Concussions with the Human Performance and Rehabilitation Center

On this episode of Under Ten Fitness we talk with the experts at the Human Performance & Rehabilitation center about concussions, which is a near and dear subject to them. The current concussion protocol is rest, wait and see however, the experts over at HPR have found that a more active approach can actually aid in the recovery process. Dr. Grove, Dr. Stephens, Coach Ben and Coach Pat share their expertise during this interview.

All of these gentlemen are experts in their respected fields and together they have a greater understanding of how to treat concussions. Through many years of research and practice they have found a way to help those who have suffered a concussion return to their former selves and even get back to the sport they loved but had to quit after getting hurt. Anyone can suffer a concussion, not just athletes, and it can drastically alter the direction of one’s life and also affect the quality of life.

As it stands today if you were to get in an accident or get hit on the field and end up with a concussion you would probably go to the hospital and if there was no other problem than the concussion you would be told to rest and avoid any strenuous activities. This is the current concussion protocol widely accepted and utilized today. However, the team at HPR have found a different solution that should be the new standard when it comes to concussion protocol. They discovered that running clients and patients through active drills that use their vision and other physical abilities aids drastically in the recovery process and can even help those who suffered from a concussion years earlier.

Listen to this episode where we talk in depth about their findings as well as hear first hand from one of their patients who has had multiple concussions and is on the road to recovery. Imagine being told you couldn’t play the sport you love or having trouble thinking clearly or remembering things. What if there was a way to reverse the effects of a concussion and even prevent future concussions? It’s all on this episode.

Meet the HPR team:

Dr. Grove

Dr. Higgins has studied brain function, movement, and pain for nearly 25 years. After working in the field for many years, Dr. Higgins concluded that many of the existing techniques and professions were too limited by their perspective or toolset. He soon recognized that many performance related issues, such as movement and pain, require a combination of neurological, soft-tissue and biomechanical alignment techniques, to remediate. Dr. Higgins sought out the best education and mentorship he could in coaching, neurological and soft tissue training and rehabilitation, finding it in the powerful combination of Z-Health Performance System and other techniques including A.R.T. (Active Release Techniques).

Coach Ben

Ben Burlinson, the owner and founder of Performance Pediatrics and Co-founder of HPR Colorado Springs has more than 15 years of coaching experience with numerous national coaching certificates, including a National NSCAA license. Officially starting his career working with children as a teacher, Ben taught locally in Colorado Springs for nearly 10 years, instructing several subjects including secondary science, elementary math, and physical education.

Coach Pat

Pat Marques served in the Active Duty Army for 20 years in the Infantry and Special Forces. After retiring in 2011 he decided to continue working with soldiers by helping our nation’s wounded warriors through adaptive physical training. As Pat pursued his education and certifications in exercise science he volunteered as a trainer to assist wounded, ill, and injured soldiers, beginning his strong relationship and shared passion with Dr. Higgins. Pat continued to serve our nation’s veterans as a national program manager for Wounded Warrior Project before re-teaming with Dr. Higgins at Human Performance & Rehabilitation.

Dr. Stephens

Dr. David Stephens is the Director of Neuropsychology for HPR. Dr. Stephens has worked in a variety of clinical and administrative environments, including the roles of Director of Behavioral Health and Director of Mental Health for state agencies in Wyoming, Missouri and Colorado. His knowledge and understanding of the effects of concussions and head injuries provides HPR clients the best and most advanced applied resources in the country. His experience working with patients and clients with anxiety/post-traumatic stress disorder, hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD, etc.) addictions and depressions provides a great support system for our clients.

We want to say thank you to the team at HPR for sharing this great information and being a great resource for the Colorado Springs community.

Feel free to reach out and ask any questions you might have, they would be happy to hear from you!

Contact information:

Website

HPR Facebook

Office Address: 402 West Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Office Phone: 719.225.4949

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Bikini Competition tips from Allison Murphy

Allison Murphy is a competitive body builder and joins the show to give a few tips and tricks on prepping to compete in your first competition.

