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Our Favorite Squat Variation

6/24/2019

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Are you an athlete that is trying to improve their athleticism? Are you someone that is trying to improve their overall fitness? The front squat is our favorite squat variation for athletes and general population clientele. Here is one of our trainers demonstrating what it looks like using a barbell, but you could also use a dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball to do the same exercise. For more variations, make sure to check out our YouTube channel! 
​1) To begin place the bar on the rack approximately armpit height. 

2) Grasp the bar with closed pronated grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

3) Begin to rotate arms under and around the bar so that the bar is placed slightly below shoulders.

4) Keep elbows lifted up and forward, wrists should be hyperextended. 

5) Lift bar away from rack, take one step backwards. Position feet shoulder width apart.

6) Starting downward movement of the squat, begin descending toward the floor like you are going to sit on a chair.

7) After thighs are parallel to the floor, start the upward movement by pushing up through your feet until back at starting position.

8) Step forward and rack the bar after recommended repetitions are complete.
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Meals with JaCee - Taco Bowls

6/17/2019

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Looking for a healthy dinner for you to enjoy with your family? JaCee has taken out all of the hassle and made it easy for you by providing step by step instructions. Give the Turkey Taco Bowls a try and let us know what you think!

Turkey Taco bowls for 6:

Grocery list:
  1. 1 ½  Avocados
  2. 1 ½ cups of rice
  3. 1 bunch of cilantro
  4. 1 ½ pint of grape tomatoes
  5. 2 ¼ LB ground turkey
  6. 1 ½ lime
  7. 1 medium red onions
  8. Black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder,
  9. Virgin coconut oil

Instructions how to cook dinner:

  1. Start by rinsing the 1 ½ cups of rice under cold water, drain and put into saucepan. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Once rice comes to a boil stir and reduce heat to low. Allow for all the water to absorb, should be around 15-18 minutes. Once all done take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
  3. Wash tomatoes and cilantro. Cut tomatoes in half and move to a bowl.
  4. Shave the cilantro leaver off the stems. Chop up the leaves and discard the stems. Add to bowl with tomatoes.
  5. Add the lime juice to the salsa bowl.
  6. Cut up the onion, cut off the ends and throw away. Dice up into small pieces. Put with the other salsa.
  7. Add 1 ½ tbsp of virgin coconut oil to a nonstick pan and pre heat pan over medium heat.
  8. Add 1 ½ tsp of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper in a bowl.
  9. Add the ground turkey to the hot pan, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes or until fully cooked. Add the spices to the pan with the ground turkey. Stir until evenly mixed.
  10. Season the salsa with ¾ salt and ⅜ pepper and stir until combined.
  11. Cut avocado in half, de-pit the seed, thinly slice and scoop out into a bowl.
  12. Uncover the rice and stir.
  13. Once ready to serve add ground turkey, salsa, and avocado slices in a bowl.
  14. Enjoy with your family!
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Happy birthday to us!

6/12/2019

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In 2007, I was working as a 1:1 aide for a thirteen year old boy with autism. I noticed that the expectations for him were set far below of those of his peers, especially in his physical education class.

I had an idea about creating a business that served the disability community that provided a fun and safe place for them to learn how to exercise. Many said that it was a great idea, but impossible to create a business providing the service that I had in mind. Thank goodness that I didn't listen. 

With the support of my wife Mary and friends, on June 12, 2012 I filed for an LLC in the state of Oregon and made my idea a reality. Specialty Athletic Training has now served over 375 individuals of various ages and disabilities, and have 5 locations throughout the states of Oregon and Washington. 

