Toronto Pro Show – Oxygen and MuscleMag Model Search

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What an awesome weekend I had and I am sure it was the same for many others who took part in the Toronto Pro Show. Whether you were a spectator, a vendor or a competitor, the show was filled with all kinds of excitement and fun. There was media from all over the place taking pictures and video from not only the magazines like Oxygen, MuscleMag, Inside Fitness, Muscle Insider, Reps, Flex but the awesome Steven J. Wong was out filming for what I am guessing is his AntiAgeMe film as well. There were bouts of boxing, professional wretlers, nutrition, sport supplements and clothing booths, a jump rope show, an endangered species show, IFBB Pro shows, of course the Oxygen and MuscleMag model searches and SO much more going on. It was my first time getting to this particular show and it was sort of a last minute (about a month out) decision to actually compete on stage. With a little more time and direct focus on the aesthetic training and eating vs performance, I could’ve been tighter but I felt good and I had so much fun! To be honest, I couldn’t have even gotten up there without JWFoods meal plans to save me lol! I didn’t do any extremes or hardcore dieting, no fat burners or weird things and no excessive training beyond what I already normally excessively do :p That is my vice. Not because I am trying to “burn calories” or don’t comprehend the importance of rest and recovery, training just is my “saviour” with a lot of things and I LOVE MOVING SO MUCH!!! (always working on that balance thing and hell at least I am honest about it!) I have different goals with these things than most do so I am happy although I have and always will have SO much to work on and learn and improve at…like a lot lol  :). I will post more pictures as I get some but to be honest, because I was competing, I didn’t get to take too many :p The only one I have right now is this one my girlfriend took of me on stage in one of the lineups (there were a ton of girls!) HA guess which one is me lol.

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I also want to thank the amazing Dr. Matt Bortolussi of Vellore Chiropractic and Wellness because I never would have been able to even stand let alone walk in the heels I was wearing (obviously not seen here lol) without him. I had my suits done by the awesome Karen of KHP Designs and my hair, makeup and tanning was like nothing I have had before…soooooo good, by CherryDolls and the picture here is me even after I slept on it and had to step back on stage the next day (sorry I am not good at selfies :p)

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Getting up there on stage being compared to these girls is THE hardest thing for me to do. That is why I keep doing it. I don’t like comfort zones and can’t stand not tackling things that challenge me. Sure it will take me forever to get what I am working on done, but when it is, you will understand a lot more about me and my motives and who I am, where I come from. Why? I hope to inspire xox Okay so back to reality and I am off to train and work! Have a kick ass day and remember that the only one holding you back is you. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and accept you for who you are.

Combat Sports, Lifters, Athletes of All Kinds- Management of Elbow Pain

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I don’t know about you, but some pain kind of really sucks and what sucks even harder than a Hoover Vaccum, is when you can’t do what you love because of it. Now I am not a tennis or golf player, in fact, both bore me to tears but I do respect the sports and those who play them, but I have personally experienced some life-altering elbow pain aka Golfer’s (medial epicondylitis or the inside part of your elbow) or Tennis Elbow (lateral epicondylitis- the outside part of your elbow) from too many and I suppose imbalanced heavy and dynamic lifting as well as from partaking in the awesome rigours of combat sports. I remember not even being able to grasp ANYTHING and man did it suck. The mental part of anything disabling is by far the hardest thing to deal with :p Aside from the pain you suffer from armbars to the elbow joint (holy balls that sucks!) or from playing the aforementioned sports, these potentially debilitating injuries can be treated and more importantly, prevented.  Below is some advice from my homies (this article in particular by Dr. Michael Camp) at My Competitive Life who are not only athletes and former athletes themselves, but who deal with, treat, coach, train so many from beginner to pros!

MANAGEMENT OF ELBOW PAIN, SOME RECENT RESEARCH!

By Dr. Michael Camp, DPT, CSCS, PES

Lateral Epicondylitis- Most common Muscle affected is the ECRB or extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon. Injury is from repetitive microtrauma and muscle imbalances across the elbow joint.

 

Healing- 4 stages begin with early inflammatory reaction- ice during this stage and moderate your training.

2nd Angiofibroblastic degeneration- new cell growth

3rd Structural Failure-

4th Fibrosis or Calcification-

 

Non-Operative management of lateral epicondylitis will result in successful resolution of symptoms in 90% of patients!  Treatment can begin with soft tissue techniques, along with proper neuro-musculo-skeletal techniques.  Once the muscle tissue has begun to improve and the pain is subsiding, proper strengthening program needs to begin.

“KEY POINT”- Too aggressive soft tissue techniques has been shown to keep you in a pro-longed Inflammatory Reactive Phase, which can only hinder your progress and possibly cause more damage!

 

What About Bracing? Bracing (forearm straps ad cock-up wrist splints) can reduce the extensor force vector and may provide relief by reducing the extensor muscle activity.  Wearing the splints for 6 weeks demonstrated decreased pain.

 

Corticoid steroid injections are meant to reduce inflammation, and does not result in changing the cause of the initial problem.

 

PRP- according to recent research has been shown to be effective, mostly for the elbow.  PRP can be costly, and research has not shown many positive results.

 

 

Surgical Intervention is reserved for patients who remain symptomatic for greater than 6 months, despite all other measures to help.  Surgical technique involves release of the extensor tendon origin at the lateral epicondyle.

 

Important to remember once you start to experience pain and weakness in your forearm, seek out a professional to prevent any further damage.  If neglected, studies have shown nerve compression can become an issue, which can lead to a host of other problems.

