In This Issue
– Robertson Training Systems Updates
– Testimonials
– Training Tip
– Nutrition Tip
– Product Review: The Anabolic Index
– Upcoming Interviews
– New Articles
– Schedule
Robertson Training Systems Updates
It’s summertime and we’re back on track!
Things have been extremely hectic the past couple of weeks, but we’re back on track and ready for a great newsletter. We also got a bit off kilter with our interviewees, and I’m mostly to blame for that. All the people I interview are extremely busy, so next week we should be back on track and ready to rock!
Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) is on its way!
Bill Hartman and I have been working hard to get our facility together, and we’re well on our way now!
With the lease signed and most of the build-out complete, we’ll be moving in over the course of the next couple of weeks. An opening date is still not set as of yet; this is due in part to the fact that I’ve had an extended vacation planned with my entire family since last year that will occur from July 20th-August 2nd. Once we figure out the logistics, the RTS readers will be the first to know.
Upon completion of the website, I’ll forward that link on to everyone as well. We’ll have a separate newsletter for those of you interested in the I-FAST facility and services.
Needless to say, we are really excited to open our doors and make our dreams a reality. We hope to see many of you there!
Tons of new content coming as well
I’ve been really hammering on the articles lately, so be on the lookout for quite a few new pieces. I’ve written a new article for T-Nation, one for Muscle with Attitude, and a three-part series for Elite Fitness. There’s more lined up as well, but that’s all the stuff that I know of that should be published soon. Be on the lookout!
Seminar DVD’s coming soon
James Dunn, the audio visual specialist, is working on developing the DVD’s from Bill and my recent seminar. Once completed, we’ll make an announcement to the RTS readers. While it normally wouldn’t take long to edit a seminar, James is putting in all the Powerpoint slides and video clips to enhance the learning process. We think this will greatly increase the value to anyone who purchases the series.
Testimonials: Online Coaching
Mike Robertson’s honest and dedicated approach to coaching made him the ideal choice for someone like me; an athlete working toward a future in her sport while battling the ghosts of injuries past. 
Although I was mildly skeptical about distance coaching, my concern was immediately remedied by the thorough and personalized attention I received. I was impressed and amazed by how quickly Mike delivered a program, and how quickly that program delivered results. Within one month of working with Mike, I was seeing incredible improvements in my mobility, speed, strength and body composition. I posted personal and team bests at each stage of fitness and skill testing in my collegiate pre-season, and with help from Mike, went on to play my strongest field hockey season ever. This was only the beginning.
Mike matches the work ethic he inspires in his clients and with under his guidance and encouragement this season, I was honored to be named team captain, as well as the 2008 Carleton University Women’s Field Hockey MVP. What sets Mike apart from other coaches is his ability to generate independence and empower the athletes he works with. As an elite athlete himself, he understands not only the physiological, but the underscoring mental processes that produce results, and affect athletes in their daily lives. His good humor, professionalism and focus make him a pleasure to work with and a driving force behind my ever-improving performance in sport, and lifelong pursuit for flourishing health.
– Jaya Dixit
Training Tip
Get Outside!
One of the simplest things you can do to change up your workouts is to get outside and enjoy the weather. Whether you’re taking a walk, swinging your kettlebells, or just doing some body weight circuits, getting outside can give you a nice chance of scenery and make your workout more enjoyable. Give it a shot!
Nutrition Tip
Kitchen Tips #2
By Mike Roussell
Experiment. Don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen! Many people get bored with what they are eating because they eat the same thing day after day. Step outside your nutritional comfort zone and start experimenting in the kitchen.
• If you aren’t sure where to start then prepare some of your favorite meals in a different way. If you have a favorite omelet then make it a scramble. This can be done easily by adding eggs and omelet filling (minus the cheese) and scramble everything together. Right before the eggs are fully cooked then mix in the cheese. Sometimes even this simple change and reinvigorate your meal plan.
