What They Are Saying… About The McCarthy Project

“You’ve made my kids great competitors. My daughter said on the way home today that she didn’t think she’d ever have been chosen to play at one of the top indoor teams in the state if she hadn’t played sand.” Jane, mom of a young athlete

“Thank you for putting on the event, my daughter mentioned that this clinic was one of the best she has ever attended.” Brenda K, mom of a young athlete

“Just wanted to thank you for the clinic/showcase in KC. We’ve been to the big ones in CA and they were okay but felt like a needle in a hay stack. Hard to get noticed because there are so many plus they were mostly big schools- not everyone is a D1 player or wants to go to a large D1 school.” Sarah S, mom of a young athlete

“Hands down the BEST coaching experience my daughter has ever had!! Stephen is amazingly gifted in interacting with both the player & the parent…. smart,kind & fun! Better experience than any Junior Olympic or school coach than we have encountered.” Betsy, mom of a young athlete

“I also wanted to say thank you for how you interact with the girls. They are having so much fun with you at practice and the two tourneys. It makes me happy to see them learning and having fun.” Tina B, mom of a young athlete

“We want to thank you for all of your hard work and commitment to the team this year. Despite the adversity, you stuck with us and continued to make us better players, teammates, and people. For this we cannot thank you enough.” St. Johns University Men’s Club Volleyball Team

“After 1 session with Stephen my daughters confidence grew. We will definitely do more sessions with him.” Mike, dad of young athlete

“Thanks again for all your help, we will be keeping your number handy for when this season is done. The girls still talk about your recommendations after practice. They listened.” Brad, dad of two young athletes

“Coaches helped solidify love of volleyball and were so encouraging! There were small groups given individualized attention and great feedback at the end of camp.” Julia, high school athlete

“I just wanted to say thank you so much for believing in me and for training me this summer you made me remember how much I loved volleyball.” Niki K, high school athlete

” Stephen McCarthy is unlike any other coach I have previously experienced. His approach to coaching is very different from other trainers. Most coaches believe in the perfectionist approach, whereas Stephen McCarthy believes in “playing dirty”. This type of training prepares me for the unpredictable nature of volleyball on the court. Not only that, but I came to Stephen with a shoulder injury. After watching me play during our first session he was able to identify the origin of the pain in my shoulder, a feat that three months of physical therapy was unable to accomplish. Stephen McCarthy also has a terrific personality that makes our training sessions even more enjoyable.” Morgan S., athlete

” Hey coach, I just wanted to say thank you for everything.  If it wasn’t for the coaches believing in me and staying patient, I don’t think I would have the same hunger for the game that I have now.  Thank you for sticking with me. ” Raa, athlete

” My daughter is really enjoying the camp. She mentioned that there’s team-building and that she appreciates that the training seems to be centered around having fun vs doing endless drills.” Susan T., mom of a young athlete

“My previous coaches have been ok, but I was looking for someone who was as committed to my goal as much as I. Stephen is that coach and he has taken my game to a level that I never thought possible. He is flexible, smart, and patient. I would recommend him to any athlete.” Aaron O, athlete

“Stephen’s dedication to athletes of all ages and sport is unquestioned. He uses programs that benefit the athlete no matter the sport. I witnessed his work, not only did the kids improve from the conditioning and strength, they looked forward to doing them again and again.” -Colby Fuller, youth coach

“Stephen worked with my daughter after a high ankle sprain. He did more in 3 days then any other trainer had done for her in 10 days. The methods he used to get her walking again were awesome. Stephen is one who thinks outside the box and gets his kids back to the sports they love quickly and stronger. ” Marit L., mom of a young athlete.

“I highly recommend taking your team out to The McCarthy Project.  It’s an opportunity to be mentally and physically challenged to move outside the box to see life and the situation differently.  Your team will know each other better and trust one another more.” Tess Cruse of DIVI

“I wanted to drop a note with my recommendation of Stephen McCarthy and his athletic training program. I have coached for 22 yrs at all levels and have witnessed multiple training programs throughout those years. After tracking the success of several players Stephen trained and the results have been excellent. The strength and endurance of these players that have trained with Stephen has increased their overall effectiveness as a complete athlete. They have increased their speed and overall quickness. Stephen’s training has been an overall success and I would recommend him to all players looking to achieve a higher level of play and athleticism.” Derek P., Pro, College and High School Coach

 

Tuesday Night Time Trial Series

The McCarthy Project is a proud sponsor of the Tuesday Night Time Trial Series in Minnesota. For over 10 years on Tuesdays, 60-80 riders have tested themselves against the clock TNT-LOGO-NO-Spokeover the 10 mile course just outside Minneapolis, MN.

2016 TNT schedule:
June 7 and 21
July 5 and 19
August 2 and 16
Opens at 6pm
First rider off at 7pm

The course is a 10 mile out and back on scenic rolling Co. Rd 24 which has 8′ wide shoulders and decent pavement.  Results are posted and points earned based on time and class.

For additional information, contact Jeremy Baker, race director, via email at TNT@TribesES.com or visit the TNT website.

Click Here for the 2016 Registration Page

Payment options:
Full series: $75
1/2 series: $45
Day of: $20

Who are the participants?

While the race is a time-trial and the majority of the athletes are serious about their time and their sport, anyone is welcome to ride TNT. there are riders of all abilities, who ride all styles of bikes. recumbents, hand cycles, fixies, adult and youth. Anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian present with their signature on the waiver. Anyone 14 or under will need to have a rider with them on the course.

NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships 2016

Well, it was a great trip down to the Gulf Shores this weekend.  The atmosphere and weather was fantastic! Looking forward to next year!!

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NCAA Beach Volleyball venue at Gulf Shores, AL
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The DeWitt sisters from Arizona inside the venue
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Beach High Performance Tryout Athletes. Check out the Minnesota dude third in on the right.Yup, that’s me.

An Argument for Oxygen Supplementation in Athletes

Oxygen Supplementation in Athletes a radical, new and old, thought?

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Live o2, Oxygen Supplementation in Athletes

The great thing about life is perspective.  You can use the information intended for one purpose, but with a different perspective you can look from a different angle, you can see an entirely new conclusion.  My hope is to walk you down the road to see that we have missed one of the most basic building blocks of performance in sport, oxygen.

The question I have always wanted to answer is how Native Americans were able to go on physically demanding hunts, maintain a slendor, muscular build without motor learning research performed during practice sessions or treadmills for endurance work or completed Olympic lifts in their weight room. So how could it be that they were able to accomplish such feats of  endurance and strength without all the training?

My first hypothesis is oxygen and our current lack there of, in our current lives.

Here are my thoughts that lead me to this conclusion.

