The Spot Athletics Blog: fitness

Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Zach Gallmann of The Spot Athletics Places at North American Strongman National Championships

November 5, 2014 - Columbus, Ohio - Local Strength and Conditioning Coach and Strongman competitor Zachary Gallmann recently traveled to Reno, Nevada to go head-to-head with some of the top amateur Strongman competitors in the country. This event was the biggest Strongman competition to-date and had over 250 competitors.

Gallmann, who has recently undergone a weight loss transformation of about seventy pounds over the last year, has many years of competition experience in the sport. Of his competition preparation and performance, Zach states, “I was interested to see where my strength was. When I chose to lower my bodyweight by seventy pounds I knew that my strength would decrease, but it’s made me a better overall athlete. Even though, I didn’t do as well as I thought I would, it’s made me hungry for more.”

Zach placed fifth in the 231-265 pound weight class and is looking to compete again in the upcoming year while focusing on regaining strength. He competes with Team BOSS and trains at The Spot Athletics in Columbus, Ohio.

To see original headline, click here.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Why Is Mobility Important?

First time gym goers will often learn new movements and experiment with others that they see the people around them doing. When implementing new activities into a routine, whether its lifting weights or doing cardio on the stair stepper, it’s important to have decent mobility not only to decrease the risk of injury, but to function properly during everyday activities. Mobility, not to be confused with flexibility, is the ability of the two bones that connect at a joint to move uninhibited by surrounding tissue. Unfortunately, this side of physical fitness usually goes unaddressed because people do not take the time to do a meaningful warm-up. This article will help you differentiate mobility from flexibility, and review why it is important to recognize mobility as a unique facet of overall fitness.

Most people will get to the gym, do a quick warm-up that consists of talking to friends and checking their phones (maybe a little flexing in the mirror), and then jump right into sets of heavy compound movements. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is a recipe to get hurt, but you’d be surprised to find out how many people do just that. Stretching and mobility work isn’t glamorous. Putting up big weights will get the heads in the gym to turn, so you often see kids throw plates upon plates on the bar without doing even one set with the unloaded bar. If they don’t even do a proper warm up, you can almost guarantee they aren’t doing any mobility work to make sure their joints are healthy. Not doing this will put you in a vulnerable position for an injury that could set your progress back months, if not years.

We all know the guys that show off to their friends saying: “My chest is so big I can’t touch my elbows together!” or “My arms are too big to touch my shoulders with my fingertips!” Many of us have been that guy at some point. Everyone “oohs” and “ahhs” at your parlor trick, but unless you’re 250+ pounds, you should not have these issues. That is a result of poor mobility, not massive, gloat-worthy muscles.

The important thing to remember about mobility is that it differs from flexibility (a subset of mobility), which is the ability to stretch a muscle in a static environment. Mobility means being able to move a joint through a full range of motion in a dynamic environment. This means that your ligaments, muscles, and nervous system capabilities are all factored in to determine whether or not a particular joint is immobile. For example, someone who is flexible might be able to do a full split on the ground and stretch from side to side, touching their nose to the ground. But mobility determines whether they can summon these skills to do a split jump in the air. A martial artist who can kick his opponent’s head would be considered mobile because he is strong in that split position and can bring force down on his opponent. Someone might be flexible enough to get in that position on the ground, but in a dynamic environment, their nervous system will not allow it if they are immobile.

Having poor mobility WILL eventually lead to injuries. Just because you haven’t had any serious problems yet doesn’t mean it won’t come back to bite you in the future. Most of the time, mobility problems lead to more muscle tears and strains than lifting with poor technique will. So take at least 15 minutes before every workout to foam roll muscles to break up scar tissue and then STRETCH! Don’t mess around and BS it. Really make the stretch uncomfortable, and it will pay off in the long run. As you slowly improve, you will find it easier to fix form, get stronger, and feel less tension overall in your joints. Implementing mobility work in your routine will not only reap performance benefit, it will improve overall wellness and flexibility.

Savannah Steamer

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Strength and Conditioning for Combat Athletes

There are a lot of individuals involved in combat sports who think that in order to get better at it, they just need to do more of the sport. In essence, this is correct. Working on sport specific technique is the best way to improve, but having a solid strength and conditioning program is equally important and should not be ignored. This aspect of training for competition is oftentimes what separates the good athletes from the great.

Two Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes perform partner planks

Why is strength training so important for combat sports? Being technically skilled is great but if you don’t have a solid basis of strength, you will never reach your potential. If two guys weigh the same and have the same skill level who do you think will win- the stronger or weaker guy?Strength training makes you more powerful. Ask anyone in a combat sport if being explosive and powerful is an asset and no one will say “no”.

