Posts

, ,

Atlanta Personal Training | October 2013 Client of the Month

Client of the Month:  Madeleine Conti

Brad Kolowich Jr Personal Training Studio

October 2013

     This time of year it is easy to let busy schedules, the cooler weather, sporting events, work commitments and ailing bodies get in the way of their training schedules. The client of the month for October however lets nothing get in the way of making her training a priority. Madeleine Conti, 22, is a Percussion Instructor at Woodward Academy. She also occupies her time as an entrepreneur running her own business of teaching private in-home music lessons. She makes the commute to Brad Kolowich Jr Personal Training Studio from Peachtree City and she is preparing for her first NPC Bikini Competition. Though Madeleine only trains with Brad once a week, she gets her daily workouts in on her own and follows a strict diet (prescribed by Brad) catered to helping her reach her specific goals. In September, Madeleine had what could have been a devastating injury, but she was determined to continue to push toward reaching her goals. While rushing into work one morning Madi clumsily made “friends” with a nasty curb. She was diagnosed at Urgent care with swelling of soft tissue in her ankle OR a severely sprained ankle. Most would take some time to let healing occur; however, Madeleine instead texted Brad from the ER with a message informing him of her injury and stating “We may need to shift my focus in my workout from legs tomorrow, but I will see you in the morning.” This is just a little glimpse into the motivation, determination and dedication Madi brings to reaching her fitness goals. Madeleline is the current female record holder in push-ups and dips and holds the overall sit-up and plank record with a 13:32 minute plank! Madi brings a positive attitude and smile to every workout! We thank you Madi for being a inspiration to us and the Brad Kolowich Jr Fitness studio! Congratulations and continue to reach for the stars!

-Mandy

/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Atlanta Personal Trainer | Timing is Everything

timing is everything--brad kolowich jr persoanl training trainer atlantaTiming is everything!

When it comes to health and fitness, timing is everything. That is exactly what inspired the creation of Brad Kolowich Jr’s trademark double orange dot at the start of his business logo. The double dots resemble the dots on a standard digital clock. Brad says, “Everything we do is calculated to the T–from our workouts to nutrition to supplementation to recovery time.”

When trying to reach your fitness goals, one of the most important times of the days are the 2-3 hours that encompass the start and end of your workout. Brad Kolowich Jr and his team of personal trainers try to help educate and support our clients on what supplements to take to best support your body before, during and after your workouts to aid in performance and recovery. Here is a sample supplement timing guide to help make the most of your workout (suggestions vary client to client, based of his/her individual goals).

Pre-Workout
The focus of pre-workout nutrition should be on sustaining energy, increasing performance, and supporting the body to reach his/her physique goals. Take these supplements about 30-45 minutes prior to your workout.
Creatine–increases the body’s supply of ATP (energy production). Creatine increases strength and muscle gain when used in conjunction with an exercise program.
Caffeine–improves endurance, reduces muscle pain, and help mobilize fat stores. It may even help to motivate you to workout for a longer period of time.

During Workout
Hydration is critical! Water is best, but you may choose to sip on workout drinks that provide energy and replenish electrolytes, depending on the intensity and duration of your exercise.
Electrolyte drinks–rehydrate and replenish minerals lost during sweating. For long duration events, you may supplement with a drink that provides carbs for energy.
Energy drinks–ideal for extended periods of exercise to boost endurance.
L-Carnosine–helps reduce lactic acid build up in the muscles, enhance muscle contraction and promote muscle recovery.

Post Workout
Post-workout nutrition is the key to timely recovery and repair. The majority of your muscle strength and building happens after the workout! A liquid meal immediately following your workout is the quickest way to replenish and rehydrate the body. Consuming a liquid meal no more than 30-45 minutes post workout will stop the body from going into a catabolic state and ensure you have protein available for the continued protein breakdown occurring.
Protein–is necessary to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and reduce protein breakdown. Whey protein is quickly absorbed and is easy to digest post-workout. It provides the body will all the essential amino acids necessary for muscle recovery. A post-workout shake with a mix of whey, casein and carbs is our favorite way to end a workout.
Glutamine–reduces muscle soreness and speeds up recovery while also supporting the immune system.

Contact us:  inquiries@bradkolowichjr.com to learn more about the supplements which would help you best reach your goals!

-Mandy

 

adapted from Amazing Wellness

/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Supplement Review : Beta-Alanine

Supplement Review:  Make BETA-ALANINE a part of your supplement arsenal.

Here’s why:

Although you get this amino acid through small amounts in meats, it’s not enough to maximize your gains in the gym. Supplementing with 1.5-3 gram in both your pre and post workout drink will ensure that you maximize your strength and power output, increase your muscular endurance, train at a greater intensity, as well as boost your intra-muscular carnosine levels (precursor to nitric oxide (NO) production = greater pump and vascularity).

