https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog.atom superchargedlists - Virus Australia Blog 2020-03-25T11:22:00+11:00 superchargedlists https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/roaring-success-peter-burge-on-coaching-at-richmond 2018-08-17T09:37:00+10:00 2018-08-17T11:02:05+10:00 Roaring success – Peter Burge on coaching at Richmond Katie M More

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In the lead up to Richmond’s triumphant 28 point defeat of Collingwood at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, we were fortunate to sit down for a chat with the team’s Physical Performance Manager, Peter Burge.

Peter runs a tight ship at Richmond, managing the training of all 44 players, with a team of strength and conditioning, rehab, and sports science coaches, in conjunction with the clubs medical team. Much of his time is spent planning, communicating, and focusing on player wellness and preparedness.

“Number one thing is making sure players are fit and healthy, and able to do what they turn up to do each week, and that’s play football.”

Peter had his own athletic career in track and field, prior to moving to the AFL thirteen years ago. Having followed the sport for many years, the prospect of coaching AFL was very attractive, and would enable him to, not only, contribute to players health and fitness, but also impart knowledge and learn more about the game itself.

At the end of 2012, when at opportunity to work with Coach Damien Hardwick arose, he made the move from St. Kilda to Richmond. He and Damien had worked together at Hawthorn for seven years previously.

Between 2013 and 2015, Richmond made the finals three years in a row, however he recalls 2016 as a rather ordinary year, by comparison.

“Some people think we had this miraculous turn-around but for me it was just a blip on the radar and it was part of their progression to get better again.”

Heading into 2017 season, many changes were made, with different coaches helping implement new ideas around coaching and conditioning.  Peter counts Richmond’s 2017 Premiership win as one of the highlights of his career so far, however he says it was a very special and unexpected win.

“It had been so long for the footy club, and to see a lot of happy faces, the people around Richmond enjoying it, it was a massive buzz to be a part of. “

The 2018 season has been an interesting time for Peter, facing different challenges and higher expectations. With a later finish to the season and a shorter pre-season, the number one priority has been player health, ensuring all players start out in great shape. After the massive year in 2017, it’s been a balancing act, getting enough work in without tipping  players over the edge.

“Whilst I have a pretty important role, we all work together and I’m proud to be a part of the group.”

In the pre-season on top of their football training, Richmond players typically strength train four days a week with two lower, and two upper, body programs, which reduces to three in the playing season. Programs are tailored for players individual needs, with some younger players often getting extra sessions in to support their development. Programs typically focus on strength, power and speed.

To achieve balance, and get that 1% edge, they also take advantage of different recovery methods such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga and pilates, along with the strategic use of compression gear. Richmond uses Virus Bioceramic compression gear to help them recover post game/training, during travel and sleep, and to keep them warm in winter training sessions.

Performing at such a high level it is hard to completely avoid injury, especially with such a fast moving sport. So how does Peter deal with player injuries?  Working with Richmond’s medical team and programs prescribed by their rehab specialists, players are kept moving. A player Injury provides a unique opportunity to make all-round improvements to movement patterns, techniques and ability. Player’s athletic conditioning is also kept up during rehabilitation using cross training, bikes and swimming, to allow them to heal from specific injuries while still staying fit and making improvements.

With such an extensive knowledge of coaching for the sport, where does Peter recommend amateur footballers can start to improve their game? The real advantage, he says, is in the conditioning. At an amateur level there is huge amount of variance in conditioning, compared to elite AFL level. Working on being fit, by eating healthy and having a good aerobic base level of fitness, can give an amateur much more of an the edge over the competition.

Speaking of competition, we wish the team all the best and look forward to watching Richmond’s performances heading in to the end of the 2018 season.

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https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/jen-hughes-wonder-woman-of-gw-performance 2018-06-14T11:30:00+10:00 2018-06-14T11:59:22+10:00 Jen Hughes: Wonder Woman of GW Performance Katie M Jen Hughes encourages any females thinking of taking up the sport, to do their homework, find a good coach, a good gym that will educate you, and to never settle for second best or feel forced into training where your friends train.

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It takes a lot of grit, hard work and dedication to make a name for yourself in the world of CrossFit but Jen Hughes is doing just that. With only around 2 years of serious competing under her belt, Jen is rising up the ranks.

We sat down to speak to Jen at GW Performance in South Yarra, where she is also a coach, to find out exactly how she manages to balance following her passion as an athlete, whilst coaching the sport she loves.

