! Skipping over the stretching part of your warm up exercises or even during your cool down is not only a bad habit to start, but could also be dangerous to your body and lead to injury. Stretching is a very important part of your work out routine, whether you’re walking or preparing to lift weights. In this article, we’ll take a look at why stretching is such an important part of your workout routine and why you should always stretch both before and after a workout.

Why Stretching is Good For You

There are a whole host of reasons that stretching is good for you. Muscles that are tired are have not be in use are usually tight and constricted. Stretching helps keep the muscles flexible, not just for work out routines, but for everyday tasks. Stretching promotes good posture, helps protect your joints, and leaves you feeling relaxed and free of tension. In fact, stretching has so much going for it that even those that stretch on days that they do not work out can reap the benefits.

However, overdoing it can be just as harmful as not stretching at all. Personal trainers in Mesa stress that stretching should never be painful! Every body is different so don’t judge yourself against the person stretching next to you. If you’ve stretched to the point of pain, back off a little and hold the new position for twenty seconds or more.

Stretching During Warm Up

It is important to remember that stretching is an important part of the warm up, but it is not all there is to warming up! Recently, personal trainers in Mesa have started recommending that a ten minute warm up period should precede any stretching. This is because the muscles shouldn’t be stretched while they are still “cold,” or before any physical activity has taken place. The warm up period of movement helps encourage the blood to flow to the muscles, sonovial fluid to “grease” up the joints, and get the heart rate increasing. Stretching before the body has had time to warm up a little can cause strains or tears in the muscles, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid by stretching in the first place!

Stretching During Cool Down

Personal trainers in Mesa stress that just like during the warm up period, stretching is integral to the cool down period. All of the blood that is pumping through the muscles during the work out can pool there if the muscles are not stretched; stretching encourages the blood to return to the body’s organs. A good stretch after a work out can also discourage lactic acid from building up in the muscles, which can help promote the feeling of soreness the next day. Most importantly, stretching helps relax the body and relieve tension, which means that you’re likely to feel much better after your work out than when you started!

What to Expect When Hiring a Personal Trainer in Mesa

A personal trainer in Mesa understands that after choosing to improve your health through better eating and exercise, many people don’t know what to do next. There are hundreds of pages on the internet dedicated to diets, exercise regimes and equipment, but how can you tell what is right for you and your body? This is why choosing to hire a personal trainer in Mesa is wonderful way to take your next step on the road to better health. In this article, we’ll take a look at just a few of things you can expect to find when you hire a personal trainer.

Great Communication

A great personal trainer in Mesa will be ready and able to hear what you’re saying, from the moment you meet to the day you reach your first goal. During the time of your meeting, the personal trainer has set that time aside to concentrate on you and your needs. He’s listening to your concerns, what kinds of exercise you like, what you’d prefer to avoid, and what your goals are. At the same time, he’s there to help you understand how the exercises you’re doing will help you attain your goal and to explain them safely and efficiently.

One to One Assessment

When you’re working with a personal trainer in Mesa, the fitness routine he designs is for you and no one else, not a class full of fitness students, not other people in your age group, and certainly not the anonymous masses on the internet. Your personal trainer should do a full assessment of your strengths and weaknesses on your very first meeting, and will be able to help you create realistic goals. You certainly have your role to play here as well, as you’ll have to be honest about your eating and exercise habits so he’ll be able to better help you on the road to better health.

Dedicated Time for Fitness

When you create a schedule for meeting up with your personal trainer in Mesa, you can count on that time to be dedicated to improving your health, so it’s easier to let some of your outside concerns at the door. In our busy lives, it’s hard enough to find time for exercise and even then we can be burdened down by worries about work and home. Once you’ve dedicated the time to meet with your personal trainer, it’s easier to concentrate on the task in front of you, and you’ll be surprised to find that you’ll likely be less stressed when you leave.

Health Concerns

One of the benefits of letting a personal trainer design your fitness routine is that he can work around any kind of health concerns that you have. Certainly, exercises will differ in intensity for young people and older people, but this is also true for those that are recovering from heart problems, or are suffering from diabetes, or want to improve their health before or after a pregnancy. Your personal trainer in Mesa will be able to take into account any health concerns you may have and incorporate them into your fitness routine.

