Foundations of Strength: The Push-Up

Push-ups are probably the most commonly used bodyweight strength callisthenic whether you are working with kids, adults, or pro athletes.   They can be done anywhere and are highly effective for building upper body strength and endurance.  However, in my work with kids, I am finding that fewer and fewer boys and girls are able to […]

Taste The Healthy Lifestyle… Real Food For Real Kids

  Are your kids “coocoo for Cocoa Puffs?”  Does there breakfast come in the form of pink moons, yellow stars, and orange clovers?  Are they receiving morning nutrition information from a rabbit?  Silly parent!  Trix are for kids!  Unfortunately now, so is obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.  Foods and drinks high in sugar are at […]

Franken-Foods

-Brett Klika I’m looking for investors. I want to open up a street stand where I sell nothing but high fructose corn syrup. No coloring or packaging, just cups full of the oozing substance. I will have toppings available like monosodium glutamate, calcium caseinate and, my mouth is already watering, calcium sulfate. If you think […]

Reality Show Pitch

My Reality Show Pitch -Brett Klika Weight loss shows are a hit. Modern society’s insatiable voyeuristic appetite drives millions of viewers to tune in and watch the profoundly overweight, devoid of hope or motivation, endure overly intensive physical and emotional struggles to win a race to the lowest number on the scale. Special diets, celebrity […]

Do Your Clients “Work Hard?”

Brett Klika C.S.C.S. “Raise your hand if you ever get frustrated with your clients lack of willingness to “work hard.”  This is a question I often ask when I’m speaking to groups of fitness professionals across the nation and around the world.  As nearly everyone in attendance fervently hoists their hand in the air, it’s […]

The Summer Sloth Syndrome

Brett Klika C.S.C.S. For many youngsters, summer is a time for “free time.”  No school, homework, or daily structure.  It’s truly time to “be a kid.”  Ah, the carefree days of being a kid… doing mom’s list of chores, playing every ball (real and made up) game with the neighbor kids, riding bikes, and getting […]

The Lighthouses of Training Youth

A navy battleship was in stormy waters when they spotted the light of what appeared to be another vessel in the distance.  The ship’s captain made radio contact with orders for the other vessel to change their course.  “Negative” was the reply.  “We recommend you change your course 15 degrees south to avoid a collision.”  […]

Caffeine and Kids… The Ultimate Gateway Drug

Hey kids, say NO to drugs! Unless, or course, that drug comes in a brightly colored can that can be legally purchased at every store in the nation.  In that case, about 75% of our youth age 5-12 years old are saying “yes” to the most widely used stimulant in the world, caffeine. While moderate […]

Overuse Injuries —The Rising Epidemic of Child Sacrifice in Youth Sports

Paul Stricker, MD Youth Sports Medicine Specialist & Olympic Physician Scripps Clinic San Diego, CA In our “Super-Sized” society, more is always better—so it seems.  In youth sports, however, more is not always better, and in fact, can be harmful.  Almost 40 million youth are involved in sporting activities, and of those, it is estimated […]

Proper Nutrition Advice For Athletes

This month, I had the opportunity to answer some athlete training and nutrition questions from Craig Lane at Boise State University.  As coaches, teachers, and parents, we are often faced with many nutrition issues with our young athletes.  For the record, my nutritional advice is based on research, experience, and practical knowledge that comes from […]