The Top 15 things I learned in 2009: A Year In Review

Greetings and hard to believe 2009 is done and gone! Wow, time is just flying by at an insane rate.
I wanted to share with you some things I have learned and did in 2009. I know this sounds like a me, me, me, pumping sunshine up my butt post, but (ooooh, poor word choice) I hope you learn some new stuff along the way. I also want your comments at the end as to what I can do to help YOU!

I also need to thank you again for all the great questions, comments and feedback.  Without it I would be at the exact same place I was in early 2009.

Thank you!!!!

Strap in and here we go. I get more than a bit ranty in places too; so you have been warned.

1) Nerve Flossing

I am not sure how much of what we currently see if from scar tissue. Maybe the body is shutting down function to protect the nerves? Maybe it is fascia? Hard to say really, but many times nerve flossing can have profound effects

Nerve Flossing Z Health Style: I can rotate my neck /

2) Can we erase fear?

Should we? Is that a good idea?
I’ve been interested this past year in how good of a motivator is fear?

At what cost?

How do memories get imprinted and what physiological costs or benefits are associated with it?

Erasing Human Fear Response New Study

Fear and Learning

3) Does endurance training help strength training?

I am thinking yes! Even powerlifters at Westside are rumored to do 7-8 seesions at minium a week. It seems that low intensity work helps promote more parasympathetic response which can aid recovery

Endurance Training Vs Strength Training

4) Five Finger Death Punch rule!!

Five Finger Death Punch is now officially one of my favorite bands of all times. I got to see them live twice and they are amazing.

5) A day in the life

My life is still insane, but I am not complaining.  I also realized writing up studies takes a lot longer than I thought. Hopefully (fingers crossed) the experimental work is all done. I have to admit I don’t miss getting up at 5am most of those days to get to the lab to test subjects.

I am extremely grateful to those that volunteered for the study. I don’t miss sleeping in the lab either (yes I did that on occasion shhhhhh).  I can guarantee one hell of a party once I graduate!  I have a 1994 Late Bottled Vintage of Warre’s port that I have been saving in my wine fridge for over 4 years that I am going to open.  Yes, I am a wine and beer snob!

Metabolic Flexibility Research and An Average Day

6) Deeply honored

I felt very honored and privileged to be featured in many different areas from

Super Human Radio, to XL Athlete (thanks Cal), presenting at the NSCA state conference, Mark Young Training Systems, Vertical Jumping .com, Adam T Glass’s blog, NickTumminello.com, DieselCrew.com, presented at the Z-Health Advanced Nutrition  Course (9s)  in AZ on Metabolic Flexibility, 2 presentations at the Z Health Master Trainer Certification in San Diego in early Jan, helped teach at the RKC and Z-Heatlh certs and met many many great people along the way.

Super Human Radio Mike T Nelson Visual Aspect of Performance
XL Athlete: How to Cue Exercises Correctly
Neuroplasticity and Opposite Joints Mobility via the Nervous System
Vertical Jumping Interview with Mike T Nelson: How To Increase Your Vertical Jump

7) This video makes me laugh every time!

hahahaha

8 )  Brain neuroplasticity is the future of all athletic training.

Performance is dictated primarily by the brain via a combination of
Eyes (visual) + inner ear (vestibular) + joints (proprioception)

I am very excited to see where this is at in 2010

Brain Neuroplasticity in Athletic Development

The concept of working on opposite joints is still amazing to me. Why this has not been picked up by others I have zero idea. I first learned of it in the Z Health R Phase and I Phase. Left knee pain? Check the RIGHT elbow. Right ankle pain, check the LEFT wrist. Seriously, try it out (yeah I know I am really flogging the dead horse by now, but this is seriously wicked cool stuff)

Neuroplasticity and Opposite Joints Mobility via the Nervous System

Neuroplastciticy: My elbow hurts and you want me to check my knee?

9) Treadmills still suck

Stay the heck off them.  Go get a TRX or kettlebell instead.  Plus that will save you some cash too!

Cardio bunnies and a stick to the hornets nest

Need I say more?  Heck, this is my blog so I will say what I want.

10) More Music!

I got to see one of my favorite bands of all time release a killer new CD and see them live here in Minnesota. I am talking about the band Hatebreed of course!

11) A New Home

I switched over to a completely new platform with a new design to help serve all of you better. I will admit that I was pulling my hair out during the transition time, but I really love it now and hopefully you do too!

12) Static Stretching Suck Large Moose Balls

Static stretching is worthless and overrated.

Do you want to spend doing time on something that

1) you don’t like to do

2) makes you weaker? Bueler? Anyone?

I think the only reason it is still around is that people don’t think there is another option. Do active joint mobility (I like Z -Health) instead and if done CORRECTLY you can get ALL the benefit and zero of the bad stuff.

The Death of Static Stretching

While I am ranting away, long duration (10-20 minute) holds of a static stretch is probably the worst thing I have heard.

Again 1) who is really going to do it (a few people) 2) now you are really making the muscles weaker.

Yeah, I understand the whole argument of
“my hip flexors are tight and my glutes are weak, so stretch the hip flexors and activate the glutes”
Perhaps, but in almost every case where an athlete complains of that, I test their hip flexors (psoas actually), it almost always tests weak via a manual muscle test and their hip function is hosed up big time.
A little mobility work on the ankle (navicular area) and boom–psoas tests fine, gait is much better, hips are moving better.

More people are getting into mobile shoes like Vibrams, Nike Frees, etc.  The Nike SFB boot for the military based is based on the flexible sole concept (which is awesome for my military, police and SWAT athletes)

Along those lines, Born to Run is the best book I read this whole year. Seriously, for any fitness person this is a MUST read. Highly entertaining too.

13) Lumbar spine (low back) flexion will kill you.

Ok, maybe not

Flexion of the lumbar spine will kill you.

14) Walk the Walk

I realized I was not listening to my own advice about setting goals with deadlines. Crap. So I signed up for a meet on about 4 days notice. Oddly enough I got 2 PRs (personal records) and realized what I had been mssing in my training
1) fun

2) purpose

EVERYONE NEEDS a coach! Period. And I happen to know somone that has a few openings in 2010 wink wink

USAPL Mike T Nelson Results and Lessons Learned

Saturday Strongman Training White Bear Lake Minnesota

15) Time is Precious

Time is the MOST precious commodity that we “own.” I am fortunate that I was able to learn that the hard way early in life.

Take action towards your goals NOW!

The Time is Now

Bonus item!  16)  Dream It and Do it

As you know, I proposed to my soon to be wife this past July.   We had dated for 2.5 years at that point and once I knew she was the one (about 6 months in), I had it in my head that I would propos to her on stage at a Project 86 concert since that was our first official date and I am a big fan of the band.  I had no idea how I would make it happen, but fast forward 2 years later and we were in Arizona to see the band I was still frantically talking to the lead singer minutes before walking into the venue.  See the link below for how it turned out, complete with video!

Mike and Jodie are getting married (caught on video)

Special thanks to Jodie for a wonderful year and cheers to many more–I love you!

Coming in 2010

Biofeedback will revolutionize training as we know it now and make it accessible for everyone. Yeah that is a shameless plug for a product coming soon, but I’ve spent the last 2 years using it, researching different forms of biofeedback both in my lab (the Extreme Human Performance Center) and a real physiology lab (HRV studies on Monster Energy drink in college students) even longer than that.

The Future of Exercise Training- Programming with Biofeedback Videos

I need YOUR help

What do you want to see from me in 2010? How can I help YOU? When else do you get to pick my brain for free. Place a comment below and let me know help YOU reach YOUR goals.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

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