Author Archives: Coach Carl Parker

Mar 27 2014
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Fitness, Motivation, Nutrition

Every Morning…

This is my morning routine:

1. Meditate – Been away from it for a while. I’ve been missing the benefit of working on my ability to control my thoughts. I swear like every 15 seconds I’m off thinking about something else. I gently bring myself back. It’s amazing how difficult sunriseit is to hold one frickin thought at a time. Ugh. I have to start from the beginning. But that’s cool. I’ll work my way up from 8 minutes and to add 1 minute per week. Once the time is up I then hold the vision of my goals in my mind. I see myself living them.

2. Stretch it out – Joint mobility is critical to maintaining healthy movement patterns. I need better range of motion in my hips and shoulders so I work on it everyday.

3. Green Superfood – My daily dose of nature’s most nourishing, cleansing and potent superfoods. This antioxidant rich and carotenoid filled supplement is what I need for a healthy immune function and probiotic balance. Stir it up in 8 0z of water, chase it with 16 0z of water and I’m good! www.Amazinggrass.com

4. 50 Push-ups – I knock out 50 quick push-ups to get the blood flowing. And not fake, half-way push-ups either. Full-range. All the way down. All the way up. 100 coming soon!

5. Chase it with another 16 oz of water. That’s 40 0z of water in 30 minutes. More than some people are drinking ALL DAY. Give you kidneys a break and get your water intake up.

Make it a Great Morning!

Coach Parker

Jul 17 2013
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Motivation, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Fitness Failure: Deal With It

xmenJust because you think you’re gonna be successful doesn’t mean you’re actually going to be successful. That’s a trap. Pretending that you don’t have a problem staying consistent with your fitness workouts is a waste of time. Acting like Doritos and donuts are not your favorite foods is silly. You’re better off facing the fact that it’s likely you may fail and then come up with a strategy for minimizing the failure, working around it, or just simply surviving the failure. Life is about mistakes. If you want to win you got to know how to lose.

I’m usually a pretty positive minded guy. However, I’m a realist, first and foremost. We all have to face reality. Frankly, the idea that you can do whatever you “put your mind to” is bullshit – most of the time. They say that most people think they are above average. Most people feel that they’re smarter than most people. Think about that. That’s mathematically impossible.

If we’re so smart, why do we keep kicking ourselves when we fail to lose weight, get in shape, or keep the extra pounds off? We tell ourselves that if we can do anything we put our minds to then clearly we are either not focused or not working hard enough. We all want to succeed but are we all willing to put in the work to be successful?

Start by having a fitness failure plan. What are you going to do in the event of the failure? What’s your recovery plan? And how will you avoid this setback in the future?

Now don’t get it twisted. I’m not suggesting that you get all comfy with the idea of failing to meet your fitness goals. But if you’re comfortable with losing and failing then you’re a lost cause anyway. Losing weight, getting stronger, faster, and more athletic is a grind. It’s not a short-term process. It’s perseverance, focus, and determination. Author Jim Collins says “good is the enemy of great.” Don’t be satisfied with short-term gains. Keep pushing toward your goal.

Remember: Your fitness plan is less important than your fitness CONTINGENCY PLAN.

I’ll see you out there.

Jul 15 2013
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Fitness, Motivation

Weight Lifting: The Fountain of Youth

Like most trainers I enjoy working with competitive high school, collegiate, and professional basketball athletes. But I also discovered that working with senior clients is actually a lot of fun and very educationalsenior_fitness. We’re talking about clients 50 and over. We can’t turn back the hands of time but we can definitely slow it down. Because if we don’t do anything, we naturally lose physical function and become more susceptible to injury as we get older. This includes increasing the risk of falls due to a loss of balance, fractures because of lower bone density, and other debilitating problems.

Bones become more fragile as we get older due to a decrease in bone mineral content. We also lose lean muscle mass as we get older; a condition called sarcopenia. The decrease in muscle mass results in a decrease in muscular strength. Most people don’t realize that these processes begin as early as age 30. Reports show that 40% of women aged 655 to 64 years, 45% of women aged 65 to 74 years, and 65% of women age 75 to 84 years were unable to lift about 10 pounds.

As we lose muscle mass we also lose power. Power recedes at a faster rate than muscle strength when we get older. The problem is that power is necessary to complete most daily activities like walking, getting up and down stairs, and squatting.

We have seen significant increases in muscle strength, power, muscle mass, bone density, and general functional abilities in our clients that  regularly participate in progressive weight lifting programs. Clients also increase their energy and and resting metabolic rate when they train. Aerobic training and weight lifting are beneficial for older adults, but only weightlifting can increase muscle strength and muscle mass. We’re not talking about lifting 3lb dumbbells for a thousand repetitions either. Nobody got time for that. Heavy weight lifting is the fountain of youth.

