Monthly Archives: May 2011

Soon, the heavy heat of summer will beat down, making every training session both a high octane celebration of overcoming oppressive conditions and a reminder of proper hydration and other cautionary considerations. Despite the warnings, the overwhelming evidence that caution must be taken many will foolhardily press into their exercise day and suffer from the effect of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

It was only a few months ago that these training sessions were through snowy confines were barely had feeling in your fingertips and while you pressed on, when it came time to impossible cold weather conditions very few challenged the environment.

Though each of those conditions is valid, for those in the military there are no choices. In-fact, military personnel must be prepared not only to handle physical and mental extremes but be accustomed to them as a part of an everyday environment.

Training for military service, if you will allow me to say this, must accommodate you to chaos and not simply a challenging exercise complex but the reality where hell is the cradle you rest in and everything else is easy.

Once there is a firm understanding that all military training must satisfy the goal of survivability, the next step that is adaptable to all conditions.

Individuals must be prepared to adapt to rapidly changing environments that are physical, mental and environmentally challenging. This is a crucial test and why standard gym environments should be avoided as rapidly changing environments will improve survivability.

This is best managed with the following training mediums and approaches

1. Use of non-conforming objects
2. High repetition movements with use of “buddies carries” and the like
3. Training in outdoor conditions with (far) less-than optimal weather
4. Directed training, whereby you enter the session without prior knowledge of the events to come.
5. Mentally challenges throughout workout, particular when physical fatigue is highest
6. Conditions that push adrenaline, with further stress of mental challenges
7. Consistent use of rucksack and (with reason of-course) wearing of similar tactical field armour. Naturally this point has to be within reason but the point should be clear that this is not a filmed workout.
8. Fitness levels radically enhanced. As a general rule of thumb, the military suffers from having a population pool mired in obesity.
9. Dynamic range of motion
10. Development of muscular endurance through body weight movements and heavy stress of legs. This is also heavily stressed within the consistent use of a rucksack.

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s as well as or Twitter.

Prepared by John Davies
Photos: Will Sarty, Bottom Photo Joey Smith

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk

To consider training for military or more accurately preparation for ongoing military service you must first understand the demands of soldiering and in most cases, eliminate the salesmanship of the exercise community that preys upon that sector.

The point will likely raise the ire of many but equally those who focus their sales and marketing efforts on young military personnel without every being honest of the demands of soldiering. It may strike a chord with readers, particularly impressible ones eager for military service but just because a certain exercise approach has a “warrior” title, uses camouflage graphics or appears physically exhausting does not make it suited towards the demands of soldiering.

The first steps in the demands of soldiering from the aspect of physical preparation, is satisfying the goal of survivability. This is obviously a by-product of recognizing the needs in the field, which is managing the “chaos of war” and effectively enhancing decision making abilities in the most trying of conditions.

While maintaining optimal concentration and physical abilities, under extreme duress is a hallmark of my sports preparation system for the military this is factored exponentially. This cannot be stressed enough and raises a unique aspect of training that few encounter as not only an individual must be prepared to handled very challenging physical tests in very training “imperfect” conditions, mentally they must be constantly bombarded with situations that force on the spot decisions.

Summarily the four keys to military preparation the four keys are survivability, ffunctionality, adaptability and sustainability, such that it emphasizes physical and mental decision making abilities with high-pressure, rapidly changing situations.

At no time should an individual should prepare within a static, generic environment and each training session must stress the management of physical and mental duress with tactical decisions in place. This in-fact allows physical training to have a surprising “fun-factor” (well, “fun” for those of us who enjoy walking the brink of physical exhaustion daily) as it may involve sports that emphasize tactics (i.e. European Handball) and quickly learning new skills within a short time frame.

In tomorrows edition we will look at each of these categories and investigate how to manage a training regime in consideration of each.

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s as well as or Twitter.

Prepared by John Davies
Photos: Nick Keough

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk

If you will allow me, I am going to break from the confines of writing a exercise and sport training blog for this brief moment and explain the focus of this weeks article off the cuff.

For many of my readers today is Memorial Day, a chance to give thanks to the brave men and women who have protected their homeland, many of which who never came home and paid the ultimate of costs to provide the freedoms that are enjoyed.

I likely could have taken the day off and not released an article but for me, that does not sit right. With this in-mind and a stern resolve that respect for the Military is not a once a year time, speaking on behalf of my “Team” and my friends, the “family” of USPlabs, this week is for you as we dedicate all articles those who keep us safe.

Military training has become a peculiar aspect in the modern exercise world, a type of “target market” that unfortunately sees every fad possible thrown at it and many have little to do with the needs of soldiering. While errors in training for sport will lead to an athlete not attaining their goals, within military is most cost lives. That is not meant to “grandstand” but it is high time for the endless advertisements and testimonials that use military use as a selling tool because it fact they are hollow, lacking purpose and direction.

