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CB Athletic Consulting, Inc. Training Report
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ISSUE #117
1 - Post-game Recovery
We've all seen post-game video clips of athletes
exercising on stationary bikes. But what does this really do?
According to coaches, low-intensity post-game exercise is an
advanced recovery technique, but research and our current
understanding of exercise physiology don't lend a lot of support
to this idea.
A recent study* tested the post-game recovery
exercise session in college rugby players. After a match, 8 players
performed low-intensity exercise and 7 followed their regular
post-game routines of minimal exercise. The game caused muscle
damage in all players, but both groups recovered from the muscle
damage at the same rate. So there was no physical benefit from the
post-game low-intensity exercise.
Post-game exercise significantly improved psychological
recovery by enhancing relaxation. The study showed in an increase in
profile of mood scores in the athletes performing post-game exercise.
There were no measures or indications of how this might affect performance
in subsequent training sessions or games.
Post-match recovery remains an interesting topic and more
research is needed to find the best way for athletes to recover. This study
shows that low-intensity exercise doesn't improve physical recovery, but might
increase the player's mood after the game. Until then, we'll consider post-game
recovery exercise on an individual basis.
*Suzuki, M., et al. Effect of incorporating low intensity exercise
into the recovery period after a rugby match. Br. J. Sports Med. 38:436-440, 2004.
2 - Single-Leg Exercise of the Month
Single-leg exercises build strength, co-ordination, range of
motion, and balance, and are a great way to train athletes of all levels
without equipment.
This newsletter will profile a new single-leg exercise in each
issue over the next few months. We've just completed a large photo session and
have photos of almost all of the exercises listed in our manuals and special reports.
Thanks to Totum www.totum.ca) for allowing the photos
to be taken in their facilities.
In this issue, we profile the Single-leg Squat. This exercise is first
used in our physical assessment of the athlete. For beginner and intermediate athletes,
this exercise can be performed as the main exercise of a lower body session. Most athletes
will need to practice the single-leg squat on a frequent basis to develop proper technique
and to gradually improve their range of motion.
For advanced athletes, this exercise can be used as a supplementary exercise
performed after the main exercise on a lower body day. The single-leg squat is one of the
many exercises that train the posterior chain. Training the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings,
low back, and calves) is a scientifically validated method of enhancing athletic performance.
For more on "Training the chain", check out this interview with Strength Coach
Jim Wendler: www.cbathletics.com/issues/108.htm.
The Single-Leg Squat
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Pick your left foot off the ground and extend your left leg forward.
Support all of your bodyweight on your right leg.
Raise your arms in front or to the sides to increase your balance.
Start the movement at the hip joint. Push your butt back and “sit back as if you were sitting on a chair”. Squat slowly and focus on balance.
As you push your hips back, start to bend your right knee, but don't let your knee move forward.
Squat until your thigh is parallel to the floor, but keep your lower back flat.
Advanced athletes may be able to squat to full depth, but this is very challenging and shouldn't be the aim of the first attempt.
Push with your buttocks, hamstrings, and quadriceps to return to the start position.
Complete all the given repetitions for one leg and then switch legs.
3 - How to Get Lean
Todd Thompson emailed CB two years ago with the goal of getting back into shape by
losing a lot of body fat. Since then, Todd's been a great client, using the CB Athletics'
Get Lean manual and Turbulence Training workouts with great success. Todd made such a triumphant
return to healthy living that he even developed a website dedicated to men's health
- www.texastodd.com.
In this interview Todd shares his tips and tricks to getting the most out of your fat loss
efforts and lifestyle changes. These will come in handy on those days that you don't have the motivation
or direction to train. Todd's the definition of “success story” and we're proud to have worked with him.
CB Athletics: What impact does Turbulence Training have on your energy levels?
Todd Thompson:
I find I have a lot more energy when I'm in full training mode, and I use Turbulence Training (TT)
almost exclusively in my weight training. My energy levels seem to be directly associated with
how much excess fat weight I carry around, and TT keeps it off better than anything I've tried.
Of course, I follow the eating guidelines of "Get Lean" as well, and this goes a long
way toward keeping me filled with the right foods. It's basically hard work plus clean eating. It's
the efficiency of TT that makes it more appealing to me than any other routine I've followed for any
length of time.
CB: What time of day do you train and how do you structure your meals around
this training time?
TT:
Craig, as you may recall, when I started getting into shape last year, after a 25 year layoff,
I made the commitment to work out the first thing every morning so that nothing would get in
the way of my training.
After reaching my weight loss goals last year, and working it into my schedule
differently, I moved my workout time to early evenings, right after I get home from work. I eat
my regular noon meal, something like cottage cheese or tuna with some good carbs, and then I have
an afternoon snack of high protein content. Then, when I get home from work, the first thing I do
is drink a half serving of a protein shake, or eat some cottage cheese. This gives me about a 30
minute time period before I get my clothes changed and head off to the gym, which is perfect for
digesting it.
I hit the weights hard, which with TT takes about 40 minutes, and then I get on the
elliptical or bike for my HIIT (interval training). As soon as I get off the machine, I drink a
protein shake. I'm usually finished with the whole thing around 6:30 p.m. At that time, my wife and
I usually have dinner. On workout days especially, I make sure my evening meal has some excellent
protein choices, low fat, and good carbohydrates.
CB: What nutrition tips work best for you?
