As you know, the following foods are poison and if you eat them, you will explode:

1. Meat because of saturated fat, poor quality (hormones, etc) and animals are cute
2. Milk and dairy products because of lactose, hormones, and questionable bioavailability of nutrients
3. Eggs because fat and cholesterol can kill you
4. Fruit because of the fructose sugar
5. Grains because of gluten sensitivity and poor nutrient value
6. Beans because of digestive interference
7. Any form of food that has been processed in any way because it will interfere with your metabolism.
8. Anything with sugar because it will give you diabetes
9. Anything with saturated fat because it’s bad
10. Water out of the faucet because it’ contaminated
11. Wild fish because of mercury
12. Farmed fish because of chemical treatments, hormones, and tainted food supply
13. Soy because it’s genetically modified and can negatively impact your hormone levels
14. Starchy vegetables like carrots because they are high on the glycemic index
15. Everything else in the last over-the-top documentary I saw or book I read

So what does that leave us? Maybe some organic, locally grown Kale. No one has zeroed in on that yet. Of course, you should probably go on a field trip and examine the seeds the Kale came from in addition to ordering a soil sample of the area in which it was grown to ensure maximal purity. Probably should make sure the farmer is of the proper ethical, religious, and genealogical tree necessary to produce consumable food as well.

Madness!!! Our nutritional culture in America exists under two guises:
1. Open your mouth, shove in whatever is closest to appease an immediate
neurochemical addiction.
2. Adhere by a single nutritional ideology often designed to conform to a
charismatic, outspoken individual’s personal agenda. Regardless of practicality or sustainability, attempt to fit this ideology to every nutritional need both for yourself and others.

This has succeeded in making one of the basic human need of eating a confusing, perilous novelty.

Eating is not a novelty! You must eat or you will die. Our need for food is identical to our car’s need for gas; in both quantity and quality. No gas, no go. Bad gas, bad go. It’s pretty simple.

In our society, however, all you need is a 3 cent sticker by your car’s gas tank instructing “premium fuel only” to ensure the owner will utilize only put the highest quality gas in the vehicle. Gas pump in one hand, supersized cheeseburger in the other.

With all the conflicting and restricting information available on nutrition, how can one tell what constitutes “premium fuel” when it comes to food? One man’s rocket fuel can be another man’s lawn mower gas.

I recommend the 3-step approach of think, act, and feel to determine what foods work best for you. For more information on this, I’d recommend Sean Croxton’s The Dark Side of Fat Loss (uwmfatloss.dsfl2314.hop.clickbank.net)

Think
Educate yourself. No, not by watching a one-sided, agenda-laden documentary or reading a similar book. Read a lot of books from varying approaches. Get your hands on actual human-based research with large, large populations (results from a population of 15 hung-over college students does not imply a scientific “truth”).

Where does the food you eat come from? What’s in it? How is it produced? Do you know what each ingredient on the ingredients list is? Could you spell them in a spelling bee? Are large companies motivated to produce food for quality, or profit?

I’m not a “profit is evil” guy. I’m quite the opposite. However, you do have to acknowledge economics when assessing the quality of your food. The truth is, real food items are expensive to produce, chemicals are not. There are a lot of hungry people so food companies need to maximize production and minimize associated costs.

Additionally, our population needs food on a consistent basis year round. Real food is err to the climate, soil quality, amount of land available for growth, and other natural plights of nature. Large food producers can’t risk a bad crop, disease, or any other limit to production. They stack the odds in their favor by hormone-ing, preserving, chemical-ing antibiotic-ing, etc.

With our limitless demands, limited resources, and general notion of entitlement (give me something but I don’t want to work or pay for it), this is the only way to guarantee consistent, affordable food for the masses. As resources are under a never-ending continued strain, this process will only get more extreme as time goes on. Less food, more chemical.

Does the above process create the best food for you to eat? If we want premium fuel, what would logic dictate as the best food choices? If you were to compare a small piece of grass-fed beef or a few whole eggs that you are familiar with the origins of and man has ate since the dawn of time to a plate of frozen “non-fat” soy giblets flavored and engineered to look like dinosaurs, which would you chose?
I’m not a judge, I’m just asking. Which do you think could lead to greater problems in our nation’s health?

Educate yourself and decide what you are comfortable feeding you and your family most of the time. Whatever your decision is, stick with it as much as you can. When you can’t, it’s not the end of the world. Prevalent, not occasional behavior is what will shape your health.

