Independence Day

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Independence Day from Kyle Cittadino on Vimeo.

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Untitled from Brian Fama on Vimeo.

4th of July Mahey from Felipe Polanco on Vimeo.

Hope-in-Motion: Train the Trainer Event

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2nd Annual Train the Trainer Event to benefit Stamford Hospital's Bennett Caner Center. The event raised just under $5,000.00 and the team merge of Chirosports and Wellness & KT Health and Fitness resulted in a total of just under $40,000.00 as donations are still being placed!


My Uncle Domenic/Godfather (Left) visiting my former boss and legand, Joe Paterno (right); enjoying a post game victory at State College, PA (2003). Domenic Sciarrotta's life has impacted many community members, friends and, of course, his entire family! I have, and will continue to do my part to make a difference in his memory!

A workout is worth a thousand words!

Much like looking at any ordinary photograph, a single written training session can be worth a thousand words.  This past Saturday my colleagues and I engaged in a rather simplistic training session.  This session was not document on video nor audio.  There were limited spectators and trainees.  To look at the session on paper would not likely intrigue the average fitness enthusiast.  So how was this session beneficial to several well conditioning health professionals and recreational athletes?  Why this particular training session over anything else? I entitled the documented training session: "It doesn't get much more simple than this!" The intention of the title was to open perspective to a simple concept.  The concept is execution. Fitness magazines often clutter pages with exercises, combined exercises and exercise programs! However, they rarely direct or revert to the "how to" perform the exercise and/or exercise program.  Some basic general information will be included on how to perform a single repetition, but attention is rarely directed to the performance of the set as a whole. During a single High Intensity set of an exercise, the first repetition will not likely look like the last! Although this is the intention, if a maximal effort is given, the speed of contraction will fade, muscle fibers will reach momentary muscular fatigue, heart rate will approach and/or reach maximum, and the individual will likely alter position to recruit additional muscle fibers before ultimately reaching movement failure.  Sounds simple enough right? I wish!  Most individual will not allow themselves to get to this point particularly because it is extremely uncomfortable.  I'll spare you the physiology, but let me simplify it for you. Think of when you're riding your bike, running or walking up several flights of stairs.  Now the burning you feel in your legs is a by-product of muscle contraction.  Now imagine performing that activity until you can no longer stand, breath or will yourself to continue. You are now getting a small taste of a single High Intensity set! Combine that with one or more exercises and you have a HIT session!

Saturday HIT Session 4/3/2010

It doesn't get much more simple than this! Four exercises, 6-12 repetitions, twice through:
-Barbell Squat
-Barbell Chest Press lockouts (50% range)
-Leg Press w/2" bands
-Pull-ups
Appropriate weights were selected do facilitate an inability to complete another repetition outside the rep range! The circuit was executed with less than 30 seconds between exercises and 2-3 minutes before repeating. We completed by pushing Brian Fama's Jeep Liberty from the front entrance of KT, across the parking lot, to Sempra's entrance (30 yards+/-), given its slight incline!

Exercises were brief, intensity was high, stimulus was maximal; nutrition and recovery is now the focus until the next session!!!

Where I came from: My mentor, Dr. Ken E. Leistner

Ken Leistner is an American strength training writer, personal trainer, strength consultant for the National Football League, and chiropractor. He is often known as "Dr. Ken".
In 1992 Leistner founded the Iron Island Gym with Ralph Raiola on Long Island. The Iron Island Gym was directed by the bodybuilding and powerlifting traditions. Leistner sold his share of the gym in 1998. He is married to the former Kathy Tuite, a photographer and world-class powerlifter in the early 1980s.
Leistner has been a regular columnist for Milo since its inception (April, 1993). He was a monthly columnist for Powerlifting USA from February 1979 through November 2000, and was a long-time columnist for Hardgainer. He has written articles for a number of other strength training magazines. He started his own training newsletter, The Steel Tip, in 1985, and published 36 issues. Leistner also contributed a chapter to the book Maximize Your Training (McGraw-Hill, 1999, edited by Matt Brzycki).
Leistner's personal training clients have included a number of NFL players, including Frank Ferrara and Luke Petitgout of the New York Giants.

Today Dr. Ken is semi-retired, working from his home facility in Lynbrook, NY. As for me, he has been a great mentor and practically a second father. Without the training and guidance of Dr. Ken, I would never have achieved the ability to play NCAA division IAA football, nor would I have been inspired to enter this profession! His research, background and practice continuously opens my eyes to new perspective and aspiration.

Video clip of Dr. Ken performing a High Intensity Squat set in the middle of an ordinary HIT training session.
425lbs. for 23 reps. He was just over 60 years old and his body weight was board line 160 lbs.
**click her to view clip**

Saturday HIT Training 3/27/2010

Workout: (rep to momentary muscular fatigue / a.k.a. failure)

• BB Squat (225 lbs.)
• Pull-up (bw)
• Bear crawl (bw)
• Push-up (bw)
• Sled push (170 lbs.)
• Push-up (bw)
• Sled push (170 lbs.)
• Plate Deadlift (200 lbs.)
• Sled Squat-Row (200 lbs.)
• BB Shoulder Press (drop-set)
• Sled Drag (500 lbs.)
• Farmers walk (200 lbs.)
• HS Leg Press (450 lbs.)
• Dips (bw)
• Biceps curl (75 lbs.)

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3/28/10 Mayhem from Kyle Cittadino on Vimeo.