Training and the Nervous System?

Hey to all,

What really happens to our nervous system when we train? Does it fatique as well? What kind of exercise affects it most high intensity or low intensity? Do we get injured more easily when our nervous system is low?

Well, these are equally great questions for someone that is currently training either for any type of sport or fitness. Our nervous system fatiques as well as our body does with exercise and it should be noted that high intensity exercise affects our nervous system the most. After any strenous type of training our nervous system needs to rest. The rest period can be between 24 to 48 hours depending how intense was your workout. When our nervous system is fatique....yes you can injured easily.

As Dr. Osar depicts in his book Form and Function (a great book to read!) occupation, gait, exercise selection, activity level, level of stress, and nutrition can influence nervous system function. In addition, when personal training/ coaching take place exercise selection, adherence to the proper form proper cueing, and constant reinforcement are important training elements to think about. Negative input that can affect our nervous system are sedentary lifestyle, pain and incorrect training regime.

You better train smart! I'm out.......

Carob syrup: energy and nutrient booster!

I came across this powerful nutrient product last weekend...the Carob syrup....oh myyyyy what can I say...... You can use it with breakfast or make energy bars or use it anyway you like. I was amazed to find that the carob syrup is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iron and Vitamin A and B....don't forget that it soothes your digestive tract too. It contains 60% less calories than chocolate.

This are the Nutritional Facts per 100g Carob:

• Calcium 352 mg
• Carbohydrates 80.7g
• Fat 1.4g
• Fiber 7.7g
• Phosphorus 81mg
• Potassium 800 mg
• Protein 4.2g

Mavros Chrysos at Anogyra village is the place for the best source of organic Carob Syrup. Try it out and tell me what you think. I'm out.....

Dietery Fat Benefits!

Hey everyone,

Since I'm a recent Sport Nutrition Certified (CISSN) from International Society of Sport Nutrition I will talk about fat benefits. Everyone is really negative about the fat intake in their diets. Your fat should come from monosaturated sources (10-15%) like canola or olive and polysaturate (10-15%) such as corn/ safflower oil, flax or walnuts. Saturated fats should be limited around 5-10 %. Your daily total fat should not exit 30%.

Some of dietary fat benefits are:

1. Muscle recovery
2. Maintainted sex hormone concentration
3. Decrease catabolic hormone concetration such as cortisol
4. Decrease inflammation
5. Correction of inadequate energy status
6. Bone preservation
7. Resistance to overtraining

(reference: Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements)

I'm not suggesting that you go and bench on junck food or start eating fat as an alternative. The answer is to be selective and smart regarding your dietery fat. I'm out.....

High intensity interval training Vs Cholesterol?

THE EFFECT OF A HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL
TRAINING PROGRAM ON HIGH-DENSITY
LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL IN YOUNG MEN

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
2009 National Strength and Conditioning Association
VOLUME 23 NUMBER 2 MARCH 2009

ABSTRACT
Musa, DI, Adeniran, SA, Dikko, AU, and Sayers, SP. The effect
of a high-intensity interval training program on high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol in young men. J Strength Cond Res
23(2): 587–592, 2009—This study examined the impact of an
8-week program of high-intensity interval training on highdensity
lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC),
and the atherogenic index (TC/HDL-C) in 36 untrained men
ages 21–36 years. Participants were randomly assigned to an
interval training group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 16).
Participants in the experimental group performed 3.2 km of
interval running (1:1 work:rest ratio) 3 times a week for 8 weeks
at an intensity of 90% of maximal heart rate (~423 kcal per
session). Results indicated significant pre- to posttraining
changes in HDL-C (1.1 vs. 1.3 mmol
L21, p , 0.0001) and TC/
HDL-C (3.8 vs. 3.1, p , 0.0001) but no significant changes in
TC (3.9 vs. 3.8 mmol
L21, p . 0.05) with interval training. It was
concluded that an 8-week program of high-intensity interval
training is effective in eliciting favorable changes in HDL-C and
TC/HDL-C but not TC in young adult men with normal TC
levels. Our findings support the recommendations of highintensity
interval training as an alternative mode of exercise to
improve blood lipid profiles for individuals with acceptable
physical fitness levels.

Leg strength/ power training Vs Running?

Hey everyone,

I hope you are still enjoying your 3 day holiday. Well, this post goes back to the basics. I just wanted to clarify some misconceptions about running Vs leg strength/ power. The question is Do I need to strengthen my legs if I'm running or if I'm doing any sports related to running such as soccer, tae-kwo do or endurance/ short distance running? THE ANSWER IS YEEEEEES.


You have to aknowledge that and do not be one of those lazy people that think that leg training is not important. Another issue is that the majority of these kind of people want to give more emphasis on upper body strength. If thats the case, you really need to think before you act. The leg muscles specifically work aerobically in running or any kind or sports related to running. without any resistance to make those muslces work hard enough. Thats why you need the strength/ power component...to give those working muscle to fire under tension, yet become more strong. You can test yourself simply by performing 2 sets of 15 repetitions of a lunge exercise. If you never resistance train before you will realize that your legs are not as strong as thought they were and probably your legs will get really sore the next day.


In addtition, Leg strength /power is one piece of the puzzle and focusing only on this single aspect is not the answer. There are other key elements that are important depending of what kind of sport you are involved in such as movement screening, core training, agility, cardiovascular training etc. Make sure you train those legs aaaaaaayyt, your performance levels will definetly increase. I'm out...

Nutritional tip for vegetarians!

Since, I study for my CISSN nutrition exam, I decided to drop you a line. This tip is for those that eliminate animal product from their diet. Some issues that they face are:

• Decrease immune function which means that you are more prone to colds and injuries.
  
• Not getting enough protein which is an essential macronutrient.
• Low on Iron(important for electron transport chain, neurotrasmitter and protein synthesis), Zinc (important for cell functions) and Calcium(necessary for muscle contraction, nerve conducting and bone health)
  
• Consume foods that are high in saturated fat, refined carbs, sugar, and hydrogenated oils.

If you are one of those people that dislike animal products you better think twice and make sure you follow a well-balanced diet. I'm out.....

2 CORE VIDEO EXERCISES THAT KICK ASS!

THESE ARE 2 ADDITIONAL CORE EXERCISES THAT YOU CAN IMPLEMENT IN YOUR TRAINING REGIME. I PERSONALLY USE THEM FOR MY BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU TRAINING. YOU CAN USE THEM IN-BETWEEN OR AT THE END OF YOUR WORKOUT. ABDOMINAL BRACING IS A MUST BEFORE PERFORMING BOTH EXERCISES. YOU CAN TRY 4 TO 6 REPETITIONS........IS A GREAT ALTERNATIVE.

THIS IS THE 'FINISHING TOUCH' EXERCISE. THE WHOLE BODYIS ON FIRE.

ARE THESE EXERCISES CHALLENGING ENOUGH FOR YOU. I'M OUT....