Charlie Francis' Weight-Lifting Methods

Since everybody is riding on the Olympic Hype, anyone want to run faster for the 100m?

Legendary sprinting mind who also assumed the position of coach of Ben Johnson, 9.79 sprinter at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Charlie Francis, states that athletes should aspire for a more developed somatotype before any maximal method/power (plyometric exercise) is done. Francis recommends athletes to do medicine ball work prior to explosive track work/heavy lifting.

Francis also states that there are 2 types of CNS output: General (Rate Coding) and Specific (Intramuscular Coordination). This can come to the conclusion that one can increase their bench press via sprinting and vice versa. Rate coding is responsible for the frequency and magnitude  of neuro-muscular output. Intramuscular coordination is the strengthening of the muscles involved in a movement. Intermuscular coordination refers to co-contraction ability in a movement. This improved movement efficiency CANNOT be transferred to any other movements as it is specific. 

Example: Bench Pressing 2x3: Stimulates CNS Rate Coding significantly therefore your CNS is improved. Your CNS is responsible for every muscle contraction and movement in your body, hence improving the CNS will improve everything. General Method.

Bench Pressing utilizing chains/bands/lockout/supra-maximal methods: Trains the movement specifically. Improves the bench number not because of augmented CNS characteristics but because of better movement efficiency. Does not translate for sprinting performance. Specific Method.

Take home message of the day: for your strength training keep your exercise/rep schemes tailored to your sprinting needs. Don't do exercises that cannot translate to your sprinting performance!

Guess how much Ben Johnson bench presses?

430lbs. 

2012 London Olympics - The Irresistible Aura of the 100m

Know this man? 

With the London 2012 Olympics ending in 2 days, Health and Fitness decided it would be a good afternoon to summarize its thoughts on the Athletes competition at the Summer Games. Also it would like to post some brief information regarding the 100m, so stay tuned for that at the end.

Undoubtedly the most electric event of the entire competition was the 100m. There is simply no doubt to that. The man/woman who wins the 100m finals are declared officially as the Faster Person In the World, a very attractive title. 

The reason why the 10 second event is so dramatic and eclipses every other discipline is because of one fact - everyone in their lifetime has sprinted! For us humans to comprehend how difficult a task is, we must first try it. The quote "Walk a mile in their shoes" is perfect for this. Not everyone has did synchronize swimming or something as hard as the 800m so they can easily point and say "That's easy." But in the 100m, they have all tried it so they really do understand how difficult it is at the Olympic level. That is also why everyone loves the 100m.

Usain Bolt dramatized this year's Summer Games by false-starting last year in the Daegu Championships. Everyone was really surprised. If anyone did it, it couldn't have been Bolt. So I guess that is why everyone was anticipating the 100m Final this year. Another note to mention is that Yohan Blake, the "Beast", beat Mr. Lightning at the Jamaican Trials. 

The results of the final? You know it, I know it, we all know it. Bolt ran in a very fast time of 9.63 breaking his 4 year-reigning Olympic Record. He then at the 200m final, breezed through with a time of 19.32. Congratulations to Jamaica for their podium sweep.

Health and Fitness - How They Affect Cancer

Health and Fitness- How They Affect Cancer - written by David Haas

No one wants to hear the news that they have cancer and surely no doctor wants to give it. But unfortunately, many patients are diagnosed every day; however, cancer does not define those with the illness. Being diagnosed does not mean you have to surrender all feelings of control and happiness. In fact, having such a condition can make you a stronger person and introduce you to a healthy and more fulfilling lifestyle.

Many people fighting illnesses take up hobbies or an active lifestyle in order to sustain a good quality of life. Think about it; giving into the negative aspects of cancer is another way the illness takes over your life. In truth, you have no need to feel helpless and alone, and there is absolutely no reason for you to let sickness be your life. You are and always will be a strong person.