Act
In my opinion, when it comes to pollution, none is worse than the CO2 expelled from someone saying they are going to do something, then don’t do it. Acting on a belief is hard, especially if it’s a new belief or revelation. It takes forethought, discipline, energy, and commitment.

Due to the over-prevalence of inferior choices, eating for quality does require more of a process than “me hungry, must swallow stuff”. You may have to do some research and select food producers or stores you feel comfortable with. You will have to spend some time to prepare your food. Be ready to allocate some financial resources when you’re going for higher quality food as well.

In the situations where practicality reigns, making a better food choice may mean comparing two different snacks and going with the one with the shorter ingredients list. It may also mean “my friend is going to a chain restaurant for their birthday dinner so I’m going to go, eat, have fun, and keep my mouth shut about how nutritionally Pius I am”.

Unless our friends have birthdays every day or our lack of planning results in “which one is less bad” decisions every time we eat, these “blips” in a nutritional program are inconsequential. Remember prevalent, not occasional behavior is what shapes your health.

Feel
Start to pay attention to how the food you eat makes you feel. What foods make you gassy, tired, agitated, inflamed, etc. Also, what foods give you energy, focus, and the metabolism you want. Like a car, you do need to drive it to assess the quality of the fuel. Establish a relationship between what you eat, what you do, and how you feel.

That morning sluggishness, afternoon heartburn, 3 p.m. crash, and sleepless evening do not have to be daily human plights. Much like you don’t fix a leak in the sink buy buying a bigger bailing bucket, you’re not going to fix health problems you’ve created by getting more and more powerful drugs (caffeine, sleeping pills, antacids, etc.) Fix the leak, not the bailing bucket.

To determine what the best nutritional approach is for you; think, act and feel. Remember “premium fuel only” for optimal performance. Put that 3 cent sticker by your mouth if necessary. It will save you thousands, if not more. Never forget to enjoy life. Use your nutritional paradigm to guide, not indoctrinate you. Inspire, don’t condemn others!

“I DARE you to …”

Every week I have a W.O.W. (Word of the Week) to help keep me focused. This week’s WOW is DARE.

As a matter of fact, I will share a DARE with you every day in 3 different categories: physical, mental/emotional, & spiritual to help you live EXTRAORDINARY.

I also am going to welcome you to DARE yourself. What are the things that you would like to do? That you need to do? Maybe you’re even scared to do. Maybe you need to be DARED to do it. DARE yourself.

And lastly, feel free to DARE me back. Heck, I may even accept your DARE if it’s real good. What do you have for me? Bring it on! You get the idea.

All of the DARE’s will take place via my social media channels. You can follow them & interact with me at the following sites (please realize you must LIKE those FB LIKE pages to interact):

1. www.Facebook.com/todddurkinfq10 (my Todd Durkin Like Page)
2. www.facebook.com/fitnessquest10 (my Fitness Quest10 Like Page)
3. Twitter — @ToddDurkin (please use the #IDAREU tag after any of your posts)

It’s going to be a fun one. Feel free to take pictures, send videos, and share your thoughts. I want to see some BIG-TIME ACTION this week.

Live extraordinary. I DARE You!

Todd

TD Answer: Let me give you a good, better, best scenario based on your current starting level.

A “good” recommendation is 3 times per week for at least 20 minutes.  This is going to get you “jump-started” and allow you to start to boost energy, burn stress, and just feel better.  I’d focus on making these 20 minutes as “intense” as you can, since you are only exercising 20 minutes.  Get in 2-3 different total body strength circuits (lower body, push, pull) with each workout session.  And then get in some cardio with whatever remaining time you have left.

A “better” recommendation is 4 times per week for 30-45 minutes.  Here you are getting

in 2-3 total body strength training circuits (2x per week) for about 20-30 minutes followed by about 20 minutes of cardio.   The other 2 days, get in 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular work (walk, jog, elliptical, swim, bike, etc.).

A “best” recommendation is 5-6 days per week, ranging from 30-60 minutes per day, depending on your level and intensity.  Get in 3 days per week of strength training & 3 days of cardio minimum.  This is definitely for the person that is ready to commit to making some serious change in their body.

And if you want my BESTEST of BEST recommendation…then follow my book, The IMPACT! Body Plan.  Yeah, yeah, yeah….GET YOUR MIND RIGHT!!!

Q:  What is your go- to exercise to get the whole body involved?