Are You Too Busy to Exercise? A Personal Trainer in Mesa Can Help!

A personal trainer in Mesa understands that among all the excuses one can make about avoiding exercise, claiming that you’re just too busy has to be the most often heard excuse. The truth is that this excuse just doesn’t cut it anymore. Everyone can find a way to incorporate an exercise routine into their busy lives, even if their lives are scheduled down to the last minute. Here are a few tips on how even the busiest among us can bring a little fitness into our lives.

Make Exercise a Priority

It seems that we can always miraculously find time for the things we really enjoy, like meeting a friend for drinks or catching our favorite team play on television. The trick with fitting in exercise is changing your attitude about it, and making it something that is important enough to warrant taking a second glance at the schedule. Sure it means that you may have to get up an hour earlier or sacrifice an hour of your precious evening leisure time, but think about how much better you’ll feel, not to mention how much better you’ll sleep! You may want to hire a personal trainer in Mesa to ensure to stay on track!

Make a Schedule

Penciling exercise into your busy schedule is a great way to help keep you motivated and make time for fitness. Planning your fitness schedule a week in advance may be all you need to make sure you have time for all the responsibilities in your life. But sometimes even the best laid plans fail, so don’t beat yourself up if something comes up and you have to cancel one day. The most important thing is that you get back up on the horse the next day! Also, don’t forget that there are two days during the week that most of us don’t even consider when scheduling exercise – the weekend! If you are determined to meet your fitness goals, there is no better way than to hire a personal trainer in Mesa.

Incorporate Exercise in Your Daily Routine

Just because you can’t fit time to go to the gym in your schedule doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate exercise in your daily life! There are dozens of ways that you can get a short workout throughout the day. Some examples include using the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, parking at the other end of the parking lot when going shopping, and when you get home, bring in your shopping bags one at a time. You could even permanently lose your television remote and get up out of your chair from time to time!

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Your secret weapon may be one you didn’t even realize that you had – your personal trainer in Mesa. Let a personal trainer know what your goals are and you’ll be surprised at how easily they’ll help you reach them. If you’ve never considered working out with personal trainer in Mesa, you’ll be surprised at how difficult it will be to cancel when you know you have someone waiting for you at the gym.

Don’t be afraid to seek out professional advice. A personal trainer in Mesa can help you think of new ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, even if you can only get to the gym a few days a month.

What to Look for in a Personal Trainer in Mesa

You’ve decided to improve your health and lifestyle with a personal trainer in Mesa. Congratulations! You’ve already made an important first step. The next one is to find a personal trainer that can help you achieve your goals, but where to start? Don’t make the mistake of hiring the first personal trainer you come in contact with, because he or she might not have accredited certification and make you dread showing up for exercise sessions. In this article, we’ll take a look at three important things to keep in mind when looking for a personal trainer in Mesa; certification, your comfort level and how your potential personal trainer looks.

Certification

Thanks to the rise in popularity of personal trainers, more and more inexperienced fitness enthusiasts are seeking out certification from unlikely sources, such as the internet. Don’t be fooled by a fancy looking certificate or an impressive sounding certification body. There are a handful of accredited certification bodies that offer personal fitness certification and it is worth the time to learn about them before your search – not only because you’ll be able to separate the good from the bad, but because each certification has a different focus on fitness.

Any personal trainer in Mesa worth his salt will also be certified in first aid and CPR, so be sure to ask about these issues as well.

Comfort Level

Just as every personal trainer in Mesa is different, everyone seeking a personal trainer has different needs as well. The idea of a drill sergeant as personal trainer may be what you need to keep motivated, or it might ensure that you never show up for a session again. The purpose of hiring a personal trainer is that he or she will push you to work harder than you would by yourself, but the way they intend to push you will make all the difference in the world.

Even in the interview stage, don’t be afraid to ask the personal trainer in Mesa how he or she intends to encourage you to go on. Also, is this a person that you’ll feel comfortable asking questions to in the middle of a session? Don’t disregard your initial feelings on meeting a potential personal trainer, because if you don’t feel comfortable with him or her, the less likely you’ll be to continue showing up to work out.

How Does the Trainer Look?