Now get out there and get your weight up!

 

Jul 12 2013
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Uncategorized

Too Much Basketball?

Playing basketball year-round is not the best advice for athletes. The body simply cannot sustain an intense, high level of performance 12 months a year. There needs to be an off-season. A time to recover. Besides mental burnout there’s also the incidences of overuse injuries exacerbated by playing the same sport year-round. balltiredGet shots up. Work on your ball-handling. Get strong. That’s it.

I’ll see you out there.

Jul 12 2013
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Coaching, Nutrition, Weight Loss

4th of July Diet Comeback

If you’re like me, you probably lost your mind and ate too much over the 4th of July holiday. It’s even worse when holidays fall in the middle of the week because we can’t decide which long weekend to celebrate so we end up hitting ba133857_600ckyard BBQs all week long. We ate hotdogs, cheeseburgers, old-fashioned ice cream, pie, fish tacos, custard, Italian ice, triple berry bread pudding, tequila lime bars, iced lattes,…ugh. It wasn’t all bad but I’m not going anywhere near a scale for a minute. I feel bloated, sluggish, and off.

Holidays are festive and these things happen. OK, so our diet drove off a cliff. Now what?

Everyone is different but I can’t wait to get back on track as soon as possible. Back to the lab! I’m doing an Intermittent Fast to make a comeback. This program has worked for me in the past. My goals for the next two weeks are to flush my digestive system, shed a few pounds, get control of my hunger, and restore nutritional balance.

16 Hour Intermittent Fasting*

  • 7am – 2 cups of water, Omega-3s
  • 8am – 4 cups of water, 1 serving of Green SuperFood, 1 cup green tea
  • 11am – 1 cup of green tea
  • 12pm – workout (lift or sprints)
  • 1st meal at 1pm (clean, whole foods, lots of vegetables, and fruits)
  • 2nd meal at 4:30pm (protein shake)
  • 3rd meal by 8:30pm (clean, whole foods, lots of vegetables, and fruits)

*Based on Precision Nutrition’s IF program

Whatever you do to get back on track, just know that it’s ok if you’re not perfect. No one is. Food is meant to be enjoyed. And on the occasion when we overindulge we can always make a dietary comeback. So don’t be so hard on yourself. Get back up and dust yourself off. Holler if you need help.

I’ll see you out there!

May 03 2013
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Nutrition, Weight Loss

Fat and Sick

Fat kidsAccording to a 2001 report in Newsweek, six million kids in America were overweight. Ten years later that number has now easily surpassed twenty million. Teens are now one third of all new diagnoses of diabetes. We’re getting fatter and sicker. Increases in weight have caused a skyrocketing of chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, lipid disorders, cardiovascular disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and kidney disease. Weight-related disorders also include orthopedic problems, depression, sleep apnea, infertility, and low sex drive.

The drug manufacturers have a pill for everything with more potential side effects than benefits; none of which address the source of the problem. We are eating ourselves to death and lying out on the couch watching TV waiting for the coroner. We’re fat! We will die early or live a life of misery. Those are the options: DEAD or DYING.  That SUCKS. We must get serious about maintaining a healthy weight and adopting a healthy lifestyle. The choice is yours.

Mar 17 2013
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Basketball Athletes

Ask Coach Parker #60

This question comes to us from our friends at stormingthefloor.com.

Stormingthefloor: Coach, one of my readers messaged me to ask if I had any tips on how to improve as a shooting guard. I’m no coach, but I told her not to neglect her defense while striving to become a better scorer. Since I just discovered your blog, I’d love to put the question to a real expert. Thanks!

Coach Carl Parker: Thanks for stopping by! Defense is KEY! It makes a game exciting and will often mean the difference between winning and losing. I also think it’s the major factor when going to the next level of your game.

In my high school program, we train all players as guards no matter their height. We put a lot of work into ball handling, dribbling, finishing, and footwork.

Specifically for becoming a better shooting guard, learn to exploit holes in a defense — from behind — especially when playing against a zone. That means maintaining spacing on fast breaks and knowing how to play away from the ball in the half-court set. She needs to help balance the floor by being an offensive threat. That means catching the ball on balance ready to shoot or attack. She must be a master at setting screens and finding the gaps. Shooting skills mean nothing if she doesn’t know how to find the openings, draw defenders, and handle the ball pressure.

I hope that helps!

Coach Carl Parker

Mar 10 2013
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Uncategorized

Ask Coach Parker #52

Question: School tryouts, never played school basketball, what to expect? My school tryouts are next week for basketball, but I have never played organized ball. I’ve only played pick-up games, street games. So, all these plays — cutting this way, that way — is new to me.

What should I expect at a school basketball tryout?

