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Here is another type of MB Slam we have been doing. The purpose is to assist the athlete in resisting and extensio/rotational force and then quickly being able to take advantage of the stretch-shortening reponse to deliver a powerful flexion force at the hip. Notice there is not much torso flexion in the movement-the torso is kept stiff and the power comes from the hip.
The upper extemiry simply acts as a whip to speed up the movement Simlar to the action in GNP or throws, again if your using the spine to generate force your back is not going to like you very much.

Med Ball Throws - Stan Skolfield (OA Performance Center)

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Here is a quick video of one of the types of medicine ball throws we have been doing. You will notice that when Watson coils himself up to deliver the throw he rotates at the thoracic spine instead of the lumbar spine. The Lumbar spine is kept stiff in the same manner that it is kept stiff when throwing a punch. All of kinetic energy comes from Watson initiating the movement by pushing into the ground and powerfully rotating at the hips and thoracic spine to deliver the throw. A common mistake people make is to rotate keep the feet stationary and only rotate at the lumbar spine-if you do this your back hates you. The power you derive in kicking, punching, and throwing comes from the hips and not the spine. Another thing to notice is that he keeps positive angles in his lower extremity. Meaning when he coils himself up his foot, hip, knee are pointed in the direction he wants the ball to go. A common error is to allow the extremities to point up or even away from the target. A ton of force is lost if the extremities are not directed towards the target. Hopes this helps.

A Shift in the Sugar Landscape by Stan Skolfield

Here's some sweet news: A natural, no-calorie sweetener called stevia, which is currently found in dietary supplement form, may soon be used in products. Coming off a report that splenda can decrease gut bacteria and change the pH of stool, stevia could fast become a popular alternative to chemically derived non-caloric sweeteners.

I heard the news about the soon-to-be-approved stevia from a friend who went to the Dominican. Down here he saw more sugar used on a daily basis than I ever have in the States, because they actually make everything from scratch.

Oddly enough, that increased sugar use does not coincide with the visible evidence of obesity that is seen in the US. Maybe because in the Dominican no one goes to the store to pick up a tub of Sunny D. The cook is in the kitchen squeezing the oranges and then adding a frightening amount of the white stuff.

So what do you need to know about stevia? It's 200 times sweeter than sugar and it naturally tricks the body into getting something sweet without the calories.

Sounds great, right?

Don’t be fooled into thinking a diet coke made with stevia is suddenly the world’s perfect health drink. Natural foods and drinks with minimal amounts of added sugar are best—drink water and unsweetened tea most of the time.

Now, would I consider switching to stevia if it was at starbucks? Absolutely. Do I think it’s the answer we’re looking for to control weight and obesity? No. Eat cleaner, move more, eat less. That’s the answer. This may be one new piece of the puzzle.

Random Nutrition thoughts

Submitted by Stan Skolfield (AcademySpace)

Hey folks, yes I am still alive but opening my new facility has consumed all of my time lately. In a few weeks I will have some time to write a few articles that I have wanted to put out. Until that time I have some random nutritional thoughts I wanted to pass along.

Corn is grain not a vegetable. It is also a grain that is 80% sugar. High fructose corn syrup ( a corn by-product) is the number one calorie source in the US and is in just about everything.

Atkins worked. We just didn’t understand why. Atkins may still prove to be healthier than the high-carb low-fat junk. RD’s have really dug in their heels ( generally high heels) about this in spite of overwhelming science to the contrary.

Barry Sears was way ahead of his time. He even kept saying “protein adequate” to avoid the Atkins comparison but conventional wisdom shouted him down. Read The Zone.

Ectomorphs should never give nutritional advice to endomorphs. If your nutritionist is a skinny little runner ask to see some pictures of them when they were fat. If they don’t have any, don’t believe them.

Never take nutritional advice from someone who runs more than 5 miles a week.

I read the other day that cereal can be a part of a good breakfast. The author then mentioned that in order for cereal to be part of a good breakfast the other parts had to be extremely good.

High-carb low-fat is not a diet plan. It is a prescription for giving Adult Onset Diabetes to children.