Finding CrossFit

Jen first stumbled across the sport in 2014 when a personal trainer she was working with recommended she try it. She did a bit a ‘youtub-ing’ and was blown away by the female CrossFit athletes ridiculous strength and capabilities, not to mention their bodies, having had weight fluctuations of her own over the years.  While she was a bit intimidated, she was also extremely keen to try it out. After doing so and discovering how grueling it actually was, she had a ‘thanks-but-no-thanks’ kind of start. However she soon returned, coming back again and again, before deciding it was the sport for her.

Indeed it seems like her naturally competitive nature is what lit the spark for her.

Growing up, whenever someone told Jen she couldn’t do something, she made it her mission to prove them wrong. She began noticing with CrossFit, that would get that little bit better each session, being able to achieve what she previously thought she couldn’t do. In 2014 things were very different and it wasn’t as common for a female to compete in high intensity gymnastic events like those at CrossFit. She soon realised that this was something she wanted to be able to do, as a test her own personal limits.

While Jen had always had quite the obsessive personality, she found she’d often start things but never finish them. She wanted CrossFit to be different, to be the girl with all the potential who actually made it, instead of the girl just going in circles. She found ways to balance her busy schedule of working, studying and competing with good nutrition, recovery and sleep, to enable her to put her on the course to CrossFit success.

Defining moments

Jen’s defining moment in CrossFit came at the Australian Fitness Titles in Pakenham in 2015, her first ever CrossFit competition. It was a rather emotional finish, with Jen thinking she had absolutely no chance of winning the comp, only to find out, to her disbelief, that she had indeed won. Through this reaction, it became apparent to her just how serious she was about the sport, it clearly wasn’t just a Saturday hobby. This encouraged her ramp up her efforts, finding herself competing against the top 30 athletes in the Torian Pro in 2017, leveling up with the best.

In the 2018 CrossFit Open Jen decided to separate her work from her coaching and competed with the team from CrossFit SouthWharf, under the guidance of Mitch Sinnamon. This enabled her to have 5 weeks of shared experience with like-minded people, without it impacting her performance or her coaching responsibilities at GW.

To her dismay, just before the open commenced she fell ill, and then suffered a shoulder injury. She pulled out all stops and, incredibly, managed to make it in around the top 100 mark in Australia, her highest placing yet (results are still being finalised at the time of writing). Although she is first to admit that 5 weeks of competing do not define you as an athlete or person, it did prove to her just how far she had come, to achieve such a finish with the odds stacked against her.

CrossFit from a female perspective

Being a female in CrossFit is amazing, according to Jen, as it is a sport where she is NOT seen as second best. It is helping break down the stigma of women in the weight room, and perceptions of what the media would have us believe a woman SHOULD be. The community is equal, men and women can throw down together, have a laugh and congratulate each other at the end of tough session. It is empowering, this much is apparent just from being in Jen’s presence and hearing of her personal experiences and those of her clients.

This is one of the main reasons why Jen is also a coach. She relishes being able to have an impact, and help people overcome the limits they have put on themselves. In fact she screams louder than her clients do when they hit their successful first muscle up or clean.

Jen finds that by helping them realise their capabilities on the gym floor, it often translates to their life. They feel confident to go get the jobs they want, and do the things they’ve only dreamed of doing. The fact that she’s a woman means her female clients can relate to her, they are not alone and she is one of them, she can draw from experience.

Jen encourages any females thinking of taking up the sport, to do their homework, find a good coach, a good gym that will educate you, and to never settle for second best or feel forced into training where your friends train. Go with your gut, find the right place for you.

How she finds her drive

Being so driven, where does Jen draw her inspiration from? Indeed it is from the CrossFit community itself, especially all the competitors who have yet to get up on that podium but keep persisting their their sport, never giving up despite not getting the recognition of the big name athletes.

Jen credits a solid support network and her boyfriend, also a coach who understands the demands of the sport, for helping keep her grounded. She emphasizes the need to be surrounded by people with the right mindset to help keep her on track. At times, she’s struggled to relate to friends as it is hard for them to understand why she would endure what she has for the sport.

She also credits her sponsors True Protein and Virus, for not only supporting her vision but also treating her like family, constantly checking in with her. In fact she believes the Virus slogan, ‘The passion that defines you’ represents her own journey and struggles, fuelled by her passion to succeed in the sport she loves. She may also be guilty of owning our bioceramic pants, in every colour, but loves the fit, the thicker waist band and the fact they don’t ride down when she needs to perform. She’s also a fan of the Active recovery track pants, for the fact that she can chill in comfort while they help her recover faster.

