BottomLineFitness.com » Sports Health and Fitness

Power and defense still matter in the NFL

Staff — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:11:47 +0000

This has been the year of the quarterback and the passing game in the NFL. Speed and precision were the sexy characteristics this season as the NFL altered the rules to take away some of the more physical aspects of the game that were causing serious sports injuries like concussions. Drew Brees was setting records, while Aaron Rodgers was drawing comparisons to Joe Montana.

Yet this weekend seemed to be a reminder that power and defense still matter as the Giants upset the Packers in Green Bay and the 49ers stopped the pass-happy Saints. Everyone seemed to be questioning the old NFL axiom that defense wins championships, but now we have a reminder that even with the new rules power and defense are very important.

That should please all our readers out there who love getting to the gym and pumping iron. Football has always beena bout strength. The Giants put on a display like they did in 2007 as they put a pounding on Rodgers and the Packer offense. Then they also hit them with their power running game.

The only pass-happy team still in the hunt is New England, so perhaps the speed and precision people will get the last laugh. Yet you have to look at how the Patriots play, with two huge tight ends in their passing game. Strength and power are still important ingredients to their success.

It will be a great weekend of football as we hash out who will face off in the Super Bowl. You can check this website for online betting sites as you get ready for all the fun this weekend. Hopefully you can host a great party or make it out to Las Vegas. After a bitter offseason, the NFL has provided some great entertainment for us all this season.

Ray Lewis and the importance of diet in sports

Staff — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:56:02 +0000

USA Today has a great profile of Ray Lewis leading up to this weekend’s playoff game. Lewis has had an incredible NFL career, and in this article we see why. He’s always been known as a workout warrior, but here we see how obsessive he is about his diet as well.

Stamped “P.M.,” the bag is filled with multicolored vitamin supplements. Before noon, the iconic Baltimore Ravens linebacker already had consumed a protein shake, egg whites, an apple, 2 gallons of water and a similar bag of “A.M.” supplements.

Lewis, 36, is explaining why he believes he has survived 16 NFL seasons — and still is playing at a Pro Bowl level as the Ravens prepare for Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans— in such a physically demanding sport.

In addition to a relentless year-round conditioning regimen and aggressive therapy for the toe injury that sidelined him for four games this season, Lewis estimates he swallows 50 pills a day.

Then the veteran, hardly ready to declare this playoff run a prelude to retirement, reaches into the briefcase to show off his afternoon snack — another apple.

“I’m watching these guys, with their cheeseburgers and stuff,” he says. “And you’re going to compete against me? Even if you’re younger and faster, your fuel won’t let you beat me.”

His obsession for healthy eating is, well, notorious in the Ravens locker room.

“His diet is so ridiculous, even the people around him have to adjust,” linebacker Terrell Suggs says. “It’s crazy. Last week, I’m eating a bag of chips, and he throws ‘em away.”

Lewis is a fish-and-vegetable man who hasn’t touched pork in 12 years and has eaten beef twice during that span. He also doesn’t drink soda or eat bread or sugar — except for scant exceptions. Like his cheat snacks, Twizzlers and Gummy Bears. “To keep living life,” he says.

I remember watching Chad Ochocinco several years ago describing how he ate mostly at McDonald’s. He was young and he could easily burn the fat and calories. Now he’d be wise to read this article and start emulating Lewis, as Chad isn’t the same player he was several years ago. Diet is a critical part of health and performance!

As we get older, we have to be more careful about what we eat. We don’t need to be obsessive like Ray Lewis since most of us aren’t pro athletes. But if you really was to get ripped, then you have to have the same devotion. Match your diet to your goals!

More and Better Ways to Bet on Sports

Staff — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:38:59 +0000

This is the greatest time of the year to bet on sports as baseball’s World Series is in full swing while the National Football League, National Hockey League, and college football are all in the thick of their seasons. Beyond that newer opportunities abound in Mixed Martial Arts, Golf, Tennis, Boxing, and Horse Racing’s Breeders Cup yet to come. With that in mind it is important to consider the exciting times in sports gambling.

