Exercise With Oxygen Training Sessions For Elite Performance in Life and Sport
Over 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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
If you are looking for an afternoon of adventure, The McCarthy Project is ready to help you test your limits. Join us for a fun outdoor experience:
Outdoor Climbing Only: 3 hours on the high and low ropes challenge course.
• $80 for three hours of outdoor rock climbing for one
• $160 for three hours of outdoor rock climbing for two
• $320 for three hours of outdoor rock climbing for four
Location:
Camp Eden Wood
6350 Indian Chief Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55436
612-741-0982
Rock Climbing and Zipline: 3 hours on the high and low ropes challenge course, as well as, up to 4 zip lines.
• $110 for three hours for one
• $220 for three hours for two
• $400 for three hours for four
Location:
Uncle Fogy Nature Center
10454 108th Street Nw
Annandale, MN 55302
612-741-0982
Climbs include: Cargo Net, Flat Climbing Wall, Incline Wall, Donkey Kong, The Giants Ladder, and X-Climb. The McCarthy Project provides all needed gear and will train first-timers on-site before they climb — so no prior experience or certification is needed to participate.
Each session is by appointment only, we do not have traditional retail hours with staff on site available for walk-ups.
For additional questions or information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982. Group discounts available.
Feedback from customers:
Thanks again my group had a great time yesterday!, Katie, September 13, 2015
Be sure to bring your own water and snacks, August 02, 2015
Great bonding and teamwork experience — Instructors were amazing and provided excellent encouragement! Tons of fun!, July 11, 2015
Dear Steve and Crew, I want to tell you how much I appreciate your help in accomplishing my desire to try zip-lining! I was on the lung transplant list at the U. of MN. fifteen years ago, but I decided to forego the transplant when the time came. The thought of spending the rest of my life taking anti-rejection meds and all the attending protocols didn’t appeal. It hasn’t been an easy fight back, but today was an affirmation of my decision and a truly awesome experience! I’ll be 70 this November and I’m looking forward to a few more good years! Thanks again for your help – you’re terrific!, Pat p.s. (can’t wait to show the Dr. the pics!)
June 19, 2016
We had a great time. It was hot, but fun. Bring plenty of water!, July 11, 2015
Great afternoon of fun! Excellent instruction with great gear, June 27, 2015
AWESOME instructor!!!! Lots of FUN!!!!! January 25, 2015
Important Information for Attendees:
1. Each session will start with safety and climbing/gear instruction, with that said, the best case scenario is to arrive approximately 15 min before the start time. Bring a copy of your waiver for each participant. Lastly, the zipline is located in the woods, so pack plenty of water and snacks for the session.
2. If you do not receive email confirmation of your reservation, you should assume that you are not added to the attendee list or the session has been cancelled and re-attempt to contact myself via email or a phone call.
3. Verify the location of the session, the majority are scheduled at Uncle Fogy Nature Center in Annandale, MN. If in doubt, contact us immediately to avoid arrival at the incorrect location.
4. When you arrive at Uncle Fogy, you will need to take a right into the nature center and park in the lot on the right. Then follow the road all the way to the back of the property to the zipline tower. FYI, if using Google maps, it will bring you to the left side of the road, which is Camp Friendship. Uncle Fogy is on the opposite side of the road about a 100ft to the east of the Camp Friendship parking lot.
View of Climbing Tower in Annandale, MN
5. Weather related questions. The general rule of thumb is the session will not be cancelled unless lightning is present. In the case of a cancellation, we will contact you as soon as decision is made, at that time, we will reschedule. If bad weather arrives during the session, we will delay the session and make a decision based on the circumstances of the day.
For additional questions or information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982.
Peek into the garage of any professional baseball player and you’re likely to see a shiny sports car with a hefty price tag.
But not Daniel Norris’, as the 21-year-old Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect from Johnson City, Tennessee, doesn’t even have a garage. In fact, his house is void of many of the luxuries that come with a lucrative pro sports career and a $2 million signing bonus.
That’s because Norris lives in a van.
“To keep this simple, they think I’m pretty weird,” laughs Norris, who says the people running the Blue Jays organization were wary at first of his unorthodox living situation. “They find it rather interesting.”