Allison’s story is very inspirational because she decided she wanted to do this for herself and went for it. She is a good example of what you can achieve when you put your mind to work and stick to the plan.

Her story starts a couple years ago; Allison would attend the gym regularly but never really had a plan or a focused goal. She started a at home fitness program that jump started her weight loss where she lost ten pounds. She then contacted a friend who had competed in a bikini contest before and said “let’s do this!”

Here is a list of Allison’s tips for getting started:

Define your goal.
Do your research.
Prepare for sacrifice.

Defining your goal – This could be the most important part of the process. What are you doing this for? Having goals make sticking to the plan easier and helps you achieve the desired outcome. Everyone’s goals will be different but make sure yours are specific to yourself and that they are attainable. Here are a few examples of competition goals:

I will stand on stage in front of judges and strut my stuff.
I will lose 10 pounds.
I will hit the gym 5 days a week.
I will prove to myself I can eat clean for 3 months.

These are a few examples of actual goals that will help you get to the stage of a bikini competition. Your goals may be different but make sure the goals are very specific and can be achieved.

Do your research – There are many different body building federations and they all have different rules and regulations. You should know what is required before you begin. A simple internet search of “bikini competitions” and “your city” should be a good place to start. Also you can reach out to a local gym and ask if they know of any competitions in your area. Also, try and find a coach or mentor to help you through the process and if you can afford it hire a bodybuilding trainer.

Prepare for Sacrifice – When deciding to compete there will be some things that you will have to give up in order to achieve your goal. Avoiding temptations of decadent foods and nights out with friends. Your training will have to be strict and you will be more successful if our surround yourself with people who have the same goal in mind. Not everyone will agree with what you’re trying to do, and that’s ok. Just don’t let others discourage you and stay focused.

Finally – Have fun, if you’re not enjoying the experience, What’s the point?!

We want to thank Allison for joining us on the show and giving some great advice! You can listen to her interview here and follow her story on Instagram as well.

Find her on Instagram HERE

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Hiking Bob – Tips on Hiking and Gear

Hiking Bob is an avid hiker and writer he got his name for the obvious reason, he likes to hike a lot. He enjoys being outdoors exploring new trails and really takes advantage of the beautiful Colorado landscape. Bob not only finds new and interesting trails, he writes about his experiences in the Colorado Springs Indy, detailing his adventures and sometimes adding pictures you can see where he has been and even visit yourself.

Bob worked 38 years as a firefighter starting in New Jersey and finishing in Pueblo. Being a firefighter Bob had to maintain a certain physique, as a fireman he needed to be able to carry a hundred pounds worth of equipment. No matter the situation Bob needed to be ready to help and being fit was a big part of that. The demands of a firefighter are not only physical but mental as well and Bob liked to go hiking, not only to stay in shape, but to get away from the stress of the job. There is something magical that happens when you find yourself in the beauty of nature, it can be almost therapeutic.

In addition to sharing his hiking journeys, Bob gives us a few tips on hiking and different equipment we can use. One of the most important pieces of hiking equipment is a good pair of hiking boots. Boots are where the hiking journey begins and it would be well worth your time to invest in a god pair of hiking boots, ones that will last you a long time. Also on your hike you should pack plenty of water and an extra layer of clothing, even in the summer. It’s always easier to remove extra layers but if you’re in a situation where you need more layers for warmth or you got wet it will be nice to have and extra layer.

Here is a list of things you should have with you when hiking:

1. Plenty of water.
2. Snacks like trail mix that have plenty of calories.
3. Disposable rain poncho.
4. Flashlight.
5. A whistle.
6. Sunscreen or a hat that protects you from the sun.
7. Communication device like a cellphone.

