Before I started this blog, I became really fascinated with fitness marketing and began studying industry tough. I can honestly say, these “gurus” really know how to attract attention. With their WOD videos, the super lean fitness models, the trainers with friends who are pro athletes, or pro athletes themselves they really do a great job at projecting themselves as experts. This is actually what inspired me to get the blog started. I saw so many bad workouts, bad information, and incorrect technique being taught by these internet famous trainers and pro athletes who have a tremendous following. Seeing this I wanted to do something to educate people on how to properly train, get their mind right, and help them safely and effectively reach their fitness goals.

Ok so you may ask, how do I know if a trainer is credible or any good? That’s a very tough question to answer but I’ll provide some tips so you can make informed decisions.

1) If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – There are trainers out here who are paid very good money to promote the holy grail of the fitness world that will provide amazing results with half the work. I posted about this in a previous article Input = Output. No waist trainer, detox tea, cleanse, will replace hard work and proper diet. Those fitness models that you see did not get their using those products only. They are paid to workout tough, monitor their diet, and be ready to do a photoshoot at any moment, so fitness is their life. If there aren’t in top shape year round they risk losing their sponsorship and money so they are working every day on their craft. This same holds true for professional athlete who try and market themselves as strength coaches. Just because you follow a workout that Kobe Bryant does, does not mean you’ll become Kobe Bryant. In actuality, you won’t benefit from a workout a high level athlete like that does because of how advanced they are physically. There’s levels when it comes training and you need to complete your current level before you progress to the next one. Always keep in mind there is no shortcut. If these programs don’t offer an in depth workout program with proven scientific progression, diet plan, and follow up consultation to follow with their recommendations then I’d stay away from it.

2) Watch their form if they post videos or pics of workouts – Everyday I see videos posted of very bad technique by a lot of these gurus. This can be dangerous for someone new to the gym that wants to try some of these movements. Squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, shoulder press, are lifts that can cause a lot of damage if done incorrectly. Some things you should look for when looking at technique online. On any leg lift you need to make sure their knees are bowed out and not caving in. When the knee is caved in the knee is in a very vulnerable position, especially the ACL. Also when squatting one should make sure that the knee is not shifting forward over the toes. I see this way too much in squatting videos. A proper squat video will show the individual shifting their hips back to get in position which will result with their shins almost vertical (knee behind the toe). On deadlifts, I see way too many people bending at the waist to pull the weight off the ground. This is very dangerous and asking for back issues. The worst part is I see people who deadlift like the at the gym on a daily basis. A proper setup would be a lifter with a flat back, butt down, eyes straight, with the bar close to their shins. This is the correct way to deadlift that will allow you to lift heavy weight without hurting yourself.

3) If they’re bragging about doing a lot of reps of an Olympic lift discredit them immediately! – Olympic lifts are power lifts. They are meant for a lot of force and explosion for 1-3 reps. That’s why they are also called power lifts. Unfortunately, a popular workout method today has tried to turn these lifts into endurance lifts causing a plethora of injuries. Any true lifter knows you ideally stay within 1-3 reps (no more than 5) on power lifts. If someone boosted they did 15 clean and jerks and superset that with 20 burpees, then that person is not credible. I don’t care what the hype is, that’s dangerous. Technique is everything with these type of lifts, and most people outside of professional lifters don’t them right to begin with. When you’re fatigued doing these lifts now you’re really going to be putting your joints and back in a compromised position increasing the risk of injury significantly. Run from these trainers as fast as possible.

4) Check their credentials – This isn’t always the easiest to do but if you can, do some research on the trainer your interested in. See what they’re certified in, where they went to school, what their degree is in, and what their past clients have said about them. Unfortunately too many gyms now hire trainers who are underqualified and don’t know anything about proper exercise and science and putting clients through awful workouts. Many retired or aging pro athletes will open up gyms as well, hiring their buddies (usually other former athletes who didn’t make it as far) and force their methods on clients. A trainer who is not being thoroughly educated on physiogly, biology, and exercise science can be dangerous. For example, I have a client who has multiple sclerosis and her feet will go numb at times. Trainers in her past said she needs to get her feet stronger!! Clearly these guys know nothing about science to make a statement like that to someone with a neurological disorder. I’m proud of my education and experience and have no problem revealing, my education, my 4 certifications, my athletic background, or providing testimonials from my clients. If a trainer is unwilling to reveal their background to you, chances they are they are not the right one for you.

5) Look At The Facts, Not The Hype – With social media and the internet it’s easier than ever to market yourself, especially if you already have a good following. Many people will see a pro athlete workout or someone with a nice physique and become captivated by what’s in the video/post. You have to look past the façade and really look at what they’re doing. How does their technique look? Do they discuss scientific progression or make up words like “velocity squats”? If it’s an athlete, look at how healthy they are during the season. If they’re suffering non-contact injuries, you can guarantee their training was sub par. Think about it this way, just because someone flies first class, doesn’t make them a pilot. This holds true when it comes to training. Just because someone has tremendous physical ability, a nice physique, or are really strong, does not mean they understand what’s going on in the body or are qualified to train others. Most people in this case are getting results in spite of what they’re doing, not because of what they’ve done.

When looking for a trainer or workout advice, don’t go all in and outright believe what a person says just because they have a nice physique or played in the pros. There are many in the industry who don’t know why they are getting results they’re getting, so they come up with some logic that sounds different, and use that façade to market themselves. Knowing these things I discussed make sure you, shop around, ask questions, and do some research so you can make an informed decision. For any more questions feel free to email us at jr@accelerationpro.com

In today’s society many people have this belief that more is better. Products are mass produced with little concern for the quality to maximize profits. People try to please everyone rather than develop a few quality relationships. Also many people workout to the extreme rather than strategically design a proper program that will not only maximize the results but also improve their recovery. At Acceleration Sports Performance, we use the latest researched-backed patent protocols and proprietary equipment to produce the highest level of results.

In this post we will discuss why it’s important for athletes to train smarter and not necessarily train harder.

1) Proper Recovery – Many people believe that an increase in strength and athletic performance comes during training. While yes a solid program is beneficial this is not when the athlete gets stronger or faster. Intense workouts, games, and practices actually break an athlete’s body down. By having an athlete workout constantly, in addition to practices and games the body is in a consistent catabolic state. The body needs time to rest and recover. During periods of recovery the muscle tissue will grow and rebuild, the central nervous system will recover, and the athlete can take his mind off the game for a little bit. When recovery is maximized an athlete will see the best benefit from their training and see a significant increase in performance on game day. If you’re over-trained you won’t have that extra gear you need on game day which will not produce optimal performance. A proper protocol will factor in recovery as a part of the program.

2) Reduces Risk of Injury – Today an ACL tear is about as common as an ankle sprain used to be 10 years ago. I see far too many young athletes with herniated disks, knee problems, and hips that are out of alignment. When an athlete is overworked, they develop muscle imbalances which leads to movement dysfunctions and overuse injuries. Athletes are specializing in sports at too early of an age and are getting improper training and coaching from coaches who know a lot of about specific skill but nothing about proper movement or training and it’s laying an improper foundation for young athletes. Just like a house built on a cracked foundation will eventually crumble, an athlete without a solid foundation will also crash and burn (literally suffer burnout). Proper programming will have athletes, especially young athletes working on a variety of things, developing multiple skill sets, and preparing the body for several different movements, rather than pounding the same ones over and over again.

3) Keeps the Athlete Excited – Whenever an athlete is overworked, they run the risk of experiencing burnout. For those unfamiliar with burnout, burnout is when a person experiences the same activities repeatedly to the point where they psychologically can’t bring themselves to do it. This causes a significant decrease in performance but also negatively effects them the rest of their day. Knowing they have to do this particular activity physically drains them because they are that tired of it. The only way to fix burnout, is for a person to take a significant period away from the activity. By bombarding an athlete, especially those who started at a really young age, with constant training, practices, skill camps, and tournaments, with the same sport, it’s very likely the athlete will grow tired of the sport when they get older. They won’t have the same drive they once had and will want to walk away from it. By mixing in variety to an athlete’s routine, it gives them a chance to miss their main sport, so the excitement is back when the season rolls back around. An excited and enthusiastic athlete will always perform better than the unmotivated athlete who is mentally tired and going through the motions. Just keep in mind when thinking an athlete needs to focus on just one sport to be great at it, Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and Michael Jordan, some of the greatest athletes ever played multiple sports even at the professional level.

These are the top 3 reasons why training smarter is better than training harder. This post isn’t to say that an athlete doesn’t need to work hard because that’s definitely not true. One has to keep in mind when developing a program for athletes, that breaking them down more and burning them out is not making them tougher or preparing them for battle. It’s actually wearing them out and putting them at risk for a decrease in performance. A proper program will factor in recovery, injury prevention, and scientific progression, so the athlete will see an increase in performance and reduce their risk of injury. Remember, doing unimportant things a lot, does not make them more important. Always choose quality over quantity.

Interested in getting world-class training? Contact us at 630-355-6600 or at info@accelerationpro.com.

Everywhere you go these days, there’s a new gym or workout studio that’s offering some form of group exercise class. Whether it’s Zumba, Crossfit, or a yoga class, these classes are abundant and really popular. One must be careful when picking a workout routine or class to participate in. Picking the wrong program can lead to minimal results or worst case scenario, an injury.

At Acceleration Sports Performance, we provide science based sports training, agility training, speed training and power training in the Naperville and Chicagoland area.

In this post I will discuss some things to look for when picking a program to participate in.

1) Check The Trainer’s Credentials – Many times a person will see someone with an amazing physique and assume that they are very knowledgeable about training. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are a lot of unqualified trainers out there with nice bodies who are getting results in spite of what they do, not because of what they do. A qualified trainer should have a recognizable certification from ACSM, NASM, NCSA, or ACE. If they aren’t certified they should have a bachelors or masters degree in Exercise Science or Kinesiology. Education doesn’t guarantee a great trainer but it’s a much better option than going off someone who just looks the part.

2) Make Sure The Class Isn’t Too Advanced For You – A lot of problems with group exercise classes is that they treat everyone the same. This can be an issue for those who haven’t worked out in a very long time or beginners in general. A competent trainer will have modification for those who are advanced and those who are beginners so that everyone can have an equally good workout. If they are throwing you into the fire, then you are at risk for injury. Try a class out before committing to it, so if the trainer wasn’t able to provide a variation for you sklll level, that’s a class you don’t need to be a part of.

3) Look For The Results – This one may be a little more difficult, especially if a class is new but try to find out the results people are getting from the class. You are going to have to ask some question and/or do some research online. If you can’t find anything, chances are it’s not worth your time and you should consider another class. Trainers with awesome success stories are going to share them at the gym, their social media, and/or their personal website. If the reviews are solid then definitely give it a try.

FitFast provides science based training, led by a certified personal trainer who also holds a masters degree in Exercise Science. The class uses science based progressions that allow everyone to have a safe and effective workout. Whether your goal is weight loss, strength, or the weekend warrior, our staff is great at making sure everyone is one step closer to reaching their results. We provide quality workouts, nutrition consultation, and regular follow ups to ensure you’re on the path to success.

Whether you’re interested in improving your athletic performance or just want to get in shape so you can look and feel better, our sports performance facility in Naperville is the premier destination for athletes and those looking to get in shape the right way.

EARN:EVERY:DAY – Blog by JR Niklos

Did you know? Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, and Scottie Pippen received ZERO Division 1a scholarship offers out of high school!

Did you know? Yet being FAR from the best burger, McDonalds sells more burgers than anyone in the world. In fact, McDonalds sells 75 burgers every second!

What’s that mean? It doesn’t matter how good you are unless you properly market yourself!

The following are FIVE easy steps to help you play at a great college with a great fit!

1. Know your skill level: There are 1700 colleges that offer sports, and I bet you don’t have the time to call them all. Research college rosters and ask a qualified trainer and/or coach to properly asses your level of play. Great players play in college. Your measurables determine the level. During the off-season, you can attend a combine/showcase to see where you rank amongst your peers.
2. Make a resume: To get any job, you must have a resume. This is no different. Prepare a document with anything and everything about you. Include all your accomplishments and anything that stands you out from the crowd. Click here for a sample.
3. Make a highlight video: Not every coach can come watch you play. Film is a great way for a coach to watch you do your thing without leaving his or her office. Put together your best 10-15 plays and be sure to include some actual game footage at the end. Get the coaches attention with some highlights, then prove to them you are a player play in and play out with the game footage. If you don’t have enough game tape, you can film training, camps, showcases, and combines. Anything to show your talent. Click here for a sample highlight video.
4. Market Yourself: Now it’s time to get your name out there. Fill out online “potential student athlete questionnaires”, email coaches with your resume/video, arrange non-official visits to your college of choice and stop in the coaches office, call coaches to follow up with emails and/or visits, let coaches know of your recent accomplishments, let coaches know you are attending their camp….etc, etc, etc. College coaches have to follow certain rules which you should be familiar with. You can see them here.
5. Make An Impact! Now that you’ve got their attention, do something with it! Make a great first impression, and ask the right questions like “What do I need to do to compete for a scholarship at your program?”. If a coach shows interest, attend their camp and separate yourself from the pack with your performance. Keep them updated with your accomplishments mid-season like “Player Of The Week” honors or a new school record.

Remember: Don’t let the recruiting game take you away from your training and preparation for the season. It doesn’t matter how well you do steps 1-5 if the coach doesn’t feel you are good enough for their college.The best way to the college of your choice is to be absolutely unstoppable on the field or court. For any questions or comments, be sure to email me at JR@accelerationpro.com. For combine/showcase/camp training, contact info@accelerationpro.com.

TRAINING DAY – Blog by Mike Niklos

We all watch and mimic our favorite athlete’s moves, but how are they able to be so successful making their opponent look silly? Incorporate these single leg lifts in your workout and start implementing the moves you do in Madden in real life.

1) Side Lunges

Just like a forward lunge increases linear strength, side lunges will allow you to come out of a break much faster and lower increasing your ability to put more moves on your opponent.

2) Pistol Squats

The stronger we are at a low center of gravity the harder break we can make. Pistol squats will enhance your strength levels allowing you to produce the force to come out of a juke.

3) Depth Drops into Exercise

Want to put multiple jukes on your opponent? Try low depth drops on one leg (no more than 6″). Not only can this ensure stability strength, but by delivering force unknowingly to the body we can increase our reaction time with multiple movements. Once you have mastered a low drop, try dropping from a 6″ box on one leg jumping laterally onto two feet.

4) Calf Pops

Float like a buterfly sting like a bee? Calf pops teach us to stay light on our feet yet keeping explosiveness in height. Try sets of 50 with your foot facing forward, then rotate your foot 45* either way forcing your shoulders to stay parallel.

5) Bulgarian Split Squats

Two for one special: open up your hips and gain hamstring strength at the same time. Gain more flexibility in your hips allows us to stay strong while your legs are outside of your body. Bulgarian Split Squats will help produce strength while increasing stability in the knee.

“If it’s worth DOING it’s worth doing PERFECT” this applies to everything we do in life including training. Here are 3 very popular exercises that we see done incorrectly for beginner athletes at our center.

PUSH UP

The misconception of a push up is that it is only a chest exercise. A proper push up should incorporate the entire body. The body is a chain and if one link is weak the whole body can break. Arms should be perpendicular to the chest and the shoulders should be pulled down. Hands should be placed shoulder width apart on the ground. This will allow the upper back to be locked in and be incorporated in the lift. The rest of the body should be straight as a board including the head which should be in the neutral position (head down). Do this by keeping your abs tight. This will lock in the spine to ensure no dips in the back. Legs should be tight as well. Make sure that the glute, hamstring, and calfs are squeezed together. On the descending portion elbows should be tucked. This allows for tricep activation and less shoulder rotation ensuring safety and injury prevention to the shoulder joints. At the bottom of the push up the palm of the hands should run in a straight line through the bottom of the chest. In the push up portion it is important that we stay tight and the body comes up together as one.

OTHER VARIATIONS: incline pushup, decline pushup, clap pushups, stager push-up, pushup hold

LUNGE

There are many variations to the lunge that we do here at Acceleration Naperville. This is a great exercise to increase speed because it can place resistance or weight that enhances the athlete’s hips and legs that directly carry over to a run. The lunge hold is generally the first variation of the lunge we teach at Acceleration. Feet should be shoulder width apart, both knee joints, hip, and arms should be 90 degrees. Arms should replicate running form (eye socket hip pocket). Lunge distance should be as far as the athlete can go with keeping the 90 degree in the knee and hip. Chest should remain tall, and body should be tight at all times. Once technique is reached hold position for a given time trying to maintain technique all the way through.

OTHER VARIATIONS: walking lunge, side lunge, reverse lunge, lunge switch, lunge jump, negative lunge.

LEG CURL

This is one of the most important areas Acceleration Naperville focuses on. One of the biggest deficiencies we see is the calf to hamstring to glute to lower back chain not firing correctly with a beginning athlete. The goal is to have the whole chain fire together. This will not only increase speed and strength but it will decrease injury. The most basic exercise is the leg curl, weather on a machine, exercise ball, or manually.These are key movements to be successful: Everything should be tight and squeezed together in both the descending and ascending motion of any leg curl. The abdominals are there to stabilize the back and spine to allow for the hamstrings and glutes to fire correctly. The hips should always be forward and never be pushed back. Athletes will tend to only use their hamstring when performing this exercise. It is very important that the glute fires as well. So squeezing EVERYTHING together will help ensure everything is firing correctly. Use your hands to feel your abs hamstrings and glute to make sure they are flexed to ensure proper technique.

OTHER VARIATIONS: glute ham raise, exercise ball curls, hamstring fall outs, manual resistance curls. Explosive ball curls

FITNESS 365 – Blog by Chris Minor

“Motivation is what gets you started — Habit is what keeps you going”
~ Jim Ryan
1. SET REALISTIC ATTAINABLE GOALS
– Most people fail because they set an unrealistic goals that they expect to
achieve overnight. Set attainable goals and realize that consistency and
small constant changes over a long period of time will be more effective.
2. TRACK YOUR WORK-OUTS
– Keep a daily or weekly log to track all of your work-outs, so that you can
keep progressing in the right direction and keep your body challenged.
3. ADD CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE
– Add 4 to 5 days of jogging, biking, swimming, or any aerobic activity for
least 30 minutes or more per week.
4. IMPLEMENT PROPER NUTRITION
– Do not skip meals. Eating small frequent meals helps to balance your
caloric intake throughout the day. This will also keep your blood sugar
levels balanced, preventing fat storage & weight gain.
Try to eat every 3-4 hours.
5. STAY HYDRATED
– Try to consume half your body weight of water in ounces everyday &
add another 12 ounces of water after physical activity. Dehydration can
cause the body to retain water, eventually leading to bloating.
6. CONCENTRATE ON BIG MULTI-JOINT MOVEMENTS
– These movements will be more productive at stimulating more muscles.
(Squats, Walking Lunges, Dead Lifts, Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Dips)
7. LIFT WITH PROPER TECHNIQUE
– Lifting with proper biomechanics & lifting technique is critical for maximal
gains, as well as for injury prevention. Consult a fitness professional
before starting a weight training program.
8. PREVENT MUSCLES IMBALANCES
– When designing a program make sure that the program is well balanced
and focuses on protagonist and antagonist muscle groups to prevent
muscle imbalances & injuries.
9. AVOID PLATEAUS
– Weight training progressions should include changing up your work-outs
every 4-6 weeks & cross training on cardio days.
10. FOCUS EXTRA ON AREAS YOU WANT TO IMPROVE ON
– Let’s face it, we all have certain areas that we are unhappy with &
other areas that we really like. Choose exercises that train your favorite
body parts, but also pick exercises that specifically target areas that
need the most improvement.

Chris is a level 2 certified personal trainer and has a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. Chris has over 10 years of personal training experience & also runs a In-Home personal training business that covers all of Naperville.

You train 1-2 hours a day. But what can you do during the other 22 hours to ensure your future athletic success? You are not given each day. You must earn everything that is given to you. Chances are you have an IPhone or similar phone, so get these apps to help you earn every day.

1. 1 RM Lite – So, bro, how much do you bench? Now with every set of any rep, you can estimate your 1 rep max for any exercise. Also a great tool to estimate how much weight you should use for any rep amount based off your max.
2. Inspiring Quotes 5000 – Need something to jack you up before training? This app features tons of quotes to get that heart pumping towards success.
3. YouTube – You probably have this app, but have you used it to help your game? Nothing got me fired up more than watching NFL’s Greatest Hits, and nothing helped me learn fullback more than watching film on Larry Centers. Now you can do all this on the bus. The playlist feature is a must.
4. iPlayBook Free – If you can’t draw up every play coach calls then there is a good chance you suck. There is no time to think during a game. Therefore you must know what everyone is doing on the field/court beforehand. Using this app to draw up your plays will help you raise your on-field awareness, increase your game knowledge, and slow the game down!
5. Are You Quick Enough? – This app features vision training and mental reaction drills used by professional athletes, only in handheld form. If you are going to play a game, might as well tune up your brain. Good luck getting past the 2nd exercise!
6. MaxMobile – This is a must have for any follower of high school sports. Easy access to rosters, schedule, stats, scores, & standings. Only thing short of this is knowing your opponents momma’s name.
7. MyFitnessPal – Need to gain or lose weight? No better way than to track your daily caloric intake over how many calories you are burning. This is a plug and chug app that will tell you exactly how many calories, protein, carbs and fat you had during the day, and give you an estimate of how many calories you burned that day. You can match that data with your goals and see where you stack up.
8. Nike BOOM – This app syncs your music playlist with your favorite players giving you some motivation. Features stars like Adrian Peterson, LeBron James, and Lance Armstrong! Rumor has it, Acceleration Trainer Jeff Richardson saying “Ohhh doggie, get fired up!” will be featured soon.
9. Seize The Day – If you don’t know where you are going, how are you supposed to get there? Great app to track your goals and to-do’s. An efficient athlete is a better athlete, so get organized and start shattering goals.
10. Sleep Pillow – When you train, you break down muscle. How well you recover determines how well the body builds your muscle back stronger than it’s ever been. A great night sleep is one of the best ways to recover, so instead of falling asleep to the TV or some Beiber, try this app for a deeper sleep!

Also get: Yahoo Sportacular is the best sports news app, Hudl is now on IPhone and Droid, the Wendler 5:3:1 app makes working out easy, Athlete’s Blueprint strengthens your spiritual side, Craigslist by Lifelike is a great way to find used sporting equipment, and Nike Training is good for a basic workout.