Continual Improvement and the LTAD model...

"When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. ... Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That's the only way it happens - and when it happens, it lasts." - John Wooden

We're committed to the Long-Term Athletic Development model here at All-Star Sports Academy. We know there are no "magic bullets" for getting better.

ANY "fitness center" can make you sweaty and sore...few truly know how to make you BETTER!

That's our commitment to you...to help you get a little better each day!

Contact us here for your 5 Point Movement Assessment and Quick Start 14 day trial!

We'll see YOU in the Athlete Underground!

Family Day Success!

On Saturday, April 28, 2012, All-Star Sports Academy celebrated 4 years in business with our "1st Annual, 4th Anniversary Family Day and Dodgeball Fundraiser."

The event was a rousing success. We raised nearly $1,500 for charity and no dodgeballs were injured during the tournament. There were a few (minor) bruised egos and some hairstyles were ruined by flying dodgeballs, but other than that, we all escaped unscathed...

As we prepare for summer's arrival, we'd like to say "thank you" to all of you who have supported us through these challenging times.

We could not possibly do what we do without your support!

Thank YOU!!

#1 Bestseller!

All-Star has a #1 Best-Selling Author!

Phil Hueston's book goes to #1 on Amazon.com!

Sports Performance Trainer Phil Hueston Hits Amazon Best Seller List With New Youth Fitness Book

Phil Hueston, sports performance consultant and trainer, recently hit #1 in two separate Amazon.com best-seller lists with the new book "The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance."

 

Toms River, NJ - April 15, 2012 - Phil Hueston, co-owner of All-Star Sports Academy, recently joined with a select group of the world's leading health and fitness entrepreneurs to co-write the fitness book titled, The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance. The book was released by CelebrityPress™ - a leading fitness and health book publisher.

The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance was released on Thursday, March 29th, 2012 and features top advice from health and fitness experts from across the country on the subjects of total body health, fitness and nutrition for children and youth. The authors will offer health and fitness tips for kids ranging from preschool age to college student athletes. Phil Hueston contributed a chapter titled "Metabolic Conditioning For Strength and Power: A Quicker, Simpler Path to Better Athletic Fitness and Performance."

On the day of release, The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance reached best-seller status in two Amazon.com Exercise and Fitness categories - reaching #1 in both the "Injury Prevention" category and the "For Children" category.

Needless to say, we're excited! Copies of the book are available through All-Star Sports Academy.

All-Star is 4 years old!

Have you heard the news?

All-Star Sports Academy turned 4 years old on March 1, 2012!

We're celebrating by throwing an awesome Open House, Family Boot Camp and a Dodgeball Tournament Fundraiser!

All the info is right here:

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com/family-day

We will be holding our 2nd Family Boot Camp during Family Day. The first one was an overwhelming and amazing success!

Here's a look:

Family Boot Camp December 2011

This great event is open to both members and non-members alike!

Contact us TODAY to reserve your spots, or to get answers to your questions!

(Little) Girls and Kettlebells!

Hey! It's never too early to start swinging! Kettlebells, that is!

Emily and Madison show you how it's done! At 11 and 10 years old, respectively, they're already on the right path!

Take a look:



Kettlebells offer unique training variables. Good swings create effective glute activation and better knee stability for girls and women.

What does this mean for you (and your daughter/sister/teammate?)

The opportunity to VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE non-contact knee injuries like the ACL tear and even sprains and strains!

Contact us here to find out more about how we help girls play stronger, faster and longer without knee pain and injuries. I want to be faster, stronger and injury-free!

How about you? Are YOU swinging in the Athlete Underground?

Cloud Circuits...gotta love 'em

Saturday April 9th.

A beautiful spring day.

Great day to "blow it off" and relax, right?

WRONG!

It was a great day to be in the Athlete Underground!

"Cloud Circuits!" 3 exercises per cloud, 5 clouds. 2 minutes to work, NON-STOP, with 1 minute rest.

Now we're talking Athletic Circuit Training!

Here's a quick look:



Questions? Contact us right here:

Still struggling with what supplements you should be using? The nutritional products you need are right here!

Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies? This Can Help!

It's recommended that we eat 6-10 fruits and vegetables a day. That's what's been suggested to maximize vitamin, mineral and antioxidant intake to maintain good health, healthy weight and avoid the conditions and diseases associated with poor diet and obesity. Here in the States it is reported the actual average of fruits and veggies eaten each day is just 2.

Yup, just 2.

Now, I don't know where you stand on this, but overall, it really is a sad state of nutritional affairs. We live in a world where we're constantly under time, work, family and other stresses. We often reach for the foods that are most convenient, but not always the ones that are most nutritious.

Unfortunately, potato chips may be made from potatoes (maybe) but they don't count as vegetables. And "drinking" your veggies in the form of some mutated fruit juice is not going to get it done either.

Coffee comes from a plant and beer is made from grains (barley malt, wheat) and "veggies" (hops) but these don't fill the bill, either. It would be nice if they did, but no dice.

But do not despair! It's not that tough to get more fruits and veggies in each day.

Here are some super simple tips to get you started:

1) Buy 'em already chopped

Look, I can be lazy, too;-) There's nothing wrong with not wanting to go through the hassle of having to chop up fruits and veggies. If you want to buy them pre-chopped go ahead. It's much better for you than not eating them. Alternate: Spend an hour a week chopping vegetables and fruits into serving sizes. Then you'll be able to:

2) Carry 'em with you

Load up a plastic baggie with your pre-chopped veggies and bring them to work. Seriously, see how easy this can be! Especially if you've used my suggestion from #1! Bringing the "right number of bags and making sure to eat them all is a great way to ensure maximum fruit and veggie intake, even in a stressful, busy day!

3) Add real fruit to your yogurt

Have some yogurt for breakfast and add some fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. It's that simple! Cherries, bananas, red grapes, chopped plums, chopped nectarines, chopped peaches and chopped pears also work. Whatever fruits you like, use 'em in your yogurt!

You can even crank up the fiber content by adding a few tablespoons of high fiber cereal!

Bonus tip: A great way to provide your body with the nutritional foundation you need each day is a Whole Foods based multi-vitamin. Prograde Nutrition VGF 25+ is one example. It's made from 25 veggies, greens and fruits. There are other great whole-food based multi's on the market and if you know of one, go for it. This one is a great one, however, providing maximum bang for the buck.

Here's another great article on how to be sure you're getting enough fruits and vegetables each day: Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies?

Be sure to use these tips and let me know how they help you out. Or send me some of your own!

"Sound Bite" Training is hurting our youth athletes

"Put 4 inches on your vertical in just 4 weeks!"

"Be the fastest player on the field in just 6 weeks!"

These are the kind of "sound bite" claims being made by traіners who want to traіn your kids.

Right now, as you read this, these frauds are trying to dupe you!

If you're not sick of them and the culture they foster, I am.

6 week traіning programs aren't helping our athletes improve. They just don't work.

Yet that's pretty much all you see out there. Inflammatory, sensationalized flyers, brochures, ads and websites telling you how fast, strong and powerful your kids will get in 6 weeks with "Super traіner!"

It's a bunch of crap.

And it's a major cause of іnjury and over-traіning in youth sports.

Whenever I hear or read one of these traіners' claims about the miracles that will happen to your kid in his or her 6 week program, I ask the same question.

Then what?

Short term traіning programs are like promises in a political campaign. They sound great. They appeal to our desire for improvement and success.

When first presented, they make all the sense in the world. They generate excitement.

They're convincing, display clarity and simplicity, and like political campaign promises...when the chips are down and it's time to deliver, nobody can remember them.

Not that it matters; there's no chance they'll create lasting change or success. Like the political sound bite, the short term traіning program is intended to get your vote!

With the traіning program, you vote with your time, your hopes, your enthusiasm...and your money. Not to mention your kids' health!

What happens when the 6 week miracle traіning program is over?

Do you really think those improvements will stick?

Will your kids be more іnjury resistant?

Will they have learned proper traіning techniques, ones that will help them progress consistently, play better in the long term and enjoy their sport(s) more?

Or will they simply learn to focus on a "product" instead of a "process?"

