Thursday, February 27, 2014

Today's Feature Exercise: Barbell Power Shrug


This is a great exercise for shoulder and neck development. With all of the focus on head injuries nowadays, you can go a long way to preventing these in your life by fully developing your neck and shoulders. Contact me to put together a program including this type of exercise.
Barbell Power Shrug View Video
Exercise Description:

Place a bar on a power rack or on top of blocks. The bar should be at a height of approximately mid-thigh. Grasp the bar with an over-under alternating grip or a double overhand grip. Your hands should be slightly wider than your hips. Bend your knees just slightly and explosively shrug the bar up using your trapezius muscles and a quick punch with your legs. Maintain a strong posture throughout the lift. This exercise is excellent for developing powerful traps, and for maximizing the the second pull phase of the clean.
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Virginia Union 73 - Bowie State 53 (WOMEN'S CIAA TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS) ... Story and Stats

Virginia Union Powers Past Bowie State’s Lady Bulldogs in CIAA Quarterfinals


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Virginia Union University women's basketball team persevered through an early deficit to earn a 73-53 win over Bowie State University on Wednesday morning in Time Warner Cable Arena.  The Lady Bulldogs entered the game as the second seed out of the Northern Division with the Lady Panthers as the third seed from the North.

Virginia Union advances with an 11-15 record and will take on the winner of Wednesday's 2:40pm contest between Fayetteville State and Johnson C. Smith.  Bowie State ends their season with an 11-14 record.

Ashle Freeman led all players in the contest with 25 points in the win for Virginia Union.  Melyse Brown added 20 points while Jasmin Dancy chipped in 13 points to guide the team to victory.  Donia Naylor (Washington, D.C.) paced Bowie State with 20 points in the loss.  She also grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds (three offensive, 14 defensive).

"Virginia Union is a good ball club and they were more disciplined down the stretch than we were," stated Bowie State head coach Renard Smith.

Naylor opened up the contest with a jumper and Moriah Goodman (Baltimore, Md.) followed with a bucket to give the Lady Bulldogs a 4-0 lead early in the contest.  Brown put the Lady Panthers on the board with a score of her own at the 17:36 mark.  Uchechi Ahaiwe (Riverdale, Md.) completed the three-point play for the Lady Bulldogs to push Bowie State's lead to 7-2.

Freeman responded with a layup for Virginia Union to make the score 7-2 at the first media timeout.  A 3-0 run by the Lady Panthers made it a two-point game with 13:48 on the clock.

 Both teams exchanged baskets over the next three minutes of play until a jump shot by Dancy for the Lady Panthers put Virginia Union within one point (10-9).  Bowie State held on to a one point lead (12-11) heading into the second media time out of the contest.  Ashley Castle (Brooklyn, N.Y.) gave the Lady Bulldogs some cushion with a layup at the 7:02 mark.

With 5:31 left before halftime, Shahadah Barret hit a free throw and Lady Walker grabbed a rebound and put-back to give the Lady Panthers a 15-14 lead, their first of the game.

Down 18-17 with 3:49 left before halftime, Alessandra Flores' drove to the basket for a score for Bowie State, returning the lead to the Lady Bulldogs.  From there, Bowie State remained on top and held on to a 24-23 advantage heading into halftime.

Naylor's layup at the start of the second half put the Lady Bulldogs ahead 26-23.  Virginia Union resiliently battled back using a 4-1 run to knot the score 27-27 with 18:29 left in the game.
 The Lady Panthers and Lady Bulldogs traded leads over the next three minutes until a three-pointer by Freeman swung the momentum back to Virginia Union.

 Holding a 34-32 advantage, the Lady Panthers clung tightly to the lead.  Bowie State refused to go away quietly and remained close on Virginia Union's heels, never trailing by more than six points until the 4:53 mark.  Brown went to work at that point, draining two free throws and scoring two baskets to build the Lady Panther lead to 58-48 with 3:29 on the clock.