  1. Otto Warburg, a mid 20th century cell biologist in Germany, cellular respiration is simple truth: cells that cannot breathe, cannot, and will not ever, work properly. Anything that skips the first and obvious neglects the
    metabolism of life.
  2. Current Atmospheric levels:  Compared to prehistoric times, the level of oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere has declined by over a third and in polluted cities the decline may be more than 50%. This change in the makeup of the air we breathe has potentially serious implications for our health and performance, according to Roddy Newman and his book, The Oxygen Crisis.
  3. Manfred von Ardenne, developed in the late 1960s by Professor von Ardenne, (a student of Dr. Otto Warburg), Oxygen Multistep Therapy combines oxygen therapy, elements that facilitate intracellular oxygen turnover, and physical exercise adapted to individual performance levels.
  4. Dr. Mark Sircus states, “long and hard is the search for substances that athletes can use to increase sports performance. There are more than several substances that are natural, legal, non-toxic and safe that athletes can use, but like everywhere else in the world of medicine most still prefer dangerous pharmaceuticals to natural medicinals even with the risk of being discovered and banned from competition.”  and, “extra oxygen increases muscles’ energy production improving athletic output ability; intensity and duration.  The secret to Olympic success is higher concentrations of oxygen delivery to the cells.. ” For entire post, click here
  5. Oxygen has been proven to be a natural, ethical & legal way to stimulate biologically effective levels of growth hormones, especially the ones ethic-challenged athletes use illegally, like EPO, erythropoietin AND HGH, Human Growth Hormone?

I realize that additional details may be needed to connect these dots into a more detailed, comprehensive study, suffice to say that increasing your oxygen intake would benefit athletes, both in the short and long run.

 

 

 

The McCarthy Project EWOT Sessions

Exercise With Oxygen Training Sessions For Elite Performance in Life and Sport

live_o2_logoOver the years, The McCarthy Project has developed gestalt theory of elite performance and oxygen is a major component of that philosophy. Each session is 30 minutes in length: a 5-10 warm-up on a treadmill, or a bike trainer (you can use your own bike. if desired) followed by a 15 minute training session and a 5 minute cool down.

Session Rates:
Individual Sessions $50.00
Elite Package (16 sessions) $500.00
Gestalt Package (Unlimited sessions for 4 months) $1000.00

Location:
23568 Birch Road
Rogers, MN 55374

Each session package includes a 60 minute consultation to review your current fitness level and your goals. All sessions are by appointment only.

For more information on how we may be able to take your training to the next level, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982 or cs(at)themccarthyproject.com.

Oxygen Training with LiveO2 Systems
LiveO2 Adaptive Contrast System

Some EWOT Training benefits include:
1. Increased oxygen saturation for the purpose of delayed onset of muscle soreness
2. Development of auto-immune system
3. Super charge current nutrition strategies with the increased oxygen levels
4. Amplify body’s natural hormones for an increase in muscle mass

 

 

Live O2: Leading Edge Oxygen Training for Elite Performance

Exercise With Oxygen Training: A part of the The McCarthy Project’s Gestalt Theory of Elite Performance

Over the years, The McCarthy Project has seen or worked with hyperbaric tents and systems, altitude training, elevation masks, and virtual reality trainers for the simple purpose of gaining an edge for athletes. After live_o2_logomany years of searching, The McCarthy Project believes that adding oxygen and oxygen training (i.e. exercise with oxygen training or EWOT) could be one of those Rosetta stones for athletes. It amazes the mind that you could move all around the idea of oxygen by taking oxygen away, sleeping low, training high and then the opposite (sleeping high, training low) to sleeping in a tent, but the idea of adding oxygen during a 15 minute workout could or would be the answer, but if you take the time to understand the science behind oxygen training, you will uncover that their are major benefits for working with oxygen and the Live O2 system.

Benefits Include:
1. Increased oxygen saturation for the purpose of delayed onset of muscle soreness
2. Development of auto-immune system
3. Super charge current nutrition strategies with the increased oxygen levels
4. Amplify body’s natural hormones for an increase in muscle mass

Oxygen Training with LiveO2 Systems
LiveO2 Adaptive Contrast System

For EWOT/Live O2 training sessions at our location,  visit here. Or how you would be able to take your training to the next level by purchasing a system, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982 or cs(at)themccarthyproject.com.

Additional Information:

” LiveO2 Adaptive Contrast lets you switch between oxygen-reduced and oxygen-rich air during exercise. This creates a “magic moment” of super-oxygenation for the brain, liver and kidneys,” Live O2

Secondly,  The following quote is from a post on the subject of Dara Torres, US Olympic swimmer.  For entire post, visit here

“Dara Torres started to see some unexpected effects beyond endurance and strength.  She gained a lot of muscle — fast. The scale showed about 12 pounds of muscle gain from Jan thru March.  Don’t get me wrong – Dara is the totally awesome athlete – but how could she add that much muscle that fast at 45? The new muscle mass made her look much stronger than the Time Magazine cover.  Her shoulders were at least 2 inches broader this year – and her already awesome legs were wicked ripped. Why?”

Dr. Palacios compares his experience with LiveOperformance to his 15 years of experience with medical hyperbaric treatment.

Beginner Triathlon…Naturalized

A Part of The McCarthy Project Triathlon Camp Series

triathlon-574571_1280 This one day camp in Annandale, MN located on Clearwater Lake is focused entirely on you receiving high-quality information and training ideas in one location. Spend one day with The McCarthy Project staff, where we will address the major areas of technique, training and racing and then have time for a campfire for questions and answers.

Camp Includes:

1. Swim: Swim technique instruction
2. Cycling skills, equipment selection and basic maintenance
3. Running assessment
4. Wetsuit and apparel selection
5. Transition process and gear selection

For additional questions or registration information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982 or email cs(at)themccarthyproject.com.

triathlon-966927_1280Camp Itinerary

Below is a sample camp itinerary. Times and order of the sessions will be adjusted based on the groups needs.

9:00 am – 10:30 am – Running Analysis; Field Testing
10:30 am – 12:00 pm – Swim Technique/Analysis in pool and lake
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Cycling Skills/Pedaling Analysis
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Choice of Workout: Swim, Run or Bike
4:00pm -7:00 pm – Campfire Question and Answer

Registration:

$175.00 USD

Experience Level of participants: Each camp can be attended by each level. Our hope is to create a unique mix of beginner to experienced athletes that will add to the community feel of the weekend. With that said, here are our classifications:

Beginner:: Just signed up for first event or completed one and I need more information
Novice: I have completed a couple and I would like to really improve my results
Intermediate: I have completed 4-5 races and I am looking for new approaches and ideas to can take me to the next level.
Advanced: Seasoned triathlete looking for the edge or looking to review all aspects of the race with the hopes of finding the one, two or three ideas I can add.

