My 2011 Review

2011 was a landmark year for Mount Olympus Performance both in a professional and personal way so I thought everybody else is doing 2011 lists and 2012 wish lists etc so why not do my version. This is my review of 2011:

1. I took part in my first ever powerlifting meet the national single lifts and I managed to walk away with two medals but more importantly loved the day and can’t wait to compete again. Here is the original post I entered if you are interested http://mikebolgerstrength.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/my-first-powerlifting-meet/
2. On a professional point 2011 treated me well. Throughout the summer I ran my group strength and conditioning sessions, fat loss bootcamps and youth speed and strength camps, all of which I hope to expand upon this year (more details coming soon). Along with this I have also been added to the regional strength and conditioning team with Leinster Rugby with particular attention being paid to the South East Region Under 16 squad. And finally I was also brought in as part of Jason Ryan backroom staff (Wexford Senior Football) this is huge challenge but one which I am loving!!
3. I had Eoin Crosbie update the website (www.mountolympusperformance.com) and am hoping to keep building on this and expanding on its usage. One thing I love about the new site is the live roll from this blog and obviously a link to facebook site and articles I have written.
4. From an educational point of view again 2011 was a great year I attended a number of 1 day courses and seminars but from a formal point of view I attained my NASM-PES qualification and am now a IRB Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach.
5. Along with myself (Mike) 2011 has been a great year for Katie. She passes her exams to attain her BA in Recreation and Sport Management (congrats again… oh and by the way her graduation was yesterday). For the second successive season was involved with the Leinster Ladies Team and what was all the better is that they won the interpro championships!!! And as a result of her form during this she signed for Blackrock College RFC and has made a great start.

I am in the process of setting goals and making plans for 2012, some of which I will make public and others private, but here is a quick glimpse of what I want to work on:

• Compete in more powerlifting meets.
• Write and publish a lot more blogs and articles.
• Video myself and my athletes training more and post these to blog and facebook.
• Achieve at least one more major S+C qualification and at least one internship.

Finally thank you to everyone for their support in 2011 and Happy New Year I could not have done any of this without you.

Mike

The Race

I was introduced to this poem last night and found it inspirational have read and leave a comment:

Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn’t hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race
or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son,
and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire,
to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy’s desire.
One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd,
was running in the lead and thought “My dad will be so proud.”
But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought he’d win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace,
and midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.
As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn’t win it now.
Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win that race!”
He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that’s all,
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.
He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”

But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face
with a steady look that said again, “Get up and win that race!”
So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.
“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to run real fast!”
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten…
but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently. A tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running anymore! Three strikes I’m out! Why try?
I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought. “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.

“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “you haven’t lost at all,
for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
Get up!” the echo urged him on, “Get up and take your place!
You were not meant for failure here! Get up and win that race!”
So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit,
and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.
Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place,
head high and proud and happy — no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place,
the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,
you would have thought he’d won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”

And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face,
the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face,
another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race!”

New Premises

Just a short note to let everyone know that I have secured a second premises to work from with Mount Olympus Performance.
Starting immediatly we know have access to Image Health Studios in the heart of Wexford town. What this means is that I can know expand services offered, offer more variety on training programs, be available more often and of course as this facility has an indoor hall we can get out if the rain for group sessions.

Back Soon
Mike

Work Smart!!

Ok I have written, blogged, spoke and whatever else you can do about this subject a number of times in the past, however, still find myself coming back to the same place every few weeks. People you need to learn to work smarter! I am a huge fan of working with maximum efficiency and not just beating yourself up in the gym for the sake of it (unlike some currently popular ‘trainers’ whom were the subject of a recent Hitler YouTube video).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z2b2x6C5o0

On almost a daily basis I have people preaching to me that they are working so hard and are going to be in their best shape ever but needless to say they very rarely get anywhere near where they want! Now for a while I tried to give these people advice, design them programs, go through their nutrition etc but have of late given up on this as most people do not listen as they are more interested in taking the easy option.

Here is a list of my top three inefficient training methods:

• Running laps to improve sport specific training.

Now I am not going to go into detail here but I implore you think about the sport you play. Unless you are a middle to long distance runner you will get very little carry over to sports performance from running laps. As most of you know at this stage rugby is my first sport and passion and it never ceases to amaze me how many people do their preseason by adding two laps a week and finishing the session off with some so-called core work (ab crunches???).

• Using body sculpt, body pump, body attack or any other Mr. Motivator type class to try to bring about body composition change.

These types of classes neither provide enough overload or progression to add muscle mass (thus no increase in metabolic rate or any of the other million and one benefits of increased muscle growth). The class also does not work at a high enough intensity to elicit body fat loss (again very much due to the lack of resistance). Throw away the barney dumbbell if you want real body composition changes!!

• Doing spinning classes if your goal is anything apart from being good at spinning.