Virginia Union led by as many as 16 points (66-50) as late as the 1:22 mark before closing out the contest with the 73-53 victory.

Virginia Union vs Bowie State (2/26/14 at Time Warner Cable Arena - Charlotte, NC)



Official Basketball Box Score
Virginia Union vs Bowie State
2/26/14 10:00 am at Time Warner Cable Arena - Charlotte, NC


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Virginia Union 11-15
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
01 BROWN,Melyse........ *  6-11   1-4    7-8    2  8 10   1  20  5  4  0  3  38
04 FREEMAN,Ashle....... *  9-22   2-5    5-8    1  0  1   3  25  2  1  0  2  36
05 CARR,Stephanie......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   2
13 COWHERD,Carla....... *  1-5    0-0    0-0    2  3  5   0   2  0  2  0  2  21
15 BARRET,ShaHadah..... *  1-4    1-3    2-4    1  5  6   2   5  5  1  0  2  30
20 WALKER,Lady......... *  3-6    0-0    2-4    4  2  6   3   8  1  0  0  0  28
21 TATUM,Denesha.......    0-4    0-0    0-0    4  2  6   4   0  3  3  0  1  17
22 DANCY,Jasmin........    4-8    0-0    5-6    2  4  6   0  13  0  0  0  0  22
23 HOWARD,Sydney.......    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   2
25 ROBINSON,April......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  2  1  0  1   4
   TEAM................                         2  5  7
   Totals..............   24-61   4-13  21-30  18 29 47  13  73 18 13  0 11 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  9-30 30.0%   2nd Half: 15-31 48.4%   Game: 39.3%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  0-8   0.0%   2nd Half:  4-5  80.0%   Game: 30.8%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  5-8  62.5%   2nd Half: 16-22 72.7%   Game: 70.0%    1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Bowie State 11-14
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
01 PHIPPS,Kiera........    1-3    1-2    0-0    1  0  1   0   3  1  1  0  1   9
02 SMITH,ReVen.........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   1
03 CASTLE,Ashley....... *  2-10   0-5    0-2    0  1  1   3   4  3  2  0  1  22
05 BURLEY,Alisha.......    1-6    0-2    0-0    0  0  0   3   2  2  2  0  0  22
10 FLORES,Alessandra...    3-6    1-2    0-0    0  0  0   0   7  0  1  0  0  10
21 NAYLOR,Donia........ *  8-15   1-3    3-3    3 14 17   3  20  1  1  0  0  35
22 MILES,Brooke........ *  1-4    0-1    2-2    1  2  3   4   4  1  1  0  0  23
23 McINTOSH,Jasmine....    1-6    0-1    3-5    2  1  3   3   5  2  3  0  2  18
24 CLYDE,Denver........    1-2    0-0    0-0    1  2  3   1   2  1  2  0  0  11
32 JACKSON,Alauna......    0-1    0-0    0-0    1  1  2   0   0  0  0  0  0   5
33 GOODMAN,Moriah...... *  1-2    0-0    1-2    1  3  4   2   3  1  1  0  2  29
34 BONAPARTE,Briana....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  1  0  0  0   1
55 AHAIWE,Uchechi...... *  1-1    0-0    1-1    0  0  0   1   3  0  3  0  0  14
   TEAM................                         1  2  3             1
   Totals..............   20-56   3-16  10-15  11 27 38  21  53 13 19  0  6 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-21 38.1%   2nd Half: 12-35 34.3%   Game: 35.7%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  0-7   0.0%   2nd Half:  3-9  33.3%   Game: 18.8%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  8-11 72.7%   2nd Half:  2-4  50.0%   Game: 66.7%    1

Today's feature exercise: Hang Snatch High Pull

This week we focus on pull movements that can be applied to almost any sport (football, swimming, skiing). Incorporate the following exercise on the days that you are doing primarily pull movements.  