And recovery is what she claims she will be focusing on for a while, that is, of course, unless she makes it to the regionals, in which case she will once again be throwing down with the best of them.

What does the future hold for Jen? Find out by following her on Instagram and Facebook.

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https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/chris-medcraft-putting-crossfit-craigieburn-on-the-map 2018-05-11T12:27:00+10:00 2018-06-26T13:05:57+10:00 Chris Medcraft, putting CrossFit Craigieburn on the map Katie M While Chris is now incredibly proud of Crossfit Craigieburn, it wasn’t always part of the plan.

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As the recent CrossFit open was drawing to a close, we touched base with respected CrossFit athlete Chris Medcraft, at his world-class facility Crossfit Craigieburn, to talk about his love of the sport, the passion that defines him.

Chris wasn’t always the driving force behind the Craigieburn CrossFit gym, in fact unlike many other athletes of his caliber, he grew up hating sport. In his early 20’s Chris’ competitive streak was reserved for video games, when he wasn’t busy working as a concreter or partying it up. However this lifestyle started to take its toll on his body, and Chris started to stack on weight. Chris started looking for a way to lose weight, trying out bodybuilding, boxing, boot-camps, any sport he could find, but nothing clicked. That was until one fateful training session with his brother, who put Chris through a CrossFit workout that he and his army buddies did for fun. Chris felt dreadful during that high intensity workout, consisting of 3 rounds of 400m runs and 50 air-squats, coughing up phlegm all the way through. It was like nothing he had ever done before, immediately he was hooked.

Excited by this experience, the following week he signed up at the closest gym he could find, Crossfit Victoria in Fitzroy. He aspired to be like all of the CrossFit ‘badasses’ that surrounded him. He adopted the CrossFit way, starting a Paleo diet, and with this his body changed. As he progressed up the ranks, he began to really appreciate the art behind the sport. He set his mind on mastering the skills and taking it to the next level soon moving to CrossFit Merciless, for an opportunity to train with a weightlifting coach. He got stronger, began an internship, got certified and levelled up.

He knew he didn’t just want to be a coach; he wanted to be THE BEST coach, and have his own successful CrossFit gym. He was struggling financially when a friend offered him an opportunity to coach CrossFit in Darwin. With nothing to lose, he seized the moment, made the move,  and knuckled down, saving as much money as he could while doing what he loved in the NT. He soon managed to save enough to move back to Melbourne on his own terms.

While Chris is now incredibly proud of Crossfit Craigieburn, it wasn’t always part of the plan. Upon returning from Darwin he struggled to find the right space to build his own studio from the ground up. By chance he heard the existing CrossFit Craigieburn was for sale, but wasn’t sure that he wanted to move into an established facility.

He decided to visit the gym anyway and fell in love with the place, the culture, and the people. The price was way above his range, but he managed to negotiate terms and take over ownership. Numbers soon grew from 45 to around 145-150 members. Chris didn’t make huge changes, just enhanced the essence of what he loved about the gym. To this day the former owners, who sold up to concentrate on raising a family, are still members of the gym and thrilled with the progress Chris has made.

Since opening the gym Chris’ athletic career has also taken off, so finding a balance between his passion, his baby (the gym) and his personal life is a constant challenge. CrossFit is always going to be grueling, so Chris credits focusing on physical and mental recovery outside of CrossFit as his saving grace.

Chris’ goal for this year’s open was to finish in the top 30 in Australia. When it gets to the grind and you’re doing the work past breaking point, he stressed, it’s not about the individual, the thing that keeps him going is his team. The ever-humble athlete wants for them to experience the regionals, have their names on the scoreboard, hear the music, see all the competitors doing what they love to do. And in order for them to do that, Chris would had to score big, always pushing for those extra reps, to push the team tally up the ranks. For Chris, whether he competes at the regionals or not was less important, than seeing his team thrive, and getting the Craigieburn Rhino banner up there. With the opens now closed and Chris ranking 23rd in Australia, it looks like he may just have his wish.

To stay competitive, cover off weaknesses and brush up on strengths, Chris has endured a massive training volume. 6 days a week training, 2x2hr sessions and 3x1hr. He explains that this is what everyone else is doing, 4 days off is 4 days lost, so he can’t afford to get complacent, its crucial to keep it dialed in.