This is a good starter list of things to have while on a hike but you should think about where you’re hiking and how long you plan on being out and adjust your supplies as needed. To get a good feeling for what to bring you can listen to the interview with hiking Bob.

If you would like to know more you can find Bob at: HikingBob.com
From his website you can find links to his blog at the Indy and social media

Thanks for being a gust on the show Bob! Listen to the entire interview here:

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

2016 Paralympic Hopeful Tanner Gers

Tanner Gers, Paralympic hopeful joins the show to share his inspiring journey to where he is today. As I talked with Tanner I couldn’t help think. “What I would do if I was in his shoes?” I could only hope I would have half the amount of drive and sense of humor he has despite his accident.

Tanner lost his left eye and lost vision in his right eye during a car accident. After suffering injury and spending 19 days unconscious, he has really shown us what is possible when you put yourself out there and commit to a purpose. Tanner learned how to long jump after his accident and has really improved his skills. He won the gold in the 2012 Paralympic trials for long jump. He is now on the road to Rio for the 2016 Paralympic games. As we talk about on the show it is extremely competitive to make it to the games and we will be rooting as Tanner tries to secure his spot.
On the show Tanner tells us a few tricks he uses when training and reminds us that we are the most important part of our own personal success. There’s no pill or magic supplement that holds the key to skill and performance. Showing up and consistently working towards our goals is what makes the difference. Tanner believes that we are all capable of great things and if you put your mind to it and believe in yourself anything or any goal you want to achieve is possible.

Tanner has really taken his journey toward health and fitness seriously and takes it one step further to help us all achieve our goals and take it to the next level. He has multiple books and training programs that anyone can use. From nutrition to fitness programs you can learn more at his website: absolutelylean.com
Keep up to date with Tanner and follow his journey online –

Twitter – twitter
Facebook – Facebook

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Q & A With Biochemical Nutritionist Kelly Calabrese

Kelly Calabrese Answers some questions about diet and gives us some surprising information. We talk about Protein, Macro nutrients, Micro nutrients and more!

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

9 Dynamic Stretches for Runners

Coach Kenny Foster was so kind to share 9 dynamic stretches that he has his clients run through before they hit the trail.

Ken has a passion for running and teaching others how to improve their speed and avoid injuries through progressive training and thoughtful programming. A mix of strength training, speed work and proper from techniques Ken knows how to help runners achieve their goals.

We hope you find the video helpful and if you would like to know more you can visit Ken at: RunKennyFoster.com

About Coach Kenny:

Kenny Foster is a distance runner in the US Army and currently trains in Colorado Springs, CO. Kenny is from Brookville, Pennsylvania where he ran cross country and track for two years. He continued his running career after high school by running four years of cross country at Mercyhurst College. While at Mercyhurst he eventually broke the school’s 10,000m record and earned a degree in Intelligence Studies. During his Junior and Senior years of cross country, Kenny capped off his seasons by running in the 2006 and 2007 Philadelphia Marathons. In his marathon debut, Kenny ran 2:43:41. In 2007, Kenny went back to Philadelphia, to run a new personal best time by over 10 minutes. By mile 20, Kenny was in 3rd place overall but faded to 10th place with a time of 2:32:50. Upon graduation from Mercyhurst College in 2008 Kenny commissioned as an Army Officer from the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

From January 2009 until July 2010, Kenny spent the majority of his time in Fort Knox, Kentucky and then Fort Bliss, Texas for officer training as well as serving as a platoon leader. During that time, Kenny would run a new personal best time in the marathon finishing 12th overall in at the 2009 California International Marathon in 2:23:03. That same race would also earn him a new personal best time of 1:09:39 in the half marathon. In July 2010, Kenny was invited to join the Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), relocating to Colorado Springs. While on WCAP, Kenny would run personal best times in every distance up to the marathon (1:05:32 half – 2:19:49 full), while suffering from a 3-month lapse in training due to a serious ailment of Rickettsia Typhii. Kenny, however, would narrowly miss the 2012 Marathon Olympic Trials “A” Standard in both the half and full marathon. In November 2011, Kenny was released from WCAP.