Answer: Expect to be nervous. Get warmed up. The jitters won’t last for long. Expect to make a few mistakes. Your basketball IQ will likely be a weakness, but that’s OK if you show the coaches a willingness to learn (don’t be afraid to ask questions). Expect tough competition from new and returning players who want a spot on the team just as much as you do. You will need to EARN your spot AND their respect. And, most importantly, expect tryouts to be a great experience that you’ll ALWAYS remember whether or not you make the team. Enjoy every moment!

When I conduct varsity basketball tryouts each year, I look for students with serious talent and experience, of course, but I also look for those students who possess 4 KEY attributes that are even more meaningful to our successful season:

1. HUSTLE all practice long. Fight for every loose ball and rebound. If a coach calls you over, run it in. It shows me that you would bring great energy to my practices and that necessary spark we need in games. I love it!

2. SPEAK UP! Call out the name of the person you’re passing to. I want to hear you shout things like “PICK,” “I GOT IT,” and “BALL, BALL.” Also, THANK the teammate who provided you the assist. Be the best cheerleader out there — on court and from the sideline. Help your teammates by encouraging them. It will boost their confidence and improve their performance. It shows that you understand that basketball is a team sport, and you would fit nicely on my roster.

3. LISTEN. If you’re not clear, ask the coach to repeat. If you’re speaking while I’m speaking, you’re not listening — that’s disrespectful. If you can’t listen, you won’t play for my team. Maintain eye contact, and speak clearly and confidently: “Yes sir.” “No sir.”

Heard, understood, acknowledged!

4. Be ENTHUSIASTIC. I’m looking for students who appear to enjoy playing basketball as much as I enjoy coaching the game. S\he will develop and grow as an important part of my team, because they will be eager to learn. Enthusiasm is infectious, so enjoy the game. Coaches will want to keep you around!

Have fun and Good Luck!
Coach Carl Parker

Mar 07 2013
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Nutrition, Weight Loss

5 Rules For REAL Fat Loss

It’s not rocket science, so we’re going to keep it very simple. As with everything in life, simple is better. Simple works.

  1. Eat REAL foods. Processed foods are killing us.
    Photo: Associated Press

    Photo: Associated Press

    Eat whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, wild-caught seafood and locally raised meats, and dairy products such as unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese. NO refined grains, refined sugars, no deep fried foods, and NO FAST FOOD.

  2. Lift REAL weights. Building muscle improves your mood, shrinks belt sizes, and helps you burn fat all day long. More lean muscle means your body will need more fuel to support the new muscle. Your main source of fuel is stored fat. Therefore, more muscle = more fat burned. A University of Alabama study finds that you lose more belly fat lifting heavy weights than by doing cardio alone, which takes us to Rule #3.
  3. Kick the cardio machine addiction. Full disclosure: I hate tread mills, and, for the life of me, I cannot understand how people stay on those things for hours and hours… well, unless you’re training for a marathon, and it’s below zero outside in the middle of an ice storm. Bottom line:  If you’re trying to drop 20 lbs, improve your nutrition habits and lift weights. Cardio should be a distant third priority for simple fat loss.
  4. Stay positive, and keep up the good work. Training because you hate your body is a recipe for failure.
    Photo: Getty Images

    Photo: Getty Images

    We all want to look better, but that alone cannot be your reason for working out. Train because you like the feeling of being strong enough to kick someone’s butt. Train because it can help extend your life, and you’ll have more fun living it. Hell, train because you’ll have better sex. Whatever your motivation, keep it positive.

  5. Be patient. “Rome wasn’t built in a day”… blah, blah, blah. Fact is, you didn’t get fat in a day either. It took weeks, months, or even years, and achieving your goal for losing 30 lbs won’t happen overnight. Lock in on your target, and get to work. Be patient, and be consistent — forming new habits take time. I promise that it will get easier.

Now go do this…

Jan 30 2013
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Motivation

A Better Man

I have an insatiable need to become a better me. Frankly, it’s a burden. I am often not satisfied with where I am at most stages in my life. It’s wild. I see the glass as half-full, which sounds good on the surface but I’m often trap in a never-ending endeavor to see the glass completely full. It never stops.

I think this is why I’m always looking for clues around me. I’m always looking for people who inspire me. People who lead by example. I just informed that one of those great people that I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by recently passed away of cancer.

I coached his granddaughter. Oh how I envied her. She is a great kid, smart, beautiful, and strong. And when I first met her grandfather I immediately knew why this young lady was so well disciplined and graceful. She is the product of a great family and the model for everything I want to become as a father, husband, and coach. He was a coach and we both shared the love of helping others live their dreams and achieve their goals.

A strong, compact man with a firm grip and a level, commanding tone. I wanted him to be my grandfather. Even more, I wanted to be just like him someday.

Men like him remind me of how much work I have to do. I am honored and blessed to strap up everyday and keep striving. Thanks coach.

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