Exercises to Reduce Shoulder Pain and Prevent Injury

Exercises to Reduce Shoulder Pain and Prevent Injury

Another article for anyone with shoulder pain or tightness.

Basketball Plyometrics Exercises

Basketball Plyometrics Exercises

Another article by yours truely on Stack.com. This one focus' on getting your vertical up and getting some hops. Check it out and share if you like.
The important thing is to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we can become.

How to Become a Better Point Guard Part 1

How to Become a Better Point Guard Part 1

My first article with Stack Magazine focusing on developing point guard skill. Take a look and "pass" it on to your friend or that kid at the gym who just doesn't get it.

The important thing is to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we can become.

Tale of the Tape: Is Lebron the Anti Shaq?

Now I could easily start this off joking how of course Lebron is the anti Shaq since Shaq has rings and Lebron..well you understand. But that's not what this article is about. Throughout Shaquille O'neals career, he was called for little fouls on other players but drastic fouls on him were ignored. The refs reasoning was that Shaq was so big it was hard to tell when a foul really occurred because he can power through most. The same is said for Dwight Howard now days.

As for Lebron, he seems to get the exact opposite effect. Regarded as the prime physical specimen in NBA history by some based on his size and athletic ability, Lebron gets ALOT of calls. On offense a good amount of Lebron's game revolves around initiating contact and finishing at the rim. Yet unlike Shaq and Dwight, even with his size advantage, Lebron gets foul calls in his favor. Some could say its because he is a bigger star than Dwight, but bigger than The Big Aristotle? I think not.

Defense was no different as last nights OKC/Heat game. On the last play of the game for OKC, down by 2, Lebron blatantly fouled Durant. Had it been anyone else, a call would have been made. Could Durant have still made the shot? Sure, but the foul or non call of one changed the game.

Should players be penalized for being bigger than their competition? And if so why doesn't Lebron seem to have the same area? Not to say Lebron never really gets fouled but the calls in his favor are sometimes BIGGER than the game..

Bron Brief: Fasted Cardio

Want to burn a few quick extra calories? Get into the habit of doing 15 minutes of fasted cardio (cardio on an empty stomach) every morning, and watch your body start to change shape. When you work through a short workout on an empty stomach, you’re using stored fat for energy. If you eat breakfast and then do cardio, you’re only burning off some of the food you just consumed. These workouts can be intense but you should never look to push yourself to the point of feeling light headed.Work out  harder, AND Smarter.

The important thing is to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we can become.

Bron Brief: The Best Damn Abs

"Beach body" programs are all I've been asked for lately. Summers coming around so everyone is rushing to the gym hoping to kill it for one month and look like a underwear model. While I've already stated in numerous blogs why that won't work, I'm sure everyone is still going to try. Step one, the washboard abs. 

Bron Brief: Toning is More than Cardio

If I asked someone to describe the average woman workout at your basic gym, how would it go? Probably something like; 30 minutes on the treadmill, 30 minutes on the elliptical, some machine crunches, few reps on the abductor machine, and another 15 minutes on the stair stepper if your bad ass. Sure your tired after and feel like you should be dropping pounds but did you do enough? The answer is no!

Chocolate Dipped Banana Chunks

Another easy to make snack that won't kill your diet but also won't have you going cold turkey on good tasting things while trying to lose weight. Put 2 tablespoons of semi sweet chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until it melts. Cut a banana into 1 inch chunks and dip them halfway into the chocolate fondue style. Eat it right away or freeze it for a snack.

Nutrition:
Serving:1 Banana
Calories:190
Fat: 7grams
Cholesterol: 0mg
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrates: 36g
Sugars: 24g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 0mg