Strength training decreases the risk of injury and combat sport athletes are prone to some of the worst injuries. The more durable you are as an athlete, the better you will be and the more likely you are to improve longevity and compete for a longer period of time. It will help build up areas that, if left untrained, would become plagued with injury: knees, necks, etc.

Conditioning should be based on the sport. For example, five minutes of rolling in Jiu Jitsu is comprised of quick bursts of action interspersed with periods of lower intensity. Your body must be able to handle five minutes of non-stop moving including bouts of high intensity action. Therefore, conditioning should mimic that. That’s why implements like prowlers and sandbags are great for combat athletes- they mimic conditioning against a heavy load (your opponent).

Strength training should mimic the sport as well. For our Jiu Jitsu athletes, we do a lot of grip work to enhance their grip on the gi, neck work to prevent injuries, and we work on hip strength since it’s crucial to a number of positions you could find yourself in. Training revolves around heavy squats, pulling, and pushing to get our athletes ready for the mats.

Strength and conditioning training is not only crucial for stronger, more powerful, and healthier athletes but it’s also important that your strength and conditioning training is specific to your sport. If you are a combat athlete, your strength and conditioning program would look drastically different than that of a soccer or basketball player, but the most important thing is that you understand the importance of having one in the first place.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

5 ways to help your trainer maximize your experience

The client/trainer relationship should never be a difficult relationship. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, trainers can be hard to deal with; other times, so can clients. Here is a list of things that will help you maximize the time you have with your trainer, so that you can get the results that you are paying for:

Communication - This is the most vital and important aspect of this, and any other relationships. I’m not talking about calling each other to see how your day is going, but you rather, letting your trainer know how things are going. Trainers are very good at identifying certain ailments and understanding problems, but we do not have x-ray vision, and we can’t always tell if you are struggling. If something hurts, you’re not feeling well, or you just plain don’t understand, let your trainer know. It’s better to be open and upfront with your trainer so that they can make the adjustments necessary to accommodate you.
Understanding expectations - One of the trainer’s main jobs when having an initial assessment appointment with a client is to manage expectations. This is where the trainer helps a client set realistic goals. Sometimes, however, the reality of a goal conflicts with the desired goal. A client should understand that a lot of small goals will add up to a large goal quickly. I think I’m a pretty good trainer, but I can’t give an untrained individual a 6 pack in 4 weeks. This is where that communication comes into play, so that all parties are aware of expected outcomes.
Understanding your trainer’s scope of practice - As a trainer, we have a pretty vast knowledge about the human body. We understand biomechanics, how muscles work, anatomy, imbalances, etc. However, most of us are not doctors. We can’t diagnose the stomach issues you have been having, and unfortunately, we don’t have x-ray vision. The biggest thing we can do is guess, based off of assessments, as to what is ailing you, and hopefully, use the tools we have access to to help you. And, if we can’t help you, a great trainer should be referring you to someone that can.
Stick with the plan - We do an assessment and write out a plan for a reason. One of the biggest pet peeves I have personally is the client that does “extra” work that I have not given them. I am absolutely thrilled that they are so motivated, but that extra work can impede the process that your trainer has planned out for you. This also applies to any sort of diet your trainer may have you on. We have a finite amount of time with our clients. We can only control so much. What you do on your own time will determine whether or not you get the results you want.
Be on time - When you train at an elite level training facility like The Spot Athletics, the trainers and coaches have very specific plans for how they are going to train you during your appointment. There are things that we plan that take time, but are very important for the development of our clients, and when the time we have is cut short, we have to start stripping things away to get the most out of the sessions as possible. Consistently showing up late only detracts from garnering the results that you desire. Also, we may have several clients booked, back to back, and it is not fair for us to take time away from their training sessions to make up for a late client.

Follow these 5 simple guidelines, and you will see the results that you’re paying for. The coaches and trainers here at The Spot Athletics do this because helping people is our passion. We want to make sure all of our clients are happy, and that they walk away from each training session knowing that they got the very best training out there. These 5 steps will definitely help ensure that!

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Odds and Ends for Experiencing the Arnold

This is just a short list of tips (some humorous) to keep in mind when visiting the Arnold Sports Festival here in Columbus, Ohio. This year was my first time attending and though it was fantastic experience, there were some things that I wish I would have known before going.

Do what I did. Ride the Bus. It will be the best $2 you ever spent.