TT:
I'm no expert on nutrition, but my experience this past year is that I need a little more carbohydrates
than what a lot of the newer nutrition programs are recommended. When I drop carbohydrates to a minimal
level, it does seem to have an effect on my energy levels. I think of carbohydrates as an energy provider,
and on workout days, I make sure I get enough carbohydrates to get my energy level where it needs to be
for my workout.
CB: So overall, what is your impression of Turbulence Training?
TT:
It keeps it from getting boring, and I have a bit of a creative streak in me. This
seems to keep things interesting. No matter what workout I'm doing, the Turbulence
Training program is the design I use.
There are three basic things I do, no matter whether or not the exact exercises are called for in TT:
Do 18-22 sets, emphasizing full body. Sometimes, I may emphasize certain muscle groups for an entire workout,
but that's rare. I usually make sure there is some impact on every muscle group at each workout.
Do "superset" style without a rest period between sets within each superset. Each superset is designed as a
push-pull superset, or sometimes just the use of opposing muscle groups. I like push-pull supersets best.
Every workout ends in an hour or less and is capped off with a very intense HIIT session. I don't let myself
feel guilty if I only have time to do a 12 to 15 minute HIIT. The intensity is so great that I don't have to worry
about whether I'm working hard enough or not.
CB: : Do you have a favorite part of the workout?
TT:
It's basically a flurry of non-stop activity, so I don't really think about favorite parts. However, I think I enjoy the
various forms of rows that I employ in TT. Your program calls for Seated Cable Rows and DB Rows, and I have gotten so much
stronger in these that I probably have to say I enjoy these most of all.
Truly, though, getting finished each day is what I like best. I always do a full body assessment of how I feel after each workout.
Seldom do I walk away from a TT workout thinking I could have worked a little harder on any one muscle group. When it's done, I'm
spent. Maybe, it's just because I turn 50 years old this year, but I've talked to a lot of younger guys who are doing TT as well,
and they say the same thing.
CB: How do these workouts compare to others that you have done in the past?
TT:
The intensity is awesome. From the time I drink my pre-workout shake until I finish HIIT an hour or so later, it's like I'm heading down
the field on a long run, and I'm not going to let anyone keep me from scoring. I don't stop for anything. If an area is being used, I
just go to the next superset and pick the other one later in the workout. I think the benefit of TT is that it is very time-efficient
and manageable, and it's really hard to get bored with it.
CB: What are the health benefits you have achieved in your return to training?
TT:
In short, I have better health, stronger muscle (and more of it), great cardio endurance for my every day life,
and I'm looking good.
Altogether, these benefits have helped me enjoy my life a lot more, and that's the ultimate benefit
as far as I'm concerned. My life is much better disciplined now, and even when I cheat on my eating, I don't worry
about it any more. I know the commitment is strong, and I'll get back. This has caused me to enjoy life to the fullest.
Recently, I got into an elite musical performing group, and I find that I have much better stamina than before, and a
whole lot more motivation to succeed and to live a better life.
Recently, you were made aware that I had given my body a break for a month or so. That went on a lot
longer than I intended, and consequently, I put on about 10 pounds. I must say, however, that I knew all I had to do
was start back on my TT workouts, and it would all come back to me.
Thanks to some of the regulars on my website forum, I got kicked back into high gear, and I'm my way to
celebrating my 50th birthday in September in the best condition of my life, even better shape than I was in when I was a
collegiate athlete in two sports. I owe it to Turbulence Training and the motivation I've received from you and my forum
friends at www.texastodd.com/forums.
CB: Thanks Todd. Keep up the great work on your healthy lifestyle. It's been a pleasure hearing
about your hard work and watching your progress.
Turbulence Training™ is CB's trademarked
workout system known for supersets of non-competing strength
exercises and fat blasting interval training. We've put
together 4 Turbulence Training workouts and a bonus Turbulence
Training Core workout into a special report that we're offering
for $19.95.
To purchase by Paypal, send $19.95 (USD) to
cb@cbathletics.com. You'll receive the attachment by email
shortly after you order. You can use your credit card through
Paypal.
o If you don't have a Paypal account, you can purchase the manual via
credit card at www.TurbulenceTraining.com or you can mail a check for $19.95 (USD) to:
CB Athletic Consulting, Inc.
2100 Bloor Street West, Suite 6315
Toronto, Ontario M6S 5A5
(NOTE:
The 31-page report is available only as a PDF (you'll need
Adobe Acrobat to open and read the PDF attachment; available
at no cost from www.adobe.com). You'll receive the attachment
by email almost immediately after you order, but you'll
have to print it out at home or at work. That's the only
way to keep the price of this offer so low!)
Want more Turbulence Training workouts? You can get the full Get Lean program
(complete with 10 different Turbulence Training routines
and over 35 lifestyle-changing tips) from www.workoutmanuals.com.
You have my 100% money-back guarantee - If you are not fully
satisfied with the Turbulence Training Special Report or
Get Lean then just let me know and you'll be given a full
refund with no questions asked.
Looking forward to helping
you reach your goals with Turbulence Training™ and Get Lean.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc.,
President CB Athletic Consulting, Inc.
The information on cbathletics.com is for
education purposes only. It is not medical advice and is
not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-care
professionals. Consult your physician before beginning or
making changes in your diet or exercise program, for diagnosis
and treatment of illness and injuries, and for advice regarding
medications.
CB Athletic Consulting, Inc.
2100 Bloor Street West, Suite 6315
Toronto, Ontario M6S 5A5
www.cbathletics.com
www.workoutmanuals.com
www.grrlAthlete.com
cb@cbathletics.com