Pro football is far and away the most popular of all major sports with the wagering community and the first month and a half of the season is a classic reminder of why the NFL is the king of kings for those who bet on sports.

Old standby teams such as the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers continue to crank out profits for gamblers but a new crop of surprise teams is offering outstanding board value. The San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and Buffalo Bills have shown why NFL football is a favorite for handicappers who bet on sports because of the total unpredictability of the league which makes for the ultimate challenge.

The Bengals success has caught nearly everyone by surprise as their long time starting quarterback, Carson Palmer, refused to report to camp and has since been sent to Oakland. Meanwhile rookie Andy Dalton, who was a record setting quarterback in college at TCU, has taken command of the offense and breathed new life and enthusiasm into the team. The Bengals were overlooked by most everyone that likes to make sports wagers and this gave them better than expected board value as Cincinnati got the money in 5 of their first 6 games.

Oakland meanwhile has rallied the cause of dedicating their season to the memory of their leader, Al Davis, who died in October at the age of 82. While Davis certainly hung on too long there is no doubt about the respect he commanded with fellow NFL owners and longtime veteran handicappers who bet on sports during the 30 year period in which Davis was the greatest leader in sports with the winningest franchise in professional athletics. Oakland lost just 1 of their first 6 games against the spread and won their first 2 games that followed Davis’ death.

All in all, the possibilities for everyone that likes to wager on sports are greater than ever before.

Running Myths

Mike Furci — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:09:43 +0000

1. Running will give you a heart attack or other heart problems. It is true that exercise temporarily raises the odds of a heart attack while you’re mid-workout, but doing it consistently reduces that risk over the long haul, leading to a net benefit. Some researchers have questioned whether marathon running, especially in people who haven’t trained a lot, might cause heart damage, at least temporarily. But there’s no evidence that it causes long-term harm or actually leads to heart attacks. Even athletes with enlarged hearts—if they’re healthy hearts—aren’t, as once feared, at risk of early death. The bottom line: Simply going for a run most days of the week is doing far more good than bad for your heart.

2. Running will ruin your bones and joints. A study in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found no evidence of accelerated rates of osteoarthritis among long-distance runners when compared with healthy nonrunners. “We used to say that osteoarthritis came from wear and tear. That’s now revised to say that is can result from tear but not wear,” says James Fries, emeritus professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine and senior author of the study. Moreover, weight-bearing exercise like running helps stave off osteoporosis by maintaining bone mineral density.

3. Running will kill you before your time. According to a study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, running and other vigorous exercise in middle age is associated with a longer life. Not only that, it will make your later years more pleasant by reducing disability. After tracking runners and healthy nonrunners for 21 years, starting when they were at least 50 years old, a research team led by Stanford’s Fries found that the ability to perform activities of daily life like getting out of a chair and walking was better among runners than nonrunners. And 19 years into the study, 15 percent of the runners had died, compared with 34 percent of the nonrunners.
USNews.com

10 big mistakes we should avoid when running

Staff — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:12:17 +0000

Be careful to avoid these top 10 running
mistakes and strive to enhance your performance and your fitness.

A few adjustments will help prevent injury and improve performance.

1 Wrong Shoes

2 Too Much, Too Soon

3 Over-striding

4 Losing Control on Hills

5 Bad Upper Body Form

6 Not Drinking Enough

7 Wrong Clothes

8 Overtraining

9 Going Out Too Fast

10 Not Fueling Properly

CrossFit: The training, the games, the BS

Mike Furci — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 09:55:07 +0000

What is CrossFit (CF)? In a nut shell it’s performing movements and or exercises under time that are continuously varied from workout to workout. Started in the mid 1990’s, this training system does have value in improving ones fitness level, but the claims made on the CrossFit website are unsubstantiated and untenable.

CF’s upside according to its proponents is being a total-body conditioning workout that is purposefully varied, which inhibits boredom. I think it’s a home run for fitness enthusiasts because the workouts are challenging and competitive. CF’s inherent difficulty, notice I said difficulty not intensity, also benefits the average person because most people do not train hard enough to elicit any measurable result.