Athlete Profile: Jennifer Austin

"Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident." While not 100% accurate,that line from the cult classic movie "Anchorman" was pretty much the general idea I had about Javelins when I joined freshman track in high school. Suit up, throw an awesome spear thing at someone, sit back down, get a medal. You could imagine my dismay when not only was there more to it, I was actually BAD AT IT. Though it looks simple enough, throwing a Javelin takes a lot more technique than just raw athletic ability or arm strength. So sadly my dreams of being the next Achilles or throwing a spear and kicking someone in a giant hole Greek mythology style lasted one full day. For the athletes lucky enough to even be good at it, avenues to show off that talent are pretty limited. Sure you can do it throughout high school and maybe college but like most sports the road ends there...unless you are elite. Once you are elite, a whole new door opens up with the possibility of competing in the Olympics. With the 2012 Olympics coming up, today I bring you Olympic track and field hopeful Jennifer Austin. If the last name sounds familiar she is the older sister of Dallas Cowboys receiver Miles Austin. The original Austin athlete, Jen, is a former Big East champion in Javelin and now has her eyes set on the 2012 Olympics trails. Like anyone else who knows the Austin family, being dedicated and a hard worker is just in their blood. Apparently, so does being a top notch athlete, although their father, Miles Austin II, hacks in basketball  (don't tell him I said that).Without further ado, Jennifer Austin.

The Single Best Cheap Secret

Ready for it?...
It's water! Yes everyone knows drinking water can do wonders for your waist but did you know drinking 16 ounces before every meal could help you lose up to 5lbs?
But to some people water is boring so spice it up.. Drop fruit or berries in your water to give it some zest without extra calories or sugar. Eat more fruits filled with water like oranges and apples (they both lower your bmi) or go body builder style, get a jug or water bottle and keep it with you at all times.

Athlete Profile: Myree "Reemix" Bowden

Vince Carter..Josh Smith..Nate Robinson..Gerald Green..Dwight Howard..Jason Richardson..Blake Griffin..I'd ask you what all these names have in common but you've probably already figured it out. Each person here has shown they have the athletic ability, creativity and in some cases put their name on the line to win the NBA DUNK CONTEST. Although recent contests have left some to believe that maybe the NBA doesn't hold the best dunkers in the world anymore. Today I got to interview one of the people making that claim look realistic. Enter Myree Bowden aka The Reemix.

Get Lean Quick Mens Diet (190-200lbs)

Here's a sampl diet for a 190-200 pound male looking to lose body fat. It can easily be easily tweaked for a heavier person by slightly raising the amounts or a lighter person by decreasing the servings.

Meal 1
8 egg whites
1 whole egg
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup fruit

Meal 2
8 ounce chicken
1/2 cup cooked rice

Meal 3
6 ounce chicken
6 ounces potatoes
Salad or 1/2 cup veggies

Meal 4
1/2 cup tuna
1/2 cup rice
1/2 oz almonds

Meal 5
8 ounce tilapia
1/2 oz almonds
1 cup veggies

Meal 6
8 ounce turkey breast
Asparagus - 20 medium spears

Bron Brief: Chest Like Ken, Legs Like Barbie?

Go into any gym in probably the US and you'll see tons of guys doing chest and arms. From time to time you'll get a sprinkle of people doing legs but its rare and the ones who do are usually doing them wrong. Women do legs 24/7 but most tend to just sit on machines and open/close for 20 minutes then throw in a few kickbacks. Heck I've seen guys hold up the squat rack for a hour just to crank out some bicep curls. Why is this you ask? Because its hard to show of your leg muscles on a regular basis and...leg training IS HARD!!

A Berry-Good Smoothie

With the weather getting nice and sunny (sorry Alaska readers if I have any) chances are you'll be out and about more. That also leads to a higher chance of eating fast food junk. Even things like store bought smoothies can be bad. On-the-go smoothies are usually loaded with sugar and so many calories, you might as well just have a dairy queen milk shake (nice dairy queen plug). But don't (there goes the plug :( ) Make your own smoothies using this recipe. It's only 161 calories and loaded with antioxidants. Just toss. The ingredients in a blender and process until it's smooth. Lay out, drink and enjoy a healthy nice day.

Needs:
1 Cup of Berries (raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries)
1/4 Cup of Pomegranate Juice
1/4 Cup of Water
Half of a Banana
1 Cup of Ice
= Banging Smooth

Bron Brief: Building Better ABs

Million Dollar ABs Here We Come

People commonly think, "Hey if I do a million crunches every day, I'll have a 6 pack in no time." Wrong.. Your abs are like any other muscle in your body. By working them everyday you can over train them and actually set your beach body goals back a few weeks. Train them 2-3 times a week from all different angles through crunching and stabilization. Also use weights if you want them to really stand out.