OLY - Hang Snatch High Pull
 View Video
Exercise Description:

Begin this lift by placing your hands in an overhand grip with palms facing your body. The width of your hands should be 16-18 inches wider than the total width of your shoulders. Lift the bar off the ground, or from blocks, to a standing position. Slowly lower the bar down until it is positioned slightly above your knee caps. This is the "Hang" position. Remember to keep your shoulders over the bar at the start of the lift. Keep your back flat and chest up as you elevate the bar until it reaches the upper part of your thighs. This first pull phase is controlled and is only for getting the bar into the proper position for the second pull phase. The second pull phase is very explosive and is initiated by extending your hips through the bar completely, shrugging your shoulders up, and pulling the bar as high as possible. Lead this pull phase with your elbows so the bar stays close to your body. Return to the hang position and repeat for the required number of repetitions. Once the first repetition is done you do not have to lower the bar back down to the ground. Start the remaining reps from the hang position.

If it's time to get serious about your fitness, you need a structured program. I'll tailor a program specific to your goals and abilities, that will contain:



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Exercise videos and descriptions demonstrating proper technique for every exercise.
A built in feedback system and email contact with me anytime.
Using the world's most powerful online training tool I can design and deliver a 12-week fitness programfully customized to your personal fitness goals, abilities, and schedule.
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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Lady Bulldogs Softball Edges Paine College 11-9 to Earn First Win of the Season


RALEIGH, N.C. – Four Bowie State softball players had two hits each to help the Lady Bulldogs defeat Paine College 11-9 on Sundaymorning. The win sets the Lady Bulldogs record at 1-2 overall.

The Lady Bulldogs opened the game with four runs on three hits in the top of the 1st inning but left three on base. Paine’s Lady Lions answered with four runs of their own on three hits to end the first inning tied at 4-4.

Paine, a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, added one run in the second and three more runs in the third to double up Bowie State 8-4. The Lady Bulldogs went hitless in those two innings while the Lady Lions added five hits over the two frames.

The Bowie State bats came alive again in the top of the 4th inning, pounding out six hits and pushed four runs across the dish to knot the game at 8-all.

Paine’s Renee Pearsey belted a solo homer in the bottom of the 4th inning to shift the advantage back over to the Lady Lions at 9-8.

After two scoreless innings by both teams, the Lady Bulldogs plated three in the top of the 7th inning with a big leadoff triple by junior Cassandra Clayborne (Damascus, Md.) setting the table for the comeback.

Clayborne, senior Adria Lewis (Cumberland, Md.), junior Kiara Washington (Bowie, Md.) and freshman Hailey Bethke accounted for a pair of hits each for the Lady Bulldogs. Senior Mariela Hernandez (Del Rio, Texas) along with junior Megan Windsor (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and freshman Stefanie Ray (Damascus, Md.) recorded one hit apiece in the win.

Hernandez squared her season pitching record at 1-1, striking out eight over 5.2 innings. Windsor started the game and allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits while striking out one.

Bowie State vs Paine (Feb 23, 2014)

Box Score

BOWIE STATE LADY BULLDOGS 2014
Bowie State vs Paine
Feb 23, 2014 at Raleigh, NC (Walnut Creek Complex)

Bowie State 11 (1-2)

Player   ab       r       h     rbi      bb      so      po       a     lob
CLAYBORNE,Cassandra cf  4       3       2       1       1       0       1       0       6
BETHKE,Hailey c         5       2       2       1       0       0       8       2       0
RAY,Stefanie ss         3       3       1       0       2       0       1       2       0
WASHINGTON,Kiara lf     5       1       2       3       0       0       0       1       0
LEWIS,Adria 3b  4       1       2       0       1       0       1       3       1
ATKINS,Erica 1b/2b      3       1       0       1       2       0       4       1       2
LUNA,Miranda 2b         1       0       0       0       0       1       0       1       0
   HERNANDEZ,Mariela p  4       0       1       0       0       2       0       1       0
WINDSOR,Megan p/1b      4       0       1       2       1       0       5       0       2
FLINT,Hayley rf         2       0       0       1       2       0       1       0       1
Totals  35      11      11      9       9       3       21      11      12
 
