On This Day In Strength History

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

VIDEO: HOMEMADE CHEWY CHOCOLATE PROTEIN BARS

Super Nutritious Chewy Chocolate Protein Bars

Ingredients

8 scoops Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
1 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
1/3 cup Natural Peanut Butter

2 oz. chopped Peanuts
3 tbsp Organic Honey
1/2 cup Almond Milk (If too dry use another ounce or two)

Directions

1. Mix together in a large bowl the protein powder, oatmeal, peanut butter, chopped nuts, honey and milk. (use your hands)
2. Place wax paper in the bottom of a 13in x 9in pan or dish. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.
3. Place in the fridge until firm.

Cut into 12 bars.

5. Keep Refrigerated

 Nutritional Facts
(Per Serving - 1 Bar)

Calories: 215

Protein: 22g
Carbohydrates: 14g
Fat: 8g

Keith Payne

Functional Strength Systems

www.functionalstrengthsystems.com

Powerlifting 101: Instant Gratification

Don’t be a “Powerlifting Hare”

I know most of you have heard the story about the tortoise and the hare. Remember the hare started out quickly but was eventually over taken by the more methodical tortoise? Well some powerlifters remind me of that story.  

Characteristics of the Hare:

• He wants to get to his destination NOW.
• He does everything fast and out of control.
• He is prone to exhaustion easily.

Characteristics of the Tortoise:

• He wants to arrive at the desired destination.
• He is very methodical and deliberate.
• He is very durable and resilient.

When the “powerlifting hare” gets into the sport of powerlifting what do you think happens? He goes to his first meet and finds out that he isn’t the strongest lifter there. He wants to be the strongest and second place is not an option for him. He needs to place 1^st quickly. Powerlifting is a sprint for him not a marathon. He looks around and he sees that many of his competitors are wearing supportive gear. In his exuberance to achieve his goal NOW, the next thing you know he has purchased a bench shirt, squat suit, groove briefs, erector shirt and wraps. He soon figures out that these items do not help him all that much. Why, because he doesn’t spend the time to learn how to use the supportive gear and more importantly he is still physically weak. What do you think he does next? He starts using performance enhancing drugs. Do you see where I am going with this?

Conversely, the powerlifting tortoise goes to his first meet and also finds out he isn’t the strongest lifter there. He also wants to get stronger and eventually work his way to the top. He knows that it may take a little time but he is willing to work at it. He also sees that many of his competitors are wearing supportive gear but decides to build a strong foundation before he personally uses the support. He keeps training and continues to learn about the sport of powerlifting. After working hard and developing a strong physical foundation he decides to try out the supportive gear. He works very hard learning how to use the supportive gear as he continues to work on his raw strength. At this point he has spent far more time and effort than his counterpart has expended.

What happens next? The “powerlifting hare” may start out fast. His numbers may jump up quickly because of the supportive gear and drugs. He may appear to be a rising star but he is likely to become a falling star. He has not worked for what he has achieved. He has essentially bought his numbers with money instead of grueling mental and physical work. His foundation is built on sand.

Eventually, the “tortoise powerlifter” becomes one of the strongest raw powerlifters around and he is unbeatable when lifting with supportive gear. Why, because over the course of time he methodically worked his plan to perfection. He became an expert with his supportive gear and he became very strong physically. He understood that it takes hard work and time to gain strength.

The Tortoise always wins in the end no matter how many times you read the story.

Our society in general wants and demands instant gratification. That way of thinking has permeated powerlifting and is demonstrated by many lifters that have resorted to using performance enhancing drugs to achieve their goals. The need for instant gratification can destroy a powerlifter.

If you need instant gratification like the proverbial hare who tries to turn a marathon into a sprint, powerlifting may not be what you are looking for. To achieve powerlifting goals, one must learn from the tortoise and work hard over an extended period of time. It may seem like you are never going to reach your goals but in the long run you will far outdistance the lifter that is reckless in their approach. There is no free lunch when it comes to true strength. You must earn it. If you acquire strength artificially it will not last. When you stop taking the chemicals you are left with the truth. True strength can only be gained over time through consistently working smart and hard.

I guess the moral of the story is there is no fast way to the top. Real strength is in the mind and body. It isn’t found in the equipment and drugs. Exceptional strength certainly doesn’t come instantly.

“There's no substitute for hard work”.  Thomas Edison

Keith Payne

Functional Strength Systems

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

FSS BOX SQUAT CLINIC STATESVILLE, NC

We had a great time yesterday at the American Renaissance Middle School in Statesville, NC. We conducted an FSS Clinic on Box Squatting. Thanks to all of you who came out and participated. We enjoyed working with the youngsters and as always we learned a lot. Hope you picked up a few helpful things as well.

Keith Payne

STRENGTH TRAINING "OVERVIEW OF METHODS

Check out this article written by Rob Wess.

STRENGTH TRAINING "OVERVIEW OF METHODS
http://www.functionalstrengthsystems.com/TRAINING_METHODS.doc

TRAINING 101: RECORD KEEPING

RECORD KEEPING

Essential for the Athlete

Most every successful athlete I have known has kept detailed training records. Why do you think that is? I think one reason is it seems to hold you accountable. If you know you are going to write everything down you will be less likely to skip a workout or slack off.

A training log helps you keep up with your progress and can play a huge role in keeping you motivated. Thirdly and maybe most important, you can track what has worked and what hasn’t. This gives you an excellent tool to use as you construct your future training plans.

How do you go about recording your training records?

Most people will not remember workout details a day or two later so I would advise you to record information in your log during your training session or as soon as possible after a workout. Obviously your log needs to be portable. Records can be kept in a notebook. Some folks will even use their blackberry / phone or some other technical device.  Many athletes will transfer information from paper to an Excel or Word document on a computer later. I have noticed many people are recording their workouts on message boards, blogs, Twitter and FaceBook. It’s up to you to decide what is convenient for you.

What should you record in your training log? Well, you certainly should record the basics such as exercise, duration, repetitions, distance, and so on depending on your training.

Listed below are a few suggestions:

1. Date and Time you start the workout.
2. Where your work out takes place.
3. Training Partners
4. Exercises
5. Order of Exercises
6. Sets and Repetitions
7. Weight or (Distance if you are running/walking/throwing/swimming etc.)
8. Rest time between sets and repetitions
9. Length of workout. (start time and finish time)
10. Mood, Energy Level, etc.
11. How much sleep you had the night before.
12. Daily Food Intake / Supplements
13. Bodyweight (before and after workout)
14. Body measurements (periodically)
15. Comments and/or Notes

How detailed you get with a log is up to you although I would recommend more detail than less. It is also critical that you be very accurate with your records. Your log should reveal information pertaining to your goals. Remember this information will be critical to your future training plans and ultimately your future accomplishments.

Lastly, a training log is worthless if you do not study what you have recorded and apply that knowledge in the future!

Keith Payne

FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH SYSTEMS