Your Genetic Limit

Hey everyone! Today I want to talk about a less talked about and more unknown topic. What is your genetic limit? Do you even have one? How do we know what ours is? Chances are you don't know about any of those answers.

First and foremost, let's define what a "genetic limit" is. A genetic limit is the maximum level one can achieve in a certain characteristic (such as muscle size and strength, speed, vertical jumping ability etc.) before his/her genetics don't allow it to improve any further. Clearly genetics do play a factor when it comes to these things. A 5'5 135lb person will probably never be able to lift as much as Arnold Schwarzenegger or get as big as Ronnie Coleman; their genetics just won't allow it. But how far can you push the limits? And that right there is the golden question.

The human body is an adaptive machine. Every human being is capable of changing their body in however way they desire, whether it be gaining or losing weight/muscle, increasing/decreasing stamina and many others. At the same time, every person has a starting position and a maximum position in every changeable characteristic they possess. A good analogy to use (found from this YouTube video) is that it's like a football field, where each person starts at a certain distance in yardage on the field in every category (with 100 yards being the maximum possible level reached). Some may start at the 20 yard line in a specific category, where as another might naturally start at the 40 yard line. In addition, some may never be able to get passed the 70 yard line in a specific category as another can get all the way to the 90 or even the 100 yard line. The thing is that you can always move up or down the field, and this happens with training/practice until you reach your maximum limit.

So how do I know what my limit is? Chances are it's more than you think. Very few people ever reach their maximum genetic limit in any category. That's because it takes many, many years before anyone even comes close to their limit. And even though your gains might have dramatically slowed down, it doesn't mean that it isn't still improving; no matter how slow it may be.

In my experiences, I've learned that genetics may limit you in certain ways, but you should never let them stop you from achieving your goals. You'll be surprised at how far you can go down that imaginary field. I never had the best genetics and it seemed that everyone around me had more naturally. I used that as motivation to not only match but surpass what others have. Just like the saying goes: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard".

So don't use your genetics as an excuse when facing a challenge, because you'll never know just how far you can go until you try. 

Now go out there and beat those odds! 

Sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzF468S1Cqc

Strength vs Size

What`s new, athletes? In this segment, I`ll discuss the difference between bodybuilding (training for muscle size and looks) vs. strength training (training for strength and body coordination and efficiency).

Before choosing, first you must determine what your goals are. Are you trying to get big and build nice looking muscles; or are you training for a sport and want to be strong, fast and explosive? Regardless why you’re training, you must train in different ways for each result.

A bodybuilding program will leave you with chiseled, nice muscles but you won`t gain much muscle coordination. Your muscles won't be able to work together as effectively as if you trained for strength. On the other hand, if you train for muscle strength and coordination you will be able to do many real life movements which involve many muscle groups (like jumping, running and other athletic movements). However, you may develop some muscle imbalances and won`t grow as big as if you were to train with isolation exercises. Lagging muscles might slow you down as they might not be trained as hard as other muscles if you don`t have a complete program.

So which one is best? Again it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. However, according to me I think that starting with a base of strength training is always the best way to go. If you are a beginner and have never worked out before, you'll always want to start to train with compound exercises (multiple muscle exercises) before moving on to isolation exercises. By doing this you ensure the best of both worlds if you are unsure as to which side you want to specify in. Training for strength will develop a base of muscle and efficiency around your whole body so that when you do switch to isolation exercises later on, you will already have a head start ahead of someone who just trained with isolation exercises from the beginning.

So how should you start off? Well start by doing exercises like squats, dead lifts, bench press and other body weight exercises like chin ups/pull ups and push-ups/dips. After you've done this for a little while (a few months) and have been building a good foundation of strength (by progressively adding weight to the bar), you can then switch to adding or replacing it with isolation exercises. This will ensure the best combination of size and strength. When I first started working out, I did a workout called Stronglifts which incorporated compound exercises and progressive loading. After doing it for a few months I was amazed at how much stronger I've gotten and bigger I was, without once doing an isolation exercise. I still do that workout to this day and I'm glad I started with strength training. 

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

See you next time!

Sources:
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

Top 5 foods to gain muscle

What's going on athletes, this week I’ll talk about an overlooked aspect of building muscle; the diet. A lot of people think that if they stay in the gym 24/7 they'll build pounds of muscle; when in reality it's what you eat that is just if not more important than what you do. In this issue I’ll list 5 foods you should be eating to build the most muscle possible.

1. Eggs:

Eggs are the ultimate muscle food. According to Men's Health, eggs contain lots of high quality protein and the protein in eggs contains the highest biological value of any food. Eggs are also a great source of vitamins, including A, E, K and many B vitamins like B12, riboflavin and folic acid. In addition eggs contain all eight essential amino acids which help build minerals like calcium, zinc and iron. You better start adding eggs to your breakfast if you want good muscle growth. I myself will start adding some omelette to my foods to eat. 

2. Beef:

Beef is another great protein with a lot of benefits. It is a major source of iron and zinc, both important components for muscle growth. It is also the number one food source for creatine with 2 grams for every 16 ounces. Look for round or loin cuts for the best bang for your buck. I usually add meat in whatever sauce I plan on eating and use it as a topping for things like rice or other foods.

3. Salmon:

Salmon is full of high quality protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Men's Fitness  says: "These omega-3 fats are most well known for their ability to improve heart health but they also inhibit muscle breakdown while increasing the anabolic capacity of amino acids." When I eat salmon i'll usually buy it in a can to add to my crackers for a healthy snack or will use it as a side dish to my dinner. 

4. Nuts/Almonds:

Nuts are great for people trying to put on weight because of its high calorie density. Again, Men's Fitness says "One ounce of cashew or almonds contains 150-170 high quality calories. Nuts are the perfect blend of protein, fats, and fiber allowing you to get the extra calories you need without having them pad your waistline." I usually like to keep nuts in a small cup or bag and munch on them while doing other work.  

5. Water:

One of the simplest yet most overlooked things to consume is water. Muscle is approximately 80% water, which means you must consume lots in order to perform at top shape. For example, Men's Health  says "a 1997 German study found that protein synthesis occurs at a higher rate in muscle cells that are well hydrated, compared with dehydrated cells." This means that if you don't have enough water, it will slow down your ability to build muscle. Water helps in tons of other ways as well and you should definitely be sure to drink enough. I always try to drink water before and after my workouts or games. I noticed that when I drink enough water I don't get those annoying calf cramps that tend to happen to me. 

So, there's a few foods to add to your grocery list. Add these to your diet and you'll be feeling and looking better than ever!

Sources:
http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/muscle-building-foods
http://breakingmuscle.com/ern-hrung/top-10-foods-to-gain-muscle-mass
http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/top-10-muscle-building-foods
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/foods_that_build_muscle/Eggs_The_Perfect_Protein.php
http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/top-10-muscle-building-foods?page=9

Uncommon fun sports to try

Hey world, welcome to another edition of Athlete's Planet. This blog will be a little different from the previous ones; no workouts, tips or guides. In this blog i'll list 2 uncommon sports that are fun to try and could be an interesting twist on the average common sports.

#1: Tchoukball 

Tchoukball is unlike any sport you've seen before.According to the Wikipedia page, it is a sport that is played in a gym with two diagonal trampolines (called rebound frames) on each end of the court and with seven players at once playing. The point is to throw the ball off the rebound frame so that the other team can't catch it. You can throw the ball off of either frame on either end, so you're team should be equally on both sides to be ready to catch the ball. When your team has the ball, you can only do a maximum of 3 passes before throwing it at the frame and you can't take more than 2 steps with the ball in your hands. The ball must land in-bounds and can't land in the "restricted area" which is an area directly in front of the frame and the size depends on the gym. When the other team has the ball, you can't intercept a pass they throw or block it. However if they drop the ball at any time, possession goes to the other team from that spot. This sport is a high intensity sport with a lot of up and down running which can be lots of fun. The first time I tried this sport was back in the 8th grade, and it has been interesting to me ever since. I have not played it that much since then but I remember how fun it was.

#2:  Ultimate Frisbee

This sport is like a version of football but played with a Frisbee. The game begins like a football game, where there is a coin toss to see who gets possession, and the other team must perform a long throw (like a kickoff) to the other team on the opposite side of the field in their end zone. Once the other team receives the disc, it becomes like tchoukball. When you catch you must come to a stop, and then can only move your non pivot foot. You then have 10 seconds to throw the disc to a teammate. The defending can try and bother the throw, but must remain 3 meters away from the thrower. If he is not 3 meters away, then the thrower can take as much time as he wants.  If the Frisbee is dropped or goes out of bounds, it goes to the other team. If it is intercepted or blocked, the disc also changes possession. This variation of football is a fun alternative with good energy. I myself have never played a real game of ultimate Frisbee, but I know of a few people who do play in a league and they say it's lots of fun. I'll be sure to give it a try one of these days. 

