Good, Great and Unstoppable!

I will always just shake my head at the athletes who tell me "I don't have time to train, I'm too busy, then spend hours at the mall, the beach etc., then countless hours on Facebook posting photos of their "not enough time."

I will always bury my irritation and impatience when they call 1.) lose their varsity spot to some "nobody" who put the time and work in to get there, 2.) pull a hamstring

or otherwise get injured, or 3.) don't get to play on the club team or the college at which they'd like to play.

You know who's busy? Navy SEALs are busy. Force Recon Marines are busy. Secret Service Agents are busy. And you know what?

They train. Hard. Every day.

And when the chips are down, they don't pull a hammy or lose their spot on the team to some rookie. Because they have seen their challenges and risen to them...

Athletes...when you realize that although you may not be able to have everything, you can have the things that matter most...IF you are willing to be and do what it takes to get them.

Before you blow this off, let me share a formula that works EVERY TIME IT'S TRIED...

Desire + hard, smart work + clarity of purpose = SUCCESS

For better or worse, you get what you earn.

If you are in the lineup, making an impact and having fun, you've earned that.

If you're riding the pines, sitting in the trainers' room or feeling the wrath of the coach, you've earned that as well.

I can help an athlete develop a plan for hard, smart work. No gimmicks, no "ooh shiny" high-tech gadgets, no magic bullets. Just the things that always work to improve the athletic skill-set.

I can help an athlete develop clarity of purpose.

To know the "why" that gets them out of a comfortable sleep at 5 AM to get to work building their athletic or academic resume`.

To understand the purpose for giving a little more when it feels like the next breath will be the last and the next rep will make them collapse.

To grasp the truth about why they must lift others around them UP, instead of holding them down, in order to be the leader that everyone NEEDS them to be.

But I cannot grow desire in their hearts and souls. That, my friends is organic.

And THAT is the difference between good, great and unstoppable...

What do you think? Leave a comment below or go here: All-Star on Facebook and join the conversation.

Coach Iggy's In The House!!

Coach Iggy was in the house on Wednesday...

Here's a "quick" look at his work...and why our athletes are just faster than everyone else.




Would YOU like to be faster? Stronger? More Explosive?

Leaner? Healthier? Contact us here: I'm ready to go!

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!

Brain Food for Athletes!

Why coaching feedback is critical.

Your feedback and communication is brain food to an athlete. To develop correctly and effectively, young athlete's brains need a steady flow of quality nutrients and stimuli. Neural development and conditioning is a process that never really ceases, at least not until brain function does. Since none of us train zombies, let's focus on how we effect brain development, especially synaptic development, through communication, feedback and the impact of both on proprioception with our living clients.

Read the rest here

All-Star Sports Academy Athletes...

getting it done where it matters...

Here are 2 recent stories relayed to me by one proud mom and one excited coach regarding the performance of athletes with whom we have been blessed to work.

Annemarie sends us this about her son, Ray:

"Hi Phil!! My son Ray received the Golden Bat and Golden Glove award for today's game!! Thank you for all your hard work and time All Star Sports Academy puts into him!!!! "

and a few days later:

"Hey Phil! F.Y.I. Ray also won the "Fleet Foot" award last week for scoring 3 runs and was Co-MVP in today's game against Freehold Twp!!"

Ray is one of our hardest working athletes and the time spent "doing work" with us is translating directly to success on the field.

Coach Tom sent me this about his TRIC Revolution U11 G soccer team:

"I wanted to let you know, and thank you and your staff, about our recent tournament win. You really got our girls jumping out of the starting blocks quickly this season and resulted in an early season tournament win at the PDA Spring Kickoff on March 31st & April 1st.

The PDA Spring Kickoff is rated as having the 3rd strongest girls soccer competition in the country according to GotSoccer. com website. The girls won their bracket and finished the tournament with 4 wins, 0 losses and ties - outscoring their opponents 8 goals to 2.

Thanks again for the great training sessions you and your staff put together. It really got our girls in game ready shape and resulted in a nice, early season tournament win." 

We're very proud of these girls. Like Ray, they not only know how to work hard with us, but how to have fun doing it!