Pick a few events to watch. Know where they are and what time they start. You don’t want to look back on this experience and think “Gee, I didn’t really see anything.”

The door guards get really pissed if you try to enter the expo through an exit, and vice versa. Read the signs!

Do not, I repeat: do not wear a white shirt because you will inevitably ruin it by rubbing up against someone else’s spray tan.

If Darth Vader and Chewy are doing a fencing demonstration, you’d better be there!

Giving high fives to random people is standard procedure.

Don’t let the military guys talk you into doing pullups because I promise that a brown, leathery-skinned bodybuilder is going to do at least 30 pullups right after you finish.

If you do not feel like punching the new and improved innovative punching bag that an exhibitor is showing off, politely let him know and keep going. Don’t fall for peer pressure.

Don’t stare. That’s all I need to say.

Bring your own food. I took blueberries and chocolate covered almonds.

If you plan on meeting some celebrities at the expo, know which booth they’ll be at, what times they’ll be there, where those booths are located on the map, and which path you’ll take to get to each destination. You can even make your own map with checkpoints with fancy stuff to make sure you see EVERYTHING.

No, you do not need another cinch bag.

If you just ask, exhibitors will give you samples. Don’t be shy.

Stop trying to find Arnold. He is far, far away in the VIP section.

Enjoy yourself. This is a networking experience for a lot of people, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, people watching can be pretty fun!

Savannah Steamer, Intern

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Monday, January 27, 2014

Getting Back On Track After the Holidays

Many people are still escaping the holiday hangover with thoughts of returning to their normal diet, their normal schedule and they’re regaining a sense of order as real life starts up again, so, in order to help you “bounce back” after the eggnog, the drinking, and your aunt’s famous pie, we are sharing a few ways to help you feel like yourself again after the holidays.

First off: can you prevent the Holiday Hangover? Sure you can. But almost everybody who celebrates the holidays ends up eating their fair share of calorie dense foods and swerving off their normal training schedule, so the question isn’t really how to completely prevent indulgence and laziness, but how to make “bouncing back” a lot easier.

If you are mindful of how you spend your holiday, you can avoid the misery of having a food baby and focus more on actually communing with family and friends. That doesn’t mean you should avoid the “bad foods” at all costs and complain that the gym isn’t open on Christmas Eve (because do you really want to be that person?), it just means that you should recognize that there’s a difference between a cheat meal and an “Oh-my-god, I-haven’t-had-my-grandma’s-mashed-potatoes-in-ten-years” kind of meal. Five meals in a row of the latter sort and most people won’t feel like themselves.

You probably don’t feel like yourself because you are reading this article, just admit it, you ate not one, not two, but three plates of food! It’s okay, so did I and I felt like four months of hard work had flown out the window. Not so. Here’s a list of things you can do to get back on track as soon as possible:

1) Drink Water. Yes, I said it, and yes I am chastising you. I know you had that cappuccino in the morning and those Mojitos at night. You need to grab a glass of water right now and chug that thing, because you probably came out of the holidays less hydrated. Think about it: caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant, but they both have a diuretic effect. This constant energy and hydration imbalance is very taxing on the body.

2) If you didn’t miss a single training session, good for you! Keep doing what you are doing. But if you haven’t stepped foot in a gym for over two weeks it would not make any sense to try to train harder or heavier than you did before. For the first week, see if you maintained and then adjust accordingly.

3) Foam-Rolling, stretching, mobility work, these are all great tools not only for your regular training, but for those days when you know things are a bit rusty.

4) Getting enough sleep should already be high on your priority list because your muscles need sleep as much as your mind does, but oftentimes, it’s hard to do this right after a holiday because there are errands, chores, family duties, etc. Though there is a large range of what doctors believe to be the “ideal” amount of sleep, listen to your body and adjust based on your performance.

5) Relax. Nobody loses their progress, gains, or strength within the short window of a few weeks. Don’t harbor guilt about the holidays, they’re supposed to be a time of joy. If you spend too much time thinking about the past, you lose sight of your goals and cannot plan for the future.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Speed, Strength & Conditioning, Personal training & Fitness Class Training Video Montage 12/1-12/8

Check out this week's video training compilation! Great things are happening at The Spot! Come on in and check it out!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Simple ways to reach your goals pt. 1

There are a few basic rules you need to follow if you want to be successful in the gym. No matter your goals, the same basic rules apply. If you follow them, you will be successful. If you don’t, you won’t. Simple as that.