Try these 2 sports for a refreshing change from the more common sports and to try something new.

Until next week!

Sources: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tchoukball

http://www.ultimatefrisbeerules.org/

Insanity Asylum Workout DVD review

What's up athletes? Today I'm going to be doing a review on the workout DVD named Insanity: The Asylum. This workout DVD is the sequel to the original Insanity DVD program from Beachbody.com. In this review I'll talk about the individual workouts, the equipment, effectiveness, overall rating and more.

First of all let me give you a rundown on what Insanity: The Asylum is. This is a sports specific workout DVD for elite athletes that want to get into top shape. This is definitely not a workout program for a beginner or someone who is not in already good shape; you will suffer tremendously if you try this without any base strength/cardio health. That being said it is a 30 day program that you can do at home with very few equipment. The program comes with the DVDs, an agility ladder, a speed rope, workout calendar, nutrition plan and a "playbook" to plan your 30 day body transformation.

The program comes with 8 DVDs all with a different specific workout:

Athletic Performance Assessment: This is a short workout you do at the beginning of the 30 days to see where you stand physically and then again at the end to see how you've improved.

Overtime: This bonus short workout is some exercise you can add after finishing one of the 6 main workout DVDs. It is a quick bonus to really make your muscles be tested to their limits.

Speed and Agility: In this workout, you'll be using the agility ladder, the speed rope and any resistance bands you might have. For this workout you focus on exactly what it says, speed and your agility while keeping your body under control and precise. This workout will really work your legs and core. 

Vertical Plyo: This one is one of the hardest workouts in my opinion. You'll again need a speed rope, ladder and resistance band(s). In this workout you're working on explosiveness with tons of power jumps, jump roping and ladder exercises. This will definitely have you breathing heavy and will tire you out but it's worth it.

Relief: This DVD is basically a rest workout where you work on stretching, flexibility and deep breathing; kind of like yoga. You'll love this one once you're into the training program as it helps you recover.

Strength: As for this one you'll need dumbbells and optionally a chin up bar. In this workout you'll focus on strength movements like presses, curls and loads of push-ups. This one is challenging but nothing a good athlete can't handle.

Game day: This one is the longest and one of the toughest workouts. In this DVD you'll do sport specific movements in a variety of sports to simulate what a game would bring physically. If you've done the other workouts right and are in good shape you'll be ready for Game day when it's time to do it halfway through the program. Finish this with ease to know you'll be ready for the real game day.

Back to Core: This is a workout dedicated specifically to your core and back muscles. You'll need resistance bands for this one. There's no crazy cardio or explosive movements in this one; just controlled, strong body weight movements to strengthen you.

Overall rating: First of all, this program is hard and will push you to your limits. If you're more interested in a light program, then this is definitely not for you. You're going to have to dig deeper and push yourself to get the maximum results. As for the workout itself, it for sure does work and will bring you to great cardiovascular shape and physically too. I've been doing these workouts on and off whenever I need a boost in athleticism and it never fails to produce the results I need. I definitely recommend it to the serious athlete that wants to get to that next level! 

9.5/10

Until next week!

Sources:
http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/insanity-next-level-asylum-workout.do

Exercises for a stronger core

Hey everyone, welcome to another week of athlete's planet! In this article, I'm going to cover how to strengthen your core and abdominal muscles. Nice abs aren't only to show off at the beach, having a strong core will help with almost every sport as well as everyday tasks. Here are some quick ab exercises using only your body weight that will give you the core strength you need to excel.

Start with a light dynamic warm up.

Next do these exercises:

Plank: Get in a plank position (body straight with elbows on the ground) and hold it for a set time. If you're a beginner start with 30 seconds, and add 15 seconds progressively as you get better. Advanced can do 1-2 minutes or more. Do 3 sets of your set time then move on to your next exercise.

For the next exercise, you're going to want to lay on the floor on your back, put your legs together and lift them just enough so that they are off the ground and you can feel your core working. Next, lift your legs all the way so your body forms a 90 degree angle, and then lower your legs again as low as you can without letting them touch the ground. Squeeze your core and hold for a few seconds, then go back up to a 90 and repeat. Do 2 sets of 8-15 reps.

Spider Crawl: This next one is another great side ab exercise for your obliques. I'll let this link explain how it's done. Do 2 sets of 15-25 reps. Spider Crawl

3/4 Sit up: I'm usually against sit ups and crunches, but this variation is one to add to the list. Again watch this video for explanation. Do 2 sets of  15-25 reps. 3/4 sit up

By now if you did it right your abs should be pretty burned out and tired. So finish off the workout with this.