Many pre-workout powders on the market already include beta-alanine in the mix so no need to add in this case although you may consider adding to your post-workout shake as well. Most reputable supplement companies sell beta-alanine, although I’ve been happy with Allmax Nutrition’s product.

– Brad

/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Multivitamin Necessary?

Is a Multivitamin Necessary?

…Absolutely!

Here’s why:

Research proves that those who train intensely lose many critical vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium, copper, selenium, chromium, vitamin B, and vitamin C.  The primary cause of the loss is due to their increased use for energy production during the workout as well as for recovery and protein synthesis following the workout.  Being deficient in any of these vitamins and minerals will hamper your performance, fat loss, and muscle growth.  Many doctors and dietitians claim that a multi is not necessary is you eat a well-rounded diet, BUT even with the best of intentions, we all fall a little short one day or another.

For guys, one of my current favorites is Animal Pak.  For ladies, I like Opti Women although for both guys and ladies there are many other great one’s out there as well, just be sure to pick up one that covers at least 100% DV for most vitamins and minerals.

– BradUnknown

Source: Dr. Jim Stoppani

/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Best Form of Creatine

photo

 

As a personal trainer, I get lots of questions in regards to supplementation.  One supplement that I’m asked about fairly frequently is creatine. Creatine is without a doubt one of the, if not the most effective natural supplement in supporting lean muscle mass gains, strength and power increases, and greater endurance in the gym or cardio activities. While there are various forms of creatine out there, the one that I’ve found to be effective without the side effects is creatine HCL.

Creatine HCL is superior to creatine monohydrate for multiple reasons including:

No bloating, no cramping, no excess water retention outside the muscle cells (subcutaneous water buildup making you look “soft”), no necessary loading phase, and no cycling necessary.  Creatine HCL also allows for a much lower dose amount in addition to a 60% greater absorption rate than monohydrate.

Although Promera was the first to launch the HCL form, multiple other companies have released this variation of creatine as well.

– Brad

/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Go Organic?

I think so.

Here’s why:

Organic

1. Must follow strict standards – grown, processed, and handled according to strict procedures – at the highest level means it contains no chemicals or toxins. (Likely best for our long term health.)

2. Free of genetic modification – Organics cannot be grown using genetically engineered seeds.

3. Better for the soil and water supply.  Because grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, free from leaking into our water supplies.

4. Fresher and tastes better.  Because free of preservatives, has short shelf life = fresher.  Also beneficial to your local community as most are likely produced close to home.

5. Safer and more humane animal products.  Organically raised animals are not fed byproducts, or given antibiotics and growth hormones.  And to better their health, are given more room to move as well as access to a natural outside environment.  Crowded living conditions are the leading cause of animal sickness and suffering.

– Brad

/0 Comments/by
, , , ,

Atlanta Personal Training | Brad Kolowich Jr Adds a New Team Member

Brad Kolowich Jr.’s Team of Trainers Just Got Another Trainer Stronger

Personal Training Atlanta personal trainers Jonathan Kolowich

This week, Brad and his Atlanta based personal training team just became another team member stronger.  In January, Jonathan Kolowich, the younger brother of Brad Kolowich Jr received his nationally accreditied fitness training certification from the International Sports Sciences Association (I.S.S.A).  Jonathan brings a depth of knowledge, athleticism, and experience to the team.

Jonathan grew up in the Atlanta area where he starred as a high school baseball player at Blessed Trinity Catholic School. Jonathan is a recent graduate of Georgia State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Managerial Science. He was on the Dean’s List throughout his collegiate career, and finished his last semester on the Principal’s Honor Roll with a 4.0 GPA. Jonathan attended Georgia State University on a baseball scholarship. Throughout his baseball career, he earned accolades such as CAA Rookie of the Week, CAA Player of the Week, and most recently College Sports Madness Conference Player of the Week just last February. Since finishing his baseball career, he has dedicated his time to the fitness industry. As well as his national fitness training certification, Jonathan also recieved certifcation CPR/ AED and first aid from the American Red Cross.

Jonathan’s biggest accomplishment thus far in the fitness industry took place in September 2012. He competed in the Men’s Fitness Ultimate Athlete Challenge in Las Vegas, a highly regarded event highlighting the best all around athletes in the world, and came in 4th place overall. He brings to the table knowledge in muscle leaning and toning, weight loss management, and also muscle growth training techniques. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys playing pickup games of basketball, slow pitch softball, running, wakeboarding, and spending quality time with his family and friends.