To balance the load, he factors in stretching, rolling, massage, twice daily saunas and spas, twice weekly ice bath, quality anti-inflammatory foods, high levels of hydration, and Virus compression gear for recovery AND sleeping in.

How does he manage to keep up the hectic pace?
He knows his why, spiritually, and is willing to sacrifice the time, and pain, to get there.

His advice for those wanting to make it in the CrossFit world? Find good gym, a good crew, good coaches, understand movement, strength and conditioning, and be willing to put in a lot of time and effort. You will become stronger and more functional for your efforts.

He acknowledges CrossFit isn’t for everyone, much like ballet. For Chris, at it’s purest CrossFit is all about throwing down with some mates, loud music, a tough workout and bonding over a good laugh once the work is done.

You can check out Chris’ athlete stats at the CrossFit Games website or find out more by visiting the Craigieburn CrossFit website, Facebook or Instagram pages.

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https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/lifting-with-the-training-geek 2018-04-20T10:49:00+10:00 2018-05-10T15:32:29+10:00 Lifting with the Training Geek Katie M Do you even lift? Those of you that do will appreciate that there is science behind what constitutes a good lift, and what could potentially end up as a ‘gym fail’.

Lifting is an art and a science, Virus talks to Lester Ho, weightlifting coach and compression fan.

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Do you even lift? Those of you that do will appreciate that there is science behind what constitutes a good lift, and what could potentially end up as a ‘gym fail’.

We sat down recently to talk all things weightlifting with weightlifting coach, Lester Ho. Lester, is renowned for bringing good science to many aspiring lifters and competition level athletes through his website and social media platform, The Training Geek. And, with his team of athletes 8/8 medal tally at the recent Victorian Masters Championships, he surely knows what he is talking about.

Lester got into lifting during his Exercise Science Degree, when he was not only taught lifts as part of his studies but also experimented on his own as a student, trying out CrossFit in his garage and uni gym. While utilising lifts as part of CrossFit, he was given a formal introduction to weight lifting by his lecturer who recommended he try out the sport at Phoenix Weightlifting club in Oakleigh, Victoria.

Under the expert knowledge of one of the club’s more experienced coaches, Robert Kabbas, he trained, competed and learned more about the sport. He also incorporated it back into his studies, researching novice lifters, and examining their technique. Upon beginning coaching, Lester was able to apply these leanings, providing his clients with evidence-based training methodologies, incorporating both old and new concepts. He refers to this unique opportunity, putting his theory into practice, as being one of the highlights of his career thus far.

One of the key things he observed was that bio-mechanically, everyone is suited to lift. While traditionally weightlifters had been selected based on the anatomy of their build for the standard lifts, he found that if anyone lifting had their technique catered to their individual differences, for example the lengths of their levers (limbs) and torso, then most people could be taught to lift successfully.

Lester explains that if you have an understanding of the movement, from start to finish, then you will lift better and also potentially avoid injury. If your set-up (starting point) on a lift is flawed, then there is greater room for error and a heightened risk of injury. Breathing, foot placement, shoulder positioning, individual’s physical limitations, are just a few of the factors that can determine lifting success.

In terms of lift-related injuries, Lester points out that often these occur in relation to what the individual does outside of training, so it is important to consider lifestyle factors when establishing a cause. Lifting without first mobilising, or priming the body, especially after having spent all day seated at a desk or in a car can easily cause common restriction or mobility issues. Not spending enough time focusing on recovery is another common cause. Eating, sleeping, and breathing well, managing stress and investing in quality training and rehab professionals are all important when it comes to preventing injury.

Through the conversation, he agrees that technology can be used to further enhance recovery. To reduce inflammation caused by training, electrical stimulation, ice baths and compression garments can be quite useful. Lester personally uses Virus compression garments for recovery, as he finds compression garments to be a lot more accessible, compact and affordable than other types of technology designed for recovery. He also swears by them for air travel, having experienced a reduction of inflammation, and hip stiffness after wearing them during international flights.

In regard to technology, what does Lester predict for the future of weightlifting? The essence of the sport is to lift as much weight as possible, however recent doping scandals have tarnished the sport, so he sees a shift away from the use of drugs, toward a more methodical approach to training and recovery. A lifter can do well by respecting the science and working with ALL of the different variables to create a formula for success.