A. Man, I have a ton of them.  I guess a few of them would be DB Squat & Shoulder Press, burpees with pushup & squat jump, or do a “10/10/10.”  That is 10 squat jumps, 10 pushups, & 10 pullups (or TRX Rows/Curls).  Repeat that for 3-4 rounds.  Come get some!

By Todd Durkin, MA, CSCS

They say a dog is man’s best friend. I think they’re right. I have a 13.5-year old Golden Retriever named Sid. Sid is getting old. For his breed, he IS old. I have to carry him up the steps at night because his legs sometimes give out. His hearing is just about done. He doesn’t move around very well anymore.

But he still wags his tail when I walk in the door at night.

Sid wags his tail when he’s happy. He wags his tail when we pet him, when we scratch his belly and when we feed him. Basically, he wags his tail when we pay attention to him and give him some love.

I sometimes say to my athletes and clients, “Wag your tail today.” I got this from a strength and conditioning coach friend of mine, Kevin Reaume. Kevin is the strength coach at La Jolla Country Day High School in San Diego, and he says this to his athletes. I use it now too. And I like it.

So, what does it mean to wag your tail?

Waggin’ your tail can mean you have “swagger.” I think all confident athletes have swagger.  I’m not saying to be a braggart or to be cocky. I’m simply saying to walk tall, walk confidently, and wag your tail. Body language must ooze confidence all the time.

Waggin’ your tail can mean that you might need to “Fake it til you feel it.” I know there are days when you don’t feel your best. Maybe you’re facing challenge or adversity. Maybe there’s an “energy vampire” in your life. You’re beat up, defeated, and downtrodden. I get it. It happens. But it doesn’t mean you have to live in that world. Fill your mind with positivity and tell yourself to walk tall. Don’t ever stop “waggin’ your tail.” I promise you, the simple act of waggin’ it can get your mood going in the right direction. So wag it baby, wag it!

Waggin’ your tail can mean you’re happy. It’s important that we all shine in our lives. And we can best shine when we appreciate the small things in life. A friendly greeting. A warm touch. A good meal. Connecting with someone you love.

The message today is simple: WAG YOUR TAIL. And then tell your friends, colleagues, co-workers, clients, patients, children, and family to do the same. It puts a smile on your face and one on everyone around you. Say to them when leaving, “Hey, don’t forget, WAG YOUR TAIL today.” Watch the smile!

I’m not sure how much TIME I have left with my pup, Sid. For 13.5 years I’ve been blessed to have him in my life. And one thing he taught me is that regardless of how hard, how difficult, or how challenging a day may be, nothing is better than coming home to a WAGGIN’ TAIL.

Time to WAG IT!

Peace and love,

Todd

This year I’ll enter my twenty-fifth year as a strength and conditioning coach. Last month I watched Barbara Walters celebrate her thirtieth year with a special called “30 Mistakes in 30 Years.” I’m going to celebrate my twenty-fifth anniversary by telling you my top twenty-five mistakes. Hopefully I’ll save you some time, pain, and injury. Experience is a wonderful but impatient teacher. And unfortunately, our experiences in strength and conditioning sometimes hurt people besides us.

Mistake #1: Knowing it all I love Oscar Wilde’s quote, “I’m much too old to know everything.” Omniscience is reserved for the young. As the old saying goes, you have one mouth and two ears for a reason. I’d take it a step further and say the ratio is four to one: two eyes, two ears, and one mouth.

To continue down the cliché road, how about this one: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” When I was young I had many answers and few questions. I knew the best way to do everything. Now that I’m older I’m not sure if I even know a good way to do anything.

Mistake #2: Not taking interns sooner

I was so smart that no one was smart enough to help me. (See mistake number one.) My productivity increased drastically when I began to take interns.

Note: Interns aren’t janitors, laundry workers, or slaves. They’re generally young people who look up to you and expect to learn. Take your responsibility seriously. Remember the golden rule.

Mistake #3: Not visiting other coaches

God, it seems everything goes back to number one! I was too busy running the perfect program to attempt to go learn from someone else. Plus, when you know it all, how much can you learn?

Find the good coaches or trainers in your area (or in any area you visit) and arrange to meet them or just watch them work. I often will just sit with a notebook and try to see what they do better than I do.

I can remember current San Francisco 49′ers strength and conditioning coach Johnny Parker allowing us to visit when he was with the New England Patriots and then asking us questions about what we saw and what we thought he could do better. Coach Parker is a humble man who always provided a great example of the type of coach and person I wanted to be.