The first goals of military training are survivability and managing the demands of soldiering that requires the individuals to make highly detailed mental decisions in the most chaotic of conditions. All training must be generalized sufficiently and must always reflect the “the fog of war", the extreme demands of fitness levels of long periods of work while always remaining mentally sharp. All conditioning and strength development must reflect the needs of soldiering only, such that the individual is not only extremely “fit” but without wasted musculature that could pose a problem in many conditions. Training for military need not be complicated or for that matter involve expensive equipment, if any, it is a straightforward approach towards the demands of the soldier.

Through the course of this week we will examine survivability and managing the demands of soldiering and while it will not be the last time you read this, thank you.

For readers, whatever you do today please take time to give thanks to those who made and those who continue to make our world a safer place.

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s as well as or Twitter.

Prepared by John Davies
Photos: James Hall

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk

As many of our readers are aware, we keep a very open line of communication with our readers via Twitter and Facebook. This allows us to provide up-to-date education on efficient exercise approaches and ensure readers utilize USPlabs products to their utmost.

In connection with this super-connectivity, we came up with a plan to launch a special Friday edition where we combine a daily training program (per reader choice), with a follow up supplement protocol on Facebook.

You have the “vote” and your responses via Twitter (through either direct message or the “@” function) will decide the topic.

The winning topic for today’s episode of the USPlabs Iron Day is:

“Core Training for Strength Athletes”

If there are questions related to the performance of any movements, please post questions on the USPlabs Facebook wall, where the article is posted and I will personally answer.

RED²

Tumbling (over ten metres)

• Forward somersault (stay in tuck)
• Bear Crawl
• Spider Lunge

Repeat each movement four times.

Hurdle mobility drills movements #5 & 6

Drop Snatch - 65%, 4 sets x 6 reps

Zercher Squat – 80-85%, 4 sets x 4-5 reps

One arm side Deadlift – 80-85%, 4 sets x 4-5 reps

Good Morning Squats - 90%, 3 sets x 3 reps

“STS” model from the Renegade FIX™ 3 circuits

Commando Chins (towel) – 3 sets

Hammer Curls – 4 sets x 16, 12, 12, 12 with peak contraction

Sledgehammer Strikes, alternating overhead strikes
90 seconds on, 30 seconds rest
5 sets

DMC™

static range of motion work

Step two in this plan is visit the Facebook page well in advance of starting your training day for expert advice on how to optimize your results.

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s as well as or Twitter.

Prepared by John Davies
Photo: Jake Wooley

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk

Building muscle mass is complex mix of correct training protocols, which is influenced by top quality coaching, undeniable human will and the often overlooked ingredients of a proper diet and supplement program.

Of the first point, correct training protocols, the greatest limitation a lifter faces is oddly the actual facility where they exercise. Sadly the broad majority of facilities have stripped away the essentials for “pretty” atmosphere, shiny equipments, programmed music to “motivate you” (subtle hint, if you want to be successful in the iron-game please don’t tell me music is your motivating factor) and anything else that pulls you away from the fact that “hard work” is something you want.

Yet along with the death of the lifting platform, the beauty of a chalk stand and free-standing Squat forks that require you to walk out of the “racks” with confidence, sensibility in diet has someone evaporated in parts of the iron game. It is the curious point of what was once the standard sect of steak and eggs, a large both of oatmeal and fruit washed down with raw milk has been replaced by delicate little meals not suitable for strength-athletes but I suspect best for those that train in “pretty” little gyms with shiny equipment and programmed music.

Let me be very candid and up-front because right now shooting straight from the hip is needed. Obviously from my workout logs (i.e. April, 22 November, 1 November, 26 October) I believe in developing a high work threshold but it does not come through calorie restricted diets. In-fact, the “simplicity” diet principles do not restrict and merely provides guidelines that all food comes from natural sources, with no exceptions and preferably locally harvested, you never over-eat and you take time to enjoy your meal with family and friends. From there, the approach is rarely adjusted excluding increasing caloric needs based upon goals and work threshold. Using this approach is astonishingly simple yet for that reason it might not be known in the mainstream as there are no products to sell with it, no books needed to market or frozen foods with my likeness attached in the horizon. It is an honest approach that improves your health, the economy, your quality of your life and it is the athlete’s advantage.

If you are intending on “getting big this summer”, approach your diet like the last fifty steps of walking lunges when everyone else has dropped out. Eat properly, make no compromises and focus.

Yet there is another “athlete’s advantage” and it comes from advancements in sports / bodybuilding supplementation which has taken radical steps forward in the last decade. Supplementation is further required because, quite honestly, the nutritional values of many food items and well as feed for livestock as plummeted. Supplements that enhance recover such as Modern, Super Cissus, Yok3d and PowerFull are absolute musts for any serious athlete as well as Anabolic Pump, Prime or Pink Magic. Supplementation has leapfrogged from its past, bridged the gap of nutritional concerns from food sources and taking athletes to an entire new level.

If you are serious of your development your physique this summer apply yourself equally to diet and proper supplementation just as you do with your training.

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s as well as or Twitter.

Prepared by John Davies
Photo: Steve Tauriello is Yok3d

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk