3.)    Form and function;
Every aspect of your training needs to be performed with great for and technique. By paying extra attention to your form you will teach your body to function correctly not just when training, but on the field or court too.

4.)    Functional Strength Training;
As part of an effective strength & conditioning program you should definitely incorporate strength training. However, as an athlete you should not train like a body builder. Instead, you should focus on more athletic movements that will increase your overall functionality. Things like Olympic weightlifting (cleans & snatches), single limb training, and exercises that help increase balance, agility and relative strength.

5.)    Proper recovery and nutrition;
Recovery techniques like myofacial release, deep tissue massage, static stretching, and     mobility training will help aid in preventing over use and injury. Additionally your body     will have the better ability to recover from a well-balanced nutrition regimen. You are     what you eat and fueling your body with the right nutrients will help with recovery which     will prevent injury.

6.)    **Bonus** Get qualified help of a reputable strength and conditioning specialist. They will be able to tie all of the above together in a sound training regimen that will not only increase your performance on the filed or court, but will absolutely prevent you from being sidelined due to a preventable injury
There you have it. 5 solid strategies to help you increase your sports performance while decreasing your chances of getting injured both in preparation for your sport as well as actually competing in practice or games

Jason Zaretzky is owner and program director of Optimal Performance Training Center, Rockland County’s leading sports performance enhancement facility located in Valley Cottage. For more information or to register for their cutting edge sports training programs visit http://www.rocklandsportsperformance.com

Yup,  just one exercise!

It Will Increase Speed, agility, coordination, power, strength, overall conditioning, etc…

Yes, In my opinion there is one exercise that will do all the above….

Can You Guess What It is?

Well, if you said the  “All mighty” Olympic Lift – Power Cleans , Clean & Jerk Or any of their variations…

You Were Right!

This Lift is a must have if your are a serious athlete and want to elevate your game – No Matter What Sport or Position You Play…

This exercise incorporates all major muscle groups in your body to work together as a unit, just as all sporting activities require.

However, this lift is a very technical compound movement and requires great skill to master. And without appropriate coaching and instruction – you can seriously hurt yourself or not see any of the “cleans” great benefits like increase explosion, speed, strength, coordination, etc…

That’s Why all of our performance coaches at Optimal Performance Training Center are highly educated on all aspects of Olympic weightlifting. A few of us even compete  in nationally sanctioned organizations.

So if you are an athlete and are seeking to achieve your best potential you need to incorporate this lift into your program, and you MUST DO IT CORRECTLY

here is how it’s done;

JZ

FYI – All Of our athletes programs incorporate the Olympic Lifts and variations of them. Come see for yourself with our Special Limited time Rockland Sports Training Trial offer…

Check it out here – http://www.optcfitness.com/athlete-training/athlete-membership/

Have you taken advantage of our Free – No Obligation Consultation Click here and schedule yours today

#1. Why “Fitness Gyms” Suck – And How They Fool You With “False Fitness”.

If you are the typical American, you’ve seen em’ – They are fluffed up with expensive chrome “exercise” equipment and wall to wall carpeting. They have the AC on so cold that the only way to break a sweat is to train in an Eskimo’s Parka Jacket. They are teaming with ravenous, pencil-necked personal trainers seeking to sink their teeth into your wallets and suck you dry of money and hope. I am talking about the Wal-Mart sized “Fitness Factories” that have been littering the American landscape since Arnold released Pumping Iron in the late 70’s. – I am talking about Fitness Gyms!

Let me ask you a question… how many times have you traveled to the “gym” only to find that you must circle the parking lot 7 times to find a space close enough to the entrance so that you wouldn’t have to walk? THEN you get your ass on a treadmill and walk for hours on end while staring at Judge Judy on the television (or what I call the idiot box aka America’s prime educator)?

Badass Lady

look familiar at your fitness gym? Certain times of the day everyone in there mother is there...

