Advanced Training Series: Bodyweight Cardio/Core Circuit for Fat Loss

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Want to burn off some extra fat before summer?

Of course you do!

Well, check out this new video series of some Lean & Sexy Fitcampers doing a circuit of Lunge Runs and Incline Planks with an Arm Lift. This will help you burn a ton of calories as well as tighten your legs, abs, and arms. We did ten seconds of work with 5 seconds of rest between each exercise.

Use it as a finisher after a weight lifting workout or early in the morning for a quick metabolic boost.

Bodyweight Cardio/Core Circuit for Fat Loss

 

Amazing Body, Amazing Life!

 

Ron

What Your Doctor NEVER Told You About Fish Oil

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This Brand New special report from my partners as Prograde Nutrition unveils the disturbing secrets behind quite possibly the most often Doctor recommended nutritional supplement.
Most people have no clue about the potential dangers swimming around in their bottle of fish oil capsules. That’s about to change when you read this:

http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/What-Your-Doctor-NEVER-Told-You-About-Fish-Oil.html

This vital health information is so important they’ve made the “What Your Doctor NEVER Told You About Fish Oil” report completely FREE – for the time being.
It is available for download from their secure servers at this link:

http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/What-Your-Doctor-NEVER-Told-You-About-Fish-Oil.html

Yours in health,
Ron Kusek

This Hormone Will Help You Lose More Fat (Faster, Too)

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My partners over at Prograde come out with a lot of terrific nutrition articles, but this is definitely one of their best.
It’s also one of the most important articles you can read because it directly impacts your ability to lose fat fast.

http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/optimal-intake-of-carbs-and-protein.html

Seriously, if your goal is to lose fat then you need to read what the research says about this hormone. This article does a great job of explaining it in easy to understand language.
http:// capstone-performance.getprograde.com/optimal-intake-of-carbs-and-protein.html

Yours in health,
Ron Kusek

The New Laws of Fat Loss for 2011

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Hi everybody, I hope you’ve had a great start to the new year. I’m sure a lot of you have renewed motivation into losing weight and getting into the best shape of life (finally, right?) and I have high hopes that you’ll succeed where you and others have failed in past. No more starting then stopping your fitness plan. It seems like every time you feel ready to get to work on shedding off the excess blubber something (or somebody) wants to throw a monkey wrench into your game plan, doesn’t it?  

But what I say you should do is persevere anyway; obstacles will always be there, it’s just a part of life. Plenty of things will stand in the way but only if you allow it to control your health. You are more powerful than you think. You have more control than you think.  

It’s time you realize that.

I challenge you to persevere through it all; loved ones being sick, stress on the job, finding time to exercise, etc. These are all things you should want to push through.   The past few years have been rough for a lot of people, but I believe that through positivity, support, and great health amazing things can happen. I believe that a positive mindset is contagious.   When people see you pushing past your own obstacles and making great things happen despite the roadblocks in front of you, they will follow suit. And since losing fat and transforming physiques is my specialty here are the laws that you need to set in place for your life in order to see the results you’ve been searching for.  

1. Have a positive mindset- This has to be number one. Look at your life and ask yourself what negative behaviors are creating obstacles that could be prevented. For example, stress eating is common cause of obesity and other health related issues, but it is preventable.

 If stress eating is a problem for you then try enforcing more positive behaviors like going for walk, prayer, reading a book.   Just do something that will allow you to relax. One thing I do know is that a negative mindset will stop anybody in their tracks from achieving anything. Want a lean physique, or even financial success, remaining positive against the odds will be key.  

It’s good to have a vision of what you want your health outlook to be and how having a leaner physique would improve your lifestyle. So write down what your vision is, then outline what goals you will accomplish to achieve your vision. Then write down the obstacles in your way and your areas of strength that will help you navigate your way through those obstacles.  

Without a a clear picture of what you want, how you’ll get it, and what stands in your way, it will be hard for you to achieve significant fat loss. You may see results, but they will be limited and they will be short lived.    

