The word antioxidant has become quite a buzz word in the health world.  We see labels touting, “great source of antioxidants” and health professionals often recommend getting more of these powerful nutrients. Often when I ask people about the purpose of antioxidants, I get a confused stare. Most people are familiar with the term and have a vague notion of what they are but to explain what they do… well that is a different story. So here’s the scoop:

As a response to normal daily activities and environmental influences, our body is constantly producing damaging molecules called free radicals.  Because these molecules are so unstable, they often “attack” the body’s cells to gain stability. This creates a damaging chain reaction.  Antioxidants quench these free radicals and help prevent further damage. 

Our body is equipped with internal antioxidants and mechanisms to fight free radicals, but it also depends on the defenses we get from various foods. This is where Vitamin E, Vitamin C, beta-carotene and other phytonutrients come into play.  When we eat foods containing these important compounds, our body can better defend against free radicals and preserve the integrity and strength of our cells. 

Athletes have increased nutrient needs across the board…of course this means a need for more calories to fuel increased activity, but it also translates to a need for more antioxidants to help keep free radical damage at bay. By consuming a diet that includes a variety of foods as well as lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, athletes most likely get all of the dietary antioxidants that the body needs.  A multivitamin may help “top off” essential nutrient stores but the body benefits from whole foods more than it does from supplemental vitamins. 

So…setting the science aside, what does this mean for you as an athlete striving to perform at your highest potential?
Eat Food!

1.) Whole grains – when the whole grain is in tact (as opposed to being broken down and processed), more of the vitamins and minerals are retained.  Whole grains are a great source of vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant.

2.) Fruits and Vegetables – a colorful diet ensures a wide variety of antioxidants – vitamin C and beta-carotene are found in red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables, but other colorful produce contains essential phytonutrients. Scientists are still identifying the wonderful properties of these powerful little compounds, but it seems that all of these food constituents work in synergy with one another. In other words, eating a carrot is better than taking a pill that contains beta-carotene, and eating an orange is better than taking vitamin C capsule. All the more reason to eat food and not individual nutrients! 

Happy Eating!

Max Pacioretty is a 6’2’’, 203 pound left winger that is creating some excitement at the Montreal Canadians camp, so much excitement in fact that this 19-year-old was featured on NHL.com. The NHL has always been a goal of Max’s, and his hard work is paying off. 

Max has trained on Athletic Republic programs at BlueStreak Sports Training Stamford, CT since the age of 15. His training allowed him to enter camp in great shape with 5.7% body fat and with the highest recorded vertical jump (36”) in Montreal’s rookie camp history. In a short four years his list of accomplishments includes USHL Rookie of the Year, NHL 1st round draft pick, CCHA Rookie of the Year and NHL contract.  Athletic Republic’s Vice President of Hockey had this to say about Max, “There are few athletes that test their personal limits as much as Max has done over the last four year span at BlueStreak. Max’s energy, intensity and relentless pursuit of perfection are the reason he adapts at every level. He will surprise many this year in the NHL.” 

Max played for the University of Michigan last winter and immediately earned a spot on the Wolverines number one line with Hobey Baker winner Kevin Porter. His journey from high school to NHL was recently featured on MaxPreps.com. Max credits Athletic Republic performance sports training programs for his success. “I can’t believe the incredible benefit BlueStreak & Athletic Republic has meant to my career, from the (hockey) treadmill, plyos to the plyo press. All of these things have helped me develop into a faster, quicker & more explosive hockey player.”

Good Luck Max in the upcoming season!  

As a middle school, high school, or even collegiate athlete, you are often practicing and competing after school, which means that the bulk of your pre-training/pre-competition meals take place during school. Whether you pack your lunch from home or pick up lunch at your school’s cafeteria, the choices you make can have an impact on your performance later in the day. Remember that your goal is to consume a low fat colorful meal that is rich in quality carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits and veggies, low fat dairy).  Couple this meal with a good source of protein (quality deli meat, nuts/seeds, tuna/salmon, beans, low fat dairy). When you are packing your lunch from home, it can sometimes be difficult to come up with ideas and variety. Here are some tips and suggestions on what to pack for quality school lunches that will keep you going for your afternoon workout. 