P.S: Keep in mind, muscle definition like ABs is 90% diet...It takes 250,000 crunches to burn 1 pound of fat. Thats 100 crunches a day for 7 years. So in short you can do the greatest ab workout ever and if your body fat % is too high they will be the greatest abs hidden under layers of fat. So be careful what you eat.

"The important thing is to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we can become."

Bron Brief: Kill Your Lacks

No its not a typo of my trying to say Lats. 2 Common excuses for not working out are known as the 2 lacks. Lack of money and Lack of time. Money is the tougher of the 2 to fix but I'm sure if you sat down and wrote out what you spent money on in a week you'd see plenty of things that could be redirected towards your health goals. As for time, this ones easy. Everyone says they can't train or get to the gym because of time at one point or another. So try this out. For one day, schedule a time to workout, and then MAKE SURE you do it. Even if you can only exercise 10-15 minutes, get it done. At the end of the day, ask yourself if you were any less productive throughout the day than usual. The answer will probably be a no and one of your two main lacks will be gone.

The important thing is to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we can become.

Terry Crews Workout Equipment Spoof

We've all seen how ridiculous some commercials are for exercise equipment these days. Some 300lb ripped guy struggling to do a basic push up or crunch and then breezing through them thanks to the new handy dandy equipment. While their funny to those of us who know they don't work, some people actually believe them and waste hundreds of dollars buying into them. Sure they ignore the fact that this machine only works the triceps yet this guy is a world class body builder but whatever motivates you I guess. Well recently former NFL player turned actor Terry Crews decided to take it upon himself to show just how crazy some of these commercials actually seem during his muscle and fitness interview. Its just a spoof so don't jump to your credit cards if you think this might work for you...instead slap yourself..

From Gut to Greeeatt

Now everyone looks for that golden pill that will do all the hard work for them. Sorry if thats what you came here looking for but thats not the case. Fredrick Douglas said himself without struggle there is no progress and with these 10 tips maybe your struggle can be a little easier. You have probably heard most of these before but now its up to you to get off your butt and do them.

10. Take Measurements

You'll never reach your destination if you don't know your starting point. A great place to begin is calculating your body-fat percentage or at least body part circumference.
This will allow you to set accurate goals and measure progress. Don't just rely on the scale or your Wii BMI (which doesn't include muscle ratio). The more information you have on your body, the better you will be able to see and analyze your progress.

Fitness Profile: Sheri Koepsel

When you bring up the topic of women's body building to your average woman, the reaction could go either way. Some automatically assume that everyone who participates looks like Chyna from the WWE (not to be confused with Chloe Kardashian, thank you Maronzio) and that their just naturally juiced big amazons. Others appreciate the time and effort put in by these women to hone their craft and reach the apex of their body. On a good note, over time the trend is shifting more towards the latter. Women's Body Building has slowly evolved into Women's Physique and Fitness, showing off a more slender and sexy aspect while still being well...ripped and badass. The current peoples champ, Dana Linn Bailey has opened the eyes of a lot of people and helped open the doors for many new up and comers as well. Through my constant networking and Mark Zuckerberg's genius, a while back I came across one of those up and comers by the name Sheri Koepsel out of Milwaukee. For those of you who don't know Sheri your missing out. A total ball of energy, who along with being a NPC Competitor,winning 2nd place at the 2011 Badger State Figure show, also holds the title of certified personal trainer and model under her belt. No matter if its through wild facebook status' or spur of the moment walking lunge youtube video's you can see Sheri Koepsel loves what she does. So of course when time came around for my next fitness profile, I hit up Sheri for a interview.

Healthy Midnight Snack: Yogurt Covered Strawberries

A lot of peoples biggest weakness' is eating to late. When you eat late, you usually sit around or even worse fall right to sleep which leads to food not being burnt or properly digested. So theory's like "no food after 7pm" came around and for some that's hard to stick to. So heres a light and healthy snack you can have at night that won't kill your diet or stomach: Yogurt Covered Strawberries;

Dip some strawberries (halved or whole) in vanilla yogurt (Greek might be best, because it's thicker), then lay them on a wax paper lined pan and freeze Voila: Yogurt-covered strawberries! Depending on the type of yogurt you just made a roughly 90 calorie snack.