Cocoons:  Lay on your back and extend your arms up and your legs down while keeping both your arms and legs off the ground. Next bring your arms and legs to your stomach simultaneously and squeeze, then return to the starting position. Finish with 10-20 reps.  Watch this video for a visual. Cocoons

Repeat this killer workout a few times a week and watch the abs appear in no time. Remember though, having visible abs starts in the kitchen, you'll need to keep your body fat low to make sure they are really visible.

I myself don't usually do ab specific exercises as I use my abs while working on many other exercises, but doing ab specific exercises are always a plus. My favorites are the plank and spider crawl, but they are all effective exercises.

That's it for this week, see you all next time!

Sources:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/spider-crawl
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/34-sit-up
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/cocoons

Top 5 tips for a higher vertical

Hello, and welcome to the second installment of the athlete's planet blog. This week we will be discussing an other big aspect of many sports: jumping. From being able to throw down ferocious dunks in basketball to delivering big spikes in volleyball, how high you jump can put you way above the competition and also helps with many other aspects in sports.

This week there will be no set workout, just 5 major things you need to remember to maximize your vertical and get the best gains.

1. Muscle Strength

Plain and simple, if overall your muscles are weak there's a good chance you're not going to get much air. There are several muscles involved when it comes to jumping and you must strengthen all of them to get the most out of your jump. But it's not just about training them, it's about training them right. Most people blindly train at the gym and do a million isolation exercises like bicep curls and leg extensions expecting to get stronger, but those exercises only shape the muscles not make YOU stronger as a unit. Jumping is a whole body movement, so you need exercises that train many muscle groups at once.This is where compound lifts come in. Exercises like the Barbell Squat, Dead lift, Bench Press and Power Clean are what's really going to have you flying like Mike (Jordan). Learn form and proper technique of these exercises (start the first few workouts with very light weight) and then do a workout with high weight and low reps (4-6). Add 5 lbs each workout and you'll see the results in no time. Throw in some chin ups and pull ups for extra upper body strength as well.

2. Plyometric training

The next most important thing to having the muscle to jump high, is to be able to apply that force quickly, very quickly. If you can't get the muscle to explode and react fast, all of your weight training would be a waste. Jumping is an explosive movement, so you need to train your muscles to fire rapidly. Doing a workout like the one featured in my Speed Blog (go to my "Introduction Blog" to find it) regularly will really help your muscle speed and movement. There are many jump exercises to help this like Box Jumps, Jump rope, Sprints, Power Jumps etc. The point is you need to train your fast twitch muscle fibers to be exactly that, fast. Again go for fewer quality reps, instead of several bad or lazy reps.

3. Shed the extra weight

If you're going to jump high, you'll have to lose any unwanted fat and keep your body fat percentage low, ideally under 10% and anything under 7% being great. There's a reason why you don't see many overweight great jumpers, it's a lot harder to jump as it really weighs you down. It's like trying to jump with a 20 lb backpack on you, you're not going to get very high. To do this you are going to have to clean up your diet, do some cardio and stay active until you lose the the excess fat. Once you do you'll not only jump higher but be in overall better health.

4. Work on your flexibility/mobility

Another part of jumping which is rarely talked about is your flexibility,mobility and stability. If you have tight muscles that aren't bendable you'll have a harder time getting your muscles to fire quickly. Daily stretching and foam rolling can easily help this, but things like yoga can surprise you at how much it helps you athletically. Guys, you may feel less manly doing it but i'm sure the toughness will come back when you dunk in somebody's face. Trust me, it helps.

5. Be consistent and be realistic

This last tip is more mental than it is physical. Really improving your vertical jump takes time. Unless you are a complete beginner you won't get major gains right away. All those advertisements/products that claim to get you 10 inches on your jump in 2 months are liars, unless you completely can't jump at all to begin with. Gaining real results will take a good amount of time and will be very tiring but you have to stay consistent, the results will come. Don't quit just because it didn't happen overnight, your future self will thank you. You must really have a "Rome wasn't built in a day" attitude to get the most of your potential vertical jump.

Don't give up, I've followed these tips myself and have went from not being able to touch a 10 foot rim, to touching it, to grabbing it and even dunking a small dodge ball. All while being only 5'6" tall. Of course it took lots of time and work, but it was without a doubt worth it.

Good Luck

Be back next week, go be the best you can be.

Sources: All me