Mistake #4: Putting square pegs in round holes

The bottom line is that not everyone is made to squat or to clean. I rarely squatted with my basketball players as many found squatting uncomfortable for their backs and knees.

It killed me to stop because the squat is a lift I fundamentally believed in, but athletes with long femurs will be poor squatters. It’s physics. It took me a while to realize that a good lift isn’t good for everybody.

Mistake #5: Not attending the United States Weightlifting Championships sooner

My only visit as a spectator to an Olympic lifting meet made me realize that Olympic lifts produced great athletes. I know this will piss off the powerlifters, but those Olympic lifters looked so much more athletic.

I remember being at the Senior’s when they were held in Massachusetts in the early eighties and walking away thinking, “This is what I want my athletes to look like.” Understand, at that time I was a competitive powerlifter and my programs reflected that.

Mistake #6: Being a strength coach

How can that be a mistake? Let’s look at the evolution of the job. When I started, I was often referred to as the “weight coach.” As the profession evolved, we became strength coaches, then strength and conditioning coaches, and today many refer to themselves as “performance enhancement specialists.”

All these names reflect the changes in our job. For too many years, I was a strength coach. Eventually I realized that I knew more about conditioning than the sport coaches did, so we took on that responsibility. Later, I realized that I often knew more about movement than the sport coaches too, so we began to teach movement skills. This process took close to eighteen of my twenty-five years. I wish it had been faster.

Mistake #7: Adding without subtracting

Over the years we’ve continued to add more and more CNS intensive training techniques to our arsenal. Squatting, Olympic lifting, sprinting, pulling sleds, and jumping all are (or can be) CNS intensive.

I think I do too much CNS intensive work, and intend to change that. My thanks go out to Jason Ferrugia for pointing out this one.

Mistake #8: Listening to track coaches

Please don’t get me wrong. Some of the people who were most influential in my professional development were track coaches. I learned volumes from guys like Don Chu, Vern Gambetta, Charlie Francis, and Brent McFarland.

However, it took me too long to realize that they coached people who ran upright almost all the time and never had to stop or to change direction. The old joke in track coaching is that it really comes down to “run fast and lean left.”

Mistake #9: Not meeting Mark Verstegen sooner

Mark may be the most misunderstood guy in our field. He’s a great coach and a better friend. About ten years ago a friend brought me a magazine article about Mark Verstegen. The article demonstrated some interesting drills that I’d never seen. I decided my next vacation would be to Florida’s Gulf Coast as Mark was then in Bradenton, Florida.

I was lucky enough to know Darryl Eto, a genius in his own right, who was a co-worker of Mark’s. In the small world category, Darryl’s college coach was the legendary Don Chu.

Darryl arranged for me to observe some training sessions in Bradenton. I sat fascinated for hours as I watched great young coaches work. Mark was one of the first to break out of the track mold we were all stuck in and teach lateral and multi-directional movement with the same skill that the track coaches taught linear movement. This process was a quantum leap for me and became a quantum leap for my athletes.

This was my step from strength and conditioning coach to performance enhancement specialist (although I never refer to myself as the latter). The key to this process was accepting the fact that Mark and his co-workers were far ahead of me in this critical area.

Mistake #10: Copying plyometric programs

This goes back to the track coach thing. I believe I injured a few athletes in my career by simply taking what I was told and attempting to do it with my athletes. I’ve since learned to filter information better, but the way I learned was through trial and error… and the error probably resulted in sore knees or sore backs for my athletes.

Track jumpers are unique and clearly are involved in track and field because they’re suited for it. What’s good for a long jumper is probably not good for a football lineman. It took me too long to realize this.

Mistake #11: Copying any programs

Luckily for me, I rarely copied strength programs when training my athletes. This mistake might be beyond the statute of limitations as it was more than twenty-five years ago.

I think copying the training programs of great powerlifters like George Frenn and Roger Estep left me with the sore back and bad shoulders I’ve carried around for the last twenty-five years. What works for the genetically gifted probably won’t work for the genetically average.

Mistake #12: Not teaching my athletes to snatch sooner

We’ve done snatches for probably the last seven or eight years. The snatch is a great lift that’s easier to learn than the clean and has greater athletic carryover. Take the time to try it and study it. You’ll thank me.