Maximize Your Time Workout

Your legs are easily your biggest muscle group yet you rarely ever ask someone how much they squat. Leg routines burn a ton of calories due to the face most leg exercises use other muscle groups (not counting machines). So here's a leg loaded full body workout you can do at home or at the gym. Use weights heavy enough that your arms get a good workout during the upper body and combination exercises while focusing on getting low into the Squats. Also don't forget to sit back during leg exercises with a straight line from knee to ankle and keep your knee behind your toes with your chest out. Do all 3 exercises in the group circuit style for set reps then rest and move to the next group after 30-60 sec.

Group 1) 3 sets of 10
Low Squats, Push Press, Bent Row

Group 2) 3 sets of 15
Squat to High Pull, Front Squat, RDL

Group 3) 3 sets of 10 (10 each Leg/Arm)
Lunge, Push Up, Renegade Row

Group 4) 3 sets of 12
Feet Elevated Hip Bridge, V-Up, Russian Twist

Remember form is key here so focus, activate your glutes and shed some fat

Lemon Cubes: A healthy time saver

By now most people know the benefits of drinking lemon water throughout the day. For those of you who don't know, here's a quick rundown of the benefits;

1. Boosts your immune system: Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds. They’re high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function. Potassium also helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH: Drink lemon water everyday and you’ll reduce your body’s overall acidity.

3. Helps with weight loss: Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings.

4. Aids digestion: Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials.

5. Is a diuretic: Lemons increase the rate of urination in the body, which helps purify it. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin: The vitamin C component helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well. It can actually be applied directly to scars to help reduce them.

7. Freshens breath: Not only this, but it can help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis.

8. Relieves respiratory problems: Warm lemon water helps get rid of chest infections and halt those pesky coughs.

9. Keeps you zen: Vitamin C is one of the first things depleted when you subject your mind and body stress.

10. Helps kick the coffee habit: After having a glass of hot lemon water, Most people actually don’t crave coffee in the morning.

Now normally people who do this need big just of water to put the lemons but that can tedious so here's a stylish way you can add for yourself or when you have guests over and it's super easy.

Take a small/average size cupcake pan. Slice up some lemons. I suggest just a wedge or 1/8 of a lemon in each one. Fill each one with water and put the pan in the freezer. Half hour later and tada, trendy lemon cubes that can fit in normal glasses and still look nice. Also this works with cucumbers which if you saw the movie OTHER GUYS “The cucumber accents the water in such a way that..." which also has similar health benefits to lemon water.

Tip: Grind the used lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to help deodorize it.

Tip: Warm lemon water has the best effect but cold is still efficient.

Food For Thought: Veggie Chicken Stir Fry

This is a great meal for a busy night--for some added fun, leave the forks in the cabinet and bring out the chopsticks! 148 CALORIES

Veggie Chicken Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS
1 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 t hoisin sauce
1 c warm water
1 T cornstarch
1 t peanut or olive oil
1 t garlic, minced
1 t ginger, minced
1 t Thai hot sauce
2 c mushrooms, sliced
2 c broccoli slaw or chopped broccoli
1 c carrots, shredded
1 red pepper, roasted
2 c chicken breasts, cooked and cubed


DIRECTIONS
Makes 4 servings

1. Combine the soy sauce, hoisin, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl.

2.Stir to combine; set aside.

3.In a flat bottomed pan or wok set to high heat, add the oil, garlic, ginger, and Thai hot sauce.

4.Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the vegetables and chicken.

5. Stir fry, moving all ingredients in the wok quickly for 3-4 minutes. Add prepared sauce and continue to cook until the liquid thickens.

6.Serve with brown rice or rice noodles.

Number of Servings: 4

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
FAT: 2.3g
CHOLESTEROL: 41.0mg
SODIUM: 265.3mg
CARBS: 12.7g
DIETARY FIBER: 2.7g
PROTEIN: 18.9

Know Your Trainer: Buyers Guide to Personal Training

Knowing what your trainer is good at and capable of is almost as important as knowing your own goals. Like my mission statement says, the fitness industry is flooded with a ton of junk. Sadly a lot of that falls onto trainers too. Now everyone and their mother (literally in some cases) think they're trainers almost as much as girls who take pics of themselves on facebook call themselves models. But back to the point, there's ALOT of trainers, and most fall into categories. If your a trainer, read over them and see which one you fall into for giggles and if your a client point out which ones you've seen at your gym. Here we go;

Lose 5lbs of fat at home..