I am so fed up of people going on about how great spinning is. I am yet to see anybody have any major body composition changes, improve sporting performance or win the Tour de France. I mean surely at this stage people are starting to realise that they sweat and sweat and not only do they not get anywhere in a physical sence its the same metaphorically “they get nowhere”

 

 

However this is only my opinion!!! You decide are your training methods working for you? Oh and by the way I am not anti group training (classes etc) as long as it is done in an efficient manner where the instructor thinks about more than how much can I make you sweat or puke. Exercise is an art and a science so for any and all trainers out there please remember this and take into account the results you want to achieve with your clients when planning their sessions. Train hard, train smart

Rant over for now

Mike

Random Thoughts 25/06/11

Well it’s that time again to let everybody into my “thoughts”. As I have stated in the past these thoughts are not restricted to training but rather to anything which I feel I would like to share or if I just want to rant for a while….

1. Seems bench pressing is basically an international past time but do we not think that people should finally figure out how to bench properly. Now there are an awful lot of points we could address from foot placement to grip to range of motion, however, the point I would like to raise is that of the spine. The human body has spent tens of thousands of years evolving to have a curve in the spine right? Well in that case can anybody please explain why I see so many people in the gym flatten their back against the gym and actually protract their scapula  to put themselves in the weakest position they could be!!!! Arch baby arch!!!!
   

   Plenty of these in most gyms

2. Your training modality must match what your intended goal is. For instance a female hoping to compete in her first physique competition this autumn should not be spending endless hours on a spinning bike but rather in the gym doing some quality resistance work.
3. For those of you new to training or even new to training other people you have to understand the concept of progression. You have to build a base of support first and then everything moves up from here… and yes this does mean having adequate levels of aerobic fitness.
4. If you are currently mid-season (athletics maybe) it is vitally important that you continue to hit the gym. Your program should be tapered and peaked to allow for maximum results. I mean think about it when you need to be your strongest and most powerful you stop training and lose a proportion of the training effect you have worked so hard in the off-season for?
5. Please don’t be false! People see straight through it and believe it or not it annoys most people. You DO NOT have to jump on someone as they enter the facility just say hello and make conversation if they want it after all the gym is a place where a lot of people go to get away from the daily grind not to be annoyed!
6. I’m coming around to the thinking that the way to go is with a silent gym. Now don’t get me wrong I love my daily fix of metal while training, however, it is almost impossible to keep everybody happy so maybe implementing a silent gym where if you want “your” type of music you bring your own iPod (I could be wrong here but I actually think Charles Poliquin has implemented this).
7. I have to say that I am so disappointed in the Welsh under 20 rugby team after the latest world championship. After a record defeat to the Kiwis we then go on to lose to Fiji aswell (hope this isn’t a sign for RWC 2011 as Wales have them in group stages again). Something must be done about the coaching structure and player development or we run the risk of slipping either further down the world rankings.

A slightly longer thought process this time, but believe me I bit my lip on a few points or I would still be typing. Please get back to me with any feedback oh and keep an eye out for my new article out soon.

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

Random Thought 10/06/11

Hi All,

Well I missed last week but with good reason as I had travelled to Wales to watch the national team play the Barbarians in the Millenium Stadium! What made the day even better for me was that it was the first international game that Katie (the better half and partner)  had been to oh and my father tagged along to but he was well behaved all weekend . We all had a great weekend and can’t wait to get back playing.

Anyway as I said my mind goes overtime so gonna get a few things out and hopefully get somefeedback from you guys?!

1. For me the rate of force development (in this case how fast you can lift the bar) is the most decisive aspect of your lift. Yes I know the benefit of eccentric training and time under tension and I always make sure to incorporate these into my programs, however, for me if you aren’t lifting the bar with maximum force you are wasting your time!!! Just to expand a little on this point without dragging it out for page after page I would like to point out that in the majority of cases the intention to lift as fast as possible will suffice even if the bar is travelling slower (there are obviously exceptions to this such as Olympic Lifting)
2. Again something I have mentioned a number of times both in my writing and face to face with people is that we should coach people not just show them! A visual demonstration is important, however, so is the ability to verbally explain and most importantly to spot and correct mistakes in technique.
3. Loving the recent influx of articles, videos and podcasts about the benefits of correct posture and in particular neutral alignment while lifting. Yes this topic is well know but I personally feel that not enough emphasis is placed on it by a number of coaches as they atempt to improve their athletes performance by loading up extra weight all the time.
4. Bit of a different vibe here but actually cleaned out my gear bag this week and got to thinking what is necassary. For me my soft tissue gear is vital so that is my foam roller, stick and hard ball. Along with this are different strength dyna bands, thick grips, chalk and supplements. What do you need?

Well that’s it for another week have a read and drop me a comment and have a strong week.

Mike

 

 

 

Random Thoughts

Hi Guys,

Enjoyed my random thoughts blog last week so here we  go again. Over the last few days a few things have become more evident, nothing is ground breaking but sometimes the simple things need to be repeated!