Lester has also noticed a trend toward people lifting for longer, especially with many individuals graduating to the Masters scene, bringing with them a mature mindset, a wealth of knowledge and experience having already learned their capabilities and limitations.

Having come full circle from gym junkie, to weightlifter to coaching athletes of all levels, all before the age of 35, it will be fascinating to see where Lester’s appreciation for science of lifting takes him next.

Want to lift with Lester? On Saturday April 21st, 2018, Lester is holding a Learn to Lift Day event at his TG Strength Facility.

Visit The Training Geek to find out more about Lester, his facility and keep up to date on other upcoming programs and events, where you can learn about lifting. Or follow him on Instagram, and Facebook for some top quality lift-related content.

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https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/everyday-athlete-olympic-lifter-benjamin-silva 2018-03-22T13:25:00+11:00 2018-05-10T15:33:58+10:00 Everyday Athlete: Olympic Lifter, Benjamin Silva Katie M More

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At Virus Australia we love learning about the people who wear our gear. Our aim is to help you perform better, so if our products are enabling this, then our work is done. In light of this, we want to shine the spotlight on some of the everyday athletes out there who are putting in the hard work to follow their passions and supporting our brand.

We recently asked Benjamin Silva, an athlete, family man, personal trainer (based at the Elite Training Centre, Geelong) and all around great guy, some questions about his passion for Olympic lifting. Ben, who currently competes with the Geelong Weightlifting Club, kindly provided the responses below.

What is the passion that defines you?
Knowing that I only have one LIFE, so it’s better for me to share what I have and pass it forward.

How, when and why did you first get involved with Olympic lifting?
I’m a gym rat from way back (not having a clue what I was doing), I graduated to crossfit for 3 years and that’s where I got introduced to Olympic Weightlifting. I’ve been Oly lifting only since August 2014.

What made you decide to take it to the competition level?
It was the natural progression. I wanted to get better. For me, I will never get better by JUST training. At my age (50 years old), I’m still competitive.

When was your first comp, and how would you describe the experience?
My first competition was at my home club, Geelong Weightlifting Club, it was a day I felt relieved to get one under my belt.

How many different federations have you competed in?
I belong to the Australian Weightlifting Federation, this allows me to compete in local, state, national or international level of competition.

How would you say the Masters games differ from other comps you have competed in? The comps I have competed in from local to State to Australian, Oceania, Pacific Rim, World Cup and World Masters Games differ from each other because of how fast or slow I can acclimatise for each condition. The mind set is key to feel Comp ready whether I’m at my local club or overseas competing.

What has been the pinnacle achievement of your lifting career?
Being able to qualify and continually improve with my combined total for snatch and clean & jerk for 45-49-69kgs and now 50-54-69kgs, in my age group, is by far my best achievement so far.

On the flip-side what has been the most challenging moment of your lifting career and how did you overcome it?
I recently competed in the World Masters Games 2017. That’s where I bombed out in the first part of the competition. I missed all my snatch attempts, so I could not go further. That moment of time took 2.5 years of work. What got me through it was the support of my team mates, Olympics Weightlifting community and of course my wife and family.

I went through all the emotions that come with FAILING. Failing is such a blessing to experience. The most challenging is the day to day grind of training, eating, resting, sleeping and working through those niggles. Not forgetting I have a family and run my own business.

What are some of the indispensable items that an Olympic lifter needs to get the most out of their performance?
As with a lot of other sports, I would say the following items are indispensable. Not in any particular order. Unwavering commitment, coach, community, good communication skills, patience, being coach-able, gotta have fun and be selfless.

How were you first exposed to Virus performance gear and have you found it helps enhance your performance and recovery?
My first contact with Virus Performance Gear was seeing some of the people I follow in Instagram wearing it. They are are so comfortable to wear out of and during training. I find that they help stabilise muscle soreness and helps quicken my recovery from a heavy work load.

What tips would give anyone wanting to get into Olympic lifting at a competitive level? Have the volume of work behind you, have FUN and PATIENCE.

What tips would you give to any athlete considering competing in Masters games? Again, have the volume of work behind you, get to know the Masters community and be strategic about which competition you want to enter.

Follow Ben’s Olympic Lifting journey on instagram. If you would like to share your story with us, contact us at [email protected] or message/tag us on Facebook or Instagram (@virusaustralia).

 

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https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/the-lost-art-of-recovery 2018-02-23T14:16:00+11:00 2018-04-20T14:28:57+10:00 The Lost Art of Recovery. Katie M It’s just not sexy.