No no, this isn't a call to dump you significant other as my friend assumed when I told her about the workout BUT it may still be more beneficial. As the picture shows, 5lbs of solid fat is not something sexy to look at. Think if you could just take something like that off your body for a little hard work and watch what you eat...would it be worth it?
Below is a workout you can do at home that only takes a half hour and with a healthy diet will get you on your way to that 5lb fat loss. SPOILER alert though; the routine is not for the faint of heart. Like most circuit training the goal is to finish as fast as possible but in a safe manner. Rest period time is up to you but take what you need. Sometimes it will only be long enough to catch your breath, other times it might take a full minute. No matter what push yourself and try to improve the speed you finish with each time even if it's only a minute faster. Without further ado here's the workout;

30 Jumping Jacks
5 Push Ups
25 High Knees in Place
7 Burpees/Thrusters
10 Crunches
7 Squats
5 push Ups
10 Crunches
5 Push Up
7 Squats
30 Jumping Jacks
5 Push Ups
25 High Knees in Place
1 Min Wall Sit

Rest, Repeat 2-5 times (5 is for someone in really good shape so don't fret if you can't do that many circuits right out the door, just keep it as a goal.) Also if any exercise seems to easy, like 5 crunches or 7 Squats just add a little weight. No need to be Ronnie Coleman but a 10lb dumbbell or 2 can really burn you out.

And there you have it. Do this three times a week. Clean up your diet by eating 5-6 healthy small meals throughout the day and make sure to rest. Nothing worthwhile comes easy but it is achievable..

15 ways to burn more fat

1) Stay Hydrated
2) Drink Low-fat Milk
3) Get More Vitamin D
4) Eat Iron Enriched Foods
5) Fight Fat with Fiber
6) Drink Coffee or Tea
7) Eat Breakfast Everyday
8) Eat More Heat (spicy peppers and foods like that speed up metabolism)
9) Drink Cold Water
10) Stand Rather Than Sit
11) Eat Organic
12) Eat More Protein
13) Go To Bed Earlier
14) Don't Starve Yourself, Instead Eat Healthier More Often
15) Take Advantage Of Holidays Like Valentines and Make Sweet Barry White Loving Since Properly Done Sex Burns Around 300 Calories

KettleBell HIIT: Not just for crossfitting

We've all seen kettle bells before, the look like cannon balls with handles. And as trendy as they've become (most spa gyms have a few now) they have actually been around for years. Thanks to things like cross-fit everyone started wanting to use kettle bells because they think it makes them look hardcore only to find out just how great they work. Combine that with some Tabata style 30 second on 10 second off circuits and you have a full blown fat burning workout in a few short minutes.

Change your "Fatty" habits

If your eating when bored or when glued to the type, you're not helping yourself. Here are five ways to control your worst eating habits.

1) LOSING CONTROL WITH FRIENDS: If you're hanging at your house, spread out some baked chips and salsa. If you're a guest, bring some. I personally fall in the habit of buying tons of pizza when my teammates come over. Opt for chicken tenders instead of wings as a side. They've got more protein and hold the barbecue flavor. When you've almost had enough to eat, reach for a piece of gum.

2) LATE NIGHT SNACKING IN FRONT OF THE TV: If you must munch, prepare smaller plates and eat only at the kitchen table, not the couch. (DVR your show.) Also buy individual-size portions of your favorite snack foods and stash them in the back of the cupboard or fridge. The harder it is to get at the food, the less likely you are to inhale it.

3) CRAVING JUNK FOOD AT THE OFFICE: Stay on a regular eating schedule. Bring your own healthy lunch and snacks, like nuts or fruit. For work lunches, set the tone by ordering first, selecting a salad or soup to start followed by a lower calorie entree. And just say no to the bread basket.

4) STUFFING YOURSELF AT FAMILY DINNERS: Break with tradition. Bring a low-cal dish but don't make it too healthy or it will attract unwanted critiques. Pile on your own plate with veggies, then take only small portions that you really love. If your relatives get on your back for not eating as much as you "should" ask for a doggie bag.

5) PIGGING OUT AFTER WORKOUTS: Eat something before hand. A combination of protein and carbs will prevent blood sugar from dipping so low that your tempted to eat more calories than you burned off. A slice of whole-wheat bread with all-natural peanut butter and a banana is one great pre workout option.

Now stop oinking and get training