Mistake #13: Starting to teach snatches with a snatch grip

When I realized that snatches would be a great lift for my athletes I began to implement them into my programs. Within a week some athletes complained of shoulder pain. In two weeks, so many complained that I took snatches out of the program. It wasn’t until I revisited the snatch with a clean grip that I truly began to see the benefits.

Just remember, the only reason Olympic lifters use a wide snatch grip is so that they can reduce the distance the bar travels and as a result lift more weight. Close-grip snatches markedly decrease the external rotation component and also increase the distance traveled. The result is a better lift, but less weight.

Mistake #14: Confusing disagree with dislike

I think it’s great to disagree. The field would be boring if we all agreed. What I realize now is that I’ve met very few people in this field I don’t like and many I disagree with. I probably enjoy life more now that I don’t feel compelled to ignore those who don’t agree with me.

Mistake #15: Confusing reading with believing

This concept came to me by way of strength coach Martin Rooney. It’s great to read. We just need to remember that in spite of the best efforts of editors, what we read may not always be true.

If the book is more than two years old, there’s a good chance even the author no longer agrees with all the information in it. Read often, but read analytically.

Mistake #16: Listening to paid experts

Early on, many of us were duped by the people from companies like Cybex or Nautilus. Their experts proclaimed their systems to be the future, but now the cam and isokinetics are the past. Just as in any other field, people will say things for money.

Mistake #17: Not attending one seminar per year just as a participant

I speak approximately twenty times a year. Most times I stay and listen to the other speakers. If you don’t do continuing education, start. If you work in the continuing education field, go to at least one seminar given by an expert in your field as a participant.

(Note: Mistakes 18-25 are more personal than professional, but keep reading!)

Mistake #18: Not taking enough vacation time

When I first worked at Boston University we were allowed two weeks paid vacation. For the first ten years I never took more than one.

Usually I took off the week between Christmas and New Years. This is an expensive week to vacation, but it meant that I’d miss the least number of workouts since most of my athletes were home at this time. I think the first time I took a week off in the summer was about four years ago. My rationale? Summer is peak training time. Can’t miss one of those weeks.

I think there’s a thin line between dedication and stupidity, and I often crossed it. I think in my early years I was more disappointed that the whole program hadn’t collapsed during any of my brief absences. I felt less valuable when I returned from a seminar and realized that everything had gone great.

Stephen Covey refers to it as “sharpening the saw.” Take the time to vacation. You’ll be better for it.

Mistake #19: Neglecting your own health

This is an embarrassing story, but this article is all about helping others to not repeat my errors. Every year in February I’d find myself in the doctor’s office with a different complaint: gastro-intestinal problems, headaches, flu-type illnesses, etc. I had a wonderful general practitioner who took a great interest in his patients. His response year after year was the same: slow down. You can’t work 60-80 hours a week and be healthy.

Like a fool I yessed him to death and went back to my schedule. After about the fifth year of this process my doctor said, “I need to refer you to a specialist who can help you with this problem” and he handed me a card. I was expecting an allergist or perhaps some type of holistic stress expert. Instead I found myself holding a card for a psychiatrist.

My doctor’s response was simple. I can’t help you. You need to figure out why you continue to do this to yourself year in and year out. I went outside and called my wife. I told her it was a “good news-bad news” scenario. I wasn’t seriously ill, but I might be crazy. Unfortunately, she already knew this.

Mistake #20: Not recognizing stress

Again I remember talking to a nurse who was treating me for a gastrointestinal problem. I seemed to have chronic heartburn. Her first question was, “Are you under any stress?” My response was the usual. Me? Stress? I have the greatest job in the world. I love going to work every day!

Do you know what her response was? She said, “Remember, stress isn’t always negative.” It was the first time I’d really thought about that. My job was stressful. Long days, weekend travel, too many late nights celebrating victories or drowning sorrows. A part-time job to make extra money meant working at a bar on Friday and Saturday until 2 AM, and that was often followed by drinks until 4 AM.

Sounds like fun, but it added up to stress. The lesson: stress doesn’t have to be negative. Stress can just be from volume.

Mistake #21: Not having kids sooner

As a typical type-A asshole know-it-all, I was way too busy to be bothered with kids. They would simply be little people who got in the way of my plans to change the world of strength and conditioning. I regret that I probably won’t live to 100. If I did I’d get to spend another 53 years with my kids.

Mistake #22: Neglecting my wife

See above. It wasn’t until I had children that I truly realized how my obsession with work caused me to neglect my wife. I have often apologized to her, but probably not often enough.