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Scrolling through social media on health and fitness accounts, you’ll constantly see videos of booty-building workouts, crazy human physical feats of strength and endurance, and hear about the latest diets available. However, one thing that we don’t see mentioned as readily is recovery. It’s just not sexy.

This incredibly vital aspect of living a lifestyle conducive to good health is seemingly over-looked, often until it is too late. This is why people hit exhaustion, injury, ill health and only then start appreciating its importance. On the flip side of this equation, if you are recovering adequately your performance, strength and quality of life can be significantly enhanced. So, what can you do to optimize your recovery?

In order to find out, we spoke to Luke Leaman of Muscle Nerds who has been in the industry for 20 years and over 30 years training, both as an ex-competitive powerlifter and physique athlete. He has spent the past five years lecturing internationally and training trainers. Muscle Nerds as a whole, specialize in the teaching and training coaches, trainers, and the general population, as well as pro athletes. Their primary focus is on health before performance, which is a new, fresh insight into how coaching should be done.

Luke shared with us some key areas we can look at to enhance not only recovery but the overall quality of our health.

Sleep
If you’re not getting enough sleep, then your body will not be able to recover adequately. Luke highlights some of the key side effects of not getting enough quantity or quality of sleep can induce. Lack of sleep can cause testosterone levels to drop, an increase in insulin resistance, and inhibit fuel from getting into cells so that they are unable to recover. Luke suggests using an app, for example, Sleep cycle alarm clock, or a fitness tracker to monitor sleep, as a great way to assess how much quality sleep you are really getting.

What many of us don’t realise is sleep issues can also cause elevated blood glucose levels, elevated cortisol, food cravings (especially for unhealthy foods).

Whilst trackers aren’t 100% accurate yet, they’re a great place to start. The Oura ring has been shown to be fairly accurate, but it’s also costly.

Luke stresses that main things to look for in regards to sleep are:

  • going to bed at the same time
  • waking at the same time
  • waking without an alarm clock
  • waking in close to the same position you fell asleep in (not rolling around)
  • waking refreshed

Movement
While there are many fitness types that wear their disdain for cardiovascular exercise as a badge of honour, Luke stresses the importance of solid state cardio when it comes to recovery. A simple lack of cardiovascular conditioning can inhibit work capacity and the ability to recover. A good exercise program should have a solid balance between resistance training, and high intensity and low-intensity cardio. Luke suggests that front-loading a program with solid state cardio can help the body adapt to training, make fat loss easier and reduce stress in the later phases of the program when loads get heavier and the work gets harder.

The key thing he emphasizes is having balance in a program. “The Goldilocks principle…not too much, not too little, just right.”

Stress
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls the involuntary functions of the human body. Within this system, we have the parasympathetic (responsible for ‘rest and digest’) and sympathetic (responsible for ‘fight or flight’) nervous systems. Whenever one of these systems is activated, the other is inhibited. The sympathetic nervous system is active when we are under stress, and cannot differentiate between, for example, the stress of life-threatening danger, and that of an intense workout.

In fact, at the core of the Muscle Nerds philosophy is a term they coined, “Leastmode”. Luke elaborates, “While the majority of the industry focuses on Beastmode, we focus on earning your Beastmode. You have to Leastmode first, which means working on stress management and balancing your physiology.”

A useful way that Luke suggests we can monitor and assess just how stressed we really are, is using an app, like Instant Heart Rate, to track our waking heart-rate. Significant increases or decreases in our waking heart-rate can indicate when we are experiencing higher periods of stress.

Meditation is a great way to combat stress, and Luke recommends Headspace as a particularly good app to use for 5-10 mins of guided meditation per day, proven to alleviate stress.

Ironically another surefire way to alleviate stress is to also step away from the smartphone. Switching off/into flight mode can also relieve stress and anxiety.

Breath
Another side effect of being overly stressed is shallow breathing, which prevents proper oxygenation of cells, again inhibiting our bodies ability to recover. Luke suggests that we can use simple breathing exercises to help aid recovery by switching our body out of ‘fight or flight’ mode, instantly reducing stress levels, allowing oxygen to get to cells more effectively and also help us to get more sleep.

A resource he recommends for everything related to breathing is: https://superchargedlists.com/.