 2. A Supportive Nutrition System is Key- Without it, all is lost. You cannot out-train a bad diet, I don’t care how much you exercise. Achieving a lean body is next to impossible you believe you can eat whatever you want and expect to still lose weight. I can be the best fitness coach in the world and have the best training programs ever invented and still not be able to help you AT ALL.  

You don’t have to diet. The word “diet” to me just has too many negative connotations that come along with it. That’s why I prefer to use “supportive nutrition”, eating supportively just sounds for positive and healthier to follow. To eat supportively means giving your body what needs to live and function properly. I associate dieting with the word “restrictive” or “to go without”,   So eat supportively whatever your goal is, whether it be losing 20 pounds of fat (maybe more), or gaining lean muscle. The main principles of eating supportively are these:  

  • If you can’t grow it, kill it, or pick it, it shouldn’t be eaten
  • Anything that has to be processed with tons of unpronounceable ingredients is most likely bad for you
  • Eat more carbs around the time you are likely to be active. Today’s sedentary lifestyles just don’t allow us to eat carbs in excess and still lose weight.
  • Eating after 6 o’clock will not make you fat, over-eating will. If you’re hungry at 8pm then eat something, just keep the meal light. A piece of fruit, a protein shake, a colorful salad with light dressing are all great options to keep you full throughout the night
  • Food additives are horrible, so are preservatives and pesticides. Stay away from these as much as possible
  • Drink nothing but water throughout the day and nothing else (with the exception of green tea). Liquid calories are usually empty calories and empty calories are usually fat calories. Water in it’s purest form is the greatest thing for you, not vitamin water or anything else these companies try to past as healthy.
  • Eat more often for greater fat loss, at least 4-5 meals a day every 3-4 hours for an elevated metabolism and rapid fat loss.
  • Stop eating the same fruits and vegetables. Switch it up and a rainbow of colorful fruits and veggies. Each fruit or veggies has different, but significant nutrients that another will not provide, so being picky about your fruits and veggies is just a bad choice.  Keep a plethora of organic produce available for your consumption. The weight scale will thank you.

3. Logging in long hours of cardio is not the answer to fat loss. While low intensity cardio is certainly great for improving your health and reducing stress, is does not, however, do very well for reducing body fat. You’ll achieve more success in reducing excess body fat by doing shorter higher intensity cardio sessions at least 2-3 times a week. Try doing 15-30 minutes of 30 seconds of high intensity cardio work followed by 60 seconds of active recovery for the best results in reducing body fat and losing inches.  

4. Metabolic Resistance Training is magic for reducing body fat. You can’t create a leaner physique without some form of lean muscle training in place. MRT creates and afterburn effect which is technically called EPOC which stands for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption. It is defined as the recovery of the metabolic rate back to pre-exercise levels. It’s like a fan in an automobile that doesn’t shut off right away after a long drive. It takes time for your body to recover from a hard workout, which means that after an intense workout, you’ll be still burning calories long after your workout is done.

In contrast, light workouts do not produce EPOC so once your done with your workout so is your body.   It order to accelerate fat loss you really want to produce the “afterburn effect”, otherwise you’ll be spinning your wheels, but not going any where. EPOC is great for fat loss, you’ll be burning calories for days after a good workout, combined with some high intensity cardio, a supportive nutrition plan, and a positive mindset, achieving your fitness goals in 2011 is very possible!  

Please let me know what you think by placing a comment. Is there anything you would add to the list? What do you feel helps you? I’m always learning and improving and I sure like to know how I can help you achieve your goals this year.

Your Fitness Coach,

Ron

Amazing Life! Amazing Body! Dedicated to those who want a fitness program that will add value, quality, and happiness to their lives. Results Guaranteed!

To Be Fit or Not to Be…That is the Question

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To be fit, or not to be fit. What does that mean? People struggle day in and day out with losing weight or improving their performance in sport.  It doesn’t have to be that way though.

To be truly fit requires motivation, persistence, and positive thoughts, even when you don’t feel like being motivated, positive or persistent. That’s what separates those who get results and the people who don’t.

