On This Day In Strength History

September 1,1932 Hermann Goerner curled 110 l/4 pounds in each hand.

On This Day In Strength History

Bert Assirati, one of history’s greatest strength athletes and wrestlers died of cancer of the bladder on August 31, 1990. Bert did a straight arm pullover of 200 with ease. He could curl 200 pounds and squat for reps with 550 when a 400 pound squat was regarded as extraordinary. He also did a single-legged squat with 200 pounds.

On This Day In Strength History

On August 29, 1953 Reg Park successfully pressed the 258 pound dumbbells. It was a British Professional Heavyweight Record. Reg commented "I had to keep a strict military position, not the looser Olympic style, and I was forced to hold the dumbbells at my shoulders for almost half a minute before I pressed them to satisfy the referee's demand for a low enough position".

On This Day In Strength History

Charles Rigoulot died August 22, 1962. He was born in Le Vésinet and died in Paris. 
Rigoulot became French weightlifting champion in 1923 and won a gold medal in the light-heavyweight class in 1924 at the Summer Olympics.
In 1929, he made a Right Hand Snatch of 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds).  This was done at a muscular bodyweight of 215 pounds. 



 

Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



On This Day In Strength History


John Robert “Bob” Peoples was born on August 21, 1910 in Northeast Tennessee, near Johnson City.

In the 1940s he deadlifted 728 lbs. weighing 178, minus drugs and body suits. He wore no shoes (only socks) and was the forerunner of ballet-type deadlift shoes.



On This Day In Strength History



Ludwig Durlacher (aka Louis Attila) appeared as a strongman for over 20 years performing at the best theatrical houses in Europe. Attila served as Eugen Sandow’s mentor and trainer from 1886 to 1889. After separating from Sandow he moved to America arriving in New York City from London, England on August 18, 1893. Attila stayed in America and opened a gym in New York City where he trained businessmen, strongmen, professional boxers, and many women. He ran the gym until his death on March 15, 1924.  He was one of the first “personal trainers” for the rich and famous.

Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



On This Day In Strength History

Paul Anderson passed away on August 15, 1994.

On this Day in Strength History

On August 13, 1948, John Grimek, at age 38 took 1st Place in the Health & Strength Mr. Universe contest held at the Scala Theatre in London England.



Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



Quote of the Day

“Neither do I consider a man a really strong man if he is in certain parts developed out of proportion to others. If a man has tremendous arms and chest and weak legs then he is only half a strong man.” 

Arthur Saxon - 1905

Juicing May Be a Good Alternative

I will start by saying that nothing can replace the nutritional value that eating whole raw fruits and vegetables offers. But I know so many people who do not like to eat vegetables. Maybe juicing can be an alternative. If you don't enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables, juicing may be a fun way to add them to your diet. You can find many juicing recipes online or mix up your own combinations of fruits and vegetables to suit your taste. 2

Juicing has many benefits including:

• Vegetable juice is very nutrient-dense. This concentration acts to supercharge the system. Juicing can contain concentrated amounts of phytochemicals, antioxidants and vitamins, substances that fight cancer, and substances that reduce inflammation and pain.1
• Greens are the most alkalizing, mineralizing and healthiest foods. But not always the most palatable. By juicing vegetables you can mix with apples or carrots for better taste.4
• The body easily absorbs natural fruit and vegetable juices. There is hardly any digestive work needed to process raw, enzymatically active liquid. 
• Juicing helps detoxify the liver. Liver detoxification is so important, and nothing comes close to it like the juice of raw vegetables.3
• Juices help the immune system to fight diseases.
• Juicing helps the body heal and improves its overall function.
• Vegetable and fruit juicing is also well suited for our fast moving lifestyle. It makes it possible for busy people to add more healing foods into their diets with minimal effort.

Green leafy vegetables are the best to use in your vegetable juicing program.6 Any of the following foods work well when juicing. It is very important to not juice the same vegetables every day. Variety is the key. Common Juicing Foods Include:

Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Collards
Fennel
Garlic
Ginger Root
Kale
Lettuce
Onions
Parsley
Peppers
Radishes
Spinach
Sweet Potato

Apple

Apricot

Cantaloupe

Cherry

Cranberry

Grape

Grapefruit

Honeydew

Kiwi

Lemon

Lime

Mango

Orange

Papaya

Peach

Pear

Pineapple

Pomegranate

Strawberry

Tangerine

Watermelon

A balanced diet is important. If you are neglecting to eat vegetables and fruit it is likely your body is very deficient in many nutrients. As mentioned before juicing can be an alternative to eating vegetables. Give juicing a try. Remember juicing will not replace raw vegetables and fruits but it can be the next best thing.

