Nutri-Sport Training Tip: Lying cable pullovers
April 5, 2012 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
The latissimus dorsi, commonly referred to as “lats” is one of the primary movers of the back muscle group. Additionally, it is one of the main muscles involved in the bench press.
As Mike Beiter explains in the video below, by strengthening the lats you will increase your bench press and other pressing exercises. The lying cable pullovers are a unique and effective way to train this muscle which is has a great carry over affect to the bench press. Not only that, it is a great exercise to isolate the lats which can trigger muscle growth and that coveted “V-taper”.
Throw this in on either your bench press or your back training session for an effective accessory exercise.
For more information on this or other supplements, nutrition coaching or personal training, email mike@nutrisportFPT.com or visit either our Clive or Altoona locations, where you want to go for results and not a sales pitch!
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Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport Altoona
1003 8th St SW, STE K in Altoona (next to Hairy’s Day Spa)
Altoona, IA 50009
Nutri-Sport Training Tip: Lower body warm up sequence
March 27, 2012 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Proper warm up is crucial not only for performance but also injury prevention. Often people make the huge mistake of just stretching a cold muscle then get right into their activity. Shame on them!
Ideally you want a warm up that gets the tissue activated and ready to fire, blood flowing and limber. What you don’t want is to exhaust yourself during the warm up or do anything that is proven to reduce performance (such as stretching a cold muscle).
In the video below, Mike Beiter demonstrates a warm up sequence for the lower body. This is done prior to touching any weights and is repeated if there are still areas of tightness. Once lifting has begun, we start out with an empty bar with the goal of being able to have a full range of motion prior to adding weight.
Similar to the shoulder warm up you can view here, do this prior to any lower body work. If you have areas of extreme tightness or are wanting increased mobility, this sequence can be performed daily.
It's always good to have a reliable training partner on leg day!
For more information on this or other supplements, nutrition coaching or personal training, email mike@nutrisportFPT.com or visit either our Clive or Altoona locations, where you want to go for results and not a sales pitch!
“Like” us on Facebook here
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport Altoona
1003 8th St SW, STE K in Altoona (next to Hairy’s Day Spa)
Altoona, IA 50009
515.266.2225
Nutri-Sport Training Tip: Pendlay Rows
February 28, 2012 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Most people spend a lot of time focusing on pressing movements that hit the anterior (front) side of the body. However, they often neglect the posterior (back) side of the body which can lead to imbalance and weakness, neither of which is good. Pendlay rows are an excellent exercise to remedy this issue.
As Mike Beiter demonstrates in the video below, Pendlay rows are essentially the exact opposite of the bench press. By allowing the weights to come to a dead stop on the floor, one can really “fire” and engage the lats to pull the bar up. This also helps ensure proper form (although if you start jerking/swinging you can still make these ugly).
Give this exercise a try on your back day or as an accessory exercise after your bench workout.
For information on personal training or coaching, email: Mike@nutrisportFPT.com
“Like” us on Facebook here
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport Altoona
1003 8th St SW, STE K in Altoona (next to Hairy’s Day Spa)
Altoona, IA 50009
515.266.2225
Nutri-Sport Training tip: Pause squats
February 14, 2012 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Hitting proper depth on squats is important and equally so is being comfortable in the “hole”. Additionally, you want to be consistent in your form and range of motion.
Pause squats are a great exercise that will help you achieve this. As Ryan Irwin demonstrates in the video below, by holding the bottom portion of the squat three seconds, it trains you to know and feel comfortable in the bottom portion of the exercise.
This is a great accessory exercise after doing some normal squats or on a lighter leg day. Give this a try on your next squat session.
For information on personal training or coaching, email: Ryan@nutrisportFPT.com
“Like” us on Facebook here
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport Altoona
1003 8th St SW, STE K in Altoona (next to Hairy’s Day Spa)
Altoona, IA 50009
515.266.2225
Nutri-Sport Training tip: dynamic deficit deadlifts
January 7, 2012 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
When looking to improve a lift, we always break the lift down into segments and focus on improving the weakest part of the lift for the given lifter. In this case we are looking at the deadlift. If someone has trouble getting the bar off the floor when they are doing top end pulls, then the deficit deadlift is a great variation as it improves this range of motion.