You see, coaches and traіners too often use "product" based coaching, rather than focusing on creating successful "processes."

In other words, they harp on things like the faster 40 yd. dash and the bigger vertical leap without teaching their players proper mechanics and strength-building techniques.

Think about it. If you devote traіning time developing great takeoff and landing mechanics for jumping, and combine that with functional strength development, doesn't it seem to follow that the athlete's "vertical" would inevitably increase? Of course it does!

Just like the combination of teaching great sprint technique, dynamic flexibility and functional strength will dramatically increase speed in all directions!

The trouble is, this kind of long-lasting, highly available athletic skill-set development can't be accomplished in a "6 weeks to 6 inches, etc." miracle program.

It comes from consistent, longer term traіning systems and good habits on the part of athletes and kids.

This is especially important for younger athletes and children. Between ages 8 and 13, it's a great time forus to help them develop proper functional movement patterns.

For many kids, this means getting them up and moving, period. Programs focusing on functional movement, that deliver fun and variety, will always outperform set and rep based programs for this age group.

Developing great movement patterns at an early age allows us to reinforce them, load them and make our kids stronger, faster, more agile, healthier and more resistant to іnjury!

The best part of this process is that the improved performance athletes get from a consistent, intelligent, "process" based traіning program will stick with them and help them in all their athletic endeavors.

Long after the "6 week miracle traіning program" and it's temporary nonsense has disappeared, like a tax cut promise in a political campaign, gains made through the development of good habits and consistent effort (in other words, a quality "process") will still be serving the athlete well.

More importantly, because of the good habits developed, the athlete will continue to get stronger, faster, more agile and more іnjury resistant.

The "6 week miracle" athlete will be steadily losing the"edge" they gained, and slipping into the "іnjury zone."

Here's a few well known examples of athletes who've benefited from a long-term athletic development program:

• Michael Phelps won 8 golds at the Beijing Olympics. (Embarassing photos and acts aside)
• The US Womens Soccer Team beat Brazil for Gold.
• The US Men and Women took home Volleyball Gold.
• The US swept the 400m.

It wasn't the "6 week miracle traіning program" that got them there.

Can you guess how they got their medals?

Think it might have been through a quality traіning "process?"

Can you guess what kind of programs we use at All-Star Sports Academy?

I'll give you a hint: 6 weeks is just about a good start.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to let me know!

Phil

Is Cheerleading the Most Hazardous of All Sports?

While reading up on the whole "Is cheerleading a sport?" debate, I came across a few interesting factoids that seem to be overlooked. (Btw, cheer IS a sport - you train to create precise "plays" and you get scored on it...'nuff said)

According to this article http://www.nationalcheersafety.com/cheerisasport.pdf, "71% of catastrophically injured female college athletes are cheerleaders" - Mueller F. O., Cantu R. C. Twenty-Sixth Annual Report for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. Fall 1982–Spring 2008. Chapel Hill, NC: National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research; 2008.

Ankle, knee, shoulder and back injuries make up approximately 50% of all injuries to cheerleaders. (Several sources, including the American Association of Pediatrics and the National CheerSafety Foundation.

Unfortunately, head and neck trauma and spinal injuries from falls make up a significant portion of the remaining 50%.

The good news here? The ankle, knee, shoulder and back injuries that occur most frequently in cheer are eminently preventable with the proper kinds of strength, power, flexibility and core training!

When you employ the concepts and techniques of integrated sports fitness to the cheerleader's body and sports performance, joint stabilization and overall strength is greatly enhanced and cheer skills get sharper. The net result is the virtual elimination of non-contact joint injuries!

That's great news for cheerleaders AND those who love and support them!

Want to know more about how to cheer better and with fewer injuries? Contact me or give All-Star Sports Academy a call at 732-597-3725 and we'll be happy to help.Cheer on - injury free!

Phil Hueston, NASM-PES, IYCA-YFS
All-Star Sports Academy

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

"Welcome to the Athlete Underground!"

Can you do this? KB SB Crunch Press

Here's a great core strength and stabilization exercise.

Lumbar spine stability during upper extremtiy extension and pushing movements is critical to both power production and injury prevention.