1) Be consistent! If you have a killer routine but do it a few times a month, you won’t get anywhere. If you have a solid routine and do it 3+ times a week, you will get results. Period. Getting stronger, faster, leaner, and more badass means that you’re giving your body a stimulus to respond to and it adapts to that stimulus. If you don’t consistently give your body that stimulus, you won’t get any better. On another note, stop doing random stuff all the time. It might be exciting to do whatever workout you read in every new Muscle & Fitness but if you keep doing random things, don’t be surprised if you never get stronger or more jacked. Be consistent not only means hitting the gym consistently but sticking with something for enough time to see it yield results.

2)   Keep it simple! Especially if you’re new to training, it can be easy to follow a routine that looks cool in a magazine or website only to find it hard to stick to and not have it yield results. There’s a reason why people have been squatting, deadlifting, and pushing weights around for a long time. It works. If you get better at deadlifting and squatting you will definitely see better results than making sure you isolate your triceps every time on the triple overhead extension assault of death exercise that I can guarantee some asshole made up to fill up space in magazine. If you can consistently progress on the most basic exercises, you will see results. It’s as simple as that.

3)   Make it a priority. One of the hardest parts of starting to workout is making it a habit in your life. Just like everything else you do on a regular basis, working out needs to be one of them too. In order to make it a priority, have a goal (see #5). Find a way to make what you want in the long run (your goals) more important than what you want right now (beer and nachos and netflix). Setting goals, having a trainer, and training buddies will ensure that you stay accountable.

4)   Recovery. This is an important one. Don’t let your training go to waste. Proper nutrition, sleep, mobility, and soft tissue work will make sure you get the optimal results and keep you healthy and injury free. Don’t overlook the things that happen outside of lifting as it could completely derail your efforts.

5) Have a goal. It doesn’t matter whether you want to lose weight, get strong like a bull, compete, or just workout on a consistent basis. Find your goal and use it to motivate you. In the end, no one can motivate you except yourself. No amount of inspirational pictures on Facebook or quotes you wrote on a post-it can get you to do what you need to do.

-Coach Lily

Monday, October 14, 2013

Hardest workout ever!

It seems lately that people want to equate a really hard workout with a good workout. If this were true then the best workout ever was the Bataan Death March. I mean, a workout so hard that thousands die - Awesome! Obviously that is not awesome and neither is working out so hard that you feel like you are going to die. But for whatever reason this seems to be the new trend in training at a lot of places. Since The Spot Athletics is a leader in the industry and not a follower, we do not need to join in on this senseless type of training. We train to get results and to do this you must have a long term, properly periodized program that is aimed at the goals of the person. Simply working out until exhaustion every time takes no planning, no knowledge and no experience. I would hope that a lazy, uneducated and inexperienced trainer is not what people are looking for but it seems that in today's "if it's hard, it's good" type of mentality, that is what people are looking for.

If you sat there and wrote down everything hard you can do in a workout and then put some random high reps by it I bet you would come up with a really hard workout. Does this make you a trainer? I certainly hope you do not think so, but why is it that people listen to "trainers" who just do that exact same thing. Well in our society of instant gratification I think that people feel a sense of accomplishment when they finish a hard workout. The problem is that just like instant gratification, there is no long term benefits. At The Spot Athletics we design our programs so that you can become stronger, healthier and look better all while training in a manner that will be sustainable for a long period of time. For some reason people never think about the future and only want a hard workout today. While some of our workouts are extremely tough, they aren't just random in their appearance. They are part of a long term plan that will yield maximal results over time. We are not interested in killing someone in one workout, any idiot can do that, we are interested in creating clients that can get better and better as time goes on. You cannot do this if you are injured or burnt out from always killing yourself every workout.

So how do you determine if a workout is good? The best answer is if the workout achieves the goal for that training day then it was a good workout. If you ask your trainer what the goal for the day is and they say "I don't know, what do you want to do", then maybe it's time you find a better trainer. We hold ourselves to a much higher standard at The Spot Athletics and are amazed that more people don't want great training and instead just want a Bataan Death March workout.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Fitness Class Columbus, OH - The Spot Athletics - Met Con Class

Other Fitness classes in Columbus Ohio need to come watch Met Con Class at The Spot Athletics to see how fitness classes are supposed to be done. These fun, fast paced, and ever-changing classes are taught by world class instructors in an 80,000sq ft facility and are designed to make you tone up, lose fat, get fit, strong, conditioned and look amazing. If you're bored, sick of seeing no results and not having fun with your workouts, then come try our Met Con Class. The Spot Athletic's staff has more knowledge, experience and education than any training facility in the area. It is also recognized internationally as one of the top training facilities in the world.

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