The Key Ingredients For Muscle Gain When it comes to nutrition for muscle gain, most athletes’ minds go straight to protein. Though protein is essential for muscle gain, there are some other things to consider.  This article covers the three key ingredients for muscle gain, plus how to use nutrition to maximize your strength training.

Smart Supplementation    Supplements come in many forms, ranging from capsules and tablets to powders, drops, and beverages. They include vitamin and mineral supplements, herbs and botanicals, protein powders, and more.  In contrast to food, supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  While there are some protective measures in place to keep consumers safe, the FDA does not regulate supplement safety, effectiveness, or whether the supplement manufacturer has truthfully reported the ingredients on the label.  Despite the risks, supplements...

Hydrating for Performance By Makayla Meixner Around 60% of your body is made up of water. It’s essential for virtually every function in your body. That’s why even mild dehydration can have a huge impact on your performance. Studies suggest losing as little as 1-2% of your body weight in water can lead to: Reduced speed and strength Reduced agility and reaction time Decreased focus and mental sharpness Increased risk for injury Faster time to fatigue To avoid dehydration, it’s important to drink water throughout the day and replace water and electrolytes lost through...

Fueling For Optimal Recovery After Exercise  By: Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN  If you’re not currently refueling after trainings and competitions, you might want to reconsider. The muscles are like sponges after exercise, absorbing protein to build and repair muscle. They’re also storing carbohydrates — the muscle’s main source of fuel — in preparation for your next bout of activity. Consider replenishing your body as a key part of your training routine. You haven’t truly finished your workout until you’ve refueled. This article covers when to fuel after exercise, what nutrients to focus...

Key Strategies for Fueling During Exercise By: Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN Similar to eating before exercise, eating during exercise can help increase your energy levels and improve performance. You may be wondering whether it’s always necessary to eat during training or competitions. The answer is: it depends. Whether or not to fuel during exercise depends on the intensity and the duration of the exercise. In many scenarios, fueling early and fueling often — particularly with carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages — can help improve endurance and aid muscle recovery. This...

Eating Before Exercise: The Basics By: Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN   Eating before exercise can dramatically improve your performance in both training and competition. However, the timing and makeup of your pre-exercise meals and snacks matter. This article discusses why it’s important to eat before exercise, what types of food to eat and when, and some examples of meals and snacks to get you started.   Benefits of eating before exercise  Eating before exercise is essential for supplying your body with important nutrients it needs to perform well. In general, a carbohydrate-rich...

Nutrition Foundations for Winter Athlete Performance By: Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN Whether you are a skier or a snowboarder, nutrition can have a profound effect on performance. In fact, the United States Olympic Committee has stated “a proper eating program is just as important to an elite athlete’s success as a training program.” However, nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. Here is a breakdown to get you started, including the importance of getting enough energy, the foundations of a performance diet, and a helpful guide to help you build performance plates day today.   Energy First...

Snatch, Catch In A Full Squat So you’ve reached the point where you have mastered all of the bar patterns we use to warm up prior to every strength training session. Now it’s time to start adding some load slowly, then some speed to the Olympic Lifts. Let’s dive right into the Olympic Lift, the snatch. When you receive (or catch) the snatch in an upright, standing position, it’s called a power snatch. This is fine, but let’s try to be more athletic and catch the lift in a full squat. The best way to learn to do this is to start the lift at the crease. Once you...

Bar Patterns: Rack Mobility from Behind the Neck Part 14 in the series Ensuring proper posture during your strength training is very important to develop correct movement patterns for your sports and also to keep you safe while strength training. Two prime examples are the front squat and the overhead squat. You need to have a very upright posture in both of these exercises to perform them safely and correctly. During these movements, you want to be certain that you are standing with your chest tall and maintaining a neutral spine (remember, your spine has natural curves as you stand and you...

Bar Patterns: Muscle Snatch- from Crease Part 13 in the series   Proper movement patterns are a cornerstone of all athletic success. Remember that each time you do any athletic movement you are engraining either good movement patterns or poor movement patterns. Be sure to take the time to learn all of the Olympic Lifting patterns with just an empty bar. If an empty bar is still too much load for you to perform the movements with perfection, then use a litter bar or even a broomstick.  In this article, we will be covering the muscle snatch from the crease. First, grasp the bar...

Bar Patterns: Snatch Grip High Pull- from Crease Part 12 in the series Proper movement patterns are a cornerstone of all athletic success. Remember that each time you do any athletic movement you are engraining either good movement patterns or poor movement patterns. Be sure to take the time to learn all of the Olympic Lifting patterns with just an empty bar. If an empty bar is still too much load for you to perform the movements with perfection, then use a litter bar or even a broomstick. In this article, we will be covering the snatch grip high pull from the crease. First, grasp the...

Bar Patterns: Snatch Pull  Part 11 in the series Grasp the bar with a snatch grip. To find your snatch grip hold the bar at waist level with locked-out elbows. Slowly adjust your grip in or out, while still maintaining straight arms, until the bar hangs at the height of your crease (The crease is the point where your upper leg joins together with your torso. The line that is formed here in your hips is the crease). Be sure you have an even grip on the bar, you do not want the bar either off to the left or the right. Begin with the bar hanging in front of your hips and standing with...

Bar Patterns: Clean Pull [from mid-shin] Part 10 in the series Grasp the bar with a clean grip. This is determined by having your fingers just outside of your shoulders while the bar is resting on the front of your shoulders like you are setting up for a front squat (this is also called the “rack position”). Begin with the bar hanging in front of your hips and standing with your feet hip-width apart. This next piece might sound like an optional step, but it is paramount when it comes to performing the Olympic Lifts properly as we progress into explosive lifting. Hold the bar with...

Bar Patterns: Snatch Grip, Push Press-Behind Part 8 in the series