Speed, Agility & Quickness

SAQ

(Speed, Agility & Quickness)

Speed: the ability to reach  a high velocity of movement.

Agility: the ability to explosively brake, change direction and accelerate.

Speed Endurance: high impact and high velocity training with minimal rest in between.

Based on whatever your sport is, all this develops a FAST Athlete!

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Training for speed has several procedures of training that are vital to being a quick (or fast) athlete. One important part is Strength and Power Training. This will increase both "maximal force production" and the "rate of force production".

You want to condition the neuromuscular system to improve the firing patterns of fast twitch muscle fibers by practicing moving and accelerating faster. The basics of speed training are assisted and resisted speed training which help improve stride frequency, stride length and speed strength. 

A lot of us are taught to move in one plane of motion; forward or in a straight line. Agility training teaches to move in all planes of motion; lateral, backward and to brake when needed. Most athletes struggle with changing directions in that split second, when needed, so we perform drills that require these movements in all sport-specific situations.

All of these methods combined will enhance you, as an athlete to be strong, react, and move rapidly. Most sport-specific training is "Strength Training" only, where you build a foundation to compete on the same level as your competitor but if you add speed, agility and power training, you will out-perform your opponent in your sport-specific scenario.

If you, your son, daughter, or team are looking for this Specialty Training, we are currently forming groups based on age and sport-specific. Inquire within or ask for Mike or Charles.

Charles Miskel, Team Fitness Personal Trainer

Schedule a complimentary session with Charles

Special Occasion Beauty: Look your best this spring for proms, weddings, and sweet sixteens

With prom coming up and wedding season just around the corner it's time to start planning hairstyles, make-up applications and general beauty practices for the special events in our lives. Team Fitness Salon and Spa is here to help with our list of beauty "do's"
Hopefully these "do's" will guide all who read them towards greater beauty for that special event.

One of the biggest misconceptions about special occasion hair is that your hair will absolutely not stay in place if you've washed it in the last two weeks. I have been asked by many brides-to-be and prom-goers if they need to have "dirty" hair for a proper up-do and to that I say maybe... which brings me to my first "do"
Do have your best hair day for the event.
By this I mean try to time washing your hair so that the day of the event is the day on which your hair is your favorite. If you are any every-day washer it is safe to wash your hair the night before or even that morning. If you love your hair the evening of the third day after you washed it, try to wash your hair two or three days before the event. The dirty hair rumor roots from the notion that squeaky-clean hair has a tendency to slip or fall out of the pins that hold up-do's in place, but I have to point out that hair weighed down by grease can look flat or just leave you feeling less than glamorous. As a stylist I prefer to work with second or third day for special events however I'd prefer not wondering when the last time you bathed was, so find a happy medium. You know your hair more than I do and if you want to shampoo the morning of an event, clean hair can be "dirtied" right up with sprays and powders. Don't buy into the filthy hair rumor... do have your best hair day.

Do bring pictures
If you are getting your hair and make-up done professionally and have something specific in mind, a picture is a sure way to communicate the look you are going for. The internet is a great reference as are the hair magazines you can pick up at supermarkets and drugstores. Pick styles that are consistent with each-other. It is OK to be torn between a few styles but try to narrow it down to two basic ideas. Maybe you know what kind of curls you want but you don't know if you want it half-up or all down. Bring pictures of one or two different looks and let your stylist guide you. Pictures can be extremely helpful to your hair and makeup professional. She is your best reference for what will look best with your face-shape, hair type, and dress.

Do get most of your prep-work done before the day of the event
Prep-work includes beauty procedures like nails, facials, and spray tans. Get your pre-event facial a few days before-hand to allow your skin to recoup. After a facial your face can be completely flushed from peels and purifying so it's a fun thing to do with your bride's maids the weekend before. I also tell my brides to avoid heavy makeup or dramatic changes in their skincare routine the week of the wedding to avoid breakouts for the event. If you are considering a spray-tan (which I highly recommend), find out the "timing" for the formula you are getting. Spray tans coat your entire body and appear orange until the top coat is rinsed off in the shower, leaving behind a natural, even tone for flawless photos. Different spray-tan formulas have different timing and can range from 1 to 24 hours. Most of the time getting your spray tan the day before the event is your best bet. If you aren't sure or have never had a spray tan before it can help to "practice" and get one a few weeks before the event to see how you like it. Last but not least is nails. get your nails done after the spray tan because the product can stain clothes and nails orange (another reason we don't recommend it the day of the event-spray tans can get on your dress or his shirt). You have enough to worry about when it gets close to crunch time and having your nails already done when you wake-up can be a real relief.

Do be prepared for touch-upsAt any special event there is bound to be a need for touch-ups whether it is your mascara from crying or your maid of honors hair-do after she tried catching the bouquet. Be prepared with lip-color, eye-liner, make-up remover wipes, face-powder, hairspray and a comb. If I had it my way there would be an entire salon at every wedding reception for just-in-case moments.

Do enjoy yourselfThis is my last and most important beauty "do" because whether it's your wedding night or prom, whether you're there with that special someone or a group of close friends you will absolutely glow if you're wearing a smile. Moments like these are meant to be enjoyed so let loose and let your inner beauty shine.

Cardio Exercise of the Month

Cardio exercise of the month:

 

For some of us, cardio can seem just plain boring! Well i've got the cure for that! This workout can be done on the treadmill, eliptical, stationary bike, or essentially any piece of cardio equipment you desire. It's all about pushing yourself to the "next level". Cardio doesn't have to take you an hour to be effective. Start small, (10-15 minutes) and increase according to your fitness level. Try adding a few minutes a week to your regiment.  