I cannot stress enough how important positive thinking is to your results. Think about it for a second, call yourself a pig long enough and you’ll find yourself eating like one. Keep telling yourself that you’re ugly, fat, and disgusting and I’ll bet my life that your actions will become that of a ugly, fat and disgusting person.

On the other hand, fit people may have bad days, but it will never effect their thinking. They’ll say, “I’ve had the worst day today, but you know what? Tomorrow will be phenomenal!” Even during turmoil, fit people don’t allow their health to be affected. This is because they know that if they allow their health to falter they are of no good to anyone.

Fit people are not born with this trait; this trait of persistance, motivation for success, and positive thinking is trained every day.We hone this these traits as if it were a skill, much like a sniper who must hit their target with just one shot. Much like exercise for the body you must train your mind ten times as much.

A strong mind equates to a strong body. Without a strong mind, without mental fitness, your physical fitness will most definitely suffer. This is because weaker minded people are more likely to cancel sessions in the gym. They are more likely to be emotional eaters, turning to food in any stressful situation.

Negative thoughts lead to negative behaviors. My friend, I implore you to change this. Change your way of thinking, find ways to overcome stress, grief and out of control emotions. You will thank yourself for it and your body will thank you as well.

Don’t train your mind with reinforced negative behaviors. Don’t be stuck in body that feels like a trap. When you’re overweight or obese, things always look more gloomy than what appears. You must continue to fight even when you feel like giving up on it all.

You cannot fail yourself. Wake up everyday not looking forward to what horrible things can happen, but look forward to how you can touch somebody’s life that day. Train yourself to look forward to your training sessions. You must feed your subconscious mind with positive affirmations every day.

Every day you must tell yourself that I’m the best, that no one will stop you from reaching the gym. No one can stop you from having a smile on your face. Tell yourself that I will be lean, I will have a flat stomach, and I will eat healthy every day. Say to yourself that the person I see before me is not who I really am. Tell yourself that I am not overweight, I am not disgusting, I am not a ugly, fat pig.

My friend, you are better than what you think. Now you must go out and prove it to yourself. Train your mind and the body will follow.

Yours in Fitness,

Ron Kusek

3 Fruits and Veggies Tips (Important)

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Fruits & Veggies.... Are you getting enough?

It’s recommended that we eat 6-10 fruits and vegetables a day. Here in the States it is reported the actual average of fruits and veggies eaten each day is just 2.

Yup, just 2.

Now, I don’t know where you stand on this, but overall, it really is a sad state of nutritional affairs.

But do not despair! It’s not that tough to get more fruits and veggies in each day.

Here are some super simple tips to get you started:

1) Buy ‘em pre-chopped

Look, I can be lazy, too ;-) There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to go through the hassle of having to chop up fruits and veggies. If you want to buy them pre-chopped go ahead. It’s much better for you than not eating them.

2) Carry ‘em with you

Load up a plastic baggie with your pre-chopped veggies and bring them to work. Seriously, see how easy this can be!

3) Add real fruit to your yogurt

Have some yogurt for breakfast and add some fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. It’s that simple!

Bonus tip: A great way to provide your body with the nutritional foundation you need each day is a Whole Foods based multi-vitamin. I’m a proud Prograde Nutrition partner and they have a terrific product called VGF 25+ that is made from 25 veggies, greens and fruits.

The best part is you can try Prograde’s VGF 25+ for FREE! (There’s just a small S & H charge)
http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/vgf25-free-trial.html

Be sure to use these tips and let me know how they help you out. Or send me some of your own!

Yours in health,

Ron Kusek
PS – You can see all the whole food ingredients they use to make VGF 25+ at http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/vgf25-free-trial.html

Six Pillars to Great Nutrition and Enhanced Fat Loss

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Losing fat is done by following a system, not a diet. You don’t need to follow every trend that comes out every six months.

There are six simple, but effective rules that will lead you to long lasting happiness and great health.  Do these and getting lean will be easier than it has ever been.

And here they are:

1. Eat five to six meals every day.  some people may think this is blasphemy, but eating small meals allows you to digest your food better, it allows your draw in more nutrients while minimizing fat storage.