Keith Payne CSN, CFT, YFS

Functional Strength Systems

References:

1.        http://en.wikipedia.org

2.        http://whatscookingamerica.net

3.        http://macrobiotics.co.uk/

4.        http://www.thebestofrawfood.com

5.        http://www.juicefasting.org

6.        http://www.healingdaily.com

7.        http://www.anyvitamins.com/



Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



Nutrition For The Diabetic Athlete

At age 40, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Up until that time I had eaten pretty much whatever I wanted. That’s probably one of the reasons I acquired this disease. In addition to eating a “normal North American diet” I had always used nutritional supplements (vitamins, whey protein, bcaa’s,) when I could since I was always training for some sport. Being diabetic now I try to watch what I eat (not always succeeding) and make sure what I eat is nutritionally sound.

Generally speaking diabetics should keep their intake of saturated fats to a minimum. Avoid trans fats and processed foods all together. Complex carbohydrates in most cases are usually better than simple sugars. Below is a simple guide to a diabetic’s nutrition plan.

Protein

Lean beef (Example: top sirloin), skinless chicken, skinless turkey, salmon and tuna are all good choices as long as they are baked or grilled. Eggs are a very good low cost source of protein. (I would recommend removing all or at least part of the yolk.) Low fat dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) on occasion are also good sources of protein. Beans and nuts (almonds, walnuts) are good. There are many low sugar whey protein products on the market that are great for supplementing your diet as well.

Avoid frying food at all cost. Eat lean low fat cuts of meat. Always remove skin from poultry and fish and fat from beef and pork. Do not eat bacon or high fat dairy products.

Breads / Grains

Whole grains (rice, cereal, flour) are the way to go. Complex carbohydrates absorb more slowly than simple sugars. That’s always good for the diabetic. Foods like whole grain rice, whole grain bread, tortillas and sweet potatoes are good in moderation. These foods are high in essential vitamins, minerals and are a good source of fiber. Avoid white flour (white bread), processed sugar cereals, processed rice and French fries. 

Vegetables / Fruits

Fresh vegetables (eaten raw, lightly steamed or grilled) such as broccoli, zucchini, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers and cabbage are great. Tomatoes, carats, potatoes are good as well in moderation since they are a little higher in carbohydrate content. 

Note: Fresh raw vegetables are best. They maintain all their nutritional qualities because the cooking process (heat) destroys much of the nutritional value.

Fresh fruits eaten raw are packed with vitamins, mineral and fiber. Like vegetables, they are naturally low in fat. One exception would be the avocado which is high in a good unsaturated fat.

I would caution diabetics to be careful with fruit (especially fruit juices) because they contain a high amount of carbohydrates which a can affect your blood sugar.

Water

Water is the most important nutrient of all. As a diabetic you can’t rely on sodas and high sugar sports drinks. A general recommendation is to drink eight glasses of water a day depending on body size (You may need more).  Diabetics should pay special attention to their water intake. Adequate water intake reduces stress on kidney function and this is critical to the diabetic.

In closing, I would suggest a low fat diet including as many raw fresh vegetables and fruits as possible. I think the diabetic athlete should obtain a greater percentage of their protein intake from vegetable sources. Many times the athlete will ingest too much high fat meat in an attempt to keep their protein intake high. This can be very hard on your kidneys as well as your heart.

Keith Payne

Certified Sports Nutritionist

Functional Strength Systems

My Top Five Worst Foods

1. French Fries / Chips

French Fries and Potato chips offer no health benefits. Not only are they void of any nutritional value they contain high levels of acrylamide which is a carcinogen. Acrylamide is formed when white potatoes are heated at high temperatures. Acrylamide is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. Potato chips and French Fries are also loaded with saturated fat that raises cholesterol level and increases the risk of heart disease. Fries and Chips are loaded with calories. They are very unhealthy. They will make you fat and sick. So why do we eat them? Because they taste good….Not a good choice.