Camp #1: Saturday, June 5th
Beginner to Novice Level
online registration

Camp #2: Sunday, June 12th
Beginner to Novice Level
online registration

If you would prefer, call Stephen at 612-741-0982 to reserve your attendance and receive a list of gear needed, waiver, and other camp details.

Registration fee includes all sessions, camp t-shirt, sponsor goodie bag, lunch and dinner and if available, digital copies of your swimming and running gait analyses.

Camps are open to all levels of participants aged 15 and up and limited to 20 participants per camp. If you have any questions, contact us at 612-741-0982.

Location:

Uncle Fogy Nature Center
10509 108th Street Nw
Annandale, MN 55302
612-741-0982

About The McCarthy Project:

Stephen McCarthy, BES, CFT, Director of The McCarthy Project, Stephen has researched and developed innovative training and skill development techniques specific to life and sport for over 15 years. His corporate and individual clients have accomplished their goals of a higher standard of health and wellness. He has trained numerous endurance athletes, outfitted over 1000 triathletes, as well as, being a certified personal trainer holding a degree in Liberal Studies from St. Cloud State University.

For additional information on The McCarthy Project, clink on the following link for posts and interviews from the world of triathlon.

Quotes from Clients:

“Stephen worked with my daughter after a high ankle sprain.  He did more in 3 days then any other trainer had done for her in 10 days.  The methods he used to get her walking again were awesome.  Stephen is one who thinks outside the box and gets his kids back to the sports they love quickly and stronger. ” – Marit Larson, Mom of a young athlete.

“Stephen’s dedication to athletes of all ages and sport is unquestioned. He uses programs that benefit the athlete no matter the sport. I witnessed his work with a local swim team and not only did the athletes improve from the conditioning and strength, they looked forward to doing them again and again.” – Colby Fuller, youth coach

Gluten-Free Camp for Athletes

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Giants Ladder

The McCarthy Project Gluten-Free Camp for Athletes

This two day camp in Annandale, MN located on Clearwater Lake is focused entirely on athletes or families with athletes who are diagnosed with celiac disease or have a gluten intolerance.  Our hope is to create a unique atmosphere for young athletes who have to eat “that other food,” to realize that this circumstance can be turned around in a way to improve their performance.   Our  leading edge nutrition and training ideas allow young people to reach their full potential, rather than the situation becoming an hindrance. Food is made in a safe and dedicated gluten-free kitchen.    On top of that, each athlete will be challenged by the outdoor strategy and performance games, which culminates with a zipline session on the second day.

zipline_panorama
50ft Zipline Tower

Includes:
1. Nutritional seminars
2. Training concepts
3. Outdoor strategy and performance games
4. 3 hour zipline session

Camp Itinerary:

Below is a sample camp itinerary. Times and order of the sessions will be adjusted based on the groups needs.
Day 1
9:00 am – 11:00 am – Outdoor games
11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Lunch and nutrition session
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Outdoor Amazing Race

Day 2
10:00 am – 11:00 am – Nutrition and training presentation
11:00 am – 12:00 pm  – Lake games
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Rock climbing and zipline

Registration:

$150.00 USD

Camp #1 June 11th and 12th
online registration

Camp #2 June 18th and 19th
online registration

Camps are open to all levels of participants aged 10 and up and limited to 25 participants per camp.  If you have any questions, contact us at 612-741-0982.

Location:

Uncle Fogy Nature Center
10509 108th Street Nw
Annandale, MN 55302
612-741-0982

About The McCarthy Project:

Stephen McCarthy, BES, CFT, Director of The McCarthy Project, Stephen has researched and developed innovative training and skill development techniques specific to life and sport for over 15 years. His corporate and individual clients have accomplished their goals of a higher standard of health and wellness. He has trained thousands of athletes, as well as, being a certified personal trainer holding a degree in Liberal Studies from St. Cloud State University.

Quotes from Clients:

“Stephen worked with my daughter after a high ankle sprain.  He did more in 3 days then any other trainer had done for her in 10 days.  The methods he used to get her walking again were awesome.  Stephen is one who thinks outside the box and gets his kids back to the sports they love quickly and stronger. ” – Marit Larson, Mom of a young athlete.

“Stephen’s dedication to athletes of all ages and sport is unquestioned. He uses programs that benefit the athlete no matter the sport. I witnessed his work with a local swim team and not only did the athletes improve from the conditioning and strength, they looked forward to doing them again and again.” – Colby Fuller, youth coach

Triathlon Boot Camp.. Naturalized

Part of The McCarthy Project Triathlon Camp Series

triathlon-574571_1280 This two day camp in Annandale, MN located on Clearwater Lake is focused entirely on you receiving high-quality information and training ideas in one location.  Spend a two full days with The McCarthy Project staff,  where we will address the major areas of technique, training and racing.  This camp was created for addressing as many areas and information transfer as possible during the two days, not just a group of workouts.

Camp Includes:

1. Swim: Pool and Lake swim technique instruction and video analysis
2. Cycling skills, equipment selection and  basic maintenance
3. Running assessment and video analysis
4. Introduction of Exercise With Oxygen Training and LiveO2 training. (As seen on Minnesota Tri News)
5. Group discussions with other participants and staff to review your specific goals, equipment and race selection, training recommendations, race strategy and nutritional consideration.
6. Digital copies of your swimming and running footage.
7. Entry into the Capitol City Triathlon in St. Paul, MN (Race info) March 31st, 2016 deadline for registration.

For additional questions or information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982 or email cs(at)themccarthyproject.com.

triathlon-966927_1280Camp Itinerary:

Below is a sample camp itinerary. Times and order of the sessions will be adjusted based on the groups needs.

Day 1
9:00 am – 10:30 am – Running  Analysis; Field Testing
10:30 am – 12:00 pm – Swim Technique/Analysis in pool and lake
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Cycling Skills/Pedaling Analysis
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Training and Weight Room Concepts
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Campfire question and answer session

Day 2
10:00 am – 11:00 am – Nutrition: Pre, Race Day, and Post Race
11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Wetsuit, Gear, and Apparel Selection
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Outdoor Experiential Games for the purpose of discussing training and race day strategies

For additional information on The McCarthy Project, clink on the following link for posts and interviews from the world of triathlon.

Registration

$300.00 USD

Experience Level of participants:  The mentioned levels are not considered written in stone, they are intended as a general outline only.  With that said, here are our classifications:

Beginner: Just signed up for first event or completed one and I need more information
Novice: I have completed a couple races and I would like to really improve my results
Intermediate: I have completed 4-5 races and I am looking for new approaches and ideas to can take me to the next level.
Advanced: Seasoned triathlete looking for the edge or looking to review all aspects of the race with the hopes of finding the one, two or three ideas I can add.