In this video, Ryan Irwin demonstrates not only the deficit deadlift, but also some additions to make it even more effective in exploding off the floor.
Try this variation on your next deadlift session.
For more information on coaching, training or supplements, email Ryan at: ryan@nutrisportfpt.com
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport Altoona
1003 8th St SW, STE K in Altoona (next to Hairy’s Day Spa)
Altoona, IA 50009
515.266.2225
Powerlifting Nationals meet recap by Nutri-Sport Trainer Mike Beiter
September 2, 2011 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
At Nutri-Sport, we’re proud to not only be Trainers and Nutrition Consultants, but also competitive athletes, which is why I asked Nutri-Sport Trainer Mike Beiter to outline his awesome performance in his latest competition. -Ryan Irwin
NASA Grand Nationals 2011 meet and training cycle recap
After the chalk had settled and the weights were racked, I walked away (sluggishly) from the Des Moines Strength Institute with my head held high after having my best performance to date in a powerlifting meet. Now I remain modest in my approach to writing a meet recap in which I didn’t break any world or American records, wasn’t named best lifter and didn’t total over 2000 lbs. But after conversing with training partner and colleague Ryan Irwin, I figured what the heck, so here goes nothing.
In April 2011 I competed in my first full powerlifting meet. A small but easily attainable goal I set for myself sometime late last year. Up until that day I had only competed in push/pull or bench only events. Now having not only been bit, but full on attacked by the “powerlifting bug” I can say that it’s a fantastic sport that can consume you if you’re not careful. That being said after this meet I was happy to have reached my goal, but knew that I had not performed at my full potential. Final numbers for that day were a 241 lb bench, 364 lb squat, and 405 lb deadlift at a bodweight of 182.2.
Moving forward I had set a new fire inside and was focused and ready to improve. I started hitting the forums, blogs, and what not in my spare time and picked out a few things that I adapted in my next training cycle that I believe were CRITICAL for my success. Now it’s easy to get sucked into the hype behind a certain program or methodology, and given the fact that I am still a “newbie” to this powerlifting game I took much of what I read with a grain of salt. A good chunk of it didn’t have any application for me anyways since I am a raw lifter and do not use Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). I also had to take into context the goals of my training partners and the time that we had to work with. I ended up scrapping my previous warm up routine in favor of some time spent with a foam roller for some good old myofascial release, along with some mobility work. Now I could talk for days about the benefits of having flexible, unrestricted muscles. But I will keep it short by saying that I believe adding this supplemental work to my routine was without a doubt what kept me healthy and moving forward the entire 10 week cycle. The other major change I made to my meet prep was the emphasis I placed on proper nutrition, which is one thing you don’t hear about much in the powerlifting world. Why this is the case is a topic for another conversation I dialed in my numbers for protein, carbohydrate, and fat consumption and instantly started blowing my previous numbers out of the water in the gym. I still have room to improve in this aspect but by far this change was the one that did it for me!
The first week of July was the last big training week before deloading and meet day. I approached this week knowing that the strength was there and all I had to do was execute. And that I did, doubling my previous squat PR and hitting a smooth and comfortable 10 lb jump on bench and 30 lb jump on deadlifts. This was a HUGE confidence boost going into my final deload week. The last hurdle I had to make it past was that the weekend before the meet was a long holliday weekend and after that the next time I would touch a weight would be the day of the competition. Now most people wouldn’t be affected by this, but I am human. I knew social obligations and celebrating meant my sleep wake cycle and food intake would suffer, but I believe taking a mental break every now and then is essential to staying motivated, a cheat weekend if you will for our Independence Day. I managed to keep my hydration levels up and got right back to it Tuesday before the meet. A few days out of the week I went through my warm up routine but other than that I didn’t train at all.
Saturday it was go time. I checked in early and weighed in at 190.6. Immediately after stepping off the scale I started slugging down the fluids. I didn’t cut any weight so I wasn’t dehydrated but I’ve seen firsthand what can happen if you are and attempt to lift maximal weights, I didn’t want to take that chance. After the lifter’s meeting concluded I took down my pre workout shake and was ready to get things rolling. The power curl was up first and this was my first meet competing in this lift. Now in hindsight I should have went in with a better idea of what I wanted to hit, but I just threw a number out there and went at it. Luckily it worked in my favor as I went 3 for 3 and my last attempt was right where it should have been at 126.5. Squats were up next and were the lift I felt I had most improved upon. After nailing a 5 lb PR on my 2nd attempt at 370 I was confident and decided to move up to 385 for my 3rd. This ended up being the lift of the day for me and I have to credit the spotters for not taking the bar when I stalled out.