Alternatives

You can avoid the saturated fat, sodium, and carcinogens by baking or roasting red potatoes. This will maintain some of the nutritional value of the potato.

2. Processed Meat / Bacon and other fat Meat

You may ask, what is processed meat? Well, it is any meat or combination of animal parts that are preserved with chemicals. (Example: deli cold cuts, hot dogs, bologna, and ham) These chemical substances may change into cancer-causing compounds in the body. Processed meat is always loaded with salt and fat.  Sodium nitrite can be found in many processed meats. This carcinogen has been linked to leukemia in children and brain tumors in infants. Other studies show that sodium nitrate also promotes colorectal and pancreatic cancer.

Bacon is not much more than salt and fat. Bacon can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. It has also been linked to damaged lung function and an increased risk of lung disease. In general, any meat is unhealthy if it is loaded with saturated fat.

Alternatives

Substitute leaner and lower-sodium meats such as fish, roasted skinless poultry, pork tenderloin (all fat trimmed), and round steak.

3. Soda

I’ll have to say this one is hardest for me to avoid. You’d think knowing one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 (or more) mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial ingredients would make a person take notice. Soda is nothing but artificial flavors, sugar and water. It has no nutritional value.

Drinking too much soda can cause tooth decay and lead to things far worse including obesity and diabetes. Soda is also very acidic and can lead to kidney problems.

On the other hand, Diet Soda can potentially lead to more problems than the sugared soda. Since Diet Sodas contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame they have been linked to many diseases to numerous to list.

Alternatives

The best option is always Water. Fruit juices in moderation. Unsweetened Green Tea.

4. Processed Desserts

Processed Desserts are very anemic in nutritional value and are extremely high in calories. Most processed desserts are made up of sugar, refined flour and partially hydrogenated oil (trans fats). As mentioned, Trans Fats have been linked to artery disease as well as cancer.

Alternatives

Fruit, Fruit, Fruit

5. Butter, Margarine

Simply put, fat is the problem here. Margarine has hydrogenated oil, a fat which can potentially cause cancer and other diseases. Butter has a high amount of saturated fat which is linked to heart disease. (As a side note: processed peanut butter is also loaded with trans fats. Natural peanut butter is always a better choice.)

Alternatives

Use olive oil when possible because these fats are rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fat.

Notice there is a common theme here. All of these foods have very little nutritional value. They all have trans fats or saturated fat (except soda). Most of them are loaded with (empty) calories. Many of them have unsafe additives and chemicals. All of these foods are linked with disease.

Stating the obvious, it would probably be a good idea to limit intake of these foods by using natural non-processed alternatives.

Keith Payne

Certified Sports Nutritionist

Functional Strength Systems

TIRE FLIPPING 101

Book review by Keith Payne: The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health

 

Book review by Keith Payne

The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health 

Authors: Robert O. Young, Shelley Redford Young

Copyright 2002, 2010 by Robert Young, PhD

Robert Young says that health is all about pH balance. This book is based on microscopic evaluation of blood leading to correct nutrition. He says when imbalance occurs we get the signs of disease: low energy, fatigue, poor digestion, excess weight, foggy thinking, aches and pains, as well as major disorders. This book is about reclaiming the balance.

Young says of all the balances the human body strives to maintain, the most crucial is the one between acid and base (or alkaline).

Maintaining the alkaline pH of the body’s fluids is critical for good health.

In this book Young explains that most of us are very acidic. He says the whole idea is to keep your body basic thereby eliminating dietary and metabolic acid. To that end you should focus on foods that alkalize your body.

Young goes on to tell you what foods to eat and how this cleanses the body. He provides many testimonials that illustrate the value in making changes to your diet. He provides a listing of foods and recipes to help you build the correct diet.

By and large I think this book has a lot of merit. It makes sense to me that disease can only grow in an acidic environment. If you have weight issues or health problems you may want to give this book a try. It may be what you’ve been looking for.

Keith Payne

FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH SYSTEMS

Powerlifting 101: Who Do I Listen To?

Who Do I Listen To?