Camp #1:  April 16th and 17th
Beginner to Novice Level
online registration

Camp #2: May 21st and 22nd
Novice to Intermediate Level
online registration

Registration fee includes all sessions, Triathlon Boot Camp t-shirt, sponsor goodie bag, lunch on both days and digital copies of your swimming and running gait analyses.

Camps are open to all levels of participants aged 15 and up and limited to 20 participants per camp.  If you have any questions, contact us at 612-741-0982.

Location:
Uncle Fogy Nature Center
10509 108th Street Nw
Annandale, MN 55302
612-741-0982

Overnight stay at Uncle Fogy is not included. Hotels are available in Clearwater and St. Cloud area.

About The McCarthy Project:
Stephen McCarthy, BES, CFT, Director of The McCarthy Project, Stephen has researched and developed innovative training and skill development techniques specific to life and sport for over 15 years. His corporate and individual clients have accomplished their goals of a higher standard of health and wellness. He has trained numerous endurance athletes, outfitted over 1000 triathletes, as well as, being a certified personal trainer holding a degree in Liberal Studies from St. Cloud State University.

Quotes from Clients:

“Stephen worked with my daughter after a high ankle sprain.  He did more in 3 days then any other trainer had done for her in 10 days.  The methods he used to get her walking again were awesome.  Stephen is one who thinks outside the box and gets his kids back to the sports they love quickly and stronger. ” – Marit Larson, mom of a young athlete.

“Stephen’s dedication to athletes of all ages and sport is unquestioned. He uses programs that benefit the athlete no matter the sport. I witnessed his work with a local swim team and not only did the athletes improve from the conditioning and strength, they looked forward to doing them again and again.” – Colby Fuller, youth coach

Tulane University Beach Volleyball Coach Holly on Competing for the Right Reasons

holly_tulane_university
Beach Volleyball Coach Wayne Holly of Tulane University

Today, Tulane University’s Beach Volleyball Coach Wayne Holly will join Stephen to talk about the upcoming beach season. But as sometimes happens other subjects come out of the discussion and this interview has that flavor.  While we did discuss the future of college volleyball, we also discussed different perspectives young people could have for the sport of beach volleyball.

Coach Holly has a very lengthy bio when it comes to playing and coaching on the beach, but my challenge is for our listeners and young athletes to listen  to the entire interview.  Focus and concentrate on the words he is using and when he describes beach volleyball, how he describes the steps of attaining your complete potential and ultimately, how to fall in love with the game that he has invested his life.

For the complete interview, visit here.  For more information on Coach Holly and his program, visit here

Dave Trumbo of Stevenson on the Possibilities in Beach Volleyball

Dave_Trumbo
Head Volleyball Coach Dave Trumbo of Stevenson University

Today, Stevenson University Head Volleyball Coach Dave Trumbo  joined Stephen to talk about the upcoming beach volleyball season and the future of beach in the college ranks. Some of the areas covered include: coaching for the love the game, the challenges of being located in a slightly colder climate and being a new program, the joy of going south for spring break, and the future of Division III programs in the sport of beach.

For the entire interview, visit here.

To connect with Coach Trumbo, visit here.

Looking into the Future of Volleyball with St. Marys Rob Browning

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Head Volleyball Coach Rob Browning of The St. Mary’s Gaels

St. Mary’s head volleyball coach Rob Browning joined to talk about the upcoming beach volleyball season and how the sport may change for the next couple years with the recent announcement of a NCAA championship. On top of that, Coach Browning will chat about the history of BYU volleyball and his thoughts on what a few of the great qualities of elite players.

For the entire interview, visit here.

To connect with Coach Browning, click here

Jacksonville Coach Darty on Creating an Environment for Athletes

Julie_Darty
Head Volleyball Coach Julie Darty of Jacksonville University

Coach Julie Darty will be joining Stephen to talk on the subject of perfection and how young athletes can overcome this sometimes disrupting force, as well as, how creating the proper environment can lead to long term success.

For the entire interview, visit here.

To connect with Coach Darty and Jacksonville University, visit here.

College Coach on Beach Volleyball 2016

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University of North Florida Volleyball Coach Steve Loeswick

The recent announcement of the inaugural NCAA beach volleyball tournament in May of 2016 was a major step forward adding beach volleyball to the map as a youth sport.  The bigger question does this new tournament change your thoughts about playing beach volleyball in college, rather than simply indoor.

Secondly, Steven Loeswick of North Florida joined Stephen to talk about the future of the sport of beach volleyball.

So what is the future of beach volleyball for coaches? For players?

For the entire interview, visit here.  For additional information on Coach Loeswick, click here.

Awareness and Efficiency, Rather than Perfection

rubio_david
Head Volleyball Coach David Rubio of University of Arizona

Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project was joined by David Rubio, Head Volleyball coach from the University of Arizona on the subject of perfection or efficiency in sport. Coach Rubio has over 30 years of history in coaching and is currently coaching his daughter’s youth team. On top of that, he will talk about areas to focus to use this personality trait to its utmost.

To listen to the entire interview, visit here.

For more information on Coach Rubio, visit here.

Inaugural NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship: Should it change your perspective?

By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project

sand_volleyball_stephen_mccarthy2The recent announcement of the inagural NCAA beach volleyball tournament in May of 2016 was a major step forward adding beach volleyball to the map as a youth sport.  The bigger question does this new tournament change your thoughts about playing beach volleyball in college, rather than simply indoor.

From my perspective, it should.  While outdoor volleyball i.e. beach volleyball is played all over the United States by adults, the youth version has been slowly gaining acceptance over the last 20 years or so.  With that said, athletes should take a serious look into playing beach volleyball in college.

elder_damian
Mercer University Damian Elder Head Volleyball Coach

Secondly, I interviewed Mercer University’s head indoor and beach volleyball coach Damian Elder on this very subject.  Mercer is one of the original 15 colllege programs in beach volleyball, so he was there in the beginning 4 years ago. Click here to hear his thoughts.

Lastly, UNC Wilmington and their indoor volleyball coach Amy Bambenek just announced its beach volleyball program for 2016. Here is a small portion of the article posted on the NCAA site.

Beach volleyball has been an official Olympic sport since 1996 and the source of its popularity in the United States can largely be traced to one dynamic team: three-time Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May Treanor. Recognizing that surge in interest the NCAA in 2009 put beach volleyball on the list for emerging sports for women. After several years of unofficial championships the first NCAA championship will be held this spring with a winner determined via an eight-team double-elimination bracket. Each school sends five pairs, and much like tennis, the No. 1 seeded team plays the opposing No. 1 seeded team and so on through the roster. A school must win three out of the five pairs matchups to claim the match.

