The Mirror Can Lie

             A common mistake that can be made during workout sessions is focusing on just the “mirror muscles."  These include the chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders and quadriceps and neglecting muscles that cannot be seen in the mirror such as lats, rear deltoids, hamstrings, and lower back.  Making this mistake causes muscle imbalances and postural problems that make the simplest every day tasks more difficult.

Correct posture, full range of motion, and functional strength can only be maintained when muscles are in balance. When your strength training puts the emphasis on the muscles on the front side of your torso, those muscles will tend to get tighter and shorter over time, while the neglected opposing muscles in your back will get longer and weaker. Your shoulders will start rounding towards the front, your neck and head will start leaning forwards, and you may develop chronic neck and upper back pain.  This postural problem can even lead to serious issues with pinched or entrapped nerves in your shoulders, or a propensity to injure your shoulder muscles, especially the rotator cuff which can lead to slouching.

Pull-ups

  These same principles apply to the lower body. The tendency of people who build mirror muscles only is to concentrate on squats to strengthen the quads and glutes and neglect their hamstrings. In fact, the majority of hamstring injuries result from imbalances caused by favoring quad exercises over hamstring stretches and exercises.  The posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings, glutes, and back are critical. If your posterior chain is weak, you’ll never fully develop the “mirror muscles”.  Exercises such as leg curls, deadlifts, and reverse lunges are excellent for the hamstrings. 

If you are focusing just on your mirror muscles make a change today!  When developing your routines make sure that the same amount of time is spent on the non-mirror muscles.  Consult a fitness professional for assistance if needed.  Working those muscles will do wonder for your aesthetic development, posture, and strength.

As The Talent Develops Don't Forget The Person

With the recent developments of Johnny Manziel and NCAA Conference Commissioners’ calling for changes in how the NCAA does business, intercollegiate athletics are under fire again.  In the age of 24 hours news and social media student-athletes from youth sports to college are under more scrutiny than ever.    Manziel was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012 and since winning the award he has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.  Excessive drinking, lashing out on Twitter, being sent home from the Manning’s Passing Camp, kicked out of a fraternity party at Univ. of Texas, and most recently being investigated for selling his autograph in January, which would be a NCAA violation.  He has become the most recent case study of how imperative personal development is while pursuing and achieving athletic success.

2012 Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel.   

Wright Thompson of ESPN Magazine recent article “The trouble with Johnny” illustrates more of how his family enabled him more than teach him valuable lessons growing up.  Manziel is an example of how personal development is critical for all of us, not excluding raising a child that is gifted athletically.  This is not an indictment on his character or his parents, but shows how easily personal development can come at the cost of pursuing athletic achievement and the success that comes with it.  Parents, youth coaches, and administrators need to find as many teachable moments through athletics.  This does not have to come at the cost of developing their athletic skills and being competitive.  What tends to happen is that parents and coaches get caught up in the hype of athletic achievement.   As Thompson put it referring to Johnny Manziel, “People on the outside see only the final collapse: the drunken photo, the fight outside a bar, the angry tweet. They never see the slow decay, because that happens in private.”

St. Francis Academy Baltimore, MD.

Young athletes should have coaches and administrators who are as concerned about the impact they leave on young people’s lives.  How many athletes can look back and say that playing for a coach made them a better person, some can and some can’t.   The influential figures in a young athletes life see the signs, yet in many instances enable the behavior instead of addressing it head on.  Unfortunately some coaches take up the profession for the wrong reasons.  They see it as an opportunity to profit or live their dreams vicariously through young boys and girls or self-gratification.  Others have a passion for the respective sport and view coaching as an opportunity to give back and teach valuable lessons.  I recently visited St. Francis Academy in inner city Baltimore, MD during an Under Armour commercial shoot.  I was able to hear stories of how the coaches, chaplain, and staff have used football the change young men’s lives.  One player on the team is getting a scholarship to an Ivy League school.  The support system at St. Francis is determined to use football to change lives.  Regardless of the social economic conditions this should be the goal for all coaches dealing with our youth.

