Athletic Lab

Athletic Lab is proud to host the West Cary Barbell Fall Festival of Power, Strongman Edition. The event will be held on October 15th, 2011 and feature some of the strongest athletes in North Carolina. The competition will have weight classes and strongman events like the Yoke, Car Deadlift, Tire Flipping and Axle Clean and Press.

The West Cary Barbell Fall Festival of Power, Strongman Edition
A North American Strongman Gold Event!

When: 
October 15, 2011
10 am - 5 pm

Where:
The Athletic Lab
1823 Northwest Maynard Road
Cary, NC 27513

Divisions:
Men’s Open Lightweight:  under 200, 201-231
Men’s Open Heavyweight:  265 and 265+
Women’s Open - will be added if at least 4 paid entries are received
Master’s Open (40+ years old)
Novice Open

Awards:
First thru third place for each division.

Entry Fee:
$50.00 All athletes must have a current NAS membership card.  Cards may be purchased contest day for $40.  Make checks payable to:
West Cary Barbell
2101 Cameron Pond Drive
Cary, NC 27519

Entry Deadline:
Must be recieved by October 1, 2011.  Late entries subject to a $10 late fee and possible ridicule during the event.

Weigh-Ins:
Friday, October 14, 4pm - 8pm and Saturday, October 15, 8am-9:30am

Hotel:
TownePlace Suites Raleigh/Cary/Weston Parkway
120 Sage Commons Way
Cary, NC 27513
919-678-0005

Contest rate is $64.00 per night for a studio queen suite and must be made 30 days prior to the event.

Events:

1.  Yoke Walk - 50 feet, 60 second time limit, 1 drop allowed
Novice and Masters - 550 pounds
Men’s Lightweights - 650 pounds
Men’s Heavyweights - 750 pounds

2.  Car Deadlift for Reps - 60 second time limit
Make and Model of Car TBD
Novice, Masters and Men’s Lightweights - 550 pounds
Men’s Heavyweights - 650 pounds
Straps allowed
No suits
Must wait for down command or no credit for rep will be given

3.  Medley - Tire Flip x 3, Farmer’s Walk x 50 feet, Prowler Push x 50 feet - 75 second time limit
Novice and Masters - tire=500, farmer’s=225 per side, prowler=350 pounds
Men’s Lightweights - tire=600, farmer’s=250 per side, prowler=400 pounds
Men’s Heavyweights - tire=750, farmers=280 per side, prowler=450 pounds
Surface is smooth and thin commercial carpet, similar to a powerlifting platform
No tacky, chalk only
Unlimited Drops

4.  Axle Clean and Press for Reps - 60 second time limit
Must wait for down command or no credit for rep will be given
Clean once and press
Two inch axle with tires mounted on rims will be used, pick height is about 14 inches
Novice - 200 pounds
Masters - 220 pounds
Men’s Lightweights - 240 pounds
Men’s Heavyweights - 260 pounds

5.  Stones to Platform - 60 second time limit
Platform heights - 66 inches, 60 inches, 54 inches, 48 inches and 48 inches
Novice and Masters - 220, 240, 280, 300 and 330 pounds
Men’s Lightweights - 240, 260, 280, 300 and 360 pounds
Men’s Heavyweights - 260, 280, 300, 330 and 360 pounds
Tacky allowed
All stones will be about 3 feet from platform
All events will be run head to head and will start simultaneously on the judges command once both competitors give a ready signal.

Note:  All events and weights are subject to change

Please click on this link for a PDF with more details.

To celebrate July 4th, we’ll be having a slightly reduced training schedule. Please note the following schedule for Monday July 4th:

• CrossFit / Performance Fitness: 9:30 am
• Scholastic [Speed]: 10:30 am
• Scholastic [Strength]: 3:45 pm
• Scholastic [Select]: 5:00 pm
• CrossFit / Performance Fitness: 5:00 pm

All professional, Olympic development and private training time slots will remain the same as usual.

Beginning Monday, June 27th, we are starting our Scholastic Select sport performance program.  Our new Scholastic Select program is designed for athletes who can commit to mandatory training sessions on a regular schedule for a duration of at least 6 weeks. By making a longer committment and following a regular schedule, we are better able to plan training that progresses an athlete to their athletic peak.