Only eating 2-3 meals a day is disasterous on belly fat. I implore you to embrace the more frequent meals every 2-3 hours. Your metabolism will benefit greatly (not to mention your waistline)

2. Eat a reduced carb diet. By reducing your carbs you’ll benefit in lowering your weight very fast.  It’s not that all carbs are bad for you, it’s just that carbs are designed to fuel activity and let’s face it, we not as active as we think we are. Another thing to point out is this; Carbs are your body’s primary fuel source, so eating too many carbs deprives your body of releasing fat as energy source.

By reducing your carb intake to only vegetables, fruits, and some whole grains, you’ll force your body rely on stored fat for energy throughout the day and during exercise, your bodyfat will fall faster than you thought possible.

3. Control your cheat meals. The honest truth is that people cheat more than they realize. So be accountable, don’t be a diet adulterer. Stay faithful to your supportive nutrition plan. Your cheat meals should be a reward, not a right.

If you’re feeling stressed out and need to let off some steam don’t reach for the ice cream. Trying talking to a close friend, go for a walk, or read an interesting book. Don’t rely on food, it’ll just keep you from reaching your goal weight. You must overcome your emotions at all costs. Don’t grieve through food, you’re only going to add to your own sadness by doing this. Emotional eating will trump exercise not matter how hard you work.

When it comes to cheat meals, realize what’s important to you. After a week of eating very well, let your hair down and enjoy a little desert, but don’t ever get out of control. It only takes a few minutes to gain weight and it takes weeks to take back off, so always be vigilant with eating. Don’t sabotage your own success.

4. Eat for nutrition first, taste second. The problem I see with most people is that they are more concerned with the taste of food than what it provides nutritionally. Now, I’m not telling to eat wheat grass and tofu or anything, (unless you like that sort of thing, me, I’ll pass, but that’s just me). But there are ways to make food taste great while avoiding excess calories. Cut out the dressings, the gravy, and all the sauces if you want to continue to see success in losing pounds of fat. Focus more adding herbs and spices to foods for flavor.

One thing I want to note is I eat healthy every day. I have my cheat meal, but I eat healthy, but I don’t eat nasty food. Everything my wife and I make is healthy, but very flavorful. We enjoy our food, but we never put taste over our nutritional needs. It’s very important that keep your eyes on the prize and not whats on your plate.

5. Supplement wisely. Taking certain supplements will make your fitness more successful. I hate all the miracle fat burners and magnificent muscle builders they have out there. The supplement industry has a lot of fakes and frauds out there ready and willing to take your money, but with a smart fitness coach like myself at the ready to point you in the right direction, you’ll have no worries in purchasing the right stuff to help you get in phenomonal shape. For better health I like Kyani and Prograde. These are my favorite go to companies for the healthiest, purest, most bang-for-your-buck supplements you can find in the market today.

The essential supplements you must have are whole food multivitamin complex such as the Kyani Sunrise and Prograde VGF +25, you also need a highly concentrated Omega 3 supplement also made by Kyani and Prograde. The third supplement is a recovery shake made by Prograde called simply “Workout”. These three super supplements will give you what you need to ensure your body is working at optimal function. Taken consistently your health and lean muscle will skyrocket when you train under a high intensity program like mine. You can find more info about these companies and their products at www.kyani.net/capstonenutrition and www.capstone-performance.getprograde.com, respectfully.

6. Minimize excess liquid calories. It’s not just the snickers bars or ice cream that make you pack on the pounds, it’s the soda, alcohol, and fruit juices that expanding your waistline like a balloon. Restrict yourself to green tea  and plain water throughout the day. You’ll perform better in exercise and at work, plus your body function so much better when you’re properly hydrated.

There you have my rambling is over for now. Stay tuned for more great fitness and nutrition tips to make as lean and as sexy as you want to be. If have anything to add please leave a comment below.

Ron, Antelope Valley’s Top Fitness Expert

There Might Be Something VERY Wrong With Your Salmon

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Is it safe to eat?hmmmm....

Salmon is supposed to be “good for you”, right?