Both high fructose corn syrup and trans fats are very scary. Take some time to read about both. It will change the way you eat. Dr. Mercola’s book has some good stuff on both.

www.mercola.com is a great website

Food additives are scary. Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 3, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, and Orange B have strong links to ADD. Check out the Feingold Foundation. www.fiengold.org. Did you know that a lot of these additives are petroleum based? Yes, I said petroleum.

According to author KC Craichy of Super Health – 7 Golden Keys to Unlock Lifelong Vitality grass fed beef has a very favorable fatty acid profile compared to grain fed beef and in fact is ideal for human health. It costs more but, it’s worth it.

I heard an egg ad the other day in which they said their chickens were fed a 100% vegetarian diet. I thought about chickens as carnivores. Bottom line, eggs are really good food, yolk and all.

The South Beach Diet is a really good book with a really bad name.

I heard someone say the other day that if a company has to tell you a food is good for you that means it probably isn’t.

Hope everyone has a great holiday season and I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in the near future in the Academy.

Modified Step Up - submitted by Stan Skolfield (AcademySpace)

Guys,

Sorry I haven't been able to write anything lately, but things have been crazy around here trying to get the new facility up and running. I have learned a lot of new stuff that I want to put out to you guys at some point. Until that time I wanted to share with you this video of a modified step up that you can add to your training program. Big bang for you buck exercise here. Check out the video of my friend Martin Rooney giving a demonstration of the exercise with Rolles Gracie.

The 3 Supplements I Recommend by Stan Skolfield

Here is a good article I read today in regards to supplements. I get this question a lot so I thought I would pass it along. Enjoy

The 3 Supplements I Recommend
To All of My Clients and Athletes
by John Berardi

Nowadays, a good portion of my face-time with clients and athletes is spent discussing nutritional supplements – which ones work, which don’t. Which ones are safe, which ones may be dangerous. Which ones are clean and which may contain banned substances.

Indeed, the more information that’s put out there regarding supplements, the more confused they get.

However, my supplement approach is really simple…and I want to share it with you today.

There are 3 basic supplements that all my clients and athletes have on hand – especially when traveling.
The first is a green food supplement.
The second is a fish oil supplement.
The third is a protein supplement.

And these 3 supplements help fill nutritional gaps. After all:
The recommended fruit and vegetable intake is at least three to five servings per day; however, only 3 percent of men and 7 percent of women meet even these minimums. And that’s where the greens supplements come in.

In addition, the minimum recommended EPA and DHA intake intake is 900mg per day, but the average North American gets only 300mg per day, 1/3 of what’s necessary for good health. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, EPA and DHA are the healthy fats present only in fish oils. And that’s where fish oil supplements come in.

Finally, exercising individuals are advised to consume 1g of protein per pound of body weight; nevertheless, most women only get 80 to 100g of protein per day, while most men get only 110 to 130g protein per day. And that’s where the protein supplements come in.

Is it possible to get all 3 nutrients from food? Absolutely. But very few athletes and/or recreational exercisers even come close.

So while it’s my goal to help get them up to par, nutritionally speaking, when they’re having a bad nutritional day or they’re on the road and good food is hard to come by, these 3 supplements are a huge help in supporting their intake.

Now, there are about 60,000 supplements and quote-unquote natural food products on the market today. And I’ll be honesty, in special situations, my athletes and clients may use a few more supplements than those above.

But these supplements are only introduced on an individual basis, once a needs analysis is done. What's a needs analysis? Well, it's simple. We evaluate the client's individual needs with respect to health, body comp, and/or performance and then introduce additional supplements only if there's a specific need.

So, in the end, there are really only 3 foundational supplements that athletes should generally consider having on hand – greens, proteins, and fish oils.

from Stan Skolfield

Alcohol and Athletic Performance
by Stan Skolfield

Alcohol. It’s been around for centuries and will be around for many more. Many of us consume copious amounts of it throughout the week, weekend, and to celebrate different occasions throughout the year. As a combat athlete I’m sure that at least once you have wondered “I wonder what kind of benefit that alcohol has on my body as an athlete”. As your personal performance coach I have decided to list out the wonderful effects alcohol has on body. Read each one, formulate some thoughts, and then decide what role alcohol use will play in your life as an athlete.

Decreases protein synthesis
Protein synthesis is imperative for repair and growth of muscle following training. Want to see minimal improvement in strength and muscle size? Grab a pint!