Mistake #23: Not taking naps

Do you see the pattern here? Whether we’re personal trainers or strength and conditioning coaches, the badge of honor is often lack of sleep. How often have you heard someone say, “I only need five hours a night!”

In the last few years I’ve tried to take a nap every day I’m able. As we age we sleep less at night and get up earlier. I’m not sure if this is a good thing. I know when I’m well-rested I’m a better husband and father than when I’m exhausted at the end of a day that might have begun at 4:45 AM.

There’s no shame in sleep, although I think many would try to make us believe there is.

Mistake #24: Not giving enough to charity

Most of us are lucky. Try to think of those who have less than you. I’m not a religious person, but I’ve been blessed with a great life. I try every day to “pay it forward.” If you haven’t seen the movie, rent it. The more you give, the more you get.

Mistake #25: Reading an article like this and thinking it doesn’t apply to you

Trust me, denial is our biggest problem.

P.S. – Mike Boyle is releasing his new program, Functional Strength Coach 4 on Tuesday, April 24th. Functional Strength Coach 4 is Coach Boyle’s most up to date system cultivated from over 30 years of coaching everyone from general fitness clients to athletes ranging from junior high to All Stars in almost every major sport, that will guide you to better results with your athletes and clients. Click here to be the first to know about the all new Functional Strength Coach 4

If you have young kids, a job, and other life commitments, you know how difficult it is to create a “culture of wellness” at home. Allotments of time and energy are not infinite, nor is the time span at which your son or daughter is not “too cool” to do things with mom and dad.

As I consult with many families, they often don’t even know where to start when it comes to creating positive health and wellness behaviors that can shape a child’s (and adult’s!) health and quality of life. It comes down to finding daily opportunities to enjoy some aspect of health together, whether it be in your exercise, nutrition, or mindset.

I’ve created a 5-day plan to give families some guidance to incorporating wellness into their day. Consider it a challenge to do all five days in a row, then evaluate how simple daily initiatives can create a tremendous positive change in your family’s health!

Day 1: Outside Day
Your challenge today is to be outside together for at least 30 minutes. Unless it is dangerous, get out despite the weather. I grew up in Oregon and played in the rain every day. I never melted. Go for a walk, play an established or made-up game, or do anything else that’s fun and active. As an adult, be directly involved.

Day 2: Team Dinner
Plan a dinner and everyone in the family is responsible for making some part of it. The only rule is that you have to use natural, unprocessed foods. Salad should be part of the meal. Let the kids pick out some exotic vegetables and prepare them. Dessert is part of the meal too! Still has to be made and not just “opened”.

Day 3: Family Olympics
Time for a little competition. Each member of the family has to do the most of each of the following skills they can in 30 seconds:

Push-Ups
Sit-Ups
Jumping Jacks
Hover Plank (for time)
1-leg balance touches (each leg)

Day 4: 10 Different Fruits and Vegetables
Your goal today is for each member of your family to eat 10 different fruits and vegetables. You’ll need to prepare ahead of time, preferably by going to the store as a family and selecting the produce.

Day 5: Sock Fight!
Each member of the family gets 10 pair of balled-up socks. Everyone hides, and when someone says “go” it begins! Everyone is trying to hit everyone else by throwing socks. You can duck behind furniture, hide under beds, or anything else your own individual “rules” determine.

Each battle lasts 2 minutes. Try to do 3 or 4 battles in different rooms, or areas of the house. You will have to determine specific rules to ensure the game is safe, but you’ll be surprised how a simple game like this creates sweat, smiles, and fun!

Give the 5 days a try and then extend it into more. Work together to create a culture of wellness so our kids can become happy, healthy, pain-free adults.

Brett Klika C.S.C.S.
brettklika.com
Director of Athletics
Fitness Quest 10

Fitness Quest 10 presents…

2012 Speed and Strength for Scripps Ranch High School Field Hockey
June 25th-August 16th
Monday-Thursday 9-11 a.m. @Fitness Quest 10

Fitness Quest 10 will be offering a sport–specific speed, strength, and conditioning camp specifically for the Scripps Ranch High School field hockey team. This is separate from the other Fitness Quest programs offered this summer. Athletes can attend up to four two-hour sessions per week. At least two sessions per week are recommended.