But the more you know about Norris, the more apparent it becomes that it’s the alternative—four walls lined with electronics and shiny appliances—that would be “weird.”
Norris, who made his major-league debut last September and is competing for a starting job this spring, grew up roaming the racks of tires and helmets at his father’s mountain bike shop in Tennessee, a local haven for outdoorsmen that had been in the family for two generations. On the weekends, his family rode bikes and went camping; Norris picked up rock climbing from his sister. Even during the first two offseasons of his pro baseball career (Norris was drafted from high school in the second round in 2011), he worked part-time at a local outdoor retailer, where he was introduced to even more new ways to get outdoors, like kayaking and backpacking.
A recent New York Times article exemplified how technological and billionaire elites live by different standards than they prescribe to the American populace.
A piece entitled “Steve Jobs Was a Low-Tech Parent,” discusses how the late Apple CEO refused to allow his children to play with one of the company’s most popular devices, the Ipad.
“So, your kids must love the iPad?” I asked Mr. Jobs, trying to change the subject. The company’s first tablet was just hitting the shelves. “They haven’t used it,” he told me. “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.”
I’m sure I responded with a gasp and dumbfounded silence. I had imagined the Jobs’s household was like a nerd’s paradise: that the walls were giant touch screens, the dining table was made from tiles of iPads and that iPods were handed out to guests like chocolates on a pillow.
Nope, Mr. Jobs told me, not even close.
Since then, I’ve met a number of technology chief executives and venture capitalists who say similar things: they strictly limit their children’s screen time, often banning all gadgets on school nights, and allocating ascetic time limits on weekends.
Unfortunately, The Times didn’t press Jobs for a more in-depth explanation on why he restricted his kids’ use of a device that’s now played with by millions of children throughout the world, but the fact that various elites have followed in the tech guru’s steps suggests there is a double standard between how they raise their children, and how they believe lower and middle class American parents should.
The double standard is clear when one considers the actions of billionaires, such as former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, whose foundation has invested millions of dollars pushing the Common Core curriculum onto public schools, but who opts to send his own children to private academies where the Common Core standard is not taught.
Another New York Times article from 2011 also revealed that some charter schools where elites send their children prohibit computer monitors, a stark contrast to the flood of computers we’ve seen fill public schools over the past few decades. Compete article
Article Posted by Star Tribune’s David La Vaque of the Star Tribune on 8/19/2014 on Park Center Team Retreat with Stephen McCarthy and The McCarthy Project.
A team retreat and success in other sports has Park Center’s volleyball team ready to play.
A summer team-building retreat turned creepy for the Park Center girls’ volleyball team due to paranormal activity.
Doors at the team’s Camp Courage cabin would lock and unlock by themselves. Windows would open and close with no explanation. One player swore she saw something.
Living with ghosts is reality for returning Pirates players. Up 2-0 in the Class 2A, Section 5 finals last season, Park Center wilted and lost the match to Maple Lake. Even a 12-4 lead in the deciding fifth game couldn’t hold.
“Our hitters were pounding the ball, but Maple Lake would not let anything hit the floor,” senior Alicia Meyer said. “It was so frustrating. We know how close we were last year. We’re making that push to get what we didn’t get.”
Securing the program’s first state tournament appearance since 1981 will require a more diverse attack and strong chemistry. Players said the latter was created at the two-day August retreat located in, of all places, Maple Lake.
Coach Randy Almsted coordinated the weekend retreat for Park Center High School volleyball at Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN. We ate weird food and they survived. Like figs and pea shoots. We talked about personalities and the pressure of playing well, as well as, found out that team is made up of individuals and individuals make up a team.
“Though unable to attend because of Minnesota State High School League rules regarding summer contact for coaches, Almsted said players learned about each others’ goals and personalities and how best to communicate.
The lessons were more than mental. Players were taught different stretching exercises and received tips on proper nutrition. Almsted and players agreed a new type of excitement was present last week when the team hit the floor for the first practice.”
Coach Jim Lee and the Waconia High School Volleyball team spent Labor Day weekend at the Caribou Gun Club in LeSeuer, MN enjoying the outdoors, completing the hard work of understanding one another and how to become a great team, win or lose. Oh, also eating clams, muscles and shrimp for dinner.
Stephen at the top of the pole ready for the leap of faith.