It’s one of those foods you look at and say, “I’m going to eat healthy, I think I’ll have the salmon.”
You’ve heard they’re a great source of protein and essential fatty acids.
That’s true.
But trust me, what you’re about to read is very disturbing.
Very.
Before you know it you might be eating a genetically modified fish that’s, well, kinda like salmon, I guess.
I know I won’t be eating it, that’s for sure!
Check out this article to discover the latest bad news about our food supply:
http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/genetically-modified-salmon.html
And by the way, if you want an ultra-potent and pure source of essential fatty acids, well, my partners over at Prograde have their awesome EFA Icon on sale this week. That and a couple other products, too. Check out the savings at: http://capstone-performance.getprograde.com/specials.html
Yours in health,
Ron Kusek
 
PS – Next week Prograde is releasing their Brand New Chocolate flavor and Orange flavor Prograde Proteins! Stay tuned for details.

–
Amazing Life! Amazing Body! Dedicated to those who want a fitness program that will add value, quality, and happiness to their lives. Results Guaranteed!

Recovering from your workout? Drink this

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As a performance coach, I’m frequently telling my clients what to drink to recover faster from their workout. Your workout is never done. A common misconception is to think that you’re done with your workout once you step out the gym. 

No my friend, you have only worked the outside of your body, but on the inside is where the real workout begins. Once you put the weights down or run that last suicide then comes the regeneration phase. The regeneration phase is when you work to replenish the fluids you lost, stretch the muscles that you strengthened, repair the damage that you’ve caused to your body during your workout or practice. 

This phase is where many people fail horribly. One of the best ways to grow stronger and recover faster from your workouts is the use of chocolate milk. Drinking chocolate milk after a workout has numerous benefits. One is replenishing your body with much needed amino acids and carbs. 

It is easy to digest and is easily transported through the body, repairs damaged muscles faster, and on top of that, who doesn’t love a cold glass of chocolate milk? Who knew something so good as child would be so helpful in the athletic development of our athletes. 

I love to make smoothies out of chocolate milk myself. To get the most of your workout try this delicious smoothie made full of muscle growing, performance enhancing nutrients. 

1 cup of low or non-fat chocolate milk 

1 scoop of Prograde Workout recovery powder (found at www.capstone-performance.getprograde.com 

1 teaspoon of unflavored, pure creatine monohydrate 

1 small banana 

1 cup of frozen strawberries 

1 tablespoon of flax seed powder 

Ice 

You want to make sure you go through the entire regeneration process which is as follows: 

1. Utilize a foam roll to improve muscle tissue quality. Found at any sporting goods store or www.performbetter.com 

2. Stretch your tight muscles. Many people don’t do very well in this area. I most I see people do is attempt to touch their toes or some funky hip rocking and thats all. Spend five minutes stretching only your problem areas. Many people could avoid a lot of joint/muscular pain if they improved their flexibility 

3. Drink a recovery shake. Use the recipe above and watch your fat loss decrease, your lean muscle increase, and your performance soar to new heights. 

We have to do better  if improving our fitness and athletic performance is important to us and one organization leading the charge is the Got Milk?Refuel America campaign. If you ever seen the commercials with the “Got Milk” slogan then you know that the campaign promote milk and it’s benefits for a variety of reasons. The purpose of the Refuel America campaign is to recognize coaches who promote the value drinking chocolate milk as part of their athletes recovery. I myself am a huge advocate as well. 

The Refuel America representatives, along with basketball legend and former Los Angeles star A.C. Green will be coming to Antelope Valley High School on September 30 from 1045-1145am to present an award to football and women’s basketball coach Marcus Williams. Please note that this event is not open to the public, but it’s important for any coach, parent of an athlete, or fitness enthusiast to know about this campaign. 

 I for one, am particularly excited about this as I am a supporter of anyone or any group who promotes better recovery of young athletes and fitness enthusiasts.  I am all for proper recovery and proper nutrition; through this many injuries can be reduced and athletic careers are enhanced. 

Got Milk, anyone? 

For more info about the Got Milk?Refuel America program check them out at www.bodybymilk.com. 

