Archive for the 'Sports Nutrition' Category

What Makes A Country Into A Sporting Giant?

What Makes A Country Into A Sporting Giant?

Sports academy Australia

This year sees the Beijing Olympics take place in august. The sporting world will be a buzz of anticipation as it waits to see who will win the major sporting medals and what stories or triumph over adversity will surface. Hopefully this version of the Olympics will be free from the drug scandals that seem to go hand in hand with all major sporting events nowadays and hopefully countries and athletes will be able to leave their political points of view behind them to give us the best possible Olympics, one remembered for events on and around the track rather than off it. No doubt we will have the same countries competing for the lion’s share of the medals with a few success stories from athletes from the smaller countries. But forgetting about the odd sports person that goes against the grain what is it that makes certain countries better at sports and athletics than other countries?

Different countries approach sporting events in different ways, for instance the former Eastern Bloc countries of East Germany and USSR felt that it was in the political interest of their country to try to be seen to be supremely good at athletics to show that they were stronger nations than the U.S.A. Of course the truth about these countries came out some years later when it was discovered that their athletes were part of a performance enhancing drug program.

The U.S.A and the larger, more developed countries of the world have better facilities as well as getting children involved in sport from an earlier age. Many countries in Europe and America hold after school clubs for certain sports that help to develop sporting skills in children from a very early age, helping them to develop a sporting awareness, a competitive edge as well as helping to keep them fit, active and have an interest in sport. But there are some countries that take this one step further still by taking promising children out of main stream school and educating them at a sporting academy that will not only give them an education but also help them to develop their skills at their chosen sport under the guidance of qualified coaches.

One such country that has reaped the rewards of sporting academies is Australia, a country of approximately 21m people who regularly turns out better sports men and women than countries that are much larger and have a better sporting history such as the U.K the has a population in excess of 60m people. Australia is now seen as a country of sportsmen and women, at each Olympics they seem to provide another set of new and up-coming medal winners who take their sport by storm. Granted the weather in Australia is favorable for sports, the nice weather lends itself to being outside and taking part in some sort of activity whereas being in a country like Great Britain in November when it is cold, dark and wet does not lend itself to anything other than being indoors. Certain areas of Australia are perfect to all year round training and these areas generally attract a lot of interest from the sports academies, areas such as Warrnambool in Victoria offer the perfect climate and terrain for many sports. So the weather does play a large part in helping to develop sports men and women but the sports academies in Australia also teach the basics of nutrition and the concept of fitness to their students so they understand how to treat their bodies to help them get the maximum performance out of them.

The Australia sport academy plan focuses mainly of swimming, athletics, rugby, cricket and cycling, all of which are sports that Australia has excelled in the past 15 years. This is not a coincidence, this has been a carefully planned program to ensure that they get the very best possible results from the athletes that they have, and it has worked. From a very early age Australians are taught the opposite of children from other countries, it is bad to lose and it is good to win. How they go about teaching this in a dignified manner is something that only Australians will know, all I can say is that you never see an Australian who is a bad loser, just ones that do not like losing and enjoy winning.

So it appears that as far as smaller nations go Australia have got it just about right by having the ideal weather for sports training, the sports academy Australia set up is pretty unique in the way they teach children an aspiring athletes about the winning ethic as well as about the human body and diet and the way Australians view sport as a whole, which is that it is something to be enjoyed but you try your best to win as second best is not in the Australian mentality.

So let’s all look forward to a good scandal free Olympics in which athletes from the smaller countries can try their best to dethrone the reigning Olympic champions from the bigger more powerful sporting nations.

The Easy Way to Get in Shape Pop a PillTake a supplement

Sick of torturing yourself from dieting and spending hours at the gym? Do you sometimes wish you could warp a 100 years into the future to get a scientific miracle drug (or operation) that give you the exact body type you desire? How fun and easy it would be if you could buy a magic supplement bottle and pop a pill?

Well guess what, we have a WONDER supplement that will solve all your problems. For only $79.95 you can have a model hot body overnight and never even have to break a sweat! Just call 1-800….

Okay enough of that bologna…. Sorry for the harsh reality but there currently exists no supplement, drug or pill that will get you in shape without a proper exercise program and diet (unless you own a time machine).

However if you are an a Olympic athlete and other average joe/jane looking to get in better shape using the proper sports supplements can help you maximize your potential. You don’t necessary have to juice up or take some sort prescription power stimulate. The basic supplements of Creatine (especially Creatine ethyl ester), nitric oxide (or the more powerful nitric ethyl oxide), caffeine and BCAAs can do wonders if you time them right

1. Creatine Ethyl Ester

You would have to be living under a rock if you haven’t heard about Creatine. But what you should know there are many different forms of Creatine, some better than others. The traditional Creatine monohydrate was effective at building muscle. However it came with a lot unwanted side effects including cramps, water retention and bloating. To be completely effective it also had to be ingested with a large large amount of carbohydrates Not exactly a great idea if you are trying to lose bodyfat. However the new Creatine ethyl ester does not require excess carbs to maximize efficiency. Creatine ethyl ester uses “ester orb” technology to make the supplement more lipophilic. This modification of the original creatine has a much better absorption rate and longer half-life than the original.

2. Caffeine

The most widely used drug of the 20th and 21st century. So why waste time with supplements when you got a Starbucks right around the corners? Coffee is just as effective as the traditional caffeine right? Wrong. There are different forms of caffeine, especially caffeine anhydrous in pill form. Caffeine can sharpen your mental acuity, increase your endurance and there has even been recent evidence that it will immediately increase max bench (by 1.5%). Opt for caffeine anhydrous which is purest form of creatine for maximum absorption and effect. There are many excellent pre-workout supplements that have contain caffeine anhydrous.

