THE PRIDE

DECEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 25
 
 

#QUOTEOFTHEMONTH

A message from Founder and Owner, Coach Tristan Mitchell:

One thing that has struck me since the beginning of the pandemic is the link between the severity of COVID 19 and our general health. We have data that has consistently showed us that the more unhealthy we are the more likely we are to have a more severe case of COVID 19. Now being in good health isn’t a silver bullet and we never have total control over how our bodies respond to infection, but we do have the opportunity to better position ourselves and our immune system by improving our overall health. I would argue, now more than ever, we need to get back to the basics of what makes a healthy human and that’s why Lions Den is launching our Foundations Program. Foundations is about getting back to the basics of good, all around health - eating whole and unprocessed foods, moving our bodies, getting good sleep, and surrounding ourselves with a likeminded community. 

The goal of our program is to guide people to a healthier, more robust baseline. This program is 12 weeks long and will focus on nutrition by centering our diet around whole, unprocessed, nutrient dense foods; movement by connecting the dots between movement patterns and pain or discomfort and how best to apply movement and exercise to maximize your health; sleep by tracking your quantity and quality with the help of Whoop, establishing better “sleep hygiene”, and understanding why sleep is so important; and community by having in person weekly meetings and workouts to help inform and support each other over the course of the program. 

Space will be limited for this program, if you are interested in learning more please contact me and lets discuss.
 

#COMMUNITY EVENT

Join us for our last FREE Interactive Running Workshop of 2020 in person or via Zoom. Click here to register to save your spot today!
 

NUTRITION #FitTip

Hey everyone, Lindsey here! I know it’s December and I should be giving you all some “healthy holiday cookie recipes” but I have other things on my mind as we head into the last month of this crazy year. 

I won’t spend too much time reiterating what we already know about 2020 which is that this year has given us all many challenges. But I do want to get a little deep here and share my thoughts on what I have observed this year in my own life during this interesting time.

 

As I’m sure many of you can relate, it’s been eye-opening to experience a pandemic and possess a greater awareness of the state of health the people that we love are really in. When COVID started to ramp up and we learned who was at a higher risk of having a bad experience with this virus and who wasn’t, it was unsettling to think about which of my family members I hoped wouldn’t come in contact with it because they were definitely on the “you better hope you don’t get COVID” list.

 

…and to be perfectly honest, this isn’t about COVID at all. It’s about the health of our society. It’s about how unrecognizable our lifestyle is from our primal ancestors. It’s the fact that so many kids are growing up with a false understanding of what food actually is and childhood obesity rates are higher than ever. It’s the fact that I have family members that are on a long list of medications and cannot do normal daily activities because the state of their health is so poor. It’s the fact that the food industries care about nothing more than using science to create fake, addictive food that makes a massive profit even if it’s making us sick.

 

As negative as all of that might sound, it’s really not. I think what has happened this year presents an opportunity: we can all start to take a closer look at the choices we make every day that impact our health. And your health is not only impacted by the food you eat but how much you’re moving your body, the quality of your relationships, how you’re taking care of yourself from a mental health standpoint, and so much more.

 

Whether it’s 2020 and we are in the middle of a pandemic or not, we have control over the choices we make and those choices will ultimately determine the quality of our life. As we think about going into a new year, ask yourself, “are the choices you’re making today hurting or helping your future quality of life?”  As always we are here to help, please feel free to reach out to me or any of the team at Lions Den!
 

IMPORTANCE OF REST TIME by Coach Justin

With high hopes of achieving all their fitness goals, most people step into the gym intending to workout really hard. It seems like such a simple concept: You go to the gym 3 to 5 times a week, you bust your butt, and you reach your fitness goals. However, this equation is missing a few factors. One important component that often gets overlooked is rest time in between sets.

First, you need to choose a rep scheme that aligns with your goals in the weight room. If you are looking to improve your muscular endurance, you should aim for a rep range of 12-20 repetitions with a rest time between 30 to 60 seconds. When the goal is hypertrophy (muscle growth) the rep range should be 8 to 12 repetitions with 60 to 90 seconds of rest in between sets. The development of strength and power can be attained through a rep range of 1 to 5 repetitions with a rest time of 3 to 5 minutes in between sets. Sticking to the prescribed rest time will leave you with adequate energy to complete your next set and ultimately help you achieve your goals.

