Proteins are essential in everybody’s diet. They are known as Building blocks of life. Proteins are complex substances found in many foods and are made up of thousands of small units called amino acids. Proteins from different foods in our diet contain different amino acids. There are 20 amino acids, divided into essential and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids must appear in our diet because they cannot be made by the body. The 9 essential amino acids we must eat in our diet include: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine.

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“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee

Eat with abandon: meat, fowl, fish, seafood, eggs, vegetables, roots, tubers, bulbs, herbs and spices as well as animal fats, olives & olive oil, avocados, and coconut (meat, oil, flour) and dairy*.

*Dairy is a gray area, while it is a powerful tool in the strength and weight gain category you have to be smart. Individuals with autoimmune disease should avoid dairy products of any kind. For those without autoimmune diseases, dairy from grass-fed animals is permissible. Dairy from grain-fed animals will not have an ideal omega 3 profile. Heavy cream, butter, and ghee should not be problematic. Occasional consumption of fermented dairy options such as cheese and yogurt is acceptable. Experiment with milk but eliminate it if it is found to be problematic.

**Pasteurized whole milk from grain-fed cows treated with rBGH offers an increased anabolic environment for the consumer.

Limit: nuts, seeds, and fruit.
Better choices in the nut category include macadamias, cashews, and hazelnuts. Almonds aren’t terrible. Seeds are generally rich sources of linoleic acid because they can be eaten in large quantities (the serving sizes are typically in the tablespoon to 1/4 cup range and can be misleading). Sunflower and sesame seeds are a terrible choices in the seed category. Soaking nuts prior to consumption is recommended but not necessary.

Reduce the serving size if you are going to pick a fruit that has a high metabolic fructose content.

Avoid: Cereal grains including: all varieties of wheat (spelt, einkorn, emmer, durum), barley, rye, oats, triticale, corn (maize), rice (including wild rice), sorghum, millet, fonio, and teff and legumes.

Grain-like substances or pseudocereals including: Amaranth, Breadnut, Buckwheat, Cattail, Chia, Cockscomb, Kañiwa, Pitseed Goosefoot, Quinoa, and Wattleseed (aka aacacia seed). Pseudocereals are the seeds of broad leaf plants whereas grains are the seeds of grasses.

If we are to achieve results never before accomplished,
we must expect to employ methods never before attempted.

OPT- Optimum Performance Training

Safety and Injury Aspect of Weightlifting
Various studies were done showing Olympic weightlifting to be the safest form of resistance training there is. One study assessed the injury potential and safety aspects of weightlifting movements and Olympic weightlifting proved to be the safest (Stone, Injury). Another aspect that keeps many people away from weightlifting is the supposed fatal injury to the back. Again this is a false assumption spread through ignorance. A study was done comparing weightlifting to a control group of normal active men and their back pain was assessed. It turns out that only 23% of the weightlifters experienced back pain compared to 31% of the normal active men (Granhed). Another study was performed concerning the injury per 100 hours and yes again weightlifting faired better than other forms of resistance training. In fact, for weightlifters the injury rate was less than half of the other forms of weight training (Hamill). Weightlifting training and competitions together are much safer than other sports such as football, basketball, soccer, etc (Stone, Muscle). It is clear to see that Olympic weightlifting is an extremely safe form of resistance training and sport for people to participant in.

Body Composition Effects
Another benefit of weightlifting is the amount of muscles used in the lifts. The Olympic lifts involve basically every muscle in the human body and this entails a great workout. Olympic weightlifting also forces stabilizer muscles to activate to secure the weight overhead in the lifts. For a recreational lifter Olympic weightlifting will cut down on the exercise time, allowing them to get done in 45 minutes to 1 hour what they used to do in “traditional splits” for 1.5 hours or more! In an 8 week Olympic weightlifting program study, participants lowered their resting heart rate by 8%, lean body weight increased by 4%, fat dropped 6%, and systolic blood pressure decreased by 4% (Stone, Cardiovascular). Not only is Olympic weightlifting safe it is a great way to stay in shape too!

Athletic Ability
Another important benefit of Olympic weightlifting is it teaches the body to fire all the muscle fibers at once; to explode in a sense (not literally). An 8 week study was done showing the capability of the Olympic lifts to improve sport performance and vertical jump ability. A study was performed and a group of lifters did various Olympic lifts (High pulls, Power Clean, and Clean and Jerk), and were compared to a group using vertical jump exercises (Single and Double Leg Hurdles Hops, Alternated Single-leg Hurdle Hops, etc) and after the 8 weeks of training the Olympic weightlifting group had significantly increased their 10 meter sprint speed and their standing jump over the control group using standard vertical jump exercises (Tricoli). Similarly a 15 week study was also performed using football players and compared a powerlifting program to an Olympic weightlifting program for athletic performance. After the 15 week study was over the Olympic weightlifting group had a significant improvement in the vertical jump and 40 meter sprint over the powerlifting group (Hoffman JR). Clearly there are athletic benefits that come from incorporating weightlifting into a sport training program and similarly Olympic weightlifters are also known for developing great athletic ability.