Paine 9

Player   ab       r       h     rbi      bb      so      po       a     lob
Field c         4       2       3       1       0       0       4       1       0
Taylor,C. 3b    4       1       2       1       0       0       3       2       1
Baker 2b/p      4       1       1       0       0       0       2       1       0
Pearsey ss      4       2       1       1       0       1       2       4       2
Dotson dp/2b    4       0       0       1       0       3       0       0       0
White lf        4       1       0       1       0       1       0       0       0
Stanton cf      4       1       1       1       0       1       1       0       0
Conyers rf      3       1       1       0       0       1       0       0       1
Taylor,A. 1b    3       0       1       1       0       2       8       2       0
Dodson p        0       0       0       0       0       0       1       1       0
Totals  34      9       10      7       0       9       21      11      4
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Bowie State......... 400 400 3 - 11 11  3
Paine............... 413 100 0 -  9 10  4
-----------------------------------------
E - RAY,S.; LEWIS,A.; LUNA,M.; Taylor,C. 2; Baker; Pearsey. LOB - Bowie 12; Paine 4. 3B - CLAYBORNE,C.. HR - Pearsey. SB - CLAYBORNE,C.; RAY,S..
Bowie State     ip      h       r       er      bb      so      wp      bk      hbp     ibb     ab      bf      fo      go
WINDSOR,Megan    1.1    4       5       3       0       1       0       0       0       0       11      11      0       3
HERNANDEZ,Mariela W,1-1          5.2    6       4       1       0       8       0       0       0       0       23      23      3       5
 
Paine   ip      h       r       er      bb      so      wp      bk      hbp     ibb     ab      bf      fo      go
Dodson L         5.0    9       8       3       8       1       0       0       0       0       25      33      6       7
Baker    2.0    2       3       1       1       2       0       0       0       0       10      11      1       3
Win - HERNANDEZ,M. (1-1). Loss - Dodson (). Save - None. PB - Field 4. Inherited runners/scored: HERNANDEZ,M. 1/0.
Umpires -
Start: 11:15 am Time: 2:07 Attendance:

Bulldogs Senior Day Spoiled by 85-80 Regular Season Finale Loss against Elizabeth City State




BOWIE, Md. - Bowie State (14-13, 8-8 CIAA, 7-3 North) started hot but fizzled down the stretch and were beaten by Elizabeth City State 60-54 in the Bulldogs home finale. In spite of the loss, Bowie State captures the CIAA Northern Division crown by virtue of a Lincoln loss at Virginia State on Saturday evening.

Senior Ray Gatling (Oxon Hill, Md.) pumped in a game-high 22 points while senior teammates Carlos Smith (Baltimore, Md.) and David Golladay (Upper Marlboro, Md.) added 18 and 14 points respectively.

“We had a great pace to start the game, we defended and rebounded but didn’t sustain it”, said Bulldogs head coach Darrell Brooks. “You have to play halves … we didn’t and we have to move past this and focus on the CIAA Tournament!”

As with so many Bowie State games this season, the Bulldogs opened the game on a Smith dunk to start the scoring. Golladay followed with another dunk for an early 4-0 Bowie State lead. The Bulldogs lead didn’t last long as Elizabeth City State created the first tie at 6-all at the 16:40 mark of the opening period.

The Vikings took their first lead less than three minutes later courtesy of a 3-pointer by Miykael Faulcon (Durham, N.C.), but a triple by Bulldogs junior Cameron Knox (Baltimore, Md.) shifted the advantage back over to the home team at 19-17.

Bowie State put together a 15-2 run to take its largest lead of the afternoon at 35-19 with 7:36 left in the first half.