3. Protein

Protein is a gift from God when it comes to calorie consumption for athletes and bodybuilders. Protein only contains 4 calories per gram compared to alcohol (7 calories) and fat (9 calories). Since it’s slow digesting it usually wards off hunger in dieters and is essential for muscle recovery.

To get your protein you could be like Sylvester Stallone in Rocky I and down your egg whites at 5 AM. You could also gulp gallons of milk (which contains the slow digesting casein….great before bedtime). However wouldn’t it be easier to mix some powder in water? Pure 100% whey protein is very extremely important before and after strenuous workouts. Try opting for a whey protein that contains whey isolate, micro ultra filtered whey concentrate, whey peptides and all the essential amino acids.

4 NE2 – Nitric Ethyl Ester

A few years ago l-arginine boosters emerged as a viable bodybuilding aid. It was discovered that the dilation of blood vessels could help aid with muscle recovery, endurance, muscle “pump” and increases in the strength and endurance. So far l-arginine supplements have been best thing since creatine. There are even further modifications such as arginine ethyl ester that uses ester orb technology to only further enhance the potency of this supplement.

5. BCAAE2 –Branched Chained Amino Acid Ethyl Ester

If you are working hard in the gym or training hard in your sport you will likely encounter the problem of muscle catabolism. Overtraining, lack of rest and proper nutrition can be counterproductive and actually strip you of your hard earned muscle gains. To combat this you need all of the supplements above plus BCAA (branched chain amino acids). BCAAs aid in muscle recovery and also help activate the growth hormones, IGF-1 and can reduce cortisol secretion preventing muscle breakdown. There now an even more powerful form of branched chain amino acid supplements called BCAA Ethyl Ester . This product contains Ester-Sorb technology to help improve the absorption. The supplement also contains a potent matrix of L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine.

Okay are you ready to empty your wallet on these 5 supplements? Doing so well ensure that you will that have beach model body in 24 hours….done deal.

Don’t fool yourself. The word supplement means just that; to “enhance” or “add to”. It cannot and will not help you obtain your goal unless you are doing everything else correctly. That means resistance training, cardio, dieting and rest. Easier said than done. However if you are serious about losing that flab and getting stronger/bigger you must first set a solid foundation of a consistent training program. After you found your base (and most serious bodybuilders and athletes already have) don’t forget the details i.e. bodybuilding supplements.

Interested in learning more? Visit our website www.axislabs.net.

The author Chad Klingensmith is a professional athlete and a certified personal trainer. Do you have questions for Chad? Email him at fitnesschad@gmail.com. You can also learn more about Bodybuilding Supplements at www.axislabs.net.

Work Your Way To The Top Through Sports Nutrition Education

When sport became professionalized athletes began searching for ways to improve their performances. For sports the physical aspect was predominant and athletes sought their way for golden medals at regular doctors. Sport became an industry and the need for specialized physicians grew. This brought a new specialization in medicine; sports medicine. Here after further specialization progressed and sports nutrition became a specialization in sports medicine.

Sport and physical health in general became popular, to practice and also as a form of entertainment. A new and profitable industry was born where many people make there living as does the specialist in sports nutrition. The study of sports nutrition was popular among younger students. The idea of working with famous athletes, or better yet becoming a better athlete themselves was the driving force for and maybe still is the driving force for this study.

The curriculum of this study focuses on understanding how the body functions during exercise and sport. The goal is to maximize the athletic potential and minimizing health risks.

This study provides a scientific background, specific knowledge and skills to address concepts and controversies relating to sports nutrition, sports physiology and to explore the links between nutrition, physiology, performance and health outcomes through the life cycle.

The educational principles integrate nutrition and exercise physiology and application to exercising individuals. The topics that are commonly studied are specific nutrient needs, energy expenditure, hydration, fuel substrate metabolism, ergogenic aids and weight issues for exercising individuals and athletes.

The program also has topics like personal training programs specially designed for the individual client. The focus is on the clients’ workout and how to enhance the physical program and to provide the best nutrition plan. The aim is to tailor the program to the specific needs of their body. The program should include proper nutrition, the necessary supplements and beneficial vitamins and minerals.

The curriculum has a lot to offer. Most institutes have similar courses on a college level that don’t only educate on sport nutrition but much wider than that. The program consist of courses like basic sports science, sport psychology, human physiology, data analysis, functional anatomy, exercise physiology, nutritional physiology and biochemistry, human nutrition, research methods, biomechanics and much more.

The students of sports nutrition education learn the following:

-How nutrients are taken in and how foods are digested and metabolized to provide necessary energy to fuel muscular activity.

-Dietary patterns that maximize performance and prevent disease.

-Research advancements in ergogenic aids.

-Supplementation and the pros and cons of popular diet techniques.

-Sample eating plans showing how to fuel for specific workouts.

-How to distinguish among food, diet, and supplement options and understand which are best and why.

-How to overcome food and weight obsessions.

-How to lose undesired body fat while maintaining energy for exercise.

-Strategies to boost energy, reduce stress, control weight, improve health and enhance workouts.

When you graduate from this study you will be able to get a job in the sports industry. The graduate can target various industries for employment. The following can be targeted: local or state government agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, institutes of sports, universities and colleges and also personal training. There a many options available to the graduate.

Studying sports nutrition is good investment and will give the graduate more than enough chances to work in this wonderful industry. Even so, many students continue onto a PGCE or Masters course in a related area.