Sports can breed many positive character traits such as teamwork, discipline, interacting with authority, leadership, success, dealing with setbacks, interpersonal skills and many more.  Also, it can breed entitlement, selfishness, laziness, and disrespect.  Whichever side of the pendulum an individual is on it is rooted in the foundation laid by parents and coaches at a very young age.  In Jim Loehr’s book  The Only Way To Win, a prominent Division I college coach is quoted saying, “Parents teach values, church teach values, I’m paid to coach and win.  Don’t expect me to cover that ground as well.”  Another coach was quoted, “My greatest stress is having to coach players I don’t respect, whose character are seriously broken and flawed.  I can’t boot them from the team because I can’t win without them.  I end up helping them become superstars. I hate myself for leading people I don’t respect to victory.”  These feelings very common at the college level because young men and women were not taught the values in their early development.  A college coach with pressure to win inherits them with these issues and probably looked over them in the recruiting process.  Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin is dealing with a multitude of issues with Manziel, who is a rising redshirt sophomore with a personal assistant who dropped out of school for the position.  Johnny’s family compensates the personal assistant and security guards when he is at certain functions.

Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and Andrew Luck

The 2012 NFL football season saw Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, and Russell Wilson lead their teams to playoffs as rookies.  They demonstrated leadership and maturity that was infectious to their respective teams.  On the other hand, Cam Newton entered the 2011 season with questions about his maturity and leadership and showed poor body language when things did not go his way.  These are examples of how differently the accolades and recognition at a young age were handled.  It does not make Newton a bad person, but shows the difference in maturity and intangibles that the other three quarterbacks possess.  Manziel unprecedented success as a freshman quarterback probably didn’t change him, just exposed the traits that his parents did not focus on during his upbringing.

My concern is through athletics what kinds of people are being developed.  Well rounded, disciplined, respectful ones or entitled, selfish, and narcissistic.  It is up to parents and youth coaches to realize the importance of using sports as a teaching tool.   There is nothing wrong with putting the time and effort to maximize athletic ability.  It should not come at the cost of their personal development.  Relationships and experiences through athletics will last a lifetime.  Those experiences can be a foundation of our future leaders who set a positive example.   

Don't Get Carried Away With The Juice

Juicing has become a popular trend in the health and wellness industry.  While shopping in your local grocery store demonstrations take place of new juicing recipes and machines to make a great tasting juice.   I have been asked many times by clients and friends what is my opinion on juicing.  As with most things, context is important.  Juicing is a healthy alternative to consume the necessary nutrients that the body can benefit from.  Also, people can get carried way with juicing and not have a balanced diet.  The short-term benefits can seem positive, but in the long term depriving your body of essential nutrients is not beneficial.

The Mayo Clinic argues that there is little scientific evidence to support the belief that juice makes vitamins in fruit and vegetables easier for the body to absorb. Eating whole fruit and vegetables is the healthier way to get your daily intake.  Proponents of juicing argue that drinking juice delivers the most nutrient-dense part of the food, in a concentrated form. In a Department of Agriculture study, researchers analyzed 12 fruits and found 90 percent of the antioxidant activity was in the juice, rather than the fiber. In other studies people who drank juices were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s, cancer, or to develop heart disease.

The health benefit of juicing is still up for debate.  Juicing is an easier form to consume multiple fruits and vegetables than on a plate, using utensils, etc.  All of them can be combined in one serving which can be more convenient.  My concern is for those who get carried away with juicing.   Fasting to lose weight or “jumpstart” a weight loss goal.  Many doctors have stated that the first three days, a fast is merely "psychological", causing almost no harm to body or mind. Not eating triggers hunger pangs, but pathology remains unaffected, because the body uses reserves of stored glucose to generate energy. The liver has enough stored glycogen for 18-24 hours of energy.

After 3-4 days many people have difficulty maintaining normal blood sugar levels, and acids start to accumulate. "This happens particularly in people who are underweight or have less body fat, since body fat could also be used as a form of energy. Low blood sugar and ketone bodies will also cause problems in maintaining blood pressure and heart function," said Dr Anoop Misra, Director, Centre of Internal Medicine (CIM), Fortis Hospital.   Most of these kinds of fasts consist of juicing without solid foods, carbohydrates, and proteins.  This can be detrimental to your health in the short and/or long-term.

Anything done in extremes is not good for you physically, spiritually, emotionally, or psychologically.   Your health is no exception.  A balanced diet needs to contain foods from all the main food groups in the correct proportions to provide the body with optimum nutrition.  Your caloric intake should be personalized because every person is different and hence the correct diet may vary from person to person.  Following a diet that is varied, covers all foods groups and is low in undesirable nutrients such as sodium, saturated fats and sugar, you are well on your way to a healthy lifestyle that can include juicing. 