Decreases the body’s production and use of Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
HGH is also necessary for repair and growth of muscles; alcohol can decrease HGH by up to 70%.

Decreases production and use of testosterone
Testosterone is anabolic, meaning it promotes muscle growth. It is necessary for optimal recovery from high intensity training. Alcohol has a negative effect on testosterone levels for several hours after drinking, and this effect is compounded over time.

Negatively effects sleep patterns
Sound sleep is necessary for optimal recovery from exercise and to ensure that you’re in a good mood when you go to work. Additionally, the work done by HGH is prominent during sleep.

Promotes dehydration
Muscles need a watery environment for optimal muscle growth and recovery-they don’t get that from Budweiser. Dehydration also decreases your performance-in case you hadn’t noticed in circuit training.

Increases cortisol production and secretion
Hey alcohol actually increases something? Sure does! Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, meaning it breaks down muscle tissue. The optimum time for this is post-workout. Wondering why your having a tough time filling out that academy t-shirt? Here you go.

Has the potential to cause the body to turn testosterone into estrogen
Awesome! This is great news for you guys that want bitch tits instead of big pecs

May cause muscle atrophy and weakness
So contrary to the popular slogan: Guinness doesn’t make you strong!

Affects body heat regulation
Of special concern when training in a very warm environment. Inefficient body heat regulation can limit performance and poses other more serious health threats such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Slows metabolism
Simple algebra formula: slower metabolism=increased storage of fat=increased body fat percentage=decreased athleticism.

Promotes storage of fats and carbohydrates by limiting their usage for energy
When in the body, alcohol is the preferred energy source, which leads to storage of fats and carbs. Want to really increase those fat and carb stores? Go on a good late night binge and wolf down some pizza after the bars let out.

Slows reaction time and alters coordination
Especially if you work out hung-over. Added bonus: this effect is compounded over time.

“Thickens” your blood
Alcohol promotes clumping of red blood cells, which limits the amount of oxygen being delivered to where it is needed, the working muscle and the brain. This effect can last up to 72 hours after alcohol ingestion!

Impairs liver function
You liver gets stressed due to alcohol ingestion. The more drinks you have and the more often you drink, the greater the stress placed on the liver. Your liver stores glucose, which is used as energy during exercise. Your liver also assists in creating more energy for use toward the end of a long intense workout. Your liver also regulates your blood clotting mechanism-for stopping cuts and bruising. Impaired liver function can potentially affect athletic performance over time.

There you have it-all the wonderful effects that our favorite supplement alcohol has on the body. The funny thing is with all the events that are sponsored by alcohol companies (NASCAR, MLB, NHL, NBA, MMA, etc) I have not once heard a single athlete state: “I would just like to thank alcohol for my winning performance today”, but I’ve certainly seen plenty of athletes apologize for their off their field performance due to alcohol use.

"Med Ball Madness" By. Stan Skolfield (AcademySpace)

Medicine balls can be a great tool for power development for those of you who might lack the confidence or desire to Olympic lift. In addition, medicine balls are really one of the only tools available to develop torso power for striking sports. Just try to remember that a medicine ball is simply a weight until you throw it. The reality is that you can lunge or step up with any object that has mass and get the same effect. The uniqueness of the medicine ball is in the user’s ability to develop specific power by throwing the medicine ball and more importantly to take advantage of the eccentric or concentric development gained by throwing off a wall.

Medicine ball training has become an integral part of training for any athlete interested in power development. The development of a wide range of both elastic and non-elastic medicine balls has re-popularized a long lost technique. The opportunity to develop rotational power is one of the primary benefits of medicine ball training. In both plyometrics and Olympic lifting, power development is traditionally in 1 plane of motion with no trunk focus. Medicine balls become a tool, like Olympic lifting and plyometrics for the trunk musculature. I often like to describe medicine ball training as Olympic lifting for the core. The reality is that the medicine ball as a tool for power development is unparalleled. Medicine balls provide a safe method to train for power that can be used by almost all ages and levels of training. In fact, no other training mode provides the specific strength and power potential of the medicine ball. Rotational medicine ball throws are the key to developing torso power for athletes involved in just about any sport. The new rubber medicine balls combined with a masonry wall are excellent for these applications due to the elasticity of the ball. One recent discovery is that the older style non-elastic balls are excellent to develop the concentric power of the throws. For years I was fascinated by the ability to perform medicine ball drills off the wall with a rubber ball. However, this summer I discovered that I could really improve the concentric force production of my athletes by switching to a non-elastic ball like the Dynamax. Non-bouncing balls force the thrower to create far more concentric force to produce any rebound off the wall.