I must say, I’ve never felt quite the feeling I had after walking away from the rack after that lift. Nausea, dizziness, and a sick sense of enjoyment reminded me what this sport is all about.
A 20 lb personal record already in the books and it was on to bench which has always been a weaker lift for me. Here I opened strong at 226 and hit nearly a 10 lb jump from last meet on my second attempt at 248. Approaching the 3rd I was confident but missed 264. Right around this time is when I really began to tighten up. My last squat and hitting an aggressive arch on my bench caused my back to tighten up and I felt my hip flexors really starting to lose mobility. To combat this I applied Biofreeze from nearly head to toe and spent some time on the foam roller between warm up sets for the deadlift. Here is where I could really tell my training paid off. Working on mobility and flexibility allowed for me to feel much more comfortable dropping my hips low and approaching the bar and as a result I was able to confidently pull 451 for a 45 lb jump from the meet 10 weeks prior.
Finishing the day I was exhausted but exhilarated. Going 11 for 12 in a full power meet is no easy task. Now many will instantly jump in and say I didn’t have heavy enough 3rd attempts but as of now I feel I respond much better after completing lifts and building up my confidence to carry me through the meet. I believe missing 3rd attempts isn’t a habit any lifter should become accustomed to. That is purely my opinion, so take it as nothing else. In closing I must thank my training partners Ryan Irwin and Cody Nour for the constant push to better myself and for making each training session fun and exciting. Without them I surely wouldn’t have made the progress that I did. Looking forward from here I plan to continue to pursue the elusive 1200 lb total coming from a 500 lb pull, 400 lb squat, and 300 lb bench. As of now the USAPL meet held in Nebraska is the next meet on my agenda. Training has already begun and 20 weeks of a new program will hopefully yield similar results that I had at this meet.
As always train hard, train smart, and eat well.
Mike
To contact Mike for personal training, email him at: mike@nutrisportfpt.com
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport East
4400 East University, Suite B (in the Lakeside Fitness building)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
515.266.2225
(soon to be at 1003 8th St SW, STE K in Altoona)
New monthly Bodysculpting small group training program
June 28, 2011 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
As hundreds of clients have experienced, we have been offering Bodysculpting workouts at Nutri-Sport for a few years now. We are extremely excited to start open this small group training option up to even more individuals!
Our program is more like small group personal training than any other type of group fitness class out there so we have set it up as such. The sessions are now divided into months (verses weeks) and you can sign up month to month. We also have various time slots, 5AM, 6AM and noon on Mon/Wed/Fri and 7 PM on Tues/Thurs. Saturday is 7AM or 8AM. You can attend 4 of these sessions based on your schedule (and it is okay to make up at a different than normal time slot).
Bodysculpting is unlike any of the other “fitness challenges” out there. It really is more like personal training rather than group fitness. As the video below shows, it is small groups (no more than 10 people) and our trainers (who have college degrees in health plus certifications) lead the workouts. The training sessions are always different, focusing on all aspects of fitness to make it fun, challenging, but most important, effective on helping you look and feel your absolute best!
We want this to be a lifestyle change so one of the areas of focus are nutrition as well. At the beginning of the program, we educate participants what, when and why they should be eating. Throughout the month, we monitor their nutrition and make sure results are being achieved.
Contact us today to get into the upcoming month’s session before all the spots are filled!
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515.331.2141
Nutri-Sport East
4400 East University, Suite B (in the Lakeside Fitness building)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
515.266.2225
Nutri-Sport training research: How the Range Of Motion Relates to Muscle Recruitment
April 21, 2011 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Form follows function and function follows form. Those words are spoken very often in the world of fitness, and a study recently submitted to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows just how true that statement is. It is very common for people to alter the form or execution of a certain exercise to fit his or her specific workout goals. One common myth in exercise is that decreasing the range of motion in certain lifts will help isolate certain muscle groups. Although it may be beneficial to modify limb placement or grip for a certain lift, decreasing the range of motion is not advised for proper safety and effectiveness.