Beach volleyball is not only the NCAA’s newest championship, but also its fastest growing sport.  At the beginning of the calendar year, 50 Division I colleges and universities sponsored a team – 10 more than the minimum required to hold a national championship – and 19 of the programs have come into existence since 2013-14. Click here to read the entire article.

To Be Perfect or Efficient: A Perspective within Elite Performance

By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project

volleyball-835890_1280Over my recent history, I have noticed a trend that athletes feel that if they are perfect, do every action more perfect than somebody else that they will become an elite athlete. Or said in a different way, the more perfect I am, I will be better than you.  Well, I hate to break it to young people, being more perfect is not the answer.  The answer is can you perform a coordinated action that produces the results needed exactly at the time you are producing those actions.

Athletes today need to realize that practicing is needed and perfecting your sport is a worthwhile goal, but the term we are looking for is efficiency in the moment, not perfection.

To further my point, click here for an interview I completed with head volleyball coach Tom Black from Loyola Marymount around the same subject.

Still looking for more information, take the following athletes:

  1. A tall person who can jump out of the gym, but does not have any sort of sport IQ.  But can produce amazing amounts of speed and power on the court or field.
  2. A relatively tall person who can jump relatively high and is not real fast, but fast enough, but can out think and read the situation faster than another athlete

Which one is the better player?  I would argue number #2.

Again, my hope is not to solve the world of sports problem with one small post, only to challenge young people to think through what and why they do what they do.  Don’t just strive to be perfect in every way and think that the good grade will correlate to success on your sport.

Lastly, quoting Michael Johnson, a Olympic gold medalist in track and field,

I want you to work the way I have, to arrive at a place where you are running your own particular races at 95,96,97 percent efficiency. And every once in a while, as with me in Atlanta, you might come within a whisper of the very limits of your ability, within sight of perfection.   -pg. 205, Slaying the Dragon

So the question is to pursue perfection realizing that getting it right all the time is not the answer, it is the pursuit or chasing of elite efficiency in the moment is the way to chase elite performance life and sport.

Bio on Tom Black:

black_tomTom Black enters his sixth season as LMU’s head coach with the start of the 2015 fall indoor volleyball season after being hired on January 19th, 2010. Serving as head coach since its inception, Black recently completed his fourth year as head coach of the LMU sand volleyball program in the spring of 2015.

Nike Volleyball Camps

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National Volleyball Center (Rochester, MN)

USSC and The McCarthy Project have partnered to create a next level experience with Nike volleyball camps. This camp offers valuable volleyball instruction on and off the court to provide a complete and well rounded camp experience. Training takes place in small groups for personal attention.

Highlights Include

  • Excellent training facilities
  • Coach to camper ratio is 1:10-12
  • Players grouped by age and ability level
  • Five hours of instruction daily
  • Personal evaluations from your coach
  • Nike Volleyball Camp T-shirt

2019 Nike Volleyball Camps by TMP:

Nike Volleyball Camp at Champions Hall |  Eden Prairie, MN | June 17-21

Nike Volleyball Camp at the United Sports Training Center  |  Downingtown, PA  |  June 24-27

Nike Volleyball Camp at the National Volleyball Center  |  Rochester, MN  |  July 8-11

Nike Volleyball Camp at Joy of the Game Sports Center  |  Deerfield, IL  |  July 15-18

Nike Volleyball Camp at Nassau Community College  |  Garden City, NY  |  July 22-25

Nike Volleyball Camp at Nassau Community College  |  Garden City, NY  |  July 29-Aug 1

Team Sand Camps

sand_volleyball_stephen_mccarthy2 Looking to engage the team in a unique way? Or simply to change up the team’s summer skills training sessions?

The McCarthy Project Team Sand Camps might be the solution.

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Coach Coleman of UAB

As a way of confirmation that the sand can improve indoor performance, listen to my interview with UAB Sand Volleyball Coach Bailey Coleman on the benefits her indoor players received by playing outside in the sand.  Coach Coleman mentioned that the players improved their ability to think independently and shortened the amount of time to get over the last bad play, better passing and hitting skills appeared, as well as, an increased ability to communicate with other players.  For complete interview, visit here.

Each team will receive 6-7 hours per week of training, drills and court time. Drills can be run by the team or The McCarthy Project staff.  Each session can be customized to meet team goals.

Location: Lord Fletchers in Spring Grove, MN

Cost:  $500.00 per team per week. Discounts available for additional weeks.

For additional information have a team representative or coach, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982.

Outdoor Amazing Race

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40ft Giants Ladder

Exploring the outdoors and race the clock to complete tasks. The McCarthy Project has designed a course to challenge each persons ability to feel the adrenaline rush of competition while working with others.  This event will challenge your understanding of leadership, the role of communicating, conflict resolution, the influence of risk, and strategic planning, as well as, your physical talent.

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60ft Cable Walk

The event consists of (6-7) 5-15 min challenges: some are a physical challenges, some are strategic  You will compete against the clock for an overall best time.

Potential activities include, but not limited to the following:
1. Blind Maze
2. Cargo Net 50ft high
3. Log Walk 50ft high
4. Puzzle Game
5. Giants Ladder 40 ft High
6. Cable Walk

Log Bridge
50ft Cargo Net and Log Walk

Cost is $129.99 for 2, $229.99 for 4, $399.99 for 8

Location:
Uncle Fogy Nature Center
10454 108th Street Nw
Annandale, MN 55302
612-741-0982

Customer Feedback:

My teenage sons had so much fun this summer with your outdoor rock climbing and ziplining course in Annandale, we have now purchased the 3-Hour Outdoor Amazing Race. Thank you! – Jessica M.

For additional information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982.

Tom Brady: Coca-Cola “Poison for Kids”

By Christina Sarich, Infowars.com

101915bradycokeNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady called Coca-Cola “poison for kids.”

“You probably go out and drink Coca-Cola and think, ‘Oh yeah, that’s no problem,’” he said on the Dennis & Callahan Morning Show. “Why, because they pay lots of money for advertisements that think that you should drink Coca-Cola for a living?”

“No, I totally disagree with that and when people do that, I think that’s quackery, and just the fact that they can sell that to kids? That’s poison for kids.”

Regular coke does contains high-fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to a variety of health problems including high blood pressure and obesity.

Also he noted frosted flakes…

But Brady didn’t just attack coke: he also questioned whether Frosted Flakes is “actually a food.”

“You keep eating those things and you keep wondering why we do have just incredible rates of disease in our country,” the quarterback said.

Like Coca-Cola, Frosted Flakes also contains high-fructose corn syrup.

“Another reason to avoid fructose is that its most common form, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is derived from genetically modified corn,” Sarich pointed out. “That means it was developed in a lab, not grown and milled before it ended up in your table.”