A conversation with Drew Brees’ trainer Todd Durkin about TRX Suspension Training

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:00:46 +0000

At your local gym, you may have been offered a chance to try out a tool called the TRX Suspension Training, which is an innovation by former elite Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick.

As a Navy SEAL, Hetrick often found himself in remote safe houses with limited means to keep he and his soldiers in shape. Using only salvaged parachute materials, Hetrick created what would eventually be named the ?Best Total Body Tool? by Men?s Health magazine.

The TRX Suspension Trainer was born.

One of the many trainers that have incorporated TRX not only in his athletes? workouts, but also into his own workouts is Todd Durkin. Of the many athletes Todd works with during the offseason, perhaps his most recognized is New Orleans Saints? quarterback Drew Brees.

During the offseason, Brees flies all the way from Louisiana to train with Durkin and the TRX, which obviously speaks to Todd?s credibility as a trainer. And considering Brees is coming off a Super Bowl win this past February, clearly Todd?s methods work.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Todd about a variety of topics, including his work with Drew, TRX and the ?Get with the Movement? campaign, which is defined as a rally cry that dares American fitness enthusiasts to free themselves of their everyday routine. It encourages people to get off their exercise machines and take a more dynamic, moment-focused approach to building their overall health and achieving personal goals.

We also asked Todd to share his favorite Drew Brees story, what specific workouts he uses to train a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and how the TRX can help everybody from the ?weekend warrior? to yes, even grandma.

For more on Todd, TRX and his new book The Impact! Body Plan, please visit www.fitnessquest10.com and www.todddurkin.com.

Also for more on the ?Get with the Movement? campaign, visit www.getwiththemovement.com.

Anthony Stalter: Hey Todd, how are you?

Todd Durkin: Real good! Things have been a little crazy around here, but it?s exciting with the new book coming out.

To read the entire interview, click here.

Coconut: Craze or Credible!

Staff — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:48:15 +0000

The Chicago Tribune has done some research on the Coconut Craze.

Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at the University of California-Davis, thinks coconut water is fine to drink for hydration ? if you like the taste.

Applegate takes issue with some of the health endorsements including weight loss and heart health claims.

It would be nice to see this kind of scrutiny given to all nutritional claims made by big business:

Most of these sites that promote and sell coconut oil originate from coconut-producing countries, including India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Instead of research studies, you’ll find articles written by coconut oil advocates ? including Mary Enig, vice president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a controversial organization that is critical of “traditional diets” and extols the benefits of saturated fat.

Golf: Improve your game and prevent injuries

Mike Furci — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 10:05:19 +0000

In an article I wrote 10 years ago, I addressed the importance of strength training for golfers. In this article, “Golf: Reducing your risk of injury and improving your game.” I wanted to focus on preventing injuries and targeting the specific muscles used while playing golf.

The mechanics of a golf swing can cause a variety of injuries or aggravate previous injuries. The most common area golfers experience injuries is the lower back. Other areas golfers complain about are the shoulder, or more specifically the rotator cuff, the left elbow, and the left wrist (for right handers). Unfortunately, there is little data available about the seriousness of injuries as a result of playing golf or how to reduce them. However, if we apply what we know from other sports through research and empirical data, I have seen many golfers not only decrease their risk of injury but improve their game.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

A golfers edge, strength training

Mike Furci — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:38:43 +0000

You would think as fanatical as golfers are, seemingly willing to do just about anything to improve their game, they would be more than interested in strength training. The fact is however, the vast majority of golfers are still not taking advantage of this inexpensive tool that would not only improve their game, but improve their health.

Golfing is not an inexpensive sport. And golfers spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on equipment alone in an effort to gain an edge on the course. The fact of the matter is, given the choice between expensive equipment and hard work coupled with strength training, I’ll take hard work coupled with strength training every time.

I you’re going to spend the money on equipment and lessons, why not make sure your physically at your best so you not only can truly take advantage of your expense, but help ensure a long career. The following is an article, “Strength training: Is it the newest edge for golf“I wrote over a decade ago and is as pertinent today.

Photo from fOTOGLIF