Elizabeth City State trimmed the Bowie State lead down to 47-40 by halftime mainly on the hot shooting of Faulcon and Darrell Ward (White Plains, N.Y.).  Faulcon and Ward closed out the first 20 minutes with 15 and 12 points respectively. The Vikings hit 16-of-35 first half field goals (45.7 percent).

Gatling scored a dozen points and Golladay added 10 points in the first half for the Bulldogs. As a team, Bowie State shot 58.6 percent from the field (17-of-29).

The Vikings whittled away at the Bulldogs lead, cutting it down to 54-52 on a 3-pointer by Glenn Patterson (Red Springs, N.C.) early in the second half. A Faulcon jumper at the 13:41 mark shifted the advantage back over to Elizabeth City State. A layup by DeCarlos Anderson (Portsmouth, Va.) pushed the Vikings lead to 60-55, forcing a Bowie State timeout.

The lead would change hands one time with the Bulldogs last lead coming at the 6:37 mark via a free throw by Gatling and Bowie State in front 70-69.

Elizabeth City State’s Ward sank a pair of free throws 58 seconds later, putting the Vikings in front to stay. In fact, the ECSU lead grew to eight (78-70) only to see the Bulldogs make an 8-1 run to pull within one at 79-78 with 36 ticks left on the clock.

However, the Vikings closed the game with a 7-2 run to avenge an earlier season loss to the Bulldogs.

Elizabeth City State (14-12, 9-7 CIAA, 6-4 North) was led by Faulcon with a team-high 21 points and Ward added 18 points. Jeremy Basnight (Currituck, N.C.) and LaShawn Alexander (Norfolk, Va.) recorded 15 and 14 points respectively in the win. Alexander led both teams in rebounding with nine.

The Bulldogs receive a first and second round bye before beginning play on Thursday (2/27) in the quarterfinals of the CIAA Tournament.

Lady Bulldogs Sweep Season Series at Top Elizabeth City State 60-54 on Senior Day




BOWIE, Md. – Bowie State got off to an extremely slow start but would not disappoint the seniors as the Lady Bulldogs rally to defeat Elizabeth City State 60-54 in the regular season finale. The win sets the Bowie State overall record at 11-13, 6-10 in the CIAA and 5-5 in the North heading into next week’s CIAA Tournament.

Junior Donia Naylor (Washington, D.C.) recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 18 rebounds to lead the Lady Bulldogs. Juniors Denver Clyde (Glen Burnie, Md.) and Ashlie Castle (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 14 and 11 points respectively while graduate student Brooke Miles (Upper Marlboro, Md.) contributed 10 points.

“Determination got us back in this game … This was a team win and we made stops when needed”, said a happy Bowie State head coach Renard Smith.

Elizabeth City State (7-18, 4-12 CIAA, 4-6 North) jumped out to a 10-0 lead before Bowie State scored their first field goal at the 11:36 mark. Bowie State closed the gap to 19-14 by the 6:09 mark on a 3-pointer by senior Brooke Miles (Upper Marlboro, Md.).

The Lady Vikings took a 27-20 advantage into halftime on 7-of-27 shooting from the field. Elizabeth City State made 10-of-11 from the charity stripe and 3-of-9 behind the arc.

Bowie State’s Lady Bulldogs shot an identical 7-of-27 from the floor, which included 3-of-14 behind the 3-point line and 3-of-6 at the free throw line.

The Lady Bulldogs stepped up their game in the second half, erasing the halftime deficit a little a time before a Naylor 3-point play tied the game at 37-all at the 12:03 mark of the second half. Naylor gave Bowie State their first lead of the game (42-39) on the Lady Bulldogs next trip down the floor on a triple from the corner.

Bowie State extended their lead to 49-39 with 5:56 remaining on another Naylor field goal. A Clyde 3-pointer gave the Lady Bulldogs their largest lead of the afternoon at 56-45 with 2:16 left to play.

Elizabeth City State didn’t quit, cutting the Bowie State lead down to 56-52 with 1:05 on the clock, but would get no closer.