For complete article, visit here

Synthetic Gene Drive and Designer Athletes

By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project dna-694798_1280

For all of us who lived in the 1980’s, Rocky in Rocky IV gets absolutely demolished by the genetically and medically-enhanced Russian boxer, but refuses to quit, he wins right? The evil Russians were cheating anyways, right?    Within this context, enter synthetic gene drive technology with the capability of creating designer athletes.  Oh, I mean genetically modified human beings, we win right?

UPDATE: 5/13/16 New York Times: Scientists Hold Secret Meeting To Create Synthetic Genome

The new technologies like gene drive are editing and changing the DNA of human beings, breaking down ancient boundaries, creating genetically engineered human beings, are they human beings?  Frankenstein athletes? Russian boxers?

Designer insects and designer babies, all sound really cool, but the science is not perfect and potentially, has unintended consequences.  Furthermore, the question of what will happen to the rest of the athletes who don’t have access to the technology?  Or what are the long term health concerns, intended or unintended, for athletes who are touched by a synthetic gene drive organism? What happens to the next generation of athletes who are conceived by the new athletes? And this is just the starter questions.

From the nature angle, listen to my interview with David Epstein of  Sports Illustrated on genetics in sport.  Or Micheal Much of Rivals.com on nature vs nurture.

I will forever argue that the nurture process is strong enough to overcome the nature process, assuming the nature portion is not genetically engineered.  Allow the natural order of true vitalism and the human spirit to be the deciding factors, not genetic modification.

The ultimate question for athletes is would you like to be a designer athlete or compete against a designer athlete? Is this ethical? As far as food is concerned, it may look like a banana, but is it really a banana if the foundation building blocks are modified? Moreover, it may look like a human, but is it really a human being?

Here are a couple quotes to start your research:

From The Independent:

A powerful new technique for generating “supercharged” genetically modified organisms that can spread rapidly in the wild has caused alarm among scientists who fear that it may be misused, accidentally or deliberately, and cause a health emergency or environmental disaster.

The development of so-called “gene drive” technology promises to revolutionize medicine and agriculture because it can in theory stop the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses, such as malaria and yellow fever, as well as eliminate crop pests and invasive species such as rats and cane toads.

From Wired

The stakes, however, have changed. Everyone at the Napa meeting had access to a gene-editing technique called Crispr-Cas9. The first term is an acronym for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,” a description of the genetic basis of the method; Cas9 is the name of a protein that makes it work. Technical details aside, Crispr-Cas9 makes it easy, cheap, and fast to move genes around—any genes, in any living thing, from bacteria to people. “These are monumental moments in the history of biomedical research,” Baltimore says. “They don’t happen every day.” The technique is revolutionary, and like all revolutions, it’s perilous. Crispr goes well beyond anything the Asilomar conference discussed. It could at last allow genetics researchers to conjure everything anyone has ever worried they would—designer babies, invasive mutants, species-specific bioweapons, and a dozen other apocalyptic sci-fi tropes. It brings with it all-new rules for the practice of research in the life sciences. But no one knows what the rules are—or who will be the first to break them.

From International Business Times

Synthetic gene drives, using a simple gene editing system called CRISPR, can, for example, alter the traits of mosquitoes or invasive cane toads, and even eradicate the species. The technology offers tremendous benefits to human health and crops. But potential for misuse by terror groups or accidental release from labs is high, as these “super” organisms can spread rapidly, and cause health and environmental disasters.

Climbing a Tree Can Improve Cognitive Performance

By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project

street-sign-141396_640I ask one question, if you could improve your cognitive ability within two hours, would you do it?

Furthermore, if you could improve an athletes ability to problem solve with the use of creativity without a major investment of time or money, would you do it?

If we are honest with ourselves, the answer is resounding yes.

Well a recent study out of the University of North Florida has found that the simple act of climbing a tree can dramatically improve cognitive skills.

The study, led by Drs. Ross Alloway, a research associate, and Tracy Alloway, an associate professor, is the first to show that proprioceptively dynamic activities, like climbing a tree, done over a short period of time have dramatic working memory benefits. Working Memory, the active processing of information, is linked to performance in a wide variety of contexts from grades to sports.

The results of this research, recently published in Perceptual and Motor Skills, suggest working memory improvements can be made in just a couple of hours of these physical exercises. “Improving working memory can have a beneficial effect on so many areas in our life, and it’s exciting to see that proprioceptive activities can enhance it in such a short period of time,” said Tracy Alloway.

So the next time you are looking for a creative way to develop yourself or your athletes, look no further than the giant tree in your front yard, and yes, climbing a tree can improve cognitive performance.

For additional information, visit the UNF site or click here for the complete study.

2015 Grassroots Hoops Fall League

grassroots_logo2015 Grassroots Hoops Fall League

Grades: Boys 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th JV Varsity 2015-16 School Year
Girls 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th JV Varsity 2015-16 School Year

Team Composition: School, Community and Open/All-Star teams are eligible.

Playing Sites: Harry Davis Community Center, Minnehaha Academy High School, Conway Recreation Center, St. Marks Middle School, others sites TBA.

Roster Info: Turn in your Official Fall Basketball Roster 1 week prior to your first game. No age or grade verification is required to participate.

Schedules: Schedules will be posted on grassrootshoopsclub.com and emailed.

Admission: An admission fee will be charged ($5 per adult, student or senior citizen). All players and up to two coaches per team will be admitted free of charge.

Refund Policy: NO refunds or transfers will be issued after the entry deadline.

Fall League starts Sunday October 4th through October 25th.

For additional information, contact us via email at cs(at)themccarthyproject.com.  Event organizer: Brian Sandifer of Grassroots Hoops Club.

2015 Sand Volleyball at The McCarthy Project

Here is some of the action from this year’s sand volleyball camps. Submitted with one comment.  This is what sport is about; playing a game that you love. And after, looking back on the joy the time spent together.

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Crossing the sand volleyball river
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A cool moment at camp
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Some of the players who attended
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Small group pic from camp
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Athletes in Action
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The best way to cool off after a day at camp
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Having a good time playing volleyball
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Game action 2015
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Classic sand volleyball pic

2015 All Skills and Setter Camp with Lindsey Berg

Here are some of the quotes and pictures from this years camp.

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Lindsey and Stephen with a few players

From Nancy V. after session with Lindsey Berg

You have a great way about you Lindsey; you’re so good at what you do. You made a difference and Maya and Faith will continue to learn and grow from the seeds you planted today. We certainly appreciate your expertise, but we equally appreciate your disposition and your capacity to connect with the girls.