The ability to recruit the deep abdominal stabilizers during functional movement also aids in throwing movements and is critical to speed, agility and quickness for athletes.

If you're a football player or other iron athlete, we'll show you how this can help you get a bigger bench!

See you in the Athlete Underground!

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

Can YOU do THIS?

The SAQ Ladder Crossover Shuffle helps athletes develop the ability to change direction quickly, particularly in situations requiring the athlete to step across his/her body.

It also assists in the development of good ankle mobility, knee stability and the stability of the lumbar spine during counter-rot......ational athletic movements.

Ready to be a better athlete? Tired of looking up the depth chart and wondering when you'll "get your shot?" Ready to get noticed by coaches, recruiters and scouts?

Get into the Athlete Underground and raise your game!

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

SL Squat and Roll

Can YOU do THIS?

Deceleration skills and the ability to effectively break falls is essential to preventing injuries for athletes.

Here's a great core exercise that emphasizes glute strength/stability and both deceleration skills and ability to break your fall.

If you can't do this at least this well, we'll help!

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

Goings-on April 26, 2010

More fun and work(??) at All-Star Sports Academy!

Want to be a better athlete? Get some here!

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

Become a "fan" on Facebook: http://budurl.com/allstarfacebook

Quick look April 22-23

Here's a quick look at the goings-on here from yesterday and today!

Get some!

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

A look at April 21 at All-Star

A quick look at some of todays workouts!

Enjoy!

Become a "fan" http://budurl.com/allstarfacebook

Dave Mitchell Memorial Dodgeball Tournament

Here's a little video from Sunday's Dave Mitchell Dodgeball Tournament this past Sunday, April 18.

Thanks to everyone who participated we raised over $1,800!!

See if there's someone you know in this little bit of video wonderfulness!

Next Dodgeball Tournament: Saturday evening, May 8!! Watch for details!!

Join us on facebook: http://budurl.com/allstarfacebook

Visit the website at http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Shake (Easy Recipe)

If you like easy...

If you like chocolate...

If you like peanut butter...

If you like bananas...

Well, then this latest creation from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition is right up your alley.

Check it out here ==> http://allstarsportsacademy.getprograde.com/power-packed-breakfast-shake.html

See you in the Athlete Underground!
Become a fan on Facebook: http:budurl.com/allstarfacebook

Visit the website: http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

TRHC Bantam B team Wins Districts!

For the record, the Toms River Hockey Club Bantam B team earned every inch of this championship banner!

They worked as hard or harder than any team we've ever had the pleasure of working with!

They grew as players, people and as a team and their 2010 AAHA District Championship is proof that doing the right things will make the right things happen!

Way to go, boys!

So when will YOU get to the Athlete Underground?

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

Weird foods with great nutritional power!

It's still March, so it's still National Nutrition Month. Here are a couple more killer articles from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition to enlighten you.

This first article will knock your socks off. I mean, really, who knew that coffee beans were so much more than, well, coffee? http://budurl.com/coffeebeans

Next, you'll be stunned by how powerful Brussel Sprouts are. And Barley Grass, too. Bet you thought Barley was just for beer, right? ;-) http://budurl.com/fruitveggiemagic

I'll be back soon with more awesome health, fitness and nutrition info!

Yours in health,
Phil & the crew at All-Star

http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com

Protein Packed Iced Rasberry Mocha

Hey everybody!

Drinking those grande coffee drinks with whipped cream and sugar...well, they really aren't a good idea. Seriously, they pack about a zillion calories that don't do much for you - except pack on the belly flab.

But what if those drinks were nutritious? What if they were chock full of metabolism boosting protein?

Well, my partners over at Prograde just released this killer new Protein Packed Iced Rasberry Mocha recipe that you're going to love.

I'm not kidding, your taste buds won't believe this one! Check it out at: http://allstarsportsacademt.getprograde.com/iced-raspberry-mocha.html

Yours in health,
Phil

PS - And remember, Prograde is having a birthday party this week and celebrating with 15% off all their awesome products! http://allstarsportsacademy.getprograde.com/specials