Welcome to the team Jonathan!  We are estatic to have his talent, knowledge, motivation and dedication on board!

/0 Comments/by
, ,

How to Keep Muscle Mass While Sick and Achieve a Quick Recovery

How to Keep Muscle Mass While Sick
Thanksgiving is generally a time when we all worry about unwanted weight gain.  However, this Thanksgiving (as described in my Mom’s story below) our family was faced with a whole other challenge:  How to keep our hard earned muscle mass while sick with the stomach bug.  As personal trainer and nutritionist (and Brad a fitness model) our lively hood revolves around maintaining a lean and muscular physique.  Getting a gut wrenching stomach virus has the possibility to hinder the hard work we put in on a daily basis and set us back in our physical gains.  However, by following these five simple steps, we kept ourselves from falling into a huge setback.
In order to best prevent the loss of muscle during times of illness try theses remedies:
1. Believe it or not, when you are sick your metabolism speeds up (even if you aren’t moving) in order to help repair your body.  So, adequate nutrition is a MUST.  Start with a bland diet (bananas, rice, apples, toast) and add protein as you can stomach it.
2.  DRINK plenty of water and try pedialyte or gatorade to get vitamins, minerals and electrolytes back in your system.  Also, while your caloric intake is low, try drinking 5-10g of BCAA’s every 2-4 hours and 1-2g of buffered creatine (Kre Alkalyn) up to two times a day.
3.  Take a probiotic.  (IF you’ve had a run with the stomach virus, though you’ve cleared out all the bad bacteria in your system, you also cleared out all the good bacteria.  Take a probiotic to reintroduce those vital good bacteria to your system.)
4.  Eat or drink adequate protein.  Try a vegan based protein powder, Greek yogurt, and bland chicken (when you are able to stomach it).
5. REST and get plenty of sleep.  As mentioned above, your body is in overdrive working to overcome your illness and thus is going to need plenty of rest for your quickest recovery.
The story below was written by my Mother and Aunt, two other victims (of the 11) to our Thanksgiving fiasco, who also fought the good fight back to HEALTH and preserved muscle mass along the way by following these simple steps to recovery.
Script and pictures  by Nancy Blue (Nana) and Kathy Blue (Aunt Kathy)
You are now hearing the voice of Rod Serling…..
   Rod Serling
You unlock this door with the Key of imagination….
Beyond it is another dimension.
A dimension of sound…
A dimension of sight….
A dimension of mind….
You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance…..
Of things and ideas…
You have just crossed over into ….                                 
                                                                        Twilight Zone PicDOO-DOO-DOO-DOO…..DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO…DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO—-
It was an ordinary day in Brevard North Carolina, much like any other day just before Thanksgiving…..
The weather was exceptionally nice for a late November day and the Blue family was busily preparing for a joyous holiday weekend of fun and feasting.
nana graham
As the guests began to trickle in from Dacula, Atlanta, and Cashiers, all were happy to be reunited and to share in the joy of the new baby Graham.
mandy brooke cooking                       table 1
Festivities were enthusiastically underway as pies, cookies, casseroles and a grand Turkey were lovingly prepared, and a beautiful table was set to perfection.
Yes….it was a picture perfect setting….you could say, just like a Norman Rockwell painting…until……IT HIT !!!
light-virus-1
The HORRIBLE, HORRENDOUS… the HORRIFIC…. HEBERLING 2-0-1-2 VIRUS….
Now officially documented by the CDC as THE H 2-0-1-2 … a sinister, insidious virus with NO KNOWN CURE !!
pukin pumpkin
First to fall was Nana… hardly finished with her Thanksgiving meal….she was hit hard…..
cute sick pumpkin
Followed shortly by Big Mike….it wasn’t a pretty sight!
2 sick pumpkins
Next to go were Aunt Mandy and Aunt Taylor, forced to huddle together on the bathroom floor, shivering in the night.
2 more sick pumpkins
And FINALLY…… the last to go…. Brad and Aunt Kathy.  We thought they were in the clear, but NOTHING escapes the deadly grip of
THE H 2-0-1-2 VIRUS !!!!!  Yes….it was a ghastly sight…..
survivor collage
And there were many casualties…….
family sneaking away                   germ graham
Then,as swiftly and unassumingly as the Heberling family came, they disappeared down the misty mountain road back home taking with them, their
secret biological weapon…..
sick supplies 
Leaving only some “Sick Supplies”…….
note
And a note which read…… ”We came…We infected… We ate… and… We left….We Love You!”
Hazmat Suit    hazmat_taining2 shokotan_hazmat_1  Hazmat wash down
Well, it is said that Love can be expressed in many different ways…..so next year….
the family will be ready for whatever expressions of “Love” may come their way !!!
village
And so…..until then….. “Village Under Quarantine For 30 Days” !!!
      Rod Serling
And so, my friends, goes another Thanksgiving in…..
                                                                                       Twilight Zone Pic
Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S.
We decided we better give Santa fair warning…
…Santa in Hazmat Suit
“ Well, here I am at the Heberling’s……good kid, that Graham, but germy…..”
/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Healthy Holiday Alternatives