Total body power can be developed through total body throws with heavy balls. Total body throws should be done in a large open area and are great to simulate the actions of the Olympic lifts. Total body throws are particularly useful for athletes who do not feel comfortable performing Olympic lifts. Balls like the Dynamax Ball are excellent for these applications as they do not bounce. The Dynamax balls are also great for exercises like Medicine ball bench presses. Medicine ball bench presses are excellent for upper body power for larger athletes since they do not stress the rotator cuff and shoulder like plyometric pushups and other bodyweight upper body plyometrics. The Dynamax balls can also be caught with minimal stresses on the wrists due to its soft feel.

Rotation Progression

For rotational throws it is best to find an area with a masonry wall. In rotational throws the athlete can throw as hard as possible against the wall with balls in the 4-5 kilo range to develop true power in the core and hips. The key element in rotational throws is in mastering the basic techniques.
Half kneeling is a position with the athlete kneeling on one knee with the hip extended. Beginning with kneeling eliminates the ankle and knee joints and exposes weaknesses and compensation patterns that may not be visible in standing throws. In addition “half kneeling” teaches the athlete to use the glutes. For rotational exercises use heavier balls to force the core to work. Adult males can start with 4-5 K balls.
Rotation Progression: 1- ½ Kneeling Side Twist- ( 90 degrees to wall, 2-3 feet away) 2- Standing- front and side 3- Standing with step 4- Single leg

In addition to developing rotary power, the same progression of positions can be used for overhead throwering. Overhead throws should be done with 2-3 kilo balls.

Total Body Power- As I mentioned in the introduction, the medicine ball is also a great tool for total body power. Some suggested throws are from a squat position forward, a scoop type throw from a squat position, and throws from the lunge position.

Medicine ball throws should be treated like any other strength and power exercise. 20-30 throws ( 2-3 sets of 10) of each type can be done twice per week. For rotational throws follow the progression above. As the athlete moves from tall kneeling, to half kneeling, and eventually to standing, the link between the hips and the hands will show rapid improvement. You should perform rotational throws a minimum of two days per week but, a maximum of three days per week. Keep volumes low to moderate and throw the ball like you want to break it.

No go out there and put a hole in Jay’s cement walls.

Green Tea & Your Health - posted by Stan on AcademySpace

The evidence for supplementing your diet with Green tea is now overwhelming and it joins fish oil as a staple supplement in your nutrition program.

Below is a list of all the positive effects I am aware of:

1. Green Tea and Cancer
Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.

2. Green Tea and Heart Disease
Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.

3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging
Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green Tea and Weight Loss
Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day.

5. Green Tea and Skin
Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.

6. Green Tea and Arthritis
Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.

7. Green Tea and Bones
The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.

8. Green Tea and Cholesterol
Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.

9. Green Tea and Obesity
Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.

10. Green Tea and Diabetes
Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.

11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's
Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.

12. Green Tea and Parkinson's
Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.

13. Green Tea and Liver Disease
Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.

14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure
Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.

15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning
Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.

16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar
Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.

17. Green Tea and Immunity
Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu
Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma
Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection
Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes
Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay
Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases.It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.

23. Green Tea and Stress
L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

24. Green Tea and Allergies
EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.

25. Green Tea and HIV
Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

from Stan Skolfield....

The Psychological Impact on Fighter Physiology

 
I just finished reading a very interesting article on the physiology of close combat by Dave Grossman. Using some excerpts from his work I hope to leave you with the understanding of why training for competition (cardio, weights, skills) may not completely guarantee that you will not fall victim to fatigue during competition.  The psychological stress of combat has a huge influence on your physiology. 