The regular and more frequent attendance provides us an opportunity to train our high school athletes with the same exacting progressions that are typically only possible with professionals and collegiate athletes who do sport as their job.  If this sounds like something that might interest you KEEP READING…

Why: Because regular and frequent attendance allows us to do our job better because we can plan a long term training progression. Athletes benefit by getting stronger, faster and more fit at NO ADDITIONAL COST. There’s a reason that NFL Professionals, the Carolina Railhawks and over a dozen Olympic sport athletes train at Athletic Lab…this is your opportunity to receive the same training experience.
Who: Any athlete aged 12-18 looking for training without compromise to be faster, more powerful and better conditioned.
What: The ultimate in sport performance training from the best sport performance training center in NC.
Where: Athletic Lab’s new training center in Cary, NC. Our new location features a 10,000 square foot training hall, collegiate style weight room, and 50 yard sprint track.
Date / Time: June 27th through August 27th (8 weeks). Classes are offered at 5pm on Mon, Wed, and Fri. Athletes may also attend any of our 11 other non-Select Scholastic sessions.
How to Enroll: Sign up for either a Scholastic Monthly Unlimited training membership or a Seasonal Scholastic Unlimited training membership and contact us with your intent to enroll in the Select program. Athletes who are currently members can add the Select sessions at no additional cost if they can meet the attendance requirements.
Cost: There are no additional costs to participate in the Scholastic Select Sport Performance Training above our standard Scholastic Training costs. The only requirements for admission in to the program are attendance. Here are our regular Scholastic Sport Perfomance costs:

• $200 / Month if you lock in 3 months of monthly unlimited sessions at training
• $250 / Month if you purchase unlimited monthly sessions for the duration of the program
• Existing members can add Scholastic Select training at NO ADDITIONAL COST if they are able to make the time commitment
• Any additional time remaining on memberships will roll over for use in our standard Schoalstic program at the conclusion of the 8 week period. Pending demand, we may offer ongoing 2 to 3 month Scholastic Select training blocks.

Attendance Requirements: While there are no additional costs associated with participation in the program, athlete’s MUST be able to commit to the following attendance requirements:

• Attend at least 2 of the 3 weekly Scholastic training sessions per week for at least 6 of the 8 weeks
• Athletes will not be able to join the Scholastic Select training group after July 10th
• Athletes are encouraged to attend sessions outside of the Scholastic Select training sessions but these are not required
• Athletes not enrolled in the Scholastic Sport Performance sessions are not permitted to attend
• Athletes may be removed from the Scholastic Select program if they are unable to meet these requirements
• In the event that an athlete is removed from the Scholastic Select program, they will still be able to attend any of our 11 weekly regular Scholastic training sessions

[This is a guest blog by one of our newest interns, Kristen Koltun, a masters sport science student from UNC.]

Overall, weight lifting and resistance training increase your total strength and endurance.  This can translate into greater performance ability and a decreased risk of injury.  There may be even greater benefits for individuals who are at both ends of the age spectrum, youths and older individuals.  If a weight training program is implemented appropriately, kids have shown strength gains of 30-45%.  Along with this goes improved motor unit recruitment and coordination.  One of the larger health benefits of resistance training in children would be the increases in bone mineral density, which is of particular importance for females.

Aging does not appear to alter the ability of the body to respond to resistance exercise.  However, strength declines begin at approximately age 30.  This loss in muscle mass is known as sarcopenia.  Sarcopenia is a process that will occur no matter what, but exercising and lifting weights can slow the rate of loss. Also, by having a higher muscle mass when this begins, strength declines will be less drastic.  Additionally, from a functional standpoint, training will allow for maintenance of daily living activities.

As announced previously, Athletic Lab is proud to announce the next evolution in our Scholastic Sport Performance Training sessions- the Scholastic Select program. The Scholastic Select Program is designed for athletes who can commit to mandatory training sessions on a regular schedule for a duration of 6 weeks or more. The Select program will require athletes to attend 3 days of training per week for an 8 week block. At least 2 of these sessions must be in the specialized Scholastic Select training time slots which will be offered on Mon, Wed, and Fri at 5pm beginning on June 27th. These special time slots will only be open to those capable of making the necessary commitment. The cost for this special program will be the same as our normal Scholastic program ($249.95/mo) but because of the required training sessions, we will be able to develop a structured training plan and progression that will utilize the latest periodization and training theories for maximum development. This type of training is typically reserved for collegiate and professional athletes. If you are interested in our Scholastic Select program please speak to a staff member on your next visit to Athletic Lab, call 919-617-1472 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Athletic Lab is proud to announce our second USA Weightlifting Level 1 certification course. Coaches can register for the course HERE.