We all love the holidays.  It is the one a day we all sit around the table enjoying friends and family and stuff our selves silly, and then go back for seconds and try not to feel guilty.  In order to help you alleviate some of that guilt and refrain from putting yourself back to the starting line with your fitness goals, I am going to offer you some healthy alternatives to your traditional Thanksgiving feast. These flavorful options will not only satisfy your Thanksgiving taste buds, but also help you cut down on calories and fat and help you return for seconds guilt free!

Starters:  Turkey Apple Slices and Dip

Turkey Day Appetizer

I love this fun and festive turkey idea for a pre-dinner snack.  Apples are full of fiber, vitamins and nutrients that are sure to keep your crowd pleasantly pleased as you put the finishing touches on your Thanksgiving feast.  Simply slice various types of apples and put a small dish of dip in the center of a plate.  A super easy apple dip is all natural raw almond butter.  For a little more protein try putting plain non-fat Greek yogurt in a bowl and mix with cinnamon and stevia.  Yum!  Always a crowd favorite!

Sweet Potato Casserole

(Serves 9)

healthy Thanksgiving alternatives

  • 2 1/2 lbs peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 cup fat-free half and half
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
  • 4 1/2 tsp cubed Smart Balance 50/50 butter
  • 1/4 chopped pecans
1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes in large pot and cover with water.  Bring pot to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 12-15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.  Remove from heat.  Let cool a bit and then drain.
2.  Mash sweet potatoes in large bowl.  Add next four ingredients and mix well with beater.  Pour mixture into greased 9×13 casserole dish.
3.  Grind oats in a blender.  Add sugar and butter, and pulse until pieces are the size of peas.  Add pecans and pulse brieftly.  Distribute over sweet potatoes equally.
4.  Cover with foil  and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition:  198 Calories, 5g protein, 34g carbs, 4g fat
Simple Orange and Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Simple Orange and Rosemary Roasted Turkey

 Serves 22
  • 13 lb turkey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dried parsley
  • 2 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 2 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 chopped stalks celery
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 1 peeled orange, cut into rings
1.  Whisk olive oil and vinegar together in small bowl.  Stir in parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic and salt.
2.  Pour balsamic oil mixture over turkey, rubbing into outside and inside of bird (if you have an injector you can also inject some into turkey).
3.  Gently place half of the orange rings under the skin, being careful not to tear.  Place the remaining rings, onion and celery in the cavity of the bird.  Tie legs together.
4.  Place turkey in roasting pan.  Add about 1/4 inch of water or broth to the bottom of the plan.  Roast turkey according to package instructions.
5.  be sure to baste turkey occasionally to keep it moist.  One indication of doneness is that the juices run clear when the turkey is pierced with a fork.
Check back later this week for my favorite HEALTHY pumpkin pie recipe!  It is packed full of protein and no sugar added!
-Mandy Malool
ISSA-CFT, SFN
/0 Comments/by
, ,

Workout While At Home for the Holiday’s

Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays Workout

In home workout for beginners, intermediate and advanced. Just grab a pair of dumbbells and get started.

Don’t let your fitness commitments go out the door as your friends, family and holiday parties begin to flood in. Between decorating, cooking, wrapping and shuffling from here to there remember to make room to squeeze you fitness routine in. By continuing with your regular workouts, you will have a jump start on reaching your New Year goals. This workout makes use of compound movements–exercises that use multiple muscle groups for maximum results–and its is designed for speed so you can finish it in 30 minutes without compromising your time invested in holiday festivities OR most importantly your results.

All you need is a dumbbell (10-15 llbs.) or medicine ball. Do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat the circuit 4-8 times.

1. Jump squat
2. Dumbbell single leg dead lift with a row (20 seconds each side)
3. Mountain climber
4. Walking lunge with torso twist
5. Alternating lunge jump
6. Dumbbell squat/front raise/press/curl
7. Jumping jack
8. Explosive pushups
9. Overhead Dumbbell crunch
10. Burpee

**As you become more proficient at this workout, you can bump up your interval to a 30 seconds on/15 seconds rest and after that 40/20 intervals.

Written by,

Mandy Malool ISSA-CFT, SFN

/0 Comments/by