 To give you a little background information; Dave Grossman who authored the article is also the author of a new book called On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society . Both are long fascinating reads that goes into great detail investigating the psychology of killing in combat. He sites interviews, published personal accounts and academic studies. The book states that human beings have a powerful, innate resistance to the taking of life, and then examines the techniques developed by the military to overcome that aversion. His provocative study focuses in particular on the Vietnam War, revealing how the American soldier was "enabled to kill to a far greater degree than any other soldier in history.

 What was of great interest to me were the examples he gave of the physiological impact of close combat. To fully comprehend the intensity of the stress of combat, we must keep in mind that the psychological stress from fear and arousal has a large effect on our physiology. The body’s physiological response is largely manifested in the sympathetic nervous system's mobilization of resources and the parasympathetic nervous system "backlash" that occurs as a result of the demands placed upon it. The sympathetic nervous system (

SNS

) mobilizes and directs the body's energy resources for action. It is the physiological equivalent of the body's front-line soldiers who actually do the fighting in a military unit. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's digestive and recuperative processes. It is the physiological equivalent of the body's cooks, mechanics, and clerks who sustain a military unit over an extended period of time.

 Usually the body maintains itself in a state of homeostasis, which ensures that these two nervous systems maintain a balance between their demands upon the body's resources. But during extremely stressful circumstances the "fight-or-flight" response kicks in and the

SNS

mobilizes all available energy for survival. This is the physiological equivalent of throwing the cooks, mechanics, and clerks into the battle. This process is can be very, very intense. A combatant must pay a physiological price for an enervating process so intense. The "price" that the body pays is an equally powerful "backlash". This parasympathetic backlash occurs as soon as the danger and the excitement is over, and it takes the form of an incredibly powerful weariness and sleepiness on the part of the soldier

The

SNS

is activated when the brain perceives a threat to survival, resulting in a immediate discharge of stress hormones. This "mass discharge" is designed to prepare the body for fight-or-flight. The response is characterized by increasing arterial pressure and blood flow to large muscle mass (resulting in increased strength capabilities and enhanced gross motor skills--such as running from or charging into an opponent), vasoconstriction of minor blood vessels at the end of appendages (which serves to reduce bleeding from wounds), pupil dilation, cessation of digestive processes, and muscle tremors.  

 The activation of the

SNS

is automatic and virtually uncontrollable. It is a reflex triggered by the perception of a threat. Once initiated, the

SNS

will dominate all voluntary and involuntary systems until the perceived threat has been eliminated or escaped, performance deteriorates, or the parasympathetic nervous system activates to reestablish homeostasis.

 The degree of

SNS

activation centers around the level of perceived threat. For example, low-level

SNS

activation may result from the anticipation of combat. This is especially common with police officers or soldiers minutes before they make a tactical assault into a potential deadly force environment. Under these conditions combatants will generally experience increases in heart rates and respiration, muscle tremors, and a psychological sense of anxiety.

 Once activated, the

SNS

causes immediate physiological changes, of which the most noticeable and easily monitored is increased heart rate.

SNS

activation will drive the heart rate from an average of 70 beats per minute (BPM) to more than 200 BPM in less than a second. As combat stress increases, heart rate and respiration will increase until catastrophic failure, or until the parasympathetic nervous system is triggered.

 A landmark research study that involved monitoring the heart rate responses of law enforcement officers in close conflict simulations using paintball-type simulation weapons. This research has consistently recorded heart rate increases to well over 200 beats per minute, with some peak heart rates of up to 300 beats per minute. These were simulations in which the combatants knew that their life was not in danger.

 I found this information to be relevant to those of you who are training for tournaments and

MMA

events. Many of you who have competed have expressed to me how tired and fatigued you have felt during a match. Even though you may be able roll, weight train, and sustain training performance at very high intensity levels you will most likely still experience fatigue faster when you’re competing. The psychological stress influences the physiological response. 

 You will notice that in most of the

MMA

training programs I have developed for some of you I try to make your toughest workouts on the days of the week you will compete. This should help get your mind adjusted to the stress associated with competing on a specific day so your psychological stress will be reduced. Jay and Mandy also employ a similar technique in team training by putting people in the middle of the mat with everyone else on the side watching and yelling. Again another way for you to prepare yourself for the psychological stress involved.

 I hope this article helps you in your preparation for upcoming events. Now go forth and conquer.