Should my young athlete train in-season?

Should your child train during their season? Very simply, yes they should. In-season training for athletics seems to be lost at lower levels (high school and below). Coaches are doing their best to game plan for the next game, set practice schedules and probably have a separate full time job. Many coaches are also the strength and conditioning coaches at the high school level in the off-season, but they don’t have the time to train the kids properly in-season. Then there are some coaches that don’t realize that in-season training is as important as off-season and preseason training.

Key reasons to train in-season

• Injury prevention
• Maintenance of strength, power, agility and flexibility

I would urge you to talk with your child’s coach or admin to encourage in-season training. If a current program does not include training, then the work your child put in during the off-season will waste away rapidly because there isn’t proper maintenance being done. The difference between winning a state championship and losing early in the playoffs can be made in a gym.

My recommendations are to have a well rounded in-season program, 2-3 times per week, that includes hypertrophy, muscular endurance and also strength and power exercises. I would also recommend a flexibility program or coach to keep your athletes at full functionality. At Infinity Fitness we run a Sports Performance program, which is offered year round, and has athletes making strides, not just maintaining but also excelling during their seasons. Check our schedule here for available times. Please contact us if you, your child or your child’s team would be interested in training with us: info@infinityfitnessaz.com

Mike Sheahan

Are you guys like a Crossfit?

Whenever we have someone new come in and tour the facility, that is one of the questions I will hear most often. It may be because we don’t have a lot of machines and equipment crowding the floor, or because of the dumb bells and squat racks in the weight area that gave people this idea, whatever it was, it always bothered me a little. Mainly because ground based training, and functional movements was how I have always trained individuals. I have always worked in sports performance facilities and have avoided “Big Box” gyms like the plague. So when I get asked that question it almost seems like we tried to copy a Crossfit Box, but really this environment is what I know and where I have cut my proverbial teeth.

I’ve never really had a solid way of describing what we did from a branding standpoint, which is where Crossfit has done a phenomenal job from a corporate standpoint. To me it was just working out and training with an emphasis on efficient movement patterns. Cliche phrases like bootcamp, and circuits, and intervals get thrown around, but there is no one thing that describes what we do consistently. Really, our possibilities are Infinite (Ha!), and that’s how we like to describe the adult classes to our clients, and what I think is a big draw for them.

Now, when I hear the comparison to Crossfit, I don’t mind it as much. A lot of the goals are similar; constant movement, compound exercises, daily variances, and ground based training. However we definitely have different approaches on how to get there. My dad has a phrase he likes in his business practices “A rising tide sinks no ships.” I think that’s one thing I can thank Crossfit for, and why I almost welcome that once-dreaded question. Because of their popularity it has opened up a lot of people’s eyes that there can be more to working out than sitting at a leg press machine for 3 sets of 15 reps and then taking five minute water break laps while debating whether to do DB Hammer Curls or Barbell Shrugs next. If having to endure watching ESPN announcers fawn over the “Killer Cage” (Stop, they’re freaking monkey bars!) once a year means having more people out searching for workout alternatives to a “Big Box” then I’m OK with this question.

(Note: The elephant in the room when discussing Crossfit is the injury rate, I’m not going to comment one way or the other, but bad trainers come from all kinds of training, not just Crossfit.)

Chase Noll, CSCS

Why is Fitness essential in today’s youth?

The answer is simple. There are too many electronics and too much junk/processed/fast food.  I could share study after study about how electronics make children sedentary,  as well as the pitiful nutrition habits of America’s kids, but I will save you the boring read.  Get your kids off the couch, off of the smart phones, out of the pantry, and into a gym.  Even if it isn’t here at Infinity Fitness, do your son or daughter or grandchild a favor and get in one somewhere near you.  Your child already has a couple practices a week for basketball, you say? That’s not enough.  It’s important to add steady cardio, injury prevention, resistance training (and no, it won’t to stunt their growth), and core exercises to each of our young people’s weekly routine.

Here are two more REALLY good reasons to your child involved in a youth fitness program today:

•  Performance enhancement   Every parent wants their child to have an edge over other children.  For most, it is related to a sport they play. Fitness programs 2-3 times a week for 30-40 minutes can change a young athlete’s abilities dramatically.  Injury prevention goes hand in hand with performance enhancement – the more a child can build his or her musculature around their joints, the less susceptible to injuries they become. I know, as a father myself, that keeping a child safer trumps just about anything else.
  

• Beta Endorphins  This is a chemical that is released within the body that is a “feel good”, also referred to as a “runners high”.  Beta Endorphins create a sense of euphoria in the body after working out.  It’s the same feeling you get after you’ve worked out – happy, energized and ready to tackle life. Studies have also shown good fitness practices have a positive effect on academic performance, improving their mental capabilities if the child is exercising at least 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes or more.

To my understanding, schools are are doing away with more and more of the time young kids have to be active in favor of more time in the classrooms, and ultimately, sitting down. My belief, share with others I’m sure, is that it’s just adding to this country’s problem with childhood obesity. Youth Fitness programs are great for the young athletes, but it is also great for any kid.  I love to help all shapes and sizes build confidence and build better self images of themselves.

I am well aware of the amount of time that has gone into discussing the topic of childhood obesity, but helping kids get fit and enjoy it is my passion. I know this isn’t news, or a fresh concept, but maybe it’s a little bit of a call to action. Our kids don’t realize that these kinds of bad habits can slowly kill them.  It is our job – as parents, a community, coaches and trainers –  to give them the tools to make good choices and be healthy adults.  Start right now…if you are reading this, get up and go for a walk with your kid.

Mike Sheahan, CPT, PES, NASE

Heather’s Path to Competition

You know you’ve created a good goal for yourself when it scares you. I must have created a really good goal, because I’m terrified! Four weeks ago, I hired an IFBB Physique Pro to help me train for my first Figure Competition. This means on November 14^th, I will be walking on stage in a teeny tiny bikini and 5 inch high heels in front of hundreds of people to be judged on the physique I bring to the stage. I have created a goal to put myself outside my comfort zone, to hold myself more accountable than ever, and do something I never thought I was physically and/or mentally capable of doing.

I knew I needed to do something dramatic. I am a big advocate of the saying “practice what you preach.” I teach everyone else how to work out, how to eat, how to create good goals for themselves, and tell everyone to overcome temptation to become a better version of “you.” To everyone else, I was in decent shape already; however I wanted more and wanted to be better. I have always been told I should compete, but always just laughed it off and insisted I was not in THAT kind of shape. But why couldn’t I create that?

Three weeks ago I started dieting hard, training even harder, implemented 3am cardio sessions before work, and started working with a posing coach. I knew it was going to be hard, but this is definitely a full time job in itself. So far, it’s totally worth it! My body is transforming into something it has never been before, I’m seeing muscle definition I never have before, and I’m actually eating more than I ever have before too! I’m excited (and terrified!) to share this journey with everyone, glad I have so many people to hold me accountable, and I am VERY thankful for the support I am getting from my Infinity Fitness AZ family.

(I will be competing in the NPC Western Regional in Mesa, AZ on November 14th, Figure division; visit http://www.npcmilesproductions.com for details, pictures, and tickets.)