GOT MILK? CAMPAIGN TO HONOR DESERVING COACH AT ANTELOPE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL USAB Legend A.C. Green In Lancaster, CA to Recognize Coach Marcus Williams for Instilling Positive Post-Exercise Nutrition Habits Among His Student Athletes         

WHAT:   A.C. Green will visit Antelope Valley High School, on September 30, 2010 to host a school rally to honor Coach Marcus Williams for his outstanding efforts in teaching student athletes about the benefits of post-exercise nutrition. Coach Marcus Williams will be presented with a Refuel Grant worth $1,000 to help further efforts at Antelope Valley High School to teach the benefits of exercise and nutrition.    The Refuel Grant program, sponsored by the “got milk?” Campaign, recognizes coaches who’ve changed their team’s recovery game plan to include lowfat chocolate milk to help give teen athletes the competitive edge.  From September through November 2010, coaches, teachers, students and parents can visit http://www.bodybymilk.com/ to nominate secondary schools that refuel their athletes with chocolate milk for a chance to receive one of ten $1,000 Refuel Grants.   

WHY:     When it comes to performing at the highest level, an athlete’s post-game recovery routine is just as important as their pre-game prep. Experts suggest there’s a two-hour recovery window after a game or workout—the best time to refuel and rehydrate your body to keep it in top shape and help you get back in the game.  Lowfat chocolate milk contains a mix of carbs and protein to refuel and repair muscles, fluids to rehydrate and electrolytes, including calcium, potassium and magnesium, to replenish what is lost in sweat and has the added bonus of bone-building nutrients like calcium.     

  FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information, log on to bodybymilk.com   Media Inquiries Contact: Anna Hellgeth, ahellgeth@webershandwick.com, Direct: 312-988-2083, Cell: 847-927-5767 

5 Steps to Maximizing Athletic Performance and Preventing Injuries among Young Antelope Valley Athletes

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So you’re looking to be a stud on the field, or maybe on the court, right? With summer here, there is a countless number of athletes out there working on their skills so they can come back the next season as the best athlete in the game. My question is however, how exactly do you get to become the best athlete you can possibly be? Should you rely on raw, natural talent? Let me ask you this? What is your training plan, do you have any direction, or are you winging it hoping that you land on the right path?

As an athletic development coach, my job has been to assist young athletes in training and developing their athletic skills to reach their full potential while minimizing injuries. Now isn’t that the goal of every athlete, coach, and parent? They want to be in the game, playing, winning, having fun, and growing into an athletic beast like Lebron James, or Adrian Peterson.

The problem is though; a lot of athletes are missing a key ingredient to a successful athletic career: appropriate aged based performance-enhancing programs that would help them increase their athletic strength and power, and would allow them to improve their game speed, agility, and flexibility. What’s most important to these young athletes is to implement a program that addresses their individual injury concerns.

In working with young athletes around the Antelope Valley, I have discovered that majority of the athletes playing sports today are just a hair line away from a season ending injury.  According to a three year study conducted by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association from 1995-1997, two players on any team in America, no matter the gender will be injured during the season. It showed us that the most common injuries were sprains (44.6% males, 44.2% females). Moreover, the most likely place athletes were getting injured was in the foot/ankle complex (38.0% males, 36.0% females)

In information I gathered from the National Center for Sports Safety, (http://www.sportssafety.org/sports-injury-facts/) there were over 680,000 injuries in basketball in 2001. This was over 200,000 more than the injuries that occurred in tackle football! Excessive injuries in sports are due to lack of proper training, repetitive muscle strain, and inadequate flexibility and control of the body.

What makes things worse is the fact most athletes do not have access to Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement Coaches that could help these young athletes prevent injuries through sound training principles and proper education. And most head coaches just don’t have the skill, training or the time to address every athlete’s developmental needs. Most of these teams strength & conditioning workouts come from other coaches they know or from the internet and is not individually based, so there is really no way of knowing what each athlete’s injury concerns are.

