jluchau
02-20-2007, 08:26 PM
Back to packing on the pounds - of muscle
Sentinel Sports Reporter Jeremy Luchau is training to be a mixed martial artist, a project which will end with a bout in the Palace Fighting Championship at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in October 2007. His column appears every second Tuesday.
So much for losing all that weight.
All I've done is put on pounds since I met my weight-loss goal.
But at least it's the good kind of weight now - muscle.
"Your body isn't looking any different than it did at 170 pounds," said Inez Rodriguez of Supplement Direct in Hanford. "I think that you're looking great. You're stronger now and your body fat is dropping. I think that you working with Steve Novencido is only going to make you better."
It's certainly changed my life, that's for sure.
I feel so much stronger and more confident now. My training partners and coaches at Valley Fight Club in Hanford have also noticed significant changes in just two weeks of strength training with Novencido, who has an M.A. in Exercise Science, certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, certified level I Olympic lifting coach through USA Weightlifting, and Sprint and Speed coach certified through USA Track and Field.
"You've made vast improvements in the lifting techniques, which has directly affected your strength gains. You continue to improve in your anatomical adaptation phase of your resistance training. I have observed first hand how your proprioception (use of balance) has guided you through the more intricate and complex movements of your training," Novencido said. "Although this is typical in training progression, it usually doesn't show up until the later stages of strength training. This translates to early kinematic awareness of your body, which in turn provides self feedback to make improvements and adjustments within your training."
Novencido and I train four days a week and he pushes me to the limit in each and every session. The one thing I love about working with Novencido is that he does every single session with me. It's one thing to give instruction and pointers, but to have a guy sweat with you throughout your training is true dedication on his part.
"One thing I find interesting is you seem to make adjustments during each rep, which allows for coaching other aspects of the technique instead of what most athletes continue to struggle with and take weeks to learn. I rarely have to coach the basic components I feel are most important in order to accomplish a certain technique," Novencido said. "You already know what I will say if you do a technique incorrectly and make the necessary adjustments. For example, you can nearly squat perfect after only two weeks of training, where it took me 4-6 months with some of the best football players at Fresno State. You are definitely learning early how to become more efficient, stronger, and faster and will reap the rewards if all the other components of your training can merge and transfer in the ring."
I've had to switch up my diet some to fuel my body better with the additional training at VQ Fitness.
"We're adding more carbs and protein to your diet," Rodriguez said. "You need more calories, because your body is going to be burning more. You're also going to need more recovery for your body. Eating more complex carbs, like whole wheat and oatmeal. Simple carbs that are in fruits are great for right after workouts. Those really help in the recovery process."
My jiu-jitsu training continues to be the backbone of all my training. It's what I enjoy the most and I'm always looking forward to the classes and or free rolling with training partners.
"You need to keep fighting when you're put into a bad position," Valley Fight Club jiu-jitsu coach Luis Gonzalez said. "You need to work from one escape to another. Never stop moving and never panic. Try to stay cool when pressured. You still need more rolling time, but you're looking good."
Also, I've been trying to work as much as possible with VFC boxing coach Juan Herrera.
"You've got a better jab and right hand now," Herrera said. "You need to work on keeping your hands up after throwing punches. We also need to work on your footwork more."
(The sports reporter can be reached at jluchau@HanfordSentinel.com or 582-0471, ext. 3055.)
Sentinel Sports Reporter Jeremy Luchau is training to be a mixed martial artist, a project which will end with a bout in the Palace Fighting Championship at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in October 2007. His column appears every second Tuesday.
So much for losing all that weight.
All I've done is put on pounds since I met my weight-loss goal.
But at least it's the good kind of weight now - muscle.
"Your body isn't looking any different than it did at 170 pounds," said Inez Rodriguez of Supplement Direct in Hanford. "I think that you're looking great. You're stronger now and your body fat is dropping. I think that you working with Steve Novencido is only going to make you better."
It's certainly changed my life, that's for sure.
I feel so much stronger and more confident now. My training partners and coaches at Valley Fight Club in Hanford have also noticed significant changes in just two weeks of strength training with Novencido, who has an M.A. in Exercise Science, certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, certified level I Olympic lifting coach through USA Weightlifting, and Sprint and Speed coach certified through USA Track and Field.
"You've made vast improvements in the lifting techniques, which has directly affected your strength gains. You continue to improve in your anatomical adaptation phase of your resistance training. I have observed first hand how your proprioception (use of balance) has guided you through the more intricate and complex movements of your training," Novencido said. "Although this is typical in training progression, it usually doesn't show up until the later stages of strength training. This translates to early kinematic awareness of your body, which in turn provides self feedback to make improvements and adjustments within your training."
Novencido and I train four days a week and he pushes me to the limit in each and every session. The one thing I love about working with Novencido is that he does every single session with me. It's one thing to give instruction and pointers, but to have a guy sweat with you throughout your training is true dedication on his part.
"One thing I find interesting is you seem to make adjustments during each rep, which allows for coaching other aspects of the technique instead of what most athletes continue to struggle with and take weeks to learn. I rarely have to coach the basic components I feel are most important in order to accomplish a certain technique," Novencido said. "You already know what I will say if you do a technique incorrectly and make the necessary adjustments. For example, you can nearly squat perfect after only two weeks of training, where it took me 4-6 months with some of the best football players at Fresno State. You are definitely learning early how to become more efficient, stronger, and faster and will reap the rewards if all the other components of your training can merge and transfer in the ring."
I've had to switch up my diet some to fuel my body better with the additional training at VQ Fitness.
"We're adding more carbs and protein to your diet," Rodriguez said. "You need more calories, because your body is going to be burning more. You're also going to need more recovery for your body. Eating more complex carbs, like whole wheat and oatmeal. Simple carbs that are in fruits are great for right after workouts. Those really help in the recovery process."
My jiu-jitsu training continues to be the backbone of all my training. It's what I enjoy the most and I'm always looking forward to the classes and or free rolling with training partners.
"You need to keep fighting when you're put into a bad position," Valley Fight Club jiu-jitsu coach Luis Gonzalez said. "You need to work from one escape to another. Never stop moving and never panic. Try to stay cool when pressured. You still need more rolling time, but you're looking good."
Also, I've been trying to work as much as possible with VFC boxing coach Juan Herrera.
"You've got a better jab and right hand now," Herrera said. "You need to work on keeping your hands up after throwing punches. We also need to work on your footwork more."
(The sports reporter can be reached at jluchau@HanfordSentinel.com or 582-0471, ext. 3055.)