Athlete Highlight – Matthew Radivojsa

 

 

Matthew Radivosja

We would like to congratulate SST Oakville’s Mathew Radivojsa, who has signed with the Division 1- English Premier team, West Bromwich Albion.  Matthew has been training with SST since he was 9 years old and all his hard work and dedication has paid off!

We are so proud and excited for Matthews accomplishment and his next step in his athletic career.

Congratulations Matthew!

BIG News at SST Oakville!

Some BIG News out of SST Oakville! We would like to welcome coach TJ to our SST Family.

 Coach TJ will be partnering with veteran coach Delory Rhooms at SST Oakville. TJ comes to SST with a wealth of strength & conditioning knowledge. TJ started training with SST at the age of 14 years, which helped him gain a baseball scholarship to Central Missouri University. From there he was asked to Spring Training in the MLB with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which eventually landed him in the Frontier Pro Baseball League.

TJ and Delory are committed and will be working hard to provide the level of training which has set SST apart for many years. Welcome to the family TJ!

How to improve your 40 yard dash- Part 1

If you want to go places in football, then you had better work on your 40 yard dash. While the forty yard dash is probably the most overrated test, it’s also the test that most coaches rely on when scouting a player. Given the emphasis that is placed on this one test, I am surprised at how many athletes come to combines and camps unprepared. I see athletes wearing the wrong shoes or the wrong clothes and I can tell that many of them don’t know the proper starting technique or running mechanics. Furthermore, it’s obvious that most players haven’t done any effective speed or strength training leading up to the big day. I tell my athletes that they have to consider the forty yard dash as a job interview that could land them a scholarship or millions of dollars when their stock goes up in the draft. Remember that first impressions mean everything, so plan ahead and be prepared to run like a professional. Don’t get me wrong, running a great 40 yard dash doesn’t mean that you’re automatically a great football player, but it will turn heads and give you the chance needed to show universities or professional teams what you can do on the field.

When training for the 40 yard dash, players tend to forget how important it is to be STRONG! I have yet to see a weak player run a great forty yard dash. As a Sports Performance Coach I know through personal experience that players who speed and strength train on a continuous basis will experience dramatic gains over those who only focus on speed training. One athlete who followed SST’s 12-week speed and strength training program went from a 5.05 to a 4.62 at the National football combines this year.

There are three main factors that SST considers when designing a strength training program for football players who want to decrease their forty yard dash time. First, we assess the player’s experience and abilities. Factors such as age, previous training experience, fitness level and amount of time available for training are considered. Next, we evaluate the player’s 40 yard dash to determine weaknesses. Do we need to improve his start, decrease his ground contact time or work on reaching maximum speed? Lastly, we focus on strengthening the player’s weakest muscles. As a general rule SST has found that football players tend to have weak lower back, hamstring and VMO muscle (VMO, or vastus medialis, is the teardrop muscle found on the inside of the quadriceps), therefore for the purpose of this article we will highlight , what we believe to be, the top six exercises designed to strengthen these muscles.

In Part I of this two part article, I will explain the first three exercises: snatch grip dead-lifts, tire flipping and Olympic lifts and their derivatives. These exercises strengthen lower back and hamstring muscles which are key components for achieving maximum speed.

Exercise #1 – Snatch Grip Dead-lifts

If I had to choose only one strength training exercise to improve a player’s 40 yard dash time, I would pick snatch grip deadlifts because they work the entire posterior chain (lower back and hamstrings). Snatch grip dead-lifts are a bit different than your traditional deadlift in that they recruit more of the hamstrings due to the angle of the trunk and a wider grip.

Results: improve start, increase maximum speed

Description: Starting position- feet are shoulder width apart. Grip is wider than your traditional grip. Elbows are turned out. Shoulder blades are retracted. Knees over the bar. Chest and shoulders over the bar. Lower back is arched. Initiate lift with hamstrings and lower back. Maintain lower back arch throughout. Keep bar path straight.

Variations: snatch grip dead-lifts off a podium, snatch grip dead-lifts with chains and traditional dead-lifts.