Elizabeth City State’s DaShera Boone (Newport News, Va.) led all scorers with 17 points to go along with three assists, one block and one steal. Jadda Jeffries (Burlington, N.C.) and Tyche’s Mozie (Washington, D.C.) chipped in 10 points each for the Lady Vikings.

The Lady Bulldogs await the CIAA Tournament pairings which will be announced Sunday (2/23).

Inhale this, get cancer


The Scent of Cancer
or
This Reeks of Long-Term Health Problems

All the efforts to lace our household products with sweet-smelling synthetics are backfiring. As many of us have found out firsthand, perfumes and fragrances top the charts when it come to triggering allergies and irritations.
Maybe you relate to the headaches, watery eyes, and difficulty breathing that come when you get too close to a manufactured scent. Those reactions — while disagreeable enough — are warning signs of a bigger problem — cancer. Keep reading and I'll show you what I mean. . .
Continued below. . .
Cancer-Killing "Smart Bomb" That Can Easily be Found in Your Kitchen... 
Dear Reader,
There is a cancer-killing nutrient in your kitchen, right now, that acts like a "smart bomb" against cancer cells.
It’s called sulforaphane. Researchers are hailing it as a breakthrough that offers real hope for preventing and defeating cancer.
A new research study has shown for the first time how sulforaphane can selectively target and kill cancer cells and leaves healthy cells alone.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg...
I'm Dr. Victor Marchione and I'm revealing this and 16 other amazing "healing foods" in my newest report that you can see here.
You'll also discover:
- A natural cholesterol fighter that brings bad levels down 30%
- A little-known, but effective method to lowering your blood pressure without harmful prescription drugs
- A fruit that can fight Alzheimer's Disease

Like I said, this is just the beginning. click here to see my newest special report.
Victor Marchione, M.D.
P.S. If you want to find out about the fruit that burns fat, fights heart disease and can soothe arthritis pain, then click here and see my latest report.
LINK:


The perfume industry's products are riddled with toxic ingredients. Research increasingly links those toxins to cancer. Just some of the harmful reactions they trigger are allergies, sperm damage, reproductive toxicity, and hormone disruption. Hormone disruption in particular is linked to certain cancers.
Trade secrets more valuable than human health
As of now, there's no requirement that perfume makers let us know the ingredients in their fragrances. The industry calls this "brand protection." What's worse is that the FDA looks the other way. According to them, non-disclosure is fine because consumers are not "adversely affected." They make this assumption on the grounds that we don't eat perfumes. Yet these substances can enter the body when we inhale them or rub them on our skin as perfumes, creams, soaps and so forth.
The fragrance industry uses up to 3,000 ingredients in different scent concoctions. Most of those ingredients are synthetic. At least 900 have been identified as toxic, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
In 1998, Scientific Instrument Services released one of the first analyses to ever look at toxicity in perfumes. They studied six popular brands. Incredibly, over 800 ingredients were identified in each perfume — ingredients that included an alarming range of volatile organic chemicals. Two of the biggest offending ingredients are phthalate esters and synthetic musks, both toxic man-made chemicals.
It's as bad as second-hand smoke
This issue isn't without advocates, of course. In 1999, the California Environmental Health Network filed a Citizen Petition asking the FDA to require warning labels on fragrances. The goal was to point out which perfumes make it to the market without undergoing appropriate safety testing.
Then the 2010 President's Cancer Panel report suggested that hormone-disrupting chemicals, like those found in perfumes, could be the source of many more cancer cases than previously thought. It's a fact that messing with our bodily systems puts us at risk for being out of balance and increasing our risk for disease — cancer in particular.
Several years ago, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned tests on top-selling fragrance products. Results showed 14 toxic chemicals, on average, were used in but not listed on the ingredient labels of popular fragrances. In a joint warning statement with the Environmental Working Group, they said, "The majority of chemicals found … have never been assessed for safety by any publically accountable agency, or by the cosmetics industry's self-policing review panels."
Worst of all, it's not just the person wearing perfume who gets exposed to cancer-causing toxins. Fragrance chemicals are volatile and get into the air quickly. When we breathe, fragrance from every scented item used by the people around us enters our lungs.
This means one person's choice to wear a fragranced product can cause health problems for a lot of unsuspecting people. Most at risk are those with asthma, chemical sensitivities, respiratory illnesses, chronic fatigue, and immunological illnesses.
The leading cancer awareness groups don't know how to deal with this
The risks of scents aren't well known, which is a problem. Even big cancer-awareness organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure don't appear to fully recognize the risks.
A few years ago, Komen launched a well-intentioned marketing campaign, promoting a perfume called "Promise Me" to help raise funds for breast cancer research. But the campaign suffered embarrassment after allegations the fragrance being promoted contained cancer-causing toxins.
The executive director of the group Breast Cancer Action had the perfume scientifically tested after safety concerns were voiced. They found ingredients that were a potential cause of breast cancer.
One of the offending ingredients was galaxolide, a synthetic musk known to accumulate in the body. Trace amounts have been found in the fat, blood, and breast milk of women who wear perfumes. It's a known hormone disruptor, and some studies show that it may in fact contribute to the development of breast cancer.
When Komen was contacted with this information, the foundation reacted in a strangely contradictory way. Its representatives dismissed the claims, stating their own internal teams had thoroughly reviewed all the current research about perfume ingredients and found no elevated risk. Yet, they also agreed to reformulate the perfume to eradicate concerns about the ingredients.
What to do to protect yourself
Unlike a lot of cancer threats, it's easy to steer clear of this one. If you want to smell clean and fresh, use soap, preferably fragrance-free or using natural scents. Perfumes are at the top of my list of "avoidable exposures."
One thing to be wary of: It's not just perfumes that emit hazardous chemicals. Anything with fragrance is suspect. Thousands of household products contain chemicals not listed on the label, including dryer sheets, scented candles, air fresheners, hair sprays, and shampoos. Manufacturers aren't required to list the ingredients in fragrance blends, so it's up to you to protect your health.
By the way, natural scents such as lavender or lily of the valley can cause allergic reactions in some people, but at least they aren't carcinogenic.
Even if you don't think fragranced products bother you, it's a good idea to make sure by giving them up for a few months. Then use them and see if you have a reaction. Bear in mind that a wide range of reactions is possible, ranging from swollen sinuses and headaches to skin rashes and eye irritation.
Here are some tips for getting all the chemical-laced fragrances out of your life:
  1. Give up perfumes (obviously). Instead, use pure essential oils. Just make sure they're extracted through a cold-press method and not with solvents.
  2. Check labels. Fragrances are exempt from labeling regulations, unfortunately, but at least all personal-care products are required to list a general description of ingredients on the label. Avoid anything that has the following: perfume, parfum, linalool, limonene, or fragrance. Blanket terms like "fragrance" and "perfume" conceal a host of petrochemicals and other toxins.
  3. Go natural when you clean. Use white vinegar and baking soda in place of expensive cleaners and you'll wipe out a lot of the toxic scents in your house. Better yet, you'll save money. This is an important step, because air fresheners and other cleaners aren't required to disclose their inactive ingredients (which are usually toxic).
  4. Use beeswax candles instead of fragranced candles. Instead of polluting, they'll actually improve the quality of your air indoors by boosting negative ions.
Chances are, you'll feel significantly better after taking a hiatus from the airborne toxins in perfumed products.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Today's feature exercise- Ply - Med Ball Side Throw (kneeling) SR

This exercise is used for conditioning for many sports, and it greatly relies on the abs. More specifically the obliques. This is great way to simply make your core hard while enhancing the definition of the abdominals. This exercise once again can be found in many of the sports specific programs of the US Sports Strength and Conditioning System
Please consult a physician before attempting any exercise or exercise program.
Ply - Med Ball Side Throw (kneeling) SR View Video
Exercise Description:

For this exercise you will need a partner and a medicine ball of a weight you can handle. Begin by kneeling with your knees a little wider than shoulder width with your side to your partner. Hold your arms out in front of you. Your partner will throw the ball about a foot in front of you. Catch the ball slowing it as you rotate away from your partner. Throw it back to your partner and follow through. When you throw the ball don't let your heels come off of the floor or pivot on your toes. Throw the ball using your abs. Get ready for the next throw. This video shows the exercise being performed from a standing position. However, you should do this from a kneeling position.