 

Questions or interested in a program design, email me at mcamp613@hotmail.com

Combat Sports, Learning, Doing, Coaching

Posted by melisscioust on

I have been very fortunate to learn a lot from several people all over the place in the various disciplines of the martial arts/combat sports, nutrition and strength and conditioning realms. Some I have posted on my blog previously and others, oh my, there are so many and I’m sorry if I haven’t said thank you on here yet! Always know I am grateful for the teachings please and am always trying to learn more :) The most recent spot I hit was with the team at My Competitive Life and Chris Cardona from Bellmore Kickboxing and MMA . I won’t give you the whole run down of what went down because well, I like to keep people guessing and wondering lol, but here is a video of just some of what we were up to and that fancy footwork at the begining of the video is part of what I learned from the awesome coaches at UGOT and teach through UGOTfitness. It was a priority for me to learn that particular move as it was some Irish thing lol. I am always looking to learn and teach so hit me up :D Okay so here is some of what we were doing:

Please note that I am a bit slower, weaker and stiffer in this video than I would ever have anyone actually training to compete be as I have been lifting for a different goal than fight performance although keeping up with my sport specifics. As with all things, what I do is not necessarily what YOU or anyone else should do, remember that and also remember that there is a time and place for prioritizing various modalities, goals and such :)

Social Scars and Oppression

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You act like you know, like your sacrifices are real

When you hide the truth behind your Vuitton’s and caviar meal

Don’t try to front on me when the hard card you were dealt

Was to skimp on the extra trips to the Islands, the Veldt

You choose to fast to feel control yet so many people are starving

Acting like your serving some cause, but your hollow side’s showing

You silly sweet thing always acting, pretending

But the words come out off key in the song that you’re singing

People like us, like your drug,  you’re a hard-up fiend

But you’ll be forced to acknowledge we are not of the same breed

A flock of sheep is more your style, no dues have you paid

Always expecting more, in a bed you never made

The time has come, we no longer need your permission

The domination will cease, there will be no remission

When push comes to shove the wheel couldn’t move faster

You run but I catch you, bow down to me, your new master

With billions worldwide, together dominating your kind

The invisible become clear, the sight returns to the blind

After all how can you take away from those who never had,

You were warned too many times now, here comes the reprimand.

UPDATED Melisscious’ Delicious Discography 20 – May You Kick Some Ass this May

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Soooo I came back to add in the fit tip at the end and yes, yes it is related to combat ish  as well as just general well-being so now, you can enjoy the May training playlist AND protect our back ;) Please see the bottom of the playlist for your punch-in-the-face awesome tip!

1. Lil Kim – I’m Human

2. Family Force 5- Walk Like a Zombie

3. Bullet For My Valentine – Breaking Point

4. Eminem and Hopsin – The War

5. A bunch of badass broads baby!

6. Just Awesome  (not the killing lol just the kicking of their asses ;D) all around great soundtrack

7. PJ Harvey – Rid of Me

8. Ministry – N.W.O.

9. Tracy Bohnam – Mother Mother

10. Sister Sin – End of the Line

Between 21 and 84% of athletes of rotational sports, can you say boxing, MMA, Judo or other combat sports, have experienced a lower back injury as a result of or during participation in their sport. Now this data was not derived from combat sport specific guinea’s but let’s be real here…totally applicable in my humble opinion so yes, I will count this as being legit for informational purposes. According to Panjabi (1), there are 3 primary subsystems of the lumbar spine that must work together to maintain stability. These are the passive subsystem (i.e., ligaments, IVD, vertebrae), the local musculotendinous structures of the lumbar spine, and the neural subsystem that includes nerves and nervous system (1). Anyhoo…before I continue with this post, I would first like to decipher the difference between a rotational movement and an unsafe twisting movement. Many people, athletes or not, have a difficult time in the beginning with body awareness as well as how to separate the upper and lower half of the body or even more so, to move it as one unit. This is where the problem can arise. Sure there are several factors that could be the contributors of the injuries but from my experiences and what I see and learn from others, one of the biggest causes is the basic lack of proper biomechanics in movement. Even advanced peeps can have a tough time with this at all times, especially when fatigued. Want to prevent damage? Throw in some multiplanar and movement specific training with progressive loads and be sure to train in a balanced fashion that targets all musculature or movements…whatever the kids wanna call it these days :p So here is what I do not condone: keeping your lower body planted while lifting or “throwing” rotating the lumbar spine aka your lower back. Here is what I DO condone and something that will help you make a mean powerful projectile unit out of your fist or whatever else you choose to throw (tantrums don’t count): Slight bend at the hips and knees, with a pivot of the foot and internal rotation of the hip in cohesion with the throw of the upper body. Don’t flex and rotate the spine. Easy enough right? Dammit I need to get a faster computer so I can make more videos :p  Okay so now we are somewhat clear n’est pas? Trust me, that is the very basic, simplistic version to explain a truly complex issue so take that or request a more needlessly jargon-filled explanation :p I am sure I have said it before in here but the lumbar spine  (lower back) is meant to be stable, whereas the thoracic (upper back) should be mobile. Remember this as it applies to sport as well as basic ADL’s (activities of daily living). Want to learn what I mean or how to spare some wear on the area above your underwear (did ya like my lil Suessiness there with my mad rhyming skills ;) ) hit me up…but don’t hit me, because I will hit back :)

References:

1.  Panjabi MM. The stabilizing system of the spine. Part I. Functions, dysfunction, adaptation and enhancement. J Spinal Disord Techn 5: 383–389, 1992.

A bloody mess of a good time

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Well here she goes again! Courtney Belcher is about to lay the beatdowns fighting for the women’s heavyweight title at the Virginia Cage Fighting Championship’s Martinsville Mayhem 2. If you are in the area or just want to see a woman with heart giving her all, be sure to head out. You can also find Courtney on facebook and twitter to keep in touch, cheer her on, and see what she is up to.  GOOOOOO COURTNEY!!!!!!

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