Effect on Bone Mineral Density
Olympic weightlifting can also help prevent osteoporosis. To put it simply the greater the bone mineral density (BMD) the less chance of osteoporosis occurring. Bone mineral density measures the mineral density, such as calcium, in the bones. Calcium is also constantly being added and removed from bones and when it is removed faster than it is added then the bones become weaker and are more susceptible to fractures. Remember a solid dense bone is much better than one that looks like a honey comb! A study involving elite junior Olympic weightlifters compared their BMD, at the lower back and the neck of the femur, to an exact age group and an age group ranging from 20-39 year old men. The elite junior Olympic weightlifters BMD were found to be significantly greater then the age matched group and greater than the 20-39 year old men (Conroy). It is suggested that the high overloads of stress from Olympic weightlifting have a major influence on BMD. Again Olympic weightlifting has the ability to develop strong healthy bones that are resistant to fractures.

Enjoyment Factor
One aspect of Olympic weightlifting that people enjoy is the lifts themselves. People enjoy the feeling of the barbell being weightless as they drop underneath it or they enjoy the speed that it takes to complete the lift or maybe they just enjoy mastering a technical skill. For most people there is a larger sense of satisfaction that comes from successfully hitting a personal best in the snatch or clean and jerk than finally getting those 19 inch arms or something along those lines.

These are just some of the benefits a person can come to expect from participating in Olympic weightlifting throughout their life. Hopefully, this also cleared up the ignorance on the safety and injury aspect of Olympic weightlifting. Participating in Olympic weightlifting is a fun and enjoyable experience that everyone should get to know.

References:
Conroy, Bp, Wj Kraemer, Cm Maresh, Sj Fleck, Mh Stone, Ac Fry, Pd Miller, and Gp Dalsky. “Bone Mineral Density in Elite Junior Olympic Weightlifters.” (1993): 1103-1109. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 25 (1993).

Granhed, H. et al. Low back pain among retired wrestlers and heavyweight lifters. The American Journal of Sports Medicine,16(5):530-533. 1988.

Hamill, B. Relative Safety of Weightlifting and Weight Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 8(1):53-57. 1994

Hoffman, Jr, J Cooper, M Wendell, and J Kang. “Comparison of Olympic Vs. Traditional Power Lifting Training Programs in Football Players.” 18 (2004): 129-135. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 18 (2004).

Stone, M. H., A. C. Fry, M. Ritchie, L. Stoessel-Ross, and J. L. Marsit. Injury potential and safety aspects of weightlifting movements. Strength and Conditioning. June: 15-21. 1994.

Stone, M.H., et al. Cardiovascular Responses to Short-Term Olympic Style Weight-Training in Young Men. Can. J. Appl. Sport Sci. 8(3): 134-9.

Stone, M.H. Muscle conditioning and muscle injuries. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 22(4):457-462. 1990.

Tricoli, V, L Lamas, R Carnevale, and C Ugrinowitsch. “Short-Term Effects on Lower-Body Functional Power Development: Weightlifting Vs. Vertical Jump Training Programs.” 19 (2005): 433-437. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 19 (2005).

Sometimes you come in and that bar feels so heavy. It is normal don’t beat yourself up. Relax, lower the load and focus on form. It will pay off.

Try not to rush into doing everything. The PR lifts and PR times will come. Slower for others and fast for some. It will come. You need to put as much time into the other elements of “Elite Fitness”

Recovery and Nutriton+Smart Training=Optimal Health

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This is a pretty normal diet for a olympic athlete. Training is more then just something they do. It is what they are paid to do. So they need to get as many calories as they can into the body as soons as they can. This is not the best approach for anyone athlete or not.  Now think if he could replace those kcals with clean food? What do you think would happen?  I know a lot of elite athletes are starting to change the approach they have to nutrition.

Most are scared to make the change becuase it is the same approach that most people already take and have been doing it for years.

He eats real Food. Mikko Salo 2009 CF Games Champion

He Eats Real FOOD. Multi Sport Athlete, Greg Parham

They are Elite. Do a google search with athlete and paleo and see what you find. They are all out there. People are starting to find the change. Seeing the “Light” if you will.

Take 3 -4 pieces of applewood smoked bacon, dice it and begin cooking it in a pan. While the bacon is cooking get a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen broccoli out and scramble 6 eggs in a bowl. When the bacon is almost done add the bag of broccoli and 4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Let this mess cook until the broccoli is almost done, then add your eggs. If you turn the heat down and cover the whole thing you can finish out with a frittata (openfaced omelet) or you can keep the heat up and simply scramble it. In the picture you cannot see that there are two avacados diced in the plate, atop which the frittata sits.

You can construct this omelet in any way you want but just a back of the envelope calculation shows we have about 40-45g of protein, 100g of fat and about 10g of carbs from the broccoli. That’s over a thousand calories and when garnished with hot sauce or salsa it’s not too hard to pack one away. This is a pretty good way to get you towards the 4-6 thousand cals you might need to gain muscle or simply perform at your best.