Here's to seven years of making fitness fun, inclusive and providing the opportunity to live a healthy life accessible to everyone. Thank you for all of your continued support and love!
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5 Tips to Reach Your Fitness Goals This Summer

6/10/2019

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​Living in the Pacific Northwest, we experience true weather seasons throughout the year. Each season has their own pros and cons. Summertime is a beautiful time to be in the PNW and is my favorite season. Just thinking about summer makes my nostrils flare with the anticipation of BBQ in the air. However, not everyone loves the sun and heat of summer. The heat can be overwhelming at times and can make it hard to get outside and exercise, leading to many days in the air-conditioned house living a sedentary lifestyle. Sound familiar? Here are five tips to help you stay healthy and active as you beat the heat this upcoming summer!
 
Get your steps in – Go for a morning walk or run. Exercise is a great way to start your day and you’ll avoid the heat by doing early. Enjoy walking but not a morning person? Go to your local mall or a department store. They are generally air-conditioned and large enough that you won’t feel awkward walking the same loop a couple of times.
 
How many steps should you try to reach? The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends reaching 11,000 to 14,000 steps a day. Does that seem unattainable for you or your child? Start with a smaller goal that you feel is achievable and use that as your baseline. Increase that number by 250 steps each week until you reach the recommended daily steps. This may take months to reach and that’s ok! The most important thing is developing the habit of moving your body!
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Trust your heart - It is important to keep an eye on your heart rate as you exercise. The increased heat will be driving your heart rate up without exercise, so make sure that you are not pushing yourself to overexertion. It can also let you know if you could be working a little harder to reach your desired goals. Wondering what your target heart rate should be? Visit www.heart.org and type in “Target Heart Rate” for more information.
 
Many of our clients have a difficult time understanding their body and self-regulating. It can be tricky as a trainer, or a parent, to know if your child is moving enough to increase their heart rate to the desired level. Heart rate monitors solve this dilemma. Not only is it a great visual and tool for you as the parent, but understanding the target number and seeing their heart rate in real time can also serve as a great motivator for the child.  
 
Hydrate – It is important to drink water year-round, but especially as it begins to heat up. Your body will be naturally displacing your fluids trying to cool your body off, so make sure to drink extra water if you are spending time outside. The ideal amount of water that you should be drinking will vary based on your body and activity level, so your best indicator is your urine. If you’re not peeing clear, drink more water!
 
Fuel up – Do you have a long day of activities planned? Make sure to fuel your body appropriately to sustain your energy level. You should be eating protein with every meal accompanied by a good amount of vegetables. Always carry snacks with you to prevent becoming hangry and turning into the Hulk. Nuts are a good quick snack that are packed with energy. Allergic to nuts? Try a protein bar of your choice.
 
Monitor – Invest in smart technology that will help you stay on track. There are several great products out there that will help you monitor all the above. They all have different ways for you to stay motivated and consistent.
 
For heart rate and step tracking, Fitbit has a ton of products that are high quality with different options for your needs. They have simple trackers that look like a bracelet (less invasive) to watches (our favorite for learning to tell time). The Fitbit app will also sync with another app that I recommend using to track your daily calorie intake, MyFitnessPal. MyFitnessPal is a free app that does a great job of helping you track your daily nutrition, hydration, and is very customizable based on your own fitness goals. It can scan bar codes, which allows you to input your meals with ease with accuracy.
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Journey to Lomah Podcast

6/3/2019

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Originally aired on 05/27/2019

Maintaining healthy fitness levels is challenging enough for the general population and can be even more complicated for those with disabilities. What can we do about some of the common barriers so our loved one with special needs is on a path toward health?

I joined Kim of the LOMAH Special Needs Podcast to share the story of Specialty Athletic Training, talk about the business, and share some client success stories. This is a show that you don't want to miss. Click below to listen now!

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    About the Author

    Ryan Lockard, CSCS*D, CSPS*D is the Founder and CEO of Specialty Athletic Training. He is accredited by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Special Populations Specialist. Lockard is a member of the board of directors for the Autism Society of America and the advisory board for the NSCA Oregon chapter.
    ​Ryan has worked with individuals with disabilities since 2007 and has over 10,000 hours of 1:1 instruction working with individuals of various ages and diagnoses. 

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