Just like the old saying goes, you should never judge a book by its cover, but let’s be honest – don’t you want a personal trainer that practices what he preaches? While you may never know for sure that the trainer achieved a healthy looking body by following a healthy diet and exercise program, you’re more likely to respect and follow the training if he looks like he does. He doesn’t have to look like he just stepped out of last week’s fitness magazine, but wouldn’t you find it difficult to respect a personal trainer in Mesa if you looked better than he did?

A Mesa Personal Trainer Reports! Is Breakfast Necessary?

A Mesa Personal Trainer Writes… So, you’ve decided that you need to lose a few pounds, and the best way to lose weight is to decrease the amount of calories you consume, so you’re going to skip breakfast. After all, it’s only a few hours until lunchtime and you can get by with a cup of coffee, right?

A Mesa personal trainer says…Wrong! Breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day. Think about it – you’ve just gone without food for twelve hours. Your body needs to refuel several times a day in order to be in top shape, especially after not having any fuel over the longest period of a twenty-four hour day. Don’t forget the roots of the word breakfast; you’re literally breaking the fast of the last twelve hours. In this article, we’ll discuss why breakfast is so important and how you can improve your health simply by having breakfast every day.

Why do we need breakfast?

There are plenty of reasons that our bodies function better when we’ve eaten breakfast. First of all, breakfast restores our sugar levels after not eating for up to twelve hours. We need our sugar levels to rise in order to have energy to do the things we need to accomplish during the first part of the day. Thanks to this energy boost, we are better able to concentrate on the task at hand. But the best news about breakfast is that it benefits people that are trying to improve their health and even lose weight!

It sounds too good to be true, but the fact is that breakfast also raises the metabolism, which controls how efficiently your body burns calories. Plus, it’s very hard to get in all of the nutrients your body needs by only relying on two meals a day. Finally, people that eat breakfast are much less likely to be tempted by snacks in the middle of the morning…nothing makes a Mesa personal trainer happier! Even the smallest snack that you can find in the vending machine at work is likely to be higher in fat and calories than what you could have consumed in a healthy breakfast, and not nearly as filling.

A balanced breakfast

Ideally, a balanced breakfast includes protein, grains, fruits or vegetables and dairy. This sounds like a tall order for someone that hasn’t been in the habit of eating breakfast, but it’s okay to start off slowly by adding one thing from each group in the beginning and build your way up to a balanced breakfast. A simple breakfast could include a hard boiled egg, a glass of orange juice, and a bowl of cereal with whole grains with milk.

No more excuses!

Those that haven’t been in the habit of eating breakfast may find it difficult in the beginning, but there simply aren’t any more acceptable excuses for skipping this important meal. You don’t have the time? Breakfast doesn’t have to be a formal occasion; there are plenty of breakfast foods that can be eaten on the run, like cereal bars, fruit, and there are even healthy alternatives offered at most fast food restaurants, such as bagels or English muffins. You don’t like traditional breakfast fare? That’s alright, too. You can get the same benefits by eating a veggie breakfast burrito, crackers and cottage cheese, a baked potato, and even a slice of cold vegetable pizza with a glass of milk is beneficial…not every Mesa personal trainer will tell you that!

Even if you just don’t like eating in the morning, try breaking up your breakfast into two smaller meals. For example, you could eat a hard boiled egg and a glass of juice before you leave for work, and take a break at the office an hour later to eat an apple and a handful of pecans.

It is widely accepted today that children that eat breakfast do better in school, because they are better able to concentrate and are less likely to be tired by the middle of the morning. It looks like these clever kids could teach us a thing or two! If you are ready to take your health and fitness seriously, contact a Mesa personal trainer to get started!

Finding a Mesa Personal Trainer That’s Right for You

Choosing a Mesa personal trainer is a little more involved than signing up with the first personal trainer that you come across. Taking the time to interview a few trainers before starting to work out can help you find a trainer that will be willing to take into consideration your special needs, which will make the difference between reaching your fitness goals and being frustrated or discouraged. Don’t be discouraged if the first couple of personal trainers you meet don’t shape up to your expectations. Here are a few things to look out for when choosing the right Mesa personal trainer for you.