REPLACEME

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Lifting Over 40 – Power Lifting – Building Muscle – Body Building with Vicki Morgan

It’s never to late to start training! Body building, powerlifting and building muscle with Vicki Morgan.

About Vicki Morgan:

ACE licensed and insured.
Flex Senior Citizen Training certified.
13+ years in the gym.
Powerlifting coach for 3 years.
10 years competitive Powerlifting

Physical and mental strategy, bone density, strength, weight loss, meal plans, bodybuilding, sculpting & competition prep. Break through mental roadblocks and discover your true potential. All levels welcome.

Certifications

ACE licensed and insured.
Flex Senior Citizen Training certified.
13+ years in the gym.
Powerlifting coach for 3 years.
10 years competition experience
AED CPR certified

NASA Female Powerlifter of the Year 2012

NPC Top 5 Masters 50+ Figure Competitor 2 years in a row

National Records in Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift

Vicki Morgan has the three main traits we look for when selecting a personal trainer

She has the heart of a teacher.
She is well trained and has tons of knowledge
She has experience

Over the years we have worked with and talked to many trainers and Vicki has one of the most inspirational stories we have come across. It’s not because she overcame some huge life altering adversity but because she didn’t start lifting weights until she was 40!

This is a big deal because how many times have you heard (or said to yourself) I’m too old for that? One of the great things about iron is that it doesn’t discriminate. Whether you’re a guy, girl, old guy or even a kid a five-pound weight treats everyone the same. The gym teaches us all how we can change our bodies and become a better physical specimen than we were the day before.

On this episode Vicki shares with us some of her passion for weight training and takes us along with her as she shares her journey with health and fitness. She shares a story about a group of people in their late 80’s and 90’s that started lifting and changed their entire lives by being able to care for themselves again by getting in and out of bed and becoming more mobile.

She gives us some tips on dynamic stretching and warming up before lifting and how we train our brains to prepare for lifting. She describes how we can warm up for a lifting session.

The first thing is to do some dynamic stretching, for example: If you’re planning on squatting for the day you would want to do some alternating body weight lunges focusing on utilizing your quad and hamstring muscles.

Second, some body weight squats and even some goblet squats with a hold at the bottom to really get a good stretch.

Third, during her training she helps develop a connection between the mind and body making sure you have every aspect of the lift dialed in.

We asked Vicki about her thoughts on supplements and she believes in an all-natural diet filled with lots of lean meats and vegetables. She does believe in some protein powder and ZMA, which is a zinc and magnesium blend. Unfortunately, there’s no secret diet filled with supplements and short cuts… Chicken and broccoli!

We would like to thank Vicki again for her expertise on this episode and believe she is a great trainer and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a trainer or coach.

Listen to her interview for some great advice and motivation on this episode!

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Sun Pilates with Owner Dawn King

Dawn King is the owner of Sun Pilates and holds many certifications including but not limited to:

Certified Pilates Instructor – Las Vegas Movement Arts

Certified Aerobics Instructor – AAFA

Certified Personal Trainer – AAFA

Certified CPR/First Aid – American Red Cross

In this episode Dawn’s passion for Pilates spills out into the microphone and we get to listen in and find out what Pilates is and more importantly who can benefit from it.

Pilates has been around for a long time and is used by many athletes as an addition to other training. We find out from Dawn that some big name athletes actually use Pilates as their “secret weapon.” In addition to being a supplementary training program Pilates is improving many people’s flexibility and mobility on its own.

Pilates is a form of therapeutic movement developed by Joseph Pilates in the early nineteen hundred’s and was originally called “Contrology” where the body is used as the weight for strength training. Joseph also developed some of the equipment that is used for Pilates and are helpful to add resistance to the training.