Main Courses:

• Pasta salad (leftover pasta with veggies and a sprinkling of cheese)

• Salmon salad in a whole wheat pita (like tuna salad but use canned salmon instead)

• Peanut butter & banana sandwich with honey on whole wheat bread

• Baked potato (cooked and wrapped in foil) with olive oil and a side of low fat cheese slices

• Soft taco with steamed veggies (leftovers) and cheese, add meat or beans for protein

• Turkey wraps (turkey, cheese, and veggies on a whole grain tortilla)

• 2 Hard boiled eggs with bagel or 2 slices whole wheat bread & sliced veggies

• Rice bowl with black beans and diced vegetables

Snacks/Sides:

• Dried fruit and nuts
• Yogurt and fruit
• Fruit salad
• Diced produce w/ a small container of dipping sauce
• Whole wheat crackers & string cheese
• Pumpkin bread
• Whole grain pretzels with peanut butter

Drinks:

• 100% fruit juice (8-12oz)
• Chocolate/Vanilla/Strawberry Milk (low fat)
• Water (with lime/lemon)
• Homemade iced tea (only slightly sweetened if at all)

 When we last heard from Vladi Nikiforov, he was rehabilitating a badly sprained ankle and wondering what his future would hold. Good news: in the following post from Vladi you’ll read about how all his hard work and persistence has paid off with a two-way contract with the New York Islander’s organization.

After camp I was somewhat skeptical of what my future might bring.  Although, I know I played well, I also knew that getting injured right away didn’t help my chances.  But, it was a great experience overall.  I got to know a lot of guys through some team bonding.  We went to a Yankees game and everyone also participated in a game of paintball.

When I was approached to actually sign a contract, my agent said he had been talking back and forth with Garth Snow (NY Islanders GM) for awhile.  Finally, after camp the offer came.  The organization offered me a deal that I felt was a good opportunity to better my future and develop.  What I signed is a one year deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  It is actually called a 2-way contract, I belong to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, but they have the option of sending me to and from the Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League.  I know that if I come to play everyday, I will find a home in Bridgeport and hope for a successful year.  My goal for this year is to focus on the little things.  I need to commit to a very strict schedule.  In particular, I’d like to develop better eating and sleeping habits.

Over the past month I have been getting my feet wet while skating in the company of many Islanders/Sound Tigers.  It has been a pretty interesting journey to say the least.  Just last week I found myself on a line between Bill Guerin and Doug Weight.  I am really looking forward to this season.  It is as what many refer to as “Living the Dream”.  Since the day I laced up my first pair of skates I have always dreamed about what it would be like to be a pro.

Well, the time has come and I’m about to find out.

Good luck, Vladi!

A day of training that is. You may remember that we profiled 12-year-old tennis player Brooke Austin in the Summer issue of ACCELERATE. Now this young phenom has just won her age group at the Coup Le Blanc tennis tournament in Montreal, Quebec in Canada. This win makes her third in the world in her age group, according to the USTA.

John Hayden of Acceleration Indiana South, a proud member of the Athletic Republic, reports that Brooke trains at Level 1 on the Running Treadmill and keeps herself agile with Quick Feet Plyos and tennis-specific Power Cords. Be sure to keep an eye on her in the future!

So the Olympics are over, and one of this year’s most popular figures was, of course, Michael Phelps.  In addition to capturing the media’s attention for his record-breaking eight swimming gold medals, Michael’s diet was a major topic of discussion.  By some reports, Phelps consumed up to 12,000 calories/day eating egg sandwiches, pancakes, energy drinks, an entire pizza and a couple pounds of pasta.  Does this even seem possible? To address the issue, let’s consider the factors that influence how much athletes need to eat:

RMR: Each of us has a resting metabolic rate, which is the amount of calories the body needs to fuel its most basic functions – breathing, pumping blood, cell functioning, nutrient distribution, etc. This value varies from person to person and is affected by gender, size, and muscle mass.

Activity: Activity includes not only formal exercise but any movement.  This is where a lot of variation comes into play when we discuss the needs of different individuals.  Someone who works out for 60 minutes a day requires more energy than someone who sits at a desk all day.  Likewise, an athlete who works out six to seven hours per day (as is the case with Phelps) needs more fuel than an athlete working out only an hour a day.  There is an obvious economy of scale here.

Generally speaking, if our weight remains stable over time, we are doing a good job managing energy intake with energy expenditure.  If weight drops, we have created a calorie deficit, and if weight creeps up, we are in a calorie surplus.  Minor adjustments to food choices, exercise duration/intensity, and general movement can bring us back into balance.