The reason that we need to rest in between sets can seem complicated so let’s make it simple. Depending on which rep range you are working in, you are depleting 1 of 3 energy systems:

  • APT-PC is used during strength/power. It is depleted quickly and takes 3 to 5 minutes to restore in the body after it’s used. Rest time for hypertrophy is a little more complicated. When training for muscle growth, a combination of ATP-PC and the glycolytic energy systems are used, the latter of which we’ll discuss now.

  • The glycolytic energy system uses most of its energy from the carbohydrates in your diet. Since glycolysis creates a more constant source for energy, your rest time doesn’t need to be quite as long. These shorter rest times will also make your body secrete more anabolic hormones to make your muscles grow!

  • The beta-oxidative energy system or better known as the aerobic metabolism is used when training for muscular endurance. This energy system is basically fueled by fat in the body. Since muscular endurance training is designed to create resistance to fatigue shorter rest time is optimal.      

So the next time you get ready to start your workout, be proud of your unwavering determination to work fiercely toward your goals. That work ethic and drive is key. Now, I hope you’ll also remember this simple truth: while working out hard is important, equally as crucial is adequate rest time.

 

#MOBILITY

Restoring Hamstring Length by: Coach Joel

Wassup Lions!? This month restoring hamstring length is the area of focus. The lying hamstring floss is one of my favorite exercises to help loosen them up.  Not only will this mobilization leave you feeling looser, but it will help to restore hamstring function. This means better engagement, which can translate to better performance in the gym, sport or activities. All you need is a wall with an outside corner and/or a resistance band.

Lying Hamstring Banded Floss

Start by laying on your back and with one leg completely flat. Bend your other leg and wrap the band around the ball of your foot. Straighten this leg trying to keep it to at least a 90 degree angle to the floor. Continue to bend and straighten the leg (aka flossing) until you develop a steady tempo and then begin to incorporate the greatly important breath work.

Use your patented 4-4-8 count breathing technique to help guide, control and downregulate the nervous system. Any breathing technique can work here, just make it a priority which will improve the efficacy of the mobilization exercise. Inhale to create tension (contract) and work to pull the leg past 90 degrees. Hold your leg and breath, then exhale (relax) and pull your leg further to increase hamstring length. Play with both combinations of flossing and contract & relax methods for at least 10 breaths or longer until you have a satisfied positive response.

Lying Hamstring Wall Floss

If you do not have a band you can still accomplish a lot of work with just the corner of a wall. Start by laying flat and getting your butt up against the corner. The leg on the floor should stay glued down and straight, with the other leg bent and that heel against the wall. Again floss the hamstring by straightening and bending your leg using the wall to help keep it at the desired 90 degree angle. Use a combination of the same two techniques previously covered with the goal to achieve the same outcome.

Can’t you just feel those hammys getting looser!? This mobilization is great when done directly after exercising your posterior chain or even an activity that includes running or using your legs. If you have questions, other issues, or would like to dive deeper into creating a more supple body, please feel free to contact us and schedule a personalized private 30 minute session with your friendly neighborhood mobility nerd. Stay Mobile My Friends!
 

#PODCAST OF THE MONTH

The Doctor's Farmacy with Mark Hyman, M.D. | What Does Food Have To Do With COVID-19?

If we as a population were healthier (think less obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc.), the evidence supports that we’d be faring much better throughout this pandemic. 

Unfortunately, in the United States, only 12% of us in the US are metabolically healthy, putting us at higher risk of worse outcomes from COVID-19. Of course, a major driver of chronic diseases and the risks they create is our food system. We can’t expect to be a resilient population if we aren’t feeding our bodies real food with real nutrients we can use to function optimally. 

In this mini-episode, they revisit two conversations Dr. Hyman had with his colleagues Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and Dr. Elizabeth Boham at the beginning of the pandemic about how food and nutrition are inextricably linked to COVID-19. Dr. Boham also shares how to use food as medicine for immune support.