Want to get started on YOUR road to athletic success? Press here now to contact me and schedule an assessment and your 14 day trial!

Who Wants To Go Fast!

Speed is something you're just "born with," right?

WRONG!

Speed is a bio-mechanical skill that can be taught and developed.

Are you born with all the math ability you'll ever have?

How about all the strength you'll ever develop?

Of course not!

The human body, and in particular the neuromuscular system, is hugely and uniquely adaptable.

That adaptation stems from the plastic nature of the body's tissues, especially in the neural system.

Nerves adapt to demand very well. In fact, the stimulus received by the body and the nervous system is one of the key factors in determining the number, role and quality of synapses developed within the brain and nervous system.

We also know that speed can be developed because it is a result of improvements made in several areas of the human system.

Strength - get stronger and you can get faster. Muscles move bones. Moving bones engages joints and causes systems to move. Stronger muscles can be trained to respond faster.

Proprioceptive and neural response and delivery - Proprioception, simply put, is the way the nervous system senses the world around us and delivers the messages to the brain.

Neural response and delivery is the way in which we analyze the input regarding our surroundings, create a movement plan in the brain and deliver the signals to the muscles regarding how to move, at what rate of force and in what direction.

These factors are affected by training in speed and agility technique and through repetition. As the brain does something more frequently and in the correct manner, it finds efficiencies that allow the process to occur faster.

Put these things together with a good flexibility and mobility program and you get...drum roll please...

FASTER!

Here's a few of the techniques we use to make our athletes faster. And they are some of the fastest athletes around...

Get Faster NOW! 

Leave questions or comments below!

(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!

"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

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

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

DODGEBALL!! Again!

For all of you who love to play Dodgeball with us and have been asking "when is the next tournament?" here's your answer!!

DODGEBALL!! Saturday, May 8, 2010 at All-Star Sports Academy in Toms River!

Get your 'ballers together, get the sweet uniforms ready and get registered NOW!

At 6:30 PM the madness begins!!

This is 6 v 6 Dodgeball, with a maximum of 8 players per team!

Only $75 per TEAM!

Kids, adults, even granny can play...

Check it out on Facebook: http://budurl.com/hurricanedodgeball

Contact us and we'll email the registration form to you!

We'll see YOU at the Athlete Underground for Dodgeball!

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

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

Put 4 Inches on your vertical in 40 seconds!

Here's All-Star Sports Academy's breakthrough vertical leap program:

PUT 4 INCHES ON YOUR VERTICAL IN ONLY 40 SECONDS!

Check out this video for more details:



Then check out the website at http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com!

See you in the Athlete Underground!!

Beat Swine Flu...

The newsmedia is full of breathless, panic-stricken reports about Swine Flu. They throw around words like "pandemic," Recombinant" and "transspecies."

What does it all mean? Is this bio-terror, or just an anomaly? I even read a story linking a reduction in solar flares and solar wind to the rise of new strains of flu and maybe other diseases.

Wow. Makes you want to stay home, wrap yourself in a blanket and hide!

So what to do? It's fairly simple, really.

First, DON'T PANIC! If you've ever read Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" you already get this sage advice. Read through the news hype. Swine flu is NOT prowling your neighborhood streets, looking for a random sucker to infect.

Most likely, it's being spread through direct contact with those within the "hot period," or in the case of this bug, 24-72 hours after infection. So unless you're spending time in Mexico City, airports or places where we KNOW THERE IS AN OUTBREAK, you are probably not at risk yet.

So...now is the time to gather information about this and other flu viruses. Knowledge is power.

Second, Wash your hands! Yeah, your mom is right. Clean hands (and other skin surfaces) help prevent not only infection in you, but in others as well. Do you need anti-bacterial gels and soap. Um, think for a minute...influenza is a VIRUS...so anti-bacterial soaps, gels, etc. probably won't help.

Third, Flush the air at home! Open windows on breezy days when it's warm enough. Keeping the house closed up, whether you're heating or cooling, is like inviting the virus in. Let the fresh air in, let the sun in, you and your house will feel better.