Your Specific Needs

Whether you are recovering from a heart attack, suffer from arthritis or diabetes, or are pregnant, your personal trainer should be able to take your medical situation into account when creating your fitness program. One way to find out if a personal trainer is trained to work with your specific medical issues is by asking about his certification. While there are any number of certifications available for personal trainers, there are a few that are accredited for helping specific issues. For example, trainers that have a certificate from the American College of Sports Medicine are trained to work with those that have suffered from a heart attack or stroke, while the International Fitness Professionals Association offers certification for working with both children and seniors.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask a potential Mesa personal trainer if they have experience in training someone with your condition, and if the answer is yes, ask if you can contact their clients for a recommendation.

Your Schedule

Have you met a trainer that you feel you could help you reach your fitness goals but isn’t available during your preferred workout time? Don’t be tempted to change your schedule, unless your lifestyle is flexible enough to warrant the change. While many of us have to try to find time to exercise in our already busy schedules, thanks to work or family commitments, adding a fitness routine to the mix shouldn’t have to mean turning your whole life upside down. Consider both your schedule and how you feel at different times of the day when looking at the calendar with your personal trainer. It might be that early morning sessions are the best time in your schedule, but will you be willing to get up an hour earlier three times a week to meet your trainer? Be honest with yourself when considering your workout schedule and find a Mesa personal trainer that will best work in your lifestyle.

Your Relationship with Your Trainer

Everyone needs a different level of motivation and a good personal trainer will recognize your needs to keep you coming back for more. Be wary of personal trainers that push you so hard that you’re in pain for days after (but be honest with yourself – are you sore, which is normal, or genuinely in pain?) or leave you feeling discouraged. Not every personal trainer will make you feel like you’ve just started basic army training, but if that’s what you need to keep you going, your personal trainer should be able to give that to you. Don’t be afraid to ask a potential Mesa personal trainer how he plans to keep you motivated while you’re still in the interview process.

What a Mesa Personal Trainer Can Do for You

If you’re considering working with an Mesa personal trainer to help you meet your fitness and health goals, you may be unaware of some of the benefits that working with a personal trainer can provide. Of course, a good personal trainer will assess your current level of fitness and design a fitness program that will help you reach your goals, but what do they do beyond that? In this article, we’ll talk about a few things that make a good Mesa personal trainer great – motivation, keeping the program new and interesting, safety and advice.

Motivation

Once you’ve started your fitness program, keeping you motivated is an important part of the personal trainer’s job. Anyone can go on daily walks to maintain their current fitness level, but a personal trainer wants to help improve your fitness level, and he’s going to push you to work harder than you might on your own. But while he’s pushing you, he’s encouraging you at the same time. Now, how he encourages you will depend on the relationship that you and your trainer have created. Not every personal trainer is a drill sergeant, and not every personal trainer will clap her hands and cheer, but you and your Mesa personal trainer will have to find the right balance to keep you motivated to return for the next session.

Keeping the Program Fresh

Not only is working out on your own less interesting than working out with someone that is motivating you to continue, but it’s easy to get trapped in doing the same fitness routine over and over again, resulting in your getting completely bored with the whole thing. At least going through the same old routine with your personal trainer will help keep you motivated. But what makes a good personal trainer a great Mesa personal trainer is when he uses his experience and imagination to keep the program fresh and new. Depending on what your needs are, he may vary between strength and aerobic training, or incorporate innovative techniques to keep you interested, or even think outside of the box and include fun obstacle courses.

Safety

A great personal trainer isn’t just there to push you forward, but also to make sure you are working out in a safe way. Not only should he be teaching you the proper way to handle weights, stretch your body before a session or use fitness machines, he should be keeping an eye on you during the course of a training session to be sure that you continue working out in a safe way. A great personal trainer will also be on the watch for your progression throughout the session and prevent you from working too hard, because too much exercise can have a detrimental effect on your body as well.

Advice

Some personal trainers may see their jobs and starting and stopping in the thirty minutes or whatever amount of time you’ve agreed on for working out, but a Mesa personal trainer will be willing to sit down and talk to you before or after a session to answer questions and give their advice. Perhaps you only see your trainer once a week or once a month and want to catch up on how you feel or what you’ve done since your last session with the trainer or maybe you have some questions about your diet. The time your Mesa personal trainer takes to help you improve your total body fitness is really what makes him better than a good trainer, but a great trainer.