I, Stephen McCarthy, took a “Leap of Faith.” I have had a fear of jumping off buildings, bridges, even escalators for a long time. Today I conquered that fear and actually jumped of a pole 35 feet in the air today to hit a ball 10 ft away.
After contemplating for about 5 minutes on the perch, I made the decision to jump. Then an additional 3 minutes making sure it was the right decision, I put it to rest. I jumped. After a safe ride down, assessing all my body parts and a mental checkup, I had survived in one piece.
Thank you to all the guys and girls from TeamQuest.
Over the years, I have come across many training philosophies related to training young athletes and the question always comes up. When should they start working out? The answer is sooner than you think, but take your time and build them slowly.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that as long as the weights used are not maximal or close to an athlete’s 1 repetition maximum, strength training is safe for young athletes. The Mayo Clinic even weighed with the following statement, “strength training, not weightlifting. “
Here are a couple additional observations, the Russians trained young athletes to perfect movements without weight. That’s right. No weights until they perfected the lifting movements. This lasted up to two years for some. So bodyweight and coordination training until the athlete has a high level of proficiency completing each exercise is your best bet. An example of coordination training would be completing a footwork drill on the agility ladder, juggling one ball, and doing math all at the same time. Your athlete’s coordination and awareness of their body will be challenged, but place a low amount of stress on the athlete’s body.
Secondly, one of the big trends nowadays is the use of plyometrics (i.e. the shock method.) Some athletes are not ready for this method of training. It is too aggressive. How do you know? Athlete’s will start to have naggy-type injuries. More times than not, if you stop the plyometrics, no more nagging injuries. Somebody might say that all the other teams are doing it or I read that plyometrics make athlete’s skate faster. That is a true statement, but the goal is for your athlete to love the game, play pain free and develop the speed over time. One of our athletes started training when he was 9 years old, but he was always getting these nagging injuries, like knee problems, hips hurting, etc. So we held off the plyometrics portion, but continued training. We followed a disciplined training program using the methods mentioned. When he turned 15, we came back to the complete strength program, including plyometrics. He has increased his dead lift, back squat, and bench press by almost 20-25% in only 4 months. And now he is stronger than athletes that are 2-3 years older than him. He is pain-free, no injuries and loving life.
Allow your athlete’s the time to grow and learn where their bodies are in space. Add weights when the time is right. The end result will be a much happier athlete and save their bodies undo wear and tear.
Biography:
Stephen McCarthy, Director of The McCarthy Project, he has worked with over 10000 athletes with an emphasis on the youth athlete. He has researched and developed innovative training techniques for over 10 years. His athletes have received college scholarships and played professionally, as well as, won state championships and national championships. Visit www.themccarthyproject.com or email me at mccarthy@themccarthyproject.com
Over the last years, I have been asked numerous times. Define your philosophy of teaching and training for elite performance.
I landed on the concept of natural means and methods of education and training, but what does that really mean?
Ultimately, the natural method of education and training is the use of nature and the laws of nature through our observations and our senses to find the truth on performance and develop the use of our talents, on an individual basis.
The funny thing about the natural method is that it is not new, the concept goes back to the Greeks, up through John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau to Johan Guts Muths, the father of physical education. During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, scientific means and methods attempted to replace the laws of nature as the form of information and observation. While I agree that science and scientific management can be applied to life, they are not the “end all, be all” solution to developing talent.
Here are a couple quotes on the thought of the natural methods and the use of the laws of nature:
In general, Locke advocated..”plenty of open air, exercise and sleep…” John Locke, Some Thoughts on Education, 1693, pg. 24.
“Comenius and Locke, prior to Rousseau, had proclaimed an education according to nature when they urged that children become familiar with their natural environment by using their senses for observation and that teaching should proceed in accordance with natural laws of child development. Rousseau accepted and expanded upon his predecessors’ viewpoints. Both Comenius’ and Lockes’ aims of education subjected the child to authority– Comenius to the will of the Bible, Locke to the demands of society. Rousseau, however, desired to free the child from every bondage, permitting a completely natural development of his individual personality” Bennett, A World History of Physical Education, 1953, pg 183.
“Life is the trade I would teach him. When he leaves me, I grant you, he will neither a magistrate, a soldier, nor a priest, he will be a man,” John Jacques Rousseau, Emile on Education, 1762, pg. 9.