Jared "infamous SUBWAY biggest Loser"

“ Ok here Mr/Mrs.Gulibaliwitz just make sure you sign in everyday and this entire facility is yours to try and figure out how hell to get yourself in shape just like Jared did by eating all those damn subway sandwich’s ( side note I personally think Jared lost weight by shitting his brains out cause most Subway’s I’ve been in to are about as clean as, well use your imagination on that one)

They know that most Americans are LAZY and are completely unfamiliar with the actual hard work that getting fit entails. So, they provide you with all the smoke and mirrors plus fun atmosphere jam packed with tons of shiny new fitness gadgets to give you the false sense that you are going to get results – this is their biggest LIE! Plus once you get home ( after sitting on your butt for 8 + hrs for years on end tightening those hip flexors causing their antagonist to relax, hence the glutes eventually leading to a neural connection lack and your glutes now don’t work the way they should. Think 4 cylinder motor running on only two spark plugs instead of 4) they use the “Prime Educator” to sell you these asinine products that they sound like the next greatest thing. Making it sound appealing by using keywords “ Lose weight, 4 weeks, 4 minutes a day, etc, etc. Any of that sound familiar. Then somewhere in small print it probably says “INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY. CONSULT WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE BEGINNING THIS OR ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM” to cover their slimey butts.

I will show you how to achieve maximum health, strength and vitality the REAL way (like REAL women , men and athletes). My mission is to uncover all of the BS and the warm, fuzzy garbage that has had you trapped inside the same soft and flabby body that you’ve acquired since “WE” got pregnant – over 22 years ago!

#2. How “Health Foods” Are Nothing More Than Trash In A Green Box.

Monkey Shit, Cocaine, Toe Nails and Top Soil are ALL NATURAL – but that doesnt mean that you should eat it! Most people don’t understand that the processed food manufacturers are the second most powerful industry in this nation second to the drug pushers, and that they are both secretly working with each other.

Here is what I mean. The sicker and sadder that you are, the more drugs you’ll need to buy and energy drinks you’ll need to consume. So, if I were the owner of a multi-billion dollar Pharmaceuticals company it would be in my best interest to keep you SICK and DEPENDANT on my products… correct?

The big bad wolf!!!!

Since most Americans receive their education from the TV, I’d be sure to use it as a way to steer you down the road to dysfunction as fast as possible. The processed food manufacturers have always found a way to convince Americans to eat their man made shit by using crafty and innovative marketing techniques. They use TV commercials to “educate” you about the benefits of removing REAL all-natural foods from your diet (such as red meat and whole milk) and replace them with processed foods positioned as healthy.

Let me ask you a question… do you think a thing that us humans have used for ages such as whole milk is wrong? I don’t care about what religious or spiritual affiliation you have evolutionary science is a real thing. Humans have adapted over time to their environment and diets. Perhaps we’ve fixed whole milk by making it our own skim milk – hmm? Or maybe we’re right by intended developing methods of processing grains (like cereals) and fake fats (like “all natural spreads”) – and that the reason why our colons are suddenly all packed with putrid and festering feces and why many ‘Bad Breath Americans’ only move their bowls 2-3 times per week instead of daily is because of genetics or some other mystifying mistake that only medical doctors (the drug pushers) can decipher? “ Oh, wait your madula omblumgata is acting funny. Here I have a “ NEW” pill for you” such bullshit… why not figure out what’s wrong and fix the real problem. Oh wait I remember cause our doctor’s offices have turned into your 15 minute quick oil change places that’s why….

Are you really donating towards your doc's new wheels?

Parents who expect their chubby, lazy little Love Muffins to adopt a healthy diet and exercise when they themselves are sick, sad and stupid are OUT OF THEIR MINDS!!! They have a better chance at getting their dog to speak Cantonese than forcing their kids to give up soda pop and playstation for the rigors of labor and unsweetened ground foods.

Also, it is my point of view that “the plant can only be as strong as the seed and the soil”.

I will not only show you how to rear and cultivate young athletes but I will show you how to take REAL responsibility for the results that your athletes receive. The ball is in OUR court… not our doctors, not the school, not his/her coach – OURS!