Eating
Having spent 20 years in the health and fitness industry Luke says one of the most common observations he has made is that most people aren’t getting enough vegetables and fruits in their day. He recommends that at least half of our plates (or around 2-3 fists per meal) consist of plant matter. To put it bluntly, without this, Luke suggests that we ‘don’t deserve meat’, as we won’t be receiving adequate fibre, antioxidants, and co-factors. He also says that if we are eating carbs and getting fat, this can be a sign we are pushing ourselves too hard and that it may be time to ease off the intensity of our workouts or address overall levels of stress. At the risk of demonizing carbs, he suggests that some people might need a higher fat, lower carbohydrate dietary setup for a while, however overeating fat can also cause insulin resistance.

Luke emphasizes the four most important factors in nutrition as being:

  1. Stress response
  2. Quality of food
  3. Quantity of food
  4. Timing of food

He recommends, that if you have issues with carbs, place them around your training, as training will increase glucose sensitivity, regardless of existing insulin sensitivity issues. Put simply, the carbs will be used by your body, rather than being stored as fat.

From our conversation with Luke it is apparent that one of the most important factors in recovery is balance. Or as he puts it ‘BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE!’; A balance of approach and intensity when it comes to exercise, a balance of food groups, and a balance between our stress (exercise, life) and sleep (complete rest). By taking a look at the key areas above, we may be able to super-charge our performance, or at least improve our overall picture of health and longevity.

For more insightful information from Luke and Muscle Nerds team, follow them on Facebook and their YouTube channel, or visit musclenerds.tv.

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https://superchargedlists.com/blogs/virus-australia-blog/far-infrared-bringing-true-safe-health-to-humans 2018-02-16T14:26:00+11:00 2018-03-15T13:23:03+11:00 Far-Infrared: Bringing True Safe Health to Humans. Katie M More

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Far-infrared therapy has gained popularity in recent times, from many reported health benefits. Far Infrared Rays (FIR) are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, a wave of light energy which is emitted naturally from the sun among other sources. Totally invisible to the naked eye, FIR can penetrate the human body, convert to heat and break down water molecules. The human body itself is capable of emitting FIR, that reaches all layers and stimulates cells.

Unlike other non-visible light waves, such as microwave and radio electromagnetic waves, research shows that infrared waves are completely safe for human beings. 

What are the health benefits?

While many of the potential uses of FIR are yet to be scientifically proven, there are countless conditions it has been used in treatment for. For example:

  • Cancer, Leukaemia, Prostate Cancer
  • Asthma, Bronchitis, Sinus problems
  • Cellulite, Obesity
  • Excess body Fat/Weight Loss
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Circulation problems – Body odour
  • Rheumatism, Chilblains, Gout and Piles
  • Arthritis
  • Back, Shoulder and Neck Pains
  • Tendinitis, Tumours Mastitis

Harnessing the power of FIR.

There is a tiny range within the FIR spectrum, the wavelength range from 8-14 µm, that some scientists refer to as the “ray of life”. This range has been shown to promote biological growth. Our Bioceramic™ Performance Series features material engineered to hone in on this most effective range.

BioCeramic

Created from fibers impregnated with FIR ceramic nano-particles, this material is a non-drug, non-invasive type of biotechnology that promises truly safe health benefits to humans and animals alike. All physical, chemical and biological aspects of the material are thoroughly assessed to the highest standards for human safety.

Although the way in which bioceramic materials operate has been debated, it is generally believed that garments made from these materials absorb the body’s own FIR emissions and re-emit the rays. This prevents loss of FIR and other energy sources when compared with garments made from regular, non-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           bioceramic materials. Various studies indicate bioceramics can be useful for everything from fat loss, pain and inflammation reduction; to increasing regional body temperature, improving blood circulation and red blood cells quality*.

Want to experience the benefits of FIR for yourself?

The VIRUS Bioceramic™ Performance Series was engineered for endurance and recovery. Click here to check out the full range, and experience improved circulation, repair and regeneration of tissues, and increased immunity. 

 

* Reference: Radiologist and physician, Dr.Stephen Ting-Kai Leung of Medical Imaging (Radiology) Centre of Taipei Medical University Hospital, who spent over Ten years studying the relationship of water and life-energy materials. This research and development on the topic of bio-energy, exhibits that it is safe and beneficial to the human body.

Reference expertise:
1. Ting-Kai Leung Cardiovascular diagnostic imaging (MDCT, cardiac MRI)
2. Breast cancer diagnostic imaging (mammography, breast MRI)
3. Bio-energy Research (biomaterial development, cellular, animal and human test).

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