“Observe nature and follow the route which she traces for you,” John Jacques Rousseau, Emile on Education, 1762, pg. 13.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” 19th Psalm of David
“In the natural method, the most important rule is, in forming an idea of an object, to employ all the senses completely on it,” Johan Guts Muths, Gymnastics for Youth, 1803, pg. 404.
Daniel Vitalis on Water, Its Importance and The Future
By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project
Daniel Vitalis
Here is a link to an interview completed by Mike Adams of Natural News with Daniel Vitalis. Subjects covered: The history and science of water, how we as humans can begin to create balance through water, and much more.
Mike states, “This is one of the most fascinating interviews you’ll ever hear about water, wild foods and cutting-edge health concepts. Daniel Vitalis is well known for his Deer Antler Velvet and colostrum products, and he’s extremely well-informed about many cutting-edge topics.”
This simple act of going outside to do your workouts, rather than going to the fitness center has been proven to be effective for the last 200 years or more. a recent study confirmed what we already knew; outdoor training is more effective than working out indoors. The following are additional reading on the study and additional points of interest.
1. The study found that most trials showed an improvement in mental well-being: compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalisation, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date. Learn more
2. Erwan LeCorre of Movnat posted the following a history of outdoor training and physical education since the 1800’s . For the complete article, click here.
3. In Arnold: The Education Of A Bodybuilder, Arnold Schwarzenegger gives himself credit for inventing shock training — or at least his own extreme, masochistic variations of it — back in the early ’70s as he was approaching peak form. (The McCarthy Project does not recommend athletes follow his lead with the training protocol, but it proves a point that outdoor training enhanced his workout.) Already a Mr. Universe champion, Schwarzenegger was running up against a wall. He and a training partner decided they were going to shock the hell out of their legs, so they took 250 pounds of plates into the forest and dived into three hours of squats in the fresh air.
A person who spends the day in useful work and takes a proper amount of exercise, sleeps soundly. He retires early and rises refreshed, sound in mind and body, and commences the new day with cheerfulness and energy. He has learned how to differentiate between day and night, and divides his day between work and needful rest.
A person who is lazy and suffers from the bad effects of high living, is tired and languid in the morning and during the day, but is quite lively in the evening and at night when he stays in a smoky bar-room or close ball-room.
It is the duty of every noble-minded person to work with word, example and action for the regeneration of the people through a more natural mode of living, so that simplicity in food and drink and a general knowledge of the laws of hygiene may prevail.
Natural Movement Training at Crow River-Hassan Trail Park
By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project
Natural movement for the young and old should be pursued. Society has told us to sit at a computer or school for 6-8 hours per day. Well, The McCarthy Project has developed a training system that uses the great outdoors. Our goal is to build complex, creative thoughts in our clients by allowing their bodies to enjoy the outside and the freedom that comes from just enjoying the outdoors.
The location for our sessions: The Crow River-Hassan Horse Trail Park is located on Hwy 116, south of Hwy 241. Parking is on the east side of 116 across from the entrance. The park is 2600 acres of prairie, trails and wildlife. For a detailed map, click here.
One of the biggest misnomers about training is that you need to be in a totally, controlled environment at all times. And when you lift big weight, that is true. But the last time I checked the only sport that does that while competing is power lifting. Secondly, one of the biggest points of discussion is the concept of “dynamic correspondence” or what is the best way to translate in the weight room or training performance to the event or field. So why do we primarily use power lifting or weight room lifts for all sports? Who told us that the facility has to have music blaring, plastic floors, a million treadmills and 75 degrees?
Well, power lifters and coaches who only learned to train athletes in the weight room the way power lifters train, of course.
Check out the view from my squat platform: 25 Degrees, Snowing, but I was sweating could hear the birds chirping while working out. One 40 pound, 6 foot log, a little creativity and you are good to go.
Erwan Le Corre of MovNat posted this quote on twitter this morning.
“To modern men, the next frontier has become the recovery of their health, the retrieve of their freedom, and the reclamation of their soul.”
The McCarthy Project can not agree more. We must, as a people, slow down and look past the positive thinking, fast-paced, scientific world to find out who we really are, not just to rip off all the positive thinking words and thoughts. Way down deep at a soul level, we must reclaim our soul and then we can have true success.