Focusing on health and fitness is a great way to maintain a wonderful life. Doctors who teach and guide patients after notifying them of cancerous tumors (i.e. mesothelioma diagnosis and other cancer conditions) recommend a regular healthy eating and exercise regime. Understanding your personal health will help you become more aware of what’s good for your body and what’s not. Be patient and slow down your busy days. Take the time to think about how you feel eating certain things or exerting energy in different ways. Just thinking about your health and trying to help your body through a positive spirit is a great way to begin a healthy lifestyle.

When it comes to exercise, all cancer doctors recommend physical activity as a way to fight against cancer. However, recommendations for workouts are different for those in all stages of cancer, whether they have been just diagnosed, receiving treatment, or in remission.

Aerobic
Aerobic exercise is what many call cardio. Cardio includes running, walking, biking, swimming, dancing, and many other activities. Aerobic exercises help the body build lean muscle mass, all while burning excess fat and greatly increasing metabolism. Doctors state that a regular aerobic routine will give patients more energy during tiring times of treatments.

Balance
Balance exercises assist patients receiving treatment by increasing their skill in balance. This is needed due to the fact that cancer treatments can leave many feeling dizzy. You can practice balance exercises by simply doing that- balancing.

Strength
During various stages of cancer, patients are vulnerable to the quick loss of muscle mass, which can leave them feeling weak. Strength training assists patients by building strong muscle mass. A regular strength-training regime will help that muscle remain.

Exercising and eating healthy have been medically proven to assist immune systems during times of illness. Some of those with cancer swear that embracing a healthy lifestyle has helped them have more strength during treatment and quickened the process that lead to remission. Medical professionals also say that continuing to exercise and eat healthy during remission is a great prevention method to keep cancer from coming back. It’s not a definite cure by any means, but it’s one of the best ways to regain control of your life.

Standing Vertical Jump

Recently I have been aware of the fact that Stefan Holmes, a man who owns a 2.40m in high jump, only has a standing vertical of 23 inches! How is that even possible?

There are so many factors that are housed in the vertical jump: Rate of Force Development, Starting Strength, Absolute Limit Strength... and all those other useless science terms you won't see in a day-to-day situation. But the Two that stand out the most are Strength, and Plyometric Strength.

Strength by definition is how much force the muscles are able to output. For example, Athlete A who squats 300lbs has more strength than Athlete B, who can only squat 250lbs. In athletic endeavors, Relative Strength is typically more important than Absolute Limit Strength. 

Plyometric Strength refers to that bouncy feeling, being able to utilize the stretching-shortening cycle very efficiently. When you watch the long jumpers, high jumpers, they look very plastic, like a rubber band. Stefan Holmes is a great example for this. 

Why can he SVJ so little yet jump so high?

Because he is in an event where plyometric strength dominates. 

The standing vertical jump test, like mentioned before, is heavily governed by two major factors, strength and plyometric strength. People who have high verticals ( 40 inches + higher). Generally have a well-balance of strength and that bouncy feeling. But in high jump, strength does not matter as much as plyometric strength. 

A more accurate way to measure Stefan Holme's vertical jump would be to get him to land off a box around 26 inches high, and tell him to immediately jump as high as can off the ground. Since this pre-stretches his muscles, we get a more accurate way to measure his vertical. 

Here is a video with Bryan Clay, Beijing 2008 Olympics Decathlete Champion, demonstrating a 43 inch vertical. Notice how he does not look nearly as "bouncy" as Stefan. We can say that Bryan has more strength than Plymoetric Strength. And that strength gives him a more explosive look.




Everyone in the industry has witnessed this video and its amazing feat. Stefan is jumping very high hurdles with a normal run-up. Stefan has a very skinny built, which corresponds to an athlete who generally has more plyometric strength, as opposed to Bryan who has a very powerful built. He can jump very high here because he is running.


The more plyometric strength you have, the more significant your running jumps will be when compared to the standing jumps. 


The more strength you have, the more significant your standing jumps will be when compared to the running jumps.

If you are training for standing vertical jump (prima donna in athlete measurements), then see which one you are lacking in and work on it harder. This will keep that fair balance and you can ALWAYS improve as long as you have a deficit. But for high jump, athletes with better plyometric strength are going to be the ones with the medals.