Successful completion of this comprehensive introductory course will result in a Level 1 Sport Performance Coach Certification.

Course Location:  Athletic Lab
                  1823 North West Maynard Rd.
                  Cary, NC 27513

Date: August 13th-14th, 2011
Accommodation: TownePlace Suites Marriott - $64/ night - mention Athletic Lab or USA Weightlifting to get the group rate.

Coordinator:        Chris Garrett - 919-475-8777 - .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Instructor:          Harvey Newton - .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Course Itinerary

For local course, registration fee is $395 and includes the following:
1) Course registration and materials
2) One (1) year of USA Weightlifting membership
Note:  Travel, hotel and meals are not included in registration fee.

Upon successful passing of the course, the attendee will receive the following:
1) One (1) year of Level 1 certification
2) Level 1 Certified polo shirt.

Please note the following critical information:

1) You must be present for the entire course and exam in order to be eligible for certification.
2) The registration deadline is 10 business days prior to the course; no late registrations allowed.
3) Pre-registration is required for all courses.  No walk-ins allowed.
4) In the event a course is cancelled, USA Weightlifting is not responsible for pre-paid hotel, travel or other costs incurred by registrants.
5) To maintain certification, annual USA Weightlifting membership renewal,submission of completed recertification test and payment of renewal/recertification fee are required.

Last weekend we sent 9 people to compete in the Metro Dash. The Metro Dash is an urban challenge consisting of 30 obstacles designed by Navy Seals. Cate Young won the women’s Thor’s Cup division of the event and Mike Young placed 5th on the men’s side. The Thor’s Cup division is the elite of the elite individual section of the event. The Athletic Lab co-ed team of Axel Kusber, Alana Vaugn, Cate Young and Mike Young won the elite co-ed division of the event. Additionally, a second team consisting of Chris Garrett, Edwin Beale, Stacey Succop, and Jen Mattews were also among the top teams and Greg Maness competed well in the individual race. Check out videos of Cate’s winning performance HERE and the team’s winning performance HERE.

One of the t-shirts we’ve had printed for sale several months ago had a back imprinted with the following:

We used this because it’s a short and to the point way of explaining the training and adaptation cycle. To further expand, if you are willing to put in the time and effort and trust in our best-in-class services, you will get better. It’s that simple. But that just covers the first two points of the shirt. The third is just as important. Training is a process and not a goal. It’s something which must be done repeatedly or you will lose what you have gained. We’ve explained detraining timelines HERE and the fact that results derived are dose dependent.  Knowing this, there’s only one solution…get you butt in to Athletic Lab, train hard, and repeat.

[This is a guest blog by one of our newest interns, Kristen Koltun, a masters sport science student from UNC.]

Myoplasticity is the ability of a muscle to change and adapt.  Muscle is very adaptable, but the extent of change is limited by genetics.  Any muscle changes are based on the interaction of your energy intake, hormones, recruitment, and load.

Energy intake refers to nutrition.  Adequate nutrients and calories must be consumed for any growth process.  Special focus should be given to protein intake because muscle is made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.  With improper nutrition the body may actually break down muscle for fuel and this would limit any potential muscle growth.

Your hormonal profile during and after exercise can also facilitate muscle growth.  Anabolic hormones, those which foster growth and building, increase in response to a single exercise bout and with exercise training.

Recruitment and load refer to the exercises you do.  A muscle must be activated in order to adapt.  The exercises you choose to do must stress the muscles you are trying to improve.  Heavier loads will recruit more muscle fibers and only fibers that are recruited will improve.

Athletic Lab is proud to announce the next step in the evolution of our Scholastic Sport Performance Training: Scholastic Select. Our new Scholastic Select program is designed for athletes who can commit to mandatory training sessions on a regular schedule for a duration of at least 2 months. The Select program will require athletes to attend 3 days of training per week for an 8 week block. The cost will be the same as our normal Scholastic program ($249.95/mo) but because of the required training sessions we will be able to develop a structured training plan and progression that will utilize the latest periodization and training theories for maximum development. This type of training is typically reserved for collegiate and professional athletes. Stay tuned for more details and look out for a Scholastic Select program launch in the next 2 weeks.