Hall of Fame Worthy

This past weekend I was at Grambling State University accepting my late father’s induction into the Sports Legends Hall of Fame as a contributor.   It was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.   It has been 13 years since I have been on the campus and seen many friends, classmates, and former co-workers of my father.  He was a 1963 graduate of Grambling and a member of an historical 1961 team that won the NAIA National Championship led by eventual NBA World Champion and Basketball Hall of Famer Willis Reed.  He worked at the University in three different capacities lastly as Athletic Director replacing his former basketball coach Fred Hobdy.  

Grambling meant more to him than it just being his alma mater.   While living in Washington, DC he was a very active alumnus and wanted to contribute Grambling anyway he could.  He started the alumni chapter in Washington, DC and organized fundraisers.  Anyone he met that went to Grambling he embraced like he had known them for years.  I always wondered why Grambling meant so much to him, it was more than just being his alma mater.   Hillary Bossier, who was a baseball inductee in the 2013 class, attended Grambling when my father did.  Over breakfast he mentioned he knew my father lost both of his parents before he turned four years old and that he told him that Grambling was family to him.  That brief conversation brought everything full circle for me.  It was bigger than just where he received his college education and why those relationships with many classmates he kept for a lifetime.  Why he took the time to explain the historical context of many of the Grambling graduates and what they accomplished in sports and the impact it had on society.  That regardless of where someone attended college that they could be successful person and contribute to society. 

I am a proud graduate of Hampton University and appreciate my experience there more and more over the years.  I must admit from an athletic standpoint no Historically Black Institution has the history of Grambling.  Just sitting at a meeting over the weekend I was in a room with three men who won Super Bowls with Doug Williams (Redskins), Willie Brown (Raiders), and James “Shack’ Harris (Ravens, Executive).  During the banquet Willis Reed (Knicks) and Larry Wright (Bullets) were NBA Champions.  Coach Eddie Robinson won more games than any other college coach when he retired just to name a few accomplishments.  The Grambling “G” has universal recognition from the marching band and success of many of their football teams and players’ success after Grambling.  A truth that many do not like to hear or realize is that athletic success does more to help a university than academic success does to help athletics.  A lesson I learned from my father growing up.   It is well documented that enrollment and revenues increases when athletics are successful, which helps the academics at institutions such as facilities and programs.  Whether you’re a sports fan or not, when your respective alma mater has athletic success there is a sense of pride and accomplishment.    An example is the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.  When a school makes a successful run alumni proudly boast about their school's success. 

Over the years since my father has passed I have met people from every period in his life.   All of them loved him and in their own way and appreciated something he did for them.  It could be as simple as calling their child on their birthday every year.  Assisting one of the players he coached make a college choice when they were not even considering attending college before playing for him.  Those that were fortunate to meet him will agree that he was truly one of a kind.  Charismatic, funny, brilliant, and loving are just a few adjectives.   Whether it was his hometown of Rayville, LA or Grambling he never forgot where he came from.  He took me to his hometown to meet people that impacted his life so I could have knowledge of his roots.  I remember one day we were in the store when I was about 10-11 years old and he told me whenever something happened to him that I would know my Daddy.  He kept his word!  Regardless of distance or circumstance nothing came between us and I am forever grateful.

It was appropriate that he was inducted as a contributor into the Sports Legends Hall of Fame because it cannot be quantified.  It was about the legacy left behind and impact on people they will always remember.  It has been almost 14 years since he passed and Grambling has taken numerous steps to acknowledge him.  An Endowed Professorship in the Physical Education Department, Memorial Golf Tournaments, and now Hall of Famer.   My desire is that his induction will inspire others to contribute in their own way to whatever his dear to them and leave a legacy behind because he was truly Hall of Fame worthy.

Do You Know What You're Doing?

Those that are willing exercise consistently have made a commitment in achieving their health and fitness goals.   My observations over the years has been that people are willing to commit to exercising, but do not exercise with purpose.  Which causes me at times to ask the question, “Do you know what you’re doing?” Each workout should have a purpose for a desired result.  It is easy to stick with the same routine over and over again and the fact that your attendance at the gym or class and breaking a sweat is sufficient.