• Use different vegetables. There are so many vegetable blends available in the frozen food section you should never get bored. If you usually eat peas and carrots with one meal then replace it with peas and perl onions or a sugar snap pea stir fry blend (which includes carrots, sugar snap peas, onions and sliced mushroom)
• Change up the herbs and spices. You can take a simple meal of cubed roasted chicken and broccoli and make it into 4 completely different tasting feasts! Just mix together in a nonstick pan over medium high heat one of the following groups of ingredients:
o Asian -Broccoli and chicken with peanut oil, minced ginger, soy sauce, and diced green onions
o Italian -Chicken, broccoli, olive oil, tomato paste, dried oregano, garlic, and fresh minced basil
o Peanut Chicken -Chicken, broccoli, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, and thai garlic-chili sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
o Indian – Chicken, broccoli, butter, tahinni, curry, cayenne pepper (be gentle with this if you don’t like it hot), and minced ginger.
Product Review: The Anabolic Index by David Barr
I first met Dave Barr several years ago while hanging out at the DC Test Fest. He gave a very interesting presentation on what he called “The Anabolic Index” – essentially, it was a way to apply numbers to various foods, supplements, etc. to determine how anabolic they were.
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Unfortunately for us, it took Dave a little while to take all that knowledge in his head and put it onto paper. However, the project is now complete and here’s a summary of the two pieces.
Nutrition and Supplement Manual
One of the first things Dave outlines is that the Anabolic Index is scored using a numbers system – essentially, Dave went in and determined how anabolic any given nutrient or supplement was (as determined by the current research and literature on the topic), and then applied a number to it to help people quantify how anabolic it was. While the numbers themselves may be some irrelevant, the key is to understand how anabolic one nutrient/supplement is when compared to another.
While I’m not sure if this would be an ideal stand-alone manual for someone new to nutrition, Dave does a good job of explaining the basics: calories, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, amino acids, etc. There’s also a basic discussion of anabolism and catabolism, and how we get to each state. Things get interesting in the middle of this manual – there’s extensive discussion on maximizing protein intake and protein synthesis. Dave discusses several strategies to ensure that you’re using that protein to build muscle. As well, there’s discussion of optimizing pre and post-workout nutrition as well; while many are very focused on a post-workout shake, there seems to be a lot of research supporting a pre-workout shake as well. There’s definite food for thought here if your goal is to build muscle.
Dave does an excellent job at the end of the manual by discussing myths surrounding muscle building, how to build better protein shakes depending on the time of day you’ll be consuming them, and giving a basic overview of the various types of carbohydrates and fats.
Food and Supplement Scoring Guide
While the nutrition and supplement manual lays the framework for the program, the food and supplement scoring guide is where you begin to conceptualize the entire process. Virtually any supplement and/or type of food you eat is covered in this section and given a score on the Anabolic Index. Beyond that, however, Dave does a job good of not only referencing the research on a given supplement, but also writes up a “mini-review” to see if the theories and claims made by supplement companies really hold water. If you’re one of those people that takes every supplement imaginable, this may really burst your bubble!
Overall, I really enjoyed this product and I think you will too. Obviously, my goal right now isn’t to put on 25 pounds of lean muscle mass, but it gives a nice review of optimizing your nutrition, and covers a ton of different supplements as well. While I probably wouldn’t recommend this book to someone who has absolutely no nutrition background, if you have a basic knowledge of the topic and your goal is to build muscle, the tools and strategies here should definitely help.
If you’re interested in checking out the Anabolic Index, it can be purchased at www.muscledrivethru.com.
Upcoming Interviews
June 9th – Dave Doan, bench press specialist and IPF Masters Gold Medal winner
June 16th – Brijesh Patel, strength coach at Holy Cross
June 23rd – Chad Waterbury, author and strength coach (www.chadwaterbury.com)
June 30th – Paul Kelso, author of “Kelso’s Shrug Book”
If you would like to submit a question for one of our upcoming interviewees:
1) Please send an e-mail to [email protected]
2) In the subject heading, please list the person your question is directed towards (i.e. Mike Boyle)
3) In the body of the text, list one or two questions you’d like to have answered.
We can’t promise that our interviewees can answer all questions, but we’ll do our best to get a nice mix of questions. Thanks for your support!