Jul 26  It was such an amazing experience to be trained by a 3x Olympic Setter. You inspire me so much. Thank you for today
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Lindsey working Setting Fundamentals
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Stephen working with campers on the concept of perspective
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Campers in Cuore Gear, cuore is italian for “heart”
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Hitting Drills at Camp

2015 Volleyball Camp at MN-Morris

Here are some quotes and pics from this years indoor volleyball camp at MN-Morris.

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2015 Volleyball Camp at MN-Morris

From Nancy V. after session with Lindsey Berg

You have a great way about you Lindsey; you’re so good at what you do. You made a difference and Maya and Faith will continue to learn and grow from the seeds you planted today. We certainly appreciate your expertise, but we equally appreciate your disposition and your capacity to connect with the girls.

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University of MN-Morris Players
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Lindsey Berg Talking Fundamentals of Setting
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Lindsey and Coach Chad Braegelmann
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End of Camp Question and Answer Session with Lindsey Berg

 

Female Athletes and Sugar

By Dr. Cate Shanahan,

volleyball-673552_1280A recent Medscape article entitled Nutrition for the Female Athlete makes the startling claim that young women engaged in gymnastics, distance running, diving, figure skating and ballet “commonly have inadequate nutritional intake.”

This brought my attention to one of the references supporting that statement, a 2013 article called “Dietary Intakes and Eating Habits of College Athletes: Are Female College Athletes Following the Current Sports Nutrition Standards?” In that article, they cite their own research into the macronutrient intakes of female college athletes. They claim that seventy five percent of the women they studied “failed to consume the minimum amount of carbohydrates that is required to support training.” Women in the study consumed an average of 257 grams of carb, with the range going from a low of 103 grams to a high of 460 grams.

Dietary sugar and starch are counted as carb. But as I’ve said many times, carb is broken down into sugar by the digestive system and by the time carb enters the bloodstream it is in the form of sugar. So it would be more accurate to count dietary sugar and starch as sugar and speak about all carbs in terms of their sugar content.

257 grams of sugar seems like plenty of sugar to me. From complete post, visit Dr. Cate’s website

Under The Radar 2015 Rosters and Schedule

Team Hype 2019
Julian Wright PG De La Salle
Nasir El-Amin G MPLS North
Jalen Justice G Hopkins
Idreis El-Amin G Hopkins
Mark Possis G Apple Valley
Camryn Walker PG Cretin Derham Hall
Caleb Wall New G Life Academyutr_logo
Marcus Shepley G Burnsville
Jakiya Walker SF Eden Prairie C
Alex John F Champlin Park
Courtney Brown PF East Ridge
Chris Coffey C Minnetonka
Alex Folz SF Spring Grove
Ethan Matzcke SF Spring Grove

Team Elite 2019
Jalen Dearring PG Minnetonka
Kameron Givens PG De La Salle
Seigal Howard G Minnehaha
Jacob Johnson SG Champlin Park
Bennett Otto SG Champlin Park
Shauntez McGinley SF Washburn
Kobe Anderson SF St.Agnes
Jarvis Wright SF Minnehaha
Mykel Howard F Minnehaha
Kato Seley F Champlin Park
David Roddy PF Cool Rapids
Malik Lamin C/PF Champlin Park
Damien G St.Louis Park
On Deck: Zach Zebrowsk G East Ridge & John Whitmore G BSM

Team Hype 2018
Anders Nelson PG Edina
Gabe Kalscheur SG De La Salle
Anthony Davis G Hopkins
Beijan Newbern PG Cooper
Zach Theisen PG Osseo
Gary Smith (GS3) SF St.Agnes
Race Thompson PF Armstrong
Tayler Johnson G MPLS North
Odell Wilson PF MPLS North
Nate Hill PG Cooper
Adam Cook F Cooper
Kohlil Golden SF Minnehaha Academy

Team Elite 2018
Ryan Larson PG Brahan
Goodnews Kpegeol SG Cretin Derham Hall
Christian Kelly G Washburn
Jacob Prince SG Cretin Derham Hall
Shae Mitchell SF LVS
Daniel Oturu PF Cretin Derham Hall
Sage Booker G De La Salle
Javonni Bickham F Minnehaha Academy
Jarvis Thomas Omersa (JTO) PF Tartan
Uhana Ochan PF Mankato
Both Gach G Austin
Damani Hayes SF Mankato East
Charles Gordon PG MTS

Team Hype 2017
Jordan Horn PG Tartan
Jaquon Sanders PG MPLS North
Ahzerik Rodgers PG MPLS North
Dyante Jordan PG Maranatha
Isaac Johnson SG MPLS North
Chase Grinde SG Spring Grove
Tywhon Pickford SG Maple Grove
DJ Hunter SG MPLS North
Trae Berhow SF/SG Watertown Meyer
Curtis Bell SF/SG Washington
Simon Wright F Hopkins
Theo John PF Champlin Park

Team Elite 2017
McKinley Wright PG Champlin Park
Ishmael El-Amin G Hopkins
Myles Hanson SF Chaska
Lincoln  Bernhard F Undecided
Aloung Kang F Undecided
Simeon Davis G Hill Murray
Owen Chose PG Eden Prairie
Alex Facon SG Centennial
Emanuel Humphrey PF Tartan
Kingston Myles G Tartan
Joevon Walker F Tartan
Dream Kelly SF Central
Freddy Reeves G Minnehaha Academy

Team Hype 2016
Amar Miller PG Minnetonka
Jordan Bolton PG Apple Valley
Tyler Johnson G MPLS North
Sam Baker G BSM
Jamil Jackson SF MPLS North
Cameron Kirksey SF Apple Valley
Brock Bertram C Apple Valley
Allen Anderson PG Osseo
Jalen Brown SG Cretin Derham Hall
Chris Olson G Brahan
True Thompson SG Armstrong
Chris Perry SF Cretin Derham Hall

Team Elite 2016
Vinnie Shahid PG Hopkins
Dalante Peyton G SPA
Shyheem Murray SG Fridley
Anthony Zarr SG Fridley
Damario Armstrong PG Maranatha
Ade Lamu SG St.Croix Lutheran
Landon Kirkwood SG Brooklyn Center
Lucas Walford SG New Prague
Isaiah Wade G Minnesota Transitions
Melvin Newbern SF Cooper
Trenton Krueger F St.Croix Lutheran
Teathoach Pal F Fridley
Luke Harris PF Northfield

schedule

Food Allergies and GMO Foods Linked?

By Christina Sarich, Infowars, June 17, 2015

vegetables-86256_640Food allergies already affect more than 15 million Americans while things like gluten sensitivity hits a whopping 18 million individuals. What’s more, the cost for treating children’s food allergies is expected to rise to $25 billion per year. But biotech companies like Monsanto continue to claim they have no culpability.