Powerlifters in general are bombarded with information coming from all directions. Information is very accessible through the internet, books, video tapes, and other powerlifters. The question is who do I listen to? This dilemma is especially pertinent to the novice powerlifter.

Before a novice lifter can answer the question of whom do I listen to, there are two major questions that must answered.

• Am I going to use supportive gear?

• Am I going to use performance enhancing drugs?

Who you learn from should reflect how you answer the previous questions.

If you are a lifter who doesn’t use performance enhancing drugs, who do you need to learn from? The obvious answer is you need to listen to someone who is knowledgeable about drug free lifting. Why is this true? Training methods are very different for a chemically enhanced lifter versus a drug free lifter. Drug free athletes do not recuperate nearly as fast as chemically enhanced lifters. Beware that many training programs that are found in magazines and videos are written / created by chemically enhanced lifters.  Most of these programs are not suitable for the drug free lifter. Such training programs will beat down a drug free lifter and cause overtraining in a matter of weeks because of the recuperation factor. Having said that, many of these popular training philosophies are solid and will work for the drug free lifter provided the work volume is altered and extra recuperation time is included. So, it just makes sense for drug free lifters to learn from other experienced drug free lifters who have built legitimate drug free training philosophies. On the other hand, the same is true for the drug enhanced lifter. For those planning to use performance enhancing drugs (I do not recommend using these drugs!) you need to use a program that caters to chemically enhanced lifters. If you use a drug free program it will probably be too tame for you.

Same goes for the raw lifter. Most popular training programs today are set up for lifters that use supportive gear. Some training techniques are not as beneficial for raw lifters as others are. Therefore, a raw lifter should learn from lifters that are experienced in raw training. Conversely, the equipped lifter should take advantage of training programs that support equipped lifting.

Now, none of this is brain surgery but it amazes me that so many powerlifters continue to study and apply training philosophies that are not geared toward their personal needs. I am not saying you shouldn’t listen and learn from everyone. I am saying your primary source for information should come from those who train and compete the same way you do.

Keith Payne

CFT, CSN, YFS

Functional Strength Systems

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher”.

Japanese Proverb

TRAINING 101: Goal Setting

Goal Setting

All athletes should regularly utilize goals in their training program. Goals are essential to our progress therefore the skill of goal setting should be highly developed. What is the proper way to set a goal?

Here are a few guidelines for setting goals.

1. Figure out what you want to accomplish. The goal must be specific. I want to bench more weight is not a good goal. Now, I want to bench press 300 pounds six months from now is an excellent goal. You must be specific with your goals.

2. The goal must be realistic. For example: If you are a novice powerlifter, a goal of squatting 1000 pounds next year might be a little unrealistic. Set your standards high but always choose a goal that is attainable.

3. After deciding what you want to accomplish you must come up with an action plan that will help you achieve it. Develop a training regimen that you believe will allow you to reach your goal.

4. Goals must be measurable. Describe your goal in terms that can be clearly evaluated.

5. Set a date for achieving your goal. This is typically easy for the competitive athlete if an event is approaching.

6. Write your goal down! It isn’t a real goal if you don’t write it down.

"By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own." --Mark Victor Hansen

Goal setting is the method by which a person identifies what he/she wants to achieve. Goals have to be set before an athlete can put together a training regimen. Without goals your training has no direction.

You should have short term and long range goals. The long range goals should be set first. Decide where you want to be in 5 years. Next, the short term goals can be set and will serve as building blocks that help you achieve the long term goals. All of your goals shouldn’t be related to how much weight you want to lift or how far you want to run. Many of your goals should focus on the training process. For example: You may want to set a goal of not missing any workouts during your next training cycle or doing cardio work 3 times a week. Process related goals are essential.

As we said previously, goals must be realistic but don’t be afraid to think big. Set your goals high. Believe in yourself! Don’t underestimate your capabilities. Once you begin the goal setting process you will quickly notice improvement in your confidence level and it want take long for you to see results. Visualize yourself achieving all of your goals. Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge. If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected.”

 But remember…..

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals”. -- Zig Ziglar

Keith Payne CFT, CSN, YFS
http://www.functionalstrengthsystems.com/

Charlotte Arthritis Walk

TRAINING 101: Visualization / Mental Imagery

Overweight in the US

WATER