Fourth, Eat to be immune!Include lots of fresh veggies and fruits in your diet. One precaution...since much of our produce comes from California and Mexico (Swine Flu hotspots), wash your produce well!

Fifth, Get some sleep! The body repairs itself and resets the defenses during sleep periods. Get 8-10 hours a night, and maybe grab a nap daily.

Sixth, VITAMINS AND MINERALS! I cannot stress this enough. EVERYONE needs a good multivitamin/mineral complex! Stop buying Centrum, OneADay or whatever other $15 crap you're throwing your money away on and go get some Prograde VGF+ For Men or Prograde VGF+ for Women! The reality is that if you're not spending about $35-$50 a month for your multi, you're probably getting crap.

In addition, it helps to add supplemental Vitamin C to your regimen. In spite of the scare tactics often employed by the medical community to stop people from using this natural immune booster for that purpose, Vitamin C really does boost immune response in humans. 1,000 - 3,000 mg/day will help, more is ok if your system can handle it.

Seventh, and last...No rubbing snouts or smooching with pigs or birds or people who sound like they're hacking up a lung! Enough said!
_________________________________________________________________

Quinoa and Fresh Herb Salad With Garden Tomatoes

Makes 2 servings, with leftover quinoa Description

Quinoa is a high-fiber grain that's loaded with protein and readily available in groceries or health food stores. Need a convenient grain? Try this one: it cooks in 6 minutes! Here’s a version of the delicious Middle Eastern salad, tabbouleh, with quinoa instead of bulgur.

Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions (white and light-green parts), thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons lightly packed fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
3 large beefsteak tomatoes, preferably a mixture of red and yellow
2 ounces low-fat feta cheese

Instructions
Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan, over high heat. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt; bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 6 minutes, until nearly all the water is absorbed and quinoa is tender and chewy but not soft.

While quinoa is cooking, combine juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Fold in quinoa, scallions, cucumber, and herbs. Toss until thoroughly coated. Season to taste as desired.

Thinly slice tomatoes. Arrange on serving plates. Spoon about 1 cup quinoa over tomatoes. Crumble feta on top. Serve immediately.

Nutritional information
350 calories
14 g total fat (4 g sat)
10 mg cholesterol
47 g carbohydrate
15 g protein
7 g fiber
410 mg sodium

Friday Round Up

Well, we approach the end of another exciting week here at All-Star Sports Academy.

When Monday rolls around, one of our athletes, Charlie Henry, formerly of Toms River North High School, Monmouth University and Susquehanna University (Phil's Alma Mater!) will very likely be a National Football League Fullback!

Here's just a taste of what Charlie said about what All-Star Sports Academy did for him:
"I have done many workouts where players say 'why am I doing this? I'll never do this on the field!' Every exercise we do is relevant to my sport, and even my position. I feel I could not have had an equal experience with any other sports facility in New Jersey!"

Wow! Thanks, Charlie! Watch this blog on Monday or Tuesday. We're all pulling for Charlie, and the early word is he'll be in a Cleveland Browns or Dallas Cowboys uniform this season!

Also in the All-Star news: The Answer calls All-Star Sports Academy his training home!

Frank "The Answer" Edgar, a Toms River resident and up-and-coming mixed martial arts competitor is preparing for what many are calling the fight of his career!

So, where does a tough UFC guy like Frank go for his conditioning training? All-Star Sports Academy, that's where!

On May 23, you can catch Frank's big fight against Sean Sherk on pay-per-view live from Vegas.

Between now and then, he'll be working hard at All-Star! Video coming soon...

Let's see, the best athletes at the Jersey Shore call All-Star their training home. NFL prospects tell us they couldn't have it better anywhere else. A professional mixed martial artist chooses us to get him ready for the fight of his career.

What's YOUR reason for not being here again?

We'll make it really simple for you.
Go to http://www.allstarsportsacademynj.com/free-trial-membership

Apply for a trial membership. In the "Comments" section, write "Charlie and Frank sent me!"

We'll DOUBLE YOUR TRIAL PERIOD! That's 2 weeks of no-cost, no-obligation sports fitness preparation on All-Star Sports Academy!