Camp will focus on:
➢ Injury Prevention for Female Athletes
➢ Field Hockey Specific Speed and Agility
➢ Conditioning
➢ Sport Specific Strength Development

All Scripps Ranch High School freshmen, JV, and Varsity field hockey players are invited to attend! Please call (858) 271-1171 to register.

➢ Price for this 8-week camp will be
o $300 if registered by May 1st.
o $365 if registered by June 1st
o $400 after June 1st
*Prices not available in conjunction with any other promotions
*Pro-rating is available based on the $400 rate. No refunds will be administered after initial payment. Athletes can make up unexpected absences at one of our other summer camps through August 9th.

We will accept an absolute maximum of 30 athletes in the entire program. Sign-ups are first come, first serve. No refunds will be administered after initial payment.

➢ Incoming freshmen welcome!

➢ A signed liability form is necessary for participation. This can be found by clicking the “CAMPS” tab on the www.FQ10.com homepage.

➢ Pro-rating is available at $11.50 per session and must be accounted for at registration. No refunds will be administered after initial payment. Athletes can make up unexpected absences at one of our other summer camps through August 9th.

➢ Click here for information on other Fitness Quest 10 Summer Camps for boys and girls age 8-college.

Let’s Win Another One!!!!!!

Call (858) 271-1171 today to Register!

“Take two of these and call me in the morning”. Ahhh. Modern “health care”. Our entitled society believes we shouldn’t have to make changes to our lifestyle and our cash-strapped health care system has just given up on the notion. If you are sick, it’s someone else’s fault, keep doing what you’re doing and take a pill. I don’t blame it on doctors. They just respond to demand.
The problem with our nation’s health is an “I” or maybe a “we” but not a “them”.
The utter absurdity to which we address symptoms, not causes is laughable. This short-sidedness is not only breaking our healthcare system, it’s breaking our ability to thrive as humans. If a house has a cracked foundation, you can pound all the nails into the roof you want, but that house is going to fall apart.
Consider this logical model of health care. There are certain things that form the foundation of human survival. There are others, but the following form the most basic human needs:
1. Breathing- Breathing is our #1 survival need and nearly every physiological function we have is based on the quality and quantity of this necessity. We do it about 10,000 times a day. If the quality or quantity of breathing is compromised in any way, so is our health.

2. Water- Water is another foundation of life on earth. As humans were are comprised of mostly water. We need a constant intake of water to maintain appropriate physiological function. If we don’t get adequate quality and quantity of water, our ability to survive is decreased.

3. Sleep- We can go without food longer than we can go without quality sleep. Our body’s ability to perform depends on the “down time” during sleep to recover. With no down time, the human body cannot recover or recharge. It can only burn reserves until everything is gone. Then we’re gone.

4. Food- Our body needs the nutrients in food to stay alive and operate at an optimal level. Much like an automobile, if we use high-grade fuel, we get high-grade performance. Low grade fuel not only decreases performance, it causes damage.

Would you dare put low-grade fuel in a luxury car with a “premium fuel only” sticker? You can buy another luxury car. You can’t buy another body.

5. Movement- The human body is a perpetual motion machine. Nearly every physiological function depends on movement. Our intricate biomechanical system is designed to allow for a lot movement. Moving at a high intensity is how we used to get food, water, and shelter.

Years ago, if you didn’t move, you died of dehydration, starvation, or exposure. Movement is not a novelty, it’s a necessity. If you don’t have an adequate quality and quantity of movement, your existence will be compromised.
If the above are inarguably the foundations of health, why are they not the foundation of our health care? I’m talking both individually and as well as institutionally. Remember, it’s an “I” or “we” not “them”. You can’t argue that compromising any of the necessities of survival can be catastrophic to one’s health. This is not a “theory” or an “approach” it’s reality.

Why is it then, that we chose to ignore the obvious reality in favor of the short-sided approach of quick-fixes? The truth? We are lazy and entitled. We have reverted to a “them” society. Everything is everyone else’s fault and we are victims. Victims shouldn’t have to change their ways because after all, any and all maladies have been imparted unfairly upon them.

A true shift in our health care mentality starts with “I”. Health care professionals know more about the human body than the average man, so a “we” approach is even better. When a right-minded “I” teams with a like-minded “we”, it’s a formula for success. “Them” is always a formula for failure.

Start today with “I will pay attention to the foundations of me and my family’s health”. Breath better, drink more quality water, get more high quality sleep, eat high quality food, and get plenty of high quality movement. Reinforce the foundation of a long, happy, healthy life!