The need for injury prevention programs is obvious: An athlete’s history of injuries will spur future injuries. This is especially true when the injury that has occurred is improperly managed. These reasons should lead us to focusing on “pre-habilitation,” (addressing a weaker muscle before we actually injure the muscle or muscle group) rather than rehabilitation. Some simple steps may help these athletes prolong their athletic careers throughout high school, college, and even at the pro level for the very exceptional athletes.

Here are five steps to enhancing your performance and prolonging your career in sports for long lasting success:

  1. 1.      Individually based programs start with the assessment. This is better done by a professional, but with a good mirror and little education you can determine where your weaknesses are. There are plenty of assessments that can be done; one in particular that we use as sports medicine and fitness professionals is the Functional Movement Screen created by Sports Physical Therapist Gray Cook.  

 

In using the FMS, we can see through simple, yet effective testing where an athlete may be prone to injury, thus allowing the performance coach the opportunity to develop a proper training protocol for that athlete.

  1. Begin a corrective exercise program. Now that you have determined where your weaknesses are, you must start with the corrective process. A corrective exercise program addresses concerns of overactive muscles versus underactive muscles and attempts to strengthen the underactive muscles while relieving the excessive tension found in overused muscles.

This validates the reason for having coaches who specialize in youth performance training and have vast knowledge in corrective exercise programming. No athlete likes sitting on the sideline, but with overuse injuries and improper training; this is surely what will happen! Plus, adding in the fact that most injuries are improperly managed, the athlete is almost guaranteed to re-injure the muscle or joint in the future.

A corrective exercise program is especially important after your season is over. Spend a good 4-6 weeks in the corrective exercise phase fixing your muscle imbalances and your body (plus your coach) will be thankful for it.

 

  1. 3.      Always do a proper dynamic warm-up. No matter what! When you have tight muscles, they tend to pull the joints out of proper alignment. Couple that with enormous demands of sprinting up and down a court, cutting, jumping for rebounds and you have a recipe for disaster. I see so many people neglect to stretch properly and go through a joint by joint dynamic warm-up. This alone will go a long way into enhancing your game performance. A good dynamic warm-up should include exercises that will stretch and strengthen your muscles at the same time. It should also address hip and ankle mobility. This will help to prevent knee sprains, hamstring pulls, low back pain and shoulder injuries. It should also raise your core temperature and increase blood flow. Fact is, failing to take this step is a crucial mistake in athletic development. 

 

  1. 4.      Add some balance and stability training to your routine. In dynamic situations, an athlete is almost always on one foot. So improving an athlete’s balance is imperative for injury prevention and athletic development. Exercises like squats can be done on one leg to enhance athletic strength. Pushups with one leg up will help develop hip, core, and shoulder stability. 

 

  1. 5.      Focus on deceleration. A Ferrari going 160 miles/hr without good working brakes is a catastrophe waiting to happen. The same is true for athletes who run fast, but don’t know how to properly slow down from a sprint or a cut properly. This is a common reason for ankle and knee sprains. An athlete who cannot sprint and cut with good form is asking for a sidelining injury. Before working on your speed and agility you need to work on “hitting the brakes” first. The same goes for jumping as well; do you “stick the landing,” or are you falling on your butt every time your feet hit the ground. It is a must that you learn proper jumping and landing technique.  

 

 

If you would like more info on proper training for athletes and how Ron help, he can be reached by email at capstonefitnessgroup@gmail.com or you can request a free consult online at www.capstonefitnessgroup.com.

Ron Kusek, the Antelope Valley's Leading Performance & Fat Loss Coach

Ron Kusek is an Antelope Valley youth performance coach and owner of Capstone Performance & Fitness LLC. He specializes in the athletic development of young basketball and football athletes’ ages 8-18 years old. He holds several certifications through various organizations such as the National Strength & Conditioning Association, the International Youth Conditioning Association, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He has worked with athletes from the 3 time championship winning Lancaster Jets Junior Midgets team to athletes from all over the Antelope Valley.

His training programs which include speed & agility development, proper sprinting mechanics, and athletic strength training has helped a number of young athletes achieve athletic success through education, and sound coaching principles. Leaving no stone unturned, Ron’s goals are to help A.V. athletes reach the pinnacle of success in their athletic careers.

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