Exercise #2 – Tire Flipping

Tire flipping is not your traditional weight room exercise but it’s a functional way to develop the posterior chain (lower back and hamstrings). This is a grueling exercise that has lot of return for its effort.

Results: improve grip strength, decrease 40 time (after 12 weeks SST athletes decreased their 40 time by up to 3 tenths)

Description: Start in a deadlift position and grab the tire from underneath (fingers under the tire). Lift the tire using your legs and pop your hips forward. Flip your hands around (palms on the tire) and push the tire away from you in an explosive manner. You must keep your back arched throughout the entire movement to prevent lower back injuries.

Exercise #3 – Olympic Lifts and Derivatives

Olympic Lifts consist of power cleans, hang cleans and snatches. These exercises must be done explosively which means as fast as possible. The amount of weight doesn’t matter as much as the speed of the bar. Of all the Olympic lifts the snatch uses the most muscles in the body. People tend to shy away from this exercise but I have found it to be the most effective and easier to teach than cleans. In order to achieve maximum results and avoid injury it’s important to employ proper technique and use the right weight when performing Olympic lifts. If you are not familiar with Olympic lifting and their derivatives call your local weightlifting club or email me at sst@sstcanada.com

Results: faster starts and less ground contact time

Description: An explanation of hang snatch from thigh will be provided because it is the most applicable. Starting position – feet are shoulder width apart. Grasp bar with hook grip. To determine the distance between hand placements measure your elbow to elbow distance with arms straight out to sides. From this point move the bar explosively from thighs by extending the hip, knee and ankle joints in a jumping action. This is also known as “triple extension” of the joints. Keep the bar close to the body. This is a very important element and should be perfected. At maximum plantar flexion (up on the balls of the feet), shrug the shoulders, flex and pull with the arms. Pull the bar as high as possible. As the bar reaches maximum height, flex and then rotate elbows around and under the bar. Then fully extend the elbows and lock the bar overhead. Catch the bar with knees and hips flexed and squat down slowly and under control. The hang snatch is a complicated exercise that should only be performed in the presence of a qualified coach.

In Part II, I will explain the remaining three exercises that focus on increasing VMO strength: squats with chains, wobble board split squats and sled dragging. Strengthening the VMO muscle will help decrease ground contact time which is vital in order to increase speed. The less time a player spends on the ground, the faster he’ll be!

Larry Jusdanis is the owner of Sports Specific Training Inc. SST has trained thousands of athletes from a variety of sports. SST’s no nonsense approach to training has been used by thousands of athletes’ from a variety of sports all over the nation!

Larry Jusdanis

Owner, Sports Specific Training

Sstcanada.com

Director of the National Association of Speed and Explosion (NASE)

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Get Fit For Soccer

Have you ever noticed that soccer players like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Henry are all extremely fit and lean? Well it is no coincidence, strength training is a vital part of any successful soccer player’s regime. Whether it is fighting an opponent off the ball, or taking a fall or just sprinting, physical strength is the key to a player’s success.

Soccer is for the most part an anaerobic sport, on the contrary to popular belief of it being an aerobic sport. A majority of the movement in soccer is short bursts of speed towards the net on a scoring opportunity or chasing down that feisty forward, which is ultimately followed by an active rest. With that being said; the key element in developing sprinting is strength within the posterior chain and shoulders. A whopping sixty five percent of sprinting success is contributed by the strength of the glutes, lower back and hamstrings.   An additional fifteen percent comes from shoulder flexion and the rest comes from quadriceps and gastroc/soleus (calves).

Here at SST various exercises we have used with many of BYSC’s teams are; split squat variations, lunge variations, dead lifts, squat variations and our soccer favorite- THE SLED!

SST believes a stronger athlete equates to becoming a better more efficient athlete. The stronger an athlete becomes the more force they can put in to the ground resulting in less ground contact time thus reaching the ultimate goal of becoming a faster sprinter.

The next time you want to go take a five mile long boring jog, think again, and think strength training for soccer!

BTW… Check out our latest eBook created especially for you mobile folks out there – Nutrition on the Road.

10 Foods Staples to Throw Out NOW!! – Part 2

nutnHere we are with our second installment of food staples that you need to rid your pantry of ASAP!

And of course what to replace them with!

Click the link in case you happened to miss Part 1

3. WHITE OR “MULTI-GRAIN” BREAD

White bread, and even deceivingly, multi-grain breads contain zero whole grains, are made with enriched white flours, and little to no fiber. Meaning these breads will spike your blood sugar levels and leave you feeling unsatisfied and hungry again soon after eating.

What to Keep On-hand Instead? – 100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread

whole grain bread
Look for breads with ‘whole grain’ as the first ingredient on the ingredient list. The first ingredient on any nutrition label means it is proportionately the most used ingredient in that particular product. Whole grains are not only great for keeping you satiated but can also help protect against many diet-related chronic diseases; such as diabetes.

 

4. GENERIC PEANUT BUTTER

While peanut butter on toast or fruit may seem like a smart snack choice, generic peanut butter is full of sugar, trans fats and little useful nutrients. Generic peanut butters (such as Kraft, Jif or Skippy) are usually highly processed using a technique called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen atoms to the molecular structure of fat in a product in order to make it more spreadable, creamier, and shelf-stable. This process actually lowers levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body and increases levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Hydrogenated oils should be avoided as much as possible.nutrition fat loss,

What to Keep On-hand Instead? – Natural Nut Butter
Now a days there are SO many nut butters to choose from! Almond, cashew, walnut, the choices are endless. When choosing a nut butter to keep your pantry stocked, read the ingredient list, there should be 3 or fewer ingredients and the first one should always be nuts.

nut butter

5. TRAIL MIX

Trail Mix is another tricky snack dressed up and disguised as a healthy one. Pre-made trail mixes now contain chunks of chocolate, M&M’s, and dried fruit. Making this, could be healthy, staple more like a bag of candy.

What to Keep On-hand Instead? – Homemade trail mix

The best trial mix is the one you mix yourself! You can customize them to your own preferences and goals. Cut out the unwanted sugar and look to add ingredients such as 90% dark chocolate, almonds, and walnuts. Be sure to store them in air-tight containers to keep your mixture fresh!

 

6. WHITE PASTA

White pasta has the same problems as white rice or white bread, it has been stripped of all its useful nutrients, is highly processed, and is a simple carbohydrate. It will spike your blood sugar levels as well as leave you feeling hungry again soon after your meal.

What to Keep On-hand Instead? – Garbanzo bean, Quinoa, Black Bean or Veggies Based Pastabean pastas

The one upside to the ridiculous gluten-free craze that hit the supermarket shelves was the introduction of vegetable based pastas! These ‘pastas’ contain more fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals. These options are going to keep your blood sugar levels steadier and keep you feeling full long after your meal. Granted they do not taste as bland or neutral as regular pasta but once you try these options you will not want to go back to tasteless pastas ever again!

Have you tried any of new food staples?!? Let us know how these new staples are fairing in your kitchen down in the comment section.

Check back next week for Part 3!

If you have any questions or comments make sure to ask in our comments section or email SST Mississauga’s Lead Strength Coach, Courtney  ( cplewes@sstcanada.com ).

Supplements Safe???

Is it Safe to Take Supplements? Will I Test Positive?

You have been living under a rock if you have not heard of the recent drug scandals that have been flooding professional and amateur sports. From Lance Armstrong, to Peyton Manning it seems as though no professional athlete is safe from the allegations. Performance enhancing drugs in sport are very real and athletes at any level may be exposed to the temptations.

What’s even scarier is that many athletes will utilize supplements or medications to help them increase their performance thinking that these substances are safe because they are “natural”. It’s no secret that the supplement industry has grown large by marketing an increased number of muscle building, fat burning, and substances that will do just about anything. Marketing strategies include using terms like “natural” to persuade more consumers to buy their product. The average gym goer is looking for anything that will give them a boost and rarely cares about the ramifications of taking a supplement that may be laced with a banned substance. Unfortunately for us, it is the consumer’s responsibility to know if the supplements we are using are safe.

For athletes especially, this responsibility is not a choice! Athletes must take responsibility for every single thing that they ingest. Many sporting organizations are now testing for banned substances on a regular basis. It is not acceptable to claim ignorance or deny the allegations by claiming that you were only taking health supplements.

So how does an athlete stay safe from performance enhancing drugs?

The CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sports) recommends that athletes take responsibility for everything that they put into their body. Since every CIS athlete is eligible for drug testing both in and out of season, athletes are to be responsible and informed year round. Athletes should reference all supplements with the Global Drug Reference Online (DRO).

Luckily there are some organizations that make it their mission to test supplements for banned substances so that athletes are not left in a bad spot if they choose to use their products. At SST, we believe that supplements can offer benefits in performance and recovery for athletes; however these supplements need to be guaranteed safe so there is no worry of testing positive. We also work to supply products that are banned substance free, so that our clients need not worry.

When choosing supplements, athletes should look for the “Informed Choice” or “NSF Certified” logos. These 2 organizations have made it their mission to rigorously test supplements to ensure they are banned substance free. For more information on the Informed Choice or NSF process you can visit their websites HERE and HERE.

Please choose wisely and be informed when choosing nutritional supplements. Testing positive is not worth it.clip_image001 clip_image002

Qualities of a Good Quarterback Part 1

 

I know I’m going to restart the old debate with this question: “Why aren’t there any Canadian Quarterbacks in the CFL?” I’m sure you’ve heard a multitude of opinions on this issue; some you probably agree with, others just don’t ring true. I firmly believe there is more than one answer to the Canadian QB Question.

One thing I do know for sure is that we coaches need to do a better job of instructing our young Canadian Quarterbacks. I’m not just referring to high school athletes. I think good serious training can start as young as 8 to 13 years old. This is a great age, when kids are prime for both physical and mental development.

What can we do? Over the upcoming weeks this five-part series on Quarterback development will cover:

  1. Qualities of a good Quarterback, Part 1
  2. Qualities of a good Quarterback, Part 2
  3. Drops, drills and technique
  4. Throwing mechanics, Part 1
  5. Throwing mechanics, Part 2

Many people believe a good Quarterback is the player who can throw the furthest. Don’t laugh…I was at an all-star camp and was asked by the head coach to have the Quarterbacks just drop and throw as far as they could. They chose their starting Quarterback from this one drill!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP

What are some things I look for when choosing a Quarterback?

Mental and Physical Toughness

QBs often get all the glory when things are going well, but they also take most of the grief when a team is not performing up to par. I want to see a QB’s reaction after he throws an interception or after he throws a few bad balls. How does he react and how does he try to overcome this bad bout? The great Quarterbacks are able to come right back to lead their team down the field, letting go of what just happened.

Can the Quarterback stand back there waiting to throw the perfect ball knowing, that because he has to hold on to the last second, he’s going to get hit hard? Over the years I have played with some great Quarterbacks and have had the opportunity to watch numerous others. One strong characteristic that is common to all the great ones is that they will take the hit for the team. There is no better way to gain the respect of teammates than this. Let’s be honest, football is a physical game but most Quarterbacks are untouchable during practice, while everyone else is suffering full contact! Not only is this a good way to gain the respect of your team but, at the same time, you let the opponent know that whatever they do, they cannot rattle this Quarterback.

What kind of athletic ability does he have?

There are going to be numerous times in a game when things breakdown, such as when the WRs fall down, or when someone doesn’t pick up that safety blitz. A QB needs to be able to improvise and create under pressure.

Seldom does a Quarterback just drop back and throw without having to deal with external factors, such as linemen in his face. This is why I have our young Quarterbacks practice throwing off-balance and from awkward positions. Don’t get me wrong, our athletes practice the proper mechanics of throwing at least 95% of the time during camps, but they need to be prepared to throw even when things breakdown.

Excellent Quarterback ability doesn’t mean just running a great 40-yard dash. I want to see a QB who can create more time in the pocket. Take a look at great Hall of Fame’s football great, Dan Marino. Marino could have used a sundial to time his forty, but, man, could he avoid rushes with little movements in the pocket, and then throw darts all over the field!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP

Manage a Game

Quarterbacks such as Tom Brady are great game-managers on the football field. Good QBs take what the defense gives them; they rarely force throws and ultimately they make good decisions. Good game-managing Quarterbacks exude confidence, which will spill over to every other player on his team. More and more coaches understand that they can’t count on the Quarterback to win the game on his own. If they surround the QB with good talent they just need the QB to distribute the ball to the playmakers.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER QB CANADA CAMP!

In the coming weeks we will discuss one attribute that is MUST for all successful QBs!

Please visit www.qbcanada.com for additional information on our upcoming camps!!

Body Types and Fat Loss Part 3

In Body Types PART 2 we discussed the importance of interval training.

To review there are 4 body types we use SST use to identify fat storage:

· The apple

· The pear

· The banana

· SST Skinny Fat guy

The Apple

Walk down Bay Street or Wall Street and you will run in to many apple types, or what I call it the businessman’s disease. These people are typically overworked, overstressed people who and are probably insulin resistant as well. Their body composition will have upper back fat, love handles, and an excess amount of abdominal fat. Do you know anyone like this?

At SST we have found that up to 60% of people fit the businessman’s disease profile and cannot handle the excess insulin they produce. Upper back fat and love handles are indicators that an individual is insulin resistant. Insulin is the only hormone that you can control 100% of the time. If a client cheats I ask them if that donut was forced down their throat.

Let’s take a quick look at how excess insulin plays a role in the body. After eating a carbohydrate rich meal (donut for breakfast), blood sugar levels increase rapidly. In response, the body releases insulin, which acts by facilitating the movement of sugar into the muscle or fat for storage. Apple types are insulin resistant meaning that their cells are not responsive to high amounts of insulin. Thus, when an apple type of person consumes a food high on the glycemic index fat storage is increased.

What can be done to control insulin?

Well, let’s look at that professional football player I mentioned earlier. When tested, he was an apple. In fact he was a large Granny Smith! What did we recommend for him? He eliminated all refined carbs, increased his protein to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight and consumed 25 grams of fish oil each day. (Must be wild pacific salmon oil and not the cheap Costco brand.) He maintained this protocol for eight weeks with built in cheat days where he could eat pizza, ice cream, cookies and anything else his mouth could find. What person wouldn’t love being able to have a pizza once in a while and still make such excellent changes in his body composition?

Stubborn abdominal fat is linked to high amounts of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is an energy hormone, which should be elevated when an individual wakes up and should decrease throughout the day. Unfortunately Apple types have a difficult time in a viscous cycle of yo-yo cortisol levels. Excess stress such as job, family, financial issues all contribute to an increase in cortisol. But, what I have found to be the main contributing factor to excess cortisol is what people put in their mouths on a daily basis. Yes, refined carbohydrates and any food that leads to an insulin spike will increase cortisol levels, which then leads to that stubborn abdominal fat.

We tell all of our ladies that everyone has abs; it’s just that some people have fat covering them! Increased cortisol not only leads to abdominal fat but also is linked to a decrease of up to 50% in free testosterone! The hormone testosterone is anabolic (meaning growth) while cortisol is catabolic (breaks down muscle tissue). Do you now know why I frown upon rhythmical cardio – it causes a break down of muscle tissue and decreases testosterone! Heck, we work too hard in the gym to let this to occur.

The problem with the stress hormones is that they follow the same path as testosterone. In fact when someone is too stressed the hormone pregnenolone is being stolen to produce cortisol and lowers the levels of testosterone.

WHAT TO DO?

When an Apple type comes to us for help we put them on a Paleolithic type nutritional system. Humans have been around for 2.5 million years and our DNA is 99% the same as our prehistoric ancestors. These hunters and gatherers consumed foods that were fresh and natural not processed or canned. They consumed organic types of meat, vegetables, nuts, seeds and some fruit. Only after the agricultural revolution did we start to eat foods such as cookies, chips and Coke. By consuming highly processed foods we are causing increased levels of insulin and robbing our raw resources to make more cortisol, which has led to our society being fatter than ever. Right now obesity is at epidemic proportions and is one of the most serious medical issues of our time.

Remember this: When you go grocery shopping, stick to the outside aisles and only go down another aisle to get your toilet paper.

All SST clients start on a similar type of protocol for 14 days. They consume large amounts of fish oil, a high quality multi vitamin, 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight and follow a strength training program to increase their cross sectional muscle fibers. What should be expected? We’ve seen menopausal women lose 3% body fat and 5-10lbs in only 2 weeks by following this protocol!

Next article, I will discuss the Pear and Banana body types and the appropriate protocol for these types. After that, I’ll tell you about the Skinny Fat Guy.

Adult Classes

Butts & Guts

For those who desire a fitness program that gives you a firm buttock and a toned mid-section.

Fit & Lean

Helping women tackle weight gain and get in shape!

MaxFit

Men over 30? This program was created specifically for you!

Thank you for 20 Years!

2016 marks the 20 year anniversary of SST. 20 years in business is a long time, not only for a business to survive but flourish and expand, when so many other seemingly successful business models have failed along the way.

There are many contributing factors to the success of SST and I am taking this opportunity to share them with you. For that, we need to start at the beginning.

For anyone who is not familiar with my “back story”, in 1989  I was fortunate to receive a full athletic scholarship to UCF, one of the highest points in my life, only to have that very scholarship revoked due to an injury.  That injury was a direct result of improper training.

It was a result of this injury and subsequent loss of my athletic scholarship that the conception of SST came to be.  I believed that if athletes were trained properly, they would be stronger and faster in their field and less injuries would result, saving them from the disappointment of lost opportunity.

This was the conception of SST.  What started as an idea to help others, grew into a successful long term franchise, providing me with not only a long term career but also an outlet for my greatest passions, football and training.

SST had a humble beginning, starting off in a small gym in what was then Lord Elgin High School (now Robert Bateman).  A huge debt of gratitude must be paid to Tam Morrison, a teacher who shared the same vision as myself and helped get SST off the ground.

Lord Elgin was where teams like the Burlington Eagles came to train for hockey.  I have many fond memories of training future star athletes such as Tim Brent and Andrew Campbell on the back field of Lord Elgin in over 40 degree weather, pushing my Nissan truck around a dirt field. I am sure it is still a fond memory for the athletes too!

In 1999 I was fortunate to meet Steve Bodanis at a seminar and saw his enthusiasm and passion for athletes.  Steve quickly became my right hand man and one of my greatest friends.  Steve is now the owner of SST Hamilton, our very first franchise.

Eventually SST’s popularity began to grow and we outgrew the space provided by Lord Elgin.  In 2001 SST moved its location to Harrington Court.  This was an important move, it was at this location that SST became a household name in Boot Camp style workouts, with the launch of Fit and Lean and MaxFit44.

Harrington Court is also where I had the privilege of training many pro football players such as Mike O’Shea, Jeff Johnson, Jeff Keeping, Chad Remple and many others.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to train many fine young quarterbacks like Danny Brannagan (Vanier cup champ), Will Finch, Kyle Williams, Nathan Rourke and countless others. My passion is teaching and coaching, these athletes make it worthwhile.

SST has also enabled me to coach football with the BMFA for the last 8 years and thru this I have made great friends and relationships with so many terrific people. 20 years in business has allowed me to train and meet so many great student athletes.  It has been my pleasure getting to know these young people and watch them develop into successful adults. Rob Legate, Drew Collins, CJ Morrison, Stephanie Dwyer, Karla Leong to name a few, plus so many more wonderful people have been my absolute pleasure and privilege to know.

In 2010 SST Burlington moved locations again to its current New St. location.  This moved allowed again for expansion as we grew with our fast growing adult memberships.  This location also allowed for the addition of a sports therapy clinic. Peter Kissel and David Schenkel are outstanding at their crafts and have helped many clients.  We are grateful to have them and their staff as part of SST.

No training facility is complete without a special group of coaches and SST prides itself on our exceptional training staff. Over the years SST has been fortunate to recruit amazing trainers such as: John Blair, Dave Scott MacDowell and Sean Stewart. Each of our trainers have specific qualities and strengths and bring a unique flavor to SST.

A huge part of the ongoing success of SST has been our ability to franchise and grow.  Increasing our brand awareness and our place in the market.

I want to thank and express my appreciation to all SST franchise owners who have built SST in their own community. Each of them have added to the overall success of SST and I can’t thank them enough.

SST Hamilton: Our first Franchisee. Owner Steve Bodanis

SST Mississauga: Owner Rick Johnstone and Mike/ Nicole Tevlin. Former owner and good friend Mike Mc Carthy who helped build the Baseball Zone in conjunction with SST.

SST Waterloo: Owner Ajay Nagy who has won numerous Franchisee of the year awards.

SST Milton: Owner Jeff Jensen, who I met in a gym one day doing warmups- a terrific OLYMPIC lifting coach.

SST Oakville: Owner Delroy, a good friend and a tireless owner, we have shared a lot over the years and look forward to the next 20 with him.

SST Laval: Owner Antoine H, our first franchisee outside of Ontario, yet another owner who I have become great friends with. SST Laval was the winner of franchise of the year in 2015!

20 years in business has allowed me to train and meet some amazing people.  Clients have become friends and friends have become clients, contributing to the success of SST and for this I am both grateful and thankful.

Lastly and most importantly, I want to THANK YOU, my friends, clients and ambassadors of SST. You have meant more to me over the last 20 years than you could possibly know.  The success of SST would not be possible without you and your continued support. I would love to name everyone but there are literally thousands of you who have touched my life in one way or another.  I look forward to the next 20 years with my SST Family!

10 Keys to “Getting Lean”

Hi, Steve Bodanis here from SST Hamilton. I thought I would get this info up just in time for your summer body planning.

10 Keys to getting lean in 2016!

  1. Lift weights – don’t sit on machines, do compound movements that recruit more muscles. Toning means increasing muscle and decreasing body-fat. 20 reps of 3lb Dumbbells doesn’t get you toned.
  2. Perform intervals 2x per week – My favorite is sprinting, but you can use bikes, treadmills, rowers. Ditch the slow cardio and get more results in less time. Also it’s not catabolic so it doesn’t breakdown your lean muscle.
  3. Set your protein intake – women generally get 1/2 or less their required protein intake daily. Start planning 5 meals a day with 20-30g protein at each meal.
  4. Carb Timing – Focus on getting healthy carbs after training sessions. Aim for a little more on hard training days and a little less on your off days.
  5. Good fats are your friends – you can get too much, but don’t avoid them. Adding nuts, seeds, avocado, olive/coconut oil, grass fed butter to your diet is healthy and necessary if you’re decreasing your daily carbs.
  6. Plan your meals ahead – spend 2 days a week preparing meals and having them packaged in the fridge ready to go.
  7. Don’t drink your calories – water with lemon or lime help to alkalize your body. Adding a cinnamon stick will help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
  8. Get sleep – 7-8 uninterrupted hours a night is optimal. Go to bed at a regular time and try and wake up without an alarm (if possible). Turn off TV/electronics, make sure your room is pitch black and set the temperature properly. This will help reduce cortisol and helps with insulin sensitivity.
  9. Be mindful – when you eat try and chew 10-15 times for each bite. Also add mindful breathing techniques. This can also help reduce stress/cortisol which is the enemy of getting lean.D
  10. Don’t get neurotic – use your hands to measure foods instead of trying to calculate every calorie.

Palm of hand for protein

Fists for vegetables – 1-2 every meal

Cupped hand for carbs – depending on body type and meal 0-2 Thumb for fats – 1 if you’re having carbs at meal or 2 if you’re not.

If you cheat it’s ok, just aim to get back on track next meal. 85-90% compliance will get you good, sustainable gains.

10_keys-to getting-lean

Hopefully this helps you get the summer body you’re looking for. If you need more help contact your local SST location.