Read the first part here

4.)Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling

This is a continuation of tip two. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back. If you need to throw the snow try and throw it forward!

5.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides

This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do an equal amount of shovel tosses to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is crystal clear.

Bonus Tip

Just pay someone to shovel your driveway, unless you like to shovel like me (yeah I am a little crazy but I see it as another opportunity to be active!

The tips will go a long way in keeping your body as bulletproof as possible during the next blizzard. Really, it’s not cool to get hurt shoveling and It can be a sign of an even bigger problem: being overweight and/or highly de-conditioned. And if you do get hurt shoveling, be sure to lie when some asks why you’re in a wheelchair. Just tell them you got hit by a snow plow truck, it makes for a better story and your co-workers or friends won’t rip on you for the rest of your days.

We’re officially in the midst of another winter season here in Rhode Island. I must admit, if there’s one thing that bothers me the most about the winter (besides the ice and lack of natural light), it’s the number of people who hurt themselves shoveling snow. I can’t tell you how many clients of mine have tweaked their backs in their zealous attempts to keep a clear driveway.

Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. For those of you who do not live in the Northeast or another cold weather climate like me, you still need to know this information too. Why? Because with the global epidemic that is climate change you really never know when snow is coming your way. It recently snowed in Las Vegas this past holiday season for the first time in his 25 years.

Here are my top five safe shoveling tips:

  More on Shoveling Do It Right!

Check out this post at my Boot Camp website about Successful New Year
Fitness Resolutions at my RI Fitness Boot Camp

Till Next Time ….Make it Happen!!

because they want to not because that is the sport they are genetically proficient in.
Read this article from the NY Times the other day. It is pretty sad state of affairs that will lead to burn out and a very low athletic ability.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=kids%20genes&st=cse

I don’t know where to begin with this……. I think this is flat out not a good thing. We already have a problem with early and overspecialization, overtraining, burnout, and a bunch of other things that negatively impact youth athletes. This will only lead overzealous parents that don’t understand the many aspects that make a child and good athlete for life. This test does not look at nutrition, mental components, environment, work ethic, desire to play the sport of choice.

We don’t need genetic testing….what we do need is…..
-A physical education system that develops children for a wide range of activities from early age until late in life.
-To get rid of early specialization
-To get better coaching education programs for our youth organizations
-Train more play games less
This is just a start but we don’t even have the ground work laid out yet.

This is an article I wrote for my soccer fitness website click here for  the article this article can be used for any sport or activity when designing warm-ups.

This is a problem i am seeing more and more especially in the fitness and conditioning industry. Personal trainers all over the world are seeing $$$$$ signs in the youth fitness industry. Instead of being passionate about helping and guiding our youth to be healthier, they are greedy and only care about the financial side not the well being. Now i must say not all coaches and trainers are the same just like every other profession but because of the concern over obesity and health issues in children some coaches and trainers are taking advantage of parents who would do anything for there kids.

What to look for in a fitness professional before you send your child to them! (in no particular order)

1. Look for a reputable youth certification like the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA.org)

                   This organization strictly deals with youth not adults. Many of the other programs are watered down adult programs which will not cater to the developing child.

2.  Don’t be afraid to ask to watch a training session.

        Look for the way the coach interacts with the athletes

3. Ask for references from past parents

         ask for more than 1 everyone has a friend

4. Ask about training/coaching philosophy

          If your child is interested in just having fun it may not be a good fit to work with a coach that pushes athletes to become Olympic champions from day 1

5. What type of coach are they are they a yeller and a screamer or are they quiet

That is just a start for now just feel that you need to be tied down to the first person you meet they may not be the coach for your child.

Well i busted up my wrist the other day it is ok just hurts a bit when i twist it.

I have about 25 minutes so here is what i am doing!

Warm-up (quick about 5 minutes)

RDL x 6

Triple Trainer /Cable press with triple trainer i can perform it fast x10

Reverse crunches x25

Do as many as i can for 5 minutes then 2 minute rest

Heavy sled pull (walking backwards) 2 minutes

SL box jumps with a  stick  5 each side

DB Get off me (kinda like a row) 6e fast

Repeat until time is up!!!!

Hope you guys enjoy

This article is from my September Newsletter.

 One of the main reasons I opened ACC was to help young athletes succeed on the playing field. Keeping them on the field is my main concern, then increasing performance is next.

Injury prevention or a better term would be injury reduction is the main focus of the training. Injuries never seem to just happen unless it is a catastrophic hit like Tom Brady received just last week, those typically can not be prevented.

I classify injuries three ways:

Catostrophic -(loss of extensive time, ACL)

Major– Loss of good portion of season (muscle pull)

Minor- (nagging pain or pain that comes and goes but allows you to play through it will a little loss in performance, shin splints)

 Each of these injuries have a negative impact on performance.  The negative impact is physically but they also have an effect on an athlete psychology and skill development. 

Many of these injuries can be prevented especially the non-contact injuries. Most contact injuries can not be prevented but the non-contact injuries can be!

Non-contact injuries don’t just happen like most people would believe.  There usually is minor trauma from various issues like a movement disfunction, weak muscles, tight muscles, a previous injury, a minor injury (rolled ankle), improper conditioning, or a combination of any of the above.

 A proper training program can help with these issues but it must be done consistently and done right. A proper total program consists of a proper warm-up, movement skills, proper strength, and power, nutrition, rest, recovery and regeneration, cool down, general and specific conditioning.  Each of these components will be covered in the upcoming newsletters

The Warm-up is the most important part of any training program because it prepares your body for the activity you are preparing to participate in.  The warmup should include:

Multi– Directional Movements– jog forward, backwards, side shuffle, runs with turns

Joint Dynamics– high knees, butt kicks, lateral high knees

Balance– toe walks, heel walks

Strength/Range of motion– elbow– to– instep,  back lunge twist, knee hugger, active quad

Motor Skill– skipping, bounding, lateral skips

Sport Specific– skills, small sided games (soccer),

When preparing for an activity that involves shorts sprints or bursts of speed the warm should end with short speed bursts and sprints.

Some of these exercises you may not be familiar with but you can check out my Warm-Up manual on the ACC website soon!