LEARN MORE ABOUT REAL STRENGTH,CONDITIONING WITH US @ OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE TRAINING CENTER!!!!!

Anyway, I am done with my mad ranting… here’s just a few of my ran dom thoughts on fitness industry. This could have been an entire book but I’ll save you guys this time and stay tuned for more “ REAL TALKS”….

I’ll leave you guys with one of my favorite quotes “ Civilize the mind and make savage the body” Take a few moments and think about that statement….

I can’t say enough good things about Chris. He’s all heart and puts in even more hard work in the gym than anyone can imagine. And to say his efforts off the field pay off is an under statement…

Since this past football season we have been getting him ready with our combine prep program as he’s been getting some Pro looks.

Here is Chris’s private workout he did with his agents a few weeks ago;

Chris also has had pro day’s or football combines at Yale University’s “Pro” day as well as few other in the Northeast, with a BIG Time Private workout at Giants Stadium with The NY Football Giants earlier today.

Like I said Chris has been a long time Athlete of ours here at Optimal Performance and has become a great friend.

With his heart mindset and work effort , combined with his football skills – if he gets a shot in the pro’s, I know he’ll make some heads turn!

Good Luck Chris

JZ

Baseball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Softball, Golf, Track and Field… So many great sprig sports and they all have one thing in common (besides being played in the spring).

So what’s the main thing all these sports have in common?

A term we at OPTC call “Rotary Power” or the ability to swing a bat faster, throw a pitcher harder, shoot 90+, Drive a golf ball 300yards, or even run faster!

The common theme with most spring sports is that your need to have great ability to rotate your torso with great power and speed, while maintaining stability throughout the rest of your body.

The good thing is developing a strong and powerful core to enhance rotary power is pretty simple…

All you need is a solid block wall and a medicine ball!

What to do;

Simply stand in front of the block wall with med ball in hand and heave the ball at the wall in various positions.

Sounds simple right?

There is one thing to consider though – if you are like most athletes the thirst to lift, throw, and move heavy things is felt as a necessity as they think the heavier you can lift or throw the better the result. There is truth to that however, rate of speed and explosiveness is just as if not more important. What you want to do is choose a medicine ball that’s heavy enough to make your muscles to work, but the key to getting results that transfer into your sport, you want to be able to throw the med bal l as fast as possible while maintaining control.

Here is OPTC’s Rotary power training in action;

Now if you play a spring sport a or any sport that calls for rotational power – get yourself hammering a ball at a wall ASAP

Lata

JZ

PS – OPTC is now offering an unlimited group training package for 1 month, so you can try us out and let us prove to you that we are the best in sports performance enhancement training. Simply click the picture below and lock in your unlimited sports training month today!

 For todays express workout we’ll hit 2(3) excercise circuits for 15 min’s

 circuit A) Inv row=> curl/sq=>row/Mb twist

circuit B) BB RDL/Pit squat/Trx Fallout’s

* Both set of circuits do 10 reps for each excercise….get as many rounds through as you can in 15 min’s

(40/20)   a) clean & press a dumbell (switching arms ea. rep)

                      b) Lateral plank

* follow this up with a wicked 30/60/90 0f:

  jump rope/squat/trx muscle up

finish it off with a rev bench crunch/ ab wheel combo @ 3 sets of 15-20 reps ea.

 today we’ll hit (2) 3 excercise  15 min. ckts completing as many rounds through in 15 min’s

A) Pushup position SA Row x8/Squatx 8/ 1/2 turkish getup x8

B) SA PB Bench press x8/ walking OH lunge/Russian twistx8

Anyone who's done this knows what this means ahhaha

 3/ 22 ” You want me to do what, you must be crazy!!!”

Prowler Flu ( which means running a ladder with the prowler)

-push 5yds and back 5yds + 5 burpbees

- push 10 yds and back 10yds+ 5 burpbees

- so on until you reach 25 yds down and back

* every time you come back down do 5 burpbees*

If you dare when you go up a ladder you must go back down, so do the longest to the shortest…have fun