1. One of the main problems I see with people who do not achieve their goals, whether in fitness, business or life, is that they do not take responsibility for their actions. I didn’t make you eat that take away or stop you going to the gym? I didn’t stop you doing more to ensure your business succeeded! The list goes on but the point remains the same, you must put your hand up and take responsibility for your own actions!!!! Once you have achieved this important juncture your goals become far more achievable.
2. On a training note “progression is king” and what really gets under my skin is individuals who can barely do a legitimate press up coming to the gym and benching! If you can’t master your own bodyweight how do you expect to master a barbell? Pull the finger out and do some chins, dips, bw squats etc :-) check out the link if you need some inspiration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx5JFyVsKjo
3. What is the deal with kettlebells? It is my understanding that they are just another tool to use. Can somebody explain the sudden massive interest? I just don’t get it!!
4. From a business point of view everybody wants to make money right? Now I work in the health and fitness industry and a disturbing trend is growing, more more more!!! It has become the fashion to squeeze more people in, push for more sales, do the extra assessment, do the extra class……. and ok you may be thinking what is the problem? The problem is that the service or experience you can offer will suffer and this is what defines your business. Do me a favour set out your core values and stick to them as this will set you apart from the competition!!

 

Well that’s it for now. Got an opinion then drop me a comment.

Mike

Random Thoughts

Hi Guys,

Got to thinking recently that I spend a lot of time thinking about random bits and pieces in relation to training, nutrition, supplementation, the fitness industry as a whole and a whole load of other things! As a result of this I am going to share my thoughts and ramblings with you on a regular basis. I have no particular reason for any of the following just popped into my head this morning!!!

1. People need to take responsibility for their own actions!! This is not only in health and fitness but in everyday life, however, for the sake of this conversation we will restrict it to health and fitness. It is all to common a theme for people to blame everything that is wrong in their lives on somebody else, well I am here to tell you “it is probably your fault”. Sure we all have times of bad luck but it is how we respond to this that counts, keep your head up and stay positive things will always get better! On a similar point don’t blame other people for you not taking action. I will do everything I can to help you but I will not chase you, I will encourage and do my level best to motivate but I can not make you do anything and refuse to try!!!
2. On another semi – philosophical point your destiny is always in your hands. I hear on a daily basis people giving out about their jobs in particular. I have one question for you “Which would make you happier? Working in a job that makes you financially comfortable but psychologically uncomfortable or working in a job that you are tight on money but walking around with a smile on your face?” I know what my answer would be!!! And it is not the first option
3. People pay way to much attention to calories. Lets not forget people where your nutrition comes from is far more important! Focus on healthy protein sources, EFA s, fresh veg and fruit and you wont go to far wrong.
4. Zumba is NOT a form of exercise!!
5. There is constantly a buzz around concerning creatine, arginine etc however one of my favoured options are to take natural testosterone boosters. Tribulus and fenugreek in higher dosages in my opinion are beneficial in not only a performance aspect but also for general health and other functions

Well that’s it for today I will be back soon with some more random thoughts

Mike

Speed and Sports Camps

Well guys it is finally time to let you know the plans for our first Speed and Sports Camp. So without going on to long here is the break down:

The camps are broken down into three different age groups along the development path and these are as follows

1. FUNdamental fitness – this group is for 7 – 11 year olds and is centred around promoting fun in physical fitness and making healthy choices.

2. Train to train – Ths group is for the 12 – 15 year olds and this is where we start to implement a more structured training plan and teach techniques. It is important to note that although a little more formal we still want smiles all the time.

3. Train to compete – this is the final group and is for 16 – 19 year olds. This camp is based on improving performance and attendees will be pushed harder during this phase as the emphasis is on implementation of training techniques.

As can be seen there are three distinct groups although where necessary some crossover is possible. The overall goal of each camp is to promote physical activity, educate on healthy choices and of course have fun!

Exercise is not a punishment and we never treat it this way!!!

 

Dates and Times

• The 7 – 11 group camp runs from Monday 4th – Friday 8th July at piercestown National School from 10 til 12 in the morning.
• 12 – 15 year olds run at the same location starting at 1 and running til 3
• And finally the 16 – 19 year olds run from 6 – 8 at Wexford Rugby Club.

 

All camps are a cost of 50 euro per attendee (to include mid session snack)

For more information please contact Michael on 085 7197589 or check out www.facebook.com/mountolympusperformance

Mike

Current Plans

As I am sure most of you are aware I suffered injury last Sunday in the final game of the current rugby season! Just to clarify I have fractured my Scaphoid, a small bone in the wrist, and as such will be in plaster for the next 6 – 12 weeks.

After the initial feeling of depression, preseason is gone, I got to thinking! This is an opertunity to improve mysely, an opportunity to overcome another challenge and as such have spent the last few days comming up with some new goals and plans to improve myself physically, emotionally and intellectually.

An example is this comming week I am scheduled to see Karl Sexton (highly recommended Sports Therapist) to hopefully get to the bottom of my problem with rectus femoris on right leg. Also I will be implementing a nutritional detox over the course of the week and have put together a new training program.

Now if anybody has any suggestions or opinions I would love to hear them!!

Mike