A study was conducted to see how decreasing the range of motion in a seated shoulder press effected the deltoid and trapezius muscles. It has been stated in many health magazines that changing the range of motion at the elbow will target more deltoids than trapezius muscles. The study not only found this to be false, but it also showed that overall muscle activation decreased with the smaller range of motion.
The improper form of the exercise negatively impacted the function of the exercise. Decreasing the range of motion not only causes less muscle activation, but it could also lead to loss of flexibility and injury later on in life. Not all the material found in magazines and entertainment literature is as accurate as one may think.
For quality and credible information for your workouts, contact a trainer at Nutri-Sport to make sure you are making healthy progress and reaching your full potential.
Personal training in the Nutri-Sport studio
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
515-331-2141
Nutri-Sport
4400 East University, Suite B (in the Lakeside Fitness building)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
515-266-2225
www.nutrisportfpt.com
Nutri-Sport research: HIIT cardio and Beta Alanine supplementation
March 17, 2011 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
In the never ending battle to lose body fat and increase muscle, studies are constantly being conducted to see what the most efficient ways to exercise are. Gone are the days where people had to spend hours on a treadmill to melt away the fat. One method of exercise growing in popularity is High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT.
HIIT appeals to many people because it not only breaks the monotony of slow-paced cardio, but also because it takes a lot less time than steady-state cardio. The idea is to break your cardio session up into intervals of low intensity and high intensity exercise. This will continuously spike and lower your heart rate, tapping into different energy and fat-burning pathways. The benefits of HIIT training were seen in a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that was originally designed to test the effects of Beta-Alanine on endurance training. The study showed that no matter which group the test subjects were in (Beta-alanine, placebo, or controlled), every test subject gained lean mass and lost fat mass as a result of the interval training used in the study. Beta Alanine has been show to increase work capacity by reducing blood-lactate accumulation (that muscle burn we all know well) that in the long-run will increase training volume and greater gain. The study also suggested that HIIT may be an effective and time-efficient training method for increasing oxygen uptake. See the abstract here.
HIIT is a form of training that we include in many of our clients’ personal programs. If you are looking for a new form of training, or want to make the most of your valuable gym time, contact us for training and program details today!
Beta Alanine available at Nutri-Sport in powder or capsules
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
515-331-2141
Nutri-Sport
4400 East University, Suite B (in the Fitness World East building)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
515-266-2225
www.nutrisportfpt.com
Nutri-Sport training research: Unstable surface training
March 2, 2011 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
With new exercise equipment being introduced into the market daily, it’s sometimes hard to know what to invest your time and money into. One method of training that is becoming increasingly popular is unstable surface training (UST). UST refers to a method of training where exercises are performed on an unstable base instead of a stable base, such as the floor or a bench. Common UST pieces of equipment are stability/Swiss balls, BOSU balls, and balance boards.
There are many differing opinions on UST and what it should be used for in the health industry. In an article released in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, it states that certain exercises are beneficial if performed on an unstable surface, and some exercises are actually negatively affected if performed on an unstable surface. If you are trying to rehabilitate from an injury or increase core stabilization, the UST may be right for you. However, if you are looking to increase the strength or power of a muscle, the UST may be damaging your progress. Sometimes mixed signals are sent to your nervous system and it creates an overload that prevents your working muscles from producing the force necessary to make progress.
To make sure you are not creating a bigger problem for yourself, the article suggests looking for a certified and experienced trainer to help you select the right workouts to perform on an unstable surface. If you are curious about experimenting with unstable surface equipment, please make sure you are not just going off an internet video’s advice. Yes, the unstable surface makes it more challenging, but it does not always mean it is more beneficial.
As you can see by the picture of some of the Nutri-Sport Training Studio below, we have a variety of equipment that we utilize to ensure each of our client’s individual needs are met based on their goals and level of conditioning/strength.
If you have any questions about unstable surface training or if it is something you should add into your workout program, contact us here at Nutri-Sport and we will help you sort out the confusion and get you on the track to success.
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
515-331-2141
Nutri-Sport
4400 East University, Suite B (in the Fitness World East building)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
515-266-2225
