Today's View from the Creek

Today's View from the Creek can best be described with one word - Incredible!

Seasonably warm with a not so gentle breeze is actually creating a bit of a chop on the normally placid estuary waters.   This is a welcome change from the Seattle like weather we have been experiencing the past few days.  This is New England's Indian Summer at it's very best.  Feels kinda strange - this is the first fall in a very, very long time that I have not been spending my afternoons on the soccer pitch.  The work at Ash Creek is never done, and the lives that we have been privalidged  enough to touch are continuing to change in many wonderful ways.  But truth be told, I do miss soccer - but days like today temper those feelings with satisfaction and gratitude.

We had our 4th session of Senior Z today at Parish Ct.  Elderly Housing.  Anna - our oldests not so old member (I was chastised by Meredith for using the word old when I informed our class that "I'm not going to treat you like old people any more! " referencing the positive changes that have been made.)  Anna started a week later than everybody else - she showed up with a walker and a brace on her wrist and ankle.  She had trouble taking her shoes off and did almost all of the Z drills seated.  If you imaging the perfect great grand mother  - very short, white hair, gentle smile, a light gleam in her eye, and a small golden cross around her neck, and strong hands - that would be Anna.

She arrived at class today with no walker and no braces.  She was waiting for us in the hallway along with the rest of the class (ran just a bit late - go figure).  We did a complete 18 point Z neural formatted as a work out with power breaths interspersed.  We finished with  eye drills and tension.   The entire class stood for over 35 minutes.  The only accomodations were the chairs we used to assist with balance and a book we used to assist Anna with lateral pelvic tilts.

When class was over we reviewed the homework for the next week and asked if there were any questions.  Anna raised her hand.  "I just want to say that I feel better than I can remember.  I went to the doctor yesterday and he could not believe the changes.  I feel like I am getting younger instead of older.

You are Anna - and it is such a joy to share with you what Dr. Cobb has shown us.     Final strory - we had a guy on the Fire Dept named Hank Letch.  He employed a very unique and descriptive version of the English language - He called most people Southie - or soul brother - or Seth, or whatever else came to mind.  And he liked to eat - eat with a passion and an appreciateion that few others can match - especially if the food was free.  When asked how it was his stock answer was "Best I ever Ate!"  Not a lie - because  his frame of reference was always  in the moment - I'm eating it now - so this is as  good as it gets.  So what if anything does this have to do with Anna and Z -  As we spoke we talked about getting old ... or not.  Meredith remarked that she may very well be in the best shape of her life by her next birthday - and I can hopefully say the same thing.   The tools we have gathered that help us  with life and fitness make it possible to get better and better - not just stopping the clock but turning it back .  So live this day - with the promise that tomorrow can be be even better, provided of course that we use this day well.  Peace.

Today's View from the Creek

BARF work out today was extreme - on several levels - Power Day with a twist.
Started with 4 HP,  then did a circuit style ladder - of 5, 7, and 9 reps -

• 5 deadlifts - (double bells) - 30 sec Farmer's Walk - 5 Power Breaths
• 5/5 alt DL - (single bell) -  30 sec Farmer's Walk - 5 Power Breaths
• 5 goblet or 5 TRX squats - repeat above
• 5 KB or 5 TRX push ups - repeat above
• 5 swings (or 5 trx squats) - repeat above
• 5 naked (no wt) TGU to elbow each side (hold for 2 sec at top)

RTW complex - heavy bell - 5/5 low - 10 curls - 5/5 low

• 7 deadlifts - (double bells) - 30 sec Farmer's Walk - 7 Power Breaths
• 7/7 alt DL - (single bell) -  30 sec Farmer's Walk -  7 Power Breaths
• etc

and for the final set replace the 7 with a 9 - progressively loading reps.

Finish with a Z Neural that incorporates a lot of hand/foot, wrist/ankle waves and circles.   

Enjoy - 

perspective

Thank you for this day,
Please help me to use it well.
Guide my thoughts, my words, and my actions,
Help me to be an example of your peace, your love, your way of life,
Help me to seek and do your will always,
Please watch over my family and keep them safe,
I trust their care to You. 
You have given me much and I am truly grateful. 

Z-Health: Movement and The Brain

As you may know Ash Creek Fitness is part of the Greater Bridgeport Obesity Task Force.  We serve on the physical activity sub committee.  At our most recent meeting the discussion centered around picking the "low hanging fruit." In other words, finding low - no cost, easy to implement tactics and strategies that we could use to start actively addressing the obesity epidemic.  Our suggestion (Ash Creek) was to initiate a program in the Bridgeport School System that would use Z health (http://www.zhealth.net/)  Neural Warm Up as a supplemental physical activity.  