What Does it Take to Be Great In Life and Learning?
The Great of Learning and Life
“The great, and men of learning by profession, have hirtherto been too frequently brought up to have minds stuffed with knowledge in frail bodies, to be helpless creatures in human form. Massy pallaces have been erected on sandy foundations; and in a few years the edifice has tumbled down, or become incapable of the service expected from it. Had not intellectual labor been placed to their account, which nature, the bible, and sound sense inculcate; had they been corporally, as well as mentally, improved; men of great learning would have been more healthy and vigorous, of more general talents, of ample practical knowledge, more happy in their domestic lives, more enterprizing, and more attached to their duties as men.”
Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths, Gymnastics of Youth, 1803, pg. 55.
and…
“our whole political constitution opposes this, by confining us, even in the years when we are more gay than nature herself, to the mechanic’s work-bench, or the students desk. This, however, should excite us to more to employ the early childhood, and the hours of youthful liberty, in improving the corporal faculties, and steeling both the bodies and minds of youth.”
Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths, Gymnastics of Youth, 1803, pg. 59.
What is the true and proper outlook towards weakness leaving the body?
Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths
Nature therefore forms all creatures with the same power, and after the same standard, in the present day, as in ages past; and we must not ascribe our physical degeneracy in the least to any alteration in her laws, and her energy, but to contingent causes: that is to a defective development of the germe, through the fault of our parents, and of circumstances; to deteriorating education; to a debilitating way of life; and sometimes to disadvantages of climates.
and…
Thus all the weakness of the present refined race of men is only individual weakness: and even that we may term hereditary, when the weaknesses and defects of parents are entailed upon their children, is nothing but the continued operation of the accidental impression.
Consequently, in proportion as these contingent causes, and their operation, are removed, nature will proceed to fashion men after her original rule.
-Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths, Gymnastics for Youth, 1803, pg. 26-27.
Erwan will the joining The McCarthy Project next Monday to discuss the world of physical fitness and how to live life in balance with the world, not a just a droning continuance of it.
Check out the post for his workout of the day:
Warm Up Mobility – (3 rounds)
Forward Sprawl to Pushup – 8x
One-Arm Deadhang – 20sec each side
Skill –
Jerk – 20x Bodyweight – break into sets as needed
Combo – (4 Rounds)
Balancing Tripod Transition – 3x each side
Muscle Up – 3x
Walking split squat – 100ft
Sprint – 100ft
Tuck Pop-Up – 5x
For the youtube video and more information on MovNat training, visit their website.
Erwan Le Corre of MovNat on Moving Naturally in The World
Erwan Le Corre of MovNat
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project will cover the weekly news and Erwan Le Corre of MovNat will join us to discuss the world of physical education and fitness. The concept of mastery of self and your surroundings will create the foundation of the show and provide a platform for a great discussion on the world of human development.
Erwan started MovNat to open the world thought on the freedom that can be created through human movement. And to provide a unique approach to the development of efficient movement. He has traveled the world researching and developing his philosophy of physical, mental and spiritual development.
Subjects to be covered:
1. The MovNat and Erwan Le Corre story and philosophy of human movement.
2. The fallacy of bodybuilding or bicep training as the only way to true fitness
3. The art of human movement as it relates to the brain or central nervous system
4. The discussion of the true power in life: an accurate knowledge of self and your surroundings.
5. The definition of recovery training and some basic concepts on implementing recovery into your life.
6. Repetitive stress injuries and their prevention by training for human movement, rather than specialization in sport.
For more information on MovNat and Erwan Le Corre, visit his website.
Over the next few months, you will see more information on combining the concept of fitness, the outdoors, and after school programs. We have started to see people change right before our eyes over the last couple years. The idea of changing peoples lives thru fitness, the outdoors and nutrition really seems to have arrived in the minds of society. They have become very powerful in the lives of our clients.
To this end, we will be integrating the MovNat training protocols to develop even further our use of the local parks and the environment that is already there. Rather than, needing to go to a gym to workout. We believe that it is a great thing to just go ourside and play at the park. MovNat has taken this concept and built tremendous training protocols around this simple concept.
Over 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.