Sun Pilates is a Fantastic studio here in Colorado Springs, they are very detail oriented and have small group training classes to ensure the trainers and coaches can really focus on their clients to make sure the movements are being done correctly and get the most out of their session.

In addition to training sessions Sun Pilates offer Certified training classes so you could become a Pilates instructor too! Click here to get certified

Also there is some options for kids to get involved too! Dawn’s daughter Aria teaches some yoga for kids so if there is a six-year-old in your life that would like to get involved with fitness, there you go!

You can visit their website here: Sun Pilates Website

Dawn has very generously offered a twenty percent discount to anyone who signs up for the under Ten Fitness email list. In addition to the 20% discount you will receive free monthly workouts and other promotions from other fitness studios!

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Nickey Huntsman Works Out with Under Ten Fitness

Nickey Huntsman Works Out with Under Ten Fitness.

Join Nickey in a workout below and learn about what she’s up to and how to follow her on social media.

About Nickey:

Nickey Huntsman joins us for an afternoon workout and interview.

After our workout together, which you can see below, Nickey tells us her story about committing to the adult film industry and how she overcame personal and external hurdles.

Being bi-sexual and growing up in a rather conservative home Nickey struggled with her sexuality. Though, she has been through her fair share of struggles she has a very happy and optimistic outlook on life.

Now, Nickey is an advocate for self-love and acceptance saying “You should be able to be yourself no matter what.”

Currently Nickey Huntman is pursuing her career in the adult film industry and is living a happy life!

If you would like to follow Nickey you can find her on many social media platforms:

Note: Some sites may have adult content not suitable for anyone under the age of 18!

Twitter: @nickeyhuntsman

Instagram: Nickey Huntsman’s Instagram

YouTube: Nickey on YouTube

Nickey Huntsman joined us for an afternoon workout! Watch the video below –

Hear the phone interview with Nickey here:

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @undertenfitness
Facebook: undertenfitness
Instagram: undertenfitness

And as always remember – Stay Motivated!

Drew Smith

Running with Coach Kenny Foster – Tips & Motivation to Improve Your Time

Coach Kenny Foster

Ken Foster is an amazing runner who is more than passionate about his sport. He grew up in Pennsylvania where he originally found his passion for running. While training for basketball on the off season he started running and fond that he was really good at it and had a natural ability when it came to hitting the pavement. His coaches helped make sure he was up early and running by literally coming to his house and dragging him out of bed. Ken continued to run through high school and ultimately wound up going to college on a scholarship as a collegiate athlete.

After college Ken joined the military and served 7 years’ active duty. Continuing to run in the military Ken was invited to come to Fort Carson as part of the Army world class athlete program and ran for the Army for a year and a half. Ken just missed the 2012 Olympic trials be 49 seconds! Let me say that again… He missed by 49 seconds. Regardless of missing the trials that hasn’t stopped Ken!

Also one of Ken’s Clients Jess Joins the show to talk about her training program and how she has greatly improved her running over the past few weeks training with Ken.

Here are my 3 tips that I learned from Ken during our interview:

Get your stride checked – You can go to most any running store and ask to get your stride checked just to see what it looks like can be a big help when it comes to running. You will literally know where you stand.
Lift weight s and some strength training – Building power in your muscles will help maximize your strides and ultimately improve your performance.
Speed work – adding in some sprinting will help build up your lungs for some of those longer runs.

Ken has helped many runners improve their relationship with running which leads to faster times and more knowledge.

You can contact Ken at his website: Kenny’s Website

Also a book we talk about in the show is called “Anatomy for Runners.” This book is highly recommended for any runner both beginning and advanced.

Anatomy for Runners

Finally we like to end the show by talking with a non-profit organization to help spread the word about resources that can help anyone in the Springs area. If you don’t have your basic needs met how can fitness be a priority? Today we talk with Brian Kates who works for the city of Colorado Springs and he tells us about some great resources for parks in the area! visit the website at City of Colorado Springs