The big question centered around whether Z Health Dynamic Joint Mobility training would improve CT Mastery test scores.  The short answer is "YES!!!"  We have been using Z Health Dynamic Joint Mobility drills as an integral part of our programming and have experienced incredible results in a very wide range of clients - from special needs to performance athletes, and from primary grades through the University Level.  For Dr. Cobb's version please read the excerpt from the September Z Health News Letter - Stay Safe - George

 

The following is copied from the Z Health September News Letter.  For additional information please check out - http://www.zhealth.net/

SEPTEMBER 2011

Movement Nourishes the Brain

If you are a parent, you are all too familiar with the developmental milestones your children went, or are going, through. Infant and toddler check-ups include observing levels of movement, fine and gross motor skills, and cognitive development - among many other things.
Pediatricians pay a great deal of attention to these milestones, because missing a milestone by any significant amount can be indicative of any of a large number of developmental disorders.
While a seemingly vague statement above, the reality is that poor motor skills is oftentimes one of the first indicators that something is wrong in a child - and addressing those missing skills can also be one of the most helpful things you can do as a parent.
 

The Movement / Developmental Disability Relationship

One of the most common names given to the motor skill deficit is hypotonia. While this generalized term covers a wide variety of related symptoms, the common mechanism at work is that the signals from the brain that travel through the motor nerve to the muscles are somehow disrupted. You can think of it as a bad internet or cable connection - you get pixilated or choppy reception. The same thing happens in our body.
 

Known Conditions

The list of known conditions is extensive, and growing every day. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke lists the causes to include: trauma, environmental factors, or by genetic, muscle, or central nervous system disorders, such as Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, Prader-Willi syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, and Tay-Sachs disease.
In addition to that alphabet soup of conditions thought to lead to motor skill deficits, just last week the University of London released a study indicating that poor movement skills detected in children as young as 7 months are at greater risk for autism than the general population.
 

"Nature Abhors a Vaccum"

This famous quote, believed to first be uttered by Aristotle, also gives us one of the best-known answers.
Movement.
Study after study shows that improving motor skill performance is the best way to help the children (and adults) with these conditions. The movement practice not only helps shore up the missing motor skills but also improves cognitive performance.
Or, as John Ratey, author of the bestselling book SPARK likes to say, "exercise is Miracle-Gro for the brain."
 

For More Information

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Hypotonia (wikipedia definition)
New Insights Into the Implications of Autism Onset Patterns
Poorer Movement Skills at Seven Months in Children at Risk of Autism, Study Finds
Green, Dido, Tony Charman, Andrew Pickles, Susie Chandler, Tom Loucas, Emily Simonoff, and Gillian Baird. "Impairment in Movement Skills of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders." Developmental medicine and child neurology 51, no. 4 (2009): doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.03242.x.
Vuijk, P J, E Hartman, E Scherder, and C Visscher. "Motor Performance of Children with Mild Intellectual Disability and Borderline Intellectual Functioning." Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR 54, no. 11 (2010): doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01318.x.
Sorsdahl, Anne Brit, Rolf Moe-Nilssen, Helga K Kaale, Jannike Rieber, and Liv Inger Strand. "Change in Basic Motor Abilities, Quality of Movement and Everyday Activities Following Intensive, Goal-Directed, Activity-Focused Physiotherapy in a Group Setting for Children with Cerebral Palsy." BMC pediatrics 10 (2010): doi:10.1186/1471-2431-10-26.
Peters, Lieke H J, Carel G B Maathuis, and Mijna Hadders-Algra. "Limited Motor Performance and Minor Neurological Dysfunction at School Age." Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) 100, no. 2 (2011): doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2010.01998.x.

food from the dark side - THE SHREDDER

The goal of tactical training is to prepare warriors for combat, or athletes for performance.  Be it a soccer player, a firefighter, a medic, or a working mom the reality is that life creates challenges that our training must help us overcome.   We need to be able to adapt.   

If you spend every day eating clean then what happens when a shredder crosses your path - or maybe some chocolate peanut butter ice cream with peanut sauce?   Proper preparation insures performance. So with that said - check out the Shredder at South Pine Creek Deli - and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Ice Cream with Peanut sauce (need some protein to balance out those carbs) at Sunny Daes Ice Cream in Fairfield!

Post BARF Favorite - ON Chocolate Pineapple Hydro Builder Protien Shake -

Ash Creek Shake of the Week -  Optomim Nutritious ON Chocolate Pineapple - ON Hydro Builder with Trader Joes pineapple tidbits and low fat milk.  The enzymes in the pineapple act as natural anti-inflammatory and the taste is great - for the performance athlete   or those looking to maximize their post work out rebuild and recovery this is the perfect mix.

View from the Creek - Raining Sunshine

This past weekend was very full and wonderful.   Day in the Sun took place on Saturday at the Roger Ludlow Middle School Campus.  We found our roots again thanks to the incredible weather.  After spending the past 3 years in the cafeteria and the gym moving back outside was met with a degree of reluctance.  Logistically the cafeteria was easy - we had it down to a science - we have been there and done that.  But Barbara would not back down - she said that " our special guests spend most of the year eating in an institutional setting and need a "day in the Sun" ."  And that is what they got.

Our volunteers did an incredible job - Joe and Mary from Ash Creek volunteered with the food - Joe supervising one of the hot dog grills and Mary was a key player in the distribution sector of our food service. We served over 600 guests - hotdogs and subway sandwiches. Sorry - no chili this year - we could only juggle so many balls without something hitting the ground.  Next year - I promise.   May even have some help.  I hear there may be a few good chili chefs out there who could lend an overburdened firefighter a hand. :)