Why are food allergies on the rise? Well let’s look at some obvious facts:

  • Proteins in food are what most commonly cause allergic reactions, and when proteins are gene-spliced, the body has a harder time digesting them. We are eating gene-edited proteins in today’s diet that humans have never eaten before, and most of them have never been tested for safety.
  • You can determine for yourself if this is coincidence or pre-meditated creation, but some of the most common food allergies are to soy, tree nuts, wheat, shellfish, peanuts, eggs, milk, and fish. Many of the items on this list have been genetically modified, or they hardly resemble their original state after corporate farming got their hands on them, as in the case of wheat.
  • Almost all crops engineered to be ‘insect-resistant’ are also turning out to be harmful to the human intestinal tract in the least, and this would obviously call into question food allergies which cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), skin rashes, and upper respiratory issues since these are the very same health issues associated with pesticide and herbicide use. As Dr. Mercola has pointed out, eating Bt crops could turn your gut into a living pesticide factory. It is estimated that more than 65 percent of all corn planted in the US is now Bt toxic GM corn. It appears in thousands of food products – no wonder we’re all allergic. Even ‘neutral’ scientific articles point out the dangers of Bt crops.

Even if you don’t eat GMOs directly, if you consume poultry, dairy, eggs, seafood, pork, or red meat, you are likely consuming an animal that has been fed GM food, and therefore, are increasing your risk for food-borne allergies.

The precautionary principle has been thrown out and regulatory agencies have allowed biotech companies like Monsanto, Dow, and Syngenta to ruin our food. Food allergies were nearly unheard of except for an occasional shellfish reaction a hundred years ago. Now we’re all eating genetically modified food.

Non-GMO, Organic Diet By Pro Athletes

By Dr. Mercola,

russia-gmo-foods-ban.si_This wildly popular fitness routine will hinder your results, not help them. That may be why pro athletes like LeBron James, Ray Allen, Nell Stephenson, and many others are turning their backs on it, trading it instead for this. Should you join them?

If you want your body to perform optimally, you need real food and all-natural nutrients. This is commonsense advice for everyone, but perhaps of particular importance for athletes.

Although you’d think professional athletes would know better, many still make unwise food- and lifestyle choices. This is largely related to the fact that they are mostly young and their body can compensate for foolish food choices (think Michael Phelps).

With all the exercise they get, the damaging effects of poor food choices tend to be held at bay longer than for someone who is sedentary, but sooner or later it does catch up with you, and athletes who take a more natural, whole foods approach usually find it really does give them an edge.

The fact is, a high-sugar, high-refined carb diet makes you more prone to muscle and joint deterioration and injury. Who knows how many careers have been cut short due to diminishing skills or injuries?

Right now, I’m thrilled for my hometown hockey team, which has performed exceptionally well, and I congratulate Duncan Keith on his personal achievements in particular.

Duncan is one high-level professional hockey player who decided to take control of his health, and is reaping the rewards of improved performance and well-being.

or…
Energy and stamina doesn’t come from sugar. Taking in simple carbs like sugar, corn syrup, pasta, or bread before an event will tend to cause a quick spike in your blood sugar followed by a corresponding fall, making you feel more exhausted than before. More than anything, simple carbs and excess complex carbs will make you sluggish and hamper your performance. If you want to create energy naturally—and this certainly applies to non-athletes as well—here are four simple rules to follow:

  • Just before a game or hard workout, eat a little bit of fruit, such as an apple, plum, pear, citrus fruit (not juice) or berries. They’re great right before a game or workout, as they give you a small spike without the massive plummet.
  • Two to three hours before a game or hard workout, complex carbs, fats and a small amount of protein will do the trick. Sweet potatoes, brown rice, olive oil, almond butter, flax oil, walnuts, almonds and eggs are all easy to digest and can give you more sustained energy.
  • Post exercise, your body is nitrogen-poor and your muscles have been broken down. That’s why you need amino acids from animal proteins like chicken, beef and eggs, as well as vegetable carbohydrates. Whey protein is another excellent choice here.
  • Although many experts still recommend carb-loading before an endurance event, the fact is, burning sugar is not what happens over long distances. Carbs are stored in your muscles and liver in the form of glycogen that your body uses as fuel. Once this fuel runs out, fatigue sets in and your performance suffers. Your body actually starts burning fats after a short period of time, so therefore, rather than loading up on carbs, loading up on healthy fats and small amounts of protein will typically improve athletic endurance.

Some athletes, including basketball superstars LeBron James and Ray Allen, have started taking this advice to heart—with excellent results. Other athletes jumping onto the high-fat, low-carb diet include Ironman triathlete Nell Stephenson, pro cyclist Dave Zabriskie, ultra-marathoner Timothy Olson, and former Ironman triathlete Ben Greenfield, who is said to have followed a ketogenic diet while training for the 2013 Ironman World Championships.

For the complete article, click here

Sports Drink: Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar mixed in 4 ounces of purified water after a meal has been used as a natural remedy for heartburn and as a replacement for toxic heartburn medications.
  • Raw Apple Cider Vinegar may help improve bowel irregularity, thereby removing toxins from the body at a faster rate.
  • Helps clear up skin conditions and blemishes giving a more smooth texture and appearance.
  • Raw Apple Cider vinegar may also help with joint pain and stiffness.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar helps to break down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them. For this reason, many diets include ACV in the regimen.
  • On a small scale, ACV was studied by researchers at Arizona State University. The preliminary study was published in Diabetes Care and reported that ACV helps reduce glucose levels [1].

Complete article from Global Healing Center

New Study: Outdoor Micro Breaks Restore Your Attention

sunrise-453735_1280Highlights:

    • Neuroscience techniques provide direct empirical support for attention restoration theory.
    • A micro-break viewing a green, but not concrete roof city scene, sustains attention
    • The green roof city scene perceived as more restorative than concrete roof city scene.
    • Results suggest city nature is valuable for healthy cities and workplaces.

Abstract:

Based on attention restoration theory we proposed that micro-breaks spent viewing a city scene with a flowering meadow green roof would boost sustained attention. Sustained attention is crucial in daily life and underlies successful cognitive functioning. We compared the effects of 40-s views of two different city scenes on 150 university students’ sustained attention. Participants completed the task at baseline, were randomly assigned to view a flowering meadow green roof or a bare concrete roof, and completed the task again at post-treatment. Participants who briefly viewed the green roof made significantly lower omission errors, and showed more consistent responding to the task compared to participants who viewed the concrete roof. We argue that this reflects boosts to sub-cortical arousal and cortical attention control. Our results extend attention restoration theory by providing direct experimental evidence for the benefits of micro-breaks and for city green roofs.

Click here for entire study.