 

Want to burn fat and get in shape quick? High intensity interval training (H.I.I.T) is a better and more effective training method to lose fat and condition your heart muscles. The concept of H.I.I.T. cardio workout involves repeated bouts of harder Intervals followed by periods of easier recovery . This form of cardio is a very intense method of training which burns a very high amount of calories and keeps your body's metabolism increased for much longer periods than conventional "long & slow" cardio training.

If you've been cruising at L.I.S.S. (Low Intensity Steady State) on the treadlmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine while reading books, listening to your iPod workout music or watching sports on TV, challenge youself with the following H.I.I.T. treadmill routine.


H.I.I.T. Treadmill Running Routine

 

Warm up by walking for 5 minutes.
Run at 6-8 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes
Run at 8-10 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes

Repeat this cycle 2 to 3 times for a very intense H.I.I.T. "cardio" session followed by cool-down and stretching.

You got the idea? You can also change up the intensity or work-to-recovery ratio by modifying the pace and duration. If you increase the grade or incline level like running uphill, your cardio intensity increases as well.

 

Melanie Elliott

Personal Trainer / Group Exercise Instructor

starlamae1@yahoo.com

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Baseball ready, Strength & Conditioning

Baseball ready, Strength & Conditioning

The strength & conditioning program for baseball is designed to improve performance and reduce risk of injury. To improve performance you have to increase sport-specific strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, and power. To prevent injuries you have to condition the entire body to perform the explosive and repetitive tasks encountered in game play.

The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.... Most college and high school athletes play all year-round. MLB plays 162 games and the Minor Leagues play 142. The key to effective, injury-free performance is consistency. You have to work on some aspect of your game and fitness every day. You can't play yourself into shape in Spring Training. You can't stop working out on Opening Day. You just can't have a hit-and-miss program and expect to play your best.

How to train is important. For max results and steady gains, use my comprehensive, year-round program based on a periodization model that systematically varies the exercises performed, the intensity of the workout, and the volume of the workout done from week-to-week and month-to-month, 365 days a year! If you or your son have a goal to make the "Major Leagues", then please ask me how I can help!

Tip: As a pitcher, there is a 3-link chain that is a big concern for a power pitcher; generating force through your legs and applying it with your arms, but that energy must be transferred through the trunk.

By Charles Miskel, Personal Trainer.  e-mail: mrmiskel@yahoo.com

Exercise & Pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy

Does exercising sound too much like a chore? We've got seven fantastic reasons why you'll actually love it!

1. Boosts energy

2. Sleep better

3. Reduce pregnancy discomfort

4. Prepare for childbirth

5. Reduce stress and lift your spirits

6. Improve your self image

7. Get your body back faster after childbirth

Pregnancy can steal your energy, but regular bouts of exercise will help you get thru your day! And the good news is you can safely start an exercise program during pregnancy even if you’ve been a couch potato up until now! According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you can safely take place in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise everyday, as long as you don’t have a medical condition or complication that your doctor or midwife has told you rules out exercise or limits your activity level.

Start slowly and wisely

Beginners should start by exercising 15 to 20 minutes at a time, three days a week -preferably with a day of rest between workouts. Don't go for the burn and don't exercise to exhaustion. A good rule of thumb: Slow down if you can't comfortably carry on a conversation.

Stick to low impact exercises such as, Walking, low impact aerobics, cycling, swimming, prenatal yoga and stretching.
Be careful to eat properly and get enough fluids. Being pregnant means you need approximately 300 extra calories a day, depending on your pre pregnancy weight. 

If you are not new to fitness, then the general rule of thumb is, if you did it before, then you can do it during. With of course some common sense involved! Every woman is different. So listen to your body! Talk to your Dr. and most of all, get a lot of rest!

 

Melanie Elliott

Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor

6 Months Pregnant

Holiday Recipe

Apple Crisp

5 peeled organic apples (save peels)

Handful of dates - chopped

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ cup chia seeds

4 T. lemon juice

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 cup rolled gluten free oats

¼ cup coconut flour

¼ cup un-sweet shredded coconut

¼ cup ground golden flax seeds

1 tsp. real vanilla extract

¼ cup agave nectar

1 egg

½ cup coconut oil

Molasses for drizzling

Chop apple in bite size pieces and process peels in food processor until finely ground.

  Mix apples, peels, dates, lemon juice, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, coconut sugar

And chia seeds in a large mixing bowl and transfer to a deep pie dish or square baking dish.

Then mix together rolled oats, coconut flour, shredded coconut, flax seeds, and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

 Add agave nectar, vanilla, egg and coconut oil and cut into oat mixture with fork

or mix with fingers until crumbly.

Top apples with oat crumble and press down firmly. 

Drizzle with molasses and bake at 325 for about 30 minutes until a little bubbly around sides.

  If top browns too quickly cover with foil.

Serve with a dollop of Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream.

Enjoy every bite slowly and mindfully!
Cheri Soraparu, MS, CCN
www.bewellbalanced.org

Health Food

We have just returned from yet another Natural Food Show with a few new products for your convenience!
We work very hard to bring you the healthiest minimally processed and convenient foods on the market.  As a nutritionist I diligently read all the labels to make sure the ingredients are as clean as possible.  I also speak with the manufacture to understand where the food is sourced from.
We try and choose our food products from local & honest companies.  Most of our products are gluten free, corn free, contain minimal to no dairy and minimal cane sugar.
We have done the work for you!  No longer will you have to spend hours reading labels at the grocery store.
We appreciate your support of our wellness efforts.  Contact me if you would like us to carry something specific! Nutrition@TeamFitness.INFO

Be Well,
Cheri Soraparu, MS, CCN
Director of Nutrition & Training