There is not a shortage of fitness professionals, home video systems, boot camps, spin classes, zumba, aerobics, etc. offered.  All of these resources are very helpful.  All of them should have a purpose along with a healthy balanced diet that is tailored toward your goals.   Factors such as body type, genetics, nutrition, and types of physical activity should dictate what your goals are and the approach that should be taken.  Also, evaluating your schedule and plan what times and locations are best to workout.  For example, if there are only certain days of the week you can get to a gym for strength training do your cardio vascular exercises at home or outside. 

When approaching strength training there are many approaches to take.  Heavy weight, low reps, lighter weight, higher reps, circuit training, and/or combinations of them all.   Low repetitions with high weight increases strength, whereas high repetitions with low weight increases endurance. According to the concept, as repetitions increase there is a gradual transition from strength to endurance.  Splitting your strength workouts is beneficial.  I am a proponent of push/pull splits.  Pushing exercises involve the quads, calves, chest, shoulders and triceps. Pulling exercises include back, hamstrings, some shoulder exercises, biceps and abs. A push/pull split can be a combination such as chest/back and biceps and triceps for the upper body.  These are just examples of the many ways to split your strength workouts. 

In terms of cardio vascular exercise intensity and calories burned should be your focus more than time.  The first thing that comes to mind with cardio in most instances is long jogs and hours on an elliptical machine.   High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is another form of cardio that involves alternating between very intense bouts of exercise and low intensity exercise. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds is high intensity interval training. HIIT can be used both anaerobically (in the gym with weights) and aerobically with cardio.  Whatever form of cardio you choose look for ways to improve and increase the intensity, never get complacent.

The fitness industry is oversaturated with programs and concepts of what is the best way to train to reach fitness goals.  That is why it is important to gain the knowledge of what works best for you.  Regardless of how knowledgeable a person is the learning process never stops.  New forms of equipment and combinations of workouts are consistently being designed.  In some instances it is trial and error.  Even during that period every workout should have a purpose.  Take the time to learn the purpose behind exercises and routines. The greatest training sessions can be ruined with poor nutrition the rest of the day and week.  That is why as fitness professionals we stress the importance of the entire process. This will equip you to reap the benefits of consistently exercising and having proper nutrition.  Then you will know what you’re doing.

Don't Compare

LeBron James and the Miami Heat just completed an epic seven game series with the San Antonio Spurs to win back-to-back titles.  James has dealt with a lot of praise and criticism since being on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 16 years old.  Comparisons of James are always made with other great players, especially Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.  LeBron’s career will leave its own stamp on the game.  Comparisons to other players are not fair to him because his story is very unique.  There are many reasons why.

            LeBron received criticism with his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat in 2010.   As a fan I was very critical of how he handled his decision more than the actual one.  I do not believe he had bad intentions.  He just received poor advice from his management that happened to be his friends, who were also approximately 25 years old with similar life experiences handling a delicate and unprecedented situation.  From a pure basketball standpoint there have been very few NBA Championship teams without at least two legitimate Hall of Famers.  The exceptions being the 1989-90 Detroit Pistons, 1994 Houston Rockets, 2004 Detroit Pistons, and 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers.  James did not have Hall of Fame caliber teammates in Cleveland. Going to Miami especially with Dwayne Wade would provide him with the level of teammate necessary to win a championship.

            Let’s look at history the last 35 years.  Larry Bird had three Hall of Famers as teammates with Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, and Dennis Johnson.  Magic Johnson had James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  Dr. J’s lone NBA Championship came with Moses Malone.  After expansion in the late 1980’s two Hall of Famers seem to be enough.  Chicago’s Jordan/Pippen for most of the 1990’s, San Antonio’s Duncan/Robinson and the Lakers Kobe/Shaq as examples.           

            Another reason comparisons should not be used for LeBron is social and environmental.  James came straight out of high school.  He did not benefit from having the experiences of playing in college and in a structured environment for at least two years.  Even though Kobe Bryant came out of high school his story is very different from LeBron’s.  He is the son of a former professional basketball player.  Was able to see the world from his father playing in Europe.  And even coming out of high school he entered a situation that provided covering.    His first coach was Del Harris who coached his father when he played for the Houston Rockets and then Phil Jackson who had six rings when the Lakers hired him.  Jerry West was the team’s General Manager and one of the best basketball minds in the history of the game.  He was on a veteran laden team that included Shaquille O’Neal who was the most dominant force in the NBA and in his prime.  He had other veteran teammates such as Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, Horace Grant, Robert Horry, and Rick Fox who could provide leadership.  For the first eight years of his career all Kobe had to focus on was just playing.  Kobe was often compared to Jordan.  Phil Jackson who coached both them pointed out the difference between the two of them in his book Eleven Rings, "One of the biggest differences between the two stars from my perspective was Michael's superior skills as a leader," Jackson writes. "Though at times he could be hard on his teammates, Michael was masterful at controlling the emotional climate of the team with the power of his presence.  Kobe had a long way to go before he could make that claim. He talked a good game, but he'd yet to experience the cold truth of leadership in his bones, as Michael had in his bones."