Because of these factors, there is not a set amount of calories that an athlete should consume in a given day – it will vary considerably based on gender, size, muscle mass, sport, duration of activity, and season.  Here is my best advice:

• Each meal should look like this: mostly carbohydrates, some lean protein, healthy fat for flavor and texture, and lots of color (colorful meals have lots of vitamins and minerals – natural color that is!)
• Pay attention to the body’s natural cues and ask yourself, “Am I hungry? Am I full?”
• Monitor weight from time to time to determine whether or not you are meeting your specific goals.

Congratulations to Ogonna Nnamani (pictured above) and Ramon Miller for winning silver medals in Beijing!

Ogonna played for the U.S. Women’s Volleyball team in their loss to Brazil in the championship match, scoring three kills in the third game of the four game match. Brazil won three games to one.

Nnamani is a prodigious hitter, as she showed in Team USA’s final preliminary round match against Poland a week ago, scoring 11 kills and a total of 17 points, accounting for more than half of the 30 points scored by the U.S. team’s bench players. Her hitting prowess dates all the way back to her high school playing days in Bloomington, Illinois where she first experienced Athletic Republic’s Acceleration Training.

Ramon Miller ran in the semifinals of the 4×400 relay for the Bahamas, contributing to the success of his teammates in the final and, thus, earning a silver medal for his efforts.

Miller is a four-time national champion, a ten-time All American and will return to Dickinson State University (DSU) to compete in his senior season. Miller set the NAIA indoor record in the 400 meters in 2007 and was a member of the DSU 4×400 relay team that set the NAIA indoor record in 2006. Miller helped the Blue Hawks capture their third straight national outdoor championship in 2006 and to runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2008.

Dickinson State University is a strategic partner of the Athletic Republic. Under the guidance of Pete Leno, Director of Dickinson State’s Ben C. Frank Human Performance Center, DSU is conducting a series of studies to help Athletic Republic validate new measurement technology and training protocols as part of a three-year research agreement.

Brian Schaefering is a 25 year-old, 6′ 5″ 295 pound rookie free-agent in training camp with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns thought his story was interesting enough to post a story about “where Brian has come from” on their Web site.

In addition to coming from Lindenwood–a school that boasts two recent Super Bowl ring wearing alumni in DeDe Dorsey and Derrick Ward–Schaefering shares a training regime with Dorsey.

Here’s what Brian has to say about his Acceleration Training experience at Nutriformance Acceleration in Chesterfield, Missouri:

I was always a skeptic when it came to speed training–even while playing at the University of Illinois. It wasn’t until I came back for my senior year at Lindenwood that I broke down and tried it. I called Dan O’Donnell and made my first appointment and haven’t looked back since. The Acceleration Training program has put me in the best shape I’ve been in a long time. It helped me excel in my senior year and will help me perform the way I need to at the combine for the NFL. I was a skeptic, now I’m with acceleration for good.

Here’s hoping Brian’s hard work and perseverance pays off with a spot on Cleveland’s opening day roster!

When Vladi Nikiforov last checked in, he was headed to camp with the New York Islanders. Well, it didn’t go exactly as planned, as you will see:

July 15

Looking back on camp with the Islanders, I have no regrets; I played to the best of my ability and did very well.  There was even an article featured on the Islanders Web site about me.  I felt strong and ready, very well prepared for what was to come.  But, what came next was something I never expected.  During our first scrimmage I stepped on the puck and rolled my ankle.  I was diagnosed with a very minor high ankle sprain.  It’s been a battle, but this is what it takes. 

August 4

I just returned to Bluestreak after taking a few weeks off to rehab and recover from my ankle sprain.  It feels great to be back.  We are now in our 10th week of training and are focusing on agility and balance in our lifts.  As the season grows closer, I realize how important this program has been from start to finish.  It is very tough (mentally and physically) having to take time away from training to nurse a bum ankle.  For the past 2-3 weeks I haven’t done much in regards to training so jumping right back in has had both positive and negative effects.  I guess you have to take the good with the bad.  On the plus side I’m back, feeling strong and my ankle feels great.  Feeling good, however, has never come with such a price.  I am very sore, especially in my legs.  After a couple skates, I can say that I feel good on the ice and my confidence is back.

I am not 100% sure of where I am going yet, but I think it is going to be with the Islanders.  I am pretty excited for next season wherever it may be, I just want to play.  Bluestreak has helped me a lot, especially getting prepared for the camps with the Blues and Islanders.  I will continue to train at Bluestreak until early September.  I’m really looking forward in weeks to come … anything can happen.