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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Your Nutritional Relationship


Nate Lewis CSCS
President,
US Sports Strength and Conditioning

First I want to give thanks to God and his planting of the Holy Spirit the source of all knowledge, for enlightening me in this subject. Believe me when I tell you, by myself I am not this brilliant! :)

Okay first a little back story as a Personal Trainer and now as a Strength and Conditioning Coach (I will explain the difference in another blog post on another day), I believe my biggest failing was to get my clients following and moving towards a solid, healthy meal plan.

I have all of the tools and especially the nutrition planner online at the US Sports Strength and Conditioning System, so why was it that only about 1% of my clients following their meal plans or even giving them a good look?

I could only point to myself and looking for what was wrong in how I was presenting the meal plan to them. So the first thing I did was pray asking God to give me the wisdom to help my clients better in this nutrition area which is at least 50% of your success in fitness regardless of your goal.

Well just a couple of days ago it hit me, or better yet God gave me the answer: "Why would anyone want to eat to lose weight?".  Does that not remove the fun out of eating, because lets face it good food is fun, taste good, feels good, to eat. Wouldn't the least bit of worry about whether this food or that food follows a regiment that is all of a sudden going to cause me to not lose the 30 lbs that has been plaguing me for lo' these many moons?

So I started to think: "What is food for? What is its main purpose?" Well simply put its fuel! Every function in you body needs energy and all foods, regardless of how nutritious they are provide some form of this energy.
Now I know for a fact with myself and many of the athletes that I train and consult with that the better quality foods you eat, the better you function on and off the field.  Now here is where it applies to all fitness warriors. The better fueled you are the easier it is to complete tasks associated with your workouts!

You see, food is fuel for your workouts and when you have the right balance of nutrients those high volume, high intensity workouts are a little easier to complete as you have that extra energy to complete them.

The better your workouts, the more energy you can put into them, the better your results. Weight/Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, and of course more energy.

In order to complete this it is foolish to eat less. In many cases you may have to take in more calories. And even if your eating habits are not the best add a variety of vegetables, fruits, lean meats to the so called: "crappy" foods that you may be eating now and watch your workouts get a little more doable as you have more energy and for lack of a better phrase "pop" in your muscles to complete workout related tasks.

Our clients work hard as I have most doing short burst, intense workouts where in 20-30 minutes, as any of them will tell you, we will do a workload that would otherwise take about 2 hours.  The best part about fueling for the workout as oppose to restricting what you are eating to lose weight is that you will essentially convince your body that is has the nutrients that it needs from foods so that it can use the excess body fat for fuel. Thus putting you in position to get leaner, more cut, ripped, etc., while taking the worry out about eating too much. Here is the almost 'magical' transformation that will take place. You are training your pallet to recognize where the best source of these energy nutrients come from so after some time you will actually crave the better foods without having to force yourself to restrict what you like to eat.

Finally, this revelation is no good unless you act on it. If you are like many that have fallen off your New Year's resolution, realizing that resolution thing is not the best way to change anything about your life, then I and the dedicated fitness professionals at US Sports Strength and Conditioning are here to help.

Whether you are an athlete getting ready for the upcoming season or a fitness warrior preparing to physically dominate the rest of your life, we have the plan, the tools, the knowledge and the desire to help you get on a lifetime of fitness success. All programs come with a free trial period so you have nothing to lose..well except a few excess pounds. I look forward to helping you!