            Michael Jordan’s story is unique in his own way.  Close relationship with his father.  Played for Dean Smith at North Carolina for three years.  Bobby Knight in the 1984 Olympics and had coaches such as Doug Collins, a former Olympian and first overall pick in the NBA Draft and then Phil Jackson who won two championships as a player and a head coach in the CBA before coaching Jordan.  Bryant and Jordan were fortunate to be in environment that better prepared them for success.  I do not feel LeBron has been the beneficiary of those kinds of environments until he came to Miami where Pat Riley is running the organization.  He has benefited from having a teammate such as Shane Battier who has helped him study opponents even better than he already was.

LeBron James now has two championships with many years remaining in his career.  He has represented the United States well participating in the Olympics three times.  Takes excellent care of his body and never had a major injury.  Serves his community in his hometown of Akron, OH and Miami, FL especially with children.  Constantly building a business empire including partnerships with American Signature furniture and Beats by Dr. Dre, plus an ownership stake in Cannondale bikes and many endorsers such as Nike, Samsung, and McDonald’s.  Respected by his teammates and coaches.  When he finally decides to hang it up let his career speak for itself.  It doesn’t have to be compared to anyone’s.  He is as unique package of athlete we have never seen.  Let’s just appreciate him for being who he is.

Have A Plan!

With busy schedules consisting of career, family, and extra curricular activities many individuals feel they do not have time to plan their workouts or eat healthy.  The bigger issue is that those two things have not become a habit and so prioritizing them seems challenging.  Exercise and eating programs need to be tailored toward a specific goal whether it is weight loss, gain, increased muscle, endurance, etc.  Here are some suggestions of how to approach a healthy lifestyle and eliminate the excuses.

Include Cardiovascular Exercise And Strength Training

Any exercise routine needs to combine cardio vascular exercise and strength training.  Exercise is not only a benefit to your physical health and appearance, but also mental and emotional health.  Cardio vascular exercise consists of walking, running, stationary bicycles, stair climbers, rowing machines, elliptical trainers and ladder climbers.   Walking or running outside does not require any equipment.  Running in place, jumping jacks, and burpees are examples of exercises that can be done inside or outside.  There are several forms of cardio vascular exercise that include low intensity, long duration, medium intensity, medium duration, high intensity, and short duration.  All of these combinations are effective methods of cardio vascular exercise.

There are numerous benefits to strength training regularly, particularly during the aging process. It can be instrumental in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions including:

•                arthritis

•                diabetes

•                osteoporosis

•                obesity

•                back pain

•                depression

Strength training is crucial to weight control, because individuals who have more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that consumes calories while stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is very helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.  Aerobic exercise has many benefits.  It maintains the heart and lungs and increases cardiovascular fitness and endurance, but it does not make your muscles strong.  That is why it is important to incorporate both in your exercise regiment.

Plan Your Meals

Eating the right foods at the right times is important.   For example, avoiding carbohydrates at dinner.  Instead of being used for fuel the carbs will be stored as fat because it is closer to bedtime.  Setting yourself up for success is essential.  Plan your meals like everything else is planned in your daily routine.   This may require packing your food for the day.  Being a spontaneous eater will lead to a poor choice. Meal preparation at home and being knowledgeable about the nutritional value of foods at restaurants will have you prepared.  Eating a balanced diet means choosing a wide variety of foods and drinks from all the food groups. Foods such as saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, salt and alcohol should be consumed in moderation. 

Find A Convenient Exercise Location

There are many places including your home to exercise.  If you plan to join a fitness center or a group that meets at a location it should be convenient to your home or job.  This will make the location convenient to the two places you spend the most time.   Time is important to all of us.  The less commute time you have to and from your place of exercising the likelihood of you being consistent will increase.